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Post by tsuruchi kasumi on Jun 25, 2014 8:02:45 GMT
This thread was elected the June's Minor Arc.
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Edited by admin
OOC: This thread is the continuation of the Next Assigment thread (rokuganee2.proboards.com/thread/185/next-assignment). But as we have moved to Kyuden Seppun, I also move the threads here.
"Okay, Shiba-san," Kasumi said, "thank you for your company. It would have been quite problematic without you at the monastery." She rode into the compound of the emerald magistrates, where a servant immediately arrived to collect her horse. She called up some servants to take care of the child, plus a magistrate to guard the child. While it was probably not needed, she didn't want to take any chances. Another magistrate was entrusted with the mail bag she still had, with a request to send someone with the letter of Chisako. Then she went to the chief magistrate, Ikoma Haruki, to report. She explained how they found the child and what happened at the monastery. "You have done well, Tsuruchi-san," he said, "I'll write a letter to Ikoma Ryota-san, asking if he found those two and if so, what information did he get. He served under me when he was just out of gempukku and I was a gunso in the wardens. I've not heard about any missing children, but I'll ask around. Anything else?" "I just want to have a Shugenja take a look at the child," she said, "maybe a Kuni and a Kitsu if I can arrange it." The reasons for that were quite clear. "And then I'll start my research in the archives," she continued, "can I have some magistrates to help me on this?" "Normally we should get a couple more in the coming days, so you should be able to get an assistant or two," Haruki said, "I still have to make the assignments." "Okay, thank you," she said, bowing before taking her leave to check up on the child.
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Post by Shiba Kaigen on Jun 25, 2014 8:17:03 GMT
For his part, Kaigen was relieved to be free of the baby's presence, and reported to nearest officer of the Imperial Legions, presenting his travel papers, stating his destination, and then engaging in some idle banter about the relative merits of his naginata as opposed to a simple yari. And then it happened.
"So, that Emerald Magistrate you rode in with..."
"Yes?"
You mean the nice lady who put up with my utterly sterling social skills all the way from the Tsuruchi provinces?
"What's she up to?"
"Some business I had no interest in."
"Ah... huh. And what about that baby? She doesn't seem as if she set out with it..."
Even in his absence, that little noise factory finds ways to plague me.
"We... found it. By the roadside."
"Huh. Sounds like a bad pillow-book!"
Complete with a chapter wherein I butcher eight men because it's all I know how to do.
"It had its moments."
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Post by tsuruchi kasumi on Jun 26, 2014 6:25:01 GMT
Kasumi had left the child at the magistrate housing, while she went to the Lion embassy. Normally there should be at least one Kitsu shugenja present. She had always been interested in history, and especially history of law, so she knew that one of the reasons testimony of kami or ancestor spirits was not admissible in court was because a Kitsu shugenja had called the spirit of a dead lion general who turned out not to be quite as dead as expected. So she knew the Kitsu could call ancestor spirits and she hoped they could see what line the child was from. Kasumi would even settle for a family name, as that would greatly help the search for the parents.
Arriving at the embassy, she announced why she was there and she was brought to a waiting room. Quickly some servants arrived with a cup of tea and some biscuits. She understood that she had to wait a bit while they called up one of their Shugenja. One thing she admired about the Lion was their awe for the imperial organisations. Her emerald magistrate badge and the request for a Kitsu shugenja to help with a case was almost certain to generate a favourable response.
She had waited about ten minutes when a man in shugenja robes with the Kitsu mon on them entered the room. She stood up and bowed, a bit deeper than she usually would have, but she had come here uninvited and requested assistance, so a bit of politeness was called for. "Kitsu-san," she said, "thank you for seeing me on such short notice."
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Kitsu Hiraku
Lion Clan
Posts: 18| Likes: 11
Rings: Earth: 5 - Water: 3 - Air: 1 - Fire: 3 - Void: 4
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Post by Kitsu Hiraku on Jun 27, 2014 20:08:03 GMT
Hiraku has been in his room, reading one of the books he took for this travel, when a servant arrived at the entrance and politely informed him that his presence was asked for by one of the guests. He was surprised when the servant stayed near the entrance after he said he would go to where that guest is soon. This was quickly explained when the servant added that the guest is one the emerald magistrates and she needed the help of a Kitsu.
Moments later Hiraku has entered the room where Kasumi was and bowed deeply in response to her bow. Before answering he looked at the woman, not a short glance, but not long enough to be considered impolite "It is a duty of the citizens to help the servants of their Emperor, Tsuruchi-san" he said before sitting down "I hope the issue that requires my help is not one of great urgency, for if it is then I apologize for not arriving here earlier"
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Post by tsuruchi kasumi on Jun 27, 2014 21:02:12 GMT
"It is no problem, Kitsu-san," Kasumi said, "the matter I'm currently charged with isn't that urgent. It's the following: me and a Imperial legion gunso named Shiba Kaigen recently traveled from the Yasuki lands to here and in the lion lands, we found a child, about a month old. At first we thought it was a heimin child, abandoned by it's parents as happens from time to time."
Kasumi couldn't understand, but that was probably her Tsuruchi background where every child was precious. "Anyways, we brought the child to the nearest monastery where the monk could take care of him," she continued, "when the monks saw the child they attacked us. At least, we thought it was the monks, but later we learned that it were bandits, or ronin or something like that, who had killed the monks before. The few ones who escaped are now being chased by some Ikoma wardens, but this lead us to believe the child is more than just an unwanted heimin. As we don't know what, I was wondering if you could help me with it. I've heard that Kitsu shugenja have the ability to talk to ones ancestors. This ability might give us some insight in who this child is, which is my reason for requesting your assistance."
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Kitsu Hiraku
Lion Clan
Posts: 18| Likes: 11
Rings: Earth: 5 - Water: 3 - Air: 1 - Fire: 3 - Void: 4
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Post by Kitsu Hiraku on Jun 28, 2014 10:12:51 GMT
Hiraku listens carefully and after Kasumi is done talking he nods once, slowly. Then he 'hmms' quietly and thinks about the story and what he should do. After more than a moment he sips some of the tea and then puts his bowl back on the table "What you are asking for is not... impossible, Tsuruchi-san. But it will not give you an answer immediately. It is possible that one of the masters of our art would be able to just find the family of the child amongst the non-living, but for most of us, myself included, doing so would be similar to travelling to the capital city and asking everyone we meet if they have seen this child or someone with... eyes like his, before" He takes another sip of the tea "I will of course try to find the information you are looking for, Tsuruchi-san, but it might take some time. And I will need to know a few more details that could make it easier"
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Post by tsuruchi kasumi on Jun 29, 2014 17:31:07 GMT
"I understand that is will not be easy," Kasumi said. In fact, she didn't understand as she was not a shugenja, but she had to take his explanation at face value. "Please let me know what you need," she said, "and if I can provide it, I will. You can of course see the child, should such be necessary."
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Kitsu Hiraku
Lion Clan
Posts: 18| Likes: 11
Rings: Earth: 5 - Water: 3 - Air: 1 - Fire: 3 - Void: 4
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Post by Kitsu Hiraku on Jun 30, 2014 19:59:13 GMT
"You have said that the monks in the monastery you visited were slaughtered by people who were presumably bandits. I will have to know where exactly that monastery is and which Ikoma outpost is near it, a mark on a map will be enough. I cannot think of a reason for bandits to just slaughter monks, but a mysterious child is a reason. Thus, the monks could maybe help us... if they will be able to talk. And if they are found. As you might imagine, dying such a horrible death might stop one from speaking to anyone" He takes a sip of the tea "It would also help to know exactly how many monks were there and how many of the bandits you have killed. And to know the name of the commander of the Ikoma outpost. As for seeing the child yes, it will be necessary, but later."
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Post by tsuruchi kasumi on Jun 30, 2014 20:32:13 GMT
"I can indicate the locations on a map easily," Kasumi said, "as for the leader of the Wardens, his name was Ikoma Ryota, a Chui with the Wardens. I'm not sure about the number of monks and bandits, that I will have to ask Shiba Kaigen. While I took care of the child, he organised the clean-up. He will know the numbers. I will go and see him and I'll get you the numbers, okay?"
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Kitsu Hiraku
Lion Clan
Posts: 18| Likes: 11
Rings: Earth: 5 - Water: 3 - Air: 1 - Fire: 3 - Void: 4
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Post by Kitsu Hiraku on Jun 30, 2014 21:06:55 GMT
"That is fine, Tsuruchi-san. While you're gone I will prepare myself for my search. Just tell a servant to find me if I won't be here" Hiraku said and got up.
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Post by tsuruchi kasumi on Jul 1, 2014 6:07:32 GMT
"Of course," Kasumi said, standing up as well and bowing before taking her leave. It would take longer than she had expected, but if she was honest with herself, she hadn't known what to expect. While she could see the results of what shugenja did, she didn't know how they did it. But if he said he needed that information, then that information he would get. So she went to the barracks of the imperial legion, where Kaigen had said he would be.
As emerald magistrate she was allowed to enter without question and quickly she found Kaigen in the dojo. She waited until he had finished his current kata before she walked up to him. "Shiba-san," she said with a polite bow, "can I speak to you for a minute?"
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Post by Shiba Kaigen on Jul 1, 2014 7:08:17 GMT
"Of course."
The poor woman.
"How goes the investigation?"
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Post by tsuruchi kasumi on Jul 1, 2014 9:42:39 GMT
"I've contacted a Kitsu shugenja," kasumi said, "to see if he could help. He said he could, but he needed some information, which is why I'm here. He needed know how many monks there were and how many bandits we killed. I didn't know, but as you have taken charge of the clean-up, I was hoping you could tell me those numbers."
It was quite blunt, but while traveling with Kaigen, she had come to understand that he liked it that way.
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Post by Shiba Kaigen on Jul 4, 2014 2:58:41 GMT
"There were twelve bandits. We killed ten of them. As for the monks... the eta collected twenty-three bodies."
He shrugged.
"I've learned that shugenja have their reasons, but I'm not sure we have much left to tell him."
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Post by tsuruchi kasumi on Jul 4, 2014 5:51:03 GMT
"I only know he wanted the numbers," Kasumi said, "so the numbers I will give him. I don't really care about the why either, as long as it gives me results. Now I have to find a Kuni to check for taint, just to be on the safe side."
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