Wow! Two updates at once! It's ok, they're short…..

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"My summer robe—

There are still some lice

I have not caught."

Matsuo Basho

Edo

Interlude Kase

Kase had made it to Chiba with little incident. Takatori really couldn't have cared less if he had said he was taking a vacation rather than checking up on 'suspicious activity'. Stupid man. Oh well. It wasn't as if he were going to last long anyway.

Kase reserved a room at an inn not 300 meters from the one Ken was staying at. He remained hidden at first; studying the man's every move with great care, learning the routines, studying the companions. It appeared that both were sharp-eyed and clever, and they rarely left Ken alone between the two of them. The agitation of it showed on Ken's face often. Poor man. Must be humiliating. The thought brought a wide leer to his face.

Currently, the object of his thoughts was moving through several forms with his hand-claws; rather, that brat Ryuuta's hand claws, a determined look on his face. As much as Kase wanted to ambush him now, attack and torture while Ken's guard was down, he waited patiently, knowing that his revenge could be savored all the more sweetly for it. Gods, the look on the man's face when he found himself at the end of Kase's own weapon…the simple imagining of it lulled Kase into sleep nearly every night, shivering in delight.

But not yet. First, he had to get Ken to trust him. He had to spark the death of Takatori, and to do that, he needed Ken to stay alive. After that; after having won the man's trust, revenge would be that much sweeter. Commoners could be so simple-minded…

Ken was interrupted, panting and sweating, by the appearance of the red-headed ronin. The two shared a moment's conversation before Ken followed the man back inside from the inn's garden. Kase scowled darkly. His plans had been further complicated by the appearance of not one but two companions, who seemed to be far more clever and level headed than the young ninja. They also seemed to be rather protective of him. Ken may not be suspecting an attack, but both of those men would. Their body posture and facial expressions revealed it. The blonde youth looked carefree, but his blue eyes remained slightly too sharp; posture too relaxed to make the façade believable. The ronin didn't bother to hide his suspicion; he glared openly, all the time. His violet gaze openly swept all around frequently, and he did not bother to bide the fact that one hand remained on the hilt of his katana at all times.

Kase had seen him practice before with Ken, and knew that this man was one that needed to be avoided at all costs. The ronin was dangerous territory that Kase had no desire to trek into for any reason. He could only hope that both of Ken's companions would be too swept up in eliminating Takatori to notice a certain missing ninja until it was too late.

But first, first he had to pull Ken into his web. And he would start tomorrow. Gods, he could already taste the blood, and he savored the sweetness of it…

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Dun dun DUN! Ok, quick chapter, I know, but I wanted to keep Kase up in the fore-ground a bit in the midst of all this Ran/Ken stuff. I promise you all, Kase torture and death very soon. Right now I'm taking votes…

Who do you want to see kill Kase, and how do you want them to do it? Best suggestion may be applied if I can work it into the plot! Ja na!

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