FATE'S RED STRING

Chapter 2

Encounter

- o - 0 - o -

Mariko couldn't remember how she got back to her room, but when she opened her eyes, she was already lying on her bed, blanket over her. She recounted most what happened last night, up to the encounter with the golden-haired dancer, where everything else had gone hazy. She wondered if dreamed it all, shaking her head as she stood up to get ready for the day.

A crimson mask with black spots all over it fell from her bed and into the ground, as if a reminder to the girl that there was no way she imagined it all.

Crimson… A crimson thread… That's right, a red string of fate tied her to…

Mariko could feel a headache coming. It was for the best to just forget everything; it was nothing to be concerned about. After all, the red string of fate, was just a legend.

But so were the Kwami and they were real, a part of her mind argued.

Ugh. Mariko needed to get these traitorous thoughts off her head. And what better way than to spend the whole day doing all her duties?

- o - 0 - o -

"Sayako-sama had already informed us that you would not be joining us today."

"Ah, what?"

Mariko was about to enter the pagoda, ready to join and serve for the morning worship. But one of the older miko, a pleasant-faced middle-aged woman named Karin, was quick to stop her from proceeding. Karin was a tall and beautiful woman with bright orange hair, which was tied in an intricate bun. The woman was once her writing and language tutor when she was around thirteen, and though she could be quite strict and demanding, Mariko remembered her lessons with her as one of the most enlightening – and enjoyable – ones. Right now, Karin was giving her former student a half-amused, half-suspicious gaze. "She said you were granted a leave of absence for the entire month."

This was news for Mariko, standing still as her jaws dropped. "I was?"

Karin raised an eyebrow, her teal eyes boring on Mariko, like she used to do when the young girl was caught doing something she shouldn't. "I believe you will be leaving for the Miyako, to train under the Tamayori-Hime?"

"Oh right." Mariko tried to salvage the situation with a composed smile, even though she was internally panicking. You idiot, of course Sayako-sama would come up with an explanation for your immediate departure to complete the Rite of Ascension, she thought. "Yes, of course, I quite er, forgotten about it."

"You forgot?" Karin looked more disapproving than ever.

"I… I had a lot in my plate nowadays," replied Mariko lamely.

Karin's face slackened, looking more understanding. "I guess it is a lot to take in, especially for someone as young as you." Then she smiled as she put a hand over Mariko's shoulder. "But know that I believe in you."

Her former tutor's faith on her put a small smile on Mariko's face. "Thank you, Karin-san."

"You were my best student, Mariko." Karin then paused, wearing a contemplative expression. "Mariko-sama. I should start calling you that, huh? This will take some getting used to."

"Oh no, you really shouldn't have to call me that," protested Mariko quickly. "Not even when I ascend to the title!"

Karin smiled fondly. "As humble and kind as ever. Never change, dearest Mariko." Then, she did a shooing motion. "Now, go enjoy your day, you are on leave, after all."

Mariko bit her lip. "But what should I do?"

Karin raised an eyebrow, looking like a teacher reprimanding a student once more. "You'll just have to figure that out on your own."

- o - 0 - o -

"So I won't be doing anything for the next three days, until I leave for the Rite of Ascension."

Mariko kept repeating the particular thought in a hushed whisper, turning it over and over again until it became some sort of mantra. She was walking around in circles over the whole Temple complex, lost in the fact that she had three whole free days, but had no idea how to spend them. After all, the longest recess she ever had was one long day, but that was when she was sick with the influenza. The miko just don't do holidays.

Which goes back to the particular problem in the present, what should Mariko do in the next three days?

"Mariko, there you are!" Someone hugged from her behind and it took all effort for Mariko not to shriek in surprise. "I've been looking all over for you!"

"Io!" Mariko turned to the brunette, who looked uncharacteristically somber. "Is there something wrong?"

Io looked like she would cry any moment now. "You!"

"Me?" It was the second time that day that Mariko felt like she was the most ignorant person in the world.

"That's why you were giving your all last night!" Io hugged the other girl once more, a little forceful and tight than Mariko would have liked.

"Giving my what?" Really, Mariko was repeating words like a demented puppet.

"The dress, the mask, the attitude, everything!" It was a little distracting to see Io crying and looking put out at the same time. "Why didn't you tell me you we're leaving soon?"

Finally, things started to make sense for Mariko. She believed a white lie was in order. She didn't like lying to Io one bit, but it had to be done. "I didn't because I didn't want to worry you."

Io snorted, her cheerful self returning as she wiped her tears with the sleeves of her white haori. "And hearing it from the elder miko wouldn't make me?"

"Yeah, it was a pathetic reason…"

"You're just too kind for this world, you know." Io smiled and Mariko didn't like the mischievous tint on the grin. "If I'd have known, I'd book that handsome dancer for you. Couldn't find a better person to lose your sanctity to."

"Io!" Mariko could feel the heat radiating from her cheeks.

"What? It's not like I caught you staring at him with an open mouth and saliva falling to your chin!"

"I did not." Mariko couldn't deny the first two accusations, but she was definitely not salivating. Well, she hoped she wasn't.

"I didn't say you did."

"Iooo!"

"Fine, fine, I'm dropping the subject." As the last of the giggles left Io, she became gravely serious once more. "So you're set on leaving?"

Mariko took a deep breath. "I am."

A playful grin formed in Io's face once more. "So I'll be calling you Mariko-sama from now on?"

"Ugh, Io, not you too…"

"Too?"

"Karin-san mentioned the same thing." Mariko shivered; being called respectfully like that gave her an uncomfortable feeling, like she wasn't deserving of the same.

"You'll have to get used to it, though."

Mariko sighed. "I really have to, huh?"

"Hm-hmm."

"Still doesn't sit right with me."

"Hmm…"

"Hey, are you even listening?" Mariko turned to where Io was staring, wondering what got her distracted. She found two miko huddled together, whispering amongst each other. They were close to Mariko's age and recognized both of them – Junko and Risa, if her memory was right. The two were inseparable like sisters, so seeing them together was not odd, but seeing the normally bubbly and sweet Risa having a troubled expression was.

Io was quickly heading towards the two girls and Mariko immediately followed. Not one to uphold sensitivity, Io immediately went to work. "What's going on?"

The two girls were startled by Io's sudden appearance, but calmed down after seeing that it was only them, not an older miko ready to reprimand and send them back to work. However, they did not meet their eyes and their body movements clearly meant that they were reluctant to share anything.

Mariko had to remedy that. "You can trust us, you know," she said with a reassuring smile.

Junko, a dark-haired and tall girl with a quiet air around her, looked at her companion. She was a pretty miko, with her copper-colored eyes and her long black hair tied in a ponytail with the use of an iris-decorated hair pin. It was too bad that she kept her head down most of the time, like what she was doing as she addressed Mariko and Io. "There's something odd going on in Risa's room…"

One of Io's eyebrows quirked up. "Odd?"

Junko glanced at Risa once more, who was biting her lip, as if considering what to share. Junko dwarfed over her friend, who was as cute as a fairy. Risa had short blonde hair, adorned by a small orchid pin. She usually had a bright twinkle in her periwinkle-hued eyes, but it now held a depressed and worried countenance. There were also some dark shade in her eyelids, prompting Mariko to speak up. "If it's causing you to lose a lot of sleep, then you need to tell us."

"Mariko is right," intoned Io. "You girls have helped me out more than once, so I'd like to repay the favor." She then eyed Mariko with a critical gaze, making the other girl step back. "And knowing our little Tamayori-Hime, she couldn't really ignore anyone in need."

"You speak as if it's a bad thing!"

"No, it's not," said Io with a sigh. "But excessive prying and putting others before yourself is."

Mariko frowned. She would have childishly stuck her tongue out, but she was already eighteen years old, for goodness' sake. Still, Risa looked like she was in the midst of laughter, so at least Io's nagging cheered her up.

"So, what exactly is wrong with your room, Risa?" asked Io.

Risa's head drooped down once more. "At first, things started to go missing…"

"Don't you misplace your things once in a while?" Io's insensitive words cut in. Mariko winced – if she was a goody-two-shoes, Io was an obstinate and blasé oni. Still, Io had a point – Risa was well-known to be occasionally absent-minded.

"That's why I didn't tell anybody else," said Risa with bouts of adorable pouting.

"I helped her in looking," stated Junko. "But we just couldn't find it."

"And Junko is good at finding lost stuff," Risa pointed out.

"You still haven't found them?" asked Mariko, trying to steer the conversation back to the correct topic. "And how long had this been happening?"

"No, not a single one," answered Risa. "And it's been three days already."

"So the big problem is that you're losing stuff over three days and still haven't got even one back?" Io tapped a finger on her chin. "We're probably dealing with a thief here. Did the two of you try to stay up and catch the culprit on the act?"

"We did actually," replied Junko. "Just last night. We took turns sleeping and standing guard and…"

"And?"

Risa looked deathly pale as she hugged on her taller friend, eyes streaming with tears. "I… I saw something, hunching over my window. A horrible dark shadow. It had scary red eyes and horns and I screamed and Junko woke up and…"

Mariko glanced at Io, who had a big wide look on her face. "And then?"

"It suddenly disappeared," finished Junko, rubbing Risa's back to calm her down. "I caught a small glimpse before it suddenly faded into nothing…"

"Hmmm…" A shadow with scarlet eyes. Suddenly appearing and disappearing. To Mariko, it sounds like a…

"Do you think it could be the Black Cat?" asked Junko suddenly.

"The what?" Mariko couldn't follow the conversation well with all the thinking she was doing.

"The Black Cat." It was Io who replied, looking at Mariko like she had sprouted two heads. "The notorious bandit who he'd been stealing all sorts of stuff all over the country. I'm shocked you haven't heard of him."

"Them," corrected Mariko, now remembering these rumors in town. "The latest account of this Black Cat says that it was a girl with short pink hair." The Black Cat was infamous not only because of the well-executed raids and the priceless jewels and artifacts that had been stolen, but for the fact that this person was a shape-shifter. The only consistent thing from the rumors was that the bandit was dressed in all black with a cat mask and two pointed cat ears on top of the head.

"His most common appearance is that of a green-eyed blonde guy," objected Io. "If the Imperial Guard's assessment was true, then that means there are several Black Cats running around the Empire, with this blonde dude supposedly being the leader."

Mariko scowled, but couldn't argue with that.

"I heard the Black Cat is a vengeful Kwami," stated Junko, still looking after Risa, whose sobs were now getting lighter. "After all, nobody was able to get a good luck at him. Or her."

This, Mariko had to argue. "A Kwami doesn't steal things, they don't see the value on human possessions. Besides, the Black Cat is definitely human. Or a bunch of humans. A bunch of crafty humans with incredible skill."

"I agree with Mariko," said Io. "Besides, why would the Black Cat be interested in Risa's things?" Both Mariko and Junko gave her a displeased frown, so she quickly changed the tone of her voice. "I mean, I'm sure Risa's stuff is interesting, but interesting enough for the most wanted criminal in the Empire?"

"Come to think of it," stated Mariko. "We never heard what was stolen from Risa…"

Wiping her tears, Risa emerged from the folds of Junko's haori and opened her mouth to answer.

- o - 0 - o -

"A hand mirror, a pair of geta, a half-empty bottle of perfume." Mariko repeated the list of stolen things that Risa provided. "And last night, Risa saw the shadow of the thief and it disappeared before stealing anything."

"The Black Cat definitely did not went on a prowl here last night," said Io with a little giggle. Then, she turned to Mariko and regarded her outfit with a disapproving glare. "And are you really going to join us today?"

"Hmm, why not?" Mariko was clad in a white karate-gi, a light and loose-fitting tunic and a pair of pants. She had her hair propped up in one single ponytail. Io was also dressed the same way, but her hair was in a tight bun instead.

"Aren't you supposed to be free, today? So why are you heading to the martial art lesson?"

Mariko shrugged. "I can do what I want today, so I'm thinking that I should brush up my combat skills."

"Mariko, the Tamayori-Hime having good combat skills doesn't add up."

"It's for self-defense," reasoned Mariko.

"Yeah, of course!" The sarcasm in Io's voice was thick. "Because the Empire doesn't assign the Tamayori-Hime elite guards or something."

Mariko eyed her friend warily. "Are you mad that I'm not making use of my free time well?"

Io gave a bored look. "Free time should be used for fun things."

"Learning martial arts is fun," replied Mariko, ignoring the rolling of the other girl's eyes.

Io raised her arms in frustration. "Ugh, I give up, do what you like! The boys are getting obnoxious anyway, so I'll have fun looking at you beating them all up."

"Obnoxious?"

"Oh yes, they are very annoying," replied Io, looking at Mariko like she caused Io the same strife in a daily basis. "I don't know why Harumi-san just couldn't make a different schedule for the miko, away from the shinsoku-in-training."

"You do know that Harumi-san is also the captain of the town's militia. He doesn't have the time to divide the lesson."

"Yes I know, but that Toru-san is always getting on my nerves!" Io huffed. "What he did to Risa-chan in the lesson last week was beyond aggravating!"

"Wait, what did Toru do to Risa?"

"Oh, right, you were away to do a rite in the fields," babbled Io. "You know how we sometimes spar with the opposite gender, so that we know how to defend ourselves if we're assaulted by a man with a bigger stature? Risa got paired with the jerk and I saw him pinning the poor girl with an immodest look on his face! Worse, he was touching her on places that he shouldn't!"

"What?!" Mariko's outraged voice caught the attention of a few Temple visitors, so she quickly lowered her voice into a fuming whisper. "Why didn't the captain put a stop on it?"

"He was busy supervising another bout," explained Io. "But he was angry when he heard about it. But Toru spouted some nonsense about showing the girls the consequences if we don't fight back with our full strength. Harumi-san was still not pleased, but had to agree that Toru had a point."

"So he got away with it?!"

"Sensei had him apologize to Risa. But his face was so smug and remorseless I would have kicked him in the you-know-where!"

Mariko would have given him a kick too and she would do so with all her might, but probably not in the private area. Shaking her head, she tried hard not to think about how Toru would look like with broken bones. Still, the conversation kept Io from nagging about her true intentions in joining the class. There was no need to confide on her on what she was planning.

The incident with Risa had made her think that her thief may not be human. Aside from the obvious disappearing from thin air bit, the Temple was heavily guarded by the priests and the militia. A human would not be able to get inside the grounds without touching the protective enchantments around it, which would have alerted everybody. A Kwami may get inside, but the gods were not attracted to simple things such as a miko's used perfume. And evil spirits would not hang around a holy site. This was all baffling and Mariko was determined to get to the bottom of this. But before she could, she need to borrow a certain thing from the captain of the militia.

Io's complaints kept on going until the two of them reached a matted area near the living quarters of the shinsoku on the west side of the Temple. Several young men and women were already there, dressed in the same karate-gi as the two arriving miko. Io directed a glare on the laughing young man lounging near the stone lantern, whom Mariko recognized as no other than the infamous Toru-san. He was around twenty years old, with short brown hair, brown eyes and a small patch of hair in his chin. He was pretty tall and built wide and strong; Mariko had no doubt he could wrestle a small thing like Risa easily. Speaking of the girl, she was present though Junko – for once – was nowhere to be seen. She stayed as far as from the guy as possible and Mariko assumed that he had caused her further grief in addition to the mysterious loss of her possessions.

Mariko's arrival caught everyone's eye, mostly looking at the ladybug earrings. She resisted the urge to cover the ears; being the center of attention was never a welcome feeling for her. Once again, another one to add to the list of things that she should get used to.

"Mariko-kun, what a pleasant surprise!" Harumi was a tall yet wiry man with sparse brown hair and blue eyes. His most prominent feature was a rather curly moustache, said to be a popular style from a foreign country he visited. Though it caused the occasional laughter amongst the townspeople, his students were wise enough not to make fun of it when he was around. Despite his eccentricities, Harumi was a capable fighter and leader and Mariko respected his astute way of teaching. "I was under the impression that you will be unable to join us today, seeing that you are currently on leave?"

Io snorted, but Mariko cut her off before she can say something unnecessary. "There are still three days before I leave, and the training I'm supposed to be is more of the spiritual and mental kind, so I figured I should strengthen my body first. It's been a while since I've joined a lesson, too."

"With good reason, of course!" Harumi gave the young miko an approving nod. "You've been busy doing your preparations to become the next Tamayori-Hime, which incidentally I am very proud of."

"Ah, yes, right."

"Though I agree that neglecting your physical attributes is a no-no," continued the militia captain, unaware of Mariko's discomfort. "You were always a nimble little thing, Mariko-kun, but I presume a little strength-training wouldn't go to waste? How about a little bout?"

To Mariko's nod, Harumi raised his voice. "Would anyone volunteer to have a friendly little match with the Tamayori-Hime heiress?"

The young women gathered around definitely did not meet the martial arts trainer's gaze, they were quite aware of Mariko's skill in the battlefield. Mariko could see a few of the men appraising her; a few with unimpressed looks regarding her petite figure and thin arms. She smirked, knowing that being underestimated was always the precedent to an unwary opponent and a good trashing.

"Oh, Toru-kun, you'd like to try?" Io's object of fury had raised a hand, a broad and arrogant grin on his face. "Then, go for it, give Mariko a good match."

Toru gave Harumi with a disgusting glare when the captain was not looking; probably irritated at the prior statement sounding like he should do his best and try not to throw the towel soon. Mariko grinned at this, while Io gave her a meaningful look, as if telling her to not to show the guy any mercy. The dark-haired miko raised an eyebrow; Io must really hate this guy's guts.

"Ready?" Harumi stood at the center, his raised arm falling as he gave the signal. "Then start!"

"You can have the first attack," said Toru rather generously, with a huge smirk on his face.

Mariko settled in a good fighting pose, before replying. "Have it your way then."

Mariko stepped forward in an instant, palm outstretched. The strike hit Toru directly on the chest and the man had to take a step back. His grin disappeared as Mariko raised an eyebrow and the crowd – mostly the girls – cheered.

Furious at getting hit so early in the match, Toru stepped forward and readied a roundhouse kick. However, letting his emotions get wild made him easy to read and Mariko bowed low as his feet soared harmlessly above her. While one of his legs was still in the air, it was very simple to kick the other one and make him lose his balance.

Toru crumpled in the floor, but he wasn't out. He quickly grabbed on Mariko's right leg and pulled, using all his strength to put the girl on the same situation. Mariko's legs gave way and in an instant, Toru was on top of her, pinning her arms behind her with one hand and crossing his legs over the girl's, effectively disabling the miko. Mariko struggled, but he got her good.

"I really don't like the feisty ones…" Toru whispered to Mariko's right ear while his free hand started stroking one of her legs, right near the waist. "But you're cute too, Tamayori-Hime-sama…"

Mariko gave the pervert a fuming look. "Sorry, but I'm not the type to stay on the ground for long." And using all her strength, she raised both her legs at once, hitting the man hard on his stomach.

Toru grunted in pain as he let go of the miko, both hands on his hurting tummy. He looked up in time to receive a kick on the face and was sent rolling on the ground.

"You're lucky I didn't hit you on the groin." Mariko spat at her ailing contender. "Probably would have taught you the consequences of underestimating and taking advantage of a girl."

"You little bitch…" Toru spoke as he stood feebly. "Girls should crumple and cry like that Risa-chan…" He gave a shameless look at Risa, who was quick to bury her face in tears.

Mariko eyed him with contempt, and so did the rest of the women in attendance. They gathered round, Io in the lead, giving the man the most terrifying stink-eye. Toru shuddered at the advancing women, finally realizing he had gone a little too far.

"That's enough." Harumi's voice cut through the crowd and Toru sighed, as if he had just been rescued. But the militia captain had worn the most terrifying expression amongst everyone. "Toru-kun, I'm afraid you need to be taught a lesson about treating women the proper way. And I will be making sure to get that to your head and more."

It was justice served, but Mariko had to avert her gaze from Toru's "punishment". She turned to comfort Risa, but found out that she was a little too late. A short, dark-skinned boy was on Risa's side, holding her gently and saying soothing words. Mariko recognized the boy as the sweet Aki-san, who came from a small town in the east to train as a priest. However, it wasn't lost on Mariko that Risa had a small blush on her cheeks.

Mariko gave Io a questioning glance, with the other girl looking at the same view. Io raised an eyebrow, gave a meaningful wink and returned to watching Toru's comeuppance. Since the captain was busy at the time, Mariko decided to wait a while before voicing her request.

- o - 0 - o -

"Here you go, Mariko-kun." Harumi offered a wooden box to Mariko, who took it gratefully. The martial arts training was mostly wrapped up, with the students divided into pairs to spar together. Seeing that he crushed Toru into the ground, the men were quick to avoid getting paired with her. Mariko decided to spare everyone the right to face her in a match, noting that Toru's fate had kept the boys from doing anything reckless anymore. And so, she quickly talked to the militia captain and provided her request, which Harumi had pleasantly accepted, without a hint of suspicion or a query on her intentions. "Make sure to clean them up after using, we don't want the blades to rust."

"Of course," agreed Mariko. "And thank you once again for letting me borrow them."

"The pleasure is mine. After all, I think they needed a breath of fresh air. They were all rusting inside this little box; it's been too long since I've been on a hunt for wild deer."

"Yes, you were a natural at hitting them even from a far distance."

"Now, now, you are just flattering this old man," said Harumi with a chuckle. "Go on and have your target practice. Throwing things can help you relieve stress." There was a kind expression on his face as he looked at the girl.

"Um, thank you Harumi-san, but I would be alright." Mariko blushed red; she really had to practice not letting her emotions show up on her face. Even the town's militia captain caught on in her anxiety at her impending ascension.

"I have the utmost confidence that you will be. Now go along and enjoy the rest of your day."

Mariko bowed to her martial arts master and headed towards Io and Risa, who just finished their match in a tie. The two girls were sweating and panting profusely, but Io did not miss a beat and looked at the box on Mariko's arms. "What's that?"

"Just a little something that I need to borrow," said Mariko cryptically. She opened her mouth again before Io could ask any more questions. "Anyway, I'll be in my room until this evening. Can you girls fetch me when it's time to eat dinner?"

"Sure thing, Mariko," replied Risa brightly. "But what will you be doing all afternoon?"

"Yeah, what she said," agreed Io, looking suspicious at Mariko's sudden change of plans.

"To have my own version of fun, of course," answered Mariko with a wink. "I'll put those fabrics from yesterday to good use."

- o - 0 - o -

It took the whole afternoon and most of the evening, but Mariko was finally done. She marveled at her masterpiece while massaging her hands, the red marks on the fingers were testament to the non-stop sewing she'd been doing, only taking a break when the girls called her for dinner. But she was proud of the painstaking efforts on her part and the results – a short knee-height black kimono with a red ribbon to be wrapped around it like an obi. It was made of the really light silk fabric she brought from the Yáng Clan merchant she visited last night, giving the kimono the perfect comfortable and airy quality that Mariko was looking for. Excited, she quickly tried it on.

It was a lightweight as Mariko expected. It also felt as comfortable and freeing as the karate-gi she wore just earlier that day, seeing that it will serve a similar purpose. Looking out the window and realizing how late it had been, Mariko quickly started preparing. She tied her hair into a bun, making sure that no stray hair would get into her face. She pulled out her sturdiest sheepskin boots, picking the black color to make her less noticeable as possible. She opened up the box Harumi had lent to her and pulled out the three best kunai. She took out a leather pouch and put the three blades inside it as well as a spool of the toughest thread she owned, ignoring the red color of the said string. She shook her head, keeping the memory off her thoughts as she stowed it away in one of the pockets of her kimono, the futokoro. On the dress' sleeve pouch – the tamoto – she hid the silver-made kaiken she recently purchased from the flea market. Lastly, she opened up a drawer to reveal the ladybug mask.

Putting on the mask, Mariko proceeded to the mirror. She looked like a kunoichi off to some dangerous mission, which somehow made her a little giddy. Then she noticed the conspicuous ruby earrings and decided it was too risky to bring in case she was seen. What would the people say about the chosen one then? Though really, her entire plan was foolish and crazy and all for a petty thief stealing some useless things!

Mariko shook her head definitively – those things were not foolish, seeing as Risa was distraught over their loss. And the girl was nothing but compassion and positivity itself and Mariko just had to help her out. Plus, she still had the nagging suspicions that something supernatural was at play, no matter how stupid it sounded. It would be to any miko she confided in, another reason to add why Mariko had to do it alone. She'll at least see what was going on and if it was over her head, then that would be the time to ask for help.

Well, there was nothing else to do but try and resolve the situation on her own. With her determination returning, Mariko stepped out of her room and into the silence and darkness of the night.

Mariko expected to meet someone as she sneaked around the living quarters, but most of the miko were too exhausted to stay up late. She sighed in relief as she made it outside, hiding in a nearby bush as she waited for the priests on guard duty pass by while doing their rounds. She watched as three tall men holding lanterns passed by, chatting in a low tone as they checked for intruders and other oddities. Mariko held her breath as her heart pounded on her chest, but the shinsoku soon left and headed towards the north gate.

Relieved, Mariko stood up and stealthily dashed to the nearest wall. If she wanted to catch the culprit, she needed to be on a high vantage point and the Temple grounds' outer perimeter would be perfect for it. There was only one problem - the wall was at least twenty feet high and was impossible to scale by hand.

Mariko came prepared though. Pulling a kunai and thread from the pocket of her kimono, she quickly went to work. She pulled a very long strand of the thread and folded it three times, making sure it could handle the weight of a person without breaking. She then tied the pleated thread on the small hole on the tip of the throwing blade, making sure the knot was tight enough. And with some silent prayers to the Kwami, Mariko threw the kunai towards one of the lanterns propped up on the wall, hoping that the blade and the connected string would loop over it and in turn, making a makeshift rope for her.

It took a couple of tries for Mariko to get it right. She sighed deeply as the blade finally soared over the stone lamp. She quickly picked up the kunai and pulled the thread, making sure her rope was a sturdy as it looks. Now came the hard part – actually climbing the smooth surface of the wall.

Mariko took a longer time than expected. She was afraid the patrolling priests would see her, but thankfully a nearby tree obscured her from a direct line of sight. With tired arms and gasping intakes of breath, she finally got to the top. Her hands over the sturdy lantern, she pressed her feet on the wall's uneven surface. She then carefully tucked the kunai and its thread behind her, just over the obi. It was a bit dangerous, but she can put it back inside her kimono once she was properly settled on the wall. And with her arms feeling like they've been turned to jelly, Mariko was glad to relieve them of the pain, but it was huge mistake.

The wall's surface was not built for human passage and years of being exposed to the sun and rain made it as slippery as the algae-infested rocks on a river's edge. Mariko tripped, stumbled out of balance and fell towards the other side of the wall. She couldn't even utter a quick scream as she found herself suddenly victim to gravity's whim.

Mariko closed her eyes and braced for impact. But instead of the hard ground, her body tumbled on something fleshy and softer than the firm soil. There was a grunt of pain and some loud rustling as Mariko found herself rolling over some bushes. As it turned out, she wasn't the only one trundling over the earth, when a pair of strong arms instinctively held her tight. Soon, the two-human-wheel stopped and Mariko found herself on top of a lightly-dressed man with golden hair and green eyes.

Mariko's eyes were as wide as saucers as she faced the dancer from the troupe last night. "This takes 'falling in love' a little too literally, don't you think?"

- o - 0 - o -

"This takes 'falling in love' a little too literally, don't you think?"

Arashi couldn't help it. The situation was too bizarre and too perfect it was honestly a shame not to use a good pun when the opportunity calls for it. He was out investigating, looking for the easiest and safest way to climb the wall and start looking around, when suddenly a shadow lengthened over him. He looked up just in time to catch a falling girl dressed in black and red and the rest was a blur. There were some pain on his shoulders, waist and legs, but no broken bones as far as he could tell. His bo staff was also safely tucked on his back, still tied on the sash around his waist. The girl would have suffered a few bruises, but not too serious, since he was conveniently present to serve as a cushion. Arashi knew he had some serious bad luck, but this was stretching it. Still, as he gazed at the blue eyes over the strange ladybug mask, the pale skin glistening on the moonlight and the luscious pink lips, this might not be that bad of a situation.

It took a few seconds for the girl to react. "I-I'm so sorry!" She quickly pulled herself out of his body, ironed her clothes out and offered a hand to him. "Did I hurt you somewhere?"

Arashi grabbed the hand and pushed himself up. The girl's hand was soft and it took all of his willpower not to suddenly kiss the knuckles. In this age and land, an act like that was considered immodest and discourteous. He was raised better than that. "A little bruise here and there, but otherwise okay. How about the little okatamushi?"

"Okatamushi?" The masked girl looked confused at the term, as if she had forgotten what she was supposed to look like. Didn't the colors of her kimono and mask supposed to bring the image of the ladybug to mind? Arashi was about to explain, but the lady was as smart as she looked. "Oh right, you mean me."

"Yes, who else would it be, Mushi-chan?" Arashi was on a roll today. Well, he did roll around the ground a minute ago, but that wasn't what he meant.

"Mu-mushi?" There was an irritated look on the girl's face as she shook her head. She then looked up back at the part of the wall where she fell. "I apologize about falling over you, but thank you nevertheless." She then bowed a little as she walked back to the edge of the outer perimeter.

This was an interesting turn of events; there was no way Arashi would let the masked ladybug go too soon. Plus, he needed her objectives, assessed if it would compromise his and remedy it if necessary. Arashi didn't wish to bring any harm to this lovely lady, but nothing would prevent him from accomplishing his goals, if it came to that. "I wonder what Mushi-chan is doing this lovely evening. Aside from climbing on walls and falling from them, of course."

There was an exasperated sigh, but the girl did not turn to look at him. "Shouldn't you be preparing your act right now?"

"Oh." There was a huge grin on Arashi's face as he contemplated her words. So, he definitely wasn't imagining things last night. "Have Mushi-chan visited one of our shows? Rather recently, I presume? The ladybug mask leaves quite the mark, don't you think so?"

The girl's shoulders tensed and Arashi knew he guessed correctly. She said a little too much and must have been silently berating herself for being careless. He decided to assuage her worries. "But don't worry about it, Mushi-chan. If you request it, this gentleman will keep your secret to the grave."

This time, the girl turned around to him, wearing a rather suspicious look. It was a bit baffling, like Arashi was the one caught doing a misdeed instead of her. "And what about you? What are you doing here? If you're the dancer I've…" There was a pause here and Arashi knew she was correcting a blunder. "…I've heard about, then shouldn't you be on the square right now?"

Arashi smirked; compared to him, this girl was a newbie at lying. "I'm the kind of entertainer who eases his nerves by taking a short, lovely walk around town. Surely you've noticed I only arrived when I was called for my act?"

"Oh, come to think of it, you were rather late last night," replied the masked girl, before realizing what she just said. The way her eyes widen in shock and annoyance was too adorable for words.

Arashi felt it was time to use a different tactic. He stepped forward, eliciting a backwards step on the girl. He moved a few more steps, until the girl's back hit the wall. He stretched his arms over the wall, pinning the girls' body with his. He gave the girl the most charming smile he could make, which wasn't so hard to do with the cute little button that she was. "I'd be quite late tonight too, unless someone helped me ease my nerves. They say that ladybugs bring luck, won't you give me some of yours?"

It was too fast that if Arashi didn't have honed reflexes, he wouldn't have been able to dodge it. But he turned his head a little slightly to the right, just as the girl's hand flew up. She looked shocked at her failed surprise attack, but her bewilderment quickly changed to determination. She made a low kick intended for his legs, but he jumped over it. His arms were pulled out of the wall by the strike of both of her palms, but he was quick enough to block the second strike targeted on his chest. He then grabbed her arms and flipped them over, intending to push her aground. But the girl made a difficult vertical somersault and Arashi let go unless he wanted his own arms twisted to her advantage. He jumped back, knowing he had to put some distance from her. She was a nimble and unpredictable adversary and she can fight him on even ground even though she was shorter and smaller in stature. Arashi grinned – this masked girl was getting more intriguing as the seconds ticked by.

The girl frowned at his sudden grin, probably thinking that he was underestimating her. Arashi would not do something so contrary – and careless, a common mistake of men when dealing with the fairer sex – after seeing her skill firsthand. To make sure that she knows he wasn't thinking that – and hopefully scaring her to submission, as he really didn't want to mark a bruise on her delicate skin – he grabbed hold of the bo staff hanging behind him.

Arashi's opponent looked surprised at the weapon, but her expression tightened instead of being terrified. She took out a sharp kaiken from the sleeves of her kimono and though he was expecting she'd have a weapon, something as deadly as a knife was the last thing on his mind. He'd still hold back and avoid bruising her, but it might be a little difficult to do if she would be after her life. Still, she would be the clumsiest assassin he'd ever met, if she fell down on him instead of launching some sort of killing attack from above.

Arashi spun his staff with one hand, gazing at his masked foe. She had her knife-hand above her head while the other was near her chest, palm spread open. Her posture was dignified and skillful, but there was a certain unease on the way her shoulders hunched. He raised an eyebrow; it seemed like the girl was not used to brandishing a weapon against another person. Stopping the staff's spin, he positioned it horizontally behind his broad back, wrapping his arms around it as he did. He settled on a rather relaxed position as he curved one leg, amused at the way the girl stared, incredulity clear on her face.

"As much as I'd like to dance with you more," said Arashi with a quirked mouth. "And I enjoyed it, make no mistake, but I really don't want to hurt a lovely lady such as yourself."

"If you think I'm nothing but a prim and proper lady," replied the girl with a feisty look in her eyes. "Maybe a blade on your throat will change your mind?"

"A lady can be as fierce as a wildflower blooming in the desert." Arashi gazed with a little more want that he actually think proper in the situation.

"Be careful though, flowers can have thorns," retorted the girl. Arashi thought it wasn't possible to like the girl further, but she was both strong and clever. Now he really didn't want to let her go.

"Still, we can probably continue the conversation in less er… trying situations?"

The girl snorted audibly, as what Arashi had expected of her in the small frame of time they've spent together. She finally lowered her dagger, while she kept her other hand behind her. "Sorry, but I don't like pushy flirts."

"Ouch," quipped Arashi, faking hurt with a hand over the heart. "Mushi-chan, you could be really heartless sometimes."

"No," she replied and Arashi was taken aback at the bright smile she was giving him. It should have stoked the warning bells on his mind, but he was a bit overwhelmed at how pretty a visage she was. "I'm only heartless to you."

And without wasting a second, the masked girl turned and threw a kunai from her pocket. Arashi dumbly watched as the blade soared over the lantern and is that a red thread tied to it? The kunai and string looped three times over the stone edifice before Arashi's mind worked over what the girl was planning. He rushed to grab her half-heartedly and seeing his weakness, the girl leaped and jumped out from his chest, sending him careening all over the ground. He regained balance just in time to see the girl scale the wall in astounding speed.

Arashi looked up at the figure on top of the wall, her figure and features made more beautiful by being exposed to the full moon. She was a lady of the night and he couldn't help but marvel at this woman who suddenly fell – both literally and metaphorically – on his life like a shooting star. But just like the falling star, she faded from view as quickly as she appeared.

With the masked girl now over the wall, Arashi knew he had no chance of catching her. She looked like a girl who knew the place well and he wouldn't risk climbing over and entering the Temple grounds, not with the knowledge that several enchantments were placed to fend off and possibly capture intruders like him. Or that girl, for that matter. Come to think of it, how did the girl evade all the protective spells? Even Arashi, who had some knowledge in esoteric arts, could only sense their general whereabouts. It made surveillance tricky as hell, not to mention there was only one other person in his group with the same affinity. That person, however, was not the right partner for stealth missions such as this.

Arashi spent a few more minutes debating the identity of the masked ladybug girl, but he knew he couldn't linger long. He was supposed to put on his act soon, so he decided to skip surveillance for now and head back. But as he sped off quietly towards the town square, making sure no one spotted him, he just couldn't take his intriguing lady of the night off his mind.

- o - 0 - o -

Heart racing for a reason more than one, Mariko was finally able to land on safer grounds once more. Adrenaline was still pumping through her every nerve and it was a miracle that she was able to pull off such a stunt in one try. Her grand escape could go wrong in any particular moment – the kunai could have fallen on the other side, the string could have broken under her weight or she could have misjudged the leap, too. She wondered if she hurt the man when she jumped off him.

Of all the people to catch her doing something suspicious, it had to be the handsome golden-crowned dancer from last night. He was definitely as attractive and charming as Mariko remembered, but his shameless flirting changed her opinion of him. For a cool-looking person, he could be quite a dork. Still, this part of him made him more human, since he looked like a demi-god with the way he passionately danced and gracefully moved last night. He could fight well too, with the way he effortlessly read Mariko's movements and parried them. She was only able to get away by pulling a hastily made surprise and even then, she was banking on her luck a little more than she usually would.

As Mariko thought about it more, it was pretty odd for an entertainer to have that great of fighting skill. And what was he doing standing near the Temple's wall at night? His story about having a walk to ease his nerves was plausible enough, but she didn't quite buy it. Nevertheless, he was relentless on asking about her goal, which she just remembered with a groan.

Mariko was too busy trying to get the man to leave him alone that she forgot why she was even out on the first place. With her heart running a mile a minute and her arms and legs trembling like jelly, there was no way she could climb the wall again. Plus, that suspicious dancer might still be around, lurking somewhere. Really, she knew the first time it revealed itself, this red string of fate was nothing but trouble. No matter how "connected" they were, she and he lived in different worlds and the more it stayed that way, the better.

Now if only Mariko could stop the rapid beating of her heart.

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Author's Note:

I bet people didn't see it coming that the two would meet so soon in this fic.

Anyway, okatamushi is one of the Japanese equivalents to the ladybug, with mushi being literally "bug". So the Buginette and Bugaboo nickname turned to Mushi-chan instead, which is kinda cute, in my humble opinion. And kunoichi is a female ninja, go search it.

As for the Japanese name equivalents, we have Rose as Risa, Juleka as Junko (which brings into mind a deranged despair-inducing girl), Mdm. Caline Bustier as Karin, Armand D'Argencourt as Harumi, Theo as Toru (poor Theo is always cast as the bad guy in most AU fics and I am guilty of the same) and Prince Ali as Aki. Too many minor characters are appearing in this chapter, even when they probably won't be seen (or mentioned) again in the next few chapters!

The next update might take some time, as I need to make a new chapter for my other fanfic, which is a modern-set Pretty Cure AU. You can check it out if you want.

And thanks for the reviews, follows and favorites! Mata ne~