[ml1201]

When he releases her she doesn't strike out at him again, since she knows now that he's weary of her attacking him again. Instead she turns around so her back is to the wall, glaring a bit at him. It's not often a man can pin her, she's normally too slippery for them, even when they're not injured. This man being able to do this makes her edgy, because a rogue being this strong could potentially tear apart the whole entire clan. And that doesn't sit so well with her.

"The only time rogues are nice to women is when they think they can get something out of them, and we don't tolerate rogues here. Bad for business if you know what I mean." Crossing her arms she continues to glare at him.

[CycloneKira]

Akira returns the woman's gaze with a calm look. He can understand why she's upset. No ninja likes to be defeated. He sighs. "I suppose I do want you to stop attacking me," he says as he opens his bag and takes out some cloth to start bandaging his hand. "But apart from that I've been taught to give women the respect they deserve right from childhood." This was true. Hiroki Koga never tolerated it if a woman was disrespected in front of him.

"And I am no rogue. I am a traveller who doesn't stay in one place for long. I was planning to leave in two days, but if my presence in this town bothers you in any way, I will leave immediately."

[ml1201]

"If you're no rogue then why are you not part of your clan anymore? Only rogue ninjas leave their clans. And the only thing my clan is concerned about is rogues. We've had enough trouble in the past with them, so we try to nip them in the bud before they cause any problems. Though I'm surprised you actually still see me as a woman knowing what I came here to do." She's still on guard but her eyes go back to a look of disinterest now, being bored once more with having to do her clan's dirty work.

[CycloneKira]

Akira listens to the woman, letting her finish what she has to say. But at the same time, he plans his next move. It is obvious that he must leave soon. He must get out of this town before he gets killed for real. But that is for later. What about now?

He listens to her questions and suddenly comes up with an idea. "Who said I'm a ninja?" he asks. Technically, he isn't a ninja anymore, is he? He is a normal man, who happens to be exceptionally skilled as well as strong. This woman does not need to know who he was. She needs to know what he is. And he is not a threat. "Do I look like a ninja?"

[ml1201]

Yusa sighs and shakes her head, "I'm no fool. You don't need to dress like one to be one. There's been plenty of missions I've been sent on where I had to disguise myself. And to be able to stop me so easily even wounded you have had training before similar if not the exact same kind of training a ninja would receive. If I was such a simpleton I wouldn't be sent out on as many missions as I am. Though obviously you have no interest in killing me, which can mean one of two things. The first is that you're actually not a ninja and just really good at melee combat, or two you gave up the ninja life. If you were a rogue you would have tried to kill me by now."

[CycloneKira]

Akira nods in agreement. "You truly are an extremely skilled warrior," he says, as a compliment, and smiles. Should he tell her, he wonders. No, it is not necessary. "All you need to know is that I am no threat. I am only here so that I can get to the next town, and then the next one after that." He sighs. As an afterthought, he asks,"It was you, wasn't it? You were the one throwing stones at the butcher's shop." a light smile plays across his lips.

[ml1201]

"Um...thanks" She's a bit taken aback by the compliment, not having expected it. Most times when she went to a client's home they didn't think she could possible do as they asked since she's a women, until she completed the task with no difficulties. When he mentions the butcher's shop she blushes, being able to see the parts of her face not covered by her mask around her eyes becoming pink from embarrassment. "Um...please don't tell anyone about that, I'm technically not even supposed to come to the other villages unless its part of a request. I just know there's been some issues with the crops and figured they could use the extra food..." Averting her eyes, she tries to hide how happy it makes her feel that he recognized it was her. Others would have just assumed it was not her, what with how awkward she was around others.

[CycloneKira]

Akira can't help but smile. A kind ninja? It is the first time he's seen one. Each and every member of the Koga clan was so absorbed in his own self that helping the neighboring village is not just out of the question, it is unthinkable. But he does not say this out loud. "That's a nice thought," he says.

"Well, now that we are at least not trying kill each other, may I ask for your name?" he asks.

[ml1201]

"well, the village helps us with getting jobs, so its only fair we help them as well." She continues to not look at him as she says this. But then stiffens a bit when he asks for her name, "Normally when asking for a person's name you would give your own first. All I was told is that there's a rogue ninja, no one tells me where they are from or anything...Though if you did want to kill me you would have done so by now...Alright, my name is Yusa of the Yukiyama clan. If you know anything about the clans in this region then you'd know who I am..." Regaining a look of disinterest she returns her gaze towards him.

[CycloneKira]

Akira is a good listener. He does not interrupt the woman as she talks. It is interesting, the way she decides whether to tell him her name or not. He bows when she finally tells him. "Pleased to meet you, Yukiyama-san," he says. He wonders whether he should tell her that he is the "rogue" ninja she was looking for. She might just start attacking him again. And that would be a pain. Literally. His arm hadn't stopped hurting him yet.

Finally, he makes up his mind. "My name is Akira Koga. I used to be a part of the Koga clan," he says, and braces himself, ready to jump out of the way if she attacks again.

[ml1201]

She nods when he addresses her by her clan name, realizing he knows nothing about the clans in the area. However when he says his last name she quickly leaps back, having her hands ready to draw her tanto if he makes a move to attack her. The adrenaline rushes through her body, making her super alert. After a few tense moments she realizes he's not going to attack her.

"For someone from the Koga family you are extremely docile. I've never heard of a Koga letting someone live after hurting them or trying to hurt them. And I know there's been some...issues in the past with mistakes. I mean my clan is not one to be messed with, but the Koga's don't take well to mistakes. And if you are a rogue they would have probably hunted you down and killed you themselves, so you're definitely not a rogue then." Relaxing she takes a pouch from her belt as she walks over to him. Reaching in she pulls out some bandages and ointment, a stern look on her face.

"Let me see your arm, even if you've left the Koga family they would be livid to find out you were injured by someone in my clan. And my father would be livid with me if he found out I attacked a Koga. Though it would be partially his fault for not waiting until all the information came in about you. Now this my hurt a bit, I'm usually doing this to myself, I don't normally do this for other people."

[CycloneKira]

Akira looks on calmly as Yasu jumps back and takes out her tanto, ready to attack. In a few moments, however, she seems to realize that he has no intention of attacking her. After she speaks, he simply shrugs his shoulders. "There is a reason that I've given up the ninja life. I grew tired of the endless and unnecessary violence that is associated with being a ninja. I am still not free of the guilt that comes from murdering a human being. I am sure you know how it gnaws at your very being. Or you might be so used to it by now that it doesn't make a difference anymore. I cannot say." He smiles at her.

As she tells him to give her his arm, he removes the crude bandages he has tied around his arm to let her put the ones she has, which are undoubtedly better. He holds out his arm steady. "I don't think they'll find out, though. The Koga clan lives quite far off and I was actually thinking of going under an alias." He looks up at her, wondering if she'll give an opinion.

[ml1201]

While she binds up his injury she thinking about what he's said about killing people. He's right that she's gotten used to it, but that doesn't mean she likes doing it either now that she thinks about it. She finishes binding him and says, "An alias might be better if someone does ask for your name. Though I'll have to report back and explain the situation. Once they find out you're a Koga they'll be glad I didn't kill you either way. As for killing people, I am used to it, but it is getting tiresome. Seems like that's all I was ever meant to do..." Thinking of her sisters and how they are married and having kids, she gets a bit jealous. She turns her head away from Akira, her eyes going distant and cold.

"I better get back, if they start getting worried they might send other ninjas and that would make things worse." Leaving through the garden entrance she makes her way back to her village, jumping from tree to tree.

[CycloneKira]

Akira watched Yasu with a dead pan expression on his face. Immediately, he realizes that he shouldn't have said anything about getting used to killing. The expression he sees on her face is far too familiar for him. He himself wore that expression on his own face countless times before. He is about to open his mouth to tell her something, when she suddenly decides to take leave of the room. He watches her leave, his expression still unfathomable.

Finally, he sighs and gets up. He cannot stand by and do nothing as another person goes through the exact same pain that he has been through. He feels duty-bound to give her some anonymous guidance, at least. He does not know how she will take advice if it is given to her by a stranger like him. He writes a little note on a piece of paper, folds it and follows behind Yasu, taking care not to make any noise. He goes ahead of her and places the note on a tree branch ahead of her and jumps out of the way so she doesn't see him. He hopes that she sees the note. If not, he will just have to try again and place it on some other tree branch.

[ml1201]

Making her way from tree to tree, something out of the ordinary catches her eye. Cautiously she approaches the note that's tagged to a branch, but keeps her distance. She's trying to figure out why there would be a note stuck to a branch out here, and looks around to see if there's any immediate danger in the area. Yusa doesn't spot anyone, but she does get the feeling of being watched. Stealthily she approaches the note, taking it off the branch to read. Her eyes go a bit wide in surprise as she sees it being addressed to her.

[CycloneKira]

Nodding in satisfaction as Yusa finds his note, Akira silently makes his way back to his room in the village elder's house. He jumps in through the window so nobody will notice that he was out. He still feels sorry for her. The Yukiyama clan are also quite famous, and numerous rumors of Yusa's skill had reached Akira's ears. Of course, some of them he dismisses as paranoia. She is definitely not a bloodthirsty demoness from hell, he thinks. Even the smartest people behave like fools when they are afraid.

He sighs and gets ready to go to bed. It has been a long day for him. Taking care not to sleep on his left hand, he drifts off in a few minutes, keeping a knife under his pillow, just in case.