One Small Favour, Then A Few More

Missions:

Walking down the dusty and uneven path, Koharu's violet-eyes scanned the horizon. There was little in the way of magnificent scenery. Then again this entire journey had been monotonous, the surrounding desolate and far off from any major settlement. No complaints here, Koharu preferred this sort of travelling. She continued on, wrapping her dark cloak tighter around her form as it billowed in the breeze. Despite the comforting solitude, she silently hoped she would come across some sort of settlement soon. Koharu, as much as she hated to admit it, did in fact need rest.

Cresting a hill the sight of a structure in the distance caught her eye. The dilapidated building was barely standing, its roof sagging and walls lined with cracks. A faded sign hung lop-sided near the entrance, further inspection had it read: "Katsuki's Haven for Animals."

Koharu shook her head, and she considered walking past without another glance.

A streak of movement caught her eye, and before she could fully react, a scruffy dog barrelled straight into her shins. It was enough force to knock her off balance, but instinctively she crouched down and caught the small animal in her arms.

"Careful there," Koharu murmured dryly, brushing away strands of fur that stuck to her cloak. She caught the dog's gaze, meeting it's wide, pleading eyes. Its ribs were visible beneath its scruffy fur, but its wagging tail betrayed it's hopeful nature. Koharu wasn't one to take in strays, but the dog's eyes nearly made her crumble.

Before she could set the dog down a middle-aged woman rushed out of the shelter. Her clothes were covered in dirt, and her face was twisted into an expression of worry. "Oh! Thank you!" She gasped, expression melting into one of relief to match her tone. "That one's always slipping out, thank you for catching him!"

Koharu raised an eyebrow. "He’s got more energy than your building has stability," she remarked, handing the dog over.

The woman chuckled nervously but didn’t disagree. "You’re not wrong. It’s been tough keeping this place together. By the way, my name’s Katsuki. If you’re not in a hurry, could you maybe... lend a hand? Just for a little while? The animals could use some help, and—well, as you can see, I’m drowning here."

Koharu hesitated, glancing at the shelter again. It wasn’t her problem. It never was. But the dog whined softly, staring up at her with those impossibly hopeful eyes.

"...Fine," she said with a resigned sigh. "Lead the way."

And that was how Koharu found herself balancing on a rickety old step ladder, hammering nails into the loose boards of the perimeter fence. After toiling away for some time she took a step back to eye her work critically. "Barely a difference, this is a waste of time." She muttered.

Yet despite her grumbling carry on she did. With each nail, driven into the boards with practiced precision, more and more of the fence was slowly patched back together. Koharu was not without company during this task, as she worked, Katsuki rambled about the shelter’s struggles. Too many animals, too few resources, and no help from the local village. Koharu responded with the occasional nod, but her focus remained on the task at hand.

Once the fence was secure, at least as secure as it could get, Koharu was rewarded with a list from Katsuki. “Now, we need to put the animals back where they belong. The dogs are in those pens over there, the cats go in the main room, and the birds... well, good luck.”

Koharu stared at the chaos inside the shelter. Cats were perched on high shelves, a strange, colourful bird squawked from atop a cupboard, and a pair of goats wandered aimlessly through the hallway. Her expression was not one of amusement.

"This is a circus, not a shelter," she said flatly, rolling up her sleeves.

And that was how Koharu spent the next hour chasing, coaxing, and outsmarting the animals. Highlights included cornering a particularly elusive tabby cat by blocking its escape route with a chair, and wrangling the pair of goats back into their pen with the help of a partially broken broom.

Through it all, Katsuki watched on from the background, "You're doing great!"

"Yes, and while your encouragement is appreciated, I'd rather you grab that bird!"

By the time the last animal was secured, the sun was setting below the horizon. Koharu stood in the doorway, wiping her hands on a rag Katsuki had given her. "Thank you," Katsuki said, a soft smile on her face. "I don’t know how I’d have managed without you."

Koharu shrugged, her expression remaining neutral. "It wasn’t charity. That dog you lost might’ve bitten someone if I hadn’t caught him, namely me." Even as the words left her lips, she knew they weren’t entirely true. From Katsuki's expression, she also didn't seem to buy it.

"It's not much, but take this." Katsuki said, handing over a small pouch of coin. "It should be enough to pay for a night, the nearest village isn't far down the road."

As Koharu turned to leave, the scruffy dog from earlier barked once, wagging its tail wildly. She paused, looking over her shoulder.

"Keep him out of trouble," she said to Katsuki. Her gaze lingered on the dog for a moment. Koharu had done what she could, and that was enough for today.

And then she was gone, her dark cloak fading into the night.

---

The market was abuzz with quiet chatter. They had struck again, the thief that was stealing the medicine from families homes. Hushed whispers and hurried conversations carried through the market, and reached the ears of a certain passer-by. Koharu remained a shadow among the crowd, her cloak and hood concealing her features. She had caught wind of the talk the previous day. Normally she paid such rumours no mind, thieves were a minor nuisance at best. However these in thieves in particular, their actions jeopardized children’s lives and that was an offense that even Koharu couldn’t ignore.

Her violet-eyes scanned the area for anything unusual. She slipped into a side alley, crouching to inspect a set of tracks near a toppled crate of herbs. The faint scent of lavender lingered in the air. "Desperate or greedy?" She murmured to herself, standing and beginning to follow the faint trail of footprints.

The tracks led her out of the village proper, and deep into the woods. The thief, or thieves, had made little effort to hide their tracks. So Koharu surmised she was dealing with amateurs. Even then, following the trail took some time. The sun had begun to dip beyond the treeline, and shadows danced across the forest floor. Still Koharu's keen eyes caught the faintest flicker of light ahead. She slowed her approach, moving silently through the trees as she approached the light's source.

The thieves' camp as a pitiful sight. Just a few ragged tents and a fire pit surrounded by sacks of stolen goods. Koharu crouched behind a thicket, listening to their conversation.

“Got a good haul this time,” one of them said, pulling out bundles of herbs and bottles of remedies. “These’ll fetch a nice price at the black market.”

“Yeah, but the villagers are starting to talk,” another replied. “We should lay low for a while after this.”

Koharu’s lips pressed into a thin line. They weren’t desperate, they were opportunists. That made things easier. If she hurried then she would be back in time for supper to still be available at the inn. Without a sound Koharu emerged from the thicket and stepped into the firelight.

The thieves froze, their laughter dying as her violet eyes met theirs.

"Taking from people who have nothing to spare,” she said, her voice cold. “How very noble of you.”

The that seemed to rouse them from their state of shock. A burly man with a jagged scar on his face, Koharu assumed he was in charge, rose to his feet. His hands grasped a blade, a short knife, "Ya best get out of here girl, it ain't any of your business!"

Koharu smirked slightly, her hand drifting to her hip where her katana was sheathed. “I suppose not, but I've already walked this far and all..."

It was close to the end of the day when she finally arrived back at the village. Turns out having to drag two grown men while carrying a sack of stolen herbs was not an easy task. Luckily it was a short trip to the nearest bounty station, only prolonged by her delivering the stolen goods back to the victims along the way.

"Is this all?" She murmured to herself upon exiting the building. The small pouch in her hand was light to hold, though she supposed it wasn't entirely shocking. Perhaps the more surprising thing was that those two thugs were even worth anything to begin with at all. Still, she wasn't going to turn down a payday no matter how meagre.

As she continued on her thoughts drifted. Why was she doing this? She could have just left things alone, they would have been captured eventually anyway. Or maybe not, the world didn’t care about the vulnerable; and neither did she, at least, that’s what she told herself. Yet, the image of sick children in a village without remedies lingered in her mind.

“Still clinging to scraps of your old self, huh?” she muttered bitterly under her breath.

The forest loomed ahead, and threatened to swallow her figure into it's shadowy embrace when a voice called out to her.

"Excuse me, miss!" Despite everything telling her it was a bad idea, she stopped and turned regardless. An elderly gentleman, aided by a cane, was hobbling over toward her. "You were the one who captured those thieves, yes?"

"No." Koharu replied flatly, turning once more toward the woods. It was clear he was after something, and she had already lingered in this area too long.

"Wait! Wait! I can pay!"

"Tsk."

---

The banner was laughable. It had been a rushed job, hand-painted in a hurry.

"Learn to Protect Yourself – Self-Defense Class Today!"

It read like a cheap scam, and the unflattering cartoonish drawing of what Koharu assumed was her head didn't help.

"My grandson's work, amazing isn't it?" The old man's face bore a toothless grin of pride.

Koharu sighed, "It's a mistake."

"Oh come now, I think he captured your likeness quite well."

"Not that," She spoke through clenched teeth, a rare sign of irritation bubbling up, "I'm not a teacher."

"Ah, you'll do fine."

In hindsight agreeing to listen to the old man, who turned out to be elder of this village, had been a mistake. His plea had been straight forward. 'Help train my people to keep themselves safe.'

That was why she now found herself stood nearby the banner, leaning against a wall. The training area she had been so graciously provided for the day was small, but serviceable. With crossed-arms she waited, her violet eyes scanning the sparse crowd that had begun to gather.

Koharu was sceptical, but she couldn't deny that it would be practical. Civilians couldn't rely on local authorities for protection all the time. In more roguish places this far out from any major settlements, knowing how to throw a punch or block a strike could mean the difference between life and death.

With a resigned sigh, she straightened and pushed off from the wall.

Convincing people to show up had been half the battle. Koharu, ever the pragmatist, had taken a direct approach.

The request had happened the night before, which afforded her some spare time. She’d visited the local taverns and markets and approached it with the blunt tone that was her usual,  “If you’re tired of losing your coin to thieves or being an easy target, show up tomorrow. It’s free, and I’ll make sure you walk away knowing how to hit back.”

Admittedly it was rather heavy-handed in hindsight. Though whether people were turned off by the approach didn't matter to her. However it seemed her words had spread quickly, and the curiosity alone had drawn a decent enough crowd. As the sun climbed higher, Koharu surveyed the group of roughly twenty people. They were made up of farmers, shopkeepers, and a handful of teenagers who seemed far too eager to be here.

It was about time to start.

"All right," Koharu spoke, stepping forward to the center of the group. Her voice was sharp and commanding, cutting through the idle conversations that were occurring. "If you're just here to show off and impress your friends, you can leave. This is about surviving. Understood?"

The murmurs died down, replaced with nods.

"Alright, let's start at the beginning then."

After making sure everyone was paying attention Koharu began the lesson by entering a fighting stance. Nothing flashy or unique, that wouldn't serve these people any good. Her feet stood shoulder-width apart, knees slightly bent and hands raised. "The beginning." She said, looking toward the group. “A good stance is your foundation. Without it, you’re just flailing.” Koharu returned to a normal standing position and motioned toward the assembled crowd, "Well? Get into the stance."

She paced up and down the group, observing each individuals attempts. A young man whose feet were too close together, "You'll topple if someone pushes you." She said, and to the woman who's fists were too low, "Your face isn't going to magically be avoided, protect it."

All in all, it had started about as well as she had expected. Still, Koharu was surprised by how willing they were to listen to the instructions. It seemed they were all actually here to learn, a pleasant surprise.

Once everyone had gotten into position correctly, the real lessons would begin. Koharu went on to demonstrate the basic footwork. Moving forward, retreating, sidestepping, all the necessary actions while avoiding falling on your face. "Stay light, stay mobile." After drilling it for awhile, she was satisfied enough to move on.

"Right, let's teach you how to actually punch someone." She raised her fist, going slowly through the motion of throwing a punch. "It isn't about just swinging your arm." She would go on to explain, before breaking them off into pairs to practice amongst themselves.

Once again Koharu walked amongst the crowd, her violet-eyes observing the practice. “You,” she said to a burly farmer, “stop aiming for the air. Imagine your target and strike with purpose.”

Basic kicks were introduced afterward, then finally Koharu taught them how to block.

Once she deemed the group to have a handle on the basics, it was time to put them together. She observed once more as the group practiced in pairs, one person attacking while the other defended. Occasionally Koharu would step in to offer guidance and tips, but for the most part it was going about as well as she could have imagined.

“You’re hesitating,” she said to one of the teens. “In a fight, hesitation gets you hurt, or killed. Commit to your movements.”

There was one final lesson, and as the session came to the latter half Koharu introduced a basic weapon into the mix. Swords were obviously a no go. She deemed a staff the best for people such as this. With a sturdy stick in her grasp, she demonstrated to the group first how to properly hold the weapon and then how to execute a series of simple strikes and blocks.

"A weapon extends your reach, giving you an advantage." She explained, spinning the staff in a slow arc before striking a training dummy. The wood impacted with a satisfying thud. To those who were interested she handed out stick, and guided them through the basics.

Watching the group continue to practice, she was starkly reminded of the last time she had aided a group of commoners in such a manner. The circumstances were different, but she still couldn't help but feel uneasy after all. Yet despite this the sight of the villagers wielding their tacky improvised weapons brought a rare flicker of amusement across her expression.

The sun was dipping low, so Koharu called the group together for one final demonstration. She called upon one of the more eager participants to show what they had learned. They were to attempt to attack her while she defended. As expected the teen has perhaps too enthusiastic, swinging wildly. Koharu side-stepped with ease, deflecting the strike away and forcing the boy off balance.

“Control and precision,” she said, lowering her hands. “That’s what keeps you alive. Remember that.”

Koharu addressed the group as they packed up to leave.

“Remember,” she said, her tone as sharp as ever, “these techniques are tools, not guarantees. Confidence is important, but arrogance gets you hurt. Practice, stay alert, and don’t pick fights you can’t win.”

The crowd seemed appreciative, though Koharu waved off their gratitude.

The crowd dispersed, leaving the training area empty once more. She adjusted her cloak and turned away. The job was done, and now it was time to leave.

"Excuse me, miss! Do you have a moment?"

Koharu sighed. It seemed she was due for another night here after all.

---

Koharu scanned the small clearing that the meeting was to take place in. Her client, a middle-aged merchant wearing clothing far too fine for being out in the wilderness, paced nervously nearby.

"Are you certain we're in the right place?" He asked, his nerves seeming to be getting the best of him.

She didn't respond immediately. Her focus remained on their surroundings. The meeting location was a crossroads in the middle of the dense woodland. An ideal place for an ambush, almost too perfect even.

“This is where they told you to come, isn’t it?” she finally said.

The merchant nodded.

“Then stop pacing. You’re making yourself a target.”

The sun was beginning to dip when the merchants "business partners" finally arrived. Five men emerged from the woods. Their leader, a lean man with sharp features, stepped forward carrying a small chest under his arm.

“Ah, Matsuda." The leader addressed the merchant. “You came alone as instructed. Good.” His gaze shifted to Koharu who stood silently behind the merchant. “Mostly.”

“She’s my bodyguard,” Matsuda stammered, clearly out of his depth. “To ensure everything goes smoothly.”

The leader chuckled. “That's cautious, but unnecessary. We’re all friends here, aren’t we?”

Koharu’s expression didn’t change. She didn't like this. Her hand shifted closer to her Katana at her hip. She didn't trust the leader or his men, and she could tell the feeling was mutual.

The conversation was filled with tension. Matsuda produced a large bulging sack filled with coin, and the leader stepped forward to exchange it with the small chest.

"This better be everything I paid for." Matsuda tried his best to seem confident, but his voice was clearly wavering.

"Of course it is." The leader assured him. "It's been good business Matsuda, so...no hard feelings ey?"

Koharu felt the change in the air the moment the words left his lips. She could see his body tightening, his men's hands hovering near their weapons.

Koharu made the first move. With a flick of the wrist she launched a kunai into the hand of one of the thugs, forcing him to drop the blade he had only just grabbed.

"Get behind me!" She snapped to Matsuda as she drew her Katana.

And then the clearing erupted into chaos. Two of the thugs charged her together, weapons glinting in the fading sunlight. She sidestepped the first, bringing the hilt of her weapon slamming into his temple, before bringing it around to parry the second's strike with the blade itself.

"You chose the wrong marks." Her voice was cold, and she twisted her blade to to disarm her opponent. She pivoted, driving a kick into the chest of another thug who tried to flank her, sending him crashing to the ground with a thud.

A shrill scream broke through the sound of the melee. The leader was lunging at Matsuda, a small dagger aimed at his throat. Koharu threw herself between the two, deflecting the attack away with the flat of her blade.

"Get. Down." She hissed at Matsuda, shoving him backward.

"You're good." The leader's grin twisted wider as he circled around her. "But, how long can you keep this up?"

She didn't answer, didn't need to. Instead Koharu lunged forward, forcing the leader on the defensive lest he be run through. Her strikes were precise and quick, enough to keep him on the backfoot for now.

The remaining thugs regrouped quickly, circling around Koharu and the cowering Matsuda. Koharu's grip tightened on the hilt of her blade. Her mind was racing, she couldn't let things get out of hand.

“You’re wasting your time,” Koharu spoke her voice calm. “Walk away now, and you might leave with your lives.”

The leader sneered. "Bold words, let's see if you can back them up." He signalled to his men, who all charged at once.

Koharu took in a deep breath, she had hoped to avoid this sort of thing. However with no other option she rushed forward and the sound of clashing metal echoed throughout the empty woodland.

The clearing fell silent except for Matsuda’s panicked breathing. Koharu sheathed her blade, wiping the blood from her hands with a cloth.

“You’re okay,” She stated, turning to the merchant.

Matsuda looked at her, “I-I thought we were done for. Thank you. Truly.”

Koharu didn’t respond. Her eyes on the small chest that had caused all of this trouble.

“Next time,” Her tone was sharp, “Choose better business partners. Or better, stay out of deals like this entirely.”

Matsuda nodded frantically and clutched the chest tightly.

"Let's get out of here."

Upon returning to the village Matsuda handed Koharu a heavy bag of coins with shaky hands. "It's barely enough to pay for what you've done." He said with a deep bow.

"It's enough." Koharu replied, pocketing the bag. She turned and began to make her leave.

As she walked away, her thoughts lingered on the fight. Not the first time she’d risked death to protect someone who barely deserved it, and likely not the last either.

A job was a job, and in her line of work, survival often meant choosing the lesser of two evils.

She disappeared into the night, continuing on the dusty path that had led her here to begin with. With that she left the village, and it's numerous troubles, behind.

[Closed]

---

[3765]

1 E-Rank & 3 D-Rank Missions Completed

+35 AP
+7000 Ryo

+25 Speed
+12 Vigor

2000/2000 Ice Release
500/500 Feint
500/500 Adjustment
765/1000 Lightness Skill

Koharu Yuki wrote:

Missions:

---

[3765]

1 E-Rank & 3 D-Rank Missions Completed

+35 AP
+7000 Ryo

+25 Speed
+12 Vigor

2000/2000 Ice Release
500/500 Feint
500/500 Adjustment
765/1000 Lightness Skill

Approved

I forgot about mission salary bonus.

3 D-Rank Missions as C-Rank MN = 6000 Ryo [New Total 33000]