Soldiers of Light ch. 10 "Samurai, Ninjas, and Demons"
 

Kurama watched the fight through his somewhat closed eyes. Tayuumi was fighting quite a bit more intensely than normal, but Taken was holding his own.

He was just happy that no civilians were involved. If a merchant tried to go down this road, he'd sure have a time of it.

OOC: While I wasn't really intending to have too much in the way of ninja with me, the mental picture of having ninja appear from nowhere the moment someone approaches my door is impossible to resist.

"Lord Kirakiri, I was wondering if you would concede an audience with me."

Kirakiri looked up from where he sat reading a scroll to take in the figure standing in his room. In an equally cool, unruffled tone the shapechanger replied to Iori, an ironic twist to his lips, "Certainly. Although I do request that in the future you try to find a less dramatic way of asking. However, the fault is partially my own - my guards were less courteous than I would have preferred. Please accept my apology." It seemed it took quite a lot to catch him off balance.

The shapechanger gestured to the ninja outside the doorway, sparing a dispassionate glance for the ninja sprawled on the floor, the one who had first threatened Iori. They bowed and left, the one who had fallen looking like he felt the near future wouldn't be very bright.

As the ninja closed the door quietly behind them, Kirakiri neatly rolled up and set aside the scroll he was holding. "Now tell me," the demon continued, letting his golden eyed gaze settle on Iori, "what is it I can do for you?"

Kirie ventured up on the deck, unable to sleep with the rocking of the ship. It wasn't that she was seasick, but the disturbances were too much to promise a lengthy rest. She saw a soldier keeping watch outside.
"Take a break if you need it. I'm not going anywhere for a while."
"You are most gracious, Lady Kirie."
Kirie shrugged and leaned on the guard rail, finding the air refreshing.

Yuu was still following Kurama and his group, since Taken was following them. The little demon still idolized Taken, but he stopped acting like him since the ronin is boring.

For the fight, Yuu was standing on the side, waving a larrge flag with the words "Go Taken!" on it.

As the blade came down Taken stared into Tayuumi's eyes, the grin on his face widening, even as his right arm shot up, his hand clenching around her left forearm like a vice, unnatural strength easily halting the progress of her blow, and leaving the both of them seemingly locked together for an instant that seemed to last forever.

Then Muteki began to twist with the horrible ear-piercing sound of metal against metal, until it was angled upward ever so slighty. Taken's arms flexed, the muscles tightening, his grip becoming even stronger on her vambrace--were that possible, and slowly she was lifted into the air upon Muteki by Taken's strength.

The only noticeable reaction Tayuumi gave in the instant he grabbed her was a small hint of surprise, the look still drowned out by her gaze of excitement in the fight.

As the blade dug deeper into her armor, edging along slowly through the onyx metal, Tayuumi began to sweep her feet out at him. Not in a desperate struggle, but a well placed maneuver. Her right foot, in mid air at this point, kicked up under the base of the Muteki as she swung around her other foot, shadow limb extending upon it, to knock his forearm downward.

As her legs attempted to disarm the impressively strong ronin, Tayuumi grasped on to the tip of the Muteki, pushing it out of her armor in the instance of weakness in his assault she had caused.

Though Taken's grip on Muteki was strong, he allowed himself to release the pommel under the force of Tayuumi's blows. However, he did not do so without recourse.

His, newly freed, left hand, shot forward and grabbed onto the top of her tasset before his katana had even hit the ground. His right foot slid forward, giving him a better stance, and then he spun around once with great speed and force, before releasing both of his grips simultaneously, sending Tayuumi sailing through the air.

The sound of splintering wood echoed through the area as the tree groaned and heaved, threatening to topple ontop of the warrior beneath it.

The ronin's foot slid out, sliding under Muteki's blade, and with a quick flick of his ankle, the blade was in the air. His left hand shot out and caught it as Taken ran past, with the same unnatural speed as before, once more closing the distance to his target.

Imprinted on the tree was a rather upset looking Tayuumi, her back and feet braced against the tree as it toppled over. A small wince of pain formed when she kicked lightly off the tree, the movement a bit stressed and clumsy as she landed back to the ground, finally regaining her long lost bearings.

Her eyes never left the sadistic force that opposed her, his stamping feet rushing at her in a blur of motion. Tayuumi took what time she could in their distance to run away from the patch of wood, but diagonally as not to meet Taken head on. She knew that Long Sword+ Forest+ Super crazy fast and strong ronin with a smaller sword= Bad news.

Though Taken was fast, Tayuumi was quick enough to get enough away from the woods and keep the distance she knew she needed to keep this time.

The trip aboard ship had been a tiresome one for Koyuki, not because she disliked seabound travel, but more because she disliked inactivity. Sitting around on a ship waiting... Was not, shall we say, the general's cup of tea. She had, for the most part, been lounging in her quarters, taking care of reports, and various sundry paperwork unworthy of a warrior's hand. Further yet, she couldn't handle any incriminating reports or orders aboard the Kimonian vessel, and especially with Lord Kirakiri aboard.

She disliked Kirakiri, certainly... Then again, Koyuki "disliked" everyone. Of course, she harbored a special hatred for Kirakiri, in his spycraft and informationg gathering, as Koyuki knew that even now, sparring with Ayako in the ship's weapons room, that Kirakiri was listening.

The blade of Koyuki's sword cut the air like the fine crystal blade it was, shattering yet another hastily thrown ice-chakram that Ayako had been using to keep Koyuki's reflexes in shape. After the hundreth, they had began talking, and now it was simply getting boring.

"Don't we have anything else to do?" Ayako sighed, "Like, torture that mortal boy?"

"Rrrgh, silence. Continue." Koyuki growled, flicking her sword in such a manner that Ayako had to avoid it by ducking close to the bulkhead of the ship.

"You've been acting fairly strange lately, but I won't press it..." Ayako sighed.

"Lord Chi's execution has rattled my nerves. I did not expect betrayal so soon in our quest." Koyuki replied blandly.

"So I see..." Ayako replied, knowing in her heart that her good friend was lying to her...

"what is it I can do for you?" the golden eyed demon intoned dispassionately, with a hint of something indestinguishable from sincere concern.

"I seem to be... a mouse among tigers you might say." Iori began in a conversational tone as he walked slowly to a nicely upholstered chair several yards from where Kirakiri sat. "Though I find myself beholden to general Koyuki there are still some private concerns that require a bit of clearing up." Iori said as he sat down unceremoniously, affecting the air of an uncouth ronin and letting his words remain at least honest from his perspective; he was indeed beholden to the silver haired demonness on a certain level. "Am I to understand this deadly vanguard is all in pursuit of one man's life? A simple samurai with the bad fortune to be born to a Legendary name..." Iori questioned almost jokingly, rhetorically.

"I may be but a simple mortal man, but I never thought myself a foolish one my lord." Iori continued, repositioning his upper torso into a meaningful lean, his body language suggesting a notion of conspiratorial intrigue. "There are too many egos of a surpassing quality involved in this endeavor, too many Daimyo and not enough Samurai so to speak." Iori's voice became low now, a dangerous edge that belied the truth of his own will, letting slip the slave's mask he'd worn so uncomfortably the past few days. "Your ninja are not infallible my lord, nor are your prodigious capacities."

Iori stood now, abruptly,and sauntered lightly towards a porthole overlooking the placid waters about the ship's hull. "Though I admit to being nearly powerless myself in the face of what's to come. I simply wish to know what your true intent in this is and how far you're willing to go to achieve it. In truth I'll be quite surprised if you share any of this with me, but certain questions must be asked regardless of the answers, or lack thereof."

Iori turned gracefully now to face the shapeshifting spymaster, his eys as focused as they had been while battling the ragind Wind Demon Raikutso. This particualr battle had just begun, on unfamiliar terrain; that of the realm of secrets and shadows. Kirakiri had an almost insurmountable advantage on this field, but Iori was not one to discount the impossible, especillay from himself.