"Stop! I'm not done with you!" called the red headed boy, "Come back and fight like a man!"

"Kid, you can't even stand. What makes you think you can continue fighting?" the samurai asked as he sheathed his katana and watched the boy struggle to stand on his feet.

"I'll show you. I'm the best. There is no one like me," the boy said as he used his sword as a crutch.

'He got some spunk,' the samurai thought as he watched the boy struggle to walk over to him. When the boy reached the samurai, the samurai merely pushed the boy down.

"Too easy," he chuckled, "Come back when you are ready."

The samurai turned to make his leave when he felt a rock thrown at the back of his head.

"Come back here, you coward! I said fight me!" the boy yelled as he throw another rock. With ease the samurai catch and threw it back, knock the boy out.

"That's better," he chuckled and continued his journey. Then, something came over him. He looked back to the bleeding and beaten kid he had just faced. Not close to death, but if left alone, who knows.

"I'm going to regret this," he mumbled as he lifted the unconscious boy over his shoulder and hoped that a town would be near before dark.

A moan was heard as the samurai laid the boy in the bed. For as young as the boy was, he was heavy. The samurai stretched his back and shoulders from the long period of carrying the boy. With a yawn, the samurai started to strip off his armor and put on his rob and sandal. He than went to get some cool water and cleans clothes to clean the wounds he had placed on the boy. Once the cold water hit the skin of the boy, he spring out from the bed he had laid in ready to attack.

"Don't break anything. We're only staying the night and I'm not paying for extra," the samurai groaned, "Lay back down so I can fix you."

"Oh no you don't. Come on old man. Fight me! I'm ready for… My sword? Where's my sword?" the boy demanded.

"Had to turn it in with my katana. You don't think an inn would let people carry weapons around? Someone could get hurt," the samurai said, "Plus, it makes for bad business if people knew that there were dangerous people staying at a local inn. Now sit back down on this bed so I can clean up your wounds."

"So, no sword. Then hand-to-hand combat will have to due. Come on old man," the boy said as he got in a fighting position.

"Look, kid. I'm not going to fight you. Now sit down so I can clean your wounds," the samurai said as he slowly lost his patience.

"No, I demand that you fight me," the kid growled.

The samurai rolled his eyes, stood up, and grabbed the boy's arm, twisting it behind him. The boy gasped in pain as the samurai pushed him to the floor.

"Now listen kid, if you want to live then you let me treat your wounds or I'll give you more wounds and have you impaired," the samurai grumbled in his ear, "What's it going to do? I have no trouble doing either."

The boy struggled under the weight of the larger man and soon gave up.

"Fine," the boy said and the samurai let go.

"Good, now sit down," the samurai commanded as he released the boy to dip the cloth in the cool water.

Several minutes of silence passed till a word was finally uttered.

"So, what's your name kid?" asked the samurai.

"What's it to you, old man?" spat the boy.

"Don't you want to know the name of the man you might defeat? I may be of something important, a criminal or rogue soldier."

"Well, you first."

"Heishiro Mitsurugi of Bizen, Japan," said the samurai, "And you?"

"Hong Yun-seong," said the boy, "the best swordsman in Lee Dynasty Korea."

"Hmm… nice to meet you," Mitsurugi said as he continued to clean the boy's wounds.

"So, are you really a rogue soldier?" Yun-seong asked nervously.

"In some ways yes," Mitsurugi answered.

A thick silence soon filled the room. Yun-seong felt sudden uneasiness by being next to this man. After Mitsurugi wrapped up Yun-seong's wounds, started to make his way to his bed.

"Get some sleep, kid," he yawned, "You'll need it."

Yun-seong lay in the bed staring at the ceiling. He recalled everything that had happened this morning. The fight with the possible rogue soldier. It made sense now. How this man was able to beat him down, but if he was rogue, wouldn't he have left him for dead? Maybe this man had a trouble past, like him. Then his mind wondered ever more till an idea was formed.

Light flowed through the creaks of the window screen as the samurai woke from his slumber. Stretching, he rose himself from the bed and rubbed his eyes from any sleep he had left in him. He inhaled to the smell of breakfast as he opened to find half of it already eaten. He turned his head to the other side of him to find an empty bed. He stretched his head in confusion. Oh well, one less thing for him to worry about. Mitsurugi got up from the bed, tying his hair back as he made his way towards the food. As he picked up the bowl of food, he hears loud grunting coming from outside. He opens the screens to find that kid outside, lifting bags of gains from a wagon and carrying to a barn. Mitsurugi took a seat outside and observed the red headed boy at work.

"Quite strong for his age," says an old man walking by, "Yours?"

"No," Mitsurugi said as he takes a bite from a peach, "Found him."

"Troubled soul in this one," the old man says, "May need so guidance."

Mitsurugi laughed, "Oh yeah, from whom?"

The man looked up at him and smiled.

"No," Mitsurugi said and returned to his room.

Yun-seong came into the room later that morning sweating from the work he had done this morning as Mitsurugi started to put on his amour.

"Good morning, Mitsurugi-san," he said as he walked in the room, "Sleep well?"

"What time did you get up?" the samurai asked as he adjusted his one of his shoulder guards.

"Before sunrise, I had to start building my strength after our fight yesterday," Yun-seong replied as he wiped the sweat off his brow with a wet cloth.

"Hmm… well it was nice meeting you, kid. Maybe someday our paths will cross again," Mitsurugi said as he started to make his way out of the room.

"Wait, you're leaving already?"

"Yes, why?"

"You can't leave yet," Yun-seong said, "or at least not alone."

"What are you talking about, kid," and then it hit Mitsurugi, "Oh no, absolutely not. I travel alone, kid."

"But I can take care of myself," Yun-seong argued, "Besides, I know you could make me stronger."

"No, kid," he said.

"But…"

"I said No! There are things you'll understand when you're older."

"But I want to understand now, Mitsurugi! You are the strongest man I have met so far on my journey and you don't know how much of an honor be to learn under you. You can teach me so many things."

"Maybe, but I have many more things to worry about and I don't something else slowing me down."

"But I won't slow you down. I can keep up."

They were already outside the inn as Mitsurugi tied his sheathed katana to his belt. Yun-seong stood in place as he watched the samurai walk away.

"Please," he begged.

With a sigh, Mitsurugi turned to see the longing look on the kid's face.

"I'll probably regret this later," he mumbled to himself and signaled Yun-seong to join him.

The redheaded boy ran to the side of the samurai as they began their journey, not know what lies ahead.