Editing Memories of a Stone Wall (section)

===Act IX: A Little Crane===
:>He ran off, and came back with a Crane wearing heavy armor. Very elaborate ornamentation, high quality lacquer work.
:>Ceremonial Armor, made for show.
:>But I recognized Kaiu made armor when I saw it. So despite it's ostentatious frippery, it would serve well in real battle.
:>The Crane introduced himself as Daidoji Hideo, the magistrate.
:>He asked us to come and see his lord.
:>He said all would be made clear once we spoke with his lord.
:>Oookay. Can't really turn down this invite without being rude, and we were pretty sure we had used up our rudeness allotment for the month already.
:>We entered into the Lord's chamber and knelt, awaiting his arrival.
:>And were quite stunned when a boy who looked too young to have taken his Gempukku came out to greet us.
:>I am Kakita Ren. Welcome, honorable Jade Magistrates, to my city.
:>Two others were with him. An older woman who sat out of the way, and a man clearly nearing retirement age.
:>This is my mother, Kakita Himeko, and Karo Doji Tenkai.
:>I have asked you here because I wish for you to explain why my father rose up at his own funeral and killed my elder brother.
:>And THIS shit right here, is why Crabs behead their dead.

:>Of course we will do all that we can to see to this matter, Kakita Ren-sama.
:>Naomi was much better at speaking formally than Toshiro.
:>I take your honorable Lord Father has already been put to rest?
:>Hai.
:>Toshiro took over at this point.
:>Then we will need to speak with everyone who was in the palace at the time of his passing. Before his funeral.
:>Toshiro was putting forth his best effort, but was still a bit rough around the edges.
:>So I decided to elaborate a bit.
:>It is possible a Maho-Tsukai used forbidden magic to defile your father's body, your lordship. We will need to investigate to determine who may have been able to do so.
:>Of course, you would know best in such matters. I leave it in your hands.
:>Tenkai-san, prepare rooms for them, and see to it they have all they require to conduct their investigation.
:>As you wish, my Lord.
:>Tenkai bowed deeply.
:>Once we were shown to our rooms we began to discuss what we were going to do.
:>So, look for the zombie making Maho-Tsukai, then?
:>I doubt it.
:>HUH? But you said...
:>Ishigaki-san only told the lord a comforting lie.
:>Hey, I wasn't lying Toshiro!
:>Fine. Ishigaki-san told the Lord the least likely reason because it was kinder than the most likely.
:>Alright, so then what's most likely?
:>That the Lord was tainted and the taint reanimated his corpse after his death.
:>Oh.
:>Even Monkey knew we couldn't very well raise such a possibility lightly.
:>So, we would need to poke around quietly, looking for answers.
:>I can do it.
:>Mantis spoke.
:>If I get caught, I can bluff my way out.
:>If the Monkey gets caught, he'll just make it worse for all of us.
:>HEY!
:>Naomi nodded and produced a scroll. come here, Mantis-san.
:>This spell will allow you to read quite quickly, and you will be able to remember everything you've read. 
:>That'll come in handy. 
:>He took off.
:>The rest of us began to interview people, building a rough idea of what happened following the Lord's death.

:>As we began our interviews, the Karo spoke to us.
:>Of course, you see the need for discretion in this matter, yes? If word got out that the previous Lord became a Zombie...!
:>Toshiro grunted 
:>The Karo smiled.
:>I am pleased you understand
:>Toshiro arched an eyebrow at me.
:>He just doesn't understand you like I do.
:>I clapped him on the back.
:>C'mon. Let's go listen to Kitsuki-san and Naomi talk. You can have the first glower.
:>Kitsuki-san and Naomi spoke to the interviewees. Toshiro glared. I loomed.
:>The Monkey looked bored.
:>We managed to get a rough history of what had transpired.
:>Four days ago, the previous Lord, Kakita Hosokawa, died choking on a sushi roll.
:>Or, more precisely, the bone still in the fish that the cook had accidentally left in.
:>Hosokawa's eldest son became the Lord.
:>His first order was to have the cook executed.
:>Improperly filleting a fish so badly you leave a bone in big enough to choke on, and failing to notice as you make the roll, was quite the crime.
:>I didn't know if it warranted being tied to a post and stabbed with a half dozen yari simultaneously though.
:>At Hosokawa's funeral the next day, as they were preparing to light the pyre, his corpse stood up, shambled over to his eldest son, and quite literally bit his face off.
:>The guards were able to stab Hosokawa zombie, and held it in the pyre with their yari as it burned to ash.
:>Now here WE were, trying to figure out why that happened.
:>Maybe it really WAS a Maho-Tsukai, maybe someone related to the cook? Getting revenge?
:>The Monkey had a point.
:>The MONKEY had a point.
:>The Mantis came back.
:>He looked troubled.
:>We need to speak. In private.
:>Okay, what? 
:>He pulled a scroll from his kimono.
:>I can't read this.
:>We unrolled it.
:>Toshiro and Naomi both frowned.
:>It's in a cipher, of some sort. I can't read it though.
:>Naomi pulled a scroll from her own satchel and cast a spell.
:>Oh no.
:>What is it.
:>It's a maho spell.

:>Kitsuki-san looked at the Mantis.
:>You suspected as much?
:>Yeah. His journals spoke of secret meetings. A group he'd meet with once a month.
:>He'd bitch in his journals about this or that edict his group would want him to make, talking about how "to much of that might expose me."
:>He avoided specifics, no names, no numbers.
:>Oh. So the Lord was a Maho-Tsukai,whose taint had raised him as a zombie before he could be cremated.
:>And was part of a group of Maho-Tsukai.
:>This all seemed like a bad comedy.
:>But there it was.
:>So um. How exactly are we going to broach this subject to Kakita Ren-sama?
:>I get the feeling more tact will be required than just 'Bad news, buddy. Yer dad was a blood sorcerer.'
:>Toshiro disagreed with me.
:>We have proof, as Jade Magistrates it's our duty to pursue this.
:>Kitsuki-san, any ideas?
:>I think we should pursue this group of Maho-Tsukai first. We may have stumbled onto a bloodspeaker cell.
:>You really think they're still around.
:>They're ALWAYS around, they just lay low most of the time. This one was too, until the Lord died.
:>Toshiro clapped his hands twice in prayer.
:>What are you doing?
:>Saying a prayer for the poor fish that gave it's life so we could find this hidden evil.
:>Naomi looked shocked.
:>What about the cook?
:>Toshiro opened one eye.
:>He was a terrible cook.

:>The journal gave us a time for the next meeting, but not a place.
:>Three days from now, Hour of Hida.
:>I was deeply offended that a group of blood sorcerers would meet in the hour named after my ancestor.
:>I vowed to Hida that I would be the instrument through which he could make his displeasure known to them.
:>Now to find the place, to go with this time.
:>Mantis proposed we simply bring the time up in normal conversation. Maybe stage a talk between two of us and speak loudly.
:>Kitsuki-san can read people so easily it's scary. When one flinches, we'll have our link.
:>Kitsuki-san considered.
:>If we must. I don't like it though. We will know, but they will know we know. And if the one who flinches is highly ranked enough we won't be able to question them further on the matter.
:>Well anyone else got any ideas?
:>Tatsuki refilled the Mantis' sake.
:>The Monkey passed Toshiro some shrimp.
:>I was taking great pains to get just the right amount of wasabi on my sushi roll.
:>HOW.
:>Everyone jumped.
:>I held up my sushi.
:>How in the hell does THIS kill someone?!
:>I popped it in my mouth and chewed to make my point.
:>We all stared at the sushi rolls.
:>That is an excellent point, Ishigaki-kun.
:>Great. 
:>Now we all felt bad about making fun of the cook.
:>Mantis-san, do you think you could reproduce a page from the journal, recreate the handwriting?
:>Uh...
:>I think I have a spell that can help with that.
:>Okay. I'll give it a shot.
:>So the Mantis, after a few tries, made a page he said was 'pretty damn close to how it is in my memory'.
:>Kitsuki-san and went to meet with Kakita Ren-sama. 
:>Kitsuki-san then explained that he wished to see an edict penned by the former Lord Hosokawa-sama
:>I should like to ask what for, Kitsuki-san?
:>Ren-sama's mother sat behind him, fluttering her fan.Her eyes were hard.
:>Ordinarily, someone glaring at me like that would have seemed suspicious.
:>But given that she had lost husband and son so soon, I wasn't about to jump to conclusions.

:>Kitsuki-san was ready, of course.
:>It may be there was someone attempting to usurp your father's authority, and pass around false edicts in his name. I wish to compare the handwriting to be sure.
:>Such a thing can be done?
:>Oh yes, Kakita Ren-sama. My family has developed many techniques for gather evidence outside of testimony. 
:>FLUTTERING INTENSIFIES.
:>Ah, forgive me. I misspoke. Such things are not truly "evidence" but they often lead us to the ones whose testimony will prove most useful in solving a case.
:>My slip of the tongue was due to my family calling it evidence as a means of shorthand. Forgive my crude language, please.
:>Fluttering calms down.
:>Oh, it is alright. I would like to hear more of these techniques one day, if you have the time.
:>If I do not, I am certain there are many who would gladly fulfill your wishes, Kakita Ren-sama.
:>It is a wise lord that seeks to learn much about the world. I am certain your rule will be a prosperous one. Your parents have raised you well.
:>I have no idea what forbidden magics she employed to do this, but Kakita Himeko somehow made her fan fluttering convey pleasure at the indirect compliment.
:>Thank you for your kind words, of course you may have an old edict to study. Please, just find out what happened to my father. Cleanse him of this shame.
:>At those last few words, the illusion shattered, and the surprisingly Lordly boy was just a boy again. Grieving the loss of his father and brother and trying to understand "why?"
:>I thought of Daiko and Tetsute in that moment.
:>I promised them that while daddy might leave for a time, he would always come home.
:>A servant came in then, and began to whisper to the Lord.
:>Before the young Lord could reply, a Lion stormed into the room.
:>Oh now what?

:>He glanced at Kitsuki-san and myself, surprised, then spoke to the Lord without waiting to be addressed.
:>Kakita Ren! I am Matsu Roku! I am here on behalf of my Lord Matsu Banjaku! 
:>You have already been informed, the Lion is retaking this city that once belonged to them!
:>Because our Clan is Compassionate, and my Lord is fair, you have two days to leave this city.
:>After which my army will enter. Any Samurai that is not Lion within the city at that time will die.
:>I will have your answer, now! Do you choose to leave, and have peace? Or do you wish for war?
:>Wait...did he say TWO days?
:>The meeting is in THREE!
:>Kitsuki-san and I exchanged horrified glances. 
:>Of all the times...
:>Fuck it. Someone needed to break protocol here, and the Mantis wasn't around.
:>Oi, Oi, Matsu-san
:>And who are you, to adress me so?
:>I'm Hida Ishigaki I'm a Yojimbo to a Jade Magistrate, and that's Kitsuki-san, one of the Magistrates Yoriki.
:>He didn't say anything. Just gave me slow 'go on' nod.
:>Look, we're investigating a matter right now so you're going to half to hold off until we're done.
:>I cannot. My Lord's orders are absolute. In two days time, every Samurai in this city not a Lion will die.
:>Oh.
:>Shit.
:>He wasn't being poetic.
:>Those were his exact orders. And he fully intended to follow them to the letter.
:>I found myself wondering if, had their lord forgotten the 'not a Lion' bit, an entire army of Lion would enter a city and then fall on their own swords as soon as they did so.
:>Ren spoke up.
:>Matsu-san! My father's corpse was defiled by dark magic! You must give the Jade magistrates time to finish their investigation!
:>The Matsu's eyebrows twitched.
:>Then he chuckled. Maho-Tsukai would never have plagued this land were it still under Lion rule. I promise I will root out the corruption in my Lord's name once we have this city. Tell your father for me, when you see him.
:>The lion spun on his heel.
:>He paused at the door.
:>Two days. Every Samurai.
:>He left.

:>Kitsuki-san and I raced back to our rooms, edict in hand
:>All around us the palace was in an uproar as they prepared for battle.
:>I caught sight of the Daidoji directing things. His fancy armor made him easy to spot.
:>So. Magistrate was just his day job. His true calling was warrior.
:>Like me.
:>Our eyes met. We exchanged nods.
:>Good luck in your battle, Iron Crane.
:>Centuries ago, the Daidoji family Daimyo gave his life stopping the forces of Oni no Kinjiro at the Battle of the Tidal Landbridge. 
:>The Daidoji family, unique among the Crane, had earned the undying respect of the Hida that day.
:>What is it? What's going on out there?
:>We let everyone know we were going to have to find the Tsukai sooner than just ambushing them at their meeting, abandon our investigation, or be ready to fight in a summer war between the Crane and the Lion.
:>The Mantis said it best.
:>FUCK!
:>Toshiro growled. Those idiots aren't getting between me and those Tsukai.
:>You are not seriously proposing we join in this war, are you Toshiro-san?
:>The Mantis answered for him
:>Every Samurai. He made us a part of this war whether we want to be or not.
:>But only if we do not leave in time!
:>Toshiro grunted.
:>The Monkey piped up. Well Kitsuki-san? Can you find them?
:>Hold on, hold on. Let me see that journal page.
:>Kitsuki-san placed the edict next to the journal page and compared the two.
:>Ah. I see why you had such a hard time copying this page, Mantis-san.
:>Oh?
:>Yes, the person who wrote this journal was left handed. I'm sure of it now. And the lord was not.
:>Well well well.
:>So, someone who had access to the Lord's body, and room, and was left handed. We'd had less to go on, at times.
:>However, the chaos in the castle impeded our investigation. We found several suspects, but eliminated them just as quickly as we could identify them.
:>Time slipped away from us.
:>In the morning, there would be a battle.

:>The castle was naturally built in the maze style.
:>Since the Crane maintained the smallest standing army of any of the great Clans, they used tactics that took great advantage of the maze style, breaking up large armies, engaging and withdrawing. 
:>Should the Crane find themselves in a war, they attempted to bleed out the enemy army with One Thousand Cuts.
:>The Lion, on the other hand, maintained the Largest standing army. 
:>It was never a question of would the Lion outnumber their foe, but only how badly they did so.
:>In war, the Lion would wear their enemy down as the waves wore down the mountains. The youngest and weakest troops would go first, and any place the enemy faltered would be hit with more seasoned forces. Finally, once a breach in the enemy line had been opened, the elite of the Lion army would deliver the final devastating blow.
:>I could not predict the outcome of this battle. Too much relied on the personality of the Matsu General, of reinforcements arriving in time to lift the siege. Of the Cranes allies in court.
:>No, perhaps not. The young Lord had unwittingly given the Lion the perfect weapon to wield against him in THAT arena. With news of his father's defilement, of Maho-Tsukai in his city, his allies would distance themselves.
:>So, perhaps the Lion held the advantage after all.
:>Or perhaps I only came to that conclusion because my wife wished for us to leave.
:>The Karo, Doji Tenkai, came to see us that evening.
:>"I am here to convey the Lord's gratitude for all your hard work. Ren-sama has no desire for you to be caught up in the matter however. I have brought you new traveling papers, bearing the Lord's seal, so that you may leave this place in peace."
:>He set down the papers.
:>"Please, look them over to make sure they are all in order."
:>We did so.
:>"Kitsuki-san complimented him on his fine calligraphy."
:>"Why thank you, Kitsuki-san." 
:>The Karo left.
:>Kitsuki-san was shaking.
:>With rage.
:>"He is left handed."