Rise of the Eight

Tora sat in the living room as rain poured down outside. She was curled up with a cup of hot cocoa as she silently watched mindless cartoons. She was still too paranoid about Jose Saldana to have anything up too loud. She had to be able to hear everything around her at all times. All the windows and doors were locked, and no blind was open. She began to relax until she heard a knock at the door. “Mika?” A deep voice called. Tora turned her gaze to the door and slowly set down her cocoa, Mika would have told her if she was expecting someone. Tora leered at the door “it could be one of Jose’s men” she thought, soon the man stopped knocking, and Tora could hear sounds up on the roof. “What?” she thought listening in following the steps. She heard the window break up the stairs. Jumping to her feat she ran into the kitchen and grabbed a knife, she hide behind the wall and waited. “Mika?” The man called walking through the house slowly she could hear his feet up the stairs. He went into the hall, and then stretched the stair well. Tora’s cat Villa mewed and rubbed against her leg wanting attention. “sshhh villa go!” she whispered, suddenly the steps headed down stairs. The cat ran off, and it got quiet. Tora held the knife to her chest and prepared herself for an attacked. She heard the man’s feet head for the kitchen. With a loud yelled she swung the knife at the man, but he dodged her.

Tora regained herself and took an defensive stance, the knife in front of her she twirled it around. Sizing the man up, he was tall, and he looked like he knew what he was doing. He pulled a long sword out from a holster on his back and held it out “Who are you and what do you want with Mika!” Tora growled the man held out his sword and glowered at her “I could ask you the same thing” he said dully, Tora looked around there was no way she could land a finger on him with his ranged weapon. She back up to a coffee table, moving quickly she grabbed the candy dish and tossed it at him, as he used his sword to block she rushed forward and tried to cut him. However he was too fast and moved aside, bringing his sword down on her, Tora saw the blade coming down and moved out of his path but the blade clipped her arm leaving a fairly deep cut. “Ouch!” Tora cried looking down at her arm she growled and rushed at him again, this time anger motivating her, however he was completely calm he raised his sword and prepared the strike her again. Tora dropped to the ground and slid under his legs with her knife she sliced his calf straight down the middle causing a deep gash. She got back to her feet and readied herself for his attack. “Now I ask you again What do you want Mika!” she growled, he didn’t answer he just leapt at her bringing his sword down upon the coffee table behind her as she moved out of the way. The table broke in two, he glared at her fiercely.

Mika’s keys fumbled with the door she stopped and listened as she heard tremendous noise coming from inside her house. “Tora!” she thought panicked as she opened the door. Her mouth fell open as her eyes darted around her house. Many objects where broken and a few blood droplets stained the white carpet. Her eyes trailed up to two moving figures. Tora glared at the man as he stood over her with his sword raised high “Raizo! Stop!” Mika called running into the living room she pulled her sister from under him just as he brought down his sword. “Mika?” He asked looking up at her; he stood up straight and quickly put his sword away. “What’s going on here?” Mika asked confused and shocked, as she looked around her house. “This bastard broke in the house, so I protected myself” Tora said holding her arm. “No you attacked me first” Raizo said calmly “I never said I didn’t” Tora shot back her voice pointed. Mika waved her hands around “ok, ok ever once just calm down.” She said with a sigh “Tora, this is Raizo, he’s a friend.” She said before turning to Raizo “this is my sister” Mika said Raizo looked to Tora “you never mentioned a sister” He said plainly “Obviously not! Else you’d not have broke into the damn house!” Tora barked. “Tora stop it..I guess I have a bit of explaining to do” Mika sighed rubbing her temples together. “Clean up this mess first and we’ll take about it later” she added walking towards the kitchen “I need a drink” she muttered. Tora looked up at Raizo hatefully before walking off to find a broom.

It was night now, the house was clean and livable again, Mika, Raizo, and Tora sat in the living room. Tora sat far away from the both of them; eyeing Raizo like her was a government conspiracy. “There’s no such things are ninjas” she said quickly “you’re off your rockers...completely” She added in. “Tora it’s true.” Mika said “then why the hell doesn’t he just go to one of the other clan, I there’s nine of them right, pick one and go” Tora spat rudely throwing daggers at him with her eyes. “Because I’m exiled, and they’d probably kill me if I returned” He said Tora stood up “even better, when can you leave?” She asked Mika glared at her “Tora, Raizo’s a friend, he save my life” Mika said she turned her gaze to Raizo who watched Tora “You can stay, until you find yourself comfortable with the world as it is now, however” She said looking up at Tora “Tora could used some manners and learn a bit of respect, They taught you this back in the Ozunu clan right?” She asked him Raizo nodded “I don’t think I like where this is headed” He said Mika smiled “then if you wish to stay, You have to watch my sister…teach her some respect, I don’t care how, just don’t hurt her” Mika said. Raizo frowned “fine” He muttered. “no, no, hell no” Tora said furious “I don’t know this guy, for all I know he can be working for Saldana!” Tora yelled. Raizo looked up at her “I work for no one” Tora rolled her eyes “and I can trust your word why?” He asked “because your sister trusts me” Tora leered at him, her Loyalty to her sister was fierce and that may just have been a good enough reason. “Tora” Mika sighed standing up as well “you are my sister and I love you, but I need you to gain some respect, my neighbors keep complaining about their run ins with you. You can’t keep a job, you keep getting kicked out of collages.” As Mika spoke Tora cast her eyes to the ground “ I need you to become world ready, but you can’t do that until you learn respect” She said. “Raizo will go along with you during the day as you run errands for me, you can get him used to the world and he can teach you know to treat others.” Mika instructed “it’s the only way either of you can stay here, there’s a list of take out numbers on the fridge..it’s been a long day and I’m going to bed.” Mika said leaving up the stairs.

Tora and Raizo glanced at one another. Each knew that the following days, were going to be very long.