Hanafuda: Playing cards of Japanese origin that are used to play a number of games. The name translates to "flower cards". The name also refers to games played with the cards.
Mai
It's worth to mention she had someone to guide her through the place in the first place, otherwise she'd have gotten hopelessly lost in no more than five minutes. Whoa, so this is what they call a castle, huh.
Once inside the castle, Masamune gets into a quarrel with Mitsunari and Hideyoshi about who should take her to her assigned room, but the former finally gives up as Mitsunari's insistence for all of them to attend to their own recently arrived vassals instead. Easily enough, the warlords scramble away one by one, leaving Mai with the only company of the sweet Mitsunari.
She shakes her head, partially amused by that situation. "Are they really always like that?"
After apparently noticing she's not disturbed by such friendly display, he smiles brightly. "Indeed they are. It has been some time since my lords' last reunion, so as you may figure out, there is a lot to catch up on," With his companionable guide, Mai's lead to a spacious and quite comfortable looking room. "This room is yours to use as you like, Lady Mai. I hope it's enough for you."
She spares a moment to admire the decoration. "Wow, it's more than enough! In fact, it's almost too much," Despite refusing to be there, she can't help but be truly surprised at the commodities offered—too regal and even royalty-like, with expensive tatami mats spread all over and a huge futon at the center, nearly inviting her to throw herself over in an unceremonious way with how comfy it looks. "But please, it's alright with the formalities. Just call me Mai, alright?"
Mitsunari seems to flush at that, "Oh, but I couldn't possibly! You're a lady and Lord Nobunaga's savior…" He avoids his eyes and Mai's not sure if to be flattered or concerned.
"It's really fine, though. I'm not truly used to titles and all this fancy treatment, it kind of makes me uncomfortable. And, to be honest, I don't need them either…" She just shrugs, trying to make her point clear.
He seems to relax at that statement. "Then… I agree on the condition as long as you stay as familiar and informal with me. Is that alright, Mai?"
Finally, she smiles back. "You've got a deal, Mitsunari." It's not like she could really say no to that angelical face of his, for the matter.
"Thank you. Now, take your leisure. Someone will come to fetch you soon," The polite smile remains on Mitsunari's face until he leaves the room with a courteous bow and closes the door behind him.
Once she's left to her own devices, her brain makes fast work of filling on the gaps, sinking into the futon with a deep sigh. For how spacious and stately the room is like, it's actually too quiet for her liking, her thoughts running wild and very loud in her head. There's been absolutely not a single clue of Sasuke's whereabouts since she last met him, and there's no way of knowing what to really do next without him.
Lost for anything else, Mai empties her belongings onto the futon, looking for the best way out of the concerning situation she's into; or at the very least, a distraction. Her only possessions are her guide, cellphone—pretty much dead for all it takes, naturally—wallet, house key, makeup bag, pads, sewing kit, and her test piece, Bearsace, looking back at her with warm acrylic eyes. Mai happens to have it with her as an example of her sewing skills, along with her dress designs inside a notebook, piled up for a job interview, and it's been in her purse ever since.
She lets out another longing sigh, raking a hand through her copper hair. I was so excited to start my dream job. Why did this have to happen? Am I really the most unlucky girl in the world? A heavy feeling settles in her chest, beginning to truly realize how she can pretty much scratch that down her list.
Until a sharp 'tock, tock' sound startles her thoughts, looking up to the ceiling and the source of that noise just in time to see a panel slide open. Her hand scrambles for the closest object to grab on, happening to be her house key, deftly holding it between her knuckles and leaning back to prepare for whoever's about to invade her room.
A familiar face appears in the opening, and Mai's shoulders sag down in sheer relief.
"Hey there," As if being summoned, Sasuke shows up, removing his mask and cracking up a friendly smile, "I'm not bothering you, am I?"
"Sasuke! I'm so glad to see you!" Brightening up at the mere sight, she makes room for him to get down the ceiling. "Did you follow me here?"
He climbs down with a certain grace Mai couldn't possibly have expected in him, reminding her of the vocation he happened to take on in this timeline, landing without a single sound. "Yes. I just hid when those men arrived and kept up following your trail,"
"Oh, thank heavens you did!" She truly feels like hugging him tight, but refrains herself just so, lest she'd be accidentally pushing some boundaries she shouldn't—only the gods know how many awful times she's done so in the past. In the end he notices the gesture and leans down himself, trapping her arms in a warm hug, if politely brief.
"It's good to see you safe and sound, Mai," He says to her hair before letting her go, an honest look in his face. "I've already pieced together much of what happened," His genuine smile falters a bit, "I see you've got yourself into some trouble."
"Well, I'm sure you've been through worse in your four years here," Mai gives him a thoughtful once-over, "I mean, it made you into a textbook ninja after all,"
"Yeah, there's trouble, and then there's Trouble," Sasuke snorts, looking like appreciating her concerns, "Anyways, I'm here because I forgot to tell you something really important back at the forest."
Her brow quirks up in sheer curiosity. Gods, let it be good news, please, please. "I did mention I was researching a way for us to get home, right?" Mai only nods, waiting for him to continue, "Well, recently, I was able to confirm that the wormhole opens here at fixed periods."
"Oh, really?" That tidbit really catches her undivided attention, "Then that means—!"
"Ssh, keep your voice down, please. I'm not supposed to be here, remember?" Right; finding what is obviously an enemy ninja in someone else's castle would be, classically and naturally, bad. "I'll keep it short. The next wormhole will most likely provide our way home."
Her eyes go wide, mindful of not making much noise this time and covering her mouth with both hands to muffle an incoming gasp. "So, there's actually a way to get back home!"
"All in all, yes. Leaving the reasoning behind its recurrence aside, according to my data, the next traversable wormhole will appear in six months from now." He explains solemnly. "I'm still calculating its location, but chances are good that if we make contact with it, it'll return us to our original timeline."
"Sasuke, honestly… all you just needed to tell me is that we can get back," Mai brings her hands up to her chest, already feeling a terrible weight being put off her shoulders. "I'm so relieved I can't even explain it,"
He smiles again in return, but only briefly, before adjusting his glasses, "However, it's best if you spend your next six months here."
Blinking twice, she frowns slightly, "You mean, here in Azuchi? Why don't I just come with you? Isn't it best if we team up or something?"
"Mai, we're in the midst of a chaotic civil war. One that's now further away from ending than the one in our timeline due to Nobunaga Oda's survival…" Right, that's another point she's accidentally left out. "Besides, Nobunaga and his men seem rather fond of you, isn't it? I doubt they'd let you go that easily,"
She winces, but naturally he's not wrong. "Yeah, given their penchant for hunting me and handling me as a trophy woman, I suppose you're right…" Her shoulders slump down, recalling the dire situation she's into. "I don't like the idea of staying here, though,"
"My employer's base of operations isn't here, but what I can promise is that I'll try my best to stay in Azuchi for as long as I can. You can send a smoke signal if you run into any trouble!" He jests as if to cheer her up, giving her two thumbs up.
"Yeah, right… after I figure out how to make one, though," She snorts, appreciating his will to help regardless.
"Oh, there's one more little thing," Mai notices how much the quirk of Sasuke adjusting his glasses are a sort of signal that he's about to get serious, "Mai, don't get deeply involved with people in this time."
"Deeply involved?" Her brows knit into a frown, "Sasuke, I'm going to be in close contact with them for the next six months…"
He shakes his head, "I'll be blunt, then—don't fall in love, alright?" His lips purse, giving her a solemn look, "Doing so may cloud your desire to return to the future…"
A second of silence goes by, then two, and then three, before Mai has to cover her mouth with her two hands so to muffle a loud laughter bubbling up from the bottom of her throat.
"Hahaha, oh, Sasuke…" As she wipes tears of mirth with the back of her hand, she realizes he's not really joking. "Love? Are you serious? How can you possibly worry about that happening? Like, really, have you talked to any of this people?"
"… All right," For what's worth, Sasuke doesn't find that remotely funny, however, but decides to drop the matter for the moment. "I also recommend you keep the fact you come from the future a secret too."
That tidbit makes the most sense as for their whole conversation. "Yeah, well, about that…" She bites her lip worryingly, "I've already told that to Nobunaga and Mitsunari. Not like they find it believable in the slightest, though." She's quick to add, "In fact, they didn't even consider it for a moment. I think they took it as me having taken a hit in the head, or smoke-addled, but regardless, they didn't buy it, that's for sure."
He nods in understanding, clapping a friendly hand on her arm. "Hmm, well. Best to keep it that way," Then, he rolls his shoulders before propping himself up, "Anyways, my employer is in the city below and I'm staying with him. I'll be able to come to your aid quickly should you need it, for now." He flashes her a warm smile and adds, "Best if you learn fast how to make smoke signals, right?"
"Haha, alright, will do. But, what's that your employer? What are you here for…?"
However, her question goes unanswered as Sasuke's gaze shoots to the door at their left. Mai hears it too—footsteps approaching and fast. Faster than a gust of wind, her only ally is up in the ceiling before she can even notice.
"I'll come back in another time. See you!" Pulling his mask up with one hand, he hushes in a whisper before becoming one with the shadows right in the nick of time.
Mai can't help but startle as there are three sharp knocks on the door before it's burst open, a man with silver hair sauntering in. His golden eyes are as cunning as they come, such as like that sly smirk crossing his face as he gives her a thorough look.
"I see you weren't able to get away from Nobunaga after all," He observes, his expression leaving nothing to make of. And this one is… right, Mitsuhide Akechi. "He's calling for you…"
"I-I… beg your pardon?" Mai stammers, whatever words she had for him caught in her tongue, intimidated by that intense gaze examining her all over. All in a sudden, she feels very small and poorly dressed.
Until a second figure approaches, leaning nonchalantly onto the doorframe, chuckling softly, "Don't mind this kitsune, lass. He meant to say Nobunaga is requesting you," Masamune Date, all the ever charming, bats away the growing tension inside Mai's room with the help of his playful smirk only—definitely more open and inviting to talk to than her former visitor, though.
However, Masamune has to step aside as, per the other warlord's sign, a couple of maids politely walk inside the room. The two of them hold another set of a more regal kimono than the one she's currently wearing as well as hairpins and some more accessories.
"'She can't go dressed like that. Take this to lady Mai,', is what Hideyoshi said, and pushed them onto me," Mitsuhide explains to the group, that ever so sly expression never leaving his face.
"Sounds pretty much like Hideyoshi," Masamune seems to feel inclined to admit, shrugging before addressing his associate. "Are you going to stand there while she gets changed? Come on, man, let's wait outside. She's not going anywhere…"
"Of course," It's all Mitsuhide says before leaving her with the maids, closing the door behind him.
With a dejected huff, Mai is left once again without a choice in the matter, submitting to the ladies attending her as if she were a royal figure from a faraway land. The maids praise her for helping prevent Nobunaga's demise all the way into fitting her into what certainly looks—and feels like, to Mai's embarrassment—a very expensive kimono. Then, they proceed to brush and adorn her hair, leaving her copper locks down and loose over her back, adding some quick yet elegant braids on the sides of her head.
After quite enough pampering than she'd be able to endure for much longer, the women finally leave her to meet the pair of warlords awaiting her on the hallway. A set of very pleased smirks meet her once the door slides open, but there's definitely something smugger in Masamune's face as he all but ignores his associate, sauntering past him in a moment's notice.
She feels those sharp golden eyes straight on her as Masamune gracefully offers his hand to her, adding up some teasing exaggeration in the gesture. "Shall we go, Mai?"
His sapphire eye gleams in a delighting expectation, drawing her into its spell. It's in that very precise moment—somewhere between when a blush creeps onto her cheeks and when her fingers slip into his palm all as if but having a life on its own—when she knows it with absolute certainty.
She's undeniably doomed.
And by the looks of that wicked smile plastered all over Masamune's face, she can tell it's precisely what he was looking forward to doing to her.
Guided by his hand, all she can do is follow Masamune's lead, flanked by a very amused Mitsuhide. "No sense of self-preservation at all…" He comments to no one in particular, hands clasped on his back, eyes straight ahead, just as relaxed as if they were taking a nice stroll across a park.
The words hang in the air, nagging her if briefly, before Masamune's soft chuckle brushes them away. "Still with this tendency of always having the last words, I see,"
"Says the one who still manages to be fashionably late to every gathering he's summoned to," Mitsuhide spices up the little prodding game between them.
Truth be told, Mai's still not quite sure what to make of Mitsuhide Akechi. He's betrayed Nobunaga and arranged his gruesome assassination from the history she knows of, yet the fact of having seen someone else at Honno-ji doesn't truly make him innocent of any possible scheming against his lord. But for some reason, the one man among them all who she's slowly growing a genuine liking to seems to be alright around Mitsuhide, just as how he is around every warlord in Azuchi—and naturally, Masamune does know them better, after all.
Deep in the castle and after taking a set of turns that mostly loses her for a reasonable attempt to retrace her steps back to her room, they come to a stop in front of a wall of gorgeously painted screens. Mitsuhide then shoots them a curious look, apparently in sheer expectation of something, yet it's as he swings the screens aside when Mai's feet suddenly lose their will to move.
"My lord, I bring Mai Mizusaki and Lord Masamune…"
Gulping hard and pretty much frozen in her spot, all she can do is stare at the very Devil King, Nobunaga Oda, as he fixes his fiery, very intimidating eyes on her and her only.
"You kept me waiting, Mai…" He says, his face unreadable, before his gaze falls further down to her hand, and then up again to acknowledge the warlord who brought her before him.
A brow quirks up, yet barely and almost imperceptibly, but enough to make her lose her unconsciously very tight grip on Masamune's hand and flinch away from him as if he just burned her. She doesn't dare meeting his face, growing flustered like a child just caught on a mischief, but either way, she can practically feel his sheer amusement from miles away. That gesture alone seems to please Nobunaga, the dais void of any people but him—although the power of his presence practically fills the very room nonetheless.
Not long after and forming rows on either side of him, appear Hideyoshi Toyotomi, Mitsunari Ishida, and Ieyasu Tokugawa, coming up with Mitsuhide as well and Masamune for last. The sight is just baffling for any mortal eyes; some of the country's brightest minds, stronger warlords and infamous conquerors, all but in one single room.
"Don't just stand there. Approach me," Nobunaga insists in a commanding tone, one that clearly isn't up to a negative, a voice so deep it sends an unnerving chill down her spine.
Ever so careful, Mai forces her feet to move and waltzes across, doing her absolute best in shoving down her mortification, unable to meet anyone's eye as she gets on her knees before him. For all it takes, the whole scenario seems like she's about to be sentenced for a crime unbeknownst to her, feeling about to pass out in any moment.
When a satisfied gleam crosses Nobunaga's copper-ish eyes, the look almost confirms her suspicions. "Henceforth, Mai Mizusaki, you are to reside in Azuchi Castle and give your service to me." He proclaims; his speech—as becoming so very usual—not allowing any objection from anybody.
His assertion makes her all the more nervous. "I, um, thought I was up to hearing an offer from your part, my Lord…" Mai observes, worrying her lower lip, anxiety dangerously creeping its way up and threatening to get the best of her. "I said before I have another job. Am I allowed to… politely decline this, then?"
Judging by the ice cold in his gaze, it clearly doesn't look like it. "That is of no matter to me. All you have to do is say 'Yes, my Lord'."
She gulps hard, bearing in mind her options. All things considered, she's in a very precarious position; surely Nobunaga wasn't going to be so gracious if she ran away once again—that thing being precisely what her mind is all but screaming to do as of then. But perhaps Sasuke is right, and her best shot is to spend her next six months in Azuchi.
For some reason, her thoughts drift to her father—as it tends to happen when she's in a particularly concerning situation. What would dad do? The picture of Haru Mizusaki's determined gaze falls upon her, always steering her resolve.
"If the world falls into chaos all around you, remember that sometimes the very eye of the storm is the safest place to take shelter on."
Her eyes shoot to the left, catching up the striking blue and black patterns of a kimono, a hakama tied up by a golden crescent moon in the middle; regardless, Mai still doesn't dare to bring her gaze further up to meet the wearer's face. The sight does strengthen her resolve, though, bolstering her father's words clinging to her mind.
"So be it." It hardly is the wisest thing she'd done, but resigning to her fate is the best card she can play for the further moment. "Yes, my Lord," She says to Nobunaga's face, "I do have a question though. How exactly am I going to serve you?"
Nobunaga shows no hesitation, naturally. "However you like." He says as if it's obvious. At her confused look, he leans down and catches her wrist, pulling her nearer and onto his lap—his fingers remarkably and elegantly long. "Your only duty is to stay nearby. That is what I need of you." His low voice turns to become surprisingly pleasant to her ears this time, yet there's still not a bare hint of kindness in his words. "You will be my lucky charm as I unify this nation and all that lies under the sun."
She flusters, mortified by the undignified treatment. However—and judging by no one in the room seems to bat an eye about it—it all pinpoints for her to contain herself and not slap that haughtiness out of his face, swallowing down her disgust.
Although the last comment makes her curious, "Um, you only want me around because I'm lucky?"
"Exactly. But fear not," A devious smirk makes its way across his face, "You shall be known as a princess from afar and will be treated as such." He spares a glance at his subordinates as if to make sure they all properly understood. "Spend your days on makeup, or Hanafuda games if it suits you…"
Am I just supposed to loaf around for six months and do 'girly' things? That's almost preposterous to her. "No, thank you. I'll go stir crazy if that's all I can do here."
"What?" Oddly enough, that single word question seems to start becoming the only one Nobunaga's capable to make to her.
A musical laughter makes its glorious return to cut down the tension, though. "I agree with you, Mai. I feel the same way," Masamune nods in earnest approval, and Mai has no idea how he—or any of them, for that matter—is so collected and easygoing around such an intimidating man as Nobunaga Oda.
It's another sort of concern with the One-eyed Dragon, however. Isn't his so very flirty bantering with her kind of getting in the way of his lord's wishes? Sure enough, she may not know much of proper decorum in the Sengoku period, but historically, crossing a superior has never fared well for anyone.
Either way, regardless of the way he does it, Masamune's addition seems to do it, prompting a sigh from Nobunaga. "So be it, then. I shall appoint you as my chatelaine."
She makes a quick rundown of the word. That's the caretaker of a castle, right?
Mitsunari steps in, brightening the room with that angelic smile of his. "What an excellent idea! Mai, count on me to provide you with all the support you need to get started!"
Ieyasu doesn't seem to be in agreement, as very characteristic of him. "How could this waif possibly be of any use?"
Hideyoshi, as the ever admirer of Nobunaga, scoffs beside him, "It's Lord Nobunaga's decision, Ieyasu. Hold your tongue." Luckily, no one seems to notice Mai's exasperated eye roll at that, "Though only time will tell if we can trust her…"
"Who says you have to?" Mitsuhide points out, shrugging nonchalantly, "Just keep an eye on her. You're good at that, right?" He directs a brief yet all the same mischievous glance at Masamune before adding, "She may surprise you."
Masamune's flashes a wicked smile, but thankfully doesn't comment back on it. "Then it's decided." Nobunaga concludes, chin straight and looking pleased, "Work hard and prove your worth to me, Mai." 'Or else…', his tone seems to slip on, but that goes without saying.
She opts for letting them bicker on without interrupting, hyper-aware of having the unrelenting gaze of Nobunaga upon her, adding that intimidating smile playing across his face. I only need to put up with them for six months. Just six months. I can take it as an internship! Plus, I'll have Sasuke around, so it'll be alright. Although that could hurt more than it helps, considering he just disclosed his employers seem to be nosing around and stirring trouble—and that's without contemplating the true reasons why they're in Azuchi all along.
Then again, if she allows her thoughts to run wild she knows she'll never be able to stop.
"I won't let you down." She settles for saying, as collected and resolute as she can.
And true enough, she can do it. She's faced hard challenges many times before and while not always she has come out unscathed, that doesn't mean she'd be brought down by this. She will endure and learn from the waging war of this time and survive enough to make it back to the present time, making it all an incredible adventure to get a good laugh from. She has to live to tell it, it's even preposterous to think otherwise.
Besides, having to spend six months of her life in a chaotic period such as the Sengoku doesn't truly mean she wouldn't be able to have some entertainment in the process. And if a playful look from a sapphire eye is anything to go by, fun times seem more than assured.
A-N: And fiiiiiinally, here's scratching down the prologue. My apologies for not updating the past Thursday as intended - ended up celebrating my birthday and stuff, basically been pretty much AFK so, there's that - so I thought of sticking to the schedule. As far as I can say, it gets juicier from here onward, so here's hoping you're still in for the ride as much as I am :D
Thank you so much for your lovely comments, words of encouragement and even some random ko-fis! From the bottom of my heart, it means the damn world to me C: Here's hoping I get to hear more of you and in any case, you can find me on Tumblr as shogetsus for my Ikesen blog or hoxadrine-art for some Mai and Masa doodlerinos!