So, finished WO3 and...well, avoiding spoilers, I don't really like the True ending. The normal and good make sense and feel like the story has some sense but the true to me seems to end the whole thing. Actually...saying that all three seem to say 'OK, this is the last WO game, story's done, don't expect another' which I hope is absolutely untrue. Hell, I want an Empires version of this game. Think of the chaos you could have in the random scenarios...wait, I'm digressing majorly, anyway, a bit of a late part five, which I hope will give you an idea of what we're fighting with...literally.

By the way, I'm not putting down the accents for the weapons and such, but I don't know the shortcuts and...well, While it'd look good I'd be a while finding them.

Part 5

Equipment

so I had an idea of what I needed to do

which was a lot better then what I had before

hopefully finding Kai and Kunoichi would give me an idea of what was going on.

At the very least, we'd have an idea of the lay of the land

and where we stood...

I managed to get a soldier to escort me to the armory thankfully. Judging on how huge these individual levels are, I'd be lost without him around here. When I got in I came in to see Simon, his back to me, pulling on a black boot to go with his entirely light black clothing. Light as in...well, cloth. I wouldn't be surprised he had some armor under there, not a lot. He had a headscarf... thing on. I don't know what it's called but it's jet black, possibly good for blending in to the shadows. Ninja garb, what am I saying, of course it would be. He nodded a few times, clapping his hands together a few times before leaning forward. I looked around the room before he managed to address me, finding loads of weapons and armor from varying ages...well, Our China, Medieval times and Japan. Longswords, Katanas, great swords, no-dachi, crossbows, flails, you name it. Heck, this place had a selection of mails, from the three kingdoms, to the waring states to the hundred years war...and yes I do realise thats not in the right order historically.

"Didn't think I'd be doing anything like this again" he commented, flipping the cowl up over his head before standing up. I turned to him quickly, blinking "And now I find myself getting ready for anything in a world unfamiliar"

"It'll be alright buddy" I tell him, walking forward and putting my hand on his shoulder. "We'll survive...we always have"

"Easy for you to say" he spoke, walking forward a bit and turning to me. "So, do I pull off the Ninja look?"

"Like you were born for it" He scratches the back of his head, nodding a few times again.

"Well...I've got my blades ready...not my old long swords but still impressive" He bent down, pulling a pair of Katanas from behind an armor set. "Made more sense considering the situation, get in, cut em down and dodge if needed"

"Just be careful of the Muskets, alright" I told him, walking over to a different section. "Don't want you killed here"

"Wouldn't be the first time I've died"

"It won't be the last...and the last will be of age" I told him, grabbing a set of what appeared to be European armor, just with the leathers being black under the plate mail. This set had a bit missing just above the waist, so I'm guessing...flexibility? I don't know but I hope they still have my old spear and sword combo. Worked like a Charm back in China. "So, how are things with the others?"

"Derrick got his old weapon and armor back, Melissa found a pair of claws but went out with practically leather in...her own style. Sarah got a bow and is working on affixing blades to it, and is wearing a lot of leather...seems we've got an allergy to the heavy stuff with Derrick being the only one who has. Your new friend has a good sense of armor and weapons...hell, her samurai armor looks nice...Can't really say what her weapon is due to a lack of being able to pronounce it. It looks like a set of katanas but...well"

"It's a Katana and a Tanto you halfwit" I hear the woman in question speak, hearing her footsteps as she walked in. "I fight with two blades...not two No-Dachi like Miyamoto nor two...Ninja-tos like the ninjas. Works best to rip the enemy apart" OK, she's meant to be a female me? What happened to her to make her so...vulgar? I mean she seems like a nice girl but...wow, she can have a mouth a sailor would blush at at times. I know that I know a lot of her history but I don't know what the hell it could be.

"I'm not Japanese so how the hell would I know" He replies. At this point I'm out of my clothing aside from the lowest layer of things, right now I'm very thankful I'm not naked as I wouldn't be surprised that-

"OK, I'll give you credit, you've got more muscle then I thought" I turn to the entrence to my section, seeing the lass nodding in her armor. I didn't pay attention to detail due to my current situation, instead grabbing a plate and throwing it at her, watching her deftly dodge and stay back.

"Wait until I'm finished, then admire" I told her, hearing the plate crash and smash against a wall. It was a literal plate? Wow, didn't know they'd be in here...what are they for? Comedy sketch battles?

"Could'a just said" She replied, walking away.

"I don't know how things worked in Japan, but you leave people to get changed until they are done where I'm from" I heard Chiharu chuckle, then sit down on a bench.

"You're not in...Europe? That's what you call it right?"

"Well, England, France apparently, China...Europe's just the continent" Simon replied. I heard him put his Katanas on...somewhere on his person. Either the belt, his back or on his legs. Bets are on his legs.

"Right, anyway, you're not in Europe anymore. We wouldn't mind if people saw each other naked...well, the males anyway. I was among those who always had some sort of armor on, especially on my chest and thighs" by this point I had gotten my armor on, leaving my legs with just leather, a plate on my heart and my sword arm being free of any armor, giving me some sort of flexibility.

"I had heard a few...tales about the Samurai, mostly regarding the male among them"

"Yeah, I had heard in my time about a few of them being...kid-less for a reason"

"Should I even ask?"

"Don't...there are some crap moments I don't want to remember AT ALL" I could even hear her shudder at this part. "Though saying that, did get some nice moments"

"I don't even want to ask" I pulled on a plated gauntlet on my right hand, flexing my hand within as I did so.

"For what it's worth, Too much information for my liking" I chipped in, sighing. "Either way...guess you trusted one another" She laughed a bit at this.

"Don't know how much you guys depended on your allies back in your wars, but we would cover each others backs until the end, so we not only had to have a lot of trust in one another, but we had to have a reason other then 'he's my ally' to defend each other"

"That was enough reason for us...and we never did that sort of thing"

"Relax, we didn't do it that often" Which version of it? "You coming out of there anytime soon or should we assume you're too fashion conscious?"

I stepped out from my section, throwing my leather jacket back on as I stepped out, my jeans torn and flayed showing sections of the shining plate. My right arm was only covered by the leather of the jacket, my right plated and leathered. My chest had my shirt, not torn from not being made to contain plate mail, showing certain sections of the plate mail. As for my feet...had to get the old boots. Love them too much. I nodded a few times, flexing my arms and legs, getting used to fingerless gauntlets.

"It's a lot heavier then what I used to have...but I can deal with it" I told them, cracking my neck. I looked at the pair, nodding a few times. "How do I look?"

"A lot better then you did before putting it on" Simon told me, shaking his head. "You look like a knight who lost a fight with Nanman" oh ha ha.

"You look a mess..." Chiharu comment, putting a hand on her head. "Not only that but where's your family's Mon?"

"We don't exactly have them in China...I don't think they had the same thing in Europe" I told her stretching off. "Europe had emblems on your shield or pennon to tell who was who, due to the amount of armor the knights wore" you try telling people apart when they have a full visor helmet on. It's not the easiest thing. The Samurai had around the same thing with the Mon being unique to the clan with the armor being distinctive enough to tell each apart...depending on their station of course. Rank and file didn't matter.

I looked at our Samurai friend and found that she was in what I can only call Samurai gear. Her chest plate wasn't exactly what I expected it to be, comprised of the proper heavy chest plate they had but missing the upper chest section to show off some cleavage. Her arms had plenty of armor on, thick, I suppose steel plates in those oriental fashions with overlaying pieces every so often. Her lowers were a mix of the traditional mail with a sort of skirt if that makes sense. It was short, only going to her knees, with her boots have blades on them. She wore a sort of face...thing, like a steel frame around her face and looping around her head to hold it on. I don't know what the hell it's called. Her hair was cleaner then before, and definitely as tall as I remember it.

"If you're moaning about my lack of Mon or indeed emblem, where's yours?" I questioned, getting Simon to facepalm in response. "What?" he pointed to her back, Chifuna turning around and pointing to the emblem on her back...She got her name as the forgotten thunder for a reason, her back has a faded lightning bolt with the end circling up and around the bolt.

"I'm proud of who I am...but the enemy will only see me dishonor my clan when I fall upon their swords...and it hasn't happened yet"

"Nor will it as long as I have an idea on it" I punched my chest, then groaning as I felt the steel contracted on my skin. "Gonna have to get used to that"

"What are you doing for weapons? Can't go out there punching everything?" That's Su's job. I looked along the racks once more, nodding at one point.

"Well, the old girl, the crossbow" I grabbed it off the rack, a bigger model then the one I had back in China, but looked as easy to reload. I put the holder on my back, strapping it on and placing the crossbow over my back in it, placing the bolt quiver on my belt. "And maybe...go low tech for once...do the old school fighting" I grabbed a mid length spear off the rack, holding it in one hand and spinning it a bit, getting used to the weight in my hand, seeing the fur thing floating around as I did so. It felt light, and the tail...had a spike...and it didn't look appealing in any way shape or form. I grabbed a shield from the rack as well. One of those Heater shields you'd see in the movies. Wasn't actually that bad in terms of weight...easy to hold as well. Hell, just to add some weird sense of 'what the hell' the emblem on it is a mix of the English lions and the French...thing. What was it, a flower? Meh, who knows. Either way, the spear, in some weird thing I can't quite explain the existence of considering the age we're in, can retract, as I find out by accidentally pressing the button. That'll work nicely. Placing it on my back, I looked through the rack a bit more, finding a long sword and a greatsword, taking the pair and strapping them on.

"There we go...reckon I'm ready for the end of the world now" I joked, smiling at the pair of them.

"And more...you've got us as well remember" Simon commented, walking out. "Sarah and Derrick already know about Kai and Ina,. If you go now you'll catch up. I'm going to do some scouting" He disappeared as the ninja he used to be and now looks like. I shrug, looking to Chifuna. "Shall we?"

"Hell yes, I want to see you in action"