Chapter 41
"Are you ready boys?" asked Munro, slipping a black wig onto the top of his head.
"Yeah" said one of his cronies in a gruff voice. "But don't call me a boy" he added. He jerked back as Munro shoved a knife up through the man's throat. Munro got in the sputtering man's face, smiling faintly.
"It was just a term of endearment" stated Munro. "Now my knife is all bloody, and I can't go and clean it for a while. Come on the rest of you" he said to the four other men. "Remember, little damage and don't actually hurt anyone. As boring as it is, this is this a façade."
"Right!" called out the men as Munro donned a simple black mask.
They stepped out of the back alley and entered the market area. A woman noticed them, and increased her pace. Other people started yelling and screaming as the men revealed their weapons. They marched through the market square, one smashing into various stands with a large mace.
"You're all going to die!" called out Munro, adopting a deep voice. "Get hostages!" he called out, the townspeople backing away in terror.
"Stop there!" yelled out Iroto, stepping out into the market place with a group of town guardsmen. "I've just found out about your attack and I've come to stop it" he said. "Arrest those men!"
Munro turned, concealing his knife and joined the others in running. Even though he would have found it much more fun to confront the group of guards, this was what he was tasked with doing. He knew shortly after getting out of view of the public the guards would stop and kill time. Munro would remove his disguise and join them to return back without questions.
The bespectacled man watched the two groups vanish. Iroto stepped into the centre, bending down and helping a girl to her feet. He turned to the townspeople.
"I'm here to help you all, and now I seek to protect you! The mayor is incompetent, but I will continue to keep you all safe!"
"Hooray for Daisuke Iroto" called out a planted civilian. Some of the others joined in with the cheering as Iroto stood feeling satisfied. It was so easy to manipulate the common denominator.
Muyo turned away, unable to watch this cheesy rubbish anymore. He hobbled away from the vegetable store he had been standing by. He was going to the main entrance- if the village had accepted his mission he expected the ninja to arrive any day now.
He rested back against the cold stone wall, watching as a small group passed by. A girl was busy seemingly complaining about 'last night's dinner'. A tall girl stood by her looking around the town.
"So where's this Muyo then?" asked the male of the group.
Muyo's heart skipped a beat. Had they found about him? Or even worse- were these teenage girls the ninja he had been sent? Surely not…but then again he might as well find out.
"I'm Muyo" he said with a weak voice. The man turned and walked towards him. They both shook hands.
"I'm Kimura. Are you looking for a special service?" he asked.
"Yes I am" replied the old man quietly.
"What, is that another name for a ninja job?" asked Tomo. Muyo was startled, coughing wildly. Idiots!
"Excuse me for just a minute" said Kimura, turning to the girl who had a slightly blank look.
Sakaki closed the door of the small wooden house as Tomo lay down on the floor complaining about sore feet. The elderly man signalled for them to sit down, Kimura and Sakaki joining Tomo. Osaka stood staring at the wall.
"What is it Osaka?" asked Tomo.
"This wall wouldn't offer much resistance if someone wanted to get in" replied Osaka in a distracted tone.
"Erm…ok then" replied Tomo, slowly turning away and returning her attention to the home owner. He slowly sat down, groaning to himself as both of knees clicked on his way down.
"Do yourself a favour girl, don't get old like me" he said.
"But the only alternative is death" said Tomo. She sat still for a moment, thinking to herself. "Are you threatening me?"
"No no, not at all" said the man, confused. These were ninja?
"It's best just to ignore her" said Kimura. "She has a penchant for doing the right thing at the right time…but the rest of the time it's a case of balancing that fact out."
"Huh?" asked Tomo, Osaka sitting down beside her.
"So what seems to be the problem?" asked Kimura.
Muyo glanced around the room, as though expecting someone to suddenly appear from within the house. He'd grown paranoid…
"About two years ago a certain Mr Iroto began investing heavily in the town. He was a known bandit and thief but everyone thought he had reformed. Of course their opinions were aided by the fact that he provided money to rekindle the market. The public liked this, but businesses without investment from Iroto haven't been as happy."
Tomo muttered something about being bored and looked down at the ground.
"His power has been growing for the past year. Roughly sixty percent of businesses are involved with him in some way now. He has been increasing his power, and trying to capture the minds of the public."
"Are the people happy?" asked Osaka in a serious tone. Tomo turned and looked at her- Osaka raising a serious point?
"Yes, but they can't even turn a blind eye, as many aren't aware. Certain shops not owned by Iroto have a shockingly high encounter with 'out of town' robbers and a person who refused to sell land had his house burnt to the ground recently- an unfortunate lamp incident."
"So you are the only one aware of this then?" asked Kimura in an accusing tone. Was this old man just telling tales?
"There are some of us who are aware. But the authorities are questionable at best- most of the guards are corrupted. There is little we can do…try and rise up and we'll be seen as vigilantes or trouble makers."
"But what do you want us to do?" asked Tomo.
"I-I don't quite know" replied the man. "But some day…some day soon something bad is going to happen in this town, and Iroto will be responsible. And I think it could destroy this town and kill hundreds."
"Dramatic" muttered Osaka to herself. "Very."
"I know this is all vague, but all I ask is for you to stay for a week, just a week to see what it is like, and maybe try and find answers. I will give you my home to stay in, and I have some gold coins to pay you with."
"Mr Muyo we work for honour not personal payment" said Kimura. "But if you are offering I am not against accepting a kind offer" he stated. Muyo smiled.
"Welcome to the town of Taki Mr Kimura" he said as the two men shook hands.
A few miles away from the town, team nine was carrying out its own mission. However Kaorin had managed to get separated, and was now lost. She wandered through the deep vegetation, occasionally tripping over concealed tree roots. She paused looking around, rubbing the faint scar on her neck. Where was everyone?
As she stumbled into a clearing, she found herself staring into fog as an old wood hut came into view.
"Well at least this isn't creepy" she said worriedly.
"Are you lost girl?" asked a male voice as a middle aged man stepped out of the fog. Kaorin stepped back. The man laughed and rubbed a long brown beard.
"I mean you no harm" he said.
Kaorin paused. Something about his voice relaxed her…he didn't seem threatening at all. He stepped forwards as she rubbed her neck. He pulled out a pair of glasses and looked at her.
"My, that's a nasty scar you have there."
"Don't come near me!" she said, noticing he was getting close.
"Let me show you something" he said, holding up his hand. A faint white glow was emitted, and Kaorin felt a funny tickling sensation. The glow stopped, the man smiling. "Touch your neck."
Nervously she did- the scar was gone!
"H-how did you do that?" she asked. What was this? Some type of trick?
"It's called magick" said the man. "In this case healing magick."
Kaorin paused for a moment. She had wanted to get away, but now she felt compelled to stay. She stepped forwards, the man backing away this time. Only now did she notice the timid nature of the man. Healing magick- this was something that could be truly useful!
"Healing…magick?" she said. "Would you…would you teach me?" she asked. She imagined it now, being able to help her friends, protect Sakaki and the others, and cure their wounds…
"N-no" said the man. "I can tell you were a ninja, like I was once. Magick is outlawed by ninja, use of it would see you expelled from the ninja ranks" said the man. "Just like I was."
"But I could help my friends!" said Kaorin. Who cares about being a ninja when I can protect Sakaki and the others?
"N-no I can't ruin your life" he stated. "And besides I'm the taught, not a teacher" he added. "Now go please, before your team finds you. I don't want to be found anymore."
"But!" started Kaorin, the man turning away. She sighed and turned, stepping back into the forest after a brief pause. She knew he wasn't going to change his mind.
The man waited for a few moments.
"Come out now" he said.
Slowly it materialized from the tree line. A figure of black stepped forwards, holding up a sword. The bearded man stood waiting. His hands trembled slightly as he looked forward.
"Make it quick."
"For your bravery to look me in the eye I will" said the figure. The sword slashed and blood splashed against the ground. The killer observed a worn map, his gloved finger pointing to the word Taki.
He leant down, drawing the man's eyelids closed before returning to the forest.
Author's note: I had already finished this, so decided to upload. However my Grandad passed away two days ago, so this and other stories are likely to be delayed for the time being. Writing fanfiction isn't really something I want to do at the moment for obvious reasons.