Chapter 11 - Tahi
Asleep and awake; Kohza took stock of his situation. He rolled his head, trying to get the stiffness out of his neck and winced as it cracked sharply.
Kohza heard a soft snore from the floor. Kebi had fallen out of bed, but he was still asleep, exhausted from last night. No doubt he would wake up hung over.
They'd stayed up much too late, Kohza reflected, but it had been worth it. They had had an evening of excellent wine, lofty philosophical debates that devolved into ribald jokes, horrible poetry recitations, and countless stories told and embellished.
Last night there had something that had been as rare and as longed for as water during the rebellion. There had been laughter.
How long had it been since he'd felt like that? He'd been a person; not a leader but an honest to god person.
Every night for the past two years should have been like last night.
What time was it? Kohza ached all over and mentally berated himself for it. He needed to look like he was in charge of himself today. He couldn't let Tahi think he had the upper hand in any way.
Okame's parents should have coffee somewhere in the inn. He struggled to a sitting position and then put his glasses on.
Vivi was standing in the doorway.
Her hair was free from its eternal ponytail, cascading down and around her shoulders. Her eyes were still sleepy and she yawned; he realized that she must have just woken up.
"Good morning," she said sheepishly.
He croaked out a greeting.
"My throat's scratchy too," she said sympathetically. "Okame wanted me to check if you two were awake and if you wanted breakfast. Though it's more like lunch."
Vivi's gaze drifted to Kebi, still snoring on the floor. She smiled fondly. "He looks so peaceful. It seems a shame for me to wake him."
"I could think of worse things," Kohza murmured.
Vivi looked at him oddly. Kohza cleared his throat and added, "If you don't wake him up now, he'll have a hangover during our meeting."
"Oh."
"That's what I meant."
"Of course."
"I'll do it. Go help Okame with breakfast. Or something."
"Okay. Thanks." She shut the door behind her.
Kohza ran his fingers through his hair and pulled his thoughts back together. The sooner he convinced her to return to the palace, the better.
This is too important. There's too much to do.
I cannot be distracted. Not now…
====================
Vivi felt a surprising twinge of sadness when she walked into the kitchen. It took her a moment to realize that she had expected to find Sanji in Okame's place.
"Are they coming?" Okame asked over her shoulder as she poked at sausages and eggs.
"Leader said he would wake up Kebi."
"Is he still asleep? Well of course he is. 'Stupid' drank enough to float a Marine fleet. That'll teach me to have drinks on the house. I'll never be able to pay back my parents." Okame chattered on, happy to list every one of the faults of 'Stupid.' Vivi listened with half an ear while setting the table for brunch.
Last night had been such a different party then the ones they'd had on the Going Merry. There had been more talking than arguing and they'd laughed at …softer things.
The clean up had been easier too.
[WHAT IS THIS? I can't believe this! You baboons didn't have the common sense to barf over the side! If you lightweights don't clean this deck off in five minutes, I will throw you overboard!
…sorry, Nami, yes, Nami…
…kill me now…
…gonna barf again…]
A comparison between her life now and her life on the Going Merry would usually have left Vivi feeling empty and alone yet, for some reason, everything felt more promising this morning.
Eric and Kohza slowly made their way to the kitchen. Okame whispered something sarcastic to Vivi about 'Leader and his coffee' when Kohza didn't acknowledge them. Eventually Kebi crawled in. He turned pale at the sight of the food and passed on brunch, but obediently sat at the table when Okame announced that it was ready.
"So when do we leave to meet Tahi?" Vivi asked as she put her napkin in her lap.
Silence.
"What do you mean 'we'?" Kohza asked finally.
And the arguing began.
==================================
Eric whispered to Kohza, just loud enough so that Vivi would hear. "Do you know what they'd do to us if they knew we let her walk around like this?"
'They' were the four prominent men in Vivi's life.
"I've got an very good idea," Kohza said.
"Probably involves pliers," Kebi muttered.
"And a scorpion pit."
Vivi walked next to Okame, fuming silently. She wanted to say that for two years of her life her secret weapon in a fight had been the Dizzy Dance. This was child's play.
Okame had fought for Vivi to join them, mostly because she didn't want to be the only one wearing gauze and a bra in public. The others had relented when Okame had offered to give Vivi a wig and a shawl; one to disguise her identity and the other for 'modesty." As if fringe and lace on her shoulders somehow made her more respectable.
They took a long circuitous route through back streets and alleys until coming to the red-light district. It was close to the docks; Vivi could smell the ocean. Kebi knocked on a inconspicuous door. A very large man open and gave them a once over. "How many?"
"We're meeting up with a friend," Kebi said. "He said he'd rent out the big room on the second floor."
The doorman grunted and moved aside, allowing them enough room to pass. They squeezed down a narrow hallway until they reached another door.
Crimson walls and thick purple carpets decorated the parlor where girls waited for customers. The heady scent of a hundred mingling perfumes assaulted their noses and the notes of a flute snaked up and down while a young woman danced sensuously for the clientele. When Vivi blushed furiously at this, Okame leaned over and hissed, "You're supposed to be one of them."
Vivi took a deep breath and remembered Miss Wednesday. Miss Wednesday never got flustered. Miss Wednesday liked places like this. And Miss Wednesday could do that dance much better.
The Clan climbed the stairs to the second floor. Vivi blocked out the voices and sounds coming from behind closed doors. Miss Wednesday wouldn't care.
They reached the end of the hallway and Eric knocked on a door. That's when Vivi saw the pistol he was wearing in his belt. Her eyes darted nervously to the others; they all seemed to be prepared for a fight. They hadn't told her they were bringing weapons!
"Come in," called a voice. Kohza nodded at Eric. He slowly turned the doorknob and scowled at whatever he saw inside.
"Mind if we interrupt?" Eric asked.
"Hell. Already? Damn. Sorry, baby. Come back later, huh?" A dancing girl flounced past them out the door, her bracelets jangling.
Now Vivi could see Tahi. Zoro had worn less clothes when he had trained in the sun, but she imagined that even if Tahi were fully dressed, he would appear just barely decent.
Tahi rested his fingertips lightly on a pistol lying on the table. He took stock of Kohza with an insolent sneer on his face. "It's our 'fearless' leader. How ya doing? I heard the army put so many holes in you that you looked like a sieve."
"I'm feeling much better. Thanks," Kohza said evenly.
"Eric, Kebi, Okame. It's like we're having a reunion," Tahi muttered thickly. The dozen or so empty bottles around his feet explained why.
"Good god, man, straighten yourself up," Eric said with disgust. "Attempt to look human."
"For who? Okame? Or the new tart…" Tahi's bloodshot eyes gave Vivi a once over. "Is she from downstairs or did you bring her all the way from Yuba, Kohza?"
Eric's hands curled into fists.
"She's not from Nanohana," Kohza said calmly. "She's a member of the Suna Suna Clan which is all the reason she needs to be here."
"You and your 'clan' business," Tahi said contemptuously. He motioned for the others to sit. "Fine. Like I care."
"This better not be a fool's errand." Kebi pulled his chair back, putting it as far away from Tahi as possible.
Tahi's fingers played with the trigger. "I don't remember inviting you. Any of you except Leader. So keep your mouth shut."
"Let's get started," Kohza said, but it was an order not a suggestion. They took their seats around the table. Tahi's hand finally left his pistol and drifted to the pack of cigarettes on the table.
"This must be pretty important, Tahi," Kohza began.
"You're damn right it is." Tahi's hand shook as he lit one of the cigarettes. "You know I think you're all fools for not taking the rebellion far enough, for not toppling the monarchy once and for all."
Kohza wanted to see how Vivi was taking this casual discussion about overthrowing her father but he also didn't want to give Tahi any reason to think that she was more than she appeared.
"I was never a fanatic about it though. That's Bracken." Tahi leaned forward. "He's gathered some of our old friends around him. He's putting the resistance back together."
Vivi's heart clenched.
"And they're going after the Water of Life."