Dear Basho-sama,

I must admit that I fell upon your group of followers quite by accident - I would never have thought to associate with such religious folk. Beppu was a town where living was all on one's mind. - but I have found you and your followers to be made of better stuff than most. If things were as easy as making the spoken word into action, I would beg you to take me in as a disciple of this philosophy.

However, my heart is full... full of loss for my home, full of hate for being taken away, full of... I must leave this place. Lin, Nanto, Mayoi...they all seem
so similar to Beppu, yet bastardized. Yes 'bastardized' would be the word. It is like looking in a shattered mirror. I cannot stand it, and my heart is weak from the sight.

I am leaving these lands. Perhaps I will find solace in the deserts I have heard of to the west. I hope to see you again when my mind has cleared. At that time perhaps I will be of use. Until then, be well.

Kikuchi Kentaro

As strange as this letter sounded, nothing appeared dangerous.  So, Kentaro left quietly on his sabbatical.  Then, a strange figure appeared in Lin.

"I seek the one named Basho Genji.  I have a letter for him," the desert woman spoke, and she was greeted by Jojii followers Ma Zhirui and Shinjin Myoken.  "I am a friend of he that you name," the latter replied, "and I would be glad to hold it for him."  The dark form handed him the letter and quickly left... but not before accidentally dropping another missive in sight.

As the first letter was read, a shadow crossed over the brave men's minds.

But at the sight of the second, fear fell over them:

(Continued)