Ayame's rapt eyes searched the street for the third time, unhappily noting that the scene below
was still the same. One guard; one vapid, inept looking guard, was standing absentmindedly at
the corner of the adjacent building. She retreated back a step on the low, decrepit roofing tiles.
She had to stay mindful that each time she stepped forward to watch the guard she was exposing
herself to view from the street below.
Ayame was out of time and out of shurikens. These two factors made for pretty bad conditions.
She had not anticipated the roofs in this town to be so low. It made standing on them out of the
question, and even while crouching she had to be sure not to jeopardize herself.
Her hand ran over the hidden scroll strapped to her abdomen. The message contained within it
was of immense importance. It was addressed to Lord Godha and warned of an enemy plan that
would commence within the night. Ayame had easily enough picked it up from her contact, but
now she was pressed for time to deliver it.
Urgency winning out over caution, she again looked at the guard. He was undauntedly still at his
post. Ayame grit down mercilessly on her teeth. What she would have done for some more shurikens.
"I'm going to get this message to Lord Godha within the hour. I'll stake my life on it." Ayame
swore to herself, her arms tightening around the scroll.
Swiftly she pulled out a poisoned rice ball and launched it into the air. It flew in a graceful
motion over her head. The guard turned his attention to the white blur that landed near him. As if
beckoned by the morsel he walked towards it, turning his back to Ayame.
The guard felt a sudden breeze right before Ayame impaled him. Even before his body could hit
the ground Ayame grabbed the rice ball and vaulted onto another roof. Cherry blood dripped
from her swords.
Effortlessly she jumped from roof to roof in a blur of motion, uncaring of the fact that she should
be making her way by crouching. She had been growing impatient with her slow progress
anyway. For this mission she would have to place all her bets on speed.
Ayame smiled to herself as she felt her body move faster and faster. This is the thrill of being a
ninja she reflected. Pushing your body to its limit to overpower the enemy. With renewed
determination she continued to cross the roofs at an aggressive pace. The faster I make it back to
Lord Godha the more respect I'll get from Rikimaru.
Ayame's thoughts skidded to a halt with that sentiment. And what do I care if that traditional
stickler respects me? He's around so I can learn from him on missions. His respect is of no
consequence.
As much as Ayame argued with herself she couldn't dispute the fact that Rikimaru had been
popping up more and more frequently in her thoughts. Ever since their conversation atop
Bizenya's roof and his show of genuine understanding towards her, Ayame had begun to see her
partner in a new light.
This entire time I've always seen him as just someone I am learning from, but not giving him the
honor of a sensei. Have I ever called him partner? Why do I deny him that esteem? She
wondered silently.
Ayame had to momentarily pause her thoughts. She had just come upon another open street.
Lying against the roof she slowed her breathing, expanding all of her senses. Gently her ki
reached out and scanned the area. Someone was close. She looked at the street but couldn't make
out any guards. Making a quick decision she again threw the poisoned rice ball out into the street.
For a few moments nothing happened. Then, from the corner of the building she was crouching
on, she saw movement. A figure slowly walked over to the rice ball. A beautiful, lovely figure.
It was a Geisha.
Ayame felt as if the roof she was on had caved in and there was nothing she could do to keep
herself from falling and falling.
Before Ayame herself even knew what she was doing she jumped off the roof and landed with a
smack. Her movements were completely undisciplined and clumsy but she had to move. Just as
the Geisha turned around Ayame knocked the poisoned rice ball from her hand.
"It's poisoned!" Ayame hissed, then made a move to turn. For the briefest instant her eyes meet
with impossibly pretty ones. Although the Geisha's round face was filled with terror, she still had
an unearthly beauty to her. Not only that, but she was intelligent as well. She studied Ayame and
immediately recognized that she was not a ninja from her clan. Her eyes narrowed, and then she
did what all Geisha's were told to do when they were in trouble; scream and scream and scream.
In a flash Ayame was back on the rooftops. She could sense ki's quickly moving towards her. The
ninja's were picking up her trail. A thousand and one thoughts ran through her head. At first she
was enraged. She had saved the Geisha's life only to be repaid by having every single guard now
hunting her down. Yet, Ayame could not help but feel compassion for the other woman. Geisha's,
the dainty little things that they were, were meant to entertain, not to be involved in the
bloodshed all around them. Not only was this geisha entertaining these ninja's but she was a
makeshift lookout as well, and obviously a good one at that. Even though she did all this she was
not being fed or taken care of. Any Geisha desperate enough to eat whatever food she could find
was obviously in need.
Ayame was resolved. The faster she got this message to Lord Godha, the faster her clan would
take down this one, and the faster she would have their Geisha's eating sweet rice instead of rice
from off the streets.
A female ninja was closing in on Ayame's right and two male ninja's were coming from the back
and the left. Ayame could only have the vague hope that they also did not have shurikens and
were just planning on hunting her down. She increased her speed.
"Stop running coward!" the female ninja yelled, furiously trying to catch up with Ayame. Well,
one good insult deserved another.
"Who is the coward; the one who runs or the one who must attack in a group?" Ayame retorted,
laughing at the woman's attempts to match her speed. The woman growled.
"All of you can stand back. I've got this one." The woman hissed. The other guards were shocked.
"Don't be foolish." A male from the back yelled at her. The woman shoot him an evil look.
"I can handle her." She said stubbornly, pulling out her swords with deadly grace.
"Then why don't you catch me first?" Ayame yelled, laughing merrily and running with ever
increasing speed, hopping gracefully from one roof to another.
It was an all out chase now. If Ayame could just make it to one of the many houses of Lord
Godha's estate she'd be in the clear. The amount of chi's gathering around her unnerved her, but it
wouldn't stop her. She didn't dare pause to glance backwards and look, but she could only guess
that there were now ten or fifteen ninja's following behind her, all who had ignored the angry
female ninja's orders. As long as none suddenly cut her off in front she just might be able to
make it.
A huge roof loomed in front of her and Ayame jumped up with all her strength, thundered up its
side and burst over the top. A huge and swiftly moving river appeared beyond the building. She
literally flew down the roofs step slope and then jumped, floating in mid air. Her arms stretched
out above her head. Her form was perfect as she dove into the water.
The cold water encompassed her tiny figure and the roaring sound of the river pounded in her
ears. She stayed under for only a few moments before she surfaced and sucked in a huge breath
of air. She glanced behind her and watched in shock as the female ninja fell off the roof and
crashed into the water, came up and flailed her arms wildly, then was carried away in the rivers
current. All the other ninja's stopped by the rivers side and stared at the water with apprehension.
Ayame swam to the other side and watched for a moment.
"None of 'em can swim! What's with this new generation of ninja's?" Ayame asked the stars as
the other ninja's cowered at the rivers edge. She laughed and then headed towards Godha's estate,
not wanting to waste too much time in case there was a bridge somewhere. She shivered slightly
in her wet clothes and hurried her pace. As she came up to the huge doors she found Naotada
waiting for her.
"Sorry, I stopped for some refreshment." Ayame said cockily, trying to ignore the fact that she
was a drenched and complete mess. Naotada laughed.
"Come, Lord Godha has been expecting you." he said and led her inside. Ayame smiled as she
entered and the warmth of the room encompassed her. She was only in the room for a few
moments before Rikimaru came in and quickly looked her over.
"You're drenched. Did the scroll get damaged?" he asked urgently. Ayame growled at him.
"I'm fine Rikimaru, how are you?" she asked angrily, tossing him the scroll
(A/N The scroll had been in a sealed container, hence it was still intact despite being submerged.
Hahahaha, it's not a plot hole! *Poppy-Chan smirks, then runs into a corner and has a panic
attack over her near miss plot hole*)
Rikimaru caught the scroll, his mouth opening but no words coming out. Lord Godha entered
and watched the two with a smile. Ayame bowed to him politely.
"Everything you need to know is in the scroll, Lord Godha. Now if you'll excuse me, I believe I
shall go take a bath." Ayame said.
"Ayame, you cannot waste time bathing, we're fighting this clan tonight." Rikimaru said. Ayame shrugged.
"I'm not fighting till I'm clean and warm." She said stubbornly. "You can wait, partner." Ayame
added with a smile, then left the room. Rikimaru stood speechless.
"You are a skilled warrior Rikimaru, but you have much to learn about women." Godha said,
laughing hard. Naotada chuckled and Rikimaru looked at them both angrily, wondering what on
earth he had just missed.
