A/N: I own nothing you recognize.


The Batcave
Saturday, April 16, 2011
2021 EDT

"Sir, you have a call from Japan."

"Patch it through, Alfred," Bruce said, not taking his eyes off the mega-computer screen.

"Bruce." Kairi Tanaga's voice was somber.

"Kairi," he said, slightly surprised. Kairi Tanaga had been a student with him under Sensei Yoru back in Bruce's younger days. Since he had left, they had only spoke once or twice. "What can I do for you?"

"I wanted to let you know Sensei passed away last night," she said.

Bruce let out a heavy sigh. "He was a great teacher and mentor. I'm sorry to hear that."

"Yes," Kairi said. "But it was peaceful, in his sleep," she added. "I am making funeral arrangements, and I have been calling all the former students to let them know the funeral will be in a few days."

"I'll be there," Bruce promised. "See you then." Once he hung up, he called Alfred through the intercom. "I'm flying to Japan for Sensei's funeral," he informed.

"I presume I will be staying behind with Master Dick," Alfred guessed.

"Yes," Bruce nodded. "Call the pilot, tell him we need to get in the air as soon as possible. And let the board know I"ll be out for the next three days or so, attending to a personal matter."

"Right away, Sir," Alfred said. "I'll get your suitcase out as well."

Seventeen hours later, Bruce Wayne landed in Sapporo, the largest city on the northern island of Hokkaido. From there, it was still a two-and-a-half hour drive to the city of Biei, where Sensei Yoru's dojo was located.

It was around eight in the morning by the time Bruce was finally settled in his hotel room. It was the day before the funeral, so he decided to re-familiarize himself with the small city.

The next day was the funeral. It passed in a blur, and before Bruce knew it, he was standing in the dojo with the other students, former and present.

Kairi was making the rounds, as the dojo had been left to her by Sensei Yoru.

"It was lovely," Bruce said when Kairi reached him. "And thank you, again, for letting me know about Sensei."

"I know what he meant to you, and vice versa," Kairi said with a small smile. She glanced around before grabbing Bruce's arm and leading him to a corner.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

"You remember Yoshi Hara, yes?" she asked him softly. Bruce's eyebrows furrowed as he nodded. "Sensei has been keeping tabs on him since he left the dojo," she informed. "It has not been easy, but he did it."

"Where is he now?" Bruce asked.

Kairi glanced around again, as though worried someone might overhear them. "He was headed toward west Asia. Where exactly, Sensei was not sure."

Bruce had a hunch, though.

What would Ra's al Ghul want with The Ninja?


Tirich Mir, Hindu Kush Mountain Range
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
0754 PKT

Breakfast was just finishing when the doors opened. A League member bowed before saying, "Master, your guest has arrived."

Ra's smiled and waved off the Assassin, who bowed again before turning down the hall. "Come," he said, standing from his place at the head of the table. "There is someone I would like you to meet."

Daisy stood and followed Nyssa, Talia, and Chad through the halls and outside to the rock garden.

A mand was wandering slowly through the garden. He was dressed in all black, and Daisy almost thought he was another League of Assassin member. But instead of the hooded jacket, his top seemed to simply be a long-sleeved thermal. A katana was sheathed at his side, along with a black pouch. He finally turned around.

"Ah, Ra's," he said in accented English. "So good to see you again."

"Kyodai Yoshi Hara," Ra's greeted with a close-lipped smile. "You know Nyssa and Talia, of course, though I am unsure if you have met Chadwick."

"We have met once," Chad answered, bowing to Kyodai Yoshi.

"Indeed, Maharib Alttanin," Kyodai Yoshi said with a slick smile.

"And this is Daisy," Ra's introduced, placing a hand on her shoulder. "She is—"

"Yes..." Kyodai Yoshi said slowly, his eyes finally going to Daisy. "You have indeed mentioned her before. She has been studying with Vandal Savage all these years, correct?"

"Yes," Ra's said. "And she and Chadwick are the reason I requested your audience. I would like you to further their training."

Kyodai Yoshi was smiling again. "It would be an honor," he bowed. "Just as it was an honor to train Nyssa, Talia, and the twins' older sister."

"When could you get started?" Ra's inquired.

"Right away, if it pleases you," Kyodai Yoshi said.

"Excellent. Nyssa, Talia, come. You have other matters to tend to."

They bowed to Kyodai Yoshi before turning and heading back inside the compound.

"I will see you for lunch," Ra's said to the twins. "Kyodai, you may stay as long as you see fit."

"Thank you," he bowed again. "Now, let's get started."

He drew his katana and pointed it at Daisy's sternum. "You have been trained in the way of the spy," he stated before sweeping the blade to Chad. "And you, the way of a saboteur."

In one swift move, he sheathed his sword again. "The Great One has called upon my assistance to train you in the way of the ninja."


That evening after dinner, Chad approached Daisy and asked, "Do you wanna work on that sword hold Kyodai was showing us today?"

"Sure," she nodded before following him to an empty training room.

Except it wasn't empty.

Daisy watched Chad's demeanor change in a heartbeat. He stood taller and his posture became rigid. His eyes grew cold and his face guarded.

"Mei."

Their sister was the same height as Daisy and just slightly more muscular, her hair cut sharply at her shoulders with a distinct scar running vertically from her right eyebrow to the right cheekbone. She was beautiful and no doubt deadly.

"{You're the sister,}" she said in Mandarin, looking at Daisy, appraising, studying.

"{I am,}" Daisy responded, standing taller and meeting the cold brown eyes with her own steady gaze.

"Hm." Mei drew her katana before walking to the sword display and grabbing a second sword. She tossed the sheathed katana to Daisy, who caught it easily, and said, "{Let's see what you can do.}"

Daisy slid the sword from its sheath and Mei was on her in a flash. Daisy brought her sword up to block Mei's first blow and the metal clanged as it met.

As the two fought, Chad inched closer to the sword rack. He was impressed at how quickly Daisy had picked up the techniques and skills from their first lesson with Kyodai Yoshi, but he could tell she was still vastly outmatched.

Daisy's face was set as she fought, giving no indication she knew she was way over her head. Her first show of emotion was when Mei jammed the buttcap of her katana into Daisy's side before quickly sliding her own arm between Daisy's and her chest, causing the younger girl to loosen her hold on her sword. Once Daisy's right arm was open, Mei slashed her exposed inner arm and she cried out in pain.

In an instant, Chad had the tip of his sword against Mei's neck.

"{That's enough,}" he said darkly.

Mei scoffed and stepped away from Daisy, who had dropped her sword completely to grasp her bleeding arm. "{She's a child,}" she sneered. "{I don't understand what all the hype was about.}"

"You know as well as I do that Vandal's emphasis isn't on long blades," Chad reminded in English. "Give her time."

Mei didn't respond, just scoffed again and turned on her heel, wiping Daisy's blood from her sword lazily before dropping the rag carelessly on the ground.

"Let me look," Chad sighed once Mei had left.

"I'm fine," Daisy snapped. "It's just a scratch."

Chad raised an eyebrow at the blood that was still seeping from between Daisy's fingers.

"That doesn't look like 'just a scratch,'" a new voice spoke up.

Daisy snapped her head up to see Rahim in the doorway.

"I'm fine," she repeated, her scowl deepening.

"Will you stay with her?" Chad asked Rahim. "I need to get something to clean the wound."

"Sure," he shrugged, stepping into the room and approaching Daisy as her twin walked away. "Do you want to sit?" he asked, already sinking to the floor.

"I get the feeling you'll just tackle me if I say no," Daisy muttered as she followed suit.

Rahim chuckled and reached for her arm. "Let me take a look." Daisy didn't move for a moment, holding his gaze challengingly before finally acquiescing. She slowly pulled her hand away from the cut that wrapped around her bicep. The bleeding had slowed but not stopped.

"You might need stitches," he frowned before reaching for the hem of his shirt.

"What are you doing?" Daisy demanded with a frown.

"We need to stop the bleeding," he said without stopping his motion, and in one move, his shirt was over his head. "And your hand wasn't quite cutting it."

Dasiy scowled again and stared stubbornly at her bloody left hand, which lay palm side up on her thigh.

"Scared of a little blood?" Rahim teased as he tore a strip from his shirt and began tying it securely around Daisy's arm.

"No," she exclaimed quickly, snapping her gaze up to meet his. He smirked as he caught her eyes drop below his chin for a fraction of a second.

"Like what you see?"

She rolled her eyes and huffed. "It's not my fault it's in my face."

"Sorry," Rahim shrugged, not sounding sorry at all, as he finished binding her arm. Keeping one thumb secure on the cloth, he carefully poked one end of the cloth under another before leaning forward.

"What—" Daisy started to lean away but Rahim's free arm shot out to hold her in place.

"I need to tighten the knot," he explained. "And I can't do that with just one hand."

"I have a free one, you know," Daisy said, holding up her bloody hand and wiggling her fingers for emphasis.

"No need for you to get blood everywhere," Rahim said before leaning forward again and catching one end of the tie with his teeth. Daisy sat frozen, hardly breathing, as Rahim slowly pulled the knot tight.

Finally, he sat up and slid his thumb from under the newly formed knot, though he kept his hand wrapped around her arm.

"How does that feel?" he asked, looking down at Daisy.

"Fine," she said shortly, lifting her chin slightly to meet his gaze.

His eyes were soft, surprisingly so, as they slowly traced her face. He frowned slightly when his sights settled on the four newly-formed scars on the left side of Daisy's face.

He started to ask how she had gotten them when Chad reappeared. Daisy jumped slightly and straightened—when had she leaned toward Rahim?—though he didn't seem as worried about their innocent positions.

Chad didn't mention it. Instead, he just raised an eyebrow and said, "I hope that cloth was sterile."


A/N: I did totally use the Kyodai Ken character from the animated Batman series from the 90s.

Hope you enjoyed. Until next time.