Warning: This is based off a manga called Sengoku Strays. If you haven't read it yet, I highly recommend that you do! I don't own anything but my OC, and I will probably end up using artistic license to butcher Japanese history, so I would just like to apologize in advance, and I don't mean to offend anyone!

[Narration]

{setting/stage directions}

"Speech."

'Thoughts.'

"English speech."

—¡–!–¡–!–¡— Scene shift/passage of time.

A whole line of text like this without quotes is a written letter or something similar.

WORDS IN ALL CAPS AND NO QUOTATION MARKS ARE SOUND EFFECTS.

Flashbacks and changes in POV will be labeled.

Unless stated otherwise, the POV will be third person omniscient.

If you ever have any questions, please feel free to ask.

Previously:

"If you think about it the lord's situation may very well be more grim than what Lord Nobuhide faced." Gorouza said. "It's as though the moment he took his place as lord... He was surrounded by enemies." Kasane suddenly remembered the day she had asked to fight with them, and Nobunaga had told her 'as I stand now, I don't have anything I can use freely.'

'... I see. That's why he said that.' Kasane thought.

"Okay, shall we end here today?" Gorouza said, rolling up the maps again.

"Food!" Inuchiyo cried excitedly as he suddenly rejoined the land of the living.

"..." Kuranosuke said, sweat dropping as he stared at Inuchiyo. He didn't know if he should be impressed or what that the stupid dog was able to recover at the mere mention of food.

"But don't we have an alliance with the Saito clan?" Kasane asked.

"Here's some tea." Gorouza said, smiling as he served them tea to go with the rice balls that Ayako had made for them to eat after the lesson.

"Thanks." Kasane said as they all took their cups. "So, wouldn't they help out if we're ever in trouble?" She asked.

"Who knows. It's not like Dousan's vassal's all support Dousan." Kuranosuke said.

"Hmm... That's surprisingly vague. I thought alliances were more concrete." Kasane said, confused.

"It's more like it's thanks to the Lady from Mino... that the open warfare between us and the Saito has died off. That's about it really." Kuranosuke explained as he sipped his tea.

"Ah, that's right, I wanted to know about her. That Lady from Mino." Kasane said curiously. They never did tell her who married her, and for some reason, Kasane had found it a little hard to ask Ayako about it. "Just who—"

TAP. TAP. TAP—WHAM!

Nobunaga had suddenly run up and threw the sliding doors open as he burst into the room, Ayako right behind him.

"My three fools!" Nobunaga bellowed, calling them to attention, and nearly giving Kasane a heart attack.

"Eep!" Kasane yelped in surprise and shock as her heart nearly shot out of her chest. 'He... He isn't good for my heart...' Kasane thought as she tried to calm her rapidly beating heart.

"My Lord!" Inuchiyo said happily.

"Lord Nobunaga! What's happened!?" Kuranosuke asked. From the way Nobunaga had burst into the room more urgently than normal, he knew something must be wrong.

"... Is Katsusaburou back?" Nobunaga demanded as he and Ayako glanced around the room.

'Shoot, he isn't here either...!' Ayako thought, worried.

"Ikeda? I don't think so..." Kasane said, blinking in confusion. She could see that Ayako looked worried about something.

"Has something happened to him?" Gorouza asked, concerned.

"He went out to scout Kiyosu several days ago." Nobunaga said. "—However, he hasn't returned or sent any messages."

"What!? But... but then, if they found him, he could be in trouble...!?" Kasane yelled.

"—Girl." Nobunaga said firmly.

"Y-Yes, Sir!" Kasane said nervously.

"Move out at once!" Nobunaga ordered.

—¡–!–¡–!–¡—

{Kiyosu Castle, Owari}

STOMP. STOMP. STOMP. CLATTER!

A man slammed open a door, revealing two other men. They were the ruler of Iwakura Castle, Oda Ise no Kami Nobuyasu, and the ruler of Kiyosu Castle, Oda Yamato no Kami Nobutomo.

"Well met, Lord Saito Yoshitatsu." Oda Nobutomo said as the son of Saito Dousan stomped into the room and joined them. "Thank you for coming all the way from Inabayama. Recently, Mino—"

"Lord Nobutomo. I... didn't come here for idle chatter." Yoshitatsu said sternly.

"Uh..." Nobutomo said, slightly unnerved by the younger man's impressive aura.

"'Should we join forces with Yoshitatsu... and strike down Nobunaga?' I came here today to hear the answer to that question." Yoshitatsu said.

"..." The two older men said as they exchanged a glance.

"...Though we may not have gone as far as saying it, Nobuhide and Nobunaga have stolen away our dignity as Deputy Governors." Nobutomo said. "We have no hesitation about crushing him—However, Lord Yoshitatsu... there is also one thing we must confirm from you. You may say what you will, but the truth is that your father, Saito Dousan, and our enemy Nobunaga have an alliance. Since you are his son, what proof do you have that you won't betray us?"

"... I see. After all, our provinces were at war once. Your question is quite natural." Yoshitatsu said calmly. "However, all I can give you is my oath. I, Shinkurou Yoshitatsu, have never thought of that usurper as my 'father'. Not once!" Yoshitatsu said fiercely.

"...!" Nobutomo said, startled by the fierce look in the younger man's eyes.

"You can believe me or not. However, while you hesitate, there are those who are surely suffering." Yoshitatsu said. "If Dousan... leaves the province in the care of a man who disregards all proprieties and principles, and doesn't think of people as people... then the province will without a doubt fall into chaos. For sometime now, you have been building up Owari as its deputy governors. You of all people should understand. If the province is plunged into chaos, the might of Owari fades, and useless battles continue to wage on, what will the final outcome be? Those who would suffer the most in that situation—are none other than the 'people'!" Yoshitatsu said, knowing that appealing to their vanity and sense of responsibility towards their people would help him convince them to join forces with him. He knew that Nobunaga was no fool, and the truth was that while Nobunaga did intend to unify Owari under himself, he was not the one who had started this fight. It was Oda Nobuhide that had started this whole feud. The two men before him had been more than ready to try to teach Nobuhide a lesson for undermining their pride as deputy governors when the people had begun to turn to him for help, and in response, Nobuhide had decided to unify Owari under himself. Nobunaga had simply inherited his father's enemies... but Yoshitatsu had no intention of allowing Nobunaga to be the one who finished this fight.

"—That is true..." Nobutomo said, clenching his fist. "Ever since Nobunaga came into power, Owari has been in a never ending state of struggle. I have heard that Imagawa soldiers are constantly fighting on the border, and have destroyed the livelihood of countless peasants." He said, conveniently forgetting that the one who started this feud was not Nobunaga.

"It is as you say, Lord Yoshitatsu... We cannot allow Nobunaga... to continue to arrogantly do as he pleases." Nobuyasu said.

"No matter what it takes, we must succeed in protecting Owari—And we... will never have a better opportunity than now!!" Nobutomo said. "Mino's warriors are renowned for their strength. If you are offering to lend us that power—"

"Then we can answer for the 'people' without hesitation." Nobuyasu said as they both stood.

"We will also carry your 'conviction'!" Nobutomo said.

"—Kiyosu, Iwakura, and my Inabayama will form a sturdy wall." Yoshitatsu said, as he too stood. "—And then... From these three points, we will drag Nobunaga down from power!" He proclaimed.

—¡–!–¡–!–¡—

Ikeda Katsusaburou, the man that everyone back in Nagoya was scrambling to find, was hiding in a tree as he watched two noblemen and their attendants leave Kiyosu Castle.

'That's the ruler of Iwakura castle, Oda Nobuyasu. And Mino's Saito Yoshitatsu...' Ikeda thought. 'The defenses and guards have swiftly been increased... This is—!' Beside Yoshitatsu, was a woman that fit the description Ayako had given him of one of the kunoichi that had attacked Nobunaga. Kuzunoha paused when she heard a rustling sound coming from one of the trees above them.

"What's wrong, Kuzunoha?" Yoshitatsu asked.

"... Nothing..." Kuzunoha said as she stared up into the now empty tree. There was no point in worrying her master over this small matter.

—¡–!–¡–!–¡—

CLOP. CLOP. CLOP. CLOP.

'I have to hurry to the lord...' Ikeda thought as he rode back to the castle on his horse, urging it to run faster.

BANG!

Ikeda's horse neighed, panicking and rearing back when it heard the gunshot, and the bullet whizzed past him.

"!?" Ikeda said as he tried to control his horse. Ikeda decided to jump off of his panicking horse. He wasn't going to get anywhere on that frightened and stubborn horse.

"I knew it, one of Nobunaga's pet dogs. You're a pretty good spy." Kuzunoha said as she and the quiet gun-wielding kunoichi walked up. Ikeda sensed someone coming at him from behind, and drew his sword, managing to block his attacker's weapon at the last minute. It was Iname, using her extra-large kunai.

"But a single man—" Kuzunoha said as she swiftly ran up to his other side. Ikeda drew another sword and swung at Kuzunoha. He missed.

"...!?" Ikeda said, shocked. He hadn't just missed—the kunoichi had suddenly disappeared.

FWISH.

Ikeda was shocked when he looked up and saw that Kuzunoha had jumped above him, and she was now holding a sword, aiming it at him, as she came hurtled down towards him. She grinned at Ikeda.

"—Is no match for us!" Kuzunoha yelled.

SLASH!

—¡–!–¡–!–¡—

'Dammit...! I have to hurry!' Ayako thought impatiently as she gripped Eishi's reigns, and the noble steed galloped full speed ahead as he and Ayako rushed to catch up to the Gorouza and the others.

Nobunaga had ordered them to leave at once, but he made Ayako stay behind while the others went ahead—refusing to let her go until she found a saddle and bridle for Eishi. For some reason, Nobunaga had been getting a little over protective and treating her more and more like she was a child that needed someone to hold her hand while she crossed the street. Ayako was surprised he didn't just wrap her up in bubble wrap and stick a helmet on her head... good thing bubble wrap hadn't been invented yet. So, now she and Eishi were rushing to rejoin the others before they missed all the action. Ayako hated being left behind like this. She wanted to know that everyone was okay and unharmed, instead of having to worry like this.

'Hold on, Ikeda! You'd better not have died on us!' Ayako thought urgently as she rode past another horseback rider who was wearing a tattered cloak and a straw hat. The other rider's eyes widened when they saw the haori Ayako was wearing.

"You there! Stop!" Ayako heard a strong, commanding, female voice call out to her. Ayako didn't stop, but she glanced back over her shoulder and saw that the other rider had turned their horse around to follow after her. "I said stop!" The other woman yelled as her horse pulled up alongside Eishi.

"I'm sorry, but I can't! A friend of mine is in trouble, and I have to help him!" Ayako said urgently.

"Is it Nobunaga!?" The other woman asked, surprised and concerned. Ayako's eyes widened in shock as she stared at the other woman. She didn't seem to be an enemy, and the woman was obviously concerned about Nobunaga... but that didn't necessarily mean that she was an ally.

"Are you an ally of the Lord of Owari?" Ayako asked cautiously. "And why do you think I—"

"Hmph, I'd recognize that gaudy haori anywhere." The woman said. "And what wife wouldn't be considered her husbands ally?" Ayako nearly fell off her horse when she heard that.

"You're Nouhime!?" Ayako yelled, shocked. She had known that Nobunaga was married since she remember Nouhime from history class, but... Since Ayako had never met her in person, Ayako had sort of been in denial about it because of her feelings for Nobunaga—but now that she was meeting his wife, in the flesh—It was a huge blow for Ayako. Ayako shook her head, trying to clear her thoughts. She couldn't fall apart right now—there were people who needed her. "I'm sorry, that was rude of me... I was just so surprised to run into you like this... Judging by the direction you were going in, you were headed back to Nagoya, right? Please continue on your way. The direction I'm headed in is dangerous." Ayako said. Even if Nouhime was her rival in love... She was Nobunaga's wife, and therefore, someone very important to him. Ayako had already decided that she would do whatever it takes to protect what was important to Nobunaga... even if it hurt.

"Hmph, as if I'd just leave after hearing that." Nouhime said, frowning slightly at her. Ayako blinked. Was it just her... or did Nouhime just sound a lot like Nobunaga...? "If it's so dangerous, then why are you going? It's obvious that something important is going on."

"Ikeda Katsusaburou was sent out to gather information in Kiyosu, but he hasn't returned or sent any letters. We're afraid he might've been discovered and captured by the enemy." Ayako explained. 'Why does she keep putting such an emphasis on the fact that I'm going...? Do I look weak to her or something?' Ayako wondered.

"And our lord sent you to retrieve him... by yourself?" Nouhime asked, raising an eyebrow at her.

"Ah, no... Even for me, that might be a bit much. He sent Gorouza, Kuranosuke, Inuchiyo, and Kasane ahead already. I had something that needed taking care of before I left, so now I'm playing catch up." Ayako said, sweat dropping. "Please, go back. I don't want to endanger someone so important to our lord." Ayako said seriously. Nouhime stared at her thoughtfully for a moment.

"Then I guess you'll just have to protect me then, won't you, Onihime?" Nouhime said, smirking at Ayako. Ayako blinked, surprised that Nouhime knew her nickname when they had never met before.

"How do you know tha—" Ayako started to ask.

BANG!

"!" The two women said, alarmed. Hearing a gunshot like that was never a good sign.