Pirate Pistol Slingshot

Background/History: Kagero is a kunoichi (female ninja) for the Koga Clan. Sent with her fellow ninja to investigate strange happenings in a local village, they run afoul of the Eight Devils of Kimon (specifically Tessa and Yurimaru). Within moments the other twenty or so ninja are dead and Kagero is fleeing back to Clan Koga to report the massacre. Along the way, she meets Jubei and joins forces with him (after some prodding by Dakuan).

Personality/Motivation: Kagero is quite loyal to her clan, a loyalty that almost directly leads to her death at the hands of Gemma. She does her best to resolve the problem with the Eight Devils of Kimon in favor of Clan Koga, but unfortunately fails. She is also surprisingly independent and headstrong, arguing with Jubei over their next course of action several times, as well as with her fellow ninja about being allowed to accompany them to investigate the I\'ll fated local village. Finally, her sense of loyalty as makes her unwilling to ignore a personal debt to someone else. She ends up accompanying Jubei for just such a reason. Kagero's biggest flaw, however, is that she feels she's expendable. Her condition is such that no one can touch her, and thus she is used like some sort of tool. Seeing all of her fellow ninja slaughtered and the clan chamberlain not even bat an eye doesn't help much either.

Quote: "I need no friends."

"No one can touch me. Anyone who dares to... dies."

Powers/Tactics: Aside from her more "traditional" anime-ninja skills (such as being to leap anywhere), Kagero has several more rather unique powers. She is the Clan's poison taster, and can detect almost any type of poison. This has made her immune to any and all poisons (she is bit by a snake and suffers no I\'ll effects) as well as granting her a most unusual power. Since her body is "soaked" with poison, it is deadly to even touch Kagero. Any extended contact, such as a kiss, will almost certainly poison the person contacting her, killing them in short order. Make love to her, and you've signed your own death warrant. Death doesn't occur immediately however, it takes about and hour or so before the effects really kick in. But once it starts you're finished.

Kagero has one other interesting trick up her sleeve (literally). Given a moment to prepare, she can produce a huge cloud of sleeping powder (accompanied by an endless supply of flower petals) that will quickly render unconscious anyone caught within its confines. The only problem is that she can't move while creating and maintaining the cloud.

Appearance: Kagero is tall and slim, with short, shoulder-length black hair. She wears a very short blue kimono, a long red and white obi (belt) and black tabi (boots). Thrust through her belt is a short sword that resembles a cane sword in design. She also keeps a dagger hidden up one sleeve.