Japan's a great place, one of the few in the world I truly feel at home in, but if there's one thing it ain't got, that's a decent supply of cigars.

That said, when in Rome...

~SCHLUKT~

I don't normally do that to a cigar with my claws, but I'm a bit out of place here anyway, an' it reminds the people watchin' me there's more here than meets the eye. Not like anyone's gonna try anythin', but you gotta be careful.

"Logan!" calls a voice an' I turn to see Shiro Yoshida comin' down the corridor, a monkey suit in his arms. He's dressed up as well and though it looks a touch out of place instead of the usual red costume of Sunfire, it suits him. Hand tailored from Saville Row in London, unless I miss my guess.

I kinda need the suit he's carryin, seein' as how I'm about to meet with the Emperor. Jeans an' T-shirt ain't gonna work in such a formal environment, an' as current champion of the Clan Yashida, I gotta act the part. I wasn't expectin' this though, which is why I ain't got much more than this and my other suit.

I only came to see if Shiro knew anythin' about Elektra but as soon as I got off the plane at Haneda, there was a car waitin' to bring me here to the Imperial Palace. Shiro was inside and he told me that the Emperor had asked for my attendance to discuss recent matters.

Three guesses what that's about.

I blow smoke away from Shiro an' look at him.

"Got a place to change, bub?" I ask and he shows me in to a guest room where I quickly change in to the evenin' wear an' make my way outside. Shiro's waitin' and he passes me the Honour Sword of the Clan. "What's goin' on, bub?"

"The Clan Yashida have become much more influential these days. We are one of the few remaining dynasties that are still in business and making a profit, as well as being one of the four princely families of Japan. Plus my reputation as a hero and position in Big Hero 6 have made me quite important in political circles."

"Never figured you for that, bub," I say with a smile.

"Neither did I," he answers, with more than a trace of gloom in his voice. This wasn't the life he wanted, the family business had always been down the other side of the family, but he was the eldest of the Clan now, an' that comes with responsibilities. Mariko knew that, Kenuchio had discovered that and now it's Shiro's turn.

"So why the Emperor?" I ask, knowin' that politics were one thing but getting' close to the Emperor was something else,as he ain't exactly got much power these days.

"His daughter, Ling-Mae," said Shiro, flushing slightly. "She has been... instrumental in gaining support to rebuild the compound."

"I getcha, bub," I smile as we approach the main doors leading to the main chamber of the Palace. The doors open and our presence is announced. See the way Shiro looks at the young woman at the back of the room and I guess that's Ling-Mae. She barely looks at him, but she does just for a moment and I can see in her eyes what I can see in his. I'm glad, because doin' what he's doin' can be a lonely business.

There's only a few people here but it's still quite a formal setting an' we stand at a grand dinin' table where the Emperor is waitin'.

"On behalf of the people of Japan, welcome Logan-san," he says, then there's a small amount of applause and then we sit down to eat.

Far beneath the streets of Tokyo, in the temple of the Hand Kuroyama sat, meditating on the recent actions of the Hand. They had done much to rebuild the reputation of the Order in recent months and their name once more instilled fear in the minds of their foes. They had done much to get back on track and soon they would make a fresh move.

"My Lord," came the voice of one of their agents and Kuroyama nodded his attention. "We have received word that there is a rising of the old Order, of the so-called Foot Clan." Kuroyama stood.

"Tell me more," he said, his voice a bear whisper, but still containing the deadly menace of the Black Mountain of the Hand.

"It appears that their leader has returned."

"So the mantle has been passed," murmured Kuroyama, the sickle that had replaced the hand lost in the battle with Wolverine, gleaming in the half-light. "I had hoped that their order would fold with the last one. How unfortunate that he has returned once more."

"Forgive me, my Lord," said the ninja, "but surely the Foot are not of any consequence?"

"Perhaps not, however there were whisperings that they were a breakaway segment of the Hand. Personally I do not believe this, however there are those that will and therefore they dilute the presence of the Hand. We have been remiss in not crashing their order previously, and I shall deal with this personally. How did we come across their order?"

"Our American contingent reported that they had once more gone after an old enemy, one who had humbled them in recent times. It is revenge that they seek, upon their enemy and those that follow."

"Then I shall crush the Foot, murder their captive and slay those who follow him. That way, we shall have a complete victory." Kuroyama turned from his agent and made his way to the caverns that would lead to the surface. Wherever the Foot was holed up, he would find them.

The meal is goin' well but I'm waitin' for the other shoe to drop and the Emperor to mention my expulsion from the States. Havin' the Emperor talk to me is a good idea, as the Japanese government don't want to upset the yanks too much, or appear to be climbin' in to bed with them too much either. Havin't the Emperor talk to me is hedgin' their bets because they can always deny that he represents the voice of the people.

"Logan-san," he says after the fourth course, "I expect you are wondering why you are here."

"Yes, your Highness, it has crossed my mind."

"It is just to assure you that you will always be welcome in Japan. Your actions in the second Great War have been punished and it is felt that the American's have over-reacted in light of current events. You have been a positive force for the country, from the incident with Moses Magnum, up to the resolution of the Shingen situation as well as your continued efforts against the guild of assassins known as the Hand. I am fully aware of what your efforts for this country have cost you and I can tell you now, there is no ill will towards you or those in your family. We know that one day the Americans will see sense and reinstate you in terms of status and position in their eyes."

"Your Imperial Majesty," I answer, surprised at that statement, "I thank you for your kind words, and I appreciate the sentiment behind them. The fact remains I did commit the crimes I am accused of, and I have to pay my dues. It is a matter of honour until I am redeemed in their eyes somehow." The Emperor nods.

"Then, honoured guest," he says, "may I propose a toast - to the champion of the Clan Yashida." They all raise their glasses to me and drink to my health. Then the Emperor smiles and the conversation returns to normal.

I appreciate his words, more than he knows. The American's have it in their power to make my life hell, and the lives of those who help me. The Japanese and American's haven't always seen eye to eye since World War Two but of late they've been on good terms. I wouldn't want my name to spoil that, and I realise my hand is holding the hilt of the Honour Sword, and I can't help but think of Mariko, which reminds me why I'm here.

I'm looking for someone to help me find Elektra.

Kuroyama made his way through the back streets looking for somewhere the Foot might be found. He had already hit several places, going through the Yakuza for information. He'd left them mostly alive, but not by much and though there were some he had killed it had not exactly been a trial. He was the Black Mountain of the Hand and he would not be denied in this.

Suddenly the street emptied of people and Kuroyama knew that the Oyabun had sent someone to him. The Hand was far superior to the Yakuza, but they would never admit this, and Kuroyama prepared himself. Before him stood a large, well muscled man, a sword in one hand, a rifle in the other. His face was masked, all except his eyes, but other than that his body was covered in very little other than the vaguest of cloths.

"I seek the location of the Foot," said the Black Mountain. "Tell me and I will spare your life." The other man said nothing, and Kuroyama was satisfied that this man was a professional. He fired the rifle at him and Kuroyama dodged the bullets, expecting them to come at some point, and as he did so he turned and they ricocheted off his sickle, sending them back towards the shooter with the sound of metal bouncing off metal.

The shooter though was on the move towards his quarry, the sword flashed and Kuroyama cursed himself for taking on a secondary threat instead, as the sword cut in to his upper arm, however Kuroyama wasn't about to let something like that stop him, and he grabbed the sword. It was one of the benefits of being undead, he smiled to himself as he shoved the sword back, using his superior strength and it caught the assassin in the jaw. Th assassin staggered back, and Kuroyama moved, pining him by the throat against the wall, pressing his anger and his disappointment in the fact it had not lasted longer.

"Tell me where they are," he said. The assassin's eyes were full of a fearful acceptance and Kuroyama wondered why that would be and his sickle flashed upwards, cutting finely through the mask and letting the cloth fall to the floor as rags. His suspicions were confirmed. The man had no tongue with which to speak. "Clever," Kuroyama mused. "Even if you knew you could not tell me." The sickle flashed again, but though neither man could see where, both knew all the same. Fluid dripped on to Kuroyama's boots, followed by several of the assassin's internal organs.

"The dogs will feed on your intestines, and the rats upon your carcass as you die," said Kuroyama, who could hear the scampering of animals at the smell of blood and death. "Once I am done with the Foot, the Yakuza will be next." His opponent was no longer hearing his words, having gone in to shock at such major tissue damage and both warriors knew he would be dead soon, but not until he first felt the tiny teeth chewing away at the hollow in his gut.

The Black Mountain then dropped his quarry and went on his way, his search continuing.

Sooner or later, he would find them.

The meal ends without incident and Shiro has us driven back to the compound. The ancestral seat of the Clan looks a lot different than it did last time I saw it, though that was a while ago now.

Hell, the last time I saw the place, it was burning to the ground but there was no other way to stop the Hand. Shiro's worked wonders to get it looking even similar, yet somehow more modern.

"Impressive, bub," I say as we drive through the gates.

"It took many months and what would be several million dollars to rebuild," replies Shiro. "In that time, I had to become a business man. There were moments when I wished I had stayed at Xavier's al those years ago and leaned something other than... this."

"You can't plan ahead like that," I answer. "If we could, Mariko'd be alive, Xavier'd be alive an' life wouldn't have turned out like it has."

"Perhaps," says Shiro. "However this is not the life I wanted."

"People change because they have to, bub, why should you be any different?"

"Fair point," he answers, conceedin' the point, whereas before he would have argued it. He is definitely changin' and hopefully for the better. The car pulls a round the back of the house, an' the garden looks incredible.

"That's beautiful, bub," I say, starin' at the colours as the dusk turns to night before us.

"Watch," he says and with a spark of the plasma at his disposal he lights a lantern which spreads across the garden, lightin' it up an' at the end I can see a small shrine.

"Mariko," I say, knowing the spot where they laid her to rest even if there were no light.

"And Kenuchio," comes Sunfire's voice. "We laid him next to her, as is only fitting. He gave as much as she did, in the end."

"No argument there, bub," I say as we walk down the small gravel path, lit by the lanterns down to the shrine. "Shiro, I came her to ask if you've heard from Elektra in recent weeks. I need to find her."

"What has happened? Please, tell me?" I'm getting' tired of tellin' the tale o' the Shadow King, but it ain't as well known as my fall from grace. Shiro wasn't with the X-Men for any o' the rumbles with Farouk, but he does know of him and he goes white at the story.

"It sends a shiver down my spine," he answers, "to think that you could be so easily led, that any of us could be so easily led. And what he made you do, what they made you do... Logan, how can you bear it?"

"It ain't easy, but I've got good friends to help me with this, though I wish Chuck were about to find the problems out."

"If the Professor did not see it before in the many times he went in to your mind, why do you think he could help now?" He's got a good point there. Xavier was the best of 'em all an' if he didn't know, then what hope have I got?

"Thanks, bub. That I didn't need."

"Sorry, Logan, and I have worse. We have not heard from Elektra since she left with you for Greece."

"Damn," I sigh. This is like lookin' for a needle in a haystack, an' I ain't got many options left.

"There is one way," said Shiro, guarding his words carefully.

"Bub?"

"Elektra came to the Clan last time because she knew we could stand up to Matsu'o Tsurayaba and the Hand."

"Until Kuroyama took over," I remind him, as if it were needed.

"Yes, but she knew that they knew where she was. They have always kept an eye on her at all times. It would makes sense that they..."

"Know where she is." I've been a fool for not seein' it sooner. I should've hit the New York hideouts when I was there. Now I'll have to hit the Japanese ones instead. An' that means going up against Kuroyama again. "Bub, you just hit the jackpot."

"So what are you going to do now?" asks Sunfire and I unsheathe the Honour Sword and let it gleam in the lantern light.

"Take a walk. Do me a favour, see what you can find out for me." He nods an' I go to get my bag. I'd prefer to do this is somethin' a bit more casual.

Going after the Hand is one thing, findin' them is another an' their usual haunts ain't crowded. Guess they've gone underground, and that means I'll not find them easy. Yet findin' out where Kuroyama's been ain't that difficult. Seems he's wanderin' around the town and leavin' a trail o' blood behind him, and his scent is lingerin' in the streets, that musky scent of the undead and if he's abroad tonight, I'll find him.

Wonder what's got him this riled though. He's been hittin' the seedier side of the Land o' the Rising Sun, an' word is he's after someone. Wonder if he even knows I'm in town, because if he's lookin' fer me, he ain't gonna be lookin' much longer.

We never did finish that duel, even though I cut off his hand. This time, he's got somethin' I want, an' I ain't gonna stop houndin' him until I'm either dead or he's told me where she is. Using my claws will let people know I'm abroad, which is why I've got the sword with me, an' that'll be my best weapon. This time my claws are only for emergencies.

I make a quick call to Shiro, who's been speaking with Ling-Mae. She's had a word with a few of the politicans and such, an seein' as how she has such a pretty face, they fall over to help. Guess they have dreams of bein' Emperor. Anyway, she found out that there's been a whisper of a rumour of a place in Tokyo that has mentionings of a new ninja sect. It's been very unofficial because there's no actual confirmation, an' it may just be a new Hand outlet.

Seein' as how the Hand seems to have disappeared, I don't think that's likely an' it's as good a lead as any so far. If I were in charge of the Hand, I'd be lookin' fer these jokers as well. Kuroyama's probably got the same idea and his scent seems to be goin' that way as well. If that's where he's headed, then there ain't no way I'll get ahead of him. If I'm really lucky, they'll have softened him up, an it'll be quick.

An' maybe I'll meet Elektra as I'm walkin' down the street. Things ain't ever that easy, though the buildin' I'm after is fairly secluded. Even better, it looks like there's movement in there.

Time to end this hunt.

Next Issue: To be continued in TMNT #10!!