[X] Your companions
[L5R] Minor Clan Quest
- Thread starter storybookknight
- Start date
0.4 - Prologue
- Location
- Connecticut
- Pronouns
- He/Him
[X] Your companions
As the dawn breaks the river begins to come to life. Ducks slide into the water to search for those fish slow to take shelter from the day, dragonflies dart low over rippling eddies to snatch at hatching mayflies, and frogs begin to chirp their strange croaking songs in harmony with the larks and wrens. The sky blazes like a torch on the eastern horizon, the glory of Lady Sun too brilliant to behold directly but causing all of the jealous kami of the air to blush in envy. Yet for all of nature's sublime beauty, one thought cannot help but cross your mind.
"Hideyoshi would usually be complaining about now," you say with a wistful smile. From behind you, you can hear a sniffly laugh of agreement from Taigen. "We very often wake before dawn so that we can be on the water as soon as there is light, and every time we did this, by the time the sun came up Hide-kun would always be saying, 'now this is the time a samurai should wake, with the heavens!'" You smile, and turn to the Son of Heaven. "But ah! Hideyoshi was brave, and he was quick. Most of us leave our daisho at home when we go on the water, or at the very least put it somewhere safe in the bottom of the boat, but Hideyoshi always wore his. He refused to be parted from his katana, said that a true duelist would never put himself in a position to have to refuse a challenge."
"I saw him," says your Emperor. "He stood with his sword sheathed against a man with sword drawn, wearing only silk against an enemy clad in steel, and shamed his foe into an honorable duel with his courage." Hantei inclines his head in respect, and you choke back tears. "He sacrificed his body so that his arm could strike true."
At this you have to look away, casting your gaze out into the river once again. "Hana's weapon was the masakiri," you say, "and she wielded it with the same passion as she did everything else, and she was good with it. She loved a Lion that she thought the rest of us didn't know about, and he was always showing her little tips and tricks - no school secrets I'm sure, just the little things that would keep her alive."
"I saw her too," you hear from behind you. "She fought with a fury worthy of the Matsu, attacking with all her might in order to bring her enemies down regardless of the wounds upon her."
For another long moment, you cannot speak, overwhelmed by the honor that the Son of Heaven does to your friends. As if sensing this, Hantei speaks instead. "Seppun Yoshitsune was a friend," he says. It strikes you suddenly that the sorrow that you have been feeling is not only your own, but that of Taigen and your Emperor as well. Through the strange gift that you possess you share the bittersweet emotion of lost companions, a feeling unavoidable no matter how well those companions died. "An Emperor has many admirers, many devoted followers, but few that he can truly call friend." He clears his throat, letting some of his emotion show through on his face so that you will not be embarrassed by your own emotion. "We grew up as boys together, and in the days before my father passed and I assumed the throne we often sparred with each other to keep our skills sharp. He never once lost to me deliberately; never gave insincere praise to curry favor. To him, I think, I was ever Hantetsu."
It is odd, to see what your Emperor thinks is praiseworthy; to see emotion on a divine sovereign's face. You are struck with the sudden realization that the Emperor, too, is human. Looking at him more closely as the daylight brightens you can see bleary eyes with bags underneath, iron-gray stubble on his upper lip and chin. "It is said that the Kami loved Shinsei not only because he taught them, but because he treated them as he did ordinary men," you say in reply.
Hantetsu nods tiredly, and squeezes his eyes closed for a second. He raises a hand, as if to massage his temples, but remembers himself when he sees Gohei's blood upon it and instead lets it hang down off the side of the boat to dangle in the river. "Your other friends, the boy with the spear and the man with the knives, what were their names?" He asks.
You wince inwardly at the sight of the Son of Heaven's hands covered with an impure substance, but given that he asked you a direct question, you have little choice but to answer. "Miki, and Hachiman." You answer hurriedly. "Miki was - kami, he swore up and down he was fourteen, but I wasn't always so sure. But he worked hard, and he listened, so we let him join the crew." You shake your head. "His mother will be inconsolable."
"He died bravely." Hantetsu says. "On his feet, facing the enemy." Despite the high praise, your heart sinks to think of gentle, inexperienced Miki meeting his death so soon.
"Thank you, Hantei-heika." You say. "Fumiko will - she will be proud to hear it, I am sure." There is another long moment of silence, until you are reminded that the question is still half-answered. "As for Hachiman, well..." You pause for a second, trying to figure out what to say of him, what you can say without speaking ill of the dead. "He was clever, in a canny way. And good with an oar. And despite the fact that he didn't get along with many of us, he'd have our backs in a fight, every time."
As if sensing your reluctance and the reasons behind it, the Emperor simply nods solemnly in response to this. "He fought inelegantly, but fiercely," Hantetsu says. "He will be remembered, as will they all."
You are about to respond when suddenly you hear a faint scraping sound as the boat brushes against a sandbar. You pick up your oar and sink it down low into the sand to push the prow so that it is heading in the right direction, then pull it through the water several times to place you once more in the center of the river where the current is swiftest. As you pull it out of the water you see that its once-proud paint job is utterly ruined. Chunks have been torn out of the sides by biting blades, notches made in its face from where you batted arrows out of the air, the face of it is smeared with ash and burnt black from where you plunged it into the thatch, and the handle is smeared with blood from where your injured hands have grasped it. You look at it, sigh, and put it back into the water to keep the prow of the boat from overcorrecting and sending you into the opposite shore.
"What was it?" the Emperor asks. "The emblem on that oar of yours."
Unexpectedly, Taigen speaks up. "A catfish, Hantei-heika," she says, "For Tsubaki, our Namazu captain." You glare at her, and see her eyes twinkle in amusement. "Some people say catfish're a sign of earthquakes because they cause 'em, some people say they just know when one's coming - well, that's Tsubaki and trouble. Always knows when trouble's coming and always heads straight towards it."
The Emperor strokes the stubble on his chin slowly and thoughtfully. "So I see. And then gets back out of it with that oar of hers, no doubt?" As you flush in embarrassment, he asks "Is this the first time she's held off six armed men with nothing but a wooden oar? Or used one to parry an arrow in flight?"
You blink. "Six?" You ask. "That can't be right, it was only -" you break off. "I suppose it could have been, I was a bit too busy not getting stabbed to count, but really six?"
Taigen covers her mouth politely to hide a smile. "No, Hantei-heika. When she swings that thing around it's like she's wielding Hida's own tetsubo. She's fought entire Firemen gangs with that thing when they get too rowdy and walk into our districts."
"That's -" you sputter.
"And every time we tell her what she did, she always just says that she 'didn't notice'." She gives an exaggerated sigh for effect even as you fume helplessly. "It's very like her, not to notice important things."
"I - you- that's a complete exaggeration!" you say.
"Oh, of course, of course." Taigen says before holding up a scrap of blue fabric. "By the way, Tsubaki, we're getting close to town. Would you like your kimono back?"
You look to the fabric in her hand, and see the hastily torn remnants of your kimono.
Then down at yourself, and see the sweat-stained chest wrappings, your slip, and your half-open juban.
You have spent the last few minutes conversing with the Emperor half-naked in broad daylight.
You can feel the rest of your face turning as red as the birthmark across your right eye and you nod stiffly. Mercifully, no one laughs as you shrug back into the remains of your kimono. Hantei looks out over the water - guiltily, your gift tells you (that dirty old man!) - as you dress to allow you the illusion of privacy, but it is the smallest of consolations. The trailing edge of your kimono is now ragged and entirely too short, but it's better than what you had. As a final step, since you are close to town, you reach into a box under the seat and pull out your daisho, buckling them tightly across your hips. "How is Gohei doing?" you ask, partially as a distraction but also out of concern.
"No change," Taigen says, placing one hand on his forehead. "He's still breathing, but he's not waking up." You can feel the worry radiating off of her like heat from a forge.
Hantei looks down at your injured 'little brother' and his face forms a mask of determination. "As soon as we get to town, I will make sure that a shugenja attends to him right away."
You nod, and with a wince you bend to pick up your oar. Wrapping your bloody hands around it, you once more begin to row - this time not for the life of an emperor, but for the life of your family.
As you arrive on the shores of the river next to the town proper, the sight of the Emperor in his emerald armor standing next to a pair of women carrying an obviously wounded man raises a great deal of consternation and excitement. Almost immediately, the heimin go running through the streets, calling for the samurai on duty.
The Emperor turns to you as the outcry spreads. "It seems that we shall not have long to wait. It is a curious thing - I have never attended another's court alone before, without so much as a yojimbo." He pauses expectantly.
Your hands are bloodied from exertion, you haven't slept in over a full day, you're quite frankly starving, and you look like a mess. You feel quite certain that the Emperor knows that he will be able to find a suitable Crab bushi in the space of a heartbeat, and is merely hinting that you could volunteer in order to honor you. Yet what an honor! Do you -
[ ] Volunteer (Continue to meetings with the Crab)
[ ] Suggest that a Crab bushi would be thrilled to be awarded the honor. (Fast forward to the next day)
As the dawn breaks the river begins to come to life. Ducks slide into the water to search for those fish slow to take shelter from the day, dragonflies dart low over rippling eddies to snatch at hatching mayflies, and frogs begin to chirp their strange croaking songs in harmony with the larks and wrens. The sky blazes like a torch on the eastern horizon, the glory of Lady Sun too brilliant to behold directly but causing all of the jealous kami of the air to blush in envy. Yet for all of nature's sublime beauty, one thought cannot help but cross your mind.
"Hideyoshi would usually be complaining about now," you say with a wistful smile. From behind you, you can hear a sniffly laugh of agreement from Taigen. "We very often wake before dawn so that we can be on the water as soon as there is light, and every time we did this, by the time the sun came up Hide-kun would always be saying, 'now this is the time a samurai should wake, with the heavens!'" You smile, and turn to the Son of Heaven. "But ah! Hideyoshi was brave, and he was quick. Most of us leave our daisho at home when we go on the water, or at the very least put it somewhere safe in the bottom of the boat, but Hideyoshi always wore his. He refused to be parted from his katana, said that a true duelist would never put himself in a position to have to refuse a challenge."
"I saw him," says your Emperor. "He stood with his sword sheathed against a man with sword drawn, wearing only silk against an enemy clad in steel, and shamed his foe into an honorable duel with his courage." Hantei inclines his head in respect, and you choke back tears. "He sacrificed his body so that his arm could strike true."
At this you have to look away, casting your gaze out into the river once again. "Hana's weapon was the masakiri," you say, "and she wielded it with the same passion as she did everything else, and she was good with it. She loved a Lion that she thought the rest of us didn't know about, and he was always showing her little tips and tricks - no school secrets I'm sure, just the little things that would keep her alive."
"I saw her too," you hear from behind you. "She fought with a fury worthy of the Matsu, attacking with all her might in order to bring her enemies down regardless of the wounds upon her."
For another long moment, you cannot speak, overwhelmed by the honor that the Son of Heaven does to your friends. As if sensing this, Hantei speaks instead. "Seppun Yoshitsune was a friend," he says. It strikes you suddenly that the sorrow that you have been feeling is not only your own, but that of Taigen and your Emperor as well. Through the strange gift that you possess you share the bittersweet emotion of lost companions, a feeling unavoidable no matter how well those companions died. "An Emperor has many admirers, many devoted followers, but few that he can truly call friend." He clears his throat, letting some of his emotion show through on his face so that you will not be embarrassed by your own emotion. "We grew up as boys together, and in the days before my father passed and I assumed the throne we often sparred with each other to keep our skills sharp. He never once lost to me deliberately; never gave insincere praise to curry favor. To him, I think, I was ever Hantetsu."
It is odd, to see what your Emperor thinks is praiseworthy; to see emotion on a divine sovereign's face. You are struck with the sudden realization that the Emperor, too, is human. Looking at him more closely as the daylight brightens you can see bleary eyes with bags underneath, iron-gray stubble on his upper lip and chin. "It is said that the Kami loved Shinsei not only because he taught them, but because he treated them as he did ordinary men," you say in reply.
Hantetsu nods tiredly, and squeezes his eyes closed for a second. He raises a hand, as if to massage his temples, but remembers himself when he sees Gohei's blood upon it and instead lets it hang down off the side of the boat to dangle in the river. "Your other friends, the boy with the spear and the man with the knives, what were their names?" He asks.
You wince inwardly at the sight of the Son of Heaven's hands covered with an impure substance, but given that he asked you a direct question, you have little choice but to answer. "Miki, and Hachiman." You answer hurriedly. "Miki was - kami, he swore up and down he was fourteen, but I wasn't always so sure. But he worked hard, and he listened, so we let him join the crew." You shake your head. "His mother will be inconsolable."
"He died bravely." Hantetsu says. "On his feet, facing the enemy." Despite the high praise, your heart sinks to think of gentle, inexperienced Miki meeting his death so soon.
"Thank you, Hantei-heika." You say. "Fumiko will - she will be proud to hear it, I am sure." There is another long moment of silence, until you are reminded that the question is still half-answered. "As for Hachiman, well..." You pause for a second, trying to figure out what to say of him, what you can say without speaking ill of the dead. "He was clever, in a canny way. And good with an oar. And despite the fact that he didn't get along with many of us, he'd have our backs in a fight, every time."
As if sensing your reluctance and the reasons behind it, the Emperor simply nods solemnly in response to this. "He fought inelegantly, but fiercely," Hantetsu says. "He will be remembered, as will they all."
You are about to respond when suddenly you hear a faint scraping sound as the boat brushes against a sandbar. You pick up your oar and sink it down low into the sand to push the prow so that it is heading in the right direction, then pull it through the water several times to place you once more in the center of the river where the current is swiftest. As you pull it out of the water you see that its once-proud paint job is utterly ruined. Chunks have been torn out of the sides by biting blades, notches made in its face from where you batted arrows out of the air, the face of it is smeared with ash and burnt black from where you plunged it into the thatch, and the handle is smeared with blood from where your injured hands have grasped it. You look at it, sigh, and put it back into the water to keep the prow of the boat from overcorrecting and sending you into the opposite shore.
"What was it?" the Emperor asks. "The emblem on that oar of yours."
Unexpectedly, Taigen speaks up. "A catfish, Hantei-heika," she says, "For Tsubaki, our Namazu captain." You glare at her, and see her eyes twinkle in amusement. "Some people say catfish're a sign of earthquakes because they cause 'em, some people say they just know when one's coming - well, that's Tsubaki and trouble. Always knows when trouble's coming and always heads straight towards it."
The Emperor strokes the stubble on his chin slowly and thoughtfully. "So I see. And then gets back out of it with that oar of hers, no doubt?" As you flush in embarrassment, he asks "Is this the first time she's held off six armed men with nothing but a wooden oar? Or used one to parry an arrow in flight?"
You blink. "Six?" You ask. "That can't be right, it was only -" you break off. "I suppose it could have been, I was a bit too busy not getting stabbed to count, but really six?"
Taigen covers her mouth politely to hide a smile. "No, Hantei-heika. When she swings that thing around it's like she's wielding Hida's own tetsubo. She's fought entire Firemen gangs with that thing when they get too rowdy and walk into our districts."
"That's -" you sputter.
"And every time we tell her what she did, she always just says that she 'didn't notice'." She gives an exaggerated sigh for effect even as you fume helplessly. "It's very like her, not to notice important things."
"I - you- that's a complete exaggeration!" you say.
"Oh, of course, of course." Taigen says before holding up a scrap of blue fabric. "By the way, Tsubaki, we're getting close to town. Would you like your kimono back?"
You look to the fabric in her hand, and see the hastily torn remnants of your kimono.
Then down at yourself, and see the sweat-stained chest wrappings, your slip, and your half-open juban.
You have spent the last few minutes conversing with the Emperor half-naked in broad daylight.
You can feel the rest of your face turning as red as the birthmark across your right eye and you nod stiffly. Mercifully, no one laughs as you shrug back into the remains of your kimono. Hantei looks out over the water - guiltily, your gift tells you (that dirty old man!) - as you dress to allow you the illusion of privacy, but it is the smallest of consolations. The trailing edge of your kimono is now ragged and entirely too short, but it's better than what you had. As a final step, since you are close to town, you reach into a box under the seat and pull out your daisho, buckling them tightly across your hips. "How is Gohei doing?" you ask, partially as a distraction but also out of concern.
"No change," Taigen says, placing one hand on his forehead. "He's still breathing, but he's not waking up." You can feel the worry radiating off of her like heat from a forge.
Hantei looks down at your injured 'little brother' and his face forms a mask of determination. "As soon as we get to town, I will make sure that a shugenja attends to him right away."
You nod, and with a wince you bend to pick up your oar. Wrapping your bloody hands around it, you once more begin to row - this time not for the life of an emperor, but for the life of your family.
As you arrive on the shores of the river next to the town proper, the sight of the Emperor in his emerald armor standing next to a pair of women carrying an obviously wounded man raises a great deal of consternation and excitement. Almost immediately, the heimin go running through the streets, calling for the samurai on duty.
The Emperor turns to you as the outcry spreads. "It seems that we shall not have long to wait. It is a curious thing - I have never attended another's court alone before, without so much as a yojimbo." He pauses expectantly.
Your hands are bloodied from exertion, you haven't slept in over a full day, you're quite frankly starving, and you look like a mess. You feel quite certain that the Emperor knows that he will be able to find a suitable Crab bushi in the space of a heartbeat, and is merely hinting that you could volunteer in order to honor you. Yet what an honor! Do you -
[ ] Volunteer (Continue to meetings with the Crab)
[ ] Suggest that a Crab bushi would be thrilled to be awarded the honor. (Fast forward to the next day)
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A Nation's Virtue
南國山河南帝居
[X] Volunteer (Continue to meetings with the Crab)
Wade Garrett
Just trying to do the right thing
- Pronouns
- He/His/Him
[X] Volunteer (Continue to meetings with the Crab)
We're sort of the only person around that the Emperor can be absolutely certain is trustworthy. Warbands capable of overrunning twenty Seppun guardsmen don't just pop out of thin air, after all.
We're sort of the only person around that the Emperor can be absolutely certain is trustworthy. Warbands capable of overrunning twenty Seppun guardsmen don't just pop out of thin air, after all.
Nix's Warden
Welcome to Hades
- Location
- United States
[X] Volunteer (Continue to meetings with the Crab)
- Location
- Connecticut
- Pronouns
- He/Him
So I went and reread my post - so many typos and dropped words! That'll teach me not to do so much writing when I'm tired. I'll go forwards with the Crab meetings tomorrow.
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- Location
- United States
[X] Volunteer (Continue to meetings with the Crab)
Never a doubt
Never a doubt
[X] Volunteer
EtchedSteel
*mumble mumble*
- Location
- Lima. Peru
[X] Volunteer (Continue to meetings with the Crab)
0.5 - Prologue
- Location
- Connecticut
- Pronouns
- He/Him
[X] Volunteer.
"If it is a yojimbo that you seek, Hantei-heika, it would be my honor to serve as such." You say, looking to Taigen. She nods in response to your unspoken question and kneels down so that you can help her get Gohei across her shoulders. Though she staggers under his full weight, she should be able to get him far enough into town that you can find heimin to assist her.
Hantetsu smiles at you. "Your offer is gracious, Tsubaki-san, and I gratefully accept." He picks up his emerald kabuto from the bottom of the boat and secures it on his head, then marches towards the town, leaving you and Taigen to follow.
Unbidden, a memory arises to the forefront of your thoughts of a lesson in the dojo, one of many that covered the subject of how a ronin should conduct oneself around clan samurai so as not to cause offense. "If you should be so lucky as to be granted an audience at court," you remember Shimura-sensei saying, "take care to wear no armor, nor to fail to surrender your sword when asked. To do otherwise is a grave insult, because it implies that you do not feel safe in another's home." So what does it imply when the Emperor chooses to wear full armor in order to travel through a Crab city? Despite your fatigue, as you contemplate this idea you find yourself fighting back a vindictive grin.
"Namazu-chan, your whiskers are twitching." You shoot your little sister a glare, but she has already turned her gaze away, looking innocently off into the distance. You grind your teeth in frustration. It's not your fault that you enjoy watching uppity clan samurai get humbled! However, you have to set aside thoughts of revenge - you are in the town proper now, acting as yojimbo to the Son of Heaven, and you haven't come this far to fail now.
You've never actually been a bodyguard before, but as far as you know it basically just requires keeping your eyes open and getting in the way of anything that tries to get through you to harm the Emperor. You glare at the various peasants of Maemikake as they approach, holding your oar over your shoulder in what you hope is a threatening manner. They stare back at you, goggle-eyed; you can hear the whispers and mutters as the mark on your face comes into view, see the hard looks and the evil eyes, and something in you snaps. You whirl your oar to a vertical position, plant its blade firmly in the ground, and SHOUT. "ALL BOW BEFORE THE DIVINE EMPEROR, THE SON OF HEAVEN, HIS DIVINE MAJESTY HANTEI, THIRTY-FIRST OF HIS LINE!"
All of a sudden they are no longer staring at you, but at the man in emerald and chrysanthemum armor next to you. And then staring at the ground, as the terrified heimin bury their faces in the dirt to show their respect for the Emperor. The Emperor turns to you, blinking mildly. "Impressive," he says, and you place one hand behind your head and laugh nervously.
"Thank you, Hantei-heika." you respond, and turn to the crowd. "YOU! In the back, with the geta. Run to the castle, inform the lords that the Emperor has arrived. You in the green, is there a shugenja? Or a monk?" When he nods frantically and sort of looks towards the direction that the first man took off in, you sigh in exasperation and point to him and a few men near him. "At the castle? Fine, you four. Stand up and help us take this man to them." They stand and scramble to obey.
As you return your gaze to the Emperor, you see him eyeing you speculatively. For a second, it almost looks as if he is going to say something, but in the end he just smiles and turns back to the road ahead. The roads are much easier to watch for any signs of trouble with all of the peasants kneeling; as you move forwards from the initial crowd you see that word has spread, with many of the heimin having ventured over from different parts of the city so that they can catch a glimpse of the Emperor and bow before him. It is almost eerie how quiet the town has become, how the normal village noises of bustle and conversation have been replaced with the flapping of cloth in the breeze, the far-off cry of a baby who is quickly shushed, and the faint metallic noises of your Emperor's armor as he walks beside you.
It strikes you how plain the village looks. In Zakyo Toshi, many homes would have wind chimes hanging at the doors, or decorative lanterns; many of the doors facing the street would have painted screens, or baskets of flowers in front. Maemikake's roads are wider and smoother, and the buildings made of solid stone rather than wood, but in comparison to your home it is tremendously dull. Luckily, the voyage to the castle at the town's center does not take too long, and you are soon confronted with an enormous set of blue gates that have been thrown wide open. Behind the gates lies a wide moat of water spanned by a heavy stone bridge, which then leads to an unornamented paved courtyard and a wide, tall stone staircase.
Down the stone staircase hurries a heavyset man with a wide face and a slightly frantic expression. Like most Crab samurai, his arms are thickly muscled; unlike most of the Crab you have seen, time and mortal frailty have conspired to rob the color from his hair, and his build seems more like that of a sumai than a bushi. He is wearing an elaborate kimono of dark blue and pale green that probably cost more than you have seen in a year, and has bunched it up in his hands to allow him to descend the stairs faster. Behind him a few bushi in heavy armor follow in two columns, descending the stairs in a clattering cavalcade that sounds almost like a tea-house's worth of cookpots all being banged together at once.
The heavyset man visibly slows in surprise as he reaches the courtyard and sees your unusual procession, but once he convinces himself that his eyes do not betray him he resumes his hurried pace and bows deeply before you and the Emperor, the bushi behind him following suit. You look to Hantei for confirmation, then bow back, trying to keep your eyes on him the way that Hideyoshi used to show you, when he talked about a 'duelist's bow'. As the courtier straightens, his eyes flick over to you and his nostrils flare; you feel a wave of confusion and disgust as his gaze passes over your eye. With visible effort, the Crab samurai turns to the Emperor. "This unworthy one is Kaiu Watsu, heika. Please, forgive us for our unpreparedness in receiving you! We were not expecting your arrival for several days, and saw no sign of your Seppun Guardsmen on the road!"
"That is because I, and my Guardsmen, were set upon by assailants in the village of Sacred Stone," says your Emperor. You don't miss the banked anger in his voice, and by the way that the blood drains out of Watsu's face, neither did he. "Had Tsubaki-san's band of honorable ronin not charged four-to-one odds in order to come to my assistance, I very much doubt that I would have arrived at all." He gives a subtle nod to you.
Watsu is by this point thoroughly pale, his eyes wide with shock, and he takes one step back in utter consternation. "That is horrible news!" he says, and bows once again, this time directly to you. "I am certain that I speak for my daimyo when I say that you have our deepest gratitude for your service in this!"
"We did only as our duty commanded, Kaiu-san." You reply, again returning his bow just slightly less deep than he performed it, keeping your gaze upon him on all times.
He flushes, and takes a few steps backwards so that you may enter the castle proper. "Please, come in. I must inform the daimyo of this at once. I will send for the shugenja right away, make sure your wounds are treated, have you had rice?" he babbles, doing his best to walk quickly and lead you as fast as possible back into the castle, while also not wanting to move so far from the Emperor as to abandon his presence without permission.
At the mere mention of food your stomach growls. You do your best to keep your embarrassment from showing on your face, and luckily none of the assembled samurai see fit to comment upon your lapse. "Not yet." Hantei says in response to the question.
Watsu bows again, this time seemingly as a reflex. "I will have food and drink sent to your rooms, Hantei-heika. And a shugenja. And I will let the daimyo know to send bushi to the Village of Sacred Stone, to recover the bodies and daisho of your Guardsmen. Did you identify your attackers?" He asks.
"They bore no identification," says Hantei, "But it seems likely that they were members of the Forest Killers."
Watsu's eyes flick to you for confirmation, and for a second you pause. You've had unfortunate encounters with the Forest Killers before, and you know full well that they do not carry foreign-style swords. What do you say?
[ ] The truth - At least as much of it as can be told without directly contradicting the Emperor. It is possible that he is merely mistaken, and it will display your integrity in any case.
[ ] Dissemble - It's possible that the Emperor has a specific goal in mind by misleading Watsu; you should let the statement stand by answering with half-truths.
[ ] Lie - If you're going to back the Emperor's play, you might as well do so to the hilt. Like the Scorpion, you will sacrifice anything for Duty. Even Honor.
[ ] Stay Silent - You're a yojimbo. Speaking is not your place.
[ ] Write-in.
"If it is a yojimbo that you seek, Hantei-heika, it would be my honor to serve as such." You say, looking to Taigen. She nods in response to your unspoken question and kneels down so that you can help her get Gohei across her shoulders. Though she staggers under his full weight, she should be able to get him far enough into town that you can find heimin to assist her.
Hantetsu smiles at you. "Your offer is gracious, Tsubaki-san, and I gratefully accept." He picks up his emerald kabuto from the bottom of the boat and secures it on his head, then marches towards the town, leaving you and Taigen to follow.
Unbidden, a memory arises to the forefront of your thoughts of a lesson in the dojo, one of many that covered the subject of how a ronin should conduct oneself around clan samurai so as not to cause offense. "If you should be so lucky as to be granted an audience at court," you remember Shimura-sensei saying, "take care to wear no armor, nor to fail to surrender your sword when asked. To do otherwise is a grave insult, because it implies that you do not feel safe in another's home." So what does it imply when the Emperor chooses to wear full armor in order to travel through a Crab city? Despite your fatigue, as you contemplate this idea you find yourself fighting back a vindictive grin.
"Namazu-chan, your whiskers are twitching." You shoot your little sister a glare, but she has already turned her gaze away, looking innocently off into the distance. You grind your teeth in frustration. It's not your fault that you enjoy watching uppity clan samurai get humbled! However, you have to set aside thoughts of revenge - you are in the town proper now, acting as yojimbo to the Son of Heaven, and you haven't come this far to fail now.
You've never actually been a bodyguard before, but as far as you know it basically just requires keeping your eyes open and getting in the way of anything that tries to get through you to harm the Emperor. You glare at the various peasants of Maemikake as they approach, holding your oar over your shoulder in what you hope is a threatening manner. They stare back at you, goggle-eyed; you can hear the whispers and mutters as the mark on your face comes into view, see the hard looks and the evil eyes, and something in you snaps. You whirl your oar to a vertical position, plant its blade firmly in the ground, and SHOUT. "ALL BOW BEFORE THE DIVINE EMPEROR, THE SON OF HEAVEN, HIS DIVINE MAJESTY HANTEI, THIRTY-FIRST OF HIS LINE!"
All of a sudden they are no longer staring at you, but at the man in emerald and chrysanthemum armor next to you. And then staring at the ground, as the terrified heimin bury their faces in the dirt to show their respect for the Emperor. The Emperor turns to you, blinking mildly. "Impressive," he says, and you place one hand behind your head and laugh nervously.
"Thank you, Hantei-heika." you respond, and turn to the crowd. "YOU! In the back, with the geta. Run to the castle, inform the lords that the Emperor has arrived. You in the green, is there a shugenja? Or a monk?" When he nods frantically and sort of looks towards the direction that the first man took off in, you sigh in exasperation and point to him and a few men near him. "At the castle? Fine, you four. Stand up and help us take this man to them." They stand and scramble to obey.
As you return your gaze to the Emperor, you see him eyeing you speculatively. For a second, it almost looks as if he is going to say something, but in the end he just smiles and turns back to the road ahead. The roads are much easier to watch for any signs of trouble with all of the peasants kneeling; as you move forwards from the initial crowd you see that word has spread, with many of the heimin having ventured over from different parts of the city so that they can catch a glimpse of the Emperor and bow before him. It is almost eerie how quiet the town has become, how the normal village noises of bustle and conversation have been replaced with the flapping of cloth in the breeze, the far-off cry of a baby who is quickly shushed, and the faint metallic noises of your Emperor's armor as he walks beside you.
It strikes you how plain the village looks. In Zakyo Toshi, many homes would have wind chimes hanging at the doors, or decorative lanterns; many of the doors facing the street would have painted screens, or baskets of flowers in front. Maemikake's roads are wider and smoother, and the buildings made of solid stone rather than wood, but in comparison to your home it is tremendously dull. Luckily, the voyage to the castle at the town's center does not take too long, and you are soon confronted with an enormous set of blue gates that have been thrown wide open. Behind the gates lies a wide moat of water spanned by a heavy stone bridge, which then leads to an unornamented paved courtyard and a wide, tall stone staircase.
Down the stone staircase hurries a heavyset man with a wide face and a slightly frantic expression. Like most Crab samurai, his arms are thickly muscled; unlike most of the Crab you have seen, time and mortal frailty have conspired to rob the color from his hair, and his build seems more like that of a sumai than a bushi. He is wearing an elaborate kimono of dark blue and pale green that probably cost more than you have seen in a year, and has bunched it up in his hands to allow him to descend the stairs faster. Behind him a few bushi in heavy armor follow in two columns, descending the stairs in a clattering cavalcade that sounds almost like a tea-house's worth of cookpots all being banged together at once.
The heavyset man visibly slows in surprise as he reaches the courtyard and sees your unusual procession, but once he convinces himself that his eyes do not betray him he resumes his hurried pace and bows deeply before you and the Emperor, the bushi behind him following suit. You look to Hantei for confirmation, then bow back, trying to keep your eyes on him the way that Hideyoshi used to show you, when he talked about a 'duelist's bow'. As the courtier straightens, his eyes flick over to you and his nostrils flare; you feel a wave of confusion and disgust as his gaze passes over your eye. With visible effort, the Crab samurai turns to the Emperor. "This unworthy one is Kaiu Watsu, heika. Please, forgive us for our unpreparedness in receiving you! We were not expecting your arrival for several days, and saw no sign of your Seppun Guardsmen on the road!"
"That is because I, and my Guardsmen, were set upon by assailants in the village of Sacred Stone," says your Emperor. You don't miss the banked anger in his voice, and by the way that the blood drains out of Watsu's face, neither did he. "Had Tsubaki-san's band of honorable ronin not charged four-to-one odds in order to come to my assistance, I very much doubt that I would have arrived at all." He gives a subtle nod to you.
Watsu is by this point thoroughly pale, his eyes wide with shock, and he takes one step back in utter consternation. "That is horrible news!" he says, and bows once again, this time directly to you. "I am certain that I speak for my daimyo when I say that you have our deepest gratitude for your service in this!"
"We did only as our duty commanded, Kaiu-san." You reply, again returning his bow just slightly less deep than he performed it, keeping your gaze upon him on all times.
He flushes, and takes a few steps backwards so that you may enter the castle proper. "Please, come in. I must inform the daimyo of this at once. I will send for the shugenja right away, make sure your wounds are treated, have you had rice?" he babbles, doing his best to walk quickly and lead you as fast as possible back into the castle, while also not wanting to move so far from the Emperor as to abandon his presence without permission.
At the mere mention of food your stomach growls. You do your best to keep your embarrassment from showing on your face, and luckily none of the assembled samurai see fit to comment upon your lapse. "Not yet." Hantei says in response to the question.
Watsu bows again, this time seemingly as a reflex. "I will have food and drink sent to your rooms, Hantei-heika. And a shugenja. And I will let the daimyo know to send bushi to the Village of Sacred Stone, to recover the bodies and daisho of your Guardsmen. Did you identify your attackers?" He asks.
"They bore no identification," says Hantei, "But it seems likely that they were members of the Forest Killers."
Watsu's eyes flick to you for confirmation, and for a second you pause. You've had unfortunate encounters with the Forest Killers before, and you know full well that they do not carry foreign-style swords. What do you say?
[ ] The truth - At least as much of it as can be told without directly contradicting the Emperor. It is possible that he is merely mistaken, and it will display your integrity in any case.
[ ] Dissemble - It's possible that the Emperor has a specific goal in mind by misleading Watsu; you should let the statement stand by answering with half-truths.
[ ] Lie - If you're going to back the Emperor's play, you might as well do so to the hilt. Like the Scorpion, you will sacrifice anything for Duty. Even Honor.
[ ] Stay Silent - You're a yojimbo. Speaking is not your place.
[ ] Write-in.
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Wade Garrett
Just trying to do the right thing
- Pronouns
- He/His/Him
Okay, one does not CONTRADICT the Emperor. The truth is right out. The only question is do we lie or dissemble? I'm sort of leaning towards dissemble, because the way "Go full Scorpion" is worded...you never go full Scorpion. Even the Scorpion Clan don't go full Scorpion.
A Nation's Virtue
南國山河南帝居
[X]Stay Silent - You're a yojimbo. Speaking is not your place.
Wade Garrett
Just trying to do the right thing
- Pronouns
- He/His/Him
[X] Dissemble
I'm pretty sure just silently stonewalling someone who is many rungs above you in the great totem pole of Rokugan society is a thing that just isn't done.
Then again we are the Emperor's yojimbo so standard social etiquette is a bit iffy at this point in time.
I'm pretty sure just silently stonewalling someone who is many rungs above you in the great totem pole of Rokugan society is a thing that just isn't done.
Then again we are the Emperor's yojimbo so standard social etiquette is a bit iffy at this point in time.