Darker Shade of Black🪼

12 - The Mission

3 YEARS LATER

"Satuya? Satuya, where are you?"
Satuya giggled as he hid under the bed in his room. He could hear the footsteps of the person looking for him and he watched as bare feet came into the room, walking around slowly. Satuya watched intently as the feet walked around the room for a little bit and then seemed to go back out the door. Satuya listened and then peeked out from under the bed, crawling out when arms wrapped around him and he squealed in delight.
"Got ya!"
"Taku, no!" he said, laughing as Takuma began to tickle him.
Takuma put him on the bed and pinned him there, tickling him relentlessly. Satuya was laughing very loud and trying to block Takuma from his stomach at the same time.
"Taku, stop!"
Takuma didn't stop, but did a raspberry on Satuya's stomach, causing the little boy to go into louder giggles. The door opened more and Natomi walked in. Takuma looked up and Natomi made a face.
"Takuma, I thought I told you get Satuya into the tub?"
"That's what I've been doing. He's a crafty little thing and I just now caught him."
Natomi rolled his eyes at the two. "Just do what I asked of you, alright?"
"Of course."
Natomi closed the door and smiled a little. He had been so worried that Takuma would act indifferent to Satuya but they were closer than he ever thought they could be. Satuya followed Takuma everywhere, asking questions and being curious. Takuma was always happy to answer him and treated him better than Natomi ever expected. He knew that Tsume would be proud to see their relationship.

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"Taku, will you stay to tell me a story?" Satuya asked as he sat in the small tub of warm water.
"Not tonight. We have to go on a mission tonight." He said, lathering the rag with soap. "Stand up please."
Satuya put down his toy down and stood up to let Takuma wash him.
"What are you gonna get?"
"It's a secret. I can't tell you until we get back."
"Aw..." Satuya pouted as Takuma washed his face. "Hey, Taku?"
"Yes?"
"I like you without hair on your face. It's all itchy."
Takuma laughed as he washed Satuya's arms.
"Well, I may shave it off later."
"Papa is better with no hair too."
Takuma smiled sadly but didn't say anything else. "Yes, well, Natomi won't shave."
"I know. Inni says he's stubborn."
Takuma smiled as he washed the rest of him off and then wrapped him in a towel. He lifted him out of the tub and Satuya put his head on his shoulder.
"Will you bring back something from your mission?"
"Well, I will say that we have to retrieve something anyway but I'll try to bring something for you. What would you like?"
"A chicken."
"You can't keep a chicken. Natomi wouldn't allow it."
"Then a lizard."
"Inoue will get mad at you. I know you, you'll torment her with it."
Satuya just grinned as he yawned and wrapped his other arm around Takuma's neck.
"Can I tell you a secret Taku?"
"Of course you can."
"I love you." He whispered into his ear and then giggled in embarrassment.
Takuma didn't know what to say but hugged him while he was in his arms.
"Thank you... I... I love you too."

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About four days later, the Kayoshi ninjas crept up to the small shrine and Mayori put his arm out to stop the small band of ninjas that came on the mission with him. He made some hand signals and directed two different parties to go on either side of the shrine. Takuma was leading one and Natomi leading the other as the small parties of six each went on either side of the shrine. At the same time, they snuck into the shrine, avoiding all the monks that were sleeping on the floor. Light as a feather, they went to a secret room that was supposed to be known to only the monks and Takuma pulled out the secret key that had been molded from the last raid of the shrine. He unlocked the door and the ninjas jumped in.
There, on the small table, was a very beat up old sword with chunks missing from it and the hilt was worn, tearing.
"Remember, keep your gloves on and don't touch the sword with your bare hands at all. Natomi's group, stand watch; Takuma's group and I will get the blade." Mayori whispered.
Everyone nodded in understanding and did what they were told to do.
Takuma went up to blade and made sure to put his gloves on, grabbing the hilt. He took the small sack that he had with him and stuck the sword inside of it. He wrapped the cloth around it tight and then began to wrap a bandage around it as well.
"Mayori! A monk has woken! We need to get out of here!" Natomi whisper-yelled.
"Takuma, do you have it?"
"It's secure!" he said, putting it on his back.
"Good, let's get out of here."
The ninjas slinked out of the shrine, quiet as owls on the prowl.

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Everyone returned to the rich leader of a town and they presented the sword to him. The leader rubbed his beard and ordered them to uncover it. When they did, he frowned at it and looked at the ninjas.
"This is the legendary Jaakuna? It looks like a katana that someone forgot to use for years... Are you sure you went to the right shrine?"
"Yes, sir, we went to the correct shrine." Mayori said, holding back on going up to the man and bitch slapping him in the face.
The leader walked over to them and reached out for the sword. Natomi grabbed his wrist and stared at the leader.
"I wouldn't touch it with your bare hand, sir. It is cursed for a reason."
"Quite right..." He ordered a cloth to be brought to him and grabbed the sword hilt. "It still doesn't look like anything and how am I supposed to be sure that it's the right sword?"
"Take our word for it, sir."
The leader looked at the sword and then smiled, throwing the sword at the ninjas. On reflex, Takuma caught it, barehanded of course. Natomi yelled but Mayori held him back as Takuma just stood there, holding the sword.
"Takuma, put the sword down." Natomi said, still being held back by Mayori. He looked at the leader. "How could you?! What is wrong with you?!"
Takuma turned to them, his eyes low but they were bright red with a white pupil. He began to wield the sword expertly, which now looked like a beautiful katana made of precious jewels and the finest metal, and headed toward his companions.
"Splendid! It looks to be true so far. Guard, please fight this man. Try to land as many hits as possible."
At the word fight, Takuma turned and the guard came out to fight him. The fight didn't take long, for the sword gave Takuma an immense bloodlust that he couldn't control and so it made him careless. He took a lot of hits from the guard, but it never stopped him from cutting the man down in cold blood. He slung the blood off of the blade and turned back to his comrades when Natomi sent a pair of bolas out and knocked the sword from Takuma's hands. The sword clattered to the ground as Takuma fell to his knees, exhausted. Suddenly, the hits that the guard had made to him opened up and he seemed to erupt in blood.
Natomi finally got loose of Mayori and ran to Takuma, searching to see how deep the wounds were.
"Excellent." The leader said, going over and grabbing the sword himself. "This is the power that I have been searching for!"
An arrow pierce through him and he fell, dead on the floor. Mayori looked back and saw someone bowing in shame to him.
"Forgive me sir, but things didn't look like they were going to bode well... I... I got overzealous." He got on his knees. "Do as you will."
Mayori looked over at Natomi and Takuma and the dead leader.
"For once, you have nothing to be ashamed of. This sword should have stayed with the monks. Natomi and Takuma's men will take Takuma home and my group will return this accursed sword to the monks. We had no choice but to do the mission but we will inform Master Yukorite of what occurred here." He looked at Natomi, who looked at him. "Take him back to the village. Use the wagon to treat his wounds."
Natomi nodded and picked Takuma up, taking him to the wagon as Mayori put the cloth back over the sword.