The sun had completely set by the time Kanashi and Kenji left the store, the darkness of night greeting them. Their little side quest had allowed the moon to conquer the sun leaving only the dim light of sparsely populated street lights to guide them.
“We should probably find a place to sleep then huh?” Kanashi muttered.
“I can go for another day without sleeping if you’re worried about me.” Kenji chimed in.
“So can I, but this isn’t the time to be pulling all nighters. We need to rest and be ready for action when the Liberation comes.” Kanashi said, flexing his muscles.
“Speaking of the LIberation, it's here in Tousen right? Aren’t you worried about being spotted? You told me about the Izumika incident and being recognized at the airport so you're a walking target for the Toumeikan right? Or whatever their name is.
“You’re right. I am worried, I’m actually terrified. I’m worried about getting caught not only for my own sake but also for everyone else’s. I may have run away from the Venator Society like a coward but I don’t want to do the same to Akatora. He trusted me with this when all signs pointed to throwing me out as the best option. At this point all I can do is to try and help with the liberation in any way I can. So even if I am worried and terrified I’ll keep pushing myself further.”
“...” Kenji looked at Kanashi with a sideways smile, his brain trying to compute what exactly Kanashis ramblings had meant.
“Oh sorry for rambling there, well the main thing is that yeah I am scared. But just now I’m afraid that doesn’t mean I’m gonna stop this. You and I are gonna ride this train until it’s last stop!” Kanashi yelled out with a thumbs up.
“Now that’s something I can understand!” Kenji grinned widely ruffling Kanashis hair.
۞ ۞ ۞ ۞ ۞ ۞
“Damnit, why is everything booked!?” Kanashi yelled out into the silent night, his frustration finally boiling beyond his holding point.
They’d tried to book themselves into eight separate hotels but all of them were booked to the max. With even their wait list in case someone canceled being full.
Just my luck. Kanashi huffed rubbing his nose.
“There’s a hotel over there.” Kenji said, pointing to a tall pink and red building off in the distance.
“There is!?” Kanashi asked, whipping around excitedly.
However upon seeing the hotel his lip curled downwards and his eyes narrowed.
“Big Sexy Love Hotel.” The neon sign which hung over the hotel's front door read.
“Kenji do you know that is?” Kanashi asked slowly, turning to the swordsman.
“A big sexy hotel if I had to guess.” Kenji shrugged.
“And what do you think people do in that big sexy hotel?”
“Sleep.” Kenji answered with a blank face as if he didn’t understand what Kanashi was getting at.
“Well that’s one way to put it...” Kanashi sighed. “But if a cute innocent youth like me goes into a love hotel with a large wild middle aged man like you… I can only imagine the things people would think.”
“Who cares what they say? If you don’t like them then cut them down so they won’t ever speak again.” Kenji huffed. And you’re far from innocent looking with that bandaged up arm and scar on your cheek.
“You sound just like Frairk, just replace the cutting down part with a punch to the nose.” Kanashi said, rubbing the spot between his eyes. But out of all hotels that’s the one to most likely not be fully booked, it’s normally a quick in and out business too. So even if all the rooms are occupied we can just wait for a bit until one is emptied. But having to go into a room after someone just used it… I do not like the thought of that. But I guess no matter which room you stay in it’s been used at some point so there’s no point in debating.
Kenji, not waiting for Kanashi any longer, began to walk across the street to the hotel and Kanashi quickly chased after him.
“We want a room!” Kenji yelled out as he walked through the automatically sliding glass door. Fancy…
“Don't just introduce yourself like that!” Kanashi complained jumping in after Kenji, his face bright red from nerves.
“You wish to rent a room…?” The front desk clerk asked, looking over Kenji and Kanashi with an awkward smile.
“Y-yeah!” Kanashi yelped with a nod.
“For how long?”
“Ummm, how about ten hours?” Kanashi muttered doing the math in his head. That should be enough to shower, eat and sleep.
“T-ten hours!?” The man gasped looking at Kenji who smiled widely. His eyes curving upwards with excitement.
“Yeah that should be enough time I think.” Kanashi answered with a satisfied nod.
“W-well we have a room available for you but it’s going to be on the third story.”
“That should be fine.” Kanashi shrugged.
“It’s also a luxury room with furniture and equipment.” The man muttered reading from the catalouge.
Furniture!? Kanashi wondered, his eyes widening as he imagined a medvial torture chamber.
Next to Kanashi, Kenji too imagined what this mysterious furniture and equipment could be. The idea of a Dojo with a full rack of Bokken and bamboo dummies coming to mnd.
“We’ll take it!” He laughed slamming his hand on the counter.
“Y-you're full of energy it seems!” The clerk laugher wryly, “Well that charge will come out to…hmm $69.52”
“That much!?” kanashi complained. “What the hell do you think we’re doing up there to charge that much!?”
“W-well like I said it’s a luxury room so It will have a premium attached to the final price!”
“Listen, I just spent $300 on this guy's outfit, I don’t need to spend another $70 to rent a room with him!”
“So you’re the one with the money…” The clerk muttered.
“What was that!?” Kanashi argued, nearly jumping over the counter.
“It’s fine, I'll pay for it.” Kenji interrupted, dropping a stack of coins on the counter.
“Since when do you have money?” Kanashi asked, turning to Kenji with a raised brow.
“Since always? How am I supposed to survive without money? Even Samurai need to buy things.” Kenji frowned.
“I thought you were broke, that's why I’ve been paying for everything!”
“You never asked.” Kenji shrugged.
Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.
“Ahem, well then Samurai-Sam and Kagema-Kun. Here is the key to your room~” The clerk hummed, placing the key chain on the counter.
“Who the hell are you calling a Kagema you bastard!?” Kanahsi barked, jumping over the counter to grab the clerk. “First you try to charge me $70 for a room and nwo you call me a prostitute!?”
“Ow wow, would you look at the time. It sure does fly, yes it does. My lunch break has arrived!” The Clerk laughed , slamming the metal blinds over the counter.
“Damn you.” Kanashi growled, biting his lip.
“Looks like there’s an elevator over here.” Kenji called out to Kanashi as he walked behind a wall.
“Alright…” Kanahsi muttered, puckering his ips and staring at the metal blinds. “Say, how do you know what an Elevator is?” Kanashi asked Kenji as they entered the machine.
“...” Kenji seemed to pause for a moment and consider his answer completely before offering a response. “I may be ignorant but I’m not stupid.” He said with a nod.
With a ding the Elevators door opened and both men entered the hallway it had brought them into. It was a rather small hallway with only four doors, the number on their key matching the one 2nd to the right.
“Looks nice.” Kanashi hummed as he pushed the door open after unlocking it. The room had the smell of lavender with a heart shaped bed covered in rose petals in the center. A handful of contraptions including a strang swing like rope and metal crucifix like thing were set against the wall.
“This isn’t what I expected..” Kenji frowned looking at the room's supposed equipment which were a handful of whips, paddles and a single cane. “There’s no Bokken…”
“Of course not! You could kill someone with that.” in more ways than one, Kanashi argued.
“But isn’t that the fun part?”
“Not for most people! Anyways I’m gonna get in the shower first if that’s fine with you. Please don’t touch anything you don’t know while I'm in there.”
“Got it.” Kenji said with a thumbs up as he reclined on the leather couch under the window seal.
۞ ۞ ۞ ۞ ۞ ۞
“Nice~” Kanashi whistled as he shut the bathroom door behind him and flicked the bathroom's lights on. It was a rather spacious bathroom with a three person wide tub in a circular shape as well as an equal sized standing shower.
Getting undressed and turning the water on, Kanashi walked into the shower and let the cold water run down his dirty body. The run off brow with dirt and dried blood.
“Gross…” He muttered. I just showered yesterday morning and I’m already this dirty.
Using one of the provided Loofa he scrubbed his skin of any dark spots the water alone wasn’t capable of cleaning. But no matter how hard he scrubbed his right arm, it still kept its charred pitch black appearance.
To call his arm black would be an understatement, you could get the most dark skinned person on the planet and if you compared them to Kanashis arm they’d look pale. His arm was simply different, unnatural and gross looking. Veins writhes across the surface and it lacked any body fat at all making every muscle stick out in clear riveting detail. It wasn’t his arm, it was Kenkens life, and that feeling was gross.
Pushing those thoughts away, Kanashi used the provided body wash and shampoo he finished showering with a final rinse before getting out.
Using the provided blowdryer in combination with a warm towel he quickly dried himself off and changed into a fresh set of clothes. Throwing his old ones into a plastic bag.
“Your turn.” He said leaving the bathroom, his hair still letting a few drops of water fall from it.
“That was fast.” Kenji said in surprise.
“It was about 15 minutes.” Kanashi answered, tilting his head to the side.
“Did you bathe as well?”
“Like in the bath? No, I didn't really see the need for it.” Kanashi shrugged.
“Hmmm.” Kenji frowned.
“Well anyways, get in the shower please. I’ll go run to a Sosaki Vending and buy us some dinner.”
۞ ۞ ۞ ۞ ۞ ۞
“I wonder what kind of food Kenji likes…” Kanashi muttered as he read the different Bento Box Labels. He’d found a Sosaki Vending just a block down from the love hotel he and Kenji had rented
Comparing this Sosaki Vending to the one he’d been to in Izumika was like comparing a bicycle to a monster truck. Four of the Izumika Sosaki Vendings could fit inside of this one with a bit of room to spare. However with all that extra size came a much wider selection, mainly six new ailes worth of food.
I’ll just get myself a bowl of instant ramen and a bottle of soda, but I have no clue what to get Kenji… I guess something basic like this should be fine right?
Kanashi questioned as he pulled a Teriyaki and Rice Bento from the shelf. I wonder if he has allergies? Hmmm, but I don’t think Teriyaki has any kind of common allergen does it? Man I wish I had a mini computer or something that I can look stuff like this up on. Like my phone except better. Just in case I’ll also get another thing of Ramen. He should like either of them right? I mean he ate a Yokai and an imaginary creature so I doubt edibility is a concern of his.
With that decided, Kanashi grabbed a second bowl of Ramen off the shelf and two bottles of soda from the fridge.
Paying his bill of $8 with a frown he walked towards the exit bag in hand.
As he walked through the sliding glass door someone entered at the same time and the two bumped into each other.
“Ah, sorry!” Kanashi yelped as he used Observation to catch himself before falling.
“It’s fine.” The person he bumped into grumbled as she too caught herself.
Upon seeing her Kanashi immediately was strictly by her beauty. Silky black hair, Sharp green eyes and thick red lips. Though despite this beauty there was an obvious issue with her appearance that made Kanashis blood run cold. The large black jacket she wore had the Kanji
[透明感] Touemeikan, written across the front right breast and entire back.
The woman also seemed to be enamored with Kanashis appearance but for all the wrong reasons. He stood out like a sore thumb. Both for being a foreigner and his strange appearance. Blue eyes, slightly above average height, a large nasty scar on his right cheek and a pitch black ugly arm he looked nothing like a local traveler.
Shit I didn’t think to bandage my arm up, I should have bought a long sleeve shirt or jacket at that store with Kenji! Kanashi thought, trying to hide his arm. He quickly crept around the women and out the door as casually as he possibly could while also hiding his off-tone arm. The women watched him curiously the whole time as he did so.
Safe! He thought as the door shut behind him. I thought since we cleared the literal Yakuza den part of the city we’d be safe but I took that for granted.
۞ ۞ ۞ ۞ ۞ ۞
As Kanashi entered the love hotel's front room the hotel clerk quickly slammed the blinds closed.
Jack ass… Kanashi thought with a scowl. But he’s not worth my time~. Going up the elevator he came to the third floor and walked down the hallway to his room which he unlocked with a click.
‘I’m back!” Kanashi called out. Placing the food on the table he saw no sign of Kenji. He’s probably still in the shower huh? Going off what he said It should take him a while right? Well we have a microwave in case his food gets cold.
The Sosaki vending had a kettle of hot water which Kanashi poured some off into a cheap thermos he bought for a little extra.
Peeling the bowl of Ramens lid back he pulled the two flavour packets from inside the bowl and poured the boiling water on the noodles. The smell of noodles filling the atmosphere made Kanashis stomach grumble.
BANG!
With a crack the bathroom door swung open and a naked Kenji appeared, not even a towel covering his lower parts.
“Wow, Towel!” Kanashi yelped, looking away from the naked man who strode into the room with no sense of shame.
“What’d ya get me?” Kenji asked, shaking his hair like a dog would to dry off.
“Teriyaki with rice and a soda to drink.” Kanashi answered quickly, pouring the two flavor packets into his bowl of RAMEN.
Kenji grabbed the plate of Teriyaki and ripped the top off, with the provided chopsticks he quickly ate the food with a surprising amount of grace despite his speed. The way he ate reminded Kanashi of Jin who could easily eat a family sized meal and still have room for dessert. Perhaps the stronger you are the more fuel you need to function? Or maybe they were just gluttonous.
After less then a minute Keni had eaten the entire plate and popped the lid off the bottle of soda with a flick. He chugged the rich brown liquid straight and it too vanished after only a few seconds.
“Blegh, not my flavour but thanks. I was starving.” Kenji said with a small bow.
“No problem, next time let me know if you want to eat sooner. I need you in top shape.” Kanashi smiled. “But please put your clothes back on…”
“Hm? Are you afraid of naked people?” Kenji asked with a frown gyrating his hips side to side with a taunting grin.
“Stop!” Kanashi barked, covering his eyes as Kenji did the helicopter.
“In Edo nudity between men is considered a form of trust since you’re the most vulnerable to an attack. If you pulled a Katana on me in the bath I’d be defenseless.”
“Yeah, well I trust you enough to sleep in front of you!” Kenji argued. “And besides where the hell would I pull a Katana from if I was naked? Did I keister it!?”
“Fair point.” Kenji nodded, before returning to the bathroom and shutting the door with a slam.
“...” Well I guess Itachi is always in his ring form so I could pull it out in the bath then.. But man is there a real culture clash going on here. Maybe I’ve taken traveling by myself for granted.” Kanashi sighed looking into the murky brown broth in his bowl of Ramen.