<standard disclaimer>
Ninja Scroll is not mine, blah blah blah.
</standard disclaimer>

C&C is always welcome.  Do send some.

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    It was raining heavily.  The tears of heaven beat down on the 
heavy brow of the Earth in waves, and it seemed like it would never 
end.  Lightning flashed through the sky and the rolling roar of 
thunder pounded a heavy stacatto beat after it.  The sky rolled and 
pitched like a thick black brew in the sky, pausing every so often to 
spew out a wave of more rain and lightning before relenting for a few 
moments more.
    Jubei Kibagami was not very comfortable.  In fact, Jubei was very 
uncomfortable.  Of course, sitting in seiza for most of the day would 
do that to someone.  He had come many miles to visit Zamura-sensei, 
and it seemed the men guarding the small dojo that Zamura-sensei 
lived in would not let any man through without proof of their 
worthiness.  Jubei said he'd do anything.  They told him to sit in 
seiza for one day with neither food nor drink.  Jubei agreed.  He had 
been sitting in the pounding rain ever since.  Every so often, he 
thought he saw the shadow of a short wizened man come to the window 
and pause for a moment before disappearing again.
    The storm's center was coming closer.  Jubei could feel the hair 
on the back of his neck start to rise ever so slightly.  The air even 
smelled different.  Jubei squared his jaw, clenched his teeth and 
closed his eyes.  Jubei had set hismind to meeting Zamura-sensei.  It 
was an honor to be granted an audience with Zamura-sensei, and it was 
an even higher honor to receive even the smallest piece of the vast 
knowledge he possessed.  Jubei had hoped that Zamura-sensei would 
explain a technique he had heard people speak of.  Only Zamura-sensei 
would know of it.  Only Zamura -sensei was known to be so proficient 
that it was the only technique Zamura-sensei had ever needed in his 
days as a samurai.
    The storm began to wear away at his resolve.  The chill from the 
rain was starting to seep into his bones, and his legs were becoming 
numb from the rain and the position he was in.  A small sneeze 
escaped his lips.  Lightning flashed.  The shadow of the man appeared 
again, only this time, the door creaked open ever so slightly.  As 
the thunder rolled over Jubei like a monstrous wave, he caught the 
sound of a young child, complaining to their parent.  A cloud passed 
over the moon and everything became dark.  He heard  the sound of the 
door being thrown open and the pitter-patter of small feet.  The 
cloud passed again and Jubei suddenly saw the face of a young girl 
looking directly at him.
    She tugged on his sleeve.
    "Yukiko!  Come in this instant, you impudent child!" a matronly 
voice carried through the rain.  
    The young girl tugged on Jubei's sleeve more insistently.
    "Ne, you'll get sick if you stay out here!  Come inside where 
it's warm," the young girl protested.
    "I must stay here to be able to see Zamura-sensei," Jubei said 
quietly.  "Please go back to your parents.  You must not disappoint 
them."
    The young girl stared at Jubei a moment before a man sprinted 
outside and dragged her back indoors.  Jubei simply watched after 
them as the doors slid shut again.  A moment later, another man 
stepped out and helped Jubei to his feet.
    "Zamura-sensei will see you now," he said simply.

    Jubei looked about the small room with little interest.  It 
wasn't any different from any other room he'd ever seen.  The tatami 
was a warmer than the ground outside, but that was of little 
consequence.  The ronin didn't even move as the door behind him


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