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Crimson Hearts	By : roryheadmav Category: +S to Z > Samurai 7 Views: 3229 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Samurai 7, nor any of the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
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DISCLAIMER: This story is a non-commercial
work of fiction based on the anime/manga Samurai 7. Original copyright
of Samurai 7 belongs to Akira Kurosawa, Shinobu Hashimoto, Hideo
Oguni, Mico, EGDH, EGONZO. Absolutely no monetary gain has been made with
this work.
CRIMSON HEARTS

© August 17, 2005 By Rory
V. Pascual

PROLOGUE: Capture!
For a whole week, he watched, a task
he performed with mixed feelings. The object of his surveillance was a
woodsman leading a solitary, yet quiet life in the deep forest far from
any towns or cities. Everyday, the woodsman would go out at daybreak to
hunt or gather firewood, or to tend to his little vegetable garden. It
was a simple life, a life that was certainly not suited for a man of his
stature.
He found it hard to believe that
the man carefully picking strawberries from a thick patch was a war hero.
Somehow, he could not fathom his
lord's obsession for this quiet man. He was certainly not young. By his
estimation, he was in his forties. True, he was ruggedly handsome, with
a shadow of a beard on his chin, and a head of waist-length grayish brown
hair that would make any woman, young or old, green with envy. But there
persisted a haunted look in his brown eyes, as though he still walked those
battlefields from long ago.
Those were the eyes of a defeated
man, certainly not that of a hero.
And yet, ask any lowly farmer, and
all would readily narrate the tale of the man, with six other courageous
comrades-at-arms, who freed a village from the oppression of bandits and
the tyranny of a despot.
In hushed words, these same farmers
would say that they hoped this man would take up the sword again and rid
them of the new ruler that was tormenting them.
In his opinion, however, the man
he was observing was not at all interested in taking up arms. Instead,
he seemed content with his life, popping a juicy strawberry inside his
mouth and chewed on it thoughtfully, a hint of a smile on his lips.
If only the man knew what a tempting
sight he made to his lord, who was also watching his every move through
his electronic eyes.
Sure enough, he heard his lord mutter
over the comlink, "Luscious! Truly luscious!"
The man stood up, removing his straw
hat, and wiped the sweat from his brow. A breeze blew, lifting his thick,
wavy mane up and causing his feather earrings to swing like a pendulum.
Then came the shocking surprise.
With measured slowness, the man turned to gaze directly at the thick copse
of trees where he was hiding.
"How long are you going to continue
to hide from me?" the man called out. "Don't you think it's about time
you showed yourself?"
For a moment, he hesitated, unsure
of what to do. His lord, however, whispered only two words to him: "It's
time."
At that command, he emerged from
his hiding place, gliding through the trees, and stopped before the woodsman,
who looked at his hulking metal frame in surprise.
"A Nobuseri, and a Red Spider at
that?" the man asked. "And I thought I would invite you to partake of some
of my strawberries."
"Don't look surprised," he replied
in turn, a droning mechanical rumble in his voice. "If you knew of my existence,
then you also knew what I was."
The woodsman shook his head. "I had
hoped that I had been mistaken when I heard the humming of your machinery.
I thought you had all been destroyed by the last ruler."
"Many of us escaped the mind purge
of that mad man Ukyou and the destruction of the Capital. We serve a new
master now � a strong one, not a sniveling, vacillating fop like his predecessor."
Those thick eyebrows knitted together
in a frown. "Then, the rumors I heard were true. There is a new Amanushi
ruling this land. I take it, it was he who sent you here. What does he
want from me?"
"My orders are simple. I am to take
you to him."
"For what purpose? I am no longer
a samurai. I had given up the sword for three years now."
"I am merely following his command.
Only he could answer your questions."
There was a moment's silence. Then,
the man said, "I've heard very�disturbing�things about this Amanushi. Forgive
me, but I'm sure he would understand if I decline his invitation."
"It is not an invitation. I am to
take you to him whether you like it or not."
The Nobuseri extended his right hand
and fired a volley of sharp needles at the woodsman, which he deflected
with a sweep of his basket, spilling strawberries to the ground. Turning
on his heels, he ran for his axe that was jutting out of a tree stump.
"SEIZE HIM!" the Red Spider roared.
Two Owls leaped out of the brush,
splitting into four fighting mechs to block his path to the only weapon
he possessed. The man, however, nimbly leaped over their heads, grabbing
the axe's handle as he landed. Pulling it out, he swung the axe in a wide
arc, the blade severing the Owls' heads. Six yakans and ten hooded footmen
bearing swords charged at him, but he merely hacked his way through his
attackers.
The Nobuseri marveled at the man's
fluid, yet lethal movements. Yes, this was the great samurai he had heard
so much about. Now, he was all the more determined to bring this man to
his master.
Again, the Red Spider raised his
hand and fired sharp needles at him non-stop. The man parried them with
the flat of his axe's blade as he rushed towards his mechanical foe. One
needle, however, broke through his guard, fired from the blowgun of a footman
who lay in wait behind a bush. The needle pierced the side of the man's
neck, an inch above that long scar, eliciting a gasp from his lips. The
Nobuseri thought he heard the woodsman cry out a name as he fell to the
ground.
Seeing their prey finally subdued,
the other Nobuseri emerged from their positions and gathered around their
leader.
"Be careful with him," his Master
warned as the Red Spider bent down to pick up the fallen man.
"Yes, my lord." With great care,
the Nobuseri picked up the unconscious woodsman, laying him on his open
palm before curling his metal fingers around him protectively. To his comrades,
he called out, "We got what we came here for. Let's go back!"
The Red Spider took off, not waiting
for the others who entered their floating ship. Swiftly, he flew through
the skies, his powerful jets propelling him for miles and miles until he
reached his destination that lay hidden among the snow-capped mountain
peaks.
The new Capital�An enormous flying
fortress built from two Honmaru battleships. The new Capital was completely
outfitted with advanced weaponry. Cannons were aimed in various directions
for any would-be attacks. Standing right in the middle of the fortress
was a formidable palace of iron and steel. The Red Spider instantly saw
his master waiting for him at the porch of his private chambers.
"You did well, Kaguyama," Amanushi
praised the Red Spider. Gesturing to his room, he said, "You may put him
in there."
The Nobuseri obeyed, carefully squeezing
his hand through the narrow entry. When he had accomplished his task, he
inquired, "Anything else I can do for you, Amanushi-sama?"
"For now, none. You may go now and
claim your reward."
The Red Spider called Kaguyama tilted
his head, the closest thing to a bow that he could muster, and flew off
to rejoin his comrades.
When the Nobuseri was gone, a smile
curled up the corners of Amanushi's lips as he entered his chamber. Kaguyama
had laid the man on his bed. His eyes gleamed with rapt fascination. Seeing
him in the flesh like this, deep in a drugged sleep with that gorgeous
mane flowing over his pillow in waves, the man had exceeded all his expectations.
To tame such a magnificent creature would be challenging indeed.
"You belong to me now, O Great Champion
of Kanna Village," Amanushi grinned with wicked anticipation. "You are
mine�Shimada Kanbei."

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Crimson Hearts