War of the Tiger and Dragon

Natsuki was staying at the tavern that doubled as an inn. The two were in separate parts of the building, the tavern being on the left side and the entrance to the inn on the right side. The kind old man that ran the herb shop was also in charge of the bath house near the tavern and said she could have a bath any time she wanted free of charge. Once she tied her hair back, she left her room with mini Nemo at her side dressed as a normal village girl. She hated wearing long kimonos. They were very constricting and hot. Still, she had to put up with it. She also couldn't wear her special choker her father gave her. She didn't want to risk someone seeing it and knowing she was from the tiger clan.

She walked down the stairs and outside toward her cart keeping an eye out for anything strange. The village was busy and full of people walking up and down the street. She stood by her cart and prepared herbs for selling as people passed by looking at what she had to sell. Nemo made himself comfy on top of the cart pretending to nap.

Roku finally got the Tavern up and going, ready for business. The cook was cooking food out the back and ROku was making sure the place was running smoothly when the afternoon got later and other people from all around Kyoto got coming in, for drinks and some hot food. A couple for a room to stay in for the night, usually simple folk traveling from the farms to city.

He made sure his patrons were behaving himself, the cook's daughters were acting as servers and Roku made sure that they were safe form being groped.

Once night began to fall, Natsuki closed up her cart and headed back into the tavern for a quick meal. Nemo followed behind her back inside.

'Go on upstairs, Nemo. The supplement will wear off shortly. I'll bring you some food back upstairs.' She said to him as she took as a seat at a table near the back keeping a low profile. Nemo listened and hurried upstairs without being noticed.

The tavern was busy and plenty of business for the first night, Roku kept up meeting new patrons and as well keeping the peace and keep the servers safe. "Welcome, take a seat." he heard the door bell ring as he was opened, he collected any dishes and then went over, "How can i-" he paused seeing this young woman that had just come in.

'Impossible.' he thought.

Natsuki took her hair down now that she was inside out of the heat. She preferred it down anyway. She looked around and observed the tavern patrons. Some seemed friendly enough while others began to get a bit tipsy.

A red headed man greeted her and she took a seat looking over the menu above the bar. Her eyes moved to the man that greeted her and then she froze. She recognized those eyes and that scruffy red hair. She tried her best not to react.

'It couldn't be...' She thought to herself. 'That can't be him...' They stared at one another for a few seconds before she finally spoke up. "Umm, yes I was hoping to get a small Unagi Rice Bowl please..." She said quickly trying to avoid his gaze.

"Uh...Yes! Of course miss." he said, "....any sake or spirits tonight?" he asked her, trying to stay in character. 'This is an issue. My father mentioned that the enemy clan may be involved......but this is not good.' he said, if it was Natsuki.....she KNOWS his face and would KNOW why he would be here.

He got her order to the kitchen.

"Sake will be fine." She said. After such a discovery, she could really use a drink.

"Damn it!" She cursed to herself once he walked away. "This isn't good. Of all people, why did he have to be here?!" She sighed and watched him keeping her face calm and unreadable.

"This complicates things a bit. He must be here for the same reason I am..." She thought hard trying to decide if she should tell Nemo about this or not. He was such an uptight old cat. He would probably do his best to have her thrown off the mission. He would scold her and say there was no room for distractions.

She sighed heavily trying to figure out what to do. It was obvious that he knew who she was. Otherwise, he wouldn't have frozen like that. Part of her was happy to see him sure, but not like this.

Roku brought her Sake first and placed it all on her table, "Tonights Sake is a southern province Rice Sake." he said, "A rather nice blend I think." he said, still playing his Tavern role.

"Your unagi rice bowl will be out in a moment." he said, walking away, '...........this is going to be complicated....I'll get in trouble if she intervenes and My father will KILL me if finds out i let her go the first time.....' he sighed a little.

Natsuki focused when she saw the supposed Roku coming back with her Sake. He set it down and she poured herself a little bit.

"Mm, it is indeed delicious." She downed it quickly and poured herself another one. "Thank you." She thanked him and watched him walk away.

'This isn't good...grandfather expects me to kill any enemy the first opportunity I get. Especially if it is a Dragon. I just need to watch him for a bit and see if I can figure out if it is Roku for certain.' She downed the second helping quickly while she waited for her food.

She began to work out a plan in her head. One thing that would confirm her suspicions is if he had the dagger with him. It was the one solid piece of evidence she could use to confirm it was him.

Eventually he got her food, "Here you are. Give me shout if you need anything." he said with a friendly smile as he went on to continue his other jobs.

As closing time approached, he was sending out the drunk patrons, "Off you go now, I'm closing up, come back tomorrow." he said as he escorting the laughing fools out. He then noticed the young lady was still there. But he knew why she would be sticking about. He walked over. He knew the cook and his daughters would have gone home not long ago.

"...........Is there something i can help you with miss?" he asked.

Natsuki thought carefully about how to approach this situation. She took her chop sticks and put a bit of the cooked eel in her mouth. It was really good. She watched the Roku look alike walk around and clean tables and gather dishes as patrons left. It was getting late and the bar was soon empty.

Natsuki was the last one left in the tavern. Her bowl was empty and so was her sake bottle. She had come up with a plan to get close to this guy and see if he was actually her ninja.

He finally approached and spoke to her. 'Show time.' She said to herself.

"Oh no...that will be all for...me. Hic." She hiccuped trying to put on the act that she was drunk. She used a heating ointment to make her cheeks seem very flushed. She went to stand but stumbled right into him.

"I-I'm sorry...I got a bit dizzy..." She looked up into his eyes with the most innocent and loving look she could muster.

Roku nodded and he was about to help her out of the establishment, but got surprised when she flopped against him, 'I only brought her one bottle!' he said, 'She can't be drunk!' he thought it was odd, 'No way....'

"That's alright miss, Allow me to escort you out." he said.

"O-Okay...thank you." She stayed close and pressed her body against his slowly pinning him between her and the table behind him. "You know...you have quite a handsome face." She touched his cheeks gently and brought her face closer to his.

He tried not to push her off right away, still not sure if she was drunk or not, "um...thanks.....now its time that you head on...." he said but before he could say anything else.....

Natsuki moved closer, pushing her knee up between his legs and leaned in to kiss him slowly. Her hands wandered down his chest and down his sides. She pushed her tongue past his lips to keep him entertained while her hands wandered. She moaned with a hint of lust in her voice.

It seemed to be working so far. He didn't seem to suspect her and only thought she was acting up because she was drunk.

He felt her hands roaming him and he was surprised as she kissed him. He didn't keep any bulky weapons on him but he had a couple shurikin in the back on his obi, but he stopped her hands, "Uh...as nice as that is You will need to go..." he chuckled sheepishly.

He got her standing and he got her to door, "You have a good night miss." he said, trying to get her out as quick as possible.

Natsuki hated to admit it, but part of her was enjoying herself. Getting to make out with a handsome man her age and feeling up on him. She snickered to herself internally and almost reached around to his back side but he suddenly stopped her and pulled away from her kiss.

She licked her lips savoring his taste. "Mmm, thank you for a wonderful ending to a long hard day." She winked at him and pretended to stumble toward the door, but not before she gave his ass a firm smack to get a feel for any weapons he may have been hiding. She indeed felt something hard in his obi. 'Hmm...I wonder.' She stumbled out the door and toward the stairs giving him a flirty wave.

Once he was out of sight, she was finally able to walk and act normally. "Hmm, I have a hunch but I need more solid evidence to be sure. I'll have to keep an eye on him."

She made it back to her room and saw Nemo sleeping by the window in his normal form.

"ROku finally got her to go and sighed in relief, "Oh gods above you've tested me MUCH tonight." he said, heading on up to his room, but made sure to lock everything before heading on up.

He sniffed himself and sighed, "I'll need to bathe soon, i maybe away form home but I can not keep up my cleanliness." he said to himself. "I might need to head next door for a wash up......but.....I'll say that girl almost found my shurikin." he sighed, "Good thing i didn't have my daito." meaning the dagger.

Natsuki took off her heavy robes and laid back on her bed staring up at the ceiling. She was still unsure about that guy. "I can't decide if it is him or not. I felt something hard in his obi, but it could have been anything..." She sighed and covered her head with a pillow.

"I'll just have to keep a close eye on him until I figure out who he is..." She removed the pillow from her face and held it to her stomach turning onto her side. Soon after, she fell asleep.

Roku too was conflicted to believe if the girl was Natsuki or not, "....She's identical......but it MUSt be a coincidence." he sighed, undressing for bed and got into his futon. He looked at the ceiling for a bit, always on alert as a shinobi...but he nodded off into slumber soon enough.

the next morning...

Roku was up early, going to the forest to run and stretch his legs a little, he ash[t going to not keep up with his skills, he HAD to maintain them.

Natsuki awoke with the sun bright and early. She left out of her room without waking Nemo to go downstairs and do some investigating. She entered the tavern and saw that it wasn't open yet and the Roku look alike was nowhere to be seen. "Whew, now I can look around." She entered the tavern wearing her ninja clothing so she could sneak around and look for clues behind the bar and in the kitchen.

Roku was only out for an hour, as he would need to wash up and be ready for the day soon. He was running back over the rooftops and back to his tavern. "The steam for he hot spring would be a good idea this morning, a good wash up and breakfast will be good." he smiled, eager to get to it.

But as he got back....something felt off. '............I feel like I'm not alone...' he thought and pulled his ninja mask over his mouth and snuck over to the window that looked into his room at the top.

Natsuki looked around and found nothing of significance in the kitchen. She scurried around quickly and moved to the bar looking around behind the counter and on the shelves.

"Damn it! Nothing." She stood still for a moment listening to the sounds of the sleeping inn. It was still early morning and the sun hadn't been up long. She felt and looked around for anything that might aid in her mission or give her a hint as to who that man was that she ran into last night that looked like Roku.

She looked all over the tavern and found nothing. "I wonder if he lives close by or even has a room here at the inn?" She said to herself as she climbed out a window to use the rooftops to get back to her room so she wouldn't be seen.

Nemo was startled by a noise overhead. He awoke and saw that Natsuki was nowhere to be found. He stuck his head outside looking to see what the noise could be. 'Natsuki, wherever you are by alert. There is someone sneaking about the inn.'

Natsuki heard his warning when she was halfway out the tavern window. 'Gotcha.' She replied back.

Roku got his head fully covered and just a eye-slit to see out of, he didn't want to risk being seen fully incase it jeopardised his mission during the day. He slipped into her window and hid above the door way, waiting for this intruder to come up to his room....which he KNEW they would eventually. He and his dagger on his person this time, and a couple of shukiken. Waiting for the perfect time.....

Looking up, Natsuki saw the intruder go into a window on the inn side of the building. She knew something was up.

'I just saw someone slip into a window. I'm going to investigate.' She told Nemo as she made her way to the open window. She was wearing a cloak along with her usual outfit to better conceal her identity. She pulled up the hood and carefully entered the room looking around for the intruder. The room was pitch dark except for the light shining in from the open window. She stood in the sunlight, covering the front of her body in shadows.

"Where did you go?" She said very low so only she could hear. She had a weapon ready in hand in case someone tried to surprise her.