Shinobi - The Fox Who Played With Fire

Gatac 2000-01-01 00:00:00
IC 5
Gatac 2010-06-23 17:30:35
Under Shimazu's personal guard, Toshiba and Kiara carry Nagiko's stretcher to the medical building, while the rest of you walk alongside. Nobody dares to approach, though you catch a few students following at a distance to watch the spectacle. Their block guards are already hard at work to get everyone back into their quarters and lock the place down, but there's no telling how long that will take - especially since Master Oa's absence and Shimazu's personal attention to your group leaves the chain of command rather unclear.

Inside the medical hut, an old woman with a thick kimono and thin limbs prepares wound dressings for Nagiko. The medicine woman speaks with an almost impenetrable accent, but fortunately Shimazu can speak it - or at least fake it convincingly.

"I told her to prepare a wake-up tea," Shimazu tells you. "That should bring Nagiko back to consciousness."
"It had to be her," Yukio says, not looking happy at the revelation. "The others - no matter, but her? I should have seen it, even back then."
"Don't blame yourself, Yukio," Toshiba offers. "She hated you, not the reverse... I'm sure."
"I didn't pay much attention to her - she only stuck in my mind at all for her strong words when I quit," Yukio says. "But I never imagined anyone brought up at the academy could sink so low as to try and assassinate one of her peers..."
"Hate will push people to do many things you don't expect," Kasumi says.
"Also, money," Toshiba adds. "Or blackmail. I am curious what she will say when the wake-up tea is ready."
"That all depends on who she sees when she awakens," Kasumi says. "Yukio, could you go into the next room? No need to start questioning her off with the two of you shouting at each other."
Yukio raises an eyebrow. "Someone should guard the door," she says, and walks off. Shimazu looks after her and shakes his head softly.
"But it might be necessary," Kasumi calls after her. "I will knock twice for you to come in and then you just act naturally, alright?"

A few minutes pass before the medicine woman comes back into the room, carrying a wooden barrel in one hand and a small cup in the other. The barrel trails a stench that immediately makes you turn your heads away. The woman sets the barrel down, kneels beside it and uses a crude ladle to fill some of the foul-smelling brew into the cup.

"I drink it every morning," Shimazu says with a grin. "It strengthens the warrior spirit."

The medicine woman ignores him and raises the cup to Nagiko's head. The unconscious woman seems to wake up a little from that, enough to make a face and turn away; Shimazu grabs her head and forces her mouth open. The medicine woman pours the liquid inside, and Shimazu takes a step back. After two seconds, Nagiko shoots up and spits the concoction out, barely missing Toshiba.

"What the -!" Nagiko exclaims, then sees that she's surrounded by armed people in a bad mood. Her face twists from the renewed pain, and she lies back again.
"What the-!" Toshiba shouts in unison, ducking the spray of foul liquid.
"Wake-up tea!" the medicine woman says in a barely understandable phrase, as if she was repeating it from a phrasebook. "Wake up," she adds.
"Relax, Nagiko, you're in the infirmary," Kasumi says. "You passed out from your wound, so we had to bring you here."
"Ask your questions," Nagiko says flatly.
"Please, Nagiko, let us make sure you're all right, first," Kasumi says, motioning to the medicine woman to come over and check Nagiko. "You were close to death when you passed out."

[1d20+13 = 1 + 13 = 14] (Kasumi Impress check)
[1d20+3 = 10 + 3 = 13] (Nagiko's Resolve check)

"I can't well stop you, can I?" Nagiko says. "Go ahead."

The medicine woman's response to being allowed to treat Nagiko's wounds is simple. She removes the dressings from the leg wounds, then takes a rag and dunks it in the barrel with the wake-up tea. She then washes the wounds with the rag, producing teeth-grinding from Nagiko. Once both wounds are cleaned, she redresses them, then ladles another dose of liquid into the cup.

"Wake-up tea," she says, offering it to Nagiko. The assassin slaps it out of her hand.
"Keep that stuff away from me!" Nagiko snarls.
"She's pretty awake," Toshiba says. "Why did you attack us?"
"You were in the way. I had no intention of fighting anyone, unlike my...less forward-thinking partners. I was after Yukio. When you" - she nods to Kasumi and Kiara - "spotted me, I thought I should do my best to wound you so you'd have a harder time following me in my escape."
"We were told that one of your partners simply vanished out of his cloak when captured," Kasumi says. "Who was that, that could do such a thing?"
"I wouldn't know anything about that," Nagiko says. "You travel with ninja, don't you? You should know better than to treat parlor tricks like miracles."
"What happened to that guy was definitely not a parlor trick," Kagemaru replies from the corner of the room. "It was as if he melted out of his clothes."
Nagiko does the best approximation of a shrug possible while lying on her bed.
"These people that you are partnered with, they must be very dangerous to have this kind of magic." Kasumi takes a seat on the bed next to Nagiko's. "If you tell us who they are, we can make sure that you are safe in the Academy. Right, Shimazu-sensei?"
"I will do everything I can to -" Shimazu says, but Nagiko cuts him off.

"Everything you can do is not enough, old man," she says. "The academy's security is a joke. There is no place here that is proof against our clan. I have been here for years in your midst, and I have told them every detail. If they really want me dead, then there's nothing you can do, my dear Shimazu."
"But not even your clan could touch Yukio when we stood in their way. Trust us, not the Academy," Toshiba says. "And the sooner we know who is behind this, the sooner they die, and the sooner they stop sending assassins after everyone. You might as well tell us - they will assume you have done so whether you do or not."
"Security can be changed. Holes can be fixed, Nagiko, but we cannot guarantee your safety without knowing who it is we are fighting against," Kasumi says. "Tell us what your clan is, and we can find a way to protect you, magic or no magic."
"Everybody shut up for a moment, okay?" Nagiko says. "This prattling is giving me a headache."
"Wake-up tea?" the medicine woman offers.
"Oh, shut up."

Nagiko thinks for a moment.

"Look, here's how I see it. You may find this hard to believe, but my clan prefers to deal with these kinds of situation by sending a strike team to kill the capturers and rescue our folks, okay? So this whole turncoat deal doesn't sound very appealing. I do agree that you guys are very lethal, though, so here's my deal: you stop trying to do the impossible by protecting that...cow...of a woman, and I'll make sure you not only don't get in trouble with my clan, but get paid bounties. How about that?"
Kasumi looks over at Toshiba, Kiara and Kagemaru. "Know of any clans that do that?"
"How much of a bounty?" Toshiba asks.

Several ninja clans that operate like this are among the wide spread Toshiba has heard of. Only one makes its home in the Valley of the Masters, however: the Red Dragon clan.

"A lot of money," Nagiko says. "I don't know where the price is right now...I Imagine you guys have been driving it up, if you've helped keep her alive. Shrewd business sense, but you should cash out before you run into people who can kill you."
Toshiba grins. "Always a gamble... how do you know if they can kill you unless they do so, right?" He turns to his companions and whispers what he knows of the Red Dragon.

The Red Dragon clan is one that is pretty much defined by its brashness. They specialize in getting into the most heavily-defended places and showing off there, just because they can. Their allegiance is completely mercenary, except to each other. It is said that the guy who can kick everyone else's ass is in charge within the clan, but few reliable reports of its internal structure exist.

"Why send you, though?" Kasumi asks. "They put your cover at risk, jeopardized your position here at the Academy. Either they are looking to dispose of you, or..."
"Oh, I volunteered," Nagiko says with an evil grin. "I mean, get paid to whack Yukio? Hells yeah."
“What's your problem with Yukio?"
"She's a cow," Nagiko says. "You know, a real go-getter, made our lives real difficult, she was always getting up first, going around before the sun rises and shouting 'Wake up, wake up!'"
"Wake-up tea?" the medicine woman offers.
"For the last time, no!" Nagiko shouts. "Anyway, then Miss Super-Perfect goes and says 'Oops, my bad, didn't want to graduate after all!' Do you have any fucking idea how hard that made it for everyone to do anything without being reminded of 'our failure'? Our failure? As if we had anything to do with her sudden change of heart!"
"Actually, that does sound pretty unreasonable,” Toshiba says. “Yukio's the failure and you're left here to stick it out? Still, you turned out all right. A proper ninja assassin, a clan that values you enough to attempt rescue, enemies who don't kill prisoners..."
"I know, right?`" Nagiko says. "Well, except for getting my legs slashed, that wasn't nice."
"Legs heal," Toshiba says. "And failures build character. Maybe we're all different from how we were even a few months ago. Maybe you shouldn't hold onto the past like this."
"Oh, I'm not - you know - still 'So mad!' mad at her, I've moved on, killed other people, had some fun," Nagiko says. "But the cash is good and I figured I get some payback out of it, so I went for it."
Kasumi tilts her head slightly as she realizes something. "How did they know she was here? We arrived just yesterday. Who knew to send your clan the contract that quickly?"
"We got sources," Nagiko says. "I don't know, I just get the pigeon message and then it's go time."
"Sources? Those sources that now know you have failed?" Kasumi says. "Sources that we will let know that you have betrayed the Red Dragon clan if you do not share what you know about the contract with us?"
"Soooo...you want me to betray my clan, or else you'll tell them I betrayed them?" Nagiko asks.
"One stays with just the people in this room," Kasumi says. "The other puts your clan, one which specializes in infiltrating secure locations, after you. We need to know what you told them about the Academy's security, how they plan to strike, and who placed the contract on Yukio." Kasumi stands up, having dropped all pretense of caring for Nagiko. "This is us asking the nice way. Otherwise..." She knocks on the wall twice.

Yukio enters the room, hand already on the grip of her sword. Nagiko's eyes widen.

"Nice way! Nice way!"
"Say the word," Yukio says. "I've been looking forward to this."
"Only if she doesn't tell us what we need to know," Kasumi says to her, then looks back to Nagiko. "Well?"
"Okay, okay!" Nagiko says. "Okay, first thing, I don't know who put out the contract. Figure I lead with...the bad news."

Yukio gets a twinkle in her eyes that Kiara recognizes all too well as the rising of bloodlust.

"Wait!" Nagiko pleads. "Okay, bad idea, I know the other stuff, okay? I was the local contact for the strike yesterday - we usually have someone in position who knows the area and has inside connections. I helped the others get in via the East wall - the cliffs are climbable after last year's storm washed the rock face out, and I threw down a rope for them off the wall to climb up on. It's the easiest way into the Academy. I didn't have to tell them anything else about the security - there are no guards on the wall, except for the towers watching the bridge. We didn't even run into anyone else before we reached the block, and the guard was...easy to distract. If I had to guess - do I have to guess?"

Yukio nods grimly.

"Okay, they can keep the infiltration route the same, it's the only realistic option anyway. They'll probably send more shadowcrawlers to evade increased guard presence around the target building. They might try to poison the water supply, or set a fire on the other side of the compound...they know the Academy is short on manpower. And they know that she's not travelling alone. We were specifically told not to try and go through you guys...I guess Tenzin didn't listen to that part of the briefing - but the word was, if we go up against you, we were to retreat."
“Shadowcrawlers?" Kasumi asks.
"Shadowcrawlers?" Kagemaru asks at the same time.
"The...thing. With the shadows, where they...you know, aren't there. When you touch them. We had a fresh one with us. Did you kill it?" Seeing Kagemaru's reaction, Nagiko sighs. "They're not easy to come by. Fortunately, they usually reform after a few days and find their way back to the clan. Not so good at the slashy-slashy, but they can really mess up places nobody's watching."
"Why avoid us? For such a showy clan, it's odd that you would be ordered to not engage Yukio's escorts."
"Uh..." Nagiko says. "That's...well, that's a question. I don't know, I hadn't thought about it."
"There's a lot for all of us to think about here," Kasumi says. "Shimazu-sensei, can you use this to shore up security?"
"I can reduce the number of block guards and post men on the walls," Shimazu says. "They cannot strike if they do not make it into the Academy to begin with. But I do not know if this is enough. The Academy has not been under siege since my grandfather's time, and we do not have nearly as many men as in our brightest days. I must consult with Master Oa when he returns from his walk."
"I think we all need to talk with Oa-sensei when he returns," Kasumi says.
"Don't put anyone on my guard detail you're gonna miss," Nagiko says. "Oh, and keep her away from me, please?"

Yukio snorts. That seems to be all she has to say on the matter.

---

Shortly, you leave Nagiko in the tender care of the medicine woman (and her almighty wake-up tea) and exit her hut. Shimazu stays behind to personally guard Nagiko, but not before instructing a messenger to go around and reorganize the academy's defenses. It's still early in the day, and the sun is barely creeping over the mountains to the East.

You see smoke rising from the small chimney of Oa's quarters. It seems the old master has returned from his morning stroll.

Yukio and Kasumi seem to be trading off who's actually leading the team to Oa's chambers, each embroiled in a careful dance between being front and center and not running too far ahead. By the time you reach Oa's chambers, Yukio is temporarily in the lead, and she hastens to open the door and usher you inside. Toshi's still in the middle of the group, clearly under your protection.

For everyone but Kasumi and Yukio, Oa's chambers are a new sight to behold, but even the two warrior ladies find new things to be impressed by. Foremost among them is a burly man in his early 30s, wearing the uniform of the Red Dragon. He seems frozen where he's standing, shivering all over and with a strange look on his face. Oa smiles as he sees you and raises his tea cup toward you by way of greeting.

"A good morning to you all," he sees. "I found something on my walk you might be interested in. Tea, anyone?"
Toshiba can't help but smile at the tea offer. "Yes, please. Is this fellow joining us for tea as well?"
Kasumi elbows her way past Yukio to the front of the group. "I suppose you already know that the Red Dragon are behind the attempt on Yukio's life last night, then."

Oa smiles at Toshiba. He puts down his own bowl, fetches a new clean one and fills it to the brim with hot tea. He then holds the bowl out for Toshiba to take, balancing it on his index finger.

"I had a feeling it might be so," Oa says. "When I found one of them stalking me, I thought I would invite him so that we could discuss the matter."
Toshiba takes the tea. He bows slightly, saying, "A wise plan. Can he talk, or has he had too much wake-up tea?"
Kasumi walks up closer to the apparently paralyzed man. "Or some other, less vicious poison?"
"You may speak, dragon disciple," Oa says. The man just shivers in place for a moment. "Oh, my mistake," Oa says, as if he forgot to give somebody what they asked for. He presses his right thumb into the hollow of the man's knee. The man's jaw unclenches at once.

"Let me go, let me go, LET ME GO!" the man shouts. Oa removes his thumb, and the man's jaw locks in its wide open position.

"He can talk," Oa says. "The trick is getting him to say something useful."
"Have you?" Kasumi asks. "Managed to get him to say something useful, that is."
"I have, after some trial and error," Oa says. He turns to the ninja. "Tell her what you told me and I will let you move your fingers."

He presses the hollow of the ninja's knee again.

"I'm going to kill you!" the ninja insist, but quickly changes his tune under Oa's glance. "There is a group of us coming for the academy tonight," he says. "I was an advance scout. Our orders are to extract Nagiko at all costs."
"...and?" Oa adds.
"And to bring you all before our master," the ninja says. Oa gives him an uncomfortable-looking flat-handed slap on the butt, and the ninja immediately looks less...cramped up, flexing his fingers and hands.
"That is the whole of the wisdom I have learned from him," Oa says. "My apologies. The tea took longer than I anticipated."
"Heh, you know some neat tricks Oa-sama," Kagemaru says as he sits down. "Could I have some tea as well?"
"Yes, of course," Oa says, and prepares a bowl of tea for Kagemaru. "I learned this particular trick from a travelling master of dentistry."

He looks to the team. "I would greatly prefer if the Red Dragon clan does not attack our academy," he says. "That would be regrettable for both sides. I will shelter you if you wish," he says, "but I do believe that there is a different path."
Kasumi raises an eyebrow. "You want us to walk into their stronghold with Nagiko and ask what's going on?"
Oa laughs. "It is hardly a walk, Kasumi-kun. But you do have two of their members, and they don't seem particularly interested in killing you. Perhaps there is room to...negotiate."

Toshiba looks at the Red Dragon man and the state he's in. Would they be so quick to attack this place if they knew this old man could do that to them? he wonders. "Better to find that out outside the Academy, then. I will go."
"What about defense, Oa-sensei?" Kasumi asks. "Shimazu-sensei said that you are short-staffed as it is. What if the Red Dragon attacks regardless?"
"Then we will hold them off," Oa says. His friendly demeanor doesn't slide for a second. "We may not have many guards...but we do have many well-trained students."
"Are they ready for such a fight?" Kasumi asks. "I do not want their blood to be spilled when I could have done something to help."
We will be doing something," Toshiba replies. "Even if they still choose to attack, they will be short many men. And if we stay here, they most assuredly will attack."
"That they will." Kasumi sighs. "So, we shall march straight into harm’s way, then." She grins at the thought. "Well, it certainly is a change of pace."
"The academy's supplies and facilities are at your disposal, if you have need of anything," Oa says. "I'm sorry I did not get to instruct you personally, Kasumi-kun. Another time, perhaps. Oh, and take this one with you."

Oa rises from his lotus seat and yanks on the ninja's earlobe. The man unfreezes and tumbles to the floor, moaning from the exertion of being frozen in place.

"I think Wu can fix him up for you," Oa says with a smile.
"Wake-up tea?" Kagemaru asks, imitating the old lady.

After Toshiba collects himself, he thinks about what they'll need. "Rope," the first thing out of his mouth besides laughter, is soon followed by "And possibly bribe money." He looks at the Red Dragon prisoner to see if there's any hint of him being offended at the implication his people would be so callous as to accept bribes.

The Red Dragon prisoner is too busy trying to get his limbs to stop being on metaphorical fire to visibly react to Toshiba's veiled accusation.

"The fortress of the Red Dragon clan lies in the mountains to the west," Oa says. "They must transport all people and supplies by way of a rope lift, as their grounds lie high above the pass beneath them. I do believe their initiates have to climb up as part of their tests, so an ascent is possible, if you wish to do it without their consent."
Kasumi looks at Toshiba, Kiara and Kagemaru. "Do you think you can make the climb?"
"...And that's why I said 'rope'!" Toshiba says excitedly. It's clear he's looking forward to climbing this mountain fortress.
"I think Toshiba and I could definitely climb up there," Kagemaru says, thinking back to the climbing they encountered not so long ago.

Kiara, though having remained silent, was simply beaming. Her attempts at hiding her grin resulted in a sort of quirked smile, though she worked her euphoria down to a contained level as she gave a nod, "Invading enemy territory is right up my alley."
"And I think they will be just curious enough to admit me," Kasumi says to Oa. "What will Yukio be doing while we are visiting the Red Dragon?"
"I will accompany you, of course," Yukio says. "You will need my sword if you wish to go up against them. And I can climb well enough."
"And walk their quarry into their stronghold?" Kasumi shakes her head. "It's too dangerous, Yukio. Right, Oa-sensei?"
"I can take care of myself," Yukio says. "I deserve to be there when you end their threat!"

She stays silent for a moment.

"And why do you keep calling him your sensei?" she asks Kasumi, genuinely confused.
"Because he is," Kasumi says, stating it as a matter of fact. "I have been officially accepted to the Imperial War Academy, and will receive instruction and training."
"...master!" Yukio stammers. "How - when - WHY?"
"Yukio-kun, I merely made good on an old promise," Oa says. "But since you are here, I think it is time to teach you the final secrets of what it means to be a warrior."
"...yes, sensei," Yukio says, obviously too stunned to think clearly.
"You have only truly understood what you can explain to someone who does not know," Oa says. "Therefore, and with a view to Kasumi-kun having to leave our academy so soon after her acceptance, I ask that you teach her the art of fighting."
"!" Yukio's face says.

"I trust that this is acceptable to you, Kasumi-kun?" Oa asks, smiling as if he's daring her to contradict him.
Kasumi grins. "It will be my pleasure to receive her. I trust that her graduation from the Academy is dependent on the quality of her teaching?"
Technically, yes," Oa says, "but I've no doubt that my best student will do an excellent job."
"I..." Yukio says. "I will do what you ask, Oa-sensei."
"Very well," Oa says. "As I have said, feel free to prepare yourselves in whatever way you see fit. I would prefer to meditate on the day's events, if your questions have been answered."
"Better to hunt than be hunted," Toshiba says. "Thank you, Oa-sama, for the direction you have given us. I will gather supplies." The hunter bows and turns to go.

As you leave Oa's chambers, Yukio walks next to Kasumi.

"How in the seven hells did you do that?" she asks.
Kasumi shrugs. "I was applied to this Academy a long while ago, he reminded me of my acceptance, and I chose to join." She pauses, and continues with an edge to her voice. "Anything beyond that is not your business."

Yukio grins.

"I see," she says. "If you survive this night...I will train you. But don't expect me to go soft on you."
Kasumi doesn't move her gaze away from in front of her. "I wouldn't expect anything less, Yukio. But remember whose opinion of your teaching skills determines whether or not you graduate and regain your precious honor." Kasumi's grin matches Yukio's.
"I see we understand each other," Yukio says.
"That we do," Kasumi says. "I assume your first action as my teacher will be to accompany me into the Red Dragon stronghold?"
"How else would I evaluate your existing fighting skills?"
Kasumi grimaces slightly. "Of course."
Gatac 2010-06-23 17:43:01
After meeting with Oa-sensei, Kasumi decides that the best course of action would be to prepare for the task ahead. Having never walked into an enemy stronghold with nothing but a smile on her face before, she has no idea where to begin, but figures that limbering up and warming up her muscles with a little exercise wouldn't be a bad place to start.

With Yukio having wandered off somewhere else after their return from the meeting, Kasumi returns to her room to prepare for her exercise, and finds a pair of Academy-issue training clothes on her bedroll. She undresses and tries them on, but the shirt doesn't fit over her chest, having been cut for girls who have barely reached puberty and the pants are not nearly as loose as she needs to have her full range of motion. She shrugs and simply puts her kimono back on, just tying it a little more loosely than she usually does. Her sword carefully secured in her waistband, she jogs back out to the main courtyard.

After watching the other students go through their morning exercises, Kasumi tries to keep up. Pulling herself up on the horizontal bar proves to be too much for her, but the rest of the exercises, where they push themselves up and down on the ground with their arms and legs and carefully lift stone weights in various positions, proves to be something she's more than capable of. Not nearly as heavy a weight as some of the students closer to her age, but she can at least keep up with those five or six years her junior.

"That's a good start," Yukio says from behind Kasumi's position. "For a twelve-year old."
"I have to start somewhere," Kasumi grunts, forcing out another repetition. "Brute strength isn't something required of a court geisha, usually."
"No reason to let your fitness slide," Yukio says. "I will have to make sure you keep up with your conditioning. But I think I've got a more productive use of your time, when you're warmed up."
Kasumi lets the stone weights drop to either side, and stands up from the wood bench, breathing heavily and damp with sweat. "No time like the present."

She sees the block guard stand next to Yukio, fitted with full training armor and looking a little uncomfortable in it.

"I would like to see how you handle yourself in a fight," Yukio says. "So, when you're ready, I would like you two to fight. Not for real, of course, but I hope it will prove...enlightening."
Kasumi wipes her face with a rag, puts her hair back and looks the guard over.
[1d20+9 = 20 + 9 = 29]
He looks like he's got the job because he's decent at hitting things with his weapons, and that seems to be the extent of his talents. He'd make a good foot-soldier, if he didn't enjoy the better pay and reduced danger of guard duty here. He doesn't seem very disciplined or tough, though, and his two main methods of conflict resolution are clearly "hit it" and "shout at it". He doesn't look very comfortable facing Kasumi alone, either.

Kasumi smiles and winks at the guard. "Sure, let's do this, Yukio. Where are we going to fight? Weapons, or hand-to-hand?"
"The location is a choice I leave up to you, Kasumi. But Yaguchi here is...not our unarmed combat instructor."
"I really like my naginata," the guard says. "Lets me hit people without them getting close. Useful." He looks at Kasumi. "And I hate punching girls."
Kasumi puts her hands on her sword. "Well, this doesn't have a non-lethal option yet, so until we find a way to protect my sword and you, I guess I'll have to make do." She pulls her sword out of her waistband and simply holds it. "Is there some sort of sparring ring around here?"
"Right this way," Yukio says with a sheepish grin.

---
ROUND ONE

[1d20+9 = 11 + 9 = 20] (Kasumi's Init)
[1d20+4 = 18 + 4 = 22] (Guard's Init)

Yaguchi's more used to the signal that officially starts the fight, so he makes his move while Kasumi's mind is still switching into fight mode. He swings his naginata at Kasumi, hoping to score an early point.

[1d20+5 = 11 + 5 = 16] (Yaguchi's Attack)

Another stab on the return!

[1d20+5 = 10 + 5 = 15] (Yaguchi's Attack)

The polearm flies past Kasumi, barely avoiding her. It doesn't have an actual blade, but the heavy wooden head looks like it would cause painful bruises if she were to be hit with it. With Yaguchi overextended, it's Kasumi's move.

Kasumi maintains a loose, darting stance, and bursts to the side. "Yukio didn't tell you who you were going up against, did she? There's a reason Oa-sensei admitted me to the Academy," she says, and head-fakes a charge to psych the guard out.

[1d20+20 = 5 + 20 = 25] (Kasumi's Distract)
[1d20+1 = 12 + 1 = 13] (Yaguchi's Sense Motive)
[2d6 = 12] (Initiative loss)

Yaguchi flinches, as expected, throwing him off his game. As the guard refocuses on Kasumi, she bursts forward in two quick movements and aims a snap kick for the guard's side.

[1d20+8 = 13 + 8 = 21] (Kasumi's Attack)
[1d6+4 = 1 + 4 = 5] (Kasumi's Damage, reduced to 2)
[1d20+3 = 8 + 3 = 11] (Yaguchi's Damage Save, DC 10+(2/2))

The kick slams into Yaguchi's side, and the guard lets out a pained yelp.

---
ROUND TWO

Initiative:
Kasumi 20
Yaguchi 22 - [2d6 = 12] (Initiative loss from Distract) = 10
---

Kasumi's taunts, plus the sharp pain in his side from Kasumi's stronger-than-expected kick, has Yaguchi seriously rethinking his decision to get in the ring. Kasumi doesn't give him much else to think about, as she takes advantage of her uncontested close proximity and throws an elbow to the poor guard's temple.

[1d20+8 = 17 + 8 = 25] (Kasumi's attack)
[1d6+4 = 1 + 4 = 5] (Kasumi's Damage, reduced to 2)
[1d20+3 = 2 + 3 = 5] (Yaguchi's Damage Save, DC 10+(4/2))

Kasumi's blow rings Yaguchi's chimes, and hits the floor groaning. After a moment, he rolls onto his back and moans. He's not seriously hurt, but that's only cold comfort to him.

"Pretty vicious," Yukio says with an admiring tone. "The elbow was a nice touch."
"Strength isn't all it's cracked up to be," Kasumi says, breathing hard. She rubs her elbow, which is temporarily numb from the impact with the padded armor. "I learned to fight from the best."
"That is against one man, though," Yukio says. "You may fight like this in a dark alley, but on a battlefield you rarely have the luxury of winning a fight by just knocking one enemy out of balance."
"...owwwww..." Yaguchi moans.
"And I'll get some of Wu's wake-up tea for you, my friend," Yukio says. "You take a minute to catch your breath, Kasumi-kun."
"I'm fine," Kasumi says, leaning against the rail of the sparring ring. "What would be nice is some kind training version of my sword." She looks at Yukio. "You wouldn't happen to know of a practice sword with a weird balance, sort of handle-heavy?"
"You could use a practice nagamaki," Yukio says. "They're weighted more toward the handle. I'll bring you one."

Yukio returns with several things in tow: a wooden weapon in her left hand, a jug of wake-up tea in her right hand, and three more guards following behind her.

"Kasumi, I want you to meet Woryu, Xiro and Ze," Yukio says. "You'll be fighting them in a minute."
Kasumi's eyebrows shoot up. "That's...good."
"Here, try this," she says, and throws Kasumi the wooden weapon. It looks like a practice katana with an extra-long handle. Kasumi whips it through a few quick motions - not perfect, but close enough. "I want to see how you handle yourself when you're outnumbered," Yukio says. "It's easy to throw everything at one enemy, the trick is learning to watch for openings and to keep yourself covered. For this exercise, they'll be using short weapons - there's not enough room for four large polearms in the ring, and this way you'll have to read them a little closer."

Yukio bows down and helps Yaguchi drink some wake-up tea. He spits it out at once, but it gets him back onto his feet.

"Questions?" Yukio says.
Kasumi experimentally shifts her hands around on the practice sword. "Checking to make sure I won't get you killed if things go wrong with the Red Dragon?"
"Well, first we're gonna work on not getting yourself killed," Yukio says. "Worry about me later. Right now, you've got four problems. Figure them out first."
Kasumi nods, and strikes her stance. "Alright, let's start."

---

ROUND ONE

Initiative:
Kasumi: [1d20+9 = 6 + 9 = 15]
Woryu: [1d20+4 = 7 + 4 = 11]
Xiro: [1d20+4 = 16 + 4 = 20]
Yaguchi: [1d20+4 = 10 + 4 = 14]
Ze: [1d20+4 = 9 + 4 = 13]

---

The fight starts with Kasumi in the center of the ring and the four guards circling her, each with a short wooden practice sword drawn. For a few seconds, they merely eye each other, until one - Xiro - storms forward with a loud shout.

[1d20+5 = 18 + 5 = 23] (Xiro's Attack)
[1d8 = 2] (Xiro's damage)

His swipe hits Kasumi once...

[1d20+5 = 14 + 5 = 19] (Xiro's Attack)
[1d8 = 6] (Xiro's damage)

...twice across the arm, stinging like...something very unpleasant.

Kasumi decides to address the biggest current threat, and try to knock him out of the fight before things get too out of hand, and so she can control the tempo of the battle. As Xiro charges past, she brings her practice sword down hard towards his shoulder blades.

[1d20+8 = 1 + 8 = 9] (Kasumi attack)

The blow whiffs hard past his back as he moves away from her, but she bursts forwards after him, trying to repeat the blow on the return swing.

[1d20+8 = 3 + 8 = 11] (Kasumi attack)
[1d4 = 4] [1d4 = 2] (Kasumi spends 1 AD, explodes once, boosts to 17)
[1d10+4 = 10 + 4 = 14] (Kasumi damage, reduced to 11)
[1d20+3 = 9 + 3 = 12] (Xiro's damage save, DC 17)

The attack hits Xiro right in the neck, dropping him in one blow.

"Nice!" Yukio shouts from the sidelines.

Next comes old Yaguchi again, swinging for Kasumi's back.

[1d20+5 = 1 + 5 = 6] (Yaguchi's Attack)

That doesn't work. So he kicks for her legs and sees if that works better.

[1d20+1 = 13 + 1 = 14] (Yaguchi's Trip)
[1d20+7 = 7 + 7 = 14] (Kasumi's resist)

Kasumi deftly avoids Yaguchi's attack, and he stumbles past her. (Yaguchi is flat-footed.)

Not one to let this sad show continue like this, Ze charges in, hoping to strike a good blow against Kasumi.

[1d20+5 = 1 + 5 = 6] (Ze's attack)

He, too, does not succeed.

[1d20+7 = 14 + 7 = 21] (Ze's Threaten)
[1d20 = 12] (Kasumi's Resolve, Unskilled, Capped at 15)

"We will crush you!" Ze suddenly shouts at her, spittle flying from his mouth. It's not the most convincing threat, but given that Kasumi's already dealing with three opponents left around her, it's enough to rattle her a bit.

[1d6 = 5] (Kasumi's stress damage)
[1d20+6 = 8 + 6 = 14] (Kasumi Will save, DC 10+(5/2) = 12)

Kasumi powers through it, and maintains her strong stance. However, has it fatally distracted her from Woryu? The warrior behind her doesn't move to strike - instead he leaps at her, slamming against her back!

[1d20+7 = 2 + 7 = 9] (Woryu's Bull Rush)
[1d20 = 4] (Kasumi's Athletics, Unskilled, Capped at 15)

What Woryu's attack lacks in finesse, it makes up for with momentum; the force slams Kasumi against the ring fence and takes her to the ground. (Kasumi is sprawled.)

---

ROUND TWO

Kasumi 15
Woryu 11
Yaguchi 14
Ze 13

---

Kasumi rolls away from Woryu, and pushes herself quickly to her feet. Yaguchi still hasn't quite figured out where she is after getting turned around, and she capitalizes on that opportunity. She figures the poor man has suffered enough, and levels a downward strike for the man's thigh, hoping to deaden the leg and allow him to bow out.

[1d20+8 = 2 + 8 = 10] (Kasumi's Attack)
[1d4 = 4] [1d4 = 3] (1 AD spent, explodes once, boosted to 17)
[1d10+4 = 7 + 4 = 11] (Kasumi's damage, reduced to 8)
[1d20+3 = 2 + 3 = 5] (Yaguchi's damage save, DC 14)

Kasumi's blow takes Yaguchi's leg out from under him, throwing him hard onto his side. The guard yelps in pain again and rolls to the fringe of the ring, away from the action.

(Ze uses All-Out Attack and takes a -2 penalty to attack and skill checks for +4 to damage.)

[1d20+3 = 16 + 3 = 19] (Ze's attack)
[1d8+4 = 6 + 4 = 10] (Ze's damage)

THWACK!

[1d20+3 = 17 + 3 = 20] (Ze's attack)
[1d8+4 = 7 + 4 = 11] (Ze's damage)

THWACK!

Kasumi's back is on fire from two direct hits from Ze. She barely rolls out of the way of the rest of his flurry, taking stock of the situation. She barely has a moment to rest before Woryu comes at her.

[1d20+5 = 8 + 5 = 13] (Woryu's attack)

*whiff*

[1d20+5 = 11 + 5 = 16] (Woryu's attack)

*almost-not-whiff*

----
ROUND THREE

Kasumi: 15
Woryu: 11
Ze: 13
----

She backs away from Woryu's frantic attacks, waiting for him to exhaust his burst of speed before retaking the initiative. She uses his out-of-position stance to try buy time, and tries to whack Ze on his gloved hands, and spin his practice sword out of his control.

[1d20+12 = 7 + 12 = 19] (Kasumi's Disarm)
[1d20+3 = 7 + 3 = 10] (Ze's Resist)

Kasumi's blow to Ze's knuckles loosens his grip on his weapon just enough that her quick spin around his sword flips it out of his hands. With Ze dealt with for the time being, Kasumi turns her attention back to Woryu, and tries to hook her leg underneath his ankle and trip him onto his face.

[1d20+7 = 19 + 7 = 26] (Kasumi's Acrobatics)
[1d20+1 = 18 + 1 = 19] (Woryu's Acrobatics)

Woryu hits the ground, hard. It's starting to feel like the fight is turning in Kasumi's favor. Ze uses the freedom of not being the center of Kasumi's attention and dives for his sword. It puts him in a poor position to strike, but he makes the most of the situation by feinting: he pretends to hurl the sword at Kasumi, with the hope of creating an opening for Woryu to exploit.

[1d20+1 = 3 + 1 = 4] (Ze's Prestidigitation)
[1d20+7 = 8 + 7 = 15] (Kasumi's Notice)

Kasumi sees through Ze's trick and rotates to face Woryu, who slashes at her feet from the ground!

[1d20+3 = 16 + 3 = 19] (Woryu's attack)
[1d8 = 7] (Woryu's damage)

Ow! Kasumi draws her foot back a split second too late, and gets a painful hit across her ankle for her troubles.

---
ROUND FOUR

Kasumi 15
Woryu 11
Ze 13
---

Deciding that now is the time to finish this, Kasumi first moves to take out her lone standing opponent, and moves hard to strike Ze.

[1d20+8 = 9 + 8 = 17] (Kasumi's Attack)
[1d10+4 = 3 + 4 = 7] (Kasumi's Damage, reduced to 4)
[1d20+3 = 18 + 3 = 21] (Ze's Damage Save, DC 12)

Ze takes the blow on the forearms, and Kasumi moves to strike him again.

[1d20+8 = 14 + 8 = 22] (Kasumi's Attack)
[1d10+4 = 2 + 4 = 6] (Kasumi's Damage, reduced to 3)
[1d20+3 = 6 + 3 = 9] (Ze's Damage Save, DC 13)

Kasumi's return swing catches Ze in the ribs, and the guard's face contorts with pain. He stumbles backward towards the fence, and Kasumi whips around to face Woryu, who's painfully picking himself off the ground.

"Keep going!" Yukio shouts. "You've almost got them!"
"I'm not the one that needs the encouragement," Kasumi growls at Woryu through the pain in her bruised ribs.

(Woryu uses All-Out Attack and takes a -4 penalty to attack and skill checks for a +8 damage bonus.)

[1d20+1 = 12 + 1 = 13] (Woryu's attack)

Unleashing a warcry that defies his burning lungs, Woryu lunges for Kasumi with all his might and momentum. However, it's too predictable and too slow; Kasumi manages to dodge out of his way, and Woryu almost flies past her.

---
ROUND 5

Kasumi: 15
Woryu: 11
---

Kasumi's been bruised, beaten, and bloodied. She feels like she fell down the flight of stairs they had to climb to get to the Academy in the first place, but in the moment, all she cares about is taking down Woryu. Summoning her strength, she screams a warcry that not only matches Woryu's, but surpasses it, and charges hard forwards.

[1d20+8 = 7 + 8 = 15] (Kasumi's Attack)
[1d10+4 = 6 + 4 = 10] (Kasumi's Damage, reduced to 7)
[1d20+3 = 13 + 3 = 16] (Woryu's Damage Save, DC 13)
[1d20+8 = 3 + 8 = 11] (Kasumi's Attack)
[1d4 = 3] (1 AD spent, boosted to 14)
[1d10+4 = 3 + 4 = 7] (Kasumi's Damage, reduced to 4)
[1d20+3 = 11 + 3 = 14] (Woryu's Damage Save, DC 15)

THWACK! THWACK!

Finally, Woryu drops his wooden knife and raises his arms.

"Enough! Enough!" he croaks. "You win."

Kasumi takes deep breaths as she looks around. Around her lie four bruised and battered guards, and Yukio grins in the distance. The wooden practice sword slips from Kasumi's weakening hand, and she stumbles off toward the ring fence. Yukio comes over to help her, and then the guards, onto a nearby bench. With none of them able to run away, she fetches the bucket of wake-up tea and offers everyone a ladle's worth. Kasumi thinks long and hard about putting the foul-smelling liquid that Yukio is offering to her in her mouth, but when she looks up at Yukio's face and sees the smug smile across her face, expecting Kasumi to chicken out, she grabs the ladle and pours the whole contents of it into her mouth.

Wake-up tea, as Kasumi finds out, can be said to have a flavor in the same way that sand paper has a texture. At first, it does actually feel like she's drinking sand, dry and gritty and with no trace of water to show for all its apparent liquidness. That is when the fun part begins: the back of her throat, which Kasumi is pretty sure remains untouched by the tea, starts to feel like it's going to melt clean out of her neck and go all the way down through her, the bench and the Empire's sacred ground before hitting the Seven Hells beneath. That there is no pain in her mouth has to result from a sensation so intense that it burned out her sense of taste before any detailed sensation whatsoever could hit her brain. Kasumi still doesn't know a lot about this drink, but she suspects that it's not going to get better if she actually swallows it. She's come this far though, and bears down through watering eyes and swallows the mouthful of tea. An army of imagined eels winds down her throat, and her intestines seem to realign themselves to form a path of least resistance, all in the service of not having this stuff longer in her body than it absolutely needs to be.

"Ah, I missed wake-up tea," Yukio says with a shit-eating grin. "You drink it, suddenly everything else doesn't seem so bad anymore."
Kasumi groans and holds her stomach. "That would be because you're too preoccupied with your stomach twisting itself in half." A belch forces its way up out of her throat as emphasis.
"Oh, if you think this is fun, wait until it wants to get out," Yukio says. "Anyway, I think you could use a moment. Anybody break any bones?"
"No," Xiro says.
"Noooo," Woryu wheezes.
"All of them," Yaguchi says.
"You said she was a beginner," Ze protests.
"Oh, stop whining," Yukio says. "That'll teach you to underestimate a woman on the battlefield."
"Or to do any favors for you," Yaguchi replies.

Kasumi loosens her kimono a bit more to allow for the bloated effect the tea has had on her stomach, and slowly stands back up. "Let's just get this over with," she says, lifting her practice sword again. "I'm going to soak in the hot springs for a nice long time after this, and we still need to have time to make it to the Red Dragon stronghold."
"That's the spirit!" Yukio says. "I just, uh, seem to be out of helpers for the moment. You could fight me, if you want to..."
Kasumi smiles. "It'll be fun for a little while, at least. Come on, Yukio, show me what you've got. Oa-sensei says you're his best student, let's see what that means."

---
ROUND ONE

Initiative:
Kasumi [1d20+9 = 7 + 9 = 16]
Yukio [1d20+7 = 4 + 7 = 11]

---

Yukio climbs into the sparring ring, and one of the guards tosses her his practice short sword. She spins it a few times to get a feel for the balance, then strikes a stance. At the sound of the opening bell, Kasumi doesn't waste any time, and moves in quickly with a low attack at Yukio's ankles, hoping to trip her up before Yukio has a chance to catch her bearings.

[1d20+7 = 17 + 7 = 24] (Kasumi's Acrobatics)
[1d20+1 = 12 + 1 = 13] (Yukio's Acrobatics, untrained)

Kasumi zigged where Yukio expected her to zag, and so Oa's best student goes down to the ground first. Kasumi quickly whirls the sword around for an overhead blow, before Yukio can recover.

[1d20+8 = 13 + 8 = 21] (Kasumi's Attack)
[1d10+4 = 8 + 4 = 12] (Kasumi's Damage)

THWACK! Yukio brings her arm up just in time to absorb the blow with gritted teeth. She rolls back onto her feet before Kasumi can follow up.

"Nice one!" Yukio says. "My turn."

[1d20+11 = 10 + 11 = 21] (Yukio's Attack)
[1d8+4 = 1 + 4 = 5] (Yukio's Damage)
[1d20+11 = 5 + 11 = 16]

Yukio scores a solid hit on Kasumi's midsection, but her second lunge misses by an inch, and it might be the tea, it might be the bruising Kasumi's already taken to her torso, but she barely feels the blow.

---
ROUND TWO

Kasumi 16
Yukio 11
---

Kasumi knows she doesn't stand a chance in a stand-up fight against Yukio, so she starts to pull out every dirty trick she's learned in her ten-plus years of living on the street, and feints a second strike at Yukio's weakened ankle.

[1d20+8 = 11 + 8 = 19] (Kasumi's Prestidigitation)
[1d20 = 19] (Yukio's Notice, untrained, capped to 15)
[1d20+8 = 16 + 8 = 24] (Kasumi's Attack)
[1d10+4 = 10 + 4 = 14] (Kasumi's Damage)

Yukio takes the second, full-power blow to her mid-section, and stumbles back, stunned and surprised by the sheer power of Kasumi's strikes. After a moment, she grins.

"Let's play rough!" she says.

(Yukio enters Martial Spirit stance. +1 attack, +3 damage.)

[1d20+11 = 15 + 11 = 26] (Yukio's attack)
[1d8+7 = 5 + 7 = 12] (Yukio's damage)

Yukio's reply to Kasumi's attack does not want for strength either. This is obviously what the warrior woman takes for acceptable sparring practice.

---
ROUND THREE

Kasumi 16
Yukio 11
---

Kasumi has never fought in anything even resembling an organized sparring match before, and now she's facing down one of the toughest opponents the War Academy has to offer. With that in mind, Kasumi decides the best course of action is to keep doing what's been working so far. Yukio's stance is very forward, and Kasumi takes advantage of that, feinting a high stabbing attack.

[1d20+8 = 2 + 8 = 10] (Kasumi's Prestigitation)
[1d20 = 10] (Yukio's Notice, untrained)

"Seen that one!" Yukio shouts, grinning all over.
Kasumi shrugs, and simply goes in for the attack.

[1d20+8 = 15 + 8 = 23] (Kasumi's Attack)
[1d10+4 = 1 + 4 = 5] (Kasumi's Damage)

"Ow!" Yukio says as Kasumi's sword finds itself blocked by her forearms again.

[1d20+12 = 5 + 12 = 17] (Yukio's Attack)
[1d20+12 = 5 + 12 = 17] (Yukio's Attack)

"Hey!" Yukio shouts. "How did that *not* hit you?"
It's Kasumi's turn for a grin to split her face. "I guess I'm just especially motivated to beat you."

---
ROUND FOUR

Kasumi: 16
Yukio: 11
---

Kasumi looks like she's going to feint for Yukio's ankles again, this time with a hook kick, but this time she actually intends to connect and knock the warrior princess to the ground.

[1d20+7 = 12 + 7 = 19] (Kasumi's Acrobatics)
[1d20 = 18] (Yukio's Acrobatics, untrained, capped at 15)

Kasumi's foot yanks the front foot out from underneath Yukio's dangerous new stance, and she falls over backwards trying to compensate for the sudden loss of support.

[1d20+8 = 12 + 8 = 20] (Kasumi's Attack)
[1d10+4 = 10 + 4 = 14] (Kasumi's Damage)

Kasumi's blow comes down on Yukio's legs, actually producing a short cry of pain from the warrior princess. Again, she rolls out of the way before Kasumi can really capitalize on it, and lunges to attack again, no quip to show for it this time.

(Yukio uses Relentless Attack trick.)

[1d20+13 = 8 + 13 = 21] (Yukio's Attack)
[1d8+4 = 6 + 4 = 10] (Yukio's Damage)

"Hah!"

(Yukio uses Triumphant Swing trick.)

[1d20+11 = 13 + 11 = 24] (Yukio's Attack)
[1d8+4 = 7 + 4 = 11] (Yukio's Damage)
[1d6 = 2] (Yukio's recovered Vitality)

---
ROUND FIVE

Kasumi 16
Yukio 11
---

Kasumi took those last two blows pretty hard, but she's not done quite yet. Foregoing the fancy tricks for this round, she just presses forward with two precisely swung attacks, on perfect form.

[1d20+8 = 10 + 8 = 18] (Kasumi's Attack)
[1d10+4 = 4 + 4 = 8] (Kasumi's Damage)
[1d20+8 = 2 + 8 = 10] (Kasumi's Attack)

The first strike lands a solid blow against Yukio's head, and although the bruise it leaves looks like it might start bleeding any second, Yukio doesn't seem to be fazed by it. As if to demonstrate, she blocks Kasumi's next attack easily.

"First strike's good," Yukio says, "but you have to have staying power, too."

[1d20+11 = 2 + 11 = 13] (Yukio's Attack)

(Yukio uses Relentless Attack trick.)

[1d20+13 = 14 + 13 = 27] (Yukio's Attack)
[1d8+4 = 1 + 4 = 5] (Yukio's damage)

Still, it looks like she might be feeling the pressure. Her first strike goes nowhere, and her second blow to Kasumi's side is spot-on but lacks follow-through.

---
ROUND SIX

Kasumi 16
Yukio 11
---

Kasumi's feeling the pressure too, and redoubles her already over-extended efforts. She's tired, achey, and the Wake-Up Tea seems to be doing something unspeakable to her insides, but she keeps on fighting.

[1d20+8 = 7 + 8 = 15] (Kasumi's attack)
[1d10+4 = 1 + 4 = 5] (Kasumi's Damage)
[1d4 = 2] (1 AD spent, damage boosted to 7)
[1d20+8 = 2 + 8 = 10] (Kasumi's attack)
[1d4 = 3] (1 AD spent, attack boosted to 13)
[1d10+4 = 7 + 4 = 11] (Kasumi's damage)

Yukio still weathers the blows, but she's starting to grow more serious. She, too, has to think about ending this now.

(Yukio uses Triumphant Swing.)

[1d20+11 = 3 + 11 = 14] (Yukio's attack)

(Yukio uses Relentless Attack.)

[1d20+13 = 1 + 13 = 14] (Yukio's attack)
(AD spent to activate Critical Failure)

Yukio starts to slash wildly - a little too wildly. Kasumi gets out of the way of one of Yukio's attacks, and with a nice little pirouette Yukio flings her sword out of the ring and spins herself around, leaving her open for Kasumi's counter.

---
ROUND SEVEN

Kasumi 16
Yukio 11
---

[1d20+8 = 1 + 8 = 9] (Kasumi's attack)
(AD spent to activate Critical Failure)
[1d20+8 = 7 + 8 = 15] (Kasumi's attack)
[1d6+4 = 6 + 4 = 10] (Kasumi's Damage)

Kasumi swings, and...her own sword goes flying, too. Maybe she's as tired as Yukio. Maybe it's the will of the Gods that this remain, somehow, in a twisted way, fair. Never one to cry over spilled milk, Kasumi instead turns her swipe into a roundhouse, kicking Yukio in the face. The warrior princess stumbles back, blood running from a split lip.

"Why you..." she moans, and comes back swinging!

(Yukio uses Relentless Attack.)

[1d20+13 = 5 + 13 = 18] (Yukio's attack)
[1d4+5 = 1 + 5 = 6] (Yukio's damage)
[1d20+11 = 11 + 11 = 22] (Yukio's attack)
[1d4+5 = 2 + 5 = 7] (Yukio's damage)

---
ROUND EIGHT

Kasumi 16
Yukio 11
---

Kasumi takes the first blow hard in the gut, and doubles over, and Yukio follows it up with a hard uppercut. Kasumi's head is ringing, she's bleeding from the nose and lip, and she feels like she's about to pass out, but she's definitely come too far to stop the fight herself.

[1d20+8 = 7 + 8 = 15] (Kasumi's Attack)
[1d6+4 = 6 + 4 = 10] (Kasumi's Damage)
[1d20+8 = 6 + 8 = 14] (Kasumi's Attack)
[1d6+4 = 6 + 4 = 10] (Kasumi's Damage)

Those are the hardest blows for Yukio yet; one gets her in the eye and another hits her mouth again, turning the split lip into a thoroughly bloodied piece of meat. But she's still on her feet, and dammit, that conwoman isn't going to beat her...

[1d20+10 = 15 + 10 = 25] (Yukio's attack)
[1d4+4 = 3 + 4 = 7] (Yukio's damage)

Yukio sizes the blurry figure opposite her up, then winds up. Kasumi might have once dodged this, but time's running at quarter speed for her. She does get a very nice view of the fist just before it hits her nose, and then it's lights out.

Yukio watches Kasumi hit the ground like a sack of rice. "Hah! Finally got you, you thieving bitch..." Yukio's voice fades as she finishes 'bitch', and by the end of it, she collapses against the side rails and slides down to the ground, falling over unconscious.

----

Kasumi wakes up, and she immediately feels warm, sore in places she only ached in after she had been pushed out of the back of a moving wagon, and her head feels like it's trying to split in half. She doesn't dare open her eyes yet, lest that somehow hurt even more. Consciousness slowly returns in stages, and she first notices that she's wet - no, that she's immersed in water. And that she's naked. That's enough to snap her eyes wide open, and yes, somehow, that did hurt her right eye.

Kasumi looks around, and sees that she's inside a bath house, somewhere inside the Academy, inside one of the hot springs. Across the pool sits Yukio, similarly attired, with her head back and eyes closed. Well, one eye closed, the other is still swollen shut. Kasumi looks down at her own body, and sees that it's covered in bruises, some with red dots of blood oozing out of them still. Her back is positively killing her, and she gingerly touches her split lip and bruised nose.

Kasumi looks back over to Yukio. "I suppose I still have some things to learn from you, then."
"I think you're going to do just fine," Yukio replies. "I mean, if it had been a real fight and I hadn't held back, you couldn't have held me off for long, but the sparring suits you, I think."
Kasumi bears the pain it takes to smile. "I still almost beat you, though. That's certainly something for an Academy rookie."
"Yes, but almost doesn't count," Yukio says with a bloodied grin. "When I knocked you down, you stayed down. That's how it's done."
"Too right," Kasumi nods. The smile struggles back to her face. "You're not that bad of a fighter, Yukio. For a noble."
"You keep talking like that, I'll start to think this beating didn't take," Yukio says.
"It certainly looked impressive," a male voice says. Kasumi and Yukio look to the entrance to see Master Oa closing the door behind him, a severe look on his face. "But is this the right time to exhaust yourselves?"
"We were just...testing ourselves, Oa-sensei," Yukio says.
"Is this what that was, Kasumi-kun?" Oa asks.
Kasumi thinks for a second, then nods. "Just seeing if I am ready to go out to the Red Dragon stronghold," she says. "We've heard that they're very dangerous, and Yukio thought it would be best to see if she can count on me if things go wrong."
"And can she?" Oa asks, turning his unamused gaze to Yukio.
"She is as ready as anyone here, sensei," Yukio says.
"Well," Oa says, "you're both certainly not ready to go there as bruised and battered as you are now. I will send for Wu. She happens to know a few things about mending and disguising wounds. And you're both going to drink three cups of tea."
"To numb the pain, sensei?" Yukio asks.
"No," Oa says. "As a reminder not to beat each other senseless hours before a battle."
Kasumi's stomach growls loudly enough to be heard out of the pool at the idea of more Wake-Up Tea, and she weakly smiles at Oa. "No problem, sensei."
"I admire your bravery in the face of ruin," Oa says. "By the way, Yukio-kun?"
"Yes, sensei?"
Oa smiles. "When did you get that tattoo?"

The blood that's still inside Yukio rushes to her face.

"See that you get some rest now," Oa says. "I fear tonight will see you faced with more than wooden swords."

Oa leaves the bathhouse. Yukio looks after him, thinking about what he's said and what the day still holds. Finally, she looks back at Kasumi, who's grinning in a way that completely infuriates Yukio.

"No," Yukio says, "you can't see it."
Gatac 2010-06-23 18:24:24
Your preparations for the assault on the Red Dragon fortress occupy you for the rest of the day. Kasumi and Yukio recover from their first sparring session, Kagemaru eyes the captured Red Dragon suit, Kiara sharpens her blades, Toshiba...well, he's off somewhere.

Soon, it's go time. Yukio will be playing the role of Kasumi's bodyguard and walking right into the middle of the fortress of a ninja clan hired to kill her, so Kasumi and Wu, the medicine woman, work to disguise her as Kasumi's bodyguard.

[1d20+7 = 20 + 7 = 27] (Kasumi's Disguise, -2 penalty)

Toshiba finally shows up with Shimazu and Oa in tow. He's carrying what must be the largest crossbow you have ever seen and wearing a sly grin.

"Something we had lying around," Shimazu explains. "Your friend thought it might prove useful."
"I used it to hunt mountain goats when I was younger," Oa recalls. "And I think this will suit you, stranger."

He hands Kagemaru a small wooden box. The young ninja opens it to reveal an ornately crafted blowpipe, a few darts and a small bottle of a yellowish liquid.

"We have already loaded Nagiko and her friend into the back of your wagon," Shimazu says. "And...that should be everything."
"Be careful," Oa admonishes you. "Yukio-kun, calm your fire. An entire fortress of assassins is too much to take on head-first, even for you. Kasumi-kun, you must buy your friends as much time as possible to get into position. As for the rest of you -"

He looks around and smiles.

"Don't screw up," he says.
Kasumi bows. "Yes, I understand, sensei. Good luck to you and the guards here, as well."
As Kagemaru opens the box a smile forms on his face. "I will put it to good use, Oa-sama," he says after closing the box again.
"We will hold the walls, should they attack," Shimazu says. "They will pay dearly."
"So will we, old friend," Oa replies. "Let us hope it does not come to that. Now, go, my young friends. We have kept you long enough."

---

It has taken you three hours to negotiate the not particularly untreacherous mountain path up to the Red Dragon stronghold. You have climbed over a thousand feet in the process, and the air is noticeably thinner and colder than down in the valley. The sun has long since disappeared behind the horizon, and it's only your keen senses and the self-preservation instinct of your horses that allow you to keep climbing on the final approach. You can already see the light of the guard "tower" ahead and above you. Kagemaru, Kiara and Toshiba take their leave of the wagon while Kasumi and Yukio keep going with the hostages in the back. It's time to get to work.

[1d20+12 = 11 + 12 = 23] (Toshiba)

The "mountain man" is first against the rock and moves like a natural. A little rusty, maybe, but he's clearly got the chops to go up any natural cliff face with ease.

[1d20+12 = 1 + 12 = 13] (Kiara)

Kiara's first try breaks a handhold clear off. Not very auspicious, that. The young ninja takes a moment to step back and lets Kagemaru try his luck.

[1d20+9 = 15 + 9 = 24] (Kagemaru)

Kagemaru slips the hood of his new Red Dragon uniform over his head - when he arrives on top, this should be useful for infiltration purposes. As he slips the cloth over his eyes, everything suddenly turns brightly lit. It's as if somebody told the sun to come back out and shine her brightest noon light onto the rock face. Kagemaru just goes at it, a hand here, a foot there, a calculated little jump here - and is surprised that he's caught up to Toshiba.

[1d20+11 = 14 + 11 = 25] (Toshiba)

The older ninja keeps going, trying not to let himself be distracted by the younger man's tomfoolery and flashy climbing moves. Besides, that damn arbalest is pretty heavy...

[1d20+12 = 19 + 12 = 31] (Kiara)

Kiara looks after Kagemaru and figures that if the little runt can do it, she damn well won't let him just leave her in the dust like that. With a renewed assault, she follows the two ninja, though she's still dead last at this pace.

[1d20+9 = 18 + 9 = 27] (Kagemaru)

Kagemaru keeps climbing up. He's already almost at the top of the tower, and the torches shining above are...a little uncomfortably bright, actually. He'll just have to cope.

[1d20+11 = 17 + 11 = 28] (Toshiba)

Toshiba catches up with Kagemaru while the younger ninja still wonders what to do next. They're only a few feet away from the guards above. Toshiba's keen ears tell him there's at least two of them, to judge by their footsteps. He points at the tower and holds up 2 fingers to his fellow ninja.

[1d20+12 = 13 + 12 = 25] (Kiara)

Kiara's about halfway up at this point. Having seen where her two friends climbed up, the path seems fairly clear now.

[1d20+9 = 14 + 9 = 23] (Kagemaru)

Kagemaru nods at Toshiba, confirming that he thinks 2 guards are about right. Afterwards he gets ready to sneak a peek over the rail, once the footsteps seem to fade away.

[1d20+16 = 4 + 16 = 20] (Kagemaru's Sneak)
[1d20+5 = 2 + 5 = 7] (Ninja's Notice)

Just looking over the edge might be judged to be a little...brash, but Kagemaru swiftly sees that he's in no danger of discovery: there are only two guards, and they're both looking down at the landing beneath, their backs turned to where you ascended the tower. Still, there's two of them. To take them out quietly would require one more ninja to climb up with Kagemaru and tackle the two at the same time.

As Kagemaru comes back down, he makes eye contact with Toshiba, signaling him with his fingers, that both guards are at the other side of the tower and facing down and away.

[1d20+13 = 16 + 13 = 29] (Toshiba's Sneak)

With Toshiba in position, he and Kagemaru slip over the side of the railing, landing inside the small wooden guard post. The two guards still have their backs turned.

Toshiba nods to Kagemaru. His knife is suddenly in his hand, and he stalks in a low crouch towards the guards. (OOC: Spend Action Die for Terminal Situation)

Kagemaru readies his garrote and slowly creeps up to the left guard. (OOC: AD/Terminal Situation)

As Kagemaru slips the wire over his victim, Toshiba yanks hard at his target's feet. The Red Dragon lookout splays forward. His instinct to arrest his fall overrides any training to counterattack or call an alarm, and by then it's too late: Toshiba pounces on the ninja's back, taking the wind from the man, and takes his life a second later with several well-placed stabs.

At the same time, Kagemaru tightens the noose around his enemy's neck and pulls him backwards off his feet. Thanks to the right timing and getting the guard as he was breathing out, everything is over way quicker than one would expect and the strength leaves the guard's body.

The two guards are quickly pulled out of sight, and Kagemaru grabs one of their bows to take the position of a guard, in case any of the other towers should look. Kiara slips over the side of the rail, and now you're all in position to really start doing some damage.
Yukio and Kasumi pass through the gate without incident. The landing underneath the fortress is lit and provides enough room to park the wagon. Kasumi can already feel the watchful eyes of the guards on her, ready to riddle her with arrows if they don't like her.

Finally, one of them deigns to talk to the visitors. "Halt," he shouts down, "who goes there?"
Kasumi looks up at the guard post at the elevator. She can't see where the voice is coming from, but she's sure that there's several arrows pointing at her and Yukio to go along with the sets of eyes that she can't quite see.

"Kyo Tanaka, head attaché to the Consul of the district of San'in," she replies. "I am here to settle an issue regarding the Imperial War Academy."
“And what issue would that be?"
"The Consul was contacted to negotiate the cessation of hostilities between the Red Dragon Clan and the Academy over a certain assassination contract and the...consequences thereof," Kasumi replies. "Namely, the imminent attack that your clan has planned on their grounds. He would very much like to see that no blood is shed on either side here, and has send myself and my bodyguard to negotiate a truce."
"A truce, huh?" the guard shouts back. "Well, head attaché, I hope you got something valuable in that wagon, because we're not too big on empty words here."
Kasumi motions to Yukio, who pulls the scout that Oa disabled into view.

"I trust this is enough for us to gain entrance?" Kasumi asks.
"We'll lower the elevator for you. Any tricks, we kill you and sell your corpses."

True to the guard's word, the elevator shortly begins its descent.

"So far, so walking straight into a trap," Yukio whispers.
"You were the one who wanted to come along," Kasumi whispers back. "Now, stay quiet and keep your mask up, you're supposed to be mute, remember?"
"This had better work."
"Or we're both dead, yes," Kasumi says, and guides the wagon onto the elevator. "Now, hush."

The elevator groans under the load of a full wagon. Sure, you could have just carried your hostages onto the elevator and left the wagon behind, but why make the life of your enemies easier? With a few shudders, you slowly ascend into the lit receiving bay above you.

---

With the tower properly secured, you now have line of sight toward the main castle and two dead ninjas - one with a clean uniform, even. What now?

[1d20+8 = 12 + 8 = 20] (Kagemaru's Disguise)

One ninja, two ninja - looks like everything's back in order here. Now begins the fun part - taking out sentries and getting into the fortress main. There's the tower directly opposite your position that houses three guards, well-lit, and Kagemaru spots two more ninjas patrolling on the wall in the dark.

---

The elevator chunks into place at the receiving bay, secured with several large metal bolts so the chains don't have to hold its weight for long. You are now surrounded by several ninja, none of which look particularly happy at your arrival.

"You got some nerve coming here at night," one of them says, and you recognize him as the guy who shouted down to you. "Now, you're here to negotiate, right? Let's see what you're offering."
"Pardon me, but do you take me for a fool?" Kasumi calmly asks, cocking an eyebrow. "I would not be where I am today if I showed what I have to any guard who asks. Unless you are the one who speaks for the Red Dragon Clan in these matters, I believe your involvement with these negotiations begins and ends with operating the elevator and possibly informing whomever is in charge of your clan that I have arrived."

The guard says nothing for a moment, but finally one of the other ninjas cracks up, and the guard loses it, too.

"Oh, that's the most official thing anybody's ever said to me," he says. "Touché, attaché. You'll have fun with Aogin, I can tell already."

---

(It was a 25, we all saw it.) (Toshiba's Attack)

THUNK!

The heavy bolt flies true from Toshiba's monster of a crossbow, embedding itself in the tower wall on the other side. The one ninja who's looking your way briefly looks around, but clearly can't spot the thin wire trailed from the bow in this kind of darkness and goes back to his idle wandering around. Toshiba fastens his end of the wire coil to a structural brace on the tower. You're ready to glide down the wire now, you just have to time it so nobody's looking. That, or get rid of the ninja who's watching.
Toshiba freezes as the tower ninja appears to almost have noticed his shot, then starts winding the monster arbalest for a second shot if needed.

[1d20+11 = 8 + 11 = 19] (Kiara's Sneak)
[1d20+5 = 1 + 5 = 6] (Ninja's Notice)

Kiara slips out first, sliding down the thin wire quickly and silently. Perfect timing, since the ninja inquires with his friends about how their game is going and isn't paying attention to, well, anything. Kiara stops herself against the tower wall and quietly climbs aside to make room for the next ninja.

[1d20+16 = 15 + 16 = 31] (Kagemaru's Sneak)
[1d20+5 = 7 + 5 = 12] (Ninja's Notice)

Kagemaru follows, also without incident. The two young ninjas are now in position to wreak havoc upon the guard tower.

[1d20+13 = 14 + 13 = 27] (Toshiba's Sneak)
[1d20+5 = 20 + 5 = 25] (Ninja's Notice)

Toshiba's about halfway there when the watchtower ninja suddenly turns around. Three hearts stop for a moment as he seems to see something in the darkness...

"Oi, Kiro!" one of the other ninjas shouts to him. "You sure you don't want to get in on this?"
"Just leave me alone for a moment."
"You could win your sister's money back."
"Yeah, yeah, I could - wait, what?"
"Yer sister!" the other ninja chuckles. "She gave me everything she owned just so I would satisfy her!"

The ninja turns away from the dark and faces his two friends.

"You did not just insult my sister!" he says.
"Oh, but I did! Whatcha gonna do?"
"...fine. I'm in."

Deep breaths all around. Toshiba climbs the rest of the way and sticks to the tower wall. You've made it in.

As soon as the guard has joined the game, Kagemaru climbs over the rail and walks from the ladder towards the 3 guards. "Hey, what are you guys playing? Can I join in?" he says as he stands next to them.

1d20+8 = 4 + 8 = 12] (Kagemaru's Bluff)
[1d20+5 = 18 + 5 = 23] (Ninja's Sense Motive)

"Mind your own damn business," one of the guards says.
"What are you doing up here anyway?" another asks. "You bored or something?"
"Of course I'm bored, I'm staring at darkness all night," Kagemaru says slightly annoyed. "I need a break," he adds while pulling a bag with coins out of his pocket, "and I don't come empty handed. I assume you are playing with money, aren't you?"

[1d20+8 = 15 + 8 = 23] (Kagemaru's Bluff)
[1d20+5 = 16 + 5 = 21] (Ninja's Sense Motive)

"Ooh, newbie has a mouth on him," ninja 1 says.
"But he's also got coin on him."
"Not as much as yer sister."
"Will you shut up about that!"
"Now, come on, sit your ass down and put your coin on the table."

(SURPRISE ROUND for the good guys.)

Initiative!

Kiara: [1d20+11 = 16 + 11 = 27]
Kagemaru: [1d20+11 = 8 + 11 = 19]
Toshiba: [1d20+13 = 10 + 13 = 23] [1d20+13 = 18 + 13 = 31]
Ninjas: [1d20+3 = 9 + 3 = 12]

Toshiba figures the plan isn't to gamble the guards into submission, so he's over the wall in a flash. He plunges his knife towards a hapless ninja's back, hoping to teach the man about the dangers of gambling while on duty. (Wicked Dance for extra sneak attack!)

Kiara's hands grasped the ledge, hoisting herself up in one fluid motion. For just a moment her body was horizontal to the ground, her finger tips lifting away from the railing with her ninja-to resting in her palm, her feet landing with the silent prowess of a cat locked onto its prey.

Choosing the closest dancing partner, Kiara gave a wide grin as she swept over. The edge of the blade glided across his throat with the hopes that any sound he might make would come out only as a pitiful gurgle.

Her arm swept inward once more, aiming to embed the metal through the side of his neck.
Kagemaru steps in as if he would sit down, but in the meantime he readies his garrote and puts it over the right guy's head as his companions jump over the rails. His enemy attempts to scream, but the deadly twine of metal is already too tight around his neck and not even a gasp escapes.

Kage tightens the noose even further, pulls his enemy from his chair and puts him face first to the floor. Lowers the possibility of being seen.

[1d20+12 = 16 + 12 = 28] (Kagemaru's Grapple check)
[1d20+5 = 6 + 5 = 11] (Ninja's Grapple check)

---
ROUND ONE
---

(Toshiba enters Wicked Dance.)

[1d20+5 = 3 + 5 = 8] (Toshiba's Attack)

Toshiba's lunge for the ninja's vitals stops in the chair's backrest.

[1d20+7 = 17 + 7 = 24] (Kiara's Attack)
[1d8+4 = 4 + 4 = 8] (Kiara's Damage)
[1d20+2 = 2 + 2 = 4] (Ninja's Damage Save, DC 14)

Kiara's stab, however, is right on the money, straight into one side of his neck and out the other. Kiara easily pulls the blade free, spreading blood over the coins and playing cards on the table.

[1d20+7 = 17 + 7 = 24] (Kiara's Attack)
[1d8+4 = 3 + 4 = 7] (Kiara's Damage)
[1d20+2 = 2 + 2 = 4] (Ninja's Damage Save, DC 13)

Kiara's bloodlust isn't sated yet, however. With an animal gleam in her eyes, she leaps across the table and buries her blade in the front of the last ninja's throat, catching him just before he can shout out. The force of the tackle takes both of them to the ground, but stick a fork in it: that guy is done.

The guy Kagemaru is choking is a sad story. He's struggling so hard, but Kagemaru holds all the cards, and it's just a matter of time before he will choke to death. Toshiba bows down next to the two, locks gazes with the dying man, and rams his knife straight through the ninja's ribs into his heart, killing him within a second.

That's all three guards on top of this tower dead.

"Ok, you two put two on the chairs and I tie one to that beam." Kagemaru instructs and no sooner said than done, everything's rigged to look normal. Well as normal as a guard tower full of dead bodies CAN look that is.

[1d20+8 = 9 + 8 = 17] (Kagemaru's Disguise)

You quickly rig up the guards in what seems like natural positions. Sure, there's blood all over them, and the rope holding on guy up, but if you don't miss your guess, the guards on the walls can't see into the tower and the guards in the other towers are too far away to see any details. As long as nobody comes to inspect this up close, it should hold up. With the stairs inside the tower an unknown proposition, Kagemaru and Kiara quickly - maybe a little too quickly - agree that the best way down into the courtyard is the shortest one.

---

Meanwhile...

With the tacit blessing of the guard, Kasumi and Yukio climb back onto the wagon and steer it through the hallway leading from the elevator's receiving bay to the fortress's courtyard. The wooden planks beneath you groan audibly. This part of the fortress was clearly a victory of ambition over practicality - it is, as you're now proving, big enough to handle the arrival of entire horse-drawn carriages, but it must have been a right pain in the ass to get all the building materials for such an extravaganza up the mountain. But that does seem to be the Red Dragon Clan's ethos - "Because We Can".

After a short drive into the courtyard (which adds another tangle of ninja guards eyeing you), you're smack in the middle of the fortress. Around you are the huts that house the ninja clan's warriors, its kitchen and even some stables for the horses. However, the most eye-catching structure lies dead ahead: an ornately decorated mountain wall with an entrance carved into it. This must be where this Aogin fellow resides.

"You can leave your wagon here, head attaché," the guard says. "Unless you want to introduce your horses to the living room of our lord."
"That's quite alright," Kasumi says, and disembarks from the front of the wagon. She motions to Yukio, "Please help our two guests out of the wagon and have them accompany us into Aogin's quarters."

Yukio nods silently, hops off the wagon and walks around to the back, her eyes sweeping the guards and her hand never far away from her sword. She climbs back up into the rear of the wagon, then manhandles Nagiko and the other ninja out with her. The male ninja hits the dirt after a short toss; Yukio jumps back out with Nagiko slung over her shoulder. Before the stunned ninja on the ground can do anything, Yukio grabs him by the collar and starts dragging him behind her. The ninjas clearly don't enjoy the show, but they don't move against her.

"I was wondering what happened to Furu," the guard says, nodding to the male captive. "Well, have fun with Aogin, head attaché. Dragging his people through the dirt in front of him will surely put him in an excellent mood."
Kasumi pulls the man to his feet. "I apologize, but I pay her to be a bodyguard, not a concierge." She looks at Yukio. "On your best behavior, then."

Yukio grabs Furu and unceremoniously shoves him before her. She gives the guard a toothy grin before following Kasumi inside.

You enter Aogin's home, such as it is, and your eyes require a moment to adjust to the dark. There's a bit of a tunnel ahead that offers a moment for quiet introspection, and then you hit the main room. Well, main cave, rather. It is topped with a natural cupola of rock and a small forest of stalactites hanging from it, some actively dripping water. Underneath them, there is a small pool of water, and it is in this pool that a wooden platform with canopy resides. Under this roof sits Aogin on his throne, with a smile that positively glows in the twilight. A quick glance around shows that the further reaches of the cave are decorated with the spoils of war - weapons, coin, valuables of all kinds. Yukio winces at the display, being at least passingly familiar with how to properly store delicate things like these, but she does have to admit to herself that it's a pretty impressive way to show off that you're rich and don't give a damn.

"Why, hello there!" Aogin says. "I see you've brought my agents with you. How courteous of you, Miss..."
"Tanaka," Kasumi says, and bows to Aogin. "Kyo Tanaka, head attaché to the Consul of the district of San'in. And you must be Aogin, leader of the Red Dragon clan. I am here to negotiate a truce between your clan and the Imperial War Academy."
"A truce?" Aogin laughs. "We are not at war with them. All we're after is one person they have foolishly chosen to shelter. Are you here to deliver that person to me, Tanaka?"
"Yes, a Yukio Matsumoto, I believe?" Kasumi asks. "Well, when you go after one of the Academy's star pupils, they tend to take it personally, and with them, that usually becomes a matter of war in short order. So, consider this a preemptive negotiation to stave off the outbreak of war, rather than the negotiation that will be occurring after both sides have lost a great deal of people." Kasumi motions towards a cushion next to the ornate table on the floor. "May I?"
“You may," Aogin says, as if offering a parched man a glass of water. "I do not fear the Academy, they have grown weak and hollow of the fighting spirit they once had. But I do not wish to war with their foolishness, and you have made a long trip to make me an offer, so I am listening."
"It is less the Academy itself that would do war with you, rather, the nobles throughout the Empire who owe a debt of allegiance to the Academy who would be charging up to your fortress gates," Kasumi says. "Tell me, Aogin, do you think you could hold off a siege from hundreds of fiefdoms and noble estates? Every mercenary looking for coin would be hunting down your agents, one by one, collecting the bounties that would be available for call on every street corner of the Empire. I offer not a chance to avoid war with the weakened Academy, but war with the cutthroat nobles from every corner of these isles who, no doubt, know precisely where you are."

[1d20+15 = 17 + 15 = 32] (Kasumi's Bluff)
[1d20+3 = 7 + 3 = 10] (Aogin's Sense Motive)

Aogin's face darkens. "Pah! That is the kind of treachery I would expect from the 'nobles'. First they hire us to take care of their dirty business, then they take advantage of the situation to call on their friends and eradicate us - along with all debts and evidence!" He appears to think for a moment. "I should not be surprised by such a plan, Tanaka. And this contract on the Little Fox...it has proven difficult to enforce. I really don't know why we still bother with it."

"She is an opponent of great skill, no doubt. I have heard of her time in the Academy, her record speaks for itself," Kasumi says. "But obviously, I would not come here simply to dissuade you from attacking the Academy, not when I have brought all I need to prevent your assault tonight with me." She motions for Yukio to set Nagiko down. "As you can see, I have brought both of your agents back with me. They shall remain in my custody until we have departed, but afterwards, they are yours. So instead, let us discuss how we may settle our mutual problem, this Little Fox contract."
"That damned contract," Aogin muses. "I have heard that the Little Fox wiped out the Swift Viper clan all by her lonesome when they were hired to kill her. If I did not know any better, I would think it is a trap to weaken the clans! But we accepted it, and as such we are bound by it...until, of course, a better offer comes along." He looks at Kasumi. "But I do not know if San'in is willing to buy out the substantial sum this contract is worth, or if it will not just lead to another clan being hired, which I imagine is not in your interests. But that does remind me: why does San'in care about the contract on Little Fox? Or is this just your personal pet project, Tanaka?"
"A promise was made by certain parties to Little Fox, and it is my job to make sure that promise is followed through on," Kasumi says, her eyes darkening. "This promise will not negatively impact your clan. That is all you need to know."
"You really are a noble, are you not?" Aogin says. "Certain parties. Need to know. What I need to know is why in the seven hells I should side with you, Tanaka. What have you brought me? Only that which already belongs to me." He looks at Kasumi. "But say, that is a very nice sword you're carrying there. May I?"
Kasumi hands snap to her sword, unconsciously defending it from his advances. She has to hold herself back, but she manages to not snap at Aogin. "...what I bring you is more valuable than any sword, Aogin. I bring you a way out of the Little Fox contract, an untracable...escape clause. One with no connections to you, or your clan."
"Perhaps," Aogin concedes. "But perhaps the nobles who hired us will make war on us anyway if I agree to cede the contract on Little Fox. In fact, I'm fairly sure there is a greater likelihood of it happening than them coming to the aid of the Academy at this time. Then again, the Academy might rally more noble families to their cause...so many vagaries, Tanaka. I'm sure you can appreciate the difficult position I'm in."
"Then allow me to reduce them," Kasumi says. "The nobles that would hire you to execute an innocent woman certainly have more than one secret that others would kill them over. You simply pretend to continue with the contract, and they will each meet their own fates. Those that are still alive in the meantime will certainly be so busy trying to save their own skins that they will forget about you and your contract. All you have to do is lie to those who conspire to betray and destroy you for honoring your contracts, something that we both agree would be no great crime."
"Ah, you have a way of making the impossible sound reasonable, Tanaka," Aogin says. "Yes, I suppose we could stand to defy the houses in such a way - but you understand that this will not be cheap for San'in. You are, after all, speaking of hiring us to enact your plan."
Kasumi laughs. "We have our own agents, and what I propose is of mutual benefit for both of us. You must literally do nothing at all, our agents will take on the risk of eliminating the nobles who threaten Little Fox. All I would require from you is information, what you know about those who drew up the contract on her life."
"Tanaka-san," Aogin says with a growing edge, "perhaps you do not have clans in San'in. I will tell you this basic rule, then: Clans always get paid, whether they are to spill blood or to stay their hand. Information is the dearest commodity of all, in addition to that. Do not think that I will give my clansmen one lousy order in support of your agenda if you do not intend to compensate me richly."
"This plan already does, Aogin," Kasumi says. "How many clans do you think have been sent after Little Fox? You mentioned the Swift Vipers, which we already knew of, but the Ayami have also been dispatched to finish her off. How many others would you guess have been sent after her?"
"What does it matter, ultimately?" Aogin says. "Where others fail, we succeed, that is our way. And all I hear from you, Tanaka-san, are the words of a noble trying to enlist me in her dirty scheme but not willing to pay a single coin of silver for the privilege. If that is your position, then I bid you farewell."
Kasumi tsks Aogin. "You miss the point. The other clans have not just failed, they have been eliminated. And while your competitors are slowly wiped out one by one trying to kill Little Fox, you will remain strong. If money is required, then money shall be provided, if spoils are what you want, if you provide the information required, there will be several noble estates that will be ripe for the picking soon. There are more ways of being compensated than simple coin, Aogin, and that is what I offer to you. If you are not interested, well, sooner or later she will find out about your efforts to kill her. How many Swift Vipers were left standing after their attempt?"
"Coin pays my men and feeds them," Aogin says. "If you've none to offer, then I suggest you take your proposal to another clan. Perhaps you can sway them with kind words and clever schemes before your precious Little Fox finally falls to the weight of the legions against her."
Kasumi notices Yukio's hand tightening around the grip of her sword. "Fine then. Name a figure."
"It costs us dearly to keep our fortress here running," Aogin says. "I can not accept less than 5000 silver for a service such as you ask."
Kasumi coughs. "Unless you are paving the lanes of your fortress in gold, I have to believe that number is inflated ever-so-slightly. 2500."
"Ah, so now you're suddenly an expert on the business of running a ninja clan," Aogin says. "You step into my house, proposing a wild plan that you expect me to believe will work so well that you didn't even consider that it might be worth paying me, and now you wish to haggle with me?" Aogin rises from his chair and grabs his own weapon - a sword in a red scabbard, with a curiously long handle. "Seeing as you're already here, give me one good reason why I should not slay you where you stand." He looks at Yukio. "And what is it with your bodyguard? You must have her well-trained that she does not speak in defense of you."
"One does not pay a bodyguard to speak in one's defense, Aogin," Kasumi says, standing up as well.

[1d20+9 = 9 + 9 = 18] (Kasumi's Sense Motive)

Aogin must be an opportunist of the highest grade, Kasumi realizes. The display of riches, the way his speech has shifted to negotiating with him and not the clan - it is clear that he is out for himself first and other people maybe fifth.

"You have been duped by these nobles, yes?" Kasumi asks. "They hire you only to prepare to betray you. Which is more important to you, Aogin, any material wealth that I can provide you, or taking the belongings of those who have made you into their patsy?" She looks at that sword. "I recognize the lineage of that sword. Where did you get it from?"
"Pah!" Aogin says. "A betrayal painted by your picture, Tanaka! How am I to believe it when you have shown your true aims to me? But it is good that you recognize my weapon; it will soon be very famous." He holds it up. "This, Tanaka, is the Dragon's Will. This is the sword that will slay Little Fox!" Aogin says, then adds "Just as it killed her brother."

Yukio's fingers are white around the grip of her sword, and her entire body is tensed. It seems she only needs a little push to draw down and lunge at Aogin with all her might behind it.

Kasumi doesn't notice Yukio's disposition, she's focused entirely on the sword that Aogin holds in his hands. "I ask again, where did you get such a fine weapon?" Kasumi asks. After a pause, she starts speaking again. "Because the spoils of the nobles who will die by our agents hands, it will all be yours. If you require a down payment, that can be provided here and now, of course."
"I did not 'get' this sword," Aogin says, "I took it from Ryo Matsumoto - the Little Fox's brother. But your sword, Tanaka - I, too, recognize its style." He looks at Kasumi. "And it was not forged in San'in, but right here. Where did you get it?"

Kasumi pauses, unable to answer for a moment. She opens her mouth to reply, but the next words are Yukio's.

"You son of a snake!" she growls, and draws her sword. "Now you will pay!"

"I see you brought me Little Fox," Aogin says, drawing his sword. "How convenient." He looks at Kasumi. "Oh, don't just stand there," he says, smiling. "Let's see what you have."

Kasumi's sword is quickly drawn as well. "Certainly more than enough to dispatch the coward who murdered Yukio's brother."

"Oh, I am not a coward," Aogin says cooly. There is a flash from the darkness, Yukio moves her sword by reflex and barely manages to deflect a shuriken thrown straight at her. Now that your eyes are more used to the twilight, you look around and spot at least a dozen glints all around the cave. Aogin laughs. "I am a ninja!"

---

[4d6 = 12] (Falling damage)
[1d20+12 = 16 + 12 = 28] (Kiara' Acrobatics check)

(Kiara suffers 1/2 damage, DR 5 against falling = 1 damage.)

[1d20+10 = 16 + 10 = 26] (Kagemaru's Acrobatics check)

(Kagemaru suffers 1/2 damage = 6 damage.)

[1d20+8 = 7 + 8 = 15] (Toshiba's Acrobatics check)

(DR 5 against falling = 7 damage.)

It's raining...ninjas. One by one, you take a death-defying leap off the tower, landing safely in the bale of hay below. There's a few bruises here and there, but nothing serious. With the matter of your descent settled, you stalk back into the shadows, ready to explore the fortress's inner sanctum.

The difficulty in exploring ninja fortresses is the lack of adequate signage. To a degree, it's all guesswork. This hut smells strongly of manure, that's gotta be stables of some kind. Food smell here, must be the kitchen. And this hut - hmm, barracks.

You are immensely glad that you can't seem to locate the latrines.

However, a short stalk around the courtyard later, you have scoped out two areas of interest: one is a large opening in the mountainside, with posted guards and your carriage parked in front of it. That must be where Kasumi and Yukio went. The other is a larger hut that actually has posted guards at its entrance, though the inside is dark and quiet. Still, if they're watching that building specifically...

The building has an L-shaped ground plan, which differentiates it from the other, rectangular huts even at first glance. The entrance is on the inside of the L shape, near the 'elbow'. The entire hut is elevated a foot or so, with corresponding steps leading up to the door. A torch hangs near the door, illuminating the immediate surroundings, and two guards stand watch. In contrast to the tower guards, they look relatively rested and serious, perhaps because they're more exposed down here. There are a few windows in the back, covered with paper. They look big enough to slip through, with a bit of acrobatic talent.

[1d20+12 = 14 + 12 = 26] (Kagemaru's Sneak)
[1d20+5 = 16 + 5 = 21] (Guard's Notice)

Every rasp of knife against paper sounds incredibly loud to Kagemaru's ears, while Kiara and Toshiba stand ready to deliver quick violence upon interlopers, but in the end nobody seems to have noticed that Kagemaru has cut the paper out of the frame rather neatly. With a very quiet sigh of relief, he rolls up the paper and climbs inside, followed by Kiara. Toshiba's arbalest proves the larger of the window, though, and so the older ninja stays outside to watch their backs.

Kagemaru and Kiara are in the shorter-fatter part of the L. It is one large room, decked out like a library, with several shelves of scrolls and a reading table. This must be where the records of the clan are kept.
Oh wow, I never thought a warrior clan would be so bureaucratic. This is way too much for such a short time, Kagemaru thinks to himself, before jumping back out of the window and whispering to Toshiba. "You're a better Investigator than me. We need you in there. Give me the Arbaleste until then."

Toshiba nods and hands the unwieldy weapon to Kagemaru before climbing through the window. It's a tight fit, but he manages.

Many paper scrolls
I seek Yukio's contract
Don't let us screw up.


[1d20+10 = 4 + 10 = 14] (Toshiba's Investigate)
[1d4 = 1] (Toshiba's Action Die)

Toshiba's not too proud of it, but when he was in training with the Ayami clan, he spent long hours going over the scroll library, both to gain inspiration for his poetry, and as a - well, let's just say he frequently had other ideas than his instructors, and organizing the library was not a fun chore. But it did teach him a thing or two about how to quickly find what he's looking for.

Immortal Stone Flower Technique - crap. The Hundred Ninjas of the North - crap. Oyuke's Training Diary - double crap.

Finally, a newer scroll catches his eye. He unrolls it and sees - the contract! This is it! He quickly unrolls it completely and shows it to Kiara. It is what you're looking for, Yukio's name on it, the payment, and then...

It's signed in gibberish.

Well, no time to waste. Toshiba pockets the scroll. You'll have to figure this out some other time, because right now you've got bigger problems. Like how you're going to get back out of the fortress in one piece.

Feeling a little thwarted that the one who hired the hit had chicken scratch for handwriting, Kiara shuffled the scrolls she had been handling back to the desk. Her hand paused over one, the technique that Toshiba had casually tossed to the side as useless, and decided it would be wasteful to leave every other scroll here unattended. The dead couldn't read, after all. She figured her partner in crime might enjoy the readings, if only so she could tease him about a technique with 'flower' in the name.

[1d20+11 = 7 + 11 = 18] (Kiara's Sneak)
[1d20+5 = 20 + 5 = 25] (Guard's Notice)

On her way out, Kiara bumps against a table, letting a scroll roll off the table and audibly drop to the floor. She looks to Toshiba, who quickly tries to hide as best as he can.

[1d20+13 = 17 + 13 = 30] (Toshiba's Sneak)

Kiara drops to the floor and crawls between a bookshelf and a wall, the shadows casting over her. It didn't have much room for mobility though. She couldn't see the doorway, but the sound of the guards made the hairs at the nape of her neck rise, and she could only take shallow breaths to try and silence herself completely.

Her fingers were itching for a battle, however the ninja knew not to jeapordize their mission when the guards might call out for assistance. If she could get them from behind, before they knew what was going on. The girl smiled to herself, despite the obvious face of danger, and waited.
Kagemaru curses on the inside and quickly dumps the Arbaleste under the window, out of sight. He then stands directly in front of the window, as if he was posted to guard it.

[1d20+11 = 5 + 11 = 16] (Kiara's Sneak)

A single guard enters the room, looking for the source of the sound.

[1d20+5 = 14 + 5 = 19] (Guard's Notice)

Kiara steps out of the shadows, both hands held up with the technique scroll in her palm. She gives a guilty, shame-faced look, "Listen, I know how this looks, I'm totally sorry. But you know how it is! All the guys say I'm not as good as them! It's totally not fair." She pouts now, "But look, this technique is something about a stone flower. Sounds totally cool, right? Listen, I just want to borrow it for a second. Just to read it, please?"

So long as they didn't yell and charge instantly, she hoped that they wouldn't attract any attention.

As soon as he hears Kiaras voice, Kagemaru steps aside and picks up the Arbaleste again. Then he stands next to the window and follows the conversation closely.

[1d20 = 13] (Kiara's Bluff, untrained)
[1d20+5 = 5 + 5 = 10] (Guard's Sense Motive)

The ninja guard stands there, a little dumbfounded.

"Uh..." he says, and scratches his head. "You got out of the barracks, into this place, got a scroll and you almost got back out, all without anyone noticing? That's, you know, pretty good." He quickly adds "For a recruit."

He looks at the window. "But a screw-up is a screw-up. I'm going to have to alert the kage about this. I don't know what Aogin will say, he's got guests right now, but I think he'll be...lenient."

He looks at Kiara and gets a predatory grin. "Of course, why risk it when we can just forget about the whole thing? Nobody has to know you were here..."

As he spoke, the ninja let her face fall as if the world had come to an end, trying to look as pitiful as she could. Which, compared to most other girls, probably wasn't that well done. But hey, there likely wasn't as many female ninjas to begin with.

At his last words, Kiara clapped her hands together, her eyes beaming with joyous innocence, "Really? You mean it?" She looked down at the scroll, then peered back up between her lashes, "What could I do to make it up to you?"
"Well," the guard says, "I get pretty lonely out here, I've been on this shit detail for two weeks now. I know you're not getting a lot of room or time to yourself in the barracks, so there's no...opportunity, like now. What do you say? Just a quick one, then we go our ways, nobody knows."
Kiara's cheeks flushed - something she didn't have to fake - and she took a step closer, "Your…friend out there won't…" She left the end of the sentence off, looking meekly over his shoulder before taking another small step forward.
"Oh, he'll mind like hells," the guard says, "but Aogin already threatened to cut his balls off. Little...misunderstanding down in the valley on his last raid. I keep him on the straight and narrow, you see?"
"If it's alright then…" She set the scroll down on the table and walked towards him, her hands behind her back as if in a coy flirt. Kiara leaned forward, her mouth whispering by his ear, "If it's alright then, I would like to make this a quick one."

Kiara slid the knife out, still smiling sweetly, and swung her arm forward to plunge it through the side of his neck, a recent favorite move it would seem.

SURPRISE ROUND!

[1d20+7 = 3 + 7 = 10] (Kiara's Attack)
[1d4 = 2] (Kiara's Action Die)
[1d8+4+2d6 = 5 + 4 + 8 = 17] (Kiara's Damage)
[1d20+2 = 14 + 2 = 16] (Guard's Damage Save, DC 18)

The guard almost sees it coming, but Kiara's too fast. Her knife enters the side of the ninja's neck and after a moment, the tip pokes back out the other side. With a satisfying resistance, it pulls free again, leaving the guard a gurgling soon-to-be corpse on the floor.

"Godsdamit, Sasuke!" comes a voice from outside. "Will you just fuck her and get it over with?"

Kage peeks in, just in time to see the guard drop to the floor. As he hears the other guard, he knows that another life has to be taken soon. He motions to Kiara that he will sneak around the hut to surprise the guard. Then he proceeds to sneak around the corner of the hut and tries to get the drop on the 2nd guard.

[1d20+12 = 9 + 12 = 21] (Kagemaru's Sneak)
[1d20+5 = 6 + 5 = 11] (Guard's Notice)

Kagemaru darts from the shadows just as the other guard turns to enter the door. With fleet but silent steps, he closes the distance, whipping out his trusty garotte...

[1d20+12 = 14 + 12 = 26] (Kagemaru's Grapple check)
[1d20+5 = 20 + 5 = 25] (Guard's Athletics check)

...and slips it over the guard's head just as he turns around. It's a wild ride, and Kagemaru has to whip around with the guard while holding on, trying to monkey-climb onto the man's back and tighten the noose. It's a quiet struggle, but one that's far from over.

[1d20+10 = 6 + 10 = 16] (Kiara's Athletics)

One advantage of Kagemaru clinging to the guard's back is that he makes a convenient handle. He hears the door open behind him, and then Kiara grabs him by the collar and yanks. The guard has no choice but to step back in the house with the pull, or be toppled to the ground. The yank only ends when the guard is finally spun around in the interior room, where the last thing he sees is the fierce grin on Toshiba's face.

(Toshiba uses Blade Flurry trick.)

[1d20+5 = 13 + 5 = 18] (Toshiba's Attack)
[2d6+2+1d6 = 6 + 2 + 5 = 13] (Toshiba's Damage)
[1d20+2 = 12 + 2 = 14] (Guard's Damage Save, DC 16)

Through a combination of strangulation and stab wounds - it's hard to tell which did the trick, in the end - the guard closes his eyes for the last time. Kagemaru unwraps his garotte wire with a flourish, and the lifeless body thumps to the ground. Two ninjas less to worry about.

Two deadly children
Knife and wire on many necks
Ninjas kill quickly


You leave the two bodies behind and regroup outside, ready to assist Kasumi and Yukio with the difficult part of the plan: getting back out of the fortress. Unfortunately, there are four guards around the entrance to the cave dwelling, which makes a stealthy takedown a rather difficult proposition.

[1d20+10 = 11 + 10 = 21] (Toshiba's Notice)

Fortunately, Toshiba's eye for detail comes through again as he spots a column of smoke against the night sky above them. It looks like there's a pretty hefty ventilation shaft running up from Aogin's dwelling to let the smoke from the fires inside get out safely. He figures that should be a shaft big enough to climb through, if they can get up there without being noticed.
Gatac 2010-06-23 18:42:13
"Oh, I am not a coward. I am a ninja!"

Aogin's words echo through the bountiful cave he calls his home. With the polesword of Yukio's brother in his hands and a wide grin on his lips, the ninja master faces Yukio and Kasumi in battle. The two warrior women share a glance, and there is agreement - the only way out is through this man. But his boast carries further, upward, into the large ventilation shaft that vents the smoke of the fires inside to the night outside. Here, we find Toshiba, Kagemaru and Kiara, ready to drop in for a surprise visit!

And so, the battle is joined.

INITIATIVE!

[1d20+11 = 9 + 11 = 20] (Kiara)
[1d20+11 = 5 + 11 = 16] (Kagemaru)
[1d20+9 = 5 + 9 = 14] (Kasumi)
[1d20+13 = 10 + 13 = 23] [1d20+13 = 6 + 13 = 19] (Toshiba, roll twice keep preferred)
[1d20+7 = 18 + 7 = 25] (Yukio)
[1d20+8 = 20 + 8 = 28] (Aogin)
[1d20+3 = 4 + 3 = 7] (Horde of ninjas)

Sequence:
Aogin
Yukio
Toshiba
Kiara
Kagemaru
Kasumi
Ninjas

---

"Taste your brother's steel!" Aogin shouts, and lunges for Yukio!

[1d20+8 = 17 + 8 = 25] (Aogin's attack)
[2d6 = 9] (Damage)
[1d20+8 = 12 + 8 = 20] (Aogin's attack)
[2d6 = 4] (Damage)

"Murderer!" Yukio shouts back, returning the favor.

[1d20+11 = 9 + 11 = 20] (Yukio's attack)
[1d10+5 = 6 + 5 = 11] (Damage)
[1d20+11 = 16 + 11 = 27] (Yukio's attack)
[1d10+5 = 5 + 5 = 10] (Damage)

---

Up above, Toshiba doesn't have time for speeches. He spots a ninja beneath - one of the many that dot the cave and its various barely-climbable nooks. Knife in hand, he drops down and gets with the stabbing.

[1d20+5 = 3 + 5 = 8] (Toshiba's attack)
[1d20+5 = 5 + 5 = 10] (Toshiba's attack)

The ninja proves too quick on his feet, however, nimbly escaping the knife that seeks purchase between his ribs. At least this guy is now busy, though.

If Kiara was any the wiser, she might have swung off by either sliding down another post or at least dropping off while dangling with her hands. But, of course, she wasn't, and so with a grin at hand, her eyes locked onto the closest figure and with cat-like grace she threw herself off while planning to land on her prey, her own dagger gleaming dully in the light.

[1d20+7 = 18 + 7 = 25] (Kiara's attack)
[1d8+4 = 2 + 4 = 6] (Damage)
[1d20+2 = 13 + 2 = 15] (Ninja's damage save)
[1d20+7 = 5 + 7 = 12] (Kiara's attack)
[1d8+4 = 5 + 4 = 9] (Damage)
[1d20+2 = 17 + 2 = 19] (Ninja's damage save)

Kiara uses Contempt!

[1d20+7 = 3 + 7 = 10] (Kiara's attack)

ONE! Kiara sticks it between his ribs. TWO! She slashes across the ninja's chest. THREE! She swings for his neck and he actually dodges it. This one's gonna prove to be one of those challenges, Kiara can already tell.

Not one to let his clan sister miss all the fun, Kagemaru drops down next to a ninja whose eyes have been flicking between Toshiba, Kiara and the two warrior women below, trying to figure out where his shuriken is needed most.

Inclined to take that decision from him, Kagemaru quickly goes into his fighting stance and lifts his right leg for a quick kick to his head.

[1d20+8 = 10 + 8 = 18] (Kagemaru's attack)
[1d6+4 = 2 + 4 = 6] (Damage)
[1d20+2 = 14 + 2 = 16] (Ninja's damage save)
[1d20+8 = 6 + 8 = 14] (Kagemaru's attack)
[1d6+4 = 1 + 4 = 5] (Damage)
[1d20+2 = 13 + 2 = 15] (Ninja's damage save)

The ninja takes a nice kick to the face, and the follow-up to the belly, too. Small rocks crumble underneath him as he makes a step back in an effort to stay balanced.

"Do you hear that, Aogin? Our friends are dealing with your ninja as we speak. You're going to pay for what you've done!" Kasumi shouts at the clan leader, then charges in, sword raised for a stiff downwards blow.

[1d20+14 = 13 + 14 = 27] (Kasumi's Distract)
[1d20+3 = 10 + 3 = 13] (Aogin's Sense Motive)
[2d6 = 3] (Aogin's Init loss)

[1d20+8 = 12 + 8 = 20]
[1d10+4 = 8 + 4 = 12] [1d10+4 = 3 + 4 = 7] (Kasumi's damage, take preferred, DR reduces to 9)

Kasumi adds a nice slash to the flurry of Yukio's blows, and Aogin's shirt splits open under the cuts, exposing the shallow cuts on his chest.

"You will die!" Aogin spits back. Nobody ever accused him of being witty.

---

[1d20+4 = 19 + 4 = 23] (Ninjas' attack)
[1d8 = 2] (Damage)

Everybody takes 2 points of damage from the various ninjas attacking, i.e. knives, swords, shuriken, whatever.

---

ROUND 2!

---

[1d20+8 = 7 + 8 = 15] (Aogin's attack)
[2d6 = 4] (Damage)

Aogin devotes one slash to Yukio...

[1d20+8 = 11 + 8 = 19] (Aogin's attack)
[2d6 = 12] (Damage)

...and one to Kasumi. The first rakes Yukio across the arm; she doesn't seem to feel that. The second almost leaves a deep gash across Kasumi's belly.

"Stand still! Stand that I may smite you!" Aogin bellows.

Yukio enters Martial Spirit stance!

[1d20+12 = 9 + 12 = 21] (Yukio's attack)
[1d10+8 = 3 + 8 = 11] (Damage)

---

[1d20+5 = 9 + 5 = 14] (Toshiba's attack)
[1d6+1 = 1 + 1 = 2] (Damage)
[1d20+2 = 2 + 2 = 4] (Damage save)

Toshiba proves that it's not the size of the wound, it's how you use it. In an ordinary battle, the nick to the leg he inflicted on the ninja wouldn't matter much, but here it costs the shadow warrior his balance, and he tumbles down from the precipice with a scream that it soon silenced when face meets rocky slope. Toshiba grins briefly, but then has to make his own exit when another ninja hurls a grapefruit-sized charge of blackpowder with a lit fuse at him. The fragile ledge disappears in a bang, and Toshiba slides down the slope to the darkness (and the main battle) beneath.

After having missed her last attack, Kiara nimbly spun around on the heel of her foot, arching at a low angle to dodge any further retaliation than the scrape already dealt her. The dagger flashed in her hand as she flipped it around, aiming for the other ninja's gut.

[1d20+7 = 6 + 7 = 13] (Kiara's attack)
[1d8+4 = 2 + 4 = 6] (Damage)
[1d20+2 = 9 + 2 = 11] (Ninja's damage save)

STAB! The ninja-to finds purchase in the other guy's right kidney; Kiara pulls it free a second later, and the stiff body of the ninja goes over the edge of her little ledge.

Kiara gave the dagger a short flick, her knees bent and ready to spring as she scanned the scene. It would probably have been more strategic to find a ninja to gang up on, but Kiara figured her companions could hold their own and instead leaped for whoever looked like a worthy foe. And by worthy foe, she figured anyone who could barely put up a fight and just die at her blade would work just fine. The dagger was flipped once more, and she aimed for an attack on the neck at the next ninja.

After being hit by an enemy who should already be dead, Kagemaru is slightly annoyed. He ducks as his enemy charges in for the next attack and launches a sommersault-kick as his foe is close enough.

[1d20+12 = 13 + 12 = 25] (Kiara's Acrobatics)

JUMP ATTACK!

[1d20+7 = 1 + 7 = 8] (Kiara's attack)

Kiara jumps down to the next ledge, her next victim. The jump goes well, it's the part where she sticks a sharpened piece of metal into his neck that proves problematic. Maybe he's really that good, maybe he's just too scared to stand still, but either way, the next ninja's neck does not intersect with Kiara's blade.

---

[1d20+8 = 14 + 8 = 22] (Kage's attack)
[1d6+4 = 2 + 4 = 6] (Damage)
[1d20+2 = 5 + 2 = 7] (Damage save)

With a mighty flip kick, Kagemaru taps the side of the ninjas neck and pushes him over the edge. Another satisfied customer of gravity's loyalty program.

[1d20+10 = 3 + 10 = 13] (Kagemaru's Acrobatics, boosted to 21)

JUMP ATTACK!

[1d20+8 = 10 + 8 = 18] (Kage's attack)
[1d6+4 = 1 + 4 = 5] (Damage)
[1d20+2 = 18 + 2 = 20] (Damage save)

Following Kiara's move down, Kagemaru skips to the next ledge just as the bomb-tossing ninja obliterates his last position. Leading with his knee, he slams into the ninja below, but his opponent is merely dazed, not down.

Aogin's slash doubles Kasumi over with the pain and shock of the sword slicing into her, but when she stands again, her sword rises with her. Position three to position five, position five to position one! she hears, and the two slices flow through each other, almost as if they were one continuous and impossible blow.

[1d20+8 = 5 + 8 = 13]
Kasumi uses Relentless Attack
[1d20+10 = 13 + 10 = 23]
[1d10+4 = 4 + 4 = 8] [1d10+4 = 8 + 4 = 12] (Kasumi's Damage, reduced to 9)

The first strike parts air, the second one opens a nice trace of crimson on Aogin's weak side. The blood mingles with his sweat, and he screams out again.

---

[1d20+4 = 7 + 4 = 11] (Ninja attacks)

Ninjas suck this round.

---

ROUND 3!

---

"Already losing steam, whore?" Aogin barks at Kasumi, favoring her with a double attack!

[1d20+8 = 6 + 8 = 14] (Aogin's attack)
[1d20+8 = 4 + 8 = 12] (Aogin's attack)

"Maybe you should look after yourself instead," Kasumi shoots back.

[1d20+12 = 13 + 12 = 25] (Yukio's attack)
[1d10+8 = 9 + 8 = 17] (Damage)
[1d20+12 = 3 + 12 = 15] (Yukio's attack)

The distraction proves profitable for Yukio, who strikes a deep blow against Aogin's left leg. Her second strike clangs against his blade, though, preventing her from making a truly decisive strike.

Gritting her teeth, Kiara nearly growled at the evasive ninja. For a moment she worried that she had picked someone a little too worthy, but at his poor swing her grin returned as she slashed her dagger forward once more.

[1d20+7 = 17 + 7 = 24] (Kiara's attack)
[1d8+4 = 3 + 4 = 7] (Damage)
[1d20+2 = 19 + 2 = 21] (Damage save)
[1d20+7 = 12 + 7 = 19] (Kiara's attack)
[1d8+4 = 6 + 4 = 10] (Damage)
[1d20+2 = 5 + 2 = 7] (Damage save)

Kiara's first strike nicks the ninja's belly, and he drops his weapon to clutch at the wound. That opens his defense, and the next strike sees Kiara's blade enter behind the ninja's chin in an upward fashion. The shadow warrior's eyes twist, and he crumples to the ground before slowly sliding off the ledge.

---

[1d20+8 = 3 + 8 = 11] (Kagemaru's attack)
[1d20+8 = 3 + 8 = 11] (Kagemaru's attack)

Kagemaru can't seem to capitalize on his opponent's dazed, and his strikes are blocked at every turn. Has he met his match?

(No. No, he hasn't. But he still can't drop this guy.)

Kasumi smirks when Yukio's blade scores a deep wound, and as soon as she stands clear, Kasumi rushes in to fill her place.

[1d20+8 = 4 + 8 = 12] (Kasumi's Attack)
Kasumi uses Relentless Attack!
[1d20+10 = 18 + 10 = 28] (Kasumi's Attack)
[1d10+4 = 6 + 4 = 10] [1d10+4 = 2 + 4 = 6] (Kasumi's Damage, take preferrred, reduced to 7)

CRITICAL HIT ACTIVATED! Aogin at 5/12 Wounds.

Kasumi's blade bites deep into the flank of the ninja master and drinks greedily of his blood. Aogin's used to pain, but this is not a blow that is easily weathered, and Kasumi senses that her efforts will soon pay off.

---

[1d20+4 = 2 + 4 = 6] (Ninja attacks)

Ninjas continue to suck.

---

ROUND FOUR!

---

There is no boasting from Aogin now, his breathing has become heavy and his sword dips lower than before. In fact, it sinks further below, and...why is he lowering it?

Aogin grins, opens his mouth and spits fire!

[1d20+3 = 4 + 3 = 7] (Yukio's reflex save)
[1d20+3 = 9 + 3 = 12] (Kasumi's reflex save)
[1d4 = 3] (Kasumi's Action Die)

The blast of fire hits Yukio full-on, sticking to her kimono and singing the outer layers of her clothes! The warrior princess backs away instinctively and throws herself to the ground, trying to put out the fire before it does more damage.

[2d6 = 6] (Fire damage)

Kasumi, however, barely dodges out of the way. The flames nip at her, but nothing catches on fire.

[1d6 = 2] (Fire damage)

---

Things heat up for Kiara, too. The ninja - is it only one? - with the blackpowder bombs has elected to target her ledge next, and hurls a crude explosive at the deadly warrior! The bomb-ninja's position - a metal cage suspended with chain from the cave's roof seems unassailable, but as every good ninja knows, just because you can't walk somewhere doesn't mean it's unreachable.

Kiara's eyes traced the chain across the wall, down to the base where a fellow ninja could safely lower his companion to let him in and out as need be. Unfortunately for the bomber, Kiara wasn't a companion. She broke into a run, hoping to bring some distance between the bomb and herself with the plans of kicking that chain right off its tracks.

[1d20+8 = 13 + 8 = 21] (Kiara's reflex save)

A well-timed leap saves Kiara from being caught in the blast and takes her to the slope, which she easily rides down to where Kagemaru is currently occupied beating the stuffing out of another ninja. Kiara doesn't slow down; Kagemaru has already detected her approach, and with split-second timing, he ducks underneath the dazed ninja's attack just as Kiara comes up behind him, using his shoulders and the dazed ninja's head as stepping stones in her leap for the chain's wall mount. She reaches, and...

[1d20+12 = 20 + 12 = 32] (Kiara's Acrobatics)

CRITICAL SUCCESS ACTIVATED!

...grabs the chain, then uses her momentum to swing along the wall, with the trajectory ending just next to another ninja lining up a bomb throw. A well-placed kick from Kiara pushes the warrior off his unstable ledge, and he tumbles down just as the wall mount finally snaps from the strain. Physics take over, and with Kiara weighing less than the bomb ninja plus the cage, it's time for Mr. 'splode to go down. This works brilliantly, but only until Kiara realizes that she's about to get smooshed through the pulley near the cave's ceiling. With the grace of a master ninja, she sets her feet against the cave wall, lets go off the chain and pushes off again. With a massive backflip, she clears the distance to the chain suspending the cage and rides downward with it, jumping off just in time as the cage hits the ground.

And that's how Aogin got to deal with three opponents at once. Not his day, is it?

[1d20+11 = 9 + 11 = 20] (Kagemaru's Feint)
[1d20+5 = 5 + 5 = 10] (Ninja's Notice)

The dazed ninja is already seeing a whole lot of stars, so it's not the most difficult of exercises for Kagemaru to fake a move that way and then go this way. And in a flash, he's gone - as far as the ninja is concerned. Almost makes you want to shout "He's behind you!" at the poor guy...

[1d20+8 = 12 + 8 = 20] (Kagemaru's Attack)
[1d6+4+1d6 = 5 + 4 + 3 = 12] (Damage)
[1d20+2 = 16 + 2 = 18] (Damage save)

Kagemaru's rabbit punch hits the dazed ninja square-on, and the momentum spins him around to face Kage one last time before he goes over the edge and falls to his doom. So that's another one down, and it's starting to look like they're actually making a dent in the ninja infestation of the cave...

"Yukio!" Kasumi runs to position herself between Aogin and Yukio, as her teacher desperately tries to put herself out. "You bastard!" she spits at him. "Let's see how well your magic protects you from my blade!"

[1d20+8 = 4 + 8 = 12]
Kasumi uses Relentless Attack
[1d20+10 = 19 + 10 = 29]
[1d10+4 = 5 + 4 = 9] [1d10+4 = 6 + 4 = 10] (Kasumi's damage, take highest, DR reduces to 7)

*slow-motion*

Kasumi comes at Aogin, sword held high. The blade comes down. Aogin sticks his sword up and barely absorbs the blow, but he's forced back. As they lock blades, Aogin tries to counter-attack; he opens his mouth again, but Kasumi just sucker-punches him square in his open jaw. The blow stuns Aogin, and she uses the opportunity to drive the Dragon's Will to cut its own master, and the flame spills out the now-open side of Aogin's mouth, burning his face and singing the ends of Kasumi's hair as she barely avoids the fireball. With another yank, the polesword goes flying, and Aogin's arms flail out as he loses balance. Kasumi whips around, and with a final slash, cuts deep through his belly, disemboweling the master ninja.

*Back to normal speed*

Kasumi stands, exhausted, and turns to look at Yukio, who's lying still on the ground. As she rushes to her friend's side, Aogin limps away. It gets harder and harder to set foot before foot, but he makes all of his last steps count - until he comes face to face with Kiara, who's just ridden the world's first express elevator down to the ground floor.

"Oudda my way!" Aogin drawls weakly. "Duntchu know who I yam?"

Kiara arched a brow, "Sure I do. You're the half-dead guy that's about to be upgraded from 'half' to 'completely'." Her blade flashed from its place within her hand, her arm arching cleaning across towards his already mangled form.

“Insolent bi -"

History does not record what Aogin's second word was, or if there was, indeed, a second word at all, behind the gurgling. In any event, Kiara does as ninjas do, and with a sharp blade stuck through his neck, Aogin's reign of the Red Dragon Clan ends as it begun - with copious amounts of blood.

Kagemaru watches the whole scene from the ledges above. This would be a good time to look for a way down, no?

Kasumi runs back to Yukio, who is still trying to extinguish patches of flame on her armor and clothes. She rips a silk tablecloth off of the fine dining table Aogin has in front of his throne, sending dishes smashing against the floor, and throws herself on top of Yukio, covering her in the tablecloth and smothering the last of the flames. Once the fires are out and Yukio stops rolling around, Kasumi rolls off of her and lies on her back next to her, breathing heavily, her hand covering the wound on her belly that Aogin gave her.

"Are you all right?" Kasumi asks.
"I'll live," Yukio says. It sounds vaguely insightful, coming from her. "Thank you."
Kasumi nods. "No problem. You would have done the same." She looks over at Yukio. "I got the bastard."
"I prepared him," Yukio says, and for a moment she smiles. "Thank you, Kasumi. Again."

Kagemaru slides down the rocky slopes that make up the wave walls, intent on rejoining the group and making sure everybody who should be dead is really dead and not secretly plotting to return and annoy them again. But it seems like the havoc is genuine enough; the bodies are dead, the remaining ninja must have fled. He exchanges a glance with Kiara; she picks up the polesword from where Aogin dropped it, and the two make their way to join Kasumi and Yukio.

It is at this moment that another ninja appears from the narrow tunnel leading back out - or rather, his corpse. From behind him, Toshiba steps out, wiping some blood off his knife.

Blackpowder weapons
Aimed at me, I dodge them
Can't kill me like that.


He looks around at the devastated "throne room" of Aogin and nods. "There's a couple more of these guys outside," he says. "But they didn't look like they wanted a fight."
"And? Could you get anything out of Aogin before you gutted him?" Kagemaru asks Kasumi and Yukio after checking that all of them are ok.
Kasumi sits up next to Yukio. "Nobles hired him to come after Yukio," she says. "Not surprising. Aside from that, no. Other...issues came up that made it impossible for us to continue."
"Like him being the son of an honorless dog who killed my brother," Yukio spits. "At least, I have now gained this much satisfaction in my life, that I know he has been avenged. Did you find anything?"
"Well, apparently nobles have bad handwritting." Kiara helpfully quipped with a shrug.
"Let me see that," Yukio says. She unrolls the scroll and skims it. There's a twitch to her cheeks that seems to be about how much she can still react to seeing the contract on her life in black and white, and finally she reaches the signature. "That is..." she begins, then looks at it again. "That doesn't even look like letters." She rolls up the scroll again, then pointedly keeps it for herself. "Master Oa will know what it means. We should journey back to the academy with all haste and tell him about what we have done here."
"Because this will certainly make things better for everyone involved," Kasumi says as she stands herself back up and wipes her sword dry.
"He will not disapprove of our success, if that is what you mean," Yukio says. "Because we have won this battle, Kasumi. We should be joyful."
"And have just started a war." Her sword reenters her scabbard with a snap. "We should get going."

---

You make your way outside through the narrow tunnel that leads to the fortress's courtyard. Outside, you find what must be the remains of the clan gathered in the yard. They are armed, but they are pointedly staying away from the wagon and the route to the cargo elevator. You recognize Nagiko among the crowd, and she steps forward as spokeswoman, though she would clearly rather be somewhere else. Somewhere very else.

"So you killed him?" she asks, looking at the polesword in Kiara's hands. "I can't say I'm very surprised. Or sad." She looks around. "You won't find too many fans of Aogin here."

That seems at odds with your observations coming in, but it also seems clear that if anyone is still on Aogin's side in this discussion, they're not willing to admit it.

"What will you do now?" Kasumi asks.
"Uh, well," Nagiko says. "That's kind of...you know?"

You do not know, and your faces tell of the same, so Nagiko bites her lip and continues.

"Technically, it's supposed to be...ah, crap. I can't say it."

She takes another moment, then rolls her eyes.

"Whoever killed the boss is in charge."
Kasumi cocks an eyebrow and looks back at the group. "I cut him open, but he walked off when I went to help Yukio. Who finished him off?"
Kiara hadn't been paying any particular attention. After all, they defeated the big bad and all that was left was probably just political type discussions of which she had no interest in. Sensing a change in the atmosphere, however, Kiara looked up and noticed the others looking around, "What?"
"Oh, that's just great," Nagiko says.
Kasumi coughs and nods towards Nagiko and the rest of the clan. "You did kill Aogin, right, Kiara?"
"Well yeah, the guy was a walking corpse by the time you guys were done with him." Kiara defended, not sure why she felt like all their eyes were suddenly on her.
Kagemaru moves closer to his childhood friend and puts his hand on her shoulder. "Congratulations Kiara, you're now the leader of a proud band of cutthroats and no-goods," he says with a smile and a concurrent wave of his arm over all the thieves.
Kiara might not have been the sharpest knife on the belt, but she wasn't a complete idiot. It slapped her upside the face like a cold, wet fish that sent a shiver down her spine. "Oh, aahh…" There was a reason she did the fighting and not the talking, "Er, any other traditions of succession? Like...handing it on?" She wanted to say 'disbanding', but hesitated on that.

Cut throat hoodlums though they may be, they were still a clan. She had been lucky to grow up in an honorable one, and a clan is what becomes a family.

"Okay, I can see how this is going to go," Nagiko says. "I mean, I can't force you to stay here and order us around...and honestly, you've kind of killed a lot of our good guys..."
"Actually, can we have a minute, please?" Kasumi asks Nagiko.
"Oh, sure. Just my clan's future you're playing with. Take your time."
Kasumi smiles. "Thanks," she says, and turns to Kiara. "I think you should consider staying in charge of the Red Dragon."
Nearly choking over herself, Kiara's eyes snapped over to Kasumi, "We don't exactly share the same ideals. I know nothing about clan running, to begin with." She paused a moment, the thought of minions tickling the edges of her mind but she quickly swatted them away, "And there would be a lot of leftover contracts and such that would be quite a hassle. You should've seen the guy's desk."
"Do you think Aogin went to some kind of school to run the Red Dragon? I doubt you could do much worse of a job than he did," she says. "Trust me, running a criminal enterprise is something you learn how to do on the job. You just kinda fall into it and learn as you go."
"Um, illustrious leaderess?" Nagiko says. "I'm sorry to interrupt...again...actually I'm not sorry, but whatever - I understand that you're in a bad kind of situation, you didn't ask for this, oh my ancestors, what about my code of honor and my own clan...but if you will, we have several months of rebuilding ahead of us where we'll have to recruit new members. There's...there's just nothing to do here at the moment, unless you can magically conjure up twenty new recruits. Um...I think Kozume - ah, there he is! - Kozume here was in charge of the business side of the clan. Why don't you, you know, give the official order to rebuild, and then - with all respect due, illustrious leaderess - piss off to somewhere far far away for the time being and do whatever you gotta do, like eradicate ninja clans? We'll send a messenger when there's something we can actually be ordered to do."
"Thanks, again, Nagiko," Kasumi says, and turns back to Kiara. "We could definitely use the help and the spy network, and since the Red Dragon are suddenly short on things to do and the Academy is short on guards and expertise, maybe they can help each other out." Kasumi smiles. "You've got a good head on your shoulders, Kiara. You'll know what to do when the time comes, and who knows, maybe you can make a reputable clan out of them."
Kiara had full intentions on declining, but the more the woman talked, the more she annoyed her. Suddenly it felt like declining would give them a victory she didn't want to give. Perhaps it wouldn't be so bad, running a long-distance clan. Though she really didn't want either her name or their clan's name tarnished.

"I don't think integration would really work," She said in response to the academy, "But if by helping out, I bet they could use a hired hand on occassion." Turning to the--her?--clan, Kiara gave a stern frown, "No pillaging or murdering or whatever it is that might be done on the side. The contracts need to be re-checked and see that anything.. shady can be discarded." No, not vague at all, going through countless deals with who knows what other threads attached, "Rebuilding should be the main priority, but if you don't have enough money to continue, don't take the easy way out. And, er.. maybe I should do the recruiting.."

Kiara really had no idea what she was even doing.

"Um," Nagiko said. "Thank you, your sneakiness, for those...inspiring orders. I'll make sure they are followed to the very letter."

She turns around to the clan.

"Okay, everybody, you heard the new boss! No more Pillaging Thursdays! And...you know what? We'll clean up tomorrow."

She turns back to the group.

"Like I said, I'll send a messenger when we're back to where we can actually do stuff. Thanks for not killing more of us, I guess. Special thanks for not killing me."
"We do what we can," Kasumi says.


Kasumi has been staring at Yukio's brother's sword at Kiara's side on and off ever since they left the Red Dragon clan's stronghold. The sword has a beautiful inlayed pattern of a dragon on its red lacquered cover, and it seems to Kiara and Yukio that she's studied every inch of it.

"So," Kasumi starts, and looks back to the road in front of the wagon. "You didn't mention you had a brother."
Yukio smirks. "It didn't come up," she says. "And to be honest, I never expected it to come up again. As far as I was concerned, he was dead and resting peacefully at that. I thought his killer must have surely already met his end...not that I would one day find him not only marshalling a clan of shadow warriors, but also proudly wielding my brother's blade."
"What happened?" Kasumi asks.
Yukio cracks a nostalgic grin. "They called him the Swift Fox. He was always a troublemaker, he took what he wanted - drinks, girls, it didn't matter. But he was...not a bad man, just wild, and reckless. Father sent him to a master swordsman to teach him how to move his blade, but how to fight - that, he learned on the streets. But...I don't know the details. He made a deal, and the deal went bad, and he ended up with his back against the wall and only his blade between him and a dozen attackers. He could not hold them off, and so he died. I...I could not find the time to grieve. I was already at the Academy, and although it hurt to receive the news, I - somehow I knew that he would either have to change his ways, or have his luck run out. Some people find wisdom before death finds them, he did not."
"I'm sorry, Yukio. At least we killed the man who did it." She pauses, and steals another glance at the blade. "Do you know where he got his sword and learned to use it? It's...it's a fairly unique style of blade." She unconsciously touches the end of her own sword as she speaks.
"The swordmaster - his name escapes me," Yukio says, thinking. "Ah, I was so young when he went away...Kimoro? Kemura? Something like that," Yukio says. "I think."

She looks at Kasumi's blade.

"Do you use the same style?" she asks. "I never saw my brother fight..."
"Maybe it was Kamura?" Kasumi asks, taking her hand off her sword when Yukio looks at it. "I heard from the man who taught me that there was a great master swordsman named Kamura."
Yukio claps her hands together. "Kamura! That was it!" She looks at Kasumi. "I did not take you for an expert in sword styles, Kasumi. But you are full of surprises."
Kasumi's hand grips the side of the wagon tightly. "I was taught in his style, it's...very unique, my teacher said he was the best he had ever seen with it, even better than Kamura. Did...did your brother ever say anything about Kamura?"
"I only saw him briefly when he returned before I was to leave for the Academy," Yukio said. "But he talked in glowing terms about Kamura. How he had never been so challenged, that every piece of praise he got felt earned. He seemed rather taken with him, but I suppose that is how it is for all students under great masters."

Yukio looks at Kasumi.

"Maybe I should seek training under him. Gods know that you managed to hold your own against me, and against Aogin, with his style. Perhaps I could learn a few things from him still."
"Maybe," Kasumi says. "I heard that a great misfortune befell him and his family, though. Something...something horrible."
"That is tragic, indeed," Yukio says. "A great loss for his students, and his style."

She turns to Kiara. "Do you know how to handle a weapon like that?"
The ninja gave a grin, nodding towards the strange weapon, "Sure. Back home with the clan I've practiced with one a few times. I may not know the style names very well," or at all, "but I know the motions to it."
"Good. Then you should keep it," Yukio says. "I don't want my brother's blade to have ended up with that...that son of a dog Aogin. It deserves a righteous hand on its grip."
"Keep it? If it's your brother's, wouldn't you want it? Memorabilia and nostalgia and whatnot." Kiara asked, charged between guilt for keeping such a blade, and a rather strong craving to add to her assortment of shiny metals. She was by no means a packrat, living as a ninja for so long meant carrying lightly, but Kiara wasn't one to pass up a good, sharp edge.
"Why keep it?" Yukio asks with a smirk. "It's not mine. Maybe when we're done, you can bring it to my father, that he may have a memento of his son...but right now, I do not think we have the luxury of sending a fine blade like that to a display stand in my father's trophy room."
Beaming, Kiara picked it up, her pale fingers tracing the outline of the handle, "Nothing like a blade in a battle, I say. Alright then. But he might have to fight me for it back." She joked with a grin, though it might be hard to tell if she was really joking or not. The girl did seem to like all her blades a bit much.
"I'm sure you'll find a way to put it to good use," Yukio says, and turns back to Kasumi. "Whoever it is behind the contract on my life...we have proven today that they must fear us. Together, we will find them, and we will bring them to justice."
Kasumi looks at Yukio for a second, distracted, then shakes her head. The distant expression is gone, replaced a focused and serious expression. She nods. "Yes. We will bring them all to justice." She touches her sword again. "One way or another."
Gatac 2010-07-30 16:59:30
You descend the rest of the way down the mountain in peace, but entering the Valley of the Masters below, you see a single plume of smoke rising from the Academy. Naturally, you hurry your horses. As you draw closer, you see that it is only a small, single fire that seems to be lit inside the walls, but you still waste little time crossing the suspension bridge to the main gate. Tellingly, it takes a minute before the shuttered gate opens.

The inside courtyard bears the signs of - well, a medium battle. There are a few corpses - Red Dragon ninjas, and some in uniforms you don't recognize. If any guards were killed, their bodies have already been removed. What is most striking, however, are the skeletons of contraptions strewn about the courtyard - wooden frameworks, with torn fabric stretched over them. It looks like the attackers used those to glide in from above, possibly using the mountain hideout of the Red Dragon clan as a launchpad.

Shimazu sees you arrive, finishes his conversation with a wounded guard and then hurries to meet you. You notice that his left arm is in a hastily-built sling.

"You're back!" he says, sounding vaguely surprised. "Master Oa will hear of it right this moment. How did your journey go?"
"Not as expected, and unexpectedly well, Shimazu-sensei," Kasumi says. "I don't think you'll have to worry about the Red Dragon for now, at least."
"As long as you stay on good terms with their new master, that is," Kagemaru adds with a smirk.
"Their...new master?" Shimazu asks.

Kagemaru gives the inattentive Kiara a nudge, to get her talking.

The young ninja nearly jumped at the prod, then turned with what she hoped was a neutral air and gave a curt nod, "Apparently they have customs on leadership inheritance." Kiara wasn't particularly keen on going into details, her mind still nit picking at all that had happened and what plans she should have, leaving little room in her mind on remembering how to talk in a civilized manner.
"That is a strange turn of events," Shimazu says. "But if you have quelled their attacks - no matter." He sighs. "If only we could have stopped this one. They came when darkness fell, not long after you left."
Toshiba's strayed a little from the group. His attention's drawn to the other attackers who were with the Red Dragons. When the 'keep what you kill' revelation sinks in, Toshiba follows it with, "I think I have another piece of your assassination puzzle, Yukio. These others here, in the different uniforms? They are 'Minor Demons', genin of the Blue Oni. They are not actually demons, though."
"Ninja, and now mercenaries," Kasumi says, looking at the corpses of the Blue Oni soldiers. "And not cheap ones, either. These people that want you dead must be very powerful and really, really want to kill you, Yukio."
"Tell me something I don't know," Yukio says warily. You can almost see her appending 'Blue Oni' to a long list of enemies in her head.
"They must take you very seriously," Kasumi says. She looks at Toshiba. "Red Dragon Clan specializes in impossible assassinations, and Blue Oni's soldiers are well-trained and well-armed, not to mention...whatever these contraptions are, right?"
"Broken," Toshiba quips. "They're broken. As for the Blue Oni... well, he owes me some money. I did not exactly go from ex-Ayami straight to being a lonely woodsman. So! Let us track down my former captain, I will retrieve the money he owes me, and then we shall kill him for leaving me for dead."
"Hm," Kasumi muses. "Was he serious about leaving you for dead, or was it one of those 'I'm just annoyed at you' situations?"
Toshiba stares at Kasumi quizzically. "I did not think to ask, on account of coming down with a case of near-disembowelment." Toshiba's countenance darkens as things he had forgotten come back, and the thought of some measure of revenge blossoms. "Perhaps we can even dispense with the 'getting my money back' part."
"It is doubly tragic that you were not here, then," Shimazu says. "Because the Blue Oni led the attack himself. He and a few of his men escaped over the walls, and the bodies you see here are those that fell to cover their retreat." He looks over to Yukio. "I'm sorry, Yukio."
"Sorry for what?" Kasumi asks.
"I'll take this, old friend," Oa says. You turn around to see the master of the academy standing behind you, surveying the remains of the battle. Just how he snuck up on you all will likely remain his secret.

Shimazu nods, turns around and leaves without a word. Oa steps up to Yukio and leads her aside. They exchange a few whispered words, until Yukio finally shouts "No!" and almost pushes her master off her. A few more words from Oa, still whispered, but they can't stem the tears. Yukio walks off, again without words. Oa shakes his head sadly and turns to the rest of the team.
Kasumi strides up to Oa. "What is it, Oa-sensei?" she demands from her master.
"Toshiro," Oa says. "The Blue Oni, he...he took him with him when he escaped."

Kasumi's hand resting on her sword grabs the hilt tightly as the amused thoughtfulness of planning is replaced by rage on her face. She says nothing and runs off after Yukio.
Toshiba nods. It made sense for him to take a hostage, and Toshi was a good one. "Do you have any guesses as to where they might be headed? The last I heard, he was possibly working for Eastern foreigners, but you know how rumors are. And the Blue Oni loves rumors."
Foolish Toshiro
Stayed behind and got captured
This shit just got real


One of Toshiba's better habits is keeping track of his enemies. He heard vague mumblings of the Blue Oni now working for the foreigners to the East. Of course, if he believed every rumor about the Blue Oni, he'd think the mercenary was the lost Emperor himself in disguise.
Kasumi catches up to Yukio a few yards away, behind one of the ruined contraptions. If Yukio was sobbing, she's already stopped, and the tears on her face are not being added to any more. Instead, she is pacing a few steps back and forth, almost rocking with anger. She looks up at Kasumi's approach and her fist tightens.

"We're going after them," she says simply.
"As soon as we're ready," Kasumi says. "Toshi is my friend, I promised to keep him out of trouble." She manages a worried smile at that thought. "An impossible task at times, but...I value him as a friend. We will get him back."
She walks up to Yukio and puts her hand on her shoulder. "Are you alright?" Kasumi instantly regrets the question, and turns away from Yukio. "No, what a stupid thing to ask."
"I appreciate it nonetheless," Yukio replies. "But the smile will have to wait until I have my Toshi back and the Blue One's blood splattered over my face."

---

Back at the entrance, the team is still surveying the finer points of the carnage when Shimazu comes back, carrying what looks like a long, carved wooden stick with an embedded metal tube. Toshiba vaguely recognizes it - it's a gonne, the kind the foreigners use, though he couldn't tell you exactly how it works.

"We found a few of these," he says. "I thought maybe you would have a use for them when you go after the Blue Oni."
"We shall think of something, I'm sure," Toshiba thanks Shimazu.
---

There is only the barest of minutes to gather your wits and leave the Academy in the able care of Shimazu and Oa. It has stood the test of time without you, and you have just made subordinates of the greatest threat to their security. They will have to deal with the struggle to rebuild alone, though.

[1d20+12 = 2 + 12 = 14] (Toshiba's Tracking check, boosted to 26)
[1d20+7 = 19 + 7 = 26] (Blue Oni's Blend check)

The search for Blue Oni and his band begins inauspiciously. The Blue Oni's penchant for misdirection has left several possible trails to follow, and Toshiba has trouble telling the real one. However, eventually he goes with his gut and makes an educated, wild-ass guess. East it is. Several minutes pass with no further sign, and Toshiba contemplates backtracking and starting over while they're still not too far behind when he spots fresher, more definite track along the road. Looks like his gut was right. You spur the horses on, hoping to gain on the Blue Oni now that you have picked up his trail.

[1d20+12 = 15 + 12 = 27]
[1d20+7 = 12 + 7 = 19]

Obviously, the Blue Oni traded subterfuge for speed as he distanced himself from the Academy. In the back of the wagon, Kiara and Kage catch glimpses of the smoke column still rising from the Academy, but the place itself has faded into the distance already. Back here, there's not much to do but wait; the banging of the wagon's suspension, the clattering hooves of the horses in front and of Yukio's horse riding next to the wagon drown out any peaceful ambience the forests might provide.

[1d20+12 = 16 + 12 = 28]
[1d20+7 = 9 + 7 = 16]

Toshiba's many things, but above all he knows how to get the people he's looking for. The tracks weave and dance, swerve off the road on occasion, but the Blue Oni can no longer fool his eyes this easily. With every fakeout Toshiba doesn't fall for, the track seems more obvious and clear, so much so that you've been making excellent time. (Though your horses would probably like it if you had a bit more trouble reading the tracks and stopped more frequently.)

However, the last bit of the Blue Oni's trickery proves to be a bit of a problem: the forest road turns into a wooden bridge to cross a small stream with steep banks. Said bridge is, however, missing a rather large part of its deck - obviously the result of very quick and very targeted vandalism. The stream's not nearly wild enough to be a problematic crossing - for a human - and even failing that, the bridge would probably carry a horse if carefully ridden. However, your wagon's not crossing this.

Kasumi looks back into the wagon. "Anyone else here a decent rider besides Yukio and I?"
"I'm sure I can manage to stay upright." Kiara chirped with a grin, shifting eagerly in her perch while hoping that she might secure a place in moving forward with the hunt.

Kiara volounteers easily enough, and it's with the same ease that she undoes the harness holding one of your horses to the wagon and swings on its back. The horse protests slightly, but Kiara easily stays on top, no hands, no saddle. With a shit-eating grin, she steers the horse towards the bridge.

[1d20+8 = 12 + 8 = 20] (Kiara's Ride check)

It seems strange that Kiara, of all people, can instill calmness in an animal, but the horse carefully steps along the narrow path still left of the bridge and makes it to the other side without incident.

"Should be easy enough," Yukio says, her horse already impatiently tapping its feet.

[1d20+10 = 8 +10 = 18] (Yukio's Ride check, boosted to 26)

And indeed it is. Where Kiara's crossing was more like teaching a child its first ginger step, Yukio's steed steps along the path with confident, bold strides, a warhorse through and through with her at the reigns.

[1d20+3 = 17 + 3 = 20] (Kasumi’s Ride check)

It's been a while since Kasumi learned how to ride, and street grifters don't have much of a chance to practice their riding skills, let alone when she's on a con and any incongruous action would blow her cover. She swallows deeply and gently spurs the horse across the bridge. Fortunately, as nervous as Kasumi is, the horse is twice as calm, and nods his head as he walks easily across the broken section.
Happy that there are no more horses left and that he can cross the bridge on his own two feet, Kagemaru gets his gear from the wagon and walks across. Next to the hole, the ninja stops for a second and turns around.

"What do you think they used to destroy the bridge Toshiba? They might have more of it." He asks his companion wonderingly.

Toshiba bows down and inspects the hole closer.

[1d20+11 = 10 + 11 = 21] (Toshiba's Investigate)

The missing parts have left straight edges, but not too straight. The remaining wood looks singed near the top, but the discoloration continues down the side.

"A volatile chemical," Toshiba opines. "I have heard Foreigners use it to blast holes. This looks more precise, but not much. That way, they could get those boards off quickly without having to burn the bridge."
"So they might have access to a potent chemist. Good work Toshiba, this knowledge may help us further on," Kage says before continuing his walk across the bridge.
“Don't burn your bridges
In case you have to come back
Then you look stupid," Toshiba opines.

With the crossing done, you can now press on - but not for much longer.

Kasumi rubs her eyes. She's tired, it's been a long day, but the longer they wait, the further they get from Toshi. "I'm good to keep going. How about the rest of you? Toshiba? Yukio?"
"They've got Toshiro," Yukio says. "I can keep going until I drop dead, it's my horse I'm worried about."
"Weather looks good enough," Toshiba says. "I think we'll still have a trail tomorrow, if that's your worry."

You wait a moment, almost as if you're expecting to hear Toshi complain about how tired he is and that you've traveled far enough for the day.

"But the trail will get worse the longer we wait. I think the real question is, how much further you can keep up the good tracking?" Kagemaru says. After a moment of thinking, he adds "We have to rest before we meet up with them - if we want to be in good fighting shape. That's for sure."
"But how much further will they travel while we rest?" Kasumi asks. "They must stop to rest soon, they fought a larger battle than we did. We should press on until we find their camp, then we pull back and rest."
Always eager for action, Kiara rather liked the idea of striding up to a half-sleeping camp and pummeling the inhabitants to little bits, but she too could imagine that the group being overly exhausted might cause an issue, "Well, that might not be too bad, find the camp but step back to break. Might be a bit dangerous in exposing ourselves though. Might lose any element of surprise."
"I could go scouting, that would help with the surprise, but may cost us precious time." Kagemaru adds.
"So," Yukio asks, "we keep going until we find where they're camped out?"
"Or until my eyes glaze over," Toshiba responds.

[1d20+11 = 8 + 11 = 19] (boosted to 26)
[1d20+7 = 4 + 7 = 11]

Toshiba saddles up with Yukio and Kagemaru hops onto Kiara's horse, and with that, you're off. You definitely get the notion that the Blue Oni got sloppier after the bridge - maybe it took too much time, maybe he thought you'd spend more time trying to get your wagon to come with you. Either way, his track is easy enough to follow, but after a mile it steps off the main road and into the forests. It might be another feint, but Toshiba's gut tells him to follow this one.

[1d20+10 = 1 + 10 = 11]
[1d20+7 = 9 + 7 = 16]

Or was it a trick after all? After a few minutes in the woods, Toshiba has lost sight of the trail. The tracker curses to himself. They'll have to try to backtrack now, but maybe this is as good a place as any to call it a day and get some rest.

---

The campsite isn't that comfortable, seeing as you don't have the wagon and the various "comfort" items you left behind in it, but your gear will sustain you for the time being. It's early in the morning, anyway - just a few hours rest until sunrise will do you all good, and even Yukio accepts the wisdom of taking a break. Toshiba makes up for losing the track with quickly building a fire, and soon you're huddled around it, grabbing some warmth off the flames.

"I was so stupid," Yukio says, out of the blue. "At least, when Toshi ran to fix things with my father...my father had him. He was safe there. All the other times, I was there...but the one time I choose to leave him behind..."
"You left him where he was safe," Kasumi says, looking across the fire at Yukio. "You can't blame yourself for that. Where else would you leave him? Shimazu-sensei and Oa-sensei did their best to protect him, but sometimes bad things happen...no matter what you expect."
"Oh, I blame the people who are after me," Yukio says in a tone that is both conversational and betrays her lust for blood. "They could not defeat me when I was running away from them, and they stand no chance now that I am striking back with your help."

There's a series of slow claps from the shadows. You instinctively reach for your weapons, ready to defend yourselves, but what steps out of the shadows is neither the Blue Oni, nor one of his Demons - instead, you see a young girl clad in Ayami clan colors. Kiara, Kagemaru and Toshiba recognize her as the messenger who quietly talked to them on their initial journey to the Academy.

"It's okay, she's Ayami" Kagemaru says as he puts the shuriken in his hands back into the many folds of his clothing, that always seem to be where he needs them most.
Kasumi remains standing, sword drawn. "Pardon me if I don't lower my guard in front of an unknown intruder that might want to assassinate my teacher." She offers a slight bow, enough to show respect but not lower her guard. "What are you doing here?"
Kagemaru moves between Kasumi and the messenger, continuing to face Kasumi. "You will lower your weapon if you trust me. I vouch for her and you will accept it. This messenger contacted us before and helped us deliver the message that Yukio is an honorless target."
Kasumi raises an eyebrow. "An event which you neglected to inform us about. In light of that, I think I'll keep my weapon at the ready, thank you very much." She refocuses her attention on the "messenger". "Well?"
"Internal clan business," the messenger replies. "If he told you, he'd be...recalled."

She looks at Kasumi.

"The only reason I'm talking to all of you is that the Kage of Clan Ayami, Master Sinan, has tasked me with, well, talking to all of you. In light of the complicated shape this situation is taking. I buried my weapons three miles North, if anyone wants to search me. There are no other ninjas in the woods, if you wish to check. And, um, I'd really appreciate it if we could do this without drawn weapons, okay?"
"You are not my first encounter with ninja on unknown missions," Kasumi says. "I find it easier to simply assume that unknown ninja are lying than waste time deducing if they are telling the truth. I will sheathe my sword if you wish to talk to me, but Yukio's spear stays at the ready until you are ready to talk to her, when I will ready my sword again. Deal?"

The messenger hesitates for a moment, then motions for Kagemaru to move aside. "Deal," she says. She steps a little closer to Kasumi, then kneels down and puts her hands behind her head.

"Firstly, and most importantly, I am here to tell you that the Clan Ayami has officially rejected the Little Fox commission. We will no longer pursue you, Yukio Matsumoto."

Yukio says nothing in return.

Kasumi's sword clicks into its sheath as the ninja approaches. "And?"
"Second, this decision was made before Master Sinan heard of your...deal with the Red Dragon. I will report this occurrence to him on my return, but before I do that I would like to hear what you have to say for yourself in the matter."

She looks to the ninjas.

"Kiara, I understand you are now technically in charge of the Red Dragons?"
"Er," The ninja was still uneasy with how it had all happened, but tried to keep a straight face, "Technically speaking, yes."

She had been making plans and writing notes, but that was all in passing, nothing she had really settled on. On a whole it was still a bit uncomfortable.

"I cannot offer your instructions but I can tell you to tread carefully," the messenger says. "This could be seen as the Ayami clan trying to take over an established clan from inside. You must avoid giving off this appearance at all costs." She looks to Kagemaru. "I see you have acquired one of their uniforms. That should make it easier to hide your true allegiances and keep our clan out of further trouble."
"It indeed proved to be a useful item," Kagemaru states.
"The clan is lying low for now to rebuild," Kiara replied, shifting her weight. She opened her mouth to speak again, but decided against it. There wasn't much to say right now since the clan was still rebuilding and she wasn't exactly there to monitor them. For now she would have to play it easy if they met with any other clans, as giving their own clan a bad reputation was one that she generally liked to avoid.
"What other instructions did you leave for them, Kiara?" Kasumi asks, hoping to prompt Kiara into showing how she was cleaning up their act.
Kiara felt her defenses rising against all the sudden attention on her, "Well it's not like a lot of time has passed. Rebuilding will take a while so they're focusing on that first." It was more or less a repeat of what she had just said, but the poor girl wasn't sure what more she could say for it. "They're going to help defend the academy for some earned cash, but mostly just to lay low. Go through old contracts. Clean up a bit. General stuff."
"You cannot be expected to have a detailed plan for the contingency of becoming the leader of a rival clan," the messenger says. "Master Sinan will surely have instructions for you when he hears of this. For now, I think that will be satisfactorily."

"You haven't satisfied me one bit yet," Yukio pipes up, hands on her spear. "Why dissolve the contract on me now?"

"It has been under discussion since we learned of your true identity," the messenger answers. "But recent events have forced our hand. Simply put, there are too many open questions, and on several points we were actively misled by our clients. Master Sinan has therefore decided to end the suspension of the order to kill you and instead recall the contract completely."
"What questions, how were you mislead?" Kasumi asks. "If we're to stop those who want Yukio dead, we need all the information we can get."
"This is what Master Sinan told me to tell you. He said he could not share any details until he has concluded his own investigation."
Kiara arched a brow, "Does this mean our mission has changed?" The whole point of their beginning this journey was to slay the Little Fox, pausing only for them to verify that said slaying needed to take place. If their clan rejected the client's offer, then that might mean that they no longer had any hand in aiding the group.
"Insofar as your mission was to observe Yukio Matsumoto until such time as Master Sinan deemed it proper to have you end her life, yes," the messenger says. "In lieu of this mission, I bring new orders from him. All Ayami clan members present are to continue to observe Yukio Matsumoto for the purpose of identifying her enemies, to assist Master Sinan's investigation into the original, faulty contract."

Yukio scoffs. "So, you will not help me, but you graciously leave me friends free to continue helping me? Where does your clan make its profit?"

"There is no direct profit, though your father has certainly offered to pay for our clan to protect you. Master Sinan, however, thinks that with this course of action, we can prevent great damage to the reputation of clan Ayami."
Kasumi nods. "Finding and punishing the ones who lied to you is its own reward, and since we're already further along than he probably is..." She thinks for a moment. "You know, there is a way you can help us. You found us pretty easily, so you probably know who's in this forest and where they are. You wouldn't happen to know where the Blue Oni is, would you?"
"I have not run into him," the messenger says. "But if you wish, I could try my luck at finding his trail and return to you to tell you of it before I make the journey back to the Ayami clan fortress." She looks up at Kasumi. "Consider it...a small gesture of good faith on our part."
"And that's exactly what it will be," Kasumi says. She looks over at the three ninja in their group. "Anything else, any objections?"

Toshiba quickly raises his hands in a "Hey, I deserted those guys, remember?" gesture.
Kagemaru puts a fist and a open hand together in front of his face, before bowing to the messenger.

"I wish you luck," the messenger says. "You have achieved much on your own, but from here on you will feel the support your clan has to offer you more often. I will be in touch."

She slowly rises from her knees, bows to Kasumi and Yukio, then turns to walk away into the dark.

Kasumi waits for a minute for the messenger to be out of earshot, then looks over at Kagemaru. "Sorry about that, but I don't trust uninvited guests, particularly when those guests are ninja."
"Yeah, I got that. And what I got even more... is that you don't even trust me." Kagemaru says, with a cold look at Kasumi.
"Don't take it personally," Kasumi says, and looks back to where the messenger walked off to. "I don't trust any of you."
"You've gone far with people you don't trust. And have placed many lives in their hands too, including your own," Kage replies.
"It has been advantageous to you that we work together this entire time," Kasumi says. "First to find Yukio, then to keep her alive to observe her. In my experience, the more you let someone into their confidence, the more weapons you give them to strike at you with." She sits back down on her bedroll. "We shall see how you and your clan-mates behave when you actually have to make a choice."
"Wasn't it our choice to not kill Yukio? To report back to our master that we won't, even while worrying what could happen to us if we do? We have made our choices and this is where they brought us. I mean you no harm Kasumi. And neither does Kiara," Kagemaru states.
"For now," Kasumi says. "Don't make promises you can't keep." She lies down and pulls the top of the bedroll over herself. "Now, let's just wait for the messenger to come back with news of the Blue Oni's direction, if she comes back at all. Or with the rest of your clan."

Toshiba, content to let the various argue amongst themselves, lies down as well. "Either way, we'll be here. Resting. A tracker with tired eyes is just going to waste all our time." He's a bit grumpy after knowing he lost Blue Oni's trail, but Toshiba focuses on falling asleep. After all, if Oni's men backtrack looking for pursuers, they won't find anything - they're not on the trail. This ironic thought occupies Toshiba's mind until he finally settles down.
Yukio's busy loosening her armor - not taking it off, but making it more comfortable to sleep in. With Kasumi and Toshiba committed to dreamless hours of rest, she turns a soft voice to Kagemaru and Kiara. "For what it's worth," she whispers, "I have a good feeling about you."
"It's worth a lot more than you think," Kagemaru answers, "at least to me. But for now I think we should sleep too. I doubt the Oni will surrender to a bunch of tired warriors."

With those words, Kagemaru lies down on his bedroll and tries to sleep. Not before thinking a good while about Kasumi and her words though.