A Strange Night At Phil's (for matsuni charries)

[Sithra]

Sithra slowly walked into Phil’s, the place was busy as it was late at night, but she could not sleep, so she had snuck out of the manor.
Sithra had just thrown on the first thing she found, a simple dove- gray morning dress, but she had also taken a black hooded robe to conceal her face.
She sat down at the end of the bar and once more read the letter that Matsuni had sent to her.

To the Ex-Mayor of Onise,
I am writing to inform you that I will not be returning from my ventures as I do not find it possible at the time to stand you anymore.
There was a time, when you were mayor and I thought you were foolish enough to believe you were my sole interest in life, but now that is over.
I can no longer stomach the fact you are going to bear another man’s child, once maybe if you were mayor and it could of future my goals in life…
Therefore I will not be returning, do what you want with your life.
Matsuni Aquas

Sithra glanced around to see where Phil was, and hoped he could explain all of this.

[Matsuni]

Phil was busy at the bar, glad to see business was good, attending his usual customers. He walked around, shook some hands, checked on everyone's drink levels, the usual service he always provided. He noticed a frail figure walk in the door and went to welcome them in. As soon as he got close, he recognized who it was immediately. He knew she probably didn't want to be recognized though. "Oh, M'lady, good to see you. Everything okay? Come in, Come in."

"Hey, who's the new cutie, Phil?" One of the patrons called out.

"She's taken, Lou. You have a better chance kissing a Kirin. Now enjoy your drink or enjoy tasting street." Phil shot back, knowing his patrons all too well. He took Sithra gently by the arm and led her over to the bar and walked around. "You look like something's troubling you. What's wrong?"

[Sithra]

Sithra let him take her by the arm and lead her to a seat. She looked up at him and bit her lower lip.
“Have you heard from Matsuni? I mean do you have any reason to believe he might not be returning, that maybe… just maybe wants a better life, one without the care and raising of another man’s child?”
Sithra had not been sure how to word her words, she had been sure that Matsuni had been happy with her, glad to be a father to her son. What had changed? Was there another woman? Was he really that power mad?
“And do you think that, maybe he was only with me because I was the mayor and now that I am not…”
She just held out the letter to him.

“I got this this morning and I am not sure what to make of it, and Matsuni said if I was ever in trouble to come to you.”

[Matsuni]

“Have you heard from Matsuni? I mean do you have any reason to believe he might not be returning, that maybe… just maybe wants a better life, one without the care and raising of another man’s child? And do you think that, maybe he was only with me because I was the mayor and now that I am not…I got this this morning and I am not sure what to make of it, and Matsuni said if I was ever in trouble to come to you.”

Phil looked very confused. Something was obviously not right. He took the note and read it, then read it again, immediately knowing something wasn't right. He knew Matusni's writing. Phil and read some of Matsuni's notes from the time he stayed there, and even now there was obvious differences. He looked up and around and leaned in close to Sithra, showing her the note again. "I think someone's up to no good, but it's not Matsuni. It couldn't be. This handwriting....It's not his. Not even close. For another thing, he's been gone for two days now. If you just got it this morning, he would have come here first to get his old things out of his room, but they're still there. Something's really wrong here. I think maybe you should hide out here for a few days until Matsuni gets back and he can sort it all out."

[Sithra]

She looked down at the note in Phil’s hand and heard all he had to say, and sat there in silence a moment or two.
“I cannot leave the manor, Armairs is visiting and I cannot leave because that would make me a rued hostess, sides, I am planning a dinner for the two of them to meet.” She just sighed.

“But what if the letter is true, I mean Matsuni is not happy he is not the father of the baby, I can tell, I know.” She looked away, remember the feelings in the room at Lenora’s place.
“Maybe he is tired of me, maybe he wants someone that was never used before, like Henri? Maybe he and Henri have met up once more and they are going to run away together.”

All these thoughts had been festering in her mind all day, and now sitting here, they came out. Sithra looked at Phil, “maybe he is gone for good.”

[Matsuni]

Phil had heard from Matsuni before he had left for training that Armaris was the father, and didn't seem so surprised by the news. He just got a clean glass and fixed the Lady Mayor a mix of cherry juice and a few other non-alcoholic flavors, but something he knew would help calm her down a bit from getting worked up. "Well, Matsuni didn't tell me Armaris was coming by, but he did mention he was the father. You're worrying too much about things though, M'lady. Whenever he comes by, you're all he ever talks about." He set the drink in front of her gently. "In fact, he came by just before he left for training telling me you two kids got hitched the Vperan way, and were setting up a shop in Agnathis. Congratulations."

Phil wiped down the bar a bit with a rag. "Now it is very strange that this note appeared well after he left. Dunno who would do it, but it definately wasn't Matsuni. I'm sure he's got plenty of papers of his laying around in his room we could compare his handwriting to, but I'd keep your eyes open for anything suspicious. He said he'd be back in a few days, and I believe him. He wouldn't just up and ditch you like that."

[Sithra]

Sithra looked down at the note, “but he said he did not want the baby, and when we had the test done.” She started to tear up once more.

“I could feel his hurt at not being the father, I could feel his pain, and it hurt so bad…”

She picked up the drink he had made for her and took a sip, and set it back down. “Maybe the note speaks the truth about that. The fact that he does not want to raise another man’s son, maybe he feels that it is not right or that he would never be able to love the child or… or…”


She looked away for a moment, “I would not keep him if he did not want to be here,” Sithra took her hand and spread the note out some.

Water touched it from the sweat on her class and it changed colors a little, and her eyes narrowed.
“This was written by a water demon’s hand,” she looked up at Phil…

[Matsuni]

“Maybe the note speaks the truth about that. The fact that he does not want to raise another man’s son, maybe he feels that it is not right or that he would never be able to love the child or… or…”

Phil was really hoping Sithra wasn't about to cry. It was busy, and the last thing he needed was a scene, especially on a busy night like tonight, and he gently patted her on the shoulder. "Oh, don't talk like that, Matsu-boy loves you."

“This was written by a water demon’s hand,”

Phil looked down at the note and picked it up, examining it. "Well, this is interesting...." He held it up to light and could see obvious traces of where a Water Demon had been writing upon the paper. "Huh. Sure is. Well how about that. Knew it couldn't be Matsuni's. He has that weird little style of writing that's really hard to mimic."

Phil sat down the note and looked at Sithra. "So, that narrows down the possibilities. So now the question is, motive. Anyone you know wanting to break the two of you up?"

[Sithra]

She listen to Phil and then thought a moment or two.

“There is one, and she is always with him, Tsunami, she is a water demon, and they are very close.”

Sithra bit her lower lip in thought and then picked up her drink and down it.

“I believe that they have been sleeping together, thought he said it was once, and only in his mind.” She laughed softly at her own little joke. Then she looked back at Phil.
“But I don’t know why she would do this, she said we were friends, Matsuni said she wanted to keep me as safe as he did and would let none harm me, so I do not understand why she would do this?”
She looked around the bar, “and why now, I mean why wait till now to do this, unless she does not want to Aganthis , maybe I was wrong to plan all of this?”

Sithra getting more and more upset and more confused why Tsunami would even want to do this to her, unless she really did want Matsuni for herself.

[Matsuni]

“There is one, and she is always with him, Tsunami, she is a water demon, and they are very close. I believe that they have been sleeping together, thought he said it was once, and only in his mind. But I don’t know why she would do this, she said we were friends, Matsuni said she wanted to keep me as safe as he did and would let none harm me, so I do not understand why she would do this? And why now, I mean why wait till now to do this, unless she does not want to Aganthis , maybe I was wrong to plan all of this?”


Phil looked around at the mention of Tsunami, still listening to Sithra, but making sure no one else was listening in on teh conversation. "M'lady, you shouldn't speak so loudly about Tsunami. Especially in public. You wouldn't want Matsu-boy in danger."

He then gave a confused look as she reasoned that Tsunami could have possible done it. "M'lady, the stains on the paper are from a Water Demon's body, not penmanship. If Tsunami had written it, it would have been with traces of Matsuni's physical body. There are traces of a Water Demon on the paper. I highly doubt it was her. Is there anyone else?"