I hope this chapter will make up for my pathetically short one last time,
R&R peeps!
He stared at the team of assassins before him, Shinogami, hopefully they were as competent as their predecessors, the Shinzengumi, at eliminating problems.
The Deceiver, a boyishly handsome man, he charmed his prey into his bed, then killed them where they were out of sight, and out of sound. He was known for luring his prey into a false sense of security, his boyishly innocent features assisted him in seeming like everyone's best friend. His name was Damashi.
The Chemist, an ancient, withered hag, she was always in the shadows, mixing her poisons. She could create any poison known to humanity, she could kill swiftly and silently, or grant a slow, agonizing death. She was much sought after by politicians who wished to remove their enemies, through a seemingly natural death. She was called Yodoku.
The Soldier, a tall muscular man, he was the strongest of the Shinogami, his strength was his contribution, he could break a man's neck with barely a tap, he took care of unwanted attention, usually by intimidation, he was large enough that people rarely wanted to mess with him. He served as the front man, during an assassination, the people looked at him, and he was a distraction, to cover up the real problem. His name was Kin'niku.
The Brain, was a small, pockmarked man, he was the most intelligent of the group by way of tactics and strategy. He was the one that thought up ways to slip a victim's poison into his food, he was the one who chose how best to handle their jobs. He studied the floor plans for the mansions of politicians and discovered the best ways to infiltrate them. His name was Sakusen.
The Shadow, a small, silent man, he was the one who killed their victims from the darkness, he infiltrated the mansions of politicians and killed them swiftly and silently, no one knew what had happened until after the body was found. No one, not even his own partners knew what he truly looked like. He was called Nazo.
The Leader, a burly man with piercing gaze, he handled the jobs given to the group, he determined the prices, and the methods of carrying out the jobs, like who would do the killing. He had assembled this group, and managed it with an iron fist. The would-be mutineers were no longer among the living. He was named Taisa.
"The contract?" Taisa asked. Holding out his hand.
He placed the paper in Taisa's callused palm. Taisa read it swiftly.
It stated the pay for each member of the Shinogami, 50,000 yen, and the date by which the job had to be done. Also that if they were caught, He would deny any contact should they give his name. (Basically, if they get busted, they're on their own)
Taisa nodded, and passed the contract to the others, they read it, and nodded their agreement. Taisa took the brush and ink, and sketched the characters for Shinogami. He returned the contract to Him, and he signed it as well, John Almsley.
"You're certain you can kill this bitch?" Almsley asked.
"Of course. The Yureiken is known for her sword work, but not her intelligence, deception should be easy," He glanced at Damashi, "Though, if that fails, poisons should work perfectly." He nodded to Yodoku.
"And if you are underestimating her?"
"The five of us are not untrained, we can handle any weapon given to us, she is not a match for all of us at once." Taisa said, confidently.
Almsley looked over the group once more. His one good eye had failed to notice that even the old hag was wiry with muscle at their first meeting. His eye found the dagger in Damashi's coat, a poisoned hair pin in Yodoku's hair, the short sword in Sakusen's jacket, the shuriken in Nazo's belt, and the katana hidden under Taisa's formal kimono. Kin'niku needed no weapons, he was formidable enough on his own.
He nodded curtly. "I wish you luck." He said. The Shinogami nodded to him, and left.
Almsley turned back to his window, he felt DISGUSTING, he was actually hiring a band of heathen mercenaries to do this?! Their filth clung to him like smoke, it was like a nasty underlying stench that could not be got rid of. He had TOUCHED the same paper as that, that, barbarian! With a grunt of disgust, he tossed the contract into the brazier at his side. Of course he had no intention of paying them, after they got the job done, he would kill them himself. He had a revolver. But such a quick death was no suited to the Yureiken. She must feel pain, she must feel the hag's poison twine through her body, eating away at her insides. She must suffer.
He began to giggle to himself. It was perfect! Not only would he be rid of that bitch's presence, but also he would take out a few more heathens while he was at it! He was so brilliant.
::Brilliant John! Simply perfect!:: A voice echoed in his mind.
"Yes, I know." He said, grinning.
(yes, he has little voices in his head.)
Several miles away, Tsurughi obliviously assisted Yahiko in his chores, currently she was helping him polish the dojo floor.
"Tsurughi-san?" He asked.
"Hai?" She replied, looking up from the shining wooden floor.
"Can I ask you a question?"
"You just did, but you can ask another, I won't promise that I'll answer though." She replied.
Yahiko growled to himself about stupid adults who always had to complicate things. "Where do you disappear to everyday?"
Tsurughi froze, then continued her polishing in silence. Yahiko sat back on his heels and glared at her. "Well? Where do you go?" He demanded sharply.
Tsurughi looked at him. "I told you I might not answer." She said, as though she were speaking to a small child who failed to comprehend what she was saying.
Yahiko glared at her, partially hoping that his gaze would make her burst into flames, or something. Anything besides make her turn away to hide a smile.
Well, that was a little better.
He stared at the team of assassins before him, Shinogami, hopefully they were as competent as their predecessors, the Shinzengumi, at eliminating problems.
The Deceiver, a boyishly handsome man, he charmed his prey into his bed, then killed them where they were out of sight, and out of sound. He was known for luring his prey into a false sense of security, his boyishly innocent features assisted him in seeming like everyone's best friend. His name was Damashi.
The Chemist, an ancient, withered hag, she was always in the shadows, mixing her poisons. She could create any poison known to humanity, she could kill swiftly and silently, or grant a slow, agonizing death. She was much sought after by politicians who wished to remove their enemies, through a seemingly natural death. She was called Yodoku.
The Soldier, a tall muscular man, he was the strongest of the Shinogami, his strength was his contribution, he could break a man's neck with barely a tap, he took care of unwanted attention, usually by intimidation, he was large enough that people rarely wanted to mess with him. He served as the front man, during an assassination, the people looked at him, and he was a distraction, to cover up the real problem. His name was Kin'niku.
The Brain, was a small, pockmarked man, he was the most intelligent of the group by way of tactics and strategy. He was the one that thought up ways to slip a victim's poison into his food, he was the one who chose how best to handle their jobs. He studied the floor plans for the mansions of politicians and discovered the best ways to infiltrate them. His name was Sakusen.
The Shadow, a small, silent man, he was the one who killed their victims from the darkness, he infiltrated the mansions of politicians and killed them swiftly and silently, no one knew what had happened until after the body was found. No one, not even his own partners knew what he truly looked like. He was called Nazo.
The Leader, a burly man with piercing gaze, he handled the jobs given to the group, he determined the prices, and the methods of carrying out the jobs, like who would do the killing. He had assembled this group, and managed it with an iron fist. The would-be mutineers were no longer among the living. He was named Taisa.
"The contract?" Taisa asked. Holding out his hand.
He placed the paper in Taisa's callused palm. Taisa read it swiftly.
It stated the pay for each member of the Shinogami, 50,000 yen, and the date by which the job had to be done. Also that if they were caught, He would deny any contact should they give his name. (Basically, if they get busted, they're on their own)
Taisa nodded, and passed the contract to the others, they read it, and nodded their agreement. Taisa took the brush and ink, and sketched the characters for Shinogami. He returned the contract to Him, and he signed it as well, John Almsley.
"You're certain you can kill this bitch?" Almsley asked.
"Of course. The Yureiken is known for her sword work, but not her intelligence, deception should be easy," He glanced at Damashi, "Though, if that fails, poisons should work perfectly." He nodded to Yodoku.
"And if you are underestimating her?"
"The five of us are not untrained, we can handle any weapon given to us, she is not a match for all of us at once." Taisa said, confidently.
Almsley looked over the group once more. His one good eye had failed to notice that even the old hag was wiry with muscle at their first meeting. His eye found the dagger in Damashi's coat, a poisoned hair pin in Yodoku's hair, the short sword in Sakusen's jacket, the shuriken in Nazo's belt, and the katana hidden under Taisa's formal kimono. Kin'niku needed no weapons, he was formidable enough on his own.
He nodded curtly. "I wish you luck." He said. The Shinogami nodded to him, and left.
Almsley turned back to his window, he felt DISGUSTING, he was actually hiring a band of heathen mercenaries to do this?! Their filth clung to him like smoke, it was like a nasty underlying stench that could not be got rid of. He had TOUCHED the same paper as that, that, barbarian! With a grunt of disgust, he tossed the contract into the brazier at his side. Of course he had no intention of paying them, after they got the job done, he would kill them himself. He had a revolver. But such a quick death was no suited to the Yureiken. She must feel pain, she must feel the hag's poison twine through her body, eating away at her insides. She must suffer.
He began to giggle to himself. It was perfect! Not only would he be rid of that bitch's presence, but also he would take out a few more heathens while he was at it! He was so brilliant.
::Brilliant John! Simply perfect!:: A voice echoed in his mind.
"Yes, I know." He said, grinning.
(yes, he has little voices in his head.)
Several miles away, Tsurughi obliviously assisted Yahiko in his chores, currently she was helping him polish the dojo floor.
"Tsurughi-san?" He asked.
"Hai?" She replied, looking up from the shining wooden floor.
"Can I ask you a question?"
"You just did, but you can ask another, I won't promise that I'll answer though." She replied.
Yahiko growled to himself about stupid adults who always had to complicate things. "Where do you disappear to everyday?"
Tsurughi froze, then continued her polishing in silence. Yahiko sat back on his heels and glared at her. "Well? Where do you go?" He demanded sharply.
Tsurughi looked at him. "I told you I might not answer." She said, as though she were speaking to a small child who failed to comprehend what she was saying.
Yahiko glared at her, partially hoping that his gaze would make her burst into flames, or something. Anything besides make her turn away to hide a smile.
Well, that was a little better.