A Honorless Demon

It was an early morning in the imperial court of Kozakura. Yawning, Mei pushed the window open and felt the gentle breeze in her hair. The cherry blossoms were already wilting, but the morning was beautiful and the birds were chirruping. A perfect morning for some private time, even though she hadn't slept much last night. Mei started to apply her facepaint and do her hair. The large, dark slanted eyes dominated the oval face and her mouth had a serene and slightly amused expression. Her slightly pointed ears, ethereal skin colour and delicate body build revealed her origins: her mother was a nature spirit, a spirit of a bamboo grove in far away Shou Lung.

Mei piled her shiny, long hair in a loose bun on the top of her head, letting a few curls cascade down her shoulders. She dressed into a deep green silken kimono, depicting golden dragons and lions. A shiny black silk sash to tie the kimono with, lips red, eyelashes black... yes, she looked like one of the most noted beauties of the court was supposed to. The following preparations, however, had nothing to do with her role as a court woman, a conversationalist and an entertainer. All the court women carried a tanto at their waist, but it was the least part of Mei's ability to defend herself. A few really sharp hairpins hidden in the bun, three well-placed shurikens into both sleeves of the kimono. A hollowed bamboo tube for breathing underwater, a light rope ladder and a blowgun loaded with poison needles hidden in the sash. A garrote, a few vials of poison, an eggshell grenade.

Even the discovery of these items would sign her death warrant. But Mei had no fear. She was still very young, she enjoyed excitement, and firmly believed that the Fortunes were on her side, and on the side of anyone brave and bold. She picked up a light crossbow, a gaijin weapon her father had given to her. Collected from a horseback-riding barbarian from the Horselands, it was a weapon Mei was very fond of. The samurai had little use for crossbows, as they regarded anything gaijin with suspicion. They had excellent archer troops, but then, they were the noble warriors. A light crossbow was an excellent ninja weapon. Mei also picked up a case of bolts the imperial weaponsmith Matsu had kindly prepared for her. She walked into the archery range through the garden, enjoying the beauty of the carp ponds, wooden small bridges, and moss-covered stone arrangements.

She concentrated, and time vanished. So did the noises, the heat, the pressure in her arm muscles - anything but the target and herself. When she knew the time was right, she squeezed the trigger. TWANG. TWANG. TWANG. Three bullseyes. Mei nodded with the satisfaction of one who had performed well as was expected. Now she would increase the range.

After a indetermine while she heard a cheerful voice behind her.

- "Mei-san! Again you are practicing with that gaijin weapon! Give it a rest and join me for a game of Go instead!"

It was Atsuko, Mei's best friend and another court woman.

- "You always beat me at Go," Mei pointed out, smiling.

- "Aww, let me beat you at least at something," Atsuko smiled back. "You are a better markswoman than most of the samurai, you play the bamboo flute better than anyone else, and you are the most beautiful girl in the court. Well, at least I think so!"

So did many others, though not all. Beauty was an important, albeit fleeting, asset of a court woman. Mei was saddened to think that Atsuko would never fare too well under that cruel scrutiny, not even though many men found her round, friendly face, ample bosom and hearty laughter very pleasing indeed. It was not about liking or loving. It was about prestige and face, like so many other things at the court. And Atsuko was so smart... her brain was quicker than anyone else's she knew, Atsuko could very quickly determine what resources and choices there were available and choose the best one to reach a goal. She would have made an excellent field commander given a martial education. But that was not to be, as she was not from a samurai bloodline. Mei smouldered at the unfairness of it all. Atsuko even lost at Go on purpose when she was playing with those self-important court soldiers and noblemen. They would not like it if they lost to a mere entertainer girl.

Another thing she loved her friend for was Atsuko's complete lack of spite and resentment. Atsuko never envied anyone, she was genuinely proud of her friend and the admiration poured in her lap... how Mei wished that she could share her secrets with Atsuko! Yes, dearest friend... I AM good with the bamboo flute - but did you know it is more than just an instrument, that it contains a concealed, sharpest blade and can be used to blow poison needles? I am more than just a pretty thing for noblemen to play Go, have tea ceremony or talk meaningless pleasantries with... a ninja, a martial artist clad in black and creeping in the night, the honorless demon leaving dead bodies and uncovered secrets behind when I pass without a trace...

But then, Mei's idea of honor differed from that of the open society of Kozakura. She didn't think everybody should just accept their lot in life and meekly put up with any cruelty and unfairness the more powerful wished to dish out. For all their denial of even the existence of the ninja, all the honorable clans nevertheless used their services behind the curtains. The ninja were either loyal servants of a clan, or worked for the highest bidder, like the Takeshi family. Mei was a spy and an assassin for those who had no power, prestige - or hope. That kind of treason was even worse than that of the more mercenary ninja, who could not expect any mercy either if they were caught. No, she could not let Atsuko share such a burden.

- "Atsuko-san, shall we send for some tea and enjoy the morning a bit first? It is such a nice day," Mei said.

- "Sure, I could tell your fortune from the leaves," Atsuko answered.

As the tea arrived, the women sipped it, listening to the silence and smiling at each other. As Mei finished her tea, Atsuko reached for the cup.

- "Gimme." She studied the cup, frowning. "There will be a man."

- "Sure, Atsuko. You always say that," Mei laughed.

- "No, this time it is for real." Atsuko did not smile. Mei's laugh died down. Usually they did this just for fun, but now Atsuko was serious. And this was one of the ways the kami sometimes talked to those who would listen.

- "It will be a gaijin, a great immortal warrior. He is a rishi, and he has come back from Jigoku, to live again."

- "No one comes back from Jigoku," Mei said. Jikogu was the realm of pure evil, the dark sphere of the oni and the most wicked souls. And a rishi, a man with celestial blood in his veins! What would a son of the Heavenly Ones have been doing in Jigoku in the first place?

Atsuko shrugged.

- "His arrival will shake whole the Kozakura, and you will be right in the middle of the events," she continued.

- "Ai, Atsuko-san! Too much sake last night, I wager!" Mei laughed. But the laugh didn't reach her eyes.


oni = demon