Times Past...Times to Come

Times Past – Times to Come

The sound of avians chirping their good nights competed with the sounds of cars and people on the busy city streets in a typical Japanese urban area.  Osaka to be specific.  The sun slowly lowered as the great city settled down and adjusted for the coming night.  The streets and sidewalks were packed with people, lights blazing into the growing sunset as they went home from work, to work, or just for a night on the town.  The teeming mass of humanity was, just as the crowded buildings were, another aspect of a typical Japanese urban area.

The crowds continued on their way, ignoring each other in their desire to get to their destinations.  Yet, every so often, someone would look up towards the top of a building, or brush off some sudden dust that struck their shoulders.  They would shrug, determining their eyes were playing tricks, or that some foolish youngsters were being pests by throwing pebbles, and continue on their way.

These random moments of someone in the crowd reacting followed a convoluted, yet continuous path towards one of the city’s parklands.  Deep green grass, well maintained, carpeted the ground, filled with small ponds, koi and otherwise, bridges, paths and perfectly manicured cherry blossom, pine and oak trees dotting the landscape.  A soft breeze blew through continuously on this day, rustling tree leaves and grass alike.  A handful of ducks swam serenely in the pond, the waters rippling gently from the action of the wind.

Suddenly, the ducks burst into flight, startled by something that did not feel normal.  Loose feathers fell as they quacked their indignation at whatever it was that disturbed them, vanishing into the reddening sky.  

Soft sounds patted in the grass, tree limbs creaked briefly, leaves snapping as large bodies slipped through.  A flash of blinding reflected light, the quick crack of metal, and the soft grunts of fair voices filled the air briefly as two bodies landed in a clearing, their backs to each other as they kneeled.  

Slowly, one began to rise, straightening up into the deceptively tall form of a woman.  Raising one slender arm, she held a straight blade into the air before twisting and sheathing it with a well practiced motion into a scabbard on her back.  With a wry smile on her lips she turned to look to her opponent.  “You’ve been slacking girlfriend.”  The woman called out, brushing her violet streaked blue hair back over her shoulders, the wind catching several strands and fluttering it, especially two noticeably wild, thick strands over her forehead.  If one were to observe her, they would find her to be a beautiful woman, with her full lips and deep indigo colored eyes that were as quick to spark in anger as they were to twinkle in amusement.  On her left cheek was a small reminder of her youth; a thin scar that was barely noticeable at first glance.  Upon her body she wore blue padded armor that conformed to every inch of her curvaceous form.  Gray metal covered her forearms and the backs of her hands in guards and hand gauntlets respectively, black fingerless gloves squeaking only slightly as she moved.  The blue armor on her full thighs were segmented for ease of motion, with grey metal on knee guards and blue armor on her lower legs tapering down to what appeared to be platform shoes, giving her the extra height.  On her wide hips hung a dark belt with pouches and two three pronged daggers, her sai, one per hip.  Socketed within the buckle of the belt was a well worn red oval.  A modified yo-yo.  

Her opponent stood up slowly, showing off a figure that was just as impressively built from behind as the other woman’s form was, before looking over her shoulder with a smirk barely showing through the face mask she wore, her green eyes flashing playfully.  “Hah, that’s what you think Jessie.  I had you three times and you know it.”  Her body was dressed in an equally formfitting suit of padded orange armor, with noticeable differences.  She had two scabbards crossed at the small of her back, which she slipped two kodachi into.  Over her belly and face was a covering of tightly woven fishnet material, her orange hair held up into a high ponytail by a bright blue bow.  Fluttering from her shoulder was a short, dark cloak, which the other woman did not have.  She also wore only half of the thigh armor the other woman wore, which turned into shorts.  The shorts had a chain mesh on the outside of her thighs, slipping under the armor, and finally she wore sandals instead of platform shoes on her black socked feet.  With a slender hand she reached up and pulled the mask down, exposing full lips on a beautiful face.

She turned to face her friend fully, for friends are what these two women are to each other, and adjusted her gloves and gauntlet armor briefly.  “That means you owe me some suishi tonight.”  She gazed oh so innocently to her friend.

The other woman, Jessie, laughed, with her hands on her armored hips.  “Oh I don’t think so, little miss Rika!  You owe me a beef pot after I got you two skyscrapers ago.”

Rika lifted the back of her hand to her lips as she gave a polite, if slightly mocking laugh.  “Oh ho ho!  So certain are you?  Wanna make it double or nothing?”

Jessie gave a wide grin and nodded once.  “Sure.  But I’ll win you know.”  

“Get real, not a chance.”  Rika grinned as well, before taking in a deep breath and looking towards the setting sun.  “I always enjoy these sparring sessions.  I remember when we first started training.  How much things have changed.”  

Jessie looked to the sun as well, her hair rustling with the breeze.  “Yea.  I remember when we first began too.  Even remember the exact moment.  Do you?”

“Oh yea.  Seems like forever ago.”

----------------

Fifteen years ago…</i>


“Come on, my baby brother could swing that better than you!”  
“You don’t have a baby brother!”  
“That’s what I mean!  Now do it right already!”

A clash of wood, and then a duller thud as a short wooden blade in the shape of a kodachi dropped to the ground in the park.  A young girl of about nine dropped to her knees, her eyes red with restrained tears.  “I can’t do it!”  She cried out, pounding her thighs, the rough jean material grinding against her as she did so.  Her orange colored hair fluttered from her motions with a sway as she shook her head repeatedly.  “I just can’t!  I suck!”

Another girl, her mid-back length hair blue with violent streaks sighed, a fist on her hip, the other holding another wooden sword.  “Yea, you do suck!”  Jessie exclaimed, brushing off her baggy jeans and heart imprinted sleeveless shirt as she held the training sword against her shoulder..

Rika looked up at the other, and sniffled.  “Why do you keep beating me?”  She implored her ‘trainer.’

“Cause you keep holding them wrong , stupid!”  Jessie shot back quickly, rubbing her forehead.  

“Don’t call me stupid, meanie!”  Rika cried, the tears flowing freely now.  She buried her face in her hands, not bothering to hide her sobs.  A group of bullies had been picking on her a few months previously, and it was Jessie who had come to her rescue, driving them back before they knew what hit them.  

Although Jessie did have to admit to herself, she was scared out of her wits at the time.  She wasn’t allowed to use what she’d been taught outside of the dojo except in self defense.  In this case though, it had been clear Rika had not been in any position to defend herself.  It just seemed natural to extend the teachings of the clan for youngsters to helping save others who were unable to do the job themselves.  It had worked.  Still, she had a funny feeling she might see these bullies again someday.  

Mentally brushing it off that concern, she looked down at the crying girl in front of her, and felt sorry for her.  Rika had come to the dojo to learn how to defend herself, but try as she might, she wasn’t ‘getting it’ in the classes.  So Jessie had taken it upon herself, once again, to help Rika get better outside of class.  They had to go far outside the class and away from the dojo, so that they wouldn’t be interrupted by others in the clan.  They came to a park in Osaka, the recently planted cherry blossom tree saplings waving with the breeze.  But it was quiet and private for their needs, even if it seemed a bit more public than her father would like.  Jessie had taken that into consideration though, and made sure they trained in the older part of the park, where the trees were thicker, for privacy.

Still, there were times where training in the dojo would be preferable to the crying kid in front of her.  Jessie tried not to look at Rika as being the younger kid, but her obvious lack of experience in comparison to Jessie made that difficult sometimes.  “What would an older sister do?  What does dad do?”  Jessie pondered silently, before the answer came to her.  Rika just needed a hug.  

The nine year old Jessie sighed, annoyed with herself that the answer didn’t come to her faster, and kneeled, wrapping an arm around Rika’s sobbing shoulders…only to nearly fall over as Rika planted her face into her own shoulder and wrapped her arms around Jessie, still crying powerfully.  

“Hey, relax!  I’m sorry I called you stupid, ok?  Look…”  Jessie pulled Rika back and looked directly into the other girls green eyes.  “…you’ve got some of it down, ya just have to work that coord…coordina…hand to eye stuff.  Practice the same moves a lot, you know?  Like when you’re at home in front of a mirror.”  

Rika sniffed, biting her lips.  “I don’t think I’ll get it even then.  You said I was stupid…”

“You’re not stupid, just annoying when you say things like that!”  Jessie growled, and then tried again.  “Ok, look, we’ll try it again, but we’ll go slower, ok?”

“O-ok…”  They stood up, Rika picking up her wooden kodachi, and taking up stance once more, Jessie beside her.  

“Alright, and one….two….one….two….”  Jessie intoned, as they went through the motions of a sword swing. Her bokken was larger and heavier than Rika’s kodachi, but she’d had more practice, and was stronger, so she could use it easily.  

They practiced like this for several hours, before finally, tired and hungry, they put slipped the training tools into a carrying case, and began to head to the dojo, Rika quiet beside her.  

Jessie looked at the other girl and smiled, gently punching her shoulder.  “Cheer up!  You’re getting better already, you just don’t know it!”

Rika gave a shy smile, her eyes still slightly red.  “You really…think so?”  

“Sure!  Why not?  Just do your best!  Someday I’m going to be the greatest ninja ever!”  Jessie looked into the distance proudly, thumping her chest once.  “And I can’t do that if I don’t try my best.”

Rika looked at the other girl, and smiled a little wider.  “What-what if I become better than you?”  

Jessie looked at Rika, feeling a sense of comradeship forming…and a hint of a challenge.  “Well then you better keep up if you want to get better than me, cause I won’t make it easy for you.”  She winked and grinned before throwing an arm around the other girls shoulder.  “But ya gotta get that swing down first.”  

Rika nodded, and sniffled once.  “I will.”

-------------

Seven years  ago…</i>

The cherry blossom trees had grown well over the years, their branches spreading far and wide, sending cascades of their special leaves through the air when a strong breeze came through.  It was a spring day, and they were in full bloom.  Within the trees in the park, the sounds of bodies bouncing off of tree limbs, of metal crashing against metal reverberated among the grove and into a clearing, as the voices of two girls could be heard.  Sunlight gleamed off of the steel as a blue blur and then an orange blur flew through the air at each other.

“Hah!  You trying to tickle me?  Cause ya missed by a mile!”  
“Just keeping you on your toes!”  
“Like you keep D on his?”
“…oh that was lame…”

The taunts came as quickly as the strikes, yet when the two blurs resolved themselves, no injuries could be seen.  Jessie and Rika stared at each other from across a clearing, their clearing, breathing hard and smirking.  

It had been seven years since Jessie brought Rika out to the park to improve her training, and it had become a regular practice for them over the years to come out there and spar.  As the cherry blossom trees had developed, so had the two girls.  Young kids once, now blossoming into young women, their bodies were trim and strong from their training, yet had plenty of curves in all the right places to drive the boys wild.  They had become fast friends over time, and Rika’s skills had greatly improved.  Both were members of the same ninja clan, and as such, dressed almost the same.

Yet here, there were differences.  Both girls’ sported tennis shoes, the same type of socks, a dark turtleneck undershirt that could double as a mask if needed, elbow length fingerless gloves and cloth forearm covers, upper arm bands and midriff baring tops that wrapped around their developing busts.  However, Jessie wore a form of low riding light blue sweatpants, her pink thong straps showing on her hips, with a single straight sword along the small of her back and a bright red yo-yo as her weapons of choice.  Her streaked hair had grown out almost to her knees, tied off with a single blue ribbon towards the end.  Upon her cheek she wore a bandage, covering a small, thin scar.  

In contrast, Rika’s ensemble was orange, and she wore short shorts instead of sweatpants, the straps of her own thong showing as well on her hips.  Her weapons of choice were two kodachi’s, which she had become rather proficient with over the years.  Her long, orange hair had grown out to her lower back, and was held up with a light blue bow atop her head.  

Jessie lifted her head, grinning.  “I heard you got busted in the gym again with Thanos.”  

Rika’s face flushed only slightly.  “So?  I just didn’t time it right, that’s all.”

Jessie giggled.  “I keep telling you that you’re going to be caught at the worst time someday.  And my poor brother will be so embarrassed he might die of shock.”

“He almost did that time.”  Rika admitted, shrugging.  “Next time it won’t happen.”  

“Well, if you kill Thanos from shock, I will have to kill you to avenge the honor of my clan.”  Jessie’s tone darkened, though there was no heat to it at all.

Rika laughed.  “But I’m in your clan!”  She adjusted her kodachi in her hands, her thighs tightening visibly as she prepared to go on the attack once more.

“I’m sure there’s a rule in the clan code that allows the honorable killing of a member if they make their boyfriends, who also happen to be a brother of a ninja clan member as well as a member himself, die of shock.”  Jessie grinned, her body tightening as well…

…and then they rushed at each other, the wind whistling in their ears.  With a deft move, Jessie brought out her yo-yo, and threw it, the ball singing towards its target.  Rika’s kodachi flashed, batting the metallic yo-yo away, but with a leap and a twist of Jessie’s arm, the yo-yo twirled and wrapped around the blade, the cable-like fiber holding it tight.  

Rika let go of the blade, rather than allow Jessie to pull her off balance, and continued forward under the now flipping Jessie.  The blue-haired girl landed, her arm out in front of her, sending the sword to stick into a tree trunk with a dull thunk.  Jessie spun about; the yo-yo returning to her hand with a meaty slap, just in time to dodge under a strike by Rika’s other sword, cutting off a few strands of her hair.  

Jessie continued to drop down, and spun about in a foot sweep, driving Rika back and buying space.  Coming up in a spin, the blue ninja girl threw the yo-yo forward, bringing her free arm down on the cord to adjust the angle of the weapon’s strike.

Rika side stepped, the spinning yo-yo brushing through her own hair, before stepping back in for the attack, a look of total concentration on her face.  She realized her mistake though when she saw Jessie grin triumphantly, and she ducked, barely avoiding the return of the yo-yo.  She swung out at Jessie’s exposed midriff, only to miss by a wide margin.  She jumped back, swearing at herself for her still rough hand-eye coordination, she flipped backwards, barely avoiding the knee strike to her face, and then jumped back again as Jessie’s longer sword sliced the air before her face, slicing off a few strands of thick orange hair.

They sparred and fought for hours, before finally stopping, their suits sopping wet from their sweat and clinging to their young bodies.  The sat heavily in the thick grass, falling backwards to look up into the sky, panting.

“You’re getting pretty good with those kodachi there girlfriend.”  Jessie breathed as they rested.  

Rika snorted and chuckled.  “Yea right, I still do a crap job on the attack.  And that yo-yo of yours is damned annoying.  How do you make it dance like that?”

“I dunno, it just comes kinda naturally to me I guess.”  

They sat there for a long while, their chests heaving, until finally Jessie groused aloud, “I have got to lay off the Pocky.  I’m out of shape.”  

Rika looked over at her friend and snorted.  “If you’re out of shape then I’m anorexic.”

They giggled for awhile, before slowly rising and walking away.  “I totally had you, you know.” Rika commented idly as they headed for home.

Jessie snorted.  “Please, I saw you coming a mile away.  Like the teacher saw you.”

“You’re such a meanie!”  Rika pouted, punching her friend somewhat firmly in the stomach.  

---------------

Four years ago…</i>

Yells and loud kia’s filled the air of the clearing, the cherry blossom trees in full bloom sent fluttering petals along the breeze…which were suddenly sliced into small pieces as quick blinding flashes of light flew through the air.  

The tree limbs of the mightier trees creaked, their trunks thudding with various impacts and cuts as two amazingly fast blurs filled the space.  Finally, with another resounding clang of metal on metal, two forms appeared on thick tree limbs, facing each other and smirking confidently.

Jessie made a show of sighing and brushing off her form fitting blue silk pants.  “Girl, you’re never going to get me at this rate.  How you beat Thanos on a regular basis is beyond me.”

“He gets distracted easily by bouncing boobs.”  Rika retorted, adjusting her new forearm armor and gauntlets, her swords sheathed behind her back as smoothly as if she had merely thought it.  

They had continued to come to this area to train in their off time for fun and to push themselves, and it had paid off handsomely, and not just in their training and their physical conditioning.  They had advanced in the dojo rankings, and had been allowed to start wearing their own armor.  Both young women had donned a black leather belt as well as armor and gauntlets on their arms and hands.  Both had also begun to wear padded leather tops that conformed to their full busts, acting as both armor and sports bras.  Both continued to wear the turtleneck undershirt, and, as many a boy could attest from their sly glances, were still wearing thongs, the straps of which hung noticeably from their hips.  

Yet, as always, differences existed.  Rika continued to wear shorts, now sporting some chainmail on the outside of them along her thighs, and had also added a new short, dark cloak.  The final piece of her ensemble was her wearing traditional socks and sandals instead of shoes.  Slipped under the forearm armor were several shurikens and kunai throwing knives, which she was beginning to wield along with her two kodachi blades.  

Meanwhile, Jessie had taken to wearing a pair tight blue silk pants, and while still wearing shoes, went without socks.  Sheathed on her hip was a new weapon to her arsenal, a three pronged sai and a pouch filled with an explosive powder.  Her hair had taken a beating over the years, becoming a little unruly in places, and had been trimmed back down to mid-back, while Rika’s remained as long as ever.  The ever present yo-yo remained as her primary weapon of choice, now held in a recessed socket in her belt buckle, and her straight bladed short sword was sheathed across the small of her back.  

Jessie laughed, shaking her head.  “Boys, can’t live with them, can’t scratch an itch without’em.”  She gave Rika a wiked grin.

For her part, Rika snorted and rolled her eyes.  “And you make fun of me and my ‘fun’ habits.”

“What can I say?  I haven’t shown myself off on webcam yet.”  Jessie grinned wider, as Rika’s face turned a bright red, causing Jessie to declare triumphantly, “Ah hah!  I knew you did that!”  

Rika glared, her fists clenching as her lips pursed.  “You meanie...I shall have to kill you to regain my honor!”

Jessie laughed again, crouching on her tree limb, her powerful thighs flexing noticeably.  “Bring it on!  Loser buys a beef pot!”

“No way, they buy suishi!”  Rika countered as she slowly slipped a foot up against the tree trunk, crouching slightly.  

“Fine, if I win, you buy a beef pot.  If you win, you get suishi.  Deal?”  Jessie negotiated, her hand hanging limply over her buckle.  

“Deal.”  Rika nodded…

…and then her hands flashed, three deadly stars of spinning metal racing towards her friend’s prestigious chest.

Jessie’s hands moved with a blur, catching the shurikens before she slipped them under a forearm guard.  With a powerful push she leapt off of the tree limb, her hand quickly drawing her yo-yo from its position and sending it whirling towards the orange clad ninja.  

Rika pushed off the tree and leapt to the side as the yo-yo crashed into the tree and broke through it, sending the thick limb to the ground.  In a single smooth motion, Rika flipped, one hand lightly touching the ground as she adjusted her position to face towards Jessie, her free hand throwing three more shurikens at her foe.  

With a grunt of effort as she approached the tree, Jessie tapped the tree she had just de-limbed with her foot, and spun around, the yo-yo twisting about her body into a shield as it retracted.  The ball deflected each shuriken, sending them to become imbedded into the ground, or the tree.

She landed on the ball of her right foot in the thick grass, her yo-yo back in her hand, held high, the other leg brought up, the foot against her right knee.  Her free hand was held before her chest, two fingers held up as she gazed at her opponent.  Rika had tucked into a roll, falling back and coming up in a wide and low side horse stance, one hand behind her grasping the hilt of a kodachi, the other held up by her head, her fingers slightly clawed.  

The moment passed, and the two women rushed at each other, bright red metal flashing against hardened gray steel as they moved around each other.  Legs and arms flashed as they dueled, Rika blocking a yo-yo strike with an armored backhand here, Jessie deflecting a sword with her forearm guard there.  

The sun was setting when, finally drained, the two women sat wearily down on the ground, the debris of their battle around them.  Tree limbs had fallen, grass had been gouged, and thrown weapons were embedded all over the clearing.  

“Ok, we’ll call it a draw today.”  Jessie panted, placing her yo-yo back into its socket.  

Rika nodded, wiping sweat from her brow.  “Sure.  But the deal is still on until one of us wins.”  

“You’re on.”  Jessie smiled, brushing the small bandage on her cheek as her mind flickered elsewhere briefly.  

Rika noticed and gave the blue-haired girl a coy glance.  “You should try the webcam route once.  He’ll find it a real turn-on.”  

Jessie blushed briefly.  “What?  No way would I do that!  It’s not nearly as fun!”

The orange haired girl shrugged.  “Suit yourself.  Don’t take my word for it that it drives’em crazy.”

Jessie shook her head and giggled.  “Well…I’ll consider it.  Lets clean this place up and head back.”  They had been ‘pruning’ that area of the park and liked to keep things tidy afterwards by leaving all the removed branches in a pile for the city workers to pick up.  This also made sure they left no trace of themselves behind.  Though the city workers were stumped as to why it happened in the first place.

“Sure thing!”  Rika replied as she tiredly picked herself up.  “I will win next time though.”

“Hah, you wish.”

-------------

The present…</i>

“It’s kind of funny.” Rika’s voice broke through the reverie that they had shared.  Jessie looked away from the setting sun and towards her friend, her expression curious.

“What’s funny?”  

Rika’s lips pulled up into a smile as she continued to look to the horizon.  “When we started I just wanted to become stronger and defend myself.  Now here we are, all grown up and fully trained as members of the clan.  I think I gained a lot more than I had bargained for.”

Jessie’s eyebrow quirked upwards as she put her hands on her shapely hips.  “What’s that supposed to mean?  You think you got too much out of the deal?”

Her friend looked to Jessie with the same smile.  “Too much?  No, but it was a lot more.  I didn’t expect to get a friend out of it.”  

The blue-haired woman started and put a hand to her chest.  “You know, I think I’m touched by that.”

Rika grinned.  “Does that count as getting a hit in?”  She pulled her mask back up into place, her eyes showing mischief even as she slowly took up stance again.  She drew her blades from their sheathes, holding one low by her knees, the other up high across her body.

“Not a chance.”  Jessie retorted quickly, smirking as she wiped a tear from her eye.  Then she too moved into stance, drawing a sai from her belt while the other went to her yo-yo in its belt socket.  “And when I win, that’ll be two beef pots you owe me.”

“That’s two suishi dinners dear.”  Rika taunted sweetly as the two women held their places, watching each other as the wind continued to flutter their hair and the leaves around them.  Cherry blossom leaves fell from the tall trees, swirling with the eddies of air.

As some internal timer went off, the two women rushed towards each other, their feet softly tapping the grass the only mark of their passing as they went onto the offensive.

It had been fifteen years since the chance encounter on the way to school.  Neither of them would have guessed they would have come so far, nor become such close as friends.  They were friends, sisters-in-arms, fellow ninja, clan members, comrades.

Since they had made the bet four years ago, they had sparred constantly.  During that time, neither had managed to win the bet.

They looked forward to seeing who would finally win it.



Nowhere near the End.  It is only the beginning.