Rainy Day Friends

by KC

Disclaimer: I don't own the Ninja Turtles or Usagi Yojimbo and co.

Pairings: Usagi/Leonardo

Warning: Slash, violence, crossdressing.

Part 2

A few short hours after falling asleep, Leonardo woke up and found Usagi leaning against his shoulder, his eyes beginning to droop. After a quick whisper to let him know he was awake, Usagi mumbled something and nodded off. Leonardo was tempted to get up and look around a little just to make sure they were alone, but he didn't want to leave his friend unprotected. Besides, he doubted their enemies would wait to attack. They were most likely alone. The night passed without incident and sunrise found them on the road.

"Stop fidgeting," Usagi said. "I'm surprised you're a turtle and not an owl."

Turning to face the road again, Leonardo resisted the urge to look into the forest on their right and at the road behind them. He doubted anyone would try to rush them from the wide rice field on their left. "I can't help it. We shouldn't be out in the open like this."

"They would find us in the forest just as easily," Usagi reasoned. "And we make better time on the road. I must admit, though, I'm a little surprised they haven't found us yet."

"Maybe it has something to do with how we appeared in that Tangled Skein forest instead of Lord Noriyuki's palace. I don't like that, either. Why did we appear there instead?"

"I don't know," Usagi said. "The symbols on a gate and the chant are so clear that it's almost impossible to make a mistake. And I had enough time to double check my writing before you came back." He glanced sideways at him. "Why did it take you so long? I thought you were merely going to lead them away."

"There were more of them than I first thought," Leonardo said. "And one of them had wings with knives on the edges. How many kinds of ninja live in your world?"

"Well," Usagi started, counting them off in his mind. "I've run into the neko clan most often, but there are also the komori clan, the bats, and the mogura clan, which burrow under the ground."

"Underground? Wonderful..." Leonardo muttered.

They reached a large town at midday. By then, Leonardo had insisted that they travel within the forest to avoid the increasing traffic on the road. While it cost them a little more time, Usagi had admit that he felt safer within the woods as long as Leonardo could assure him that they were indeed alone.

For awhile they sat on a low rocky outcropping that overlooked the town, looking for nearby merchants. At first Usagi suggested that he simply walk to the nearest shop and buy suitable disguises, but Leonardo nixed that idea.

"I'm sure they have people looking for us. You're in no condition to fight," he said. "You stay put and I'll come back with what we need."

"To steal it, you mean," Usagi said.

Not looking at him, Leonardo steeled himself for an argument. He knew that tone of voice. "If either of us is seen, we're dead. That includes shopping."

"I will not deliberately steal," Usagi said. "It would be dishonorable."

"Then how do you suggest that we pay for it? I know that doctor at the Nexus inn cleaned you out."

"I still have a few zeni."

"Would that be enough?"

"With a little haggling, perhaps."

"But then we'd be seen--" He cut himself off with a frustrated growl. "No, you know what, never mind." Standing up, he chose the best spot to begin from, a nearby side street with no pedestrians. "I'll get our supplies without being seen, and I'll even pay for it. You stay put."

"Wait," Usagi said, leaning forward to touch his arm. "You'll need--"

Without a word, Leonardo shrank away from his touch and stepped off the rocky outcropping, landing easily on the ground and darting into an empty stable. Usagi waited to see him come out the other side, but after several minutes passed and no one came out, he decided that Leonardo had already moved on.

He sighed and rested his head in his hands. Theft should be avoided, although he understood his ninja's frustration. He didn't mean to upset his friend, but some aspects of their honor were irreconcilable. Not that Leonardo didn't adhere to his own idea of honor. Perhaps a ninja's soul was simply more practical than a samurai's.

Their lives were just so different, the particulars of their honor almost opposite. Leonardo certainly did not act like his swords were anything special, simply another tool in his arsenal like his shuriken, whereas Usagi's swords were his soul. Leonardo owed his allegiance to his clan which expanded nebulously to include his friends, and he defended them with a loyalty that rivaled any shown by a retainer to a lord. As a ronin, Usagi understood that nebulous cloud of devotion, but he also knew that such loyalty could be tenuous at times, easily swayed by emotion or perceived insults. It did not have the lasting permanence that a retainer was expected to show a lord. He frowned. Not that such expectations ever stopped traitors and cowards, and he didn't think Leonardo would ever turn his back on a friend, but without the rigid social structure beneath it, such loyalty still seemed a shaky foundation at best.

Even surrounded by the thick bushes and low boulders, Usagi felt vulnerable to attack and hoped Leonardo would return soon. After an hour, he began to worry. As the sun reached higher and higher, he thought he might be forced to go into the village and search for him but just as he began to get to his feet, he spotted a bit of movement from the stable. A moment later Leonardo climbed back up onto the little cliffside and sat down, dropping a bag between them.

"Sorry I took so long," he said. "I ran into one of our 'friends'."

"Are you all right?" Usagi asked, looking him over for injuries.

"I'm fine," Leonardo said. "I saw him first. Besides, he paid for everything."

"What?" Usagi blinked. "You robbed the dead?"

"No, the unconscious. He must've been a beginner 'cause he didn't know how to hide, but he was pretty quick so I had to chase him for awhile before knocking him out."

Since Leonardo seemed content to merely lay back and rest for awhile, Usagi pulled the bag onto his lap and looked inside. When he pulled out the two garments inside, however, he couldn't help laughing.

"When I said I could not imagine you as a courtesan," he said, "I did not intend that as a challenge."

"It's not a courtesan's dress," Leonardo snapped as if he'd already thought about that. "It's a noble woman's and it was the only thing that could cover me completely. There aren't many turtles in your world."

Usagi had to admit that the uchikatsugi, the wide brimmed hat with a long veil, coupled with the kimono would be perfect for hiding his friend. He pushed the dress out of the way and found his own disguise, clothing very similar to his own with a plain pattern and another broad hat.

"I see. So we are a traveling noblewoman and her bodyguard." He looked at Leonardo, who reluctantly sat up with a sigh. "And where are we traveling to? I have no idea why all the ninja clans are after me, nor do I know where each clan resides to ask."

"Look at the bottom of the bag," Leo said. As Usagi dug around and pulled out two sheets of paper, Leonardo explained. "I don't know who he is, but I figure he might have some answers."

Usagi spread the two wanted posters out, one for each of them. "Ten thousand zeni," he whispered. "For that price, everyone in the country will be looking for us. Wait..."

"Uh-huh," Leonardo said, anticipating his question. "How did he know what I look like?"

"But this is impossible. You've hardly been anywhere in this world."

"Meaning if he didn't know, then he's just a cat's paw. Now I'm even more suspicious about where that other door came from." He glanced over at him. "Recognize the guy's name?"

Usagi scanned the page for the name of the one who'd put the price on their heads. "Lord Nerai...I do indeed remember that name. He once plotted against Lord Noriyuki. I suppose I shouldn't be surprised, although I do wonder why he's moved so openly against me this time."

"Then we should go ask him," Leonardo said. "Know where he lives?"

"Yes, but it's a long walk from here to his prefecture."

"So we'd better get started."

Dressing in his own disguise as a bodyguard was simple enough, merely the changing of his outer clothes, but Usagi had to help Leonardo into the long dress. To his surprise, the ninja did not look as ridiculous as he thought he would. He wouldn't pass for a young and slender woman, but passing as an older clan matron worked perfectly with his shell. Once the veil was drawn fully over him, Usagi was stunned at the difference.

"Amazing," he whispered. "I never would have believed you could do it, but..."

"It's not so much the clothes," Leonardo said, "but rather the way I walk. I envy you. At least you can walk straight."

"Yes, and I can see where I'm going." He grimaced as he pulled his broad hat down low. "Well, mostly anyway."

Once they came back to the main road, Usagi couldn't help watching his friend in fascination. They passed many people but no one ever stopped to give them a second glance. When they passed another old noblewoman, unveiled but slightly stooped and accompanied by a male escort, he noticed Leonardo's posture and bearing shift slightly, mimicking the woman. In this way they passed in plain sight, covering many miles before the sun set and they had to stop for the night.

Paying the innkeeper with money Leonardo had stolen from the ninja, they found themselves in a good room with windows that Usagi quickly shut. As soon as he had barred the door and no one could see in, Leonardo whipped the hat off and quickly shrugged out of his clothes.

"Oh my God, how do they do it?" he gasped, dropping into a chair.

"Who?" Usagi asked, sitting across from him. The innkeep had left them a good amount of sake and he poured some in the two cups provided.

"Women! I felt like I was suffocating. And I could barely see anything. It felt like I was walking blindfolded."

"Surely you exaggerate," Usagi smiled.

"Not much." Eyeing the sake curiously, Leonardo picked it up and took a very small sip. "Rice wine?"

"You've never tasted it before?"

"I've never had anything alcoholic before." With a sigh, he put the cup down. "I don't suppose they'd have water instead?"

"Water generally isn't healthy," Usagi said. "You'd be better off with the sake. Don't worry, though. Judging from the taste, I suspect the innkeeper put plenty of water in it already."

With a put-upon sigh, Leonardo drank in such small doses that Usagi wondered if he was drinking at all. "Usagi, can I ask you a favor?"

"Of course."

"Please never tell Raphael what I had to wear."

Laughing, Usagi put the sake bottle down so he wouldn't spill any. "I promise. But he's a ninja, too. Surely he'd understand having to use a disguise."

"Mm, he doesn't like hiding. He's always preferred straight fights."

Tilting his head, Usagi gave Leonardo a long look before speaking again. "You are the only consummate ninja of your clan, aren't you?"

Leonardo half-smiled and stared at the reflection of the ceiling in his sake. "Except for Master Splinter, and he seems more like a monk sometimes."

"Is it...lonely?"

For several seconds Leonardo did not speak, and he seemed to retreat a little into himself. Usagi winced and hastened to apologize, but Leonardo shook his head once.

"Don't be sorry. It is, a little. I'm the only one with the temperament for it, I guess. They like recognition, like making friends. Donatello has several friends in the city's homeless. Casey and April are closer to Raphael. And Mike, he loves being cheered by a crowd."

"I remember," Usagi said softly. "From the look on his face, he loved every second of recognition. And I remember your face that night. You hated being there."

"I was proud of him," Leonardo hurried to say, but he sighed and shook his head. "I hate crowds. I don't even like being around small groups of people. Sometimes I think I could live entirely in the shadows if Splinter would let me."

"You were born in the wrong world," Usagi said with a rueful smile. "There are those who do just that in this world, the loyal guards of lords. Their names are forgotten in life so that when they die, it is as if they never existed."

"Yes, but they have obey their lords," Leonardo said. "I sometimes can't even obey my father. I don't think it would work."

Usagi blinked. "You? Disobey your master?"

"It happens on occasion." Leonardo shifted in his seat. "You can't tell me you never disobeyed your father."

"Forgive me, I didn't mean it that way, it's just..." Usagi laughed once. "You always seemed the dutiful son. To discover that you're just like any other child is surprising."

"It certainly surprised everyone else," Leonardo smiled. "After standing up to him, I think I might try standing up to thunder next."

"I believe fire would come before thunder," Usagi said. "The four terrors of life, earthquake, thunder, fire..."

"...and father. That's right. But after that fight in the Nexus, I think I've already covered fire."

"Ah, that's true. Well then, good luck on braving thunder. Just be sure to warn me before you do so. I shouldn't like to be right next to you when you do it."

Their conversation continued for a little while longer, but soon the miles caught up to them and they had to extinguish the candle. While resting on his pallet, Usagi lay his head on the block that provided his pillow and glanced aside at Leonardo. The ninja sat close in the corner, swords in his lap, deep in the trance he'd described before. Usagi wondered if using that trance so often was healthy. He closed his eyes but didn't fall asleep for a long while, his mind too busy thinking about the risk he'd put his friend in. Not to mention that while Usagi himself had no ties or commitments, he'd dragged Leonardo away from his family who probably had no idea where their brother and son was. Not many people would go to such lengths to help a friend which made the fact that his loyal friend was a treacherous ninja seem even stranger.

Upon reflection, when he left home as a child to become a samurai, he never imagined his life would take such curious turns.

The next day they continued walking, taking only a short break in one of the towns they passed before heading back down the road. Along the way Usagi took a fallen branch near the side of the road and stripped it of its twigs to make a passable walking stick. By leaning on it, he was able to take some of the strain off of his wounded side. He couldn't tell how Leonardo handled walking slightly stooped for so long, but the few times he stumbled, Usagi heard him whisper assurances that it was just "the damn veil."

Usagi figured that frustration came less from stumbling and more because Leonardo was genuinely curious about his world but now that he was traveling through it, he could barely see anything. The red torii and stone statues beside the road, the rivers under the bridges they crossed, even the simple passing of several butterflies across their path were blurred by the heavy veil. Usagi's remark that too many butterflies were considered a bad omen did nothing to mollify him.

They passed the next night in the countryside, taking shelter beneath a bridge over a dry riverbed. Once they were sure they were alone, Leonardo removed his disguise and cleared a swath of the long grass. Not only was it more comfortable, but the tall grass on either side of them kept them well hidden. Sleeping so close together would have been uncomfortable but Usagi insisted that Leonardo actually sleep, choosing to keep watch instead.

To his surprise, he discovered that Leonardo couldn't stay still in his sleep. After a few minutes, the ninja winced and turned, trapped in a nightmare. Usagi leaned close but Leonardo's murmurs were indecipherable. Perhaps ninja were trained to stay silent even during sleep? He decided Leonardo must have been, watching him open his mouth in a silent cry. Hoping his friend wouldn't lash out suddenly, he lay down and put an arm over him. The restless tossing didn't stop but it did lessen, and he turned slightly into Usagi's embrace.

An eyeblink and the suns' beams through the grass woke him. Sitting up too fast, Usagi hit his head on the low bridge and muttered a curse.

"You all right?" Leonardo mumbled, rising up on one arm.

"Yes," Usagi said, rubbing the sore spot on his head. "But I'm afraid I fell asleep last night. I thought I'd only closed my eyes for a second...I didn't even feel that tired..."

"It was bound to catch up with us. Besides, we're still alive, so no harm done." After stretching, he crept out from under their shelter and scanned the surrounding fields. "Looks clear."

"Good. If we push on as hard as yesterday, we should reach Nerai's territory by nightfall. Perhaps it is fortunate we did not arrive at the Geishu province. Lord Noriyki could have given us horses, but we would be at least a week out."

When he didn't hear a reply, Usagi turned and found Leonardo back in his disguise but holding the hat out at arm's length. From the look on his face, Usagi didn't need him to speak to know what he was thinking.

"It's only for one more day," he said, putting on his own hat.

"A very long day," Leo sighed.

After an hour of walking, the road filled with other travelers, wood cutters, nobility and merchants alike. Since they couldn't talk without giving themselves away, they traveled in silence, and Usagi took advantage of his disguise as a family bodyguard to keep very close.

Although the day had started out sunny, clouds gradually covered the sky and rain turned everything a dismal grey. Lightning flashed overhead and the dry river that followed the road now flowed with an ever-increasing amount of water. Neither of them needed an umbrella and while other travelers took shelter in the occasional shrine and roadside inn, both of them walked steadily down the road, although while Usagi could rely on his geta sandals to keep him out of the mud, Leonardo had to walk on the side of the road in the grass. Despite the chill and huge raindrops, Usagi smiled. At least now they could talk freely.

"Looks like we get to face lightning sooner than we thought," he said.

"If we make it without being struck," Leonardo said, "I won't mind if we skip the earthquake."

"I doubt we'll be struck." Usagi pointed towards their left at the rice fields. Bright flashes lit up the dark clouds. "See, we're at the edge of the storm."

"Well, at least this damn veil let's me see lightning," Leonardo muttered. "I wish we could've waited out the storm somewhere, but there'd be too many people with us. There's no way I could hide for long."

"Just a few more miles," Usagi said. "We'll have to leave our disguises when we cross into Lord Nerai's territory since we have no traveling papers, but--"

His words died in his throat. A bolt of lightning highlighted the arrow Leonardo held in one outstretched arm, its tip flashing in the light. As the ninja flung off his disguise, Usagi drew his swords and looked to the forest.

"How many?" he asked. Even though his hat acted as an umbrella and kept the rain from his face, he felt sure that a ninja could see other hiding ninja better than a samurai.

"Too many," Leonardo answered. "Something's wrong. They're not alone."

"What do you mean? Who is with them?"

"I can't tell. Whatever it is, it feels a little like that bakemono I fought."

As neko ninja came out of the forest, Leonardo spared a glimpse past them into the black branches. In the now constant glare of lightning, swirling shapes curled around the trees, reminding him of the smoke from the portal that had appeared Usagi first found him. He expected glowing eyes or glistening fangs, but even though he felt like they were watching him, none of them had eyes.

He felt Usagi step so that they were back to back, and he glanced over his shoulder briefly. He couldn't help a sharp breath. If the smoky shadows looked like ghosts in the trees, then they looked like snakes on the rice paddies, looping and twisting over each other.

"I don't think my swords can cut those things," Leonardo whispered.

"We'll worry about them later," Usagi said. "Concentrate on what we can fight."

The enemy gave him no time to reply. The first wave broke on their swords and fell at their feet as they were run through or cut to ribbons. Blood coated their blades, running freely down the hilt before the rain could wash it away. Advancing from the forest, the neko ninja had to be careful not to slip in the slick grass, but Usagi could count on his sandals to give him a grip and Leonardo used the mud to his advantage, pivoting as fast as lightning in his spin kicks and letting his momentum carry him to the ground for lethal sweeps that broke bones even as his centrifugal force brought him back up again.

After several minutes, he noticed a change in their tactics. They no longer tried to close in on him but rather struck from a distance, aiming throwing knives and stars that he was hard pressed to dodge or deflect. He killed the last ninja who'd come close enough but several more remained out of reach, and he had to slash faster and faster to block each shuriken. He fell to one knee to dodge a dozen of knives aimed at his face, and as he turned he noticed that somehow he and Usagi had become separated with ninja filling in between them. He tried to move towards Usagi but flinched when knives landed in front of his hand, narrowly avoiding losing that hand altogether.

They never gave him a chance to try for his own shuriken, and he had to take comfort in hearing their death cries as Usagi cut them down. Though it was inevitable, he still cried out in frustration when he heard Usagi's groan as he stumbled and fell, no longer able to keep fighting. Leonardo gasped in desperation and fear. They were as good as dead and yet he could not bring himself to stop, clinging to irrational hope. He didn't dare turn to look at the small mob around his friend, certain that he'd only see the final stroke.

Instead he heard the frantic wooden rattling of a horse and cart driven out of the forest and onto the road. At first he could only wonder how on earth they'd hidden all that between the trees, but the thought passed when they hefted Usagi's body up inside. Leonardo's eyes widened. Usagi still struggled even though he had little strength left. He was still alive.

The moment of relief faded as the cart fled down the road, taking Usagi with it and leaving him with far too many adversaries to finish off on his own. But Usagi was his friend. Even if he'd failed to protect him now there was still hope he could rescue him, but only if he survived the night. As they closed in, careful to stay just out of reach, he reached into his belt and found one of the flash bombs Donatello had made for them. They did little more than pop and light the area up as bright as day for an instant, but it could be the edge he needed. If the rain hadn't soaked it through.

Throwing it in the wet mud wouldn't ignite it. Yelling to make sure they all opened their eyes in anticipation, he tossed it into the air and struck it with the flat of his blade, closing his eyes at the last second. The flash still surprised him, but all around him neko ninja cried out in pain and stumbled backward. In the instant between their shock and their instinct to get out of his range, he had closed the distance between them.

There was no time for precision. If he didn't follow after Usagi soon, the rain would wash away the trail. Bodies with slashed throats fell beside bodies with hacked off arms and intestine spilling out of their bellies. By the time the remaining few could see him again, they were only a handful and well within his reach.

Within just a few seconds, he alone stood on the road. How much of that road was blood he couldn't tell. Already he couldn't see the cart, lost to both the night and the storm. His only hope of rescuing Usagi lay in walking throughout the night and hoping he didn't lose the trail. Sheathing his swords, he started walking. Perhaps he would find a traveling merchant or nobleman taking shelter in a roadside inn or shrine with a horse he could take.

At first he wasn't sure if the rustling sounds all around him were tree branches blown by the wind or the strange eyeless shapes, but after a few bolts of lightning let him see them clearly, he realized that they were indeed coming closer. He stopped and faced them, watching them swirl along the side of the road. They suddenly rushed within arm's reach, making him step back, but after a moment he saw that they weren't coming any closer.

He tilted his head. In fact, they were piling up on each other, coalescing into one great shape that arched itself and stretched up, forming an obvious head. Then its two legs split into four. Soon even in the moonlight he could see what they were creating. A smoky black horse.

He had heard the phrase 'being torn in two' before, but now he truly felt as if his heart had to rip into two pieces. Usagi's life might depend on taking the clear help offered to him, but this help was too convenient, too closely allied with the ninja clan to be nothing more than happy coincidence. He couldn't take that help. And yet here stood a horse without eyes ready to carry him.

He met its eyes, or at least he thought he did. Except for the blank spots where its eyes should have been, it looked like any horse. All he had to do was reach out, grasp its mane, and leap onto its back. He had no doubt that they would catch up to the cart easily. He put his hand out and touched its nose. It felt solid but colder than the rain.

"No," he whispered. It took a little longer for him to pull his hand away and turn his back on the thing that looked like a horse. "No. I will find him myself."

It whinnied. The sound nearly made him turn but he started walking again, refusing to look back.

Before long the storm weakened to a constant drizzle, completely destroying the cart tracks and leaving him confused as how to go on. Usagi was the one who knew where everything was in this world and he had no idea where Lord Nerai lived. And no doubt Nerai's wanted posters had been placed in every town, making asking for directions suicidal.

By the time he spotted a red torii marking a path into the forest, he wanted to collapse and sleep despite the rain. Instead he turned and followed the path, hoping he'd find something useful. When the path opened to a clearing in the woods, he laughed despite himself.

Tall wooden beams fenced in a sprawling temple complex. He had no way of telling what lay inside, but he figured there had to be something of use. Of course he wasn't quire sure how he would get inside. On the top of the fence, he spotted two monks carrying lanterns back and forth as they patrolled. Assuming they had sentries posted on every wall, he would have to time his climb for when one of the corners was completely dark.

After choosing a nearby tree, he scrambled up into the branches and began moving around the temple, using the higher vantage point to look into the courtyard and grounds. He smiled. In one of the buildings closest to the gate, he spotted several horses between the wooden slats of the wall. Although he couldn't simply leap over the fence in this spot, blocked by one of the patrolling monks, he could easily find it again when he slipped inside.

Most of the trees had been cleared away from the fence. Only a few tall pines leaned close enough to make a leap possible, and even as he edged out along one of the sturdiest branches, he wished the limb felt a little more solid. The ground lay at least two dozen feet below him and although Splinter had hammered out his fear of heights, his body tensed with every creak and groaning of the tree. He watched the monks making their rounds and waited as two of them left the nearest corner for a moment. Forcing himself to let go of the tree trunk, he took a deep breath and jumped out over the empty space.

When he landed on the walkway, he discovered that rain had left the smooth wood quite slick and he slipped sideways, tumbling over the side before he could catch himself. He managed to grab one of the support beams holding the walkway up and slid down until it met with another beam, jolting him off and into a deep puddle. Above him, footsteps and raised voices rushed close as the monks came to investigate the noise, but he moved quickly across the grounds and took cover beneath the raised temple floor. It was a tight fit, but the short poles that kept the temple off the ground and safe from flooding gave him enough space to hide in, if he didn't mind the mud. While the lantern light played on the spot he'd just left, he turned and pulled himself beneath the temple towards the gates.

Once he reached the front of the temple, he rested for a few minutes and surveyed the grounds. No one stood beside the gate, so he hoped that he would be able to raise the heavy bar holding it shut before anyone noticed that a horse was missing. He felt a little bad that he would leave a temple vulnerable to bandits, but perhaps he could make some noise as he escaped so they would notice the open gate.

As soon as he was sure he was alone, he crawled out of his hiding place and ran across the grounds, pressing his back against the stable wall as he sidled near the doors. He heard no one inside so he cracked the doors open and went in.

A lantern hung inside but he didn't dare light it for fear someone might see. Besides, in the dim moonlight he could make out at least one horse standing fast asleep. He lifted the latch on the nearest and stared at the mare which had woken up and now regarded him calmly.

"I hope you're fast," he whispered.

"I'm sure she is."

Leonardo whirled. A tall monk in a dark robe stood before him, his staff at the ready but not yet swinging at his head. From the monk's stance, however, he didn't think that was because the monk was afraid of him.

"And who are you?"

"Sanshobo, head priest of this temple," the monk said. "When my men told me they heard something at the wall, I thought it best to check for myself." He reached over and hung his lantern on the wall, lighting up the stable. As a handful of other horses woke up and softly complained about the light, Leonardo took a step towards the mare. Her stall was angled such that it remained mostly dark, drawing him instinctively towards it.

"Perhaps you will tell me who you are," Sanshobo said. "You do not seem like any ninja I've ever seen, and though you wear swords, you are no samurai."

"I'm not from around here," Leonardo said. "I'm not even from this world."

"You're a bit too muddy to be a spirit," Sanshobo said with a grim smile.

"My name is Leonardo," he said, refusing to be baited. "I am a ninja, although not one from any local clan. And I'm afraid that I'm going to have to borrow your horse."

"Well, I must say you're the most polite thief I've ever met," Sanshobo said, twirling his staff in one hand in preparation for a fight. "Come out of the shadows. I'd rather not kill you by accidentally smashing your head in."

"I don't suppose there's a way we could avoid fighting?" Leonardo asked. "I've got a friend I really need to rescue--"

"Unless you give up and let me call the local authorities," Sanshobo said, "I think this is going to be a very short fight."

"Fine," Leo grumbled. "Just don't hit the horse. I'll need it after I'm done with you."

Leaping forward, he startled Sanshobo and caught him around the waist, tackling him to the ground. The end of his staff knocked against the ground and jumped awkwardly into the air, giving Leonardo time to dodge clear before Sanshobo could swing it properly.

Even though Leonardo was surprised by how fast the priest got back on his feet, he didn't need to risk getting so close again. Sanshobo was obviously not used to his fighting style, a fact made obvious when Leonardo made a low sweep that sent him flat on his back again. As fast as Sanshobo was, he had only risen up on his elbows when he found the tip of Leonardo's sword at his throat.

"You're right," Leonardo said. "It was a short fight."

Sanshobo said nothing for a moment, peering at him now that he stood in the light. And then his eyes widened and he gasped. "You're the one on the wanted poster! The one with Usagi's!"

"You know Usagi?" Leonardo blinked but didn't remove his sword. After all, their names had been printed. Perhaps this priest had simply remembered.

"Yes, he's my friend. He's helped me on many occasions."

Friend? Leonardo tried to recall the stories Usagi had told him as they lingered in various inns, whiling away the hours. Had he ever mentioned a priest? He remembered a story about a strange warrior who never seemed to die and demons needing exorcism. The only memory about a priest was vague at best.

"He told me about a priest who helped him with a sword," he said softly. "A sword called--"

"Grasscutter," Sanshobo nodded. "When he defeated the undying warrior Jei."

With a self-conscious sigh, Leonardo withdrew his sword and set it back in its sheathe. "My apologies. I should have remembered your name."

"And come in through the front gate perhaps?" Sanshobo took his offered hand and stood up. "I would have gladly offered any help to a friend of Usagi's."

"I'm afraid I don't know my way around this world," Leonardo said. "I don't even know where Lord Nerai lives, and now that I've lost him--"

"Wait, the friend you have to help, you meant Usagi?" Sanshobo considered briefly, then nodded once. "You'd better come inside. We need to talk."

"There isn't time to talk," Leonardo argued. "Usagi was captured not half an hour ago and--"

"And they will not kill him immediately," Sanshobo said. "Not if they made the effort to take him alive. Rushing blindly into combat against an unknown enemy will only get you killed."

It was an argument Leonardo had made to his brothers many times over, but having it repeated now when his friend was in the hands of the enemy only made it that much more galling. "Can we keep the conversation short?"

"Heh, impatient youth." Sanshobo shook his head. "Look at yourself. You need to rest and have those wounds seen to. Fortunately I can pass for a healer."

Leonardo looked down at himself but didn't see anything too bad. He'd certainly been in a hard fight and had the usual cuts and slices across his arms and body, and the cold rain had kept him shivering most of the night, but it was nothing he couldn't soldier on with. "It's not that bad. Sure, I pulled the gash on my arm a little, but it's hardly bleeding."

Sanshobo gave him a look of pity mixed with admiration. "Young warriors. Nothing ever changes." He turned and walked a few steps before looking over his shoulder. "Come on, then. You should at least clean all that mud off. Once you're ready, I can certainly give you a horse."

With the distinct feeling that he was talking to his father, Leonardo sighed and followed Sanshobo out of the stable, ignoring the looks of the other monks who'd gathered outside. While there were no hot springs nearby, they did have a well that allowed him to rinse off, which he figured was probably better than falling asleep in a hot spring and drowning.

After that, he joined Sanshobo in a small room that reminded him a little of Splinter's bedroom. Now that he was dry and out of the wind, the lantern's glow turned the room a soft gold. The scent of the tea in the middle of the room only made it more comfortable. He barely paid attention as Sanshobo properly stitched the gash on his arm and dressed the smaller cuts, using the time instead to explain what had happened ever since Usagi first appeared in the alley.

"So I killed the rest of them, but they still got away with Usagi," he said. "And then I found your temple and...you really need to put handrails on your walkways."

"I'll remember that," Sanshobo smiled. "In the event I meet another honorable ninja."

"I keep hearing that," Leonardo said. "We're not that rare."

"Oh? Are there many in your world?"

"Well..." He frowned. Of course there was his family, but...he sighed. "Okay, maybe we are rare."

Sanshobo laughed and paused in his work so he wouldn't stab Leonardo. "You may be a ninja, but even among samurai your honor would be rare. Usagi has precious few friends."

"And I let him down."

"We mere mortals do have our limits," Sanshobo said. "You defeated more ninja than I could even imagine. And I am sure you will find Lord Nerai and rescue Usagi. I also have no doubt that he is the bait in an intricate trap."

"Then you think those shadow creatures were deliberately sent?"

"They were able to take corporeal form but did not help you until Usagi was taken. Their presence must have been meant to force you to take their aid, and thus owe whoever controls them a favor."

"Then I'm the one they're really after. And Usagi just an innocent victim. It's my fault."

"I hardly think you're the one who arranged for him to be attacked and captured," Sanshobo said. "Remember, it's arrogant to take responsibility for everything that happens in the world. There is enough karma already burdening your soul. No need to add any more."

Leonardo wasn't sure that he believed in karma, but he saw no reason to mention that. He simply took the offered cup of tea and nodded once.

"I know I'm a stranger here," Leonardo said, "but you're not like the other monks."

"I wasn't always a priest," Sanshobo said, taking a sip of tea. "I used to be a samurai, but life conspired to put me upon a new path. Such was my karma."

For a moment both held silent, each contemplating what was to be done next. Leonardo knew that the priest had offered both a horse and directions to Nerai's province and estate, but he couldn't help feeling guilt that he was resting in a warm temple while Usagi lay in the enemy's grasp.

"Do you really think Usagi will be all right?" he asked.

"I have seen enough traps in my time to recognize one. His true danger will begin when you find him again."

Leonardo wondered if it wasn't perverse of him to take that as a consolation.

Despite Sanshobo's protests, Leonardo insisted on leaving immediately, arguing that he would ride better at night than during the day. With an annoyed sigh and another grumble about impetuous youth, the priest took him back to the stables.

"You'll find his estate along this road. It lies within the city, but his compound is situated on top of the river. His men wear a two mon crest. Since our temple has few dealings with him, I'm afraid I don't know anything about his defenses that's any different from any other lord."

"That's all right," Leonardo said, helping him saddle the horse and place the reins. "A ninja would see differently than a samurai. What should I do about the horse?"

"I doubt they'll let you ride through the gates. Just let her go before you reach the city. She knows the way home."

Leonardo nodded once and stepped up onto the horse's back, giving her a reassuring pat. "Thank you, Sanshobo. I don't know what I would've done if I hadn't met you tonight."

"Arrived exhausted at Nerai's home demanding Usagi back," Sanshobo said. "Your appearance alone might've scared them into doing it."

Leo smiled and looked to where a handful of monks drew open the gates. "I owe you a lot for this."

"Save Usagi and you owe me nothing. Now go, and try not to get lost."

Taking the reins, Leonardo urged the mare out of the temple, breaking into a gallop once they were past the temple steps. To his relief, she didn't slip in the mud and easily carried him along the road, ignoring the wind and drizzling rain. No one walked the road at this hour, giving him a straight run for miles. Although he had to give the horse frequent rests, knowing that he was moving faster than if he was running on foot tempered his impatience.

He met no opposition and didn't even see any of the eyeless shadows along the way, so when he saw the dim lights of the city he dismounted and sent the horse back along the road. He watched her disappear into the darkness before turning back to the city. The gate was closed with five guards posted, but the guards all huddled under the roof. The forest had been cleared well away from the walls so he couldn't simply climb a tree this time. With a sigh, he glanced at the river beside him. Tall cattails and grasses lined the banks all the way to the city, just a few feet shy of the gate.

Well, he figured, he was already soaked anyway.

Hoping that since he'd seen little in the way of wild animals other than tokage lizards there wouldn't be any snakes or alligators, he slipped through the grass and into the cold water, moving with the current. He came so close to the guards that he was hard pressed to stay in the thin shadows of the cattails, able to see the numbers on the dice the guards used to gamble and read the kanji on their sake bottles.

While he wondered how best to take them by surprise and kill them before they could sound an alarm, one of the guards stood up after a losing streak and walked towards the river, obviously undoing his pants. Leonardo smirked. Problem solved.

He waited until the guard was standing at the river's edge before unsheathing his sword and slashing upwards, cutting the guard's throat in one silent motion. With a startled groan, the man tried to yell and gurgled blood as he fell forward, seemingly too drunk to stand.

At hearing the splash, the others laughed and thought the same. One of them yelled to get out of the river before he drowned. When he heard no answer, he got up and walked closer, complaining about the rain and telling the dead man that he'd owe him for fishing him out of the river. Yawning, he bent over and pushed the grass away, and had just enough time to see the flash of steel before it took his head off.

When the second body hit the water, the other three guards stood and looked, no longer sure that their friends were simply drunk.

Two of them drew their weapons and slowly crept close, giving Leonardo enough time to draw three shuriken. They were practically in point-blank range. He stood and sent two throwing stars into their throats, then flung the last one at the only remaining guard. It caught him in the back and he yelled in pain as he fell. Leonardo came out of the water, stepping over the bodies as he stood below the gate. From this angle he saw the way the poles were arranged to hold the wooden roof for the guards, providing him an easy way to the top of the wall. He glanced at the last guard, trembling in pain and cold as he continued to cry out. Already he heard the sound of the gate being unbolted from the other side.

Taking a deep breath to steady himself, he used the lowest support pole to jump up and grab the edge of the small roof, pulling himself up and jumping to the top of the wall. A walkway meant for patrolling guards lined the inside of the wall, but the rain had discouraged them from doing their jobs and now they were several yards away, running towards him and shouting.

From the walkway, he stepped into the air and landed on a shop built right up against the wall, and from there raced over the rooftops. Despite the occasional tile he knocked loose, he lost them easily in the narrow streets. Once he was sure that he'd left his pursuers somewhere on the other side of the city yelling commands in confusion, he stood on the highest roof he could find nearby and looked out across the city.

The mass of homes and shops looked like an uneven jumble of dark blocks and dim lanterns held tight by the wall that cut the homes off from the surrounding fields. The wet edges of each home and shop glistened in the moonlight like silver silhouettes. It startled him to see how vast the city was, but because of the crowded streets he spotted the empty space that ringed a cluster of buildings somewhat taller than the rest. As he approached, Nerai's courtyard became more obvious by the high stone walls and beautiful gardens.

Dozens of men already stood at the compound's gates, warned by the city's guards. He didn't need to see any crest on their clothes to tell him who served Nerai. All of them were armed with spears and patrolled the gardens with their lanterns held high. In such open ground, their spears gave them the advantage and he had no desire to face them under those circumstances. He would have to sneak inside the main building another way.

After circling the compound, he spotted his way in. In the corner farthest from the gate and the flowers, Nerai had only a bedraggled plum tree sitting beside a decrepit well. The corner was dreary, uncared for, and the few guards who passed by didn't linger. The only drawback was that once he was in, there was a wide space between the tree and the nearest door. He supposed he could make a run for it, but with so many guards, he hated to chance it.

Wishing he'd brought more than just two flash bombs with him on his training run, he reached into his belt and drew out his last one. He hated to use it up, but he needed to create a disturbance he could depend on to lure the guards away. Aiming carefully, he threw the capsule as hard as he could against the far wall, taking the chance that it would ignite when it hit the hard surface. It missed the wall but struck the outdoor walkway, exploding in a brilliant burst of light.

As soon as he'd thrown it, he jumped down into the street and scrambled over the wall, using the intricately carved windows in the wall as handholds. Once inside, he sprinted across the garden and behind the main building, climbing into the open window once he saw the room was empty and lowering the shutter after himself. He heard soft footsteps in the hallway, so he slid the paper door open a crack and peered out.

His jaw dropped. He'd never seen a real courtesan before. The woodcuts in Splinter's scrolls did them no justice. In astonishment, he watched the young woman sway gently in tall shoes, her long green robes covered in colorful cherry blossoms in full bloom. They made her look taller and wider than she really was, but that only accentuated the delicate pattern and edges of her clothes. Her hair was obviously a wig but the knowledge did nothing to detract from its stylized perfection, with jeweled pins that tinkled like soft bells. Her sleeves extended several inches past her hands, but she still managed to hold a broad fan that covered most of her face. She walked by so close that he could have reached out and touched her robes.

Shaking his head as if to clear it, he waited to see if anyone else was coming and then stepped out, following her down the empty corridor into the main room. Pausing at the end of the hall, he peered around the corner and saw her disappear into another room. The thin paper door did nothing to muffle the sound of laughter, both male and female. Perhaps Nerai was inside.

Before he could risk taking a look, the door slid open again and another courtesan came out, her robes askew as she wobbled on her shoes towards him. He cursed under his breath and looked around wildly, but the only escape was out a window. Hoping no one was outside, he rushed out and caught the wooden shutter before it could slam closed.

Light streamed in from somewhere to his left and he looked up. Luck was with him. Although the windows were closed and locked, they were loose enough that he could peer through the crack and look inside. Glancing around to make sure he was still alone, he pulled it open as far as he dared and finally saw both Lord Nerai and Usagi. Nerai seemed in the midst of celebrating Usagi's capture, keeping him bound in a place of honor at the side of the room with two guards standing over him. All around them, courtesans plied what Leonardo assumed were trusted courtiers and retainers with drink, and as the sake flowed through the room, so did pieces of clothing.

Still, he could tell which girls were more expensive than others. Lord Nerai's court seemed fine to most of the women in cheaper kimonos, but the more refined women in more elaborate costume occasionally betrayed discomfort as girls squealed too loudly. He wondered if they were there simply because Nerai wanted a party and ordered them to attend along with the more common prostitutes.

He looked back at his friend. Usagi had clearly been beaten but seemed both aware and annoyed at his surroundings. There was no way he could work free of the rope around him, especially not with so many people around him.

Leonardo sighed. And there was no way he could get in and strike before either of the guards might turn and kill Usagi. Or before the other men in the room could sound the alarm. He bit back a curse. It'd be easy if he could just get inside for a moment, close enough to Usagi to cut him free with one sweep of his blade. He looked up, hoping to see a ceiling with rafters, but Nerai was too cagey to allow such an easy route in.

Voices sounded close by and lantern light shone near the far side of the building. Guards would soon come around the corner. For a moment he considered looking to see if there was a crawlspace beneath the estate,but he discarded that idea. No doubt they would eventually look for him there. If he wanted to save Usagi, he had to do it quickly, within the next few minutes.

He went back inside through the same window he'd come out from, already sick of climbing through the damn things, and headed down the hall. The edge of the half-drunk courtesan's kimono disappeared into the next large room and he followed her to the door, sliding it open enough to see inside. She had her back to him as she headed towards a large mirror against the wall. Knowing he probably wouldn't reach her before she saw his reflection, he stepped inside and closed the door.

Immediately she turned, her eyes wide as she stared at him. Her makeup was streaked across her fox face and in the darkness made her look like a bloody ghost. She opened her mouth to scream but no sound came out, and she backed away slowly until she toppled over. Her wig fell off and clattered noisily across the floor. When she looked up again, she found him kneeling in front of her.

"If you don't want me to kill you," he said, "leave your outer garments and things here and run. Not a sound."

Shakily nodding once, she kicked out of her shoes and worked free of her clothes, backing away on the floor with several layers of robes still on. When he motioned towards the door, she turned on her hands and crawled until she could get to her feet, disappearing into the night.

Now came the hard part. He gathered everything up and set it by the mirror, examining what he had. One outer robe, the wig, a large fan and shoes. When he held up the robe, two things clattered out of the sleeve. To his surprise, he discovered that she'd left behind a short kaiken blade. Well for her that she hadn't tried to use it. He also found a lacquered case with heavy white makeup inside. Heaving a sigh, he glanced over his shoulder at the door.

"You better appreciate this, Usagi," he whispered.

TBC...