Collide 2
Gentle hands full of grace dragged a comb through satiny, thick, jet black hair. "O-Sei-Chan," The brush paused as the lovely O-Sei waited for O-Kinu to speak her mind. "I wanted you to be the first to know... Shinkichi asked me to marry him." O-Sei gasped looking at O-Kinu. O-Kinu tried to still her heart where it pounded in her chest. O-Sei blinked away the tears that threatened to highlight the terrified joy the news brought. "Are you not going to say anything?"
"What would it please you to have me say?" O-Sei heard O-Kinu gasp. "I am happy for you Aneue, I know he will devote his life to making you happy, but... Are you sure it is what you want?"
"Well, he is a kind man," O-Kinu began. "He does not gamble as much anymore, in fact I do not remember him going since the Masseur shut down the yakuza. He thinks I am beautiful... he loves me."
"Do you love him?" O-Sei asked taking O-Kinu's chin forcing their eyes to connect.
A soft laugh left O-Kinu as she thought of all Shinkichi had done for her and O-Sei. She remembered the many times he had made her laugh. "Yes, O-Sei-Chan... Yes, I love him."
A smile lit the beautiful features that belied the gender as O-Sei looked at his older sister. "Then I am happy for you." O-Kinu took her brother into her arms holding him tight. She did not care if the fine silk of his elegant kimono crumpled. O-Sei smiled glad that happiness had found it's way into his sister's life at last.
It was not difficult for Katsushiro to get directions to Oume's farm. The townspeople well remembered the blind samurai that had rescued their town and the old woman he stayed with. Most importantly they remembered the beautiful geisha's staying with the widow. "Geisha's huh? Zato, you old dog..." Katsushiro laughed to himself as he rounded the corner on the trail from town. It was a nice home, he could tell that it was freshly made, not more than a year old. Large enough for many people to be comfortable inside it's walls. There was also two smaller huts nearby. Though they were smaller they were no less nice abodes.
Katsushiro paused listening to the sound of the wind blow through the surrounding trees. He took several more steps before he halted. There, just sitting on the porch basking in the sun while sipping his green tea, sat Zatoichi. The old samurai felt the shadow cover him. A smile wreathed his lined features. "I know you..." Zatoichi grinned sipping his tea smiling at the energizing flavor. "Tsunan... yes that is you."
"Hello Sensei," Katsushiro clasped his hands bowing before the great man even though he knew his movements were not seen.
"You are well to come here, let us get inside out of this heat." Zatoichi got to his feet. Reaching out he grasped his red cane. Katsushiro smiled as he remembered the first time he had seen the blade hidden within the cane
Katsushiro smiled entering the house behind Zatoichi. He saw two of the most beautiful women he had ever seen. They sat by the window both silent as they worked on sewing some bright colored cloth. Katsushiro could not keep his eyes from lingering on the one in the red kimono. She sat so demure beside the other girl, her hands folded perfect in her lap. "Ah yes," Zatoichi muttered sitting near the window on the opposite side of the room. "That would be Miss O-Kinu and O-Sei," Zatoichi pointed to each beauty in turn. "O-Kinu is set to be married soon."
"You have my congratulations," Katsushiro bowed he smiled as his eyes went back to O-Sei. "So lovely," Katsushiro whispered earning himself a grin from Zatoichi.
"Kenshin," Sanosuke grumbled as they entered the town. "We are not lost see," Sanosuke pointed to the tavern that looked as if it had been there since the town was built. "I am sure it is around here somewhere."
Kaouru frowned her bright yellow kimono hiding the fine tuned muscles of her body. "We could just ask someone for directions."
"Directions where?" Yahiko demanded looking around with a glare to any who dared to gawk at the newcomers. "So here we are in a town near Izu, but we don't know who Tsunan's friend is staying with. All we know is the name Zatoichi."
Kenshin smiled tucking his arms into his sleeves. "We could just ask if any of these people know Zatoichi, that we could."
"Zatoichi?" Kenshin and his group turned at the voice of the young man in a tan kimono that approached them. "I am Shinkichi, I know Zatoichi, he is staying with my aunt. Is there a reason you are looking for him?" Shinkichi asked realizing too late that they may be enemies of the old man and thus a danger to his family and future bride.
"Hi, we are friends of Tsunan, that we are." Kenshin announced with his best clueless smile in place. "Can you tell us where he is, he came to aid a Zatoichi, that he did." Several brawny, well-dressed men looked over at the strangers in the town. Sanosuke noted the interest with a frown the same time that Shinkichi noted it.
"Come on cousin," Shinkichi said loud draping an arm around Kenshin. "It has been years since we have seen you, Aunt Oume is going to be delighted to see you. Is this your wife?" Shinkichi kissed both of Kaouru's cheeks embracing Yahiko next. "Your son, such a healthy young boy and this must be your wife's brother." Shinkichi shook Sanosuke's hand he ushered them on the road leaving town before anymore questions could be asked or anymore unwanted attention could be drawn. He heaved a sigh of relief when he saw that they were not being followed.
"That bad huh?" Sanosuke asked as they approached the house just as the sun set leaving the day behind with a spectacular display of colors. Shinkichi said nothing, he simply entered the house. He paused a smile on his face as he greeted O-Kinu. He looked for and found Zatoichi sitting with his a stranger while Oume and O-Sei served them tea. Shinkichi frowned, usually O-Kinu kept O-Sei hidden or subdued when guests came over. She tried to protect him but Shinkichi thought her manner bordered on smothering yet would never tell her so. He loved her too much.
"What are you guys doing here?" Were the first words of greeting that Katsushiro spoke to Sanosuke and Kenshin.
"Well hello to you too," Yahiko grumbled. "This big lug here was worried about you so of course he whined to Kenshin and Kenshin was going to come with him to help you guys, but Kaouru did not want Kenshin to wander off by himself so here we all are."
"I wasn't worried," Sanosuke defended himself. "I just thought that it was time we all took a little trip and since you were already here..." Sanosuke trailed off as of he cared so little for his childhood friend that seeing him was incidental.
"Yeah," Kenshin smiled and Oume thought she had never seen a young man so adorable. "Something like that."
Katsushiro laughed as they all sat down at Oume's bidding. She and O-Sei then began to serve the dinner. Katsushiro was impressed by the blatant grace that O-Sei possessed. The young woman's red robe fluttered ever so gently as she moved drawing his eyes to her slender figure. So thin and delicate did she appear. The make-up was perfect applied with just a hint of artful seduction on the porcelain fine face. "Maybe," Oume said gaining Katsushiro's attention. "After dinner the ladies will give us a performance."
"Must be nice having such talent living with you." Katsushiro praised the efforts of the finely prepared meal.
"How do you know how fine our talent is?" O-Kinu asked with a smile on her face. "You have just arrived here, and have never seen our performance."
"I could be pleased just looking upon such beauty as you both possess." Katsushiro said causing Sanosuke to roll his eyes at his compliments. Dinner rolled by with soft conversations as they all discussed their ravels each person wanting to enjoy the night. The talk steered clear of the subject of the Yakuza and what the morning might bring. After dinner, as promised, O-Kinu pulled out her instrument and O-sei got to his fet. He bowed low to the small audience his fingers just touching the folded fan. He got to his feet tucking it in place. The music started and they were all entranced. " Such grace is uncommon," Katsushiro whispered to Sanosuke.
"If you are so in love... marry her," Sanosuke laughed. The music stopped on an abrubt note as O-Kinu glared at the men.
"Good Night O-Sei," O-Kinu said causing Oume and Zatoichi to look at her oddly. Saying nothing O-Sei nodded to his sister and left the main house for the smaller one he shared with her on the property. "I just remembered that we are going into town tomorrow to acquire fabric for my wedding ensemble. We need our rest." O-Kinu explained with a smile at Shinkichi. He nodded his head as she got to her feet. Shinkichi's eyes left her to lock on Katsushiro who was getting to his feet.
"Please excuse me," Katsushiro nodded his head to Oume and Kaouru before slipping out to the restroom. O-Kinu's brows drew down watching him her lips turned down. Katsushiro left the lavatory to feel the sharp point of a blade pressed to his neck. "What the...?!" He exclaimed careful to control his reactions feeling the slight weight of his atacker.
"Stay away from O-Sei!" O-Kinu demanded pressing forward a single drop of blood on Katsushiro's neck his first and final warning from the slim beauty. She shoved her blade home in its sheath turning crisply on her heel she stormed away. Katsushiro paused running a finger along the thin line of his injury. He smiled, now that she had thrown down the gauntlet, it would be the act of a gentleman to pick it up.
To Be Continued
OH what a gauntlet it is... I feel yumminess coming, how about you?
