She jumped up and bowed. "Yes, sir!" Shizu said a little louder than she had expected. She bit her lip and blushed apologetically as she stood back up.

He tilted his head in her direction as if unable to bow properly any longer. "Good. Nice to meet you, Shizuoka No Hikage." The smile on his face seemed genuine compared to Hime's. "You're ready for your training?"

Shizu stiffened in excitement. "If it means getting out of this room." She wouldn’t refuse someone so willing to give her a sprinkle of freedom.

The man lifted a brow. "You don't agree with your chores?"

She wanted to say no. It had been rough on her muscles. Using many she hadn't thought she had before, and her fingers were wrinkled from all the water. She knew better than to say it out loud. "I just..." she thought on what she wanted to say. "If I'm going to be of use to the clan, then I should also learn to use all of my skills not just chores."

He hummed to himself as if approving her answer. "Well, you still have to clean every day, but that is behind you for now." He turned around and walked back out of the room. "Clean your bucket and meet me out here."

Shizu lifted the bucket back up. She let out a low grunt and hobbled out of the room and into the small yard. Her stride was faster than normal because of her yearning for actual training. She dumped the water out and put the bucket against the wall and the cloth inside of it. No one had told her where the bucket or cloth went, but at least outside it would be able to dry out in the sun while she began her training.

#

Shizu was like a mouse standing in front of a cat preparing to devour her. Ropes, ladders, and poles shot out in different directions like a spider's web. Small netting attached different poles together to create platforms until they reached the ceiling. There were three others on the tower, spinning around gracefully like a dance.

The old man tapped his cane on the ground and the collection of shinobi paused in their dance to look at him. "Is this where you're supposed to be today or are there still chores that need to be done?" Despite the accusation, he never stopped his friendly smile.

The group quickly slid off the ropes and landed on the ground. The eldest, a boy, bowed. "We're sorry, sensei. We wanted to take a break before finishing our chores."

"And when has that ever been a policy of the Hikage clan?"

"Never," the boy said and cringed. "We're sorry, sensei. We won't do it again."

He took off at a run past the old man and bumped against Shizu’s shoulder. She took a step back and frowned. The other two boys bowed to the man as well before chasing after the first. Shizu watched them all, wondering how long it took them to be so good on the ropes.

"Ignore them, girl. For today onward, this will be where you go after you finish your chores. You will come here every day until you can complete the course and reach the very top."

Shizu looked up. The ropes all spun together into a centralized spot on the ceiling high above. A rope swung from the ceiling like a flag flapping in the wind from the window. "Is that even possible?"

He chuckled. "They all said the same when they started their training." He sighed and shook his head. "Took them a year to get that good. Think you can do better?"

Shizu gulped and took a step forward. She grabbed one of the rough woven ropes in one hand. It scratched at the tenderness of her still wrinkled hands. She reached out for her other hand, the loose threads in the rope pressed thin lines on indents into her palm. The kitsune had trained her to handle the weight of her body, yet the ropes were different since they flexed and moved with her weight. The ground tugged against her muscles as she held still on the rope. Her body swung like a weight on a fishing rod above its watery grave. She couldn’t pull herself up any further and released her grip, dropping back to the ground.

"Tougher than it looks. You'll get it."

Shizu stared back up at the mesh of ropes and ladders and shook her head. "This seems almost impossible."

He tapped his staff on the ground. "Yet you saw they did it. So why not you?"

Shizu took a deep breath. She grabbed the rope again and wrapped her legs around it to hang on tighter. She didn't fall as quickly this time and managed to shimmy up a few inches before she twisted and fell to the ground. She arched her back from the impact. The hard floors smashed into her spine and skull stronger than she had expected it to. She blinked the white lights floating through her vision away.

The old man banged his cane on the ground. "Get up." His voice was gruff.

She scrambled to her feet. He had the simple smile on his face. It terrified her to see it. The friendly demeanor that should have grown angry with her for failing so much. It didn’t make sense. That darkness loomed over him without erupting.

"Use your legs more," he said and tapped the side of her leg with his cane. "You look like you've never climbed a tree, girl."

Shizu shook her head. "I don't remember climbing a tree in my life."

He grunted and looked up at the ropes. "If you use your legs and feet to push yourself up and your hands to steady yourself, it will help you go up."

Shizu examined her hands. She hadn't thought of it, but when she wrapped her legs around the rope she had tried to use them only for support and her arms had tired easily from the few inches she did move.

"I'm going to try again, sensei!" She trudged to the rope. "Hands for stability." She grasped the rope tight a little above her head. "Feet for strength." She wrapped her feet around the rope. It stung on her flesh, but she pushed it back. This was nothing compared to the kitsune. "Use both to climb," she grunted and ascended.

Her feet did most of the work as she moved slowly up the rope. Every few inches she adjusted one of her hands, so it was higher again and stabilized her. Her arms and legs were shaking from the strain, but she persisted. She closed her eyes, focusing purely on moving. Her muscles screamed for release.

The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.

"You can stop now," the old man said and tapped his cane against the wooden poles to get her attention. “Get on the platform.”

Shizu looked down and realized she was able to reach for the first platform. She stretched her left leg out, her toes pulling her closer to the platform. She kicked with her other leg to swing farther. Her left foot landed on the boards. She winced at the pain of her soles and took a deep breath. Finally, she released her arms so she could stand up straight and looked down.

"Good. You've completed step one." He lifted his free hand and curled his fingers inward, indicating for Shizu to come back. "It's time to eat. Tomorrow we will begin again, and I expect you to go higher."

Shizu reached for the rope to climb down, but he stopped her by clacking the cane on the ground louder this time.

"Sensei?"

"Don't waste energy on climbing down from such a short distance. Jump, girl."

Shizu stared at the ground. It was twice as tall as she was. She gulped, imagining herself trying to jump and breaking one of her legs because she landed improperly. She shuffled her feet closer to the edge, her mind slipping into the impact versus the safety of her platform.

"I—I can't, sensei."

He slammed the cane on the ground harder this time. She looked at him. The smile that had been on his face the entire day was gone. His gaze was filled with an anger she couldn't fathom. This was his real appearance. The anger of a man that would kill you if you got too close to him.

"Do you dare go against me? After I led you like a baby to her mother's tit?" He banged the cane again. "Drop down this instant."

Shizu turned her gaze away. She knew what was going to come if she dropped down now. His face said it all. She took a deep breath and sat on the platform. His fingers tapping on his cane echoed in her head, counting down the time she had left before his rage built up again. She scooted forward until her legs dangled off the edge. Her heart pounded in her throat, begging her not to fall. Every nerve wanted to stay up here where it was safe and away from her teacher.

"Now, girl."

She pushed off and screamed. Her stomach rose into her throat. She landed; her legs bent to soften the impact. It was quicker than she had expected. She stood back up and looked at her teacher. The rage that had built so quickly was gone again. Instead, the face of the happy teacher had returned. She shivered, wondering how he could so quickly change his mood.

"Hungry?" No rage was in his voice but now she could hear the fake nature of his cheer that they all hid behind.

She bowed. "Yes, sensei. Thank you for your instruction today."

He turned. His pace was slow, but Shizu stayed behind him. She didn't realize how long she had gone without a meal already that day. The sky was turning a bright orange in the high circular window. Her stomach growled, reminding her just how hungry she was.

The old man chuckled. "You will eat well tonight. Then you'll go to sleep. When you awake, you'll do your chores. Finish them to the best quality then return to me here. Do you understand?" There was a sharpness to his tone with the last question.

"Yes, Sensei," she squeaked.

"Good."

They walked out of the room through a small hallway. There were windows on either side to help catch the sun's rays. Outside there were more rows of buildings all belonging to the clan.

"Sensei," Shizu said without thinking. She hoped it wasn't against any unspoken rule to talk while walking.

"Hm?"

She was relieved he responded.

"Do you train everyone on the ropes?"

He nodded. "I was the one that built the course. Back then it was far smaller, and I was far younger. I could run around them all day without breaking a sweat." A faint smile crossed his face. His eyes glazed over as if staring into a long-lost memory.

"I see... Sensei, what else will my training be like here? I thought the Kitsune had trained me in everything I needed to know?"

He chuckled and shook his head. He didn't answer for a few minutes as if deep in thought. "The kitsune teach you the basics on how to kill and not be killed. We hone the skills we need in this family. Just remember girl—" he turned to look at Shizu. The smile was gone, but he wasn't angry this time. It was like staring into a face devoid of any emotion. "We've invested a lot of money into you and everyone that resides with the clan. Do not make us regret pulling you from the slums you came from."

"The slums?" Shizu's heart raced. "You know about my past? I...I can't remember any of it." The pain of thinking about her past twinged in the back of her head. Matsuda’s warning about not talking about it flickered in her memories and she sealed her mouth closed. Better to let her master answer and explain things versus her prying more into it.

"All children come from some kind of slums. So many children. Each from a different city. You're no different. A noble would never sell their daughter here. They're better used in brothels or as a geisha." He stopped. "Do not make us send you to the brothels. We will make sure every man breaks you in before the night's through."

Shizu gulped. She didn't know what he meant by brothels or breaking her in, but the way he said it didn't sound like it would be pleasant. "Did...did you send others before me there?"

He nodded and the smile returned to his face. "Plenty of them. Some didn't last the night and their minds broke before the sun rose. Others are still there as mindless servants for us. Makes no difference as long as they repay their debts they owe. Now come, let's go enjoy dinner. I hear they made soba tonight and I don't want to miss it."