10 days until Christmas! I don't own Basara. This was written before I knew anything about Basara 4, so the character I mention here, please don't flame me because I got something wrong.


Chapter Eleven: A Safe Place


The five of us jumped at the clicked fingers, screaming when the sound activated several gunpowder kegs that had been hidden in the rubble. Sasuke acted on instinct, grabbing my hand tight and transporting us to a safe distance through the shadows. More explosions followed us, this time centred around the yard where Master Katakura and Yukimura were.

Bits of brick and wood were still flying from the sky, one burning piece landing on the edge of my furisode's sleeve, the silk catching at once. Not exactly relishing the thought of burning to death, I batted at it with the other sleeve, sighing in relief when the flames died underneath the extra fabric.

Sasuke got back to his feet, searching under his poncho until he found a canteen, taking a long swig, and then passing it to me. Spotting me hesitate, he laughed, "Don't worry, I didn't poison it. I'm guessing your throat's pretty dry?"

"A little." I whispered, tipping the canteen. Poisoned or not, the water was still cool and fresh, washing away the dust that had gathered in my throat from the travelling and what had just happened. "Thank you for rescuing me."

"Don't mention it." Taking back the water container, Sasuke hid it back in his poncho, stretching his arms out and examining me, most likely to gauge the threat I posed. My thoughts were proven wrong by his next words. "Your hand's bleeding."

Blinking at the ninja, I brought my hands up and saw that the right one was covered in blood, some of it dried, but blood all the same. As I looked them over, the bleeding starting up again now the flow had been restored to them, Sasuke vanished back to the temple, intent on helping his master out of the jam he and Master Katakura were most likely in.

Without the water to clean away the dried blood, I settled for wiping it on my sleeves, following at a more sedate pace. My bag was where Matsunaga had abandoned it, and the man himself was sharing a few last words with Master Katakura in the ruined temple. I miss all the fun, I swear.

Taking the sword in my injured hand, and the bag in the other, I came to join Yukimura, nodding to him politely. Now was not the time to speak of Nagashino.

As he returned the action, Matsunaga performed his last action on this earth, igniting the final barrel of gunpowder apparently hidden behind the wrecked statue of Buddha. The ensuing explosion shook the ground hard enough to make anybody lose their balance, and it was only the grace of Yukimura's hand on my arm that stopped me flying down the stairs. Even so, it took a while for my ears to pop, and until they did, my eyes simply stared. As the flames licked hard at what was left after the explosion (which was admittedly, not much) Yukimura moved to stand by Master Katakura, staring at the inferno in silent respect of the three men buried there. "I am in your debt."

"No, I am as disappointed as you must be." Yukimura murmured, turning away from the scene.

"I'm so sorry; it was all I could do to get us out of there in one piece." Unexpected guilt hit me with Sasuke's words. He should've rescued the men first, instead of me, but now Master Katakura would have to tell his absent master of his failure.

Watching the fire grow in intensity, I reeled back instantly, grabbing onto Master Katakura's sleeve as the shadow began to rise and split into three pieces. No, not now, anytime but now! The fact that they were calling out for Matsunaga wasn't exactly reassuring, especially considering they were coming closer with each step, but when they cleared the smoke, we had to laugh at them. "Don't think you can kill us so easily!"

"Yeah, what else you got?"

"Big Boss's swords? You can't have them!" Releasing Master Katakura, I let him go to his men, who were apparently way tougher than we gave them credit for, even if they were using large pieces of wood as supports. As the Right Eye approached them, they collapsed to their knees, looking up at him. "You guys." Master Katakura smiled, shaking his head at them.

"Boss Katakura?"

"Where is the bastard?" A quick look at the embers they'd just escaped from and… "Oh don't tell us."

"Is it over already?"

"It is." Their boss's words made them slump, disappointed that they couldn't have a piece of Matsunaga too.

Leaving the Date clan members to reunite, Master Katakura admitting they'd done him proud, I looked at my hand again, holding it out to Sasuke, "Could I…never mind." I couldn't request that of him, regardless of what Matsunaga had said. Nonetheless, Yukimura's curiosity shone through, and he gently took my hand to look at the damage.

The young general's face hardened as he did, he and his shinobi sharing a glance, speaking without words. "You should come to Kai. Your hand and any other wounds you have can be treated there."

"It's nothing, just needs a little wash and binding. After that I should start heading to Kiyosu."

"But Matsunaga said…" Here, the Date guy with glasses gulped, "That Oda had cut ties with you." Making to answer with something along the lines of 'he said that your lord would, but Master Katakura still came,' I was completely unprepared for Sasuke to begin pouring alcohol on my hand to clean and bind it there and then.

Biting my lip against the harsh sting, I didn't hear the sharp intake of breath, trying to focus my attention anywhere but there. "Stay still will you?"

"It hurts!" I whined, trying to pull my hand away, but Sasuke had a strict grip on it. Within seconds he was wrapping a thin bandage around it, sparing none of my palm from it. Satisfied with his job well done, Sasuke grinned at me, ignoring the sharp glare I was sending at him.

Smirking at the pair of us, Master Katakura led the way down the steps, having collected all six of the Dragon Claws and gotten the Armour back in its container while Sasuke had been inflicting medical torture on me.

The Date men closely followed, leaving Yukimura to take up his burden again, smiling as he watched the Date clan go ahead. Maybe…maybe going to Kai wouldn't be such a bad idea, if only to get something to eat. Almost reading my thoughts, Yukimura stopped halfway down, looking up the stairs at me.

Gesturing with his head, he called up, "Are you coming, ojou-san?"

Giggling at the formal address, I wasted no time in chasing after him, drawing level just as the sun began to make itself known. Sasuke had opted for the high route, and there was the occasional rustle of leaves as we walked.

Remembering my words to Hanzo, I gently tapped Yukimura to get his attention, "I'm not an ojou, my name's Sayomi."

"Sayomi." He repeated, trying it out, "It suits you."

Once we got back to the horses, Master Katakura elected to walk with his men, leading the horse by its reins, and allowing Yukimura to secure the box to the saddle. "We should be in Kai within a matter of hours."

"Phew, I was getting hungry." One of the Date men laughed, earning a groan from everyone assembled.

The one with the glasses slapped his back in what looked to be a friendly manner, "Magobei, please shut up."

But the damage had been done, and we'd barely managed half an hour's walk before another stomach growled, which set off everyone else's. Hopefully Sasuke had shot ahead to Kai, to warn the household that six hungry people were approaching.

Thankfully he did one better, returning not only with news that Lord Takeda wanted to speak to Yukimura upon arrival, and that Lord Date was happy to have his men safe, but also with a few onigiri that he'd managed to grab before leaving again. Casually perched on the armour box in front of us, Sasuke doled out the rations, earning him the eternal gratitude of me and the Date men, as we munched happily on the first thing we'd gotten to eat since Matsunaga go this hands on us.

Even so, I couldn't get rid of the large pit in my throat at what had happened to my world. Lord Takeda would probably want to speak to me too before we started acting too friendly with each other. After all, I was still technically their hostage, even if they weren't exactly exercising the prison guard personality.

Just once I wish it'd be as easy as the books made it sound.


True to my predictions, Lord Takeda did want to speak to me, but rather than the main receiving room, he and Lord Date were in one of the guest rooms, Masamune looking like he was trying not to let on how much his wounds were hurting. For his part, Lord Takeda still looked as strong as he had during our talk in the Tokugawa camp.

Initially distracted by Yukimura putting the Armour that Needs No Shield back in the alcove behind the bed head, Masamune soon noticed me hovering in the doorway, until Yoshinao, the Date soldier with the creative hair pushed me into the room. "You're the kid that tried to kill that crazy reaper Akechi."

Nodding, I tried not to look at the eye patch covering his right eye, failing miserably until he turned to look at Lord Takeda, who wore a smile on his face,

"Yes, Oda's Very Young Blade." My reaction must've tickled him further, because the murderous look I usually saved for Gracia was currently being aimed at his shinobi, and appeared to be having no effect. "Please, sit." He added, gesturing to the floor.

Once I was seated, Yukimura and Sasuke took their leave, the Young Cub heading for his bed if his yawn was anything to go by. "Sasuke explained the best he could, but you understand I have a clan to protect." Nodding, I looked to where I'd set my things down, removing the sword from the bag.

Laying it across both palms, I offered it to Lord Takeda with my head bowed low. A few moments passed, before a pair of hands lifted it from me. As per tradition, I kept my head down, giving them the option of severing it from my body if they wished.

A few tense moments passed, but there was no hiss of steel, just Takeda telling me to rise. When I did, he passed the sword back to me, that grin in place the whole time, leaving Masamune to clear my confusion, "If you'd wanted to escape back to Oda, I think you would've took your chances on the road rather than in the centre of Takeda's clan."

"I can't go back." I whispered, staring down at my hands. Lord Takeda had moved to a more comfortable position, somehow knowing this was going to be a long story. "He's turned his back on me, like Matsunaga said."

"This over Akechi?" Masamune queried, carrying on at my confirmative hum, "Then why not kill you, I mean, that doesn't sound like the Demon King to me."

"As Master Katakura said last night, do not presume we are like other clans. Whereas one warlord would kill a treacherous retainer, Lo- Oda prefers to keep them." The sudden drop in title was noticed, but neither of them drew attention to it thankfully. "Shibata Katsuie is a prime example."

"Who?" Masamune asked, looking between me and Lord Takeda.

"Before he was the Demon King," Lord Takeda started, "Oda Nobunaga was the Fool of Owari, and Shibata Katsuie was a general under him. Displeased with the idea of a fool as his commander, Shibata led a rebellion that ultimately failed, proving that Oda was far from a fool."

"He served as a strategist until he was executed by the Shogun." I finished, remembering the man that I had passed in the corridors a few times as a child. "But all his land and men were taken from him. At the same time, Matsunaga intrigued him, which meant he lived for longer. Finally, I'm here as your prisoner before anything else, without my armour or men at my back."

With a quick glance to Masamune, who gave a shrug, Lord Takeda returned to looking at me. Briefly, I agonised over how I must look, with one sleeve burnt, a bandaged hand and loose and uncombed hair, but decided it was of no consequence. After all, ronin didn't typically care about their appearances.

Besides, it didn't seem to be an issue to Lord Takeda either, "Sasuke," The ninja instantly appeared in the doorway, one eyebrow raised in questioning, "Show our guest to one of the spare rooms and have a bath drawn. I said the Takeda would take in any injured, regardless of banner."

"My Lord." Tapping my shoulder, Sasuke began to lead the way, waiting helpfully as I bowed my thanks to Lord Takeda. I could understand Ieyasu's awe of him fully now, the thought reminding me of something,

"Lord Tokugawa, how is he?" Sensing what I was really asking, Lord Takeda gave a small smile,

"Takechiyo is fine, I assure you."

"Sayomi, are you coming?" Sasuke asked, halfway down the decking by now. Wearing a genuine smile, I chased after him, ignoring the fact that my legs still ached.