Editing Memories of a Stone Wall (section)

===Act VIII: Yasha===
:>The night wore on. The people in the street thinned, then vanished.
:>The last Samurai left the geisha house, weaving drunkenly. 
:>And then, two shadowy figures emerged from a side door in the geisha house and headed away.
:>I followed.
:>I caught a whiff of opium, so I was able to keep after them without exposing myself much.
:>They stopped in a deserted alleyway.
:>The coal from a pipe lit up one of the figures faces.
:>Tatsuki.
:>What did you want, anyway?
:>Tatsuki san, you were so cruel to Satsume today.
:>So? Samurai are nothing but trouble! Get em drunk, do a dance, take their money, that's it.
:>Anyone hoping some rich pretty boy will buy their contract is a fool, and anyone who goes out of their way to get their attention even more so.
:>They'll kill you for looking at them sideways!
:>I can't say you're wrong, Tatsuki. But, you shouldn't have spoken up when you did.
:>Those jade magistrates might just wonder if you had some connection to the murders.
:>What d'ya mean, murders? They just went missing, it's not like we know they're dead or anything.
:>I was already moving at that point.
:>Oh but I do know.
:>I got between the two just as the knife flashed.
:>It scraped me, and I returned the favor with my tetsubo.
:>Catching the Geisha in the side, I pulled my blow so I wouldn't kill her. I just wanted to take her off her feet. I had questions.
:>To my surprise, she not only seemed untroubled by my attack, she kept her feet.
:>Okay, that's just not right.
:>Tatsuki. Run to the inn. Get my companions and bring them here.
:>Tatsuki just stared, slack jawed. Her pipe fallen to ground.
:>MOVE PEASANT!
:>She ran.
:>The not really a geisha moved to give chase, but I blocked her path.
:>Your fight is with me.
:>In the dim light of the red paper lanterns, I could just make out the dark stain spreading across her side.
:>So I did hurt her.
:>As I advanced, preparing to strike again, she swung her knife. Not at me, but at the string of lanterns.

:>Most fell harmlessly into the road, but enough did drift into the outer walls of the nearby buildings that I had to rush over and put them out, lest they start a fire.
:>She used those precious few seconds to break from me and run.
:>I finished stomping out the lanterns and stood there cursing until Tatsuki came back with my friends. Mantis and Monkey weren't with them of course, still investigating.
:>Damn bitch is tough. More than simple geisha!
:>I wounded her though, think you can follow a blood trail this late at night, Kitsuki-san?
:>Ishigaki.
:>Toshiro had knelt to examine the blood.
:>This blood, it's far too dark.
:>Kitsuki-san leaned in, brought his lantern in closer.
:>You're right.
:>Humans breathe in Air, it mixes with our Water, making our blood bright red. As our water passes it's strength on to our Earth, our bodies, it becomes darker.
:>This blood is black.
:>Toshiro looked up at me. 
:>Just like a corpse that has not taken in any Air for a long time.
:>Bog Hag?!
:>I think so, yes.
:>Kitsuki-san blinked.
:>I thought you said your technique disrupted the taint of your enemies?
:>It does, but it's a reflex. I use it when I am struck; it's not as if I would know it's working. Only my opponent would know... ah.
:>No wonder it was not eager to fight you.
:>Toshiro and I locked eyes, the same thought running through our heads.
:>You three go find the Mantis! I'll get the Monkey!
:>Protocol!
:>I'll be fine, Toshiro! You're slow, Naomi is sick, and Kitsuki-san isn't much of a Yojimbo!
:>You three NEED to stay in a larger group!
:>I was already running, before any more protests could come up.
:>As I neared the docks I heard the sound of retching. Turning towards it, I found the Monkey.
:>He was leaning against a building, clutching the side of his neck. I could see him panting. As I came closer he leaned over and puked.
:>He saw me.
:>Ishigaki-san? I... I don't feel so good.
:>I picked him up. His skin was on fire with fever.

:>Some crazy bitch... She was clutching her side, I asked her what was wrong and as I got close she clawed the shit out of my neck!
:>Bog Hag talons carried disease in them. She had used the tanto on me because she did not wish to extend her claws through her fake skin.
:>I had no idea how severe the disease was, or how long it normally took to work, but obviously THIS one was working very, very fast.
:>I slung the Monkey over my shoulders and ran.
:>He didn't complain.
:>I got back to the Inn and stomped heavily as I ran up to our room,
:>I threw open the door.
:>Toshiro said hello by blasting both myself and the Monkey with a Jade Strike.
:>As the energy washed harmlessly over the two of us I set down the Monkey.
:>Hag got him. With her claws.
:>Shit.
:>Toshiro fished out a prayer to Jurojin. As I explained what that meant to the others.
:>Naomi added her own magic, and between the two the Monkey was saved.
:>Everyone was quickly brought up to speed.
:>The Mantis confirmed for us that the Yoriki I had encountered early that day was also the Bog Hag, as his failure to report in had caused a bit of shouting at the magistrate's.
:>Okay, now that we know what we're looking for, we only need to find one creature in a city of thousands that could change its appearance almost at will.
:>There was a reason Bog Hags were able to live in Rokugan for a long time should they just make it past the wall.

:>Hey, uh Toshiro-san?
:>I'm grateful and all for the magic healing... but why did you blast us both?
:>Won't hurt you if you aren't tainted. If it did hurt you I'd have blasted you again till you stopped twitching.
:>Oh.
:>I chuckled. Hitting one another in the face with that spell is a perfectly fine way to say hello among the Kuni. It has advantages, since a normal Jade test requires you to get close enough to poke someone first.
:>Couldn't you just hold up your own Jade?
:>Toshiro took that one.
:>Greenstone.
:>There's a mineral that is similar in appearance to Jade, but it's not. Hard to tell the difference at a distance.
:>Some fools have, from time to time, tried to pass it off as Jade to our Clan when our own stores were low.
:>Okay.
:>Now, how do we go about finding this monster?
:>Check the geisha. The madame, in particular.
:>It was the Mantis.
:>That Yoriki not reporting in for duty was a big deal. If the Hag was stepping into their daily lives, then there's an issue.
:>Geisha live in their house. They really aren't supposed to leave unless called out by a client, or to run errands.
:>Keeping up a double life like that would be hard.
:>What? don't judge me! You're the weird ones, being all lovey dovey.
:>Before we left we ground up jade and prepared powder. Bog hags were invulnerable. The blood was not the hag's, but from the skin she had been wearing. 
:>It was unusual, but not unheard of for older, stronger and more cunning hags to be able to take more than just the surface skin. 
:>This made the disguise even MORE difficult to spot.
:>Some even learned maho spells to preserve their skins.
:>We returned to the geisha house as dawn was nearing.
:>Toshiro placed a ward of flame upon the frame of the door.
:>We entered.
:>Tatsuki greeted us.
:>Oka-san is resting right now, should I go get her?
:>Please.
:>As the madame shuffled out, she greeted us warmly.
:>Hello great Samurai! I cannot thank you enough for what you did for our Tatsuki last night!
:>How may I help you?

:>I walked up to her, and held out the finger of Jade I wore. 
:>Hold this a moment.
:>Oh great Samurai, this one is unworthy of such of a gift.
:>She was misunderstanding, going through the three refusals.
:>I heard the Monkey snicker.
:>No, I'm not giving this to you, I just want you to touch it.
:>Whatever for great samurai?
:>Some of the other girls had come out of their rooms to see us.
:>We just want to be sure.
:>The door to the front slid open.
:>Oka-san, I'm home! I have the-
:>As soon as the Geisha stepped across the threshold, she burst into flames.
:>Oh shit, which one was that?
:>Dammit, THEY KNOW!
:>Uh...
:>Oh dear, this is going to cause quite the ruckus.
:>We will have to leave this city now, no matter what happens.
:>Girls, listen up. The one who kills the big one gets the little girl's pretty skin.
:>All around us, geisha ripped their flesh off and revealed themselves to be Bog Hags.
:>Tatsuki fell to her knees, unable to comprehend her entire world shattering in an instant.
:>Including the madame, and the burned one, I counted six. 
:>I once mentioned we Crabs had a code word for when the teahouse we're in is staffed by demons in disguise, they didn't know they'd been found out, and everyone should grab their weapons and meet out front.
:>We also had one that meant the same thing, expect that the demons know they've been found out, and you should fight way out.
:>Yasha.

:>Toshiro threw Jade fire as we powdered our weapons.
:>Energy rushed through my limbs as Naomi blessed me.
:>I was worried, there were a lot of Hags here, Toshiro and Naomi had both used magic earlier, and we were relying primarily on powder to injure them.
:>The burned one leapt onto Toshiro's back, clawing him
:>One went for the Mantis, one the Monkey. Two came at me.
:>The Mantis and Monkey both defended themselves, and I knocked aside the first to reach me, the second one got a claw in under my arm as I raised by tetsubo to block.
:>She cried out as she struck me, confused.
:>WHAT WAS THAT HUMAN WHAT DID YOU DO TO ME.
:>Calm down, that's why I told you to work together on him.
:>I know what he is doing; it won't harm you.
:>As the Geishags eyed me hatefully, Troka-san reached inside her kimono, and pulled out a scroll.
:>Oh shit.
:>She then clawed herself, quite deeply.
:>Oh that's a lot of blood...
:>And my chest burned. I fell to my knees hacking and coughing. Blood poured up from nose and mouth. My lungs ached.
:>So this is what it's like, to be Naomi...
:>I had to end that bitch, and I had to do it, now. Before she cast that spell again.
:>With the strength Naomi gave me, I slammed the haft of my tetsubo into the geishag that had clawed into me, knocking it down, while preserving my powder.
:>Then I rushed over it and attacked the head of this hag coven.
:>I saw surprise and fear in the creatures eyes, it had hopped that spell would slow me down much more than it had.
:>I spun my tetsubo, two overhead strikes, sliding my hand down the haft to let the full momentum strike her.
:>She was still standing, but swaying about drunkenly. 
:>I suspected she had overtaxed herself with that maho.
:>Behind me the Mantis, Monkey and Kitsuki all worked together. As the Kitsuki shoved his blade into one's stomach, the Monkey struck at the back of her neck.
:>Then the Mantis buried his kama into the top of her head.
:>The hag made a almost comical gurgle as it fell over, dead.

:>Toshiro was praying, hard. Another big one. then.
:>Naomi whispered another prayer and touched the Mantis.
:>Who then spun and struck the burning hag.
:>The other hags howled in fury and lunged at the Mantis, taken by surprise at the three on one, he went down under their claws.
:>Kitsuki-san grabbed the Mantis and dragged him back to Naomi.
:>She didn't waste any time, not even bothering with a scroll.
:>As the Mantis groggily got to his feet, Naomi teetered, sweating and panting hard.
:>For that matter, so was I.
:>I was still sucking in Air, a terrible panic rising in me at the feeling of not being able to breathe.
:>I crushed it ruthlessly. I knew I COULD breathe, even though my body was screaming I needed more.
:>Still, my vision was going dark at the edges.
:>What the hell did that monster do to me?
:>It lashed out with a claw, unable or unwilling to spill more of its own blood to work any more magic.
:>It's talons punched through my chest piece but only the very tips found my flesh.
:>And before she could draw back, I brought my tetsubo down on her head for a third time.
:>This time the thing's skull cracked open. Brains and fluid spattered to the floor. It stood there, head still bent from the impact of my strike, almost as if it was bowing before me.
:>Then it crumpled.

:>I turned. I needed to repowder my weapon. 
:>Naomi was spent, or close to it.
:>Toshiro was was praying, scroll in one hand, with his tetsubo held out in a warding stance. With that one hand grip he could not defend himself well.
:>Mantis was badly hurt, near death. Not even Naomi could heal someone so wounded that quickly.
:>And there were still four of the damn things standing. One hadn't even been hurt yet.
:>Well let's fix that.
:>Panting like a horse in heat (even killing the fucking thing hadn't fixed my lungs... was I going to be like this forever?) I charged at the unwounded Hag.
:>And into her.
:>She bit at my helmet and clawed at my back as I continued to run, taking her with me
:>And out the front door.
:>Through the ward.
:>When a bleeding Crab in full armor comes crashing through the door of a Geisha house, bearing with him a Bog Hag that is also on fire, people have a tendency to take notice.
:>One may then assume that, once their brains can fully register what their eyes have told them, they will scream and run about like chickens with their heads cut off.
:>The people in the streets lived up to my expectations. Spectacularly.
:>Good, that should bring some more bodies. If we have to we'll just pin them down with sheer numbers until we can bring up enough powder to bring them all down.
:>The Monkey lashed out at one of the hags, keeping the thing from attacking the Mantis. 
:>The Kitsuki took a stance from the Dojo. I had seen the Shiba do that once, long ago.
:>The Mantis spun around slipping to one knee he scythed his blades through the legs of two of the hags, causing them both to fall.
:>Naomi drew another scroll from her satchel
:>And then Toshiro finished his spell.
:>The spell was an old one, in use for centuries.
:>It turned wrathful Earth Kami upon those it targeted, disrupting their own earth, weakening them considerably.
:>The Earth Kami were particularly incensed should they detect the presence of taint.

:>The spell had been made famous by one of the sons of the Emperor Toturi the First.
:>It was, in these days, known as the Wolf's Mercy.
:>Toshiro managed to get all four of the hags.
:>The wounded three died on the spot, their weakened bodies succumbing to the severe wounds they already bore.
:>Only the burning one was still alive.
:>Kitsuki-san struck it hard.
:>It trashed in my grip, but I managed to hold on, barely. The Mantis and then the Monkey were finally able to still the beast.
:>I felt life rush into me, and the pain in my chest eased up at last.
:>Just as Naomi began to cough once more. I caught her before she fell, and set her down gently.
:>Tatsuki. TATSUKI! My wife needs her medicine, we need a teapot, water, and a fire. QUICKLY!
:>My shouts galvanized her, and Tatsuki moved to comply.
:>Kitsuki-san saw to preparing her medicine.
:>Toshiro, panting hard looked at me and the Mantis. 
:>Neither of you better get sick from those wounds. I've got nothing left.
:>And, far too late to be useful, the Crane showed up, Yoriki in tow.

:>Doji Goemon looked about with disgust, and more than a little fear.
:>What has happened here?
:>Naomi was panting hard, still giving little coughs.
:>She looked at me. Though her eyes were tight with pain, she gave me a nod to reassure me she would be alright soon enough.
:>So Toshiro, as the only other full fledged Jade Magistrate in our group, had to explain the scene to the Magistrate's satisfaction.
:>You had a Bog Hag problem.
:>We took care of it for you.
:>You're welcome.
:>Bye.
:>Atta boy, Toshiro.
:>That won't cause any problems, I'm sure.
:>He then turned and began throwing salt all over. 
:>Wait, just a minute!
:>No.
:>WHAT?
:>Toshiro spun and glared at the Doji.
:>I had watched Toshiro apply his face paint several times. He started out pure white. Black, all around his eyes, making them tiny pools of light in deep sea. Then, almost haphazardly dipped his four fingers into red, and pulled them across his face.
:>The visage he created looked like a man with deep black eyes that were far too large, and had been clawed from temple to chin by some great beast.
:>In other words, pretty damn scary.
:>And he used it to full effect as he glared at the Doji.
:>Bog Hags are tainted. They've been hiding in this geisha house for months. People have probably already been tainted. There might be infections even now. 
:>And I HAVE to deal with that.
:>It's what Jade Magistrates do.
:>The first step is to Purify this place.
:>So shut up and let me do my job!
:>Or do you want to explain to your lord why half this city had to be burned down when the taint gets too deep?
:>He was bluffing. It was true there were probably people with the taint unknowingly spreading it around, but one geisha house? No way had it become such a crisis. 
:>Toshiro just didn't want to deal with the Crane, and was using the fact that such knowledge was considered shameful in the rest of Rokugan to deceive him.
:>It worked.

:>The Doji salvaged his wounded pride by berating his Yoriki.
:>Don't just stand there! Get some monks, shugenja! And ETA!
:>The Mantis, meanwhile, discreetly moved Tatsuki out the back, we all knew from the attempt on her life she was innocent of any wrongdoing.
:>But we doubted Goemon would see it that way.
:>Several Monks, a small swarm of Eta, and even an Asahina showed up to help with the cleansing. 
:>And all protests from Goemon stopped as the Eta began to bring up human skins from a secret basement Kitsuki-san found.
:>There were thirty two.
:>As well as a very large pile of bones. There was no telling how many people were there. There were only three skulls. Not nearly enough for all the bones.
:>I explained to Goemon.
:>Bog Hags don't kill just for skins. 
:>They eat people. 
:>Especially pretty women and children.
:>He excused himself, and hurried off. 
:>I could hear him vomit. 
:>I doubted it was compassion for the victims. Rather I suspected it was fear that such a thing had gone on for so long right under his nose.
:>I had no doubt he would have much explaining to do when his lord heard of this incident.
:>I didn't embarrass him further by looking.
:>Hey, Naomi?
:>Ha...hai Ishigaki-san?
:>Still a little sore.
:>Is he doing that right?
:>I jerked my head to Toshiro. He had just thrown a second handful of salt at a wall that particularly offended him.
:>It always seemed... messy to me, when Toshiro purified things.
:>Naomi nodded. sipped some water.
:>He lacks grace, I admit but it is fine the way he does it.
:>Huh.
:>Naomi advised Goemon on the Jade test, and the Monk in charge of the local Shrine assured us that, should anyone be found with the taint, he could guide them to a temple that specialized in treating those so afflicted.
:>Toshiro pressed him on the details, but was satisfied the temple in question wasn't one that took mercy too far.
:>We left, to chase after possible clients with the taint.

:>We were joined, of all people, by Tatsuki.
:>"What the fuck is this?" I asked to no one in particular, pointing at her.
:>Mine. Hands off.
:>I stared at the Mantis.
:>He pulled his clothes and produced a piece of paper.
:>I bought her contract.
:>From a dead bog hag?!
:>Yeah. Got a great price.
:>You just took that!
:>Look, I know you don't know shit about Geisha, loving your wife as much as you do (Naomi blushed), but the contract is the only thing separating a Geisha from a whore.
:>I had no idea if that was true or not.
:>Naomi, of course, wanted to know what the half-person thought of all this.
:>Naomi's Compassion could really get in the way of her sense of propriety at times.
:>I don't have any traveling papers, I can't stay there and I sure as hell didn't want to show my face to the magistrate to try and get some papers....
:>So this works. I mean, I could be a lot worse off right now, and you did save my life...several times over in fact.
:>Huh. That's very upfront. I wondered what is was that she sensed in us to put her so at ease. 
:>And that's how the Mantis got a Geisha.
:>So, you gonna marry her?
:>Monkey, of course.
:>Naomi hid her smile behind her sleve and tittered.
:>The Mantis just glowered at the Monkey, but Tatsuki actually fidgeted a bit.
:>I shared a glance with Kitsuki-san and Naomi as we noted that.
:>And we headed out for the nearest town.
:>For a few weeks we spread word of a possible taint outbreak. Discreetly, to local lords. We told them how to check, got them in touch with temples to handle anyone found with the taint.
:>Naomi went through paper and ink quite quickly, writing letters back home.
:>I don't think either of them can read yet, Naomi.
:>The nanny will read the letters TO them Ishigaki-kun. Until we got home to see them again.
:>I understood. Not a day passed while I was standing on my post on the Wall that I didn't think of home.
:>When we arrived at the third city, the guard who checked our papers became very excited.