((((I was thinking of adding this chapter at a later time... but for reasons I don't want to talk about (basically my sad-sad life) coupled with the popularity this fic has had, plans changed today. A little background for those of you unfamiliar with the rest of the "By The Roadway" series,
Trieze has a OC father "Sir" Godrick Khushrenada the 8th that appears in the prequel "The Particulars of Youthful Indiscretion' – awesome stuff you should definitely check out, Milliardo is in it too, soon to get a new ch as well.
And Shiko Tsukoto Mudo is the OC father of another OC, Nitroglycerin Tsukoto Mudo:
Nitro plays a supporting role in my Trieze-focused AU and helps diversify and explain the extra depth I've added to the original GW plot. By showing up randomly he also works to help lighten the angst of "By The Roadway" and fill the spaces that would drag other characters too far OOC. He's soon to show up in chapters of "TPoYI" the prequel, but will be around less in "The Night Grinned Viciously Back" the sequel... Shiko is however very important in "Night Grinned" whether as a "Heero" or a Villain... it's up to you do decide!
I'd be happy going either way... so if you'd be sad to see him go bad (or good!) you'd better speak up before I get to writing that part! So, first review with a vote gets 5 points, every one after that gets 1 point unless they have a really good reason for why they're right.
Anywho, this chapter is a Shiko Mudo X Sir Godrick short ^_^ yay! I don't really think I'm going to add any more chapters after this because it's not supposed to be another epic, it's supposed to be short! But I am bumping the rating back up for 'suggested situations', usually I choose 'M' so I can write whatever and not worry about y'all little kiddies out there!))))
One, Plus One, Equals... A Fan for "Two"
...AC 180... in between the segments in"TPoYI"s chapter 'Nitroglycerin'...
Shiko... his hair in a more conservative 'top-knot' style, dressed in what was now his typical finery of elaborately embroidered androgynous silken robes and classic Feudal era platform sandals, with several fans adorning his wrists for easy access... was enjoying his lunch with 629 at his favorite fine Asian cuisine he'd found since their recent move to X14-207.
At least he would have been enjoying his lunch, but of course a group of Alliance officers, complete with the local Specials Commander and what looked like some Earth-trotting aristocratic first-timer still wearing his spacesuit, had to show up and ruin the tranquility of the place! No big surprise that they order a double round of Sake before even being shown to their seats!
Shiko's first reaction was to collect the check and get far away from that place, but instead: the fan on his left wrist detailing the famous 'Kajikazawa in Kai Province' was clicked closed and dropped to hang by its cord, for a rendering of the 'Great Wave off Kanagawa' to delicately flutter in its place, shielding his face from their view. He had been there first.
"Men... so ungraceful." Shiko commented with a roll of his eyes as he brought his own Sake cup to his lips with his other hand and let its warmth slide down, his throat.
629 stopped himself from replying on the obvious contradiction riddling the statement and gave a supportive smile.
Learning such nuances of social interaction, with the handicap of a complete incomprehension of the intangible, was a very difficult and still ongoing process for the grown genome construct; Especially with a master as complicated as Shiko! 629 had already made the mistake too many times of saying 'But your a man and very graceful' to such comments, just to suffer the confused headache from the resulting discussion. No matter what he always tried his best, that was his programming after all...
Sir Godrick... rarely removed his sleek top-of-the-industry model spacesuit and always kept his helmet in reach when ever he left the Earth's atmosphere. It was a habit grown from a phobia rooted in his parents untimely death in a shuttle accident when he was barely 13.
It certainly made him feel more comfortable dinning with this pack of thugs from the Space Forces! Specials Commander Doric was at least tolerable even if it was only for his extreme reverence of the Romefeller Foundation (of which Doric's family was not a member of). Even then, that meant he was only polite about laughing in Godrick's face and flatly refusing to offer any leeway or consideration for the initiatives he was trying to propose.
It wasn't the first time Sir Godrick had played out this little scene having already visited commanders in three of the other colony clusters; thoroughly expecting the refusal by now, he made a point of throwing down early for the booze and drawing out his argument to ween as much information as possible. To say that the rest of the stuffy wig-wearing aristocrats of the Romefeller foundation were clueless to the complicated dynamics created by the broken floating world known as 'The Colonies', seemed like more and more of an understatement with each of these encounters he had.
"Sir Godrick, you have to understand that these ideas you have are just impossible to implement with the kinds of threats we're facing up here. I'm sure you've noticed that lovely woman over there with that blue-haired Proto-freak..." Doric jabbed one thumb over his shoulder with a grimace.
"That is no woman." Sir Godrick had indeed spotted Shiko and 629 upon arrival to the little restaurant, he wasn't arguing with the lovely part.
"...Ha, you noticed," Doric continued taking another shot of Sake, "That would be Shiko Tsukoto Mudo. Nothing can be proven of course, but they're saying his little kid and that Proto he's got over there were responsible for 'removing' the officers posted on X12-566 during the recent revolt that got the whole colony shut-down. You can imagine how pleased I was to find out I would be their next host."
"Tsukoto Mudo...? Doesn't he own half the moon?" Sir Godrick poured another round of shots from the large ceramic jug.
"A Third, the commercial district. Montague Voltair owns the residential, We own the military one, obviously."
"Voltair... now that's a name that brings back memories..." Godrick could almost smell the musk of his father's study mingling with leather bound books and roses drifting in through the windows.
There was an uncomfortable coughing and shifting from the group of Alliance officers,
"We shouldn't really be talking about him."
"Oh, not him?" Godrick asked taking another shot of Sake himself, "Yet, you see nothing wrong discussing rumors in the very same room as a man they are about? Fear is a very strange motivator in the minds of men." he shook his head chuckling.
"Whatever that means. Look if you want to go investing and expanding industry in the colonies..."
Having heard this pitch before Sir Godrick tuned out watching Shiko pretend to not be intently trying to catch bits of their conversation. Realizing with a smirk that the masking fan now featured "Ejiri in Suruga Province" he decided his curiosity might be worth hanging around a little while longer... he could always catch another shuttle...
The Alliance officers had all left and Shiko was sipping down to the dredges of his tea, about to send 629 to settle their check...
...when their server came over and deposited it already paid on the table with a bow.
"Complements from His Excellency." the girl bowed again excusing herself and leaving Shiko confused.
"His Excellency?" Shiko asked looking questioningly at 629 who was shaking his head.
"I am unaware of whom possesses that designation. It may be difficult to give him our thanks for such a gesture with so little explanation, should I inquire further of the management?"
"Hardly any need for that!" Sir Godrick, whom had a few more drinks at the bar waiting for his moment, slid into the booth next to Shiko, "I am him, His Excellency, Sir Godrick Trieze Khushrenada the Eighth von Vianden," he put an arm over Shiko's shoulder taking pleasure in his mortified expression at the utter invasion of his well kept personal space, "and I must say Commander Dork is indeed quite right to say that you make a very lovely woman. Hokusai's Thirty-Six Views of Mount Fuji... correct?"
"Excuse me, Sir, but I was just on my way out and hardly need Earth's charity, nor you or Doric's ridicule!" Snapping the fan of 'Mount Fuji from the mountains of Tōtōmi' shut, Shiko took hold of Godrick's wrist and pried it from his shoulders trying to shove him away.
Sir Godrick used the chance to catch hold of Shiko's hands, continuing to grin away undaunted,
"My dear lady I hardly mean to offend..." he brought Shiko's knuckles up to lay a kiss across them; but Shiko snatched his hands back retreating towards 629. "...is it really so hard to believe that I might simply wish to be the 'Two' in your Six-Nine?" Godrick pulled the ribbon from his hair, it took only a shake of the head and a run of his fingers through his russet locks to settle them into place about his shoulders and face.
The fan of a humming bird and a cardinal flower flicked out as Shiko paused to regard Godrick over his shoulder, a blush budding across his cheeks as he measured him up and down in the sleek, form fitting, space-utility wear. 629 didn't quite understand what was going on, or the novelty his master found at the strange mentioning of his name, but he relaxed seeing a tight-lipped smile growing on Shiko's lips.
"A friend of mine owns a rather nice hotel not far from here..." Shiko couldn't help glancing around to see if anyone was watching them.
"Oh really? Interesting you mention that... the last shuttle today with atmospheric clearance leaves in ten minutes, considering how little time that is I think I might need a room for tonight." his deep blue eyes gazed out from under his elegantly forked brow like twin earths shining in the moon's sky.
"You'd stay here an extra day, just for me?" Shiko actually needed the fan's cooling breeze as the heat of the blush intensified.
"For you, my dear lady, I might even take this off..." he tugged at the collar of his spacesuit flashing a winning smile...
Sir Godrick ended up staying three days at the 'Vontague M' on X14-207.