Second Strike [Arc Part 2]

Arc Part 1: Here

Cologne, old alcohol, steaming hot tea... So many scents lingered faintly in the air, remnants of the other guests staying at the inn. Distractions, in other words. Yumiko had spent the better half of the morning trying to sniff out anything suspicious. While she couldn’t even begin to guess what an assassin smelled like, she could at the very least try to seek out their deadly tools. ...Well, until she realized her crewmate practically reeked of gunpowder. It clung to the short-haired woman like spicy haze, as if she was constantly carrying a small armory. ...Maybe she was? Another question for later. If she ever got a chance to ask.

Even though there were beds for everyone, the samurai had insistently spent the night outside of the room. To begin with, sleeping in the same room as her master was inappropriate at best and disrespectful at worst. Furthermore, someone had to keep watch. Thus she had slept in the hallway, sitting against the door. ...And scared a night guard witless in the process. The poor man had simply asked if she had locked herself out of the room when he found a blade pointed at his throat. Some reflexes were sharper than others. Of course she had apologized profusely afterwards.

The swordswoman snapped out of her thoughts. She had been staring silently at her cup of tea for a good while now. It had already gone cold, but she didn’t quite care. No, her mind was elsewhere entirely. While her physical bruises had been healed, the ones on her pride still remained. Her icy stare was drawn onto Anton. Worry sank its venomous fangs into her mind when she heard the deduction. More assassins were on the way... Exactly as she had fea- ...anticipated.

Yumiko took a sip of the tea, only to suppress a shudder. Hm, no, definitely should’ve drank it while it was still hot. She set the cup down and returned her steely gaze on her master. She could no longer remain silent. “Sir, with thy permission, I shall hunt down this group of assassins and ensure they shall bother thee no longer.” She wasn’t arrogant enough to think it would be easy... or that she would even return alive... But right now, a suicide mission sounded like the perfect way atone. “Sir, to begin the hunt, I would like to know thy foes. Anyone who might hold a grudge against thee.” Naturally, she never expected that her self-imposed mission to hunt an impossible prey might get rejected outright.

The samurai’s cold composure faltered. Her lips parted, wanting to protest but failing to find the words. Disappointment shined through the steely eyes. Not against the captain, mind you. Against her own ignorance. She quickly bowed her head. “Of course, sir. Thou are right.” As much as she hated to admit, it was impossible to hunt a prey she knew nothing about. Furthermore, bothering innocent bystanders in selfish pursuit would be unforgivable. Yet she couldn’t stand it... The feeling of sitting around and being so utterly powerless... It wormed its way through her mind, mocking her efforts. What good was her endless dedication if she couldn’t accomplish anything with it? Useless... Helpless... Worthless... Whispers of doubt haunted her ears.

Until a gunshot silenced them.

Yumiko’s eyes widened, burning with fierce determination. In fact, a vivid imagination might see flames in the place of her pupils. She immediately sprung up from her seat. “Sir, please stay here. Allow me to deal with this disturbance alone.” She gave her master a hasty bow. “If thou got hurt again... I could not forgive myself.” Despite her serious tone, a small, relieved smile rested on her lips. Suddenly the world made sense again. She had a direction, a target... and a purpose. Without wasting a moment -or waiting to hear what orders her superior might have had- she rushed out of the room.

Practically flying through the hallway and down the stairs, the swordswoman quickly burst out of the inn. Her eyes scanned the immediate area. The streets were quiet, nearly empty. Fortunately, the nearest civilians had scattered out of harm’s way. Her icy stare stopped on a peculiar duo standing right in front of the hotel. One was dressed in robes and tattoos much like a monk, yet wielded a blade better suited for a bandit. Another wore a suit that reminded her of a faraway land. Now there was the smoking gun... Literally. She could still smell the faint wisps rising from the barrel.

Yumiko grabbed her blade, itching to draw it. Her voice demanded the duo’s attention. “Halt!” However, Anton’s words echoed through her mind. ...Can’t just go around harassing people... Truly. Master was right, of course. These men were not necessarily assassins. She had a suspicion, but no proof. Thus she approached the peculiar duo with slow, meticulous steps. Her voice was calm, lacking any accusing edge. “Are thou the one who fired thy hand cannon? For what purpose have you come here?” They could have been simply bandits or rowdy thugs. Well, whatever they were, she would not let them anywhere near her captain. At least so she thought.

Hearing the mysterious gunman musing out loud stopped Yumiko on her tracks. Her cold, suspicious squint melted away briefly. Now, having an armed stranger recognize you was often bad news, but... Being acknowledged as a samurai warmed her heart. Just a tiny bit. She puffed her chest proudly, unable to suppress the small smile visiting her features. “Thou are right. I am Kamaitachi no Yumiko, a proud samurai of Wano Country.” For once that word felt genuine as it left her lips. With a swift flourish, she drew her blade. A twisting gust rustled her clothes. “And I alone shall be thy opponent.” ...Or so she thought.

As soon as the samurai had introduced herself, a shadow landed next to her. Out of pure reflex, she pointed her blade towards it... Only to recoil upon recognizing her captain. She immediately withdrew her weapon from his throat. The sheer shock left her stuttering. “S-sir! B-but I... I asked thee to... to stay inside!” While the assassins and the captain exchanged some form of pleasantries, she placed herself between them. Assuming a steady stance, she kept her sword at the ready. Winds faintly whirled around her, making the dust dance. The warmth from before was suffocated behind a glare as harsh as cold steel. To be even slightly glad about losing an ally... That foul gunman was both heartless and honorless, the absolute worst kind of scum.

When the robed man suggested returning to the real reason why they were all here, the swordswoman reluctantly agreed. “For this once only, I admit thou are right. We shall end this hunt here and now.” Her icy stare slowly shifted between the assassins. She was trying to gauge which one of them was more dangerous. “If thou wish to assault my captain, thou have to go through me first!” The winds picked up, making her hair and clothes billow. She uttered a quiet plea to her superior she was trying so vehemently to protect. “Sir, please return to the room. I... cannot guarantee thy safety out here.” Simply admitting out loud cut like a blade through her chest. Some truths were painful. Sadly, her powers were not well-suited for protecting others. A storm could only spread destruction.

“Now... Surrender or face thy fate!”

And other truths were more painful still...

Anthony’s response pierced through Yumiko’s heart, threatening to stop it in a single blow. She had no words, no arguments against it. The captain’s duty... Of course... It was so simple. Trying to deny him his duty was utterly dishonorable. Gritting her teeth, she averted her gaze. In her eyes, the captain shined brighter than the morning sun. Yet it was painful. Blinding. Knowing how she had inadvertently tried to snuff out that heroic radiance. How could she have been so selfish...? Would slicing her stomach open be enough to atone for this? She made a mental note to ask, once they had dealt with this threat.

The very instant the shock wore off, the samurai dropped to one knee and bowed her head. “As is thy will, sir!” Being ordered to take her foes alive was a first... But one she appreciated. Bloodshed was not something she ever wished. Slowly she straightened her back and faced her opponent. The assassin hoisted his huge blade with frightening ease, a proof of his power. “Should’ve stayed kneeling. It would’ve made this so much quick...” He trailed off, quirking a brow. An awkward pause filled the air.

“...What are you doing?”

Meanwhile, the swordswoman had just finished sheathing her blade again, inspiring the question in the first place. Bringing both hands to the grip, she brandished her blunt weapon much like it were a wooden practice sword. “As per my captain’s command, I shall catch thee alive.” She steadied her stance. “Behold the martial arts of my home country.” The foe’s calm demeanor deflated slightly. “Seriously?” She nodded. “Verily.” A deep sigh escaped the gray man’s lips. “Right... Your funeral.” But even that was taken at face value. “There won’t be one, as none shall die today. Come!” She was dead serious about facing a massive cleaver without even a single blade. ...Much to the exasperation of her opponent.

With calm, careful steps the assassin started prowling around his prey. He let his blade scrape against the paved street. Unlike some of his colleagues, he wasn’t impatient or foolish enough to rush in blindly. There was a certain rhythm to these things, you see... Yumiko, meanwhile, held her ground. Only her gaze followed the man’s motions. She focused her senses on his presence, the scent and the sound. He smelled of blood. The kind of faint, lingering stench that never washed away completely. She hated how familiar it smelled. Closing her eyes, she purged the unnecessary thoughts from her mind. Only the presence remained.

Suddenly the foe closed the distance with a quick dash. He swung his cleaver upwards in an angle. [LT][Cross Cleave] Keeping the momentum, he slashed downwards in an opposing angle. [LT][Cross Cleave] The swift motions painted gleaming slashes in the air, taking the shape of a slanted cross. Yet Yumiko deftly stepped past both. The samurai responded with a quick smack against his ribs. [UT] He coughed and took a step backwards, trying to squeeze in one more haphazard strike. [UT] It was deflected by a sudden blast of wind, knocking him further off-balance. [LT][Gale Warning] He corrected himself just in time to avoid a second hit from the blunt weapon. ...Or so he thought. However, the wind stirred by the sword kept chasing him and knocked back first into the nearest building. [LT][Weasel's Tail] Their clash resembled a violent dance, having a clear rhythm both fighters understood. Step, step, spin and... Strike!

Pressing the advantage, the samurai launched herself forward to pin the foe against the wall. [LT][Storm Chaser] Another painful smack left a red bruise on the man’s gray visage. Though the stars twirling around his head were distracting, his stance didn’t falter. This... was just a minor setback... His cold eyes focused on the woman before her. “Heh, I’m starting to see how you managed to beat Hollie.” Suddenly his free hand gripped the samurai’s sheathed sword. And clung on tightly... “But you are sorely mistaken if you think I’ll be as easy.” His attempt to wrestle the weapon away, however, was met with fierce resistance. Disbelief cracked his icy composure. It... wouldn’t... budge...

“I say the same to thee.”

Now, with the assassin pinned against the wall, Yumiko allowed herself a quick glance towards her captain, just to check how he was faring. A costly decision. Upon seeing that he had gotten wounded again, her eyes widened and focus faltered. Those haunting whispers returned... She should have been by his side... Bled on his behalf... The trained killer took note instantly. His free hand snapped into a firm fist and lodged itself deep into the woman’s gut. [UT] She coughed. Gasped. Staggered. However, the sudden jolt of pain also knocked all distractions right out of her mind.

And the dance continued.

Pressing the advantage, the foe stepped forward like a charging bull. [LT][Heavy Headbutt] His skull clashed against the blunt sheath, blocked at the last second. Undeterred, he swung his heavy blade in a wide arc. [LT][Wide Arc] The samurai suddenly bounced backwards. Whirling winds launched her high into the skies, far out of reach. But... The assassin didn’t seem to mind. Both of his attacks missed their mark, yes, but he had gotten some sorely needed breathing room. With an eerie glint in his eye, he turned his focus onto their real target... Anton. That back turned to him looked so inviting. Just one strike from a blind spot could turn this whole fight around. He hoisted his blade... And dashed!

Floating up above like a living kite, Yumiko narrowed her gaze. Sharpened her focus. She brought her sword to her side. In a single flowing motion, she drew it, slashed and sheathed it again. ...Well, mimicked such motions at least. Down below, a sudden gust of wind gathered dust into the vague shape of a sheathed sword. It smacked the rushing killer right in the face, stopping his surprise attack short. [LT][Sickle Wind] Before he could recover, the flying woman swooped down and tackled him to the ground. [LT][Rushing Gust] With a pained grunt, he tried and failed to catch himself before hitting the pavement. “Gah, you’re a quick one...” When he put up a fierce struggle, she served him one more smack with her weapon. [UT] “Stay down, lest thou get hurt.” Her command was calm and firm, reminiscent of a mother big sister treating a child. But would it be enough...?