The Beauty Of The West

Chapter 26: Hell Bound

My knee was wrapped tightly, to keep it in place so it could heal right. It still hurt immensely. I didn't think that the pain would dull any time soon.

I saw Mitsu attack fiercely, and I saw Mitsu take a few punches, daring Nobunaga for more. Of course I worried, but I was more upset that I couldn't be fighting by his side. Mitsu killed Nobunaga a few times with the Saica backing him up. And when Nobunaga only had one life left, Mitsu began to tire.

"Ready your aim!!" I heard Sensei yell.

I looked at her, questionably. Why was she telling them to get ready to shoot when Mitsu was still in the line of fire?

"Sensei, you can't shoot, you might hit Mitsu!" I called to her. She definitely heard me, but didn't reply. She lifted her arm straight into the air, telling her gunman to shoot on her count.

I don't know how I did it, but I stood up, using mainly my left side of my body since my left knee was shot. Before anyone had a chance to stop me, I tried to run, pain immesureable, to Mitsu, who was unknowingly about to be put at risk to kill Oda. I jumped and tackled Mitsu to the ground, holding him tightly when the Saica finally opened fire. He kept me close to him, wrapping his arms around my waist and head, and rolling on top of me to keep me protected.

"What the hell are you doing?!" He yelled, but I wasn't sure if he was yelling at me or at Sensei. I looked over at Nobunaga on the ground, with a black aura surrounding him. His eyes were open, but he wasn't getting back up.

Oichi walked over to him, and looked down upon his face, smiling gently.
"Brother...there you are..." She knelt beside him and caressed his face. "It has been... very long...hasn't it?" She looked at me, now sitting up, held by Mitsu beside me. She stood and made her way to speak to me, kneeling in front of me.

"Oichi...?" I softly muttered.

"I must go now..." She held one of my hands. "(Y/N)...Thank you for all of your help to stop my brother..but now...I must make sure he never comes back. We will both sleep eternally..."

"You'll just sleep? Aren't you afraid?" I asked, worried.

"Sleeping brings pleasant dreams...and then, I can be with my Nagamasa..." She smiled and looked at the sky. "I will not forget you." One of her shadow arms gave me a small pin that she wore on her chest. It looked like 3 hexagons with a flower in each.

"Thank you." My eyes began to water, knowing I would never see her again, and that she and I could have been awesome friends. "I'm afraid...I can't offer you anything in return but this...." I gave her one of my guns. "I'll protect you while you slumber. This is loaded, should you ever need this..."

She smiled as if she had never gotten a gift before, then returned to her brother and lay next to him. She rested her hand on his chest and lay her head on his shoulder. Slowly, the two began sinking into the ground, being dragged under to the deep pits of hell by Oichi's shadow arms. The field was silent as we all watched. I was sad to see her go.
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Mitsu had carried me, and brought me home on a horse. It would be romantic if there wasn't anger and frustration just radiating off of him.

When we got home, he helped me off the horse, and carried me inside. He set me on my bed, and knelt in front of me, keeping strict eye contact that I wasn't used to seeing from him.

"(Y/N). We need to talk." He stated. He was calm, which was also different.

"I know." I said, folding my hands, and looked at the floor for a second before he lifted my chin and made me look at him again.

"I was taking care of Yoshitsugu. Why did you not wait for me and tell me about the Oda?"

I looked for an answer. I mean there were a few reasons I thought of; like I didn't want to inteerrupt his fight with Yoshitsugu, or that I felt like I needed to take care of it myself. But really, there was only one reason that I didn't tell him.

"I...Mitsu, it was my battle. I couldn't let you get hurt over a fight that didn't have anything to do with you..."

"Nothing to do with me?! You, my future WIFE, go to fight a MADMAN alone, without MY protection, and you say it has nothing to do with me?!" He yelled.

"I knew what he was capable of! I didn't want you in harm's way. I couldn't.."

"How do you think I feel?! Knowing you went ALONE, and I wasn't there! I had NO IDEA until Kanbe came to tell me! You told him .. But not me..? Is there something you wish to tell me about your trust in me?"

"No, Mitsu. I was trained to do it alone. I am used to doing things alone, and HE was the reason! I just wanted to be rid of the anxiety I always felt knowing he or his men were still out there! Please do not blame me for trying to put an end to it!"

"I do not blame you. I NEVER blamed you! I just don't understand why you felt you needed to fight this battle alone. (Y/N)...I just got you back. After years and years of wondering where you were and what I did to make you run away...I finally got you back. After being betrayed by EVERYONE I know, you just... Showed up. What would have happened if you died against Oda? I would never have known you were there."

Mitsu was a mix of calm and serious. It took me a second to process what he said. He was pissed that I didn't tell him I was leaving. Beyond pissed. But in a caring way. He had a point though.

"I'm sorry, Mitsu..." I held his hand tightly. "I should have thought about how you would feel, and that I would be leaving you again if anything happened to me."

"You are never to leave my sight again. Understand?" He demanded. I nodded to agree. And to be honest, I never wanted to leave his sight again.

"I won't." I said. I wrapped my arms around him and our lips met in a passionate kiss. After that, he sat on my bed and held me in his arms

"I'm sorry I wasn't there sooner." He placed his hand on my injured knee.