Keitaro The Captain of the Sunless Sea-Chapter 2.

''Well that It is certainly unexpected.''

''Who is it honey is it the neighbor boy with a shopper's catalogue again?''

Sighing as the older man going from his forties to his fifties looked at his wife who was slightly younger and said.

''No a relative of mine has come in from home to London and the Harbor Provision 's have contacted me on his arrival.''

''OOOOOH! FAMIYL OH FAMILY! I'VE DREAMT OF MEETING THEM IS IT YOUR MOTHER! Brother! Sister! A Cousin perhaps!''

Chuckling Izumo Urashima kissed his wife 'God do I love her so much' he thought quietly and said.

''My nephew! He's come in from the shore caught a ride on a fishing vessel from what I gathered he's staying at the Blind Helmsman awaiting my post.''

''Bugger that! Let's go pick him up ourselves! We always have room at our table for Family!''

''Huh? Ma pops what's going on ?''

Turning the older man sighed at his daughter and said.

''Your cousins come in from the Homeland and we are thanks to your mother's needs going to meet him personally.''

''Oh hush you! Come now Miranda were going to go meet your cousin and invite him for an ice meal.''

''Alright then what about Amos ,and Sean if I know my little brothers their going to want to climb all over him if he's tall enough and wrangle him in to play.''

''Later their playing with the Evans family boys and their being watched at the park we can always meet up with them later you know how the boys begged to be let to stay over and I haven't the heart to tell them otherwise.'' Said the matriarch

''You just don't want to deal with Belinda again-Ouch!'' Mock cried the man smiling as his wife hit him on his shoulder and his daughter let out a soft snort then a giggle.

''Don't' go saying that loud enough for the other neighbors to hear you know those bints have nothing better else to do but wait for their husband to get home to nag at him or make love otherwise they just hang around most don't' have children here in this neighborhood.''

''I know the Evans, Donalds, Crane, and Mc Davis and us are the only ones still just think of how much things will liven up I must say I am curious to meet my nephew .''

''And I am interested n finally hearing more of yoru fmaiyl and meeting oen of it's members I wonder what he does, what he's like what sort of person is he.''

''If he's Kento's son then who knows how he'll be he was dating a Hanabi Mizuri last I had heard a daughter of a business man before I endedu p coming to London.''

''After falling out of the giant statue isle right dad we've heard the story a thousand times.''

''And I guarantee after we see Keitaro it will be a thousand and one.''

Said the man simply to his daughter who nodded as each put on their shoes coats and headed out into London.

The Blind Helmsman.

Keitaro waited patiently reading a book he had picked p from a store nearby he didn't get to look long before Mr. Cane's son got him and told him his family sent a message saying they were coming to meet him at the Blind Helmsman. Keitaro didn't even question the plural as he was relieved he was going to meet his uncle and waited patiently at a table Mr. Cane stood cooking on the counter grill a meal for Mr. Charles .The man though Keitaro was initially wary of because of the conversation he had had with Mr. Cane was quite nice the young man found and had even given him a recommendation to a clothing store where he could get some more clothes so he didn't stick out as much to which the young man thanked him when he was given a fifty percent off coupon.

Still he was thoroughly shocked seeing his uncle who he faintly remembered from his childhood before him looking older with a goatee and happy. There was no other word for it and Keitaro silently hoped he could look as good as his uncle did as he got older and smiled genuinely glad to have a family member there as he got closer he noted the features and surmised they too were his family one of them his cousin.

Said girl was dressed in a black gown with a white embroidering in the neck and colored with white linen. The sleeves were also embroidered with white cloth and a simple purse hung from her shoulder. While the man's wife was a kind looking lady with eyes showing a lot of wit and experience she was just getting further her forties though she looked much like her husband in her thirties if what he remembered from his uncles brief notes on his wife being sensitive about her age.

Said Aunt of his opened her arms widely and moved over to him more quicker then the rest.

''OH YOU LOOK JUST LIKE MY DEAR IZUMO!YES YOU DO JUST LIKE HIM!IT'S SO NICE TO MEET YOU I'M YOUR AUNT MARRIE!''

''H-H-Hello Aunt Marie I'm Keitaro Urashima i-it's an honro to meet you .''

'"Nonsense it's good to finally meet some more of Izumo's family and this is your cousin Miranda.''

''Hey nice to meet you cousin we should have al to of fun finally I have someone else to hang out with other then my drab friends!''

''It's nice to meet you too Miranda and thank you for meeting with me and answering my letter all of you especially you uncle Izumo.''

''Ah !So you remember despite what I said I didn't' mean you nephew never you or Kanako you were innocent in that whole mess that made me leave .But enough about that we've got an ice hot meal ready for us at home and we'd be delighted if you'd come join us.''

''Sure uncle I had some questions on just what's gone on and how you ended up here in London.''

'"I too have some questions I'd like answered as well Keitaro all in goodtime I assure you all in good time.''

Nodding the Ronin said a brief bye to Cane and his son though his uncle did pay for three more nights for him .As they had three children and no more immediate space for him the ronin was happy they had done so and getting a chance to speak with his uncle about some things including the new home.

Urahsima Household(Izumo's).

''My you have a very nice looking house uncle.''

''Thank you Keitaro it took a lot of hard work believe me I barely had any prospects when I came here but now well let's just say I came into a few good opportunities to work .''

''He saved the life of a business man who gave him a job as a foreman and he worked is way all the way up to being a manger of the welding plant that works for The Iron and Misery company.''

''Aww honey I wanted it to be a surprise make him wonder.' ' The man said with a grin and fake cried as his wife hit him lightly in his shoulder before moving into the kitchen the others Keitaro ,Miranda ,and Izumo already seated and Miranda snickering with Keitaor smiling a bit.

''Hush you just wanted to scare him make him think about all the possibilities is all make him think you might be working for the Cheery man or something.''

''Cheery man?''

Hushing and glaring a but at his wife's smug as she set down the meal which looked like it was a stew with some biscuits with some fruit like dessert on the side she looked her husband as she sat and the man just took a breath as he sighed.

''He's a criminal And gang lord who is infamous throughout London for smuggling human body part hearts mostly to the less reputable beings living on the under zee .The main ocean underground here Keitaro yes were under ground but he sells particularly vampires. He has a number of shady business around her and more often most folk who get involved with him don't have anything pleasant happen to them. ''

''I-I see thanks for the warning so he's the kind to demand movies like in those Godfather movies.''

''Godfather what kind of godfather movie is that a play of some sort?'' Asked his cousin and he nodded.

''Yeah it is it's about a guy who becomes the leader of a group that protects people but moves on to doing illegal things smuggling at first before moving into ,guns and hurting people or saying they wont' hurt people's business for money.''

''That's awful !But I could see how it would make a good play we really should tell the theatre I have a friend who'd love the idea she works in the writing department.''

''Oh my what a tale it sounds like just the kind of movie to take my family to.' 'Said his aunt with a smile and Izumo groaned.

''Not another slasher play.''

''They're all the rage! And this could be too! They do give commissions for such ideas good ones at the theatre maybe you could give them some Keitaro.''

''Yeah maybe I definitely could use some way to make some echoes I met a captain and was thinking about maybe doing some travel out on the Zee.''

Hearing this took some of the warmth out of the room but his cousin brought it back by saying.

''Being a captain on the open waters of the brimmey deep you sure your tall enough for that cousin.''

Laughing the table was back in a good spirit as the young man said.

''if I get some stilts I'll be fine.''

''Ah !I do believe you'll do well here Keitaro but a word of advice if you do go out to Zee let me known I could possibly find something for you to take your voyage out on.'

''Ok Uncle Izumo so how did you end up down here?''

Sighing the older man shook his head.

''Being young and dumb for one see I had just lost my job my girlfriend and to be honest I had also lost my will to live under the same circumstances. MY brother your father and my mother tried to convince me that it would not be a bad thing for me to try and take up at the inn as the land lord to keep up the family tradition and live there. Of course I didn't' want to I saw what the job was firsthand the bills,the upkeep , the renovations ,tending to the guest needs, being understaffed during the holidays no I didn't' want all of that plus I saw how the country changed and less people came to Hinata city how bad the job wore on dad .So instead I said no and suggested we sell the land off.''

''Ouch Granny Hina definitely wouldn't take that as an option I remember what happened when cousin Norimi tried.''

''Yes and she has taken her husbands name by now if anything her and Mom never did see eye to eye and she always wanted to uphold the family tradition in father's place.''

''So why not allow cousin Norimi to do it?'' Asked Miranda and at this both men sighed hard and hearing this and Marrie looked confused.

''Wel lif you had a cousin wanting to take it what stopped them form having her do it and insisting you did it was she in trouble or something honey?''

''No Aunt Marie it's that the Urahsima family is a family that actually was gifted the land by the countries King it's very fertile and al to can be done with it on top of that it holds a very strategic position on some natural hotsprings which can be used for steam power.''

''In otherwords because of all of that the government stipulated that only a male Urashima can uphold the head ship though with the laws and government changing and the royal family being constitutional as a monarchy she would have been abel to go to court to try and have the status of the inn updated.''

''But why not if Grandma could have done it why didn't she do so? '' Asked Miranda confused and Izumo said.

''Fear she feared losing her families legacy and shaming our clan for it in the eyes of all our ancestors the Urahsima s haven't just been land lords of an inn honey I didn't' want to tell you this I still don't.''

''Tbhen let me uncle the Urahsima family has served as Archivists, Doctors, Police and a lot of us soldiers in a conflict between a large number of nations my granddad and his ten brothers and several of his sisters as volunteer nurses served our country in war .Only my grandfather returned alive and similar loses reduced our families numbers to a scant few some believe it was engineered by our families rivals.''

''OH MY POOR DEARS THAT'S SO TERRIBLE!'''

Cried Marie as she got up and hugged both men who had stopped eating their food to speak on this matter however Miranda had a look on realization on her face .

''Wait Granny Hina doesn't wish to go to the courts because she's scared some of our families rivals might come out of the wood work and prevent the change maybe take the lease from our family!''

''yeah it's why she was able to convince me to stay as land lord for the Hinata inn.''

''WHAT KEITARO YO UTOOK THATJ OB!?Oh no don't' tell me you had several female tenants in there alone did you?''

''Yeah I-wait what? How did you know that!?''

Sighing the man shook his head cursing softly before saying.

'"it's a lesser known tradition of our clan ever since one of the main heirs had died young nearly three hundred years ago that early on the main heir would be given headship of the inn. And then the matriarch would make sure they were surrounded by women whose families were allied or indebted to the Urashima family in some way this way the odds of them growing up just at a crucial point around them and picking one to be his wife would be old enough to immediately continue their duties and extend the family line at the same time so when the matriarch deemed him worthy she would pass on the knowledge to him.''

''Oh boy then wait I should be fine my so called brothers have it covere.d''

''Brothers you got some I thought Yoshinari had a narrow umm tube that made it so the blood couldn't get there as easily for that.''

''No I mean I suddenly found that through a …let's say magic I…ended up divided into different parts and disappeared before reappearing and finding that all my so called brothers each one part of my personality endedu p with a girl and both falling in love with them.''

The family collective winced and Miranda patted her cousin on the shoulder.

''There there cousin if they could not wait for you to come back or even make sure you were gone then they did not deserve your attention in such ways. Still if you were the owner of the inn why did you end up coming to Fallen London then?'''

Sighing he began to tell them the story of his promise girl his hard work and narrow vision in regards to getting into Tokyo U and how he ended up at the Hinata Inn and even some of his misadventures. Miranda laughed as he embarrassingly told of his clumsiness while Izumo gave hi ma sympathetic look and Marie sighed.

''Izumo was the same way I gave him a good slap when he pulled down half my dresses top and ripped it before he explained it was a family trait a predisposition to being clumsy around the one who catches their fancy.''

''I know o-once I told her that it went pretty well in all hoensty I wish my dad had given me the advice to just tell someone how you feel rather than try to beat around the bush and hope they get what vague thing you're saying.''

''I sort of done that before but well she didn't take it so well but then again we wouldn't work as a couple.''

''Oh well If she can see you're a decent man then I guess it wouldn't have worked but she sounds like a controlling type and I do so hate those types of people in relationships.''

''Ah well yes..but ..no I'm going to be honest she would hit me make me go flying off somewhere and then expect me to apologize sometimes she honestly would do it but most of the time besides those few times she usually blamed me and back then I felt I would deserve it you know .''

''Nobody deserves to be in a controlling relationship and nobody is at fault all the time in a relationship at least she managed to claim the blame those few times but if the majority of the time she thought it was your fault she clearly has some deep trust issues.''

Nodding Marie added as her husband also looked at his nephew sympathetically.

''And you should be someone nice who can actually listen to what you say and you them love is a two way street not a one way dear .Carriages cant' drive one road all the time they need at least a second road to go on to get where they're going communication is key and if you and someone can't work together or meet each other halfway then a relationship like that is like trying to climb up the slanted side of a hill rather than the straighter more well balanced side.''

Hearing this advice the Ronin thanked his aunt and said.

''When you put it like that it really puts things in perspective I mean for the longest time I went after one dream and for it to be gone all of a sudden.''

''You just have to find a new dream Keitaro sometimes it's how it works life has many ups and downs but it's how we work through them that makes the differences between us making it or breaking it just look at my dad.''

Said Miranda and the man had the decency to laugh a bit before saying.

''From nothing to something I managed a miracle I just thank the heavens that I was able to manage it .''

''you're an inspiration uncle I-I d-d-don't know if I could have done it no help no one I know around me in a completely different country.''

Shrugging the man said with twinkle in his eye and a geniuene smile.

''Keitaro I think you would have done just fine ;just fine you're a smart young man when you apply yourself you can do a lot and on top of that your one of the best at managing to make thigns work between people of clashing perfect guy for a management position somewhere doing something you enjoy.''

''Ah well thanks Uncle I just don't' know what I'm going to do archaeology was my major but I'm not sure how I would even do it heck after how my mentor has helped me nearly getting me shot, stabbed, and being the one who gave Naru her distrust of men well what can I say I don't hate him but I don't' exactly think he gave me the best of internships.''

''Y-You did an internship with SETA! Ugh no wonder your like this Keitaro I worked with the man he can be a good friend and a stand up guy at times but he is definitely not a teacher, definitely not a mentor ,and most definitely not the kind of guy to introduce you to archelology maybe an advance course in the business but definitely not .Believe me I have several friends that worked with him and well they weren't exactly the same afterwards .''

''Really honey why is that?''

Asked his wife and he sighed saying

''Because the man is a magnet for bad luck ever since he pissed off a member of the Kanto Magic association he's been nothing but bad luck .And believe me they got creative with the kind they gave him how he's managed to do his job this long despite it I'll never know.''

'HE WAS CURSED AND HE HAD ME IN A PLANE WITH HIM!?THAT'S IT HE IS NEVER GETTING INVOLVED IN MY LFIE IN SUCH A WAY AGAIN!'

Thought the younger man Miranda merely said.

''Wow he sounds like shifty guy getting other people involved in stuff like that but you were the intern you could have canceled it after the first time right Keitaro why didn't you?''

''I-I was too determined to get my degree in archeology.''

''I see well we do have an archeological society if you'd like to try and join Keitaro.''

''Umm maybe later maybe I could do some expeditions or something for them if I can get straight and maybe get a ship.''

''Possibly dear but we should cross that bridge when we get to it for now dessert.''

Seeing the white cake with a red layer of jelly on top the ronin licked his lips and took a bite with his spoon before quickly eating several more.

''Wow cousin calm down it's just solace fruit cream cake.''

''It's delicious I've rarely had fruit this good and in such a long time .''

''Really whatever for dear!"'

''Ah Marie fruits a lot more expensive back home beef too the cheapest food is fish since we have so much of it but fruit and beef are more expensive.''

''UGH! How could you stand having meat be that high ?If I couldn't eat meat like I normally would I don't know what I would do.''

Smiling he said .

''I grew into it you could stand to do a bti of the same –Ow!''

''Smart alec.''

''Aw isn't that precious their first fight as family.''

Sighing Izumo could only shake his head at his wife's wistfulness and smile as the evening meal began to come to it's close the family were by the door side.

''A shame you have to go this day was really fun as a family if the kids were here it'd be complete.''

'"Ah I'm sorry aunt Marie but I have to get back the Blind Helmsman curfew is eleven o clock I was told about the curfews rules today and well I must be getting back to my room for the night .''

''Well it was so nice talking with you I just wish you could stay longer.''

''Perhaps when I have something more permanent besides the lovely room and food of until then Uncle Izumo ,Aunt Marie, and my dear cousin Miranda.''

''Bye hopefully we can hang out you know go on a few trips around London maybe introduce you to my friends.''

''Not all of them just yet dear you don't' want to overwhelm the lad yet .But I do wish you a good trip back nephew don't' be a stranger.''

''I wont' auntie.''

''And do try to look out Keitaro I know you'll do well even if you didn't mean to come here you're a good young man just keep an eye out and please be careful.''

Hugging each of them he promised he would and left heading out into the misty night of the underground city.