14. Last Chance (2)
*Three hours away...*
Something was off in this battle. Both Hasebe and Mitsutada were the first to notice how lacking the enemy was.
"This is uncool", Mitsutada cut down another enemy (with style of course), "it's like no one is even taking this seriously..."
"The enemy has been surprisingly easy", Hasebe agreed, "Maybe this is a good thing?"
"Not really".
"Well, I'm done...I think". Ookurikara, bloodied from his kills, slashed someone aiming for Hasebe. "Too fucking easy."
"Kuri-chan..." His brother eyed him, "Are you injured?"
"You look like something out of those horror movies that Jirotachi and Aoe like", Kashuu joined them.
"I'm fine. This isn't even my blood." Ookurikara just shook off his sword, "You all are overreacting."
Then Izuminokami was dragging something...or rather someone. "Go on...tell them what you just told me!" He shoved the yari to his knees as the yari whined, "Owwww!"
The captain of the team, Hasebe, along with Mitsutada and the others, looked on. By then Akashi had joined them.
"My master ordered us to distract you so she can kill your master." The yari confessed. "But...she didn't want us to kill you..."
He barely finished before Hasebe cut off his head. "I'm going ahead", he told the others as he ran off. The others boarded their horses. "Akashi-kun", Mitsutada turned to his comrade, "Take my horse. It's the fastest. Izuminokami-kun, go with him."
####
Outside the citadel, Yamabagiri was just sitting outside brooding while Gokotai, still recovering from an injury he had obtained from the last battle he was in, played with his tigers. Meanwhile, in her office, Sakura had appreciated the quiet.
~It's almost scary on how quiet things are.~
Two teams, one led by Hasebe and the other led by Tsurumaru, were out either on expedition or taking care of the enemy. The third team, led by Kotestu, was on expedition. Everyone else was out farming. Sakura glanced out the window.
~It's really nice out today. Maybe I'll go take a walk to the temple in a little bit.~
####
*20 minutes from the citadel*
Yui and company were now within sight of the citadel. "Are you sure about this?" The priest had asked. "Think about this for a minute; you'd be leaving witnesses." He was confused and even a little annoyed. After all, he and the others were tasked to keep time the way it had always been were they not? Like everyone else, the priest did not want to be erased from time either.
*How could I've been so oblivious? She was intending on getting rid of us all this time and replace us with these men.*
"Yui..."
"Hmmm?"
"Are you replacing us?" He was angry; he had nearly killed this woman's companion for his master, even falling for her and now his master had basically set them all up to die.
"I don't really want any of you to die", They rode to the citadel, "but you guys are supposed to die for me right?" During this last part, she smiled which had left the priest cold and disappointed.
~People are really cruel, aren't they~ Hoever, despite his own feelings, he decided to at least aid her with the enemy for now. He would oblige her on not killing anyone but his future with her was uncertain. He hated betrayal more than anything, especially in his old life when he was normal.
"Come on", Yui was enthusiastic about everything, "Let's do this! Just wound them or even knock them out...don't kill them!"
####
Sakura had just been in laundry washing clothes when she had heard a thud upstairs. "Hey, everything all right up there?" When she went to investigate, she saw Gokotai and Yamanbagiri knocked out cold. Her heart sank.
The last thing she remembered before the world turned black was feeling something erupting in her head.
Yui had used the back of her sword to knock her out.
####
Later, when she woke from consciousness, Sakura focused on where she was and ignored the pain in her head. It was by the lake where she took the Tantous and others to fish.
"It's time to end this", Yui just sat calmly under the tree, sword in hand.
"You kill them?" Sakura thought of the men back home.
"No. I plan to use them."
"Use them for what?"
"After I kill you of course." Yui then began to go after her, but Sakura, with a new shot of adrenaline that kicked in her blood, kicked her legs which knocked Yui down. "Ow..." Yui whined.
"Oh please..." Sakura rubbed her head as she stood up. "Unless you trained with your group, you're about as useless as I am."
"Did you forget that I have a sword?" Yui pointed the thing at her onetime acquaintance's chest. " I did train."
"I believe you."
~She's being stupid...but she did kill others. The others will come for me and figure things out. I'm certain of it.~
"So..." She continued calmly, "how exactly do you intend to kill me? You do realize that my men will probably come and kill you if you harm me."
"Once you're gone, they'll have to obey me right?" Yui had a crazed look to her eyes. "Doesn't your head hurt? Aren't you scared?"
"Flying off the handle won't solve anything. I learned that lesson that first night." Sakura looked at her, "Are you angry at me? I'm truly sorry Yui..." Her eyes welled up. "I truly believed you were dead at first. I wanted to find out what had happened to you...I never would've left you if I knew you were okay. Please...know that."
"I want to go home..." Yui began to cry.
"I know you do. I want to as well, eventually", Sakura held her, "but I was bought here for a reason. We both were. And..." Thinking of her men, she smiled, "I love those guys. I've even met someone special to me...I don't want to leave them like this. Not unfinished. And I don't want to leave you like this either."
Yui's eyes flashed red. "Get up and fight me."
"I don't have a sword." Sakura stood up. "But if it takes kicking your ass to get you to stop, I can do that." She cracked her knuckles.
####
Konosuke had been out in the fields when he had returned with Gotou, Namazuo and Ichigo when he noticed that something was off. By this time, Gokotai had recovered from being knocked out and was crying while being comforted by his tigers licking him. "Ichiiiii-niiiiii!"
"Gokotai!" The Toushirous and their brother ran up to the youngest Toushirou. Konosuke was not liking what he was seeing. Inside, Yamanbagiri was still unconscious.
"I'm sorry", the youngest Toushirou cried, "they took Sakura-nii..."
"Who took Sakura-dono?" (Ichigo, hugging the littlest tantou tightly)
"I think he means me..."
The priest had hung out, fed up with the fact that his master threw him aside. He knew that he and Yui lost. "I'm sorry."
"Who are you?" Konosuke asked.
"The other one's okay. He'll probably just have a headache."
"Don't move." Hasebe, holding his sword at the priest's neck, ready to slay. "Where is she?"
"My master took her to a lake nearby." The priest sighed, "I'll gladly let you kill me to avenge your master...but I have one last request. Please...don't kill Lady Yui."
"She's responsible for Sakura-sama getting hurt", Konosuke replied, "and that woman is dead as well, isn't she?"
"She grew corrupted." The priest replied, "let me be the one who kills her. She's unstable so I can not promise your master's safety."
By this time, Tsurumaru and his group had returned from their sortie. "Hey, what's going on?" And the remains of Hasebe's group began to arrive.
"I have nothing left to lose at this point", the priest shrugged.