All right, hajimemashite! This is my first story, and I'm proud of it!! Tis just a little experiment I'm working on... The story is about the bond of Yukimura, Kanetsugu, and Mitsunari, but there is going to be (mostly/mainly) a YukimuraMitsunari pairing, maybe a bit light... I couldn't make real action, even if I wanted to... there might be other pairings, but maybe I'll be spontaneous on these. Some parts of the story are actual scenes from the game (Samurai Warriors 2), I just tweaked them a bit.
Anyway, I don't own Samurai Warriors, neither do I own their characters and other stuff. Enjoy!
Chapter I: A Warrior's End
A GREAT thunder clashed through the night; lightning sped throughout the dim sky. Rain poured heavily on the outside courts of the Osaka Castle. A mass of bodies of soldiers lay on muddy grounds. An immense battle had taken place.
It was over…
Among the fallen soldiers, the crimson warrior was one of them. Barely alive, but not completely dead, he remained there with his face on cold, soaked floor.
It's over… I had made my stand, but it's now over…
Yukimura Sanada stared at the spattering rain. Little puddles formed near where he lay. His sight was a blur, but he could see the ripples coming closer… He could hear the rain hitting on metal armour and soil… it was all so clear, now that it was silent.
The Tokugawa has won… they will reign Japan, like they said they would…
Someone was there. Maybe more than one. Possibly a troop looking for survivors in this vast graveyard… but it didn't matter anymore.
I… I wasn't able to avenge your death… maybe not ever close… I promised… I vowed… but I failed you…
The sound of footsteps and clanking armour were close by. Vague, soft voices whispered to each other.
Please… please…
If he hadn't been this injured, Yukimura could've stirred to look who was coming closer; there was definitely someone approaching. But, so what? He would die, anyway.
…I'm going to die soon… very soon…
"I found him! He's here!"
"Are you sure!"
"It's him!"
"Yukimura? Yukimura!"
Someone had found him. He could hear them running, closer by the second. One of them dropped on his knees to take a look at the crimson warrior.
"Yukimura! Yukimura, are you all right?"
"I-is he alive?"
"He's barely breathing…"
"Yukimura…!"
The voice was, indeed, familiar. He knew this man, but for some reason he couldn't remember… maybe because death has finally found him, and is making preparations for travel to paradise, or hell…
I'm going to die… my last wish here on Earth… is for you… to forgive me…
His body moved on its own. He could clearly see the sky. It was still dark, still raining…
"Yukimura! Can you hear me? Please, say something…"
A man was looking down at him. He knew him. But due to the blur, he couldn't make out the face. Even his sense of hearing was starting to fail him.
"Yuki…! Y…mura…! Are you…th me…? Hey…! Oh, this… rible…!"
The man lowered his face to take a closer look, or maybe to hold him closer.
… Forgive me… Let me go to your side once again…
The man suddenly held Yukimura in his arms. But it wasn't because of grief… as though there was a sign of hope that he could still live. He must've moved a finger, or something.
"You're going to be all right, okay? Once we find shelter, we'll get you a doctor immediately…"
Then, out of the blue, Yukimura gave a soft groan.
Let me go to you… I want to be in your arms… Let me stay with you…
He groaned, starting to move his lips. He started to form a word silently while groaning. He longed for it. He longed for this one word:
"M…Mitsu…nari…"
Yukimura let out one last moan before, slowly, closing his eyes and was blanketed by darkness, letting everything else fade away.
-
-
The battle was won. The Tokugawa has finally overcome each and every one of its enemies, and Kanetsugu Naoe tolerated the fact that he was among the Tokugawa ranks, bearing in mind that he had fought the honour that he vowed to protect. He defeated many officers he commanded with his two best friends before. Not only defeated, but slain as well. It was unnecessary – he didn't want to do it. But, if he hadn't, the Tokugawa would have finished every last trace of the Uesugi clan… every single one of his beloved master's clan. Kanetsugu had to choose, and chose the safety of the Uesugi over his "undying" honour. Therefore, he left the Toyotomi after… that's right, the loss at Sekigahara. Word was that his friend had died there…
And I joined the Tokugawa… leaving what I had cared for…
Kanetsugu remembered what had happened back in the Sanada Ward, where he was defending the cannons when Yukimura Sanada came and fought him.
"I have no choice!" Kanetsugu remembered telling him. "They were going to terminate the Uesugi! I was torn, Yukimura… I didn't know what else to do!"
"Lord Kanetsugu," replied the crimson warrior. "I have always looked up to you as a man of honour… Though I am deeply saddened by our situation now, there is no turning back… so, come!"
"I… don't have the right to be called that way…"
"Then, come and fight, Kanetsugu!"
"No!"
Yukimura gazed at the figure before him. He can't help but stare into his eyes. Kanetsugu slowly walked back.
"No, Yukimura," he said, his voice faltering. "I will not fight… I cannot fight a dear friend…"
"Kanetsugu…"
"I can't… I'm leaving the Sanada Ward to you… I just can't go through this, Yukimura…"
"But, Kanetsugu-!"
"Stop! Please…" Kanetsugu turned his back on him. "I have already betrayed my honour…"
Before Yukimura could speak, the tall warrior sped off through the gate.
"Kanetsugu! Lord Kanetsugu!"
His yell continued on even if they were meters apart. But Kanetsugu had the urge to look back, and the sight to behold pained him even more than he had already felt.
"Kanetsugu-!"
A mass of soldiers had surrounded Yukimura. Although he knew Yukimura was strong, he could not bear to see his friend in danger. Kanetsugu was about to run to his rescue when one of the officers of Tokugawa suddenly grabbed his arm and pulled him from his pursuit.
"Master Kanetsugu! Are you all right?"
"Yes, I am…" his voice trailed off.
"That Sanada would have been dangerous if you hadn't escaped" – Kanetsugu winced hearing this – "but we'll be able to get the ward after!"
Kanetsugu dared not to speak, and waited for a chance to go on and fight. But even if he was free from the officers, he couldn't lay a finger on the soldiers. But he did not have a choice. He had to fight to the very end…
A drop of rain hit his face, and Kanetsugu was brought back to reality.
"It'll be pouring hard in a while. You sure you just wanna stand out there?"
Kanetsugu looked to see who was behind him.
It was Masamune Date.
"I was watching you a while back," the one-eyed warrior said, approaching Kanetsugu. "For a moment there, I thought you were dead."
"I think "turned to stone" is a proper term," Kanetsugu replied, turning to him.
Masamune ignored the correction and glared at the scenic garden he realized they were in.
"What are you doing here?" Kanetsugu asked.
"I was just wondering the same," Masamune said.
It was quite uneasy for them to be standing there without having to quarrel about, the usual, honourable, dishonourable, and irritating things about either of them.
One of them had to start talking.
This posed to be difficult, they both thought. They each gave small glances then turned to the other way, waiting for either of them to speak up.
Definitely, someone had to break the silence.
Masamune decided to start.
"So…" There it is: one word. But he lost any idea what to say next. Come on, he told himself. Think of something!
"What is it?" Kanetsugu tried to sound calm, although lost in thought.
Masamune looked at the tall warrior. He was looking blankly at the ground; clearly he wasn't paying too much attention. What could he be thinking? Maybe…
"Did you get to fight him?" he asked.
Kanetsugu jerked a bit, his eyes met Masamune's.
"Who?"
"You know… your friend? The one you talked about before."
Yukimura. Kanetsugu remembered mentioning about him to Masamune, in one of their many arguments.
"I… had a chance, but I couldn't… I just couldn't…"
Masamune looked at the man once again. His head had bowed and his hands were clenched. This will be troublesome. He had to change the subject.
"Uh, so… well, Lord Ieyasu had ordered to clean up the field… get rid of the bodies and other things… some have started."
This didn't seem interesting at the moment, but something told Kanetsugu to listen.
"Well, one of them said they saw someone moving from one of the heaps of bodies. I thought it was quite interesting, so I decided to ask him." – This made Kanetsugu glance at Masamune. – "He said it was a bit far off, but he caught a glimpse of his armour before he fell to the ground again… said it was red all over. He even mentioned the name Yukimura Sanada. Well, it could be him, right? I wasn't listening that well, so maybe it wasn't him…
"I'm not making much sense, now, am I? I mean, the opposing side should be wiped out completely… but there could be a chance…"
Kanetsugu's eyes were wide open. A light inside him seemed to have sparked.
"I just thought I'd tell you. You know, if you'd like to know." Masamune looked away.
"Where did they see him?" Kanetsugu asked. A hint of excitement started him up.
"Outside, somewhere in the castle grounds – hey, where are you going?"
Kanetsugu was about to walk out, but then turned to face the startled warrior.
"To find Yukimura."
Masamune stared at him. He was determined. But it was just a story. What if it had not been him?
"But we're not sure if it is him. What if it isn't?"
For a moment, Kanetsugu formed a smile on his lips.
"I cannot fail to act on this chance. I have to see if it is him." Kanetsugu knew that Yukimura was a strong man. He believed in the crimson warrior. He hoped it would be him.
This guy is unbelievable! Masamune tried to study Kanetsugu and his ways, but somehow it would never seem logical – to him, anyway.
"But it's going to rain hard soon. It'll be difficult to look for him."
What is he doing? Showing concern for the man? He never showed much concern for him… not in a million years!
"There will be a way… somehow."
Silence fell over the two of them. There was still time to search…
"Then, at least, I would give him a proper burial," he said, and slowly added, "It's the least that I could do…"
Silence again. He had to do it now.
"I should be going-"
"If that is what you want," Masamune hurriedly said. "Then I will help you."
He's completely lost his mind! What was this one-eyed dragon thinking? He was actually going to help him? This… this imbecile! Has he finally turned into one, as well? The idea made him shudder inside. He was going to help this man who, he added to himself, would never, ever shut up about honour. And he just hated that so much! Now what did this act show? Kindness?
Or is it really concern?
He shook the ideas off his head. It's just a little search for one man over thousands of bodies on the fields. What harm could that bring?
This isn't logical at all, Masamune thought.
Kanetsugu watched the smaller man as he fidgeted in his place. This time, Kanetsugu let out a soft chuckle. Masamune reddened in the face.
"W-what are you laughing at?" he blurted out.
"I'm sorry," Kanetsugu said, bowing his head. "It's just strange… but thank you."
Masamune beamed inside. He felt lighter than usual. It was strange, indeed. Before he realized he would start showing this to the other man, he forced everything to feel heavy again. This is stupid…
"Don't thank me yet," he firmly said. "We haven't even started."
Kanetsugu nodded and walked up the stone steps, and Masamune strode after him.
-
Perched upon the gate to the outer courts of the castle, the Iga ninja, Hanzo Hattori, silently watched the two figures exit the small scenic garden. He specifically recognized the tall hat and the crest on the helmet of the other man. The one-eyed Date accompanying the tall man of honour? Although it is none of his business, this could prove interesting…
And with that, he disappeared into shadow.
That's all for the first chapter. Yay, one whole chapter!! -party-
Then the second...scribble scribble...
Yukimura: Hmm... we'd appreciate comments please!
(Where'd you come from...??)