A/N: This story is written in the third person narrative to increase the sense of reality of the events described. Murata's story to Yuri is an exact description of the following events. ENJOY!

NIGHT

It was a dark, moonless night; but several stars shone brightly in the sky, illuminating the lofty hills that cast their shadows over the plains. The breeze was cool and refreshing. A small patch of grassland stood out amongst the rest, dazzling in firelight. These lights were issuing from the torches and campfires in and around the soldiers' tents and the night-watch. The little encampment consisted of about 50 tents in all. Stately soldiers were walking up and down, keeping watch at the entrance, while the others occupied themselves with activities such as cooking, fencing, chatting and the like. To a casual observer, they would not have looked like a group most of whose members would most likely be dead by sundown tomorrow. This was the influence of the General of this little militia, reverentially called 'the Shinou' by his men. In the very midst of the encampment, beside the largest campfire, stood the biggest and the most luxurious of the tents.

Shinou sat comfortably at his desk, humming a tune to himself, as if he hadn't a care in the world! This blissful state of affairs, however, was soon interrupted by the arrival of a tall, slender man with night-black hair into the tent. He had knee-length straight black hair and shinning, soft black eyes. Other than that, his features, though sharp, were more or less nondescript. He wore a light armor over several layers of dark clothing and was carrying a shaft of papers in his hands. His mouth was set in a grim line and it looked like he was trying very hard to frown, though a small smile played nonetheless on his tightly pressed lips and his eyes looked exceptionally jubilant as the torch's light was reflected off them. Pacing up to the commander's desk, the Daikenja put the papers down on his table and sighed heavily in mock frustration. "My Lord, may I ask the reason why you choose to take matters so casually and relax when there is so much work to be done before our final face-off with the Soushu's army?" he enquired, trying to keep his face straight while he finished the monologue. The Shinou's drooping eyelids flew open as he greeted his chief strategist with one of his most fetching smiles. "It is because of my complete and unwavering faith in you, Daikenja," the blonde commented, smile still intact. The Daikenja only looked more vexed, "Spare me your complements;" he huffed!

Shinou laughed effortlessly; even on the very last night of the War, his amusement at the Great Sage's almost hilarious seriousness had not faded! "Oh come now, my dear strategist," he pouted. "Surely, even you can't be so heartless! This is probably the last chance we would ever get to relax. After that, we would have an empire to build!" he stated frankly, as if that was the most obvious thing in the world! "If you took my advice (which I'm sure you won't); I'd suggest that even you should get some much-needed rest. Who knows when the next opportunity might come?!" he finished, leaving the Sage flabbergasted! "You seem sure of yourself! What makes you so sure we would emerge the victors in tomorrow's show-down?" asked Daikenja curiously, though he knew he was wasting his breath. "Why Daikenja, this is heart-breaking! After all these years of working together, do you still doubt my abilities?" the great Shinou whined, eyes shinning in mock betrayal.

Unable to resist himself any longer, the most intelligent man on earth (or whatever else that alternate world was called) finally gave up and smiled at the General. He reached out to place his palm over the other man's scarred and calloused arm in a soothing gesture. "Of course not" he reassured the most powerful Mazoku ever born, who was presently pouting and looking at him with puppy dog eyes. "All I meant to say was that the Soushu is a dangerous enemy to possess and you shouldn't let your guard down or treat the upcoming encounter so lightly." He explained patiently.

The Shinou smiled wryly. "And what good will come of fretting over the inevitable?" he enquired his advisor, eyes searching all the while for any signs of defiance in the man. Finding none, however, he continued; "If they see me worried, the soldiers will start panicking. It would only lessen our chances of victory. Would it not, my Sage?" he finally asked, voice somehow softer and gentler than usual. The Daikenja was completely taken aback! This wasn't something he'd bargained for, and this unusual display of affection on the General's part took him absolutely off guard. The Sage hated it when things didn't go according to plan!

"Y-yes, I guess so," he stammered, not knowing how to respond. The double black wasn't used to handling sudden displays of gentle emotions, least of all from their gorgeous commander! Suddenly, something even more unexpected happened which made Daikenja suspect he was having some kind of sick dream! The Shinou reached out his free arm for the former's palm, where he had laid it on his hand as a comforting move and, taking it in his own strong hands, squeezed it gently! He then seemed about to raise it away from the table, toward himself, but looking at his strategist's horror stricken expression, thought better of it and let go. "You should go to bed now, Daikenja" he said. "We all have a long day ahead of us tomorrow." Just as he was about to leave with his parcel of papers, the Shinou called out from behind him. "You may leave them here Sage," he remarked. "You were right, I will go through them once tonight before turning in." He granted with his usual smile, though somehow, his companion felt it wasn't the same as ever.

Going out into the open, the Daikenja, for all his intelligence, couldn't make head or tail of what had passed between them just now within the tent! Shinou was acting strangely, that's for sure. But the cause for such a drastic change in behavior of their Lord was beyond anything the Sage could fathom. For a second, he felt inclined to believe that the Shinou had been attempting to convey something to him. Then, shaking his head, he laid it down to stress and proceeded silently towards his own tent to finish what remaining work was to be done and then follow the General's advice.

To be continued~