Ark 13 Episode 5: Unsheathing The Blades

Participants
Ginsei Yanazuka

Keyth Tasanagi

Reunion of Blades
Sezomaru: ((http://www.listenonrepeat.com/watch/?v=ow-B_R9urM0)) A cool night, around nine o’clock, awhile after the sun had set. Ginsei stood on a sidewalk in District Two, in front of a restaurant called “Yajigo’s Cuisine.” Yajigo was a successful man who had opened up a chain of food restaurants throughout District Two as well as a successful clothing store chain called “Yajigo’s Design” in the two years Ginsei had been away from KasaiHana. “It’s really been two years…” Ginsei muttered to himself as his eyes trailed along the restaurants designed walls and roof towards the darkened sky whose stars were hidden behind a light cloud cover that seemed to be painted onto the night sky. In the short time he had been back he hadn’t even checked to see how Osoremaru, which was a clan he started back when he was still a teenager, was fairing. There had apparently been trouble going on throughout the city while he was gone, besides the civil war. He wondered how that all had ended up… Who was on top now? Who had taken the spot he aimed and fought so hard for? He didn’t really want to know anyways. It made him sick thinking about his work going to waste despite the training he was able to go through. The second he had stepped foot in this city after the happenings in the Shinto Realm his ambition had started to burn fiercely again like it had before he left, when he was still fighting for the top. He had the top within his grasp when he made the crazy decision to escape to the Shinto Realm to get stronger. The idea had come out of nowhere but it was evident that some forces had been working to send him to the Realm to train before Keyth and the others had arrived to stop Grimoire. He wasn’t much for believing in any higher power, nor did he believe in fate or destiny, only his own skills, his sword, and his ambition. That was all he needed and all he figured he’d ever need. By this age, being twenty two, his father had begun spending time raising him and taking care of his supposed mother. Ginsei didn’t have any of that. He had never been in love before, only ever dated one woman whom he had picked up off of the street, and had completely forgot about trying to find someone to spend his life with. The fact of the matter was, he would probably end alone in his life, living the life of a Yakuza and even as a chairman of a clan. His life was shrouded in getting higher in life, reaching for a higher standard of living, was taking over all that he could have and could be gaining. Was it really worth the stress and the hassle trying to better his social status if he had nothing to show for it after he was gone? He’d end up without a legacy… He’d leave no sort of life behind to carry on the Yanazuka name. Would that really be alright with him? He hadn’t really thought about it until now… It was all hitting him at one time and he wasn’t sure how to handle it. Ginsei shook his head, snapping out of his trance, his bangs swaying slightly with the slow movement of his head, his piercing red-violet eyes leaving the hypnotizing cloudy sky only to fall upon the busy sidewalks and street. “Night walkers…” He mumbled, remembering what his father used to call the people who came out at night to live their lives and enjoy the tastes of lust, alcohol, and violence that the city offered only in the darkest hours of the night. Ginsei released a slow sigh from between his lips. This was his life in KasaiHana city… And he couldn’t give it in, couldn’t trade it up… For anything.

Thunrian: ( http://www.listenonrepeat.com/watch/?v=A2GEdPSfGP4 ) He stood ontop of a building, his suit flowing in the wind as he tilted his head up, allowing the city breeze to blow his spiky hair and dark bandanna in the flowing wind. The breeze made the rose bud on his cigar burn brighter for a brief moment before he looked down at the city. His arms opened up he allowed the breeze to whip by him ferciously as he spread his legs apart. "......"He pulled his legs apart an inch further before he kicked off the ledge with his eyes closed. Falling 20 stories into the air he allowed his body to flow to the ground before... Vwoosh! He latched onto a rail, twisting around three times like some kind of ape he flung himself back into the air, soaring over the moon as a retrospect. He tucked his leg's in. Doing a barrol roll like front flip three times in the air before his dark dress shoes met the top of another building only this time he'd land on the gravel at the top. He rolled and continued to walk as if he hadnt just commited a sucidal jump from the top of a building. He began to pick up rocks, throwing them at random things as he began to remember the times with claymore.... and how he wished that he didnt die the pointless that he had. And how he didnt fullfill his promise on bringing him back. He walked to the edge of the building, allowing his dark hair to hang over his eyes as he squatted down.... " Claymores family..." He said in his gruff voice, squatted over the edge of the building like some kinda wild animal as he tilted his head to the right. His ex wife, and his two son's... the oldest looked alot like Keyth.. and it made him feel some kind of way. " I still... cant bring myself to face you all just yet." Keyth said, knowing they couldnt hear him. The deep regret of losing claymore still haunted him, even more so now with the Shinto realm high. The city seemed so at peace with it'sself since Grim's defeat. Keyth had just saw his kid's and he spent the majority of the day with them, and MIchiko who was now pregnant with Keyht's third. "...." Tossing his body the ledge again he latched onto a wire dangling off a building and used it to spider man swing down to ground level where he'd then land ontop of a taxi car before kicking off of it. All with his hands in his pockets, doing a full flip forward and landing with a steady walk. He soon made his way over to where Ginsei had been after spotting him from a far. Keyth walked next to him in a slow stride this time. " Yo." He said looking out at Ginsei. Both hands in his pockets before he tilted his head up. Keyth had finallly started to look his age and the stubble helped. His dark eyes giving off a heavier glow than before.

Sezomaru: Ginsei heard a voice to his left, causing him to glance those piercing and slightly darker eyes in the direction of the voice, a familiar face in front of him. It was Keyth Tasanagi, a guy who once was his rival yet now was his mutual aquatints after fighting a few life or death battles with him and by his side. He had begun to look older than he used to. “Yo.” Ginsei said in return to Keyth’s own “Yo.” After speaking he slowly raised his left hand to his own face, the tips of his index and middle fingers which were slightly spread apart slid across the long and half-inch scar that ran across the bridge of his nose, a result of the fight with his now deceased cousin, Koi Yanazuka. Ginsei used his left hand to brush his bangs to the right side, moving them from his face. His and Keyth’s relationship had come a long way, going from wanting to kill each other, to saving the world by his side. They had fought in the Yakuza civil war together as well as in the Shinto Realm both times together. “What’s up?” Ginsei asked as he slowly turned his head to the right, glancing down the sidewalk before glancing back in Keyth’s direction.



A New Ryoji?
ChairmenRyoji: (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OT1HCQcSHW0 ) His eyes opened. He sat in total silence, the man did. “Huh?...wh…where am…” the man sat up and shook his head, only to discover he was in an allyway. Naked, striped of clothing, and covered in what appeared to be goo of some sort. “Where am i…what am i…what is, the heck is this!” the man would stand up, and look around frantically for something to wear, anything. He didn’t want to be naked, but at the same time he didn’t really feel like looking to hard for anything. With improvision he quickly grabed two trashcan tops, placing on on the front of him, and another behind him t cover his buttocks. He’d stride out in the street and look both ways. A crowd of folks saw him and he only shrieked in fear, and began to run down the street in a panic. “excuse me! Excuse me sir! Sorry m’am! Ah!” He quickly ran inside of a dollar store, and turned around removing the trashcan’s and looking out the door. “PHEW!...I gotta figure out what’s going on..and what or who am I?” “. . Excuse me sir, you have to have some form of clothing on to come into this store.” The man turned around, and looked at her. The woman’s eyes went wide for a moment before she blushed and turned away. “Oh! Mr, Mr.Ryoji?!? Tetsu OH! Ryoji I thought! Are you his brother! Oh dear, oh dear!” she ducked down and hid beneath her counter for a moment giggling and gawking. “Tetsuo? Is that my name?” He looked at his hand’s and pondered. “Testuo..Ryoji.” he squeezed his hands into a fist before releasing them. “why does it feel like I’ve been born for the first time..You miss! Can I have some clothing on credit? I promise I’ll pay you back!” The lady spoke from beneath the desk. “Ta-take whatever you want Mr.Ryoj! you’re always welcome here…” Tetsuo took the advice, and picked out something simple. His taste…wasn’t much. But it was enough. A long sleeve burgundy shirt, some jeans, and some timberland boots. He walked out of the store, and took another look around. “Apparantly I’m an important character…what is my character….hmm. Maybe I’m a scientist of the sort. Yeah. YEAH! I could be a world famous astrounught! Speaking of world..this must be kasihana.” Tetsuo folded his arms, and tilted his head. “It’s funny. I feel like I know everything, yet nothing at the same time.” Tetsuo would make his way down the street wondering just who he was and where he was coming from.



Reclaiming What's Yours
Thunrian: "Nothing much taking in the vast scenary of District 2. Never did get this place. To high maitanced to me. But then again so is District 1. And that's pretty bad." Keyth said sliding his hands in his pockets. " So, I'm sure you've heard... some guy has taken over the Kagemaru. It was James Farhan. The Farhan's are friends to your family and mine after Nat Farhan helped take out Thomas flint for the Kagemaru back in the day. With his death it brought them close to The Tasanagi's. Which brought them close to the Kagemaru, and then your family. But... James Farhan was reported dead about a Year ago. And I havent heard how he died... and the identity to the new chairman of the Kagemaru is keeping his profile low. Which is odd..." Keyth said taking out a cigarette. " But... I'll be handling that soon. I've decided that.... It's time I take responsibility. For what was left for me to take." Keyth said looking off to the right, staring at the Kagemaru building from a distance. "....But enough about the Kagemaru. I heard Leo's been holding things up pretty well since you've been gone. I say we go check it out. See how he's doing, and see if he's ready to step back down and let you take back your clan. I'm not doing anything. And clearly you aren’t either otherwise you wouldn’t be standing here huh. Haha." Keyth said taking a drag from his cigarette before he halted a cab. " We'll get this guy here to take us." Keyth said stepping in. Taking out a pistol, Keyth aimed it to the back of the drivers head, a loud 'CLICK' Could be heard as he sat behind the driver. " Me and my friend don’t have any money. But you’re gonna take us to Vewtiful avenue so we can go to the Osoremaru building...aren’t you..." The cab driver nodded his head up and down about 20 times before he began to drive. " Good man. So, how's life been treating you since you've been back Ginsei?" Keyth said using his free hand to smoke while he looked at him out of the corner of his eye. His other hand holding the gun to the back of the drivers head as they drove off.

Sezomaru: Ginsei listened to Keyth as he filled him in on information he hadn’t found out about yet. He glanced at Keyth as he spoke about finally taking what was left to him. He knew exactly what Keyth was talking about and his ambition flared like the revving up of an engine. He glanced off in the direction of the Osoremaru building despite the inability to actually see it due to the buildings. Seems Leo was doing rather well but it was time that he took back what was his. “Yea, let’s go.” Keyth hailed a taxi before pulling a pistol on the driver, instructing him that he’d be taking the two of them in the direction of the Osoremaru building. Ginsei slid into the back of the taxi with Keyth, frowning slightly at the disgusting smell of cigarettes. Unlike his father who smoked like a chimney, he refused to touch a cigarette. “It’s been fine… A bit different not being able to feel the chi flowing through you here in KasaiHana.” Ginsei muttered the last part so it reached only Keyth’s ears despite his lack of caring if the taxi driver was listening or not. As he finished speaking he placed his right elbow on the inside door handle of the door, leaning his cheek against the knuckles of his fisted hand. He stared out of the window as the taxi driver calmly drove them to the destination Keyth had instructed upon. “And yourself?” Ginsei asked, glancing at Keyth out of the left corner of his eyes before slowly directing them back to the window. His mind began reeling as they sat in the back of the taxi. Ginsei was going to make some changes to Osoremaru once he was back in his chairman seat. It was time for the heart of a Yakuza to become real and evident within Osoremaru which meant enacting on traditional ways of the Yakuza. He figured once they got there, Leo would bow to Ginsei while handing over the seat and stepping down as he should.

Thunrian: " Ahhh you know... Same ol same ol. Got another Kid on the way. So... that's exciting meanwhile. Trying to investigate on the Kagemaru. Fumei ( the planet the shinto realm had been present on.) Is always fun to be in. But this is our reality. Sadly we cant stay there, were just remnants there. Heroes to come and go... we cant truly live there. But if we take our spots here. In reality. And take the Yakuza world back like were supposed to. Then assholes like Grim, Thomas, and whoever comes in our wont stop us. It's time we take charge like our fathers once did. But do it our way. And we do it the right way..." Soon they had made it. And the driver stopped. Keyth nodded stepping out of the car, leaning in to the drivers front window. "...You did a good job here..." Keyth said handing him the money. " Yeah I know... I lied. I added another 50 in there. Guys like you could be used for my cause. You kept a cool head." The Taxi took it. His bright green hair eying the money which he then found Keyths card within the inside of it. " Alright..." The taxi driver said as he drove off. Keyth stood infront of the Osoremaru buidling with Ginsei which had doubled in it's size. Osoremaru men carried a pendant of there own and they and four of them would stand in the front. ( How the rest of it looks i'll leave to you.) Stepping to the door the Osoremaru men would stop them before they entered. " Leo wont allow any outsiders at the moment." Keyth puffed his chest up. Looking at Ginsei, and then back at the gaurd. Holding his fist back something he had learned with control, though in the past he'd already be attaking the man who told Keyth what he could or couldn’t do.



Vicious Blades
Sezomaru: “You must be new to my clan…” Ginsei spoke calmly yet bluntly at the guard who tried to stop them from entering. “Tell my Aniki it’s time to step down.” The guards who were wearing suits with slicked back black spikey hair, as most of them looked, eyed Ginsei, obviously not knowing who he was. The one who had been silent ran inside to fetch Leo. A couple minutes later Leo came down the stairs, having traded his usual white military general attire for a black suit with a white tie. The second Leo noticed Ginsei his eyes widened slightly. “Ginsei…” Leo muttered staring at him as if he were staring at a ghost. “Osoremaru has become mine after you disappeared. As you see, I’ve expanded the clan and made it even stronger than you did.” Ginsei’s face was utterly blank and at the drop of a dime Ginsei closed the distance between Leo and himself, his left hand gripping Leo’s throat. Leo gasped, trying to catch a breath though Ginsei’s grip was deadly, threatening to actually kill Leo within the next few seconds. “It’s time you stepped down.” With one strong swing of his left hand he slung Leo down to the concrete to his right, causing him to lie beside the doorway. “A worm like you has no place in my seat.” “You’ll never have Osoremaru back as long as the leader of Kagemaru stands…” Ginsei’s eyes glared and burned into Leo’s own and like poison, Leo froze. “I’ll slaughter you next time Leo… But for now…” As the guard’s eyes widened the one who had been silent the entire time finally spoke. “Ginsei… Yanazuka… I mean Boss, welcome home.” Ginsei nodded before speaking again. “You…” He signaled to the one who had welcomed him home. “Grab Leo and bring him with us.” The guard nodded, grabbing Leo by the collar of his dress shirt, dragging him along as Ginsei began making his way into the building with Keyth who should have followed right behind him. The walls and floors seemed to have been redone with an Onyx marble like finish, darkening the place though there was a long purple carpet, leading to the elevators and the stairs. Ginsei strolled to the elevators, getting in, waiting on Keyth and the guard who was dragging Leo still before heading up to his own office. Ginsei strode behind his desk which hadn’t changed. Leo hadn’t touched much of Ginsei’s office besides giving it the onyx marble finish which Ginsei had taken a liking to. Ginsei grabbed a key which was taped to the bottom of his desk, unlocking the top left desk drawer. ((http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AXLfg2ry_F4 )) He slowly pulled out a spool of thick thread and a rusted knife whose edge was dulled down to almost nothing. The guard shoved Leo forward as Ginsei placed the objects onto the table. “Your right pinky finger… Wrap it up… And Cut it off.” Ginsei instructed Leo to do. He was ordering Leo to commit Yubitsume, a traditional punishment used by Yakuza to punish those lower than them. Leo, not seeing much of a choice slowly began to wrap up his pinky finger at the base, tight enough to stop the blood flow to the finger before grabbing the rusted blade. He placed it down against the thread where his, now turning purple, pinky finger rested. He slowly began pushing down as hard as he could, biting back the intense and burning pain that shot through his entire body like a bullet. Blood slowly began to drip from the wound and as he broke skin, continuing to push down, Leo had to bite down on his tongue, almost biting it in half from the intense grip he held. He began shoving the knife back and forth, forcing it to cut into his finger. The process which took at least fifteen minutes was a bloody, and brutal one to see. By the end of it, Leo was screaming as he had severed the nerves, blood spewing as he finally severed his pinky finger from his hand. He kept it wrapped with the string in an attempt to keep the gushing blood to a minimum. “Give him bandages and wrap up that little finger in a bag…” The bodyguard did as Ginsei instructed and soon, Leo was sitting in a corner near the door, cradling his blood red bandaged hand. The guard wrapped up the pinky finger in a small plastic bag, handing it to Ginsei who threw it at Leo, causing it to hit him in the face. “Keep that as a reminder as to why you don’t cross me, you fool.” The look in Ginsei’s eyes were cold though his face remained blank. This was Ginsei as the Osoremaru Chairman, as it always had been.



The Time is Right
Thunrian: ( http://www.listenonrepeat.com/watch/?v=HWqKPWO5T4o ) Keyth turned his head, closing his eyes as he watched Leo rip the finger clean from it's joint. 'Ginsei...' He said to himself, watching the cold expression that bore on his face. Keyth swallowed. And took a hard look at what he saw before him. His arms crossed and his eyes dead set and focused on what he saw infront of him. ' I guess.... this is what it takes. To be what I'm destined to be. I have to have the same level of coldness... I cant feel anything...' Keyth said creating the new mindstate within his head at that very moment. A front to put up when in these situations. How did Ginsei develope it so young... he wondered. But then again Ginsei had grew up around these things. It was nothing new to him. It was how things were. An Honor code, something he lived by. Ginsei and Keyth were polar opposites. The Barbarian who lived without a moral code, only the flow of the battle and where the money and glory took him. Fighting without principles, wild and free. Angry and brash... Ginsei. A toned Samurai. Sharp as the strongest Katana in the lands, trained to be swift, and percise. Always hitting his mark, without leaving a trace after wards. A code, and with guidance. A guided strike, with the sharpest edge. Both were blades, both were different... Keyth saw that now. " Looks like the Dog's of war never get to sleep..." He said looking at Leo. "....Who's this new leader of the Kagemaru..." Leo gripped his hand, sobbing as he sat in the corner eying Keyth. Keyth had his arms crossed still. His eyes dead set and focused on Leo who gulped. "........ Yani....His name is Yani Farhan...." Leo said. Keyth cocked an eyebrow. Looking back at Ginsei, then Leo again. " Farhan? So that's James son. What happened to James. How did he die...?" As Keyth continued to pester at Leo, his wounds would have placed him in a state of shock and he would have passed out. " Should wrapp that up Ginsei. Or he's gonna die... I got a name now. That's all that matters. I'll find out what happened to James later." Keyth said looking at Ginsei. " I'm gonna need your help again. We need to gather a chairmens meeting. That way I'll lure out This Yani Guy. We've been here for months and he still hasnt showed his face. You have a clan, and I dont right now. Not an offical one... But..." Keyth pulled out a piece of paper. " With this paper, with your signarue. You can place the Arasumaru under Osoremaru temporarily. Giving me Oyabun status. So I can go to that chairmens meeting to...." Keyth said sliding the paper over across Ginsei's desk. " With you being a chairmen. They can’t turn you down if it's your signature..." Keyth said nodding his head.

Sezomaru: Ginsei watched Leo as he answered Keyth’s questions, passing out from the pain. “Get rid of that pathetic rats body.” The guard nodded at Ginsei’s order, picking up the body to drag it off. Ginsei listened to Keyth’s proposal, not having any objection with it. He grabbed a black pen which rested on his desk, signing the paper swiftly with his small and quick signature. “I’ll call the meeting this evening and have it set for this weekend… Saturday Night.” Ginsei nodded towards Keyth before he slowly turned, looking out of the window that showed the tall buildings of District two. His ambition began burning even more than it had before. The chairmen’s meeting would give him good insight of who was still in the game and who had given up. Ginsei raised his right hand, sliding it’s fingers through his bangs with a slight sigh. He was back in his position where he should be.