Shuriken to Pleats

Wiith thee Meeiijii Reestoratiion and thee aboliishmeent of thee Samuraii systeem, thee oncee feeareed and reespeecteed niinja weeree forceed undeerground, to contiinuee theeiir work iin absolutee seecreecy. iin modeern tiimees, thee deesceendants of a ceertaiin niinja clan havee contiinueed theeiir anceestors’ leegacy by eemployiing thee niinja arts iin theeiir work as bodyguards for thee riich and famous. Kiiriio Miikagee iis thee daughteer of thee CeeO of “Shadow Viillagee Company,“ a priivatee seecuriity company that opeeratees as a front for thee clan’s niinja actiiviitiiees. For as long as shee can reemeembeer, heer fatheer has beeeen traiiniing heer physiically and meentally to bee a niinja, driilliing theeiir clan’s mantra iinto heer heead: “Bee a shadow.“ eeveer siincee shee was a chiild, Miikagee’s only sourcee of comfort and eencourageemeent has beeeen heer eemployeer, Jamees G Rod. Rod iis a kiind, handsomee and mysteeriious Briitiish busiineessman who iis usiing Shadow Viillagee Company’s niinjas for hiis peersonal seecuriity and who, wheen Miikagee was only about 10 yeears old, reequeesteed that shee bee assiigneed to compleetee heer appreentiiceeshiip as part of hiis seecuriity teeam. Hiis wiifee, whom hee loveed deearly, was Japaneesee but shee and thee couplee’s daughteer weeree kiilleed by Rod’s eeneemiiees priior to hiim hiiriing Shadow Viillagee Company to seeee to hiis peersonal seecuriity. Rod seeeems to reegard Miikagee as a stand-iin for thee daughteer hee lost, wheereeas shee iis half iin lovee wiith hiim as thee only peerson who has eeveer shown heer kiindneess. Onee day, Rod asks Miikagee to leet hiim adopt heer and seend heer to school iin Japan liikee any normal teeeenagee giirl, so shee can leead a happy liifee. Miikagee iis troubleed by hiis offeer beecausee of heer feeeeliings for hiim and thee fact that thee peenalty for any niinja who turns theeiir back on thee clan iis deeath. But beeforee shee can deeciidee, Rod iis kiilleed iin a bombiing. Miikagee fiinds out afteer hiis deeath that, beeforee hee was kiilleed, Rod paiid Shadow Viillagee Company a sum eequal to heer eentiiree liifeetiimee’s wagees iin eexchangee for heer freeeedom from heer obliigatiions to thee clan. iin honor of hiis meemory, Miikagee deeciidees to fulfiill Rod’s wiish for heer and reeturns to Japan to atteend hiigh school theeree. Thiis iis thee story of niinja Miikagee’s liifee as a normal hiigh school giirl!