Fallen swords   von Yaten
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A loud bang resonated as Masamune Date pulled the trigger of his gun, the hat of
the soldier before him breaking appart into two parts, the dead body falling
backwards, sword clattering to the ground, eyes still wide in surprise.
Many would call Masamune's head-on charge on the castle, holding his mother and
brother, foolish and hot-heated.
The poison was still running rampant in his blood. Only the night before had his
very own flesh and blood, the person giving birth to him, attempted to take his
live.
When he'd realized it, he'd been furious. How DARE she stab him in the back like
that! HE was the one making the Date clan big. HIM.
Not his brother.

His retainers had been instantly at his side, still that woman and the other
traitor somehow managed to escape with the help of some of their own loyal
followers.
They had all found their dead, their blood still splattered over the ground of
his castle.
Foolish. The whole lot of them.
He had been asked to rest, to wait until the poison was less lethal, but he'd
ignored that. He wouldn't allow them to escape, to endanger what he'd built up.
They'd either have to surrender, accept their place and punishment, or find
peace in death.
His one eye seemed to be burning his opponents with intense rage.
A rage that came from the pain of the poison... and from the deep wound left by
betrayal.

Of course he'd been aware, that his mother still somehow considered him inferior
and unfit as ruler, just because he'd only one eye. He'd also known that she'd
shown obvious favor to the younger one and wished for him to take over the
clan.
But...
But... he'd worked so hard. Had done everything he could, hoping she'd see how
wrong she was. Hoping to find her approval again.
Despite their differences, he hadn't even considered once, that she'd make a
move like this. A move, that could cause the whole structure, that made up their
clan, to crumble.
He'd been looking forward to that dinner like nothing else before, hoping that
finally, FINALLY his mother would see reason.
Another body felt as the blade of his sword was stained with more blood.
These people really intended to stop him?
"Morons.", he hissed to himself, before breaking into a sprint, taking down a
few more soldiers left and right.

A bit later he made wood splinter under a final kick of his boot. Inside a group
of soldiers stood before his brother, who'd taken up the sword himself.
"You really dare standing against me?", he asked haughtly, looking down onto
them despite being smaller in size than most.
"The head position of the Date clan belongs to ME!", his brother, Kojiro
hollered. "Not some cripple like you!"
"Hn. Pretty pathetic for someone's dying words... Oh well, whatever...",
Masamune shrugged and headed straight for them.
He didn't even needed to lift his own weapons as the retainers felt over left
and right.
"W-why?!... You coward!!!", the younger Date cried out, actually taking a step
back.

"Coward? You dare calling ME a coward? YOU, who need our own MOTHER to POISON
me? Heh.... Now that's a bad joke if I ever heard one. Your retainers are down,
they died for you, just like mine would do for me... This fight, however, will
just be between you and me, my 'dear' brother. Lift your blade and face me! Show
the spirit of a warrior and fight for those that would fight for you!"
The rant was all the time he gave the other one to prepare.
The moment the last word was spoken, he went straight at him, bloodied blade
glinting in the light.
At least this time Kojiro managed to prove that all the hours he'd spent
training weren't just to make him look good, but actually had made him capable
of putting up a decend fight.
Still Masamune could only mentally shake his head at the other's lack of
finesse. And their mother had wanted THIS ONE to rule? He, who hadn't even
managed to put up a proper defense of the castle he had retreated to?

"Pathetic.", he mumbled, while side-stepping a blow, kicking the other in the
stomach and watching him stumble and stagger, almost hitting the floor but
managing to steady himself.
He could have taken the other's head three times already, but had refrained from
doing so so far.
"You really are... PATHETIC!", he suddenly roared.
The move was straight forward and the other SHOULD have been able to block it,
had he not been so stunned by Masamune's sudden raise in voice.
Neatly the blade slid into the chest and back out on the back.
Stupified the younger sibling looked down onto the sword stuck in him, then
looked back up at his brother, his mouth opening to say something, but only
blood spilled out.
The sword felt to the ground and the body sagged, Masamune taking a step back
and pulling his weapon out as he did so, avoiding the body falling on top of
him.

Kojiro was not dead yet, that he knew, but it was only a matter of time.
Flickering the blade, he made most of the blood land on the floor before he
sheated it.
"Sayonara, foolish brother.", he mumbled, before turning his back towards the
youth, ignoring the hand that reached out for him.
A large figure stepped up as he neared the door, shadow shrouding the face, but
Masamune knew who it was anyway.
"The inheiritance of the Date clan is secure and without doubt. Spread the news
among the enemy. Those that wish to surrender may live. Cut down everyone
else.", he growled out, bypassing Magoichi.
"What of your mother?"
The youth stiffened for a moment, then forced himself to relax again. "She has
most likely already escaped. Let her. She should understand now where she
stands. And should she be inside the castle after all... you already have my
orders."

He didn't give the older male a chance to reply as he hurried off.
After all, he'd done what he'd come for. Securying the Date clan.
His sight blurred a bit and he felt himself stumbling and leaning agianst the
wall, breath going hard.
Damn.
Perhaps he had underestimated the poison after all.
"Masamune..."
He flinched and glared hard at Magoichi who'd followed him. "What?!", he
snapped.
"Don't overdo it.", the gunner lightly smiled, before moving in.
"HEY! What?!", the younger protested, while the Saika simply grabbed one wrist
and pulled it over his own shoulder, other going around the other's middle.
"I'll support you outside of course.", the other grinned and started tugging him
along, despite the Date lord voicing his disagreement.

~ * ~

Masamune felt worse than he'd felt in recent years.
The heat running through his body was unbearable and a few times he tried to
kick the blanket covering him off. But each time there was someone there,
putting it back, waiting for him to exhaust himself and calm down.
Every once in a while the cold cloth on his forhead was replaced, giving him a
chance to catch a bit of sleep before his temperature would skyrocket again.
He was well aware that the weird and twisted images flashing before his eyes
were only in his head, yet he couldn't help the urge to fight the 'enemy' off.
Once he actually hit something in his struggle, granting him some satisfaction.

Bright sunlight hitting his eye made him flinch on the next morning.
"Masamune?", a familiar, deep voice asked, a bit of worry evident in it's tone.
It took some willforce for the youth to force his eye to open again, blinking a
couple of times against the bright light, before he finally saw Magoichi lightly
bend over him.
"... What happened to your eye?", the younger couldn't help but blurt out.
The gunner snorted and lifted his hand to cover the blueish bruise around his
left eye for a moment. "I was looking after a certain, feverish someone and got
hit as thanks.", he commented dryly, before getting comfortable. "That aside...
How are ya feeling? You gave me quite a scare last night, ya know?"
"It's too bright... and I got a headache... and I'm thirsty.", the boy slowly
listed up the things annoying him in the order he took notice of them.
The Saika merchenary chuckled, before pouring some water in a bowl and reaching
over to help his friend up, but Masamune slapped the hand away.
It was a slight struggle for the Date heir to sit up on his own, but he
managed.
Only then did he accept the water offered to him and slowly sipped it down,
knowing better than to drown it all at once.

Magoichi patiently waited until the other looked at him again.
"Any difficoults last night?"
"You mean after you went out like a candle all of sudden and I had to carry you
back to camp like a fair maiden in need of help? No."
The cup just barelly missed the older one's head as Masamune jumped to his feet
in rage despite his weakened state.
"YOU WHAT?!", he ragged, his remaining eye burning with murderous rage.
The Saika merely chuckled, raising his hands in defense. "I was kidding,
Masamune. Just kidding... Geeze, don't take everything so serious. Lighten up!"
"Why, you... You... ARGH! You are so annoying that no word in existence would be
enough to describe it!!!"
"Aww... But you know, that that's what you love about me."
This time, the pillow hit it's mark, straight in the face.
"Ohh... I smell... Ewww... Masamune, no offense, but you could use a bath."

Stunned the smaller male stared at the other, who held the pillow as far away as
he could.
Feeling his temper raise again, he snatched it out of the other's head and threw
it back onto the futon. "Of course it would smell! I sweated all night long due
to the poison! No one asked to sniff at it like that anyway, you pervert!"
Suddenly the world before him blurred and he felt himself loose his balance as
he swayed on his feet.
Strong hands grabbed him by the shoulders and in the next moment he leaned
against Magoichi's shoulder. "Whoha... Easy there... Your just recovered..."
Feeling his heart pounding fast in his chest, the Date heir waited for it to
calm down somewhat, before pushing against the hold.
The older one merely rolled his eyes, but let the younger one escape.
"Why don't you lay down again and I'll tell the servants to bring some breakfast
and draw you a bath, hm?", he suggested with a smile.
Suspicion was clearly visible in Masamune's eyes, before he let out a heavy
sigh. "Fine! Whatever. Just be quick about it.", he grumbled, waving with his
hand for the other to scurry off.

Once alone, he allowed himself to fall back onto his sheets and starred up at
the ceiling.
He'd done it.
Killed his brother. Made certain him being the leader wouldn't be questioned
anytime soon.
It had been the right thing to do. He was certain of it.
His hands clenched into fists and he threw one arm over his face.
Then why the hell... did it hurt so much in his chest?!
Gritting his teeth he struggled against the tears, that treatened to collect and
spill.
In the end his pride won and he somehow managed to swallow all the bitter and
sad feelings down, but it still didn't help the painful tightening in his
chest.
By the time he heard Magoichi returning - why the heck was HE returning anyway?
- he'd managed to regain his composure and look just like usual.
Annoyed and read to bite of heads, if the owners were imbeciles.

~ * ~

"Sorry, Masamune, it seems most of your servants are still busy cleaning up the
remains of yesterday. You'll have to do with me as your helper today.", Magoichi
grinned weirdly at the younger.
"You?! Hah!", the other shook his head. "Thanks, but no thanks. I don't need an
old man like you to help me."
As the younger tried to stand again, his left knee suddenly gave in.
Making contact with the floor was only avoided thanks to the Saika gunner
managing to grab hold of his clothes and pulling him upright again. "You were
saying something?", the older grinned cheekly, making the one-eyed dragon
groan.
"Fine, fine! You can play servant, if you want it so much! Now get me some fresh
clothes and help me over to take that bath! Afterwards I expect breakfast to be
ready."
"Yes, yes, young lord.", the other laughed and offered the smaller his arm to
hold onto, seeing as the other's pride wouldn't allow him to give him a
piggy-back ride or worse - carry him in his arms.

As Masamune relaxed in the hot water a bit later, Magoichi's face suddenly
appeared over him, startling him.
"What the heck are you doing in here?!"
"Why, don't your servants help you getting clean?", the other asked curiously.
"No.", grumbled the other. "I'm neither an infant nor incapable of washing
myself, so I don't have a need for helpers."
"I see...", the sniper pondered, before breaking into a sly grin, that instantly
made Masamune warry and back a bit away. "What now?"
"Why, Masamune... Could it be there is an entirely different reason for you to
not have any helpers?"
"What are you suggesting, you moron?!"
"Aw, c'mon, Masamune... It's not such a bad thing you know... It's not the size
that matters, it's..."
He didn't get any further as Masamune glared at him lividly and a bucket of
water hit his face a moment later.

"Oi! I'm not in need of a shower!", protested the older, now drenched and
shaking himself to get rid of the water in his face and hair, before suddenly
whistling. "Okay, okay, I'm taking it back. You got me fully convinced that you
aren't lacking in 'that' department."
Only then did the teenager realize how much of a mistake he'd made by standing
up to throw that bucket and glare at the other.
Feeling the heat go to his cheeks, he instantly plopped back down into the
water.
"Get the hell out of here! You are absolutly useless as a servant!", he ragged,
absently looking for more items to throw.
Magoichi better be glad he hadn't his gun with him, or the heaven's help him,
but he WOULD shoot at that... that... that imbecile!
The older one chuckled as he escaped the wrath of one angered young dragon and
took of whistling to himself.

When he returned, Masamune had just left the bathing room wrapped in a white
yukata, that had a green and golden dragon embroidered.
As he stepped up to him, the young lord whipped his head around, eye narrowed,
but blinking in confusion and befuddlement upon spotting him.
"Magoichi?", he asked, just to be sure.
"Yeah?"
"... You look quite different in that."
The man looked down onto the dark green kimono he'd gotten from a servant,
before slowly breaking into a grin. "Dashing handsome, don't you think? But if I
wore this all the time I wouldn't be able to fend of all the ladies going after
me."
"Hn.", snorted the younger one, while walking on, heading back to his room.
Two tablets were already set aside, along with a big pot of tea.
"I thought you said the servants were all busy?"
The Saika shrugged. "They are. I just used my charm and the fact that you are
their boss to get them to make something for us. I also told your retainers to
only disturb you, if it was absolutly urgent."

One eye glowered at him from the floor. "Why did you do that?!"
"Because if I didn't, they'd all come to bother you because of small stuff, the
moment they heard you woke up and are capable of talking. And you need to
rest.", Magoichi shrugged, pouring both of them a cup of tea and  then bringing
his own to his lips.
"Hmph!"
The two enjoyed their breakfast in silence, before Masamune retreated to his
futon, pulling the blanket over him and rolling away from the other, apparently
intend on actually sleeping.
The gunner was about to clean up, when he suddenly heard the other mumble
something. "Huh?"
Some muffled curses were his answer, making him sweatdrop, before the other
spoke in a much clearer voice, yet through gritted teeth: "I said: Thanks. For
everything.", grumbled the other, before pulling the blanket over his head.
For a few moments Magoichi was stunned by surprise, then he had to smile soflty
and shake his head.
Masamune would never change. And he wouldn't want him too either.

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