Return of the Samurai Seven
A/N: The third chapter is up. Remember I do not own Samurai 7. Also pay close attention because you'll be seeing a glimpse of one of the new samurai.
(Recap)
A group of over fifty masked samurai invaded Kanna and injure Rikichi. As for their reason for invading, the leader says all he wants from the village are the men. As all the men of Kanna were taken, Katsushiro clashes with their leader. However Katsushiro is injured and taken along with the men. Now to save their village, Kirara sets off to find the two Samurai that saved their village before.
Episode 3: The Reunion
After the invasion, the rest of the women began repairing the field as four of them were standing on the bridge connecting the village to the main land. The four were Kirara, Komachi, and Shino preparing to leave the village to find the samurai to save the men of their village. Sanae was there to see them off.
"Are you sure you wish to come with us Shino?" Kirara asked her.
"My father was captured along with all the men. I should at least help to find the samurai so we can save them. Also, I've always wanted to travel outside the village." Shino said.
"Sure you don't want to come along Sanae." Komachi asked.
"Someone has to look after the village while my husband's away. Please find the samurai so we can save them." Sanae pleaded.
"We will." Kirara said.
With that the three of them set of on their new journey to find the two samurais to save Kanna once more.
Elsewhere, the city of Kogakyo has changed over the years. A new magistrate took the place of Ayamaro, the last magistrate. However, unlike Ayamaro, this magistrate was a benevolent one and everyone respected him. Though, the one who gave judgment whenever a crime was committed was the magistrate's advisor, who as described by the people, ruthless and scary.
Somewhere in the city, a new sport has taken place for the lower class citizens. It's an event involving samurai's in an arena fighting against each other as a test of skill. A person would win if their opponent gives up, is killed, or if the officials say something. Though it was a little too far, most people just liked the entertainment, didn't care about what happens.
Underneath the stands, there is a young man who appears to be in his late twenties early thirties sneaking onto the arena. He had long black hair and goatee, wore a red cloak, and carried a Tachi sword so he appeared to be a samurai. Above the stands two people were entering. One was a man with blond hair tied to three ponytails, wearing a light purple robe and had a prostatic left arm. The other one was a woman with a red kimono, wore white makeup, and had light green hair held with a kanzashi (a traditional Japanese hair ordainment). They were Shichiroji and Yukino, only thing different was that she had a big round stomach.
They walked up to a man with long gray hair and wore white clothing.
"Hello Kambei long time," said Shichiroji to the man who appears to be Shimada Kambei.
Kambei then responded, "I could say the same to you old friend. It would appear that you have been busy." He said looking towards Yukino.
"Yeah it seem. The doctors are saying the baby is due any day now." Shichiroji said.
"It's been a rough nine months. By the way Kambei, I would have thought that you'd have been fighting in this kind of event." Yukino said.
"Some have tried, but I've turned them away at any attempt they had." Kambei responded.
"How come?" she asked him.
"Fighting for just sport is pointless." Kambei answered then asked. "Why did you come?"
Shichiroji answered. "We thought you should know that since you took down the capital along with its emperor there's been a bounty on your head for a while now."
"Really," Kambei nonchalantly said. "What do you plan on doing then?"
"Nothing just thought you should know. You know you're only worth around half a thousand. Any higher and every bounty hunter will chase you to the ends of the
Earth." Shichiroji responded.
"You know Kambei we're staying at an inn until the baby's born. Why not stay with us for now." Yukino offered.
"I appreciate the offer but if what you said is true then I will only be putting the both of you in danger." He said.
"Oh please, with two samurai as skilled as you two no bounty hunter would last ten seconds." She said which made her husband chuckle and Kambei smirk.
At the end, the official stood at the center of the arena announcing something to the audience. "Ladies and Gentlemen I am offering a special prize of 500,000 yen (don't know if that's the currency in Samurai 7) to anyone who could take down the champion KOIZUMI" he said pointing to a very big and muscular samurai with long hair, white skin, and carried a sword similar to Kikuchiyo.
As the champion enters, the whole audience began cheering. Yukino then turns to her husband. "Hey Momotaro why don't you enter? You could probably win."
"I might but like Kambei said it's pointless." He responded.
"私は戦います。(I will fight)," said the samurai, which was sneaking in earlier.
"Hey how'd you get in? Someone get him out of here." The official said. As two guards began to restrain him, he was able to get one of his arms free to punch other guard away from him. Before the guards could reach their swords, Kambei stopped them.
"If he wishes to fight let him." He said to the officials.
"Can you pay for his funeral to." The announcer said.
"Here" Shichiroji threw a small sack of coins.
The annoucer gave the guards the sign to let him in. When he entered, Koizumi started talking smack to him. "Hey punk don't know what your thinking about entering here, but I'll give ten seconds to get lost before a cut your intestines open."
The Man just got in a stance taking his Tachi out. "戦い (fight)"
"I don't know what you said but you just blew your chance." He then took out his sword and got into a stance. "Let's go."
Watching in the stands, Kambei commented. "He's going to lose."
Yukino then said,"I know. I don't know what that little guy was thinking."
"I wasn't talking about him." Kambei responded shocking Yukino.
Kozumi started swing his sword around trying to slash his opponent but he dodge them still holding his sword in place. Koizumi still kept running around swings his gigantic sword trying to slice him in half but the young samurai was cunning.
In the stands, everyone was quite surprised. They didn't expect someone as small as that samurai could actually put up a challenge to their champion. Even Yukino was amazed by this.
"So you were right. That big guy's going to lose." Shichiroji said looking at Kambei.
"How could you tell?" Yukino asked Kambei
He then answer, "The minute he got into his stance he was all out of balance and during the fight he spent most of his time putting all his strength into his strikes not knowing that with every attack he wastes his stamina and each attack he does leaves his sides wide open."
Shichiroji nodded showing that he agreed with him and all three of them continued watching.
In the arena, Koizumi seemed a bit out of breath. "I'll admit punk you're pretty quick. But that's not enough to bring me down." He then prepared for a finishing slash. When he got into a close distance, Kambei appeared to have been right. His strokes left his lower side wide open and that's when the opponent delivered his attack. With one stroke he slashed his left side. With a second stroke he slashed his arm forcing him to drop his sword. And now off balance, the opponent then swept his leg and Koizumi went tumbling down.
With a loud thud, the entire arena was silenced in shock for their champion had been defeated. After a few seconds the entire audience began cheering for the opponent. As paramedics began to take Koizumi away, the announcer then stood near the new champion.
"Will this is quite an upset. But since Koizumi fought hard, may he live to fight another day. As for him, not only has he won 500,000yen but I also present your new champion…" before he could finish, he leaned over to him for his new." What's your name kid?"
"Vaan," the samurai named Vaan said as he left the arena with a cheering audience.
"Wow that was some fight. That guy's pretty good don't you think?" Yukino asked them.
"He spent most of his time avoiding his opponent's attacks in an attempt to find in an opening. After losing balance, he took advantage of it and sends him falling to his defeat. He fights smart." Kambei said criticizing Vaan.
"Come on don't be a critic. Besides, there's a party happening in town tonight. Come with us." Shichiroji asked him.
"Alright, just for tonight." Kambei said.
In the city plaza, a party was thrown tonight as an anniversary to the fall of the capital. There was music, dancing, costumes and fireworks. Right in the entrance, the three girls from Kanna had arrived just in time. Shino looked all around the area awing in amazement.
"Oh right it's the first time you've ever been to the city right Shino?" Komachi asked.
"It has been a long time since you and I have too." Kirara said.
"They're having a festival tonight, can we look around for a while." Shino said.
"Yeah and besides I bit they have lots of tasty food too." Komachi added.
Kirara smiled then said, "It would be fun but right now we need to focus on finding Kambei."
"How do we find them?" Shino asked.
"Komachi you have the dowsing crystal right." Kirara turned to Komachi.
Komachi lifted he arm revealing it. "Yeah," Kirara then said. "We'll use this to find the samurai."
Elsewhere in a bar stand, the former champion Koizumi was drinking his weight in sake. "That little punk, who does he thinks he is. Thinks he could just have me running like a fool and then beat me in just three puny attacks."
The man he was talking to was the announcer. "Will whether you like it or not we need more samurai to join our cause. Why'd do think I pick him, because he's smart unlike you."
"Oh yeah will tell me Ranfa, where is he?" Koizumi said to the announcer named Ranfa.
"After you lost I made him the champion but after that he stormed off. I don't know where he is." Ranfa said.
Koizumi kept drinking. "Will who needs him we have plenty of samurai anyways."
As he kept drinking, Koizumi then noticed the girls from Kanna. "Well what have we there?"
"Looks like a couple of peasants enjoying the festival." Ranfa said.
"Will who says I can't have fun tonight, might as well go say hi to the ladies." Koizumi said completely drunk.
"Careful Champ, you know what happens when you're drunk and around women."
"Ah mind your own business." The old champion said and then walked to the girls.
Elsewhere Kambei, Shichiroji, and Yukino arrived at the festival.
She then turned to them. "I'm going to get us something to eat. You boys stay out of trouble."
"No promises there." Shichiroji said.
As Yukino left, a large crowd was gathering for some reason.
"What do you thinks going on?" he asked Kambei.
With no response, Kambei went to see what was going on with Shichiroji following him.
When they arrived, they heard a few familiar voices.
"Hey let go of her." it was Shino and Komachi watching as Koizumi had Kirara in his grasp.
"What there's nothing going on. I'm just trying to show this lady a nice time." Koizumi said as his face kept getting close to hers. "And if any of you loser tries something then you better hope there's a doctor for her."
"Let go of me now." Kirara yelled trying to get out of the grip from the muscular samurai.
"You know you should nice to me. After all it's not every day that you get to be with a famous man like me." Koizumi said as he began to grab her clothes.
"What should we do?" said one of the bystanders.
"I know we should help but that's Koizumi the old champion. None of us will last ten seconds if we go up against him?" another viewer said.
"That idiot, I told him not to make a scene. All well, might as well let have some fun. I better report that promising samurai to the boss." Ranfa said leaving the area.
"Komachi we have to help her." Shino said but before Komachi could response. The dowsing crystal began glowing.
"What's going on?" Komachi said starring at it.
"It's high time I've found you samurai." Everyone then turned to the man who said that. Kirara however smiled as if she knew that voice.
Koizumi was confused. Who are you?"
"You don't recognize me. I'm not surprised. My name is Zaemon Yoshichika of the Peaceable. I was only a boy when you killed my parents. I devoted my life for their vengeance and though I wasn't expecting to find you today. It's an opportunity I won't turn down." He said as he prepared his sword.
"What the hell are you talking about?" Koizumi said completely confused enough to weaken his grip of Kirara.
"Don't deny it. I could never forget the face. You are my sworn nemesis Tsukumozaka Jurobei Mitsuharo!" He then quickly used the back of his sword to knock down Koizumi to the ground.
"It's been long, Kirara." Zaemon Yoshichika said or should I say Shimada Kambei.
"Kambei" Kirara said with small tears of joy
Koizumi then got up, "Why you little…" before he could finish, he felt a sharp blade about an inch away from his throat.
It was Shichiroji with his spear. "Leave or you better hope there's a doctor here for you."
"This isn't the end of it." Koizumi said running off.
Shichiroji put his spear away. "You just love making an entrance don't you?"
"It was the prefect distraction." Kambei said.
"Kambei we found you." Komachi said as she and Shino ran towards them.
"Whoa Komachi you've grown up." Shichiroji said.
Kirara then got up. "Kambei we need help."
"Let us take this reunion somewhere else." Kambei said to get away from the crowd.
"What's going on here?" said Yukino returning.
"Oh nothing, we just ran into some friends." Shichiroji said hoping she doesn't know about the show they put on.
After leaving the festival, everyone returned to the inn. Where everyone began to have their small reunion.
"So Yukino you're pregnant now?" Komachi said starring at her.
"Yep you can blame Momataro over there." Yukino said leaning against her husband.
"So you two finally got married?" Shino said.
"No I'm afraid we're not there yet." Shichiroji said.
"So what brings you two to the city?" Yukino said.
The three girls remained silent until Kirara broke it. "We were attacked. Two days ago a group of fifty samurai raided our village. They kidnapped all the men, even Rikichi and Katsushiro."
Kambei and Shichiroji were surprised by this. Kambei spoke, "Do you know what they wanted?"
Komachi then said, "We don't know. They spoke of a cause but they never said what it was."
Wanting to know more, Shichiroji asked, "What did they look like?"
"They all wore masks. We couldn't see their faces." Shino said
"Please Kambei we have to save them. We need your help." Kirara pleaded to them.
Kambei closed his eyes in deep thought. Then he opened them. "I've made up my mind. We'll help."
All the girls smiled and Shichiroji was a little surprised. "Is there a problem old friend." Kambei said to him.
"No, I'm all for saving Kanna and Katsushiro but don't you think it's a bit sudden. After all we don't know we're they're keeping them all and even if we did, it's not like the two of us could take on a whole army of them."
"That's why we need more samurai" Kambei said catching everyones attention.
"Before we rescue everyone, we need seven samurai. Counting Katsushiro, Shichiroji, and myself, we'll need four more."
To Be Contiuned…
There you go. The next chapter will focus on recuiting the four new samurai. As for the samurai I mentioned, he'll be appear again. Also, as you already know, that show Kambei put on is seen in Samurai 7 episode 1. Thought it be a good entrance for him. Please review.