A.N. Apologies for the late update, I've had internet problems in recent and not too recent times.
Chapter 71
Tomo continued to walk unheeded along the narrow pathway, keeping a look out for possible enemies that might be hiding…for a few minutes before she got bored and started to walk faster. Soon the entrance to a pathway leading into the mountains was revealed.
"I hope there aren't lots of bats inside there," she muttered to herself. She paused for a moment, looking back behind her. She hoped the others weren't in trouble. They'd said for her to go on ahead but she was worried about them. What if something happened to them while she was gone? What if they'd wanted to get her away to avoid the power she had inside.
"I'll just have to keep going," she said to herself. Moving from the twilight outside to the dark cave, the light barely lowered at all as Tomo slowly made her way along the narrow passageway, occasionally groaning as her foot hit the stony wall.
Suddenly she saw an orange glow and after another minute of walking found the passageway lit up with flaming torches along either side of the way. The passageway also widened at this point.
"Why couldn't they have those along the path back there?" groaned Tomo rubbing her injured toes. "Who decided to do that?"
"That would be me Tomo," echoed a voice from further along the path. "You are very close now, come and find me young ninja."
"Ok I'm coming now!" said Tomo, choosing to give up any sense of subtly. Not that she usually possessed much. She hadn't been planning on sneaking inside anyway- she wanted to face the guy and rescue Sakaki and Takino. Face the guy and punch him right in the…well face she guessed. She picked up the pace, almost running along the passageway until coming to a stop as the passageway opened up into a vast chamber lit by dozens of candles as opposed to torches. Tomo's eyes followed a red carpet that led up naturally occurring steps and to the feet of Botan.
"Ah it is nice of you to finally show up," said Botan. "I have to admit I have been looking forward to this."
"That's nice and everything, but where is my friend? Where is Takino?" asked Tomo stepping onto the red carpet. She hoped her shoes were dirty, that they would leave marks on the expensive looking fabric.
"Well Tomo your dear friend Sakaki is right over there," said Botan as he lazily raised an arm to point. Tomo hadn't noticed before, but one of the corners of the large room was mainly unlit- she could just about make out the shape of her friend in the shadows. Sakaki didn't seem to be moving, but Tomo could make out very little detail at that distance.
"What have you done to her? And where is Takino?" demanded the girl.
"Done to her? I've done absolutely nothing to her…well nothing yet. And as for Takino…well lets just say he is elsewhere for the moment. Perhaps I'll tell you in the end."
"He isn't in another castle is he?" asked Tomo.
Botan didn't reply, instead his brow merely crunched up as he gave her a look of pure disdain. Tomo paid little attention to the expression of her foe, instead she wanted to get this over with quickly so that she could rescue Sakaki, find Takino and then get out of there.
"So what now? Do we fight or something?" asked Tomo.
"But of course" said Botan with a thin smile. The man took a quick sip from a glass of wine before elegantly placing it upon an expensive wooden table. He slowly wiped his lips with a red cloth as he made his way down the carpeted steps towards Tomo. The girl merely stood there waiting, wondering what exactly the man was planning on doing.
"So dear Tomo, what do you wish to happen? Something so crude as a fight to the death would just be…well it would so common and barbaric. May I suggest some form of duel, of your skills versus mine?"
Botan paused as he reached the bottom of the steps. Once more he allowed a thin smile to pass across his face "But alas I would be unable to say for certain that one of us would not die."
Tomo continued to stare ahead, staring the enemy straight in the eyes.
"This isn't the first time someone has wanted to kill me," said Tomo. Why do people always seem to want to kill me? She thought to herself. "So you saying things like that to me doesn't really scare me. You just kinda sound like a jerk…and a bit of a snob talking like that."
"Aha so you don't fear death do you Tomo?" asked Botan. "You are brave girl, I'll give you that."
"Of course I'm scared of death you idiot," said Tomo. "Why wouldn't I be scared, I don't want to die…where's the fun in that? And it might hurt!" Somewhere deep inside Tomo's brain a small voice thought that wasn't the right thing to say.
"Hmm…I see," said Botan, the man taken aback slightly by Tomo's truthful comments. "But shall we stop the talking now and simply move onto the fighting?" suggested the man.
"Yes please," said Tomo. The man spoke with an elegance that was starting to make her feel dumb, so she wanted to jump straight into the action. And of course there was also the fact that she had a friend and Takino to rescue.
"So be it," said Botan. "Come Tomo, let me see what you can do."
Fuka ducked out of the way as the sharp blade struck rock with a high sound. Instinctively she slashed out at the man with her knife, but it merely clanged against the armour, causing the hilt to dig back into her palm. Already her stronger hand had blood dripping from it, some oozing down along her arm and beneath her sleeves. Despite being in the middle of a battle the girl still found the sensation horrible.
She backed away as the man raised the sword once more and swung out at her, Fuka narrowly jumping back as the edge of the sword almost sliced across her stomach. She slammed back against rock, gasping as pain shot across her. Yet at the same time she noticed that the man seemed to pause after almost disembowelling her. But she had no time for that as her legs suddenly gave way beneath her and she slumped to the cold ground. The armoured figure pointed his sword at her.
"Stay there girl…please stay there," echoed a voice from within the reinforced helmet.
Kaorin avoided the slash of the almost concealed blade and kicked out on her way down, smacking Kasumi in the arm. The girl cried out and dropped the blade, backing away as Kaorin stood back up with a defiant look. She glanced behind her, raising an arm to block a blow from Chidori, their arms smacking against one another strongly. Even as Kaorin grimaced she charged forwards and smacked into Kasumi, sending the girl flying backwards and into the rocks. She smacked into the rocky wall and slowly slumped downwards, groaning to herself.
"Hey you aren't bad, taking on two girls at the same time," said Chidori as Kaorin turned to face her. "You know I like a girl with a bit of fight," she said, briefly licking her lips. Even in the middle of battle Kaorin suddenly found herself blushing wildly.
"…"
"Well well well what's this we have here then?" asked Chidori, taking Kaorin by surprise and leaping onto her. Kaorin closed her eyes, waiting for the killing blow, but was instead surprised as Chidori wrapped her arms around her.
"Hmm, you feel good," said Chidori looking straight into her eyes. "And please don't try that girl." Kaorin paused. Her arms, almost trapped against her sides had had some freedom and she had been trying to reach a knife. But Chidori had known.
"W-why aren't you killing me?" asked Kaorin.
"Now how could I go and kill such a cute girl as you?" asked Chidori. "Firm, cute, a bit bashful, I like you girl."
Kaorin almost let out a squeak as Chidori suddenly felt her backside. Chidori laughed.
"Oh you're so cute!" said Chidori. She lent forward her eyes close to Kaorin's, which were blinking rapidly. Suddenly Chidori closed in and kissed Kaorin powerfully, the smaller girl struggling to break free from Chidori's tight grasp.
"Hmm…heh heh…but sorry about this," said Chidori as she struck the blushing Kaorin in the forehead. She blacked out and slumped into Chidori's arms. With a faint smile Chidori crouched down and placed Kaorin gently on the floor.
"Hehe I think she enjoyed that kiss a bit," said Chidori to herself.