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Upon picking up the man and moving with Yamabara, Katsumi said with another nod, "I have enough experience."

She didn't particularly care to think about all of the injuries she had to fix on herself from her father's beatings, and when he was injured and unconscious from consuming enough alcohol, and so she blocked it out. Instead, the girl thought about her Haji, and the archer's heart warmed.

They entered the teahouse and Katsumi asked owner if they could have water and use their hearth. Readily accepting due to the two saving their lives, Katsumi moved over and set the man on the table. She then removed her supplies from her bag and Katsumi began making a salve with herbs she already already had. A pot filled with water was put over the fire, and Katsumi worked on crushing the herbs into more of a pasty consistency, answering the man, "The nearest village is the best bet. From there, we can find out where exactly to go. I'd assume one of the bigger towns."

She glanced over at him upon mentioning the morbidity of the situation, and looked down at bloodied bag. Katsumi had seen so much bloodshed in her short life that she didn't even bat an eye. Head raising up, her expression remained impassive, and her brows arched up.

"I can carry it, if you like. A head is far easier than an entire body."

Later, she would check the body for anything else that could help prove that this was, in fact, the bounty. For now, she finished making the salve and removed the hot water from the fire. Soaking some towels, the archer would inquire that Yamabara hold down the thug and proceeded to remove the arrows with her small hands, quickly yet carefully. Cleaning out the wounds with the warm water, she applied pressure to the wounds, especially on the one at his side. Katsumi did her work in silence, lids drooped slightly. She was clearly practiced in this.

"The blood flow will need to slow before I can use the salve and bandage you up," Katsumi said aloud, to no one in particular, although it was aimed as if speaking to the thug.

It seemed someone else had entered, telling Katsumi to fire, and she did not hesitate. The archer didn't bother looking back, closing one eye and, as the man holding the owner's wife moved back in surprise at the scene unfolding, Katsumi released her breath and released the string. With his taller frame, it hit the man's shoulder and his hold loosened on the woman, who cried out and forced her way out of his grasp. She ran towards Katsumi, heading back inside to hide with her husband, and the archer quickly moved forward, another arrow at the ready in moments.

The leader had stumbled down and struggled up, anger clearly contorting his features. Growling aggressively, he rushed towards her and Katsumi fired. An arrow embedded through the man's throat and, as his hands gripped helplessly at the lodged projectile, the man fell to the ground.

Swiveling around, prepared to take more down in an instant, she saw another man killing those around. He was taking care of the others fine, and her keen eyes searched, catching sight of the man she had hit earlier. The thug was fleeing, albeit slowly, and Katsumi shot at his heel. Hitting her mark, the woman quickly moved ahead and grabbed the man by the collar.

She stared down coldly at him, blade held against his throat to intimidate the now weeping man. "Is there a bounty on your head, or your group's? Anyone in here?"

His words were incoherent, blubbering at best, and the woman sighed before shaking him a little. Understanding the message, the man nodded and glanced over at who had been the one to take the woman hostage and Katsumi released the man. He wasn't going to be going anywhere, not with those wounds.

"Don't move and I'll tend to your wounds," muttered the archer. Of course, she'd still haul his ass off to the authorities, but it would give him the incentive to stick around.

Sheathing her dagger, brown hues glanced over at other man and, straightening her form, the petite archer bowed. "Thank you for your assistance, sir."

Standing up again, her gaze moved over to the dead leader and she continued, "He has a bounty on his head. I will... cut you half of whatever is being offered for him."

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.

Katsumi internally winced at his booming voice, brows furrowing slightly. Did he even realize just how loud he was... and in a place of worship? Even with Katsumi's lack of faith, she had enough respect and knowledge to know to at least stay quiet. This man here didn't seem disrespectful by any means. Simply oblivious.

"The God of War, huh?" she inquired softly, brows arching up with interest.

The woman donned as a man blinked, turning her head to face him, and she stared with widened eyes. Did he seriously not know? How could so much pass over one person's head? She didn't even know how to respond, shifting uncomfortably and nibbling on her bottom lip. Fortunately, the man came up with an answer himself. However wrong it was, Katsumi wasn't going to correct him.

"Uhh... o... okay," she murmured, nervously looking at the monk's, not wanting to incite their rage, and the archer quickly followed after the oblivious man.

Upon leaving the shrine, Katsumi glanced back over her shoulder before looking back at the warrior. "Pardon, but what was your name again, sir? You, uh... weren't quite able to finish your introduction."

"Of course."

As Katsumi handed Haji the wine, the other man murmured in his sleep, begging for his mother's life. Her gaze turned to him and her eyes narrowed in the slightest, observing him as he shifted. A single tear slipped down his cheek, and her lips pressed into a thin, firm line. She had dreams where she would wake up crying, but it was to spare her life, experiencing flashes of her father's abuse. While their reasons and nightmares differed, the woman could sympathized, and she released a sigh.

Haji spoke and Katsumi sipped at her drink, listening intently. He was so idealistic, and Katsumi found it to be rather endearing. While she held hope for them and trusted her lover, and wished that he could be happy and attain such a world, the woman was realistic, if not pessimistic. Yes, she had met kind people as of late, but during times like these, and, for her knowledge, many people were barbaric. Looking back at history, there had always been war and trouble, death and despair, corruption and cruelty. Things would not change, no matter what. When there was no war, there was still crime and abuse.

But, despite believing all of this, Katsumi didn't have the heart to share such a harsh reality with Haji. He embodied all that was good, and sometimes it was best keep that purity, that naivety. Katsumi would hide him away if she could, and take on the brunt of the hardships and witness all of the evils for him. She had done so for years when it was just Katsumi and her father, and when she was alone, and would continue to do so now with Haji to keep him happy.

"Haji-kun..." Katsumi trailed off, gaze dropping from his and to her lap. Her fingers picked at the cup and a heavy sigh released from her lips. After a few moments, she looked back up at him, a seriousness glimmering within them, however soft and warm it may be. "One cannot fight the tide of a river. No amount of men can change its course. They must move with the flow. It is simply the way of the world."

Moving forward, a hand rested over his, and she gently gripped Haji's hand. "We cannot change what he fights for. We cannot stop him from doing so. Only he can, or death itself."

Her lover wanted to do so much, for the world and her, and Katsumi shook her head, voice low and quiet, down to a soft whisper, "Haji-kun, you... you do not need to change the world for us to be happy. I already am. People have lived in this world for thousands of years. We can do the same."

Brows hues moving over to the slumbering man, Katsumi leaned forward, lids drooping in the slightest. A hand rose up and gently caressed Haji's cheek, and she begged with a nod, "In case he wakes, Hiroshi... please."

Ah, fair enough. Might have to figure out something else then. Different things for the mercs to do, different awards, or something. Haha~ And lol yeah, I know. MEAT SHIELDS~!!!! xD Especially amusing since mine is an archer. Trollolol


**Note: And what Brandon said was what I was thinking, where my thoughts have been the whole time. ^^;

Hmmm... I see what you mean. I suppose I meant more of... if a mercenary is only temporarily joining a side, likely due to being paid, they would still be a merc. Unless stated otherwise, they would have been hired. ... Right? o.o

At least, that's what I imagine in the case of my own character. She wouldn't want to permanently be a part of the faction, and wouldn't even see herself being a member, as her working for them will only be temporary. She would always be a mercenary, first and foremost. At least, that's what I'm thinking. I very well may not be understanding any of this. Eh heh~

Sorry if I'm coming across as argumentative, or something! Just wanted to put my thought process out there. ^^;

Yeah, I can see that being a problem. To avoid that, you could perhaps make it so that, while you can go on multiple sides (for mercs), you can only get a reward(s) once, to keep it fair.

The archer made her way to the inn presumably before the others, not before stopping at a stall and purchasing a sweet roll. She was let into the kitchen, asking the wife of the innkeeper for certain herbs, and soon enough the child came in with the bucket of water. Katsumi gave two more coins to the young boy, and proceeded to hand him the pasty. His dark eyes lit up with excitement and ran off with the treat, resulting in Kat sighing a little in relief.

Transferring the water into a pan, she used the fireplace to warm the water, and gathered the herbs. Cutting them up, Katsumi began to make a salve, crushing the herbs and mixing them together. As she did this, the archer inquired about having some wine later in the evening, and the innkeeper's wife, who was well aware of the amount of money Katsumi laid down, happily agreed.

Soon enough, the salve was finished, and Katsumi took her supplies and headed to the room, with a young daughter carrying the salve and a preteen son carrying the warmed water for Katsumi. The entered the room and the kids bustled about, setting the items down, preparing the water, tidying up, and then leaving, as she set her things down and tidied up a bit, letting down and putting up her hair again more tightly and removing her tabi socks.

Upon leaving, Katsumi acknowledged Haji by going over to him with the salve and resting a hand on his shoulder, fingers squeezing gently. She closed her eyes, standing at his side for a few moments, wanting to take a brief break before diving back into work. The archer desired to kiss her beau, but shied away from any intimacy, hiding her feelings for him in public, even with the other man being unconscious. She never wanted to jeopardize them, or him.

Hand falling from his shoulder, the mercenary knelt to the ground and began her work. Removing the clothes, she proceeded to clean out the wounds with the warm water, before drying them off and rubbing the salve and applying pressure once more. None of them seemed to need stitches, fortunately, and she bandaged up the ones where the blood blow was minimal if not entirely halted, with skill one would not expect from someone her age. She had plenty of experience due to her father, and all of her harsh training and fighting. Not only did she have to tend to her drunken father's wounds, often when he was unconscious, but also her own.

The three wounds were eventually taken care of, and Katsumi leaned back, wiping her brow and releasing an audible sigh. Her lids drooped; she was tired, rolling her tense shoulders and neck, and then really desired that drink. Timing seemed to be perfect with the villagers of this particular town, and the innkeeper's wife entered with the wine. Pouring a few drinks, the woman left, and Katsumi picked up two, handing one to Haji.

"Haji-kun, would you like some?" she inquired. Her dark eyes slid over to the hopefully less rabid dog. "If he doesn't do anything stupid and rests, he should be fine. With a few days of rest, his wounds should heal up nicely."

She was finally able to catch sight of their target, and he was planning for an escape! If they didn't get him now, they likely never could. Finally going full-speed, Katsumi would run ahead of Takehiro. She would skid to a stop upon reaching the start of the pier, whipping out her bow and two arrows. Pulling back the string and taking aim, Katsumi fired once at the bounty's shoulder before firing again at his right leg, hoping not to kill him but incapacitate the man.

Soon enough, the two were off, and Katsumi would have remained quiet much of the time. When they eventually made it to the town, her eyes looked about curiously, taking in the sight. New places fascinated her and quenched her curiosity while simultaneously causing her to crave more knowledge.

The two walked up to a nice home, much larger than anyplace Katsumi had ever been, and her small form was behind Sanada's as he knocked on the door. Despite sort of hiding behind Yukimura, the woman caught sight of Katsumi and the girl mustered up the courage to fully step into view. She was still dressed as a man, but her face was soft and Katsumi only stood at four-feet-ten-inches. Katsumi often caused people to raise their brows.

Seeing this other apparently extraordinary archer caused Katsumi to grows immensely nervous, eyes widening a little and throat clenching up, making it so that she couldn't utter a word. Her dainty hands nervously tugged at the sleeves of the black kimono, and Katsumi looked up expectantly at Yukimura, as she bit down on her bottom lip.

Was he going to give her real name? Should she be herself? Was she supposed to keep up her appearance here? She didn't see why he wouldn't considering the circumstances, but it created anxiety nevertheless, and Katsumi shifted in slight discomfort. There was much for her to process, and the teenage archer's head was swimming.