[D10, LE] At the Sign of the Green Dragon

Kakita Masahiko · **Joined:** Sun Apr 19, 2020 5:04 am **Posts:** 272

He smiled and nodded.

"There was some discussion of that in my family. My mother's side was Daidoji, and two of her grandparents were Hida, so we suspect that's where it was from. Also, my father's brother is quite tall. But none of my brothers have quite the same stature."

Kaiu Maiya · **Joined:** Tue Apr 14, 2020 6:43 am **Posts:** 878

Maiya topped up the Crane's sake cup. "Been on the Wall then? You'd be very welcome there. You're big enough to throw a Kaiu rock instead of our catapults." She joked.

Kakita Masahiko · **Joined:** Sun Apr 19, 2020 5:04 am **Posts:** 272

Masahiko laughed warmly. "No, no time on the Wall for me. I was assigned to the embassy here in Nikesake right after gempukku. But I imagine you and your cousin have seen some wild things in your time down south, neh?"

Yasuki Yukarin · **Joined:** Wed Apr 01, 2020 9:22 pm **Posts:** 802

Yukarin listened carefully... or at least as carefully as one did when drinking sake in a tavern. She hadn't heard a ton about the Wall, truthfully; Even if she'd had a month or so in Crab lands, they were admittedly Yasuki lands, the farthest Crab lands from the Wall both physically and in every day goings on.

Yogo Aya · **Joined:** Sun Apr 05, 2020 12:42 am **Posts:** 719

Aya perked up a bit at the Crane's words.

"Ah, monster stories from the Wall?" she asked. "Now that sounds terribly interesting. I'd be curious to know what you've been up against that matched up to those Tsuno."

Kaiu Maiya · **Joined:** Tue Apr 14, 2020 6:43 am **Posts:** 878

"Hai. Crazy." Maiya responds, topping up her own cup. And she said nothing more.

At least until Aya chimed in.

"Ogres. Except, they're harder to kill. Need to waste jade on them." She glanced between the Scorpion and the Crane expecting them to scoff.

Yogo Aya · **Joined:** Sun Apr 05, 2020 12:42 am **Posts:** 719

Kaiu Maiya wrote:

"Hai. Crazy." Maiya responds, topping up her own cup. And she said nothing more.

At least until Aya chimed in.

"Ogres. Except, they're harder to kill. Need to waste jade on them." She glanced between the Scorpion and the Crane expecting them to scoff.

Aya looked bored.

"Ogres? Really, that's the craziest you've faced? I thought Crab lands were known for really weird monsters. Ogres are just big, tough, and strong. I mean, c'mon, I've fought a kamaitachi, and these little maneuver in extended retreating is the most I've seen outside of Scorpion lands." she scoffed.

Kaiu Maiya · **Joined:** Tue Apr 14, 2020 6:43 am **Posts:** 878

"You asked what was comparable to the tsuno." You didn't ask what was the craziest I've faced. Scorpion twist everything. You were right sensei. Maiya refocused on her cup, draining more of it again.

With Aya boasting about her exploits and downplaying the danger of ogre the Kaiu decided she was probably a braggart and a fool. She moved to top up the Scorpion's cup. "What's a kamaitachi like in combat? Did it kill a few of those you were with?" The only stories she'd heard about them were that they were mythical weasels that could cut with the power of the wind.

Kakita Masahiko · **Joined:** Sun Apr 19, 2020 5:04 am **Posts:** 272

For his part, Masahiko listened with rapt attention. Ogres and jade. Interesting. Extended retreating, though...is she referring to the campaign the Lion are waging? She must be.

"Fighting on favorable ground is a major tenet of Leadership, Yogo-sama. And it would seem to have some merit, given today's events."

Yogo Aya · **Joined:** Sun Apr 05, 2020 12:42 am **Posts:** 719

Aya took the cup and downed it.

"Well, certainly nothing I or the Crab at this table would need to worry about." she said. "The magistrate and Masahiko-san would definitely need to invest in better shin armor though. I mean, if you can't get Kaiu made, at least find an armorer that knows not to cut corners. Norikami certainly didn't and he certainly didn't find it funny....especially after the creature's venom wore off."

She refilled her own cup because she wanted to toast.

"To those who gave their life for their Duty. May Emma-O judge them kindly. Kampai!" she offered.

Then she turned her attention to the Crane ninja who'd spoken up.

"Hai, certainly. Critters tend to know that better than even samurai. You'll never see a monster leave it's habitat to fight on unfavorable ground."

Kaiu Maiya · **Joined:** Tue Apr 14, 2020 6:43 am **Posts:** 878

Except every monster that approaches the wall. She held back a long groan. Instead, she lifts her cup stoically.

"Kampai."

Like the Scorpion she too downed this one.

Kakita Masahiko · **Joined:** Sun Apr 19, 2020 5:04 am **Posts:** 272

Masahiko, suddenly self-conscious, cast his mind's eye to his armor stand back at the embassy. Are my shin-guards sub-standard? Must check into this.

He then casually looked over to the Crab, trying to get a sense of what theirs were like.

Hnnn....

But then there was a toast! "Kampai!"

He almost missed the Scorpion's reply, but he had a rejoinder. "The Tsuno seem to have done so. And of course all of these spirits from Toshigoku. If only they held to Akodo's teachings as well as they profess to, neh?"

Soshi Tameaki · **Joined:** Fri Apr 17, 2020 9:36 pm **Posts:** 234

Tameaki shakes his head.

"Human monsters are enough for me, thanks," he says. "The depths of depravity hidden behind all-too-familiar features... Beasts are terrible, yes, but they're twisted and evil from birth. There's something truly horrible about those who could have been the best Ningen-do has to offer, yet who have chosen to become the servants of foulness."

Yogo Aya · **Joined:** Sun Apr 05, 2020 12:42 am **Posts:** 719

Aya did not consider internally sighing Crabs. She did, however, consider the words of the Crane and the Scorpion.

"Heh. You two are in agreement it seems. The bulk of the forces assailing the city, excepting things like flaming bulls and Tsunos falling from the sky.....long long ago, they were all human. Not all samurai, but a good number of them. They had parents who raised them, sensei who taught them, leaders who sent them off, and comrades they fought beside. They all had the guidance of Leadership and the Tao, and many other wise words. And yet despite all that, somewhere they lost themselves in the thrill of killing. Of giving into their rage until it defined their world."

She considered her cup.

"So much so, that when they finally died, Emma-O had no choice but to condemn them to an eternity of battle in Toshigoku. Centuries and centuries of unending slaughter. And now thanks to some truly unfortunate decisions by people, they've come back to the Empire to do their level best to turn it into an extension of Toshigoku itself. An endless field of slaughter."

She smiled at the Crabs.

"Hopefully there are no such persons in our current forces. Death is one thing, but an eterinity of damnation is quite the other."

Kaiu Maiya · **Joined:** Tue Apr 14, 2020 6:43 am **Posts:** 878

The Soshi had some sense. The Lost were terrible opponents.

Aya's little speech caught her attention, but she didn't understand why the Yogo was looking at her and the other Crab at the end. I like fighting, not killing. She just stared at the Scorpion for a few moments before having some more sake.

"Anyone else speak to the nun Kayou? She helped liberate Shiro Hiruma. Approached me earlier today for armour. Good to have heroes like her defending the City, ne?"

Soshi Tameaki · **Joined:** Fri Apr 17, 2020 9:36 pm **Posts:** 234

"I saw her but once...," Tameaki says slowly, "...when her body was brought back from the front."

Kaiu Maiya · **Joined:** Tue Apr 14, 2020 6:43 am **Posts:** 878

Well shit. Maiya's lips open but no sound comes out. The news had put her into a sudden foul mood.

Closing her mouth she nods as she reaches for the sake bottle. Slamming the table with her other hand she shouts out for another bottle from the Green Dragon staff before topping up her cup.

Soshi Tameaki · **Joined:** Fri Apr 17, 2020 9:36 pm **Posts:** 234

"Kayou, Matsu Mogami, Asako Kashiwagi, all gone," he says solemnly. "Possibly Matsu Tani, as well, although I didn't see her body recovered. They shall be remembered."

Despite the pain, Tameaki raises his cup to toast the fallen.

Yogo Aya · **Joined:** Sun Apr 05, 2020 12:42 am **Posts:** 719

Aya tilted her head a bit at that.

"Interesting. I wouldn't have expected them to be able to recover their bodies. I wonder if this is more evidence of the intellect controlling and directing the enemy. They were turned once before. If they were truly no better than a toshigoku spirit, they would simply mindlessly run at perceived enemies until defeated. Allowing recovery of the dead indicates it's more complicated than that." she mused, with the same tone of voice when confronted with a slightly interesting puzzle. But there was definitely no grief or sympathy for the dead heroes, now zeroes.

She does at least lift her cup as the magistrate gets his up.

Kakita Masahiko · **Joined:** Sun Apr 19, 2020 5:04 am **Posts:** 272

Masahiko raises his cup as well, the Crane's warmth partly diminished.

My brothers would know what to say at a time like this. Some Crane I am.

[D10, LE] At the Sign of the Green Dragon

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