Kenson Gakka: The Search for the Child
Hour of the Monkey
As the Hour of the Monkey approached, the atmosphere within the city had subdued greatly. The streets were less full, and there was a sense of anxiety in the air. The people of Kenson Gakka had all heard of their Genreal's loss, and their grief had found the hearts of the visitors as well.
There was still celebration in the city, and Matsu kioma continued his rallies for the festivities to continue, but he began to show the strain of the abduction's burden. His face was more solemn and his men less animated than just an hour before. Daidoji Handen, for his part, could be seen standing beside the Lion everywhere he went, a silent, impassive symbol of his clan's capacity for kindness.
Ikare and his men scoured the city, searching for the child. His rage grew by the minute, and his screams could be heard well beyond the buildings he stormed through with uncaring brutality. The people were growing scared of him, giving him a wider and wider berth. Even his soldiers stepped gingerly near himl it was rumored that at least one was nursing a broken arm caused by his frenzy.
In the garden next to Shiro no Meiyo, Kitsu Nitsuko sat in meditation. With her, Hida Katsu, Asako Shitasu, and Pajaro sat contemplating the gardens.
Nyoko, Kadokawa, and Roshii, standing with Kakera and the village hetman, noticed the palpable looks of grief and fear on the faces of the townspeople. In the distance, she couldn't be sure, but the Dragon thought she heard the screaming of Akodo Ikare.
Nyoko paused in mid-conversation with the hetman, frowning and looking in the direction of the scream. "You'll forgive me if we cut this a bit short," the Dragon told the peasant politely but firmly. "Come, Roshii-san." The shugenja raced towards the commotion, right hand on the hilt of her katana."Our apologies for leaving so abruptly," Kadokawa added, nodding to the hetman as he joined Nyoko.
A very brief run away, Nyoko found Ikare in a peasant's dwelling next to the city's northern well, with a dozen bushi standing imapssively outside. Ikare was screaming about his missing child -- "You know where he is! Speak now, and your death will be swift!" -- and interjectedly cursing random inhabitants of the city by every major and quite a few minor Fortunes.
The occupants' belongings had been thrown about within the dwelling and to outside. From the looks of the debris strewn about the alley behind him, Ikare was making his way through the rows of houses. Nyoko's brief Kitsuki training was enough to notice that the piles of items thrown from the houses was increasing along the path. Ikare was becoming angrier as he searched.
As they watched -- pondering the dishonor both of confronting someone of such high rank and becoming involved in such a blatant show of emotion -- Ikare suddenly became quiet. He stepped out of the dwelling and to the leader of the squad of bushi. "I have had enough of this deceit," Ikare said, voice full of venom. "Finish this." And with that, he quickly disappeared past the well and into an alley. The only sound was the weeping of the peasants within their ransacked homes.
As Ikare left, Nyoko noticed a small mark on the back of his neck. It was a barely perceptible tattoo, but she was certain she had seen the symbol before. Thinking hard, she recalled that Ikoma Aseru -- the quiet Ikoma from the Temple where she found Kakera -- had the same marking on the back of his neck. Kadokawa noticed also and realized the same thing.
Nyoko paused, scratching the back of her head for a brief moment, a clear sign she was thinking. While the Dragon mountains were eternal, Nyoko displayed more in common with the wind that blew through them. She immediately headed in the opposite direction, away from Ikare. "Roshii-san, if you like, you may continue to follow the Lion and perhaps persuade people from his path. I must see a man about a tattoo."
Following Nyoko's lead, Roshii wondered what to do about Ikare. Several things crossed his mind, but he dismissed them as dis honorable. Fortunately for him, however, his path behind Ikare led him into no trouble. The general marched the short distance back to Shiro no Meiyo by himself, without so much as pushing past a heimin. He did not say a word to anyone, but walked directly into the castle. Thinking that the garrison of Akodo and Matsu bushi would be better equipped to handle the general than himself, he ran back to find Nyoko.
Roshii caught up with the other samurai and the zokujin only a moment after they left the scene of Ikare's rampage. With him were Hida Katsu and Asako Shitasu, who had come to investigate Ikare's shouting. The three joined the group heading back to the Temple of the Seven Fortunes. Arriving, Nyoko began asking if anyone knew where Ikoma Aseru had gone. No one knew the name.
Trying to think of a way to find the Lion, Nyoko was nearly stumped. But instead, she found something nearly as interesting.
"They have found Yunosemi!" the peasant shouted to a man she apparently knew as she ran past. Nyoko raised her eyebrow and ran after the heimin. The gaggle of samurai following her quickly broke into a sprint to keep up. Certainly, she mused, this festival has been good for my constitution, if nothing else.
Roshii, following closely behind Nyoko, asked her, "Nyoko-san, what are we doing and where exactly are we going. This is all happening so fast, I am a little confused."
"I go to find a mystery," was all the Dragon would say.
Still confused, Roshii followed, hoping to find an answer to his questions.
Katsu, as confused, if not more than his unlikely comrade Roshii, yelled out "This had better be good, I could be enjoying a nice hot glass of sake right now!"
Standing with Matsu Kioma, Jin could tell more and more that the daimyo's serene demeanor was merely a facade. Kioma may have been a good governor, but he was only a passable courtier. Daidoji Handen, who since his arrival had occupied most of the daimyo's conversation when he was not busy governing, was doing a very good job keeping the man calm.
Jin smiled broadly, seeing the work of the Crane and knowing that the two really sould be at each other's throats. "Esteemed Governor, your people should be proud of a governor so astute and dedicated as yourself. I believe that even our friend Daidoji Handen would agree."
"Jin-san, I am but a humble warrior," Handen replied; "flattery is not my strong suit. But I must say that, in light of today's unfortunate events, your ability to keep order and continue the festival is to be commended, Kioma-sama."
"Need you call it flattery? It is a fact of how honorably control was held. Why is truth flattery?"
"Because pride is a sin, Jin-san. Kioma-sama is executing his duties admirably, to the glory of the Emperor and the honor of his ancestors. Pride, I'm certain, has nothing to do with it."
Kioma laughed. It was forced. "Thank you, Handen-san, for your kind words. But please excuse Jin-san. He is an honored guest in my home, as you are yourself. He will learn these things in time."
Handen began to speak once more, but was interrupted by the sudden arival of an apologetic young Akodo. "I beg your pardon, sama," he said breathlessly, "but I have urgent news. A disturbance has grown around the nearby well. There is a noise coming from within. A loud wailing."
Kioma's face tightened. "Show me," he said. "Handen-san, Jin-san, if you would like to accompany me."
At the well, watching for trouble, Akodo Aramoro had seen vividly the slow decline of the temperaments of the city's inabitants. And his search for "something unusual" had been fairly fruitless. One retired merchant, a few angry mothers, a drunken Crab, and just about every peddler in the city trying to sell him some thing or another.
Just this moment, however, Aramoro thought that he did finally find something unusual. Aramoro heard what sounded like a wounded animal. Curious, the samurai searched for several minutes to find the source. Eventually he noticed that the cries were coming from within the well itself.
Standing at the well and peering over the side, Aramoro could see nothing but darkness. But the cries were definitely coming from within.
The samurai was more on edge than he realized, and he had seen Ikare's eyes haunting him. Aramoro jumped to conclusions. Yunosemi! He's down there in the well! His revelation went unnoticed at first but not for long. He was too agitated to realize what he was doing. Aramoro turned sharply to the person nearest to him, "Rope! I need a rope now! Akodo Ikare's son is trapped down in the well!"
The passerby, fearful of the samurai and moreso of Ikare -- the rumors were spreading -- quickly dashed to the nearest merchant. After a very brief conversation, the merchant handed him a rope. The man ran back to Aramoro. "Your rope, Akodo-sama," he said, bowing.
"Hold that end," Aramoro said, tying the other end to his waist. "And lower me carefully."
The heimin grabbed the rope as a man drowning. Three more men behind him latched on as well. Aramoro stepped to the ledge of the well.
Suddenly, Aramoro heard a commotion behind him. Slightly different than the commotion he had been hearing behind him since the crying began. Turning, he saw the crowd quietly parting to admit Matsu Kioma, followed by Daidoji Handen and Otmo Jin. Aramoro quickly bowed to the daimyo.
"What is going on here?" asked Kioma. The peasants quickly bowed to their daimyo, but did not release the rope.
"Kioma-sama, Yunosemi is at the bottomo of this well," Aramoro replied, bowing as much as his perch would allow.
Kioma's eyes widened. Jin hoped the man was a good military mind, because he would not last terribly long in court. Kioma nodded at Aramoro. "Do what you must."
Aramoro bowed to the daimyo, then let himself be lowered into the well. The heimin holding the rope were very careful in easing him downwards. As he descended, Aramoro could hear a dull roar over the cries, which gradually became louder and louder. At the bottom of the well, he could tell that it was a swift-moving river running underneath him and underneath the city -- the water supply for Kenson Gakka. He could also see the baby.
"Hold!" Aramoro shouted to the top of the well. The rope quickly stopped moving, with Aramoro level with the missing child and about seven feet above the currents below.
It was very dark, but Aramoro could just make out the child in front of him. It was a baby, wrapped in swaddling, and caught on a root jutting from the very bottom of the well's shaft. It seemed that the baby fell in and miraculously caught on the branch, just before plunging to its death in the icy waters barely below.
Aramoro reached gingerly toward the infant on his precarious perch. The baby's wailing cries did not distract him. The Akodo was too determined to save Yunosemei and relieve the harried look in General Ikare's eyes. Certainly the rest of the city would be glad for the general to calm down. With all the care he could gather, Aramoro grasped Yunosemi's arm first and then his tiny body.
Once he was sure he could hold Yunosemi securely and climb up without banging the sides of the well the samurai called up, "I have him! Pull us up! Gently now!"
A messenger had been sent and Akodo Miko was already waiting when Aramoro's head lifted clear of the well. "Oh my child! Please, please tell me he is all right!" She was crying in joy.
"Hai Miko-sama. Your child is frightened and cold but unharmed." The heimin began cheering. Some of the samurai actually joined in.
As he handed over the child, Aramoro noticed Agasha Nyoko standing behind the general's wife, apparently recently arrived with most of the other samurai with whom they had been traveling. Nyoko was watching the scene with her standard Dragon passivity. Except the Dragon seemed to be looking at his hands.
Aramoro glanced down. His hands were covered in spots by a gummy, white substance. It was as if it were some kind of dust that had been moistened and transferred to his hands. Aramoro was a little disgusted but wasn't much concerned about it.
He made his way out of the well and asked a heimin for a rag, showing his hands as explanation. The peasant man made a face but bowed and trotted off returning quickly with a large rag. The powder came off easily. It seemed that the dampness of the well was the only thing that kept it clinging on.
"You have my deepest thanks, Aramoro-san," Miko said, gushing her praise over the young man. "You are brave and vailant and an asset to the Lion and to the entire empire! Oh thank you thank you!"
He tried to remain humble, "I was merely at the right place at the right time, Miko-sama. I did no more than any other samurai would have."
"Nevertheless, you are the samurai who was here, Aramoro," Doji Handen spoke up, "It is true what they say, you are more fortunate to have the favor of your ancestors than to be blessed with intelligence. You are to be commended."
General Ikare pushed his way to the front of the gathering just then, though he needn't have pushed so hard if he slowed down only a trifle so the assembled would have a chance to realize who he was. As it was he gave them no chance to recognize him. "Where is my son!" his voice bellowed like an ogre. His wife rush forward and Akido Ikare embraced both wife and son.
"Let us take him back to the palace Akodo-san. We can ensure his good health there. The crisis is over." And Matsu Kimoa looked relieved that it was.
Indeed, for a moment, it seemed to be. Ikare, overcome with relief at his child's return, held the infant for a moment before handing him back to Miko. With Yunosemi back in his mother's arms, Ikare smiled for a moment, then glanced at his hands.
The same white substance was on the general's palms. He stared at his hands for a moment, expressionless. Then, slowly, his countenance sank back into his former unbridled rage. The general angrily wiped his hands on his hakima and snatched the child back from Miko without a word. Yunosemi in his arms, Ikare silently stormed back to the castle. Miko and Kioma, as well as the Lion guardsmen, rushed to catch up with the man.
The well was left in silence.