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+--- Thread: The Watanabe Kazoku Manor (/showthread.php?tid=51296)
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The Watanabe Kazoku Manor - Chrysalis - 12-10-2010
THE HOUSE OF THE HONORABLE WATANABE KAZOKU
![[Image: img01.jpg]](http://i1094.photobucket.com/albums/i455/Mare123King/img01.jpg)
The Manor Courtyard enterance, with its artificialy induced lights and expensive plants.
As you aproach the gates of the courtyard, you seem to be filled with a peacefull feeling that may be caused by the artificial sounds, lights, smell and even wind that remind all those Dragons that have once visited a planet, of its beauties. As you proceed further, you are greeted by two Kazoku guards who offer to carry your belongings. The gates open and you spot a large garden with a large column supporting the Asteroid cave walls. On this column you see a large banner of the Blood Dragons that fills your heart with a strange feeling, a feeling of safety and power.
![[Image: DragonsLogo.png]](http://i1094.photobucket.com/albums/i455/Mare123King/DragonsLogo.png)
Some people are already in the house, ocupied with conversations and drinks. As you enter the Main Hall you are greeted by Masaru Watanabe: Konnichiwa honorable guest, please make yourself comfortable or occupy yourself with any diversions we can offer.
The Watanabe Kazoku Manor - podgie_bear - 12-10-2010
Tanaka Ken steps reverently up to the gate and pauses as the gate slowly opens before him. Entering the courtyard he bows deeply to the two Kazoku guards who approach him. As they offer to carry his belongings, he politely replies that his sword is his only belonging and that he must retain it so that he is able to defend his master should he be called upon to do so. Bowing deeply to the guards once more, he then proceeds into the garden and stops before the Blood Dragon banner which is unfurled upon the pillar. Sinking to his knees, he bows his head to the neatly trimmed grass and prays about the gratitude he feels at having been given the chance to redeem his life in service to the Watanabe Kozoku and rejoices in the fact that he is no longer a masterless ronin.
Then becoming aware that he is being watched by Masaru Watanabe himself, he quickly rises to his feet and strides to the main doors of the house where he begins to apologise for making him wait, but is stopped with a smile and an invitation to enter as an honoured guest. Almost overcome with emotion, he barely able to exclaim "Hai". Then bowing deeply he manages to recover himself and says, "Arigatou gozaimasu".
Upon entering the main hall, he positions himself unobtrusively against the wall and assumes a kneeling posture, seemingly relaxed, but ready to rise Katana in hand if necessary to counter any perceived threat. Graciously he declines the offer of some saki from a traditionally dressed Geisha and politely requests some Green Tea if it would not be too much trouble. Then, still in his kneeling posture, he slowly sips the refreshing tea which he holds in his left hand while his right hand never strays from the hilt of his Katana and he waits patiently for whatever may occour.
The Watanabe Kazoku Manor - Chrysalis - 12-10-2010
Watanabe Masaru, Toshiro and Takahiro stand at the end of the great hall where the feast is taking place. They speak of matters important to the family when Takahiro mentions: "My sons, we have a new member among us. A young and inexpirienced man, but fire of a warrior i see in his eyes." Takahiro pauses for a moment to gaze over the crowd and spots Tanaka. He makes a gesture with his hand, showing Tanaka to approach and speak with them.
![[Image: Kazokulogo.png]](http://i1094.photobucket.com/albums/i455/Mare123King/Kazokulogo.png)
Tanaka approaches with an uncertain look on his face, that changes when he spots Takahiro's warm smiling face and his long white beard. Toshiro is standing on the right side of Takahiro, while Masaru has taken his place on Takahiro's left. Takahiro makes a slight bow to the young warrior followed by Masaru, while Toshiro only prononces a slight Konbanwa greeting, keeping his usual cold face. Takahiro then asks the Tanaka: "Tell us young warrior, how do you feel among your new family. Do you find it to your liking?" He then starts pulling his fingers through his long beard and awaits to hear what does the young warrior have to say.
The Watanabe Kazoku Manor - podgie_bear - 12-10-2010
"I feel greatly honoured by your generosity in allowing me to join your clan and your family master Takahiro", Tenaka replies, then he bows deeply to Takahiro first, then to Toshiro and finally to Masaru.
Tenaka feels feels a sudden chill disturb his sense of wellbeing, and his eyes are drawn to Toshiro's face. Deep in the centre of his being, a small voice warns him that Toshiro may turn out to be a major problem for him.
Tenaka looked directly into Toshiro's eyes and realised that he had seen that same look before. Toshiro had the look of a man with deep emotional problems and insecurities, who hid behind a veneer of coldness. That was born out by what Tenaka had seen of how Toshiro behaved towards those of lower rank than himself, the cool courtesy but lack of outward respect to his servants and underlings. Tenaka had seen this very same attitude in his own father and knew the problems that it could cause unnecessarily. He smiled warmly at Toshiro, while fervently praying that the man just needed to get laid and that there was no deep character flaw which would cause estrangement between them.
The Watanabe Kazoku Manor - Chrysalis - 12-10-2010
Toshiro lifted his gaze upon his uncle Takahiro and said: "Excuse me honorable Takahiro-sama, but there is an urgent matter i must discuss with you. Please join me in my work office later." He then made a quick nod that signified a goodbye and climbed the stairs leading to the upper levels of the house. Takahiro and Masaru said to Tenaka: "Please, son. Join us at that table so we can discuss whatever you wih to discuss, what you have liked and well what you did not. And let us just...enjoy ourselves." Takahiro gestured with his hand to a nearby table that smelled of recently cut trees. You take your place at the table and Takahiro and Masaru follow. Masaru takes a bottle of sake from a nearby night table and puts it in the center of the table. Takahiro then starts to speak while Masaru smiles to a young Chrysanthemum girl: "We have existed on this rock for a long time young one, longer than anyone can remember. And we all feel the need to be on a planet, to stand on real soil, feel real wind and fell the smell of the ocean that exists as a trademark sign of Kusarian planets. For this purpose..." Takahiro starts pulling his fingers through his long white beard looking mystical and yet radiating some kind of an aura that fuels all around him with hope and positive feelings. "...we have created the garden you saw outside the house, to recreate the feeling of planets to all dragons, so they can finally feel what is it like to be on one. Though this garden is only a copy of the even more beautifull Garden of Wisdom that exists in the Imperial Court of our beloved Taishogun, its beuty is great." Masaru stands up and says: Forgive me brothers, but I have some urgent business i must finish." He stands up, and follows a young chrysanthemum girl through a door, to what Takahiro only chuckles. "Now tell me young Tenaka, is there something that is troubling you?"
The Watanabe Kazoku Manor - podgie_bear - 12-15-2010
Tenaka looks into Takahiro's kindly face, seems for a moment as if he is struggling to be able to say anything at all, then sighs deeply and says, "Master, there are many things which worry me, but of them all only three things that are of such great concern that you might need to be appraised of them. Firstly, I am afraid of any harm that my past may bring to your house. Secondly, what I have seen of your house gives me concern for the future. And thirdly, I have a deep dark secret that I am afraid will change how you look upon me for ever."
Then sinking to his knees before Takahiro, Tenaka bowed his head to the ground and said, "My Master, I will gladly talk to you of the first and second concerns, but I need time to be able to decide how to best deal with the third. Which of the first two do you wish me to talk about first?" Then raising his head from the floor, he sat back on his heels and gazed up into Takahiro's face once more and awaited his response.
The Watanabe Kazoku Manor - podgie_bear - 12-20-2010
Takahiro merely gazed serenely down at him and waited to see how young Tenaka would approach what he was sure were concerns about his son, Toshiro. He had been expecting there to be a clash of personalities as he could see the almost visible friction between them. It reminded him of two dogs, each wanting to be top dog in his own yard and protect his personal property, he could almost see their hackles rising whenever they came into contact with each other. So it came as something of a shock when Tenaka sighed deeply again and began telling of his past and how that past may prove a threat to the Watanabe family.
"Master, I have told you how my father was an Oyabun of a powerful Yakuza family and how he betrayed his master and brought dishonour upon our house. That he was killed for his betrayal and how my brother swore vengeance and attempted to kill our Yakuza Master. I also told of how I caught up with my brother as he broke in to the Manor where our master lived and how he had already killed three of the guards before I stopped him, how we were discovered by the Master and his personal bodyguards and how I knocked my brother to the floor unconscious. I told of how I pointed my sword at the Master and swore that though my brother had stopped me this time, I would come back and kill him to avenge the death of our father, so that I was believed to be the guilty one and my brother was the hero who stopped me."
"What I have not told you master, is that from that day onwards I have been a hunted man and that there is a death bounty upon me. Many people have tried to collect that bounty and my blade has sent numberless assassins to their ancestors, yet still they try. I fear that my presence here may lead to someone from your family being caught in the crossfire and I do not wish that to happen, but at the same time I do not wish to leave your family my master."
Takahiro stroked his long white beard as he considered Tenaka's words, there was merit in his concerns as well as merit that he put the family first and himself second. "Aah young one, you show promise by your concern for our family," he said, "but I believe that you have scant need to concern yourself in this matter. Once it is known that you are accepted into the Watanabe Kazuko, I think you will find that any would be assassin will fear us too much to consider attempting to kill you.".
Tenaka gazed sorrowfully into his masters eyes and said, "If only that could be true master, but I fear that the secret I carry is such that I can never be safe from their attempts. Even if I were to run to the ends of the universe, not only would the Yakuza continue to send assassins after me, but the Emperor himself would……."
Takahiro felt the first pangs of real worry as his mind struggled to think what could the secret be that it would concern the emperor himself. False emperor he may be, but his power is such that only something of truly epic proportions could make him concern himself in Yakuza business. He needed to know this secret, needed to know how it affected the emperor and how it could affect the Watanabe family! Trying to remain calm, he said, "Tenaka my son, for the good of our family, I must ask you to tell me of this dangerous secret that you keep."
The Watanabe Kazoku Manor - podgie_bear - 12-20-2010
Tenaka rose slowly to his feet and said, "Master, I …..".
Then he saw it! A glint of reflected light from the branches of the great tree in the centre of the garden. Reacting immediately and without out conscious thought, Tenaka performed a crouching spin kick which swept Takahiro from his feet and dumped him unceremoniously onto the grass. Then rising to meet the ninja assassin he knew it to be, Tenaka's hand moved with the speed of a striking Cobra. In one smooth motion he drew his Katana and threw it with all his force at the dark shape which leaped down from the tree.
………………………………………………………………………………………..
As Takahiro recovered from the shock of what had just happened to him, he allowed the guard who had sprinted to his side to help him to his feet. He gazed with open displeasure at the two other guards still running towards him and thought, "I must ensure that our guards react far more quickly! Why are they so slow, shouldn't they have been here as quickly as this first guard?". Then he remembered what had happened, spinning towards Tenaka, he saw the black-robed body pinned to the tree with the hilt of Tenaka's Katana protruding from the exact centre of his chest. "Hmm, pinned like a butterfly on display", he thought,"Thank the ancestors for Tenaka's inhuman speed and reactions".
As he opened his mouth to thank him, Tenaka turned slowly towards him and he saw the ragged hole where his throat should have been. As he watched in shock, Tenaka reached up and tugged a razor edged metal star from the wound, a Shuriken! Then he took a step towards Takahiro and fell to his knees.
Rushing forward, Takahiro caught Tenaka as he started to fall onto his face and said, "My son!" Tenaka appeared to try and say something, but with no throat there was only a gush of bright blood. With the last of his strength, he reached into his kimono and pulled out a small gold locket, which he clasped into Takahiro's hand.
Then as Takahiro gazed into his face, he saw the light slowly fade from his eyes as the life drained out of him along with the blood pumping from his ruined throat.
………………………………………………………………………………………..
As Toshiro raced across the garden, that was the scene that confronted him. Takahiro still supporting Tenaka's dead body as tears slowly dripped down onto his upturned face.
The Watanabe Kazoku Manor - podgie_bear - 12-20-2010
As Takahiro was lead away by some of the women of the house who would see to his wellbeing and while Toshiro's orders to search for any more danger to the family were carried out, Toshiro sat in his study and tried to contain the anger he felt at what had happened in the supposedly safe environment of Watanabe Manor!
Looking down at the small gold locket that had fallen from Takahiro's nerveless fingers, he wondered where it had come from, it look to be very old. Examining it closely, he found a small catch amongst the ornate gold filigree decorating it and when he pressed it, the locket opened and out fell two items. A small and obviously very modern data chip and a piece of rice paper that had been folded very small to fit inside the locket. Carefully unfolding the rice paper, he found a message printed upon it in beautifully executed ideographs.
Dredging through his memories, he recognised some of them as being ideographs he had seen in history tapes. Ideographs that came from the ancient Japanese writings of old Earth, writings so old that they were ancient even before the sleepership brought his people to Sirius to find their new home! Suddenly, he felt an excitement that he had not enjoyed in years. As a boy he had studied these very same types of ideographs and he had been expert at translating them back then, did he still have that ability?
…………………………………………..............………..
As the house guard entered Toshiro's study to inform him that the Manor grounds were secured and that extra guards were patrolling to ensure that no-one could possibly enter them without permission now, he saw something in his master's face that he had never seen before. His master had greeted the news in a distracted manner and waved him away without even shouting at him, which was most unusual. But even more unusual was the look of what seemed like fear on his face as he burned a small square of rice paper and allowed the ashes to fall into his waste bin.
The Watanabe Kazoku Manor - podgie_bear - 12-20-2010
One phrase kept going over and over in Toshiro's mind, "The yakuza were hired by the emperor to ensure that his son's bastard child by a concubine now known to be of the blood of the true emperor should not live to complicate matters. They are believed to have failed to carry out the contract successfully and that child may still live. Anyone believed to be in possession of this knowledge must be killed and the knowledge supressed at all costs!"
"Gods of my ancestors! What trouble has that bastard Tenaka brought to our house?"