Rugen never liked crowded places, bars, and streets; it reminded him of that day his tribe was wiped out. However, to reach his second destination, he'd have to travel to Kludgetown for resupply. There he heard an Abyssinian named Capper who can help him with a personal need. Although the day in the Badland desert can be torture, Rugen really doubts he won't make it, Yoriichi's training is the REAL torture. Using the breathing technique, he fastened his steps and saved most of his stamina. At this rate, he should be able to make it to Kludgetown by noon.
Badland's natural habitat gave birth to many deadly traps, such as hidden quicksands, a cobra, or rattlesnake in disguise, dust storm, and some bandits; Although the last on the list isn't much trouble for Rugen. Along his way, a few bandits were stupid enough to rob him, with their blood spilled in the heated sands, quickly rotted and dried into mummies. Rugen, after he ate numerous snakes and scorpions for snacks, skipped a few quicksands, and beheaded some bandits, finally arrived at Kludgetown; although the troubles did slow him a bit.
It was near evening, the street had fewer creatures, yet the bars and other clubs were still crowded. Rugen's strange features did attract some unwanted attention, but they're clever enough to stay out of trouble at the sight of Rugen's blood-red Nichirin Tachi.
Rugen had a hood on, instead of the traditional samurai armour on, he has a Ronin cloth on to keep himself off sight, although it helped little when it comes to attracting attention. By the time he arrived near an ally, the Ronin hard a terrified scream of a young female. frowning, he turned to spot a few unknown species creatures cornering a female Abyssinian; the girl is around 15, although at such young age, her body structure and sizes are extremely attracting; which is considered dangerous in those places. Males knew what's happening to her.
The gangster members, each with lewd smiles on their ugly fish-like faces, the leader glared at his subordinate forcing them to back off as he returned his lewd look, his fins-like claws reaching for the young girl's oversized chest. The Abyssinian closed her eyes hopelessly.
Suddenly, a quick red-flash along with the sound of metal screeching and flesh tearing, the gangster leader's claws were cut off.
"ARRRGH! WHAT THE BUCK??!?!" The leader screamed in agony, the other members did not expect such sudden encounter, a few more red-flashes and each of them received deep blade cuts; one of them even got his guts flew out. It has only been less than ten seconds, and there's no survivors. The Abyssinian girl was beyond shocked, she heard a grunt as the leader trying to crawl away from the bloody scene, then, a wakizashi came flying towards the leader, stabbing him straight into his head, killing him instantly.
The Abyssinian girl saw the one who destroyed the gang, it was a...
"You know," the mysterious hooded figure said in a low voice, "it's difficult to stay clean if you're not wearing your clothes right." He then tossed her a clean pair of clothes. Then he sheathed his blade, turning to walk away.
"W-Wait!" The Abyssinian girl cried out, "Who are you?"
The Ronin stopped, his head tilted slightly, "Just a regular swordsman looking for someone."
"You don't fit the word regular though." the Abyssinian reply as she wore her clothes, years of witnessing scenes like this made her calm.
The Ronin was silenced for a moment, "Go now."
"No."
"Don't make me use the extreme way."
"You wouldn't."
The Ronin sighed fustratingly, she's right, teaching of Yoriichi told him not to harm the unarmed ones with zero intentions of evil.
"Fine, what do you want?" The Abyssinian girl smiled.
"I'm Silverclaw, and..." she looked firm, "I want to learn sword arts."
Rugen eyed her seriously, "Think twice Silverclaw, a swordsman is not about killings only, it's... Complicated."
"I don't need to think twice," Seeing Rugen walking away, Silverclaw grabbed his arm, making the Ronin's muscles tensed up, nearly holding the verge of slicing her.
"Let. Go." Rugen said, the air around them tensed up, seeing the murderous look on Rugen's face, the Abyssinian girl yelped and immediately let go, "That's what I thought."
"Please! You have to teach me!" Silverclaw cried out desperately.
"And the reason?" Rugen sighed, another fact about not to get involved with females.
"M-my family," Silverclaw began, "they were killed by the SAF." Rugen sighed, another victim, he had already saw too much of those victims, but next thing he heard made him reconsidered his previous decision, "Not only myfamily, my entire clan... None of them survived... My father hid me in the underground storage... When I came out..." Already Silverclaw's eyes were filled with tears and hatred.
Rugen had a complicated expression on his face, it'd be too cruel to just abandon this lost girl here, but she'd be his weak spot from now on... And one of the most dangerous things about a Ronin is a weak spot; she could get used on him. Yoriichi's words came into his mind, "My sun breathing successors were less than I'd expected, please Rugen, if you could find anyone in this world who are willing to learn the breathing technique, teach them like how I taught you."
Silverclaw had her head low, so, I'm abandoned once again...
She felt a warm palm on her head, then it was the voice of angel, "Stay close."
Her face was erupted with a cheerful smile, "Thank you! You're my savior!" Her smile was so perfect, except for the blood still on her face, other than that she's an absolute beauty...
Some unspeakable thoughts came into his mind as Rugen blushed slightly, shaking the thoughts off as he held into Silverclaw, the sensation of their bodies touching made the girl blush, "You won't be alone from now on." Rugen said, "So will I."
Unknowing to himself, those word finally broke the last barrier of her heart, she couldn't hold it back anymore, now over his shoulder, she wept with all her will. Crying herself inside-out.
Rugen wasn't expecting this, the attracted creatures backed off from his gaze, it seemed almost like they're to only two alive in this world, he sighed and gently scratched her ears.
The crying stopped instantly, Silverclaw's face turned bright red, feeling the sensation from her ears, she purred softly.
"A-are you feeling well?" Rugen staggered, he may be an expert at combat, but a total loser in figuring out a girl's feeling.
"Of course," Silverclaw purred, her eyes closed and her head lied on Rugen's shoulder comfortablely, "can you keep scratching my ears."
"U-uh..."
Silverclaw pinched the spot around his waist, Rugen flinched in the sharp feeling, "Okay! Okay!" And he kept the scratching on.
Later, with an asleep Silverclaw in his arms, Rugen stopped by a building which seemed almost like a den, he knocked on the door, as he was waiting for the reply, Rugen couldn't help but wondered about his future.
Well, maybe I needed someone to be with after all, His soft gaze on Silverclaw's sleeping figure, she's quite cute when asleep to be honest...
The door opened, Rugen immediately left his gaze on Silverclaw, seeing a slight brown colored male abyssinian with a paiur of green eyes, Rugen relaxed.
"So, are you Capper?"