Samurai Warriors: The Crimson Sun and the Celestial Moon
Chapter Three: Three out of Four
"LORD YUKIMURA!!!" Kunoichi screamed in embarrassment. She hid her body back in the water, but her head was still on the surface. Yukimura covered his eyes and turned around as fast as he could. "I'm sorry! I thought you were with the Tokugawa!" he said. Their faces were as red as a tomato. "Oh man..." said Kunoichi as she washed the embarrassment off her face. "What's with all the screaming?" said Shinji as he rushed to Yukimura. "I'll-I'll just leave you to your swimming," Yukimura said and left in rush. Akira came to the scene to see if his sister was okay. "Eh?" Shinji was confused. Shinji was about to asked what happen, but Akira placed his hand on Shinji's mouth. Akira shook his head at him. The brothers left Kunoichi to dress.
Kunoichi got dressed and headed toward the tent that she was sharing with her brothers, but was stopped by Yukimura. "Again, I apologize for earlier," he said to her, "I didn't see anything!" Kunoichi gave him an evil stare and started to laugh. "It's okay, just don't do that again," she said with her arms crossed. "Liar..." she whispered to herself. "What?" he asked. "Nothing!" she giggled. Yukimura was heading towards his tent and Kunoichi was following him. "What's going on? Where we headed next?" she asked. "We are head to Nagashino," he explained, "but..." he stopped. Kunoichi looked at him, he had a nervous look on his face but she didn't want to ask. Too much excitement for one night. They walked into Yukimura's tent. "You don't have to follow me all the way to my tent you know," he said to her. "You're my master and I'm just doing my duty," she sang. He smiled, "it's getting late, you should return to your tent." "Not quite yet. As my duty I stay awake till the master goes to sleep, only that way am I allowed to leave," she giggled. He went over to the mat and pulled the blanket over his head. "Oh, I see how you are. I can take a hint Lord Yukimura," she said sticking her tongue out at him, "nighty-night!" She left him to sleep.
Months have past and the Takeda Army proceeded to Nagashino just like Yukimura said. In the meantime, the Oda Army was, too, on their way to Nagashino. "Brother, isn't the Takeda Army heading to Nagashino? I heard they're pretty tough," said a young girl. "Hmph, Oichi you have much to learn about the battlefield," said a man. He wields the Muramasa, a dark masterpiece crafted by the legendary smith Muramasa. "Lord Nobunaga, our muskets are prepared for battle," said a messenger. The man nodded. "The Takeda Calvary doesn't stand a chance again me," said a lion-haired man. He held the Kagura which was named after a divine dance for its elegance and grace in battle. "I love a good fight. I, Keiji Maeda, will strike all who comes in my way!" he said.
The Oda Army and the Takeda Army was lined up for battle. "Yukimura, you and you're ninjas will take Nagashino castle in the north. The rest of the Calvary will wait till my signal. Do not charge out or you will be killed by the Oda Muskets," ordered Shingen. Everyone did as they were told to. However, the Oda Muskets did not fire at the Takeda. "Why are we waiting for them to come to us?!" Keiji Maeda questioned his lord, "I'm getting sick of waiting. Let's fight now!" "We are waging history, do you not understand samurai?" said Nobunaga. Keiji didn't care about making history; he just wanted to fight, so he left his post and waited at the front lines.
"Nagashino castle has fallen!" Hikaru informed Shingen. "Have Yukimura reunite with the rest of the Calvary at the front lines," Shingen commanded Hikaru. Yukimura and the ninjas headed toward their post. Akira closed his eyes, "They're going to fire..." he said. "What?" Yukimura was confused. "Be on your guard!" yelled Akira. As soon as he said those words, the muskets began to fire. "If they won't fight, we will fire," said Nobunaga. The Takeda Calvary began their attack. "If one muskets fires, while the others reload, then continuous fire can be achieved," said Nobunaga. Nobunaga's plan was causing the Takeda Army's morale to greatly fall. "No, they're winning," Yukimura said. Hikaru gathered his siblings together and was discussing a plan. All four of them nodded. "I will not let the Takeda fall...we almost lost Lord Shingen last time, I will not fail him now," said Yukimura with anger. He started to charge out towards the muskets. Yukimura knock everyone out of his way. He mounted off his horse and ran past the crowd that covered the muskets. "Fire," said one of the Oda officers. The muskets were aiming at Yukimura and fired. But in one swift moment, a shadow appeared in front of Yukimura and reflected most of the bullets, and then the shadow pulled Yukimura out of the way of the Oda Muskets and back to the Takeda's front line. "We got a plan, but it's not going to work if your dead you know!" said the shadow. It was Kunoichi. "I apologize. What's the plan?" Yukimura asked. "Look, all you have to do is tell the Calvary not to attack till my brothers give the signal, okay?" she informed. But before Yukimura could answer she disappeared. He trusted Kunoichi and played his part.
"Now!" Hikaru signaled his siblings. All four ninjas were aligned with each other at the front of the Takeda Calvary and charged out to the muskets. The muskets aimed their weapons at the ninjas and fired but they hit nothing but illusions. The ninjas leaped over the Oda Muskets and attack them from behind allowing the Calvary to charge. "Now, Lord Yukimura!" Shinji yelled amongst the fighting. The Takeda Calvary charged at the Oda Army. Yukimura united with his ninjas, but there was a man mounted on a horse staring at the group. He rode his horse over Yukimura but was stopped by Akira, Shinji, and Hikaru. "Triplets, huh? Isn't hard to tell them apart Sanada?" It was Keiji. "I heard you're pretty strong. Yukimura, isn't it? Heh, I've been itching for a good fight," said Keiji. "Why do you fight for such a demon?" Yukimura questioned him. "I'm just here because I need a good fight," Keiji answered. "If Nobunaga succeeds in taking over Japan, you won't even been alive to challenge anyone. He's just using you," said Yukimura. Keiji wasn't getting along with Nobunaga lately, and he knew that he wasn't up to any good. "If I leave...you owe me a huge favor Sanada..." he said to Yukimura. Yukimura nodded. Keiji retreated without an explanation. "I knew it," Yukimura said to himself. "Eh? What the heck is going on people?" asked Shinji. Kunoichi appeared, "Come on! Onward to Nobunaga's base, there's no time to waste guys."
Yukimura, Kunoichi, Akira, Hikaru, and Shinji arrived at Nobunaga's base only to find no one there. "They've retreated..." said Akira. "That plan of yours, brother really took a bite out of the Oda Army," said Shinji. "Actully it-"Hikaru was interrupted by Yukimura, "Be on your guard." The five scattered around the enemy's camp. Members of the Takeda Army caught up with Yukimura. "The Oda Army has retreated. No sight of them anywhere," a Calvary member reported. Kunoichi and Akira came up to the Calvary. "Nothing here!" she reported. Suddenly, there was the sound of gunshots nearby. The group rushed over to the commotion and saw a man, who was wearing gray, covered in blood. Kunoichi ran over to the body and rolled him over on his back. It was Shinji. "Brother!" she gasped. Shinji was shot in the side and near his heart. Hikaru appeared from the nearby forest. He, too, was wounded but only on his right arm. "It was... a musket who shot us," he said slowly. Akira ran up to Kunoichi and Shinji. "Take...care of...everyone..." Shinji said slowly to his siblings. Akira checked his pulse. He felt nothing. "Brother..." Kunoichi said to herself.
Everyone was sad to see a loyal servant fall trying to do his duty. Akira, Kunoichi, and Hikaru decided to bury Shinji in Nagashino. Yukimura sat by the fire along with his ninjas. He wanted to help comfort all of them, but no one said a word. Kunoichi was polishing her daggers with a smile as always. She stood up and went into her tent. Yukimura stood and followed her. She sat down, started to right something down, and noticed Yukimura coming in. He looked at her and she knew he was just trying to help. She looked at him, smiled, and waved her hand. Yukimura looked puzzled but he knew she didn't want to talk about it. He left the tent and looked into the sky. "She acting like nothing ever happened. I shouldn't question it," he said to himself.
CyNdAi'S NoTeS: You notice I didn't have the Tokugawa fight in Nagashino...it's going to affect my story so I took them out. You'll see. Still confused with the Keiji thing? Hehe, just keep reading and you'll understand why. I promise you this story is about to get really intresting soon! Plz r&r!