Author's Note: The story you are about to read is the second in a series. You might want to read Book 1: Casey Jones first, or a few things might not make much sense. That said, enjoy!
"/Used properly, rage is a powerful ally. Stowed away, or channelled improperly, and it will become your greatest enemy. Anger is the double edged sword. The two headed serpent. I see it in both of you, my young students. You must both learn to harness it. Control it. Do not let it control you. Only when you have mastered your emotions will you be able to continue down the path of the shinobi./"
The voice of my father seemed to come from all directions, the metallic whisper of his helmet tainting his normally smooth bass, making it harsh. The room in which I knelt was completely dark, with no light entering and no light within. I heard the quiet breath of my sister beside me, but I sensed nothing of my sensei.
"/It is disadvantageous to fight an enemy you cannot see,/" he continued, "/but more often than not, your enemy will not give you the luxury of advantage. Defend yourselves!/"
I only hesitated for a mere fraction of a second, but that was far too long. Something slapped me on the back of the head, and I fell forward onto my hands and knees. Before I could react, another blow from the same weapon struck my back, rattling my shell. Neither of these attacks hurt me too much, just knocked me off balance slightly. I heard a shout as my sister was thrust into battle with our opponent. There was a clang of metal on metal, and I used the time afforded to me by this conflict to pull myself up to my feet. From my belt I pulled my weapons of choice: the sai.
The sai are traditional ninja weapons. They resemble large daggers, with three prongs; two short prongs on either side of a much longer one. Commonly weilded as pairs, the sai are the ultimate in defense, able to catch and deflect almost any weapon. Their sturdiness comes at the price of range, as to use them offensively one must get in very close quarters with their enemy. At the moment, I was focused on primarily defending myself, as instructed. The darkness around me remained impenetrable, and I focused as hard as I could on listening to the battle between my sister and father.
Just as I was beginning to track the movements of the other two, I was struck on the side of the head. I swiped at the now vanished enemy, finding nothing but empty darkness. As I extended my senses towards this new attacker, another strike arrived, this time on my rear end. I spun around to throw a slash at this attack, but I was too slow, and another blow collided with my head. I snarled, and the cycle continued. I was always too slow, the enemy was always too fast. It wasn't fair. I gnashed my teeth, hissing a breath through them, trying to attack where I thought my enemy would come from next. My sai found nothing. Again.
My body started to heat up, first in my face, and then spreading until a thin layer of sweat covered my entire body. My breaths were sharp and fast, my brow deeply furrowed. With a shout, I began to swing blindly, striking out at the darkness itself that surrounded me. I would eventually hit something. However my enemies were too quick, their senses too sharp, and I found nothing of the sort. My anger grew. Then, all of a sudden, there it was. A missed step, a weakness. I heard the scuff of a boot on the ground.
Without a moments thought, I lunged towards the sound, tackling the owner of the boot and slashing at them wildly with my sai. My blows caught metal, and there was a repeated clang clang clang as our weapons met, the opposition just as fast in their defense as I was in my assault. This went on for a while, my attacks getting sloppier and more aggresive with each failed strike. Then, with a roar of rage, I stabbed straight down, my weapon finding purchase in something fleshy. An unexpectedly feminine cry of pain split the air.
"/Enough!/" My father said sternly. I immediately backed away from the enemy I had placed myself on top of, scooting back and away from her. I heard the sharp strike of a match being lit, and within moments the training room was illuminated by several candles. The room, which I had spent much of my fourteen years inside, was longer than it was wide. The cieling was high, and both it and the walls were made of a dark wood. The floor was covered in a frayed red material, and on the far end there was a raised platform, surrounded by candles. On this platform was a tall throne, with red cushions.
Seated in the throne was my father, Oroku Saki. He was clad in his ceremonial armor: a glinting metal chest piece with bladed shoulderpads over black robes. Tied around his waist was a thick red sash, and on his arms were metal gauntlets, covered in serrated blades. On his head rested his kabuto, the helmet of a Clan Leader. The piece, metal and shimmering, had a bladed crest and a hanging neck gaurd of chain linked metal. Standing beside him were a pair of men clad in black, with red headbands wrapped around their brows. They each held a bo staff.
Behind me, there was a sharp intake of breath. I turned to find my sister, Oroku Karai, glaring at me. Karai was a petite girl, with straight, black hair falling just above her shoulders. Her almond shaped eyes were nearly black, and shone like a knife in the dark. She was clad in the same black robes and headband as the ninjas beside the throne, and she bore a red sash similar to our fathers. She dropped my bloody sai onto the ground beside her with a clack, holding the wound with her hand. Father snapped his fingers.
"/Bandage her,/" he said. One of the ninjas nodded.
"/Yes, Master Shredder,/" he said, walking forward briskly. While he produced bandages and began to clean and wrap the stab wound, Karai didn't even look at him. Her eyes were on the ground. At one point she glanced up at me, meeting my eyes, and then both of us cast our gazes downward. When the ninja was done with his job, he returned to his post beside the throne. I dropped to one knee before my father, and Karai did the same. There was a beat of silence before he spoke.
"/I hope the lesson I have taught you is clear, my children,/" he said. I pursed my lips, eyes searching the floor for nothing in particular. "/Anger will bewitch your mind. It will cloud your judgement. You must not let it do so. When using the shadow art of genjutsu, you must think clearly. An impaired mind will surely get you killed, or else much, much worse. Now, go. Today's training is complete./" He waved a hand in dismissal.
"/Hai, Sensei/" Karai and I said in unison, bowing to our father before turning and exiting the dojo. The bright light of day stung my eyes as it hit me, and I threw up a three-fingered hand to deflect the sun's rays. Squinting beneath my fingers, I turned to speak with my sister, who was already several paces ahead. I jogged to catch up with her, easily keeping pace with her shorter legs. She stared straight ahead.
"/I'm sorry, sister,/" I said after a few moments of walking wordlessly. I looked at her out of the corner of my eye. She did not change her demeanor at all. After a minute of walking along the stone path that lead to our father's dojo, we began to descend the steps down the mountainside. Below, I could see all of Tamashi Island, my home.
The vast pastures and fields where the farmers of the clan toiled every day to bring the harvest stretched into the city, where many of the residents lived. From up here, the only sound was the wind, and the gulls upon it, but I knew that once we arrived in Tamashi City we would be greeted with the bustle of automobiles and people. Many, many people. The city was several miles across, from the grand gate to the fishing docks, and when lit up by lanterns at night was truly a sight to behold.
After a contented sigh, I realized that in taking in the island's beauty (as I always did when atop the mountain) I had once again fallen behind my sister, and made haste to walk beside her once more. When I had bounded down the stairs to her side, Karai gave a short, airy laugh, a wry smile spreading across her tanned face.
"/Finished with your sightseeing, Shinzo?/" She asked, a teasing tone in her voice. I smiled sheepishly in response, and she shook her head. "/I don't know how you can stand there and be mesmerized by the same view of the same island every time we come up here,/" she said. I shrugged, the light breeze tossing both of our red headbands gently.
"/It's beautiful,/" I said simply. Karai snorted. As we continued to walk down the weathered staircase, her gaze was out across the ocean, whose green waves were as still as glass that day. The sparkling light of the sun and sea reflected in her eyes, and I saw longing there. Then, she blinked, and the sparkle was gone, her eyes returning the steps before her.
"/No, little brother,/" she said, pointing out to the horizon, "/that is beautiful./"
It took us a little more than an hour to finish our climb, and as our feet stepped from weather smoothed rock onto dusty dirt trail, my stomach growled audibly. Karai looked over at me, and we both shared a small laugh.
"/I agree with your stomach,/" she said, placing her hands on her hips and leaning backwards. I heard the quiet popping of her back cracking, and she let out a little sigh of relief. "/Let's find ourselves something to eat./"
As we entered the city, we were greeted by travellers on the road with bows and words of respect. Being the children of the Clan Leader awarded us such greetings. Karai, as always, recieved the reverence with the grace and formality that only she could. I, on the other hand, was reluctant to accept it. I was not entirely comfortable with being honored for something I had merely been born into. I had not earned these people's admiration. The thought simmered in my mind as my sister led us through town.
The smell of gasoline burning and food cooking filled my nostrils. Tamashi City was like a different island compared to the dojo's and temples where I spent most of my time. There, quiet tranquility was only interrupted with combat training. Here, the noise never ceased. On the cobblestone road beside us, an automobile glided past, it's shiny metal exterior catching the light of the paper lanterns hanging from the restaurant Karai had chosen. When we went inside, I was attacked even more with the delicious smells of food. My mouth watered.
"/Table for two,/" Karai told the hostess, who looked very nervously between us. She was a pretty girl, younger than my older sister, with long hair tied up into a complicated bun. She bowed her head, and began to lead us through the restaurant. Business was light this evening, with only a few tables full of customers, their conversations ceasing as we passed them. Karai held her nose up high, accepting the silence. I did my best to ignore the many sets of eyes trained on me as the hostess placed two menus on the table, which was located on a balcony overlooking the coast line. The sun was West bound, and I realized that in a few hours it would be nightfall. We had been training for longer than I thought.
"/Are you ready, or shall I give you a few moments?/" Our hostess said, brushing a stray lock of dark hair behind her ear, which stuck out slightly. She gave us her best smile, and I smiled back. Karai did not.
"/Pork ramen, for both of us,/" she said, closing her menu and plucking mine from my hand.
"/Hey!/" I complained. My sister handed the pair of menus to our hostess, who took them and gave a quick bow before scurrying away. I made an annoyed look at my sister. "/I wanted American food,/" I said. She rolled her eyes.
"/You always want American food, little brother,/" she said, leaning back in her padded chair and crossing her arms. "/I don't know why. It's so greasy and fatty. And how can you stand that much cheese?/"
"/It's delicious,/" I said, my mouth watering at the thought of a juicy hamburger, or maybe a pizza. My stomach voiced its feelings again, and I groaned quietly. Karai shook her head.
"/If you keep eating such things you will get fat, and when you are fat you are slow,/" she frowned, looking up to the sky. "/Shinobi must be swift. Silent. D-/"
"/Deadly and without trace, yes,/" I said, following her gaze. The sky above was turning from blue to a dull grey. It was going to rain soon. What an unfortunate time to be given a balcony table. I sighed, and looked back down just as a server arrived carrying two large bowls of noodle, placing one before each of us. He smiled and bowed politely.
"/Please, enjoy the meal. Compliments of the house,/" he said, before turning on his heel and retreating from the balcony. I watched him go, and when he ducked around a corner I turned back to my sister, the pair of us splitting our chop sticks. Then, my sister watched me curiously. I raised an eyebrow at her, and she gave me a gentle smile.
"/Eat up, little brother,/" she said, stretching her arms above her head. "/We start training with Master Tatsu again tomorrow, and you know how he is. This may be our last full meal for some time./"
She was right. Haitori Tatsu was our father's right hand man, and the only person I knew who might be his equal in combat. He was also a strict and demanding sensei to train under. His regimine reaped results, but it was very difficult going and not for the faint of heart. Many had nearly died under his teachings. Heeding my sister's words, and the cries of my stomach, I began to eat with vigor. After she watched me for a few moments, she seemed satisfied and began to enjoy her meal as well.
I was only half way through my ramen when it began to rain. At first, it was nothing, a few drops on my face that I mistook for soup. Then, without warning as rain does, it began to fall heavily, thudding dully into the roofs of the buildings all around us, and into my half empty noodle bowl. I frowned, as both Karai and I were slowly soaked through. For me, it mattered less, but my sister's clothes gained a few pounds of weight from the water they caught, and when the pair of us left our seats and entered the restaurant proper, she was quite upset.
We left the restaurant followed by a host of apologies and bowed heads. I tried to express that I was not upset, but Karai was moving quickly, and soon I had to turn from the poor employees to catch up with her. Together, we walked through the now pouring rain. Several people offered us their umbrellas, but we refused them, myself out of regard for their own dryness and my sister because she could not be seen accepting such gifts from the commoners.
"/If the people see the daughter of their Clan Leader taking the umbrella from a poor man, they will be in uproar. It will fuel discontent,/" she explained to me, turning a corner and beckoning for me to follow her into the lobby of a hotel. The building was stylized to be Japanese, but was very clearly influenced by Western culture. The man at the front desk bowed curtly, presenting us with the top of his balding head.
"/Madame Karai, Master Shinzo,/" he said, "/welcome to the Quiet Lion Hotel. Would you like the penthouse suite?/" He pulled a pair of keys off of the rack of keys behind him, and held them in his outstretched hand towards us. Karai stepped forward, taking the keys from him, and walking past him to the stairs.
"/That will do just fine, thank you,/" she said simply. I nodded my thanks, and followed Karai up the stairs.
"/Sister,/" I said, placing a hand on her shoulder as we reached the door to our room. She stopped, key midway into the lock, staring at the door. "/How is your shoulder?/" She scoffed quietly.
"/I'm fine, little brother. You hardly hit me. Only my pride was wounded,/" she said, smiling at herself. She finished unlocking the door and opened it, stepping into the penthouse. It was a wide open room, complete with a small stone fountain and a wall mounted flat screen television. A smile reached my lips as I took in the beauty of the room. In my intensive training I had very little chance for luxory, so when it was afforded to me it was very much a treat.
There were multiple beds located throughout the suite, each of them more plush than the last, all covered in soft beige blankets and fluffy white pillows. Karai removed her katana from her back, placing it on a bedside table. Then, she untied her headband and sash, and they joined the sword and sheath. She turned to me, and pulled the string that turned off her lamp.
"/Goodnight, Shinzo. Get some rest,/" she said. I heard her get comfortable in her bed, and then there was silence, only pierced by the pitter-patter of rain. I stared out the window for a while, watching the sky pour onto Tamashi City.
When I finally nodded off, I dreamed of far away lands.