Disclaimer: I don't own any Sly Cooper characters; they belong to Sucker Punch Productions/Sanzaru Games.
Claimer: I own all of my original characters.
Here's chapter 2! It's a bit longer than the first chapter, but I do plan on making the next ones longer, I promise :P. So, I hope that this is what you had in mind, 'LightBlueLightning' and I hope that you and anyone else will read, review, and let me know what you think and how this story is going! Thanks!
Chapter 2: Shattered Porcelain
Northern Japan, 1339
"I told you, Rioichi-san, to not sneak into my restaurant." Kasumi's fingertip pressed against my nose as she kept her other paw on the handle of her knife.
"It's not sneaking in, Kasumi, if the doors are open." Giving another soft growl, she snatched the knife from my sleeve and the cutting board underneath. I inspected the small hole in my sleeve and smiled at the flustered chef, who turned to her pot, a paw on her hip while the other stirred.
"The doors might have been open, but you still snuck in," she turned her head towards me, a half smile on her lips, "Can I assume that you're here for a reason?" I nodded, making my way to the opposite side of the counter and sitting where a customer would sit.
"A bowl of your noodles, of course." She raised and eyebrow, but being the type to never turn down a customer, she took the single, hand-written menu from the counter and handed it to me. I put up my paw in protest, shaking my head in the process.
"Surprise me, Kasumi-san." She put the menu on the counter and grabbed a large wad of dough from the pot, placing it on the chopping block she had pinned me to. Her chopping block was to the left of me and directly across from where I sat, so I could watch her as she cooked. She dusted both the board and dough with flour before kneading it down so it was large and flat on the board.
"You do realize that you still own me for your last visit." She cocked a playful eyebrow in my direction and a smile formed on her lips as she grabbed her butcher knife. I nodded in her direction, matching her smile, "And I trust that I will actually be paid for this meal, Rioichi Cooper?" at times, I would intentionally leave without paying her for the meal. I didn't do this to hurt her business, but as a reminder that I would return for another meal.
"Only if you promise to join me for dinner, Kasumi, for it would be an honor to dine with a fair lady such as yourself." She paused, looking to the dough and her fingers before turning silently to the pot behind her. I removed my hood and crossed my legs on the mat underneath me, waiting for a response. But, just as I knew, she said nothing and kept her attention on the food in front of her.
"Do you ever grow tired of noodles and dumplings, Kasumi-san?" she glanced to me, forming meat filled dumplings as she spoke.
"At times, but they're better than nothing." She piled another filled dumpling to the side, waiting until all were filled before dropping them in the water to cook.
"You need a change," she turned to me briefly, a curious look on her face as she continued to make the dumplings, "My restaurant is always welcoming if you ever wish to stop by." She pinched the final dumpling shut and placed it with the others before turning to me.
"Sushi?" I nodded as she dropped a dumpling in the water, "For a noodle maker?" she dropped the dumplings into the boiling water one by one, her gaze staying on mine.
"It would be a great change for you, Kasumi, I greatly encourage you stop by. I will not charge you a single coin for anything you may eat." She gave a soft smile and stirred the dumplings in the pot. I frowned and my ears drooped when she said nothing. She turned her back to me, the clatter of porcelain followed soon afterward as she turned with a plate in her paws, two cups and a small pitcher in the center. She placed the plate in front of me, pouring the liquid from the pitcher into the small cups.
"Tea," was the only thing she muttered as she handed me one of the cups before returning to the stove. I sipped at the cool tea in the cup, watching Kasumi take the cooked noodles from the pot and into bowls. It didn't take long for noodles to cook, but since we weren't talking, it seemed longer. She poured ladlefuls of hot broth over the dumplings before placing a bowl in front of me and a second across from where I sat, next to the second cup of tea. I found myself smiling as Kasumi sat quietly in front of me, pulling two bundles of utensils from her kimono sleeves.
She looked to me, waiting for me to start eating and see if I approved or not of her cooking. I unrolled the bundle of chopsticks and a noodle spoon and took the chopsticks in my fingers. She had placed about ten dumplings in each bowl, each filled, almost to the point of bursting, with what smelled like seasoned chicken and beef. She watched me intently as I picked up a dumpling and bit it in half. I swallowed, couching soon afterwards, feeling the burning of hot chili peppers and assorted spices. I smiled at Kasumi, still coughing as I did so, telling her that the food was delicious…even if it was a bit spicy. Kasumi gave an excited giggle, picking up a dumpling with her own chopsticks.
"You did ask for a surprise, Rioichi-san." After rinsing the spicy dumpling down tea, I looked to the female, returning her laugh.
"Yes, I did." We ate in silence, but did exchange smiles every once in a while.
"How is your restaurant, Rioichi?" Kasumi surprised me by starting a conversation, looking up to me with a kind smile.
"Very good. Customers are coming regularly and coins are flowing like the river." She nodded slowly, looking to her bowl once again.
"Then how is business, Kasumi-san?" she sighed, shaking her head as she ate another dumpling.
"Slow, very, very slow." Her smile had faded and she returned her attention to her meal
"Do not worry, Kasumi," I smiled at the chef, "Your luck will turn around, I promise you. Business is like a tide; customers come and go, much like the way the moon pushes and pulls the water. But you must remember…high tide will always return." She smiled, the first time she'd smiled at my compliments in a long time. It wasn't until we both reached for the tea when the feel of the room became tense. My fingers brushed the top of hers, making her pull away quickly, folding her paws in her lap. I looked to her and gripped the tea, pouring us both a glass.
"Do forgive me, Rioichi-san, I'm just…" she stopped, shaking her head before quickly changing the subject, "Have you seen the tiger that's been around recently?" she continued eating from her bowl.
"A few times, but not for long periods of time." She nodded, picking at her food with her chopsticks, "Has he come here?" she shook her head, eating her last dumping in the process.
"Sumimasen." She excused herself, standing and walking around from the counter. I continued eating and watched as she closed the doors to her restaurant.
"You're closing? This early in the evening?" Kasumi usually stayed open much later than my restaurant, mainly for those who worked hard labor in the evenings.
"I have another engagement this evening." I placed down my chopsticks, finishing my meal, and I turned to Kasumi.
"May I say something, Kasumi?" she nodded, a paw still on the door, "Please do not take this as offensive, but if you would stay open, Kasumi-san, and then your business would not be suffering." Her head whipped in my direction, a glare and a snarl forming on her face.
"If I would stay open?" she repeated, "I stay open until the early hours of the morning, Rioichi Cooper! My business isn't suffering because of how I manage my hours. You are the one who steals all my business! Your restaurant takes three quarters of the villagers here and the ones who do come can barely afford my food! I have dropped my prices to keep my business afloat while you flaunt yours openly! You swim in income and then steal to go along with it! I barely scrape up enough money with this shop and steal also, but I'm struggling to keep food on my plate at night and candles in my home for light and heat!" the restaurant was eerily silent once she was done yelling.
"Kasumi-san, I did not mean to upset you," I stood, holding my paws up to her, trying to get the temperamental raccoon to calm down, "I am simply trying to help you." Despite my attempts to calm her down, that sentence set her off even more.
"Help me? Help me! I don't need your help, Cooper, because you don't seem to understand my situation. Stealing and this restaurant don't give me enough funds to be as successful as you!" she reached behind her, picking up one of her porcelain cups that she used for decoration. I ducked, shielding my face from the porcelain, as she hurled the cup in my direction. The cup shattered against the stove behind me, the pink chips falling to the floor. She regained her composure, straightening out her kimono before placing her paw back on the door.
"I've had to find other means of income." Her voice softened, her rant was finally over.
"What other means of income?" she stayed silent, pushing the door open with a composed face and a quiet voice.
"Go." She said quietly, her voice barely audible. I felt bad for her, realizing that my restaurant was the cause of this scuffle. I would need a way to make this up to her, if she would ever speak to me again.
"Kasumi-san." I walked next to her, placing a paw on her cheek in the process. She pulled her face back, swatting my paw from her cheek as well.
"Go." She said firmly, opening the door wider so I would leave. I stepped outside, turning and placing a paw on the door and looking back at her.
"I will make this right, Kasumi-san," I placed my fingers under her chin and spoke softly to her, "I give you my word as a ninja." I leaned in, kissing her lips softly and quickly. She flared up in anger again briefly, shoving my paw away.
"I don't want to see you in my restaurant again, Rioichi Cooper." She slammed the door in my face, leaving me in the cool night again alone. She door jiggled a bit, telling me that she had leaned against it.
"Goodnight, Kasumi-san." I whispered softly to the noodle chef on the opposite side of the door. I slid my paw down the face of the door, feeling the painted, weathered wood before darting away from the noodle shop and into the night.