NationStates Jolt Archive

The rain was falling hard, its impact making a loud prattle on the roof of the inn. The bar and sitting area was full of farmers, traders, and samurai. An old man who kept bobbing his head carried a tray of sake around, refilling a cup there and a cup here. A group of samurai in the back especially kept their cups empty, consuming large amounts of sake with each passing hour. The old bar owner was unhappy with it, but being a lowly peasant could do nothing about the loud samurai.

The old man returned to the counter where a young woman sat with a small keg of sake. “Yumi-chan, fill up these bottles again please,” the old man asked. He set the tray on the counter, and the young woman took each bottle, putting it under the keg and letting more sake run into each. “Those men in the back are being too loud grandfather,” said the young woman. She was wearing a plain yellow kimono with a blue sash, along with a blue ribbon in her long black sable hair.

“I know dear, I know; but there is little I can do. They are samurai, and they protect our village on orders of Hidai-sama,” replied the old man. He took the tray and went back into the crowd. Another loud burst of drunken laughter came from the back.

Yumi sighed and turned back to the window where she had been looking out into the rain. Suddenly the sound of falling rain increased, as the door of the inn opened. Yumi turned and saw a man in a gray kimono, a single katana in his sash, a large backpack on him, and a conical bamboo hat hiding his face and protecting him from the rain.

Yumi got up from her seat and went to the doorway, she bowed to the stranger, “Welcome to the ‘Green Leaf Inn’ sir,” she said. She looked up and saw that the man had put down his pack and taken off his hat. His hair was cut in the fashion of the samurai; his face was smooth and long. He had a proud look in his dark eyes. He looked to be about mid 20s. Then Yumi noticed the state of his clothes and the single sword. ‘A Ronin!’ she thought to herself.

“Arigato goseimas,” the strange man said. He put his things next to the door, then took off his dirty sandals and stepped up into the bar area. “I would like a small table if it’s not too much trouble,” he said smiling to Yumi. Yumi simply nodded and led him to one of the only vacant tables, near the loud group of samurai.

Yumi’s grandfather stepped forward. “Ah, young man, what may I offer you? And I hope you will be able to pay the bill.” The old man had not missed the state of the young man’s clothes. The young man simply smiled and nodded to the old man.

“To answer both, green tea, and yes,” the man said. He laid down two copper coins, which the old man hurriedly collected and scurried off to get the young man’s order. Yumi set a cup and tray on the table in front of the ronin and then bowed, and backed away to the center of the room. A few minutes later the old man came back with a small tea pot that had a long stream of steam coming out of it. “Here you are sir,” he said, he pored a little of the green liquid into the cup then set the tea pot on the table. “May I get you anything else?”

“Hai, three rice balls please,” said the ronin, he took his cup and drank deeply from it. He sighed as he brought it down. He smiled when he noticed the old man still sitting there with a small grin of his own. The ronin took out two more copper coins and gave them to the old man. The old man bowed and smiled, then left to fetch the food. The ronin began quietly sipping his tea and observing the other customers. Many of the farmers who had been seated had left, many were throwing hard looks at either the rowdy samurai or at the ronin. Yumi just sat and paid close attention to the ronin. She was curious about him.

“Hey! Girl! Why do you stare at a filthy no good ronin, when you could have a real man!?” one of the samurai asked, he was tall with dark browned skin and a full black beard. He was standing, drunkily swaying slightly, over Yumi. The smell of alcohol reeked from his mouth as he bent down and put his face next to Yumi’s.

“Please sir, I was not staring, and please go back to your table,” she said, then bowed. The man turned to the ronin in anger. “What is it with you filthy ronin?! Trying to steal a meal?! Drinking that filthy green crap they call tea?! I should kill you for just being here! Yes!” he shouted at the ronin. Several of his fellow samurai friends cheered him on and waved their cups of sake around. Yumi kept her head bowed. The ronin continued to sip his tea as if did not noticing the extremely rude samurai. This seemed to make the samurai even angrier. Yumi’s grandfather came back bearing a tray with three rice balls on it. He began to set the tray down onto the ronin’s table when suddenly the drunken samurai knocked the tray of food to the floor and the old man along with it.

“What’s this!? Trying to steal food? That’s a crime around here you know? Isn’t that right?” The man asked and turned to his friends.

“Yea!”
“Course it is!”
“Kill him!”

They yelled a series of slurred words. The ronin sipped his tea once more then set his cup down. He looked up at the samurai for the first time. “Why are you being a rude baka in front of the young lady?” he asked in a calm voice. The samurai shouted at him. “It’s you who are being rude, not showing respect to a real samurai!” The ronin shook his head. “You have no honor, and are a fool, you should go home,” said the ronin, he stood and turned his back on the samurai, heading for the door. The samurai, enraged, drew his sword. The other customers in the inn shouted and screamed, seeing a fight about to take place; when suddenly the ronin turned.

No one in the inn remembers the ronin having drawn his sword, but within a heartbeat the ronin was standing with arm and sword outstretched. The drunken samurai simply stood there, a blank look on his face. He fell backwards, and when he hit the floor, his head rolled off and blood began to slowly seep from the body.

A hushed silence sat over the inn. He ronin stood erect and swiped his sword, flinging the blood off his sword making it clean once again. Sheathing it he turned to the old man who was holding Yumi. He bowed low to the old man. “I am sorry for having disturbed your inn sir, but this man caused his own death, I gave him fair warning but he drew his sword first.” The ronin stood and then walked back to the door way. He slipped into his sandals and put the backpack on his back, then set his bamboo hat on his head. Bowing once more to the people, who remained motionless, he turned and stepped back into the rain.

Lord Hidai slammed his fist into the tatami matted floor. Three of his samurai, ones who had been at the inn, were in front of him with their heads bowed and touching the floor. “Gomen-nasai Hidai-sama, but were we incapable of chasing after the ronin, he had knocked us all out!” exclaimed one of the bowing men.

The short and broad man who was Hidai dearly wanted to cut off the samurai’s head. “Liar! You were all afraid to die is what made you incapable of chasing after him! Jiro-san was one of my captains! May all the Kami come down and curse that ronin in the next life!” Hidai yelled; he slammed his fist one more time to add effect to his words. “How am I supposed to rule this section of the Tokaido road when my men can’t even stop one small ronin?” He asked aloud, his men cringed a little more. He spit at them, then with a wave of his hand dismissed them. Bowing and shuffling backwards they left his audience room.

Hidai leaned forward and set his chin on his hand. ‘How am I to take care of this? I cannot allow this crime to go unpunished. The peasants would then think they could get away with not paying their taxes. I must make an example of this ronin,’ he thought to himself. He leaned back and breathed deeply, then turned to the paper wall to his right. “Sumie-chan, bring me some sake,” he said. After a short moment the wall slid to the side and a woman in a fine silk kimono came in bearing a tray with several bottles of sake, and a cup. She set it down in front of Hidai, bowed, they began serving them.

“Is my Lord having a hard day?” she asked in a soft voice. She had white paper skin and dark night hair, as well as deep green eyes. She was one of Hidai’s greatest treasures. Very few women did not have such luxurious skin, nor poise as Sumie did. He sighed and took the cup of sake offered to him.

“Hai Sumie-chan, I am. What fools I have as retainers,” he said. He took a deep drink and emptied the small cup. Sumie immediately refilled it. “Perhaps this ronin needs to be taught a lesson?” she asked. Her eyes were dangerous as she said this. She had been a young girl when Hidai had first met her, his men had destroyed her father’s house and killed off the rest of her family. Hidai had then brainwashed her into thinking he had saved her from the same slaughter and that ronin who were desperate for food had killed her family. Ever since she had served in his house, often times as a confidant and concubine.

He smiled at the memory of her deception. She smiled too, thinking that he had come up with a plan. “Hai Sumie-chan, he does need to be taught a lesson. According to my spies he has come to the next town, only 7 ri from where he killed Jiro-san. I will send Gyumai and 20 men…yes. Gyumai will be able to handle him,” Hidai said. He smiled at his marvelous plan and drank more sake.

The heat of the sun was beating down terribley by mid-day. The ronin had walked several ri that morning, and now he was tired and hot. He'd entered a small town that had advertised a hot spring. "Ara, ara but I need a bath!" He said aloud. The town itself was small, with a few inns and taverns, and a single bath house.

He entered the bath house and bowed to the attendant there. "I would like a bath please. How much does it cost?" he asked politely. Being a ronin he learned that by being polite, one tended to be treated with more kindness.

The man who was sitting in the attendants chair looked the ronin up and down. "You can pay right?" he asked. The ronin looked down at himself. His clothes had become quite ragged. 'I will need to change them,' he thought to himself. He looked up at the attendant. "Hai, I can. Will two copper be enough?" asked the ronin. He took two copper coins from his sleeve. The attendant shook his head.

"Its three copper coins for a towel, soap, and the bath." The ronin nodded and took out one more, his money sleeve felt considerably less heavy. He placed the three coins in the attendants hands. The man nodded and led the ronin to a side room. The ronin recieved a towel and a small mound of rice soap. He placed his things in a small cubberd.

Undressing he took the towel and soap, along with his sword, into the open air bath. He sighed contentedly when he slid into the warm water. Smiling he set his sword nearby and began lathering up with the soap. He took his time, careful to clean off all the grime and dried sweat of three or more days. 'Disgusting,' he thought. He soaped his head up then dunked himseld under water. When he came up he noticed a second man had entered the bath area.

He was tall, and had a sun tanned face and arms. His hair was also rather unkept. However he carried himself well and seemed to be always alert yet relaxed. He nodded to the ronin. He slid into the water and sighed as well.

"Ah, the water is so very good today!" he said. He looked at the ronin and smiled slightly. "A good day to take a bath."

"Indeed," said the ronin.

"Of course, I would like to be able to come here every day, but I am busy. As we all are in this time of civil war. I wonder, are you a samurai?" he asked. His face was emotionless, and the ronin could not read it.

"I was, however my master was killed and so I became a ronin," stated the ronin. The other man nodded.

"I too was like that once, then I came into the service of a man who could make use of me. He gave me money, food, and position. And for that I am content and serve him with honor. Bushido, neh?" he asked. The ronin nodded.

The man smiled again, his mouth seemed ill fit to make such a facial gesture. The man dove into the water and then came up again and sat accross from the ronin. "What is your name ronin?" he asked.

"Watashiwa Kianjii Mutoshiro des," Mutoshiro answered. The man nodded.

"Konichiwa Mutoshiro-san, watashiwa Gyumai des," Gyumai said. He noded again and laid his head back. Mutoshiro narrowed his eyes, racking his mind for any information on this man, or that he had ever even met him.

"Well, I am done with my bath. Ja!," said Mutoshiro. he got up from the bath and wrapped his towel around his waste, he picked up his sword and walked back into the dressing area.

Gyumai smiled to himself. "An interesting opponant this ronin...I will have fun," he said aloud to himself.


Mutoshiro took out his old ragged clothes and frowned at them. 'Time I threw you away,' he thought. He walked over to a clothes hamper and threw them in. He then walked over to his pack and opened up a rice paper closed package. He opened it up, and inside was a brand new grey and white kimono, with his personal sigal on it. He sighed and put it on.

Fixing his hair in a small looking glass he finally got fully dressed. Slipping his sword into his sash, he picked up his pack and exited the bath house. The attendant seemed not to recognize him and bowed low, thinking him a real samurai. Mutoshiro laughed to himself at that.

When he walked outside he was faced with some 20 men armed with an assortment of short spears and swords.
http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b184/Upum/Samurai/iaido.jpg

"Oi! You! Ronin! On orders of Lord Hidai, you are to be killed for the murder of one of his retainers," one shouted. Mutoshiro pulle doff his pack and htiched up his kimono vest with a piece of cloth, then he walked forward a bit and positioned himself.

"I will not allow you to simply kill me," he said calmly. Two men charged forward yelling with rage. Mutoshiro side-stepped the spear thrust and bloked the sword slash. He swept from the left downwards and cut the spearman in the back, then twisted and stabbed the swordsman in the chest.

The two fell dead to the ground. The other men tensed around him. Three more charged foreward, this time all with swords. Mutoshiro jumped the first lunge and brought the man to the ground, landing with both feet on the man's chest. He ducked a sword swipe and cut another of the men's bellys open. The third swept down from behind. Mutoshiro simply jumped forward, and the man's sword cut into his friends body. Mutoshiro quickly turned and cut off the stunned man's head.

Now five men lay dead, all killed within a few minutes. The other men were even more tense and sweating greatly. One of them in the back, his face fully red with anger, yelled at the men. "What are you all? Cowards? He is only one man! Kill him!"

This time four charged, two with spears. Mutoshiro waited for a moment then jumped into one spearman's guard. He grabbed the man's arm and twisted him around, causing him to take a spear in the back as his fellow had been charging. The man yelled out and fell, his friend stopped in his tracks, causing the two swordsmen behind him to trip over him. Mutoshiro killed them all before they could stand up.

Suddenly the sound of clapping was heard coming from the bath house. In the doorway stood Gyumai dressed in a black kimono, a set of swords in his sash. He continued clapping until the group of men were completely quiet. He walked into the sunlight and faced Mutoshiro. "I commend you Mutoshiro-san, you are very skilled. I have not met a swordsman of your caliber in some time. My men here obviously were of no match for you," he said, he nodded at the now ten bleed corpses in the street.

Mutoshiro nodded. "I assume you were sent to kill me by Hidai-sama right?" he asked.

"Yes, I was," asnwered Gyumai. The man smiled. He turned to his men and shouted at them. "Get back you lazy, useless dogs! I will handle this, back away," he ordered. The men bowed quickly and ran away further down the street then turned to watch.

Gyumai faced Mutoshiro. "Now, shall we have a duel ronin-san?" he asked with a smile.

Mutoshiro nodded. "Yes, we shall." The two men drew their swords and faced one another, each taking his prefered stance.

http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b184/Upum/Samurai/SHADOW26.jpg

The two ran forward and their swords men, for a moment they struggled, pushing forward with all their strength. The Mutoshiro pushed back and moved to the right while swiping left with his sword. Gyumai parried the blow and swept up with his own. Mutoshiro moved sideways again and blocked the blow. Then both men sped up their sword movement.

The men looking on were amazed. Each man was moving faster than they ever could. The noise of their sword clashes was like a drummer beating a metal drum. CLING! CLANG! CLANG! SHING!

The two men drew apart after several minutes. Both were breathing heavily. "I underestimated you Mutoshiro-san," said Gyumai. The ronin nodded.

"I too underestimated you, however I will have to end this," Mutoshiro said. Gyumai nodded. "I too must do so as well," he answered.

Mutoshiro took his sword and sheathed it, then pulled the sword and sheath from his sash and set it at his side, he clicked the sword out just barely from it's sheath, and put his hand on the handle; facing with his right side at Gyumai.

Gyumai's eyes widened when he saw the stance. "Interesting...for such a young man to know that," he said quietly to himself. He charged forward. Mutoshiro did the same. With speed that even Gyumai could not match, as he tried bringing his sword down upon Mutoshiro's head, Mutoshiro's blade had already cut his entire stomach and side open.

Gyumai dropped to the ground in a bloody heep. He coughed up blood as he looked up at Mutoshiro, who was slinging the blood of his sword with a quick movement.

"I must say, its a first," he said quietly. Mutoshiro nodded. "I am glad that you were a true samurai to the end, and am sad that you will be dead," said Mutoshiro. "I will say a service for you at the next temple I visit."

Gyumai laughed a little then coughed up more blood. "It would be nice to be remembered," he said. He smiled, then his head slipped sideways, his eyes glazing over.

Mutoshiro sighed and put his sword back into his sash. He faced Gyumai's men, but they were already running in the other direction, out of town. Shaking his head he walked over to his pack and put it back on. Shrugging with the weight he put his bamboo conical hat back on and walked on through the village until he reached the road again.

OOC: Ths is invite only, so if you're not invited, then don't say 'tag' or anything. In fact, I might have to delete this post, if Oda Nobunaga needs/wants me to.

OOC: No, its ok SkyCap, its fine if people tag it since I only made it invite so as too keep my own storyline going. I enjoy the fact that others are taking interest in it, and reading my story. Thanks for your concern though.

ooc:I was thinking about doing a feudal Japan era RP, but due to time constraints I can't. Nice to see someone's doing one, though, I look forward to more; nice job so far.

BUMP (post later)

The town of Hamamatsu was large, with several tall buildings in its center, as well as a large temple on a nearby mountain side, facing the town from the west. Mutoshiro lifted his bamboo hat and looked over the country side and the city, the sun was high and it was a bright beautiful day. He looked down into the town, its streets full of activity and people going about their day to day business. ‘A peaceful looking city,’ Mutoshiro thought to himself. ‘And the main city under the control of Lord Hidai,’ he added in his thoughts. ‘Baka, talking to yourself again.’

Bringing the hat brim back down over his eyes and face he continued walking on down the path leading into the city. Farmers, traders, and other samurai were going in and out of the main gate of the city. Some bore the red diamond, the sigil of Lord Hidai. Others, like Mutoshiro, wore simple kimonos and tried to not let he fact that they were ronin interfere with their thoughts. Several men, with swords and iron tipped short staffs, bearing the red diamond of Hidai, were standing next to the gate closely watching everyone that entered.

Mutoshiro made a small bow to them as he walked passed. He sighed with relief that they did not stop him, he walked through the gates. “Oi! You! Stop!” yelled a voice from behind Mutoshiro. A samurai with a very impressive kimono and bearing the markings of a captain of the guard was standing there looking at Mutoshiro, his hands on his hips. “Who are you? And what is your business here?” he asked, stepping forward towards Mutoshiro; several other Hidai samurai fell in behind the captain and the group stopped a little ways away from Mutoshiro.

“I said what your business here is!?” he asked again, nearly yelling. Peasants bowed low and kept their eyes diverted as they passed. Mutoshiro slightly raised his hat. “Watashiwa Yojimbo,” Mutoshiro answered. The captain laughed, his head turned up and back. His men laughed dutifully along with him.

“A Bodyguard huh? Well then, there are many Bodyguards here in this city; just be warned, that if you start trouble the Lord Hidai’s orders are to kill anyone. So be careful. Go on your way,” scoffed the samurai captain. Mutoshiro bowed and turned away. He walked down the street and thanked his ancestors for the good fortune not to have been taken in for questioning. “I am a lucky man,” he said aloud. Then a great grumbling noise was heard, several passerby even looked. Mutoshiro grimaced and put his hand on his stomach. “And you’re a hungry man too,” he added. He looked around the street he was on. Several small businesses were open, a weaver, a potter, a smith, and others. He spotted a small food house further down the street. He passed inside, moving aside the half-curtains that hung there.

Inside were several long tables with an aisle going down the middle from the door to what was the kitchen. Several people were inside, a few were old men and others were a group of samurai, another man was sitting in the corner, hit bamboo hat still on; he had a set of swords in his sash, yet did not have the mark of Lord Hidai, as the others did.

Mutoshiro sat in a table next to the four samurai who bore the red diamond. A young woman came out of the kitchen with a tray and bowed to Mutoshiro. “What can I get you sir?” she asked. She was pretty in a common way, yet still pleasing thought Mutoshiro. “Green tea and a grilled eel,” he said. She bowed again and hurried back into the kitchen.

“Oh come on Yaru-san! Ten men! My cousin Jino-san saw it!” said one of the samurai next to Mutoshiro. Another made a hmpf sound, “Yuji-san, I do not believe you, how can one man kill ten men! And even Gyumai-sama dieing is hard to believe, but he wasn’t at the meeting Lord Hidai held. Whoever this Ronin was, he must be a monster or demon Kami!” The others laughed. Mutoshiro bowed slightly to the girl as his tea was brought. He sipped it and gathered his thoughts. ‘So, my fight with Gyumai-san has spread already like wildfire…interesting.’ Mutoshiro sipped his tea again then shirted his eye sight to the right. The man who was still wearing his bamboo hat seemed to stare at Mutoshiro. ‘I’m imagining things,’ he thought.

“Here is your eel sir,” said the woman, she stood by him with a platter of grilled eel and a small bowl of rice. “Arigato,” he said. He took the food and picked out two chopsticks from the holder on the table. He began eating slowly, enjoying the taste. One of the samurai stood up from his table quickly, and before Mutoshiro could move it, tripped over Mutoshiro’s out stuck sword. “Ah!” he yelled and fell to the floor, banding his head slightly on a bench. His friends stood as well and moved over to him. “Yaru-san! Daishobu?” asked one of them. Another looked up at Mutoshiro. “You! Ronin! You are responsible for this! Attacking a samurai of Lord Hidai is a capital offense in this city!” the man yelled angrily at Mutoshiro. Mutoshiro finished his tea and stood.

“I did not attack him. He foolishly tripped over my sword,” Mutoshiro said simply. The man narrowed his eyes and looked Mutoshiro up and down. “Insulting a samurai of Lord Hidai is also the same as insulting the Lord Hidai himself!” said another. The three men drew their swords. Other people were running out of the restaurant in terror. Except for the samurai with the bamboo hat, who stood and walked to just behind the three samurai and the fallen fourth. “This man clearly did not insult the man nor attack him, he was merely telling the truth,” he said in a deep Edo accent. “I find that hardly a reason to execute him, or say that he attacked a man who was too drunk on sake to not trip.” Two of the men turned to the new comer.

“You stay out of this! Or must we kill two ronin today?” another asked. Before saying more one of them swung his sword at the stranger, and another at Mutoshiro. Mutoshiro jumped back and slashed out with his sword, cutting the man’s face and chest. He fell bleeding over the knocked out samurai. The stranger had brought his sword, still in its sheath, up out of his sash and had blocked the sword slash. He hardly strained against the samurai who was clearly putting a lot of effort into it. The stranger slammed the sword away then brought his own sword down and hit the man over the head. The man fell to the floor unconscious. The last man lunged at the stranger. The other ronin side stepped, and as the samurai passed, drew his katana and cut down with speed taking the man’s head from its shoulders.

The samurai lay in a heap. Mutoshiro sheathed his sword and bowed slightly to the other ronin. “Thanks for the help, but you need not have involved yourself,” he said politely. The man removed his bamboo hat. He had a round face and deep lines in his face. A large mustache went across his face and his eyes were like dark slits. “No, they were un-honorable fools. I was required to.” He returned Mutoshiro’s bow. Suddenly the kitchen girl came in and looked at the scene. She screamed.

“AAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH! MURDERERS!” she yelled. Both men flinched. “Time to go,” said the stranger. He put his bamboo hat on and headed for the exit. Mutoshiro did the same. When both men exited they came face to face with a large group of red diamond samurai, swords out, and facing the small restaurant.

“I think we might be in trouble,” said Mutoshiro. He drew his sword and sheath from his sash and fell into a stance. The stranger drew his sword and faced outwards , bringing his sword up next to his head – blade up, and point facing the samurai. “Interesting stance,” commented Mutoshiro. “I could say the same to you,” said the stranger.

The captain from the gate stepped through the crowd of samurai and faced the two ronin. “I thought I had warned you, you foolish ronin; not to ever get in trouble in this city. Now, give up or die!” He yelled. Neither man moved. The captain crossed his arms and shook his head.

“Very well,” he said, he turned to his men. “Kill them.” With a series of battle cries several samurai charged forward. The two ronin charged as well. Mutoshiro flicked is sword out and cut a man’s stomach open, then blocked a series of blows from two other samurai; he bated them aside and cut down another. The stranger speared a charging samurai in the chest, spun on his heal and with an upwards cut – sliced a man from waste to shoulder. Several samurai kept attacking them, and each used speed and skill that the samurai could not match.

Mutoshiro sliced the head off another samurai and spit on the ground. He brought his sword up to a defensive position and breathed heavily. The stranger was in a likewise state. Each was cut in different places and their clothes were torn. Around them some 30 dead samurai covered the street. Only the captain stood there, last of the group alive. His mouth was wide and eyes even wider. “Y-y-y-you t-t-two are…the…ronin…demons!” he stuttered. The stranger grinned evilly. He rushed forward and cut down the captain before he could draw his sword. A whistle alarm sounded nearby, more Hidai samurai coming to see what the disturbance was about.

“We need to get out of here,” said Mutoshiro. The stranger nodded. He flicked his sword to the side, slinging the blood off it and sheathed his sword. Mutoshiro did the same. “Follow me,” said the stranger. He ran down one of the streets and Mutoshiro followed. They made a series of twists and turns as the two fled through the streets. Finally they came to a place near the red light district. A broken down looking inn. The stranger motioned Mutoshiro inside and the two entered. Inside was a dusty bar. A few men in rags sat at tables, and a large sweaty looking fat man in a torn kimono stood behind the bar. The stranger stepped up the bar and talked with the barman. The man nodded and motioned to a door near the end of the bar. The stranger nodded and motioned Mutoshiro to follow him.

The two stepped into a relatively clean room. The stranger sat down and sighed. “That was a close one,” he said. He took out a fan from his kimono and began fanning himself. Mutoshiro sat down in front of him and took his small pack of his shoulders. He took some strips of clothe from it and tied them around the wound on his arm. The stranger watched him. “You’re quite skilled for so young a man,” he said. Mutoshiro merely grunted.

“You too,” he said back. The man nodded. “My name is Jin by the way,” said the stranger. Mutoshiro nodded. “And my name is Mutoshiro, nice to meet you Jin-san.” Jin nodded. “Yes nice to meet you as well…I am interested in wondering where you learned your technique; there were times back in that skirmish where you were moving faster than those poor souls could follow.”

“I feel the same way about you,” said Mutoshiro. “Where are we by the way?”

“We’re in the Kibani, a sake bar. I know the owner. He said we could stay here until the samurai of Lord Hidai stopped looking for us. However that may be awhile.”

“Yes, I think the Lord might not enjoy one of his captains and large amount of samurai to be killed,” said Mutoshiro with a grin.

Bump* more to come later...

OOC: Nice, By any chance a player of L5R? if so which clan? I'm Lion, Do both the CCG and the D10 RP, also an elaborate tag

OOC: No actually, however I do play an rpg with 35mm japanese army figures.

BUMP! ~Post Later~

Hidai stepped out of his palanquin and looked at the bloody scene before him. The cut and bloody dead bodies of some 40 of his samurai lay around the street. Several of his living samurai were moving the bodies onto a cart and gathering all the fallen weapons. The family that owned the small restaurant were on their knees with their heads to the ground.

“How did this happen?” Hidai asked his personal bodyguard captain. The man bowed then moved over to the bowing family, he stood over them and looked down at them with open contempt. He spit on the old man.

“You! What happened!? Tell more or I will kill you and burn down your possessions!” he yelled at the man. The old man quivered under the samurai and did not lift his head to answer. Instead he spoke to the ground.

“Two men were eating at my store, then after getting into an argument with several of the Great Lord’s samurai, fought then killed them. When the two men left they were confronted by the gate captain. He challenged them, then fought them when they did not surrender,” he said, his voice quivering slightly as each syllable came forth. The samurai nodded and turned away. With a quick flash he drew his sword and turned and with a single stroke, lopped the old man’s head off.

He spit on the ground again and took out a cloth and cleaned his sword. He sheathed it and went back of to Lord Hidai. He bowed and retold the story. “It would seem my lord that there were two ronin, it is possible that one of them is the ronin you have been looking for,” he said. He bowed again and stood silently. Hidai tightened his fist in anger.

“Those damned ronin…search for them. Search the entire city. I want their heads on pikes by sun rise tomorrow!” he yelled. He turned and got back into his palanquin. Before the door shut he looked up at his bodyguard captain. “Kill these people and burn the building. I need no such filth in my city,” he said, then shut the small door. The four kaga men lifted the palanquin off the ground and headed off down the street followed by several of Hidai’s samurai.

The bodyguard captain turned to some of his men. “You heard the lord’s orders. Kill them.”As night fell, the light of a single burning could be seen by all around the city.

Bump, more coming...

bump/reply later

You ever going to continue this thing Oda? It was getting pretty good.