Guy's Night Out
Chapter 6
"Your the one that looks like chickenshit!" catcalled back one of the officers. His round moustached face was red with sake and rage. He had a knife in his hand, and began to brandish it threateningly.
"Yeah, we're gonna make you pay for assaulting our friend Tanaka-san." That from another, smaller lean man with a quiet demeanor, his hand holding a pair of nunchako.
"Go for it," Sano retorted, clenching and unclenching his fists.
"Can't we settle this peacefully?" said a deep quiet voice at Sano's side. The other men looked at Kenshin.
"Who are you, little man?" the third officer asked in a cold tone. He was the tallest of the three and had a wide scar on his face that interrupted on of his eyebrows ran down the side of his face, and very short bristly hair. He also had his right hand on a short sword.
"Nobody in particular," replied Kenshin in the same even tone. "Then why should we listen to you?" asked Scarface in an equally threatening monotone.
"Your friend was drunk and started this whole affair," said Kenshin coldly. "Why don't you take him to a doctor and forget this matter? My friend and I are willing to pay for his medical care to make amends."
Just then, a man in an expensive looking Western-style suit appeared in one of the back doorways of The White Tiger. Slicked back hair, a handsome broad face, smoking a cigarette in a holder.
"I'm the proprietor of this establishment, take your quarrel outside." He said in a bored, silky voice. "I don't need this kind of garbage going on in my place and I have connections with the police." He looked at the three officers, "I know your boss, and he'll be annoyed to hear his officers are brawling with gangsters and lowlifes off duty."
"Would that be Fujita-san?" asked Kenshin of the man.
"Aa," he replied. "He's a friend of mine, more or less."
"We'll take this outside, then, sir. No need to involve Fujita-san in this."
"You're Himura Kenshin, aren't you?" asked the man, taking his cigarette holder out of his mouth and blowing a stream of smoke lazily out of his nostrils.
"Aa," answered Kenshin curtly.
"And this stupid, loud-mouthed fellow must be Sagara Sanosuke." The man said with a smirk on his face. "Fujita-san has made mention of you two fellows. He says that although Sagara-san is a moron, he does fight exceptionally well and as for you, Himura-san, your skills with a sword are practically legendary."
"Himura-san?" exclaimed Scarface. "You're Himura Kenshin, the Battousai?" He seemed baffled.
"I no longer go by that name," replied Kenshin, his eyes flashing a little.
The three officers stood there staring at Kenshin, who was beginning to feel uncomfortable under their puzzled scrutiny.
"Is there something wrong?" he asked in a coldly polite tone.
"No, no, it's nothing," replied Scarface. "It's, ah, just that you're not what I imagined."
Kenshin bit the inside of his lip to keep from smirking. "What were you expecting?" he thought, "a ten foot monster with flaming yellow eyes?"
"Does this mean we're not gonna fight?" asked Sano, looking openly disappointed.
"Apparently not," said Kenshin, "It seems these fellows have changed their minds about that."
"We'll see," blared the officer with the moustache. He was just drunk enough to be foolhardy.
He and the other officers tossed some money on the table to cover their tab, and proceeded to collect their friend Tanaka, who was starting to come to, groaning and holding his bloody forehead. They pulled him to his feet and half-walked, half-carried him to the door.
"Well, now that that's settled, you gentlemen are welcome to partake of my hospitality. My name is Sagawa Tachoiya. Enjoy yourselves." He turned and went back through the doorway.
Ona appeared again, "There is a gentlemen at another table who wishes you to join him for a drink." She gestured to a painted screen in the back of the room, apparently a private area for special guests.
"Did he give his name?" asked Kenshin.
"I believe he is an aquaintaince of Sagawa-san," said Ona. "He comes here often, but always sits in the private guest area. A man of some importance, no doubt."
Curious, Kenshin told her, "We'll accept his offer, Ona-dono, thank you very much."
Sano said, "Oi, sure, anything for free sake."
They followed Ona to the back of the room, and she folded back the screen to allow them into the private area.
Kenshin's and Sano's faces both wore an incredulous expression as they found themselves looking into the narrow golden eyes and wolfish grin of Saitou Hajime.
Chapter 6
"Your the one that looks like chickenshit!" catcalled back one of the officers. His round moustached face was red with sake and rage. He had a knife in his hand, and began to brandish it threateningly.
"Yeah, we're gonna make you pay for assaulting our friend Tanaka-san." That from another, smaller lean man with a quiet demeanor, his hand holding a pair of nunchako.
"Go for it," Sano retorted, clenching and unclenching his fists.
"Can't we settle this peacefully?" said a deep quiet voice at Sano's side. The other men looked at Kenshin.
"Who are you, little man?" the third officer asked in a cold tone. He was the tallest of the three and had a wide scar on his face that interrupted on of his eyebrows ran down the side of his face, and very short bristly hair. He also had his right hand on a short sword.
"Nobody in particular," replied Kenshin in the same even tone. "Then why should we listen to you?" asked Scarface in an equally threatening monotone.
"Your friend was drunk and started this whole affair," said Kenshin coldly. "Why don't you take him to a doctor and forget this matter? My friend and I are willing to pay for his medical care to make amends."
Just then, a man in an expensive looking Western-style suit appeared in one of the back doorways of The White Tiger. Slicked back hair, a handsome broad face, smoking a cigarette in a holder.
"I'm the proprietor of this establishment, take your quarrel outside." He said in a bored, silky voice. "I don't need this kind of garbage going on in my place and I have connections with the police." He looked at the three officers, "I know your boss, and he'll be annoyed to hear his officers are brawling with gangsters and lowlifes off duty."
"Would that be Fujita-san?" asked Kenshin of the man.
"Aa," he replied. "He's a friend of mine, more or less."
"We'll take this outside, then, sir. No need to involve Fujita-san in this."
"You're Himura Kenshin, aren't you?" asked the man, taking his cigarette holder out of his mouth and blowing a stream of smoke lazily out of his nostrils.
"Aa," answered Kenshin curtly.
"And this stupid, loud-mouthed fellow must be Sagara Sanosuke." The man said with a smirk on his face. "Fujita-san has made mention of you two fellows. He says that although Sagara-san is a moron, he does fight exceptionally well and as for you, Himura-san, your skills with a sword are practically legendary."
"Himura-san?" exclaimed Scarface. "You're Himura Kenshin, the Battousai?" He seemed baffled.
"I no longer go by that name," replied Kenshin, his eyes flashing a little.
The three officers stood there staring at Kenshin, who was beginning to feel uncomfortable under their puzzled scrutiny.
"Is there something wrong?" he asked in a coldly polite tone.
"No, no, it's nothing," replied Scarface. "It's, ah, just that you're not what I imagined."
Kenshin bit the inside of his lip to keep from smirking. "What were you expecting?" he thought, "a ten foot monster with flaming yellow eyes?"
"Does this mean we're not gonna fight?" asked Sano, looking openly disappointed.
"Apparently not," said Kenshin, "It seems these fellows have changed their minds about that."
"We'll see," blared the officer with the moustache. He was just drunk enough to be foolhardy.
He and the other officers tossed some money on the table to cover their tab, and proceeded to collect their friend Tanaka, who was starting to come to, groaning and holding his bloody forehead. They pulled him to his feet and half-walked, half-carried him to the door.
"Well, now that that's settled, you gentlemen are welcome to partake of my hospitality. My name is Sagawa Tachoiya. Enjoy yourselves." He turned and went back through the doorway.
Ona appeared again, "There is a gentlemen at another table who wishes you to join him for a drink." She gestured to a painted screen in the back of the room, apparently a private area for special guests.
"Did he give his name?" asked Kenshin.
"I believe he is an aquaintaince of Sagawa-san," said Ona. "He comes here often, but always sits in the private guest area. A man of some importance, no doubt."
Curious, Kenshin told her, "We'll accept his offer, Ona-dono, thank you very much."
Sano said, "Oi, sure, anything for free sake."
They followed Ona to the back of the room, and she folded back the screen to allow them into the private area.
Kenshin's and Sano's faces both wore an incredulous expression as they found themselves looking into the narrow golden eyes and wolfish grin of Saitou Hajime.
