Kitsuki Donoha’s Day Off
22nd of Akoko in 1123 (Month of the Horse) – If my lord has a weakness it is knowing how to relax. It could be the fates have decreed such because even when he tries we end up on an adventure. He came back to the wagons and Doji Hoto san was off somewhere. Donoha was spending time grooming his horse, Yukiabo. The with his as the great potoo bird (from claw to head was just under two “shaku” or feet), Shirogane he was playing fetch games with dried fish and fruits. After each catch and praise the bird would land and bow their head, wings spread wide.
I had to eventually inform him he had a guest in Bayushi Akiyama san, from the Scorpion Clan. When he told me to bring him over he took a seat and asked if they would like tea. They were gracious in their acceptance of the tea and sat. Before he could utter anything to me I put down two cups of tea I had made and gotten ready before telling him about his guest. His smile and nod was genuinely appreciative.
Akiyama san asked if Donoha sama knew of the legend surrounding Morikage Toshi? My lord remarked that he knew about it vaguely since it involved an Agasha shugenja that went by Yuiko or Yuriko, he’d only heard the tale once when he was nine. He got the impression the Phoenix husband was mean and beat her to death. He apologized but the memory was a decade old. Akiyama san mentioned the version he heard was different.
In the version they were familiar with a young Dragon bride, Agasha Yuriko, was married to the lord of the castle, of Shiba Kojiro. Kojiro dono was unloving and callous in nature. Causing Yuriko san to take her own life in 782. What most weren’t aware of was that her mother was the Oracle of Air! They cast a powerful curse upon his castle, which caused vines and trees to reach out and reclaimed the castle! The Phoenix were forced to abandon the castle completely as they were unable to undo the Air oracle’s spellcraft. It was said that the castle laid vacant, home only to a restless dead and spirits. They also mentioned that their version said nothing about abuse directly against his wife, just callous apathy from Kojiro dono.
Donoha sama nodded and apologized once more that it was a decade old memory. It was interesting because I have watch Donoha memorize and perform a play hours later! I suspect he overheard a telling by someone that had embellished their telling for some reason. Akiyama san told Donoha their is a statue to the very Oracle of Air that cursed Morikage Toshi all those years ago in this very city. This made my lord’s eyebrows perk up in interest. The Scorpion asked the Dragon to help him find it.
My lord agreed and said to come back when the sun was at its zenith. For he had been up all night and needed rest. Then he queried if it would be alright to pose some questions of his own. Akiyama san consented and looked intrigued from the very slight twitch of an eyebrow. Donoha sama asked if he was familiar with the Shosuro family, to which they nodded since it was one of the great familes of the Scorpion Clan. He mention he was aware of a member of the Shosuro house that was attempting to kill him because one of his ancestors helped the Lion Clan during the battle of Kenson Gakka.
I asked Donoha if I might add to his statement, which he nodded was acceptable. I related the tale of how we met and subsequently the capture of Matsu Mayumi san. I was clear that this was an abridged re-telling, and handed him a copy of “In Defense of Honor; vol. 1” for him to have to get any details. The ronin had denied the offer of employment by my lord because the Shosuro lady had offered more koku. Akiyama san appeared genuinely offened that someone of his clan behaved in such a fashion.
Then my lord pointed to his face scar, the silver-copper amalgam fixed tooth which spawn his name at his gempukku completion ceremony. Held at the last winter court where Hantei the XXXVIII attended at Kyuden Ikoma in 1122-1123. And finally the scar on his left shoulder. He explained the attempt on his caravan taking him to Kyuden Ikoma at Kenson Gakka by bandits of which one had a Katana bearing a Bayushi mon engraved in the blade on one side and “何よりも忠誠心 (Naniyori mo chūsei kokoro) Loyalty above all else” on the other.
He nearly cut the assailant’s head off with his wakizashi and the bandit fled leaving the sword in his chest. Once he had escorted the maiden back to the caravan was he informed that she was the daughter of the Ikoma Daimyo! He was careful to say bandit armed with a katana, and not a Bayushi bandit with katana. I think Doji Hoto senpai would have been proud had he saw that. Donoha did mention if anyone among the Bayushi was missing a katana like that it is sitting on a stand in the grand hall of Kyuden Ikoma. They just have to show up and ask for it back.
Akiyama san asked to be involved if at all possible should Donoha sama find the person that had perpetrated such a disgrace of honor to abandon their soul over their life. To him this filth was ronin if they had been a samurai and not just a lucky bandit. Donoha nodded and bid him once more to return at the zenith. After the Scorpion had left he asked me to look into clues about the statue so we would be informed somewhat about the city since his last visit three years ago. I took my leave as he rested Shirogane keeping an eye out for his master.
As the Hour of the Hantei (Serpent / 10am-Noon or Zenith) drew to a close Bayushi Akiyama san appeared at a respectul distance and stood in the shade of a tree with his customary menpo that most Scorpions are want to wear. Some masks are more ornate than others. Women tend to wear veils that obscure as transparent colors of silk, but you need koku for those as that type of sheer fabric is expensive to make.
I provided Akiyama san with a cup of tea while I went to wake Donoha sama. He dressed lighter version of his heavy armor. This consisted of kogake (foot armor), his plate suneate (shin guards), kikko gane obi (armored belt), agiote kote (connected armored sleaves), kikko gane (armored kimono), and tate-eri (shoulder protection). To those of you reading this it seems like a lot but I guarantee you his full outfit is insane!
If he’s not careful someone will confuse his kabuto for a much higher ranking samurai. Well it may not be a problem much longer he’s been getting the beginning of instruction for the Kitsuki school’s second rank skill! It’s amazing that he’s developing so fast. His ability to learn and retain information is nothing short of a fortune’s blessing.
To not scare people with his armor he donned a knee length haori (samurai and ashigaru jacket) of raw green silk. His mon on the left lapel, the Kitsuki mon on the right and his Dragon clan mon very large on the back. He got it this morning from Tanetsu sama as a reward for his efforts so far. The golden silk, shasiko stitching makes it look like he has a formal sash draped over him like a magistrate may wear at a trial. A yellow silk outer style obi half dyed a dark green made him look like a lord. Good grief I want Doji Hoto to pick out my next obi as he is really making Donoha’s wardrobe explode.
Note to self: set aside some koku to see if Doji Hoto sama can acquire me a few finer items so I don’t dishonor Donoha sama.
His three customary items adorned him and he walked out to meet the Scorpion. At this point I explained my research and that I knew where to find the statue. Akiyama san seemed surprised but Donoha bowed and when he stood up, “Shànzi san we are in your care and shall follow your lead.” Off we headed into the city!
During the trek through the city Akiyama san noticed Donoha appeared distracted as though he was looking for something. When he queried him about it Donoha sama mentioned they we being watch and possibly followed. Either, Akiyama san is very new, or not all Scorpions are the great spymasters people think they are. The mask did a good job of hiding what appeared to be surprise, again just my opinion. After a few more streets Donoha blurted out, “Ah yes, this way.” While we exchanged looks the Lion and the Scorpion followed the Dragon.
About ten shaku down the alleyway he turned and stopped, looking past both of us. His head tilted slightly and as we turned in the direction of his gaze two Phoenix samurai rounded the corner and the four of us looked surprised. Donoha read the situation of the guard and his charge and just said, “Greetings Shiba san and Isawa san, how may we be of service today?”
The Isawa shugenja mentioned they were visiting the city of Phoenix governor, Isawa Fumihiko, because they two were trying the find the Statue of the Oracle of Air. The Shiba guard looked at his charged, “Why did you think following them would work?”
“It seemed like fun!”
Donoha told me later he had gotten lost in a memory just then as everyone talked and introduce themselves. Shiba Ogawa san’s and Isawa Kyoko’s personalities reminded him of time he spent playing with his sister, Kitsuki Hoshikiba. She would often act like Ogawa san and Kyoko san had a personality much closer to Donoha sama pre-gempukku.
Oddly enough, Donoha sama had not been trying to dismiss the bandit with the Mantis daisho when they said their sister was attending the Kakita blade academy of the Steel Gardens. It seems there was a bet between a Kakita and a Mirumoto pair of samurai. The Mirumoto in this case was aide to the Daimyo of Great Fall castle and the Kakita was an aide to the Daimyo of Kyuden Kakita.
They had agreed to swap children for each other’s schools. When the Mirumoto’s child was killed by bandits in the West Hub Village. Kitsuki Orochi offered one of his children to help fulfill the promise. Since Kistuki Hoshikiba was the acceptable age and had passed her gempukku, she set out the following morning with two Mirumoto guards whose mission it was to see her to her school, the Steel Garden, in Kyuden Kakita.
Donoha never met the Kakita samurai sent to study the Mirumoto’s Niten Style of swordsmanship. Truly, I’d love to meet the person sent from the Crane clan. Alas, that will have to be another tale for another time.
When he had snapped out of his reverie he overheard the Phoenix shugenja mentioning a nefarious set of nemurani known as the Bloodswords. One of them may have driven Shiba Kojiro mad? My lord asked if we should all just go see the statue together. They readily agreed mentioning a living descendant of Agasha Yuriko still resided in this city, but they had been unable to meet with her. So onward we went as a group.
We arrive in the stone courtyard to the beautiful statue that was suppose to be the Oracle of Air from roughly 350 years back. The crown, the hair, the statue was so life like. Donoha sama was nodding and mentioning he’d seen states like when he had visited Kyuden Doji during his gempukku. I don’t if he was aware he did this but a number of times when he remembers something from then. He runs his finger down the scar on his left cheek. I could see him having experiences that I was only just beginning to understand with the Emperor’s Gift. He mentioned that the sculpture was clearly the work of a shugenja that talked to the kami to get some areas like the hair and folds of the fabric.
When asked I provided the tools so he could paint the statue. Donoha sama looked up just three times yet he wielded that brush like a sword. He’d tied his sleeves back with a spare mint green raw silk sash. A warrior, investigator, and artist. I had a lovely time discussing stories with Shiba Ogawa san so he could keep his charge within eyesight. Kyoko san and Akiyama san were both discussing the myriad of tale variations surrounding Morikage Toshi.
After nearly one and a half hours of the day (META: 3 hours for us). He handed my tools and supplies back to me and return to the painting on the ground. “The three of you will want to keep these, because, after today if I am right the statue will never look the same. Before that I have questions for this living relative.” Then he tossed the painting in the air and drew his wakizashi and swung it twice severing the paper into three parts. The matching size smaller pieces he gave to Akiyama san and Kyoko san. The larger one he gave to me so we could remember the trip today.
When the day comes that I travel no more, I will always remember the faces of people that first hand experience the art my lord is capable of. Akodo Maki, Bayushi Akiyama, and Isawa Kyoko now share that wonder together. When Shiba Ogawa saw it he said, “How did he flatten the statue on to paper?”
Next, Donoha sama wanted to visit the descendant of Agasha Yuriko. When the two Phoenix said they had already tried he asked what happened. They said her monk attendant said she was unavailable. Donoha gestured for them to continue after an awkward silence.
Ogawa shrugged, “That’s it, we left.”
“You left,” asked Donoha?
Kyoko replied, “Yes.”
Donoha gestured with his arm, “I believe we should try again, please lead the way.”
Once we arrived at the home of Agasha Yuzuki sama, Donoha sama rang their welcome chime. It was suppose to alert people of guests and chase away spirits. My lord stepped back and waited for the door to slide open revealing the Brother of Shinsei attendant mentioned before.
Donoha bowed and dropped a verbal hammer on the monk, “We’re here to see the lady of the house about the Bloodsword.”
Perplexed and astonished the monk retorted, “Bloodsword?”
“The lady will know what it means, please take all the time you need. My companions and I will wait, right here, for as long as required.” Donoha sama then turned around and looked at everyone with a small grin. Hoto sama he’s really trying.
After a bit of time the door opened up and the monk bade us come inside. Those with katana were provided with stands and we removed our sandals for outside travel. Then we were led upstairs to a receiving room with nice, if hastily put together presentation. Soon Agasha Yuzuki joined us bringing a long case. Donoha sama had been sat closest to her with the Scoripion kept to the farthest distance. If Akiyama san was put off he did not show it.
Donoha sama had made sure to follow all the etiquettes required for such and impromptu gathering. We learned that Shiba Kojiro to was trying to break his wedding to Agasha Yuriko to marry into the Ikoma. It broke Agasha Yuriko’s heart and she died from it. Those children of that union had it rough but survived. When their mother began haunting Shiro Morikage the Phoenix called into the Kuni of the Crab but they were unsuccessful in dealing with the ghost.
Then came the curse of the Oracle of Air in the “tree that bleeds.” She removed a scroll from the long case and provided it to Donoha sama. On one side it bore the tree that bleeds with with a castle in the background. The reverse long set of Haiku written by the Oracel of Air – known as ‘The Song of Regret’ (後悔の歌 Kōkai no uta). The Song of Regret is a series of haiku, but my lord was also able to determine with one read that there were three larger sections. Each dedicated to Fear then Desire and lastly Regret. The form of haiku is represented in the whole song as well as its pieces, layered in expert form. It tells the story of her daughter’s life, death, and the curse of Morikage Toshi.
Kyoko was astonished she had not caught on when Donoha ask the matron about it. Yuzuki sama secure a promise that the scroll would be returned and they allowed us to take it so their ancestor may find peace. From there we headed to the Red tea house when Kyoko san and Ogawa san were staying. In the Phoenix Shugenja’s room with the group she provided two scrolls.
The first scroll was the story recounted here is but one version of how the Nothing – also known as the Shadow, the Living Darkness, or the Lying Darkness – was able to survive the naming of all things, and how it came to become allied with Lord Moon. Other tales of the Nothing’s origins circulate in hidden circles of Rokugani scholarship, or are whispered between crazed cultists of the Darkness, or can be gleaned from forgotten pages of Goju’s Celestial Agonies. In one version of the tale, the Nothing cloaked itself within something that had already been named: Shadow. Thus it escaped the attention of Onnotangu and Amaterasu, and thus was born its sinister affinity to darkness and shadows of all kinds.
In the second scroll another version was described. Onnotangu actually saw the Darkness hiding in the shadows. He spoke with it, and the Darkness whispered back that he should leave it unnamed…in case he ever felt the need to unmake what he had made. And Onnotangu, who even then noticed how much his wife loved the new world and felt the stirrings of jealousy in his heart, listened to the Darkness and allowed it to remain unnamed.
Donoha spotted a bound book, “If I help I want that Book of the Tao of Shinsei as a reward.”
Kyoko san asked, “You want my copy of the Tao of Shinsei?”
With a slight smile, “Yes, rewards should be handed out after quests.”
“What do I get in exchange?
“You may call upon me for a favor in the future.”
The Phoenix and the Dragon bowed to each other and I could tell the Scorpion felt like he now just here as a witness to events unfolding. Then he turn to the Scorpion and said he could call for an additional favor because this was entertaining. Mask or no mask Akiyama san was smiling.
Donoha mentioned we needed to hurry and get to the statue before the shadow of sunset hit. Off we headed and with maybe a half or quarter of the day left with sunlight on the statue Donoha sama climbed up to raised dais it was on. He was studying it and explaining everything about the statue and the shugenja artisans of the Crane from Kyuden Doji. Just before the rays left he said, “Yes, there you are!”
With two fingers one either side he LIFTED the stone crown off the statue! Once it was freed and lifted into the whole thing cracked and the golden crown was exposed as the stone veneer fell away! Everyone was stunned as he set it in the joint hands of Akiyama and Kyoko. We were about to leave them to figure out what they would do, but suggested they may want to join the caravan for a short time. The Phoenix agreed and will be staying in Donoha’s wagon short term. They said after Morikage Toshi they would return the scroll so Donoha’s word could be kept. What a day!
