Pirate Vs. Ninja

Pirate vs. Ninja (Intro - 15)

INTRODUCTION

Pirates and ninjas. Two very different ways of life, one question bringing up some of the most heated arguments between friends, enemies, and others in between. "Who's better, pirates or ninjas?" How could these two come to conflict with each other? What causes us to banter back and forth a completely arbitrary argument? What causes us to take sides with the pirate or the ninja? A view of each occupation may further explain why this is so.
The pirate, as most people know, is usually known for a care-free spirit, adventurous over the high seas, and rotten to the bone. The appeal to be a pirate is great, with promises of buried treasure, plenty of drinks to have, and an all around jolly spirit. But what do people who side with the pirates say about ninjas? Usually the answers come with "silent mercenary" as the subject. They argue that they are too chicken to face an enemy head on and wear the oddest clothing ever.
The ninja, however, is a completely different walk of life. Some people claim they can fly through trees, while others state they can climb walls like cats. One thing most people agree on is that the ninja has a sharp knowledge of weaponry. Whichever weapon is available, the ninja kicks some serious butt with it. Ninjas are stealthy, usually wise, and very acrobatic. The people who stand with the ninjas complain that pirates are too loud, wear no less than four layers worth of clothing, and are intelligently challenged.
This introduction could go on forever and ever with the arguments presented over time, but what if these two cultures were, instead of pitted against each other, forced to work together? What if somehow, a pirate and a ninja had to overcome their many differences and cooperate to obtain victory? For those who are totally biased, they would say either the ninja would kill the pirate, or the pirate would stab the ninja to death. Neither is the case in this tale.
I give you the story of two young men, one a student of ninjas, the other a lone inexperienced pirate. Together, they must work in order to solve the greatest mystery of all time, "Who is better, pirates or ninjas?"

CHAPTER ONE
THE PIRATE

Sunrise rose over the beaches near the Trohte forest once again. The new sun crawled over the horizon, not daring to travel any faster than it was. Daylight slowly spread its gaze upon the sandy shores, warming the cream sand not disturbed by the lapping of water. It also looked upon a lone figure, lying on the beach from the night before.
It was human in form, but it did not look like it from first glance, given it was covered in seaweed and sand. From its leather boots and baggy trousers, to its unbuttoned undershirt and leather vest, and even its unsettled brown hair was soiled thoroughly. A wary seagull landed on the person's head, hoping there was something edible near it. Its weight caused the individual to awake.
Drowsily regaining consciousness, the character shook its head vigorously, losing plenty of sand from his hair. The seagull screeched in surprise, seeing its possible dinner taken from him, and hopped away a little ways towards shore. Its cries still rang out clear and sharp, piercing the human's ears like a knife.
With a sudden sprint, the lad got up and ran after the bird, kicking up clouds of sand towards it. "Git lost, ye yapping little feedbag!" the person roared at its assailant, now flying away into the sunrise. The bird gave one final call before flying off elsewhere to eat.
The person, now with considerably less sand and more patience, sat down on the beach and picked off the seaweed clinging to him. "Oh boy, you've done it this time, Pedro," he mumbled to himself. "Gittn' angry after some poor bird, doin' ye no harm at all." He winced as he peeled off the dead plants clinging to his face. "Ye've got to hold yer temper, never know when an enemy may be about."
After a few minutes of washing his hair in the water, cleaning out the remaining sand from his head, he looked over the shoreline for anything worth possessing. "Lemme see, I don't think that there's anythin' here, 'cept fer me of course. If I only knew where me cutlass went." He checked the small slack at the side of his makeshift belt, where he kept his valuable sword. It was vacant. "Oh darned, now I'll need to get a new one from the- aHA! There's me prized blade."
Underneath the sand, barely glinting under the sunlight, was the familiar shape of Pedro's sword. Pedro swiftly sweeped the sand carefully for the hilt, not wanting to cut himself on the metal blade in the process. "Where have ye been, lad? I've missed ye an awful lot since that storm last night. Biggest one I've ever lived through. Not that there's any storm I couldn't live through, mind ye." Successfully locating the hilt, Pedro quickly flashed it through the air a few times, noticing anything different with is weapon. "Hmm, it looks like ye've gone 'n nicked yerself again. Other than that, I don't see nothin' that a good sharpenin' couldn't fix. Well, we've got work to do. We need to find out where exactly are we, 'n how we even got here!" With that, the lad fitted his blade into his sash and retreated from the beach into the Trohte forest, hoping to find a way back to his home.

CHAPTER TWO
A SHORELINE MEETING

As Pedro strolled through the dense sea of trees, he began mumbling to himself, trying to recall what happened the night before. "Lemme see, I remember somethin' about sailin' from Sabato Bay, but I don't remember where I was headin' to. Then a few days later, a storm broke out over the briny, and I winds up here. Heh, the boys at Orro'll never believe that. Lost me ship on the high seas and wandering through this jungle, what a lame thread o' yarn that makes!"
After a few moments of tweaking a couple bits and pieces of his story until it suited him, he noticed the sun had risen considerably since he awoke. "Hmm, strange, it must be near 'leven around now. Time to rest and find some grub 'round here. I hope there's something around here that's edible. Don't know what could kill ye in this forest. Speakin' o' which, where am I?" Pedro quickly looked around his vicinity for any clue to where he was. Every tree looked just the same as the last. "Don't want to git lost in these woods." he murmured, "Who knows what these trees could hide. Y'know, a couple o' mussels sittin' in the tide should tide me over 'til dinner. I think the shore is over this way, beyond these bushes. Hah hah! Tide 'n tide! Ho ho ho, I crack meself up sometimes."
Pedro stepped over toward some bushes and pushed them aside, looking for the blue beauty of water. Indeed, his nautical sense proved its worth again. The ocean stared right at him, with its sparkling face as bright as ever. Pedro smiled slightly.
Then he noticed something off to the side, something unnatural.
A piece of drift wood was standing upright on the sand, covered in algae. But Pedro was focused on the person standing on it. Completely dressed in black from head to toe, the figure showed only his fingers and eyes. Not a single loose strap could be found, except for the dark bandana on his hood. Sweeping a katana from one side to another in slow, steady swings, the person kept perfect balance at all times.
Pedro rubbed his eyes in disbelief. He couldn't have seen it. It was impossible. No one alive could possibly do that! But as his hands lowered, the person was gone.
Pedro checked the area around him, making sure the thing wasn't around, then cautiously walked towards the driftwood. "I must be delirious, or whatever they call it."
A small cough from behind caught his attention. "What was tha-" Pedro stopped short as he turned around. There in front of him, black as night and staring sternly at him was that person.
The figure spoke, his voice sharp and clear, "Who are you, and what are you doing on our land?"

CHAPTER THREE
AN ENEMY

Pedro stood there, shocked. There in front of him, merely inches away, was a living breathing ninja. He knew about the wars going on near the Trohte forest, but he never thought he would ever see one in his life. That's when he suddenly realized something chilling.
Pedro was in the Trohte forest, ninja territory. Behind the enemy lines.
The ninja's eyes glared even harder, his voice becoming slightly irritated. "I said 'What are you doing on our land?' pirate!"
Pedro, finding himself lost for words, stammered out a response. "I was, er, just lost tryin' to find me, uh, ship." Pedro's hand was starting to shiver nervously. He had never seen a person look so intense, yet seem so calm at the same time.
Wait a minute, thought Pedro, I'm starting to get nervous from a single ninja? Me, the fearless Pedro, getting yeller at the sight o' one scrawny brat. I could take him on easily, without even tryin'. Heh, that would put some kick to me tale for me pals, taking on a ninja bare-handed! He eased a bit before continuing with his explanation.
"Yeah, the storm last night blew me away from me luvverly ship. She's very dear to me heart. Been serchin' fer it since mornin'. I suppose that driftwood ye've been standin' on came from it. It would be a great help to me if ye gave me the location of the rest of it?"
The ninja, not moving a muscle or softening his gaze, took every word in. "Then why were you in the forest? Your ship should be on the shoreline if it survived this storm you speak about." he questioned, devoid of anger.
Pedro thought quickly, and a feasible answer rolled off his tongue. "A man needs to find some food to give him strength, right? Ye wouldn't be searchin' fer a ship without some energy, eh?" He was satisfied inwardly with the answer he gave.
The ninja, however, showed no interest for the explanation. The only response from him was another question, the same unchanged voice asking it. "Why would you want to find the remains of a ship?"
The pirate knew this charade would not last very long. So Pedro quickly thought of a plan to attack. It only needed the element of surprise. "Because, lad, it contains a part of me map! I happened to have a piece of it here on me now, if ye'd like to see it." With that, Pedro slowly reached for his sword, as if he was going to bring out a piece of parchment.
Grabbing his cutlass, Pedro whipped it out and slashed in front of him. What he expected was an injured ninja lying on the beach. But nothing was in front of him. Nothing but sand. The devil is going on here? Pedro wondered as he searched around him. That sniveling gutless pike, running away in the heat of - his thoughts were interrupted as he glanced of to the side. The ninja stood there with his katana raised. Pedro stopped thinking and swiped at him immediatly.
A clash of metal rang throughout the area, the pirate's cutlass meeting the ninja's blade. Pedro threw a few blows at his adversary, only to hit either the air or the blade. Pedro soon realized that his enemy was far better than he assumed. Every slash, every thrust, and every blow Pedro threw was dodged or blocked. But the ninja never struck back, never counterattacked once. The two parried up and down the beach, moving closer to the shoreline. Pedro soon knew that he would be waist high in water if he didn't strike his opponent.
With a sudden sweep of his arm, Pedro slashed at the ninja. The ninja simply flipped backwards, over the upright piece of driftwood. The sword sunk its edge deep in the plank, burying it well. Pedro was stunned for just a moment, then realized his enemy was heading into the Trohte forest.
"Ye black-hearted, yeller-bellied barnacle!" He cursed at his opponent, trying to free his blade. "Runnin' away from a duel! Coward! Ye'll be sorry when I catches ye!" With a hard yank, the cutlass was free. Pedro then sprinted into the forest, hurling insults at his opponent. "I'll cut ye inter so many pieces, the minnows'll feed on yer remains! Ye'd better come and face me, I've faced stronger opponents than ye who never ran off, and I beat 'em fair and square! Ye can't hide from me! I'll gut ye! I'll skewer ye! I'll make ye fish bait!"
If Pedro had been paying more attention, he would have seen the small, bent sapling he tripped over. As it was, Pedro was snared, hoisted into the air by rope. The last things Pedro heard was his own voice screaming into the air, then the hard crack of his head nailing the side of a stout tree, then finally darkness.

CHAPTER FOUR
THE NINJA

"To understand any argument, one must look at both sides of the story. A reasonable judgment cannot be made from a single view" - Ninja proverb.

Earlier that day, far south from those beaches, begins another story. At the end of the Sanctuary Cliffs, Vassna Fortress stood, awaiting the arrival of the morning sun. The mighty structure, made of the cliff's own granite, was cloaked under the shade of nighttime, now weakening as the minutes rolled on. Very few windows were present along the lower levels of the building, for bowmen watching from inside the monument would stay in the higher floors. The fortress was practically impenetrable from the outside.
Inside the building, the granite took on a bit of color. The hallways snaking around the fortress had floors of tiled sandstone mixed with the solemn grey of granite. Tapestries hung from the walls, beautifully woven by artists unknown. Rooms around the building were sparse, but gigantic. These rooms were mainly used for training and practice of weaponry. There were smaller rooms for a sensei to retreat and rest, which was only occasionally.
On this particular dawn, one sensei, old and wizened, was speaking to a student of his, the best in his class. "Not today, my son," he said, his robe swaying slightly with each minor emphasis he made, "The storm may have brought uncertainties to our shores."
The student, sticking with his idea of practicing his katana routine outside the grounds, protested in an even voice. "But sensei, if I don't practice outside these walls of stone, how will I have a chance out on the battlefields?"
"No, I will not allow it. These walls of stone offer protection from the dangers outside. What if there is an enemy outside these very doors?"
"Sensei, the chance of a pirate outside the fortress is unli-"
He was interrupted by a small folded fan rapping him lightly on the head. A sensei would always carry one to chastise a student. "Do not say that word inside this fortress. We do not want panic behind our walls."
The student, knowing full well the power of one word, corrected himself. "Yes, true," he stated, "but the guards along the wall tops would have seen one before they could attempt to come close. Even so, you know full well that I am capable of fending for myself if the need rises."
The sensei sighed. He knew the black-haired student could take care of himself, but had no idea what really took place outside these walls. "Shessa, I am not certain that you understand what goes on around these parts, but I also know that you can take care of yourself. Therefore, I will allow you to practice outside the walls for today."
Shessa, who was the student, thanked his teacher with a slight bow. The sensei did likewise, a show of respect between a master and his pupil. Then both parted to their ways, the sensei walking to his retreat, and Shessa off to change into his outside wear.

CHAPTER FIVE
INTO THE FOREST

Shessa sat in his dormitory, dressing from his nightgown into his outside uniform. The black clothing fit snugly on Shessa's body. They had to be so the outfit wouldn't snag on anything and tear. After fitting into his uniform, Shessa placed the hood over his head. It slid down over his face snugly, the wide hole in it allowed his eyes to see the outside. Next, he fitted his gloves tightly onto his hands. These gloves were made to fit the palms precisely and had no fingers on them, allowing the hands to still grip with ease. Shessa then placed his headband on around the hood, to keep the hood steady and to allow others to know his rank. Ninja headbands, although the same color of black, were made of different materials. All one would have to do to identify the rank of another ninja is feel the band carefully. Shessa's headband was made of cotton, the rank of a student. Finally, he wrapped his feet with cloth expertly, leaving no sign of skin showing, and after tucking in a few loose pieces of fabric, took his katana lying on a shelf, strapped it to his back, and left his room for the outside.

Leaving Vassna Fortress behind him using a secret door, Shessa strolled lightly by the cliffs. The cliffs slowly degraded into the forest below, where cover could be found. But Vassna fortress was a very secure refuge. Sitting on the flat surface of the cliffs, it was on a narrow and small peninsula. The Mylar Ocean, with its furious winds and waves, protected the southern and eastern sides of the cliffs, while the water on the western side was filled with sharp rocks and sandbars, preventing any ship to dock. The path from the forest to the fortress used to have trees in it, but now only stumps were left. This left any enemy charging into the forest by path wide open. Unfortunately, it works the other way around as well. Shessa knew this, but noticing the dawn creeping upwards, he couldn't help but watch it as he went by.
The Trohte forest grew larger with every step, and soon Shessa was at the fringe of it. He looked around cautiously, noticing the sun had just started to pass the horizon. Entering the forest, walking was no longer an option. Traps were strewn throughout this part of the forest, and Shessa knew the only way through was by flying through the trees.
Finding a low branch was easy. Shessa swiftly climbed the limbs, racing from one tree to another, and made his way through the forest with minimal difficulty. The only problem here and there would be branches spread out too far to jump between. Shessa had to be careful, as one wrong move or miscalculated jump would send him sprawling downward to the floor. Luckily, being the best student in his sensei's class, Shessa didn't make many mistakes.
The sun had just met halfway with the horizon when Shessa heard a cry. Must be a seagull bothering someone, Shessa assumed. A yell ran through the forest, confirming the ninja's guess. Shessa quickly hid among the treetops and carefully made his way towards the shore. Hopping from tree to tree, he lowered down to the ground, crouching low in shadows so he would not be seen. His worst fears came to life in front of him.
A pirate, covered from head to toe in sand, was sitting on the shoreline, picking the seaweed clinging to him. Shessa overheard him saying something about not yelling at a bird. How strange that he talks to himself, Shessa thought. Now he saw the pirate wading into the water, washing the sand from his hair. Shessa took note of every move he made, hopefully trying to find something in his body language. Minutes later, the pirate turned to his side, looking for something. Must be a sword he's looking for. That would explain the sagging sash at his-, Shessa's thoughts were interrupted by an exclamation from the pirate, looking towards him. Was he spotted? Was he safe?
Fortunately, the pirate only found his sword in the sand. As he scooped sand aside, Shessa thought it was a good idea to move away. Quietly sneaking away from the scene into some undergrowth nearby, he looked at the blade the pirate carried. A cutlass swished through the air a few times. Shessa listened carefully to what the pirate was saying. He only caught a part of the one-sided conversation with the blade about nicks in the sword and finding out how the pirate got here. With that, the pirate placed his sword aside and moved into the forest, right past where Shessa once stood.
Shessa noted only one thing about the pirate before making his way back towards Vassna Fortress. The pirate was moving inward towards a part of the forest not booby-trapped. Shessa figured they would meet again, but next time the pirate would know he was around.

CHAPTER SIX
ANOTHER PRACTICE

Shessa quietly made his way through the treetops, not knowing entirely where the pirate went. Shessa judged by the way the pirate went that he would head towards inland, away from Vassna Fortress and unnecessary conflict. Since I'm out here, he thought among the trees, I should look for some type of area to practice my katana routine. After all, that's why I'm out here.
Descending from the forest canopies was difficult, since the midmorning sun casts shadows along the trees. Finding a good place to land on a branch is not aided by shadows obscuring one's view. Shessa searched around him for any type of clearing. The beach was his only choice.
Carefully sneaking out to the shore, Shessa noticed no one was there. The salty ocean breeze flew by, reminding Shessa that his enemy may still be near. In any case, Shessa was safe for now.
A tapping on his foot caught Shessa's attention. A plank, slightly weathered and intact, was floating on the tide. Shessa quickly grabbed it and, noticing it was still relevantly new and arms length, placed it in the sand. This practice would definitely improve my technique, Shessa thought, as he scooped sand away to fit the plank deeper into the soil.
A couple hard punches proved the plank would hold steady. The plank stood at around Shessa's waist, so getting on it was not very difficult. Shessa was standing on the plank within seconds. Pulling out his katana, he swept it from side to side, not budging from his spot. Just warming up for a quick routine on the shore with his shadow, a familiar exercise with the ninjas.
Shessa noticed the bushes near the forest were shaking. Has the pirate followed me? he wondered. Sure enough, the pirate's head came into view, but looking barely off to the side. Then the pirate noticed Shessa. Continuing his exercise like normal, Shessa waited for the opportunity to move behind the pirate for interrogation. A pirate would never have gotten this far without a reason.
The pirate rubbed his eyes in amazement, the perfect opportunity for Shessa to sprint to the trees. The ninja ran silently to the forest and sneaked around behind the bewildered pirate. The pirate stumbled out onto shore, trying to see where the ninja went. Shessa thought best to play with his enemy until he was tired instead of trying to interrogate him while he had energy. A slight cough was all that was necessary to get the pirate's attention.
Well before the pirate turned around, Shessa had donned his killer glare, unmoving and frightening. The pirate managed to say "What was tha-" before looking into the eyes of Shessa and jumping back.
"Who are you, and what are you doing on our land?" said the ninja, sternly and with authority. The pirate just stood there in awe, shocked by Shessa's sudden appearance. Shessa spoke with a little more intensity, "I said 'What are you doing on our land?' pirate!".
"I was, er, just lost tryin' to find me, uh, ship." said the pirate nervously, hand shaking slightly. Shessa noticed him ease a bit before continuing, a sure sign of a plot to get him and a lie. "Yeah, the storm last night blew me away from me luvverly ship. She's very dear to me heart. Been serchin' fer it since mornin'. I suppose that driftwood ye've been standin' on came from it. It would be a great help to me if ye gave me the location of the rest of it?"
Shessa thought best to show the pirate's logical flaws, but he never let down his gaze. Speaking moderately, he questioned, "Then why were you in the forest? Your ship should be on the shoreline if it survived this storm you speak about."
Shessa was surprised at how quickly the pirate came with an answer. "A man needs to find some food to give him strength, right? Ye wouldn�t be searchin' fer a ship without some energy, eh?" stated the pirate, a slight smile crossing his lips.
Shessa kept the charade going, knowing sooner or later the pirate would strike. "Why would you want to find the remains of a ship?"
Shessa noted his enemy's eyes rolling to the side, and glancing towards his sword. This was it, the fight was about to begin. "Because, lad, it contains a part of me map! I happened to have a piece of it here on me now, if ye'd like to see it." With that, the pirate looked away, reaching for his make-belief map part.
Shessa nimbly sidestepped before the cutlass flew out of the belt. Drawing his katana, Shessa prepared for the next blow. It took a second for the pirate to know where the ninja was, then slashed at Shessa. The only thing the flying steel struck was the steel of the katana.
Up and down the beach, the pirate swung his blade at Shessa, who knew where each blow was coming from. Sidestepping, blocking, and even jumping over the sword at times gave Shessa the exercise he needed. All that was left to do was capture the pirate. The plan formulated in his mind as he led the pirate closer to the water. The pirate realized that he wouldn't have a chance in the water, and swung his blade as Shessa.
Shessa knew the standing driftwood was right behind him. With a well-timed flip, he bounded over the blade and the makeshift pedestal. A hearty thunk in the wood confirmed Shessa's plan had begun. Running into the forest, knowing his assailant was freeing his blade from the driftwood, Shessa found the perfect trap for his enemy. A snare, made of rope. A young sapling was bent to trip the opponent, then the ninja would have to trigger the trap from above. Shessa climbed the trees quickly, hearing the pirate's ever increasing curses coming closer."...I've faced stronger opponents than ye who never ran off, and I beat 'em fair and square! Ye can't hide from me! I'll gut ye! I'll skewer ye! I'll make ye fish bait!"
The bent sapling tripped the pirate, Shessa's signal to cut a rope holding a sandbag in the air. With a thorough slash, the sandbag fell, connected to another rope hanging over a branch and winding its way down to the ground, where a knotted loop would trap the fallen enemy's foot and haul him in the air. Luckily for the pirate, this happened quickly enough to entrap both of his feet together. Shessa saw the pirate fly into the air, wriggling and screaming, until he nailed the side of an oak and fell unconscious.
Shessa, due to his extensive training, never showed any emotions by congratulating himself. Immediately, he looked around for other ninjas, knowing there was always one coming from Vassna fortress whenever a trap had sprung. The sound of a scream could carry through the forest like wildfire.

CHAPTER 7
LOOMING TORTURE

Shessa didn't have to wait long for a scouting party to arrive. Before midday arrived, four ninjas appeared through the foliage of the trees. Shessa was calmly sitting in his tree, watching the unconscious pirate swaying back and forth on the rope, when the leader of the group confronted him. His gruff voice was evident as he whispered, "Shessa, are you alright?"
"Of course," Shessa spoke confidently, "And you don't need to whisper, the pirate was alone."
"Are you sure he was alone?"
"Yes, he never tried to call for back up, neither did anyone else appear"
The leader relaxed a little. "Still, you were attacked, right?"
"If you could call it that. He didn't put up much of a fight, let alone a technique."
"But are you harmed in any way?"
"Nonsense. I'm perfectly fine. No cuts, bruises, or shattered pride."
"That's good." The leader turned to the form hanging on the rope. "Now about him..."
Shessa stood up for a moment, �We can carry him to the Interrogation Room, where he can talk about why he's here." he stated as he looked at the other ninjas carefully taking down the pirate from the snare.
The leader knew taking a pirate to Vassna Fortress was risky, but if Shessa knew what he was doing, he was sure. "Alright, we can do that." He turned to the group. "Make for Vassna Fortress and place our 'guest' in the Interrogation Quarters. The elders can handle it from there."
The small team of three lifted the pirate, now free from his bonds, and carefully made their way through the dense jungle towards the fortress. One ninja carried the pirate's cutlass on his back, perfect for training with.
The leader turned back to Shessa. "We need to get to Vassna Fortress. Regardless if there are no other pirates out here, there is still danger in these woods."
Shessa nodded in agreement. In a flash, both were bounding through the trees in the same direction as the senseless pirate, unaware of what was happening.

Entering the building first was Shessa and the leader, being unburdened with carrying the pirate. Slipping through a secret entrance unnoticed was unnecessary, since it was midday and the guards spotted them before they even came through the foliage from the main land. As they entered the building, the leader headed for the Elder's conference room, where one could tell anything odd happening. They were the overseers of the building. Shessa, however, went through another hallway towards his room. The thought of changing into his comfier garbs eased him a little.
Unfortunately, those plans would have to wait. While walking through the twisting hallways, Shessa's Sensei came around the nearest corner. Shessa greeted his Sensei politely. "Greetings, master, and how are yo-"
A fan, quickly and not so lightly, cuffed Shessa over the head. Shessa was about to question his Sensei's sanity when the burning glare of his master bore through his mind.
"I warned you not to go outside," the Sensei sensibly growled, "yet you fell into danger! Do you know how much panic you have caused?"
Shessa tried to debate with his teacher, "Sensei, I was not...�
"And you are bringing a pirate into our walls? Even the Interrogation Room is still within our walls!"
"Sensei, he's not consci-"
"And for what? Simply knowing where he came from?"
Shessa spoke a little louder than he should. "Sensei, you�re missing some crucial details!"
The Sensei seemed to calm down before continuing. "No, student, I am not." He raised a hand to silence the protesting ninja. "I know that he was alone, and pirates travel in numbers. The Mylar Ocean is too rough to allow anyone to enter our domain so easily, so he cannot have gotten through those waters. Furthermore-" A soft bang of stone interrupted the teacher. The pirate had arrived.
"Well our guest has arrived. I must attend to this matter." He made for the Interrogation room. Shessa knew he should go to his room and change. Making his leave, Shessa strolled down the hallways once more to his dormitory.
"Shessa?"
The ninja turned back to his teacher. "Yes, Sensei?"
The Sensei gave a rather rare smile. "You did well on your first time out." With that, the Sensei left to see this intruder of ninja territory.

Pedro didn't know what happened to him, or how he was knocked out. Groaning awake, he slowly opened his eyes, noticing quite well the pain in his head. Adjusting to the bright light now present, he noted that it was around midday, maybe later. "Oh me head," he moaned, "It feels like another bad dose o' ale went straight to it!"
Looking straight ahead, Pedro noticed that the walls were unusually tiled. "Huh, that's strange. Nothin' I ever saw was that pretty! Least I'm in a buildin' o' some sort. Now, about that ninja who ran away from the heat o' ba - Oh sweet mother o' keel!" It was that instant Pedro noticed two things that meant trouble.
One was the pain in his wrists and ankles. He had been tied down.
Second, the sudden entrance of robed characters walking on the floor in front of him. Pedro was tied to the ceiling.
Pedro panicked. These robed characters were staring at him, glaring into his own pair of eyes. This is the end o' me, I know it! , Pedro thought nervously.
One character, older than the rest, stepped out from the group. "Pirate, you have entered our domain."
"Well, sorry about that, lad," Pedro spoke back, slightly sarcastic, "Mebbe if ye hadn't brought me here, I would be crossing your lines."
"Silence!" the old man shouted back. "As you can see, you're not going to be leaving anytime soon."
"Well, granpaw, if ye lets me loose from these here bonds, I'd be happy to -�
"Drop a very long distance. Trust me, you don't want to fall from that height."
"Wanna test that theory o' yours?"
"Do you?"
Pedro silenced himself. He knew it would take some crafty business to get out of here.
"Now," the old man continued, oddly resembling a teacher as he spoke, "this is the Interrogation Chamber. You are here for as long as you live. We will happily let you go for any and all information on why you are here."
"Oh, that's easy lad. I don't remember nothin' about being here, so ye can just let me go now!" Pedro retorted, with a quick flash of a smile added at the end.
The old man stared harder at the pirate. "No good. You have until this time tomorrow to tell of what you know. Otherwise, we shall extract it from you one way or another."
Pedro gulped. He didn't like the way the man used 'extract'.
"If by any chance you do fall from there and survive, there are only three exits. One is a dead end, another is the hallway full of ninjas, and the final one is that window there, which leads to a drop out to sea." Here, the wizened character pointed towards a hole in the stone wall. The window was barred and not likely a valuable exit.
"I leave you to your thoughts. Think carefully, for we will get the information we need." With that, the party left the pirate to hang on the ceiling, awaiting torture.
Pedro knew he had gone over his head, and lying got him this far into trouble. But the truth he didn't know. Pedro shook his head in discontent, wondering how on earth he would get out of this situation.

CHAPTER EIGHT
A MYSTERIOUS FIGURE

The day rolled on slowly, with Pedro moaning each and every painstaking second. Relieved of his weapon, tied to a ceiling, and nothing to quench his thirst, he knew he was in a bad situation. Pedro looked outside the barred window. The suns view was disappearing over the horizon, the coming night was drawing closer. Pedro sighed at the sight. "Aye, this is a bad day fer Pedro...uh...Pedro...drat, I can't even remember me last name! That storm was a heck of a squall. Now what do I remember? I remember being on me ship, don't know the name of her, and the storm tossin' me about a lot. I landed here and searched fer - wait, I remember only a small notion of a plan or somethin' like that. But blast me mind, its scuttled good 'n dry!" Pedro sighed, knowing the situation was only going to get worse.
Unbeknownst to the pirate, Shessa was listening to his self-lamenting on the other side of the door. He had heard much of what the pirate said, but nothing he said was important to the Elders. Shessa quietly strolled away to his quarters. He needed sleep, and the dawn was only a nighttime away.

Stars twinkled merrily in the dark sky, with the moon shining brightly over the land. The ominous silence, interrupted only by chirping crickets, hung on the air lightly. The pirate, now asleep in his bonds, hung from the ceiling limply. The snoring he made was fortunately blocked by the walls of stone, keeping all other residents peacefully at sleep.
A strange crumbling sound outside the window caught the attention of Pedro, though not immediately. Drifting back to awareness, Pedro felt the searing pain in his wrists and ankles. He would have groaned in agony had it not been for the sight in front of him.
One of the bars in the window suddenly moved aside, helped by a hand from a person below the windowsill outside. Pedro grew cautious. This must be one of those *extractions* that old folk was talkin' about. Pedro thought silently.
The hands outside the window now groped for hand-holds. Pedro noticed the hands were gloved much like the ninja he saw before. Pedro decided the best form of action was nothing, since he was in no position to attack.
The hands felt their way to a steady grip, and with a light exertion, a ninja appeared in the window. Looking side to side, it exited the room through one of the doors, not showing any signs of seeing Pedro.
Pedro found two things about this encounter that bothered him. One was the fact that the old people from the day before left through the other door, presumably out to the hallway full of ninjas. The other oddity passed Pedro's mind as soon as it came, now fully aware that something was wrong.

Shessa tossed and turned in his quarters. Sleep had eluded him for the night. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't find a single way to fall asleep. Sitting up in his bed, he decided to go for a walk around the building to ease his nerves. Of course, he thought that passing by the Interrogation Chamber wouldn't be such a bad idea. He nearly grabbed the door handle when a thought occurred to him. Grabbing his outside gear and putting it on, he knew that the pirate would not recognize him under the disguise.

The pirate was awake when Shessa opened the door quietly. Noticing his opponent was looking away, Shessa sneaked inside the gigantic room, closing the door with a soft thud. The pirate turned, only to be confronted by the stern glare of Shessa's eyes.
The absence of sunlight deadened the effect, but the pirate remembered the same type of ninja out on the shore. Shessa, now disguising his voice perfectly, spoke to the captive, quietly so he wouldn't disturb anyone. "Hello pirate. I'm here to check on you and see if extraction is necessary." Shessa put a little emphasis on the word extract to frighten his enemy.
Instead the response was a bunch of head movement towards the other door. Shessa found this intriguing, but nothing more. The pirate whispered softly "Come here, come here, lad! I've got somethin' to tell ye!"
Shessa, knowing the pirate was a great liar, didn't believe him. "I'm not your 'lad', as you put it. It seems as if you need more time to think. Be warned - �He had no time to finish the sentence, since the pirate interrupted him.
"Listen," the pirate said, with more urgency, "there's another ninja that went through that door there!" Here, he motioned to the other doorway with his head. "He didn't come like ye did, he came..."
"Why should I care about this ninja popping up here? After all, he is a ninja like you said." Shessa turned and opened the door, almost stepping out into the hallway.
"He came through that window!" Pedro rasped loudly, thirst starting to get the better of him.
Shessa paused, thinking that the pirate was lying again. "Impossible, the window you speak of is barred. No one can e-" Shessa was speechless when he turned to find one of the bars missing. Maybe this pirate is telling the truth. Shessa thought, giving a quick glance to the captive. His eyes revealed more truth to his words. Shessa wordlessly went through the other door, hurrying almost inside.
Pedro realized the one thing he noticed wrong before. The other ninja wasn't wearing a headband.

CHAPTER NINE
MERCENARY

Shessa walked briskly through the hallway. Truthfully it did lead to a dead end, but the dead end was something Shessa feared the other ninja knew about.
The hall leads to his sensei's office.
Turning a corner, he saw the door at the end of the hall close slightly. This was the entry into the sensei's office. Shessa found himself slowly gaining into a sprint for the door. I hope sensei is alright he thought bravely.
Grabbing an unlit torch from a holster, Shessa opened the door slightly, keeping his body hidden from sight. Peering around the steady oak door, Shessa saw nothing but darkness. The torch would help here.
Shessa took a small rock from the floor and, holding the torch close to the doorjamb, struck it against the metal. Resounding across the hallway, the clack gave away his presence to the intruder, but the torch was lit from the sparks.
Shessa opened the door wide, light flooding into the room. Immediately, he noticed the other ninja, looking inside the sensei's desk drawer. Shessa knew talk would be useless against this ninja.
The other ninja, looking towards Shessa, bounded across the room with sword raised. Shessa blocked it with the wooden torch, sparks falling from the blow. The ninja, light revealing its older glaring eyes, struck again with a sweep of the sword. Shessa jumped over it and executed a frontal stab with the torch.
The flame burned the eyes of Shessa's opponent, but did not smother its fighting spirit. Blindly slashing at the air, it only struck everything but Shessa. Books, letters, and all sorts of papers flew through the air when struck by the sightless ninja.
Shessa saw there was no headband on the ninja well beforehand. No mercy was shown on this imposter. Taking the end of the torch, he butted his opponent to the ground. The imposter slumped down to the floor with a groan. It may be said that he was lucky, as Shessa never liked to kill an enemy. Why kill them when they may have important information to share?
Shessa looked around the room for any sign of a spark. The paper around the room could catch on fire very quickly and send the entire fortress into a panic. Seeing that there was no sign of fire other than the torch, he snuffed the flame outside the room, pressing it against the stone wall.
But not before he wrote down an explanation to his sensei. Leaving the paper on his desk, Shessa knew he would come through one of the hallway's secret doors.

CHAPTER TEN
REDEMPTION

Pedro fell asleep some time after the pair of ninjas passed by him. The creeping dawn from outside shone its beams through the barred window, lighting the room softly. Pedro woke up again, the bonds on his wrists and feet caused excruciating pain. Pedro groaned softly, murmuring to himself, "Oh, I've gotten meself in a world of trouble here. First I'm captured by those theivin' ninjas, and now they're crawlin' through windows to get anywhere they wants to. Oh woe is me, fer I'm-" Pedro stopped self-lamenting, noticing the doors opening again.
The hooded characters came back, this time carrying a large mattress between them. They walk underneath the pirate and, with careful deliberation, placed it directly underneath him. That's peculiar... Pedro thought, I wonder what they'll be doin' with that lump of a bed down there.
The robed characters walked away once more, leaving the pirate to wonder what was going on. "Now isn't that somthin'?", Pedro sarcastically stated, "They leaves a wunnerful good mattress down there and walk away fer no reason. So that's the torture, eh? Hah, looks like those ninjas are really stupid after all!" Pedro laughed scornfully, oblivious to the robed characters returning.
Four men walked in, this time with long, strange poles at their sides. Pedro soon noticed them and, intentionally, started insulting them. "Oh ho ho, look who's here! What are ye gonna do with those poles, start a fishin' contest? That mattress down there ain't gonna do you no good fer the bait. Ha ha, even me mother would know more about fishin' than you guys, and she's never been near a body of water fer years! Ha ha ha ha ha!"
Pedro would have continued his raging verbal assault, no matter how strange it may seem, had it not been for the actions of the men below. Taking the poles, they raised them skyward, right next to Pedro. Pedro looked at the end of the pole nearest to him.
A knife, razor sharp and keen, was strapped at the end tightly.
"Heh heh, hey buckoes, I didn't mean all those cursed things I told ye..." Pedro nervously persuaded. "Us pirates are fast on the tongue and slow with the wits, eh?" The robed men didn't seem to listen, for they were talking amongst themselves. One of them seemed to shout out a signal.
With expert flicks, all four poles sliced through the bonds of the captive. Gravity taken into effect, Pedro fell down to earth, screaming the entire way. Luckily, he landed on the mattress, in pain but alive. Pedro laid flat on the makeshift bed, rubbing his sore joints. "Aye, thank ye lads fer the help 'n all, but why didje cut me down from there?"
"Because, Pedro-san, you helped us capture a mercenary."
Pedro sat up on the mattress, facing the speaker. The old man who had told Pedro of his upcoming torture stood smiling at him. Pedro was still confused on what was going on. "Uh, how didje find out me name? And what's a blinkin' mur-sin-air-ree anyways? And just why in the name o' keel didje let me loose?"
The old man simply held out a beaker of water. "You must be thirsty. Here, drink this."
Pedro scooted away a bit. "Now hold on, don't get all nice on me now! How do I know that ain't poisoned?"
The man took a sip from the beaker. That was all the proof Pedro needed. Greedily, he swiped the beaker and quaffed down the contents, most of which dribbled down his shirt. Wiping his mouth, Pedro sighed in relief. "Thank ye kindly sir, but I believe I've overstayed yer welcome. So, if ye'll excuse me, I�ve got to get going." Pedro started walking towards the door when a pole shot out and blocked his path. He was still a captive.
"I'm sorry about this behavior," The old man continued, "but we need to discuss things in my study. So you may either follow me, or stay here with these nice gentlemen."
Pedro looked around the room, eyeing the sharp knives on each pole. He rationalized that the worst that could happen by following the old man was a sudden ambush by armed ninjas with rabid attack wolves, while staying with the robed characters meant imminent torture. Pedro chose his supposed death. "Well then, lad, ye'd best show me to your quarters." He hesitantly spoke.
The old man smiled. "Good, follow me." With that, he turned to the doorway where the ninja headed last night. Pedro was still cautious about what was happening when the old man turned and stated, "Oh, and don't worry about any sort of attack. Especially armed ninjas with attack wolves. I would not allow such actions on my grounds." He turned around and strolled to the door, with Pedro following, slack-jawed in surprise.

CHAPTER ELEVEN
THE JOURNEY AWAITS

Pedro followed the old man through the corridor, noticing the pure absence of any doors on the dull grayed walls. If there was any escape, it would only be through the way they came in. Pedro assumed the worst was going to happen when they turned every corner, but it only led to one more hallway.
Finally, after Pedro was bored of the monotony of granite walls, a door was present at the end of the hall. Coming closer, Pedro saw that the door was weathered and old.
The old man reached for the knob and turned it carefully. Pedro gulped, hoping a torture device wasn't inside. However, as the door opened, Pedro was presented with an unruly sight before him. Books, paper, all matter of debris were scattered around the place. "Aye, musta been one heck of a battle in here..." Pedro commented softly.
The old man took a chair from one of the walls and, shuffling his robes, sat quietly. Motioning towards another chair, he said, "Please, have a seat."
Pedro was still confused about what was going on, but he took a chair from the wall and, with great difficulty trying to unfold it, managed to seat himself.
The old man smiled. "So, how are you?"
Pedro retorted back, "Alright, old man, ye've gone and released me and brought me here fer in-teer-oh-gatin' no doubt, so cut to the chase and start yer torture!"
The robed figure didn't flinch from the sudden outburst. He remained calm through the talk. "And skip the explanation of why you are here?" He asked.
Pedro was stunned. "Explanation? I don't need no explanation! I know what's going to happen! And don't ye think I haven't been captured before, matey. I've escaped from many an in-teer-oh-gatin', and this isn't any different!"
"Please, confine your pride for now and show it elsewhere. Besides, we're setting you free."
Still going on about how great he was, Pedro wasn't listening. "I've been through many a maelstrom and lived to see the next day! I've gone through torture from ye and hundreds of others like yerselves! Me blade'll slit yer gullets and skewer yer - " Pedro was cut off from a light whack across the head.
The old man placed his fan back in his robe. "Don't make me interrogate you for malicious behavior, sir. Now, could you stow away the boasting and pay attention?"
Pedro's head smarted from the blow, but he sat and listened, rubbing through his brunette hair at the tender spot on his cranium.
The old man smiled. "That's better. Now, you were released from your bonds today from the actions you took last night."
Pedro was startled. "Me? What did I do last night?"
"You helped one of us capture a mercenary. Surely, you know what they are."
"No sir, I haven't a scurvy clue on what yer talkin' about."
"Well then," the old man said while facing the doorway, "let my student tell you that." In that moment, the door burst open.
Standing in the doorway, making hasty apologies for being late, Pedro recognized the black uniform, the similar height, the ninja from the beach. "Ye murderous barracuda!" Pedro shouted, standing upright rather quickly.
The ninja, now looking at the pirate, stated one word coldly and filled with hatred. "You."

CHAPTER TWELVE
MYSTERIOUS EVENTS

Shessa received a note from his sensei earlier that morning, asking him to meet in his office. The cause of his lateness was obeying the sensei's request for outdoor wear before going into the office. Shessa no longer cared about why he was sent down to Sensei with such odd requests after seeing the pirate, free and glaring at him.
Both stood, ready for action. The pirate made the first attack by charging his opponent, fists swinging wildly in the air. Shessa stopped the blows with a flick of his wrist, sidestepping away. The pirate ran straight into a wall, stumbling to keep upright. Shessa was about to return the favor when a fan thwacked him across the head.
"Stop this immediately!" The sensei yelled, "I will not tolerate this nonsensical behavior in my office."
Pedro, still trying to get the ninja, made an attempt to punch his opponent. The sensei merely held the fist in midair, his wizened face stern and towards the pirate. Pedro was about to say something towards the old man when a fan gave him his fair share of a blow.
Shessa, all the will for fighting gone, stood silent with contempt. Pedro, however, had to have the last word. "What the heck was that fer? Ye've gone and done that fer no good reason!"
The sensei only spoke back once. "Would you like me to use a metal pipe instead?" Pedro stood silent immediately.
The sensei gestured towards the chairs. Shessa stood off to one side, far away from the pirate. Pedro did likewise with the ninja.
"I suppose in this situation, chairs are useless" the Sensei commented.
Pedro, not being one to stay silent for long, couldn't help but blurt out, "So when is this in-teer-oh-gatin' supposed to be over with?"
Shessa, having full intention to start his version of torture immediately, answered for his sensei. "You're not here for interrogating at all. Not in sensei's office. Although," he turned towards his teacher, "I begin to wonder if there is any sense in bringing me here."
"In a moment, Shessa," The sensei began, noticing the pirate snicker at his student's name, "I must first explain to you both why you've been brought here."
Pedro, still holding in his laughter, inquired, "Now hold on, what about this mer-sin-ary ye was talkin' about?"
"I said my student will tell you that." He eyed Shessa, "and he will tell you that in time. But for more important matters at hand. I am sending you both on a quest."
Both pirate and ninja reacted to the sensei's word.
"A quest, ye say?"
"Both?"
"Yes, Pedro and Shessa, I am sending you on a journey, am I'm not reconsidering it." Sensei noticed his student beginning to protest about this when the pirate cut in his own remarks.
"Well, I guess this place ain't so bad after all! Sendin' both me and the little 'Shessy' on fer a goo-", realization dawned on him. "Now wait just a tide-drawn moment! Ye've got to be kiddin' about this ninja with me!"
"I, for one," Shessa noted, "am refusing to do this. Sensei, you must be out of your mind, sending me and the-"
"ENOUGH!" the sensei roared, having enough of the bickering. "I have my reasons for sending you both. Now please just stay silent and let me explain!"
Both the pirate and the ninja took some time to settle down. After enough time had passed, the sensei continued. "The event last night was only the latest in a series of odd occurrences. From what I hear, this is only happening recently. Stories travel about dark forms laying along the beach on the pirate's domain, dead as driftwood, the forest itself is filled with more of these mercenaries than usual; even word from Aven Island has stopped."
Pedro had to interrupt the sensei for no apparent reason. "Hey, how didje find out about all those events, and what is this Aven Island?"
"Aven Island is the monk's library." Shessa commented, still despising the whole idea, "That is where we get our information, until recently, like Sensei said. Surly, a sailor of the sea would know that!" he scoffed.
"Well, excuse me, yer high and mightiness, but I don't recall ye being the-"
Sensei stopped the taunting immediately, "Do you want to get out of here alive, Pedro?" The pirate stood silent. "Very well. Both of you will go to Aven Island, and try to figure out where that is. I only know it lies to the south of here, but from there, you're on your own. Of course, the only way of getting there is...� he looked at Pedro.
Pedro smiled, knowing what the teacher was looking for. "By boat, lad! Har har, this'll be good!"
The Sensei continued. "However, to get to the docks, in pirate land, might I add, you need to pass the Trohte Forest, correct?" Seeing the pirate whimper, he turned to Shessa, who was looking away at the moment. "You, my student, will guide him through the forest and see to it he reaches his destination. Once there, you need to accompany him to Aven Island, since the monks are not so easily kind to pirates."
"There is more to explain, but you need to get going. The sun shows noon, and neither of you have eaten." He stood from his desk and walked to the door. "I will see to it that both of you are fed and ready for the journey." Opening the door, he caught a glimpse of the ninja and the pirate staring each other down. As he left, another dispute arose behind him.
"Oh no lad, ye've got to go first. Can't let a thievin' ninja get behind me again!"
"Neither am I letting you get behind me, coward!"
"Coward? Oh ho ho! Let's see if yer feet are as quick as yer wit!"
The sensei came back, hearing enough of this nonsense. "Ok, then, I'll walk behind you while both of you go ahead."
Reluctantly, Pedro and Shessa walked side by side, but with plenty of space between them. The sensei strolled behind them, starting to question his decision and knowing what must be done.

CHAPTER THIRTEEN
SHAKY ALLIANCE

Both Pedro and Shessa detested each other entirely throughout the day. Walking through more hallways, Shessa remained mute through the less than enthralling experiance while Pedro spoke his mind. "Am I supposed to believe this load o' barnicle? Me and some ninja scum goin' off to find out just what's goin' on in the world by looking in some book in an old library! Hah, it'll never work!"
"There is much you don't know", Shessa stated, his patience wearing thin, "The monks keep more than books in their archives. The also keep their sanctuary there, along with maps dating back to the beginning-" Well before he was cut off, Pedro started fake snoring.
"Oh that's just grand, ain't it lad? A sank-choo-air-ee! Who give a flippen'-dee-dah!"
Shessa stopped in front of the pirate, staring him down. "You should, for one. Without that, you'd be faced against hundreds of monks at once. With the sanctuary, most will be practicing rituals there."
Pedro knew belting the ninja was a bad idea, so he played it cool. "Sure, sure, I knew that, but explain to me again why ye need to come with me?"
Shessa groaned softly, tired of endlessly repeating the plan over and over. "For the final time, without me, you would never get through the Trohte forest without springing a trap or getting shot. Then, you need me to even get near the island. Monks detest pirates entirely."
Pedro smiled, "And just when we step foot in me kind's territory, what's stopping me from slitting yer gullet then and there? And why should I follow ye in the first place?"
Shessa knew the sensei's plan was flawed along the pirate's side, but his explanation would have to wait. Knowing night had fallen, he told Pedro the news. "It's getting late. You need to sleep soon if you want to wake up tomorrow early enough to leave."
Pedro didn't bother to yawn, his tiredness overcome with his arrogance. "I don't need to sleep. Let's see ye try to beat that."
Shessa only walked away, leaving the pirate grinning in his absence. Pedro knew that Shessa would not kill him against the teacher�s orders. Unfortunately, Pedro got lost multiple times trying to find his guest quarters.

Shessa sat in his room, tired from wearing his black outfit all day around the pirate. For once, Shessa showed fear in his dorm, staying awake staring at the door. His katana lay on the shelf next to him, always a reminder of what could happen that night.

After stumbling around to find the cot, Pedro laid down ready to sleep. He would have fallen asleep if not for the fact that his eyes stayed open, watching the doorway for that ninja. Pedro knew fear before, but this time the danger was around him everywhere. Pandemonium filled his head, not helping his need to sleep.

Neither one of the two slept for half the night. Finally, after fighting the urge to rest, both fell asleep on their cots. Shessa and Pedro would have to begin their quest the next day, a quest relying on the friendship between the two in order to succeed.

CHAPTER FOURTEEN
THE MISSION STARTS

Shessa woke early that morning, not wanting to be caught off-guard by the pirate. He put on his clothes swiftly, hoping to leave the fortress with Pedro behind him. Thoughts raced through his mind about the security of Sensei's request. He knew how fragile the mission would be if either he or the pirate was killed during the quest. Finally strapping on his hood, he grabbed his katana lying on a shelf and strapping it to his back. Not knowing who would be outside his door today, he quietly opened the door and peeked carefully around it.
"Good morinin', Shessy!"
Shessa jumped at the voice, only to see the pirate standing casually leaning on the wall. Shessa noted how the Sensei's hospitality may be his downfall later due to the pirate's newer clothing and the fact of his presence. Pedro stood up, still with his casual air, and spoke. "So, ye get a good rest?"
"I don't need one, thank you. I would inquire about your night as well if it hadn't been for pressing matters."
In truth, Pedro was terrified of the ninja. But thanks to the recent knowledge of Shessa's loyalty to his teacher�s word and some new trousers, boots, vest, and shirt left in front of his door, his mood did not reflect his actual emotions. "Oh ho, the huge quest, eh? Well then, let's get goin' eh?"
Shessa's stared down his opponent. "Not until we have provisions. Sensei would know of this and I'm certain he has provided us some food for the journey."
Pedro swaggered behind Shessa, taunting lightly along the way. "Well then, let's stroll down to the jolly kitchen, eh? Some grub'll put a spring in ye step, Shessy. Ye've got to relax, lad!"
Shessa heeded no attention to the pirate whatsoever. He only went to the kitchens as fast as he could.

After many minor debates between the two, Shessa led the pirate through the halls of the fortress. Pedro commented on his every thought along the way. "Ye know, it's kinda funny how all the wimmen seem to be missin' around here."
"They are kept elsewhere for safety, along with the children in case you�re interested." Shessa answered.
"Oh really? Where are they?"
"That is not of your concern, pirate."
"Well too bad, it is."
"Then you will be disappointed."
"Oh, now ye've gone and hurt me feelin's"
"Good. We're almost there."
"Almost where?"
"To the exit, of course."
The banter between the two raged on endlessly. Pedro was having the time of his life given the circumstances when he noticed a dead end. "Oh great, ye've led us to a dead end!" he lamented.
Shessa only knocked lightly on the wall twice. "Stand back" was all he commanded.
Pedro was going to question why when part of the wall swung open, revealing a secret passage and another ninja. The other person seemed slightly shocked at the pirate's presence, but was reassured with a whispered conversation between him and Shessa. "Come," Shessa ordered, "we need to get going."
Pedro came, but not without question. "Now why couldn't ye open the blasted door yeself?"
Shessa's answer reverberated in the hallway, "It only opens one way from one side. Keeps enemies from escaping easily." With that, both of them left the fortress secretly, one being careless about the mission while the other detesting the very idea.

CHAPTER FIFTEEN
OUTSIDE ARGUMENT

Pedro enjoyed pestering Shessa throughout the mysterious hallways, always satisfied by the ever increasing frustration of his foe. "So, ye never told me what a mercenary was! C'mon, yer ole bloke told me ye'd tell me, so tell me!"
Shessa was seriously considering dropping the mission and the pirate over the nearest cliff, except the mission wouldn't be dropped first. Continuously leading the way, he spoke back at the pirate, trying his best to hide is irritated mood. "Well, considering how you helped us capture one, I'd supposed you'd need to know. But not right now. We need to be outside this fortress before nightfall, and your constant jabbering is slowing us down."
"Oh really, laddie boy? HAH! Yer thinkin' me words are slowing us down! And look at yerself, ye daft portcullis! Those clothes oughta be roastin' ye alive, knowin' their black as tar!"
Shessa didn't know what a portcullis was, and was convinced the pirate didn't know either. But he didn't care, for his eyes fell upon the outside. The midday sun beat down on the land harshly, but the weather was graceful to the pair. Shessa step out into the sunlight, with the pirate complaining as usual. "Aye, it's bright out here! Why does that blasted sun shine so early?"
"It's not early, it's nearly midday," the ninja corrected. "Now quickly, we must head into the forest." With that, Shessa motioned the pirate to follow.
"Oh ho ho," Pedro scoffed, "and ye think I'd let some fool lead me into a forest filled with traps?"
Shessa was having enough of this. He left Pedro, heading towards the Trohte Forest. Pedro tagged along chanting a made up sea-shanty about the ninja.

Oh the sea is bally rough today,
and I've a tale to tell,
'bout some scrawny ninja brat
whose mem'ry did fail!
He walked into a briny trap,
One of his own, ye say?
Oh a stupid ninja's doin' that
every single day,
He cried and cried fer Mother dear,
yet never did she came,
fer a beastly Mother's always 'fraid
her son's a -

Pedro stood face to face with Shessa's blade just outside the forest boundary. Shessa's hood moved on every breath he made. "Listen, pirate scum," Shessa spoke softly, "I have my sword on hand, and if you continue to blasphemy against my people, this steel will carve your initials into your skull." With that, Shessa strolled into the forest.
"Yeah? Why should I listen to some ritualistic idjit who's too afraid to show his face to his enemy?" Pedro snarled back.
Shessa appeared out of nowhere, hood in hand and black hair flowing with the breeze. His facial expression redefined the term 'anger' to Pedro. His words stung like ice. "There, you see my face...blasphemer." Returning his hood to its previous location, Shessa went back into the forest.
If Pedro ever wished he could have his cutlass to protect him on the journey, that moment was his reminder of why he needed it.