Translator
In 1633, Japan closed its borders to the outside world.
Completely.
Citizens would never see a foreigner's face for many years to come. The holy land of the setting sun now covered by a divine barrier that no man-made ship could ever cross. Such a blessing was made possible thanks to the Sumeragi shogunate, having emerged from the chaos of the demon-touched civil wars to reinstall peace and order in the country alongside economic growth, strict social order, a focus on the development of new armaments, and an appreciation of new arts and culture.
The shogunate derives its name from the new emperor. The man who defeated the very first Azure Demon with steel and skill alone and united the country. Saving the world from an infestation of demon-possessed people and, in his infinite mercy, giving them a place to live under the care of mankind.
Of course, there will always be those who haven't learned their lesson. And it is within an organisation named QUILL that those demon-touched gather. Lurking and scheming some new way to destabilise our glorious country and bring ruin to villager and samurai alike for their own greed.
That is why. One must always remember one thing.
A demon touched with no chains around his neck is one that must be put down.
And if your family or friends show any sign of possession, give notice to the closest authority, for one afflicted by such a curse will fall to madness without the blessing of our devoted Kannushi.
Page 1 of Sumeragi's holy instructions.
A scarlet sun descends on Takayama, a big rural village surrounded by mountains and forest in the middle east of Japan. Crows and people alike gather in the middle of town to gawk at a group of sword-wielding retainers and their lord as they look down on two tied-down young men.
"Vagrant Gunvolt." A young man with blond hair and blue eyes looks up when his name is called with a bored look, only to have a retainer push his head back down. His blue robes, on which several sea serpents are drawn, are tinted with dirt and cuts, except for a point where his navel is shown off for some reason. His pants and boots are far less noticeable as they are white cloth pants and wooden sandals, respectively. "You are charged with killing several agents of Sumeragi."
"And Ronin Copen," The other boy, one with white hair and red eyes, stubbornly gives Gunvolt the stink eye. Above his crimson robes lies a white leather cuirass made from strange-looking plates that cover every part of his body except for the head. There seems to be no chain tying the whole thing together, and were this another time, one would wonder how this contraption works. Overall, it gives more of a knightly vibe than samurai. "You are charged with the same crimes as well."
"The aforementioned parties will be executed by beheading, and their heads put on display." The lord finishes, and the cyan-haired man wearing a kimono with the Sumeragi logo then glares at the two. "So, any last words? Do you cutie-pies want to throw yourselves at my lap and beg for forgiveness now?"
"Heh." Gunvolt lets out a small laugh before looking up again, this time with a determined and somewhat mean look. "If living means bowing down to the likes of bastards, then I'll die on my feet with my head held high—if you can even kill me in the first place, that is!"
"Ngh!" His insolence makes the lord's face redden in anger as well as gnash his teeth, but before the lord can order his execution, he's interrupted by a sarcastic laugh coming from Copen.
"Those were nice words...if they didn't come out of the mouth of a demon." Copen starts, glaring for what could be the hundredth time at his fellow to be executed. "Still, to me, it doesn't matter how high or low your head ends up being. As long as I get to witness it fall from your shoulders,
"Maah, you're so mean. And you haven't ever explained why that is in the first place."
"You know what you did, demon."
"And here's the thing: I don't! How many times do I need to explain that fact to you?"
"The fact you don't remember only makes witnessing your death more cathartic."
"Well, don't laugh too much now; you and I are going to become head-pike buddies!"
"I'll escape before that happens. But first, I will see your head roll."
"Nice words, but how will you? If you couldn't tell, we'll be executed at the same time."
Hence the two swordsmen standing behind each other. Sword ready to slice their necks.
"I have my means." Copen says it cryptically, refusing to elaborate.
"Good for you, but so do I." Gunvolt replies, "And I'm sure mine is way better."
"I highly doubt that."
"I doubt your doubt twice as much as you doubt me!"
Before the two can devolve into an unnecessary argument, the lord interrupts both boys with a loud scream of "ENOUGH! Execute these brats already!"
The swordsmen behind the two nod to their lord before raising their swords high.
And swinging them down.
One day earlier.
"Hey! Aren't my dumplings ready yet?" An impatient man loudly complains to the owner of the shop from his seat. His fellows seem just as drunk as they joined in a displeasured moan.
"Just a second! I'm coming!" A girl with orange hair shouts back as she quickly walks towards them while at the same time barely balancing a plate of dumplings in her hands. "Here you go!" she says with a cheer and an honest smile when she finally arrives at her target. She is clearly proud of herself.
"That's better," the drunkard and his mates cheered as she placed the plate down on their table. While the more lecherous ones enjoyed the view of her tight and barely fitting orange dress.
"Hey!" she yelled as a hand tried to wrap itself around her. Quickly dodging a sleazy man that reeks of alcohol from his breath as he tries to jump at her like a frog, only for his legs to lose strength and fall asleep the moment he hits the ground. "What are you?" she says in slowly rising horror when another jumps on top of a table just to throw his cup hard against the ground and shouts "GIVE ME BETTER, SAKE DAMMIT!" as it breaks and spreads pieces of ceramic on the ground.
The tantrum the clients are throwing quickly changes her mood, making her go from carefree and devoted to genuinely annoyed and ready to lash their ears out. "Hey! Cut it out, you! -"
Before she can say more and potentially arouse the wrath of a bunch of drunk men, a hand belonging to one of the other servers quickly wraps around her mouth as they quickly guide the girl back to the kitchen. The older woman swiftly shushed her with gentle comments to keep her quiet, while in the meantime, another server gives the man more food and an apology for her confusion.
"You've got to be careful, Kohaku-chan." The one that dragged her scolds her the moment she lets go: "You should let grownups handle things. Leave the rough stuff to the men who wear the"
"The chonmage*?" (TL: a topknot hairstyle, mostly worn by samurai until 1868.)
"That's right!" the server agrees before slightly opening the door so they can peek out and look at the leader of the bunch of drunkards. A tall man with black hair and sunglasses is fondling two courtesans at both of his sides with a bored expression. "See that man? That's the Daikan's son and his gang! Everyone's afraid of the gang's retribution, so they don't do anything out of the line."
(TL: A Daikan is a regional leader, like a governor or mayor.)
"But it's not really a bad thing. How can I put this...?" The server thinks for a moment, then clicks her fingers as she speaks again. "A society run by a gang is often a peaceful society, you know?"
Kohaku...doesn't know. If anything, the thought of having those drunkards in any position of power sounds like something dreadful. But she's got no choice but to grit her teeth and pretend like it doesn't bother her. At least for just a bit more, as soon as she'll have enough saved up for her trip.
Well, she'd still need a bodyguard, as girls aren't allowed to wander in and out of villages on their own, and that's not to forget the many dangers that are on the road and in the in the wilderness. Unfortunately, that part of her problem hasn't been solved yet, as nobody has replied yet to her job offer.
That being a poster that says: BODYGUARD WANTED: MUST BE AS COOL AS MIFUNE!
(TL: Toshiro Mifune is a famous samurai actor, appearing in classics such as Seven Samurai and Throne of Blood.).
Sure, she only put down the address of where she works, and sure, she may have committed the faux pas of specifying she isn't super rich. But still, one noble samurai should have come, right?
"HEY! WHERE ARE MY DUMPLINGS?!" Unfortunately, her little break comes to an end.
So back to work, Kohaku goes, "Yes, yes, right away."
Meanwhile, somewhere else in town:
"Governor, I beg you!" A peasant male in his late thirties prostrates himself in front of a lord and his carriers and lackeys. "If I lose this construction job, my family will starve to death!"
"Please, sir, please!" he continues pleading as a gathered crowd looks at his display in curiosity, while the addressed lord doesn't return a word, content with smoking in his box before showing his open palm before the man. A clear message to the former to show his money.
And so the ex-constructor gives the lord a pile of ryos (a gold currency unit), only for the latter to look at the pile in dissatisfaction. "What's this supposed to be? You call this money?"
"Uh, I, well..." The poor man can't figure out what else to say, clearly put on the spot.
"Disgusting!" The coins are thrown back like mere pebbles as the peasant bows deeper in response, but still, the lord doesn't care one bit. "Go and get rid of that insolent peasant," he commands his retainers, who put one hand on their sheaths as they slowly approach the still cowering figure.
A red figure in the crowd starts to approach the situation in response, only for a concerned villager to try and stop them by putting one hand on their shoulder as they warn him. "Don't. You might not want to hear it, but just let it go." He gives no response, only slightly tilting his head at the person who did so. In response, the villager continues, "See those men? They're famous even in Edo as being top-class fighters, even among the Yagyu (famous sword clan). Even if everyone here worked together, none of us would be able to take them down. Understand?"
"Your concern is appreciated." The boy speaks up, lowering his hood to show that he's Copen. "But it is idle hands that allow injustice to fester. My honour will not allow such rotten fruit to bloom."
It is after those words that he calmly pushes himself out of the crowd and causes all of the men to seize their action and look at him as he moves in front of the peasant. "That's enough out of you."
"Who the hell are you?" one of the sword-wielding retainers asks him. "Are you interfering?" Another asks, while the rest pull out their swords and put on combat poses to intimidate.
"To serve your lord and do his bidding...is that honor?" Copen instead asks the men.
"Of course it is," a retainer replies.
"Even if that lord harms the innocent? And disrespects his subjects?"
"Watch your tongue, boy. To slander a lord is to court death."
Said boy looks unphased at the threat; even as he asked the question, his tone and voice were as calm as water. Now, however, he dares raise an eyebrow in response. "Cutting down a man who's done nothing wrong—is that what you spent all those years honing your skills for?"
"Why, you little..."
"Samurai are to respect all parts of the Bushido Code, not only loyalty. To be blunt, you're neglecting the justice and respect aspects of it at this moment. Correct your behaviour or else."
"Or else what?"
Copen draws out a blade with his right hand, one with a white hilt and a strange crimson tint. "I'll cut you all down like the dogs you are."
"Get'im!" All of the men raged in response, and three of them quickly dashed his way, swords held out to slash at him in unison. Their faces distorted in anger, then turned into fear as they could no longer feel their hands. The trio turned around to see Copen behind them, his sword an inch from being returned to its sheath, just to spurt massive amounts of blood out of their stumps the moment he did. Copen didn't bother looking their way after that, instead awaiting his next opponent.
The moment another man took a step forward, he had already closed the distance and slashed his blade through his neck. His movements were swift like rain; one moment he was immobile, and the next he was somewhere else. His style is a bizarre mix of evasion and counters as he lets the enemy waste their energy hitting air before he dove straight into the slightest opening he found in them.
Still, as the rest of the retainers cornered him in a circle, a question arose.
How would he dodge an attack coming from every side at once? He better answer soon, for everyone swings their blade at the same time. They seem to believe he won't be able to find one.
"Swift Tora: Storm of Claws!" No longer staying still until the last moment, the samurai drops to his knees and pounces low on the ground, slashing the legs of two foes in front of him before twisting around in a spin to keep up his momentum to cut the legs of a third and raise his blade upwards after cutting another in half from the waist down. Now in the air, he continues the dance by pointing his non-sword arm at the foes behind him, out of which comes a burst of gunfire that knocks several more men on their asses as he swings his sword down on those out of its range. Finally, he grabs the last blade coming his way with his gloved hand, crushes it with his grip, and stabs the last opponent straight in the chest before letting go, watching as they fall down and die.
To everyone else, there were several flashes of red, and then all of his opponents died.
"May you find peace in your next life." Swinging his blade once more to remove the blood on it, Copen sheathes his blade before turning around and looking at the remaining lord and the few wise servants that didn't try to attack him. Before slowly and surely walking their way with no emotion.
"W-wait! Wait! Wait!" The lord pleads when he sees him approaching, quick to bargain now that his life is at stake. "Wait just a minute, do you want money? I'll give you as much as you want!" but nothing he says stops the latter from getting closer and closer until he's at sword range, at which point he stabs the man's pouch and picks it up with his hand, tending the wallet to the peasant.
"Use the money to recover." He speaks before the peasant can even say anything; still, he twirls a single ryo in his hand before dropping it as well. "I hear Hida's looking for construction men this season. If I were you, I'd leave town." Afterwards, he just moves on, disappearing into an alley.
"A bodyguard, huh?" Gunvolt says this as he notices a job offer posted next to the entrance of a food shop. "Eh, I'll take it." He says this before dramatically ripping off the paper, twirling in the process to the surprise of a random passerby. Only to stop the drama after so he can politely open the door and just as politely close the door behind him. Again, to the passerby's confusion.
A bell rang the moment he took a step inside, and just a second after taking a seat, some cute girl approached with a tray in hand to see what he wanted to order. "Water," he asks, as the first thing.
"Water?" she repeated, even tilting her head as if to show confusion. Gunvolt thought the gesture to be kind of cute, but his stomach mattered most here, so he instead just nodded instead of teasing her.
"Yeah, water."
"Um...I'm sorry." The girl starts, and strangely, she actually sounds a bit apologetic instead of just annoyed and impatient. "But we don't serve customers who only order water here."
"If you've got no money," Seeing where she is going with this, he interrupts her 'go elsewhere for charity' talk and beckons her to approach him with one finger. The moment she does hear what he has to say, he starts his plan to obtain free food with the words, "Fifty dumplings, how about it?"
"Huh?" Great; other than her hair, she doesn't seem too bright. Just kidding.
He elaborates, as he should. "Let's make a deal; for that, I'll take care of those guys for you." He didn't even need a second to realise the drunkards a few feet away were the type to cause problems.
The girl's clearly interested in the offer as she takes a second to conspiratorially look back at the people he's whispering about. As if checking whether they can hear this. "But..." she trails off.
"But what?" he prompts.
"Fifty is a lot; how about twenty instead?" She negotiates, a gutsy move.
"Are you kidding me?" but Gunvolt knows how to pressure: "I won't go a dumpling lower."
"Hey, where's my tea?!" One of the drunkards calls out before Kohaku can reply, "Yes, sir, coming right up!" She shouts back, remembering she is holding a tray for a reason and heading their way.
Her foot steps on a loose shoe, however, making her lose her balance and spill tea all over the boss drunkard, who removes his glasses to convey an utterly pissed look. "What was that for?"
"Oh, uh…" Oh, she's in trouble. "I'm sorry, I didn't do it on purpose!" She answers honestly.
"I don't want to hear it," he scoffs, while two of his cohorts surround her from behind. "How will you make up for this, huh?" He doesn't wait for an answer, already having come to a decision.
"Well, maybe I'll take a finger for my trouble." awaiting just those words, the cohorts grab onto Kohaku, ignore her struggling, and force her head and arms against the table. Panicked, she increases her efforts and tells them to cut it out to no avail, with bystanders looking on uneasily, either unable or unwilling to help her. Except for Gunvolt, who is calmly seated as he waits.
"Oh, master, give me the honor." A third cohort pulls out their sword, a standard katana one can find anywhere, yet from the way he's holding it, it's like he's holding a prized treasure. "I've been wanting to test the sharpness of this beauty, so shall I take a finger? Or an ear? Perhaps a nose?"
"O-one…" Kohaku mutters, then gathers her courage and screams. "One hundred dumplings!"
"Say what?" dumbfounded by her shout, the leader speaks again, only to hear someone else laugh before standing up and making his way over to them. "Oi, what are you laughing about, Blondie?"
"Oh, nothing special." Gunvolt replies, "It's just that your lives are only worth so much."
"Huh?"
"One hundred dumplings for..." he makes a motion of counting each goon, "the lives of six people; I'd have been okay with ten for each one, but man, she must really want you all dead."
"Hey, I'm not that bloodthirsty!" Kohaku protests, even though she's still bound.
"Oh, in that case. Want to call off the deal?" Gunvolt asks.
"Please take them down!"
"You heard the gal."
The third cohort—let's call him a sword junkie for now. Stands up with a blade drawn and the standard thug look on his face. "Oi, you, are you trying to piss me off?" He approaches the slim blonde but stops a foot or two from him, the perfect distance to slash the other in half. "Apologise, now."
"What if I don't?" Gunvolt casually scratches the back of his neck. Looking bored.
"Then I'll break my sword on you."
"Hm, and how will you do that without your arm?" Gunvolt asks, before the sword junkie suddenly feels an immense pain in said arm as it flies off his shoulder and hits the ground for no reason, or at least none that he could see. "What's wrong? I couldn't even see that much. How boring…"
Facing a yawn, Gunvolt waved with one hand to the others, beckoning them to him. "I won't say anything about fighting me one on one. So come all at once. Maybe that'll be an exercise."
"...Why you."
"Don't mess with us!"
Enraged, all the thugs charged Gunvolt at once, their swords raised for a stab or slash from any angle they could find. Gunvolt let out a whistle at their approach before making the minimal movement needed to dodge the first attacker, tripping them with his feet because they overextended their swing; likewise, he flipped over the second, who aimed for his legs, before calmly ducking to avoid an overhead swing. Now sipping a cup of sake he picked up, he puts himself between two other opponents who slash each other to bits in an attempt to reach him. "Hm, I've had better."
Not clarifying whether he meant the sake or the fight, he throws the cup into the face of another opponent, messing up their aim and having their gun shoot the thug right next to him instead. Still not done clowning on his remaining opponents, he picks up a stick of dumplings from an abandoned table and calmly pokes an opponent in the eye once he's eaten his full. The show continues on for a few more seconds as he fools around with a lazy grin, but eventually.
All of the goons are taken care of. Some of them were heavily injured, but none of them were dead, making it all the more surprising that he took them all down without even using the sword in his sheath.
"Alright, let's see here." Gunvolt puts one hand on his own forehead, then sighs once he feels his hand remain dry. "It looks like I didn't break a sweat after all; what a shame."
"What are you, some kind of moron?" The last remaining drunkard, as in the leader, speaks up from his comfy position. Sitting a bit more upright and holding onto his own planted sword with both hands. Glasses back and a condescending smile on his face. "You just don't get it. Don't you?"
"Get what?"
"My old man's the governor around here," he informs, like a metaphorical coat of invincibility. "Folks who lay a finger on me pay the price. Hell, I guess they don't live to see the sun again."
"Is that so?" Gunvolt starts to approach him, a movement the others don't notice.
"That's right, this ain't the damn warring states period. Folks who fight in this day and age are-woah!" He falls onto his back, barely avoiding an upward axe kick that splits his glasses in two.
"D-don't you understand a word I just said?" He asks, completely baffled.
"I do." Gunvolt nods.
"Then why are you attacking me?! Don't you have any common sense?"
"Common sense doesn't mean jack to me."
"What?"
"Because I'm not a person to whom that applies in the first place." Gunvolt opens one of his palms, and blue lightning seems to create itself from nothing. A blatant announcement that he is...
Demon blessed! Demon touched! No matter what the term is, the signs are clear: if one can use abilities beyond those the god provided to mortal men, then they've made a contract with a demon, be it in their current or past lives, and will forever be tempted to bring misfortune and chaos wherever they go. The most dangerous ones are those without a collar, for those are monsters unrepenting.
The revelation hits everyone like a storm. The few remaining servants gain a blue shade of fright, and some of the other drunks seem to sober up instantly and leave the place at once. "Look, demon," the governor's son says again, all attitude replaced with fear. "You better leave while you still can, because right now I've had someone go get the skilled sword instructors that work for my father. These guys are the best of the best, the elite, and they will be here any minute now."
"Strong, you say?" Gunvolt looks thoughtful before giving an honest smile. "That sounds fun."
"Tell you what, let's wait together." He suddenly sits next to the other, even putting an arm around their shoulder. "Then again, that's just boring. So let's have a meal together, your treat of course."
Before the others can shout their outrage, the bell rings again, notifying someone's entrance.
"THEY'RE HERE!" The son shouts in relief, standing up and running over to hide behind them before he gets a better look. "Hold on, you're not the Yagyuu instructor? Who are you?"
"Maybe a bodyguard?" Kohaku notes their strange appearance.
"I am neither." Copen replies, then gently pushes the other off him. "Besides, if you're speaking about someone I think you're speaking to, then I must inform you that they're already dead."
"DIED?! But...how?!" The son turns paler at the revelation. Almost all of his dignity is gone now.
"I killed them." Copen spoke as if informing them about the weather.
"HUH?"
"Oh, that's an even better reveal." Gunvolt says this as he stands up. Dusting some of the leftovers of his food as he does a stretch or two. "If you were skilled enough to dispose of them..."
Copen puts up his guard, blocking a slash aimed at his neck. Nobody but him had seen the way Gunvolt closed the distance and drew his blade in less than a second. "Then you're my opponent!"
"Why?" Copen dully asks. "I hold no quarry with you."
"Does one need a reason to fight someone?" Gunvolt asks back. "Then let me give you a few," he continues as he puts on a side stance, his aquamarine blade with a dragon symbol on its hilt shining in all its beauty. "To see if you're stronger or because you want to. Failing that…"
He shows off his lightning again, a sight to which his opponent's eyes widen. "Because I'm an adept, and you're clearly a samurai. And you hunt my kind, don't you?"
"Not hunt." Copen speaks, his voice stern and intense now, his eyes filled with concentration. Grabbing his own blade, he holds it with both hands and puts on a forward stance of his own. "Exterminate."
"Well then, there's your reason!" Gunvolt immediately rushes him, his sword aimed at his head again. Copen in turn lowers his knees to let the blade zoom above him before throwing a side slash of his own that Gunvolt avoids by jumping over him, returning a downward slash after gaining more height from kicking the wooden wall and flipping his whole body around. Still, the blade is intercepted by the other, and the two press against each other's backs to avoid a following slash before jumping back to their own side of the room. Neither of them has drawn blood yet.
"Were you anyone else, I'd insist on the fruitlessness of this kind of duel." Copen voices his disapproval, an unsaid but in the air that he quickly follows up on. "But that azure lightning marks you as the man I've been hunting all this time. Face your destiny, demon of blue!"
"I can't say I recognise you, but if you know me, then...let's see how you'll face this!"
Gunvolt swings his sword again, despite being nowhere near in range. Still, Copen swings his own in kind, and before Kohaku knows it, one shard, two shards, and three blue shards embed themselves into the nearby floors and walls. In the meantime, Gunvolt's sword looks shorter afterwards.
"Tricks won't get to me," Copen says, tightening his grip, frustration growing at the clear amusement his opponent is showing. "I've honed my body and mind to face creatures like you."
"In that case, let's try and be serious for once." Gunvolt shrugs, and before his blade grows an azure gleam, another swing and a literal lightning bolt are shot Copen's way, one that he instinctively moves to repel with his blade again. And does Gunvolt's surprise make him vanish on touch?
"And my equipment as well," pointing his sword Gunvolt's way, he explains. "This sword-"
"Yeah, I don't care," Gunvolt interrupts, sheathing and unsheathing his sword before moving in for another attack. "Keep your mysteries; it's more exciting that way. Let's see what else you got!"
"You may laugh now, demon." Copen repelled the attack yet again, countering each new move Gunvolt unleashed on him with the clear motive of seeing how he'd respond. "But the one who will have the last laugh will be me once I separate your head from your body!"
"Oh, so you can be lively!"
What followed could be called a form of art; as blades clashed against blades, both boys displayed agility and technique that were out of this world. Copen's defensive swordplay was like oil to water against Gunvolt's aggressive one. Neither of them struggled to take the lead, instead fluidly going from movement to movement like two dancing partners instead of two people out to kill each other.
Sadly, nobody was there to appreciate that. Least of all the shop's owners and Kohaku as one stray bolt too many set something aflame and soon enough. The two trade blows inside a flaming house.
"Talk about a tailor-made setting." Gunvolt calmly noted that now that it was just him and Copen, "Aren't you going to run? I'm not saying I'm fireproof, but I definitely know that you aren't."
"May the depths of hell be flaming hot or freezing cold; I will let no enemy escape."
"Heh, suit yourself then. Though I guess we gotta hurry then." Shifting his blade in a two-handed grip, Gunvolt put on one last stance. "How about we go for one last strike to decide it all?"
Copen put in his own stance, "Two enter, one leaves; let's end this."
And so one last clash is had between the two.
"Huh? Why is it so cold?" Feeling drenched all over, Gunvolt woke up with a sense of weightlessness. The sight of several robed swordsmen looming under him while one with a bucket walked away doesn't explain anything as he tries to move, only to learn that he is tied up.
"Don't you remember?" Copen speaks up, bound barely a foot away from him.
"Oh, uh, I had a dream, right? There was a fire, and"
"That was no dream."
"Oh yeah? So you were in a bathtub with your thing hanging out?"
"Now that was a dream."
"I only wish it was a dream," another voice says, belonging to the same lord as before. A tall, gangly man with blue hair, pink lips, and a whip around their waist like a belt. "My son burned to death in that house. I have to pay you two back in full for that."
"As luck would have it," he continues, hand outstretched to show the courtyard they're now in. "This place used to be called the torture plaza. I'm going to take real good care of you two until your execution tomorrow."
Both boys shared a glance after that sentence before wincing in sync.
Kohaku looked at the remains of the shop where she worked for so long. Where once there was a two-story house, now there are only embers and broken pieces of wood that she can poke with her sandal.
"Kohaku." Someone said her name, so she turned around, seeing the owner and his wife holding onto the few possessions they still had in travel rags. "This is bad news for you too, isn't it?"
"Ah, no, no, it's no big deal," she forced a cheerful reply. But it actually was.
"You don't have any relatives, so if you like, why don't you come with us?" The wife offered, but again, Kohaku shook her head. "No, that's okay. This helped me make up my mind."
"What do you mean?"
"Well, uh. Sorry, I can't say, but just know that I've decided to finally act as well."
"Hey." Gunvolt prodded his fellow prisoner.
He gets no response.
"Hey," he tries again.
Still silence.
"What's with the attitude?" He groans at the urge to kick the guy, which he sadly can't do due to being tied up. Were his bindings anything but metal, then he could burn through them, but these ones would only be a fine invitation to bypass his own resistance and electrocute himself. "One moment you're all, 'I'll kill you!' and the next it's like you've got no care in the world whatsoever."
"I wouldn't expect a lowlife to understand." Copen replied, shifting a bit so his posture was the closest it could be to sitting. Gaze turned towards the full moon shining above. "To be as cool as water and fierce as fire, each one should be reserved for in and out of battle for balance."
"Ah, samurai mumbo jumbo. And do you fully believe in it? What a boring lifestyle."
"Like you could understand discipline." A'say what?' from Gunvolt makes him continue. "Your stance leaves you wide open, and your movements are completely inefficient. If I had to give your battle style a description in two words, it'd be 'trying too hard' or 'goofing around.'"
"The first one's three words, though."
"Everything about the way you fight is a total mess."
"Youch, are you done insulting me?"
"I swear, I've never fought anyone as wild as you."
"Hey, even I can get mad eventually."
"You're also the first demon I wasn't able to kill."
"...Hm. The name's Gunvolt; remember it as your mark of humiliation."
"Gunvolt."
"Yep, actually, hold on. If you're hunting me, then how come you didn't know that?"
"My mark is the demon that wields azure lightning. That's all I know."
"Huh, and you think that's me? What do you even think I did to you?"
"There's only one known throughout Japan, and that is you; you can't fool me."
"Just because there's something that's known doesn't mean it's me per se, though."
"Again, you won't fool me."
"I'm not trying to; I'm just fine. Forget it. What's your name anyway? You owe me that."
"That kind of thing is a human privilege. So, no, I don't."
"Y-"
"But know that when the wind of death comes, they'll whisper the name..."
"Ok, so first you say you won't tell me, and now you tell me? Man, you're inconsistent."
"Anything to get an advantage against you."
"Bah, I'll have you know that."
"Oh...oof. They really put you two through the wringer, didn't they?" A female voice interrupts.
"The girl from the teahouse?" Gunvolt and Copen can't believe their eyes.
"Do you want to know why I'm here?" she asks.
"Not really." Gunvolt immediately says back.
"Oh, really? Goodbye, then." She moves to leave.
"He's kidding! Hold up!" Copen speaks up, glaring again at Gunvolt.
She does 'hold up'. Turning back around with a serious look on her face. "Listen, if you promise you'll do something for me, I'll help you get out of here."
"We're all ears."
"There's a samurai who smells of sunflowers." Kohaku continues as she pulls out a lockpick and starts fiddling with the cage they're in. "I want you two to accompany me until I find him."
"The two of us?" Copen frowns. "The boy next to me is a wanted man."
"And so are you." Gunvolt interjects. "So, it won't make a difference; hurry up and free us."
"I haven't agreed to a thing here!"
"Then I guess you can stay here and be executed tomorrow. If a little side trip is what I have to suffer in exchange for my life, then that's a small price to pay. Besides, I have nothing better to do."
Copen grows silent at that, still seeming disapproving but also looking thoughtful.
Before he can come to a conclusion, the sounds of 'she must have gone for the prisoners!' and others indicate that time has sadly run out. "I'll come back tomorrow!" is the last thing Kohaku says before she has to retreat. It seems the decision was made without his input after all.
Only if she does come back later, that is.
"So, did you make your decision?" Gunvolt asks once things have calmed down again.
"Shut up, demon." Copen says back before willing himself to fall asleep.
As the scarlet sun descended, it was the start of a new morning. The girl had not returned.
Bound by ropes and chains, Gunvolt and Copen were forced to march towards the middle of town, after which they were set on their knees and their heads held down as they awaited judgement.
"It looks like she isn't coming after all." Copen notes, "Have you made your peace?"
"Please, every time the sun comes up, I think to myself,Is today the last time I'll ever lie in the sun?""
"Vagrant Gunvolt, Ronin Copen, the two of you are charged with killing several agents of Sumeragi."
"The sentence for this is beheading!"
The swordsmen behind the two nod to their lord before raising their swords high.
And swinging them down. The perfect moment for Gunvolt to fall onto his back and kick the blade heading for him out of the swordman's grasp. Swiftly cutting off his binds by using the sword that fell his way, Copen slashes the guard next to him, grabs his sword, and slices Gunvolt's chains off with a swing of his own before tending to him with the blade. Both now armed and back-to-back, they hold their ground against the hordes of swordsmen surrounding them from every side.
"Is it safe to assume we're putting our fight on hold for now?" Gunvolt asks to be sure.
"You say that as if you could kill all these men."
"Do you think I can't?"
"I'll say it again: you truly are the lowest of the low."
"Fools!" The lord interrupts their banter: "Don't think you'll make it out alive from here!" He promptly orders his men to charge them while he makes himself scarce for his own safety.
"Wow." Gunvolt whistled at the sight, still capable of seeing smoke even from this distance. "Who'd have thought firework would be that dangerous?"
"I'm more surprised at how a tea house worker even knew how to make those." Copen replies.
"Oh well, that's all aside." Gunvolt stands up from the grass hill, his hand drawn to his blade.
"Right." Copen does the same. "You and I still have unfinished business."
"Just a minute!" Kohaku protests, rushing to join them and stopping between the two of them. "Don't tell me you two forgot the promise you made to me?! I know you didn't! So let's try to get along, okay? Gunvolt and Copen, was it? I'm Kohaku!"
"Huh, she's the lively type. I guess there's no point in arguing against that." Gunvolt says.
"Even so…" Copen interjects, "That can be solved quite easily."
"Whoever survives our fight will accompany her!" they say in sync, moving to attack.
"WAIT!" except they've stopped yet again. "What if the two of you kill each other? What then, huh? Don't tell me you boys can't keep promises; I thought men were supposed to be honourable."
"Honour…" Oh, that word gets Copen. Looking like he had to swallow something nasty, he sheathes his sword and takes a deep breath. "Fine, I am indebted to you, and so long as it hasn't been repaid, I will abstain from the miserable wretch that is your poorly chosen number two."
"Oh, so you can't attack me?" That alone sounds interesting enough for Gunvolt to half-forget the insults thrown. "I wonder how long you can keep that up; then again, maybe I'll find out."
"I hope you do."
"Then it's decided!" Kohaku nods in joy, then starts walking ahead. "Let's head...to the west!"
"Why there?" Gunvolt asks.
"Because of good luck." Kohaku replies.
"So, you don't even know where to start looking for this samurai, do you?" Copen guesses.
"I'm sure we'll find her eventually." Kohaku does not answer the question.
Once again, the boys share a glance, then let out a sigh.
It looks like they've been wrapped up in something troublesome.
To be continued never. (or if the author feels like it.)
Samurai Champloo reference, the fanfic. I know, it was half made anyway, so I figured I'd at least make one episode and then be done with it instead of keeping it forever in document storage.
