Hello, everybody! I'm actually surprised by the amount of people viewing this. 30 views the first day this was out! Considering there were only like three other ffs with this crossover, that was an astonishing sight for me! Also, thanks to FallenWings8Tears for following this ff! ;)
This chapter covers the fourth episode of the first season of BASARA, the first chapter covering the third episode. This ff will cover the entire first season with my own additions. That said, I chose to use the English Dub version of the show, meaning I cannot always understand everything being said with some of these characters being so fucking quiet that I cannot hear a single word unless I wear headphones. I would appreciate any help if I get something wrong. R&R everyone!^^
Disclaimer: I have no legitimate claims on Sengoku BASARA or Inuyasha. If I had, they would have ended in a completely different way.
Chapter 2: Conflict brewing
They rode throughout almost the entire day, only making a break to let the horses catch their breath and drink something. During one of those breaks, Masamune took notice of Keiji writing a letter and handing it to his little monkey. Kojuro did too, of that he had no doubt. But for now they would leave him be. Even if he was using them for some bigger plan, they were still doing their own thing, all the Vagabond could possibly do was taking advantage of it. Besides, for now their goals were about the same, so he highly doubted it could be something of any danger to him and his people.
When the sun started to set they stopped and started to build up their camp for the night. Making sure the colors of the Date were visible to any trespassers. Masamune sat on a chair in front of his family crest, talking to Kojuro about the upcoming battle.
"Sir, it is possible the letter was intended for either the Devil King or for the forces of Takeda and Uesugi. Considering his family's binds to Oda, he may want to lead us into a trap. Though his behavior contradicts such musings…" Masamune looked over Kojuro's shoulder to see Keiji interacting with several of his soldiers.
"No need to worry then. The Date do their own thing, it's how it is. What anyone else makes of it, doesn't really interest me. As long as it's not the enemy, of course," Masamune stated, slightly laughing at the last part.
Kojuro smiled. It seemed to him as though Masamune had regained his former self. All they needed now, was to retrieve their Foresight and return to Ôshu.
Dawn cracked, greeting the eager army of Ôshu who had actually risen before the sun and were now continuing on their way to Owari.
"One-Eyed Dragon!" came the call of the vagabond who was spurring his horse to go faster to catch up to said Dragon. Kojuro only spared him a quick side glance before concentrating on the road ahead of them again.
"What's up, lady killer?"
Uesugi's force should be passing through Shinano right now, making their way to Kai," Keiji stated.
"Hu. Looking for a rematch at Kawanakajima?"
"No, they will invade Owari alongside Takeda, using us as their spearhead." Kojuro kept a close eye on the Vagabond. He could not place him between friend and foe. Especially now, where he had to replace Masamune's Foresight, he could not let his guard down.
"Don't think poorly of me," Keiji blabbered on. "Even if I hadn't spurred you on, you would've-"
"Don't stress out," Masamune interrupted. "Kojuro already saw through all that. There could be a million others of my height, but I will take the Devil King's head. Wait and see." The grin growing on his face during the last part could literally be heard, in turn making the vagabond laugh at such a typical remark. "Then I sweep through and seize the rest. Takeda and Uesugi right there, I will crush them first." Remembering a certain twin spears wielding, naïve as hell guy, he added "Kinda too bad though. I wanted to save my fun with him until the end."
Meanwhile, the army of Oumi, led by Azai Nagamasa himself, made its way to another battlefield, trying to stop Oda's intrusion on their ally Asakura. The sky hidden by gray clouds, fog hovering in the air, the atmosphere accompanying them was truly not much of a good omen. But even more disturbing was the brown cloud of dust and dirt, barely distinguishable from the fog. Peeking from just over the cloud was a skull on a pole, proudly striking the Oda crest.
"Takeda's ninja spoke true. Brother-in-law…why are you doing this?"
"My husband, please…," Ichi tried to plead. Nagamasa turned to his wife, ignoring what she was trying to say.
"Ichi, you must flee at once. Though I doubt even the Devil King would kill his own sister, I won't take that chance." Oichi didn't answer. But she was clearly fighting a battle of her own. Behind them, their soldiers readied their spears and took on a fighting stance in preparation for the worst outcome. The Oda army stopped just a the edge of the giant crater, as though waiting for their move. From among the soldiers a single horse emerged with his master, galloping over the edge down into the valley, the scythe of the white haired rider glinting.
"Akechi Mitsuhide," Nagamasa recognized. Mitsuhide halted his horse just in front of the river, with Nagamasa standing on the other side.
"Well, Azai Nagamasa-dono, to what field of battle might you be headed?" Mitsuhide asked.
"I lead my troops to Echizen in pursuit of an army of dark intent who wish harm on my sworn friend, Asakura. And where, Akechi-dono, might you be headed?" Mitsuhide chuckled.
"By all appearances, it would seem this army of ´dark intent´ you reference is us."
"You would break a pact made between warriors like it was nothing. I have no choice but to deem you true evil!" Nagamasa raged. Oichi stepped forward.
"Nagamasa-sama, wait…" But again her pleas fell on deaf ears.
"Ichi, please, go now!" Nagamasa demanded before turning back to Mitsuhide. "Akechi Mitsuhide. Listen well for I hereby declare our alliance foy!" He spurred his horse to cross the river. "Soldiers of justice, follow me to victory! In the name of peace let us eradicate evil!"
"Is that wise?" Mitsuhide taunted. "Your wife is Nobunaga-kou's sister. If you were to sever the blood bond, who would be the one to grieve?" Caught off guard by this question, Nagamasa halted his horse again and looked back to see his wife still standing there.
"What are you doing, Ichi?! Run!"
"I cannot run." She closed her eyes and lowered her head in shame.
"I'll make you a deal, Azai." Nagamasa's head whirled back around to Mitsuhide. "You can ask the Devil King yourself." Mitsuhide's head tipped over to the left, causing his hair to fall even deeper into his face. A smile plastered on his face all the while.
"Nagamasa, to what purpose to you stand in Mitsuhide's path?" Nobunaga asked. Shortly after Mitsuhide's offer they had found themselves in some sort of cave deep underground where the Oda army had made their camp, the walls around them covered with cloth presenting the Oda crest. The ceiling had a giant crack, causing sunlight to flood the circular room. In the middle of said room, sitting on a huge pile of skulls with his golden throne, decorated with skulls as well, was Nobunaga, his right elbow on the armrest and his hand supporting his bored looking face. Far behind him, hidden by the shadows were several of his retainers. To the side, there was a huge dragon, a real one! It was covered with black scales and hair, its brown horns growing majestically and perfectly symmetrical. The main body was long and sleek, encircling almost the entirety of the pile of skulls. It would need at least two large men to completely encircle her body's width. Her legs were not much longer than the entire body of an average person and a single claw would measure the same length as the hand of a human. Her head rested on the ground, the eyes closed. A metal collar was wound around her neck, clearly a bit too tight as the creature was huffing in an unnatural way and blood dripped down from it and several other places as well. Her hide was already so crusted with the dried blood, it was near impossible to tell the original color of it. The collar was connected to a thick pole, lodged deep into the earth, with a thick iron chain.
Nagamasa and Oichi were currently in front of Nobunaga, legs folded underneath them, their heads lowered in a show of submission. Mitsuhide had decided to stay next to the entrance they had come through.
"My answer, Lord brother, is a question for you. Why do you break the pact you made with me and seek to destroy Asakura?" The corners of Nobunaga's mouth lifted a bit. "The prosperity the Azai enjoy today is due to the support Asakura has shown since days of old! And you are a blood relative of my beloved wife." He closed his eyes to concentrate on finding the right words to convey his point. Once again, he completely ignored the anguished look on his wife's face. "Bound by my honor to both, my heart as a warrior-no" he opened his eyes again to pierce Nobunaga with his passionate gaze as he continued his speech. "As a human being deemed you true evil and urges me to draw my sword!" But the gaze of the Devil King simply wandered over to his sister, who had kept her eyes closed ever since coming here, unable to look at anyone or anything.
"This was… This was my fault."
"You simple imbecile. Alright." Nobunaga's attention returned to his brother-in-law. "Oda will not attack Asakura," he consented. Now, Oichi's eyes opened, though they held a slightly puzzled expression. Nagamasa, on the other hand, was ecstatic and held a huge smile of relief.
"Thank you! I'm glad you reconsidered, brother-in-law!"
"You will do it for me," Nobunaga interrupted him smiling wide. Nagamasa' smile made way for a shell shocked expression, while Oichi simply seemed to understand what was going on, since the puzzlement from moments before had disappeared.
"I'm sorry, My lord, what did you say?!" demanded the Daimyo of Oumi.
"Mitsuhide."
"Sir" The couple looked over their shoulders at Mitsuhide to see what he would do. He knelt down next to Oichi and helped her up.
"What are you-…" Nagamasa wanted to ask and was already standing up, when…
"DO NOT MOVE!" Nobunaga hollered. Immediately, the head of the Azai clan froze and could do nothing but to watch his wife being led away from him until she was standing next to her brother's throne. Who deemed the situation now worthy enough to stand up.
"Dear brother…" Said brother responded to his sister by holding his trademark gun to her forehead. Smiling.
"Oda-sama, what is this?!" Nagamasa demanded to know, unable to comprehend this unexpected turn of events.
"Azai Nagamasa, you will destroy Asakura in my stead." Mouth agape in shock, he further rose up from where he was, though not truly giving up his kneeling position.
"This is insanity…" His hands came down to the ground as he hung his head in disbelief. "You insult me with threats of unspeakable horror. Our whole brotherhood is meaningless!" His head shot up again with new conviction. "I have but one course against such evil!" Grabbing his sword from behind him, he shot up. "I'm sworn to destroy it!" And thus, he drew his sword. Nobunaga simply applied more pressure on his sister's head with his gun.
"I'm the Devil King of the Sixth Heaven. I transcend humanity. Only death meets those who defy me." The sword in his hands shivered as Nagamasa kept his eyes on his brother-in-law. In Oichi's eyes swam tears, ready to fall at any time.
"Farewell, Nagamasa-sama. Can you…forgive me?" Nobunaga's index finger tightened around the trigger, unhindered by the words of his sister. Panicking, Nagamasa threw his sword away and reached his hand out towards her, trying to stop his brother-in-law, but was forced to a halt by Mitsuhide who held his scythe under his chin. Coming to the realization that he couldn't win this battle, he fell down to all fours, admitting his defeat.
"Alright. I'll do it," he gave in breathlessly. Mitsuhide cackled.
"So much for the man of justice."
"Nagamasa-sama…" Oichi whispered.
"Little brother, I can be forgiving," Nobunaga started, removing his gun from her forehead "But there will not be a second time."
"If you abide the terms of our new pact, we shall return Oichi-sama to you," Mitsuhide promised, grinning as if drunk from their victory. Nagamasa's entire body shivered in anger and frustration, yet unable to do anything. Blood oozed from his lip, which he had bit to keep himself in check.
Somewhere far away from that underground camp, a much more promising and hopeful alliance was made. The forces of the Uesugi from Echigo and the Takeda from Kai faced each other. The commanders of each army spurred their horse forward until they were standing next to one another.
"In truth, it is you who I would most like to face this day," Shingen stated.
"Likewise," Kenshin answered smiling. Then they simultaneously lifted their respective weapons, a sword and an axe and crossed them over their heads.
"This is all or nothing!" Kenshin shouted for all to hear. "In dispelling the threat of the Devil King we ensure a future for all! Let us fight for the sake of a time when all may choose their own path without reserve!" A chorus of passionate war cries was the response to Kenshin's speech. The Tiger's young Cub, however, gazed down upon his spear, bearing scratches and some light tears from many battles, in thought.
"Young Cub," Kenshin called, shaking him awake from his musings. "We shall be counting on you."
"Sir, I won't let you down!"
Meanwhile, Date Masamune was closing in on Nobunaga fast.
"So, One-Eyed Dragon, who is that warrior you mentioned the other day?" Keiji started, just a bit behind Masamune, arms crossed over his chest as if to intimate said Dragon, though his hands were fast to return to the reins when he almost fell off the horse. "Once you've defeated the Devil King, there is someone else you wanna fight?"
"Yeah. You could say that."
"I could see your heart," Keiji said vaguely.
"Hu?" Deciding to come to that later, Keiji evaluated "There is a look about you when you think of him."
"Hu?" Confused, he turned his head to look at him with his good eye. Keiji grinned knowingly at him.
"It's the difference between a fight and a war." Laughing, Masamune turned his head away from him again to focus on the road. He was starting to like that guy a bit. Next to Keiji, Kojuro closed the distance between himself and Masamune, glancing at the vagabond shortly, before concentrating on being the one to ride closest to Masamune instead of letting Keiji be so close. Noticing, Keiji gave him a somewhat self confidant grin, which might as well have been an awkward smile. Wasn't a dragon supposed to guard his eyes and not the other way around?
Racing over the hills like the devil himself was chasing him, Nagamasa hurried to face Mitsuhide again, preferably with better results than their last encounter.
"Mitsuhide!"
"Why is your army not at your back?" Mitsuhide asked. "Do you intent to try and negotiate?"
"Indeed. It is my hope I may convince Asakura to surrender to Oda without bloodshed."
"Or perhaps," Mitsuhide started. "You hope to sway him to the side of the Eastern Generals with their pathetic little plot. Surely they invited you to join them. But knowing you, I'm certain you most obstinately refused."
"Nor will I join them now!" Nagamasa insisted. As if he hadn't heard anything, the Devil King's trusted general continued.
"As their spearhead, Ôshu's One-Eyed Dragon and his army are closing in fast, hoping to take the Devil King's head."
"One-Eyed Dragon?" Nagamasa echoed.
"Tokugawa is moving to hold back Takeda and Uesugi at Nagashino. If Date gets past them, it will be problematic. At the moment, I believe that is more pressing than Asakura." Mitsuhide closed in on him, looking at him from the side, smiling. "You must know I've revealed this only to you. You must show honor in battle for Nobunaga-kou to accept a peaceful end with Asakura. And should he not, Oichi-sama's life would hang in the balance."
"He wouldn't," Nagamasa argued. Flipping some of his white hair back, Mitsuhide grinned down at him.
"I am struck by your undying faith in the cause of justice. That said, this is about all I can do for you."
"Then I, Azai Nagamasa, shall be a shield and repel the One-Eyed Dragon! But after which I do intent to resume my course with Asakura!"
"Understood. I shall convey your message."
"My deepest gratitude." With that, Nagamasa led his horse back to where he came from and rushed home.
"I'm glad that in some small way, I'm able to help you carry out justice. Azai...Nagamasa," Mitsuhide murmured with unreadable expression as he watched the lord of Oumi disappear into the distance...
Back at his castle, Nagamasa stepped through the gate. After a moment of hesitation, he called out.
"Soldiers of justice, fall in! Prepare for battle! The Azai Army shall not rest until the One-Eyed Dragon, Date Masamune, is obliterated!"