I still can't get over seeing Empress Asami's shaven head. I never guessed the party guilty of disrespect to the throne would be the Empress herself. I thought perhaps Jekusu, maybe Mizake, or myself... but never Asami. I guess that just goes to show how little I know.
I talked for a short while with Hida Hisaki. It appears that when Fuji and I left the Crab lands, so many months ago, Fujizaka told this Hisaki fellow to watch over me if anything happened to him. So he is. I appreciate his efforts, but don't exactly feel comfortable around him. Perhaps we can learn to be friends. He seemed to enjoy warning people away from me at the festival. Many wanted me to join them in the dancing and other festivities, but Hisaki made it clear to everyone that I was not interested in such things. I wish he had asked my opinion on the matter before doing so. He was even physical at times. I might have made progress with him though. I got him agree to ask the others to leave, kindly, before getting physical. Ironic. I always pictured Fuji being the one to do such things. Are all Crabs like this?
I was walking down the street, when Bayushi Kachiko approached me. She told me she had news about the man she heard about wandering in Ryoko Owari, claiming to have fought Fu Leng. I nodded calmly, trying my best to look unaffected by her words. She told me to meet her at a sake house nearby for lunch to hear her news. Mizake asked me if I would mind much if she didn't join me for lunch with that woman. It seams that when Kakita Mizake took Doji Hoturi captive in the battle at Otosan Uchi, she gave the poor fellow to Kachiko for safe keeping. It is common knowledge that Kachiko and Hoturi had an affair, and her intentions for the man were obvious. When Empress Asami ordered Hoturi be returned to Mizake, Kachiko was obviously angry. With reason, I suppose. Especially when Mizake turned and gave the Crane Daimyo to Kachiko's husband, Bayushi Shoju. Mizake plays dangerous games with the head of the Scorpion game. I fear for her safety in such matters. It has become clear to me, however, that this is the reason Mizake was able to lead an army of Scorpion samurai in the battle against Oni no Satsume. I had wondered.
I let Mizake know that she didn't need to come if she didn't want to, and that she wasn't needed to protect me. I had Hida Hisaki at my side. When a young girl approached us wearing a black mask, I was not surprised to hear that she was to lead us to the sake house for Bayushi Kachiko.
Mizake stayed with Akodo Kaze and Haichi, the Ronin. I suspect she met up with Hamorei somewhere in the festivities.
We were in a seedy part of town, and I commented on Kachiko's taste in sake houses. My comments were ignored. We entered the small building, and were led to the back room. Kachiko seemed upset that Kakita Mizake was not with us. Kachiko ordered the young girl to wait, and inquired about my yojimbo. I acquiesced, and asked Hisaki to wait, inside the room, out of earshot. He looked unhappy, but did as I asked.
Bayushi Kachiko reported that the man seen in Ryoko Owari's description matches that of Fujizaka's. He claims to have fought Fu Leng, and to have known the legendary Kitsu Kuno. The tattered remains of armor he wore, matched that of Fuji's. She told me that when asked if he knew me, Iuchi Datsuko, he nearly ran the inquisitive fellow through. She tells me that the fellow, whom I suspect must be Fujizaka, tells stories to earn food and shelter in the Scorpion City. I have never known Fuji to tell stories... but I suppose it is possible he learned a few things from Kitsu Kuno in our travels together.
Kachiko also gave me a scroll. She knows that I am to investigate something for Empress Asami, but I refused to share any details of this mission with her. She still insisted that I take the scroll. It is a deciphering tool used with Scorpion code. I hardly understand why she would share this important information with me, and bluntly asked her what it will cost me to walk from the sake house with this information in hand. She insisted it would cost me nothing. Nothing at all. I don't believe that for a second. She seems overly concerned to reunite Fujizaka and myself. Then she asked her favor. Or her price, as I may see it. She asked me to teach the young girl who stood in the room. The young girl in the black mask who led us to this place. It seems her parents are dead, and her sensei is tired of the girl. She has done something. I asked her to share the truth with me, and she refused. She will reveal nothing of her past, but Kachiko insists that seppuku will be required of her if I do not take her as a student. I have seen a glimpse of what the scorpions are famous for. Manipulation. Learning one's weaknesses and exploiting them. My selfishness to be free of dependents, or this girl's life. It wasn't really a choice. The girl plead with me herself.
I agreed to take Bayushi Aleao as a student, under the strict condition that when she is with me, she will have no connection with the Scorpion clan. I made it clear that she can wear her mon, but I didn't want any letters, or any other correspondence between her and her clan. Kachiko stood and tore the girl's mask from her face, and left, telling her not to wear the mon as she strode from the room.Back at the festival after the brief meeting, Hamorei asked about what Asami had told us of our mission. He took us into a room, and magically sealed it from eavesdroppers. He went over the details of the horrific deaths of villages, and that we are to find out what is causing it, and to stop it. On every new moon, a new village is found dead, all their blood gone, and the bodies missing the heart and liver. Hamorei gave me a map, leading to a small town near the Scorpion/Lion border. It was the last village to be struck. He expressed the need to have us leave as soon as possible. I made the decision to leave in the morning. I sent a notice to Empress Asami that we were leaving in the morning, and retired, having a futon brought into my room for Bayushi Aleao.
Hida Hisaki did not seem pleased with this decision. I figure that if she was sent to assassinate me, there isn't much that can be done to stop her plans. I'd best have her at my side than behind my back. I don't know what else to do with the girl. I am no teacher. I only passed my own gemmpuku last spring, less than a year ago. How can I do this?After a few days journey, we came upon our destination just after mother sun set for the night. From the hill, I could see candles and lanterns flickering in the houses below. The rain falling had drenched my kimono, and I was beginning to grow irritated at the cold, wet air. We crossed a small bridge, and followed a road into the middle of the town. I took note of the small alter on the opposite side of the stream. As we crossed, Haichi began acting strangely, about the noises and lack thereof. I then noticed that while on the bridge, all sounds were muted significantly. The sound of the water rushing beneath the stream was silent, and even the rain falling on the arched bridge was quiet.
We entered the sake house, and found it empty, despite the warm, roaring fire inside, and the full sake cups on the table. I crossed the street to the town square, and found papers about, and candles flickering. No one was to be seen anywhere. I headed back outside, intending on going to the small tori on the other side of the bridge, and Bayushi Aleao approached, telling us that there were bodies strung from the outside wall of the small structure. I hadn't even noticed her leave. I asked her not to leave the group again, and she agreed, looking quite repentant for her actions. I didn't mean to scold her though. I merely fear for her safety.
We came to the structure, and it's outer wall was decorated by the bodies of peasants. Their blood was drained, and missing hearts and livers, as Hamorei had reported. As we were inspecting the outside wall, The outer door slammed shut, and all the lights in the village instantly extinguished. I supposed it could have been a breeze, but I don't remember feeling anything of the sort... merely the rain continuously falling. Haichi opened the door to the inner alter, which released Akodo Kaze, who had apparently gone inside and was scared beyond belief from being trapped inside.
Kaze and Haichi went back across the river, when Hida Hisaki and I began our plans for the bodies. We had no hinin with us, but the souls of these people would be trapped forever, if not released soon. Mizake and Aleao searched the forest for firewood, while Hisaki stripped off his outer kimono and began cutting the bodies down from the wall. I knelt before the alter and began praying for the souls of the murdered villagers. I don't know how much time passed, but soon the wood was laid out. I was brought to the structure of bodies and broken branches to summon fire spirits to devour the physical bodies of the poor victims. It took quite some time, and the smell is one I'll not ever forget. Hisaki stayed with me to supervise the fire while I continued to pray. Mizake and Aleao returned to the center of town when they heard something going on.
I insisted Hisaki ride with me back over the bridge, as it would be faster. After a short lived argument, he mounted behind me and we rode back.
By the time we returned to the town square, we found Haichi, Mizake, Aleao and Kaze huddling in the center of town, inside what appeared to be a circle of protection from evil. I joined them in the circle, unsure of the reasons for it's existence, but certain the young Aleao had cast it. Hisaki grunted something about standing in the rain all night, when Kaze and Aleao scuttled off into one of the houses. I could smell something cooking within, and the cheery light of a fire burning within was too much to resist. I calmly led my horse to the house, and tethering it outside, I stepped into the warm building. Tempura and mizo soup layout on the table, and Aleao guiltily looked up from what she was feasting on.
I asked her to cast the spell she had earlier, to encompass the house, since Haichi refused to leave the rain unless he was protected. When it was done, someone motioned for him to come inside, which he did, and immediately sulked off to the back room. I hadn't noticed he was injured before... he seemed not to want help though.
We let Haichi have the back room to himself, for he seemed very distressed about something. We all slept in relative comfort, and woke up slightly drier than when we fell asleep.