Sorry but little KotoUmi this Chapter it's going to be mostly NicoMaki.
(Umi - Day the main army marches out - Two days after Maki's force left)
Umi walked along the road as the army moved out to meet up with Maki's force. Umi looked to her left, checking the forest, she knew she was being a bit paranoid as they were still in Nozomi's land but she thought it better to be sure.
After she was sure no threat was around, she looked back to the reason she was on edge, Kotori was sat on her horse holding Saki as she rode. Umi found it hard to look at Kotori, every time she did, she remembered the first night Kotori had moved her futon so it was next to hers, every time she thought about it, she ended up blushing.
This on top of the fact she woken up to find Kotori had lightly linked the fingers made her heart sing and honour scream at her.
Thankfully the final two days before Eli led the main army out Kotori hadn't done much else except the hand holding in the morning, the two had talked and played with Saki and Meiyo, it was almost like old times between the two, but that was the issue, those two days had made Umi's heart twist dance, shine and shatter all at the same time as her honour and love fought it out and neither side seemed to be able to win out.
"Are you ok Umi?" Kotori asked.
"Oh, yes Lady Kotori, I'm fine just keeping an ear out."
"I shouldn't think were in danger in Nozomi's land."
"When you first arrived bandits tried to attack, it's better to be safe."
"Always so serious."
"I have to be, I'm your guard Lady Kotori and I can't do it half-heartedly."
"Are you sure you're ok, your cheeks are red."
"I'm fine, please Lady Kotori." Umi said as she faced the forest again.
"I wonder how the others are doing?" Kotori asked allowed.
"Likely sitting around waiting for us." Umi sighed.
(Nico and Maki – The same day while camped near Hanayo's family castle)
Nico changed out of her black outfit and began to change into her disguise to fulfil her plan 'Hope this works.' Nico said in her head as she thought about how she and Maki met.
(Nico-Four years earlier)
Nico crept through the rafters; she'd been asked to assassinate a Samurai a certain Maki Nishikino, the samurai had apparently been taking lots of the local girls to her chamber and the families had had enough of it.
As Nico silently crept through the roof she pondered on why she took the job, she had done jobs for Lady Tojo before and while she felt bad for killing one of her Samurai and a friend of hers, she had three siblings to feed and the money offered was to much to say no 'Must have really upset some powerful people to get that much money for a hit on you.' Nico thought as she came to the chamber she wanted.
Nico gently dropped down to the floor careful not to wake the Samurai, unfortunately she hadn't noticed someone laying close to the wall staring up at the ceiling and had seen the Ninja land between her and Maki.
The unknown person grabbed her Naginata and swung it catching the ninja's leg with the shaft and making her fall forward.
"Lady Maki, wake up!"
Nico jumped to her feet and drew her sword as the pink haired girl shook her head to wake up, Nico threw a shuriken at the girl with the Naginata hitting her in the arm, to Nico's shock the girl just kept coming on and swung her Naginata at her. Nico tried to bring her sword up to block but her shock meant she was to slow and grip wasn't full and the sword flew out her hand and landing with a clatter on the ground, looking back from where the sword had landed Nico looked up to saw the blade of the Naginata pointing at her.
"It's you?" Nico said stunned as she recognized the face now it was close up.
"You know me assassin?"
"What the hells going on?" Maki asked as she stood up.
"It seems your shameless actions have caught up with you Lady Maki, this girl was trying to kill you."
"What's going on?" Eli said her sword drawn as she entered to the room with Nozomi following "Maki, what the hell?"
Nico and others looked over to Maki, who they could all now see with the light coming in through the door was in an interesting state of dress "Lady Maki dress yourself, do not look at Lady Tojo in such a shameless state." Umi said as she looked away, closed her eyes and hide her face behind her weapon.
'Guess I know how she gets so many girls she beautiful.' Nico thought as she turned away 'Wait, why am I looking.'
"Oh its fine Umi." Nozomi said as she picked up Nico's discarded sword "Long time no see Nico."
"How did you know it was me?" Nico said pulling down her face mask.
"Lucky guess, plus I heard rumours someone had asked a ninja to kill Maki, you were the natural option."
"And you didn't tell me." Maki shouted as she put her Kimono on properly.
"Why would I when I can have such an amusing sight to laugh at later."
"Nozomi!" Maki shouted as tied the sash.
"Now Nico, as I'm sure you know I can't just let you go."
"You got that right, why try and kill me anyway?"
"Your fault for taking all those women to this chamber, honestly it feels sinking to be in here to be honest, knowing what you've been doing in here."
"Why you…"
"You mean that thing I was sleeping on…" Umi started.
"Enough girls." Nozomi said as she put finger under her lips "Now I know you're doing this feed your siblings and I know their situation so I won't kill you Nico."
"You're not going to let her off, are you?" Maki shouted.
"No." Nozomi smiled "Nico I want you to serve Maki and teach her to avoid another ninja attack and Maki shall pay you for your services."
"You can't be serious!" the pair shouted.
"Why do I need a ninja?" Maki asked.
"If they hired Nico, they could hire others and Umi won't be able to save you all the time, your far too shameless for her, so a ninja to teach you how to survive one and prevent attacks could be useful to you."
"And Nico I know your doing this to help your siblings…"
"Pretty cold of you Nozomi."
"Maybe." Nozomi smiled "The other options death, your choice."
Nico sighed "I'm going to regret this, but fine."
"Good its decided, now go home I expect you here tomorrow to begin teaching her."
Nico nodded and walked past Eli who let her past with out a word "Do I not get a say in this?" Maki moaned.
"Calm down Maki, you might even enjoy it." Nozomi smiled.
"Oh, I am so going to make you suffer." Maki shouted at Nico.
"Look forward to seeing you try, what's the pay going to be?" Nico asked Nozomi.
"Depends on how good you are." Maki snidely remarked.
"As a ninja I'm the best, as for the other way I could take that comment, that won't happen."
"We'll discuss that tomorrow, off you go." Nozomi smiled.
Nico nodded "See you tomorrow, princess." Nico shouted as she climbed on to the roof.
"Just wait, I'm going make you beg!" Maki shout after Nico.
(Present Day)
Nico walked quietly through the camp her hand on the grip of her Tanto blade hidden up her sleeve, as she came up to the tent, she wanted she made sure to check her outfit was ok, once she was sure she walked to the front of the tent.
She was met by two soldiers who were guarding the tent "Excuse me miss, what are you doing?" asked one of the soldiers as Nico approached the entrance to the tent.
'Guess it would be a bit too easy, oh well I have a plan for this.' Nico thought.
"Oh, did your lady not tell you she summoned me?" Nico smiled noticing the smirk on the other soldier's face.
"Summoned you for what?" asked the first soldier.
"You must not of heard the stories of our lady Nishikino, she's known to entertain pretty ladies."
"Exactly, you wouldn't want to make her wait, would you?" Nico said, "I hear she has quite the temper."
"How would you know?" the solider asked.
"Oh sweety, I could tell you, but your lady wouldn't want her acts said in public now, it could lead to such a scandal."
The soldier swallowed "Sorry to keep you." The man bowed.
"Not so loud, it ruins the mood and it might be best if you go away for a while, wouldn't want your ears to hear what we're going to be doing." Nico smiled to the soldiers as she walked in.
"Not a bad idea, come on lad." Nico heard the second soldier say as pair left the tent.
Once she was sure they had gone Nico took her footwear off and drew her Tanto blade. As she quietly crept into the tent, she could hear Maki singing, peering around the corner she could see Maki facing the wall of the tent with her back to Nico.
Nico crept up silently, holding still as Maki went lower in volume for the song she was singing, Nico silently moved the curtain back, before taking a silent breath and grabbing Maki on her shoulder and forcing her on her back.
"Nico?" Maki asked as Nico straddled Maki's hips and forced the Tanto to the Samurai's neck "What are you doing?" Maki asked staring up into the crimson eyes of the ninja as she felt the Tanto blade shake slightly against her throat as Nico put her free hand neck to Maki's head and lowered her face to Maki's.
"I hate you." Nico said as she stopped moving closer to Maki.
"Pardon?" Maki asked confused, expecting Nico to kiss her, but then it struck her Nico was still keeping her distance since the night Maki had opened up to the ninja.
"Do you remember the talk we had?" Nico asked, "The bit about falling in love because you enjoy time together."
"What about it?" Maki asked confused.
"Well that's what's happened to me, I love someone because I like being around her and I enjoy playing games with her."
"So who's the lucky girl?" Maki asked biting her bottom lip, feeling her heart twist, she'd grown to like having Nico around and now it seemed to her that Nico would request not to do this anymore.
"Idiot."
"Huh?"
"It's you, I love you idiot."
"Hey, how was I to know, you said you hate me, also if you love me why say you hate me?"
"Because I hate you to."
"Nico that doesn't make sense."
Nico let out a breath "No, it doesn't, none of this does, you're a lady, I'm a ninja, I tried to kill you and you forced me to serve you among other things." Nico swallowed through a dry throat before going on "Maki, all the time spent teaching you how to avoid another ninja strike and keeping your practice up, at first they were just a job so I didn't die and leave my siblings without their big sister, but then they became our little thing and that was still a job to me." Nico shook and Maki was a little concerned she might slit her throat on accident if she shook more.
"Then I started to enjoy them, I enjoyed the thrill of the hunt those silly pouts you'd pull when you lost and before I knew it, I was enjoying those nights as well and then it hit me, I was in love with you."
Nico took a breath as a tear rolled down her cheek "But then I realised it wouldn't work with me not being the right class, but I thought I could ignore it, that I could pretend, but then I see you taking random maids to that chamber of yours and I even managed to sneak into it once when you about to start and each time my heart would twist."
Nico let out a frustrated screech "I can't do this anymore, my heart can't…" Nico stopped as she felt Maki touch her cheek, it was then she noticed Maki had tears in her eyes to.
"I love you to." Maki whispered as she rolled the two over and the pushed Tanto out of Nico's hand "I never thought you'd love me, you always said it was just part of a job for you but those nights with you, I could pretend I had a person who loved me, but when I couldn't fulfil that longing in my heart I just fell back into my old habits."
"Maki…I…"
"Nico, please stay with me tonight and don't leave in the morning, please I need you, I want to feel loved by you." Maki asked in a hushed whisper as she closed in a little more.
Nico nodded making their noses brush together as the pair felt a great sense of trepidation brew inside them before Maki leaned in and kissed Nico, the two felt strange as they kissed, they had kissed before but now their emotions were out and their feelings for each other known the kiss felt strangely better then ever and the two wanted more, they soon felt like their bodies were on fire as they kept kissing and that feeling remained after they had broken for air.
"Hard to think this would happen after how we met." Nico said through a shaky breath.
"Don't worry about it, miss number one ninja." Maki smirked as she leaned into kiss Nico again, while her hands interlocked with Nico's and forcing them to the sides of Nico's head.
'It's really good I sent the guards away.' Nico thought before her mind wondered back to what Maki was doing.
So there we have it, how Nico and Maki met and yes, they are a proper couple now. Poor Umi, Maki is so shameless, still at least she got some hand holding with Kotori.