Chapter Six – The Final Party with a Dragon

Stupid, idiot, moron, jerk. Rin went through every insulting word she knew as she took down more soldiers. Loser, dumb ass, fool, bastard.She twirled on her heel and cut off the head of an incoming spear, and then its wielder's.

She ran a few more paces further, getting closer to Nobunaga's castle with each step. If it hadn't been for that idiot Masamune, she would probably already be there with him and Yukimura and taking the Devil King out once and for all.

Why wouldn't he let her fight by his side? She was prepared to die for him, he knew that, so why didn't he trust her?

"Because he loves me…" she muttered to herself. She parried a sword thrust and quickly kicked back her opponent in the stomach, throwing him into a wall and using his own sword to take his life.

The final battle between Nobunaga's army and all the eastern armies had begun, and they had just managed to break through their defenses with the help of their western allies, Mouri Motonari and, to Rin's surprise, Chosokabe Motochika.

She had insisted on leaving with Date and Yukimura the first time they left for the Devil King, but with every bit of authority he had, Masamune protested and finally, to both their discouragement, had managed to dissuade her from going.

Though not for long.

Not too long after he and Yukimura had left, Kojurou banded Masamune's previously disbanded army with the other eastern armies and together they all met up with the two again. After catching Yukimura and Masamune in the middle of a battle with Mitsuhide, Kojurou managed to persuade them to leave and continue on while he finished the Devil King's general.

As Kojurou fought Mitsuhide, the other three raced towards Azuchi Castle with the armies for the final battle. Rin was silent while the other Yukimura and Masamune talked to each other but when the cannonballs destroyed the wall and Masamune looked back to wave at her, she couldn't help but smile and wave back. He may have been a total jerk, but she knew he only did it to keep her away from the Devil King.

She smiled faintly. No matter what he did or said to her, she would always forgive him and find a way to be by his side. Even if he didn't want her there.

She continued her advance towards where she saw the other two disappear.

This was going to be one hell of a party.


"Yukimura-kun…" Rin stopped just behind the Young cub of Kai and placed a gentle hand on his shoulder.

He wouldn't turn away from his master, but he managed to say in a tired voice, "Hey, Rin-chan…"

"How is he?" Rin sat down beside him, holding her hands in her lap as she watched the Tiger of Kai breath in slow breaths. Yukimura shrugged pathetically.

It was so odd to see Shingen like this, Rin thought. So vulnerable; so human, and not at all like the war god he appeared to be on the battlefield. Not only that, but it was a little disturbing to see him without his iconic headdress, and she had never seen him look so pitiful.

Rin shuddered. How had one man like Akechi Mitsuhide managed to bring down the great Tiger of Kai? It seemed impossible, and yet it had happened just the previous day. As much as she hated Mitsuhide, she could only imagine the rage Yukimura felt against the other general.

Rin looked at him curiously, but there wasn't even a flicker of emotion on Yukimura's face. He remained passive and unreadable, even to her, and not at all like the usual cheerful and slightly hyperactive boy she knew.

Noticing her stare, Yukimura broke the silence by asking, "So how is… Masamune-dono?"

She shrugged and smiled faintly, "He's doing well… At least, better than he was before and he's been well enough to do some jobs for me, so he seems to be back to normal."

Yukimura looked back at her and asked slowly, "Jobs… For you?"

She shrugged again, "Well… Just some stuff I wanted to do on my own, but which he intervened."

"Oh…" He was silent again so Rin went back to watching Takeda. Finally, Yukimura asked, "So are you and Masamune-dono… You two are… Courting?"

Rin blushed, "Erhm… Somewhat. I mean, that's kind of a strong term, I mean…" She laughed awkwardly as her cheeks returned to their normal color and she fought to think of the right words to use. "He has never really asked, but I think he assumes that we are, at least, and I guess that's enough." She smiled.

"I see…" Yukimura turned his face to the side and Rin leaned forward to look at him better. He looked back at her and asked, "What?"

Rin leaned back and said, "Nothing. It's just, you seem disappointed."

He shrugged, "Not really… But… I guess I had kind of hoped I would find the courage to… Well, I mean, I had wanted to ask you…" He blushed and looked back towards Takeda, as if he would wake up from his unconscious state and give him a nod of encouragement.

Rin looked at him blankly for a second until she realized what he said. She blushed lightly but smiled and said, "Oh… Yukimura-kun… I'm sorry, I… I didn't know."

"It's nothing, I knew you didn't like me…"He looked away and Rin bit her lip, feeling the guilt crawl over her.

She waved her hands wildly in the air, as if to clear the negative feelings from the air and said, "No, no, no! It's not that, Yukimura-kun! I like you, really, I do, it's just…" She looked away as she tried to think of something to say.

"Just what?" he looked at her and she sighed.

"It's just that… I … Love Date…" She trailed off, getting embarrassed again.

"Oh…" An awkward silence fell over them and Rin's fingers danced nervously over her knees, an odd habit she did when she sat in seiza and was nervous or uncomfortable.

"Yukimura-kun…"

"What?"

"You... Did you really think we would…?"

His face burned as he looked away, "N-no, of course not. You've never treated me as anything more than a younger brother but… I… I wanted…"

"Yes?"

"Rin… I … Like you!" He snapped his head up as he wrapped his arms round her in a crushing hug. His sudden weight caught her off balance and she was thrown off her seiza position. He pulled her close and the only part visible from behind him was her eyes, which softened as she placed her hands against his chest.

"Yukimura-kun…" she said gently. "I'm sorry… I had no idea you felt this way. If I had known it earlier, I might have honored your request but… Do you really love me? Are you sure that's what you feel?"

He nodded and said, "I've liked you since we first met, and I've always hated it when your job put us on opposing sides… When he gets better, I'm sure Oyakata-sama will hire you so we can work together and never have to fight again. Rin, I think you're beautiful, you're intelligent, you're … Amazing. I really like you."

He pulled back to see her reaction and she smiled, placing a hand on his cheek as she asked, "If you like me as much as you say, how come you've never used the term 'love'?" He looked at her blankly and she continued, "Yukimura-kun… I love you too, but not in the way you want." She ruffled his hair and smiled sadly.

"Is it because of Masamune-dono?" Yukimura asked forlornly. She nodded.

"I'm sorry… Yukimura-kun… But I love him. Even when he's mean to me, or teases me, or makes fun of me… I know that he has feelings deeper than that, and while you love me too, he…" Rin choked up a bit, "He is the only one I can ever love. I'm sorry… Forgive me…"

She managed to free her arm then and then wrapped it around his neck to place it on the back of his head as he burrowed his face into the crook of her neck. "Yukimura-kun…" she murmured.

"Am I interrupting something?" Came a familiar voice.

Rin gasped as Date slid open the shoji just behind Yukimura. Yukimura dropped her in surprise and she fell onto her back. He turned back at her and smiled uneasily, "Sorry, Rin-chan." She just shook her head as she pushed herself up and rubbed the back of her head.

"D-Date!" she stuttered, she stood up and said, "Look, this isn't what it looks like."

"I'm sure it isn't." he replied in a heated voice.

Rin bit her lip as she gazed into his furious face. Oh yeah, he was mad. She glanced behind him and felt the pit of her stomach drop when she saw Kojurou behind him; looking anywhere but her and not too much further away were his men.

Caught in the arms of his own rival and not only by Masamune, but his entire army. This complicated things a bit.


Rin huffed as she paced back and forth agitatedly. Only moments ago had Yukimura and Masamune gone to defeat the Devil King, with Date leaving a bitter taste in the air. Not only did he disband his army, but he also dismissed her as well.

'Date can be so dumb,' she thought, 'forcing his leader status on me like that.' Not only that, but he had basically fired her, so now, technically, she wasn't allowed to interfere with his affairs unless hired again.

At least, that was by going by her own set of codes, created way back when she had first become a mercenary and lived with her master. What ever happened to the "we're all equals" motto? Or the "we were best friends back when we were kids, so let's stick together until we die" idea that he always hinted?

She shook her head moodily. 'That jerk. He's such a hypocrite.' She kicked one of the wooden beams and then jumped back, rubbing her foot. 'Well that was a good idea.' She heard a small chuckle behind her and whipped around.

She relaxed when she saw Kojurou who leaned on another beam not too far away. "So are you through sulking and ready to go?"

She looked at him curiously, "Go? Go where?"

"To meet the Devil King." He smiled and Rin sighed.

"Sure, I'd love to, but the only thing is: I can't."

Kojurou eyed her, "And why not?"

"Because I… It goes against my Mercenary Code." He continued to look at her oddly and she sighed and began listing off her fingers, "I have five rules that have been set by my previous master. Rule number five: Look after my army no matter what the cost. Rule number four: Remain loyal to your initial employer unless the job requires otherwise. Rule number three: Balance all responsibility and keep equality between everyone. Rule number two: Work only jobs that are beneficial to everyone under my command and Rule number one: Never, ever get involved unless hired for a job.

"I have to back out of this one," she closed her eyes as she suddenly smashed her fist into the pillar and ignored the crunch of her knuckles and soft throbbing that followed. She leaned against it and sighed heavily.

Kojurou smirked as he said, "Says who?" she looked at him warily. "Since when did you even play by the rules? I hate to break it to you Rin-dono, but you've already messed up rules five, three, and two."

She shook her head, "Katakura-san, I-"

He cut her off and said, "And what if I said that I'll hire you?"

Her eyes widened and she asked, "What? Really?"

"Of course. We need everyone we can get," he turned his body so he could look out at the room where Date's army resided, all unsure of what to do. He looked back at her and smiled, "We're going to finish this, together. All of us." He nodded to the side and Rin's eyes widened when she caught sight of what he was looking at.

Thousands of pairs of eyes looked back at her and hundreds of colored banners swayed in the air with insignias from every Eastern army possible, excluding Date's for now. Red, white, green, yellow… All the colors that represented each army were present. The only one left to add was blue…

Finally Rin smiled and said, "You're insane Katakura-san."

Kojurou smiled in a way that looked very much like his leader's. "Well, I am the Right Eye of the One-Eyed Dragon. Some of his personality must have rubbed off on me." He smiled wantonly. "So, will you join us, Crimson Shinigami?"

Rin laughed and said, "Let's get this party started."


As Date's army prepared for the incoming battle Rin visited the infirmary once more. Hotaru was still resting in her room, these days just napping and recovering from all that had happened recently, but it wasn't her that Rin wanted to visit.

It was her old friend Maka.

She slid open the door and looked into the open room. A pair of loosened ropes lay bunched around the beam in the center of the room and she smiled and said, "Alright Maka, you want to play hide-and-seek?" She walked further in and stood in the center of it with her arms crossed. "Ready or not, here I come."

Suddenly she side-stepped as a body dropped from the ceiling. As it struck a fist out, Rin caught it by the wrist and twisted it only slightly to the side, forcing the rest of its body into submission. Maka swore, "Damn it! You always win, no matter what I do!"

Rin smiled, "That's why I was considered the leader." She let go of Maka and she rubbed her wrist for only half a second before striking out again.

Rin ducked and then stood up again as Maka's weight pulled her over, and then throwing Maka onto her back. In her moment of disorientation Rin quickly pulled out a gun and pointed it towards her.

Maka glared and said, "So you came in here just to kill me, is that it?"

Rin narrowed her eyes and Maka glared back. … Suddenly Rin snorted, her eyes returning to their usual shape and said, "Nah, I came here with a deal." Maka narrowed her gold eyes and Rin continued, "My deal is that if you agree to help us battle against the Devil King, we will give you back your freedom. According to our Mercenary Code, once you agree to do something you have to do it, among others, like not attacking your leader of course. You do remember that at least right?"

"Who's this 'we'?" Maka asked suspiciously.

"The One-Eyed Dragon's army and the other eastern armies."

Maka looked away as she considered it, and then asked, "And if I don't?"

Rin shrugged as she shifted the gun, making it make its clicking noise. Maka got the point. She glared back at Rin and then sighed, "Fine. I'll do it."

Rin smiled brightly as she tossed the gun to Maka, "Then let's get to it." She started walking away and Maka smirked.

"You're too naïve, Rin-sama." She pointed the gun at Rin's head and Rin whipped around. "As if I'd work under a traitor like you again. Any last words, 'Rin-Sama?'" Rin only smiled benignly and Maka scowled. She pulled the trigger.

Nothing happened.

Maka clicked it again.

Nothing. Now she clicked it rapidly and cursed, "What's going on?"

Rin held out a hand and between all five fingers were four bullets. "Looking for these?" she asked casually.

Maka lunged forward and Rin jumped away. Maka landed on her face and glared up at her, who now held a second gun pointed at Maka's face. She smiled, "I guess this is it Maka."

Maka scowled, but shut her eyes tightly and whispered, "Forgive me, Big Brother… I wasn't able to avenge you." She waited for her end to come.

And she waited.

And waited.

She cracked an eye open at Rin, who was still smiling. Finally, she pulled the trigger.

The gun fired, but no bullet pierced her skull. She looked inquisitively at Rin who said lamely, "Bang."

Maka gaped at her. Another trick? Rin grinned, "You didn't think I'd really kill you, did you? Come now, Maka, do you really find me all that cruel?" Maka only stared at her and she explained, "You may want to reload this gun before you go out. I loaded it with blanks." She tossed the gun to Maka and then a small bag of bullets as she started walking out the door. She turned back only slightly and asked, "Well? Are you coming?"

Maka was still dazed at what had just happened, but shook her head and asked, "Wait… Rin-sama… Why are you… Doing this?"

Rin turned to face her fully now and asked, "Do what?"

"Help me." Maka said incredulously, "You've just given me a bag with enough bullets to last for over three full out wars and you're going to give me another chance, even though I've insulted you."

Rin shook her head and smiled, "Still hung up over honor and pride, eh Maka?" She turned and started walking again as she said, "A leader never abandons their comrades or their army, no matter how bad situations may seem." She turned her head slightly to look back at Maka.

Maka paused, looking down at the gun and the bullets in her hand and then called out, "Just don't forget! You may have forgiven me, but I will never forgive you for the death of my family. All of them. Prepare to die soon, traitor."

Rin watched her quietly, then turned her head away again. She held up a hand, as if to wave good bye and smiled, then said, "That's just fine. But… For this one battle, I only ask that you put aside your grudge and work with me like we have in the past. After that, feel free to find me and I'll show you some real fun." After walking just outside the room she called, "Grab your twin knives down the hall and meet us in the first courtyard, we'll be leaving soon."

Maka looked at the bag of bullets. It would seem that her ex-leader had regained her old personality again. Confidence. Pride. Arrogance.

And stronger than ever.

After weeks of mourning, Kazehaya Rin was back to her old self, and she was ready to finally avenge her army.


"There they are!" Kojurou yelled as they got closer to the green, blue, and red lights that issued into the sky.

"Date!" Rin yelled as they got closer to the burning building. Masamune turned and his eye widened.

"Rin? The hell are you doing here?"

"Well, there's gratitude for you," Rin told Kojurou with a grin, as she repeated the very same line Masamune had said when he saved her all those months ago.

Kojurou ran further in and Masamune smiled wryly, "So, you've come, Kojurou. I should have known you'd be the one to get her hopes back up."

He shrugged and said, "The Devil King is at Mount Azuchi. I have that on good authority from an Echigo ninja." He glanced at Mitsuhide who stood quietly to the side. "From a great fortress a mountain blanketed by ominous clouds, he is preparing to put the finishing touches on his world under warrior rule. There will never be another opportunity like this. Please lead the army waiting outside to the Devil King! You, too, Sanada Yukimura!"

"But I must settle matters with this man!" Yukimura protested.

Rin took a step forward, "As do I!" she scowled as she watched Mitsuhide, who still stood silently amidst the flames. "He had his men physically assault my younger sister, tricked me into leading my men into a death trap, and mortally wounded the closest man to a father to me in my life, the Tiger of Kai! No way in hell am I going to let him get away with it!" She whipped out her fans and shouted, "If he's going to die by anyone's hands, it's going to be by mine!"

"Leave this to me!" Kojurou yelled. "Don't let your personal grievances make you forget the greater cause! What you both swore to yourselves wasn't supposed to be some petty act of revenge!"

"It is as you say." Yukimura looked down as he scowled and Rin looked away as well saying, "You're right as always, Katakura-san…"

Rin glared seething at Mitsuhide, who still stood stock still. She couldn't believe it. All that build up the past few months lost after one little speech… Damn Kojurou and his persuasiveness…

Masamune sheathed his sword and said, "Okay. We'll leave things here to you Kojurou."

"We entrust this to you Katakura-dono!" Yukimura called and Rin saluted with her pointer finger and middle finger as she headed outside and grinned. "Careful now, or else we'll have to add you to our list of whom to avenge!"

"So, the construction of Azuchi Castle had been completed," Mitsuhide finally spoke when the other three rushed out. "For the final festivities, that may be the more suitable location."

"Too bad for you," Kojurou said, unsheathing his sword as the flames licked the building. "You're not wanted there!"


As soon as they got to Azuchi Castle, they had been immediately preoccupied with Nobunaga's defenses. The walls stood well over twenty and even thirty feet, and no matter how many explosives they used, nothing could blast the damn thing down.

They would need something stronger…

As if the gods were watching them, help arrived. With a whistle and a boom! a giant cannonball hurtled through the sky and… Made contact with the wall! At last, there was a way in and the armies teemed with excitement.

More and more cannonballs flew through the air, each one landing somewhere near the fortress and some managing to break it down. "It looks like we have some western allies," Masamune said appraisingly. "I just wish they had better aim… Let's move guys!"

The army was able to advance but Rin quickly pulled Date back before he could run away. "Date!" she yelled.

He looked at her, and then glanced back at Yukimura who was still moving on ahead without him. Rin looked at him too and said, "I'm sorry… For what happened… For everything, but please, don't go! You can't do this; you can't defeat the Devil King!"

"What are you talking about?" Masamune asked incredulous. "Like Kojurou said, there won't be another chance for an attack like this! I have to do this!"

"Then… Take me with you!" Rin begged desperately, "I'll help you! Oda Nobunaga… He's not human. Something about him is evil and inhumane. You can't defeat him." She was crying now. "Please Masamune, don't go, you'll be killed! Let me take your place, I'm worthless, and if I die the army will keep on fighting without me, but if you die we'll all fall apart and it'll be for nothing! We can't lose you… I can't lose you, Masamune!"

He smiled sadly then as he reached back and cupped her cheek, "Then that's a risk we're going to take. You aren't worthless, and I'm not going to lose you, so just stay here and help the others." He kissed her quickly but firmly on the lips and jumped onto the nearest horse then spurring it into motion.

Rin could only watch as he stopped to pick up Yukimura and they quickly sped off. She yelled, "Just come back safe, you dokuganhentaimeeee!"

"Talk about confidence!" He yelled back with a wave and cocky grin.

Rin whispered, "Stupid, I'm not going to let you die like this," as she started running after them.


Rin looked up to check her progress as she continued to run, not wanting to waste even a second. Not too much farther now. Soon she would join the other two and they would defeat Nobunaga. Rin looked up now and her eyes widened.

"No!" she yelled. She could see all too clearly what was going on now. Date was being held by the throat by Nobunaga as Yukimura stood helplessly on the sidelines. She ran even faster, though kept an eye on what was going on.

Nobunaga was speaking now and she thought she could hear bits of what he was saying. Something along the lines of taking his other eye instead of killing him, and her heart beat even faster. No, that can't happen, that couldn't happen!

Masamune… Masamune was hurt! She- she had to help him, oh Kami-sama, Rin prayed, please… Don't let Masamune get hurt, please! Please!

Rin ran faster towards the building she thought Masamune was on, but a cover of trees obscured her view and suddenly she was lost; unable to see what was going on now. She ran past them and swore again when another line of trees blocked her view of the ongoing battle. She continued to push herself even faster.

"Shit! Damn it!" She continued to cuss as she ran as fast as she could. She slid and skidded to a stop to deflect several bullets that seemed to shoot out of nowhere.

She turned to see a group of men wielding harquebuses and she scowled. "Sorry boys," she yelled. "You've caught me in a really bad mood!" She unfolded her fans and whipped them, creating a torrent of air currents, each traveling so fast they cut through the guns and their wielders mercilessly. "Wind Scythe Onslaught!"

The closer she got to the battle waging above her, the more she sensed the energy around her.

The power, the courage… The fear in all the men who were fighting and risking their lives to bring this one man down. She felt the energy in the air of everyone around her form together, creating a ring that steadily grew brighter and she watched as the sudden ring rose in the air.

She looked around her, now caught in a small forest and swore again, "At this rate, I'll never make it!"

Suddenly Maka appeared beside her, "Need a lift?" she asked with a slight smile.

"Maka," Rin smiled, not even going to waste time in cracking some sarcasm, "Nice timing! Please, get me above these trees!"

Maka nodded as she grabbed Rin's hand and jumped straight into the air, speeding up like a roclet. The two shot into the air and landed softly on rooftop nearby. From her new view Rin could see just how powerful the circle of energy above everyone was becoming.

She also watched as Yukimura and Masamune were thrown back into the sky. The ring now surrounded them and she could hardly see the two.

Oda Nobunaga was definitely strong.

She yelled, "Masamune! Yukimura-kun!" and then closed her eyes and slowed her breathing. "May this strengthen you both," she whispered. She could feel the energy from that ring even from where she was and she allowed her own energy to join it. With each passing second, she knew that its strength grew, as did its inhabitants.

She opened her eyes and then shouted, "Masamune!" again as she watched the ring of energy surround the two who seemed to float peacefully in its area. "I believe in you, so just don't die on me yet, okay?"

From hundreds of feet in the air Date's eye shot open and he yelled, "This is the last shot Sanada Yukimura!"

Yukimura's eyes also opened as he said, "I understand Masamune-dono!"

Suddenly, the two started spiraling down, their blue and red auras intertwining and circling around each other and all the colors from the ring followed with as they collided against the Devil King's sword.

They all yelled as Nobunaga's sword began to crack and finally, it shattered and Nobunaga was thrown through the roof, where he lay and breathed his final words.

At that moment, it was as if the world had stilled. Time had stopped and calm washed over the land like a flood. The shroud of darkness the Devil King had created seemed to be lifted and slowly the battles on the ground began to slow down as people realized the commotion going above them had ceased. That was when they all came to the final conclusion. The Devil King was dead. The world could finally breathe a sigh of relief. At least for now.

Maka took Rin's hand and smiled, "Rin-sama, are you ready?" Although she wouldn't admit it, this did seem exactly like how they were before everything had happened. They were back to their old selves when the Shinigami group was still around. Maka kind of missed it… But she still had to avenge everyone's death. … Just not now.

Rin grinned and said, "Let's go." Maka jumped high into the air again, towards the One-Eyed Dragon and Young Cub of Kai.

Yukimura was just helping Masamune up as Rin and Maka landed.

"Masamune!" Rin yelled, crashing into him. She grabbed him tightly around the shoulders and then grabbed Yukimura too, holding them both so tightly, it almost hurt. She loosened slightly when she heard an enormous roar. Cheers sounded behind them and a conch horn blew, signifying a victory.

They had won! And they were all very much alive.

Yukimura laughed as he ducked out of Rin's hold and Rin pushed herself under Date's arm to support him. "Masamune… Yukimura-kun! You did it! You defeated Oda Nobunaga! I'm so proud of you both!" she cried, her eyes sparkling and Masamune smiled back wearily.

"We all did it," he said as Yukimura supported his other side. "And to think you thought we couldn't do it, shame on you." He grinned as the cheers of the eastern armies grew even louder and she stuck her tongue out at him playfully.

"No way, I always knew you could do it." She winked and he smiled. The Great War against the Devil King was over.


Three months later.

"Long time no see, Sanada Yukimura," Masamune grinned. Kojurou and Rin stood behind him quietly, each only smiling. After the previous war had ended and armies began to retreat, Kojurou had dismissed Rin from her services, but Masamune took her right back, saying that she still needed to relieve her debt (though, Rin knew why he really wanted her).

Rin had protested fiercely, but she knew that this was the only thing keeping her from being hired by another army and having to fight him again. And she definitely didn't want to have to do that, so she accepted it quickly.

"I have waited impatiently for this day One-Eyed Dragon, Date Masamune! Come, let us have a fair fight!" Yukimura called back, readying himself for the impending battle.

"Perfect. Bring your A-game and let me enjoy this. Get up! Yah-ha!" Date unsheathed all six swords and ran straight for the younger man.

"Burn ablaze my soul!" Yukimura yelled.

Everything was back to normal. Maka had disappeared almost as soon as Rin had rejoined with Yukimura and Masamune. She left only one of the guns Rin had loaned her which had some dried blood on the muzzle and being the only proof that her grudge against Rin remained.

Hotaru seemed to be up and about again, putting her medical knowledge into good use and she finally managed to get Rin to promise to visit her home village at some point. Maybe not this week, or even the next, but one day, she promised, and a mercenary never goes back on a promise. And that was enough for Hotaru.

At one point, Yukimura had made one last attempt to get Rin to leave Date's services, but with a defeated sigh he had smiled and said, "So I guess we'll be enemies from now on, eh Rin-chan?"

She had smiled and said, "Only if you want us to be." She leaned over her horse and kissed him on the cheek, then with a grin, sped off towards Date Manor; leaving Yukimura with a heated face and a huge grin splitting his face. Maybe what he felt towards Rin wasn't the kind of love he thought it was, but it was still something, and he didn't want it to fade. Not yet, anyway.

Back in the present, Masamune and Yukimura clashed weapons. A large clanging noise resounded over the area they fought in.

And Rin smiled.


A/N: ... The end.

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...

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... Just kidding. Yes, my faithful and wonderful readers! This may be the end of Season one, but I still have to watch season two and when I do, I will continue my horrific story.

At least the plot line, because even though I haven't really gotten to it yet, I gave them three months for short little stories to take place for the Date army.

I'm a sadistic woman.

I've found out that I can watch the original version on YouTube because Funimation is hosting it, so I've been able to get to about episode four or five. Though let me tell you, it's driving me up the freaking wall because it takes so long for the damn thing to buffer.

I'm planning on trying to watch the series twice like I did with season one, so I can get a sense of when it would be the best to add Rin or else it'll come short and too off for my liking (not that it isn't already with the added OC...) But until then, I'll only be writing short stories taking place between the Devil King's war and Toyotomi's; while the armies are still recovering. I actually did re-watch the last episode of season one so I could get the exact dialogue, though this time I watched the original one (since the two times I watched it was on Netflix with the crappy English dub).

Shouldn't be too much of a problem... Right?

By the way, the story I wrote that involved Itsuki doesn't even occur until after Toyotomi's war. I decided that recently because if she joined Masamune's army soon after Nobunaga had been defeated, she would cause too much trouble with the next story line and I'd have to work even harder adding her to the plot in which she has no business in (I think), so I guess you just got to read a super-special-awesome bonus chapter that occurs way after Season Two... Lucky you.

Anyway, I thank all of you who have made it up this far, and I hope you continue reading until I write season two's story! Wish me luck!

Put ya guns on!

- Jackal