Kamakura ran down the hall toward the briefing room. It had been two months since he was notified of the possible new ninja working for Cobra, and every time he was called to the briefing room, he hoped to be assigned to a mission that included combat with Cobra agents, in hopes he would run into this ninja. He stopped as he reached the briefing room. Only Snake Eyes, Jinx, Scarlett and Duke were there. He quietly stepped in and stood beside Jinx.

"You're late, Kamakura." Duke began, a smirk on his face. Kamakura looked to the ground, shuffling his feet. Jinx sent a pointed glare in his direction.

"Don't do that stupid shuffling when you're standing beside me, idiot." She seethed.

"Who rubbed your fur the wrong way..." Kamakura muttered under his breath. "Sorry about that, sir." He added, directing his apology to Duke, but entertaining the idea of what would have happened if it had been to Jinx.

"And do you have a good reason for being late?"

"My shoelaces were untied and I tripped on them." He answered, blushing as Jinx practically died of trying to keep in her disbelief. She couldn't do it.

"YOU WHAT?!?!" She shouted.

"Alright now, break it up you two. We've got a job for you to do." Scarlett told them. Jinx and Kamakura stood at attention. Duke began pacing the front of the room, as he usually did when briefing them.

"Kamakura, you are excused for tripping on your shoelaces. Tie them next time. Jinx, you are in charge of this mission. Snake Eyes, I will be sending you on a different mission than that of your apprentices. Jinx, I want you and Kamakura to take the ninja bikes-you will be dropped off by the Dragonhawk-to the Akaishi Mountain Range of Japan. We believe Cobra has built a small operations facility in one of the valleys near the peak of mount Nokogiri to drill for a power stone in that area. You two will be in charge of verifying this information. Then we will send Snake Eyes in to help you take out the base. Like I said, it's small, with an estimate of only one hundred BATs and twenty-three troopers. We believe two Cobra operatives to be there as well, most likely Storm Shadow and perhaps Firefly. Think you can get in and out without being seen, and then get Snake Eyes?"

"Hai, Duke-sama!" Jinx answered.

"Yes, sir." Kamakura repeated in English.

"Great. Get geared up. And wear those Sigma suits or else!" Duke demanded. He knew of Jinx's tendency to not wear her suit when she didn't have to. She thought her martial arts skills were enough. Kamakura agreed, but he wanted her to stay safe. Of course, when it came to Jinx, Kamakura's opinion really didn't matter.

"She'll do what she wants no matter what..." He muttered as they boarded the Dragon Hawk several minutes later. Kamakura was armed with his bola arm launcher, kama, shuriken and kunai, nunchaku, and a 9 mm pistol. Jinx with sai daggers, katana, kama, shuriken and kunai. Snake Eyes carried an uzi and katana, his weapons of choice, along with seven throwing stars and kunai.

The trip didn't take long in the Dragon Hawk; they were in Japan within two hours. Kamakura felt weird because of the time change, but ignored it. It was dark, but the sun was about to rise on the horizon. It had been late afternoon when they had left.

"Always gets me. Time changes..." Kamakura announced. Jinx cast a glance at him from where she was on the hover cycle beside him. They had just begun to strap their weapons on. As soon as they were finished, Lt. Stone called over the radio that they were about to be dropped. Jinx and Kamakura nodded.

"We're ready, sir." Kamakura had barely gotten the words out when the wind blasted into his lungs. He quickly shut his mouth to avoid it drying out. He felt the drop cage falling at deadly speed. He wanted to scream as they neared the ground, but he knew better. He started the engine of his hover cycle before Jinx did; she would be angry at him for it later, but he didn't care. Better to be safe than sorry.

Kamakura hit the gas right before they came in contact with the ground and sped from the drop cage as the front fell open. He and Jinx were in a rural valley in Japan. They found the road and drove toward the mountains. He let Jinx do the directing, as he still couldn't read Japanese very well. He was prone to mix things up and got himself terribly lost in Kyoto once. He turned to look behind him at the horizon. An orange glow was beginning to show on the mountains. He turned back to the road and closed his eyes for a moment. The cool, night wind in his face, the sound of the hover cycle motors, the tires against the road and the sound of Jinx's voice made him feel at peace. He felt at peace in Japan anyway, but that moment was different. He had no uneasy feelings about the mission, and was full of confidence that they would succeed. He also felt as if something in his life were about to change, as if something were different.

"But Jinx and Sensei always say this happens in their homeland..." Kamakura said to himself.

"Dou shita no, Kamakura-kun?" Jinx asked through her communicator. Kamakura had not realized he was talking out loud.

"Betsuni nademo naiyo. Just that weird feeling again."

"Daijobu desu ka?" She asked.

"No, I'm fine. I just feel the way I normally do when I go to Japan..."

"Time change. Homeland fever or something is what Sensei used to say." Jinx answered, laughing. Kamakura didn't answer, lost in his thoughts. They continued on for almost an hour. When they reached the mountains, they went into hover mode until they were several thousand feet up. No words were exchanged except for a gasp from Kamakura. The scene was breathtaking. The mountains of Akaishi were bathed in golden light from the morning sun and the few quant little houses on the mountain side sat calmly nestled in the rocky terrain. Kamakura slowed down as they hovered past one of those houses. Dogs barked and he could hear the voices of a mother and her child as they fed their puppies and took down laundry left up to dry the night before.

"Okaa-san! I heard noises in the bushes!"

"Hush now, it's just Usa-chan looking for it's Okaa-san."

"We're hardly bunnies, Jinx." Kamakura remarked, when they were well away from the farm. Jinx laughed.

"You are, Kamakura. Young and clumsy as little Usa-chan!" She teased. Kamakura blushed deeply.

"I'm a grown man and a ninja, Jinx...don't call me 'chan' ..." He trailed off, at a loss of words in his embarrassment. They continued up the mountainside for just a while more. Then they left there bikes in an elusive cave in the rock, and proceeded on foot.

They reached the peak of mount Nagoishi by ten in the morning. On Middle Atlantic time, it was twelve at night and Kamakura was becoming tired. He was also making up for the two hours lost on the ride over. I know if I wait a while, I'll have an energy boost when we come upon the valley, but that's still going to be awhile...he thought.

"Wanna stop and rest, Kamakura?" Jinx asked from where she ran ahead of him.

"No, that's alright." Sensei would kill me for this, but I don't want to admit I'm tired.

"Well, I think you and I need to rest, so were stopping. Got it?" Jinx demanded.

"Yes, ma'am." He answered as they stopped running and jumping from rock to rock up the steep slope. Jinx sat down right where they were, taking in deep, long breaths. Baka watashi wa! She must be tired, just like me, and, being the idiot I am, I thought nothing of it and was just trying to prove myself better than her...

Kamakura inwardly scolded himself as he watched Jinx catch her breath.

"Are you alright?" He asked.

"Yes...fine...thanks..." She answered, taking off her shoe on her left foot and rolling up her sigma suit to reveal a bloody gash on her shin.

"Jinx! Where on earth did you get that?!"

"Nowhere! On the ship, stupid. While I was training I-" Jinx stopped suddenly, rolling down her suit leg and slipping on her shoe silently. She motioned for Kamakura to keep silent. He did, and listened closely. Birds chirped, the wind whistled up the mountain and through the few trees and bushes...and then...he heard voices.

"I seriously think I hear someone." A female voice said insistently.

"Well I did not. So be silent so that I might."

"Storm Shadow." Kamakura whispered.

"I sure wish we had radioed to Duke before now...it's radio silence unless we have an emergency from here on up." Jinx answered. Using a kind of picture language drawn in the dirt she had learned in her time training as a child, she told him what to do. 'Go to the bushes. Quiet.' Kamakura obeyed her command. When they were out of site in some bushes, Jinx motioned for him to radio Duke.

"But-"

"Now!" She whispered. Kamakura switched on his gauntlet. He began to radio the Sea-Titan.

"Sensei! I feel radio signals from somewhere very near here!" The girl announced. Kamakura looked up above the bush. Storm Shadow wore his regular sleeveless white and red Cobra ninja uniform, with his two katana swords strapped to his back. The girl wore a black and red Cobra uniform of the same make; Sleeveless and kimono-styled with a mask like Kamakura's. How can anyone FEEL radio signals?

Sai daggers were all along her belt, and she wore kunai in her auburn hair like hair sticks.

I sure hope they're dull kunai...or else she wouldn't have any hair. Kamakura thought.

"Duke, this is Kamakura. Do you read? Quiet." Kamakura whispered into his radio. He was certain the other ninja would hear him, but he wasn't incredibly worried, as it seemed like they already knew of his location. Jinx was lying flat on the ground, trying to conceal that there was two of them. Hopefully, if they attacked Kamakura, they would miss Jinx and pay for it later.

"Yes, Kamakura? What's going on up there? Radio silence was ordered unless you have an emergenc-"

"This IS an emergency! Storm Shadow and that new ninja are here! We need you to send in Snake Eyes! Over and out!" Kamakura had forgotten his whisper and was pretty sure his head was going to be coming off in just a few moments. He was surprised when he heard Jinx shout from behind Storm Shadow and the girl. He ducked down and crawled away from the bushes, hiding behind some rocks. He hoped Jinx had had the sense to do the same.

"There are two of them, Sensei. One on either side of us. A female, and a male. The girl is more experienced, I assume, as she kept quiet until now, and spoke up just to save the other."

"Very good observation, Shuriken. They are my brother's apprentices. I will take the woman, Jinx, and you take the man, Kamakura. Do not let your guard down." Storm Shadow instructed. The girl, Shuriken, nodded, and turned to where Kamakura had been. Her blind spot to where he really was, Kamakura saw it as an opportunity to attack. Or at least give her a little poke, to see what her abilities are. Kamakura stood, took one quick step back, and attacked Shuriken on her left side with his right hand kama.

"Ach!" Shuriken yelled, blocking his attack with her katana. Kamakura jumped back, landing quietly.

"You're fast."

"I can sense you coming. If you're a real ninja, that wouldn't have been a surprise."

"I was in your blind spot." Kamakura muttered. She smiled.

"For my eyes, maybe, but not my hands." She answered, and for the first time, Kamakura realized she held her sword in her left hand.

"Well, now, that explains it." Kamakura answered. He rushed on her, threw some shuriken at her left side in a fake attack, jumped over her and attacked her weaker right. Score one for me! He thought as his right hand kama blade made contact with her arm, leaving a deep wound. He was behind her in a second, and attempted a another attack, at her left, with his left. He rushed on her, but she blocked quickly, turning and stabbing a sai dagger into his right shoulder. It dug in deep, and Kamakura jumped back to avoid any further injury.

"Hurts, huh? Be glad you're not right handed." She told him, turning to look him in the eye.

"What?! How did you-?!" Kamakura was startled. He had carefully concealed his tendency to lean toward using his left hand so far, how had she guessed? He sheathed the kama in his right hand when it began throbbing. Drat...

"You put your weight on your left foot. I assumed you were left handed as well, and took a guess. You shouldn't have made my guess correct by answering in that way." She explained, rushing Kamakura on his wounded right side. He dodged, back flipping, using both hands, and gaining a few feet. He looked up. She was sailing above him in a second, and he took his chance to grab her arm. He had no intention of grasping her wounded one until it was too late. She let out a cry, and fell to the ground at his pull.

"Are you alright? Gosh, I didn't mean to-" Kamakura was cut off midway through his apology. Shuriken stood; burying her knee in his stomach and yanking him to the ground by his wounded arm.

"You deserve it!" She said loudly. Kamakura felt as if he recognized her, but he didn't take time to contemplate. He grabbed her ankles and tripped her, jumping over her. She regained her balance, but he was concealed in a tree by that time. She turned her back to him to glance around and at that moment he attacked her from behind. Feeling foolish for his mistake earlier, he simply hit her hard on the back of the head with the blunt end of his kama. She collapsed.

"Now, to help Ji-" Kamakura stopped mid-sentence. Storm Shadow was standing, watching him, and Jinx was tied up to a rock.

"Kamakura, you idiot! Never, never, never apologize for hurting the enemy! You wasted a great chance to knock her out and got me paralyzed and tied up! Idiot! Idiot!" Jinx shouted. Kamakura sighed.

"Crap." He muttered. Now I have to take on Storm Shadow alone. Untying her would be useless, now that he's shot her with those paralysis darts...He thought, planning his first move. Storm Shadow had just placed a foot forward in an attack when Snake Eyes interceded from where he had been watching in the tree Kamakura had been hiding in earlier. Jinx had just yelled another complaint to Kamakura, catching Storm Shadow slightly off guard and Snake Eyes had kicked him to the ground. It was a strange occurrence that Storm Shadow should be knocked unconscious without a fight, and Kamakura kept his guard up. Snake Eyes motioned to him, 'Nice tree there, isn't it?' and Kamakura nodded.

"Awesome tree. Well, we've verified there's a base here, but Jinx is pretty much useless for a few hours. Do you think we should just wait for her to recover, move on and destroy the base, or retreat?" Kamakura asked his sensei.

'How's your arm?' Snake Eyes motioned.

"Um. It's, well, it's..." Kamakura stuttered.

"It's bleeding like heck and you aren't even moving it! The truth's obvious Kamakura. What is your problem? Getting yourself hurt like that! Idiot!" Jinx shouted. Suddenly a voice answered her from the rocks higher up on the steep mountain.

"If you were of any intelligence at all, you wouldn't be wasting your energy screaming and yelling like that." Storm Shadow said, retreating further up the mountain. He disappeared.

"Stupid. Now we have to retreat 'cause Storm Shadow is going to tell the whole base where we are!" Jinx yelled again.

"Will you just SHUT UP?!?!?!" Kamakura demanded, glaring at Jinx.

"Sure." She said sarcastically. Kamakura looked to Snake Eyes apologetically. He then realized Shuriken was still lying on the ground, knocked out.

"What do you think we should do with her?" Kamakura addressed Snake Eyes.

'Take her back for questioning.' Snakes motioned.

"Alright then, I'll radio base and let them know we have a captive girl and a paralyzed maniac. Duke, this is Kamakura," Jinx was unable to protest Kamakura's insult before he started radioing. "mission: failure. Jinx' left leg is injured and she has been hit with paralysis darts. My right shoulder was stabbed, as well."

"Sorry. I should have gotten Snake Eyes to you sooner. Are you alright?"

"Yes, sir. I managed to take down the new ninja, Shuriken. She is still knocked out and Snake Eyes is in the process of tying her hands...Alright, sure, we'll retreat to the drop zone where you can pick us up. Goodbye. Thanks." Kamakura finished, heading over to where Jinx was and cutting her ropes. He picked her up and slung her over his shoulder, ignoring her protests.

"Well, it's all downhill for now, I guess." He sighed, following Snake Eyes as they ran to where their Hovercycles were.