Mutt and Jeff
"You! You there! Stop!"
Torii Rinzo turned slowly, eyes flicking left and right. The small
alley left him feeling trapped, out of his element. In the woods,
marshes, rice paddies and fields he would never have come to this.
But he had come to Ariki, trying to track down more rumours, and now
he was in trouble.
The alley was tight, partially shielded from the sky by arching
roofs. Rinzo found himself facing a pair of ashigaru from the castle.
These were new men brought by the usurper, Togai.
Rinzo spread his hands widely and gave his most innocent smile,
hoping that his attempt to disguise himself as a simple farmer would
be successful. His brain was racing, trying to find a way out.
Unarmed save for a hidden knife, he wore no armour. Rinzo rarely took
his armour off, but after the assault on Arai Togai, nobody wearing
weapons or armour could enter the town. Now Rinzo wished he had the
okashi gosuko he had cached before entering. And his spear, too! Both
ashigaru wore armour and carried short spears and a single sword.
Rinzo could outrun them, if it came to that. He had been a runner
for the betrayed Lord Arai, and was noted for being fleet of foot.
But that would solve nothing -- the alarm would be given, and the
gates would be closed. Ariki was a large town, but not really a city
-- a search would have a fair chance of finding him, and he would
have great trouble getting out. In the wilds he could hide well; in
town his skills as a scout were of much less use.
Rinzo smiled again, and bowed slightly, trying to look innocent.
He hoped to fool them, allay their fears and avoid any trouble. But
no, they looked very alert and suspicious. Maybe flight was his best
chance, after all.
The two ashigaru were focussed on Rinzo. They did not see what he
saw, as a large figure stepped out of a shadow behind them. Large?
Huge, more like! The ashigaru were half a head taller than Rinzo, but
this apparition was head and shoulders taller than they were. Two
hands the size of hamhocks reached out, gently cupped the sides of
the ashigaru's heads, and smashed them together with a brutal
'thunk'!
Both ashigaru slumped to the ground without another sound.
Behind their inert bodies Rinzo saw a familiar figure. He had seen
the huge lantern-jawed young man at the castle, training in the
bujutsu hall. That had been before the usurper took over.
"Excuse me for interfering. I seem to have slipped," the homely
young man said in a deep voice, waving his hands apologetically at
the two unconscious ashigaru. Hands, incidently, that were nearly the
size of Rinzo's head.
Rinzo didn't respond, but merely blinked in suprise. Such good
fortune was unexpected, but should not be ignored when it occured.
Finding his voice, Rinzo nodded his head, "I am in your debt, I fear
that these two meant to do me great harm." Rinzo's voice was softer
than one would expect.
"Haven't we met before?" Yoshi rumbled, "I remember seeing someone
small, like you, at the castle. Before ...," the big man glanced
around, "... well, before?"
"Before Arai-sama was cut down by his brother in battle?" Rinzo
looked up at the taller man, "Didn't you take the field with the rest
of us?"
Yoshi looked down, shamefaced. "No. I have no training with the
spear. I was left in the castle."
"Ah, I see." Brushing long strands of hair from his face, Rinzo
cautiously approached the giant, "I think we should leave now."
Yoshi smiled. "All right. What should we do with these two? If we
kill them, it might make a fuss. Even if they disappear. But they
have seen you -- are they likely to report it, if they wake up in an
alley, later?"
Rinzo looked back at the two men. Producing a knife from the folds
of his kimono he studied the prone forms for a moment. Returning the
blade, he turned back to Yoshi, "Leave them. I doubt they'll want to
speak about what happened, and next time I visit I'll disguise
myself."
Yoshi nodded. "As you wish." He looked down at the smaller man,
then at the alley around. "Where are you going?"
Rinzo grinned, "Somewhere other than this alley. Since you saved
me, I'll repay you with a drink, that okay, neh?"
Yoshi smiled, showing a wide mouth and large teeth.
Giving the street a casual glance, Rinzo stepped out of the alley,
"I think we should find an inn near the river, know any good
ones?"
"Hah! I know all the bad ones, which is much better. The good ones
are not interesting, and are frequented by the samurai of the new
lord," Yoshi said with disdain. "Come, follow me."
Soon they were sipping sake in an inn that smelled of fish. Rinzo
had noted that the proprietor seemed to know Yoshi, and let them in
without comment. They were sitting in a corner, with a window open to
the small bay. The inn was only lightly occupied at this time of day,
and they could talk in confidence.
"Why did the ashigaru stop you," Yoshi asked. The sake cup looked
like a toy in his hand.
Rinzo drank deeply from his cup before replying, "Ahh... they
didn't like my looks I suppose." He grinned, his smooth, finely
featured face flushed as the sake hit him. "I've been watching the
town, trying to see who's new and what their movements are."
Yoshi nodded, then his brows furrowed. After a long moment of
thought he spoke out loud, watching Rinzo.
"But why?" Yoshi glanced around, making sure that nobody could
overhear them, then back to Rinzo.
Rinzo drank another cup of sake before answering, "Why don't you
serve in the new lord's army? Someone of your size would be very
useful to them."
Yoshi's expressive face screwed up, as if he had just smelled bad
fish. "Lord Arai was very good to me. I will not serve a usurper who
betrayed him." He glared at Rinzo, huge fists clenched.
"Good." Ignoring Yoshi's glare, Rinzo poured himself another cup
of sake. "Can you keep a secret?"
Yoshi nodded.
Rinzo leaned forward, refilling Yoshi's cup. "The Lord Arai is not
dead," he whispered.
"That cannot be! They brought his head on a pike from the
battlefield!"
Rinzo nodded, "That they did... but his son still lives."
Astonishment and understanding broke over Yoshi's face.
"Yoshi, you still wish to serve the Lord Arai, neh?"
"Yes! I would serve the son as I wish I could have served his
father!"
"Hmm... do soldiers from the castle ever come to these inns? To
drink and gamble?"
"Yes, they often come, to this inn or others that I know." Yoshi
thumped himself in the chest with a meaty fist, "I have many contacts
in this part of town, and among the gamblers."
Rinzo nodded in understanding, "Good, good. Then listen to what
they say, who they talk about, and if they boast of actions to
come."
Yoshi nodded. "I can do that."
"I shall visit you from time to time, to hear what you have
learned. I may be disguised, and my name will never be 'Rinzo', do
you understand?"
Yoshi nodded again earnestly.
"Ahh, good. Don't worry about recognizing me, I'll be looking for
you."
Rinzo finished another cup of sake and looked around the small
inn.
"Yoshi-san, does this inn have a bath?"
"Yes, I think so."
"Ahh... that is good," he grinned again, "I think I need one."
Yoshi grinned in response. "I will tell the proprietor to start
heating the water, and the big tub for me."
There was a sudden coughing sound from Rinzo, "Ahh... Yoshi I do
not mean to offend you, but I prefer to bathe alone." He looked over
at the larger man and shrugged, "I was going to get a private
room."
Yoshi blinked twice. "Oh."
"Don't worry Yoshi," Rinzo grinned good-naturedly, "I'll say
goodbye before I go."
Yoshi sat at the table holding a forgotten sake cup, staring out
the window at the dirty water of the river. Arai Ogame was still
alive! He grinned, feeling better than he had in days. A light touch
on his arm broke him out of his revire. He turned to look at the
newcomer.
Standing before him was a young woman, her long hair falling well
down her back, a simple kimono belted tightly at the waist. A
traveling shawl was drapped over her head and shoulders, and she held
a straw sunhat in one hand.
"Yes?"
The woman bowed, "I thank you for your company Yoshi-san, but I
must be leaving now." She turned to go, but paused to look over her
shoulder, "I'll see you again soon."
Yoshi stared open-mouthed at the woman's retreating back.
"R-Rinzo?"