When Shiori opened her eyes the next morning, it was still dark, save for two turquoise beams shining down on her. Startled, she sat up suddenly, shielding herself with her blanket.
"Haha, sorry to alarm you, Shiori," the owner of the eyes, laughed. Gradually, the profile of Rika's face came into focus. "It's time to for you to get ready."
That's right. Training officially started today. Or was it still tonight? Hadn't it only been moments ago when she closed her eyes? Outside was pitch black, save for the glowing red lights from the skyscrapers and streets outside the window. Yawning and with some reluctance, Shiori rose and took the bundle of clothes Rika handed her.
"After you change, meet me downstairs and we'll start stretches," Rika waived, heading out the door. Shiori dressed wearily, wondering if Rika's intrusion would become a daily occurrence. And if it did, why did that bother her? She'd always grown up with servants waking her. Rika, however, was no servant. Hanzo's wife or not, Shiori doubted Rika would ever obey an order from her. There was also something simply . . . off about Rika. Something about her perpetual smile and automatic laugh seemed practiced. A trained actress herself, Shiori could tell when others were genuine with her. It saddened Shiori to think that the one person she would be spending most of her time with was so incomprehensible to her. Shaking the lonely thought from her mind, Shiori resolved to if not befriend Rika, to at least earn her respect. But if that was going to happen, she first needed caffeine.
After a quick cup of tea, Shiori joined Rika downstairs in a large room emptied for their use. Stretching, the weeks of pent up tension began to loosen from Shiori's body. It was strange, she thought to herself, that the most comfortable she'd been in weeks was standing next to this odd girl, legs spread wide and rears in the air. For about an hour, the two stretched next to one another in companionable silence, save for Rika's occasional instructions. And Shiori's sudden, mortifying stomach growl.
As if waiting for the cue, Rika slowly stood up. "It sounds like you've had enough of this," Rika exhaled. "Must be breakfast time."
Returning to the dining room, Shiori was surprised to find Kanzo waiting for them. "Good morning ladies," Kanzo rose to his feet and bowed, smiling politely.
"I'm a lady now, am I?" Rika asked rhetorically, taking her seat at the table.
"Good morning, Kanzo," Shiori returned, also taking her seat. "I didn't realize we'd have the pleasure of your company this morning." If she had, she thought, she would have bathed before. Maybe if she excused herself now, she could run to her room, re-braid her hair, and change into something presentable before breakfast was served. Just then, the doors parted as two servants entered bearing trays. Well, damn. Between hot breakfast after an hour of stretching and looking presentable for Kanzo, Kanzo lost. Sorry Kanzo.
"I won't join you usually. Most mornings I'm on patrol, so I'm leaving you to Rika. I'm here this morning to discuss your kekkei genkai. Has it ever been fully explained to you?"
"Fully explained?" Shiori raised an eyebrow. "Aren't they just abilities passed genetically? Of course, no one in my family that we are aware of shares mine. What more is there to know?"
Kanzo nodded. "Kekkei genkai, as you've gathered are typically passed though clans. However, sometimes they can be unique to one person alone. Take for instance, your first Hokage, Hashirama's wood release."
"I'd never made that connection before!" Shiori brightened. Not realizing that kekkei genkai could suddenly appear, she'd thought of herself a mutant at best, or questioned her legitimacy at worst. "An original kekkei genkai user like Hashirama . . . Kanzo, darling, you've made my day."
"And I hope I can only make it better, my lady. Are you familiar with chakra natures?"
"A little. I know certain ninja are predisposed to use techniques of one element more than another."
"That's it, in essence. Nature Transformation is an advanced form of chakra control. It entails molding and defining your chakra into an innate kind of chakra nature, altering its properties and characteristics. There are five elemental natures of chakra which can be transformed, namely fire, wind, lightening, earth, and water. Generally, every person has chakra that has an affinity towards one of these nature transformations."
"I've always assumed my own is fire."
"Not just fire. Besides the five elemental nature transformations, there are several more combined nature transformations. By initiating more than one elemental chakra nature transformation simultaneously, one can create a completely new nature of chakra with unique properties. To do this requires a kekkei genkai. This means that in addition to fire, you also possess another chakra nature affinity. Because your skin appears to be impervious to the fire release, I'd venture the guess that your second chakra nature affinity is earth."
"Two chakra nature affinities? Do slow down Kanzo, dear. You're giving me too much and we've only just met."
"What can I say," Kanzo blushed slightly, unaccustomed to flirtation, "I'm the last of the true gentlemen."
"And I'm a feudal lord," Rika muttered, taking a bite of her steamed bun.
"But I wanted to tell you both not to get carried away, using your kekkei genkai. You need a greater foundation to be able to use it efficiently. First, Rika, focus on taijutsu and self-defense. Afterwards you can teach her basic jutsu. Using something like fire release is an enormous drain on chakra. I suspect that once you can better isolate and focus the release, you will increase its strength. Time will tell. I'll be off now. Rika, don't do anything rash."
Rika watched Kanzo leave, tilting her head curiously. "How did he know?"
"Know what?"
"It's nothing. Just a theory I have. No matter," Rika stood, "we'll try it once or twice just to see if I'm on to something, and then get started with some taijutsu. Deal?"
Common sense objected to agreeing to something without knowing what it fully entailed, but she had a feeling that even if Rika explained the plan to her, she'd still be lost. "Deal."
"Okay. Grab your bow and let's head out!"
Rika led Shiori back to the ruined training facility from the day before. There, Shiori watched as Rika dragged mounted targets from the side of the wall to the far end of the room. Shiori estimated it was about thirty yards. Child's play for her bow and arrow.
"All set over here!" Rika shouted from the far end of the room. "Wanna give her a go?"
Shiori readied her stance, spreading her feet shoulder width apart. Taking a deep breath, Shiori fired. The shot forced her to use back-tension to get the release to fire, ensuring a surprise release and greater accuracy. Sure enough, the arrow flew straight, landing comfortably within the bull's eye.
"Impressive," clapped Rika. "Who taught you to shoot like that? That kind of shot is a little maverick for someone like you. And I'm glad you're a long range fighter. That makes my job of teaching you a lot easier since long range is my specialty."
"Are you an archer as well?"
"Not exactly," Rika rummaged around her waist and pulled out a thin, elongated tube. "But I do recognize a good release when I see one. This blowgun, however, is my preferred weapon of choice." Withdrawing a slip of paper from her satchel, Rika nimbly wrapped the paper around a dart while walking back to the entrance of the facility, about eighty yards from the target.
Could she possibly hit the target from so far away, with breath alone?
Taking her stance, Rika fired a dart. Moving almost faster than Shiori's eyes could detect, Rika propped the blow gun under her arm and waved a hand sign. Just as the dart began to descend in the middle of the room, it changed its course. Ascending into the air, the dart twirled several times, rising and falling, before hitting the target in its heart.
"My chakra nature is wind." Rika pulled another tag from her satchel. "I attach these chakra tags to my darts, allowing me to control their path and extend their distance. This is the sort of thing you'll be able to do once you can better control your chakra."
Ignoring Shiori's shocked expression, Rika changed the subject. "What do you think of the bow?"
Shaking her amazement, Shiori turned the now-underwhelming bow over in her hands. "It's not bad. Judging from the feel and the rough, edgy sound it makes when fired, it may be a little stiff, but overall well-constructed enough."
"'Enough' isn't good enough. Let's trash it. Before you fire, try setting the arrow on fire with you kekkei genkai this time."
"I'm not so sure I should. I'd hate to get on Kanzo's bad side so quickly."
"You've seen his face. The man has no good sides. Just try it."
"Why Rika," Shiori smiled devilishly, "you have a wicked sense of humor. I like it." Maybe we'll get along after all. Concentrating energy in her palms, Shiori performed the requisite hand signs until a flame began to grow in the palm of her hands. Taking an arrow from Rika, she exposed it to the flame until it caught fire. Shiori then pulled it against the string, and let loose. The flaming arrow landed close to the first arrow. Not long after, flames engulfed the target.
"Just as I thought," Rika crossed her arms in satisfaction, "I think that eventually, if we can focus your flame release, you might be able to create tangible objects, like a bow and arrow, without needing a base."
"Now," Shiori leaned in conspiratorially, "how to destroy the evidence?"
"We'll just kick it outside. Once the afternoon rain swings by, Kanzo will never know."
The rest of the day passed slowly in comparison to Shiori's exciting morning of archery. For hours, Rika critiqued her form, standing posture, and running stance. Although she hadn't budged an inch from the 1-by-1 foot square tile she occupied, her blouse was moist from perspiration and her knees felt like giving way any minute. She'd fallen far from the triumph this morning, now realizing just how little she knew about ninjutsu or fighting. It was all more than she could learn in her remaining lifetime.
However, giving up was not an option. Training had been part of her deal with Hanzo. And she did want to learn. Her brush with death impressed upon her the urgent need for some knowledge of self-defense.
And also, she realized, she wanted to impress him. Not that even reaching her full potential as kunoichi would ever impress a shinobi legend like Hanzo, but she at least wanted to surpass his expectations. And to prove to him that she could work hard. Catching her second wind, Shiori gripped her kunai as Rika had shown her, distributed her weight evenly on both feet, and bent her knees as if preparing to attack.
"That's close, but you're holding the kunai wrong."
Horrified, Shiori turned in the direction of the speaker at the open door. Sure enough, because fate had evidently decreed that this man would always see her at her worst and least dignified, Hanzo's massive figure engulfed the entryway.
And he was topless.
If here clothes weren't drenched in sweat before, they were now.
Curious, Hanzo had ended training early to check on Shiori's progress. Whatever Rika had had her doing, they'd been at it for a while. Shiori's face was flushed with exertion, and her legs were trembling slightly. Her chest rose and fell rapidly. For a moment, Hanzo was captivated. Her black outfit, like everything else she wore, was daringly low cut, dipping far below her bust and disappearing into the cloth of her cummerbund. Each inhale strained the fabric around her chest. She really ought to breathe from her diaphragm, but enjoying the view, he decided to remind her later. Realizing he'd stared too long, Hanzo shook his head. "Let me show you." Approaching Shiori, Hanzo stopped behind her, wrapping his hands around her arms in demonstration.
Shiori, still speechless, moved submissively. Though no longer in her direct line of sight, she was very aware of the massive pair of biceps and muscled chest behind her. She'd never been this close to a half-naked man before, and certainly never seen one as built as this one. As she studied him, she noticed for the first time a large, angry scar that tore across his waist. It evidently had never healed properly. Shiori wondered what kind of injury had caused it, and why it hadn't been treated. For a moment, her attraction was overcome by curiosity and concern.
"Better. That's enough for today. Rika, are you finished here?"
"If you say so," Rika nodded. "We've worked predominately on forms and stances today. Tomorrow, we'll focus on strength training."
Hanzo nodded. Hanzo looked down at Shiori, still frozen. "Come, Shiori."
