The Inn

Katsumoto walked into the Inn where the Kage of the village said to go. It was homely and full of life. Children who probably shouldn't have been there were laughing, bards were singing, and the bar was full of interesting conversation. Yet once he walked in all noise stopped. People were not used to seeing Samurai any more. After all the Samurai Class was nearly wiped out years before. In fact Katsumoto and a few of his men could probably be called the last of the Samurai.

Katsumoto then waived to everyone to show he wasn't here to cause trouble. At that point the people got back to their lively selves. Walking to the bar he waived to the bartender. "The Attic room please." At that point the bartender shook his head and handed the keys to the Samurai, obviously everyone here was either suspicious or in awe. A real relic was alive and in their village.

Katsumoto then walked up the steps, unlocked the door, and proceeded to sleep.

Skar walked into the inn the proceeding morning. He checked with the bartender to make sure that the samurai had indeed found his way. When he was sure that he had, Skar proceeded up to the attic room to meet his new acquaintance. He was eager to speak with this man. Samurai were not a common breed among the modern world. Even in the variety of people scattered across the land, they were actually extremely uncommon. Skar was intrigued that he had the opportunity of meeting one. When he reached he door, he knocked, and leaned against the wall next to the door, waiting patiently.

Katsumoto was woken up with a knocking at his door. Still drowsy Katsumoto jumped out of his bed, grabbed his sword that was with him in bed and slowly walked up to the door ready to draw his sword at a moments notice. "Who goes there?" Katsumoto then turned the knob and peaked out slightly. Being a Samurai was hard, the Samurai were nearly wiped out for a reason and it was for that very reason that Katsumoto was cautious even now.

As Skar used his attuned hearing to listen through the vibrations on the floor, he had discovered that the samurai was rushing to the door. Worriedly, most likely. And then came a loud, "Who goes there?" that Skar believed was to sound intimidating to any foe that tried to breech his hidden sanctuary at this inn. By using the context clues of the situation, Skar thought it would be best if he didn't simply open the door and walk in, because that may startle the man and cause him to attempt to injure Skar, which would in turn end up in the man being injured. Skar decided to wait outside until the tension had calmed.

"I am the Skar Dovahkiin, Tsurukage of Morigakure," Skar replied with an unshakable dignity. He spoke with gusto, in order to attempt to live up to his momentous title. "I promised you a meeting?" Skar asked, and awaited a response.

"I am the Skar Dovahkiin, Tsurukage of Morigakure. I promised you a meeting?" Katsumoto stepped back from the door, his hand still on his blade as he heard these words. "Oh yes, didn't you mean to send me a letter though? Katsumoto was still cautious as the Kage of this village did say he'd have a letter with his seal on it asking Katsumoto to come to his castle. This was kind of surprising to have a Kage come of his own accord to ask for a conversation. Katsumoto then stepped to the side of the door and listened for an answer.

Katsumoto was cautious and suspicious. He had heard of ninja who were able to disguise their voice and looks. He would need a way of finding out if this was the real Kage. "Who did we speak to yesterday in the forest? And what did she say to you about me?"

Skar smiled as the samurai proved to be just as cautious as he thought. "I'm sure he has good reason," Skar thought to himself. Skar had come here today to talk to the samurai to hear of his interesting life, and to meet him in person to discuss the matter specified by the samurai earlier, when he requested an audience with Skar. Well, Skar was a man that liked to get things done. He is a man of intuition, and it was this reason that he had decided to skip the middle-man of sending the man a letter to arrange a meeting, and just go meet him right away. He responded to his small quiz, no doubt to test Skar of his authenticity, which Skar felt of as a smart decision. With this world, no situation was as it seemed.

"Her name was Ai Takahashi. And she spoke of your mournful past, involving death of most of your kinsmen."

Katsumoto relaxed at the answer and opened the door all the way and looked right at the Kage. "Oh yes, sadly I don't want to discuss that right now. Forgive me for questioning you and not greeting you right away. A Samurai has to be careful in this world. I hope you understand.

Katsumoto then waved to the Kage to come into this little room and pointed to a chair and sat down across from it on his bed. "What would you like to discuss? Or is this the right place to speak of such things?'

Skar walked into the room, and sat politely into the offered chair. He might be Tsurukage, but he knew how to practice respect. "You don't want to discuss what? I came because in the forest you had said you wanted to speak with me in private. I own this inn, and the patrons are friends. This is alone as ever we're going to get, now please, if you wish to discuss things, speak of them now. If not, why have you beckoned me here?"

"Well it seems like I don't have a choice anyway. I guess I will have to tell you anyway. I am in need of a group of volunteers, and if possible I'd like it if I had a Kage as an ally helping with logistics and strategy. Any questions as to why, and about my past are welcome I guess. I just hoped not to relive the deaths of my Wife and children again. I am or I should say I was a Shogun, second only to my Daimyo, my emperor, my best friend. Him and the entire royal family was murdered in one night by assassins, Ninja. The next day we realized that the enemy were invading our country. Our armies fought them, we fought them for every patch of land that we had until we were driven to the coast. Out of an army of 500,000 men I only had 180 men left with me the day we left the country to try to gain help. Out of those 180 men only 50 survived. We fought an army ten times our size and though we inflicted heavy casualties, we couldn't hold out against their onslaught. It was when I left that I realized there was a traitor in our midst, I couldn't see his face but I do know that the news that went out was that all of the Samurai were being hunted down in every country across the globe. Now it's been a couple years and I am afraid that I am the only one left that has survived the great purge. I can't even contact any of my men who survived that fateful day." Katsumoto was letting everything out. He wanted to let the Kage know everything that he needed to know. He stroked his swords handle, remembering the hundreds of battles he had been through with it. The smell of blood and smoke, the screams of the wounded and dying begging to be saved. He looked out into space, with a "hundred yard stare" that could pierce a man's soul if he looked at him. This day was going to be full of memories Katsumoto was sure.