Kat Parties with the Mob...
and The Hand swings by.
The pleasant scent that had filled Rebecca's store abruptly disappeared, and the woman of the underground turned back to her own personal underground kingdom. Nodding her head at Hiro, who was busy charming a customer into a set of ornate ivory chopsticks that she had to have, Rebecca walked through a few rows of exquisite hair pieces on display. All of which were perfectly legal of course, before thinking about descending for a long night of planning. Brielle had gotten the ball rolling this afternoon with the completion of the blueprints, but for the job to be successful, it would take some strategy, stealth, and a little bit of luck.
She paused parallel to where the teen was ringing up the bamboozled woman at counter, and admired an intricate creation. A long copper pin, with purple silk orchids and pearls dripping down in strands. Thinking about that element, she had to inquire about a curious new trend throughout Brigton.
"How are the copper pieces selling Hiro?"
"They are a still flying out as fast as you're getting 'em in Miss Rebecca."
Strolling over the glass faced chest that housed all the typical copper wares, bangles, rings, pins, necklaces and even a few knives, she sighed. Strange thing, copper selling like that. Her shop had sold more of those trinkets to uppity city, and even mid class, folk in this month, than all year combined. Must be something new in the circles, but she'd have to check with Brielle about it, though Bex hadn't seen her doll friend in anything with a trace of the metal. Interesting.
Sauntering back over to the bookcase, she turned back to her boy.
"Keep the surface above ground, the under beckons me for the evening."
"Oh of course Miss Rebecca. You can count on me!" Hiro flashed his winning smile.
Grinning back at the lad with dark excitement, she descended back to the land of shadow, ready to get a plan in place for the match between her and the Gyangu.
XXXXX
Emerging from the secret staircase once again, Rebecca took another second to admire her basement's store. Some may call it contraband, but she preferred the term collectables, that she had procured from near and far. They were all hers in this room. Objects had always held her interest, and she had traveled to many of their homelands and enjoyed the freedom it had given her. Her wings had been clipped though, and she hadn't left the city lines of Brigton in a long time. A frown skirted its dark face over her own. Thinking of the past always made her jaded, and recently she was enlightened on a way to remedy some of that kuso itami. She had two nights to plan... Rebecca's hands went to her hips and her eyes steeled. These were going to be a couple long nights. But it didn't matter. She strode over to the table still full of leftover tea tidings. She'd pull however many hours it took to get the plan laid out. The list was long and revenge was a game best played in the dark anyway.
/-/-/-/
"The lady in black is back. Down the steps with not a clack, to plan and not slack, for this she has a knack, though this diddle lacks..."
A sigh of exasperation echoed through the mostly empty space.
"That's not a true rhyme Kat...And how the hell did you get up there!"
I looked down at Bex so that she could witness my eye roll.
"Rebeeeeecca darling," I said suavely rolling my R and trying to copy the Nuri Kabe's voice, "I'm the Hand of Brigton. I can do anything," I purred on the last word.
Ignoring my self-proclaimed brilliance, she strode right under me and headed straight to the blasted table we'd been at since the princess of the silk had glided in.
"Then perhaps you can stop acting like a bat in my belfry, and more like the kowai assassin-y friend that you are."
"Full of compliments today are we?"
"Only for you, you dark wraith."
I dignified her response with a cheshire smile.
"I'm not convinced...you mentioned some pretty nice things to the painted lady back there. A mistake really." I casually mentioned. "You do realize we'll need her expertise again if we want to take care of that list you got," I commented while folding my knees over the banister I was sitting on. Taking a deep breath and closing my eyes I let go.
Rebecca's eyebrows rose a fraction of an inch as she relaxed against the solid mahogany, as I, her peculiar friend, flipped backwards and landed solidly on two feet.
"And you are imperfect?" She pondered out loud. I simply smirked as I tugged on my worn gloves.
"Did you really have to hit her that hard? I'll be owing her for months now."
Messing with the Procurer was quite an enjoyable part to my busy life. Right up there with slicing rich playboy's throats and goose egging a tweety twit. But now was not the time to push my luck, Kami knows I'll need it later. Shaking my head slightly at my sentimental friend, I walked over a grasped her shoulder. The floor plans hashed out this afternoon sprawled on the table between us, and my free hand reached for one of my twin sais to spin in between my fingers.
"We have a match we have to prepare for, and I like all my pieces in their rightful place before I begin to make a move."
Rebecca held out her hand and I passed her the slim weapon. With a slam the tip dug deep into the hardwood.
"As do I Asashin"
/-/-/-/
Though the Gyangu had a Theodosian name, that was as far as the connection between them went. It was a surface level relation. The Gyangu originated in the scorching, sandy hills of Selim, one of the ancient countries that bordered the relatively new city of Brigton. Back before Brigton became the formable city, with its High Lord ruling its court, it was a small trading stop in the paths to the Eastern countries. Countries like Theodosia, with its peaceful artisans and their secret tea recipes. However, when Brigton had decided to become more than just a stop and expanded the city boundary lines to become an industrialized city, many had seen an opportunity to expand their own businesses. This led to a hodgepodge of folks pushed into the developing city to enjoy its new modern amenities. Since Brigton had taken over a few of the smaller countries surrounding it, not all that peacefully, the boundary lines had nearly tripled. The city was really like its own country.
Seeing profit in acquiring some of the new estate that the now much larger city of Brigton had to offer, the Gyangu had left their various desert holdings to relocate and have a permanent headquarters in the market district of the rising city. Although most of their family's fortune was made on the black market, the gang controlled various businesses inside the city and in many of its districts. They controlled restaurants that they liked to eat at, shops selling their favorite items, and meat markets where they took their victims to. Blood is easier to blend when you are surrounded by it. The Gyangu took the Theodosian name simply as a nod to the former country that had caused their city so much strife in the past, and because as the new mob of Brigton, they promised to do so much more.
Everything was all underground of course. It was easier to move goods when the City Guard is not constantly sniffing around business, which is why the Gyangu king pin dropped his Selim name, and became Marquis Kal Tudor, head of the Tudor Family fortune, and leader of the mob that lurked in the underground. The alley cats of the slums whispered that gold ran through his very veins, and that he used it to create his fortune, because everything he owned was made from, shaded to, or crafted out of the dazzling metal. An enticing situation to many of the Thief Guilds out there. All that loot sitting in one measly household, just waiting to be snatched. But it was clear that no attempt had ever been made. Even those who did not know the Tudor name well, knew what messing with the Vipers of the Underground would lead to, and they stayed far away from the Gold Man's touch. It was common street knowledge that those who messed with the Gyangu nest simply did not make it out of the gold gilded gates surrounding the mansion, alive.
Which is why it took two underground queens two full nights to plan on how to maneuver in and out of the Kuso fortress that was masquerading as a mansion. Six turrets with four archers on the roof, ten foot tall barbed gate around the entire perimeter, ghoul hounds inside waiting to tear intruders apart, and at least ten infantrymen posted at the front door with a duster-nozzle pistol each. And that is just the outside. "Impressive." I whistled as I gathered up all my weapons from my typical spot, atop the back banister of the basement. "This will be a fun night." I loved a good challenge. Never had been able to resist testing the limits of my abilities, and tonight should prove to be just as entertaining as the last round I had played in. Maybe more so, the painted lady won't be there for damage control. Thinking back to my fence's odd choices in friends, I pondered how they came to be so close. Rebecca and I had true history, but how had they cultivated a friendship from merely a fence and courtesan transaction? Before I got too far with that thought, Rebecca came back down stairs with a slight frown on her face.
"Trouble above?" I inquired while stepping off the beam and landing in a slight crouch.
"Maybe...maybe not. There could be a new player sitting in this round, who could cause some trouble."
Unlike Rebecca, I always felt that new players were always a welcome surprise in my twisted little mind, but I did understand how it could unsettle Rebecca. The Procurer was putting a lot into this night, revealing herself to Brielle, playing with the Gyangu, and considering the crazy hours we put into planning this phase, I understood the tension. Felt it like a taut string running through my slender frame. As much as I loved playing with new things, my shin'yuu fears would not be mixed into tonight's affairs.
I retrieved my gloves from one of my back pockets, pulling them on as I made my way over to what I referred to as my exit. Standing above the rusty grate that led to the sewer system of Brigton, I pulled my hood up, and gray cowl over my face.
"The only thing causing trouble should be us tonight my shin'yu," I replied calmly. "I will make sure of it."
/-/-/-/
New player my pretty little knives!
After spending a great deal of the night dodging the archers careful gazes, ghoul hound's noses, scopes of killer pistols, and a pesky amount of servants, I had finally made it to the inner sanctum of the Gold Man's house. Where the Gyangu spoke freely and the bourbon and poker was poured and played even more so. Luckily the circular office of Marquis Kal Tudor, was home to a countless number of tapestries, paintings, and rare ancient statues of the Selim dessert culture. Homage to his ancestors, how generous. These objects gave the otherwise plain and shadowless room many places to hide and wait for the right time to strike. Since it was my first rest of the night, and probably the last before I played my hand, I had taken the time to go over the list the Procurer had given me.
The men of the room played and drank at a table directly in the middle of the room, underneath one fantastically gaudy chandelier, and I routinely went through their names as I slipped behind a statue of the massacre of the Selim children, which happened roughly forty years prior to this night. It had lots of blood. Pafekuto. A perfect painting to set the mood. The thought tided me over, until I saw one older gentleman who was not on Rebecca's list. Odd, but one old geezer would not throw me off, that was until I saw his escort.
That damu ona! Sitting next to the greying man was a beautiful young woman in a gown of golden silk, with a very familiar fading grey shawl draping below her shoulders.
What was she doing here, playing around with some man twice her age, and interrupting my perfect move?! I did not like interruptions. Not one eensy bit. Her little doll face would get it first, Procurer's friend or not. No one plays with The Hand of Brigton.
Just as my hands had glided over to where I lined the throwing knives inside my cloak, the painted lady leaned over the her patron for the night and whispered something in his ear. His wrinkled face crinkled more and his eyes lit up with excitement. She simply sat back and pulled her shawl around her tanned shoulders, covering the cleavage that had threatened to spill out of her golden gown of choice. Well played Putaro.
Her gentleman stood and addressed the table of mobsters, looking directly at Kal Tudor as he spoke in a raspy wise tone. "Gentlemen, as much as I would love to finish our game and knock back a few more bourbons this evening, my lovely companion for the night has requested that we depart, as she is not feeling all that well."
A few of the men at the table made pig glances at the beauty currently resting against Kosuke Maruboshi, and I almost laughed out loud. Pigs playing poker making money, while the old tea master had the Brielle Greysilk pressed to his side. Willingly. The question inside their heads was also in mine. How? Before any of them got a chance to voice their displeasure at the fortune of a pruny old man, Kal Tudor stood as well, dwarfing the bearded tea brewer.
Giving the pair a once over, his commanding voice took hold of the room.
"I believe that we still have business to discuss Master Maruboshi." I could almost feel the rush of air that pushed out of the table, leaving only tension behind. A couple of the goons lining the circumference of the room made to grab their weapons. This night just keeps getting better and better. Using the distraction, I made my way over to one of the solid wood pillars that lead up to rafters of the ceiling. Might as well get a better view of the show.
Before the guns were brought out, Kal raised his hands.
"But seeing the bruises marring Ms. Greysilk's delicate complexion, I can understand her discomfort."
I could not hold in my snort. Seriously it had to come out. Thank Kami I was up high in the sky so none of the mobsters could hear it. I did have a reputation of a ruthless killer to uphold, which is why the thought of Kal Tudor, a man whose reputation matched mine, feeling sorry for minor bruising on a doll was laughable. Rolling my eyes I watched as Ms. Greysilk politely thanked the host and guided Master Maruboshi out of the room, her dress swishing next to his dark robe with each step and strike of his cane.
Once the pair had left the room, Kal sat back into his plush chair, and one of his minions spoke. The only one who hadn't had a sip of alcohol, and had a pad of paper in front of his seat instead of a hand of cards. The scribe of the gang.
"What of the deal between Maruboshi and Gyangu? We need to make sure he makes a contribution to this city's greatest patron or other businesses will..."
"Master Maruboshi knows what will happen if he does not pay the Gyangu, Xeres. He will not delay this anymore than he has. Besides," the tanned bastard grinned, "How could I deprive him of an evening spent with the finest doll Brigton has to offer. Even his old bone needs some exercise."
With that, all the previous tension blew out of the room and the men laughed and yucked it up at their boss's sense of humor. The drinking became looser, and the jokes more outrageous, and when they started getting tasteless I made my move.
I am not sure any of them really knew what flew down from the rafters and dangled above the table until after my knives had planted themselves in their throats, taking special care to those on the Procurer's list. All of their prayers were short, their handprints slapped on, and I was back up my thread, still fuming and planning my next act of debauchery for the night.
Don't dance with the devil little girl, unless you know how to play
/-/-/-/
Finding where the painted lady lived was not difficult. Though those who circulated the higher circles of Brigton tried to keep where they lived as private as possible. For the most part the artisans, actors, and courtesans kept their private lives underground, while they dabbled publically in the games played above ground. But when you press a few knives to a couple creeps from slums, or pay off a few other fences, you tend to get information. So finding the most sought after doll of Brigton was not a challenge. Especially when I was coming off the high that killing the entire Gyangu elite produced. I scented the nuri kabe out just after three in the morning, as she was walking back most likely from her lovely evening spent with the master tea brewer. Her shoes were dangling from her hands and she walked casually through the gates, looking like she had had a blissful evening.
Not anymore.
I waited until she had gotten through her buildings front doors, and had taken the grated elevator up to her penthouse floor, and was musing my way around the garden that she hosted on her roof, when something flickered near a sleeping sakura tree.
Fingers flashed as the metal star I had flicked at the enemy was caught, and they stepped out from their hiding place among the branches. I growled in irritation.
"Nanda Procurer, what are you doing here?!" I hissed. She never left her nest while a round was in motion, and tonight would be especially dangerous as soon as the Tudor household was alerted to the death of the beloved Gold Man. Just as the thought left my mind, the Brigton bells went off, alerting the City's Watch of the bloody evening. Captain Uricha's night just got longer.
She didn't even flinch at my steel, which made me madder.
"Good thing to know you haven't lost you touch," she joked half heartedly.
My glare could have killed a lesser woman, but she rolled her eyes, unperturbed.
"Kat..." the woman of the underground started, and a bristle rolled through me.
"Do NOT call me that," I retorted, fingers itching inside the leather gloves. I was on the job, I was not her. I was The Hand. The Hand of Brigton who terrorized this city. The Hand who reminded little dolls as to why they should never mess with one of my plays. Especially twice. Before I could make a move to the rooftop door that lead into the penthouse, the Procurer stopped me. She reached out for one of my torn sleeves and I froze. Grabbing my gloved hands she forced me to look at her and keep grounded, before I flew off the handle. Again. I looked into my friends earthy eyes and had to ask.
"Why was she there tonight Rebecca? It was unexpected, and I do not like it when my plans get interrupted."
Rebecca waited a moment, our pulses evening out a little.
"From what I can tell, her being there was as unexpected to her as to us," she started calmly. Just before you left, Hiro informed me that she had stopped by to buy some of the best black market Theodosian matcha tea leaves, and orange blossom massage oil. Knowing her as I do, I recognized that she was being called on by Master Maruboshi, the master tea blender of Brigton."
I tightened my grip on the taller woman slightly.
"I saw the old man there. Had her dangling off him like a sick, twisted, old teme..."
"Actually Brielle was probably more inclined to display affection than Maruboshi," Rebecca cut in.
I raised my eyebrows in disbelief. Who in their right mind would want to be affectionate to a man that seniored them by at least forty-five years?
Rebecca chuckled. "Oh they have been friends for a long time. Brielle has a special place in her heart for that man."
"Anywhere else she has a special place for him?" I scoffed.
Frowning Rebecca looked back into my eyes.
"Kat. Brielle is not always what she seems..."
"She is a whore, who sleeps with men for money," I stated bluntly. "Classy as she seems, with her flashy outfits and elaborate makeup, that's just how it is. Being the top doll doesn't change that fact." Pausing my tirade, I thought about how someone of her caliber met a man of Maruboshi's status. "She probably met old geezer while looking for a great pile of cash with not much oil left, at some sort of party, but decided she couldn't devote herself to one man long enough to wait for him to snuff out!"
My hands were released suddenly, and Rebecca turned away. She paced back toward the tree, then back to me. To the tree and back. Finally, after making me slightly dizzy she paused, sending a thoughtful glance my way.
"Do you know how I met Brielle? How we became more than just a shopper and a merchandiser?" I shook my head, my hood falling loose as I did so.
Rebecca turned and faced the balcony that overlooked the center district of our beloved Brigton, lost in thought, the dim lighting of the garden offsetting the brightness of the city lights. After thinking for a moment, she crossed her arms in front of her and started.
"Well you see, there were two kids that worked in a house that Brielle had taken a long term job in, it was right at the beginning of her doll career so she had to build up her reputation," Rebecca explained. "These two kids were full blooded Theodosians, like herself so she had taken to them immediately."
Thinking back to how freely Brielle had used the mother tongue back in the basement, dressed in the eastern style on days off, and enjoyed many aspects of the culture, I understood that she really did love our country. Picturing her connecting to two kids of the same breed was not difficult.
"When one of the kids reached about thirteen they developed what is called a gift."
I nodded, thinking back to the old tales of people with incredible gifts, like healing, conjuring, and even flying, existed. Ever since Brigton had pushed into the Eastern land of Theodosia and taken over, less and less tales were told. Everyone knew that to be discovered with a gift meant a lot of different things, not all good. Enslavement, rights being taken away, and constantly under the monitor of someone to name a few sparkling things. Most of the gifted had faded underground, or had come to believe that their gifts did not exist, simply out of self preservation. A huge part of the culture wiped out, due to the greed of another.
While I was entranced in the depressing state of my culture, Rebecca had shuffled over the railing and was leaning over it, the wind rippling through her cloak and hair. Her head bowed into her arms, I saw that it was even shaking slightly.
"This kid had no idea what to do. He freaked out. I mean flashing invisible, and disappearing in front of the entire kitchen staff tends to do that..." My eyes bugged. Impressive.
On the same track, Rebecca nodded. "A gift indeed, until the truth is out there and you cannot take back that moment and go back to living your life. The kid was thirteen and on his way to Kami knows where, to do whatever the Brigton Guard, or the High Lord commanded."
The thought of another kid being ripped away from their life and stripped of rights they always had, and then being forced to do work for other people made my body tingle. All for being blessed with an ancient ancestral power. But where did Brielle fit into this?
"Patience Kowai-san. I'm getting there."
The freaking Ona! She's reading my mind and calling me scary one! Rebecca laughed and continued her tale.
"Brielle happened to be at this household that day, and managed to delay the kid's departure to the City's High Lord ruler, by doing what, I have no idea, but she did it. She then reached out to me, putting together that I was not merely a shopkeeper in the slums, but that I moved certain underground goods around too."
I nodded at this, understanding how Brielle had come to this conclusion. After walking through Rebecca's shop, and paying extremely close attention to the items sold there, the idea that not all were stocked from the surface came to mind. She had too diverse of a selection.
"But the problem was, at that time I didn't have the network to get the kids out of the city. I did not have the connections to ensure that they would make it beyond the border, let alone safely, so Brielle had to go to someone who did. Someone who had easy access to ports outside the city, that could make a last minute shipment without looking too suspicious. See where I'm going with this?"
Kuso Woman, making me do all the hard thinking. Well back a couple of years there were a few big names in the legal trade business who would not catch the City Guards beady eyes. The McMillans, but they only traded inside the borders, the Wallaces with their sea trade, but that would be a hassle trying to acquire a ship so late...I thought there was one more...I had joined Rebecca at the balcony, leaning against the railing, but I couldn't contain my shock and I stuck out a hip. My mouth may have even opened slightly. Oh she did not... but oh yes she did.
"She went to the old geezer didn't she."
Rebecca's laugh echoed through the array of flowers.
"Brielle sought out Master Maruboshi, yes. And the tea master managed to slip not only the gifted teen, but also his younger brother out of the borders, on a last minute tea shipment headed to a city by Selim."
Still reeling from the fact that plaster face had taken the risk to help one kid, my face scrunched.
"Just what the hell did she do to get him to do that?! I mean...just what..."
Putting up a hand, Rebecca stopped my awkward implications. "I am not sure of this, and have never been able to get it out of her officially, she can be just as shadowy as us, but I believe that those two have history together. That Maruboshi did this as a favor to her, and she does what.. well... she does as a favor to him. An honor thing."
I pulled off my gloves and turned to lean my back over to the railing that formed the perimeter of the garden. Both risked a lot to save two kids. A Tea empire and a promising courtesan future. Just to help two poor Theodosian kids. None of it was really making sense, and it was frustrating as well as intriguing. Who was Brielle Greysilk really? The mystery of it all was delightfully buried somewhere...with someone.
Rebecca didn't seem to hold my same feelings.
"We all have things we like to keep buried Kat. Both of us should understand more than most."
I shrugged, lacing my fingers behind my head, and stretching back nearly halfway over the railing. Probably like five inches from death, well maybe more like three. Who cares?
"I am simply curious as to how a demure doll has history with the best tea blender in the last century."
Neither answering nor denying her own curiosity, Rebecca simply put it like how it is.
"That my shin'yuu, is simply how the pieces fell."
Glossary-
Asashin: assassin asashin - assassin ubiytsa - assassin
kuso- damn or fuck kuso - damn chert - damn?
itami- pain itami - pain bol' - pain
shin'yuu- best friend shin'yu - best friend luchshiy drug - best friend
damu ama- dumb bitch damu meinu - dumb bitch nemoy suka - bumb bitch
Putaro- tramp horo-sha - tramp brodyaga - tramp
Kami- God Kami - God bog - God
Nuri Kabe- plaster face sekko-gao - plaster face shtukaturka litso - plaster Sakura- cherry blossom sakura no hana - cherry blossom face
Kowai-scary kowai - scary vishni v tsvetu - cherry blossom
zhutkiy - scary