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:

"Hmph. We've... got that quarrel to settle from back at Narumi." Kuranosuke said to Kasane as he stepped forward to challenge her. "I'll defeat you, and use you as a stepping stone on my way up! I don't like you at all! I'll knock you out!" He said, pulling out his guns.

"I'll take all comers!" Kasane said, grinning and holding her wooden sword at the ready. "No way... I'll lose to you!"

"Good luck girl! Beat that career runt! Beat Kuranosuke! Beat him!" The other men yelled, cheering for her and booing Kuranosuke.

"What!? You're rooting for me?" Kasane asked, surprised, blushing slightly.

"Shut up, you spectators! Quiet!" Kuranosuke yelled back at them, a vein mark pulsing on his forehead.

"Ouch! Instant rejection by the crowd, huh?" Ayako observed.

"Kura doesn't have any friends." Inuchiyo said, smiling, and laughing sillily.

"Yeah..." Gorouza said, sighing. "Oh, what are you doing down here, Ayako? I thought you were going to watch from the platform stage with our lord?"

"I planned to, but I think I accidentally gave Nobunaga more ammunition to harass me with, so I came down here, where it was safe, before I could do any more damage, it's fun hanging out with you guys." Ayako said, smiling. "But I feel kind of sorry for Kuranosuke... Should we cheer for him?"

"I don't need your damn pity, you demon midget!" Kuranosuke yelled rudely at her.

"And the mystery of why you're so unpopular has been solved~!" Ayako said sarcastically. "In that case... Go, Kasane! Make him eat dirt~! No mercy~!" Ayako cheered, smiling ever so innocently.

"Uwah... That girl can say some pretty frightening things with such a pleasant smile..." Koheita said, sweat dropping.

"Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned." Kawajiri said, laughing wryly.

"Begin!" Gorouza said, announcing the start of the fight. Everyone cheered excitedly.

"But how... is Kuranosuke going to fight her with a gun?" Shinsuke asked, fidgeting excitedly as they watched the match.

"He can't fire at that range..." Koheita said.

"Kura doesn't like bullets and gunpowder." Inuchiyo said, grinning.

"Ehhh!? Then seriously, how's he going to fight!?" Shinsuke asked.

"Hmph, that guy's personality might be bad, but he's good at using his head." Ayako said as Kuranosuke blocked Kasane's attack with his guns, and jumped back, putting space between them.

"Huh...?" Shinsuke said, confused.

"'Sasara' is a gun that Kura modified himself." Inuchiyo explained. Kuranosuke twirled the guns in his hand and hit a switch, causing a new, hidden handle to pop out.

SNAP! CLICK!

"!?" Kasane said, surprised. 'Now there's another handhold...!?' She thought. Kuranosuke gripped the new handles, wielding his guns like a pair of tonfas, and charged at Kasane.

FWISH! WHAM!

Kuranosuke slammed his 'tonfa' hard into Kasane's wooden sword.

"...!" Kasane gasped when a crack appeared in her wooden sword.

"Her sword's cracked...!? How exactly did he do that?" Shinsuke yelled in amazement.

"It's because of how he hit her. He struck her sword hard and at an angle with the part of his gun's barrel that is made out of metal, so it's naturally harder than the wood that her sword is made out of, The vibrations from the impact helped increase the damage, so what should've just been a dent was amplified to be a large crack." Ayako explained nonchalantly, like it was obvious. The men all sweat dropped.

'She's not only strong, she's smart too...' They all thought warily.

"I can use this however I want. Sorry, but this is my 'win.'" Kuranosuke said, grinning triumphantly.

"...!" Kasane said, frowning at Kuranosuke. She set her jaw and squared her shoulders, more determined to win than ever.

—¡–!–¡–!–¡—

CLACK.

"Hmmm~?" Mysterious man wearing a bandana on his head, bandage strip across his nose, and a huge wooden box on his back, that just happened to be passing by, said curiously as he passed by the tournament and heard the men cheering. There was a group of peasants peeking through the gaps in the banners that had been hung as dividing screens. It wasn't that the peasants were forbidden from watching, it was just to keep distractions for the fighters down to a minimum, and also so that the peasants wouldn't feel like they were being forced to watch. They had their own work to do, after all. Besides, it always made watching something more interesting when it seemed more secretive, right? "This is one big crowd. Is it a show?" Mystery man asked the peasants.

"Yes, it looks like Oda's young vassals are having sparring matches. It's quite interesting." An older man told him. "Seems like the master of Nagoya proposed it. I heard there are two girls in with them, too. Look, one of them is fighting right now." The older man pointed to Kasane.

"A girl...!?" Mystery man asked excitedly, blushing, as he went into 'hottie alert' mode. He watched as Kasane charged at Kuranosuke and attacked, but Kuranosuke managed to block the blow, and her wooden sword slammed into his gun.

—¡–!–¡–!–¡—

"Whoa! Those two are amazing! Neither of them is giving an inch!" The men cheered as they watched the intense mini battle between Kasane and Kuranosuke.

"Damn you...! You don't have a career or salary, so just give in already!" Kuranosuke yelled at Kasane.

"I've—got a promise to Masamune and Kotetsu! I won't give up in a fight!" Kasane yelled back, determined to keep going. They were both starting to tire out after fighting non-stop for so long. Their weapons clashed once more, grinding together as the two determined teenagers leaned on them, putting as much weight as they could on their opponent.

"Hurry and yield!" Kuranosuke growled.

"You yield!" Kasane growled back. Their eyes were veiled in shadow, their fatigue was starting to darken their moods, and a threatening aura swirled around the two of them as they glared at each other.

"It's become a match of the wills, huh...? They're both too determined and stubborn to give in..." Ayako said, sweat dropping. She knew that she would probably be the same if she were in that situation, so she couldn't really say anything against it.

"And why are you so worried about your 'career'? You can't make any friends like that." Kasane said, her arms starting to tremble.

"None of your business!" Kuranosuke yelled, irritated, as a vein mark pulsed on his forehead.

"Kura's got those older brothers, so he doesn't like losing." Inuchiyo said innocently, grinning.

"Brothers...?" Kasane and Ayako asked.

"Quit it! Shut up, stupid dog!" Kuranosuke shouted at Inuchiyo.

"He got mad at me..." Inuchiyo cried, pouting in his own little corner of woe.

"There, there." Ayako said softly as she patted him supportively on the back.

"Tch! ... It's true, my brothers are renowned fighters." Kuranosuke admitted grudgingly. "Their bravery at the battle under Lord Nobuhide's command has named them the 'pride' of the Sassa clan. I, on the other hand, am a failure of a third son who's at odds with the head of the family... That's why I... will rise higher with my own two hands—" Kuranosuke twirled his gun 'tonfas' around in his hands again and charged at Kasane. "My lord will recognize me... and advance me—" Kasane braced herself and gripped her sword as Kuranosuke rushed towards her. "And I'll leave the name 'Narimasa'... behind!"

WHAM!

Kuranosuke slammed his gun into Kasane's wooden sword so hard, that she lost her balance, and started to run backwards, as Kuranosuke pushed forward, sending the two of them barreling into a nearby wooden watch tower.

SLAM!

"They hit the tower!" Inuchiyo yelled.

"Kuranosuke! Kasane!" Gorouza yelled.

"Are you guys okay!?" Ayako yelled.

"Oww..." They both groaned as they rubbed their aching heads, and the dust started to settle.

"But... won't your brothers support you...?" Kasane asked, still a little dazed from banging her head into the tower.

"Huh!? How would you know?" Kuranosuke said, irritated, as he rubbed his head.

"There's still a lot I don't understand about this era, but... but... I'm a sister myself." Kasane said, smiling and rubbing the back of her head. "I understand. The two of them are so cute, I can't help it." Kuranosuke stared at Kasane, his eyes widened slightly. He turned away, feeling a little embarrassed, hiding his blush.

"... Hump, like hell." Kuranosuke said. "A 'sister,' huh... geez..." He whipped his head around to glare at her. "Don't—go and compare an idiot like you to my brothers! You're nothing alike! Nothing!" Kuranosuke hissed angrily at her, like a cat who'd been pet the wrong way.

"Oh, so he does get along with them, then. Look at that brother complex go... defending them and everything." Ayako deadpanned.

"No good, huh? Honestly, he can't hold his temper at all..." Gorouza said, sweat dropping as he smiled wryly.

"So, who won?" Inuchiyo asked.

"Didn't they both sort of self-destruct at the end?" Ayako asked as Kuranosuke continued to rant his cheeks were flushed red from embarrassment and from all the yelling he was doing.

"I mean, you're—" Kuranosuke yelled as the tower that they had just run into began to wobble.

"Eh...!?" Ayako said, realizing something was off. The ropes that had been tying the support beams together had become to loose, and a few of the beams slipped out of place, compromising the integrity of the whole structure. 'Damn, that tower was here long before I set this stuff up... it must have gotten too old and weakened over time!' She thought. Ayako started running towards her endangered friends. "I'm borrowing this!" She told one of the men as she grabbed his katana, and drew it from its sheathe.

"Hey! He yelled indignantly.

"Watch out!" Ayako yelled as the whole tower started to fall with a huge clatter.

"The tower—!" Shinsuke yelled in alarm. Time seemed to slow down as they all watched, horrified, as the tower started crashing down, Kasane and Kuranosuke were frozen in place below it, too stunned to move, as Ayako made a desperately mad dash towards them, holding the 'borrowed' katana.

SLAM!

Just as Kasane and Kuranosuke had covered their heads, expecting to be buried under the fallen tower, the mystery man with the huge box on his back, had managed to run in between them and the falling tower. The large wooden box on his back had blocked the impact of the falling debris, and some spears and swords had somehow popped out of the box, acting as a net to block even more of the debris.

"Mind running for it? Miss?" He asked Kasane, grinning with his eyes closed. He couldn't keep holding all that weight up by himself forever. A flash of gold flew by them as Ayako dashed up to them and jumped up, slicing the pieces of large, wooden, debris that had fallen into smaller pieces, causing them roll off of him and fall harmlessly to the ground around the mystery man and her friends. Everyone stared, frozen in place, in a combination of shock, awe, and amazement at what had just happened.

"... Wh—Huh..." Kasane said, breathing heavily as she tried to calm down enough to figure out which question she even wanted to ask.

"Phew! That was a close one! Nice save there!" The mystery man said, smiling at Ayako as he wiped the sweat from his brow.

"Ah, no! I should be thanking you! I never would've reached them in time, if it weren't for you... Thank you!" Ayako said, bowing.

"Who are you...!?" Kasane blurted out at the man, finally able to form a complete sentence in her state of shock. The man stared intensely at Kasane.

"... Eh!?" Kasane said nervously, flinching in surprise at the man's intensity.

"Just who is this guy...?" Kuranosuke asked darkly, already suspicious of the man. The mystery man blushed.

"H—Hey~ Miss~!" Mystery man suddenly called out to Kasane in a singsong voice as he chased after her, the weapons still sticking out of his box. He had a silly grin on his face as he chased her.

"Eeek! He's a weirdo!" Kasane cried, paling slightly as she ran from him.

"Waaait~! Why are you running!?" Mystery man asked Kasane as he continued to chased her.

"Y—You're asking me why!?" Kasane asked incredulously, glancing back over her shoulder. "Eep!" He was right behind her. "Eeek!" Kasane yelled as she stepped on the gas, trying to lose her new 'friend.'

"I don't know anyone who wouldn't run..." Ayako said, sweat dropping. 'Oh, great... another weird one... well, at least he doesn't seem to mean any harm...' Ayako thought.

"Are you well, Kuranosuke?" Gorouza asked.

"Tch! To think that weirdo saved me, of all people!" Kuranosuke muttered, irritated.

"Hey!?" Ayako yelled indignantly. "Maybe I won't help you next time, then."

"I didn't mean you! I was talking about that weirdo chasing Kasane!" Kuranosuke yelled back at her, vein mark throbbing on his head.

"Oh, right... I guess I should go stop him. Kasane looks kind of scared..." Ayako said. "Hey, you! Cut it out!" Ayako said boldly, as she ran after them, and pulled up alongside the man.

"Oooh~! Now that I look closer, you're a girl too, aren't you!?" The mystery man said excitedly.

"...Too..!?" Ayako yelled, realizing he had thought that she was a guy this whole time. "Of course I'm a girl! What else would I be!?"

"Would you believe I thought you were a bishounen~?" Mystery man said without any ill intentions. Ayako froze solid, white with shock.

"Bi–Bishounen...!?" Ayako cried, clearly distressed. "He seriously thought I was a guy... I knew it... no one sees me as a woman...! It must be because the old man raised me to be such a tomboy! I'm a girl, dammit!" Ayako mumbled gloomily as she sat on the ground, hugging her knees as a comical river of tears flowed down her face. She was in her own little corner of woe now. Since she had been raised as a boy, despite being a true girly-girl deep down, Ayako was overly sensitive when it came to comments like that.

"A-Ayako..." Kasane said, sweat dropping. "Are you alright...?"

THUD! The spear slammed into a pole that was between Kasane and the man, just barely missing hitting the weirdo's nose. Kuranosuke had grabbed Inuchiyo's spear and hurled it at the man chasing Kasane.

"Eep!" Kasane yelped in surprise.

"Hold it, you!" Kuranosuke shouted at the mysterious weirdo.

"Hey! That's my spear!" Inuchiyo huffed angrily at him.

"Just who are you!?" Kuranosuke demanded, ignoring Inuchiyo. "Where did you—"

"Wow, lucky~! So, the two of you really are girls!" The mystery weirdo said to the two girls, completely ignoring Kuranosuke's existence. "Are you two okay? You weren't injured, were you? Does anything hurt?" He asked, not realizing the emotional trauma he had just inflicted on Ayako.

"Y-Yeah..." Kasane said, sweat dropping. 'Doesn't he have a lot of stuff sticking out of his back...?' She thought nervously.

"Hey! I'm...!" Kuranosuke yelled.

"Oh! Did my case scare you!?" The man asked Kasane, still ignoring Kuranosuke, as the weapons sticking out of the box on his back started to slide back inside on their own. He smiled brightly and rubbed the back of his head. "But you know, when you're traveling around, like me, you've got to watch out for thieves and bandits, right? I use it to protect myself."

"You bastard, I'm talking to you...!" Kuranosuke yelled, clenching his fist.

"Do you know about these?" The man asked Kasane, still ignoring him, and holding up a screw. "It's called a 'screw.' You use them to make rifles and stuff. Amazing, right?" He pointed to the box on his back. "This thing is made up of screws and gears and springs all cleverly combined together."

"Cut it out...!" Kuranosuke yelled angrily, vein mark throbbing, as he stepped toward the mystery man and leaned in closer to yell at him.

"And if you pull this cord—" The man said, yanking a cord, still totally oblivious to Kuranosuke.

BONK! THUD!

A bunch of poles with cloth tied onto the ends popped out, and socked Kuranosuke right in the kisser. The force of the blow knocked Kuranosuke's head back, and up into Inuchiyo's chin, causing a chain reaction that ended with both guys lying on the ground. The three stooges would've been proud.

"The weapons inside will... Oh, huh?" The mystery man said, stopping his explanation when he heard two thuds.

"Ku—Kuranosuke!? And Inuchiyo!" Kasane yelled, surprised and concerned. Ayako couldn't say anything. She held her sides as she bent over, shaking, trying not to laugh. She was concerned for her friends, of course—but the whole thing was just too funny. Well, at least she had come out of her funk, thanks to that.

"... You bastard..." Kuranosuke said darkly as he and Inuchiyo held their aching faces. "Who the hell are you!?" He yelled.

"Oh?" The mystery man said, smiling, but as he turned, he seemed to deflate slightly, releasing a little steam as he looked at Kuranosuke, no longer blushing.

'Ah, something came out...' Kasane and Ayako thought, sweat dropping. They already knew this guy wasn't normal, but that was just weird.

"You okay, Kasane?" Ayako whispered seeing how disturbed Kasane was too. She was still a little upset about the whole being mistaken for a guy thing, but she decided she should set it aside for now and worry about it later. Ayako decided that the first thing she was going to do, once she got her salary from Nobunaga, was to buy herself a more feminine outfit and stop cross-dressing.

"Ayako..." Kasane said, tearing up a little bit in relief as she hugged Ayako. "It was so weird, I didn't know what I should do...!" Ayako smiled wryly and sighed as she patted Kasane on the back in a 'there, there' motion as they listened to what the mystery man had to say for himself.

"... Who am I?" The mystery man said. "Just a passing arms dealer." He said, grinning.

"Arms dealer?" Ayako asked. 'I guess that explains that weird 'box of doom' on his back then...' She thought.

"Why would you stop by here, then!?" Kuranosuke demanded, totally suspicious of him.

"Oh no, it's just like I said. I was passing through. Then, I saw that the watchtower looked like it was going to fall on her. I just jumped out without considering my place." Mystery man said.

"... Is that really all? Then why were you wandering around the castle grounds in the first place!?" Kuranosuke asked, furrowing his brow in distrust.

"Wow, you're really distrustful!" Mystery man said, sweat dropping. "I sell weapons, you see. I heard Oda's vassals were all sparring today. I thought you guys might want something—"

"My, that's incredible." Kawajiri said as he came up beside Kuranosuke and Inuchiyo.

"Lord Kawajiri." Kuranosuke said, slightly surprised.

"We weren't even informed that anything was going on here today. So, there's no way you could've known, yes?" Kawajiri said.

"He's right. It was hard keeping it a secret too." Ayako said. The mystery man twitched guiltily.

"My, my... soldiers of the Oda family are really good, just as you'd expect." Mystery man said, his eyes hidden in shadow as he grinned. The other men surrounded him, pointing their spears at the strange man. "I was planning to excuse myself without causing a fuss, but... since I'm surrounded, I guess I've got no choice."