-Plan Sirrocco 2.0
Etiquette Roll 7k5 (6k3+1k1[Void]+0k1[Benten's Blessing]) =51 (19, 9, 8, 8, 7) *Success*
You take a deep breath, the world slowing down slightly as you taken in your options.
Running? No, that's an admission of guilt.
Fighting? No, you can't fight an entire city.
Talking then, you have to talk your way out.
But you're a ronin, talking is just as risky as fighting. You have no status, but that of hohei in the legion. Your mind turns over endless words spoken by your sensei, by your mother, as the forms and phrasings to get yourself out of this come to mind.
First, stop backing away, it makes you look cowardly. You take a breath and plant yourself firmly, like some sort of mighty tree. Takamona stops, clearly not expecting that. You aren't being aggressive, but rather very rooted in the Earth.
Then you call on all your training, all your energy to make one last attempt to persuade them.
You bow respectfully.
"Samurai-sama, I am a simple ronin under the command of Bayushi Sora-sama. I would not ask anyone to forgo their duty for me. If I am to be taken into custody, then of course I will go quietly. However, taking you away from your duties here is not something I want to cause either. Thus, I ask if it is possible that Bayushi-sama take me in herself, so as to not be the cause of more conflict."
Your voice is clear, it's, crisp and it's understanding. It also makes you seem like the honourable sort who will endure any insult because that is right and proper. That you will trust in your own honour and the will of heaven to see you through. Perhaps most importantly you pointed out a conflict of duty that they could take advantage of if they wanted.
The gamble was, of course, if the Ikoma and Shiba could restrain Takamona.
"No," Takamona retorts instantly.
"Just a moment," an earthy female voice calls out, the Ikoma speaking up for the first time.
You and Takamona both focus on the wiry, thin, unassuming woman, who none the less is the most dangerous person you've met in some time.
"Ikoma-sama, this Ronin speaks honeyed words to cover up her lies, you cannot trust her," Takamona says quickly.
If you weren't already in trouble….
Ikoma-sama proceeds to scrutinze you for a long time. You get the feeling that she is weighing your worth, judging you, before turning towards Sora and doing the same. It's a little uncomfortable.
"I see no reason not to trust a fellow member of the Imperial Legion to do her duty," she says at last.
You notice she's glancing at Takamona.
Takamona reacts with, well, what you expect.
"NO!" She shouts.
The Hida composes herself, and you'd be impressed if it wasn't to your detriment.
More calmly, Takamona continues to speak.
"Ikoma-sama, this ronin is a filthy traitor to all that is good we must---"
"Enough," the Ikoma snaps.
The words fly through the air and Takamona goes rigid, as if she's a puppet and just had her strings pulled too quickly. More interesting to you is that while the tone Ikoma-sama used was angry, there's still the faint sign of a smile there.
Not a happy smile, to be sure but a smile all the same. Your mind works quickly, figuring out what happened. Ikoma-sama doesn't like Takamona, but she's obligated to pay attention to her subordinates. Particularly, when Takamona is still the daughter of a Provincial Daimyo, yet with this, Ikoma-sama has an excuse to say no. Something that Ikoma-sama has wanted to do for quite a while it seems.
"Hida-san stand down. Shiba-san, get the paperwork from Bayushi-sama and then send her on her way with the prisoner," Ikoma-sama says.
"Sir," Shiba-sama quickly moves to the table for a moment.
He returns and talks to Sora briefly, getting some documents stamped. You ignore that to focus on Takamona. The large Hida woman takes a deep breath, raising her fist, oh no. You prepare to dodge, right when Takamona turns and punches a wall hard.
"So...close...dammit," she mutters to herself.
You may have escaped her for now, but somehow, you don't think Takamona is going to give up on killing you. It's a little sad how comforting that constant is.
"Megumi-san, you will have to be bound for this," Shiba-sama says coming up behind you.
To your credit, you don't give any sign that you nearly jumped a foot in fright, a near thing though. You take in Shiba-sama's words.
Well damn, you had really hoped to not be tied up. Being tied up wasn't something you enjoyed, and you could speak from experience on that.
"I'll handle it," Sora puts in.
The feel of hemp around your wrists and chest isn't what you would call pleasant, even as Sora gives one final pull of the knot.The ropes are tight enough to dig into your skin a little with each breath, but you can still breathe and that's the important part. You make sure to bow to the Ikoma and Shiba in gratitude, for saving your life. Sora and Yukiko bow as well, but a more restrained polite bow.
Sora moves forward, pulling you along. Behind you, you can feel the barely restrained rage of Takamona as she watches you go. A part of you wants to turn and do something childish, you ignore it easily. The fact that you can feel her hate boring into the back of your head provides all the incentive to do so.
It's an odd experience being led through the city like some sort of dog. You feel like you'll be remembered somewhat for this and not well. That said, Sora lets you move at your own pace so at least it doesn't look all that bad.
"So why was that Hida so intent on uh, making you into a small cube?" Yukiko asks.
You look over at her and try to rub the back of your head. Or you would if you weren't bound anyways.
Eh...it's uh, a little personal, sorry Iuchi-sama." you say finally.
"Ah." she replies.
"This whole situation is a mess. All I wanted was just to go home and have a nice bath, but now I have to clean this up," Sora growls.
"I'm sorry Bayushi-sama," you apologize gracefully..
"It's not your fault really, it's whoever decided to put the fallout on you," Yukiko says.
Sora mumbles something under her breath but you don't catch it, although it's easy enough to guess that it's some variation on, 'stupid people making my life difficult'.
Finally, you're through the frankly far too large Mori Ward and into the citadel proper. The looming tower that oversees the city seems to have been painted black recently. That's...uh...foreboding, that's the word for it. All around you, Imperial Legionaries go about their duties along with civil officials. If Sora can't help you, getting out of this might well be impossible.
"I do hope you aren't planning to be a criminal?" your grandmother asks.
'No grandmother, but I can't gain a name if I'm dead either,' you answer.
A hmph from her.
Deep breaths, Megumi.
Yukiko gives a small smile. "Don't worry Megumi-san, at most you'll spend the night in a cell and probably not even that."
"Huh?" The word is startled out of you before your control reasserts itself.
"Forgive me Iuchi-sama, but I thought we were going to Bayushi-dono directly," you add by way of explanation.
"No," Sora says bluntly.
Yukiko rolls her eyes slightly. "We don't have those orders, so we have to go by what we do have."
Or Takamona will raise a fit and cause more problems. Your mind fills in the rest easily enough.
Well, fuck, you really didn't want to go to jail.
"What about my swords?" you ask softly.
"I'll take care of them," Yukiko says.
"Megumi-san, whatever your faults, I'm not going to discard you, that would be a waste." Sora says.
You do your best to bow to her, while being dragged along.
"Thank you."
Sora just nods, as you stop in front of a fairly formidable looking iron door. A somewhat bored looking Kitsuki stands in front of it. He's not the most beautiful man you've met, like Toshiro or anything, but he's handsome enough, well muscled too. The old feeling of attraction is pushed away. You're going to jail, you ain't got time to think about that sort of thing.
Dull eyes sweep over you as the Dragon asks, "Yes?"
Sora bows, making you and Yukiko do so as well. You note Kitsuki-sama bowing as well.
"Dragon-sama, I am Bayushi Sora, Dai Hohei of the Tenth Legion. I have a prisoner for you. Megumi the ronin. My companion will take her swords, but I leave her in your care. "
His eyes widen."Well then, thank you Bayushi-san, I am Kitsuki Kisu, Nikutai of the Tenth and Warden. Megumi-san, come with me."
Sora takes your swords and gives them to Yukiko, even as the Kitsuki takes the rope.
With one hand he opens the iron door, the hinges creaking from the weight. Inside you can just make the dim light of torches.
You gives a tentative farewell to your companions as you're dragged inside. The door slamming shut.
"Well I have to say this is unexpected, but I suppose it's been that kind of year," the Kitsuki says.
"Er right…" You mumble.
You wince internally as that comes out. Dammit you just went over this, be firm, be honourable, be polite...and you ruined it by letting your fear get to you.
Mother would never forgive you for that.
"What am I, vegetable parings?"
'No Grandmother, my apologies grandmother,' you think.
Kisu gives you a pitying look before continuing to talk.
"We don't usually have too many prisoners, Chief Judge Moshi makes sure of that, goes through them quick. But, I'm sure you'll be okay. Executing you for kidnapping Bayushi-sama doesn't make a lot of sense now."
"Yes Sir," you reply, although that's not actually reassuring you given the circumstances.
He continues leading you down the hallway talking about something or other the entire time. You give polite agreements and sort of let it flow over you. None of it is terribly relevant to anything, but it just seems like Kisu likes to talk. It's weird, but then...Dragon, you aren't sure they know how not to be weird.
Still, you listen to him talk, even as you note the general layout of the prison. As he said it's not large, not compared to what you'd expect anyways, maybe three floors in total, with only one entrance. Most of the cells are empty, although you note one massive woman with what looks like white skin and blond hair? Thrane? Weren't they all dead?
Still, she seems to have not been here terribly long going by the wretches in other cells. That's, uh, not comforting to be honest.
Finally, Kisu puts you into a small cell that has barely anything in it beyond some straw, iron bars, stone floor, and a small drain pipe...eew. Deciding to put that out of your mind, you notice the Thrane woman is close enough to talk to if you wanted. It might not work given the language barrier which you always keep running into, but you could try.
Look like you'll be here for a bit, now how to pass the time?
[] Meditate
[] Sleep
[] Try to talk to the Thrane woman (About?)
[] Look for an escape route
