Swords Crossed: Chapter 1: The Journey of a Thousand Miles ( closed, and started)

[Daystar Clarion]

"I'll go see to our business."

Amaya's gaze shifted slightly as the second woman scurried away. Really? For peaches? Fine.

"Will you be paying for those, miss? I assure you, it is quite expensive to hire a wagon, protection and help these days. Not to talk about the days of transportation. It is a fair price for two peaches, but now you want to rob me? Or do you mean to pay for that out of your own pockets?"

Her eye returned to the woman addressing her. "Yes, I'm sure the loss of two further peaches would bankrupt your little... enterprise." Amaya's arm still rested on the pommel of her katana, her hand relaxed, she had not given any indication that she planned on using it. Aren't we greedy...

The little girl still hadn't caught on to what was happening around her, hand still held in the air. "Miss? Miss? I'm ready for the next few peaches!"

Amaya noted as a cloaked man joined the crowd of customers.

"The girl has already supplied you with enough coin, but if you insist that it isn't enough..." She raised her hand slightly, pointing to the newest cloaked member of the crowd. "I'm sure this gentleman will pay the difference." Amaya's gaze did not shift from the woman's.

 

[NinjaDeathSlap]

"which means you must be here to join me, Shogun Sato?"

"Perhaps." Akira's master replied, not impolitely. "I am surprised you recognize me. Though I never knew your name before, that coat is not so easy to forget. The last time you saw me, however, my hair would have been dark, my features rather less lined, and I may have even been two inches taller in the bargain. Tell me, how is it that you are here, in search of an army? If memory serves, your departure from the Emperor's court was not amiable."

As Sato made their inquiries, Akira looked over his shoulder, back towards the stall outside. Another man stood their now. A man hard and lean, with two blades across his back and another at his boot.

'He makes no effort to hide his arms. Perhaps he is just another prospective recruit... I mislike his look though. I will watch him.'

Another man swaggered into view behind him. Another Westerner, but this one different to the others he had seen, with olive skin, hooked nose and black, matted hair. His face bore the scars of fears battle, and only a small ruin of mangled scar tissue remained where one of his ears should have been. Beneath his oddments of armour, his clothes were expensive, silks and satin. The man clearly did not care much for them though, as they were stained with sweat, drink, and blood, some stains looking far newer than others. The condition of the garb, and the way he wore it, spoke plainly that he had not brought it with his own coin, nor much cared who knew it. Akira's hand crept upwards towards his Naginata as the man burst into the Inn.

============================================================================================================================

Bashir had wandered the streets in a giddy daze until morning, drinking and whoring at every inn he stumbled across. Only now that the Sun dominated the sky did it occur to him that he would do well to leave the city. He did not fear the Yakuza, who were largely pulling out of the region as their strength was needed to march on Namako. However, the local authorities were not likely to take kindly to the four bodies he'd just left in the street. It was time to move on... after a couple of more drinks.

"Morning fellas!" he said jovially to the two, surly-looking Samurai who stood by the door as he burst into the Inn, his weapons clanking on his belt with every step. A third stood by a table, guarding his old greybeard of a master. The look of distaste he gave Bashir only served to make his grin wider, a leer that brought the scar parting his lips into sharper focus, as hideous as it was menacing. At the same table sat a monk, and white man with a huge mustache and a faded coat which once must have been dazzling in all its colours. A strange gathering.

"Are there any girls here?" Bashir asked aloud to nobody in particular, hoping that somebody would attend to his needs. He reached into his purse and drew out on of the coins he'd taken off the dead men. "If you can get me one that has teats bigger than grapes, that'd be fucking unprecedented for this country. I pay double for a pretty face too, but if that's me pushing my luck then I guess I can just turn them over."

Bashir laughed his harsh bark of a laugh, drinking in the dirty looks he received like Ambrosia.

 

[Sehnsucht Engel]

When Shirogane was pulled into the situation against his will, he was taken by surprise. When he understood what the problem was in the first place, he glared at Ayamine. They exchanged stares that could have been a whole conversation.

A little girl? Do you really have no scruples, woman? His first stare said.

Coin is coin. Was the answer he thought he got. It was the one he would have expected anyway.

Just give her what she wants. He tried to convey through a stare.

The stare he got back was a cold no. Damn iron will of the ancients. Well, she hadn't called for him to take out a child. They hadn't turned to that yet. The woman was a nuisance now. He understood that too. He'd need to get rid off her fast, or expect a loss in business because she was being too loud. He didn't want that. It would mean they might never be able to return to this city, or worse, that other customers would be showing up for her to pay them back for the coin she had overcharged them.

He'd deal with it. He even had an idea. Shirogane shook his head. "Miss, it is fine. The war takes a toll on everyone. It can't be easy to protect a caravan these days. I shouldn't have told my granddaughter that she could have gotten as many peaches as she wanted."

The woman had said the girl, so he could only hope that she had no relationship with her. Shirogane went over to the girl, and bent down. "Come on, we'll get more peaches. I know a friend." He ruffled her hair, then took her hand and dragged her away.

Meiya pocketed fruit all the time.

________________________________________________________________________________________________

Ayamine was getting irritated with Shirogane and how he stared at her, as if she could understand anything he thought. She just glared back, thinking no, as an answer to whatever his thoughts were. It was a matter of principle. She couldn't show herself weak in front of this many customers. She wouldn't.

The woman didn't seem to want to budge either, and Shirogane was wasting time. He spoke up, addressing her with an answer Ayamine thought was clever. He got the girl to leave, with the promise of more peaches. The woman shouldn't have any more complaints.

"See, miss, problem solved. Her grandfather is probably getting senile at his old age. Now, do you want to purchase something? Otherwise, I would appreciate it if you could please leave."

 

[Daystar Clarion]

Reiko squeaked slightly as a cloaked man surprised her.

"Come on, we'll get more peaches. I know a friend."

He was old, but not like Emmett. His breath smelled liked pears. Reiko hated pears. The strange man grabbed her upraised arm. "What? No, I don't know you. Emmett told me to never go with stra-" she said quietly before a thought crossed her mind. Of course, they must keep all the peaches in the back. The nice lady couldn't very well just hand them all over the counter, there were other people who wanted fruit too, like that nice lady in blue. "I understand now!"

============================================================

"Miss, it is fine. The war takes a toll on everyone. It can't be easy to protect a caravan these days. I shouldn't have told my granddaughter that she could have gotten as many peaches as she wanted."

Amaya raised an eyebrow, a rare display of surprise on her part. Clever...

If it weren't for the fact she saw the girl leave the inn across the way, it just might have worked.

"What? No, I don't know you. Emmett told me to never go with stra- I understand now!

Now she was definitely unconvinced the man was who he claimed to be. Her hand tightened around the pommel of her sword as she slowly moved, keeping the girl in view as the man took her around the side of the stall.

"See, miss, problem solved. Her grandfather is probably getting senile at his old age. Now, do you want to purchase something? Otherwise, I would appreciate it if you could please leave."


Amaya gave the woman one last fleeting look of contempt before she continued to keep an eye on the moving pair.

"Bloody merchants." She said quietly to herself.

 

[The Funslinger]

"Tell me, how is it that you are here, in search of an army? If memory serves, your departure from the Emperor's court was not amiable."

Smoke blew from Emmett's nostrils as he chuckled. "Oh, you remember that, do you?" How much did the man know? He wondered if this Shogun knew why he'd fallen out with Pao in the first place.

"Well, the size of the group I'm likely to gather won't be anywhere near an army, certainly. But a few skilled warriors, perhaps in unconventional in their methods can have great effect, no? As for why I am doing it, well... it's complicated and unimportant."

As he spoke, he ran his eyes over the new arrivals. One was patchily dressed, and screamed uncouth and untrustworthy a mile off, but his array of weapons and... stains was very convincing that in other ways, he was very much the sort of man Emmett was looking for.

The other... the other caught Emmett's eye. Even while walking, the young man moved with an unnatural fluidity, as though every position was poised for attack, like a wolf or snake. Two swords were slung over his back. No guards, and the hilts blended into the sheaths. Shirasaya, unless he missed his mark. The man's expression was almost blank, with a faint trace of polite curiosity. Despite the stiffness of his right leg, Emmett whirled his legs from the table and levered to his feet in a swift motion. "Ah, more for the cause. You two are here to put your weapons to work?" Truthfully, he supposed these two had likely wandered in by chance, but presumption was a great opener in these situations. There was only the faintest of pauses before the young man with the two Shirasaya nodded, and said softly, "yes, that's why I'm here."

"Well, by all means, take a seat," Emmett replied, snatching up his mahogany walking cane and taking hold of its silver handle. "Get to know these others," he gestured to Sato and Akira, "I will be just a moment. There's a small matter I must attend to."

With cane in hand, he moved swiftly between the two men, and through the door, flicking ashes from his pipe before pocketing it. Where the devil was Reiko? He glanced around, and just saw one of her deep swinging braids disappear around the corner of the stall. Knuckling his moustaches in apprehension, he moved after her, swiftly.

=============================================================

When the old man disappeared out the door, Mujo moved to the bar. Odd, he thought. When he got the barkeep's attention, he politely asked for a cup of goat milk, gently placing a copper rinyu on the table.

 

[Sehnsucht Engel]

Shirogane moved around another house, to where he had told Meiya to retreat in case of a robbery. If the worst come to pass, he would have distracted any robbers to the other side of town, while the girls made their getaway with the gold. He found her leaned against the corner. Her chest was heaving, a sign that she was nervous. She calmed down when he showed up. The stall was nearby, but they couldn't see it from where they stood.

"Meiya, give me all the peaches you have."

"I don't have that many, sir. And those I do have, they're not in the best shape." She said, while looking at the girl he was dragging with him.

"Come on, I helped you sew rather large pockets into that dress." He said, gesturing for her to give him whatever she would have on her.

"Fine then, sir, but I was going to make dinner." She said, then reached into her pockets.

"With peaches?" He wasn't even sure if that would taste good or not. "I'm sure we'll be fine." Especially if she keep insisting on taking as much gold as she can from everyone. He thought to himself.

Meiya took out one peach, two, three. Shirogane removed one of his many pieces of cloth, and made her put them in it. He didn't think the girl could carry much more than she was holding at the moment. In the end, he had a makeshift sack with seven peaches in it. The maid had been picking up apples and pears too, mistaking them for peaches, but putting them back in her pockets.

"That dress must be heavy." He said, staring at the content of his sack.

"Very, sometimes."

He nodded in an understanding manner. "Thank you, Meiya, and I apologize for questioning your ability to carry crates before." He joked.

Shirogane had let go off the girl a while ago, now he bent down in front of her and smiled. "Little miss, this is all the peaches you'll get. I hope you will find them tasty, even if they're a bit old."

 

[The Funslinger]

"Little miss, this is all the peaches you'll get. I hope you will find them tasty, even if they're a bit old."

Emmett sidled around the corner, to see Reiko holding a bulging piece of cloth. "Oh, there you are. I was starting to get worried, child." He moved up beside her, and cautiously eyes the man in front of him.

"And... who might you be?"

 

[NinjaDeathSlap]

"Huh?" It was on the tip of Bashir's tongue to tell the strange whitey to go fuck himself with a fish-hook. He wasn't holding a drink and he didn't have a hole between his legs, so he was of no interest to Bashir; until the part of his brain that was still sober pointed out that this could be just the ticket he was looking for, he tucked his thumbs into his belt and reassured his grin.

"Might be I am, if the coin is worth my wh-"

But the man had already left. Who the fuck does that? Offering a job and then fucking off before anyone has a chance to accept? Shaking his head, Bashir made a beeline straight for the bar. When the other man who had entered after him had gone.

"Oi." he addressed the barkeep rudely, slamming some coins down on the table as he did so. "Sake. Now."

Beyond that, he said nothing apart from derisively snort when the quiet man with the two swords next to him recieved a cup of goat's milk. A grown man, armed, ordering goat's milk?! What was the world coming to?

===============================================================================================================================

Nathan watched, and listened. As the altercation at the stall unfolded. He had thought for a second that he was about to witness a showdown, a prospect that he found equal parts horrifying and terribly exciting. What had actually happened though, was the strange man who had shot more than one knowing glance at the vendor, half walked and half dragged the little girl round the back of the Inn, promising more peaches. Now that was sinister.

'Don't get involved.' a voice of reason inside his head whispered. 'You're a stranger here. You'll only make it worse. Writing about hero's doesn't make you one!"

It was a voice that sounded, cruelly, like his father's. Hearing those tones again sometimes made Nathan feel so bitter, that he would actively go against his sense of reason and do something willingly stupid just to spite the voice. This was serious however. He could get himself killed. He could get someone else killed! Besides, the Inn was filling up now, as Nathan had wanted (even if that one Middle Eastern fellow had looked particularly unsavory, and then man who had followed him, the one with the blades on his back, had made Nathan uneasy in a way he couldn't quite put his finger on. At that moment, another European, like himself, dressed in a tattered, multi-coloured coat, exited the Inn and began to pursue the man who had walked off with the little girl. Nathan looked down at his scribbles, at the first Haiku he had written about the little girl...

He followed.

 

[Daystar Clarion]

Reiko started to worry as the man guided her down the alley, but then she recognised the other lady she saw at the stall. She watched curiously as the old man talked to the woman. They were talking about her peaches.

"Little miss, this is all the peaches you'll get. I hope you will find them tasty, even if they're a bit old."

Reiko smiled, "It's okay, even old things can be sweet, just like..."

"Oh, there you are. I was starting to get worried, child."

"Emmett!" She cried out. She turned towards him and held up her new bag, full of fruit. "I got so many peaches, look, some of them are a little wrinkly, like you!" She turned back towards the two people from the stall, the bag held tightly against her chest, and bowed deeply, he braids touching the ground. "Thank you!"

============================================================================

Amaya, was quite a distance from the alley, she couldn't hear anything that was being said, but the situation seemed to be resolving itself.

The white man in brightly coloured clothes seemed to be related to this child in some way, at least, judging by the expression on the child's face as he approached. The other white man though, a man taking notes...

Hmmm.

 

[Sehnsucht Engel]

A man, in his own age, appeared from behind the corner. He apparently knew the girl, and she knew him. It may be her real grandfather then. He looked at Shirogane with caution.

"And... who might you be?"

"I am Shirogane Takeru." He said, and bowed politely. "This is Mitsu.. My boss's maid, Meiya." He said, nodding in Meiya's direction. She curtsied, but stayed quiet. "We were just trying to avoid causing any major headaches for my boss. It wasn't your girl's fault, but someone else that kept provoking us. I didn't mean to harm your granddaughter or anything."

Shirogane felt like he owed the man an explanation. He couldn't go grabbing children off the street, without consequences, but he'd rather it didn't turn worse than it was.

 

[NinjaDeathSlap]

Nathan kept his distance, unsure how to proceed. The girl had run to the European man in a colourful coat, and the other man appeared to be talking amicably with him. However, Nathan had seen the looks that same man wore when his 'business partner' and been harassed before, and they were not looks that he had liked. If things went sour here, then it was one grown man and one grown woman, against an old man and a little girl. Nathan wasn't sure if things were looking so good here; and while he knew he was no fighter, nobody else need know that for the moment. Just maybe, the sight of another grown man, in his physical prime, would be enough to make these two thieves slink away.

He hoped.

Nathan strode down the alleyway, with shoulders back to make the most of his height, and hopefully to make in look a bit more solidly built. He came to a halt just off the European mans shoulder.

"Is there a problem here?" he asked firmly, hoping to sound a lot braver than he felt.

===============================================================================================================================

Akira disliked the company this Inn was drawing, he disliked the vague manner in which the Westerner had answered the Shogun's question, and he disliked how said Westerner had dismissed himself most of all.

"Master Sato." He whispered in the old man'd ear, I do not think we should linger here. How do we know that Mister Smythe is not trying to round up all who would fight for the Emperor, so the Yakuza can fall on us all and kill us in one fell swoop?"

Kazuki Sato smiled, and whispered back. "I have spent half my life at the Imperial Court, among schemers and liars. Emmett Smythe is a dangerous man, in his own way. I would not turn my back on him, but in this, I do not see betrayal. Besides, I grow tired of the Exile's life, don't you?"

Akira wasn't sure how to answer that question. As long as Sato lived, Akira would serve faithfully, fiercely, and without regret, as would all of the men that followed him. Akira did not intend to outlive his master. What did it matter that they were forced to wander? What did it matter that sometimes their palace had been under a tree, or in a ditch at the roadside? Akira did not want for material comforts, the hardship had only toughened his resolve. However, he could not say that Sato was wrong either. For years it had seemed that, no matter what their ragged band of veterans did, no matter how hard they fought, that they bled honour every day that they had no place to call home. Men still treated the Sato name with respect, to his face, but Akira had heard the whispered sniggers of the 'Beggar Shogun', and they enraged him. Would winning back their home remove that taint, after all these years?

"I defer to your wisdom, my lord." He said. It seemed the most diplomatic response he could think of.

 

[The Funslinger]

"I got so many peaches, look, some of them are a little wrinkly, like you!"

Emmett opened his mouth, and then closed it for lack of speech, blowing at his moustaches in a put upon fashion as he hoisted the girl onto his shoulder. He was still strong enough to do that.

"Is there a problem here?"

"Oh, I'd say things are resolving themselves quite nicely," Emmett replied. Turning back to the man who had given Reiko the fruit, he said, "well, I don't suppose I can let your generosity go unpaid," he said, taking a bronze rinyu from inside his coat and flicking it to the man, who caught it deftly. "Now, I hate to be so rude, but I'm afraid I have some rather impatient associates I ought to be getting back to."

=======================================================

Mujo heard the other man snort at him, sipping the milk, but ignored it. He wondered idly what had made this old European who would supposedly employ him suddenly dash off like that. He supposed it was none of his business. But he ought to make conversation. Glancing at the man who had snorted at him, he said, "I wonder where the old man ran off to. It'll be annoying to have to find another job."

 

[Sehnsucht Engel]

He caught the coin. Ayamine would enjoy that he managed to sell some of the older peaches too, which she'd have prefered to keep out of her business, to maintain a good reputation.

"Now, I hate to be so rude, but I'm afraid I have some rather impatient associates I ought to be getting back to."

"Oh, I understand. In fact, I should probably do the same." He snapped his fingers at Meiya, when he realized that Ayamine had been left alone for too long. The maid curtsied, then hurried back to her mistress. "We're not on the road yet, but you never know what kind of scum exists in the city either."

Shirogane looked at the newcomer when he said the last sentence. Who was that man anyway? Attempting to buff himself up and appear frightening, as if Shirogane hadn't seen enough battle in a lifetime, to be able to tell who was a mean fighter and who couldn't fight worth shit.

"It was nice meeting you two. Maybe our roads will cross again." He nodded, then figured he'd lingered too long. He turned around in the direction of the inn, and their wagon next to it.

 

[NinjaDeathSlap]

"I dunno. Probably taking a piss or something." Bashir grunted in reply, before taking a hearty swig of Sake. He probably wasn't, but Bashir didn't much care, so long as the man came back and made good on his offer before Bashir got bored and left.

===============================================================================================================================

"Well then..." Nathan replied, now slightly lost. "That's, good. Yes, very good. You... have a nice day now."

'Smooth.' quipped his voice of reason. 'Start as you mean to go on now why don't you.'

So Nathan had to wait, in the alley, alone, half-wishing that the ground would just swallow him up, until enough time had passed that it would no longer seem like he was following these complete stangers, before he turned and made for the in, slump-shouldered.

 

[roushutsu]

Shiori walked through the city, keeping her eyes open for anyone that might be able to help her. When she reached the market square, she noticed a scene at a stall over some peaches. It wasn't her place to question what had led to it, but what did catch her attention was the kind of people that were there. Several of them were wearing weapons. Samurai? Or maybe ronin?

One particularly older gentleman in colorful garb made his way to the stand, and a little girl ran to his side.

"Now, I hate to be so rude, but I'm afraid I have some rather impatient associates I ought to be getting back to."

It's him! The one who is planning to go to Namako! And it seemed as if the group was starting to take shape. She had to hurry to them before she lost her chance.

============================================================================

Emilio stepped back as the little girl asked for peaches, which looked like it was somehow going to lead to a scuffle. But when another fellow European arrived and helped calm things down, he was transfixed by his coat. It was full of the brightest colors that stood out even among the numerous kimonos and robes the people around him were wearing. That attire would have looked horrendous on anyone else, but this man looked dignified. Something so grand out of something so simple.

"Signore in cielo... He would make a beautiful subject!" He quickly reached into his bag and pulled out a sketchbook. With a small piece of charcoal in hand, he began drawing the scene the before him. Others around him might have thought he was out of his mind, but he wouldn't let this artistic vision slip by!

But as soon as the man arrived, he left, lost among the crowd. Emilio sighed, "I wish he could have stayed a little longer." He was able to sketch a very rough figure of the man, pouring most of his focus into the folds and contours of the coat he wore. It should be enough to serve as a basic reference for his painting.

 

[Green Shoes]

Tao watched as several scenes unfolded before him, his eyes wide and puzzled. He had never seen such a congregation of strangers. Yet there was one who caught his eye; a small westerner, who clearly had the skill of literacy. Standing up, he passed the loud, olive one, whispering to him as he went.

Moderation, my friend.

He had seen most of the group walk outside, and he had just opened the door when he spied Nathan, walking slumped back towards the inn. Smiling he greeted him, keeping the door open.

"Why so glum? Has there been some unhappy-happening outside? What did I miss?"

Having spied several warriors and folks of perhaps ill-will, Tao hoped to come across as both friendly, and non-threatening.

 

[The Funslinger]

Emmett came back through the tavern door with Reiko on his shoulders. "Alright, gentlemen. Apologies for the delay. If you could all gather round the table, we may discuss the matter at hand." Coming to a stop, he set Reiko down in the chair next to Sato, and stood behind it, with his hands on the chair back.

This was turning out easier than he had expected. Assuming these men had the skill they seemed to claim, he had the makings of the group he had been dispatched to form. As well as Sato's men, he now had some more unconventional warriors, including that strange ronin with the unguarded swords.

Ronin. He wondered idly if that mutilated woman in the street had been one. With a katana and tanto, she certainly had the equipment of one. How strange...

 

[NinjaDeathSlap]

"Why so glum? Has there been some unhappy-happening outside? What did I miss?"

'Only my attempts at being a good Samaritan.' Nathan thought bitterly. 'A tragedy in its own way, though less climactic.'

Moping in from of strangers was unseemly however; so Nathan stood up straight again, and fixed on a polite, if somewhat half-hearted, smile.

"Oh no, nothing worth noting." he replied, stepping through the threshold. "Just a misunderstanding is all. Please to meet you by the way. My name is Nathan Winters."

===============================================================================================================================

"Alright, gentlemen. Apologies for the delay. If you could all gather round the table, we may discuss the matter at hand."

Akira merely nodded discreetly, saying nothing. He took a moment to steal a glance at the little girl as she was sat next to Kazuki, and frowned disapprovingly. Was this a war council, or a creche? Had they come here to march against usurpers, traitors and thugs, or to play nurse to little girls and mad old men in silly cloaks?

============================================================================================================================

Bashir, on the other hand, once he had half-swaggered, half-stumbled over to the table, too one look at Reiko and burst out laughing.

"When I said I wanted a girl, she wasn't quite what I had in mind." he sniggered, grinning insolently at Reiko and Emmett both.

 

[Daystar Clarion]

Reiko looked over her shoulder just before Emmett entered the the inn, she saw the lady in blue. She wanted fruit too, but it doesn't look like she has any.

Reiko quickly grabbed a peach from her bag and gently tossed it to the lady, waving as she entered the inn.

=========================================================================

Amaya watched as the girl exited from site, her expression unchanged. She looked down at the peach in her hand, it looked like it had seen better days.

She brought it up to her mouth, smelling it slightly before she took a small bite. Still good. Amaya turned to leave, stopping slightly to look up at the sign of the inn. It was the name of the place she had heard yesterday, in the inn she stayed at that night. A European was mentioned, was that man in the coloured robes the patron mentioned? Perhaps.

Oh well.

She took a few steps before she took another bite of the peach, pausing. She smiled ever so slightly before turning around and making her way into the inn.

 

[The Funslinger]

"When I said I wanted a girl, she wasn't quite what I had in mind."

"Well, I wouldn't put it past you," replied Emmett mildly, before continuing. "The job in question takes place quite some distance away. During the travel, there won't be pay, as such, but I have sufficient money to cover living expenses for the time on the road. When we reach our destination, however, the job will be long and bloody. But with as much rinyu as any of you are likely to possess in your lifetime as payment. On top of that, I'd say in a time like this, having someone pay for your meals for two weeks or so is rather advantageous, wouldn't you say?"

He was aware of a pair of eyes on his back, and he suspected who they belonged to. He continued, "however, I'm afraid you must agree to the job in question before you learn the details. If that is too much of a gamble, then leave now."