[The Thousandth Year of Peace] The Topaz Tournament

Fumiko watchesin silence as Doji Suzuha practices absently chewing on a long blade of grass she had plucked as she wandered through the town. Despite the long standing enmity between their Clans, Fumiko had to admit Suzuha's skill, though the Crane Clan boasted a reputation for dueling Fumiko had to wonder how the other would fare in the chaos of battle, as opposed to a duel governed by strict rules. After watching for a time Fumiko spoke in a soft voice that could only be heard due to the stillness of the night. "Most impressive form Suzhua-san but you seem rather--unsettled, your expression betrays you. No offense, but I had heard that the Crane were the paragons of reserved clam."


Fumiko studies the other girl with a wry grin, feeling far more comfortable in a one-on-one setting that in a room full of people.
 
Shinjo Liyan


Laichao practically jumps for joy at the invitation. He whistles, and in a trice the troop of monkeys is assembled... sort of. Hida's gotten terribly drunk and Shiba and Bayushi are supporting their groggy sibling as they stagger over to him. Everyone else seems ready for action; Laichao salutes snappily.


"Team Laichao ready for action!" he reports.


******


The stables are fairly close to the sake house; thirsty travellers need drinks, after all. The stablehands have done their job pretty well, though it might not have been strictly appropriate to leave an apple in Matsukaze's feed pile. The horse harrumphs at everyone except Liyan and Shinjo. She tolerates the monkey sitting on her neck, but nuzzles at the Battle Maiden's hand.


"Wow. He's... big," Laichao says. He reaches a hand out to touch the horse, but flinches as Matsukaze harrumphs at his presumption.


Akodo Okakura


"I have heard that some Lions have commanded battles at the age of thirteen, and in battle, failure ends in death, one way or the other. Although, it is interesting to know that your mother was of the Ide. I had thought that the Lion Clan would disapprove of the foreign ways of the Unicorn."


Okakura knows that the Scorpions were the first to champion the accusations that the Unicorns were not a proper Clan... and the first to be thoroughly defeated on the battlefield by the Unicorn cavalry. The Lions were a close second, however, given that the Unicorn did not adhere to bushido as the Lions did and their new ways of war flew in the face of conventional Lion tactics.


"Still, it has been two centuries since the children of Shinjo returned. And stranger things have happened."


Saemi's lips perk up as Okakura mentions letter-writing. "I suppose it would be difficult for one person to compose a proper document of the requisite form and length. Perhaps I could assist you?"


Hiruma Fumiko


Suzuha recoils as Fumiko speaks; more in surprise than any form of revulsion.


"Wha- who goes there?" she says, taking a defensive stance. Then she recognizes Fumiko from the presentation earlier that day, and relaxes.


"Oh. Hiruma Fumiko, if I'm not wrong," she says, trying to marshal up a smile for the Crab. "And yes, the Doji are supposed to be graceful, refined, elegant... but that Touma idiot really got under my skin."


She mutters darkly about Lions and other aggravating things, and then shrugs it off with a smile.


"Oh well, no point whining about the past. I'm surprised you're not hanging out with the other Crabs. They looked like a fun-loving bunch. Taking the air?"
 
Ameiko nods, smiling faintly. "Of course I'm fine... truly. I'm just.. nervous, with anticipation. I cannot afford to fail my family, after all- no more than any of us can. Truly, we have been both gifted and punished with this honor, have we not? I do not fear my competitors- I merely fear failure." She chuckles. "Though, I Suppose I am too young to be called to commit seppuku, no?"
 
Fumiko shrugs slightly,"I had a rather large portion of sake, I had thought to practice some before I went to sleep. An obligation to my Sensei I suppose you could say." She taps the bokken stuck through her obi.


"My Clanmates do enjoy a good time but I prefer--smaller gatherings or solitude to such carrying on."
 
Liyan smiles faintly at Laichao's enthusiasm, and then proceeds to lead him and his entourage through the darkened town.


She smiles wider when they enter the stable and she sees Matsukaze well cared for. She moves her fingers through his mane, calming him, and reaffirming their bond. She eyes the monkey on its neck, recognizing 'Shiccan' from before and frowns slightly, maybe there is something about those seven.


At Laichao's words, she chuckles, "he's just the right size for warhorse, which is quite naturally far larger than the sorry ponies the rest of Rokugan has to make do with."
 
She almost appeared nervous as she took the boken from Takezo, but in her head she was screaming at him to impress her with some sign of artistry. She wanted him to show some sign that inside of him was a man passionate about something other than killing things with his swords.


But as she took the green wood that was carved roughly she could tell there was no passion. It was all practicality. The wood wasn't seasoned properly, the wood not sanded finely, there was no carving to the hilt, no oils or lacquers on the haft of the boken. It was plain, functional, but careless. It was disposable. He knew it would get broken and only put in enough effort to make it useable.


Her heart sank and she looked up at him, a small smile on her face as she tried to think of some thing nice to say, but she knew she could have anything nice right now and it would not change him at all. He might not even understand what she said. "You could be a master at crafting boken. Have you considered that as a way to express your love for the woods made to create such an instrument, a challenge weapon."


Such a shame to see a man with so little talent, he was truly lost outside of combat. He would die early in his life.
 
"I would consider commanding a battle at thirteen an extreme case, wouldn't you Saemi-san? Regardless, the Lion did regard the Unicorn with very little respect when they returned, the more shame to us. They have proven themselves honourable, and we have learned much from them with regards to cavalry in the past two centuries. As, I believe, have the Scorpion. Besides, rivalry leads to respect, and we have contested the passes in the Spine of the World for far too long not to respect each other."


Okakura is a little taken aback at Saemi's offer to help, and does his best not to show it. He inclines his head, "your help would be most appreciated, Saemi-san. I cold probably do it alone, but a second point of view may catch a gross omission on my part. I would hate to dishonour the Loin more as a result."
 
Akodo Okakura


"If I'm not wrong, Akodo Ryuko did command a battle of her own against the Scorpion less than a decade ago. She was thirteen then, before her gempukku, which was performed at the dojo of the Seppun Miharu. Of course, she was more a guardian than a general, and the victory was not perfect... but she did serve well, and acquitted herself admirably as a commander. Duty asks many things of us and often, the only say we get is what we will sacrifice for it."


She smiles as Okakura accepts her offer.


"Well then. Shall we be off? No doubt you are eager to begin your calligraphy, and I would not dream of delaying your efforts..."


Shiba Kimita


"I don't know," he says awkwardly. "Nobody's ever asked me that before. I'm a bushi, right? So all I need to do is win. I carve these so I can win even when I'm at a disadvantage."


It doesn't look like she'll be able to get much more from him. Perhaps if she wants to retire early, or find someone else to talk to? After all, marriage prospects needn't necessarily come from just one clan...


Shinjo Liyan


"Well, he sure scares me," Laichao says. "How does Shicchan even do that?"\


He's referring to the monkey that's carefully grooming the warhorse's mane; the horse doesn't seem to mind, and is not trying to shake her off.


"I can't imagine what it'd be like seeing him charging down at me on the battlefield. I might run. It's not a very noble or bushido thing to do, but you can't serve your lord if you're dead... right?"


He almost claps a hand over his mouth as he realises this might be exactly the wrong thing to say to her.


Hiruma Fumiko


"That makes a lot of sense," Suzuha says as she rests her boken over her shoulders, wrists draped over either end. The look is not unlike a yoke for a beast. Terrible form and if they were in a proper dojo, her Kakita sensei would have clipped her across the ear for it.


Good thing she isn't in a dojo, no?


"I guess it depends on the company you keep. I liked it back there before that idiot Touma showed up. In the Crane lands, everyone's so prim and proper and you have to remember how to turn, look, bow, ranks and titles and privileges and... ugh."


Suzuha looks like she's swallowed something nasty. Then she flashes Fumiko a playful grin. Her expression changes; something vaguely foxy in her eyes.


"Sorry, I got carried away. Say, you said you wanted to practice, right? How about a quick spar? I won't ask you to show me your stance, but maybe you could show me how the Hiruma fight. Not duel, mind; actually fight."


Isawa Ameiko


Takeru looks curiously at Ameiko before chuckling quietly. He places a gentle hand on her shoulder in a comforting manner.


"Dear Ameiko, you worry about such silly things. To begin with, you can speak with the kami, and as long as you can do that, you cannot say that you have failed. Not to mention, while participation in the tournament is both a privilege and a burden, nobody would dream of insisting on such a... final redemption of honor. Now, now, let us not speak of such grim tidings."


He gently guides her eyes to the reflection of Lord Moon in the slowly-flowing river that runs through the garden.


"They say the Isawa master the elements in their own special way - while the other Clans can claim proficiency with one particular element, only the Phoenix have the skill and clarity to embrace them all at once. Yet I must ask... do you favor any particular element over others?"
 
Fumiko grins slightly as she ponders a moment, "You are very unlike any Crane I have ever heard about Suzuha-san, very different. In my homeland we have an appreciation for things that are different--uncouth savages that so many claim we Crab are."


Drawing her boken she moves forward and offers a small bow, "Very well then, to be fair, I will warn you that our style is not like dueling at all. The things we fight from beyond the Carpenter Wall deserve no honor in combat, for they have none. But I will show you some of what I can without those moves that would be dishonorable against another samurai."
 
Ameiko laughs, suddenly and with a startling flurry- then nods. "But of course- I am Tensai, Prodigy. I am already a near master of fire, as a matter of fact- I'd offer a Demonstration, but most of my spells are Illegal near dwelling places that might catch fire, eh?" She grins, and then laughs at him again. "I love the fire.....It's Kami speak to me- all the time.... it's wonderful, truly!" She smiles. "They are not so filled with rage and passion as many think- at least, not all of them... regardless- so what is it /you/ do, Bayushi-Sama- other than coax your competitor's strength's out of them with fine words, that is..?" As she coyly twists her lips in a subtle change of smile.
 
"Bushido is more than just fighting." She considers what she wants to say to Takezo, either to derail his attempts to win at the risk of angering him. Or she could try for some subtlety, and risk that he doesn't understand what she says and has no effect at all.


"You must also be honest, courteous, and sincere. That means dedication in all that you do. Not that you need to become a master craftsman for your boken, but if you did dedicate more effort into that, you would have more to demonstrate your honesty to your clan, be more courteous as you discuss your interests, and sincerity in the level of dedication to combat, reflected in your interest in the boken you create for your use."


Could she convince him to focus on something other than combat? Could she confuse him enough with his role that it might affect him for the rest of the tournament? She wasn't one to spend much time in court, so she wouldn't have tried this against anyone else. But against someone who had no focus other than fighting, she might try, on the hopes that he wouldn't win and she wouldn't have to marry him. Plus, it would serve her clans chances for her to possibly win.
 
"Very carefully," she replies to his first question with slight amusement. The monkey really is very cute, and Matsukaze likes her.


As he continues, her smile disappears and more somberly, she says "while it is true that we cannot serve in death, there are times when our deaths may pay for the rest of our lives many times over. And if laying down our lives is what our lords require of us, it is what we must do."
 
Okakura gestures towards the door, rising. "My calligraphy sets are back at The House of the Laughing Carp, and it's late enough to be heading there now anyway. We can discuss the letters on the road." He waits for Saemi to stand, before leaving the sake house with her, collecting his wakizashi at the door.


"Who will we need to compose letters to?" he muses. "The Kikuta master, of course, the local lord too. Doji-san and Mirumoto-san's sensai as well, and the leader of the Dragon contingent. Would it be proper to send one to the Emperor's aide, too? I think that's everyone." He glances across at Saemi, seeing if she has anything to add.
 
Hiruma Fumiko


"I know, I don't fit the template. Don't want to. It's a shitty template and I want to be free of it."


There's a hint of something deeper there, but Suzuha's good enough at hiding her feelings that Fumiko's not going to be learning about it without an in-depth cross-examination. Then, she bows to Fumiko, and raises her boken to a high ready stance.


"I think there is very little honor in combat," she says. "At least, that's what one of my sensei taught me. The Daidoji one. I wanted to learn the naginata from him, but my father forbade me to study anything but Kakita's ways."


She shrugs. "But you don't need to hear that. Show me how the Crab fights, Fumiko-san."


Isawa Ameiko


Takeru smiles, under his gauzy half-face mask. He seems to do that a lot, given how practiced it is.


"As for me, I find attractive women of great talent and grow close to them," he says. "The kami do not speak to me, but how few of them are maidens as fair as... well, yourself, let's say. You're clearly focused and confident, nothing like that shrinking violet Mikuru of the Asahina. She looks like she'd faint if she saw a mouse in her futon."


Takeru winks, a mischievous glint in his eye.


"If you are a flame, milady, then consider me a hopelessly entranced moth," he says, leaning in until their faces are almost touching. "And burn with me, as I burn in you."


Akodo Okakura


Saemi allows herself to be led outside. Okakura notes that the Scorpion takes her time in walking so the crippled Lion doesn't feel as slow as he should. While on the road back to the Carp, Saemi taps her chin thoughtfully with her fan; it seems to be edged in decorative gold foil. At least, it looks like gold foil in the moonlight.


"You've covered your bases pretty well," she nods. "I believe Kakita Gensai is Suzuha-san's fencing master, and Mirumoto Mitsuki is the leader of the Dragon contingent. Alas, the name of Takezo-san's sensei eludes me, but any bushi should be proud of his pedigree and teaching. Perhaps you could ask him?" she playfully suggests.


Shiba Kimita


"They're just sticks," he says testily. "Don't know why you're making such a big deal about it. Your view of bushido sounds like you've been reading too many books. It isn't my way."


He abruptly gets up, snatches his boken back, and storms out of the tavern, leaving Kimita behind. A few seconds pass before a soft, measured voice comes in from behind her.


"That one's almost as bad as Touma," Morita says. "Are you all right, Kimita-san? Perhaps you might wish to take the air as well..."


Shinjo Liyan


Laichao nods, doing his best to welcome the prospect of throwing his life away for justice. It's not really succeeding.


"That... uh, that's... oh hey, what are these? Are they for pulling your horse or something?"


It's not the smoothest subject change ever. The Mantis is indicating the stirrups on Matsukaze's saddle that rests on the ground nearby. They're a Unicorn innovation; the Lion have only started using them recently in their attempts to make a cavalry corps of their own, which is being heavily influenced by Unicorn advice.


******


And suddenly, a high-pitched female scream cuts through the night! Everyone outside the inn can hear it, but whether or not they care is a different matter...
 
Amieko's coy smile grows, ever so faintly. "Ahh I see..... talented and beautiful, am I? Ahh but you would flatter the moon from her perch, with such a silver tounge.." As she leans closer- almost touching noses...


And then the scream- and the smile changes to a frown, as she darts, turning. "... Ohh /my/... that sounds worth investigating, does it not? We can continue this conversation later, after all."
 
Fumiko settles into the Waki gamae and orients her blade so that the Ha (edge) is pointed down and her body hides the orientation of the blade. As she centers herself she hears the scream and raises and eyebrow at Suzuha.


" Shuzuha-san," She says simply as she spins and runs in the direction of the scream
 
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"No, they're for my feet," she says, her tone making it clear that she knows what he's doing by changing the subjects so inelegantly, but she does not mind for now, he is pleasant enough company and does not look down on her for being Unicorn. "Here, let me show you," she says opening Matsukaze's stall and placing the saddle on his back. "See, they make it easier to get on and off the horse, and gives greater control while riding. Firing a bow, for instance, takes two hands and without the control afforded by stirrups it requires a very developed sense of balance to do so while ri..."


Her words are cut off by the scream outside and without hesitating, she proceeds to demonstrate just how stirrups work by jumping onto the horse's back in an instant and extending her hand to help him jump up behind her. It is a limited time offer, though, regardless of whether he takes it, she will be moving on in seconds, riding swiftly and surely despite the darkness. Someone is in danger, and it is her sworn duty to assist them!
 
"Hmm, asking Takeo-san anything right now would be ill advised, I think. Perhaps his broth- ." Okakura's head snaps around at the sound of the scream,and he begins moving towards the source of the sound, not waiting for Saemi. She would follow, or she wouldn't, but crippled as Okakura is, he is still a Lion. As he moves he looks around the area for something he can use as a weapon, a staff would be ideal, but any stout piece of wood could do.
 
solyrflair, at your option, you can be outside the inn and reacting to the scream, or you can talk to Morita or someone else still in the tavern.


Hiruma Fumiko


"That's Mikuru!" Suzuha exclaims as she follows after Fumiko. "Dammit, shouldn't she be in her room? I told her to go straight back, this isn't Asahina Shinden where everyone and everything looks out for her!"


Fumiko can tell that the scream came from nearby, which would be nowhere near the competitor dormitories.


Isawa Ameiko


It's impressive how Takeru can return a face so twisted by wrathful frustration to normalcy within moments, as he pursues Ameiko.


"Ameiko-chan, I must advise against this - these are Crane lands, let the Crane take care of this!"


He's still following, however.


Akodo Okakura


Yogo Saemi, on the other hand, is nowhere to be seen as Okakura limps on toward the source of the sound. As it turns out, he finds a pre-whittled boken leaning against a nearby tree. It's probably one of Takezo's cast-offs.


He can help himself to it if he wants to...


Shinjo Liyan


Laichao is dutifully nodding along to Liyan's explanation when he is shocked out of his stupor by the scream. For a moment, he seems stunned by the surprise, but then he sees Liyan mounting up and riding off, and he has the presence of mind to grab on to the outstretched hand. He's heavier than he looks; must be all the muscle developed from swinging from rigging and lifting heavy loads on ships.


The Mantis swings up behind her, clinging on to her waist for dear life as Matsukaze takes off; behind him the chain of his monkey companions scales up to his back. It is a curious sight, and a majestic one.
 
Ameiko turns. "A Woman is in Distress- the Kami would ask no less of me, than to seek to come to her aid!" As she continues her movement. "Surely, someone is in dire need of Aid."
 
Fumiko moves in the direction of the scream, as she does her eyes scan in every direction high a low looking for any sign of threat or danger and any signs of Mikuru. She moves in fluid motions, weaving around any obstacles in her path. As she runs she only signals to Suzuha with a nod, not wishing to expose her position if indeed she is about to head into combat.
 
Apologies to everyone who hasn't replied!


Somehow, everyone manages to arrive on the scene at the same time; a terrified Asahina Mikuru is propping herself up on her elbows, backing away from a patch of rustling foliage.


"Mikuru?" Suzuha says, casting her boken aside as she kneels beside the frightened shugenja.


"Suzu-nee, I was so scared~" she wails, clinging to the Doji girl with both hands and sobbing freely into her shoulder. Suzuha sighs and pats Mikuru as comfortingly as she can manage.


"There, there," she coos. "What happened?"


"It was a rat, a huge rat! It came out of the bushes and sniffed at me and I was so scared!"


Suzuha looks to the others. She doesn't say anything; her expression speaks volumes. Specifically, it says, "Really?"


But of course, Suzuha is polite enough not to actually give voice to her sentiments.


Then, Bayushi dangles down from a nearby branch by his tail; he's indicating the dense brush Mikuru was backing away from.


"Bay- I mean, Bacchan says that there's something there," Laichao pants.


The monkey opens his hands wide, indicating size, girth and general expansiveness.


"Something big," he says.


"I can't believe we're taking this upjumped heimin and his pack of flea-infested tree-vermin seriously," Takeru scoffs. "Please tell me you all have more sense than he does."


Fumiko, however, knows that the Rokugani word for rat or mice has interesting connotations among the Crab...


Meanwhile, Matsukaze harrumphs at the sight of the bush. Something's agitating him really badly. Liyan's actually having trouble trying to rein the stallion in. Laichao springs off the horse's back in the hopes of calming the beast down, but it doesn't help. The Battle Steed wants some battle, all right, but the shiotome can tell that traversing the bush is going to be tricky even if Matsukaze were perfectly calm, which he isn't.
 
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It's hard to make out anything in the gloom and cramped confines of the bush (which is more like a very large hedge that sprawls on for quite a distance) but Fumiko can tell that whatever rat spooked Mikuru must have been huge, given the size of the tunnel it left behind. The odor here is also vaguely familiar; she remembers it from the Shadowlands...


As if to confirm her observations, Mikuru continues burbling behind her.


"It was as tall as you, Suzu-nee, and it stood on two legs, and it tried to touch me!"


"Say what?" Laichao interjects. "Giant rats that walk on two feet? You're kidding, right?"


Suzuha gives the Mantis such a dirty look that he promptly shuts up and backs away from them. His eyes go all over the garden, presumably looking for a rock to hide under.


"It must be some kind of oni," Takeru says with arms folded. "I say we sound the alarm right away lest the Emperor be harmed by the foul spawn of Jigoku!"


Okakura knows that whether or not there really are oni in the bushes, announcements like this will dishonor the Crane and spread panic throughout the court...
 
"That would be.. unwise, Bayushi-san. No, we should first confirm that it is a best of the Shadowlands before spreading such panic. Fumiko-san should know an Oni on sight, and with this many bushi here, there is nothing to fear, surely. I, for one, want to see this rat-thing. Lead on Hiruma-sama."
 
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