Disclaimer: "Sigyn-chi-dono does not own Sengoku Basara"
Author's Notes: I'm back! Thanks to Sengoku Basara: Samurai Heroes for Wii (I'm totally addicted to it right now), I'm updating this story. Unfortunately, I can't remember the exact chapter per chapter I first had in mind so I'm going to borrow some elements from season 2 anime and Samurai Heroes. –grins sheepishly- Oh! And important ANNOUNCEMENT! I'm writing a new MasaIchi story that follows Masamune's Green Route in Samurai Heroes and a what-if situation where Masamune takes Oichi with him in his path to conquer the Land of the Rising Sun. Anyway, please feel free to read that story when you have the chance since which stage Masamune goes to depends on the reviewers. –laughs maniacally before coughing-
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Chapter 4: Resolution
It had been a few days after the boss of Oshu with his army had left and Oichi was trying to adjust to her new life in Kai. All the retainers and those who worked inside the mansion of the Tiger of Kai had been informed of her 'adoption' although they all have been ordered to never tell anyone else that Oichi was the Devil King's sister. If anyone was to ask, Oichi was Takeda Megohime, the biological daughter of Takeda Shingen. If anyone asked why they have never heard of her, they were to answer that the Tiger of Kai wanted his daughter to grow up without having any worries and she had only appeared now because of the current circumstances.
When Oichi had returned from her last meeting with Masamune, Matsu and Keiji had already left. According to Shingen, they have managed to come into an agreement and would most probably not see Oichi again for her own safety. It was Sasuke who informed her, albeit secretly, that Matsu and Keiji were to say that Oichi wasn't there but there was a woman whose identity was meant to be a secret: Takeda Megohime who had a similar appearance to the Devil King's sister. Sasuke have even commented on how the best lies were those which held some truth in them. So now, instead of being Oichi, she was Takeda Megohime, the daughter of Takeda Shingen who held some similarities with the Devil King's sister.
Those that knew who she truly was have even been ordered to tell those that questioned about Oichi's origin that there were rumors that she was to be betrothed to the young tiger, Sanada Yukimura, so that Yukimura would become the heir of the Takeda just so that there would be a possible reason why she was appearing now although some of them also added a rumor that it may be a lord of another province… most probably one up north.
When she had asked Sasuke about that rumor, the Takeda shinobi simply shrugged and scratched his cheek but Oichi did not fail to see the small smirk on Sasuke's face.
She also started wearing more soft colored yukatas that were colored red or orange because it would appear more of a 'Takeda' than an 'Azai' or an 'Oda'. It was a simple change of clothing but whenever Oichi looked at the mirror, she would find herself wondering who was looking back at her for a few seconds before finally remembering that she was looking at herself. During her stay with Nagamasa, she had always worn pink, white or black as she had always done when she had been with her brother and that's why wearing red or orange was already a big change for her. At the moment, she was wearing a pale yellow yukata. Her yukata had the crest of Takeda on the sleeves and had red clouds as the design. A red obi was tied around her waist using a butterfly knot instead of the more traditional knot.
But one of the things that Oichi had struggles with was the manner of speaking. Of course, she would use 'Ichi' instead of 'I' or 'me' and it had made a few people confused. To make up for her occasional blunder, Sasuke had actually ordered the shinobis in his command to make a rumor of how 'Ichi' was her childhood nickname because she was 'number 1' in Shingen's eyes as 'Ichi' could mean the word 'one' as well.
It had made Oichi feel bad and she had been trying her best to stop using 'Ichi'. That's why she was currently inside her room, sitting on the tatami floor as she wrote the two characters that make up the name 'Megohime' in pieces of papers. The name was easy to write although 'Oichi' was easier. Megohime was consisting of two characters: 'love' and 'princess'. She had never had the chance to ask why Shingen had picked these two characters for her. Maybe they were actually the characters for the name Shingen would have picked for his daughter.
There was no actual reason why she needed to repeatedly write her new name but Oichi felt that writing the name may actually help her try to adjust to her new life. As she finished the last stroke for the character of love, Oichi stopped and stared at the word.
Love.
It felt like it didn't suit her at all. For someone who had lost the two men she had loved, it felt like a cruel joke. And, once more, she would feel that painful emotion as she loses someone she cares for.
She could hear the whispers of the upcoming war and rumors of forces gathering their strength and fortifying their defenses. The young tiger of Kai and his trusted shinobi no longer spend time with her like they used to but they still try to talk to Oichi as often as they could. She could see them and the soldiers were training more rigorously than usual. She had known about these signs for being in Owari with her brother and in Oumi with Nagamasa. They were preparing for the next battle… for the next war…
Who would they be fighting?
Could it be the Dragon of Echigo?
Or maybe…
"Masamune-sama…" Oichi whispered softly as she stared at the character written on the paper. Oichi placed the brush to its proper place and placed her hands on her lap, gripping the fabric of her pale yellow yukata tightly. She remembered her last conversation with the one-eyed boss of Oshu. She didn't want them to fight. She didn't want any of them to die.
Oichi knew she was being unreasonable. Everyone was destined to die. She had made her peace with that from the very beginning. When she had been wed to Nagamasa, she had been prepared to see the man fall. She did not expect to fall in love with him. That's why it had been more painful than she had expected. That's why she felt so lost.
Nagamasa had given her hope. Nagamasa had given her love.
And all of those were taken away from her.
She had been willing to die back then. The only thing that had kept her alive was her brother. Yes, he was cruel. Yes, he was inhumane. But he was still Oichi's brother. He was still the man who had held her hand when she was a child, who had raised her and kept her alive for so long. Maybe she was meant to be a doll. Maybe what her brother had said back then was true. That she was simply raised and kept alive because she could be useful. Whatever the reason is, Oichi cannot deny that she loved her brother.
And even he was taken from her.
Even Nohime, beautiful and mature Nohime, was now dead. Oichi could remember the time when the beautiful lady had been wed to her brother. She had been kind and caring, taking care of both her and Ranmaru as if they were her own children. Oichi had been happy at her kindness back then. That was why she felt so lost when the Nohime she met after the death of Nagamasa was a cruel woman. It was as if someone had replaced the kind loving woman she had known. No. That wasn't correct. Nohime wasn't replaced. She had simply changed. Everyone her brother touches changes.
Oichi was not an exception. She had been raised as a doll and she knew that, had she worked for her brother after the fall of Nagamasa, she would have changed as well. She would have been like Nohime or maybe even worse.
Worse...?
"How did... Nohime died?" Oichi asked herself. She clutched her head and closed her eyes.
How did she die?
Did her brother kill Nohime?
Oichi bit her bottom lip as she felt a stab-like pain in her head. This wasn't the first time she felt it. Every time she tried to remember how the wife of her brother died, there's always a stabbing pain. Oichi shook her head and continued to clutch her head with her left hand. Oichi whimpered as the pain continued and she whispered, "Help me... Make it stop..."
It was as if darkness was trying to drag her down and Oichi fell on the floor. She was on her side and her left hand was still clutching her head and she heard a familiar voice call out her name, "Ichi..."
She opened her eyes and everything was a blur. There was a figure standing in front of her and the tatami floor she was lying on appeared to be covered by darkness. She reached out her hand and whispered with longing, "Na... ga..."
The figure's hand grasped her outstretched hand. She remembered this hand. A smile came upon her face and the pain in her head disappeared as the figure repeated her name once more, "Ichi..."
Oichi closed her eyes and whispered, "Masamune-sama..."
Silence greeted her and Oichi relished the stillness. It had always been like this. Before, all Oichi could do was fight the pain and wait for it to be done, not wanting to fall asleep in fear of what may happen if she did but, ever since her last meeting with him, recalling the one-eyed dragon's hand gripping hers could calm the pain. Oichi didn't fully understand it.
No.
She did understand it but she didn't want to accept it.
Because, if she accepts it, it meant that she was repeating her life once more.
Oichi sat once more and opened her eyes, placing her hands on her chest, as the bitterness of reality began to sink its fangs.
She was still useless. She still cannot do anything to stop them from fighting. She was…
"Nagamasa-sama…" Oichi whispered as she closed her eyes, "What should Ichi do?"
Oichi covered her face with her hands as tears began to fall from her eyes. She tried to stop her sobbing, not wanting to bother anyone.
Nothing had changed.
Nothing had changed at all.
"Ichi…" Oichi muffled her cry as she whispered, "Ichi can't save anyone. Ichi can't do anything."
Everyone would die. Takeda Shingen, Sanada Yukimura, Sarutobi Sasuke, everyone who had been kind to her. They would all die and leave her alone.
And there was nothing she could do.
There was nothing Oichi could do.
But maybe…
Oichi removed her hands from her face and wiped her tears with the sleeves of her yukata. She stood and walked out of her room.
Maybe... just maybe...
As she walked the corridors, she saw a maid and the maid bowed as she greeted, "Good afternoon, Megohime-dono."
"Good afternoon." Oichi bowed as well before asking, "Have you seen Oya- I mean… Otto-sama…"
The word still felt foreign to her but she continued, "Have you seen Otto-sama?"
She also had problems calling Shingen 'Otto-sama'. She no longer remembered her real father… if there was even a time when she had spent it with him. Although he may be the nearest father figure Oichi has ever known, it will still take a while before she could finally feel comfortable calling Shingen 'Otto-sama'. But the look of Shingen's face when she had first called him 'Otto-sama' was so beautiful for Oichi. It made her feel sad that she could not say it more freely. She thought that maybe if she continued to call him 'Otto-sama', Shingen would continue to smile so happily.
The maid continued to bow as she replied with a nervous tone, "I'm sorry, my lady, but I have not seen Oyakata-sama. I have seen Yukimura-dono in the training ground though. Perhaps he has seen Oyakata-sama."
"Yukimura..." Oichi said the name. Now that she Shingen's daughter, it would not be proper addressing the young tiger with the suffix '-sama' since he was of lower standing than her. That was easy to do since she didn't really add the suffix '-sama' to many people. She had assumed it was proper because she was a captive, a remnant of the Devil King's forces.
No. She had to stop thinking like that. She was Takeda Shingen's one and only daughter. She shook her head and tried to think if it's possible that one of Takeda Shingen's most loyal retainers may have an idea to where the Tiger of Kai was. Oichi nodded and said softly, "Thank you. I will try asking Yukimura."
"I'm happy that I was of service." The maid replied but Oichi noticed the maid was softly giggling. Although she was curious to why the maid was giggling, she did not say anything and walked away from the maid.
The training ground was next to the garden. Truthfully, it had once been a simply courtyard but the preparations for whatever was to come had turned it into a training ground. She got there soon enough and saw Yukimura with his two spears aimed at two different infantries. Behind the two infantries were more than a dozen other soldiers. All of them had their swords or spears at the ready, all aimed at Yukimura.
"Come at me with all you have!" Yukimura shouted with vigor as he raised his spears into a defensive position.
"Yah!" One of the soldiers behind the two infantries rushed towards Yukimura, his katana raised above his head. His war cry seemed like a sign as the other soldiers raised their voices as well as they rushed towards Yukimura at all direction.
"Yah! Hah!" Yukimura managed to defend against the assault, using his spears to either disarm or throw the soldiers to the ground. He disarmed one soldier that was to his right while his other spear hit the leg of another soldier. That soldier lost his balance and took two of his comrades with him to the ground. Yukimura continued his defensive position and Oichi could only stare at him in silence.
"Well, Danna seems to be able to control himself." Oichi heard a familiar voice suddenly next to her. She turned her head to the side and saw that Sasuke was already next to her, crouching as he scratched his cheek, "Maybe the training finally paid off."
As if to spite Sasuke's words, Yukimura impaled one of his spears to the ground and jumped off the ground. He used the momentum and began circling around the spear as he shouted, "Kaenguruma!"
Sasuke hit his face lightly with the palm of his hand as fire began to engulf the circle Yukimura's feet was creating. The soldiers all screamed in fear as they ran away from the fiery circle. Those that were unfortunate and could not escape were thrown away but the force of Yukimura's flames. Oichi could feel the hot air pass through her. Instead of fearing it, Oichi welcomed the warmth it gave her.
"Danna!" Sasuke called out as soon as Yukimura's fiery wheel had dissipated and Yukimura looked towards their direction.
Yukimura's face broke to a smile as he greeted, "Good afternoon, Oi-"
Sasuke placed his hands in front of him as if to halt Yukimura's words. Yukimura caught the name he was about to say and cleared his throat. Yukimura bowed as he apologized, "Forgive my carefree attitude. Good afternoon to you, Megohime-dono."
Oichi bowed as well and replied, "Good afternoon to you as well, Yukimura."
Sasuke turned to look at the battered soldiers and ordered, "Let's take a break for a while."
The soldiers looked grateful at Sasuke's words and replied, "Yes sir!"
As the soldiers began helping their unfortunate comrades who were unable to escape Yukimura's fire, Yukimura walked towards Oichi and Sasuke. Yukimura grinned as he asked, "It's been a while seen the three of us have been together. How have you been, Oi-"
"Danna." Sasuke whispered and Yukimura closed his mouth immediately.
Yukimura looked down as he apologized once more, "Forgive me. I seem to have a problem with remembering that Oi-"
"Aaahhh!" Yukimura shouted as he knelt, his palms on the ground as he shouted, "Forgive me, Oyakata-sama!"
"Why are you asking forgiveness from Oyakata-sama?" Sasuke asked but Yukimura did not answer him.
Sasuke shook his head and sighed while Oichi placed her hand on Yukimura's shoulder. With a soft voice, Oichi comforted the young tiger, "That's quite alright, Yukimura. Even..."
Sasuke noticed the slight pause on Oichi's words but did not say anything as the young woman continued, "I have problems with it. Sometimes I forget as well. Sometimes I feel myself calling you 'Yukimura-sama'."
"Oi-" Yukimura's eyes glimmered as he stared at Oichi but, before he could finish the name, Sasuke cleared his throat and Yukimura began to shout once more, "Aaahhh! Forgive my inadequacy!"
Oichi knelt in front of Yukimura and continued to hold Yukimura's arm gently as she called out, "Yukimura..."
"How about calling her something else then?" Sasuke suggested with a shrug. Both Yukimura and Oichi stared at Sasuke and Sasuke explained, "Some kind of nickname like..."
Sasuke scratched his cheek as he thought of a nickname for Oichi. A name came to his mind and he said, "Hime."
"Hime..." Yukimura repeated the word and Sasuke nodded.
"Makes sense, right? Her name is Megohime so calling her 'Hime' isn't that far fetch. Well..." Sasuke mumbled the next words, "... at least, it's less farfetched than 'Ichi' anyway."
"Hime..." Yukimura repeated the word once more before his lips curved into a grin. He looked at Oichi with big innocent eyes and called out, "Hime-dono!"
It took a moment before Oichi realized that Yukimura was calling her. Oichi gave a shy smile as she replied, "Yes, Yukimura?"
Yukimura brimmed with happiness as he shouted with his hands clenched to fists in front of him, "Ooohhh! Hime-dono!"
Sasuke blinked while Oichi mimicked Yukimura's actions and shouted, albeit in a smaller voice, "Yu-Yukimura!"
"Hime-dono!"
"Yukimura!"
All the soldiers were now staring at the two and Sasuke sighed as he placed his hand on his face while Yukimura continued, "Hime-dono!"
"Yukimura!" All of them stared at where the loud voice had come from.
Yukimura's smile became more energetic as he shouted enthusiastically, "Oyakata-sama!"
"Yukimura!" Shingen called out loudly.
"Ah, ah. Now they're gonna be at it for hours-" Sasuke noticed Oichi was walking towards Shingen. Being around the two tigers for so long, Sasuke feared for the young woman's safety.
"Oyaka-" Yukimura stopped when he saw Oichi walking towards Shingen. With confused eyes, Yukimura called out, "Hime-dono?"
Oichi bowed at Yukimura and apologized, "I'm sorry, Yukimura, but I wish to speak to..."
Oichi paused to look at Shingen before continuing in a small shy voice, "... Otto-sama about something..."
A grin appeared on Shingen's face which made Yukimura grin as well. Shingen placed his hand on Oichi's shoulder and said in an affectionate tone that would suggest a father doting on his only child, "Of course. Anything for my number 1."
Shingen turned to look at Yukimura and shouted, "Yukimura! I will leave the soldiers up to you!"
"It would be my honor, Oyakata-sama!" Yukimura shouted back before turning towards the soldiers, "Everyone! Let's go!"
Shingen led Oichi away from the soldiers as they began by stretching with Yukimura leading them. They walked towards the koi pond, the same pond where Oichi talked to Matsu a few days ago. With a gentle expression in his face, Shingen asked Oichi softly, "What's on your mind, my dear?"
Oichi stared at Shingen and asked, "Who is Otto-sama fighting with?"
Shingen turned his head towards the soldiers before replying, "There are rumors of an army currently preparing in Osaka."
"Osaka?" Oichi asked, trying to remember who held Osaka. She knew it was a retainer of her brother but the name failed to come into her mind.
"We still don't know if the rumors are true but, even if it isn't, we would still be preparing." Shingen turned his head to stare at Oichi as he continued, "We must be prepared for enemies at all times."
"And also to prepare for the time when we will invade other provinces?" Oichi asked, staring at Shingen as well.
Shingen closed his eyes and replied, "Yes."
Oichi turned to look at the soldiers, her right hand on her chest, as she said, "Ichi... Ichi wasn't able to do anything. All Ichi could do was watch as Nagamasa-sama dies... as everyone Ichi knew and liked get corrupted by 'Nii-sama... as 'Nii-sama... leaves Ichi behind..."
Oichi turned to look at Shingen and the older man saw the determination hiding behind her watery eyes. Oichi's hand formed a fist as she continued, "But Megohime doesn't have to be the same as Ichi. Please..."
Oichi lowered her head and tears fell from her closed eyes as she begged, "Please let Megohime go with you to battle!"
Her plea was heard by every soldier and they all fell silent, staring at Shingen and Oichi. Shingen's face was expressionless as he said, "Battle is not a place for you, my dear. It is-"
Oichi raised her head and replied, "I promise I won't get in your way! I promise I would learn how to fight. I can use a naginata! I'll practice every day and, and, and-"
"Enough!" Shingen's loud voice stopped her words. Oichi's lips trembled and Shingen's eyes held sadness in them as he asked, "Why do you want to go to battle?"
"I..." Oichi took a step forward as she replied, "I don't want to be alone."
Her brother always left her when he went to battle. She was useless in battle.
Nagamasa always left her as well, saying she would be in the way, but she knew Nagamasa was only trying to protect her.
'Ichi' couldn't be there for them during those times but 'Megohime' doesn't have to be the same.
"Otto-sama, Yukimura, Sasuke and everyone else." With each word, she took a small step towards Shingen, "I want to be of help them. I want to be of used to all of you."
"You don't-"
"I wish to be with all of you." Oichi cut Shingen's words and she stopped right in front of Shingen, resting her forehead on the older man's chest. Tears fell from her eyes as she said, "I'm... I'm... I'm Takeda Megohime, the daughter of the Tiger of Kai. Please…"
There was a slight pause in her words but she continued, "Otto-sama... Let me stay by your side. Let me help protect Kai."
"Let me protect you." Oichi begged as she wrapped her arms around Shingen's waist.
She felt Shingen's hand on the back of her head as the Tiger of Kai asked softly, "Is this what you truly want? By going to battle with us, you will see countless deaths. Not just of our forces but of our enemies as well."
"I don't mind. I will fight anyone who tries to take Kai from us." Oichi replied as she gripped the fabric of Shingen's clothes tightly. She wanted to be with them. She wanted to protect them. She'll train and work hard to not be a nuisance. She'll train and train so that she could be of some use. Anyone who dare raise their blades against the Takeda, she'll fight them. She won't lose those she cared for: Shingen, Yukimura, Sasuke, the kind people of Kai...
"Even the kunoichi of Kenshin?" Shingen asked and Oichi remembered the kind blonde woman she met.
"Yes. Even her..." Oichi closed her eyes. She was a ninja of Uesugi. Uesugi was Takeda's main enemy. Kasuga was Megohime's enemy.
"How about Date Masamune, the ambitious boss of Oshu?" Shingen asked softly and Oichi's entire body tensed. She remembered the one-eyed dragon and the feelings she felt around him.
Safety, peace and...
Oichi tightened her grip on Shingen's clothes and dared not finish the last word in her mind. She had chosen. The day she last saw Masamune, the day she told him she wanted to stay with the Takeda, she had chosen. She knew that the day Masamune would become Takeda's enemy was inevitable. That's why...
"Even Masamune-sama..." Oichi said but she could not hide the pain her words carry as tears, different from the ones before, fell from her eyes, "Even Masamune-sama... I will..."
Oichi tried to banish the image of the one-eyed dragon from her mind. The one who was willing to grant her wish to die, the one who was always gentle with her, the one who talked to her as if they were equals, the one who shared his dreams with her, the one... she made a deal with...
Could she really raise her blade against him? Could she really try to fight him?
"I will fight him as well."
She has to. She had picked. She had chosen Takeda. She had chosen to live as Takeda Megohime.
The one the one-eyed dragon was kind to was 'Ichi'. The one he had shared his dreams with was 'Ichi'. The one he had made a deal with was 'Ichi'.
And the name he had softly said was 'Ichi'.
But the tears won't stop. She cried silently as Shingen held her gently, whispering to her, "I understand your resolve. If this is what you want then so be it."
"Thank you. Thank you." She tightened her grip on Shingen's clothes but the tears won't stop. All she could think about was the last smile he had given her and she cried. She cried as Oichi, for the past, and she cried as Megohime, for the future...
The future where she would have to face Date Masamune as an enemy.
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Author's Notes: For the interpretation of Nohime, I hope you guys didn't feel it was too OOC. If you played the games (especially Sengoku Basara 2), you would actually see Nohime as someone who cares about people, she's just in love with the wrong kind of man. Seriously, the anime made her appear like a cruel woman worthy of being the devil king's wife but she's a nice lady in the games (well… nice to Ranmaru and Oichi anyway… also to the Maeda couple).
