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Post by Daidoji Kousei on Mar 6, 2014 20:11:53 GMT
You take your eyes off them for two seconds...
Kousei turned away from the door and back into the room with a sigh, and someone came stumbling back into him. A push sent the unfortunate man heading back towards his assailant. The Daidoji moved up beside the man threatening Ishihama and put a hand on his shoulder, spinning him around. He tried to ignore the sight of a member of the Imperial families scrabbling around on their backside, particularly one whose relatives were supposed to terrorise courtiers throughout the entire Empire.
"That would be a bad idea, friend."
The drunken man started hurling abuse, shortly followed by punches. He was much more of a street fighter than the previous man Kousei had encountered, and they began trading short range blows back and forth. Kousei wasn't bad at unarmed combat, but he was usually sufficiently good at armed combat to not need to fall back on it. Eventually he made some space between them, grabbed hold of a beautiful but solid looking vase and smashed it over the man's head. He took a few more steps forward, but finally slumped to the ground. Feeling slightly vindictive, Kousei grabbed hold of a small table and decided to break that over his unconscious body as well - just to make sure.
Breathing quickly he turned round to look for Ishihama.
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Post by Shosuro Himitsu on Mar 6, 2014 23:19:51 GMT
A moment, by the kami only a moment would be needed. Her mind shuffled with her eyes, waiting for the moment, willing to recede into shadow and back into disguise if the time was necessary.
She watched with eyes as piercing as a hawk as patrons who would have nothing to do with the scuffle scrambled out of the way, she slipped between them and came up to the Imperial as the Daidoji was preoccupied with the drunkard at hand. Her arm would slip around the man, also cupping his mouth to silence him without harming him, the restraining arm was tipped with a tanto already curled back around to the man's neck just as the scorpion's tail. A silent promise that further struggle would end in his demise.
She said nothing, moving as quickly as she could as more trouble would hurl itself around her, skillfully ducking a table that was thrown clear across the room. Her only focus was to drag the blathering imperial into another room for now, secure him better and take him further out of sight and lose the trail of this nosy honorable little Crane. By some luck she managed to spot a small underground hideaway on her way past the kitchen, likely little more than a pantry but it would be enough space to store them both for but a little while.
Time, she knew, The guards would come so very soon with all the commotion. Time is not on my side..
(10 point action for stealth vs the Daidoji to slip away unseen in the thick of combat. 1 (initiation) 1 (school) 1 (ninja) 1 (ancestor) 1 (ruthless - ie taking a hostage) 5 for fire = 10)
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Post by Daidoji Kousei on Mar 6, 2014 23:55:28 GMT
He wasn't there. Just a few seconds ago Ishihama had been scrabbling around on the floor, and then he had disappeared! Kousei made an incoherant sound of rage. He ran towards to the front of the geisha house where he daisho was sitting on a rack and grabbed the blades, unsheathing his katana seconds later. A few of the patrons near by stopped their brawling at the sound of ringing metal.
"Get. Out. Of. My. Way."
It was as if an invisible line had been crossed and those watching scurried backwards, wanting nothing to do with the man who had suddenly escalated everything. Kousei stalked across the floor, slamming open doors as he came to them, but he had a horrible feeling that he was too late.
(OOC - totally beats me; narrative control is all yours!)
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Post by Shosuro Himitsu on Mar 7, 2014 0:57:41 GMT
She could feel the man's motions, knew his bellows, and while they were a delight for her they were also the cues she had to follow. Most of the men would have settled down but a rather brash and likely overly incapacitated by alcoholic ronin had his own weapon on hand. Handling a knife in each hand the man rose to the Crane's threat, this one she payed especially well for his willingness to throw his life and freedom away with a slight incentive for if he survived, and he most certainly boasted that he would.
He came at the crane all but frothing as he swung his arms nimbly like a cat trying to find purchase on its prey.
All the while Himitsu stored the Otomo for a time longer just to stuff a rag into his maw and to tie it shut for now. She needed both hands to keep this transport moving and she had not planned it better. Next to the sake dive was something so few honorable souls would dare even look at directly, a brothel well masked as a female escort service to request geisha to other locales besides the usual house they resided in. In mere steps she was able to cross the frenzied back alley and into one of the backrooms.
Anyone who would spy them would only likely suspect a bit of harsher play from his mistress, as she stored the blade from sight with ease. With some more steps she was able to take him to an upper room, glancing quickly to any potential occupants and found one of the rooms to be perfectly ideal. Vacated and as to be expected with those who would prefer not to be heard, within the confines of thicker walls for discretion. At this the Shosuro would put her newly acquired problem up against the back wall with a savage gaze, the door already slipped shut with a weight to prevent easy or noiseless entry behind her.
Again the blade was produced as its edge nestled up against the skin of his throat, her words being hushed and assertive as one would address a lesser. "I'm afraid we haven't been properly introduced, but I give you this one chance to cooperate or I'll be happily rid of you as you've already said enough to give my master a good lead on the trouble ahead." Her hand would work quickly to free the man from his facial bindings, but her hand was cupped and prepared to smother him if he so much as peeped in a way she didn't like. "Now then, you were talking about trouble starting to emerge with the merchants.. go on." In an attentive and seductive whisper.
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Post by Daidoji Kousei on Mar 7, 2014 10:13:32 GMT
As the bearded ronin charged at him with a tanto in each hand, Kousei scrambled backwards. At close range he would be at a considerable disadvantage to the man's shorter blades and while he had his wakazashi and a tanto of his own, he would not countenance dropping his katana on the floor. He was a practical man, but some things were beyond the pale!
From behind him another man stinking of sake grabbed his arms, and the bearded ronin grinned. "Too easy." He started to advance and Kousei quickly slammed the edge of his hand into the groin of the man behind him. He spun round behind the man who was folded up trying desperately to breathe, and a swift boot to the behind sent him flying towards his initial assailant who was forced to move in order to avoid getting knocked to the ground.
This gave Kousei the space he needed to bring his katana into play, and for the first time the other man's confidence began to waver. Nonetheless, whether it was the alcohol or natural bravery, he charged again and Kousei stepped to the side bringing the razor sharp steel round in a vicious arc. The ronin fell to his knees clutching his stomach as Kousei continued the move, neatly removing the man's head. As the blood arced across the room, bringing screams from the remaining geisha who were hiding in the corner, the room divided into two camps. Sobreity hit the regular patrons like a cold shower and they, along with the attendants, left as quickly as possible. All that remained were those that were in Himitsu's employ and they began to circle like a pack of wild dogs.
The next few minutes were short and violent, and at the end of it the Daidoji Shireikan was left surrounded by another five bodies. He bled from a number of non-vital wounds himself, which he knew he should get attended to soon. He also knew that whoever had kidnapped Ishihama was likely long gone, along with the Otomo himself. There was nothing to do except wait for the magistrates and try to explain the situation. Doji Aoshi was going to have a field day with this one.
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Post by Hiruma Kenshin on Mar 10, 2014 3:51:42 GMT
A willowy young man bursts into the room, sword drawn and eyes moving quickly around the room noticing the dead bodies before finally landing on the Crane. His blue eyes narrows and he gets into a stance.
He warily asks the Crane:"Explain yourself Crane-san. I came because I saw people fleeing from this building only to find a Crane surrounded by dead bodies. Seeing this so soon after the last war is not good."
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Post by Togashi Moeru on Mar 10, 2014 13:59:43 GMT
[OOC] Sorry for the delay, we will have new posts from the Otomo today. [/ooc]
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Post by The Storyteller on Mar 10, 2014 14:27:30 GMT
POSTING AS: Otomo Ishihama Ishihama was terrified. Wide eyed, and terrified. It had all been a blur. He was talking with the daidoji, and then the fight, and then the tackle, and then the fall, and then a blur. Nothing but a blur. And now he was here, and this woman, was hellbent on killing him. He was fairly confident that regardless of what he said, he was dead. He had figured that he was going to die from the moment he started acting irrationally, and disappeared. Surely, the merchants wanted him dead by now. Surely, they had realized that he had gone off the rails, and up until this woman spoke, he was fairly confident that she was just an assassin there to kill him. But then... Her master now has a good enough lead that he could be dead, and he'd know what was going on? That... was either a lie, or this woman was employed by someone else... But who? His mind raced. "You are a daughter of the Scorpion" Ishihama spoke, his voice trembling. The blade bit into his neck a little as he spoke. He was terrified, but he knew it wouldn't take much to end his existence from here. "I'll tell you everything." He voice was gaining some steadiness. "The merchants of the empire looked to prosper in a peaceful Rokugan. They feared that without war, the prices would stagnate, that... in peace, the Clans would look to find a cheaper economy." Ishihama tilted his head up, trying to get some space between his flesh and the blade. "A group of merchants wanted to make Rokugan a better place for themselves, their families, servants, eta, peasants, ashigaru, all of them. They have tired of bearing the brunt of the wars of the Samurai. These merchants come from all clans, from all corners of the Empire. And they are led by a few, more.... persuasive merchants, who would even be willing to create problems for the clans to get what they want." Ishihama tried to look defiant. "If you want more information than that, I'd at least like some dignity before my death."
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Post by Shosuro Himitsu on Mar 10, 2014 14:46:06 GMT
She rumbled deep in her throat, maintaining that menacing guise of a nearly faceless woman hidden under this midnight black mask so tightly gripping her features. Seeing that he wouldn't shout for now the pressure would ease off of him.
"You are a very high risk." Her eyes kept searching him, but deceit did not run well in those who had genuine fear, and she suspected she had achieved that much with such a frightful and paranoid mark. "But information is what I seek, not your blood. Although you understand that the words that you would spread could plunge the people of the empire into complete and utter chaos if such things are mishandled."
She caressed her blade, it felt like a tailor's needle in her fingers, familiar and a welcome sensation to feel out in the open air once more. She looked irritated though to be recognized as such, she was still weighing so many things in her head when it came to him. She didn't take murder lightly, but at the same time going above and beyond the call of duty was practically her legacy.
"I might be so inclined as to keep you around if you convince me of your worth. And if you are of course willing to.. cooperate." She wouldn't dare look but her ears were finely attuned to the movements around her, to shouts she might possibly hear from the street or other levels of the building.
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Post by The Storyteller on Mar 10, 2014 16:48:11 GMT
POSTING AS: Otomo Ishihama Ishihama nodded as she spoke. "My cooperation, is going to come down to what you are going to do with the information." Ishihama's face held no expression. "If you plan to use it for to aide them in hurting the empire, you might as well plunge that knife into my eye, and end my life." His eyes began to look hopeful as he continued. "But, if you are truly interested in keeping the empire from plummeting into chaos, and you wish to stop those who would harm the empire?" Ishihama smiled. "I'll tell you everything I know. Names, Places, plans, everything. "
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Post by Shosuro Himitsu on Mar 10, 2014 22:33:15 GMT
The Shosuro wanted to lick her lips so badly as she heard this, information was the prize of the Scorpion above all others and her family and clan champions would have their way with this little imperial for many a night and day for their own purposes. Nefarious or not, it was essential to working for the good of a whole empire, rather than selfish reasons, at least that was Himitsu's thinking.
With her idealistic core, she stowed the blade just out of sight to ease the prey's fear. "You should have come to my clan far sooner than just blathering along the city streets like a drunken fool, you know that?" But he was cooperating so now it was time to enact some contingencies in case she had to still gut him like a stuck beast in a flying instant. Glancing around she managed to snag some scroll paper and some charcoal, ink and brush would take far too damned long to dry in order for things to keep moving along. Always ever mindful of the time she slid it over to him.
"First you're going to tell me everything you can in writing, just in case there is an assassin who manages to take you out. I can do my best to protect and escort you, but this is important for the sake of the Empire's future. You understand I trust." Her eyes focusing on him in the dim lighting, pulling a lantern closer for his use to make this process a little easier.
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Post by Daidoji Kousei on Mar 11, 2014 0:27:21 GMT
Kousei looked up warily at the Crab, ready to make a move should he charge. When he didn't, he slowly sheathed his katana and put his head in his hands.
"It doesn't look good, does it? The short version is that I was attempting to guard an Otomo who has stumbled across a conspiracy. Someone, presumably those involved, thought it was worth spending the lives of all these men in order to get me away from him long enough to kidnap him before he revealed names. The only saving grace of this evening is that his body isn't lying here amongst the others."
Belatedly Kousei realised that he had no idea of who he was speaking to and almost smacked himself in the forehead for his idiocy. This was the second time today he had been involved in unexpected violence and while he was a warrior, he would rather have avoided any deaths tonight.
"May I have the honour of knowing who I am speaking to?"
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Post by Hiruma Kenshin on Mar 11, 2014 14:58:37 GMT
Seeing the Crane sheathe his sword Kenshin did the same, eyes staying on the Crane before replying. "I am Hiruma Kenshin. A yojimbo in service of the Crab." He replies with a slight nod. "And you, Crane-san?" He asks in return.
Kenshin starts walking around the room, looking at the dead bodies. The smell of sake met his nose as he approached one of the bodies. Wrinkling his nose at the smell he continues to pace the room. "An Otomo with a conspiracy you say? And did this Otomo tell you what this conspiracy was before he disappeared Crane-san?"
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Post by Daidoji Kousei on Mar 11, 2014 23:59:25 GMT
"I am Daidoji Kousei, Shireikan of the Crane assigned to the Wall. And for your information, this Otomo was halfway through telling me of this conspiracy before he was spirited away by it. So I know some, but it will require a lot of time to uncover the extent of what he knew. Time I am prepared to put in, however."
He watched carefully, in case this confession spurred the Crab into action. When it didn't, Kousei continued. "So where do we go from here, Kenshin-san? I was waiting for the magistrates, and you are not a magistrate. I was also hoping to get this all straightened out in time to attend Yasuki Nozomi-sama's party this evening. Kaiu Satomi-sama has requested my presence." He hated himself for name dropping quite so blatantly, but he really did want to be at that party. Besides, there was a chance that Reiha would be there.
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Post by Hiruma Kenshin on Mar 12, 2014 16:19:55 GMT
"Then I suppose we better get to finding the Otomo then, shouldn't we? We can leave word for the magistrates here and ask them to meet us at another place. I will accompany you until either the magistrates catch up or the Otomo is found." The Crab catches the eye of one of the curious servants of the geisha house trying to take a peek into the room and beckoned her to come closer. He starts writing a letter explaining the attack on the Crane and the abduction of the Crane's acquaintance and that he offered to accompany the Crane.
"Do you want the magistrates to meet up with as elsewhere or do you want to wait for them and leave this matter in their hands?" Kenshin asks as he waits for the ink to dry.
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