Of Shadow and Blade:- A USB Tale

[Stormtrooper1990]

Returning to the annals of history, my next story takes us to the Sengoku period of feudal Japan. The year is 1476 and it's the penultimate year of the decade long Ōnin War, a civil war between the governor of Harima Province, Yamana Sōzen and one of the deputies of newly appointed Shōgun, Hosokawa Katsumoto, his own brother-in-law. Female samurai ( onna-musha) Mihiro Taniguchi and her husband Hayato, the local governor of Yamashiro Province or daimyō along with their forces were on their way to reinforce the Ashikaga shogunate at Kyoto Castle when they were ambushed by soldiers, men and women loyal to Sōzen along a forest path. Now with her husband dead and most of their retainers dead or fled, Mihiro fights a desperate last stand, prepared to fight to the death for failing in her duty to protect her beloved. Little does she know that her salvation would come from an unlikely source and lead her down a path of revenge and ultimately friendship. This is her story...



Yamashiro Province, Southern Japan, Monday 20th September 1476, 16:37pm



The sounds of the dying echoed through Mihiro Taniguchi as she stood her ground with her naginata, a beautiful elegant weapon half katana half spear it's curved edge sullied with the blood of the rebel dogs who had killed her beloved husband daimyō Hayato Taniguchi and their retainers. He lay dead at her feet, his once ornate black armour punctured by two arrows to his chest where he had nobily threw himself in front of her to absorb the blows. Tears stang the onna-musha's eyes but she had no time to grieve, she was still surrounded by five soldiers loyal to the traitor Sōzen, three men and two women one of whom was the bitch who had killed her husband with her composite bow. She was a mere slip of a girl no more than 21, pretty with heart shaped features, high cheekbones and big brown slanted eyes, framed by shoulder length raven coloured hair a dark blue head band tied over it. If Mihiro had to guess, she was a peasant girl drafted in to serve her lord with promise of coin and her family being provided for the winter. It was the colour favoured by all of Sōzen's forces from men-at-arms like these all the way up to samurai and onna-musha who served him. Their uniforms consisted of dark blue hakamos and loose fitting trousers, with brown leather sandals. Over which was black padded leather armour, four of them were wearing conical straw hats that wouldn't be the best protection from her blade. They were armed with a mixture of crude spears and cheaply made iron katana's that no honest samurai would ever be seen wielding. Mihiro, an attractive woman in her early thirties brown hair tied back into an elegant knot, braced herself for another assault.


"Come on Aiko! Finish the noble bitch off! She must dying to be reunited with her lord!" Goaded the archer to the spear wielding woman, another attractive dirty faced youth with rounded features and shallow cheekbones, her hazel eyes full of fear. "She's already killed 8 of our brethren, chopping them limb from bloody limb with that spear! I have no wish to try it out!" Next to her a young gaunt faced man armed with a crude katana patted on the shoulder. "I have your back. Look, she's tiring there's no way she can take the both of us if we rush her. Besides, Yuki as us covered with her bow. Right, Yuki." He said turning to face the young archer who flashed him a cocky smile, taking out an arrow from her back mounted quiver and nocking it. Seemingly finding her courage, Aiko nodded to the man. "Alright, Hideki. Let's do this!" With an unconvincing battle cry, the soldiers charged the onna-musha who steeled herself, her senses honed by two decades of training.


The fight if you could call it that lasted only a minute. Aiko first lunged clumsily with her spear, her own lack of training betraying her. Deflecting the strike upwards with the blade of her naginata, Mihiro cut the spear in half before flashing the cold steel across the girls throat. Dropping the two halves of her spear, Aiko's hands shot up to stem the red ruin of her throat as she sank to her knees coughing up her life blood. Kicking the dying woman to the ground with a look of pure contempt, the onna musha turned to see Hideki roaring the name of his partner in anger. He slashed forward with his dull blade, common sense giving way to rage, taking a step back Mihiro stunned the man bashing the bridge of his nose with her spear stunning him then without giving him a second to react she flicked the blade down, severing the man's weapon hand with a vicious slice that cut through meat and bone. The young man screamed in pain clutching his bloody stump, Mihiro quickly ended his torment by running him through the chest with her naginata the blade puncturing his armour and body with a sickening crunch. Coughing up blood, Hideki slumped dead skewered on the tip of her spear his cold dead eyes staring at the ground. Seeing the young archer drawing her bow to fire, Mihiro wheeled the man's corpse around to shield her hearing a twang of bowstring and a mighty wet thunk in the dead man's back as the arrow found it's mark. Pushing the corpse off her spear, the onna-musha grinned at her three remaining opponents as Aiko gurgled her last breath. "Come on who's next?!" She sneered as the two men started to rear back. Yuki the archer however, remained steadfast nocking another arrow.


"You fucking noble swine! They were my friends! I will see you dead!" The young archer swore drawing her bow as Mihiro charged forwards a terrifying battle cry on her lips. In was in that moment that the onna-musha saw her death, Mihiro knew that Yuki would fire her shot just before she got within range of the archer. It was as if time itself slowed, the samurai saw the arrow leave the girls bow flying through the air to impact on Mihiro's right pauldron. With a dull clang the missile dinged off the plate but sent the warrior spinning to the ground with a cry of pain, her mother's weapon dropping from her hands. Hearing the laughter of the men to her right, Mihiro rolled onto her back just in time to see Yuki standing over her an arrow pointing right at her forehead. "So you are just a woman after all. A woman with a fancy sword. Well it's mine now, along with that nice armour your wearing. It should keep my family fed through the winter-" Suddenly the young archer was cut off mid sentence by the sound of whistling, brow furrowing Yuki looked up. "What was that sound-ugh!!?" Mihiro's eyes widening in shock as she heard the shuriken whistle through the air, striking the young woman in her windpipe with a wet thud. The archer looked even more surprised, as she sank to her knees before collapsing on top of Mihiro's knees. Rolling the dying girl off her legs, she turned to her right to see a feminine shadow appear from the treeline, rushing towards the two frightened remaining soldiers her sword drawn.


It all happened in a blur of shadow. The two remaining rebel soldiers charged forward at the shadow figure who disappeared in a puff of black smoke only to reappear at their backs. The man stood transfixed for a moment looking dumbfounded before glancing down to see the blade of the girl erupting through his chest bathed in crimson. Withdrawing her blade, the kunoichi switched her attention to the remaining soldier who swung his blade in a wild decapitating strike. The ninja ducked the blow easily drawing to the right drawing her short blade across his belly. The soldier looked down in horror as he sank to his knees clutching his guts, the Kunoichi then silenced his screams with a flick of her sword to the back of his neck before sheathing it onto her back as she approached. Mihiro was amazed at how young the Kunoichi was, around the same age as Yuki the archer, with cold brown slanted eyes and long jet black hair tied back into a high ponytail. The lower part of her face was covered by a black face mask that matched her outfit. From here Mihiro could tell that lithe petite body was trained solely in the art of death.


The Kunoichi stood over the prone Mihiro offering her hand. "That was a close run thing, warrior. If I had waited a moment longer..." Shaking her head the onna-musha refused her hand. "Who are you, shadow warrior? And how do I know that I can trust you?" The ninja sighed as withdrew her hand. "What a tone to take with your rescuer, little miss high and mighty." She replied with an air of sarcasm retrieving a badge from the folds of her robes. "I'am sure that a highborn lady like yourself would recognise the seal of the Ashikaga Shogunate." Mihiro's eyes blinked in surprise. "Y-you're on a mission for the shogunate?" The Kunoichi smiled under her mask once again offering her hand. "I thought that was obvious warrior. Now unless you like grubbing in the mud...." Mihiro took the girls hand surprised by the strength of the grip pulling her up. "So what is your name, and mission kunoichi?" The girl pulled down her mask. "My name is Aino of Clan Tanaka. In service of the shōgun. My mission is to infiltrate the camp of the leaders of these brigands and bring the wrath of the shōgun down upon them. But I cannot do it on my own." Mihiro was insulted by the lack of social etiquette the kunoichi displayed. "I thank you for your aid, Aino of Clan Tanaka. I'am Mihiro Taniguchi, onna-musha and wife..." She turned back to the body of her dead husband. "...widow to the daimyō . In service to the rightful shōgun." Aino looked back at the body of the fallen lord, bowing her head. "For what it's worth, my lady. You have my condolences." She then walked over to the body of Yuki, taking out the shuriken from her neck then to Mihiro's surprise began to strip off her clothes.



"What are you doing? Why are you removing that woman's armour?" Asked Mihiro has Aino pulled off Yuki's padded armour and sandals. "Because we will need their clothing to infiltrate the camp. What's the matter, warrior? You aren't squeamish are you? Just because the enemy is dead doesn't mean they cease being useful." The Kunoichi smirked opening out Yuki's Hakamo revealing her small young breasts with perky dark brown areolas. Mihiro let out an outraged gasp. "A samurai doesn't relinquish her armour! Anyhow, I'am not wearing a dead woman's clothes! It's unseemly." Aino rolled her eyes, whipping off the archers trousers before unknotting her fundoshi loincloth exposing a small womanhood crowned with a thick bush of black fuzz and plum shaped buttocks. "You want to stay dressed like that and die without getting vengeance on your husband? Then be my guest. I'am only trying to help you survive. Bloody samurai, always with the death wish." The Kunoichi muttered under her breath, untying Yuki's headband then removing it leaving the dead girl completely naked. Turning from the young ninja, Mihiro approached the dead woman Aiko who's eyes were staring into the open sky, hands clutching her bloody torn throat. Sighing, the samurai knelt by the cooling corpse and reluctantly started to undress herself.


Closing Aiko's eyes and removing her straw hat revealing knotted auburn hair, Mihiro was shocked to discover how young she was. Far too young to be getting mixed up in this but strangely I don't feel bad for killing her. It was either her life or mine... "You need to get those clothes off her body before she starts to stink, and remember try not to get too much blood on the uniform, or the disguise is ruined." Aino said coming over to stand at her shoulder, fully dressed in Yuki's uniform. Sighing, Mihiro began to unstrap Aiko's padded armour and sandals. "So I suppose this is second nature to you, Aino-chan?" She asked the ninja folding open the dead woman's Hakamo revealing rounder more fuller breasts with puffy dark pink areolas. Aino shrugged admiring the dead girls form, despite the red gash across her throat. "What? Stripping clothes from dead women to assume their identities? It's been known to happen besides it's a useful survival tool." Mihiro unlaced the girls trousers pulling them free in one smooth motion, leaving the dead soldier in nothing but her fundoshi. "And this doesn't bother you? It's not exactly honourable." The Kunoichi rose from her haunches. "Since when as that ever mattered, Mihiro-san? These soldiers had no honour when they killed your husband, his men and ravage the countryside. Come get dressed, we have a long road to walk." With that she left the onna-musha to get dressed.


"Hmm? You don't look much like a peasant soldier and you have a little blood on the collar, but it will have to do. And were do you think your going with that?" Aino pointed to the naginata sheathed on Mihiro's back. "This is my mother's ancestral blade! It has been in her family for generations and I will not part with it!" The samurai said outraged. Aino shook her head sighing. " And it's not the kind of weapon you expect a peasant to wield. They would see through your disguise in an instant and kill you. You need to ditch it, now. Come on you can retrieve it along with your armour later." Fixing the young Kunoichi with a scandalised look, the samurai reluctantly laid the weapon onto the ground then helped herself to the cheap katana from one of the fallen soldiers. "And if there's nothing else we have work to do, warrior. Their banners are marching south so that's were the warcamp is. We follow them to our quarry." Turning to briefly say a prayer to heaven for her husband and their retainers, Mihiro then fell into step next to Aino as they walked away from the battlefield leaving the dead to their rest.


The Road to the Rebel Camp, Yamashiro Province, 17:05pm


With the sun setting below the horizon, the pair came to a road lined with cherry blossom trees the pink petals dropping all around them. "So who are our targets, Aino-Chan? You mentioned they were Sōzen's top military commanders?" The Kunoichi nodded looking ethereal in the evenings light. "Yes, in this province at least. They are Daimyō's Yanada Mugen and Toshida Shinzo, regional governors of Yamato and Kawachi Provinces. They are traitors both and instrumental to enemy movements in the region. Not to mention various acts of depravity against the Shōguns subjects and the murder of your lord husband. We take their heads..." Mihiro nodded. "...we can move to liberate the province for the shōgun." The young ninja smiled. "You catch on pretty quick, warrior. Perhaps we'll make a kunoichi of you yet." Mihiro grimly smiled. "So how long have you been a shadow warrior, Aino-chan? If you don't mind my saying you look capable but quite young." Aino looked away for a moment, her mask of confidence slipping slightly. "Since I was 14 years old. My father taught me everything I know." Mihiro paused to brush away a leaf of blossom from her hat. "And your mother? Were was she in all of this?" Aino stopped her with a raised hand, nodding her head forward. "Look there, what do you see?"


Mihiro followed her gaze. It was a cart pulled by an oxen, with one of its wheels laying on the ground. Standing by it shaking their heads were two young women dressed in black floral kimonos, held up by a red sash tied around their slim waists with wooden slippers and socks. Their dark black hair pinned up in elaborate hairstyles and pretty attractive faces highlighted with white make up, punctuated by red eyeliner and lipstick. Mihiro smiled. "I would say geisha's by the look of them. On their way to entertain the senior commanders, their cart must have thrown a wheel." The Kunoichi rolled her eyes. "Honestly it's like talking to a child. They represent an opportunity for us to acquire a new disguise other than these rags." She said sardonically as Mihiro lent in on the smaller Aino. "I was just going to say that. If they are going our way that is." Aino patted the taller samurai on her shoulder. "Aren't you the optimistic one? Come let's ask them." She winked as they approached the women.



"We'll never make to the camp at this rate. You would at least think that the soldiers would stop to help us?" Sighed Sakura Minamoto as she looked to her friend and fellow geisha Izumi Nakayama who shrugged staring down at their loose wheel. "I knew it was a mistake to throw our lot in with Sōzen's rebels. Uncouth, unwashed barbarians the lot of them. And it will be night time soon, damn it all." The sound of a woman clearing her throat drew the geisha's attention. Turning they spotted two female peasant soldiers dressed in rebel livery approach them, one a tall woman wearing a straw conical hat and thr other more shorter and lithe with a high dark ponytail, a headband tied around her head. " Hi there ladies. What seems to be the problem?" The younger soldier asked. "You're with the rebel forces? Thank the gods you showed up. It's our wheel, we were on our way to your camp when it threw. Do you think you could help us? We could make it worth your while. I'am Sakura by the way and this is Izumi." Said Sakura, relief evident on her face as the smaller woman nodded rubbing her hands together. "I'am sure you could in your small way." Next to her the taller woman raised her head slightly.


"Why are you heading to our camp? Is there cause for celebration?"She asked as Izumi nervously squinted at the small drops of red on the woman's collar. "Were, uh, going to attend to the local daimyō's to celebrate their victory over the shogun's forces in the recent skirmish. Erm, if you don't mind saying so soldier; why do you have blood on your collar?" The two soldiers glanced at each other shrugging then in a quick move the two woman didn't see the smaller lithe soldier swiftly chopped Izumi on the right side of her neck, the girl let out a brief surprised squeak collapsing to the road unconscious in a heap. "No please!" Sakura pleaded as the taller woman quickly flowed around her, snaking an arm around her slender neck and a hand behind her skull applying forward pressure. The scream on the young geisha's lips became a strangled yelp as she was lowered beside Izumi, unconscious onto the road.


"What was that move you just did on her Mihiro-san? It was most impressive, I haven't seen it's like before." Mihiro smiled kneeling beside the sleeping Izumi. "Oh that? It's what we samurai call "battle medicine". We use it on our wounded to allow the surgeons to operate." Aino nodded stripping off her soldier disguise. "Really? Well in my experience a warm bottle of saké serves just as well." The onna-musha grinned stripping off her own clothes. "Mmm, saké. I think i could go for a drink myself right about know." The kunoichi winked. "We make it through this then I will buy you a drink at the nearest tavern and toast to the fallen. You can teach me that move." She held out her hand which the samurai gripped. "You're on, Aino-chan. Come let's put their clothing and quickly we are losing the light." Aino nodded pulling off Sakura's sandals and socks. "Indeed. This smaller girl is just my size. Huh, it's been a while since I have worn a kimono."


Within five minutes, the two women were fully dressed in the geisha's clothes copying their hairstyles and makeup, leaving the geisha's lying naked except for their white cloth fundoshi covering their modesties on the road, the lean Sakura's's small barely raised breasts with pointed dark brown areolas stiffening in the breeze, while Izumi's breasts were more fully formed and buoyant with puffy dark pink areolas. "There's just one thing left to do." Aino said quietly propping up the unconscious Sakura drawing her tanto, bringing it to her throat. "Wait! What are doing, Aino-Chan? You don't mean to take their lives do you?" The Kunoichi sighed looking up. "They have served their purpose and are only loose ends now. Besides, we need to maintain our cover." Mihiro shook her head, kneeling beside the young ninja. "They are innocents and unarmed, they are no threat to us. You take their lives like this and you are no better than the men we hunt. It's against Bushido to slaughter the innocent." Aino looked down at the unconscious half naked women, who looked like slumbering ghosts with their make-up then sheathed her dagger. "Alright fine! We do it your way, mighty samurai. What do you suggest we do then? Leave them to alert the camp?" Shaking her head, Mihiro glanced at their discarded uniforms. "We bind and silence them, leaving their fate to the gods." Grinning, the Kunoichi picked up her discarded Hakamo. "You know Mihiro-san? I like the way you think." She then tore a strip from the bloodied cloth.


After binding and gagging the unconscious half naked geisha's, the duo dragged them into the hedgerow before quickly repairing the thrown wheel. "Come on, Mihiro-san we have wasted enough time and the sun is about to set." Aino held out her hand to pull up the onna-musha onto the step with her remarkable upper body strength. "Doesn't it feel better knowing you spared two innocent lives today, Aino-Chan?" The Kunoichi merely lashed the oxen driving the stubborn beast onto the road. "I suppose. It's just I'am not used to leaving loose ends, Mihiro-san." The samurai nodded leaning back in her seat. "I understand. We are both learning to adapt to a change in the winds." Fishing in the folds of her stolen kimono, Aino handed her another tanto dagger. "Here, you'll need this. It's easy to conceal and the guards don't search women. We will ply the fools with drink then slit their throats and take their heads back to the shōgun." Accepting the dagger, Mihiro lent forwards. "And wants your plan for escaping?" The kunoichi's lips raised in a sardonic grin. "All in good time, Minarei ." Despite the grief she still felt in her heart, Mihiro found herself warming to the young ninja who strangely reminded her of her younger self. Closing her eyes, she steeled herself with a prayer to the goddess Amateratsu for their good fortune in the trials ahead.



The Rebel Camp, 6km North of Kyoto Castle. 18:35pm


By the time they had reached the rebels encampment, the stars were twinkling over head like small diamonds in a pitch black sea the moon full shining her radiance down on the earth. Following a path flanked by flaming torches either side of the path, the samurai and the Ninja came to a large wooden gate watched over by two soldiers both men wearing conical straw hats, youthful faces illuminated by the flaming brands they held. The one on the right walked out onto the road, holding up his hand. Bringing the cart to a halt, Aino flashed him a smile. "You're a little late aren't you? We were going to send out a search party. The generals are taking this as a bad sign." The man said as his fellow stood by the gate. Aino leant forward.


"Apologies soldier. We got caught on the road after our cart threw it's wheel but it's all fixed now." Mihiro nodded her head. "We wanted to get it repaired quickly, lest brigands, the shōguns men or the spirits of the night descended on us." The sentry glanced nervously at his partner. "Well your safe now, my lady. Just follow the path up to the large war tent on the hill and my lords bodyguards will take you to them. Open the gate!" As the large wooden doors opened, Aino lashed the oxen driving the cart into the camp. Once out of ear shot of the guards, the kunoichi turned to Mihiro. "'Spirits of the night?' Can't believe that actually worked..." The onna-musha smiled. "What can I say? Peasants are very superstitious." The corners of the kunoichi's lips perked up. "They most certainly are, nice touch. Are you sure you're an onna-musha?" Mihiro just replied with a wink of her own as the cart trundled up the path.


The General's Tent 18:42pm


Arriving at the tent of the daimyō's , Mihiro leapt from the cart first then gently helped the smaller Aino clamber off. They were immediately confronted by two onna-musha dressed in the dark blue livery of Sōzen's army, over which they wore dark black armour covering their athletic frames with matching greaves and vambraces, the lower half of their pretty faces covered by sneering black men pō masks, dark hair tied back into traditional knots favoured by onna-musha such as herself. From their bearing, Mihiro could tell that these girls were barely out of their apprenticeship crossing their naginata in an almost lazy manner as they approached.


"Stop! Who are you that approaches the tent of our lord masters?!" Declared the left hand guard, a young woman with light chestnut hair stone grey eyes narrowing with suspicion, inwardly Mihiro wrankled at the girls poor form and stance resisting the urge to instil some discipline into the youth. It was Aino with her legendary charm that spoke, and who surprised the onna-musha by bowing. "We are geisha lady samurai, here to service your lord masters and to celebrate their victory against the shōgunate forces on this fair evening." The right hand guard, a smaller lithe girl with jet black air jutted her head forward. "You're running late, the lord's were expecting you half an hour ago." Mihiro herself bowed in response. "Apologies my lady but our wagon threw a wheel, and we were forced to make the necessary repairs ourselves. We asked passing soldiers for aid but none stopped." The left guard sighed shaking her head. "Damn these uncouth peasant soldiers, they have no discipline. I apologise on their behalf, ladies. Naomi-san..." She glanced to the smaller guard "...show the geisha's in, they have been delayed for too long." Fisting her chest in respect Naomi bowed her head. "Right away, Hana-sama. If you would follow me, ladies." Sharing small smiles, the kunoichi and the samurai followed the young warrior into the tent.


The young onna-musha bowed as they entered the tent to two middle aged men dressed in opulent kimono's sitting crossed legged on seat cushions."My esteemed lords, the geisha you have requested have finally arrived." The man to the left, wearing a red silk kimono who Mihiro recognised as Yanada with his curled moustache clapped his hands together. "Well better late than never, eh Shinzo-san?!" He clapped the corpulent Shinzo, who was resplendent in a bottle green kimono. "Oh yes indeed, my old friend. Let's see if they were worth the wait. Leave us we are not to be disturbed, on pain of death." Bowing respectfully, Naomi retreated from the tent. Grinning Yanada rose from his cushion, caressing Mihiro's cheek. "Come entertain us, my dear geisha's." Resisting the urge to kill the traitors, the two women instead began to ply their targets with saké playing their adopted roles pulling their targets into complacency.


30 minutes later


"Come on, more saké girl! We are a hair's breadth from claiming this province!" Slurred Yanada after gulping down his rice wine, as Aino straddled him nodding once to Mihiro who was being pawed over by Shinzo. Behind her back, the kunoichi secreted her dagger from her kimono. "Come girl. Sing us a song the lighten our mood. We're supposed to be celebrating." Mihiro caressed the man's face, seeing her dead husband's face flash before her eyes. "Yes, my lord. I have just the thing, close your eyes..." Doing as he was bid the corpulent Shinzo relaxed, unknowing that he was moments from death. Drawing her own dagger, Mihiro swiftly stabbed the man through the throat. The man's watery eyes shot open in shock, as he gurgled in pain. A similar sound from her left informed the onna-musha that Aino had ran through Yanada lowering his choking form to the floor. "That's for my husband and the shōgun, traitor!" Mihiro hissed at the dying man, ripping the blade out of his bloody ruin of a throat. The two women knelt over them watching the traitors choke on their blood as it pooled around them. When they were still, Aino turned to Mihiro face impassive. "Hand me Yanada's sword, the shogun needs proof of death." Doing as instructed, the onna-musha watched as the kunoichi claimed the traitors heads stowing them in a bag.


"We need a change of clothes or we won't get out of here alive." Aino said as the two women wiped off the geisha's makeup, their stolen kimono's wet with the traitors blood. Mihiro smiled glancing at the tents entrance, wiping the blood from her dagger onto her cuff. "Are you thinking what I'am thinking, Aino-chan?" The kunoichi winked a grin appearing on her face. "You must have read my mind, warrior." Creeping silently to the entrance flap, the two assassins found Naomi and Hana still stood at their posts. Strikingly quickly, the two snaked arms around the guards throat simultaneously plunging the daggers into the back of their necks. Letting out brief muffled grunts of pain, the onna-musha slumped into the arms of their attacks who dragged them, weapons and all into the tent. "All right let's get to work, Aino-Chan and quickly." Mihiro said kneeling over Hana's body closing her cold dead eyes before stripping off the soiled kimono.


"How do you onna-musha cope wearing so much armour. Doesn't it weigh you down?" Asked Aino as Mihiro helped her to strap on Naomi's armour plate, it had only taken the samurai herself a couple of minutes to strip Hana's corpse and don the armour but Aino needed the extra help. "We manage just fine, Aino-chan. You where it for long enough and it becomes akin to second skin." She smiled buckling on the straps of Aino's stolen uniform, the previous owner laying next to her taller partner, garbed only in their white cloth straps that covered their breasts and fundoshi highlighting their tanned athletic dead forms. The two had also copied the onna-musha's knots, leaving their hair loose around their bared shoulders. "Ready to go?" She tapped the smaller kunoichi's getting a nod in response. "I will have to take your word for it, Mihiro-san." Putting on their masks to complete their disguises, the samurai and the ninja shouldered their naginata. "Let's get out of here, I've seen enough of this place." Aino said tying the bag with the traitors head on her belt before they swept from the tent, leaving the grisly scene behind.


Using their disguises to cowl the peasant soldiers into obedience, the two saddled horses near the command tent then quickly rode from the camp past the gates without a challenge and into the night.


Roadside Tavern, Kyoto, 19:45pm


Mihiro sighed feeling the warm fermented saké caress her parched throat sending feelings of pleasure through her body. Sitting opposite her was the young Aino, now redressed back in her black kunoichi robes. The young woman had been as good as her word, taking her back to the skirmish site where they had first met. Together, they had laid Mihiro's late husband to rest and retrieved her arms. "Aino-chan. There is something I have been meaning to ask you." She set down her cup, pouring out another measure. "Why did you save me? When it would have been easier for you to leave me to my fate." Aino finished her own saké, flashing her a dark look. "You'll have to forgive me, Mihiro-san. I haven't been entirely honest with you and for that I'am ashamed. You see, I was lying when I said I needed you." Mihiro lent forward allowing the girl to continue. "I could have left you to die but seeing you fight with courage and honour against impossible odds, stirred something in me. A memory I thought long buried." Mihiro poured out a measure of saké for the ninja. "Does this have something to do with your mother?"


Aino nodded. "Yes. My mother was an onna-musha just like you. Brave, strong and beautiful I thought nobody could ever best her in combat. When I was 14, a group of bandits attacked us on the way back home. Mother and father fought them off but she was mortally wounded by arrows and died in my father's arms." Mihiro shook her head, reaching across the table she squeezed the ninja's hand. Aino sniffed for a moment. " We swore to the gods to avenge her murder. Taking up the code of ninjitsu, we hunted them all down and killed them slowly. When I saw you fighting for your life, you reminded me of her. I thought here is a strong beautiful woman, she must live. I couldn't save her but I could save you." Mihiro raised up her cup. "A toast to your mother..." Copying her, Aino took up hers. "And to your lord husband. Long may they rule in heaven." Together they knocked back the warm liquid then set in silence for what seemed like an eternity.


Suddenly breaking the silence, Aino rose for her cushion. "My apologies Mihiro-san but this where we part ways. I have to get those traitors heads to his Highness before they attract more flies." Also rising, the onna-musha held out her arm. "A pity, and just when I was starting to get used to you Aino-chan. It has been good." Aino nodded gripping the warriors wrist. "You're not wrong there. I want to thank you for bringing a chapter of my young life to a close and for opening my eyes, Mihiro-san." Mihiro grinned squeezing the girl's wrist. "I should be the one thanking you for saving my life and giving me the strength to avenge my husband. It was an honour fighting by your side." The lithe ninja loosened her grip. "Likewise, my friend. May you always find the path you seek, sayonara." The two bowed respectfully before Aino weaved her way through the bustling crowd. Turning she pulled on her face-mask, flashing a final wink she disappeared from view like a sceptre. Chuckling, Mihiro sat back down pouring the last of saké wondering if she would ever see her friend again.

[rufusluciusivan]

I smell this title is a reference to a certain game... Same with the names Aiko and Yuki for secondary characters... Or if it's a coincidence, then it's a funny one.

As mentioned in a previous comment, Feudal Japan has barely been touched upon in written stories (as opposed to the many clips in the clip section), so it gives this one-shot a special flavor. Hence I had to give it a read. I just love the image of a naginata-wearing Japanese woman... One of my favorite trope of Feudal Japan fiction.

Plus there were geishas, so I don't complain. (Now I need to write something with mikos... I' hope I can sneak some 'fantasy counterpart' of mikos in Ghazan.)

Samurai and kunoichi are an interesting duo - given how radically different their morals and codes are. So when it's mixed up with war and infiltration (and stealing outfits), it leads to interesting dialogues and choices.

The trope of the two warriors who have differing worldviews but end reaching some sort of mutual understanding and respect at the end of their adventure is a classic, but always effective. Almost a shame they weren't the stars of a longer saga, to better detail how each influences the other. Though I get it one can only have so many projects going at the same time.

[simon4343]

your one shots are quality stormzy

[Stormtrooper1990]

I smell this title is a reference to a certain game... Same with the names Aiko and Yuki for secondary characters... Or if it's a coincidence, then it's a funny one.

As mentioned in a previous comment, Feudal Japan has barely been touched upon in written stories (as opposed to the many clips in the clip section), so it gives this one-shot a special flavor. Hence I had to give it a read. I just love the image of a naginata-wearing Japanese woman... One of my favorite trope of Feudal Japan fiction.

Plus there were geishas, so I don't complain. (Now I need to write something with mikos... I' hope I can sneak some 'fantasy counterpart' of mikos in Ghazan.)

Samurai and kunoichi are an interesting duo - given how radically different their morals and codes are. So when it's mixed up with war and infiltration (and stealing outfits), it leads to interesting dialogues and choices.

The trope of the two warriors who have differing worldviews but end reaching some sort of mutual understanding and respect at the end of their adventure is a classic, but always effective. Almost a shame they weren't the stars of a longer saga, to better detail how each influences the other. Though I get it one can only have so many projects going at the same time.

Hi Rufus

You are absolutely 100% correct, there is little references to a certain 2019 video set in Feudal Japan, that has uniform stealing as a core element. And I'am glad you spotted the eastern eggs. However, the story itself is set in a much earlier period of Japanese history the Sengoku Period, which overlaps the Muramoto Period and predates the Edo period by 150 years, give or take a decade or two.


Indeed, doing the research into this story was something of a revelation to me as i had no idea that Japanese Samurai wielding Naginata's were a thing. I have to thank hshws for opening my eyes to the rich and diverse history of these brave, noble women.


I don't think you can have a story set in Japan, whether Feudal or otherwise without Geisha girls, so it was a given they appear here.


With you saying that, I might decide to revise Mihiro and Aino as I had a lot of fun developing their characters and the story. It would be a shame to leave things here. That being said, I have quite a few projects in the pipeline including a return to 50s Budapest, Elizabeth Burrows next mission, a screwball Christmas comedy based on the movie Jingle all the Way but with women and a new wild west series that may be based on another video game developed by mimimi that features USB. So we'll see what the future holds.

So in time honoured Stormtrooper fashion; watch this space

[Stormtrooper1990]

your one shots are quality stormzy

Thanks very much, Simon. There's more to come, I can promise you that.