Protecting the Merchants? Itsuko's odd assistance. [M, P]

Posts : 63 Join date : 2015-10-27

The trip had seen an odd turn, nervous glances and cautious murmurs turning into awe and thanks as Itsuko lived up to her agreement. The bandits were truly no match for her, being laid low only moments after they'd revealed themselves. They had attempted parlay in the beginning, but Itsuko was having none of it. Before their apparent leader was able to utter his fifth word Itsuko was upon him, leaping from atop wagons and sprinting across the ground in a blindingly fast approach. The heel of her dirty little foot landed square against the side of the man's jaw and sent him reeling back and crying in both pain and surprise. The entire crowd gasped, the bandits because of Itsuko's haste and ferocity, but the merchants only gasped in surprise that Itsuko was, for once, protecting them.

The wrath she unleashed upon the bandits was unlike anything they'd seen, the small girl growling and baring her teeth like some wild animal as she savaged them with her hands and feet, elbows and knees. Her style was unlike anything they'd seen, even in it's unrefined state. Their jaws went slack and remained open as she spun, leaped, and danced between the bandits. There had been five of them in the beginning, but no sooner had the fight started than all five were prostrate on the ground, either groaning in pain or completely unconscious. Among the group there had been two that seemed to have any talent at all, but their talent paled in comparison to Itsuko's. It was, for lack of any better words, easy pickings.

How this odd turn of events came to pass was more surprising to anyone present than the obvious one sided battle which had ensued. In spite of the quiet, fearful journey they'd undertaken the merchants were, for the moment, relieved to have had her along for the ride. They'd come across her when they left town, and those who ventured away from Otogakure had come to know well the rumors of the vicious little thief. She was known to be simple minded, but cunning and brutal to a fault. More than one caravan had simply paid her tribute to keep her from assaulting them, and simply paying her off worked more often than not. This caravan, however, had a rather charming and enterprising merchant along named Shuzutso.

When Itsuko was finally spotted standing in the center of the road, an idea beyond tribute dawned on him. Before she could speak he stepped out in front of the caravan with a rather large smile on his face.

“It's her! The great Itsuko! I was hoping to find you along our way!” he said loudly, the cheer in his voice masking the fear in his gut.

Ko could not reply, those were simply words she was not used too. Lost for words she wrinkles up her nose a little and gives the man a puzzled look.

“Tales of your prowess have spread like wildfire through the trade routes between the nations, and all know to fear your name. You are more skilled than any other..” the man continued, only feeding into her ego with flattery and false compliments. Those that knew of Itsuko rarely had anything nice to say. “And so I had hoped we would cross paths. Come, mighty one, come and let us pay you. Your mighty skill alone will bring this caravan safely through these bandit choked woods, and we're willing to pay you handsomely.”

“I don't need your stupid money, I want your-”

Itsuko was cut off when Shuzutso spoke again, lifting a hand calmly with the palm out to gesture for her to stop. “Of course you don't need us! It is we who need you! Only you can help us, Itsuko, only you with your endless bravery and excellent skill. Are you not the strongest around? Are you not the fastest, and most dangerous? Are the stories not true? Are you afraid to join us, and fight against the great horror of the bandit hordes that surely lie ahead of us?”

Itsuko growls under her breath, though the sound doesn't reach the merchants. This simply made no sense. The man didn't know what he was talking about, she'd never helped the merchants. Still, she was forced to agree with his appraisal of her remarkable fighting prowess. Taijutsu was simply second nature to her, and few others matched her skill. Itsuko nods slowly in agreement with that fact, though Instinct could only be heard laughing softly at the girl's foolishness. In spite of all of her skill, she was still a victim to her own pride.

“Certainly you can't be afraid. You are Itsuko, and only you can fight your way through these bandits.”

“Shut up! I don't know what you're talking about!”, she finally replies, yelling loudly and causing the guards of the caravan to clutch their weapons tighter. The merchants help their breaths and feared for their lives. Once more Itsuko is cut off before she can continue yelling at the insignificant, stupid merchants. She did want their money, and they were offering it.

“You are the strongest! And we're willing to pay. Fifty ryo.” the man states, praying that his read on Itsuko was correct. Though she often stole, she didn't much understand the value of a Ryo. “No, not for Itsuko! A hundred! No, two! No, Four! You deserve more than just payment, come and join us. We have food, and comfort. You can ride in my wagon and eat and drink, and I will pay you 400 ryo just to do what you love. When the bandits come, as they surely will, you alone can show off your amazing skill, and send them running away. No bandit would ever stand against you.”

“I'd kill them.” Itsuko replies coldly, the chill in her voice making Shizutso's smile fade some, and shift into a grim crease more nervous than cheerful. “Yeah, I'll do it, but you better not be tricking me. Try to bring me to any guards, and I'll kill you instead.”

“Of- of course”, he replies, though Itsuko was already making herself at home. With an easy hop she lands atop the man's cart, and makes herself comfortable. Shizutso exchanges an uneasy glance between all of the merchants, but at least he'd stopped her from attacking for the time being.

He tried to get her to talk as they traveled, asking her questions about her skill and further inflating her ego, but Itsuko wasn't hearing it. Once she'd been given food, she sniffed each dish and then set off to eating with all the gusto and appetite of a growing taijutsu user. The merchants around her, nameless, insignificant faces in the background, were aghast by the girl's lack of manner, and voracious hunger.

She said nothing, but they all watched her nervously. Any one of them would have admitted that it was the most uncomfortable ride they had been on, each one waiting for the moment that Itsuko would betray them. Once that happened they knew they would lose more than the price that was offered to her, but that price would be worth it if it prevented even only Itsuko from maiming, breaking, and possibly stealing anything of value she could get their hands on.

As she ate they all drew in slow breaths, constantly wiping their handkerchiefs across their brow to dry the nervous sweat. Shizutso's words had always been soothing, but each attempt at conversation with the troubled child yielded the same measure of silence and angry glares from her. In time he finally gave up, exhausting even his own considerable charisma and attempting a different tact. He picked his samishein out from the back of his wagon, and began to attempt soothing the savage beast with music.

Much to his surprise it worked far better than attempting conversation with her, and after a few minutes they simply left Itsuko to enjoy her music and eat their food. How this had ever worked was simply mind boggling to the merchants, none had ever attempted this approach to dealing with the mad little bandit, but few others thought they'd have as much luck as Shizutso. He had a golden tongue, and was known for his negotiation skills far further than Itsuko was known for her vile banditry and impressive talents.

So this became their ride, one teetering constantly on the edge of peace and oblivion with each note the man strummed from his instrument. Each passing moment was like a hell of anticipation as none knew when she would turn, but most assumed it would happen sooner than later. She disappointed them, living up to the agreement as they went, until the small band of highwaymen revealed themselves. She sat up and set her bowl aside when they appeared, and rest was history.

The group left the bandits on the side of the road, each of them too injured to move, and groaning out their pain and displeasure. Itsuko only hopped back up onto the wagon she'd been sitting on, and resumed eating her rice and steamed vegetables. It was an odd turn of events, and even once she had been paid, she only wandered off without comment and disappeared back the way they'd came from. It was an odd turn of events indeed, and one that may well save lives in the future.

1570wc

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