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Post by Orie Hidehira on Sept 9, 2006 0:45:06 GMT -5
Being thrown to the back shocked him more than the incoming attack, and he was barely able to regain balance, let alone his wits until after the second wave. As soon as he did, however, he pried the general's hands off his reigns, tired of being treated like a protectee.
"What do you think you're doing?" he said and in the moment of anger, forgetting all manners of respect. His attention flitted from the flesh wound running across Asai's throat to his face. "How can you throw yourself so easily in front of me when I'm supposed to serve you? Don't belittle me so thoughtlessly!"
The screech of something cutting through the air - sharp and high-pitched, and a sound Orie was only too familiar with, reached his ears. He looked up and narrowed his eyes, reaching behind him into his quiver. These were only stray shafts, nothing like the organized flux earlier; the enemy was probably ridding themselves of their extras.
It was child's play, knocking the few arrows headed towards them out of the sky. Even with just a glance, the momentum was enough to deflect the angle of their trajectory, and they fell uselessly away from the general and his men, embedding themselves into the dirt. It was slightly more difficult (but nothing more challenging than a particularly far target) to squint, draw, knock, aim and fire, picking out what enemies he could see in the foilage.
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Post by Asai Yuuto on Sept 9, 2006 8:10:21 GMT -5
As Orie expertly eliminated the remaining shots, Yuuto's eyes flicked from each man, taking inventory of the casualties.
For all appearances, he seemed to be ignoring Orie's berating, watching one bodyguard pull an arrow from his saddle and the wounded man finger around the shaft protruding from his shoulder. It wasn't the guard's sword-arm, luckily, but he was smart to leave it embedded for the time.
Yuuto's head swung back toward Orie, and he all but snarled, "Quiet!" his gaze fierce and penetrating.
"We will discuss," he stressed, perfectly aware that as a General, most wouldn't expect him to do anything of the sort, "your use to me with a body full of holes later."
Inhaling deeply, Yuuto's expression lost its sharp edge. Although it wasn't the time for reflection, a part of his mind filed away the ease in which Orie had been able to pick off men within the vegetation. The boy's eyesight had to be amazing, his speed and aim equally impressive, but Yuuto was all too aware how useless that accuracy would've been against the initial wave.
Yuuto dismounted, the neck wound protesting painfully as he unsheathed his wakazashi. The ground assault would be on them in mere minutes. The men were guiding their horses inward toward Yuuto, but his eyes remained locked on Orie. With their positions reversed- Orie for once having to look down on Yuuto- the general's towering presence suddenly seemed submissive.
"Will you trust me?" His voice was steady, imploring, but not pleading. "Not obey."
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Post by Orie Hidehira on Sept 9, 2006 12:54:09 GMT -5
It wasn't that he was some sort of an ungrateful brat. He very well knew that if Asai had acted differently, he wouldn't be here right now - breathing, at least, let alone have the gall to yell at the general. By the time he responded to Orie's scolding, the boy's temper had already sizzled down to a minimal spark, and his mind was too far away to fully register what the man said. At this moment, the only thing pressing on his thoughts were the tension of the string, the angle of the shot, the resistance of the wind.
Orie disliked it, having someone throw himself in the path of danger for his sake. He wasn't used to it, this sort of compassion and altruism in someone he knew mostly by reputation. It wasn't what you were supposed to do when you were that important. If they hadn't been quite so unfortunate, Orie would be useless, true. But what would Japan do, honestly, with a debauched man in power and the only person capable of fixing things perforated with wounds?
He put the bow down just as he heard Asai's feet touch the floor. Of course, there were still men hiding in wait. As soon as the first man had fallen to an arrow, the rest of them had begun to scatter in fear, withdrawing until they were past shooting range. Orie regarded Asai's question silently, frowning and finding the downwards angle awkward and strange. "Of course, Asai-sama," he said flippantly, dodging and answering the question simultaneously, "I would trust you with my life."
But not with my confidence.
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Post by Asai Yuuto on Sept 9, 2006 13:41:20 GMT -5
It was too soon, Yuuto realized. While he was sure Orie spoke the truth, looking into his eyes, it was apparent the boy didn't truly answer.
Someday Yuuto would ask again; someday Orie would be honest with the both of them, and Yuuto wasn't sure if he would like the answer Orie would give. But at that moment, it was enough that the archer believed in his General's skills and notoriety as a commander. That amount of trust, at least, would see them through the battle- as outnumbered as they were.
"Then we both hold the other's life in our hands," he said slowly, ready to press the full weight of his faith in the boy.
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Post by Orie Hidehira on Sept 9, 2006 13:51:46 GMT -5
Orie wondered if Asai meant the statement in some way he didn't understand, because otherwise, wasn't that a given? Every man here was present because they fully intended to protect this general's life until their dying breath. "Very well," he said, nodding. "We...I will accept that responsibility."
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Post by Asai Yuuto on Sept 9, 2006 13:53:50 GMT -5
One of the bodyguards began to dismount, and Yuuto turned quickly. "Hold," he instructed, flipping the blades across his palms so that they were held parallel to the backs of his arms. Yuuto gave a distinct sort of whistle, and his horse obediently retreated to a safer distance.
"You men will remain on horseback. You two," he tilted his chin toward the uninjured riders, "take position in front of Orie-kun. Ishikawa-san." He addressed the wounded samurai, "You defend any rear assault, should they break through us."
He paused then as the men guided their mounts into place, weapons already drawn.
"Orie-kun," he walked to the front of the formation, his mind in a place where he sorted, and resorted, contingency plans.
"Do not be deceived. It's you that will be guarding us. Is that understood?"
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Post by Orie Hidehira on Sept 9, 2006 14:08:32 GMT -5
Any sour thoughts were quickly squashed at that, and Orie could only nod, tight-lipped. This man...figured out how people thought too quickly, and for a second, he allowed himself to watch the general and the rest of his men take action in slight awe. It was a little nostalgic, reminded him of days where he would hide behind corners and watch his grandfather converse light-heartedly with the foreign visitor.
"Thank you," he said quietly, before the enemy misinterpreted their lack of movement as confusion, and charged.
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Post by Asai Yuuto on Sept 9, 2006 14:42:05 GMT -5
There was a moment, as the opposing samurai broke through the trees, that Yuuto's hatred flared white-hot. Watanabe's clan was nearly extinct, and Yuuto's insides churned at how he was being forced to hurry their elimination.
The enemy was charging head on without hesitation, and their swift feet and battle cries created an all too familiar sound to the war-experienced General. But Yuuto merely walked out further along their formation, his body flowing into ready-stance when he halted.
Yuuto heard the whistle of Orie's arrow right as the first enemy clashed blades against his own. He locked swords just long enough to gaze into the samurai's eyes, pray, and then parry so quickly that the man had no time for panic before his throat was split open.
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Post by Orie Hidehira on Sept 9, 2006 15:00:07 GMT -5
Before the two forces clashed, Orie already had his bow in position, firing in rapid succession and picking off who he could before swords even met. The number wasn't great, considering these enemies were neither novices in battle nor distracted yet with close-range combat. Many of them dodged the arrows, and those who were hit did not suffer fatal injuries.
They weren't hopelessly outnumbered, but it was obvious that the ambush had been planned, and as a desperate measure. Watanabe must've known that they would be coming for him - perhaps news of the prince's disappearance, not definite death, had also reached his ears. These men were fighting with a sort of recklessness, after all, of sadly unwavering loyalty to an underhanded leader.
The two men with him watched grimly, fists trembling as they gripped the hilts of their swords in restraint. It must've been difficult, doing nothing when your comrades were in battle, but it couldn't be helped.
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Post by Asai Yuuto on Sept 9, 2006 15:29:14 GMT -5
Even with their numbers thinned out by arrows, the remaining men were quickly able to circle Yuuto, but others ran past to charge Orie and Yuuto's three bodyguards. There was no opening to divert his focus from the men collapsing in on him, and Yuuto hoped that his clansmen and Orie could protect one another despite their lack of prior experience as a unit.
Watanabe's clan fought with the determination of men that were already resigned to their fate. Yuuto's body spun and curved, moving to the next enemy before the last had even hit the ground. He tried to keep his battle area open, and when taking on two men at once didn't break the circle, Yuuto was forced to use swift kicks and crouching slashes to wound those he couldn't immediately kill.
Someone almost nicked his face on a leap, and when Yuuto's feet touched the ground, he quickly ducked, then rolled, so that he was free of the circle. Although Watanabe's samurai still followed, he ran brief yards to the right of Orie's formation, giving himself more breathing room and a better view of the battle.
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Post by Orie Hidehira on Sept 9, 2006 15:34:54 GMT -5
It was slightly easier to shoot accurately, now that they had arranged themselves for sword-to-sword battle, but focusing too intensely on the battle ahead proved to be dangerous as well. He was broken out of his concentration by a pained grunt - much too close to have come from ahead, and looked down to find the injured soldiers struggling against two enemies.
Orie reacted accordingly, shooting one man at point blank. The arrow dug deep into his chest, and he fell backwards, choking up blood, but his partner had already pushed past the injured allies. He hadn't killed them, deeming them not worth his time, since they were still moving with difficulty. Orie's eyes widened as the man drew back his arm, intending to bring his sword down in one final sweep.
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Post by Asai Yuuto on Sept 9, 2006 16:07:42 GMT -5
Eyes flicking from each opponent, blades moving just as swift, Yuuto silently counted down each enemy he came upon, hoping to reach the last one soon. As he fought, he tried to move inward to his own unit, hoping to draw some men away or pick them off once he was upon them.
The fighting around him finally seemed to clear, and just as he was plunging his wakazashi into the gut of a man at his flank, one samurai maneuvered through the unit to Orie's mount. Yuuto's allies seemed unaware, and even as Orie deflected a different attacker, the stragglers sword was already rising into the position.
"Hidehira!"
All the breath rushed out of Yuuto's chest- his stomach clenching sickly. Even as he pulled his katana back, preparing to hurl it into the fighter's torso, Yuuto could see Orie as a child in his mind- split and skewered open on the ground.
The katana sliced through the air, and Yuuto was infinitely thankful for his skills as a swordsman where he failed as an archer.
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Post by Orie Hidehira on Sept 9, 2006 16:24:46 GMT -5
His heart caught in his throat as he watched the swing of the blade through the air. He thought time had slowed until it came to a gradual stop, and only when he remembered to breathe did he realize that it wasn't just his imagination - the attacker really had frozen. The man garbled, a line of blood trailing down to his chin, and only then did Orie look down to see Asai's katana sticking out of the man's torso.
His eyes widened. If his sword was here, then that meant Asai himself was unarmed. "Asai-sama!" he called, searching out the familiar form in the sea of quickly-growing bodies. The general was surrounded, and the circle was quickly closing in as they realized their target was almost helpless. Orie had never shot so quickly in his life. He released an arrow headed directly at one of the enemies about to tackle his superior to the ground.
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Post by Asai Yuuto on Sept 9, 2006 17:16:14 GMT -5
Panic, Yuuto knew, would only get himself killed. Cursing beneath his breath, he pulled out the wakazashi he had left inside the dead samurai's belly. Orie's arrows screeched and zipped all around him, and one body fell just short of cleaving Yuuto in two.
Yanking an arrow out of a corpse, Yuuto methodically weaved through attackers as Orie took them down, using his wakazashi and the sharp arrow tip to slash at necks or faces that got too close.
Only a few opponents remained alive, scattering and moaning, and Yuuto reached Orie's side heavily out of breath. His men were sporting various injuries, but none seemed to be more critical than the arrow lodged inside Ishikawa's shoulder- the end broken off during the commotion.
He slid his katana free from the bloody mess with a sickening crunch, stabbing it into the ground and sheathing his wakazashi. Orie was perspiring nearly as much as himself, his arms looking strained from overuse, and Yuuto rested his palm across the boy's forearm before he could pull back on another shot.
"Kill any survivors," Yuuto panted, speaking to the two bodyguards that only looked a little worse for wear. "No one must be left to report to Watanabe." They nodded- one riding off to search the area and the other dismounting to sort over bodies.
He turned back to Orie, his hand still atop the archer's arm, but said nothing. Yuuto's forehead dropped to rest against the steed's neck, adrenaline draining, and only then did he feel like the blood and air was resuming circulation in his body.
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Post by Orie Hidehira on Sept 9, 2006 17:58:24 GMT -5
The touch on his hand snapped him out of the battle-induced reverie, broke the painful monotony of continuous shooting. He dropped the bow on his lap, wincing a little as he slid the yugake off his other wrist, careful not to disturb the hand still resting on the inner bent of his elbow. He was a little out of practice; it had been too long since he had undergone such an extended period of exercise. He rubbed at the muscles in his arm, feeling them relax only a little under the pressure. They would be sore in a few hours.
Covering Asai had been difficult. The enemies had known as well as they did that if they could only take the general down, the rest of the fight would be that much easier. Their other allies had been exceedingly helpful, but some of them were also too heavily injured to come to aid. It seemed that they were all alive at least, he noted gratefully, scanning the horizon as the enemy survivors were eliminated.
Finally, he looked down at Asai, and averted his eyes as soon as he did. The general looked tired and worn. It seemed like a private moment of temporary weakness, and Orie suddenly felt displaced, like he shouldn't be witness to this display. He couldn't exactly retreat though, not with those fingers laying lightly on his arm, so he sat and waited quietly for both of them to recover from that escapade. "Asai-sama," he said, as soon as he heard the other man's breathing even out. "Are you hurt?"
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