Tiger Kunoichi: The Two Dragons

Chapter 3: A Mission to Find the Golden Dragon

Once all her things were packed, Shikari tied her medium bag on her left side of her black belt. Then, she wrote a note on her small table. Before the small table was a wooden chair where she sat on. It was saying that she got a new mission and she might or might not come back, for it's a very long journey.

To my dear parents,

If you found this note, I want to let you know that I'm off on a long journey. A far journey that can help us save Ametiger and restore peace upon this world. You might think it's already at peace, but something is definitely going on and it might destroy Ametiger and make things unbalanced. Please, take care of this palace for me. I might no longer come back. Or maybe I will.

Your loving daughter,
Shikari

After that, Shikari folded her paper and put it in front of the pillows on her bed. Then, she went to the secret closet again and opened it to get her gear ready. So far, she only had her katana and its case with a strap on the front part.

After wearing her Tiger Kunoichi GI, Shikari put the strap around her shoulder with the case on her back. Then, she went out the window again, but instead of doing the same escape plan to Ametiger Village, she tiptoed quietly on the roof, so that no one would suspect that she's escaping the palace. She started going to her left path on the roof because she thinks that going on her right would take longer.

Soon, Shikari reached the very back of the palace where the gardens are. She gently slid through the edge of the roof before jumping on another on the lower floor. Then, as her left toe lands, she pushed it to feather-hop on the last roof. She did the same thing before landing on a grass using her toe.

Shikari gently settled her feet on the grass, so that no one would hear her crunching, grassy steps. Then, she used her stealth skills to go through the bouquet where she feels like she's going down inside the ground. Once she's inside the dark room, a torch was spotted on her left side. She took it and held it up, making way for her to reach the end of the tunnel.

Then, as Shikari went farther, she saw the stone stairs. Her feet moved forward to walk up the stairs and after a few steps, she can feel the grasses rustling through her face. As she walked further, she arrived to see nothing but grass, trees and a small certain building ahead of her. She can feel a cool breeze moving past her face. She walks to the building to hear blocks, punches and kicks on the other side of the door.

Shikari slides the door open and it reveals Kashito training a young boy with black straight hair and he was wearing a blue GI. Knowing that it would be foolish for her to interrupt, she knocked the sliding door and both Kashito and the boy turned to her.

Shikari walked up to them greeting them, "Hey, grandfather. Thanks for training Arikate."

"It's no problem. Though I'm retiring from being Sensei Ametiger, your star-pupil still remembers what you taught him," said Kashito.

"Well, the reason why I came here is because I'm going to inform you that I'm going out on a long journey and I might or might not come back," Shikari told him.

"Seriously?" asked Arikate.

"Yes, seriously. I need to go to the Temple of the Two Dragons to find the right person for me along the way. The matchmaker said so," she explained to both of them.

"Yes. That's very good, Shikari," said Kashito smiling at her.

That's when Shikari walked to Arikate and told him,"Arikate. Since you remember my lessons, I would like you to be in charge of this dojo while I'm gone as the substitute sensei. Just in case more students want to come here, welcome them and teach them everything you know starting with the basic ones. Do you think you can do that?"

Arikate looked down in hesitation, then he looked back up at her saying, "I will."

Shikari nodded in reply, "Good. Good luck on teaching new students. If you need any teaching advices —" She gestured to Kashito. "—my grandfather is always here in this dojo."

With that being said, Shikari walked out the door, but not before giving them her final smile. That's when she went back to the palace gardens the same way she entered. Then, she escaped to the village just like how she went there. Then later on, she escaped the capital kingdom of Ametiger just as the sun starts rising.

It's been a few hours since Shikari left what she called "home." Now, she could feel her feet sinking into the sand almost creating footprints. Soon, she's breathing heavily for thirst and you can hear her stomach growling in hunger, but she could not find a place for her to rest in. She felt like she needed to take a break, but she needs a place to shade her from heat.

A while later, Shikari found it. A small cave with a few rocks inside it. She walked inside and she can feel her knees reaching the sandy ground and her hands catching herself in order to not let herself lie on her belly. She started crawling to the first rock she could find. Then, she started removing her katana case and her arm reached to put it there. Then, she leaned her back against it while sitting down to finally take a break.

First, Shikari untied her bag from the belt and pulled out her water bottle to take a few gulps of water, then she put it back and pulled out a piece of bread to eat for breakfast. After eating her first piece, she felt like she couldn't get up because of too much walking, so she decided to rest her feet. Unknowingly, her eyes became heavy and drifted off to sleep.

Then, all of a sudden, several sandy steps made Shikari's eyes flutter open. At first, she didn't mind as if there's some kind of person passing by, but when she heard footsteps approaching her, her blurry vision starts becoming clear.

"You need any help?" a voice asked her.

She found herself face-to-face with a tan and handsome man.