I look at the time, it’s almost 6PM. I still haven’t gotten to two things I meant to do this week and now I can only do one. I had planned to visit Aioi but decide against it with the way things have gone, I don’t trust myself to be around the former Tayu. Besides I had told Hide just last night that I wasn’t going to. But you were, weren’t you ahou? Just like old times – immersing yourself in that pretend world.
Inhaling the smoke I look up the ceiling. That’s not right, she’s no longer a Tayu and having no brothel house to sponsor her she’d be on the street again, lower than a Yuujo had I not found a purpose for her in the Meiji. And so you became her sponsor? Ah but one with -personal- benefits!
Closing my eyes I put out the cigarette. Aioi was unexpected, much like Hide. Hide disappeared but I found Aioi again or rather she found me here in Tokyo much to the chagrin of my then wife. I liked rubbing it to Tokio’s face that she wasn’t the only woman in Japan who knew the arts, could do calligraphy, ikebana, tea and other rituals – a high class Tayu from Kyoto could do all that and more. And this Tayu was much more willing to be my pretend wife than my actual one. And of course there was Hide, but she didn’t want to do anything with him, the one who let me go. No -you-. Idiot.
I look up and blink. I’ve been sitting here wasting time. It’s obvious I should -not- go to the Machiya. I can’t be trusted. No -him-. So I stood up and decide to go to the less damning of the two, the Kamiya dojo.
And it doesn’t take long to get there as I stare at the dojo’s gates. Hide told me that she didn’t see herself being friends with the Tanuki which surprised me because doesn’t mothers want to be friends with the parents of her children? Not that I was strongly for it, this is the Battousai’s “wife” but I had hoped that there’d be something resembling normal for her here in Tokyo. But that might be impossible, after all she’s acquainted with me – one who lives a life of aberrations.
I make myself known by knocking on the gates. No need to amplify the Ki, I’m not here for a fight.
(OOC: Someone can drop in if they like. Otherwise I will continue with Kaoru instead. If someone does drop in, then Kaoru will likely join the conversation anyway.)
This one cooks, Kaoru-dono washes – how well we work it all out! Kenji-kun always wants to “help” his mother but so far has little interest in how dinner is made.
Fall is starting to turn a little chillier. A bit restless, so it’s time to take a walk around the dojo property.
Knocking on the gates? Who would be coming by? A student, no doubt, having left something behind. These children of the Meiji can be so carefree –
As I open the gates, before I can see him, I know it’s not a child, but… “Oh, hello, Saitou,” I say. I open the gate. He doesn’t -seem- to be here for a fight, but he’s good at masking his motives, even from one such as this one. “What brings you here?” I step aside to let him in.
Of course it’s the Battousai who I run into but it is his house… Or is it the Tanuki’s?
He steps aside casually, as if I pose no threat but I suppose my being without a proper sword he’s confident he can best me. Well it’s his lucky day. “Where’s the Tanuki?” I say stepping inside. “Is she actually being a good house wife for once since you have time to make the rounds of -her- property?”
I light a smoke and sweep my eyes across the estate. It’s larger than ours of course but we don’t intend to have a school. Well in another one of Hide’s lives, she and Souji were managing a school. He’d probably be the instructor and she? The one who handles the financial books of course. That’s -not- a bad life, in fact she may have liked that better.
“My wife is attending to our son,” I look at him – no sword? That’s… strange. This one had assumed that my old combatant was the sort that slept with one beside his futon. Just as this one once did, long ago – had that been called “sleep”. That’s one thing that has improved, over the years.
He looks around. “Master still hasn’t returned,” I shrug, but if he were, his unhidden ki would be discernable to any who could feel it (which are few, now).
“I’m also glad to hear of Yagi-san’s safe return. The papers said little, but Uramura-san was able to confirm it.” Although he was rather… unwilling to share, so this one did not press.
“My wife is attending to our son,
“Oh the brat is being a handful isn’t he?” I smirk and tap his shoulder, “Don’t worry. All first-borns are like that.” Mine certainly is.
He thinks I’m looking for his master? I suppose that’s a reasonable presumption. But I was looking for something or rather someone certainly. I was almost sure he’d get here before I did but I guess he’s still recovering. “Since you brought it up, I suppose it’s not unreasonable to expect you’d send word to me right away when he comes back.” Because it’s not a matter of if but when.
“I’m also glad to hear of Yagi-san’s safe return. The papers said little, but Uramura-san was able to confirm it.”
That Uramura… Couldn’t keep his mouth shut of course. I frown. That’s why some of his men engage in gossip and unable to keep anything confidential. Thankfully he agreed to cite and suspend that Minato who gave away information to Hide’s assailants.
“Oh so I see you already know. I stopped by to let the Tanuki know since she was one of Hide’s few visitors.” I know Hide said they’d never be friends but even so…
Oh the brat is being a handful isn’t he? Don’t worry. All first-borns are like that.
I laugh, both at his comment and the touch on my shoulder. “Is that so?” I remember the young man with the burning eyes and ki similar to his father’s. However, he looked much more like his mother. “This one hopes that your son didn’t like to pull hair as much as Kenji-kun does.”
He asks for information on Master. “I know little of his comings and goings. -Generally- he likes to stay in one warm place for the winter and focus on his art,” and drink, and make drink – he has expounded at length about the purity of a certain sort of snowfall -“so it may be quiet for a while, now.” Maybe. He can be very… capricious. And a man like him could travel unheeded by any weather.
“Uramura-san did not tell much,” I say, which is true. But he knows that this one would not be asking after Saitou’s…. woman for any reason other than concern. “But this one thinks that Kaoru-dono would like to know more, to rest her mind. She’s been worried, of course.” And unsure of her welcome – her and Yagi-san quarreled, I think, the last time she went.
Kenji-kun comes tearing out of the dojo and stares up at Saitou. “Who’s this?”
So he allows his son to pull his hair? But I let mine get away with worst, well until I couldn’t last night. I can only give the Battousai a wry grin.
I nod as he tells me about his master, but I’ve already set expectations with him. If his master comes back, he’s to let me know.
“Uramura-san did not tell much,”
I take a drag on my cig. “Oh? Not much huh?” Is he covering for the Chief?
“But this one thinks that Kaoru-dono would like to know more, to rest her mind. She’s been worried, of course.”
Maybe he’s saying the truth? Worried. Of course the Tanuki would but what she doesn’t know is that the Hide she knows isn’t the one she met back then.
Who’s this?
I look down and it’s his brat… No his son. I don’t say anything to the boy. It’s rude to interrupt a conversation between adults. Don’t they teach their children anything?
“Oh sorry Saitou-san!” The Tanuki comes running behind her son. “Kenji’s unusually energetic though it’s almost his bed time.” She picks him up and then smiles at me and then the Battousai.
“I’m glad you came by. Although we knew Yagi-san was rescued, we didn’t know the details…”
I quirk an eyebrow. I’d tell her there’s no need to know too much detail.
“She’s recovering at home. Injured but she should recover most, if not all of her infirmities.” I consider for a moment whether I should ask the Tanuki to visit, or if it’s better to let it die like Hide wants. “I was in the area and since she can’t come herself, I let you know.”
I glance back at the Battousai. I had no intention to let him know but I can’t deny his testimony helped though it was just a matter of him being in the right place at the right time. “Well that’s all. Good night.”
Saitou gives me a bit of a grin! But he’s nearly raised his son to manhood, and there’s much longer with Kenji-kun. For these sons, there’s a legacy to struggle with…
And Kenji-kun comes out, and my wife soon after. She’s flushed and pretty after washing dishes, and her run after our son. My eyes rest on her…
I’m glad you came by. Although we knew Yagi-san was rescued, we didn’t know the details…
I look back at my wife, knowing more of her worries… “Well now Kaoru-dono you can go visit and see the baby, as you would have had.” Apparently the last visit went bad and while I’ve told her that Yagi-san is very, very stubborn and her loyalty to Saitou-san leads her to be somewhat foolish… although Kaoru-dono seems to remember Yagi-san from long ago, and says that she was once very reclusive and quiet. Either way, this one knows that my Kaoru-dono needs some friends, since Tae-san is so busy with the Akabeko and Megumi-dono long gone…
But Yagi-san can’t come herself? She looked… bad that night. Whatever she went through…
My son tugs on my sleeve. “We just made tea, Otou-san. It’s nice manners to offer it to visitors!” He gives this one a -look-! I pat him on the head. “Yes, Saitou, come in, and tell us more about Yagi-san. How is the baby? Did that go well?”
(OOC reply tom)
Hajime:
It doesn’t escape me the way the Battousai looks at his woman, -wife- I guess. There’s quite a bit of an age difference there – almost 10 years. What did I tell him before? That 10 years is a long time. Is it a look of lust or something purer? I wonder, do I look at Hide the same way?
“Well now Kaoru-dono you can go visit and see the baby, as you would have had.”
The Battousai invites his wife over to my house. Isn’t that typical of him? But I did leave it open. I want to show off Ai-chan to many including the Tanuki. “The women may want to be alone and discuss things women discuss.” I shrug feigning disinterest. Hopefully that will deter the Battousai from coming into my home.
“We just made tea, Otou-san. It’s nice manners to offer it to visitors!” He gives this one a -look-! I pat him on the head. “Yes, Saitou, come in, and tell us more about Yagi-san. How is the baby? Did that go well?”
“I’m here aren’t I?” What an odd question to ask. If things were unwell wouldn’t he think I wouldn’t leave my wife and child’s side? “But I’ll decline your offer of tea. I’m not a tea drinker and I should get home now that it’s late.”
Kaoru:
Kenji and Kenshin invites Saitou! They should’ve known he’d turn us down! Though it’s odd this meeting -almost- seems normal. It’s exactly what I’ve hoped for, for -both- of them. But I can’t help but feel from the way Saitou sometimes look at us, that the man is making mental notes and likely judging us. But I can’t prove that can I?
“I certainly would like to meet the baby and…” I pull Kenji close to me, he gets almost to my waist now, “I’m sure Kenji would like to play in the treehouse again with Makoto-chan.”
“Sure sure. Just don’t stop by this Monday – we have guest.” He stops to inhale a smoke, “Actually give her a bit of a heads up, send a letter or tell my niece at the school at least a day before you stop by.”
Grrr… Of course I was going to do that. This cop! But I smile a little tightly and just tell him, “Why of course Saitou-san, we wouldn’t want to inconvenience your household.”
“Glad we understand each other.” He grins and then looks at Kenshin. “I’ll be leaving.” He tells him. What is with these two? They’re not friends so why does it seem they’re taking cues from each other?
(OOC you may close)
I’m here aren’t I?
That’s… defensive. He’s right, but this one is still interested in how it all went. Megumi-dono complained about how Kaoru-dono screamed, but no worries, Kenji-kun came out screaming louder and they were both healthy.
Then Saitou appears to give Kaoru-dono a lecture on visiting! Although she’s still in her practice clothes, she’s still a lady… but perhaps he’s actually nervous about Yagi-san. Connecting what I know with the little he’s said and still more left unsaid – I wonder how badly it all went for her. But I didn’t miss the pointed aspect of his comment about women talking – I’m not welcome! But Kaoru-dono is the one who needs friends, not this one.
Why of course Saitou-san, we wouldn’t want to inconvenience your household
I smile at her. But she’s right, Kenji-kun really likes playing with Makoto-chan… or her treehouse.
After he -grins- at me, I walk him back out to the gate to lock up, and then I go back to my family. “So I heard there is tea?” I ask.
(OOC – Close)