Like Some Child Possessed, The Beast Howls in my Veins --

[reverencing]

Characters: Ishida Mitsunari + Tokugawa Ieyasu
Location: Casualty Communal, Floor 3 (Unit J)
Rating: ...PG for now but subject to change
Time: November 7th, evening
Description: Ieyasu is back - and Mitsunari is less than thrilled about it.

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[reverencing]

Before Ieyasu had arrived, Mitsunari had planned everything out in his mind. He had timed his every breath; plotted each step, every blink and how to harness the rage that consumed him into absolute power. He imagined the feeling of his hands wrapping around Ieyasu's throat, watching as the traitor gasped and struggled beneath him - fighting to breathe, to live... But Ieyasu had long since thrown away that right. Justice would be served and it would be by Mitsunari's hand.

That is, until his opponent stepped into sight. As Ieyasu stood before him, all that careful planning, each strategic play that had formed in Mitsunari's mind, vanished as though they had never existed. He snarled, dried blood still clinging to his lower lip from where he'd bitten through it earlier - he was fueled by nothing but vengeance and bloodlust, blinded by the rage brought on from so much as seeing Ieyasu before him once again. When he had first determined Ieyasu's disappearance, he was furious that the coward had escaped from his grasp yet again but now that he had returned and Mitsunari was prepared to confront him man to man, that changed. He was no longer sore that Ieyasu had disappeared. Now, he was fuming that he dare show his face again in Death City.

"You--!" he hisses, clenching his jaw tightly as he makes a wide gesture with his arm, hand balling into a fist. "How dare you return to this place! How dare you continue to taunt me... To continue desecrating the memory of Lord Hideyoshi-!"

[reverencing]

"Do not turn your forked tongue on me, Ieyasu," Mitsunari growled, eyes narrowing on his foe. He took a heavy step forward, his foot stomping against the floor as he straightened his back, refusing to avert his gaze from Ieyasu's own. The hatred burned his his chest, the samurai doing everything in his power to stop himself from shaking with the fury that coursed through him. "I know the dark and twisted truth you keep locked beneath your talk of unity and bonds - you will betray these people and your allies just as you have betrayed those in Hi-no-Moto."

When Ieyasu had struck down Hideyoshi, he had betrayed many people. His Lord, his army, the people of Osaka - and most of all, he had betrayed Mitsunari. The depth of that betrayal was something he would never soon forget, nor something he could forgive. Mitsunari's world, everything he had known and trusted, collapsed around him on that day and Ieyasu was the one to blame.

"You expect me to believe you fight for the good of the people when all you do is bring pain and suffering to our door?! Your allies blindly follow you but they soon will be burned by the light you claim to bring."

if this tag makes no sense it's because I'm half awake ;;

[reverencing]

There were those words again. The hypocritical words that did little more than serve to escalate his fury - bonds, unity, for the good of the people. Meaningless words that Ieyasu tried to dress up but in the end, it was nothing more than vile trash that escaped him.

"You left your people," he spits the words begrudgingly, scarcely wanting to refer to his people as once being Ieyasu's, "You left the men and women of Owari naked and in the cold when you took the life of Lord Hideyoshi... Do you not see the hypocrisy in your words-?!" His voice was growing louder now, once again having to clench his teeth and bite his lip to try and quell his rage. He manages to remain still, focusing every bit of himself on clinging to his sanity and not lunging at the other man. His fists tremble now, forcing himself to speak.

"They admired my Lord and revered him as I did..." he breathes, teeth piercing a bloodied scab on his lip, breaking it and allowing for him to taste copper once more. "They prospered under his reign... But their livelihood was meaningless to you. And after everything Lord Hideyoshi has done for you and the people of Mikawa, you turn on my people and then come seeking our wanton brotherhood-?!"

[reverencing]

Pawns. He resented that comment like no other. It's enough to make him choke back bile, teeth clenched as his face twists into a grimace. How dare Ieyasu incite that his Lord cared not for his soldiers - for his men.It was by his Lord's hand that Mitsunari learned the art of battle, of swordplay and leadership. Under his Lord's watchful eye and guiding hand, he learned of loyalty, of devotion and above all, had been given a purpose. Ieyasu had torn every last piece from him, rending it from his grasp and discarding it without hesitation.

Ieyasu taught Mitsunari what it means to be betrayed. If he could do it once, he would do it again and everyone who claimed themselves an ally of the East, every man that stood by Ieyasu's side, all of them would feel that pain. For all his talk of bonds and unity, Ieyasu only served to shatter each link with reckless abandon when he was finished with a man. He claimed to be Motochika's ally but Mitsunari knew what happened in Shikoku - how Ieyasu slaughtered his people. He knew of what happened in Kai against the Takeda, how Ieyasu had turned his back on his former master.

Ieyasu was nothing but a traitor and a traitor to his kind deserves nothing less than death.

He can feel the fingers on his right hand growing stiff, his body wanting nothing more than to transform. To take his revenge here and now would be such a simple task, all consequences be damned - but would Ieyasu truly learn his lesson? Would he ever understand the hypocrisy in his words? Would he understand the hurt he's caused. Mitsunari finally breaks eye contact, throwing his head back to sharply inhale and stare a moment at the ceiling. He breathes for only a moment before lowering his head again, body quivering as he draws in another hiss. His eyes once more fall on Ieyasu's, locking him in a steely gaze.

"You claim my Lord to be nothing but a power-hungry monster... But you know that was not the case when he first began his rule," To admit that Ieyasu's words may be true is a sting that he won't easily heal from but in order to force the other man to understand, it's a wound he must endure. A frustrated sound escapes his clenched teeth, eyes narrowing on Ieyasu. He flexes his fingers before balling them tightly once more, silently praying his Lord would forgive him for his statement. "And what is to stop you from following the same path? You begin your rule with your people in mind... But the power will consume you."

[reverencing]

He's had enough.

"Your sentiment merits no mercy!" Mitsunari growls, interrupting the other male. His arm begins to emit a white glow before immediately stopping, returning to its proper colour. As Mitsunari seethes it starts up again, dimmer than before; even so, as it glows, the outline of his arm resembles less a human appendage and more the blade of a katana - if only for the briefest of moments. Was it a trick of the light?

"A traitor such as yourself deserves no less than immediate punishment for his crimes!" Mitsunari shouts, "I have had enough of your talk - you will suffer the consequences of your actions at once-" Mitsunari sweeps his arm out in another wide gesture, pointing accusingly in Ieyasu's direction before clenching his hand into another fist. "It will be by my hand alone that you fall, Ieyasu! I will rip the life from your throat and eat your heart-!"

[reverencing]

Mitsunari lunges forward but immediately stops short, the action serving as little more than a threat. Although his conviction is strong there is hesitation - the consequences for killing a man is dire. Though Mitsunari had never seen it with his own eyes, he had heard much over the network and that alone had been enough to cause him to pay heed. Were he to kill Ieyasu here and now, he would complete one of his ultimate goals... But the repercussions would be severe. He would not be able to defeat Date Masamune. He would not be able to continue serving in the name of his Lord. He would get his vengeance but at what cost?

"I made a vow to Lord Hideyoshi..." he breathes, making no move, "I promised my Lord that I would destroy you. I would pursue you until the very last breath is torn from my throat - if you held any regard for loyalty, you would perhaps understand why I cannot allow your injustice to reign. Not in this world and not in our own."

[reverencing]

It's in that moment where the final shreds of Mitsunari's humanity, all his rationality, is stripped from him. Ieyasu's words are the final push he needs to be pushed over the edge. Yet, as Ieyasu speaks, Mitsunari remains still, eyes cast downwards, Ieyasu's words repeating and pounding in his head.

What's stopping you?

Ieyasu scarcely has time to finish speaking as Mitsunari jerks his head up and lunges once more, unrestrained and recklessly springing forward. He slams his shoulder firmly into Ieyasu's chest, knocking the other male off balance just enough for Mitsunari's hands to grasp hold of the daimyo's throat throat. His face twists as he clenches his teeth, his left eye twitching as he stares into Ieyasu's own, his vision unfocussed for a moment as he strives to get a firmer grasp around his enemy's neck.

"You hold regard for nothing," he seethes, squeezing the other male's throat tigher, thumbs digging in beneath his chin. "Loyalty, honour, trust... They're nothing but words to you."

[reverencing]

Although he's strong, Mitsunari's upper-body strength is nowhere near what the other male's is. Despite his rage and the adrenaline that courses through him, Ieyasu's own will to live makes it difficult to keep his grasp firm. As Ieyasu pries at his fingers and his feet kick at his calves in an attempt to unbalance him, Mitsunari's grip falters, slipping off of Ieyasu's throat.

He isn't finished though. The moment his hands release Ieyasu's neck, Mitsunari slams his head forward and bashes his hairline against the other man's forehead, a fierce crack! resounding from the impact.