AN-2011: Republished chapter. Corrected and edited.
WARNING: Rated M for violence and mature content between two females. If you don't like or you aren't at least 18, please don't read it.
Invited ANIME Characters: Mireille Bouquet and Kirika Yuumura; from the great, great anime, NOIR.
Disclaimer: I don't own Mai Hime or Noir characters. All trademarks belong to its rightful owners.
Majutso No Hime by Galadan
Chapter 04.
"IV. I have no magic power; I make the interior strength my magic power."
Vancouver Great Metro Area.
Natsuki and Nao kept dating the next four weeks on a regular basis but trying their best to keep it lightly, no commitments, no attachments. Sometimes they met for a middle week date, doing movies, diner or some other crazy western thing but the biggest event of the week was during the weekend. They had sort of an unspoken agreement for spending all the weekend together either at Natsuki's place or Nao's apartment; sometimes since Friday night until Sunday late night or even, Monday morning.
During those days, they found out about their differences but mostly, they realized about their similarities; that they were both solitaire, reserved and not easy people to handle. Nonetheless, they felt comfortable together. And the sex was great. Sometimes, they ended in bed during their middle week dates but they tried to save the occasion for weekend because invariably, they made love until dawn as if it was the last time.
Natsuki didn't know the reason of why she felt that urgency but when they were together intimately, she had to hold Nao very close to her body after making her love three times in a row, and then after a breath, make her love again. And Nao wasn't complaining about it, she could feel Natsuki restlessness but thought it was caused by the same interior fear of becoming too close with someone that she was feeling.
During those weeks, they didn't talk about feelings, they were just enjoying the time they spent together but Nao knew that deep inside her that she was getting emotionally involved with Natsuki, more than she wanted to admit. Every time they had to say good bye after those weekends, the redhead felt a hole in her chest and felt excited like a kid going to the park when it was time to meet again. She was still bitchy and harsh with Natsuki during her interactions, teasing her mercilessly; but when they were making love neither one of them could hide what they were feeling, Nao felt defenseless like never before in her life every time Natsuki took her at the highest peak of pleasure.
Almost a month since their first date, the things had a sudden and not very happy change.
That Friday afternoon by the time she was leaving the University, Natsuki found two guys leaning on her Ducati and a big black car parked close of them. At that very time, she recalled from her deep conscious, having seen that car a couple of times during the past weeks.
She walked with confidence to her bike and stared at the men once she reach the spot; the guys just stared at her not moving a millimeter.
"Move out," was her only cold comment, while internally getting ready for her next move, by the look of the men´s faces, she knew they were not moving.
"Let's go for a ride, sweetie," one of the guys told her but before his next wise ass comment, he found himself with his back hitting the concrete and his right arm firmly twisted in a painful angle. His shoulder was burning and the pain was unbearable. The other guy was speechless. He didn't even saw Natsuki moving but he had to do something. The boss was watching.
He had less luck. Natsuki was already angry by seeing them at her Ducati, but this asshole in particular, was even sitting at her beloved bike. So a second after he separated enough of the bike, he fell unconscious at the concrete after a close and wild close encounter with Natsuki's foot. The bleed of his nose and mouth was slowly spreading in the concrete. With a last twist and crack of the other's arm, Natsuki released him, getting ready to mount.
She heard the black car ignition, and prepared herself to react against another attack, however it never showed up.
Instead, the big car stopped aside her with the engine on; opening the back door, a man went out, a very elegant and serious Japanese business man, who look carefully at the men laid on the floor and then back to Natsuki. Both men were more than 6 feet tall and muscled; both of them were his American bodyguards and they were good. They were beaten back in less than five seconds since the girl started moving. He had counted the time carefully.
Looking at her straight in the eyes, he asked, "I will deeply appreciate if I could have the honor to talk with you, Kuga-san."
I was a bit exaggerated but a proper way to ask and since Natsuki was very curious about why this man wanted to talk with her, how he knew her name and what the hell was happening, she accepted.
"You could have asked in a proper way since the beginning Mister…?" Frowning lightly she let the last word floating uncompleted, but the man didn't respond the indirect question.
"I sincerely apologize because of their behavior Kuga-san, but you must understand. I had to be sure."
"Sure? Sure of what?" Natsuki questioned coldly.
"Please, join me at my car. I really have to talk with you; I will answer all your questions. Maybe we can do it privately and more comfortably."
Natsuki was not really concerned about get into a car with a stranger but she for sure didn't want to fail because over confidence. Many people were around, some of them were even murmuring about how she hit the guys. She thought it was safe enough to get in the car with the man.
The car was a big Mercedes, not has big as a limo but big enough, adapted with facing seats. She chose the one giving the back to the driver. A glass, most probably armored, was dividing the driver's seat from the passenger's cabin.
Natsuki got comfortable and waited. The man in his fifties did the same at the other seat and the car started moving.
"Might I offer you something to drink, Kuga-san?" He offered gently.
"I will prefer if you could offer me your name," Natsuki said with her eyes fixed on him. He had brown eyes and was, no doubt about it, Japanese, asking so directly was not the most appropriate Japanese behavior but his introduction wasn´t either and Natsuki was getting tired to wait.
"Fair enough, Kuga-san." He said coldly as well. "Yuuki, Yuuki Masamune."
The name took a couple of seconds to make sense at Natsuki's brain while the man kept looking at her with intensity. Her respect for the young woman grew up a bit more when her face didn't change or showed any emotion. The woman was solid.
"Why do you know my name and what do you want from me, Yuuki-san?" Natsuki asked controlled and calmed but inside her alert level was increasing with every second. "Damn, Nao's father. What the hell is going on?"
During their time dating, both of them had told each other about their families and about their histories; not as much to become compromising but certainly more than they regularly do tell to anyone. For Nao, Mai knew a lot more about her family because they were friends since too many years ago but no other people she had dated knew as much about her as Natsuki. On her side, Natsuki had been a bit more reserved but Nao also knew things that Natsuki only shared with Chie after several months.
That's why Natsuki knew that Nao was distanced from her father, to the point of not even talking or keeping any contact with him. She knew that Nao's mother died and that she was sure it was her father's fault. And now, all of a sudden, Nao´s father showed up in very threatening way knowing Natsuki's name, where to find her and asking to meet in a very suspicious way. Undoubtedly, he was following her since days before and Natsuki recriminated herself for being so distracted for noticing it. Something really bad was going on.
"There are many reasons Kuga-san, or could I call you Natsuki?" he asked smiling but the smile never reached his eyes.
"Kuga-san please, Yuuki-san."
The girl had guts; she wasn't intimidated by his entrance or by knowing who he was. Maybe he will have to shake her a little bit.
"Maybe I looked for you because I am interested into protect my daughter, Kuga-san. She is the heiress of a big empire and I don't want my little girl to be abused by any…upstart playgirl trying to take advantage of her. She is not alone, you know?"
"You have been doing a very bad job protecting her long distance the last three years, Yuuki-san; I wonder where you were when she was really getting abused and why you are so suddenly interested in your daughter's well being." Natsuki said with coldness and a harsh tone close to disdain.
Masamune had to make his best effort to keep his face still. "This woman knows it! Nao had told her about our family issues!" Now, he was sure that his decision about doing this interview personally was the best thing he could have ever done; maybe the things with her daughter were worse than he thought.
Breathing to keep control, he tried another approach. The direct one. He was defeated at the Nao subject… by now. Without any other word he handed her a folder.
Natsuki understood that was the real reason she was there and took it. When she opened the folder, was her turn to keep control. Inside the folder were the pictures of the assassinations on Yuuki Corporation. Natsuki raised her head to meet Yuuki's eyes and read his intentions about showing that to her but the man's face was unreadable. He was just waiting and measuring her.
Natsuki changed position in the seat and took a detailed look of the pictures. By that date another killing had happened at Yuuki's corporation. The pictures showing the three dead bodies or more exactly showing how the bodies ended were in that folder. Hitomi Helene, Kenji Suzushiro both of them very good friends of Masamune and key executives at his company and the last one: Akane Higurashi, his personal secretary for almost ten years. It was clear that whatever kind of threats that killer was trying to send, he was the final addressee.
"What is this, Yuuki-san?" Natsuki asked after seeing all the pictures. While she was seeing them, a cold fist was gradually closing its tightening at her hearth.
"I was expecting that you could tell me, Kuga-san." Masamune said but Natsuki kept silent. The damn woman wanted him to voice his request. "I know you are the most respected ninjutsu sensei living outside Japan and probably, you will be the best of Japan if you were still living there. I also know you are an expert about martial art studies and Asian cultures."
"According to the experts I have consulted only someone with your… knowledge can understand this and tell me what it meant. These… assassinations had happened in my company, in Tokyo, in our corporate building! Yuuki Technology Enterprises is the most secured company in the world, our building has the best leading military technology implemented and for reasons you can obviously understand, I need to stop this insanity." Masamune ended. There it was, despite his efforts he was in her hands. He was begging for her help, in a very Japanese way of course.
"And what the police said about this?" Natsuki asked as well. Before leaving Japan, she had to meet a couple of them and she didn't want to mess in their territory.
Now Masamune glared at her angrily. "Do you think that I will need you if the police were involved on this?"
"Shit, this man in crazy. The police didn't know about this or either is under his control. If he can keep Tokyo police outside something this big, he must be very powerful. He is not a Yakuza, but a military contractor, for sure."
"And what's exactly what you need from me, Yuuki-san?" Natsuki wasn't intimidated by Masamune but she didn't want to have Tokyo police sniffing at her.
"I told you, can you tell me what this is? Do you know what could be the killer´s motivations?"
"Punishment," Natsuki said after a deep breathe.
"I can understand that, but would you mind in elaborate, Kuga-san?"
"It's not easy or fast to explain, Yuuki-san. Let me pointed out this as clear and easy as possible. There are very, very few people in the world that can do this, in the way it was done."
"So, it should be very easy to find that people." Masamune felt something close to relief but it didn't last.
"It is just the opposite, Yuuki-san. You have no idea how hard is to find them. Is most probable that THEY will find you before, when and where they want to find you and trust me, you don't want that." Natsuki breathed preparing herself for the next words she will have to say.
"It's true that the Ryus teaching these techniques are very few, but the one who did this... The Ryu that originally taught this technique disappeared 300 hundred years ago; they were close antagonist of the school where I came from, the Tenshin Shoden Katori Shinto-ryu and this is the last place on earth where the knowledge of this technique still resides." Natsuki said.
Masamune looked at Natsuki and tried a shoot in the dark. "Are you one of those few people who may be able to do this?"
"You can say that, Yuuki-san. The person who is doing this is very dangerous and it's certainly threatening you. The cuts in the victims had a meaning. It's hard to tell you just by the pictures. The victims are just the messengers."
Crossing his arms with his index finger at his mouth, Masamune took some seconds thinking. Masamune had a BIG problem with Natsuki. But that problem may also be useful for his interests.
"I want you to work for me, Kuga-san."
"I already have a job, Yuuki-san." Natsuki was surprised by the offer but after a while she understood the reason behind the request.
"I know. This will be temporary. I need you to come with me to Japan and help me to understand that message and to find whoever is causing this. As you pointed out, this is a threat. I also need protection."
"You are a very powerful man Yuuki-san. You can hire the best and as many bodyguards as you need."
"No one can compare to you but you are forgetting the most important thing, Kuga-san." Masamune almost smiled by having his revenge at the reach of his hand.
"What could be?"
"Giri." Only a Japanese born and raised as Natsuki was, as a warrior could understand "duty" in the way Masamune was implying with that word. It was the highest level of obligation, related with honor and purpose. "The assassin causing this may be coming from your school Kuga-san. How many people do you know that could stop the one doing this?" Masamune emphasized his words with the pictures. "Are you telling me that you could keep going on with your life as if nothing after I showed you this?" and after a pause he added his conclusive remark, "Aside that, he is coming after me and maybe… after my family. I only have one relative and I think you know her."
Nao. And her father was right, Natsuki couldn't only let anything happening to her, she just couldn´t stay arm crossed knowing what she already knew.
"The damn man is right. Does the Sensei know about this? Does he know whoever is doing this? Do I know him? I used to know someone who could have perfectly done this. But he is dead now. I killed him. He destroyed my life but I killed him…but what now?"
Masamune let Natsuki think. She had to make her decision and he had the certainty of what that decision would be. At the end he will win. The detailed report of his daughter relationship with Kuga drove him mad at the beginning, especially the pictures but now that knowledge proved to be the most useful.
"Ok, Yuuki-san. I will do it. But I have some requests."
Masamune nodded, "Great. Thank you very much, Kuga-san. Let's meet at my office later to set up the details. I also have one request for you. Only one."
Natsuki nodded as well indicating she was listening.
"Fucking my daughter is not part of your responsibilities."
Masamune was very wrong if he thought he had Natsuki in his hands. Glaring at him she responded with cold voice.
"I understand. Don't worry Yuuki-san; I will only do that at my free time."
Their duel of gazes lasted enough for Masamune to understand that he couldn't control Natsuki that far. Well, anyhow, she accepted to work for him. If he knew his daughter, maybe his request wouldn't be necessary after all.
Sao Paulo, Brazil.
"Dear passengers, we will be landing shortly at Guarulhos International Airport, in preparation for our landing, please fasten your seat belt, put your seat in an upright position…."
"All electronic devices must be turned off…"
The loudspeaker was filling the cabin with the same tiresome indications. She was sick of hearing the same every time, they need to hire a better writer and have some changes! Air France could do it better than those American airlines.
The elegant blonde at the first class cabin was still with her headphones connected until a flight attendant almost yelled at her to turn the player off. Definitely Air France needed to improve.
As soon as they get landed and did all the bothersome formalities of traveling, she was walking decidedly to the exit when her cell phone rang. Walking slowly to a store, she pretended to look for something to buy while answering the call. A short and slender Japanese girl walking a few feet behind her chose that time to review her Sao Paulo guide, waiting now few steps ahead of the store.
After short seconds, the blonde ended her call, bought a magazine and left to get a taxi. All the way she got admiring glances from men and women. She was beautiful, tall, with silky white skin and sparkling blue eyes like gems. She was dressed with high black leather boots, black mini skirt with a lithe and a red adjusted blouse sleeveless with turtle neck. She walked with confidence and looseness, like a model, an actress or a classy woman. Nobody would think she was one of the deadliest hired killers of the world.
The other best and deadliest hired killer of the world got into the taxi the blonde was already in, almost surreptitiously. Nobody noticed they arrived at the same plane and took the same taxi.
The blonde gave quick instructions at the driver in Portuguese towards an address at Ibirapuera and then switched to Japanese to talk with her sudden companion.
"It seems our trip will be longer than expected, Kirika. I really hope that you had listened to me this time and packed more clothes! I hate to have your clothes drying around the room."
"Maybe we can get cheaper hotels and get two rooms, Mireille." Kirika said while looking through the taxi window.
"Touché, Kirika-chan. That's not fair. If we are traveling for business, at least we can do it comfortably. Or do you have complains about traveling with me?" Mireille said crossing her well shaped legs while teasing Kirika. They could afford to take two rooms in whatever hotel they chose, but Mireille liked the Japanese girl company and she will never voice it loudly, but also she liked to sleep with Kirika in the same bed.
"Why our trip will be longer Mireille?" Kirika said finally looking back at her partner.
"We got a job… in Tokyo." Mireille said smiling and with her blue eyes shining.
Vancouver Great Metro Area, Canada
"I can't believe you did that to me, Kuga!" Nao screamed to an astonished Natsuki, she was outraged and furious, trembling with her fists tightened.
"Look Nao, I am trying to explain you…" They were at Nao's place since they agreed to meet there and maybe go out of the city for the weekend. It was the first time they were leaving the city together but Natsuki wanted to speak with Nao about the new developments before anything and now, she was regretting it.
"There is no need for explanations! You are an idiot! I can't believe you not only spoke with my father but actually accepted a job from him!" With that said she turned her back to Natsuki at walked heading to the terrace. She needed air and get as far away as possible of Kuga.
Natsuki tried to stop her, grabbing her by the arm. Nao turned down violently, wriggling to free her arm and giving Natsuki a hard slap in the face. "Let me go!"
Natsuki raised her eyebrows in surprise; nobody had hit her in the face like that before and tightened her holding in Nao's arm trying to keep her control. She was a warrior, wasn't used to fight with slaps.
Nao kept trying to release herself of the grab, squirming like a wild cat and pushing Natsuki with her still free hand. "Let me go, you asshole!"
She tried to hit Natsuki in the face again but the ninja had enough with one slap and grab Nao's wrist easily while shaking and yelling the mad woman.
"Stay...quiet, now!" Natsuki hated to lose control and hated to scream, but Nao's behavior was driving her crazy. Nao ignored her still fighting or trying, at least. Now she was trying to kick her captor.
With that, Natsuki's patience reached it limits, so she tightened the grab on Nao's wrists to a painful level while shaking her violently and then pushing her to the couch were they made love the first time, using her whole body to restrain the redhead. Nao gasped but in pain this time.
"Stop, Nao!" Natsuki yelled at her, angry. The hurt expression in Nao's face made her realize that she was actually physically hurting her and loosed the clench.
"Please Nao, stop this is madness…" Natsuki asked more calmly now but Nao wasn't looking at her. In a last effort of resistance, she had her face turned aside. However, Natsuki could see a couple of tears Nao couldn't hold back, falling down. "Arrhg, Damnit, damnit, DAMNIT! You hurt her, you are really an IDIOT."
Feeling miserable for hurting Nao, she released the grip. "Nao…I…"
Nao felt a storm of emotions inside, she didn't know what to say or to do but she was sure she didn't want Natsuki seeing her like that. She pushed Natsuki to get up of the couch and giving her back to Natsuki, asked with restrained voice, "Get out of here, Kuga."
"Nao, I didn't want to hurt you… I… I am sorry. Let's talk about…"
"Get out Natsuki…please." Nao could felt her self control reaching its limits and prayed silently that Natsuki went out.
Natsuki looked at Nao's back, all the slender body was tensed and trembling slightly, she had the sudden impulse to hold her closely but knowing also it was a bit too late for that.
"Ok. I just…Ok." Breathing deeply, Natsuki turned, took her jacket and left, closing the door softly. While leaving Nao's building Natsuki thought that her father would be very happy to know that his only request was fulfilled.
Needless to say that Nao cried all night long and Natsuki didn't have a minute of sleep. She spent a big part of the night sitting in the sand looking at the sea in darkness with Duran.
They didn't look for each other during the whole weekend. And both of them had their friends very worried. By Sunday night, Chie, Aoi and Mai were seriously thinking in an emergency plan since nothing else had worked. Both women refused to see or call the other.
Natsuki was leaving to Japan, Wednesday morning and the two days previous to the trip, she made all the necessary arrangements at the University, at the Dojo and for Duran's care. She kept her days busy but the thought; the deep need to look for Nao was constantly in her mind. But she decided stubbornly against the idea every time. Her mood was dangerous.
Natsuki hated connecting flights, any kind of flight, in fact, but she accepted to do this, so breathing she focused on ending her luggage before to go sleep for another bad night. Since her…fight with Nao she was restless, angry, and sad. Like a wounded wolf.
In other part of the city, someone else had also a restless night and a little, unpleasant wake up.
"Nao, wake up…God damnit Nao, WAKE UP!" Mai was screaming and shaking Nao.
The alluded opened her eyes to find her house filled with people. Four people. The last night she fell asleep at the couch missing Natsuki and now, she was woken up abruptly by Mai. She had an extra key of Nao's apartment for emergencies. This incident qualified as an emergency.
"Get up and get dressed. Fast." Mai ordered to a disconcerted Nao.
"What? What is going on, Mai?" Nao looked at Chie, Aoi and Mikoto standing up looking back at her. Chie and Aoi. Suddenly it came to her mind that something might have happened to Natsuki. Mainly, because she knew her father was involved in the whole issue.
"Something is wrong with Natsuki?" She asked with concern.
"Yes, she is leaving the country thinking that you hate her when is the complete opposite scenario; just because the two of you are too stubborn and egocentric to admit that you care about each other and too stupid to talk and fix the things."
Nao and everybody else were speechless. Mai asked everybody's help but it seemed that she had everything under control.
"Now, I will help you to get dressed, we are going to the airport." Mai sentenced taking Nao´s arm and pulling her out of the couch.
"WHAT?"
"Guys, help me out with this idiot, we have no time and she had to look stunning." Mai ordered to the others that hurried to comply. It was almost five am in the morning and Natsuki's flight was leaving at eight am.
Thirty minutes later, Natsuki was making her entrance at the spacious lobby of Vancouver International; she agreed to meet Masamune there and travel together to have some time to work with the business man´s unique problem. She was carrying a small luggage with a very special item she would have to check in for the fligth and her laptop.
"Natsuki! Hey, Natsuki!" Mai was screaming at her friend while pulling Nao with her. "God, I can't believe our luck. There she is!"
Natsuki froze on her spot when she saw her crowd of friends and Nao showing up there. The last thing she wanted in front of Masamune was a fighting scene with his daughter.
"Now, go and don't screw the things up again." Mai threatened Nao before pushing her towards Natsuki while they stood feet away.
Natsuki gulped, taking a discreet glance around, Nao was approaching her slowly but decidedly. In their gazes, both could see anxiety, anguish, need and much, much more.
"Hell with the proper Japanese behavior," Natsuki though before dropping her luggage; she was going to need her two hands.
After Natsuki dropped her stuff, both of them walked and fuse in a close hug. Nao´s arms were pulling Natsuki as closer as she could while Natsuki´s got lost in Nao´s body as well, tightening her and burying her face in Nao´s hair. They distanced a bit hesitantly to look at each other's green eyes.
"Nao…I" Natsuki started but she couldn't say anything else because Nao was kissing her almost desperately, so Natsuki had no other option but kiss her back.
Mai and Aoi were close to tears by looking at them kissing passionately at the airport lobby in the middle of several astonished gazes from other people.
When they finally broke the kiss, Nao asked huskily, "Promise me that you will be back, Kuga."
For an answer Natsuki only kissed her again, deeply, until they got interrupted by a security officer.
"What the hell do you think you are doing?" Natsuki's hands went down at Nao's butt during their kissing and their position was not exactly chaste.
"I am sorry officer," Natsuki said without looking at the officer but taking a less compromising position. "I was kissing…my girlfriend."
"Well, do it that way in private. Now stop the show." The burned female officer said severely but with a shine of complicity in her eyes.
They hugged closely but more prudently this time until they heard a man's voice close to them.
"I am happy to see you, Nao-chan," Masamune told to his daughter.
Nao didn't turn to see him. Keeping her back towards her father´s and her face buried under Natsuki´s chin, she instinctively tightened the grip on her girlfriend´s waist. Natsuki was the one who faced her new boss' eyes. Nao didn't let her move, she didn't know how long Natsuki would be away and she need that closeness for all the days they will be apart and she was not letting her father to interrupt their farewell or to ruin that moment. Natsuki called her, "her girlfriend". She could work for her father but still was "her Natsuki".
Their friends got closer when they saw Nao's father approaching, so Masamune decided give them some space. It was nothing he could do.
"I will wait for you at the check in Kuga-san. Take care, my dear." He said with a last gaze at her daughter, who finally looked at him from her intimate position between Natsuki's arms. She had the most defiantly gaze on her green eyes while she was possessively embracing his new employee.
Masamune had to admit while walking away that he was a bit astonished seeing them together. He read all Natsuki´s info Yukino could gather and he knew she was a lethal person, someone trained in the most ancient warrior tradition. And there and then, that person was holding his daughter as the most precious one to her. At least, he had the certainty now that Natsuki would do everything to protect Nao. That was good for him…but was also good for Nao.
And Nao, Masamune never saw that possessive attitude in her daughter before. She was not like that with anyone of her previous engagements, serious or not. Nao was not with Natsuki to make him angry as with the others; he could almost swear it was love what was shining on his daughter's eyes. The thought was not particularly pleasant to him but he had to solve one thing at the time. He would have to solve that after this more pressing problem.
When Masamune left them alone, as if feeling safer, they got apart a bit again and Natsuki took Nao's face tenderly with both hands for a final close look.
"We will talk when I come back, ok?" Natsuki said and tried to kiss her again but Nao asked suddenly, "Do you promise?"
"Talk? Of course, Nao… I… "
"No…, come back."
Natsuki felt touched by Nao's intensity and she kissed her gently but intimately after saying "I promise. I will be back."
Tokyo, Yokohama Business Area.
Shizuru was preparing herself as if she was attending the most important ceremony in her life. In some way, it was. She was finally meeting her final target, her master's most hated enemy. She was the woman who killed him few years ago but that seemed ages to her. Her only real motive in life was to kill her.
In fact, she was formally meeting her two final targets, Masamune Yuuki and Natsuki Kuga and they wouldn't knew who she really was until it was too late for both of them.
She was getting dressed with her best kimono, after a perfumed bath; as the final touch she made her hair and did a perfect make up. The result by seeing herself at the mirror was exquisite. She would be the perfect bait to trap her prey in a mortal trap.
And as the perfect host and Japanese woman she was disguising, she now was preparing the most exquisite tea ceremony for them.
Shizuru was eagerly waiting for their arrival.
Hours after landing Natsuki felt strange of being back in Japan, aside of the jet lag, she was at her home country, the one she had painfully missed some days in Canada but now, being there, she felt like a foreigner, like an intruder.
When she left years ago it was winter and the sakuras weren't blooming, they were leafless, dry and empty as her hearth. She didn't have that in mind before her travel but now it was the end of March and the sakuras were in the most beautiful day of their short existence; as is welcoming Natsuki in her returning to home. Standing in her hotel room with the sakuras spectacular sigh as background; she remembered a time when the sakuras blooming was the happiest period of her life.
Natsuki´s favorite day of the blooming was always the third day when they were falling but looking at them now also fulfilled her hearth with longing of other, already lost, bountiful times.
Sighing and pushing aside those thoughts, Natsuki got ready to leave. After their arrival, Masamune let her some time for refreshing at her hotel but he was coming back soon. He asked her to stop by his home before going to the corporation to start the investigation. She was not sure if that was a good or a bad sign considering her current status with Nao, but it was in any case, necessary. Natsuki chose to wear western but discreet, elegant clothes. Masamune told her he will introduce her with his fiance, the other person he was also concerned about due the situation he was facing.
Natsuki and Masamune worked a lot in the plane, he gave him all the details he had available. Mainly about the persons assassinated. If Natsuki could understand why they were chosen and no other in Masamune´s company, she would be closer to understand the motivations and probably, anticipate the assassin next move. Natsuki was concerned that after what Masamune saw in the airport between her and his daughter, he will be resentful, but he wasn't or at least, it wasn't noticeable. He was treating her respectfully, even more than before. He could always choose to have their first meeting at his office and not at his home on the very first place. She had to acknowledge that gesture was an unexpected show of courtesy coming from a man that powerful in Japan.
Natsuki´s surprise increased when Masamune in person, picked her up timely at her hotel entrance.
Natsuki admired the big lot Masamune owned not so far away from her hotel and the area where his corporate building was located; that was certainly uncommon despite all his money considering Japan lack of space. It was his small portion of paradise. The lot was big and surrounded by sakuras with large extensions of grass and a traditional Japanese house, perfectly located in the middle.
Instead of going into the car all the way to the house, Natsuki asked Masamune to walk to his entrance to enjoy the view of the sakuras blooming. The unexpected request from the warrior surprised Masamune but made him feel internally satisfied.
"It´s beautiful isn't Kuga-san? these days are special." He said walking by Natsuki´s side, who just nodded. They walked in silence, just enjoying the view under the trees when Natsuki saw her.
The house was elevated over the terrain and she was waiting in the portal, framed by the colors of several surrounding sakuras. She was tall and beautiful, imposing like a magnificent statue, and Natsuki could swear she was looking at her intensely. She could feel the intensity of her gaze with all her senses. The soft wind swaying the branches was creating the atmosphere of a dream and Natsuki couldn't see anything else but her.
She couldn't take her eyes apart of that woman, and as they were getting closer and closer to the house; Natsuki was more and more stunned, feeling her throat drying and her hands sweating. The eyes fixed on her, were red. She met a woman with red eyes like those once, she loved a woman with those red eyes once and she died because Natsuki's fault and now, some so alike that woman was standing in front of her.
Shizuru was a lot more prepared for what she had to face. Natsuki was her target, her enemy; the innocent prey oblivious of the threat coming after her. However, Shizuru also felt hit by her enemy's features. She had countless pictures of her but that fact didn't prepare her enough for the real Natsuki. Shizuru felt locked with her enemy´s striking green eyes, they were the same intense green color of the mist forest in her remote homeland in northern Japan. That reminiscence from her old home was a bad design; a cruel and twisted kami was giving Shizuru a bad portent. Still feeling bewitched, Shizuru forced herself with a steel fist to focus. That was the woman she promised to destroy, that she had to destroy in all the meanings that it was possible to destroy someone. That was her ultimate purpose.
Natsuki was still suspended in a daydream when Masamune's voice brought her back to the reality. They were already at the portal, face to face with the mysterious woman waiting for them.
"My dear, you didn't have to wait outside for us! Kuga-san, I am honor to introduce you with my beloved fiancée, Fujiwara Shizuru-san."
Natsuki felt an ancient craving inside her and had the certainty that the dream will become a nightmare.
Thanks.