Bijin-kei: The Beautiful Woman Stratagem (1)

DISCLAIMER Soul Calibur and all its characters are property of Namco and I don’t own them. This story contains situations and scenes not suitable for minors so if you are under legal age then stop reading.

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Bijin-kei: The Beautiful Woman Stratagem
A Soul Calibur fanfic

By: Ninja Gaijin

***

Bizen, Japan, 15th century.



Dawn broke on a small rural village in the midst of Bizen province. At some distance outside the village, was a large house that had been abandoned for some time. But the house had welcomed back one of its former occupants, who had been forced into exile after he lost his honour and almost lost his life to a gunshot.

Mitsurugi Heishiro was there, sitting idly in front of the house while watching the local peasants go to work in the fields from afar. He was shirtless and bandages wrapped his left shoulder, covering a wound he received recently. But he was less concerned with bodily injuries than his loss of face in front of Lord Urakami, the daimyo of Bizen, his master. Who would have thought that some kind of foreign weapon would defeat him, the One-Man Army, who had seen countless battles and slain innumerable enemies? But the fact was that the lowly samurai called Tanegashima had defeated him with that strange weapon, the gun, which fires bullets at very high speed. And it was Mitsurugi who had claimed earlier that he could defeat the foreigners’ weapon. He was so confident that his abilities were superior to the Portuguese’s firearms, and he had underestimated Tanegashima, whose rank was way lower than his. So they fought, and before Mitsurugi could do anything Tanegashima fired a shot through his left shoulder and knocked him down. He had never been so humiliated before. He could still see Lord Urakami smile and greet Tanegashima, the victor, before being carried away for treatment. And later he found that Lord Urakami had raised Tanegashima’s rank to his equal, and appointed him as chief trainer for the newly-formed gun squad. Mitsurugi had been so mortified his loss that he even asked for a temporary leave to recuperate, only to avoid Tanegashima and Lord Urakami. He used the opportunity to retreat to his village to wait for his wounds to recover. He had heard news of the appearance of another powerful sword called Soul Calibur, somewhere far to the west, beyond the Middle Kingdom. He was curious: could that sword defeat the despicable gun? Thus he planned to travel westward again to seek that weapon, and then use it against that lowlife Tanegashima, after he had regained full health. Earlier he had journeyed to seek the Soul Edge, a mighty sword in the hands of the European pirate Cervantes de Leon, but he failed and came home empty-handed.

Mitsurugi

The blue sky turned greyish with the appearance of rainclouds. It was early spring and rain was frequent. Mitsurugi sighed and grumbled, cursing the upcoming rain for no apparent reason. Just then he saw the silhouette of a person at some distance on his left side. He thought it was just a mirage; he didn’t hear anyone coming. But it was an actual person, walking slowly to him. Instinctively Mitsurugi picked up his sheathed samurai. He shouted to the oncoming person, “Who is it?”

The person suddenly disappeared and then reappeared right in front of him. Now Mitsurugi had a clear view of the mysterious individual. She was a female ninja. Her long hair was tied back into a ponytail while her face was partly covered with a black mask, concealing her nose and mouth while her large, sharp eyes stared right to Mitsurugi’s eyes. She wore some armour to protect her shoulders, arms and legs, but her skin-tight red bodysuit did little to hide the shape of her body. But is it actually a bodysuit? Mitsurugi could swear that it was actually body paint, after his gaze had been stuck at the kunoichi’s huge breasts and prominent nipples.

Taki

Mitsurugi knew her, for she was a member of the Fuuma ninja clan which goes by the codename of Taki. These ninja were mercenaries, having no allegiance to any samurai family and selling their expertise to the highest bidder. Mitsurugi hated their dishonourable ways and he’d prefer not having anything to do with the secret assassins. He crossed paths with Taki on his quest to find the Soul Edge; the female ninja also wanted the evil sword for her own clan. They did not intend to travel together but they ran into each other several times. And somehow Taki always managed to be ahead of him, thanks to her more Machiavellian ways (after all, ninja are not as honour-bound as the samurai class).

“Still bitter after your defeat?” the kunoichi spoke, her voice muffled by her mask.

“You again. What do you want?” Mitsurugi replied sourly.

“I’m coming to get your head,” Taki said, which prompted Mitsurugi to grab his sword-hilt instantly. But Taki quickly continued, “Just kidding. Must you be so serious about everything? Besides, it seems that another part of you is happy to see me.” Taki looked downward, at the bulge on Mitsurugi’s crotch. Mitsurugi felt a little irritated. Of course, his body reacted at the sight of Taki’s luscious body in front of him. But does she have to point out the obvious?

“You samurai men are all the same,” teased Taki, “You thought you were above everyone else but in reality you’re just the same as others. Is that why you guys are so bothered by the gun?”

“The gun is a coward’s weapon. I mean, how are you going to know who you kill with a gun? How can one go to battle and kill without even facing the enemy?” muttered Mitsurugi.

“Yeah, right. It’s the honour thing again, isn’t it? You should be more observant of the changing times. You should see how the Europeans use guns in their homeland. You remember our trip to find the Soul Edge? I witnessed a battle there, a Hungarian army full of proud knights just like you destroyed by a Turkish gun squad. The knights didn’t even get a chance to fight back. This is the weapon that will change warfare. All battles in the future would be fought with it!” Taki said.

“Nonsense. That kind of spineless warfare is against our samurai code.”

“Oh, yeah. Glad you mentioned that. Weren’t your master now secretly building a gun squad with the help of Tanegashima?”

Mitsurugi was surprised. Taki had just mentioned supposedly secret information. He did not reply, suspecting Taki of trying to get a confirmation from him.

“No need for the suspicion. I already knew about Lord Urakami’s secret training facilities,” Taki explained, sensing the distrust in Mitsurugi’s mind.

“I warn you, woman, if you plan to do anything against my lord, you will face me first!” Mitsurugi tried to intimidate the ninja woman, who was unimpressed.

“What a loyal guard-dog,” Taki teased, “He barked at me. But I wonder if he would mind if I mess around with Tanegashima…”

“You!” Mitsurugi was both angered and confused.

“Okay then, take care, Heishiro darling. I’m off to misbehave,” Taki smiled behind her mask, unnoticed by Mitsurugi, turned back and then left in an explosion of smoke. Mitsurugi could only stare to the place she was before, with thoughts flying around his head. What does she mean about messing around with Tanegashima? Why does she mention the secret gun squad?

***
The Night After

A secret meeting of five was held in an abandoned house, not far from Mitsurugi’s village. Leading the meeting was Taki, the female ninja, and the others were members of Fuuma clan.

Taki

Taki was an important figure in her clan. She gained her standing through her numerous talents. She was a first-class strategist, a master in the art of forging weaponry, and she also had supernatural abilities, which enabled her to deal with demons. And her most precious asset was her beauty and charms, which she used as her most powerful weapon in her trade. So it was natural for her to become a leader of the clan. And that night she would lead her team for a mission given by a particular daimyo.

Taki inspected her team of four. Two were men and two were women. The first man was called Kou, a medium-sized man, skilled with fire and explosives. The second was a large man called Niji. Although his size gave him a disadvantage in stealth, but he compensates with his strength and bare-hand fighting skills. Okiyo, the elder of the two women, was a senior kunoichi in her early 30s, a long-time partner of Taki. She had the appearance of an ordinary village woman, but behind her plain looks she was an expert in disguise and stealth, which made her the perfect woman for clandestine tasks. The other woman was a 17-year-old girl named Kagami. She had been recently assigned by the clan to be Taki’s apprentice, and while her stealth and fighting skills were still mediocre, she also possessed good looks, which would make her a good candidate for the role of seductress.

“Alright, here are the orders. There is a military facility affiliated to Lord Urakami on the hills to the north. It is used to store Lord Urakami’s newly-obtained guns and train his troops to use them. Our client wants us to sabotage the base. So our primary target would be to destroy the base and the guns stored inside,” Taki explained.

“You can send me alone there and it will be up in flames by tomorrow night,” boasted Kou.

“Kou, I have no doubt that you can do it yourself. But I have other plans, and I was thinking to include them in the mission. First, I want to get some of those guns for our clan. I believe that they will be of great use for our tasks, and, if possible, I want to dismantle one so I can learn how to make them,” Taki replied, “Second, it is another interest of our client to see some internal conflict among Lord Urakami’s subjects, and so this mission would be much more than just making a great explosion.”

“Who is this client of ours?” asked Okiyo.

“Lord Oda,” answered Taki, “I guess he has an eye on Lord Urakami’s territory. But that’s his business. All we should care about is his payment.”

“I understand. So instead of just sneaking into and destroying the base, we enter politely from the front door,” Okiyo said.

“Exactly,” said Taki, “So have you got everything I need?”

“They’re a little expensive, but that’s not a problem,” Okiyo cracked a wide grin on her round face, “At night they’re all free.” Taki understood what she meant and laughed. Among her team-mates, Okiyo was the most resourceful. “I can’t wait to see how they would look on you,” Okiyo commented.

Taki then turned to her apprentice, Kagami. “Kagami-chan, I don’t have any special roles for you in this mission, but I want you to pay attention to everything we do. It’s part of your training. Understand?”

Kagami nodded shyly. She was the daughter of a Fuuma ninja couple and after her parents’ death in a failed mission she was raised by the clan. She grew up to be a quite beautiful girl, and this would make her a valuable member to the clan. Her beauty could be used in missions where seduction is necessary. Taki herself was already a master in this expertise, and Kagami was assigned to her so the young girl could learn from her.

Thunder rumbled outside. Kou commented dryly, “It will rain. Not my favourite season.”

“Sure,” Taki said, “but we will get this job done no matter what came down from the sky. Now listen good, everyone, I don’t want any miscomprehensions. Here’s the plan…”

***
A Day Later

Northern part of Bizen Province.

Rain. The miserable weather made Tanegashima Zentaka missed his native region, Tanegashima Island at the southern end of Kyushu. It was much warmer there and it never rained this much. But for the time being he had to compromise his feelings, for he would be stuck in that remote outpost for a few months. Tanegashima Island had been the first part of Japan that welcomed European traders. His cousin, the young Lord Tanegashima Tokitaka, the daimyo of Tanegashima Island, struck a prospective deal with the Portuguese as he traded almost half of his meagre wealth for their guns. The guns had given them some advantage against the more powerful Kyushu lords, Otomo and Takahashi. The Tanegashima clan could finally get out of obscurity and stand equal to other samurai families. As time passes, Lord Tokitaka felt it was necessary to create alliances, because Otomo and Takahashi are getting more hostile after they lost their influence over Tanegashima Island. One of Lord Tanegashima’s sisters had been married to a member of the Urakami clan of Bizen. The family ties helped Zentaka, as the representative of Lord Tokitaka, to gain access to Lord Urakami and demonstrate the use of the gun. Lord Urakami seemed to be impressed, but some of his lieutenants were not. One of them, Mitsurugi Heishiro, whose nickname was ‘One Man Army’, was the most ardent opponent of the gun. Mitsurugi challenged Tanegashima Zentaka to a duel, bragging that he could beat the gun and insulting Tanegashima’s clan. Even Tanegashima himself was unsure about the duel, fearing Mitsurugi’s legendary reputation. But in the end, it was he who was still standing after the duel, while Mitsurugi lay bloodied by his shot. That shot had also reversed his fortune and he gained the favour of Lord Urakami afterwards. And so Lord Urakami decided to build a gun squad. Tanegashima was appointed to be its commanding officer, responsible for their training. Lord Urakami wanted to keep the gun squad as a secret, fearing that his neighbours would be suspicious if they know, so he set their training camp in a remote hill deep in the middle of Bizen. The hill was known to natives as ‘The Rain God’s Abode’ because of its high rate of rainfall.

Tanegashima

Tanegashima had been speculating whether his task was actually some kind of punishment. Rain was only half of the problem; the other was his troops. Lord Urakami’s regular troops were mostly admirers of Mitsurugi, whom they respect as a model samurai warrior, so most of Lord Urakami’s military leaders politely refused to allocate their troops to Tanegashima with various made-up reasons. Fearing that they would defect to other daimyo, Lord Urakami cannot risk forcing his subjects to comply and he gave Tanegashima a newly-formed unit of 100 men which was assembled from a mixture of peasants, prisoners, and ronin. This ragtag unit lacked the discipline and organization of regular samurai, and Tanegashima had a hard time controlling them.

The training camp was a newly-built military facility which included a large training field, a main building for official use, two officer rooms, two storage rooms, and a barrack. Because the camp was built in a hurry, most of the buildings are wooden. The location was so remote, the best place to do a secret project. Here Tanegashima would train the troops to use the gun until they mastered its use in battle.

Two other officers were also assigned at the camp. One of Lord Urakami’s military advisors, Miyamasa Isamu, had been sent to accompany Tanegashima. He was a middle-aged man, well-versed in strategy and military formations. Because of his seniority he has a tendency to look down on Tanegashima, but he was open-minded enough to support the gun squad scheme. The other one was Tanegashima’s personal guard, Shoi, a former monk which had become a mountain bandit. He was a large bald man who used a wooden club as a weapon. Among the new recruits, his strength impressed Tanegashima and he was promoted from just one of the trainees to be Tanegashima’s bodyguard.

The three men were standing in front of the main building, observing the heavy rain coming down on the training field. The rain had cancelled today and yesterday’s training.

“This is not good,” Tanegashima grumbled, “Maybe we should find another location…”

“The weather’s always like this here. We’ll just have to get used, because we got no other place,” responded Miyamasa, “I can tolerate the weather, but I don’t know how long until I freak out over those would-be gunmen. I’ve never seen worse people than them.”

“You’re right. They’re somehow rebellious and lacking discipline… makes it hard to train them,” said Tanegashima.

“Just between you and me, kid,” Miyamasa said, “You could have received a better batch of soldiers. However, most of Lord Urakami’s soldiers refused to be under your command. This is because you defeated their hero. Mitsurugi. You remember? That guy, I also hate his guts, but he’s the best fighter serving under Lord Urakami. The regular soldiers had fought many battles alongside him, and they admire his strength and courage. No wonder they were also angry when you defeated him with your gun. You must understand their opinion, they’re samurai. I reckon you are also born of samurai class?”

“Yes I am,” Tanegashima replied strongly, a little upset after Miyamasa’s cynical comment, “Anyway. In a few months’ time we will turn those good-for-nothing blokes into a special unit which will defeat anyone’s army.”

“Good luck, kid. Well, I wouldn’t put that much confidence on those irregular troops. Either they lack the samurai upbringing or they lose the proper mindset after some time without any master,” Miyamasa remarked, “Just this morning some of them came to me asking for a leave. When I asked them what for, they say they were bored and they wanted to go to a brothel and get laid. Can you believe that!? I told them they’re not getting any leave, and I sent them to work extra time instead. Such useless people.”

“Actually, we’ve been here for a month and a half. And I’ve never given them any rest, apart from today and yesterday’s cancelled training session. I wouldn’t mind giving them leave…”

Miyamasa cut Tanegashima short, “And you presume they deserve it? You should be stricter with them.”

A guard came running towards them through the rain. He reported, “Sirs, there are people approaching. Four people; two are carrying a sedan. What would you want me to do?”

Miyamasa became wary. “This location was supposed to be a secret. Surely those people are not just passing by?”

“Maybe they’re sent by Lord Urakami,” Tanegashima said, brushing aside Miyamasa’s doubt. He ordered the guard, “You, check their identity.”

The guard left and after a while, he returned, escorting the visitors. There are four people walking behind him. The first was an old woman carrying an umbrella and a large bag, followed by two men who was carrying a closed sedan, and at the tail was a young girl, also carrying an umbrella and a large bag. The guard spoke, “Sirs, these are…” but the old woman came from behind him and took over.

“Tanegashima-sama, we were sent by Lord Urakami. I guess you wouldn’t keep a lady waiting in the rain? Please let us shelter,” and she approached Tanegashima, holding his arm and persuasively pulling Tanegashima towards the main building. Tanegashima, convinced that his guests were important people, turned and opened the door to the main building. The two men carried the sedan inside the building and put it on the ground.

Tanegashima, Miyamasa, and Shoi greeted the guests. The old woman was their spokesperson, “Greetings to Tanegashima-sama. It was Lord Urakami’s wish that we journey this far just to visit Tanegashima-sama, for Lord Urakami desired to bestow some favour to compensate for your troubles for his benefit. My lady was very honoured to be given the opportunity to provide company to the renowned Tanegashima-sama.”

While Tanegashima was still trying to make out what the old woman mean, he was astonished to observe the figure coming out of the sedan. He had just seen the most beautiful woman he had ever seen in his life.

“This is my lady Mayumi, a First Class Courtesan of Bizen,” the old woman said.

***

Under the disguise of First Class Courtesan Mayumi, Taki smiled at the samurai officers who had greeted her party, laughing in her mind as she saw their astonishment. She herself was glad the long trip through heavy rain was over; the intense downpour had turned the dirt roads into layers of mud. And while her staff consisted of toughened men and women who could endure any kind of hardship, she still had to listen to Kou complaining all the way that the water would ruin his miscellaneous explosives and incendiary materials. Earlier Kou protested their plan to go right in the middle of rain, but it was actually for a tactical reason, because the samurai in the secret base would be less inclined to reject their arrival. While carrying the front part of the sedan, Kou was grumbling the whole time until finally Okiyo threatened to kill him on the spot if he didn’t keep his mouth shut.

Mayumi

Dressed in the finest kimono, with her hair hidden under an elaborate wig, Taki stepped out of the sedan and greeted the samurai officers with a courtly bow and a smile. Tanegashima and Miyamasa entered a room sat on the tatami-covered floor and permit her an audience. She sat in front of them and her old servant woman sat behind her, while the rest of her party sheltered outside the room. She spoke to them while keeping her sight to the ground as a sign of politeness.

“My lords. I, the humble Mayumi, salute you. The Honourable Lord Urakami had instructed this lowly subject of his to accompany Officer Tanegashima and do my best to entertain him and fulfilling his demands, as attested by this letter of His Honour’s to Officer Tanegashima,” Taki said slowly, as Okiyo, disguised as the old servant, presented a scroll signed with the Urakami family crest. Okiyo had forged the letter earlier, in order to make their masquerade more convincing.

Miyamasa received the scroll and checked its authenticity. Okiyo on the opposite side of the room was certain that Miyamasa wouldn’t be able to prove that it’s actually fake. Sure enough, Miyamasa was convinced that he had a genuine letter from Lord Urakami in his hands. He opened it and showed it to Tanegashima, pointing out another Urakami sign at the beginning of the letter, and then read it for Tanegashima to hear.

“To my faithful subject, Tanegashima Zentaka of Tanegashima,
It has been some time since you departed to begin training the gun squad, and here I am impatiently waiting the mighty army that the Urakami clan would have. I recently realized that I had just sent you to an awful location with bad weather, and I fear that your current conditions might have forced you to endure hardship. As you have just recently served under my influence, you should understand that I have no ill intentions against you or your clan. I do not wish for you to be under some misapprehension that I treat my subjects badly. In order to show my gratitude I have decided to send you this gift. I suppose that you might fancy the company of a female companion, so I acquired the service of Mayumi, which is the most famous courtesan in my domain. I have instructed her to satisfy all your needs. She will stay with you for a week. I hope that my gift would repay for all the troubles you had to gone through.

Urakami Asaemon, Daimyo of Bizen”

After reading the contents of the letter, Miyamasa looked at Tanegashima. He still had reservations about this favour of Lord Urakami--his nature was skeptical--but he was partly convinced that this was really Lord Urakami’s wish.

“I’m still unsure about this, kid, but I think Lord Urakami has just send you this woman,” Miyamasa said, “But I’ll verify the news by sending back a reply. In the meantime… hey, are you listening to me Tanegashima?”

Tanegashima had no more attention left for his advisor as he had given it all to the beautiful creature in front of him. He could not take his gaze off Mayumi, and secretly he wished that the courtesan would lift her face so he could appreciate her beauty fully. He accumulated his courage and confidence and started to talk to her.

“Um… Mayumi-san, I…” was the best he could come out with, and he now wished that Miyamasa would take over, but the senior advisor did not say anything. Tanegashima had not been officially married, and although he had several servant girls to tend to his sexual needs back in Tanegashima Island his experience with women was limited. But then he realized that the woman was there for him and he recollected his authority.

“…would you please stop staring at the floor? I want to see your face,” Tanegashima ordered, and afterwards he felt that it was wrong to say that to her, for although she was a prostitute she had a high rank, and it was not socially acceptable to treat her like a regular servant. To his surprise (and his delight) Mayumi lifted her face to look straight at him, still keeping that perfect smile on her face. And once again the sight mesmerized Tanegashima.

The role of oiran, the high-class courtesan, was familiar to Taki, and she played it as if she had been one all her life. Several years ago, when she was younger, she had been the apprentice of high-class courtesans of Kyoto, as part of her training. She had also played the same role in some previous missions, where she was assigned to extract secret information from some high-profile clients, or even assassinate them (and making it looks like natural death). The oiran, the highest-ranked women of the Floating World, as those in the pleasure industry call themselves, were the most classy and elegant women of the day. They were respected by the men and admired by the women, living in a world of glamour and luxury. Their patrons were men of power and status, which were the only ones who could afford their expensive services. And they are not just paid in gold--they could reject a wealthy client who had low status, like merchants. Their preferred benefactors were prominent members of the samurai class. Obtaining the services of a famous courtesan was also considered a symbol of status. The high-class courtesans’ life was way better than those of much lower rank, who must sell their services on the streets and had no privilege of choosing their clients.
The Oiran

As she lifted her head to meet Tanegashima’s gaze, she saw the astonished look on the samurai’s face. Taki learned many valuable lessons during her time in the Floating World, which includes their trade secrets like beauty tips, conversation skills, and the art of pleasuring men. It was easy for her to strike a mind-blowing first impression to Tanegashima. For her disguise as Mayumi, Okiyo had stolen some fine kimono and accessories from a merchant’s storage house. For her first appearance Taki chose a red embroidered kimono guaranteed to attract attention, even in bad weather like that afternoon.

“Sir?” Taki decided to crack the silence, shocking the awestruck Tanegashima.

“What…? Oh, yes, yes. Fine,” Tanegashima recollected himself, and decided to take matters in his hands again, “Lord Urakami is very generous. Mayumi-san, you must be very tired after the long journey here. There is a large room in the second floor of this building. You can use it during your stay.”

“Thank you. It is an honour to serve Tanegashima-sama,” Taki said, still in an overly polite tone, “We would like to know if Tanegashima-sama desire an audience tonight.”

“Tonight would be fine,” Tanegashima said, still not believing that Lord Urakami had actually sent her this woman just for his pleasure, “I’ll see you here.”

“Very well then,” Taki said, “Please excuse us. We will prepare everything for you.” She then bowed, stood, and left with her party, leaving the captivated Tanegashima.

***
Later that evening

Miyamasa Isamu inserted the letter he had just written into a tube tied to a carrier pigeon’s leg, and released the pigeon. The bird would take his letter to Lord Urakami, asking whether the daimyo had actually sent Mayumi for Tanegashima. Miyamasa could not get his suspicion out of his mind. He knew that Lord Urakami sometimes acquire the service of courtesans for his men, it was common practice among the samurai lords, but Miyamasa thought that Lord Urakami had been reckless to give such a gift to an officer who’s currently on a secret mission. The senior advisor then went to Tanegashima’s quarters.

“Come in.”

“Tanegashima,” Miyamasa said, “I have just sent a letter to Lord Urakami. If you want to entertain yourself now, go ahead, but remember that we are here for a confidential assignment and no secrets should be leaked out, even to that woman.”

Tanegashima only answered him with a quick nod of approval. Miyamasa’s worries were the last thing on his mind then. Miyamasa sneered at Tanegashima’s lack of attention and turned around to leave, saying, “Take my word seriously kid. If you get into any trouble it would be your own fault.”

***

>From the room in the second floor, Okiyo saw Miyamasa release a carrier pigeon. She knew that the feathered messenger would never make it to its destination, because she and Taki had instructed several ninja to patrol the surrounding forests and intercept any messenger coming out from the base while Taki and her party were inside. They were instructed to kill any messenger, human or not. The carrier pigeon would also count.

Okiyo turned to Taki, who was sitting in front of a dressing table, preparing her appearance before Tanegashima. Kagami sat next to her, closely watching everything she does. Taki pulled her hair into a ponytail and then arranged the ponytail into a small bun on top of her head. As part of the oiran look, she would wear an elaborate ceremonial wig. She would do that later, and at the moment she was getting ready to put on her make-up. Taki let the loose white kimono she wore slip down, revealing the delicate skin of her shoulders and breasts. Kagami could not help but admire the flawlessness of her mentor’s figure, wondering how she keep such perfect skin in the brutal life of a ninja.

“Sister, you are so beautiful,” Kagami said, “No wonder those men were speechless after they see you.”

Taki chuckled and replied, “Well, you can say that this is part of the trade. In the future you should also be able to charm men like that.”

“Or, escape their attention altogether, like me,” Okiyo added. That was the reason why she disguised herself as an old woman for the mission. She worked in the shadows, in the background, so attention was the last thing she needed.

Okiyo held a bowl filled with a paste-like mixture of water and white powder in her left hand, and a delicate brush in her right hand. She told Taki, “You hold still,” as she started to apply the white mixture to Taki’s face. The female ninja sat motionless with her eyes and lips closed as Okiyo carefully changed her yellowish complexion into powdery white. Okiyo covered Taki’s entire face with the white mixture, leaving an uncovered area along her hairline. The contrast between Taki’s natural colour tone and the white make-up gave the impression that she was wearing a white mask. Finished with Taki’s face, Okiyo moved on to Taki’s neck and shoulders.

Kagami asked a childish question, “Why the heavy make-up?”

“People with lighter complexion are considered more beautiful, Kagami-chan,” answered Taki, her eyes still closed, “This white make-up would help enhance my skin tone.” Just then she felt a trickle of liquid streaming down to her left breast. Taki commented, “Okiyo, you mix too much water here…” as she pointed to her left breast.

“Oh, sorry,” Okiyo said, seeing the white droplet made its way down Taki’s full breast. “Kagami, please clean it up.”

Kagami grabbed a small towel and wiped the dribble off. The apprentice kunoichi stopped for a moment after she did Okiyo’s order, realizing the perfect shape of Taki’s breasts. “Wow,” she commented, “I’ve never seen such shapely breasts before…”

“There are several ways to enlarge yours if you want to; some potions, herbs, exercises,” explained Taki, “but I’d recommend you consider it first whether you’d look better with bigger breasts. Sometimes they’re, um, kind of heavy on your back.”

Okiyo finished ‘painting’ Taki’s neck and shoulders, leaving an uncovered area shaped like the tip of a snake’s tongue on her nape. She then applied some colour to Taki’s white face: black for her eyebrows, pale crimson for her eyelids, and a hint of red at the lower outer edges of her eyes. For the final touch, brilliant red for Taki’s lips. Okiyo painted only the lower half of Taki’s upper lip and drew a half-circle in the middle on Taki’s lower lip, giving them the appearance of pouty lips. The brilliant red contrasted well with the white face, giving it some kind of warmness, completing the perfect look for Mayumi, the high-class courtesan.



Kagami understood what Taki had meant earlier when she explained about the heavy make-up. In front of her she saw her mentor transformed into a different kind of beauty. Having spent some time in action with Taki, Kagami was familiar with her mentor’s face, but now she did not see the face of someone who spent violent and fast-paced days and nights outdoors or in stealth. All was hidden under the layer of heavy make-up, and Kagami only saw the face of a refined beauty, better suited for peaceful life in a castle or a big city.

Kagami and Okiyo were helping Taki put on her ceremonial wig when the door suddenly opened. The tall figure of Shoi, Tanegashima’s personal bodyguard, appeared in front of the door. Okiyo gave him a disagreeing look.

“How impolite,” Okiyo scolded the bodyguard before he could open his mouth for whatever reason that brought him there, “Knock first when you want to enter a lady’s room.”

“Pardon me,” Shoi said, his expression unchanging, “Officer Tanegashima will see you now.” After saying that, and not replying Okiyo’s protest, he turned back and went after closing the door.

“I bet he did that on purpose,” Okiyo bitched, “Maybe he wanted to take a peek at you changing clothes or something…”

“Whatever, just let him do what he wants,” Taki said. She was putting on a sheer red kimono, worn as an undergarment. Next she put on a more ornate green kimono, and finally tied an obi, a broad sash, around her waist. “Let’s give Tanegashima-sama a night to remember…”

***

Tanegashima walked towards the main official room, with Shoi a few steps behind him. It was dusk, and the base was quiet. The soldiers were having dinner at the barrack, while Miyamasa was nowhere to be seen. Not that Tanegashima pay any attention to the advisor’s whereabouts.



Taki sat in the room with Kagami at her side, waiting for Tanegashima to come. She saw the paper wooden sliding door move.

“He’s here,” she whispered to Kagami, who started playing her zither.

Shoi stood outside the room, not taking part in Tanegashima’s session. Tanegashima walked inside and immediately his senses are flooded by the romantic atmosphere Taki and Okiyo had created. The melody from the zither caught his ears, mild fragrance caressed his nose, and the sight of Taki seized his eyes. Taki stood and greeted Tanegashima to his seat behind a low-legged table. The room was lit by candles in several lamps on the wall, which gave off a soft illumination. And Taki’s white make-up radiated in the twilight shine, forcing Tanegashima’s attention to her only.

“It’s a great honour for me to be able to serve Tanegashima-sama,” Taki said, as she poured warm sake into a cup, and served the cup to the samurai. All the time Taki was studying Tanegashima’s features. Tanegashima Zentaka was rather lanky and lightly built. He wore his jet-black hair in typical samurai hairstyle, shaved forehead and top-knot, and he also keep his face clean-shaven. His complexion was rather dark, a result of the abundance of sunshine back in his native island. It was the first time Taki got a close look at Tanegashima. Earlier, when she secretly spied on Tanegashima’s duel with Mitsurugi, he was wearing a broad straw hat that hid his profile.

“You are very beautiful, Mayumi,” Tanegashima complimented from his heart, “You must be the most beautiful girl in Japan.”

“Please, you must be exaggerating, sir,” Taki replied modestly, “There are other women in Edo and Kyoto whose beauty is legendary, and I am just like a peasant-woman compared to them.”

“Oh, no, I really mean it,” Tanegashima responded, “You are lovelier than any women in Tanegashima Island, or even Kyushu. I’ve never seen anyone more beautiful.”

“Then, I thank you for your kind words, sir. I fear that I might not deserve such praise,” Taki rewarded Tanegashima with a smile.

Tanegashima liked the way she smiled, and sipped sake from the cup Taki offered. Taki gazed at the samurai, saying nothing, as she tried to study Tanegashima’s personality. Judging from his rather awkward attitude earlier, it was obvious that Tanegashima did not have much experience with women, so Taki decided to play a more active role.

“Mayumi shall sing for Tanegashima-sama, if you approve,” she suggested.

“Yes, please,” Tanegashima agreed.

Accompanied by Kagami’s zither, Taki sang two songs, exercising a skill she acquired during her apprenticeship at Kyoto. Tanegashima was spellbound by her singing and her beauty. He applauded as Taki finished singing.

“It was so beautiful, Mayumi,” he said.

“I thank you, sir,” Taki said. Just then Okiyo entered the room with some light dishes she prepared for Tanegashima. A bowl of miso soup, some vegetables, and a special dish made from eels and rice.

“Dinner is ready, sir,” Okiyo said. Taki refilled the empty sake cup and sat beside Tanegashima, who picked up a pair of chopsticks and started eating.

Okiyo left the room while Taki and Kagami stayed to accompany Tanegashima. Taki thought it was time to delve deeper into Tanegashima’s life.

“Tanegashima-sama, I heard that you came from Tanegashima Island far to the south. Could you tell me what kind of place it is? I heard it’s a wonderful place,” she asked.

“Well, our family is the hereditary lords of that island,” Tanegashima said, “It’s just a small island, warm and quiet. At this time my cousin Tokitaka is the daimyo there. Lately we have been receiving foreign visitors. They were huge men with blue eyes and blond hair. They came in large ships and they said they came from some place far away to the west, farther than the Middle Kingdom.”

After taking a sip of sake Tanegashima continued, “They were carrying weapons to be sold. These weapons are called ‘guns’. It’s a hollow stick which is filled with gunpowder and a small metal ball. It will throw the metal ball at a very high speed if the gunpowder is lighted. This weapon is faster than the arrow and more deadly than the samurai sword.”

“…I hope I did not make you scared, Mayumi-san,” Tanegashima said, realizing that had just been talking about a killing weapon to a lady.

“Death is a part of life, sir, it is fine with me,” Taki said, “and it is not strange for samurai men to talk about death and killing. Mitsurugi-sama talked about chopping people’s head off all the time.”

“You know Mitsurugi, Mayumi?” Tanegashima asked.

“Oh yes, sir, I know Mitsurugi-sama well,” Taki said, “Lord Urakami has sent me to serve him a few times. He was a great man, always speaking about his victories in battle. However… is it true that you have defeated him in a duel?”

“Well, you can say it’s like that…” Tanegashima said, but then he was surprised to see his lovely companion’s expression became more enthusiastic, like a child finding a new toy.

“Wow! It’s actually true? Tanegashima-sama defeated Mitsurugi-sama in a duel? Please let me know more, I want to know how you beat Lord Urakami’s strongest warrior,” Taki queried keenly.

“I was sent to Bizen by Lord Tanegashima Tokitaka, as an envoy to strengthen our alliance with the Urakami clan. Lord Tokitaka had bought so many guns from the foreigners and he wanted to sell some to our long time ally Lord Urakami, so I was ordered to demonstrate its use. It turned out that most of his lieutenants dislike the use of the gun, and they even challenged me to prove their point, that they do not need the gun. I was unprepared at that time because it was all too sudden, and I found myself facing Mitsurugi, whose name and nickname ‘One Man Army’ was famous throughout Japan. He was the fastest and most powerful swordsman, and I was thinking that he would make my head roll on the ground before I can do anything. But I managed to fire a shot as he rushed me with his sword, and the shot was faster than him. The bullet went through his left shoulder and knocked him down.”

“I see,” Taki commented, “What happens next?”

“After seeing that the gun can beat even Mitsurugi, Lord Urakami decided that he will build a gun squad, with the guns from Lord Tokitaka,” Tanegashima continued, carelessly spilling out confidential information, “I was appointed the head trainer. But it seems that I have made many enemies among Lord Urakami’s men, so instead of a well-trained unit I had to train a newly-formed unit made from a collection of peasants, prisoners, and ronin.”

Tanegashima had finished his meal and Taki noticed that he’s getting a little drunk. Okiyo entered the room again to take away the empty dishes and bowls. She also brought some tea.

“The eel was delicious, ma’am,” Tanegashima said to Okiyo, which said nothing and leave as soon as she’s done. Just as Okiyo wanted, Tanegashima paid little attention to her, and quickly his interest returned to First Class Courtesan Mayumi. The alcohol in the sake had made its way around his body. He felt something warm building inside his body, and his confidence was growing. He decided that even though this was the first time he’d been with a high-class courtesan, he wouldn’t want her to think of him as a fish out of water.

Tanegashima noticed that Mayumi did not refill his empty sake cup, but instead offered him a cup of warm tea. “Tea, sir?” she suggested, “I think you should not get drunk tonight…”

Then, unexpectedly, she leaned forward and whispered near Tanegashima, “…because I would not be able to make you happy when you’re drunk…”

Tanegashima was startled by her straightforwardness, but the next moment she was back to her usual excessively formal attitude. “Mayumi is here for your pleasure only, sir,” she continued, “She will listen to your troubles, do everything you told her to do, and strive to help you relax. So please do not hesitate, sir.”

After having a cup of tea, Tanegashima felt more in control, and he continued speaking. “I must say that this task is hard work,” he muttered, “Bad weather, scumbags for trainees, pesky old Miyamasa, and most of all, the loneliness. It’s tough to undertake this assignment, but it’s tougher when you have nobody to tell your troubles to. Lord Urakami is so wise, he knows that I would not need any riches or status for the time being, because what I need now is a companion. And so he sent you…” Tanegashima smiled, feeling a little relieved.

Taki gave Tanegashima a lively smile. Once again, another movement unanticipated by Tanegashima, she reached out and touched Tanegashima’s cheek lightly, and said, “Whatever troubles Tanegashima-sama have, Mayumi will do anything to help Tanegashima-sama feel more comfortable.”

Tanegashima felt like he was the luckiest man on the world. They both continued to chat until after sunset. When Taki felt that the time is right, she asked to leave, saying that she’d meet him later tonight. Tanegashima approved and he himself returned to his quarters.

***
Later

Still in her white make-up, Taki changed her elaborate dress to a simple one, consisting of a silvery-white gossamer-silk kimono and nothing underneath. Kou and Niji, who had been sneaking around the base while Taki entertained Tanegashima, had just returned to report their findings. They had drawn a map of the base, showing all the buildings and their uses.

“The guns are stored in this storage building, while the other storage is used for gunpowder,” Kou reported, “Both are always heavily guarded, day and night. We can get to them easily--still in leaping distance from the nearest building, the barrack, but it is likely the guards would notice us if we choose to get there by leaping.”

“Okay, so we would need a distraction. What else do you have?” Taki remarked.

“We also checked the officer rooms, and both were not so heavily guarded. If you want some supply points there, we found some,” Kou added, grinning, “You know, just in case you need something to kill those guys while giving them the night of their life.”

“I’ll note that, and I’ll check if I have to hide anything in those spots,” Taki said, “What about this place, the main building?”

“We found that it is actually built over an older structure. Maybe this site was formerly a major fortress in the past which was abandoned later. There is some kind of a dungeon under the building, accessible from a door at the back. The samurai troops know about it, maybe they use it for a prison, because there is a cell down there. But nobody was kept in there or guarding the place.”

“Anything else?”

“Nothing else interesting. By the way, the air’s still very damp and it might rain again tonight,” said Kou in a detesting tone, “so I assume we would have a low probability of a successful explosion if we do it tonight. Wretched rain.”

Taki smirked at Kou’s distaste for rain, “Well then go pray to the Rain God so he would cooperate and let us finish the mission. Fortunately I wasn’t planning to blow the gun storage tonight.”

“You look great, boss,” Kou noticed, “So I suppose the only thing to blow up tonight would be that guy’s balls, right?”

“One more foul comment coming out from your mouth and I’ll have it torn apart, Kou,” Okiyo snapped, “Just mind your own business.”

“Shut up, old hag,” Kou snarled back. Taki ignored them both and stood to leave. But before she left she turned to Kagami, who was now dressed in typical black ninja gear with a mask covering her mouth and nose.

“Kagami-chan, you have learned your stealth, and I don’t want you to do anything stupid. No sounds, no suspicious movements. If you get caught, I would not help you even if they torture or kill you. At any cost, do not make this mission a failure. Understand?”

“Yes ma’am,” Kagami answered.

“Alright. And most important, pay attention to what I’m doing, because I expect you as my apprentice to be able to do the same thing perfectly.”

Kagami nodded, and she climbed out the window into the night. Taki then left the room, heading towards Tanegashima’s quarters.

***

Taki was greeted by two regular guards who stood outside Tanegashima’s private room. These two were the ones who had requested a leave from Miyamasa earlier, but they were assigned to guard Tanegashima’s room for the night instead. The distrusting Miyamasa was not an amateur in the world of politics and intrigue. He knew that sometimes political enemies can get cruel, and these people were not above using treacherous ways to achieve their means. Tanegashima, who was formerly from a less strategic place in Japan (until his native island became the gateway for foreign traders), were new to those matters. Miyamasa knew that Tanegashima had entered a dangerous place, because he had attracted enemies, either the clan’s enemies or enemies among Lord Urakami’s men. And the unexpected arrival of a beautiful woman in the secret base had made Miyamasa feeling very uneasy. Sure, the letter from Lord Urakami seemed genuine. But he kept suspecting that Mayumi, or one of her staff, or the entire party, was actually ninja, sent to wreak havoc within the secret base.

The two guards bowed to Taki and let her enter, secretly cursing Miyamasa for not giving them leave. And now they must stay up all night, guarding Tanegashima and that woman. What a lucky bastard he is, they thought. He got the companion of such a pretty lady for the next few days, but we’re stuck here, forbidden to leave by Miyamasa.

The sky rumbled again. It still contained some amount of rain, which might be dropped later that night.

Tanegashima was sitting in the middle of his room, wearing a night kimono, when Taki came. Unknown to him, Taki and Okiyo had put some aphrodisiac substances in his food and drink. The stimulants were just beginning to work and the samurai was feeling rather aroused. But the presence of Taki stimulated him more.

She entered and closed the sliding door, and she stopped in front of him, standing there, looking so exquisite. The room was only dimly lit by candles, but the light was enough for Tanegashima to see her and indulge in her beauty. Her face seemed to shine, thanks to the bright white foundation, while her decorated eyes and scarlet lips emanate sensuality. And her thin silvery-white kimono did little in concealing her perfect body. Tanegashima could observe her nipples protruding under the fine silk, and her cleavage peeking from behind the sides of her dress.

“Come closer, Mayumi,” Tanegashima said. She approached him and her stunning eyes met his gaze. “Mayumi, you are so charming,” he praised.

Tanegashima ran out of words. He had never been in such a situation before. Mayumi was clearly different from the other women he’d been with. While they were mostly submissive servants and he was free to tell them to do anything he wanted, he was inexperienced in dealing with a high-class courtesan. Would it be acceptable to order her around, or would it offend her?

Taki sensed the uneasiness in Tanegashima’s mind. Her prediction about the man’s character had been correct; he was shy in intimate matters. It would mean that she should take control.

“Please, sir, do not feel so anxious. I am here for your pleasure only. Do not hesitate to tell Mayumi anything that’s troubling your mind. She will listen and keep it as a secret,” Taki said.

Her words struck the right chord. Tanegashima felt as if a burden had been lifted from his shoulders. Timidly he said, “Ah… to tell you the truth, Mayumi-san, this is my first time to be in companion of a high-class courtesan, and I don’t really know what to do, I was afraid that anything I do would hurt your feelings.”

Taki laughed quietly, her hand covering her lips. “It’s all right, sir. If you wish, Mayumi can take care of everything tonight. You need not be ashamed.”

“Please then,” whispered Tanegashima.

After receiving the endorsement to take control from Tanegashima, Taki approached him. Tanegashima’s heart pounded ceaselessly as the most beautiful creature he’d ever seen got closer and closer to him. She untied her sash and opened her sheer kimono, exposing her magnificent body for Tanegashima to see. Tanegashima leaned backward as Taki got nearer. The female ninja was on all fours, straddling Tanegashima’s reclining body, her face centimetres away from his and her nipples brushed over his chest.
She took Tanegashima’s right hand and guided it to caress her body.

***

Okiyo was alone in the guest room when somebody knocked at the door. She saw a large shadow behind the door, and opened the door a little. It was Shoi, Tanegashima’s towering bodyguard.

“What do you want?” Okiyo said, not giving Shoi access.

“Excuse me ma’am,” Shoi said in a hesitant voice, “I would like to ask your younger companion to accompany me for the night. Officer Tanegashima had granted me permission to take her.”

“And I suppose you have also obtained Lady Mayumi’s permission?” Okiyo said.

After a short period of silence, Shoi replied, “Uh, not yet…”

“Then I’m sorry, you can’t have her,” Okiyo decided, “She serves Lady Mayumi, not Officer Tanegashima. If you want her company you must get Lady Mayumi’s consent.”

Shoi was disappointed. The huge bodyguard said nothing and leave. He knew that no way he could get the courtesan’s permission tonight, for she’s with his boss.

Okiyo observed Shoi leave, smiling cynically. She had been observing the men at the base earlier. The trainees were disorganized and underdisciplined; Okiyo presumed that Tanegashima did not apply strict rules to them. Shoi was powerful, but simple-minded--maybe a good match in battle for Niji, their own powerhouse. Miyamasa was another story. The experienced advisor was clearly dangerous, and he was on full alert all the time. And Tanegashima… in Okiyo’s mind, he’s the right man at the wrong place, with some capabilities but lacking experience in facing intrigue. Poor man, Okiyo thought, he had become a pawn being thrown into the deadlier part of chessboard. Would he survive long enough?

***

“Man, oh man, you see her breasts? Her skin?”
“Sssh! I told you to keep quiet! We’ll be in trouble if Miyamasa found out!”
“Okay, okay, but… Whoah! Did you see that?”
“Shut up, fool! What is it that excite you so much?”
“It’s… her Jade Gates! She turned around just now so I got a peek and… she’s hairless ‘there’!”
“Wha… Let me see that!!”

Taki’s trained ears heard the subdued whispers coming from towards the front door. Those guards, they’re watching us, she thought. She knew that they weren’t the only ones watching. Kagami should be somewhere around.

The young kunoichi Kagami was also peeping, from her hideout behind the ceiling. After sneaking into the officer room she secretly climbed up into the ceiling and found a good place to hide, on a strong horizontal supporting bar. She tore a hole through the thin ceiling to watch her mentor perform.

Tanegashima was getting bolder now, and his hand roam free all over Taki’s body without her lead, avoiding her hair and face to prevent ruining her elaborate make-up. As he stroked her sides and smooth skin, low moans started to escape her lips.

Bijin-kei, the Beautiful Woman Stratagem. It is one of the legendary 36 Chinese stratagems, all of which had been learned by Taki during her youth. She quickly learned that she was endowed by charm and beauty, and men are weak against such things. These assets she exploited fully, knowing that even the most powerful man might submit to the influence of a beautiful woman. Just like what she was in the middle of doing. She felt in control of Tanegashima.


Taki grabbed Tanegashima’s probing hand away from her skin, smiled to him, and moved backwards. She untied Tanegashima’s kimono and opened it. Taki noticed that although both samurai were about the same height, Tanegashima was less muscular than Mitsurugi. Behind Tanegashima’s underpants Taki saw her bulging member, which she released into the open. It was getting large, but he was not as big as she usually preferred. No matter, she thought. This job needs to be done, whatever size he is. She touched his penis and balls, fingering them gently as her face moved forward. Tanegashima looked curious. What was she doing?

“Let me show you some tricks in my trade,” Taki said, and she then licked the tip of his cock. After a few licks she opened her mouth and took his member in. Tanegashima thought that the sight of her red lips and her white face, bobbing on his erect cock, was very erotic. He felt a wonderful and strange sensation, and he wondered how she figured out these sensual tricks. Her stimulation had pushed him to the edge, and he suddenly released his load in her mouth. Astonishingly, she swallowed his whole load. She released her cock from her mouth and wiped a stray drip that escaped her lips.

She saw that Tanegashima’s cock began to soften, and she was now ready to excite it again. “Please, sir,” she said, as she straddled Tanegashima’s torso again, “Here are my neck, breasts, and stomach. Please caress them any way you want. Lick them. Bite and squeeze them.”

Tanegashima complied and he began showering kisses and soft bites on Taki’s flesh. He grabbed Taki’s body and pushed her to the side, while at the same time moving so now he was on top of her. He continued to stroke and tease her body. He saw her nipples harden after he caressed those with his tongue. Her eyes were closed and her lips were in a lovely smile. “How was that, Mayumi?” Tanegashima asked.

“So wonderful…” she said dreamily, moving her pelvis up so that her outer lower lips met his member. At the same time, her left hand also went there, fingering Tanegashima’s rod back to a fully-erect state. Her right hand went to the back of Tanegashima’s shoulder, pulling his body towards her. She rested her head next to his, her lips next to his ears, whispering passionate sounds into it. “Oh yes… you did great Tanegashima-sama… please give me more…”

She guided his hand to her slit. Tanegashima could feel its warmth, and her juices flowing out of it. Taki’s hand directed his finger to scoop some of it and carried it to his lips. Tanegashima lifted her head so he was now facing the courtesan, with their wet fingers between their lips. “Would you like to taste it?” Taki asked. Tanegashima said nothing but he licked Taki’s juice off their fingers, and Taki did the same on the other side.

“Sweet,” Tanegashima murmured. Taki smiled at him, and pushed him gently away. As Tanegashima receded she shifted backwards and started to spread her legs wide. Taki moved on top of the soft thin mattress spread in the middle of the room, lifting her upper body. As her arms supported her upper body, she pulled her legs towards her body, away from Tanegashima. Then she lifted both legs so they pointed straight up, exposing her lower buttocks to Tanegashima. Slowly she parted her legs, her left and right feet moving away from each other in a great arch, until she finally rested in a raised spread-eagled pose, her gorgeous long legs making an obtuse angle, and her cunt pointing out invitingly. Her left hand went to her slit, her fingers parting its lips slowly and teasing her button. Her self-stimulation only made her emit more juice, trickling out of its well over her buttocks, all the way down to the blanket she sat on. Taki licked her luscious lips as her hungry eyes stared alluringly. Tanegashima swallowed his breath at the salacious display.

“Do you want to?” Taki whispered, “Mayumi will carry you to paradise…”

Grinning, Tanegashima bent forward to Taki, as she moved her legs forward as if trying to embrace his body. She wrapped her legs around his waist and used them to pull him closer, as her hands greet his approaching cock. Tanegashima made his way inside her warm opening, the lubrication granting easy entry.

Not the size I usually like, Taki thought, as she felt Tanegashima enter her. Very well, I’ll enjoy whatever he can give me and improvise for the rest.

Taki had lost count of the number of men he’d been with, since her first mission in her teens. She had been the only member of her clan suitable for sex-related missions, the other members being male or, like Okiyo, unattractive females. During her many adventures she had experienced every kind of men: young, old, gentle, rough, shy, perverted, dominant, submissive, and sadistic. Among her more difficult targets are those who prefer men and those impotent. She had also been with some foreign men, whose size she liked, and even with several demons and monsters, each with their grotesque sexual organs. Yet all these experience she endured with tough, unquestioning professionalism. She had forsaken her own feelings for her way of life; if anything, her experience only desensitized her. It was something she had been worried about. ‘Normal’ intercourse no longer turned her on, and she was getting more drawn towards the kinkier fetishes like gangbang, bondage, and torture to satisfy herself. Gone are the days like her first mission of such kind, when she got carried away in the arms and caresses of a charming samurai and she almost forgot that she should kill him afterwards, for her mission, assigned to her by that samurai’s rival, was to secretly assassinate him. That man was not the first one to taste her womanly charms, for she had lost her bodily innocence earlier to her fellow clan members in training, but at that time she was still an innocent young girl. Several years and many missions later, she found herself getting less interested with standard seduce-and-kill missions, and instead she’d prefer getting caught and ganged by hundreds of rough soldiers or trapped in the lair of some demon with its gigantic arm-sized cock tearing into her asshole while being tangled by its barbed tentacles. Provided that she could get herself out alive afterwards, that is, and that’s what she’d been doing.

And this mission, the Tanegashima mission, is just that. Ordinary. She wanted to blame herself for this desensitizing, because lately it has been making her more prone to making sudden changes to her missions so that she could quench her thirst for ever-more-perversed pleasure. She had been looking for the source of the problem, and she suspected that it might just be her feelings, which she had abandoned in her desolate life. She missed that one feeling other women could normally had, love, and she wondered if she could ever live like others did. But that would not be important now…

Tanegashima was surprised at the tightness of her cunt. He had assumed that Mayumi, being a prostitute, albeit a high-ranking one, must have been with many men, but he felt as if his cock was going through a virgin’s passage. Her inner walls grasped his member tightly. It was nothing accidental; among the trade secrets of the women of the Floating World there are ways to keep the tightness of their most private parts, as well as various tricks to please a man in bed. Taki, having been an apprentice in the pleasure quarters of Kyoto, was well versed in these arts too, and she was just exercising them at the moment. She made great use of those techniques, given her dangerous missions which may damage her most valuable assets.

She controlled her expression, faking a look of pain for a moment and pleasure the next. She was an actress, although her acting skills were only for her disguises. Her own resolution is to always get the job done, or die horribly trying. She might not be enjoying the scene that much, but it was for her concern only. All Tanegashima would need to know is that she could pleasure him.

Tanegashima actually felt quite relieved that the woman he’s with is an experienced prostitute. He was simply inexperienced, and he was afraid that he might do anything wrong or improper. But as he felt her legs, which was wrapped around his waist, pulling him deeper, he felt that she was actually trying to teach him.

“Aah… your cock feels so good… please… do it now…” Taki smiled at him, her eyes closed and she spoke those words softly as if daydreaming. Tanegashima sensed her inner walls randomly tighten and loosen around his cock, as if giving it a massage. He had never received such a service and he thought whether it was one of the secrets of the Floating World people are talking about.

Steadily he began pumping in and out of her, and as he does that she changed her position again, this time lifting her legs so her ankles now rest on his shoulders. Tanegashima withdrew until he almost pulled out from her and then pushed forward, burying his stick as deep as possible inside her. This he repeated a few times, and it incited spontaneous moans to escape her lips. She was also moving her pelvis to meet his movement, keeping up with him going back and forth.

Taki found out that Tanegashima could hold his strength longer than she predicted. Fine, this man still has something, she thought. She began moaning and gasping loudly, as if she wanted the whole base to hear them fucking. She thrashed her head, grasped desperately at her breasts, all to give Tanegashima the impression that she really enjoyed their sexual intercourse. Her lustful cries tore through the walls of Tanegashima’s private chamber, and that was how she wanted it. She knew about the people that were watching them, so let them enjoy. Let the two guards hear and see. Let Kagami hear and see me. Let them know that I am an expert in this!

And it does have the desired effect. The two guards, who tore holes on the paper window to peek through, were getting hornier each moment and busy jerking off, while Kagami behind the ceiling was trying hard to suppress her primal urges, as her hands unintentionally move to her crotch, desperate to pleasure herself. It was one hell of a test for the apprentice kunoichi, because she must stay hidden. Any wrong movement or any sound too loud could betray her presence.

Sweat ran through Taki and Tanegashima’s naked bodies as their muscles worked hard to for pleasure’s sake. Feeling that he might not be able to control himself any longer, Tanegashima increased his speed, thrusting ever more powerfully into Taki as her screams echoed across the room. He blasted his load when he was deeply inside her, emptying his load in several bursts with a great sigh of relief.

And what about her? At least she could fake an orgasm, to fool him into thinking that she came at the same time as him. She screamed loud and long, her body spasmed, her face sweating, and her vagina grasped tight at Tanegashima’s erupting cock, squeezing his load out of it. Tanegashima thought that he was able to make the woman cum at the same time as his climax, and he felt somewhat glad about this. As their supposedly combined climax subsides, Taki let her legs down from Tanegashima’s shoulders and assumed a more relaxed leaning position, while Tanegashima felt really exhausted. Some of his load flowed out of her as he pulled out. He then leaned beside Taki, tired but very pleased. He was getting sleepy and he tried to reach and embrace her. But she got up instead.

Sitting beside the relaxing Tanegashima, Taki held his hands as he spoke, “Thank you, Mayumi. That was very enjoyable…”

“Mayumi is glad that she could be of use to you, sir,” she answered sweetly, her beautiful eyes meeting his. Tanegashima saw that her earlier perfect look had been somewhat messed up now, as stray hairs escape her hairdo and sweat had ruined her make-up, but somehow, she looked more beautiful to him. It occurred to him then that he might actually want this woman to be his only. But how?

Behind the ceiling, Kagami was relieved that their lovemaking was over. She had almost lost control and fell to a thin part of the ceiling, risking a fall into the room (which would cost her life if she was caught because of it). She could suppress her voice by gagging herself with her mask, but she could not stop her hands from trying to pleasure herself. She knew that she was expected to be able to do the same in the future, but she hadn’t known how it actually feels. Taki had told her that she would find out soon, in the following months as her training entered a new phase. But as she saw her tutor making love just then, she was getting more impatient for the next phase to arrive. She recollected herself and sneaked out of the room, returning to the guest room before Taki came.

Taki did not stay for long, as Tanegashima quickly drifted to sleep. She wore her thin kimono back and, without cleaning herself first, left the room. The two guards opened the door for her. Taki saw that they were rather tense and sweating, but they tried to smile to hide their guilt. She smiled back and they almost faint from the surprise.

“Good sirs, is there a place here for me to take a bath?” she asked.

“...Well, the bathroom’s over there, but it’s out in the open,” one said.

“Oh! Then, can I ask for a large bathtub in somewhere private?”

“We’ll arrange that,” one of them said, grinning.

***

Taki returned to the guest room, meeting Okiyo there. Taki said she needed a bath and a massage. Just a few minutes after, the two guards came and told her that they had brought a large wooden bathtub to a room in the first floor and filled it with water. They say that they would guard the room so nobody would peek. Taki thanked them and went there with Okiyo.

“Ohh, this is great!” Taki shouted in relief as she dipped herself naked into the cool water. The bathtub was a large wooden barrel which can accommodate one person inside. Taki had washed away her white make-up and untied her hair, letting it flow loosely to ease the tension. Okiyo stood behind her, massaging her shoulders.

Okiyo pointed at the door, where the guards are standing, and saw two small holes. But Taki said that they were already watching her when she was with Tanegashima, and she did not mind, so Okiyo said nothing.

“So how was it?” Okiyo asked, keeping her voice down.

“He’s not too big, but he had staying power. Quite nice,” Taki answered.

“You’re not being honest,” Okiyo retorted.

“Okay, I had to fake it again this time,” Taki revealed, “He’s nothing unusual. I was having trouble getting myself turned on.”

“Taki-chan, you must overcome this problem, or else you would get yourself into trouble. Remember that last time, when we had to fight that demon? You could have slain it at first encounter but no, you prefer to be caught and became his sextoy for a while before killing him. Are you thinking of doing the same thing now?” Okiyo scolded her.

Taki chuckled, “Oh yeah, that demon. Sorry, but I’m just curious. And his spike-studded dick actually made me lose myself there.”

“Yea, and you forgot that afterwards you were complaining to me that the abomination you call his dick left bruises in your cunt. Luckily you weren’t stupid enough to let it enter your ass or you might be crawling home crying, with blood and shit marking your trail. Pull yourself over back together, Taki, I beg you. I think you’re getting insane.”

“Maybe I am,” Taki said bitterly,”Who won’t be driven insane with a lifestyle like this? It’s not your fault. It’s nobody’s fault but mine.”

Okiyo sighed. “Listen,” she said, “We still have several days. You’re the team leader and I don’t care if you tell me that I should be fried alive and served for their breakfast. Do whatever you think necessary to get the job done, and we will be at your expense.”

“Thank you, you’re a best friend,” Taki smiled at her. Okiyo continued massaging Taki’s neck and shoulders.

“You know, there are many horny men around here,” Okiyo commented, “Apparently they had not left this remote place for several months, and they haven’t got laid since. And the leaders forbid them to leave. I think our presence here might just make the situation worse. Just earlier, Tanegashima’s huge bodyguard asked me if he can take Kagami. You think we can exploit this?”

“Maybe. Let me think about it.”

“Oh yeah, another thing,” Okiyo said, “Just a while ago I found out the presence of one other man sneaking in the base. He’s not one of ours.”

“Another ninja?” Taki asked.

“Well, at least that’s what he think. He just sneaks around with a mask and a black outfit and he didn’t even notice that I was watching. I assume he’s a samurai, because he carries a long sword around.”

Drops of rain made a noise over the roof. As predicted by Kou, it was raining heavily again.

“You know,” Taki said, “it could be ‘him’… I gave ‘him’ some hints earlier, maybe he’s interested.”

“Whoever he is, he should have a shelter tonight,” Okiyo said, as the increasing noise of rain overwhelmed every other noise.

CONTINUED IN PART 2

-Pertama kali diterbitkan di Greyarchive, 1 Mar 2004