Kyuzo's Duel
Kambei was on his way back to the group's impromptu base after another long day of rejecting useless samurai and being turned down by skilled ones. The aging veteran was just about to head inside when he heard shouting from behind him. "Sir! Excuse me, sir!"
Turning toward the sound, with a cautious hand laid on his sword, Kambei saw a young man rushing up to him. "You're the one who's looking for samurai, right?"
Kambei took a moment to examine the youth. He didn't wear a sword, meaning he wasn't a samurai, and didn't seem to have a weapon at all. Deciding the youth was harmless, Kambei nodded, noticing he had an apron tucked into the pocket of his jacket. "I run a noodle stand down at the trainyard, a lot of samurai hang out there; practicing, sparing and such," the young man explained, "Anyway, yesterday, I saw this samurai practicing for about three straight hours. Even when it started raining, he just kept practicing like nothing had happened."
Intrigued, Kambei asked, "Do you know this samurai's name?"
"No, but he's got blonde hair and wears a long red coat." the noodle salesman said, "He uses two swords and a fancy sheath for both of them. You can probably find him around the trainyard tomorrow."
Kambei thanked the young man and went inside.
The next morning, the group's ad hoc leader walked into the trainyard accompanied by Katsushiro and Kirara. True to the clerk's word, there were several samurai of varying skill practicing and sparing. Several of them cast lecherous looks at Kirara and a few even grabbed at the priestess's rump, meaning Kambei was on his own in finding the mystery samurai while Katsushiro played bodyguard.
After a few hours, the dark skinned samurai was ready to give up. He had just noticed a gathering crowd when a familiar voice called out. Kambei turned to spot the youth from before behind the counter of his stand, "You're just in time!" he pointed to the crowd, "He's about to spare with another samurai!"
The three companions made their way into the crowd, gradually weaving their way forward until they'd reached the front. Kambei looked at the two samurai and instantly spotted his quarry. Though likely older than Katsushiro, he was still surprisingly young. Nevertheless, any doubts Kambei may have had quickly evaporated.
The two samurai where standing in a vacant lot looking over shoots from a small bamboo bush to use as makeshift bokken. The blonde's opponent, a long haired man in a ratty robe and vest, simply took one that was solid and about as long as his sword. The young blond, on the other hand, was being very thorough in his selection, carefully measuring several shoots against his swords and testing them for sturdiness and weight.
"C'mon, Kyuzo," the opponent barked, "let's get to it."
At last, the blonde youth, Kyuzo, seemed satisfied. He set his actual swords down in their special sheath and took position across from his opponent, whom Kambei heard someone call Watannabe.
Watannabe turned to another out of work samurai and said, "Call it, Saito."
A tall thin samurai, Saito, allowed the two fighters to assume their stances, then yelled out "BANZAI!"
"YYYAAAAAAAHHHHH!" Watannabe cried as he rushed forward, violently swinging his bokken down at Kyuzo's head. At the same time, Kyuzo stepped forward and swung both bokken all in one fluid motion. Watannabe's bamboo blade stopped just over Kyuzo's skull while the blonde's left weapon was pressed up to this opponent's gut and right to Watannabe's neck. The fight lasted no more than a few seconds.
There were collective gasps of surprise at the show of skill from the two fighters. "Perhaps we could ask both if they'd join us." Kirara suggested. Kambei remained silent.
Watannabe chuckled and relaxed his stance. "A good match, Kyuzo," he said with a smile, "But I won."
Kyuzo said nothing and simply walked over to where he'd laid his swords down.
"Well," Watannabe asked, his brow furrowed, "How 'bout it?"
Setting the bamboo down, Kyuzo picked up his sheath, slung it over his shoulder and walked toward the crowd.
"Well?"
Kyuzo made his way through the crowd, casted a glance at Kambei and moved to the noodle stand.
Watannabe grabbed his own sword and moved toward the duel's referee, "Saito, I won, didn't I?"
"...I don't know Watannabe," was the unsure response "it was very close."
"Close!?" the quickly becoming irate Watannabe snarled, he gestured to the audience and said, "You've all got eyes! You say what happened! I won!"
Watannabe quickly brushed threw the spectators toward Kyuzo, just as the blonde mutely accepted a bowl of noodles and handle over a silver coin as payment. "You tell 'em," Watannabe all but ordered the younger samurai, "Tell 'em I won."
"You lost." Kyuzo flatly stated. He walked over to a nearby bench and state down to enjoy his meal. Watannabe stared after him for several seconds, then moved after Kyuzo.
"Why doesn't he just let it go?" Kirara asked
"Samurai are very proud." Katsushiro explained helpfully
"So are fools," Kambei added
A seething Watannabe towered over a disinterested Kyuzo, who simply took a bite of his noodles. "You're a liar." Watannabe stated.
Kyuzo glanced up at his resent opponent, then went back to his meal.
"I said you're a liar."
Kyuzo didn't respond.
"I said you're a coward and a liar!" Watannabe snapped. "Get up, let's do it for real. Get up!" Watannabe suddenly drew his sword, jabbing it in Kyuzo's face. "So help me, I'll let you have it right where you are!"
Kyuzo's eyes narrowed just slightly, but looked much more dangerous for it. The blonde samurai batted the blade away from his face, grabbed his swords and rose, moving past Watannabe and back toward the lot, his irritable opponent following.
"Call it," Watannabe snapped as he passed Saito. Most of the spectators took several steps back. Kirara nervously moved behind Katsushiro, though Kambei was proud to see his de facto student didn't move.
"Whoa, I don't want anything to do with this," Saito quickly said. He followed Watannabe, putting a calming hand on the other samurai's shoulder, "Just forget it."
"Get away from me!" Watannabe snapped, shoving Saito, "Call it!"
Still unsure, Saito looked to the other duelist.
"Call it." Kyuzo ordered.
Saito took a breath and yelled "Banzai!"
Instantly, Watannabe rushed forward, and attempted another warcry, "YY-AH!"
At the same time, Kyuzo sprung forward and slashed his swords at the same targets as before. In the blink of an eye, he disemboweled his opponent with his left sword and slashed his throat wide open with his right. The young swordmaster calmly side stepped Watannabe, avoiding the gushes of blood and allowing the dead man to pass.
A look of shock and surprise on his face, his intestines spewing out, and his head nearly severed, Watannabe stumbled a few paces forward, his sword falling from his hand, and finally fell face down in the dirt.
"He never stood a chance," Kambei stated. He watched Kyuzo clean and resheath his blades, snapped his fingers in front of Katsushiro's face to snap the novice out of his apparent awe, and moved toward the young blonde, as the shocked crowd gawked at Watannabe's corpse.
Seeing the trio approach, Kyuzo examined each of them in turn, before finally settling on Kambei, "Yes?"
"I am in love," Kambei stated.
Kyuzo raised an eyebrow.
"I am in love with your skills," Kambei clarified, "If you have a moment, I have a proposition for you."