Fan Fiction ❯ Bushido ❯ The Mercenary ( Chapter 3 )

Chapter 3: The Mercenary

Oshima Masashi was not pleased when a servant ran in, interrupting his war strategy session.

"Dammit, Satou! I'm trying to calculate my army's next move!" he snarled as the young man stumbled in.

"I-I'm sorry, sir," Satou stammered, bowing quickly, "but Seiji wishes to seek your audience."

"What does that disgrace of a little brother want from me know?" Masashi grumbled.

"He wouldn't mention exactly, sir," replied the servant, "but he says it's important." The Oshima daimyo sighed.

"Very well, bring him in," he said, "but tell him he has ten minutes, tops."

"Yes, sir." The servant bowed again and left. Seiji stumbled in soon after, and Masashi rolled his eyes as the younger sibling sat down across from him.

"I hope you're at least sober this time," he growled, "you're cutting into my planning time."

"Gomen, niisan," replied Seiji automatically, not even bothering to tilt his head, "but I need you to take care of something for me."

"And what do I owe you?" Masashi barked.

"I have been shamed by another ronin." Seiji explained.

"So what?" retorted his elder. "You've already proven yourself to be a worthless bum. Kami-sama knows how many times you've dishonored the Oshima name…"

"But, brother, this is different--"

"How so?" the daimyo snapped back. "You know, Seiji, the only reason I let you go as a ronin instead of having you perform the Seppuku is that you're my brother. Anyone else would have had to disembowel themselves. Consider yourself lucky that you're a ronin."

But niisan," Seiji cut in, "this ronin humiliated me in front of other samurai, and later defeated me in battle and refused to kill."

"Too bad, it would've done everyone a favor." Masashi muttered.

"I'm serious!" Seiji whined. "He says he sees no point in killing in battle unless you need to. I think he doesn't live by the samurai code."

"And that makes him different? I know a few other ronin who seem to project the image that they don't live by the samurai code, either…" he cast a meaningful glance at his little brother, we sighed angrily.

"I still want him dead, Masashi! I won't rest until he's dead! I want his head brought to me and his corpse thrown into a river!" Masashi sighed as a small vein began to show on his forehead.

"Leave now, baka! Before I change my mind about ordering you to commit hara-kiri!"

"But--" he trailed.

"Baka!" Masashi growled, "You waste my precious time!"

"Wait!" Seiji held his hand up, remembering something, "The guy bore a sakura petal, and from the direction he was coming from, it looks like he was in the Yamana territory recently."

Masashi's eyes snapped to attention, "A sakura mon? You're sure?"

"Positive. I'm not sure where he is right now, but he was heading towards--"

"That Nakano brat is dead!" His elder brother snarled, pounding his fist on his table, "Idiot brother, rest assured that I shall see that this man's head is brought to the Oshima family on a pike!" Seiji blinked, surprised at Masashi's sudden change of attitude.

"I... arigatou, oniisama!"

"Now... GET OUT!"

"Yissir!" The younger sibling scampered out of the room as Oshima growled.

"No teenaged, inexperienced jerk will live to make a fool of me and my army... I'd better had go order my spies over for a new mission…."

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"T hat's definitely going to scar," said the doctor as he finished cleaning out Koichi's gash and reached over to some other supplies.

"So ka." Koichi muttered. The doctor came back over and began to wrap a long strip of bandage around the right side of Koichi's face.

"You've gotta keep this on for the remainder of the week," he told the ronin, "to avoid infection."

"I understand." Koichi stood up and gave the doctor a few Bu. " Doomo arigatou gozaimasu." With that and a bow, he left. As he walked through the streets, he overheard a gurgle of mixed conversations, only picking up a few words here and there.

"…That drunk? He-"

"Oshima-sama's sent a few-"

"Why would he bother-"

"…Be over soon-" Koichi blinked and stopped.

What's with all the gossip? He wondered before stepping in front of a peasant and bowing his head. "Excuse me, sir. But what is all the news about?"

"You don't know?" The man asked, too excited from the gossip to be surprised at a samurai being polite to him. "Rumor is our daimyo, Oshima-sama, just sent a spy out to the Tango province last night."

"Oh really?" Koichi cocked an eyebrow. Tango was his birthplace.

"Hai. Rumor has it that the shinobi is trying to find some info on a ronin. Maybe he's a rebel leader hiding out that Oshima-sama wants to assassinate, ne?" Koichi's lip twitched as he quickly forced a smile.

"Hai. It's probably that. Arigatou." He bowed and quickly continued on his way, keeping his head low. So Seiji didn't lie. His older brother is the Oshima daimyo. I'd best find my way out of his lands. I believe the Yamashiro province is still under Lord Oda's control. I think I'll head southward then.

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The shinobi returned quicker than Masashi had expected.

"You were only gone for a month!" the daimyo exclaimed. "Have you word about the ronin in question?" His spy bowed.

"Hai, my Lord," he said, "I managed to extract some useful information from one of Yamana's samurai."

"And what did you learn?" Oshima asked.

"This is indeed the former general, reduced to a ronin when you conquered the Yamana two months ago, Nakano Koichi. He is easily recognized by his hand guard and saya, both bearing a dragon upon them, and, of course, the sakura mon on his clothes."

"Anything else that would be of help?" inquired the daimyo.

"The only other information I could find was that this Koichi was last seen heading towards Wakasu. However, on my way back, I questioned your people in that province about him, and a few mentioned they recall a ronin like him, and he was headed south, towards Omi. Since he is traveling on foot, my best guess is that he is still in the region."

"Arigatou." Masashi nodded as a signal for the shinobi to leave, which he did. As the shoji slid closed behind him, Oshima smiled.

"Omi, huh? Well, I control that province, and I could easily send someone to follow this Nakano's trail and do away from him." He suddenly frowned. "I don't think I should waste one of my good men after losing so many..." He got up and slid open the entrance to talk to his guards. "Bring me Satoh Hideo. I wish to speak with him." The guard to the left nodded with a quick, "Hai!" and dashed off as the warrior to the right maintained his position.

The samurai soon returned with Oshima's retainer.

"You called for me, my Lord?" Hideo asked.

"Hai. Please, sit down." Satoh settled onto his knees on the tatami as Oshima did the same across from him.

"Satoh, first of all, are we good with our boundary defenses?" he asked his lesser, who blinked.

"Hai, sir, last time I checked…surely this isn't what you wanted to see me for, ne?"

"True, true…I may as well get to the point. You have checked recent ronin passing by the province, right?"

"Yes sir. All the accounts just came in this morning."

"By any chance, are there any mercenaries here in Wakasu up for hire? Any fairly decent ones?" Satoh thought for a moment.

"Well, there was Ishikawa Hiroshi. He was a fairly high rank in Oda's army when his general died in battle. He abandoned the clan after that. He's been up for hire ever since, wandering around the area. That's all I know, though."

"Bring him to me," Oshima ordered. "Tell him I have a job proposition."

"But…what for…?"

"Do you question my orders, Satoh?"

"N-no, sir!"

"Then don't bother me with useless questions! Just go!"

"Hai sir!"

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Ishikawa Hiroshi made an appearance in Masashi's quarter's not too long after.

"One of your servants said you wanted my services." He stated simply.

"Hai," Masashi replied, motioning for the ronin to take a seat. Hiroshi shook his head.

"Iie. I'm more comfortable standing." He said.

"Very well," the daimyo replied, slightly peeved at the man's rude informal attitude, but let it go.

"So, where is the battle going to be located?" Hiroshi asked.

"Battle?" Oshima blinked. "Oh, right…well, actually, I wish to hire you to rid this world of another ronin--"

"Kotowaru," the man of the Ishikawa clan interrupted, holding his hand up, "I am a mercenary, not an assassin. I join armies in return for money, not slay some single man for your own personal reasons. Hire a ninja to do that." He turned to leave.

"Chotto matte!" Masashi snapped, "I realize that, but you see, killing off this man is more of a little annoyance I need to deal with rather than some great foe that must be silenced, so, I'm not going to waste much of my forces getting rid of him. Even so, I promise to pay you well." Hiroshi stopped.

"How much?" he asked.

"75 Ryo in advance now, and another 200 after you get the job done," the daimyo replied.

"Make it 200 in advance an you've got a deal." The mercenary replied. Oshima bit his lip and pondered for a moment, then decided he had plenty of money to burn.

"Very well, 200 Ryo in advance." He tossed the visitor a bag of coins over. "Those were counted this afternoon. There should be 200 Ryo there."

"I'll trust your word on it…for now." Hiroshi said. "Now, where is this ronin you want me to kill?"

"His name is Nakano Koichi, and he was last seen traveling on foot towards Omi. He may still be there, but you must hurry if you are to catch up with him."

"Don't worry," Hiroshi grinned, "I always travel on horseback."

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"Only a day or two more until I'm out of Oshima's territory," Koichi reminded himself. "At least then I can regain some of my security…" the ronin looked up at the evening sky. "The sun's setting…better find a place to rest…"

A thunder of hooves sliced through the silence of the evening, and Koichi looked back to see a rider upon a horse dashing up behind him. The samurai leapt swiftly out of the steed's path just as the creature pounded past, his iron hooves crushing imprints into the dirt. The rider reared, pulling the horse's head back with him, causing the steed to skid to a halt. The man atop pulled on the reins again, silently ordering the horse to turn back. The animal quickly obeyed, breaking into a quick trot.

Koichi, after this short spectacle, returned to the road, his gait calm and casual, as if nothing had happened. As he passed the man and horse, he shot a quick glance out of the corner of his eyes, but was unable to distinguish any features, due to the rapidly diminishing light. The man stopped the trot and watched the ronin intently for a few moments, until turning around once again, softly leading his horse towards the young man. Shadows hide the ronin's crest from view, he observed. Trained as the mercenary's eyes were, he could not be sure if the katana sheathe bore an image of a dragon or a snake. He wasn't even sure there was any creature etched upon it at all.

When he was nearly step in step with Koichi, he started a query. "Oi, ojisan, what brings you down this lonely road?"

"I should ask the same of you," Koichi replied, "The night is awakening. Shouldn't you give that horse of yours a rest after a long day?"

"My trusty steed has high endurance," the man said, "but you, you are traveling on foot. Aren't you tired from travel?"

"I take occasional breaks during the hours the sun is in the sky," Koichi answered, "But I do plan on stopping for the night soon. I'm in no real hurry to go anywhere."

"You are a wanderer, then?" the stranger asked.

"Hai. Just a ronin, content on seeing as much of Japan as he can before he leaves this world," Koichi stated, turning around. "Well, I must be going. Don't wear out that steed of yours. Sayonara."

"Matta!" the man called out. Koichi looked back.

"Nani?"

"I was just curious…" trailed the rider, "Is that a dragon on your saya?"

"…Hai…" Koichi muttered, not sure what this had to do with anything.

"Mmm." Was all the man said as he studied the samurai's face carefully for a moment. Koichi shrugged and swung his head back around, his geta clacking and crunching against the hard soil.

"Nakano Koichi!" The man suddenly yelled. Koichi jerked his head back.

"Nande?! How'd you know--?!"

"Ha! Baka!" The man chirped, nonchalantly stepping off his horse. He pulled out a weapon from a holster attached to the steed's side.

A yari. Koichi realized with dread. Deadly weapons those are…but they're mainly used by foot soldiers...so then what's he doing here…? But the ronin answered himself as he questioned aloud, "Oshima sent you, didn't he?"

"Hai. He needed someone to get rid of an 'annoyance' as he put it." Koichi's hand gripped his katana.

"I have no quarrel with you, but if you attack with an intent to kill, I will defend myself." Koichi's katana was now clasped in both his hands, the blade gleaming in the rising moonlight.

"Well, for your sake, I hope you're as clever as people say you are." He stopped, some meters away from Koichi, lowering his spear and putting his body into an offensive-mode pose.

"Oh?"

"From the rumors I've heard, I'm sure Oshima will be quite happy to know you've been punished for the crippling of his army." Koichi readied himself for defense and offense, as he quickly contemplated a strategy.

"How'd you know it was me?"

"Spy information. The dragon was my first hint. After I saw your scar, I was nearly sure I had found you." The ronin blinked.

"How'd you find out about my scar?"

"I passed that Seiji on my way out. Drunk, as usual. I only managed to pick up 'Little bakayaro,' and 'at least I wounded his right eye,' in his slur. Someone asked what he meant, and he mentioned something along the lines of, 'That Nakano brat.' I used this info and assumed you would have a scar by now by your right eye. It seems I was correct." He twitched slightly, as did Koichi, ready to move.

"And it's a dead give away when you responded to your name so quickly…" the man grinned. Koichi mentally slapped himself for doing so. How could he be so careless?! The other warrior swung his yari above his head. "Enough worthless chatter! I, Ishikawa Hiroshi, shall drag you into the next world! Let's hope you're worth all this trouble, kid!" And with a battle cry, Hiroshi leapt up and towards Koichi.

The ronin was all too ready for the advance, and met his attacker with a block. Muddy brown eyes glared into midnight black ones as both men struggled to push the other back. Hiroshi proved to be the dominant one when it came to muscle, and sent Koichi stumbling backwards. The mercenary took his chance and gracefully swung the spearhead in a deadly curve at the younger man's stomach.

Though the younger and less experienced one, Koichi had enough skill to sense and dodge the attack just before it came, just barely saving himself from being disemboweled, the tip of the yari ripping a diagonal slit into his kimono. Koichi sighed inwardly. He did not have many other clothes to replaced ruined ones with, but right now his life was much more important. He countered Hiroshi's slash with one of his own, smacking the yari upwards abruptly, yanking the man's arms up with it, the grip on his weapon too tight to remove it from his grasp so easily.

Koichi was a kind and forgiving man by nature, but in the heat of battle, he was viscous and vengeful. The recent attempt on his stomach was still fresh in his mind, and Koichi promptly returned the favor by taking his own advantage, and kicked Hiroshi in the abdomen while the opponent's arms were still flung upwards.

The wooden sandals claimed the mercenary's breath momentarily as he crashed to the ground, gasping for air. Remembering that he was in the middle of a fight, Hiroshi leapt away, though still winded, as Koichi's katana barely missed his neck, instead slicing into his shoulder. The elder ronin was used to pain, however, and quickly dismissed it as his breath once again returned, resuming his fighting stance.

"Not bad," he wheezed, "but you've proven more inexperienced than I thought you'd be."

"Inexperienced? Not to be arrogant, but I'd suggest you not underestimate me." Koichi growled. The ex-general voiced no other response and instead charged forward, alerting his enemy that he was here to fight, not to talk anymore.

The ronin preferred talking things out rather than shed blood when it all came down to it. However, unless he had a large sum of money to offer Hiroshi, battle was the only chouce. This in mind, Koichi had no intention of wasting his breath on a battle that undoubtedly determined his survival of it or not.

Seiji was drunk when Koichi had fought him, so once he was relieved of his weapons, he was not a real threat. The man had resorted to badgering his brother for help, rather than doing something about it himself. Koichi did not want to slay Hiroshi any more than he had Seiji months before, but, if he didn't end this tonight, the opportunity may arise again, and Koichi didn't know if he would be able to win every time.

All these thought flashed through his mind as he flew with great agility barely above his opponent's. The elder man was indeed more skilled, and his various inflections of rips and scrapes on the ronin's clothes and skin shown as proof. Koichi did however, posses greater speed, though just barely, and had been able to give the mercenary a few painful gashes of his own. Hiroshi's spear had the advantage, but only if Koichi remained farther away. As long as they remained in close-ranged combat, he should be winning.

But he wasn't winning. Nor was Hiroshi. The ex soldier's superior skills were proving to be quite difficult to keep up with. Only a moment or two into the fight, and each man was exhausting himself. Hiroshi seemed to gain the upper hand again as he found an opening and kicked Koichi in the chest, sending him crashing into a tree trunk. Hiroshi smirked and came over before Koichi could have the chance to stand up again. He raised his yari to slay the teen, and would have done so, if his spear had not become entangled in the branches above them. Koichi, having recovered his strength, swung his feet, knocking the mercenary's feet out from under him.

He quickly pulled himself up before impaling Hiroshi's stomach with his katana. Hiroshi coughed and flinched, Koichi removing the blade from his bleeding abdomen.

"I-impressive, Nakano," the mercenary gurgled, blood seeping through his lips, "I am glad the kami let me die in battle, with honor." His eyes rolled back as he went limp. Koichi wiped his blade off and sheathed it, clapping his hands together and bowing at the waist.

"You were a strong warrior. It is a pity you had to use gold as the reason behind your blows. May your ext life be more prosperous." He pulled the dead warrior's spear from the tree, placing it into its owner's hands before slowly heading back onto the path. He started to continue his path when he heard a confused whinny behind him.

Koichi turned on his heel to see Hiroshi's bewildered horse, looking off in the general direction of his master. The ronin sighed.

"I guess the least I can do for the dead is to bring his steed to someone that will take care of it…" If he left it here, the creature was likely to die of starvation, or become prey to the many predators that roamed here. Koichi headed back towards the steed, and, taking its reins in his hand, quietly lead it down the path with him before finding a place to rest for the night.

Tomorrow he would find someone to sell or give the horse to. As he had no real need for a horse, preferring to travel on foot, it was the best thing for the creature. Yes, tomorrow he would do that, and try and sort things out in his mind. Things were just going to get more and more complicated, and he needed time to try and figure out what he would do next.

"Who ever said life was simple never met a samurai…" the ronin muttered to himself as he drifted off into sleep.

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"How could that bastard have killed him?!" Masashi growled.

"Well, sir, you did hire a foot soldier to kill an ex-general," the messenger replied.

"…Silence, you fool."

"H-hai, sir."

"Well, my mercenary is dead, and I'll have to send someone else to kill that Nakano brat."

"Ah..." The servant paused. "…Shall I request another list of more mercenaries?"

"No…better find a few of my men to do it this time," the daimyo said, "I'm not risking another failure right now. And bring me some saké, will you? I'm in the mood for alcohol."

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I know, I know…that ended kinda bad, but…I'm not good at closing things…okay, time for more explaining!

Kami/kami-sama- god(s)/spirits

Kanji- Writing system the Japanese adopted from the Chinese

Ryo - Money at the time (I finally did some research and solved the money problem. :p) So, here's how the currency back then went:

1 ryo = about 15g [main coin--like a Yen or dollar];

1 bu = 1/4 ryo

1 shu = 1/4 bu

1 shuchu = 1/2 shu

1 itome = 1/2 shuchu

1 koitome = 1/2 itome

1 koitomechu = 1/2 koitome

Shinobi - spy

Ne- "right?" (As in, "correct")

Tatami - bamboo mats

Iie - "No", although it's very rude to reply to an offer or question like this

Kotowaru - a refusal of sorts

Chotto matte - "Wait a minute!"

Saya - sword sheath

Ojisan - "grandfather", but when used to a non-relative, it means, "mister"

Geta - wooden sandals with two small platforms of sorts…used a lot when traveling

Yari - a special type of spear

Well….I think that's all…lemme know if I missed anything or if you're confused and want me to explain something