Rurouni Kenshin Fan Fiction ❯ A Certain Clarity ❯ 25 ( Chapter 25 )

Title: A Certain Clarity (25/30)

Author: Franzi Dickson

E-mail: fdickson@ix.netcom.com

Archive: The SxSAS Archive, fanfiction.net and others (eventually). If you want it on your site, just ask.

Rating: NC-17 for wet dreams, sex, drugs, violence and other badness.

Warnings: m/m sex, lemon, assorted bad things in this part and future ones

Disclaimer: They don't belong to me. I'm just doing bad things with them. Don't sue me.

Chou watched the boss carefully. He was still glowering; the cult member had whined and begged the whole way to the police station and the boss had had to threaten him to keep him quiet while they went in. He still wasn't sure why the boss didn't just tell everyone he was fine. He must have some reason... "Back to the artist's place?"

"Yes." The reply was curt.

He did not comment on the smell. He did not need to; the boss must have recognized it as well as he did. Still, it *was* the rooster-head; it wasn't like anything was actually going to happen to him.

Saitou led the way to a quiet rooming house. It was nicer than he had expected, Chou thought as they climbed the stairs. The boss knocked on one of the doors. It was instantly flung open.

"Did you...?" The man's face fell as he realized that the rooster-head wasn't with them. "You didn't find them, Saitou-san?"

"They had already left."

"Damn... Oh, pardon my poor manners, do come in." He detached himself from the doorway and motioned for them to follow. "You've been out all day, I imagine. I don't usually eat in, but I do have tea."

They joined him at the low table. Chou played with his cup. It was very pretty, expensive too. Funny for a writer of underground newspapers... must have bought them when he was still an artist.

Their host poured and sat back expectantly. "Now, if you don't mind my asking..." He glanced at the boss.

That was right: if the rooster-head had been staying here... The foxy doctor had said he was... upset. My, but the boss was looking tense.

"What did he tell you?"

"Well... that you had had... an accident."

"I see."

"He seemed rather certain you were dead."

"Did he say anything else?"

"He was planning to get revenge."

"Ahou!" The boss looked furious. "Tsukioka-san..."

"Please, call me Katsu."

The boss looked a little nonplussed.

"Any friend of his is a friend of mine." The artist smiled.

"What makes you think we're friends?"

The smile widened. "I suppose I could be wrong..."

Chou wondered just what the rooster-head *had* said to him.

"Fine, Katsu then. What was he doing this evening? You said he was going to a ceremony; could you be a little more specific?"

"He didn't tell me about it. At lunch he spoke to the cultists that gather outside the ramen-shop. They offered to bring him with them."

"Yes, but why today? Why not a few days ago?"

"Well... I suppose it's because he hadn't been outside since he arrived."

"What do you mean? What the devil was he doing?"

"Oh, you know, sleeping."

"That lazy... I hope he didn't eat you out of house and home."

"Oh no, he didn't eat anything."

Tsu... Katsu was the picture of innocence. Chou smothered a small smile of his own.

"What do you mean? He was here for the better part of four days; he had to have eaten something!"

"Oh... well... He seemed a bit under the weather."

The boss was eyeing Katsu suspiciously. First the doctor and now the artist! Chou really hoped he was there when they found the rooster-head. Unless he was wrong, of course... But he didn't think he was wrong.

"What about the herb shop near here? Did he say anything about that?"

"Oh, yeah, he smashed it up. That was right before he arrived. He didn't find anyone there though."

"Hmm. Do *you* have any idea where I might find the woman who owns it?"

Katsu shrugged. "I could ask my landlady, she knows a lot of people in the neighborhood, but I don't think you'll find the owner."

"Are you the one who found out about the cult for the ahou?"

"Yes, but he's probably told you everything I know."

"What about the seances? Do you have any idea where they're held?"

Katsu shrugged. "They must live somewhere; check there."

"Hmm..."

Chou had been inside there too. It was all bedrooms and kitchens and things - not a séance preparation in sight.

"Thank you... Katsu. We'll be going now."

"Tell me if you find anything."

The boss nodded.

"Oh, and why don't you keep this; he left it behind." He handed the boss the grubby remains of a jacket.

"What...?"

"You'll see him before I will."

"Very well."

They took their leave. Chou hoped the boss had a plan. They could stake out the cult's house again, but could all be gone now. Well, there was always that one they had in custody... He hoped for the man's own sake that he knew something; the boss was not going to be happy if he didn't.