Hidden 8 yrs ago 8 yrs ago Post by Little Bill
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The group had cleared eleven miles of forests in the past night. They had started their escape sprinting through the thick brush, running when they could not sprint, walking when they could not run, and finally limping when they could not walk. They had not stopped once since their escape began, nor had they spoken a word in hours. Each had been pushed to their physical limit once and then again throughout the entire night, and the group looked as if they had been worked for a fortnight. They had been running for more of the journey than they had walked, either within sight of the pursuing soldiers or just a hill past them, though they ultimately seemed to have escaped. The soldiers, after all, were motivated by duty, while the prisoners were motivated by fear.

That was when the path had been lit by torchlight and guards were close enough to slash their ankles. They had been full of fear and adrenaline then. Now, they were full of nothing. They were miles ahead of their pursuers, though this meant they were beginning to feel the effects of their journey and come down from the fight-or-flight rush that had granted them their escape. Each was drenched in sweat, with pains deep into the bones of their shins and faces riddled in bites from gnats, which proved themselves all but invisible at night.

It was now just dawn, and the chill of the night air was slowly beginning to be enveloped by the morning's first rays of sun. On the horizon was their destination -- Nezumi Village. It was unexceptional in terms of use as a hideout, too big to be remote and too small to blend in, though its control by the yakuzai and other criminals meant that they would at least be further away from the Empire. There was that, and in the heat of their escape, the fact that only one member of the group knew a close enough town.

"See? It was practically a midnight ramble through the garden. If we had brought some cakes, it would have been like a long hike, eh?" The guide gestured ahead, chuckling weakly though his panting. He had a crouched over stance, originally only slumping forward from exertion, though he now walked on all fours instead, hopping and pulling himself ahead on his hands bit by bit like an ape. He claimed to have first learned of Nezumi village during his adolescence, smuggling sleepsalt hidden in his mule's feedbag, and it seemed clear to the observer that the town hadn't improved much since. The log wall surrounding the town was covered in inky scrawlings of different gangs claiming ownership of territory, crossed out by different shades of ink by their rivals over and over, in enough layers to cover all of the natural wood. The only bare part of the wall was the gate, which bore the mon of the Tarabagani-Gumi yakuzai family -- Two symmetrical black crabs with interlocking claws, opposite one another. It was not obstructed by graffiti at any of its points, separated by thick gap from the chaotic layers of gang tags like a shark surrounded by schools of fish.

The escapees slowly marched onward, each at the same tired pace, panting and groaning all the while. Behind the group's de facto guide was a slender, white-haired woman, huffing with each step, soldiering onward through gritted teeth. To her side was an older looking man, who seemed more pushed to his limits than any of his companions, who had taken to leaning on a sturdy branch he had picked up to use as a cane for the last few miles. He did not look ahead with the rest of the group, but straight at his feet, gasping with a shaky uncertainty that threatened to topple him at any moment.

Behind him, were two younger, darker featured Tsukihito -- A man in a blue kimono, who seemed more upset than tired, and a redhaired woman with a much less dour expression than her counterpart. All things considered, though their escape had been hours of torturous running through the darkness, the woman had every right to smile. They had escaped transport to Okinakabe, a salt-mine based prison known for its braggadocios claim that their prisoners were the only in Tsukishima to live unchained, though this was only due to the prison's dangerous subterranean quarters. Few in the group were of the same faith, though it was inarguable that each knew they had escaped hell. At the end of their group was a young priestess, whose white and cardinal robes now seemed as if they were stained grey and blood red from the hours the woman had spent forcing herself to run. Of the six of them, only she and the white haired woman carried swords.

"Once we're there we," The guide at the front muttered through his gasping. "Can just find a nice, barn or something, to sleep in."

Hidden 8 yrs ago Post by Quinntessential
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Quinntessential Entirely too excited.

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Hakayama Kusai bristled at the sight of the Yakuza heraldry adorning the gates. She recognized the gang and immediately connected where they were with the many things she'd heard about the place. She curled her lip in disgust, giving a glare at the guide for bringing them here. For the first time in her life, she was absolutely thrilled that her kimono was caked with mud and covered in road filth. She could easily buy a new one, and take some money to stitch her Mon into the sleeves once more. The problem would be the Yakuza. If she were recognized, it could turn into a bloody fight. On top of that, she was absolutely exhausted. While she relished the idea of dying in a glorious battle against some mighty foe, the thought of being beaten to death in the mud by illiterate gangsters made her stomach turn.

"...and how do you expect they're going to let us in, hmm?" she turned to their guide, only barely managing to stand straight. Her stance was shaky and weak, but she did everything she could to keep composed. "Arrangements with the gang, maybe? Once we're in, we're going to have a hard time finding a barn to inconspicuously hide the group of us..."

She pulled the small belt sash off for a moment, sifting through it's contents. The magistrates had confiscated their gear before the escape. The woman she was locked up with, Kagura, had cleverly found the stash and ensured that no one lost any personal belongings while they ran. She found a sack that clicked with the familiar jingle of coins and fished out a few. It wasn't a lot, but it might be able to buy them cheap rooms and an actual meal. She counted out the coins and gave a thought on the value of sharing with the rest of the group. Looking at them, all tired, all criminals now, she couldn't help but a bit mixed about providing them with anything. Still, they helped her escape. Even if her fate was a gilded cage compared to the salt mines, living with the pig that wanted her hand in marriage would not make her life pleasant. She'd be little more than a toy to him - something to use and get heirs out of. She'd die first. No, her present company earned a bit of a reprieve.

The coin jingled in her hand. With a sigh, she handed it to their guide.

"Get us in, get us rooms, get us food. No reason we need to live like animals...not after we've been chased like ones for the night." She turned and headed towards the back of the group. It hurt her pride, but she knew she couldn't risk being identified. If they did...well...she very likely would get everyone travelling with her hurt or worse.
Hidden 8 yrs ago Post by Snagglepuss89
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"Even normal villages these days seem to have bands of scavengers waiting to pick apart your purse with glee. I suspect if we show up with coin in our hand, we'll find rooms and a meal account for exactly every coin we have, plus one."

The man had his arms wrapped around his staff, secured behind his neck. Almost as if he were taking the time to rest and relax. Unlike the older man who traveled with him, he didn't need it as a tool to help him walk. Nor was he quick to offer his one prized possession to help the farmer out. The events of their escape had been... annoying, to say the least. Hyōryū was not accustomed to being herded about like livestock, however he couldn't say the chase was entirely unpleasant. Well used to travel for most of his life, the effects of the escape barely showed. More than that, his present company was interesting. It was a rare day that he had companions on the road, and it wasn't an unwelcome change.

A breeze gently surrounded the group, blowing back the way they came, and evoked a scowl from the man. Circumstances permitting he never liked to move against the wind, but they were caught between a rock and a hard place at the moment.

"The wind blows away from this place, I would rather find a floor to sleep on as quickly as possible before moving on. Getting my throat slashed in an argument over sake isn't much more appealing to me than mining away the rest of my days."

Not that he minded the thought of getting a bed for the night, especially if it was the woman's money they were going to be spending. He himself was poor enough already though without the town's friendly 'caretakers' deciding that his own meager coin purse was suffering from a case of mistaken ownership. That, and he doubted there were any potential students in the place worth pursuing. Truly, it was going to serve as the low point in his travels. Even moreso than the Shōka festival had turned out to be.

His eyes drifted between the woman's outstretched hand and the sword at her side. Perhaps he could rely on her for both money and defense, it would certainly be a nice change of pace not having to fight or open his own coin purse. In all likelihood she was just a pampered upper-class noblewoman with a sword for show and no tolerance for life on the road, needing a bed to sleep at night and having more coin than a normal person could hope to spend. However, he did have his doubts. It would be a massive coincidence, but in his travels along the coast he had caught word of a woman who was said to be renowned with a blade, and shared an uncanny likeness with his new companion.

There was a higher chance of the wind blowing a petal back to the flower it came from.
Hidden 8 yrs ago Post by Matsuri
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Kagura didn't look back. She rarely did, and given the current situation she forbade herself to. She just kept on walking forward like she usually did, or rather, heaving herself forward through the thick forest. While she couldn't help it, Kagura's breathing was probably heavier and much louder than the others; while she was very used to walking over such long distances by now, sprinting non stop for seemingly countless hours with ferocious guards on her trail wasn't something she was used to. Kagura was sure she had just lost two inches of her height from her deteriorating legs and aching calves.

But during the group's current ‘quiet time’, Kagura attempted to at least reduce her loud breaths to soft inhales. And to get an actual, proper glimpse of the people she had escaped and travelled eleven miles with.

Hakayama Kusai, the one name Kagura really knew. The two had been gloriously thrown into a cell together, which in all honesty had been nothing but a few words from the white haired woman and a few too many questions from the red head; which, if she had not stopped at some point, would have earned Kagura more than she had literally asked for.

There were the other jailbreakers too; the spindly man to her side that seemed tall enough to be a makeshift shelter from the sun, another, but older man that had resorted to using a long stick as a third leg, the ebony haired swordswoman that was so tired she had fallen behind Kagura and the one who had taken to the ground on all fours for the rest of the journey. Kagura thought it was one of the weirder things she had witnessed during her twenty-five years of travelling, but her exhausted lungs refrained herself from speaking. She was too out of it to care anyways.

Ah, the Nezumi Village. Not a place Kagura was totally familiar with, nor a place she had ever taken the time to stay in. All she knew that it was a place to steer clear of. She clearly remembered her mother stating that it wasn't a very welcoming village by any means, and the ink stained wood gates that looked more like a child's edgy scribbles than a declaration of village domination gave off such a feeling. The reddening early morning sky against the dark gates just made her impressions of the village a whole lot better.

And she hadn't even stepped inside yet.

The one who Kagura referred to loosely as ‘Hakayama-san’ had been the one to offer a coin to the group. A bed, a plate of food and probably a week of rest was what everybody was in need of. Staring up at the brooding gates once more, Kagura pulled her cloak hood further over her head.

A pretty generous offer, Hakayama-san. I mean, I really don't mind where we end up snoozing off; as long as I get some shut eye knowing that I'm not gonna have to sprint another eleven miles in the next day or two, I couldn't care less if I were to sleep on a rotting wet bed or on a pile of chewed hay. If we find a place where there's less of a chance of us being killed by anyone, I'll be staying there.
Hidden 8 yrs ago Post by DruSM157
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Norio


The “older man” wasn’t an old man, even if he seemed as frail as an elder at this point in their journey. The main seemed frail and sickly; which was odd seeing how he’d been locked away alone in the darkness before Hisao and Hyōryū were thrown into a cell with them. He’d been oddly quiet at times; which was a stark contrast to their “introductions” earlier. When the two were first thrown into the cell, it seemed as if they were alone; until the shadowy figure crumpled in the corner of the room started to cry.

”There’s been a mistake! Please, why am I in here!?’ The pleas of mercy and the assertions that he was a simple farmer were grating enough. And it was a surprise that he’d kept pace with the others after their night run, even with his walking stick keeping him balanced on the trail. There were two moments where adrenaline had taken over and the crying and whining from the man had stopped: the first was their escape and initial flee from their holding; there was no time to waste the air in one’s lungs if they were a hair’s breadth away from being cut down. The second time was now, as they approached Nezumi. He’d kept his pace in the back of the group, and he quietly studied the yakuzai symbols as they approached the gates.

”S-surely there must be a better place to stay than this—this town of miscreants and criminals! We are as likely to be robbed of our robes and sandals as we are gutted like a boar here!” He whined and stammered, his voice cracking from a mixture of exhaustion and fear. ”This is no place for a farmer or for these young maidens! If anything, you two-“Nakano Norio pointed at both Hisao and Hyōryū and then at the gates, ”You two should gather supplies while we find a more suitable campsite. At least the forest won’t have secret entrances and panels for gangsters to creep in on us while we sleep.”

Saito Norio had never traveled to Nezumi. It was too far from Otonomasaki, and as the retainer to Lord Oshiro, he had to make sure his master never came close to such vile cities. Still, gangs were dangerous; bandits were no friend of the samurai; and even a fallen ronin like Saito Norio could be a lovely prize for a bounty-or for the honor of beheading the last surviving member of the Saito Clan. His father had made a name for himself protecting a small village from bandits forty-odd years ago. That act of bushido had elevated the minor noble to a respected bushi—and eventually became the retainer for the Oshiro clan.

Smart bandits knew how to change. With new eras, bandits bought up property, began taking territory in towns. No longer simply raiding them, they became the political power in small rural areas where the magistrate’s reach wasn’t long enough. That’s how the age of the yakuza began. No longer needing to kill their victims, they instead could slowly bleed their profit from the people with intimidation and the promise of protection. They were scum.

Nakano Norio’s hand seemed to grip the stick tighter as the group looked at him for the first time in a while. He knew the dangers of the forest; outside the walls, a group of headhunters could find them easy enough, tracking the light of a fire of the vision of smoke through the trees. Inside the walls there was protection from the imperial dogs, but they traded the danger of the Empire for the danger of the criminal element. The walking stick felt frail and weak, but he’d chosen it due to its curvature and thickness first. It wasn’t pine or fir; that wood was too soft and tactile. It was a thick limb of pine; something that if it came down to it; he could fashion into a simplistic club. If he had more time, maybe even a boken. But that would be too obvious; too dangerous to reveal who he was. These people were all criminals alongside him; that was true. But he did not trust their loyalty or honor yet.
Hidden 8 yrs ago Post by Gowi
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S A I Y U R I




Akino Kagura’s mental observation about the ebony-haired swordswoman wasn’t incorrect in the slightest.

Even with all of her youthful vigor, training, and conditioning; there never had been a moment in Soyokaze Saiyuri’s life where she had been asked to push on as vigorously as the last night had required. Nonetheless, given her current level of fatigue and state of mind she couldn’t really argue with herself or others even if she wanted to— a fact that was clear to her as she felt the constantly shuffling ache at the bottom of her feet and the exhausting spiritual weight pushing down on her shoulders. As the youngest member of the group she was undoubtedly the least prepared for the turbulent hiking, lurking, hiding, and running but then again surrendering herself and her sword back into the custody of corrupt officials was far away from something she’d even consider; after all she had only surrendered to them due to a lack of information and to help the family she had defended not suffer when she could take the punishment in full. But the silhouettes of her captors were behind her now and a whole new predicament had been thrusted upon her.

“As far as I know, it will be a hindrance to our pursuers if we were to be allowed access to this village.” Saiyuri commented, albeit sleepily so.
Hidden 8 yrs ago Post by Little Bill
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"What business do you have in Nezumi?" The gatekeeper barked, peering closely through an eye-level slit in the massive wooden doors. His face was hidden by the opening's small size, leaving only a set of beady brown eyes staring at Hisao, and beyond his shoulder, the rest of the escapees.

"As a matter of fact, that's what brings us to Nezumi village. Business!" Hisao responded, leaning on the door as if he were talking to an old friend. To the trained ear, it was easy to tell Hisao was lying. Namely, he was politer than ever, and his tone seemed to be one of him kindly reminding the man rather than explaining to him.

"Can you see behind me, boss?" Hisao inquired, as the pair of eyes peering out nodded up and down."We're one half of the Ika-Inkei Kabuki Theatre. Y'see, we got separated from our convoy a few miles back and we hiked all this way so that we might rest a while before finding our companions.

"What's that got to do with business?"

Hisao paused, gritting his teeth for a split second. "I told you that, boss. We were gonna raise some money for our travels performing for the Tarabagani."

There was a long pause, as Hisao silently furrowed his brow, wondering if the guard bought his story.

"I hate kabuki, I hate your stinking, Burakumin drawl, and I hate liars. Get lost." The slit slammed shut. Hisao sighed, banging his head on the door in frustration as the others groaned behind him.

"I've got cash too!"

There was another long pause, with only a distant cicada daring to break the silence. Hisao turned back, grinning and giving the group a silent thumbs-up, turning back when he heard the slot open to meet the guard's eyes to discuss their bribe. Instead, he turned to meet the mouthful of spit launched through the slot in the door, before having it slam shut again. He heard laughter from behind the wall, and from behind himself. He wiped his face with his filthy hand, turning back to the rest of his companions as coolly as possible in the hopes of regaining his lost pride.

"Alright, new plan. There's a creek that flows through and out of Nezumi about a half-mile down the wall this way. They use it to get rid of bodies, mostly." He pointed to the left, and began slowly lumbering in that direction. "It's a pain in the ass, but we should be able to get in through that entrance for free. Plus, we'll skip dealing with the yakuzai and head straight to the seedy hotel district." Hisao trudged onwards, dropping down to his knuckles and returning to his lazy, apelike gait.

"Trust me. It won't be difficult."



"That was more difficult than I remembered." Hisao said, panting. The spot he had recalled was where it always had been, though since he had last visited a metal grate had been installed. The group voted that since it was Hisao who angered the guard, it would be Hisao who would kick an opening in the grate while the others rested. They were all now wet, in addition to being tired, sore, and filthy, though having a sore toe was uniquely Hisao's. They were now on the outskirts of Nezumi village's poorer residential district -- The walkways used by the group were made of driftwood, and every few hundred feet a different chicken could be seen pecking impatiently at the dirt. The group's de facto guide looked around each corner as they passed the street, trying to place himself. Quickly, it became clear that Hisao was either lost or the inn he had been searching for had been shut down -- There was not an inn in site, and the cracked, tan walls of the shacks and huts seemed to line the narrow streets endlessly.

"Perhaps there's a sake house somewhere we can find directions in?"
Hidden 7 yrs ago Post by Snagglepuss89
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"The entrance was more difficult than you remembered, the inn you promised us is nowhere to be found. I know drink is your mistress my friend, but perhaps this is a sign to love it a little less."

Hyōryū's tone gave no betrayal of whether he was being playful or critical, and the man had made no effort to dry himself since emerging from the creek. The wind would dry him in it's own time, after all. While he hadn't personally experienced the ape's love for drink first hand, he had caught more than a glimpse during their time together. Time in their cell together had passed over conversations of Sake. What region produced the best, was it better served to be drank in a bar or watching a distant sunset, was quality more important than quantity at the end of the day? The two always found wildly different answers to those questions, but it was clear both had a fondness for drink.

Hyōryū, for one, was sick of being dry, metaphorically speaking. Moreso even than he was sick of being chased, the longing for a drink was at that moment stronger than his longing for a bed. Taking a moment to lean on his walking stick, the man closed his eyes and focused on the smells of Nezumi. Almost immediately he was hit by the overwhelming stench of the place. It was a strange mix of garbage, opium, Human waste, and death. If it was not the worst experience his nose ever had, then it was a close contender. Still, behind behind it all was the smell of yakitori, carried on a breeze from the north. It was like stumbling across life in a barren wasteland. Almost of their own volition his feet began to carry him forward away away from the group.

"Follow if you want, the wind is guiding me. If it guides you in a different direction, let's meet back up at the entrance, eh?"

Without looking back at the group Hyōryū slung his massive staff across his shoulders once more and began making his way north through the streets. From his lips a listless whistle cut through the night air, his anticipation growing with each step. He didn't expect to find liquid gold in a what looked to be the slums of Nezumi, itself a massive slum practically, but he didn't have much of a mind to be picky right then either. Once he had found a drink in a bed, then perhaps he could concern himself with luxury. More important than that though, he could concern himself with putting this village as far behind him as possible.
Hidden 7 yrs ago 7 yrs ago Post by Matsuri
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For the next two or so minutes while everyone else made their suggestions and whatnot, Kagura took the precious time to just have her mind and eyes go blank and have her body leave her arms and legs to rest. She simply stared at the ground, ignoring the rest of the world and the sounds around her.

“What business do you have in Nezumi?” a man interrupted. While the other escapees may have heard two men barking threats and possible offers at each other, Kagura heard nothing but dull sounding mumbles, as if she was barely listening in on a conversation from metres away. The aching in her bones, her muscles, her everything was starting to take an even greater toll on her body. She might have as well lost consciousness then and there, or maybe even before when her boiling blood was actually rushing through her veins. But there was something - she had no idea what - that kept her entire being alive, kept her brain functioning normally.

However, if you managed to hear the soft mumbles of Kagura over the somewhat proclaimed ‘leader’ of the group’s loud negotiating, you might have thought otherwise.

”Alright, new plan,” the dirt covered man announced. Kagura wasn’t even listening at this point, drifting further away into her own world. It was only when she realised that the others were further away than she would have liked that Kagura snapped back into harsh reality. Now that she was technically a criminal, maybe sticking with a group of people would be a safer option. Even if they were criminals themselves.



Now drenched head to toe in sweat and water, and far from any place of well deserved rest, Kagura could feel the aggravation building up inside. From her own weary observation, the group's ‘guide’ didn't seem to be doing his job very well. Rather than guiding everyone he was losing his directions all together, which looked like it was angering more people than just Kagura. The string bean with the scars across his face was the first to break the silence with blunt words; while Kagura would have vented her oh so slight irritation much sooner, she was far too drowsy to get even the slightest of complaints out of her mouth. And considering the situation her and the escapees were in, it would probably be for the best to keep quiet.

So instead, she decided a scan of her surroundings could come of some real use. All the dirt, old wood, waste, human sweat and humans made Kagura frown a little. The poorer ends of the Nezumi village not only made her feel somewhat unsafe, but downright miserable. The redhead let out a soft, tired sigh.

Hey,"she whispered to the much younger and miserable looking swordswoman, tapping her on the shoulder and pointing to the red heads of the skinny chickens at their feet. Look, don't you think that chicken kinda looks like me? You know, that red crown looking thing on its head."

Kagura figured distracting herself from all the sorrow would get rid of her uneasy gut feelings. Not gonna lie though, I would swallow that chicken whole now if I could.

As if the bird was aware of Kagura's desire to devour it, it looked up for a second, before scuttling away as far as its thin legs could take it. It seemed that Kagura's gut was uneasy with hunger all along.

"Perhaps there's a sake house somewhere we can find directions in?" the guide suggested. The string bean from earlier wasn't fond of the idea at all; in fact, he had begun to walk in a different direction to his fellow escapees, implying that he wasn't returning any time soon. Or ever. With a slight raise of her eyebrow, Kagura turned away and back to the brawny man.

So, what's the plan then? Looks to me like everything's falling apart faster than this entire Nezumi district."
Hidden 7 yrs ago Post by Quinntessential
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Quinntessential Entirely too excited.

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"No..." Kusai spoke, looking at the thin man wandering. "...he's got the right of it." She glared angrily at their guide, having failed in literally every task she'd asked of him, spare getting them into the city. Even then, as the filth dripped off her kimono, she had to curse for trusting his claims. "This one's just going to lead us into more trouble."

She looked at the others, then around to make sure the criminals of the city hadn't taken too much notice of them. In her mind, she was already looking for the different signs and markings that designated who protected who and with what funds. It had been long enough that she wasn't familiar with some of them. Even then, this regions Yakuza very likely had some of their own symbols, if not a completely different alphabet. She motioned for the others to follow her, stopping in front of their guide and holding out her hand expectantly. He did not earn the coin she asked him to carry, and she wasn't about to pay him for his failures. Still, there was little she could do if he resisted her claim, so if he did not turn over her money immediately, she would find another way to get it in the future.

"Come...it won't do us any good to be running after him." She turned on a heel, cool and cold as she walked quickly to catch up to Hyōryū.

When she did so, she approached at his flank, ensuring that her steps were heard before speaking. "This place is still dangerous. Do you think the wind will keep you safe from thugs and thieves?"

She saw as he walked towards a small wooden storefront. The Kanji on the sign denoted it as fresh hot food. He knew something, or was lucky - either way, she didn't think getting something to eat would lead to too much trouble. Regardless if it were fate or guidance, she couldn't help but grin as he walked in front of her. The smell of the yakitori came down the road with a gust, and she realized just how his 'wind' worked.

Hopefully the others had followed them. She still planned on treating them. They were useful to have around, for now.
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