Chapter 35 The Missing Maidens
[A/N]: *Please Stand By*
COME ON Y'ALL. *Strums a Tsuzumi*
Mysterious Kabuki Singer: "Yoooooo~oh!
Time slips away, seasons each returning anew. We return to our unlikely heroes, the ever wandering Mugen and Fuu.
As they continue their journey evermore, in search of a samurai with not two eyes, not three, but four.
From far east Edo they have come, a red string of fate tying their hands. Through the regions of Musashi and Kai, crossing the Shinano river current, they continued. Much tribulations impeded their trek. A detour to Hamamatsu. A kiss shared in Nagoya, and then passed the Ise Bay sands.
Through the tall Mt. Koya, and into Wakayama and Osaka ports. A reminisce in Uji….where they still moved forward. It is there we see our heroes now; tired, hungry...and bored.
Hither and over yonder they have traveled...until they find themselves in a city plagued by woe.
They call it the Old Capital...of Kyoto.
With feelings and misunderstandings abound, and their money run to the ground, their tale shall push ahead, though nostalgia pulls us back. The return of familiar faces again sidetracking their mission...we still hope that you enjoy this work of historically inaccurate fiction."
Detective Manzou: *pants heavily and rubs off theatre makeup* "For Pete's sake… Truly, I don't know why she asked me to do this author's note for her. Said something about wanting a cameo that alluded to the animation...Hm… Strange girl, that one.
Oh! Pardon me, I did not see you there. *clears throat* Greetings citizens. So, you wish to hear details about the missing person's investigation? Well, then I have quite a story to spin for you. Ah! Forgive me for not introducing myself.
My name is Sakami Manzou, though many have taken to calling me Manzou the Saw. I am a traveling police detective tasked with solving large scale cases, most of which pertain to illegal foreign activity. In my spare time, I fancy a good game of baseball. Other than that, I enjoy commentating on the adventures of a certain trio...well, former trio. For three episodes, I have given historical info that breaks the fourth wall of this "anime", as you viewers have to come to calling it.
Wait...you already know of me? Well, blow me down!
Now that we can get formalities out of the way, allow me to explain the current situation. I was originally sent to Kyoto to search for a noblewoman by the name of Tsuru-himegimi. However, upon arriving, another case sprang up that fit my expertise better: the repeated disappearances of several geisha and maiko in the district of Gion. With no bodies discovered in the last year and a half, and no clues on their whereabouts, we assume this can be a case of kidnappings similar to the scandal of *cough* Samurai Champloo: Episode 5. *cough* I have heard a foreign ship has docked in Kyoto's port. Those americajin have invaded our country yet again. I will not stand for them taking our women as slaves!
Perhaps, the beloved hero of this story can solve this curious mystery of disappearing girls. And by hero, I of course refer to myself: the great Detective Manzou! ...Though if you insist, you may tag along for this little adventure. (But for Pete's sake, I do not appreciate fuugen voyeurs!)
If you can't remember anime episodes 5, 12 or 23, I suggest you go back and watch them now!
Oh, she left us a note...for all guest reviewers… "There were so many guest reviews along with account ones that I don't think there's enough room to list them all here! Just wanted to thank everyone for waiting patiently and continuing to read. These made me laugh, cry, and most of all, made me not want to give up on this story. Know that I have read every single one and loved them. Even the two ones that seemed to be written by aliens. I managed to decode the words "Very Nice Story.". You know who you are."
I was also advised to do one last thing.
Disclaimer: This silly author known as Fenrir's Lockhart does not own Samurai Champloo, Fuu, Mugen, Jin, Momo etc. She also does not own I, Manzou the Saw, or any other people from the anime included in this odd dramatization.
Well, blow me down. Let us embark on our case!"
Chapter 35 The Missing Maidens
Mameharu would've been wise to stop after the fifteenth cup. Now, the walkway to her okiya swayed like a ship on a roaring ocean, lost on its voyage home.
The twenty five year old geisha stumbled down the empty alley of Gion hanamachi. Only a few hours before sunrise, there was not a soul in sight. Here, the air stood still.
Only she disrupted the peace of the claustrophobic sidestreet. Amidst her intoxication, she giggled obnoxiously as the night's activities replayed in her mind. The priceless fabric of her silk kimono slipped off of one of her shoulders. This unveiled a peppering of mouth sized bruises trailing down to her bosom, after the secret rendezvous with an exceptionally talented client. She put a finger to her smudged lips to shush her laughs, as if to hide this secret from the flower district and all her fellow performers.
If her okiya mother found out about her late night romps, she'd be chastised. Worse even: kicked out.
Sure, she'd turned to the bottle for comfort more heavily than ever. But who were they to judge on how she coped or who held her close? She'd lost friends. And a sister.
Even so, someone would grow suspicious if she didn't return before dawn. That bitch, Mameko, would probably rat her out. Mameharu knew Mameko always wanted Toshi to be her danna since they'd both been geisha in training. If she had any idea what they'd done together, her face would turn as red as an apple.
During her doddering pace, one of the drunken geisha's two-inch high geta fell from her heel, clattering on the narrow, rock tiled footpath. She huffed exaggeratedly and leaned against an alley wall to put it back on.
Footsteps came from behind her.
Light and fast. Almost inaudible. Almost.
Just in her peripheral, Mameharu's glazed eyes caught the shape of what could only be a head. It peered from behind the corner of a garbage disposal bin.
Darkness mantled the head's features.
Not a single street lantern hung from the back alley awnings, and the ochaya and okiya houses had long since blew out their candles. But she didn't need more than moonlight, or be sober enough to sense that whoever stood there, had eyes fixated on her.
Dazedly, the geisha whirled in the unseen person's direction. The expensive vestments fell lower down her skin painted eggshell white. She flipped back her midnight black tresses that had loosened from their chonmage bun earlier that evening, "Toshi, did you come back for more?" her usually peachy voice drawled out like a low-class tramp, as her dainty fingers teased open the front of her quality raiment.
To her dismay, and even inebriated annoyance, the silhouette did not respond.
Methodically, it crept from the hiding place, casting a shadow so long, that the pool of blackness appeared to reach for Mameharu's feet. The silhouette itself was not particularly tall or muscular like Toshi's. Their garb, a dark violet, also didn't match the flamboyant clothes of the merchant she'd been having a private affair with.
"Who...who are you?"
Again, it did not answer. She noticed now, that even with a proper light source, she wouldn't be able to see a face. A cloth mask covered everything but the eyes: cold eyes, stark and uncaring.
From behind the shadow's back, the pale glint of the moon danced off of a shard of metal.
It charged at her.
The geisha gasped, barely having enough time to stagger away. Her pursuer grabbed at her kimono, to which she struggled, causing her obi sash to unravel from her tiny waist. The long length of fabric slipped into the hands of the attacker; a brief distraction, but just that. Brief. Clasping her robes closed, the geisha attempted to breathe as she ran, overcome by tears that drowned out her voice.
"Someone! Please help me!" she pleaded through sobs that melted the last remnants of her white face paint from her cheeks. No one would hear her. She choked out incoherent slurs.
The whole world appeared as a haze. All that alcohol had infected every inch of her body. The lengthy hems of the kimono, and the sheer height of her geta only impeded her already labored strides.
Her foot slipped.
Gravity and intoxication tugged her down.
Mameharu fell against the concrete, scraping knees and elbows so hard on the shards of rock that blood drew forth from the wounds. The figure stopped in the middle of the narrow pathway, creating another shadow that engulfed her entire body. She looked back, almost blinded by tears.
The person removed the mask from their jaw. Yet still, she couldn't see clearly enough to distinguish any notable features. The shaded figure brought a flute-like object to their lips. In this short-lived moment, Mameharu recovered, forcing her arms to cooperate and picked herself back up to make a break for it. One step. Two steps. Three steps.
She attempted to scream.
An eruption of pain shot through the nerves of her neck.
Ice cold and sharp. Like the sting of a killer hornet. On the fourth step, the pain spread. Mameharu's breaths grew ragged, as her inhales increased to hyperventilation. The structures around her grew more blurry than they already were. Her feet staggered to the right despite trying to dash straight. With trembling hands, the geisha reached for the side of her neck. Her fingers grasped onto a needle. She ripped it out. The cry of agony echoed harshly around the confined walls of the alley.
She stared down at the dart, its thin tip dabbed in a glistening fluid, until vision of it steadily grew dim. Every muscle lost its function. Heart once pounding from fear, her rapid palpitations grew all the more, until her chest threatened to explode.
The geisha collapsed.
Her unresponsive body hit the tiles in the walkway with a small thud. As her eyesight slipped further away, she watched her attacker approach with no muscle coordination to resist. Gloved hands grabbed her roughly by the ankles, dragging her body into the dark recesses of the hanamachi district, where the building's shadows would soon devour her.
Had this been what happened to all of the others? Had this been how her beloved sister, Mamesuzu, had been taken from her, never to be seen again?
"No. No. H-help me…" she whimpered. "Someone. Please...help….me."
Mameharu's voice fell short, until she no longer had the ability to speak. Until she could not see. ...The only thing that she could do now, was lie still, listening as her thundering pulse slowly died.
Silence returned to Gion. Only from the sky, did the moon witness all.
"Alright, today's a new day. Time to find a job." With little Momo asleep in the folds of her kimono, Fuu often found she talked to herself more lately.
A melting pot of history, Kyoto reminded Fuu of her stay in Edo, back before her chance meeting with Mugen started this whole crazy journey to find Jin. On one side of the street stood proud structures preserved from the Kamakura era. On the other, a group of teenagers flaunted their latest fashion breakthrough; today they added spikes to the ends of their top knots and ponytails. All the boulevards brimmed with farmers, merchants and court nobles alike. These cities were amalgams of both culture and color.
It was strange then, that in both of these enormous urban sprawls, where everyone had a place to belong...Fuu felt more alone than ever.
She yawned, stretching arms towards the morning sky.
Their three night stay at the inn expired this very morning. Rather, her three night stay. Mugen never came back.
Not after that night.
Not after they…
Fuu's heart stirred briefly...to the point where her hand flew to her chest in the hopes it might ease the pain that carved out a home there. For a thousand times, she contemplated that night in her head. What could've been. What shouldn't have happened. And a thousand times, at the memory of his lips on hers, his hands brushing her skin, her pulse rose. Maybe it grew unhealthy.
She'd seldom seen the ex-pirate in the city; there were glances here and some words there. So, at least he didn't turn tail and run off. She no longer feared such a thing though, after how far they'd come since the beginning.
Each time they'd met up, they avoided any mention of his drunken bout or what they shared.
They even avoided each other's eyes…
It'd been a mistake—surely—and while it lessened the awkwardness between them to bury the whole thing, it did little to ease that familiar ache. They had cleaned their slate; or so she hoped.
Mugen was currently cut loose somewhere, doing heaven knows what. But she told herself for the hundredth time that morning that it shouldn't be her job to keep tabs on him. There were other concerns. Right now, Fuu had a mission, and it laid ahead of her...so close, yet so far away.
The market board.
The wooden plank teeming with advertisements just so happened to have a swarm of several dozen people buzzing around to read its contents. From this unfortunate angle, a mass of bald heads, top knots and hair buns shielded the bulletins from view. This was to be her first obstacle of the day in her quest to find some type of work.
Breathing in deeply, and exhaling even louder, Fuu cracked her knuckles, rolled up her pink sleeves and marched towards the clamoring mass of sweat ridden bodies.
" 'scuuuse me…" she mumbled, segueing between two shopkeepers. Tiny by comparison, she had no choice but to claw out a path through garments and sashes. Occasionally bare toes were stepped on. "Pardon me." The wave of people pushed back, until she was drowning between the shoulders of three overweight men. Another seven or so pushes and Fuu finally emerged in front of the crowd, gasping lungfuls of air.
"Phew…"
Upon the marketboard laid a heap of overlapping posters and sheets. Some may very well fly off with the gentlest breeze. Her brown eyes sifted through the scribbles of kanji, hiragana and many crude drawings. Someone looked to sell a recently born calf. Another note mentioned a house being sold in the city. So far, there appeared to be no occupational openings that fit the little expertise she possessed.
With an exasperated sigh, she slumped her head.
But, before she could scan the other half for jobs...she caught the unsettling bulletin that dominated much of the board. It was then that she realized everyone clamoring around the sign was focused on that specific notice:
Missing:
Stage Name: Mameharu
Residence: Inoue Okiya
Stage Name: Mamesuzu
Residence: Inoue Okiya
Stage Name: Katsufumi
Residence: Daimonji Okiya
Stage Name: Naoko
Residence: Nakasato Okiya
Stage Name: Shiyo
Residence: Setsu Okiya
Stage Name: Taneshi
Residence: Takayoshi Okiya
Stage Name: Miyoko
Residence: Mifuku Okiya
Stage Name: Yuzuki
Residence:Gekka Okiya
Stage Name: Mizuki
Residence:Gekka Okiya
Stage Name: Satsuki
Residence: Gekka Okiya
All women are Geiko and Maiko of Gion Hanamachi. If you have any information on their whereabouts, please visit your local police department and/or the Geisha Registration Office. Thank you.
Underneath the words were the ink sketches of ten fetching damsels. Some must have been around Fuu's age. Others held an air of maturity, that she had to second guess they were somewhere in the late twenties. It'd be difficult to tell for sure. All their faces held delicate smiles that surely could melt the hearts of almost any man.
So many people around discussed these portraits that Fuu couldn't help leaning an ear to eavesdrop.
"Another one last night?! So sad…" a shopkeeper said from behind her.
"It's a damn shame, is what it is! The first girl has been missing for nearly two years now!" Another voice bellowed. "And now Mameharu… She was the most beautiful geiko in this damn city!"
"How many more have to disappear before this nightmare comes to an end…"
Fuu stared back at the sketches of the maiko and geisha. It felt like they stared back.
A chill scurried up her spine. Seeing these lovely faces, never losing their smiles...it almost sickened her. Whatever may have happened to the ladies of Gion, surely they would not be smiling now.
From Fuu's personal record of being a victim to kidnapping, she thought it a likely case that they'd been sex trafficked.
She always wondered what the acclaimed geisha looked and sounded like. Being one was a profession out of the question, not that she knew if she even possessed the talent for such a career. While knowing little of the recently popularised artists of Kyoto, it was common knowledge that becoming one meant a life of servitude to an okiya house, until one made enough money to pay off their debt and live independently.
Once more, she scanned over the various documents of paper barely clinging to the board by tacks and nails. Only a single scrap mentioned work of any kind.
Now Hiring!
Young Female Actress. No prior theatre experience required. Conducting interviews outside of Minami-za Kabuki Theater in Gion at noon on the 27th of March. Must be a good speaker, clever, and as gorgeous as a print of Hishikawa Moronobu.
'Hishikawa…" Fuu silently repeated the name.. "Hishikawa...Moronobu?!" She smiled, "That artist must be really getting famous! Even all the way in Kyoto!'
Of course, Fuu knew the advertisement beside the missing persons held a great deal of suspicion. Still, curiosity got the better of her. After all, she was the model for one such ukiyo-e print. And, she had always wanted to go to the theatres of Gion, Kyoto anyway. With the smallest sliver of luck, there might be work at the many tea houses or restaurants upon the Shirakawa strip. Not to mention, the flower districts were found in Gion as well, so a glimpse of a famed geisha in person may not be that unlikely!
Confidence blooming, the beauty looking backwards headed down the boulevard to the Gion District, partially hoping the actress opening may actually be legitimate. If it were...maybe she could try her hand at it.
Painters sitting alongside the Shirakawa canal captured the blooming cherry blossoms growing upon the street with the nimble strokes of their brushes. The petals just flowered the previous night, enveloping the area in a pink blanket, and a fragrance as bitter as it was sweet. Even if coming to a place that outclassed her was a mistake, at least she got to see the trees.
Two turns later onto Shijo avenue, Fuu caught sight of the enormous Minami-za Theatre. A line of finely dressed women led to the back. Fuu received a scoff from a bauble clad lady rushing in front of her, when she sized up the cheaper fabric and pinwheel flowers of Fuu's tri-colored kimono. When the snooty woman's back turned, the girl stuck out her tongue.
Far too many people were around for any shady kidnapping, so she could be glad for that at the least. Still...she probably didn't belong somewhere so fancy.
Many of the ladies grew antsy, tapping their zori on the sidewalk.
"I've heard he hasn't even considered a single woman for the part yet."
"Sounds like a stubborn oaf with poor taste."
"If he doesn't pick me, you better get the part, Mari-chan!"
Fuu told herself...she would just take a peek. Just a peek. Miraculously, her feet found themselves at the back of the line. The moment she thought of backing out and forgetting this foolish endeavor once and for all, the line moved forward and many other women filed in back of her.
At the head of the line, there sat a person behind a desk with a much younger man standing beside him. While she did not get to see who would be judging her for the audition...she did happen to glimpse a portrait of the ideal actress they desired for the part. A mint condition print hung above the stand, its choice of color palette warming to the eyes.
Fuu gawked. The ukiyo-e painting on the wall was definitely by Hishikawa Moronobu's hand. And she didn't need to be an art connoisseur to know that fact.
Bordered by golden sunflowers, a young brunette maiden stands, naked and back turned. She glances coquettishly over her left shoulder, grasping the remnants of her rose pink kimono just below her waist. Her rich, earthy eyes are downcast, and plump lips parted just a little, as if she wishes to whisper some secret to the viewer.
Mikaeri Bijin (The Beauty Looking Backwards)
Illustrated By Hishikawa Moronobu.
It was...her. Even now, seeing so much of her body on display embarrassed her to no end, especially since she hadn't shown nearly that much skin to the artist. In so doing, Moronobu had taken some "creative liberties", to say the least. With what exactly? Everything.
Well...maybe back then. Seeing that painting again caused Fuu to realize how her body had filled out to match the illustration she'd modeled for two years ago. She smiled, trying not to feel so proud over the fact.
But she couldn't brag to Mugen about it...not after what happened. Once again, the chest throbbing returned.
The deep, irritated voice of the man resounded louder than the whispers of gossiping women. It managed to snap Fuu out of her own head.
"...Too ugly. Next!"
A frazzle-haired hag with a pruny face ran past the line, bursting into inconsolable tears. Even Fuu felt a bit sorry for her...but she couldn't focus on how rude the voice had been. It sounded far too familiar. Standing on her tiptoes, she tried looking above everyone. The damn woman in front of her had garnished her giant hump of hair with too many pins to see through. Fuu then veered her head to the side in the hopes of getting some small glance of the one conducting these so called "auditions".
"No way…" she said quietly.
"Too old. Next!"
The last interviewee didn't appear all that old, though her face may have been on the round side. Like the last woman, she too ushered herself away in shame. The person right in front of Fuu was up.
Her fancy wardrobe did not save her.
Yawning, Manzou just pointed to the right with his thumb, declining the rat toothed woman who departed in a fit of swears. Fuu honestly got a pep to her step after that one. She strode forward, swaying happily for her turn.
The tired detective sighed, burying his face into his colossal hands. "Is there even a point? We've been at this for hours…"
His assistant bent beside his ear, "Um… Sakami-san, what about her?"
Groaning into his palms, Sakami Manzou barely peeked through the slit of his two fingers. His dreary eyes brightened, until he jumped right out of the bench and slammed both fists onto the table that luckily didn't break under the sheer weight of the man.
Fuu eased back. "Uh...hello again." she offered a humble wave.
"Well, blow me down!" he pointed. "You! Yes, you! You'd be perfect for the job! Everyone else, get out of my sight!"
The police detective's assistant shooed the others away so crudely, that Fuu swore the entire line of women readied to dig daggers into her back. Numerous complaints were whispered, along with some less than flattering comments on Fuu's looks. Eventually though, the swarm of middle-aged housewives dissipated like locusts in the rain until only Manzou and his subordinate remained.
"I was looking for a girl that'd fit the part… I never imagined the actual model would come this way."
Fuu blushed. Being referred to as a model seemed a bit much, though she'd gladly acquire the title.
The last time she'd seen the fat, yet somehow robust, detective had been at a baseball game. That early summer day of two years passed still remained a fond memory. It'd been a pleasant time then…
Violent, but pleasant.
"...Step over my corpse into a brighter tomorrow." These are the last words the old mayor utters before falling still. He hadn't even made it up to bat.
Although Kagemaru the ninja is fast, he is not fast enough. The baseball flies straight into his spine, causing him to utter a cry of pain before being body slammed by an American.
"Manzou may be dead, but freedom will never die!" the detective utters, as he too is crushed at second base under the weight of the fattest man he'd ever seen.
Jin elegantly dodges assault after assault. But as he arrives at the last base, the opposing team cheats; the base is pulled just out of his reach. He too falls victim to the rump of a foreigner. "Sh...shameful."
On the makeshift Japanese team, only two players remain. It is just her and Mugen now, sitting on the sidelines of the sand diamond that promises a brutal death awaits.
The straw funeral mats of their companions lie still.
The elderly mayor with the weak bones. Detective Manzou. Kagemaru; the bastard ninja who had dragged them all into this. ...Even Jin.
A groaning wind kicks up the sand, pushing her to stand. One fact remains unavoidable: it is Fuu's turn to be the pitcher.
She quietly creeps from the sideline bench, meeting the crazed, blue-eyed looks the American team gives her with sudden dread. She doesn't know what will happen to her if she picks up that baseball. Being squashed to death by an obese westerner is not on her list of ways to go.
Red appears beside her… She glances up, confused.
Mugen doesn't meet her gaze. He merely states as calmly as ever,
"I want you to stay outta this."
For a second, Fuu's restless heart skips just a little. If anyone can win this crazy game, it has to be him. She nods twice and scurries backward, finding her ideal place is on the bench as an observer.
She doesn't need to say it, and if she did, it may embarrass her to no end:
Fuu would be rooting for her bodyguard. Even if every odd is stacked against him. She would not look away.
On this hot summer day, the sand sizzling in the midday sun…maybe it is the oppressive heat getting to her head. Or maybe it's the lack of water making her delirious.
But just for a moment, seeing a sweaty, determined Mugen standing fearlessly against a whole entire team of foreigners…she can't help thinking that he looks kind of...sort of…
Cool.
Fuu smiled sheepishly, "It's been a while huh, Detective Manzou. So um...are you making a play or something?"
It didn't take an overactive imagination to see this buffoon of a detective to do something like kabuki theatre in his free time, especially after all the crazy things she'd witnessed thus far. Her mind readily concocted the image of a wig wearing, face painted Manzou parading around on stilts, his stomping so heavy, he'd cave right into the timber stage. She wished she could wipe the image away as fast as it appeared.
Manzou chortled, and while it was meant to be jovial, it sounded more like the roar of a tiger. "Not at all. That advertisement we posted was merely a diversion for the real job we have available. Come. Walk with me."
He put a sticky hand on her shoulder, which Fuu wanted to shake off, though chose not to in fear of dampening his mood. He guided her down the Shijo strip. His tired police partner followed a short foot behind.
Manzou spoke again, although this time his booming voice had fallen low. "There's been an incident going on in Kyoto for a year and a half now. I'm sure you've heard the rumors of women going missing…yes?"
She nodded.
"Well they're not just any run of the mill women. All of them are pretty young girls, like yourself, who work as geisha or apprentice geisha in Gion; the epitome of art and entertainment. Many businessmen in Kyoto are danna to them, patrons who have put down significant...and I mean significant sums of money to pay for their clothes, training and living expenses. So far, there's been no clues as to what happened to any of them."
Women went missing every day. But even Fuu thought it strange for so many to disappear in such a short period of time.
"...Do you think they're being trafficked?"
"My thoughts exactly. We've formulated a plan that may help capture whoever is doing this." The detective finally relinquished her shoulder, and punched his fist into his palm. "And we will need your help."
"W-wait. Me? I mean...I know I'm pretty and all but-"
"Well, actually, beauty is only part of it. I chose your painting as a reference for the applicants to resemble, since you were naive enough to pose for that artist Hishikawa and got yourself kidnapped."
Fuu's brow twitched.
"If I found a girl who looked remotely as naive and innocent as you, maybe she'd seem like an easy target for our kidnapper. Who knew we'd actually get the real, naive model herself!"
The vein on her forehead pulsed.
The Detective's young partner intervened, hoping to save the conversation before Manzou destroyed it, "Fuu-san. We'll be needing you to play a specific...well, role for us, not unlike a theatre performance…You need to be a good actress."
"And how exactly am I supposed to do that?!"
Detective Manzou pointed a fat finger at her nose. "When you disguise yourself as an apprentice geisha, you'll be the bait to draw our kidnapper out."
"EH?!"
Mugen sprinted down the ritzy avenue he'd found himself lost on, vaulting over merchant stalls and cutting through startled onlookers, as he popped a tuna stuffed rice ball into his mouth. He barely had time to chew it, let alone wipe the bits of white rice from his upper lip. There just never was enough time to enjoy anything...especially when a band of murderous cooks chased after him.
"Get back here, you thieving rat!"
Cooking utensils and cutlery flailed his way. He still carried an armful of onigiri, and systematically ate them every few paces. If he timed it perfectly, took a right at that sharp corner coming up, maybe he'd outrun them… 'Riiiight…NOW.'
CRASH.
Onigiri flew through the air, landing with plops of smushed white rice and shredded fish on the town avenue. After barreling into some bastard that just had to be in the way, Mugen's jaw made an impact with the ground. He lifted his head, the volcanic eruption of swears spewing from his mouth. "You son of a bitch! Don't ya know to look where you're-" The glittering stars in his vision dissipated...until the image of the girl he'd collided into came into focus. "...Of fucking course…"
"Ow ow ow ow…" Fuu rubbed her forehead that must've crashed into Mugen's elbow. "Watch where you're going, you jackass!"
Manzou and his partner watched from the side, easily having sidestepped the collision.
As Mugen pushed himself off the ground to stand, he noticed the familiar detective hovering over them.
"Oi, don't I know your mug from somewhere?"
Manzou opened his mouth to answer, somewhat offended by the fact that he couldn't recall his name. Before he could however, a series of yells burst from the direction Mugen just came from.
Someone screamed a command above them all. Someone…
Someone with another familiar voice.
"Inukage, attack him!"
No one had any time to react properly to this. All Fuu, Manzou, and his police partner could do was watch, slack-jawed, as a flash of orange and white sprinted towards the party at an unpredictable speed.
Mugen only heard the patterning of four feet.
Or...paws?
With the swiftness of a hurricane, the creature glided through the air. It landed right onto Mugen's back, applying just enough pressure to push his weakened body right back to the ground.
"Gah!"
The cream-colored animal circled the collapsed vagrant, sniffing erratically, first at his face and then the lumpy remains of the rice balls scattered around them. No biting. Not even a growl. It barked twice with a wag of its fluffy, curled tail, enough to show excitement rather than the aggression they'd all expected.
"A...dog?"
Last that Fuu had seen such an adorable hound, had been the white kishu owned by that strange woman in the wedding kimono. First was on the carriage out of Wakayama, then Osaka's casino. The very last time they'd seen her was on the road to Uji. That'd been over a week ago, however.
This particular dog now appeared to be a different breed, and much, much smaller.
The orange and brown shiba inu had a green cloth farmer's mask tied around his head and under the snout; it created the comical appearance of a bandit. Stranger even, was the fact that someone had tied a sheath holding a kunai dagger on the dog's side. Fuu couldn't place it...but she knew she'd seen him once before, yet without the bizarre accessories.
The group stared dumbfoundedly, while the canine seemed to have forgotten their presence. He merrily scarfed down all the onigiri left in sight.
"What the hell's the big idea?!" Mugen moved to draw his sword. "You mangy bastard! Give that back!"
The enraged ex-pirate tried grabbing at the dog, but he just avoided him, lowering his front paws, and hiking his tail in the air in a gesture that could only mean play. Soon enough, the two engaged in a chase scene that was not at all meant to be a game of tag, but definitely looked like it from the perspective of both Fuu and Manzou.
A second time, that familiar voice that sicced the little dog on Mugen rebounded from afar. It was echoed by the roaring assemblage of furious restaurant workers that caught up to Mugen...thanks to the collision with Fuu...
"Inukage, YOU FOOL!"
Tail cowered and ears drooping, the dog skulked back in the direction of the owner calling for him.
"You were supposed to catch the criminal, not eat the food he just stole!"
The party finally got the chance to peer into the distance. A short, thinly framed man dressed in black stood there. His one hand skillfully spun a baseball on his pointer finger, and his other adjusted tinted glasses that glimmered sunset orange.
Fuu rubbed at her eyes and blinked, and when that wasn't sufficient in absolving her disbelief, she did it again. Only over a year ago, that sports-loving, retired ninja had invited (forced) the old trio AND Manzou onto his makeshift baseball team! For all of them to meet once more just didn't seem probable at all.
"K-Kagemaru-san?!"
The shinobi finally let the baseball dancing on his finger to rest in his palm. He removed his sunglasses and leaned forward for a closer inspection of the party. "Well, well. Seems like Inukage caught something interesting after all!" His vexatious grin spread from ear to ear; a characteristic they all remembered well about the man.
The swarm of cooks and waiters finally caught up, still pathetically wielding their cookware as if they were weapons. Well, at seven feet tall, the lazy eyed chef gripping the meat cleaver above his head looked particularly menacing.
"Kagemaru-san… That's the guy...who...who stole...all the rice balls…"
"Mugen...what the hell did you do now." Fuu hissed.
"I was hungry." he replied, digging at his ear with a pinky.
Just that comment caused the fire in the mob's eyes to rekindle. Two cooks brandishing pot lids for shields pushed against Kagemaru's back, while Manzou and his partner kept Mugen at the rear before an all-out riot broke out. They shot out threats of butchering and then boiling him alive, while Mugen merely scoffed and told them to "Bring it, fuckers!"
Now Fuu, stuck in the middle of all this noise, grew increasingly annoyed… The yelling could split the ears in half. And she had so much she wanted to discuss! Both Manzou and Kagemaru were here, and this whole arrangement would be shattered over a few rice balls! She ground her teeth, and clenched her fists. As the yelling grew louder, the insults more severe, the last straw finally snapped.
"WOULD EVERYONE SHUT UP?!"
The mob fell silent. Mugen spit at the ground. The Shiba Inu tilted his head, ear flopping lazily.
"Thank you Fuu-san." Manzou started, before redirecting his attention to the people. "Listen up, everyone. I'm a police officer." He flashed a shiny badge at the crowd to ease their malcontent. "Don't worry. I will take this bill dodger into custody. And my partner here will gladly provide recompense for the food he stole."
"Wha-do we even have a budget for that?" the young partner whispered.
Manzou elbowed him. "Just play along. You handle this, and then do more investigating on that Toshi fellow last seen with Mameharu. After that, meet us back at the police barracks."
"...How much does he owe?"
"Five damn shu!"
"What kinda price is that?!" Mugen yelled. "These cutthroats deserved to get robbed!"
The whole argument started all over again. Hastily, Manzou's unfortunate partner took out his coin purse, counting out the money owed with his heart sinking lower with every shu.
Meanwhile, Manzou pretended to apprehend Mugen, and led him and Fuu to the police barracks. Kagemaru shook his head, sighing, as he whistled for his cheerful dog to follow.
"Mou… Can't you go one day without getting into trouble?" Fuu exhaled.
"A man's gotta eat."
In the stuffy confines of Detective Manzou's temporary office in Kyoto, an organized storm of paper swept across every corner. While there were three foot high stacks all around the room, they seem to be placed in such a way that Manzou alone could interpret the meaning of their placement. On the walls, he'd glued several scrolls, connecting the notes with bits of twine until it formed an illegible web of information.
Many probably thought Manzou to be a madman. ...Many were probably right.
He'd seated his unexpected guests around a large wooden table. Even here was not void of paperwork. An entire map of what appeared to be a district of Kyoto covered most of it. Fuu feared touching the table and messing up some carefully thought out part of the investigation.
Kagemaru rolled his baseball across the floor repeatedly, each time having it dropped back into his lap by a panting Inukage.
"Ah...Fate is a funny thing, bringing the ol' team to Kyoto like this." he grinned widely at the three he'd encountered. "Though, I feel like someone is missing."
Momo popped out of Fuu's sleeve with a squeak. The shiba inu barked.
Everyone from the baseball team was accounted for...except two. The old mayor had actually died that day on the baseball field from a broken back...and then cardiac arrest.
"What happened to that ronin friend of yours? The one who barely talked." Kagemaru asked. "I liked his sense of style. Glasses like that are pretty rare."
"Actually, the two of us are headed west to find Jin." Fuu replied.
Mugen then intervened with a question intended for the baseball ninja. "I thought you were supposed ta' be dead."
"Yeah!" she agreed. "I mean Manzou and Jin were knocked out. But...Mugen and I saw splinters fly into your body! We saw you fall on the field."
Kagemaru blinked four times and then grinned. He patted the head of the happy dog that nudged his leg in a request to play more fetch. "Well, you thought wrong! I'm a retired ninja, remember? Our philosophy is to run when the going gets tough."
"…And yet, ninja never tell their identity to anyone…"
"It's our little secret." he winked.
"So what's with the dog?" Mugen seemed to be the only one asking the real questions.
"You don't remember him? Well, it turns out that he was a stray no one wanted. After that baseball game two years ago, I decided I'd adopt him, maybe teach him a thing or two about baseball...and my old espionage techniques from when I was still employed."
Mugen scoffed, "Only thing that mutt is good for is runnin'."
"Perfect for a ninja dog."
Ninja and dog in the same sentence sat very high on the top ten list of "most ridiculous things Fuu and Mugen had ever heard".
"You think it'll actually learn?"
"He already is! Just watch." He removed his hand from the shiba inu's scalp. Kagemaru snapped his finger to alert him. "Inukage, play dead!"
Right on queue, the animal collapsed, rolled over, paws above his body and tongue lolling from the side of his maw.
"That's….impressive..." Mugen remarked.
Fuu on the other hand, squealed at how adorable he was, and immediately rubbed the shiba inu's belly.
"Hey, you never know when you have to fake your death. I mean, I did right? And you two were none the wiser!"
Silent for most of the conversation thus far, Manzou sitting at the head of the table downed a cup of tea. He chuckled wholeheartedly. "How auspicious for the four of us to meet up here. It can only be a sign!"
"A...a sign?"
"A sign you will all be able to help me with this assignment!"
"Work?" Kagemaru scoffed, resting his hands at the back of his head, "Well, I don't know about you all, but I came to Kyoto to enjoy the geiko."
Fuu and Manzou's eyes lit up. This must have given Kagemaru the wrong impression.
Kagemaru adjusted his sunglasses. "Hey-hey, I'll have you know it's for uh, personal, historical research! They say geiko are deep rooted in shinobi culture after all, since many kunoichi disguised themselves as such."
Confused, Mugen intervened, "The hell is a geiko? Some kinda lizard?"
Fuu facepalmed.
Laughing, Kagemaru slapped Mugen on his back, getting an annoyed grunt in response. "Brother, you have not lived! No point in coming to Kyoto if you haven't seen the geiko with your sake! It's the Kyoto dialect for geisha. Geisha are a new breed of entertainers. They're getting quite popular around here. Heard the courtesans in the Red Light Districts are taking notes after losing popularity."
Fuu piped up again, "That's what Manzou and I are here for!"
Everyone in the room fell still. Kagemaru and Mugen gaped at the young woman with a combination of horror and intrigue. They then turned to an oblivious Manzou with accusing quirks of the brow.
"You into women, girlie? Well, looks like we'll finally have somethin' good ta' talk about!"
"No, you idiot! I'm becoming a geisha!"
Once again, the room grew quiet. This time, the two men looked at each other, eyebrows raised. They had to cover their mouths to keep from snickering.
She brought her fingers to her chest, idly twiddling with them. "...Well, not exactly. Um...Manzou-san, you explain!"
Detective Manzou slammed his hands on the giant canvas laid out on the table, with a random vigor that caused all three of them to jump. Finally, they peered down at it. The scroll mapped out the entire district of Gion; even its major businesses and lesser avenues. Certain buildings—okiya houses where missing geisha once lived—were marked by numbers in red ink. This pinpointed how many had disappeared from each one. In green ink, were circled ochaya locations where the geisha worked. All of the disappearances happened to be in a concentrated area of the hanamachi. Gekka okiya seemed to be centered around most of the others and had the most girls missing: three in total.
"I have come to Kyoto to investigate geisha and maiko disappearances, and Fuu here will be aiding me in this endeavor. Would you two be interested in helping us with the case as well?"
Simultaneously, Mugen and Kagemaru got up to stand. They retreated towards the door.
"Not really."
"Nah."
Manzou grinned in a way that had Fuu feeling uneasy. "What if I told you...that the job requires you to hang around beautiful women, eat delicious food and drink sake to your heart's content? Not to mention, Fuu-chan might be in danger without more people keeping an eye on her."
The two men stopped in their tracks.
"And the best part is, there's a substantial reward."
Mugen and Kagemaru immediately turned back around, briskly walking back to the table, and sat closer to the map than they'd been before.
Kagemaru pressed his shades up the bridge of his nose. "Sooooo...how much are we talking?"
"Five ryo. If we can capture the kidnapper or if the women are found, Kyoto will give a reward of five ryo." said Manzou.
As if he were still employed, the retired ninja raised a hand to his forehead, saluting, "Reporting for duty! It is an honor to protect these beautiful women from certain peril."
Mugen slammed a fist to his chest, "Count me in then! Like I'd pass up the chance to be around some babes."
Fuu buried her face in disbelief. She could only hope not all men were this shallow…
"You and Mugen-san are welcome to use this room. Rest while you can. Your first day infiltrating an okiya as the newest debuted maiko is tomorrow." Manzou handed Fuu a bulky package at the door of the barracks chamber. "And here are your supplies. Tomorrow, we will get you fitted with a better kimono for the job, as well as get your hair styled. You probably will have to give a performance to impress the okiya mother."
Fuu bowed courteously and carried it to a kotatsu table in the room. From the corner, Mugen watched silently as she unwrapped the parcel: its contents were none too skimpy on price. In it, laid a shiny new shamisen and its bachi pick, a pair of golden fans, and an accessory box. When she popped open the lacquer container, a glimmer of jewels greeted her back. Kanzashi hair ornaments of spring blossoms and silver and gold butterflies were neatly placed in the box's felt compartments. These were probably worth a fortune each. If she didn't have so much morality towards old acquaintances, she may have been inclined to steal one or two for herself.
Her head whipped towards the door, holding up the thin, three-stringed instrument by its neck. "Hey uh, I don't really know how to play this thing..."
"Good luck! See you tomorrow!"
With that, Manzou slammed the sliding door in her face.
Fuu sighed. Maybe she'd gone a little over her head with this job…
Mugen seemed to think the same.
"Yeah." He laughed. "Good luck with that, girlie."
She puffed out her cheeks, suddenly eager to accept this challenge. "Well, Sara tried teaching me a little…back when we joined her on her tours. I can try to start with that."
Fuu expected for him to say a comment regarding her looks. Something like: "Maybe if your chest was bigger, you could pull it off." Instead, the vagrant did not.
He just folded his arms, examining the materials laid out on the table with little interest. "You and your bright ideas…"
"It's not like we have much of a choice. We got free room and board. And, if we manage to capture the kidnapper, then we'll get five ryo." she said.
"And that happens before or after the dude decides to kidnap ya?"
"Well..."
"It's a stupid idea, and you know it. It's just like ya to jump into somethin' without thinkin' twice."
"Like you're the type to think twice before jumping into something!"
His upper lip twitched a little, revealing a small snarl of teeth. For the first time in three days, he looked her dead in the eyes with an intensity that resembled a wild beast more than a man. The brave girl didn't tear her gaze away.
They both knew what she referred to. Not stealing. Not fighting. No.
The incident three nights ago...
Fuu kneeled, beginning to tweak with the shamisen strings as if she knew what she was doing. "...I don't see why you're complaining. Besides, you're the one who agreed to help when hanging with beautiful geisha was brought up."
He scoffed once again and turned away. "I ain't complainin'. This job suits me just fine. Not sure how your clumsy ass is gonna manage pretendin' to be one when you're-"
"Mugen," she interrupted him.
Her eyes requested him to look back at her. He did not, just stayed silent, scratching at his facial hair. For too long they had avoided this. With the job of living undercover inside a geisha house, who knew how long it would take for the two of them to be stuck alone together again. The two travelers needed to clear up the events of that night once and for all.
Fuu knew what her heart wanted to say. For the briefest of moments, she didn't care what came out of her mouth. She just wanted the ache in her chest to stop.
"About that other night… About what happened-"
"I'm headin' out." he grunted quickly. He hopped up to stand.
Maybe they truly had made a clean slate. After all...Mugen had been shit-faced drunk at the time, and either forgot all about it, or probably let it go easily.
Then why couldn't she just let it go already… She was just beating a dead horse.
Mugen already headed to the door. He stood there for a moment, resting a hand against the pane. Fuu thought that he might say something else, but before she filled in words for him, he opened it, slipping out with a silence that strangely felt loud in her ears.
Alone, Fuu stared down at the intimidating shamisen in her arms. A beginner may have more knowledge about playing than she would. Her fingers plucked its three strings gently with the plectrum, despite desiring to rip them right out of the instrument.
The soon-to-be maiko strummed and strummed, searching her memory for the sorrowful notes of "Kuzunoha Leaves Her Child". She hummed and hummed, wandering her heart for a melody of her own that might be convincing enough for tomorrow's performance.
Fuu practiced long into the night, hitting some notes perfectly and many more off-key, all as she waited for Mugen to return.
She did this until her fingers began to hurt.
~To Be Continued~
Fenrir's Lockhart: Okay, Manzou. Give me back my author's note.
Manzou: But...But-
Fenrir's Lockhart: OUT.
Opening Author's Note was a reference to the Map Sequence in the anime where a kabuki singer sings of their journey thus far.
Manzou the Saw- this fourth wall breaking character needs no introduction at this rate, after he took over my opening Author's Note. His actual character was based off of a Chanbara movie character Hanzou the Razor, who is a womanizing detective.
Kagemaru- former ninja that enjoys baseball. Made his debut in Episode 23 Baseball Blues where he teamed up with Manzou the Saw, Mugen, Jin, Fuu...Momo...a dying old man...and a random dog to drive out Americans from Japan with an epic baseball game. True history for ya...
Inukage AKA Baseball Doge- (Not a typo. He IS SO the doge meme dog). A shiba inu that made his debut (although brief) in Ep 23. (I once read someone say he is an Akita, which is wrong unless he's a puppy, as Akita are much larger and Baseball Doge is super small.) The "bandit mask" he now wears is called a "hokkamuri". It is a bandana used by farmers to block out the sun and ties around the chin. However, thieves commonly tied the string over their upper lip to hide their face. (Look up "Japanese bandit mask on Google Images. So funny). This was also used by ninja which is why Kagemaru (a retired shinobi) has given his dog such an iconic mask. Many ninja in media are given names that have the word "Shadow" or "kage" in them. Akakage, Aokage, Storm Shadow and even Kagemaru himself is no exception. Inukage simply means "Dog Shadow".
Geisha/Geiko- a woman of the arts that plays the role of hostess and performer. They are well trained in the arts of dance, song, serving, and entertaining men. At the peak of the geisha era, there were over 80,000 in Gion alone. In modern days, the number has dwindled to around 1,000 in the entirety of Japan. This is most likely due to the extremely rigid training and the lifestyle it entails to preserve the secretive and unique culture. THEY ARE NOT PROSTITUTES. It is extremely complicated and I will provide more information later.
Maiko- geisha in training. To even become a maiko took years and years of formal training and dedication. Let's just say Fuu is lucky she has Manzou's forged documents. Not just any girl could be a maiko, so there will be reasons why Fuu gets the job.
Okiya- the lodging houses where geisha and maiko stay for the duration of their early career. The proprietress of such is called an "okasan" or "mother" and is a retired geisha that pays for the maiko training until they can repay their financial obligations. Once debts are paid, geisha can live independently, or continue living in the house. Either way, their name will be tied with the house for the rest of their career. An Okasan can also choose to adopt one of the geisha, naming her as the heiress to the Okiya, passing on its teaching and rules from generation to generation.
Ochaya- wooden "tea house" though not necessarily for serving tea, as this is where geisha work to entertain patrons with their shows.
Geimei- The naming conventions of maiko and geisha. When maiko debut and are given their stage name, they always will take a prefix or suffix that is associated with their geisha mentor. Since the same prefix/suffix passes on, it becomes associated with the geisha house itself. For example, the geisha of Daimonji Okiya take the prefix "Katsu-". Names like: Katsushi, Katsufumi, Katsura, Katsuho, Katsue etc.
Fuu: So...how did you survive that baseball game?
Kagemaru: Listen, I'll explain my secret to you only because you helped me get those Yankees out of Japan. See…I know a hidden jutsu called "Kawarimi" passed down in my clan that can summon a lifelike decoy to take damage in my stead. What you thought was me, was merely a block of enchanted wood.
Inukage: *barks to confirm*
Mugen: Bullshit.
Kagemaru: I-It's true! Watch this, even the dog knows it! Quick, Inukage, use Kawarimi!
Wooden Dog Dummy: ...
Fuu and Mugen: N-NO WAY!
It's been another long 9 months since an update... Anybody still reading? If you are, leave a review of what you think :)
End of Chapter 35