Ten Things I Hate About Mitsuhide

Chapter 29: Girl Talk

As the splash from the cannonball rippled out in circles, rocking our boat, I risked standing up to scan the water's surface looking for something, some sign, proof of life, I guess.

How long could Mitsuhide hold his breath, if that was what he was doing?

What if that blast had knocked him out?

Maybe he was even now sinking deeper and deeper?

Before I second guessed myself, I prepared to dive in, even though my swimming skills would not be strong enough to find him in time, but Kyubei had made the same decision, and made it faster.

He thrust the crossbow into my hands and tore off his clothing-

As right next to us, a geyser of water and Mitsuhide erupted out of the ocean. He took a deep gasping gulp of air. Casually, he folded his arms on the side of the boat, looking like a Sengoku era Kilroy, and into our silence said, "Kyubei? Where are your clothes?

Relief warred with an urge to-

"Far be it from me to point out the obvious, Kaya, but the Mouri ship is over there, and not in the middle of my forehead. May I gently suggest you point that weapon... that way." He gestured to a point over my shoulder.

For one moment, I entertained a rather murderous thought and kept the weapon where I was aiming it for an extra long pause before I returned the crossbow to Kyubei, who had quickly thrown his haori back on. "It's a wonder none of your friends have murdered you yet." I'd addressed it half to Mitsuhide and half to Hideyoshi, who was still sputtering outraged syllables.

"I've often wondered the same about you." Mitsuhide slid into the boat with athletic grace, and then elegantly knocked some water out of his ears.

"Oh that's easy enough. I don't have any friends," I tossed it out there without thinking, although I suppose it's more or less the truth. Unless you counted Sasuke, who was currently five hundred years in the future (right - Mai and I still needed to compare notes once we got out of this situation). Anyway, now wasn't the time to dwell on my friendless state. The immediate danger of the Mouri's rowboat had passed, but we were still stuck in the lagoon, with a pirate ship blocking our exit.

The morning sun soon revealed that our state had become even more precarious, illuminating the Mouri soldiers who were waiting for us on the shore. Well, since we'd – I'd – burned down their fort, they'd probably be a lovely welcoming committee should we decide to take our chances on swimming back to the island. I doubted they'd be greeting us with a plate of cookies.

Mitsuhide seemed supremely unconcerned by any of that. He'd pulled his clothes back on, though the fabric clung damply to his wet body. I looked away. It wasn't worth dwelling on. As if nothing major had interrupted the morning, he asked Mai and Hideyoshi if they managed to get any rest.

"Until your pre-dawn swim, I did." Hideyoshi's response was a growl, the 'you self-sacrifical ass' went unspoken but was still broadcast loud and clear.

After a quick glance at the position of the sun, Mitsuhide scanned the horizon to the north, and nodded as something large and dark glided into sight. Many somethings. "Perfectly on time," Mitsuhide turned to Hideyoshi. "After all your lectures, is it not gratifying to know that Masamune can be prompt when it's absolutely necessary?"

The long dark thing separated into a line of iron hulled warships. The Oda fleet of atakebune. It was obvious that Motanari's single Portuguese vessel was outgunned. Hideyoshi easily flipped into tactical mode as he gazed at the approaching reinforcements. "What happened to the Mouri navy?"