Act Two

Scene Four

Friends Gather

Seymour is just now leaving Rikimaru's house looking quite disappointed. I am disappointed that his younger brother will deny Tatsumaru's wishes. Seymour heads back to the church still feeling down.

Local Russian Church

Abel Darkmoon is a High Priest of the local Russian Church. Many refer to him as Father Darkmoon. He is dressed in long dark blue robes that reach the floor. He is also wearing a dark blue kimono and long sleeved shirt. Father Darkmoon wears rimless glasses over light blue eyes and he wears a golden cross around his neck. Abel is also a Crusnik a Vampire that feeds on the blood of other Vampires. He has a '02' branded on his forehead.

Kojima Brahmin or Lord Monk as Kurosawa calls him. Kojima is a Priest as well, but he is a traveling Monk, therefore it is rare that Kojima is at his house here in Russia. This is so because he is always traveling with Yakatemaru's younger brother, Miyomoto. Right now, Kojima and Abel are talking when Seymour comes running into the room. Kojima looks up at Seymour. Seymour looks at Kojima then at Abel. Kojima looks at Abel and then at Seymour.

"Seymour, as a Priest, you know DAMN well you should not be running in a church!" Kojima scolded. Seymour glares at Kojima with icy cold blue eyes.

"Lord Kojima, watch your mouth while you are in this church and in my presence!" Abel said. Kojima nods his head. "Now, leave us so we can talk in private. Thank you."

"Yes, Father Darkmoon." Kojima stands up, dusts off his robes, and leaves the room.

"What news do you have about Rikimaru?" Abel asked the younger Priest.

"Rikimaru has Rosa in his house and he is not giving her back to Tatsumaru." "So we will have to take her back by force if need be." Abel and Seymour begin discussing plans to get Rosa away from Rikimaru.

Tatsumaru's House

Tatsumaru is lying within his coffin wide-awake. Maybe I can transform to my Devil form and approach her as an injured creature. Moreover, knowing how caring Rosa is to all creatures, she will take care of me, too. Tatsumaru shakes his head to clear his mind. Orochimaru knocks on the coffin lid. "Who is it?" asked the already annoyed vampire.

"It is I," answered Orochimaru as he knocks on the coffin lid again just for the fun of it.

"Stop knocking on my coffin!"

"Yes sir!"

"Now who in the bloody Hell are you?" Orochimaru introduces himself.

"I am Orochimaru Zeldinsteine." Tatsumaru makes a slight grumbling sound.

"What do you want from me?"

"We are having a meeting and we thought you should be present." Tatsumaru speaks in a soft and dangerous voice.

"I cannot attend this meeting have you forgotten THAT I CANNOT SURVIVE IN THE SUNLIGHT?"

"No, you are the one who forgot," said Masatsugu.

"Orochimaru, who is with you?"

"Masatsugu Gordon the famous Swordsman is with me," answered Orochimaru. Tatsumaru is clearly agitated.

"What did I forget?"

"That you have a Human form," Itachi answered.

"WHO IS THAT?"

"Itachi Sairuki, Hatake's twin brother," said Masatsugu.

"Orochimaru, is Paul here presently?"

"Yes, why do you ask?" asked Orochimaru.

"Have him go and find Abel and Seymour."

"All right," said Orochimaru. "PAUL, COME IN HERE PLEASE!" Paul slowly walks into the room.

"What is it, Orochimaru?" Paul asked. I really dislike it when he gives me a mission to do. I like Lord Tatsumaru's missions better.

"Go and find Abel and Seymour," Tatsumaru said.

"Okay, but where do I look?"

"Look in the local church somewhere in the Town Square."

"Yes, Lord Tatsumaru, I will not fail you!" Paul quickly races from the room. Tatsumaru begins to remember what his Human form looks like.

Tatsumaru's thoughts: Tatsumaru has his black hair tied at the nap of my neck. Tatsumaru is also a Ninja like Rikimaru and Rosa. He remembers the clothes he use to wear, a red three-quarter shirt with yellow etch work, dark blue pants, a purple sash, and purple boots. Tatsumaru carries twin swords of Darkness at both sides. Tatsumaru also wears blue fingerless gloves. Finally Tatsumaru has black eyes not red.

With all of this in mind a pale gray light surrounds Tatsumaru's coffin, turning him Human for the first time in years. Orochimaru, Masatsugu, and Itachi watch as the light finally fades from the coffin. None of them move to open the coffin for Tatsumaru.

"Lord Tatsumaru, are you still in there?" Orochimaru asked concerned. The black-haired Ninja knocks on the coffin lid.

"Help me remove this coffin lid… please," Tatsumaru said in an unusually calm voice. Masatsugu starts trying to remove the lid.

"That's a first…" Masatsugu muttered.

"What's a first?" Itachi asked as he starts helping Masatsugu.

"Lord Tatsumaru saying the word 'please' when he asks for something," Orochimaru answered. Orochimaru starts helping Tatsumaru, while the other two stops.

"Orochimaru you need the other two to help you in order to open up this heavy-ass coffin!"

"Oh…we forgot…" Itachi and Masatsugu said together.

"Well, then help Orochimaru get this lid off my coffin before I run out of oxygen! NOW!" Tatsumaru said angrily. Orochimaru, Itachi, and Masatsugu work together and finally remove the coffin lid. Inside the satin-lined coffin lays a Human Tatsumaru, a pale skinned young man of about twenty-eight; pale skin, but none the less Human. Tatsumaru stands up in the coffin and then he steps out of it. Orochimaru, Itachi, and Masatsugu all bow to their master and wait for a command. "Where are we holding this damn meeting?" Itachi stands up-straight once more.

"The meeting is being held in the living room," Itachi said.

"What is it about?" Tatsumaru seems not to care. Masatsugu stands up straight.

"Rikimaru, I think," Masatsugu said. Orochimaru stands up straight.

"This also about Rosa, you guys know she is the cause of all of this…" Orochimaru said. Tatsumaru's face twists in anger.

"Don't you dare put Rosa's name in your mouth like that! Let alone say she is the blame for any of this shit when the meeting is clearly about my half-witted brother, who thinks he knows everything, when he doesn't know a DAMN THING!" Tatsumaru begins cursing under his breath and does not seem able to calm down. He kicks Orochimaru in the chest who lands on his butt, roughly. Orochimaru looks down ashamed that he angered his master; his left hand is on his chest. Orochimaru's thoughts: I know I have fallen into disfavor for what I said about Rosa. Itachi and Masatsugu just look at one another unsure of what to say or do.

Town Square

Paul Yakushi is running towards the church to complete the mission he was given. I'm hoping to get in better favor with Tatsumaru, but the problem is Orochimaru. He is always trying to stay on Lord Tatsumaru's good side. The church is located a short distance from where Paul is standing in the square. He begins walking closer to the church and then he stands outside the front door for a few minute. Finally he opens the church's large double doors and goes into the building. When the young man walks into the room in which Abel and Seymour are sitting and talking, they both stop and look at him questioningly.

"Young Paul, what brings you here?" Abel asked.

"And why are you not with Lord Tatsumaru?" Seymour asked.

"I was sent here on a mission."

"What kind of mission?" Abel asked.

"To get Lord Tatsumaru's last two followers."

"Gee… I wonder who they are!" Seymour said.

"THAT"S US YOU IDOT!" Abel yells.

"Oh yeah, I forgot…" Seymour said slowly.

"Where are we heading?" Abel asked.

"We're going to Lord Tatsumaru's house."

"And besides Paul, did you know that Orochimaru recently fell into disfavor with Lord Tatsumaru?" Abel asked.

"Really?!" Abel nods his head in response. The small group leaves the church and heads to Tatsumaru's house.

End of Scene Four