I'm updating two chapters for you lovely people in apology for not being able to update for another week or so, maybe longer. Sorry again guys, but like I said, I DO have to work. And school visitis don't really allow time for much else....In favor of updating two chapters, I hope you'll forgive me for not specifically thanking all of you for reviewing. I'm terribly sorry, but time is short, and I thought you'd prefer to have me write more chapters instead. Enjoy! :) And thanks so much again to all my readers. I really appreciate you leaving reviews!
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Chapter 3B
"Cage of a leopard.
Not a water drop
Remains in the sky."
Kakio Tomizawa
When Yohji breezed into Kawakaze Tea House that evening for his meeting with Reiji, Takatori fifteen minutes late, it was planned rather carefully this time around. As of yet, he was Reiji's private spy whom no one, not even his four body-guards, knew about. Yohji sauntered in wearing a silk kimono of deep blue bearing three crests instead of five; a testament to his casual attitude. He flirted with nearly every woman from the entrance to the room in which Takatori waited for him, and let himself in casually. Takatori grinned at him almost immediately.
"There you are Kudo. I was wondering what the hell you were doing." he chuckled merrily. Here, being late was Yohji's ally, not his enemy. He had worked it so that if he came on time, Takatori knew there was trouble. With a grin to match Takatori's, he sauntered over and knelt down across from the man as Takatori poured him a healthy shot of sake. There were three charming young geisha in the room wearing kimonos whose color and design complimented each of the others. Yohji wondered if they had planned that. Probably.
"Ahhh, Takatori-san, pardon my tardiness, but there was a lovely young thing that just could not be ignored coming out of an inn up the road as I passed. I could not resist." Takatori only chuckled. "I figured as much. I remember those days." he replied amiably. "I'd still be enjoying myself the way you do if I hadn't tied myself to two charming young ladies already." Yohji hid his disgust at the mention of Takatori's having become the danna of two geisha instead of one. Neither one knew about the other, and Yohji thought it was a particularly disgraceful thing to do, especially to a woman like a geisha. Instead he only smiled and said " Ahh, but you don't know what you're missing you know. The blossoms keep getting lovelier every year." Takatori only chuckled and shook his head. "Some day Kudo, you'll find a woman who'll make all the others look so perfectly bland you'll never look the other way again."
'If that's not the pot calling the kettle black…', Yohji thought in disgust. He forced himself not to spiral into the darker thoughts of the one woman he had loved, and whom Takatori and the Shogunate had inadvertently taken away from him.
"Yes." he agreed. "Perhaps someday. In the mean time, why not enjoy the very best life has to offer?", he suggested, waggling his eyebrows. The geisha blushed charmingly and Takatori laughed. "That's why I like you Kudo. You're very much the way I was at that age.", he replied merrily. Inwardly, a part of Yohji twisted painfully. It would be a cold day in hell before he would ever let himself become anything like Takatori.
"So. Give me news." The slightly sterner tone temporarily dispersed Yohji's inner storm cloud. "Of course. All went as you had planned. An errant ninja attacked Schwartz as they were leaving, hence their apparent tardiness to their meeting with you, but they disposed of him rather easily. Other than him, another novice ninja was easily taken care of back at the village. Oh—they did manhandle Kase a bit. He won't be happy about that—but as far as I can see, he kept his part of the bargain too. What did the Schwartz have to say?" Yohji hoped to the Gods he hadn't left anything out or that he hadn't been spotted carrying Ken away to safety. Takatori's easy expression told him no, but still…
"Initially I was rather upset at their late arrival, but the good news they bore in addition to the bounty I've collected from the dead village were enough to reassure me. You're simply confirming what I already knew, and I must admit, I'm glad you don't have anything to rain on my parade with." he replied amiably, a man feeling at the height of his confidence. Yohji could could have lied directly to his face rather shabbily and he'd probably have believed it. 'Pathetic'. , he thought sourly. "Drink up, drink up" Takatori urged, and Yohji reached forward, swallowing the contents of the small cup easily. Despite his lightweight appearance, he could easily out-drink most men twice his size right under the table. Pretending to be drunk was just part of the fun of his job.
The rest of the evening was spent wallowing in wine and women while glowering at Takatori behind a smiling, arrogant mask. In the back of his mind, he wondered with a small pang how Ken was faring.
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SO that was short. Sorry, but it was only a breif scene to sort of fill in the things that are happening around Ran and Ken. Not like, you know, anything happening outside of Ran/Ken could be important...er...I mean...Right, carrying on then...
WAAAAIIIIII!!!!!! End Chapter 3!! Do you know who's next?? Do ya do ya??? Iiiiiitttt'ssssss….RAN!!! YAY!!! It's Ran the disgruntled ronin. I don't know about you , but I'm excited…. :)