The Gun & The Sword

Chapter VII: A Sister's Concern.

Everyone turned at this new voice. Tsuroko repeated her question, "What is gods name is this, Motoko?"

"Err, well, this is…." Motoko trailed off.

"I would think that would be obvious," spoke a strong voice from behind her. "I don't know who you are, and I don't know who you think you are, but if you think you are going to come barging into the Hinata Inn like you think you own the place, and impose yourself upon the residents you had better leave right now!"

"And who might you be?" inquired Tsuroko in a scathing tone.

"I am Urashima Keiranto, the kanrinin of the Hinata Inn."

"Did you just say Urashima Keiranto? I thought Urashima Keitaro was the manager here?"

"Yes, he is my cousin; I have taken over his job while he studies at Tokyo University."

"Right, well, even though I will accept your position as kanrinin here I will not accept what you are doing to my sister!"

"Tsuroko, it – it's not like that" stammered Motoko.

"Motoko, keep out of this! Urashima, I challenge you to a duel!"

"Fine, you're on, but I warn you, I am a strong fighter"

"I'll manage. Ok, the terms of this duel are thus: It is a fight until one contender is incapacitated or surrenders. Any weapon can be used, and no interference from anyone other than the two combatants. The duel will be fought in the abandoned annex of the Hinata inn, and the spectators will watch on this." She indicated Su's invention. "If you win, I will let you two see each other with my blessing and relinquish control of the dojo to you. If I win, then you two will be forbidden to see each other ever again. One of you must move out of the Hinata inn and neither of you will be able to contact each other. So then, shall we begin?"

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The two combatants circled, each waiting for the other to attack first, for a chink in their armour. Tsuroko finally moved her sword and, channelling her Ki, unleashed the Aoyama trademark "Boulder Cutting Master Strike". Keiranto casually dodged the attack and, drawing both his katanas, yelled "Zanagatan! Ni No Taobachi!" and unleashed a wave of ice from one sword and a wave of fire from the other. Tsuroko was slightly phased by this, she had expected her opponent to be a weakling who did not know one end of a sword from another, yet he was here using a technique practiced only by masters of the Tei clan of Hokkaido. She dodged the attacks, but only just, the fire singed the edge of her gi while the ice froze one of the bells on the end of her sword. She then was engaged in fierce hand to hand fighting as Keiranto moved the fight up a notch. He parried every low she threw at him, all the while slashing and lunging with one or both of his long swords. Suddenly, he heard a loud squawking overhead and risked a quick glance upwards to see Tsuroko's huge, yellow bird diving down at him. He moved one of his swords and neatly cleaved the bird in two but this made him vulnerable for a split second. Tsuroko saw her chance. She smiled and raised her sword.

Back at the Hinata inn, the residents watched in stunned anguish as the huge wave of Ki energy lifted Keiranto into the air to land in a heap outside the Hinata-Sou, out for the count.