When it rained, it poured.
He’d known it was a bad idea for him to come to this moment in time… it sat at the root of so much that weighed him down, the source of the twisting vine constricting his heart, but their Master had quite logically pointed out that nobody else in the citadel had Chikakage’s knowledge of the movements of the Akechi during the Battle of Yamazaki. If he was there, it was far less likely something would go wrong, wasn’t it? So in he’d gone, and yes, technically their mission had gone absolutely fine without any mishaps. Except… except here he was, on this spot, shoes sunk into puddles and the rain lashing at his face. Over amongst a couple of a trees, resting against a rock and way too close, was himself.
Had he brought them this way with unconscious purpose? At this point Chikakage wouldn’t be shocked but it was such an incredibly foolish thing to do. The memories were too much to touch upon, especially in such a precarious position, but to see his own centuries younger steel body left alone in the clearing made them impossible to avoid. Dried blood on him, uncleaned, staining the inside of his sheath. Rain soaking his grip. His Lord gone… not in the way they’d say he had in the future, but gone nonetheless, leaving behind his branded right-arm in the deep mud. Within a few hours someone would come along and claim him, but not as a treasure. Nobody would want to show him off, would they? No, Chikakage was nothing but proof of a victory, because he had Akechi Mitsuhide’s name engraved in gold into him, and who would want the traitor’s sword? The other Akechi blades would be seized, and over time gain new reputations, new associations, but for him, that could never be.
“Chikakage?”
Midare’s voice dragged him out of the dangerous line of thought; Chikakage turned his gaze to the tantou and he offered a small, unconvincing smile.
“Let’s get out of here… the mission is over,” he said, completely failing to explain why they’d even headed this way and knowing he’d be interrogated about it later. Worse, knowing it would be playing on his mind now, sticking in his thoughts, completely impossible to avoid anymore.
He couldn’t regret that his Lord had loved him so much he’d left a mark on him, but ever since being dropped on Mount Tennou, Chikakage had been left completely alone. And centuries of that could not be easily overcome.