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Izuna fumes.
It's bad enough that he's stuck here at this stupid check point, wearing a garish rented kimono in order to pass through, and now the guards want to search his things?
He's tempted to smash his biwa over their heads, but he can't. The whole goal of this journey is to go unnoticed, and drawing attention right after having successfully killed his target would be foolish.
No, what he needs is another way out.
He passes his eyes over the crowd, feigning indifference. Merchants, pilgrims, farmers... the Tōkaidō road is busy but with all the wrong people.
Except for one.
A tall man sits on a horse, wearing the two swords that proclaim his rank as a samurai, his face set in stern lines. At the same time, the mon so proudly stitched into his travel worn and dirty clothing gives him away.
This is a Senju, a masterless soldier of the dead clan, roaming the country without purpose.
Well, Izuna will give him a purpose, if only for the next hour.
"I'm with him," Izuna points as the horse trots up to the checkpoint.
"The, uh...." the guards don't seem to know how to refer to the ronin and Izuna smirks. It's all to easy to dismiss ronin, to call them traitors to their dead lords, but doing it to their face is another thing entirely.
"We'll be going then." He grabs his instrument off the table, slinging it over his back, and seizing the reins of the horses' bridle. "Let us through please."
Izuna puts up a hand, waiting expectantly.
The ronin raises an eyebrow but takes it and Izuna swings himself into the saddle across the man's thighs, taking the opportunity to regain his balance by pressing his palm against a broad chest.
He has to find his fun somewhere after all, and his other hand is busy holding a kunai to the man's ribs.
"Keep moving please." Hidden from the guards by the closeness of their bodies, the tip presses against cloth that is no armour at all against his blade. "And say nothing if you don't mind."
The samurai only nods and the horse calmly walks through the check point, obedient to the will of its master.
How unusual.
An attractive man who takes directions well?
Izuna smiles.
A treasure well worth keeping.
