Past which resulted in the present
Chapter 2
"So you really decided accompany Sir Hideyoshi when he visits the grave of his sister?" Leonardo Da Vinci stated while Jeanne placed saddlebags and the saddle on her black winghorse Yuri (A's note: Jeanne's winghorse's name means a lily flower, not romance between girls). "Yes," Jeanne answered and led Yuri out of the stable: "I feel sorry for Asahi and I think that it's right to honor her memory." Jeanne and Da Vinci walked with Yuri where Nobunaga, Mitsuhide and Hideyoshi were already waiting them.
"Are you ready to go, Ranmaru?" Hideyoshi asked while holding his winghorse Momiji. Asahiko's head peeked out of the one of saddlebags. Jeanne nodded as the answer. "Be careful and try return in three days," Mitsuhide said to Hideyoshi and Jeanne. "Seriously, Mitsu. I have visit my home village previously and nothing bad has happened," Hideyoshi snorted. "Maybe not yet," Mitsuhide said seriously and ran his fingers in his hairs: "But now we have the western army to worry about, so your journey is much more dangerous." "Yes, yes. I'm careful," Hideyoshi sighed while climbing on Momiji's back. "I would like come with you but they need me here," Da Vinci said. Hideyoshi turned to face the older man with smile: "You could come with us the next year. Maybe then here is more peaceful than now." "It would be a honor," Da Vinci said friendly. "Monkey!" Nobunaga's voice caught Hideyoshi's attention.
"Don't do anything funny to Ranmaru althought there is only you two!" Nobunaga said strictly. "What do you mean 'anything funny'? What kind of person you think I'm? And there isn't 'only we two', Asahiko is with us," Hideyoshi said with hint of offense. Asahiko barked, offended that it was forgot. "You know what I mean, Monkey. I have know you enought long time," Nobunaga said while pointing his index finger to Hideyoshi. Then Nobunaga said to Jeanne who sat on Yuri's back: "Ranmaru. If Monkey try to do anything funny to you, you have my permission to spank him." "I would do it even without your permission," Jeanne sais and glanced at Hideyoshi with warning. Hideyoshi just rolled his eyes and said: "Okay. I got it. Would we leave now?" Jeanne nodded as the answer. They waved their hands to Nobunaga and others and left.
Himiko watched Hideyoshi and Jeanne's leaving with her pet in the balcony. "I'm happy they left," Himiko said to herself: "Now I can spend time with my betrothed without that barbarian Ranmaru trying to seduce the man who belongs to me. Also it's much peacefuler now when Hideyoshi isn't making lots of noise here. And that stupid kitsune fox isn't here to trying bite me because of my priestess powers."
(In the Takeda-Caesar camp)
"Caesar-sama! Our spy has message for you," the soldier informed. "Oh really," Caesar said calmly: "Get him here." The spy knelt in front of Caesar and said: "Caesar-sama. Two Nobunaga Oda's servants, Hideyoshi Toyotomi and that western boy, have left the castle." "Really? Without their giant war armors?" Caesar asked. "Yes, they are on horseback," the spy answered. Caesar thought what he had heard before he said: "If they have their Regalias with them, this would be a great chance to get their Regalias. And we can take them as our hostages and get Nobunaga's Regalias... Yes. It's a great idea."
"Lord Caesar!" Brutus who was standing next to Caesar said suddenly. "Speak, Brutus," Caesar said. "Allow me go after them! I will capture them!" Brutus promised. Caesar glanced at Brutus and said with hint of teasing: "Really? Is it because you lost against Hideyoshi Toyotomi when Nobunaga stole war armors for us?" Brutus gnashed. He hadn't forgotten that day when he had lost to amateur who had revealed to be one of the Chosens. "Very well. Brutus, you have my order and permission to capture Nobunaga Oda's servants. Take as many men as you need with you," Caesar said: "But remember that they must capture alive so we can use them as hostages." Brutus bowed and said: "Yes, lord Caesar!" Then Brutus left preparing their mission. Caesar lent backward in his chair and thought satisfiedly how he soon would get Regalias of Wind and Purity in his hands.
[flashback]
Hideyoshi was in the worst situation of his life. Villagers was attacked by the group of bandits and when childrens was ordered to run, Hideyoshi was get lost for others. The situation was worse because it was very dark evening and Hideyoshi was step on the hunting trap. Hideyoshi started to cry for pain and fear until somebody said: "Well, you don't look – and definitely not sound – like rabbit."
Hideyoshi rose his look and noticed man standing in front of him. The man was over twenty and his brown hairs was in the short ponytail. Judging by the clothes and the sword the man was a ronin. The man watched Hideyoshi and the boy's leg in the trap and shook his head: "I set that trap to rabbit, not to little boys to play." Hideyoshi stared at the man with fear and didn't say anything. The man just sighed and kneeled next to the boy: "Okay. Stay still, so I can open this. This will hurt a little bit." The man opened the trap and Hideyoshi cried for pain but now boy's leg was free. The man looked at the boy's injured leg with serious face. "This looks quite bad. Come. I take you in my camp, so I can take care of your leg," the man said and placed himself so Hideyoshi will climb on his back. Hideyoshi stared the man uncertainly. He was heard that some ronins were criminals and that's why he didn't trust that man. It felt like the man knew Hideyoshi's thoughts because he said: "If we don't take care of your leg, it will turn worse. That would be quite bad for somebody as young as you." Hideyoshi winced for fear and finally he climbed on the man's back. "My name is Ogikaze. What's your name?" the man asked while carrying Hideyoshi in piggyback. The boy was shy with the man before he answered: "Hideyoshi." "Huh... 'good luck'. Well that's something you need in your life," Ogikaze stated with slight smile.
[flashback end]