Disclaimer: Well Weiss isn't mine but they're not in this chapter much he he! I'm actually going to do a bit of diving into Yami and Tatsuha's past in this chapter so this chapter takes place in both the present and in 16th century Japan.

I'm going to give you a note on the battle that takes place in this chapter as it was a real battle, but you don't need to read it to understand the story if you don't want to, although it might help!

The battle of Kawanakajima was a real battle fought in 1561 in Japan between Takeda Shingen and Uesugi Kenshin's army's. Yamagata Masakaga, Takemata Yoshitsuna and General Yamamoto Kansuke (all in this chapter) were all real samurai warriors, famous for their battle skills. Yamamoto was actually the General responsible for the battle strategies of the battle of Kawanakajima but there is no evidence that Yamagata or Takemata were there. I just really like their names and also their history fits my purpose nyuk nyuk, so it's not an entirely shallow choice! Also their names link to their corresponding characters names, Yami and Tatsuha, so that also helps. Hope this chapter isn't too confusing and if you want more information on any of the history just visit this link (although I have twisted the history to make more sense of the story too)!

http://wiki. Character Death (you'll understand when you read it, don't get worried!), violence, angst.

Extra note:

The question 'daijubo ka?' simply means 'are you alright?'. The reply is usually simply 'daijubo' meaning 'yes I am alright' or either 'Hai or 'Aa' both meaning 'yes'.

The word 'Iie' literally means 'no' but it can also mean 'don't worry about it' or 'don't mention it'. Saying 'Iie, daijubo' simply means 'no I'm alright'.

Right! On with the chapter (phew) that took me long enough ne?

Chapter 40

Kawanakajima

The storm rioted against the slim walls of the vehicle as it carried us towards our goal. It rocked smoothly from side to side, like a ship on tumultuous waves, forcing my hands to clench around the arm rests. I was still unsure of modern vehicles, even after all this time.

Give me a sturdy horse and I'll be happy, albeit wetter than inside this van.

It was a raging storm that night, when lightning had ravaged the plain and the bare earth smoked and spat. The corpses of ten thousand soldiers bleed into the soil, feeding the rage and the hate of the world...

...and I had been one of them.

"Tatsuha?" the young voice pulled me from my stupor and I blinked, turning my head to watch his concern, "daijubo ka?"

"Aa," I said back softly, the sound almost lost beneath the roar of the downpour.

He just nodded at my affirmation, turning back to try and watch the road through the windscreen in the driver's cabin. I sighed softly, looking back down to my knees, the darkness in the back of the van seeming as if it were trying to swallow me feet first. I shivered involuntarily, letting my eyes drift closed and my memories to seep back into the present.

I climbed the hill slowly, glad to reach it's peak with what was left of the wounded I could find. The rain was washing mud down into our camp from the hill behind us. How had we been forced into this place, no where to flee or retreat to were an attack to fall upon us. Trapped in by the weather and ill fortune, tired, ill supplied and hungry. I had been sent out to bring back the wounded from the last attack, unfortunately having to leave my wounded friend in the care of others.

"Takemata-sama! Takemata-sama!"

A clap of thunder bellow across the darkened plane, no torches able to withstand the rain and light our battlefield. To my ears, dispirited as they were, I could almost believe Bishamon (1) were up in the skies laughing at us.

"Takemata-sama!" I managed to pull my eyes from the darkening field before me and look down to the young soldier desperately calling my name, "General Kansuke-sama requests your presence."

"Hai," I said back gruffly, coughing harshly as I made my way down to him and allowed him to lead me further into the camp.

I was glad for the makeshift cover that had been thrown together, nothing but some old spears and spare material, but it was at least cover from the rain and it served as some barrier against the elements. The three men inside the shelter were a sight enough to dishearten any loyal soldier. Two, the Generals mounted lieutenants, were only partly armoured, having taken off the heavy chokers and breastplates to replace bandages now soiled by the rain. The General himself, although a proud man, was showing the weight that the dead men littering the plain of Hachimanbara forced upon him, more his own than that of our enemy Uesegi Kenshin's. His face was lined with dirt and blood caked his armour red. I bowed respectfully, feeling foolish even though I knew that I shouldn't. As I bowed however, I caught sight of someone else, a fourth man in the corner of the 'tent'. My breath froze in my chest and I felt my eyes go wide. I didn't cry out or run to the man, nor show any emotion, for the man was no longer a man. He was nothing now but a soulless corpse, his wide eyes staring vacantly towards the rain soaked roof.

"Yama-Yamagata-kun..." I whispered, slowly stumbling up, my eyes still wide and fixed on the corpse of my friend, my best friend, lying still and peaceful amidst this chaos.

"I am sorry, Yoshitsuna," the Generals deep grumble pulled me from my shock, forcing my eyes back to his defeated form, "his injuries were too severe. I am sorry that he could not die in battle as all warriors wish, and I am sorry we cannot perform burial for him to send his soul to rest."

"Iie," I found myself breathing out as I walked slowly over to the dead man and fell to my knees, looking down onto his young face and feeling hot tears stream unbidden down my face.

I reached out a dirt covered hand and slowly closed his eyes. His peaceful, sleeping face was all that was left when I took my hand away.

"He did not want to die without you here beside him," the General continued accompanied by the sound of his lieutenants replacing their armour, "and refused to close his eyes in death. He waited for you Yoshitsuna, do not feel grieved, and instead take vengeance on his life, cut short by that demon Uesegi."

"I will," I murmured out, touching the cold forehead of my friend once more before standing, wiping at my face to clear the evidence of my grief, "I will avenge your death Yamagata-kun, I swear it."

My voice had turned to a growl and my body had tensed involuntarily. Only when I felt a heavy hand on my shoulder did I turn surprised eyes on the General, standing to my side, a small smile gracing his features.

"I need your help Yoshitsuna-san," he said conversationally, "I want you to take Masakage's place as mounted lieutenant. We are ready to attack, and if not now then we face defeat. The Chikuma and the Sai (2) have broken their banks and the plain is flooded, Uesegi will have trouble getting his reinforcements over the water since we disabled the bridge. Now is the time to strike, and I need someone to lead the First wave of attack. Kosaka-san, Baba-san..." he turned and called to his lieutenants, "ready your horses and prepare your men."

I felt numb inside, but nodded none the less. The sound of the rain swelled and receded with the wind, I supressed the bile rising in my throat. I heard the two men exiting the makeshift 'tent' and had to stop myself from collapsing simply because I could not do it before in the company of such high ranking men. Of course the General was a friend, he would understand, but no, I would not be weak, I will avenge you Yamagata-kun!


"He swore an oath with his last breath," the General's voice was behind me now, in the centre of the shelter, "he said he refused to leave this earth until that deamon Uesegi was defeated. He told me that he would stay by my side, a lost spirit wandering the living world, if that was what it took the bring down our enemy."

I turned and looked at Yamamoto-sama in shock.

-Yamagata-kun, what have you said!?- I thought desperately, -you deserve peace and rest, not to endure the pain such a binding would bring.-

"I tried to refuse him, but it is not easy to try and wave off a dying mans last wish," the General continued, his face pained with the memory of Yamagata's death, "so we must win this fight, we will win this battle against that demon Uesegi, for your friend, to save his soul."

I nodded dumbly, even as the General handed me the flag of my regiment to attach to my armour.

"Shingen-sama has told me to go ahead with my plan. The First, that's your command now, will set up an ambush on Kawanakajima while the Second and Third under my lieutenants command will flush Kenshin from Saijo. This is to be the last battle Yoshitsuna-kun," I looked into his kind eyes as he said my name affectionately, "I want you to be careful. Good luck."

Vaguely, as I walked back out into the rain towards Yamagata-kun's hor...my horse, I wondered if I would pledge something so rash for someone I respected so highly.

Death made people do brave but stupid things.

"Tatsuha-kun you don't look so good," Yami's voice was so startling that I flinched at its sound.

The youth was staring at me, as was the other man in the back of the van, Yoji, and I felt the distinct urge to cringe.

"Iie, daijobu," I lied, shaking my head and for a moment expecting to see what had once been my own long black hair shake into my vision; instead only my chin length blonde hair came into view and for one moment it made me feel an acute despair.

"Tatsuha-kun it won't be long until we reach Him," Yami continued, his face so different, so full of life, "you have to focus. Don't become lost in the past. Yamamoto-sama needs us, we have to finish this for him."

I nodded solemnly and smiled softly when I felt his hand slide over my own and squeeze it reassuringly. His face may have been different, but his eyes showed that Yamagata-kun still lived inside the man seated next to me; and I still had to avenge his death after all.

Yes, death made people do stupid and brave things. For when I had died on the plains of Hachimanbara, my General's plan foiled by a group of lowly traitors, I swore the same oath as Yamagata-kun had done before me. Our General Yamamoto-san found me on the verge of death lying amidst a sea of bodies and I told it to his grieving eyes. He had touched my face and wept, then raging into battle once more he took down sixty men single handed until the grief overcame him and he committed suicide before reinforcements could come to his rescue.

And in his dying breath, same oath passed his lips and sealed our fate.

(1) Bishamon was one of the seven "Gods of Luck" of Japan. Bishamon was a Warrior god often depicted in full battle armour and wielding a giant spear.

(2) The Chikuma and the Sai are the rivers bordering the land named Hachimanbara where the last battle of Kawanakajima took place in 1561.

AN: I'm sorry that this isn't really a continuation as such of the current storyline, but I thought I had better give you a proper background on Yami and Tatsuha. If you didn't get it then this is supposed to be Yami and Tatsuha 500 years ago in feudal Japan at the start of their fight. Yami is Yamagata Masakage, Tatsuha is Takemata Yoshitsuna and Yamamoto Kansuke is Heinrich Faxon (yes I know the names bear no resemblance, eek!). The oath they swore is that they would wander the earth until the demon Uesugi is defeated, and three guesses who Uesugi is in the present storyline? And yes, is this story getting out of hand? The answer is yes it bloody is! Argh! I'm really sorry if this is getting to complicated and ruining it for anyone, but it needs to be done. Hopefully you'll like this and review, please? Domo arigato!

See you next chapter,

Maiko x