The Descendants (Kenji)

In a city where the primary residents included the denizens of a school for criminalistic teenagers as well as thugs, it should come as no surprise that Kenji had found a way to carry a weapon with him without hassle. It was something that he'd previously done over in his native homeland when he anticipated a swordfight: he would take a sturdy case that looked very much like a guitar case on the outside, except for the fact that it was not very hollow. It had just enough room to comfortably carry up to a weapon four feet in length, no wider than a person's arm. There was a catch below the handle that would pop a slide on the more narrow end of the case and eject enough of the weapon contained within for someone to grab and pull out one-handed. This clever item had cost him some money when he'd first gotten it, but he valued it for duels in places where openly carrying deadly steel - or anything remotely threatening - in the open was either frowned upon or illegal.

But Kenji's big case wasn't the focus for this particular scene, although it was certainly about to play a role.

Walking through the park all but concealed by the surrounding building, the easterner took in the cool February air. He noted that it seemed to be getting warmer, although he could not say for sure how characteristic of the time of year that this weather was, for he was still a recent arrival. Kenji toyed with the idea of making this place a routine stop on any walks that he might take in the area, for the plant life was stellar compared to other such parks within the city. Glancing to one side on his stroll, he noted a cherry tree, and its first blossoms resting contentedly on its branches. He copped a small smile to himself and started to look away, when he heard a solid 'thunk' before noticing the tree shaking. Looking down, Kenji finally noticed a few figures beneath. Three of them were on their feet and looked like shady types, while the fourth on the ground was being kicked by those above looked like a girl with dyed hair.

After a few more moments, Kenji heard a crying scream ring out from the floored girl, "HELP ME." That was enough to set him into action.

"Oi!" He opened, intent on getting their attention as he started walking over. One of the men stopped and turned around, apparently so his buddies wouldn't have to stop what they were doing. "Is there a problem here? You're kinda wailing on someone who's defenseless."

"It ain't any of your business, man," the boy in question responded, half-glancing back at their victim. "All you need to know is that she deserves what she's getting. If you don't want any part in it, you'd better take your ass and that guitar somewhere else, or we'll introduce them to eachother."

How witty, Kenji pondered. He chuckled dryly for a moment, then shook his head. "Gee, I'm real scared of a few fools who think they're tough, beating on someone like that for god knows what reason, and giving them no chance to retaliate."

"I don't think you heard me the first time, kid," assumed the thug as he started walking toward Kenji. "Piss off, or you'll end up like her or worse."

"I'd like to see that."

Pulling out a butterfly knife as he moved, the young man started speaking again as he went to stab Kenji in the gut. "I warned you, bu--" Only to be smashed in the face with the case in the easterner's hand. The sound that resulted could best be described as someone snapping a drumstick in half in an echo chamber.

In other words, ouch.

The thug hit the ground on his back and held his nose in both hands, having dropped the knife. Finally, his two compadres stopped and quickly turned around to see what had happened. They looked at their friend, then up at Kenji, then back down and up again.

"Self-defense, guys." He chuckled again, having stopped his advance. Throwing the catch, six inches of a cord-wrapped hilt popped out from the narrow end of his 'guitar case,' which Kenji grabbed in his free hand and whipped out as he released and let fall the case, revealing a katana in an ornate scabbard. Calmly, he held the scabbard in one hand, and settled the other up against the handguard on the hilt. "I don't care what she did to you. Leave the lady alone, take your buddy, and don't go for any weapons, or I return your next few actions to you threefold."

If the pained Gabriella was paying attention, she might've caught Kenji's almond eyes flash with the color of steel as the remaining thug made a mad grab for his companion's balisong. While his was flicking it around, the easterner, simply waited for the first stabbing attempt, stepping back just out of reach from it, then sidestepping the wild swing that followed. Another thrust came, and this time, Kenji let it clip the side of his jacket, just so his target would be within reach. Unceremoniously, he struck upward with his knee and caught the man in the gut, winding him while Kenji stepped back a few steps and waited.

"Ugh...!" The man exclaimed, forcing himself to a stand again before rushing once more, clearly intent on plunging his borrowed blade into Kenji's eye. Kenji ducked underneath and drew his katana, attacking as he pulled it out and slashing upward. Although he was well within range to cut the man's arm off at the elbow from his current position, he pulled the swing and instead sliced a line through the bottom of his opponent's wrist before backing off again and sheathing his weapon. The thug gritted his teeth, biting back the pain in his damaged wrist, and switched hands.

"Last chance, and I won't offer this again. Pick up your friend and do as your wiser buddy did, and leave. If you attack a fifth time, you're not leaving here in one piece."

"Screw you, man!" Clearly pissed off now, though at the same time shaken from the fight thus far, the druggie lunged at Kenji. Depending on how keen Gabriella's eyes were in her battered state, she might see the foreigner's sword-wielding hand twitch, or if she was especially keen, she'd catch him ever so briefly drawing and resheathing his curved blade. Regardless, the end result was the thug suddenly stopping, just in front of Kenji, and his knife-toting hand just... Fell off. As it hit the grass, the pain registered, because a sharp scream started to leave his lips right before Kenji punched his ornate sheath into the man's throat, then cracked it against his forehead. That shut him up rather quickly and put him on his back at the same time. He was left a sobbing mess, holding his stump and clearly trying not to yell again as Kenji drew his katana and placed the tip against the thug's throat.

"Before you think about reporting me to the cops, remember: I gave you fair warning, I fought in self-defense, and I gave you two chances to leave. If you have any semblance of intelligence, you're going to get that stump patched up, and then you're going to start hanging out with a better crowd, because if I ever see you or your boys making trouble like this again, I'll take a lot more than your hand. Do you understand me?"

There was silence, except for the handicapped druggie's whimpering over his loss, before Kenji pulled his sword up and slapped him with the flat, eliciting a yelp of mostly surprise. "I'm sorry, but when somebody asks if you understand them, you're supposed to say 'yes.' Would you like to practice?" he invited, or rather demanded of the man as the tip was lowered back to his throat. Fearful of further punishment, he nodded his head repeatedly and managed a stutter-laden affirmative. Kenji nonchalantly wiped the blood from his blade off on the man's shirt and sheathed it, then started to walk past him, stopping only to boot him in the head to knock him out cold.

With that done, Kenji briefly returned to his guitar case to pick it up, and began to return his sword to its confines as he approached the fallen Gabriella, having fitted it back inside and reset the catch by the time he stopped near her, set it down, and kneeled to get a better look at her. The cold steel in his eyes was gone, and a look of genuine concern had replaced it. "Is anything broken? Can you stand?"

Kenji watched as the girl simply laid at first, then pulling her arm around him and hauling her face into his shirt and commencing sobbing. He'd been through this situation before, and it was one that made his heart hurt, but he kept a level face, gently petting her head and letting her bawl it out.

"Take your time, take your time... Get it all out..." Kenji urged, sitting back to allow her some more room. He looked around to make sure nobody but the two unconscious runts behind him were present, and thankfully found them otherwise alone. Glancing back down, he continued to speak softly so as not to startle her. "I'll take you to wherever you feel that you need to go. If you think it best, I'll bring you to your home, or mine, either or... No one else will touch you while I'm around." Continuing to stroke her head in hopes of comforting her, the easterner pondered if she was baffled by a complete stranger's actions, and how she would respond to his offer.

Kenji allowed the girl to drop after singularly declaring her wish to be taken to his home, and produce a flask. He didn't need to be an alcoholic to know what was likely in it. Good painkiller, depending on how strong it was and one's own tolerance to it. After a little while, he nodded. "I can do that." Reaching for his case first, he flipped another catch that opened another slot from which he pulled out a strap for the case, which he hooked onto the top and used this setup to sling it over his back like a messenger back. His hands left free, Kenji helped the girl up to her feet gently but firmly, then slung her arm around his shoulder and held that arm in his hand, sliding his other arm around her waist and holding her hip to keep her steady.

"You good like this? I could carry you, if you think that'd be better." Normally, Kenji would shrug after such an offer, but opted not to so as not to disturb his charge's posture.

(( OOC: Really sorry about the absence. I'm going to post here in the hopes that you'll want to continue, but if not, I get it. Regardless, a short little post to kickstart things back up. ))

Kenji chuckled, not out of sick amusement at her plight, simply because Gabriella's stubbornness reminded him of one of his sisters, refusing to accept help until it became obvious that it was necessary. He simply nodded as he assisted his new charge in resuming their prior position, then began to walk the two of them out of the park. "I've got you. Lean on me as much as you need to."

The trek from the park to Kenji's den was about an hour, during which the two would find no unwelcome attention coming their way, although a handful of people gave them inquisitive glances. A girl who looked beaten to shit being firemanned by an easterner was a curious sight, apparently. Otherwise, it was an uneventful trek through the streets and one train ride, just to speed things along.

As it turned out, Kenji roomed in a five-story apartment building in a reasonably decent complex; not spectacular, but not ridden with drugs or alcohol, or crime for that matter. Unfortunately, he lived on the top floor in a corner suite. Fortunately, this complex came equipped with elevators, and Kenji, being considerate for his charge, used the one for his building so that she wouldn't need to strain further. After setting the both of them against the back wall, the doors closed, and the elevator lurched before beginning its ascent. Not the fastest lift in the world, but it fulfilled its purpose.

The two of them were alone once again, and silenced filled the metal cube.

Kenji would oblige Gabriella as she took her time getting back up on her feet, whereupon he resumed supporting her and leading her back out of the elevator. His corner suite wasn't far from that point, and he took a moment to whip out his key and unlock his door, carrying his charge inside and locking it behind them. Not to trap her, of course, but because it was his habit to have the door locked at all times. From there, Kenji led Gabriella to his couch and, as she desired, let her collapse into it. He took a moment to stretch, having carried her for quite some time by this point with few breaks, but he wasn't complaining.

"Right... Make yourself at home, I'll dig up my stock." Kenji stepped away from Gabriella and into the joined kitchen. If she looked, she might notice that his apartment was nice for what it was; the living room and kitchen were separated only by an island, and the former led to both the front door and a short hallway, presumably where his room was. Not too many decorations, though there were a few assorted posters hung up from anime and games. The flatscreen in front of Gabby was probably some forty inches wide, with a gaming console underneath. If Kenji owned a computer, it was nowhere to be seen.

"I was shipped out here from Japan. If my parents hadn't seen to it, about half of this stuff wouldn't be here, including the sofa you're laying on." He chuckled from over in the kitchen, rifling through a drawer. As he continued, he managed to pull out a first aid box. "That TV, though... Bought that two days ago, and I managed to convince the store manager to loan me a couple guys to get it here. He wanted to make the sell, after all, and that's what it took him. Fair's fair, right?" With that said, he brought the box over to the coffee table in front of the couch and set it down, opening it up and scanning through the contents.

"I'm not a doctor, but I've had to patch myself and a few others up a handful of times. If you're willing to trust me for a little longer, I'll do what I can about your damage." On that note, Kenji looked over at Gabriella, smiling at her. "Before that, we're still strangers, aren't we? I'm Kenji, Miyamoto Kenji. What's your name?"