I got the idea for this story from listening to my House of Flying Daggers soundtrack...well that and an idea for a story like this has been floating around in my mind for a while. HoFD just kick-started it. Actually started writing this story yesterday and I'm up to over twelve pages already...but enough of my rambling.

In my world, I own Sailor Moon. But this isn't my world, it's the real world so Naoko Takeuchi owns Sailor Moon. Rats...

Just to warn people, this is a Haruka/Michiru centered fic, so it's mostly about them though the others will be dropping by in later chapters.

Dozo!

Kaioh Michiru gracefully flowed over the floor of the teahouse as several other geisha played the shamisen. She paid little attention to the rich men who were staring at her as she danced. After several minutes she finished the dance and the men applauded. Michiru gave a small bow. The door opened and a figure walked in wearing black hakama pants and a dark blue gi top. A wakizashi was thrust through the figure's belt, signifying him as a samurai.

Michiru stared at the stranger. Unlike the other samurai in the room, this one had short blonde hair and cool teal eyes. The blonde samurai calmly watched the others in the room and walked to a corner and knelt down. Michiru knelt down next to him and poured him some sake. He gave a small nod in thanks and took a small sip, eyeing the other men in the room.

"And where are you from?" one of the other samurai asked, his words slightly slurred together due to how much sake he had consumed already.

"Everywhere," the blonde samurai answered.

"Why the short hair? Disgrace yourself?" another asked with a laugh.

The stranger lifted the cup to his lips. "Hair length cannot measure one's honor," he said before taking a sip.

"Why you…" the first began.

"Surely you have been to exciting places," Michiru quickly interrupted as another geisha poured the drunken samurai more sake.

"Not really," the blonde answered.

"So what brings you here? You seem to be serving a well to do daimyo," a samurai commented.

"I go where the wind tells me to," the blonde answered cryptically.

"Have you been to Gion before?" Michiru asked pleasantly.

"Not before today," came the reply.

"Do you find it to your liking?"

Teal eyes locked onto Michiru's sea blue eyes. "So far."

Michiru shifted slightly and poured the samurai more sake. "I'm glad," she said, keeping her composure.

A faint sound was heard outside and the blonde samurai finished the sake. He set the cup down and rose to his feet. "Sumimasen, but I should go." He bowed to the group and geisha before heading out.

"Stay and drink with us!" a samurai called after him but the blonde was gone. Michiru stared after him; her heart beat slowly returning to normal. She mentally shook herself and resumed in entertaining the samurai.

- - -

Tenno Haruka stepped out of the teahouse, shoving her katana through her belt so it rested next to the wakizashi. She walked down the street and halted at the stable where she had placed her horse. She waited as the stable keeper brought back her black stallion. She gave him the appropriate coins and easily swung up onto the horse. She nudged the horse forward and rode down the street, heading out of Gion.

Once she was out of the city she urged the horse into a gallop, heading for a large house. She pulled the horse into a small cave and got down off the horse. She entered the cave and quickly changed her clothes. She pulled on a pair of loose black pants and a loose black top. She pulled on a pair of jika-tabi (ninja boots) and a pair of black bracers. Around her head she tied three foot-long pieces of black cloth that hid everything except the area around her eyes. There she placed black paint so that only her eyes when opened would be visible.

She pulled on a pair of gloves and placed several small items in pouches on her belt. She slipped a dozen or so shuriken into her black jacket and slipped a shuko (handclaws) on each hand. She slipped a sword into the sheath on her back. It was smaller than the katana but larger than a wakizashi. Unlike the other shinobigatana, as the sword was called, Haruka had had it made in the same manner as a katana. This made it stronger than other shinobigatana other ninja used.

The ninja slipped out of the cave and gently stroked the horse, being careful not to injure the animal with the sharp points of the shuko. "Stay here," she whispered to the animal. She hid the samurai clothes she had worn and slipped out of the cave. She began running silently through the forest, her feet making no sound.

As she neared the house, she slowed and began flitting from tree to tree, staying in the shadows and grateful that it was an overcast night. She made it to the wall and quickly studied it. She pressed her hands against the stones, palm first, and began carefully scaling the wall. She reached the top and landed silently on the parapet. She glanced around and noticed that there were no sentries in this side of the yard. Not taking any chances, she carefully leapt to a tree and scaled down.

The ninja carefully made her way to the house and slipped inside. She crept down the dark halls when soft footsteps met her ears. She quickly went to a dark corner of the hall and closed her eyes, keeping her breathing silent. The footsteps paused near her and she barely opened an eye. A tired looking samurai looked around, then continued down the hall. Haruka waited several more moments until she was certain that the samurai was gone. Satisfied that he was, she continued down the hall.

She made her way to the main bedroom. She listened to the sounds in the bedroom and slid into the dark corner. The noise continued for several long minutes. It finally subsided after nearly fifteen minutes. The ninja listened carefully and soon heard two even breathing patterns. She silently slid open the door and crept inside, shutting the door behind her. Two sleeping forms met her cold teal eyes.

She pulled out a small vial and slipped over to the man. His mouth hung open as he snored loudly. The ninja unstopped the vial and poured the contents into the man's mouth, making sure he swallowed it all. His breath rattled suddenly and his head lolled to the side. The blonde checked for a pulse and smiled beneath the mask when she found none. She replaced the vial and quickly slipped out of the room.

She quickly made her way back outside, easily slipping past the tired samurai. She climbed the tree that she had scaled down and landed lightly on the parapet. She then slipped down the wall, carefully minding her footing and the shadows. As she reached the ground, it began to rain and Haruka smiled under the black mask. She swiftly ran back to the cave. Once there she changed back into the samurai clothes and stowed her ninja garb in a hidden pocket in the blanket that rested under her horse's saddle. Adjusting the swords at her side, she mounted the horse and pulled a waterproof jacket over her head as she headed out into the rain, making her way back to Gion. She failed to see the brigands watching her until they were just about to attack.

- - -

Michiru stared at the rain from the window in her room. Her night of going from teahouse to teahouse had ended barely an hour ago and tomorrow she would repeat the process. She sighed softly. She didn't hate her life; she was one of the best geisha in Gion. She was just growing tired of the repetitiveness. Her eyes narrowed when she saw a figure trotting down the street on a black horse. The figure was clutching their left arm and slightly slumped in the seat of the saddle.

Michiru's eyes widened when she saw short blonde hair in the torchlight from the okiya across the street. She hurried out of the room, pulling a robe on over her plain kimono. "Mother!" she cried.

An elderly woman looked up from counting something. "What is it Michiru? You should be in bed."

"Sumimasen, but I think there's an injured man outside," Michiru said.

"Bah. That is no concern of ours," the woman shrugged off.

"Demo…he's a samurai," Michiru added. "I recognize him from a teahouse I visited this evening."

The old woman rose to her feet and walked to the door of the okiya. Lying in the muddy street was the blonde samurai Michiru had seen earlier that evening, blood trickling down and staining his left arm, his face slightly bruised. The woman shouted for several servants and they came running.

"Help the samurai inside! You! Bring his horse inside." She turned to Michiru. "Fetch some fresh bandages." The geisha nodded and ran to do as she was told. She returned shortly and saw that the samurai was awake.

"I'm fine, it's not that bad of a wound," the blonde insisted.

"You are covered in blood," the old woman persisted.

"I assure you, it is not mine but rather the blood of those who tried to rob me." He pushed up the sleeve of his shirt and showed them the shallow cut. "There is no need to panic good lady."

The woman took a clean rag and reached for the samurai. "Mother, allow me to do that," Michiru said quickly, snatching the rag. She eyed Michiru briefly then nodded her approval. The geisha bowed and knelt next to the samurai. Their eyes locked and Michiru felt her heart pounding in her chest. She gently began cleaning the blood from the shallow wound, carefully avoiding the blonde's eyes.

The blonde silently sat holding the sleeve up, amazed at how gentle the geisha was. Once Michiru was done cleaning the wound, she retrieved some bandages and wrapped the samurai's arm. She carefully tied the bandage and raised her eyes. The samurai stared at her, thanks in the green eyes.

"Arigatou gozaimasu," the blonde said softly.

"It is an honor to help a samurai," the mother of the okiya said. "We shall prepare a room for you for the night."

The samurai shook his head and let the sleeve fall. "I must decline," he said, rising to his feet. "I was planning on being out of Gion this evening. I have a long journey before me."

"As you wish, but at least let us give you some food for your journey," the woman offered with a smile. The samurai wisely nodded and the woman motioned for the servants to fetch some food.

"Are you sure you wish to venture out on such a stormy night?" Michiru asked, her gaze lowered.

"I must," came the answer. "But your kindness you have shown me will keep me warm," he added softly. Michiru nodded as the servants returned with the food.

"Your horse is in the stable this way good samurai," the mother said. The samurai allowed himself to be led to the stable.

"Again, thank you," the blonde said, swinging up into the saddle.

"Safe journey samurai," the woman said with a bow. The samurai gave a short bow from the horse and rode back out into the storm.

Michiru ran up to her room and watched the samurai ride down the street. She absently bit her lip, wishing he would turn around and come back for her, taking her out to see the world. She held her tears back and lowered her head, knowing that she would probably never see him again.

After a moment she looked back out at the street and noticed that the rain had lessened. She offered a silent prayer up to the spirits to keep the warrior safe. She reached out and closed the window, sealing herself inside the okiya.

- - -

Haruka looked back at the okiya as she rounded the corner. She held her left arm where she had been wounded and the image of the aqua haired geisha swam before her eyes. She tried to shove the image away but it refused to leave her mind completely. Part of her wanted to return to the okiya, slip inside, and beg the geisha to come away with her. But she knew it was a foolish idea. Why would a beautiful geisha want to stay with another woman? Haruka thought grimly to herself.

She shook herself and urged the horse into a slow gallop as she rode out of Gion, eager to report the success of her mission. She barely noticed that the rain had lessened as the wind whipped around her wet hair and face.

Here's a brief word guide to the Japanese used:

wakizashi: Small sword carried by the samurai everywhere.

geisha: Women who train at a young age to entertain wealthy men. Geisha is translated to artist or one who entertains.

sake: Rice wine.

daimyo: A Japanese feudal lord whom samurai served.

sumimasen: I'm sorry or excuse me.

katana: A sword used by the samurai. They usually left the katana at the entrance to buildings due to its length.

shuriken: Throwing stars.

okiya: The house where geisha live.

demo: But

Arigatou gozaimasu: Formal way of saying thank you.

So? What did everyone think? Please drop me a review to let me know if I should continue posting this story or not.

And for those wondering, I didn't forget about Eternal Senshi: VI, I just need a break from that series. That story will be up soon, I promise.