(Liana's P.O.V)

One thing I knew for sure, New York City was weird. Even though it's the place where I was born 15 years ago, it's way different from Tokyo, which I think of as home. However, it was similar in some ways. All the billboards and skyscrapers portraying advertisements of every kind, all the people, and the confusing street havoc. But, in Tokyo, there aren't as many hot dog carts. Seriously, there's like, 10 per street. How can people need hot dogs so badly?

"How am I supposed to find Oroku Saki in all of this mess?" I wondered out loud to myself. I held up the picture of what his home looked like and scanned the city scape. I identified the area of the city I was in as Times Square. Saki lived on Delancey. Of course, I had no idea where that was. I pulled up a map of the City on my phone, then I realized it would be easier for me to take to the rooftops. Most normal girls would be exhausted jumping from rooftop to rooftop, but I was no normal girl.

Ever since I could stand, my father, who was also my Sensei, trained me in ninjutsu. He also taught my three best friends, Raya, Donna, and Mia, in a marsh right outside if Tokyo. We previously had lived in Tokyo, but ever since my mother was killed a few months after I was born in a fire that was started in the kitchen where she was cooking, my father took me to the marsh. If you ever think of ancient Japan, the marsh fit that perfectly. Father named it Pah-Hay-Okee, a Native American term that means "glassy water".

My best friends' parents had learned of my fathers' knowledge in ninjutsu, and asked him to teach them to fight along with me. Raya had black hair and emerald eyes with a scar on her shoulder. She had a temper to her and was a master with the sai. Donna had fiery red hair and brown eyes, a gap in her teeth, and she was the smart one of our group. She wielded a Bo staff. Mia had golden hair, blue eyes and freckles. She was the bona fide prankster and yelled cowabunga every chance she got. She was naturally gifted with nunchuks. I had long, wavy dirty blonde hair that was almost light brown, I had green hazel eyes and I was also quite pale. I was rather busty, but I can't help that. I wished I had white blonde hair and blue eyes like my mother, but I got stuck with my fathers' looks instead.

On the plane, I constantly looked at the selfie we took right before I left. I felt bad about having to leave them to search for a new Sensei back in Japan. But I had to, since I was the only one who could call myself a ninja, or kunoich, being a female. They all still needed training.

The reason why I came to New York at all was because it was my fathers' final wish. On his deathbed from cancer, not two weeks after he appointed me leader of my team, he told me to travel to New York City and find his benefactor, which was Oroku Saki. He told me he would house me, and train me further, even though he knew I didn't need it. My father said that Saki would know who I was if I wore my, previously my mothers', light blue mask. It served me well, seeing as how light blue is my favorite color.

As I jumped the rooftops, I carefully tried to stay in whatever shadows I could find. I think you could agree that a teenage girl jumping rooftops in broad daylight looks a little suspicious, even if New Yorkers are slightly oblivious as to what goes on above them. I couldn't help but feel the summer sun beat down on me and through the tan trench coat I was wearing to conceal my weapons that were strapped to my back. When it came time to choose my weapons, I chose the twin katana blades. I had always admired them, and was quite surprised to find myself a natural talent with them.

I ran to a billboard and stopped behind it. I barely had time to catch my breath when I heard someone land behind me. I turned around with a sparrow kick, instantly knocking the ninja unconscious. "A ninja? In New York?" I said in disbelief. "Other than me?" I looked at his strange attire. He was clothed in black from head to toe. A red band ran across his mask which covered his whole head. There were wierd thngs where the eyes would be, and the gloves and stockings were gray and tight. I was about ready to take off again when several dentical ninjas surrounded me. I drew my katanas from underneath my coat, and faster than you could say lights out their lights were. With a few kicks and expert swipes, I threw all the "ninjas" on their backs. "Aaahhh," I breathed. "I feel so much better," I hadn't fought like that in months, and was nice to fight people instead of a training dummy, my friends, or even my father. I turned around to hear another thud on the board. My eyes widened at he sight of her. Another kunoich? She had short hair that was half black and half blonde. She also had red eyes and a tanto blade on her lower back.

"Not bad," I heard her say.

"Uhhh, thanks?" I replied. She jumped from her perch and landed in front of me.

"You may actually be a challenge," she said, drawing her small sword. "Just to warn you, though. I've never lost to an adversary."

"With one blade, maybe," I said while raising my katanas. "Not with two," I finished, using one thing I inherited from my mother. Her smart mouth.

"A sharp tongue," the girl said. "I respect that. Let's see if your skills are just as." She rushed towards me, and we engaged in a batlle. Sometimes I had the upper hand, sometimes she did. There was eventually a point where I had to jump off the building and take the fight into the alley.

"I gotta admit," I said blocking one of her attacks. "This town's more interesting than I thought. We don't have very many kunoiches in Tokyo."

"Wait, you're from Tokyo, too?" she asked in astonishment. Realizing I was at the advantage, I knocked her tanto away and gave her a kick to the jaw, sending her to the ground. I pointed the tip of my blade to her, signifying I'd won.

"What was that about never losing?" I said with a smirk.

"I accept my defeat," she said with a slight smile. "You've won. Now," she said, rising to her feet. "You say you're from Tokyo."

"That's right," I said.

"But you're not..."

"Japanese. Yeah. I was actually born here in New York 15 years ago, but my parents moved to Tokyo shortly after."

"That explains how you got your skills. Your sensei must be awesome."

"Actually, my father taught me. He found a book on ninjutsu when he was young. He taught himself, then me and my best friends."

"What about your mother?"

I averted her gaze. "My mother...was killed in a kitchen fire shortly after we moved to Tokyo."

Her eyes softened at that. "My mother was killed in one, too," she said softly. "Now I live with my dad."

"I wish I can say the same. Mine died last month from cancer." She touched my shoulder.

"Oh," she said. "I'm so sorry."

"It's alright," I assured her.

"So why are you in New York?" she asked.

"On my father's death bed, he told me to travel here to seek out his benefactor, Oroku Saki. My father said he would care for me until I turned 18."

The girl looked a little shocked. "Oroku Saki?" she repeated. "That's my father!" she told me with a smile.

"Really?" I asked, earning a nod. "Then could you take me to him?"

"I'd be happy to," she said.

"Oh, thank you! Uh, what's your name?"

"Karai," she answered. "What's yours?"

"Lilliana," I replied. "But everyone calls me Liana for short."

"Well, Liana," Karai said, linking herarm through mine. "I think we're going to be great friends."

"Me, too," I agreed. We jumped back to the rooftops, and my only friend in New York led me to her father.