Title: Clash of the Shinobi
Rating: T for violence, course language, and perhaps some nudity (might be a bit M-rated for some of the Kill Bill like scenes)
Author's Note / Disclaimer: I have decided to do this, which may come as a surprise. Just a quick slip of info, when Japanese characters speak with each other they will be speaking Japanese. I do know some of the language, of course I did have to look up on Wikipedia for words I did not know. LXG is © to 20th Century Fox, all characters are © to their original creators. I just own the few Japanese characters in this.
Chapter 1: A Vision
Minami-za Kabuki Theater
Kyoto, Japan
1899
It was a chilly autumn day in the Japanese city of Kyoto, the kabuki theater was busy with a large audience. Among the pale, dark-haired, and slanted eyed Japanese audience, there were two Englishmen who appeared to have wealth and importance based on their style of clothing. In company of the two men were a pair of geisha, the native woman had their faces delicately painted and wore colorful kimonos that were traditional in Japan.
The company acquired front row seats inside the theater, the Englishmen showed little expression as they seated with their geisha companions. The rest of the audience had settled in and the performance was to start.
The performers came on stage with their elaborate costumes. The play carried on as the performers danced and sang on the stage. Within the first two hours of the play, something unusual happened, clouds of of smoke burst out throughout the dark theater. People panicked, the performance halted, and everyone was shouting and rushing to leave the theater. During the chaos, dark clothed figures slipped from the deepest shadows of the theater and through the smoke.
When everyone had escaped the theater and the authorities had arrived to the scene, the Englishmen and their geisha companions had vanished.
In a tiny village outside the city of Kyoto, surrounded by forests turning red and gold for the autumn, the residents were rising to their daily routines on the morning after the incident at the kabuki theater. Even though the village residents were occupied with their own concerns, one little house was concerned with the events that occurred within the city and events yet to come.
Satoshi Yamoto was a young man of twenty-three, after he had awoken and dressed in his casual kimono, he arrived in the main hall to find his sister painting on several scrolls with a brush and ink. It was not unusual for twelve-year-old Meru Yamoto to be painting ink drawings in the morning, she occasionally had visions in her dreams and was advised to illustrate her visions.
"Konichi wa,"Satoshi greeted in his native tongue.
"Konichi wa," Meru responded, looking up at her bother for a second. She quickly resumed her illustrations, sometimes tucking a strand of black hair behind her ears.
"Did you have another vision?" Satoshi knelt down at the short table across from his sister.
"Hai," Meru did not look up from her work.
On the scrolls that Satoshi could see, there were images, as drawn by Meru's tiny hands in traditional Japanese style, of people who appeared to be foreigners. One drawing was of a man with wavy yellow hair and dressed in gray, the next drawing was of a dark skinned and bearded man dressed in blue, the third was of a woman with flowing red hair and dressed in black. The last two drawings were more puzzling, one was a red haired man in black casting a shadow that was very different in shape, and the other drawing was what appeared to be a floating black coat.
"Who are these people?" Satoshi asked.
"They will be coming soon," replied Meru, "and we must help them."
London, England
1899
Within a secret meeting room in one of London's important government buildings, five individuals were seated at a long table. They were unaware that a little girl in the Far East was illustrating pictures of them on her scrolls.
Entering the room were two government officials. One man was gray haired and wore fine attire, the other man was also finely dressed only he was portly with black hair and beard.
"Allow me to make introductions," said the gray haired man, "I am Mycroft Holmes, this man is Campion Bond. The government has been meaning to organize an important mission for the League since the news of the Phantom's downfall."
"May I ask what mission is to be organized?" asked Mina Harker, the single woman of the League.
"Two experts in foreign affairs from London disappeared in Kyoto. Their names are Samuel Winston and Frederick Greene. The Japanese authorities believe it was a kidnapping as an act against Great Britain, I'm afraid there isn't much more detail." Holmes placed a folder containing files onto the table near Mina was sitting.
Mina looked through the files, reading information on the missing men and observing their photographs. Winston was an elderly man with craggy features and white hair, Greene was a balding middle-aged man. The following information detailed their positions, expertise, and their business affairs. Along with the two files was a newspaper clipping of their disappearance in Kyoto.
The vampire observed her fellow League members. Nemo, who remained standing, kept his hand clenched over the hilt of his sword, which was always on his belt. Rodney Skinner, the invisible thief, was completely covered by his coat, hat and face paint, the only expression he showed was that of boredom. Henry Jekyll had taken out his pocket watch and began playing with it, a usual habit of his, his gray eyes focused on his hands. Tom Sawyer seemed more eager of the group, sitting upright with his arms crossed and his blonde hair dropping over hie eyes.
Campion Bond cleared his throat, drawing the League's attention to him.
"Gentlemen," he said, "and lady, it is possible that our men in Japan were captured by shinobi. Your mission is to go to Japan and retrieve them."
"No problem for us to handle," said Tom optimistically.
"Don't be so sure, Mr. Sawyer," said Nemo, "I know from research of Japanese history that these shinobi are not to be underestimated."
"Yes," said Bond coldly, "sneaky fiends they are. Sadly they weren't wiped out when the samurai were over twenty years ago." His harsh remark earned him a dark glare from Nemo.
"They might be sneaky," said Rodney, "but I have invisibility on my side."
"I agree with Nemo," said Henry quietly, "we really don't completely understand what we might be up against."
"You have time during the voyage to Japan," said Holmes, "to research further into your mission."
"We'll accept the mission," said Mina, "some of us still have to redeem ourselves for our previous mistakes." She glanced at Henry and Rodney, knowing they still had to earn their pardon for their crimes.
"Alright," said Tom with excitement, "I get to go to Japan!" Everyone glanced at him with raised brows, the American nervously giggled.
End Note: That's the first chapter, the kidnapping occurred, Meru had a vision, and the League is going to Japan!