Shadows of Revenge Ch. 9
By Eliad Sholomovich

** Tokyo Central square **

Ibuki stood in the middle of the crowded park. She stared daggers at Jason as he walked away. Then she sighed and rolled her eyes tiredly. She walked towards the bench and sat down. She looked Around and saw people pass by idly and not notice her.

Tokyo had always been a bustling and busy city. Living in it cost a fortune. But luckily her Father had received their home from the Shinobi clan as a wedding gift. Sarai she came from a wealthy Family as did Karin. But sometimes she wondered how Sakura’s family could afford living in Tokyo.

But she wasn’t one to mind, She enjoyed the Girl’s company a hundred times more than Karin’s.”I’m drifting off again…I can’t allow myself too…this time its not about me…Its about mom. I can’t allow my personal life interfere in the way of saving hers.” Ibuki scolded herself.

Then she unzipped her Bag’s compartment and took out the brown folder Jason had just given her. She looked around carefully to avoid anyone seeing the contents and opened it. She saw a large picture Of a man stapled to a printed page. And in a small compartment in the back was a tiny vial that contained a transparent liquid.

”I bet that’s not water…I wonder what all of this is about? Well guess I’ll just read and find out. She thinks to herself and then looks at the printed page. She reads quickly raising a brow while doing so. Then she looks at the picture of the man and grimaces.

”They gotta be kidding me…Me…do that…I can’t believe this…” Ibuki thinks and rolls her eyes. Then she returns the contents to the folder and zips the bag. She gets up and shakes her head. ”The things I’ll do for the cause…Maaaan I’m really gonna get that X for this one.” Ibuki swears to herself.

Then she rises to her feet and looks around. She notices a man eyeing her from behind a tree from the corner of her eye. Her eyes narrow and she shakes her left fist. ”Won’t these blasted spies just leave me the f*** alone!” She thinks and then sighs.

She exhales through clenched teeth and strokes her hair with one hand. Then she turns around while eyeing the figure. She then proceeds to walk slowly back towards her house’s general direction. The figure is careful and then when he thinks she’s in a sufficient distance begins following her.

Ibuki rolls her eyes and sees a back alley. ”I’ll ditch the dimwitt now” She thinks and enters it. She takes a turn into the alley and leans against the wall. She opens her ears and keeps her eyes peeled. She then hears footstep and sees a shadow on the sidewalk, which fits the spy’s build.

Then when the man enters the Alley she leaps forward and grabs him around the collar of his shirt. In great agility she slams him into the wall. The man groans in pain and looks at her dazed. Ibuki then drags him into another deeper alley.

The man dazed from crashing into the wall doesn’t fight her. Ibuki then grabs him around the throat and pins him to the wall. “Who are you? And why are you following?” She asks in a low menacing tone. ”I’m sick of this…can’t a girl live in peace…?” Ibuki thinks and cold fury she had choked down surfaces.

”I…I don’t know…what you…” He says while shaking his head. Ibuki’s eyes narrow and she slams him into the wall again. “Don’t lie to me…Believe me when I say this…I’m not a happy camper… So don’t push me into turning violent…” She says in an extremely venomous tone.

The man looks at her and returns her cold glare. “I don’t know who you think you are girl…But if you don’t unhand me know…I swear you’ll regret it…” He says in a equally venomous tone. Ibuki lets go of him a angry sneer on her face.

”This time I’ll let you off the hook…but If I catch you spying on me again…It’ll take heaven and earth to stop me from beating you to a bloody pulp…” She says and starts walking away. ”Who does he think he is…threatening me like that…Stupid A**. If I weren’t on a mission I don’t know what I’d to him. People like him have made my life miserable since last summer.” She thinks her face hiding the cold fury coursing through her.

Meanwhile back in the alley. The man rubs the back of his head and then his back. ”D**n that girl’s good, she spotted me…I wonder why the top dogs want her trailed. Well I’m not one to argue…I’ll just have to be extra careful…I’ll admit I was careless…but I did one thing right” He thinks and grins to himself.

** 1 hour later, Ibuki’s house in north Tokyo**

Ibuki enters her house and closes the door behind her. She then locks it with her key and leans against the door. ”Stupid…stupid people…won’t they leave me alone? What crime did I commit to deserve this?” She wonders then starts walking towards her room.

She walks up the stairs with her bag and opens her door. She throws the bag unto the floor and then sits on her bed and holds her head between her hands. She rubs her eyes and sighs. Then she opens them and looks at the ground.

”What the?” She muses out loud and looks at the bottom of her t-shirt. She sees a small lump and grabs it with her hand. She feels it and then takes if off. She looks at and curses under her breath. She holds between her fingers a small silver disk.

”I’ve been tailed and bugged…Why those lousy, no good…” She thinks and smashes it between her fingers. Then she rises to her feet and leans against the wall. She looks through the window and scans the surroundings outside and narrows her eyes.

She sees someone in a car across the street. The man is drinking something and looking at her house. Ibuki’s jaw tenses and she shakes her fist. ”Why that…I told him to back off!?” She thinks angrily.

She then closes the shutters slowly to not arouse the man’s suspicion. Then she rubs her chin and leans against the wall deep in thought. She looks at her watch and sees it mid noon. She remembers that the first part of her mission should be initiated in the evening.

She sighs and walks up to her bed and leaps into it. She looks at the ceiling and exhales. She closes her eyes ”Ahhh whatever…All I wanna do it rest…I’ll take care of that pest Later…” She thinks and let much needed rest arrive.

** 8.5 hours later **

Ibuki is standing in the center of her room. She’s dressed in a large trench coat. It successfully covers her entire body. She’s also wearing nicely designed makeup and her hair is flowing lying on her shoulders.

Ibuki takes a small purse and and puts the vial and her wallet inside it. And then walks down the stairs. She opens the door and then locks it behind her. Then she starts walking down the sidewalk. She has her hands in her pockets and is looking forward.

She can hear footsteps behind her. She looks at the source from the corner of her eye. She recognizes the man that followed her before. She doesn’t purse her lips since she’s wearing lipstick and she doesn’t want to ruin it.

She begins walking through the streets and sees a large crowd. A small smile reaches her graceful facade and she begins walking into the crowd. She navigates though it carefully. Walking quickly without bumping into anyone.

While behind her the spying man was having difficulties. She kept on bumping into people. He apologized constantly. He cursed under his breath as she slowly escapes his view and mingles into The crowd. He then stands and looks into the crowd with a sigh ”D**n her she’s good…” He mutters and begins walking back to his car, muttering cursed all the way.

Meanwhile Ibuki was walking through the streets a grin reaching her features. ”Serves you right…” She thinks and continues towards her mission’s location.

She navigates herself towards the southern part of Tokyo City. About 30 minutes later

she reaches a small bar. She looks at its neon signs and reads it out loud. “Nikoyaka Ryuuza” (author note- Japanese for smiling dragon-I think >_<). She sighs and sees a large bald Japanese bouncer in the doorway.

She approaches him and he looks at her while raising a brow. “You want in? Wearing that?” He says while touching her coat. Ibuki grimaces inwardly and opens her coat. Revealing her clothing. Which consisted of a very short black mini skirt, a black shirt with a very revealing cleavage. And to finish it were a pair of high heel leather boots. Leaving very little for imagination.

The bouncer looks at her and grins “I understand the coat…must get chilly being dressed like that…Do ya want me to warm ya up?” He asks and grins. Ibuki rolls her eyes “No thank you…can I go in please?” She asks sweetly.

The man smiles “Why sure Babe…” He says with a grin and wink and steps aside. Ibuki smiles and thanks him. The minute she passes him she grimaces and shivers at the way the bouncer looked at her. ”What a pig…I hate being treated like a piece of meat…” She thinks and sighs.

She finds a empty table and sits down. She looks around the place and finds her target. He’s sitting near a table and eating some Sushi. He’s talking to some people around him. By the looks of them they are bodyguards.

She takes off her coat and sits back. She notices a few guys now looks at her. She rolls her eyes and mutters “Men…” In a cold tone.

Meanwhile at the target’s table. The man is looking at Ibuki and raising a brow. He notices her frame and grins. He snaps his fingers and one of his guard kneels down. He whispers something in his ear. The guard nods “Hai Kumichou” (Yakuza boss in Japanese).

The man walks up to the waitress and pays her something and whispers her something. At first the waitress shakes her head but the man glares at her angrily and points at his boss. She pales and nods slowly. Then she walks back to the bar.

Ibuki oblivious to the scene continues sitting in her chair thinking on how she’s supposed to approach him. Suddenly someone taps on her shoulder. She turns around to see the waitress. She puts down a glass of wine on the table.

”I…I didn’t order this…” Ibuki says in a confused tone. The waitress nods “I know…he did for you…” She says and points at the man Ibuki was supposed to target. He raised his glass of wine and motion for a toast.

Ibuki smiles to herself “Well…That’ll make things easier…” Ibuki thinks to herself and takes the glass and does the same. ”I hate doing this…but I have no choice…I feel so…so…Karin Kanzuki…” Ibuki thinks and get out of her seat and takes her coat and purse.

Then she sits in the chair before him a smile on her lips ”Ugh…What am I doing…” She thinks. He smiles at her “I couldn’t help but notice you sitting there all alone…” He says slyly.

Ibuki smiles ”God that’s one of the worst lines I’ve heard…” She thinks but gives him the impression that she’s impressed. ”Ok Ibuki…Calm down…and concentrate…keep on smiling and nodding…and soon it’ll all be over…” Ibuki thought to herself and sighed inwardly.