Ikémen Sengoku: Traces of Time

Hot Pursuit

"Shit!" Ireland thought to herself as she sprinted through the halls.

Of all the things she could've forgotten about, Sinestro and the flesh-eating speed demons were running rapid around Japan. Maybe they hadn't even landed in Japan and ended up somewhere else in the world—or the galaxy! She picked up speed, desperate to find an exit.

"Ring, where's the nearest exit?!" A projection of the castle came to life from the White Lantern ring, zooming through the walls to the floor she was on before highlighting the quickest route.

"The nearest exit is along the west corridor."

"Thanks." She breathed. Determination sparked across her eyes in a flash of white lightning. Ireland didn't stop for anything as she made a sharp turn at the end of a corridor. But as she did, the girl was met with a sturdy chest. She tackled whoever she had run into; the both of them skidding across the waxed wooden floors. Pressing herself up with her palms, she placed a hand on her head. "Ugh... sorry, that was my bad. Are you okay?"

"I should be asking you that." Her gazed lifted, being met by a set of golden oculars. She sucked in a breath, finding herself paralyzed by the handsome man she had just so happened to tackle to the ground. His hair, appearing soft like a bolt of silk, was the same beautiful shade as his eyes. He wore an outfit based mainly on the color green; a red haori being loosely worn along his torso. His features showed how concerned he was for her, even though she'd been the one to knock him over. She couldn't help but find herself become easily charmed. Suddenly, his stare lifted from her face to the bandages wrapped along her head and neck. "You're covered in injuries—you must be that girl! Ah... you should be more careful and aware of what you're doing. If I were someone else, you could've seriously hurt them and yourself even further."

"Sorry..." Shaking her head to disrupt her daze, she realized how intimate of a position they were in and started crawling backwards when her foot tapped an ankle behind her.

"My, my..." A mischievous voice suddenly cut into the conversation. "Looks like a certain little mouse has left her cage."

"Ah, I wouldn't blame the lass. She's probably scared and confused considering the hole Nobunaga dug her out of." Another voice joined in. Raising a brow, the girl turned her head curiously, being met by two new men. One had a full head of white hair; his eyes a burning amber. Though based mainly on the color white, his kimono had dashes of random colors along the trimming and accessories. Hanging loosely along his belt was a rifle and a katana. Now the other man appeared more peculiar to her. His hair was a wild and carefree chestnut brown. He wore an outfit committed solely to the colors blue, grey, and black; a multitude of crescent moons gracing the patterns of the fabric. But one thing that truly stuck out to her was his one crystal blue eye. It shimmered like a wildfire, contradicting its oceanic hues. Stretched across his face to cover the other eye was a long, black eyepatch. It played at her curiosity to know what had happened to his missing appendage.

But then a sense of familiarity struck her.

"Hey, wait a second. I know you guys. You came to visit me while I was out cold."

Their eyes seemed to widen in unison.

"And how do you know that little mouse?" The white haired man questioned.

"Uh..." She glanced over to the ring on her finger, thinking of an excuse to cover her environmental playback. "Ieyasu and... Mitsunari told me!" She exclaimed. "They came to see me when I was awake."

"Did they now?"

A cloud of awkward silence loomed over them as he stared at her with devious amber eyes. She nearly shuddered.