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===Act III: Good News=== :>As the first weeks of spring roll in, Monkey gets a letter from back home. :>GOOD NEWS EVERYONE! YOU'RE GETTING MARRIED! :>Congratulations, Monkey! I'm sure you'll make a fine little housewife! :>Monkey sits there with a thousand yard stare. :>I said I'M SURE YOU'LL MAKE A FINE LITTLE HOUSEWIFE. :>Monkey sits there with a thousand yard stare. :>Poke. :>Monkey. :>Poke. :>Monkey. :>Poke. :>You're a woman, Monkey. :>Monkey sits there with thousand yard stare... :>Okay, so I'm just... going... to take... this LETTER... out of your hands here. :>Where are we going now? :>We pack up our things, acquire a palanquin for Naomi so the journey is easier on her and head back to the Monkey's home. :>Eventually, with enough needling from everyone else, the Monkey admits he hates his fiancee. :>Considering how my married life has been going, I find that a bit silly. Set to work telling him how great marriage is. :>No, you don't understand! She hated ME first! She doesn't want to get married to me, and is making my life hell so I'll call it off! :>Uh. so why don't you? :>How else am I going to find a wife? My family owns one, ONE rice paddy! :>Hey at least your holding is producing, all I've got is a hole in the ground. :>Look, you're worrying about nothing. Just relax and let the love master teach you everything you need to know to melt a woman's heart! :>And after she kicks you in the junk for following a Crab's advice, you could turn to me. :>Kitsuki-san seems to have recovered from sensei's "lessons" if he's joining in the banter again. :>I am far more eloquent, after all. :>That night. :>Eating dinner. :>Naomi asks to speak with me. :>Yeah? :>So... um. I'm late. :>Late? for what? :>No, Ishigaki-kun. I'm. LATE. By about two months... :>Are... Are you? :>Being at a loss for words is not a new experience for me. :>Being so happy I can't speak properly however, is. :>I once bragged about how great a samurai I would become at the School, and so my Sensei gave me a nice heavy log to carry on my back as I ran around said school. After all, this is nothing to a great Samurai. :>I ran until my head went light and my knees turned to jelly. :>This was the same feeling, only it was very pleasant. :>I looked up at Naomi with the biggest, dopiest grin I've ever worn. :>Not sure when I sat down, but I must have because my ass was firmly planted on the ground. :>C'mere you. :>Snag :>Kyah :>Cuddle. :>Ishigaki-kun everyone is staring! :>Let them. They're just jealous I have the best wife in Rokugan, and NOW I'M GOING TO BE A FATHER! :>Surprise from the rest of the party, since I said it loud enough for them to hear. :>Congratulations. :>Naomi is worried about what her brother said. :>Hey! Hey. You're going to be okay. Kuni-san is working on some things right now, and we're bound by the red string of fate now. In this life and the next, I will love you. My strength is your strength; your strength is my strength. :>She smiles, allowing herself to be reassured. :>We reach the Monkey house. :>The Monkey family is a about what you would expect from some Toku bushi. :>His dad looks, dresses, and even speaks like a farmer. Only the wakizashi tucked into his obi gives away any sign of his status. :>His mother, at first glance, seemed a serene housewife. But the callouses on her hand and the faint scar on her chin spoke of a time when she was a Samurai-ko, before her marriage. :>From the way she moved I could tell she continued to practice her Kata daily. :>Now to meet the fiance. Let's see what all this fuss is about. :>And she gives a polite greeting. Very formal, perfect etiquette. Already wearing a kimono in the Monkey clan's colors, so I've no clue which clan she came from. :>Give the Monkey a quizzical look. :>He's gone pale and is sweating bullets. :>Introductions get passed around. :>...and this is Hida Naomi... :>I suddenly feel on edge. :>...Ishigaki-san's wife. :>The feeling is gone. :>Dinner time. :>Plain ass rice. :>One tiny fish, mostly bones. :>Three slices of cucumber. :>I contemplate how rude it would be to add some of my travel rations to my plate. :>As is often the case when contemplating matters of etiquette, if I want to do it I probably shouldn't. :>Dinner conversation. :>I can engage in polite small talk without embarrassing everyone around me now. :>Play dumb and keep with the small talk whenever anyone tries to get me to speak of weightier things. :>Fiance has some questions for me though. And Naomi. :>She wants to know all about married life, how we met, who arranged our marriage. Very much interested in the business side of things. :>You know, the part we skipped over because we were genuinely in love. :>Monkey's parents smiled at that confession and shared a glance. Fiance covered her mouth with her hand and didn't speak to either me or Naomi the rest of the night. :>In the morning we learn we're going to the castle of the Monkey's lord. :>This is, it turns out, a big to do. :>Lots of strings were pulled, many favors exchanged to get this Monkey engaged. :>To a Shinjo woman. :>Despite her family being known for producing bushi, there were no calluses on her hands. Her skin was quite creamy, so she clearly spent little time out of doors. :>I was surprised to learn a pampered Hime-san could come out of the Unicorn clan. :>After entering the castle, we bathed to wash the dust from the road off. Then meet back up for tea. :>Naomi was blushing all the way to the tips of her ears when she came back from the baths. :>She saw me look, gave a little not now head shake. :>Hime-san is sitting next to the Monkey. :>He's staring at his food. :>Whenever a serving girl comes over to add a new dish, I get that weird sense of danger. :>It always leaves as quickly as it came, but I can tell I'm not the only one who feels it. :>The serving girls are almost rude in their haste to leave the table. :>Okay...I think I see what's going on here. :>That night. :>Me and Naomi. :>So what was it that had you blushing so bad? :>She's just... well... :>Naomi was not one to speak ill of others. I gave her shoulder a squeeze to encourage her to let her feelings out. :>She's so...RUDE. :>How scathing. :>She kept questioning about what it was "really" like being married to you! She called you a brute! She insinuated that I must be miserable having to... to... you know. stuff. bed. mumble. blush. :>Yeah, stuff. Bed. We're a pair of kinky degenerates after all. :>But if she keeps being that adorable I may have to do some more bed stuff with her. :>I had to leave before I slapped her! :>Whoah. :>Naomi was serious. :>She saw my surprise. :>Well, she was speaking badly of you. I did not like that. :>That's it, switch flipped. Bed. Stuff. Now. :>Yelp :>What about... :>They're just going to have to learn to deal with it. this is happening. :>Giggle. You are so bad! :>A new day dawns. :>Sitting down with everyone I lay out what I think is happening. :>Hime-san has it in her head that marriages are never happy affairs. :>And she's making it clear that if she isn't happy, you don't get to be happy. She seems to think that sex is the only thing that makes you happy, which is why she gives that discreet aura of menace off whenever a woman gets near you. :>And how in the hell do you even know that? :>Shiba is the one to cover for me. It makes sense given what she's done so far. :>The shock value of him speaking up alone is enough to quell any further questions. :>So what do we do? :>What do you mean WE? This is your problem Monkey. :>Waitno guys c'mon help me out here! You gotta do something! Anything! :>Look, just convince her she's wrong. :>HOW?! :>Holy shit do I have to draw you a map? She thinks sex is only fun for men, that's why she's so pissed. She sees herself being treated like a broodmare. So woo her. Or give some great sex! Either way, convince her you see her as more than an more than a incubator for your children! :>Naomi blushes. :>That night four adult men and one adult woman were crouched in the bushes of the palace garden. :>I cannot believe we are doing this. :>Shh, Naomi. You want them to hear us? :>We watched from our hiding spot as Monkey tried to court Hime-san. :>Why won't you believe me? I'm telling you I don't think of you that way! :>He had just spoken plainly. :>It was going as well as you would imagine. :>HAH! Your LORD arranged this marriage, then spent years giving you prestigious posts you don't even deserve to keep my family from realizing how bad an Idea this is! :>Ouch. :>"Or are you really trying to suggest that you love me? This is only the third time we've met!" :>Oof :>"Of course I do not love you! I don't even know you! But we can respect one another, can't we?" :>"You speak of respect? You expect me to stay in that hovel and watch over your rice paddy while you go out drinking in the arms of Geisha every night!" :>"You expect me to sit at home and get fat with child while you claim credit for your friends' hard work to glorify your own name!" :>Yamete! Yamete Hime-san! He's already dead! :>"For that matter, everyone just expects it of me to bear children! No one ever bothered to ask if I even WANT children, let alone what it takes to make one!" :>"And you have the brazen GALL to speak to me of Respect!" :>"It... it's okay if you don't want kids. I won't force you or anything..." :>"Oh how GRACIOUS of you! And you will announce this to everyone at the ceremony then? So that others know not to press the issue with gossip and barbed questions?" :>Hime-san would know all about barbed questions, clearly. :>I actually felt sorry for the bad luck Monkey. Caught between his duty to his lord and this vindictive woman. :>Angry at the world and lashing out at the nearest target. :>Naomi tugged on my sleeve. :>With a nod of her head she suggested we leave. :>And so we did. :>As we sat around the teapot the Mantis voiced the question in all our heads. :>Why are we trying to help the Monkey with his relationship woes, again? Aren't there bandits or something we could be killing? :>Now that he says that, it HAS been a while since we've been in a fight. Perhaps I should check my rice ball for Ninjas. :>Naomi looked around. :>Have we not shared triumph and tragedy together? Are we not joined by a common bond or duty and of friendship? Of course we should help him with his woes; he is our friend. :>And? How do you propose we do that, exactly? :>I didn't find any Ninjas in rice ball. I found the lack of riceball Ninjas deeply suspicious. :>I examined another riceball, just to be sure. :>That's when I realized Naomi had been staring at me. :>What? :>I swiped a hand at my beard, in case some rice had fallen into it. :>Ishigaki-kun, do you really not see? :>See what... Ninjas? :>Nin... No. I am not going to ask. :>The root of the problem is that Hime-san is under the impression that because certain things are expected of her, they could not make her happy. It is simply the apparent lack of choice she takes issue with. :>Then Monkey threw himself down before Naomi :>Oh great Naomi-sama! Please! This one begs you to speak to Hime-san! Convince her of your wisdom, I beg of you! :>Well that was the most absurd thing I'll see all day. :>Naomi looked at me. :>I looked at her. :>EVERYONE looked at her. :>Naomi sighed. :>Three days later, the Monkey was married. :>They aren't head over heels in love like me and my Hana-Chan. But the Monkey is not suicidal. :>They have a more... traditional marriage than we do. :>I don't pry about children :>To this day, Naomi has never shared with me what exactly she said to change Hime-san's mind so drastically. :>Wake up :>Naomi snuggled in against my chest. :>My stomach feels a bit wet. :>OHNO DID SHE COUGH UP BLOOD IN HER SLEEP AGAIN :>Lift her gently. :>It's white. :>... :>... Wait. :>Look at Naomi's breasts. :>Huh. Making milk already. :>Naomi's eyes open up, half lidded and groggy. :>Ishigakiku? Wha..? :>Oh, it's nothing. Wipe wipe. :>You may want to wipe your chest before you get dressed. :>She looks down. :>Embarrassed squeak. :>I go and get us breakfast, bring it back to the room. :>As I'm walking back I realize we've got a situation on our hands. :>Soon enough she's going to start to show. :>We're going to have to take some time off soon. :>And get her back to my home. :>Bring all this up as we eat. :>Where is your home Ishigaki-kun? :>It's just a small house, tucked away in the foothills north of the wall. :>There was a village once, Ishigaki Mura, when the mine was still operational. It's abandoned know though. :>Naomi arches an eyebrow. :>Yeah, I took my adult name from the village. So? :>She giggled at my defensiveness. :>It's a good name, Ishigaki-kun. Suits you perfectly. :>We speak with our superior, and explain the situation. He nods. Of course we must return to my home and prepare for the birth of our first child. :>Send a letter off ahead of us, I've no idea what shape the house is even in after being unused all this time. :>Wrangle my construction cr... brave friends to come along. :>Get another palanquin. :>Off we go, to my perfectly safe and secure and sunshiny home. :>Nothing could go wrong a week's ride from the Wall, right? :>We are met at the border to the Crab lands by a dour looking patrol. :>Their officer dismounts. Chu-i by her sashimono. :>Looks me up and down. :>Her nose wrinkles up like she smelled something bad. :>My beard is trimmed. My hair washed. My armor is clean, polished, and dent-free. :>Realize what her problem is. :>I've become a geisha. :>She looks over the others. :>They squirm a bit. They really didn't like the idea of donning their armor while on the road. :>An armored Samurai going anywhere is almost a declaration of war. But not here. Wearing your armor is a matter of course. :>She sniffs dismissively. Looks in the Palanquin. Hushed questions. Answers even I can't hear. :>She come back, handing me back the papers. :>There's a genuine smile on her face now. :>Yells to her men. 'This man came home with a pregnant wife!' :>Cheers. :>I can only imagine how red Naomi must be in there. :>But a birth is a joyous occasion. Whole villages will take a day off to celebrate a single child being born. She's going to get lots of attention, whether she wants it or not. :>We get as much of an escort as the Patrols can spare, which isn't much. :>But it's enough. If there was anyone or anything contemplating attacking us, our honor guard dissuaded them from doing so. :>At last we see it. My home. The village is gone, just a few skeletal frames fallen down and rotting. The hill where the mine entrance was is off in the distance. I can see the large boulder in front of it. The ropes and the sutra are still in place. Nothing will come up from that hole again, at least. :>My house is so plain it's almost comical. A simple walkway around a rectangle of a building. All very classic and easy to imagine. :>A "garden" out back with some hardy grass, an empty pond, and one big rock. :>I used to punch that rock to toughen up my hands for Jujitsu. :>My friends managed to keep neutral faces. :>Naomi, however, was peering about from within her palanquin with great interest. :>I rattled up to the entrance. :>To my great relief I see that the house, despite me not living in it for so long, is not a ramshackle dump. :>Spot a pair of sandals already in the foyer. The right one is showing wear all along the left side. :>I know whose sandal that is. :>TOSHIRO GET OUT HERE YOU BASTARD! :>Party jumps :>Step :>Thumpdrag :>Step :>Thumpdrag :>Step :>Thumpdrag :>Kuni Toshiro, my friend from long ago comes to stand in the doorway of my house. :>He is a true Crab. We understand one another so deeply we do not even need to speak out loud to communicate with one another. :>His right leg is twisted at an odd angle, giving him a club foot. An old wound earned on the Wall. :>I was there when it happened, and I'm amazed he still has any leg at all. :>He is wearing his face paint, or course. He never takes it off. :>He says it is polite. :>Considering his face is more scarred than mine, he's probably right. :>We stare at one another just long enough for my comrades to wonder if there is going to be a fight before we break out laughing. :>I knew why he didn't come out to greet us, and he knew I knew. We planned a joke to play on my friends without even seeing each others faces. :>Everyone, this is Kuni Toshiro-san. My best friend. Come on in. :>I help Naomi out of the palanquin. :>Toshiro thumpdrags himself over :>So this is the woman who stole your heart eh? :>He peers up at me. :>You do look much more... alive than last I saw you. :>We retire for the evening, with warm food, fine Crab sake (warm milk for Naomi) and Toshiro entertains us all with stories from the Wall. Lighthearted things about daily life and social mishaps, not stories of the darkness that waits just beyond the firelight. :>I wake up. :>No. It's nothing. There is nothing there to disturb my sleep. :>Yet I am disturbed. :>I slip out of Naomi's arms, tuck her in gently, and don my armor. :>I take my tetsubo in hand and walk around my home. :>I crack open doors and peek in on my friends. :>None of them are in armor. :>None of them stir. :>I know why I cannot sleep. :>I step outside onto the walkway. :>Toshiro is there. :>He looks at me, giving a half smirk half laugh. Just a hint of mockery. :>I know what he means. The wall is not far from here. The Shadowlands lie just beyond. I have brought people born and raised in Rokugan to the very gates of Hell, where nothing is as they think it should be. :>That lack of understanding could kill them. :>It could kill my beloved wife, and our unborn child. :>Of course I am restless. :>As we walk our patrol, Toshiro opens a few doors. He looks at the sutra he has placed there. :>I know this spell. It is a ward. Should a thing with the taint try to cross those barriers they will burst into flames. I have seen him use it many, many times. :>I nod my thanks. :>We finish our patrol and he produces a small bottle of sake. :>Yes, it time for me to get off duty and back to sleep. :>We drink. :>I return to my wife. :>Naomi asked to be taken around the area, she wished to see all of her new home. :>There's just some fallen buildings and an old mine. :>That large rock, yes? :>Yeah. :>That was a seal, Ishigaki. :>Crap. :>I can hear the others ears prick up. :>Okay, grand tour for everyone. :>I take them to the "village" :>I point out where the inn was, for Samurai on their way to or from the wall. The small hill on which I stood, daring the other children to come knock me off. None of them could. :>I took them to the mine. :>I told Naomi to stay well back, just in case. :>And I told them of the night my family died. :>The night I got the scar on my face. :>The night I couldn't protect the people who entrusted their lives to me. :>The night Ishigaki Mura ceased to exist. :>It was hardly an uncommon story among the Crab. Many have suffered loss in my Clan. It's one reason I never brought it up. :>Naomi, of course, was in tears. :>The others seemed to be taken aback as well. :>And there is the other reason I never brought it up. Such is part of life for a Crab, such is nigh unthinkable for one outside our Clan. :>I told them the Kuni who placed that seal assured me that nothing would able to use the mine again. That so long as that boulder stood the mine was safe, and the taint would spread no farther. :>Toshiro echoed that. :>My friends took a few steps back anyway. :>Good. :>They're learning. :>Naomi was well along when I spotted a goblin. :>The summers heat was just starting to give way to fall when a furtive shadow ducked down into the rotting remains of a house. :>I moved quickly, then softened my tread. Keeping my breathing even I moved up. :>The thing heard me, it leapt from its hiding spot and tried to run. :>I chased it down and killed it. :>One tiny little goblin. Naked save for the mud and shit caked onto its body. But the tanto it carried was sharp. :>I thought of Naomi, belly heavy with child. :>Her illness was making this last part difficult :>She had little strength, and didn't move around much on her own. :>I went back to get the others. I wanted to do a thorough search of the area. :>Toshiro stayed behind to watch over her. :>His Earth magic had been a great help to ease her burdens. And he had managed to improve upon her medicine :>Naomi insisted it was my love that made her illness seem less severe. :>As we hunted I wondered what good my love had done. :>Despite my earlier words, she was now clearly unwell. :>The things her brother said to me came back to haunt me. :>HOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOIIIIIIIII! :>The Mantis had found something. :>Goblin tracks. :>The Kitsuki was already studying them. :>A half dozen, trying to avoid notice. :>They're moving away, and there aren't many. :>The Mantis, or course. Showing just how far from their parent Clan they have fallen. :>So, why not just let them go. :>I held up the tanto. :>One little Goblin can do a lot of damage if it sneaks into the right place. :>Mantis shrugs. This is your home, we'll do what you think is best. :>We pursue. :>The goblins are quick, but we manage to overtake them. :>The fight is short, and brutal. Goblins do not fare well in open combat. :>We return to my home, we bathe and Toshiro tosses some salt and purifies us. :>I hold my wife. A bone deep fear like I've never felt before weighing down on my limbs. :>I'm sitting on the walkway, overlooking the garden. :>Naomi is in the room behind me, bundled up under a pile of blankets. :>The door is open because the crisp autumn air helps her to breath easier. :>Toshiro is there. He has asked the fire Kami to keep her warm. Despite earth being his element, he has an understanding with the fire Kami as well. I know that the kami of fire are excitable and can get easily carried away, but Toshiro handles them well. :>Had it been anyone other than him, I would have insisted on more mundane means of warming her, lest her blankets burst into flame. :>The thought darkens my mood. :>I hear a grunt over my shoulder. :>Toshiro is scowling at me. :>Naomi stirs fitfully. :>It is both a blessing and a curse to have people so close to you they can read your mind. :>I breath deeply, trying out the meditation techniques Shiba-san taught me before he was recalled by his Clan. :>Something about Yojimbo being Yojimbo, not magistrates. :>Yes, Naomi was no longer a Phoenix. She was a Crab. Therefore she was no longer Shiba-san's concern. :>I smelled her father's hand at work. :>I said a silent prayer to whatever fortune might be listening that Shiba-san be spared any further malice from that man. :>No, not you dirty Kansen fucks. Shoo. :>I didn't really know if there were any Kansen around. I doubted it, as I'm sure Toshiro had done his best to make my house inhospitable to them. :>But still, better safe than sorry. :>A low rumble reached my ears. :>I looked up. No clouds. :>The Kitsuki came outside. :>You hear that, Ishigaki-san :>Hai. :>Toshiro looked up. :>Horses? :>Must be. :>We walked around the outside of the house until we spotted the dust cloud. :>Ten... no Twelve. :>I had always thought myself observant, but the Kitsuki was on a whole different level. When we first met we were equals. Now I was in awe of the clarity of his vision, so refined by his School. :>They came up to us, horses whipped into a lather. :>One fell from his saddle and bled on my lawn. :>The rest of the group were little better off. :>All bore heavy wounds. Some looked fatal. :>Toshiro looked at them in dismay. I knew his ability with the water kami was very basic. :>Toshiro was a simple shugenja. He destroyed the enemies of our Clan with fire and Jade. He could not help all these wounded Crab. :>The leader slid, almost fell of her horse. :>Please. my men... :>I caught her before she could hit the ground. :>It was the Chu-i from before. :>I closed my eyes. :>Chikusho :>Chikusho :>Chikusho :>Chikusho :>Chikusho :>CHIKUSHO :>I knew what I had to do. She would never forgive me for turning these people away, or for offering only bandages and water. :>Follow me, carry anyone who can't walk. :>I took them to my wife. :>Naomi looked up from where she sat as we came around the corner. :>Her face was flush. :>I sat next to her and placed my forehead to hers. :>Fever. :>Chikusho :>The Kitsuki had gathered everyone. :>Wounds that still bleed were dressed, water given :>Toshiro knelt beside Naomi. He could not save all those Crabs, but he could help ease the burden she was placing on herself :>The wounded were brought before Naomi. The man who fell first. :>But he was already gone. :>Naomi choked back her tears as she shook her head. :>Of the twelve riders that came, two perished. :>The rest were saved. :>And my wife lost consciousness from the strain. :>Chikusho :>I'm beating my fist into my old punching rock. :>I'm doing this because I am furious, and I need an outlet for this rage. :>Ten of my kinsmen, all of them on death's door saved. :>But it may have cost the life of my wife and soon to be born child. :>I am angry at these Crabs that came here. :>I am angry at Toshiro, for not being able to save them himself, or for not being able to help Naomi more. :>I am angry at myself for allowing this. :>I am angry at Naomi because her kind heart would allow no other outcome. :>But some part of me retains enough sense to know that is not fair. Not to any of those people. :>And so I punish myself for my inappropriate anger. :>My friends seem nervous. I have never lost my composure so severely in front of them. :>In fact, most of the times I did "lose my face" it was an act to scare someone into being more cooperative. :>This time I am genuinely out of control, and they know it. :>I see Toshiro speak to them. The look a little relieved and go back inside. :>I cannot hear his words. All I can hear is the blood roaring in my ears as my heart pounds. :>I lose my balance as my fist slips off the rock. :>I fall face first in the dirt. :>Toshiro sits down next to me. I can see his clubbed foot. :>You done now? :>I think so. :>Good. Sit up. Baka. :>I do. :>He takes my bleeding hands and begins to pray. :>The water kami feel different from when Naomi does it. :>She gives a slow, gentle, inexorable feeling of life itself filling you. :>Toshiro's Kami are more like being bent over and having life rammed into you whether you are ready or not. It hurts, even as you are being healed. :>I think it hurts more than I remember, actually. :>POP :>My knuckles begin to shift back into place. I really hurt myself. :>Baka-yaro :>Now I'm sure it hurts more than normal. :>He's right. Toshiro is always right. :>She's going to be okay you know. :>It's just fatigue. :>I open my mouth. Instead of a protest I hiss as a fresh wave of pain stings my hands. :>How many prayers to Jurojin do YOU know again? :>Stop reading my mind, goddammit. :>Toshiro just makes his half snort half laugh noise. :>The Chu-i approaches us as Toshiro finishes. :>She throws herself down into a dozega :>Stop. :>GOMEN... :>STOP. :>She looks up. :>I should be the one apologizing for that shameful display. I am sorry I showed you such an ugly thing. :>I bow. :>It's... it's okay. You're worried about your wife. :>And you were worried about your men. :>Now. Tell me what did that to them. :>What? :>My eyes narrow. I am a Crab. And there is something strong enough to severely wound a Crab patrol very close to my pregnant wife. :>I cannot allow this. :>What did you fight? :>Ogres. :>How many? :>Six :>Two to one against ogres? :>Though I did not voice my thought she knows what I am thinking. :>The had weapons, wore armor. All of them. :>Shit. :>That made sense. :>Ogres are stupid brutes. Mountains of muscle who think only of food, sex and violence. Barely able to speak. Not different from most people's view of Crab. :>But that is not the Ogres natural state. It is a curse from the dark kami. Away from the Shadowlands, their minds can return. They can remember a time when they ruled the world, before man sprang up from the blood of Onnotangu and the tears of Amaterasu. :>An Ogre that is as intelligent as a human, while being stronger, faster and tougher, with real weapons, armor and even a School... :>We killed two, injured most of the rest. But their leader... :>He has a Nodachi. And he knows well how to use it. :>Please, stay here and guard my wife. :>With my life. :>I enter into my house to don my armor. :>The others are already dressed and ready. :>I don't even have to ask. :>I bow to thank them. :>Forget everything you think you know about Ogres. The ones we face now are intelligent. They can set ambushes. They wear armor over their already thick hides and will wield Weapons. :>We will have to work together, create openings for one another, and defend each other if we are going to win, let alone survive. :>And we don't have Naomi with us. :>I let all that sink in. Save Toshiro, there was not single one of us who would already be dead if not for her skill at healing magic. :>We headed out. :>The Mantis and the Monkey ranged ahead, scouting. :>The Kitsuki looked uncomfortable. He kept fiddling with the bindings on the armor we had acquired for him. :>I gave his Do a tug. It stayed in place. :>It's fine, leave it alone. :>Okay. :>I envisioned the battle that was to come. :>The Kitsuki was many things. Warrior was not one them. Yes his skills had been polished at the rough hands of his master, yes he could anticipate enemies attacks. But it would difficult indeed for his blade to reach the Ogres flesh, and even then... :>The Monkey was insane. Like all Toku he took excessive risks, Fortune favors the foolish and the bold, and he was both. :>The Mantis, merchant that he was, was still dependable in a fight. His peasant weapons may not seem like much, But I had seen him cut men in half with well placed swings. :>Even an Ogre would know it when the Mantis struck them. :>Toshiro continued to thumpdrag along beside me. He was the one I most counted on. :>A plan took shape in my mind. :>The Mantis and Monkey came back, having found sign of the brutes. :>I laid out our rough strategy for this battle. :>Kitsuki will guard Toshiro, who will do as he is wont to do. Monkey, you will set the Ogres up. Sting them, annoy them, get them to drop their guard. Then the Mantis will exploit those openings for all they are worth. :>What are you going to do? :>What I always do. Persevere. :>We tracked them back to a camp sight. They had piled up earthen walls around their lair. :>No intention of letting Ogres just move in wherever they please, we made our best effort to creep up on them. :>Sadly we were not Ninjas. :>We separated, the Mantis and Monkey going left, me going right. :>It was as the Chu-i said. There were four Ogres and two of them bore wounds. :>The Monkey dove between the legs of one of the ogres, slashing at the back of his calves. :>Incensed and off balance the Ogre turned to him, but the Monkey was not where the ogre's Dai Tsuchi fell. :>The Mantis struck, both Kama plunging deep into the Ogre's shoulders. It bellowed as it fell. :>Another Ogre charged at Toshiro and Kitsuki-san. :>Kitsuki-san did stood in the thing's path and was knocked aside by a the thing's tetsubo. :>But that was all the time Toshiro needed to finish his spell. Two red orbs of pure flame struck the Ogre, engulfing it. :>I faced off with the last ogre. :>He had an Ono. :>I decided it would be best if I could end this quickly, and so I swung my Tetsubo. I was rewarded with two solid cracks, my weapon was ideal for dealing with thick hides and heavy armor alike. :>The ogre was too sturdy however, and I failed to take him off his feet. :>His Ono fell upon me, tearing aside my sode and biting deeply into me. :>I staggered under the sheer force of the impact, but kept my feet. :>Even as the ogre menacing Toshiro burned, he called forth a blast of pure jade to sear it. :>The Ogre, horribly wounded but still standing, lashed out with his tetsubo. :>He struck Toshiro with full force. :>But Toshiro was a Crab. He staggered back, coughing blood, but straightened. :>The Monkey helped the Kitsuki to his feet as the Mantis fell upon the burning Ogre like a thunderbolt. :>It's attention was fixated on Toshiro. :>At the last second it saw the Mantis and turned. Too late. :>The Mantis lept into the air and scythed his kama through the creatures neck. :>It's headless body fell, still burning. :>Sure, finish off all the wounded ones to make yourself look good, you selfish priwwHHUUFFFF :>The sky tumbled and turned about me as I flew :>I landed a good five feet from where I had been standing, blood seeping from my side where the Ogre's ono had torn another great rent in my armor. :>I stood back up facing the thing bearing down on me. I could feel it's bloodlust. :>It came at me again, but this time I warded it away with a defensive swipe of my tetsubo. :>I likely could not take another blow like that, so I put all my effort into keeping myself alive. :>Meanwhile the last ogre, the one with the Nodachi, had stepped up. The Kitsuki, Mantis and Monkey all began to close on him, coming from three sides. :>Toshiro chanted his prayer. I had no idea what he was doing, but given how long it was taking it was bound to be spectacular. :>I realized too late that the leader was intentionally drawing them in closer. I tried to shout a warning. :>With one massive swing of it's blade, the ogre struck them all. :>The Mantis hissed in pain. :>The Monkey fell to one knee. :>The Kitsuki hit the ground hard and did not move. :>I warded off another attack. I had my hands full and could not go to help them. :>Toshiro finished his spell. The skin of the ogre leader began to harden, then turn to Jade. :>Toshiro shouted his prayer, beseeching the Kami of Earth to entomb this malignant beast for all time. :>He was now locked in a struggle with it, attempting to crush the Ogre's lifeforce with pure jade. :>The Ogre I had been fighting with thought to move past me, and put an end to the Shugenja. :>Having none of that, I struck. My first blow smashed the creatures kneecap, as it's leg twisted and it fell, I crushed its skull. :>Then I struck it once more, just to make sure the damn thing was good and dead. :>I limped over to where the others were. The Monkey was quickly tying bandages off on the Kitsuki. :>So Kitsuki-san survived. :>Meanwhile the battle between Toshiro and the Ogre raged. :>I could hear the thing bellowing in fury from with it's jade prison, though it's cries sounded further and further away with every passing second. :>Toshiro was sweating heavily. I knew this spell took a heavy toll on it's caster, and left them very vulnerable while the fought to subdue the beast. :>But all the other Ogres had fallen. Toshiro was free to focus solely in his magic. :>The Ogre's bellows became chirrups, then whimpers. :>Then... nothing. :>Toshiro leaned forward heavily, both hands on his knees. :>It's done. :>We finished patching up Kitsuki-san and even got him awake. :>The blow must have scrambled his brains a bit, because he kept blinking as though he couldn't bring anything into focus. :>Battered, Beaten but Triumphant we set off back for the house. :>We returned to screams. :>Heart in my throat I raced through the front door and into my house. :>I forgot to open the door. :>I was greeted by nine terrified but hopeful faces. :>They looked to my wife's bedroom. :>I ran in. :>I forgot to open the door again. :>The Chu-i looked up at me. :>Thank the Fortunes you're back in time! Quick, get the futon... no wait, did the Shugenja make it back with you?! We need him! :>ISHIGAKI! :>I dropped to my knees and took her outstretched hand in mind. :>It HURTS, Ishigaki! :>What the hell is going on?!?! :>The chu-i smacked me. :>I stare at her. :>Calm down, it's not what you think. :>Her water broke, that's all. :>... :>... :>...THAT'S ALL?!?! :>TOSHIRO GET THE FUCK IN HERE NOW! :>He thumpdragged in just as fast as he could thumpdrag. :>Oh. Ah. I see. :>Toshiro began giving orders. :>People were stripped out of blood stained armor and clothing. :>No time for a proper bath. :>Buckets of cold water dumped over our heads. :>Salt. :>Streamers on the end of a bamboo stick. :>More salt. :>We were rushed into clean clothing, our bloody armor set outside lest the blood bring bad karma. :>And I found myself wandering around my house, a futon balled up and jammed under my kimono, bellowing in time with my wife. :>A woman giving birth is extremely vulnerable to a spiritual attack, and a newborn child even more so. :>So it was the duty of the husband to wander about, faking being a pregnant woman, to confuse the evil spirits and safeguard his wife and child. :>Every cry from Naomi sent my heart into my throat. :>Every muffled snigger sent a twitch through my right eyebrow. :>Clutching my futonbaby to keep it from falling out, I moaned with great sincerity. :>The Mantis assured me that when I blush with embarrassment I'm even cuter than Naomi. :>I didn't kill him. :>I remain proud of the restraint I showed, to this very day. :>At last there was silence. :>Then a cry. :>Not my wife. :>My child. :>Uuuaaahhhh? :>Yes Ishigaki you can stop doing that and come in. :>Naomi had deep bags under her eyes. Her hair was matted to her head with sweat. And she was radiant. :>And there, in Toshiro's arms. was an ugly bawling pink blob. :>It was the most beautiful ugly bawling pink blob I'd ever seen. :>Want to hold your daughter? :>Daughter... :>Hah. :>Haha. :>HahahahahahHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAA :>I flopped down on the floor next to Naomi, and held her as Toshiro handed me my daughter. :>Laughter I couldn't stop kept pouring out of me. :>They were safe. They were both safe, and whole. :>I felt so much tension I hadn't even realised I was holding on too drain out of me, and I'm glad I was already sitting down. :>Naomi began to squirm under her blanket. :>Ishigaki-kun, help me sit up? :>I scooped her up with one hand. :>Then cradled my family in my massive arms. :>Our daughter quieted down as she looked at up at us with giant eyes. :>Just like her mother's. :>Let's hope she gets your looks, Naomi. :>Hmmm. that may be for the best. :>She needs a name. :>She does. :>Well, how about we nudge her along to taking after you with it? :>Oh? You have something in mind. :>Daiko. :>Naomi blinked. Then blushed. :>Hai. Daiko. :>Welcome to your home, Hida Daiko.
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