Tenchu: The Flames of Fudo

Part II: Illumination

Last chapter: Rikimaru and Ayame talk to Yukihoko and get some information about Ayame's mysterious "power." Ayame also updates Lord Gohda on the information she gathered on her mission.

Upload Date: 5/13/13

Chapter 9: Gohda Castle

Rikimaru knelt on the floor of the dojo sharpening his sword when he heard the sliding door open. Ayame walked in, followed by Kiku. Semimaru trailed behind them, giving a small yelp when he saw Rikimaru.

"Hi Rikimaru," Kiku said, smiling. She had on her usual full kimono regalia. He remembered how she had struggled with the heavy weight of the fabrics when she was younger, but now she could walk at a brisk pace with them.

"Princess, I am surprised to see you still awake," Rikimaru replied with a small bow. It was quickly getting late and the princess was usually in bed at this hour.

"I wanted to wish you luck on the mission! And...I am happy for you and Ayame," Kiku said with a sly smile.

"She…uh…kind of guessed," Ayame said sheepishly.

"Let's face it, both Yukihoko and I knew it was going to happen eventually," the princess replied, beaming up at the woman who she had affectionately named her older sister. Ayame rolled her eyes at her.

"Are you sure you weren't just eavesdropping again?" Ayame chided. Kiku made a face at her and bent down to scratch Semimaru behind the ears.

"Thank you, Princess," Rikimaru said quietly. Kiku was used to the silver haired ninja's quiet manner and knew better than to expect any more than this simple word of thanks.

"Anyway, are you almost ready?" Ayame asked him.

"Yes, I'm ready to go when you are."

Ayame turned to Kiku and gave her a hug. Rikimaru had always liked watching the kunoichi's softer side show when the princess was around. Kiku walked over to Rikimaru and gave him a quick hug as well and then turned to leave. When she got to the door, she turned and said, "Come back safe, okay?" She disappeared from the doorway. Semimaru lingered a little longer and jumped up on Rikimaru, placing his paws on the ninja's waist. Rikimaru gave him a pat on the head and pointed for Semimaru to follow after Kiku. The dog gave a sigh before following after the princess.

Ayame turned back to him with a small, awkward smile. There were things that they would both need to get used to now that they had come clean about their feelings for each other. The two ninja were clearly no experts at anything close to love, quite the opposite in fact. The closest that Ayame had come to feel close affection for someone other than Kiku was Tatsumaru. She shook the thought out of her mind sadly. Though the events had happened years before, it was still difficult to think about.

Rikimaru picked up his mask from where it lay on the ground and tied it around the lower half of his face. "How are you feeling?" he asked Ayame, acutely aware of how awkward the silence was becoming between them.

"I'm still a little sore but it's nothing terrible," she said, placing a hand tenderly on the small of her back. "I'll bring a bow and some arrows just in case."

Rikimaru smiled behind his mask, grateful that Ayame's good mood was allowing her to be rational. Usually, the injured one was relegated to bow and arrow duty, providing cover from a distance. Both Ayame and Rikimaru were skilled at all forms of weaponry, including of course, the bow and arrow. Ayame was the ninja who typically found herself injured more often. It was often difficult to get her to use the bow and arrow as she enjoyed stubbornly refusing Rikimaru's requests.

The two ninja quickly made last minute checks of their items and then slipped from Gohda territory.

Lord Kojuro's province was not too far from Gohda province, so Rikimaru and Ayame arrived at around the time the night's festivities were winding down. Lord Kojuro was famous for throwing lavish parties for any possible excuse, whether it was to look at the moon or at his garden of cherry blossoms on the estate. Guests were already whisked away back to their estates and the guards were just beginning the night shift.

Rikimaru crouched low below a wooden walkway, waiting for the guard above to turn around. Ayame hung back some distance away, perched precariously in a tree and surveying the area carefully, a watchful eye always wandering back to Rikimaru. She watched him dispatch guard after guard. She had only resorted to using her bow twice and was, to say the least, bored. After the last guard had dropped, Rikimaru signaled that the area was clear. Ayame gingerly slid down from her branch and crept over him.

"We've been all around the territory and there's no sign of the villagers," Rikimaru whispered.

"Yeah they're definitely not here," Ayame whispered back, frustrated. "I think it's time we ask Lord Kojuro ourselves."

Rikimaru and Ayame were inside Lord Kojuro's lavish palace. They made their way carefully through the halls dispatching the guards quickly and efficiently. Soon, they arrived at the ornately decorated hallway entrance to Lord Kojuro's personal quarters. Two guards lay dead, their blood staining the tatami mats.

Ayame slid open the door quietly and slipped in, Rikimaru following closely behind. The room was dimly lit and just as elaborately decorated as the rest of his palace. The soft sounds of deep breathing drifted towards them from the futon on the far end of the room. Ayame swiftly picked up a large and delicate looking porcelain geisha figure from a nearby shelf and walked over to the futon. Rikimaru hung back and watched curiously, sword drawn, as Ayame roused the sleeping lord with a swift kick to the futon.

Lord Kojuro woke with a start and yelped as he saw the two strangers in his room.

"What are you- Guards! Guards!" he croaked.

Ayame lifted a finger to her lips and waved the porcelain figure she was still holding in front of him. "Where are the villagers you took from Namida?"

"What? I don't, I don't know what you're talking about! Please, put that down, that's one of my favorite geisha sculptures-"

Ayame began tossing the sculpture from one hand to the other, pretending to drop it at one point yet catching it at the last minute.

Lord Kojuro gasped and lunged for Ayame, who easily slid out of his reach. Rikimaru continued to watch with amusement.

"You've got about thirty seconds to start talking or you'll get to watch me use this thing for target practice."

"I promise you I don't know anything about any villagers!"

"Then why did your ninja attack Namida?"

"What? I was asked to volunteer some of my ninja for a cause 2 weeks ago, honestly, I forgot about it! She didn't tell me what she was going to use them for! Whatever they did, I wasn't the one who ordered them to do it!"

"She?" Ayame suddenly remembered the mysterious woman who had appeared to her during her mission.

"Lady Shizuka! There, I've told you everything I know!"

"Thank you for your cooperation," Ayame said with a sweet smile. She turned away and walked towards Rikimaru and the door.

"Wait! My geisha!" Lord Kojuro screeched after her. Without so much as a glance back, Ayame tossed the figurine over her head and behind her. There was a loud thud as the lord leapt out of his futon and crashed to the ground in a crumpled heap, outstretched arms carefully cradling his prize.

"Guards! Guards!" he called out loudly, but the two mysterious ninja were long gone.

Three figures were walking up a hill, the moonlight casting shadows that loomed behind them like ghostly guards. Two were clearly female as evidenced by their petite forms and similar braided hairstyles. One female was dressed in a short dark purple kimono with black boots that reached up to just below her knees. Black cloth snaked up to the middle of her thigh, stopping just below the hem of her kimono, giving the illusion that her boots reached up that far. The shorter female was dressed similarly, except her kimono was dark blue. The other figure towered above them and was slender and walked with longer strides. Had there been anyone around to see them traveling together, it would be quite obvious that these three were ninja.

One of them, the shortest of the trio, stopped them abruptly and quickly looked up. Just as they were about to question her, they heard it—the unmistakable whistling sound of something flying through the air. The arrow struck a tree not too far in front of them.

"I still don't know how you do that, Mikomi," the male said with amazement, drawing his sword at once and looking around.

"That's the one skill little sis has always beaten me at," the other woman said, flipping aside her braid as she unsheathed her katana.

"I don't hear anymore coming," Mikomi said quietly. It was clear that she was the quietest of the group. She reached back for her two sai secured behind her waist. These were her weapons of choice, while her elder sister chose the more traditional sword. Although typically used as striking weapons whose purpose was to maim instead of kill, Mikomi had sharpened the tips of hers so that they were like large daggers. The prong-like side guards could be used to block sword strikes and even disarm attackers.

"I think we should check it out. What do you think, Mikazuki?" the man asked.

"Could be interesting. Tanosuke, do you mind leading? I led last time."

"It would be my pleasure," he said, and walked forward at a brisk pace, the two women following closely behind. It wasn't long before they heard the sounds of swords clashing and men fighting, billowing clouds of dark smoke seen over the tops of the trees. Someone's territory was under siege.

They made their way deftly through the trees, ducking under branches and looking warily at the increasing number of arrows embedded within tree trunks. Soon, they found a pile of bodies half hidden in the shrubbery, the sounds of fighting now very close. Mikomi carefully crept closer to one of the corpses and looked at the insignia on the back of the man's clothing.

"I recognize this symbol…the House of Gohda! We're in Gohda territory!" Mikomi whispered.

"Lord Gohda? Gohda Matsunoshin? The famous Lord whose own uncle turned against him? The one whose army and ninja defeated the Burning Dawn and brought down the Lord of Hell?" Tanosuke whispered back, grip tightening on his sword.

"Who else?" Mikazuki hissed back. "Hurry up, from the pile of bodies here, it looks like Lord Gohda's guards aren't doing so well."

Tanosuke was hesitant now. "Do you think this is a good idea? We don't even know who we're up against."

"Well, the best way to find out is to go and check it out, right? We're running low on supplies anyway." Mikazuki replied, bending over the corpses to check their pockets for money and other useful items. "Come on Tano, I think you've been traveling with us long enough to know that we don't shy away from a good fight. Isn't that right Mikomi?"

Mikomi nodded. "Lord Gohda is a good man. Everyone else is corrupt while he remains true to his people."

"This is the first time I've heard Mikomi say something about what she wants to do, so I guess the choice has been made." Tano sighed. He had a soft spot for the younger of the Nakamura sisters. Mikazuki was loud and brash and it had taken some time for him to get used to her since he had first encountered them fleeing their burning village of Hagakure. Mikomi was quiet and pensive and reminded him of his younger sister, before illness had swiftly led her to her grave. He missed her dearly.

The three of them hurried towards the sounds of battle, weapons drawn.

Author's Note:

Oh boy…sorry about the uh, 4 year hiatus. Lots of things have happened. But I am back and I am here to give this story the ending that it deserves. If you're interested in what I've been up to, I've got links to my twitter and website on my profile. I hope my readers are still alive…