Tampopo clutched her tanto nervously; this was the final act of her first assignment as a kunoichi. She had easily infiltrated the lordling's household as a servant, especially as it seemed his staff was full of attractive peasant girls like herself. Lady Kagebara, the leader of her clan, had told her that this would be easier compared to most such assignments as Lady Oyuri, the lordling's wife, did not seem to get jealous of her husband's roving eyes. In fact, the time the lordling had taken Tampopo to bed, Lady Oyuri had joined them.
The kunoichi smiled at the memory. What the young Lady lacked in skill, she made up for in talent and enthusiasm. It was a shame that she had to die. The grip of the tanto grew damp as Tampopo steeled herself to drive it home. Kagetsuki-sensei had told her her first kill would be hard, especially if she'd been infiltrating for a long time. She licked her suddenly dry lips. Lady Oyuri slept before her, utterly unaware of her doom standing above.
She closed her eyes. Forgive me, Oyuri-chama. As the tanto slid home, Lady Oyuri's eyes shot open and her gaze seemed to bore into Tampopo. Fear and disbelief gave way to a calculated look of cunning. Tampopo stepped back as her victim's eyes blazed golden with slit pupils and a shadow seemed to flow from her mouth. Frozen in fear, Tampopo could do nothing as the shadow surrounded her and seemed to burrow into her heart.
The fox opened Tampopo's eyes after assimilating the kunoichi's memories and looked over her new body. All in all, it was a bit of an upgrade. She stood over her former host and made a mystic pass, pulling forth a purple flame. She didn't want to forget her courtier's training, after all. It was too useful for the next Kunoichi Queen.
''We don't just borrow words; on occasion, English has pursued other languages down alleyways to beat
them unconscious and rifle their pockets for new vocabulary.''
-- James Nicoll
The kunoichi smiled at the memory. What the young Lady lacked in skill, she made up for in talent and enthusiasm. It was a shame that she had to die. The grip of the tanto grew damp as Tampopo steeled herself to drive it home. Kagetsuki-sensei had told her her first kill would be hard, especially if she'd been infiltrating for a long time. She licked her suddenly dry lips. Lady Oyuri slept before her, utterly unaware of her doom standing above.
She closed her eyes. Forgive me, Oyuri-chama. As the tanto slid home, Lady Oyuri's eyes shot open and her gaze seemed to bore into Tampopo. Fear and disbelief gave way to a calculated look of cunning. Tampopo stepped back as her victim's eyes blazed golden with slit pupils and a shadow seemed to flow from her mouth. Frozen in fear, Tampopo could do nothing as the shadow surrounded her and seemed to burrow into her heart.
The fox opened Tampopo's eyes after assimilating the kunoichi's memories and looked over her new body. All in all, it was a bit of an upgrade. She stood over her former host and made a mystic pass, pulling forth a purple flame. She didn't want to forget her courtier's training, after all. It was too useful for the next Kunoichi Queen.
''We don't just borrow words; on occasion, English has pursued other languages down alleyways to beat
them unconscious and rifle their pockets for new vocabulary.''
-- James Nicoll