Chapter Two: Assault on Oedo Castle

"Goemon!" a voice called out. "Goemon! Ebisumaru! Over here!"

"Huh?" the two looked over, and saw Yae and a small robot-ninja standing next to her, holding two daggers. They were both leaning on the first-floor stairway that lead up to the entrance of the castle-like palace. They dashed over to them.

"Goemon. Ebisumaru." the mechanical ninja said quietly.

"Hey Sasuke!" Goemon replied happily.

"How's the weather down there?" Ebisumaru joked.

"Cut it out, you two!" Yae said. "We'd better do this fast, if we're gonna keep those two in there alive!"

"Right!" they shouted in agreement.

Goemon took off up the stairs, followed by Ebisumaru, Sasuke, and then Yae. They didn't know why, but this was always the order in which they ran together. Goemon kicked down the threshold, and dashed inside.

"Alright guys!" he commanded. "Anyone remember where the Lord's room is?"

Everybody shook their heads in disbelief. Goemon chuckled, and rubbed the back of his head.

"Hey, can you really blame me?" he laughed. "It's just that this place has been remodeled so many damn times that I can barely remember where the restroom is!"

They looked around. They were standing in a big Japanese-style room, complete with kneeling-pads in front of two dinner tables, and Japanese print hanging from the walls. Goemon arched an eyebrow.

"Uhh…I guess the Lord likes his Foyer to look like a small restaurant…" he said to himself. He spotted a stairway on the right side of the room, next to a door that he guessed lead to a hallway. He began to dash toward it. "C'mon guys!"

They followed, and began to dash up the stairs right behind him. They ran on for minutes, climbing up the floors one by one. Ebisumaru seemed to be having the most trouble, panting very loudly, and occasionally stopping for breath every now and then.

"Can't…go…on..!" he shouted.

"C'mon, Ebisu!" Goemon shouted above him. "Just a little bit further…"

"Oh…maybe I shouldn't have eaten all those noodles before I came here…" he complained.

"Well, that's what you get for trying to score your meals for free…" Yae replied, appearing to have no trouble at all climbing up the stairs.

"They weren't free!" Ebisumaru said, still breathing hard. "I had to negotiate with my special hypnotizing dance!"

"Gah, I knew it!" Goemon said.

"But the weird thing was…" Ebisumaru went on. "…was that he accepted it."

Goemon grew frightened. "Wh-what?"

"But no one ever gives in!" Sasuke said, appearing to be a little frightened as well.

"Yeah, I know!" Ebisumaru replied. "He said that I made him very happy…"

"And you…you went along with it?" Yae said looking very puzzled.

"Well, of course I did." Ebisumaru replied. "Why would I not accept a free meal?"

Goemon suddenly stopped, knocking down Ebisumaru down, then Sasuke, and finally Yae in a chain reaction.

"Oops…" he chuckled. "Sorry…heh heh…"

They jumped to their feet, and then followed Goemon as he kicked down the door that lead to the Lord's "hangout" room. There was nothing in there; just a few more Japanese prints on the wall, and the usual, almost "invisible," sliding doors in the back on the wall. Knowing that they were actually doors, Goemon and the gang ran right through them, then through another, and another, until finally, they reached the last room. The Lord lied on the ground, in front of a very tall man wearing purple, all tied up and gagged.

"Lord!" Goemon shouted.

The Lord tried to shout, but only muffled cries echoed from behind the piece of cloth wrapped around his mouth. The tall man in purple turned around, holding a knocked-out Princess Yuki in his hands.

"Seppukumaru!" Goemon shouted.

"GOEMON?" Seppukumaru shouted. "How nice it is to see you again!"

"Put her down, you evil fiend!" Goemon shouted, pulling out his pipe.

"Oh, how reunions can be tearful…" he said, grinning at the four. "Oh, I see you've brought your friends as well!"

Goemon lunged at Seppukumaru, his pipe ready to strike. Seppukumaru instantly warped behind him, and kicked him in the back. Goemon fell to the ground.

"Goemon!" Yae shouted. She thrusted herself at Seppukumaru, her katana aimed at his back.

Seppukumaru jumped behind her, and kneed her in the chest. She yelled, and slammed against the wall. Ebisumaru jumped from behind, and struck Seppukumaru in the back of his head with his mallet. Seppukumaru jumped slightly from the pain, and instantly warped to the front of the room, the Princess still in his arms. Sasuke jumped at him, cutting him across the legs with his two daggers.

"Ahh! Screw this!" Seppukumaru shouted, knocking Sasuke onto Goemon. "Four Tsujikiri! NOW!"

Suddenly, four egg-like demons appeared around him; each of them wearing a different color of clothing, and wielding a different weapon than the other.

"I'm the double-sword master, Itakaro!" the red one appeared, drawing his twin katanas.

"I'm the fan expert, Rokudenashi!" the yellow one appeared, drawing his twin fans.

"It is I, the quick draw swordsman, Hattarino!" the green one appeared, drawing his Masamune Katana.

"And I'm the only girl, Nyanko!" a pink one appeared, drawing her dual axes.

"And we're…" they jumped on top of each of other to make a box-formation. "…the FOUR TSUJIKIRI!"

"Yes, we know who you are…!" Goemon groaned, rising to his feet.

"Always have to make with the flashy entrances…" Ebisumaru said, rolling his eyes.

"Eh, you guys still a bunch of smart-asses, I see!" Hattarino said, dashing at Goemon, his Masamune pointed at him.

"Goemon!" Yae screamed.

"Huh?" Goemon looked up, rubbing his head in pain. He saw Hattarino gunning for him. "Aah!" On instinct, he jumped over the villainous egg, dodging the strike just in time.

"Uh-oh…" Hattarino muttered, knowing that he was about to be hit from behind.

Goemon struck down Hattarino as hard as he could with his Golden Pipe. Hattarino yelled, and fell over, apparently unconscious.

"Way to go, Goemon!" Ebisumaru cheered.

"What are you happy for, tubby?" Rokudenashi said, diving at Ebisumaru, his metal fans ready to strike.

Ebisumaru looked over at the yellow-clothed egg, and did nothing.

"Ebisu!" Goemon called. "Look out! He's gonna—"

Rokudenashi struck Ebisumaru in the stomach with his fans. Ebisu stood there, unfazed. Roku arched an eyebrow.

"What?" he struck again, and again, and again.

Nothing.

"You done here yet?" Ebisu yawned.

"Why isn't it working?" Roku yelled.

Ebisu rolled his eyes, and then quickly smashed him into the wall with his metal mallet.

Itakaro dashed at Sasuke, his twin swords in a cross formation. He slashed at Sasuke, who quickly blocked them with his twin daggers. Making for a quick counter-attack, Sasuke slashed Itakaro while he left his torso exposed.

"No!" he yelled, falling down in pain. "I'm supposed to be the leader! I'm supposed to be better than you!"

"Well, looks like you're gonna need more practice, bub." Sasuke replied. He drew a small Fire-Cracker Explosive from his coat, then dropped it on Itakaro's chest.

"Oh no…" Itakaro muttered, just before the bomb exploded.

"Oh no, oh no, oh no…" Nyanko panicked. "I'm completely outnumbered!"

She looked from side to side, watching as the three moved closer to her. She quickly jumped in front of Yae, pulling an axe to her neck. "Nobody move, or the green one gets it!" she threatened.

"Yae!" the three yelled.

Suddenly, Nyanko was flung completely across the room, slamming into the corner of the wall. She slid to the ground, also unconscious. Yae stood up, brushing her purple outfit with her hands.

"Glad to see you're alright!" Goemon said. "Now, where's Seppukumaru?"

They turned to face the room, but there was no one, other than the Lord still on the ground, who was still gagged. Goemon quickly dashed over to him, pulling off the ropes that binded him together.

"Goemon!" he coughed. "Seppu—Seppukumaru escaped while you were fighting those…those things!"
"Yeah, I figured as much…" he replied, helping the Lord to his feet.

"Just before he disappeared, he said he was escaping to the town of Zazen!" the Lord continued, apparently trying to be of some use. "And the four things disappeared as well!"

"But why would he want to go there…?" Sasuke pondered.

"I have no clue, but he has my daughter!" he yelled.

"Right, your heiness!" Goemon said. "We'll head for Zazen town immediately! Let's go, guys!"

Ebisumaru, Sasuke, and Yae dashed out of the room. Goemon soon followed, but stopped as he reached the door.

"Goemon…" the Lord said quietly. "…please find and rescue my daughter…she means everything to me…"

Goemon nodded. "I will. She'll be just fine. I promise!"

And with that, he dashed out of the castle with his friends, determined to find and defeat the evil Seppukumaru, and bring Princess Yuki back to her home.

"Thank you Goemon…and please…be careful…"