The Rising DreadChapter: Lady Dearest
Karugata Asami had received the last piece of information while sitting in the Bloodriver Bar, having drinks with a shinobi from Konoha of all things. Of course, she couldn't just go chasing down the information immediately. She'd have to wait until a more 'polite' hour. Come the next day she had actually arisen at a decent hour, but not to train. No today Asami had to chase down the information and get to the bottom of this mystery that had somehow come to the core of her life some time ago. She made herself a quick breakfast, knowing Shinjiro was already out, and even let Tora have the day off. Of course the boy knew that something was off the moment she said that, but he wasn't going to question it.
Asami was dressed as she usually would, making clear her position not only as a shinobi but a member of the Seven Swordsmen of the Mist. She would need to make her standing clear for her trip today, for she was heading into the inner ring to meet with a woman named Karagata Mio. All the reports she had received back from her inquiries told her two things. This woman was beautiful, and she was also quite deadly. Still, nothing would deter Asami as she made her way to the woman's home and eventually came to knock on the door.
The door was opened by a young man who was clearly a slave. His clothing was simple and plain, his hair was long but pulled back and his demeanor was demure. He bowed deeply at the sight of Asami and asked no questions of her. He stepped aside and let her in, his next bow taking him to a kneeling position almost to the floor even as he went to close the door behind her. Asami simply raised an eyebrow as she watched him. Of course she was familiar with slaves and slavery within Kiri, she had just never had the money to own one herself until recently, and recently she simply hadn't bothered nor seen the need for one. Asami thrust her hands in her pockets and cleared her throat at the slave as he stayed on the floor a moment too long, making Asami antsy as she wondered just what she was supposed to do, but ahead of her it was another slave who spoke to get her attention. "This way, my lady." he said simply, also bowing to Asami in greeting. Asami still felt puzzled but followed in silence.
She was led to a sitting room, where she simply took a seat on a floor chair to make herself comfortable at a low tea table. Naturally the slave left for a moment and returned with a tea tray. He poured a cup for her and stepped away, leaning against the wall in silence. Asami was tempted to comment on the strange silence of the room, but refrained. And a moment later another woman stepped into the room. Asami lifted her head to look at the woman, and was surprised not just by the woman's beauty but also her youthful appearance. Her reports all indicated the woman was at least twenty years older than she was, and yet she almost looked like she could be Asami's slightly older sister.
"I'll forgive your lack of a bow this time... but in the future do remember whose house you are in. Seven Swordsman or not, Karugata, we observe all manners and decorum in my home." The woman's words were abrasive and her tone was cold, even as she smiled at Asami while taking her seat on the floor chair across from her. The slave who had taken up a silent position against the wall moved quickly to pour her a cup of tea as well with a deep bow before returning to his place. Mio motioned to the slave. "See? He knows his place. Every one here does. So tell me, why doesn't a Karugata know their place and instead barges into my home after clumsily investigating me for weeks?" She might have still been smiling, but there was no kindness in the woman's words. If anything, every word was a veiled threat, even the way she sipped her tea was a hidden threat.
It had been a long time since anyone had struck any kind of fear into Asami, but somehow this woman did. Something about her made her blood run cold, a feeling she had been told a hundred times she should have gotten when speaking to Karagata Shiv as well but she had never felt this from him before. No, she certainly felt it from this woman though. Yet she wasn't going to show it. If anything, Asami relaxed against the floor chair more, stretching one of her legs out to the side and resting her hand on it with a smirk as she noisily slurped her tea. She enjoyed the glare she got from Mio for that immensely. "What can I say? Raised on the docks, trained by a ruthless assassin, manners never were high up on the list." Asami replied with a grin. Though in the back of her mind she knew if Shinjiro heard a word of her conduct around this woman she'd probably be lucky if all she got was an earful. Even Shinjiro was careful around these people.
"....yes. You were, weren't you." Mio said in annoyance, clearly waiting for Asami to simply get on with whatever she had come to say or ask.
Asami smirked at her through another painfully loud slurp before setting her cup down with a sigh and a hand motion to the slave for a refill. Of course this drew an entertaining eyeroll from Mio before Asami finally delved into the issue. "It took me awhile to track you down, you're a rumor in my life for awhile it seems... you sponsored my way into the academy. Apparently you've been my mysterious benefactor for some time. I want to know why." she said, grinning almost evilly at the woman. "If I'm so ill-bred, why give me those chances?"
"I never said you were ill-bred, just ill-raised." Mio replied, setting down her teacup with an audible 'clunk' before glaring at the slave in the room. The man took the silent hint and simply left, closing the door behind him. Mio sighed, every threat and pretense seemed to drop for a sudden moment as she looked at Asami and seemed to forego any mincing of words before blurting out the simple truth. "No in fact you're very well bred, Asami. I sponsored you because I'm your actual mother. And Shiv is your father... not that he knows it."
Asami had been taking a sip of her refreshed tea, at a more appropriate level of sound this time, after the slave had left when Mio chose to divulge the sudden facts. She couldn't help suddenly choking on the drink and coughing painfully as the hot liquid burned the back of her throat. It took her at least two or three times of clearing it before she was able to look at Mio with a straight face. "....what."
Mio smiled, but this time it wasn't some threatening smirk or glare. It was a strangely real smile that seemed to reach her eyes. "You came here for truth, so I'm going to give you all of it, even if you're not prepared for it." she told her with a sigh. "You were born to me, after a fling I had with Karagata Shiv. I was fully prepared to raise you alone... and then you were taken from me. Kidnapped by those vile dock workers." Mio clearly bristled at the memory while Asami simply sat in stunned silence. "The two had had a child of their own that was born around the same time you were. When their child passed away, as I later found out, they stole you from me. It took me years to figure out what happened because I never thought to look for people who had children of their own. No one knew their child had died, but by then you were five years old and you simply knew them as your parents."
Asami was staring in shock at the woman before her, only when she looked down at the table before her did she realize that tears had been stinging in her eyes for then they fell and hit the table. It all sounded so fake, but it gave her one very important piece of information. "...you had them killed."
Mio looked up as Asami stood over her and drew her sword, but Mio herself didn't move. She simply stared, watching Asami with her blade, even as Asami held it out so that the tip rest just under Mio's chin. "Yes I did." she told her frankly. "They stole my child so I stole their lives." she added. "And I chose to see if you could fight your way through your trials, see if you could survive the life they had forced on you. It was promising, you have a stubborn streak that might never have manifested if I had raised you myself. Its rare for someone to overcome what you have, Asami. So I paid your way through the Academy. I have been your benefactor when appropriate. And I sent you the letters to goad you on." Her blue eyes dropped to the blade under her chin and back up to Asami. "Talk to the hospital and give them my name, they're expecting you. They'll do the DNA test to prove you're mine. They'll even prove you're Shiv's. I managed to get a sample for comparison." she couldn't help a smirk at the last bit.
Of course Asami cringed slightly, she didn't want to think about how Mio had managed that.
"Well? Will you kill me? Or will you find out the truth first?"
