The Importance Of Rice

[Wade Garrett]

At some point during the prayers, a woman of a similar age to Rumina - though less well-preserved - arrives and waits for the monk to finish. She is wearing what appear to be simple robes, but the inner linings have excellent embroidery, if any of those watching have a keen enough eye to pick such details out. She waits patiently for the samurai to approach her.

Click to shrink...

"Thankee, Dazai-sama. Bet I can guess who that is...we'll step outside, no need to bore the rest of you with the details, only take a minute."

Rumina bustled away from the temple interior with almost indecent haste, flagging the other women to follow her.

"Evening, weaver-san. Yoritomo Rumina, Mantis Clan. Like to think I got a good eye for business opportunities, and I'm liking what I've seen of your village. Just needs a little capital...I'm looking to put seven koku down." Mentally, she swore up and down at the rush and the Blood Rain and ronin in general, normally she'd want to see the place herself, chat up the lady, see the ledgers she kept...well, what's done is done.

"I'm investing, got it? I fully expect to see coin in the Yoritomo coffers for this...eventually." She waved her hand to indicate the general area. "Course, times are rough, gotta feed your workers, gotta lay in a stock, and the bandits and whatnot...so yeah. Long term investment, probably have to put a lot of it into just making sure you have a business and workers when winter's over...so, eventually. How fast can you get the papers drawn up? Squad's gonna beat feet pretty quick, so this is kinda a limited time deal...savvy?"

 

[storybookknight]

Tamotsu finished his meditation and returned to his feet with a determined air. This was the second time he'd felt the travelling monk's presence in the Void; an experience he still didn't know what to make of.

But one he was determined to at least try to receive an answer to.

Tamotsu walked into the Temple, pausing briefly to pay his respects to the enshrined figures, before approaching the monk who had stumbled upon their camp yesterday evening.

"Rosoku-san," He greeted, with a nod "I'm pleased to have found you. I was hoping that you'd be kind enough to tell me a little about yourself. It's the strangest thing, but the last few times I've stopped to meditate, I couldn't help but feel the strangest presence on the edge of my mind…"

Click to shrink...

"Oh, you noticed that did you?" the old monk Dazai says, chuckling slightly. "That's because Rosoku-sama here has been enlightened!"

Rosoku smiles slightly. "I have made no such claim," he says. "Like you, Dazai-san, I am merely another traveller on the Way."

Dazai snorts. "A traveller back the other way from the end of it, maybe." He rolls rheumy eyes at Rosoku and shakes his finger at the younger monk. "You can't fool me."

"Thankee, Dazai-sama. Bet I can guess who that is...we'll step outside, no need to bore the rest of you with the details, only take a minute."

Rumina bustled away from the temple interior with almost indecent haste, flagging the other women to follow her.

"Evening, weaver-san. Yoritomo Rumina, Mantis Clan. Like to think I got a good eye for business opportunities, and I'm liking what I've seen of your village. Just needs a little capital...I'm looking to put seven koku down." Mentally, she swore up and down at the rush and the Blood Rain and ronin in general, normally she'd want to see the place herself, chat up the lady, see the ledgers she kept...well, what's done is done.

"I'm investing, got it? I fully expect to see coin in the Yoritomo coffers for this...eventually." She waved her hand to indicate the general area. "Course, times are rough, gotta feed your workers, gotta lay in a stock, and the bandits and whatnot...so yeah. Long term investment, probably have to put a lot of it into just making sure you have a business and workers when winter's over...so, eventually. How fast can you get the papers drawn up? Squad's gonna beat feet pretty quick, so this is kinda a limited time deal...savvy?"

Click to shrink...

The weaver purses her lips. "Well, with the harvest damage and our food stores raided, some of my girls might have to help with the harvest..." She looks at your face, sees the caring in it... then reminds herself that you are a samurai, and decides not to push it. "Four koku at the end of this year, then two koku a year for the next two?"

 

[Wade Garrett]

The weaver purses her lips. "Well, with the harvest damage and our food stores raided, some of my girls might have to help with the harvest..." She looks at your face, sees the caring in it... then reminds herself that you are a samurai, and decides not to push it. "Four koku at the end of this year, then two koku a year for the next two?"

Click to shrink...

"Tell you what. Three koku at the end of this year, one koku for the next five, and you throw in two outfits in my size right now...travel clothes are what I need, we're headed away from the Imperial Court, not to it, you've got yourself a deal. "

 

[storybookknight]

"Tell you what. Three koku at the end of this year, one koku for the next five, and you throw in two outfits in my size...travel clothes are what I need, we're headed away from the Imperial Court, not to it, and you've got yourself a deal."

Click to shrink...

"Sold." She clicks her tongue at you. "Stand still dearie, and let me get your size." She wraps a few of your limbs and your waist with the tape, then bustles away. A little ways after, she returns with some traveling robes that are actually quite well made.

 

[Wade Garrett]

"Sold." She clicks her tongue at you. "Stand still dearie, and let me get your size." She wraps a few of your limbs and your waist with the tape, then bustles away. A little ways after, she returns with some traveling robes that are actually quite well made.

Click to shrink...

"Thankee kindly." Rumina said, counting out the seven coins. "Oh, and anyone asks about this...I was an ogre, you had to beseech the Fortunes for me not to bankrupt the whole village. We understand each other?"

 

[LastChronicler]

"Oh, you noticed that did you?" the old monk Dazai says, chuckling slightly. "That's because Rosoku-sama here has been enlightened!"

Rosoku smiles slightly. "I have made no such claim," he says. "Like you, Dazai-san, I am merely another traveller on the Way."

Dazai snorts. "A traveller back the other way from the end of it, maybe." He rolls rheumy eyes at Rosoku and shakes his finger at the younger monk. "You can't fool me."

Click to shrink...

"This… presence of his in the Void is the result of achieving enlightenment then?" Tamotsu enquired, somewhat unsure of what to believe "What makes you so certain? I have heard of many strange abilities just as unusual, from the Kiho of the Brotherhood to the gifts of the Dragon clan's ise zumi."

 

[Mina]

@storybookknight
Ritual completed, Nori bowed to the monk and made her way back to where they'd entered the village, seeking the village head. "Cricket-san." She walked tall once more, and apart from the evasive darting of her good eye was the picture of Akodo excellence. "Did you receive my token? As Rosoku-san said, the men that troubled you bragged that in such troubled times order was broken and justice would not find them." There was a resolute clink as her hand fell to rest on her tsuba. "Let that stand as a reminder to any more who would test the strength of the Empire, what reward bandits and thieves may find."

 

[storybookknight]

"Thankee kindly." Rumina said, counting out the seven coins. "Oh, and anyone asks about this...I was an ogre, you had to beseech the Fortunes for me not to bankrupt the whole village. We understand each other?"

Click to shrink...

"Have mercy, Yoritomo-sama." The weaver says ironically. "No need to worry on my account - you're doing us a favor, and it'd be bad business to repay that by ruinin' your reputation."

"This… presence of his in the Void is the result of achieving enlightenment then?" Tamotsu enquired, somewhat unsure of what to believe "What makes you so certain? I have heard of many strange abilities just as unusual, from the Kiho of the Brotherhood to the gifts of the Dragon clan's ise zumi."

Click to shrink...

"Oh, I know a few kiho myself, samurai-sama." Dazai says. "But it's said that when Togashi-no-kami was closing off his mind to everything, even the food and water that his followers left for him, he still could not ignore Shinsei." Dazai looks to Rosoku, who meets Dazai's ... accusations? With little more than a bland expression on his face. "Even my masters at the monastery where I was trained did not have Rosoku-sama's presence. What else could it possibly be?"

Rosoku himself shrugs at this. "If that is the conclusion that you have come to, I will not contradict you." Though, you note, he does not actually say that he agrees with Dazai's conclusions.

@storybookknight
Ritual completed, Nori bowed to the monk and made her way back to where they'd entered the village, seeking the village head. "Cricket-san." She walked tall once more, and apart from the evasive darting of her good eye was the picture of Akodo excellence. "Did you receive my token? As Rosoku-san said, the men that troubled you bragged that in such troubled times order was broken and justice would not find them." There was a resolute clink as her hand fell to rest on her tsuba. "Let that stand as a reminder to any more who would test the strength of the Empire, what reward bandits and thieves may find."

Click to shrink...

Cricket bows to Nori. "I did, Akodo-sama. We will have the Eta display them prominently - hopefully they will discourage any future such assaults."

 

[Wade Garrett]

"Have mercy, Yoritomo-sama." The weaver says ironically. "No need to worry on my account - you're doing us a favor, and it'd be bad business to repay that by ruinin' your reputation."

Click to shrink...

"Just making an investment, Weaver-sama. Pleasure doing business with you. Ebisu and Imari bless ya...usually I'd say Osano-Wo but I reckon that's a bit out of his line. Til the end of the year, then." Rumina included her head slightly, then took the two outfits and retired to do a bit of packing and changing-didn't want to be marching around in her court get up, after all, before heading to meet up with the rest of Squad IV.

@The king Chad
@A Nation's Virtue
@Faintrosity
@Alectai

"Ready to go when y'all are. Thankee for the indulgence, Gunso-sama."

 

[The king Chad]

Kenta looked up at the Mantis women from where he sits cleaning the remaining pieces of his armor. His hair was wet and tied back in a simple ponytail, rather than the more ubiquitous topknot common to most male samurai. The man had clearly favored a quick wash and cleansing, more concerned with the state of his equipment and mindful of the limited time of this stop.

"Rumnina-sama," he nods after sparing her a brief look before returning his focus to his armor. "Done shaking down the locals for the glory of the Mantis?"

He says it in an accusatory tone, but it does nothing to hide the way the corners of his mouth twitch upwards as he speaks, or the exaggerated focus he's giving his armor while he "rebukes" the mantis.

 

[Wade Garrett]

"Rumnina-sama," he nods after sparing her a brief look before returning his focus to his armor. "Done shaking down the locals for the glory of the Mantis?"

Click to shrink...

"Yep. I bet I get some haiku written about me for this. Maybe even a portrait painted. I'm thinking me, one hand around a heinin's neck, one hand ripping a coin purse away from'em. In my good clothes, you know? Something like this."

She struck a suitably dramatic pose to illustrate.

 

[Mina]

Cricket bows to Nori. "I did, Akodo-sama. We will have the Eta display them prominently - hopefully they will discourage any future such assaults."

Click to shrink...

"Be well then."

She walked over to where the others were gathering and looked around. Nori had rebound her hair in a loose foxtail with several additional ties along its length rather than the tight braid she usually favored and her skin had a pinkish hue from her scrubbing. She'd polished her armor as best she could in the limited time, but it'd need another look once they reached their destination. Everyone else looked clean enough at least. The samurai-ko did a double take and looked Rumina up and down with a questioning furrow to her brow.

@Wade Garrett
"That's new."

 

[Wade Garrett]

"That's new."

Click to shrink...

The older woman let her hands fall to her sides and turned to face the Lion samurai.

"Yes." Her mouth said but a single word, but her expression and stance said a lot more. A lot like Very perceptive of you, have you also noticed it's still daylight out and Oh, you want to play 'who can be the most surly and taciturn'? I accept.

 

[Alectai]

"It's... Not really shaking down--is it?" Takara managed to get out. She had little 'Cleansing' to be done, mostly just washing her hands after her work helping provide medical attention at the end of the clash, and was mostly taking the break period to get some rest while she could--especially given the likely necessity of putting up a fast pace to make up for the lost time.

Because even if it turned out that this diversion provided valuable information for their superiors--it didn't change the fact that they were encouraged to keep up a good pace and arrive in good time--perhaps it may be possible though to still avoid being in last place, given Miya-san's knowledge of the area and a great deal of determination.

It was a shame that it would be some time until she could call on the kami after that last battle--she had done a great deal of fast talking, and that tended to wear down on their patience--even if it ultimately turned out to be decisive.

 

[Wade Garrett]

"It's... Not really shaking down--is it?" Takara managed to get out.

Click to shrink...

"Well, 'shaking' down...reckon I can honestly say I never laid so much as a finger on anybody in this village and actually shook 'em. As such." Rumina replied to the shujena, waving a finger in her direction while continuing to stare blades at Nori.

 

[Mina]

"Yes." Her mouth said but a single word, but her expression and stance said a lot more. A lot like Very perceptive of you, have you also noticed it's still daylight out and Oh, you want to play 'who can be the most surly and taciturn'? I accept.

Click to shrink...

Nori held the stare far longer than usual before her face relaxed and a momentary crinkle formed at the corner of her eye. She was never her best self after battle, and today had been especially trying. She shrugged and went over to take a seat near Kenta while they waited.

"It looks nice."

 

[The king Chad]

"Yep. I bet I get some haiku written about me for this. Maybe even a portrait painted. I'm thinking me, one hand around a heinin's neck, one hand ripping a coin purse away from'em. In my good clothes, you know? Something like this."

She struck a suitably dramatic pose to illustrate.

Click to shrink...

Suddenly reminded of the way his youngest sister would pose when she pretended she was the second coming of O-Ushi Kenta failed to restrain his laughter. He wiped the sudden moisture from his eyes as he regarded the slightly confused reaction Rumina and Nori give him. Suddenly remembering that his actions might be taken for something rather different than he intended, he choked back the remainder of his mirth and regarded Rumina fully.

"Heh...I apologize for that Rumina-sama," he does a small bow, or at least as close an approximation of one that you can perform while sitting and cleaning armor plates. "It's just, for a moment there, you reminded me...rather forcefully, of my youngest sister. You even got the 'victory' pose she favours down, all you need is a large stick and a bruised little boy..." He manages to restrain himself, forcing a neutral expression onto his face.

"I haven't seen her since...well..." he trails off, then goes silent. His mood darkens slightly, and he finishes with his armor and begins to put it on.

"Anyway, Rumina-sama. I apologize for my outburst." He mutters. The change in the Crabs mood is palpable.

 

[Wade Garrett]

"It looks nice."

Click to shrink...

The Mantis had been working herself up for a quarrel. A bitter, bladed words tossed back and forth, tempers frayed to the point of breaking bicker. And so when Nori merely complimented her and sat down, it affected her in a way not unlike swinging a tetsubo at full force with the intent to break bone and striking only air.

"Thankee." She managed, lamely. "I see that you've...done something different with your hair. Looks real fetching."

"Heh...I apologize for that Rumina-sama," he does a small bow, or at least as close an approximation of one that you can perform while sitting and cleaning armor plates. "It's just, for a moment there, you reminded me...rather forcefully, of my youngest sister. You even got the 'victory' pose she favours down, all you need is a large stick and a bruised little boy..." He manages to restrain himself, forcing a neutral expression onto his face.

"I haven't seen her since...well..." he trails off, then goes silent. His mood darkens slightly, and he finishes with his armor and begins to put it on.

"Anyway, Rumina-sama. I apologize for my outburst." He mutters. The change in the Crabs mood is palpable.

Click to shrink...

The deflating old woman perked right back up when Kenta burst into laughter, her hands curling into fists...only to once again be denied a target for her temper.

"Your younger sister, eh?" She started to crack a joke, then she heard the all too familiar pain in Kenta's voice and restrained herself. "Didn't scrape the bottom, no call for a duel, Hida-san."

 

[Mina]

The Mantis had been working herself up for a quarrel. A bitter, bladed words tossed back and forth, tempers frayed to the point of breaking bicker. And so when Nori merely complimented her and sat down, it affected her in a way not unlike swinging a tetsubo at full force with the intent to break bone and striking only air.

"Thankee." She managed, lamely. "I see that you've...done something different with your hair. Looks real fetching."

Click to shrink...

Nori nodded, "It's wet."

"I haven't seen her since...well..." he trails off, then goes silent. His mood darkens slightly, and he finishes with his armor and begins to put it on.

"Anyway, Rumina-sama. I apologize for my outburst." He mutters. The change in the Crabs mood is palpable.

Click to shrink...

She stiffened when Kenta erupted in to laughter right next to her. It was one thing during an Ikoma's performance, but damn if that didn't put her on edge. Carefully she inched away from him, and turned so he wasn't cut off on her bad side.

"I'll pray that you see her again Kenta-sama, whole, healthy, and...posing happily." Her jaw clenched. "And we will make them pay."

 

[The king Chad]

The deflating old woman perked tight back up when Kenta burst into laughter, her hands curling into fists...only to once again be denied a target for her temper.

"Your younger sister, eh?" She started to crack a joke, then she heard the all too familiar pain in Kenta's voice and restrained herself. "Didn't scratch the hull, no call for a duel, Hida-san."

Click to shrink...

No one misses the Crab flinch when Rumina ends her statement.

"Of course, Rumina-sama." He says after a heartbeat, his voice brittle. "I am grateful for your consideration."

Nori nodded, "It's wet."



She stiffened when Kenta erupted in to laughter right next to her. It was one thing during an Ikoma's performance, but damn if that didn't put her on edge. Carefully she inched away from him, and turned so he wasn't cut off on her bad side.

"I'll pray that you see her again Kenta-sama, whole, healthy, and...posing happily." Her jaw clenched. "And we will make them pay."

Click to shrink...

"Nori-sama...she is not who I am going to take revenge for. I havn't gone home since the Crane killed my wife."

He stands and secures his pack. "Masatsuko-dono, I'm going to scout ahead a bit. I'll won't go too far. Make sure those bandits aren't coming back." Uncharacteristically, he does not wait for her to answer as he begins to walk back toward the road.

 

[storybookknight]

Masatsuko looks at Kenta heading up towards the road, and apparently takes that as her cue, because she sticks two fingers into her mouth and creates an impressive whistling noise. "All right squad!" She shouts. It's still a bit too high-pitched and a bit too pleasant sounding for a true gunso's bawl, but it seems that her first combat action has sanded a few of the shyer edges off of her. "We're burning daylight! We've got at least seven miles to go before we get to the castle, and a few more beyond that! Fortunes willing, we'll still have some daylight to set up camp! Let's move out!"

You all begin to quickly say whatever final goodbyes you may have to say, and head on once again down the muddy road.

 

[storybookknight]

You pour on the speed as you head for the Estate of the Emerald Champion. Despite the fact that Toku Kintaro has just recovered from having been near-fatally stabbed, he shoulders Masatsuko and Hisateru's packs without so much as a word of complaint. Masatsuko tries, once, to stop him, but Kintaro just snorts. "Nonsense, Miya-sama!" You can practically feel the effort it takes him not to add a -chan to the end of that statement. "It will be good training!"

The hot summer sun beats down overhead as you head towards the Estate. Either luckily or unluckily, by following the road, there are no shortcuts to take, no hidden tricks... just you and the road. As the march goes on you all do surprisingly well... save for Hisateru, who is clearly beginning to flag as time goes on. He has a sprinter's build, not a soldier's, and the fact that he is in heavy armor does not help him. Even when Kenta readjusts mid-march to take everything that he can carry of Hisateru's that is not armor and weapons, it is not enough to prevent the Scorpion from dragging. He manages to keep up, but is sweating, red-faced and blowing by the time you reach the Estate of the Emerald Champion. As Shiro Yogasha itself comes into view, you see that it stands high and proud on a high hill, giving its owners visibility over the plains for miles around. The Imperial Chrysanthemum is firmly emblazoned on its front gate, and the pennants of the Emerald Magistrates fly high overhead. Next to them you also see the banners of the Seppun family, and the new, blue banners of the Sapphire Guard.

Spoiler: Shiro Yogasha

As you get close, you also see other teams closing on the Estate as well. One squad is currently slightly closer, but is not on the road at all. The other is on a parallel road, having come from a more traditional southerly direction, and will be intersecting your path shortly. You speed up in an attempt to be the first ones to the gate...

 

[The king Chad]

"The end is in sight. After what we went through to come here do you want to let those slackers beat you to camp? We cleared a bandit infestation and gave succor to the village they raided! THOSE GUYS ARE JUST SLOW!" The Crab is trying to work himself into a fury, trading fatigue for rage. Or perhaps channeling the spirit of a certain sensei who punished anything less than ones best effort.

"Hell...The ONE ARMED MONKEY who WAS STABBED REPEATEDLY doesn't look tired! Why by the DARK BROTHER'S FIERY BALLS do you believe you can slacken your pace now?"

"Last one there is the LAST POOR BASTARD to get in the baths. And that is MORE THAN ENOUGH reason to PICK UP THE DAMN PACE YOU UNLUCKY MISFITS!"

Kenta knew he was probably going to catch some pain for this. But also that they'd have to catch up to him to do so.

 

[Wade Garrett]

The cool headed, pragmatic part of Rumina was almost certain the big whoreson Hida was just trying to motivate their squad, she'd tried something similar on the Akodo girl back when they'd first set out stab his eyes kept pace with him every day and I'm twice his age SHOW YOU WHO'S A BASTARD MISFIT YOU METAL WRAPPED PACK MULE!

She lowered her head, throat burning as she sucked in gasps of breath to break into a run...a jog...a run, damn him to Toshigoku!

The scenery blurred around her as she forced her legs into the closest thing to a sprint they could manage, glaring no-daichi at Kenta's armored back all the while.

 

[storybookknight]

"UUUUUOOOOOOOOO!!!!" The shout of excitement that burst forth from Kintaro's lips sounded like he was barely even winded, the bastard. His single arm pumping in a rapid cadence, he slowly gains ground on Hida Kenta... then passes him with three traveling packs slung over his one good shoulder. "FOR TOTURI AND THE SEVEN THUNDEEEEEERS!"

Despite your fatigue after several long days of marching, the enthusiasm of Kenta and Kintaro is infectious, and even though your sides burn with fatigue and your faces drip with sweat, you find the energy in you to match the ridiculous pace set by the two of them. Though you have rivals, for all you know you're fighting not to come in last - and after fighting an entire bandit group, you are in no mood to allow mere slaggards and slowpokes to show you up. Supporting each other as you falter, you collectively stumble through the gates of Shiro Yogatsu to discover a stunning fact.

"... THIRD?" Masatsuko half-asks, half-shouts.

"Ah... yes, Miya-san." The Seppun Guardsman manning the information booth says to you.

There is a general shout of congratulations and laughs of hilarity from your fellow teammates as the news sets in. Masatsuko just raises her eyebrows at the Seppun Guardsmen. "Well, we have a report to make. Apparently, there was a force of about thirty bandits that had been besieging Seven Mile Village after having been kicked out of their homes by Bloodspeakers in the Mountains of Regret."

The Seppun looks suitably appalled. "Oh dear! Well, we'll have to send a squad after them."

"Don't bother," Masatsuko says, still giddy from the exhilaration of the run. "We took care of it."

"Come again?" The guardsman says.

Akimasa speaks up, puffing his chest out with pride. "She means, we marched to Seven Mile Village, fought a battle against three-to-one odds against the bandits in question - technically, some of them were injured, so it was closer to two-to-one odds, and then we made sure to hurry up so that we could still come in third."

The Seppun looks suitably flabbergasted at this, and you are able to stand around and catch your breath as first Sixth, and then Fifth squad fall in behind you.