The inspiration for this story is "Untitled", by Simple Plan. In the original version at the Samurai 7 LJ community it had the song mixed in. It's no spoiler, I'm sure of that, and so far as I know, I just followed what was said in episodes 5 and 24. Hope you like it.

-- "The Work of One Hour" --

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I'm not sure exactly where I am right now.

A bright light, a terrible blast, that was the last thing I knew happened. I barely saw it, from where I stood, at the top of a hill. My whole troop, disappearing in a large flash of light. I'm the only one in that troop who wasn't there. I should have been.

It was the work of one hour, an hour I shall never forget for the rest of my life.

I'm a mechanic, for goodness' sakes! I'm no good with spying, I'm just good with, with, stuff that move! You see? So I don't understand why they chose me to check out the land areas just beyond our reach.

I told them I'd stay with the group. A lot of the land vehicles still needed fixing. But the regular guy was gunned down last night, and, for whatever reason, everybody said I was smart enough to replace him for the job. I told them, they're crazy! But they wouldn't listen.

They gave me the maps and the instructions. I took up a rice ball, a full canteen, a pen and a notebook, and went on my way.

I was relieved that the assignment wasn't as tough as it sounded the first time. I just checked the lay of the land, and the land wasn't too hilly or too steep. A good place for a new base of operations. And there's this place I found just a little deeper in that enemy fighters would find hard to penetrate. No wonder the regular guy liked this kind of work. It was exciting, and nobody bothered you. I sketched the location and its coordinates, plus a few key landmarks.

Just a few hours after they forced me to do reconnaissance, I had returned with more information than even the commander wanted. I was quite happy, and quite happy to go back to those land vehicles that needed a tune-up.

"Hey, you're back!" one of my fellow soldiers greeted me, at the far end of the camp, as I returned.

I grinned, proud that I managed to finish the job in one piece.

"So, what's the best route from our post?" he asked.

"Well, I think I should tell the commander first..." I said and scratched my head.

"Oh, I won't tell anyone else that you told me," he patted me on the back. "And besides, with me knowing, it'll be easier to help everyone get there faster, right?"

The reasoning was good, and I fell for it, hook, line, and sinker.

I pointed to the east, and showed him the landmarks I found. I even showed him the sketches I made, things I scribbled to help me remember the precise instructions I needed to give.

"See, I told you, you're good. And you're smarter than you think!" the fellow soldier complimented.

I ruffled my messy hair. I didn't know how else to react to such open flattery.

"But you're still not smart enough," he suddenly said, with a weird smirk on his face.

"Huh?"

"You're too nice, Hayashida. Too nice for your own good." He patted me on the back again, then walked away.

I did not understand why he said that. I only understood after the damage had been done.

I didn't think anymore about our conversation after that. I went to the commander and told him what I found. He said thank you and that I was very helpful, and started drafting the plans of attack for tomorrow.

Everybody was up and ready with the morning light, confident of victory. I was as chipper as everyone else. The guns were all fixed, the land vehicles were ready for anything. The whole troop was in good working order.

As usual, I took up the back of the troops, taking out whatever of the mechanical samurai were still left running after many rows of soldiers.

From the side of my left eye, I saw the soldier I talked to speeding in my direction. "Oi! Hayashida!" the soldier called out, running AWAY from the fighting. "Hurry, this way!"

"Are you crazy?" I gave a whack at a passing flyer.

"You're the one crazy if you don't come with me!" he pulled at my sleeve. "The enemy will be coming from behind, and if you don't follow me, you'll be obliterated with everyone else."

"WHAT!"

"I'm saving your life, you gearhead! A small favor for helping the enemy."

"Helping the enemy? But I--"

He shook his head at me, then gave an odd smile. "As I said, Hayashida. You're too nice. Now RUN!"

A succession of blasts from an overhead mechanical samurai made me do just that, run and run, in the direction he placed me in, farther and farther from the rest of the troop. But it was slowly sinking in that I had been duped, that there was a traitor in our midst, that our position and movements had been given to the enemy.

I had been duped! Me! I betrayed the troop!

I ran to the hill, to that spot where I said we would best be in for that night. I did not dare look back. I did not want any of them to see my face. I did not stop running until I reached the top of the hill.

Then I heard the explosion, and saw the blast.

I don't remember what happened next. I completely blacked out, I guess from the force of the explosion.

And I still don't know where I am right now. All I know is that I'm alone. And it's my fault.

I rub my eyes, and find myself in a tent, with a terrible headache and bandages on my arms. I raise my hands. All my fingers are there. I look down at my trunk and there is nothing wrong with it. I look further down, and am relieved to see both legs and feet and all my toes.

Life isn't fair. I should be dead, like everyone else. But no. Not only am I alive. I'm perfectly fine.

A woman passes by who carried in the bandages. She is glad to see me moving, and asks how I am feeling.

"The second unit, has there been any news of them?" I ask.

She shakes her head, and a tear falls down her cheek. "Wiped out with one hit."

I thought so.

"Why do you ask, o-samurai-sama?" she asks me.

"I am not a samurai," I correct her. "I am a mechanic."

Yes, I'm not a samurai. I'm a worthless excuse for a human being. I'm not even tough enough to drive a sword through my stomach and end it all. Because I'm too nice. I'm too nice.

But they don't have to know that about me, right? About being a traitor? They don't have to know, right? I can keep living, right? But, can I? And for how long? I don't know.

Maybe I can fool the world for the time being. I can smile like nothing bothers me. I can grin and make living every day just a little easier to bear. I would make everyone around me happy, like before, and maybe I could make myself happy that way. They would not know that I maybe I want out of this life -- I just don't have the guts to do it.

Maybe I can wait, until I find out why I was allowed to live. Until then...I'll live for the daily rice ball.

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Completed in roughly 2 hours. V Thank you for reading.