My eyes snapped open and I listened. A floorboard creaked, almost too silent to hear, and a breeze stirred in the room, blowing across my face. I didn't leave the window open, I thought, keeping my breathing deep and even. In the silence, I heard the whisper of a blade being unsheathed.

Closing me eyes slowly until they were barely cracked open, I watched until a tall silhouette emerged from the dark. They raised a knife above my head and brought it down hard.

My hand came up, grasping his wrist and stopping it midair. "Who are you," I demanded angrily.

"Someone who needs you to be dead," they hissed in a low voice. From their tone, I could tell it was a man and from the way they blended with the shadows and the way they dressed, I could also tell that it was a ninja. The voice was strangely familiar as well, but I couldn't quite place it.

He yanked his hand from my grasp and spun away, reaching into his kimono. I leapt up from my mat on the floor and looked for the katana I usually had next to me when I slept.

It was all the way across the floor, propped against the wall next to my would-be-assassin. My other weapons were hidden in various easy to access places around the room, but this man was a ninja, so I had to assume that he had training that was at least as good as mine, if not better. That meant that I wouldn't have time to get a weapon and the best thing I had was the set of shuriken underneath my sleeping mat.

In the few seconds that I had to assess my situation I realized a few things. First, I wasn't going to win this fight in this situation. My attacker was armed and the best I had were two shuriken if I could get to them before he killed me. Second, I could survive this fight, but only if I could get out of my room and someplace with weapons I could get to quickly. The last thing I realized was that this ninja was from the Iga clan. I'd finally given a name to the voice I'd recognized, and even though I knew without a shadow of a doubt who it was, I didn't want to believe he'd almost killed me.

"Tetsip-kun?" I asked.

"Hai, it is me," he whispered, pulling his hand out of his kimono. The blades of three shuriken flashed in the moonlight that emerged from behind a cloud to shine through the window on him.

"Why are you attacking me, Tetsip-kun? I'm your friend!" I was too stunned to fight back as he stalked closer. Is he really going to betray me? We had been so close before I left to fight Osamu and take over the Hojo clan, but now he seemed angry, and if he was angry enough to try to kill me then something was wrong.

"Why?" he asked quietly. "Because you left. You left and you promised you were going to stop Oda, but you didn't! You let Oda come and like the snake he is, he found out everything he needed to use against me. He'll kill my family if I don't kill you and I'm not going to let that happen. I'm sorry, Naoki-kun, but I have to do this."

"I can help you get them back, Tetsip-kun, you don't have to do anything for Oda. Even if you do what he says he'll probably kill them anyway, and you!"

"You don't think I don't know that! You don't think I haven't spent every waking moment trying to think of a way to get them out? There is no way to get them out and their best chance is me doing what Oda says."

"You were the one who never let go of hope, Tetsip-kun. You found the light in the dark tunnel and you made it through no matter what."

"That's what I'm doing now, Naoki-kun. Because right now, my light is killing you so my family can survive. I'm sorry." He threw the shuriken at me and they slammed into the wall as I flattened myself against the ground, barely avoiding them as they flew past.

"I'm not going to fight you, Tetsip-kun," I said, pushing myself up off the ground to face him. "You can do what you want to me and I wish you the best of luck with your family."

He looked at me, his face glowing in the moonlight, his eyes sad. "Goodbye, Naoki-kun," he whispered, leaving through the windown the way he came.

I watched him go, my heart aching for him. He had been the first one to greet me all those years ago when I'd sought refuge with the Iga clan. His happy spirit had been annoying at first, but he never did stop trying to befriend me and eventially he grew on me and after a while we became good friends, almost as close as brothers. When I'd left, I'd promised to come back and told him that if he ever needed me for anything he should send for me and I would come. It seemed so long ago now.

Forcing myself to move, I opened the door to the bedroom and crossed the hall to where Kyou slept and knocked on his wall. He opened his door moments later and gave me a sour look. "What are you interupting my sleep for?" he asked.

"Please, don't pretend you were sleeping Kyou. We both know you weren't. At least you weren't drinking sake this time."

He rolled his eyes. "What makes you think that?"

"Are you?"

"Hai, what did you think I would be doing after Oda's attack?"

"Drinking sake, that's why I came. Mind if I join you?" I pushed through the door without waiting for an answer and sat down on a mat in the middle of the floor. He joined me.

"Sure," he muttered. "But why are you in here? I've not known you long, but I distinctly recall you lecturing me about drowning my sorrows in sake."

"Well I was just attacked by the one person closer to me than Michi and Masaki. I'd say a little sake is well deserved right now."

"You were attacked? What happened to your attacker?" Kyou asked, handing me his extra bottle of sake.

"He left... I don't know why. He said he had to kill me to keep his family safe... That Oda had nearly destroyed the Iga clan. But he didn't stay to see it through and he didn't hurt me, so maybe he decided he couldn't do it," I replied. My head was starting to hurt, but I decided it was probably shock and downed a gulp of sake, hoping it might help. The room spun as I tipped my head up to drink and I shook my head to clear it.

"You don't look that great, Naoki-kun, and you're bleeding," Kyou said. "I think he hit get you..."

Feeling slightly woozy, I looked over at my shoulder. Blood was soaking through my shirt, but I was already too disoriented to think rationally. "It's just a scratch."

"From a ninja, if he's from the Iga clan. Just a scratch is all it takes, Naoki-kun. You need to see a healer," Kyou said, standing.

"I'm... fine," I said, attempting to stand and failing. My vision spun and I crashed to the floor again.

"I'll be back," Kyou said, exiting the room.

Reaching for the sake bottle again, I was surprised to see Tetsip come into view. He tossed a tiny vial on the ground and then left. Confused, I reached for it. My vision clouded and stabbing pain shot through my head.

With a moan, I rolled over onto my back, trying to ease the pain. The pain burned through me again and I curled up into a ball just before everything darkened and I blacked out.

***

I drifted in and out of conciousness, everything a blur when a woke up. My most clear moments happened when I was sleeping. Throughout the bouts of unconciousness, ideas drifted through my mind as I tried to find ways to fix the problems with the clan. My army was small and I couldn't go after Oda with just a small army. I needed a large army and some really, really good planning.

After besieging Matsunaga-jō I'd lost roughly two hundred men. Those losses were light, but I knew I could do better if I had a special groupd of rōnin to use for different tasks that normal soldiers couldn't do.

Ninja would be useful as well, but if the Iga clan was in hiding then they would be hard to find and I didn't want to seek out other ninjas before I had to. Rōnin would be easier to hire and there were always more hiding somewhere. Having been a rōnin myself, I knew at least two different places where they hung out but they were both at least two days away and neither place welcomed strangers, which meant I would have to go myself.

When I finally woke completely my head was pounding and my shoulder felt like it was on fire. Michi was sitting next to me, sharpening a knife. The sound of his wetstone being drawn across the blade made my head hurt more, but I ignored it and pushed myself up, despite the fire that shot through my entire arm when I moved.

"What happened, Michi-kun?"

"Your friend poisoned you. There was a vial of it next to you when you collapsed, though, so the healer was able to find an antidote. You were lucky, Naoki-kun. If that vial hadn't been there you would have died. As it is, it will be weeks before you've fully recovered. The poison worked quickly and it was shutting down your systems by the time the healer finally finished the antidote and gave it to you."

"Īe, I can't stay here for weeks! I need to find and hire rōnin," I argued, standing. My head spun and my vision blurred, forcing me to grab the wall for support. "It's important."

"Then send me or Masaki-kun," Michi said, steadying me and trying to get me to lie down again. "You can't go. The poison is still being purged from your system."

"I need to go, Michi-kun. You and Masaki-kun need to come too, but I have to go. I have to do something. I can't just sit here," I replied, pushing his hands away and forcing back a groan when pain shot through my shoulder. "And what did that healer do to my arm? It felt better before she used her antidote on me..."

"Naoki-kun, you could still die. If you go on a ridiculous quest to hire rōnin you might die from the poison. We still need you."

"I'll go mad if I lie around until you guys come back," I said, taking my katana from next to my bed and strapping it on despite the dizzyness that washed over me when I bent down. "You aren't changing my mind," I told Michi.

Letting out an exasperated sigh, he shook his head and headed for the door. "I'll tell Masaki-kun, then. Maybe he'll convince you..."

Ignroing him, I took a few steps forward, swaying dangerously each time I put my foot down. When I made it out the door I had to stop for a moment to try and let my head stop spinning. Then I continued down the corridor in the direction Michi had headed.

***

There was commotion at the gate when we were heading out, so I stopped to see what it was all about. When I saw Magoichi at the front gates trying to get in I decided to get in on the action. "Hey, what's going on?" I asked the guards.

"Magoichi-san showed up here asking to be let in. We were just escorting him out now."

Magoichi-san is the guy who used to be Kyou's friend, isn't he? It's about time they became friends again, and I'm sure that Magoichi-san could be helpful too... I should get them to let him in, I thought. "Let him pass."

The guard closest to me frowned. "But Daimyo Naoki, won't Daimyo Kyou be annoy?" he asked.

"Um... Īe... He... sent me out here to tell you to let him in," I said.

Michi tapped my shoulder. "Kyou will hate you forever," he whispered in my ear.

I gave him a sour look. "He'll get over it," I replied.

The guards shrugged and moved out of the way to let Magoichi in. He gave me a nod and walked past. Nodding back, I mounted my horse again and went to ride out of the castle. My vision began to spin again and I shook my head for a moment, waiting for it to clear.

One of the guards stepped in front of me. "Wait, Daimyo Naoki, where are you going?"

"I'm going out to hire some rōnin. I don't know when I'll be back, but it will be at least five or six days."

"Should we inform Daimyo Kyou?" he asked.

"Īe. If you did, he might try to stop me," I replied with a grin.

***

Normally I was an excellent horseman. As we rode through the forest on our quest to find rōnin, I felt more like a beginner who had never seen a horse in his life. My right arm was on fire, so I had to steer the horse with one hand in an attempt to limit movement. My head hurt and I was still dizzy, which made staying on the horse that much more difficult. And then there was the added bonus of Michi and Masaki continually asking me if I was going to make it or if we needed to turn back.

After an entire day of that, I was tempted to just end myself right then and there to escape from them.

"Are you sure you're okay, Naoki-kun, you look like you're getting worse," Masaki pointed out for the hundredth time. "We can head back if you need to."

"Īe! Itsu ishi kimi wa yameru? I told you I'm not going back! We're already a day out and it would be better to finish this anyway. Shinken ni!" I exploded.

Michi glanced back at me. "I think you asked one too many times, Masaki-kun," he said with a grin. "Even poisoned, Naoki-kun is still a force to be reckoned with."

Masaki shook his head. "Īe jōdan. Fine, I'll stop bothering you, Naoki-kun, but when you collapse just don't say I didn't warn you."

"Hai, but when I collapse I'm sure it will be a blessing in disguise. I won't have to listen to you two asking me if I'm well," I muttered. Michi's grin widened and I rolled my eyes, further dizzying myself.

"Really, though, Naoki-kun, you should at least take a break..." Masaki said after a moment of blessed silence.

"Īe! Shutoku suru sore surū kimi no atama! I can go just as long as either of you, so stop babying me!" They were seriously starting to become annoying, but I did have to admit that a break would be nice. To myself, not to them.

"Well I'd like a break," Michi said slowly. "So how about we take one anyway."

Finally. "Fine," I grumbled, getting down from the horse slowly so I wouldn't fall over. Masaki took the reins and tied to horses to a branch while Michi pulled out lunch and a vial of nasty looking green stuff.

He handed me the vial. "Here. This is the antidote. Drink it all. Hopefully you won't need another dose after this."

"Gross, this is what that healer gave me? No wonder I woke up feeling worse than when I collasped," I said, taking the vial and swirling the stuff around with a frown. "Do I have to drink this? It looks revolting?"

Michi nodded. "Yes, you have to drink it. And we aren't moving until you do, so hurry up."

Pulling the stopper from the vial I took an experimental sniff and gagged. "This stuff smells worse than it looks. Why can't medicine taste and smell good for once?"

"I think that would defeat the purpose. Stop being a baby and just drink it."

Resisting the urge to chuck the vial as far away as possible, I downed in a gulp and nearly threw it all up again. It tasted like a mixture of tree bark, sour apples, sake, and pee. "What was in that?" I asked, coughing.

Michi shrugged. "I'm not sure, really... Whatever counteracts the poison."

"Yeah, well it is some seriously nasty stuff."

Masaki came over and sat down, handing me a piece of dried meat. "Eat this. It should help get rid of the taste."

I ate it quickly and leaned back against a tree. My head felt clearer after drinking whatever had been in the vial and I nearly as dizzy, so I figured I was ready to move again. "Okay, let's go," I said once the twins finished eating. "I don't want to take any longer than I have to finding these rōnin."

***

The small tavern was full of rōnin and others looking to hire. I didn't recognize anyone when I walked in, but I did see someone who appeared to be doing business with a rōnin. He sat by the bar, talking to the man with words too quiet for me to hear over the rest of the racket going on around us. Michi and Masaki wandered off to find others to hire, but I was curious to find out who the other man was. He was no rōnin, which surprised me, because normally those who weren't rōnin had to do their business outside unless given special permission. This place was special and clearly whoever this man was, he had some interesting skills.

When the rōnin left, I sauntered over and sat next to him. "Who are you?" I asked.

He cocked his head to the side, examining me. "Who wants to know?"

"My name is Naoki and I'm curious as to how you got in here. Only rōnin are allowed inside and you clearly don't fit that category."

"I've heard of you, Naoki-san. You're the one who leads the Hojo clan now, hai? Not exactly a rōnin yourself. I am Hirotei."

"I assume you are here to hire a group of rōnin, Hirotei-san, so allow me to give you a piece of advice. Don't hire the ones who come to you. Hire the ones who sit back and wait for you to approach them. If you get the ones who are the most eager for a job, they could easily be turned against you for a better offer and often they are younger and less experianced."

Hirotei thought about that for a moment and then nodded. "Thank you, Naoki-san, I will keep that in mind."

Michi grabbed my arm from behind and yanked me away from Hirotei roughly, ripping open the cut on my shoulder and causing me a whole new bout of nausea and dizzyness. "We've got a bit of a problem," he said.

"Nani?" I asked, blinking and trying to clear my vision.

"Masaki met an old... 'friend'," he said.

Hirotei grinned. "This should be interesting," he commented.

Michi looked at him. "Who is this, exactly?"

"Hirotei-san, this is Michi-kun. Michi-kun, this is Hirotei-san. Now would you tell me what the problem is?"

"Um..."

A crash sounded behind us and everyone parted as someone flew past and slammed into the wall. "You want to go, Sadao? I'll fight you right here, that I will!" Masaki shouted, stalking towards the fallen man.

Sadao shook himself off and stood, his face red with anger. "Hai. I accept your challenge, Masaki. Lay down your weapons and face me like a man!"

A sigh of frustration escaped me. Masaki was usually level-headed, but I'd seen him when he was angry and I already knew this wasn't going to end well.

Masaki unbuckled his katana and set it on a table, adding his knives to it as well. Sadao did the same and the people in the room moved to make a circle for them to fight in. Masaki didn't wait for Sadao to be ready, he charged, jumping towards Sadao and unleashing a high front kick that caught him right under the jaw. Sadao stumbled back a step and then moved forward, only to be caught by a strong uppercut that slammed into his jaw as well.

Sadao managed to avoid the sweeping kick that was untended to knock him over and countered with a spinning side kick that caught Masaki in the stomach. He flew backwards and landed on his back. Sadao jumped up and landed on him, slamming a punch into his jaw. Masaki bucked him off and kicked him backwards, vaulting up off the floor, ready to attack again. His face blazed with anger as he glared Sadao down.

I stood, deciding that I'd had enough. "Yamaru, Masaki-kun, Sadao-san," I yelled, stepping out to stop the fight. Sadao powered by me, slamming his shoulder into me and throwing me into Michi. My head slammed into the wall. Okay, that failed, I thought as my vision darkened and I blacked out.

[