"Motonari-sama!" A soldier ran up to him. "The army is assembling at the halfway point."

"Good. I will be there shortly."

The soldier bowed and ran back the way he had come. Motonari turned and continued his circuit of the buildings stretching out on the water, with Shiranui padding beside him. He had spent a few days gathering the full force of his troops from all over Aki. Now they were converging on the road to Osaka, in preparation for the battle against the supernatural forces of the great serpent.

He was just here to make sure that his base in Itsukushima would have some defense in his absence. Checking on the small group of soldiers and archers garrisoned here, he then went around inspecting the solar mirrors.

His heart shivered with anticipation. Soon they would be back in Osaka. There was a face he wanted to see, a voice he wanted to hear.

Satisfied with the preparations, he turned to leave. Shiranui's ears pricked up and she growled as the whistling noise of something large something large flying towards them grew louder and louder.

Shiranui grabbed him and pulled him back just as a cannonball smashed into the walkway connecting their platform to the next. The force of the explosion knocked them to the ground. Debris flew everywhere and water rained down around them.

Who dared attack him here? It was not yet dawn and the poor light didn't help.

The wolf made a confused noise. Something large glided in from the sea, swelling bigger and bigger, until Motonari realized that it was a ship. Sailing up beside the platform, it blocked him off from any escape routes.

"Motonari-sama!"

Some of his soldiers rushed towards the broken walkway. The ship fired again and another cannonball crashed into the water, blowing them all away. Shiranui made a confused noise again.

"What?" he asked her. "What's bothering you?"

A familiar voice on the ship yelled orders to the crew. Cheering, men dropped out of the ship, ready to attack. His heart pounded in his chest. There was only one reason why this particular ship was attacking him.

Someone vaulted out of the ship and landed on the platform, backed by a group of riflemen.

"Weren't expecting this, were you, Mouri?"

Motonari stiffened. "Chousokabe. You have a lot of nerve. I suggest you leave now."

"Oh, I'll leave all right. After I crush you into the ground and appease all those men you murdered."

His eyes narrowed. "Who told you?"

"It doesn't matter, does it? I know now that you and Yoshitsugu were the ones behind the attack."

Motonari struggled to keep his face neutral. Had he already gone to Osaka? Did Mitsunari -

Motochika continued. "You almost made me turn on a friend. I bet you had a lot of fun stringing me along, didn't you? You lied to me and I believed you. It turns out that you never change. I'll do everyone a favour and destroy you before you destroy them."

Shiranui stepped in front of Motonari and snarled. You'll go through me first.

"Sorry, Wolfie. There's no other way." Motochika raised a hand.

"Shiranui!" Motonari cried.

Grasping his armour, she pulled him down behind her. Shots rang out and she let out a high-pitched yelp, but refused to budge.

He pounded at her side as they reloaded. "Stop this! They'll kill you!"

She didn't let go, snarling around a mouthful of armour. I won't let them do this to you! Lifting a foreleg, she stomped it down. It was the one with the bangle on it. If you die, Mitsunari will never forgive me!

Mitsunari.

He grabbed her shoulder and shook it. "Don't throw your life away here! Go and tell him!"

Shiranui hesitated.

"Go. I'll think of something."

She gazed at him. You'd better not die. With that, she let go and ran for the water, leaping high into the air and disappearing with a splash.

"Stop that wolf!" Motochika hollered.

The riflemen fired into the water. Shiranui surfaced, yelping, before the water churned under her and she disappeared. Motonari ran to the railing and strained to find her. Another barrage of bullets rushed past him, pelting the water.

"Shiranui!" he screamed.

Pleading, he waited. But she didn't resurface.

His face contorted and he whirled around, whipping off the ringblade. "Shoot me, then!"

The men took aim. Spinning the ringblade, a barrier glowed in front of him just as they opened fire. The bullets bounced straight back, and thuds echoed across the still waters as the men fell.

"Damn you!" Motochika's eye blazed. "All right, Mouri! Let me put you down myself!"

Motonari rushed at him, teeth bared. "Come on, then! I'll kill you for what you did!"

The two clashed, anchor and ringblade drawing sparks. Motonari no longer fought with his usual grace - every strike was fuelled by fury and he lashed out, all his strength behind each hit, wanting nothing but blood.

"You know what it's like now, don't you?" Motochika hissed. "To have something you hold dear taken from you?"

"Shut up! She was innocent and had nothing to do with this! You're a beast!"

"Ha, what's that? You say your wolf was innocent? So were all those good men you killed! And you call me a beast, you damn hypocrite?"

Shrieking in rage, Motonari swung at him. A puppy had just lost its mother. He would kill Motochika if it was the last thing he did.

They exchanged blows, each sometimes finding their mark. By now, Motonari's armour was ravaged from carelessness and he bled from numerous cuts. He pressed on, unrelenting, wanting nothing but Motochika's death to ease the anguish crushing him. In just one moment Shiranui had been taken from him. How would he explain this to Mitsunari? To Chibi?

He leaped back, intending to put down some traps, but Motochika read his intent, whipping the anchor at him. It gashed him deep in the waist. Crying out, he lost balance, tumbling to the ground.

Pain seared through him as he struggled to his feet. He knew now that he couldn't continue this for much longer. Motochika had the advantage of size and strength.

So this was it, then? He would just die here at the hands of this pirate?

I can't die, a part of him screamed. Mitsunari's image flashed through his mind. I can't die! Not here, not now!

Motochika lunged at him, and he pulled apart his ringblade and spun, catching the pirate in midair and sending him flying back. Then he limped over to the nearby pillar where a solar mirror sat. Dawn was just breaking and the mirror could not be activated yet. But he had an idea. He grasped the mirror's controls, adjusting its position until it pointed at the ship.

Then he hurled the ringblade skywards, and light glowed in its center as he focused energy into it.

"Chousokabe!" he shouted. "Take one step closer and you won't have a crew or a ship left!"

"You…!" Motochika's eye flashed. "You'll hit your own buildings! Your own men!"

Motonari returned a cold gaze of his own. "Do you think that matters to me?"

"You monster!"

"Pull your men back and get out. Then no one dies." He bit back the pain that the strain was causing him. "Do it quick. There's a limit to my concentration and I may let it fire."

"You'll just roast us after we're on the ship and I take my eyes off you. Do you think I'll fall for that?"

"Hmph. Without sunlight, it won't reach far enough to hit you. If the sun comes up, however, that will be a different story." Motonari jerked his head. "Get out!"

They stared hard at each other until finally Motochika spit onto the floor.

"You've done it this time, you bastard. I'll come for you again, and you won't get away from me."

There won't be a next time, Motonari thought bitterly. Not only do you have to deal with me, but you also have to deal with the full wrath of the Mouri and the Dark King.

Motochika yelled at his crew and they piled back onto the ship. He stayed nearby, just in case Motonari decided to try anything, but the latter kept his word.

As he watched the ship pull out and retreated, he realized that there was nothing stopping Motochika from firing a cannonball in his direction. It didn't come, but that had been a foolish mistake on his part. He was lucky that Motochika wanted to throttle the life from him personally. When the ship was just a speck on the horizon, Motonari stumbled against the pillar. His ringblade dropped from the sky, clattering against the ground.

He pressed a hand against the gash in his waist. Blood seeped out between his fingers and he sunk to the ground, trembling. It was becoming difficult to breathe.

I can't die, he repeated to himself. I can't die here…

Mitsunari, I just want to see you again…

The last of the strength ebbed from his body. He crumpled. Unable to keep his eyes open anymore, he let them close and the darkness swallowed him.

#

"Mitsunari? Are you listening to me?"

Mitsunari blinked.

Yoshitsugu sighed from where he floated at the other end of the large table in the map room. "Really, Mitsunari. You've been distracted these past few days, and you've been behaving strangely this morning."

"I didn't sleep well," Mitsunari said shortly. "And…I can't help feeling like there's something wrong. I wish I knew where, and what. I just know that there is danger."

"Ah, is this your intuition again?"

"I've told you before, it has never failed me."

His heart stirred again, compelling him to take his horse and ride straight to Itsukushima. He didn't know if it was because he yearned to see Motonari, or if it was related to his disturbed mood.

A soldier stumbled into the room. "Mitsunari-sama! It's your wolf! It's outside and we think it's begging to see you!"

Shiranui? But wasn't she with…

Itsukushima. Of course. It all made sense now. Mitsunari streaked out the door and to the courtyard, ignoring his complaining right leg which was still stitched.

Shiranui greeted him with a whine, and his eyes widened. Blood stained her fur in patches. It looked like gunshot wounds.

"Shiranui, what…" He swallowed. "What happened?

She grabbed his hand in her teeth, tugging and whining. His heart thudded in his chest. Something had happened in Itsukushima.

Motonari.

He cursed inwardly. A normal horse wouldn't get there fast enough - he could ride the youkai horse, but that came with its own risks, even if he was its master.

Making an exasperated noise, she grabbed him and with amazing strength, tossed him onto her back. He snatched a handful of her fur just before she took off at full speed, blazing out the courtyard and in the direction of the port. The jolting was horrific, even worse than on a horse, but they moved so fast that his eyes teared.

She veered off once they were close to shore, running uphill. They were heading straight towards a cliff.

He yanked her fur. "Shiranui, stop -"

They were airborne. He clung to her for dear life as they dropped down towards the water below. The waves stirred and shifted, forming a whirlpool under them.

Water filled his ears and eyes. The whirlpool spun them around and around, nearly making him sick. Squeezing his eyes shut, he hoped Shiranui knew what she was doing.

Their momentum reversed, the whirlpool spit them out, and they landed in the water with a splash. Grey clouds stretched across the sky and rain pelted them. Shiranui blew water from her nose and swam. Mitsunari wiped his eyes and when he looked up, the red arches of Itsukushima welcomed them.

"You -" he spluttered. "What the hell did you do? This is impossible!"

Shiranui didn't answer, her eyes focused straight ahead.

Just a few days ago, Mitsunari had been here at the base. Now, one side of the network of buildings was destroyed. From the damage, it looked like cannons had been involved. As Shiranui kept swimming, they passed by some corpses floating in the water, all of them from Motonari's forces. The survivors ran about helping the wounded.

He forced himself to scan the bodies, hoping, praying, that he wouldn't see a particular green helmet among them.

Shiranui swam for an isolated platform. The walkway connecting it to the main hub had been destroyed, along with a large chunk of the neighbouring platform. They reached the platform and the wolf climbed up. Mitsunari slid off her.

She made a whining noise. Motonari has to be here somewhere.

"Motonari!" he bellowed. "Answer me! Motonari!"

Shiranui put her nose to the floor and sniffed around. With a yelp, she ran over to a pillar, one with a solar mirror perched on top. Mitsunari followed and halted when he saw a familiar green shape on the floor.

Motonari lay there, his eyes closed. His armour had been wrecked by something large and sharp, and he was covered in blood. He wasn't moving, even though the rain continued to soak through his clothing.

Mitsunari stood there, frozen. His katana slipped from his grasp, his whole body shaking from resurfacing memories. That day. It was just like that day, with the rain and thunder.

"Motonari!" he screamed, falling to his knees beside him. He pulled the strategist into his arms, patting his cheek. It felt so cold. "Wake up! Please, just wake up!"

Motonari didn't react. Lowering his head and pressing his cheek against the strategist's nose, a warm puff of air touched his skin and he drew back, relieved. Shiranui whimpered beside him and padded away.

He had to get help. Just how long had Motonari been lying there in the cold, bleeding? Mitsunari would swim across the broken walkway if need be. When he turned around, the walkway was brand-new, as if the damage never happened. Shiranui glanced up at him with a grunt.

He shot her a sideways look before he hurried across. With Shiranui, such odd happenings were nothing new. Motonari's soldiers greeted him and took their leader's body, doing their best to bind up the more serious injuries. Still trembling from shock, Mitsunari watched, and his hand curled into a fist at the sight of the terrible gash carved into Motonari's waist.

The soldiers informed him that the rest of Motonari's forces had gathered on the road to Osaka to await their leader. They were just here to defend the base, and suggested that Mitsunari head to the road to send the soldiers on their way. Then they hurried to fetch a carriage to transport their leader. Mitsunari rode beside the carriage on a spare horse, and Shiranui kept pace with them, carrying the ringblade.

They met up with the soldiers and Mitsunari informed them of what had happened. One troop offered to go back to help and fortify the area, and Mitsunari let them go, hoping that Motonari would forgive him. They continued on to Osaka without stopping.

#

Once settled back in the castle, Mitsunari didn't leave Motonari's side. He sat there beside him in the guest room, waiting for him to wake up. Shiranui lay at the other end of the room, sporting a few bandages of her own and napping. Chibi stayed by her, worried.

Reaching out, he took Motonari's limp hand and squeezed it, searching for a reaction. Nothing.

He kept his vigil late into the night, refusing to sleep even when he started nodding off. Chibi padded over to him and put a paw on his leg, making a noise.

"Let me know if he wakes up," he mumbled, stretching out beside Motonari and shutting his eyes.

He didn't know if he slept at all. It felt like a few moments later when Chibi jumped up and down on his back. Someone was coughing weakly and he sat up. Motonari still lay there with his eyes closed, but he had shifted position.

"Motonari," he called, grasping his hand. "Are you awake?"

Opening his glazed eyes, the strategist blinked a few times and before staring at him in disbelief. "…Mitsunari?" His voice was weak.

"I'm here."

"Dreaming. I must be dreaming…" Motonari shut his eyes.

"You're at the castle. All your forces are here." The swordsman squeezed his hand. "Motonari, don't sleep yet. Do you remember what happened?"

"Not sleeping. Just tired." Motonari remained silent. Then his eyes flew open and he tried to sit up. "No…no, not Shiranui…Shiranui!" He hissed in pain as he jarred his injuries.

Reaching out, Mitsunari kept him down with a hand. "Don't move. You're badly hurt."

Tears welled up in Motonari's eyes. "Mitsunari…I'm so sorry…Shiranui, she…"

"She's all right," he said, touching the strategist's cheek. "Look, she's over there."

Motonari turned his head and breathed a sigh of relief when he saw her. Then he clutched Mitsunari's hand. "I'm so happy to see you."

"I thought I'd lost you."

With a weak smile, the strategist shut his eyes.

"Who did this to you?" Mitsunari asked.

"Tired. Want to sleep."

He ground his teeth. He didn't want to wait, but Motonari needed to rest. "Sleep then. I'm right here."

He settled down beside Motonari, who relaxed and fell asleep in moments. But anger pounded through his veins. He wanted to know who had done this. Motonari needed only to speak the name and he would go unleash his fury on the perpetrator, killing everyone in the way. He wanted to feel his katana bite through the flesh of a neck, to bring the head back as proof of revenge.

It was a while before he was calm enough to close his eyes, but even then the thoughts of bloodshed followed him into his sleep.