Grandville: Le Dragon Rouge
Chapter 3: Day and Night, Night and Day
That morning, we woke up to continue the mission. Using the cover of a bridge, we bathed in the waters of the Seine. As we dressed ourselves, one thing became perfectly clear. We are foreigners in a foreign land, and now we are fugitives on the run thanks to an encounter with the police. It has also come to my attention that we need food.
"Kinu-san, why does it seem like when we take one step forward, we take two steps backwards?" Okoi asked putting back on her tabi and bandaging back up her ankles, she had a fair point. We are so close to our objective traveling to this city, but we still do not know what he is planning. The only thing we can rely on at the moment are theories.
"We need to find out what he is planning before we can strike, until then, let us find some food," I instructed to the others, "we each take a one city block, and meet at the top of that church in half an hour," we split up and took our time finding food to eat. To us, this is not considered stealing. Stealing is against the law only if you get caught.
Using a kunai and some twine tied to the pommel, and lowered it down while my unsuspecting victim had his back turned. I pulled the food up, and went on my way to the top of the old church. I am unfamiliar with this food. It smells like chicken, but has a texture like tonkatsu and looks like to a brick. I soon met back up with Toki and Okoi.
Okoi found what looked like Teppanyaki steak with potatoes that looked to have been cooked in oil and wrapped in wax paper. Toki found some bread filled with something that did not look like red bean paste. We shared our food with each other. We found that the food was good, very good. Yet there was something about that chief-inspector.
Yet my sister beat me to it, "Onee-san, what do you think of that policeman, what's-his-name...Rocher-san?" Toki asked as we concluded breakfast. A year has passed since my husband Ujio died at Shiroyama. He was a samurai, and I was a ninja. It was a forbidden love, but a love none the less. I am not sure that I am ready for another man.
Ever since the Satsuma Rebellion was suppressed by the Imperial Army, more westerners come to the country. It seemed Matsumoto was part of these social changes. Okoi, my sister, and I are the last of our kind. My husband was one of the last samurai, and he died honorably on the battlefield, but it was a coward's weapon that killed him.
"I feel he can be useful to our cause, he must know something about Matsumoto-san...or Tiberius Koenig," I replied, still sticking to the mission objective. I know my sister is only trying to help, and I am thankful for it. Toki patted me on the shoulder. We now have food in our bellies for the moment. Now we needed a place to hide from the police.
We are not afraid of the police, but their numbers on the streets have increased over the past few days. We could not rest in the trees, or on the rooftops. For the night, the towers of the church will have to do. When night fell on Grandville, we armed ourselves, pulled up our masks and went to work. We needed to find someone who can help us.
Okoi came back from a patrol, "We best stay to the rooftops, there are police patrolling the streets," Okoi informed me. That is to be expected from them. I gave Okoi and my little sister a single nod to tell them it was time. We ran from building to building leaping from rooftop to rooftop on separate routes, but still going in the same direction.
I could feel the cool breeze against my face, arms and hips as I ran with all haste that was until I came across the station where the chief-inspector worked. From the view outside, I could see him talking with a man. It was a badger. The biggest man I had ever laid eyes on. I signaled Okoi and Toki to halt, and move to the roof of the station.
It seems the three of us have more to worry about than just the chief-inspector and his policemen, but this one as well. That was until he looked out the window, and saw me. For a man of his size, he can move quite fast, "Police! You're nicked, Sweetheart!" called out the badger in the blue hat, and blue jacket and the chase had now begun.
I signaled my sister and Okoi to keep moving, and head back to the church towers. Another one was after us, a sharp-dressed rat with a monocle. I was surrounded on both sides as the two of them got me in a pincer. I had my hand on my sword, "Now, now, we don't want any trouble, we just want to have a lil' chit-chat, my dear," said the rat.
I threw down a smoke bomb. Before he could draw his pistol, I threw a kunai into the barrel and a shuriken to his hand. I attacked him with a punch into the gut, and knee into a back handspring kick to the chin. I heard a sound when he fell backwards that told me was wearing armor. He got back up easily, and wiped the blood from his chin.
The sound of a gunshot rang out behind me, nearly missing my foot. I leaped back in a flip, and landed feet first on the badger's shoulders, "A fine display of acrobatics, dearie," said the rat named Roderick. I snarled lightly seeing the cane was a gun. I hit the badger on the head with the back of my sword, and flipped off of his shoulders.
I launched a steel manriki to entangle the cane, and pull him toward a jumping knee to the chin, and leaped off the back of his head to make my escape. I thought I could get away, but I was wrong. This big badger does not give up, an admirable trait, "You've caused enough trouble tonight, I'm bringing you in, Sweetheart," said the badger.
This badger is tough, and I like tough opponents just like Chief-Inspector Rocher. When I fought him a few rooftops back, I was able to assess his weaknesses. Large opponents like him are usually vulnerable around the head, and the back of the knees. Now with this knowledge at hand, I knew how to defeat him, but I will not kill him.
From what I felt on his shoulders, his armor is held up by leather straps. I had an idea. His umbrella revealed a sword. It is a thin blade, probably designed by precision thrusts. I unsheathed my sword, and took up the stance for a fight, "Have it your way!" cried the badger. I am surprised he can use that sword after I wounded his hand.
I moved to the side as he thrusted toward my chest. I used sword to break the blade, and rolled over his back to appear behind him. He turned to face me with no blade to fight with. I smiled under my mask at my opponent, and slashed at him with the speed that we ninja are known for. I have no intention to kill him, but instead amuse myself.
There was a look of shock in his eyes. I slowly sheathed my sword back in the scabbard. When the handle and the scabbard clicked, the badger's jacket and his clothes were cut to pieces and the cut straps caused the armor to fall off as well. I gave him his hat to cover himself, and patted him on the shoulder before escaping into the darkness.
I saw the sharp-dressed rat and the chief-inspector arrive on the scene while I escaped, and met back up with Toki and Okoi at the church, "So who was that man?" asked Toki sharpening her sword with a whetstone, "I have never seen a badger that big before," Toki added. I laughed lightly, I wonder what his partner will make of him now?
