A Ninja Story - chapter 2
Pairing: Santana/Brittany
Rating: PG-13 (may change later on)
Words: ~1 800
Spoilers: None, completely A/U
Disclaimer: I do not own these characters.
Summary: Eight year old Santana has been washed ashore in Japan. She is found by an old man who happens to be a ninja master. She grows up to become a shinobi, a ninja.
A/N: I am so sorry for the long delay of this chapter. Real life collapsed during the summer and I’m only now crawling out of the debris. Anyway, here is chapter two. It’s a bit shorter but I promise the next update won’t take as long. Thanks for reading. Please leave a comment. =)
chapter 1 chapter 3
He gathers them in the great hall. They sit in rows. Takai is at the front of the room, facing them.
“As you know, Lord Kawada is warring with the Tanaka clan and we have always held ties to the Kawada clan. Kawada-sama has now asked for our aid. I have told him he will have it. Initially, we will move into the Kawada compound, learn more of the situation, protect the compound and eventually strike against Tanaka. We leave at dawn.”
Santana feels her heart pounding in her chest. They’re going on a mission! She’s going to put her skills to the ultimate test. She feels adrenaline rush trough her body. She glances over to Koichi. His eyes are glowing. He’s feeling what she’s feeling.
Back in her room she opens her wardrobe and carefully takes out clothes to pack. She bites her lower lip as she reaches for the black hood. She’s a shinobi . Anyone who sees her wearing the hood will know this. She packs her utility belt, the black shirts and the trousers. She also packs kimonos. Takai prefers she dresses in women’s clothes outside the village.
They set out at dawn, leaving in smaller groups, clothed as ordinary peasants. She has a bag slung over her shoulder and she carries a staff in her left hand. Takai walks a few steps ahead of her. He knows she can handle herself but he feels better keeping her by his side. She watches him walk. His back is straight and his gait is that of a young man’s but he is old. His tan skin looks paper thin, his hair is white and she has noticed that he eats less. She knows better than to fuss with him though.
The sun is blazing out of the sky as they progress through the landscape. It reminds Santana of that time when she was a little girl, frightened and lonely in a foreign land. She remembers how strange the village looked. She remembers the odd sensation of sleeping on the floor on a futon, getting used to the salty flavours of soy sauce and dashi. It was ten years ago. She wonders what her mother looks like now. Does she have grey hair? Does she wonder where Santana is? Dejectedly she thinks her mother must think she is dead. Her poor mother. She thinks her daughter is dead! Juan and Jose, they’re men now. She imagines they’re handsome. Anna, her little sister. She was cute as a button. Is she a young beauty now, fending off suitors? Her papá. She closes her eyes for a moment.
She’s brought from her reveries by the sudden sound of screams. Five men come running straight at them, screaming loudly.
“San-chan! Stay behind me!” Takai’s voice is a little tense.
The five men are only twenty meters away from them, closing in fast. She can see they are masked and armed with knives and sickles. Robbers.
Koichi steps up in front of the group. She senses how tense he is. Takeshi has taken a defensive stance. Takai is just standing there, walking staff in hand.
“Give us your money! Don’t try to be brave. Give us all your money and any valuables you’re carrying!” barks one of the robbers.
“Just let us pass. We are poor farmers. We do not carry anything of worth and just want to be on our way,” Koichi says calmly.
“Give us what you’ve got! We know you have something!”
Koichi makes a sudden move and steps behind the robber and hits him hard where the neck meets the shoulder. The robber’s knees buckle and he falls sideways. Two of the robbers head straight for Santana but before they can reach her Takai has moved in between them and his protégé. It’s like they never saw him move but suddenly one of the robbers is on the ground screaming. He is clutching his left shoulder with his right hand. The other is still moving towards Santana. As he is about to reach out his hand to grab her, she steps to the side, leaps up in the air and as she lands, her elbow connects with a point just below his neck. He makes no sound as he falls. She lands on her feet and follows up with a stance standing over him, ready to strike again. He stays still on the ground and after a while she takes a step back. She looks up at Takai who has been watching her closely. There is a faint trace of sadness in his eyes but also relief.
Takeshi drags the robbers to the side of the road and ties them together by the thumbs. That way it will take them a good while to break loose.
Santana and Takashi want to discuss what just happened. They want to talk about their moves and how easily they defeated the robbers but they dare not in the presence of Takai. They know he takes no pleasure in violence even though he has dedicated his life to making them deadly. She has tried to understand him and she thinks she knows how he reasons. She has tried to see things that way too and sometimes she thinks she does but right now she’s on a high. A grown man came charging at her with intent to hurt her and she defeated him with ease. She’s not just good in the dojo, she’s actually good.
They walk all day and continue into the night. As they walk in silence they can hear the sound of the cicadas chirping in the tall grass and the rattling of animals moving in dark. Eventually they can see the town where Lord Kawada lives. The compound is located at the edge of the town, up on a small hill. The main building towers above them and there is a wall surrounding the perimeter. Santana has never seen such an impressive looking building before.
Takai leads them up the hill and makes their presence known at the gates. They are escorted by a group of serious looking men carrying katanas. Santana wonders if they are samurais. She assumes they are. They wear expensive clothes and their posture tells her that they are strong and confident. They are shown to their quarters while Takai is escorted to what seems to be the main building. Santana assumes he is going to meet with Lord Kawada.
Their quarters are spacious and comfortable. There are several rooms and a large bath section. There are many scrolls on the walls. Old poems and quotes. She recognises a few of them. Through the years, Takai has made sure she is well versed in poetry and the arts and she likes to sing.
Santana finds a spot in the large room she is to share with seven of the others. She puts her knapsack down on the floor and collects her futon. She neatly lays it out on the floor before taking a quick bath to get her body heat up again. Once she has tucked herself in under the heavy covers she allows her mind to wander. She’s thinking about the assignment, about fighting men who will seek to kill her. She imagines how they will quietly celebrate their victory afterwards. Takai will not condone their celebration but she knows the young men will want to as much as she will. She knows she needs to stay sharp and alert the next day. She has to sleep, dawn is only a few hours away. She flips over to lie on her belly and within minutes she is asleep.
When Santana wakes the next day, most of the group is already up and getting ready to face the day. Young maids bring them hot soup and rice for breakfast. They quickly fold away their futons and eat their food. Then Takai gathers them in a room.
“Today, we are going to study. We must learn as much as we can about Tanaka, his compound and his men. When we strike, it is imperative that we are as prepared as possible. Tomorrow, I want two of you to travel to Tanaka’s town to scout and gather additional information but only after we have reviewed all information available to us at this time. Then we will know what we need further knowledge about.”
Takai fetches a large scroll and hangs it on the wall. It is a map of Tanaka’s compound. Systematically they go through the whole compound bit by bit. They memorise, analyse and review. They take their meals in the room and don’t leave until long after sunset. Santana’s head aches and her whole body craves rest. As she sinks into the bathtub she feels her body relax in the warm water and sighs contently. She looks at herself. She is slender and the contours of her muscles are visible. Her left forearm is slightly wider than her right since she is left-handed. She wonders what tests her body will be put to in the coming days. She wonders if anyone will ever see her like this, touch her naked body and caress it. She hopes so but she can’t imagine what that someone would look like. It would certainly not be any of the young men she’s been training with. She thinks of them all as her brothers and she can’t imagine Takai would approve.
The next day they gather in the large room again.
“Like I said yesterday, I would like two of you to travel east to Tanaka’s compound to gather more information. I have decided that Takashi and Santana are to go. There are horses ready for you at the stables. Your assignment is to complement our information in accordance with what we discussed last night. I want you back here by sunset tomorrow. Travel today during the day, rest when you get close and work at night.”
Takashi and Santana rise, bow to Takai and leave the room to pack a small bag each. They’re to travel in ordinary clothes but by the time they enter Tanaka’s compound they will be in their shinobi outfits. Hood and all. Then they go to the stables. Santana is given a tall beautiful chestnut coloured mare. Her fur is smooth and shiny and she has large kind eyes. Takashi is given an equally beautiful black mare.
They lead their horses out of the stables and mount. Santana’s heart is pounding hard in her chest. They let the horses walk until they reach the end of town. Santana and Takashi give each other a look and nod at each other. Then they shorten the reins and squeeze their heels into the sides of their horses.
“Yeeh haa!”
Rating: PG-13 (may change later on)
Words: ~1 800
Spoilers: None, completely A/U
Disclaimer: I do not own these characters.
Summary: Eight year old Santana has been washed ashore in Japan. She is found by an old man who happens to be a ninja master. She grows up to become a shinobi, a ninja.
A/N: I am so sorry for the long delay of this chapter. Real life collapsed during the summer and I’m only now crawling out of the debris. Anyway, here is chapter two. It’s a bit shorter but I promise the next update won’t take as long. Thanks for reading. Please leave a comment. =)
chapter 1 chapter 3
He gathers them in the great hall. They sit in rows. Takai is at the front of the room, facing them.
“As you know, Lord Kawada is warring with the Tanaka clan and we have always held ties to the Kawada clan. Kawada-sama has now asked for our aid. I have told him he will have it. Initially, we will move into the Kawada compound, learn more of the situation, protect the compound and eventually strike against Tanaka. We leave at dawn.”
Santana feels her heart pounding in her chest. They’re going on a mission! She’s going to put her skills to the ultimate test. She feels adrenaline rush trough her body. She glances over to Koichi. His eyes are glowing. He’s feeling what she’s feeling.
Back in her room she opens her wardrobe and carefully takes out clothes to pack. She bites her lower lip as she reaches for the black hood. She’s a shinobi . Anyone who sees her wearing the hood will know this. She packs her utility belt, the black shirts and the trousers. She also packs kimonos. Takai prefers she dresses in women’s clothes outside the village.
They set out at dawn, leaving in smaller groups, clothed as ordinary peasants. She has a bag slung over her shoulder and she carries a staff in her left hand. Takai walks a few steps ahead of her. He knows she can handle herself but he feels better keeping her by his side. She watches him walk. His back is straight and his gait is that of a young man’s but he is old. His tan skin looks paper thin, his hair is white and she has noticed that he eats less. She knows better than to fuss with him though.
The sun is blazing out of the sky as they progress through the landscape. It reminds Santana of that time when she was a little girl, frightened and lonely in a foreign land. She remembers how strange the village looked. She remembers the odd sensation of sleeping on the floor on a futon, getting used to the salty flavours of soy sauce and dashi. It was ten years ago. She wonders what her mother looks like now. Does she have grey hair? Does she wonder where Santana is? Dejectedly she thinks her mother must think she is dead. Her poor mother. She thinks her daughter is dead! Juan and Jose, they’re men now. She imagines they’re handsome. Anna, her little sister. She was cute as a button. Is she a young beauty now, fending off suitors? Her papá. She closes her eyes for a moment.
She’s brought from her reveries by the sudden sound of screams. Five men come running straight at them, screaming loudly.
“San-chan! Stay behind me!” Takai’s voice is a little tense.
The five men are only twenty meters away from them, closing in fast. She can see they are masked and armed with knives and sickles. Robbers.
Koichi steps up in front of the group. She senses how tense he is. Takeshi has taken a defensive stance. Takai is just standing there, walking staff in hand.
“Give us your money! Don’t try to be brave. Give us all your money and any valuables you’re carrying!” barks one of the robbers.
“Just let us pass. We are poor farmers. We do not carry anything of worth and just want to be on our way,” Koichi says calmly.
“Give us what you’ve got! We know you have something!”
Koichi makes a sudden move and steps behind the robber and hits him hard where the neck meets the shoulder. The robber’s knees buckle and he falls sideways. Two of the robbers head straight for Santana but before they can reach her Takai has moved in between them and his protégé. It’s like they never saw him move but suddenly one of the robbers is on the ground screaming. He is clutching his left shoulder with his right hand. The other is still moving towards Santana. As he is about to reach out his hand to grab her, she steps to the side, leaps up in the air and as she lands, her elbow connects with a point just below his neck. He makes no sound as he falls. She lands on her feet and follows up with a stance standing over him, ready to strike again. He stays still on the ground and after a while she takes a step back. She looks up at Takai who has been watching her closely. There is a faint trace of sadness in his eyes but also relief.
Takeshi drags the robbers to the side of the road and ties them together by the thumbs. That way it will take them a good while to break loose.
Santana and Takashi want to discuss what just happened. They want to talk about their moves and how easily they defeated the robbers but they dare not in the presence of Takai. They know he takes no pleasure in violence even though he has dedicated his life to making them deadly. She has tried to understand him and she thinks she knows how he reasons. She has tried to see things that way too and sometimes she thinks she does but right now she’s on a high. A grown man came charging at her with intent to hurt her and she defeated him with ease. She’s not just good in the dojo, she’s actually good.
They walk all day and continue into the night. As they walk in silence they can hear the sound of the cicadas chirping in the tall grass and the rattling of animals moving in dark. Eventually they can see the town where Lord Kawada lives. The compound is located at the edge of the town, up on a small hill. The main building towers above them and there is a wall surrounding the perimeter. Santana has never seen such an impressive looking building before.
Takai leads them up the hill and makes their presence known at the gates. They are escorted by a group of serious looking men carrying katanas. Santana wonders if they are samurais. She assumes they are. They wear expensive clothes and their posture tells her that they are strong and confident. They are shown to their quarters while Takai is escorted to what seems to be the main building. Santana assumes he is going to meet with Lord Kawada.
Their quarters are spacious and comfortable. There are several rooms and a large bath section. There are many scrolls on the walls. Old poems and quotes. She recognises a few of them. Through the years, Takai has made sure she is well versed in poetry and the arts and she likes to sing.
Santana finds a spot in the large room she is to share with seven of the others. She puts her knapsack down on the floor and collects her futon. She neatly lays it out on the floor before taking a quick bath to get her body heat up again. Once she has tucked herself in under the heavy covers she allows her mind to wander. She’s thinking about the assignment, about fighting men who will seek to kill her. She imagines how they will quietly celebrate their victory afterwards. Takai will not condone their celebration but she knows the young men will want to as much as she will. She knows she needs to stay sharp and alert the next day. She has to sleep, dawn is only a few hours away. She flips over to lie on her belly and within minutes she is asleep.
When Santana wakes the next day, most of the group is already up and getting ready to face the day. Young maids bring them hot soup and rice for breakfast. They quickly fold away their futons and eat their food. Then Takai gathers them in a room.
“Today, we are going to study. We must learn as much as we can about Tanaka, his compound and his men. When we strike, it is imperative that we are as prepared as possible. Tomorrow, I want two of you to travel to Tanaka’s town to scout and gather additional information but only after we have reviewed all information available to us at this time. Then we will know what we need further knowledge about.”
Takai fetches a large scroll and hangs it on the wall. It is a map of Tanaka’s compound. Systematically they go through the whole compound bit by bit. They memorise, analyse and review. They take their meals in the room and don’t leave until long after sunset. Santana’s head aches and her whole body craves rest. As she sinks into the bathtub she feels her body relax in the warm water and sighs contently. She looks at herself. She is slender and the contours of her muscles are visible. Her left forearm is slightly wider than her right since she is left-handed. She wonders what tests her body will be put to in the coming days. She wonders if anyone will ever see her like this, touch her naked body and caress it. She hopes so but she can’t imagine what that someone would look like. It would certainly not be any of the young men she’s been training with. She thinks of them all as her brothers and she can’t imagine Takai would approve.
The next day they gather in the large room again.
“Like I said yesterday, I would like two of you to travel east to Tanaka’s compound to gather more information. I have decided that Takashi and Santana are to go. There are horses ready for you at the stables. Your assignment is to complement our information in accordance with what we discussed last night. I want you back here by sunset tomorrow. Travel today during the day, rest when you get close and work at night.”
Takashi and Santana rise, bow to Takai and leave the room to pack a small bag each. They’re to travel in ordinary clothes but by the time they enter Tanaka’s compound they will be in their shinobi outfits. Hood and all. Then they go to the stables. Santana is given a tall beautiful chestnut coloured mare. Her fur is smooth and shiny and she has large kind eyes. Takashi is given an equally beautiful black mare.
They lead their horses out of the stables and mount. Santana’s heart is pounding hard in her chest. They let the horses walk until they reach the end of town. Santana and Takashi give each other a look and nod at each other. Then they shorten the reins and squeeze their heels into the sides of their horses.
“Yeeh haa!”