The Blue Tailed Beast

[King of Cats]

As many people fear the sight of a shark fin in the water, many bandits on the roads of Heart feared the sight of the Blue Tailed Beast when he was traveling the nation. Roku was known among the people as a great warrior. Back then he didn't have Hideoyoshi at his side, if that's what you would call it, but Roku was still a fearsome samurai. His skill with a bamboo fishing pole was unlike any others. Roku could disarm you, strip you naked, and leave you bloody in one fell swoop of his fishing hook, and that wasn't even where he got his famous nickname from.

The Blue Tailed Beast was once simply a wandering ronin from Tea, destined to patrol the roads and mark areas safe from bandits and gangs. The people didn't give Roku much thought. They were scared of his monstrous appearance, but that didn't change the way people thought of Roku. As a simple fisherman he was granted the usual respect of a nomad who needed to eat. Roku would travel from pond to pond, fishing the water and occasionally protecting villagers from law breakers. It was a good life for Roku, but his life was not meant to be a simple one. Long before Hideoyoshi showed up at his doorstep, Roku was destined for greatness.

Sitting on the water of a small lake, Roku was fishing with his combat fishing pole. He had a fancy, blue lure that shined in the water attached to his pole and he was looking for something good to eat. Roku stood on the water delicately, careful not to disturb any fishes beneath him. His line wasn't biting at that moment, but something would certainly catch his attention. A woman screamed out from the edge of the lake and as Roku looked over to her, the samurai saw her plunge Into the water. Her dress carried behind her and the woman looked absolutely frantic. Roku ran over to her and as he was on his way he saw two armored guards following after her. The men had spears raised above their heads and were crying out, "Sakura!"

The girl named Sakura was a Shuryo like Roku. She had a lighter shade of blue scales adorning her flesh, and a long tail just like Roku. As she got deeper in the water she dived under and swam swiftly toward the deep part of the lake. The guards were just normal humans and screamed after her, not daring to get in the water with a shark. Roku, most curious, walked over to the guards and onto dry land. He put his fishing pole away and said to both of the guards, "Why're ys chasing this girl? She can't be older than fifteen." Roku looked a little annoyed. He felt protective over a fellow Shuryo.

The bandits didn't seem to be scared of the fearsome samurai and stuck their lances up at Roku. "Tell us what yer doing with the princess? Shark scum!" The bandits that spoke to Roku dug the lance into his chest, and curiously Roku's scales easily broke off. The lance had serrated edges, Roku wondered if they were specifically grooved to hook Shuryo scales. It had been done before, but the weapon was outlawed by Tea long ago when the Shuryo people were officially recognized by the government. Roku got mad. He used his forearm to bat the lance away and grabbed both of the guardsman by the neck. "Answer me, Or i'll throw you in to be chased by her. NOW!" Roku snarled and squeezed the men's throats. He was much stronger than they were and their faces quickly turned red. They started trying to speak and Roku let go of them.

"Sakura isa indebted to Duke Branlo. She's to marry him for his service in the war against Shark. But she's run off! Don't hurt-" Roku started squeezing again, then threw both of them on the ground. He grabbed both of their lances and snapped them over his knee. "Tell your Duke if he wants to marry Sakura, he has to get through me." Roku knew what was going on.

After Shark Country was absorbed by Tea there were a lot of pale skin humans thate aimed to lord over the Shuryo people. It seemed this Duke was a war veteran flexing his power on a small village, and Roku knew he had to put a stop to it.

The guards ran off screaming for their Duke, and Roku turned to face the water. He knew the girl wouldn't be able to hear him underwater, and he promptly dived right in to meet Sakura face to face.

Swimming through the water Roku could sense where the human body of a fellow Shuryo was by the lateral line in his spine. She had gone way deep in the lake, but Roku was a fast swimmer. He quickly caught up to the young girl and saw her dress flowing through the water. She was a beautiful girl, with light blue scales and bright purple gills. Roku followed her incognito for a moment, but when she saw him she rose in the water to talk to him on the surface.

"Did you chase off the guards? I'm running from Branlo!" The girl was expressive and looked to be in fear.

Floating on top of the water, Roku slicked back his white hair with his sharp claws and replied to the girl. "They told me you were indebted to Branlo, but you ran off. What's the story Sakura?"

"Branlo slew mye father's village, then he abducted me and forced me into a life of servitude! I've had to live with him and my father like zoo exhibits for as long as I can remember! I hate him!" Sakura started crying in the water.

Roku pushed over with his tail and held the girl in his arms. After a moment of her sobbing the samurai declared, "I will get rid of him for you Sakura." Roku had a fierce determination in his eye. "Stay here in this lake. Swim with the fish, enjoy yourself, have a snack. I will be back soon." Roku let go of the girl and swam back to the lake's edge.

Back on dry land, Roku headed off in the direction of the guards. He went running at a full sprint and soon caught up with them. Careful not to give himself away, Roku watched them from a distance as they made it to their castle. The guards were seemingly part of a large battalion, and Roku was glad he got to get the sneak on them. After what he had done to the guards, Roku was sure that they would come after him and the girl with full force. Using his stealth skills Roku the samurai easily evaded detection and broke into the mess hall of the castle. He grabbed a small recruit up by the hair of his head and started jerking him around the mess hall. Screaming at the top of his lungs, Roku said to everyone, "Unless you want to see him die, take me to Branlo!" Of course it didn't take long for a fist fight to break out. The men were very disappointed to strike Roku's rock solid, armored skin. After about fifteen minutes of Roku smashing everyone who was previously eating he proceeded to explore the castle.

After beating the hell out of a particularly bald guard, Roku discovered how to get to Branlo's suite. He traveled promptly to Branlo and barged on in. Without a bit of mercy Roku proceed to beat the ever living fuck out of Branlo, then using a kunai he slit his throat and threw the dead Duke on his bed. Without a hint of remoarse Roku had completed his mission, and he headed back to the lake to tell Sakura.

The girl was overwhelmed with joy. Roku had saved her from a life as a slave. She dubbed her hero The Blue Tailed Beast for taking on a whole castle of armed guards, and of course after the color of his scales. Roku was immensely proud of his work and left the village with a new title. The Blue Tailed Beast's work was yet to be done though. He had a mission by Tea to fulfill. Roku was meant to forge bonds with every nation of Heart, and this was just one adventure of his journey.