Birth of an Assassin

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Pryngles
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Birth of an Assassin

Post by Pryde »

Mygeeto, 11 ABY

Hirai let out a startled yelp as the attack from Micaiah took her from behind. She hadn't expected the Nagai to blind her with dirt in the eyes then take advantage of her temporary weakness. She caught Hirai in a paralyzing hold, neutralizing the one advantage she had--her speed. Hirai tried her best to break out of it but all of her efforts were for naught. She dragged Micaiah to the ground with her but through some skillful maneuvering the older girl was able to grab hold of her arm and twist it.

"Yield," Micaiah said calmly.

Hirai gritted her teeth against the pain. "Never! You cheated!"

"Yield or I will break it."

She twisted Hirai's arm harder causing her to cry out in pain. "Fine," she screamed, "You win!"

Micaiah let go of her arm then stood to dust herself off. Hirai angrily crawled up to her feet beside her, cradling her injured arm with the other, then she nailed the Nagai in the shoulder with a surprise punch. "You big meanie," she accused her, "That wasn't even fair, Micaiah!"

"I did what was necessary to win," Micaiah said with a shrug, then she turned to see her mother coming into the ring.

"A fitting victory for one who is soon to become my heir," Crystala said approvingly, then she gave Hirai a sharp look. "To have fallen for such a trick shows a lack of forethought. If you are to become an assassin you must be prepared for anything."

"There was nothing in the rules that said she could throw dirt," Hirai shouted, "Micaiah cheated and she knows it!"

"Cheated," Crystala asked with a raised eyebrow, "in a fight to the death there is no such thing as cheating. One will do whatever it takes to survive, you should expect this. Failure to predict your opponent's actions will only lead to your death."

Then she held out her hand to Micaiah and the girl obediently went to her side. "I have an important task for you," Crystala said to her in low undertones as the two of them walked away. Whatever was said afterward Hirai couldn't make out nor did she really care. She was still steaming over her third consecutive loss to Micaiah.

"Why does she have to act all smug every time she beats me," Hirai said indignantly to the man standing behind her, "I only lost because she cheated."

"Is that really the case," the man said analytically, "Micaiah knew she was at a disadvantage so she did the one thing she could do to even the playing field. It was your own fault you fell for it."

Hirai just spun on him angrily. "How was I supposed to know she was going to throw dirt!?"

Hiroshi just shrugged. "Next time close your eyes."

Without warning Hirai kicked him roughly in the shin. "You're a jerk too, you know," she told him.

"That behavior of yours is really unbecoming of you," he said while rubbing his bruised shin with one hand, "One should accept their loss with dignity and respect. You shouldn't go around directing your anger at people who don't deserve it. If you simply must be angry then be angry at yourself."

"I'd rather be angry at Micaiah," Hirai shot back, "She's the one who cheated, or weren't you listening?"

Hiroshi stared at her a moment then sighed in resignation. "Hirai, have you not heard a word I've said?"

"How could I? You're not even making any sense," Hirai accused him then she spun about and angrily stormed away.

Hiroshi watched her go for a moment then shook his head. That girl is such a problem child, but she does have potential. I suspect some day she may even surpass the Revered Mother herself. He shrugged then and turned back to the other assassins sparring behind him. Though they were all older than Hirai none of them displayed the skill she showed in her bout with Micaiah. Hirai knew this and no doubt thought she was superior to them. There could be no greater insult than for her to be defeated repeatedly by Micaiah's cheap tactics. However, matching those two together was good for them both. Hirai needed to learn to expect the unexpected and Micaiah... Well, Micaiah needed someone she could open up to. I just hope the two of them don't end up killing each other, he thought idly to himself before returning to his lessons.
Pryngles
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Location: Earth

Re: Birth of an Assassin

Post by Pryde »

Hirai stormed through the halls of the Sanctuary, passing by colleagues and breeders alike on her way to her room. Though the Sanctuary itself was rather large the organization was still fairly small. With only twenty fully trained assassins and nine still in training the number of girls in the Acta Sanctorum amounted to twenty-nine. The men, or breeders as they were called, added eleven more for a grand total of forty in all. The breeders, whose sole purpose in the organization was for reproduction were treated as lesser beings by most Sanctorum assassins. Hirai was an exception who grew closer to the breeders than she did her colleagues and one in particular, Hiroshi, who handled her training was especially important to her.

Having grown up never knowing who her true father was Hiroshi was the father figure she so fervently desired. She knew she shouldn't feel for him the way she did, but she just couldn't help it. She had long ago decided she would sooner die then forget the man who virtually raised her from birth. Such feelings were unbecoming of a Sanctorum assassin as frugal relationships such as that made one weak. That was why all Sanctorum children were separated from their birth parents the day they were born and raised in small groups by designated breeders. Sanctorum assassins were fashioned into tools for hunting. Trained to look passed their own emotions and to focus only on the mission itself. Nothing was more important to them than the delicate balance of the galaxy and their mantra was to eliminate those who would do it harm, destroy one life to save a thousand.

"Well, if it isn't Little Hirai," a voice said suddenly, snapping Hirai's attention back to reality. "Lost again to Micaiah, eh?"

"Leave me alone," Hirai said as she walked passed the girl and her two friends, "and don't call me 'little'!"

"Aw, is Little Hirai upset," the girl replied tauntingly. She and her two companions were all fully trained assassins, which attributed to the joy they received from taunting the fledgling trainees. Hirai in particular they were especially hard on, probably because they felt threatened by her skill. "You know, if you weren't so little you'd be more of a match for Micaiah," the girl continued in that same taunting tone.

Hirai stamped her foot angrily and spun on them. "That's not true! I can beat her, I know it!"

The girl just shook her head. "Tsk, tsk, tsk. With that attitude you'll never become a full-fledged assassin. We'll have to dump you off with the rest of the trash."

"I am not trash! And I will become an assassin, you just watch!"

"Then care to show me some of your moves," the girl said challengingly as she took a fighting stance.

Hirai just looked at her then hesitantly averted her eyes. "Fighting is not allowed in the Inner Sanctum," she said quietly.

"Look at her, she's scared," the girl said with a laugh, "It's okay, Little Hirai, we're just in a completely different league. If you had attacked me I would have killed you easily."

"Just go ahead and try it," Hirai shot back with a note of fire in her voice, "I'll knock your block off!"

The assassin took a step forward then and raised her hand. Hirai involuntarily stepped backwards expecting an attack but was surprised when the girl simply patted her cheek. "Maybe someday you'll grow big enough to fill those shoes of yours, but for now you're nothing more than a dog. So, let's hear you beg," the girl said before planting her other fist into Hirai's gut. Hirai doubled over gasping for air as the three girls laughed at her scornfully. Then one of them knocked her over onto her side by shoving against her shoulder with one hand.

As Hirai lay there on the ground the lead girl leaned in closer with her hand placed against her ear and appeared as though she were listening intently. "I don't hear you begging yet, Little Hirai, I know you have it in you. Just say 'please' and we'll stop."

She nodded at her friend and the girl kicked Hirai in the small of her back. The third assassin joined in too and the three of them were all kicking the defenseless girl. Hirai did the only thing she could do and rolled up into a little ball, doing her best to cover her sides and chest with her arms and legs.

"Alright, that's enough," a sharp voice filled the hallway, drawing all eyes to Hiroshi, "You three know the rules," he said, shooting a sharp look to the three assassins.

"And we don't need to be told them by a pitiful breeder like you," the lead girl shot back. "Why don't you try remembering your place, filth, before I put you in it?"

Hiroshi said nothing as the three girls retreated from Hirai's crumpled form. Silently he walked over to her and held out his hand. "Are you alright, Hirai?"

The girl looked up at him then slowly nodded her head. Hiroshi's expression softened and he helped her to her feet. "Come on, let's get you to your room."
Last edited by Pryde on Sun Oct 04, 2009 12:33 am, edited 2 times in total.
Pryngles
Posts: 17211
Joined: Sat May 10, 2003 2:11 am
Location: Earth

Re: Birth of an Assassin

Post by Pryde »

Two days later the constant ringing of metal on metal filled the training hall and Margery scowled as she watched the mock battle between Hirai and Hiroshi. The two warriors danced back and forth in a deadly dance utilizing a style of swordplay Hiroshi refused to teach to anyone but Hirai. "Look at her," she grumbled to her two friends, "Little Miss Hirai, what's she got to prove?" The other two girls just looked at her and shrugged before turning back to watch the fight.

"Keep your guard up and mind your footing," Hiroshi was saying as the two traded blows. "You have incredible speed, but being faster than your opponent doesn't necessarily mean you'll win."

He demonstrated this by slapping her sword aside then placing the blade of this weapon against her neck so that the blunt side was touching her skin. "Don't fall into a pattern, Hirai, if you make your movements too linear then they'll be easy to predict. A smart opponent will draw you in by faking an opening and when you over extend yourself that's when they'll strike."

Hirai nodded meakly then leaned heavily against her sword before suddenly dropping to her knees. "Hirai," Hiroshi cried as he quickly knelt down beside her.

"I'm alright," she assured him.

Hiroshi just looked at her and his concern was written plainly on his face. "I'm not so sure about that," he said, lifting up her tunic to check her bruised ribs.

"An injury like that should be nothing for an assassin," Micaiah said as she walked up behind them. Hiroshi glanced up at her but once again her expression was unreadable.

"I said I'm fine," Hirai snapped and she pulled her shirt free of Hiroshi's grasp and let it fall.

Hiroshi sighed then straightened up. "That'll be all for today. You should head back to your room and rest."

"There will be time for that later," another voice interrupted and all three of them turned to see Crystala. "Come, Hirai, I desire your company."

Hirai glanced hesitantly at Micaiah then handed her sword to Hiroshi and hurried over to Crystala. The Revered Mother knelt down beside her daughter and gently probed her wounded side. Hirai grimaced slightly as her finger grazed one of her injured ribs.

"Does it hurt," Crystala asked in a strangely compassionate tone, the only tone she used when speaking to Hirai.

"It's--fine," Hirai replied then she stole another glance at Micaiah before turning back to Crystala, "Please, mother, can we go?"

Crystala nodded then took her daughter's hand and led her out of the room. She never once stopped to look back at her other daughter who followed the two of them with her eyes. Hiroshi was watching Micaiah now and his expression was sympathetic. He opened his mouth to say something to her but the girl cut him off.

"I have to finish my training," she said in a flat tone of voice and then she turned to leave before Hiroshi could even stop her...
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