This was created because of a dare from CalReflector for a story based on a theme he gave. I hope you like it, sir. Constructed during the finals season. (Some of my better ideas were formulated during exam weeks, with all that caffeine and adrenalin going through me needing an outlet.)

A few disclaimers. S7 will never be mine. I only own an S7 fansite. I like Kyuzo only to the same degree I like Kanbei-sama. I apologize, but I warn that in this story I shall be cruel to the Red Jacket. I am an incurable Heihachi fan (it's called "the episode 25 syndrome"), and I also like Roji-san a lot. Just so you all know where I stand.

The events in this story occur roughly around episode 11.

……………………………

The sun had risen on Kanna village.

Shimada Kanbei was already awake. So were his right and left-hand men. They were waiting for their chief informant, who was running a bit late already. The informant had promised to be back before sunrise. The leader of the group of seven was starting to get worried. He tried to keep himself occupied by opening up the map of the village and thinking once again about where to best place fortifications. The right hand took up a post in front of the hut and took out his binoculars. The left hand posted himself at the back of the hut with a rice ball.

Both eventually found the informant walking slowly through the center path. He was….strolling…looking up at the blue sky and at the green fields as he walked closer to Gisaku's hut. He approached one of the men, and bowed to him with a strange, glad smile. "Good morning. I have returned."

"Looks that way," Gorobei grinned back. "Let's go in, Kyuzo-dono."

The three samurai entered the hut, and sat round the map Kanbei had on the floor. "What news?" he asked.

"Well, the footpath to Gisaku's hut is quite a scenic route," Kyuzo replied. "I have not seen a place so picturesque as this since a few years ago. I also found that there are plenty of wonderful songbirds in the forest here..."

"Kyuzo-dono?" Gorobei interrupted. "What about your mission?"

"Let's see….A general evaluation of the area around the village and the fields, I think it was…"

"Yes….what did you find?"

"Is that what you want to know?"

"YES!" Gorobei was getting exasperated.

"Oh. My apologies," the yellow-haired samurai said, very chipper, and began pointing at the map. "It's likely that the main force will come from the west through the bridge, and then another group would be coming from the north. I recommend that the crossbow be placed facing the bridge, where it can be hidden at least at ground level by the trees near the cliff. The effective distance between the cliff, the end of the bridge, to the most likely target is 5 miles, at least. The gearhead would be wise to compute for that length. As for the fortifications. From my vantage point the ones being built to the east are sufficient, but the ones to the north and west have to be strengthened even more. That would be all."

"Impressive, Kyuzo," Kanbei said with a short nod. "We'll take what you said into consideration."

The other two samurai with him did not know what to think. A whole paragraph out of KYUZO?

The samurai in the red trenchcoat bowed.

And smiled.

"Now, I swear, something is wrong…." Shichiroji whispered to Gorobei. The other sweatdropped but agreed.

"Did you encounter any problems?" Kanbei asked.

Another ranting paragraph, from a man who does not rant. "I think they're underestimating our capabilities. There is still no clear sign of the enemy yet. Nonetheless, I have encountered a few spies sent in advance to check what they have been doing. I have dealt with almost all of them, though. One of them got away before I could reach him. It was a shame…."

This, even Kanbei noticed was unusual. "Thank you, you have done more than enough," he said. "Go and rest."

"I shall be alright," Kyuzo replied. "I think I'll go….take a walk for a while…." And he did walk out, in mid-sentence.

The three samurai looked at each other.

…………………………

The samurai in red who always ignored everyone else, was now bowing to anyone he passed, greeting them good morning. Kanna village had noticed the sudden change.

He ran into Kirara in the village square with the other young women. He stopped for a moment in front of her, and the cheerful gossip among the assembled group suddenly stopped as well.

"It is good to see you laughing and enjoying yourself," he said with a bow. "You look prettier that way."

Kirara felt her face grow as red as the man's trenchcoat, while she said, "Um, thank you, Kyuzo-sama."

He continued walking past the young ladies like nothing happened. The girls were now nudging and teasing Kirara.

At a rather deserted area just beyond the houses, Katsushiro was practicing his drills, and placing all of his fiery energy into his swings.

"You're doing it wrong," he interrupted.

"Oh, Kyuzo-dono!" the boy greeted him with a bow. "But what do you mean, I am doing it wrong?"

He came closer, and felt Katsushiro's grip on the sword. "As I thought. Your grip is too tight. The sword cannot move as quickly that way. Loosen your hold a bit, and let your wrist move a bit more."

As Kyuzo looked on, Katsushiro relaxed his hold a bit as he continued his drills. The young man did notice that his swings were now smoother than earlier. "Awesome! Thank you so much, Kyuzo-dono!"

"My pleasure," then he went on, again, like nothing happened.

He walked a little deeper into the woods, and saw Kikuchiyo practicing drills as well with his large sword. In frustration at a missed set of swings, the mecha samurai activated the chainsaw mechanism of the sword and swung at a tree, felling it.

He walked closer until he was only two feet away from Kikuchiyo, and looked up at the large, heavy sword. Just stared at it with a slightly open mouth.

"What are YOU looking at?" Kikuchiyo puffed.

"Impressive," he said.

"What is?"

"The sword. A combination of sharp cutting edge and a chainsaw. The first time I have fully observed it. The maintenance of the instrument is quite fine as well."

Of course the mecha samurai was elated. "I knew it. You have good taste!"

"Always have," the samurai in the trenchcoat grinned slightly before walking off again.

………………………………………………

By that afternoon, the whole village and all six samurai were wondering among themselves what was happening to Kyuzo. Was it something he ate or drank? Was it someone he met that night during the mission? Most importantly: Was he staying like this, for good?

Heihachi spent the early afternoon with Shichiroji, at the north end of the village. They planned where to place cranes and carriers. The taller samurai explained that he would need this much cargo hauled around, while the smaller one listened and drew up calculations and drafts.

It was during their walk around the clearing when they both noticed Kyuzo walk by through the middle of the clearing. He looked around the area, then up at the sky, then down at the trees below the hill.

Heihachi had been told about the red samurai's suggestions that morning, and ran to him. "Ah, Kyuzo-dono!" he called out. "I was told you had a few things to say about the crossbow?"

"Good day to you," Kyuzo bowed slightly and kept walking.

The mechanic caught up with him. "Yes, good day as well, now about the crossbow?"

"Nice weather we are having," the yellow-haired samurai replied and continued walking away, as if he had not seen the shorter samurai. He walked on beyond the clearing back in the direction of the village square.

Shichiroji came closer to Heihachi. "He's been like that all day, greeting everyone, even smiling. Highly unusual, but I'm glad he's starting to be friendlier."

"Something is not right," Heihachi rubbed his chin.

"Of course, something isn't right!" Shichiroji patted him on the back. "Kyuzo-dono is acting like a normal human being! Why are you complaining?"

"No, no, Shichi-san, you don't get it," the redhaired samurai said. "Look at his eyes."

The blonde one did, and scratched his head. "So?"

"They're glassy, blank, spacey, don't you see, Shichi-san? Kyuzo-dono is always focused, calculating, yes? But not right now."

Shichiroji looked again. The mechanic was right. Their associate in the red trenchcoat seemed like he was walking on air. "So, then…."

Heihachi frowned and looked down at the ground for a few moments. When he looked up again, his eyes were fierce. "Find the girls for me." He clenched his teeth.

"Pardon?"

The mechanic was very frightening to behold now. "Get me Kirara and Komachi!"

"Oi, oi, what in the world got into YOU?" Shichiroji asked and tried to pat him again to calm down. "And here you're telling me about Kyuzo…."

"Shichi-san, don't argue with me. Get me Kirara and Komachi!"

"Fine, fine, I'm going!" and Shichiroji began to stroll away as he scratched his head.

"Step on it!" the other snapped.

"Yes, sir," Shichiroji drawled, but did start running. "Sheesh…."

The blonde samurai took half an hour to round up Kirara from the priestess' house, and Komachi with Okara and Kikuchiyo from Rikichi's house. All of them found Heihachi seated in the same place Shichiroji left him, sketching furiously.

"Too slow, Shichi-san, too slow!" Heihachi complained as he looked up at them.

"WHAT? Do you think Komachi is easy to find?" Shichiroji griped, almost ready to punch the mechanic into the next day.

"Alright, you two, what in the world is this about?" Kikuchiyo interrupted.

Heihachi tore out the paper he was sketching on and thrust it at Komachi. "Do you have this plant here?"

The little girl peered at the drawing. "Hai, desu, in those woods."

The mechanic looked at Kirara. "How much of this plant is needed for a decoction?"

Kirara was still confused. "Well, it depends…."

"How much? Hurry!"

"Two bunches should be enough, but why?"

Heihachi glared at everyone surrounding him. "Kirara-dono, go get whatever you need to make a decoction, and go to Gisaku-dono's house." He pointed at the little girls and Kikuchiyo, as he gave Komachi the paper. "You three get as much as you can of this. Then go to Gisaku-dono's house. You all have to be there in less than an hour. Get going!"

All four people gave a collective "Huh?".

The mechanic was close to exploding at them. "No time to explain! GO!"

So they went.

That left Shichiroji with Heihachi. "Now, sir, could you please explain what has gotten into you?"

Heihachi was not listening, hastily sketching something else. He then showed it to Shichiroji. The picture was of a small dart, even smaller than the one found on Katsushiro a few weeks earlier. "Pin down Kyuzo-dono. I don't care how you do it. And find this thing."

"Pin down Kyuzo! Go against those 2 swords? Are you crazy?"

"Do you want him dead?" he snarled.

"No, of course not!"

"Then get going!"

………………………………………

Thank you for reading. Please proceed to chapter 2.