To the chapter:
Shim-machi in Osaka was really famous :)). The red-light district.
I had the idea of Okita's death when remembering "The Seven Samurai" by
Kurosawa Akira. AND I LOVE THE IDEA! Starting in the third part of the chap!
The idea for the stitching scene I got by reading Gypsy-chan's
"After the rain", it can be found on her homepage.
ON WITH THE STORY:
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All things move toward their end
I knew before I met her that I would lose her
I swear I made every effort to be good to her
I swear I made every effort not to abuse her
Crazy bracelets on her wrists and her ankles
And the bells from the chapel went jingle-jangle
By Nick Cave ("Do you love me?")
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CHAPTER 8: NINJA AND TALK
WARNING: as usual: OOC.
Why I had to meet him here? He stepped out of the shadows that had hidden
him, and he still was as handsome as I remembered him:
Tall, well-trained, always aware of his surroundings, always
ready to fight, a face that revealed no emotion.
"Tokio-san?" I felt the world fainting, it couldn't be!
***FLASHBACK***
In the afternoon of my 16th birthday. I was enjoying the sun in the backyard
of our house and started to read in my new book.
"Tokio-chan?"
"Aa, Masahiro-san! Hello!"
I knew that my father worked for his group in Shimmachi. It was useful,
my father had been dishonoured and could move in the district without
attracting attention and we could afford to live comfortable from the money.
Yoshinori Masahiro on the other hand got first-hand information about the
happenings going on in the district for the Daimyo. A profitable agreement
for both sides.
"Hello and a happy birthday!" He hold me tightly before he released me.
"I have a present for you, here!" He handed me a small package, what could
it be?
I opened it, it contained five shurikens, belonging to his ninja-group!
I'd recognise these typical tooth everywhere.
"Thank you very much, Masahiro-san!" I hugged him back, what a nice present!
"You can handle them quite well by now, I thought, they might proove useful."
"It is wonderful, thank you." I smiled widely at him, he would never forget
my birthday, he always cared for me, sometimes too much for my taste.
Yoshinori hold me back, looking deep into my eyes
"Have you considered my offer?"
He made me feel uncomfortable all of a sudden, under his piercing eyes.
I didn't want to answer! He was a big brother for me, a good comrade from
the first day of my life and of course I had made some experiences with
him.
I had been quite shocked when he had asked me if I wanted to be his wife,
I was promised to another one already and he knew that.
"Masahiro-san?" The hope in his eyes was nearly killing me. "You have always
been a good friend for me."
Now he looked a bit frightened, and I didn't want to hurt him!
"Give me some more time."
"How much more, Tokio? I can't stand this any longer! I want an answer right
now!"
"Then, I'm afraid, my answer is no."
"But I have influence enough to break off this stupid bond your father and
his friend arranged when you were born. If I would know, you love me and
want
to be with me, I would be able to solve this little problem."
He considered this to be a 'little problem'. What a strange view!
"It is a given promise, Masahiro-san, there is no honourable way to break
it."
Masahiro wouldn't give up that easily, there was no other way then confronting
him with the truth "In addition to that, I don't love you. You are nothing
more than a big brother and a good friend for me." Now he was definitely
hurt,
his eyes showed his emotions clearly. But he had asked for the hard way
by
being so persistent.
I felt uncomfortable around him from that day on.
One week after that my parents had been killed, he arrived in time to save
me, but everything had a strange taste.
I found shelter by a family close to my father, they lived in Shim-machi
and
owned a brothel there. Yoshinori dropped by nearly everyday to comfort me,
I
asked him to investigate the 'incident', but he wasn't able to gather one
information or to give a possible solution.
I got suspicious.
Three months later, he had to leave for Kyushu, an important case had occurred
in Nagasaki, he told me good-bye and left. Trying to persuade me again to
marry him, saying with the death of my parents the bond would be invalid.
I had a VERY strange feeling about the affair by this time. There was not
one
clue about my parents death, and he wasn't able to find out even a little
lead. He was the leader of one of the most powerful ninja-groups of Japan!
It couldn't be that soemthing stayed hidden for them? What influence must
an
organisation possess to be able to fool Masahiro's group?
I, having to fend for myself, had no chance to solve the case.
When he was in Kyushu this marriage thing came up. The setting of events
occurred suspicious to me from the first day.
I wasn't able to refuse the offer taking part and as it seemed to be the
best
solution, I set off for Kyoto. I feared Yoshinori by now.
***End Flashback***
"Masahiro-san?" Here he was, Yoshinori Masahiro. Leader of the Ninja-group
in
Osaka, the one that trained me with the shuriken, the one who had helped
me
out after the killing of my parents. Yoshinori, belonging to one of the
most
famous and powerful families AND ninja-groups throughout Japan.
"Surprised to see me here?" I still noticed the hurt look in his eye, I
knew
him better than anyone else -alive-, I bet no one else was able to see
through his disguise.
"Do you have new information for me?" I already knew the answer, but it
was
the only thing I was able to ask, his presence disturbing me more than I
wanted to admit. I couldn't hide a slight shaking in my voice.
He lowered his head "I'm afraid, no." He raised his head, looking at me
again.
"You are a much more beautiful woman then I recall, Tokio. You are a breath-
taking beauty now."
This would be tough to stand. I smiled and prepared for the following
conversation. Show no emotion! Focus! Mask your ki! I could do better
than to stammering like a little girl in front of him. I wasn't afraid!
"Thank you very much, Masahiro-san."
"You are so much more a woman now."
Irrational as ever when he spoke with me. How had such a man been able
to gather such forces around him and to gain such influence?
"Don't be silly, it's only half a year past."
"I heard you are married now, Tokio." He was joking, wasn't he? 'heard'?
He gathered every information he was able to get, especially about me.
"You heard right, Masahiro-san." There was a short time of silencebefore
he
continued. "Why did you do this to me, Tokio?"
"Did what?"
"You left without saying good-bye when I was in Kyushu! There was no way
for
me to be back in time in Osaka!"
Exactly that had been my intention. Maybe I had to make it clear once more
-he could be incredible slowly in understanding if something didn't please
him.
"Why should I care? I told you once and I 'll say it again: You are not
THAT
important for me. We had a nice time together, but that's over! Realise
that!"
"You even left the shurikens in Osaka that I gave you!"
"There was no reason to take them with me. They'll always remind me of the
killing of my parents and of you. It was quite a shock when I pulled it
out
of my shoulder and realised it was from your group."
"They acted without my permission, believe me, Tokio. As I heard of it,
I ran
to your house as fast as I could, but I was to late. The traitors got what
they deserved."
Indeed. He had killed everyone before they could mutter one word...
what might have been a clue to me.
"You already told me a hundred times, Masahiro-san. But I'm still looking
for
an answer. Who was the one behind this? The control of a ninja-group is
absolute, why didn't they follow your orders? The family of my father had
no
reason to kill them, this was cleared years ago. Who would have a reason
to
that?" There was no need to show him that I was distrusting him, maybe he
knew it already.
"I don't know, I am still investigating." I didn't believe it!
"You are investigating for over one year now and you still know nothing?
I'm
disappointed!"
"Why did you agree to this stupid marriage meeting?"
He dropped the subject, be on guard!
"Why not? They asked me to take part and I agreed. Was there another
possibility? I don't think so. I didn't want to get sold in their brothel."
"I can't accept that! You are married to a third class samurai, Tokio! You
deserved better!"
I felt anger rising, Saitou was maybe a second class samurai, but NOT a
third class samurai. 'Calm, Tokio. He wants to provoke you!'
"Better? You mean someone like you? Don't be silly, Masahiro-san."
"Yes, I mean me. Why didn't you wait for me?"
"I didn't want to. There was no reason to wait."
Masahiro took a intense look at me "Don't tell me you allowed that weakling
to
touch you. I always thought I would be the one, the first man for you."
That moron was as stubborn as I remembered him. Be careful, Tokio!
"How often do I have to say that, before you realise it? I DON'T LOVE YOU!
There was no reason to wait for you."
"Do you really love THAT man, Tokio?"
"I'm married to him, there was no reason to reject him." No need to tell
him
what had happened, he would not be amused.
"DO YOU LOVE HIM?"
"That's none of your business!"
He seemed to give in, obviously he wasn't seriously dropping the subject
"I wanted to see you because I need a translation of this."
Did he want me to make me laugh? What a poor excuse for approaching me like
this! He handed me a paper in French, it seemed important, official, it
was
quite long. I didn't want to see him again!
"I'll need some time for that. It seems to be difficult stuff."
"Is one month enough?" Damn, no way he would give up.
I judged the paper once more, there was no good reason to reject the paper,
and I couldn't think of something to talk me out of this. My brain had
stopped working in his presence.
"It might be enough, yes."
"I'll see you then, I'll visit your house. Make sure that husnand of yours
is not around!"
NO WAY! I didn't want to meet him alone.
"D'accord." He turned and vanished into the shadows that had revealed him
earlier.
The demons of my past had came back to hunt me again. To hunt me down?
I hoped not.
Deep in thought, hiding the paper in my kimono, I walked around the corner
of
the house, but what was that? I sniffed, cigarette-smoke! Saitou had been
here? I'd recognise his smell everywhere by now, I was sure I was right.
He
must have heard everything if he had been here. I smiled evilly inside,
these
cigarettes would betray him everywhere at everytime.
There they were, Saitou and Soushi were waiting for me at the front gate,
the
others must have left already. It seemed as if they had stood there all
the
time. If they wanted to pretend this, I would play along with them. We set
off for our walk home, it would be our last walk with Soushi through Kyoto.
***
It was a typical hot, stifling heat, Kyoto summer night and I was reading
in
one of my books, 'The Three Musketeers'. I started reading because it was
so
muggy, I hadn't been able to fall asleep. I dressed in the lightest yukata
I
had been able to find, it was too warm. Even a yukata was too warm to wear.
Saitou was on a round through the city with Soushi, who was looking more
and
more diseased with every passing day.
I had lightened a lantern and was so absorbed in the book, that I didn't
perceived my surroundings.
In my subconscious I noticed someone opening and closing the shouji, I nodded
my head, to indicate that I registered the presence of someone, he said
something I didn't realise exactly what, it was Saitou.
Now he spoke again, louder, and forced me to listen.
"Ne, I said someone cut my kimono on the shoulder, you have to stitch it."
Damn, I lost the row I was reading! What was that? Stitching? Not yet, this
part of the book was so suspenseful!
"Needle and threat are over there." Where was the last sentence I read?
Aa, there it was.
"WHAT?" Couldn't he be quiet? I lost the place again.
"I said, stitching utensils are over there in the box!" Found the sentence
again, beginning to read, absorbed in a romantic scene with D'Artagnac.
"I said YOU have to stitch it." AAAAA! Lost the concentration again.
"Why me? That's your kimono and I didn't cut it. When you let someone cut
it,
it is your fault" I WANTED TO READ! Concentrating back on this romance in
the
book.
Suddenly I had a kimono over my head. ENOUGH! I slammed the book closed,
turned around, snatched the kimono of my head and threw the book at him.
He
easily evaded it, it flew through the shouji across the floor.
There he was again, smiling self-confident and superior about my stupid
attempt.
It was so hot and muggy! No weather to lose temper, be annoyed and fight.
Mmm,
he was dressed only in his hakama, I was only wearing a light, short yukata.
It became sensuous.
We were circling round each other, the sexual tension was tangible, but
first
there would be some fun with fighting. I was sure, he knew what I was up
to as
I started my attack, kicking out my leg with full speed. Mmm, he would catch
me, we would roll over the floor,...
"WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?" HEARTATTACK! I wasn't able to react and break
off
my attack, I hit Saitou on his chest, he was distracted only for a second,
my
impact sent us both through the shouji down on the streets of Kyoto.
This time I didn't have a hard hit, I clinched to Saitou who hit the ground
with his back.
Resume: Two shouji's damaged, one ruined, we both lying half-naked on the
street. In addition to that, Hijikata had a big bump on his head from my
book.
We had our third talk with Kondou.
***
"We apologise, Kondou-sensei." We both bowing deeply, Kondou sighing, this
time a fuming Hijikata by his side.
"Tokio-san?" Kondou seemed to be at the end of his tether. It was early
in the
morning, Hijikata had his head bandaged, the situation was bad for me, this
time it seemed to be completely my fault.
Bowing, saying "I'm sorry, Kondou-sensei, Hijikata-sensei. It was my fault.
Saitou-san came home and wanted me to stitch his kimono, interrupting me
while
reading a book. I got mad at him and threw the book at him. He stepped aside,
it flew through the two shouji's into Hijikata-sensei's room, hitting his
head."
Saitou swallowed, Kondou's eyes nearly bulged of their sockets, Hijikata
was
fuming mad at me now. I had three men against me, no chance to succeed.
Kondou regained control, raising an eyebrow at Saitou.
"Saitou-kun?"
"I just wanted her to stitch my kimono. There was no need to threw the book
at
me."
"Tokio-san, apologise." I was expecting that, but my everpresent, unevitable
resistence stirred inside me. Juvenile flippancy, I'd say.
"But if Saitou-san hadn't stepped aside, this all wouldn't have happened.
I
supposed him to block the book." Perhaps there was a small light at the
end
of this long, dark tunnel.
"APOLOGISE!" HUH, how he managed to look so threatening?
"I'm sorry, Saitou-san."
"Second point: How did you two managed to sit half-naked in the street.
Tokio-san?"
"I attacked him as Hijikata-sensei came into our room, yelling at us and
he
didn't block the attack."
"Saitou-kun?"
"We had a small brawl and I was distracted by Hijikata-sensei who was suddenly
standing in our room. Her attack put me off balance and we went through
the
shouji down on the street."
Kondou sighed, shaking his head, Hijikata was still fuming mad.
"Apologise, you two!"
"Why? It was her fault!" Saitou didn't understand, I didn't too.
"Don't question me again, Saitou-kun. I can expect from my men, that they
aren't distracted by someone entering the room."
We both bowing deep "I'm sorry, Tokio-san." "I'm sorry, Saitou-san."
We both bowing deeper "We apologise, Hijikata-sensei."
Kondou seemed a bit relieved "Hijikata-san?"
He was fuming and annoyed "We want another room! My wife is not very pleased.
A room far away from these two."
Kondou sighed "I'll see what is possible. You two can leave."
***
Some days later Saitou come back supporting Soushi who wasn't able to walk
alone anymore. We laid him down on his futon, he didn't stop coughing and
spitting blood. His end was near.
We looked after him the next days, his condition was getting worse with
incredible speed. He had pulled himself together for such a long time, that
his strength for this fight was wasted.
Saitou had to look around Kyoto to maintain 'law and order', most times
I was
alone with Soushi. We didn't speak much, he was too weak and we had talked
so
much in the past, that it wasn't neccesary to exchange many words. But there
was still something I wanted to know, this seemed to be a perfect moment.
"I always wanted to know, why did you start to train me?"
He was very weak, his voice barely a whisper, but he smiled saying.
"I wanted to be sure, you can help that idiot out when he gets himself into
trouble."
"Don't make bad jokes, Soushi! He is better than me, I'll be the one in
trouble. He has his troop, his followers and his compagnions!"
Seriously Soushi looked aside
"There will be situation in which you will be the only one to help him,
Tokio.
I can trust you, because I know you would never betray him. There are others
I can't be so sure of." His inevitable smile reappeared "And I thought you
deserve it. You love fighting, I could tell from the way you were using
the swords."
"Thank you, Soushi." I changed the cold cloth on his forehead and handed
him
some tea. He soon fell asleep, looking deathly pale by now.
I watched over him for some hours, changing the clothes, helping him to
spit
out the blood, that he didn't suffocated from his own blood, when the shouji
opened. Saitou was back, coming towards us, kneeling down, laying his hand
on
my shoulder.
"How is he?"
"It is getting worse with every hour, he is vanishing more and more. He
spent
all his energy to pretend he is well" I caressed Soushi's cheek, there was
only a mere shadow of his former self left, of the wolf. But somehow he
was
still able to smile as he opened his eyes and watched us, Saitou pressed
my shoulder.
"It is good that you both are here now." He paused, he was too weak to speak
much between his coughs, he paid a tribute to his tremendous loss of blood.
"You are my best friends, I want you to have my swords when I'm dead. Promise
me to take them. It would be a waste to bury them with me. Tokio, you can
use
your and mine wakizashi as we trained." That was a long speech for him,
he was
exhausted, but he wasn't finished yet.
I squeezed his hand "We promise to take the swords."
"I want to ask a favour of you two." He was very serious now, I got alarmed
and waited till he continued between his coughs.
"Please, help me out to the woods." My eyes widened in shock, he couldn't
be
serious! Saitou placed his other hand on my shoulder to calm me down and
Soushi explained.
"I can't die like this, understand me. Lying on a futon, suffering of a
disease. This is no ending for a Samurai like me."
"But Matsudaira owns your life! You can't do that, you can't define by
yourself when your life ends." I couldn't help my outburst, the Daimyo
would't be pleased.
"I talked with Kondou-sensei. He will cover us and tell nobody of this.
I
don't have to tell you that this a secret that this isn't for the public,
do I?"
I bowed, defeated. It was already cleared and Saitou seemed to know already.
If I would be in his situation, I would properly choose the same way.
"But you are already too weak, to handle the sword."
I tried a last half-hearted protest.
Soushi looked even more serious now.
"That's why I need your help out there. You both."
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TBC...
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Author's comments:
The brothel was a idea I got in the course about background studies of Japan,
too. One lesson was about prostitutes and geishas, BTW something completely
different. Anyhow, girls started to learn their 'business' very early
(5 years) by watching other prostitutes serving their clients and men paid
a
lot of money to get a young girl for the first night ( with 13/14 years).
Sex with children was nothing unusual in Japan, don't flame me for that!
Prostitutes had ranks, meaning: higher rank, more money, less clients.
There are special names for the ranks, I don't recall them.
Anyhow, the highest ranked only served the important persons. The men had
to
invest a lot of work before a high-ranked prostitute would 'serve' one
(e. g. writing poems).
These women had a better education than a 'normal' Japanese wife!
A Japanese wife is usually stupid and had to get children for her husband,
nothing more! She had to serve three men: first her father, than her husband,
than her son. You need no education for that!
When they were too old to work in the brothel anymore, the
contract ended with 27. They often married or lived as a lover of one of
their former clients. They were quite popular, because of their skills.
I considered this quite interesting (I'm a bit insane, I know) and that's
were
I got the idea. I hope you got the point and I was not too confusing. ;)
Please correct me, when I'm wrong.