Mountains of Fire

"Here you are, Shinazugawa-san."

Sanemi didn't even look up. Instead, he kept staring at the pond, picked up a stone and tossed it into the water. His keen senses had already identified the person standing behind him, even before he had heard the familiar voice.

"Kocho-san. Have you come to yell at me like Gyomei and the others?"

Only a handful of hours had passed since his not so glamorous performance during his first Hashira meeting. Something he still regretted – not that he'd let on to that. Especially since a few of the other Hashira had given him an earful afterwards. Now, he just wanted to be left the hell alone to digest everything. The last thing he needed was one more scolding.

"No."

That answer surprised him, and he looked up at the Flower Hashira. Kanae smiled down at him. Without asking for permission, she sat down next to him onto the grass in one elegant motion.

"I just wanted to talk with you, is all."

"Hmpf."

Sanemi studied her. The smile on her face seemed genuine, and it appeared she meant what she said. Good. Having to listen to the other Hashiras' complaints after his blunder had been annoying enough. Plus… Kanae had something about her that made him want to be nice to her. She generally seemed to be far less annoying than his other new Hashira comrades. So, why the hell not.

"What about?", he relented.

"Oh, nothing in particular. You might get angry, but… I thought that you might want to have someone to talk to. I have a nagging suspicion that you don't have such a person."

Oho. Sanemi lifted an eyebrow, impressed. Someone seemed to be good at reading people. Still, he didn't really feel ready to talk about any of it.

"What the hell is it to you?", he said without anger in his voice and tossed another pebble into the pond. Watched the tiny waved expanding from where it fell into the water.

A small sigh.

"Shinazugawa-san…"

"Sanemi."

"What?"

"Please, call me Sanemi."

Another smile. "Very well. But only if you call me Kanae."

Sanemi threw her a sideways glance. He supposed he could do that. Was only fair, too, as he insisted on her using his first name.

"Fine. Kanae it is."

She nodded, then her expression became serious again.

"You asked what it is to me." She glanced up at the sky. A shadow of sadness settled on her face. The Wind Hashira felt the sudden urge to wipe it away. "I just think that nobody should be alone."

Those words hit Sanemi more than he'd like to admit. For a moment, his mind wandered back to the time when he had hunted demons on his own. The time before Masachika found him and brought him into the fold of the Demon Slayer Corps.

Still, there was no need to burden Kanae with all that.

"I am fine", he grumbled mellowly. "I could always take care of myself."

"Don't you think that sounds rather lonely?"

"I am not lonely."

"Are you sure? Well, if you don't want to talk with me… don't you have surviving family? A brother? Why don't you reconnect with him? I am certain…"

"No way!"

He didn't mean to. The angry shout escaped Sanemi on its own.

"No way in hell am I dragging Genya into this mess! He's gonna stay far away from demons and live a long, happy life! Unlike Shinobu, who you irresponsibly brought with you into the Corps!"

The Wind Hashira regretted those last words instantly. Especially when he saw hurt flash in Kanae's eyes. He stared at his feet.

"I'm sorry…"

"Apology accepted. Although, I will let you know that the decision for Shinobu joining the Corps with me was not an easy one. But it was hers, and as her older sister, I have to respect that. Besides, we both have the wish: To vanquish demons so nobody else will have to suffer through what we did. So who am I to deny her."

Well… that certainly was a wish Sanemi could understand. He too wanted to slay demons – for vengeance, and also to keep Genya safe.

Kanae continued talking, and the white-haired demon slayer let her. He had a feeling that she needed it, and that he was probably about to hear a story that he had heard in similar fashion before.

"Our life was a happy one. Until that one night, where a demon broke into our house and killed our parents, right before our eyes. As you know, it was Himejima-san who saved us at the last moment." Kanae looked up at the sky again, eyes filled with memories. "The decision Shinobu and I made was not an easy one. And we did think it over countless times. Himejima-san even warned us that as girls, we would have a harder time in the Corps than men. But that didn't bother me nor Shinobu. All I can do is to become as strong as I can, to kill demons that might prove too strong for her, and to make sure she has every means possible to defend herself."

"Well… Shinobu has quite the hand with poisons and medicines, doesn't she…"

At that, Kanae gave a small laugh. "Oh, yes, she does. She really is smart when it comes to those. Her aptitude for poisons will be quite the effective weapon against demons. One that will help her survive… Shinobu is not exactly the physically strongest fighter…"

A faint echo of worry rang in her voice. So despite her acceptance of Shinobu's choice, Kanae still was worried for her little sister. Sanemi could understand only too well. For a moment, he wondered that if Genya were to join the Corps, how strong he would be. What skills he would possess. But no… there was no way he was gonna let that happen. The Kocho sisters had chosen their way, but his and Genya's was a different one.

"I get it now why she joined the Corps as well", he admitted. "That was the choice of you two, and I respect that. However, I still would never want Genya to join."

Yes… it was better that little Genya stayed away from dangerous demons, and the big brother he saw as a monster now.

Kanae studied him for a while. "Sanemi… I think there is something more, something that you are not telling me. In fact, I don't know what exactly happened to you, besides your entire family having been killed by a demon except for that one brother of yours. So please, tell me… what exactly happened that night? Maybe… maybe it'll do you some good talking about it."

The Wind Hashira considered that for a long moment. Kanae seemed to really be concerned for him. Well, she was concerned about everyone, the kind heart that she was. But why did it feel to him as if she cared more for him than other people?

He signed, and reached his conclusion.

"Very well… I will tell you. But I warn you. It is not a pretty story, not even for one involving demons."

And so he told her everything about that dreadful day. By the end, her eyes were wide in shock, and she was covering her open mouth with one of her hands.

"Sanemi…", she finally managed to choke out. "I… I had no idea. Your own mother? And you had to kill her? Having your loved ones killed by demons is bad enough… but this has to be so much worse. I… I don't know if I would have been able to bring myself to do what you did, even if it was to protect Shinobu. No wonder there is so much anger and pain in you."

"I guess so…"

More, Sanemi didn't have to say. It still hurt. And he tried his best not to think about that moment. Instead, he did his best to channel his pain into his hatred of demons, focusing his energy to grow stronger and kill them.

"And your brother thinks you are a murderer? Didn't you try to tell him the truth?"

He shrugged. "Better than him having to face the reality of demons and that our own mother was turned into one, killing our siblings."

Kanae was silent for a long while. Then she said quietly: "Deep within that incredibly hard shell, you do harbor a kind heart, don't you."

At those words, Sanemi's cheeks heated up a little. Usually, he gave a rat's ass about what other people thought of him. But for some reason, hearing those words from Kanae filled him with a warm, fuzzy feeling he hadn't felt since he was a child - the last time he ever had been happy.

"J-just don't tell anyone", he mumbled, sheepishly staring at the ground.

The Flower Hashira chuckled. "Do not worry. Your secret is safe with me for as long as you wish. However… I pray that one day, you can open that kind heart so all the world can see it."

Sanemi started at her, at a loss for words. Her heartfelt wish had touched something deep within him, a part of himself that he had thought long since dead and buried.

"Th-thank you, I suppose…", he eventually replied. "I wish you and Shinobu also all the best. May the two of you be able to fight side by side for a long time."

Kanae gave him a warm smile. "My sincerest gratitude, Sanemi. I really appreciate those words. And let's work hard together, as fellow Hashira. For our siblings. For Oyakata-sama. And for a future where nobody will have to ever suffer at the hands of demons again."

She held out a hand. The white-haired demon slayer only hesitated the shortest of moments before he shook it.

"Yes. Let's give it our best."

Afterwards, they kept sitting at the pond in amiable silence for a while longer, enjoying the peace and quiet.

A persistent ache pounds in my head. Wait… headache? Wasn't the afterlife supposed to be a place without pain? Or did I end up in hell after all?

My consciousness surfaces from the blackness, and finally, I manage to open my eyes. Whatever room I'm in is lit, so I can clearly see the unfamiliar wooden ceiling above me. Doesn't look like the afterlife, hell or otherwise. Where am I…? And more importantly – why am I still alive? Didn't Hanzo stab me with a poisoned weapon?

Thinking so much sends a sharp pain through my already throbbing head. I yelp and clutch my forehead.

"Now, now. Take it easy."

At the sound of that voice, I grow stock-still. After a few moments, I turn my head, although with difficulty – and there he is. Kneeling beside my bedstead, light reflected in his amethyst eyes.

Even through the mist of my still dazed mind, I sense a flame of anger and disappointment flickering to life inside me. He betrayed me. That thought alone fills my mouth with a bitter taste. Why the hell is he even here? Is he gloating about the situation or something?

Hanzo reaches next to him, and a cup comes into view. With the other hand, he reaches for me. Weakly, I lift my hand and slap it away – or at least try to. He only stops because he wants to, as my hand feebly bounces off his.

"Don't touch me."

His expression does not change, but… am I imagining things, or is that sadness flashing in his eyes?

"Please drink it", he says, in a pleading tone I have never heard from him. "It will help lessen the severity of the aftereffects. My deepest apologies that the poison was not perfected yet."

So he even admits to have poisoned me. I am not even angry at this… just so severely disappointed.

"Who… guarantees me that whatever concoction that is, it isn't poisoned either?"

He sighs. "Nobody. And believe me, were I not immune to most anything, I would more than love to drink a sip and prove to you that it isn't poisoned. But think about it. Would I want you dead, you would already be dead and we wouldn't have this conversation."

There he goes again with his damnable logic. But I cannot really disagree with it either. If he truly wanted me dead, we indeed wouldn't be having this conversation. He would have left me rotting on that forest floor. And pretending to poison me, then rescue me only to poison me again – even in the fog that's clouding my mind, that just didn't make sense.

Not that this would make me forgive him.

"I can see the questions burning on your tongue", Hanzo says into the silence. "And I shall answer each and every one of them. I also see your anger. But first, please, drink this. It'll make you feel better. Then we can talk."

"…fine."

This time, when he slids his hand beneath my back, I don't resist. He helps me sit up so that I can drink without spilling the liquid all over me. Then, while supporting me with one hand, he reaches for the cup with the other and brings it to my lips.

Instantly, I grimace. I've never had this particular medicine, but whatever it is, it tastes awful. Worse than almost any other medicine I've ever tasted. And as a shinobi, I had done that quite a lot of times.

"My apologies", Hanzo says. "Success on making it taste better has so far eluded me."

That gets a lopsided grin from me. "As long as it's doing its job, I won't complain."

He nods in acknowledgement. "It will take a moment to take full effect, but it should already make you feel a little better."

After I downed the entire cup, he gently lowers me back down. And indeed, the pounding in my head is already growing weaker, and the fog is starting to lift.

For a little while, I close my eyes again. Exhaustion still has me firmly in its grip. When I open them, I see Hanzo watching me intently.

"Is everything alright?"

"Yeah… already feeling a little better, just as you said. I simply am still very exhausted."

"Yes, that was to be expected… the ingredients of the poison do wreak havoc on the body in order to gain the required effect."

"Speaking of which, I think it's time to explain yourself. You owe me some answers."

"Of course." He sighs. "That I had to stab you, I don't expect you to forgive me, but I want you to know that I regret it like I regretted nothing before. And my weapon was indeed poisoned. However, as you may have gathered by the fact that you are still alive, it is not an ordinary poison. It does not kill, but it does lower all bodily functions to such a degree that a person appears to be dead. I wish I would never have had to make such a poison… and least of all to have to use it on you. But after my father summoned me for the first time because of you, I knew I had to make such a poison."

Despite everything, I cannot help but be impressed. It's been what, less than a full week between the two visits to his hometown? And in that short time, he had managed to create such an intricate poison? Leave it to master Hanzo to pull of such a feat.

But more importantly… he did it to save me?

With his observation skills, he must have figured what I was just thinking, because he says: "As much as I loathe that fact, it was the only way I saw to not only save you, but also free you from future pursuit. You have no idea how my father is. He and every shinobi from my village are like hounds. They would have hunted you wherever you fled in Mikawa, perhaps even beyond this province's border. I wish I could have told you… but everything had to look genuine. The shinobi of my clan are not fooled easily."

And returning to my own village was of course no option either. It looks like faking my death was indeed the only way out of this mess. And while I wish he had told me, while I am still angry at him for not doing so and for that feeling of utter betrayal he had instilled in me… I do understand it. Us shinobi are rather perceptive by nature, and I am certain that the shinobi of Hattori village are similarly perceptive as Hanzo.

For a long while, I remain silent, letting all that information settle. Hanzo keeps watching me, as if trying to gage what I was feeling. My face remains unmoved; a feat I actually feel a little proud of. And I also take a little glee from it, since usually, it is Hanzo who leaves me guessing and is all cryptic. He deserves a little taste of his own medicine.

But aside from the anger, another warmth rises within me. A warmth that stems from the knowledge that his betrayal served to save me. Oh, it is going to take a while for the anger to fade, for me to truly forgive him. But his actions have spoken louder than any words. He does care for me. So much so that he even goes against his clan, his father, and fakes my death only to escape their clutches. Which, by the way, could still cost him dearly if they should ever find out that I was still alive. The risk he took is not to be understated. That has got to count for something, right? I suppose there is only one thing I can say right now. Feeling a little stronger, I try and manage to sit up on my own and look him straight in the eyes.

"Thank you."

A rare flash of surprise in those amethyst orbs. His reaction, however, takes me by utter and complete surprise. Because he leans in and embraces me. That is so unexpected, so untypical for him, that I am at a complete loss of words. Seeing him so emotional, so vulnerable… feels surreal.

"I am so sorry", he says in a low voice, almost a murmur. "I am so, so sorry. I wished there had been another way. I couldn't even be completely sure that the poison would work as intended. Oh kami, the thought of losing you…"

There is pain in the voice. Pain that makes it clear that doing what he had done had not been easy at all for him. And what was that last part about losing me?

"M-master Hanzo… what do you mean?"

The silver-haired shinobi end the hug to hold me at arm's length. He gives me a smile, tantalizing as ever, but also tinged with sadness.

"Please do drop the 'master'. I am Hanzo. Just Hanzo. And I think you know exactly what I mean. This little mouse has managed to capture the serpent's heart." A pause. "I love you."

Those three simple words drop with thunderous weight. And my mind refuses for several long moments to even comprehend them. Hanzo? THE Hanzo Hattori, loves someone? And me, of all people? An unimportant, unassuming kunoichi? Even after learning just a short while ago that he cares enough for me to save my life, I hadn't expected that his feelings for me would run that deep.

Once the surprise fades, joy blossoms inside me. My own feelings for him, suppressed until now, bubble to the surface, and I allow them to. Hearing Hanzo's confession tore down all walls, all restrictions. His words were like permission for me to do so. And so, when he leans in, I do not stop him or turn away.

Our lips meet in a kiss.

It's as if all the affection Hanzo had kept locked up is now pouring into this moment. A view beneath the surface of the aloof ninja. His firm, yet at the same time soft lips display a gentleness I have never seen from him before. I close my eyes, wishing that the moment would never end.

But it has to end eventually. When it does, I lift my arms, and he willingly leans into the hug, wrapping his arms around me again. I rest my head in the nape of his neck, drink in his distinct scent of herbs and sandalwood.

"I love you too, Hanzo."

For some reason, speaking those words feels weirdly liberating. It may take a while for me to fully forgive him. But that does not change the truth of my feelings. Feelings that had been suppressed for far too long and now are finally allowed to break free from their cage.

For a while, we stay like that, simply basking in each other's presence. But even when we release each other, and my mind turns to more pressing matters, the magic of the moment is not gone. Instead, it left me with a sense of confidence in the future.

"So, what are we gonna do?", I ask. "I can't simply return to Okazaki like that."

"No indeed." Hanzo smirks at me, a glint of his old mischievousness flashing in his eyes. "I have an idea or two. But before we even bother ourselves with those, the most important thing is that you fully recover."

I can't argue against that. A wave of dizziness reminds me that I am still experiencing the side effects of the poison. No way is my mind clear enough to think about such important matters. I lie back down.

"Rest, he says. "I'm here."

"Thank you."

I smile at him and close my eyes. Slowly, I drift off into slumber. Comforted by the knowledge that Hanzo is watching over me.

Four days passed since I had prepared Lord Honda's medicine. It had worked splendidly, and now the middle-aged samurai is back in good health. The symptoms had stemmed from several, age-related ailments, but I had managed to put together a fitting medicine to help him. And all without any assistance from Hanzo.

By now, the trust between me and the silver-haired shinobi has reached a new point. The number of medicine I prepare without any sort of supervision or aid increases steadily. Which speaks volumes. He does not have the slightest reason to trust me so much, yet he does. It's a trust I am determined to never betray.

During that time, life at Okazaki castle continues as usual. Only once was I summoned to Lord Ieyasu, but only to be thanked for curing Lord Honda. I suppose he is super grumpy and unfriendly, but he is not unfair. Aside from that, it's the same daily routine of mixing medicines and training with Hanzo.

On the second day, I find myself watching Hanzo train on his own. Sometimes I do that, because even though I am not training myself, I can still learn things when observing him. As ever, I am mesmerized by the speed and elegance with which he moves. He's a blur of silver and steel. Only my own training allows me to somewhat keep up with him. Sometimes, I even just like watching him train by himself. It is on one such occasion, me sitting and observing this silver whirlwind, that thoughts of an entirely different kind suddenly surface from the depths of my mind.

Thoughts about the two of us being close… in a very certain way.

It's a good thing that Hanzo is focused on his training, because my cheeks feel suddenly searing hot. He absolutely would have caught on and teased me to no end. Damn it, damn it, damn it. Did I really develop that kind of feelings for him? My thoughts are one jumbled mess – something that never happened to me before. A shinobi simply couldn't afford getting this distracted.

Yet my heart cannot deny its feelings. Hanzo is an attractive man, that's for sure, with his long silvery hair, amethyst eyes and alluring smile. There is also something about his personality that is equally captivating and mysterious.

I sigh. As if my situation wasn't complicated enough. I will have to sort this out on my own, when I'm alone in my room. Besides, who ways that he is feeling the same way about me? And it's not like I have any experience when it comes to this sort of things. A kunoichi does have other priorities. The marriages I witnessed in my village had been more practical than out of genuine love.

That last thought makes me sad. As I watch Hanzo, I think of how he will be forced by his father to marry a strong kunoichi, stronger than I am, so that the Hattori will have a strong heir. But in my opinion, Hanzo deserves better. A woman who actually cares for him, loves him, not one who marries him only because she has to. He deserves someone who sees him for who he is and not just as the next head of the Hattori clan.

In that moment, the silver-haired shinobi looks my way. The sadness must have shown on my face, because he abruptly stops his exercises.

"Is something wrong?"

Slightly embarrassed that I got caught like this, I whip up a smile. "Ah no, don't worry. Just some silly musings of a silly girl."

He eyes me for a long moment, and while his expression is unreadable, I know that he doesn't buy it. But to my endless relief, he doesn't press the matter and simply shrugs.

"Very well. I think a mouse has a right to her secrets."

"Hey!"

Hanzo grins and resumes his exercises. Despite my protest, I cannot help but smile to myself. That nickname has become something special between us. It's not even offensive, because he never says it with any malice, but with a certain fondness and tenderness instead.

That smile fades all too soon, however. The thought of Hanzo marrying a woman who doesn't love him, one he doesn't love either, makes me so incredibly sad, and almost angry. It just feels so… unfair.

The matter keeps bothering me more and for longer than I'd like to admit. Three more days pass where I am mulling over it. Until one week after Lord Honda's recovery, when my peaceful days at Okazaki castle are interrupted, and any thoughts about mine or Hanzo's marital life are chased from my mind.

Once again, Hanzo has to leave the castle. When he tells me, he sounds normal enough. As if there was nothing to be alarmed about. And yet… I don't know what it is, but something makes my neck prickle. It's not a proper bad feeling that I'm having. But my instinct tells me that something is still off. And while my instinct may not be as inhumanly keen as Hanzo's, I was always able to trust it. Hanzo doesn't tell me where he's going, and I don't ask. We both know that I'm aware it's a shinobi matter, and I don't want to get involved in his village's affairs. Besides, as I've come to learn, if Hanzo doesn't want to divulge an information, it is impossible to get it out of him. This time, however… as I watch him walk out of the room, I resolve to ask him once he's back. This time, I am going to match his stubbornness and have him spill the beans. Because something is telling me that it is important.

For the next two days, I keep fighting against my worries. I just can't help it, even if Hanzo is probably the most skilled shinobi I know. Luckily, due to his absence, I have more than enough work to throw myself into. Even if nobody is seriously sick at the moment, there are still enough people with minor maladies which plague them, as well as medicinal stocks needing frequent restocking.

By the evening of the second day, Hanzo hasn't returned. When I go to bed, my heart is heavy with worry. It's only thanks to the techniques to calm the mind which I have learned during my shinobi training that I don't lay away for hours. Who knows… maybe Hanzo will have returned come morning. And with that hopeful thought, I drift off into slumber.

Until a voice urgently whispering my name tears me out of my sleep.

My eyes fly open. After a second of disorientation, I realise that it's still dark. Must still be the middle of the night. After another second, I notice the figure crouching next to me.

It's master Hanzo.

"Up with you, little mouse. We need to get you out of here."

His voice is calm, measured, but it also carries urgency. And if Hanzo deems something urgent, it really IS urgent.

Without a word, I get up. I don't need to change; as a shinobi, I learned to sleep in clothes in which I can escape in an instance. Like now. All I grab is my gear and the bag with my few belongings, which I sling across my back.

Moments later, we dash through the nightly castle, not paying any mind to the occasional guard we come across, nor their perplexed expressions.

We leave through a lesser known, small side entrance. Only when we are outside the castle walls and are running through the forest do I finally ask.

"What happened?"

"My father happened."

"What?!"

Ice water runs down my spine. Even among the already harsh ninja of Iga Hanzo's father has a particular reputation of cruelty. Hanzo mentioning him now does not bode well.

"Remember when I had to leave you to make the medicine for Lord Honda on your own?", he asks me without slowing down even a little. "I was summoned by my father, actually. He had heard of a Koga ninja in Okazaki. Of course he's been aware of your presence – he has eyes and ears everywhere. But he did not know the particulars. So he tasked me to find that elusive Koga shinobi – then interrogate and kill them."

Another chill down my spine. And I realise that Hanzo must have kept quiet, even though I had already been living in the castle at that time. Gratitude swells in my heart.

"Now he has found out where you are", continues. "Even despite my measures, he learned that you were in Okazaki castle. Now he wants your head."

I can't hold back a curse. "Damn it. It just had to be too good to be true, a quiet, peaceful life in Okazaki."

"Yes, life can be a cruel mistress, giving good things then snatching them away again on a whim."

"What do we do now? I can hardly stay at Okazaki castle, can I?"

"Certainly not, no."

I glance over at him. His gaze is fixed on the path ahead as the trees rush past us.

"Thank you."

He glances over at me, faint, rare surprise flashing in his eyes. "What?"

"Thank you for not telling on me. I cannot imagine how hard it must be, going against your father."

He does not reply except with one of his smiles that reveal nothing. Right. We better concentrate on escaping. I wonder what plan he's come up with.

We reach a clearing. The waning moon does provide at least a little light. Enough to notice the figures appearing all around us, causing Hanzo and I to skid to a halt.

My heart starts pounding even more. Darnation. They caught up to us and have us surrounded. I let my eyes scan the night in an attempt to gage how many there are. Something between ten and twenty? Could the two of us take that many? And… what might that open hostility mean for Hanzo's future in his clan? The last thing I want is him being sentenced to death for my sake.

The shinobi surrounding us inch closer. I draw my kunai, ready to fight tooth and nail for my life. Hanzo is standing stock-still, eyeing our opponents.

One of them approaches him while the rest stop.

"Great job, master Hanzo. Now, kindly finish it, or shall we do it for you?"

Wait, what? What does he mean…?

Before I can even finish formulating the thought in my mind, a searing pain explodes in my abdomen. When I lower my gaze, I see the long harigata shuriken sticking out of my abdomen.

I lift my gaze to stare into Hanzo's eyes – who is standing right in front of me, hand still around the harigata shuriken. Already, a tingling spreads from where he stabbed me, followed by numbness. By the kami… he sure concocted one fast acting poison. The stab wound on its own would be easily survivable. Hanzo's poison is a whole different story.

"W-why… master Hanzo…?"

A warm liquid trickles from the corner of my mouth, which his suddenly filled with a metallic taste. Blood. And while my body goes numb, I feel a new pain – one that is not of physical origin. His betrayal hurts more than I could have imagined. As I search his eyes for an answer to why he obeyed his father's orders, I chide myself for my naivitée.

Hanzo does not reply. He regards me silently for a few long moments before finally pulling out the long, needle-like weapon. I stagger backwards a few steps, gasping at the sharp pain that not even the poison's numbness could completely suppress. In a fool's errand, I try to turn around and run away – run away from Hanzo? Really? After being poisoned? But I don't get to running anyways. Instead, my legs finally give out beneath mid-turn, and I crash to the ground. I try to get back up, but by now, my arms have grown so weak that I can't even push my upper body off the ground.

The first thing I do in my new quarters is examining everything closely. Something vital which every shinobi learns. Familiarity with one's surroundings can be a deciding factor between life and death. I am only interrupted when a servant brings me the promised dinner. If the woman is curious about me, she does not let on. That tells me how seasoned and experienced she is. My stomach suddenly makes itself noticed, and no sooner is the door shut again, that I dig in. For a long while, I do lay awake in these unfamiliar walls, my thought still swirling with the day's events. Eventually, I use every technique I learned to calm myself down and finally sleep. I do need my energy and wits about me come morning, after all.

The next day, Hanzo introduces me to his lord. Tokugawa Ieyasu, the man they call the Archer of Tokai and one of the most powerful warlords in the land. Dark blonde hair frames his face. While he listens to Hanzo, he regards me with a look that is a mixture of disdain and boredom.

"You didn't deign it necessary to inform me yesterday, when you met her?", he asked after Hanzo finished. "Whoever gave you the permission to just bring new people into the castle?"

"Rest assured, if she had posed any threat to you, I would have disposed of her myself. Not that I think an aspiring apothecary could pose any threat."

"Have you of all people forgotten poisons?"

"No, Lord Iyeasu. Fear not, I am not going to let her near any food or drink meant for you. Not until she proved her loyalty."

"Bah. You slippery serpent will always do as you please anyways. Very well. She may stay. Just make sure she doesn't cause any trouble, or it'll cost you."

With a smile that borders a grin, Hanzo bows. "My lord is too gracious."

"Tch. Whatever. Just leave my sight or I'll get a headache."

Hastily, I say: "I cannot express my gratitude for your generosity and hospitality, Lord Tokugawa. Or that of master Masanari. I shall not disappoint either of you."

"Yes, yes. Now go."

After a final, low bow, we leave the room. Still somewhat surprised at how easy it had been to get Lord Toguawa's approval, I turn to Hanzo. And am surprised again to see his broad grin.

"What… how are you grinning? That was scary! He could have had our heads!"

Hanzo now laughs outright. "Not to worry! The little tanuki always is more bark than bite. He's threatened me countless times since I entered his service, but he has never laid a single finger on me. Despite his words, he does know who is valuable to him and who is not. I am sure, he sees you as some sort of backup should I get injured or die. He does, after all, need some particular medicines."

"Oh…"

"And also, if I do say so myself, I can be rather persuasive if I have to."

"I guess you can be, yeah…"

Hanzo has indeed praised me to the heavens, overselling my skills by a multitude. I wished he had not done that, because now I have to live up to them. Well, all the more reason to learn from him as fast as possible. At least Ieyasu has accepted me into his castle, which had been the trickiest part.

"Very well", the silver-haired shinobi at my side says in a cheerful tone. "Now that the tedious formalities are done with, let us put you to work, yes?"

And he wastes no time on that. The moment we return to his chambers, he gives me a couple of medicines to prepare that have been requested by some of the retainers. Luckily for me, they all are fairly easy to make, as the respective ailments aren't severe. So by the time I'm done, I didn't even have to ask Hanzo for advice even once. And after he inspected them, he nods approvingly.

"Well done. Clearly, the start has been too easy for you. I got to think of more challenging tasks tasks to keep you on your toes."

I simply nod in response. For my part, I'm just glad that things started off this well and easy.

True to his words, the next day he gradually tasks me with increasingly complex medicines and ointments. We both make easy ones as well; they are still needed too, after all. I do struggle with the more difficult ones once or twice, but in the end, I do manage to pull them off successfully.

"Huh." When examining the results, Hanzo looks at me with a bemused smile. "It appears things are still too easy for you. However may I teach you something if you know so much already?"

"Oh, not at all. I was actually struggling a bit today. You might get to teach me something sooner than you might think."

Still, I am quite happy about the compliment. It's coming from THE Hattori Hanzo, after all.

"Very well. Luckily, the perfect order has come in today. We shall have a go at it tomorrow. I'm curious how you'll fare."

While I am glad that everything went so well until now, I am also looking forward to finally learn something. That is the front we've put up, after all. Regardless of that, whatever I am going to learn from him is going to be real. And when we had discussed it two days ago, it had seemed to me as if Hanzo had been looking forward to teaching me as well.

He didn't promise too much.

The next morning, we meet in Hanzo's room. He explains to me that one of the retainers had come down with a mysterious sickness. The castle's physicers had tried everything. To no avail. Now Lord Ieyasu has instructed us to find a cure.

At the symptoms the silver-haired shinobi lists, the first thing that comes to my mind is Consumption. A bloody cough is usually a dead giveaway. The doctors had come to the same conclusion and commenced an according treatment. Only that it didn't show any signs of working. Which suggests that it is not Consumption.

"That is kinda tricky", I murmur after hearing this. My mind is already working on finding a solution. "Well, we gotta treat those symptoms before they get worse. Buy some time to find out what's going on."

"Indeed. And how would you go about it?"

I list some medicines to use for the various symptoms. Hanzo, however, shakes his head.

"The things you mentioned would work in other cases. I am afraid we're going to need something stronger here."

And the teaching begins. Together, we brew some medicines. The ingredients are all familiar to me. But I hadn't known they could be used in the way Hanzo uses them. Turns out, some plants seem to have even more properties than I'd known. And I have to admit it… I am enjoying sharing in Hanzo's knowledge quite a lot. And he is highly knowledgeable, though that shouldn't come as a surprise.

Before noon, we deliver the medicine to the retainer's room.

In the afternoon, we mix a few more complicated tinctures, where again I learn a lot. The rest is more of the easier medicines. I suppose it's a good thing, cause it means that Lord Ieyasu's court is fairly healthy.

And so the days pass before I know it. On some, I learn more, on others less. But I don't care. A few days after we made the medicine for the mystery illness, we learned that the symptoms had indeed gotten better. Though the doctors were still trying to figure out what was wrong with the retainer.

Of course, there is also the shinobi side of my education. Hanzo teaches me various poisons I hadn't know before, as well as their corresponding antidotes. And not only ones that kill, but concoctions that let one fall asleep, cause nausea and vomiting, and even ones that force people to… frequent the privy a whole lot. Things that hadn't been deemed worthy enough back in my village.

Even so… I marvel at how expansive his knowledge truly is. More than I'd expected.

It is during that time that I also learn that the rumors about Hanzo are true – he is immune to all kinds of poisons, and, unfortunately, medicines as well. I'd always dismissed them as nonsense. One day, when we happened to talk about that topic, he actually downs a vial of poison to prove it, giving me a heart attack in the process. But low and behold, he is still fine. Not even the hint of a symptom. That leaves me even more impressed than I already was.

He's no slouch in physical combat either. We sometimes retreat to a secret training spot in the forest, to train and to spar. Seeing Hanzo move invokes again the image of a serpent. He is fast, and stronger than his physique would suggest. I bet that it's a huge advantage for him. How many opponents have already underestimated him and paid the price for that?

It's to my benefit as well. Gradually, I notice that I get stronger bit by bit. Of course, it will take years of grueling, non-stop training to get to Hanzo's level. But I don't care. I am getting stronger, and that's all that counts.

Long story short, I am very busy, each day filled with tasks to do. Which is why it doesn't matter that we decided for me to remain within the castles wall for a few months so nobody would recognize me. Our training sessions exempt, of course. But I wouldn't have gotten any chances of going into the city anyways, because there's always something to do. If I'm not making medicine, I train, or read Hanzo's books, which contain lots of valuable information.

All the while, I am getting settled quite well in the castle. I get to know Lord Ieyasu's quirks. Learn about the kernel of gold beneath his insufferable rough shell. I become well acquainted with the retainers and other people living in Okazaki castle. The more I get to know them, the more I start to care about them, and so I put even more effort into seeing the sick being cured. Hells, I even get used to Haku, who turns out is beneath his scaly exterior quite a sweet critter. I soon lose the uneasiness, almost fear around him that I usually have around snakes due to their often poisonous nature. Instead, I sometimes give him head or chin scratches, which he oddly enough seems to enjoy in quite a cat- or doglike fashion.

One evening, I am alone in my room, pouring over a book, a sudden thought crosses my mind. Or a realization, rather. The realization… that Okazaki is slowly turning into the home that the shinobi village in which I was born and raised never truly felt like.

To be honest, I wasn't sure of how permanent the current arrangement was gonna be. Now, I don't know if I even want to leave this place ever again. What I want to do is to help and protect the people living here. It doesn't matter if nobody else ever learns that I am a shinobi. As long as I can watch over them from the shadows, I'll be content.

From that day on, I put even more effort into my training than before. So much so, that even Hanzo comments on it.

"Someone's on fire", he says during one of our training sessions. "What, pray tell, caused this increase in your zeal?"

I smile at him. "I'm home."

And at that, I leave it. Let Hanzo puzzle over that answer. Serves him right, as he's throwing around plenty of cryptic words himself.

Speaking of Hanzo…

There is still a lingering wariness within me, because I am still not convinced that he has no ulterior motive. He's also a terrible tease, making it hard sometimes to tell if he's being serious or not. On multiple occasions, it still feels like he's a serpent and I am a mouse he's playing with before devouring it. However, time passes without anything happening. And a cautious trust begins to settle in. For all his teasing and cryptic words, Hanzo doesn't seem to harbor any ill will.

Then, one day, something changed.

I'm preparing some medicine in Hanzo's room, when the man himself enters, returning from some errands. He kneels down opposite of me.

"Listen, I need you to prepare a medicine as soon as you can." The silver-haired shinobi/apothecary hands me a folded piece of paper. "Here's a list of the symptoms. Not even the court doctors are sure what it could be."

"Sure. I can do that. Who is it for?"

"Honda-dono."

"What?!"

For a moment, I think my ears are deceiving me. Lord Honda Tadakatsu is one of Lord Ieyasu's closest and most high-ranking retainers. Valuable to the Tokugawa as a whole, even. And usually, Hanzo is always with me when someone so highly ranked needs medicine. Four eyes see more than two, and so on. Secondly, although that's only a guess on my part… it's to make sure I don't poison anyone.

"A-are you sure?", I stammer after catching myself. "Don't you want us to make it together, as usual?"

"I wish we could. Alas, I have some business of the… clandestine sort that I need to tend to. Something that cannot be delayed. But neither can this medicine. I'm sure you'll have it done by this afternoon."

"Wait, you're going away?"

"Yes. I'll be back by night, but Honda-dono needs the medicine sooner than later."

Now that I think about it, he's right. Lord Honda hasn't been looking too well the past few days. Sounds like whatever ails him has gotten worse.

"Very well, you can leave it to me."

"Fantastic! Under your capable hands, Lord Honda shall be back to health in no time."

With a dazzling smile and a graceful movement, he stands and leaves. Just like that.

Flabbergasted, I stare at the door trough which he vanished. My mind still tries to comprehend what just had happened. However, the paper in my hand is proof that it's real. Hanzo Hattori entrusted me to handle medicine for one of Lord Ieyasu's most high-ranked retainers.

That gesture tells me of how much he trusts me more than any words could ever have.

Upon this realization, a warm feeling flows through me. He has no reason to, yet he trusts me so much. I had no idea. It certainly leaves me puzzled as to what this man might see in me.

Black smoke rose over the treetops and billowed into the blue sky. The sight made a cold shiver run down Shingen's spine.

"Hurry!", he yelled at Yukimura and spurred on his horse even more.

Too late. They were too late. Why hadn't that bastard Nobunaga listened to him?! Shingen cursed the fact that their armies were divided into separate camps.

'Nobunaga! You fool!'

Shingen would probably still be sitting in his tent if one of his men on patrol hadn't spotted the smoke and alarmed him. And the young Takeda had immediately known what it meant.

Oda had actually gone ahead and done it.

As soon as the guardsman had reported the smoke, Shingen had yelled for a horse, with Yukimura doing the same seconds later. He had to try and talk sense into the black-haired warlord, to at least save what could he saved. He owed it to the people inside the temple – even though in his heart he already knew he would be too late.

'Oh, kami… with what monster have I allied myself?

And then he saw it. Smoke rising above the trees ahead. The sight pained Shingen as if someone had stabbed him right in the heart.

He and Yukimura raced through the small piece of forest that divided them from the temple. They were still beneath the trees when they could already see the red glow and hear the roar of the fire.

It was a temple which stood there, who housed many people who had fled from the war. Two days ago, a man whom Oda Nobunaga had pursued, one of his enemies, had sought shelter here. The warlord had threatened to kill everyone if they didn't hand him over. Shingen had tried to talk him out of it – apparently, Nobunaga's patience had lasted a mere day.

They rode out of the forest and were greeted by a wall of heat. In front of them, a horrible spectacle was in full swing. Flames were devouring everything that still stood of the temple, flickering and dancing as if they were reaching for the sky. The buildings of the formerly beautiful temple were nothing more than black, charred shapes in the red brightness. And most sickeningly of all… there could still screams be heard from the inferno.

Shingen felt as if he was having a bad dream. Refused to accept that what he saw was real. For the first time in ages, he felt nausea. I took him almost an eternity to get himself back together. When he did, he looked around almost frantically, looking for the one responsible. Luckily, it didn't take long.

Not far from them, a group of men, a few on horseback, many more without, stood and watched the gruesome sight. And here, among them, the warlord sat on a black horse, matching his hair, staring into the crackling fire. Immediately, the Tiger of Kai turned his horse and galloped towards him.

"NOBUNAGA!", he roared over the noise of the flames.

Oda had his eyes on the fire, not a flicker of emotion on his face. Yet he must have heard him, because he turned towards Shingen.

As soon as the leader of the Takeda had reached his ally, he yelled: "Nobunaga! What have you DONE?!"

The man bearing the nickname "Devil King of the 6th Heaven" started at Shingen, as expressionless as ever. After a long moment of silence, he replied: "They still wouldn't surrender my enemy who had hidden in their midst."

"But there were innocent refugees, people who haven't had anything to do with the war and had simply sought shelter. Please tell me you spared them…"

Shingen trailed off. One look into Nobunaga's unmoving face told him everything he needed to know. The hard gleam in the black-haired warlord's eyes seemed to turn even harder. The Tiger of Kai stared at his ally. All the proof he needed was that there was no civilian anywhere.

"No… you didn't…"

"I did what I had to do", Oda replied shortly.

That was too much for Shingen. It took a lot to make him really angry, but now he exploded with rage.

"ALL BUT ONE OF THEM WERE INNOCENT!", he roared, easily surpassing the fire's sound and causing Nobunaga's men to reach for their swords. He didn't care. "THEY WERE PEOPLE WHO SOUGHT PROTECTON! AND YOU, WHO SHOULD HAVE PROTECTED THEM, SLAUGHTERED THEM INSTEAD!"

Nobunaga narrowed his eyes, dangerous anger flashing in them.

" I don't have to justify myself to you", he coldly stated. "I did what I had to do, and that is all. They all turned traitors the moment they let him in. And it ought to be time you finally accepted we will never see eye to eye when it comes to how one treats his subordinates."

"Youuuu…"

The word came out as a low growl, as Shingen shook with suppressed rage.

So this was the real Oda Nobunaga. Truly a Devil King. In the beginning, Shingen had believed in Nobunaga's vision of a united and peaceful Japan. But the more time had passed, the more had the Tiger of Kai become witness of the other warlord's increasingly needless cruelty in going about that goal.

And this… the burning of this temple was worse than anything Nobunaga had ever done before. This had gone way too far for Shingen. As a warrior, he had seen many things, but never anything of the kind. And such a man was to become the unifier of Japan? Shingen didn't need any vision into the future to know that it would be a reign of fear.

And there was no guarantee that Oda's allies, Tokugawa Ieyasu and Toyotomi Hideyoshi wouldn't walk a similar path should one of them be the one to assume power. Nobunaga, Tokugawa, Toyotomi… if they all were the same kind of ruler, then one of them ruling over Japan was not a fate he wanted his loyal subjects in Kai to suffer. In that moment, the young Takeda wished nothing more than to slay Oda then and there Unfortunately, his skills with the sword were at least on par with Shingen's own, so he wouldn't go down easily. Then there were Nobunaga's retainers who'd kill him and Yukimura as surely as the sun rises in the East.

Yukimura, whom Shingen had forgotten completely for a moment in his anger, guided his horse next to his.

"My Lord…"

The head of the Takeda looked over at his friend. Yukimura's face bore sadness and anguish, exactly what Shingen was feeling. But the young lad's gentle reminder managed to make Shingen calm down again.

He returned his gaze to Nobunaga and stared into his red eyes unwaveringly. Here was no sigh of remorse or regret. Oda truly believed what he had said.

No. Shingen could possibly ally himself with such a man any longer. A man who was the complete opposite of his own principles.

"So this is it", the Tiger of Kai said, straightening to his full, imposing height. "This is where we part ways, then. Oda, after this, I cannot fight at your side anymore."

"You don't dream of peace any unity anymore, Shingen?"

"I do. But your way of doing it is completely wrong."

"Peace and prosperity have their price."

"Listen to yourself!" Shingen gestured at the fire. "You can't even tell necessary sacrifices from needless bloodbath anymore! I'm sorry, Nobunaga… but from this day on, the Takeda and the Oda are enemies."

The Demon King of the 6th Heaven regarded him with eyes harder than steel. After a while, he gave a nod.

"Very well. So be it. To honor the time we've fought together and your service to me, I'll let you go his once. Take your men and return to Kai. But remember – very soon I'll come for you. And then, I will take Kai for myself."

"Tch. Just try and get it", Shingen retorted, then pulled his horse around and galloped away, back to his camp, Yukimura closely behind him.

"Was that wise, making an enemy of Nobunaga?", the young warrior asked as they raced through the forest. "He is not for nothing one of the mightiest warlords in Japan. We won't have near enough men."

"Numbers aren't the only thing deciding a battle", Shingen replied. "And Yukimura… you’ve seen what he has done. To what lengths he is willing to go for power. Would you really want to fight at the side of such a man?"

Sanada lowered his head. "No… you're right. I just hope it won't cost us dearly."

Shingen replied nothing. He too was afraid that the price for breaking with Nobunaga was going to be extraordinarily steep. Still, he didn't regret his choice, nor would he want to go back on it.

His heart only wept for he many innocent people who had burned in the inferno.

A gentle wind streaked across the land. Löwemon inhaled deeply, then opened his eyes.

He stood atop a very high hill and let his gaze wander across the Continent of Darkness, the area of the Digital World he watched over. A lush forest stretched far in every direction. To the west, he could see the glitter of water, where the sunlight hit the ocean. At the moment, everything was quiet and peaceful.

But that could change instantly.

With a worried frown, Löwemon stared at the horizon. Something was brewing. He could feel it. Something dark was stirring, but not of the same darkness as him. No. Whatever it was – it was evil.

'How are the three great angels?', the Warrior of Darkness wondered. There were rumors that there had been a fight between them. If it were true, it would be catastrophic news. For, after Lucemon and the ten Legendary Warriors disappeared and left behind the Spirits, the three angels Seraphimon, Ophanimon and Cherubimon were the strongest beings in the Digiworld. If even only one of them strayed from the path of righteousness… Löwemon shuddered at the mere thought of what might happen then.

It was also why he was worried about some of his friends, the other Legendary Warriors. While he had talked with Kazemon just yesterday and with Ranamon four days ago, it was several weeks since he had last received a message from Agunimon, Lobomon or Beetlemon.

Suddenly, his thoughts were interrupted. A dark, vile energy flared to life – close. Too close.

"What the…"

That was when a Biyomon crashed to the ground in front of the Warrior of Darkness.

"Hey, you alright?!"

Protector that he was, Löwemon instantly knelt and took the bird Digimon in his arms. He was horrified to see how injured the poor thing was.

"What in the name of the Ten Legendary Warriors happened to you?! Who did this?!"

"I'm… sorry… Lord Löwemon…", the Biyomon said weakly. "I tried to… escape… instead… I led him to you…"

"Who?! Who have you lead here?!"

"Please… he's already here… you have to run…", the pink Digimon said instead. "Lords… Agunimon and Lobomon… are already…"

The Biyomon wasn't allowed to finish the sentence. In a flare of sparks, it turned back into an egg and flew off towards the Village of Beginning.

Löwemon stared after it. In his shock, it took him a few moments until he understood. Probably also because he just didn't want to believe what Biyomon had said. However, the words it couldn't say anymore rang loud and clearly in the air as if spoken aloud.

"Agunimon and Lobomon are… dead? N-no way…"

"Ah, you better believe it, my dear Löwemon", a deep, menacing voice said behind him, accompanied by the same evil energy he had felt before. "They are dead, reverted back to their Spirit form and hidden away so nobody can find them."

Löwemon whirled around. His eyes widened in disbelief. There was no way this could be…

"Lord Cherubimon? Is that you?"

"Yes, it is me", the shadowy figure in that mass of evil energy replied.

Löwemon barely recognized the usually benevolent Cherubimon. Because from that benevolence and good nature was absolutely nothing left.

"By the Legendary Warriors… what has happened to you?"

The angel Digimon didn't answer. For a few moments, Löwemon remained silent, staring at it. Had to digest what he had heard. His mind had great trouble processing what was going on. He just didn't want to believe that all those rumors about the usually so gentle, kind angel Digimon were actually true.

But slowly, agonizingly, it dawned on him what must have happened. When he did, anger began to rise in him, like a searing hot flame eating away at his stomach. The Warrior of Darkness wasn’t usually one to get enraged quickly. But this wasn't about him. This was about his friends, and who knew how many other innocent Digimon that had already suffered. It would also explain why he hadn't heard from some of the other Legendary Warriors in a while.

"So it is true", he growled, summoning his spear to his right hand. "You have turned against Seraphimon and Ophanimon and gone to the evil side." He pointed his spear at the fallen angel. "You killed Agunimon and Lobomon! How… how dare you! And what have you done to Kazemon, Beetlemon and the other Legendary Warriors?!"

"Kukuku." Malicious glee echoed in Cherubimon's once so familiar and soft, now distorted voice. "You are perceptive as ever, Löwemon. You are wrong, however. It was Ophanimon and Seraphimon who turned on me."

"What?! No way!", the Warrior of Darkness yelled at him, unwilling to accept those words. "Lady Ophanimon and Lord Seraphimon would never do that!"

"I am speaking the truth. But that does not matter right now. However, you are right in that it was me who killed Agunimon and Lobomon. The others are being dealt with one after another. Besides… some of your comrades were willing to join my just cause, and they are already doing a great job. Be honored that I came to invite you to join me personally. Join me, Löwemon, in this just revenge."

That was to much for the black warrior. "HONORED?! JUST?!", he roared, being entirely the lion after whom he was named. "Where is justice in killing Legendary Warriors and other Digimon who have never done you the slightest wrong?! I don't feel justice in you, only evil!" He paused, panting. Calmer, he continued: "Whatever happened to you, Lord Cherubimon?! I refuse to believe someone as kind and gentle as you would willingly give himself into evil. Please tell me, I could help you."

"You are quite arrogant, Löwemon. Don't ever presume you know me. All I want is that you join your power to mine."

There was something… odd about those words. The Warrior of Darkness couldn't put a finger on it. And he hesitated only briefly. All he saw was that Cherubimon couldn't be reasoned with.

"It pains me", he said, "but in this case, I have to stop you. I hope you can forgive me in the next life. EWIG SCHLAF!"

Concentrating his energy into his spear, Löwemon shot a devastating ray at Cherubimon. However, to his horror, the fallen angel brushed it aside with one massive hand.

"Ha ha ha ha! You'll have to do better than this, Löwemon, if you want to stop me."

"ENDLICH METEOR!"

"Pah! LIGHTNING SPEAR!"

The two attacks collided in midair. It was the prelude a brutal battle that ensued. Löwemon tried attack after attack. But nothing worked, neither special nor physical attacks.

With a mighty backflip, Löwemon brought some distance between them. He was panting. All the energy he used up, and not a single scratch on Cherubimon.

"What's the matter?", the corrupted Digimon taunted. "Already tired, dear Löwemon? Why don't you do yourself a favor and give up?"

"As if I'd let you kill me that easily!"

"Now now, who did say I was going to kill you?" Cherubimon's glowing eyes and face contorted in uncontained glee. "I have so much bigger plans for you! You, the Warrior of Darkness, heir of AncientSphinxmon, will be my perfect servant."

Those words rekindled Löwemon's anger.

"Darkness and evil are not the same!" He knew that he had grown too weak to resist much longer. So he grabbed for the only option left to him.

"Löwemon, Slide Evolution! KAISERLEOMON!"

As he unleashed his Beast Spirit, Löwemon felt new power flood through him. Using the strength of the four legs he now possessed, KaiserLeomon did a mighty leap into the air.

"Ah, you fool seem not to be as smart as I first thought. At least, Agunimon and Lobomon were wise enough to hide their Beast Spirits."

The warrior of Darkness did not reply to this new taunt. Instead, he focused on winning this battle, gathered energy again which he unleashed in a mighty attack.

"SCHWARZER DONNER!"

A blast of energy shot from KaiserLeomon's mouth. Cherubimon blocked it, but to the black lion's satisfaction, it coaxed an "umpf!" from him.

'Yes! I can do this! I just have to keep at it!'

Releasing all the power in his body, he cloaked himself in energy. This was going to be the most powerful he had ever executed this attack. Then he charged the fallen angel.

"SCHWARZER KÖNIG!"

At great speed, he flew at Cherubimon. Saw himself already pierce and defeat the former member of the three great angels. He was almost there. Only a little more, and this battle was going to be over.

A large hand, moving faster than KaiserLeomon could have ever imagined, grabbed him. Plucked him right out of the air as if he were a toy.

"AAAARGH!"

Somewhere through the pain from Cherubimon's energy blast straight out of the huge Digimon's palm, disbelief and denial pierced KaiserLeomon's mind. When the pain faded, his body went limp. His muscles didn't obey him anymore.

"I-Impossible…", he groaned, hanging in Cherubimon's hand. "Where… where did all this power come from? You… you were strong before… but this…"

"Gnihihi. Surprised? I simply shook off all the shackles that held me back. And I would like for you to do the same. You will see how strong you can really be."

A dark aura appeared around Cherubimon's other hand. KaiserLeomon, being the Warrior of Darkness, immediately knew what it meant. His eyes widened, and a dread like he had never felt before grabbed his heart.

"No… you wouldn't do that… No. NOOOO!"

The black lion squirmed, tried to free himself with all his might. But Cherubimon's hand didn't budge.

Then the dark energy enveloped him. KaiserLeomon screamed. Never before experienced pain ripped through him as his essence dissolved, split, reshaped He was still himself, but he was being forced into a new form. His conscious saw the two horrid new spirits into which he had been transformed. They were filled with the same hatred that that he could sense in Cherubimon.

He even started to lose control over his mind. The last thing he knew was that he sank into darkness. However, this one was different than his own. Evil.

That was when for a split second, the distorted form of the angel Digimon vanished. Instead, Löwemon saw Cherubimon's true form – and it was bound by tendrils of black energy. Their eyes met, and the Warrior of Darkness could see the tears in Cherubimon's eyes. So it had not just been his imagination… the evil he sensed in the fallen angel was not its own. Some outside force had corrupted him.

"L-Lord Cherubimon… what… what happened to you?"

Then everything turned black. And Löwemon was trapped in this hostile place. Suspended in black nothingness.

Without hope of ever being freed. The thing Cherubimon had turned into would never allow it. And in a fit of cruelty, the fallen angel let him sense what was happening. Saw the poor human boy falling into Cherubimon's clutches, being taken over by the new malevolent thing his Spirits had become. Saw the horrid deeds the poor soul was forced to perform. Forced to do them by a mighty Digimon possessed by some vile outside force itself. And his heart bled to see his element becoming so twisted and corrupted. Darkness had never been evil in itself. Instead, it could sometimes even be gentle. Now, however, Cherubim turned it into everything that the Warrior of Darkness despised.

In the black void that was his prison, Löwemon screamed.

Ewig Schlaf (correctly: Ewiger Schlaf): Eternal sleep

Schwarzer Donner: Black thunder

Masanari – no, Hanzo, stares up at me with an incredulous expression. Then he sighs, clearly exasperated.

"Again…? This is getting a bit annoying, little mouse. Do you still not realize that if I had wanted to harm you, I would have already done so?"

"But you're Hanzo! THE Hattori Hanzo! Everyone in Koga, even in the remostest village, has heard of you. You are strong. Next in line for chief of Hattori village. And you're known to be very cunning. You really expect me to trust you? I bet that you're planning on using me for something."

My heart races. Just my luck to run into a ninja like him. Now I really have to be weary of what he is up to.

The amethyst eyes grow sharp again, a dangerous glint in them. "Then let me ask you this", he says, and this time, more steel than before shimmers through his usually silky voice. "Before today, I hadn't even known you existed. The moment I laid eyes on you, I wasn't even aware yet that you're a kunoichi. What, pray tell me, could I have possibly planned for you?"

I open my mouth to answer, but no word comes out. If I'm being honest, I have no idea. He's right. We just met, less than an hour ago.

"An astute shinobi like you surely has figured something out…", I reply. Even in my own ears, this sounds pathetic.

"Enough. Just accept that our meeting was by pure happenstance and that I have no ulterior motives. Is Hattori Hanzo not allowed of helping someone now and then?"

Now I start feeling bad. I mean, he did save me. And my thanks is this almost paranoid mistrust of him? I kneel back down, this time laying the kunai next to me instead of holding it.

"My… my apologies", I say meekly. "I didn't mean to insult you, master Hattori…"

Again he sighs. "A shinobi does well of mistrusting those around him. I grant you that. However, a good shinobi is able to see through lies and deception and knows when someone is being honest."

I bite my lip. Somehow, being reprimanded like this by Hanzo Hattori does sting quite a lot. I do have my pride as a shinobi, after all. On the other hand, I have to admit that even though I am better at reading people than the average person, I am far from the best among my fellow shinobi.

Hanzo's face softens, and the smile returns. "Then again, I suppose I have to cut you some slack. As you might have figured out by now, I am quite adept at pretending. People often complain they don't know what's going on in my head."

"Oh…"

Just my luck to have run into someone who is a master at acting. While I can see through some deceptions, I am by far not as good at it as I probably should be. Sure, Hanzo may not want to fight, but that doesn't mean he isn't up to something. Not knowing what his intentions could be is vexing me greatly. Our encounter has been pure happenstance, that is true. But could it really be that he, Hattori Hanzo, future leader of Hattori village, isn't planning to getting any use from my situation?

Then again, he doesn't know yet how dire said situations truly is. However, it is probably just a matter of time until he finds out.

Hanzo leans back and takes another sip of tea. As if he had read my thoughts, he asks: "So, what are you going to do now? What are your next steps?"

My fists, resting on my thighs, clench tightly. At least he's been so polite as not to inquire about my mission directly. Well, it seems I cannot avoid the topic any longer.

"I don't know", I mumble, eyes on the table in front of me.

Hanzo lifts an eyebrow. "How on Earth do you not know? It seems pretty obvious to me. Return to your village." A pause. "Unless something keeps you from doing that."

I give him a sad smile. "There is no keeping secrets from you, is there."

He shrugs. "This one was really easy to figure out. Were it an option, you would have answered my question with 'going home' immediately."

"… you're right." I take a deep breath. Might as well tell him, since he's already figured out part of the truth. Damn, that man is way too perceptive. "If I go back, I'll die."

Hanzo lifts an eyebrow. "It was one of that kind of missions, then?"

I nod. "Yes. And unfortunately, I failed it. My target is still alive. My failure was also the reason you found me running from that enemy shinobi. I guess, as a future leader yourself, such things are probably nothing new to you…"

Suddenly, my chest grows heavy and I lower my head. Hah, how foolish of me. For but a second, I thought that maybe Hanzo would help me. However, as I just have reminded myself, he is the future leader of the Hattori clan. There is no way he is going to aid me, a kunoichi who has failed her mission. Not when failure is punished severely in the shinobi clans, often with death. And the village elder had been very clear in regard to this particular mission. It was either success or death.

"It's probably best I return and face my death with honor", I mumble, more to myself than to Hanzo. "That way, my family can retain some of their dignity."

The next thing I know is that fingers close around my chin and lift my head. A pair of amethyst-colored eyes meet mine. Is that anger simmering in them? Why? What is going on?

"Do not speak like that of something that is mine."

"Huh?"

It takes a moment for the words to sink in. Another until I realize what he meant. In an instant, my glum mood is chased away by anger. An anger that, even only temporarily, makes me forget my fear of this man.

"Hey! I don't belong to anyone!"

"But you do", Hanzo replies with a glint in his eyes that's at the same time playful and dangerous. "You are a little mouse I found, and I will not let you go."

My had moves as if on its own to slap him. However, it never connects. In a lightning-fast motion, he's caught my wrist.

"Now, now, no reason to get worked up so much."

"Oh, shut it! Whose fault do you think this is?!"

The silver-haired shinobi smirks. "I suppose you're right. However… I was only half joking."

Something about those words, about his curled lips, about the look in his eyes, makes me grow very, very still.

"There is something that intrigues me about you, little mouse. And I am not one to let go of such interesting prey."

Ice runs down my spine. He might not have killed me, but it seems my initial feeling had not been wrong: I have gotten into major trouble when meeting this man.

"So you're the kind of serpent that toys with its food before devouring it?", I ask with a calm that surprises me.

Hanzo laughs and lets go of my chin. "Oh dear, did I scare you so much? My apologies, that was not my intention. Still, I meant what I said."

Warily, I watch as he returns to his previous position. "And what exactly are those words supposed to mean?"

"Let me elaborate, then." Hanzo picks up his teacup and takes a sip, as nonchalantly as if nothing had happened. "I may have come across you when you were fleeing from an enemy. True, that may not be a good first impression. However, I maintain the opinion that a good shinobi knows when to retreat, so that he may strike again later. That old-fashioned way of 'dying for honor because of a failed mission' is something the old geezers cling to, who are too stuck in the past. To me it's just a waste of lives and of otherwise good shinobi. Why should I kill someone for one single mistake when they're otherwise one of the best in the clan?"

Astonished, I nod slowly. Dare I hope that Hanzo actually doesn't share the views of so many shinobi elders and leaders? May I actually find temporary shelter with this man… and live?

Still wary that he might be messing with me, I study him carefully. There is no flicker of mirth to be found in his eyes, no twitching of his mouth, no sign that he's winding me up.

"Since you appear to have nowhere to go, I have a proposal", he says into the silence, unperturbed by my scrutinizing gaze. "You can stay with me, and in turn, you will become my apprentice."

What? Are my ears deceiving me? Hanzo sparing my life is one thing. Him taking me in, something else entirely. I expected to stay with him until I figured out where to go, no longer. Now he offers me a permanent place to stay? It sound too good to be true.

"I am grateful for the offer. But what do you gain out of it?", I ask, still refusing to believe that he hasn't got an ulterior motive.

"You to love to make me repeat myself, do you." He sighs in exasperation. "Am I not allowed to help somebody simply because I want to? Aside from potential amusement and a promising student, I won't gain anything. Although, those two things are reward enough for me."

Once more I study him thoroughly. The smile he regards me with seems amiable enough. As far as I can judge, he seem to be telling the truth. Not that I can be completely certain; this is still Hanzo Hattori, after all.

The more pressing question is: Do I want to take this offer in the first place? Admittedly, not many options of what I should do next come to mind. And they all involve very long travels, beyond the reach of my clan. Were I to stay here, I would still be rather close. However, a shinobi as skilled as Hanzo is sure to have a way to disguise or conceal people. Otherwise, I am certain, he wouldn't have made the offer. Besides, while being no master, I have some disguising skills of my own.

And to be honest… the prospect of learning from someone like Hanzo does tempt me greatly.

Having made my choice, I bow deeply to the silver-haired ninja. "I gratefully accept your offer, master Hattori, and leave myself in your care."

"Splendid! And good care of you I shall take."

That was a bit too much ambiguity for my taste. Despite that, I keep bowing and simply say: "Thank you, master Hattori."

He smiles and lifts his teacup in a toast. "To a fruitful cooperation. And please – do call me Hanzo when we're among ourselves. Or Masanari, if you prefer. Though that is the name by which I go outside of this room."

That lack formality does surprise me for a moment. It appears that his skill isn't the only thing extraordinary about Hattori Hanzo. He's the furthest thing from ordinary in every regard. And… it makes me actually look forward to discover more about this enigmatic man.

"Very well… Hanzo."

I can't hold back one last display of formality and bow briefly. Then, as a gesture of acceptance and reconciliation, I pick up my teacup and drink. The beverage is actually quite tasty. Of course, I do my best not to let on. While Hanzo is an allied serpent now, he's a serpent nonetheless. As long as I don't know him or his motives better, I won't let my guard down. This could still be a long game to lure me into a false sense of security.

A part of me, though, desperately wishes him to have been honest with me.

At that thought, I freeze for a split second. Then I give myself a mental shake. I am not going to develop romantic feelings for this man! Not when I don't know if he wants to kill me, or whatever intentions he may have with me.

He does look quite handsome, though…

I haven't even noticed that I stared at him thoughtfully. However, my musings were cut short when something pokes its head out of Hanzo's collar. My brain takes a second to realise what it its.

A snake. A snake with shimmering, white scales. It's forked tongue flickers in my direction.

Only due to my training do I not recoil. In disbelieve, I point at the animal, the shock making me stammer. "H-Hanzo… th-there's a…"

The silver-haired shinobi bursts into laughter. A genuine, amused laughter. And even somewhat warm, something I wouldn't have expected from a man with his reputation.

"Oh dear! I told him not to scare people, but he just won't listen." He reached up and gently strokes the top of the snake's head. "Let me introduce you, since you will be seeing each other often now. This is my friend, Haku. Haku, this is my new pupil. Be nice to her, will you?"

Friend. He referred to the snake as friend, not pet. Hells, the beast even flickers his tongue into my direction again, eyes trained on me as well as if to judge me.

Still flabbergasted, I ask: "B-But… isn't he like, poisonous?"

Smiling, Hanzo scratched the bottom of Haku's jaw. "He is. But he is also very well behaved. So, be nice to him, and he's nice to you. Besides, it's not as if poisonous serpents would be a problem for me."

I'm too shocked to pay much attention to that very last sentence. But I stow it away in a corner of my memory, because something about it makes we want to come back to it. For now, however, I am busy digesting the fact that I will have to share my living space with a snake. Which apparently is allowed to wander around freely instead of being kept in a cage or something.

It's not that I am afraid of snakes. However, I am wary of the poisonous ones, for the obvious reason. I don't really need a bite from one. And all I have when it comes to Haku, is Hanzo's word that he won't bite unless provoked.

The doubt must be on full display on my face, because the silver-haired shinobi chuckles to himself and says: "I've had him for many years now. After I finished training him, he never bit anyone unprovoked. And it takes a lot for him to be provoked."

"V-very well…"

Still eyeing Haku, I take another sip of my tea to calm my nerves a little. Now that I take a closer look, the snake actually looks quite relaxed. If I had to describe it, I would say that his eyes are filled with curiosity. But reptiles don't really have easy expressions to read. Ugh. Somehow the pet befits the master perfectly.

Suddenly, the white snake sets into motion. It slithers down Hanzo's arm until it's on the ground. When it comes straight for me, I freeze instantly. But Haru doesn't bite me. Instead, he climbs up my arm – and settles on my shoulders. His head he plants on top of mine.

That makes him burst into laughter once again. "Now look at that! Haku only does that with people he likes quite a lot. Which, until now, has only been me and maybe one other person."

"I feel honored…", I say. As I sit, still completely motionless as not to rile the snake into some unwanted behavior, I try to glance up at it.

"You can move normally. As I said earlier, it takes quite a lot until he so much as shows first signs of aggression."

Which proves itself to be harder said than done. Trying not to pay the snake perched on my head any heed, I turn my attention to the man in front of me.

"Well then… if I am going to stay here, I think we ought to discuss some things first."

Hanzo smiles again, this time his enigmatic, unreadable smile. "Of course."

And discuss we do. One of the most important things being the fact that I cannot under any circumstances reveal myself as a kunoichi. A necessity for several reasons. So we craft a story to which both of us would stick. And here, Hanzo's cleverness shines brightly, because while I already had a general idea in my head, he provides some additional details that lend even more credibility to the story.

How much time passes until we're done, I couldn't say. But finally, we worked out the last details. Sometime early in the conversation, he also sent a servant to have a room prepared for me, and a few more necessities. I literally have nothing left but the clothes I am wearing right now, a kunai and a pouch full of shuriken. Although, I do feel uncomfortable to receive anything but gifts for free.

"Thank you so much for your generosity. I will see to it that I can repay you as soon as possible."

"Don't worry about it." Hanzo waves his hand dismissively. "Those things are meant to get you started into becoming independent. You don't need to repay us for anything."

Dismayed, I let it slide for now. But the last word has not been spoken yet.

Besides, the day has gotten late. The room has gotten so dark, that not much longer and the candles would have to be lit.

"Say, have you eaten much today?", Hanzo suddenly asks?

I shake my head. "Not since breakfast." A certain incident had come between me and lunch, after all.

"Hm. Very well. I shall have a servant bring you something to your room. We ought to wait until you join others for meals until I introduced you to the young tanuki."

"Fine by me."

To be honest, I don't know if I would have even be ready to eat dinner with a whole bunch of unfamiliar people.

"Perfect." Hanzo claps his hands. "In that case, I shall accompany you to your room. I guess you need some time to yourself now."

"That would be… wonderful."

"Come on then."

I follow him out of his room and along the hallway. We don't go far, however, before he stops in front of a door and opens it.

"Welcome to your new home."

Close to his quarters, then. But I guess it only makes sense if I am to be his apprentice. And it's surprisingly spacious too; in the village where I grew up, one could only dream of having a room to oneself of this size.

I take a step inside and take a first glance around.

"And if you're worried", Hanzo adds, "don't be. This room has been empty anyways. It's high time it got a new occupant."

"Oh…"

Damn this man and his ability to read others like books.

"Well then, I'll leave you now so you can get acclimated."

"Yes… thank you."

Before sliding shut the door, I look him in the eyes once more.

"Hanzo?"

"Yes?"

"I have accepted your help. But I don't belong to you."

In front of us, the impressive façade of Okazaki castle looming over the town. And the stranger is leading me straight towards it.

My steps falter, but only briefly before I am pulled onwards. My heart is racing from a sudden rush of adrenaline. This man – is he working in the castle? More importantly, is he going to hand me over to Tokugawa Ieyasu? Oh, I knew my suspicions had been founded after all.

I desperately try to come up with a plan to escape. Yanking free my hand is no option; he doesn't even seem that muscular, yet his fingers are closed around my wrist in an iron grip. Besides, I have an inkling that even if I did tear myself free and ran for it, he'd catch up to me quickly. Should I take my chances inside the castle? Then again, I don't know anything about its layout. I ought to get way before we enter. Or at least close enough to the gate so I can still make my escape.

And then, we're already there. I hold my breath and eye the silver-haired stranger closely. What is he gonna do? My muscles tense in preparation.

As we reach the guards outside the gate, the stranger smiles and lifts a hand. The guards nod.

"Welcome back, master Masanari", one of them says.

"Back already?", a second one asks. "I thought you'd be gone longer."

"No, I was lucky", the stranger – Masanari – replies. "I found the herbs I needed fairly quickly."

"Good for you", a third guard comments. Then he eyes me. "And who is this lady?"

Masanari pats me on the shoulder. "Someone I met in town. And someone I might consider to take in as an apprentice."

Herbs? Apprentice? I don't follow, though I have a vague suspicion of what's going on. I whip out the brightest smile I can muster.

"That's right! It's going to be a great honor to be working in Okazaki castle."

"Now, now. Don't get hasty. You have yet to prove to be worthy of me taking you on as a pupil."

The guards exchange a worried look.

"With all due respect, master Masanari…", one of them says. "Is it wise to bring a strange into the castle? You know how Lord Tokugawa can be…"

I feel droplets of cold sweat forming on my forehead. Tokugawa Ieyasu's ill temper is well and far known. Us shinobi have of course long since heard of it, even those who stay in the villages their entire lives. Stories are floating about of excessively cruel punishments for even the most minor things. And he always seems to be in a bad mood.

Masanari, however, simply smiles.

"Don't you worry. Let the little tanuki be my problem. I'll make sure to introduce my new potential apprentice as soon as possible. And if it comes to the worst, I will take all the blame upon myself."

The guards exchange another glance, still looking uncomfortable. But then they let us pass without any further issue.

I study Masanari from the corner of my eyes. And I cannot help but feel impressed by his bravado. Calling a man as infamous as Lord Tokugawa Ieyasu little tanuki takes serious guts. If the rumors are true, the warlord has killed for less.

The silver-haired man guides me through the castle until we reach a spacious room. By the looks of it, it's his, and he doesn't seem to not just sleep, but also work here. Utensils that apothecaries use are neatly arranged at their designated spots. So my hunch has been correct. Masanari was a medic of some sorts, maybe an apothecary.

"Do you want some tea?", Masanari asks me. "I imagine you must be quite thirsty after such a chase."

I actually am. Not that I am ever going to tell him. My trust doesn't extend that far. For now, I'll have to ignore my thirst.

When I just stare at him silently, he sighs and shrugs. "Very well. Have it your way. Let's talk, then." With that, he motions at the table in the room's center, promptly sitting down cross-legged.

I follow the invitation, but slowly. As I kneel down at the opposite side of the table, I don't let him out of my sight.

His lips curl in a bemused smirk. "Still mistrustful? Well, I can't really blame you. Trusting someone blindly is utter foolishness. But as I said before – I wouldn't have gone through the trouble of saving you only to kill you afterwards."

"Who are you?", I ask him. Maybe the direct approach will catch him unawares. Even if only because he doesn't think I have the gall.

To my dismay, he isn't fazed in the slightest. "Very well. Introductions it is", he says smoothly, as if I hadn't just poured my entire mistrust into my question. "My name is Masanari Masanari. As you might have figured out, I am an apothecary." He makes a sweeping gesture at all the equipment. "In fact, I am the little tanuki's personal apothecary and physician."

My eyes widen slightly. I hadn't expected to run into a person of such import. And… he doesn't seem to be lying. Which of course doesn't have to mean anything. This Masanari is incredibly hard to read. Besides, even if he didn't straight out lie, I can sense that there is more which he isn't telling me.

"And?", I ask with a raised eyebrow.

"Whatever do you mean? You sound almost as if I was more than I am. And I am but a mere apothecary."

All that he says with that smile of his. For a moment, I really want to punch it from his face. Then, the chill running down my spine chases that urge away. Instead, he reminds me of a snake toying with its prey.

"Cut it out", I snap at him, trying to cover my fear. But the anger isn't completely faked; I am annoyed and unwilling to play games. "You may be Lord Tokugawa's apothecary. But that's not all, and don't you deny it. Don't even think of gaslighting me. I know what I have seen. You haven't exactly gone out of your way to hide it."

That latter part irks me greatly. Is this a game to him? Did he want me to notice? And if so, why? What game is he playing?

Something flashes in Masanari's amethyst eyes, their sheen becoming razor sharp. I've seen eyes like that before. They're the kind which miss absolutely nothing. Once again, I feel like a mouse sitting in front of a snake and being scrutinized by the predator.

To my surprise, Masanari merely chuckles to himself. "I suppose that's true. I should have done a better job."

His voice is light, almost cheerful, but underneath that, I can hear the danger as clearly as if a blade was pressing against my neck.

Something whizzes past my cheek, so close that I have the faint impression of cold steel against my skin. There's no pain, no blood, yet my heart sets into a wild gallop. With wide eyes, I stare at Masanari. I hadn't seen him move, but now, one of his arms is stretched out. And when I turn my head, I see a bo-shuriken sticking in the wall.

Crap, crap, crap.

In one swift motion, I turn my head back to Masanari and jump to my feet. At the same time, I drew the single kunai I had been able to hide beneath that kimono I had worn as a disguise.

"You're a shinobi as well", I state what I had been suspecting. A suspicion that now has turned out to be correct. Good to know that my instincts are as reliable as ever. That speed with which he had thrown the shuriken… No way do I stand a chance against this man.

However, Hanzo doesn't even move a muscle except to lower his arm. Those unfathomable amethyst eyes of his are still trained on me. And then he sighs in exasperation.

"Do you have to make me repeat myself? And look, you even made me make a hole in the wall. Do you at least believe me now? If I had wanted to, the shuriken would have hit. Now, put away that kunai and sit down. We may both be shinobi, but this doesn't have to end in bloodshed. Let's instead continue our conversation."

I hesitate. My mind is racing, trying to figure out if he's tell the truth or not. Unfortunately, Masanari remains as unreadable as before. However, I can't deny that he's right. He could have killed me if he had wanted to. And while he does radiate danger, neither his posture nor his voice ear any hostility.

Slowly, I lower my arm and kneel back down. The kunai remains in my hand, however. He really doesn't seem to want to fight. Still, this could yet be a trap. Him being a fellow shinobi doesn't exactly help me trust him.

"There, that's better." A charming smile my way. "Now that this is settled, I think it's time we had a proper talk. Both of us have questions. Seen as I have saved you from your pursuer, it is only fair that I start." A pause. When I don't object, he gets straight to the point. "Who sent you?" In that question resonates an unspoken threat. Razor sharp steel beneath the silk of his voice.

I exhale deeply. "If you're worried that I'm after Lord Tokugawa, there's no need to. He's not my target."

And I'm glad he isn't. Not if it mean having Masanari as an opponent. As a kunoichi, I shouldn't be afraid, but... that danger I sense about him scares me. I really don't want to cross him.

Masanari smiles and seems genuinely happy, even though I didn't give a direct answer to his question. "I thought so, but it's good to hear the confirmation from your own mouth." And for the first time, he picks up his cup and take a sip of tea.

I'm baffled. "Wait… you believe me? Just like that? But didn't you say…"

The silver-haired shinobi shakes his head.

"Not just like that. I recognised the shinobi who pursued you. And his clan has on occasion worked for the little tanuki's enemies. So I figured if he pursued you, your target must be someone else." After a pause, he adds: "You are from Koga, aren't you?"

I sit there in stunned silence. An unwilling admiration begins to rise within me. I have met other remarkable shinobi, but his observation and deduction skills are one of a kind. Just like his speed. For a tiny second, I wish he had been my master back in Koga. The things I could have learned from him…

I shake my head. This is not the time for such musings. I still don't know what this guys is up to. Gotta stay cautious.

"Yes, I am…", I eventually admit. "By your phrasing, I take it that you are from Iga?"

"Correct. Ah, that reminds me, we never properly introduced each other. How about we do that now? And please, no aliases or the like. There's no need, since we already know that we both are shinobi. And we established that we're no enemies. So, what do you say… little mouse?"

My eyebrow twitches at that nickname. But I grit my teeth and grumble: "Fine. I'll go first." And I tell him my name.

"Oh my." Masanari claps his hand in delight. "I have heard of your clan. Unfortunately, I never had the pleasure of meeting any of you. Which is a shame, because from what I hear, your folk is highly skilled in the use of herbs, medicines and poisons. Something I myself am very proficient in. I hope we can have some interesting conversations."

"Sure", I reply. "However, while I can confidently say that I am well versed in that field, I am by far not the most skilled in my village. Besides, you seem to be very knowledgeable yourself. I don't see what you could possibly gain from talking with me."

"Ah, let that be my worry", the silver-haired shinobi says, taking another sip of tea. "Now then, it's my turn to introduce myself. Many do know me as Masanari, and that is actually my birth name. But I do go by another name. I am Hattori Hanzo. Well met."

I walk through the streets of Okazaki at a measured pace. Just short of running. Just slow enough to not draw unwanted attention. Not that it'll help anymore.

My pursuer is hot on my heels.

The only reason neither of us is eager to draw attention is because we both have covers we don't want blown. And that is the only thing that's keeping my pursuer from pouncing on me in broad daylight. I had hoped to mix in with the bustling crowd, to vanish in it. But I just can't shake the guy.

Damn it. Until now, I had used the crowd to at least keep him from attacking me, and to hopefully slip away in an unnoticed moment. But he's still behind me. It seems that I have to change my strategy. That said, I have to unwillingly admire his skills. In my village, I haven't been among the best fighters. But I've always been one of the best when it comes to blending in, to get invisible and to lose anyone tailing me. Seems I have found a worthy adversary in this one.

I decide to try and shake him in the narrower side streets. Of course, there's the risk of him attacking me, if there are no or almost no witnesses. But those same alleyways might just have enough nooks and crannies that I can get away. Less people means less danger to my cover too.

I head towards a corner. The building to the right looks like a shop, but I don't pay it any attention. My focus is on getting away from my pursuer.

That's why, when I pass the door, I can't react in time. It opens, releasing someone into the street – and right into my way. It happens so fast, that I bump straight into the person, my nose painfully smashing against a shoulder.

"Ow!" With tears in my eyes, I take a step back. "Ah, I'm so sorry…" I break off mid-sentence when my eyes fall on the man. Long, silvery hair. A slender frame, greyish clothes, a haori with floral patterns on its left shoulders. And striking, amethyst eyes.

For some odd reason, I suddenly feel like a mouse, frozen in shock before a serpent that’s about to strike.

What a strange image. But it feels so accurate. My sense of danger, honed during my training as a shinobi, is sounding the alarm. Whoever this man is, he's dangerous to mess with.

That, and the pursuer behind me, is why I try to get going as quickly as I can.

"My apologies", I say and bow. "I'm in a hurry, but I should have paid more attention. Now, please excuse me, I really need to get going."

Straightening, I'm about to walk on, when I sense something against my lower back. The tip of a kunai. And sure enough, when I turn my head, my pursuer stands there. His face is serious, but I see a glint of glee in his eyes.

"There you are. You have no idea how long I've been looking for you. Come on, let's go back now. The others are waiting."

Every word is a lie. Of course he wouldn't want to make a scene in public. Unfortunately, the kunai against my back is telling me to join in the farce.

Before I can utter a single word, however, the silver-haired stranger takes both me and my pursuer by surprise – by grabbing my wrist and yanking me towards him. Out for reach of the kunai's tip. One of his arms wrap around my shoulder and holds me firmly against him.

"There must be a misunderstanding", he says, his voice silky and smooth. "This young lady is with me. You must have mistaken her for someone else."

My heart beats fast from adrenaline. And the sensation of being pressed against his chest doesn't help calming my nerves either. Considering he's not overly muscular, it is surprisingly firm. By the kami… I know I should feel afraid. I had sensed the danger he emits. And yet… for some strange reason, I feel oddly safe with him.

My pursuer recovers from his surprise. He even manages an easy laugh. "My apologies, I am afraid that the misunderstanding comes from your part. The young lady must be looking similar to the one you mean. In actuality, I am to safely escort her home to her family." He leans forward and in a theatrical whisper adds: "She's not quite right in her mind, which is why her family has tasked me with watching over her."

It's all I can do not to stare at him in open-mouthed shock. He's really going that far? Then, anger starts to bubble up inside me, shoving away the disbelief. That absolute bastard! He managed to insult me and undermine my credibility in one single sentence! In that moment, I dearly wished I could close my hand around a kunai and slit his throat.

However, one look into the stranger's amethyst eyes tells me that he's not buying it. At all. And I feel a bit placated.

"No, no", he replies, his smile unfaltering. "I know my lady anywhere, even among lookalikes. Be assured that she is who I mean."

The two men lock eyes. And I can actually feel the tension build, the mental battle between them.

In a lightning quick motion, the enemy shinobi strikes with the kunai he had held against my back, and which he must have concealed when I got yanked away. I already see it hit flesh, either mine or the silver-haired man's. To my utter surprise, it never connects. Instead, it's my pursuer who crumples to the floor. After a moment, I notice three long needles sticking out of his neck area. The kind of needle which…

The shinobi isn't even able to make a single sound. Instead, he crumples to the ground like a doll whose threads have been cut. None of the passerby's has even noticed it yet.

My eyes dart up at the stranger. His amethyst eyes meet mine. Mirth sparkles in them, and a smile plays around his lips. The guy… he's not even fazed one little bit that he had just killed someone.

"What the…"

I don't get further. Shouts and hasty footsteps suddenly rise around a corner.

"Looks like our friend here has left us some company as a parting gift", the silver-haired man states. "Let us be off. It'll be quite the hazzle if we were found here, like this. Can you run?"

I nod. As much as it pains me, I'll have to leave the kimono behind. For being a rather simple one, it's very beautiful, and I have come to like it a lot. But there's no choice. We step into the side street of the building from which the stranger had come out of. There, I tear open my obi and slid out of the garment, revealing the simple tunic and trousers I wore beneath for exactly such emergencies.

"Resourceful." The stranger throws me a smirk which I don't know if I should feel offended about or not. "Let's get going then."

It's high time; the noises are getting closer. And the commotion is growing too. Passerbys must now have discovered the crumpled body as well. The stranger grips my hand tightly, and we dash down the street. Then around a corner into an even narrower alleyway.

The stranger guides me swiftly through the streets. Soon, I notice that he picks barely, if even populated areas. A sign that he's from the city and knows it well. Looks like I have to trust that he will keep guiding me well.

Trust… I skid to a halt. There's a painful yank at my wrist as the stranger is brought to an abrupt stop as well. What in the name of all the kami am I doing? Following this man as if I'd known him my entire life. For crying out loud, hadn't I sensed the danger from him clearly enough? And yet I follow him through these streets that he knows and I don't. If this is a trap, I'm running into it with eyes wide open yet so blind.

The stranger frowns at me. "Whatever is the matter? Come along, or our pursuers might yet catch up to us."

I stare at him. "Not to sound ungrateful; you did safe me back there. But how do I know that I can trust you?"

A smile spread across his face again, cunning, almost sly. Once again I have he image of a snake in front of my eyes.

"My oh my, what a distrustful little mouse."

Did he just call me mouse? By the kami, is this guy able to read minds? Because when I had an image of a snake in front of my eyes, I indeed saw myself as a mouse in the hunter's gaze.

Before I can say anything, though, he gives an exasperated sigh.

"Look, if I wanted to harm you, I could have done so a hundred times over. Or I could have left you to your pursuer."

"Who's to say that you just want to gain my trust, lure me into a false sense of security?"

The smirk reappears. "A clever and cautious little mouse. I can appreciate that a lot. Hm, then I ask you: Why would I go through the trouble of saving you, a complete stranger, only to backstab you later?"

To that, I have no answer. He's right. We haven't met each other before, and I doubt that he would benefit from selling me out. On the other hand, us shinobi are masters of blending in. Who's to say that this stranger isn't of the same clan and on the same mission as my pursuer?

"Fine", I grumble. "I'll follow you. But I don't trust you. I'm keeping my eyes on you."

He nods. "Very well. I can't blame you for that. And it's a very wise choice. Only fools trust others blindly. Now that this is sorted out, let's go on, lest our pursuers do catch up to us."

I can't hear any shouting, but that doesn't mean anything. Especially if more shinobi are involved. When he grabs my hand again, I follow him without resistance. But I stay vigilant.

We follow the narrow streets for a bit longer. Then we finally step out onto the broad main street again, where we turn left.

This was originally supposed to be a master list with links to each chapter - but apparently, I have no idea how Tumblr works. XD XD XD

Oh well. I present you this author's note/announcement instead. Serpent's kiss is a fanfic about a highly underrated character (in my opinion). ;) A little indulgence, if you will. And geez... it was not supposed to become a six chapter story, but here we go.

My entry for the Saint Seiya in Winter ❄️ Zine hosted by @saintseiya-zone. Go check it out, folks, there is a lot of gorgeous artwork found in it. :D

I just cannot bring myself to watch the show. Not yet at least. I am sure the show has some fantastic moments, from what I can grasp scrolling through the Digimon tag here on tumblr. But I just by the life of me cannot with the lame, glowing egg, when we had amazing-looking Digivices in the past and we could have gotten a new great design in Beatbreak.

A little superficial? Perhaps. But when I watch a show, I want to enjoy it and not be constatly get thrown in my face designs which I don't like. Does the egg shape make sense? Maybe. But that doesn't change that it's lame as all hell. And yeah, I know that the Sapotama is a daily life device in Beatbreak, and as such, I wouldn't mind the egg shape. But I do mind a lot when it's also functioning as the season's Digivice. So yeah... I be skipping Beatbreak for now, as sad as it makes me. Maybe someday I will find the will and strenght in me to look past the design and watch the show. But that day is not now.

Oh, and just to say, the Digivice design isn't the only thing that's keeping me from watching Beatbreak. But a major contributor.

Saint Seiya OC- Anubis

May I present - Ancient Egypt's resident doggo boy, Anubis. This is my take on an Anubis in my favourite franchise, Saint Seiya. Sketch has been lying around for a long while, I couldn't figure out the chest piece. But now I finally managed to finish it, and while I am not exactly a hundred percent happy with how I got the coloring down, I am still quite satisfied with him. I am usually not the best when it comes to creating my own characters. But with Anubis? Everything just clicked. I tried doing Horus and Bastet, but I can't even figure out their hairdo yet. T.T

A little something I wrote about BotW's Zelda. While there are other Zelda's I prefer design-wise, HOLY HELL do I relate to her BotW incarnation the most. The feeling you're not good enough for your family, despite your best efforts... Well, my situation is not as bad as hers, but it can still hurt sometime.

But enough rambling, please enjoy this little piece. ;)

I am so sorry guys! T.T

So, Sagittarius season has arrived yesterday, and... I am so sorry guys! I really wanted to do it this year, and this time finally participate myself. However, not only am I still behind on my Inktober drawings (which I will finish this week finally!!! Ugh!!! I really need to figure out something for next year, I simply cannot do 31 colored images, at least not in higher quality and detail, the way I usually go about my fanarts; I need to find my own nice grey tones or lineart only style), but something else occupied me this year as well. On December 3rd, our beloved Saint Seiya turns 40 years old. And I am busy creating a rather extensive artwork for it, containing like 18 characters or so. Which is why this year, the Sagittarius weeks will need to take a break. I really, really sucks, and I am not happy about it. But well... Sagi season at least will return every year (though I really hate it having to wait another year now for my next Sagi weeks). Saint Seiya will turn 40 only once. Which is older than me, btw... o.o Though only by four years.

That said, I hope to return with Sagittarius Weeks next year, and in full swing. For those who by then are still willing and interested in participating - I will use almost all, if not all of the prompts from the last list I posted, just in a different order. So, if you want, you can already start for next year and get one heck of a head start. :D And you can take your time across next year to work on those pieces, also during times you will have less to do. End of year seems somehow always stressfull anyways, what with Inktober, what with everyone's load increasing at work cause, well, end of year and everyone wants something and all... So I hope that you can enjoy and make good use of the head start.

Again, sincerest apologies, and I hope that I will see lots of you guys next year.