My name is Doji Natsumi.
My father, Doji Kodo was trained at the Phoenix Shugenga schools. My mother, Miyako, from the Kakita family, was a woman meant to marry the most powerful lords of the lands, but she married my father. The reasons were political, but perhaps, well, the poet in me always looks for love.
When I was fifteen years old, training at the Kakita fencing school, a year away from my Gempuku I decided that I would become both the Emerald Champion and the Empire's greatest poet, of my generation at least. A grand dream.
I am now only scant weeks from my twentieth year and I have accomplished both. My tenure as Emerald Champion will go down in history as the shortest ever, but perhaps the most successful. I am also the only Emerald Champion to resign from the position.
As for the being the greatest poet of my generation, I will be remembered as such I think. Both for my talent, and for what I write. I was there for it all. I knew them, if not personally, then through the eyes of those that did. They were and are the Second Thunders, as am I. At least that is what we are called. I will let others decide the truth of that claim.
This story starts, as with many things, with the smallest of things.
I was not present for much of this, but I have my connections to it, and I have spoken with those that were there, when it began.
It started with three Samurai.
One was a Crab, his name was Hida Mitsurugi. He was a big man, like much of his clan. He had an introspective side though, which was not like the crab. His mother had been a Crane, and perhaps that explained part of it. I have heard many stories about this man, and I would have liked to meet him, but I never had the chance. He had come to the Crane lands in tracking down an Oni named Koranshoku.
Koranshoku was a powerful Oni lord who had slipped out of the Shadowlands. Mitsurugi was sent on a suicide mission for reasons I still do not know.
One was a Lion. His name was Akodo Takashi. He had befriended Mitsurugi when the Crab had passed through Lion lands and now he accompanied his friend on this quest. I know little of Takashi-san, but if he was anything like his sister then he must have been a great man indeed.
The last was a Ronin. His name was Hashi. I know little of Hashi's background, I have never asked him, but he is a man of honour.
These three ended up in lands near the Crane/Phoenix border, controlled by a minor Daimyo named Doji Yachoda in a village named Shirukozuko. The three of them were involved in political machinations between Yachoda-san and one of his rivals. I know very little beyond this.
In that time Mitsurugi would grow close to Yachoda-san's daughter, Doji Uchiko. Perhaps they may have married, but that was not to be. A dark force was upon the land, and it was to make itself felt in the tiny village of Shirukozuko.
In Shiro Sano Kakita events were taking place that would eventually lead me to my destiny.
Kakita Kenshin was the lord of that castle. He was not a warrior and had married into his position. He was an efficient manager of the lands under him, and in areas where he was weak he delegated his responsibility. He was an archetypal, by other Clan standards, Crane Daimyo.
Serving Kenshin at the time was Kakita Yui, my cousin, and Shinjo Hiro, sent from the Unicorn clan to be under Kenshin's command for a time.
Yui was a beautiful girl, well, woman. She was beautiful, and delicate and small. She should have been an artisan, or a courtier, but that was not the path she took. She was a warrior, and while she looked delicate, she was not. I loved her more than I have loved anyone else. To me she represented all that was perfect.
Yui's only flaw, and I don't really think of it as such, was that she could not easily bring herself to cause harm to others. She avoided blood shed when she could and accepted insults that would have caused any other samurai, including myself, to demand a duel.
Many people, including Kenshin, felt this was cowardice. In this way did Yui-chan fall from favour at Kenshin's court.
Shinjo was a slim man, with a tinge of red in his hair and a look that was not completely of Rokugan, though that never bothered me. He was handsome, in a rugged sort of way, and cared little for the all the social niceties of Rokugan society. In Kenshin's court, this was a serious failing, and it was how Hiro-san fell from favour, assuming he ever was in favour.
That was the situation at court when Kenshin received a request from Doji Yachoda, asking for support and reinforcements for men he had lost.
Kenshin took this as a chance to help another Daimyo, and the later favours that that might entail, and to get rid of a number of Samurai he no longer wanted in his court. That was how my cousin Yui-chan and the Unicorn Shinjo Hiro-san were sent out to what would put them on their paths to destiny.
Back in Shirukozuko the Lion Takashi-san left the village, returning to his own lands to take care of family matters. He would not be present for what would unfold there, but he had other parts to play in this story, great parts. On the road to Shirukozuko Yui-chan, Hiro-san and the twenty other samurai, and various servants, with them would meet up with Togashi Agashi, or really just Agashi. Agashi-san was an Ise Zumi, one of the strange tattooed men from high up in the Dragon mountains.
From what I am told of Agashi he would have been a completely average looking man, if not for the tattoos that covered his body. The wandering, worldly monk joined up with the procession to Shirukozuko. He treated it all with a light humour that may have grated on some of the more dour Samurai there, but no one bothered the monk.
Yui-chan and Hiro-san quickly fell into a sort of friendship with the Agashi-san, after all, they were all outsiders, in a way.
When they reached Shirukozuko they were directed up to Yachoda-san's castle. Once there they were greeted by an interesting sight. Mitsurugi-san knelt in the dust in the court yard, a bamboo pole in front of him. He held it upright, simply staring at it. Then suddenly he released the pole, his hand going down to his sword, pulling it forth and cutting the bamboo pole twice before it could begin to fall. Or at least that is was Hiro-san told me.
He stared at the pieces of bamboo for a time, then got up and walked over to the newcomers. When I think of this scene I often smile. He was a large man, like many crab, perhaps even a little larger than most. My dear cousin was a small woman, so much so she was often mistaken for a girl. Standing next to Mitsurugi-san she must have looked like a child. Poor Yui-chan.
Although Mitsurugi was trusted by Yachoda-san, and his daughter, he was still a Crab. He was another outsider in the Crane castle. It was little wonder that the four of them were drawn together. It would be some time before they would meet up with Hashi. As I understand it the Ronnin was in the village, taking advantage of what little entertainment the place offered.
It was that night, when the sentries patrolled the walls and most of the castle was asleep that it happened. A scream, so loud that it woke almost everyone up, tore through the castle.
Yui-chan stormed out into the corridors, wearing only her sleeping robe and carrying her swords. She was the first to reach Uchiko's room, where the scream had come from.
She approached the woman, then suddenly leapt back as what was in the bed turned out to be a horrible creature, an Oni. It had three tongues which lashed out, one of them leaving a trail of burning saliva across Yui's sleeping robe. She pulled it from her before she was burnt and prepared to fight this creature.
Others soon arrived, Mitsurugi, in all his armour, with his weapons ready. Hiro behind Mitsurugi, other Samurai, including Yachoda-san. As I have been told, the fight was very one sided. The weapons of the Samurai could not harm the foul creature, except perhaps for those of Yachoda-san. Around them the castle began to burn as they fought, and it was realised that if they stayed there, they would be crushed under flaming wreckage. They retreated, preparing to fight the Oni outside. The last one out of the castle was Yachoda-san, his eyes wounded in the fire, he cold not see. He stood in front of the burning castle, screaming his daughters name.
Soon the castle collapsed completely, leaving a pile of flaming wreckage. Of the Oni there was no sign.
A retainer took Yachoda-san down to the village. Others, including Yui, Mitsurugi, Hiro and Agashi stayed, waiting to see if the foul beast would show itself again that night.
After a time, as the fire died down, they began drifting off, down to the village, or other places.
Hiro took his horse and rode into the woods, soon finding a brook with clear, sweet waters. He prayed there for a time. When he finally looked up he saw, on the other bank, a small man in monks robes. They talked of the spirits there, and the beauty of the location. Then the old monk asked for directions and walked off, leaving Hiro behind.
Hiro remounted his horse and rode back towards the village. On the way he spotted something lying off the trail. His horse was nervous, but he rode over to it. Lying on the leaf litter, naked, was Doji Uchiko, her chest marked by a long scar.
Hiro gathered her up and quickly brought her into the village. There was much joy when he returned with the lords daughter, but it quickly turned a little sour. Mitsurugi and Agashi wondered how the Oni came to be in Uchiko's room the night before and how Uchiko came to be in the forest. They called her maid and asked her if her mistress had had a scar on her chest. Perhaps this was not the real Uchiko. And had not Yachoda-san slashed the Oni across the chest, a mighty blow that left a wound like the one on Uchiko? Her maid said that her mistress had not had such a scar, but she was nervous. Feeling that she was hiding something Mitsurugi asked Yui to go and question the woman.
Yui quickly ascertained the reason for the woman's nervousness. Few servants wish to speak openly about the mistresses naked bodies.
While that question had been answered, there were many others. Yachoda-san had fallen unconscious soon after the battle and remained so. Yui, Mitsurugi, Agashi, Hiro and Hashi waited for night to fall, wondering if the Oni would strike again.
There was a peasant girl named Namuko who Mitsurugi had saved from another village which, as I understand it, had also been destroyed by an Oni's rampage. Mitsurugi would spend the day trying to teach her sword work so that she might protect herself.
What happened that night might have been expected, but I can understand why they feared they were wrong. When night had fallen Uchiko took on the form of the Oni and began to attack all those there. They fought again, but the blades seemed ineffectual against the supernatural might of the Oni. Swords slashed out, and the Ise Zumi blasted the creature with a gout of fiery breath.
Mitsurugi was absent, and his knowledge of the creatures might have stood them in good stead. Hashi was also absent, and his crystal sword might have also aided them greatly. As it turned out the two were off chasing shadows, each other in fact. It might have been comical, had not it turned so tragic.
Yui, Hiro and Agashi survived the battle with the Oni, but many of the Samurai did not. The Inn was on fire and the three fought the Oni, forcing it outside so the others might have a chance to douse the fires, or save Yachoda-san if that proved impossible.
They would not have survived the fight if Hida Jakodo had not shown up at the point. I know he has been vilified to an extent, especially by the Crab at this time, but I will tell you this. Hida Jakodo could fight.
Blinded by the Oni's magic, no one saw what happened, but they heard it. The Oni attacked Jakodo, also blinded, but Jakodo fought back.
When it was finally over, and vision was restored, Jakodo stood over the mutilated body of the Oni, which had chanced back to Uchiko. It was a terrible sight. Jakodo himself stood in bloody and ripped armour, his weapons covered in the blood of his enemy. He looked at what he had done, then turned around and walked out of the village towards the ruins of the castle.
Terrible things had happened that night, and there was still more bad news. Yachoda-san had been assassinated by the peasant girl Namuko.
My cousin Yui, kind soul that she was, followed after Jakodo with blankets and bandages for his wounds. The Crab refused her help, treating her intolerably for what was an act of kindness. She was a Crane, and he hated her. Jakodo would not show me such disdain when we met, but perhaps it was who I was that allowed him to curb that disdain. Or perhaps it was who he had become.
Yui left him, and of the four, none but Hiro would see Jakodo again.
In the village the Samurai that had survived were gathering together, deciding what to do. The village had survived, thanks to the valiant efforts of those who had fought the Oni, but the castle was destroyed, Yachoda-san and his only child were dead, and there was nothing left for the Samurai. Few of Yachoda-san's men had survived, and those that did quietly committed sepuku to join their lord. Those sent by Kenshin, after some discussion, decided to return to Kenshin and let him decide their fate.
Mitsurugi was told by Uchiko's maid that her mistress had loved him and she would have chosen him as a husband, had she lived. Yachoda-san had also been impressed by the brave Crab, and likely he would have blessed such a union.
Before they could all leave a monk came into the village. His name was Soronsu, and he had been the one who Hiro had met earlier. It was he who performed the burial rights on the dead, and it was he who told the five, Hiro, Yui, Agashi, Hashi and Mitsurugi that great things lay in their future.
With that they left the village with the other Samurai.
They travelled together, making as good as time as they could, heading back to Shiro Sano Kakita and their fate. What they did not know, what was beginning to shake the Empire, was that Akodo Totori, the Lion Clan Champion had been assassinated. While Yachoda-san may have been one of the first assassinated, he was by no means the best known, nor the last.
The Lion Clan, for reasons I still do not understand, accused the Crane of being responsible. Why we would assassinate a man who showed great understanding, and recognised the value of better relations with the other Clans of Rokugan is beyond me. Perhaps it had something to do with the fact that Matsu Tsuko took over as head of the Lion Clan.
Along the way back to Shiro Sano Kakita Hiro went off, chasing after some information he thought important at the time. As it was he was mistaken, and not present for what was about to unfold.
While they made their way back the Ronnin Hashi looked at the Samurai with him and wondered why they were all going, so willingly, to what was to be their death. This led him into a conversation with Yui and Agashi. Yui argued it was a Samurai's duty to die if so commanded by her lord. Agashi on the other hand told a story about a lean, hungry wolf and its conversation with a well fed, but chained dog.
While perhaps a little insulting, one can see the point. I read through Yui's writings later and discovered she found the whole thing rather funny. From what Soronsu had said they all had chains on them, chains of their destiny, stronger than any forged of duty and family responsibility. She did not tell them this though and instead noted that they had reached an impasse in the discussion. Hashi asked her to make her death entertaining.
Eventually they reached Shiro Sano Kakita, but discovered the castle and city in preparations for war. The Lion clan was marching from Shiro no Yojin. The Lion's still blamed the Crane for their Champion's death and they were coming to avenge him, so they said. Perhaps Matsu-sama, finally freed from Akodo-sama's control decided to do so for personal reasons. Only she knows for certain.
Yui, and the other Samurai, after telling their tale to Kenshin and his General, Doji Hanso, were commanded to go and fight in the front lines of the battle. The meaning was simple enough. They were sent to die for their failure.
Of the others, Hiro had still not returned, Hashi and Agashi decided, for different reasons I am sure, to only watch and not take part in the fighting. Mitsurugi offered his sword to aid the Crane in the coming battle, and his help was accepted.
The battle itself is known as the first of the wars that would split the Empire, and so it is well known to all, even though its tactical significance, in the end, was small.
The Lion met the Crane and the battle raged for several hours, but Doji Hanso was a master tactician and the Lion did not have an easy fight. It might have come out very differently if not for Mitsurugi. It was Hida Mitsurugi who killed the Lion Clan standard bearer, and he who brought it back to the rear of the Crane lines.
He fought every step of the way, and many say he took sword blows that might have killed other men. With the capture of their banner the Lion were disheartened. The Crane pushed forward, harder, and the Lion line began to break. It was the Lions who began fighting a retreating action, and it was the Lions who quit the field of battle, defeated.
Yui was wounded on the battle field, but did not die. Many people felt that those who had gone to Shirokozoku, and had survived the battle, had redeemed themselves. They had proven their bravery, and their honour. It should have ended there. It would not.
Hashi would eventually move out onto the battle field at night and make a small fortune.
Agashi went into the village.
Mitsurugi was honoured for his actions and given gifts and thanks from Kenshin. From what Hiro told me of this, I believe that Mitsurugi was disappointed to discover that the lord of the castle was not a warrior.
The Crab was to be rewarded further. A Gunso named Kikira Kakita approached Mitsurugi and requested a favour of him. His sister, Kurigo, had lost her husband in the battle. Kikira asked Mitsurugi to marry her so that she would not have to enter a nunnery. He would receive the lands that the wife held, as well as be doing him a favour.
I'm not sure why Mitsurugi agreed. I don't think he cared about the estate, and I doubt he even knew the woman, let alone had any feelings for her. Perhaps he married her just because it was a kind thing to do. Only Mitsurugi knows for certain.
A day after the battle ended a Crane Army marched out, following after the Lions. They would retake Shiro no Yojin a few days later. The Lion army, reduced in numbers, was unable to hold it.
Yui was still recovering, so did not go with them. Neither did Mitsurugi who had other commitments that were demanding his time. Hiro returned during this time, but it was obvious he had no intention of staying long.
And what about the Lion, Akodo Takashi? Takashi was with the Lion Army that attacked Shiro Sano Kakita, and he was with those that fell back. He had seen his friend Mitsurugi take his army's banner, seen him give victory to the Crane.
He left his fellow Lions and went to Shirokozoku where he thought Mitsurugi might return, and where he thought he might find answers.
Hiro, Mitsurugi and Agashi decided that they would also return to Shirokozoku, in hopes of finding the Monk Soronsu. He had told them they would play a great part in the Destiny of Rokugan, and they believed him. They could feel a sense of connection between each other. They did not know what to do though, and hoped the monk, if they could find him, might tell them.
And what of Soronsu? He is, to an extent, a man of mystery. A Phoenix Shugenja, very old, and very powerful. They say, the Phoenix, that he could have been one of the Elemental Masters, but instead left the Phoenix lands to travel Rokugan. The Phoenix speak well of him, but it seems that Soronsu is as much a mystery to that Clan as he is to everyone else.
Yui, having recovered from her was also brought into these conversations. Hashi had taken up residence in a very expensive Inn and was enjoying all that the city had to offer. He did not take part in the planning.
Mitsurugi decided that they would leave for the village the day after his marriage. All agreed, except Yui, who could not. Unlike them, she had her Daimyo, Kenshin, to answer to and would need his permission.
She went to him, and told him of what had occurred, and asked him if she could go with Mitsurugi and the others, to try to find this destiny the Monk had told them of.
Kenshin should have said yes. He did not like her, why not send her away? If it was a fools errand and led to her death, well, she had asked for it and it would show him in good light. If there was indeed a great destiny in Yui's future, then would it not reflect well on him as well? He should have said yes. He did not. I still do not know if he was just a fool, or if he was so unkind it made him stupid.
He told her if she chose to leave, she should do so in the night and leave her swords behind.
Yui left him and went to visit her parents, who were overjoyed to see her. Her sister and brother in law were also there. It was no doubt a pleasant reunion for them all. It no doubt made her choice all that harder.
While the others prepared to leave, Yui had to consider what she would do. I know my cousin, and I think I can guess her thoughts. I have also read some of the letters she wrote at that time, which help.
Yui believed the Monk, believed that she and the others shared a bond of sorts, that together they would play a great and important part in the future of the Empire. She had to leave with them. To leave with them meant giving up her family and clan, which she was brave enough to do, but she could not do anything that would bring dishonour on her family. She was being torn apart by two different duties.
I will say this now. I hate Kenshin for what he did. I care not who knows it. It is not that great of a secret, not any longer.
After Mitsurugi's wedding, Yui went to Kenshin again and told him of her thoughts, and her inability to do the two right things. She could see only one way out of the situation and she asked for permission to do so. Kenshin, and perhaps he was being kind, though I doubt it, agreed.
Perhaps he thought she would not be brave enough to carry it out. Perhaps he thought she would run away before committing the ceremony. He would have been a fool to think so. Yui was never afraid of her own death.
Kenshin's son, Tetsuka, asked if he might aid Yui in the ceremony. Yui agreed. The next day she prepared to die, spending the day meditating in the temple, writing letters and poems. Her companions came to her, and she asked that Hashi be informed, as he had asked for an entertaining show. Hashi would refuse though, and Mitsurugi, angry at this, would tell Hashi that they were through. Thus Hashi was no longer part of their group.
As the sun set Yui committed the ceremony of Sepuku, and died. To this day I feel that the Empire is a little sadder without her. The next day Mitsurugi, Hiro and Agashi left, making their way back to the village where everything had started.