It was late night when he received word from his scouts. It was time to end this. Their long standing rivalry would end this time, the Uesugi would be the clan standing. Kenshin spent hours in war councils coming to an agreement. After, days of back and forth it was settled. They marched in a fortnight.
With his 13,000 soldiers, Uesugi Kenshin marched on Kaizu Castle pushing Takeda Shingen to take action. They reached Saijo mountain making their camp. Kenshin was in his tent discussing their battle plans. Meanwhile, spurred into action, The Tiger of Kai, also wanted this to end. His charisma garnered his troops to rally and 20,000 soldiers were at his command. Shingen, commanded 8,000 of those soldiers leaving the rest to Masanobu and Nobufusa. The Dragon of Echigo, God of war, was going to end the Takeda clan.
Shingen a master of information listened to his council in their formation. Their plans were set. Their hearts and weapons ready at will. There could only be one successor this time. One clan over the other. Who would claim Victory? Neither, they were at a stand still. Both Generals refused to march. Both waited on the other to set the war in motion. Until, Shingen decided to make his move. He order his troops to split up and surround the Uesugi. A bold move he had. One that would ensure his victory.
Kenshin was not the God of war for nothing. His intelligence gathering was just as impressive as that tiger. What would have been a surprise attack on his soldiers turned into an opportunity. Kenshin ordered his troops to March to decimate the Takeda. With their winding wheel attack formation they managed to reach the encampment of the Takeda.
It was early morning. The sun still set below the horizon. A storm rolled in while they weren't aware. Rain pelted his tent in an angry rhythm. Even the weather knew someone would lose their head. Sitting in his tent, trying to figure out how to stop his greatest rival, he heard the pounding hoof beats of a horse inside his camp. Shingen went outside to see what messenger was coming only to see the glint of a blade he knew all to well, Himezuru Ichmonji, was coming for his neck. He only had a split second to grab his war fan and deflect the swing. The clash of metal on metal rang out in the darkness alerting his men to his side.
Shingen held his hand up to stop them from interfering. This man of 6 feet gave Kenshin a smile, one so alluring that it made Kenshin smile back at him. He stopped his horse and jumped down. The vast difference in their heights were now on full display. Kenshin a head shorter than his rival wouldn't have the advantage. Surely the victor would be Shingen.
"What say you to a spar one on one. I'll be taking your head my little poppinjay."
A deep, rich laughter erupted from this beautiful man's lips. "Only a foolish tiger would dare think they can stop a dragon. A god unequal to any mortal in war. The only one losing his head would be you."
The winds began to blow heavily. Thunder erupted from the sky. The storm was moving in faster as the rain picked up on it's own assault. The two men circled each other a few times with their swords drawn. They were assessing the other. After having several skirmishes with each other they knew the others movements better than they thought possible.
"Don't tell me the Tiger is afraid to strike?"
"Only in your dreams would I be terrified. Do you plan to fight or just dance?" He gave his opponent a smirk, knowing that would set him off.
Kenshin could tell that was his aim but they didn't have all day to dance around each other. He lifted his sword as he ran in to strike him down. Just as he parried the strike, their swords clashed with great ferocity. At that very instant lightning crashed down where the two of them were fighting. The world was hazy for the two of them as they were enveloped in smoke glaring at each other.
The soldiers at the camp looked all around for their lord only to have him disappeared in front of them. The two clans without their foundation looked at each other in shock.
Shingen and Kenshin continued to strike and parry with each other in the cloud of smoke. Neither knew where it had came from but it didn't matter as they were set on overpowering the other. The clanging of their swords were loud even if it was muffled through the haze. Soon, the smoke began to clear as their fight raged on. Their surroundings began to brighten considerably. Both men aware of each other now began to become aware of their surroundings. "What manner of sorcery have you tried to pull, Kenshin?"
"You dare try to trick me? Only a foolish tiger would use deflection to escape."
They were beginning to gather a crowd as they fought with each other. Women and men gawking at them in strange clothing. Several were on weird devices. It wasn't long before men came running to the scene to disperse their fight. "Police! Police! You are under arrest." One brave officers started to step forward only to be cut by their sharp blades. His body fell with a thunk. The two lords looked around each other with their backs together. They were of the same mind at that moment. Only wanting to fight their way out.
A historian, was standing in the crowd. They all locked eyes with each other. Something in them gravitated towards that person. Before more police could come they grabbed the person before them holding them hostage. The man squealed at being captured in this manner. "Get us out of here and back to Kawanakajima!"
They were talking nonsense. Kawanakajima was but a tourist spot now. The way there were dressed the armor was to real to be a replica. "You must have hit your head. It would take you at least a day to get there." The crowd was growing worried at the display of violence. Kenshin and Shingen eyes were alert and noticed the changes. Tall buildings were standing before them. Their mouths dropped open in amazement. "Where are we?"
"Japan."
"No, this is not Japan. Do not lie to us or we will cut you from navel to throat."
"SIR, this is Japan. Your are taking your reenactment a little too far."
"Take us to your castle."
The man was dumbfounded. He didn't have a castle but he choose to obey them. As he tried to walk forward he was pulled back. A sword was pressing at his back while another was against his throat. "We will go together." The man nodded his understanding. The crowd, had become disinterested dispersed. They had wanted to see another stabbed in front of them. When they didn't receive that pleasure they lost interest.
Now able to walk freely Kenshin and Shingen holstered their swords and grabbed hold of the man. Kenshin was the first to speak as they walked. "You say we are in Japan but this is not Japan."
"Forgive me but who are you?"
"How can you not recognize us? I am the great Takeda Shingen." He spoke his name proudly in a voice that oozed honey. "That little poppinjay is Uesugi." His voice that was full of pride now spoke with disdain.
"If you wish to fight once more we can do so now."
"Excuse me! We have a no weapons law. So you're in violation of it."
The two men looked at the third as if he spoke a foreign language. They couldn't fathom Japan having a no weapon law when they were in the Senguko period. Noticing their confused gazed this man was even more baffled. Part of him wanted to drop them off at a hospital to be checked out but the vision of them killing innocent people became a glaring precaution. Instead, he took them to his home where his wife was working.
The two lords stopped in front of the high building looking up as it continued to go high into the sky. They were amazed at the how massive it was. "You must be a powerful lord to have a castle this large." Shingen clapped his hand against the man's back in appraisal. Kenshin on the other hand looked from the building to the man. He didn't look like a samurai. His hands were too soft and his body to thin to have ever wielded a sword. How could this person call themselves a great lord if they never have conquered any clans. "You never held a sword in your life. All you are is a face for your clan. I will come for your clan and destroy them."
"Now Kenshin. He is a powerful man to have this building. We should be kind to our host." His finger trailed down the man's cheek.
Starter by the romantic gesture he pulled his face away smacking Shingen's hand away. "Listen, don't touch me as if we are familiar. I only brought you to my home because I cant very well leave you at a hospital. You men are clearly disturbed. And my name is Yoshimoto." He stalked off ahead of them into the revolving doors.
The two of them looked at each other and followed. They were stuck outside the doors trying to see how the mechanisms worked, when Yoshimoto noticed they weren't behind him but outside looking intensely at the door. He felt a ball drop in the pit of his stomach before he rushed out to get them. "This is how we enter. Just step in with me." He was behind them pushing them into a tight opening of the door so they all could get out together. Once the door opened to the lobby he pushed them inside.
The two men marveled at the decorum inside. It was different than what they knew. Kenshin and Shingen were beginning to wonder how all of this was possible. Yoshimoto continued pushing them further into the lobby, straight in front of an elevator, before steel doors that opened. They exclaimed in amazement as the doors opened before them. Slowly they began to wonder where in Japan were they. Shingen withdrew his sword ready to attack. Yoshimoto quickly yelled for him to stop. "Its an elevator. It will take you up. See come in." He went inside, pestering for them to follow. Once they were inside he pushed a button for his floor. Yoshimoto and his wife lived on the 15th floor of the building. Kenshin spoke for the first time since they entered into the building. "What is all this…" He waved his hand all around as he searched for the right words.
Understanding what he meant, Yoshimoto answered his question. "This is an elevator and that was a revolving door. You were gawking at. Do you not have these in your town?"
"No we do not have anything of this nature. These contraptions are intriguing. We should have these in Tsutsujigasaki."
The mention of the destroyed castle town caused him to look at Shingen. "What you are talking about that burned down in 1582. Kofu castle resides in that area now. It has been ever since the combined forces of the Oda and Tokugawa won the war."
Kenshin looked over at Shingen in shock. You weren't defeated by me? How dare you go and loose to someone else. I cant forgive you for that." He pulled out his sword as he was about to cut Shingen in the small confining space.
"Will you put that away. I haven't lost to snot nose little brat. We just had started our battle in Kawanakajima. Tsutsujigasaki is very much still standing. Yoshimoto is speaking nonsense."
"Do not lie to me! I'm supposed to kill you and you, you was beaten by him."
The elevator opened up on his floor, Yoshimoto quickly exited. He never thought he would be surrounded by a sword wielding maniac. The people in japan would fight with other weapons or bare hands. Every since it was allowed that citizens could enact their own justice. The bloodlust inside their hearts just grew. "Excuse me. Were here. Could you come out?" The elevator doors were just about to close when Shingen stepped out. Reluctantly Kenshin followed behind him. While he grumbled of the sad news he placed his sword back in its sheath. They followed him to his door.
Today had been full of surprises for them. Shingen and Kenshin both asked at the same time. "Where are we?"
"You're in Japan."
"This isn't the Japan that we know." Shingen looked around spotting a beautiful woman in the kitchen. His thought was to talk to her. After he spoke he couldn't help but to leave the area they were in. His libido leading him to be near her.
Yoshimoto looked at Shingen and his wife as he tried to get an understanding. "You make it seem as if you came from the past. The history books states that the battle of Kawanakajima ended with Kenshin being victorious." He went to grab his history book he kept in the study room. When he returned he flipped through his book only to find the information changed. "This cant be! My book has changed."
"Whatever was in that book must be a great deal of importance to you." He went to Shingen and grabbed him by his arm. "This is important. Something happened."
Shingen gave the woman a smile only to have her giggle and turn away. "What do you mean?"
They both returned to in front of Yoshimoto. "Tell us what changed Lord Yoshimoto."
Yoshimoto was pouring over his book noting the changes. "It seems that Shingen and Kenshin disappeared during a single duel with each other. Their clans fell into ruin. That was not there before."
Hearing what he had to say they both grabbed him, shaking him, the confusion fueling their anger. "We didn't disappear were right here."
"What?!"
"I am Uesugi Kenshin. We introduced ourselves earlier. This is the sex driven Takeda Shingen. You should watch your woman around him."
"No, no, that's not true. It couldn't be." He looked through his book to find a picture of them. Right in front of his eyes he seen a picture of what looked exactly like the person standing in front of him, Uesugi Kenshin, a man so beautiful he made women envious of him. His pale skin almost translucent before him. "You are him!" Yoshimoto looked from the book to the image of Shingen. A man towering over him with long auburn hair. He could see why both men and women were enamored with him. "You two are here. In my living room." His eyes lit up in happiness. "You are really here! Oh my god! I'm so happy. I have so many questions for you. For both of you! Ah my heart I cant take it. Wait why are you here?"
They looked at him then each other. He made no sense at the moment.
"How did you end up in the 22nd century?"
"…"
"22nd century? So we are in a different time?"
"Yes. It would seem you traveled to the future."
Shingen crossed his arms over his chest. Kenshin touched his bare chin.