Shattering the Soul (Katsumi) [Monthly Event]

[Morei Haji]

A few weeks had passed by since I had first met Katsumi by a river one fateful day. Random wandering and being thirsty led me to meeting her in the middle of nowhere, having a night of romance, and just having my life filled with so much delight just about every day. Sure, there were a couple of hiccups in the road, or times where we had to separate for a little bit, but every single time I came back to her, I just felt truly wonderful all over again.

And now, the two of us were traveling together. We had been to plenty of villages and had started to experience the world together. Now that I was with her, I never wanted to go back to wandering alone. She filled that gaping hole that I had always felt as a wanderer, and with her by my side, I felt like I could do anything. The world seemed so vast, so exciting, and now I had someone to share it all with.

"Katsumi-chan, is that... is that the sea?!" I would exclaim out of nowhere as we passed over a hill. In the horizon, there would be what looked like a town, and right beyond that, a vast expanse of blue as far as the eye could see. "It really is! It's the sea!" To say I was excited would be an understatement. The sea was only something I had read about or heard other people talking about, but to see it with my own eyes... I wanted to get even closer, and excitedly, I would grab Katsumi's hand to lead her along with me.

The road to town wasn't long at all, it would take us a matter of minutes to get down there. However, no sooner had we gotten into town than I began to realize my fatigue. We had had a long trek to get to this point, and I was sure that Katsumi was as tired as I was. No, viewing the sea up close could wait until we had gotten some rest. I didn't want to have her push herself anymore than necessary. So once we were in town, I would look to Katsumi with a smile. "Actually, let's just find an inn for now."

I would walk throughout the small portside town, looking around, and making sure to stay very close to Katsumi. The town was very bustling with activity, and I did not want to get separated from her. Merchants, travelers of all sorts (including some that didn't even look Japanese), and various types of pepole seemed to all be gathered here, and it was quite the experience in itself to see this.

Soon enough, we'd come across the inn. Heading inside, I would ask for a room 'for two men' and fish inside my robe for some money to pay the innkeeper. The inn was a bit more expensive than what I was used to, but I didn't care right now. My main concern was just finding us a place to rest. We would be lead to our room, and once we were alone, I would let out a sigh of relief, sitting down on the ground to rest for a moment.

"This town is really quite something."

I would stay there with Katsumi, keeping her company in whatever she decided to do. But after a time, I would hop to my feet. "Alright, I think I'm going to go fetch us something to eat! Just wait here for me, alright?" I would give her that same reassuring smile I always gave her, pulling her close and kissing her gently before departing from the inn. I figured I would look around some of the stands to see what the merchants had for sale.

[Shinomori Katsumi]

Walking at his side, eventually Haji and Katsumi came into view of the port town and the ocean. Haji was quite excited, and the girl glanced over at him as he smiled widely. She hadn't thought about it before, but the archer supposed he had never seen the sea before. Looking it over again, Katsumi supposed it was quite beautiful. It had been about three years since she had seen the ocean and, in fact, it had been this very town. She had been on a job with her father, and they had left rather abruptly without him saying a word to her, not that that had been anything new.

“Mm,” the teenager said with a nod. Her slender arm was hooked in his as they were alone together on the road. There was a glimmer within her eyes as her keen eyes looked beyond at the horizon. “It has been a few years since I was here last. The beauty and vastness of the ocean certainly hasn't changed.”

As they neared the town, the girl removed her arm from Haji, but the petite woman stuck quite close to his side. Both humans, men, women, and children, and beasts passed them by, and Katsumi casually strolled beside her Haji, shifting her bag on her back. While somewhat tired, the archer was used to long periods of time traveling, and was fine with whatever Haji chose to do. And he decided they should get a room at an inn, to which she nodded in response.

They neared the inn and entered, and Katsumi was ready to pay, but Haji covered it. It had been on the pricier side, and Katsumi decided quietly to herself that she would be sure to cover other expenses in the future to make up for it.

When they were led to their room, her eyes took in the bedroom, which was a nice size and had two mats. She could easily move them together when they were alone and slept that night. Putting their things down, Katsumi began putting some of her things away, again nodding at Haji's words. It wasn't long before he was up on his feet and offered to get them food, to which she blinked and looked over at him.

“Ah, alright.”

A slight blush covered the woman's cheeks as he kissed her gently, and her hand rose to his face to have him linger a little longer before leaving. Katsumi then spent the time putting their items away and readying the room while he was gone. She was always one that needed something to do, whether it was running around or even something as simple as sharpening her blades, and as she glanced out of the window of their room at the inn, the archer knew she couldn't simply wait around. Katsumi doubted he'd be gone long, but wandering the block for a short time until he came back wouldn't hurt, right?

Writing a note just in case he came back before her, Katsumi then armed herself, always wanting to be prepared just in case, and the woman masquerading as a man left the inn, nodding at the innkeeper as she slipped out of the door. As she strolled the street, her curious brows hues took in the various sights and her dainty hands were placed within the sleeves of her black kimono, arms crossed over her wrapped and covered chest.

After purchasing a snack she figured Haji would enjoy later on, someone bumped into Katsumi and the woman stumbled forward a bit. A girl no older than ten stopped, quickly and profusely bowed and apologized, and ran off, and Katsumi merely blinked and nodded. Noticing the child dropped a straw doll, the teenager picked up the toy, turning it in her hands. Katsumi stood up and saw the girl quickly retreating, and the archer went after her, small form evading the taller individuals on the street.

“Wait. Child! Hold... Hold on. You dropp-” exclaimed the woman, but she cut herself off, knowing it was futile. The girl wouldn't be able to hear her, and so she kept going.

This kid was fast, and after several twists and turns, Katsumi found herself in a rather deserted part of town. She skidded to a halt and glanced around. Brows furrowing, the archer's lips pressed into a tight, firm line. Where the hell was the girl? There was absolutely no sign of her, and Katsumi moved out far further than she intended. In fact, she had absolutely no idea where she was.

Holding the straw doll to her chest, Katsumi called out for the child, searching for the girl. If she could just find the child and give her the toy, the archer could be on her way and head back to the inn, to Haji. As she passed by an alleyway, the girl heard a noise and stopped. Swiveling to the side, she peered within the alley, biting down on her bottom lip. It was dark and she took a small step forward. The girl wouldn't be in there, would she?

Katsumi's stomach gnawed at her and the girl took a step backwards. This didn't feel right. None of it did. There was no one around and the archer's intuition was screaming at her to get out now. But before she could make a move, three men jumped out of the alleyway at her.

Yelping, the teenager dropped the doll and stumbled backwards. Strong hands roughly grabbed at Katsumi and, despite trying to fight back, the petite female was easily overpowered. She was held against the front of one of the men, and as she kicked and screamed, a bag was placed over her head. One of them hit her across the head and Katsumi fell limp, and soon they carried her off, as another planted a letter making demands (not to Haji, but Katsumi's deceased father, who they believed to be alive) in Haji and Kat's room before slipping out.

[Morei Haji]

"What do you mean a single fish is 500 yen?! We're right next to the frickin' sea!"

I was at one of the stands, noticing some fish that looked like they'd be rather good once cooked up, but these prices were outrageous! Grumbling about it, I would reach into my robes and produce some more coins. It was a hefty price, but I did not want to keep Katsumi waiting for too long, and it beat jumping into the sea itself to catch some. I figured I could easily make the money back with some odd jobs here and there.

Getting a small cloth bag from the merchant to put the fish into, I'd sling it over my shoulder and would start on my walk back towards the inn. I was certainly curious about this place though, it was a lot different than my home village. So much bigger, livelier, so much more to see, especially with all of the items of various cultures here. I saw one stand where they seemed to sell weaponry from all over the world, and another that sold rifles, those weapons that seemed to be putting us samurai out of use.

I figured I'd explore all of this later when I got a chance, as I had taken quite some time finding this stand anyway. The inn was a ways away, and I wanted to hurry back to the arms of my love as soon as possible. I figured I could cook the fish while at the inn as well.

Finally reaching the inn, I would walk back to our room, ready to announce that I was back but was greeted with an empty room. I scratched my head, laying the bag down on a table and looked around. Maybe she had gone out? I was about to go to follow her when I spotted what looked like a note on the table, and I picked it up to read it.

"... W-what...?!"

It was a letter filled with demands, requiring a large sum of money to be paid in order to get Katsumi back. It was addressed to her father, which sounded like they didn't know she had killed him. It seemed as though Katsumi's past had already caught up with her, and if she wasn't with me, maybe she would have been hiding herself a lot better instead of wandering around in the open...

I began to pace around the room frantically, trying to figure out what to do. By now, I was freaking out, and angry with myself that I wasn't there to protect her. "No, no, no... I shouldn't have left her alone..."

What was this I was feeling? Desperation? I was desperate, yes. I didn't want to lose her. Not after all of this. My fists clenched tightly, the letter crumbling in my hand. There was a location jotted on the note, but with Katsumi's father dead, it seemed some deceit was necessary.

I quickly gathered up my sakabato and katana, attaching them back to my side. I didn't know how many men there were, but I swore I would not rest until she was safe. I would take on an entire army if I had to. As I was about to leave, I noticed Katsumi's bow and arrows, quickly grabbing them as well. While I wasn't the archer she was, they could come in handy. And if I could get Katsumi free from them, she would have her weapon back.

Gritting my teeth, I knew that as angry as I was right now, walking in like this wouldn't help either of us. They'd see me right away and know that I wasn't her father. I went outside, looking for another merchant, eventually finding one with a large cloak with a hood. I produced a bag of coins from my robe, buying it from the man, and donning it myself and hiding all the weapons underneath. I made sure to put the hood over my head, so that when I would approach where Katsumi's captors held her, it would buy me adequate time to get close and make my move...

"Katsumi... I'm coming for you, please hold on..."

[Shinomori Katsumi]

Everything was black, and nothing but darkness itself danced within the woman's head. She wasn't sure how long she had been in the pitch black, but there came a point where Katsumi thought she heard voices and began to feel. Her whole petite body felt so very heavy, and the archer stirred weakly.

Before long, Katsumi was jolted awake, cold water drenching her as a man splashed it against her. The girl gasped, eyes widening sharply, and the teen coughed. It took time for her dark eyes to adjust, head pounding from the impact from earlier. When she tried to move her hands to rub her head, Katsumi found that her hands were tied behind her back. The young woman scowled, brows furrowing deeply, and she tried a few times, pulling at her restrains, before stopping, knowing the attempts were futile. She had not the strength to break through these bonds.

"Awake yet?" said a man, and a sharpness was felt across her cheek as she was slapped. Her petite form flung to the side and the girl peered up through her side-swept bangs.

Once her vision came to, Katsumi one rather imposing man, and four others. Her brows furrowed at seeing them, and her gaze lingered on the tallest of the group.

"Who...?" she began to inquire, shaking her head slowly. But once the man stepped into full-view, her eyes widened. "Naka...hara-san...?"

Naka nodded, expression grave, and Katsumi's confusion only increased. Why the hell did Nakahara have her tied up? Why was he doing this? Unless...

"You shoulda been smarter than to come back to this town," he said with a low growl. "Your dad left behind a huge debt three years ago, and it's time to pay up."

Her eyes widened, and she bit down on her bottom lip. So that's why they had left so abruptly back then. Once again he dad had fucked up, and that time he had bitten off far more than he could chew.

Just how much did he owe? Katsumi was a simple mercenary, and seriously doubted she had the money to pay it off. The girl recalled this group being a rather brutal bunch. What the hell was she supposed to do?!

"Got nuthin' against you personally, kid, but if Shinomori-san doesn't come by midnight, you won't be breathing," he said with a gruff voice. The man cracked his knuckled. "Fucker has it coming, and you are the means to an end. Hopefully seeing you bloodied will make him reach his senses."

Shit! They still thought her father was alive. None of them had any idea that the man was deceased, and that she had been the one to kill them. The girl swallowed roughly. She couldn't tell them her father was dead. Then she would be worthless and they would immediately dispose of her. But what was she going to do? Katsumi internally cursed her father for putting her in this situation.

Nibbling on her bottom lip, the archer finally spoke up, voice soft, "He... He isn't here though, Nakahara-san. I... do not know where he is, or when he'll be back. I've been on my own for a year now, I swear."

This seemed to anger the leader, and he strode up to her, roughly backhanding the girl. Small droplets of blood splashed onto the floor. "Don't fuckin' lie to me! You bought a room for two! You always stuck close to him before. Still do. I know you do, you little bitch."

The girl spit out the blood in her mouth and sat up again. Her mouth hurt, and yet she was used to the feeling. It had been some time since she was hit like this, but it had occurred so often that she seemed unaffected. Despite herself, she was curious about something. "Nakahara-san... how... how did you know it was me?"

He sneered and rolled his eyes. "Please. There aren't many archers as short as you, or much of anyone at all. It wasn't too difficult to deduce, kid."

Nakahara-san motioned for the other men to come forward and her eyes moved over them all. Despite being thugs, they were a tough group and each of them were intimidating in their own way, and even to her. They wouldn't back down on their word. She would die tonight if nobody came. Haji would likely find the letter, and the girl instantly began to fret. She didn't want him to face these men, and she felt tears well in her eyes, but there was no fear for herself. Katsumi feared for him.

As they neared her, the archer clamped her mouth shut. No matter what they did to her, she wouldn't tell the truth. She simply couldn't jeopardize Haji like that!

"It's time to make a show for him, right boys?"

They all grinned and soon enough the beatings began. She was hit across the face, dragged onto the floor, and kicked repeatedly. Katsumi didn't utter a sound, and that seemed to make them angrier, and the smallest of the group held a knife to her throat, threatening to do unsavory things with it. They were all sadistic, and this was more for show, but why should she be so surprised? This was nothing new for her.

She wasn't, and Katsumi didn't budge, staring straight ahead. This baffled and irritated the men, and the leader dragged the archer over to a bucket of water. Fist gripping her hair tightly, the man plunged her head under the water. Katsumi didn't resist, holding her breath for as long as she could. When her body began to move, it was convulsions from being drowned. When she was taken out, the girl gasped for breath, coughing, and three more times she was dunked, and yet that wasn't good enough, it seemed.

After, she was dragged again and a blade cut her cheeks, collarbones, arms, and legs. At this point, the archer was down to undergarments and her body was covered with cuts and bruises. A few of her bones were cracked, and definitely some fractures. And yet when Nakahara lifted her head up, she simply coughed up blood, lids drooped heavily. She winced, and yet there was no fear or despair on her features.

"What the fuck is wrong with you?!" exclaimed the leader, who hit her again across the face.

Her body dropped on the floor and her gaze moved to his, staring at the man in the eyes. Spitting out more blood and breathing heavily, she hissed, "None of this isn't anything I haven't felt before..."

The expression within her eyes was dead, void of any semblance of life, and this instead made them nervous, the men glancing at one another with uncertainty. She had checked out, and no matter what they did to her, the blank expression on Katsumi's face would not change. Her eyes moved back down, and Katsumi stared ahead of her blankly. She could take anything they dealt. If not to survive then to keep Haji safe.

And yet, deep down, an anger stirred, a hatred burning low and hot, searing through her belly...

[Morei Haji]

The path I took to get to the location described became less and less busy the further I went. It was like the townspeople themselves were frightened of this area town, and opted to avoid it. But I couldn't do that, I had to travel into the heart of this darkness. I was determined to save Katsumi, even at the expense of my own life.

My plan wasn't the greatest, but I had no time to sit back and formulate any strategies. I had a large pouch filled with the remainder of my coins, trying to make it look as hefty as possible. While cloaked, I had hoped to get close enough for whoever had her captive to see that I had their 'payment'. And if Katsumi was safe, I would try to get this over with as quickly as possible. But if she was hurt... damn the money, my hand would be on my blade underneath the cloak. I wanted to get close enough to see her, to make sure she was okay.

My fists clenched tightly as I hurried along the road. "No, she's okay... she has to be okay..." I kept telling myself that, reminding myself that thing would be alright. "We're supposed to have our bright future together... just the two of us..." I promised to keep her safe... I promised I wouldn't let her be alone or hurt again... and one stupid choice left her all alone, left her to get kidnapped... I wasn't there... Damn it, Haji, you're failing the one person who ever loved you...

I gritted my teeth, trying to contain the anger and self-resentment. The longer I lingered on this situation, the more rage built up inside. If my fists clenched any tighter, I would draw blood. Damn it, why didn't I stay?!

I arrived outside my destination, and by now, night had fallen over the land. Certain that one of the men would spot me as I neared, my hand would come out from underneath my cloak, holding the bag of money up before me. My other hand was ready and waiting on my sword. I was certain that in this darkness, they would not be able to tell I wasn't her father until I had my chance to get closer.

"I have come!" I announced, trying to deepen my voice. I needed to talk as little as possible for this to work. But who knows, maybe all they cared about was their money. But I would hand nothing over until I saw Katsumi.

[Shinomori Katsumi]

They were almost too nervous to continue with the beating, and she was already broken enough. Their plans were not to kill her or leave her entirely unmendable... at least for now. Now, it would be an entirely different story if they didn't receive their cash and see her father, which Katsumi fully expected. She was prepared to die, and, while accepting it, there was a quiet rage stirring within her about it all.

Katsumi stared ahead, her expression unreadable, eyes glassy, and her body as limp as a doll's. There was a commotion, and she heard the leader mention something about someone finally arriving, but Katsumi wasn't really paying attention. She was simply quietly preparing to die, and seething about such a fate. But when a pair of hands lifted Katsumi up, she acknowledged that something was happening.

'More beatings? Torture? Bring it on, you miserable cocksuckers,' the girl internally growled. She wouldn't be broken again.

She was dragged off, and Katsumi was fully prepared to be abused again, but cool air hit her mostly bare form, and her brows furrowed. Katsumi was still in the darkness, but she heard the men talking about her father arriving, which only confused her further. He was dead. That was simply impossible. Was she so far gone that she was hearing things now? That this was all in her head?

But then she heard a voice call out and the vacant look on her face cleared some, eyes widening. It... it was Haji! He had come! Katsumi's stomach twisted and, for the first time that night, tears welled in her eyes and spilled over her cheeks. What was he doing?! They would kill him! Too weary and filled with pain to exclaim anything, Katsumi whimpered ever so softly, only loud enough for her to hear, head hanging and bottom lip trembling, "N... No...!"

[[Feel free to godmod her coming into view and all. She's kinda slung over a guy's shoulder right now.]]

[Morei Haji]

Soon, her captors came outside to greet me. I would count them as they came out. One. Two. Three. Four... And then the fifth one came out, a figure held over his shoulder. My eyes were adjusting, but soon I would see that it was Katsumi. My eyes widened, and I dropped the bag of money to the ground upon seeing the state she was in. Beaten, bruised, bloody, and crying...

My teeth gritted, and underneath my cloak my hand gripped my weapon tightly. I could feel anger welling up inside of me. My body began to shake, filled to the brim with rage. Every fiber of my being screamed for vengeance, and I would not let them down. Seeing Katsumi like this triggered something in me, it unleashed something dark, and I didn't think I could hold it back, for what I saw in front of me were no longer five people. No, they didn't deserve to be called people...

"I'm going... to kill you all..." I spoke under my breath, my face still hidden away.

One man would approach, starting to reach down for the bag of money that I had dropped in my shock. No sooner had he bent down then my hand drew my sakabato, and I slashed and slammed the blunt blade straight against the man's throat. He fell back to the ground, convulsing and choking on his own blood. He would die slowly.

Immediately after striking, I would move forward towards the man that held Katsumi. While the surprise was still fresh, I would strike at the man's kneecap with all the force I could muster, planning on shattering it. If successful, this would cause the man to drop Katsumi, where I would catch her in my arm as I crouched on the ground, turning and holding my blade up towards my remaining foes. Being this close to her and seeing her injuries up close would only fuel my rage.

[Shinomori Katsumi]

She couldn't really see ahead, as her vision was far too blurred, both from the earlier blows to the face and the tears welled up within Kat's eyes. Yet she knew something was off. She felt the man carrying her tense and the girl weakly looked up to see some sort of commotion. But it was too brief and Katsumi was far too slow in this moment to keep up, and suddenly the next thing she knew the man carrying her cried out and, as she fell, Katsumi was caught.

Coughing and wincing, as her bones moaned and cried from the movement, the archer rolled her head and saw Haji beneath the hood of the cloak. It was him. None of this was in her head. He had come for her, and emotions flooded her. She was both filled with happiness and despair, hope and fear.

Despite her fogginess, the woman rose up her bound hands and brought them over the blade, cutting them free, before allowing her arms to limply fall back down. It took a great deal of strength to do just that, and even breathing was difficult now.

But Haji was here. And she had no idea how to feel or what to think, or just what would happen. It was all just so much to take in, and Katsumi whimpered his name softly, "H-Haji-k-kun..."

[Morei Haji]

I held the blade steady as she cut what binded her. My eyes remained locked on the men around me. Three more, but I wouldn't forget about the man whose knee I had shattered either.

"Katsumi... I should've been there..." I spoke in a low voice, trying to contain my anger. But seeing her like this, I was certain she could feel me shaking with rage. "I'm so sorry... I cannot forgive myself for allowing you to come to harm, when I promised I would protect you..." I leaned her up against the wall to the building she was held captive in. My hand would go under my cloak and I would produce my other katana and her bow and arrows, placing them near her. While I planned to let none of them get near her, I had to ensure she had a way to defend herself if I failed... but I wouldn't fail, I couldn't let it get that far.

I stood up, beginning to walk towards the men. "I will cut away your past for you." My blade was held at my side as I spoke back towards her. "These bastards... their lives were forfeit the moment they laid their hands on you. I'm going to kill every single one of them..."

I would cast away every vestige of my humanity, every shred of my ideals, just to protect her. I would inflict her pain back on them a thousand fold.

[Shinomori Katsumi]

She couldn't really say anything, far too weak to do so, and so Katsumi merely shook her head. The girl didn't want Haji blaming himself. No. It was not his fault, but her father's, these men's. What the fuck did she ever do to them? She never chose who her father was. She certainly never had any choice about what he did! This was all fucking bullshit, and, now that she was set down and freed, it became all the more apparent to her. The cool-headed archer was fucking pissed.

The girl couldn't really hear his words too well or see what was going on, vision going in and out and ears pulsing. But the katana brushed against Katsumi's fingers and she weakly gripped at the blade. It was a struggle to breathe, and so she simply nodded at Haji's words. Yes. He should do whatever he needed to do. As concerned as she was, he had gone this far. He was a warrior as much as she.

As Haji would go off, Katsumi focused on her breathing and trying to stay awake. All of the excitement and fret suddenly wore her out, and the girl's head rolled. In her vision, she made out the form of that man... Nakahara. She could hear him groaning in pain, crying out, and that deeply-rooted anger and hatred flared up, growing hotter and hotter until she could no longer contain it. All Katsumi saw was red, and the flashes of the abuse she had endured from him and her father.

Grabbing the katana, Katsumi fell onto the ground and began to crawl towards the man with the busted knee-cap. It felt like ages, and yet simultaneously felt as though it went by in seconds. Before long she had reached the man and her fingers gripped at his kimono.

"Naka... h...ara...." she seethed lowly, voice a growl. The weapon was unsheathed and her wrath gave Katsumi the strength to cut at his wrist so he wouldn't so easily resist and climb onto his chest. She sat there, heavily panting, and glared down, rage and a dark hatred overflowing from her eyes. The katana was too long, and Katsumi gripped the blade, having it hover over the thug. "Shino....mori-san... is fucking dead. I... I fucking killed him."

Raising up the blade, he began to scream and Katsumi plunged, stabbing at the man, again and again. Her eyes were bulging and, as she tightly gripped the blade, it cut her palms as she created the bloodbath. Tears streamed down her cheeks and she exclaimed, voice growing louder and louder, until it was a scream itself, and the message relayed was no longer at the thug, but her father, "I hate you. I hate him. I hate you fucking all. What did I ever fucking do to deserve this shit? I hate, hate, hate you! I couldn't help what happened to mother, that I was born a girl, that I couldn't be the perfect son you wanted. I tried and I tried, and what? WHAT? Nothing was every fucking good enough. You never gave me happiness or any kindness. Hurt me and broke me again and again until I became a paranoid fucking shell. But... But guess what? I did what you taught me in the end. I became a better fucking warrior than you. I ended you before you could end me. So... so... so die! DIE! FUCKING DIE, YOU SON OF A BITCH!"

She then began to simply scream, damaged hands stabbing again and again. The man was long dead at this point, and his body was mutilated to the point where it was unrecognizable. At some point (Katsumi never really noticed), the katana fell from her hands and she simply pounded her balled up fists against his face, throat, and chest. The girl was drenched in blood, and hysterical, and tears and blood stained and drenched her fragile form.

[Morei Haji]

I advanced on one of the men, sword at the ready. He and the two others seemed determined to stop me, but with two of them down already, their morale seemed low. One of the men slashed at me, and my sword came up to block it. Another man would attack from the side, but his blade would land against my gauntlet as I brought my arm up, and I held him at bay. I quickly kicked the first man in the stomach before bringing my sakabato straight to his temple. A sickening crack would be heard upon impact, and the man would fall to the floor, blood pouring from his head wound.

Katsumi's sudden screams would cause me to look towards her in shock, and I would witness her brutalizing the man whose knee I had destroyed moments before. All of Katsumi's suffering and grief, all of her pain, sorrow, and hurt, it all came pouring out in that moment. She showed how truly damaged she was, but for once, she was no longer holding it back. She let her anger take her, and finally, she got the revenge she must have longed for for so long. But this grief of her's...

I was snapped from my thoughts as I was suddenly grabbed from behind, having forgotten about the third man after I turned my attention to Katsumi. His arms went under my own and held me back, and the man that I had kicked earlier had gotten to his feet and charged at me. When he neared me, I felt a sudden sharp feeling, a surge of pain shooting throughout my body, and looking down, I realized that he had stabbed me in the stomach with his knife.

I didn't know if it was the anger coursing through my body, but right now, the pain felt like nothing compared to the hatred I felt towards these bastards for hurting Katsumi. With a yell, I kicked the man who stabbed me as hard as I could, causing him to fall backwards. I would headbutt the man holding me back, which would cause him to let go. From here, I turned around, swinging the sharp end of my sakabato at his neck and slashing him across the throat.

As I turned around to face the other man again, he had already recovered, sending a kick and knocking me back onto the ground. I would look up at him, but the blade in my body prevented me from being able to get up as quickly as I wanted. He grinned down at me as he raised a katana high above me, prepared to bring it down and kill me.

[Shinomori Katsumi]

The adrenaline wore off and the pounding weakened and slow, and Katsumi began to pant. Tears and blood fell from her face, dripping onto the pulpy head, and the archer moved off of him, collapsing onto the ground. Her lids and body were heavy, blood loss and her wounds making her feel especially weak.

Through the pounding of her ears, she thought she heard a scuffle, and Katsumi turned her head to face that direction. What was going on? The hatred and rage were subsiding and, through the weariness, Katsumi began to recollect. Haji was fighting over there. Haji was here. He was fighting!

She didn't want him to fight along and Katsumi dragged herself over to her bow, gritting her teeth, clenching them tightly. It hurt terribly to move, the woman hardly able to feel her hands now, but she kept going. All for Haji. She had to. She needed to back him up. She loved him and no amount of pain or tiredness would have her not fight with him, for him.

It seemed like ages to the nearly delirious archer when she reached her bow, and Katsumi winced when she grabbed it. The cuts in her hands were deep, and tears welled in her eyes. How was she supposed to shoot like this?

Thinking of Haji, the girl swallowed and narrowed her eyes. She had to find a way. Taking an arrow, Katsumi pushed herself up, sitting back and leaning against the wall, unable to support herself on her own. Now that she was actually demanding her hands to work, they screamed and protested at her, and Katsumi bit down on her lip with enough force that it burst.

Panting heavily, the girl looked forward, squinting her eyes in the hope that her vision would clear. She saw Haji being kicked to the ground and a man raising up a katana to make a decisive, finishing blow. Pulling back on the string and crying out as the wounds ripped open further, Katsumi fired, hitting the man's back, and she then instantly fell on the floor, bow clattering away. Everything hurt, and with the hatred gone and concern in its place, no reason to block it all out, Katsumi felt everything, and she curled up as best she could, form shaking and pained breaths barely shudders.

[Morei Haji]

The man advanced upon me, and I was certain this would've been my end. Suddenly, the man would stop, his arms lowering to his side before the katana dropped to the floor. He would fall to the side, and I could see an arrow sticking out of his back as he now lay dead in front of me. I looked over towards Katsumi, realizing that she had saved my life. I had come here to save her, and we had saved on another. It was strange.

The adrenaline had begun to die down now that it was quiet and all of her captors lay dead. Looking down at the knife in my torso, I had begun to breathe really heavily as the pain finally started to settle in. I wanted to pull it out and cast it aside, but I remembered the day that Katsumi had helped the man's wounds whom she shot, knowing that in our states it'd be a terrible idea. But god, it hurt so much to move right now. I didn't know how deep the knife was, but if I pulled it out I was afraid I would bleed to death.

No, I couldn't die. I wasn't going to allow it. Resisting the urge to scream out in pain, I would roll over, angling myself so the knife wouldn't plunge deeper into me. Slowly, painfully, I had started to crawl towards Katsumi. Her safety was far more important to me. As far as I was concerned, she was in far worse shape than me.

I would pass by the bloodied bodies as I crawled, being hit with the realization that... I had done this. I had taken these men's lives. And while they had threatened the life of the woman I loved, while they had caused her so much pain and grief, I realized that my hands were stained for the first time. My heart felt heavy, and I wasn't sure if it was because I was struggling with my injury, because I had failed on my promise to Katsumi, because I had done the one thing I swore never to do by killing someone, or maybe all three. I felt like something shattered inside of me. My soul felt broken. I would pause for a moment, holding myself up with my arms, and I began to shake, feeling tears well up in my eyes. What was this? Was I feeling guilty for having killed these men? No, they deserved it for what they did to her! I would do it all again just to keep her safe!

"Katsumi... I..." I would look up towards her, feeling hot tears rolling down my cheeks. I had to get to her. She needed me. If I would have to carry the burden of taking these lives with me forever, than so be it. I didn't care what torture I had to endure to my body or my mind.

My body would feel as though it were moving on its own, pulling myself towards Katsumi. Every time I moved forward, I could feel the hilt of the knife scrape against the ground, applying more pressure to the stab wound, and I would wince. It took every ounce of strength to just keep moving, and somehow, I found myself near to her.

"Katsumi..." My body would shut down and I fell on my side, breathing heavily. My hand reached for hers, but I was barely out of reach before it dropped to the ground and I just laid there near her. I couldn't hold back my tears. "I'm so sorry... I should've been there to protect you... I broke my promise to you..." I managed to gasp out. The guilt combined with the pain and my failure, it all felt so heavy to me.

I looked at Katsumi, not bothering to wipe my tears away. The sight of her mangled like this was too much. Yukimura's words resounded in me, I had to become stronger... so that in the future, this would not happen again. We were both in terrible condition, but I had to get us back to the town somehow...

[Shinomori Katsumi]

Katsumi wasn't sure how much time had passed or even if her shot had succeeded. She hoped ferociously that it did and that Haji was safe. After being with him and having him in her life, Katsumi wouldn't be able to go on within him. He meant far too much to her. He was her everything now.

She heard Haji speaking, apologizing, and Katsumi sniffled and looked up. Why was he sorry? She was the one who was sorry! Because she had gotten kidnapped, all of this had happened, and Haji had been put in danger. If only she had known about what her father did then they could have avoided this town in the first place.

And yet... it was her father's fault, not her own, and she cursed him again and again in her mind. Why did he have to keep making her life more and more miserable while dead too? Alive wasn't good enough?

Struggling to breathe, Katsumi weakly shook her head and repeated, over and over, hoping he would accept those words, "It's not your fault, Haji. It's not your fault."

As she went on, her voice grew softer as Katsumi became weaker from blood loss and delirium due to the injuries. Her words were became barely a murmur and Kat's lids were drooped low.

Oh, how very tired she was...

[Morei Haji]

Not my fault? But I was there, maybe she wouldn't have gotten kidnapped in the first place. Maybe if it wasn't for my stupid sense of adventure, we could have avoided everything. She wouldn't be laying on the ground, broken and bleeding. She wouldn't have gotten hurt. We could've just settled somewhere and have been happy together, maybe working in a village together and starting on our life...

Her voice would trail off, and looking up at her, I noticed she was just about unconscious. I wasn't going to let her lay on the ground like this. She needed medical treatment fast. I needed to get her back to the town.

I noticed my katana next to her, and I reached for it. While it was a struggle, I had cut a large piece of fabric from my kimono, tearing it off completely. Sticking the hilt of my sword into my mouth and holding it with my teeth, I would take a deep breath as my hands gripped the knife in my stomach. With a scream stiffled by the blade in my mouth, I pulled it from my body, blood beginning to pour out. I tossed the blade to the side and began to wrap the cloth around my torso tightly, tying it and creating a makeshift tourniquet to stall me from bleeding out just a while longer. I tossed the katana aside, panting heavily before looking to Katsumi. This was going to be the hard part.

Moving nearer to her, I would take her up in my arms, one arm under her back and the other under her legs, and I would hold her close to me as I stood up painfully. This was the reason I needed to remove the knife. It hurt like hell, but my pain was only a secondary concern right now.

"You're going to be okay..." I spoke to her softly, my tone desperate. I would make sure that my word to her was kept, and I began to carry the bloodied girl away from this place, stepping over the bodies as I slowly made my way out. Katsumi being in my arms was meant to be a wonderful thing, but right now, all I could feel is pain, knowing what she had been through because of one momentary lapse in splitting up.

"I won't leave your side again, Katsumi... I... I can't lose you..." I couldn't stop the tears again. I carried her along the road in my arms, and every movement in my body felt like it would be take all of my strength. But I could not allow this weakness, I could not allow any more harm to befall her. I would make sure she was safe, I would make sure that she would make it to safety, even if I died trying to get her back to the town.

"You're everything to me, Katsumi... you're everything... you can't die on me... I won't let you..."

If I ever lost her, I... I was afraid to even think of what might become of me. My life would lose all of its light that I had found thanks to meeting her. She was the one that drove me forward, she was the only thing keeping me going right now despite the wound in my stomach. I didn't care if I bled out, as long as she was safe first.

My body would force itself along the road. I didn't know how much time had passed, whether it was mere minutes or entire hours. She kept me going, no matter how much I felt like I was just going to pass out from the exhaustion.

An unknown amount of time would pass, and soon I could see lights in the distance through my blurred vision. Was it the town? It seemed so close, and yet... I fell to my knees, Katsumi still in my arms. My body was giving out. Damn it all... I did my best to lay her on the ground, collapsing next to her. She was so close to the town, I just needed to get her a little closer and she'd be fine... It couldn't be this way, not like this, not when I was this close to saving her.

"Kat...sumi..." My voice trailed off as I drifted into unconsciousness, my blood loss had become too great at this point as it began to seep through the cloth.

[Shinomori Katsumi]

Katsumi just couldn't keep her eyes open anymore, and they fluttered closed. It was too much effort to keep them open. As she was falling into unconsciousness, Katsumi heard Haji's voice. It seemed distant and filled with despair, and she so desperately wanted to fix it, to alleviate what he was feeling and tell him that everything was okay. Katsumi wanted to tell Haji that she would be alright and that there was nothing to be worried about. She wanted to make things better. Yet... she couldn't right now. She was so tired, and a tear slipped past her cheek, blood smeared across and hair matted against pallid flesh.

Her fingers on his chest tightened before going slack as she passed out, and soon after Haji did as well. Fortunately for them, a group of villagers found them and the two were taken to the inn, and their injuries were tended to.

Together, they barely escaped death and survived from the ordeal. The physical injuries would heal in time, but the emotional toll would take much, much longer, especially for Kat's Haji...

(End scene)