I'm horrible at introductions and starting stories, so if you can get past the first Intro I commend you. If you like looking at the brighter side, think of it as a puzzle and you get pieces now and then. May edit when I come up with something better.

(9 Feb 2022) So, I'm editing the intro as I go. I'm going to eventually get all the first meetings in the first chapter, but I've also been playing with different POV's. ...I feel like I jumped into a deep dark rabbit hole. I'm a slow worker who works in bouts of creativity instead of a schedule. So I will probably update edited chapters a few times before getting to the next chapter.

We start at Honno-ji -Present Day- Where two people are near the Honno-ji monument. Sasuke (you know who he is) and Mai (my take on the heroine). Mai is talking on the phone to her family in the States. Lets Start!

P.S. Bold = She is speaking English. thoughts "verbal"

"Yes, mom… Don't worry, I've got that covered… Next month… Sure, put him on... Hey, bud! Do you miss Aunty Mai?... Awesome… Can you give the phone to Granny?... Thanks, bud… Love you too… Talk to you later mom… Love you, bye." I put down my phone and looked at a stone monument that was marking the site of an old temple. I slowly read the plaque. Cool, so this is where Nobunaga died. I stole a glance at the one other person in the vicinity. He had walked up next to me while I was on the phone and stared intently at the stone. His lab coat and serious expression had alarms going off in my mind, but I kept my anxiety at bay. Don't jump to conclusions. He is not after you… But if he is... I steal another glance and size him up. The lab coat hid his build enough that I couldn't tell whether he had muscle. Best assume he does. I reassess our surroundings. A pedestrian walkway, no car access, no other people, a stone, and dark windows. My mind was formulating different ways of incapacitating this nameless stranger, who could be perfectly harmless for all I know when it started raining. "Oh no" Slip factors and noise reduction just got added to the mix.

"What poor timing." The stranger spoke, but his choice of words put me on red alert.

What do you mean poor timing? Instead, I choose to make a neutral comment. "Clear skies all day and night. You could never trust the weather reports anyway."

"Are you all right?" The man turned toward me. No sudden movements from him yet. Good. "Do you have an umbrella?" He asked.

"I do, but I left it back at my house." It was really at my hotel, but I would rather he think I'm a resident and not a tourist. It was more likely for a tourist to be targeted than a resident. I repressed a mental shudder remembering another trip I took. Brazil really did live up to its travel pamphlet. Especially the 'When You Get Mugged' section. A bolt of lightning struck the stone, causing him to jump. I immediately dropped to the ground and covered my head.

"Be careful miss-" He was offering a hand to me when everything went smokey and I heard several loud crashes. My anxiety hit me tenfold and all of a sudden, I was back to my days in the US Air Force. Our base was under artillery fire, the mess hall was being hit, and everyone scrambling to their posts. Scramble. I need to regroup with my squad. I jumped to my feet and nausea hit. Not the time to hurl! Smoke invaded my lungs and the following cough cleared more than smoke from my body. Calm down. Reassess. Fighting my anxiety and panic I look around. It was no longer raining, but now I was in a building that was on fire and lab coat guy was gone. SHIT! The heat was becoming unbearable, and I breathed in more smoke. I saw someone in Japanese armor asleep on the floor, and another man approaching him with something. How can anyone sleep in this?! Wait...I don't think that is a walking stick! "Up here!" I yelled. The other man froze before running away. He didn't want to be seen. With a growing fire rushing me, I jostle the sleeping man.

"Rise and shine dude! Get your ass moving!"

"Huh. Wha... Who are you?" The man responded in extremely formal/old Japanese.

"Introductions later." I sling his arm around my shoulder and hauled him to his feet. Time to start booking it to an exit. I started scanning for escape routes when the man pulled me forward.

"This way." He guided us through the burning halls and down a flight of stairs

Clearing the burning building I threw myself to the ground and attempted to clear my lungs of smoke. The taste of bile started rising, but I willed that down. I'm not in the clear yet.

"Someone tried to kill me while I slept? Audacious, but foolish." What? "Killing the guards and getting close though… You there. Woman." He looked me over thoroughly. He was sizing me up.

It may be hypocritical, but I don't like it when people sized me up. It meant the other person was looking for weakness, just like I did when meeting strangers. It made me very self-conscious about my own weaknesses and what they saw.

I sized him up too. Heavy Japanese armor, imposing stance, samurai speech, sword, and dangerous eyes. Trouble. "You saved my life. You may be some girl the monks snuck in for entertainment, but I owe you my thanks."

Monks? Entertainment? I'd rather stay away from such parties. They never end on a pleasant note. "I don't know how I got there, but you're welcome." I pick myself up off the ground and take a quick look around. Old fashioned temple (on fire), open courtyard, not a skyscraper in sight. I listened for sirens, but I heard nothing of the sort. Just the roaring and cracking of a temple-sized bonfire. I return my attention to the man I brought with me out of the fire. I don't think I'm in Kansas anymore. Something is wrong.

"What are you staring at? Surely you know who I am."

"No, I don't."

"You saved me without knowing who I am? Not expecting reward or favor?" Add rich and influential to the list. "So be it. I shall tell you my name. I am the man who will rule all under the sun-"

Pompous. "I don't need to know anymore."

"What?"

"I have other priorities right now." Like finding out how I ended up in a burning building when I was just in front of a monument surrounded by modern buildings.

"You're a curious one, woman. No one's ever spoken so impudently to me before."

Young master. This guy is just racking them up. And now he's laughing? I don't like how he is reacting.

"You intrigue me, which is almost as worthy of praise as saving my life." He stood up straighter, and I got ready to book it. "I am the Lord of Azuchi Castle and Daimyo of Owari, Oda Nobunaga."

"..." I was dumbfounded. Why did I have to run into someone with an identity disorder! But it just doesn't add up. The change of scenery, the armor… "Pardon me for asking something strange, but what year is it?"

"It is 1582. Why?" Crazy. Looney. But is it him, or me?! "I've given my name. It's your turn." I just remained silent, trying to rationalize all this information. "Hey-" He grabbed my chin, forcing me to meet his eyes. "Give me your name."

I let a tense smile grace my lips before I grabbed his wrist, twist, pull, trip, swish, and knee. Nobunaga was now face down with an arm behind his back and my weight behind his neck. "Nope. Nope. Nope. Nope. Can't be right. Time to visit the VA again. Yup. Just a dream. Must have been struck by lightning."

"NOBUNAGA!" A large group was coming our way, and they didn't look inviting. Who am I kidding, why would they be inviting?

"When are you going to unhand me, woman?" Nobunaga calmly asked with authority.

Yikes. I forgot about you! "Oops. Sorry." I got off the man and booked it.

-0-

Lord Nobunaga was shocked. How is this little thing able to pin me? He tried to throw her off, but the weight behind him held firm. "Nope. Nope. Nope. Nope." she said something foreign with increasing determination. Nobunaga stilled under her and listened, intrigued despite his humiliating position. "Can't be right. Time to visit the VA again." He tried placing the language, but he hadn't heard anything like it from the Nanban [1] traders at the harbors. He made a mental note to ask the Nanban traders the next time he saw them. "Yup. Just a dream. Must have been struck by lightning." It seemed to roll off her tongue naturally. Maybe she was from abroad. It would explain her clothing and strange Japanese.

"NOBUNAGA!" Mitsunari's squad was fast approaching. It was time to get back to work.

"When are you going to unhand me, woman?" Nobunaga asked calmly. They were going to need a change of clothes and even though this woman saved him, she is still suspect. Better to keep her near him to be interrogated...gently about the situation. And her origin.

"Oops. Sorry." Panic shot across her face. Before he could stop her, she backed off him and ran.

"Lord Nobunaga. Any injures?" Mistunari reached Nobunaga who was now brushing himself off.

"No. Bring back that woman."

"Yes sir! Men!" Just one word from Mistunari and three of his vassals took off after the runaway.

"Why are you here Mitsunari? Where is Hideyoshi?" Nobunaga asked.

"Lord Hiedyoshi sent me ahead. He should be here shortly." Mitsunari answered swiftly while looking at the burning temple with a frown. "We received information about an assassination attempt. It appears to have been true. I had my men search the grounds, but whoever it was had already fled." He turned his gaze back to the direction the woman had run. "If I may ask, who was that woman. I saw the two of you leave the temple together."

"I am not sure myself," Nobunaga admitted. "But she woke me and saw me to safety."

"She did! I won't be able to thank her enough for saving your life Lord Nobunaga." Mitsunari paused his enthusiasm. "But what brought her here tonight? She didn't appear to be a nun, and her dress was unusual." There was a slight pause as Mitsunari contemplated his next words. "And why did you let her restrain you, your Lordship?"

Nobunaga's eyebrow twitched with slight annoyance that Mitsunari had seen and commented on that small humiliation, but let it pass. "She is possibly from the Nanban ships. Though what she was doing at Honno-ji is unknown."

"I see." Mitsunari continued with a business attitude. "I'll have a few of my men start setting up camp, and the rest of my men will attempt to dose Honno-ji."

"Focus more on containment. We will fund a rebuild."

"Yes sir." A word to one of his vassals and the order would move efficiently through Mitsunari's troops. Mitsunari had an eye for people and the foresight to place them where they would best work. All his time spent with his head stuck in military tactic books and studying really paid. His army was a testament to that. With trust in Mitsunari's command, Nobunaga was escorted to a hastily assembled tent to clean up and change out of his burnt hakama.

About a half koku [2] later Nobunaga was in the command tent pondering the events at Honno-ji and strategies to use this attack to his advantage when Mitsuhide entered. "My lord, I see you are well."

"Mitsuhide." Nobunaga acknowledged.

"I hurried here when I heard about the attack, but it seems there was nothing for me to worry about." Mitsuhide slowly spoke.

A smile graced Nobunaga's face. "You, worry? Don't make me laugh. I've never even seen you sweat." The two men shared smiles when Hideyoshi burst through the tent flaps.

"Lord Nobunaga! Are you injured?"

"Hideyoshi." Nobunaga acknowledged in the same manner as Mitsuhide. "The only injury I suffered is to my pride in letting my assailant escape."

"Which one? The assassin or the woman?" Mitsuhide questioned, his amber eyes showing foxy mirth as his smile spread further across his face. Damn fox. Nobunaga thought with a mixture of annoyance and respect. Mitsuhide has a reliable network of informants, and he uses them well. Even at the expense of his fellow warlords and lord.

"Mitsuhide, what are you doing here?" Hideyoshi asked, glaring at Mitsuhide with suspicion.

"I was wondering the same thing. I didn't know you were in Kyoto. What about the campaign?" Mitsuhide asked though Nobunaga knew he didn't have to. He already knew what Hideyoshi was doing here. Mitsuhide just liked getting a rise out of Hideyoshi.

"When I heard about the threat on Lord Nobunaga's life, I dropped everything to come here." Hideyoshi's tone darkened with his next words. "But I never heard anything about you being in Kyoto."

"Are you implying something?" Mitsuhide grinned in secret victory. Nobunaga watched the exchange, waiting for the climax to interfere.

"Can you swear before our lord you weren't plotting anything?" Hideyoshi stared Mitsuhide down while Mitsuhide just kept his grin in place.

"All men have secrets in these chaotic times," Mitsuhide said before his grin vanished with his next question. "Are you saying you act with no ambition of your own?"

"Stop being evasive. Confess." Hideyoshi grabs the hilt of his katana, rage burning behind his eyes. "If I find you played any part in this attack on our lord, Mitsuhide," he spat the name, "I'll show you no mercy."

That's enough. "Enough, Hideyoshi. Regardless of what brings Mitsuhide here, I am alive and well." Nobunaga states.

"My apologies, Lord Nobunaga." The raging samurai that was Hideyoshi was now a chastised puppy. Nobunaga could already see the guilty look in his expression. Adorable. Both Nobunaga and Mitsuhide thought.

There! You finished what I have so far!

[1] Nanban, literally meaning "Southern Barbarian" is a Japanese word that originally designated people from South Asia and South-East Asia. In Japan, the word took on a new meaning when it came to designating the Europeans who started to arrive in 1543. The word was thought to be appropriate since they came in ships from the south and their manners were considered barbaric by the Japanese.
[www. shibuiswords nanban. html]

[2] Koku is about 2hrs (depending on the season). Japan once used a 12hr/day system to tell time before adopting the 24hr/day system. It took a while to find a source with terms I could incorporate into this story. However, I am still confused by this 12hr/day system. I will reference it a few times, but I may just forget about it later. (Or edit the parts I need too when I want to put in the effort)
[wiki . samurai-archives index . php?title=Telling_Time]

Will you continue, or move on?