Within A Grey Twilight

Enyou came, in one of her simpler dresses and not a maid in sight. Perhaps she had the inkling that this was not more than just a meeting, considering that it was a man that he had once put down asking for it. Which certainly contributed quite a bit. By quite a bit, it meant suspicious.

"I"m still surprised that someone dislikes you even at this location." Murasaki had made it apparent, if there was anything.

"We have a history." Leaving it at that, they entered inside. Again, asking her to allow him to. On account that it was Enyou, she didn"t charge him any for entering here. But still, she had made him feel as unwelcome as she could.

"You scorned her?" Murasaki brought her a nice catalogue, which she took the chance to look through. For the various fabrics were in there.

"If a girl has red hair, what will she look good in?" She asked Murasaki.

"Green and red will do pretty well. Just avoid blue and any pale shades. Rich, vivid colors will do the best to complement the colors." Shinrou suggested.

"Well, I will agree." Murasaki mentioned. "I once did a few for a woman, and that was what she mostly told me. Black too, since she was a married woman. For design, flowers are avoided in most cases. Birds, animals seem to be good choices."

"Then, I"ll like a deep green one. Charge it to my tab."

"Nice gift for her."

"When"s her birthday?"

"The first month of summer, or in her calendar, May 30th. That will be another seven months."

Enyou gave a nod. Although he wasn"t sure the exact date, never having been one to really remember since he never celebrated his own birthday. Neither did Kazuho or Masami for that matter. Although he won"t doubt Kazuho might know how to. Since he was raised by parents who might have seen the need for both.

"I"ll keep that in mind." She looked over the catalogue, for another brief moment. "Now tell me why you asked to find me, alone."

He knew that if he does not come up with a good solution, she will make him pay. Rare it was for a girl to leave her house unchaperoned. Albeit to a location where it wouldn"t really raise the ire of anyone. But still, he knows that reputation was everything to a woman. Who inherited nothing unless there were no sons.

"Someone entered her house." Enyou focused for a moment, for even she knew it was unusual. She knew without a doubt that Kazuho was more important than he made himself seem, with the wealth he has and also the fact that he took measures to make himself even less noticeable. Besides, he has seen the man talk to a member of the Samurai cla.s.s which showed that he was anything but uncomfortable in their presence.

"Really, did you see him?" She focused onto him, which required her to lift her chin. Since Shinrou was tall, taller than her brother and Kazuho. Although both were huge in comparison to others.

He could guess it. If anything, nothing suggested much knowledge about it. He doubted that a girl as young as her was able to pull it off, it was expecting too much, even for someone raised in this environment.

"Yes, but nothing of real importance."

"What was the finding?"

"Kazuho"s things." He wasn"t exactly sure, whether had it been for any form that spoke of the man"s ident.i.ty or just anything incriminating. It had been too sudden; and he took nothing. Not that there was anything in the first place.

"You didn"t capture him, didn"t you?" She looked at him, as though expecting more knowledge. It wasn"t much to go on, he admitted that much. But he was back in a country that he hasn"t been for years, it will be prudent to avoid taking any risks unless they were certain. Even he wished to keep himself out of trouble; certainly not getting himself into one in a foreign country.

"It was only me." If anything, he must be suicidal to attack. There was a difference if one was alone and uncertain, and he was not in any position which will explain why he was holding a weapon in the first place. Or having the right people to not be accused a spy, which he knew that in a country which has seen radical changes recently is rarely a good thing.

If anything she had not made fun of him throughout this time, which he knew that she was guessing that it was not trivial. But he won"t mention it, it doesn"t take a lot just being aware that this is highly unusual is enough.

"I"ll keep a lookout, but I can"t really guarantee anything."

"I"m asking one thing, who still has shin.o.bi in their employ?" He will keep them in mind but he has no ability to really know anyone for certainty. Nor will he be able to look for the other options as well, so he has to count on potential ones.

"A few clans. Us, Satou, Saitou, Toyotomi and the last is probably Takeda." No other clans in recent years. All of them independent with no higher master. Which could not have been a better thing for him. It made things even clearer and easier at the end of the day.

"Thanks." Although Shinrou knew none of them to have managed to figure it out.

"If you need it, just send a letter." Enyou had waved her hand to him. For some strange reason, he didn"t find that it was awkward or fake. It felt real. Perhaps Yuki had made a real friend, even if she could scarcely improved their situation. But someone to count upon was a good thing. She left the next moment.

"You should ask what kind of shin.o.bi they have in their employ."

"The shoguns don"t have any clan in their orbit, since they released them generations ago. Instead depending on the Sasakis to provide them, and in this case means that they also have none." And thus eliminating them.

"You of all people know that those clans have lost much of their power."

"So, you"re finally talking to me?"

"Not really, but you have kept a low profile if I haven"t heard of you yet." Which was true to that extent, and he took the chance to leave. His next option, was likely to see what Ayakazu will see in this matter. Besides, not counting on a single person has always been a better choice.

After having a meal, the three of them will look to the other in hopes of getting someone who will have an idea on where to move next. At least agree on what they should do. Hajime had not seemed to fix an idea as to where it should be in the first place. Neither did Shino or Kazuho.

So they both ate a meal and begin to look at each other.

"Is going out a good option?"

He shrugged. "Not a bad option but if you"re looking for people, you need to try and figure out where they are. Which is impossible since none of us know the place."

Which was very much the truth, even though many will disagree with his knowledge. But for a city as volatile as this, it was wise if he avoided a.s.suming things as it will get him into huge trouble.

Trouble which he will wish to avoid by any and all means. If it seems they were going in this direction.

"Besides, yesterday there was someone looking at you." He will return a look to her.

"Are you serious?"

"What makes you think I"m not? It was a woman, slightly taller than I am, she was probably around your age, with her hair around her waist. She was looking at you as though you were the Shogun."

Kazuho will glare at her simply. Hajime will shoot her a puzzled look.

"Just saying." She shrugged and got up. Since her feet will have been numb, and it did stop swelling but it was best to not push the limits.

"So, did she do anything?" He stood up and followed her as well.

"Other than stare at you as though you were a prince, no." Although it will have been obvious otherwise. "How come you never noticed it?"

"I was trying to remember how not to lead us to our deaths." Exercising what was left of his common sense to say the least, as compared to the options he was given.

"Well, you did a good job." Hajime said. Although they were hiding but they most certainly could not make themselves known to public, since someone was after them in the first place.

"So, should we attempt to find her?"

"Forget it, it probably won"t be of importance." Dismissing it, it was not of importance here. He had an idea who it was, but unless there was something more confirming there was another person out to get them. He didn"t see the need to keep this in mind. They had enough to look out for as it was.

"True, this is a large city." Hajime admitted the size of it at the end.

"Back to the main thing, how can we get ourselves to start looking around without making ourselves conspicuous?"

They still needed to figure out just who was after them. And who was plotting to get them into trouble.

"It is a suggestion, but…" Shino brought up the same thing. "We say we are merely bounty hunters interested in the prize, Kazuho can brandish his pistol and be the mastermind, I just need to act like a temptress and Hajime can be the mentally unstable killing machine."

He looked at the irritating poster that Shino brought here, although the bounty was a lot he knew that it will be a fruitless task. But he realised that the offer was a little too good to turn up in the first place. And anyone who goes after it, will be considered desperate. With a good enough story, they could turn this to their advantage.

"That sounds incredibly brilliant." Hajime was taken in by the idea to be his true self, except that it was condoned. He looked to Kazuho, whom had kept himself quiet through this. He had to see it for once to be convinced, but nothing disagreeing with this in entirety. To say the least.

"It could work. But we need convincing tales." Kazuho took down the poster. Before Shino gave him a grin, and he responded.

Hajime caught on as well and did the same thing. They knew a way to avoid being identified immediately, and will add to their criteria.

"Hajime, what accents can you pull off?"

"I am Hajime." He emphasised on the vowels, giving it a soft sound. Sounding like a foreigner speaking the language, Shino copied his while he did it to reflect more of his old home. It seems they will be able to pull this off after all.