Private Look What the Cat Dragged In

[Uchiha Mizuki]

​

The chime of slot machines followed by cheers rang out over the gaming floor. Sighing, she watched the amber liquid swirl around the crystal glass as she twisted it in her hand.
"How many times has that machine paid out now, Kiko?" Her voice was distant like she wasn't fully there and to tell the truth she wasn't. The redhead behind the bar turned to look at her, almost surprised to be spoken to.

"That is the fourth time this week, Miss." The girl smiled warmly, her voice was sweet like a melody, it made her sick.

"We probably should lower that. The idea is to get their money." Sumiko stood up from the barstool, picked up the glass and emptied it of its contents. She could not taste it, nor would the alcohol affect her physically. It was simply one of the things that she did to maintain the facade of being human.

"Right away Miss, is there anything else that I can do for you?" Kiko smiled at her again. She was a blissful idiot but she was talented at what she did.

"Make sure the girls pay attention to the high rollers, keep them entertained and drunk," Sumiko walked away from the bar towards the back office.

"Sir please, let me go." The sounds of a girl in distress reached her ear causing her to stop and turn to the source of the noise. It was coming from one of the more private booths in the High Rollers suit. Sumiko sighed as she approached seeing one of her waitresses being abused by an intoxicated patron.

"What's wrong sweetheart? There will be a tasty tip in it for you," He pulled her closer forcing her onto his lap. If Sumiko had blood, it would have been boiling.

"Sir, please.." The girl struggled, tears starting to form in her eyes.

"Sir, I would kindly ask you to unhand my staff." He stopped almost immediately after hearing Sumiko's voice. She felt disgusted as he stared at her. He laughed letting the waitress go. The female watched as she scurried away before turning her attention back to the drunkard. "I would like to remind you sir that it is not a brothel. I am sure that there are other fine establishments that offer that form of entertainment. If you continue to conduct yourself in this manner I will have no choice but to ask you to leave."

"You bitch how dare you talk to me like that? Do you know who I am?"The man grabbed Sumiko by the lapel of her blazer yanking her towards him. She looked at him, her expression did not change.

"Sir, kindly remove your hand." Sumiko felt rage building inside of her. He laughed the small of booze hung on his already acrid breath.

"And what are you going to do, make me?!"

"I will simply remove your hand," The female grabbed his wrist twisting it in a direction that the human wrist was not meant to go, the was a sickening crunch as the bone broke. The male retreated holding his ruined wrist to his chest. "Now, I trust that we will have no further incidents, Sir?"

"N..no," The man whimpered and retreated back to his booth. Sumiko smiled and continued on her way to the office, shutting the door behind her for at last some sweet peace.

[Topic Entered]
[MFT: 564]

 

[Nara Shizukesa]

Nobu watched from behind the desk at the scene on the floor below, he allowed a small sigh to escape his lips as he watched everything happening, it seemed that sometimes people could always hide a rough hand and not show it till the last minute, and it seemed that Sumiko had not changed at all during her time, she still had that rough hand. As he glanced around the desk, walking to the drawer and opening it he glanced down at the black book, so much was hidden in this book but he knew that as it was a book that he was familiar with. Slamming it down on the desk he went back behind it and pulled out the chair, sitting behind the desk he ran his eyes across the numbers.

Things looked good here, profit was up and it seemed that the city was becoming what it always planned to be. This place was a haven and those insides of it were family, this is the way life should be, as he glanced back towards the window it seemed that the altercation had now ended. He slammed the book shut and put it back in the draw, it seemed that everything was still going well at the home front, this was where it started and he would make a world much better than the last from the ashes that he had created.

His cold eyes watched as it seemed that Sumiko was done with what had happened and was now coming back as she shut the door he allowed his eyes to focus on her for a few seconds, wondering if she even knew he was there, though it was doubtful. Clearing his throat slightly, he knew that this conversation would be an interesting one, after all, it seemed that he had been gone far too long and had actually nothing to show for it, disappointing but still it could have gone much worse.

"Well it seems as always you are keeping people under control, I must admit I am surprised, all be it pleasantly with how this place is going and how the running of the establishment has been since I have left. How many of us are left? What is the situation? Do tell me how our expansion in crater city is going after all that is why you are here?"

He was cold as always even after coming back with no successful news, but that wasn't important right now. Nobu was tired, he had been traveling for so long, got nowhere and now wanted answers about how things had been going here. After all, this was home. Waiting to see the reaction of the woman he was silent for a while. Information was key and right now he needed to get up to speed as fast as possible in order to progress with plans and move on from what had happened in Sand.

 

[Zatoru]

Time wanes… Things fade… but the idea of it all remains to stay loyal to your convictions. Za, walked with that ideal close at heart. These days, there were a slew of issues that needed to be tied at the end of things. Quite many loose ends, and that all started with him finding the one that kept his sanity intact. And it wasn't that she was lost to him, quite the opposite. The large male, now nineteen, now gone for the last two years. Since leaving the gates with Sumiko and the others, Za trained and helped maintain the casino alongside Sumi for the first year after everything transpired.

Though…

After there was no sign of Nobu in some years, and there was little to do aside from waiting and training. Though, Za was still attempting to control his powers, getting accustomed to the things that he would attempt to control. His body had acclimated to the heart of Sumiko's late padre. Alas, it was time for Zatoru to first, make amends with Sumiko. He hated being gone for so long... but he didn't want her to see him in the worst parts of it all. Secondly, it would be imperative that he get things rolling with her as to continue their clans work.

Pacing the floor, goggles above his head with the scars of his hunger being quenched with battle and ferocity. There were a few travelers that met their untimely ends because of an inconsequential meeting with the Crimson Maned Demon or so he would like his legacy to be known. The Lionhearted, second in command of the Gekido. The clattering of his boots on the casino flooring continued as he soundly heard the voice of Sumi, firm and stout, but lovely to his ears.

All at once, he would see the scene, as well as hear the sultry sounds of bones breaking. 'Music... Sweet sweet music...', Za would swoon until he would hear Nobu's voice chiming in shortly afterward.

"...Seems like there are three here just now... yet two of us have some explaining to do... but alas, we will get to those quandaries and intel in a more timely manner...", He had not aged much as the hearts within his being seemed to be refreshed and renewed. He'd kept them up to snuff with new killings. Though, they wouldn't need to know such at this point in time. At any pace, he would step into the light with a smirk along his lips.

"...Huh... Well, the gang seems to be here..." he'd pause for a moment, "...Almost..."

[Topic Entered]

 

[Uchiha Mizuki]

The sounds of the man clearing his throat caught the female a little by surprise though her external reaction did little to show it. The voice was a familiar one, she didn’t need to see the face to know who it belonged to. She carried on with what was was doing grabbing two glasses and a bottle of whiskey from the cabinet in front of her.

“You're not dead afterall,” Sumiko turned to face him, looking him over disapprovingly, placing the glass on the wooden surface of her desk. She be a lair if she wasn’t angry with him but she knew how to keep her emotions in check, she had decades of practice. He hadn’t changed at bit in the 2 years that he had been alway. He still oozed confidence and charisma from every pour, while is was largely immune to his ‘charms’ she could see how other would swoon. “Business is booming, which you already know cause you have been reading the books., In terms of expansion that that has been limited. We are still operating the bar within the Gate and while I can indeed be in two places at once, this place is more profitable so has more of my attention.” Nobu asked his second question as Sumiko poured them both a drink, “Ah yes the others, I have no idea what has happened to them, Shun, from what I have heard has vanished from Leaf, Shion is still in Sand and Za…” She stopped feeling a tug at her heart. Sumiko had only just learned how to keep him out. At least while she was awake. Her dreams he still haunted her.. It has been nearly two years since had left one day and never came back, She largely blamed herself for him leaving. “I don’t know where he is,”. She emptied the glass of it contents pouring herself another.

“Seems like there are three here just now. Yet two if us have some explaining to do….” Sumiko froze. Hearing the voice coming from the doorway made her heart soar. She wanted to turn and see his face but part of her was terrified that he wouldn’t be standing there. She felt body stiffen as she felt his presence at her side. Sumiko looked up to face the voice seeing Za standing there. She could have slapped him. Screamed in his face for leaving her. Held him in her arms and not let go. More than anything she was overjoyed to see him alive.

“Yes, you do have some explaining to do,”She slammed the glass on the desk, the amber liquid spilling on the wood below. Despite her heart scoring at the sight of him. He wasn't to be left off easy. She turned back to Nobu. She would deal with Za later “What is our next move?”

 

[Nara Shizukesa]

Nobu watched as the three gathered in the room, a small smirk escaped his lips as he had to admit the feeling of the family had slipped away from him during his time in Sand, and what a disappointment that had proven to be. As he looked around the office he took out one of the cigarettes that he had been storing and pulled one free from the packet, bringing it to his lips with a simple gesture to light the thing. As he inhaled from it he looked at both of them, it seemed they still had that fire that he needed to see in their eyes.

"Honest answer would be Sand was a bit of a waste of time, unfortunately, we have made no expansion into their area, and while it seemed the person I met held all the cards upon turning up, he was falling from favor thus causing the situation to be more complicated than originally anticipated."

Breathing out the cloud moved upwards as he watched it for a few seconds before bringing his attention back to the here and now. He knew full well that something wasn't right, and considering how much preparation he had placed into that whole travel to come back empty-handed left a knot in the pit of his stomach. As he glanced back listening that the place was paying the bills and inside of Leaf things seemed to be running smoothly at least he had that one under his belt, after all the bar inside the village was a key thing that had been set up and if that was still running it meant that they had not tightened up security on activities, the front had stayed intact. Nodding as he pondered for a few moments he sighed as he sat in silence smoking and thinking to himself.

"Our plans haven't changed, but we need time, with Sand not showing results just yet it may be worthwhile coming back later to that venture, though I wish I could say the same about Cloud. That would have been our next move, maybe we need to reconsider the order in which we expand outwards. First I need time to rest, recover and get myself back to before, I feel almost drained with the traveling, not to mention the way in which I left Sand was not with the permission of the village, it seems everyone has got a bit lax lately."

Finishing what was left of the little stick, he allowed his palm to be the tray that extinguished it, no sign or flinches of pain as he snubbed it out, and threw it into the nearby bin. Leaning back into the chair he rubbed his eyes slightly they felt so heavy it was almost a new experience for the man. Drawing one of the glasses that was close by, he downed the liquid, the warmth hitting his throat as it went down and reminding him of somewhat better times, A small smile crept over his lips.

"I think we do need to pay my future wife a visit and see if that is being honored after all a deal struck, a bell once rung cannot be unrung and it works in our favor. I want to find out if this Hokage is a promise-breaker or not, besides it will be good to check up on our bar and see how that is doing inside of the village. So I think we should take a visit, correct me if you think otherwise, but we do once in a while need to check on existing deals?"

[MFT - 602]

 

[Zatoru]

There wasn't much that could be said on the account of Za leaving without a word or trace, being able to cover his own tracks just so he could get into a headspace that was conducive of someone that truly cared for another being. The only one person he truly felt any sort of humbling adoration for was Sumiko, even with the sense of family with the others in the Gekido. He would follow Nobu to the ends of the earth and back because of his loyalty. And Shion... Where the hell was Shion? And Shun? Za had many questions. Especially with the absence of his presence leaving with more questions to be desired... but at the helm of his questions were answers that needed to be straightened with this wonderfully angry woman before him.

"...We shall speak soon enough Sumi... I promise.", he'd state before looking back up to Nobu and listening about his travel and quandaries. Dead ends with nothing to show for it. Eh, sometimes it takes empires a few stumbling blocks before they tend to become the flourishing bundles of lucrative masses they end up becoming. Konoha wasn't built in a day... nor would the legacy of their clan. Za was simply relieved that everyone... so far... was still alive and kicking.

"...I see. Well, Sand will be revisited. Surely. I might have to help you with that personally. The gift of Gab isn't my forte' but, I think there might be something else to take advantage of in the future.", smirking and looking to Sumiko, then back to Nobu, Za would quickly continue, "...With the Hokage? That bi-..", he'd cough under his breath, "...Your fiance' isn't the least bit trustworthy I think, If we go back there, do you think we'd run into some static from the ANBU? Or has that become a part of your deal with the woman running that village?" he'd ponder for a moment looking to Sumiko for a split second and knowing that he would need to figure out what he was going to say to her. He hadn't thought of it all to be fair... but he knew it was time to come back to at least be together while he had control of his powers...

It seemed to brew... but what did he truly know about his abilities? He'd only scratched the surface.

 

[Uchiha Mizuki]

Sumiko tried her hardest to hold back the smile that crept across her lips as Za smirked at her but ultimately failed. It felt comforting to have him nearby. Her hand reached for him instinctively, her delicate fingers twisting around his as she stepped closer to his side.

"I look forward to it," She whispered to him, stroking the back of his palm with her thumb. Turning her attention back to Nobu. "I highly doubt that women have held up any part of your agreement Nobu, and I would strongly advise extreme caution when returning back to that village. While the ANBU of late has been largely absent I promise that if they catch a sniff that you have returned they will be all over you. Lady Yuki turned a blind eye to a lot of your activity before going missing. I highly doubt she will be so forgiving this time," She rested her hand on her chin in thought. They needed to be careful, they weren't as strong as they were before. Not with just the three of them, they had lost their inside man as well. Therefore, they were primarily working with old information. "We need to act in the shadows and rush in. Your capture or death is the last thing we can afford, Nobu. Move during the night, the gates are less guarded, and I know that Kuro Neko is due for delivery soon. No one really bothers looking at the faces of the men that bring me supplies so as long as you aren't recognised you should be able to slip through,"

Sumiko slipped her fingers from Za's and poured Nobu another glass of whiskey, handing her glass to Za with a slight smile. She hated that she was putty in his hands again. Then again she could never stay mad at him for long.
"And for a moment let's just say that we get you in undetected and you somehow managed to get to the Hokage's office without getting yourself killed and or captured, what then? What do you do if she has broken her word?" While she didn't doubt Nobu's abilities she was still a realist.

[MFT Word Count=363]

 

[Nara Shizukesa]

Nobu grabbed the glass that had been poured and instantly drained the glass fully before standing up from behind the desk, the glance he gave across to the two of them would have silenced them straight away, he had been gone but not changed Nobu was set in his ways and they both would know that much. As he walked over to the glass he looked down to the busy scene below his hands behind his back as he looked at the people, spending their hard-earned cash on a game that would be a losing game. From the moment they walked into their door they had been instantly set against the house, a house that always won.

"She wouldn't be able to break a deal with ourselves, after all, we will make sure that the deal goes through, I think a reminder of that deal would be something that we look at in the future after all betrayal to the Gekido clan, after all, means death to those that break their words."

His voice changed into something much colder as he looked at the people, he saw them as items you will possessions whose purpose was to only help this clan get stronger, nothing more and nothing less the person behind them didn't matter to him, as he looked down the faint essence of the Dark Sage that he had become begun to ooze from him before he snapped himself back to the trail of thought that he was processing as well as the conversation that was behind had between them.

"You are both right, so much could have changed since I have been gone, so first we will send her a letter, let us see if she replies to me that way before we act. In the time being I want you two to begin to gather information regarding her recent activities, and anything that had changed in her life, I want leverage before we go into this, I am sure both of you can do that for me. Also, focus on your strengths, I want both of you to become combat-ready in weeks, I am sure I do not need to explain my reasons behind this to you, just know I am back now and things will be back on track soon, both for the future plans and this clan."

As he finished watching a man seem to become frustrated at the loss of what would be assumed to be his weekly earnings, the dealer came across and swept the chips behind the table. A small and creepy smirk came across his lips at the satisfaction this brought, turning around his eyes piercing into the two of them the gaze that spoke a thousand words without the need for him to actually say a single one. Nobu was back, he was back at the head and this time things would not become derailed even by himself.

"I take it both of you understand these words clearly and no mistake on them?"

 

[Zatoru]

Oh, how things have changed but the little things that got you there stayed the same. Za would smile back to Sumiko taking her hand into his as they would listen to Nobu, then taking the glass into his hand and downing the drink with one gulp. He wasn't one for sipping. Though he would harken back and hiss a bit as it went down. His natural body didn't ingest alcohol on a normal occasion but when he did, he would almost always chug it down. 'Things are getting back in order... as they should...'

Nodding and fully giving his attention to Nobu with Sumiko's hand tightly gripped into his. He would find that Nobu already had a nice plan to go about things. Though there were a few things that he would likely bring up once the leader of the Gekido would finish his speech. Alas, there weren't many qualms he had with the whole plan, and as he would take in everything from what he said, Za would smirk, nodding his head and looking to Sumiko.

"...Loud and Clear...", looking to Nobu and huffing a bit, "...Now there is the problem with Shion, Shun. And a few others... As well as the letter you sending being trailed back to yourself with a few hitmen in tow. Which we can handle... but I really dont want to have a firefight with the entire village... Its not a battle we're yet equipped to win...", though he'd pause with a smirk, and a wild look of confidence within his darkened eyes.

"...Not yet anyways." Zatoru rolled his shoulders back and beckoned a laugh, one quite hardy in the midst of the casino setting. "...I must say Nobu... I am quite glad you're alive and kickin' wouldnt think of you to just roll over and die, but Asua tried to tell us when we left the village that she'd killed you. Which I knew was a farse, but I guess... thats one less brick we'll have to knock down.", with that Za would smile genuinely, seeing Nobu alive, was like seeing an elder sibling return from war after being gone and M.I.A., there was something satisfying about it as well as relieving. It honestly made Za feel immortal.

[MFT]

 

[Nara Shizukesa]

Nobu listened to Zatoru, after all this clan was just that a clan, though he had been given the position as head of the clan, he still had to take the opinion of the others, listening to the issues he allowed a small sigh to come to his lips. Shion he could have used being around, though they both went to Sand, it seemed they would have had to part ways at some point and that is exactly what happened. He wondered if the group would ever see each other again, but that was for the future, right now he needed to focus on the here and now and hoped everything else would fall into place.

"With Shion missing at the moment, I am not counting them out just yet. Shun on the other hand was to remain as our eyes and ears inside of Leaf, the fact that they have not come back is....problematic. You are right we don't want to fight our way inside the village yet, I still need to......prepare let's say"

He needed to go the next step with his path down Dark Sage, he could feel the power inside of him growing, but soon he would be able to summon the dead to use as puppets, and right now he needed that assistance in order to help him, until then he wasn't ready to have a full fight out with the Shinobi inside of the village, so instead he would have to wait and see, maybe a bird wouldn't be the wisest option but it may be one that they could use. Snapping back to the attention he listened to Zatoru for a few seconds, grabbing another glass and downing it as he watched the two of them in the room.

"Have to admit, the Hokage seems to try and play tricks, she is one that we backed into a corner after all, but the plan never changes, corruption always exists Zatoru, and we will purge that sickness out together, after all that was the goal of the group, and that still has not changed. We still need a way to bring up a conversation with Asuka, and find out how we stand with Leaf and what has really changed. However, you are right that does pose a little bit of an akward conversation to have."

The last words lingered, as he slid the empty glass across the desk and looked back down to the floor, people still gambled, and Nobu was still going to gamble on building up this organization, what they needed was the ability to have contacts, assistance if you will. How that would come about was one thing, the second was who that would be.

[MFT - 453]

 

[Nara Shizukesa]

Nobu sighed as he had finished speaking, he knew full well that everything right now was going to be just testing the water, he had been gone for so long that the truth of the matter was he didn't know what the situation was out there, he didn't know who to trust, who to rely on when he needed to, but he would soon find that out. As his eyes trailed down to the Casino floor he studied it for a little while, deciding to watch people looking at the tablets, cards, and the games they were playing, it was interesting to see how everyone would be reacting, how quickly people would part with hard-earned cash.

"I have kept you both long enough, what I need now is to make sure that we keep the hard work up that we have been doing, eyes and ears open and the future will be ours, that being said I have other things that I do need to do. I will leave both of you to catch up after all I am sure that you both have a lot to discuss, expect me to summon you back here when I find out what the situation is out there, for now, though I will leave saying that it has been good to see both of you again."

With those words, Nobu turned around and headed straight out of the door leaving the two of them behind to talk and catch up as even he could see that they had a fair bit to discuss.

[Topic Left]
[MFT - 260]