The Omotesando

[Cyc]

Asano walks halfway to the door when another local yokel spills his beer on him. He's able to dodge most of it but smacks the beer off his arm into the face of the culprit, who's head jerks back every time the beer hits it. Then he starts to call Asano different names and offering to buy him a beer. Asano wonders what kind of drugs they're selling in this dive.

"no i insist," BCLG replies " Now while wandering around i couldnt help but hear what you were talking about, i was wondering if there was a way in which i could be cut into the deal"

"Well....no. In fact, there is no deal. I merely had a transaction with Immo." Wondering just what kind of town he's encountered, he looks around and says to the guy, "But keep your eyes peeled, you never know what's gonna happen...".

With that Asano hustles to the door and exits. He takes the reins of his horse and walks it down to the stables.

 

[Immortal]

Immo, eager to target one specific man, an extremely wealthy member of the now disgraced Michiwara clan, leaves the bar for a moment to travel down the street to Asuka's home. A young woman, no more than 19 years of age. She had been a servent of this clan member for 3 years, having left when he refused to save his honor over the betrayal of his clan.

"This scum would not be missed," Immo thought to himself as he approached Asuka's home.

He arrived and knocked on her door, she travelled much, to escape her problems no doubt. SHe answered the door, looking as delicate as the last time he had seen her. She had cut her hair short and had tied it back, her hair was more chestnut then most women. Immo welcomed the change, he had always prefered her lighter coloured hair over darker colours.

They exchanged small-talk briefly, but Asuka knew this was strictly a business call. She told him of the lack of guards at the Michiwara's abode, only 2, both of which stupid and untrained. She told him more, and they enjoyed tea and talked of her older brother, who was campaigning to the north with the military.

"Thank you Asuka, now I must ask you a favour: Leave this place, travel back to Fanatukku and travel with the settler group to the new founding. If something happens it will not be safe, you cannot ever return here."

WIth that, Immo left, kissing Asuka on the cheek, and returning to the bar.

 

[Rik Meleet]

Riko Anjin, the young woman at the bar had not missed a second of this show. On the outside she just seemed strangely attracted to the blunt savage. On the inside she was interested as well, but only in him as a tool. What did he call himself? Asano or something. Perhaps he was the one she was looking for to accomplish the plan. But she had to be careful. Not many people knew, and certainly no Japanaticans knew, that her mother was a Babylonian and although she got her appearance from her Japanese father, she got her upbringing from her mother.

That low life son of a bear! How could he call himself a father? He was never home, always 'exploring more land'. As if she didn't know he was just looking for an excuse to not be home. She had not shed a tear when he died.

She knew that one day she'd no longer be a daughter of a daughter of a slave. Sure, to the outside world she was free, but the barely hidden rascism against her mother's nation and the open war-cries made her sick. Sick of Japanatica. Sick of homesickness.

And then, 2 years ago, she was contacted other Babylonian descendents. Nearly a third of Fanatikku was unhappy, they told her. This is our chance. If we don't get equality, at least we can help our Babylonian countrymen to free us. If the Japanaticans don't want us, surely the Babylonians will. It was hard work, and always secretly. But she had some success and some setbacks. Too many setbacks lately. And this man could be the tool to change all that

"Miss, your sake is getting cold"
The voice of Immo got her back to the here and now. She had to recover quickly, this could endanger her plans.

"Oh thanks, I was just miles and miles away".
She gave him her trained natural smile. Immo smiled back.

"I'll have just one more please."
As Immo poured in another sake, she checked where Asano went to. He seemed to head for the bedrooms. She saw him enterring the corridor to that area. If she could just get to meet him unnoticed, he could be turned. There was no way Asano was going to know the real plan, but a few twists here and there, a small clevege and a listening ear would do the work. First let him think you can help him, give him the bait and slowly reel him in as the big fish.

"The bathrooms are located in the back?" she asked, and after a quick nod from Immo she walked to the corridor she had seen Asano leave in.

 

[Chieftess]

Enter Michiko, a childhood friend of Riko. Michiko is Japanese, but is also fluent in Babylonian, as her family lived in a mostly Babylonian neighborhood. She's not the most educated young girl in Japanatika, but then again, 98% of citizens are uneducated. She a naturalist at heart, and never loses her temper. She is, though, plagued by nightmares... One would call them, premonitions.


Michiko entered the bar, waiting to meet with her friend, Riko. The meeting was a simple one, Michiko was to give Riko a stray kitten, one of many that Michiko found by the hills to the south. This was no ordinary 'gift', but merely a signal... Or rather, Michiko was just the messanger. She felt a little guilty using a young animal this way, but someone inside of her troubled her as she sat down on one of the tatami (bamboo) mats, and started eating her rice cake. Ever since she found this kitten, she has been having nightmares, most involving Riko. She knew of Riko's plan, and was waiting for her to return to the main room, in which she would let the kitten roam freely for Riko to pick up. She would then utter a their secret friendship word, a Babylonian word, as a signal that the exchange has been made. It would also tell Michiko what to do next...

 

[superpelon]

Observant as allways, Pelon had quickly noticed the silent young woman sitting at the bar. He recognized her. Where? Was it from the Ministry? From the Zenedoshou House? No... somewhere closer to home... and from long ago...

Her mother. The young womans mother was Babylonian, one of the slaves the Hammubari had sent over to the Japanese warband all those years ago. She had been abused by her owner/husband. That young warrior had lived for many years near Pelons home. One night, after a vicious beating by her owner, she had ended up in the alley next to his home. It was the baby she had in her arms that made him pity her. He gave her some scraps of food, a small wooden doll for the child, and told her that life was based upon suffering. That she should understand and accept this. The sooner she accepted lifes suffering, the quicker she would have peace.

For the next 15 years, Pelon watched as the warrior left on expeditions, the woman toiled and was beaten when the soldier returned, and as the child grew into a young woman. Pelon, a quiet person by nature, never crossed words with either the woman or the child again.

Then, news that the warrior had died in the mountains to the south came, and the woman and her child dissappeared.

This young woman was that child. She had Babylonian blood in her. No wonder she did not talk.

Why was she here, in this cesspool?? The mood in the city was not good at all. News from Fanatikku was that the people where unhappy. Could a revolution be on the verge of starting?? No one knew with any certainty, but the possibility existed. Immo, a much smaller town, had not the same troubles, but it would be only a matter of time before the masses got tired of the poor and cruel leadership of the Japanatica ruling elite. This had been a topic of much debate in the Immo Zenedo House these last few weeks. A few more extreme members of Zenedo had pushed for open revolt, but had been expelled from Zenedo. He had seen a few of them gather at the Omo before, but they avoided him, and he avoided them

Why would a Japan/Bab mix-blood daughter of a slave be in the Omo??, Pelon asked himself... It made little sense. How did she get here?? What did she want here??

"I wish i could talk to Comnenus, I bet he would have a few good ideas about HER being HERE... Where is he??" Pelon said to his half empty bowl.

He felt eyes looking at him. The bartender. A quick glance at him and the he looked back at his bowl.

"YES, Im very hungry..." he mummured

The young woman stood up, as if following the knife wielding Asano. Interesting.

Another young woman walks into the Omo... carrying a kitten?? Pelon, recognizes her as well. She had been a friend of the young mixblood, all those years ago, in Fanatikku. An educated young woman, one who Pelon had once tried to recriut into Zenedoshou. Pretty as well.

Pelon wondered who would walk into the Omo next....

 

[Immortal]

"Excuse me miss, we dont allow animals in here, You wouldn't believe how drunk a kitten can get off the fumes in here" Immo smiles from behind the counter.

"Can I get you something to drink, maybe a bite to eat" Immo continues as he puts a dish of water down for the kitten to drink from.

 

[Chieftess]

"Ah, domo! Onegai! Sumimasen, Immo-san!", said Michiko, slightly startled. Michiko explained that the kitten, only a few weeks old, lost its' mother, and that she would give it to Riko when Riko returned. The kitten was small enough to fit in her tiny berry bag (a small, leather pouch less than the size of a fist for small foods and berries when one is on a short journey).

Michiko looks up as she finishes her half-eaten rice paddy that she brought with her. "I'll have 2 pieces of sashimi (raw fish), please", she said as she waited for her friend.

 

[Cyc]

Asano walked his horse, a beautiful black stallion, in the direction of the stables. At a predetermined point, he rendevous with life-long friend and comrade, Oishi. Oishi steps up onto the road "How goes it?"

"Excellent, my friend. I have made a contact. Hopefully, the wheels of progress are turning as we speak. We may soon be adding another stone to the wall of vengance." The two make a fist in their right hands and touch their hands together at the knuckles, as if they were transferring energy between them. Then a polite, but militaristic bow.

"I am camped in the forest NW of the town. If you need me, I will be there. I will watch for you", Oishi says and then leaves the road and slips in the cover there.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The stables were right where Black Hole said they would be. Asano set the terms for the care his second closest companion, Ako, named after the city they were both from. Just as Oishi, Ako had been with him from the begining. They had matured together and were now in their second wind. Everything was going according to plan. He would now return to the Omo.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Back at the Omo, Asano went directly to Immo and was assigned the room at the end of the corridor, the door just out of sight from the drinking and eating portion of the establishment. "Thank you, Immo. I shall return momentarily for my meal." And with that headed down the corridor.

The room was small, no window. A thick tatami in the corner and nothing more. Asano placed his bag there and exited the room, sliding the wooden slide bar into its slot to secure the door. As he spun around to go claim his meal, he found himself colliding with the attractive woman he had spotted before. As they pressed up against one another and fumbled for dignity, they performed a comical dance that brought a smile to both of their faces. The ice was broken. "Excuse me, madam. I hadn't realized you were there."

"It's all my fault," said Riko Anjin. "I should have looked where I was going..."

 

[Immortal]

Immo brought the sashimi out for Michiko, she seemed grateful, as if she had not had a meal all day. She glanced upward every few seconds as if nervous of the heavily trafficked bar, and Immo himself.

"Are you from around here?" Immo asked, trying to get some conversation going...

"No, Im not." She snapped. Immo rolled his eyes and walked toward Asano, who had returned from the stables.

"Welcome back my friend, your dinner will be waiting for as soon as you like it. I took the liberty of preparing your bed, I have an attendant who can awake you in the morning if you like. SHe's absolutely lovely, a welcome sight to wake up to for sure."

"Thank you, Immo. I shall return momentarily for my meal." Asano replied, looking a little preoccupied.

"Don't worry, the BED is MADE" doing his best to insinuate that the plan was in motion.

Immo turned back to the quiet girl in-front of the bar, who by now had finished her sashimi.

"Waiting for somebody?" He tried one more time to make conversation, as he noticed Superpelon staring strangely at her from a table.

 

[Rik Meleet]

Fool!! Idiot!! You've made 2 errors in 1 go. You weren't paying attention to your feelings of danger when you walked the corridor and bumped straight into the only person you didn't want to meet openly. And the biggest mistake was that instead of cornering him and starting the fishing; you apologised!!!

"It's all my fault, I should have looked where I was going..."

Disgusted with therself Riko went to the bathrooms. She felt like crying, but that would make things worse. She knew she quickly needed to return to the Omo, to not arouse suspicion.

This Asano guy didn't seem to leave very soon. There'd be plenty more opportunities to get to him. But not now. She blew her chance.

As Riko walked back through the corridor into the Omo, she noticed Michiko from the corner of her eyes. She didn't try to make contact, the words were chosen wisely. They could be spoken freely. Now what animal was chosen ?

Michiko apparently also noticed Riko. Michiko walked towards Riko.
"Not now !!" Riko's eyes tried to signal Michiko. Riko realised that Michiko was never thaught these eye signals and still came towards her. Some quick thinking was required here.

"Excuse me, is this seat taken?" - Michiko asked.
This was the question she had to answer with the code-word. But she couldn't. Michiko had made an error. She had forgotten to show Riko what kind of animal she took with her, before she asked the question.

Riko shook her head, furiously eye-signalling Michiko to show her the animal, but Michiko clearly didn't understand.

Riko sighed, this was turning into a real bad evening. How could she make Michiko show her the animal, before answering the code-question and not showing they knew eachother? And she still had to inform her chieff that Asano could be the man who could be the tool for their task. And she had to keep an eye on Asano and she didn't like the way superpelon was looking at her. It wasn't the normal stare of men attracted to her, it was the stare of "I know you".

This was a night really everything was going wrong. Again.

 

[Chieftess]

Michiko watched Riko and Asano in the other room. "This isn't going to be good", she though. "I don't know who that gentleman is.". All Michiko knew was that she had to give the kitten to Riko, and whisper, "Nishu" (Akkadian dialect for 'people'). It was a childhood word that they both thought was funny, yet, in Japanese, it means "2 of something (species, class, etc.)". Michiko had a plan. They would both be in the Omotesando bamboo garden in the morning, just after breakfast. Michiko would ask Riko to come to her grandfather's shrine, a favorite place for them to hang out when they were kids. Their grandfather was used to them greeting eachother with "Nishu! Nishu! Nishu!" when they were kids, so it would be a much safer exchange. Her father was out fishing in Furuyama, while her mother was working in the gem mines. The shrine would be closed the next day, so they could go into their prayer room without anyone disturbing them. In there was a secret playroom that only Michiko and Riko knew about. Michiko finished her meal, paid, and went to her room for the night. She would meet Riko tomorrow.

 

[Noldodan]

A tall, slender man enters the Omo, slamming the door behind him, almost breaking it. Someone opens his mouth to tell him to be a little more careful, then shuts it quickly as he notices the worked wooden badge on the man's shoulder: a small clay vial and a narrow dagger, symbols of the internal security forces of the despot. As they notice the badge, the people in the bar turn back to their own drinks, and conversation resumes. Meanwhile, Noldodan surveys the room slowly, looking for anything... seditious. Noticing nothing out of the ordinary, he takes a table and unlimbers his bow, setting it against his chosen table. He flags down a server and places his order: sake and nori, the same as always. Over the next few minutes, a number of patrons sit down at his table and make conversation, but no one stays with him for long; his arrogant manner drives even the most talkative to dour silence. Conversation elsewhere in the bar is more muted now as well; no one wants to speak too loudly thoughts that could bring them in for questioning.

...Nori long finished, and sake lukewarm, Noldodan is still at the bar into the evening. All but the most recent arrivals are wondering: what is he waiting for?

 

[Cyc]

As Asano sat eating his meal he couldn't help wondering about his chance, if not failed encounter with the woman in the corridor. He checks his pockets to make sure nothing is missing. "Too bad, really." He thinks to himself. Beyond her attractive features, she seemed interesting. Intelligent eyes, polite, culturally proud...

Bah! Stop it. Play time is later. Immo's comment about the bed being made meant that his preparations were complete. His use of words may also indicate that we must now lay in the bed we've made. The stage is set, the actors await their queue. But a curtain blocks the unfolding. I must hear what Immo has to say. Hopefully, there is a noble/landowner with a good parcel of land and a grand house. We shall see.

Just then the door opens and a government secret police official walks in and slams the door behind him to announce his arrival. I can smell them a mile away. I do not need to see a badge. I glance at Immo, who's eye I have caught. My eyes dart to the newly arrived official and back to Immo, who continues to clean a goblet and inconspicuously nods his head.

This place really gets hoppin' at night. The weekends must be a blast here.

 

[Rik Meleet]

The night was nearing its end. Riko was cold, wet and stiff. And she was tired. She'd been waiting outside the Omotesando for hours now. Her hands were all dirty from the digging and breaking of the clay walls. She wanted a bath. How did she end up her, she kept asking herself.

She remembered getting a look at the animal Michiko was carrying. A cat. That meant a one-on-one to receive further instructions. It was up to her to pick the location.

"Nishu" was her response; meaning the Omotesando bamboo garden. Michiko has nodded and left. Shortly after Riko left the Omotesando. She went straight (after making sure she wasn't being followed) to the chieff's hut. She talked with him briefly, explained about Asano and his desire for some land and work and received orders to approach him. The Babylonian community would have all the land in the Fanatikku-area. Sure Asano could have some land in the jungle.

As ordered she had waited outside the Omotesando in the darkened streets. Noone could see her. Her black clothes and masks secured that.
When finally she saw a torch light up in Asano's room she focussed. This would be it. She walked slowly and carefully to the clay-walls of Asano's room. The walls would be no problem; they had large holes in them for ventilation, because it was summer. In winter they'd be closed off by tatami's but in this time of year they were open. They were only blocked from view from the inside by the thick tatami Asano had spotted in the corner. It only required some digging in the clay, and that she'd finished hours ago. It didn't need to be large; she was a very small woman.

"I hope he's not too drunk ..." she whispered.

She crawled through the hole and saw Asano sitting on the bed with his back towards her. He was alone, the door was closed. Her heart-rate was nearing the 150's from the tension and the view on Asano's naked male-body. His bronze knife within grasp. He was praying, it seemed.

Riko slowly and silently crawled towards him. She felt the danger.

"So you're looking for land" she said softly.
Asano grabbed his knife, jumped up, turned and looked in the general direction the words had come from, ready to strike. There was noone there. The second he turned clockwise was the second Riko quickly turned with him, always facing Asano's back. She wasn't seen by him. Asano carefully turned back and saw Riko standing in a corner, smiling. Their eyes met and in a few moments that looked like hours Asano's glance turned from suspicion to recognition. Riko brought on the smile that showed all her charm. No man could withstand it.

"You're not planning of putting that thing into me, are you?" Riko teased, looking both to the knife and Asano's naked body. "I'm here for business, not for entertainment... yet ... I've got knowledge that will interest you"

 

[Chieftess]

Michiko left with the kitten, and thought, "Good, Riko got the message. I will meet up with her in the bamboo garden tomorrow. After all, I've got to trade for some bamboo to repair the temple tatami mats.". Michiko returned home to greet her grandfather, who was busy sweeping the temple grounds.

 

[GenMarshall]

"I would like to order the Shochu drink please" I said to the barkeep. "Oh and the name is CivGeneral".

CivGeneral then takes his drink and tries to find a conversation to get into.

 

[eyrei]

Hideyoshi, having just managed to get the front door open on his 4th try, stumbles into the common room, promptly trips over a chair and falls flat on his face. He then decides it will not be worth the effort to get up at that moment, and, mumbling something completely inaudible, falls asleep, his foot propping the door open. The snoring begins within seconds, to the dismay of the patrons.

 

[Black_Hole]

Black_Hole walks into the bar again, to fine a drunk man lying on the floor. "How rude, altho the floor looks comfy" BH thinks. BH Pokes Hideyoshi and nothing happens....

 

[eyrei]

Hideyoshi's eyes open about halfway, to find some sort of gremlin poking him. He recalls his last encounter with one of the little evil people from the mountain woods, and decides he doesn't have the energy to chase him around for an hour like he did last time. He then crawls under a table, the effort bringing all sorts of grunts and barely audible curses.

 

[Black_Hole]

Black_Hole doesnt like the drunk man under his table, so he shakes his shoulder, expecting a thank-you for getting him up when....