Shinigami Blades

Ch.1

'Wow! I never knew that that old Kambei was really good! And I missed it!' Komachi's cheeks puffed up followed by a frown. The little girl was walking through the streets by herself, something she was sure her sister wouldn't approve of at all. 'Well she'll just have to deal with it because Kambei said so!'

Seeing as how they hadn't yet found enough samurai, he had told everyone but Kilara to split up. The older girl was staying behind, so as not to get noticed again by what the little girl thought of as 'the really creepy weird guy.'

Rapidly shaking her head, almost making her neck crack, she got the thought of 'Ukyo' out of her head and started to partially pay attention to what was in front of her, turning her head this way and that looking for samurai. 'Maybe I can find another Kiku! Well…never mind. There's only one Kiku.'

Sighing, she frowned before her eyes lit up. A guy with a sword was walking at a slow pace in front of her. 'A samurai!' Happily, she ran over behind him.

"Excuse me! Mister Samurai!" The guy turned around and looked down at Komachi. "Eh? What do you want kid?" He asked gruffly. 'Well he's not very nice.' She put her hands behind her back as she answered. "You look really strong mister samurai! Will you please help us fight off the bandits in our home?" She said while giving the most pleading and hopeless look she could.

Blinking for a second, the man suddenly became furious. "Why you little brat!" Komachi's eyes widened and she backed up a little, taken back by his yelling, and slightly scared. "How dare you think I'd stoop so low as to help mere farmers!" Unsheathing his sword from his side and holding up over his head with both hands, he continued yelling.

"Why I should cut off your tongue for just suggesting the very idea!" Completely immobilized by fear, the little girl fell back with her hands supporting her up. Seeing the deadly blade start to come down, she curled into a tight ball with her hands covering her head as she began to cry, waiting for a feeling of pain. A second passed and a startled cry was heard, but it wasn't from her. Slowly opening her eyes, she looked up to see what was happening. Her mouth fell open.

Going through both of the samurai's arms, was a very sharp blade of a yari that was straight on one side and had even more painful looking ridges on the other, almost like a naginata. A red ribbon was placed right when the blade met the silver pole. However it was who was holding the yari that was what had her mouth open.

Holding the yari with one hand, was a girl that looked to be almost a few years older than Kilara. She had pale skin, red hair, and light blue eyes. She had almost sharp facial features, with a light pink scar running horizontal over her left eye.

Her outfit consisted of black knee high pants, black slippers with cut outs in the heel and the toes.

Her top was more complicated. The sleeved of a red top hung on her arms below her shoulders, with normal green straps holding it up, and when it hit her waist, it became almost dress like, cut in half on her waist by a orange obi and a red tie around it, and a brown sword belt under that, the actual blade behind her, the handle sticking out. The final touches, were red sleeves that started before her elbow and almost completely covered her hands, along with a silver necklace shinning brightly around her neck.

All in all. This girl looked as fearsome as she seemed to be.

She tilted her head to the side and pulled the yari out of the horrified man's arms. "Maybe that'll teach ya not to go around swinging a sword at kids." She sounded miffed and disgusted at the same time as she put a hand on her hip and swung the yari over her shoulder so the blade faced the ground. "What the hell have samurai come to these days." Shacking her head, she finally turned her attention to Komachi.

She walked in front of her and kneeled down to her eye level. "You ok kid?" Still stunned with her mouth open, she nodded. Smiling, the women reached for something behind her and brought out a sucker holding it out to her. "Here! Have some candy." Smiling, she took the sucker with a shaky hand.

Satisfied, the woman stood up and started to walk away, unfazed by the now crying man that was huddled in a ball as she walked past him. Something snapped in Komachi's head and she quickly stood up and ran after her, pulling on the woman's sleeve.

Seeming shocked, the red head turned around to look down at her. "Huh?" "Please, please, please ms samurai lady, come meet my big sister!" Without waiting for an answer, Komachi started to run towards they're make shift home with the red-head in tow.

When they finally made it to the outside of the building, Komachi stopped, slowing down and breathing heavily while leaning against a wall. "Damn. For a kid, your pretty fast ya know that?" She said while putting her hands on her hips with an eyebrow raised.

Suddenly, her gaze shifted from the panting kid, to down the hall. Emerging from the hall, was the older sibling of the two, Kilara. Looking down at Komachi with surprise before looking at the girl.

She looked the girl over, frowning a little as she noticed the yari and sword behind her back. "Are you a samurai?" When he asked, Komachi seemed to leap to her feet and pointed at the woman. "Sister! Sister! She saved me from a really mean man with no problem!"

Hearing that her sister was almost hurt, the older brunette ran towards he sister and began to check for wounds. Finding none, and remembering her manners, she stood up and bowed to the lady samurai. "Thank you so much for saving my sister." The red head held up her hands. "No sweat."

Looking hesitant, she addressed the samurai again. "Great and honorable samurai, will you hear our request?" Frowning, the red-head scratched the back of her neck. "Um. Sure." "Yeah!" Komachi once again took hold of the elder's sleeve and dragged her inside.

Katsushiro looked up from where he was sitting and starred in surprise as he watched to girl be dragged in by the smaller one. Rikichi quickly poured a bowl of rice and set it down in front of a mat where the red-head sat down. Kambei looked at her, stroking his chin with his hand.

"Honorable samurai." She looked up at him, realization dawning on her face. "You're the one that fought the blonde from yesterday." He nodded and continued. "Myself a few other samurai are assisting in the defeating of the Nobuseri to defend Kana Village. The only payment we will receive is the very rice we are protecting. Will you join us?"

The younger boy seemed to jump and starred at him. "But sensei, she's a woma-" "Katsushiro!" Everyone was taken back by the yell. "You do not judge a samurai based on gender. Never make that mistake, and never even assume that they are weaker than you are." the younger blushed and sat back down, looking ashamed before bowing deeply. "I'm sorry lady samurai."

Looking shocked for a second, and ignoring the younger all together, she shook her head, giving the full bowl of rice a weird look. "I can't-" "Please! Please! Please samurai lady!" Komachi started to beg and cry again. Looking panicked, she quickly pat the girl on the back. "Hey now! You didn't let me finish!" Instantly, a smile was back on her face. 'Why that sneaky little.'

"I can't agree to anything because my sister isn't here." Her words were directed at the older. "Is your sister a samurai too?" Katsushiro couldn't help but blurt out, earning a disapproving look from the older man. "Yep!" Kambei looked back at her. "And when can you get in touch with your sister?"

She looked up towards the ceiling and but a hand on her chin, looking thoughtful while everyone one else was gazing at her intently. "Don't know." She suddenly turned around towards the hall. "Hey sis, one can I get in touch with ya?"

Most of them startled, they looked towards the entrance to see a figure enter the room. Kambei merely gazed past the read head and smirked.

At the entrance of the room, stood another woman looking almost as tall as Kambei. Her skin even paler, almost white, her hair was white as snow, her eyes were a haunting light hazel, and unlike the other girl's, she really had sharp facial features.

Her top looked like it was made of black wrapping, the presence of sleeves unknown because of her black trench coat. Her pant's were an almost black dark dark gray, and she had black wrap up boots that went up to under her knees.

A sword was sheathed and hanging on her left hip, while two larger weapons that none of them had even seen, were on each hip.

She looked around at everyone, seeming to judge them before walking forward's and sitting next to her sister before fixing her gaze on Kambei. "Are the numbers very high?" She asked in a monotone voice. He nodded and she gave the red-head a side glance. Something seemed to pass between the two before the clearly older sighed, and looked back while a huge grin found it's way to the red head's face.

"We'll join!" A small trace of a smile made it's way to Kambei's face. "May I ask your names?" The red-head stood up and pointed a thumb at herself. "Name's Shinigami Tora!" She yelled enthusiastically. The white haired rolled her eyes at the display. "Shinigami Okami." She turned her attention to Katsushiro with a smirk. "And you will be taught not to underestimate women."

Turning back to the older, they started to discuss battle tactics while Tora rolled her eyes and started to play with Komachi, completely confusing the would-be-samurai.