[Episode] Dark Knights

Approaching footsteps stirred the samurai from her nap mediation. She recognized her fellow marine by the sound of his stride, by the scent of gunpowder and a strange sort of tinge that colored his being. Her eyes flicked open, focusing on him with icy intensity.

Immediately, one particular detail scratched Yumiko’s ears, scraping against her nerves. While she was called by her rank, as was proper, someone far more important was called by nothing more than his first name... It sparked a surge of conflicting feelings. Shock, disbelief, even a twinge of anger. How dare this disrespectful man speak so casually of their superior officer? Such familiarity was reserved only for family and lov...

...

...Oh.

Meanwhile, inside the samurai’s head, the annual mental gymnastic event was in full swing. The line of thought took a running start... Leapt into a twirling triple flip... And stuck the landing! A beautiful jump to conclusions. Both the cheering audience and the nodding judges agreed, this was the only proper explanation.

Back in reality, for the past couple of seconds, the swordswoman had been staring at the gunslinger like he had spontaneously sprouted a second head. She blinked. Once. Twice. “...Very well.” Finally she snapped out of her daze. “This one shall deliver thy word to the Rear Admiral.” Her expression froze over again with the usual cold composure, hiding the puzzled thoughts swirling beneath.

Yumiko closed her eyes again and tried to gather her focus. Yet questionable thoughts plagued her mind. Images of the Rear Admiral... Were now accompanied by a certain Ensign alongside him. Sudden warmth lit up on her cheeks. She had never thought that the Rear Admiral preferred... That he had a... Gah, no, she had no right to judge nor question. Fading confusion made way for reluctant acceptance...

While the Wano woman was distracted, Anton managed to sneak up on her. His words caught her completely off-guard. Startled, she snapped out of her trance again. Bewilderment painted her pale features. She had completely lost track of time. Had it been seconds? Minutes? Closer to an hour? Well, perhaps it didn’t matter.

Perceptions varied.

The Commander steeled herself, purging the distracting imagery from her mind. With the Rear Admiral himself, the social conduct was obviously different. He called all his subordinates by their names, much like a teacher would his students. Thus his order didn’t sound at all unusual to her ears. “As is thy will, sir.” Without wasting a moment, she sprung up from her seat and dashed down the hallway.

Yumiko’s nose twitched, following the scent of gunpowder outside the palace. Her steps hastened, until she caught up to the patrolling man. “Ensign Filth.” She called out curtly. “The Rear Admiral has requested thy presence in his quarters.” Had it been only him, the questionable thoughts would have been bubbling back to the surface by now...

But it wasn’t just him.

Next, the hunter’s attention swiftly shifted towards a nearby balcony. The scent of hair gel was unmistakable, wafting all the way here. A sudden gust of wind grabbed her clothing and assisted her leap up there. She landed crouching on the railing, calling out sharply. “Petty Officer Ayugai, the Rear Admiral has requested thy presence in his quarters.” After delivering the message, she unceremoniously marched across the room and left through the door.

Returning to the Rear Admiral’s door, the Commander stopped to wait for her fellow Marines. She would not enter before they were both present. If they didn’t obey, well, she was not above going back there and physically dragging them here. Her dedication to completing the order was absolute.

Words: 605
Total: 3401

Only after the other two had entered, Yumiko finally stepped inside as well. She took position beside the door. Arms held behind her back, she stood stiffly at attention. Relaxing was not an option. This was a difficult matter, so she understood the need for a strategic briefing. No matter what genius plan her superior drafted for them, she silently prepared herself to follow it down to the tiniest detail.

However, before the briefing, another shock shook the group. Even the stern, unflinching samurai gasped. Jeremy... was leaving...? She had thought herself used to such events. It wasn’t anything unusual after all. Soldiers were needed for their specific talents all the time. This just... felt so sudden...

With a deep breath, the swordswoman brushed the distracting thoughts aside. Her icy composure returned. As the soldier walked past, she clicked her heels together and saluted the fellow soldier. “Should thy duty ever come to an end, thou are always welcome back.” Brief and to the point, as usual, but the heart was still definitely there.

Once the Rear Admiral broke the uneasy silence, the Commander merely nodded. For once she understood the metaphor used. There was nothing she could say to make it better. So she kept her mouth shut. It was a lesson she had learned well over the years...

Though Anton gestured for Yumiko to take a seat, she still remained standing. It was only proper in the presence of a superior. His request for thoughts and opinions was met with a pensive stare. “...‘Tis forbidden for a warrior to interfere with the matters of those above him.” There was no but. No clever play on words or phrasing leaning on pronouns. She was simply stating a flat fact.

“The only thing we can do is to prepare the young Shogun properly.”

In typical Yumiko fashion, she took the idea of preparation in a wildly different direction. Grabbing the sword from her waist, she held it before her. “I shall gift him mine blade and teach him in the ways of swordsmanship, ‘till the treasurer can procure a sword worthy of his status. One of the fabled meito should prove sufficient.” She could only hope this country had one. Anything less would be an insult to the young Shogun.

Words: 380
Total: 3781

When Ryoichi presented his personal preference, Yumiko cupped her chin. Eyes closed, she pondered the suggestion most seriously. “Thou make a fair point... One must not forsake physical training...” Not to mention sparring with blades always carried a risk... And she had failed to bring any bokken with her. Gah, how shortsighted of her...

At the same time, however, the boxer’s plan wasn’t without its flaws either. “...But turning one’s own body into a weapon takes years. Such time is not a luxury we have.” The swordswoman’s icy eyes opened and she aimed a dramatic point at the boxer. “Thus I suggest thou handle the physical training of the young Shogun, while I teach him in swordsmanship. If we sacrifice some sleep, we can get up to twenty hours of training each day.” Oh yes, she was quite serious about this.

Time was of the essence.

...Fortunately for everyone involved, the voice of reason piped up finally. Yumiko withdrew her hand and her suggestion immediately. She brought her hand to her heart and offered a deep bow. “As thou command, Master.” He was right. The safety of the young Shogun should be their priority, followed by avoiding any dishonor on their part. Silently she gathered her focus and sharpened her senses. No scent, no sound, would escape her notice...

The sudden knock on the door made the weasel woman jump. Reflex drew her hand to the handle of the blade. Her eyes narrowed into a fierce glare aimed at the cowardly assassin about to so brazenly attack them. ...Or, rather, the servant who arrived.

Yumiko relaxed her threatening stance and reigned in her nerves. Perhaps it was her pounding heart... Or the paranoia whispering in her ear... But something about this simply didn’t sit right with her. She shifted uncomfortably at the odd suggestion. Captain had just said they were not beholden to the nobility, nor even the royal family... So why would they waste time wandering around? If they had such extraordinary permission to defy those above them, then they should have been at the young Shogun’s side even now. What if something happened? It would be the deepest dishonor imaginable.

Much to the Commander’s shock, the Rear Admiral actually agreed to the outrageous request. “Master...!” Once again, her mouth was faster than her mind. Mentally cursing her hastiness, she gritted her teeth and shut away the rest of the protest. With a deep breath, she composed herself. “...Never mind. Wherever thou go, this one shall follow.” Orders were absolute. Whether she liked them or not was utterly irrelevant.

Avoiding Anton’s eyes, Yumiko inched to the side with small, silent steps. She was like a ghost gliding to Ryoichi’s side. With similar subtlety, she leaned closer and whispered a careful question. “Sir Ayugai, what is this... Arbo-retum...?” She was unwilling to show her ignorance, her shameful weakness, in front of the Captain. Even admitting it to her comrade felt like a blade against her soul, but she had to choose the lesser of two shames. “This one hopes it is not related to bathing, for this one failed to bring a towel.” The foreign customs and words were so very strange.

Words: 532
Total: 4313

-----*^*-----

Much to the samurai’s silent relief, her comrade proved far more knowledgeable on the topic. She nodded firmly, when the captain confirmed the guess. “Garden... Understood.” It was... better than staying inside, at least. She always felt at more ease among lush trees and verdant  bushes, than embroidered silk and polished marble.

The weasel woman took a moment to sniff around, rather enjoying the scents of the greenery around them. She brought her hands together and slowly streeeeetched her entire body. Deep breaths sharpened her focus... Her pounding heart slowed down... The tenseness left her shoulders... Much better. Now she could properly focus on the mission at hand. Her first task would be convincing the master that they needed to watch over the young Shogun.

Or so she thought...

While Anton rummaged through the leaves, Yumiko quirked a brow at his odd words. Duplicity...? Technicalities...? They sounded like polite ways to say lies and deception. She had always considered rulers honorable and honest. Was it not so?

The samurai was shocked even further, when the true plan was revealed. Her cold mask cracked and jaw dropped. Questions like when, how and why rang through her mind, before she forcefully silenced them. No, it was not her place to ask such foolish questions.

Upon being handed a spyglass, the swordswoman regarded it with a skeptical squint. Spying on others felt... dishonorable. Unfitting even. Again, her tongue slipped. “Master... This one is a proud samurai, not an enchanting kunoichi.” Though admittedly, once upon a time, she may have dreamed of being one... A-as a little kid, of course. Definitely not far into her teens.

Still, an order was an order. Reluctantly the warrior brought the spyglass to her right eye and closed the left. She would accept her master’s approach, even if she disagreed with it. “They are so far away... Suddenly this castle seems far bigger than this one realized...” While she was confident in her speed, she wasn’t quite sure she could cross the distance quickly enough. ...Though her opinion might change if she turned the spyglass the other way around.

Words: 351
Total: 4664

When the command came, the Commander cast aside all confusion and hesitation. ...As well as the backwards spyglass. The distance no longer seemed so vast. Whirling winds formed out of nowhere and whisked her into the air. She shot forth like an arrow.

However, Anton already blitzed far ahead. Yumiko’s jaw dropped. She had always been rather proud of her speed, but this... Frustrated winds howled. She pushed herself further, desperately trying -and failing- to match the Rear Admiral’s pace. Her hand reached towards the back that was fleeing ever further out of her grasp. Was the gap truly this big...?

Purging the distracting thoughts, the samurai burst through the broken window. Her icy glare swept across the room. The voices of the crowd drowned beneath her hammering heart. She focused her attention on the flying foe. Her grip on the blade tightened...

And she vanished.

A cold gust blew across the room. It felt like time itself slowed down to watch the spectacle. The swordswoman pushed herself into a reckless leap at the menacing bird. Her blade drew a shining arc across the air. She had been too slow to protect the young Shogun, but... At the very least... She could clip this fiend’s wings!

During that brief instant, an unsettling chill traced its claws down Yumiko’s spine. Like her head had been on a chopping block... Something gleamed in the corner of her vision. Acting on pure instinct, she abandoned the attack and twisted herself out of the way barely in time. A long blade seeking her neck only slashed a tuft of hair instead.

As the split-second danger passed, two figures dropped to the floor. The samurai leapt back, placing herself between the foes and her master, like a persistent guard dog. Clutching her sword, she tried to hide the nervous jitters trailing down her arms. Close... Much too close...

Rather than a rough pirate or an intimidating assassin, however, Yumiko found herself gawking at a handsome... nay, a beautiful warrior. He was a young man with almond eyes, gentle features and evidently an amazing skincare routine. His long, luscious locks were tied into a ponytail. Dressed in a flawlessly white kimono complimented by a midnight blue hakama, he looked like the very model of a samurai.

Even the cold and composed woman had to admit her heart fluttered a little...

Mysterious Samurai:

The mysterious foe flashed a smug smile and playfully flipped his hair. “Heh... Sit down, dog. You’re embarrassing yourself.” Matching the dreamy appearance, his smoky voice carried the kind of allure that made the nearby ladies swoon.

Words: 431
Total: 5095

Yumiko had no retort to the scathing insult. Her honest nature didn’t allow her to simply deny the claim, for she knew it was true. She should have been faster... More aware of her surroundings... Her grip on the blade slowly grew tighter, until her knuckles turned white. Likewise, her teeth gritted together beneath the frigid frown. The distracting doubts were promptly purged from her mind by the edge of her razor sharp focus.

Without a word, the swordswoman launched herself into another leap. Her weapon slid from its sheath, shining in the light. The world around her lost all meaning. It might as well not have existed. There was only her... The enemy... And the imminent attack.

Sadly, timing was not on her side.

With a couple of hefty thumps, the large entrance doors were suddenly sent flying. Yumiko’s gaze instinctively darted towards the motion. “Huh-?” She realized about a split second too late that she had, in her haste, managed to place herself right in the projectile’s path. In midair too. Her eyes widened. It was too big... There was no room to dodge!

Meanwhile, the mysterious samurai spared the incoming attack only a dismissive glance. “Hmph, pathetic~” A single cut cleaved the offending projectile in two. The halves crashed against the floor, scraping against the marble. He sheathed his sword and brushed a couple of unruly strands of hair back. “Surprise attacks are supposed to be silent, you ape.” His confidence remained unwavering, much to the adoration of the noblewomen.

Suddenly, a series of shining slashes tore through the second door. It splintered into tiny chips and scattered into whirling winds. The Commander landed among the raining pieces and sheathed her blade. Her shoulders heaved with heavy breaths. A trickle of blood painted her ruffled features. Adding insult to injury, the eerie birdman standing behind her didn’t need to lift a finger, or a talon, against the projectile. Truly unfortunate timing on her part.

However, Yumiko had no intention to falter here. She latched onto the order with flaring fervor. “Sir, yes sir!” With a deep breath, she regained her focus and suppressed the jitters. Her wounds were minor, nay, meaningless. Lifting her blade, she aimed it at the foe for a dramatic point. “I, Kamaitachi no Yumiko, shall be thy opponent. State thy name!” It was tradition, when beginning a duel.

...Except the sneering stranger didn’t seem to think so. He brandished his blade as well, but with a mocking scoff. “Hah, I don’t hand out my name to every piece of trash I’m going to kill.” Bold words, perhaps, but it was no bluff. His stance, his glare and his very aura were all cold and brimming with bloodlust.

Words: 454
Total: 5549

---

COMBAT TRACKERS:

Clutching the blade tighter, the Marine tried to steel herself against the nervous jitters. Her expression grew colder. A chill wind blew across the room. “So be it.” The time for talking was over. It was time to shed blood... She had always loathed this part. As much as she wanted to spare this foe and bring him to trial, she feared she would not get a choice. Painful recollections of her previous failures flashed before her eyes.

Her hands trembled...

The foe didn’t miss the opening. “Hmph, pathetic.” Donning a cruel smirk, he coiled his body as if preparing to dash and vanished. In a blink of an eye, he closed the gap and thrust his sword through the marine’s gut. Leaning closer, he twisted the blade. His playful, charming voice trailed across the room. “Bewitching Swordsmanship... Sleeping Beauty~” A burst of crimson painted the floor as he withdrew the blade with a dramatic flourish. [MT - Sleeping Beauty]

Yumiko staggered. Her trembling hand brushed against the fresh wound. A single question swirled around her head. How...? Gritting her teeth, she hastily gathered the shards of her shattered focus. “Guh... W-weasel War Dance... First form... Tempest Dance!” [MT - Tempest Dance] Violent winds awakened around her. She rushed the foe with a wild flurry of slashes, reminiscent of a frantic dance. Blades of air sliced in the wake of every attack. It was enough to force the man back, as he focused on evading and deflecting...

...But not enough to wipe his wicked smile.

Suddenly stomping on the samurai’s foot, the underhanded enemy forced a pause in the assault. [UT] He followed with a rush of his own, flawless in execution. [LT - Flawless Rush] Each slash tore through cloth and skin, scattering red across the room like violent brush strokes. “Hahaha~! Red definitely is your color, dog! Here, have some more!” He brought the sword down with a slash that left a shining afterimage. [LT - Shining Slash]

By pure reflex, Yumiko avoided getting split in two. She flipped backwards, summoning a sudden gust. [LT - Gale Warning] Like a punch in the gut, it blew the foe back and sent him stumbling. [UT] She took aim and sheathed her blade. A slash curving like a sickle caught the foe dead on, eliciting a pained yelp. [LT - Sickle Wind]

As the nameless foe got back on his feet and gingerly touched his face, his smug smile died on his lips. “Y-you... cut my face... My beautiful face...” In its place flared ugly, twisted rage. “You worthless cockroach! You’ll pay with your life!” The nearby nobles shrieked at the terrifying change.

Both warriors were hurt, but clearly it wouldn’t stop them.

Drip... Drop... The bloodshed had begun...

Words: 430
Total: 5979

---

   

COMBAT TRACKERS: