Preparation [Yuy/Ask]

[Shinomori Katsumi]

Katsumi hadn't yet gotten her payment for the various work she had done, and so she saved money whatever way she could. So now the woman masquerading as a man was making her own arrows. As an archer, arrows were obviously rather crucial, and, while she reused them as long as she could, several needed to be replaced.

After cutting down a narrow tree, the woman spent the day chopping it up and was now sitting on a stump in the forest. Her hair was pulled up in a high ponytail, waving a little from the light, cool breeze, and her father's old, black kimono hung loosely on her petite body. She sat in silence, whittling the wood and making arrows, keeping her hands busy and doing something rather productive.

Perhaps she hadn't spent the day making money, but she definitely wasn't wasting any, and that's what mattered, really. By tonight, she would had a fresh batch of sharp arrows and she would be ready to take on more jobs tomorrow.

[Yuy Masahiro™]

I was without allies in this country. If I was to succeed in getting revenge for my family, I would need some comrades in arms. Unluckily for me... the only person I knew in this country was that self-righteous Haji kid. That wouldn't work out very well for me. A samurai who was afraid to kill... it was pathetic. 

It just so happened that as I was walking I happened upon someone making arrows. I detested ranged weapons, which meant I refused to use them. That didn't mean the people that would work for me shouldn't use them. I approached what appeared like a man, rather a young boy, wearing a kimono far too big for him. I came to a stop just before this person.

"You there. Do you simply make these arrows or do you shoot them as well?"

[Shinomori Katsumi]

It wasn't often people ran into Katsumi when she was this deep in the forest, but today seemed to be one of those off chances. Before he said a word,, Katsumi heard him walking nearby, and her keen eyes caught sight of the man. He didn't appear to be a threat, although armed, and so she had continued with her work, making sure to keep tabs on him and any fishy business.

But he stopped and spoke up, asking the merc a question. He was straightforward, if not rude, but all she did was blink in response and look up. She was used to that kind of tone, that "all important" air, and Katsumi switched her gaze to him.

Could she shoot? Of course the woman could. Katsumi had been trained to fight since she was a small child, and focused on archery and her reflexes. If anything, she was a supreme archer, not that she would have admitted it. That would be far too pretentious, and that just wasn't how Katsumi was.

Exhaling slowly, Katsumi said softly in that false, masculine voice, "I have been trained in archery since I was a small child."

Her answer was far less direct than his question was, but, to her, it said everything that needed to be said. She didn't need to claim she was some amazing archer. The years of training should say enough. Katsumi looked back down and continued making her ammo. With a shrug, she continued, "This simply conserves money."

The woman's gaze moved over the man, and her brows raised, hands still at work, obviously skillful with how they did their chore with ease. He didn't seem like the type to ask out of curiosity, the air about him entirely serious. There was something in his eyes, almost dark. There was drive there, she could sense. The man didn't ask her such a question whimsically, and he appeared decently dressed. He wasn't simply some street rat, from what she could tell.

"Why do you ask? Are you looking for someone to hire?"

[Yuy Masahiro™]

Since he was a child? Heh... he sounded younger than that Haji kid. None the less... it was nice to meet another child soldier, one trained in the art of war before even learning to shave. I hoped for this warrior's sake that he did not have to suffer the same atrocities that I had that drove me to take up the sword.

"Indeed I am. Forgive me for being short with you. I am Masahiro of the Yuy family. As you can see, I myself am ronin, and I gather that if you had a daimyo you would not be wasting your efforts crafting your own munitions."

I had trained with bows slightly. I could aim and shoot, but was not very good in all truth. An immobile target within twenty feet I could strike down with an arrow. But anything more than that, especially moving was outside of my talent. I could not even begin to fathom the effort it must have taken her to be crafting her own arrows, having to be perfectly cylindrical to guide themselves to the target. Not only that but the proper thickness of the arrow for the most distance and strength. It was beyond me.

"In truth, I've recently returned to the homeland from an expedition out west. I am in search of allies, and an archer, especially one with enough talent to make their own arrows, would be one that is indispensable."

[Shinomori Katsumi]

Katsumi listened to the man as he spoke, expression impassive. She was not bored, clearly engaged, and waited until he was done introducing himself before the archer gave her alias, head bowing as she did so.

"Saito Hiroshi."

With how he spoke and introduced himself, this man was no commoner. This Yuy came from wealth, but the fact that he was now a ronin made her suspect he fell on hard times. Katsumi had no idea as to what, and she kept her thoughts and suspicions to herself, as it was none of her business.

It seemed he was on a quest of sorts, and her brows rose in curiosity as he stated he went to the West. Really? She never knew anyone who had been outside of Japan, and if it weren't for her strong sense of self-control, the woman would have blurted a million questions.

No. Instead, she listened carefully, mulling over his words. He wanted warriors, huh? And an archer? It was true, in an army archers were incredibly important. Since he wanted her for hire, Katsumi felt she needed to ask questions. She would not bombard him with them. All Katsumi really needed to know was what he wanted, what he expected, and, most importantly, how much he intended to pay.

Upon finishing, Katsumi closed her eyes and went over her words in her head, before opening her eyes and speaking aloud, "Who is it you are fighting?"

Kat shifted and pressed her lips in a straight line, brows raising. "I am a mercenary, and will join whatever cause... given I am paid sufficiently."

The archer shrugged, to help show she was reasonable, and continued, "I need to eat, just like anyone else. I never expect anything absolutely outrageous, unlike some in my line of work."

Tag: Yuy Masahiro™

[Yuy Masahiro™]

Who is it that I'm fighting? Well I suspected that if I told him that my plans were to take on all of the Daimyo of Japan and establish my own powerful faction, that I would not have an archer and that I would seem rather crazy. So instead, I decided to work around that part.


"For now... I fight whoever I am contracted to fight. But this is just in the short term."



The man's next statement further proved my earlier notions. He doesn't expect anything extraordinary. Survival was this man's ambition... not far off from many, but I aimed for something much greater. To unite the land under one banner to create an era of peace. I reached out my hand to this warrior. It seemed I had my archer.

"I assure you, payment will not be a problem. I will keep in touch with information regarding the job."

[Shinomori Katsumi]

His answer was vague at best, but, while being a curious person, Katsumi felt it really wasn't her business. He had future plans. Good for him. Katsumi didn't entirely care, as it was nothing new. Many people did have plans for the future. Katsumi had been an exception, as hers was really just survival.

And so the archer nodded in response, not prying. Why should she? It didn't matter to her, a mercenary, who he wished to fight. If Masahiro paid her, she would fight whoever. It was the way of her kind.

Katsumi didn't take his word entirely to heart. She had no idea how much money he had, or if he had any at all. But the woman would certainly still consider him and leave him as an option.

Alright. I will be around," she said with another nod. Her gaze moved back to her partially made arrow and she went back to work. If he had anything more to say, Yuy would say it. Katsumi would remain silent, having nothing more to really add.