Document and Deceit Part One: Under the Sun By: Tuwaki Mizumo Heike Detsune It was a noon and the sun was scorching the wits out of the people of Tokyo. Among them, Tuwaki Mizumo just sat in her shop awaitng customers. She was seriously considering moving to Mt. Fuji because of the heat. Without warning, a customer came in. She was fairly well dressed, and she seems to have given in to the heat; she paid someone to tag along and fan her. Suddenly, the eyes of customer and shopkeeper locked on each other. Mental thoughts of the other crossed each ones mind. The customer thought "Hmm... she or he? Reviewing that person in mental checklist: hair, taken care of, but not excessively; hakama, seems nice enough but oh! A cleavage! Must be a basic tomboy or she finds those clothes cooler than what is reserved for women. One way or another, she'll cower as soon as she sees a blade. Yep, the heat is getting into a lot of people and she is no exception. While Mizumo thought "Hmm... looks spoiled. Seems rich and she's probably a giddy noblewoman looking for something to show off to her friends. She probably never did an ounce of work all her life and she'll cower as soon as she sees a blade. Yep, the heat is getting into a lot of people and she is no exception." Without warning, while they were deep in thought, an attack came. A throwing knife was about to pierce the woman had she not evaded it with surprising speed. Mizumo took out her swords and started to fight. The fight was short and ugly. The woman was the focus of attention, so they were blindly chasing her while Mizumo cut them down. "Amateurs!" Mizumo scoffed. They went to the dojo where they decided to talk. "Your name?" Mizumo asked. "The name is Heike Detsune." the woman replied. "Who were those people?" "Probably some rival's henchmen out to kill me because I stepped on someones toes. It gets tiresome after a while." "How long has this been going on, and why haven't you told the police?" "It has been going on for a few months already, and I have no evidence to prove anything to the police since they all end up dead." Mizumo looked at the woman strangely, "Dead...?" The woman nodded. "That's odd..." "Not really..." Mizumo sighed, she was to thirsty to ask any more questions. She was relieved when they got to the Dojo. Mizumo decided to try to ask one more question, "Exactly, how did you come to stay at the Dojo? Or are you just following me? I haven't seen you around." She took a breath of air, her throat was parched. "I'm just exploring. I heard from a gaijin that there are many nice crafts and the like here. I don't really stay here. I live in Shinjuku." "Oh. Let's go inside and have a little drink." And the two stepped inside. Both ladies were seeing hallucinations and mirages. It's definitely hot. They ran into Kaoru. "Mizumo! You have a guest! Lets get her inside!" Kaoru said with a smile. They were simply trying to have a drink, but Kaoru fed them. Only when the tip of their tounges touched the food they were about to eat were they jerked back into reality. "I'm on a diet" both of them said in unison. "I know how you feel. Pretty hard to keep a girlish figure, huh? By the way, I'll be out to do some chores. Enjoy yourselves!" Kaoru said in her usual tone. "Actually," Mizumo whispered to Detsune, "I rather die than be on a diet, but hearing about her cooking, I bet when I try it, I'll be sick!" A pot was thrown in Mizumo direction, but she ducked and it crashed to the wall, crashing through it. "I heard that!" Kaoru hissed before leaving. Mizumo rolled her eyes, and just grumble. She stood up and gotten her and Detsune a drink. "Arigatto," Detsune said before drinking. "No problem!" Mizumo smiled and continued to drink.. "I'll be frank here." Detsune said a few minutes later. "I'm conducting a night raid and I need more manpower." "Oh! What fun!" * a night raid?* Mizumo thought over it, "So you need more man power? Are you asking me to help?" Detsune nodded, "I saw how you fought those men a while ago, impressive." "Hmm... all right. I guess it's time for me to get some real exercise." "Great. Meet me by the Spanish Embassy an hour after sunset." "Okay." "Dress in formal clothes, preferrably of female stature." "What?" * * * Tuwaki Mizumo's nerves were strung tighter than a violin's string that evening. She was walking along dark alleys, and before she knew it, she was already at the Spanish Embassy. There were guards at front, that was to be expected. She simply waited. And waited. And waited. And waited some more. Then the lights within the embassy grew bright and enchanting western music was starting to play. A red carpet was rolled outside, and carriages were soon arriving. A carriage stopped by Mizumo. "Oi! Tuwaki! Get in!" Detsune's voice whispered to her. Mizumo did not really understand, but she got in anyway. "We are going into a party. Can you read romanji?" Mizumo hadn't liked the idea of wearing formal women clothing, and was wondering about all this: The night raid, the party,...the question of reading Romaji, which she can read quite well...but still... "I can read Romaji," she said, getting out of her thoughts. "Good. Now I want you to look and find a document inside the emabssy titled 'Tramar de Asasinato' " "Tramar de Asasinato? Wouldn't that mean that the Spaniards are stirring something illegal?" "Exactly. I don't know the details. Just look for the document. Be discreet. I know that you can escape quick if you have to, but I'd rather they wouldn't know about it being missing." "Okay. Got that." "Don't go until I tell you its safe." "Got that too." The driver of the carriage looked back at the two ladies while stopping by the red carpet, and was about to do something harmful. Detsune threw a shuriken at his throat. Mizumo was a bit surprised at that. Then the two ladies got down from their transport. Detsune was graceful, while Mizumo looked very uncanny. Heike threw a shuriken on one of the horse's flanks to get them moving. "Invitation please." the man at the door asked. "Here they are." "My, Lady Detsune of Heike. Welcome to our home away from home." Detsune replied with an enchanting smile, then motioned to Mizumo that it was time to go inside. Mizumo went inside, she really didn't feel comfortable, this was all new to her, sure she liked to know about new things, but this was just too new. She felt rather seperate from the other ladies there, since it was unusual for her. Detsune nodded to her, letting her know that she should now start looking for the document. Mizumo slipped away from the crowd and began to look for the document. *grrrr, if only it wasn't so crowded, I'll be able to find it like that!* Mizumo suddenly found herself in a washroom. It was of beautiful marble with carpets inlaid with gold. She saw a bowl filled with water and topped with fresh rose petals, making an odd yet pleasant scent. She liked what she saw. *So this is how they live. Impressive.* She looked at every single corner, very impressed by the construction, and she came across a bar where a towel hung. *I suppose that's practical... but to be made out of brass?* Mizumo was semi-curious, so she twisted and turned the bar just to discover a rolled-up document. "Tramar de Asasinato" it read. She was exited, and relieved that nothing much happened. But as she was about to leave, a well dressed woman accompanied by two henchmen who managed to hide their swords so well, just appeared from the shadows. "I won't let you escape with that document." "Just who are you?" Mizumo demanded, her emotions a little flapped. "My name is Tajimi Korin. Nice to meet you. Detsune simply cannot always have what she wants, and I certainly will gain much popularity after uncovering this." "How did you know who sent me?" Mizumo was even more flapped. "Detsune isn't the only girl with spies, you know. But enough talk. I want that document, and your knowledge of it's existence will cost you your life" Korin threatened with an ominous voice. *What did Detsune get me into? Why can't I just be drinking sake in the dojo innocent and carefree?* Korin's eyes were filled with desire. "Obuchi, Yoshiro, dispose of her" and the two henchmen lunged at Mizumo. * * * [End Part 1/Under the Sun]