Ajax does a deep sigh. "Guess there goes my plans for the rest of the day. Hey kid, don't cry."
The child sniffles, glancing up as Ajax appears before them. Fear dances in his eyes. The two goons in armor stop dead in their tracks, staring at Ajax in surprise.
"Who the hell're you?" grunts one of them, hand going for his sword hilt.
The other laughs gruffly.
"Looky what we got here. A little ronin wannabe."
"Please help me. They took my big brother Ryizen. They're gonna execute him! Please you have to help me!" The kid says crying.
A flicker of surprise passes over the goons' faces at the boy's words, but it's quickly smothered by their sneers.
"Your brother, eh?" one chuckles darkly. "Just some street rat like you."
The boy grabs onto Ajax's arm in desperation-fear and hope in his eyes.
"Please.... they'll kill him..."
"Seems he's also a Ronin. Just like me." Ajax says blankly
The boy's eyes widen at your words, hope flaring in them as he looks at you. "You... you're a ronin, too?"
The men whip the horse and the horse takes off.
The boy watches in horror as the wagon clatters away.
"No... they're taking him away!"
He looks up at Ajax, terror in his eyes.
"We...we have to go after him! Before it's too late!"
"Hey hey calm down. I'm in no regard to help you y'know?" Ajax says looking away
The boy's face falls, disbelief and anguish welling in his eyes.
'You... you're not gonna help?"
His lower lip trembles, face quivering as if he's about to burst into tears.
"But...but my brother..."
Ajax just chuckles and ruffles the kids' hair. "Oh c'mon I was just teasing yah." Ajax says with a smile.
The boy blinks-confused, hopeful, then suddenly furious.
"You... YOU JERK!" He shoves Ajax's arm away, sniffling. "Don't ever do that again!"
But it's too late. A grin sneaks across his tear-streaked face.
Ajax crouches down slightly, meeting his eyes with a smirk.
"Tell you what. I'm Ajax Nozami. And I hate guys who drag people off in the middle of the night. Say what was his name exactly? He was uhh uhm. Oh yeah Ryizen right?" Ajax says eventually.
The boy sniffles, nodding. "Yeah... his name's Ryizen. He...he's a better swordsman than anyone I know."
"Well don't worry I'll go get him back. But did you just say a better swordsman than anyone you know?" Ajax says beginning to stretch.
The boy wipes his nose-nodding. "Uh-huh. He's the fastest sword in the land. He taught me everything I know."
"Hmm it is coming from a kid. So I don't know how much I can take from that however... Company would be nice." Ajax says out loud contemplating.
The boy's eyes light up. "You... you're gonna let me come with you?"
He looks at Ajax-small, shivering, but fire burning behind those eyes.
"Big Brother Ryizen always says... the truest blade isn't the sharpest one. It's the one that fights for someone else. He walked so the rest of us could run."
"Alright you said he was being taken to Ashura lane right?" Ajax says ready to go.
The boy nods, pointing through shadowy alleys winding down the road.
"Y-Yeah. They took the shortcut on Ashura Lane. It's a direct line to the old river docks."
He shudders, eyes dropping to the ground.
"B-But... the old dockyard's a bad place at night."
Ajax begins walking. "Sure thing I'll go ahead and save him for you."
His footsteps echo against damp cobbles as he heads down Ashura Lane.
The boy trots after him-nerves making his breath ragged. He sticks closer than a shadow.
"So why did Ryizen get arrested and is gonna be executed? I mean us Ronin are bad and all to the Shogunate's and all but did he do something truly bad?" Ajax eventually speaks up.
The boy scowls. "He didn't do anything! He was just helping this family in the village. Some Shogunate soldiers were gonna take all their rice for taxes, and... well, Big Brother Ryizen won't stand by when the strong step on the weak. So he stepped up, and...that's when the masked thugs got him."
"Damn Shogunate's. Never doing anything right. Even if they say they are. But how could this Ryizen guy lose? I thought he was a good swordsman?" Ajax asks curiously.
The boy's face darkens as he kicks a stray rock into the shadows.
"It wasn't a fair fight. Those guys... they ambushed him. Big Brother Ryizen's tough, but..." He shakes his head, lip quivering. "Not even he could fight off seven at once."
"Seven on one???" Ajax says surprised.
He nods grimly, voice cracking.
"Seven against one. And they didn't even give him a chance to... to defend himself. Just... dragged him away."
"Damn that's fucked." Ajax whistles.
The boy chokes back a sob, wiping his nose on his sleeve.
"It's not fair. Big Brother Ryizen... he was just trying to do the right thing."
"Don't worry little runt. I'll save him." Ajax says determined.
The boy sniffs. "Promise?" He looks up at Ajax, hope and fear battling in his tear-streaked face.
"Oh it's a promise alright." Ajax says fist bumping the kid.
He nods slowly, trying to be brave. But his voice is still quavering.
"Okay. I...I'll trust you."
"Don't worry I'm better than I look." Ajax snickers.
And then... from the shadows ahead-
Footsteps.
Not one pair.
Not two.
Three.
Silent as falling ash.
A voice rasps from the darkness:
"Ajax Nozami... you should not have come this far."
Out of the mist step cloaked figures -hoods low, swords sheathed but humming with restrained power.
They wear no insignia... but their stance?
Ronin. True ones.
"Hey I don't have any problems with any fellow Ronin. So move it along." Ajax says suddenly getting serious.
The ronin's eyes glint with a knowing gleam in the half-light.
"No? No problems, eh?" He chuckles coldly. "Heard that one before. Every wannabe ronin thinks they're a hero, ready to play savior."
"I said move y'know? I don't like repeating myself." Ajax says his hand slowly moving to his sword hilt.
The Ronin sneers. "Or what? You gonna make us? With that toy blade?"
Ajax having enough enough draws his sword. "Yeah that's right."
The other ronin snicker, hands going for their hilts.
"Oh, this oughta be good."
"You see, will means everything in swordsmanship here. And mine is currently running on Determination!" Ajax yells grinning.
End of Chapter