Realistic or Modern Edo Samurai: To Follow Bushido.

[noremac]

"You don't have to do this!" Takio screamed, as rain and blood dripped from his katana. Matsu's blade lay in the mud a just behind where he knelt. "We were only following orders. Seppuke won't solve anything."


"Order's that I can no longer obey. I have served lord Zawa loyally. Now that I question my own righteousness, this is the only honorable…uuugg… death left to me." Matsu's voice was calm, even as he slid the blade into his abdomen and sliced it open. "May you find peace within yourself as well Takio." The dead man fell forward to join the peasants he had slain.


All of a sudden Takio was kneeling as well. Looking down he saw his own stomach cut open. Gold, instead of guts, spilled out…


Screaming Takio sat up in bed. It was not the first time he had relived Matsu's death in his dreams, yet he had never seen the last part before. "It was only a dream." Takio's wife, Aimi, cooed in his ear. She knew what dream it was. "Drink some water." Aimi handed Takio a porcelain cup, gilded with gold. Takio seized the expensive thing and flung it against the wall. "Takio! There is no need to be angry."


"You are right," the samurai calmed, "Only justice is left."

 

[noremac]

The streets bustled with life despite the late hour. Ronin, samurai, monks, peasant, blind masseurs and nobles; everyone was welcome in this city. Many people traveled the Tōkaidō and Nagoya was had many accommodations at fair prices. Brothels and gambling houses were everywhere and sake flowed.


This is what I have served Lord Zawa for? A muscle in Tokio's right shoulder spasmed a the thought. Scowling as yet another scantly dressed girl, almost a child, tried to pull him into a building the samurai ducked down a narrow side ally. Slightly hidden in the shadows was a door to a less popular inn. As Tokio pushed open the door he wondered if it might not be the worst ryokan in the city. All the mats seemed to be broken and on bothered to take off their shoes.


Every meeting had to be in a different location though. They always chose shabby places where it was unlikely to be recognized. Tokio spoke to the old lady who owned the shoddy and she directed him to the room. The third conspiracy meeting against Zawa was about to begin. Today they would discuss the plans for infiltrating Nagoya Castle. Entering the room Tokio glanced around to see if anyone else had arrived.

 

[ThatGuyWithSouvlaki]

Hiroshi was already in the private room, forcing down the swill the proprietor of this place called sake. He was drowning his worries on what he had do, his family back home who were close to the ire of the so called "Lord" Zawa.


He looked out the window to the passers by, the peasants and monks who go about there daily lives probably the same routine day after day. He envied there simpler lives without worry of the political intrigue going on for their lands. Well, simplicity of lives between them can be debated but still the grass seemed greener.


"Nakahara-san, welcome to the rat hole you found us." He greeted Tokio with a smile as he entered." I would offer a drink but this stuff wouldn't be fit for pigs."

 

[mrXenox]

Itsuki sat across from Hiroshi, bored out of his mind, he had occupied himself with staring at the ageing and dirty tatami mat in front of him. He knew better than to partake of the sake here, besides, a sober mind was better for serious business. Every muscle in his body tensed as someone entered, and he made a move to reach for his swords. He quickly relaxed as he recognised the newcomer as his co-conspirator. He acknowledged Takio with a nod as he entered and he went back to staring at the tatami.

 

[IllusiveShade]

The impatient Daito sat kneeling, in the proper Agura pose, before a table, and a pot of hot, steaming tea, sat in front of him. He looked calm, as he sat kneeling, and before him sat his comrades. He looked at his comrades, and their more or less anxious deminior. Daito was not afraid, they had has several meetings as this one now, and still. They hadn't even been investigated yet. He was calm and resented, and raised his cup of tea in the direction of Takio with a smirk, a custom he had learned from the Gaijin a few years ago when he had had the privilege of meeting some at a strictly illegal business meeting.


Daito rose from his posture and walked towards Takio and bowed to his younger brother-in-arms. "Welcome, Nakahara-Kun. We have eagerly awaited your arrival." Daito said, with a smirk. He liked to use the term "Kun" as it made him feel better and more powerful than others.

 

[Yanipurr]

Hanzo was walking to the meeting location at a small inn. Although he was having trouble fending off some scantly dressed girl's well less having trouble and more him fighting back wanting to go with them. "Sorry ladies but I'm busy at this moment in time maybe later." Hanzo said arriving at the inn's front door another looking up around the out side 'Another of these locations' he thought to himself which just meant ruined and shabby but it was the most safe for the type of things they were going to discuss. With his Nodachi on his back he walked in and was directed into a room by an old lady maybe the owner of the inn but who knows it could have been anyone. Hanzo looked around the room not knowing if they were missing anyone else. He decided not to say anything just yet.

 

[noremac]

Takio looks around the room noting the faces present faces, returned Daito's bow with a lower on and said "It is good to see you Daito-sama." To the room, "It seems we are still waiting for Iroh-kunn...I asked him if he would be here tonight but he gave me one of those ambiguous riddles. No matter, we can fill him in latter. Oh and Hiroshi, when that sake bind you can be my number one masseur." Takio sat in seiza and started the meeting.


"We have all come to the decision that Zawa must die. Today's order of business is whether we should attempt to put our own Daimyo in place, and where we should stage our coup. In one week Zawa will be returning from Edo. We could ambush him along the road, or lie in wait at the castle. Does anyone have any other options or concerns they would like to explore."

 

[ThatGuyWithSouvlaki]

"Massuer? I follow you to death but i wont message you." Hiroshi said jokingly before a more serious tone came over at the mention of Zawa. He finished of the drink and put the cup to the side." That we need a new Daimyo is already decided, we wouldn't be here otherwise. To that end the road sounds good, there is a couple of villages he passes through we comes here. I bet he and his cronies wrongfully called samurai will stop in one of them for one of his nights out, get me a good 50 yards with my bow and our troubles are over."

 

[mrXenox]

Itsuki shifted his gaze from the tatami to Takio once more. "I cast my vote for the road as well, the castle will be crawling with his men, and would be difficult to infiltrate. Even if we managed to kill him there it would take a miracle to bring us out alive." He frowned, his pessimism had struck again.

 

[IllusiveShade]

Daito bowed slightly, and walked back to his table, sitting in Agura once again, and listened to the conversation, then boasted. "But if we hide among the guards in the castle, we could easily blend in, and kill him when the time for a strike would be possible. He would be more relaxed and an easier target, and the guards would not suspect us."


Daito smiled at his quick response, and gulped down a small amount of his green tea, then motioned for Taiko to sit at his table, placing a porcelain cup on the oposit side of his table.

 

[noremac]

Takio looked at the cup, took a sip, and tried to hide the scowl. Taste like dirt! "Arigato" he managed. "Both plans have their merits and faults. Ambushing in a village may be easiest as far as the actual assassination attempt goes, but remaining hidden would be hard. Although the peasants hate Zawa as much as we do we would probably still need to bribe them to keep quiet, then hide from the yojimbo until the time to strike comes. The lower caste knows that Zawa pays a high price for information on rebels...The rebels and all associated pay an even higher price." Takio gazed at each member of the conspiracy, lingering a little longer on Diato.


"Diato may be right. There would be nothing unusual about us waiting in the castle, at least as a welcoming party. Securing ourselves in the inner rooms would be harder. Finding the way out is the hard part...Perhaps." The last word was spoken more to himself. "Does anyone have a plan they would like to elaborate on before we try to come to a conscientious?"

 

[Kaiser]

[Fade away from the current conversation]


Terao lay on the Ryokan futon, katana and wakizashi to the right of him; sake bottle to the left coupled with two porcelain cups on a plate.


The room is dimly lit by a small candle, he stares up at the darkness, daydreaming of the past and the future. "Shitsureishimasu", a servant slides open the door and bows "Your lord is calling you.". He closes his eyes and puts his hand on his face to wipe away the sweat.


He sits up and gets on his knees before speaking "Arigato". Reaching over to the left he pours sake into a cup and brings it close to his mouth.


He breathes deeply, bringing the cup to his lips, tilts his head back and gulps it down. "Ahhhh, that hit the spot." he exclaims.


Reaching over to the right he grabs his weapons and stands up on his feet ready to leave the room. Weapons in hand he steps outside of the room and slides the door behind him. Once in the hallway he ties his obi tight, slides his katana through the loop, and tucks his wakizashi in the obi.


Terao starts whistling a tune as he walks down the hall to the back exit. His left hand rests on his katana. He bows as he meets the landlord of the establishment, "Thank you for the stay but I must be on my way, sayonara." Stepping outside he raises his arms and stretches then continues to walk down the alley.


[Fade back]

 

[mrXenox]

"Perhaps an assassination would be unnecessary" Itsuki mused to himself, " we could raise ashigaru, take the castle by force." He smiled as he pictured it in his mind, Lord Zawa overthrown by his own peasants. His smile soon gave way to yet another frown, "Though I can't imagine the Shogun would take kindly to a peasant revolt of that scale." He returned to looking at the tatami, having shot down his own idea before it could even be considered.

 

[noremac]

"An interesting idea." Takio had not considered going that far before. "Dangerous in that it draws attention from both Zawa and the Shogunate, but if we could be swift and silent about it..." He stopped to think. "If we took the time to seek out loyal followers we could have an army large enough to over throw Zawa's entire house, thus paving a way to an easier transition. If we were fast about it the Shogunate might not see any threat. This would take longer then a week though of course. Given these ideas I propose that we vote. Unless there is more to be said?"


Takio looked around waiting for the others to speak up.


[scene changes to a noisy inn in the heart of Edo.]


In the twelve months Zawa had been in Edo he and is entourage had stayed in three inns, his residence currently under renovations. The first inn had burn down and the second had been trashed. By this time the third inn was in ruins as well. The floor was sticky with sake and moldy rice could be found in the corners. The tatami mats were cut to shreds and some of the floor boards were broken.


In his rooms Zawa was in a drunken rage after the unsavory message was given during times of merriment. "Traitor rebels! Baka!" Zawa cursed as he passed the rooms, katana in hand. "They dare bethray their lrord?" He slured as he swung around cutting another hole in the shoji screen. The courtesans huddled together below it screamed in terror. "Whereth my damn yojimbo!" Zawa bellowed.

 

[Kaiser]

Terao sits in the other room listening to his lord scream and rant, tearing the place apart, not wanting to get involved. He drinks from a broken sake bottle and drops it on the ground. He stands up and walks into the hall to meet Zawa who is slurring his words and frightening the whores and staff. Zawa slashes at the air, his senses completely dulled and out of his mind. In between Zawa's incoherent rants and screams Terao manages to say "Boss?".


Zawa's screams reduce to mumbles as he looks towards him and grunts questioningly. "Instead of ruining another inn completely why don't we do something about it." Terao says boldly. Zawa's face lights up as he stabs his katana into the ground and leans on it. "You know Maeda, if it were anybody elsh who talked to me like that I would hhave killed yoou." He says as he chuckles. Terao who rarely showed emotion let a smile grow across his face. "So, what now?" He asked.