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.

I am so, so, so sorry for pauses. I've been swamped with school work and other things that I haven't had time. But I'm determined to get the rest of this written in a timely manner. And I know, that this is short, considering the amount of time it's taken to get this posted, but the next chapter will be much longer, I promise. And again, I'm so sorry that this has taken so long to post this. But, please read, review, pardon my tardiness, and let me know what you think. Thanks!

Chapter 9: To Fool the Rhino

Northern Japan, 1339

I shook my head quietly to myself when I noticed that Kasumi had once again closed her restaurant early; a sure sign that she would be visiting the geisha house this evening. I needed to find a way to get her away from that house; for I knew it would be the downfall and even death of the beautiful raccoon. I was there when Madame Geisha threatened Kasumi-san to visit the geisha house tonight, but I didn't want here to go. It was dangerous and if that low life skunk would be there as well, she would be soiled by his filth and may as well be owned by both him and Madame Geisha. I had come to the conclusion that Kasumi was in over her head and she needed to get out, and get out fast. Seeing that the night was still young, I closed up shop as well and stepped into the now usual routine of visiting the noodle maker. I slipped on my hood and came out of my restaurant. Keeping to the shadows I made my way to the noodle shop, ready to talk her out of entering that accursed building.

As I stepped up to the restaurant, which also doubled as Kasumi's home, I saw that all the dining lights were out, but a single window on the upper story was illuminated. Placing my cane in my mouth, I grabbed onto the bamboo shoot at the corner of the building and began to climb. I quickly scaled the plant, letting my feet touch the ledge of a lower window once I'd reached the leaves of the bamboo. Once I was securely on the ledge, I hoisted myself up and over to the window that shone in the darkness. Quietly pulling the shutters open, I hoisted myself inside, being as silent as possible. I looked to my feet, making sure I didn't step on something to alert Kasumi, while I eased my way inside. After I had planted two feet on the ground and had shut the shutters softly behind me and sighed when I'd made no noise.

"Rioichi-san" Kasumi's soft voice startled me, "curiosity is certainly something I encourage," she looked to me with a mostly painted face, "but I do encourage caution." She smiled briefly, only to replace it with a frown of discomfort, before looking back down to her mirror. I smiled at her and slowly walked to her.

"I do suppose that caution would be best, especially around your knives." She giggled with a roll of her eyes.

I watched her silently as she held the brush between her delicate fingers. She dipped tip in the red paint in the bowl and parted her lips slightly. With a long, slow draw of her hand, the tip of the brush traced her parted lips, painting them a deep red. I sighed, realizing that she was putting on her geisha makeup for the evening, something I didn't want her to do. Despite my exact feelings of her being a true geisha, there was an art to putting on their outfits. The time it took, the detail, and the patience it required even that of a ninja's. As she watched her reflection in the mirror, Kasumi painted both lips red, completing her makeup. She turned to me, still seated at her mirror, and sighed.

"Do not judge me, Rioichi, you knew that this day would come," glancing to the floor she spoke again, "I will become a full geisha tonight."

"Kasumi-san," she looked up to me, tears welling in her eyes, "why do you do this? Why join the geisha house. You could do so much better." She stood, her paws twisting together.

"I cannot support myself just on the restaurant, I need the extra money in order to survive." I shook my head, facing the raccoon who had started to pace.

"Then let me help you, Kasumi. I make enough in my restaurant to help you. It will not hurt me, please, take it instead of the geisha house."

"No!" she said as she sighed, fighting back a sob, "It will ruin the honor that I have left if I take your money. I'm a money maker and a thief, yes, but I am not borrower."

"Do you realize that the skunk will take advantage of you?" I wanted Kasumi to be successful, and even being a geisha wouldn't be so bad to me if it wasn't for that skunk. He didn't care for Kasumi like I did, he would do anything he could to take advantage of her to suit his own needs. He didn't deserve a woman like her, she deserved someone who cared and loved her with his whole life.

"I know, Rioichi!" she said sharply, "…I know." her voice dropped to almost a whisper, "I just wished that there was a way to make this easier." She looked down, not wanting to meet my gaze, as I looked at her and thought. If there was a way to fool Madame Geisha, somehow, she may be able to be considered a geisha, get the pay of one, without having to make that kind of commitment.

"Kasumi-san," I said after a long silence and thought, "there is a way to make it easier. There is a way into fooling Madame Geisha into thinking you are a geisha." She looked at me as she used the edge of the sleeve to tab away a tear.

"How?" she bunched her paws again, anxiously awaiting my proposal.

"What if the skunk wasn't the customer? What if it was someone you knew, then you could make a plan. Kasumi-san, I can help you with this problem." Her eyes narrowed and he anxious paws turned into fists.

"I confided in you Rioichi! And then you make an offer like that! You are no better than that skunk!" I put my paws up in defense, shaking my head at her misunderstand.

"Kasumi-san, you do not understand, that is not what I'm offering." She still had her paws clenched into tight fists, but appeared to be listening, "I can take care of the skunk, I can get him away from the geisha house. Then, instead of the skunk asking for you, I will. Madame Geisha will pair you will me and will expect you to be a geisha once you leave that room." She narrowed her eyes at me, not seeming to understand what I was trying to tell her.

"Kasumi, if I am in the room with you, you will not have to do anything. We can fool the rhino right under her horn! She will believe you have done your deed and are worthy of being a geisha, the skunk will not be there to object, and I will not pressure you into anything."

"If you enter with me, instead of the sunk, I will still get the pay of a geisha, even though I have not performed my geisha duties?" she questioned, seeming to understand what I was trying to explain to her.

"And she will never know she had been fooled." Kasumi pondered for a minute, glancing to me briefly with a finger tip tapping her tooth briefly. Time seemed to be still as she thought. I never have been able to read her as she thought; she wasn't an easy person to understand.

I felt myself tense as she suddenly rushed at me, fearing that this would end badly. However, it didn't. Her paws gripped the sides of my face and her lips were quickly pressed to mine firmly. I smiled, my paws touching her shoulders briefly as she pulled away.

"You are amazing, Rioichi-san!" she laughed with joy. Her laugh quickly turned into a giggle when she realized that some of her lip paint had been transferred to mine. I laughed as well, wiping the red from my lips as I sat with Kasumi. We would discuss our plan, down to every minute detail, before going into action. Tonight, Kasumi would become a geisha, to Madame Geisha at least, but in a way that would keep her from danger. This would be the perfect plan to protect her. I knew I couldn't protect her from everything, but this is something that was important. But, if this didn't go to plan…we both would be in very serious trouble.