Betrayal Knows My Name
"Motonari how could you! Am I nothing more than a stepping stone to your success?" Motochika yelled to his rival. Motonari, gripping tighter to his weapon, was hesitant to answer. Just moments ago Motochika's rage was focused on Ieyasu, but since his revenge was nothing more than a trick that Motonari conjured to keep him off his back. But why did it make Motonari's stomach turn into a knot?
"You are such a fool Motochika. You force your anger on me when it was YOU who killed Ieyasu? It just goes to show how your trust can easily be broken by such simple influences." Motonari chuckled. That's right; he planned the whole thing, from the very beginning. Yet now that the deed has been nearly complete why does Motonari hesitate to finish it? Was it because of what they did in the past? Is it because of how they were so close but only to have the war separate them? Even Motonari's brilliance couldn't conceive such confusion he currently holds.
"I…don't deserve to be forgiven. Ieyasu...I…betrayed you…oh god….what have I done?" Motochika mumbled. And the most amazing thing happened. Motochika began to weep. The tears he had managed to hold back flowed so easily even in front of his own rival. Motonari gasped, never imagining such emotions to come from the pirate he knew for ages. Was Ieyasu that important to Motochika, even though Motonari made it look like it was he who destroyed Shikoku?
"Motonari…I don't deserve to be forgiven. However I will send you straight to hell so that I can face Ieyasu one more time." Motochika yelled, the rage he faced Ieyasu with being directed at Motonari. This caused the head of the Mori clan to chuckle at his dismay.
"Once the fool, always the fool." Motonari scorned. Motochika, injured by Motonari already, stood once again and charged at him. Instead of striking him with his huge anchor, at the last second he threw it to the ground and rammed into Motonari's blade, killing him.
"I may be a fool, but I refuse to be pitied by such a sad man as you." Motochika said, before collapsing to the ground, finally having been overcome by death. Motonari, surprised once again by the actions of the pirate looked at his corpse in admiration. The fool killed himself by running into his rival's weapon? Was he seriously that foolish? It shamed Motonari.
Without saying a word Motonari turned to go. As he walked past all of the corpses staining the battle field it made Motonari recall what had led to this final battle to conquer all of Japan. His alliance with the Dark King Mitsunari, his destruction of Shikoku while leaving Ieyasu's banner flying among the rubble, his letter to Motochika stating that Ieyasu destroyed Chugoku along with Shikoku, Motonari's campaign to conquer the eastern countries while Mitsunari and Motochika conquered the western territories, Motochika slaying Ieyasu who was believed to destroy Shikoku when in truth it was Motonari who did it, Motonari betraying the alliance with Mitsunari and slaying the Dark King himself, and now this.
Now Japan belonged to Motonari.
"You are all fool." Motonari mumbled as he returned to Chugoku, a single tear falling from his face as he recalled the face of his dead rival.
