Discalimer: I do not own Jackie Chan Adventures.
Queen Of Shadows
A Jackie Chan Adventures fanfiction
Written by Eduard Kassel
Created by Nocturne no Kitsune
Beta'ed by Zim'sMostLoyalServant
Adopted from Nocturne to finish what he began.
Summary: Last chapter, with the Circle of Generls complete the long anticipated ceremony finally began. Against all her ears Jade endured the mystic energies of ceremony and successfully created new Shadowkhan. In such number as to surprise even the Circle of Generals.
At the celebratory banquet Jade both witnessed part of the shadowkhan culture and put a plan of her own into motion. Passing over the generals she feared to be most dangerous, she bestowed the title of Warlord on the samurai Ikazuki. Hoping if she cannot stop the coming war she can at least give the heroes she is certain exist a fighting chance.
Rated: T
Chapter Seven: Preparations
"It is time you came to understand the true use of this chamber," Hiruzen told her. They stood just beyond the threshold inside the Meditation Chamber in her tower. The chamber was much as she remembered it, and she now could detect the faint scent of incense of some sort. The floor, mats and walls were a uniform darker blue than the audience chamber, with the upraised pedestal and its mat a blue that was almost black. Her eyes fell to the ornamental incense burner before the pedestal, a golden statuette of Orochi the eight-headed serpent.
She glanced back as Hiruzen stepped aside, allowing Sanshobo to enter with them. She had not been pleased to have the fanatical bug in her tower. This was a place where she was supposed to have at least some control of the craziness ruling her life.
"Joo Heike, please assume your spot and the lotus position," he requested, bowing deeply. Hmm, he seemed a bit more restrained. Perhaps this duty called for restraint, forcing him to behave in a saner manner.
The pedestal only came a bit above her knees, without the cushion. But she had never tried to get into a meditation position while wearing a purple kimono before. She felt herself blush as the seconds ticked by, the two Generals watching her adjust herself. Clearing her throat, she finally felt herself in the right spot. Apparently there was no Queenly muscle memory to help this time.
Sanshobo nodded in approval.
"Very good, your blood shines through in a near perfect position with so little practice. Yet another sign of the greatness you shall attain, o' blessed 98th.
"Now we may begin.
"This chamber was designed by my tribe alongside your grandmother, the mighty 96th. Like all the royal meditation chambers, it is designed to allow secure and simple astral projection.
"But under the Queen's guidance, we created a chamber that allowed more than the Queen's astral form to watch over the fortress she happened to be in. From this pedestal, your spirit can safely fly across the whole of Shikoku. To watch over slave, ally, and Shadowkhan alike as a true goddess, that you might witness any treason and we smite them with your divine will" the high priest said. Despite his basket mask, Jade was sure he was smiling. If he wasn't, it would be because he might not have a mouth that could smile.
Best not think about it – Tsume and Kuro had delivered enough nightmare fuel in person. Not that she had nightmares, or dreams anymore, she admitted. Speaking of which…
"What of my body? Astral projection puts one at risk of wandering spirits stealing their flesh," Jade pointed out.
"A vain fool would be needed to attempt such, oh Divine and Perfected Mother of Hosts. The shadow chi flows through you. To any soul but your own, to step into your flesh would be as diving into a caldera nude and fresh bathed in oil.
"And they could not even reach your flesh to harm it, as the chamber protects it with the ancient wards long trusted to my tribe from the Queens of old. The same wards that ensure your wandering spirit cannot be kept from returning swiftly to its flesh in this chamber."
'Wow,' Jade thought, impressed. Apparently astral projection was a lot less risky with proper preparation, and these guys actually could be useful when not fawning over her.
"I see, and am pleased to yet again be shown the greatness of my ancestors in designing such a mystic wonder," is what she said aloud, idly glancing at the chamber.
Sanshobo took a seat on the mat closest to her right and assumed a position appropriate to his anatomy. And so Jade began to learn how to move beyond her frail blue flesh.
X X X
Ikazuki stood in full armor in his personal dojo, the boards beneath the mats creaking under the weight. Lanterns cast the chamber, with its many wooden columns, into harsh light and darkness. The Forest, it had been dubbed, for the many and varied columns populating the dojo at his instruction.
Eyes closed, he felt the shift as the adversaries appeared. His boken sang through the air, knocking aside the dark steel.
Enemies surrounded him, rising from the shadow cast by the lanterns.
The sun beat down through the trees, cooking him in his armor as he carried the small precious bundle beneath his off arm. His sandal came down hard on a log, splintering it even as he twisted, catching a tanto on the katana blade. The Tengu sneered beneath its long nose as he pushed it back, sacrificing his own balance.
He landed on his feet, but the delay was enough. Feathers of black fell around, and the wind that carried them brought the Tengu. The long nosed men of blue and red surrounded him, as his charge squirmed.
With a cry, he challenged and they came.
It was the intensity of battle; each blow that struck home dispersed his assailants into feathers. Yet there were always more, and even he was tiring. The last one knocked his helmet free before dispersing into crow feathers.
Or what he had thought was the last one. A tall Tengu dressed in the strange finery of his race stepped forth from the shadow of the leaves, katana and sword held in their respective hands. A glance told Ike' that this was a master beyond what he had fought today.
He sat the blue girl with a too long nose, and a black kimono, down.
"Stay back," he ordered.
The fight was brief, but left his armor in such shambles he unlatched it for the sake of practicality. And wounds from blows that had nearly taken his left wrist or cut him in half. Turning his attention back to his charge facing away, looking out for danger, he sighed in relief.
"Come, it is not too far," Ike' said, leaning down to pick her up. She tuned, and a dagger pressed against his throat. A small, shriveled Tengu elder with a wispy bead smiled at him.
"You are dead, potato bug. So sorry," The Tengu cackled. The young samurai grit his teeth as the Tengu reappeared in bursts of feathers, joining in their elder's merriment.
"Failure again, student," A voice cut through the laughter. Silence fell as all eyes turned to the top of a tree, where the Tengu Prince Sojo Bo stood with one foot on the apex of the pine. When he stirred the leaves of the other trees, their autumn raiment filled the air, and the prince walked down on the backs of the leaves. His path was as erratic as the leaves in the wind, but his stride so certain as to make the samurai wonder if the path twisted only because that suited the great Tengu.
When the prince's boots touched the moss, Ike' bowed as deep as was permitted for a Shadowkhan to an outsider.
"I apologize for my failure sensei, I shall strive to do better next time," Ikazuki promised.
"No, you will not. Your education under the Tengu is now ended. Tonight you will perform your student duties for the last time, and at first light you will return to your General," Sojo Bo declared.
"What?! But I have not completed the training," Ike said, almost rising from the bow.
"Your skills are perhaps worthy of the Yojimbo mantle, though requiring the seasoning of decades. But your failure today shows you lack the Yojimbo spirit.
"Do you know why you failed?" the prince asked.
"I left my charge unattended. I was not strong enough to fight the final challenger and protect the principal," the samurai admitted. Sojo Bo shook his head.
"No, your mistake was to fight him."
"But he was a strong foe, I dared not-"
"You are a samurai, and samurai hunger for the glory of battle. Especially with a worthy foes," the Tengu royal interrupted sternly.
"How can I protect when I fear to shed blood with the greatest threats? A Yojimbo must be willing to lay down their life for their principal!" Ike' insisted.
"Bah! Any warrior can lay down their life, and smugly die feeling they have protected their honor. A Yojimbo's honor rests in one thing and one thing only, the safety of the principal.
"If you die heroically in a battle for the ages, what then for the principal? What if a single foe remains to strike her down over your dead body? Can she find her way to safety? Will she starve in the woods?
"No! A Yojimbo can only die once for the principal. But a living Yojimbo can preserve the principal from a thousand perils.
"If that means never crossing blades with a worthy foe, to be mocked for shunning the heart of battle, to face strong foes and turning and running, leaving behind your samurai honor, so be it. That is the road of Yojimbo.
"And you will not progress down it until you can carry that ideal in your soul before all else."
Ikzauki breathed hard, looking around at the dozen battered samurai and the broken columns.
The rejection still stung. And soon he would overturn it. He would win glory for his tribe and be recognized as first among the servants of the Queen.
He was Warlord, a title he had long thought beyond his reach. Even the 96th, in her glorious ambition, had not entrusted anyone with such authority over their peers. An error; he would prove the merits of unified command, and his own greatness.
'Sensei, the title you would not declare me worthy of, I will seize by my samurai soul,' he vowed, leaving his men to gather themselves.
Tobe Castle:
The fading red sunlight caught on the katana blade and the drawn waikzashi, as well as the shadows extended over the courtyard. Dressed in armor, lacking only his helmet, as had been his custom for twenty-four years, General Gendo Murakami frowned at the two at the tips of his blades.
His short sword was blocking the strike of the woman's naginata, while his katana lightly pierced the chest plate of Gurando the Siegemaster's armor. The giant blinked at him in surprise, fists still raised.
"Why?" Gurando rumbled, puzzled.
"This was no spar, giant. You know Lord Rokutaro's rules for you all," He said, eyes shifting back to the woman in her strange armor. It was not proper samurai armor – a relief, as she was not fit for such armor. Much like her, it seemed a feminine and mystic perversion of samurai ways. He had no doubt Shadowkhan bones and other foul things rested within it.
Some said the Demon Quellers fed their children pieces of Oni hearts and other organs of mystic creatures to make them strong. Since he could feel her pushing him back slightly with no clear exertion, he could believe this woman was no true human.
"Stand down. I do not care what your quarrel is over, but you are both at Rokutaro-sama's disposal. I will not allow you to undermine his plans with your violent vanities."
Gurando chuckled, letting it give way to a deep hearty laugh. The giant stepped back, lowering his fists. Probing the breach in his armor with a finger, Gurando smiled and bowed to the General. Watching the large man walk away, he felt the pressure on his short sword lessen and then vanish.
With a low whistling sound, the woman returned her naginata to her shoulder.
"Woman, your presence is disrupting the martial stability of this castle. If you cannot manage it, I would have you confined to quarters when not needed for the tono's business," the General told her, sheathing his blades.
Her attention snapped to him from the retreating giant. He did not sense the danger of attack, but the glare was more forceful than expected. But while not a legend himself, he was no boy to be intimidated by a woman, even an unnatural one.
They held each other's gaze before her scowl deepened and she turned, storming off.
Shaking his head, the General looked to the beauty of the sun-stained sky. He would have never allowed her within the walls of Tobe had it been his decision to make. Whatever her skills, her existence was an affront to tradition; it inspired chaos such as they fought against.
He could tell she thought him unfair, but order was inherently unfair. It placed stability and harmony before any fairness to any individual or class. And each class was demanded to be subject to its laws, or chaos would bring ruin to them all.
And Gurando… the man was easily popular with the men. But Gendo had seen such before. The smiles and laughter of charismatic soldiers too often seemed to conceal a beast behind closed doors or under the cover of war's chaos.
But his misgivings were meaningless, he thought as night fell. His role was not to question, only to obey. Obedience to your master was the foremost law of the samurai – even if Lord Rokutaro commanded him to sacrifice all honor in the pursuit of the plan, he would do so. Such was the chains that bind a samurai.
At the very least, the end was drawing closer.
X X X
The war was about to move. Others said, "War was coming", but she understood the truth – the war had been here since before she was born.
That was part of the problem – too many people had come to accept the Oni reign over so much of the land as a fact of life, like the peasants toiling and the plotting in the capital. The powerful saw it as a problem that they could afford to speak of but not act. And those without power followed their lead, already caught up in surviving the harshness of humanity.
A black root she had learned to be wary of whispered in her soul. It wished to see Heian Kuo and Those Who Dwell Above The Clouds know the terror of the Shadowkhan. Whether it was being cut down and dragged into slavery like those whose pleas they had ignored, or being marched to the Fortress for some awful fate befitting their esteemed rank. The black root whispered of simply stepping away and letting those who had abandoned them suffer for their apathy and stupidity.
But that was a dark desire, unworthy of one who carried the will of the Demon Queller Clan.
She was alone in the woods beyond the fields of Tobe, only the sounds of nature and the gentle wind prying at her thoughts. Solitude could bring peace from the turmoil her fellow humans inspired in her. The day Lord Rokutaro took her in, she had ceased to be little more than a bandit preying on errant Youkai when the opportunity presented itself. But living beyond survival allowed for reflection.
She was past thirty, though she did not look it. Much of her life was behind her, and yet was she truly closer to achieving her vengeance on the Shadowkhan? The swipe of her blade cut through two trees, no finesse, just brute force aided by the ancient weapon.
The naginata and herself were all that remained. Rokutaro had her pass on some of her clan's techniques, but that did not make them Quellers. They were brave samurai, even pigs like Murakami. But even given time, she would not betray her ancestors by giving their greatest secrets to outsiders.
Lord Rokutaro had commanded her to wait and grow stronger, to rival even the greatest of her clan's esteemed history. To avoid her foe so that she might come upon them as a bolt from the clear sky when the time was right.
Now he told her that the Shadowkhan were preparing to invade free Kyushu. And still she must hold back.
She would obey, but not because she was sworn like those samurai. Because she saw as he saw. Kyushu would fall; the Shadowkhan had tainted that land's people, only a few truly had the will to resist after so long in the shadow of those who claimed the daylight darkness as their own.
But she would not dismiss it. She would commit each report to memory. Every fleeing boat sunk. Every skirmish lost. Each village, castle, and temple sacked by the enemy burned into her memory.
She would remember, and when the time came, the Shadowkhan would pay for all their sins against humanity. And then, Yasashi Ken would have peace.
Meanwhile:
Jade watched the rolling plains of untamed grass move with the wind. Distant hills marking the horizon and stylized clouds glided over the sky.
She had made her way through the collection of nature screens, and had yet to touch the "special screens". Jade admitted she was in no hurry as she scrubbed her belly with her bare hand, resting her back against the bathing basin's edge.
The bathhouse had become a larger part of her routine. Save for the Kamisori incident, it had become clear this was a place of true privacy she could retreat to. And the potion she bathed in she had confirmed was a relaxant by design. Though so long as she didn't swim in it or such, she was not going to get too drifty headed to think.
Hence why no special screens – she did not want to risk the Shadowkhan idea of "special" ruining bath time.
The small differences piled up, she admitted. In addition to no pooping, there was no school here. Or even really a bedtime, despite tiring out easily. Aside from the appointments and a certain understanding to read reports in a timely manner, she had most of her waking time free.
She was tempted to try and spend a day mostly in the bath to see if she could. But that was stupid; she had her own studies.
Grinning like a cat about to swallow the canary, Jade stirred the bath with her left arm and lifted it clear of the grainy green liquid. Coated green, the drips yet to expose the blue beneath.
She had already been able to coat most of herself in the Substance. The next thing suggested was molding it, to make a kind of armor. But forget that, she was more interested in step twenty or something than step three. Using the Substance to disguise an inhuman appearance.
She wasn't there yet, but Jade knew she was close. Wiping the arm mostly clean with her right hand, she smiled at the delicate blue limb. Soon, soon she would not have to spend every moment being confronted with an inhuman appearance.
Feeling relaxed and inspired, she reached over the rim, grabbing her Tsuchibue. Sinking down to dip her shoulders in the warm liquid, she began to play. Time to see if she had successfully memorized that song after all.
X X X
It was the Shadow Song, a simple but powerful song of subtle beauty. The music put her in mind of a candle being carried through a garden at night, casting shadows of all shapes, as they turned on the passing of the light.
Jade let the final note fade. When it was done, she pulled the mouthpiece from her lips and released her grip of one hand to get the rag. The false Queen frowned – two sour notes and one too high. That high note kept slipping!
"A fine performance, you have improved immensely," Hiruzen commented. Jade's frown deepened at the words and the small blush. She was almost certain he was lying through his teeth at her hack playing. After all, she was an adventurer, not some stupid girly flute player. Playing the flute was only badass when it banished a Demon Sorcerer jerk.
But darn it, one of her character flaws was how much she loved being praised. Her parents valued humility, so they had worried over her ego. Even told her they didn't say such things often not because they weren't proud, but that Jade should not need to hear it.
Jackie was not so as bad, or the others, but clearly it ran in the family.
Was it so bad to want to hear and have it shown that you were awesome and special at something?
After all, it wasn't like she enjoyed ass kissing. If that were the case, she would adore the creepy bug monks.
"Your grandmother dabbled in a number of instruments, preferring the shamishin. But she never showed such dedication," he said as she polished the instrument, removing fingerprints from the playing.
They sat at the library tea table. Tea with Hiruzen had become a staple of her day. Much of the Generals' lesser concerns were conveyed through him, matters not delegated to writing or warranting the General making an audience.
Kuro had actually formally secured her permission to leave. He would take a direct control of the mustering of the fleet.
Naturally, the departure required her to speak and be fancy. It seemed the Generals actually needed her permission to leave the fortress once there, and be assigned a specific if actually vague reason for leaving her proximity.
Naturally, she had a wild moment of considering refusing and ordering all the badass Shadowkhan squad to stay put. But she had no doubt when push came to big shove, their evil empire was more important than their kid ruler acting strange.
She needed to keep a certain evil credibility, like the expression when she went a little Vader, warning Kuro not to fail her. She definitely was giving the appearance of filling those dainty evil sandals of the MIA Evil Queen.
"Your firm hand with the Generals of late has been a wise course. Whether favored or out of favor, believing their position immutable breeds complacency. They must be reminded that the prize of favor is not only attainable, but an honor that must be defended with diligence," Hiruzen said to her over the mostly-finished tea.
Jade did not comment, instead holding her teacup out to be refilled. She wondered what a sight it must be, the big scary Shadowkhan serving tea to a small girl Khan fancied up in a purple kimono? She would have posted it online.
As it was, she took a deep whiff of the aromatic tea before grabbing one of the sweets and delicately dibbling on it.
"I admit, I had been worried, after the incident. But you have behaved admirably since. As your music shows, focus and hard work can yield fine rewards, provided they are directed in the proper pursuits," Hiruzen continued.
Jade frowned a bit at that. It was a compliment, but unpleasant reminder aside… it seemed a "know your place and you will be better for it" deal.
Granted, there seemed a certain number of facts supporting that. But crap body or no, she had the soul of a tomboy, Jade thought, dabbing her lips clean of any stray crumbs with a cloth of black silk.
Time to set him off his good mood with some left field question. Nonsense, nothing-to-do-with-it questions had always left her parents and Jackie baffled. Uncle, not so much. Well, yes, but he would just smack her over the head in retaliation when he realized she was messing with him.
"What happened to the new Shadowkhan?" she asked. That was not quite as random as she had planned. Once again, she was glad for her approaching master level poker face. Otherwise, she might have met Hiruzen's surprised look with one of her own.
And his surprised look was a disappointment. If she hadn't been seeing him act stoic so much, she would have missed it. Nothing compared to the incident in looking off his game!
X X X
The Shrine of Yojimbos was sacred ground. But it was also new ground. The artifacts had been taken from their shrines across Nihon, most of which had been abandoned in preparation for the war, and replaced here.
As the current holder of the title, the Kamikiri monks did not honor him here. A wise policy – while the Yojimbos past were not a pillar of faith even close to the Queen, too much could come of having more than one living Shadowkhan prayed to.
His bare feet carried him to the altar to the Nidaime, the last Yojimbo to ever do battle alongside a Queen. Queens had fought since as mages, but against assassins or other unexpected peril. When they lent aid, it was great magic from afar or creating talismans or potions to dispense to their men.
In that battle against the Ten Oni of Hell, the Queen had hurled spells that shattered hills, dried rivers, and other displays of her divine blood. All while the Nidaime had endured the Ordeal of Amaterasu, half of what was needed to gain the sword.
The Sword of Queens, the Shadowcasting Blade. The 97th had died hoping to recover the blade Amaterasu had forged and bequeathed to their race. With that, there would be no more need to fear the Regalia of the Mikado; this war would end in a year.
But it was the Queen that mattered, the 14th to be precise. The role of the Royalty had changed through the Race's history.
In the Days of Wandering under Hiruzen the First, Kagehime and her early descendants had been a part of every Khan's life in the constant struggle for survival. Revered and absolute with no doubt, but it was divinity that was not properly separated from the mere men.
The many tribes to rise and the establishment of a society built around strongholds had seen the Queen remain a nomad of sorts. Favor showed by which tribe she resided with and for how long. The Circle and Yojimbo by necessity had to take many duties from the solitary Queen. The Queen had become the great sorceress and overseer of all the spiritual matters, while the physical was the domain of the men.
After the Nidaime's death, the Queen of the time had declined to appoint a successor, instead taking on the secular duties herself, entrusting her protection to the Circle collectively. She had declared the times had changed, and the seven Generals sufficient for her protection, freeing her to rule with no need for an intermediary. Legend had it she had feared the Yojimbo's power would one day eclipse the Queen.
Surely just a malicious rumor. After all, that Queen's daughter had created the Kamikri tribe to fulfill much of her spiritual duties, and allegedly ingrained a certain deeper devotion than was to be expected towards the divine bloodline.
The absence of a Yojimbo had been a mistake. There had been no first among equals in the Mountain War, and they had paid for that division on the Battle of The Broken Plains. With the Queen dead by her own hand, many secrets passed down from mother to daughter had been forever lost. Had the Queen's final act not been to appoint General Daigoro of the Reza to the Yojimbo seat, the Race may have perished then.
Daigoro had been a Yojimbo unlike any before or since. Few understood how deep that truth was. Even after all these years, Hiruzen could not be certain what he would have done with such a leader as the only Reza Yojimbo had been. Ideas were dangerous things, yet even the steady tree survives by changing, however slowly.
The Sandaime's death by the traitor's hand had ensured his dreams for Queen and Race never became more than a dream most had forgotten anyway. A tragedy or a godsend, Hiruzen could not say.
Masaki had seen the Royalty cloistered. Caution had been utmost; Queens hid their adult faces behind veils, and even the most devout and capable of the Shadowkhan if lacking proper rank would likely never see the Queen save for the day they were born. Even in the midst of moving between the strongholds on a cycle, the Queens became a near secret to outsiders, save those old enough to remember.
Ikeda the Strong had relaxed restrictions, had allowed more Shadowkhan to draw near the Queen. His reforms had been a matter of small things adding up. Unlike Masaki or Daigoro the Bold, Ikeda the Strong had been a samurai who believed in unsung service in silence. The best change being one that was unnoticed until its benefits became apparent.
Hiruzen himself had seen the system changed by the 96th Queen, who had intended the Grand Fortress to be the cradle and tomb to the Queens to follow. Unprecedented wealth and luxury catering to the line's every need, freeing the men to carve a vast empire for the Race.
The gilded cage and power together had led to the disastrously reckless behavior by the 97th Queen, he believed.
A competent if unremarkable Queen, the 97th had been. Alone with him, she had given the impression of finding everything stupid and boring, wandering the plateau and fortress in disguised discontent. Never negligent, but never exceptional.
Her quick decision to end her life by taking a mate so young had surprised everyone but him. He had tried to look after her, had been so close to the lonely woman stuck in the events set in motion by her mother.
It had taken a daughter to make her come to life. And he knew she had risked all to spare her daughter her fate.
For the second time, 98 had asked him to let her break tradition. The first was foolish, but this… there may be something here, he contemplated.
His time was drawing to an end. Like Ikeda and the first Hiruzen, he was growing exhausted under the weight of grief. To walk by their sides from birth to death, to hold the little blue infants only to already dread the day they were entombed in the Valley of Beginning and End…
But there was still time. Time to make a quiet legacy that would redeem his grand failure. To assure this Queen and those who followed would prosper in all ways in the new era they were building.
Now was not the time to push, now was a time to test.
He did not pray to any of them. He had no gods, only goddesses. But he liked to think four of them looked on his thoughts with some manner of approval.
X X X
'This is stupid,' Jade thought, nibbling on a piece of dried apple. She sat comfortably in her customary kneeling position on the cushion-lined floor of a palanquin. It had looked impressive from the outside, shuttered and armored in dark steel with the peach tree crest stamped on the floors in light grey.
Inside, it was plush. The only things not cushioned were the shutters themselves. Metal, and angled to let her look down and out, but no one would be able to see in except from an awkward angle. There had even been a plate of snacks waiting in here along with a small light lamp to make up for the black silk everywhere.
Not that she bothered to light the lamp in the middle of the day. The palanquin had been presented to her outside the door the Generals used to enter the throne room. Apparently it was beneath her to walk to other parts of the same fortress she had been living in.
The sheer decadence of being carried around by ninjas in what she thought of as the Queen's house was a bit infuriating. But that cooled as she recalled herself quickly tiring just walking about the gardens and stairs of the Tower. This may be practical, she had to admit.
No, what was stupid was that when Hiruzen answered her questions on the brood of Shadowkhan she had helped them create, she had idly asked him if she could see them. The obvious answer was no; that was the trend.
But he said, yes! And told her they would do so the next day, now today, after her breakfast.
Scowling, she wiped off the front of the latest purple kimono. Too much black and blue and red, so she had started asking for purple. They seemed to have plenty in stock. It almost tempted her to ask for it in pink.
But this just showed why one should not make a request unless you are willing to have it filled.
Time that could be spent on magic was being wasted viewing the petting zoo of little monsters. Chanting under her breath, Jade watched as the shadows cast by the sun through the shutters gathered and formed on her hands and made their way up her arms. Stopping the chant, she lifted one jet-black hand to rub her cheek.
She could feel the curving line where the shadow stopped and the bare blue flesh began. The skin was warm and silky, while the shadow was warm and smooth, like flawless glass.
Jade sat up a bit straighter, glancing back through the shutters at the open sky corridor she was being carried down. They were big, these corridors, probably to accommodate the bizarre body types of the Khan. Though there seemed an unusual number of right angle turns. Why did they have a maze between the main buildings?
She let out a deeper breath than was needed, sending the spell out with the air as a puff of sweet smelling smoke. The shadows flowed off of her, making her smile with the tickle as they moved from beneath her clothes.
The front was a blind spot – she didn't realize they had reached a door until Hiruzen increased his pace to her left. Going out of sight, he must have signaled the gate to open. Unlike the movies, the gate didn't make a ton of noise opening. Guess Shadowkhan actually oiled the hinges regularly.
The courtyard she was carried into was surprisingly normal: black cobblestones that must have been swept, with a central statue depicting a typical male Ninja Khan in a basic fighting stance, hands empty. She paid no attention to the compound-within-a-compound's buildings; her attention was locked onto the far side of the courtyard, where a shirtless balding Ninja Khan was berating a group of smaller Khan in grey, wearing white belts.
"Hail Chunin," Hiruzen called.
"Yojimbo-sama!" the old ninja said, bowing, and then falling into a kowtow toward the palanquin. He said nothing, and Jade watched as the broodlings likewise bowed.
It was so quiet she could hear the creaks of the palanquin as she was carried right up to the row of young Khan.
They were scrawny, she noted, finding that amusing. Gangly young teens with blue skin and untidy, sweaty black hair. No deodorant either, she noted, wrinkling her nose. Still, there was only so much she could tell by the backs going by under her gaze. She was going to make this trip, if not worthwhile, at least as informative as possible.
"Stop. Stand," she spoke with that imperious and just loud enough Queen voice. She smiled at the immediate obedience, as the palanquin bearers stopped on a dime, and the bowing Khan shifted to their feet.
Jade's grin slipped as she looked them over. Their shirtless physique was as expected. Hardly the martial artist body she was certain the likes of Hiruzen had. Heck, even from a ways off, the Chunin had clearly been a flexible brick house.
But the lack of muscle mass was not what she was getting an eyeful of. It was their faces.
They looked… well, like brothers. Very similar, baring two – one with a broader nose that stood out, and another with ears too big. But even the rest, each face was unique she realized, solid red eyes and all.
And they looked, well, like a gaunt teen boy's face might look. And they were staring at the palanquin while trying to not look like they were staring. And their lips of darker blue, twitching?
'Wait, I know that look! Are they trying not to break a poker face with a smile?' Jade realized. Why would they be smiling? Had they just done some evil rite of passage? Could they see her and she had her hair done up wrong? A quick check with her hand confirmed her hair was okay.
"Mother," the whisper snapped her attention back to the Khan. They all snapped to stone poker faces before her eyes. Who said that-?
Her thought was interrupted as the Chunin appeared as if from nowhere and kicked Big Nose in the teeth. Jade gasped as he went flying, rolling quite a ways as he hit the ground. He groaned, not getting up after flopping to a stop.
"Fools! You are given great honor and you disgrace it with such impropriety! None of you are worthy to speak a word in the divine presence! Mu will be flogged, you will each strike him three times," he said.
"Wait!" Jade said. She clapped her hands over her mouth as the Chunin turned and bowed deeply to his waist.
Her instinct was crying out for mercy here. After all, it went against all her upbringing to punish someone horribly for what was essentially speaking out of turn, or something. A general dislike of pointless violence was the only reason her heart was pounding.
"Is the punishment too lenient, Joo Heike?" the chunin instructor asked.
'An evil overlord would not care about a minion getting punished. Jade, do not risk your cover for a bad guy. Even a kid bad guy! You have to take care of yourself. You already ordered an army to invade Kyushu to do that. Don't blow it on this!'
"Only that they deliver it. Punish the guilty, not those who understand their place; to do otherwise is pointless. The punishment will be carried out by your hand, and I entrust your skill that the disobedient will be fit to serve in good time."
"Continue your training, young Khan," she addressed the still standing assembled, though her eyes lingered on the prone Mu.
She stared in silence as they carried her back to the tower. The relief of the familiar prison did not wash away the chill at that one word.
X X X
"Mother," she tasted the word on her tongue by the secluded pond. For the first time, she felt guilty for taking the Queen's place in and of itself.
Taking a deep breath, she willed herself towards focusing on her mission and self-declared goals. None of which included coddling a group of monsters that thought she was one of them.
X X X
Taking her tea in the audience chamber, Jade put a hand to her belly. The warm tightness – it had seemed to loosen on visiting the new Khan, but it was back now. Part of her insisted on asking Hiruzen about it. But another part warned her it might be some sign that the ritual was rejecting her or something. That it would reveal her as the fraud she was.
It had begun some time after the banquet. Like the veil, it was a new wrinkle in this bizarre life of deception. The veil helped conceal her, and therefore she wrote it off as a good development. Less chance of odd expressions or any number of tells revealing her to the Generals.
'Wouldn't they have already noticed?' an irritated voice in her head drawled. Jade shushed it, drinking more tea. It was time for the second pot. Her meals, even the teas, had gotten larger since the ritual, but she never felt more than full.
'Uncle would be envious – all that tea and no need to visit the toilet,' Jade thought. It was best to make light of the suspension of some bodily functions.
A report was spread on the tea table to the side of her tea and snacks. Another report from Ikazuki – if not for all the reports, she would not know there was a war starting soon. Her little trip to see the genin to be had made it clear that her little corner of the fortress was just that. Granted, it did seem the nicest corner they had by far.
Ikazuki seemed to think everything was going well; he planned on Kuro blockading Kyushu first before the invasion fleet launched. Rather than the Fleet actually taking part in the invasion, opening new fronts, he felt they would serve a purely naval role better, sinking any escape ships, taking crews and passengers as slaves, and preventing any kind of aid from coming to the island's free regions.
Kuro was displeased, claiming it denied him glory. Ikazuki insisted the Pirate King was more of a threat than Kuro seemed to appreciate, and this arrangement would allow Kuro to crush him if he acted; unlike Kuro further dividing the fleet to do a job the army would accomplish in good time anyway.
"Joo Heike, General Sanshobo of the Kamikiri to see you," the chamberlain shinobi said. Jade glanced up, irritated at having not sensed him enter. It seemed the Queen's senses were improving under her supervision, at least. She could keep track of the Khan better lately.
"I do not believe my lesson in astral projection is for some time," Jade commented. Meeting with the fanatical General without Hiruzen present… she was not too comfortable with that. If she fainted again or something, she might wake up on another altar getting basted in sacred oil or something.
"You are most correct, Imperial Majesty. This meeting is not scheduled, it is a request he sent mere moments ahead of his arrival. He claims that the matter is one that must be discussed promptly."
'Well, that is annoying and not even a little menacing,' Jade thought. Finishing her teacup, she put her veil back on. She was not required to wear it before the retainers of the Royal Plateau or the Circle of Generals. Hopefully, putting it on would be seen as a slight and make the bug, well, bug off.
"We will see the honorable General and High Priest of all Shrines, but remind him of the irregularity of this at a time when I am called upon to consider the war's resumption," she told the chamberlain.
He touched his brow to the floor again before withdrawing. Jade smiled behind the black silk; she was getting good at this whole lil' tyrant deal.
"Joo Heike, 97th descendant of Kagehime, Mother of Hosts, True Keeper of the…" She closed her eyes as the fanatic swooned in. It was slightly less disturbing when you did not see a giant anthropomorphic mantis with a basket on his head saying it.
"My honorable and wise General of the Kamikiri, I was under the impression you had departed the fortress to see to rituals at the shrines for the coming war. What is so urgent to see you return here, and impose upon my time in such a hasty manner?" Jade demurely demanded.
Cue basket mask meeting floor.
"Oh great-"
"General Sanshobo, this meeting is a disruption of my schedule; my divine time is valuable. Time spent preceding every answer with a recital of titles and honors compounds your imposition of my time. I call on you as a faithful priest, to be curt," Jade commanded, lifting a black fan she had left on the table in one hand. Props make things better, and it helped cool her down on long walks.
"…
"…Your Divine Imperial Majesty, my duties had returned me close to the Fortress – some rites are not meant for shrines but must be done amidst nature, near to you. As such, my lesser priests and brother monks sent word of your actions regarding the newest brood.
"Your Majesty, I realize I have been neglectful. There are lessons that men are not expected to teach, under tradition, passed from mother to daughter in the royal line. I assumed incorrectly, and as such you have committed a gross breach of propriety," he explained. Jade smiled at him talking normally; he did not even sound like he was going to faint in awe of her.
She was pretty sure the twitching was the result of holding himself together by sheer force of will. Fun.
But impropriety… she had expected he would think her above such as the standard of all things or something.
"Explain," she commanded.
"The Queen's person is sacred. Even more so after you truly become a Queen through your first brood. You will be expected to conceal your full face from all but the most favored until the birth of your own daughter, because as the sole Queen, the right to look upon you in glory is the greatest honor.
"You honored those broodlings with your presence, with your attention in person on their persons, they who have yet to achieve anything at all in the service to Queen and Race. And in doing so, slighted the honor of every Khan who has served well and not been so honored.
"The Khan you see in your tower, who attend your baths, who bring you food – each has earned the right to be so near to you with decades of service beyond reproach in loyalty and competency. A commander on the fronts, esteemed in his tribe, who has never been thus entrusted, is in many ways less than the master of the Bathhouse who serves you in so direct a manner.
"Even the performers at the banquet to celebrate your brood. Their training was the work of decades, even a century for some, solely to be deemed worthy of appearing before you so, and earning your approval, subsequently the greatest award under the heavens.
"The Circle, and the Yojimbo in particular, hold such high status because they are the Khan that can claim your attention and hope most to secure your favor as either an individual or as General to bring honor to their tribe.
"None would dare protest your actions, but I beg you to think of the despair such acts will inspire among the ranks. Even the broodlings, thus spoiled, may not truly reach their potential, thinking their mother's favor will simply be given like a turn of the seasons.
"I am your servant in all things. My tribe was created for the purpose of carrying the weight of our race's spirituality to free the Queens of that burden. It is my place to obey, but I also must counsel, in the name of the Queen who entrusted us with this duty," he said.
'Must everything be so complicated?' Jade wondered. It made her angry, and her stomach tighten further. It was too hot, she should have drunken something cool instead, like some milk flavored with honey.
She had not even seen most of the broodlings. And she was not supposed to see them at all?! This was…
'Wait, why do I even care? A bunch of scrawny monsters aren't worth rocking the boat. I need to be thinking of how to scuttle this ship of state. Not… whatever this is,' Jade frowned, putting her free hand to the silk covering her stomach.
"Very well, we shall heed your console. If you think it necessary, inform the relevant Khan of my ignorant error. Also inform Hiruzen I wish to speak to him of why he did not inform me of the consequences.
"But not today; I will take our lesson in one hour on astral projection. After that, I wish my day to be free of further disturbances. I will discuss this matter over lunch tomorrow with the Yojimbo," Jade declared.
The mantis seemed at his limit, reverting to near groveling as he withdrew, practically dragging his head on the floor.
Jade closed her eyes, wishing for an old fashioned bad guy to whoop their butt. For that matter, that she could whoop butt again. But returning her attention to the scroll from Ikazuki, she simply reminded herself of Jackie's wisdom.
'Work with what you have, Jade. Besides, you will feel better after eating; maybe after another good night's sleep these cramps will go away. Are they cramps? Frigging blue fantasy alien biology.'
Tobe Castle:
These steps had been cut into the stone long before Tobe Castle was built, even he did not know their true origin. Lord Rokutaro could only guess how long men, or perhaps something else, had used these caverns. Even that which dwelled here was but a tenant.
Men were supposed to tremble in the capital, to walk the same roads and corridors as the generations of the great and honored had. Having walked here and there, Rokutaro found not knowing whose steps he walked in gave him far more pause.
He walked in the shadow of General Murakami, who held the lantern to clear away the darkness in their path. Despite the boons of these secret places, the elder lord could understand why his ancestors had sealed them. One could believe in this darkness that the world of men was growing more distant with each step.
The caverns proper were lit, the deep lamps providing light and the passages carved to more resemble habitation than nature. Small comfort – this was no glorified cellar; this was a place beneath Tobe Castle.
The sound of Himitsu at his work as they passed his lab was more relief. A wizard was still a man, and his lack of apprehension was an assurance of sorts for mortals.
Murakami knocked on the sutra laden door, the three knocks echoing in the deepness.
When the wizard opened the door he had wanted badly enough to install himself, Himitsu quickly pressed the item into Murakami's hand and withdrew, practically slamming the door in their face.
The General scowled over his shoulder at the door even as he handed the offered item to Rokutaro.
"At last, at long last. And small enough to fit in my hand," Rokutaro said. It looked like a pale green rock, speckled with quartz and bits of deep black. But he could feel the power. Himitsu had done his part with what Rosuto had provided. Only one step remained.
"Rokutaro-sama, please allow me to deliver it in your stead," the samurai spoke. Rokutaro frowned, his grip on the stone tightening.
"How many years have you asked? The answer has never changed, nor will it now. The Weaver is ancient and proud; it will not take the slight of a courier well. We must not waver, not when we are so close to success," Rokutaro rasped, glaring at the samurai.
He waited for no reply, turning his back on his retainer to stalk down the corridors. He felt the other man catch up, and stop as he was meant to, before another door opened and closed, leaving Rokutaro alone in another chamber.
Darkness did not rule this chamber; a silvery light glistened and set the darkness dancing to its whims.
Eyes cast into darkness, he lifted them to catch the Weaver descend in its glowing glory. Beautiful and horrifying now as the day he had violated his father's will to open the hidden door. He lifted his hand opening his fingers, presenting the offering to that which dwelled here.
"Yes, yes, yes," it strummed. It plucked the rock from his raised hand, the near touch warming his palm.
"All has been achieved as you called on me to do. It is time you kept your end. Craft for me what I must have to save my nation from ruin," Lord Rokutaro demanded.
Its laughter was the music of breaking glass upon the cobbles of a temple courtyard.
"There is one more thing I require," it told him.
"…How dare you? I have given to you what you needed, by your own word. All that I have offered to you, my house a shadow of bloodlines cut. What more could you possibly require?" the old Lord demnmded his voice tight with control.
"Ho, Ho, Ho. Rokutaro, I merely require the very thing I have granted you already. Time. Crafting cannot be rushed, and at last I can begin. Fear not mortal, I shall grant you the means to achieve your ambition, as agreed.
"Though if your youth were restored… A small thing to the greatness you will have garnered with that time…"
"Gendo remains on the other side of the door. The answer has not changed. And do not tarry – it is already too late for Kyushu. Time is not on our side," he told it. He left the Weaver to its light and laughter.
Still it followed him back to his castle, the sake his General gave him upon their return not banishing the warmth lingering in his hand.
X X X
'Well, it's good to be seeing a bit less blue,' Jade thought to herself. Her astral form was hovering in front of her – the Queen's – physical body, seated on the pedestal. She was pleased to see that the dark purple clothes did look good, breaking from what had seemed like a blue and black pattern. Did they have any red kimonos?
'Focus,' she chastised herself. Sanshobo had warned her that the disembodied state could free the mind to excessive wandering without the bounds and needs of flesh to constrain it. So she turned her attention from the prissily dressed princess breathing slowly in a deep meditation to the two Generals. Hiruzen stood nearby, following her movements. But his eyes were not firmly on her.
So, as stated, he could sense the unseen astral world, but not see it. The way these people talked sometimes; cannot see the unseen. Riiiight.
Sanshobo floated nearby, watching her from above his own corporeal form. Unlike her, he looked like a proper astral form, a ghostly version of himself unfettered by gravity.
Jade had worried that she might have been sitting on the Queen this whole time, and that upon exiting, the evil monarch would be back in the driver's seat. Or that her astral form would reflect her true, human, self.
No need for concern, it seemed. The silk wrapped blue body was still, silent, and waiting for her return, and she most definitely did not look like herself.
This astral form actually reminded her a bit of ghostly Shendu. A head followed by a long tail, the head looking fairly solid, while the tail was shifting and wispy, like a flow of ink tapering back with smoke swirling around it.
"Your astral form does not resemble your flesh form, oh divine mother of hosts," Sanshobo informed her. Jade resisted the urge to roll her eyes. At least since the dressing down, the monk seemed to have reached a compromise to not waste her time by just flattering her more than the other Generals bothered.
But still, way to point out the obvious. Fortunately for his desire not to irritate her, he kept talking.
"This is due to your sheer power. Your astral form reflects your nature, and your nature is not expressed in the astral realm by a mere shade. You are in many ways a personification of shadow chi, and here that glorious nature is laid bare."
'Well, guess Shendu, as a Demon Sorcerer, was likewise not able to fit in a shade. Still, not exactly the self-image that helps you sleep at night,' Jade thought, delicately moving her elongated form about. Curious, she tapped herself on the forehead with the tip of the ghost tail. The smoke pulled back as the tip approached her face. As for the inky substantial part, rather than the rigid snake texture she had expected, it was soft, and quite pleasantly warm.
"Does her most Divine Majesty wish to end the lesson here? Realizing and mastering movement of one's astral form in a single lesson is no small feat, most graceful and feminine of females," Sanshobo said.
"Can I see my reflection?" Jade asked instead. To his credit he answered with instructions.
"Envision the Pool of Shaded Serenity outside, and yourself looking into its depths, Divine Majesty," the still-masked Kamikiri General said. Jade wondered, even though she was sure she did not want to know, what he had under that mask. Either some horror beyond Tsume, or an irony angle of being devilishly handsome perhaps?
Shaking her head, sending her floating hair into motion, Jade closed her eyes and imagined her favorite spot by the pool in the grove. The sound of the water, the way reflections moved in it. The designs etched into the bed of the pool.
Something grabbed her just behind her head, clamping down like she expected a giant crab claw would feel. Opening her eyes, she had time to gasp before she was hurtling toward the blue wall… and through it, other chambers and then the sky and cobblestones flashing by in a blur.
And all stop! Her trailing ghost tail smacked into her stopped head, sending her tumbling through the air. By the time the world stopped spinning, Sanshobo was floating over the pool in a meditative pose.
Apparently he was awaiting her pleasure, remaining silent as Jade blew a strand of shadow hair out of her face and swam over to the pool like an eel.
"…Well, it is imposing," Jade commented. It was nothing on Shendu even in his astral form, in her opinion, but more impressive than her wearing the Queen around. As already known, her ghostly tail stretched and curled behind her, at least three times as long as she was tall in the physical realm. Shadows swirled over the inky length in a spiral, dispersing at the tip.
Her head was the same as normal, save for the long hair flowing free of any needles, floating as if in water. Her pitch-black form's only color was her glowing red eyes. Opening her mouth confirmed her teeth were black too here. At the very least, it looked impressively creepy – kid's head on a smoke snake body and creepy floating hair. Almost made it a shame most people or even wizards could only really see it through reflections.
"That trip was unpleasant, I thought the tower's magic was supposed to assist this form?" Jade demanded.
"Divine 98th Queen, the magic hides you from the sight of most even in the astral realm, save those who are of the race. Shendu, the Demon of Fire, is an accomplished astral walker, but even he cannot see a Queen protected by this tower unless she foolishly journeyed into his places of power. And were he to try and breach the astral plane of the palace and somehow dispatched my astral guards, attempting to reach your flesh in the chamber would be as mad as a moth attempting to penetrate a waterfall's curtain," the general answered.
"I see. I would know how far that quick traveling can take me," Jade asked, fooling with her hair with the tip of her tail. It kept drifting into her face. Could she make shadow needles or something? Just a comb? Sanshobo had kept his clothes!
"As far as the circle of protective shrines my tribe have erected on Shikoku and our holdings on Kyushu. They augment the tower's power. One day, the Queens will be able to spy on all in their vast lands without having to leave the safety of their strongholds, or entrust blindly to lesser tribes to make accurate reports on their actions in the far reaches of the domains to come.
"As for the mechanism, within that boundary is not a question of speed or quite distance. Within the shrines' protection, you need to focus on something invested in your chi, and you will be drawn to it. This spot is laced with your presence even amongst the heavy divine residue that makes this plateau so sacred.
"Traditionally, though unknown to those outside my tribe and the Yojimbo, the Queens have focused on the Generals, too look upon them in their distant tasks. You are able to do this now, as you have mingled your essence of life with all the Generals, truly claiming them as yours, drawing their shadows within your own, deep into your vast feminine ocean-"
"You are understood, be silent," Jade interrupted him. She had turned away, not trusting her face at the logical implication of his flowery description of the ceremony. Namely, the key step to getting children, as the Queen apparently had, different name but still. Eight, grown men/monsters…
'Focus Jade, other thoughts! Now, General but not here? Lets get out of Dodge for a sec.'
"Kuro," she whispered. It was easy to draw up an image of the demon pirate calamari. So smug, composed, and oddly refined despite his horrifying appearance.
This time, it really felt like her head was going to get popped off.
X X X
Hiruzen could see the myriad of changes as the Queen returned to her flesh. And was caught flatfooted when she practically fell forward from the lotus position to vomit on the floor.
"Astral motion sickness. I understand two other Divine Majesties have suffered this most glorious and enlightenment indicative occurrence, that in no way demonstrates any sort of flaw on-" Sanshobo spoke from his own seated position.
"Be. *Bluck* Quiet!" Jade rasped. She was holding her hand outstretched, any urge to stopper the gross ejection overridden by the need to not get that stink on herself or ruin good silk. Groaning in a high pitch, she blinked, watching the blue paint of the mats sizzle and bubble at the edges of the mess.
So the queen had somewhat deadly stomach juice, made sense with how they ate. The thought of eating spiked her queasiness, before her stomach rumbled banishing the feeling.
"Hiruzen," she croaked. He pulled a black silk cloth from within his hakama and began cleaning her face. She spoke around the cleaning.
"I need tea. And I'm hungry again, another lunch before dinner. I'll take it all in bed," she ordered. She just closed her eyes, letting him pick her up. It might of been humiliating to let a man who would kill her if he knew the truth carry her like this, but it was pragmatic.
Just like the lessons from evil doers, and going trough the motions of evil overlord. There was no just punching evil in the face this time, life had gotten complicated, she would have to dance her way toward any goal worth reaching.
At least, for a second, she had seen the ocean, as beautiful as it had ever been. The thought comforted her as she relaxed into the yojimbo's arms and chest
Author's Note:
And thus another chapter is done. More build up, starts, and infodumps this time. I intended for some more big stuff to happen, including the fleet setting sail, and a scene between three of the SS officers i have waited years to share; but plans changed obviously.
Anyway not sure how far events will go in the next chapter but the war begins and the Shogunate in the Shadows plots will also start to roll out. Nonki will probably drink some tea and an old favorite will put in a brief appearance.
Hopefully the next chapter will come sooner.
Long days and pleasant nights to you all.