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Ultimate Mariko	By : Polymer Category: X-men Comics > Het - Male/Female Views: 1702 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own X-Men comics, or any of the characters from it. I make no money from from the writing of this story.

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Chapter 21

Evening came with the rustle of gentle fountains just inside the courtyard. Birdsong blended into the silent reverence that was the background noise of the Complex. Inside the guest suites, four X men tried on the ceremonial garb that had been presented by their host, and erstwhile leader of X Men Red, Polymer. Kitty shook her head, and felt as if the whole world had turned upside down. Michelle was high class Japanese royalty. Equal to a diplomat with immunity and status like an ambassador. And Logan had explained that she had somehow named her as a champion and consort.

She heard laughter, which sounded suspiciously French. Kitty Pryde spun around in front of a mirror, modeling a kimono made of blue silk. Kurt Wagner fingered the fine ceremonial garments, clicking off his image inducer as he pulled them on her body.

"Katschen, what DID you do to your hair?"

"It's a wig, Kurt," she laughed, pulling off the thing. "See� I'm still the same Kitty underneath."

"Still as ravishing as ever, belle," Remy smiled.

"When are you gonna give Logan that thing you got in Madripoor?" she asked.

"You were in Madripoor?" Kurt wrinkled his nose. "When, and should I ask where?"

"It was two summers ago, mes ami," Gambit said as he reached into his bag and pulled out some wrapped items. "Found some old tings some consider trash."

"How did you get this through customs?" Kurt asked.

"The same way she brought her items, right Katya?" Pyotr Rasputin smiled as he strode out of the back chamber, wearing a long red kimono with swirls of white that resembled waves and dragons.

"You pretended to be a Cutlass salesman?" Kitty lifted an eyebrow, putting her wig on again. She began to apply makeup to her face, watchful of Pyotr's look of fascination.

"Non," he chuckled, pulling off his shabby trenchcoat and slipping on the long green kimono that was neatly folded on the sleeping mats. "Remy said dat he was an antiques dealer. And dat dese were artifacts for da museum for appraisal�"

"But what's Logan gonna want with a lotta junk?" asked Kurt, turning over the various packages that were wrapped in brown paper. "I hate to ask what these are�"

"Ever since he been datin' da chere, he asked Gambit t' find some special tings ta give her for her birthday. T' remind her of Japan�"

"But we're here, we don't need them�" Kitty laughed.

"No, but it be da thought dat counts," Gambit said. "An since Wolverine wants to play da samurai for her, he needs da sword�"

"But he already HAD those ones he was wearing�" Pyotr chuckled. Gambit tossed him a katana, which was little more than a prop that was given to most visitors for ceremonial purposes only.

"This be da fake one. But dis be da real ting�" he said as he unwrapped the one long item, and revealed an old dusty lacquer case. Slowly he drew the blade, and it seemed to be slightly faded and in need of polish.

"Sweet," Kitty murmured. "How much did you pay for this?"

"Two hundred dollars," Remy laughed. "Da wolverine owes me da money. An' I aim t' collect� since dose swords he be wearing most likely just loaners�"

"You're crazy Gambit� he's never gonna want some old thing like THAT," Kurt chuckled.

"Are you kidding, this looks worth more then just two hundred�" Kitty said as she wiped the blade on her kimono, and it gleamed brightly. She blew dust off, and then the leather scabbard started to crumble.

"You've broken it!" Kurt shook his head. "No wait�"

"It's fake�t his isn't the real scabbard, it's lacquer� holy moley!" Kitty drew in her breath. Pyoter took the blade from her and sheathed it in the scabbard once more, which was removed from a pile of cracked leather.

"Gambit never noticed DAT before�"

"And you call yourself a thief, shame!" Kurt shook his head. "This looks priceless� and strangely familiar�"

"Wolverine's gonna really get a kick out of this," Kitty shook his head. "It's kinda funny, but who would have thought he'd need this sort of thing�"

"Still, he has his claws, he doesn�t' need a sword, does he?" Pyoter asked.

"Are you kidding?" Kitty asked. "In Japan ceremony is everything. And if Logan's sweet on her, and she's a Japanese noble, he's going to have to play the part� you saw how he was dressed�"

"Indeed, but swords are used only for ceremonial purposes," Pyoter said. "Unless the ceremony is part of the whole point�"

"This be a very OLD ting," Remy murmured, looking at the elaborate design on the scabbard. He slowly cleaned the blade as he drew it, and began to shine it up. Logan needed every bit of luck he could, and something about this particular thing gave him a funny feeling.

***

Back at the Yashida's main quarters, Logan inhaled deeply as he tried the Japanese version of meditating. Still he had on that outfit that was given to him by his ladylove. The sun was setting, over the mountains and it reminded him of one of those bamboo paintings with the variegated hoes of gold, yellow and red melting together. Damn, it was beautiful here. Once he got accustomed to the differences, he had to admit there was an element of harmony he had not experienced at the dumps he had stayed at in the past.

Still it was a gilded cage, and he sensed Mariko was just as antsy in it as he. Although born into it, she had changed enough that she felt like she was rehearsing for some pageant. He glanced down at the swords he had set in front of him, and slowly pulled them open. They weren't fake; they were the REAL THING. Drawing out the wakasashi, he saw the gleam of the steel bright and lustrous. The handles were lacquer and wood, and Logan couldn�t' resist pulling the entire sword out and glancing at the hair's breadth.

He stood up, slowly testing its weight as he swung it back and forth. It was the medium sized sword, the wakasashi, and the other was the tonto, a smaller gentlemen's blade that severed some purpose that was grisly. Ritual suicide. Seppuki� or was it Hari-Kari? Either way, a nasty way to go.

"Hope they don't expect me to do a damn fool thing like that," he muttered, resheathing the blade. However the other blade, the katana was the longest, and he frowned, realizing this sword didn't exactly match the others. IT seemed not the same quality as the first two. Judging by those that Shiro wore; these seemed just a hair's breadth nicer. Far the best out of all the weaponry.

"It's the real thing, Logan-san," said Shiro. "My cousin requests you to join her in the family shrine�"

"Um, sure� when's dinner?" Logan asked, picking up the weapons and trying to figure out HOW they were to be positioned in his belt.

"IN an hour. But she requested to see you, alone�" said Shiro as he automatically helped position each sword. Except for the katana, which he carried at his side.

"Um aren't I supposed to take that one? Or are ya scared I�m gonna cut myself?"

"It will become clear. As you noticed these are real swords. Having been in the family for generations�"

"I'm no weapon's expert," Logan said as he walked alongside Shiro, out of the room. "But this here katana ain't the one that goes with this set�"

"You catch on fast, Logan-san," Shiro murmured quietly, walking more rapidly. His red kimono swept out behind him, and he pointed to the swords at his belt.

"For instance, those three you have are all identical in the hilt. And I betcha when ya draw 'em outta the scabbards, they'll be the same grain of forge," he said. "But these ones ya gave me, the katana's not the same kinda steel� it's newer� it don't smell the same� I bet there's SOME reason� and they seem AWFULLY nice compared t' even yours�"

"This way� we're almost there�" Shiro said, evading his question.

Under the main complex they entered the bowels of an inner dark sanctum. Logan smelled incense and a female scent that he knew all too well. Something about the place both unnerved him and made him feel an odd sense of peace. Perhaps it was the fact that it radiated peace that made him jumpy. It wasn't something he was familiar with at all.

"Go in," said Shiro.

"Don�t you�"

"Go in, she's waiting," Shiro said.

"Um what's this all about�"

"Don't ask questions, just respect her wishes. That is the FIRST lesson among all you must learn if you are to be champion�"

"Consort, champion, beloved one� I know I'm gonna have to learn all the Japanese words t' keep this all straight," he muttered under his breath. Slowly he stepped inside the shrine, and saw something that took his breath away. Kneeling before a large set of images, all Shinto family possessions were her figure. Praying with an inclined head on a ceremonial mat. He felt his breath quickening as he stepped inside, and then heard the door sliding shut behind him.

"Um� I'm not sure what to do in here� I don't wanna do something that'd dishonor any ancestors or anything�" he murmured. "Help me out here�"

"Kneel next to me, that's all you need to do� be with me," she whispered. Logan walked over and drew up the costume so he could kneel in that odd way that Shiro had drummed into his head. He set the one sword down at his side, and glanced sidelong at her. Her eyes were shut and her lips were moving, hands clasped in silent prayer.

"This some ceremony�" he asked through the side of his mouth. "I don't know what to do�"

"I'm asking the blessing of my ancestors, to approve my choice. There's something that you need to know� I have to ask you once and for all if you're willing to do what they're expecting�"

"I love ya, right? Isn't that what matters? Shiro mentioned champion� and somehow the words are pretty darn similar to beloved an' consort� it's all new t' me, but it sounds pretty serious�"

"Dead serious. I didn't want any of this to happen, but there are ancient traditions that you need to learn. So much and there is almost no time�" she murmured, fighting tears as she knelt there, motionless and facing the images of her ancestors.

"It's all something t' do with this thing you gave me. I'm guessing it's like Lancelet and Guenevere�"

"Correct� beloved. I see you've brought your swords� they are to your liking�"

"These things ain't just some fancy dress thing. They're REAL, aren't they? And if I'm not mistaken, probably really old� I don't know if I can take 'em�"

"If you love me and respect what we share, you must. It's tradition�" she said, turning her head to him.

"Then tell me why the heck the katana don't match the other two," Logan said, confused as he held up the blade. She laughed, and put a hand to her head.

"They don't know� and they're afraid to say�"

"Is this somethin' to do with that missing artifact?" Logan asked. "Is it some samurai sword that's missing? Is this some kinda test� cause I remember the guys in Weapon X sayin' something about a trade, that you were part of�"

"Creed accepted me as payment for services done through Shield. Each of the children was to receive training as agents of Weapon X. But I was considered like a spoil of war� but that wasn't all. The artifact they discussed but never admitted to what was missing� was one of a set of three swords. Each was forged out of a meteorite, hard and strong, and priceless. But also enchanted with the spirits of my ancestors�"

"Holy crap, you mean they're sacred� right?"

"Indeed. The three swords were missing, stolen. They were recovered with the help of the one known as Creed. But in exchange for me, he returned the items. However the last sword, the Honor Sword of the clan was a fake. The fool didn't know it. And that displeased my uncle."

"So they traded you for a bunch of relics� cute," Logan grimaced. "Don't tell me this whole thing was all about these sacred swords� there HAD to be more�"

"Much more. God, it makes me sick to think of how complicated it all was. Do you realize I could have been as easily married off to some crimelord? Shinobi Shaw� he hates Creed and the others because I was supposed to be�"

"Crap� " Logan groaned. "I hate this more an' more� anything ELSE I should know?"

"The others taken from the clan were far unluckier than I. And they'll stop at nothing to see me and my cousin dead. I wish I had never come, Logan. I want to do what's right, but I don't want to die. Even if it's the honorable thing to do� I don't want to lose the life I've made with the X men� with you�"

"Nobody's gonna die, so don�t' even GO there," he groaned. "Look, what do I haveta do? Defend ya; cause that I can handle. You know that�"

"Yes, but possibly far worse. I feel so helpless� if Uncle Shingen is dead, then I'd be expected to� that's why you have to learn these traditions� that's why I have to know now if you're really ready to take all this on. Because you might have to give up everything you ever knew� and to ask you to do that�"

"We've been through this� I�m not backing off from this� we're in this together. So let's just think about this logically. So a sword's missing. A really IMPORTANT one. Any ideas where it went, or who took it?"

"That's the problem�"

"You said these things were made outta meteoritic iron, right?" Logan asked. "Well that's kinda funny, cause um�"

Here he scratched his head. Mariko looked at him, nonplussed. "What's wrong?"

"Um� can we um� kinda go to my room� I've got something I gotta get off my chest�" Logan said.

"What is it?" she asked. "You changed your mind?"

"Nah� it's just� well, I'm not sure, but I think you should see something�" Logan said. Taking his hand she got up, and bowed respectfully to her ancestors before leaving.

***

"Logan-chan, you're scaring me� what is this�" asked Mariko as she walked at his side, his pace quickening.

"Um� where's the guestrooms� we gotta see Kitty and Gambit�" said Logan as he tugged her towards the guestrooms.

"Logan� what�" Mariko asked as he knocked on the rice paper screen.

"Shh, it's just a hunch� but I smelled something suspicious before� when I was payin 'em a visit. When I happened to sneak into Gambit's room, I saw a whole bunch of old stuff he'd somehow come across and he was showing it off. He got some old relics from some backwater place called Madripoor�"

"Madripoor� I'm guessing his family had some dealings with Yakuza, or something worse," Mariko shook her head. "Little wonder he had fascinations with things Asian� for other reasons�"

"Hey, you in there?" Logan called.

"Wolverine, just in time� we were wondering when this whole banquet's gonna get started," said Kitty. "How do I look� Hey Michelle�"

"You look officially as a lady of the court, Kitty," Mariko smiled.

"Belle, you are ravishing, the more I see of you," Remy called as he leaned over Kitty's shoulder.

"Stop droolin' Cajun. I gotta question for ya. C'mon in M'iko�"

"Nice of you t' visit, your majesty," Gambit kissed her hand.

"Knock it off, I'm still Michelle� when I'm around you guys," she said as she inhaled deeply and entered, Logan's hand on her back.

"Good to see you again," Kurt smiled. "And thanks for the lovely clothes� and the guestrooms are very comfortable�"

"Very," Pyoter said. "I hope we will look good at the banquet tonight�"

"All very handsome. But Logan said that he�"

"Yeah Cajun, I gotta ask ya, you had something stashed in your luggage that I smelled a hint of� and I'm smelling it really strong on yer hands� what the hell have ya been into�"

"Moi?" Gambit asked as Logan seized his hands and smelled them.

"Just as I figured. Smells like steel� iron� what have ya been polishing?"

[

"Just that old sword he was gonna�" Kitty trailed off.

"What?" Mariko asked.

"It was supposed to be a surprise. And we know you gave him those ceremonial blades because well� you know�" Kurt said quickly. "And well�"

"Those are not just ceremonial, they are real," Mariko corrected. "Each can be used as a deadly weapon in the hands of a master. They represent his status as my beloved and my champion�"

"Those are REAL?" Kurt shook his head.

"Told ya," Kitty stuck out her tongue.

"You gave those to him as a gift� so perhaps it would be in bad taste to�" Colossus trailed off as Kitty grabbed something.

"Um, well Gambit found some old antiques, and he was gonna give 'em to you� and he was polishing this� and since you're here� I guess the secrets out, because he figured�"

"Kitty, let me see that," Mariko said as she reached out, and Kitty hefted the scabbard and blade with some awkwardness. Her eyes gave a very strange expression, and Logan released Gambit's hands, inhaling deeply.

"Wait� that looks� Logan, those scabbards you have� they look just like�" Kurt said.

"Put them down here, I need to look at them all," Mariko said quickly. She knelt in front of the blades, as each were put before her. Slowly she drew out a cloth and wiped them along the scabbards, and pulled out each blade, looking at it carefully. Her eyes gleamed with recognition, especially when the wakasashi and tanto that Logan had been given to wear were almost indistinguishable from the antique Gambit had polished up.

"Gambit be seeing tings�" Remy shook his head.

"Identical, in every way," said Pyoter, crouching close to Mariko.

"Damn, it's just�" Mariko trailed off, and slowly pulled each blade partly out of their sheaths. Her eyes traveled over the inscriptions in the shimmering steel, and Logan saw a swirling pattern that showed each blade had been forged from the same metal.

"Look there, you can tell these two are made from iron. Meteoritic iron," she said. "You can see the grain. And this one� is the SAME chemical composition�"

Logan pushed past Pyoter, and leaned down to inhale the scent of each. AT first Kurt shook his head, and Gambit whispered some stupid comment that caused Pyoter to smack his shoulder and shove him rudely. "Mind your manners� she's our HOST�"

"Darlin� they smell the same. Exactly the same�" Logan trailed off.

"Gambit, you're BEAUTIFUL!" Mariko cried as she got up and kissed him soundly on both cheeks. "I can't believe� you said you got these in MADRIPOOR?"

"Did Remy do sometin' right?" Gambit asked. "Of all da luck� dat be de missing sword dat be da brother of these two�"

"Where did you� who did you?"

"Some little outta da way place. Called da Princess Bar or sometin'. It be a bar, an' a place of� entertainment�"

"A brothel?" asked Pyoter. Gambit nodded.

"What the HELL was a sword like THAT doing in a cat house?" asked Logan, shaking his head. "Damn� of all the friggin places� Cajun are you goddamn SURE that was the place?"

Logan seized him, almost shaking Gambit, and Remy was lifted off his feet. "What?"

"Logan� put him down� you're not making any sense!" Kurt shook his head. Kitty's eyes widened and she saw the look of anger and shock on Logan's face. Mariko's lips were pressed into a tight line.

"Who gave these to you, this is IMPORTANT," she said clearly as she stood next to Logan.

"I� da deal went by my brother. He stole dem, for a big client. Remy doesn't know WHO� but he be some BIG shot dat is a mercenary. He wanted to get rid of it� so Gambit bought it and t'ought it be worth sometin�"

"Who was it?" Logan almost shouted.

"Some guy dat goes by da name o' Creed," said Remy.

"Son of a BITCH," Logan growled. "You better not be shitting me because if you are�"

"He be named Graydon Creed� maybe he be da same family of da one you called Sabretooth, neh?"

"Graydon Creed is Victor Creed, you dimwit!" Logan yelled.

"It's his full name. Legally. Graydon Creed Senior. Victor is his middle name� or at least the one registered with Weapon X," said Mariko, eyes wide with shock. "Gambit, I think he WANTED you to find these. He's no idiot�"

"You stupid son of a bitch� you don't realize WHAT you've done!" Logan snarled. "Because of your stupidity, they KNOW she's with the X men!"

"Logan, we don't know that!" Kitty shouted.

"Be fair, Logan, he found something that belonged to Michelle� you had better put him down now!" Kurt said.

"He didn't know� I'm certain of it," Pyoter said.

"Let him go, Logan. He's guilty of nothing but being a fool. And in the wrong place at the wrong time� a willing instrument for Creed to find me�" said Mariko angrily. "And that isn't the worst part. Because if HE knows where I am� then so do the others�"

"What others?" asked Gambit, as Logan dropped him on his backside.

"Silver Fox, Maverick, n' Kestrel. A.k.a. Wraith," Logan snarled. "The three stooges�"

"Oh hell," Pyoter shook his head. "And if they are involved� it's most likely that they were hired by another more powerful�"

"Victor had said he knew where it was� I didn't realize how well he knew," Mariko said. "Question is, WHY give it back unless� I just don't like it�"

"Who cares, you have it back, doesn't that legitimize your claim or something?" Kitty interrupted.

"Yes, for better or worse. Creed somehow helped me, and that wasn't out of the goodness of his heart. Which means that things got a whole lot more complicated�" Mariko said as she shook her head, standing up. Carefully she cradled all three blades in her sleeved hands. Everyone glanced at her, then to Gambit who Logan was standing angrily over. Pyoter moved between the thief and Logan, shaking his head.

"So now what?" asked Kurt. "Does it help that we are here, or make things worse�"

"You are already involved more than you know. Gambit more than he realizes�" said Mariko. "Logan, please come over here� and don't size Gambit up for a coffin just yet. He may well prove himself to you yet�"

"You see, she likes me, mon ami�"

"Shut up� just shut him up before I lose it," Logan snapped. Pyoter raised a hand, and stepped between them again. Kurt gently knelt near Kitty, and moved away as Logan walked over and stood opposite his love.

"These are yours now. I can think of none better�" she trailed off. "And you've done far more than I could have ever expected� although SOME of it's dumb luck�" and here she looked at Gambit, who was preening himself despite Logan and Pyoter's dirty looks, and Kurt's confusion. "Are you sure�"

"Absolutely," he nodded, hands touching hers as she slid the sheathed blades into their positions on his ceremonial garb. "Only thing is, I hope to hell you won't regret me doing it. Cause�"

"Take the darn things already, prince charming," Kitty shook her head.

"Kitty, really!" Kurt hissed.

"Not it's all right�" Mariko laughed, wiping away tears. Logan glared at Kitty and rolled his eyes. Pyoter moved over and slid his arm around Kitty, who blushed profusely.

"Sorry� I didn't mean to�"

"Maybe we should um� leave them alone?" asked Pyoter.

"I think maybe we'd better talk someplace private," Logan said as he took her hand, and guided her alongside of him. "Unless ya wanna say anything else� to this crew�"

"We meant what we said, when we came to help you, Michelle," said Kitty.

"All of us want to help as Katerina said," Pyoter nodded. "I know that I would stand by you�"

"All for one and one for all, eh?" asked Kurt. "Sorry for being flip�"

"Who be D'Artangion, then?" asked Remy. "Kurt be Aramis, Pyoter be Arthos, and da Logan be Porthos�"

"You're nuts� he doesn't eat enough to be Porthos�" Kitty thumped Gambit. "Stop being such a jerk�"

"C'mon let's leave these clowns before I put that one through a wall," Logan grumbled. "See you guys later� and um� thanks�"

"Thank you all, I'll have someone come bring you to dinner�" Mariko said as she hugged Kitty, and extended her hands to Kurt and Pyoter. Gambit moved forwards, and then backed off when Logan slid his arm around her waist and gently guided her out.

***
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Ultimate Mariko