Samurai: Asai Kyou

Battle Task #5

"He's doing what?" Kyou whirled to face Hiroshi-kun.

His younger brother eyed his hands nervously. "Kyou-kun... Onegeishimasu! Yameru! You're going to hit someone with those things."

Absentmindedly, Kyou looked down at the neko-te on his hands. They seemed to glow red in the dying sunlight as the light danced off the blood-soaked blades. He'd decided that he wanted to get his hands dirty in this skirmish, so the neko-te and tekko-kagi had come out of the woodworks, so to speak. He huffed and lowered his hands to his sides. "They aren't poisoned. It's not as though it's that big of a danger. Not if you stay out of the way."

Hiroshi-kun grimaced. "I shouldn't have to worry about tiptoeing around you like our sister now does."

Kyou glared at him. "She's in love with a scoundrel, Hiroshi-kun. I can't allow her to go running amok with that cretin. Akuma!"

"Well... You didn't hear his side of the story, Kyou-kun! Perhaps they lied to you? Oda is exactly the sort of person that would do that, that he is."

A huff escaped Kyou as he tried to calm down. His brother's nervous tick was coming through now; he didn't speak with that odd turn of words often, but when he did, Kyou always knew he was extremely uncomfortable. "Do I need to? He never tried to explain."

"Yes, he did... He came to our castle multiple times after you kicked him out seeking an audience, that he did!"

"Did he?" Kyou pretended to be extremely focused on the shiny metal claws covering his hands. "I didn't realize..."

"He probably wouldn't be here if you had... That he wouldn't..." Hiroshi-kun muttered.

Kyou shot him a glare, but didn't say more on the topic. "So... Mitsuhide-san has turned on Oda-san?"

Hiroshi-kun paled in the brilliant rays of dying sunshine. "W-well... T-that's what I s-saw e-earlier..."

"Who joined Oda-san's armies? I assume they're on their way here if they know about our encampment. He's already been sending small scouting parties."

"Well..." Hiroshi-kun shifted from left to right, biting his lip. "L-last I heard, the Asakura finally fell to his hordes. Their men either died or joined him. Takeda-san's forces were overwhelmed. T-their old leader died, and his cousin took over. At least, that's what I've heard."

"Quit stuttering," Kyou snapped. "It's little wonder they were overwhelmed. There was a good reason why Takeda Jyubei-san was in charge," he grumbled. "His cousin wasn't the least bit fit to rule a clan."

Hiroshi-kun wrinkled his nose. "Ie, futekito."

"Hai... Sodesu ne! Demo... Go back to what you were saying about Mitsuhide-san!"

Hiroshi-kun sidled back, frowning. "I don't know much, but it seems that Naoki-san and Mitsuhide-san are both attacking Oda-san."

"Nani! Nande?" Kyou's eyes widened. "Does Hojo-san seek to have the throne for himself? He truly was a greater liar than I thought!"

"Kyou-kun..." Hiroshi-kun bit his lip and swayed slightly. "You shouldn't jump to conclusions."

"Whatever," Kyou waved the concern away, and his brother backed off, narrowly avoiding a whack in the head from the blunt side of Kyou's neko-te.

"Demo, Kyou-kun... Nande shimashou?"

"Nani mo! Let them come to us if they dare," Kyou growled. "It'll be to their detriment."