The Searrs Foundation temporary headquarters on the HMS Gylden, about 10 miles off the Eastern cost of China

"John Smith failed."

The Searrs President folded his hands and frowned, staring at the letter in front of him. The letter itself had been through a lot just by the look of it, but after being transported wrapped in seaweed, rice, and several other creative ways of hiding it – at least one of which involved being swallowed – it was only natural that it had taken a beating. But the message had survived, and the last desperate words of the unfortunate emissaries at Dejima were clear for all to read.

John Smith is dead. Shogun is coming for us. Hail the Golden Millennium.

The President sighed and gestured to one of his aides, who quickly removed the piece of paper before its unique smell spread around the room.

"So that's over and done with," one of the trustees said, looking over his pince-nez at the President. "It appears that trying to recruit one of the Princesses was a bad plan."

"We should have known better," another across the table muttered. "Those people are far too paranoid about foreigners to trust any of us. Smith was probably thought to be some sort of rapist by the locals and strung up for even looking at one of their women."

There was a moment of silence as the gathered members pondered the fate of their lost agent. But it was not in the Searrs way of thinking to dwell too long on the past, and their thoughts soon turned to the future.

"But thanks to John Smith, what we now know of the people of Cipangu we can use to narrow the focus of our future leaders. We must move away from recruitment of the natives to naturalization of our own agents within the environment," the President said, sitting up in his chair. "300 years is a long time, and by then we will have a way to create one of the Princesses in our own image and ensure her complete loyalty. Until then, we will just have to bide our time and wait for the wheel to turn."

"Don't worry, President," the newly appointed John Smith said, stepping out from the shadows. "We will get our Golden Millennium, one way or another." Something wicked glistened in the depths of his eyes. "My successors will see to it that the Princesses of the future become the Valkyries that lead us to our glorious Promised Land."

A scattering of agreement went up among the board members, and the ship began to turn slowly towards the New World, where Searrs would begin preparations for their next chance to change the course of history.

On a cliff above the Estate of the Fujiwara Noble Family, Fuuka

Minoru yawned and sat back in his perch at the top of the cliff. He'd staked this place out chiefly since it gave him a full view of both the elaborate grounds of the estate below him, but it was also enough out of the way that no one would be able to find it unless they knew its location beforehand. Kaede's couriers were the only ones who knew exactly where he was, but they weren't due to meet up with him again until around sunset.

And even if someone did find him, the samurai disguise he'd thrown together consisting of a black jacket emblazoned with some backwater warlord's crest would be enough to keep people from asking too many questions. And even if they dared to ask about why he wore his hair short instead of in the proper topknot style, he had two real swords and a plethora of knives hidden up the conveniently wide sleeves. If that wasn't enough insurance, he didn't know what was.

Suddenly feeling hungry, he reached into his pack and withdrew a piece of jerky, which he promptly popped into his mouth and began to chew. He had enough to last him until sometime tomorrow, but knowing Kaede she'd be there long before then. For now he just had to play lookout and make sure that no one came or went without them knowing.

Movements down below made him pop out the telescope in his waist-pouch to get a better look. He made out a group of five or six people carrying a large wooden box on their shoulders and several figures in white ahead of it. He relaxed and collapsed the telescope again. It was just some worshippers headed up the mountain to the Shrine.

He slowly settled into his state of half-awareness in order to conserve his energy, realizing that since it was late in the afternoon, it would be some time before anything else was likely to happen. In this state any movement would catch his attention, but he wouldn't be wasting energy looking at things that weren't moving. He'd learned the trick from watching Kaede meditate, though she was still unaware of this. He smirked slightly. At some point he'd show her, just to see the look on her face.

What could have been several moments or several hours passed, with very little going on below him besides an occasional local or cart, and he settled into the rhythm of the surrounding countryside, almost becoming a part of the cliff itself. He could clearly see where the Lady Fujiwara was sitting on her balcony, and so far she had done nothing besides drink tea and enjoy the daylight.

In light of the beautiful view, he found himself daydreaming about when he'd have finally served the Shogun long enough to get his own land, and how he'd find someplace like this and settle down. He was still young enough that his job was exciting, but he'd seen enough of his colleagues age a decade in half as many years enough to know how much of a strain it was, and he didn't intend to let that kill him.

He sighed and leaned forward slightly on his arms, turning his gaze briefly towards the blue expanse of the ocean on the horizon. If he had to die before he was an old man, he'd much rather have someone stick a knife in him than keel over from stress.

The sharp snap of a twig behind him jerked out of his daydreaming, and his hand instinctively went to the knife hidden in his sleeve. He mentally suppressed the jolt of panic that shot up his spine at the thought that someone had come to ambush him, and slowly turned his body in the direction the noise had come from.

It was just a man in his late teens dressed in a light kimono, straw sandals, and a wide-brimmed hat – typical traveler's clothes. Minoru had to mentally remind himself that despite the two swords at his waist and the fake crest on his jacket he was just about the furthest thing from a real samurai there could be, and it would be downright foolhardy to assume that this young man was also entirely what he appeared to be.

"Oh dear," the man blinked and bowed apologetically. "Did I startle you, Samurai-san?"

Minoru relaxed slightly – at least his disguise was convincing. He feigned embarrassment and rose to his feet, deciding that acting young and clueless would probably be the best tactic.

"Ah yes, I dozed off a bit there, so I was a bit surprised," he put his hand behind his head and laughed awkwardly. "I didn't think that anyone was going to come up this way."

"Not many people do," the man responded calmly, glancing out at the view. "Which is a pity, since I happen to think this spot has the best views of Fuuka that one can find without trespassing."

Minoru narrowed his eyes slightly and looked carefully at the man's face. Why did this guy look familiar…?

"I'm glad you didn't fall off the cliff," the man continued with a worried smile. "I almost ran forward to catch you when you turned around, since I was afraid that was what was going to happen."

"Thank you for your concern," Minoru said, hiding his suspicions under a goofy smile. "I can be a bit careless like that."

Minoru was still undecided as to what exactly was going on here. The way the man was speaking just reeked of double meanings, but he hadn't heard any of the code words the Shogun's spies used to identify themselves yet. Plus, he didn't look or act like any of the other couriers Kaede had sent so far, and they would already be talking business and not playing these stupid games.

Something stank about this.

"Well, I'll be on my way, then," the man said, bowing again and turning away. "I live further up the mountain, and I probably shouldn't be out for much longer. It gets dark quickly around here."

That cinched it. Minoru was now convinced that something else was afoot, as he'd just used one of the phrases that in spy-speak meant "watch your back, we have people too." Minoru palmed one of the daggers up his sleeve and moved quickly across the clearing, bringing the knife up to the man's throat before he'd managed to completely turn around.

"I know I've seen you before," Minoru caught the man in a hold with his free arm, effectively preventing any possibility of escape. "It's those weird gold eyes. You were at the market in Edo. Who are you working for?"

Rei twisted his head and just barely managed to catch Minoru's eye, given the odd position he was in.

"I don't know what you mean by that, but I was just in Edo on business. Like I said, I live up here with my sister. My name is Minagi Rei, you can check with the locals, they all know who I am and can vouch for me. And I can assure you that I'm not armed – you can check, I really don't mind."

Minoru marched Rei over to a nearby tree and pat him down, though given the thin traveling clothes he was wearing there was simply not enough room to hide any weapons, and his search turned up nothing.

"Are you following me?" Minoru said, still thoroughly unconvinced, and made sure to put enough pressure on the blade to convey his seriousness.

Rei met Minoru's angry green eyes evenly, not even a hint of nervousness crossing his face.

"I can assure you that I'm not purposely following you, Samurai-san."

Minoru grit his teeth. He'd blown his cool and let on too much already, but he could still do some damage control on this. Kaede would have just killed the guy and moved on, but he was still reluctant to do the same, even though he knew he didn't have a choice.

Maybe she's right, he thought, biting his lip. I'm too soft to work for the Shogun.

As Rei turned his head just slightly to catch his eyes, Minoru felt something like the sound of a low bell pass through him, and was left shaken and cold in its wake.

"Samurai-san, are you alright?"

Minoru shook his head to clear it, but it had no effect. He didn't even have the strength the keep the hold, and Rei slipped out of it easily to stand in front of him.

"Samurai-san, I'm worried that you may be sick, so perhaps you should take a rest. Sitting up here for so long in the sun can make you feel very tired if you're not careful."

Minoru tried to protest, but he found he didn't have the strength. He didn't feel drugged and there hadn't been an opportunity for anything to be slipped to him, but his limbs felt like they were filled with lead, and it was becoming difficult to keep his head up.

"I understand your anxiety, Samurai-san, especially since you don't appear to be familiar with these parts" Rei bowed his head, and Minoru could have sworn that something like victory briefly flashed across his face. "But I think that it's not unreasonable to think that it's entirely possible two paths can cross more than once entirely by accident."

"Twice is an accident," Minoru managed, feeling out of breath. "Three isn't. And if I do see you again I won't be nearly as nice. Now get out of here."

Rei bowed again and began to back away down the road, keeping his head down. Once Minoru was sure that he was actually gone, he struggled to his feet and kicked tuft of grass in frustration.

"Damn it!" he glanced over the cliff at the estate and countryside below, his head swimming. Sorry, Kaede, he thought, disgusted with himself, I know you would have handled that much better.

He sighed and shook his head. Now he just had to hope that nothing important had happened during all that…

Simultaneously, at the Estate of the Fujiwara Family

"Saya-hime, I do believe you're in trouble!"

Fujiwara Saya looked up from her cup of tea and narrowed her eyes at the white-haired boy who had suddenly appeared in front of her on the terrace. She flexed her hand and prepared to summon her weapon, but Nagi shook his head and held up his hands in surrender.

"Don't get me wrong, I'm not the one responsible for this. If anything, it's your fault for going out and playing hero in plain view like that."

Saya sighed and rose to her feet. She would obviously not be able to finish her tea anytime soon.

"Need I remind you that you were the one who told me that my powers were mine to do with as I wish, Nagi?" she fixed him with an icy stare, but he merely shot a smile in her direction that showed far too many teeth, like a shark.

"But Saya-hime," he said venomously. "I also said that this would someday come to an end, did I not?"

Saya grit her teeth and looked out over the fertile valley below her, which was now awash with the reds and oranges of the setting sun.

"You did," she said quietly, perhaps to herself. "But these are my people, and I could not just leave them to die."

Nagi chuckled at the sentiment and turned his back to her, whistling in appreciation at the room that lay beyond the balcony, which was decked out in silk screens depicting scenes from mythology and filled with pottery and woodwork from all over Japan. But that wasn't all there was to the lady of the house.

Saya's noble lineage was apparent just from looking at her, as unlike most of the hard-bitten noble girls in outlying areas like this everything about Saya suggested grace and purity, from the long dark hair that flowed down her back to her oddly violet eyes that held both warmth and mystery. Nagi had seen the people of Fuuka and their initially wariness towards this stranger from Kyoto, but over time they'd all come to accept and love her.

Well, almost all of them.

"How noble of you," Nagi said blithely, smoothing out the fabric on the front of the simple grey cotton kimono he wore as if it were fine silk. "I'm sure they appreciate it – especially the one who ratted you out to the Shogun for money."

Saya nearly dropped her cup at his words and stared at him in disbelief before a cold sort of understanding descended upon her.

"I see, so that means Sakuya is coming" she put the cup down carefully on the wooden tray at her side. "Then it appears I have no choice. I'll have to make a last stand here, one way or another."

She glanced in Nagi's direction, but in the space he'd occupied a moment before there was only emptiness and a vague echo of laughter. Saya silently swore that if she ever saw him again, he'd be on the receiving end of her naginata.

Pushing her anger to a far corner of her mind, Saya pulled her kimono tighter around herself and moved into the house. Even if they were indeed coming for her, she still had time to make arrangements…

- End Part III

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Notes: From here the plot is very much going to pick up, and we'll see a bit more of Mashiro and what's going on around her in the next chapter. But once again, notes!

Cipangu: This is one of the names Japan was historically called by people from outside the country, and this word is a literal Chinese reading of the characters. Since the Searrs boat is off of China they use the Chinese pronunciation.

The Searrs Boat: One problem I kept having while writing this was taking into account how long it took to travel between places in those days. I was originally going to have the Searrs headquarters be in America and have them get the news there, but then I realized it would take far too long for the news to reach them for my purposes, so instead their base is on a boat relatively close the action, and I just implied at the end that they moved to America. Also, the HMS in the name of the boat isn't a mistake – I originally had it that Searrs was originally based in Britain, so this is a carryover from that idea.

Valkyrie: This is a bit of an Epileptic Tree of mine about why Searrs calls the HiME what they do. In Norse Mythology the Valkyries were in charge of spiriting the souls of noble warriors to the gates of Heaven, and Searrs seems to think of the HiME as a means to reach what they see as Heaven on earth. We'll see a bit later why they use the term "Princess" to refer to the girls.

Minoru's disguise: The reason Minoru is so sure that his disguise will spare him trouble is because during the Edo Period samurai were authorized to strike down any peasants who disrespected them, so naturally no one would unnecessarily bother Minoru if they thought he was one. If it's not already clear, Tokugawa Japan was not a very nice place.

The Fujiwara Clan: This clan was historically closely tied with the Imperial Family, and traditionally produced the wives and consorts of the Emperors. Though their power waned during the Tokugawa years they still maintained a significant influence over political matters and had several different branch houses around the country. Nagi refers to Saya as "hime" in a mostly mocking way, since she would be considered a princess even by noble standards.