Saturday morning, my first order of business was making a proposal to Kawaji. He was wary and apprehensive, disbelieving even but I was rather persuasive in making the Chief of Police take the money in exchange for a piece of paper. Now just to make it official on Monday. The “Shinsengumi gold” became true after all. He warned me though that if anyone finds out he’ll wash his hands off it and if there’s anymore that I’m hiding, he’d throw me in jail himself. Well there’s not and it wasn’t the Shinsengumi’s gold, I probably should’ve told him it was the prize money I received for the Seinan war but he already knew I used that with Tokio.
As I sit at my desk, I consider for a moment taking out the boxes, perhaps bringing them with me to the row house but decide against it. The last thing I want is some roughneck going through my things and using it against me. Reaching into my pocket, I keep the piece of guarantee paper safe in the last drawer where the rest of my life has been shut away but a key falls out. Picking it up from the floor I inspect it. It was once a place I escaped to. One of the last places I’ve kept for myself but it’s sold now and it wasn’t a bad trade. Reaching under, I slide the condo’s key into my box. I never thought of myself one for souvenirs but I digress. All done I lock the drawer.
Now time to get out of this uniform jacket. The last thing I want is for some thug try to stab me before I even move in just because they find out too early that I’m working for the TMPD. But how to keep the peace in the ghetto? I pick up my unnamed sword, not that I’d actually use it there but having it on me may help. So with my plain black shirt, pants and a sword holster I go to inspect my new digs in the rough part of town after that I’ll have to go to the market to prepare for Makoto’s birthday tomorrow.
During the day, there’s not much to scout in this area. I’ve not seen any women, only the occasional drunkard or bum litter the narrow street. But looks can be deceiving and I should know the duciplitous nature of Ruffian’s Row once it turns to night. It’s not too different from the red light district in that regard but at least Yoshiwara hid all it’s stink under the glamour of the twinkling lights and beautiful women. There’s no such beauty to be found here. It’s only a step above the forbidden village where Battousai ran away to.
I wonder if that so-called journalist still lives here? His lodgings is only half a block south. I grin to myself as I inhale my cig and remember the fist fight with the rooster head. Now -that-, I haven’t had a good fist fight in so long… Actually I haven’t had one ever since.
Stopping by the 8th door, I unlock the door and sweep my eyes into the room. It’s litterally just a room. A lower area that doubles as a genkan and an upper area that’s separated by a step. To the right is a place for a futon, the center a low table which I figure probably has the kotatsu for heating and to the right a small kitchen. I go over to the kitchen and find it’s setup efficiently with a cook top, a counter and the actual sink and above it the lone cabinet. It’s good I didn’t bring those boxes, there’s no place to put it. I make a mental note to at least buy a small tansu.
But where is… I go around the kotatsu table and there just behind the wall, without a door is a place to take a dump. I go over to it and realize there’s no running water except for the one in the kitchen sink. I guess that means I need to buy a bucket and a dipper if I wanted to clean myself. I take one last hit on my cig and threw the butt to the “dumping” area and it fizzles. It certainly reflects what I feel right now. I can’t help but grin at the thought.
But it is a place to stay… And for now -my- place.
I decide to try out the floor. I lay down and realize, I’d need to at least buy a pillow. Placing my hands behind my head for support I look up the ceiling.
It will be like this for a while… Probably.
This is deplorable.
But it is, what it is.
Closing my eyes, I drift off to sleep. I guess I didn’t realize how tired I was.
(OOC end)