It was morning and Yuka woke up in her small hut. She washed herself and then got dressed. Her kimono was clean and white. Under it was a long skin tight black turtleneck like top. Yukas feet were bare. She went to the dojo over at the ocean shore. An old sensei was training his students in swordfighting. His students went between 15 and 20 years of age. "Sensei. There is a strange girl with an Odashi standing at the ocean shore." A student said. Then the sensei said: "It is impossible for a girl to handle such a large sword." Yuka then approached: "You think I am too weak for such a sword. I will show you." Yuka then pulled out her sword and slashed it once through the air. The wind became as sharp as a sword and cut through the bamboo trees. The old man was astonished. "I only came here to watch your students and remember old times before I have to seek out some rogues." Yuka said. Then the old man replied: "You must be a member of the extermination squad and the powerful Odashi wielder Yuka. I am honored to have you here."

Tenshi yawned as she got up, she was surrounded by plush toys and dolls and a little letter by her side. She then opened it... It had been a gift from her father since she was the youngest she was always treated like a baby while her brother was treated like a full grown soldier who protected her day and night... After all, she was part royalty... She then got out of her bed and quickly took a peek outside of her room. It was empty in the hallways... Must of been breakfast and a meeting about the rogues, typical. She would go down later and listen to the second troops meeting as they must still be on night duty. After a few minutes Tenshi was dressed in a red kimono and a rose in her hair and was almost ready for another day until she looked at her right leg. She sighed and grabbed some nearby bandages and wrapped it up, careful to not cover the steam holes and she then quickly checked the top of her leg and her Katana was still there... Once or twice she would find it missing before important events like a treaty between countries but there hasnt been any of those since after the word got out about the rogues and the extermination squad. She then walked to her brothers room across the hallway, he had been given the whole day off due to good work, but mostly due to more soldiers protecting the house hold. Her and her brother knew that it wouldn't stop the rogues from getting to any of them but it would give them enough time to escape... She then entered his room and closed the door quickly.
"Kou... Anything new?" Her brother stood up and saluted her and she glared at him "I told you NOT to do that, you know i hate it when you do that, were related."
Kou smirked and sat back down by a vent, listening carefully "They've got nothing on the rogues but they're talking about the extermination squad" He then looked serious.
"Sorry. I didn't mean to... Atleast they didn't catch me, ok?" Tenshi sat on the bed and looked away
"Tenshi, you know that if ANYBODY knows that your part of the extermination squad, father will blow a fuse! He'll order total lock down on you and you can kiss goodbye your freedom till your married!" Kou stood up and handed her a mask. "Heres a new mask, since you lost your old one. Its specificly designed not to fall off when your killing rogues." The pattern on the mask had a red handprint and a blue spiral.
"Oh come on, i liked the white one better." She pouted as she took the mask.
"Oh, yeah, nothing like possibly letting someone find out your identity with one slice of the mask. Just remember to have it on when your on duty." Kou sighed and closed the vent "Im sorry Tenshi but if somebody finds out that a member of the royal family is part of the extermination squad, were in trouble..."
Tenshi stood up and walked to the door "If i wasn't on the extermination squad then you'd probably be dead by now." She then walked out.

Yuka was watching the students train in swordsmanship. She heard something in the wind fly towards her. She caught it without looking. It was a kunai. "Rogue ninjas bore me." She said as the sensei noticed her catch. The sensei sent his students inside. Another thing came flying. This time it was much bigger. Yuka quickly got up and noticed a ninja flying at her. She took out her sword and took a powerful swing with the flat part of the sword, ramming the ninja into the sandy shore. "You are so pathetic. A real ninja is better than that." She said. The ninja was stuck in the sand with only his head sticking out. He then said: "I am here to kill you and if I cant then I should at least tell you that the Daikusu clan wants your death. You are a danger to society for bringing death upon innocent clansmen." "Daikusu. Daikusu. I cant remember." Yuka said. Then the ninja then said: "You were at our festival and was out to kill a council member. Because the people were in the way, you just cut through them." "Ah yes. I remember. You guys have good rice wine. And my mission wasnt to kill a council member but to wipe out your clan. Just something came up. So I had to leave. I left your clan alive because of their good rice wine. Now go back and tell them to let me be or I wont spare you and your clan again." Yuka said and pulled him out of the sand. She then hurled him around and threw him into the forest. "My old friend. I have to go. I got the order to pick up a fellow member." She said to the sensei.
Yuka left to go to the Kayne residence. She got there but a soldier got in her way. "What is your duty here, girl?" The soldier said. Then Yuka replied: "Mind your own business. I am here to see Tenshi. My name is Yuka Fuutsureiku." "Ha! You are Yuka? That cant be. Yuka is supposed to be tall and powerful. Yet you are small and look weak." The soldier said. Yuka grabbed him by the neck and lifted him off the ground: "I am not so weak now. Why dont I rip your head off on the spot?" She then dropped the scared man and walked past him. Yuka walked down a hallway and saw Tenshi leave a room. "Tenshi!" Yuka called.

Tenshi looked to the person calling her name.
"Yuka? Yuka!" She then ran towards her "I havent seen you in ages... And no blood stains, im guessing you either haven't killed anyone recently or that you've discovered the secret to get blood stains out of your clothes" She smiled and motioned with her hand for Yuka to follow her. She then went into another room with decorations and paintings with a table, cups and two cushions by the table. She then knelt on the nearest cushion and poured tea into her cup.
"So, what brings you here? Tell me before somebody checks up on me otherwise i'll be here all day."

Yuka sat down and took a sip of tea. "Tenshi. I have come here to pick you up. We are supposed to go to Honshu to hunt down some rogues. The mission is to kill them and bring their heads and take no prisoners. The rogues are planning to build an army of steamborgs and steambots to destroy the Technological State. We need to stop them. The others are already on their way." Yuka said.

Tenshi sighed and stood back up and looked out of the window.
"Why do the rogues even bother? Most of them know their skills are limited and bearly even match ours... Plus, why the heads? Last time we had that sort of mission i swear the eyes of the head i was carrying was staring at me the whole time." She unwrapped the hilt of her Katana and unseathed it.
"So when are we going?" She looked around the courtyard below her window, her brother was practising with other soldiers and the soldier Yuka had scared had run into the courtyard and was panicing and then pointed at the window she was in.
"Right... Something tells me we're either got to go now, or next week..." She then seathed her Katana and quickly ran out the room, but then popped her head back in while putting her mask on.
"Are you coming or not?"

"Alright! Lets go." Yuka said and stood up. She walked out the door. A soldier was waiting: "You are not going anywhere with Miss Tenshi." "State orders. Now dont stand in my way or I will seriously hurt you." Yuka said. The soldier bowed and backed up. "As you wish samurai lord Fuutsureiku." "Dont be so formal. Just because the state gave me an estate and 3 villages to look after doesnt mean you have to address me as samurai lord. Goodbye." Yuka said and grabbed Tenshis hand to leave.

Tenshi stood still when the soldier appeared but stayed silent when Yuka spoke and then followed her.
"Remind me how you got an estate and three villages to look after?" She finished putting her mask on and kept her hand on the hilt of her Katana, only the few selected soldiers knew about Tenshi in the extermination squad, those were her bodyguards and her brother. When they turned the corner Tenshi's brother was standing there, Kou.
"Ahh, and where are you going with my little sister now Yuka? I thought you wouldn't of been here till tommorow, you have the whole residence in panic." He then bowed down and poked his sister in the forehead.
Tenshi sighed and slapped Kou's hand away "Its an emergency Kou. Tell father its a minor mission to calm him down." She then tried to pass him but was soon stopped.
"Do you really think he's gonna buy that? He knows only one person can get to you and get you out in a matter of minutes when its an emergency, and thats Yuka, he's seen her skills and I highly doubt your gonna get away with the whole army in a frenzy" He then stopped and looked down the hallway and saw two shadows getting bigger and bigger.
"Ok, just distract him while i get out ok?" Tenshi glared at him through her mask and he sighed, opening a door and pushing her through it but holding onto Yuka.
"Make sure she doesnt get hurt, got it? Im going to be the one in trouble after they find out about the mission but if they find out shes been severly hurt then im in deep trouble and your going to go down with me if that happens, ok?" He then pushed her into the room and quickly shut the door behind her.
Tenshi sighed and looked around the room, searching for something "I had to be the youngest in the family didn't I?" She then lifted up the carpet and found a trap door and opened it.

Yuka nodded when Kou said to protect Tenshi. She then went down the trap door with Tenshi. "I got the estate because as a young samurai, I was the best of the best. They wanted someone who was not just qualified to protecting but excelled in swordsmanship. It was only a year ago. They saw that I knew an old technique that allows you to slice beyond the swords reach. I only learned it from my father. I barely live in the estate." Yuka said, then turning to Tenshi. "How about I teach you the old techniques on the way?"

Tenshi nodded to Yuka as they walked down the trap door hallway, she then grabbed a nearby torch.
"Dont be surprised if you see something you dont expect to see everday down here, this place was built ages ago..." She then took off her mask and tied it around her waist.
"Thats better... But why whould you let me learn the technique? I haven't known you for more than two years and bearly anyone in the extermination squad trusts anybody else..." She ducked under an unstable support and carried on walking.

"I want to teach you the techniques so that your family stops being overprotective. Plus it helps a lot with the job. First we need to go to the port to fetch a boat to Honshu." Yuka said. In the silent hall gears could be heard. The sound came from Yuka. "You know. I am happy about being a steambot. It makes things easier and I am not very vulnerable. I am mostly mechanical now and only need a low amount of coal to function." She then rolled her collar down revealing a line around her neck. "I can decapitate myself without dying. But I only need to remove my head for repair." She then unrolled the collar of the shirt. "I sometimes have nightmares about my true body under the skin."

Tenshi looked at the line and then looked away smirking.
"I highly doubt my family will stop being overprotective, they've always been protective over me since i was born, even more so since i was in that train accident..." She then looked at her right leg. "But while you might be happy about being a steambot im not happy about being a steamborg. Being a steamborg has its disadvantages... I cant feel the ground beneath me in my right foot, it still feels like my legs not there..." She stopped and unwrapped her leg and it then gave out lots of steam before stopping and giving out small amounts of steam again "Plus, if anybody outside the royal family find out im a steamborg... They'll think were demons..." She sighed and carried on walking, the faint gears in her leg making a sound only she could hear, she then turned to Yuka "But why do you have nightmares about your true body? How can you?"

Yuka sighed and said: "Well I have seen myself... well how I look under my skin. The dreams start where I take off my skin like it was a sheet I was wearing. Then I see a metallic skeleton. Its hands are scary and its lower law splits sideways and a gun barrel comes out. The gun disappears but then the face splits open and a cannon comes out. I dont look human anymore. In reality, I dont have a cannon in my head and if I do, I hope never to use it. But it have a hidden gun in my mouth but barely use it. The dreams are the only disadvantages about being a steambot but I am used to them." They walked further and Yuka could see a light at the end of the hallway.

Tenshi stopped and looked at Yuka.
"Were you built to be a weapon?" She grabbed her mask and untied it before putting it onto her face. "Because if your nightmares show you that then something must be up..." She tied a final knot in her mask and continued on walking to the exit where it led to a garden and a large river with a small boat in it. "Well, somebody must of been expecting this..."

"Yes. I was trained to become a sensei. After my accident, my father thought it would be useful to make me a steambot for battle. I agreed because I wanted to become powerful, set an example and be an idol. And it was a good choice. But I am a more simpler steambot. I have seen others who had an arsenal of weapons or were mobile artillery. But therefore I am specialized in strength, speed and finesse." Yuka said.

Tenshi sighed "Atleast your not bad... But unfortunetly others dont see that..." She then walked over to the boat and checked every inch of it, making sure it was safe.
"So, where to now?" She asked sitting by the boat after putting out the torch in the river.

"We need to get to the port to get a ship because its a journey to Honshu." Yuka said. "In Honshu we then need to look for those damn rogues. They will have to be stopped. It is best we take a ship that has a steam engine. Then the trip might just take two days." Yuka then got into the boat.

Tenshi nodded "Right, just hoping nothing bad will happen to us on the two day trip" She glanced at Yuka.
"Yuka, if there are rogues in Honshu then they're probably patrolling the waters around it. How are we going to pass them without alerting them of our precense? If they're recuiting steamborgs and steambots they'll probably sniff us out in no time!" She walked to the boat and then suddenly stopped, hand on the hilt of her Katana as she hears something in the tunnels. After a few seconds she drew her Katana and spun round only to find her Katana at Kou's throat and him smiling. "What are you doing here? I thought you were distracting the guards!"
"Well... Can't a brother see off his sister before she goes off to who knows where?" He laughed and Tenshi frowned at him while putting away her Katana.
"Yeah but next time say something before you creep up on me, it could of been your head rolling along the floor like the soldier just before new years eve..." Kou rolled his eyes.
"But you know that will never happen, im your brother!" He then shooed her into the boat.

"Tenshi. I will make sure that we get there in one piece. Now I wish Kou not to be spying on us of I will slash him to bits without my sword even touching him." Yuka said and laughed. "Now come on Tenshi lets go."

Kou laughed along.
"Don't worry, i wont be spying on you, i'll just follow and watch you from a distance" He then looked up at the residence and sighed "They'll be looking for both of you even though i tried to throw them off your trail... Try to keep a low profile until you get past the boundries."
Tenshi nodded and got into the boat "And once i've gone past the boundries?"
Kou smiled "Father wouldn't think that your on a extermination mission and think that your on a exploration one." Tenshi sighed and got one of the oars.
"I'll see you soon, Kou" She started paddling and then looked at Yuka "You wouldn't really slash him to bits.... Right?"

"Well. No." Yuka said halfheartedly and let out a nervous laugh. "Now lets go." They took the small boat down a narrow but calm river until they ended up behind the port. "My ship is over there. The military gave it to me." Yuka pointed to a tiny ship in the harbor that way thickly armored and probably only had a crew of five. "It is small but fast. It should take no more than two days to Honshu. The fastest would be probably around 16 hours. For protection it has a turret and a cannon."

Tenshi looked at Yuka sucpiciously but then looked at her boat and was silenced.
"Im a daughter of a rich family and even i havent got a boat for myself..." She then looked back at Yuka "Right... Now that answers my question of being safe..." She then swallowed and stood still, fearing something. "Would... Would it ever sink?..." She then closed her eyes, her memory going back to her mothers death, she had been in a boat but it had been sunk and her body had never been found... Despite her fathers 'efforts'... She then shook her head and looked back at the boat.

"Dont worry. The ships absolutely safe. It wont sink as long as I am aboard. The ship is also small and fast, so it is a hard target. We will be heading to a small port south of Yokohama. From there we will check out Edo to see if it had been captured yet. If not then we will defend Edo first and then search for the rogues but I doubt they will build an army in 3 days. Now come on Tenshi." Yuka said and grabbed Tenshis hand.