Warning: This is based off a manga called Sengoku Strays. If you haven't read it yet, I highly recommend that you do! I don't own anything but my OC, and I will probably end up using artistic license to butcher Japanese history, so I would just like to apologize in advance, and I don't mean to offend anyone!

[Narration]

{setting/stage directions}

"Speech."

'Thoughts.'

"English speech."

—¡–!–¡–!–¡— Scene shift/passage of time.

A whole line of text like this without quotes is a written letter or something similar.

WORDS IN ALL CAPS AND NO QUOTATION MARKS ARE SOUND EFFECTS.

Flashbacks and changes in POV will be labeled.

Unless stated otherwise, the POV will be third person omniscient.

If you ever have any questions, please feel free to ask.

Previously:

'I see… so, she thought this was all a dream… no wonder she was taking everything so well… Anyone would faint after suddenly seeing someone killed like that.' Ayako thought as she looked over Kasane. "She'll be alright. Kasane is doesn't have any physical injuries… I think she just received one shock too many, on top of being tired from overexertion." Ayako told the women. They sighed in relief.

"This girl…" Inuchiyo said, worried about Kasane.

"Just who is she…!" Gorouza said, concerned as well.

"…" Nobunaga said as he stared at the two girls from the future. "Return to Nagoya… Gorouza." Nobunaga said as he turned his horse and started leaving. "Bring that along as well." Nobunaga added, referring to Kasane.

[And that… was how Kasane's long, long first day went… after she was suddenly cast into the Sengoku era…]

{Owari, Nagoya Castle}

Ayako sighed as she walked to her room, carrying the unconscious Kasane on her back. She laid Kasane down on a spare blanket, and went to work. After they had returned to the castle, Ayako had checked over Kasane again, just to make sure she hadn't missed any injuries before. Kasane was still out cold, so Ayako had carried her back to the castle on her horse, and now she was cleaning the blood off of Kasane's face and school uniform. Ayako figured it was the least she could do. After all, who wants to wake up to find someone's blood on them? Kasane had already been through enough. Ayako had just finished cleaning Kasane up when the door to her small room slid open.

"How is she, Ayako?" Gorouza asked. He had just finished his debriefing with Nobunaga. He entered the room, followed by Inuchiyo and Kuranosuke.

"She'll be fine physically, but I won't know about her mental state until she wakes up… She received quite a shock today, after all." Ayako said.

"Why did our lord want us to bring this shortie back anyway?" Kuranosuke asked. "Shouldn't we have left her with the other villagers?"

"But isn't she a foreigner, like Ayako? She's wearing those weird clothes, and I've never seen anyone fight like that before!" Inuchiyo said as he stared at Kasane like a curious pup.

"Well, she's definitely not from around here." Ayako said cryptically.

Gorouza glanced at Ayako out the corner of his eye. He could tell she knew more than she was letting on. Ayako had a mysterious background as well. All she had told them was that she was part Japanese and originally from 'somewhere far away,' and that she had nowhere else to go. He had been slightly surprised when the lord had told them that Ayako would be joining them as a fighter, since it was uncommon for women to become warriors, but so far, Ayako had proved to be a reliable ally. In addition to being able to fight, Ayako also had medical knowledge she called 'first aid' that she had learned when she was a 'Girl Scout.' So, they not only had an additional fighter, but it was as good as traveling with a doctor when they were on missions, which would significantly reduce the number of casualties. The door slid open again, and Nobunaga entered the room.

"My Lord!" The three boys said and quickly bowed. Ayako bowed as well, though hers was a little less flustered.

"Report." Nobunaga said to Ayako.

"As I thought earlier, she's uninjured. She just fainted from shock and fatigue. She'll wake up on her own, once she's recovered. It would be best to let her rest for now." Ayako said. "How are the other soldiers?"

"Most of them have already been tended to, but when one of the soldiers was stabbed, the tip of the sword's blade broke off, and it's stuck in the wound, along with a small piece of his clothing. The other doctors said that the wound itself wasn't severe enough to kill him, but they said that they don't know how to remove the blade and piece of cloth without injuring him more. If they don't remove it, the wound will fester, and he could loose his arm, or die from the infection." Nobunaga said. Ayako nodded.

"I understand. I'll go take a look." Ayako said determinedly, and left the room to head to where she knew the injured soldiers were being treated. That soldier wasn't going to become a victim of an infection, not on her watch. Nobunaga watched Ayako as she left and closed the door behind her.

"Pick that up, we're moving her to a safer place." Nobunaga ordered, referring to the still unconscious Kasane.

"Safer…?" Gorouza asked as Inuchiyo and Kuranosuke picked Kasane up.

"I want her moved to one of the empty cells." Nobunaga said.

"But my Lord, Kasane fought alongside us. Why would you confine her?" Gorouza asked, confused. 'Is this why he waited for Ayako to leave…? She would never accept something like this quietly…' Gorouza thought.

"We cannot be sure of her intentions. We still do not know where she's from, or what she was even doing there in the first place. Helping you fight mutually benefited her as well, this time, since she needed to escape. Just because she aided you once, does not mean we can completely trust her. I won't be able to determine that until she regains consciousness, and I can question her. So, she will be confined to a cell, for now." Nobunaga stated before turning on his heel and leaving. Gorouza sighed and looked at Kasane.

'He does have a point…' Gorouza thought, reluctantly. "Sorry, Kasane…" Gorouza said as they carried the sleeping girl away.

—¡–!–¡–!–¡—

Ayako sighed, tired, as she washed the blood off of her hands. Those doctors were such wusses. It turned out all they had to do in order to remove the blade fragment and cloth, was to make a very small incision to widen the wound. Then, she used two acupuncture needles as chopsticks, in place of tweezers, to carefully remove the objects from the wound. The she cleaned the wound, disinfected it with alcohol, and stitched the wound shut. Then she gave the soldier a little of the left over sake to drink. Hopefully it would dull some of the poor guy's pain.

'I could really use a warm shower… How I miss modern plumbing…' Ayako thought. She was coated in sweat and grime from everything she had been through throughout the day. She could still bathe of course, and she definitely would, but first she had to draw the water from the well… and it would be cold.

—¡–!–¡–!–¡—

{A nice, relaxing bath later…}

Ayako sighed contentedly as she walked back to her room, ready to settle down for the night. She opened the door to her room. Ayako's eyes widened in surprise when she didn't see Kasane. She didn't think Kasane would wake up until the next day. Ayako spun around, about to run off and find her, worried she might be wandering the castle alone, and possibly getting herself into trouble. Ayako took one step forward without looking, and slammed unto someone's chest.

"!" Ayako said in surprise as she bounced off of whoever it was and landed on her butt on the floor. She looked up to see Nobunaga staring down at her. "…Um, hi? If it's about the soldier, he'll be fine. I already removed to blade and cloth from his wound and stitched him up. He'll be fine as long as he keeps the wound clean, and I'll remove the stitches in a few weeks, once he's healed." Ayako said. "Have you seen Kasane? I left her here, in my room, but now she's gone. I was sure she'd end up sleeping through the night…"

"No, she's still unconscious. I had her moved to a cell." Nobunaga said calmly.

"What…!?" Ayako shouted incredulously. "Why!?" Nobunaga sighed. He should've just made Gorouza explain it to her, but he knew she would just march over and demand to hear his reasons from him, in person, anyway.

"I understand that she aided you, and you must especially feel like you need to defend her since she could possibly be from your time as well, but until I am certain of her intentions, I will not let her roam free and unguarded in my castle. And don't tell her you're from the future yet. I want to see what she will do first." Nobunaga said firmly. Ayako and Nobunaga stared at each other for a while before Ayako finally gave in, after considering where he was coming from. She knew it was the smart move to make, but that didn't mean she had to like it. She sighed in defeat.

"I understand… I don't agree, but I understand." Ayako said, hanging her head in defeat. Her answer satisfied Nobunaga because he knew that it meant Ayako wouldn't cause any unnecessary trouble by planning a jailbreak, at least not until tomorrow… He watched as a few water droplets dripped from her wet hair and onto the floor.

"…" Nobunaga said as he furrowed his brow slightly in disapproval. He took the towel from where Ayako had draped it over her shoulder and began using it to dry her hair, rubbing it roughly over her head.

"Hey…!?" Ayako said in surprise as the young lord roughly dried her hair against her will.

"Are you, a child? At least dry your hair properly, before worrying about others. You keep forgetting that unlike your era, with its advanced medical technology, a cold is not a simple matter here." Nobunaga scolded her, giving her a sharp look. Ayako sweat dropped when she saw his withering glare.

'I still don't see why he has to get so mad about it…' Ayako thought. "Thanks, mom." Ayako deadpanned. Nobunaga responded to that smart-alec remark by rolling up the towel and smacking her backside with it, like a whip.

"Quiet, you." Nobunaga said.

"!" Ayako yelped, more out of surprise than out of pain. She stared at Nobunaga incredulously. 'Did he seriously just towel-whip me on the butt…!?' Ayako thought, stunned.

She didn't know whether she should laugh or hit him… well, hitting him would probably have some pretty severe consequences. She realized Nobunaga was actually suppressing a smirk when she looked at him. Even if he was a lord, he was still a teenage boy. Teasing Ayako had become a hobby of his, since it was so entertaining. He found it amused him to watch her get all riled up. She was probably the only one in the castle who had enough guts to tell him off, despite the consequences that angering a lord could have. Ayako decided he was having way too much fun at her expense.

"Oh, it's on, now!" Ayako said, throwing caution to the wind.

"Before that, you might want to take a look in the mirror." Nobunaga said.

"Huh…?" Ayako said, curious about what he could mean. She went over to the small chest she kept her items from the future in and pulled out her compact mirror. "…!?" She yelled when she saw her reflection.

All the friction, from when Nobunaga had been rubbing her hair dry, had turned her long, curly, blond hair into a half-Afro. Her jaw dropped. She whipped her head around to yell at Nobunaga for messing up her hair, but he had already escaped. Ayako's eye twitched in frustration. What was the score now? Nobunaga: 5, Ayako: 0…

'I am so going to get him back one of these days…' Ayako thought darkly as she started trying to untangle the mess Nobunaga had made of her hair.

—¡–!–¡–!–¡—

{The next day}

"Did you hear about the battle at Akatsuka?" A farmer asked one of his friends as the three of them worked in the field.

"Yeah, I heard we were betrayed by the master of Narumi." One friend answered as he wiped the sweat from his brow with his towel.

"… Anyways. Our new lord probably won't last long." The third friend, who was carrying the basket to collect the harvested rice in, said.

"He just idles around everyday, and won't listen to his vassals." The first man said.

"Yeah, yeah. It's rumored that he picked up another foreigner in that battle the other day, in addition to that golden-haired one he already took in." Towel man said.

"Why would he do something like that?" Basket man asked. The three men had no idea someone was eavesdropping on them from the tree above them.

"I have no idea. I don't understand anything our lord does, but with that kind of fool as a lord, is this country really going to be okay…?" Towel man said.

"…" The mysterious woman, a kunoichi, in the tree said as she listened to their conversation.

—¡–!–¡–!–¡—

{Owari, Nagoya Castle}

"Lord Nobunaga! I've heard… that you picked up a strange girl at Narumi. Is that true!?" A man, who had a face that only a mother could love, shouted as he leaned in, too close to Nobunaga's face for comfort.

"Sado." Nobunaga said calmly as he stared back at the man.

"Yes?" The man said, panting after yelling his lungs out at the young lord.

"You're face is just too much." Nobunaga said bluntly as he stuck his foot out, and used it to push the man's face away. "And you're too close."

"Mph!" The man said in surprise when Nobunaga's foot suddenly smacked into his face. "What are you doing!?" The man demanded indignantly, as he braced himself from where he was kneeling on the floor, and pushed back. Nobunaga's foot trembled slightly from the strain of fighting to push the man away with only one leg. "The Hayashi family, with our strong visage, has been serving the Oda family for generations!" The man said indignantly. He gave up trying to fight with Nobunaga and sat back down, a little further away this time. "I'm the chief advisor to the Oda family, Hayashi Sado no Kami Hidesada. Today, I will fully explain what is required of you in your capacity as Lord Nobunaga—Hey! Are you listening to me!?" Sado yelled when he noticed Nobunaga was playing with one of his cats and wasn't even looking at him anymore.

"Sure, sure." Nobunaga said boredly, obviously ignoring the older man.

"That's a blatant lie!" Sado shouted. "Honestly, cats, dogs, retainers… things just keep popping up, one after the other. It's such a nuisance." Another cat came over and started rubbing up against Sado. He tried to shoo it away. "The Yamaguchi's betrayal occurring so soon after you inherited your position has shaken the people's faith. As things stand, the army that your father, Lord Nobuhide, formed with such care… might be snatched away from you without warning."

"…" Nobunaga said as he stared at Sado, his brow furrowed slightly in irritation. He frowned at Sado. "Bite." Nobunaga ordered his cats. Ayako had been training them in 'English' during her free time, just to see if she could. The two felines immediately latched onto Sado, biting his arm.

"Gyaaah!" Sado yelled in pain and alarm. "Wh–Wh–What was that for!?" He shouted indignantly as he held his bleeding arm. The cats let go and sauntered off, as though they hadn't just mauled a human being.

"Hmph. Enough trivial crap. If you're going to preach at me, tell me something more interesting." Nobunaga said, smiling wickedly.

"!" Sado said. "I'm looking out for your best interests—"

"If I may cut in." Another man said from the side. Nobunaga glanced at the man. It was the chief retainer to the Oda family, Shibata Gonroku Katsuie. Although he had multiple scars on his face, he was still fairly handsome… especially compared to Sado. "While Owari is divided by the conflicts between its upper four districts, governed by Oda Ise no Kami, and its lower four districts, governed by Oda Yamato no Kami… That we have managed to amass the strength we currently have… is thanks to your father's many efforts." He said. "Passing this off as trivial… does little to put us at ease."

"… Gonroku." Nobunaga said as he stared at the man. "Were you here too? With Hayashi in my face, I didn't notice." Both of the older men flinched in shock.

"I swear I was here!?" Gonroku shouted, slightly blue with shock. He cleared his throat and regained his composure. "… Anyway, you didn't address all of your vassals' concerns in your speech." He said more calmly. "Regarding our deceased lord, and your position on your younger brother, Lord Nobuyuki—"

"… Hmph." Nobunaga said, interrupting him. "Every time you trek over here from Suemori… you guys are like a broken record." He reached out and grabbed his sword that had been lying on the floor beside him. "Father this, father that… Nobuyuki this, Nobuyuki that…" Sado gulped nervously as Nobunaga spoke. His bangs hid his eyes, and they could only imagine what fearsome expression the young lord's concealed eyes held. Nobunaga suddenly raised his sword, and slammed it into the floor with such force, that if it hadn't still been in it's sheathe, the sword probably would've cut right through the floor. The cats jumped and hissed in shock.

"Be careful of what you say, Hayashi, Shibata. I am Lord of Owari." Nobunaga said, his brow furrowed in irritation.

"…!" The two men said, sweating nervously. Sado shivered in fear.

"I have my own ways of doing things." Nobunaga said, drawing his sword. "If you can't stomach it…"

"Ah!" Sado said, flinching when he realized Nobunaga was aiming his sword at him. "Wait—" He cried as he fell backwards, and tried to scoot away.

SWISH!

"I'll slice you apart!" Nobunaga said as he swung his sword in an 'X' formation, slicing apart the sliding doors behind Sado.

Sado went blue with shock, fearing for his life, not realizing that Nobunaga hadn't ever really intended to kill him at all. Nobunaga wasn't stupid enough to kill such an important vassal over something so trivial. The sliced door fell apart, revealing a chagrined Ayako and a shocked young nobleman. They were both holding flowers. They watched as a few strands of the boy's bangs and a stray hair, sticking out the top of Ayako's high-ponytail, that had been sliced off when the sword passed through the door, fluttered down to the ground.

"…" Nobunaga said as he stared at them and put his sword away. He didn't think anyone would be standing there. He hadn't heard them approaching. Nobunaga noticed that Ayako had been holding her arm out in front of Nobuyuki. She must have heard the commotion inside and realized what was happening. Ayako had probably stopped him just in time. If Nobuyuki had been any closer, Nobunaga would've ended up cutting off more than just a few hairs.

"L—Lord Nobuyuki!" Gonroku cried, shocked and worried when he saw that Nobunaga's younger brother had been standing in such a dangerous place. Nobuyuki sweat dropped and timidly scratched his cheek.

"Um…" Nobuyuki said, not quite sure what had just happened.

"… Is this a bad time…?" Ayako asked, sweat dropping. She had never been so glad to be short before. The sword had passed just and inch above her head… if anyone of an average height or taller had been standing there… they would've lost their head. Gonroku dashed over to them.

"Wh–What were you doing standing there? A–Are you injured?" Gonroku asked, sweating nervously, and slightly blue with shock over what had almost happened. Sado was sitting on the floor, white as a ghost and frozen in fear.

"Not at all. You're overreacting, Shibata." Nobuyuki said, sweat dropping and smiling a little nervously. "I saw Ayako looking at some of the flowers in the garden that had been trampled, so I was helping her prune them." Nobunaga glanced at them. Ayako shook her head, answering his question before he even had to ask.

"Nobuyuki." Nobunaga said.

"Y-Yes!?" Nobuyuki said, snapping to attention, eager to please his older brother.

"Was there anyone else with you?" Nobunaga asked.

"N-No!" Nobuyuki said. "Oh, but… if you mean Tenrou…" Ayako noticed the little spark in Nobunaga's eyes when he heard that.

"Tenrou? Isn't that the hawk Lord Nobunaga keeps?" Gonroku said.

"Yeah. He was with Ayako. It looked like he had just returned from somewhere, but he went off somewhere when I got close. He really doesn't seem to like me so much." Nobuyuki said, rubbing the back of his neck. "Anyway, the gardens here are really well-kept. It really does feel nice when every last nook and cranny is perfect." They young nobleman said as he looked out at the garden. "I admire your diligence, brother. I hope to learn from your example and become of use to you." Nobuyuki said, blushing a little shyly, as he praised his older brother, like a cute little kid praising his hero.

"Lord Nobuyuki." Gonroku said. "He left some time ago. Himura Ayako is gone too."

"Ah! Brother!" Nobuyuki cried in dismay when he looked up and saw that his brother and Ayako really had disappeared on him.

"Truly, that man is like a storm." Sado said, having finally recovered from his little scare earlier. "Owari isn't going to go anywhere like this." He sighed.

"Hayashi." Nobuyuki said. "My brother has his own ideas. It is not our place to interrupt him."

"… Yes, Sir." Sado said as he and Gonroku exchanged a glance.