Chapter Seventeen: Passing the Time
The Shadow Warrior materialized with a brilliant flash atop a small office building, casting off his ki cloak with a slight flicker of his hand. Below him, a high class hotel advertised discounts on rooms for some ancient battle armor collector's group committee which met in Tokyo once a year. The rumors he had heard on the street hadn't been exaggerations. This would work perfectly for his cover.
He chuckled at his good fortune. What better place to blend in? The collectors association is such a large group that I can fit in with little difficulty. I even have my own armor to show off to further my temporary disguise. None of Ranma's friends even care about boring things like armor with their busy school lives and petty family affairs. There is no chance of me being detected here. This is a perfect plan!
He stripped off his armor and placed it in a reinforced case then dressed in a casual dress suit he had stolen earlier in the day from a nearby department store. His great strength enabled him to easy pick up the heavy bundle with little problem. He concentrated his power and teleported himself down a side alley away from the view of the populous. His actions scared a stray cat that hissed, running down the alleyway to safety. Brushing himself off with his free hand, He walked into the front lobby of the hotel, passing a few bills to an attendant and signaled tha the armored case containing the armor was to be brought inside. He scanned the hotela as he walked inside, noting its splendor but finding nothing appealing in its decadent interior. He just wasn't a fan of art and subtle expression. If he wanted to express, he just used his fist.
"May I help you?" The check-in attendant seemed bored as the Warrior approached the check-in desk. The boredom her job created was probably killing her motivation. This made him glad, more so than ever, that he was a martial artist. The mundane existence that the regular population of the world endured would never suit him. People such as this attendant were less than he was, less worthy of existing. A person that did not define their existence and challenge the laws of nature itself didn't deserve the mantle of humanity. Such people sickened him, really.
He smiled with false enthusiasm, flashing a smile. "Yes, I'm a member of the Armor Collector's Group. I've just arrived in Tokyo and I'd like to get a room for the next couple of days."
"May I see your collector's card please?"
He laughed with a measure of faked cheerfulness that he hoped was believable. It probably wouldn't matter either way, this person was far from observant. "I'm sorry; I seem to have lost my card at the airport along with one of my bags. I was invited by the new director of the committee, you see. I have my own armor to show off at this year's convention." He opened his bag and displayed his armor.
The attendant held a look on her face that showed she couldn't have cared less. With plodding deliberation she checked her computer for a vacancy within the vast expanses of the hotel. He wondered how the hotel managed to stay in business with such deadheaded staff running it. "Very well sir. I've got a room open on the second floor, B-14. It's a suite, so it'll be a bit more expensive I'm afraid."
"Money isn't a problem. I'll take it."
After he placed his few meager articles of clothing away in his room and unpacked the remainder of his gear, he decided to mingle a little to better help his disguise. Borrowing an extra viewing case from the lobby, he arranged his armor like the other collectors did, mirroring their displays to better fit in. His armor still had the dents and cracks given to it by Ranma and Ryoga, and as such, looked far older than it actually was. In actuality, he couldn't care less weather people noticed his display or not. The fewer people he had to actually interact with, the better. He would fight Ranma again in a few days and then he would be gone from this pathetic place. He wasn't in the mood to make new friends. Things were as simple as that and life was always better in its simplest form.
He immediately regretted his decision to make an appearance as boredom set in. He held no true interest in battle armor other than his own, which was immensely superior to any on display in the area of craftsmanship. He quickly tired of looking around at the crafted metal antiques and replicas that decorated the hall. The place was infested with losers who strove only to gain recognition and ego boosts by showing off ancient pieces of metal they had no clue how to handle or wear. Such petty citizens annoyed him to no end.
He was just about to gather up his armor and take it back upstairs when a short man in a black business suit approached his display. Adjusting his thin framed glasses, he studied the Shadow Warrior's armor with interest, flashing a million dollar smile. The Warrior folded his arms, watching the man with a small measure of interest. At least this peon knew good armor quality when he saw it.
The Japanese buisness man threw his arms out wide with admiration as he turned to face the younger man. "Impressive, most impressive! In all my years of studying ancient Oriental and European armor, I've never seen anything like this before. Are you a new member of the group?"
He nodded. "Yes, I've only been with the group for about a year. I'm… Shiro Furisaki." He held out his hand and issued out another faked smile. Inside he wanted to vomit. "And you are?"
The buisness man took the offered hand. "Miyamoto Sagisu. It is a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Furisaki. Would you like to discuss the history of your exquisite armor over a drink at the bar? It will be my treat of course. Fellow collectors with such fascinating armor easily earn my respect."
The Warrior sighed inwardly. It's all a means to an end. In a few days I'll leave this damn city behind once and for all. Until then, I have to pretend that this fool is worth my time.
Pep talk concluded, he put on what he hoped was a convincing smile. "Certainly, I'd love to."
For the rest of the afternoon he found himself having to play the part of the friendly collector with Mr. Sagisu. He found to his distain that the shorter man never shut up once a vonversation related to historical significange came about. The Warrior never knew such a boring person existed and painfully endured hours of hours of chatting with the man at the bar, making up lies about the history of his own armor to quell the fool's interests.
Worse still, the more Sake' the annoying man consumed, the more questions he asked.
He'd finally managed to find an excuse to rush his armor back to his room a few hours later, mentally exhausted and thoroughly disgusted with his new 'friend' and the way the day had progressed. Frustration took hold and he wanted to howl. No, he wanted to break something!
Sitting down on his bed he contemplated the shallow minds of the men still associating in the halls below his room. Such pathetic fools. To stay around people like this almost sullies my honor. How can they travel through life without viewing the entire picture? Perhaps ignorance really is bliss. Either way, it shows that I am indeed a better man than most. At least I have goals and ambition. These men probably haven't felt anything similar since they were children! But enough of that. It's time to go back to work.
Flexing his hand, an orb of nearly transparent energy appeared in his palm, pulsing rhythmically with his own heartbeat. Stretching out with his mind, he settled into a deep mind set, submerging himself within the flow of energy that coursed through his body. "Show me Ranma Saotome."
The orb flashed once and he saw the Tendo house appear, a place he hadn't visited in a very long time and certainly would be if Akane Tendo failed to deliver his message. The backyard appeared, revealing Ranma who was training against Ryoga. Impressive as the two were in battle, the training wasn't severe enough to help them improve their skills in the slightest. They would need another edge to win the battle against him, and it looked as if there was no danger in them finding it.
Watching on, a slight smile touched his lips. Nothing's changed, I can sense it. Ranma's wasting the free week I've given him on lower level training. How foolish! My skill will surely carry the day, just as it did before. It would seem I have nothing to fear. Never-the-less, this time I won't hold back at all.
He was disappointed about the upcoming battle. The fun of combat stemmed from the adrenaline rush, from the danger of losing and cheating death itself. Since the upcoming fight would certainly bode the same as it had before, he wouldn't toy around with such a worthless opponent a second longer than necessary. Surely there wouldn't be any fun in further kicking the crap out of such worthless foes.
Well, no matter. A victory was still a victory. His sour mood vanished. Dissipating the orb, he allowed a chuckle to escape his upturned lips. With his power and his armor, nothing could stop him… not even the very gods!
"This time, it's for keeps! There is no escape, or survival for those two. In a few days time, things change for good. I have many attacks at my disposal, and a few I can use as backups in case anything starts to go wrong. Heh, my chances of losing are nonexistent!"
The phone rang, startling him. Answering it he instantly knew who it was and cringed visibly.
"Mr. Furisaki, some new pieces of collectable armor just came in with a new group from Europe. Would you care to join a few associates of mine for lunch and review the history of these new samples?"
Oh, how I wish I could kill him! "Certainly, that sounds exciting. What's that? Tomorrow at three? Splendid. Yes... Ok, I'll see you tomorrow. Goodbye."
The Warrior bit off an aggravated scream and appeased his frustration by tearing a pillow to shreds.
"Quickly Sasuke, there are many pieces yet to admire," Tatiwake Kuno snapped, turning his head back to look down at his diminutive manservant. "We don't have time for anything more, especially petty errands!"
Turning away from a light armor set once used by a ninja, Sasuke blushed slightly, rushing to his master's side. "M-my apologies, master Kuno! I was merely hinting that the grocery shopping had yet to be done."
"By all that is noble, think for once man!" Kuno blew out an exasperated breath. "This is the last day I can attend this convention due to some business appointments I have to attend throughout the week. There is much to see before the day rests. Let my sister attend to the household duties for once!"
Turning his head from side to side, Kuno stopped momentarily to gaze at one piece of armor to the other, enhancing polite words with their owners. The polite buzz of conversation only seemed to excite the young noble as he admired several suits of armor that had been worn during the crusade against Constantinople. For all his mental density, he certainly had a knack for historical significance.
Kuno, as Sasuke understood it, was a huge history buff and had, with the aide of his immeasurable wealth, collected some very valuable artifacts himself over the years. Events like this excited him, and he felt like a child at the fair, thrilled by everything in sight. But it wasn't until he reached the far end of the room and found himself gazing at a set of black armor that seemed to shine with an unearthly sheen that he felt truly captivated.
The armor almost felt alive, and Kuno clearly felt a measure of aura surrounding it, a dark hunger that seemed to reach out for his soul with gaping jaws. Thinking back, he felt more from his heart than his underused brain that he knew this armor! He had seen it somewhere before… but even as he contemplated it, the memory of where or when he had seen it eluded him. The more he thought about it, the more he couldn't concentrate.
He grinned softly. Ah well, no matter. It cannot be that important anyways. Besides, I'm wasting time; I have so much more to see!
He turned away from the armor, moving down the far wall, gazing at further sets of priceless armor. "Sasuke, keep up! Time is short!"