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Post by tsuruchi kasumi on Jun 18, 2014 20:54:44 GMT
"Ronin, most probably," Kasumi said, "althought that still doesn't explain why they wanted the child dead. I think I'm going to keep him with me for now and see if I can find out who he is. Clearly he's more than we thought at first."
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Post by Shiba Kaigen on Jun 19, 2014 8:55:21 GMT
Considering we thought him an unwanted heimin offspring, most likely.
"There is another thing... the child. When we found him by the roadside, there were tracks. Barefooted, limp, young-ish. Whoever left him there..."
He trailed off.
Ah. Your shining intellect rears its head once more. The child was left in the hopes of keeping it away from those men you so ably chopped into fragments. Good thing you left some alive to ask about it. Oh, wait, you did nothing of the sort.
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Post by tsuruchi kasumi on Jun 20, 2014 8:18:26 GMT
Kasumi turned to the Ikoma Wardens. "There are two still on the run," she said, giving a description, "if you can chase those and try to capture them alive so they can be questioned. That way we can maybe find out what's going on here. Myself and Shiba-san will continue to Kyuden Seppun with the baby." She was sure that Kaigen would be very much 'delighted' when the baby would get hungry, but she wanted to keep the child close until they could figure out who it was.
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Post by Shiba Kaigen on Jun 20, 2014 10:45:51 GMT
Kaigen gave the child another measuring look.
Somebody wanted to save you from them. Why? What's so special about you, little taro root?
The baby simply looked at the Phoenix samurai with an inscrutable expression which was probably gas.
"We should be on our way."
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Post by tsuruchi kasumi on Jun 20, 2014 11:30:01 GMT
"You're right," Kasumi said, "we won't be able to make it to Kyuden Seppun by tonight. Is there an Emerald magistrate or Warden station on the road somehwere?" The last question was asked to the Ikoma Wardens. They got distances to the nearest stations and then they moved out, while the Wardens did so too, following the tracks of the two runners. While an Emerald magistrate could not give orders to Ikoma Wardens except in very special circumstances, they were outraged that people had dared to attack a monastery in their patrol sector, so they wanted to get back to those people. Kasumi thought that the chances of asking questions to the two who fled, should they be caught, were slim indeed. She had asked them to be taken alive, but she was sure she would receive two corpses with the excuse that they had tried to fight and that the Wardens had no choice but to take them down, even though all wounds would be in their backs.
Making sure the baby was comfortable, she moved on. "At the next station I'll rig a backpack of some sort," she said, "so I can carry the little one yet keep my hands free."
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Post by Shiba Kaigen on Jun 21, 2014 4:34:37 GMT
"As you like."
Just don't ask me to carry him. My track record with soft things is... poor.
Kaigen frowned and scratched at his chin.
"Samurai, possibly but not certainly ronin, slaughter some monks on the very reasonable chance that the baby they're after will be turned in at the nearest monastery... When they see the child, however, they are so excited that they throw all caution aside- had they not attacked, we would most likely have left the child with them..."
He shook his head.
"It makes little sense."
Almost as little as revealing to your generous traveling companion that the surest way to make you speak is to involve you in violence and bloodshed.
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Post by tsuruchi kasumi on Jun 21, 2014 9:52:53 GMT
"If there's one thing I've learned in the past years about criminals," Kasumi said, "is that making sense is very low on their list of priorities. I mean, you were at the Yasuki castle. Why would a secret conspiracy who has been active for the Fortunes know how long suddenly draw attention to themselves in such a way? At least we were lucky enough that they did it like that."
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Post by Shiba Kaigen on Jun 21, 2014 16:16:45 GMT
"Hrnh."
Hardly a ringing endorsement, but then again, Kaigen wasn't exactly interested in nuanced debate... about anything.
It just seems... stupid. Or insane.
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Post by tsuruchi kasumi on Jun 22, 2014 8:29:58 GMT
They rode on in silence, with the child lulled into sleep by the rocking motion of the horse. At the Warden post where they would spent the night, Kasumi appropriated everything she needed to see the child in comfort, aided by one of the Ikoma Wardens who's sister was not living far and just had a child of her own. The two female wardens at this post oohed over the child, which Kasumi thought to be a bit too emotional, but that were Ikoma for you. And it did allow her to take a bath without having to worry about the child. And she only had to get up twice that night to feed the little one and change the diaper. It had been some time since she had to do that, but she still had the routine. It was only hard on the rest of the post, as the thin interior walls made that everybody heard the little one scream.
"If all goes to plan, we'll be in Kyuden Seppun by midday," she said to Kaigen the following morning, "I must say it has been a very interesting trip."
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Post by Shiba Kaigen on Jun 23, 2014 1:49:04 GMT
Kaigen had not slept well.
Perhaps we should lash that screaming tuber to my quadrupedal tormentor and drive them both into a river. Tranquility at last!
"Indeed."
Interesting the way so many aspects of my life are interesting... long periods of tedium interrupted by brief episodes of horrifying violence.
"Perhaps someone there will know what to do with our... guest."
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Post by tsuruchi kasumi on Jun 23, 2014 8:51:03 GMT
"I hope so," was the only thing Kasumi said.
I hope his future wife is very calm and understanding, she didn't say out loud. While her husband could also be grumpy at times, Kaigen was clearly in a category of his own. He would have to feel out of sorts with the Phoenix, but that wasn't her problem. Now her problem was the child she had with her, currently asleep, and who he was.
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Post by Shiba Kaigen on Jun 23, 2014 16:27:34 GMT
Kyuden Seppun soon loomed large, and Kaigen began to look forward to parting ways with his horse.
Perhaps I can give you to some eta to eat.
The guards were noticeably on-edge- until one of them recognized Kaigen.
"Kaigen-san! Still alive?"
The guardsman's grin was something to behold.
"Yohei-san... I see they continue to promote you above your competence!"
"Those are the times... all the good samurai are dead, leaving scum like us to rise to the top!"
"Scum tends to do that."
Judging by the tone, this was a well-worn ritual between the two.
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Post by tsuruchi kasumi on Jun 24, 2014 5:39:11 GMT
A small smile crossed Kasumi's face while she showed the guards her emerald magistrate badge, before the child started weeping. "He's hungry again, Shiba-san," she said, "let's move on, shall we."
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Post by Shiba Kaigen on Jun 24, 2014 9:13:37 GMT
All he does is eat, defecate, and scream. How does any parent ever let one of these things live to maturity...
"By all means, Tsuruchi-san. Oi! Yohei! Next time we meet, you can share that sake!"
"Not likely!"
"Bah!"
Kaigen actually smiled a bit as they continue on their way.
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Post by tsuruchi kasumi on Jun 24, 2014 13:10:12 GMT
"I'll take him to the emerald magistrates if that's okay with you," Kasumi said, "if a child of an important family has gone missing, they might already know. Otherwise, they can do some discreet inquiries." She didn't expect any problems with her proposal, as from what she had seen Kaigen wasn't really a child person, while she had two children and knew what to expect.
Wait until you have one of your own, Shiba-san, she thought, then you'll be just as doting on him or her as I was on mine.
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