Some Secrets Are Best Kept Hidden

~A G.I. Joe Story~

By: Setsunakis Kitsunetsuki Koromai Kokoro Akatsuki Nozomina

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Information:

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Name: Mercedes Tsang (I used Zhang Ziyi as my visual)

Alias: Death Venom Seductress (D.V.S)

Age: 21

Race: Half Japanese/Half American

Intelligence: Ninjutsu, gun control, & Advance intellectual.

Skills: Ninjutsu, weapon specialist, & seducing men.

Abilities: Keener sense of hearing.

Parents: Mother is a chemical engineer. Father is a member of the G.I. Joe team.

Both your parents want to run your life by applying you for different programs and affiliations pertaining to what they specialize in instead of what you want to accomplish in life. They also believe that they should be in charge of your life since you were born blind. But all that is about to change…

~Chapter One~

[Flashback/Two years before]

Mercedes: "No mother. I don't want to go to the Tokyo University of Information Science nor the Science University of Tokyo, Suwa. I want to try something different. Have you talked to dad about not letting me join the military? What do you think they'll say to someone who has a disability like me? I don't want to do that either. I don't like anything that deals with politics, war, and conflict." You said, getting all upset while helping your mother pack her belongings. Your mother and father were leaving you alone to yourself for a whole three weeks. "That's enough you sent a babysitter to look after me. I'm not a kid anymore."

Mother: "Protection is most needed within families. You should know that, Mercedes?"

Mercedes: "I do…but I still don't need a…a…bodyguard, whatever you call it. I'm old enough to take care of myself. Or have you forgotten? I'm 19." Your mother ignored your pleas and judgments as she grabbed her suitcase from your reach.

Mother: "He should be here shortly to watch over you when we leave. Your father is going to Base. You should be unhappy that I am leaving as well. God knows how long we will be leaving you alone." There was a car honk outside the house and you listened to the direction of the sound that led your gaze to your window. Your mother grabbed one suitcase and you felt around for the other one as you both walked down the stairs to the front door. She opened the door and walked out into the midday of a humid Friday afternoon. "Come here, Mercedes. Come say goodbye to your father and I." You walked closer and hugged the both of them as your mother kissed you on your forehead. "Ai shiteiru."

Mercedes: "Watashi mo, okaasan." A black limousine pulled over to the side of the yard and parked there for a while. Your father watched the limousine and your mother told you to go inside while they dealt with whoever was inside the limousine. "Sayonara okaasan. Sayonara otousan."

Whenever they have business to take care of, they usually tend to shoo you away. You headed back inside and shut the door behind as you went over to your parents' room where you laid down on their bed. After half an hour later, you found yourself waking up to the usual total darkness of any room, however, the sunset was that of an orange-pinkish glow yet the inside of the house was pitch-black from the unlit lights within the house. You got up and felt your way over to your bedroom where you changed into something suitable for the nighttime. As you wore your slippers, you swore you heard something across the hall. You quickly wore your slippers and made your way out your bedroom, scanning the halls with half your body out the door.

You heard that no one was here so you went down to the kitchen and the fear, still overtaking your soul, made you grab a knife from the knife stand. You just couldn't bear to be alone in this house with the creepy thought that someone could be in your house without you knowing. You continued to the fridge, pulled out an apple, sat on the table with your back to the doorway, and started to chew on your apple. What happened next was the scariest thing in your life. It was a moment between life and death in your thoughts. As you made to take a third bite of your apple, something came whirling past your right cheek and landed right inside your apple with half of the object entering your mouth. Stunned by panic, you slowly remove the apple from your mouth and examined what appeared to be a shuriken.

Mercedes: "What the…" You turned the other way and heard the soft footsteps of someone standing right in the middle of your kitchen. It was a mysterious man with a white tuxedo although you had no sense of image of him.

You jumped off the table and listened to the sounds of the mysterious guy. By the sound of it, he must have been trained real well in the mastering of throwing shurikens and stealth. You paid real close attention to the whirling sounds as he twirled another shuriken between his fingers and eyeing you intently. You took a slow step to the right and he took one to the left. You suddenly remembered that you had placed the knife on the table where you were sitting and took a quick glance at the spot. It all happened very fast with the blink of an eye. Your hand was reaching over to the knife and the next thing you know, he was behind you with a katana raised to your neck; his other hand clinging on tightly to your left hand where you held the knife.

Thomas A.: "Drop the knife down and no one gets hurt." He said, in a commanding voice.

Mercedes: "Funny. I should be the one saying that as it is my own house." He gave a soft laugh, but got serious when you struggled in his grasp, and he tightened his hold against your neck as you felt the blade slicing into your skin.

Thomas A.: "You are a very foolish girl to say that. I could kill in one single stroke. No big deal."

Mercedes: "Then you shall die first." With all your might, you used your remaining strength as you transferred your weight to your upper body making your feet lighter to jump up and kick the kitchen counter. You flipped over his shoulders reversing his actions and landed on your feet on top the table. There was a slight smirk playing across his face.

Thomas A.: "What is your Sensei's name?"

Mercedes: "Why do you want to know?" He shrugged his shoulders and raised his eyebrows in an uninteresting fashion while he continued to weave his shurikens in and out his fingers dangerously. You continue to listen to the sounds made by it.

Thomas A.: "Just wondering. Because I'd like to see what happens next…if I do this?" He kicked the table and you lost balance but tried to counter it by performing a backward midair somersault over the table. The move failed seeing as you lost complete control of your equilibrium and landed right on your butt to the floor. You quickly tried to get up but once again, the sharp edge of his blade was against your neck. "I expected better but not bad for beginners." He tapped the tip at your chin urging you to get up but you ignored him. "Up. Get up." You clenched your jaw in anger and slowly rose from your knees.

Mercedes: "It's Sensei…Iwatakai." You surrendered on the verge of tears.

Thomas A.: "Ma-sa-yo-shi Iwatakai." He spoke in a mocking sort of way as he removed the blade from your neck, replacing it back into its sheath, and holding out a helping hand. You eyed his hand with a sense of knowledge that it was there, hesitated at first, but took it as he pulled you up.

Mercedes: "No. It's Sensei Satoshi Iwatakai."

Thomas A.: "Yes, well, they're related by blood." You couldn't help but continue to picture his appearance. Now to think of it, you still don't know who he is and how he got here. In your terms, this would be called breaking and entry or trespassing. He was now heading out the kitchen door and into the living room before he stopped. "Judging by the lack of photography around the house, your parents do not know you are training in the arts of Ninjutsu." He glanced over his shoulders. "Well, at least your mother knows."

Mercedes: "How is it that you know so much about me?"

Thomas A.: "I read your profile before I took the job. I must say, your…father didn't quite approve of me. I had to prove to him I was trustworthy." He spoke with a nasty sneer at the word 'father'.

Mercedes: "What does my father have to do with this? Leave him out of it!"

Thomas A.: "Tsk. You ask too much questions, you know? Be mindful of what you say before you let slip information because you talk too much. But if you insist on knowing, he's under my radar. That's it." He gave a slight bow and left the house. You followed the sound of his footsteps all the way out the house until he reached over to the very same black limousine. Without any eye contact, he got into the vehicle and said, "I can see that you are perfectly capable of handling yourself. Guess my job is over." The driver reversed out the driveway and crossed paths with you.

Mercedes: "But wait—" It was too late. The limousine had long gone when you sighed deeply to yourself. "I don't even know your name. Who were you anyways?" You turned away and went back inside.

[Flashback Ends]