Mahou Ronin Sachiko - A Drifting Magical Girl Tale

"Oh, one of those new Vespucian guns" Sachiko stared, her face quivering looking at it.

"Leiferikan. And yeah, knew it might come as a shock to a country only just out of the Middle Ages" Vivi playfully took a pretend aim.

Sachiko twitched then fumed at that remark. "Oh come on! Himikoku used ta have like, zillions of guns back in the Samurai's heyday, we've just, er," she then paused "...Haven't remembered to practice, eh heh".
"But Vivi, are ya really gonna be okay with just one weapon? I mean, us Samurai usually have heaps of weapons, y'know like bows, spears, naginata, muskets, war fans in my case, long before ya get to our swords and daggers" Sachiko went on, before she snatched the gun from Vivi's hand, an action Vivi looked none too pleased about, and looked it over.

"Well I do suppose you raise a point" Vivi tried to state calmly "Plus, studying up on your country's own weapons and practices also means I'll have more stuff to report on- What the?" Vivi's mouth dropped as a fireball came suddenly ricocheting out of her gun, with her running over to stomp out the blaze "What the hell did you just do to my gun?!".

"Enchanted it" said a smiling Sachiko "Ammo's not that easy to come by in Himikoku, so I cast a fireball spell on it to make it able to shoot magic! Pretty cool huh?".

Vivi, getting to the end of her patience, just glared "You could've warned me about that before it went off, y'know?".

The fox ronin could only shrug and sigh "Hey, you were the one twirling it around a whole bunch".

"Yes but-" Vivi stopped there, took a deep breath and said "Anyway, back to self-defense talk. So tell me, which weapon would a mighty samurai, well ex-samurai" Sachiko's smile could've fallen and shattered at that remark "recommend for me?".

[ ] "I know, unarmed brawling, that way you'll never be without a weapon! Er, if you don't get dismembered, shoulda phrased that better"
[ ] "How about polearms? They're good for beginners! Um, if enemies don't get too close"
[ ] "Ooh, I could teach you swordplay"*slashing motions*"And people in Himikoku might like you more if you're good with their blades. It'll take some time though".
[ ] "How about a big iron club, like the Oni use? Sure do pack a wallop! Er, if they won't be too much strain".
[ ] "If you're dead-set on learning 'bout Himikoku, how about I teach you magic?! Although, lotsa onmyouji aren't gonna be happy if you reveal magic secrets to the public".
[ ] "Actually, take that back, maybe we should just hone your gun skills more".
[ ] Write-in.

"Hmm, that might be interesting, and you only live once I guess" Vivi muttered, before she flipped out her notebook again and asked "Now, you said you were on a quest to avenge your Clan's slaughter, correct?".

"Huh?" Sachiko said, twitching her ears "Oh yeah yeah, 'course I was!".

"Hah, you're oddly perky for an avenger if I may say" Vivi adjusted her glasses and took out a pencil "Might I ask who you're seeking vengeance on?".

"Er" Sachiko started mumbling "Ah yeah, the bad guys, they're-".

[ ] "A rival clan serving the Empress, unlike my Amano masters who were still loyal to the Queen of Swords!".
[ ] "That evil Sword Queen's Shinsengumi police, who she set on my Amano masters when they sided with the one and only Empress!".
[ ] "A legion of demons, among them a hannya, who rose to try and steal the souls of the Amano!".
[ ] "T-that is a bit too much, I kinda don't want to say..."
[ ] Write-in.

"Whoa, if that's the case, then this really is something I've got to report on!" Vivi beamed and wrote wildly, Sachinko not looking cheered by her reaction.
"Change of subject, man it is cold" Vivi then shivered as the wind blew more snow onto her.

"Really? I still feel fine" Sachiko replied, to which Vivi's expression grew darker.

"Hate to break it to you, but us humans don't have furry tails and ears to keep us warm" a shivering Vivi hissed.

Sachiko then walked over and tried to wrap her tails around the reporter "Make you feel warmer, Vivi?".

Vivi gave a little yelp as she quickly scuttled away from Sachiko. "Well yeah, they were warm, but couldn't we try something less... awkward? Like find an inn or something?".

"Huh, boys usually like it when I do that" Sachiko said with a confused look.

With the more Western-style buildings in town still under construction, the two kept walking the snow-white streets, the salty sea-breeze not helping to ease the cold, until they were able to pick out an old, rustic-looking traditional inn.
"Wow, this place has everything! Kaiseki cuisine, outdoor hot springs, and it's only... super-expensive" Sachiko's face, tails and ears fast drooped down as she said that.

"What?! But didn't you serve a prestigious clan, surely they must have paid you well?" Vivi spoke up.

Sachiko gave an unconvincing grin "Er yeah, but that was in rice fields and prestige, not yen. Which I no longer own, being a ronin and all".

Vivi then got to thinking "Okay, so just pawn off one of your clan's relics. They've got to be pretty valuable, so I imagine you'd have brought one with you".

"Just pawn them off?!" Sachiko gasped, her eyes, ears and tails shooting up. "T-they're my clan's... Besides, even if I were to be so dishonourable, I don't even have any with me, most perished in the blaze".
Taking a deep breath, Sachiko then said "I'm sorry Vivi, but I really am broke. I even had to let my old horse Kojiki go 'cause I didn't know if I could support him any longer".

Vivi just sighed as she took out her own wallet "My bosses only gave me enough for, ahem, 'essentials', most of which I spent on the voyage here".

Sachiko then had an idea. "Most places usually have a corkboard listing 'help wanted' in the town square. Who knows? We could make some quick money that way!".

[ ] "Hey, it says they're holding a Fighting Tournament here in town, to honour the victories of the New Moon Dragon centuries ago. You might get to interview some of the fighters too!".
[ ] "Says here a supply wagon heading up to Mashuruka Village is in need of protection from bandits and beasts".
[ ] "The town's border patrol is requesting back-up. Makes sense, this place's kinda close to the region they call Death's Door".
[ ] "Ooh, they're having a festival soon... but some Tengu stole one of the town's special Floats! I know, let's steal it back!".
[ ] "Ooh, they're having a festival soon, and this restaurant needs some help preparing more food than normal".
[ ] "Ooh, they're having a festival soon, but they need someone to help whip the pipers and drummers into shape".
[ ] Write-in.