Yes, I'm back again...forgive my lack of updates...=)
Going over chapters 5 and 6, I noticed a huge problem: TOO MUCH Misao and Aoshi angst! Also the characters were a bit OOC. Gomen...gomen...I'll try harder to write a better chapter this time! (although that also means it's going to take longer for this to be posted)
Standard Disclaimers and such...blah blah...
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Sonami quietly passed through the abandoned streets, undetected. She gazed at the ruined houses, which basically consisted of the outskirts of Nagasaki. The old center of the city. She stopped by a deteriorating building, and stepped carefully around the broken doors. Although this part of the city no longer held life and activity like the old days, Sonami still left an important element behind, provided of course, with her people watching over it. It was a hidden secret, buried amongst the old ruins of the past.
Once inside the gates, she walked into another structure, one that contrasted with the rest of the decrepit setting. The old archives. She had made arrangements so that they would be in perfect condition, yet away from the prying eyes of such as Naruko. But then again, even if Naruko realized that the archives were still located at the same place, she would never find what she sought.
Soon, her hands trailed over the locks of the compartments that kept most of the important documents. Then, arriving at the right one, she took out a key and opened it, just as Naruko did fifteen years ago. But one thing Naruko didn't do...
Sonami took out an object she had secretly hidden within her sleeves. She held a small, delicate object attached to a gold chain. The Yutamuro seal. Quickly, she brushed aside the papers and started to feel around the back of the compartment. Sure enough, there was a carving there. Taking the seal, she matched it with the design of the compartment, and pulled. The secret compartment revealed. Slowly she reached out, and took out a small group of parchment, bound tightly with a black ribbon. Yellow, red, green, blue, black, and silver—the secret Yutamuro way of conveying information. The colors represented the importance and the urgency of the news, from least to greatest. Black usually represented the most important information for the specific station. In Nagasaki's case, the secret to the three nations trade.
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Suki hid amongst the abandoned buildings, while making her way towards the archives. She wanted to know if Lady Sumi had gone there and retrieved the information. "Well, it's nice seeing you again." Suki whirled around, finding the ninja girl sitting contently on a nearby broken porch. "Come here so that we could talk." Hesitantly, Suki looked around to see if there were any traps. She didn't particularly sense danger, so she approached the girl. "Sit." The girl commanded.
Although Suki didn't like taking orders from anyone, with the exception of Sumi, she did as she was told. "What do you want?" She asked coldly. "I don't think we are on friendly terms."
The girl shrugged. "Who said we were?" She continued to look at Suki with a thin smile. "But that shouldn't mean that we aren't able to have a simple conversation now and then, does it?" Suki just glowered. "Well, I just wanted to know," the girl went on, realizing that Suki wasn't exactly in her happiest moods, "just what makes you so royal towards your teacher."
"That's none of your concern." Suki replied coldly, starting to get up. The next moment, she felt a harsh blow dealt to her skull, and instantly became unconscious.
"Not a good answer..."
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"This is so boring." Misao remarked. The three women, Kaoru, Misao, and Tokio yawned while staring into a nearby wall.
Suddenly, a mischievous look came on Tokio's face. "Well, there is one thing we can do..." She smiled when she had the two girls' undivided attention.
"Just what can that be, Tokio-san?" Kaoru asked, truly puzzled.
Tokio merely shrugged. "What more can women do when they are bored? Why gossip, of course."
Kaoru and Misao fell face front onto the floor. "And she's married to Saitou?"
"Ah, what the heck." Misao concluded. "We're bored out of our minds anyways. A little gossip won't hurt."
"That's the right thinking." Tokio applauded. "And what about you, Miss Kaoru?"
"Well, I don't know..."
"Hm...I was about to come up with a couple ways for you to finally get the
attention of your red-headed..."
"So what are we talking about again?" Kaoru suddenly brightened up. Tokio smiled inwardly. They were so easy to read.
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"You've been gone for awhile."
Sonami whirled around, finding Saitou tossing a finished cigarette on the ground.
"I had business to take care of." She replied curtly.
He raised an eyebrow. "Business so important that you had to go off on your own, when every corner you turn might have ninjas ready to ambush you? Important indeed." Sonami merely glared back at Saitou. A glare that he was only glad to return. They stayed like this for minutes, each unwilling to give in. Seeing the futility of the situation, Saitou stated two very simple, yet commanding words.
"Give it."
"No."
"And why not?" He asked, not ready to give up just yet.
"I don't trust you." She replied, unflinchingly.
"Fair enough." He shrugged as he walked away. "But I'm warning you, I'll eventually get my hands on the secret."
"Just one question." Sonami shouted, causing Saitou to stop in his tracks.
"And that would be?"
"If you had to choose either justice, or Japan, which would you choose?"
"Don't you think the two go together?" Saitou waved, dismissively.
Sonami put on an ironic smile. "For all your knowledge Saitou, there is one thing you don't understand, and I doubt you ever will, if you continue this way."
Whatever reply Saitou had in mind was cut off, as a speeding arrow flew by his face, embedding itself on the wall across. He walked up to it, and pulled out the attachment. "Apparently someone has an interesting way of sending a message to you."
Upon unrolling the parchment, her face became pale, as she read the contents over and over again. "They've...they've got Suki..."
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Okay...so it's a lot shorter than my usual chapters. But I got the feeling that when I lengthen the chapters, my writing gets worse.
Well, so how was it? I know I haven't updated for about three to four months or so, so the details are a bit fuzzy (fuzzy?). I'm really wondering whether I should continue this fic or not, because I sort of lost my train of thought for this one. Not that I can't get it back, of course, but I'm wondering if this fic's worth being posted, especially since I'm working on another one. Well, tell me what you think, and I'll think about it some more and then decide. Thanks!