By StormyTitan
It should be mentioned before we begin that the story is told from Megumi and Beshimi's (if anyone remembers him) perspectives. 'Tale of a Tack' is also made with the anime in mind and not the manga, though I love the manga version of the Megumi arc just as well. The anime has more Beshimi in general, I feel, though the manga did have that one moment with him laying in his room...
Regardless, I humbly beg you to stick with it because, I assure you, it will surprise you. I made this fanfiction because Beshimi is an under appreciated and little explored character. And as I was watching the anime, it was actually hearing him call her 'sweetheart' and 'cutie' that got me thinking...why? But we ALL know he swore to get Megumi back to the mansion (because he let her escape somehow) and he dies from Kanryu shooting him (DAMN HIM!) So this story fills, or rather adds, to what happened between.
The bottom line though? I love Ruro-Ken. I love the Oniwabanshu. So I make fan fiction! Enjoy and Review please :D
In this chapter: Megumi's good doctor friend just died, murdered by the 'pig' Kanryu. Above her, not to her knowledge, Beshimi watches her like he was ordered to, making sure she never makes a move toward escaping. He's forbidden by the Okashira to speak to her, but then again, he always had been a mess-up and never managed to do things quite right.
Chapter 1: "Insults"
The wood chipped in Beshimi's hand, "Tsk!"
The pellet that was only beginning to form into a tack now had a long crack in its side where the kunai's deadly sharp point had caught the grain. Continuing to carve around such a deep mark would be futile. Even if finished, the crooked tack would never be flicked properly. The cat-like gaze hardened and narrowed into a deep glare.
Th ninja allowed the small piece of wood to fall to his feet with the other defected tacks, earlier failures, before Beshimi adjusted his weight uncomfortably. His eyes trailed over the shadows as he positioned his eyes to look through the crack between the ceiling tiles he displaced.
Megumi Takani was still there, by the window, forlornly looking out.
Upset at the recent death of the doctor Kanryu hired, watching her had suddenly become five times easier. She stayed in one spot now, in front of the window, instead of moving from one room to the other in her 'never have enough time in the day' manner.
The mansion also became quieter with her new found depression. She wasn't demanding certain things, or scolding the doctor about how he took care of himself, and in most cases the silence would be welcomed in Beshimi's eyes (or rather, ears). However, it wasn't a comfortable silence that he could enjoy, but a throat gripping one that made him wonder if his breathing was loud enough for the whole house to hear. An ink brush landing on the ground hairs first would probably make a sound that would make the whole place yelp in surprise at the suddenness.
A new block, from a pile to his left, was tight in his palm as he tried again. His tacks were all made by hand in his free time. And free time he had as Megumi stayed in her room sullenly.
A sob. Ah, so she was crying again.
Beshimi had no idea how close she became to the doctor, but apparently it was closer than he first presumed. Of course, with Hannya's unmatchable skill in acquiring information, Beshimi already knew all about Megumi and her loss. Her family, most likely dead now, and now a friend is dead as well. It was barely a wonder why she would want to do nothing with her life at this point, except weep.
The kunai slipped but he lifted his wrist before it marred the wood. He stared evenly at the frustrating weapon gripped tightly in his hand.
When it came to ninjutsu, he was a failure. Skill with a kunai? Lacking, if at all. Hand to hand combat techniques? The basics at most. But the one thing he could handle about being a low ranking Oniwabanshu ninja was being quick on his feet and the tacks he mastered. No one managed to best him at it. But then again, not many cared to try anyways. None the less, Lord Aoshi found him useful enough to keep him around.
Beshimi prided himself in that fact. Serving Lord Aoshi had been the one thing in his life worth pursuing. And it was all he needed to continue living, unlike Megumi Takani who looked closer and closer to suicide each passing day.
As it so happened, nowadays, Beshimi rarely left his quiet little spot in watching her, only moving himself when one of the others arrived to take his place. As far as he and the others had seen, she hadn't eaten, bathed, or drank anything since Kanryu killed the doctor. It was almost as if life held no more purpose for her and she simply gave up trying.
Something that would never happen to him as long as Okashira-sama lived.
Beshimi stopped carving as the hiccuping suddenly became louder, and even to him, more pathetic. She shuddered, trying to force herself to stop, but couldn't manage it. It probably would be wrong to continue staring at her when she was so oblivious that anyone was watching her at all in her weakened state. Beshimi's thin black eyes fell down to his hands to avoid the crying woman below.
Little nicks and scars were all over his hands from when he slipped against the wood with the shaping. He was a fumbler when it came to kunai and he could never skillfully cut anything, even wood, with the weapon to save his life. But still, he managed to make his tacks which he could skillfully use for anything one could possibly do with them, just as long as he could make them.
Switching hands, the block now in his dominant gloved palm, he used the kunai to start shaping the base of the tack. He sniffed in sharply as the tip skimmed his calloused thumb, but kept on going as no blood trickled out onto his work.
He looked up. Again, no change.
It was becoming more blindingly obvious as the days drew on that she was intent on not making any new drugs for a man she now resented more than ever.
Beshimi slowed down in his work after a while, the shape almost definitely made now, and stared at the long black hair that fell down her back. He had been staring at it of and on all morning, and she hadn't moved or seemed to even want to make a move. It was starting to get on his nerves along with the cramps in his fingers from all the tacks he made in waiting for her to move. To stretch. To maybe stand for a bit. To do anything!
She could at least take a bath or something, he thought, surely she must stink, even for a woman. In fact, it had to be true, since she hadn't done so much as put a damp cloth to her face in nearly a week! If she was going to be depressed she could at least do it in the nude, while sitting in steamy water, so it would keep him entertained. Hell, it might even help her along in getting over it.
But, then again, she did have this annoying way of never doing anything that people expected or wanted her to do. It appeared that even subconsciously it was so.
She was always like that. Beshimi could remember the first time they met.
Not at all a nice memory, anyways he had too few of those to begin with, and Megumi Takani would not, under any circumstance, be classified as a 'nice' anything! She had an attitude that matched even Hannya's. Not to mention an ego that seemingly surpassed Hyottoko's, a hard thing to do for sure. She even flaunted a pride that made Shikijou note it, though he was usually oblivious with such things as he had an impressive one himself.
Megumi Takani even hid the fact, though only slightly, that Lord Aoshi didn't seem fearsome and scare her. It was definitely the first in many years that they weren't completely stared at in awe or fear by someone, especially upon their initial meeting.
Their demonic faces didn't even make the woman so much as bat an eyelash. That was something else, and for a moment, oh, for a foolish moment, Beshimi was actually impressed with the lady.
Beshimi was so impressed, in fact, that he made the mistake in trying to be polite and befriend the pretty creature. He was shot down with that heartless voice of hers so quick that it was near painless. The key word being near. He stuttered, for a moment dumbfounded, as she flipped her silky strands over her shoulder, huffed her ruby painted lips, and gave him the cold shoulder. Then it clicked, and his long mouth dropped open. She even mentioned how short and ugly he was before fully leaving to go back to the room that she and the doctor worked in.
Hyottoko and good-natured Shikijou laughed as he felt every nerve in his head pop and his shoulders shook.
What an annoying woman! But still, even Beshimi could see she wasn't worthless. Unlike him, she had many talents, and her food did taste good when she was feeling generous and decided to make dinner for the doctor who would gladly share it with the Oniwaban group. She had a pretty face and a very graceful way about her movements, but she was still frustrating, irritating, infuriating-!
Past his fuming, he did feel a sudden (and strange) twinge of pity. They all probably did when watching her present pastimes of weeping or silently praying for an end to her torment. But, he could safely say his pity was stranger, more odd, than the rest of the group. And it was only because of how different he was from them.
He was no Shikijou, who had a big heart for everyone. Nor was he like Hyottoko, who actually felt sorry for everyone who suffered because not long ago he suffered as well. Hannya also may have pitied the woman because he could relate to what it was like to be alone.
Beshimi wasn't like them though, he had a small constricted heart made for few. He was actually a bit jealous of Hyottoko for having a more helpful talent than his tacks, proving to even himself how selfish he was in wanting to be the 'best'. And Hannya was probably the closest, most devoted, and most useful person under Lord Aoshi, earning him the most envy from the diminutive ninja. Wherever 'pity' found room in all his negative emotions, Beshimi couldn't be sure, but it was there. Just a little of it.
Maybe he should go down and say something to the woman, something to make her feel better about the doctor's death. It would be nice, and very rare of course, since he barely went out of his way to be nice to anyone but Misao and that was a long time ago. But, it wasn't like he was incabale of doing such things. Awkward, perhaps, but it could still be done. Perhaps Takani would even change her mind about him being really 'ugly.' He still would be of course, he was well aware he was what one called a 'looker', or even remotely resembled it, but maybe Megumi would think little less about his appearances, in an indirect way.
He sighed, but he wasn't supposed to talk to her. Lord Aoshi forbid it.
Still though…the woman was still weeping for heaven's sake!
Inching closer, he moved the tile in the ceiling so he could fit his body through. He placed his palms on the edge and he lowered himself down without Takani noticing. An easy task even for him since she didn't have sharp senses and she was numbed by emotional pain.
He took steps closer to her and coughed.
Her head twirled around at hearing the sudden sound and she almost yelped. But nothing came out of her red lips, and her tear streaked face turned to that of an angry one very quickly.
"What are you doing in here? Don't you know you shouldn't enter a lady's room without her knowing? It's rude!" Megumi crossed her arms and stuck her chin high in the air, "You aren't welcome in here, get out!"
I've been watching you for days now, sweetheart. Having no idea why he'd think to call her that Beshimi blinked and simply answered, "My name is Beshimi, if you remember-."
"I don't care, leave!" Megumi turned back around to the window, her long hair flinging over her shoulder. She added in a harsh whisper, "Ugly little man!"
"I have a name, sweetheart," Deciding the term would bother her, he continued, "And I noticed the little cutie isn't feeling so well lately."
"I shouldn't!" Megumi huffed and continued to stare out into the courtyard, her eyes locked on the front gate, "I don't know if you noticed, but a good friend of mine was murdered in cold blood not so very long ago."
"Oh no, I noticed that," Beshimi spat back. Kanryu was a far, a very far, cry from anything honorable and actually got on Beshimi (and surely the rest of the oniwaban's) every nerve. But he followed Lord Aoshi, and not the pig, so he didn't bother Beshimi near as much as the man could. Okashira-sama made sure that Kanryu was aware of that little fact. Because of this, Beshimi had a bit of resentment tied with his words, which could've possibly been misinterpreted somehow.
Megumi grew quiet, glaring out the window, as Beshimi shifted on his feet rather uneasily.
"What is it you want?" Megumi finally spoke again, but it was into the glass, "I don't want you staring at me for too long, so out with it."
"Stop crying."
"What?" She turned and faced him with puffy lids, "How can you say that?"
Beshimi sniffed than scratched his bony cheek with a rough finger, "Look, you can mourn the dead all you want, but it won't change a thing for them. You have to do something useful with your life. If not for yourself, then for them. If you can't manage that then you should just kill yourself and join them."
"Don't you think I know that, stupid little man?" Megumi sniffed back her tears and fought more of them, "But what would you have me do? Killing myself won't help bring him back! And there are still things to live for!"
"I don't know," Beshimi bit his cheek, "But sitting by that damn window won't do a thing either, stupid fox!"
Now that was a term that suited her well. She was cunning like one and tricky as well. Though she didn't seem like it now.
Megumi's eyes flared and she put a hand on her collar bone, "So, I should make those drugs for Kanryu? Is that it?" She was slowly returning to her defiant self.
"No…yes, actually, that would be smart," Beshimi tried to unclench his teeth but they wouldn't come loose, as usual, so he spoke through a gritted grimace, "It would be better than having Kanryu kill you wouldn't it? Don't you want to live, fox?"
"Of course I do! But, how can I with only this to live for!" She gestured vaguely to her surroundings before sadly putting her head into her arms. Her hair barely brushed the glass pane as she sobbed, "I don't want to make those awful things! It would only kill more people!"
"Then die, but those are you're only two options, woman." Beshimi frowned and looked up at the tile. He probably shouldn't use that route if she was looking at him. She would most definitely know that they were watching her that way.
"No, it's not." Megumi narrowed her eyes into the cloth of her yukata before whipping her head around to flash a glare at the ninja, declaring, "I will run away from Kanryu!"
"I'd like to see you try!" Beshimi turned his back to her and walked towards the door, "Sorry to break it too you, sweetie, you're not getting past us!"
"That's what you think!" Megumi screeched before he slammed the door.
"Stupid woman!"
"Stupid dwarf!"
End chapter one…..
Next Chapter/ Beshimi has tempted her to escape, though claiming that his comrades can stop her. What will she do for her freedom? And will talking to her bite him in the ass later?
I will upload more chappie's but only if I get a review, or maybe if I wait too long...either way! I have the whole thing written already.
Review?