Respectable men did not walk the streets of Tokyo during the day time
looking for female companionship.
But time was of unknown quantity, and it did not matter all that much to the two men who walked, the younger in front of the elder.
It was unclear who felt more awkward; the man who had to admit that he knew exactly what places to go to, or the other who had to admit that he did not know where to go to.
As they walked to what Sano sincerely hoped would be the first of very few stops, he wondered idly whether Aoshi Shinomori's somewhat backhanded manner of talking frankly about courtesans and prostitutes reflected his politeness or was part of his overall repressed nature.
Not that he cared all that much, but it was odd to think that a person who at one point had Okina as a mentor would be *that* inexperienced in matters related to women. On the other hand, it wouldn't surprise him if Shinomori thought women-chasing a sign of weakness either.
He just hoped Madame Kata didn't find Shinomori's manner off-putting. She was rather particular about who she dealt with, and perhaps the only one who would be so willing to help.
She was not Madame Kata before he had met her, but by the time she hired him, it had been the name that she had adopted. She was said to have been a courtesan long ago, one with many wealthy admirers. She was not remarkably beautiful, but had something that the other women did not - and that was a trained mind. While many other courtesans had suffered greatly with the advent of the Meiji government, she had managed to hold onto something of her glorious past and take up her residence here.
It was never something Madame Kata had ever allowed discussion on while he had protected her for a time. But her admirers must have had and continued to hold great power even in the new era to allow her to maintain a level of elegance and also harbor the young women who came under her protection.
The women that were under her were not geisha or courtesans, as far as Sano knew. Madame Kata had no particular admiration for geisha, who she saw nothing more as ornamental puppets whose popularity at the dawn of the Meiji era hurt that of the courtesans. He still didn't quite understand what she was doing with these women without families or homes. But her girls did well. Her years of experience as a courtesan leant itself well to training the women to be literate, to develop a craft, and acquire other skills which were apparently the sorts of things she or her girls would ever discuss in front of men.
Some left and married, often returning bearing gifts for their mentor from time to time while others stayed and did as they pleased. He asked her once if she would consider herself a matchmaker, but she shook her head. "Improving their situation in the world," was all she would state when defending herself against the critics and simply leave it at that.
As they walked the steps up the hill to where her home and gardens stood, it appeared as if they were stepping back into time, when Sano knew fully that they were dealing with someone far beyond their time and society.
Sano could tell Shinomori's curiosity was piqued as they entered the old- fashioned courtyard. Whether it was at Sano's familiarity with the place or at the place itself, he did not know. But Sano did not care. Instead, he shot the man a warning glance. "Madame Kata is particular. Don't say anything until you are addressed by her directly."
They could hear her sing-song voice from the small pavilion at the side of the main building "Young men at this time of day are certainly a surprise." The tinkling laughter that ensued were clearly not her own, but of the women with her. "Ladies, would you kindly greet our guests?"
Sano could sense Aoshi's mounting sense of alarm as six giggling, ornately dressed women surrounded them and urged them to join them for tea.
They were led to the pavilion, where Madame Kata kept court. Only those she liked would be invited to stay for tea and be allowed to pass again through the entrance gates.
"Let me see what we have here." The woman rose unsmiling and looked at the two of them critically. And despite whatever they felt personally about meeting a former courtesan, Aoshi and Sano bowed politely.
Sano nearly winced when instead of bowing in return, the woman grabbed his ear and tugged it. "You can't fool me, you silly man. I'll not allow you to behave as such!"
She let go of his ear so she could put her hands on her hips. "--You may dress differently, and have even cut your hair, but there is no fooling me, Zanza!"
At the sound of his nickname, the women began whispering excitedly amongst themselves.
"I'm sorry, Madame Kata." Sanosuke gave her a half-smile. "I'm not trying to fool anyone here, it's just that the streets of Tokyo are a little drafty for a gi."
She laughed then, loudly and heartily. "Well-said, streetfighter. Well said!"
As Aoshi raised his eyebrow slightly, Sanosuke shrugged.
"Girls," Madame Kata clapped her hands. "Hurry with the tea. It isn't every day that we have Zanza here. And I want a moment with this young man and his friend to see why are honored to have their presence."
As the women disappeared into one of the buildings to prepare tea, the elder woman finally turned her scrutiny on the companion of 'Zanza."
Sano held his breath for what seemed like a very long time as the two appraised each other frankly.
"Hmm." Kata turned her back to them and began walking towards the pavilion, indicating that she had accepted his presence. Sano and Aoshi understood that they were to follow. "You, sir, are not the usual sort of person I expect to see with my young friend. But then again, that might be a good thing."
"I am-"
"I do not require your name. It is one of my rules here. You may give it when I have earned it. But for now, it is simply enough that you are his friend."
Aoshi bowed his head slightly. "Thank you."
"If you'll rest here and wait for my girls to return, I will borrow your friend for a moment."
Shinomori nodded and sat quietly, almost meditatively while Sano felt himself led over to admire a flowering plant at the other corner of the garden.
"It is most unusual to see you Zanza. I heard you disappeared off to Mongolia."
"Among other places, Madame. But it got sort of tiring after a while -"
"I'm glad you're back safely, Zanza." She smiled. "Even though you've singlehandedly protected us from many a bully, I hated to think of you out wandering around in places other than Japan. Goodness knows you have a terrible sense of direction in general, but to unleash you on the rest of the world-"
"Why do you think it took me so long to get back?" Sano grinned, earning him another laugh.
"You're just as funny as you always were." She snorted. "But I trust this isn't some kind of social call, is it? Perhaps you've come to collect on part of your payment, young man?"
"Payment?" He gave her a blank look.
She smiled slyly. "My girls have heard a lot about you. And now that you seem like a somewhat respectable man, I'm sure you could convince any one of them to follow you home."
"Madame Kata," Sano gave her a grin, "Save that for some other guy. I'm not the one you have to help out."
"Him?" Her eyebrow raised as they both quickly glanced over in the direction of the other man. "Other than the fact that he seems a little too serious, he doesn't look like he needs any help."
"He's not exactly sociable-" Sano corrected himself. "I mean, he's not exactly sociable these days."
She sighed, catching the slight hesitation in his voice. "You know the rules. You don't need to tell me the specifics--"
"But it's a tough situation," Sano continued ad-libbing, trying to adhere as closely to the truth as possible. "He's not your ordinary customer. He's lost someone recently who was very important to him. She-"
"Ah," Madame Kata suddenly nodded. "'She' is the reason you're both here right?"
"Yes." Sano nodded. At least this was true.
"What sort of woman was this that you come to me?"
Sanosuke paused for a moment as he considered exactly how to proceed. Actually the truth was they wanted information on the woman who died in Megumi Takani's place. "I do not know much about her and what she did. Even he never told me the circumstances about their meeting."
"You thought her to be someone I would know?" Madame Kata gave Shinomori a second glance.
"Perhaps." SAnosuke paused, thinking of how to continue. "He's looked everywhere in Tokyo."
"Except for places like these," she said thoughtfully. "She must have been exceptional to attract his attention and to keep it. Tell me about her."
He paused. Never having seen the woman who had been taken for the doctor, Sanosuke decided that to have fooled the police and the community that such a woman must be very similar in fact to Megumi Takani. He began describing Megumi Takani's physical appearance in detail. He smiled faintly as the picture of her grew more clearly in his mind, first scolding him, and then laughing.
Perhaps he smiled too much.
Kata interrupted gently. "She must have been very beautiful for Zanza to agree with his friend."
"Uh, yes. I mean-no." Sano suddenly realized from her suspicious smile that he had said too much.
She patted his arm. "But it is a sad fate indeed for your friend if my suspicions are correct. Any of my girls would probably be very happy to try to ease his pain, as your friend has that sort of deep, brooding quality that women see and respond to, but -" She moved her eyes back toward the pavilion where the women had returned with tea. "But as you can see, he has no interest in any of them."
Aoshi had accepted the tea that the women eagerly offered him, but he sipped it quietly with his eyes closed. He sat there ignorant of the silent and furious exchange of glances between the women who all were waiting to fill up the cup when it was finished. If Sano wasn't trying to pretend to be serious, he might have allowed himself to smile in amusement at the little scene in front of them.
"None of them bear any resemblance to her," Sano bit his lip and frowned slightly. "Perhaps that is the problem."
Madame sighed. "It is your friend's misfortune if he has fallen for the woman I think he seeks. There is said to be a beautiful nightingale who sings for only the most elite of clients at the House of Kiyone in the Y anagibashi district. Perhaps her song might soothe your quiet friend more than the chattering of my young women. But she sees very few people. Her song is quite expensive."
"He is pretty determined." Sano shook his head. "And I'm certain he'll be willing to do anything."
"I thought he would be," she said thoughtfully. "He has that appearance. However, it seems that he lacks a certain openness when it comes to women. Unlike you."
"Well, we all can't be perfect."
Madame laughed. "Aren't you sure you won't let me introduce you to my charges?"
"They're all too young for me," Sano grinned and winked. "I prefer older women."
She shook her head. "Always the charmer, aren't you. If I weren't old enough to be your mother, I would be in trouble. But since I am that old, I will warn you to watch out for that nightingale. You never know who your competition will be."
"The House of Kiyone-"
"As you know, geishas are not particular favorites of mine. But in this case, it is not the geishas I find fault with but the clients."
"I see." Sano's eyes widened slightly.
"Now, now. No serious faces, Zanza. " Madame Kata pulled on his arm. "They are still nothing when it comes to your strength. Instead, I think you ought to worry more about your friend. We should rescue him from my girls before any more mischief ensues. I do not want them to be enemies over a man whose eyes can not even be tempted to look their way."
Kata strode purposefully back towards the pavilion and clapped her hands together, causing their little fiasco to come to standstill. "Our poor guest can not possibly drink all six cups of tea at once." She waved them off, signifying that at least for them, tea was over.
It was uncanny that as soon as the last of them had disappeared inside, Aoshi finally opened his eyes.
Kata turned to give Shinomori a serious, measuring look "Zanza has told me something about what you are about, young man. My warning to you is that the nightingale may be even beyond your reach. But if you truly have the desire to see this through, then Zanza will be able to take you. But even if you do not find her," Kata's expression shifted slightly, "I sense you will not be entirely disappointed."
Her words surprised the both of them.
Sano caught the glint in Aoshi's eyes before he bowed. "For your help, I thank you Kata-san."
"It is not I you need to thank." She drew Zanza towards them with her arm. "But your friend. Whatever your purpose is, quiet one, I wish you two well on your search." She bowed, signaling that their audience with her was over.
. . .
Once she was clearly out of sight and they had descended halfway down the stairs, Aoshi broke the silence. "Where did Madame Kata instruct 'Zanza' to go?"
"The Yanagibashi district. Our mystery woman is a geisha. Or rather, was."
"You are certain."
"Only as certain that the woman whose body was found must have resembled Megumi in some way. That is how I described her to Madame Kata."
As they reached the bottom of the stairs, Aoshi paused. "Surely there are many women-"
"-- like Megumi?" Sano completed the sentence.
Aoshi's silence Sano took to mean that he acknowledged that there were not. Sano continued down the street, with Aoshi a step behind him. "Madame Kata knows nearly everything in this city. Despite what she appears to be now, she was one of the greatest courtesans of her time."
"A woman of some beauty once, perhaps." Aoshi mused quietly. "But that wasn't probably what made her great."
"Eh?" Sano furrowed his brows, wondering why Aoshi had made that statement.
"Whatever you told her, she knew it wasn't the truth." Aoshi's voice turned slightly hard. "She hinted at it to me."
"Well," Sano sheepishly focused on the road ahead. "I had to come up with a reason why you were there and so obviously not interested in any of her women. So I told her you were there looking for a lover."
Aoshi had drawn alongside Sano and appeared to be considering the lie. "Not a bad fib to tell. Perhaps I did not give Madame KAta enough credit."
"What do you mean?"
"Perhaps Madame Kata is much more than a former courtesan. She has an interesting way of reading people. Courtesans have access to men in a way that most people do not. And access to information."
"In other words, she might as well be a spy."
"It is not unheard of. In the past, Oniwaban have been cooks, maids, geisha and even concubines."
Sano raised his eyebrow. "Well, I trust her no matter what you think."
"I did not state that I did not trust her. But to pretend that I was a love sick admirer of this 'nightingale--' Aoshi's slight frown spoke of his distaste for the issue.
"Well, you don't have to pretend that when we go see the geishas." Sano muttered. "Besides which I don't think you could pull off lovesi-"
"Then you should be the one to ask for her-"
"What are you trying to say?!" Sano looked back and shot Aoshi a glare.
"You are more friendly with women. "
"Friendly? " Sano snorted. "From someone who has probably never expressed his feelings to any woman, I consider that a compliment."
"It was not meant as a criticism. It was merely an observation. Since you are opposed to the idea as well we will simply ask to hear the nightingale sing. If this is the woman we seek, she will not be there and we simply need to see what happens then."
"Alright." Sano sighed.
"I shall make the request."
Sano felt his level of irritation start to rise again. "You don't know the first thing about geishas!"
His outburst drew some funny looks from passersby.
Aoshi waited for a few moments before patiently continuing. "Okina has a fondness for geisha. And Takeda entertained his clients often with geisha. It is an environment I have some passing familiarity with although the Yanagibashi district is unfamiliar to me."
"Not that I'm overly familiar with it either."
"So you will not be recognized."
"No," Sano shook his head. "Geishas and I don't mix. Poetry, music, dance . . . they're not exactly my idea of passing the afternoon. But if you're worried about Zanza being recognized - I doubt it. I don't exactly look like Zanza anymore."
"Perhaps." Aoshi glanced at him. "But you still talk like Zanza. And Kata recognized you."
"Well," Sano shrugged. "I did work for her for awhile. It can't be helped."
"Well let's hope that none of your former employers like to frequent the Yanagibashi district."
"I doubt that," Sano laughed. "This is far too refined for their tastes."
"I should like you to watch everything around us while I try to obtain the services of this nightingale."
"If she's alive. Madame Kata said she didn't like this place. Perhaps there is something she suspects."
Aoshi nodded and the two then lapsed back into silence.
It became very clear when they had entered the Yanagibashi district in which the Kiyone House resided. Women walked demurely through the street.
"This place must have very wealthy patrons to have its location here." Aoshi narrowed his eyes slightly. "This rivals some of Kyoto's own."
"Okina would be impressed, I guess."
"Okina would never leave." Aoshi shook his head. "He'd sit around all day flirting with the geisha and watching them pour tea."
"Here it is." Sano suddenly stopped short in front of an opening in a stone wall.
Aoshi took one quick look in and then stepped in through the gate.
Sano followed reluctantly.
.
.
.
If there was one quality that Sano lacked, it was patience.
But he dutifully watched everything and everyone else that walked past and around the home while Shinomori negotiated with the headwoman the time and performances of the geisha.
It was difficult, he could tell by what he overheard, but finally they were led to a room where three ladies greeted them politely.
Sano sighed as he sat down. From the instruments in their hands, he knew exactly what was coming. As the tea was poured, he drank it and then focused his attention outside, ignoring the singing that started soon after.
When Aoshi slammed down his tea cup, he nearly jumped.
"What's wrong?" He asked aloud, forgetting that he had been instructed to say nothing.
"The song displeases me." Aoshi looked coldly at the woman. "I had been told that the Kiyone geisha were extraordinary singers, but this song is nothing more than a country folktune."
The offending singer bowed apologetically. "Perhaps another song."
"I think not. Take me to the headwoman."
The woman, perhaps a new geisha, seemed unused to receiving orders from customers. She wavered for a moment until Aoshi stood. At that point, she caved. "Of course, my apologies."
Sano gaped as did the other two women as the geisha and client began to leave. Aoshi turned his head back slightly in his direction as he followed the woman out. The meaning was now clear. Aoshi had created an opportunity for Sano to take while he himself looked more carefully around the house.
Sano cleared his throat. "My friend had been told that the geisha here rivaled those in Kyoto in song. In particular, he had been told by a patron here that there was an exceptional singer here in this house."
"We are all trained as singers." The shorter one said.
"And we apologize that we are inadequate." The more junior one stated.
"That person kept speaking of a woman with a voice of a nightingale."
He noted that one of them nodded. "Aki left awhile ago. Met a man at a private party who married her."
"Maiko-" the more senior geisha placed her arm over the other girl's arm to quiet her.
"Ah," Sano nodded, smiling at the one called Maiko. "She must have been beautiful for an admirer to marry her."
Maiko dropped her eyes when the other geisha continued to stare at her. Sano realized that this information was not to have been divulged. "Perhaps one of her songs would please your friend?"
Sano did not particularly want to hear any other song at the moment but thought to smooth things over. He racked his brain for anything else that would be suitable to request. "Perhaps a courtly tale would do."
"Ah yes," Maiko and the other nameless geisha sighed in relief. Maiko began to talk while the other picked up her instrument and picked out a tune.
Ten minutes later, Sano was grateful to see Aoshi open the door. "We are leaving."
"Leaving?" Sano pretended to be disappointed, but silently thanked the man from saving him from a rather dour tale about some princess who died pining for the emperor. "The story isn't done-"
"I do not wish to linger here. Our friend was clearly mistaken. We will seek out another place."
"Alright." Sano turned back to the two remaining geisha and shrugged slightly before quickly following Aoshi back out to the street.
Once safely down the street, he dared speak. "Took you long enough."
"The headwomen insisted that she had made no mistake for a while before she admitted that her favored geisha was sick."
"Really? But the other women said the nightingale - Aki - was married off to an admirer."
"Of course the stories do not match." Aoshi said, matter of fact. "Your Madame was right. Something is not right in this place."
"So what do we do next?"
"I do not need any more of your services today. Come by tomorrow."
Sano blinked. Earlier, Aoshi had coolly dismissed his questions about where to find him. "Where?"
Aoshi pressed a card into his hand and then simply stated. "Come at noon. Do what you must for the rest of the evening. Focus on the question of the opium. I will look more into this matter myself and have some more answers by tomorrow. ."
With that, Aoshi disappeared.
Once out of the district, Sano ventured to look at the piece of paper. On it, there were a few written instructions and a name.
Shirotome.
So the popsicle had decided to trust him after all.
~
Megumi woke with a start and instinctively grasped her kimono to her. Her head felt numb, and there was still a fog that enveloped her mind.
Her captor had drugged her again, but something about this particular aftereffect was different.
She rose from her bed. Her mouth was parched; parched enough that she fought the waves of dizziness to stumble towards the bucket of water that stood in the corner.
The noise alerted the guard that sat outside. She did not care to look up as the door swung open. Instead she crouched next to the large wooden bucket and drowned her mouth and her face in water.
"So the good doctor has woken." The middle-aged man who spoke to her had the familiar voice of the one she knew to be her captor. There was nothing particularly remarkable about him except the malicious grin on his face. "Your guard gave you too much of that drug, I'm afraid. That is why you were out for the entire day. His mistake will not be repeated."
Her eyes narrowed slightly as she realized that beyond the open door someone new stood guard.
"But it was extremely useful nonetheless."
"Useful," she managed to spit out, trying to remember what he had said to her.
"Mmmm. Perhaps you do not remember what you told me about the Aoiya? About Aoshi Shinomori?"
She felt a surge of anger which suddenly cleared the fog over her mind. He had told her to tell him everything about the Aoiya and Aoshi Shinomori.
She frowned. But had she? Had she given him enough information to take down the Aoiya? But she hadn't spent all that much time there. Surely that couldn't have interested him. Then what else?
"Your brother's drug is remarkable. Your face is puzzled. You do not know what you told me or revealed to me, yet I will tell you that it was substantial. I know now that you have continued to withhold your talents from me. A mistake, but while the elder Megumi Takani plays games, your niece surely will not. Dear doctor, in addition to what you have told me about Aoshi Shinomori, the man who helped you find your niece, you failed to also hide your suspicions regarding your niece. I am pleased to hear that your suspicions confirm mine." He withdrew something from his coat. A doll, with straw colored hair. "This lovely toy. "Belle" was it? As in "Belladonna?"
Megumi felt the blood drain from her face. First she had betrayed Aoshi. And now her niece.
"Leave them out of this!" Megumi rose up and attempted to scratch the man. But the chain on her leg caused her to fall short and she flailed lamely before she lost her balance and fell.
"My, my." He looked down at her with feigned sympathy. Valiantly she tried to push herself up, but she had sprained something as she fell. She tried to bite back the pain and push herself up, but failed. "I didn't know you felt so passionately about this matter, Takani-sensei. If only I could believe you weren't toying with me as you did before. If you would produce the secret drugs your brother writes about as quickly as you were able to turn out opium, then maybe I wouldn't need her just as I don't need that greedy guard."
Megumi felt her horror grow. Was there no one near her who was safe from the man's eyes? The guard outside had been changed. Was that in fact because of what she had said?
"Stop it! Just tell me then, what it is you want."
He gave her a pleased smile. "That's much better." He cast the doll aside, and then reached again into his coat and withdrew a book. He turned the pages of the book to a particular formula and held it in front of her. When she, out of her pain, could not look up , he grabbed a bunch of her hair and forced her head up. Megumi bit her lip to distract her from the pain in her head and obediently stared at the open book.
"Your brother was clever. The poem about a spider and its prey not in itself all that good, if you'll forgive the criticism - but the allusion is clear. A poison. It must be particularly good for your brother to have repeated it later in the book."
"You can't be sure of that. Kenichi was never clear on what he meant."
"No, that is true. *I* can't be sure of that, but *you* seemed quite certain that's what he meant."
Megumi cursed to herself silently. The contents of her brother's most carefully guarded and dangerous work was also revealed to him by herself.
Her captor smiled. "To quote your own words -- a poison so potent that a few drops in your blood will paralyze you slowly, first affecting your body and then the mind. A deliciously slow and painful death." He dropped the book in front of her, as if to dare her to deny him. Angered by her silence, he then dragged her by her hair towards the workbench.
He gently ran the fingers of his free hand along the table that served as her workbench. "All the ingredients have been gathered by one of my clever friends. You will do exactly as the instructions state. Do not think to try to fool me. You told me enough that I will know if you have tried to deceive me. You will start work on it tonight."
"Why you-"
"Careful now," he said smoothly. "Don't lose your temper with me, dear Takani-sensei. I don't like petulant women who make mistakes."
"Mistakes?"
"Perform well for me, Megumi." He twirled the strands of hair between his thumb and fingers before carelessly dropping the hair, and his hold on Megumi. Caught off guard, she could not brace herself as she fell.
Only the book on the floor cushioned her fall.
"I don't tolerate mistakes nor any imperfections. You told me that it took less than a day to make. And that is all you will have. When I return tomorrow evening, I want to see it done."
She raised her head and shot him a defiant glare.
"Do not think to try to outwit me by killing yourself either. It will not do your niece nor those who attempt to protect her absolutely any good. If you will not give me what I want, I will guide her in her training such that she will. You will be dead and powerless to stop me."
Dead.
Powerless.
She felt her spirit fade, and ashamed, she turned her head aside as he passed by her and out the door. Her plans, although clever, had backfired. Worse yet, she betrayed so many, from her own family to even the guard who had stood outside her door.
The open book sat on the floor in front of her, mocking her failure. Its writer dead, it continued to exert its influence. She would be the instrument of seeing that knowledge carried out.
Atonement was beyond her now. She would become Death personified.
Resignedly, she picked up the book. Slowly she dragged herself towards the workbench.
~
Night deepened and on opposites of Tokyo, two men returned again to the street.
Unlike earlier, they worked alone. One returning to the Black Dragon, and the other to a place the two had seen earlier that day.
Aoshi Shinomori felt a slight thrill as he leaped from tree to rooftop back to trees. He had not worked like this in a long time, and the skills that he had not used in a long time were now becoming second nature to him again.
He made short work of the distance to the Yanagibashi district and effortlessly cleared the wall that surrounded the Kiyone house. He landed without a sound on the grass right next to the wall before he disappeared into the dark that surrounded the offices of the house.
His return to the Shirotome hotel had not been wasted. Shirotome had told him that Shimada was sighted two nights ago by one of his sources near the Yanagibashi district. He had a suspicion that the Kiyone house was a critical link between Shimada, the missing woman, and Shimada's client. After all, the geisha rooms had easily served as the secret meeting places of the Meiji revolutionaries, it would not be strange for men of questionable motives to also meet and plan other things.
He left Shirotome with the task of quietly making inquiries about who paid for many of the Kiyone's expenses. While Shirotome worked, he wanted to rifle through the office files of the headwoman - who by her dishonest face he suspected kept extremely detailed records on those who passed through her doors as possible means of blackmail later on.
It took him little effort to get inside. Darkness made it easy to avoid the people coming and going, and already having been familiar with the layout of the compound and the offices, he was able to slip in and out with no effort at all with the sheaf of papers that interested him. He suspected they would not be immediately missed. The price for collecting too much information was often that in its excess, a few missing things would be overlooked.
He told himself to forego the temptation to wait to see if Shimada would show. He was not his quarry, yet. The papers in hand were far more important than revenge. He quickly returned to Shirotome's estate and began pouring over the list of guests, looking for every occurrence of the name Shimada, every reference to the nightingale Aki, and the names that also appeared on the same entries - particularly the names that appeared close to the time that the last references to Aki were made. .
After a while, he arrived at four names. These four names appeared on the days before during and after Shimada's visits. They also did not appear after the last reference to Aki. Assuming what the other geisha believed to be true, the man would dare not show his face at the house again.
Four names.
He would have to wait until morning to run them by Shirotome. But it was still something. It was far better to have only four names to look at, as opposed to searching an entire city.
~
The Black Dragon was bustling and full of tough men, but Zanza all decked out in his trademark gi was welcomed by the men without any question. "Bad" were they, and "Bad" was he.
As he lazily drank whatever the hostesses had to offer, he chatted with those he gambled. He was losing fast and hard tonight, but they didn't seem to mind. In fact, it made them more boastful and likely to talk shop. The men were happy. New bosses were moving into town and work would soon be plentiful. There'd be plenty of drink, money, and women for all the gangsters of Tokyo if one were to believe what they said.
After a time, Sano was rewarded for all this lost money with the first information of any use. A newfound friend whispered that he had found someone who carried high-grade opium.
Sano gave his 'friend' his fee and the man related the address of the seller.
A few minutes later, Sano grumbled aloud that he had run out of money, and made an excuse to leave.
The men he gambled with laughed and told him to come back again so they could keep taking his money.
Sano grinned and slipped out the Black Dragon with a carefree smile plastered on his face.
As soon as he had moved far enough away, his face became determined and he moved quickly towards the direction he had been told to go. Despite the encouraging news today, the opium was still important and should not be neglected. The opium would be gone quickly, Sano knew. And once it was gone, so would be the person selling it.
Sano arrived at the location he had been told to go to, and knocked on the door. To his frustration, there was no answer.
He looked around first before trying the latch. If there were one thing he didn't want, it was the police dragging him off to jail where he'd have to face that laughing broomhead.
Seeing that no one was about, he opened the door and pushed it aside. He took a careful step inside and allowed his vision to adjust to the darkness.
Suddenly, he cursed.
A man lay against the corner, bleeding and bruised. Everything around him was broken.
So his information had apparently been freely given and well-known. Someone had gotten to the opium dealer first.
The police would assume that the man had doublecrossed a user and the user had killed the dealer.
But it was silly for any normal hoodlum to leave that much opium behind. Sano smelled a rat, and realized that whoever did this wanted a convenient scapegoat.
A slight movement, and Sano suddenly realized that the hoodlum hadn't quite finished the job. The man was still alive, although barely. Realizing the importance of this man, he ran back out and grabbed the first passerby he could find. "Here," he shoved some money into the startled man's hands. "Go fetch Gensai-sensei in the market district and bring him back here. There's more of this if you get him here within 20 minutes."
With the man running down the street, Sano turned his attention back to the man before him and the packets scattered around him covered with his blood.
Triangular packets. Perfectly folded.
Finally, another link.
+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=
Author's notes: Wow-- an extra long installment. Honestly, I could break it up but I got lazy. If it breaks ff.net, I'll repost it in two parts. BTW - in case I don't get to the next part before I disappear for the holidays, have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. If I'm lucky, I'll be able to put up something while hacking away at my folks' home, but no guarantees on that!
Geisha and oiran (courtesan) are often confused by western society. Arthur Golden's "Memoirs of a Geisha" apparently confused the matters more. If you're confused about the distinction between geisha and oiran, google "Immortal Geisha" and have fun browsing.
Some followup from last part. Some thought Aoshi was being polite. Some thought he was being a prude. After his part, some may think him proud and prickly. (How many "pr" adjectives can we coin for Mr. Aoshi Shinomori?
Mij: Yes, opium does come in powder form. And poppies are really just really potent drug generators. Heroin and codeine are amongst the things created from poppies.
animefreak5483: Did ya enjoy the Sano bits here?
EEevee: Not exactly what you expected right? Heh. See. it was all relatively safe. No women are allowed to touch either man! Only Megumi! (mwhahaha)
Daiji: Details are important to Aoshi. And I'm sure that even if Kanryuu hadn't asked for his Tokyo Oniwaban to do anything more than beat up people, Aoshi would still be thorough. Or at least my version of Aoshi. But what did you think of his little deception here? Or his comment about the Oniwaban? Or how much he seems to be reverting to his old ways? Hmm.
Crystal: Hi there Misao/Aoshi fan. Thanks for your review. and hope you enjoy the story despite the fact that there will be absolutely no Misao/Aoshi. ^_^ . Misao has been pretty busy beating up yakuza and other hoodlums and is now assembling the Oniwaban in Kyoto along with Okina and Mr. Smiley.
LiLianJieGurl: Not much blushing here. But, it's very possible later on. Yes. I think it's quite possible that the Fox-woman will make him squirm. Heh. Heh. Heh.
But time was of unknown quantity, and it did not matter all that much to the two men who walked, the younger in front of the elder.
It was unclear who felt more awkward; the man who had to admit that he knew exactly what places to go to, or the other who had to admit that he did not know where to go to.
As they walked to what Sano sincerely hoped would be the first of very few stops, he wondered idly whether Aoshi Shinomori's somewhat backhanded manner of talking frankly about courtesans and prostitutes reflected his politeness or was part of his overall repressed nature.
Not that he cared all that much, but it was odd to think that a person who at one point had Okina as a mentor would be *that* inexperienced in matters related to women. On the other hand, it wouldn't surprise him if Shinomori thought women-chasing a sign of weakness either.
He just hoped Madame Kata didn't find Shinomori's manner off-putting. She was rather particular about who she dealt with, and perhaps the only one who would be so willing to help.
She was not Madame Kata before he had met her, but by the time she hired him, it had been the name that she had adopted. She was said to have been a courtesan long ago, one with many wealthy admirers. She was not remarkably beautiful, but had something that the other women did not - and that was a trained mind. While many other courtesans had suffered greatly with the advent of the Meiji government, she had managed to hold onto something of her glorious past and take up her residence here.
It was never something Madame Kata had ever allowed discussion on while he had protected her for a time. But her admirers must have had and continued to hold great power even in the new era to allow her to maintain a level of elegance and also harbor the young women who came under her protection.
The women that were under her were not geisha or courtesans, as far as Sano knew. Madame Kata had no particular admiration for geisha, who she saw nothing more as ornamental puppets whose popularity at the dawn of the Meiji era hurt that of the courtesans. He still didn't quite understand what she was doing with these women without families or homes. But her girls did well. Her years of experience as a courtesan leant itself well to training the women to be literate, to develop a craft, and acquire other skills which were apparently the sorts of things she or her girls would ever discuss in front of men.
Some left and married, often returning bearing gifts for their mentor from time to time while others stayed and did as they pleased. He asked her once if she would consider herself a matchmaker, but she shook her head. "Improving their situation in the world," was all she would state when defending herself against the critics and simply leave it at that.
As they walked the steps up the hill to where her home and gardens stood, it appeared as if they were stepping back into time, when Sano knew fully that they were dealing with someone far beyond their time and society.
Sano could tell Shinomori's curiosity was piqued as they entered the old- fashioned courtyard. Whether it was at Sano's familiarity with the place or at the place itself, he did not know. But Sano did not care. Instead, he shot the man a warning glance. "Madame Kata is particular. Don't say anything until you are addressed by her directly."
They could hear her sing-song voice from the small pavilion at the side of the main building "Young men at this time of day are certainly a surprise." The tinkling laughter that ensued were clearly not her own, but of the women with her. "Ladies, would you kindly greet our guests?"
Sano could sense Aoshi's mounting sense of alarm as six giggling, ornately dressed women surrounded them and urged them to join them for tea.
They were led to the pavilion, where Madame Kata kept court. Only those she liked would be invited to stay for tea and be allowed to pass again through the entrance gates.
"Let me see what we have here." The woman rose unsmiling and looked at the two of them critically. And despite whatever they felt personally about meeting a former courtesan, Aoshi and Sano bowed politely.
Sano nearly winced when instead of bowing in return, the woman grabbed his ear and tugged it. "You can't fool me, you silly man. I'll not allow you to behave as such!"
She let go of his ear so she could put her hands on her hips. "--You may dress differently, and have even cut your hair, but there is no fooling me, Zanza!"
At the sound of his nickname, the women began whispering excitedly amongst themselves.
"I'm sorry, Madame Kata." Sanosuke gave her a half-smile. "I'm not trying to fool anyone here, it's just that the streets of Tokyo are a little drafty for a gi."
She laughed then, loudly and heartily. "Well-said, streetfighter. Well said!"
As Aoshi raised his eyebrow slightly, Sanosuke shrugged.
"Girls," Madame Kata clapped her hands. "Hurry with the tea. It isn't every day that we have Zanza here. And I want a moment with this young man and his friend to see why are honored to have their presence."
As the women disappeared into one of the buildings to prepare tea, the elder woman finally turned her scrutiny on the companion of 'Zanza."
Sano held his breath for what seemed like a very long time as the two appraised each other frankly.
"Hmm." Kata turned her back to them and began walking towards the pavilion, indicating that she had accepted his presence. Sano and Aoshi understood that they were to follow. "You, sir, are not the usual sort of person I expect to see with my young friend. But then again, that might be a good thing."
"I am-"
"I do not require your name. It is one of my rules here. You may give it when I have earned it. But for now, it is simply enough that you are his friend."
Aoshi bowed his head slightly. "Thank you."
"If you'll rest here and wait for my girls to return, I will borrow your friend for a moment."
Shinomori nodded and sat quietly, almost meditatively while Sano felt himself led over to admire a flowering plant at the other corner of the garden.
"It is most unusual to see you Zanza. I heard you disappeared off to Mongolia."
"Among other places, Madame. But it got sort of tiring after a while -"
"I'm glad you're back safely, Zanza." She smiled. "Even though you've singlehandedly protected us from many a bully, I hated to think of you out wandering around in places other than Japan. Goodness knows you have a terrible sense of direction in general, but to unleash you on the rest of the world-"
"Why do you think it took me so long to get back?" Sano grinned, earning him another laugh.
"You're just as funny as you always were." She snorted. "But I trust this isn't some kind of social call, is it? Perhaps you've come to collect on part of your payment, young man?"
"Payment?" He gave her a blank look.
She smiled slyly. "My girls have heard a lot about you. And now that you seem like a somewhat respectable man, I'm sure you could convince any one of them to follow you home."
"Madame Kata," Sano gave her a grin, "Save that for some other guy. I'm not the one you have to help out."
"Him?" Her eyebrow raised as they both quickly glanced over in the direction of the other man. "Other than the fact that he seems a little too serious, he doesn't look like he needs any help."
"He's not exactly sociable-" Sano corrected himself. "I mean, he's not exactly sociable these days."
She sighed, catching the slight hesitation in his voice. "You know the rules. You don't need to tell me the specifics--"
"But it's a tough situation," Sano continued ad-libbing, trying to adhere as closely to the truth as possible. "He's not your ordinary customer. He's lost someone recently who was very important to him. She-"
"Ah," Madame Kata suddenly nodded. "'She' is the reason you're both here right?"
"Yes." Sano nodded. At least this was true.
"What sort of woman was this that you come to me?"
Sanosuke paused for a moment as he considered exactly how to proceed. Actually the truth was they wanted information on the woman who died in Megumi Takani's place. "I do not know much about her and what she did. Even he never told me the circumstances about their meeting."
"You thought her to be someone I would know?" Madame Kata gave Shinomori a second glance.
"Perhaps." SAnosuke paused, thinking of how to continue. "He's looked everywhere in Tokyo."
"Except for places like these," she said thoughtfully. "She must have been exceptional to attract his attention and to keep it. Tell me about her."
He paused. Never having seen the woman who had been taken for the doctor, Sanosuke decided that to have fooled the police and the community that such a woman must be very similar in fact to Megumi Takani. He began describing Megumi Takani's physical appearance in detail. He smiled faintly as the picture of her grew more clearly in his mind, first scolding him, and then laughing.
Perhaps he smiled too much.
Kata interrupted gently. "She must have been very beautiful for Zanza to agree with his friend."
"Uh, yes. I mean-no." Sano suddenly realized from her suspicious smile that he had said too much.
She patted his arm. "But it is a sad fate indeed for your friend if my suspicions are correct. Any of my girls would probably be very happy to try to ease his pain, as your friend has that sort of deep, brooding quality that women see and respond to, but -" She moved her eyes back toward the pavilion where the women had returned with tea. "But as you can see, he has no interest in any of them."
Aoshi had accepted the tea that the women eagerly offered him, but he sipped it quietly with his eyes closed. He sat there ignorant of the silent and furious exchange of glances between the women who all were waiting to fill up the cup when it was finished. If Sano wasn't trying to pretend to be serious, he might have allowed himself to smile in amusement at the little scene in front of them.
"None of them bear any resemblance to her," Sano bit his lip and frowned slightly. "Perhaps that is the problem."
Madame sighed. "It is your friend's misfortune if he has fallen for the woman I think he seeks. There is said to be a beautiful nightingale who sings for only the most elite of clients at the House of Kiyone in the Y anagibashi district. Perhaps her song might soothe your quiet friend more than the chattering of my young women. But she sees very few people. Her song is quite expensive."
"He is pretty determined." Sano shook his head. "And I'm certain he'll be willing to do anything."
"I thought he would be," she said thoughtfully. "He has that appearance. However, it seems that he lacks a certain openness when it comes to women. Unlike you."
"Well, we all can't be perfect."
Madame laughed. "Aren't you sure you won't let me introduce you to my charges?"
"They're all too young for me," Sano grinned and winked. "I prefer older women."
She shook her head. "Always the charmer, aren't you. If I weren't old enough to be your mother, I would be in trouble. But since I am that old, I will warn you to watch out for that nightingale. You never know who your competition will be."
"The House of Kiyone-"
"As you know, geishas are not particular favorites of mine. But in this case, it is not the geishas I find fault with but the clients."
"I see." Sano's eyes widened slightly.
"Now, now. No serious faces, Zanza. " Madame Kata pulled on his arm. "They are still nothing when it comes to your strength. Instead, I think you ought to worry more about your friend. We should rescue him from my girls before any more mischief ensues. I do not want them to be enemies over a man whose eyes can not even be tempted to look their way."
Kata strode purposefully back towards the pavilion and clapped her hands together, causing their little fiasco to come to standstill. "Our poor guest can not possibly drink all six cups of tea at once." She waved them off, signifying that at least for them, tea was over.
It was uncanny that as soon as the last of them had disappeared inside, Aoshi finally opened his eyes.
Kata turned to give Shinomori a serious, measuring look "Zanza has told me something about what you are about, young man. My warning to you is that the nightingale may be even beyond your reach. But if you truly have the desire to see this through, then Zanza will be able to take you. But even if you do not find her," Kata's expression shifted slightly, "I sense you will not be entirely disappointed."
Her words surprised the both of them.
Sano caught the glint in Aoshi's eyes before he bowed. "For your help, I thank you Kata-san."
"It is not I you need to thank." She drew Zanza towards them with her arm. "But your friend. Whatever your purpose is, quiet one, I wish you two well on your search." She bowed, signaling that their audience with her was over.
. . .
Once she was clearly out of sight and they had descended halfway down the stairs, Aoshi broke the silence. "Where did Madame Kata instruct 'Zanza' to go?"
"The Yanagibashi district. Our mystery woman is a geisha. Or rather, was."
"You are certain."
"Only as certain that the woman whose body was found must have resembled Megumi in some way. That is how I described her to Madame Kata."
As they reached the bottom of the stairs, Aoshi paused. "Surely there are many women-"
"-- like Megumi?" Sano completed the sentence.
Aoshi's silence Sano took to mean that he acknowledged that there were not. Sano continued down the street, with Aoshi a step behind him. "Madame Kata knows nearly everything in this city. Despite what she appears to be now, she was one of the greatest courtesans of her time."
"A woman of some beauty once, perhaps." Aoshi mused quietly. "But that wasn't probably what made her great."
"Eh?" Sano furrowed his brows, wondering why Aoshi had made that statement.
"Whatever you told her, she knew it wasn't the truth." Aoshi's voice turned slightly hard. "She hinted at it to me."
"Well," Sano sheepishly focused on the road ahead. "I had to come up with a reason why you were there and so obviously not interested in any of her women. So I told her you were there looking for a lover."
Aoshi had drawn alongside Sano and appeared to be considering the lie. "Not a bad fib to tell. Perhaps I did not give Madame KAta enough credit."
"What do you mean?"
"Perhaps Madame Kata is much more than a former courtesan. She has an interesting way of reading people. Courtesans have access to men in a way that most people do not. And access to information."
"In other words, she might as well be a spy."
"It is not unheard of. In the past, Oniwaban have been cooks, maids, geisha and even concubines."
Sano raised his eyebrow. "Well, I trust her no matter what you think."
"I did not state that I did not trust her. But to pretend that I was a love sick admirer of this 'nightingale--' Aoshi's slight frown spoke of his distaste for the issue.
"Well, you don't have to pretend that when we go see the geishas." Sano muttered. "Besides which I don't think you could pull off lovesi-"
"Then you should be the one to ask for her-"
"What are you trying to say?!" Sano looked back and shot Aoshi a glare.
"You are more friendly with women. "
"Friendly? " Sano snorted. "From someone who has probably never expressed his feelings to any woman, I consider that a compliment."
"It was not meant as a criticism. It was merely an observation. Since you are opposed to the idea as well we will simply ask to hear the nightingale sing. If this is the woman we seek, she will not be there and we simply need to see what happens then."
"Alright." Sano sighed.
"I shall make the request."
Sano felt his level of irritation start to rise again. "You don't know the first thing about geishas!"
His outburst drew some funny looks from passersby.
Aoshi waited for a few moments before patiently continuing. "Okina has a fondness for geisha. And Takeda entertained his clients often with geisha. It is an environment I have some passing familiarity with although the Yanagibashi district is unfamiliar to me."
"Not that I'm overly familiar with it either."
"So you will not be recognized."
"No," Sano shook his head. "Geishas and I don't mix. Poetry, music, dance . . . they're not exactly my idea of passing the afternoon. But if you're worried about Zanza being recognized - I doubt it. I don't exactly look like Zanza anymore."
"Perhaps." Aoshi glanced at him. "But you still talk like Zanza. And Kata recognized you."
"Well," Sano shrugged. "I did work for her for awhile. It can't be helped."
"Well let's hope that none of your former employers like to frequent the Yanagibashi district."
"I doubt that," Sano laughed. "This is far too refined for their tastes."
"I should like you to watch everything around us while I try to obtain the services of this nightingale."
"If she's alive. Madame Kata said she didn't like this place. Perhaps there is something she suspects."
Aoshi nodded and the two then lapsed back into silence.
It became very clear when they had entered the Yanagibashi district in which the Kiyone House resided. Women walked demurely through the street.
"This place must have very wealthy patrons to have its location here." Aoshi narrowed his eyes slightly. "This rivals some of Kyoto's own."
"Okina would be impressed, I guess."
"Okina would never leave." Aoshi shook his head. "He'd sit around all day flirting with the geisha and watching them pour tea."
"Here it is." Sano suddenly stopped short in front of an opening in a stone wall.
Aoshi took one quick look in and then stepped in through the gate.
Sano followed reluctantly.
.
.
.
If there was one quality that Sano lacked, it was patience.
But he dutifully watched everything and everyone else that walked past and around the home while Shinomori negotiated with the headwoman the time and performances of the geisha.
It was difficult, he could tell by what he overheard, but finally they were led to a room where three ladies greeted them politely.
Sano sighed as he sat down. From the instruments in their hands, he knew exactly what was coming. As the tea was poured, he drank it and then focused his attention outside, ignoring the singing that started soon after.
When Aoshi slammed down his tea cup, he nearly jumped.
"What's wrong?" He asked aloud, forgetting that he had been instructed to say nothing.
"The song displeases me." Aoshi looked coldly at the woman. "I had been told that the Kiyone geisha were extraordinary singers, but this song is nothing more than a country folktune."
The offending singer bowed apologetically. "Perhaps another song."
"I think not. Take me to the headwoman."
The woman, perhaps a new geisha, seemed unused to receiving orders from customers. She wavered for a moment until Aoshi stood. At that point, she caved. "Of course, my apologies."
Sano gaped as did the other two women as the geisha and client began to leave. Aoshi turned his head back slightly in his direction as he followed the woman out. The meaning was now clear. Aoshi had created an opportunity for Sano to take while he himself looked more carefully around the house.
Sano cleared his throat. "My friend had been told that the geisha here rivaled those in Kyoto in song. In particular, he had been told by a patron here that there was an exceptional singer here in this house."
"We are all trained as singers." The shorter one said.
"And we apologize that we are inadequate." The more junior one stated.
"That person kept speaking of a woman with a voice of a nightingale."
He noted that one of them nodded. "Aki left awhile ago. Met a man at a private party who married her."
"Maiko-" the more senior geisha placed her arm over the other girl's arm to quiet her.
"Ah," Sano nodded, smiling at the one called Maiko. "She must have been beautiful for an admirer to marry her."
Maiko dropped her eyes when the other geisha continued to stare at her. Sano realized that this information was not to have been divulged. "Perhaps one of her songs would please your friend?"
Sano did not particularly want to hear any other song at the moment but thought to smooth things over. He racked his brain for anything else that would be suitable to request. "Perhaps a courtly tale would do."
"Ah yes," Maiko and the other nameless geisha sighed in relief. Maiko began to talk while the other picked up her instrument and picked out a tune.
Ten minutes later, Sano was grateful to see Aoshi open the door. "We are leaving."
"Leaving?" Sano pretended to be disappointed, but silently thanked the man from saving him from a rather dour tale about some princess who died pining for the emperor. "The story isn't done-"
"I do not wish to linger here. Our friend was clearly mistaken. We will seek out another place."
"Alright." Sano turned back to the two remaining geisha and shrugged slightly before quickly following Aoshi back out to the street.
Once safely down the street, he dared speak. "Took you long enough."
"The headwomen insisted that she had made no mistake for a while before she admitted that her favored geisha was sick."
"Really? But the other women said the nightingale - Aki - was married off to an admirer."
"Of course the stories do not match." Aoshi said, matter of fact. "Your Madame was right. Something is not right in this place."
"So what do we do next?"
"I do not need any more of your services today. Come by tomorrow."
Sano blinked. Earlier, Aoshi had coolly dismissed his questions about where to find him. "Where?"
Aoshi pressed a card into his hand and then simply stated. "Come at noon. Do what you must for the rest of the evening. Focus on the question of the opium. I will look more into this matter myself and have some more answers by tomorrow. ."
With that, Aoshi disappeared.
Once out of the district, Sano ventured to look at the piece of paper. On it, there were a few written instructions and a name.
Shirotome.
So the popsicle had decided to trust him after all.
~
Megumi woke with a start and instinctively grasped her kimono to her. Her head felt numb, and there was still a fog that enveloped her mind.
Her captor had drugged her again, but something about this particular aftereffect was different.
She rose from her bed. Her mouth was parched; parched enough that she fought the waves of dizziness to stumble towards the bucket of water that stood in the corner.
The noise alerted the guard that sat outside. She did not care to look up as the door swung open. Instead she crouched next to the large wooden bucket and drowned her mouth and her face in water.
"So the good doctor has woken." The middle-aged man who spoke to her had the familiar voice of the one she knew to be her captor. There was nothing particularly remarkable about him except the malicious grin on his face. "Your guard gave you too much of that drug, I'm afraid. That is why you were out for the entire day. His mistake will not be repeated."
Her eyes narrowed slightly as she realized that beyond the open door someone new stood guard.
"But it was extremely useful nonetheless."
"Useful," she managed to spit out, trying to remember what he had said to her.
"Mmmm. Perhaps you do not remember what you told me about the Aoiya? About Aoshi Shinomori?"
She felt a surge of anger which suddenly cleared the fog over her mind. He had told her to tell him everything about the Aoiya and Aoshi Shinomori.
She frowned. But had she? Had she given him enough information to take down the Aoiya? But she hadn't spent all that much time there. Surely that couldn't have interested him. Then what else?
"Your brother's drug is remarkable. Your face is puzzled. You do not know what you told me or revealed to me, yet I will tell you that it was substantial. I know now that you have continued to withhold your talents from me. A mistake, but while the elder Megumi Takani plays games, your niece surely will not. Dear doctor, in addition to what you have told me about Aoshi Shinomori, the man who helped you find your niece, you failed to also hide your suspicions regarding your niece. I am pleased to hear that your suspicions confirm mine." He withdrew something from his coat. A doll, with straw colored hair. "This lovely toy. "Belle" was it? As in "Belladonna?"
Megumi felt the blood drain from her face. First she had betrayed Aoshi. And now her niece.
"Leave them out of this!" Megumi rose up and attempted to scratch the man. But the chain on her leg caused her to fall short and she flailed lamely before she lost her balance and fell.
"My, my." He looked down at her with feigned sympathy. Valiantly she tried to push herself up, but she had sprained something as she fell. She tried to bite back the pain and push herself up, but failed. "I didn't know you felt so passionately about this matter, Takani-sensei. If only I could believe you weren't toying with me as you did before. If you would produce the secret drugs your brother writes about as quickly as you were able to turn out opium, then maybe I wouldn't need her just as I don't need that greedy guard."
Megumi felt her horror grow. Was there no one near her who was safe from the man's eyes? The guard outside had been changed. Was that in fact because of what she had said?
"Stop it! Just tell me then, what it is you want."
He gave her a pleased smile. "That's much better." He cast the doll aside, and then reached again into his coat and withdrew a book. He turned the pages of the book to a particular formula and held it in front of her. When she, out of her pain, could not look up , he grabbed a bunch of her hair and forced her head up. Megumi bit her lip to distract her from the pain in her head and obediently stared at the open book.
"Your brother was clever. The poem about a spider and its prey not in itself all that good, if you'll forgive the criticism - but the allusion is clear. A poison. It must be particularly good for your brother to have repeated it later in the book."
"You can't be sure of that. Kenichi was never clear on what he meant."
"No, that is true. *I* can't be sure of that, but *you* seemed quite certain that's what he meant."
Megumi cursed to herself silently. The contents of her brother's most carefully guarded and dangerous work was also revealed to him by herself.
Her captor smiled. "To quote your own words -- a poison so potent that a few drops in your blood will paralyze you slowly, first affecting your body and then the mind. A deliciously slow and painful death." He dropped the book in front of her, as if to dare her to deny him. Angered by her silence, he then dragged her by her hair towards the workbench.
He gently ran the fingers of his free hand along the table that served as her workbench. "All the ingredients have been gathered by one of my clever friends. You will do exactly as the instructions state. Do not think to try to fool me. You told me enough that I will know if you have tried to deceive me. You will start work on it tonight."
"Why you-"
"Careful now," he said smoothly. "Don't lose your temper with me, dear Takani-sensei. I don't like petulant women who make mistakes."
"Mistakes?"
"Perform well for me, Megumi." He twirled the strands of hair between his thumb and fingers before carelessly dropping the hair, and his hold on Megumi. Caught off guard, she could not brace herself as she fell.
Only the book on the floor cushioned her fall.
"I don't tolerate mistakes nor any imperfections. You told me that it took less than a day to make. And that is all you will have. When I return tomorrow evening, I want to see it done."
She raised her head and shot him a defiant glare.
"Do not think to try to outwit me by killing yourself either. It will not do your niece nor those who attempt to protect her absolutely any good. If you will not give me what I want, I will guide her in her training such that she will. You will be dead and powerless to stop me."
Dead.
Powerless.
She felt her spirit fade, and ashamed, she turned her head aside as he passed by her and out the door. Her plans, although clever, had backfired. Worse yet, she betrayed so many, from her own family to even the guard who had stood outside her door.
The open book sat on the floor in front of her, mocking her failure. Its writer dead, it continued to exert its influence. She would be the instrument of seeing that knowledge carried out.
Atonement was beyond her now. She would become Death personified.
Resignedly, she picked up the book. Slowly she dragged herself towards the workbench.
~
Night deepened and on opposites of Tokyo, two men returned again to the street.
Unlike earlier, they worked alone. One returning to the Black Dragon, and the other to a place the two had seen earlier that day.
Aoshi Shinomori felt a slight thrill as he leaped from tree to rooftop back to trees. He had not worked like this in a long time, and the skills that he had not used in a long time were now becoming second nature to him again.
He made short work of the distance to the Yanagibashi district and effortlessly cleared the wall that surrounded the Kiyone house. He landed without a sound on the grass right next to the wall before he disappeared into the dark that surrounded the offices of the house.
His return to the Shirotome hotel had not been wasted. Shirotome had told him that Shimada was sighted two nights ago by one of his sources near the Yanagibashi district. He had a suspicion that the Kiyone house was a critical link between Shimada, the missing woman, and Shimada's client. After all, the geisha rooms had easily served as the secret meeting places of the Meiji revolutionaries, it would not be strange for men of questionable motives to also meet and plan other things.
He left Shirotome with the task of quietly making inquiries about who paid for many of the Kiyone's expenses. While Shirotome worked, he wanted to rifle through the office files of the headwoman - who by her dishonest face he suspected kept extremely detailed records on those who passed through her doors as possible means of blackmail later on.
It took him little effort to get inside. Darkness made it easy to avoid the people coming and going, and already having been familiar with the layout of the compound and the offices, he was able to slip in and out with no effort at all with the sheaf of papers that interested him. He suspected they would not be immediately missed. The price for collecting too much information was often that in its excess, a few missing things would be overlooked.
He told himself to forego the temptation to wait to see if Shimada would show. He was not his quarry, yet. The papers in hand were far more important than revenge. He quickly returned to Shirotome's estate and began pouring over the list of guests, looking for every occurrence of the name Shimada, every reference to the nightingale Aki, and the names that also appeared on the same entries - particularly the names that appeared close to the time that the last references to Aki were made. .
After a while, he arrived at four names. These four names appeared on the days before during and after Shimada's visits. They also did not appear after the last reference to Aki. Assuming what the other geisha believed to be true, the man would dare not show his face at the house again.
Four names.
He would have to wait until morning to run them by Shirotome. But it was still something. It was far better to have only four names to look at, as opposed to searching an entire city.
~
The Black Dragon was bustling and full of tough men, but Zanza all decked out in his trademark gi was welcomed by the men without any question. "Bad" were they, and "Bad" was he.
As he lazily drank whatever the hostesses had to offer, he chatted with those he gambled. He was losing fast and hard tonight, but they didn't seem to mind. In fact, it made them more boastful and likely to talk shop. The men were happy. New bosses were moving into town and work would soon be plentiful. There'd be plenty of drink, money, and women for all the gangsters of Tokyo if one were to believe what they said.
After a time, Sano was rewarded for all this lost money with the first information of any use. A newfound friend whispered that he had found someone who carried high-grade opium.
Sano gave his 'friend' his fee and the man related the address of the seller.
A few minutes later, Sano grumbled aloud that he had run out of money, and made an excuse to leave.
The men he gambled with laughed and told him to come back again so they could keep taking his money.
Sano grinned and slipped out the Black Dragon with a carefree smile plastered on his face.
As soon as he had moved far enough away, his face became determined and he moved quickly towards the direction he had been told to go. Despite the encouraging news today, the opium was still important and should not be neglected. The opium would be gone quickly, Sano knew. And once it was gone, so would be the person selling it.
Sano arrived at the location he had been told to go to, and knocked on the door. To his frustration, there was no answer.
He looked around first before trying the latch. If there were one thing he didn't want, it was the police dragging him off to jail where he'd have to face that laughing broomhead.
Seeing that no one was about, he opened the door and pushed it aside. He took a careful step inside and allowed his vision to adjust to the darkness.
Suddenly, he cursed.
A man lay against the corner, bleeding and bruised. Everything around him was broken.
So his information had apparently been freely given and well-known. Someone had gotten to the opium dealer first.
The police would assume that the man had doublecrossed a user and the user had killed the dealer.
But it was silly for any normal hoodlum to leave that much opium behind. Sano smelled a rat, and realized that whoever did this wanted a convenient scapegoat.
A slight movement, and Sano suddenly realized that the hoodlum hadn't quite finished the job. The man was still alive, although barely. Realizing the importance of this man, he ran back out and grabbed the first passerby he could find. "Here," he shoved some money into the startled man's hands. "Go fetch Gensai-sensei in the market district and bring him back here. There's more of this if you get him here within 20 minutes."
With the man running down the street, Sano turned his attention back to the man before him and the packets scattered around him covered with his blood.
Triangular packets. Perfectly folded.
Finally, another link.
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Author's notes: Wow-- an extra long installment. Honestly, I could break it up but I got lazy. If it breaks ff.net, I'll repost it in two parts. BTW - in case I don't get to the next part before I disappear for the holidays, have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. If I'm lucky, I'll be able to put up something while hacking away at my folks' home, but no guarantees on that!
Geisha and oiran (courtesan) are often confused by western society. Arthur Golden's "Memoirs of a Geisha" apparently confused the matters more. If you're confused about the distinction between geisha and oiran, google "Immortal Geisha" and have fun browsing.
Some followup from last part. Some thought Aoshi was being polite. Some thought he was being a prude. After his part, some may think him proud and prickly. (How many "pr" adjectives can we coin for Mr. Aoshi Shinomori?
Mij: Yes, opium does come in powder form. And poppies are really just really potent drug generators. Heroin and codeine are amongst the things created from poppies.
animefreak5483: Did ya enjoy the Sano bits here?
EEevee: Not exactly what you expected right? Heh. See. it was all relatively safe. No women are allowed to touch either man! Only Megumi! (mwhahaha)
Daiji: Details are important to Aoshi. And I'm sure that even if Kanryuu hadn't asked for his Tokyo Oniwaban to do anything more than beat up people, Aoshi would still be thorough. Or at least my version of Aoshi. But what did you think of his little deception here? Or his comment about the Oniwaban? Or how much he seems to be reverting to his old ways? Hmm.
Crystal: Hi there Misao/Aoshi fan. Thanks for your review. and hope you enjoy the story despite the fact that there will be absolutely no Misao/Aoshi. ^_^ . Misao has been pretty busy beating up yakuza and other hoodlums and is now assembling the Oniwaban in Kyoto along with Okina and Mr. Smiley.
LiLianJieGurl: Not much blushing here. But, it's very possible later on. Yes. I think it's quite possible that the Fox-woman will make him squirm. Heh. Heh. Heh.
