Kitsune: Part 1

I'm guessing that some of you know me so an introduction will not be necessary, at least not, a formal one. Those of you reading this may know me by another name, I wouldn't know; I've had so many. During this tale and the series of events that transpired after it I am called Kitsune, an old assassin's code that was passed to me by my master after his death, an identity which I used for many years before taking my new name of Shiaki. As exciting and dangerous as my career may sound the life of an assassin is a dull one. The bodies quickly blend into one horrific memory and the victims' faces are quickly forgotten, not the honourable, glamorous profession those children's tales make it out to be. It is a job, that is all, one that I am good at.

Before we begin I should tell you that my memory is weak at its best. Some facts, such as my childhood, my teenage years and hundreds of other moments have been forgotten vanished in a painful haze. The worst of these missing memories include my birth name and date of birth, every year I celebrate a guess I made a long time ago. For all of those reasons and more I am starting my story, not quite at the beginning but during the twilight of my twenties. As a starter I think I shall give you a glimpse into my work, the Suin job would be the best place to start, especially since it is just before everything went to hell.

It was a cold night, just like every other in Nersan, humid heat during the day and chill laden nights through out the year. If there was a single small detail that sicks in my mind about that night was the star shower, dozens of falling silver stars slipping off the navy sky. I doubt that I made a wish; I am not the wishing type. I lived for the job, for the scroll in my hand at that exact moment as I balanced upon the roof top. The roofs of buildings are private and wonderful to think upon, also the fact that the majority of houses in Nersan only have a single floor which made climbing upon them so much simpler.

The scroll was a killing agreement; a contract which lists that names of targets and the price per job. This one was from the Cagai family who wished for the disposal of a man named Mister Suin and two of his lower compatriots. This job would be a hassle, I barely had too think about it to know that much. Not only did it carry serious underworld connections I was also moonlighting on the side from my usual guild. Operating freelance was against the rules of the guild who worked for the Nersanian government, but it had been so long since they had given me a job I needed something to alleviate my boredom. Training only satisfies me so much; my scythes itched for blood, even if that meant risking my career and safety.

The Nersanian underworld is an advanced one. In fact of all the cities in Princosa Nersan is the most crime filled, even the government of Nersan had its roots twisted amongst criminal weeds. Nothing was free. At the top of the criminal ladder were the family heads, men and women who never committed a crime themselves but had plenty of compatriots to do that for them. After them there are a large number of other scales, with complex branches and pecking orders, but at the very bottom in the thieves. The most prominent of all the thief families is the Three Fingers who had ties with the Suin family and I knew for a fact that I would be paying at least one of their members a visit by the time this job was completed. I didn't know what Mister Suin had done to aggravate the Cagai family so much that they required my services, not that I cared, but normally disagreements like this was over two things, business or family. Either Mister Suin had interfered with the Cagai business dealing or he messed with their family that was usually how it went. Those two reasons seemed to be all those crime families cared about any way. Unlike the assassins guilds who trained their students to see beyond that, beyond personal needs and desires.

A family held you back, made you care about something that could easily be taken away by someone who wished to punish you. Not that I ever had any kind of family to worry about any way. They were gone, I can't remember where I just know that they are gone, probably dead, and I hoped they were. I didn't wish to think about them abandoning me so wishing them dead was the only painless option that I had, but then again, how can you miss something that you never had?

Keeping my freelance career hidden was difficult so I set up a system with a few local taverns so they could forward me customers, never in person of course but on paper, with a scroll handed too the inn keeper with the statement "I heard the fox hunting was good in these parts." It was an effective method, I got what I wanted and the customers were happy. The assassin trade in Nersan was nearly as big as the Nersanian underworld but if you wanted to make someone disappear it was always best to hire the best, The Kitsune.