The Blood On Your Hands

[Shisui]

((SOLO))

The night was young, and already the scent of blood was thick in the air. Shisui stuck to the shadows, moving towards the source of the scent with alarming alacrity. Snow had fallen, yet his feet made not a sound. None saw him. He was one with the darkness. The pride of the Reijinku clan. Swift and silent, the way of the ninja.

He climbed up the side of a nearby building with ease as he neared his destination, and once on top, slowly crept his way to the edge. Gray-blue eyes looked down to the scene past a white ceramic wolf mask. A figure lay dead, crimson blood pooling, tainting the white snow it touched. The body was dressed in ninja gear, Reijinku gear.

Naya, he thought to himself. Recognizing the falcon mask and the raven black hair that spilled out behind it. Deftly he jumped down from the roof, his landing barely making a sound. He crouched over the woman he once knew and removed her mask. Her skin was pale, her blue eyes were vacant and distant, a line of blood had oozed down from her mouth. She was dead, then.

Naya had been missing for four hours, and it was Shisui's task to retrieve her. He was too late. He slid his mask up onto his head, revealing a pale, handsome face. He looked at her and softly closed the eyes of his sister-at-arms with his right hand. Be at peace, sister. He would carry her body back to headquarters where she would receive a proper burial.

That was when he noticed that her weapons were gone. No katana, no kunai, no shuriken, nothing. He took her hand in his and lifted up her glove at the wrist. Rope burns. She had been bound. Naya hadn't died in battle. She was captured, killed and placed here for someone to find. He didn't like this, something was wrong. He didn't have time to wait, he needed to get her body back--

A crunch of snow behind and to his left. Slowly Shisui placed his mask back in front of his face. He waited for another sound, but if he was dealing with experienced enough enemies to take down Naya, he knew there wouldn't be a second. Quickly he pulled a kunai knife from a thigh sheath, turned and hurled it towards the sound in one fluid motion. The knife clanged against a shadowed wall.

Shisui rose to his feet and silently pulled his katana from his back. He kept his eyes moving and his ears open as he slowly moved towards the shadow. He looked down the thin alleyway. Nothing. That didn't help quelch the nagging feeling in his gut. A feeling that he was walking into a trap. As if reading his mind, Shisui heard several forms drop behind him.

He turned to find four dark figures, black masks, black gear, black hoods, black everything. The only white Shisui could see was the white of their dark eyes staring back at him. They had weapons in hand. They had come for blood, it seemed. Both sides waited for the other to move.

Shisui made the first move.

Quickly moving through the handsigns he called upon his ninjustu, the Fire Style, Twin Dragon. Just as he finished the black ninja were already on top of him. They couldn't see the wicked grin Shisui held behind his white mask as two golden dragons twined themselves on his arms. Their gaping mouths spewed forth a terrible blast of scorching flames, bounding for the black ninja.

But it seemed Shisui underestimated their agility. Three of them managed to leap out of sight, the other caught the blast full force, setting his entire body on fire. He fell to the snow without a sound, his armor sizzling as it touched the cold snow.

Shisui released the magic and prepared for the ninja's next move. He turned in a circle as he made his way to the center of the alley. The black forms dropped back down around him in perfect unison, forming a triangle. Shisui held his katana defensively, hilt raised by the side of his face, blade pointed out and down before him.

"You will pay for the death of our brother," said the tall man of the group. Shisui assumed he was the leader.

"Blood for blood." Shisui responded. The Tall Man nodded, misinterpreting Shisui's words.

The three began to walk around him, keeping in perfect step with one another. They produced kunai knives in each hand and closed the distance. Shisui lunged out to the nearest him, a thin man maybe an inch shorter than he. Thin Man swatted the blade aside and bound forward, stabbing down with his knife towards Shisui's shoulder.

He was fast, but Shisui was faster. He caught Thin Man's arm at the wrist with his free hand, and used the ninja's weight to throw him to the ground onto his back. Shisui moved in for the kill, katana stabbing downward. It was caught by a chained weight that wrapped itself around the blade, pulled it from Shisui's grip and sent it flying into the wall blade-first, where it stuck.

Shisui spared a glance at the chain wielder, a small woman with a slender body. She handled the chain like it was an exstension of herself. Shisui's attention went back to Thin Man, intending to incapacitate him, but he was already back on his feet.

Tall Man came up from behind with a sweeping kick to the legs. Shisui backflipped himself over it, turning his body as he did and landed facing the Tall Man. Shisui took advantage of the opening, placing his leg behind the Tall Man and forcing him back, slamming him to the ground. Tall Man gasped and Shisui slammed his fist into the man's exposed throat. He choked and coughed, straining for air.

The sound of chains filled the air and Shisui found them wrapped around his throat. Chain Woman pulled and Shisui found himself flat on his back. Thin Man pounced, kunai ready. He was over Shisui in the blink of an eye, knives speeding towards him. Shisui kicked his leg over his head, hitting Thin Man in the face before he could follow through. Shisui heard a satisfying crunch.

Thin Man staggered backward, blood pouring from underneath his black mask. Shisui started to rise but Chain Woman pulled again bringing him back down. He choked at that one and looked to the woman with hate in his eyes. He took the chain with both hands and tugged as hard as he could. The woman grunted in surprise and was pulled forward. Shisui swiftly got to his feet and overwhelmed the woman, unwrapping the chain from his throat and rewrapping it around her wrist till the entire chain bound her. He took a kunai knife and jammed it among the chain, making it hard to escape from.

After pushing Chain Woman hard against a wall and throwing her to the ground, Shisui put his focus back to Thin Man, who had recovered from the broken nose. Shisui could see the remnants of tears the man had blinked away, and smirked. He came toward him, hands free of weapons.

When he was close enough he punched out. Shisui spun away from the punch towards the man, taking his arm in the process flipping him over his shoulder. He landed with a thud and Shisui jerked his arm free of its socket. Thin Man gave a deep grunt. Shisui lifted his foot to crush the man's throat, but a strong hand took him by the shoulder and he was thrown away.

Shisui took the fall with a roll and used the momentum get himself back to his feet. Tall Man cam rushing towards him, katana of his own sweeping out for the easy kill. Shisui ducked the blade and rushed in past his reach. He kneed the man in the gut, to which he doubled over, then swiftly pulled a kunai knife and sunk it deep into the base of the skull, the tender spot where it met the neck.

Tall Man dropped limply to the snow, dead. Shisui looked up, ready to continue the fight with the other two, but they were gone. The other dead ninja and Naya's body too. Shisui cursed. He looked to the dead ninja on the ground and began searching the body. Other than spare weapons, there was nothing. Shisui retrieved his kunai knife and cleaned it on the man's clothes.

He saw a cut in the cloth at the shoulder, exposing skin. He opened the cloth, ripping it further. His gaze narrowed. There was a tattoo on the dead ninja's shoulder. The same tattoo Shisui bore as a high-ranking member of the Reijinku clan. It seemed someone in the clan wanted him dead, and he was going to find out who.

[Shisui]

A chill runs through my body as I try to steady my breathing. Ice-cold rain pours down into the open clearing, freezing all it touches. My hair is plastered to my head. My naked torso is drained of color from the cold. I watch my surroundings closely for signs of movement, anywhere and everywhere. I tighten the grip on my kunai knife. I cannot let myself be caught off guard. A Reijinku ninja is better than that, I am better than that. I've run this drill thousands of times, and I will run it thousands more until it is perfect, I am perfect.

Pride of the Reijinku clan, they call me. They have laid all of their hopes and expectations on my shoulders. A heavy burden for a twelve year old. I always think it, never say it. I know better than to voice my opinions to them. They would just try to beat them back out of me. But I take it. The ends justify the means. Master tells me that often. He always treats me differently than the others. He looks upon me as a person, maybe even a son. The others only see a prodigy, raw steel ore that they can shape into a weapon.

But I owe them much. I owe my Master much. They took me in when no others would. Gave me a place to stay, gave me purpose. So in return I endure their beatings, their ruthless training techniques. The ends justify the means. I will show them who I am, whether they wish to see it or not. I will show them that I do not stop. I am without fear. I am perfect. Ruthless, cold and unforgiving. They wish to see a monster. I will give them a monster. I will give them death.

A score of shuriken fly from all directions out of the surrounding forest. I duck, weave, jump, twirl, deflect. The sound of metal on metal can be heard throughout the clearing as I am put to work. I land from a backflip somersault into a crouch. I wince and quickly examine my bare chest. Three cuts. One on my breast, another on my ribcage and the last on my shoulder. Three cuts, three failures. I will rectify my mistakes, or I will die. That is the way of the Reijinku, my way.

Twice as many shurikens as before fly out. I am the pride of the Reijinku. I do not rest. I do not stop. I do not hesitate. Metal rings out in the clearing. Thunder rumbles in the sky above. The ends justify the means.

[Shisui]

After collecting the last of his gear, Shisui started to make way for the headquarters. He climbed his way up to the tiled roof and began running, jumping from roof to roof with feline grace and agility. The battle in the alley had taken place in the Northwestern section of Yanbo Harbor, and Reijinku Headquarters stood in the Southern section. He would have some time to think. He needed to figure this out. Who among the Reijinku wished him dead? This was no ordinary coup. This was elaborate, meticulous. The entire plan relied on Shisui being the one to find Naya. Relied on Shisui taking longer than normal because of Naya and Shisui's...history. Whoever it was, sat in a place of power within the clan and had a long-standing hatred of Shisui.

Yuri. Shisui's blood boiled. The stuffy records-keeper had harbored hatred towards Shisui for many years. And he had the resources to orchestrate such a plan. But Naya? Why, her? Yuri had a burgeoning love for the woman, the source of his grudge. Shisui's hand closed tightly in a fist. That was a new low, even for Yuri. He would be made to pay. He would see to it himself. Together with Naya's father, the Head of the clan and an ally of Shisui's, they would make sure he suffered.

Shisui vaulted another gap to the adjacent roof and built speed. His legs churned with anger, his brow burrowed with rage, his eyes narrowed with deadly intention. It brought joy to think of the many ways he could sustain and prolong Yuri's suffering. Should he skin him alive while his body lay useless from poison? Or maybe run a spear through his gut and pin him to the wall. His mind drifted on disembodiment, piece by agonizing piece. That seemed fitting enough. Start with his groin and work his way to the toes, the fingers, tongue and eyes. Yes, disembodiment would do nicely.

Off in the distance he spotted the Headquarters. The large building lay inconspicuous among its smaller siblings. The first floor was an assortment of different shops and residences connected by secret tunnels, passageways and doors. The second floor, nearly invisible thanks to a camouflaging spell worked by a fellow clansmen, had only two entrances. The first was a secret spiraled stairwell, concealed by a hidden door, that lay somewhere within one of the shops. The other was a roof entrance, which was hidden by the spell, and was the ideal way of entry for those of the clan returning from a mission. A small trinket, a ring in Shisui's case, with the minor magic of Trueseeing was given to all the clansmen and women when they became true ninjas of the clan so they can see the second story.

Shisui ate up the distance to the Headquarters and made his way to the entrance. He had to be cautious entering the building. Yuri could have posted guards to watch for Shisui's return. The ninja hoped for Yuri's ignorance to his survival. If he didn't know Shisui still lived, he would have the upper hand. But he would still need to be cautious. He climbed up the wall to the second story. Slowly lifting himself up he stopped far enough to scout out the entrance.

The iron-banded oak portal stood unguarded. He rose up the rest of the way and made for the door. With a steady hand he slowly pulled the door open just enough to fit his head through. He hugged the stone wall next to the door and quickly looked inside, checking both corridors that intersected with the entrance. They were empty. Shisui found that strange. Usually the Headquarters bustled with life at night. Shisui took a quick glance at the moon, which almost reached its apex. Some of the operatives would be out on missions, but not all of them.

The ninja crept his way inside, silently closing the door behind him. His hands twitched for his kunai knives. Taking another look down the corridor to his left, he began forward, the fastest way to Yuri's personal quarters. He stalked silently throughout the empty halls of the building. The silence was beginning to unnerve him. He came upon the intersection of corridors that would lead him to Yuri. He hugged the walls once again and inched towards the edge. With a quick look he assessed his situation.

No guards there either. Bold, thought Shisui. But Yuri would need a lot more than bravado to protect himself. He hurried to the door, opened it softly and snuck inside. After closing it behind him, he pulled a kunai knife and looked to the sleeping form mere feet away from him. The man slept peacefully after murdering a person he loved? A sneer appeared on his face hidden beneath his fox mask. He made his way to the bed, made his presence known. A candle burned low in the corner of the room, casting his shadow over the records-keeper. The man turned, sleep in his eyes, a question on his lips.

"What do you want?" Apparently he hadn't seen the knife Shisui held with a white-knuckled fist.

"Your head," Shisui replied in a low, menacing voice. Yuri's face turned confused, then alarmed. Shisui could see the fear in the man's eyes. His plan was unraveling in front of him.

"Shisui!" he exclaimed. But the ninja didn't give another chance to speak. His fist connected hard with the man's face and dislogded teeth. Yuri's eyes lulled and glazed over. Shisui took him by the collar of his nightshirt and dragged him from bed, forcibly putting him on his feet.

"This way, filth. Your death awaits." The ninja opened the door and shoved him through. He kept his grip on him with one hand, his kunai knife at the man's throat with the other. Shisui directed them as they made their way. Shisui walked, Yuri staggered. The blow to the face was still keeping him hazy. It didn't matter though, once he presented Yuri to Master Nobu, the head of the clan, he would get his reward for such trickery.

Shisui walked into the War Room, the Headquarter's main hub of activity. The sound of voices talking amongst themselves seemed out of place. He looked to Master Nobu. Shisui smiled underneath his mask. He knew the Master would be awake at this hour, it seemed like the man never slept. He sat on an exquisite chair in the middle of a dais. The sight made Shisui smile every time. The Master fancied himself a king. He was just glad his mask covered the smile. Shisui and Yuri caught Nobu's eye and he waved the advisors and confidants away.

"Approach Shisui." His deep and gravelly voice belied his small frame. Shisui approached and threw Yuri at Nobu's feet. The man landed with a grunt. Shisui moved his mask to sit on the right corner of his skull and sheathed his knife. He knelt, right leg down, head lowered, right arm outstretched and hand grasping the floor. He waited for Nobu to speak.

"What is this, Shisui?" He asked with a hand gesturing in Yuri's direction. Shisui felt a lump in his throat. He swallowed past it and answered.

"I have failed, Master." The next words came hard, "Naya has been killed." The ninja nodded towards Yuri. "I believe he was the one behind it all. After capturing Naya they took her to where I found her body and killed her. Then waited for me to find her. Four highly skilled ninja were waiting for me. I managed to kill two of them, but the others fled with both Naya's body and that of another ninja. They left one behind." He waited a moment for the Master to take it all in.

"Go on," he said almost immediately.

Shisui nodded and continued. "After thoroughly inspecting the body for weapons or plans I found a rip in the ninja's clothes. I tore the sleeve and found a Reijinku tattoo on his shoulder. Which led me to believe Yuri was behind it all." He looked the Master in the eye. "He had the motives and the resources to stage something like this. He has hated me for years, and I think that hatred drove him to kill Naya to strike at me." He directed his gaze back down to the floor. Shisui took a deep breath.

"I see," Nobu responded calmly, a fact that shook Shisui. "And you are certain of his guilt?" Shisui faltered for just a moment, but remembered Naya and nodded with gritted teeth.

"I am."

"Very well. Restrain him." Shisui let a smirk form as he heard those words, but it fell away the moment it formed when two ninja, clad in black, appeared to either side of him. They roughly jerked him to his feet and held his arms fast. Shisui struggled but the ninja had a firm hold.

"What is this?!" he roared. "I have done nothing!" He struggled a little more and looked at his captors. They were dressed the same as the ninja that had ambushed him. For all Shisui knew, they could be one and the same. Then it hit him. Power, resources...it was Nobu all along.

"You.." he hissed the word through gritted teeth. A smug grin formed on the Master's face.

"Yes, me," he replied nonchalantly. "Who else?" He kicked Yuri on the floor, "This squabbling idiot?" He walked over to Shisui. The ninja towered over him by nearly five inches, but the Master seemed not to notice. He wore confidence like a robe. Something didn't fit though. What was the motive?

"Why?" Shisui asked, trying his best to keep his anger in check...and failing.

"You are no longer of any value to us." He stated the fact simply, like all of the trouble, the danger, the death, could be erased just by saying it. He started to walked away and he continued. "The world is changing Shisui. Civil war erupted in Corone to the west, a holy war seperates Salvar's people, and the dead rise from the grave to war on Raiaera...Althanas is tearing itself apart, little by little." He turned back around to face him. "Akashima has been able to keep its hands out of this bloodshed. But not for long. By now, an assassination attempt has been made on the Daughter of Akashima - Princess Kikyo.

"It failed of course." Nobu smiled again. "The Royal Family will be out for blood, and we will hand them you."

"Why me? What do you have to gain from this?" Shisui asked hotly.

"You can become uncontrollable Shisui, and the forthcoming matters will need a...delicate touch." He walked over to his throne and sat down, triumph written on his face. "We will tell them that you were caught escaping the palace, by us, and that we would be more than willing to hand you over...for a price." Nobu sat back smiled even wider. "And that is the beauty in it." He looked back to Shisui, "Not only do we rid ourselves of our biggest liability, but we get mounds and mounds of gold along with it."

Shisui stared hate into the old man. "And Naya?" he asked, "Where does she fit in this?" Nobu's face softens for a moment, then he responds.

"Sacrifice the One for the need of the Many," he replied. "She was the only one among us that you wouldn't give up on, at all costs. The only one you cared about enough to risk your own life, and we needed you to be reckless when the time came to kill you." Nobu sighed. "What a waste."

Shisui couldn't hold his anger back any longer. He fought at his captor's grip, yelling and screaming his hate at the man he once called Master. "She was your daughter you heartless wretch!!" He struggled and screamed some more while Nobu watched on with faint amusement. "Did you have the balls to do it yourself, or did you have one of your lackeys kill her?!" The amusement fell from Nobu's face and he waved his hand towards the opposite door Shisui had entered through.

"Send him to the Royal Family," he said with venom.

Shisui's grunts and screams echoed off the walls as he was taken away, curses on his lips.

[Shisui]

"Advance," the command reverberates off the walls of the dank, dark cave. My eyes have adjusted to the darkness, but even with the paltry light given by the small candles around the cave, it is difficult to see. But I know this routine. I am not supposed to see. I am supposed to use my others senses instead. Hone them with such efficency that even within the blackest black, I will know my surroundings, know my adversary's movements.

So I reach out with my hearing. A soft pitter-patter of water drops can be heard deeper down into the cave. The light rustling of dark creatures as they continue about their business. I hear a soft shuffle, foreign to sounds of the dark caverns, and I know my opponent is near. I brandish my katana. Hold it defensively in front of me, listening for another sound. I hear none, and I realize that I was holding my breath.

I take in a deep breath through my nostrils and exhale in silence. The cavern begins to smell of jasmine and lavender, and I recognize the scent. Before I can ponder the smell any further, someone comes at my left. I hear the whooshing of a blade cutting the air, and I duck. A flash of steel flies over my head, where my neck had been only moments before. I lash out towards the attacker and hit nothing, only shadow.

The smell becomes so intense I can nearly taste it. My nostrils flare, and for a moment it is all I can smell. The musky, natural salty scent of the cavern subsides and it is as if I am standing in a field of flowers. It is nice, but I understand its purpose to distract me. I stand back up, silently advance a few steps forward and wait for another sound, blocking the smell out of my mind and focusing on my task.

Then, another whoosh of air and flash of steel, but I catch the blade with my own. We are deadlocked for but an instant and my attacker melts back into the shadow. The only thing I saw was the darkness of hair, the only thing I heard was the soft exhalation of breath, the only thing I smelled was the intense aroma of jasmine and lavender. Now I know who it is I am fighting, and the realization sends a nervous tingle through my body.

A kunai knife appears at my throat and a soft, sibilant voice whispers in my ear, "I have you now, Fox." I smile at the use of my nickname. One I earned after obtaining the Fox mask in training for my cunning and speed in battle.

"Do you?" I retort, and a soft gasp comes from her lips when I prod her side with a kunai knife, where her kidneys were. I feel her hot breath on the back of my neck, her lips so close to my skin, and I cannot help but be aroused. Certainly, from the increasing speed of her breathing, she was feeling the same. I felt her body come up and press behind mine and her left hand appeared on my chest. Her lips brushed against my ear as she softly whispered to me.

"What now, then?" Her voice was soft, playful, and lustful at the same time. I couldn't speak, caught in the moment. I swallowed hard and I forgot where we were, what we were doing. My heart beat like a war drum in my chest, and her hand felt the increase. I could feel her smile. "All this for me?" My legs trembled beneath me. "Why so tense?" Her hand drifted suggestively down my body. "Maybe, I can help."

But before things got out of hand, a large flash of light illuminated the cavern and we quickly parted. "The exercise is over," said Master Nobu, a stern look on his face. "Naya, prepare for the feast." She nodded quickly and headed for the exit, glancing back quickly one last time, blue eyes flashing. My eighteenth birthday is only a day away, and after a large feast in my honor, I will be given my first mission that will officially recognize me as a Reijinku operative.

Master Nobu's face remained stern, but calm. "Are you nervous? Your first mission is always the hardest." I shake my head, keeping my gaze at the floor but I can tell from his silence he knows I'm lying. He simply nods, slowly, surely, while his gaze never leaves my face. It is a gaze I cannot hold for long. His deep, gravelly voice ricochets off the cavern walls, "Go back to your quarters and rest. We will be awaiting your arrival at the feast." He begins walking away, taking the luminescence with him, and I silently sigh to myself as he leaves me in shadow, thinking of jasmine and lavender.