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Hikiji Ito was not a fighting my by trade or by nature. He had used his sword only once in a duel when he was very young. He lost. However his opponent had over extended and the sword cut wasn't sufficient to kill Ito. But it was enough for the man to forgo any further desire to test his skills. Moreover the Shogun's peace had discouraged him to enhance his knowledge of any military matters as well. Ito was far more interested in profit rather than adhering to the code of Bushido. But in the span of a few weeks he found himself at the head of an army. When Yasuhira declared war on Masamune, most of the clan nobles flocked to his side. Ito was one of the few that didn't. As a result, the Shadow Lord gave him command of one of his regiments. Ito it seemed was one of the few men Masamune could trust with his scant resources and not deliver them to his son. Unfortunately his military skills were lacking, to say the least. At best his orders were vague. At worst they were incoherent or contradictory. His men were being led from pillar to post without knowing where the next battle would be or if they could even win it. Desertions were becoming common. Their grumbling could be heard two valleys over.
Kenichi heard them. He had been watching their camp for two days, studying their routine and ascertaining their full strength. He had under his command a company of crack soldiers. They were cavalrymen, hardened by weeks in the saddle and victorious in several pitched battles. Kenichi smiled. They would strike at dawn. Right before first light. Their pickets were getting lazy and slept on duty often. His men were ready. Kenichi was ready. The man was enjoying himself. He wasn't a fighting man by trade either. He had missed the wars between Mifune and Hikiji. But he had fought off his fair share of bandits and drew his sword on several occasions in his own defence. Giving orders came natural to him and commanding men in the field had lifted his spirits like nothing else in his life. And to be on the winning side of the war was certainly a bonus. Yasuhira was a commander worth following. He went to his own camp to brief his officers and hammer out their plan of attack. Even though they were outnumbered at least two-to-one, Kenichi and his men were confident their skill more than made up for that deficit. The morning could not come soon enough.
When it did Kenichi and his cavalry roared into the camp. They killed the sleeping pickets where they stood. They speared those men that scrambled out of their tents and cut down those others that managed to make some sort of counter attack. But the horsemen were moving too quickly. The weight of their attack was too heavy. So many fled toward the tree line hard by. As a group rushed the trees, shots rang out. They fell like leaves. With that another squadron of cavalry rushed from their hiding place to enter the fray. The musket-men were close behind, firing and reloading as they went. In a few scant minutes the battle was over. Those men that were left surrendered, including Ito, who was still in his night-clothes and didn't even have his sword. Kenichi found him quickly.
"Take Ito to our lord," An officer did just that; Kenichi turned to another, "Allow the Officers to commit seppuku if they prefer. If not, take them as well. The regular troops are not to be harmed."
