I do not own any of the characters seen here. I saw them first in the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 2003 series, which is also the inspiration for perhaps this entire story along with the Usagi Yojimbo comics, and the Christmas story itself. :)

Usagi rode beside Gen for some time in silent thought. Yet, anger simmered under his calm surface at Gen's lie. As their mounts slowly ate away the length of the path, the rage began to bubble to the surface.

He did not think the Daimyo had believed Gen's tale, it had been so overly embellished and slow in coming, as Gen's often were when he was put on the spot. Once in a while, when he had time between deciding to tell a lie and telling it, Usagi was amazed at both how calmly and believably the rhino could lie. He just needed time to prepare. Gen almost would have fooled Usagi himself if he hadn't been "with" him when certain fictitious events were supposed to have taken place, and if Gen still hadn't given that "tell" he now recognized as such even during prepared lies. He'd seen Gen give that tell four times while spinning his tale for the Daimyo. That "tick" of Gen's got worse when he was nervous, but he always did it at least once whenever he lied.

Sometimes, Usagi thought, for the sake of his friend's life, he should inform him about that tell of his and then help him overcome it. However, for the sake of his friend's honor, Usagi thought he should not. It seemed only one who was constantly with Gennesuke noticed it. As far as Usagi knew, Gen had no stalkers and few consistent companions. Now he wanted to drag Gen down from his saddle onto the road for telling the Daimyo such an epic lie especially, since, if it "had" been true …

"Gen was there any truth whatsoever to that story you told the Daimyo?"

"Hmm?" The rhino glanced at Usagi. It took a moment for his ears to swivel forward and his voice to lighten and strengthen with clarity. "Oh! Well of course there 'could' be such a quarry for us in these parts. It's a common place for criminals to run to."

Usagi let his forehead fall to rest in his hand. "You mean you do not know!"

"No."

"So there is little chance of me helping you find, capture, and transport such a dangerous criminal to justice and gaining a large portion of the reward for doing so within twenty-seven days, let alone being able to find a swordsmith in that time!"

"A swordsmith?"

"For Leonardo's gift! Surely I have told you enough about the katana wielding kame for you to know that is the only gift to give him in return for his generosity in inviting me to his home for this holiday of his people!"

"The Daimyo told you, his family told him, you didn't 'have' to bring them a gift, just … show up!" Gen shrugged back at Usagi who was fast losing patience.

"Their graciousness is only all the more reason to reward them with a gift!"

Gen pulled up his horse to stare at him. Usagi pulled up his own to stare back. Gen let a long moment of silence drag between them before speaking again. "Usagi, are you telling me you are going to first risk your neck on a job, then spend most if not all of your earnings from it to buy a new sword for a warrior who, last I saw him, was already quite effectively wielding two, fine, twin blades, when his family 'told' the Daimyo guests didn't have to bring them anything, even a bowl of rice?"

"Yes."

Gen shook his head and tapped his heels against his horse's sides. "I really worry about you sometimes, friend."

Oddly enough, the very real concern in the rhino's tone quelled the rage within the rabbit ronin somewhat. But he still had a problem. "Gen, if we cannot find and split a large bounty soon, what am I going to do for a present for Leonardo?"

"Get your friend a cheaper gift or just show up at his home without one."

Usagi rolled his eyes, and then glared ahead of them, and replied. "I shall have to find work as a Yojimbo."

"Usagi, there are reasons I prefer bounty-hunting to body-guarding. 1. Since bounties are usually on individuals you often only have to fight one guy. 2. Since you're hunting them, you're often on guard when they attack, or you get to attack them first. 3. It often pays better. Playing body-guard on the other hand is worse than simply being a Samurai in every way but one. You sit around waiting for a boss (you have a boss Usagi, even if temporarily) to get attacked, which can be quite boring if he 'isn't' for long periods of time. Then, if he is attacked you get to fight back, often at his side, so you'd be swept up in the attack even if you weren't guarding him. And you are immediately on the defensive, the surprised party, if you didn't set the whole thing up as a trap. Usually, 'you're' the one in a trap. And then, if you and your boss survive, the pay is often worse than a decent bounty. 'And' you're out of a job again, and still a ragged ronin."

Usagi rode beside Gen (both their horses just walking) while glaring at the side of his friend's head. "Are you done?"

Gen kept looking ahead, "Yep."

"Does you 'oft repeated' speech mean you do not wish to join me if I find a job big enough for the two of us to share?"

"Naw. Might as well if they're no bounties to be paid out here."

Once again, Usagi raised his eyes to the sky, and this time, he allowed himself to roll them.

What do you think?

God Bless

ScribeofHeroes