Match of the Millennium

Description: Michael survives an interrogation of by an angry angry kunoichi.

[AYANE]
SPLASH.

That was a cold way to wake up. A bucket full of glacial water shoved in his face. How long had it been since he fell unconscious at the hands of the mysterious ninja that came after him? It's hard to say... One thing was sure though, this ninja obviously wasn't from the Koga clan or at least Michael had never seen her during his childhood.

After the initial shock of the icy blast, once Michael comes back to his senses rather abruptly he can finally feel his surrounding. For one, the bruised young man is currently bound against a wooden chair, ankles bound to the chair's legs while his arms are tightly bound by ropes behind his back against the chair.

A cursory evaluation of his surrounding reveals Ayane has taken him to some abandonned building. Broken windows that gives him no clue to his real whereabouts but the mold on the walls, the lack of other furniture in the small room he's in just indicates he must be in the middle of nowhere. Aside from the chair that stands in the middle of the room, Ayane had a second as well as a small table with a variety of tools and blades laid out upon it.

Ayane straightens herself up as she puts the bucket aside and she folds her arms in front of her chest, giving Michael the time to recover and understand where he is. "Prince charming finally wakes up," Ayane says sarcasticly. The woman tilts her head to one side and says, "You know you've put yourself in deep trouble, don't you?"

[MICHAEL]
"It wouldn't have been the first time I've heard that line..." Michael grumbles slightly, his eyes moving slowly across his surroundings as not to give Ayane any ideas of what his intentions might be. A quick tug of his wrists reveal the tightly bound ropes.

All in all this makes him just sigh loudly at Ayane's setup.

"Your blades are too new, though the ropes are tight enough to prevent me from breaking a wrist to free myself that way." Michael speaks lowly, almost as if he were speaking only to himself while forgetting that a very angry and sadistic kunoichi is right there before him. He shakes his head some, splattering some of the frigid water all around him.

Allowing a few moments to pass, Michael looks down at his body, noticing the lack of free flowing blood on his body. Obviously Ayane wants him alive, so some basic first-aid is a welcomed comfort. "At least you patched me up some. Though really if you want to get information from me.. attempting to scare me with the standard faire won't work."

He grins slightly now as he starts to fully press his luck. "Maybe a kiss would loosen my lips."

[AYANE]
The serious injuries Michael had have been patched up, at least well enough to prevent infections and allow him to heal but some of them might require further medical assistance in the end. Mystic balms used by ninja allows to prevent the bleeding and help injuries, but Ayane was not a medic, obviously. One thing was sure though : Ayane needed Michael alive for now. Was her mission to bring him back alive to the Koga clan? Hard to say for now...

The purple haired ninja leans over and her hand moves to Michael's cheek, cupping it gently for a second. She leans a bit closer, a few inches from his face almost as if she was going for that kiss he requested, but at the last moment, she grips into his hair, jerking his head back. Ayane's lips curl into a smirk and she says, "Pretty confident for someone who is bound and has been defeated..." Ayane lets go of Michael's hair with a twist of her wrist to jerk his head back a bit further. She straightens herself up and she nods her head slowly. He had special training, after all, it was no surprise he was able to keep his calm and come to such conclusions after assessing Ayane's tools.

Ayane smirks, "A good tormentor keeps his tools in a good condition," Ayane retorts simply, "Whether or not I will use them is all up to you, but don't be so eager, we're barely pass the foreplay yet..." Ayane says with an amused tone. "I'll have all the leissure to make you suffer or pay for your impudence, but don't get me wrong, I take no pleasure in doing this dirty work." The purple haired shinobi stares at Michael with a mixture of hostility and sympathy that concealed Ayane's true emotions toward Michael.

Ayane turns on her heels and she grabs the other wooden chair, twisting it around so she can sit down on it, "Michael, isn't it...? Why did you run away from your clan and steal that sword? Is it really worth sacrificing your life for?"

[MICHAEL]
As Ayane yanks his hair, Michael lets out a soft squeek of pain. Obviously this isn't the most manly of reactions, but generally most guys don't go around having their hair pulled by angry women. Yet, as she sits down and monolouges like a bad Saturday Cartoon villian, all the blonde shinobi is able to do is smile at her.

"Look. No matter the answer I give you, you're going to rant and rave at me. So you can make me suffer all you want. You can cut fingers off, make tiny cuts between my fingers. The works. In the end, I'm pretty sure I've gone through the same conditioning as you, so we both know that's pretty much a dead end."

He gently struggles at his bindings, sighing loudly once more. "You beat my ass. Obviously you're the superiour ninja. So why don't we start over. You untie my hands, and you have my word as a Shinobi I will make no attempts to escape while we talk. Yes, talk. Not torture for information. Mainly because I could say whatever you wanted to hear, and there is a chance it could be a lie, or the truth. Whereas I'm offering you the chance to get the truth from me."

He leans back into the chair now, wincing at the pain from his wounds, only to return his gaze back to Ayane. "I'm also pretty certain that your heart isn't completely in this, so why not take a chance on the easy road?"

[AYANE]
The young woman stares coldly at Michael for a moment, as if gauging him. She had proven superior, but it didn't mean it wouldn't be an hassle to deal with him again if he tried anything. At the very least it felt like she was considering the offer.

Ayane's lips curl into a smirk and she shakes her head in disapproval, "Your word has no worth, Michael -- the word of a Shinobi who stole from his clan and ran away from it means nothing," Ayane leans forward and she nods her head, strangely enough, he was able to see through her that much on her desire to torture him. "If you earn it I will release you from your bindings, so far you've done nothing to make me think otherwise,"

"Tell me your version of the truth, Michael," Ayane encourages him.

[MICHAEL]
"I ran away with the sword because it was dying. Swords have their own souls, and the condition of the blade was to the point where it could never have been saved." Michael speaks carefully, his voice now devoid of any emotion other then bitterness at the situation he speaks of. It's obvious that the scenerio bothers him, as well of the reaction of the naysayer elders who most likely put this hit out on him.

"I left because I was not accepted. My family may have had ties with the Koga for centuries because of my ancestor, but that doesn't mean a lot of them liked it. I was an outsider. I was worked harder then anyone else to the point where it nearly killed me. And you know what?"

Michael pauses for the briefest of moments, only to fall silent as he lowers his head. Anger now starts to well up within him as the scent of burning o-zone starts to waft slowly in the air. It would be obvious to the kunoichi that Michael's power isn't fully trained, and is still in a state that he's not able to fully control when his emotions get to him.

"I don't care if they label me a traitor. I am still a Koga-ryu ninja. Someday I will clear my name on my own and make every last one of them regret their actions. But you most likely don't care about that. You're just like the rest of them, looking down on me because I'm not fully of the blood."

[AYANE]
The Mugen Tenshi had their own special blades with their legendary properties. Though those weapons were cherished treasures by the clan and were always treated with utmost care. It wasn't so much the fact they had such weapon or the sword's soul that surprised Ayane but the fact the clan would let such an important relica root and decay. Yet, Ayane's face remains impassive, nothing seeping through to know whether ot not she had antipathy or sympathy to Michael.

The way he describes his childhood brings memories to Ayane's own, with various nuances but still something she can relate to, even if Michael had no idea. The scent that fills the air was enough for Ayane to feel Michael's fury through his story and Ayane frowns, "By running away and stealing the clan's sacred treasure, you've only played into their game and shown them you were just as despicable as they pictured you. If they barely endured your presence due to your ties, you've given them the reason they needed to severe them and reject you fully..." There was no scorn or hate in Ayane's voice, almost a bit of sympathy betraying her words but no pity toward Michael.

"You wanted to be accepted? Outlive them ~ prove them your worth. When they take you down, rise up again. And again, no matter how harshly they treat you, how unfair it all seems to be. Respect is not due, it is earned..." Ayane shakes her head slowly and she rises up from her seat, "I understand your anger... And I don't look down on you because of your heritage and blood, I look down upon you because you've chosen the easy path : the path of weakness, shunning the important principle of duty and loyalty to the clan of the shinobis."

[MICHAEL]
Michael laughs loudly at Ayane's words. It's obvious they both have a difference of opinion on what is considered weakness. "I took what was wielded by my ancestor, who the clan claims to consider a hero. If they really considered them a hero.." He shifts slightly in the chair, allowing the weight of his clothing to let him see just how good of a job Ayane did with searching him. Grinning, he shifts once more to allow access to one of the many hidden pockets within his clothing.

"Right inner pocket. You'll find my phone. Passcode is seven five nine six six seven. You want proof of what I say? Then you'll find it in my pictures. It'll be obvious which one it is."

Irregardless of wether Ayane goes for the phone or not, he leaves the offer there for her to verify with her own eyes just what he says. "I chose a path that would allow me to honor my ancestor, who in turn honored the clan. What I am doing is for the clan..."

[AYANE]
Ayane arches a dubious brow at Michael's reply and his laughter. She assesses him for a moment and finally moves closer, her hand reaching out for his gi to reach out for that hidden inner pocket. Thanks to Michael's squirming and his indication she is able to find the device and she takes it out. She glances at him warily for a second and she tries the passcode she was given.

She stares silently at the picture, scrutnizing the details of the blade before she puts the phone aside and shakes her head. "It is a shame they leave a blade of such quality into such a poor condition, but in the end, you hold no right over this blade even if it was your ancestor's if it was given to your clan," Ayane retorts, trying to find some logic and counter argument to Michael. A conflict of value, what is more important between loyalty to your clan and honoring your ancestors? Nothing Ayane could understand considering the scorching hate she had toward her own father.

"That's not the way they see it, obviously..." Ayane remains silent and considers for a moment Michael's actions, how he must have asked to restore the blade but had been denied and decided to take this course of action, "... And obviously you were not entitled to make such decisions. You need to learn your place in the clan's hierarchy..." Obviously Ayane was a bit confused at the whole situation, but she sets enough distance between herself with the situation.

"Fortunately for you, I was not sent to kill you... I am not the executor, nor the judge. They will judge you for your actions once I've brought you and the blade back to your clan," The purple haired ninja explains.

[MICHAEL]
"That's the thing. It wasn't given to them. Technically? The rightful owner isn't even the Koga. Which is why I told you before, I was given permission to wield it by its rightful owner."

Michael squirms slightly to readjust himself in the chair. He allowed Ayane a few moments to digest that bit of information before slowly and quietly speaking. His words hold a certain reverence, as they should when he speaks of the one who is the rightful owner.

"The ancient Ainu, the Lady Avatar of the Kamui. She's the rightful owner. And when I offered the blade to her, she told me to keep it, and seek out a smith who was capable of restoring it. She's the one who has the say on what is to happen to it..."

Michael lowers his head now, staring at the dingy floor between himself and Ayane. Obviously there is a contest as to who owns the sword, but he sincerely doubts that Ayane is going to actually see beyond the 'Clan makes the final say.' ordeal. "Once it is repaired, I planned on returning to make my case. Then? I have no idea. My path is my own to make ultimately, as is the Koga's way."

[AYANE]
There was nothing short of a sharp mocking laughter at Michael's initial claims, "A wet dream with a woman of legend doesn't count," Ayane retorts sarcastically. How could he even speak to the rightful owner of a weapon of legend? Of someone who must have lived aeons ago...

But that smug derisive smirk slowly fades away as Michael continues to explain his perception of the truth, the way he earnestly speaks about his encounter and the reverence he held toward her. The purple haired ninja grows pensive and seems to consider his word, assessing him for any signs that would betray deception in his speech.

"A bold decision you took," Ayane replies, "An unwise one," She finally adds with a slow nod of her head. Though there was little need for Ayane to insist on the matter, he must know already the horrible situation he's into because of his actions.

"How long?" Ayane asks after a pause. The question might have seemed out of nowhere and Ayane frowns as she completes her thought process, "How long before the sword is repaired?"

[MICHAEL]
"I don't know. I was trying to hone my skills to prepare to accquire the materials the smith I found requires... But then a certain kunoichi decided to use me as a knife block instead of doing the logical thing and taking the time to talk to me."

Slowly Michael collects himself and sighs loudly. He struggles once more at the bindings, only to allow his body to fall limp once he realizes that there is no chance whatsoever of him freeing himself on his own from his bindings. Looking now at Ayane, the blonde ninja speaks once again, "Part of the deal was that I was to assist in obtaining the materials needed to repair it, and that it would take a good amount of time due to the shape it currently is in."

Obviously he is irked at this who fiasco, and while he knows teasing Ayane isn't going to do him any good, he's unable to help himself when it really comes down to it. "See how much easier just talking to me was?"

[AYANE]
A thin smirk spreads on Ayane's lips as she simply replies, "You deserved the beating, I regret nothing," Ayane folds her arms in front of her chest and she considers. In the end, she was merely an executant and had no right to question her orders or judge Michael's guilt based on his actions.

After some consideration, Ayane speaks up, "Someone more diligent would have already sent you back to the Koga ~" Ayane admits with a slow nod of her head. "But retrieving the blade from the person you've given it to might prove to be more of a hassle, and I don't want to shed blood or expose ourselves to the outside world needlessly if I can avoid it," Why the sudden sympathy toward him? Hard to say considering he knows so little of her, but Ayane had heard enough of him and his story to make up her mind.

"I doubt you have placed your trust in the right person. Bland and ordinary, at best he might have contacts, but his background shows no particular skill for what you seek," Ayane moistens her lips and she says, "My mission is to bring you and your blade back to the Koga -- and I will do so, but that doesn't mean I have to take you back right away..."

Ayane lets her words trail off a moment, "Whether or not this man succeeds, I will take you and the sword back to the Koga, but after it is done," Ayane states as she approaches Michael and kneels down behind him, fetching a small Kunai to cut the ropes that held his ankles on the chair at first. He glances up at him and frowns as she moves toward the binding to his wrists, not yet cutting it but she leans over to whisper to his ears, "Don't misunderstand me, that doesn't mean I trust you... I will keep a close eye on you..." Ayane adds, narrowing her eyes a little before she slices the rope on his wrists.

Log created on 07:55:42 01/11/2019 by Michael, and last modified on 10:53:29 01/11/2019.