I do not own Koihime Musou or Kamen Rider Gaim. They belong to their respective creators. Chrome and I just thought this idea would be fun and I decided to give it a try. If you like it then that's great. If you don't then we tried. Anyway, come along and let's see what you think.
Sangokuden Armored War Gods Saga: Tales of the Armored War Gods
Co-Written By Ten-Faced Paladin and Kamen Rider Chrome
Chapter 11: Ryuubi Gentoku
Kanu woke up after having the same dream again. The night her home was attacked by bandits and her brother was ruthlessly cut down for their greed. It was an old nightmare and she should have been used to it, but there were some things one never gets used to. That dream still woke her up with cold shivers whenever she had it. Looking to her left, she saw Komei and Chouhi sleeping soundly on their straw mat. Looking to her right, she saw Nagata fast asleep as well. She smiled and then yawned as she got up to wash her face.
It had rained heavily the previous night. Fortunately, the group managed to find an empty cave to take shelter in. It may not be an inn but it was better than staying out in the rain and the next town was probably too far to get too without getting drenched. Nagata's Sakura Hurricane could get them to a town quickly but it couldn't fit them all.
Kanu remembered how she used to travel alone until that fateful day when she met the Messenger of Heaven and pledged her service to him. Since then, they had adopted Chouhi as a little sister and brought her along. More and more adventure soon followed as they met new friends and enemies along the way. The RinJyuKen Akugata was unlike any enemy Kanu had ever fought before. She had always fought bandits but now some kind of evil martial arts sect was trying to cause ruin to the country. Their higher-tier members were also quite powerful. Fortunately, Kanu and her group had power on their side as well.
The Armored War Gods, individuals from Heaven who possessed incredible power. When they came to this land, they sealed their power into belts known as SengokuDrivers which could only be awakened with devices known as Lockseeds. Kanu had witnessed her master Gaim harness this power quite frequently. Depending on the Lockseed he could become a skilled swordsman, a powerful warrior or a swift fighter. He also possessed the ability to fight larger monsters. This had shown her that she had a lot of catching up to do if she ever wanted to be as strong as him. However, it made her feel good that he wasn't so helpless without her.
He was the first Armored War God she'd met and to her the true Messenger of Heaven, even if Go and Gi would insist otherwise. He deserved it the most as he used his power not to conquer but to protect. Each time he used his power was in the defence of others. She had also seen him resolve issues without the use of his powers, such as the case with the incident involving Ryofu Hosen. He was strong, but unreliant on that strength to see through his conflicts.
One problem was that he could not read the writing of their country so whenever Kanu had the chance she would teach him. Kanu merely guessed that the language of Heaven was different than that of on Earth. When Komei came along, the little blonde would help teach Nagata as well and he could already read the simple words. He may not be perfect, with Chouhi being able to read better than he could, but he was improving. At least he no longer needed help to read signs.
Bandits were more of a nuisance now. Since passing into the Province of Shoku, the bands of roving bandits were getting particularly bad. The group had to carefully pick places to rest in case they got jumped in their sleep. Nagata actually offered to help but she declined as she and Chouhi could handle them. Nagata need not lift a finger against these bandits who would've been easy opponents for him to deal with. Not that it stopped him from getting involved anyway. His dedication to his allies was heartwarming.
Now then, Kanu was stepping out of the cave when all of a sudden a clash of steel against steel woke her up from her half-asleep state. Her eyes snapped open as her senses became more alert. She saw men fighting right outside the cave. How was it that she and her friends hadn't heard them?
Suddenly, one of the men saw Kanu and went to attack her, yelling something about a Volunteer Army. Kanu didn't pay attention as he instincts quickly rose to the fore. She saw him coming and caught his sword between her palms. At that moment, Komei woke up, wondering what the noise was about. She wandered right out of the cave, apparently not noticing the battle.
"Kanu-san.." she mumbled, rubbing her eyes. "What's going on? It's noisy." managing to get her eyes open, she gasped when she took in the battle happening in front of her.
"Shuri, wake up Rinrin and Gaim-sama! And get my weapon!" shouted Kanu.
"Ah! Hai!" Komei dashed back into the cave to follow her orders. Kanu gritted her teeth and pushed her assailant backwards. He grunted as he was knocked onto his ass and then he got back up and charged at her. He swung but was blocked by Chouhi's spear. Chouhi then swung and knocked the man back as Kanu smiled.
"Kanu-san!" Komei called as she carried Kanu's Dragon Crescent Blade. She tripped and the polearm flew from her grip and into Kanu's hand.
"Thank you, Shuri," Kanu smiled. "Where's Gaim-sama?"
[SOIYA! ORANGE ARMS! HANAMICHI ON STAGE!]
Hearing that loud announcement, she saw her sworn master dashing out of the cave in his full armor as it formed, orange energy splashing out as he wielded his Daidaimaru sword.
Chouhi, Kanu and Gaim stood side-by-side with their weapons to face the man who was joined up by two of his comrades.
"Bandits?" Gaim asked.
"Should be," answered Kanu. Although in some cases it was hard to say who the bandits were. The people they were fighting didn't look like trained soldiers and were only armed with apparently what they could get. Hardly the best-supplied unit she had ever seen. Still, at least she could still tell the difference.
"Then I guess we should take them down hard," suggested Gaim.
"Agreed," Kanu smiled. The three separated and attacked. The men attacked Kanu but she proved to be more skilled as they went down with just a swing. As for Chouhi, she proved to be too small and fast a target for them to effectively fight, not to mention very agile and strong. Her opponents stood no chance against her.
As Gaim went to defend Komei, a few of the men attacked. However, their weapons proved ineffective against the Armored War God. They connected harmlessly with his torso and Gaim smiled before he retaliated, shattering their weapons with a single stroke of the Daidaimaru. His sword may resemble an orange slice but it was no way as weak.
"I know what you're thinking," Gaim started as he drew his Musou Saber. "I'm just one guy. But think about it. I'm one guy in a suit of magic armor. You must be asking yourself who I am. I think you know. I'm an Armored War God! My name is Gaim of the Ultimate Sword and I am Advancing on Stage!" He knocked them off their feet with his swords, making sure he hit them with the blunt sides only. The force of the blows still hurt and they groaned as they lay on the ground.
Gaim then looked around and looked to the man on horseback. He was the only one not fighting, sticking back to observe the battlefield instead. Still, Gaim returned his focus to the bandits who were getting up to their feet. They looked at Gaim in fear before fleeing.
"Yeah, you better run!" he shouted at them.
After the battle, the friends regrouped. The remaining men who had been fighting the bandit group were treating their wounded, but they were all in high spirits after driving off the bandits they had been fighting against. As Kanu and Gaim fretted over Chouhi and Komei, the man on horseback dismounted and approached Gaim's group.
He was definitely the best-dressed of the entire group, wearing polished armor with fine clothes and even had an ornate blue sheathe with an impressive sword held at his side. He was also very handsome, having wind-swept black hair and fine features. He even had an earring which was decorated with a feather. All in all, he looked like the kind of person one would expect to be leading armies if they were in stories.
"I have no idea who you are, but I thank you for your help," he said to the group. "I am the leader of this Volunteer Army. My name is Ryuubi, followed by Gentoku." Gaim's eyes widened at that name. Ryuubi Gentoku? He had expected to see a girl but to see him as a man really surprised him. He guessed that he was getting used to all the main characters in this version of the Romance of the Three Kingdoms to be of the opposite gender. "I am pleased to meet you."
"I'm Kanu followed by Unchou. This is my little sister, Chouhi. And this is..."
"My name is Komei."
"And this must be your Armored War God," Ryuubi addressed Gaim. Gaim closed his Lockseed and his armor vanished.
"My name is Gaim," Nagata introduced himself.
"So, the rumors are true. We have Armored War Gods walking among us," smiled Ryuubi. "Gaim-dono, Kanu-dono, Chouhi-dono and Komei-dono." He gave Kanu a once-over and Nagata could've sworn Ryuubi was checking her out. His eyes dipped a little too low to be considered proper... "Wait, then you must be the Beautiful Black-Haired Bandit Hunter."
"Yeah...that's me..." Kanu sighed. She already knew what he was going to say, like she really didn't live up to the tales of her beauty.
"You truly are as beautiful as rumors say," Ryuubi added, surprising Kanu. Now she seemed flattered. "Please come with us to our village," Ryuubi invited as he got on his horse. Nagata narrowed his eyes at the guy. There was something he didn't like about him already. Maybe it was because how he hung back during the battle, but something just didn't sit right in Nagata's mind.
"Come on, let's go, everyone," Kanu said to her friends, apparently not getting the same vibe. If anything, she actually seemed eager to follow.
"Guy calls her beautiful and she follows him without question. I already know she's pretty," Nagata muttered disgruntledly.
Ryuubi led the way to a place called Touka Village. It seemed like a rather humble but prospering kind of place. It was certainly big enough as lots of homes and businesses sprung up around a large fort, likely the magistrate's home. The rice fields were large and looked like that they were doing well for themselves. None of the buildings appeared to be run down or poor. In fact, other than perhaps being a little bit tense and the oppressive atmosphere which came from bandits running rampant, it seemed like a well to do village. Still, it was because of that atmosphere that Kanu and Nagata could tell that things were not well within the area.
Ryuubi seemed well-respected by the villagers considering how they would go out of their way to greet him. Several of them seemed to tease him though, asking why they were acting as if they had come back from a victorious battle. They actually seemed shocked when he reported that they did win their fight. The group continued through the village, receiving more of the same greetings when they reached the chief's estate.
"Nice place you got here," commented Nagata.
"I am merely a humble boarder here while my men and I conduct our campaign," Ryuubi replied as a Servant took his horse. "He will want to meet the ones who single-handedly turned the tide of our battle today."
"We'd be delighted," Kanu nodded.
The chief looked like a rather jolly fellow. He was a slightly portly fellow who wore the yellow robes of his station and styled his hair and moustache as was expected of a man in his position. Hearing that the Volunteer Army had managed to win their battle and come back was something of a surprise to him. He welcomed the group of four into his home as guests. Since they were still unsure what was going on, they accepted the offer to stay and hear what was going on.
"To hear that Ryuubi-dono has returned with a victory is truly surprising," the village chief said, embarrassing Ryuubi. Nagata couldn't help crack a smile at that.
"Had he not been victorious before?" Kanu asked.
"Well, he came to this village three months ago with a small band of troops. They looked so suspicious that we thought they were bandits." When Nagata heard this, his smile almost grew a bit. Why he was reacting this way, he wasn't sure, but he was enjoying it. "Then, after hearing his story, we learnt he was of noble blood, a descendant of Prince Jing of Zhongshan. After hearing that he led a Volunteer Army and would offer his help to us to take care of our bandit problem, I opened my warehouse to supply them with food and weapons. However...they ended up losing all seven battles." Nagata really had to control himself to not chuckle when he heard that. Ryuubi may look like some kind of big shot and had the ancestry to back it up but he hadn't won a single battle. It just went to show that one needed more than a pretty face to win a battle. "I was actually going to ask them to leave if they lost again this time."
Ryuubi put on a forced smile, "Well, we finally won this time." He then addressed Kanu, "Kanu-dono, it is true we have been defeated before. Therefore, could you please lend us your strength, in order to defeat the bandits and restore peace to this land?"
Kanu looked to her friends and then answered, "To be honest that decision is up to Gaim-sama." Ryuubi looked to Nagata who looked back at Ryuubi.
"Ah, yes, the Armored War God," Ryuubi replied. For some reason he didn't sound too happy. "Well, Gaim-dono, if you could lend us your power, please assist us to fight the bandits and restore peace to this land."
"I'll think about it," Nagata replied.
The group were given rooms, the girls sharing one room while Nagata had one of his own. He sat at the desk provided, looking out the window and into the night. As he sat in silence, he took out his Orange Lockseed and tapped on its surface with his thumb in thought.
"Ryuubi Gentoku..." he murmurred. For some reason that guy bothered him. Maybe it was the way he was looking at Kanu. He didn't like it. The way his eyes lit up when he saw her reminded him of jocks picking out cheerleaders as if they were property to be claimed. He'd seen it enough times in school. "Dammit, what's wrong with me?" he asked himself. He felt amused when he heard that Ryuubi's Volunteer Army had lost each battle up until Nagata and his group intervened. He felt guilty about it though, knowing that he shouldn't feel that way. Ryuubi was trying to help this village by fighting the bandits. Well, trying at least. That was probably why he was asking for their help. He could do it too. He was the one destined to raise the Province of Shoku into the third kingdom of the era. He just needed some help.
"Well, for the village, I guess I can stick around to help," Nagata told himself. There was more than just the volunteer army's pride on the line, but the livelihood of the villagers who would be targeted by the roving bandits if the army ended up failing.
Emerging from his room, Nagata walked down to the common room where Kanu, Chouhi, and Komei were waiting for him. Ryuubi was in attendance as well, looking somewhat anxious. All eyes turned to the Armored War God as he entered the room. Knowing he needed to say something, he spoke, "Okay. If we're going to help then no more of just going to battle after finding bandits. We're going to need a strategy if we're going to be able to beat these guys."
"Of course, Gaim-sama," Kanu smiled.
"You have a plan then?" asked Ryuubi.
"I don't, but I know someone who may," Nagata replied, looking to one of his young friends. "Komei?"
"Right," Komei nodded. Approaching one of the tables, she opened a map of the area which she had gotten from the archives. On it a spot was marked with an X. "I've been asking what we know about these bandits and I've been told that they are based here," she pointed at the X. "It is an old base which the bandits, likely a rogue unit from a defeated army, have taken over. That is why there are so many of them here and they seem so well-equipped."
"So these guys aren't going to be average thugs," Nagata frowned. "Suddenly those losses of yours don't seem so shameful. With farmers and other folks volunteering to fight with little to no training, it's no surprise that these guys got the upper hand."
"To my eternal regret," Ryuubi nodded. "But training and such takes resources we just don't have."
"That means tactics will be needed to win," Komei continued. She pointed down at the map where a narrow valley was depicted. "My plan is this: Kanu, Chouhi, and Gaim, will be stationed here with a unit of our forces. They will fight the bandits here."
"But that is so far away from the fort," Ryuubi frowned. "The bandits will never go that far away for just a fight."
"That is why we will lure them there," Komei replied. "A unit of men will attack the force itself and draw out the bandits. After a set time, the unit will retreat and head towards the valley. The bandits, feeling confident and close to victory, will no doubt follow them to finish them off. When they reach the valley, the bulk of our forces will be there to defeat them."
"Cool!" Chouhi grinned.
"That's fine, but once these guys see they're outmatched they're going to make a break for it back to the base, trying to hide behind the walls so they can defend themselves," Nagata pointed out.
"That is where Ryuubi-dono comes in," Komei nodded.
"I'm listening," Ryuubi nodded.
"Since the bulk of the bandits will be chasing the distraction unit, they will likely leave only a light group of defenders at the fort," Komei explained. "Ryuubi-dono will take a unit of men and storm the fort, taking it while the bandits are busy chasing the distraction unit. Once the fort is taken, even if the bandits manage to retreat, there would be no place for them to retreat to. We will have caught them between two unfavorable points."
"A pincer movement. I like it," Nagata grinned.
The following day the Volunteer Army prepared to attack the bandits' fortress. Although morale was high after their victory the previous day, the men were still a little unsure since they had the previous seven losses still overhanging them. Komei instructed the men on the strategy. Some weren't sure about following a child's plan, but Ryuubi backed her up so they went with the plan. The decoy unit moved out while Ryuubi took his men and headed to another position near the base where they wouldn't be detected. Gaim, Kanu, and Chouhi stood with their group at the valley sides, hidden from sight until the decoy unit came through with the bandits on their tails.
The decoy unit performed their part flawlessly. Once they managed to provoke the bandits into a fight, the unit retreated. The bandits then left the fortress in hot pursuit to kill the members of the Volunteer Army, ready to take down what they considered to be pests once and for all. As planned, they followed the Volunteer Army where a trap was waiting for them. As soon as they were in the middle of the valley, flags were raised on either side of the valley. On one side of the valley were members of the Volunteer Army. Rinrin was on one side, riding on a pig. On the other side was Kanu on horseback. Gaim stood in the middle of the valley, facing the bandit group in full armor.
"You bandits who dare take advantage of innocent people during these turbulent times must be punished!" declared Kanu.
"I'm gonna beat you up!" Chouhi announced.
"Let's greet you properly. EVERYONE! ATTACK!" commanded Gaim as he raised the Daidaimaru and brought it down. The Volunteer Army let out a battle cry and they all went down to the valley to engage the bandits.
With the element of surprise, many of the bandits were swiftly taken down. Seeing an Armored War God against them, many more bandits lost the will to fight. How could one fight against someone who was the embodiment of battle? The fight was brutally swift as the bandits really didn't know what hit them. The bandit leader managed to escape, seeing the battle as lost. He had seen enough battles to know when he was on the losing side and part of what allowed him to survive was knowing when to cut his losses.
"Damn those Volunteer Army and their dirty tactics!" Who would have guessed a bunch of farmers and common folk playing soldier would have come up with a surprise tactic like that? He'd have to regroup with the men he had left and try to recruit more before he could make any raids again. He still had the fort and no amount of tactics could break down those walls if the army was too poor to supply proper arms.
"Open the gate!" he shouted, riding on horseback towards his fort. "Open it I say!"
He expected the doors to open, but there was no response from them. Instead, flags all rose up from the battlements, all of them depicting the symbol of the Volunteer Army. The leader gaped, only just realizing then that he had been played for a fool.
"You're a little late," Ryuubi spoke, stepping onto the battlements so he could be seen. "This fort now belongs to the Volunteer Army!"
The leader gaped, unable to speak as his weapon dropped from his hand to the ground.
Since that day, the Volunteer Army managed to defeat every single bandit group they came across. Some of the soldiers believed they had finally been blessed since an Armored War God had joined them and thanked Nagata for their victory. Nagata was a bit modest and said that their victory was because of teamwork. Still, he, Kanu and Chouhi really did contribute greatly in battle. They were strong and skilled. Komei's contributions shouldn't be overlooked either. Her sharpness showed and Nagata could already tell that she was really fitting into the role as the group's strategist. All her plans allowed them to win. Of course, the soldiers still believed that Gaim joining them was a blessing as the girls were part of his group and thus part of the blessing. Nagata let them think that but he believed that Kanu, Chouhi and Komei deserved most of the praise as they were the true reason for their victories.
Oh, and Ryuubi too.
Peace had finally come to the area as the bandit groups that were plaguing it were finally being quelled. The people were relaxing, trade was picking up again, and the air was not so tense with fear of being attacked. To celebrate another victory, the Volunteer Army had a feast. Kanu, Chouhi, Komei, Ryuubi and Nagata were invited again to the chief's home to be served with delicious food. Kanu ended up seated between Nagata and Ryuubi as Chouhi and Komei sat across from them. The chief praised them for their help, citing all of the good they had done since arriving. Chouhi took it with her usual exuberance while Komei was embarrassed at being praised so prominently among everyone else. Kanu and Ryuubi were of course praised for their strength and leadership. Many of course praised Gaim, seeing him as the source of their sudden turn in good fortune and were determined to make sure they were thankful for it. The feast was certainly one for the ages, and one that the men felt like they deserved.
Later, while the men were still celebrating, Kanu was looking up at the moon from a corridor overlooking the courtyard. The sounds of merrymaking in the night warmed her heart. This was the sort of thing she dedicated herself to when she began her task of fighting the bandits. People should be happy and free as they were now all the time. They wouldn't have to fear their livelihood being stolen away or everything they worked for being destroyed.
"Kanu-dono," Kanu looked up to see Ryuubi approaching.
"Ah, Ryuubi-dono," Kanu nodded in greeting.
"I'm surprised to find you out here," the handsome leader commented. "Was the feast not to your liking?"
"Oh no, nothing like that," Kanu waved off the concern. "I was just moon's really beautiful, isn't it?"
"The moon?" he looked up at the pale moon in the sky."Yes, but it doesn't match up to your beauty," Ryuubi praised.
"Ah, thank you," Kanu blushed.
Unbeknownst to the pair, they had an eavesdropper on their moment together. Nagata was hidden around the corner, leaning against the wall with his arms crossed. He had noticed that Kanu had left the feast and had gone searching for her in case something was wrong. He had just seen her when Ryuubi called to her. Nagata then ducked out, not wanting to interrupt anything important. However, something compelled him to stay and listen. So far, it was just annoying him as he had to listen to Ryuubi praise Kanu's looks once again. Nagata was all for praising a woman's beauty, but Ryuubi just laid it on thick since the first day they met and hadn't let up. Worse still, Kanu seemed to eat it all up every time he did it.
"I hope I'm not being too forward, but could you please stay by my side from now on?" Ryuubi asked. Nagata's teeth clenched and Kanu was taken aback.
"Wh-what do you mean Ryuubi-dono?" Kanu gasped, unsure if she could believe her own ears at the moment.
"I understand if this is abrupt," Ryuubi nodded. "But of the many things I learned since becoming a leader is how to recognize opportunity. I fear, if I were to not pursue this avenue, I will never be able to have another chance. Not with such risks that we take day to day in these battles against the bandits. So I ask you now Kanu-dono, won't you please be mine?"
Nagata's grip on his arms was so right, he almost drew blood.
Kanu blushed, never once having through that she would ever be considered wife material with her lifestyle and skills, "I'm flattered, Ryuubi-dono..."
Ryuubi began to smile, "Then you will...?"
"I can't," Kanu told him, shaking her head.
This reply drew Ryuubi up short, obviously not having expected it, "But...but why?"
"I have pledged myself to the Messenger of Heaven, Gaim-sama," Kanu said honestly. Nagata's smile went wide at hearing that. Kanu was choosing him over Ryuubi. He was celebrating in his mind right now. "Although many Armored War Gods wander the country, I truly believe that Gaim-sama will be the one to one day bring peace for all of us. So to that end, I pledged to remain with him so that one day we can achieve that peace."
"I see..." Ryuubi appeared disappointed. He then chuckled, "I guess I shouldn't be surprised. What is a mortal man like myself compared to one of the great Armored War Gods?"
"You're not so bad," Kanu defended.
Ryuubi continued, "Although not in the way I first hoped, I am still hoping you could stay. Then my army would gain more victories and I could establish myself as a great general. I want to spread the protection the army can offer to all of the province. Most of all, I want to make my ancestors proud."
OK, time to intervene.
"Hey, Kanu!" Nagata called out and Kanu yelped before jumping back from Ryuubi. "Rinrin wanted me to look for you. She says if you don't come back the food will be all gone!"
"Ah, right," Kanu blushed. "Good night, Ryuubi-dono." She then followed Nagata back to the dining room, her face red.
Early the next morning, the girls went to gather medicinal herbs. With so many battles being fought, they needed to find more herbs to help treat the wounded with. Nagata stayed behind to give the troops some training. He may not be an expert but he actually knew some training exercises when he practiced kendo. He had the men spar to improve their skills and exercise to increase their strength and stamina. Such things were key in battle and he didn't want to have to see good people die because they didn't know what they were doing.
The girls returned, with Bacho of all people, and she looked like a living corpse. Apparently they had found her in the mountains, nearly starved to death. They brought her back to the chief's place for food and drink to revitalize her.
Once she was sitting at a table with food in front of her, she was off like a shot devouring everything set down in front of her. It was like watching her at the eating contest all over again. After a few bowls of food and several cups of water she was back to her old self again, "Ahhhhh! That really hits the spot!"
"So, Bacho," started Nagata, amazed at how the woman was back to her normal self when she looked like she was skin and bone when she was brought in. "How come you looked so close to death when the girls brought you back?"
"Well, I kinda ran out of travelling money," Bacho explained, rubbing the back of her head. "I was getting kind of hungry when I remembered how that tiny eater Kyocho was able to find some edible mushrooms. So, I decided to look for some. I found one that had a really nice color, grilled it up then ate it," she explained.
"So you just ate a random mushroom?" Nagata deadpanned. He knew where this was going. He was just surprised that Bacho was dense enough to actually try it. He supposed martial arts skill didn't quite equate to common sense.
"Yeah, and everything went loopy after that," she chuckled. "I met a mouse and duck and sang and danced with them for a long time. Then I just ran out of stamina and passed out."
"You're lucky you're not dead," Nagata retorted. Picking wild mushrooms needed knowledge so that you wouldn't accidentally pick and eat a poisonous one. She must've eaten one with hallucinogenic properties. Still, it was good to see Bacho again after all this time. Now if only Chou'un would just join them already. She may think she had a good disguise but he already knew Kachou Kamen's secret identity. Then again, a butterfly mask was not a good disguise since she didn't bother to change her hair or outfit.
"That's very dangerous,, Bacho-san!" Komei scolded the older woman. "The mushroom you ate sounded like a Seikedake. Those can make people see things and sane people have been known to die laughing after eating it!"
Bacho may have been properly chastised, but after having eaten and told her story, she fell asleep in her chair. Komei's scolding went completely unheeded as she snored away.
"I don't think this one is properly sane," Kanu sweatdropped at the sight.
Bacho was given a room with Komei, although the martial artist slept most of the day away, waking up long enough for a change of clothes before going back to sleep again. No one could begrudge her, being so close to death even flowers that grew from corpses had taken root. Later that night, she woke up again to go to the bathroom.
"Oh no...where's the bathroom?" she mumbled, wandering like a zombie in her daze. Coming to an overlook near the walls, she looked down from the corridor to see a couple of men armed with weapons. She immediately shouted in panic, waking everyone up, "WAKE UP! WAKE UP! ENEMY RAID!"
In his own room, Nagata leaped up when he heard the screaming. Grabbing his SengokuDriver he strapped it on before running out of his room, "Where? Where's the breech?"
*WHAM!*
That was when Bacho crashed into him and the pair went down into a heap. When Kanu and the others managed to reach them, the pair were in a rather suggestive position with Bacho laying atop of Nagata with a dazed look on her features. Because her night clothes were not really secured, Nagata's face had somehow ended up in her uncovered cleavage and despite first impressions with Bacho's lithe figure, she was actually bustier than most would think, portions of her outfit actually concealing her breasts from sight.
"Bacho~!" Kanu began to growl. "What is the meaning of all this?"
"Uh...wha..?" Bacho mumbled, sitting up. This caused Nagata to groan since her weight started pressing down on a sensitive organ of his and with the awkward position, it was starting to hurt. Looking down, she turned bright red when she realized how close she was to the young man. "WAGH!"
"Ow…" Nagata groaned, sitting up. That would have almost been stimulating if it didn't hurt so much. Rubbing his head, he got up to see the flustered Bacho, "Now what's all the screaming about?"
The group returned to the main meeting room where Ryuubi and the chief met them, concerned that they really were under attack. Bacho tried to insist that they were, but after checking the men said there was no disturbances before the martial artist kicked up a fuss. It was then discovered that Bacho had merely mistook the patrols for attacking bandits due to their less than stellar armor and how they carried weapons out in the open like they did. Everyone had a good laugh at the burnette's expense, making her huff and puff out her cheeks.
"Ah ha ha ha ha!" Chouhi laughed quite openly. "You couldn't tell the difference? I could tell a mile away! Ah ha ha ha ha!"
"Yeah, laugh all you want," Bacho frowned. "I leaked a little since I was so surprised."
"What was that?" asked Kanu.
"A-Ah! Nothing! Nothing at all!"
The only one who wasn't laughing was Komei, who looked like she was deep in thought instead. "Actually, this is a good time to bring up something which needs to be addressed," Komei spoke up, bringing all eyes to her. "It is okay now since Bacho-san made a mistake, but we should really think about when we will eventually be attacked."
"But we already have men on patrol for that," argued Ryuubi.
"It's not enough," Komei shook her head. "We should prepare guard towers and a moat for the castle. That way we can be sure that we can shut ourselves into the castle in case we do get attacked."
"Increase our defences, huh?" Nagata agreed. Although the Volunteer Army was so far victorious, there was still always the threat of retaliation. "A good idea. What happens when we're out taking care of bandits and another group of them tries to attack while we're out? At least with better defences the bandits would have a hard time getting in and it'll buy some time."
"Do we really have to go that far?" asked Ryuubi.
"It is necessary to prepare for the worst," Komei affirmed. "That means we need to use the money we've confiscated from the bandits to buy supplies."
"Well that loot is supposed to fund the Volunteer Army without straining the coffers of the people," the village chief nodded. "Very well. We will begin construction immediately."
"Very well," Ryuubi reluctantly nodded.
The work on the modifications to the property were quick to begin. Since the Volunteer Army had confiscated so much loot from the bandits, they could afford everything that Komei proposed. The people were eager for the work since a better defended base meant they would be safer in case anything happened. Also with the money they were paying for the work, everyone was happy to get it done since it was no secret the army had collected a fair amount of loot after beating so many big bandit groups.
As Komei supervised the project with Kanu and Ryuubi, Nagata and Chouhi were watching a few feet away when Bacho walked over to them. Neither of the two were really any good at construction work and Bacho likewise knew her limitations so they couldn't exactly go in and help out lest they just get in the way. The martial artist saw her friends staring intently at the rest of the group and felt her curiosity get piqued.
"What's with those stares?" the brunette asked.
"It's about that guy," Nagata answered, his gaze unmoving.
"You mean Ryuubi-dono?" Bacho asked.
"There's something about him I don't like," he replied. Bacho saw how close Kanu and Ryuubi were standing together and smirked.
"Aren't you being jealous?" Bacho asked.
"No, I'm not!" hissed Nagata in denial.
"I don't like him either," Chouhi added. "He always stays in the back and never goes to the front to fight. For a general, he's a big coward."
"Yeah, I noticed that too," Nagata agreed. Ryuubi would bark orders but never had Nagata seem him engage any of the bandits in combat. He was always on that horse of his looking over the battlefield or hanging at the back. Then once the battle was over he'd be quick to accept praise and make speeches like he was in the thick of it all. That kind of attitude just rubbed Nagata the wrong way.
Nodding, Bacho supplied, "Well, if a general goes down then it's all over. That's just one way to fight. But I agree with you. I don't like it either."
"And then he keeps all the treasure to himself," Chouhi continued. Nagata remembered that. After they first began pulling in the spoils that the bandits had taken, Ryuubi nominated himself to keep it for safe keeping. He claimed it was for funding the Volunteer Army so that the people wouldn't have to. Still, for all the spoils they claimed Ryuubi was proving to be pretty frugal when it came to spending on his army. He was even reluctant to pay for the modifications until the chief gave the okay for it.
"But isn't that just war funds?" Bacho asked, remembering what she was told about that particular practice. Chouhi didn't reply but she did frown heavily before she stood up. "Chouhi?"
"Aisha-neechan said the same thing," Chouhi mumbled before walking away.
"Wait, Chouhi," Bacho called.
"Give her some space. She's just a bit upset that Aisha's been spending a lot of time with Ryuubi-san," Nagata told her. "Like a little sister who has to share her big sister's attention with some boy that they've never met before."
"And what about you?" Bacho asked.
"What about me?" Nagata replied.
Bacho began to grin cheekily, "How do you feel about Kanu spending time with that Ryuubi guy?"
"I trust her," Nagata answered. He remembered how Kanu declined Ryuubi's proposal and smiled. A snowflake then fell on his nose. "Huh?" It was starting to snow. "Huh, is it that time of year already?"
With the first snowfall, the people prepared for the cold season as they always did. Work continued on the castle and more contingency plans were made in case things started turning south. With the growing and harvesting season over, trade and non-perishable goods were going to increase in value. That meant that the bandits who were keeping their heads down were going to be on the move, striking at caravans moving supplies between villages. That meant the Volunteer Army would have to step up their own patrols and efforts to make sure that the bandits wouldn't be able to run amok.
Training still continued in spite of the change in season. He had the men performing drills and sparring with each other to improve their skills. During drills, he had them lined up in rows, mimicking his movements, showing them kendo techniques that could save their lives. That was not to say that it was all work and no play. Chouhi managed to find some kids to play with and even reformed the Rinrin Bandits with them. Well, they weren't called that. They were called Rinrin's Volunteer Army. They would storm through the village, Chouhi riding her loyal pig and they would go fight 'bandits' wherever they could be found. Mostly it was the children running about and having fake matches with adults who decided to indulge them for a bit of amusement. The people certainly thought they were adorable.
Nagata watched them play and smiled. It was good to see Chouhi playing with kids her own age again. Even though Komei and Chouhi were the same age, they were as different as night as day as the young scholar was a bit more mature than the rambunctious redhead. Although they were friends, Komei just didn't have the same interests as Chouhi did. So it was nice to see Chouhi finally being able to act her age and play instead of fighting off bandits and Rinshi.
Speaking of the changing seasons, Nagata hadn't realized so much time had passed since he came to this world and met his friends. It had been months since he met Kanu and travelled with her and the others. The thoughts of of his home came less frequently than they had in the past. He still wondered what was happening back home. Were people still looking for him? Did they have some kind of lead as to what happened? Did they even suspect that the mirror had something to do with it? They had to, the museum had all sorts of security on it so someone had to have seen something.
Still, as much as he missed home he wouldn't trade his time in the Three Kingdoms era for anything. He made great friends and was having the adventure of a lifetime. If he could get home he'd do it but at the same time he wasn't going to abandon his friends for every small rumor that might get him back. There was also the issue of the RinJyuKen Akugata's presence in this world. Until they were no longer a threat, he would need to put any thoughts of going back home on hold.
At a roadside tea house, a certain family was enjoying tea and dango. The violet-clad form of Kochu was bringing several admiring glances from male staff and customers. Some were quite tempted to try and talk to her. However, her green clad companion who was obviously her husband was keeping them at bay with his presence alone despite his squinted eyes and smile. It didn't stop female patrons from admiring him, but Kochu's own frightening smile kept them at bay when one would try to sneak a little closer. Little Riri, oblivious to the byplay, was eating messily.
"Goodness, Riri. You're all sticky," chided Kochu as she wiped her daughter's mouth clean with a napkin.
"Sorry, Mommy," Riri apologized.
Iori, aka Ryugen finished his tea and spoke to his wife and daughter, "We should get going now. Hopefully we can get to an inn or something by nightfall. I don't fancy trying to camp out in this weather."
"Hai, Airen," Kochu smiled.
Standing up, Iori moved to pay the bill while Kochu tended to Riri, making sure that her clothes were still clean despite her face being so messy. While paying, Iori asked the teahouse owner, "Excuse me, can you direct us to Touka Village?"
"Are you thinking of joining the Volunteer Army?" the teahouse owner asked. "It's been big news lately since they're really been clearing out the bandits. Lots of people want to join them these days."
"Something like that," Kochu confirmed. "We heard someone named Kanu has joined as a general. We also heard that the Armored War God of the Ultimate Sword has joined them as well."
"Yes, that's the story," the teahouse owner confirmed. "It's certainly good tidings for the area. But it's a four to five day journey from here, especially with a child."
"Don't worry. We'll be able to get there," Iori confirmed as he pulled out a Lockseed. It appeared to be a Sakura Hurricane Lockseed, but it was larger and bulkier than the one Gaim had. He unlocked it and tossed it into the air to form into a Lockvehicle. It was a Sakura Hurricane, much like the one Gaim possessed. The only thing different was that it included a sidecar attachment. The family members each took a helmet and Iori put Riri in the sidecar before strapping her in with the seatbelts.
"Comfortable, Riri?" Iori asked his daughter.
"Yes, Daddy."
Iori got on with Kochu hugging him from behind, both wearing helmets. They then took off down the road with the teahouse owner still gaping at what he had seen. Rumors were abound about the abilities of the Armored War God assisting the Volunteer Army and creating strange machines to travel on was one of them. Had he seen another Armored War God going to help his brother?
"Excuse me," the owner of the teahouse was brought out of his stupor by another customer wearing a traveller's cloak. "Could you tell me little more about this Volunteer Army?"
KRC: Well, that's Part 1 of the two part season finale. Wonder what will happen after the Volunteer Army has gained fame? Will Ryuubi's reputation grow? Will Nagata and Ryuubi fight over Kanu? And what of the RinJyuKen? They've been pretty quiet as of late.
TFP: It seems that Nagata and the others are firmly established for the long haul now. Things are coming together as it appears that the third kingdom is finally in its fledgling stages. With so many changes to the timeline though, are things really as smooth as they appear? You know what they say about the calm before the storm...