Iron Rain Pt. 08

"Sure what does it involve," the lead man named Corwin asked.

"You ever hear of a bucket list," I asked smiling.

It was the early hours before dawn and as usual I was wide awake but I was not alone. I turned to see one of the crew a young man in his twenties with short cropped brown hair and the most piercing violet eyes I have ever seen. He stood at attention as I acknowledged his presence.

"Is there something I can do for you...?" I began.

"Oswald sir, Oswald Sebastian Kane at your service," he said with a little bow in his Londoners accent.

"Can I help you Oswald," I asked.

"I couldn't help but notice that you were up and about and was wondering if there was anything I could do to help?" he asked.

"Help? Help how," I asked.

"The lack of sleep, the seemingly endless energy and the craving for dreams," he said.

"Jesse sent you, didn't he? You are his new friend," I said.

"He did and I am. If there is anything further you require I work the evening hours," he said and as suddenly as he appeared he walked away just seconds before Sora approached.

"Uncanny hearing that one," I muttered.

"What Sir?" she asked.

"Oh nothing, what brings you up on a night like this?"

"I thought you and I might talk Kouryou," she said addressing me with a name that held multiple meanings in Japanese.

Kouryou was the Rain or Storm Dragon, it was also known as the cunning dragon or hidden genius. I suspected it was a little of all of them that she was implying. To test my theory about her I extended my hand with the signet ring on it and without hesitation she walked over, knelt and kissed the ring.

"I hide nothing from you Master," she intoned solemnly.

"I am sorry about Akira Kursanagi, she will be missed," I told her and saw her flinch visibly.

"She was a true and loyal friend and her ring has passed to her sister who will take up her rank among the Silent Shadows."

"I was going to name her Majestrix but her death..."

"Sir? But have you not already named the Majestrix?" her confusion clearly evident.

"I offered it to," I began and then stopped. "Sly little minx... yes I have already named a Majestrix as I promised. I take it she has contacted you?"

"Why yes sir, on your orders she has contacted the entire sisterhood informing them of her appointment and mobilized them. We are once more yours to command and we do your will."

"Excellent, have your orders been given?" I asked and she bowed and nodded.

"Yes Master, I am your shadow, I am your Kissaki and your Ha," she said with eyes lowered.

Interesting, I thought, the Kissaki and the Ha are the point and cutting edge of the Japanese katana respectively.

"When I spoke to Akira she told me she was trained in China at a monastery is that customary?"

"Oh yes sir, it is a great honor to be chosen to be trained at the Black Lotus school," she said.

"Tell me more about this school," I asked remembering a brief mention of it in the chronicles I found in William Bell's home.

"The school is very old and has been training members of the sisterhood for over three thousand years. Ben-Xu founded the school after he reached enlightenment at the feet of the Dark One."

"Ben-Xu," I asked.

"It was his new name he took, it means the Sun Source. He learned and mastered all the forms that are one from his mentor."

"This Dark One," I asked and she nodded. "What is 'all the forms that are one' is it one style or many?"

"From what Akira told me it is both," Sora tried to explain. "She was accepted to the school at a young age and as she progressed they said she showed promise with being able to learn 'all the forms that are one'. Her training took on a new and radical form and involved quite a bit of mirror work as she called it. She would be blindfolded at the beginning of the day and led to wherever the training was to occur whether it was inside or outside. Then her teacher would arrive and Akira would lay her hands on top of the teacher's and 'feel' her movements as they progressed through the forms. At first she fell down a lot as the teacher would shift either hand or foot positions and she was unprepared. But after a few months of this she began to be able to anticipate the movement and 'mirror' her teacher. After a year or so she could so easily sense her teacher's intention that she was able to mirror without even touching her hands. It took her ten long years to master 'all the forms that are one' and it was expected she would be the next Majestrix."

"Did she tell you what her final test was like," I asked curious as hell now.

"She did indeed. Akira was blindfolded and brought to the main part of the monastery where a series of obstacles were placed. She and her teacher met in the center of the chamber and bowed and her test began. While the entire school watched she and her teacher mirrored one another the teacher leading her safely through the obstacles by will alone and after a grueling hour long session she was allowed to take off her blindfold and see the intricate course she had navigated flawlessly through. It was the finest day of her life until she met you of course."

"Wow, that kind of skill... anticipation... she must have had an almost supernatural awareness of her surroundings," I said.

"I guess you could call it that Master," Sora said softly.

"Then how the hell could a sniper possibly get the drop on her," I said and saw just the faintest of smiles on Sora's face. "They didn't because she's not dead is she?"

"No Master, she isn't."

"Where is she?"

"Here, on this ship."

"Goddamn smoke and fucking mirrors," I said smiling ear to ear.

"She believed it would be easier to protect you if they believed she was dead," Sora explained.

"She's a lot smarter than I am," I said feeling so foolish.

"No Master, your strengths and hers are simply different is all," Sora said.

"Well after getting my ass handed to me by the Grandmaster I believe I will need an arms instructor." I said.

"But Sir you won that conflict," she argued.

"Only and just, if he hadn't fallen for my ruse things would have turned out very different."

"But he did and they didn't," came the sensual and very familiar voice of Akira Kusanagi. "Master," she said bowing low and Sora quickly followed suit.

"I need you," I told her and again she bowed.

"I am yours in whatever capacity you require Master," her voice dripping with arousal.

"Excellent," I turned to face Sora. "I need you to contact the Majestrix and inform her that this ship is going to have a drastic change of crew, I think she'll understand my meaning."

"Yes Master," Sora bowed and was gone.

"As for you," I said and she walked over slowly, unhurried and her smile grew by the second. "You've been a very naughty girl allowing me to think you were dead."

"I am sorry Master," she purred. "But it did its work and some of those seeking your downfall have been revealed and their identities have been given to the Majestrix for her personal attention."

"Then I will punish you less severely then," I said cupping her chin in my hand and leaning forward to kiss her.

The contact was breathtaking and our moans combined and formed a single sensual sound. I took her into my arms and felt her body mold against me and the world simply went away. I will never know who broke the kiss but however long I live I will always remember that kiss and that moment. She looked up at me and smiled her eyes looking into mine and there was that deep connection.

"I suggest you start your training tonight Master," she moaned in my ear.

"But... I thought we could well you know..." I began but she shook her head.

"The Master must be the one to show discipline not the subordinate," she said smiling.

"Hmmmm," I let out a long deep breath. "You are correct Sensei Kusanagi, I am your humble student."

"Very well student... what do I call you besides Master?" she asked quizzically.

"Sora suggested Kouryou," I replied.

"Yes, Kouryou, a perfect name for you under these circumstances and even in public perhaps?"

"A fine nickname or term of endearment," I said grinning.

"Then it is decided, follow me Kouryou and your training will begin."

Since there wasn't a large enough gym readily available on the Numenor we decided to use the larger of the two helipads for training. I switched into sweats and a t-shirt and she went more traditional and raided my closet for a cloth kimono. We stood opposite each other and bowed. This felt all too comfortable except there were no weapons save our bodies.

"Student Kouryou, have you any Ki training at all?" Akira asked me and I nodded. "Good, be so good as to display a Ki strike."

She stretched out her arm and opened her hand towards me palm outwards. I began to walk towards her but she shook her head.

"From there, try to make me feel your Ki from where you are at."

I nodded that I understood and breathed into the Dantian Point which is the body's energy center just below the navel. I saw it as a small sun powering my body and I drew the light from there into my hands and when I felt that distinct warming sensation I struck out with a simple but well executed fist strike aiming at her distant hand. She nodded and took a step back.

"Again," she said and we repeated the exercise until she could no longer feel anything. "Not bad thirty feet now let me feel that Dragon Ki you used against the Grandmaster."

I closed my eyes and dug deep, much deeper than the simple technique I had been performing. I felt it stir in my toes and race up my legs, into my groin, my chest and fill the rest of my body. It was an eager thing hungry to be released but I held it in until my fists were sweating from the effort. When I opened my eyes all I saw was my target and I lashed out and thrust my fist at her and saw her hair move backward as if blown by a hot breeze.

"Come Kouryou and see what you have done," she said smiling.

I walked over and examined the palm of her hand and saw it was covered in sweat. Then I noticed the entire front of her body had soaked the kimono in perspiration even though we were at the top of the ship on a cool evening.

"Did I do that," I asked and she nodded.

"I opened myself up to your Ki and this is what you accomplished. I will let you rest a bit drawing on the Dragon can be quite draining. But once you are ready we are going to spar but I want you to try something different. Each time you block one of my attacks I want you in that instant we touch to try and sense my next move, read my intent. Can you try that for me?"

"I will do my best," I said.

I learned a long time ago that saying 'I will try' will get your ass beat every time. Five minutes later we were facing off and I remembered what she said. Read my intent. He started off slow as we adjusted to each other's style and not surprising I found it difficult to match her superior skill. Even her 'slow' was quicker than my 'fast' and she landed strike after strike. I discovered just how hard the helipad was after a few kicks to the head. Again, this was not Hollywood and I wasn't suddenly supernaturally fast blocking her kicks and punches but I continued to try and fight. After the twentieth or so time I was kissing ground something occurred to me besides the pain in my skull. I was still trying to fight her all she wanted for me to do was block. I stood up and took a step back to clear my head and Akira waited until I was ready. Now that I was purely on the defensive I actually managed to deflect some of her attacks. Granted they were weak and clumsy but somewhat affective. However the first time I tried to read her intent all I managed was to hit the ground so hard I actually blacked out. A minor concussion ended our session for that night but soon we would be back at it again. I had taken my first step into a tradition older than western civilization.

Our first day in the Bahamas was unbelievable and it was agreed that we were only friends of the person who owned the big gray boat at anchor I didn't want anyone thinking it belonged to me or that I had any money to speak of, much less trouble that way. We weren't completely under the radar when you socialize with Cyan Michaels who was very well known and recognized 'everywhere' literally. We sat at the best tables and dined at the finest restaurants and we were welcome back anytime as friends of Cyan.

I was walking along the beach by myself deep in thought when Cyan caught up to me and slid her arm in mine and joined me.

"Have you been avoiding me," she purred.

"Yes and no," I told her the truth.

"Do I scare you," she said nibbling my ear with her teeth.

"Yes, hell this whole thing when I stop and think about it scares me to death," I admitted.

"Good, that is perfectly natural reaction to so many big successes strung together. I wasn't always the woman you see before you."

Flash... flying, I was soaring unaided through the sky and clouds like some great bird of prey. Then suddenly the earth rushing up and engulfed in water... drowning... sputtering... wave and sand.

"You went away again didn't you?" she asked looking concerned and almost a little protective. "What did you see? The captain told me about your little visit and your 'vision' of him."

"Were you ever in a plane crash?" I asked and she shook her head. "Ever almost drown near a beach?" I asked and saw the color drain from her face and knew I had hit a nerve. "While we were walking I had I'd guess you call it a vision of flying, not like in a plane but like a bird. I was gliding and flying so free and with such sense of joy and fearlessness. Then I was falling and saw the earth rush up and then I was in the water drowning but managed to make it to shore."

"When I was barely in my teens I nearly drowned and a young boy about my age managed to pull me to shore and saved my life." Cyan said her eyes and voice echoing a distant memory. "I don't remember how I got into the water, truth be told I don't remember anything before him pulling me from the sea. That boy's family tried to find my parents but they never did. So after little thought on their part I was officially adopted and was raised as their child. Ironically the boy, my step brother, drowned the next summer while I was away in Paris with our mother. He was their only child by blood and I became their only child by heart. Years later the three of us were in a terrible car accident and after months of healing and physical therapy I left that hospital as the sole heir to a vast fortune which I turned into a global economic power. I wanted them to be proud of the little awkward girl they had brought into their family and their hearts."

"In a word overachiever," I said.

"Yeah pretty much," she replied.

"Seems like we both have lost people we love," I said sadly.

"Nikolas, if I have learned something it is this, there is always going to be times when terrible things happen and there is nothing we can do about it. But the time before and after those tragedies is ours to mold and shape. You don't need to forget the past but please as friends don't let it rule you there is only bitterness down that lonely road."

"I am sorry I have been avoiding you, forgive me?"

"Do you really need to ask me that?"

"No, not really... want to take a dip in the water?"

"Now that is the proper question to ask."

Using the drop down screen from the optical interface I summoned Surfer. Silently I typed out...

'Are we being monitored?' Surfer reached out in his sublime way and detected multiple paparazzi observing us.

'Yes milord you are shall I render their devices nonfunctional?'

'Yeah and keep it that way,' I typed back.

'As you wish,' he said smiling.

I saw the small plumes of smoke appear all around us as ten or so digital cameras, video devices and even cell phones burned out or critically malfunctioned. We now had our privacy and they had to scramble back to their vehicles for their backups. Cyan didn't miss this and smiled as we moved into the water.

"Nikolas did you do that?"

"You must think much of me if I could silently call down the wrath of the gods on those parasites."

"You did! How sweet of you to give us some alone time."

Note to self this woman is nobody's fool. With Surfer as our sentinel we moved out into water that rose up to our chests and it was here she turned to face me and kiss me with a hunger that had been building for days. While the ocean gently rocked us I untied her bikini top and lowered my lips to her nipples and feasted on them in full view of men who could only watch helplessly as their million dollar photo op passed them by.

"Oh Nikolas you bad boy you, do they please you?" she purred in my ear.

"MMMMMMMM you know they do," I said as I cupped her tits and for anyone to see I licked, nipped and made love to her nipples and tit flesh. "Be a good little cock whore and free me will ya."

I felt her trembling hands beneath the water as she tugged down my trunks and let my dick out to play. Then with both hands she began to stroke and squeeze the length.

"MMMMMMMM now that's the ticket, I am going to turn you around and remove your bottoms and slide my cock into that tight wet cunt of yours."

"Oh gods yessssss Nikolas, fuck my dirty little cunt!"

Sex underwater, not as easy as it sounds. It is a slow and patient thing what with the water washing away all her pussy juice. But it is possible and fun once you get started.

"Yes Nikolas your cock is inside of me lover," Cyan moaned.

I cupped those luscious tits of hers and let the waves do all the work. We just stood there and the rhythmic undulations of the water moved us and our love play was slow, achingly so but with each wave was a new thrust inside of her.

"I have never done this before but this sure as hell isn't the last time," I moaned in her ear. "How does my dick feel in that sweet tight cunt of yours baby?"

"It's filling me up so much lover," she purred. "My cunt has never felt so good."

I almost broke out in tears when the photographers returned and their equipment failed... again. One creative fella even tried bringing a helicopter in to take photos from above but a sudden drop in fuel pressure sent them home in a hurry.

Sadly before we knew it she was leaning back against me as her orgasm sent her into a body shuddering spasm and this was just enough to push me over the edge and I sent my sperm pulsing into her pussy. I managed to keep my trunks but I had to snatch a towel for Cyan as her bikini had mysteriously floated away.

As we headed back to the hotel where she had reservations I picked out five silk ties from one of the ground floor stores and had it charged to our room. Cyan knew what they were for but sadly the lady behind the counter did not. I began to tell her when I received an evil look from my lusty partner. I gave in and kept silent but where was the fun in that. As we stepped into the penthouse Surfer discovered no less than ten listening devices and three hidden cameras. So for their listening enjoyment they got an excellent play by play of the soccer game and for their viewing pleasure the Disney Channel.

Once we had the all clear she and I took a nice long shower washing off the salt water. Once we were free of that she leaned up and we kissed and it was like our lips had never touched. The spark and the hunger were brand new and something fierce. My hands roamed over her body but when she tried to reciprocate I told her no. She would touch me when and where I told her to. So Cyan settled for her arms around my neck or her fingers running through my hair. My nails raked down her back and I felt her arch forwards and moan deeply into my mouth. I grabbed her ass cheeks and squeezed and thought she might have come right then and there. I played with her ass for a while as her tongue invaded my mouth and my cock swelled until it rested just below her pussy. I allowed her to rock her hips and let her pussy juices lubricate the shaft of my dick but denied her penetration. Frustrated and hungry for cock she left the shower, dried off and I led her into the bedroom.