The Snake Pit

Before even accepting the cup she opted to tug the worn silk purse from her kimono and set it on the counter beside her, a gesture of good faith to pay for her drinks to come. When the cup was full she simply took it between her palms and brought it closer for the time being.

Her attention was to address the questions posed. "Ah, many thanks. My name is Suk-Ja."

She paused for a moment, considering if this had been a slip or if this might be the better option. There was a possibility that her face wasn't plastered in this land, and besides she had a feeling about this place. If she could make an ally here, she might be safe. In fact, she might be able to find aid to bring home. "How I got here? That's actually a good question. I like the vibes of this place," she replied, letting her head turn so her eyes could sweep around to those present in her view. "It's something like home, but much quieter."

Suk-Ja waited patiently as another guest arrived for a refill, but her smile had faded considerably while her eyes remained sharply keen on the girl that was serving her. It seemed she might have been a little offended.

"What have I said that makes you think I tell a lie?" she asks, her tone dropping to a low one and with a touch of irritation. Yep, she had definitely taken a bit of offense to the remark. "It takes danger to know it. Just by the eyes of some of the men in this room - even your demeanor - tells me I am in a lion's den. There are dangerous people here. That's no secret to one such as myself, who comes from other dangerous people."

With that, the cup comes up and she throws back the sake without much more than a gentle sigh, as if it had been a refreshing glass of water. Something of her smile perked at the corner of her lips as she looked from the empty cup back to the pretty keeper behind the bar. "Would it be safe to say that you are as suspicious of me as I am of you, kyaku-sama?" she inquires a little more sweetly.

The woman let out a gentle chuckle as she waited for her cup to be filled again.

"I'm certainly not here to cause trouble, no. That would be quite rude for a guest in your country," she replied. "I have never heard of the Orchard Vipers, nor this 'Yakuza'. I am from a little island called Dongshu, so I am unfamiliar with this area. I assure you, I wandered into this little place due to what I felt - danger is something... enticing," she added with a saucy smirk.

Oho, now this was growing interesting. Suk-Ja leaned to the bar, as well, making herself a touch more comfortable propped up upon her elbows and one hand toying with the glass of sake before her. "I say I am. I know I am. And no, I was not forced to leave my home." She snickered a little at the thought. "The Haitaka clan has been hunting me for a few years, and I leave through his docks on the occasion.

"Fortune? I suppose I'm looking to increase mine. I'll, uh... make it very simple to you. With some good faith that you won't have an alarm raised to bring authorities in here," she added with a wry chuckle - she had a feeling that wasn't going to be the case. Dangerous people in here? There was no external authority in this building. "I represent a company of people in Dongshu - a company that is constantly at war with the Haitaka clan. He is a... mmm, a self-righteous, greedy, ruthless individual - not unlike us - but completely against those I represent. The problem is, too many of our faces are becoming very well known to be able to move discreetly anymore in his city. I came out this far in hopes of finding others that might be inclined to join our cause against him."

She went quiet for a few moments before she spoke up again. "You say 'brave' for wandering this... Kiyonai. Is this city, or this land, just as steeped in trouble?"

It seemed this place was just as much in turmoil as Dongshu - so what they say of the descendants of Katashima seem to hold quite a bit of truth. Or at least, were very coincidental. She would take it either way. So, the members of the Triads were off limits, but any strays were up for debates - if she could persuade them to join the Fusei ranks. This would pose to be a wild goose chase, with likely minimal results.

But! She hadn't had a good evening to rest with a bottle of sake since she set foot in this land. She smiled kindly, something a bit of a shift, and plucked up her coin pouch to loosen the drawstring. "But undressing them is part of the fun, kyaku-sama," she snickered, letting a few Jumon coins clatter on the counter top. "Now, what would it take for a fresh bottle of warm sake and, say... two more cups? I'd be more than happy to dress my own table."

She could afford to kill the evening in a bottle, even if she didn't draw a single ronin or soldier in before the sun rose in the morning.

Higeki was slumped over his saddle while his horse walked down the main road of the city. His eyes were unfocused and thoughtful as he ate from the bento that was given to him. One hand held the light bamboo container while the other gently picked at the rice and vegetables with a pair of plain wooden chopsticks. He paid his surrounding little attention as he weaved his way down the street, concentrated on his meal. With his need of food taken care of, at least in the short-term, a place to stay and a nice bottle of Sake was next on his menu.

The bento container empty, Higeki tossed the bamboo container over his shoulder and thoughtfully tapped his chin as he considered his options. He didn't have a whole lot of money, so he was limited. What was more important? A soft bed or getting drunk? Tough choice. In the end, after what appeared to be a Sake den that caught his attention, he decided drink first and bed later. If he had to, he'd try to talk his way into a lonely wife's bed. That was always a lot of work, and required him to, uh, keep his end of the deal, which he was not in the mood for tonight. But, if he needed a place to stay for cheap, there were worse prices to pay.

After boarding his horse at a stable for the night, Higeki soon returned to the bar he had seen on the side of the road...somewhat poorer. The place looked like a classy joint...far more than a dirty and poor drifter such as himself ought to enter, but Higeki was nothing if not provocative. He had a thirst and he had some coin, one place was as good as any.

"Lovely afternoon, is it not?" He asked a well-dressed man inside cheerily. He was possibly a guard or bouncer. "I would rather not surrender my weapons, if at all possible," he continued, keeping the assumption the man was an employee. His hand fell to his side, not threateningly, and gripped the lacquered scabbard. Prepared to hand them over if necessary.

Higeki's face twisted into one of amusement when the bouncer threatened his little fingers. *There's always at least one tough guy.* Well, he mused, he reckoned that *was* the man's job. He wasn't fussed. On a one on one, he didn't doubt he could cut the bouncer down, but he wasn't here to pick a fight and surrendering weapons wasn't exactly an uncommon practice, Higeki just thought he'd ask politely. One never knew when they'd allow it.

He flashed the bouncer and toothy grin and made to untie his swords' sageo. When they were loose and free from the stained and ratty obi, he handed both swords over. "Do take good care of them," Higeki began as he walked past the man, waving a hand over his shoulder dismissively. "...they mean a great deal to me."

With the bouncer forgotten, Higeki settled by the bar, propping his elbows up on the counter and grinning at the woman. "I *am* a man of many thirsts," he told her cryptically, with a smirk. "But cheap sake will do just fine for tonight. As about me, my name is Higeki, and I am from here, actually. Southside, I don't normally make my way through here, but I just got back into town after some business and needed a drink. And you? What's your name?"

Higeki's eyes dropped down to the glass slowly pushed in his direction and he reached out to accept it. He wasn't exactly sure what this apparent 'high-class' joint charged for a cheap glass of sake, and wasn't sure if he could afford more than the one glass he bought. Oh well, he would cross that bridge later.

His eyes soon left the bronze-tinted liquid inside his cup and found themselves examining the tattoo on Shisume's arm. It was a similar one, if not the exact one, that the bouncer had. He hadn't really given it a close look before. The fact it was shared amongst employees told Higeki there was more to the symbolism of a snake around a demon's head than just something that was a nice looking bit of body art. That, the bouncer's demeanor and threats along with the classy atmosphere definitely gave Higeki the impression the bar was owned by an organized crime syndicate, not that he hadn't been slightly suspecting of that when he first arrived, but Shisume's question might as well been a confirmation in Higeki's mind. Not that he was bothered. He was hardly an upstanding individual himself.

"Well, Shisume-san," Higeki began. "I had been traveling, as I said, and only just got back into town. He then looked down at his somewhat ratty and drab robes and frowned. He didn't really look like a city-slicker and he was unsurprised she didn't believe him. He might have passed for a peasant if it wasn't for his bearing and the weapons he carried with him.

He decided to remain on the ignorant path, even if it was unconvincing. She seemed to enjoy it, so what's the harm in it, eh? "The bar?" He took a curious, and dramatic, sweeping look around the place before returning his gaze on Shisume and matching her smile. "Looks like the kind of bar with friendly, pleasant, bouncers and a beautiful bartender. My kind of bar, really." He took that opportunity to take a sip of the sake. He felt the warmth of the alcohol go all the way down and sighed afterward contentedly. He then took a few more sips...

Matt knew he was out of place as soon as he stepped in. He was dragging one of his heavier bags of supplies with him as he entered the bar, cloak flowing with the wind outside. He was short, mousy looking under the garment, though those that looked closer would see the lines of muscle that defined his body. He made his way politely and quietly to the back, where he approached where he would signup for one of the fights tonight. Dropping a few gold and getting registered, he muttered a quiet, "Thank you," and went to wait for the fights in one of the sitting areas. He pulled out his journal and started to write, taking note of the people inside and jotting down notes as he did.