Mending Deep Wounds Part 2: Midnight Scruple By: Shutani Houkiku Eiji Jiro Tuwaki Mizumo Tokyo slept deep into the night, while Eiji's brother was busy overseeing the arrival of a shipment of guns. "Is everything to your liking, sir?" An American man asked. "Yes, it will do fine. In a few days we`ll have these sold, we stand to make a lot of money." Came the reply. "Why don't we go in, and toast our coming success?" But they needn't go in at all. The woman he had just recently given employment as a servant to had uncanny timing, always showing up at the right place at just the right time. She didn't need to be told and asked no questions, a highly convienent person to have around the place. That she wasn't half bad in looks didn't hurt either. It was hard to find good help these days. Sure, he had men aplenty at his beck and call, but none of then could make a decent cup of sake or tea. Not to mention do a bit of cleaning without causing a greater mess. Some things required a woman's touch. The only thing about her was the bundle of cloth she always carried around, often in her obi. It was an old momento of her late father's, he was made to understand. Oh well. She ought to be allowed a little oddity for the good job she was doing, he supposed. She always made sure to make some sound when approaching since she could scarce make herself known verbally. The man turned and plucked the two glasses off her tray with a curt nod of approval. He wasn't such a bad man, after all. There were, are, worse. But that didn't fade the blood on his hands a bit. He was careless, though. He never thought to check just what his new and only servant's peasant treasure might be. "How are things working out with your brother?" The American man asked. "We'll sent some of my best men out to find him, and considering his weakened condition he should be dead by now. Now I'm just waiting for the person that made the kill to step up and collect the reward money." The other man answered. The American was shocked that his business partner would be willing to give that kind of money away, no matter what it was for. "You're just going to give that kind of money away?" He laughed at his friend's ignorance. "Of course not, when the person that killed Eiji steps up I'll kill them and keep the money." Suddenly a man wearing black kimono and carrying a travel pack appeared. He seemed to be confused, and approached the two men standing amidst a shipment routine of some sort. As he approached them, the two men stopped talking. One of them appeared to be a gaijin, but in the dark it was hard to be sure. He bowed at them curteously and both of them stopped talking immediately. "Gomen nasai, I'm new to this place and I was wondering if you could direct me to the nearest inn?" Eiji's brother looked at his American accomplice uneasily. Jiro looked at the exchange they made and was wondering if something else was going on here rather than a routine shipment. At the corner of his eye he caught a glimpse of one of the crates being moved in the firelight. Part of the wood by the crate's side was cipped and inside was hay sticking out. Made sense, hay was used to cushion valueble things. But in the middle of the night? "Is this the man you were speaking of?" Jiro heard the American whisper. He spoke fluent Japanese for a gaijin, though. This observation piqeud Jiro's interest more and more in each passing second. "No, it isn't him. He looks to be a stranger that hasn't been to Tokyo before, what an idiot!" Their intercourse was barely audible in Jiro's ears, although to other normal people they may have been unintelligible at all. Finally Eiji's brother turned to Jiro, regarding with a hostile and cautious look. "Move on bageiro! This isn't a place to be asking stupid questions. Want a place to sleep? Move on to the streets. I'm sure the vermins would be glad to have you there." Jiro was finally convinced that whatever they're shipping, they don't want anybody to nose around too much to find out. He gave the man a polite smile and slinked back to the shadows. He wasn't going to sleep with any vermin this night. He's going to observe. Sure that Jiro was gone the American resumed the conversation. "So why didn't you ever think to ally yourself with your brother and use him to your advantage?" He asked. "Because Eiji has too much integrity to be a criminal. He would never do this sort of thing, no matter how much money he would stand to make." He answered. "And because he`s still pissed off about when I killed our parents. Now I guess we should check on some things concerning the shipment." Without further comment the two men headed down closer to where the area where the shipment was coming in. * * * The two men spoke of treachery and deceit. Jiro strained to hear more but they moved out of sight. Jiro was no ninja to move around with such stealth in such a busy state, but he was still determined to find out what the next turn of events could lead to. Taking a rice dumpling from his pack, he nibbled a bit of it before putting it back inside. The crates were still carried at a subdued enthusiasm. He made his move. Leaving his travel pack behind, he gathered his katana and slinked in the shadows to where the two men had just gone to. Bugdeting his breaths and pace carefully, Jiro breathed as slowly as possible to avoid being betrayed by his own heavy breathing. The other men were too busy carrying their shipment to notice Jiro which only appeared as a glimpse in their sights. Jiro wondered how long it would take to ascertain his goal, or even if this perilous venture is worth the risk. The shipment was finally unloaded and stocked by dawn. Eiji's brother went inside with his American partner so they could discuss a little more about how the weapons would be distributed. While Eiji, wasn't too far from where he collasped eariler, was concerned for Houkiku's life. His brother could be a very decietful and dangerous man, and he hadn't seen her since she left. Out of despiration Eiji forced himself to his feet, and while using his sword as a crutch he hobbled to where he felt that he had the best chance of finding his brother. He fell down several times, and eventually decided that he would be no good to her like this so he walked up to the door of a local shop. As he knocked on the door he hoped that either he wouldn't be recognized or that the shopkeeper would be easy enough for him to take down in his weakened condition. On the top of the world, looking down upon the ship of her quarry, a lone, dark figure complentated her next step. Craddled in one arm is a slick, crescent of leather, one end in a pool of material. She calculated the odds of taking down the shipful of mean, lean smugglers alone. At least 2 dozen to 1. Didn't look good. She hates it when circumstances force her to be the bully to her prey. * * * Staring in the moonlight, she sighed. Vivid memories flooded her head. She was cursed for life, all because of 4 words, "Your father is dead." She continued to sweep besides how late it was. She didn't care. She looked back at window, odd, shipment. She shrugged, "So, it's just shipment." She, however, was very curious. *Maybe,* she thought, *Maybe it has to do with my father's murder.* Leaving the broom, she slipped outside. Mizumo, who she was called, kept her katanas and short sword close to her. Creeping in the alley, she kept silent. She saw two men, talking, then leaving. What were they talking about, though? She knew they wouldn't care about her father's murder, but she was curious. Looking up, the moonlight glistened, her light lilac hair sparkled. She looked, muttering, "I want to go home, with my father." She was going to investigate, she didn't feel that shipments come this late. * * * How do you hear the rising of anticipation? Or the falling of moonbeams upon the deck? It is a sound so soft, that only those in wait for it, who knows what to listen for, could maybe catch on the fringe of his senses. It stands to reason, then that no-one knew what hit them until she stopped to take inventory of the bodies. By then, it was way too late. The assasin paused, still as a marble statue, like that which her face was carved from. There was no way the ship would moor now. Two more kills and this night will be over. She stretched luxouriously. It was a tame night. * * * He didn't know how, but Jiro sensed something was wrong. From the glimpse of his vision, he saw a shadow fleeting down and killed someone without a sound. Assassin! His sister was killed by one of them and he wouldn't let this scene happen again. The workers who carried the crates are still human. They have families and sweethearts to go home to. And this shadow in front of him is destroying it. Leaping to his feet, he sped towards the assassin, still weilding his (Jiro presumed, due to the darkness and all) sword. The assassin stood still for a moment and he extended his sheathed katana. Surprisingly, the assassin seemed to have vanished all of a sudden. But Jiro knew better. Whirling around with a speed impossible except to those who knew the way of the sword, he managed to parry a series of quick slashes and jumped up to a crate. His opponent's sword came down to where he was a second ago. Jiro's mind whirled with various tactics and counter manuevres, as long as he isn't forced to draw his sword. When that happens, he wouldn't resheath it unless blood is drawn. Mizumo watched as two figures appear to begin battle. She hated seeing bloody battles, but something must've angered one of the figures. Sneaking towards where the fight would take place, she quietly hid in the shadows. Perhaps being clumsy, she triped on something. "Why, oh why does these stupid things happen to me?" she asked herself in a whisper. Looking at the item, she gasped. It was a gun. *Who in the world would ship foreign weapons here?* she thought, but that wasn't important. What was important is that she makes sure she isn't caught. Too late, a flash of metal bright as the moon was already hovering at her nose. It hesistated a moment, and was gone as suddenly as it came. All Mizumo saw was the bright red hem of a straight, long skirt. Jiro's concentration wavered the moment the crash came. It was all his opponant needed to disappear. A deadly silence enveloped him as he stayed, tensed and deathly still, lest any movement proved to be fatal. It was a wise choice, for the stillness allowed him to catch the slight flicker of air current as a wide, thin blade plunged itself head-down into the crates. It would have been his skull splintered and crushed under the slippered, socked feet. He caught a glimpse of the killer before she, it was most distinctively a she, moved again and engaged him in a series of quick fickle styles that did not seem to be of any form in paticular. Bright red skirt and pure white top, the robes of a shinto shrine miko, and a pale and hideously twisted face of hatred and anguish amid loose-flying ebony-and-fire tresses. They were well-matched, neither winning nor losing, gaining and losing equal ground. The assasin made up for her lack of brawn by avoiding such situations whereby brute force became a deciding factor. She was quick on her feet and well-practiced in the dizzying steps of her kata (sword-dance), although never quite crossing the boundaries of "equal" to "better" until Jiro carelessly back-stepped into the splintered crate, fumbling his balance. The split second was all his opponant needed. He watched the flash of her sword, a strange one, it was, not like any design he has ever seen, graze the sleeve of his coat and whisk away at the last moment with the assasin herself. He scrambled to his feet, to the side of the ship, just to see her skip along the water and disappear into the darkened shores. As if she had had enough of playing with him. Jiro fumed. After restraining his initial annoyance with the previous skirmish, Jiro took a while catching his breath. Then he saw a girl with lilac coloured hair coming at him with her katana drawn. He could well see the other hand at her wakizashi though. Looking at her directly, he spoke with a calmness that shocked even himself at the moment. "Who are you?" Jiro said as he put his sheathed katana back in the folds of his kimono. Mizumo kept a good eye him, she had one surprise of the night when that strange sword was almost close enough to slice her head off. Having her katana drawn, her other hand on her wakizashi, she answered his question calmly, but sternly. "My name is Mizumo, Tuwaki Mizumo, and exactly who are you, and why were you fighting with another person?" "Jiro. I'm Jiro. Did you not know that....." before Jiro could finish his sentence, he suddenly lunged at Mizuno and brought her down. Surprised, Mizuno couldn't react to avoid Jiro. "What're......", suddenly three ninja stars scattered where Mizuno had just stood a second earlier. Instantly on his feet, Jiro held his sheathed sword and looked into the darkness from where the stars came from. Without turning to Mizuno, he said softly under his breath, "We're being hunted...." Mizumo got up and heard the whispered words, "Hunted? By who-" she had to duck before another ninja star slashed at her, "Why, oh why..."she breathed softly, "...must these things happen to me?" Standing up, she went next Jiro, holding her sword tightly, "Um, Jiro, why are we being attacked?" All of sudden, they were surrounded by ninjas. Before he could answer, they needed to fight. Jiro held his katana before him. Back-to-back to Mizuno they circled and he counted five ninjas surrounded them. But then again, ninjas have a knack of appearing more than they seem. "Duck," Jiro said. "Wha....?" before Mizuno could finish her sentence, Jiro backflipped on her back and she was forced to duck anyway. Using the momentum of his sudden manuever, his sandaled feet caught one of the ninjas by surprise and knocked him back towards the crates behind. Then, he brought his hilt guard before him just in time to deflect a blow that was aimed at his throat. In the corner of his eye, he saw Mizuno defending herself...... Mizumo backed up, keeping a eye out for any ninjas. Before one ninja could strike her, she blocked it, pushing him back. But before she could block another, she felt a pain through her left arm. Turning around, she slashed the ninja across the chest, watching him fall. She winced as she felt the pain in arm, but that won't stop her. Taking out her other sword, she twist them around, towards the blunt side, for she won't kill them. Using her speed, she ran, though slow for her, fast for others, knocking down a 2 ninjas, stopping, she turned around blocking a strike at her head from above, but fell over, the pain hurting her. She hoped, though, that Jiro was doing better... Jiro thrusted the tip of his scabbard towards the ninja's middle and watched him go down on his knees with a loud 'oof'. Turning around, he saw one of them knocking Mizuno back, ready to deliver the killing blow at any moment. With no other threats around him, he made a desperate gamble. Taking his sheathed sword, he aimed at the ninja and threw like a spear towards his head. True enough, the hard scabbard did it's work and hit the ninja at the base of his neck, knocking him unconscious. Moving towards the fallen ninja to retrieve his sword, he stopped over the ninja and removed the mask. Nobody he knew, but why were they hunting him? Or were they hunting him? He noticed that the ninja also had a grasshopper tattoo on his left forearm. Suddenly he remembered Mizuno. Moving over to her, she was unconscious but still alive. Jiro tore off a strip from his sleeve and bandaged her injured arm as best as he could. Carrying Mizuno in his arms, he moved away from the scene before the ninjas could recover and finish their job. Nobody came to the door so Eiji moved on. He was still very weak from the effects of the poison, but he knew what had to be done. He headed towards his brother's mansion while trying his best to walk regularly, and doing a terrible job of it, so that nobody would realize his current weakened condition. He noticed a man carrying someone coming from the opposite direction. When he was close enough he spoke up. "Hello. You realize that one may find that suspicious?" "It isn't what you think," Jiro said in a cool manner while applying preasure on the bandaged wound to keep Mizuno from losing more blood from her arm. "Besides, it doesn't look that you're in a good shape yourself. So, if you're not going to help me, I suggest you do not complicate things further by delaying me. She's losing a lot of blood." Eiji nodded, and headed towards Jiro. "Agreed, what do you need me to do?" He paused. "I'll try my best, but right now I can't make any promises that it'll be enough." Smiling back at Eiji, Jiro decided that he could get to like the man before him. "Very well. For starters, we need a place to rest and heal her wounds. Do know of such a place?" Holding Mizuno close to him, Jiro followed Eiji into the night with a nagging feeling that something much more lethal than what happened this night will follow. It took ten minutes for Eiji, in his weakened condition, to lead Jiro to the dojo. Eiji stuck his head inside the door, and looked around. "Anybody here? Kaoru? Houkiku?" He called. There was a light behind a paper door in the far corner that Eiji went in to pull open as Jiro helped Mizumo in and laid her down carefully on the tatami. The door was jerked out of his hands quite suddenly and he found himself looking into the flashing eyes of the shopkeeper opposite the local clinic. A roll of bandages chasing its spool around the mat and a few bottles were half-hidden behind her as she rose, pulling her disheveled undergarments into some sembelence of neatness. "What are you DOING here?" She snarled in a hiss. Eiji has done a lot of stupid things in his short time here, but running into the Kamiya Dojo in the middle of the night after all the fuss was the max. Quickly, though, she caught sight of Jiro and hustled Eiji aside to get a better look, gritting her teeth as she did so as if the action pained her. She was beside the girl and man at once. "What happened." It was a statement more of a question as she tore the material from Mizumo's sleeve away from her wound. Of course she knew them. They were on the ship. But when she left them they were all fine, save a little short for breath. Eiji figured that if he was able to move around with the help of his sword then it wouldn't be long before he could stand on his own with little or no problem, which to him meant that he didn't need to be around Houkiku or Megumi. "But if I leave she'll probally just find me again." He thought, then he quietly slipped outside and sat down. "Eiji?" This was Kaoru coming round the corner, her hair done up in a neat braid down her back meant for bed. She had a yukata wrapped tightly against the bite of the midnight air over her white pajamas. The young mistress of the dojo cast a look at the door left ajar. "What's happening?" He looked up from the spot on the floor that he was staring at. "I ran into somebody helping an injured person, they needed help so I brought them here. Sorry if it causes trouble, but I don't know of many places in the area." Mizumo moaned, and slightly opened her eyes, "Nani? What's going on?" She winced as she felt the pain in her arm, she noted Jiro and Kaoru, but the two other people were unfamiliar, the woman somewhat less. "Who are you? You seem familiar..." "Whatever." Houkiku hushed the child and set to finishing the bandages on her arm. "Now," She gave Mizumo's arm a final tug and looked up at Jiro, tone not all chiding. "What troubles have you chosen to take upon this house?" "It wasn't of our choosing, believe me," Jiro said as he crossed his arms across his chest. The wind blew his stream of white hair acorss his face before he finally focused at Mizuno. "How are you feeling?" he asked Mizuno, his voice even and soothing. "Ow...not all bad," she said, looking up at Jiro, smiling, "Don't worry, I'll be okay, I guess..." She winced slightly, looking at her injured arm, "I'll be fine...." Shutani looked out of the ajared door. "Not for long if I know anything about it." All seemed peaceful, though. "Kaoru-chan," She called to the girl outside. Mizumo wondered briefly how she knew the girl was outside since she herself had not seen her. The woman turned her attention back to Mizumo. "Come," She got to her feet as Kaoru came in, cheeks slightly ruddy from the nippy wind. "Let's find her somewhere to rest." Shutani cast Kaoru a quick glance. "And find something comfortable to move in quickly," She added calmly. "There will be more fighting before this night is done." * * * Outside the dojo, Jiro sat with his back at the ricepaper wall of Mizuno's room. Eiji had already gone to rest at his room. Even though Kaoru has shown him to his, he didn't feel like turning in tonight. Something about the grasshopper tattoo on the ninjas at the docks today worried him. He felt like he'd seen them before but he couldn't be sure. His memories are like a swirling maelstorm of confusion ever since the poison struck him. It is a wonder that he could discern any detail at all, as he always had. Suddenly, without warning, he got to his feet and rolled to the right, with a silver ninja star in his place a second ago. He brought up his sword before him in time to catch another star embedded in his scabbard. He saw the door opening and sprung into action almost immediately. Putting his weight on Houkiku, he rolled with her out of harm's way. "What...." "The assassins that got me here in the first place." Without any warning, he picked up Houkiku and ran across the corridor away from Mizuno's room, hoping the stars don't find their way there. Rounding off at a corner, he put Houkiku down and ran towards the ninja that just jumped down from the roof, attempting to get into Mizuno's room. With a burst of desperation, Jiro pounced at the ninja and both of them went down in tangles. The ninja managed to manuever over Jiro and a dagger appeared in his hand, poising down towards Jiro's throat.... The dagger came down, but missed Jiro completely, burying into the wooden plank of the floor, followed by the rest of the ninja. Houkiku dropped the wooden basin she held in her hands to help Jiro up. "Opps." She mumbled as she saw the scratches and deep slit left by the dagger. "I hope Kaoru doesn't expect me to pay for this..." Getting up, Jiro suddenly thrust the tip of his scabbarded sword through Houkiku's armpits and caught a ninja in his midsection. Seeing the whites of his eyes, the ninja dropped the dagger that was intended to sink deep into Houkiku's back. Hearing the gasp, Houkiku turned to find the ninja suddenly slumped down. "Now, we're even," Jiro said, as he got to this feet and rushed into Mizuno's room, hoping that she's still okay. Mizumo flexed out her arm a bit, but she felt troubled. She had heard sounds like a fight was going on, but she can't fight since it's her sword arm that got injured. *I hope they're okay,* she got up to see what has happened to find Jiro in front, worried. "Jiro? What...what happened?" "Remember the ninjas we faced at the docks?" Mizuno confirms by nodding her head. "They're here to finish the job," before Mizuno could voice out, Jiro thrusts his katana backwards and caught a lurking figure under his jaw, knocking the assassin unconscious. Suddenly both of them heard someone shouting some sort of battle cry outside with a clash of swords. Realization suddenly dawned on both of them as they looked at each other and exclaimed: "Eiji!" Outside the dojo Eiji had already snapped into his rage, and locked swords with a ninja as they tried to overpower each other. After a brief struggle, they both lept a few feet back to begin a new strategy. The two combatants charged each other Eiji attempted to strike across his opponents midsection but the attack was dodged and countered with an overhead strike. Eiji sidestepped then managed to strike his enemy in the gut with the hilt of his sword. As the ninja bended over with pain Eiji decapitated him then looked around for more opponents. Looking at Mizuno, Jiro scrambled over to the room's corner and retrived Mizuno's daisho. "Can you stand up?" he asked. Mizuno nodded her head and took the twin swords from Jiro hands. Together they stepped out of the dojo and found Eiji fending himself against two ninjas. After he dispatched one, they spotted the other one attempting a strike at Eiji's back. At his current condition and position, there's no way Eiji could survive that strike, no matter how tough he is. Mizumo ran towards the ninja about to strike Eiji. In a matter of seconds, the ninja was down, a deep slash across him. Mizumo breathed deeply, the loss of blood and her a bit injured arm made her lose some of her energy, *But, I still have my speed.* She almost fellover from the loss of blood, but kept her balance, "Are you alright?" she asked Eiji, looking a bit worried. Eiji placed a hand on Mizumo's shoulder to help steady her. "I'll be okay. Thank you for saving me." He replied. Jiro suddenly moved towards the fallen ninja and checked his forearm. It's the same grasshopper tattoo that he saw earlier at the docks, no doubt about it. He looked up and saw Eiji concentrating very hard on the tattoo, as if he'd seen it before. "Looks familiar?" Jiro asked as he lifted the forearm to Eiji for closer inspection. Eiji nodded. "I think I've seen it before." He replied as he placed his sword back in it`s sheath. "I guess we have some cleaning up to do." * * * Dawn came as they finished disposing of the bodies that littered the dojo's courtyard. Even though some of the ninjas weren't killed the night before, they appeared to be dead by the time they finished their work. Why wouldn't they be dead? Jiro mused to himself. If a lizard would break off it's own tail to save it's skin, why not a ninja with his life to protect it's tong? After a solemn and cheerless breakfast, they sat in front of Mizumo's room trying to relate what happened last night. Jiro sat leaning against a support beam while fingering with his sword hilt, forever vigilant never to draw it unless he has to. Glancing at Eiji while he was munching his rice dumpling, he asked: "You said you saw the tattoo before. What about it?" "I saw it once before on somebody that tried to kill me." Without further comment Eiji walked away. Out of earshot, Jiro leaned heavily against the support beam while looking at Houkiku. While appearing to be a regular girl by today's standards there seem to be something else about her. He couldn't quite point a finger on it but somehow he felt as if...... he has met her before. Brushing the point aside he turned to his calculative thinking instead. How could it? He's only been on the road for three years. Then there's Mizumo. He could only surmise that he liked her. But the greatest puzzle to beold ever was Eiji. Eiji, the complex one, yet so direct in his approach. Megumi however, was somewhere in the dojo that morning. Gathering himself, he flashed a smile at the two ladies as he got up. "Thank you for the breakfast," was all Jiro said before he walked off to find Megumi. His chest was starting to catch fire, soon, blood will cover the floors of the dojo if he's not careful. Mizumo looked worriedly at Jiro as he walked off, something inside of her sensed he was sick, but she wasn't sure. She looked back at her breakfast and stood up to go to her room. She looked back at Shutani and smiled, Thank you for breakfast and letting me stay." This the woman accepted with a gracious smile and started to clear the table. It wasn't even her dojo. Thoughts churned in her mind of the attacks and fights. It has got to stop, really. The Kamiya Dojo was a place of resting and healing for the residents; and training, for some. Not one of war. But how? * * * Jiro saw Megumi heading out to her clinic as he came around the bend. Picking up his feet, he half ran, half walked towards her. "Ohaiyou, Megumi-san," Jiro said while flashing his smile as he caught up beside her. "Jiro, I barely heard you coming," Megumi said in surprise. "I get that a lot sometimes. Do you have a moment?" "I'm on my way to the clinic, so why not walk me there?" Jiro nodded and they walked together towards the busy morning in Tokyo. Is she the one? Jiro thought. Whatever it is, he knows that she's a doctor and could at least help him in a way. Otherwise...... well, at least he tried. "So, what is it that you wanted to tell me, Jiro-san?," Megumi asked while passing through the marketplace, particularly busy at this time. "It's a nice morning isn't it?" was all Jiro could say while he drew in a breath of fresh air. Megumi looked at him with a slight frown sensing that Jiro's hiding something, but she decided not to push it. "Yes, it is." "Tell me something, when did you learn the art of healing?" Jiro asked while looking at her. "It runs in the family, my entire family was into this field and I felt compelled to do the same," Megumi replied. It's definitely her, thought Jiro. The journal did say the entire Takani family were physicians, maybe I still have a chance..... to live. "Why do you ask?" Shaken from his revelry, he looked hard at Megumi while arriving at her clinic. Taking another deep breath, he told her...... * * * Eiji approached Houkiku from behind, and cleared his throat. "I know what you're thinking. I've had the same thing on my mind, but also I'm really not too fond of the idea of ANYBODY being part of my personal business. Why didn't you just let me go before? It's not your fight why get involved?" The woman calmly stopped in her cleaning up and faced Eiji. Her hands folded demurely before her, she smiled. It was a strange smile, almost sympathetic. "It would be bad conduct. You came upon the hospitality of this dojo under my introduction, Eiji-san. I cannot allow you to dishonour it by forsaking your need for sanctuary." When she turned back to her chore, there was something more she did not tell him, and he could feel it. That was enough to make Eiji frustrated. "I took off before and you came after me. I wouldn't of left if I wanted to stay, and I don't leave now because I have a feeling that somebody would follow me. It's my war and invitation only event." The light "Whatever." only served to annoy him further. "You are Megumi's patient and Kaoru's guest," She sighed as one would to a stubborn child. "And mine too. And anyway, where ever you take off to, we would still be in danger so there's really no point of sheltering us by leaving." She would say no more on the subject, but it remained clear to Eiji that running off would, as he suspected, only attract a string of followers who wold tail him and offer no explanations as to why. "I'm beginning to understand why people flip out and go on killing sprees." Eiji replied flatly. "I'd consider this more being held hostage than being a guest." She had to stifle a giggle, but could not disagree. There was something playful about the way she spun around and tapped his nose, then shoved all the dishes into his arms and him into the kitchen. "Then while you're our ill-fated prisoner, you might as well make yourself useful." Mizumo listened and couldn't help but snicker. Her arm felt much better now and she could use her sword with it now. She looked around, "Finally I feel comfortable." She still felt worried and felt like intruding, she wanted to find her father's murderer. She sighed, nothing was like anyone would expect anyway... * * * [End Part 2/Midnight Scruple]