Puppeteering

Sakon placed Ukon into his box, and left the beef pot shop. He then set out to find a place to set up. What he had in mind, was a place he could draw a crowd, yet also collect some information. As he walked down the street, between other people, he suddenly bumped into someone, his left shoulder crashing into the person's left. Sakon could also hear Ukon click in the box. This caused the youth to turn around, and his violet eyes look at the man.

The man was walking away, also glancing back, and chewing on a piece of grass. He wore a white bandana. The man had swung over one shoulder, a white jacket, that Sakon thought to have had the symbol for evil in black, but Sakon couldn't be sure about this. Sakon blinked a couple of times, as he stood there, wondering if there was some special meaning. However, the man quickly disappeared into the crowd, without letting Tachibana have a chance to apologize.

Truth of the matter was, the two was rather on the busy side of things, considering the period, this was one of the tows that was at the head of the Japanese industrial revolution, in its own way. Sakon shrugged his shoulders, situation Ukon onto his back a bit more, then continued to look for just the right spot. What he was looking for, in truth wasn't easy to spot. Thus, it took time for him to find the place, and the sun indicated it was one to two hours away from noon.

He removed his box from his shoulders, and set it on the ground. He opened the box and removed Ukon, Tachibana then stood up, as he received a few odd looks from people passing by. However, this in fact did not stop him. Taking a deep breath, he stood there, making Ukon suddenly come alive. Most people choose to pass on by, but a few happened to stop and watch. There were quite a few children, including one with dark skin, and unmannered hair.

Even though there were children there, that didn't stop the adults from talking when they did start to gather. One voice suddenly commented, as they happened to find an acquaintance within the crowd. "I hear the bottosai struck again."

"The legendary manslayer. Until recently, I thought the man was a myth, a story to tell children before they go to bed," the other commented.

"Well, it is still a story to tell children, to make sure they stay in bed. A killer running around… not even us adults want to go around at night."

"The police have yet to run into him, however, the witnesses say, he was part of a certain school for fighting."

"Kamiya Kasshin-ryu is the dojo. I can't believe they let a bloody killer from the war, into their school."

Some coins were being tossed into the box, and Sakon continued to hear similar things from other people, relatively speaking. Something though, about the information struck him as odd, or funny. After a couple of hours, he finished, as it was getting hot. On top of gathering information, he had gathered a fair sum of coins, to tide him over, until he could find a way back for him and Ukon.

The crowd dispersed, and Sakon placed Ukon in his box, traveling towards a place that was a bit desolate, without anyone truly about. He found a spot, near a bridge, on a riverbank. He then proceeded to pull the puppet out. "So, Sakon. What do you think?"

"I have to wonder, why someone from the war, would need to join a dojo," the boy stated firmly.

"What do you mean? Wasn't he of the school before the war started?" the puppet stated firmly, only to not get an actual answer from his partner.

They sat there, for a few minutes longer, the box on Sakon's left side. Suddenly, the green haired teen's hand, suddenly reached out to grab the brown hand that was reaching for the coins in the box. "Take what you need, but don't take more than that.

This caused Ukon to glance in that direction, and suddenly look at the perpetrator. It was the rather scruffy looking boy from earlier. "One would wonder, what with the laws, that you would go about stealing."

"So, if you're talking to each other, you're insane, right?" the boy suddenly muttered back. "I mean, your making that thing talk, and actually talking back to it."

"Wouldn't that mean that I'm a ghost and you're the one who's insane," Ukon suddenly chuckled, rubbing a finger under his nose, his mirth growing, as the boy grumbled.

"While most people are superstitious, I've heard the stories that are going around," the boy muttered, suddenly sitting back as Sakon let go of his wrist. His eyes looked for a way to get out of there.

"Like what?" came Sakon's question, his overly inquisitive mind taking over.

"I don't know. I've only heard the rumors. Still, I bet there is something that can play back sound," the boy stated, rather defiant.

"I believe it's called a phonograph," came Sakon's reply.

"I see… so that's how you do it?" the boy suddenly stuck his face right in front of Ukon's.

However, the youth found himself being pushed away by puppet limbs moving in a way that caused him to back away. The red head puppet moved his arms to indicate rough dimension and shapes of sorts. "Baka, a phonograph is too big."

"Then how… is he really a ghost," the dark skin of the boy's face suddenly paled.

Ukon suddenly put a fist to his mouth and let out a cough, then began speaking in the boy's voice. "It's a kind of performance trick."

"Ahh… isn't that a trick ninja's use?" the boy's face twisted into a scowl.

"So what if it is?" Ukon folded his arms across his chest.

"My guess is, your parentage is of some samurai linage," Sakon's first statement was directed at the boy. His second was directed at the puppet. "Samurai and ninja's have different fighting styles."

"Ninja's tricks are cheap," the boy muttered, glaring at the puppet.

Ukon pointed at himself. "So my voice is a cheap trick? Isn't it cool?"

"Cool?" the boy's eye twitched at the odd terminology.

"Awesome? Neat? Entertaining?" came the trial and error from the wooden puppet, tapping his chin as he did so.

"I'll give that it is entertaining," the boy stated, suddenly getting up to leave, realizing that Sakon wasn't going to report him.

"I told you to take what you need to," Sakon stated, suddenly looking at the boy, his aura becoming odd.

"I don't take charity," the boy sighed, and over his back, raised his hand in a farewell.

"What about a trade for information. You are a pick pocket, so you might know something," the green haired youth commented.

The boy turned, his face paling. "Are you seriously trying to get the people I'm trying to pay my family dept off to, to kill me?"

"Think of this information giving, either as neutral for them, of beneficial," came the puppeteer's response.

"Sakon… you really want to help bad guys out?" Ukon gave his companion a wary look.

"How might this be beneficial to them?" the boy's curiosity was peeked.

"It's about the battosai," Sakon replied calmly.

"Are you crazy?" the boy shook his head.

Ukon could only nod his head in agreement. "Unfortunately, yes… he is."

"I know that there is a chance I'll end up dead," Sakon stated. "That way, it is neutral."

"But how would it be beneficial?" the boy glowered at him.

"I wouldn't be surprised, if this battosai figure is hurting the night time business of those you're under. If he's gone, then they can start getting customers back, who are to scared at night."

"Fine, what do you want to know," the boy stated, suddenly going to sit in the grass in front of Sakon.

"About the school he's supposed to be from," the older of the two remained nonchalant.

"So… not how many he's killed… or the legend?" the boy shook his head, a bit confused about the odd line of questioning.

"I've already heard plenty of that," the man smiled.

"All I know, it's a school started after the war. The master of the school died, and left it to one of his relatives. It seems to be doing poorly," the boy stated calmly.

"Thanks. Take what you want," came the sudden statement.

The boy went and grabbed a few coins. "That's it?"

"That you told me, answered my question," the boy stated firmly. "Arrigotto."

"Yeah, whatever… the puppet is right, you are crazy."

Ukon watched the retreating figure. "You know, that even though this is a different time period, and there are special circumstances, I don't like helping the bad guys?"

"Neither do I… but this battosai thing is more important."

"Care to tell me what you figured out?"

"Maybe later," the boy stated.

"This sadly reminds me of… of all the other times you say something like that," the puppet groaned.

Author's note – Ahh… it is 4/21/2010. It's been over a year since I've updated. It wasn't due to lack of reviews. It is simply, a harder write. Don't know when I'll update again, but I do hope you enjoyed the latest chapter.