A NIGHT IN JAPAN
by Samurai 1300
Part Two
Twenty Minutes later both Hana and Maki where in complete darkness, they were both crammed into a large wooden chest. Securely bound and gagged.
Aiki had smiled as she closed and locked the lid.
"You two are the Best of the Best they told me when I arrived well that seems an overstatement, I came here to learn the skills from the top masters in the clan and I intend to do so. So I shall prove to you and everyone else that I am already the best there is in the whole clan."
" Mmmph! MMMphf" Grunted both ladies in unison as Aiki started to drag the trunk along the ground.
The little holes in the lock and around the hinges allowed some of the day's waning sunlight to cast shadows on their faces and see out enough to see they were getting close the center courtyard of the fortress.
Aiki stopped and leaving the trunk in the center next to the summons bell she began to clang the bell calling out to the entire castle to come and see the greatest ninja in the clan.
"Come one and all and see your top peers and students, they really are the best you have to offer aren't they."
There was a sudden jostling of the trunk and the lid flipped open spilling both beauties' bound and gagged forms out on to the hard ground. As their eyes adjusted to the orange haze of dusk they noticed twenty or so apprentices and masters.
Hana and Maki's faces were red from frustration and embarrassment as they spilled out of the trunk. Maki's legs landed across Hana's. Both grunted and mmmphed in pain from the landing.
Master Otaki the head Master and the chief instructor in unarmed combat stepped out of the milling crowd hands on his hips. He was dressed in his evening robes: obviously he had been roused from the evening meal and was not pleased about the state of his star pupils.
"What is the meaning of this Aiki? Why have you done this to Hana and Maki?"
"Simple," replied Aiki. "Before I arrive here and once I did all anyone could talk about was how good THEY are. Telling me I could learn a lot from them and would learn to respect them as Great Warriors loyal to the clan. Well I disagree. I have trained with them and watched them for months and they are nothing compared to ME!!. Which I have now proved: I found Hana as she is in the climbing storeroom in a basket as you see her now. Maki I caught off guard while she was doing hand techniques with Many Belled Dummy."
The master smoothed his goatee and then gestured to Hana and Maki and two men came forward to free them from there bindings. Once freed, Maki spoke before her friend could.
"Master," she said, bowing low to the ground, "Forgive me please and do not punish Hana-- her predicament was my doing . It is an ongoing prank with us, as many other apprentices will attest. We use it as a way of sharpening our skills in awareness and escape in a safe environment."
The Master nodded in understanding then turned to Hana.
"Is this true?"
Also bowing she confirmed the facts: "we have done this for the last couple of years only after all formal training for the day is over."
Aiki stood stock still throughout the whole discussion with a look of growing indignation on her face as it dawned on her that her two captives were not going to be punished or tossed out.
Master Otaki took a step back cupping his chin in thought.
"Hmm, this is unusual, but you are the best warriors in the last series of trainees with loyalty above reproach. And frankly I find this very funny," he said trying to contain a smile and failed.
Aiki could stand it no longer; she drew a dagger from her belt and hurled it at Hana, who simply caught it in her bare hand flinging it back into Aiki's shoulder instinctively as the drills of a decade of Ninja training indicated.
Aiki tottered back a step, clutching her injured arm covering the blood seeping wound. There was shocked silence in the courtyard, until it was broken by Hana Stepping forward.
"Sorry I just reacted. It is alright?"
"You defended yourself and your comrade against an ill timed, sloppy and spiteful attack," said master Otaki.
Aiki pulled the dagger from her arm tucked it in her belt, tearing a strip of her tunic she staunched the wound. Otaki took a step towards Aiki to offer help but the Ninja stepped back, flipped over a low wall.
"I will have my revenge on you fools. You think they are good? you have seen nothing! I am leaving this dishonorable place, and on my return you will all suffer."
Otaki shrugged. "You are making a choice out of anger and pain, I will allow you to stay, to continue your studies if you simply swear you will never do this again."
"That is all, for you have already sworn your allegiance to the clan," Aiki snorted in derision and flicked her wrist sending a hail of darts into the crowd hitting several with the small sharp poisonous darts. two died instantly and 3 more a week later, the two who fell first were hit in the chest around the heart causing the poison to spread faster, the others in limbs. Before anyone could react Aiki was gone, leaving only a few blood drops on the ground were she had stood and a bloody hand print on the castle wall where she had fled.
"Aiki? I thought she was caught by the clan and executed for murder and treason?" Hana said.
"Well that appears to be the official line," Maki agreed. "Unfortunately the clan members involved in her punishment vanished the day after she was "Killed"?? And nothing has been heard of any of them till just recently. It appears they were involved with the Red Ninjas for a long time and took Aiki with them to use against us all as one of there elite warriors."
"Great, just what we needed."
"Yep," Maki sighed in agreement."
"So she's back to take her revenge for being tossed or really leaving the clan by dishonoring herself out of envy?"
"That's about the size of it," Maki said shrugging.
"Well I have to get going soon I'm going to see if I can locate Aiki and any of the other Red Ninja members in the town. Perhaps I can find a safe house or business they are using as fronts to fund their activities. The contacts I have also need to be seen in person to coax more complete reports about what they have gathered. Then I will send some guards with you whilst you travel in the town for security."
Maki shook her head. "No, that will draw attention and leave you short handed, it is best if I travel alone, moving quicker and unobserved is the best way, I'll leave tonight after midnight."
"All right," Hana sighed. "Then till then we really should get caught up on our lives since your last visit. I know mine will seem dull compared to yours but overseeing my family's holdings is satisfying and rewarding work. I imagine that you have been off spying and "locating people for the clan and other clients"?
Maki smiled slyly "a few of the later, I was sent to find a certain noble woman who had vanished from the road on a rip to the capital, She was accompanied by twenty samurai retained by her husband. On the second night of their journey the lady's hand maiden came to help her prepare for bed and found the room empty with no windows or doors open. The entire village was searched top to bottom and there was no sign of the noble woman. Her husband contacted the clan and thus I was sent to investigate."
" I assume you found her," Hana said, studying her friend.s face intently.
"Oh I found her alright; she had slipped out a trap door in the room's floor to be on her own free from the men taking a walk in the surrounding forest. Unfortunately she was spotted by several bandits who recognized her as a bag of money. When I found their mountain camp I used darts to take out the two sentries, and took the last three with my short sword, it was a brief but violent fight. It appears that the bandits had been Ronin (masterless Samurai) who had been cast out after there master had been slain after challenging the noble woman's husband to an honor duel. The ronin had chosen not to swear allegiance to there lords slayer thus becoming bandits.
"The lady in question was found in a quite a bind in the depths of the cave, her ankles were touching her wrists which were bound palm to palm, with her fingers bound together. As well as her elbows and upper body, all of the bindings were woven into an elaborate tight weave anchored to a very very tight cleave gag. As a result it caused her head to be pulled way back arching her back to a very unlady like position. But I'll tell you this- it was something to see. I think I shall try that out on you next time."
Hana grimaced at that thought. "Gee can't wait for that," Hana ground out from clenched teeth.
"Anyway, it was so tight, and the cords so strong it took nearly half an hour to free her, and then I had to carry her down the cliff side to her guards. In the end though she was safe the villains punished and the clan and I got paid a large sum plus bonus. Enough about me-what have you been up to, other than minding the store as it were?"
Hana pursed her lips. "To be honest I have not accepted or been offered any missions from the clan in the last two years. I still train every day for several hours with the guards and by myself. And aside from the Monthly exercises I have not really been in combat for a couple of years not counting a couple of minor tussles."
"So monthly exercise eh, what are those like?" Maki leered at Hana smiling
Hana blushed. "Not like that. I take half the guards and we go into the mountains to the Nacatomi valley deep in the high cliffs. It's a large forested basin which we have set up as a training camp, The clan uses it as well when there in the area or need more room for special training."
"So tell me about it?"
Well Hana said to start with I either take Misato or Kagomi with me to act as captain then we divide into two groups of bandits and defenders. Usually One five on One five or so, We rotate so everyone gets a perspective on the others point of view to there attack. The main goal is for the Bandits to gain access to the compound and capture the captain of the guards and for the guards to catch the Bandit leader. The way this is proved that each leader has a bell with them ringing it signifies a victory claim.
"Last time I was with the bandits it worked out very well for their guards I got tagged a week into the "battle" which is the longest it has taken anyone to get the bandits so fat this year. Misato was my second, it took 3 hours of running and hiding once the camp had been overtaken. Kagomi cornered us with ten of her guards and simply fell from the trees Four took Misato to the ground and when the dust and leaves stopped flying she was bound and in twenty feet of cords and red as an apple, which was stuck in her mouth. Kagomi has an odd sense of humor. The other six and me had a bit more fun. I put three down before I was nabbed by Kagomi and Misato's binders, Kagomi used a lariat and pinned my arms to my sides. This was followed by her tying several more all over me from head to toe. I was trussed at the elbow and wrists, my whole upperbody was covered in ropes. And Kagomi, following the rules I myself had laid out, treated me as another guard in the game, grabbing my hair and yanking my head back, and stuffing a apple in my mouth and hogtying me tightly. The along with Misato and the other "Bandits" we were pilled into a cart and wheeled back to the compound twenty minutes away. Once there I was ungagged and game the formal surrender ending the game. The bandits had to stay bound for two hours to get an idea what a real failure might mean, I was freed in One hour."
"Wow," Maki smiled. "That sounds like great fun, mind if I join you next time on either side?"
"Sure, why not?" Hana smiled evilly. "The guards could always use a wild card in the game to test their skills. And that my friend is about it the same game goes on two times a month with the guards rotating sides. Aside from that the daily needs of the estate is my life."
Maki looked at her friend, smiling as she rose. "Well, will you help me assemble the kit I need for my trip?"
"Certainly," Hana said rising also, "we should have most of what you need in the armory, follow me this way."
The armory was near the front gates of the estate along a cobblestone path flanked by the gardens of the grounds.
"Well, this is the place," Hana said as she slid aside the screen door to the building, which opened onto a nightingale floor leading twenty feet to a heavy wooden door covered with locking mechanisms. The vast room beyond the door was about thirty feet in width and depth with rows upon rows of spears, pikes, staffs, bows and arrows. With shorter racks of swords of varying size and shape at the back of the room was another door which Hana opened with a chant and several keys. It slid aside on a pulley to reveal the weapons of there ninja clan: Quire binders,binding webs,sleeping darts,poison darts,shurken,daggers of various types. The list went on: a lot of unique weapons used to kill and restrain. Maki picked up a Quiet Binder and two satchels of ammunition each containing five rounds for binding and gagging, she also selected a number of shurken and daggers.
Maki admired the rounded arrows along with a medium sized bow.
"May I ?"
Sure, go a head we have several more in storage and these bows are really designed for what you're facing. The arrows where blunted and formed in such a way that upon striking a target they released a puff of powerful sleeping gas. Maki took the bow and twenty or so arrows.
Hana regarded her friend.
" Well, are you set?
"Pretty much- got any smoke bombs?"
Hana nodded to a wooden chest on a table to the left. Maki flipped the lid open and took out several smoke bombs. She took the kit into the main room.
After about twenty minutes Maki had checked over the new weapons along with her own and placed them concealed amongst her clothing and travel bags, two should slung holdalls of dark material which fir under her traveling robes.
"Well, Hana, my trip starts in a couple of hours. I want to be out of town by nightfall and well on my way to the first rendezvous by midnight."
"Wait a second," Hana said. "You said you were leaving at midnight, not before. I was having a meal made in your honor for your help,"
"I appreciate that but I have realized that under the circumstances I think time is imperative so I figure the sooner I get started the quicker this is over."
Hana sighed.
"All right, but at least let us prepare a light meal and some other food to take with you, a weeks worth or so should be enough?"
Maki agreed, thanking her friend. As the meal was being made Maki considered there was one last thing she wanted to do before she took off. A wicked little smile crossed Maki's stunning face. After accepting the meal and rations from Hana and the Head chef Hatome she took a long look around and at her friend.
"Well, I shall depart, Hana, but on my way I think I'll pay Kagomi a little visit she said with a grin,
"No Maki, not today please?" Hana pleaded, but too late. Maki leapt straight up and over the wall into the bushes vanishing into the village as only a ninja master could do.
Maki figured she had to have some fun before undertaking this adventure and stopping at the port met her needs several bundles of rope and other items. She made her way along the back streets to Kagomi's home in the guard barracks.
Kagomi and Misato rotated as guard captain for Hana's household. With Misato there now it left Kagomi in the barracks in charge of the remainder of the guards to police and protect the town.
Maki slipped over a low wall and into the barracks grounds, the patrols were scarce since many were either at Hana's or out in the town. Maki pulled a pair of claws from her bags and scaled the walls moving along the roof tiles was easy for someone with the lifetime of training that ninja learned since they could walk. Once reaching the edge of the roof she anchored her line and repelled to the second floor window adjacent to the private office of the guard captain. Kagomi was one room over when Maki slipped inside silent as a shadow.
Kagomi was a taller than average woman, with long, sleek black hair, and long legs, she was wearing the under clothes for armor, which was stacked neatly on a table cleaned and polished ready to use at any time. She had just finished cleaning her Katana and Short sword when a blur of motion caught her eye just before she saw nothing but darkness.
Maki smiled as she poked the lovely captain in the butt with a stick nudging her to wakefulness. As Kagomi's head cleared she realized she was outside in the barracks garden, in fact she was near the oak tree that had been there for thirty years.
Maki smiled at her captive. Kagomi glared at her over the cloth holding the ample amount of cloth in her mouth. She soon realized that the woman in front of her was mistress Hana's comrade and that she was a victim of the much discussed incidents any time Maki was around.
Oh Well, she figured, at least she was safe and it was a trusted clan member. But that did not make her any less annoyed at being hung upside down by her ankles with wrists and elbow encased in what felt like meters of thick ropes, her ebony hair trailing to the ground. She tilted her head up to see her legs and chest were similarly bound with meters of ropes.
"Well, Kagomi consider this your formal welcome to the clan," Maki said. "And don't worry: Hana should be here or one of the household guards should arrive to free you shortly. And don't worry the ropes will hold I used a similar knot when I did this to Misato a year ago. Have fun and see you when I return. Bye!"
Maki took two steps, then dashed to the wall, giggling to herself as she leapt up and over, gone as like at the household, making her way into the flow of the traffic and onto her journey.
Kagomi groaned as the woman vanished.
Well, she thought, this is kinda fun and the ropes make me look slimmer.