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Act II
Fingers of the Rosy Dawn
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Chapter Six: Unexpected Help, The Power of Tomoyo Revealed
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Mission: Escape the compound
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For lack of anything else to do, the women passed the long hours by fixing their appearances and dotting over Atsutane, who did not seem to mind the attention at all. By watching the stars' position from the window Sayako was roughly able to estimate the time. When midnight came all the women prepared themselves.
"Lets gear up." Atsutane ordered. Rimiko rolled her eyes.
Sayako lifted up her kimono. Strapped to her right leg were two long and curved blades. On her left leg were two short and polished handles. She removed them gently and attached the blades to the handles, creating her beloved twin scythes. Rimiko lifted her kimono and removed two twin blades from her legs. Being the length of her calves, they were slightly shorter than the ones she was used to, but were much lighter. Atsutane reached into his sleeves and pulled out two sharp daggers.
Atsutane jimmied open the window and then neatly tossed Rimiko out of it. Scowling, Rimiko stood watch on the other side as she helped the Geisha escape. Finally, Atsutane being the last to leave the room, the Geisha moved together in a large group in the shadows.
"I believe I recognize where we are!" said Tomoyo. "We need to head between these two buildings and get over that bridge into the forest."
"Is there heavy guard up there?" Sayako asked as she ushered the group along.
"I don't know. Do we have some sort of a back up plan?" Tomoyo questioned.
"What do you say oh great and powerful Atsutane?" Rimiko asked dryly.
"Oh we have a back up plan. Scatter." Atsutane said.
Rimiko walked ahead of the group and quickly made them halt. "Stay here!" she hissed and disappeared around the corner.
Further up the alleyway stood a guard. Rimiko felt around but did not sense any other kis besides his. Slowly she snuck up behind the man, then whipped both of her blades to the front of his neck and pulled back with all her might. The man's head came off in one swift stroke. There was no time to stand around and let the full impact of her first kill hit her. Quickly she rushed back to the group. All the women gasped as they beheld her beautiful kimono stained with blood.
"Are you hurt?" Sayako asked.
"Not my blood. There's a clear path to the bridge. We just have to run for it."
Bringing the women around the corner, Rimiko showed them where they must go. Collectively they began their run, but the trio were horrified to find that the Geisha were simply not able to move quickly.
"Come on! Faster!" Rimiko hissed, grabbing some of the women and dragging them along.
"What's that noise over there?" a voice called out in the darkness.
"Damn!" Rimiko hissed. "Sayako! Go with them! Atsutane, lets go!"
Sayako grit her teeth and ushered along the Geisha, getting more and more frustrated with each step. Tomoyo seemed to be the only one with good speed. The girl ran at the front of the group and kept her eyes open for trouble.
Meanwhile, Atsutane and Rimiko had just found it. As they ran towards the oncoming voices they suddenly found themselves surrounded by a group of guards. Atsutane and Rimiko stood back to back, facing their enemies happily. Both were grinning.
"Finally! Some action!" Atsutane barked.
"Lets show them the wrath of the Azuma ninja!" Rimiko cried.
Rimiko placed her right foot forward and then seemed to disappear. In the next instant she appeared beside one of the guards. Spinning in a half circle she plunged her right blade deep into his stomach. Atsutane waited, allowing his attackers to approach him. One held up a large sword, but when he brought it down Atsutane wasn't there. He appeared right behind the man, who fell to the ground, dead.
Meanwhile, Tomoyo called from the front of the group. "Sayako! Trouble ahead!"
With amazing speed Sayako was suddenly at the front of the group and saw several large men approaching them.
"Go to the left! Go off to the left! Tomoyo, lead them!" she ordered, running straight towards the men.
Sayako raised her scythes high into the air and swung down as though she were merely chopping away adversity. She caught one man in the throat and sliced down to his naval, and with another swing she sliced a man's neck. Three more fell due to her beautiful swings, but another four came at her. Sayako struck with her blades in perfect sync, but more and more guards were bearing down upon her. She swiftly killed two men when a third came from no where, forcing her to jump backwards. But she forgot about her kimono, which was wrapped tightly about her, and she was thrown to the ground.
"Stupid kimono!" she screamed as the man bared down upon her.
"Little wench of Godha." the man sneered, raising his sword.
A rock sliced through the air and struck the man in the head.
"HEY IDIOT! COME AND CATCH THIS LITTLE WENCH OF GODHA!" Tomoyo screamed, shaking her backside at the man and sticking her tongue out at him.
The man gave up on Sayako and ran after her. Tomoyo laughed. When the man approached her she ran with amazing speed and made it over the bridge. The man barreled after her.
"Sorry." a voice whispered as a blade was plunged into the man's stomach.
Ayame appeared in the middle of the bridge and grinned as the man fell. Tomoyo appeared from behind her, still laughing. Sayako ran across the bridge and into her mother's arms.
"Mother! Are the Geishas safe?" Sayako questioned.
"Yes, they are fine." Ayame reassured.
Sayako gazed behind her mother and saw several Azuma ninja, each one with a geisha in their arms. The geisha all looked bewildered but happy to be safe.
"Tomoyo! Thank you! You're an amazing runner!" Sayako exclaimed. Tomoyo smiled proudly and gave her a thumbs up.
Atsutane and Rimiko meanwhile were still on the other side of the river.
"It looks like we took out this bunch!" Rimiko said, eyeing the many bodies now filling the area.
"There are still plenty more." Atsutane warned. "Lets make it across the bridge."
The two ran past the bodies quickly. The sound of the river was truly beautiful. Rimiko swore from then on to hold more respect towards bridge designers.
"Do you want to keep going for the bridge or just jump in the water?" Rimiko asked.
"We have to make it to the bridge! Do you know what Hinageshi would do to me if I lost this wig?" Atsutane yelled.
Just as they neared the bridge a huge man stood in their path. Rimiko had to crane her neck all the way up to behold this huge guard of Lord Iekazu's. He was over six feet tall and appeared to weigh more than five times her own weight. He grinned stupidly at the pair and raised a huge club over his squarish head and brought it down with all his strength. The club pounded the ground and caused the very earth to shake. Atsutane and Rimiko were knocked off balance, and being in kimono, were thrown to the ground.
"Stupid kimono!" Rimiko yelled as the man lumbered towards them.
A figure appeared in front of the man. She gazed behind her and smiled at Rimiko and Atsutane on the ground.
"You two get to the bridge." Ayame said. "I'll hold him off."
Rimiko and Atsutane nodded, then ran for it. Ayame turned back to the man who was again raising his gigantic club.
"Lets see what you can do." Ayame said, her blades shining in the moonlight.
Atsutane and Rimiko made it over the bridge, both panting. Sayako and Tomoyo were waiting for them expectantly.
"Are you hurt?" Sayako asked as Rimiko stumbled into her.
"No. Look at how many there are!" Rimiko exclaimed.
Hundreds and hundreds of ninja flew past the river and into the estate. Whistles chorused through the night and soon all of the guards of Lord Iekazu were roused. and the sounds of battle echoed.
"Taro said someone would give us our clothing! Where is he?" Atsutane cried, eager to join the fight.
A bag flew through the air and smacked Atsutane in the head.
"What a lovely daughter I have." Bano said dryly.
"Father!" Atsutane exclaimed happily.
The older ninja smiled as he emerged from the woods. "Hurry and change, you three. We won't be nice and leave any of them for you." he said, then ran over the bridge and into the melee.
Atsutane tore open the bag and grabbed his own clothing, then tossed the bag to Rimiko. Without thinking, he began to strip off his obi and kimono in front of the girls.
"You pervert! You could have gone behind a bush or something!" Rimiko said as she took her clothing and went behind a tree.
"This is no time for modesty girls! Where are my shoes?"
The three wrestled and shouted at one another but were finally able to get all their proper clothing on with the help of Tomoyo. The twins were nice and didn't say anything as Atsutane worked with Tomoyo to carefully fold their kimonos and obis. In fact, they were grateful. Hinageshi could be really scary sometimes. They then went to the river and scrubbed their faces, hard.
"I'll go see if I can help. Good luck you three!" Tomoyo said, hurrying off.
"Be careful!" Rimiko and Sayako shouted after her.
"All right, Rimiko, Sayako, we must go back now. We can never forgive the Iekazu estate for what they've done. We must make them pay for their crimes. Lets go! We have a battle to win!" Atsutane cried proudly, holding his head high as he ran back towards the estate.
Rimiko and Sayako followed behind, deciding not to tell him that he his lips were still painted.
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End of Act II
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