Mizuyama is located at the southwestern part of the Land of Dawn. Despite being a small town, it is the trade center of the best goods from the different lands surrounding it. It"s somehow separated from the neighboring towns because of the high mountains. Just like Iga, Mizuyama is not very welcoming when it comes to modernization."Here"s the plan, Hayabusa and I shall go and have some negotiation with black marketeers. As for you Kagura, you should focus on gathering information about the rebellion. You already know what to do, right?" Hanzo said as they finally can see the small village of Mizuyama.
"Right," Kagura replied.
"Er," Hanabi blurted. "What about me?"
The three looked at each other and shrugged.
"You should just go and relax," Hanzo remarked.
"You could go and temporarily work at the brothel to earn some money for us," Hayabusa snickered.
"Nice idea," Hanzo agreed and the two laughed.
Kagura remained quiet. And this time, Hanabi knew that never will she be able to get their approval of her presence in their group. She did not say anything for she already has a plan and she"d be doing it on her own.
As they reach the entrance of the village, the three immediately spread out and left Hanabi alone.
"Since they want me to just goof off and do nothing, I shall do so," Hanabi whispered to herself.
First, she found a deserted house and changed her gears into a common clothing. She took off the red ribbon tying her hair and arranged her hair neatly. She braided a few strands and tied it at the back. She hid her gears and heads to the big, red house.
"My, what do we have here?" a lady wearing a long kimono greeted her. Her black and silver hair was well-tied and her make-up slightly covers the wrinkles on her face. Hanabi thought that she might be the owner.
"I came to become your apprentice," Hanabi lied.
"What a brave young girl," the lady said as she circles the scarlet ninja. "You must still be 20, a real and fresh young lady. Pretty face, captivating eyes, perfectly shaped lips and nose. What a real beauty. Come, I shall train you tonight and you"ll start working tomorrow."
Hanabi smirked secretly for she could infiltrate the brothel house in no time. If things go smoothly, she"ll be able to finish her plan earlier.
She followed the old lady to a room where only one futon is laid. A small table is just across it. Sake is served and the fragrance of the room is relaxing.
(Sake is a j.a.panese alcoholic beverage.)
"This would be the setup of the room," the old lady started.
Meanwhile...
"Hanabi is no longer tailing us," Hayabusa remarked after looking behind him and not seeing the scarlet ninja.
"Let her be," Hanzo responded. "As long as she won"t be a problem, then everything"s fine. She has nothing actually. She is never welcome in our group."
"What if she"ll get caught and blow our cover?" Hayabusa asked worriedly.
"Then, just kill her," Hanzo jested. "We"ll just tell the chief that she sacrificed herself for the mission."
"What is your name, young lady?" the owner of the brothel asked.
"It"s Haruka," Hanabi lied with no visible clue of her being a liar.
"Okay, Haruka. Most of our customers are VIPs and they"re quite keen on choosing a woman to be with. Since you"re just a beginner, I won"t just yet give a VIP customer for you to take care of. But no worries, since it is your first time, you"ll earn quite a big amount," the old lady explained.
Just by hearing it, Hanabi cringed in disgust but she never dared showed it for she has to do this for the sake of their mission.
"The very first rule in this house is that the customer is always right. Do not dare go against him unless he wants to kill you. You should do whatever they want you to do, is that clear?"
"Yes," Hanabi replied.
"Okay, come and I"ll bring you to your room so you could rest," the old lady initiated.
When Hanabi was left alone in her supposed to be room, she snuck out and searched for the owner"s room. She wore her mask, covering half of her face, from her nose down to her chin. She tied her hair back into a ponytail. She is being careful for the other women are still at work.
"Our Lady ordered me to bring these clothes into her room," said one woman. "You better go to the kitchen and cook for dinner."
"Understood," replied the other one. Hanabi followed the woman whom the Lady owner had ordered to do something.
When they are at the empty hallway, Hanabi snuck behind her and hit the back of her neck, making her lose consciousness. She brought her to one of the empty rooms and had their clothes exchanged. Now, wearing the clothes of the working women, Hanabi got the Lady"s clothes and heads to her room where her name was inscribed.
Upon entering, her eyes wandered around. The room was s.p.a.cious yet only few things are there. The bed, a small table beside it. Another table set is beside the patio. On the left wall, a lot of scrolls are arranged on it. Hanabi locked the room and took a glance on each scroll.
"No," she mumbled as she rolled back the paper and returned it to the shelf. "No," she sneered.
She heard footsteps coming so she hurried on looking for the right scroll. She heard the door being forced open.
"Huh?!" a woman grunted. "Why is Lady"s room locked? She haven"t gone to rest yet."
Hanabi heard a gasp and another woman said, "Someone might have intruded. I shall call the guards!"
"Go get the key as well," the woman by the door demanded.
Hanabi clicked her tongue for she isn"t making any progress. She knelt down on her knees and grabbed the scrolls at the bottom part of the shelf. She opened one of them and a smirk is formed on her lips. She immediately stood up and unlocked the door before taking her leave through the room"s patio. The woman opened the door but no Hanabi could be seen.
She returned to her a.s.signed room and hid the clothes she stole. She locked her door and opened the scroll that contains the blueprint of the whole brothel house. She carefully studied the location of each rooms, the perfect escape route and most especially the secret pa.s.sages in the house.
The door suddenly slid open and saw the old lady wearing a mad face. Hanabi looked at her and slowly slid the scroll under her futon. She stood up and bowed down.
"Is something the matter?" she asked innocently.
"Have you noticed someone suspicious?" the old lady asked as she narrows her eyes on her.
"No," Hanabi replied. "Did something happen?"
"Nothing!," the lady exclaimed. "You better behave in here."
The old lady slammed the door shut before leaving. Hanabi locked the door and tried to open it. It did open.
"The lock is damaged," she mumbled to herself.
To her surprise, four women came barging into her room and dragged her out. They brought her to another room where lots of clothes and make-up are set. Just then, she knew that her plan is going to be done this very night.
Outside the brothel house, Hanzo and Hayabusa are having their act of negotiation but their attention was caught by the guards surrounding and entering the brothel.
"What is going on?" Hayabusa asked.
"They said someone intruded in the brothel," one of the civilians replied.
The two men looked at each other and thought that it must be Hanabi"s careless actions. Hanzo gritted his teeth and clenched her fist in anger.
"Let her be," he said before facing the trader. "So, do you know someone whom we could buy the weapons?"
"I"m sorry but I do not know," the old man replied.
Hanzo brought out a handful of gold covered with black cloth and showed it to the man.
"I...I...," the man stuttered as his eyes brightened as he gazes at the gold bars.
"Okay," the old man finally gave in and grabbed the gold. "In the brothel, the black marketeers are trading inside. You will know it is them if they have a tattoo of a lion head. Usually, they are the VIPs on that brothel."
Hanzo and Hayabusa left the shop and looked at the brothel.
"How are we going to get inside?" Hayabusa asked. "They"d be suspicious of us when we suddenly check in. They might blame us about the said intrusion."
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"Is that Hanabi?" Hanzo asked in shock as his eyes follow the maiden. Her hair is not tied in a ponytail, her clothes are made from the most expensive cloth. Despite the make-up used on her, Hanzo could still recognize Hanabi.
"Yes, it"s her," Hayabusa agreed.