Disclaimer: I own nothing, I write Fanfictions as a hobbie and nothing more. This is just for fun.
Ok so I ended up with writers block and decided to watch a little anime. I found one that was AWESOME, would have to say its one of my top 4 favorites now. So make a long story short, I wrote this in hopes to end my writers block and begin to finish my others. It... kinda... helped...
I've never written anything about Japan or it's history. I did as much reading as I could. This is based off Masamune Date of Sengoku Basara the Anime. I am trying to capture his calm before the storm side. This is also my attempt at humor so I hope you all enjoy and please review. I do love this anime and would love to give it the justice it deserves.
Masamune went for a walk. He needed the fresh air. For the last three weeks all he saw and smelled were dead bodies, leather, horses, and sweaty men. It seemed he needed some much needed rest. He couldn't get the visions out of his head. The lord was plagued with with war. He loved it, yet he hated the feeling of guilt of losing his men, even if they were few in numbers.
They were still precious to him. Their faces turned up with gaping mouths as their blood littered the ground from their chests and abdomens slashed open. Even though he had Kojūrō collect their swords to bring home to their wives, it still left little comfort to the daimyo. He couldn't help but dream about them every night until he was home and he could finally step away from that dark world he was called to over and over again.
Unfortunately he loved war. The excitement, the rush, the feeling of conquering another. The ability to hold another's life in his hands was very thrilling and enticing to him. Brushing up with death was something that made him feel more alive. A small grin formed on his face. War had its heavy price but it was a party never to be missed. He'll never forget the faces of the men he lost but he'll never forget a victory their sacrifice gave him.
Masamune stopped a moment closing his left, deep brown eye. The fresh air and the cooling breeze brought new fragrances in which he welcomed. It was a nice change from what he had been subdued to for the last three weeks. He may have been the One-Eyed Dragon, but he was still a man and knew when it was time to slow down. Though to be honest with himself, he didn't like too but his body was a mortal one and needed as much rest as it could get.
It was sore and restless. His back was stiff and his shoulders ached, from endless riding. Masamune groaned out of some frustration. Resting was for the weak and the old. He didn't like the idea he was getting older as the days went by but then again there weren't many that could keep up with him on the battle field. He smiled as his blood started to heat up, thinking of the one man that always did stir something deep and unsettling in him. "Sanada...", he chuckled.
The general found a cherry blossom tree and sat at the base of it, leaning his back against the rough bark. His finger tips brushed the soft grass below him. The One-Eyed Dragon closed his left eye again and started taking in slow, deep breaths.
The lord was home, something he did somewhat enjoy though it was a bit boring but he knew his men desired to be home with thier loved ones. He maybe half blind but he wasn't deaf. He could hear the men whisper about their wives and how they missed their cooking.
Kojūrō and he discussed it would be best to be home for a better part of the month. It was spring and the little pleasantries is something his men were in need for. His reward to his men was to stay home and let them become reacquainted with the women they had left.
Masamune let his senses take over. The fresh, sweet smell of cherry blossoms and the dew collecting on the thick grass under his feet. He decided to kick off his waraji and allowed his toes to feel the moisture under them. It was an odd feeling, the wet grass sticking into his feet and between his toes. He quirked up a smile and kept his eye closed.
"Excuse me... Lord Date..." Masamune opend his left eye, not surprised to hear Kojūrō's voice. "What is it", Masamune's voice having a tinge of annoyance, like it always did.
"I'm here to remind you Lady Nanako Sato will be arriving in a week seeking a marriage proposal again." Date looked away, in a snarl. She was the most aggravating person on this Earth. The man has turned her family's offers down so many times it was getting to the point he was ready to kill them. Masamune ran his rough fingers through his hair.
"And that's not all my lord. Due to your high demands, not to mention your unwavering demeanor, the house staff has left ." Shit, he thought. This wasn't the first time, Masamune had ran the staff off with his bellicose attitude and high expectations.
His face turned from annoyance to a scowl at his loyal retainer.
Kojūrō crossed his arms. His dark green haori and matching hakama held up by his white obi gave him a much humbled appearance much like his master wearing only a white haori and dark blue hakama and a white obi. Both men were dressed like country samurai, no one would have known the lord's status or his loyal retainer, since it was evident that Kojūrō had been working in the rice fields.
Kojūrō knew his master wasn't blaming him for the staff leaving. It was an expression most would assumed he was. Part of the reason why most stayed clear of the one eye dragon. Masamune was perturbed by whole situation. He enjoyed having his bath drawn, having tea with his soba noodles afterwards. Then don't forget his love of sake with the company of his retainer shortly after as they discussed plans and possible reactions from other lords.
The loyal retainer knew though, Date could be very demanding when it came to the littlethings. Masamune was somewhat of a neat freak when he came home though the One-Eyed Dragon claimed otherwise. Kojūrō sighed. "You need to find a wife my lord. A lot of this could be avoided." Date sneered.
"I have no intentions on marrying anyone. It's an annoyance I can avoid bothering myself with until I have all the lands under my rule", Masamune proclaimed sternly. The loyal retainer sighed as his gold eyes settled on his lord sitting below the cherry tree. "Tch. Don't give me that look. I know what you're thinking."
Masamune stood up and stretched putting his waraji back on. "If the Heavens want me to get married, they would drop a woman from the sky in front of me." Kojūrō opened his mouth to say one shouldn't tempt the Heavens when a loud squeel followed by crashing sounds falling towards his lord. "Masmune", Kojūrō cried out. A blur of black and brown fell to his lord's feet.
"Ow! Son of a bitch! Stupid tree!" Masamune's eye grew wide. He was shocked to hear the words in English. His wasn't very good in the language itself but he understood the cussing. He was as equally surprised to hear the curses bellowing from a young woman rubbing her rear as she stood up.
Her brilliant green eyes were in contrast to her long, dark brown hair. It was pulled back into a pony tail. She was wearing very little in his eyes. Thin black straps held a tight, skimpy top to her volumptious figure, showing much to his desire, cleavage. Dark brown pants hugged her little body. They only came down to her shins with large pockets on the sides of the knees. The girl even had a strange looking pack on her back that seemed to strap across her chest.
He realized she was dressed much like that of a ninja but before he could jump back and unsheathe his sword. "There she is", was hollered by a small group of men. "Damn it", she exclaimed in Japanese. When the girl turned to run, Masamune grabbed for her. He missed her but grabbed what seemed to be the handle to the black pack.
The sudden yank caused her to yelp and curse. The girl's quick thinking saved her. She unclipped the strap that laid across her chest and darted quickly away. The One-Eyed Dragon stood there a little dumb-founded. Never in his life had he something so odd happen. He chuckled as Kojūrō looked just as confused as he was.
"My lord are you ok?" His loyal retainer looked back at him with some concern. "Yeah..." The man dropped his arm to his side, scratching his head. The four men who hollered at the girl earlier ran up and stopped. Panting like dogs, the two samurai looked at each other briefly. All four men, were wearing plain brown trousers and tattered shirts.
"That bitch", one of them hissed out. Kojūrō spoke up first. "What's going on?" His eyes narrows on what seems to be the group leader. "None of your business", the man snarled. His greasy black hair and smell indicated he wasn't the most of pleasant of people. Probably a drunkard or the like that picked on those less fortunate. From the body language and how he spoke his words, they were want to be thugs. They... were the low of the low and some how the girl got mixed up in this.
Date watched the group with a careful steady eye. His had firmly placed on the hilt of his sword, he stayed quiet. Normally he wasn't the quiet one but his mind was on the girl's face just moments ago. Masamune had a gut feeling these four were the reason she had fear on her face. He had to admit he was impressed with how quick she moved. The girl practically made a rabbit look slow.
The four men backed away. "Look, we don't want any trouble from you but that bitch needs to pay!" "What happened", Kojūrō repeated himself. The man paused a moment, his lips curled up into an ugly smile. He was missing teeth in the front and what few he did have were blackened. "She stole something from us." His dark brown eyes, scanned the bag.
Masamune hated liars. He hated them more then anything. "Oh, really", the general inquired. The four short, scrawny looking men all nodded. They all looked like their leader. Scraggly, dirty black hair, reeked like they haven't bathed in weeks and black toothy grins.
"Shall we look in the bag?" The black, strange material looked too clean to be one of theirs. It was heavy and he was genuinely curious to what was in the bag. It was heavy and it sounded like papers. It was easy to tell how to open it and it was an ingenious idea. He pulled the tab and it opened with ease. Lots of books and papers filled the bag completely.
"Be careful Masamune, if she's..." Date chuckled and reached in carefully pulling out some of the papers that were neatly folded in front of some very colorful book covers. He noticed immediately they were notes for medical practices. "Ah, our little runner seems to be practicing to be a doctor." Kojūrō looked a little stunned. "She knows how to read and write?"
The lord stood and nodded his head, even pulling out one of the bigger books. He was amazed as he flipped through it. The colors and details of the human body. The pictures were enough to suggest one was studying under a high educatator.
The girl may have been a ninja or part of the ninja core but as he glanced through the notes he found she was just trying to be healer.
"Kojūrō..." The One-Eyed Dragon put the hard back book and notes away swiftly as he reached for his sword. His retainer nodded and looked at the men. "Do as you wish my lord." In a flash Date had pulled his sword and already slashed through the leather of the commoner's belt. This wasn't fun for Dragon but he was a bit irritated. He was lied too but he didn't believe in senseless killing either. These men were unarmed and uneducated. It was his place to teach them a lesson though.
The man's pants fell to the ground. "Consider this a warning, pig. Don't let me see you again. I despise liars. I think they should all perish. Now you know my law, don't let me catch you doing it again." The color left the four men's faces as thier leader tried to swiftly pull up his pants and they all ran away.
"Kojūrō, let's get some tea. I have some reading to do." The loyal retainer nodded and followed his master home, down the dirt road. Both men were in a little state of shock. The mystery girl had caught them both off guard and that wasn't an easy feat.
Kojūrō was also biting his tongue. He found amusement in Masamune's words. "If the Heavens wanted me to get married, they would drop a woman from the sky in front of me." He just had to tempt them didn't he, the man thought in amusement. There she was Date, but she got away. This will be a story that'll even you wouldn't be able to live down, the loyal retainer continued to think.
Both men knew it was mere coincidence but it was truly an entertaining tale they'll be chatting about later over sake and soba noodles...