Editing Memories of a Stone Wall (section)

===Act XXXVII: The Crab and the Scorpion===
:>As part of Touka's Honor guard, I got to learn a bit about the general of the Army of the East.
:>He was an oddball, to say the least.
:>He insisted that every meeting of his advisors begin with a tea ceremony.
:>Touka insisted he had his own special blend of tea.
:>But after he whipped up each bowl for his advisors and guards it still looked and tasted like a bowl of frothy green drain water to me.
:>I played along though, saying I could tell it was different but claiming my unrefined tongue couldn't state what it was.
:>Touka threw back his head and laughed.
:>Of course not! If it was too different it wouldn't be matcha any more, now would it?
:>The others chuckled.
:>The atmosphere in the tent was certainly relaxed.
:>Touka must get along well with his subordinates.
:>Aside from me, he had one other guard with him at all times.
:>Hida Jinzo, who had studied at the Unbreakable Blade dojo.
:>The Unbreakable Blade dojo was the only dojo in the lands of the Crab that taught advanced Iaijutsu techniques.
:>The Crab style was much maligned in the Empire, when people were aware it existed at all.
:>This is because of the philosophy on the Unbreakable Blade.
:>Striking first means nothing, if you opponent is still alive.
:>In the courts, and over petty insults and small matters of Honor our Clan's technique did little.
:>On the battlefield however, a Crab in heavy armor who had attended that School could kill a Kakita or Mirumoto.
:>As Mirumoto himself had said: "Truth is in the Killing".
:>And Jinzo had clearly done something impressive already.
:>For he carried one of the famed Kaiu Blades at his side.
:>I always kept an eye on it, lest I bump the Saya accidentally.
:>For anyone other than its owner to touch that blade would be a grave dishonor to both it and it's owner.
:>Jinzo did not speak much, but he gave me a nod to show that he respected me as much as I respected him.

:>Touka wasn't content just with tea ceremony though.
:>While his advisors all spoke and argued over what they should do in response to the Scorpion ambush, he sat there and painted.
:>Like a damn Crane.
:>I looked around the room.
:>This wasn't the first time I'd been sorely outranked by everyone present.
:>Hiruma Goemon, the second in command of the army and overall commander of the Hiruma forces in this army.
:>Kaiu Raiko, newly risen to command the Kaiu engineers.
:>Kuni Matemon.
:>Kaiu Kazuya, the Kaiu battlemaster.
:>Yasuki Kenshiro, the quarter master.
:>Each of them had several attendants as well, to help keep track of all the small details that fell under their individual purview.
:>Goemon was speaking to Raiko.
:>Those assassins were just waiting around for a chance to strike, it's a good bet the Scorpion have found most of the traps.
:>We need to redo them, shift their position around.
:>It's doable, Goemon-san, but it would divert manpower from the castle...
:>Kazuya shook his head.
:>No, we've already started on the castle. Best to finish the work as quickly as possible there before moving on.
:>Kenshiro nodded in agreement
:>Leaving the construction materials lying around is a bad idea when we've got Scorpion to deal with.
:>It was then that Matemon addressed me.
:>Ishigaki-san, you were with the bodyguard of Otomo-jun for a time.
:>What can you tell us about the Scorpion's deployment?
:>Uh.
:>Shit.
:>Everyone looked at me expectantly.
:>I was supposed to be a neutral observer when the Scorpion spoke up in front of me.
:>Was it really okay for me to tell what I had seen and heard while I was NOT part of the Crab army?
:>Touka, glanced up from his painting and, seeing my strained expression, spoke.
:>Jun let slip that you think there are Scorpion Samurai disguised as Ashigaru, so really, she's already told us much.
:>I don't think it's a concern for you to speak up at this point, Ishigaki-san.
:>That...sounded a little too convenient to me.

:>However.
:>Naomi was recovering in this very camp.
:>Even if this wasn't exactly the honorable thing to do, I had to keep her safe.
:>So I accepted Touka's reasoning.
:>The Scorpion general claimed he only brought half as many Samurai as you did, but ten thousand ashigaru.
:>They admitted flat out that they knew what forces you'd be bringing before they decided on what they would bring.
:>Several disgusted grunts accompanied that revelation.
:>Kazuya shook his head.
:>So you think that they disguised real samurai as ashigaru to make us look weak?
:>I nodded.
:>Goemon asked me if I knew where their main camp was.
:>No, I was only present at their staging area.
:>Matemon leaned over to Raiko to explain to her.
:>Goemon's scouts have found no less than four large camps, but we aren't sure yet which one the Scorpion are using for their headquarters.
:>Goemon mumbled, chin in hand.
:>Wouldn't surprise me if the sneaky bastards were moving between them all, or at least divided up among them, to keep us from striking the head off all at once.
:>Kazuya looked at the map.
:>So, we now know the Scorpion have guessed our strategy and fully intend to attack it directly.
:>The real question is: HOW they will do this.
:>Ishigaki-san's conjecture is one possibility.
:>But the truth is, I just don't see how it could work.
:>Matemon stroked his chin.
:>Yes, you're right there Kazuya-san.
:>Samurai or Ashigaru, with less than three to one they still wouldn't be able to dislodge us from this place with the castle up.
:>Kenshiro spoke up
:>So, then the Scorpion must have a different trick in mind?
:>Kazuya responded.
:>Scorpion tricks do not always work.
:>It's why the Scorpion army sometimes loose battles they should win.
:>On the other hand, when the Scorpion tricks DO work, it makes them seem unbeatable.
:>Touka added one more line to his painting.
:>The only thing you can be sure of when dealing with a Scorpion is that you can never be sure of anything.

:>Raiko, get the castle built as fast as you can.
:>We know the Scorpion would not be so foolish as to chase after skirmishers into a battlefield of our choosing, so we must force them to come to us by other means.
:>Goemon, for the time being I want you to divert more forces to guarding the caravans coming up from the south.
:>That is now our greatest weak point.
:>A chorus of Hai's accompanied Touka's decision.
:>I did not sleep in the tents with the other troops.
:>Every second I was not guarding Touka I spent at Naomi's side.
:>I slept in my armor, sitting by the head of futon and out of the way of the Kuni running the hospital.
:>I had little doubt they would throw me out after the first real battle though.
:>This place would get very full very quickly.
:>However, before the first real battle of the war, a bit of drama occurred.
:>Jun came back with the others in tow.
:>She stopped and stared, astonished that the Kaiu engineers had indeed finished a castle in such a short time.
:>It was, admittedly, made of bamboo and not stone, and only three stories, but still.
:>Then she saw me, and exploded at Touka.
:>WHAT is this man doing here?
:>Touka shrugged.
:>He is a Crab, and a skilled veteran.
:>As he was released from his duties to the Jade Magistrate, I took him to replace some of my lost soldiers.
:>Is there a problem with that, Otomo-san?
:>She glared back and forth between me and Touka.
:>Ugh. No.
:>But there is a problem with using Maho!
:>Touka blinked.
:>I'm sorry, what?
:>The Zombies you sent at the Scorpion clan's headquarters!
:>I shot a look over to Toshiro, who gave a helpless shrug.
:>They wore Crab armor!
:>Jun-san, while this is serious I had nothing to do with it.
:>In the first place, I don't even know where the Scorpion's main camp is.
:>But your scouts have been sniffing around...
:>And they have found FOUR camps. Or were you unaware the Scorpion were doing their best to hide their main camp from us?
:>Jun said nothing to that.

:>Then one of your subordinates must be the Maho Tsukai!
:>Kuni Matemon answered her.
:>Otomo-sama, that is impossible.
:>And how do you know that?!
:>Because, if there were anything tainted nearby, or Maho being cast, then this...
:>Matemon produced a crystal amulet from around his neck.
:>...would begin to glow.
:>The amulet began to glow.
:>...
:>From the edge of the camp a shout arose.
:>I ran towards it.
:>Several dozen figures in red and black armor were shambling about, scrambling at the wood and earth walls on the edge of camp.
:>For a zombie attack, this was very half assed.
:>I turned back to the camp and made the "not all clear, but no danger" signal with my hands.
:>As the Hida behind me methodically destroyed the zombies.
:>Once the last of the Zombies had stopped moving, the light in the crystal Matemon held died.
:>Touka looked pointedly at it.
:>There, Jun-sama.
:>There is no taint to be found here.
:>More likely this is some Scorpion plot to discredit us, since they cannot match our clan in the field.
:>Jun glared at him.
:>All I know for certain, Hida Touka-san, is that my life has been in constant jeopardy.
:>It seems I can trust no one at all.
:>Since you have built this fine palace for your army, you must have extra tents?
:>I will need several.
:>Toshiro's eyes shot open wide.
:>Kitsuki-san tried to speak with her.
:>Wait, Jun-sama!
:>Your life IS in danger!
:>That is why going off on your own is the worst thing you could do!
:>Is it, Kitsuki-san?
:>Neither the Crab nor Scorpion would dare lay hands on me directly, that is why they must resort to indirect methods such as they have.
:>And we have just seen that the Maho-Tsukai are not very skilled at controlling their assassins.
:>I will trust Toshiro-san and the rest of you to keep me safe from their feeble attempts while you figure out which Clan is responsible.
:>Toshiro shot me a pained look.
:>Clearly, Jun had been making the other's lives miserable.

:>I nodded my understanding to him.
:>They would have to figure out how to keep her safe from her own idiocy and investigate the Scorpion.
:>I would look into the Crab.
:>Only 5000 or so Crabs about, as well as peasant workers.
:>Surrounded by the clan most paranoid about the taint.
:>Which means if there were any Maho-tsukai here, they would be really damn good at hiding their taint...
:>...
:>Fuck me...
:>Jun stormed off, dragging the others off with her.
:>I silently wished Toshiro and the rest luck.
:>Now, how in hell am I going to uncover a Maho-Tsukai, if there even is one, who can hide in the middle of the Crab Clan?
:>After mulling it over for a bit, I kept coming back to the same conclusion over and over.
:>I was going to have to be loud and rude about my search, and hope my quarry made a move in response to my rustling.
:>So I headed to the hospital.
:>I wanted to make damn sure the ones looking after my wife were all clean.
:>I walked up the a Kuni woman who was moistening Naomi's lips.
:>And without any preamble I poked her in the forehead with my finger of jade.
:>Hello to you to, Hida-sama.
:>Holy shit, I outranked her?
:>She plucked the jade from my surprised fingers and jabbed me right back.
:>Are you just that concerned for your wife's well being, or does this have something to do with that commotion that occurred just now?
:>Both...?
:>She folded her hands and waited.
:>Though she didn't have on any face paint at the moment, her stare was still quite unsettling.
:>I heaved a sigh, only slightly exaggerated, to show I did not like what I was about to say.
:>Despite Otomo-sama's... theatrics, we cannot dismiss the possibility that the Tsukai raising these corpses is wearing Crab colors.
:>'We'?
:>You still think of yourself as part of the Magistrate's entourage, don't you.
:>I nodded.
:>Furthermore, I am neither shugenja nor witch hunter...
:>So this jade is all I have to check for taint.

:>So... I was wondering if I could maybe get your help?
:>She cocked her head.
:>What would you have me do?
:>There are a bit too many Crabs about for me to start randomly tossing Jade Strikes about and hope to hit a random Tsukai.
:>I know, but you've been here longer.
:>Could you keep an eye out?
:>For suspicious behavior.
:>She pondered for a moment
:>That much I can do.
:>Good, thank you.
:>I leaned over Naomi, stroking her hair.
:>I gave her a quick kiss on the forehead before heading back out.
:>Perhaps this was my best bet then.
:>To rally several other Crabs into being my eyes and ears.
:>So that's what I did.
:>I spent the whole night wandering the camp, picking crabs at random, jabbing them with jade, and explaining the situation to them.
:>It... could have gone better, honestly.
:>Some had no good way to check save their own jade.
:>Others laughed in my face, saying what I feared was impossible.
:>One took exception on behalf of Touka, but I avoided any kind of brawl.
:>I only really got a few that could help.
:>Better than nothing, I supposed, but only just.
:>As the sky began to lighten into dawn, a horn sounded.
:>The Scorpion were launching their first attack against the Castle.

:>Taiko drums beat out a rhythm, telling the soldiers how to prepare.
:>Upon the third story the Kaiu took position.
:>The Falcon's strike took the second, and some of the Third.
:>At the bottom floor of the castle, and all around the edges of the wall around the main camp, were the Hida.
:>From the wall, the Hiruma poured, scattering themselves out inside the no man's land of traps prepared in advance.
:>Even if the Scorpion knew where every trap was, it would take time to remove them. Time the Hiruma would not allow them to have.
:>Or they could avoid them, and have their formations broken up.
:>Then they would have to skirmish with the Hiruma instead.
:>Attacking the Crab in a fortified position really comes down to how your commander decided you should die.
:>I was up the top floor, passing word to the Hiruma who would relay my information to Hida Touka, who was on the first floor, safe from any arrows or spells.
:>Much as I wanted to rush out an joint the frontline, I was the honor guard of the General.
:>My place was with him.
:>Sadly, his place was way in the back overseeing things.
:>Still, we faced Scorpion.
:>My rice balls were ninja-free, but I couldn't be certain about all the other rice balls in this castle.
:>As I looked out over the lines of the Scorpion two things became crystal clear.
:>The first was that the Scorpion 'formation' was anything but. It was just a long line that, if it COULD reach the castle, would simply wrap around it.
:>The second was that there wasn't a single samurai in the Scorpion army.
:>Everywhere I looked, I saw a bristling forest of bamboo spears.
:>Most clans that used Ashigaru would at least give them a Yari and a Jingasa along with some basic armor.
:>I was wrong. There was no way the Scorpion were hiding real samurai in that mess.
:>All it could do was die, and die quickly at that.
:>I turned to the attendant and said as much.
:>With a shouted HAI he ran down to inform Touka.

:>He quickly reappeared, and spoke to the drummers.
:>Who beat out a code, telling the Kaiu and Toritaka to stand down.
:>Which confused the hell out of me at first.
:>Those Ashigaru were not much of a threat, but there were a LOT of them
:>The Hiruma would still be outnumbered by more than three to one.
:>Not terrible odds, considering the skill of the warriors involved, but time and the fatigue that came with it would play their part.
:>We would take more losses this way, no doubt about it.
:>So then... why?
:>Of course.
:>Just getting close enough to a castle to jab with a yari would be difficult.
:>But with that many bodies...
:>... you could hope the enemy runs out of arrows...
:>I felt my blood run cold as the full reality of the Scorpion's ruthlessness settled on me.
:>There was no way this war was going to be anything but a bloodbath.
:>As the first wave of ashigaru began to enter the fields of traps, the full scope of the Scorpion strategy was laid bare to me.
:>The traps were working against us.
:>The Ashigaru had to pick their way cautiously.
:>Only a few could engage at a time.
:>Which meant the bulk of their numbers sat back and rested.
:>It wasn't even the effort required to kill the peasants the Scorpion were planning on.
:>It was time. Just time.
:>Staying awake because of a sustained assault for hours, maybe even days would wear out even Crabs.
:>The Scorpion had about as many Samurai as we had Hida.
:>Time alone would exhaust the Hiruma, eventually they would have to withdraw
:>Then whatever was left of the Ashigaru would press against the walls of the castle for as long as they could, keeping the Hida up and fighting.
:>Only then would the Scorpion Samurai, who were roughly equal in number to the Hida, show themselves.
:>And fight a tired foe.
:>... bastards...
:>I ran downstairs, to tell Touka myself what I had surmised.

:>The command of the Crab army was, of course, surprised I had left my position.
:>I knew it was not my place to speak of the strategy and tactics Touka chose to employ.
:>So I performed a dogeza.
:>Hida Touka-sama!
:>I must speak with you!
:>Then do so, Ishigaki-san.
:>The Scorpion are using the traps against us! They will limit the number of Ashigaru we can engage at any one time!
:>It is not the peasants that they plan to use against us, but time!
:>If you do not allow the Kaiu and the Archers to destroy as many of the enemy as possible, fatigue will defeat us where the Scorpion could not!
:>Hmmm. You've got a good eye for battle.
:>But, we had already considered that.
:>No, it is best if the Scorpion samurai never reach the walls at all.
:>Like saving arrows for the larger Oni, and ignoring the Zombies.
:>...
:>I had never heard of a time when that was good idea.
:>Zombies could shrug off arrows, true. But that just means you used flaming arrows instead.
:>Crabs trained to endure, but it always best to eliminate the enemy as quickly as possible, only relying that endurance when everything else was spent.
:>I understand Touka-sama.
:>Good. Go back to your post, Ishigaki-san.
:>HAI!
:>...
:>I was not a smart man.
:>I had come to conclusions that were wrong many times before.
:>I could only imitate, not innovate. Doing as I had been told, as I had learned from what my ancestors had done.
:>In that way, at least, I was like a Lion.
:>Even if, by some miracle, I found myself in command of an army, I would be a poor general due to my inability to adapt to unfamiliar situations and over reliance on conventional wisdom.
:>Hida Touka was near the very top of the Crab Clan.
:>He had the best advisors, and had earned his position through merit.
:>I was simply too dumb to follow his reasoning.
:>It was not that he was trying to get people needlessly killed.
:>...
:>...
:>... oh fuck me.
:>I didn't believe that for one second.

:>I returned to my post.
:>Somewhere out there, I knew not where, Toshiro and Otomo-Jun were in a small camp.
:>They needed to know what was going on.
:>But...
:>If I was wrong this would be worse than the time I accused Shoji of being a Maho-Tsukai.
:>To make matters worse, Naomi was in this camp. Still unconscious.
:>Still helpless.
:>If I failed to reach them, if I failed to prove my fears correct, I would be a traitor.
:>Death alone is not enough for a traitor.
:>Their entire line is ended.
:>With a blade.
:>Those who served them directly often choose seppuku rather than bear the shame of having served a traitor.
:>If I failed, if I was wrong, my children would be killed.
:>Ishigaki-Mura would die a second time.
:>And duty kept me bound to Touka's side.
:>I couldn't just wander about as I pleased looking for proof of my suspicions.
:>For the time being, all I could do was grip the railing of the top of the castle, and pray.
:>It's frustrating, isn't it?
:>I looked over at the Kaiu who spoke to me.
:>He was watching the battle unfold.
:>I too, wish Touka-sama would allow us to fire.
:>Those damn Scorpion!
:>They mock us, using Maho right in front of the Observer, and then casting the blame on us!
:>ON US!
:>I could see his barely contained fury.
:>I looked around.
:>The same rage shown in nearly every eye.
:>The rumor mill that floated around in barracks everywhere was in full swing.
:>The Crab army was gripped with fury.
:>As I looked, I saw several Hiruma shove some ashigaru into one of the tiger pits.
:>Then picked up bamboo spears that were lying about the battlefield, and threw them in.
:>Point first.
:>I closed my eyes as behind me a cheer went up.

:>The battle continued unabated.
:>Raged wouldn't really be appropriate here, even though the Crab were quite angry.
:>Rather, it was a cold fury. Clinical.
:>There was more glory, and risk, involved in butchering chickens.
:>As I watched group after group of Ashigaru marched into the jaws of the Hiruma, I could not shake the feeling of dread that had settled in on me.
:>What was it...
:>What was the plan?
:>I looked closely, straining for some clue, some hint of the intent of the bloodspeakers.
:>Getting a bit crowded out there, isn't it?
:>The Kaiu who had spoken earlier.
:>He was right. The field was getting cluttered with corpses.
:>The Hiruma were using them to their advantage, attacking the living peasants as they stumbled through their own dead.
:>Though they did mark out clear paths between the traps.
:>I looked to the runner.
:>Tell Touka-sama that the bodies of the Ashigaru are becoming an obstacle in their own right, while also clearly showing were the traps are NOT.
:>Hai.
:>He ran down.
:>Most often, the eta came out in the aftermath of the battle, to retrieve the fallen and finish off the most seriously wounded.
:>But sometimes, they had to go out while the fighting still went on.
:>The attendant came back up, and the taiko drums beat another code
:>Touka-sama had indeed ordered the eta to go out.
:>I watched a group of eta head toward the front, with a single Hiruma guiding them around the traps.
:>As they neared the piles of bodies, the Scorpion Ashigaru attacked them.
:>The eta fell back, confused.
:>I saw the Hiruma go down under the bamboo spears of a half dozen peasants.
:>I yelled to the attendant.
:>Tell Touka-sama that the Ashigaru are attacking the eta!
:>What the hell...?
:>Was it just fear; the peasants trying to kill everything they could see?
:>It was possible.
:>But what if there was a plan at work here...?
:>Eta were ignored, even in the middle of a fight.
:>All they were doing was getting the bodies of the fallen back so they could receive proper funerary rites.

:>It took a rare circumstance for anyone to interfere with that work, as no one wanted to allow another honorable samurai to just lay there and rot.
:>No, that's not quite right.
:>It did happen that sometimes one side in a battle would chase of the other sides eta in order to protect their own dead.
:>This was done if the side driving the eta off feared their fallen would be dishonored in some way by their enemies.
:>But... those were ashigaru.
:>No one would care to defile their corpses, nor would anyone think to take the heads of mere peasants as trophies...
:>...
:>... wait.
:>Where where the Scorpion eta?
:>I grabbed one of the Toritaka up here.
:>Do you see any Scorpion eta?
:>He peered for a moment, then shook his head.
:>No. It's odd.
:>They're driving off ours, they didn't send out theirs...
:>It's like the Scorpion want the dead to pile up...
:>... do they?
:>I frowned and did not answer.
:>I was too busy second guessing myself.
:>This was even more suspicious than Touka's decision to hold back the Kaiu and Toritaka.
:>HIDA ISHIGAKI-SAMA!
:>I turned, another messenger.
:>Touka-sama requires your presence!
:>I nodded and headed down.
:>...
:>Was I growing too paranoid?
:>Seeing taint everywhere?
:>Or was there something I was missing?
:>I reached Touka and knelt.
:>Ishigaki-san, you were right about the Scorpion trying to let time wear us out.
:>I still intend to save our ammunition for real samurai, but the others have convinced me that we cannot wholly ignore the Scorpion plot.
:>I will be ordering a sortie soon.
:>I want you to join them.
:>I was unable to keep the surprise of my face, but thankfully he had yet to give me permission to raise my head.
:>So only the floor knew.
:>I remember what that one Bayushi said to you, during the ambush.
:>He said He would not forgive you.
:>The simplicity of that phrase belied it's true meaning.
:>When a person uses that specific phrase, they mean that only death, for themselves or the person they are speaking to, can settle this matter.

:>I'm wondering what you did to draw such ire?
:>Um... I accidentally foiled a Scorpion plot at the winter court two years ago...
:>And he was part of it.
:>Hoooo?
:>I see.
:>Well then, you shall lead the charge!
:>I blinked.
:>This works out quite well!
:>You are, quite possibly the best warrior in this army right now.
:>I can think of no one better to lead the relief forces for the Hiruma.
:>And if the Scorpion hate you as much as it seems, they might even show themselves for a chance to kill you!
:>Then I will allow the Kaiu and Toritaka to attack as you wished!
:>...
:>On the wall, we call members of other clans who come to serve Koma. Ponies.
:>It comes from an ancient practice.
:>The Yasuki would gift the Hida with lame ponies.
:>The Hida would then tie those lame ponies up beyond the wall to lure in live shadowlands monsters.
:>So we could get archery practice in on live targets.
:>It's because war with the shadowlands was so different from war with Rokugani that all the other clan members were good for was being bait.
:>Right now, Touka intended for ME to be the Koma.
:>I wondered if that meant he expected nothing else from me but to lure in Scorpion and die.
:>... or was he HOPING that would happen?
:>Had he realized my suspicions?
:>Was he trying to get rid of me?
:>Am I going mad with suspicion of everyone around me?
:>I pushed all of that aside.
:>I was in no position to refuse his order.
:>I would go to aid the Hiruma, taking their place in the battle so they could catch their breath.
:>That was all I needed to concern myself with at the moment.
:>Raise your head, Ishigaki-san.
:>I did so.
:>Touka jerked his arm, signaling with his tessen.
:>Now GO!
:>Slay the Scorpion!
:>Give aid to your fellow Crab in their time of need!
:>Be our Wall!
:>HAI!
:>I strode out of the castle, as the taiko drums called up more Crab to fall in behind me.
:>The gates opened, and we charged forth.