Legend of the Five Rings: Season of the Bandit
 

Sanjuro walked across the wooden bridge. His neck itched so he scratched at it. It had been ten days since he last had a chance to bathe. His sandals clunked on the wooden bridge to Shiroi Kishi Mura. He allowed a few galloping unicorn bushi to pass, they obviously were on pressing business. He kept walking, peasants moved out of his way. Soon near the end of the bridge he came across a Crane clan samurai in an icy blue kimono with white hair.

"Stand aside ronin." The Kakita duelist said. Sanjuro could tell by his bearing what he was. "Know you place."

Sanjuro almost smiled. He set his basket aside, the armor inside clinking. He took off his sashimono And stood it against the railing. He then uncoiled his Kusari-gama from around his chest, and removed his Haori. He began to spin the weighted ball at the end of the chain in delibrate arcs.

"I am Magagumo, the deadly spider. Show me your stance."

"You would fight Kakita Shinzen with that weapon?" The Crane mocked Sanjuro.

Sanjuro growled "Don't tell me a mighty student of Kakita is afraid of a Kusari-gama." Sanjuro laughed mockingly at the Crane. The Crane assumed a fighting stance Sanjuro had seen before. The duelist was skilled. Sanjuro took his stance pointing the claw like blade of his weapon at the crane as he circled the chain over head. The Crane didn't know how to react to this stance so quickly he rushed, ready to draw his blade. (14 ; 12 Sanjuro goes first 18+9+8=35 Tn 20 +15=35 Damage 18+8=26) Sanjuro's kusari-gama whipped forward towards the cranes forward ankle The weighted chain wrapped tightly around the ankle and shatered the bones beneath it as Sanjuro pulled tightly on it, yanking the Kakita's feet from under him. Shinzen fell and landed on his head knocking him unconcious and a few teeth loose. (gain a glory point.)

Sanjuro moved toward the fallen kakita and with the sickle part located the crane's purse. He relieved him of 10 koku. (lose a glory point for stealing.)

"A costly lesson little Crane." Sanjuro said to the unconcious man jingling his new coins. A few more crane bushi arrived as Sanjuro put his haori back on. "When he wakes up, tell him not to not underestimate an opponent with an unfamiliar style. I won't be so lenient next time."

One of the cranes moved toward his swords. Sanjuro put his sashimono back on and picked up his basket. The basket clicked as his armor resettled in a new position. Sanjuro scratched his neck with the head of the kusari-gama. The other Crane stopped his friend and let Sanjuro enter the vilage. Sanjuro went to a near by tea house. He noticed a child no older than 14 had started following him. The child wore the swords of a samurai, he had the bearing of a ronin. "Join me for tea young samurai." Sanjuro said to the youth.

"I am Toku, my name is Toku." He said. He then turned and ran quickly down the street.

Sanjuro removed his banner and walked inside. He ordered a pot of tea and two cups.

Matt started his morning like he always did, wiping away the cold sweat that had formed over the night. The nightmare had preceded as normal, but it produced the same result every time. The ronin fumbled in with his morning vision, finally laying his hand on what he so desired, the sweet curve of his sake jug. Putting the opening to his lips he delighted as the liquid rushed over his lips, soaking his throat in a light burning that promised to take away the horrors of the night.

A knock came at the door, followed by a set of eyes attached to a female voice. "Uhm...mister, eer, its just, the room, I need to,"

"Stop it woman. Just, wait till I leave. And forget my name." Matt shouted. He was not in the mood to deal with maids sho couldn't pronounce his name. He got up from the room's bed, draping his armor on and strapping his swords on the belt. He lifted his bow and hung it and his quiver on his back. He looked at the discarded sake jugs, then found the three that were still full. He put these in the cabinet, then looped one onto his belt. He would need a holder soon.

"I know how much sake is in those jugs maid. Please don't take to my bad habit." Matt said as he stepped out the door. He walked down the steps, ending in the first floor of his temporary lodgings, the cheapest inn he could find in the Kishi Mura area. He noticed a man with tea for two, but did not think to intrude or question the fact. He sat down at the closest table and ordered himself a breakfast. Stomachs raised solely on alcohol breakfasts did not make for pleasant experiences.

ooc: Inn, there are no motels in a preindustrial society.

Sanjuro waited and an samurai in his thirties entered, flanked by Toku and four peasants, farmers by the look of them. Toku pointed at Sanjuro. The samurai moved toward sanjuro as he sipped his tea.

"Would you like some tea?" Sanjuro asked the samurai.

"Thank you, I am Kambei, I live on the southern shore of the lake. My friend Toku-san says you are a strong warrior."

"You flatter me Kambei-san," Sanjuro poured some tea into the cup. "I have heard of you talked about favorably. I am the Magagumo, my name is Sanjuro."

"A rice growing farm village between the southern shore of White Shore Lake and the spine of the world mountains along a mountain stream will come under attack by a group of bandits this fall. The vilagers have hired me to help them defend their homes and harvest. Would you be willing to help me. They can offer us little more than a roof over our head, fish and rice for our pot, and two koku's worth of rice. after the harvest. Will you be willing to help."

Sanjuro examined the samurai senseing no lies. "I'll consider the offer. Where can I get a hold of you, Kambei-san, when I have an answer?" Sanjuro sipped his tea.

"I'm at the Inn down the street." Kambei said. "Kampei!"

"Kampei!"

They saluted each other with their cups and drained the contents.

(OOC: Heh, sorry, changed it to inn. Are we all going to have to prove our worth to get this Kambei guy to notice us, or will he just be going around?)

Matt thanked the server as his breakfast was laid down in front of him. He viewed the new man and his entourage, trying to locate the man's name. He had heard it before, that he was sure of, but it had always been in conversations around him, lingering spectres of fact. He was sure he had never heard of a Magagumo, but resigned the interest to the background as he began to eat the food presented to him.

Tenshi sat near the village shrine, sitting and quietly meditating. watashi wa ka, sui, moku, boku no mugen...

The outside world comes crashing back to him, carried by the sound of several heavy footsteps. Opening his eyes, he sees a group of Bushi walking by, supporting a limping samurai between them. "Apparently there's a guest who's arrived. This should be fun, perhaps I should greet him." and make sure he's not a lion who might take offense to me
Tenshi stretches, popping his neck, before rising to his feet and walking towards the inn.
Arriving, he enters, seeing a ronin meeting with a samurai and several peasants, and a slightly dishevaled man at another table. Standing as tall as he could and feeling painfully aware that all present were at least a head taller than him, he waits til the samurai is finished, and approaches the ronin. "What brings you here, bushi sama, searching or hunting?" He bows slightly, awaiting a reply.

Sanjuro looked at the newcomer calmly. He sipped his tea. "My business is my own." he replied

Tenshi smiles slightly, then bows again, "As you wish, though if you are here hunting, do not expect an easy prey." He sits down in another seat, waiting on one of the servers.

Sunlight invaded Tsubasa's eyes. She had slept most of the trip on the road. As she closed her eyes to go back to sleep, one of the wagon wheels hit a rock and jostled, knocking Tsubasa in the head. It didn't hurt much, but at least she was awake, and she stood up to check what was ahead. The merchant driving the wagon turned back and noticed that his passenger was awake. His voice was rusty and old, but had a forced quality that Tsubasa found oddly inviting.

"This is where I stop to sell my wares, young lady. Then I go back. You're on your own here." Tsubasa nodded at his message. "Thank you very much, sir." He didn't respond, but her stomach did. Tsubasa frowned. "First order of business is breakfast, I guess." As the sun rose higher in the sky, she admired the village from the distance, which looked cozy and peaceful in the orange light of the early dawn.

Sanjuro left the tea house leaving the money he owed. he picked up his gear and moved toward Kambei's inn. The inn was filthy and probably had fleas in the bedding. Kambei was seated around the cooking fire spooning rice out of a pot near the fire. Sanjuro stopped and drew his sword. A sanrl on his lip

"An Ambush Kambei!?!" Kambei stood and bowed to Sanjuro. "Forgive me I needed to see your skill for myself. I appologize for the deception. Toku stepped out from the door fram holding a stick of fire wood like a club." Sanjuro resheathed his sword.He entered the inn

"I've considered your offer and it is something Shinsei would have done so I'll follow his example."

"Very good." The two samurai sealed the door and Kambei offered Sanjuro a bowl of Rice.

(ooc: it would be good if you auditioned infront of one of the peasants, toku, or Kambei)

Matt stifled a laugh at the eager new man. He laid his money on the table and passed out the door, into the sunshine of the new day. He readjusted his dai kyu, then strode to the stables to check on his horse.

"Wait up Matt." The ronin turned around, looking upon a trio of figures on horseback. Matt gave a smile as he saw the Unicorn symbol upon them. The leader of the troupe halted to a stop, bringing the other two aside him. "Well, if I live and breathe, its Matthew. Why, I haven't seen you since...since, was it training?"

"No Michael, I believe we conversed the night before the incident." Matt said.

"Ah, I had hoped that was just a vicious rumor. It seems that you've been getting along though." Michael commented, letting his eyes wander towards the jug on. He then turned to his two counterparts "Matt here used to be the best archer in our school."

"Used to be? I may have suffered a mortal loss, but I did not forget my skills Mike." Matthew quipped.

"Really Matthew? It has been sometime since you and I competed, and I was rather close to ousting you if I recall."

"Birds can come rather close to the Heavens and not even glimpse the gods, and I would set my bow that I am still the more skilled." Matthew said. To show this he took off his bow and drew his arrow.

"Well, I can't turn down a wager, especially for a bow as fine as that. If you do beat me, I guess I could get Kambei to grant you an audience. I can pull some favors to let your presence be told..."

"Then its set, enough talk." Matt plucked his bowstring lazily. Michael picked up on the hint and nodded to his fellows. They galloped down the lane, one stopping awhiles behind the other. Both drew two fans, one in each hand.

Michael dismounted, taking his own bow from his horse’s pack. “Till one misses, like the good old days.” Matt nodded, pulling the string back till it passed his eye. He focused on the brilliant colors of the fan, repositioned accordingly, and let his Ya fly. It pierced the folds of the middle, and he saw that Michael’s had followed suit. He shook it off, drew another arrow, and focused on the second fan. The target was smaller, made even smaller by its distance, but he did not panic. He let the wind wash over him, embracing the place where nothing mattered except for the bow’s push and the arrow’s path. The fan became a glaring marker, and his bow snapped as the arrow was shot forward, piercing the fan and exiting through to the house on its other side. He did not have to look when Michael shot, the disgust in his dueling partner’s voice made it apparent.

“Tell Kambei that I’ll be preparing my belongings at the inn.” Matt said simply as he put his bow back in its place. Mike sighed in an unspoken agreement.