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Post by The Storyteller on Oct 2, 2014 14:43:16 GMT
Honorable Tsuruchi Kasumi-san,
It seems my actions crossed your investigation and the boundaries of what is duty of Emerald Magistrates. I have in my power a man, "Jinn-Kuen", the sort of scum I'd prefer not to call Yasuki. This man was the "in fact" leader of the family in Hachi-san's absence. My personal interests led me to find links between the reports from Asako Chisato, Yasuki Odai, Daidoji Kousei and Bayushi Satomi and the existence of a ring of merchants that showed to be, in fact, a ring of the Coin Sect. Jinn-Kuen was their leader. Some members of this ring managed to escape, but the man is under arrest. Not that I know how long he'll endure our questioning, or how long I will resist my urge of making him pay for his crimes to my family. You tell your master I'm -disappointed* - on how he's been managing both his duties. You are invited to come and make a report from whatever Jinn-Kuen has to say. I'd come fast, if I were you.
Kaneka, son of Toturi
*word with signs of have being rewritten
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Post by tsuruchi kasumi on Oct 25, 2014 17:12:06 GMT
"We're almost there, Tsuruchi-sama," Kitsuki Katsuo said. They had been riding hard for the past week in order to get to Yasuki Yashiki as quickly as possible. The day after the strange events which had happened at the ceremony of the bells she had received a message from Kaneka about a possible Kolat he had captured. She had taken her entire unit of magistrates with her to have a look, as an actual life Kolat might be the breakthrough she was hoping for.
Two hours later they arrived at the Yasuki castle where, after some refreshing, they were brought to Kaneka. Kasumi only took her two assistants, leaving the rest of the group to rest as they would have a lot more to do later. "Greetings, Yasuki-sama," Kasumi said with a bow, "and thank you for your message. We rode as quickly as we could." "I want that filth out of my family as quickly as possible, Tsuruchi-san," Kaneka said. "Of course, Yasuki-sama," Kasumi said, "but first I want to hear as much as possible from him. That way we can get that filth not only out of the Yasuki family, but also out of the rest of the Empire."
They talked a bit more and then some servants brought Kasumi and her two assistants to the library where Keneka showed them what he had discovered. Going over the reports, it was indeed clear that Jinn-Kuen was Kolat, and from what Kasumi could see, a fairly high one as well. The following day they went to the room they had put Jinn-Kuen in. It was on the inside of the building and while it was sparse, it was still a nice room. "Ah, my emerald magistrates," Jinn-Kuen said when they entered. "You would do well to show some respect, Yasuki-san," Kasumi said, "for it is we who will decide your fate." "I will die anyways," Jinn-Kuen replied. "True, but the how is not yet decided," Kasumi said, "now, if you cooperate, you will be granted the right to seppuku. Otherwise, we can still have you hanged like a common criminal. Or I shoot you full of arrows while 'escaping'."
That shut him up for a moment and they started the interrogation. It went difficult, but between Kasumi's questions and Katsuo's ability to sniff out lies a mile away they managed to get something out of him. Kasumi was sure it wasn't everything, but it was still enough to take down a large number of Kolat operations and from people apprehended in those get some extra information. By the time the interrogation was finished it was already evening. After something to eat, Kasumi went back to Kaneka and explained to him what she had discovered. While he wasn't happy to grant the right to seppuku to Jinn-Kuen, he was political enough to understand the need. "Not yet, Yasuki-sama," Kasumi said, "we're going to do another couple of days to see what more we can learn. I want to take down as much of the Kolat as possible."
The following days they continued the interrogation to learn as much as possible about the Kolat. After three days she thought she had enough to start the next phase. While she was sure Jinn-Kuen was holding out some information, she knew they could deal the Kolat a big blow with what they had learned, since he had been master Coin, they could stop most of the funds going to the conspiracy, the rest would also wither. And while it was desirable to get it completely taken out, Kasumi knew this was not possible. Some people had fled when Jinn-Kuen had been arrested and as soon as they started their attacks word would go out and people will get away. After the interrogations, they took a day to put all the information together and then they started to write up orders. A lot of magistrates would be busy this summer.
"Okay, we are ready," Kasumi said to her assistants one evening, "now we only have to bring the information to the other Emerald magistrates." They couldn't do all this themselves, so her team would ride to the different cities and castles and enlist the help of the local Emerald magistrates. Her people would coordinate and help the local Emerald magistrates, but without them it would be difficult. Fortunately the Kolat conspiracy was classed 'a crime against the empire' which automatically gave the Emerald magistrates jurisdiction. And while there were a couple of emerald magistrates involved, on the whole the organisation was not that much affected. "let's get this show on the road," she added.
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Post by tsuruchi kasumi on Oct 30, 2014 7:12:11 GMT
"Lock your arm, Kasumi," Takeshi said, "otherwise your hits won't do much but anger your opponent." It was evening and Takeshi and Kasumi had been training for about one hour, this time with the tetsubo. They used bokken of course, but Kasumi still had a couple of bruises where her husband had hit her. She was preparing for the tournament of amethyst champion, and as she had heard it would involve some close combat, something she knew to be her weak point, she had to train before her pregnancy evolved too far. "Okay, let's do this again," she said, lifting the heavy piece of wood.
After her time in Yasuki Yashiki Kasumi had come back home to coordinate the hunt for the Kolat from her own home. She was planning to stay there until her child was born, but with the tournament for the amethist championship it would be difficult. But for now she would train and in the meantime organise the hunt for the Kolat. In the few months they had been hunting them, they had eliminated five cells. It didn't look like much, but they had also taken thousands of koku, trade goods and even illegal goods like opium. So even though she was sure they wouldn't be able to take out the whole of the organisation, they could deal them a blow. While her magistrates were doing this, she was training for the amethyst championship with her husband in the evenings, while during the day she read reports from the hunt against the Kolat, trying to get more information from captured people so they could capture even more.
"That's enough for tonight," Takeshi said after another hour of training, "you shouldn't try to much too fast, and you have to take care of our very special child." She had told him about what happened at the Dawn Tower, again praising her luck that he was a Crab and therefore understood strange things. He was pragmatic enough not to complain about things he couldn't change.
The following day Kakita Mistuko arrived at the estate with new reports. "Two cells have gotten word somehow, Tsuruchi-sama," she said, "they have gone into hiding. We have taken three more samurai prisoner in Ryoko Owari Toshi, but two of that cell have escaped." "We always knew that we wouldn't be able to get them all, Kakita-san," Kasumi said, "and those cells in who have fled will have lost their powerbase and will be a lot less dangerous." "Maybe you're right," Mistuko said, "but I'm still worried." "We've taken what now, 6 cells captured and 8 forced in hiding," Kasumi said, "it's a clear victory already and I'm sure we will be able to uncover more in the coming months. Do we have someone in the unit who is good at tracking financial transactions?" "Yasuki Aya," Mistuko immediately said, "she was a merchant patron before she became emerald magistrate." "Very well," Kasumi said, "put her in charge of a small team that will check who was close to the samurai now dead or fleeing and suddenly has a loss in financial means. Maybe that way we can also deal a blow to their support network."
Mistuko made a note and with a bow left the room. Kasumi quickly read through the report, but her assistant had summarised it already and except for the names of the arrested samurai, there was not much new in the report. So she put them with the others and went outside, where her two children were playing under supervision of their father. He had been given a short leave to prepare her for the amethyst championship as the Mantis knew she actually had a chance, being not all too bad in the dueling part. Only her regular melee combat skills were lacking a bit and therefore they had given Takeshi leave to train his wife. When they saw her, the two children raced towards their mother. "Are you going to fight again with daddy," her son asked, while Takeshi came closer at a more sedate pace, "can I watch?" "Of course," Kasumi said as Takeshi produced two wooden replicas of a tanto. It was a weapon Kasumi was fairly good with, as it was a weapon that favoured speed over strenght, unlike the tetsubo.
Quickly they paired of and started fighting. Even though it was only with wooden weapons, the fight was intense as they tried to touch each other with the dagger. Despite his leg problem, Takeshi was still fast and he also used his free hand to grab and block as needed. In the end Kasumi won the fight due to her faster speed, but only barely. "Let's have a bit of rest, and then we try the tetsubo again," Takeshi said, "You said Hida Izo will be in the tournament and he favours the tetsubo. You will have to learn how to defend yourself against it." It was her least favourite weapon, but Takeshi was right, she had to admit. While weapons like the tanto or the naginata were speed weapons, the tetsubo and other heavy weapons where strenght weapons, something she was not so good at.
"Okay, I think it's time to learn you something extra," Takeshi said the following day, "some kata which might help you. I'll demonstrate." He started to show some movements, while Kasumi and the two children watched.
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Post by tsuruchi kasumi on Nov 1, 2014 15:42:58 GMT
It had been a nice summer, especially in the mountains where it wasn't too warm. But now even that little warmth was too much for Kasumi. She was in the last stages of her pregnancy even though it was only 6 months since she had become preganant. She had consulted with shugenja and they all said there was no sign of taint or any other form of corruption, but it started to worry her and while he hadn't said anything, she knew it worried her husband as well. Maybe there was something right in Te's words when he said he could hear a heart beat when there should be none.
At the moment the weeks of combat training were behind them and now they had shifted to other things, like go and shogi. She had been in courts before, but a courtier had been sent to refresh her memory. Now they had set-up a game of go and were playing when Kasumi felt a twitch in her abdomen. As she had felt those before, she didn't really paid any attention to it. She continued to play a move on the go board, when there was another twitch, a bit harder this time. "What is it," Takeshi asked, seeing the expression on her face. "I think the child wants to meet his daddy," Kasumi replied.
Takeshi simply stood up and carried her to the bedroom over her protests that she wasn't an invalid and could very well walk herself. Along the way he ordered a servant to get the midwife and the shugenja to bless the child. Luckily they lived next to the dojo where there was a Kitsune shugenja present, a bit young for such a post but very capable from what he knew about such things. The servant quickly came back with both people and they gently but firmly put Takeshi out of the door. Some off duty guards had already shown up with their bows for when the child was born they would twang the bowstrings to drive away evil spirits. Takeshi was raised with different ways to do this, but he was Tsuruchi now and would do as they did. That didn't mean he wouldn't do some Crab things later on, just to be sure. One of the things he had made sure all of his children had was the Crab wish doll and this child was no exception. Mostly it was the mother's task, but he had asked his mother to make them and she had obliged. Lucky for him the last doll had arrived the day before.
Ten hours later, Tsuruchi Takeshi was pacing. A true samurai didn't show emotion, but he was worried. It was taking a lot longer than the previous times. But one hour later the midwife came out of the room. "It's a son, sama," she said with a bow. Takeshi entered the room to see his wife and the child. The shugenja was still doing her blessings and he added his with the bowstring to it as well. when the shugenja indicated that he could stop, he went to his wife, who had said nothing while the blessings were ongoing. His eyes went to the amulet which was now with the boy. "The fortunes told me to give it to him," she said, "so that's what I will do. It's a healthy son, although he wasn't in a hurry to show up." "Not all that illogical, Kasumi-chan," Takeshi said, "it was only six months, although you wouldn't say it when you see him." "No, you won't," Kasumi said, struggling to stay awake and failing. Some minutes later, she was asleep. Takeshi looked at her for some time before he went back to the main hall, where the Shugenja was waiting. "It is a healthy child and quite large for being born so early," the Kitsune maiden said. "That he is," Takeshi said, "as it is already late, I'll have a servant prepare a room for you." "Thank you," the shugenja said. Takeshi gave some orders to a servant and then he too went to bed. He would sleep in another room tonight, as not to wake his wife.
The following days they spent on more games, although Kasumi did try to walk every day at least one hour to regain her strenght. She also kept her archery practice and she and Takeshi restarted some unarmed combat, as it was the least dangerous to start with. some meditation, geoing over the reports about the Kolat and of course taking care of the child which they named Arata, meaning new, rounded out the days. Takeshi had also requested he could join his wife to the amethyst championship, a request which had been granted.
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Post by tsuruchi kasumi on Nov 4, 2014 8:55:17 GMT
The household was in uproar as they were getting everything ready to go to the amethyst championship. As Kasumi was planning on taking her newest child with her, a wet nurse had to be included in the group of servants, plus a number of things a child of that age needed. But that was for the servants to plan. Kasumi had to organise a new attack on a Kolat cell. She also made sure her two assistants would be on hand while she was at the tournament. Luckily the Emerald Champion himself would be there, so she could discuss with him how to continue the battle against the Kolat.
The following day they left. Besides her husband, she had a yojimbo and a shugenja with her, in fact the Kitsune who had assisted with her birth. And a group of servants of course. The group would take its time to get to Ryoko Owari, especially with the child, but they had made sure they had ample time. And during the travels in the evening they still continued the exercises, so Kasumi would be as ready as she could be.
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