Legend of the Ronin (Legend of the Five Rings)

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Arc IV: Meeting Expectations.
Etiquette/Awareness=35 (11,9,9,6,4,4,2) -15=20
Intelligence check=10 (8,2)-15= -5

The feeling of blood soaking through your kimono isn't an unfamiliar one...and you can't even say it's not your blood right now...world's spinning, like someone put it at an angle.
You walk over to the katana on the ground, it's not yours, you can't keep it...unless...no it's too hard to remember right now.
Kneeling down, you put his blade away, and then stick the daisho in the ground as a head marker.

Technically you're supposed to do some other shit like stay with the body for three days....but you aren't entirely sure you have three days. A fresh wince of pain surges through your body letting the world focus in for a bit.
You need medical attention, that much is clear, and the closest would be...Sister Chou, Fortune's haven't thought about her in months, you hope she's okay.

She'd be in the Jurojin Temple...You think you can make it that far. Putting one foot in front of the other you walk out of Tsukune's Shrine...you'll have to come back to confront that monk later, but first, not dying and then reporting to Moshi-sama.

The world has turned a distinct shade of grey as you stumble into Jurojin's Temple. You bow apologetically to the monks, before putting your hand on the wall.
"Sorry honoured ones...but I...seem to need your help."

"Megumi-san?!" Sister Chou's voice rings across the room.

"Hello Sister...." You say weekly.

"Dear Fortune...what did you do?"

That's the last thing you really remember processing coherently. Sister Chou handed you some tea and then? Then it was somewhat blurry. You remember being force to sit down and take off your kimono, you remember being scrubbed, you remember Sister Chou taking a needle and thread to your body, sowing the skin back together before making you drink something else....but it's all jumbled, in and out of order. Like you were drugged...what was in that tea?

And then somehow, it's four hours later, the sun is setting, you're sitting on a porch over looking the rest of the district while being bandaged from behind, and Sister Chou is begging you for the love of the heaven's not to get into any more fights.

"I did what I could Megumi-san, but you've lost a lot of blood, and your body is going to need time to heal fully. If you get into more fights, well, your stitches will tear, and then you'll probably die. "

"Thank you Sister Chou, I'll take your words under advisement" You say.

The ache in your shoulder is still there, but it's not as bad as it was.

"I mean it Megumi-san. You samurai are usually tougher than most people, but you aren't invincible. Whoever did this was aiming to cripple you from drawing, if not kill you"

"Yeah, that seems like something he would do." You say thinking back to Hisao.

"So promise me, you won't get into anymore fights for at least a week, and that you'll come back here so I can check those stitches"

"I will" You say.

"You'd better Megumi-san, I will send someone to hunt you down if you don't. Now what happened?"

"Well...I got into a duel and won, but not cleanly." You say simply.

"Samurai and their duels...but still I hope whatever matter had you duelling has been resolved."

You think back to the dead corpse on the ground.
"It's resolved Sister Chou."

The larger woman sighs rising from behind you.
"Your kimono will be given back to you in a moment. It took them forever to get out all that blood. After that you can leave."

You turn around and bow to her.
"Again, thank you for all your work Sister Chou."

"Thank me by making sure it isn't undone." She says her brown eyes looking at you.

"Hai." You reply.

A short young boy no older than nine years, climbs up the stairs and hands you, your kimono. Huh, they even took the time to put fragrance in it, you're not really a fan of mint, but the thought was nice.
The boy hurries away, allowing you to dress yourself.

"See you tomorrow Megumi-san." Sister Chou says.

"Tomorrow Sister Chou"

With that you head out of the Temple and back into the city proper.

It's a long walk back to Moshi Naeko's office, but it gives you time to collect your thoughts. Soju Makoto was obviously hiding something in his Shrine. But it might not have been entirely by his own will given Hisao's presence. But how did that connect to Yasuki Gozabaru? Who was that anyways? One thing is for sure that you would be going back to the Shrine.

The guard is this time a nice enough Dragonfly that waves you through without checking you over thrice.
You get the feeling you'll be familiar with these halls soon enough, but at least the grey isn't bad to look at it.

Announcing yourself at Moshi Naeko's door, you get a curt 'come' from inside.
With a deep bow, you do so.

"Moshi-sama, I return from my initial investigations... Kaiu-sama liked to frequent the Shrine of Tsukune, so I heard, so I went to investigate. There the Soju was evasive about something, but I was unable to find out what. On further investigation, the statue of Tsukune-no-kami had been altered, I found the original piece of the statue hidden on the grounds."

You take out the piece of ebony wood glad no one stole it from you. Naeko takes it from your hands, running her fingers over it as she motions for you to continue.

"After doing so I was confronted by another ronin, named Hisao. He promised to kill me, but allowed me a chance to duel him...I won, but not without taking severe damage to myself. So I went and got medical attention to make myself presentable before daring to darken Moshi-sama's office. However, Hisao also gave me a name before I killed him. Yasuki Gozabaru, said that was his employer"

A deep breath escapes you as you finish the report. Naeko's breath hitches at the mention of Gozabaru.

"So that's what it is...damn, the case will have to be called off." She says quietly.

"Called off?" You ask, still not looking up.

Naeko stands and turns around looking out at the city.
"Yasuki Gozabaru is arguably the wealthiest man in the city, and master of Mori Ward. If he's behind Kaiu-san's disappearance, then we'll never get her. He's too well protected from official legal reprisals, and has too many guards for unofficial ones. Over the years a number of magistrates have tried to bring him in. The last one was found hanging on the walls by what was left of his body."

Your honour burns, for this this...Yasuki, to be so vile...to have hurt Kaiu-san, and worse for you to be told nothing would be done about it...it burns.

She continues ignoring, your stinging sense of injustice
"Hida-sama will just have to wait for another Kaiu from his homelands. Still, for more or less solving the case, I suppose some congratulations are in order. Take the next few days off. Report at the same time you did today."

"Yes Moshi-sama" You say through gritted teeth.

"Very well dismissed." Moshi-sama says without preamble.

Another bow from you as you walk out of the office. On the one hand you understand Moshi-sama's hands are tied, and her desire not to throw lives away...but on the other, honour demands something be done...

She did give you a few days...

[] Return to the Soju and beat his face in until he talks.
[] Go find Iuchi Yukiko, get healed fully, and then head into Mori Ward
[] Go talk to Bayushi Sora, maybe she can give you some tips.
[] Leave it, Moshi-sama said it was done. You follow orders.
[] Some other plan?

Megumi is at 15 of 51 wounds, she is grazed (+3 to all TNs)
 
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Arc IV: Earthen Shadow
--Go talk to Bayushi Sora

As you walk out of the Citadel, the skies open up and pour rain down you. Well at least the Heaven's understand your mood.
Kaiu Tanako-sama...she...was so sad, but she wasn't your friend not really.
In the end it's not your problem, your superior has explicitly said it's not your problem.

But the words of your mother filter through your mind
'Be more concerned with good things than great things'

The last words of the last Founding Kami. (You don't pay any credence to that tale of Hida-no-kami still fighting his son, and Togashi-no-kami doesn't count.)

And that's why it's your problem isn't it? The right thing is, has to be, saving Kaiu Tanako-sama. Not because she was your friend, not because she was a fantastic engineer, not even because she was someone you said you'd help.
But, because you were Samurai. Even in your debased, lordless, nameless state, you were Samurai. You had proven that to yourself time and time again.
To give up on Kaiu-sama, to give up on fighting corruption and injustice, you could no more do that, then give up your swords.

With that in mind you set your head for the northern ward. You needed to pay a visit to your old commander, in Eiyuu Ward.
Bayushi Sora-sama might not like you, but she was one of the few people you knew who might have a solution to this beyond beating a monk most heinously.

The rain is pounding down, soaking your clothes by the time you get into Eiyuu and find yourself standing in front of the Scorpion Clan's Estate Embassy. It was always such a strange contrast for you to see the Scorpion's buildings. So like the Crane filled with artistry, passion and elegance. Yet, those same buildings were always built in such a way as to promise things that the Crane buildings never would. Deception, sensuality, falling into the pool of humanity and never surfacing again.

The lone gate guard that you can see stands at the end of the path. As you step forward, you can hear more than anything at least three others with arrows trained on you in the shadows. Well, you didn't think they'd give you a welcome mat, but three archers? Where was the fifth? Four was a dangerous number, and for all the Scorpion disdained superstition...

You watch the wall beside the gate guard...ah a hidden compartment.
Well five on one wasn't good odds at all, good thing you weren't looking for a fight.

The gate guard, a short man, with a half mask along the left side of his face, looks you over.
"Can I help you Ronin-san?" He says not quiet insulting you by not bowing.

You bow back. "Scorpion-sama, I am Megumi the Ronin, one time comrade of Bayushi Sora-sama. I would ask to speak to her or to pass a message."

"Bayushi-sama, isn't taking visitors right now. What's the message?"

You frown mentally, as you look at him.
Scorpion never can tell if they're lying or not...

"I wish to speak to her about the recent case I was on, of Kaiu Tanako-sama and Yasuzki Gozaburo-sama, when she has time. She can find me in Goemon-no-kami's Shrine" You answer.

"Very well. You may depart." He says.

For a moment you consider trying to force your way through before dismissing it as folly, instead you turn away and begin walking back towards Toriyama Ward.

The rain comes down even harder, the sound of your sandals against the wet streets echo in your ears. Why is it so quiet? This isn't...natural, even in rain like this there's usually someone. You stop, and begin to reach out with your senses. Too loud to hear anyone, too dark to see anyone...but that's not your only sense. You take off your sandals and wait...
It's faint, barely a whisper in the earth that you want to dismiss as more rain, but yet.

"Whoever you are, come out now, I know you're here." You call out.

On the roof above a figure in grey moves out from the thatch and jumps down landing in front of you.
"Impressive Megumi-san."

The figure stands up, his face is covered by scarf that only allows his calm brown eyes to show. The rest of his clothing is simple, something a peasant would wear really.

Your hand goes to the hilt of your katana.
"And who are you?"

The light tenor that answers reminds you nothing so much as incense.
"Hmm, names might not be so good, you can call me Tsuchi if you need a name."

You don't relax at all. Even though he's made no hostile moves since being called out. You can feel his eyes looking you over, cataloguing the ways for him to kill you. With your shoulder as it is, you can't guarantee he won't succeed either.

"Well you mentioned a very interesting name, and well, I'm here to help you with that." He says

"Why should I trust you?" You ask.

"Do you have another choice Megumi-san?" He answers your question with his own.

You growl a little
"Yes, what do you want?"

Tsuchi shrugs.
"I want Yasuki Gozaburo's head. I think you can help with that." He answers.

Your eyes narrow. No this is too simple, too direct for it to be a Scorpion plot. There's something else going on.
"...Why?"

"Call it vengeance on my part. Or did you mean why you? Well honestly opportunity knocks for me, and I can use another distraction." He says easily. "If you want the full details, you'll have to trust me a little...but I will say this, Kaiu Tanako-san isn't dead but will be if you don't act quickly." He answers.

What's his angle? For the life of you, you can't figure it out. Maybe he's trying to frame you? If so why go to these lengths...it had only been the intervention of Bayushi Sora, and your own suicidal charge that saved you last time. Yet, the name draws you, a chance to save Kaiu-sama wasn't that what you wanted?

"You're not giving me a lot of choice." You say.

He rolls his eyes.
"I'm not interested in giving you choice Megumi-san. You honourable types always make the wrong ones."

Without meaning too, your stance settles into a battle stance.
"...Is that a threat?"

Tsuchi shakes his head.
"An observation. So will you work with me to both our benefits, or are you going to let fortune walk away?"

[] "Alright I'll hear you out"
[] "No, I'll find another way" (Go to beat up the Soju)
[] "No, I'll find another way" (Go talk to Iuchi Yukiko)
[] Write in
 
Arc IV: Yet another plan
-Alright I'll hear you out.

While talking can kill you, you don't think it will in this case. The rain continues to pour down, as your hand moves slightly away from your katana.

"Alright, I'll hear you out Tsuchi-san" You say.

Tsuchi smiles...or you think he smiles under that mask of his.

"Not what I expected, hmm a little exposed though" Tsuichi says.

He turns away and walks over to a building letting the roof cover him from the rain. He listens at the door into the building.
"...That'll do, come over here"

You put your sandals back on and walk under the roof yourself. Tsuchi takes out an umbrella from somewhere and seems for all the world to be your servant waiting for you to decide whether or not to go back inside the building, or not.

How did he?

"Yasuki Gozaburo, is a man who needs killing, unfortunately for us, there are people who disagree with that statement. Informally they're known as the Four Kings. Ronin, Ji-samurai, people with nothing to lose. Together they manage and run Gozaburo's criminal empire all without him being officially implicated for anything. And when someone does manage to get something to stick, one of them arranges for that person to disappear. Usually the King of Air." He says looking out on the street.

You shift, looking like your trying to decide what to do, which you are.
"So to strike at Yasuki-san you would need to kill his four kings?"

"In essence, but they're also protected, or blessed, any attempt to kill them seemed met with ill luck until lately." He says.

You want to scoff...on the other hand, you saw a tiger person eat someone so...maybe you need to be more credulous.

"Ill luck?" you ask.

He raises the umbrella in a shrug.
"Birds cawing at the wrong moment. People getting lost at the wrong moment, roofs collapsing, things that could be coincidence...if it didn't happen every time"

"Uh--huh" You aren't sure what else to say to that.


"So it seemed like I was stuck...until about a month ago. When one of the Four Kings was found dead. Every week since, another one of them died, now there's just one left along with Gozaburo, and they've all pulled back to his main base of operations. A casino that goes by the name of the Fortune's Favour. If the pattern holds true, that last king is going to die tonight." He continues.

Huh well that's interesting, but you can't help but feel like this is distracting from your purpose.

"How does this relate to Kaiu-san?"

Tsuchi gives a snort, annoyed by you interrupting you.
"Normally prisoners are kept in a warehouse on the edge of Senbonzakura, but with everyone pulling back to Fortune's Favour, it's pretty much a given that she's in the cellars beneath Fortune's Favour."

"So we need to get down there....I'm still not seeing what you need me for." You admit.

Tsuchi continues.
"With the recent murders, Gozaburo is what we'll call paranoid....anyone trying to get into the casino has to submit their weapons at the door, and go through a pat down...but there is a way around it."

A sinking feeling in your stomach
"....go on."

"Recently a relatively wealthy Doji by the name of Doji Manami has come into the city as a high roller. While traditionally she prefers to while away the wealth of her family at the mah-jong tables, she always goes into the best casino in the city and expects to be treated like royalty. Since she throws down ten koku as a tip, she usually gets it."

Your eyes narrow, where is he going with...wait ten koku as a tip? That was what your family spent on you for a year. What the actual hell? Who throws around money like that? (Yes Samurai aren't supposed to care about money, but you're a ronin, you're allowed. No you aren't. Grandmother please!)

Taking your brief internal argument as permission to continue, Tsuchi keeps speaking

"So we have you pretend to be Doji Manami, and me your loyal servant, since your expected to drop down a thousand koku, Gozaburo won't dare try to search us too heavily. Once inside, play a few rounds and then retire to 'freshen up' after that the fireworks are going to start, you should be able to get your weapons, and make your way to the lower floors, find Kaiu-san, then get out of the casino before the flames get too high." he finishes.

"...." You want to say something but it doesn't come out.

The sheer audacity, the sheer galling lie of it, to imitate a member of your former clan no less...
If you weren't struggling between cutting him down, and not, you might almost admire him for the level of bravado he has, almost.

As it stands...the plan could work, you know how to be a Crane dilettante.
You know how to throw money away...

But it violates the tenet of honesty so blatantly that you're half afraid that Yojiro-no-kami will spontaneously manifest, and punch both of you in the face. Which given you're almost 80% sure that Tsuchi is a Scorpion would be kind of ironic. Beaten to death by a Fortune from your own clan.

No you can't do it, honour wouldn't let you.

"So you in or out? This is the best way to get to Kaiu-san" Tsuchi says

You know saying yes will piss off your grandmother. Good you can learn.
But at the same time, Tsuchi might be right in this being the best way to get in.

Although you could try another method...

Decisions, decisions.

[] Agree to Tsuchi's proposal
[] Agree to work together but come up with your own plan
[] Refuse and come up with another plan? (Write in)
 
ARC IV: A Sudden Betrayal
--Sirrocco
Intimidate Check 3k3=14 (6,5,3) (Failure)

Wait Fireworks? Why would there be fireworks? Unless...
Oh.
Leaving aside the terrible nature of his plan in terms of honour, you can't let some place be set on fire.
You draw yourself up, and in the most official tone you can manage begin to lecture Tsuchi on what terrible idea this is and what you plan to do about it.
Tsuichi Ninjutsu Roll=40 versus Megumi Stamina roll=16. Megumi is blind and stunned.

Tsuichi looks at you for a long moment, then back out at the empty street.
You feel a sharp pain in your side and then the world burns around around you as you collapse to the street. The world goes dark as the feeling of mud on your face fills your senses.

"Damn honourable types..." Tsuichi mutters, as you feel warm hands pull you along the street.
The sound of a door opening, and you find yourself being lifted into the air and carried.

"As it happens, that wasn't my only plan...and yes I was setting things up for you to be the distraction with how terrible it is...but no, I never had any intention of setting off fireworks, that's madness."

You feel your back hit a soft sort of cloth, as your limbs feel wood against them. Did he put you in the closet.
"I'd say sorry, but then I wouldn't have this all set up if I didn't expect this to happen in a way. Still you kept your honour for what it's worth. The poison should wear off in a couple of hours. By then it should all be over one way or another."

The sound of a lid slamming shut, and then nothing.

He poisoned you...the bastard poisoned you.

Well Sakura, you knew he was dishonourable, and then said that you were going to sell him out. What did you think he'd do?

Accept that your plan was better and work with it, you answer your grandmother.

A dry chuckle from your Grandmother.
"Still it does me good to see you are still Kakita and not Daidoji."

Grandmother?

Assuming that the man is correct in how long the poison lasts, you'll need to move quickly. Whatever he's planning, it's likely to end in Yasuki Gozaburo's death and with him, your best lead on Kaiu-san.

You mentally nod, but for now at least there was nothing to do but wait. Unsurprisingly given the darkness and your lack of ability to do anything, you end up dozing for a while.

It's when you reach up to scratch your nose that you realize you can move again, and you push off the lid. It takes a few moments before you blink away the last of the blindness an find yourself in a fairly small apartment. The sort of place a young bachelor with no family might have.
Stepping out of the closet you take a few minutes to stretch and wake up your now sleeping limbs, the tingling sensation makes you want to stop, but you push on through.

There's no time to let discomfort stop you. You need to find Fortune's Favour, and then figure out some way inside without losing your weapons or tipping off that bastard Tsuichi. You step out on to the street and look up, the rain is still coming down in a sheet, maybe you can use that somehow?

Pushing the thought to the back of your mind, you hurry to Mori Ward. Feet echoing against wet stone as you run. The sun has long since gone down, and the only light is that of the lanterns people have put out. Making your way through the central gate, Mori Ward opens up before you, a wide avenue that cuts through the district to the world beyond. Past the avenue however is a seemingly endless maze of businesses, market stalls, and bazaars. For those who don't know the area, getting lost is all to easy.

You look up at the moonless sky, and take a deep breath. You wish you had more time, time to rest, time to recover. However, that's not something you have.

Ancestors guide your steps.

Thankfully, it's not too hard to find someone who can direct you over to the casino.

Unfortunately, when you arrive, it's clear that whatever plan Tsuichi had, it's already begun, the place is a mad house of activity. You see ronin like yourself, budoka, and assorted thugs running about the place looking for someone. The assassin? Or for Tsuichi? At least there is no fire.

You look over the casino. It's a fairly large three story building done in what can only be described as bastard fusion of Crane, Unicorn and Crab styles. The bottom is solid, blocky, a fortress to withstand the world for all it's painted gold and decorated with smiling happy statues supporting the large sign that gives the casino it's name. The middle story is more of the Crane style, a stately curving set of walls that draw the eyes back to the sign. The top is...some sort of onion shaped thing. Honestly it offends you a little. On either side of the building are smaller ones, that seem to be some sort of warehouse and restaurant respectively. Both done in a far more traditional style.

Still the guards aren't likely to let you in given how they seem to be prowling around the obvious entrances, no they want blood, and you doubt they'll be choosy about yours.

So what to do?
You decide to walk around the building, out of sight of the guards, and see what you can find.

Around the back there seems to be a set of stairs leading down underneath the Casino. If Tsuchi was telling any truth at all, then it's likely that's where Kaiu Tanako-san is. The only problem being the fairly burly looking guard in the way. You'll need to deal with him somehow to go that way.

You push that to the side and keep going, moving over to the western side of the building, near warehouse, you see a set of scaffolding leading to a roof that's being worked on. At least it would be if it wasn't night. You're pretty sure you could climb up there...its the jumping over from the warehouse to the casino that has you more leery. While you're better than you were back in the Crane lands, no one is going to be calling you an Usagi any time soon.

Finally, the restaurant seems to be seeing a steady stream of guards in and out. Some to get food, some to get out of the rain, others for tea...you could go there and try to sweet talk them into letting you in, although you think that will be very difficult, what given the way they all seem ready to go berserk on anyone.

You lean against the wall of a building, and ponder.
No back up, this is all on you, and now you have to make two decisions.

First do you trust Tsuichi and assume that Kaiu Tanako-san is down stairs? Or do you try try to get to the top where presumably Gozaburo has his office, and find information there?

[] Look below for Kaiu Tanako
[] No she's probably not here, go up to the top floor.

With that in mind you have figure out how you're getting in

[] Warehouse (Pro's straight forward. Con's you're not very good at stealth or athletics)
[] Stairs leading to the basement. (Write in a plan to distract the guard)
[] Restaurant (Write in an argument to convince a guard to let you in)
 
Arc IV: Bringing Sexy Back
--Plan Sirrocco MK 12?
Megumi seduction roll: 5k5=39 ( 15,9,9,4,2)
Soshimaru's Resistance roll: 6k3=13 (7,4,2,2,2,1)

You look at the casino again. Your goal isn't Gozaburo, not really, it's to get Kaiu-san back.
Now Tsuichi, he wanted Gozaburo, and you didn't feel like helping him for a lot of reasons. Okay, just the poisoning, but that was a really big reason! So you should then go down the stairs. The quickest most obvious route to do that is through the guard.

Now, given that you had promised not to fight. Just walking up to the guy and slicing his head clean off like some sort of demented Matsu on coffee, was not in the cards. On the other hand, you somehow doubt that people hired by a criminal master mind were going to be swayed by your 'I'm a Magistrate let me in argument' at least not without something else to unbalance them.

But what else did you have? You had no money, no position, not even your own home really.
You look down feeling your wet kimono cling to your skin.

You did have that, your body wasn't the flawless gem of womanly perfection it once was. (You ignore your Grandmother's snort of derision.) But you were still reasonably attractive and knew how to make a man forget his head in favour of a different head.
No you had never sold yourself, and you never would, Fortune's willing. But, you had tried to move on from Katsuie-kun, to let the past be past...and part of that had been trying to find some one else. It hadn't worked in the end, Katsuie had set such a high standard, and even if you were a ronin now. You were still selfish enough not to settle for less than that.

However, you didn't have to give the guard anything, you just had to make him think it was an option. And maybe it would be, you doubted it, but anything was possible. It was slightly dishonourable to do this...but you kind of didn't have other options besides violence.

So you walk around back while running your hands over yourself. Adjusting the way your wet clothes hang over your form, subtly pulling a little here, a little there. Creating the right balance between 'Naive maiden' and 'Promiscuous wench'. You wanted to be seen as experienced enough to be tempting as an amazing lover. (Which you thought you were...shut up Grand mother) but at the same time selective enough that it was a compliment to be chosen.
As you finish your adjustments, wishing not for the last time that you had an umbrella, you approach the man.

Up close, you can look in his face, fairly strong rugged chin, short brown hair, with unfortunately sunken eyes, but he's tall and broad shoulder and looks like he could lift three of you. So... above average.

"Hey what are you doing?" He calls out to you, hand drifting towards his weapon.

You bow deep enough to be polite and show off your assets a little.

"Gomen, Samurai-sama, my name is Megumi-san. I don't mean any harm." You say looking him over.

He shifts a little.
"Well, alright, I'm Soshimaru, you really shouldn't be here Megumi-san."

You note how his kimono is completely soaked like yours.
"Going by the way you look Soshimaru-san, neither of us should. I just wanted to warm up a little in the casino, but out front it looks closed, and like they would stab me for asking questions. Can you help me get warm?" You ask.

Soshimaru swallows for a moment.
"I might know a place, for you to get warm, but it's not in here, the casino is closed." He says.

"Closed?" You ask in surprise. "And yet they have you...standing outside in the rain? Why?"

"Don't know, something in the high roller suite."

You bring up your hands together and blow on them, licking your lips afterwards to keep them from being chapped.

"Doesn't seem far to have you standing out in the could like this. Couldn't you wait inside and turn people away in there?" You ask.

"...Probably." He seems to be looking at your neck for some reason.

You rub you arms, which does interesting things to your chest you know.

"So could we maybe do that? I know you can't let me into the Casino proper or anything and I don't want to cost you, your job or anything Soshimaru-san, just to get warm and maybe dry these clothes of mine. After thats done well...maybe I can warm you?"

You look into his eyes with your own, and give a coquettish look.
Soshimaru takes a deep breath.

"Ah screw it, no one's going to be coming in here anyways, you're right I can wait inside. And I'm sure no one would be too upset for me helping a beautiful woman" he says.

You smile, and blush a little.
"Thank you, that's really sweet of you."

Soshimaru turns around and leads you inside. You takes a moment to brush off as much water as you can before you look around the room. It's a fairly standard teamsters room, shelves along the walls for various boxes and barrels. Most of the food probably comes in through here and up stairs into the casino proper, along with the staff. There's another door at the far end of the room, probably leading to more storage areas, and someplace for the staff to rest and change if there's an accident on duty.

However for all it's ordinariness, you notice something extra on the left wall near a small rack used apparently for Yodotai Wine. (Terrible stuff, but some people like it, or want to try it for sheer novelty) there's a zeni on the floor. Loose change wouldn't be surprising...if not for the fact that there's no reason for anyone to be there. Someone losing change at the wine rack, would loose it under the rack or behind them. not to the side of the wall. Unless they intentionally dropped it.

"Wait here, I'll see about getting you some clothes." Soshimaru says.
He moves past the door on the far side of the wall.

Well now you feel a little bad, he seems to actually want to be nice to you as well as screw your brains out.

On the one hand this is probably a golden opportunity to find that hidden door. Kaiu-san is probably past it.
On the other, you have no idea how long Soshimaru is going to take, and if he comes back while you're looking...it'd be awkward to say the least.

[] Try to open the hidden door
[] Wait, you'll get another chance.

(Sorry for the delay on this one)
 
ARC IV: Revealing the Monk
--Try to open the hidden door (While being silent)

No, you have to move now. You don't know when or if you'll get another chance, and while Soshimaru seems like a nice guy...you aren't actually interested in that. First you shake yourself dry, spraying water everywhere.
Don't want to give yourself away now do you?
That done you hurry over to the wine rack and kneel down, picking up the zeni. Your hands run over the wine rack, quickly and dexterously, most of the wine bottles can be lifted and carried off...but not the one in the middle left hole. It's stuck, you pull at it harder and harder but nothing happens.

You frown for a moment before running your hand along the cork. What if?
Pulling the cork you hear a soft click from behind the wine rack. A small part of the wooden support beam seems to have fallen away.

You stand up and place your hand in the new hole carefully. Wouldn't want it to be poisoned or something. You've discovered that you only like poison when it's your choice to be poisoned...something feels off with that sentence.

With a deep breath you pull and the door slams open with a soft crash.
Dammit!

"Megumi-san?" Soshimaru calls out, his foot steps beginning to hurry.

DAMMIT
You look at the open door and hurry in quickly, turning around to close the door behind you.
The hidden door slides shut in front of you and you hear a click as it locks.

More foot steps as Soshimaru returns into the room.
"What the?"

More steps, he must be looking for you.
"Megumi-san?" he calls out.

You don't answer obviously, but you feel like you should step back, take a stance so if he opens the door you can cut him down. It's not exactly nice...but well, needs must.

Minutes pass by before you hear a slump at the far wall.
"Well she must have left...damn a thief, must have gotten spooked before she could take anything....why is it that I can never resist a pretty girl?"

You don't hear anything else after that. Just Soshimaru breathing and staying on watch.
That he didn't open this door suggests...he doesn't know.

Maybe he doesn't know his boss is a crime lord...you kind of hope that's true, he had been easily persuaded true, but you like to think he's not a bad person. Most ronin aren't, just desperate. If things had been different, would it be you outside the door feeling like you were just conned?

With a shake of your head, you dismiss the thought. What if was of no use to you right now.
Instead you turn back around and carefully make your way through the hidden passage. It isn't lit so you have to go slow. Your hands reaching out to feel the wood walls as you walk forward.

Finally you find yourself hitting another door, this one opens taking you into dim flickering torch light.
You glance over your shoulder at the dark passage, it couldn't have been more than a few minutes in there, but it felt so much longer. Close passage ways with no light remind you too much of those caves and the Rakshasa...ugh.

Looking forward you see that this isn't a terribly large room, on the sides of it stacked up to the ceiling seem to be...opium?
No not opium, okay not just opium, but other drugs too. On the far side is another door. Why a room for...oh.

Gozaburo or his underlings sold drugs out of the casino...when they made a deal one of them would come down here, take a shipment and then bring it up here, all while looking like a normal servant.

Reaching the door you press one ear to it, trying to see if anyone is on the other side.

"So you're the one who killed my friends." says a...female voice?

"I admit it" a familiar voice

No...Brother Jubei? What was he doing here?

"I want to know how." The woman says.

"Not why?" Jubei asks, seemingly amused.

"Why is obvious, you're no hero, not with those tattoos, which means you're a special hitter brought in from the home territories to take us out, and hand the underworld to your employer." The woman says.

Jubei says nothing.

"It's happened before, but no one's ever beaten the curse...until you." The woman says.

"Ah that old thing...who do you think your master first heard of it from?" Jubei answers.

"What do you mean by that?" The woman demands.

"Goodbye Kagami" Jubei says.

Wood snaps and the meaty thud of flesh on flesh echoes through the air.
They're fighting, you have to help Brother Jubei!

Yes he is apparently a secret assassin person pretending to be a monk, but he still gave you a place to stay, and took care of you. Besides Sister Aya would be sad if he died, and you weren't going to do that to her.

Thus you open the door and step through, your palm hanging above your sword. The sight before you is...
Well not what you expected. Brother Jubei is shirtless, with a massive set of tattoos from about his elbows, down his back, and chest. Twin red koi struggled up the waterfalls of his arms, only to pour into an ocean holding a lotus flower on his chest. On the back, a warrior wearing a Crab Mempo rides a tiger, in his hands a set scales and a nodachi. Tattoos are not an artform you like, but you can admit that took skill.

More importantly is that Jubei has wrapped his hands around, the woman's neck...
There is a sickening snap, as Jubei wrenches the woman's head clean around. The woman falls to the ground, her head looking up at the ceiling.

Behind Jubei you can see another door. The old muscular, tattooed man looks at you, his eyes widening.

"Megumi-san?"

"...Brother Jubei..." You say.

It's sheer muscle memory that has you bowing properly to the monk. Not any sort of concious thought. He bows back .

"...what are you doing here?" he asks.

"I could ask you the same thing." You say.

"A question for a question then...we should have about ten minutes before people start wondering where Kagami went."

He gestures at the corpse.

"Alright I'm here to fix an old mistake, you?" Jubei asks.

"I've...discovered that Kaiu Tanako-san, might be in this place I came to rescue her."

Jubei frowns as if something is clicking into place.
He kneels down, frisking Kagami's body, finding a set of keys, he tosses them to you. With one hand you catch them.
You raise an eyebrow in question.

"My mistake isn't fixed yet...but if there are prisoners in the door behind me, they'll be in there, find her and get out."

Behind him is indeed another door, this room seems to be...you'd guess it's some sort of waiting room turned into a makeshift interrogation room.

"Thank you Brother Jubei."

Jubei shrugs, which does interesting things to the muscles on display.
You swallow, you pray that Katsuie is that....healthy when he gets old and you return to him. A somewhat traitorous part of your mind wonders what sort of women Jubei was into before he became old and a monk.

Jubei ignores the fact that old men shouldn't have abs like that and begins speaking

"Listen, there might be another person in there, get her out too. Once you get them free, everyone is probably going to come for the prisoners. I'll keep them distracted. But you won't have time to stop, or think after this starts, so now is the last time to ask questions until tomorrow, okay?"

"Hai. Brother Jubei, I...."

[] do have a few questions" (Write in, maximum of three)
[] have no questions

Second vote
[] Search the room for anything of interest before you head past the door.
[] Don't bother

(Sorry for the delay on this)
 
Arc IV: Escaping the Casino
---Ask a single Question
--Search the room for papers (Compromise vote)

You decide in the interest of being mindful of the time to ask only one question.
"Brother Jubei I have one question, the rest can wait. Do you know another way out besides the way I came?"

Jubei tilts his head not expecting that, but seems to think for a moment.

"Depends on what you mean by a way out. There is a hidden passage that leads up to Gozaburo's office on the top floor, but you don't want to go out that way. Other than that, none that I could find while looking for this place. Do you think I voluntarily surrendered because I wanted to?" He asks.

"Did not know about that last part Brother Jubei. The thing is that I may have left a guard behind me."

"He won't be there by the time you get there." Jubei says with such confidence that you have to believe him.

"Okay then, let me look around in case there's something here I can give to Moshi-sama" You say.

Jubei nods, and seems to be stretching as you move over to the two drawers in the room.
The key works on them both, with a little searching you're able to find a false bottom and lift it up. Inside that new compartment are two sets of papers. You take only a few seconds to glance over them, one set of them seems to be a group of shipping manifests. The others...seem to be propaganda posters?

"You done?" Jubei asks.

You place the papers inside your kimono and nod.
"Hai"

"Let's get moving." He says and heads the way you came.

Well apparently he's going to solve that guard problem. You feel a little bad, the guy didn't seem like a terrible person...oh well nothing to be done for it now. Closing the drawers, you move over to the new door and unlock it, the weight of an iron lock echoing in the room.

Sliding the door open, you see a new room revealed, this one seems to be another storage room, this time with more...illegal goods than opium. Stacked in neat shelves, you can see gaijin weapons, vases of mercury, a set of golden boxes that looked like they were from the Senpet. Essentially everything foreign that could be for sale no matter how illegal.

You decide to ignore the highly illegal goods, and press forward, Brother Jubei said there were prisoners in here somewhere.
Eventually after pressing through the maze of shelves you find another door. This one too is locked, but again your key seems to open it, can this key open everything?

Ignoring the question of if the key is magic you slide the door open.
As you look around the new room, you have to stop yourself from gasping as you see Kaiu Tanako held on a table in the centre of the room. The woman is thinner than she was, she hadn't bathed in weeks, and her hair was a mess, but by whatever Fortune, she didn't seem like she was broken.

On the sides of the walls are a series of prison cells. Most of them completely empty save two. One contained another door leading somewhere who knows where...and the other contained Sister Aya.

What? Why is she here? And why does she look so dead to the world? Wait that's not Sister Aya...just her creepy near identical twin.

Kaiu Tanako turns to look at the door, her eyes widen at the sight of you.
She mouths something as you step forward, her throat to dry to be audible from this distance.
Poor woman, she must be in terrible straights, you hurry forward only to hear the loud chirp from underneath you.

You look down at the floor. You'd heard of these floors, the Matsu in particular employed them almost religiously along the Scorpion border. Nightingale floors were meant to stop assassins and spies from sneaking about. You were neither but you were sneaking about. Looking around, you see that the entire floor is set up this way, save for the cells.

So that's why Brother Jubei was sure that you would be noticed.
Time to hurry then. You run over to Tanako, the chirping of the boards echoing in the space.

As you untie her bonds, she looks up at you in shock
"Shouldn't be here" she whispers.

"Kaiu-sama, I did say I would help." You reply, as you release the the leather from her skin.

"We have to go..." Tanako says sitting up slowly.

"I have to save the other prisoner" You answer, moving from the table to the other cell.

Come on magic key don't fail you now!
There's another click as you open the door. There's no response from Not Aya as you go inside.

"Excuse me miss?"

Tanako stands wobbly beside you.
"She won't answer, whatever they did to her, broke her own mind."

You look at the passive woman...that's honestly really tragic, but you have no time to reflect on it.
Instead you reach down and pull her up. If she won't respond, you'll just drag her along.

Five minutes later, and you regret this decision immensely. Your limbs burn with the effort of essentially carrying two people as Tanako isn't at a hundred percent either. You have to take deep shuddering breaths every few steps. Above the sound of fighting and flames echoes down. The place is on fire too.
Kami, today has just not been your day.

Still you somehow manage to drag everyone through the storage rooms back towards your entrance. Which has been busted wide open by what you can only assume was Brother Jubei's massive fists. That said with the light, it's easier, (Still not easy) to drag everyone through the extremely narrow passage towards the exit.

As you stumble out on to the street, you look back to see most of the top storey is somehow on fire, even though it's still pouring rain. The sound of numerous fire brigades coming fills the silence left by the rain.
With the brigades are no doubt magistrates, probably corrupt...you need to get out of here.

Tanako says softly. "Take me to the Crab Embassy..."

You know where that is, but is it really a good idea? After all Yasuku Gozaburo is or was a member of the Crab, how well connected was he inside his own clan?

On the other hand she does technically outrank you. Still there are other places you could try to get to that aren't too far.
You could go to the Citadel, it's a bit of a hike but you'll be safer amongst the legion than anywhere else. There's also the Scorpion Estate, they aren't likely to be happy with what happened with Tsuichi. However, given their hatred of Gozaburo they might cut you some slack.

More shouting, you don't have a lot of time

[] If Kaiu-sama wants to go to the Crab Embassy, then you're going to the Crab Embassy
[] No it's foolish, you'll head to the Citadel
[] Ultimately if you want to disappear, ask a Scorpion...you'll go to their estate.
 
Arc IV: Decision point.
-Go to the Crab Embassy

In the end, it's not really a choice is it? The Citadel is too far for you under your own power, you could try it and fail, or you could go to where Tanako wants to go any ways. Besides, after the whole Tsuichi thing, well you're pretty sure you've burned some bridges with the Scorpion, or they did with you. Do you call it even, if you threatened to expose them and they knock you out?

A question no doubt for the finest philosophers, you have something more important to do.
You idly wish that you had trained your strength at at some point as the weight of two women settles on you.
They're trying to support themselves, but they're just too weak for that, leaving you with most of the burden.
At least they're not heavy.

The rain continues to pour down as you walk forward. The feeling of cool water soaking into your skin and hair. Behind you, the fireman gangs make fire breaks, the only real life the city sees now. Everyone else is smart enough to stay indoors when it's raining this hard.

One more step you tell yourself over and over again.
Yet each step becomes harder and harder as your lungs burn and legs ache.
Even as you reach the half way point, you aren't sure how you keep going.
Not when your back feels like sharp stabbing knives are being plunged into, even as Not Aya continues to elbow your bandaged side more or less constantly.

In the end you suppose honour is what holds you forward on this path. Or perhaps its simple need, you fall here in this rain, and odds are you won't wake up again. Would it really be so bad to rest, to sleep?

You've done more than anyone had the right to ask of you.
But you asked it of yourself, and the Tao says in the end you're the only judge that matters.

One more step, that's all you need to focus on as your eyes grow bleary.
One more step to approach the Crab Embassy.

"What the?" a male voice says.

You look up from your feet, towards a youngish man that's on guard duty.
"Hi Crab-sama...."

You did it, you got them there. You saved the woman you promised to, and did the right thing.

Oh the ground did look rather nice didn't it? You're just going to take a nap now....

------

You wake up to the sounds of birds chirping in the distance. Your eyes blink open as the warm sunlight tells you to just rest.
Without thinking about it, you stretch your limbs, satisfying cracks echo muffled by silk sheets.

Wait silk?

The mindless state between awake and dreaming is gone, as the sensation kicks you awake.
The Shrine didn't have silk sheets...it had a cloth blanket made of cotton from the Ivory Kingdoms...you think.
Sitting up, you look around at the room, no this wasn't the Shrine at all.

The walls while austere ,looked well built, like real effort went into making sure they could take three grown men trying to smash people into the supports. Yet there was an unmistakable sense of foreignness to it as well. This was a guest room, not a place where people normally lived.

Standing up, you look down at your body, it's covered in a light sleeping kimono that you're sure you don't own.
What in the world? You walk towards the window hoping to get a glance as to what's happening.

A clap from behind you, turning around you call.

"Come in!"

A young girl maybe thirteen summers opens the door. In her hands a bundle of clothes. The girl bows low to you in a smooth motion. A serving girl? Well you can't say she doesn't look the part with a rather simple tunic, short brown hair, and brown eyes. She wouldn't be out of place as a servant in most places.

"Forgive me for disturbing your rest my lady, but Hida-dono and Brother Jubei wish to speak with you. I have your garments dried and laundered here for you." She says.

"Thank you." You say.

Hida-dono, that meant you were in the Crab Embassy, which you really should have guessed in retrospect, you blame just waking up. Stepping forward you take your clothes, and wait for the girl to step outside.

Putting on your clothes, you wonder what exactly they want to talk about.
You saved Kaiu-san, and Brother Jubei got the bad guy right?
Okay maybe not that last one, but with Kaiu-san's testimony it had to be easy to get things done.

You tie your obi tightly, while putting your daisho in place.
Well even if it turns out that you're somehow a wanted fugitive (....again) at least you'll look good.

Something isn't right Sakura

'Grandmother?' you ask in your head.

Hida Tachimiko has not attempted to make your life hell while you slept in her own clans embassy. You have been treated too nicely for that.

That's...actually a good point.

Be on guard Sakura

With that word of warning ruining your confidence, you slide open the door.
There the serving girl is waiting for you,

She bows again.
"If my lady will permit me to guide her to Hida-dono and Brother Jubei?"

You nod.
"Hai, what's your name?"

"This one is known as Green Blossom" she answers.

Green Blossom...well it's better than calling her serving girl in your head.
You motion for Blossom to lead you forward.

Walking through the Embassy, you note out of the corner of your eyes just how many guards are on duty. This doesn't feel like a peace time guard schedule. No they're on alert for something...probably because one of their own got murdered, no wait if it was that then Jubei wouldn't be here.

You ponder the question of why they're on alert, even as you're led deep into the heart of the embassy. Finally you stop at a relatively nondescript door.

"Inside here my lady." Green Blossom says.

"Thank you" You say.

She bows, and you clap.

A deep baritone voice rumbles out.
"Come in."

You slide the door open. The room has more in common with a dojo than an audience room. The lacquered floors glistens in the morning light, along the walls racks of weapons sit waiting for use. At the far end of the room sits a small shrine to Wu-no-kami Fortune of Sensei sits with a stern gaze. In the middle of the room two men sit playing go.
One of them you recognize as Brother Jubei looking no worse for wear after what you can only assume was a bloody night.
The other, you do not recognize so much. He's a smaller man with a full head of hair, and a short goatee framing dark suspicious eyes. However you find your eyes drawn to the fact that he's missing half a leg, oh he still looks like he could punch out an ogre with his bare hands, but he has no leg. And yet he is Hida-dono unless you miss your guess.

Instinctively you bow low to them both.

"Rise Megumi-san and come sit with us." Jubei says.

There's a grunt of affirmation from the other man.
Although you're still nervous, you follow the instructions sitting between the two men, but not getting in the way of their game.

The man you don't know places down a black stone.
"Megumi-san, my name is Hida Isano, I am the official representative of the Crab to the city of Shiro Enishi. You already know Brother Jubei. I offer my thanks to you for rescuing an old friend."

"It was only the honourable thing to do" You say simply.

Isano doesn't respond.

"Be that as it may, we have other larger things to discuss." Jubei says putting down a white stone.

"Yes, there is. No doubt your pet ronin has many questions...but she can ask you those on her own time."

Pet? You were no one's pet, well not like that anyways. You can feel yourself bristling in anger at Isano's statement, but you force it down under a cold mask of indifference.

Jubei raises his hand.
"Please do not call her that, while Megumi-san is indeed someone I associate with, she has no idea of what is going on."

Well you don't now, you thought you did, but he just said you didn't. And you're not inclined to argue with him.

Isano gives a snort of amusement as he places another piece.
"And yet you had her retrieve the most valuable thing in the Empire."

"I saw an opportunity, and she was going for your smith anyways." Jubei says placing another piece in response.

"And now you propose to bring her fully in because of it. She is too weak Brother Jubei" Isano says.

Jubei chuckles.
"I am a servant of Goemon-no-kami, he's made greater things out of less than her"

"On your head be it." Isano says closing off Jubei's flank on the board.

"The Crab will stand ready to defend to the last as we always have."

"As we always have. " Jubei says solemnly.

You stay silent not sure how to intervene in this conversation or even if you should.

Isano looks over the board towards you.
"Megumi-san, I will be blunt, there are many things about the situation you do not know. If you agree to walk away, to swear not to investigate further, you leave here with my thanks and whatever gift Tanako-san comes up with. But you leave ignorant and safe. If you decide not to walk away, then you will be thrust into a world that will eat you alive. There will be secrets that you must keep to your grave even when everything inside tells you to speak them. However, for all the danger there is an opportunity the likes that hasn't been seen since Yotsu-yomi."

His eyes stare at you.
"Unlike Brother Jubei, I will not force you into this world without you agreeing. You are an honourable sort, even if my newest arrival has sent two dozen letters demanding your head in the last twelve hours. Thus, I will trust your oath...but it is your choice as to which oath to give."

You swallow, to walk back into being a normal ronin, to just live, it's tempting, oh so tempting.
But your grandmother would never forgive you if you did that, if you threw away this chance.
Yotsu the founder of the Yotsu family was given a governorship in the Imperial City itself for his actions...
If it's the same level...you could regain your name...regain your clan.
Yet, the risk...the risk is not inconsiderable. While you don't like Hida Isano's blunt dismissal of your abilities, a man who still serves his clan after losing a leg, and what's more still trains as a warrior even. Is not someone you're going to dismiss so easily.
You focus your eyes on him...no he's not lying, he's completely sincere in the risk.

In the end though, there's really one choice for you.

[] Walk away. This is madness whatever it is, assassin monks, treasures? The Crab preparing for war? The risk is too much
[] Seize the moment. Swear yourself to this conspiracy, to keep it's secrets and get the chance to reclaim your name.

AN: No write ins here.
 
Arc IV: Revelations
----Seize the moment.

You take a breath letting yourself think on what to do.

Be more concerned with good deeds than great ones. Those were the words your mother spoke to you, the words that Doji-no-kami left her clan to guide them. The Doji family even now takes it as their family motto.

But the Kakita, your birth family, had a different motto, a different creed.
For the coward there is no life, for the hero there is no death.
According to legend, Lord Kakita had said it when asked if he felt any fear facing Lady Matsu at the end of the first Emerald Championship. You were Crane deep in your bones, ronin or not, your actions since waking up in Shiro Enishi had proven that over and over.

So you would let the words of your birth family guide you.
You bow low to Isano.

"Hida Isano-dono...I may not know the cause, but I know my honour, I know the value of my courage. If you will have me, I will swear my blade to this endeavour, to see it through, or die knowing that I died honourably fulfilling my oath."
Megumi Courtier versus Isano Willpower=40 v 32. Pass
A long silence passes as Isano and Jubei look at you.
Finally Isano gives a snort, as if exasperated.
"...I receive your oath Megumi-san, welcome to Kichi's Guard"

You blink at that name...Kichi? You didn't know anyone named famous named Kichi.

"Sit up Megumi-san, we have a lot to discuss, do you play go?" Jubei asks.

"Forgive me, but no." You answer.

"Then watch and you may learn." Isano says, having swept the board.

The game begins anew with Jubei placing a black stone on the grid.

"How familiar are you with the events of five years ago?" Isano asks, holding a white stone in his fingers.

With a tilt of your head, you think back to five years ago...about a year before your banishment. The talk of those days was the disappearance of Princess Ayeko, Imperial Heir from the Palace. There was some minor stuff like who married who, and whether or not Moto Kublai was really going to try and hold an Imperial Court out on the steppe. (He hadn't as it turned out)

"Five years ago was when Princess Ayeko disappeared. From what I heard, she was spirited out of her chambers in the palace itself...almost like the assault on the Imperial throne twenty years ago." You say.

Isano places down a white stone, and nods.
"That is the official story...but the official story isn't all there is to it."
----------------------------
Six years ago


Princess Ayeko stood tall in the small study that served as the Imperial Office. Oh there was an official one near the Throne room. But Iweko VII had picked out a different one, a homey place of sandal wood and spice, that now had an entire extra room attached for his scrolls. The Princess was often called beautiful, but in truth the Iweko blood made her more handsome than anything, with a lithe athletic figure honed to fight but also cut a figure in court.

"Father you went on a Musha Shugyo, and it saved your life!" She said.

Iweko VII steeples his hands. Gray hair does little to distract from the presence that he exudes with every moment. Like his daughter, his face tended more towards high cheekbones and handsomeness, the difference was that Ayeko had a softness to her. Iweko VII looked nothing so much like an unsheathed sword even no.

"I wasn't the heir." He responds.

Ayeko shakes her head.
"You have other children. Nobukatsu-kun or Keika-chan could take over even if I wasn't."

"Neither of them are you"

Ayeko doesn't flinch from the gaze of her father.
"You told me once that the Dynasty cannot rest on one person. That is why you took those concubines...if it cannot rest on one person then it cannot rest on me alone."

A twitch from Iweko VII showing the point.
"You have been groomed as my successor since you could take lessons."

"Father you weren't, and you became the finest Emperor the Empire has had since Iweko-no-kami." Ayeko answers.

"You are not going on Musha Shugyo alone."

Ayeko doesn't smile, but one can see it in her eyes.
"I agree, at this year's Topaz Championship, you father, will select my guard to go on pilgrimage with me."

Dark eyes narrow.
"Who said I was allowing you to go?"

Ayeko steps forward.
"...Father. If I'm to ascend without the Owls or the Hawks feeling slighted, then it is for the best I go out of the capital until then, avoiding political entanglement. Furthermore, I cannot go into an official capacity to any of the Clans, that will be seen as support for the faction they align themselves with. Either I go to live with the monks...or I go on a warrior pilgrimage, that is the best way to keep me out of the politics."

Closing his eyes, Iweko VII...or Akio as he still calls himself in his head, weighs the argument. Long minutes drag out in the air.

"Ten guards." He says at last.

"Father!" Ayeko says in exasperation.

The two began to dicker over how many guards she should have exactly, she wanted two, he insisted on more.
Finally the answer settled on five.
--------------------

Isano finishes explaining the truth to you. Of how Princess Ayeko secretly went on a warrior pilgrimage.
How it went wrong, and she was captured by the Kolat. A secret society that had been destroyed twice before...but always come back from the branch hidden in the Burning Sands. When Brother Jubei had discovered this, before he had retired to be a monk, he had built another conspiracy. Kichi's Guard, to counter infiltrate the Kolat and destroy them all.

The Kolat had thought to use the Egg of Pan'ku to create a maddened twin of Ayeko and send her back with her now equally mad guards. With this they would either see the Imperial Throne lost to civil war or the Iweko wiped out, either was acceptable to the Kolat.

But the story didn't end there. Breaking cover Jubei rescued the princess, but there were complications...

-----------------
Four and a half years ago.


Jubei swore as the doors to the cells opened to reveal an empty room. They hadn't been sure when the Egg would get here, so they had locked up the princess in the cells they used for new recruits. He had thought that he could go rescue Princess Ayeko get her out and then go back without breaking cover.

No dice.
Damn the Scorpion,
Damn the Tortoise,
Damn himself for not finding this out in time.

He runs towards the ceremony room, the Egg of Pan'ku was...delicate to say the least. Thus obviously they would make the new clones in a place with a lot of room to escape if it exploded.

Sliding to a halt, Jubei sees, that the egg is being lowered to Princess Ayeko...
All thought grinds to a halt as trained instinct kicks, from life as a bushi, life as a warrior. There is a target to attack, people in the way.

It's odd how quickly training returns as he channels the earth and barrels through the guards like an avalanche.
His cover is broken, but as Jubei breaks a man's skull open with an axe kick, he doesn't care.
It's been way too long since he's let loose. He's heard the whispers about how he's past his prime, an old man.

There's some truth to that, Jubei admits...but it felt good to show that his prime wasn't so far behind.

Master Lotus looks at Jubei with hatred in his eyes.
"You're too late traitor!"

With that the master forces the Egg down. Ayeko begins to scream as her soul is violated in a primal way, a second woman beginning to rise out of her bound form. Jubei knows he has to kill the copy before Master Lotus escapes with her.

A choice is made, calling upon his chi, the false Monk strikes with the Dim Mak at the copy.

------------------------------------

"The ensuing explosion levelled the complex, when I came too, Princess Ayeko was beside me, I assumed it was the real one. I picked her up and carried her into the city, and working with Hida-dono, procured a shrine to nurse her back to health in." Jubei says as he wins a second game against Isano.

"But Princess Ayeko, couldn't remember a thing to her name. She could act, speak, live, but any memories of her past were gone. So she became Sister Aya, and we looked for a way to restore her memories. The Kolat went underground unsure of how widely they'd been infiltrated." He finishes his part of the tale.

Hida Isano now begins to speak.
"Until recently we had all but given up hope. But then you brought copy into our door...and we think we know what happened. Brother Jubei acted too soon, in putting his chi into the duplication process, he split the Princess mind. One half the half that could remember how to do everything a normal person does, went to Sister Aya. The other half the half that contained her memories, her knowledge, her personality was looked away in the copy."

You take a moment to process in mute horror what that must be like. To lose yourself, or to be unable to find yourself.
Trapped in a body you could not control, or a body you did not know. A part of you shivers at the thought.

"I see Hida-dono"

"Thus our new task is to find a way to reunite the two. To make Princess Ayeko whole." He continues.

"How can we do that?"

"Don't know yet, but we have about six months before we have to leave with them both anyways." Isano says.

"Eh?"

"Winter Court is in nine months unless you missed that. According to everything we've heard, The Emperor will announce a new heir then...and the Kolat will make an all out assault to assassinate him afterwards." Isano finishes.

You still...this is big, bigger than big, you've...wow going to need a moment to process this. Kami they weren't kidding...and worst of all is you can't tell anyone because you don't know who is Kolat and who was not.

Fuck

Agreed, but pull yourself together Sakura.

You swallow at your Grandmother's voice and take a deep breath.
Isano is looking at you, Jubei seems to be reliving that day when he tried to fix everything and it became worse.
At a glance, Hida-dono is waiting for you to have more questions.

But for now at least you don't have any.

AN: Alright guys Arc IV is now over.
Rewards.
Megumi has gained +0.2 Honour
Megumi has gained the allies of Hida Isano and Brother Jubei
Megumi has gained the Dark Secret: Princess Ayeko is Sister Aya and Ko
Megumi gains a set of Kaiu made Light Armor.

I will have an actual vote for training up shortly.
 
Training (Arc V Set up)
So, I enjoy the levelling between arcs with training downtime, however, given that I want to end this story this year. It becomes clear that the endgame I have planned would kill Megumi, even with her Earth modifier changed from everyone else. As it stands she nearly died from this arc more than once, and this was just starting to head up to the upper tiers. So to keep going would almost certainly result in a bad end, barring frankly absurd levels of luck.

Thus to counteract that. Arc V will be something of a training arc. I don't intend it to last too many updates. The choices in this arc will largely centre around who you build up your nakama with for the final arc where in Megumi and her crew will ride to Toshi Ranbo with a lot of people trying to kill them.

However while the arc is going on, Megumi will be training to be the best like no one ever was. After every two months she should unlock another technique for her to master. By the time Arc VI begins, we should be looking at a Megumi with rank four or five under her belt.

To accomplish this. Megumi will have a total of 48 Actions to spend over the next six months. Each month will be structured with eight of these actions going on in the background while Megumi makes bonds with people.

Because of this, voting will be done by plans. If your vote is not titled [] Plan (Name) then it will not be counted.
Furthermore plans should be structured like this:

Plan (Name)
Insight Gain:
Month 1
Train X (Attribute/Skill)= Number of Actions Used
Train Y (Attribute/Skill)= Number of Actions Used
Train Z (Attribute/Skill)= Number of Actions used
ect until all Eight actions for the month are spent. Repeat for the next month until six months are filled up. (For Space consider putting in a spoiler)

In terms of action costs, presume that Megumi is self training after she achieves Rank 5 in a skill or Attribute 5. Furthermore you may only have one Ring past 6 (It goes crazy also I don't want to come up with 18 unique techs)

However, I'm aware that this is a lot of work, so if you don't want to bother doing that. You can vote for one of the plans I'm providing below.

[] Plan Mistress of Swords
Insight Gain: 81

Month 1:
Agility 4 (2 actions)
Kenjutsu 7 (6 actions)

Month 2:
Agility 5 (2 actions)
Iaijutsu 7 (6 actions)

Month 3:
Stamina 3 (2 actions)
Intelligence 3 (2 actions)
Reflexes 4 (2 actions)
Void 5 (2 actions)

Month 4:
Awareness 5 (2 actions)
Reflex 5 (2 actions)
Investigation 5 (2 actions)
Strength 3 (2 actions)

Month 5:
Stamina 4 (2 actions)
Willpower 4 (2 actions)

Kenjutsu 9 (4 actions)

Month 6:
Kenjutsu 10 (2 actions)
Iaijutsu 10 (6 Actions)

[] Plan Magistrate
Insight Gain: 74

Month 1:
Reflex 4 (2 actions)
Intelligence 3 (2 actions)
Perception 3 (2 actions)
Strength 3 (2 actions)

Month 2:
Willpower 3 (2 actions)
Reflex 5 (2 actions)
Investigation 6 (4 actions)

Month 3:
Investigation 7 (2 actions)
Awareness 5 (2 actions)
Courtier 4 (3 actions)
Hunting 2 (1 action)

Month 4:
Iaijutsu 5 (2 actions)
Kenjutsu 5 (2 actions)
Jiujutsu 4 (4 actions)

Month 5:
Jiujutsu 5 (1 action)
Iaijutsu 7 (4 actions)
Lore: Law (1 action)
Hunting 4 (2 actions)

Month 6:
Void 5 (2 actions)
Lore Bushido 2 (2 actions)
Lore Law 2( 2 actions)
Kyujutsu 3 (2 actions)

[] Plan Ronin
Insight Gain: 64

Month 1:
Stamina 3 (2 actions)
Willpower 4 (2 actions)
Kenjutsu 5 (2 actions)
Spears 3 (2 actions)

Month 2:
Stamina 4 ( 2 Actions)
Iaijutsu 5 (2 actions)
Spears 5 (2 Actions)
Kyujutsu 3 (2 actions)

Month 3:
Agility 4 (2 actions)
Defence 3 ( 3 actions)
Hunting 2 (1 Action)
Kenjutsu 6 (2 actions)

Month 4:
Defence 5 (2 Actions)
Hunting 5 (3 actions)
Kenjutsu 7 (2 actions)
Intimidation 1 ( 1 Action)

Month 5:
Iaijutsu 7 (4 actions)
Commerce 3 ( 2 actions)
Willpower 5 (2 actions)

Month 6:
Stamina 5 (2 actions)
Knives 5 (5 actions)
Courtier 2 (1 action)

Plan Mistress of Swords is inarguably the most killy plan. But it makes you fairly monofocused.
Plan Magistrate tries to strike a balance between bushi and courtly endevours, but lacks the survivability of the other plans
Plan Ronin focuses on general survivability above all else but sacrifices some focus, and lacks the courtly graces of the other plans.

If there are any questions or comments or if I messed up my math, let me know.
 
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