"I will attend, Tsuruchi-san. I feel that my wife may have other duties elsewhere, however."
He wouldn't go so far as to tell her to go elsewhere, naturally, at least not in front of others, and in a situation where she might have a pretext to refuse. But he figured she'd get the point.
"I will look forward to seeing your talents at work."
He didn't turn to look at the Wasp, as he spoke to him. The look on his face was stony, and a bit cold, so perhaps it was a good thing it wasn't directed at his new friend.
"I am certain they cannot fail to impress."
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SkiddlesThe frozen white northRegistered Userregular
edited January 2009
"I'm...glad you will be able to come, Hida-san. I'd better go...prepare...for my demonstration. Again, it has been an honour, good lady" he said, bowing to Kiyashi's wife, trying not to appear puzzled at their behaviour.
He walked away a polite distance and scampered off. He actually did have a few things to prepare... Taking a thin but sturdy rope from his sack, he went in search for some peasants to order around- he didn't have long to set up, and now wasn't the time for misgivings or thoughts of Kiyashi's strange wife.
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SkiddlesThe frozen white northRegistered Userregular
edited January 2009
A little while later...
Saburo leaned against a large block of wood beside a tall tree- it looked as though someone had attached a fine rope to one of the branches, and it blew softly in the breeze a ways in front of the block. Around him gathered a large and diverse group of people- The Emperor and his court, the Emerald Champion, many of the Topaz Champion competitors (the successes and failures), and many assorted Samurai and peasants. All had been invited to come, and it seemed that many had... perhaps not wanting to leave the site of such an amazing competition just yet.
I'm really doing this he thought, I must be crazy, using up a favour from the Emerald Champion himself like this... But I don't think I'll ever have such an opportunity to show all these important people my skills. I don't think I could ever have a better opportunity to start making my reputation...
Despite his best efforts, his mind finished the thought for him: ...or destroy it before I've even begun
Taking a deep breath, he addressed the crowd in a voice that was much more strong and confident than he felt inside:
"Emperor-sama, distinguished guests, everyone... Welcome to my Kyujistu demonstration." Bowing low to the Emperor and his court, the Wasp started without any further introduction.
"Archery is an important aspect of battle that is often overlooked in favour of the much more flashy sword" - and here, he let his gaze rest on Kiyashi and gave him the faintest wink before continuing- "or imposing Tetsubo. Dueling with the Katana is a vital part of our culture, and of course the Wakasashi is the vessel of the honour of all Samurai."
Saburo begins walking away from the stump as he continues to talk.
"Archery, though, has its own place. The humble archer is an important part of any balanced army- Important battles have been won and lost on the strength of some gut and a length of wood with feathers attached." He held up his bow for all to see, and continued.
"I am yet quite young, and have been training as an archer for a comparatively short period of time. Yet I wanted to share with you the little I have learned thus far, and I pray to the fortunes that I be given a chance to learn further, and perhaps one day have the honour of displaying the skills of a fully trained Tsuruchi Archer to many of you here."
Glancing over at the court, he asked: "May I have a volunteer to provide a small amount of aid to me today?"
A Lion Samurai stepped confidently forward to volunteer from the environs of the court.
"Akodo-sama, thank you. Could you please take the quill from the servant over there and paint a square or triangle on the block there, each side being no longer than your longest finger?"
The Lion dutifully paints a triangle in the block, with roughly finger-length sides.
Drawing his bow, Saburo continues talking. "This <twang> will be my <twang> target for <twang>the demonstration."
3 arrows bury themselves precisely into the 3 corners of the triangle, quivering slightly.
Feeling slightly more confident, he continued to the sound of polite applause: "Now, an archer is often blessed with the situation that he must hit a target, unhindered by terrain or men fighting between him and his target <thunk> <snap-thunk>"
Some clapping from the crowd follows, as Saburo shoots an arrow directly into the center of the triangle, and then hits the arrow with the next one, splintering the first and lodging itself into the wood.
He paused a moment and looked over the crowd, seeing Kiyashi, the Crane Damiyo, the Phoenix girl...they seemed to be warming up to him a bit- their applause less forced and starting to sound genuine- a good sign.
"Sometimes, however, the luxury of a direct shot is not available, and the archer must improvise..."
Motioning to a peasant, the rope is lowered from the tree branch overhead. "If someone would be willing to lend me a finger ring for this next part of the demonstration, I will ensure it is returned to you unscathed".
A crane courtier comes forward with a ring. "Excellent, Doji-sama. My thanks. If you could please tie the ring to the rope securely?"
Once the ring is securely fastened, Saburo pulls out a different type of arrow- the armour piercing arrow had almost no head so as to punch through heavy armour more effectively. "Often on the field of battle, there are men moving, jostling fighting, and the archer must shoot through small spaces to hit his target." <twang>
The arrow flies true, straight through the ring and into the triangle- an extremely difficult shot.
The applause now is quite respectful, and Saburo uses the moments to steel himself for his final shot. After a few long moments, Saburo continues. "Often, though, the archer does not have the luxury of a direct shot, and must improvise further..."
Turning to his right, Saburo walks a few paces off to the side, very clearly out of place for a straight shot through the ring and into the triangle.
Taking a deep breath, Saburo watches the leaves on the tree to gauge the wind, steels himself and takes another armour piercing arrow from his quiver, drawing back the bowstring and letting his final shot fly in the same fluid motion..."And that is what I have learned of archery."
The arrow flies into the breeze, turning gracefully as it reaches and passes through the ring, and buries itself into the now-crowded triangle, clearly an impossible shot. Bowing his head, he signaled the end of his demonstration in the unnaturally silent second that followed his arrow hitting home.
Raucous applause erupts before Saburo has the time to rise from his bow. Mostly from the large amount of peasants in attendance, the samurai are enthusiastic as well but express it a little more demurely. A few crane especially seem totally unimpressed, but on the whole it is a very well received demonstration. Especially as the imperial delegation seems to have appreciated the extra entertainment this evening.
Kiyashi's wife meanwhile is unseemly close to one of the other contestants, Akodo Shotaka, talking to him and being very very interested in everything he has to say. Bayushi Denbe saunters up to Kiyashi and offers him one of the two saucers of sake he's carrying. "I was just speaking to your wife, i had no idea you were married."
Most of the contestants are drinking, though none so far have shamed themselves by public drunkenness.
Kiyashi accepted the bowl with a nod, his face sour. He hadn't missed Yuriko's... displays.
"It is my honor to marry a Crane."
He sounded as if it were anything but.
"I did not think it an appropriate topic of conversation; we do, after all, have more pressing topics, do we not?"
He waved the bowl a bit, vaguely, taking in the room. Kiyashi still seemed a bit... stiff, as he went on.
"I had not thought she would make it to the ceremony." Actually I rather hoped she would find more pressing matters at home... "It is my honor to perform so well before wife, family, Clan, and Emperor."
He shook it off. He hadn't taken a drink yet. He glanced at Denbe, with a shake of the head.
"I am sorry, Bayshi-san. I do not mean to dampen the evening's festivities." And letting her ruin my evening is unacceptable. "We are men, and melancholy is unworthy of us, no?" He smiled, then, and even seemed to mean it... a little.
"To the night, and what the morning will bring?" He raised his sake a bit, nodding at the Scorpion.
Harukichi sat with the Emperor and his entourage as she watched Saburo perform an exemplary show of Kyujutsu. Her fellow Crane members seemed unimpressed, but she was very enthusiastic and supporting of her new friend. After his incredible shot with the arrow, she stood and clapped rather wildly.
She saw down after the applause had died down a bit and spoke softly to no one in particular, but loud enough for everyone to hear, "You should have seen his performance when we were faced with the bandits. His arrow gutted the leader before he even had chance to act. I was reminded of a quote from Akodo's Leadership: If an arrow can kill a general, an arrow can kill an army. Skill such as his would be quite a force to be reckoned with on the battlefield."
Everyone talked for a bit and, as the conversation died down, Harukichi summoned a deep breath and her courage to ask what she had hoped to ask of the Emperor. Harukichi turned to the Emperor and spoke incredibly softly and respectfully, her head bowed, "Most August Emperor, I wish to ask you a favour."
"I have always been taught that Honesty is the most important virtue in the Bushido. Truth to one's self is the foundation upon which all the other virtues rest. However, sometimes, Truth can be shameful. When such an unfortunate circumstance presents itself to a bushi, they are inextricably torn between duty to one's family in hiding the shame and duty to one's self and, ultimately, to Rokugan as a whole in being Honest and providing a strong temple for the virtues of the Bushido. I, unfortunately, am in such a situation."
"When I was little, my father used to joke that I had a man's spirit in a woman's body. It was harmless when I was younger, but, as I grew older, my behaviour did not become that of a proper Lady and it became potentially shameful." Harukichi bows her head a bit lower, in shame, in honest guilt over the shame she has caused her family.
"If I force myself to become what I am expected to, then I am breaking the virtue of Truth and I become an impure vessel of the Bushido. If I am Honest about who I am, then I bring shame upon my family. But, it does not have to be that way, Emperor. Your word is law. The favour I am about to ask of you is one designed to resolve this contradiction in my life, so that I may fully honour you and Rokugan, myself, and my family." Harukichi had delivered her well-prepared speech and now she had come to the favour. You're insane. All this for a Scorpion? She hesitated for a little bit, the Emperor looking at her intently, waiting for her to finish what she has started.
She summons up a deep breath and looks up, her eyes begging, but also showing a sense of strong conviction, sincerity, and hope, "Most Benevolent Emperor, I ask that you declare to all present and to all of Rokugan that I am a man, not a woman."
The sound of Kakita Toshimoko spitting out his sake and his coughing afterward is all that is heard around the emperor for the first ten seconds. Busybody courtiers, masters of eavesdropping edge closer bye. Eager to hear how this plays out. Hantei Jodan meanwhile frowns at first, but then has a wry smile pass over his face.
"You are undoubtedly betrothed to one you feel nothing for." he says, "Am i correct in this assumption, yes? hmm. Being a man would sabotage the marriage. But if you truly have the spirit of a man not granting your request would countermand the celestial order. As much as your request would seem to countermand it at first." For a moment it seems that the emperor is completely lost in his musing. Then he stands up.
"By my word, with all those here today present as witness Kakita Harukichi shall henceforth be considered treated in all ways as a man. With all the right and duties that implies." At first silence reigns but then Kakita Toshimoko starts clapping, immediately all the courtiers and cranes follow suit, then somewhat tardier everyone else. The applause dies quickly and when it is noticed the emperor has nothing else to say, regular conversation returns.
Hantei Jodan looks at Harukichi and gives him an edict. "A man's duty is to father children as well, you may not be able to, but you will adopt at least one child if and when you are married."
Over by Kiyashi, Bayushi Denbe and Mirumoto Otakan are chatting amiably. "Yes truly, we should only be melancholy when composing poetry. A skill at which i have no talent." he says. After the emperor's proclamation the Mirumoto looks pensive and Bayushi Denbe is smiling. "Well it seems our circle of friends has one less woman now, something of a shame really."
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SkiddlesThe frozen white northRegistered Userregular
edited February 2009
Saburo looked up from the small crowd he'd gathered following his demonstration to hear the Emperor's edict. He frowned momentarily before realizing who he was frowning at. So she's now a man... bizarre.
Still, it really didn't affect him, since marrying the Crane- especially after her...his victory, would have been out of the question.
Oh the crane and their strange machinations. he thought, before turning to answer a barely-heard question from a boy: "Yes, the string is made of guts, and must be kept clean using oils like these..."
The emerald champion walks up toward the emperor and whispers something in his ear. Hantei Jodan nods and signals a few of the guards. Doji Satsume asks for everyone's attention "Now the contestants are requested to attend a short ceremony conducted by the emperor." He leads you inside to where the emperor has taken a seat on a makeshift throne. No one besides the graduating contestants the emperor, emerald champion and their yojimbo are present.
"As you know, several contestants were murdered by brigands." says the emperor. "What many of you don't know is these brigands were tainted by the shadowlands." Emotions are kept well enough in check that there is no outright gasping, but there is clear consternation among the graduates. "The Jade magistrates are no longer what they used to be. Therefore i am creating the new office of Topaz magistrate, whose mission it will be to scour the land of taint. Beginning here."
"We have no clue where these men came from, search everywhere and report to Kakita Toshimoko, who will keep me apprised. He will also provided you with your badges of office, once they are made. Other young recruit will join you, once i have selected them. It should be obvious who your champion is, Kakita Harukichi."
"That is all, adress the emerald champion and Kakita toshimoko if you have any questions."
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SkiddlesThe frozen white northRegistered Userregular
edited February 2009
Once the emperor had exited with his Yojimbo and everyone had finished bowing, Saburo addressed himself toward the Emerald Champion and Crane lord:
"I do have a question to start matters, Crane-samas. Has the further investigation by the Shugenjas turned up any more clues? As 5 of us have already witnessed, this foul business is not always visible to the naked eye, so any such clues would be of invaluable assistance in our search."
Kakita Toshimoko shakes his head, quite unhappy at the business that is at hand. The shadowlands lie heavily on his mind. Doji Satsume answers Saburo's question. "One of the servants recognized a mon on the leaders vest. It belongs to a ji-samurai family from a nearby village. There are ofcourse many ways he could have gained possession of those clothes, but it is something, at least."
The emerald champion shakes his head. "Other than that, we have nothing new."
Kiyashi almost missed the declaration that the Crane was now a man. He... wasn't sure what to say about that. On the one hand, it was the Emperor's pronouncement, and in the eyes of Heaven that made it true.
On the other hand, her figure still stirred him as any woman's did.
He was mulling over this contradiction so deeply that he missed Denbe's comment, and almost missed being called forth. He stood, shook himself, and followed the others.
When the pronouncement was given, he blinked once, almost in shock. M...Magistrates?
Topaz Magistrates?
He didn't speak in response outside of the proscribed ways, trusting to long years of showing respect to his superiors, until Saburo had asked his question, and gotten his answer. That broke Kiyashi's reverie for a moment.
"We are bushi... do we have the right to request assistance from a shugenja, should we be dealing with..." he hesitated to even speak the words... "maho, or other dark powers?" It was possible there were none who could be spared... it was best to confirm before hand. "I understand that this may not be nearly so terrible an infection as that... but we should be prepared for any eventuality."
Especially when it came to... what they were dealing with.
Harukichi bows her head as the Emperor contemplates the favour. Toshimoko's reaction elicits a slight smile on her lips. Each addition second of silence adds an immense weight on her heart, fearing the worst for her unusual favour.
As the Emperor begins to speak, she listens intently as he is apparently thinking to himself out loud. When he mentions that not granting her request would contradict the Celestial Order, a small burst of excitement forms in her mind and she focuses not to yelp in happiness. And then he stands and makes his pronouncement. All the Iaijutsu duels in the world would not need as much focus as she summons up right now to not act unseemly in reaction.
She looks up at the Emperor, "Heavenly Personage, you are wise and kind. I shall remember this favour and honour you always with everything that I am. And I will father children as you proclaim." The idea of her fathering children seemed odd, but she knew the whole thing would somewhat odd if the Emperor granted her request.
"In light of your most generous proclamation and my gempukku, I wish to adopt a new name, one more fitting to my new role in the Celestial Order. I wish to be known as Kakita Tetsuo." The name of that legendary duelist whose technique she learned, despite everyone else thinking it was flawed, the name of her ancestor.
SkiddlesThe frozen white northRegistered Userregular
edited February 2009
Saburo looked up at the Emerald Champion and thought for a moment about what he was going to say. This definitely wasn't the place to say something stupid or inappropriate. "From what we've seen thus far, the...taint... here may well be beneath the surface, invisible to the naked eye. While I freely admit that I don't understand the capabilities that the Kami grant to a Shugenja, I can't help but feel that having one available would be invaluable to our search. The only thing we have to go on so far is that disemboweling our enemies will... prove that they are our enemies."
"We will disembowel them anyway, Saburo. We are empowered to investigate this matter, and those who stand in our way are our enemies no matter what their guts look like. The Emperor Himself has charged us with this. Anyone who attempts to prevent us from following His will is an enemy of all Rokugani."
Simple, but there it was. That was, essentailly, how Kiyashi saw it. Though he would proiabbly, if spekaing privately, have placed as much emphasis on anyone standing in the way of eliminating taint as anything else.
"There is a shortage of priests available for the magnitude of taint we fear." Says the emerald champion. "At least right now, messengers have been sent to the phoenix and crab as well as crane cities outside of this village's direct sphere of influence."
Doji Satsume turns and looks outside through an open door. "I regret i cannot join in the hunt," he says," i have the emperors work to do in the north. My suggestion is this, divide yourself cover as much ground as possible until the experts arrive. Then regroup and consult with the Kuni witch hunters that have been sent for."
"I will remain nearby for the foreseeable future." says Kakita Toshimoko. "Should my influence be needed."
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SkiddlesThe frozen white northRegistered Userregular
edited February 2009
Saburo looks around the room thoughtfully, and begins thinking out loud: "Dividing ourselves should be a bit of a challenge... let's see.... Well, there are 7 of us, and it would be...inadvisable for anyone to go out alone. So I propose we have 3 groups: Kakita Haru...err...Kakita Tetsuo-sama can lead a group into the village, accompanied by 2 others. The remaining 4 split up into two groups of 2, to cover maximum territory."
Looking around at the contetsants, he quickly added: "With such small groups spending so much time together, it'd probably be best if the samurai-kos were to pair off and form one of the groups of two, so no improprieties can be inferred."
"Excellent idea," says Kakita Toshimoko, "Sort out the other details by yourselves, we must return to the celebration lest our overlong absence is noted." Doji Satsume gives a curt nod and exits along with the Kakita Daimyo.
On the fourth day of your stay in the village, life returns to normal. The emperor and the emerald champion have left already in the night, the emperor on his imperial barge and the champion on horseback headed toward the north, to fight bandits or somesuch. Akodo Shotaka is leading along four ponies and looking not to pleased about it. "Damnable things have tried to eat me twice," he mutters, scowling. "Any of you good horsemen?"
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SkiddlesThe frozen white northRegistered Userregular
edited February 2009
"Sorry, Akodo-san. I'm afraid the Unicorn is off with another group. Myself I can manage to not fall off the things for the most part, but that's about it. Here, let me divide the beasts..."
Saburo looked the horses over for a moment- One was a bit larger than the others, though it seems rather on the fat side as well. He handed this one to Kiyashi, who probably wouldn't have fit on any of the other horses anyway. The remaining three comprised a flashy and VERY high spirited stallion. That one was probably meant for Tetsuo as the Topaz champion, and s...he could have it. Too much spirit meant he'd be hard to control.
The remaining two were mares. The first was fairly non-descript- it was of average size, and appeared quite docile. The second was a bit more high spirited, and it also happened to be the one that was feasting on the Lion's hat at the moment. His choice was clear- Saburo grabbed the first mare's reins from the Lion while he was distracted by the second.
All in all, Saburo was happy with the horses. He had gotten an animal that wouldn't spook, Kiyashi had gotten something that had a hope of carrying him (and his amoury), Tetsuo had gotten something that looked appropriate to his station, and the Lion's would provide them all with entertainment.
Saburo began stowing away his gear in the horse's packsaddle, grinning covertly. This was going to be quite an adventure, and he was enjoying it already.
Kiyashi was in full gear, wearing his full set of armor and masked helmet. This meant that when he frowned and wrinkled his nose at the horse, no one else could see it. He did, however, give Saburo a bit of a bow.
"Thank you, my friend. You choose well."
He did not, however, climb astride. Not until he absolutely had to. He hated these beasts.
"You seem excited. That is good. We have great work to be done, ordered by the Emperor himself. I imagine we will gain great glory for our deeds." His grin, like his frown, went unnoticed behind the mask, his voice slightly off from passing through the metal. But it did show in his tone. He clapped the smaller man on the back, laughing, finally. It was the first time he'd laughed since the tournament.
"A worthy task for worthy men, wouldn't you say?"
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SkiddlesThe frozen white northRegistered Userregular
edited February 2009
"A man couldn't hope for a more worthy task. Our first day of adulthood, and we've been commissioned by the emperor himself to rid the land of horrible influences. One of us is even the Topaz Champion!" nodding his head to Tetsuo in respect, he continued: "With a start like this, who knows how far we might go. Songs may one day be sung of our exploits... "
With a dreaming smile, he mounted his horse, leaving the rest of his thought unsaid. "Now all we have to do is defeat our demonic opposition before they kill us in some unsightly manner. Where to, Kakita-sama?"
Posts
"I will attend, Tsuruchi-san. I feel that my wife may have other duties elsewhere, however."
He wouldn't go so far as to tell her to go elsewhere, naturally, at least not in front of others, and in a situation where she might have a pretext to refuse. But he figured she'd get the point.
"I will look forward to seeing your talents at work."
He didn't turn to look at the Wasp, as he spoke to him. The look on his face was stony, and a bit cold, so perhaps it was a good thing it wasn't directed at his new friend.
"I am certain they cannot fail to impress."
He walked away a polite distance and scampered off. He actually did have a few things to prepare... Taking a thin but sturdy rope from his sack, he went in search for some peasants to order around- he didn't have long to set up, and now wasn't the time for misgivings or thoughts of Kiyashi's strange wife.
Saburo leaned against a large block of wood beside a tall tree- it looked as though someone had attached a fine rope to one of the branches, and it blew softly in the breeze a ways in front of the block. Around him gathered a large and diverse group of people- The Emperor and his court, the Emerald Champion, many of the Topaz Champion competitors (the successes and failures), and many assorted Samurai and peasants. All had been invited to come, and it seemed that many had... perhaps not wanting to leave the site of such an amazing competition just yet.
I'm really doing this he thought, I must be crazy, using up a favour from the Emerald Champion himself like this... But I don't think I'll ever have such an opportunity to show all these important people my skills. I don't think I could ever have a better opportunity to start making my reputation...
Despite his best efforts, his mind finished the thought for him: ...or destroy it before I've even begun
Taking a deep breath, he addressed the crowd in a voice that was much more strong and confident than he felt inside:
"Emperor-sama, distinguished guests, everyone... Welcome to my Kyujistu demonstration." Bowing low to the Emperor and his court, the Wasp started without any further introduction.
"Archery is an important aspect of battle that is often overlooked in favour of the much more flashy sword" - and here, he let his gaze rest on Kiyashi and gave him the faintest wink before continuing- "or imposing Tetsubo. Dueling with the Katana is a vital part of our culture, and of course the Wakasashi is the vessel of the honour of all Samurai."
Saburo begins walking away from the stump as he continues to talk.
"Archery, though, has its own place. The humble archer is an important part of any balanced army- Important battles have been won and lost on the strength of some gut and a length of wood with feathers attached." He held up his bow for all to see, and continued.
"I am yet quite young, and have been training as an archer for a comparatively short period of time. Yet I wanted to share with you the little I have learned thus far, and I pray to the fortunes that I be given a chance to learn further, and perhaps one day have the honour of displaying the skills of a fully trained Tsuruchi Archer to many of you here."
Glancing over at the court, he asked: "May I have a volunteer to provide a small amount of aid to me today?"
A Lion Samurai stepped confidently forward to volunteer from the environs of the court.
"Akodo-sama, thank you. Could you please take the quill from the servant over there and paint a square or triangle on the block there, each side being no longer than your longest finger?"
The Lion dutifully paints a triangle in the block, with roughly finger-length sides.
Drawing his bow, Saburo continues talking. "This <twang> will be my <twang> target for <twang>the demonstration."
3 arrows bury themselves precisely into the 3 corners of the triangle, quivering slightly.
Feeling slightly more confident, he continued to the sound of polite applause: "Now, an archer is often blessed with the situation that he must hit a target, unhindered by terrain or men fighting between him and his target <thunk> <snap-thunk>"
Some clapping from the crowd follows, as Saburo shoots an arrow directly into the center of the triangle, and then hits the arrow with the next one, splintering the first and lodging itself into the wood.
He paused a moment and looked over the crowd, seeing Kiyashi, the Crane Damiyo, the Phoenix girl...they seemed to be warming up to him a bit- their applause less forced and starting to sound genuine- a good sign.
"Sometimes, however, the luxury of a direct shot is not available, and the archer must improvise..."
Motioning to a peasant, the rope is lowered from the tree branch overhead. "If someone would be willing to lend me a finger ring for this next part of the demonstration, I will ensure it is returned to you unscathed".
A crane courtier comes forward with a ring. "Excellent, Doji-sama. My thanks. If you could please tie the ring to the rope securely?"
Once the ring is securely fastened, Saburo pulls out a different type of arrow- the armour piercing arrow had almost no head so as to punch through heavy armour more effectively. "Often on the field of battle, there are men moving, jostling fighting, and the archer must shoot through small spaces to hit his target." <twang>
The arrow flies true, straight through the ring and into the triangle- an extremely difficult shot.
The applause now is quite respectful, and Saburo uses the moments to steel himself for his final shot. After a few long moments, Saburo continues. "Often, though, the archer does not have the luxury of a direct shot, and must improvise further..."
Turning to his right, Saburo walks a few paces off to the side, very clearly out of place for a straight shot through the ring and into the triangle.
Taking a deep breath, Saburo watches the leaves on the tree to gauge the wind, steels himself and takes another armour piercing arrow from his quiver, drawing back the bowstring and letting his final shot fly in the same fluid motion..."And that is what I have learned of archery."
The arrow flies into the breeze, turning gracefully as it reaches and passes through the ring, and buries itself into the now-crowded triangle, clearly an impossible shot. Bowing his head, he signaled the end of his demonstration in the unnaturally silent second that followed his arrow hitting home.
Kiyashi's wife meanwhile is unseemly close to one of the other contestants, Akodo Shotaka, talking to him and being very very interested in everything he has to say. Bayushi Denbe saunters up to Kiyashi and offers him one of the two saucers of sake he's carrying. "I was just speaking to your wife, i had no idea you were married."
Most of the contestants are drinking, though none so far have shamed themselves by public drunkenness.
"It is my honor to marry a Crane."
He sounded as if it were anything but.
"I did not think it an appropriate topic of conversation; we do, after all, have more pressing topics, do we not?"
He waved the bowl a bit, vaguely, taking in the room. Kiyashi still seemed a bit... stiff, as he went on.
"I had not thought she would make it to the ceremony." Actually I rather hoped she would find more pressing matters at home... "It is my honor to perform so well before wife, family, Clan, and Emperor."
He shook it off. He hadn't taken a drink yet. He glanced at Denbe, with a shake of the head.
"I am sorry, Bayshi-san. I do not mean to dampen the evening's festivities." And letting her ruin my evening is unacceptable. "We are men, and melancholy is unworthy of us, no?" He smiled, then, and even seemed to mean it... a little.
"To the night, and what the morning will bring?" He raised his sake a bit, nodding at the Scorpion.
She saw down after the applause had died down a bit and spoke softly to no one in particular, but loud enough for everyone to hear, "You should have seen his performance when we were faced with the bandits. His arrow gutted the leader before he even had chance to act. I was reminded of a quote from Akodo's Leadership: If an arrow can kill a general, an arrow can kill an army. Skill such as his would be quite a force to be reckoned with on the battlefield."
Everyone talked for a bit and, as the conversation died down, Harukichi summoned a deep breath and her courage to ask what she had hoped to ask of the Emperor. Harukichi turned to the Emperor and spoke incredibly softly and respectfully, her head bowed, "Most August Emperor, I wish to ask you a favour."
"I have always been taught that Honesty is the most important virtue in the Bushido. Truth to one's self is the foundation upon which all the other virtues rest. However, sometimes, Truth can be shameful. When such an unfortunate circumstance presents itself to a bushi, they are inextricably torn between duty to one's family in hiding the shame and duty to one's self and, ultimately, to Rokugan as a whole in being Honest and providing a strong temple for the virtues of the Bushido. I, unfortunately, am in such a situation."
"When I was little, my father used to joke that I had a man's spirit in a woman's body. It was harmless when I was younger, but, as I grew older, my behaviour did not become that of a proper Lady and it became potentially shameful." Harukichi bows her head a bit lower, in shame, in honest guilt over the shame she has caused her family.
"If I force myself to become what I am expected to, then I am breaking the virtue of Truth and I become an impure vessel of the Bushido. If I am Honest about who I am, then I bring shame upon my family. But, it does not have to be that way, Emperor. Your word is law. The favour I am about to ask of you is one designed to resolve this contradiction in my life, so that I may fully honour you and Rokugan, myself, and my family." Harukichi had delivered her well-prepared speech and now she had come to the favour. You're insane. All this for a Scorpion? She hesitated for a little bit, the Emperor looking at her intently, waiting for her to finish what she has started.
She summons up a deep breath and looks up, her eyes begging, but also showing a sense of strong conviction, sincerity, and hope, "Most Benevolent Emperor, I ask that you declare to all present and to all of Rokugan that I am a man, not a woman."
"You are undoubtedly betrothed to one you feel nothing for." he says, "Am i correct in this assumption, yes? hmm. Being a man would sabotage the marriage. But if you truly have the spirit of a man not granting your request would countermand the celestial order. As much as your request would seem to countermand it at first." For a moment it seems that the emperor is completely lost in his musing. Then he stands up.
"By my word, with all those here today present as witness Kakita Harukichi shall henceforth be considered treated in all ways as a man. With all the right and duties that implies." At first silence reigns but then Kakita Toshimoko starts clapping, immediately all the courtiers and cranes follow suit, then somewhat tardier everyone else. The applause dies quickly and when it is noticed the emperor has nothing else to say, regular conversation returns.
Hantei Jodan looks at Harukichi and gives him an edict. "A man's duty is to father children as well, you may not be able to, but you will adopt at least one child if and when you are married."
Over by Kiyashi, Bayushi Denbe and Mirumoto Otakan are chatting amiably. "Yes truly, we should only be melancholy when composing poetry. A skill at which i have no talent." he says. After the emperor's proclamation the Mirumoto looks pensive and Bayushi Denbe is smiling. "Well it seems our circle of friends has one less woman now, something of a shame really."
Still, it really didn't affect him, since marrying the Crane- especially after her...his victory, would have been out of the question.
Oh the crane and their strange machinations. he thought, before turning to answer a barely-heard question from a boy: "Yes, the string is made of guts, and must be kept clean using oils like these..."
"As you know, several contestants were murdered by brigands." says the emperor. "What many of you don't know is these brigands were tainted by the shadowlands." Emotions are kept well enough in check that there is no outright gasping, but there is clear consternation among the graduates. "The Jade magistrates are no longer what they used to be. Therefore i am creating the new office of Topaz magistrate, whose mission it will be to scour the land of taint. Beginning here."
"We have no clue where these men came from, search everywhere and report to Kakita Toshimoko, who will keep me apprised. He will also provided you with your badges of office, once they are made. Other young recruit will join you, once i have selected them. It should be obvious who your champion is, Kakita Harukichi."
"That is all, adress the emerald champion and Kakita toshimoko if you have any questions."
"I do have a question to start matters, Crane-samas. Has the further investigation by the Shugenjas turned up any more clues? As 5 of us have already witnessed, this foul business is not always visible to the naked eye, so any such clues would be of invaluable assistance in our search."
The emerald champion shakes his head. "Other than that, we have nothing new."
On the other hand, her figure still stirred him as any woman's did.
He was mulling over this contradiction so deeply that he missed Denbe's comment, and almost missed being called forth. He stood, shook himself, and followed the others.
When the pronouncement was given, he blinked once, almost in shock. M...Magistrates?
Topaz Magistrates?
He didn't speak in response outside of the proscribed ways, trusting to long years of showing respect to his superiors, until Saburo had asked his question, and gotten his answer. That broke Kiyashi's reverie for a moment.
"We are bushi... do we have the right to request assistance from a shugenja, should we be dealing with..." he hesitated to even speak the words... "maho, or other dark powers?" It was possible there were none who could be spared... it was best to confirm before hand. "I understand that this may not be nearly so terrible an infection as that... but we should be prepared for any eventuality."
Especially when it came to... what they were dealing with.
As the Emperor begins to speak, she listens intently as he is apparently thinking to himself out loud. When he mentions that not granting her request would contradict the Celestial Order, a small burst of excitement forms in her mind and she focuses not to yelp in happiness. And then he stands and makes his pronouncement. All the Iaijutsu duels in the world would not need as much focus as she summons up right now to not act unseemly in reaction.
She looks up at the Emperor, "Heavenly Personage, you are wise and kind. I shall remember this favour and honour you always with everything that I am. And I will father children as you proclaim." The idea of her fathering children seemed odd, but she knew the whole thing would somewhat odd if the Emperor granted her request.
"In light of your most generous proclamation and my gempukku, I wish to adopt a new name, one more fitting to my new role in the Celestial Order. I wish to be known as Kakita Tetsuo." The name of that legendary duelist whose technique she learned, despite everyone else thinking it was flawed, the name of her ancestor.
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Tetsuo né Harukichi follows the other samurai to the small meeting with the Emperor, where they are proclaimed Topaz Magistrates. She holds back while listening to the others speak. She is unsure of herself as a leader, but this is the fate that is bestowed upon her and she must honour it to the fullest.
"We will disembowel them anyway, Saburo. We are empowered to investigate this matter, and those who stand in our way are our enemies no matter what their guts look like. The Emperor Himself has charged us with this. Anyone who attempts to prevent us from following His will is an enemy of all Rokugani."
Simple, but there it was. That was, essentailly, how Kiyashi saw it. Though he would proiabbly, if spekaing privately, have placed as much emphasis on anyone standing in the way of eliminating taint as anything else.
Doji Satsume turns and looks outside through an open door. "I regret i cannot join in the hunt," he says," i have the emperors work to do in the north. My suggestion is this, divide yourself cover as much ground as possible until the experts arrive. Then regroup and consult with the Kuni witch hunters that have been sent for."
"I will remain nearby for the foreseeable future." says Kakita Toshimoko. "Should my influence be needed."
Looking around at the contetsants, he quickly added: "With such small groups spending so much time together, it'd probably be best if the samurai-kos were to pair off and form one of the groups of two, so no improprieties can be inferred."
On the fourth day of your stay in the village, life returns to normal. The emperor and the emerald champion have left already in the night, the emperor on his imperial barge and the champion on horseback headed toward the north, to fight bandits or somesuch. Akodo Shotaka is leading along four ponies and looking not to pleased about it. "Damnable things have tried to eat me twice," he mutters, scowling. "Any of you good horsemen?"
Saburo looked the horses over for a moment- One was a bit larger than the others, though it seems rather on the fat side as well. He handed this one to Kiyashi, who probably wouldn't have fit on any of the other horses anyway. The remaining three comprised a flashy and VERY high spirited stallion. That one was probably meant for Tetsuo as the Topaz champion, and s...he could have it. Too much spirit meant he'd be hard to control.
The remaining two were mares. The first was fairly non-descript- it was of average size, and appeared quite docile. The second was a bit more high spirited, and it also happened to be the one that was feasting on the Lion's hat at the moment. His choice was clear- Saburo grabbed the first mare's reins from the Lion while he was distracted by the second.
All in all, Saburo was happy with the horses. He had gotten an animal that wouldn't spook, Kiyashi had gotten something that had a hope of carrying him (and his amoury), Tetsuo had gotten something that looked appropriate to his station, and the Lion's would provide them all with entertainment.
Saburo began stowing away his gear in the horse's packsaddle, grinning covertly. This was going to be quite an adventure, and he was enjoying it already.
"Thank you, my friend. You choose well."
He did not, however, climb astride. Not until he absolutely had to. He hated these beasts.
"You seem excited. That is good. We have great work to be done, ordered by the Emperor himself. I imagine we will gain great glory for our deeds." His grin, like his frown, went unnoticed behind the mask, his voice slightly off from passing through the metal. But it did show in his tone. He clapped the smaller man on the back, laughing, finally. It was the first time he'd laughed since the tournament.
"A worthy task for worthy men, wouldn't you say?"
With a dreaming smile, he mounted his horse, leaving the rest of his thought unsaid. "Now all we have to do is defeat our demonic opposition before they kill us in some unsightly manner. Where to, Kakita-sama?"