Mahou Ronin Sachiko - A Drifting Magical Girl Tale

[ArlequineLunaire]

​

Hello there Sufficient Velocity! Let me introduce myself, I'm travelling moon rabbit folklorist Kaguya Yakumo (Western Order) and currently I've been researching the old myths, legends and oral traditions of the Magic Empire East of the Sun, Himikoku, in preparation for the publishing of my next collection!

The reason I'm contacting you is that I believe you all have extensive knowledge of an old Himikoku Ronin tale, one of which I've collected a fair bit of info on yet am having some trouble piecing together into a single narrative.

To recap what we know, Himikoku is a magical archipelago where humans, youkai and gods have all lived together since ancient times. Originally ruled by a wise and magical Empress, later huge military power and de facto rulership was gained by the Queen of Swords, the absolute authority over the Empire's many Princesses.

These Princesses were in turn attended to by the Empire's most famous heroes: the Servants, or Samurai as they're better known. The great power of the Samurai, before the mass introduction of more modern, Western magic made them obsolete, lay in them being able to transform their own Souls into Swords, usually with the aid of a Swordsmith though occasionally through nothing but their own will.

Most notorious among the Samurai were the Ronin, literally 'wave person' but more often translated to mean 'Drifter' or 'Vagrant'. They were Samurai who'd lost their Princess, be it through desertion, dismissal, or her death, and now wandered the lands East of the Sun as anything from cutthroat bandits to gallant outlaws. Luckily, this tale concerns the latter.

Now, though this tale I ask your knowledge of is one of the more famous old tales, knowledge of when it took place can still be a bit blurred, what with all the different versions (kabuki, noh, bunraku, spoken word, regional variants, so on), you understand. I believe the most agreed upon setting is:

[ ] The Dawn of the Samurai. The old times where distinguishing fact from fiction becomes harder and harder. Most of Himikoku back then was a few isolated centres of art and order in a lawless, bandit and demon-strewn wilderness, where the common people cried out for a hero as so many nobles turned a blind eye! Samurai, having just started, had not gained their later prestige, but this just meant many fought harder to prove themselves, doubly so for Ronin.

[ ] The Morning of the Samurai. The first great war amongst Princesses, which would end with the rise of Himikoku's first Queen of Swords! This era would at last see Samurai become masters of all East of the Sun, and was dotted with tragic heroes, daring feats and shocking betrayals. With most allying themselves with the Princesses of the two major clans, you could see how any Ronin in-between would be viewed with suspicion.

[ ] The Noon of the Samurai. The largest war ever fought among Princesses for the prize of being undisputed ruler, with almost the entire country being swept up. This was the Samurai at their military peak, undeniably helped by the introduction of guns to Himikoku, but in turn the most dangerous one, with death around every corner. Maybe a Ronin could slip through the cracks, with the Princesses being too busy with each other.

[ ] The Afternoon of the Samurai. Far more peaceful than the preceding years, with major battles being rare most fights were duels of honour or scuffles with outlaws. A time of cultural and artistic flourishing, yet also stricter hierarchically then ever. Few were hit harder by the latter than the Ronin who, no longer allowed by law to find new mistresses, rose to record numbers.

[ ] The Twilight of the Samurai. By this time the barriers Himikoku had put up to the outside world were fully broken. Foreign magic and technology was pouring in fast, and the long Age of the Samurai would come to an end with, among other things, a war between the Empress and the Queen and Swords!

Now this legendary Ronin of course went by many names, but I think the one we can probably agree on is (in Western Order)-
[ ] Sachiko Baishou.
[ ] Shizuka Shonagon.
[ ] Azuchi no Mikadzuki.
[ ] Mikoto no Shingetsu.
[ ] Asuka no Hijikata.
[ ] Chihiro no Mae.
[ ] Write-in.

Now, different Youkai tend to retell his tale to make its lead one of their own, but I believe most would say she was a-
[ ] Human. By far the most social of the animals, the most numerous yet also the least magical, though that at least comes with the bonus of them being the least constrained by magic.
[ ] Kitsune, a multi-tailed fox spirit with a slew of spells up their sleeves, including illusions, shapeshifting, fire, lightning, even time and space distortion!
[ ] Oni, a red or blue ogress of supreme strength, if not stability or sociability.
[ ] Ryu, a dragon in human form unparalleled in the waters!
[ ] Tengu, a bird-like super-swift master of the skies!
[ ] Usagi no Tsuki, a rabbit from the moon able to leap great distances and create special elixirs. Just hope I'm not accused of species favouritism!
[ ] Jorogumo, a spider-woman armed with deadly poisons, sticky web traps and extra limbs for wielding multiple weapons.
[ ] Yuki-Onna, an ice queen, to use that expression, not so good in warmer climates but deadly beyond compare in colder ones!
[ ] Karakuri, the first of our modern robots. Ever so durable, just as long as they're careful around fire, water and lightning.
[ ] Write-in (provided its an actual youkai from legend).

(QM's Note: In the Quest Idea thread I had the option to vote on weapon besides sword, I've decided to move that to just a bit later on when the first fight happens.)

 

[ArlequineLunaire]

Reserved for Characters.

Core Cast:

Sachiko Baishou: Two-tailed kitsune, ronin who used to serve the (otherwise human) Amano clan before their destruction. As a samurai only draws their swords for matters of honour or crises, usually fights with an iron war fan with some spells for back-up.

Victoria 'Vivi' Verne: Leiferikan journalist for the Montfaux Monthly, sent to Himikoku to do a series of reports on the newly-opened country, has found a particularly interesting subject in Sachiko. Has a gun for back-up, which Sachiko has enchanted to shoot magic.

Nagisa Kuroda: Antisocial Tengu Yamabushi found near Tenago Village, when Sachiko and Vivi needed help with spirit identification. On a pilgrimage to the Shugendo holy site Muro Shizan.

For the Queen:

Samurai:

Shinsengumi:

Garasha Kamiya: Jorogumo Shinsengumi who came to the Northern town of Kanaoka to investigate reports of a hannya. Wields multiple weapons such as a gun, spear, naginata, sickle and club.

Ninja:

Sohei:

Foreigners:

For the Empress:

Royal Family:

Samurai:

Ninja:

Miko:

Tomoyo Sensoukami: Polite and ladylike Ryu Miko and drummer trained on Taiko Island. Is strongly in support of the Empress' attempts to re-popularise Himikoku's folk religion The Way of the Spirits.

Other:

Junji Sakurai: Ryu Ashigaru in the town of Kanaoka. Used to be a regular combatant in the annual Tournament, but after his right wing was shredded in a hannya attack now works at the reception desk.

Motoharu Nakamura: Blue Oni haiku poet whose iron club has a calligraphy brush at its end.

Sen-no-Roboto: Karakuri doll designed for the conducting of the tea ceremony, a duty it takes somewhat zealously.

Tenshi Akiyama: Young Trinity Priest, at least half-Tengu, from the village of Tenago, who like the other villagers believes their town is where the Messiah figure Sophia Salomonis came to and died.

 

[ArlequineLunaire]

Reserved for World Information.

Himikoku, the Empire East of the Sun - Geography

Starting from the southwest and heading north, first is the prefecture known as The Great Gate, a large tropical island covered in rainforests and volcanoes. Its name comes from the fact that for many years, even to an extent when the Veil over Himikoku was raised, it was the Empire East of the Sun's main place of contact with the outside world.
Many Red Oni can be found here attracted by the warm climate, along with more warmwater Ryu and heat-seeking Jorogumo.

Next is The Blessed Isle, called that for its many temples, shrines and pilgrimages between them. Not that the island is completely holy, as it was also known as a piracy haven long ago, and still in some part today.
The Tengu, who in contrast with their roguish reputation tend to be the most religious of species, often flock here for said pilgrimages, along with Kitsune attracted by the strong magic aura here.

Reaching the main island we come across The Rose Dunes, a great coastal desert famed for its great sand sculptures, including entire towns and castles of sand.
Kitsune and Lunar Rabbits like to make their homes here, the former for the desert's usefulness in crafting illusions, the latter because the barren landscape reminds them of the moon.

We then reach the very core of the country, The Imperial Heartland, home to the Empress' capital, cities that range from modern and bustling to solemn and ancient, great lakes and mountains, and some of the deadliest ninja villages.
This is also home to many Jorogumo, who fit well in both the ninja villages and the scheming courts,along with quite a few Oni hired as bodyguards.

Himikoku's already steep mountains rise even higher to form the Roof of the World region, where the peaks are said to reach past the clouds and into the Heavens, while the caves delve far down enough to reach the lairs of demons.
The Tengu have taken well to this region due to its sheer heights, but you can also find many Lunar Rabbits here, the altitude placing them closer to their original homeland, as well as Yuki-Onna in the colder altitudes.

Making it pass the Roof of the World you step out to gaze upon the vast green expanse of The Queen's Great Garden, more of a great plain than a 'garden', but its main city is indeed the longtime residence of the Queen of Swords.
The flattest of the prefectures and therefore the most populated, so populated that you should be able to find any of Himikoku's races here.

Heading into the North we reach The Land of Dragons, so named for the great Ryu clans that have long resided here. A place of heavy snowfall and unforgiving tides, with the Ryu the only ones said to be able to safely navigate it.
Other than the Ryu Yuki-Onna can also be found here, as well as a few Blue Oni.

Beyond the frontiers of civilisation you come to Death's Door, The Edge of the Underworld, a poisonous wasteland infested with ghosts and skeletons, where the barrier between the worlds of the living and dead is as its thinnest.

Legends have it that hidden somewhere, beyond even Death's Door, lies the Lost Realm of the Ancients, built and inhabited by the long-lost original inhabitants of Himikoku...

Click to shrink...

Himikoku - Religions

The Path of Spirit, Himikoku's native religion, teaches that with every object rests a kami spirit, with each spirit growing stronger with both Age and Esteem.
An example of this would be the Tsukumogami, which began as everyday objects from lanters to clocks to mirrors to umbrellas to sandals, and so on, before transforming into living Youkai after so many years.
Another would be the almighty nine-tailed kitsune, which any kitsune can one day become after nearly a millennium in this World

But the most worshiped Spirits of all would be the Great Spirits, Amatsukami, who began life as mortals, be they warriors, magicians, creators, generals or Empresses, before they ascended to what Westerns would call 'godhood' after many valorous acts and deeds. The New Moon Dragon, the Crimson Centurion, the Avatar of War, the Tigress of the Four Powers, the infamous Devil Queen of Paradise Lost, and most of all the Sun Goddess and Head of the Pantheon, the First Empress Himiko.

Path of Spirit devotees gather in Shrines, attended by Miko and Kannushi, who are distinguished by the great Taiko drums they beat on to call down Spirits, their sacred sun-representing Bows, and their great Nodachi donated to them by Samurai.

The Path of Light, the other major religion in Himikoku, originally came from overseas but was introduced and popularized by the Empire's Princess of Light. This Path focuses on reverence for all-wise teachers and philosophers, acknowledging war, if at all, as an unfortunate necessity rather than glorifying it like the Path of Spirit.

Popular objects of worship include the Bodhisattvas, those said to have been able to transcend the material world and be free of the cycle of suffering, but who instead chose to remain in this world in order to help those not so unfortunate to be able to endure and one day escape suffering too.

The Path of Light's followers worship in Temples, attended by Monks and Nuns, the most notorious of which are the fighting Sohei, who in olden times were skilled naginata wielders but have since happily switched to guns.

While for many the Paths of Spirit and Light harmoniously co-existed, with most in Himikoku following both, with the recent conflict between Empress and Sword Queen, the Path of Spirit has received all the more support from the Empress for nationalist purposes. Meanwhile the Path of Light is being increasingly stripped of power, leading many Sohei to side with the Sword Queen.

Finally there is the 'hidden religion' as it was known in Himikoku in the Age Behind the Veil: the Daughters of the Trinity, the Church of Divine Wisdom. Worshiping a Three-Fold God who descended to Earth as Sophia of the House of Solomon to save humanity from the Temptations of the False Creator, it is of great controversy in Himikoku for two reasons.

First, that it is outspokenly monotheistic while the Empire other two religions are polytheistic. Second, that it preaches an Absolute Morality answering to none other than the Divine, whereas many in Himikoku consider morality as something determined by one's social sphere and Earthly Authorities.

That said, while worshiping only one Goddess, the Trinity Church does record the existence of a number of Angels, messengers who deliver prayers between humans and God, though strictly cannot be prayed to themselves. It also honours Saints, exalted humans said to reflect the Divine in Virtue.

Click to shrink...

The World Beyond Himikoku

In ages past, the one land which held the most influence on Himikoku was undoubtedly Xiaguo, a far older country where much of Himikoku's arts and philosophies either originated or passed through. Xiaguo is a land rich in magic and technology, yet quite unlike Himikoku is known for encouraging rebellion against its Empress if she has shown herself as a tyrant.

The first two 'Western' nations to make contact with Himikoku were the Empire of Tanalusia and the Republic of Aardezee, both powerful seafaring nations that helped introduce Himikoku to the Holy Trinity and gunpowder.

At present the greatest superpower in the world is the Valkyrjan Empire, the largest nation ever seen and unchallenged master of the oceans. One of the lands under it is the vast expanse of Leiferika.
South of Leiferika you come to the slowly waking 'giant', the Vesputia Star Union. Known as the Immigrant Nation and a Land of Hope and Opportunity, especially with the Goldfields recently uncovered in its West. However the 'Hope' and 'Opportunity' parts at present come mostly from arms dealing, with the country being in the middle of a Civil War.

Click to shrink...

 

[ArlequineLunaire]

Reserved for Music, Real World Info and Miscellaneous, you may now post!

Opening Theme - Fumio Hayasaka: Festive Overture in D

Travel Theme - Ar Tonelico II: BASARA
Kanaoka Town - Japanese Snow Song (Yuki)
Land of Dragons - Okamiden Limited: Shinshu Field
Tenago Village - Okami: Kusa Village
Shibori City - Shadow Hearts Covenant: Rising Sun

Shinsengumi Theme - Gintama: ...Shinsengumi Theme
Shinsengumi Battle Theme - Japantale: Battle Against A True Samurai
Hannya Battle Theme - Okami: Twin Devils Lechku & Nechku
Transformation Theme - Japantale: Japanlovania

Tournament Theme - Shogun II Fall of the Samurai: Uncle Samurai
Festival Theme - Derek & Brandon Flechter: Japanese Festival
Funeral Theme - Departures: Okuribito (Memory)
Training Theme - Derek & Brandon Flechter: Blades of Might

Gujo Hachiman Water City (Rachel & Jun)
Seki Sword City (OnlyInJapan)
Aomori (AbroadInJapan)
On Hannya - Aku's Real World Origin in Samurai Jack! (GaijinGoomba)
Shingo Village - Tomb of Jesus in Japan (AbroadInJapan)
Lake Towada (JNTO)

 

[ArlequineLunaire]

Ah yes, the Kitsune Sachiko Baishou, one of the last great heroines of the Samurai Era!



Now most if not all of the Sachiko tales are from when she was already a ronin, with not a lot of information on her days in service. But reports do have it that the Clan she served was the-
[ ] Toratorii, an Oni clan generous enough to accept any race as their vassal if their strength was great enough.
[ ] Kuzunoha, a Kitsune clan renowned for their onmyoji.
[ ] Amano, a Human clan to whom she was an entertainer before being made a warrior.
[ ] Rokujou, a Jorogumo clan who, while officially Samurai, were more known for their ninja. They had Kitsune vassals as they found their illusion skills useful.
[ ] Write-in.

This leads us to your typical beginning for a Sachiko Baishou tale, her leaping down the mountainside on a dark, snowy night, her clan's fortress burning far behind her. Throughout the whole scene young Sachiko, usually the far more talkative type as we'll see in a moment, said nothing but the occasional gasp as she had to steer her trusted horse away from a crumbling ledge.

After that night, Sachiko spent the following days wandering on horseback through the nearby valleys, her journey not made easier by the thick fog, like a smear of grey oil paint, that had descended. The now-ronin, still unable to find it in her to speak much, spent a fair bit of time staring downcast at her reflection in the shallow pools she came across.

The only possessions she'd been able to save from her former Clan's fortress were of course her sword, some money that'd last about a week if she spent wisely, the clothes on her back, and one other weapon, the one she used the most.

Ah, though Samurai are most associated with their swords, as their swords were forged from souls they'd more often use other weapons for regular battles. Only in a noble duel or a crisis situation would they ever unsheathe their blade, to use it for anything less would practically insult it. Now Sachiko's common weapon was-
[ ] Her own two fists.
[ ] A spear.
[ ] A naginata.
[ ] A bow.
[ ] A musket.
[ ] A quarterstaff.
[ ] A spiked iron club.
[ ] An iron war fan.
[ ] Write-in.

Some time later, Sachiko at last came across a train station.
"You see that, Kojiki?" her face lit up as the first words to spring from her lips in days came flowing out. "That's one of those new 'train stations' those people on the ships brought over, ya see that?!". The fox-girl kept trying to smile, but eventually that expression of hers broke down.

"Kojiki" she muttered to her steede as she dismounted. He was a fairly old and beaten up looking horse with even a lost eye, her old Clan had kept asking Sachiko if she'd like to replace him but she'd always refused them.
"It's just... with what money I have, and since lots of people are cautious about paying a ronin... which is what I am now, I just don't know if I'm gonna be able to keep on supporting you".

She then removed his saddle and bridle and said "I might be able to sell these, but that's gonna be it as far as I know. Go on now Kojiki, you're free! It's okay, you're probably gonna be better off roaming the countryside on your own than being with me anymore. Plus Himikoku's only so big, odds are we might run into each other again someday, it's gonna be okay!".

Sachiko kept on smiling as Kojiki just stood there, even with his saddle and bridle removed, until the ronin's smile broke and she collapsed, desperately hugging Kojiki as tears poured down her face.

After some time Kojiki finally galloped away, with Sachiko not taking her eyes off him until he was fully out of her sight. She probably would've gazed longer, but knowing that train over there wouldn't wait forever, she hurried into the station and counted enough yen to buy her first ticket.

"A Samurai, one of the Princesses' Servants?" said the wide-eyed man at the counter. "Oh, it's just that, us peasants rarely ever get to see one up close, most of them just ride on through our quiet little village.
One catching a train is truly a blessing for our new industry, your Ladyship, though I'm, er, surprised that you in person and not a servant would purchase tickets directly, uh, if I haven't offended you" he then bowed.

"Oh don't worry" Sachiko tried to smile at him. "Trust me, I really like being able to meet new people. As for my servants, they are, er, taking some time off right now".

"My your Ladyship, catching a train and giving your servants free time, you really are a new kind of samurai! Hmm" the ticket-seller then looked closer at Sachiko's face. "You face appears bright, but I think I can see tear-trails down your face- Oh, ah, do forgive me dear lady, if I've breached a personal matter" he bowed again.

"Hey that's alright, no offence taken!" her smile remained.

"Wait, hold on," he resumed talking "don't samurai usually carry a mon?". But by then Sachiko had dashed aboard the departing train, with a ticket for-
[ ] Gansei, a small city in the Roof of the World prefecture that'd gained some prestige for its elegantly crafted blades.
[ ] Suzukawa, an Imperial Heart town built on a cliff-side, with rivers and even a waterfall rushing through it, not to mention a Tengu mountain nearby.
[ ] Kanaoka, a town far up north in the Land of Dragons, known for its festival with gigantic floats.
[ ] Write-in.

​

Taking a deep breath, Sachiko sat herself down on the admittedly rickety train, feeling the warm sunset rays down her back. To either side of her she could see a fair few passengers, mostly human though she could make out a few Oni, a Ryu or two, some Moon Rabbits, even a foreigner!
One thing they all had in common though, was that all of them looked very different from the sorts Sachiko was used to seeing around her Clan's castle.
"Wow, looks like I really am a ronin now..." she whispered to herself.

It wasn't long before she had a Jorogumo snarling at her "So, a ronin in our midst? Is your disgraced soul trying to bring ill fortune to this train line, so soon into its existence?".

"Huh, a ronin?" came the voice of an overhearing foreign woman holding a pen and paper "A real-life 'ronin'? Ah, Miss Ronin!" she said running up to a fidgety Sachiko "Victoria Verne of the Montfaux Monthly. Tell me, what's it-?".

It was at that moment that the whole train then shook, the two women getting thrown off Sachiko, in fact all the passengers got tossed around.
As she could sense this sudden vibration coming from the front of the train, Sachiko raced through the remaining carriages, even jumping onto the roof to get the front faster, till she saw that a huge masked Oni was holding the driver's carriage in place, giving it shake every so often that made the Kitsune have to cling on for dear life.

Looking down, she could see that who she resumed was the train driver was being held between two spears by masked moon rabbits, likely bandits working with the Oni.

[ ] Jump on top of and take out that Oni first, he can do the most damage, though at least he's occupied.
[ ] Swing down and deliver and flying kick to those two robber rabbits.
[ ] Write-in.

 

[ArlequineLunaire]

"Heaven's Drum, Resound!".

In a flash Sachiko flicked her tessen war fan open, launching three bolts of kitsune lightning from it, each striking the Oni. The red giant flinched for a second, looking stunned but not really damaged, but then Sachiko gracefully twirled over onto the top of its head.
Having grabbed the Oni by its horns, Sachiko reached her way down into its ear, opened her fist and let out another streak of lightning, sending it right up into the Oni's ear.

Steam poured from the Oni's mouth as its eyes rapidly switched from black to white and back again. Stepping down onto its shoulder, Sachiko slashed its stumpy neck with her fan while she had the chance, then kicked the gaping wound till the great ogre was sent stumbling over.
But even an electrocuted Oni could tell when it was on the edge of a cliff. As it let out a deep gasp and tried desperately to regain balance, Sachiko just shot another lightning bolt straight at the pupil of its right eye, that being the last push to send the giant hurtling down the steep slope.

"Sorry, but life or death is the Way of the Samurai" Sachiko muttered, bowing and raising her open fan "Should you not survive, may your soul at least find peace".

With that Sachiko then swung down into the driver's cabin, shouting "Foxfire Kick!" as she delivered a magically ablaze flying kick to the two train robbers. She was able to hit one, who then feel to the ground with his face on fire, but the other just grabbed the train driver and held him against the wall at spear-point, almost cartoonishly stomping on his accomplice's face to put the fire out.

"Well well, impressive that you make short work of that Oni we dragged along" the train robber must've been flashing a grin beneath his mask "But me and my pal here ain't such simpletons. Don't think we'll go down so easy, tails".

"Huh? Uh, yeah, not so easy!" the other thief tried to say, pawing the ash off his face.

"Hey! Your friend has fallen, and all you can call him is 'simpleton'?" Sachiko fumed.

"Hold on, is there a real battle happening up here?!" came the interrupting gasp that reporter woman, Sachiko think she'd called herself Victoria Verne, who in the meantime had ran all the way up here "Alright! I've gotta take a picture of this".

Her camera flash having stunned the two thieves, if they even knew what a camera was, Sachiko then took this chance to draw her fan with blink-of-an-eye speed and managed to slice that thief's spear in two, freeing the sweating train driver from his clutches. "Full speed ahead!" she called out to the driver as he scrambled to take the wheel.

As the train took off again, one of the robbers leaped high and thrust his spear down at Sachiko, only for her to swiftly sidestep it at the last second. The spear shattering against the train's metal floor, the robber then tumbled over until he found himself clutching for dear life as the rushing wind almost pulled him beneath the train's carriages.

The second thief, the one who'd attempted to pin the driver to the wall only seconds ago, kept his feet on the ground and tried to stab repeatedly at Sachiko, though he was only to ever hit the folds of her robe as she continued to dodge from side to side.
At last the ronin caught the shaft of this robber's spear in her hands and promptly conjured a magic blaze upon it. The robber gasped and instantly dropped the polearm, upon which Sachiko fanned the flame out, picked up the spear herself and held it up to the thief's throat. This made him edge ever more backward until he found himself about to fall down the gap between carriages, his accomplice below him.

"Do you know who I am?" Sachiko raised her voice "I am Lady Sachiko Baishou, loyal servant of the Amano clan!" Okay, former, but they don't need to know that "I'll give you thieves one chance, I'll spare you as long as you promise to lead honest lives from now on!".

Victoria's gasp went even higher "You mean you're truly a Samurai, a Mahou Bushi?". Next thing she knew Sachiko found a pen and paper shoved into her face, this woman didi know she was in the middle of stopping a train robbery, right? "Victoria Verne, Montfaux Monthly. Now Miss Baishou, as part of our series of Investigations into the now open land of Himikoku, would you be so kind as to tell readers at home about-".

"Er, hey Miss Foreigner, thanks but, er, I kinda have no idea what you're doing, and I am in the middle of something, so-" Sachiko tried to say, until the thief she was holding at spear-point interrupted her.

"Feh! Tell me, what right has a Ronin to be preachin' to anybody 'bout some 'honest life' bull?" the train robber spat out "Yeah, thought I wouldn't notice, didn't ya? But even if you were a real Samurai, why should I listen to you? Your lot hasn't done anything in centuries, 'specially not for us common folk!".

"W-wait boss, maybe you should listen to her. I mean, I don't wanna die..." the rabbit hanging for his life gulped.

Sachiko then tried to reached out to him, but the other thief then tried to stomp on her hand "I said we don't want your help!" he snarled.
Out of reflex Sachiko's hand shot back, only for her and Victoria to gasp as the thief then ended up stepping on his accomplice's hand, sending him falling under the train's wheels. In shock, the remaining robber stumbled back, lost balance, and was soon met with the same fate as his accomplice.

"W-what just happened?!" the driver cried out upon hearing the screams.

Victoria's face went horribly pale, while Sachiko struggled to find any words. "What's just happened," the words made their steady way out of her lips "is too late to do anything about. Just keep on driving, we'll try to calm the passengers!".

With that, Sachiko dashed back through the carriages to her original cart, Victoria trying to keep up as much as she could.
"It's okay everyone, coast is clear, everything's back to normal!" the fox girl smiled widely upon entering her original carriage.

The other passengers barely shared her expression. "Oh yeah, how're we 'sposed to trust a Kitsune, and a Ronin too they say?" came an Oni's grunted reply.

Sachiko just stepped aside and gestured up the length of the train "Go up and ask the driver if ya don't believe me!" her smile remained. At those words several of the passengers did, leaving the train to roll on in silence.

When they returned, that Jorogumo woman from before automatically glared down at Sachiko "We do appear on course to Kanaoka, but the captain looks awfully shaken. Are you sure your grubby hands placed no spells or anything of the like on him?".

"Not one, Samurai's honour!" Sachiko immediately bowed.

"Bold words from a Ronin" that Jorogumo shot back with.

"Hey, still a Samurai! Or so the Queen of Swords' law has it" the ronin proclaimed.

* * *​

With this argument headed nowhere, it was to all passengers' relief that the train reached the snow-strewn northern town of Kanaoka shortly thereafter. As they all walked out onto a hastily-assembled train station that looked only a few weeks old and breathed the chilly northern air, several Red Oni looking none too comfortable, Victoria then bent down closely to Sachiko with a big grin on her face.
"Ah hello, didn't get the chance to talk much before, what with... everything that went on in there. So anyway, back to the interview-".

"Inter-what?" Sachiko's face went blank.

"Interview. Don't worry. I'm just going to ask you a couple of questions, that's all" Victoria gave a rosy smile.

"Questions? Wait what, are you a recruiter for some bandit gang? Or for a clan expecting me to spill secrets on the Amano? Or-" Sachiko gasped "A spy for a foreign power?".

"My my, you certainly have an, er, active imagination" Victoria tried to say in a soothing tone "No, Miss Baishou, can I call you Sachiko?".

"Oh okay, can I call you Vivi?" Sachiko jumped up, her panicked face now gone. "No offence, but Vespucian names like 'Victoria Verne' sound kinda strange to my ears and Vivi'd be easier. Cuter too! I do like giving people nicknames".

"Er, sure kid" Victoria 'Vivi' continued to smile yet gritted her teeth, muttering "This is not how I was expecting a Samurai to act, and Vespucia, really? I'm from Leiferika... I work for a local newspaper in Montfaux, the Finest and Fastest! Ahem, so don't worry, as this is a public interview- that is, question-asking, I won't ask anything too private".

"Er, okay then, sounds cool I guess. It will be a new experience for me though, so that's good!" Sachiko nodded. "Okay then, ask away".

"Alright. So 'Lady' Sachiko, you're a Ronin, the 'lone wolf', er that is fox, type huh?" Vivi began scribbling down "Yes, a Ronin, the wild wandering type'll probably attract more interest back home than the duty-bound old Samurai. Can you tell us what made you decide to become a Ronin?".

Sachiko gulped, her face losing colour. "I thought you said these wouldn't be too- er, okay, the main reason I became a Ronin was, er-".

[ ] "Revenge! I'm gonna stomp down all the villains who killed my Princess, that it!".
[ ] "Freedom! Yeah, life was too strict back at the castle, and I was longing for fun and excitement!".
[ ] "...I was kicked out. The Clan I served had fallen on hard times, so they had to let me go".
[ ] "Curiosity, yeah. I wanted to see the outside world, which I couldn't do with all the duties I had".
[ ] "Justice! I, I felt I should be serving the whole of Himikoku, not just my Clan!".
[ ] Write-in.

"Hmm, possibly not telling the whole truth" Sachiko could hear Vivi muttering, though she didn't let her know that.
"Well you certainly seem interesting" Vivi then said, her eyes then widening as she clasped her hands "Why, I even think I could be able to do a whole feature on you, especially since you're the only samurai I've had the chance to talk to" she then grumbled. "Miss Sachiko, this may be sudden, but... would you mind if I accompanied you on your wanderings around Himikoku?".

Okay, that was a bit sudden a thing to ask. Still...

[ ] "Hmm, okay! I don't really like being alone, it'd be great to have a new friend!".
[ ] "Hmm, okay. You do know how to defend yourself though, right? I mean this'll hardly be safe..."
[ ] "Sorry, I can't, it's just too dangerous out there".
[ ] Write-in.

 

[ArlequineLunaire]

​

"Defend myself?" Vivi said in reply, before grinning, twirling upwards and catching a revolver from her pocket "I was given one of these, so don't say I didn't come prepared".​

"Oh, one of those new Vespucian guns" Sachiko stared, her face quivering looking at it.

"Leiferikan. And yeah, knew it might come as a shock to a country only just out of the Middle Ages" Vivi playfully took a pretend aim.

Sachiko twitched then fumed at that remark. "Oh come on! Himikoku used ta have like, zillions of guns back in the Samurai's heyday, we've just, er," she then paused "...Haven't remembered to practice, eh heh".
"But Vivi, are ya really gonna be okay with just one weapon? I mean, us Samurai usually have heaps of weapons, y'know like bows, spears, naginata, muskets, war fans in my case, long before ya get to our swords and daggers" Sachiko went on, before she snatched the gun from Vivi's hand, an action Vivi looked none too pleased about, and looked it over.

"Well I do suppose you raise a point" Vivi tried to state calmly "Plus, studying up on your country's own weapons and practices also means I'll have more stuff to report on- What the?" Vivi's mouth dropped as a fireball came suddenly ricocheting out of her gun, with her running over to stomp out the blaze "What the hell did you just do to my gun?!".

"Enchanted it" said a smiling Sachiko "Ammo's not that easy to come by in Himikoku, so I cast a fireball spell on it to make it able to shoot magic! Pretty cool huh?".

Vivi, getting to the end of her patience, just glared "You could've warned me about that before it went off, y'know?".

The fox ronin could only shrug and sigh "Hey, you were the one twirling it around a whole bunch".

"Yes but-" Vivi stopped there, took a deep breath and said "Anyway, back to self-defense talk. So tell me, which weapon would a mighty samurai, well ex-samurai" Sachiko's smile could've fallen and shattered at that remark "recommend for me?".

[ ] "I know, unarmed brawling, that way you'll never be without a weapon! Er, if you don't get dismembered, shoulda phrased that better"
[ ] "How about polearms? They're good for beginners! Um, if enemies don't get too close"
[ ] "Ooh, I could teach you swordplay"*slashing motions*"And people in Himikoku might like you more if you're good with their blades. It'll take some time though".
[ ] "How about a big iron club, like the Oni use? Sure do pack a wallop! Er, if they won't be too much strain".
[ ] "If you're dead-set on learning 'bout Himikoku, how about I teach you magic?! Although, lotsa onmyouji aren't gonna be happy if you reveal magic secrets to the public".
[ ] "Actually, take that back, maybe we should just hone your gun skills more".
[ ] Write-in.

"Hmm, that might be interesting, and you only live once I guess" Vivi muttered, before she flipped out her notebook again and asked "Now, you said you were on a quest to avenge your Clan's slaughter, correct?".

"Huh?" Sachiko said, twitching her ears "Oh yeah yeah, 'course I was!".

"Hah, you're oddly perky for an avenger if I may say" Vivi adjusted her glasses and took out a pencil "Might I ask who you're seeking vengeance on?".

"Er" Sachiko started mumbling "Ah yeah, the bad guys, they're-".

[ ] "A rival clan serving the Empress, unlike my Amano masters who were still loyal to the Queen of Swords!".
[ ] "That evil Sword Queen's Shinsengumi police, who she set on my Amano masters when they sided with the one and only Empress!".
[ ] "A legion of demons, among them a hannya, who rose to try and steal the souls of the Amano!".
[ ] "T-that is a bit too much, I kinda don't want to say..."
[ ] Write-in.

"Whoa, if that's the case, then this really is something I've got to report on!" Vivi beamed and wrote wildly, Sachinko not looking cheered by her reaction.
"Change of subject, man it is cold" Vivi then shivered as the wind blew more snow onto her.

"Really? I still feel fine" Sachiko replied, to which Vivi's expression grew darker.

"Hate to break it to you, but us humans don't have furry tails and ears to keep us warm" a shivering Vivi hissed.

Sachiko then walked over and tried to wrap her tails around the reporter "Make you feel warmer, Vivi?".

Vivi gave a little yelp as she quickly scuttled away from Sachiko. "Well yeah, they were warm, but couldn't we try something less... awkward? Like find an inn or something?".

"Huh, boys usually like it when I do that" Sachiko said with a confused look.

With the more Western-style buildings in town still under construction, the two kept walking the snow-white streets, the salty sea-breeze not helping to ease the cold, until they were able to pick out an old, rustic-looking traditional inn.
"Wow, this place has everything! Kaiseki cuisine, outdoor hot springs, and it's only... super-expensive" Sachiko's face, tails and ears fast drooped down as she said that.

"What?! But didn't you serve a prestigious clan, surely they must have paid you well?" Vivi spoke up.

Sachiko gave an unconvincing grin "Er yeah, but that was in rice fields and prestige, not yen. Which I no longer own, being a ronin and all".

Vivi then got to thinking "Okay, so just pawn off one of your clan's relics. They've got to be pretty valuable, so I imagine you'd have brought one with you".

"Just pawn them off?!" Sachiko gasped, her eyes, ears and tails shooting up. "T-they're my clan's... Besides, even if I were to be so dishonourable, I don't even have any with me, most perished in the blaze".
Taking a deep breath, Sachiko then said "I'm sorry Vivi, but I really am broke. I even had to let my old horse Kojiki go 'cause I didn't know if I could support him any longer".

Vivi just sighed as she took out her own wallet "My bosses only gave me enough for, ahem, 'essentials', most of which I spent on the voyage here".

Sachiko then had an idea. "Most places usually have a corkboard listing 'help wanted' in the town square. Who knows? We could make some quick money that way!".

[ ] "Hey, it says they're holding a Fighting Tournament here in town, to honour the victories of the New Moon Dragon centuries ago. You might get to interview some of the fighters too!".
[ ] "Says here a supply wagon heading up to Mashuruka Village is in need of protection from bandits and beasts".
[ ] "The town's border patrol is requesting back-up. Makes sense, this place's kinda close to the region they call Death's Door".
[ ] "Ooh, they're having a festival soon... but some Tengu stole one of the town's special Floats! I know, let's steal it back!".
[ ] "Ooh, they're having a festival soon, and this restaurant needs some help preparing more food than normal".
[ ] "Ooh, they're having a festival soon, but they need someone to help whip the pipers and drummers into shape".
[ ] Write-in.

 

[ArlequineLunaire]

"Well hey there ladies, what can I do for you?" said a grinning Ryu man at the wooden reception counter.

Vivi had to scowl slightly at that comment, but a beaming Sachiko just giggled and winked "Just here to register for the Tournament, please. Um, put me under Sachiko".

"Good as done" the Ryu quickly dashed down 幸子. This half-dragon's hair was black with blue streaks, he had a Western uniform with epaulets that was a somewhat ill fit, but his most striking feature was how torn and frayed his right wing was.

"That's not quite how I spell my name, but okay!" Sachiko didn't seem too put off "Er, also, no I shouldn't oughta..."

"You can spell?" Vivi chuckled, earning her a quick glare from the ronin.

"You wanted to ask me 'bout my wing, right?" the Ryu seemed no less put down "'S okay, most people do".

"Yeah, yeah I did" Sachiko blushed "Uh, Mr...?"

"Junji. Sakurai Junji. Ya see I'm a samurai myself..." a smug smile soon grew on his face yet vanished just as fast "Well alright, an ashigaru peasant, hey legally it still counts. Anyway, used to participate in this fighting tournament year after year, never won but hey.
Unfortunately, I joined in one tournament too many, and... I ended up having to fight a Hannya. I wanna say it was an epic showdown, that I stood my ground for hours, but nah, I went down like a chump. Woulda been a goner if not for a lucky snowfall burying that monster".

"A hannya?" Vivi piped up "Wait Sachiko, isn't that..."

"C'mon Vivi, can we not talk about that here?" Sachiko frowned, as she then turned back to Junji to say "Y'know you should go see an onmyouji about-".

"'Preciate the thought, but nah, no way some low-born ashigaru like me could ever afford some fancy court mage.
Still, good thing they let me run the registration counter, but yeah, does kinda suck not being able to compete any more," Junji sighed, before he brightened up and said "Well, moral of the story there, this tournament's serious stuff. 'Course you have a real samurai air about you, us ashigaru can tell, so you oughta be alright, but as for your, ah, foreigner friend there...".

[ ] "Her name's, um, 'Victoria Verne' but Vivi sounds cuter. She's got a fairly advanced type of gun, so she should be alright, and she's super interested in Himikoku culture too".
[ ] "Oh, she won't be joining in. She wouldn't mind interviewing some of the fighters though".
[ ] Write-in.

"'Kay then" Junji said to that. "Have to warn you though, Tournament's not what it once was. Not that the fighters have gotten worse, if anything they're more aggressive than ever. It's just nowadays they're all so... political, what with all this instability between the Queen and the Empress and the Outside World crashing in. I mean, it's like they've forgetting to have fun".

"Er, okay then, see ya soon" Sachiko said before she strolled off, humming something upbeat too herself "Hey Vivi, don't you think that Junji was kinda dreamy?".

"Eh, no accounting for taste" the reporter said back "Personally I'd prefer a guy who doesn't smell of fish all the time. Or could accidentally burn me to a crisp". Sachiko's good mood was again thrown off.

* * *
​

"Welcome one and all, to the 200th anniversary of this contest of blades, here to honour the legendary clash between our great goddess the New Moon Dragon, against her legendary rival the Crimson Centurion!" the announcer's voice echoed throughout the village, likely boosted through an amplification charm.

"Even though any historian worth their salt will tell you the two never met" said an aloof young woman with strawberry blonde hair and a bright-blue coat standing among wooden seats with the spectators.

"That coat!" Vivi gasped as she came across this uniform "Even for how little I've been here I can tell, you're one of the Shinsengumi!".

Said Shinsengumi just chuckled "No need to look so shocked, I didn't intend to keep it a secret".

Vivi calmed herself down, took out her notebook and asked "Well, er, Lady Shinsengumi, I was told your force mainly operated around the city of Teito, w-what brings you all the way up here?".

"I wished to participate in the tournament" the Shinsengumi said simply. "Partly to reinforce the image of our Queen's might through my effortless victory," she then laughed "But also, well I take it that dragon at the counter told you some story about getting attacked by a hannya?".

At Vivi's nod, the Shinsengumi grinned "Since we've continued to receive reports about this demon years later, I'm here to finally put her down, especially before... hmhm, well I don't want to give too much away. Don't worry foreigner, one small-town hannya will hardly be a match for one of the Queen's chosen.
Now if you'll excuse me, I have a fight to attend to" she said as she started walking away, though she did turn around to say one last thing to Vivi.

"Also, foreigner, know you are very much welcome in our country" she then bowed of all things to the reporter "Regardless of what the Empress' hounds may bark".

"Ah, thanks, you're very gracious. Wait, I didn't get your name!" Vivi tried to shout, but that Shinsengumi had already vanished into thin air.

Meanwhile, Sachiko leaped out onto her arena, only to flail her arms and almost fall over as said arena appeared to be one big frozen lake.
Huddling up among her tails, she was caught off-guard when the announcer promptly blared out "One of our first contestants, the fan-fighting Kitsune Sachiko!". As the crowd erupted, Sachiko slowly drew her tails away, smiled shakily and tried to wave and bow, as much as the slippery surface would let her.

"She'll be up against Motoharu, the Oni Blue with a flair for haiku!" The crowd's cheers grew louder, as Sachiko looked up to see a massive Blue Oni standing above her, blotting out what sun there was on this snowy day. He was clad in a loose lavender kimono and wielding a giant calligraphy brush that doubled as a tetsubo club.

"Like the autumn leaves
Your soul shall wither and fall
Farewell, poor ronin" the Oni proclaimed.

R-ronin? Can he tell that easily? Sachiko gulped, as the brush-club was swung towards her. Acting fast, she-

[ ] Melted the ice beneath her with a fire spell. Now she just had to be careful not to fall in herself.
[ ] Glided on the ice straight under Motoharu, before jumping onto his back and drawing her fan.
[ ] Said out loud a haiku of her own, one so bad as to enrage the Oni, making him easier to trick.
[ ] Said out loud a haiku of her own, one so good as to stun the Oni. Finally her more artistic side could be put to use.
[ ] Write-in.​

 

[ArlequineLunaire]

"And we're back!".

As Sachiko responded by promptly reciting a haiku of her own, the Oni Motoharu's jaw could've dropped.

"Such poetic skill
To think I could be bested
In a joust of words" he gasped.

Whilst the Oni was still collecting himself, Sachiko grinned and clicked her fingers, firing a small lightning spell at his iron club. As the shock ran up his arm, Motoharu tried to steady himself, only to find he was already slipping on the ice.
Sachiko took this chance and leaped up onto him. The Oni about to lose balance, Sachiko grabbed his tongue and with a twitch of her nose and another finger-click set it on fire.

"Ooh mama, that's-a spicy enchantment!" the announcer commented.

The Oni shrieked as he crashed down through the ice and into the sub-zero lake. As he struggled to surface again the fox-girl kept running on the spot on top of him, making him rotate around and around, deciding to whistle as she did so. She then jumped back onto the ice, edging her fan down into it to anchor herself, and dropped one last electric shock into the water.

"Danger danger! High voltage!" again the announcer.

With another shriek, a dazed Motoharu's head rose up only for Sachiko to grab one of his horns, her other hand pointed back down at the water. "Yield?" her fox's grin remained.

"You win this duel
But fight me on fairer ground
Luck won't be with you".

"And there you have it folks, poetry in motion!".

As she allowed the Oni to finally climb out of the frigid water, he bowed before her, taking care to not end up slipping back into the lake. Sachiko meanwhile did a little dance as the crowds cheered, but then she extended her hand to Motoharu and said "Put 'er there Motorhaiku. And I accept your offer, let's have an even better fight next time!".

Motoharu just smiled in return, evidently lost for words.
​

* * *
​

"Sachiko!" Vivi called, as she quickly ran over to the ronin on the street outside the first arena.

"Oh hey there Vivi, ooh it's your turn next right?" Sachiko said "Feeling excited?".

"Yeah, but more importantly there's something you need to know" Vivi raised her voice, then bent down to Sachiko and said more quietly "One of the Shinsengumi told me there was a Hannya somewhere close by, maybe even in the tournament".

Sachiko gasped and went wide-eyed, before whispering right in Vivi's ear "R-really, you mean it? B-but what would a Shinsengumi be doing all the way up here, aren't they usually stationed around Teito?".

"She said she wants to win this Tournament in a show of the Sword Queen's strength, but also to catch said hannya," Vivi then shivered "Well, from how hannya have been described to me, let's hope this Shinsengumi can deal with it on her own".

A loud bell ringing all over, Vivi then looked up and said "Ah right, guess I'm due on. Gotta go".

"Ganbatte~!" Sachiko called out to her.
​

* * *
​

"Welcome back one and all! In this next round of our tournament, we have the fortune to witness a Foreigner stepping into the ring. Big hand for the Vesputian journalist Victoria Verne! Hope I said that right" the announcer came again.

"Vesp-? Oh, to hell with it" Vivi snarled. The arena she'd been placed in was a long wooden pier stretching into the stormy northern seas. Starting right at her was-

"And in the other corner, we have, er, well they can probably do a better job of introducing themselves than I can".

"I AM SEN-NO-ROBOTO! I HAVE BEEN DESIGNED FOR THE PURPOSE OF BREW-ING AND SER-VING TEA! WOULD YOU LIKE SOME TEA?!" the mechanical voice of a steel Karakuri doll on wheels whirred out, picking up a teapot and flinging boiling hot liquid straight at Vivi.

The reporter squealed as one of the boiling drops nearly hit her in the eye, she quickly pulled out her gun and fired back. With Sachiko's magic still stored within the gun, the doll was sent spinning around as it caught on fire, its luck worsened by the winds feeding the flames. Soon though it was able to pour some of its tea onto itself to douse the flames, before 'glaring' right back at Vivi.

The reporter gulped, as she knew she'd been stationed on the ocean-facing end of the pier. "Oh well, no guts no glory" she said as she aimed more fire bullets at the planks of the pier between her and Sen-no-Roboto. As the flames gradually grew big enough, the planks soon burnt away, leaving only a few wooden beams before the drop down into the crashing waves.

"Feeling that 'pier pressure'" that announcer had to chime in.

The Karakuri however wasn't taking the bait, as it continued to spit out tea at Vivi from the other end of the burnt-out hole. "THE TEA CERE-MONY MUST BE COMPLETED TO PER-FECT-ION! NOTHING OUT OF PLACE!".
With the boiling drops of tea slowly eroding what remained of Vivi's piece of the pier, not helped by how much it was now wobbling unsupported, Vivi breathed deep and... ran right up to the end of the pier facing Sen-no-Roboto.

With a great creak the pier's supporting beams snapped, but with Vivi riding it like a makeshift surfboard she was able to crash it straight into Sen-no-Roboto's part of the pier. Both halves smashing together, the Karakuri was sent flying by the impact, upon which it plunged into choppy sea.
As did the unfortunate Vivi, but acting fast she grabbed onto the now short-circuited Sen-no-Roboto, its voice fizzling and dying away, and was able to use him like a board to paddle back to the shore.

Scrambling up onto the grey, stony beach, she panted heavily and promptly dropped the doll onto the ground, whereupon he almost got sent rolling back into the sea.
"I believe..." Vivi tried to say as she struggled to get her breath back "That is that".

"And we have a winner!".
​

* * *
​

"Junji!" Sachiko shouted as she ran back to the reception desk.

"Oh hey, pretty good job out there, as expected" Junji smiled and leaned back in his chair.

"No time Junji! Y-you know that hannya from before right, the one that took your wing?" Sachiko gasped to get her stamina back "A Shinsengumi entered right? She told me hannya was still around! Quick, I need any info you have!".

"Hey, come on! I mean yeah, that one girl brought it up to me, but trust me, that hannya hasn't been seen in town since!" Junji spoke up, but calmed back down and had to admit "Although, even if she hasn't shown up in the tournament, there..."

"What is it, Junji?".

"...There have been some disappearances since. Woodcutters going off into the mountains only to vanish, rescue parties sent out but not returning, sailors running into snowstorms at sea. I kept saying to myself these things were just the weather acting up... but maybe I was just trying to tell my own scared shitless self otherwise".

"Hey Junji, Jun-kun, Jiji, it's okay!" Sachiko tried to smile "You have me here now, and this Shinsengumi lady, we'll make short work of any hannya!".

"Heh, you're kinda talking to me like a child, y'know that?" Junji just laughed, before he summarised "Okay, the last time I faced that thing, she took the form of a Yuki-onna. She might've once been a Yuki-onna too, would also explain the 'disappearances'. But it's not like knowing that will do much good, you probably don't need me to tell you that hannya are master shape-shifters".

"Okay, thanks the same!" Sachiko said, patting him maybe a bit too hard on the back, before the bell sounded again. "Oh no, I'm running late for my next duel. See you soon Jiji, gotta go!".

As she left Junji gave her another grin, though any positivity left his face the moment Sachiko was out of sight.
​

* * *
​

"The kitsune Sachiko and her iron war fan join us again! While she may've toppled an Oni, let's see how she fares against the Dragon Kind!"

In a cave arena with thousands of icicles dangling from its ceiling, Sachiko faced her next opponent.
"Pleased to meet you Lady Sachiko, I am Sensoukami Tomoyo" bowed a woman with silvery brown hair, wearing the white shirt and red dress of a miko, horns and some scales on her forehead showing her to be Ryu, as her wings and tail looked to be tucked neatly in. But the most eyecatching thing was the large drum she had in front of her.

"Mind you, I'm one of Taiko Island's pupils, so I shall do my utmost!" she giggled. "I bid you no ill will dear Lady, but I must win this battle for the Empress' honour, for it is she who promises to restore the Way of the Spirits! Hiyaah!" Tomoyo then launched a shockwave all around her with a single hit of her drumsticks, to which Sachiko-

[ ] Sprang up and slashed at the icicles.
[ ] Ran up to tear a hole in the drum's skin.
[ ] Tried out a kitsune illusion this time, making it appear as if there were two of her.
[ ] Started tapping her fan on the wall at an odd rhythm, hoping to throw off this drummer's concentration.
[ ] Write-in.​

 

[ArlequineLunaire]

As the drummer Tomoyo's shockwaves blasted along the ground, Sachiko responded to them by leaping up onto one the icy stalactites, her swinging to the next one as each was about to fall.
With Tomoyo's eyes quickly glancing up at Sachiko, the drummer reacted by then throwing each drumstick like a boomerang to try and knock her back down. The Kitsune at last sent an icicle falling down right over the Ryu's Taiko drum, but Tomoyo pulled it out of the way in time, to then lash out with her claws right into Sachiko's face.

As Sachiko was sent collapsing onto the ground by the sudden strike, Tomoyo then tried to spring onto her, claws outstretched. At the last second Sachiko rolled out of the way, got up and dashed, not at Tomoyo, but at where she had moved her drum.
After she heaved the drum up with a grunt and groan, Sachiko turned to see the dragon miko leaping her way right towards her, claws outstretched. At this, Sachiko crouched behind the drum and tilted it so that its skin was facing Tomoyo, which sent her opponent crashing right through it.

"Whoo, drum solo!" the announcer commented.

That trick alone suddenly made the previously ladylike miko seethe and fume, as she lifted up what remained of her drum and tossed it hard at Sachiko, who was sent flying into a cave wall by its impact.
The ronin's stunned self, hearing a crackling sound above her, looked up to see that a whole bunch of icicles were about to fall on her. She raised her iron fan and spread it above her like an umbrella, which made most of these icicles shatter against it, though she was still unlucky enough to have a few smash onto her exposed tails.

Dragging herself back up, any relief Sachiko may have had about that drum being gone evaporated as Tomoyo pulled out two smaller-scale drums from her robe. "It does pay to be prepared, as they say" Tomoyo nodded with a smile, her former good nature seeming to have come back.

As the drummer raised her sticks, Sachiko sprinted forwards, almost running on all fours, and tackled her straight out of the cave and onto the slopes below.
The fox maiden then steadily stood up, sank the claws on her feet into Tomoyo's head and back and tried to ride her all the way down. But any yell of excitement Sachiko might've had was cut short when the dragon drummer swiftly spun over and then tried to turn Sachiko into a makeshift snowboard, and now tried to steer her almost straight into some sharp-looking rocks.

So began a tumble between the two fighting maidens, as both tried to pin each other down, with neither realising that rolling down the slope like this they were starting to build up a lot of snow between them. That was, until both of them all of a sudden found it hard to breathe or move, having become almost completely stuck in one huge snowball.
Sachiko did try to cast a fire spell, even with words and gestures being a bit of a hassle in this situation, and Tomoyo tried to claw and flap her way out, but before either could have any success the giant snowball rolled up a curved outcrop and was launched high into the air.

"Snow way outta this one!".

Both girls' eyes drooped downwards, before each shut their's tight as they tried to brace themselves as much as people stuck in a snowball could. With a great thud they both landed on the ground, sending the snow flying everywhere.
As Sachiko slowly opened her eyes again, she could feel Tomoyo's miko robe under her, upon which she pinned the dragon drummer down with her fox claws and speedily shouted "5 4 3 2 1! I win! I win!", as she promptly did a little dance on top of Tomoyo.

"I, ah, do believe, uhhh, that isn't exactly how the rules of this tournament, oof, work..." Tomoyo tried to make her voice heard, but it seemed the announcer was on Sachiko's side.

"And our newcomer Sachiko wins again!" he boomed.

Her victory made official, the fox ronin, after bowing several times to the spectators, then got off Tomoyo and offered her hand to help her up.
"Thanks! You were great, put up a pretty fun challenge! Hmm, you're a drummer, so in that case can I call you Taikoyo?".

Tomoyo took up Sachiko's hand and got to her feet, upon which she said "Ah, thank you Lady Samurai for your generosity, but... why the insistence on a nickname? Do you, er, in some way mean to humiliate me?".

Sachiko seemed shocked at that question, before she shook her head and said "What? No, I wasn't trying to do that at all! Um, how to say it... you may have noticed from my lack of a mon," she turned around for Tomoyo "But, ah, I'm a ronin. The whole clan I use to serve's gone, and so I, really really cherish any friend I can make. Anyway," her smile returned to her "That's why I like giving people nicknames, helps the break the ice! Er, no pun intended".

Tomoyo had to put her hand to her mouth and giggle for a second, but she then warmly shook Sachiko's hand "The pleasure is all mine, Lady Twintails, hmhm!".

"A-ha, that's right, now you're getting it!" Sachiko beamed.

* * *
​

"How quickly my luck turns on me..." Vivi hissed under her breath.

She had found herself standing on a narrow wooden watchtower positioned in the middle of the vast snowfields, with the Shinsengumi woman she'd met before standing at the other end of this cramped arena.

"Indeed, Lady Luck no longer smiles upon our foreign fighter Vivi, for she finds herself facing one of the Shinsengumi! Everyone give it up for Kamiya Garasha!" the announcer cheered, the Shinsengumi Garasha just standing there with a sly grin.

"So, um, any success with finding that hannya, eh heh?" Vivi winced, trying to step back from the Shinsengumi, though hopefully not far back enough to fall off the watchtower.

"Not yet" Garasha said, as she hung up her blue coat to reveal that she had four extra limbs, with her wielding in them an iron club, a naginata, a spear, a sickle, a gun and a hand free for reloading.

"Oh, you're a Jorogumo! My how, er, fascinating" Vivi gulped.

"What better race to know the ins and outs of the Capital?" Garasha smirked, with her then saying "Now, with tracking down a hannya, the first rule is to suspect everyone. Victoria, you say you're new to this town, this country in fact, yet how can I tell this is not an elaborate excuse for a new disguise of yours, hmm?".

"Waitwaitwait, there's no way I could be the hannya!" Vivi shrieked out "I mean, they say they don't get foreigners here often, so how would a local hannya be any good at mimicking one?!".

"Only one way to find out" Garasha smiled, before she lunged out and sent Vivi flying off the tower with not even any of the weapons at her disposal, just a well-aimed kick.

"Like catching a fly!".

As Vivi crashed into and left a hole in the snow, Garasha silently leapt down off the tower, stood over the stunned reporter and pointed all her weapons at her.
"Well well, seems not you're the hannya, as if you were you would've abandoned any 'play down my true strength' gambit long ago. My apologies, Miss Verne".

Vivi, at the point of seeing stars, gradually got back up with some assistance from Garasha, upon which the announcer's voice blared "And the winner, no surprise, is Kamiya Garasha!" all around her, making the journalist fall back down into the hole.
​

* * *
​

"Feeling better, Vivi?" Sachiko said as she tried to give badly beaten reporter a massage and a hot water bottle.

"Never better" she scowled.

"'Least I've got some good news" it was Junji who then showed up. "Out of all the fighters beaten, none of their injuries looked like those caused by a hannya, and if anyone knows hannya injuries it's me" he tried to laugh. "So there's a chance we might be safe this year!".

"Yeah, or that hannya's just biding its time" Vivi muttered "I mean, even I know a Shinsengumi wouldn't show up over 'might be safe'".

"A Hannya is formed from obsession, greed, anger and jealousy" Sachiko then adopted a grave tone "It could be she'd want to target the tournament's final victor out of envy for them getting all the glory. If she was also a Yuki-onna to start with, it's likely she was pretty lonely too, hence her hatred of anyone who could win the crowd".

"Wow, I don't think I've heard you sound so... samurai-like" Vivi had to say.

"Eh? What's that supposed ta mean?" Sachiko gaped.

"Oh nothing, nothing" Vivi just sighed.

"Waitaminute, I think I've got it!" Sachiko then said aloud, though she then brought her voice down to a whisper "Sorry, that hannya might've overheard. But I think I've got it, the hannya is-".

[ ] "It's, it's you, Junji...".
[ ] "That Shinsengumi lady!".
[ ] "The announcer! Hannya can take male disguises after all".
[ ] "The spirit residing in the tournament trophy!"
[ ] Write-in.​