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Post by tsuruchi kasumi on Apr 6, 2014 16:28:59 GMT
"No offense, but I hope you are wrong about this," Kasumi said, "this is all for now, but I might come back later with more questions." She bowed before leaving. Now she had to make a decision. This accusation of taint was very important, but she had been cared for by Kuni shugenja, who should have been able to see the taint while caring for her. She decided to continue her investigations for now and to go talk with the Kuni who cared for Nozomi later on, as part of her investigations.
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Post by tsuruchi kasumi on Apr 6, 2014 17:34:30 GMT
Looking around she saw there was light in the part of the castlethe Phoenix were staying, so she could go see the Asako daimyo.This would be a difficult one, as a daimyo had a lot of power, but at the moment she wanted to see him only as a witness. She showed her Order of Appearance to the guard and requested to see Chisato. After a few minutes, she was admitted. She entered the room and sat on her knees, as was custom when meeting a family daimyo. "Asako-sama," she said, "I'm Tsuruchi Kasumi and I'm appointed by the emerald champion to look into the attack on Yasumi Nozomi and Hida Reiha. As you were present during these events, I would like to have your testimony on what happened."
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Post by tsuruchi kasumi on Apr 6, 2014 17:40:19 GMT
The next appointment would be another difficult one, as Kaiu Satomi had the home advantage. She was also rikugunshokan of one of the Crab armies and from the stories Kasumi had heard when she had been on the wall, not a woman to be triffled with. but she had her orders from the emerald champion himself, so that made things simple. Not easy, but simple. She showed the guards at the room her order of appearance and was quickly admitted. She bowed deep, as she would for a Mantis general.
"Kaiu-sama," she said, "I'm Tsuruchi Kasumi and I'm appointed by the emerald champion to look into the attack on Yasumi Nozomi and Hida Reiha. As you were present during these events, I would like to have your testimony on what happened."
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Post by tsuruchi kasumi on Apr 6, 2014 17:43:58 GMT
The next person on her list was Daidoji Kousei, a shireikan who had also been present during the attacks. She showed her order of appearance again to the guards at his room anyways. It could never hurt to show that she had orders of the highest authorities in her search for the truth. It might make people more forthcoming. She was quickly admitted to the room, where she bowed as was appropriate. "Daidoji-sama," she said, "I'm Tsuruchi Kasumi and I'm appointed by the emerald champion to look into the attack on Yasumi Nozomi and Hida Reiha. As you were present during these events, I would like to have your testimony on what happened."
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Post by The Storyteller on Apr 6, 2014 19:24:39 GMT
@kaigen
As Gunso, Shiba Kaigen was responsible for a group of subordinates which, by their side, were the ones assigned to keep guard, make a scrutiny on the servants and etc. Though, two Crab magistrates alerted the Imperial Guard about a middle-aged heimin who supposedly was somewhere in the castle. He was been linked to a scheme of smuggling and he avoid the arrest by hiding among the servants of the castle. Rumors said he could be the man who tumbled over the Champion Hida Reiha in the wedding party, so he could be an important piece in the investigation. It would something of note for a dutiful official, but nothing that really could demove him of keeping his task of oversee his nikutai and platoon's good work as guards, if one of Kaigen's subordinates, Yoritomo Tamata, haven't come to him with a story about a mysterious man sneaking in the kitchen and trying to escape. As Tamata heard, the kitchen servants quickly tried to catch the man, but he seemed very skillful for a mere heimin, and escaped the kitchen staff by entering a trapdoor. It seemed not to be of interest of the Yasuki to inform the Imperial Legion about this stranger wandering unseen in the castle, but by a coincidence a Scorpion servant was in the kitchen when everything happened and told Yoritomo Tamata what she'd seen.
---
@odai
Almost at the same time Shiba Kaigen was being made aware of the incident in the castle's kitchen, Kano Genjo, the second son of the Kano daimyo, was trying to get access to a person who would be able to keep discreet things discreet. The content of some of the basements of Yasuki Yashiki shouldn't be of public knowledge, and apparently a mysterious man was able to get his way to them by one of the trapdoors in the kitchen. One name came to his mind: Yasuki Odai. He was a man able to make things happen in the most discreet of the ways. Genjo hurried up his pace, in order to find Odai, alert the governor and ask his help, because time was of matter in this case.
--- @kenshin
The senior magistrate nodded: Uhn… I see. I have an excellent task to you. Tsuruchi Kasumi just sent me a letter asking me a trusted magistrate to help her to get things done. She was made responsible for questioning some important persons about what happened last night, so of course she needs an assistant to check facts for her. He produced a letter from his sleeve, and after carefully writing something else in the standard content of the document, stamping it with his personal chop, and make sure it was dry enough to be folded again, gave it to the Hiruma. It is a Letter of Recommendation that will let her know I'm sending you to assist her. Kasumi-san can be found in the second floor. Go introduce yourself to her, and be sure to be the living proof we're totally cooperative in this case. After that, the senior magistrate gave Kenshin a respectful leave, and returned his attentions to other issues at hand.
---
@himitsu
What were you doing there, Himitsu-san? Who else are you serving? The whispering voice of the Scorpion Champion reached Himitsu's ears before she could turn to see the Bayushi woman casually leaned in a wall of the governess' room. Sunetra's cold eyes scrutinized the Shosuro woman, in seek of an answer beyond the words.
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Post by Shiba Kaigen on Apr 6, 2014 20:23:14 GMT
"Trap door, huh?"
I just love going underground. Good thing I'm not with my own guntai... after that debacle in Kyuden Seppun, half of them go into cold sweats at the thought of so much as a small room.
One of the legionnaires under his temporary command, a painfully correct Lion named Matsu Hirai, snorted.
"Fanciful tales among the servants. Nothing new."
"Ah, but Matsu-san, this is an opportunity..."
Kaigen, more of a field soldier than any of the men he found himself with, gave a grin that would send sane men scampering for the hills.
"... we must investigate the kitchens."
And maybe I can spice up my rice ration with some pickled vegetables or a bit of dried fish...
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Post by Daidoji Kousei on Apr 6, 2014 22:48:09 GMT
Kousei was confined to his rooms. He was trying to be patient, and passed the time in meditation and playing the hichiriki. Not feeling much like conversation after the tumultous events of yesterday, the haunting melodies drifted down the corridor speaking for him.
More than anything else he was trying to stop his own mind. He had been unconscious - had anything been done to him? What if he had suffered the same fate as Reiha?
Coming to a decision he ceased playing and went to the door of his quarters to ask for a pen and paper. When they arrived alongside a simple repast for lunch, he penned a simple missive to the daimyo of the Otomo.
Honourable Hoketuhime-dono,
This humble samurai wishes nothing more than to speak with you, but is unable to attend as he is confined to his quarters. I have uncovered information about those who may pose a threat to your family, and have already shown willing to harm one of them. If anything should happen to me in the coming days I would not want the knowledge of this threat to disappear with me.
Your servant, Daidoji Kousei
The letter duly dispatched, he returned to his playing while he waited for a response.
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Post by Asako Chisato on Apr 6, 2014 22:52:08 GMT
He bowed his head to her and quickly grasped onto the precious few details he had of both her and his situation. Visually and physically he was a mess, "I am eager to aide you so that I can be done from here Tsuruchi san. Its reasons like this that I hate to travel." He took note of her crane made blade at her hip, unmistakable, Kasumi was a generic enough of a name. "Your father was Tsuruchi Akio, yes? That would make your husband formerly the Hida Takeshi, and you have..." he strains his memory in thought, "one child, yes? or was it two?"
His hand rubs over his wounded bare arm, "I am eager to be clean again, how are Yasuki Nozomi san and Satomi san? What became of Reiha sama? And the woman with the painted face, the geisha?"
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Post by Shosuro Himitsu on Apr 6, 2014 23:32:26 GMT
The woman did not make much of a motion from her previous function beyond a slight pause in a single stroke. As her memory processed the voice and the silence of its entry there were few others she could guess who it might be. Her eyes remained level with her work, seemingly more concerned with it.
There were few times that this Shosuro ever had felt compelled to speak, as such her voice was something still softened and delicate as opposed to many calloused throats of bushi across the empire. "You speak as though my purpose is unfaithful." She did not seem inclined to indicate her opinion or respect of the woman with a suffix however. Dipping her brush to the ink once more, "There were many clan colors who sought to participate in events last night. While I am not strictly bound to this room I have no inclination that I should be restrained or interrogated, I did no wrong in the eyes of the law."
A slight fatigued nibbled at her as she stifled a yawn behind her mask, there was no threat in her mind from her as of yet. "I suppose you have not seen the reports I have been handling on my own. As of yet no order has been given to me to indicate what I should or should not do beyond my presence and participation here." Her tone sterile in the face of her clan's champion. "If you doubt my loyalty I am well aware of the woods I might soon walk. I am under no illusion of that Bayushi-sama." Bowing her head as she finally gave a proper acknowledgement of her superior and unquestioned standing, though her gaze not dare to fall upon the champion's form.
She dare not show it but there was a hesitation to her, a nerve in the back of her neck twitching once which was a tell to the most trained eyes of a deep discomfort. As Himitsu thought on it she seemed to realize the faint possibility now that her words had been detected and now her entire trust with the champion shattered. She was not quite the daimyo of her own family, but given a few ill fates it was possible that she could fall in line to be so. Though in spite of this she spoke truth if the champion chose to believe her.
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Post by tsuruchi kasumi on Apr 7, 2014 6:24:51 GMT
Kasumi managed to keep her face straight, although she was surprised that he knew so much about her. Probably because she had defended that Phoenix courtier a couple of years ago, she thought. This had brought better relations between the two clans. "I have two children, Asako-sama," she said, "Masaru and Sayuri." He was still higher in status and if he wanted to talk about family first, she would indulge him as it might make him more talkative later on. Up to a point, at least, as she still had other people to see.
"There was one geisha involved who was killed," she said, replying to his other questions, "while others were wounded, everybody is fine now, although Reiha-sama has had a miscarriage unfortunately. Now, can you tell me what you saw and did during this time?"
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Post by Asako Chisato on Apr 7, 2014 10:48:47 GMT
He seemed to relax, taking comfort in most of the information she gave him, "Oh thank goodness, I was worried that the kolat might have been successful. But... that is distressing to hear that I killed that poor girl..."
He dropped that bomb of a word as if it was unimportant, then smiled and looked to Kasumi, "Before we begin, I was hoping you could help me? I am in desperate need for a change of clothes... I- I feel so exposed..." He self consciously rubs his exposed arm again.
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Post by tsuruchi kasumi on Apr 7, 2014 11:47:02 GMT
"My sincere apologies," Kasumi said, "I didn't realise. I just wanted to get this investigation started as quickly as possible. I will withdraw now so your healer can come and you can also change your clothes. I will come back in, say one hour. Will that be sufficient, Asako-sama?" While she had the right to barge in to almost anybody in the castle, it would get her more results if she stayed polite. And one hour wouldn't be that much of a problem, as she could always visit someone else on her list.
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Post by Asako Chisato on Apr 7, 2014 11:52:35 GMT
He looks about the austere room, "Oh thank you ever so much, Tsuruchi san, and while you are off to find my staff, would you have them bring me my book, as well?"
Before she could depart he adds, "Oh! and tea, please, I'm completely famished!"
Finally confident she was able to depart, she was given a bow, and then Chisato sneezed loudly, he produced a silk cloth and cleans his face.
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Post by Daidoji Kousei on Apr 7, 2014 12:08:39 GMT
Kousei was sat in the middle of his room, waiting patiently. He was dressed in one of his most simple kimono and there was a hachikiri within reach. On a stand at the side of the room stood his daisho, and next to it was a lovingly cared for nodachi. As the magistrate entered and introduced herself, a shadow passed across his face.
"I will give you my testimony, Kasumi-san, although I cannot promise you will believe it" he began softly. "I had received information leading me to believe that Reiha-dono had been compromised by a conspiracy thought long dead, and that they were planning to use her to execute a strike at the wedding. Working with other individuals - I am sure that you are aware of their names - I sought to prevent this from happening. We failed.
"In order to try and stop her I assaulted one of the guards and made my way to the restricted floors. I encountered Reiha-dono outside the bridal chamber. I attempted to stop her with words, and when they failed we fought. We both ended up crashing through a hidden door and then something struck me in the neck. It was poisoned and I remember nothing else until waking up here."
His eyes had slipped to the floor but as he finished he looked up meeting Kasumi's gaze and trying to judge her reaction to his words.
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Post by tsuruchi kasumi on Apr 7, 2014 12:17:30 GMT
Kasumi was surprised that she was sent to find his servants, but she decided to do so, at least up to a point. He was probably so used to commanding everybody that it had become second nature and secondly, it might make him more forthcoming when she spoke with him again. Outside of his quarters she used her own power as emerald magistrate to order one of the servants of the castle to find the Asako daimyo's retinue and bring them to their Lord's quarters, as well as his book and his tea, while she went in search for someone else to question.
One hour later she presented herself again before his quarters.
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