First Impressions {Closed}

[Mōri Motonari]

Why were there so many damned fools? There was yet another traitor amongst his ranks, and Motonari with his men had gone to his home. He had not been there, having fled upon hearing that Lord Mori knew of his betrayal, and it had actually required a bit of a chase. But they had caught up with him easily enough and, as he refused to commit sepukku, the Lord had him executed on the grounds of treason.

The body was in the middle of the street, head in the man's lap, and Mori handed the bloody sword to his current second, Hajime, who also held his lord's regular weapon. As he wiped off the crimson and sheathed the katana, Motonari stared down at the traitor soldier with cold eyes.

"The sunlight banishes the darkness of night into day," said he, crossing his arms over his chest. This man's actions irritated Motonari and he turned away from the body, looking at Hajime, eyes narrowed in the slightest. "To think the fool thought he could betray the child of the Sun and the people of Chugoku. It is damnable."

Hajime glanced over at the traitor and sighed, shaking his head. "He was weak and feared your power, Mori-sama. That man... was unworthy of serving under you. Fortunately, we eradicated him before any real significant damage was made."

"Yes. He was lower than a pawn. Trash," responded Motonari after Hajime affirmed everything he felt and thought about the matter. Normally the lord would keep bodies of traitors out for about a day, but this was a road out of any major areas. It was mostly used by traders and merchants, and so setting an example would prove futile, as many would not know the message. Unless Motonari had a written message made, but he didn't particularly feel like doing so. Most people couldn't read anyway.

Motioning to some of his soldiers, they ran to Lord Mori and Motonari ordered before closing his eyes and sighing, "Remove the body and dispose of it. There is no point in keeping it out in the open with only merchants and travelers to see. Even in death, he is useless to me. Nothing more than insignificant dust."

He could have become more than that, a real thorn in Motonari's side, but they had stopped him before that could happen. And so he was of complete insignificance to Lord Mori now. He had no family. There was no one to talk to or to worry about involving him.

At his order, the men exclaimed, "Yes, sir!" and moved over to the corpse, doing the job ordered of them as Motonari stood in the middle of the road in silence while staring up at the sky with Hajime at his side.

[Takeda Shingen]

Standing behind Lord Mōri and Watanabe-san, his back slightly facing them, with an apathetic, almost half-asleep or bored look on his face, whichever was interpreted first, Hiroyoshi would oversee the disposal of the traitor soldier's body by the soldiers Lord Mōri commanded, his arms casually folded across his chest. Once the soldiers had completed the task, with Lord Mōri focusing on more important matters (ie. staring up at the sky), Hiroyoshi would dismiss the soldiers, before turning to Lord Mōri, his trusty katana strapped to the side of his waist.

"He has been disposed of Lord Mōri. That trash was unworthy to serve and be part of your army, and certainly does not even deserve to be buried. The dogs and crows will give that piece of garbage the burial he deserves."