Tales of the Kunoichi – Chapter three

* A tale involving the “other” side of Miss Hermit. Feel free to comment *

After dumping the body in the canal for the wiggyfish I head back to the flat to do some writing. I am not thrilled to be sending pigeons right now since that may signal the Yakuza that their assassin failed but I need to alert everyone back home and to ask some questions concerning this “problem” I just experienced. So up the second floor I go and to change once more into a ladies’ dress and to put my hair back up. This takes forever as far as I am concerned. It would be so much easier to slip into a light kimono but the Babbage winter is a bit too cold for my tastes. So I select something warm and comfortable. I cannot wait for when Tasha can lift and move heavier objects so she can help me into and out of these outfits or at least do my hair.

I open up the writing desk, take out a few sheets of rice paper, sharpen up a quill and have at it. First the scroll I want to send to the Temple. Not too much detail here as I do not want to scare the monks that their prize miko is in danger. They are all so dear to me but some of them are like nervous grannies sometimes. Several of them never wanted me to leave in the first place. Thank goodness the senior monk and Father overrode their objections.

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Ohayou my dear brothers and sisters of the temple;

I am doing well and learning of western ways every day while living here in Babbage. I have made friends who treat me well and make me feel at home. I have also learned some new dances which I hope I will teach to the younger mikos when I return for a visit. Please let me know how you are all doing. Are there any troubles at the Temple? I do worry for you all. Send word soon.

Dewa mata suguni ne

Miko Hermit

There, the monks that know me the best will know I want the current conditions in and about the Temple. They will write back quickly and give me the both the political and civil situations they think I should hear about. Next for the senior monk…

Ohayou Yamada-sama

This letter comes from your miko with troubling news. I was attacked in my home by a man from Nihon who carried the wakizashi on his person. Thankfully your training in the use of the katana preventing me from getting injured to badly. I do not know where he came from or his purpose. I have disposed of the body already as I do not wish to have my neighbors see this. The spirit has not manifested yet which I find very curious. Can you tell why this would happen and what, if any, actions I should take. Your miko of course is very upset that such a thing has occurred and wishes to correct any error she may have made during her last visit at the Temple. If it would please you I would be grateful for any information you can relay to me.

Shinpai shinaide

Miko Hermit

A bit more direct in the telling but I hope not enough so that Yamada-sama would think of telling me to come home. I would hate to see Father and him get in a yelling match. If anyone can tell me why his spirit has not appeared yet, it will him. Now for Father’s scroll. This shall be the most direct. I worry if I should write this in the clan code or not. After thinking about it for a bit I will just write it. If anyone is intercepting the pigeons, their presence alone will signal that I still live.

Katai Daifu;

I have a “problem” that I need your help on. First off; no I do not want you over here to wreck damage on some unknown person or group in Babbage and I do not want you to declare war on anyone in Nihon. Let us do this the peaceful way first. I was attacked by a man with a wakizashi in my house the other evening. I took him down with a throat slash but he was very good and got to cut me a few times before I killed him. I think he was samurai by the way he moved. I also think he is linked to the Yakuza as his left little finger was cut down and he wore a full vest tattoo on his person. I have no idea why I would be targeted by them due to anything that I have done in Babbage. I do need you to ask about and see what is going on with the Yakuza in and about the Temple area. Have the monks done anything pious enough to upset them? Has the clan taken on any “business” to “remove” members of the local gangs? Needless to say I disposed of the body in the local canal as soon as I could. Yes Father, before you think it your little girl did place extra cuts in the chest cavity to let the death gasses escape so it won’t float to the surface. Please send me any information you think valuable right away. Protect the scroll using method P. Oh yes, please send some pigeons by freighter I am running low.

Ki o tsukete

Iyou

I rub my hand to relive the cramps from writing such tiny script. Carefully I slice the paper down so that the load on the pigeon is as light as possible. I go up to the roof and select three of the best birds, tie a scroll to each of them and send them on their way back home to the Temple. I hope that by sending three at least one gets there. I would like all three to make it. Watching the birds disappear into the sooty clouds, I send a prayer to protect them. I turn with a sigh and head back downstairs and back to who knows what other surprises that lie waiting for me. In Babbage we say “What could possibly go wrong?” How about everything…