Chapter 2:

Proving Grounds

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~Some time after completing their training, Ren and Naoko report to Lord Ghoda's chamber to receive their mission briefing. Ghoda is sitting on his decorated tatami mat when they enter. He sends his handmaidens away as he speaks.~

"Good evening, you are here about your mission, correct? Well, I will be brief. There is a band of notorious men who are terrorizing a local village. They can be identified easily by their green clothing. I simply want you to sneak in after dark and exterminate them. I'm not certain of their numbers, but I want them all taken care of. Also, be sure to avoid the innocent unless absolutely necessary."

~Ren and Naoko bow as Ren speaks~

"Yes, my lord. Consider it done."

~Ren and Naoko leave the chambers, traveling the short distance through a forest to reach the village. When they get there, the sky is almost pitch black, with only a few stars and the light of the Moon illuminating the area. The side of the village that they enter from has a series of small mountains, so they climb, utilizing their grappling hooks to reach the high ledges. Once they reach one of the peaks, they observe the village, which is silent for the most part, except for the sound of chirping crickets. Naoko speaks~

"Ren, should we clear the village from opposite sides, meeting at the middle, or start on the same side?"

~Ren folds his arms~

"Same side. That way, we won't confuse each other with the enemy so easily. Now, let's go."

~The ninjas leap down the mountain ledges gracefully, reaching the village rather quickly.  Ren grapples up onto a roof, while Naoko stays on the ground level, using shadows for cover. Naoko is the first to spot one of the gang members, sleeping soundly near a gently crackling fire. Naoko dashes from the shadows and instantly plunges a dagger into his exposed neck, taking him out before he can even wake up. She removes her dagger and flings the blood into the fire as she heads for a square-shaped building~

"One down…….but how many more to go?"

~While creeping along a long building's rooftop, Ren hears two gang members making idle conversation, though he can't see them anywhere. He looks down from the center of the roof and sees some shadows dancing along an inside wall~

"They must be inside."

~Ren drops from the roof silently, so as not to alert the men. He stands flattened against one of the adjacent walls to the entrance, and takes a deep breath before unsheathing his katana slowly~

"I hope this works…."

~Without warning, Ren runs into the building, flinging Lighthawk at one of the men. The blade hits him square in the chest, dropping him before he could even finish his sentence. The other guard looks on wide-eyed and prepares to pull his sword as Ren dashes toward him unarmed. Just as the man has his hand on his sword's handle, Ren spin kicks him in the face, knocking him on his back. He then reaches down to the first one, pulling his katana out from the man's chest, inserting it into the feistier one's. The gang member stop trying to fight as his arms drop to the ground. Ren pulls his sword, flicking the blood away as he exits the building, grappling back onto its roof. After reaching the opposite end of the roof, Ren grapples up onto a slightly higher roof with only a small "thunk" sound as the hook makes contact with the roof. After scaling to the top, Ren drops on one knee as he surveys the area~

~Naoko flattens herself against the wall of the square building, freezing completely to listen to the sounds around her. She can hear someone walking; sounding like it was slightly above her, but inside the building. Naoko then spots a small balcony that she grapples up onto. She then peers around the corner into the doorway to see a figure wearing green clothing, walking away from her. She unsheathes her dagger, running up behind him, making sure to keep her footsteps from being heard. Once she is close enough, she gasps slightly as the man looks to his right to see her shadow approaching because of the light from a torch behind them. He tries to reach for his sword while calling for help, but Naoko quickly reaches her hand around the side of his head, covering his mouth while bringing the other hand around, slitting his throat with her dagger. She smirks as he drops to the ground, but looks wide-eyed at his sword, realizing the noise it will make when it hits the floor. So, she reaches desperately for the sword with her free hand, but she had decided to act far too late, as the sword made a loud clatter as it hit the ground. Then, she hears some men shouting in Japanese, followed by lumbering footsteps coming up some nearby stairs~

"NANI!? Nikai da! Shinnyuusha da yo!" *What!? Upstairs! It's an intruder!

~Naoko sighs, putting out the torchlight then running forward into some shadows adjacent to the stairway. She growls lightly, thrusting a hand into a pouch at her waist~

"Shimatta…." *Damn it….

~Naoko then pulls a handful of spiked caltrops from her pouch tossing them in the fallen man's direction. She then leaps several vertical feet straight up and presses herself in the nook between the ceiling and two adjacent walls, hoping the shadows will conceal her. The two men stop at the top of the stairway, then run toward their fallen comrade. They step on the caltrops, hollering and grabbing their feet as they scream out curses. As they are left defenseless on the floor, Naoko drops down unsheathing both daggers, plunging each one into a man's chest, stopping their screams. She closes her eyes as she does it, not wanting to see their painful expressions, abruptly pulling the daggers out, flinging the blood of them. She does not open her eyes again until she climbs back out through the window, sitting on the roof. She wraps her arms around her knees as she looks at the pale moon~

"…Well…..someone has to do it...…."

"Naoko, what's wrong?"

~Ren climbs up, onto the roof, standing beside her. She smiles a half smile as she looks up at him~

"It's nothing Ren."

"Having second thoughts…?"

"Yeah…but it hurts…every time I take a life. Even though I know they are evil…"

"Naoko, this is what we do. We are Azuma ninjas. Protecting the innocent is our way of life. It is what we are. As you said, someone has to do it. And, we are the ones who were chosen. You simply have to learn to take it in stride. It is our duty…our responsibility, to do what we must do…"

"You're right. I understand what you mean…let's finish this and go home."
"Agreed."

~Ren turns and readies his grappling hook and fires it at a guard tower where he sees a man in green clothing on patrol. Naoko watches as Ren hangs on the edge as the guard looks over it. When he turns, Ren flips up over the edge, slashing the guard in the back, causing him to stumble forward over the opposite edge, landing with a sickening thud. After watching the guard fall. Ren signals to Naoko.~

"Ok, I think that's all of them. Lets head back."

~After one last sweep of the village, the two head back to the mountains heading toward home. Later, they get back to the Master's chamber. Ren speaks.~

"Master, the deed is done. The village has been freed of its tormentors."

"Well done. I am glad that your first mission was a success. You two have truly proved your worth."

~Ren and Naoko bow, then head to their homes. For a few days, they only train, then one day, they receive their next mission~