A Creature of No Importance

Authors note: Chapter two up, dang, its a long one.

Enjoy.

Part 2: Black Widow.First Step to Strength

7.

The journey is long.

And hard.

I am completely alone as I walk these worn roads. At night I stare at the stars and sometimes tears will fall from my face, but apart from that I am numb. In some ways I still cannot believe that I am here, leaving the valley and the home that has sheltered me for these past fifteen years.

I cannot believe that Mayumi is dead.

I pinch my self to make my self believe. Remind me of my anger, and I do. Trust me I do.

Slowly, my sandals fall apart, worn down by hard, dirt road that is now my only companion. My kimono is tattered and frayed. There is dirt and dust stuck to my skin and I think that I must look like a ghost. Certainly, the last town I passed, no one approached me. They all shied away, warding away any misfortune I bring with muttered curses and old hand gestures.

I do not care.

I bought more food, placing the coin wordlessly on the counter, and stared vacantly as the shop keeper nervously handed over his goods, careful all the while to avoid my gaze.

I do not care.

I have never been alone before. Before, Granny, or Pa or Mayumi, and later, Muramasa, where always there beside me. To cheer me on. Now, all I have beside me are ghosts.

I do not care

And when the rouges, three of them would you believe, confront me on the road and try to have their way with me, I deal with them.

Ripping my arm out of his grip fast, I send a tight fist into the first mans solar plexus, down he goes gasping like a fish, as I turn and duck away from another's angry hand that has come to slap me. Fingers dart out automatically to grip the pressure point between his thumb and forefinger. He curses and tries to pull back, and I chop my other hand at the place where his neck meets his shoulder, he crumples.

Which leaves one other, eyes wide as I turn. Then they turn angry, and he curses, calls me bitch, and pulls out a battered looking knife.

I do not care.

I watch, distant, as it cuts empty air, for I have stepped away. Use the momentum, grasp his arm and pull, wrench, and he stumbles forward, falling on his face. In the dirt.

He is getting up, and something in me snaps and I run over fast and kick at him. Kick that slimy, scuzzy bastard who would hurt a girl all on her own. One viscous kick in the head, the temple to be exact, and he goes down.

I don't stop kicking him, though. I kick the unconscious body again and again, so angry and I don't even notice the tears that are falling down my face. I kick and I kick, and it is only the moan of one of his fellows that breaks the cycle.

I blanch.

I suddenly realize what I've done, and something in my stomach turns to water. I've just taken down three men. Is that blood on one? Have I killed him? Oh gods. Fear and horror, burst up my spine and fizzle through every nerve under my skin.

I panic.

In a flash, I grab the knife from the limp hand and sprint away.

Far away, until the panic fades into heavy, gasping breaths, the fear is drummed away with each loud footfall and all I can hear is the pounding of my blood in my ears.

And when I finally slow down, I am calm. I realize something.

It was them or me.

And if…if I am to avenge my sister, it will always have to be me.

8.

Edo is…like a dream.

It has taken me weeks to get here, weeks of loneliness, of cold nights looking up at the bare sky, and remembering when Mayumi and I used to do this in summer. Of hunger and of fear. Yes fear, I have been so scared at times. Only three times since the first fight have I had to defend myself from lecherous men, and each time it has left me shaken. Especially when I accidentally gutted the last man.

I vomited when I saw him clutch at his insides, trying to stuff them back into his body even as he fainted from blood loss and died. Then again, he was asking for it.

But, each time, I have not sprinted away in horror or fear. I rummaged through their things, taking what little money and food they had.

I guess its called survival.

Edo, though, it is beyond anything I have ever imagined.

The people, there are so many of them. Cluttering up the streets, bustling past each other, and the noise! So much noise all the time. Talking, shouting, laughing, bargaining, it almost overwhelms me. Food stalls and medicine shops, cloth merchants and lantern makers, it seems as if you could find anything here on these streets. Colours and shaped and sound, they are everywhere, and I have to look up to the sky to remember that I am still on this earth, and that I have not wandered into some spirit world.

So I wander through these crowded streets, staring wide eyed at everything, I can't help it.

A bunch of tattered looking children run past me, squabbling endlessly, and I stare after them. Sighing, I continue on, searching for a place where I can stay the night.

Its only when I find one, and I reach for my purse to pay, do I realize that I've been pick pocketed.

9.

I work off my dept to the inn by cleaning for them. I have no idea how to waitress, or cook properly, but I can clean. Mayumi and I kept a clean house.

A lump rises painfully in my throat at the thought of her.

They do not pay me in coin. I work, and I get a place to sleep, and two full meals a day. They move me to a smaller room, but that's alright with me. I guess I will stay here, just until I figure out a way of getting to Tokugawa Ieyasu.

It sounds impossible, but it is the best, and only chance I have. I never realized how big Edo is. Finding that bastard Kyo in here, let alone in the whole of Japan, on my own is impossible.

So each day, after I have worked off my debt for the last night, I venture tentatively onto the streets of Edo, and I listen. I worked out pretty quickly that asking questions only gets you so many answers if you are not a paying customer. Even if I am young and smile sweetly.

Edo is a city where the money is all.

I have no spare cash. I listen.

I sought out the teahouses where the Shogun's men go to drink and be entertained. I hide in the shadows, pretending to be a maid of some sort, and am ignored. Slowly, slowly, I am getting more information that will let me put Muramasa's plan into place.

'Have you heard the news? Ieyasu-sama's furious.'

I stiffen from where I am pouring out saki, interested. I try and inch closer to where the two samurai are talking.

'About Uesugi? Grn…I've heard rumors, but who knows what is the truth these days.'

'Yes, but this is official.' The younger of the two pauses to sip some saki. His friend rises an eyebrow, and he continues 'Uesugi Kagekatsu, one of the regents old Hideyoshi appointed for his son, has defied Ieyasu's orders.'

'What? How?'

The younger man nods slowly, as if stating a sad truth.

'He's building up an army. Ieyasu himself demanded that Uesugi come to Kyoto himself to explain his actions before his holy Emperor-'

'Wha-!' Even I'm shocked at that. Even Tokugawa Ieyasu has not yet been officially endowed with the title Shogun, everyone in Edo seems to believe he is as good as one. But ordering another Lord to the Emperor…

'-and Uesugi refused. He claimed that the Tokugawa's had no right to send out orders, as Ieyasu himself has violated Old Toyotomi's rules.'

'Hrn…foolish man, but a brave act. A bold move, at the least.'

'It's coming to a climax, I can feel it. It won't be long now.'

'You're right…'

I move away as their conversation drifts.

I have too get moving. I have to meet Ieyasu. He's my only hope of ever gaining the strength that I need. And the only way I can do that is exchange the information Muramasa gave me for training. If I wait too late, it will be useless.

I have to try harder.

That night I am restless. I cannot sleep. Funnily enough, it is to Muramasa, and not Mayumi, that my thoughts lead me to.

He was so broken when I left, so hollow. When he looked at me, it was as if he were searching for a ghost. My heart still aches at the thought of him, but my hands clench and unclench in the moonlight.

I just don't understand.

Muramasa should be here, fighting with me. We should be hunting down Kyo together, that bastard betrayed us both the same.

'I cannot…'

That's what he said, and I hate him for it. He is ill, I know that, but shouldn't he try anyhow? Why did he give up without even trying? Why did he leave it to me, to carry out this vendetta by myself, with only his word and his signature help me?

My eyes are stinging with what I think are hot tears of frustration. If Muramasa were here, I wouldn't have been robbed the moment I entered this cursed city. I wouldn't be so afraid to travel so far through the streets in case I became lost in the endless maze of streets, and end up where no girl like me wants to be.

Yes, I've done a lot of growing up this last month. I see the world a whole different way now, and I have become bitter.

Muramasa cannot. For whatever reason he cannot.

I can, and I will.

10.

Winter is slowly creeping forward, and its bite chills the night air in a way that makes me shiver.

I force my body to be still. I have to be brave. Tonight is the night I break into Edo castle.

Oh, it was easy enough to find, so big and intimidating, I went weak at the knees the first time I laid eyes on it, and that was in daylight. It was the cold dread that told me that my future lay behind those large, stone white walls.

I had smiled sweetly at one of the guards and asked if Ieyasu ever came out, and he said no. I managed to wheedle some other information out of him too, about how many samurai guarded the palace at day and night. When I asked how could I ever meet Ieyasu in person he laughed straight in my face and told me to get back to my father and my family, 'silly little girl'.

I grinned cheerfully and scooted off with gritted teeth and a tightly clenched jaw.

I kept coming back, and I think…I think I can do this.

This afternoon, a procession of servants entered the gate carrying big boxes full of cloth and material. With a small bundle on my back, I slipped into line, next to young girl and helped her carry her load. Her eyes widened, but I glared fiercely at her, and she said nothing.

Which is why I am here now, in this cold night, slinking alongside this stone cold wall.

I slipped away from the procession easily enough, I don't think anyone saw me. I stayed with until we had passed all three inner bailey wall. The main keep of the castle is an impressive sight, and country girl I am, I paused for a few moments upon first sighting it. Someone shoved me out of my reverie, and I remembered where I was.

I stole dark men's clothes from the inn master, as well as rope, some money, and some strips of linen. I felt bad, stealing all that stuff when they have been more then nice to me, but I have no choice. Either I succeed tonight or I greet the dawn with a slit throat, so a little theft seems like nothing.

Because this. Is. It.

Slowly, quietly, I creep alongside that wall, straining my eyes to see through this moonlit night. Each step is careful, but I am close now.

All afternoon I have been slinking around the gardens, hiding in trees and behind ornamental 'harmony' rock features should any one approach. My nerves are so fray, it's been a long afternoon and I have been very lucky.

Now evening has set in, allowing me to use the shadows as effective cover. I'm nervous, excited in a jittery sort of way that has to be repressed. As far as I am aware, no one has noticed me here. Yet.

Glancing over my shoulder, I scan the garden courtyard once more. It's clear, and crouched, I run from the bailey wall to the wall of the castle. My heart is in my throat, and I can feel the sweat on my palms and down my back.

I touch the smooth stone with an out stretched hand and crouch low, feeling a small swell of victory. I half believed that I would be taken down by an arrow. I wait for the alerting shouts of the guards, but there are none. Licking my dry lips, I crawl forward again. My target is the largish pine tree next to the building corner. My back aches from running low, but I can't risk anything at this stage, or at any other.

Reaching the tree, I gaze up at its branches, checking out the distance between it and the first roof level. It had looked like my best bet in the daylight, and I can only hope that I will be able to clear the distance.

Wiping my sweaty palms on the stolen pants, I bite my lip and slowly straighten, close to the tree of the trunk.

And then, I begin to climb. It is excruciatingly slow, and painful. I feel as if every rustle of pine leaves, every sharp intake of breath, every scrambling handhold is horribly loud, alerting even the furthermost, sleepiest guard to my presence. My shoulders and arms protest I haul myself up higher.

Just a little bit more, I tell myself.

Finally the branches thin out, and the roof is just above me. I can go no further. I brush my hair, sticky with pinesap and leaves, out of my face with one hand, before checking the straps on my pack again. Carefully, with the same hand, I grasp the coil of rope I stole and pull it out.

Ok.

The coil is heavy in my hands, good quality. There is a rough looking hook-something I else I stole from meat merchant-tied to one end, in a knot that I pray will hold my weight.

Scanning the garden below again, I secure my position in the tree, both feet solid on different branches, whilst I lean my lower torso against the trunk for support. Tentatively, I release my grip on the tree and straighten my upper spine, and, leaning forward, I begin to swing the rope around in circles to gather momentum.

Please let this work, I pray, and please let no one see me.

I let it fly, up and out.

It clatters loudly on the tile roof and I wince.

No shouts, I relax…sort of.

Gently, I tug on the rope, tensing with every sound the hook makes as it slides down to hit the gutter. Right where I want it. I tug it gently again, hoping it has caught hold.

Feeling some resistance, I tug it harder, and it holds. I give it a good pull, and it doesn't give. Biting my lip again, I pull the rope taught and wrap the other end tightly around the trunk of the tree.

Kami, I hope that knot holds.

There, my tight rope walk to the roof. I glance at the ground, so far below and my stomach rolls over. I almost vomit, and a new layer of sweat covers my skin. Scrubbing my hands dry and spitting on the knot for good luck, I move around to the other side of the trunk to grab the rope with both hands.

Now. For Sis.

In one not-so-smooth motion, I unhook my legs from their positions, and swing one, then the other, around to hook over the rope at my knees.

There is a painful second where I think that the metal hook has failed me, but it doesn't. It holds.

Letting out a small sigh of relief, I begin to shuffle-pull my way across the rope.

It seems to take forever. Agonizing, as my muscles ache and scream and shake from the fear. Perspiration is heavy and uncomfortable on my face and stomach. Flushes of hot and cold sweep my body and my neck hurts from keeping my gaze firmly on the roof ahead. I can concentrate on nothing else.

Gods this is so damn hard!

And when my feet hit the gutter, I almost faint with relief.

That is, until I realize I have no damn idea how to get from the rope, to the roof.

11.

I did it.

Somehow.

I was in a daze for a little while, staring stupidly at the sky on my back as I tried to regain control of my body. I had a seizure of some sorts, a wave of violent shaking when I finally heaved my body onto the roof.

The air is cool.

I stir, and rise. I massage my tired arms, before scanning the view from my new position.

Edo is still busy, I see. The city never sleeps, as they say. Even parts of the castle still appeare to be awake, including the higher stories of where I am now.

Clenching my jaw, I feel the old feeling rise in me; determination.

Still crouched, I creep up the sloping roof, towards the wall of the next story and the small, screened windows it contained. Not so discreetly, I kick one of the screens through, but I had little choice. It was thick wood and I could not slide it open.

'Hey!'

I freeze from where I am crouched on the floor. The samurai, ink brush in hand, gapes like a fish from where he sits by the desk. He looks as surprised as I am.

We both move at once.

He drops the brush as I dash forward. He grabs the hilt of his sword and I leap onto his table. He begins to draw and I shove the blade back into it's sheath with one hand, jabbing him with the blade of my left hand at the point where his jaw and neck meet. He flails backwards, choking violently, and I knock him out cold with a punch to the head.

The samurai lies still on the floor, and I tremble at what I have done. The room is so quiet, so anti-climatic. It was all instinct, drilled into my bones by the many sessions with my brother.

Muramasa.

Right.

I shake out my hands nervously and lightly step off the table. Casting one last glance at the prone figure of the man, I softly open the sliding door to peer out at the dark corridor.

There is no one there. My skin tingles, and I suppress a shiver. I really have no idea where to go except up.

I take one, cautious step into the hall way, and then another. I shiver again, and stiffen as a quiet voice speaks in softly in my ear.

'Well well, what do we have here?'

Eyes wide, heart racing and fire in my blood, I spin around.

Nothing. The hall is empty.

A sick feeling rises in my gut, telling me I am going to die.

'Sh-show yourse-lf.' I say, but my voice trembles, betraying my fear.

The voice chuckles.

I clench my jaw tightly and ball my hands into fists. Fear, yes, there is lots of fear, but I came here with a purpose, and everything else comes second to that. Ever so slightly, I shift my weight onto the balls of my feet.

'I said show yourself!'

Something cuts through the air, and I drop down to the ground as three shuriken embed themselves in the wall panel behind me. Muramasa said I said I have pretty good reflexes, and I think they just saved my life.

I stare hard into the dark, waiting.

Air whistles and I throw myself to the side, rolling back into a crouch and breaking into a run as more shuriken follow me. Ducking again as they hit the wall, I leap to the other side of the hall, wrenching open a door at random and dashing in.

The room is thankfully empty.

Slamming the door closed behind me, I run to the folding screen and hide behind it. I'm breathing too hard, I know, and it-he will probably find me right away, but it's all I have.

I hear the soft hiss of the door opening and I hold my breath, tense. There are no footfalls, and that scares me.

The back of my neck prickles, and on some impulse, I throw myself into the folding screen, bearing down as it crashes on a black garbed someone.

However he is free, and glaring down at me, and I snap out a foot to break his shins. Nimbly, he dodges my kick; drawing out three flashes of silver and letting them fly.

I try to throw myself out of the way, but he is too close and pain bursts in bright flames around my shoulder as I roll.

Shock, horror, for I have never been truly wounded in the flesh before, and it makes me dizzy. Still crouched, I look up, tears of pain in my eyes, and teeth bared and defiant. I bring up one, trembling hand to my bleeding shoulder-gods look at all the blood soaking my shirt- and grasp the weapon currently lodged in my flesh.

It's slippery with blood-my blood-and I struggle to grip it. He is watching me coolly, arms folded, waiting for me to move, and I realize that he is not afraid of me.

Why should he be, stupid girl, he's a ninja of Iga, a nasty voice in my head whispers, why don't you just give up now, you should have never left the valley, and you're gonna die tonight as pathetic as a dog-

NO!

I am here for a reason, dammit, and I need to survive this!

Standing abruptly, I rip the shuriken out of my shoulder and throw it to the ninja's feet. All in one motion. I can feel my wet blood flowing as it soaks the stolen gi top.

'I-'

'Give it up girl.'

I stare at him in shock, mouth open and eyes wide. Then I scowl, and straighten my back-and it flares up, the pain does- and square my shoulders.

Before I can say another word, the ninja continues.

'Whoever sent you was foolish indeed. Did you really think you had penetrated Edo castle unnoticed?'

My spirits fall in a crashing heap. They had been watching me the whole time? He nods, as if he expected my crestfallen reaction.

'Why have you come here?'

Eyes to the floor, I blink back tears of hopelessness, my earlier defiance melting away as quickly as it came. My head shakes a little, and I watch the curtain of hair fall in front on my face.

'I…no one sent me…I…came here on my own.'

He gives a snort of disparagement.

'Loyalty will get you nowhere, whoever sent you was cruel to send someone so untrained and pathetic as you, and they likely knew it too. Tell me who and why, and I will give you an easy death.'

There is pity in his voice, I am so out of my depth, and he thinks that some Lord has sent me here on some hopeless mission.

Dammit! I want to join them, help them, become them!

I raise my head to meet his eyes; my shoulder wound is throbbing, distracting.

I have to take this head on.

'No one…I came here because I have information for Tokugawa Ieyasu, important information, and I'll only tell-'

'You honestly expect me to believe that?' he shook his head 'You are an ill trained peasant, any information you have will be false.'

'I am not someone's plant!' I glare, furious, frustrated and angry. Yes, the anger is bubbling, emerging. And people can achieve great things with anger 'I'm here to make a deal with Tokugawa Ieyasu, and no one else! I'm not apart of you're stupid little power war, but I'm here 'cause I need to make a deal-'

'None such as you will be making any deal with Ieyasu-sama.'

He moves forward and a burst of stinging numbness erupts on my cheek and I stumble back. That bastard backhanded me in the face!

'No matter, we have other ways of getting information from little rats like you.'

'Fuck you!' And I fall to my knees as he hits me again.

Something glints and I see that he has unsheathed a knife. Anger boils into a hard little ball in my stomach. He steps forward again and I launch myself up so hard and fast and head butt him right in the gut.

He keels over and I take the opportunity to knee him one right where it hurts. I step back as the ninja growls.

Muramasa had taught me primarily taught me techniques to defend myself with. I'm not used to taking the offensive, but the simple fact of the situation was that if he attacked me, I really didn't have the ability to defend myself.

So, darting forward, I aim a high kick to his face, to knock him out.

Except he catches my foot with apparent ease, and I have enough time to think oh shit before he twists it, sending my body spinning before letting me fall crashing to the floor. The pain in my shoulder escalates, cutting out all other sensations, until I feel my arm being twisted expertly behind my back with calculated, applied pressure.

A bark of pain escapes my lips, and he eases off the pressure, but not the iron grip.

'Tell me what you know!' He growls into my ear. My face is pressed against the hard, wooden floor, and I scowl into it.

'Only to Ieyasu!'

The pressure increases, and white-hot fire tears at the ligaments and tendons of my arm and I scream.

'Speak!'

'-to-Ieyasu!' I manage through my short bursts of raw yelps. I can't see, and my thoughts are scattered and dashed by searing pain.

I am sobbing, cursing, yelling, and then the pressure is off and I am roughly thrown onto my back, pinned down by a hand on my throat and a knife point just a hairs breadth from my eye.

'Do not make this hard on yourself, girl, tell me the information, and you will get it easy.'

'I can't-!' I cry, confused, in pain, and in despair.

But I cling to my purpose, because it was for Mayumi, all for Mayumi.

And what else do I have left?

The ninja watches me cry for a moment, before lifting my by the neck and slamming me back to the floor again with a painful clang.

'I-can't-TELL-you!' I repeat, forcing my eyes open to stare him in the face, forcing my sobs down. I suddenly wonder how much blood I have lost.

'You will.' Came that steely voice.

'…can't…'

And I faint.

12.

Aching, pain, everything hurts and I don't want to open my eyes.

That would mean that this is all real, and that I failed.

How could I?

Something breaks in my throat, but it only comes out as a strained gurgle. I'm startled at this, scared, and when I twitch ever so slightly, a flood of pain sears its way up my arms and shoulders.

'Ung-UH!' again, my voice doesn't work, just a strangled groan to convey this fire in my muscles and bones.

I try to move, but it doesn't work. Everything is just a haze, and I don't understand it. I'm confused and drowsy and scared and I don't know what's going on.

I am chained to a wall.

Panic roars my senses to life, and my body bucks forward in raw instinct, only to be jerked back by the fiery pain of my arms and the shackles that bind them. My legs flail, and I moan, as this mind numbing pain is too much.

My arms, numbed from holding my weight, are now screaming in protest. I struggle to maneuver my legs underneath me, to relieve the weight off my upper limbs, but it is so hard. All my actions are slow and sluggish, so clumsy, and it is so frustrating.

Panting hard, I scowl fiercely at nothing as the blood slowly makes its way to my arms. I flex my fingers and roll my shoulders to encourage this, but it hurts all the same.

Slowly, my vision clears and I realize that I am not alone in this dank, dark room. Three men stand before me.

'She has awakened.'

Another nods, but I cannot see his face. A dark dread settles over my mind, for this is undoubtedly going to be the end of me, or the beginning of the end.

Whatever, my heart rate just doubled over and is going at a pace that exhausts me. I think I am hyper ventilating. One of then steps forward and I growl, baring my teeth at him, like Haku, through my ever-increasing, short breaths.

I can't get enough air. Yes this is panic, some quiet part of my brain says, but it won't get you anywhere.

But I don't have any other option. I'm trapped, and my eyes dart frantically around the room, looking, searching for some kind of salvation. All I can hear is the desperate sound of my own breath, and I struggle again against the chains, despite the pain.

Slap.

And with stinging face, I fall back against the wall.

'That's better,' a cold, articulate voice says calmly 'I don't have time for your melodramatics.'

The disdain in his voice alone is enough for me to grab my bearings and reign in my frantic thoughts. I narrow my eyes at the man, and straighten up as much as possible.

I can do this, I have too.

I think about spitting at his feet, another act of defiance, before deciding that it would just be childish. Instead, I raise my head up to look at my captor in the face.

It is stern. It is handsome. It is lean and old, but it the face of a man who has aged well and seen much. It is his eyes that frighten me the most. They are cold, calculating, and determined. Set in stone, and I feel as if I know that look.

Another black garbed man steps forward.

'Give me your name.' He asks.

'Mahiro.' I say bluntly.

'Your clan.'

'No clan.'

Slap.

'I ask again. Your clan.'

Take a deep breath, concentrate.

'…I come…from a village…that is no more-burnt down…ye-years ago. My sister and I were the only ones left to remain in that valley-'

He doesn't believe me.

Slap.

'Don't.' Comes that other voice, the cold commanding one.

'My apologies, sir.'

'Why are you here?' The leader steps forward, pinning me down with his gaze, and I feel like a fly on the wall.

'To see Ieyasu…sama…'

'To kill him?'

'No…to bargain.'

'With what?'

'Knowledge…of…of his enemies.' I don't know what I should say, what to reveal in order to make him believe. It's so hard, I don' know what to do, and above all I'm so damn scared.

'Such as?'

I say nothing, pinching my lips together.

'…Why do you carry the sword-smith Muramasa's signature?'

The rapid change of subject throws me off balance, and I struggle to grasp the question and answer coherently.

'Uh…be-…v-validity. He is…my…brother-in-law.'

'Really?' He arches an eyebrow, considering, calculating and I tremble involuntarily 'You are aware, then, that his swords are considered Tokugawa killers? Why would he help you help us?'

I swallow, with much difficulty; this feels like the edge of something dangerous, unstable ground.

'I…it's…complicated.'

He looks long and hard at me, and it is so hard to maintain that gaze. I want to look away, curl up in a ball and pretend I'm not really here, but I mustn't.

Finally, he speaks.

'…leave the room.' And obediently, the two lackeys leave without a word.

And it is just the two of us. My panic is rising again, bubbling, but I bite it down.

'Why are you really here?' And I flinch at the harsh note in his voice.

'I said…to make a bargain, information for…'

'For what? Tell me.'

'I…' Again, he has thrown me off course, and I stumble for the words, afraid to say the wrong thing, for what I ask seems so impossible now'…I…want…I need to join…the Ninja's of Iga.'

He doesn't sneer at me, but I swear the room temperature drops with the iciness of his gaze.

'What you ask is both arrogant and impossible.' His voice is laced with a barely concealed contempt and disgust, which both shames and angers me at the same time 'You are a waste of my time, girl, and your stupidity and sheer audacity will be punished-'

'No! Wait! Please! Hear me out!' I'm losing this, I know and everything will be for nothing. But I have to make him see. I have to prove that I'm not some stupid peasant girl, that I have a purpose, but I am losing grip of this situation. Panicked, I'm holding on with the very tips of my nails, but I MUST NOT LET GO.

This cannot be all for nothing. Mayumi deserves more then this.

He pauses. It's enough for me to continue.

'It's not…arrogance…I-I need your strength!' I feel so raw, desperate, but I must hold on.

'Our strength is not for the likes of you.' Voice like a knife's edge.

'Strength is for those who seek it! Not a privilege! You have to work for it!'

His face is stone, impassive, unreadable.

'…I-I need it to k-ill a demon…a-a demon so heartless that-'

'You are out of your depth, girl.' There is no pity.

'I know!' I cry, letting my head hang, if anyone knows how inadequate I am, its me 'I know, but I have to be if-if I'm to have any chance…at…at killing Demon Eyes Kyo!'

And with that name the anger rises and I muster up my courage, my will, and I throw into his face with my gaze. This is all I have. I can feel it burning behind my eyes and coursing through my blood, and still the anger grows.

'Don't you see? I have nothing left! Nothing else but this, and this is my ONLY chance of gaining the strength I need to kill him!'

See this! See my anger! My grief! See how I have nothing else in this world apart from this revenge! See how he has taken it all away? Shattered my life into a thousand shards so that I may never be at peace again until he is DEAD?

He hesitates, was that a step back? Did he hear me? Did he see my conviction through the burning pits that seem to be my eyes and the tears that fall from them?

He speaks slowly, carefully.

'…Demon…Eyes Kyo?'

'He killed my sister! She was innocent! We cared for him and he-he murdered her!'

And I yank hard at my chains, ignoring the searing jolt of pain, to prove my point.

Silence, and…

'…I see…' is all he says.

Authors note: This was a real challange, mainly because I'm such stickler for detail. I'm brushing up on the movements of Ieyasu and Uesugi (the main opposer against the Tokugawas at Sekigahara) so that the time line works out. I even looked up Japanese castle layouts...gawd I'm sad...

Anyway, I had heaps of fun writing Mahiro 'breaking' into Edo castle. Sorry if you expected her to put up more of a fight, but I tried to make it realistic. Hope you don't mind the length.

Thanks for reading!