Sapphire II: Chapter 7

7. The Way of the Ninja

Upon returning to Nara, Michiru directed Alec back to her home.  A dark green banner with thick white Japanese calligraphy announced the medicine shop downstairs and helped him to remember where the apartment was, should he ever need to return alone.  He parked the Camaro directly in front of the store and opened the door for Michiru.  Upon seeing the elderly shopkeeper, Alec was instantly reminded of what she had told him to tell Michiru.  "Oh, and I forgot to tell you," he said while waving to the store owner, "your rent is due soon.  I understand you actually work here to earn your keep.  Interesting, really."

"Right," Michiru noncommittally responded as she opened the door to the stairs.  "Actually, I'm gonna have to ask her to let me wait a few days.  This might be some serious business we're getting ourselves into, so it'll need my full attention."  Upon entering her apartment, she removed her sneakers, motioned Alec to do the same, and added, "Just let me get changed and I'll pack a lunch for us.  There's this great picnic spot in town that's just so beautiful in the spring."

Alec took advantage of this pause to finally take a good look at Michiru's apartment; he was too confused and irritated from her early-morning departure to care before.  There were only two major rooms in the whole apartment.  The kitchen/living room, in which Alec was seated, had a stove, sink, and some cabinets in the corner, and a low table and cushion seats near the center, but not much else.  The bedroom, which he remembered better, was also scantily furnished.  As Alec examined his surroundings, a thought came to him.  I don't think Michiru's getting along so well, he mused.  How much money do ninjas make anyway?

His thoughts were interrupted -- and almost completely shattered -- when he heard the door to the bedroom slide open.  Michiru was standing in the doorway, dressed in a luxurious-looking pink silk kimono.  The violet sash above her waist gave some shape to her svelte figure.  However, despite how eye-catching her robe was, Michiru's expression was not lustful in the least as she strode over to the corner and packed some lacquered lunchboxes for the two of them.  When she was finished, she turned around and said, "I'm ready now.  I'll drive, okay?"

"Of course.  That looks nice on you, by the way," Alec admitted.

"...Thanks."  Michiru seemed not to care about the comment, but Alec could feel a slight warmth growing in her heart as she put her sneakers back on and led him out of her apartment.

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At half past noon, Michiru drove Alec out to Nara Park.  Occurring at the park was a hanami, a cherry blossom-viewing picnic.  The two sat down on a blue tarp laid out under a white-flowered ume plum tree.  Expecting pink flowers, Alec inquired, "I thought cherry blossoms had pink flowers, but I don't see any.  Could you explain this to me?"

"Sure, Alec-san.  You're probably thinking of the sakura.  Those have pink flowers.  In fact... I think I can see some in the distance.  You just have to look past all those people.  Now, we're sitting under an ume tree, which as you can see has white flowers.  The ume is a plum tree, so its fruits are used in some food and drink.  I brought some of them with me, as it so happens."  She opened her lacquered lunchbox, and with her chopstick pointed out a red-violet fruit among some rice.  "This is an umeboshi, a pickled ume plum."  Taking out an identical lunchbox and giving it to Alec, she bade him, "Please try it for yourself!"  As Alec went for his chopsticks, she added, "Be careful, it's really sour."

"Lady," Alec answered defiantly, "I wouldn't get where I am today if I never took chances."  He then put the fruit to his mouth and chewed it.  As the juices spilled down his throat, he recoiled from the intense sourness.  Eventually he told Michiru, "Now that has to be the sourest thing ever.  In nature anyway.  Know anything I could wash it down with?"

"As a matter of fact, yes, Alec-san."  From her small bag she pulled out a bottle of a yellowish liquor, describing it as "ume plums distilled in shochu liquor, called umeshu.  Try it; it's sweet, I can assure you," she pleaded as she poured some into two small cups.

"Just a shot," Alec interrupted.  When Michiru stopped pouring, he downed his shot and almost immediately felt relieved of the sourness of the plum he had eaten before.  "Now that's just what I needed.  Thank you, Michiru.  Or should I call you Murasaki-san?"

"Nah, either's fine.  I'm not all that stuck-up."

"Well, for someone who's not stuck-up, you sure can show your softer side.  Tell me, what's your story?"  Dropping his voice, Alec asked, "Any reason why you became a ninja?  And what happened with Daisuke?"

"If you'll forgive me, I think there's a better place for us to talk about that.  It's right around here; we can go when we're finished lunch."  With that, Alec killed all the questions in his mind as he and Michiru finished their lunches, which also consisted of rice, salmon, and egg rolls.

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After packing up their lunches and brushing copious amounts of flower petals off of their clothes, Michiru and Alec ventured into the forested areas of the park.  Eventually they reached a tea house, with cream-colored walls and a brown, angular roof, overlooking a pond.  "This looks like a pretty place," Alec commented, impressed.  "Is this where we're going to talk about your history?  Because I could just stay here for--"

"Iie, not yet," Michiru interrupted.  "Just a little bit further.  But before we go any further," she added as she led Alec to the entrance to the teahouse, "You must promise me something.  What you're about to see must not be spoken about to anybody -- and that includes your superiors at Delta.  Is that clear, Alec-san?"

Raising his left hand and putting his right hand over his heart, Alec swore, "You have my word of honor, lady Murasaki."

Michiru chuckled briefly.  "I didn't realize you Westerners cared about honor.  All the same, while I appreciate your promise, I must blindfold you for a short while."  She reached into her bag and procured the dark violet headband that she wore as part of her ninja outfit, tying it around Alec's head and over his eyes.  "Can you see anything?"

The headband did not cover Alec's field of vision completely, but instead of answering, he adjusted the headband until no light shone through into his eyes whatsoever.  Then he answered, "Okay, now I'm ready."

"Good," Michiru said with a nod.  "Now keep a hold of my hand, okay?"  With that instruction, she led Alec into the teahouse.  A shôji screen partitioned the interior into a main room and a small entrance hall.  At the far end of this hall, Michiru pulled apart a loose floor mat, revealing a hatch.  She climbed down the hatch, carefully leading Alec down the ladder.  When they had reached the bottom, they took a few steps and turned a corner.  At this point, Michiru instructed, "Alright, Alec.  It's safe to take off the blindfold now."  When Alec did as he was told, he could not believe what he was laying his eyes on.

Michiru had led him to a secret ninja base!  Within this vast, stony, torch-lit underground chamber, many groups of ninjas were training in various activities.  Some were sparring in unarmed combat, dressed in white martial arts robes.  Others were fighting with wooden swords, masks of metal grating guarding their faces.  Across the room, there were others tossing daggers and small blades at wooden, human-shaped targets along the wall.  But next to them was something that puzzled Alec.  Another group of ninjas was shooting targets with handguns!  Curious, he pointed out, "Hey, some of those guys have guns!"

"Is that a problem?" Michiru asked.

"Oh, not at all!  Way to adapt to the times!"

"That's the point," Michiru said with a smirk.  "Now come.  There are some things we need to discuss with our leader."

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Michiru took Alec throughout the ninja base, going down a series of halls, until a sound that was a bit like a bird call startled him.  "Michiru?" he asked.  "They don't keep birds in here, do they?"

"That?  No, that's just the floor."

"What kind of floor makes a sound like that?"

"A nightingale floor.  Another great ninja invention.  It was designed as a sort of alarm.  Fits, because we're right in front of Kusanagi-sensei's room."

"Then let's just hope he'll still give us a warm welcome."

"Don't worry, he will.  Just let me do all the talking."  Michiru went up to the wall in front of her and slid open a small slit.  There was someone in the room on the other end who did not stir.  She addressed the man as "Kusanagi-sensei," and then recited a password phrase in Japanese.  Just as she stood back, the wall in front of them slid to the side and revealed the room beyond.

The room had a grand sense of scale that belied its limited space.  Adorning all the walls were pieces of old samurai armor and other miscellaneous trophies of battle.  The man who had opened the door without moving was an old man with a thick gray beard on his face but looked like he could be hiding plenty of energy. Michiru introduced him to Alec as Kusanagi, the leader of her ninja clan.  Alec bowed and introduced himself, and knelt down along with Michiru in front of Kusanagi.

"Good day, Mister Kusanagi," Alec said to the ninja master.  Allow me to say that I am honored to visit your fine country."

"Arigatô, Langley-san," Kusanagi answered.  He had a slight whistle in his voice.  "But something tells me you did not come here just to revel in the beauty of Japan, am I right?"

"Indeed you are.  Miss Murasaki and I have been investigating a plot to invade Japan.  So far we've uncovered links to North Korea, Sigma, an industry firm in Osaka, and the Omega Order, a group of psychic terrorists."

"Psychics, you say?"

"You heard me correctly."

"Call me crazy, but I believe you, Langley-san.  My clan deals with the supernatural from time to time.  I just never thought you would become involved with psychics yourself."

"Well, that's kind of my specialty.  And the leader of the Order, his name is Boris Rubanenko, is someone with whom I've had a vendetta with for a long time.  Within the last nine years, he's killed one of my girlfriends and kidnapped another - not to mention, I had to stop him from starting World War III!"

Wow, he's had a lot of girlfriends, Michiru thought.  I wonder if he's open...

"And so you're saying that this Rubanenko is dangerous?" asked Kusanagi.

"You couldn't imagine," Alec confirmed.  "I mean, a regular psychic is tough enough to kill, but this Boris is... just untouchable!"

"Then if he is as dangerous as you say, why would you waste your time on him?  I mean, wouldn't you just be fighting a losing battle?"

"Easy for you to say," Alec retorted while trying to keep his outrage under control.  "With all due respect, Mister Kusanagi, you're not the one who's gone through what I have."

After a moment of silence, Kusanagi responded.  "...I was only wondering, Langley-san.  I guess some things can't be explained with a simple proverb," he said with a laugh.

"Then you'll help us?"

"With pleasure.  The Kusanagi ninja clan has always been a force of good."

"That depends on whose good you're fighting for.  Don't get me wrong, the Omega Order and their methods must be stopped.  But if you learned about all the hardships that the psychics have endured throughout the ages, let me tell you, the truth would never be so simple.  However, I'd say we're on the same side.  Your support on this mission will be most appreciated, Master Kusanagi."

Kusanagi nodded in thanks.  "Alec-san, you are wise beyond your years."

"Thank you, sir.  Let me ask you one more thing...  You say that you've been involved with the supernatural before.  Does that mean you or you clan have fought any psychics?"

"Actually, we have not.  I was referring to the art of ninjutsu that we practice."

Alec did his best to recall the term.  "Ninjutsu... that's the art of stealth and surprise, right?"

"Yes, it is, but there's so much more to it.  But a simple explanation of all that ninjutsu has to offer would not suffice, I think."

"I don't know, Mister Kusanagi... try me.  I've seen a lot in my life."

"No, I believe you.  I just think it would be best if you were to let Murasaki-san give you a demonstration."

"And I know just the place to do it," Michiru added cheerfully.  She stood up and requested, "Kusanagi-sensei, shall I take our guest to the garden?"

"A perfect idea.  Langley-san, please allow Murasaki-san to teach you more about the art of ninjutsu."

"Very well."  Alec stood up and bowed along with Michiru.  "Oh, and I don't have too much information to tell you about my mission, but we'll keep in touch.  Right, Michiru?"

"Right.  After all, you're gonna need my help to get in here!"

"I forgot about that.  Delta would be impressed with the veil of secrecy that you guys maintain."

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After discussing with Kusanagi, Michiru continued to lead Alec throughout the ninja base.  Eventually they reached another exit tunnel leading upwards, which was blocked at the top by a fake rock.  Michiru pushed this rock to the side and helped Alec up the ladder and out of the escape shaft.  When Alec's eyes adjusted to the light, a lovely, peaceful setting greeted his eyes.  They had emerged in a forest clearing that was almost completely shaded by the trees, as if they were leaning inward like a tent.  A waterfall, perhaps a couple of stories high, tumbled down the rock wall which they had just come out of.  Most of the ground in front of them was taken up by a rock garden, which Michiru went to and started carving meandering paths into with a rake.  "Wow..." Alec reverently said.  "This place is just... beautiful."

"It's a Zen garden.  This is a good place for us ninjas to collect energy."

"What kind of energy?"

"Ki energy."

"Wait, what?  What kind of energy is that?"

Michiru abandoned the rock garden and explained to Alec, "Ki energy strengthens the ninja both physically and in endurance.  It also allows the ninja to gain a better understanding of the elements.  Through this, he or she will eventually gain control over them.  Please allow me to demonstrate.  Stand back for me."  Once Alec did as he was told, Michiru took a deep breath and put her hands together in a rapid succession of gestures, yelling, "Kagebunshin no jutsu!"  At that moment, clouds of smoke shot up beside Michiru and quickly dissipated, revealing duplicates of the lady ninja!  They were exact clones of her, right down to the designs on their silky pink kimonos, and although they were just standing there, all with their hands locked in the same position, Alec could still see their chests and shoulders bobbing up and down from breathing.  He was dumbfounded from the shock of seeing this, but awestruck, he asked, "...Are they real?"

"Real enough to attack with," Michiru answered, still in deep concentration in order to maintain the effect.

"Umm... I'll just take your word for it."

"As you wish."  Michiru broke her mental connection with the clones, and one by one they disappeared in puffs of smoke.  "What you just saw, Alec-san," she explained, "was the Shadow Clone technique.  Abilities like these can be triggered by tapping into the ki that one collects from meditation."

"My God..." Alec realized, "you're a psychic."

"Oh... I am?"

"Of a kind, I guess.  Your ninjutsu is probably some variation on the whole psychic philosophy, but, whatever gets the job done..."

Strongly concerned, Michiru asked, "So does this make me the bad guy now?"

Alec put a comforting hand on her shoulder.  "This changes nothing, Michiru," he affirmed.  It just means that I have one more weapon to fight this war with.  Now that I mention it, I think I should tell you what I personally believe in...  You see, I don't believe that all psychics are evil.  As a matter of fact, I used to date a psychic girl.  Her name was Ivanka Rubanenko, a Russian defector.  Unfortunately for me, she happens to be the little sister of Boris, the evil leader of the Omega Order and part of the reason I came to Japan in the first place."

"And the other part of it?"

Alec was hesitant to answer this question, eventually responding, "I don't just want to kill Boris, you know.  After I first met Ivanka, I took her away and we started dating.  Then three years ago, we tried to get married, but Boris came and kidnapped her during the wedding.  I haven't seen her since, but... I know she's alive.  If I find Boris, I'm going to find out where Ivanka is, and then I'll kill him.  Also, that's why..."  It pained Alec to finish the rest of his next sentence.  "...We can never be together.  I just can't help holding on to her."

Michiru went over to the stony wall from which they first came into the clearing and sat on a pile of wide, flat rocks.  "Oh, that's a shame," she said seriously.  "I was hoping for a man who could replace Daisuke.  You see, I joined the police force in Kyoto a number of years ago, but I got discharged for... how do I say it... excessive brutality."

Why am I not surprised, Alec thought, asking instead, "So what does being fired from the police have to do with Daisuke?"

"One day, while I was looking for a new output for my, umm, talents, I started dating Daisuke.  Apparently he was a member of the Kusanagi ninja clan.  It's ironic though; I actually fought them once when I was a cop.  But he introduced me to the clan, they accepted me, and the rest is history, I guess.  We started going steady, until..."

"Until I found you tied up just last night, right?" Alec continued.

"Yeah.  A few days ago, Daisuke and I went on a mission to that monastery.  I was sent to assassinate one of the monks who had been dealing with the Koreans.  As it turned out, he was a psychic, but I disposed of him easy.  But when I came back down, there was no sign of Daisuke -- just a bunch of monks who were on my tail.  I tried to fight them off, but they knocked me out and took me away."

"So you're saying that this mission was just a ruse to get you captured?"

"You know, I actually thought that.  But whether or not that's actually true, I just can't bring myself to come back to Daisuke anymore.  A real friend wouldn't desert me in my time of need.  So... I was hoping that you would be my samurai... what with rescuing me and all."

"Well, keep in mind I only found you by accident.  But that doesn't change a thing.  Don't get me wrong, I still think you're beautiful."  He brushed aside Michiru's bangs kissed her forehead for emphasis.  "Besides, what if Ivanka's dead after all?  There's hope for you yet."  How could I say such a thing! Alec thought angrily.  I'm sorry, Ivanka...  I'll never forget you.  And no amount of ninja magic will change that.

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After their discussion in the secluded garden, Michiru began to grow less friendly with Alec, since he had told her that he was not interested in taking her as his new lover.  They re-entered the ninja base together, neither saying a word.  The silence remained unbroken until they got to the main hall, when Alec asked, "So... what's our next course of action?"  Michiru gave no response.  Feeling sorry for her, Alec added, "...By the way, I'm sorry I had to tell you about Ivanka.  I like you, it's just... we did try to get married, and I just want to finish the job."

Michiru seemed to pay little mind to Alec's apology and told him, "We're going to that karaoke contest this evening to meet that Gilliam guy, right?  Well, I think we should lay low until then."

Looking at his watch -- it was now 2 o'clock in the afternoon -- Alec suggested, "That leaves us a couple of hours.  I was thinking we could stay here, maybe try out some of your ninja equipment...  If my hunch is right, and this Gilliam person is involved with Rubanenko or the Koreans, I'm going to need your help pretty soon."

Finally smiling, Michiru said, "Then come with me.  We've got some stuff that'll knock your socks off."

Try me, thought Alec.  He was led over to a table with an assortment of blades laid on it.  Michiru waved her hand over them, pointing out some small, star-shaped blades.  Some had four points, others had six or eight, and most of them had small holes in the center.  "These are shuriken," Michiru instructed.  They are thrown like a Frisbee in order to injure or pin down the target."

Alec hefted one of the shuriken and noticed how light it was.  "Hmm... doesn't look like it could do a lot of damage," he skeptically observed.  "It's a bit light; I'd imagine that you'd have to be a strong thrower in order for it to be effective.  But don't get me wrong, if you put another layer of iron on it, it could have some real stopping power."

Michiru folded her arms in disgust of this insult.  "You underestimate us, Alec-san.  Admit it."

"Alright, I do."

"Fine then.  I'll have you know that ninja tools had to be made cheaply back in the day.  But we make 'em out of stainless steel now.  In fact, check this out."  Michiru pointed to a few shuriken with small charges of plastic explosive covering the centers.  "These 'bomb shuriken' are useful if you miss the target; you can detonate them to trip up any followers he or she may have.  And if you hit the target and then detonate them...  Well, you've just gotta want to see that."

"Okay, now I'm impressed.  But how do you detonate them?"

Michiru bent under the table to pick something up.  She put a bundle of three slender swords on the table.  "These swords are called katana.  Used to be we had to steal them off of some samurai; nowadays you can buy 'em all over.  But these aren't any ordinary katana.  We've hidden the detonation device in the handle, see?"  She flipped open the top of one sword's handle, revealing a red button.  "As you can see, this will detonate any 'bomb shuriken' that you've armed."

"I may have been wrong about you guys," admitted Alec.  "Have anything else you want to show me?"

"Oh yeah.  I know a lot of our stuff seems puny," Michiru said, "but ninja have always preferred weapons that are easily concealed.  But, all the same, we still use these babies from time to time."  She waved her hand over another table to the left of the one in front of them.  This table was laden with more modern weapons: handguns, assault rifles, grenades, and smoke bombs.

Upon laying his eyes on the arsenal in front of him, Alec smirked in approval and said, "I'd say you've officially been hired."

"It takes a lot to get your attention, huh?"

"But not nearly as much to keep it.  Hand me some of those shuriken, if you don't mind.  No, the plain ones.  If I'm going to work with you, I might as well learn some of your methods."

The next three hours flew by as Alec tried his hand at using different ninja weapons.  He had limited success in throwing shuriken, but was able to impress even Michiru while sparring using wooden swords.  After he had beaten several opponents, she felt like challenging him.  "Not bad, gaijin-san," she taunted, "but your technique is crude.  If you want to face the challenges we deal with and live, you'll need to understand the finer points of the art of kenjutsu."

"Suppose I told you I don't have time for that."

"Then let me show you the hard way."  She caught a sword tossed to her by one of Alec's defeated partners and stepped up to her opponent.  "Go ahead, Alec," she coaxed.  "Strike me with all your might."

Wary of his opponent, Alec did his best to make his move with caution.  In one swift maneuver, he slid to the right and swung his sword with great force, aiming for Michiru's back.  But in the split-second in which Alec drew his sword back to build up momentum for his slice, Michiru sensed his move and spun around to block his attack.  The sword shook in his hands as he grasped what had just happened.  As if she knew what Alec was feeling, Michiru gave an explanation.  "Looks to me like you've got a weakness, Alec.  Your motions when you swing your sword are too big, too clumsy.  Do what I do and use smaller motions, and you'll never get caught off guard.  Now, remember that and come at me again."

When Alec tried again, following Michiru's advice, he had much more success, sparring longer and occasionally landing a hit on her.  I guess there's a lot I could learn from Japan, he thought while dueling.  Note to self: never underestimate a ninja.  Especially if her name is Michiru Murasaki.