Chapter Text
TOKYO
JULY 09, 00:36 JST
Shinobi led his allies across the neon rooftops of his city, leaping from building to building while he provided a tour for them, so to speak. It had been good, being able to show off his hometown to the bats. And they had kept up with him rather well, not skipping a beat while they explored the unknown urban jungle at midnight.
Of course, Yoshi’s thoughts were still buzzing as he replayed the moment he and Cassandra had while in his bedroom. He could feel Orphan’s gaze on him now, with the girl watching him intently while she followed close behind.
It was a sensation he’d never felt before in his life… that she’d never felt as well. A feeling neither could comprehend. Sailing over a gap between two rooftops, he began blushing when he pictured her eyes and lips once again. “But how do I approach this issue with Cass? What should I…?”
Sensing the three begin to slow down, the now confused Yamashiro screeched to a halt before turning back to stare at them. Robin and Spoiler were craning their heads around, uneasy while they stood near the building’s edge.
“What’s wrong?”
Tim narrowed his eyes beneath his domino mask while he looked out, beckoning to all of Tokyo as he muttered, “It’s so…”
“…quiet,” Stephanie finished.
Breathing a sigh of relief—with it not being an ambush from Chaos—Yoshi began smirking as he stepped over towards them. “You get used to it. The lack of police sirens, that is.” Crossing his arms, Shinobi cautiously stood close to Orphan while he bragged. “Tokyo is probably one of the safest cities in Japan. Heck, maybe in the world.”
“I believe it. Definitely safer than Gotham, that’s for sure,” Spoiler said, sighing while she closed her eyes and listened to the gentle breeze grace the rooftop they inhabited; feeling the wind caress the exposed area of her face, around her eyes. “The air even smells cleaner here, too.”
“I mean, there’s still sketchy neighborhoods that people should avoid,” their tour guide advised. “And there’s still the Yakuza to worry about… but we don’t see them often enough.”
Robin leaned against the parapet of the roof, placing his boot near the edge while he got comfortable. “Didn’t you and Katana end a Yakuza gang war earlier this year?”
Yoshi nodded, smiling as he remembered that distant night. “Yeah. January. It was just before that night Joker threatened to blow up…” The twinkle in his eye disappeared while he trailed off; recalling the fateful incident that led to Barbara’s paralysis.
Cassandra remembered it too, and immediately looked away in shame, turning herself from the others.
“It was the same day Cass came into our lives. And changed them for the better,” Shinobi corrected himself, hoping his previous statement hadn’t offended her.
Stephanie leaned close to him before whispering, “Nice save.”
Orphan did lift her head, returning her gaze to look back at him. Though with her unique mask, the teen Yamashiro couldn’t tell what her expression was.
And Tim looked ever onward, hoping to change the subject by discussing the cityscape. “Tokyo Tower sure is impressive.” He glanced upward at the twinkling lights of the massive monument, stretching up high over the surrounding structures.
“It kind of reminds me of the Eiffel Tower,” Spoiler muttered. She nudged Robin with her elbow before casually walking along the rooftops, giving him the hint to follow after her.
While the duo began discussing Tokyo’s architecture, Yoshi tentatively stepped beside Cassandra, grateful for Stephanie’s assistance. “Are you okay, Cass?” She nodded once, ever firm and fortified. He hesitantly placed his hand on her shoulder, causing her to flinch slightly from the contact. But she didn’t shrug him off. “Hey, I meant what I just said. About you making our lives better.”
She tilted her head to the left, her eyes locking onto his beneath the lenses of her mask. Lifting up her hands, Orphan created hook shapes with her index fingers before interlocking them.
‘Friend.’
Shinobi began beaming beneath his mask. “Yeah, we’re friends. Good friends.” Removing his hand from her shoulder, Yoshi nodded his head towards Stephanie and Tim, before strolling after them. His companion immediately followed, stepping along the parapet beside him. “But could we be more? Should we be more?”
TSUSHIMA ISLAND
JULY 09, 18:29 JST
The Kaneda Castle ruins were quiet and tranquil as Team Katana explored the stronghold. Having split up into two groups, Shinobi led his female companions while his aunt and Robin searched another section. This time, all five were armed to the teeth in their investigation, having learned from their mistakes at Gotham and deciding to always wear their costumes over the course of their adventure. At least, when they were out in public.
And the mystic ruins of Tsushima were absolutely stunning, being bathed in the warm golden glow of the setting sun.
“This castle… this whole island… it’s so beautiful,” Stephanie muttered.
Thankfully, the area was temporarily closed off to the public, giving the heroes time to survey the castle without interference from locals or tourists.
“I know. The history of all these ruins is fascinating to say the least,” Yoshi agreed, glancing all around with his darkwear being active, hoping to pick up a clue of some sort. “But you should really be in Japan during early spring time, when the cherry blossoms begin to bloom. Now that is a beautiful sight.”
“I'll keep that in mind.” Running her gloved hand along the stones making up the courtyard wall, Spoiler turned her head back to address the focused Orphan studying Kaneda Castle’s architecture. “How about it Cassandra? Girls’ day out in Japan next spring?”
Cass tilted her head to stare at Steph, not giving any sort of reaction or response as she focused on the mission at hand.
“Have you found anything?” Tim asked over their comm pieces.
Yamashiro shook his head, keeping ‘Detective Mode’ enabled. “Not yet. But I think we’re getting close.” It wasn’t exactly a lie. Just wishful thinking. Stephanie tapped his shoulder to get his attention.
“So why do you think your mom chose to hide Earthshaker somewhere in this castle?”
“I don’t know, Steph. There might not be any significance to it. Maybe she just liked this place is all,” Yoshi replied, shrugging his shoulders.
“But she’s hidden Wavebreaker underwater… at the bottom of a lake,” she objected. Having that Blade be surrounded by water seemed pretty significant, much like their current location; the historical sight of strength and resilience embodying the element of earth pretty well. “Maybe your mother returned the Blades to where she originally found them?”
Shinobi tapped his chin as he turned to face Spoiler and Orphan, temporarily switching off his darkwear. “It’s a possibility…” The two heroines’ forms were (from his perspective) silhouetted by the falling sun behind them, casting shadows towards their friend. “But I think okāsan started over and hid them in new places, so others won’t find them as easily.”
While he squinted against the blinding lights—averting his gaze from the star to avoid eye damage—Yoshi gasped when he finally picked up a clue. There was a hole in the courtyard’s wall, a gap opening up towards the west side of the island. It appeared to be old and weathered like the remainder of the ruins, implying that it wasn’t vandalized in some way.
But there was just something about it…
“What is it?” Stephanie asked, taking notice of his surprise.
“Okāsan always loved sunsets…” He mindlessly began stepping towards the opening, brushing past his friends as he followed the setting sun.
The area was—of course—sectioned off by metal railings, to prevent tourists from wandering towards the dangerous cliffside. But ducking under it and pushing himself through the three-foot-wide hole, Yoshi found himself standing on a miniature plateau overlooking the valley of Tsushima Island and Fukuzakiura Bay.
The flowing green hills of the dense forests, illuminated by the golden glow which reflected off the distant channel of water was a breathtaking sight.
“Beautiful.” As he whispered the declaration, Orphan and Spoiler strode up beside him, both also marveling at the extraordinary view. Shinobi felt his heart flutter when he turned his head to the right, seeing Cassandra standing a couple feet away, cape gently fluttering in the wind behind her. “Not just the landscape…” As he began studying the curves of her lithe form, the Yamashiro had to avert his gaze when he found himself beginning to stare at her backside. He cursed himself as his cheeks became flushed. “Focus Yoshi! Stop looking at Cass!”
“Hey, there’s something odd about these stone slabs right here,” Stephanie suddenly announced. Yoshi immediately snapped to attention, turning quickly to face the girl, who was kneeling near the wall behind them. He and Cassandra quickly approached Spoiler, who began brushing her fingers along the faded brown wall, wiping away dust and dirt that had built up near the ground. “And there’s kanji right here too…”
私の小さな影のために
While they knelt beside her—all of them studying the small, carved markings engraved on the stones—the young Brown selected her darkwear’s translation software next. Developed recently by Oracle herself, it displayed the interpreted writing in English on her HUD. “‘For my little shadow’.” Stephanie tilted her head to the side, staring at Yoshi who removed his straw hat in reverence. “The word your mother called you: kage. It means shadow, right?”
“Hai.”
“This is her, then. Earthshaker must be here,” Spoiler began grinning beneath her mask. After returning her gaze back to the slabs the words were engraved upon, she began pointing between them and the ones above them before announcing her discovery. “See. I knew my hunch was right about these stones. They’re dated much younger than the rest of these ruins.”
After receiving the ‘sample analyzer’ results from Stephanie’s darkwear, Yoshi began to piece together what was implied; what had caught her eye (and brought them to the wall) to begin with. “Meaning, they’ve been made to look like the other slabs--”
“--but they’ve been placed here recently. Less than twenty years ago given the scanner’s dating,” she said, sounding rather pleased with herself.
“Nice work, Steph! You’re a genius! And you’re two for two with uncovering secrets left by okāsan!” Spoiler nodded her head once, cheeks glowing a slight pink from his compliment. The beaming Shinobi tapped his earpiece, bringing up the comm unit and relaying their location to Katana and Robin. “Oba, we’ve found it!”
“We’re on our way.”
Equipping their respective ranged weapons—kunai and batarangs—the three began chiseling away at the slabs of stone along the wall, blended in with the old wall. Yoshi’s heart was racing while they worked, excited and nervous about what they would find hidden for over a decade. In a way, he kind of felt like Indiana Jones at the moment. Uncovering lost artifacts that held immense power. “Well, at least we don’t have to worry about Nazis… just a giant water monster hellbent on killing us all.”
Chipping off the plaster holding them together, they carefully pulled the newer slabs away, holding their breaths as they revealed what slumbered within.
The naginata itself was nearly five and a half feet long, being close to Yoshi or Cassandra’s height, if not more. The silver blade itself (about two feet of its entire length) glinted in the evening sunlight, with a small yellow gem placed within the hilt. Its handle was made up of a dark-brown wood-like material, somehow standing to the test of time and not rotting in any way. The whole thing exuded power and stability.
“Woah…” Stephanie muttered.
“Earthshaker.” While Yoshi whispered its name, Tatsu and Tim appeared in the opening to their right, staring down at the group.
Shinobi began reaching forward with his right hand, drawn towards the blade. “Be careful, watashi no oi. We don’t know what that naginata is capable of.” Nodding once, he cautiously grabbed the handle of Earthshaker, sending tingles through his arm from its power.
The others watched with concerned stares as Yoshi slowly stood up, with cold chills flowing down his spine; making him shiver slightly. He held the naginata now in both hands while he steadied himself, this particular Blade being significantly heavier than Flamebringer or Voidsinger.
“I… I sense great power resting within this Blade.” The Yamashiro unintentionally began squinting when his vision began to fill with a blinding, white light. “What’s going on!?” Knowing that with the setting sun, the sky should be growing darker, he whirled around in panic.
Everyone who was with him was now gone. Vanished into thin air. “Oba!? Cassandra!? Stephanie!? Tim!? Where are you guys!?”
…
Shinobi opened his eyes when the lights finally faded. Expecting to be back at the Kaneda ruins, he gasped upon taking notice of his new surroundings.
He seemed to be inside of some sort of darkened chamber, with wooden walls surrounding him from all sides. The ceiling high above him seemed to be that of thatch, made of straw tightly packed together in an almost medieval way… like the housing from feudal-Japan. Rain was pattering the roof, adding to the tension that he was already feeling.
The next thing Yoshi noticed was that Earthshaker—as well as all his other weapons—were missing. Only his ninja robes appeared to be with him… which now didn’t seem all out of place as he glanced around the chamber, taking notice of the room’s occupants.
At the center of the hall, seated in a circle around a small hearth were five Japanese men. They appeared to be middle-aged, dressed in traditional, old fashioned clothes from his country’s history. Judging from the similar faces and eyes, the men all appeared to be brothers. And beside each of the men—heads bowed in respect—were their progenies, listening to their mentors debate; three young men and two young women, each a striking resemblance of the man they knelt beside.
Five brothers, each accompanied by their child… their heir. Ten in the meeting chamber in total.
“What’s going on here? Why can’t you see me?” Yoshi asked out loud, before slowly pacing around the group, who took no notice of him. It was all so bizarre. “Is this a vision?”
“<We have already lost too many men against this monster. And Kaosu’s power still continues to grow!>” one of the brothers shouted, speaking in their native tongue: Japanese. And the mention of the water creature earned Shinobi’s attention, who lifted his head in response.
“There must be a reason I’m seeing this now…”
Another of the men shook his head, deeply troubled like the others. “<If we do not find a way to contain it soon, this creature will destroy everything.>”
“<Contain? How have you, of all people, not been able to contain Kaosu!?>” the youngest accused, pointing to him in anger. “<Do the waters not obey your command anymore!?>” As he shouted this, the air around the group seemed to come to life, with the whistling of wind whipping around them.
“<Or perhaps the monster is one of his creations!>” the man beside him chimed in, clenching his fists. “<After all, Kaosu wields the power of water!>” Dust and pebbles, the small objects of earth near him, began flowing around his hands and fingers.
Sensing the tension like Yoshi could, the children raised their heads from the shouting, in great unease from the atmosphere. The two girls present (one of which being the daughter of the accused man) were most frightened by the elemental displays of power.
And it only got worse…
“<You dare accuse me of causing this bloodshed!? Against our own people!?>” the accused brother shouted. In response, the rain began to beat harder against the thatch, while the water from his cup began to rise up into the air in front of him.
“<Well, what evidence do you have to refute his claim!?>” the one across from him demanded, his fists temporarily glowing purple as he used void to summon a bō staff into his hands.
Holding his breath, Shinobi watched as the four siblings began bickering, their shouts echoing through the chamber and seeming to be louder than the raging storm outside.
The fifth and oldest brother—who’d remained quiet up until now—quickly rose from his kneeling position, standing up in front of the others. “<ENOUGH!!!>” When their leader shouted this, his fists were burning bright with fire, the red-orange flames flickering across his skin; and not burning him. As his four brothers froze in place, the man took a deep breath to calm himself down. “<Arguing amongst ourselves won’t help anything.>”
He slowly knelt back down as his fire faded, glancing back at his frightened daughter who gave no comment. Her flowing dark brown hair reminded the Yamashiro so much of his mother… except this girl’s eyes were a shade of blue like his.
“<He… he is right. Forgive me.>” the earth wielder apologized, retracting his previous accusation before sinking back down onto the floor. He and his brothers let their powers retreat, slowly bringing themselves back from the edge as the storm outside began to subside. “<Only united do we stand a chance against this insurmountable threat.>”
“Hai,” the others stated in unison.
Yoshi stared intently at the eldest, the man who was likely the head of the whole clan. There was a tranquil peace and maturity to him, unlike the element he controlled. Gray streaks decorated the black hair on his head, showcasing the age and stress that weathered him.
He closed his eyes as he laid out his plan, an answer to seal Chaos away in their time. “<There is one solution, my brothers. One that will require sacrifice.>” Letting his words sink in, the fire wielder opened his eyes before continuing. “<Sacrifice, and… Soultaker.>”
Everyone, both father and child, turned their heads towards him, eyes wide in horror from realizing what he meant… much to Yoshi’s own confusion.
“<No! We will not use Muramasa’s cursed creation! And we cannot perform that damned spell!>” the youngest brother objected. “<This war must not become our children’s fight!>” While the others began murmuring, agreeing with his sentiments, Yoshi Yamashiro’s ancestor gazed back at his daughter, remaining ever firm as he silently comforted her.
“<My brothers… we are not as strong and young as we used to be.>” he urged, pointing now towards the mythical, soul stealing katana mounted on the wall behind him. “<This is the only way…>”
…
As another flash of light blinded him, the disoriented Shinobi blinked multiple times as his surroundings began to brighten. “Yoshi? Are you okay?” Stephanie’s voice sounded beside him. He suddenly found himself back on the cliffside overlooking Tsushima Island, the sun still setting on the westward horizon. Katana, Orphan, Spoiler, and Robin were now with him again.
“What just… happened?” he asked, glancing between his four companions who studied him closely.
“You closed your eyes, watashi no oi. Stood in front of us in silence for several seconds,” Tatsu responded.
“It looked like you were in some sort of trance,” Tim added.
Yoshi glanced confusedly at the naginata gripped firmly in his hands. “You mean… you didn’t just see…?”
“See what?” Steph asked, head tilted to the side in a puzzled manner. She and Cassandra both stood the closest to him, with the latter able to hide her concern easier thanks to her mask.
“I had a vision,” he admitted, turning from the sunset to reach down and reequip his straw hat.
Katana remained ever firm with her arms crossed. “A vision? Of what?”
“There was… a gathering, long ago. Five shinobi. Five brothers,” Shinobi explained, beginning to walk back towards Kaneda stronghold’s courtyard. He was still processing all that had transpired… with ominous droplets of rain beginning to fall around them. “I think it was before the Blades of Godai were created,” he said, stepping through the opening in the wall and ducking under the railing, before facing the others following him closely.
“What were they discussing in your vision? These five brothers?” Robin asked.
“They were talking about…” Sensing movement to his right, Yoshi suddenly glared as he gripped Earthshaker tightly. The drizzle of the rain began to pick up in intensity as he turned to face the translucent blue creature; its soulless green eyes and pulsating brain now being the only familiar features about it. “…Chaos!”
The others piled through the opening, quickly joining Shinobi as they equipped their respective weapons. “Oh, boy. Here we go again…” Spoiler muttered, groaning in annoyance as she reached behind her to grab the escrima sticks strapped to her back.
Now Kaosu stood at a staggering ten-feet-tall, with both mutated arms complete with metallic bones underlaying its watery skin. Those and its enlarged torso contrasted sharply with its smaller legs, nowhere near as large as its upper appendages. On its cone-shaped dome, shielding the brain, Chaos was sporting a hammerhead-like alteration, pretty close to that of the particular type of shark. And below its eyes were a pair of mandibles, giving its face the appearance of an insectoid, like an ant or wasp.
It somehow looked even more abominable than the previous encounter in Gotham.
“Time to see what Earthshaker can do!” Yoshi exclaimed, raising the naginata as the distant sun finally began crossing the horizon. Night would soon be upon them.
The water adversary immediately began lurching towards the team, brain shimmering as it outstretched its arms. Lightning crashed above them, with the creature seeming to summon a storm every time it appeared. Which wasn’t surprising, given that with the exception of inside Gotham Clocktower, Chaos altered the nearby weather.
Shinobi leapt forward to meet the creature head on, awkwardly raising the new weapon above his head.
Kaosu responded accordingly, shocking everyone when it summoned a pillar of water in front of it; shielding itself from the attack.
Now it wasn’t just reshaping its body. The monster was truly controlling the element of water itself.
As Yoshi hit the semi-solid obstacle, his eyes widened when the creature pulled back its fist, preparing to strike back when the barrier dropped.
Of course, his guardian was always looking out for him, because an instant later, a flash of violet to his left signaled the arrival of Katana. As soon as she placed her hand on his shoulder, the woman teleported both of them back, using the ever useful Void Jump to protect him.
They immediately materialized beside the three others, with their darkwear enabled and recording everything. “Be more careful, Shinobi,” Tatsu urged.
Letting the pillar of water drop, Chaos began stomping towards them once again.
Japan’s samurai immediately unsheathed Soultaker. “Robin and Spoiler, you take the right. Orphan and Shinobi, you take the left.” After issuing her command, Katana rushed forward as she raised the katanas. “I’ll attack from the front.”
Yoshi refocused himself as Cassandra raised her wakizashi, vowing to not let himself make another mistake in this encounter while he ran beside her, in order to help distract their enemy.
Tim and Stephanie both worked in unison to distract Chaos, hurling batarangs while Tatsu began closing the distance. When it erected another water barrier—blocking her path—the woman smirked as she lunged forward.
Vanishing once again, Katana used Voidsinger to teleport behind the creature’s head, with a flash of lightning illuminating the stormy sky. She sliced downward with both her blades, cutting through the unaware monster as she dropped towards the ground.
By now, the team was accustomed to Chaos’ puddle trick, with the struck down creature promptly flowing around the courtyard in its harmless state.
They simply readied themselves for the second bout, prepared when it rose to its now towering stature. In fact, gazing into the blade and yellow gem of Earthshaker, Shinobi wondered if he could replicate Flamebringer’s fire ball, and do a similar action using the current weapon. “It’s worth a shot!”
Clearing his mind and focusing on what he wanted to achieve, the Yamashiro pulled the naginata back while his allies re-engaged Chaos. He smiled when multiple nearby stones rolled across the ground, coming towards the blade that summoned them. When they were close enough to the weapon, which was lowered towards the earth, they began quickly orbiting around it, fascinating the boy further.
So it couldn’t ‘create’ the element it embodied, so to speak. Just manipulate what was nearby in a telekinetic manner.
“Interesting…” Swinging Earthshaker forward, he was grinning as the chunks of rocks were heaved towards its intended target, flying through the air like they were thrown from a catapult. “Look out! I’m rocking the boat”
Much to Yoshi’s own shock and disappointment, though, Chaos quickly raised its arms, blocking the debris which bounced off its guarded appendages. A few of the stones even ricocheted from the point of impact, with several flying away from the monster. They nearly hit the close by Spoiler in the head, who narrowly ducked under them in time. “Hey! Watch it!”
Shinobi’s cheeks glowed red in embarrassment. “Sorry!”
“Should you really be testing that thing’s power right now!?” Spoiler shouted as she glared at him, more than a little irritated from the almost friendly fire.
“Hey, there’s no time like the present!”
The creature seemed to disregard their exclamations and returned its gaze towards Katana, choosing to chase after the swordswoman. Now Chaos was entirely focused on Tatsu, ignoring the others as it focused on taking down the current wielder of Voidsinger. It was clever. Since, as of now, that blade was the most useful weapon against it.
It would just keep attacking her. Preventing the samurai from landing any hits and keeping the pressure on.
But even this presented its own opportunities. “Quick! While it’s focused on me!”
The four young heroes instantly rushed forward, urged on from her order. Sprinting with the naginata in only one hand, Shinobi found himself slightly unbalanced while holding it by his side. “This thing’s heavy. A little hard to control,” Yoshi admitted. He switched back to holding the weapon with both hands, like it was a spear. “No wonder naginata were meant for samurai.”
Katana turned towards him, taking her eyes off Chaos for only a split second as she urged, “Then give me Earthshaker.” She immediately sidestepped to avoid the powerful fists brought down towards her head, easily anticipating the attack.
“No! I can handle this!”
The water creature somehow seemed to channel the cascading rain the next instant, now turning to face the younger combatants pursuing it. The next instant, it unleashed an all new attack, outstretching its right hand and aiming before sending a pillar of water towards its enemies; the blast of water energy being almost eight feet in diameter.
Whether it could do this from its base form or not, was unknown.
But it still came as a shock for Yoshi, whom it was mainly directed towards. Before the stunned Yamashiro could do anything, he felt something, or rather someone, slam into his side and tackle him. The pillar of water narrowly missed its target, before surging forward and slamming into the castle’s wall farther behind them.
Skidding across the ground on his back, the teen gasped upon realizing just who saved and was currently on top of him: Cassandra. It was a most welcome assist, even if she had knocked Earthshaker out of his hands.
He stared into the lenses of her mask as they slid to a stop. “Orphan… I… thanks,” he muttered, beginning to blush from their close proximity; the girl straddling his hips, with her hands on both his shoulders.
She nodded once before pushing herself up, unsheathing her sword and facing their adversary.
Of course, with Chaos being distracted by the pair, Robin and Spoiler attacked from the other side, repeating what he and Orphan had already done from the Clocktower. With his bō staff and her escrima sticks, the duo struck the creature’s weak spot, adding one more hit to the monster with a team-up headshot.
The flushed Shinobi took the opportunity to dash for Earthshaker, running for the weapon while everyone once more readied themselves. They needed at least two more hits…
And perhaps, it was time to play more aggressively. To strike before it even had the chance to.
After picking up his misplaced naginata, Yoshi wondered what else it could control and manipulate. “Can I move the ground itself?” Throwing caution out the window, he began racing for Chaos, who was only just now rising from the ancient ground, now a battlefield.
The Yamashiro concentrated on gaining the high ground, wanting to attack the creature from above as he aimed the blade forward. He was instantly amazed as the stones itself began to rise up, creating a rocky ramp for him to use; earth obeying his every command.
Even as the creature summoned a water pillar, attempting to shield itself like it did for Shinobi’s first attack, the platform cut through the erupting geyser with startling ease, interrupting its upward flow. This gave him just the opening he needed.
Thrusting the spear-like blade forward, Yoshi leapt from the created walkway and stabbed forward through Chaos’ head, nearly sending it down for the count.
Everyone on the team was bewildered from the display, watching as he skidded to a halt just behind where the creature had just stood. “It’s no wonder this was one of the three Blades okāsan hid!”
For the last time of the encounter, the living puddle slithered around the courtyard while everyone prepared for the final clash. But pulling out all the stops to defeat them, this time a wave of water quickly roared out in all directions, spreading out along the entire courtyard’s ground from the center.
It was like if you dropped a rock in a pond, with the ripples issuing outward, albeit this way in a more dangerous manner.
And of course, the tsunami-like attack struck everyone except Orphan, who’d managed to avoid it by using Yoshi’s ramp as a springboard to leap over the wave. Though nobody was seriously injured, the others tumbled across the muddy ground from the water attack while the ten-foot-tall Chaos rose to its feet.
The creature turned now to face the daughter of Lady Shiva, the only one left standing from its surprise attack.
“I know she can take that thing on alone… but let’s end this now.” Supporting himself from Earthshaker, Shinobi planted the handle into the castle’s foundation before pushing himself up and rising. “Orphan, maneuver seven!” he shouted, holding his ground as he faced the girl. Cassandra nodded once, trusting in him before sprinting forward at full speed.
She was almost upon Chaos the next instant when he decided to unleash the attack. Focusing on the ground beneath her feet, Yoshi used Earthshaker to send that area flying upward, effectively “throwing” Cassandra towards its head, after he manipulated the earth once again.
Front flipping through the air, Orphan expertly avoided yet another defensive pillar before slicing her wakizashi downward. Hitting its brain one last time, it once more exploded into a harmless eruption of water as she landed on the ground.
Chaos was once again defeated.
As she slid to a stop in front of Yoshi—switching her blade to her left hand—Cassandra promptly lifted her other hand. She placed her fingertips gently on her mask’s chin, before moving her hand outward in a straight line. The motion itself was almost like blowing a kiss. But the innocent gesture was one of the most common phrases in ASL.
‘Thank you.’
“You’re welcome!” The grin spreading across his face was further helped by the living puddle sinking into the ground, with the rain also beginning to subside. The others, soaking wet from head to toe, quickly joined them.
“Okay, nice going, Shinobi!” Stephanie called, giving an encouraging thumbs-up. Testing out its potential was a good move after all. “Earthshaker is pretty powerful. And handy.”
Tatsu nodded her head once, agreeing with the sentiments while the local storm began to subside. And with minimal damages to the Kaneda ruins, too. “Let us go for Wavebreaker next. That should give us an edge against Kaosu. Using water against it,” she suggested.
“Agreed,” Tim said.
As Yoshi glanced down at Earthshaker in his hands, he began to notice how close Cassandra was now standing next to him, offering her usual silent support that spoke volumes on its own… just from her presence. And when the summoned Bio-Ship uncloaked and began descending towards the courtyard, he felt his heart flutter while staring at her in the last golden rays of the day.
“Is it you?”
TOKYO
JULY 10, 01:16 JST
“…and so, with some effort, the creature was eventually subdued,” Katana explained, hands behind her back in a formal manner while she finished giving her report to the Justice League’s leaders.
They may not have been physically present, but the two individuals were still able to interact with Tatsu, thanks to the holograms in her bedroom/office that provided them with the ability to instantly communicate face-to-face across any distance.
It was certainly faster than going to the Watchtower, which even then didn’t take long, thanks to the miracle of Zeta-Tubes.
On the left hologram was Kaldur’ahm, dressed in his Aquaman armor while he listened with quiet deliberation; carefully processing Katana’s report. To the right of him was the other co-chair of the Justice League: Wonder Woman.
In her newer, upgraded red and navy-blue costume—for some of the heroes’ more intergalactic missions—Diana Prince was noticeably taller compared to most women, with straight waist-length black hair, blue eyes, and broad shoulders. The ageless woman was attractive in appearance, with a well-toned, muscular frame; even more impressive than Katana’s. In addition to her iconic lasso, Diana almost always carried a sword on her belt and a small round shield on her back, reflecting her status as a warrior princess.
Out of any of the leaguers—especially when it came to their female members—Wonder Woman was by far the one Tatsu respected the most. Part of the reason was Diana being a founding member of the Justice League. But mostly it was due to the fact that she was Amazon royalty, and naturally came off as a powerful and commanding presence to others. A true leader.
“But was it defeated? Permanently?” Diana asked.
“I don’t know,” Tatsu admitted, recalling the previous struggle that they were narrowly able to overcome. To imagine that Chaos could be even stronger was not a welcome thought. “Chaos disappeared just like the previous encounters. It may return again. And more powerful.”
“And you are certain that this ‘Chaos’ is growing stronger on its own… and not simply reacting to Shinobi claiming more of the Blades of Godai?” Kaldur presented, having remained quiet for most of the discussion.
“Again, I don’t know.” Katana sincerely hoped that it was the first reason, and that every encounter the being got more powerful. But then again, it only assumed a new form every time a new blade was added to the mix… Soultaker included. “Is this creature Atlantean in nature?”
Kaldur shook his head, as unsure of Chaos’ origins as anyone else. “That much is unclear. No records of it exist in Atlantis.” Having done his own research, like Oracle, Aquaman was disappointed in the results of his investigation. “And my king has never faced such a creature before.”
“Nor the Amazons,” Wonder Woman added, tapping her chin while she reasoned over other possible answers. “But the name of the monster itself, ‘Chaos’, brings to mind another adversary our teams have both faced.”
Tatsu narrowed her eyes, knowing just the villain she was referring to. “Klarion the Witch Boy.” The self-proclaimed ‘Lord of Chaos’ that had allied himself with Vandal Savage was always the most mischievous member of the villains’ secret society. And most of all, Klarion was pure evil, delighting in the suffering of others. “Do you think the Light is behind this?”
“I wouldn’t want to rule anything out. They may just be deceiving Shinobi,” Diana suggested. “Hoping Yoshi obtains all the Blades of Godai, before stealing them from him.”
Kaldur’ahm reasoned over his co-chair’s opinion, valuing all view points as their meeting reached its conclusion.
“Regardless of whatever this threat is, proceed with caution,” he urged, remaining stoic and centered while addressing her. “We will await your next report, Katana.”
Tatsu promptly performed a keirei bow, showing respect to the leaders. The next second, the shimmering forms of Aquaman and Wonder Woman both vanished, leaving the Yamashiro woman alone in her room. The hologram projector along the bedroom’s back wall retracted back into the wall as well, with her overhead lights slowly brightening up from being dimmed.
The room itself, unlike her nephew’s, was plain and undecorated for the most part. Aside from a wall mount for Soultaker and a stand for her costume, nothing notable accessorized the traditional bedroom.
Katana sighed as she reached up to remove her mask, mentally exhausted from the meeting. The Justice League still wanted to get involved, and send in the Team as well, to solve the Chaos problem. But she insisted that they had what it takes to solve the situation on their own.
That she had what it takes to be a leader.
After placing the iconic mask on top of her dresser, Tatsu reached behind her to undo Soultaker’s scabbard. The time for appearing professional was over. Now she could finally relax at home. And a shower might help too.
With her thoughts still focused on the current mission, the widow smiled wistfully as she held her fabled blade in hand; unsheathing it slightly to stare at the glinting metal. “Maseo… my love… give me strength during these trying times.” She let the seconds pass while she stood there, meditating and listening to the silent screams that issued from it. “Someday I will find a way to free your soul from this blade. I promise.”
Setting her katana down—propping it on its wall mount—Tatsu steadied herself as she turned from it, remembering the blessing that kept her grounded over the past three years.
“I’ll check on watashi no oi first… then I’ll take a shower. Finally.”
After sliding open the shoji, she strode into the hall before peering into his bedroom. Empty. Confused, she entered the living room next, thinking that maybe he was flaunting his new weapon they’d just obtained. Maybe trying to do some low-scale earth manipulation.
To her surprise, Yoshi wasn’t anywhere to be found. Or Cassandra.
There was only Stephanie and Tim, dressed in their pajamas for the end of the night. The former was curled up on the couch, skimming over one of her friend’s comics, while the latter spoke with someone over the phone. Judging by the tone of voice and nickname, he obviously was not talking to Batman.
“I promise, we’ll be fine, Cassie. You know I won’t hesitate to reach out if we need you. If I need you.” Seeing as how Cassandra Wu-San couldn’t talk on the phone, he was clearly speaking with his girlfriend. And after he took notice of Tatsu, the ‘Boy Wonder’ quickly switched gears in order to finish his call with ‘Wonder Girl’, unsure of whether they had urgent news or not. “Katana’s here. I need to go. I love you, Cassie.”
The unmasked Robin and Spoiler both snapped to attention as they stood to face her, awaiting any orders she may have. “At ease,” the woman said, letting them relax. Tilting her head into the training area and backyard, the Yamashiro was more than confused from the others’ absence. “Where are Yoshi and Cassandra?”
“They decided they wanted to patrol. Yoshi took her out into the city,” Stephanie replied, sinking back onto the sofa before flipping open the graphic novel once again.
Tatsu felt a smirk begin to form on her face from that statement. “That’s my boy!” Turning from the living room, she found her smile spreading as she stepped towards her bedroom. “ Open your heart to her, watashi no oi.”
…
“Like I mentioned last night, most days there aren’t even any noteworthy crimes in Tokyo. A lot of times, I just come out into the city to clear my head,” Shinobi said, smiling as he glanced at the twinkling neon of the cityscape.
Both he and Orphan were halfway across town from the Dojo, walking along the secluded rooftops of Tokyo while they passed the time. It was quiet. Peaceful.
But she was confused by his statement, since he was a ninja warrior. A shinobi that protected the innocent. Stopping where she was, Cassandra thought over what she wanted to express to her friend, before signing her query to him.
‘Why fight here?’
Considering her question, Yoshi tugged down his mask and exposed his face while he processed it. She did the same with her own covering. He understood what she was referring to, since there were more problems in Gotham City. Heroes were always needed there. But how to express it so she’d understand…
Gazing at her scarred and curious face, the Yamashiro scratched the back of his head while she studied him. “I guess it’s because this is me and my oba… my aunt’s, home.” Her cold stare softened as he explained it. “And besides, Gotham City has enough bats running around. You don’t need me there.”
‘I do.’
Her simple response caused his heart to flutter as his face became flushed once again that day. The young Wu-San tilted her head to the side, confused by his face turning red. Yoshi also felt a strange warmness coming from his back, prompting him to equip both Flamebringer and Earthshaker in confusion. “Why are they…?”
Shimmering like stars, the two Blades of Godai began glowing red and yellow, respectively, based on their gems. But they weren’t giving off any sort of elemental energy; he hadn’t summoned any powers yet.
It was almost as though they were triggered from his emotions. His… feelings for Cassandra. “Is Godai just power enriched by the heart ?”
And for the first time ever, she was smiling. Not one of her rare nigh imperceptible ones that even then she fought hard to contain. Her lips were curved upward while Cass studied him and the weapons in his hands. Of course, that just brought more joy to Yoshi from witnessing this; making him wonder as well if he was the first person ever in the world to see Cassandra Wu-San smile…
Stepping closer to him, the intrigued Orphan carefully reached out, gently caressing both of the Blades while studying them up close and personal. They were unlike any weapons she’d ever seen in her life.
And she wondered if she was the first person (outside the superhero community) who Yoshi Yamashiro had shared his secrets with…
‘Cool.’
“Well, Flamebringer’s technically hot, but I get what you mean,” Yoshi replied, nervously chuckling as she retracted her hands… but remained close to him. Wondering why he was sweating all of a sudden with shaking hands, he decided to at least try to make some sort of move forward, even if he looked like a bumbling, nervous idiot. “And maybe… once this whole Chaos crisis has been resolved… I can spend more of my summer in Gotham… with you?”
Touching the bottom of her chin with her hand, Cassandra moved it forward and downward to convey her opinion on that idea. ‘Good.’
Breathing a sigh of relief, Shinobi sheathed both his weapons while he nodded his head. “Has the Red Thread of Fate bound us together?” Yoshi wondered, feeling his heart race from all her silent sentiments and support. Did she have feelings for him too? “Cassandra Wu-San… is it you ?”