Helium

016

EYES SHOT OPEN in shock once the veil was closed from its form. Different scents were all over the place and Tanji couldn't focus on one thing.
"Damn it! First the Kyoto idiots wanted to kill Yuuji. . .who the hell is out there?"
Tanji set down Miwa against the tree as she was still knocked out. The Ronin girl took out her katana and stabbed into the ground, eyes closed and concentrating on the things around her.

3rd Form: Concentration Technique. . .Hearing

Hearing every footstep, heartbeat, running blood, breathing, bones moving, and muscles was all that Tanji's form focused on. All of a sudden she heard running footsteps from front and behind her. She shot her eyes open jumped to see a man and woman with a katana hand were ready to kill her with hesitation.
"Who are you?" Tanji was straight to the point, glaring at the two who just stared at her with wide eyes.
"This is Takamori Tanji. . .we used the Final Ronin Form that is able to kill a person in a slash. Master Kuro that she was weak, but this girl. . .she's far from being weak."

"Answer me! Who are you?" Tanji raised her voice at them, making them flinch.
"If we were to tell you, what would you do then?" Amon asked the girl, making her 'tsk'.
"Alright. . .who sent you?" Tanji asked once more.
"What would you do to them if we told you?" Sakame shyly asked, making Tanji raise an eyebrow at the soft girl.
"That depends on who it is. I have a lot history with the wrong enemy, soft girl." Sakame blushed at Tanji's nickname for her, making Amon jealous.

"You're gonna have to rephrase for calling her 'soft girl'." Tanji was even more than confused.
"I'm not into girls. I have a boyfriend." Tanji simply said.
"You still didn't answer my question. Who sent you?" Tanji asked once more, grabbing her katana from her side.
"Wait. . .wait." Sakame got in between Amon and Tanji before they could kill each other.
"We're not here to fight you." Sakame spoke out, but Amon called out her name.
"You're the rightful heir to the Takamori Clan!" Sakame squeaked out. The Ronin's girl eyes fell at what she said.

"How many Ronins do you think came for me when I tried to take my place?" Tanji sighed.
"How. . .many?" Sakame carefully asked.
"Why do you think there's women now in the Ronin army? They changed that because I killed half of the men Ronin population. The men failed to kill me just because I wanted to take my rightful place. Kuro thought it was the right thing, but the Higher Ups wouldn't allow it. So, he made his own secret army. Which are you guys. You get blamed on, because you two aren't part of the right Ronin army." Tanji explained, making the two eyes open in shock.

"So it was a con-act then." Amon mumbled as Tanji agreed.
"Kuro is willing to kill me, so I wouldn't take his place." Tanji sighed and the three went quite until Sakame spoke up.
"We'll help you." Sakame approached the girl without thinking and Tanji was quick to draw her katana.
"Sakame!" Amon straight at her, but Tanji grabbed the woman's body as she protected her body. A loud shot was heard and blood was dripping down Tanji's stomach.

"Tanji-Sama!" Sakame caught her body from falling, clutching onto the girl's wound. Amon was quick to spot the shooter on the edge of the cliff, not too far from them. Noticing who it was, it was one of the top 47 Ronin.
"Go. . .I'll cover for the two of you. Go the forest in the North where the air is thin. There you'll find a man, tell him that his granddaughter sent you two." Tanji gasped, sitting up, digging her fingers into her wound to take out the bullet.

"But—!" Tanji shot the woman a harsh glare, not wanting to protest and the two ran off. The shooter appeared in front of Tanji, looking down at her.
"Takamori Tanji. . .it's nice to meet you once again." The man looked down at the girl with a lazy smirk.