"The Prize"
Disclaimer : The drill keeps on drilling.
AN : Something I needed to get out of my system because I was bored and haven't ironed out the kinks in the plot of my next GB fanfic series yet. A five-part het, non-canon whatchamacallit masquerading as a character study involving the cuteness that is GinjixNatsumi. In the manga, they flirt frequently and he fantasizes about her occasionally, so I just couldn't resist. But instead of a straightforward fluff piece, the story turned out to be – this. (wink)
I mixed anime and manga references and invented a history for Natsumi's character (since nothing much has been written about her and I haven't yet read how she was introduced in the "Birth Arc" – which was totally different from the anime. -sigh- ). Oh well. Anyway, I had fun writing her. :D
ENJOY!
---
I. Game
Mido Ban exhaled tiny puffs of smoke from his cigarette, creating a screen of fog that shrouded his face. It was the least he could do without actually spewing a volcanic eruption in front of the stately, perfectly-postured elderly woman who sat across from him in the booth.
If the elementary school principal was miffed at having to speak to him as though he were a faceless god hidden behind an omnipresent cloud, so be it. After all, it was she who had come to the Get Backers for help.
But Ban felt he needed the menthol-spiked tobacco fumes to mask himself from the overpowering scents she chose to surround herself with, scents that reminded him of the women in his strange, cursed life which he wanted to blow away; like the faint aroma of old, dank castles, musty books and the lemon verbena hair dressing oil of his grandmother; or the pungent, exotic spice of Maria's herbal potions; and the fragrance of Himiko's sweet perfumes.
Why was it that bad memories sometimes had to smell so good?
"So, you guarantee the return of the mikoshi (1) by seven o' clock this evening before the matsuri (2) parade?" The school head showed her discomfort at negotiating with the brash young man by endlessly patting and re-patting an imaginary stray strand of hair back into her flawlessly coiffed salt-and-pepper bun.
"It's as good as done, ma'am," Ban promised, each word punctuated by more swirls of smoke. He impatiently tapped the ashes of his cigarette into an ashtray and leaned into the backrest with his arm draped lazily across its length. "How hard can it be to get back an item from a bunch of sixth-graders?"
Amano Ginji turned towards his partner and lifted up his finger with a smile. "I wouldn't be too sure about that, Ban-chan. Remember that video game we tried to steal back from that kid for ten yen? Didn't we get clobbered by his big brother –"
There was a dull, heavy thud from underneath the table.
The blond gasped hoarsely as Ban stomped on his foot.
"Hehe. What my friend here means is that there's nothing we won't do to accomplish our job." The spiky-haired dakkanya took off his round, purple glasses and flashed the old lady the full effect of the brilliant blue oceans that were his eyes.
She blinked rapidly, momentarily hypnotized like Eve falling helplessly to the honeyed spell of the serpent. Regaining her faculties about her, the principal nodded and lectured firmly. "Then I trust you will handle this whole unfortunate situation with the utmost prudence and without any children getting hurt."
"You can count on us, Ishikawa-sensei. We'll be in and out before anyone notices the mikoshi is gone." Ginji gave her a thumbs-up. He then bit his lip and looked up. "But I don't understand why we need to use prunes…"
"Prudence, Ginji. Pru-dence," Ban tried to rein in an exasperated snarl through his teeth. He straightened his posture and with folded arms, shot a snooty sideward glance at his teammate. "You'll have to forgive him, Director. I can imagine how much more educated he would be if only he were lucky enough to have studied at your fine institute of learning." The snake charmer kicked the sycophantic flattery into high gear.
Principal Ishikawa cleared her throat, but expressed a hint of a smile despite herself. "Nevertheless, I hear you two boys are the best at what you do. So, very well, consider yourselves hired." She took out a stiff, linen paper envelope out of her purse and slid it on the table over to Ban. "As agreed, 100,000 yen as deposit and the other half upon delivery of the mikoshi."
The brunette stubbed out his cigarette, eagerly reached out for the envelope and carelessly shoved it into his jeans pocket in a crumple. "The Get Backers officially accept –"
" – this assignment." Ginji brightly continued for his best friend.
The bespectacled woman made a formal bow of her head and primly stood up to take her leave. Placing some coins on the counter as payment for her cup of tea, she then turned back to face the retrievers.
"We don't usually resort to using 'underground methods' to solve our school problems…" The principal sheepishly attempted to explain while she fidgeted with the antique string of pearls around her neck. "But I'm sure neither of the schools involved in this wants a scandal with the district board and the PTA over such a silly prank. But our mikoshi is an heirloom and my students actually pitched in their money to hire your services. In fact, it was mere coincidence when I found my granddaughter scribbling over one of your flyers…"
She cut herself off and put a hand on her chest. "Anyway, you do understand, don't you?"
Ban and Ginji exchanged curious glances. "Sure," Ban dryly replied.
"Thank you. We'll meet you later at the temple grounds near Shinjuku Gyoen Park," Director Ishikawa reminded as she hastily walked down the bar towards the Honky Tonk's exit.
"Thank you for coming! Please visit again!" Mizuki Natsumi perkily announced and bowed. The woman gave the high school girl a slight smile that told her 'not likely, my dear' before stepping out the chiming door and letting the sultry August heat encroach into the cool of the café.
Ban twisted his face and sighed. "What a tight-ass. The way that old biddy was holding on to her purse and pearls you'd think we were going to ambush and hold her up at gunpoint."
"Aa. Ishikawa-sensei was obviously uncomfortable. I wonder why she didn't just send someone else to meet with us. Like a pretty teacher's assistant," Ginji chuckled.
"Mmmm. A young, nubile trainee fresh out of college. Heh. Now, that I wouldn't mind holding up at my gunpoint," the snaky Get Backer quipped naughtily.
"You guys are unbelievable," Wan Paul's droll voice muttered from behind the diptych of his afternoon edition paper. "When you've got no job, you bitch and whine. When you do get an assignment, still you bitch and whine. Beggars can't be choosers, boys."
"Boss is right, Ban-chan. What's it been? Nearly a week since our last mission?" Ginji slouched back into the bench and clasped his hands behind his head.
"Yeah, yeah…" Ban grumbled. He leaned forward and propped his chin on his palm. "What is it with kids now, anyway? They're such unimaginative, diabolic brats. I mean, who steals a freakin' half-ton portable shrine as revenge for losing a pee-wee soccer match, huh? What happened to the good ol' days of putting itch powder in the gym shorts?"
"… and we really have to re-think our advertising strategies if our flyers are being used as doodle pads by four-year-old toddlers!" He tweaked Ginji's ear and continued to gripe. "They are not our target clients, you idiot!"
"Ow! But I can't help it. I like playing paper planes with the cute kids…"
Natsumi bounced over to the Get Backers' table with ponytail swaying, eyes smiling and a platter of goodies in her hands. "Oh, Ban-san. That's the trouble with you being so smart. You have to nit-pick on every detail," the waitress giggled as she set the food down.
The surly brunette spared her a sly comeback. The trouble with Natsumi was, with her, you were never quite sure whether she was giving you an innocent insult or a well-delivered compliment – or both. Besides, Ban knew better than to talk back to someone who was bearing gifts.
Natsumi passed Ban his usual mug of coffee and placed a glass of iced tea in front of Ginji. To the boys' delight, two plates of sandwiches were on the table as well. "Eat up, guys. My treat. You're lucky you came in on my payday. For some reason, I'm feeling rather generous today," she gushed.
"Wow, Natsumi-chan! Is this a BLT sandwich?" Ginji sat up then lowered his head into the plate until his eyeballs practically touched the bread. "I haven't had one of these in – in - ages!"
"I swear, Natsumi. I'm waiting for the day you buy this rat-hole and kick that cheapskate to the curb," the spiky-haired retriever cackled and tauntingly jerked a thumb in Paul's direction.
The teenager giggled some more.
"Hey. That may someday be the case. But you better believe I'm still going to hound you over your tab, even if I have to do it from beyond my rotting grave," Paul droned. He noisily ruffled his newspaper. "Natsumi, are you sure you want to waste your salary on these two knuckleheads? They're getting awfully spoilt…"
She hugged the tray close and turned to her concerned employer with an assuring grin. "It's no bother, Master. I really don't have much to spend it on anyway."
"But you've got the whole summer to look forward to. Don't you have any vacation plans with your father or your friends?"
Natsumi shook her head. "Dad's way too busy to even think of taking a holiday this year. And my friends are already either touring Europe or sunning themselves on some beach in Hawaii. So, basically, I'm stuck here." Curiously she didn't sound very disappointed.
"Europe? Hawaii?" Ban whistled. " - And they didn't ask you to come along?" Sweetie, with friends like those – "
"Oh, no! It's not that at all. The girls practically begged me to go with them…" She waved her hand. Sheepishly, she continued with a shrug. "But working a full-time summer job is good, too." Natsumi cast her gaze downwards, shiny pewter-gray eyes unconsciously tarrying on the tousled blond head that was still staring hard at the sandwich.
"Work? In this dump? You've got to be kidding –" Ban snorted as he brought the coffee mug to his lips. Then he caught the girl's coy, subtly longing gesture from the corner of his keen eye.
The highly perceptive Get Backer lightly blew at the hot liquid through the tiny smile that formed on his cynical face.
He understood completely.
As usual, Ginji was oblivious – a novice with two left feet in this waltz of glances and innuendoes. His attention remained fixed on the dish before him, fingers drumming anxiously on the rim of the plate.
"It's not poisoned, Gin-chan," Natsumi laughed.
"I know, but –" He looked up at the beaming face above and then over to the red-headed barkeep behind him with pleading doe eyes.
"Awww. Don't look at me." Paul threw up his hands and pages went flying. "She's paying for it."
"Thanks, Natsu-mmmpph…" Ginji garbled his gratitude by immediately stuffing a triangle of bread into his mouth. "Oomp, mmph, mmm.."
"You're welcome," she answered and happily skipped back to her station behind the counter. Natsumi started to hum a love song as she turned on the faucet to wash the dishes.
Paul's ears were attuned to the peculiar cheer in the girl's voice as it melodiously harmonized with the gentle rush of water and the clink of tableware. Meanwhile, his hidden eyes watched hopelessly as the Get Backers clawed at each other over the sudden disappearance of a piece of bacon.
The quirks of youngsters caught up in the fever pitch of summer. I'm getting too old for this, the restaurant owner lamented.
"Say, guys. Since you're delivering the shrine to the summer festival later, why don't you take Natsumi with you? That way, you can clean out the pantry of some other poor sap while I get to keep whatever food I have left for, you know, paying customers," Paul suggested.
"Hmm?" The waitress paused her chores and tilted her head to one side.
Ginji munched on the remains of what was now just a lettuce and tomato sandwich. "Hey! That's right! You should come with us, Natsumi-chan. I bet the festival will be lots of fun."
"Oh… Um, I'm not sure…"
"It's all right. I'm thinking of closing shop early, anyway," Paul said. "Rena can finish up here when she gets back from the market."
Natsumi's doubtful dark eyes searched Ban's for a sign of approval. What she saw instead was a twinkle.
"I don't see why not," he casually shrugged. "We'll call and pick you up from your place sometime before seven, okay?"
"Yay! I just know the three of us are going to have a great time!" Ginji exclaimed with joy.
Natsumi tucked the loose strands of her hair behind an ear and smiled. Strangely, though, she could've sworn Ban winked at her.
---
Ginji craned his neck upwards and regarded the Ladybug's roof just inches from his worried face. "Ban-chan, are you absolutely, positively certain this thing isn't gonna cave-in on us? I think the roof is sagging…"
"Give my car some credit, will 'ya? She's a lot tougher than she looks," Ban replied with nary an ounce of concern. Bored, he had arms folded against the steering wheel, his head cradled in them and perennial cigarette dangling from his smirking lips.
But the blond had reason to be circumspect. Four black cedar poles lay astride the tiny vehicle supporting a cube resembling a miniature Shinto shrine. It was elaborately covered with metal motifs painted in gold, green, and red and had decorations of phoenix statues, bells, and even a small torii (3) gate in front. Scale-sized Japanese lanterns hung from the four corners of its sienna-coloured roof. No doubt, the Ladybug was a bizarre sight to behold as it waited conspicuously in front of the posh condominium in Shinjuku's Skyscraper District.
Ban sneakily decided to change the subject. "Oi. Aren't you wondering about the reason why Natsumi passed up on those trips abroad?"
"Duh. Were you even listening?" Ginji shot his partner a funny look. "Natsumi-chan wanted to work full-time at the Honky Tonk. She said so herself."
"No. I mean the real reason," he pushed on.
"Should there be?"
"Sheesh. Why do I bother?" Ban muttered quietly and shook his head. Then, as if prompted by some invisible cue, the two boys simultaneously shifted their gazes out the passenger's side window and spotted their high school friend joking with the doorman inside the building's lobby. Waving her good-byes, Natsumi exited out the glass doors and carefully walked down the front steps on her tabi socks-and-geta (4) sandaled feet.
A duet of soft, involuntary gasps escaped from the surprised retrievers' gaping mouths.
"I hope I didn't keep you waiting too long," she sang out apologies in her clear, high-pitched voice.
The Get Backers failed to answer as they continued to gawk. Rarely had they seen Natsumi dressed in anything other than a school uniform or nondescript casuals. Now, however, she seemed to them as a living porcelain hina (5) doll in her elegant, ecru yukata (6). The summer dress had an ikebana (7) arrangement of tangerine, lemon yellow and salmon poppies with stem, leaves and vines in metallic green and silver printed on one side; while single little poppy buds in he same colours dotted the rest of the robe in a pattern. A plain apple green obi (8) completed the outfit and was tied behind Natsumi's back in a neat puffy bow.
Meanwhile, her hair was done in a trendy, slightly disheveled up-do that was held in place by a traditional hana kanzashi (9) hair ornament, leaving a curl of tresses to dangle flirtatiously on the left side of her face.
"Wow." Ginji couldn't help but sigh again as Natsumi landed on the bottom step of the stairs.
"So this is the notorious stolen mikoshi. How cute! Congratulations, guys! The Get Backers' success rate, still at one-hundred percent!" Natsumi cheered, her matching embroidered silk drawstring purse swinging wildly as she clapped.
Ban knew he just had to adore a girl who never once inserted the word 'almost' into their catchphrase. "That's why tonight, we celebrate!" He smiled. There was a few seconds of silence among them as Ban waited for Ginji to snap out of his enchanted reverie. He roughly shoved his partner's shoulder in exasperation. "Well, let her in, dummy!"
Ginji blinked. "Oh. Oh yeah. Right." Quickly, he got out of the car and pulled down the front passenger seat for Natsumi. Daintily, she gathered her skirt and settled into the back. Her entrance was a welcome respite from the nicotine-saturated faux leather aroma of the 360's interior. The boys breathed in deep, as if blasted with a breath of fresh air that instantly filled the cabin with the mixed scent of vanilla and newly harvested berries.
Kneeling on the seat like a hyperactive child and with his head smooshed against the roof, Ginji faced the teenager and flashed her a stupid, lopsided grin. "You look really nice, Natsumi-chan. I mean really –"
"Down, boy," Ban mumbled as he flicked his cig out into the street and cranked his car into gear. Stealthily, he ventured another glance at his passenger through the rear-view mirror. He wholeheartedly concurred. Natsumi looked lovely indeed.
"Thanks." She blushed. Then the Subaru hit a bump in the road and the mikoshi skidded slightly to the side. Stiffening in her seat, she pointed above her head. "Er, Ban-san. Are you sure this is safe? I think it rolled off a bit there…"
"She'll hold. It's securely tied to the roof," he reiterated as he floored the brakes hard at a red light. The mini-shrine screeched and jerked some more.
"Oh. Okay then," Natsumi squeaked as she sank further into the cushions.
"You can trust Ban-chan." Ginji winked. "Besides, I'm keeping watch so if this thing begins to crash, I'll be here to protect you."
Ban's eyes were doing pinwheels in his head. The dimwit was laying it on thick, he thought. He wondered where Ginji's 'Chicken Little' act had disappeared to all of a sudden.
Natsumi's trepidation slowly vanished. "You're too much, Gin-chan," she laughed.
"Yeah. I agree. He's too much," Ban gagged.
---
The trio of joyriders knew they were nearing the matsuri when traffic began crawling at a snail's pace and they could hear the thunderous hypnotic rhythms of taiko (10) drums drawing them near to the imperial gardens of Shinjuku Gyoen Park. The beats seemed to syncopate with each meter the car traveled and the festive air grew heavy as they approached the forested grounds of the Shinto temple sponsoring the annual event – a normally serene pastoral refuge now strung about with colourful lights and buntings.
Ban honked his horn impatiently as flocks of people weaved between the bumper-to-bumper line of barely moving vehicles – beleaguered parents chasing after their boisterous imps; groups of office workers coming in straight from rush hour for the free entertainment and cheap eats; gaggles of teenage girls showing off their flashy, designer yukata; and hordes of school children in their hakucho and hachimaki (11) getting ready for the shrine parade.
"Aw, geez. This is gonna take forever," Ban grumbled as he agitatedly pinked on the steering wheel. He turned to his partner and ordered, "Why don't you two go on ahead while I loop around to the other side of the temple. Ishikawa-sensei and her kids are probably going to assemble over at the parking lot where the procession is going to start."
Ginji frowned. "But Ban-chan, who's gonna help you bring down the mikoshi?"
"Don't worry," he scoffed. "I'm quite sure the boys who are going to carry this behemoth are built like midget sumo wrestlers so we'll manage. Now go!" The brunette shooed them off with his hand.
"Well, okay. If you say so," Ginji acceded, a bit bewildered. He unlatched the door and gallantly assisted Natsumi out of the car.
"We really don't mind waiting with you," the waitress insisted, peeking back through the window.
"I'll be fine." Ban hooked onto her with deep, knowing eyes. "Natsumi, don't let him get lost, all right?" Giving her one last small smile, he put the 360 in reverse and ramped off into the opposite lane. "I'll catch up with you guys later. Ja!" He shouted over the noise and scampered away.
Natsumi nodded as she watched the strange-looking car with a palanquin on top go. She knew and - at the same time – didn't know what Ban meant by that 'lost' comment.
"I guess we should go inside then," Ginji suggested meekly as they saw the Subaru turn a far corner.
"Mm."
The couple got off the side of the street and up on the narrow thoroughfare flooded with a flow of merrymakers. As they were practically carried by the human wave towards the shrine entrance, Ginji instinctively put a protective arm around Natsumi's shoulders and tried to shield her as best he could from the crush. Finally free from the gauntlet, they were greeted by a wide expanse of space filled with trees, manicured lawns and pruned bushes with the temple looming on a hill high above the grounds some distance away.
Beyond the temple's torii gate, a makeshift wooden stage had been set up and was decorated with gaily- striped cloth banners. Strings of red lanterns cordoned off a large area where traditional bon odori (12) dancers were now performing to the music of drums, flutes and shamisen (13).
Most of the people were now gathered around the welcoming orchestra listening to the music and joining in the dancing while they awaited the parade of mikoshi. Others, meanwhile, roamed the winding booth-lined paths that lead in and out of the temple and its gardens; cheerfully-lighted kiosks that sold standard festival fare, from grilled food, dumplings, sweets and snow cones; to paper fans and trinkets to make wishes on.
Ginji took a moment to drink in this convivial atmosphere, his glance wandering from sight to happy sight.
Natsumi gazed up at her awe-struck companion. Placing a hand on his arm, she gently guided him into the middle of the festivities as screaming, laughing children darted around them. "Don't tell me you've never been to a summer matsuri before."
"We've been to a few, but only to distribute flyers." Ginji wrinkled his nose. "Ban-chan says that if we browse, I'd just get distracted by all the food and games and stuff we can't afford." He sighed. "He's such a killjoy sometimes."
"You've got to admit, though, he sort of has a point," she snickered. Natsumi stopped Ginji just as they were directly underneath the torii. "But you're stuck with me now and we don't have any flyers to hand out. So, I'm allowing you to do whatever you want."
The blond's soulful brown eyes lit up. "Anything?" He grinned.
"Anything," Natsumi pledged. She had hands clamped behind her and rocked back and forth on her heels like an excited little girl. "So, where do you want to start?"
They stood in the middle of the gateway, the last rays of a dazzling watercolour sunset streaming down through the tops of the trees and lending a warm peach-pink glow to Natsumi's earnest face. Ginji thought there was nothing more than the radiant smile she beamed that could make the girl in front of him look prettier than she already was. But he was pleasantly proven wrong time and again while the day drew to a close.
As the promises of dusk submitted to the secrets of darkness, Ginji had a feeling this approaching night was one he was never going to forget.
---
Ban sat on the hood of his Ladybug, conveniently and thoughtfully parked in the only vacant space he could find – the shrine's Zen rock garden.
With immense self-satisfaction, he watched as his young clients had themselves and their just-recovered heirloom exorcised in a purification ritual by the temple's priest before noisily joining in the convoy of parading mikoshi. Job completed, Ban jumped off the car and walked over to the nearest booth that sold booze. He thought he'd splurge a little as he fished out a few coins from his pocket and dropped them on the counter.
The swarthy, middle-aged concessionaire viewed Ban suspiciously for a few seconds. Finally, he spoke. "Ordinarily, I'd ask how old you were, sonny. But those eyes of yours… they aren't like any I've seen on a teenager before."
"Believe me, these eyes are older than I ever care to count," the Jagan master deadpanned. "How many beers?"
The man counted the coins with a finger. "Two. But seeing how you're all alone here on a night like this, you look like you need more." He took out four ice-cold cans and put them in a plastic bag. He also threw in a big packet of peanuts. "On me."
"Don't need your sympathy, old man. But thanks anyway," Ban smirked and carried off the bag with a backhanded wave.
"Don't mention it. Pay me back in another lifetime."
Heh. Figures. A kindred soul. Ban smiled as he stepped off the crowded, raucous lanes and strolled deeper into the wooded gardens. He climbed up a flight of stone stairs that led into a grotto, sat on the landing and lit up a cigarette – his silhouette and the orange flame from Yamato's lighter in silent communion against the moonlight.
Ban threw his head back and the big cloud of smoke he exhaled was one of great relief. For once, the Get Backers received their fee intact, with no strings attached and no pitfalls involved. He and Ginji could probably get a room for the night and eat well for a week or two. But Ban wondered… How long did they expect to live like that?
He was surprised the thought crossed his mind. For Mido Ban didn't think much about the future. Cursed men such as he never did. But it occurred to him that neither he nor his partner ever talked about what they would do after they completed all the pieces of the puzzle, after their destinies had been decided - after the last battle had been fought.
It was because they knew that by asking those questions they were tempting fate, knowing full well it was possible that one – or both - of them would not even survive to learn the answers.
So they didn't ask. The future would have to wait… if and when it comes.
But Ginji…
Ban tapped his foot and held his head in his hands. He mused on whether he made the right decision by leaving Ginji to explore specks of a future on his own, here in this world outside of Mugenjou, away from his kind, away from him. Because if there was anyone who could bend fate to his own will, it was Ginji. Ban just hoped this foray into the unknown wouldn't hurt the boy in the process.
And then there was Natsumi…
Of all the women surrounding his partner, Ban felt the sweet, innocent girl was the most incapable of ever hurting him. She wasn't taken (unlike Madoka), loopy (as Rena sometimes was), a blood-sucking leech (definitely Hevn), and never made any attempts to murder him (pretty much everyone else). The worst she'd ever done to Ginji was make him do the dishes after losing the innumerable silly bets they made. And lose he always did. Yet, somehow, the twerp kept coming back for more.
Ban also realized that Natsumi had the distinction of never having been subjected to his own lecherous whims. Sure, he'd tried to peep on her once at the hot springs (with a not-so-reluctant Ginji no less) and gotten her drunk on occasion just so that he could see her turn into a bouncing basket case of giggles. But, so far, she had miraculously escaped his name-calling and impromptu squeezes (not that there was much to squeeze, but still...).
Maybe the reason Ban treated Natsumi with kid gloves was that he respected her too much – like a little sister. And maybe he did it out of respect for Ginji. For even as the blond went on his merry way chasing every skirt that crossed his line of sight, without a doubt, the boy had an undeniable soft spot for the Honky Tonk waitress.
It dawned on the dark-haired Get Backer that unconsciously, he had merely tried to keep Natsumi pure, unspoiled and uncorrupted for his partner – just the way Ginji liked her.
And now, as Ban sat alone on the stone steps biding his time, he was allowing Ginji to pursue a future he might want – with a girl who wanted him…
… the only girl he trusted to give his best friend everything he himself could not.
Because Ban honestly believed, that between the two of them, it was Amano Ginji who deserved a future beyond Ura Shinjuku, beyond the Get Backers, far away and separate from the perils of the life they now shared.
Ginji, not he.
Ban laughed bitterly as he dragged on every last bit of nicotine his cigarette could spare. He thought how funny it would be if those two actually hit it off and produced very cute, saucer-eyed, but none-too-bright human electric eel offspring. He pondered if it was wise to have more Ginjis unleashed into the world.
Yes. Most definitely, yes, Ban decided and laughed again, instantly losing the acrimony and gloom in his voice. He fiddled with the lighter and stared at its proud, steady flame before torching another cancer stick. Shaking his head, he smiled. "Dammit. The things I do…"
And they say Mido Ban was a greedy, selfish bastard.
---
(to be continued)
---
(1) mikoshi – a portable Shinto shrine that is paraded during Japanese festivals to drive evil spirits away. Some are as big as a small house while others are small and light for children to carry.
(2) matsuri – literally, 'festival'.
(3) torii – a wooden gate, usually painted orange and black, that marks the entrance to a Shinto shrine.
(4) tabi and geta – 'tabi' aresocks worn with 'geta', traditional raised wooden clogs.
(5) hina – literally, 'doll'. Hina dolls are collected by Japanese girls and taken out for display on 'Girl's Day' (March 3).
(6) yukata – lightweight cotton kimono or robe usually worn during summer festivals and in ryokans (inns).
(7) ikebana - Japanese flower arrangement art.
(8) obi – colourful sash tied around the waist while wearing a kimono or yukata.
(9) hana kanzashi - ornamental flower hairpin favoured by junior geishas (maiko). Usually made of silk with long fluttering strings of blossoms dangling from the pin.
(10) taiko – traditional Japanese drum
(11) hakucho and hachimaki - 'hakucho' is the short, white uniform worn by those who carry a mikoshi and the 'hachimaki' is the matching head band.
(12) bon odori – traditional Japanese dance performed to welcome and console newly departed souls of ancestors.
(13) shamisen - Japanese lute-like instrument with three strings.
AN : Sorry for all the Japanese references, but describing a summer festival without its more salient features is darn near impossible. :D Apologies also if this story is far from being themed to the winter season. I've always wanted to go to a summer matsuri, hence the overkill hehe.
A special note to Bahaghari. If you're reading this, rest assured I read your "Sum of the Parts" review through e-mail (even though it didn't appear on the review page) and I appreciate it greatly. Thanks! Hope you'll like this story as well.
Peace!