[Day 7, Late Evening] On the Waterfront

[Yukikaze no Kasumi]

Kasumi had just left a nightmarish brush-doll in Hirame's boat and was finally starting to feel a bit better about her day.

Sure, it had featured more of the same shit she'd been dealing with since landing in Tsuma, but that was all right...

[Shiba Haru]

"Kusami-san, I've been looking all over for you; could I have a word with you?" Though his words were pleasant enough there was an unmistakable edge to his tone that said he wasn't pleased about something.

[Yukikaze no Kasumi]

Ah, perfect.

The brother of the guy I made out with.

Wonder what the fuck he's on about?

"Shiab-san. Din' have you figured for havin' much t'do down on th' docks. So what brings you here?"

[Shiba Haru]

"Why you have brought me here, I've had some more thoughts on one of the topic we discussed the other day that I wanted to share with you; I think you will find them enlightening." He edged closer to her, studying her reaction to his words.

[Yukikaze no Kasumi]

She cocked her head to the side.

And kept her hands loose.

Because she knew a fight coming. Couldn't spend time on a ship as long as she had and miss it.

And this wasn't how Haru usually spoke. Wrong words. Wrong approach. Wrong, wrong, wrong.

So he's pissed. Probably about Jiro. All right, he's got a bit more muscle, a bit more reach, and he's down here, but we go to the water, the edge is mine.

"Yeah?"

[Shiba Haru]

"Well if you remember were talking about peoples perception of you and of the Mantis as a whole. We talked about how it was related to your unwillingness to play by mainland standards with you saying that it stems from having to TAKE everything you have. I thought I understood that, I thought after everything we discussed that we had come to an understand about each other.

So you can imagine my surprise when Togashi Shinko-san, someone I haven't spoken to since the opening banquet, approached me and challenged me to a bokken match and said that if I lost I had to go on a double date with her, Jiro and someone she refused to name."

[Yukikaze no Kasumi]

"Ah, Togashi-san."

Who had been there. That was probably what was going on here, then.

Well. She could take a punch. And dish them out, too. She'd been in fights over less.

"Friend of mine. Helped track down some opium smugglin', as a matter'a fact. But her notions're just that. Hers. I didn't put her up t'anything. An' if she won, I hope t'fuck Jiro's smart 'nough t'dig his heels in an' insist on Isawa-san or nobody 'tall."

Her eyes narrowed at him.

"She hinted pretty strongly at likin' you, though."

[Shiba Haru]

"You will be relieved to know that I won the match." He said moving over to a wall behind her and leaning against it.

"I must say it was surprising and very forward but she is both lovely to look at and talk to so I don't hate that she did it. What REALLY caught me off guard is what seems to have spurred her interest in me. To quote her "Girls talk"."

"You wonder why no one likes the Mantis, why no one trusts the Mantis, and the first thing you do after our conversation is share the most private parts of it with other people? Were you never taught what it means when someone whispers something to you? Do you think so little of me that betraying my trust is nothing to you? Or do you just lack any class?"

[Yukikaze no Kasumi]

She took a deep breath.

And spoke, very low and very quietly.

"You- of all fuckin' people- wanna talk t'me about class? Y'know why it came up? Kuni Mitsuko-chan. Said you were nice, after I mentioned Shiba Kuroneko-san as bein' a bit too nice fer me. An' then I knew."

She fixed her gaze on his.

"She ain't like me, Haru. She deserves t'know what the guy she's maybe been considerin' is sayin' t'other girls. Sorry Togashi-san was there and heard it, but Mitsuko... deserves t'know who she's dealin' with. An' that includes me. Wasn't just you got thrown under th'keel, mentioned my part in that too."

[Shiba Haru]

"Two reasons why that is wrong. First of all Mitsuko isn't in love with me so it really doesn't matter. Second, and I want you to look in my eyes and know this is the truth, every single word I whispered to you... I was thinking about her when I said it."

There was no wavering in his voice or his eye contact, he didn't even blink for several seconds.

"Do you really think Jiro would want you to share his brothers secrets?"

[Yukikaze no Kasumi]

"I know she ain't in love with you, but what th'fuck's that got t'do with marriage? Th' Crab ain't likely t'sign off on a marriage that ain't gonna produce any kids on its own. And you were thinking'a her? Good for you, makes you a manipulative liar on top'a everythin' else. If it's for her, say it t'her, not t'anyone else."

She leaned in.

"Far as Jiro goes? Y'know why he seems t'get more headway'n you do? 'Cause he don't spend his life wishing he were you!"

[Shiba Haru]

"If you had even a tea cups worth of proper training on how things work in this empire you would have known that our entire conversation was a deception. You were fooled by one of the biggest idiots here, so what does that make you? It was a mistake to trust you and you have shown unequivocally why you don't deserve someone like Jiro.

Unequivocally means without a doubt.

Thank you for confirming that Mitsuko knows as well though, I got the sense something was wrong but now I know for sure."

[Yukikaze no Kasumi]

"Well, you're right 'bout one thing, if brains were water you couldn't fill a fuckin' thimble. But at least I'm honest wi'myself 'bout who'n what I am. You can't say th'same. As far as bein' fooled goes?"

She smiled. Sweetly.

"I'm not 'nough of an idiot t'think your brother'n I can ever be anything more'n friends. Oh, sorry, sorry, a friend's someone whose opinion y'actually give a shit 'bout an' who y'aren't lookin' at for what they can do for ya, since y'seem unfamiliar with th'concept."

[Shiba Haru]

"That's where you are wrong, I am very familiar with the concept of friends, I can think of one right now who would beat you senseless if they found out about this situation. The problem is that you are too comfortable with who you are. Would it really kill you to show a little bit of class and decorum? To be a little embarrassed right now?"

[Yukikaze no Kasumi]

"Fuck yourself, Haru. Y'can't go from gloatin' about deceivin' someone to whinin' about class. Y'can't play th' shinin' champion'a bushido and the manipulator'a clueless goshi. Y'want me t'be embarrassed? Motherfucker, I'm embarrassed every fuckin' day in this town. You've never seen me when I ain't embarrassed about my clothes, or my voice, or my fuckin' callused hands, or all th'shit I don't know. You want class? I ain't spittin in your face. You're fuckin' welcome."

She turned on her heel then, and turned to go.

He wants the last word, let him have it. Fucking whining ball of self-pity's gonna be butthurt regardless.

[/Exit Kasumi unless physically stopped]

[Shiba Haru]

"Just stay away from Jiro, he deserves better people in his life then the likes of you.

And take some lessons in...everything they don't bother teaching you on your little boat, you folks keep going like this and this Emperor may do what should have been done when Gusai pulled his little stunt. I'm sure the Crane would love some new islands."

C word

/thread unless she comes back and stabs me


(short but entertaining TY)