The Wandering Swordsman

A figure in a green and yellow cloak walked slowly into the town. His clothes were worn and encrusted with dust, but his steady, unbroken stride conveyed his vitality. The mysterious figure moved through the town with relative ease. Few took a second glance at the stranger, after all, most of the people here had less than legal intentions. The stranger stumbled upon one such group of people beating an old merchant. The figure stood tall, keeping it's face obscured by the hood, and spoke in a convincing and sure tone. "Leave that man alone. I will only give you one chance at redemption. Stop what you're doing now, and I may yet forgive you." One of the men beating the merchant looked up, still holding the unfortunate man by his collar. "Yea? An wha' are you gonna do if we don't?" The man smiled, revealing his yellow, rotted teeth. The stranger spoke again in his uninterested voice. "Then I will kill you." The thug's smile vanished as he became suddenly serious.

Dropping the merchant and drawing a curved knife as he spoke. "Oh yea? You an wha army?" He motioned to his allies, who had drawn their weapons as well. "Cuz the way ey count it. We've got you'ze reaaal outnumbered." The cloaked figure remained unemotional. "I don't need an army to rid the world of your filth." The thugs didn't take well to his last comment. They charged the stranger, shouting at him as they went. The man threw off his cloak as the criminals charged him, pulling the two handed sword off of his back and slashing the first bandit across the abdomen. In the same fluid motion, he dropped down to a crouching position and ran his sword upwards into another thug's chest cavity. He leapt up and kicked off of the man into a back flip as he withdrew his sword. He landed on ground with his sword resting on the ground, a thug raised his arm to swing at the boy, who in turn brought his sword around in a wide arc, the blade cut through the flesh on the man's leg, dropping him to the ground.

The only criminal left was the band's leader. He had stopped his charge when he saw his allies fall in rapid succession. One after the other they were dispatched, and now the swordsman stood to face him. The boy walked forward as the leader backed away, begging for life. "Ey ey ey! Com on naow, I didn't mean nuffin by et! It wuz all in gud fun! No need for killin!" The swordsman disregarded the man's plea. And dashed forward, the brigand screaming for mercy. "No! NO! Ya can't do this to meh! Ya can't-" His objections were cut short when Taro thrust his blade through the man's stomach, grabbing him by the shoulder, he pulled him forward and rammed the blade further, as the unfortunate bandit groaned in pain, the boy spoke, anger permeating his normally calm, unemotional voice. "I offered you redemption, i offered forgivness. All I asked in return was for you to forsake your ways. But instead you attacked me. So, as you die, remember my name as you fall into the depths of hell, the name that will bring countless others of your kind to justice. I am Taro Kagete, the bane of your kind."

He rapidly withdrew the sword and the bandit fell to the ground dead. Taro then walked over to the merchant and lifted him up. His face showing kindness and compassion, a stark contrast to the cold fury that he showed when facing the theives. Taro smiled. "Are you alright?" The merchant seemed terrified, but nodded. Speaking weakly. "Um, yes. Yes, i'm fine now." He nodded. "Thank you." Taro cleaned his sword with the red bandana around his arm, then tied it back around his arm, sheathing his sword. "You're welcome, now i should be going." The merchant spoke again, excited. "Wait! I can't just let you wander off again without thanking you properly." He motioned to his little shop. "Anything in the shop, go ahead, take it! It's the least I can do for you saving my livelyhood." The man smiled, and Taro shook his head. "I am not going to take your goods sir. Though, a place to sleep and a meal would be appreciated." Taro smiled and rubbed the back of his neck. The old man grinned and led Taro into a little room in the back of the shop. Of course! Of course! Right this way."

Taro had been sleeping lightly in the back room. Between his training, and pissing off bandits who would rather kill you in your sleep, he had learned to stay alert, even when asleep. The entrance of the courier woke him up. Taro opened one eye slightly, and listened to the conversation, judging if the new entry was a threat. He heard the voice of a woman talking to Shin. Taro figured that he had slept long enough, and sat up, stretching his arms and setting his feet down on the floor. Grabbing The Twins from the bed where he had left them. He threw on his green clothes, but left his armor leaning against the bed. Slowly pushing the cloth hangin over the doorway as an impromptu door.

The boy looked around the room and saw the stranger, she seemed to know Shin, so she couldn't be that bad of a person. Taro gave a slight bow to Shin. "Thank you for the room Master Shin, It has been a comfort that is usually unknown to a wanderer like myself. I will be sure to find some way to pay back your kindness." He then looked over to Kai, offered a slight grin and bowed. "Hello ma'm, I am Taro Kagete. It is an honor to meet you Ms.?" He added the last word with the expectation of the woman adding her name.

Kai folded her arms as she looked out of the window as the male appeared from the cloth fake door. He seemed nice, kinda young and cute. she would smile as he bowed and said all he needed to say, she would chuckle lightly " Kid, this isn't the palace, no need to bow "" she would say with a laugh


" and "Ma'am, Ms." ? How old do you think i am ? I am Kai, what brings you to these parts ?"

Taro seemed a bit shocked at her reaction. Miaru had taught him basic etiquette and he thought he was beginning the conversation correctlyu. He stammered to make a response, Ah, i'm sorry Lady Kai, it wasn't... I didn't mean to offend you. I only meant it as a sign of respect, not as a definition of age....." Taro recovered quickly, and changed his focus to answering her question. "Forgive my poor manners. I am here hunting a bandit leader named Tegiri. He is a hopeless criminal, and must be brought to justice." Taro smiled. "And the bounty pays for food. But enough about me, why are you here Lady Kai?"

Taro noticed the joke about his mannerisms, and decided to relax a bit. He wasn't in the courts of Ba Sing Se after all, but it had just been drilled so deep into his head by Miaru. 'Discipline in battle is born from discipline in life.' Ah, these lessons were proving more and more difficult to follow. Taro leaned on a table next to him, and continued the conversation, more casually now. "I wouldn't call killing noble. But thank you anyway. So, how far do you travel? I mean, where do you bring messages from?

Taro smiled and leaned back, looking at the ceiling as he thought about the route. What kind of focus and courage it must take to maintain your mission across two nations. Running a route all the way from the fire nation. Especially when Ba Sing Se seemed so far away on it's own. He looked back down at Kai. That's quite the impressive route Lady Kai. I can't say that i've ever travelled that far. Not even close, but I plan to, eventually." Taro glanced at Shin So how do you know master Shin? If you don't mind my asking of course. Taro was truly intrested in his woman's travels, if she had been to the fire nation, he wanted to hear all about it. And what's the fire nation like? It's always seemed so, isolated."

Taro nodded, 'It's hot' wasn't exactly the description he was looking for. But he probably wouldn't be getting a better answer any time soon. He then thought about running for the old man. "Well, it's better than how I-"He found his sentance broken by her playful pushing, and was honestly unsure of how to react. He gave a nervous laugh. "Ah, yes, it would seem like that is our only option." He saw her drop the bag on the floor, and spoke up again, more confident this time. "Lady Kai, you may have the bed of course. I am fairly used to sleeping on the ground." He smiled, half joking, half serious.

Taro stopped speaking and listened to Kai. He blushed a little when she mentioned the 'you're cute' part, he smiled, but payed it little attention. Taro leaned his swords against the bed next to him, and began to untie the bandana. Once it was off of his arm, he layed it on the bed, taking off his shirt to reveal the while cloth wrapping underneath that covered his entire torso, abdomen, shoulders and upper arms. Taro then grabbed the bandana and sank to the floor, leaning against the wall while retying the bandana and taking off his shoes. Once they were off he put them next to his armor, all tucked in a small corner of the room. "Alright, i will, and, the floor isn't my personal favorite sleeping place, i was just...He looked up at her grinned. "Thank you Lady Kai."

Taro laughed at Kai's comment. "Yeah, you could say that. He shook his head. Thinking of all the villages and towns that he had passed through in his months after liberating Shino village. Constantly moving around, never even telling more than one or two people his name. He looked down at his feet. I just never stayed anywhere very long. And before i started wandering, it was just Miaru and I during my training...." Taro looked up at Kai again. "I guess i just never had the chance."

Taro shook his head, laughing at Kai's reaction. "No no, That was a joke Lady Kai. You told me to relax yes?" He stood up slowly, still smiling from his successful prank. "So I did." He grinned ironically. Besides, your a little old for me anyway. His disposition was lighter, but still cautious, he was warming up to this woman.

Taro glanced away from Kai, apparently his joke wasn't taken well. "I'm sorry la... Kai. I did not mean it as an offense." He lifted higosha up and layed it on the bed next to him. Laying back he glanced up at Kai. "I'm going to sleep, goodnight Kai."He layed his head back and closed his eyes, one hand resting on Higosha as he fell asleep.

Taro woke up early, opening one eye to glance around the room. Kai was still asleep against the wall. And he figured that it would be best to leave her that way. He kicked his feet off of the bed and stood up, taking Higosha with him as he did. Taro put on his shirt, then robe and strapped his armor on over it, tying Higosha to the cloth band around his waist, then throwing Hogosha's sling around his shoulder. It was time that he get moving again. He had already taken too much from the old man here. And if Kai were staying longer, she could use the bed. Taro spoke under his breath as he stepped out of the room's door. "Goodbye Kai. Thank you." Taro walked out of the room, but got caught up in a short farewell conversation with Old Man Shin. Then he was out the door, following Kai's example on his way to Ba Sing Se.