Kei Fujioka was a soldier in the Japanese Imperial Army who served in the Second World War. It was an honor he committed himself to duty for his country. His was sworn to protect and defend an island that if the U.S Forces had managed to overtake with terrible losses and would most certainly be a turning point in this war. The fighting was fierce on the island he defended and there were a couple of times he almost lost his life to the advancing Americans. This was the last thing he thought of when he was captured by MacArthur's advancing army. He was taken as a P.O.W. a title he did not really relate with, or relish. He was a soldier in the Imperial Army and his mission was to evade his imprisonment and gather intelligence about where he was. Although the war was almost at its end and after 5 failed escape attempts he was released after 3 years of imprisonment. Upon returning home, he would not even acknowledge his wife's existence. His wife knew that he was in a very dark place, but she let him do what was needed to get himself right with her world. He was ok with this, but his mission was clear, and he was dedicated creating a martial arts school that will give his students an edge in any type of situation. Especially one that he lived through. He would never say what the American's had done to him, but their torture tactics were more advanced than what his army had been able to do to the American POW'S. Taking a page out of their playbooks, he adjusted the tactics to be a little easier on Alexis when the time had come. He was pleased with the way things had advanced with Alexis's "Torture Imprisonment" He looked in on her and she was still fast asleep. With this, he moved into the gym and opened up the door that led to the dreaded cage Alexi's was stuck on for eight days. It was so much like what the Americans had kept him for over 3 years, only getting the basic staples to support life. Rice and water. It was then he realized that he needed to escape from his captors. All in all, he tried to escape 5 times and if it were not for a really toothy German Shepard he might have gotten back to the jungle without being caught the sixth time. When the war ended he was stripped of his rank, and disgraced after not being capable of escaping the forces that held him as a P.O.W. He was shunned by his country as were many other P.O.W.'s that he was with and that did not manage to escape from the U.S. Marines. This was fine with him….he was still among the living and no type of regret of his actions. So even though it was not a popular idea he decided to open his martial arts school with the teachings of Grandmaster Jae C. Shin. He taught Kei everything he knew to get his school off the ground.

Kei had looked in on Alexis and noticed that she was having a terrible nightmare. He observed her movements for at least ½ hour. He was rethinking his training tactics. He wanted to give her all the tools she could possibly need for the task she contracted him for. Although he wondered what she needed his training for exactly, he decided to do a little background investigating on one Alexis Castle.

NY City was going through one of its worst heat waves in recent years. It was only June and it actually felt like mid-July. Temps were hovering at just about One hundred and five degrees. Kate had just returned back to her car and was sweating up a storm, hell it was only a short walk from the current crime scene to the car and she was soaked. The only comment Espo had made was "Crank up the A/C in this bad boy so we can be at least a little comfortable." She did and her mind went off into a daydream state. She was brought back to when she had promised Alexis that her Dad and Grams would be ok at the bank, and how wrong she was in telling her this. She had lost the only link to Castle she had because Alexis had vanished off the face of the earth. After, even with all her resources at the NYPD she only found out that Alexis had caught a flight to Tokyo Japan and left right after the funeral and the private eye she hired lost her movements after that.

When they arrived back at the precinct Espo had noticed that Kate was not answering anything he asked her about the current case that they were on. After parking the unmarked car in the 12th precincts underground garage, he had to call her name four times to snap her out of her thoughts. She had not even realized how they were where they were. Espo asked, "Kate is anything wrong"? She replied with "I was just thinking about Alexis and where she could have gone after she arrived in Tokyo." Espo had talked at length with Lanie about this and told Kate that she probably needed to get away from New York for a little. Little did Kate know…but both Javi and Lanie had inside knowledge of Alexis's location but only until about 2011. After that they both had not received any word from her.

Kei had done just what he said he would. He hired a very resourceful investigator not far from the 12th precinct. This investigator had found out a wealth of information about his five targets. Not only was Alexis Castle wealthy beyond her means, she was not one to flaunt her wealth. She had acquired it in the worst possible way. Her father had died a couple of years ago and she inherited ½ of his fortune but was restricted on receiving the full amount until she turned 25. Her best friends were Kate Beckett and Lanie Parish. Beckett was a Detective 1st grade at the 12th. Her case closure was one of the highest in the city. She was there when Alexis's dad had died and after reading the notes from the investigator he knew that there was something more to their relationship. Lanie Parish had mentored Alexis in an internship with the ME's office. She had learned a lot in a short amount of time. The other two detective's Ryan and Esposito were partners at the 12th and were working with Beckett. He sat down and thought about what to do next.

Alexis woke with a start, she was dreaming about that day long ago when her world came to an abrupt end. She dreamed that they did survive the blast in the bank and she was having lunch with her Dad at a trendy midtown eatery. Becoming more aware of her surroundings coming out of her sleep the items surrounding her this was not the truth. Her mind went over everything that she had experienced during her imprisonment trying to piece the last week together but only came up with the following facts she had not eaten anything in 7 days, hated the music that blared intensively, and really needed a hot shower. Beyond that, her mind drew almost a total blank.

Kei was at the small dining table when she walked in. She just stopped and studied him. He motioned to her to take a seat next to him. She sat down looking at him a little perplexed. "Alexis is there something you wish to share with me"? She was looking into his weary eyes and said "I have no idea what you are speaking of." He looked a little more disappointed and asked the same question again. This time she after all she had been through she gave him an answer that he might understand. Well Kei "My father and Grandmother were killed in a botched bank robbery about 4 years ago." I have been getting ready to get justice for their deaths. Kei had thought this was the path that she wanted to follow but was not exactly sure until just this moment. He bowed his head and said "Are you sure that this is the way to seek what they wanted"? Alexis looked a little bitter at his comment and she was one to never disrespect anyone, but she told him "Kei I will make those bastards pay for leaving me an orphan" "This was their fault and they started it I am only here to finish what they started."

Kei hung his head knowing that there was a conflict within her. He asked her if she might depart from her current path, she said that her father believed in what people said to him never doubting them he had always told the truth no matter what the outcome would have been. The world had lost a great man when his life was cut so short but no she would continue her training and use her skills to vindicate her father and Grandmother. With her last statement, Kei offered her these last words "Alexis just remember that there is always someone or something that might be a little more forceful even with all that you have learned and what I have taught you there is always someone who has trained harder and has a discipline that exceeds yours."

Kei told Alexis to return to her room and get ready for the next part of her journey. He had placed a call to one of his oldest and closest army buddies. Explaining to him what was going on he was a little apprehensive about training her but Kei insisted he give her the benefit of the doubt. Hanging up the phone, he sat there and wondered if this was the right thing to do he was lost in thought when his wife walked up behind him and softly asked "This is not what you had expected was it?" No, I am fearful that Alexis will be going up against a foe that she might not have an edge over both physically and intellectually. Her training will be put the test.

Alexis had until the end of the day to get her belongings packed up. Her training here was instrumental and she thought that she was prepared for whatever might be thrown in her direction. Still she wondered what other training she would be subject to. Walking out to the dining area, she met Kei and his wife. Seeing that she was ready to go Kei gave her the address for her final phase of training. Bowing she thanked Kei and his wife for all they have done for her. Turning to leave Kei told Alexis "Be aware of your enemies, they come in forms that can be unrecognizable".

Alexis turned towards the door and looking back at Kei she thought she noticed a tear running down his cheek. Arriving at the train station, she waited on the platform for the next train. She would never admit this, but she started to become tearful the second she closed is door. The ride would be about two hours and it would be great to see other people. The only drawback of Kei's training was that there was no contact with the outside world. She was moving to a refreshment vendor to buy a bottle of water for the train ride when she thought she noticed a man watching her he was dressed in black but when she turned to see if he was there, there was no one there at all. "totally ninja like" she thought to herself. Waiting for the train to arrive she thought back to her friends in the city. She had kept them in the back of her mind, but now she missed them immensely. Her training was quickly coming to a close and then she would put all she had learned into keeping the city that she had loved and missed safe again.

Kei's friend met her at the train station after an hour ride. He took her to his compound and set her up in a room where everything was provided for her. Her weapons training started the following morning and she needed to get a good nights sleep. Hitting the pillow she was instantly asleep and slept soundly.

A/N To the guest reviewer (you know who you are) If you are not pleased with what I write here, I am sure there are other stories by better authors that you might be interested in.

To Mick thanks for the great review and it is fixed thanks. I try to put some sentences together to write a story that some people will like.