Session 7. (29/8/01)

In this slightly shortened session the Matsuyama troubleshooters continue their investigations into the disappearance of Lord Chozo's head scribe, Kitagaki. We begin with Emiko and Komako, the curiously inseparable shrine maiden and martial artist^* following the route taken by Kitagaki on his way to and from work. Emiko installs herself at a temple near Shindate bridge, ostensibly learning herbalism, then traces Kitagaki's route, visiting any merchants along the way to see if he called in there. Her luck is in and she learns from Jonson, a shopkeeper, that Kitagaki sometimes called in on way home and always said hello. He hasn't seen him for some time, since about day 5 of last week, but isn't too sure. Komako also spends the day asking after Kitagaki along his route to work, but has no success. However, stopping in a bar at the end of the day he chances to find a barman, Makkusu Desuuza who remembers Kitagaki drinking there on his way home on day 6 of last week. Komako questions a few of the regulars in the bar, but though they are friendly and helpful (or drunk!), they are unable to offer more than vague recollections of someone matching the description. Kimori meanwhile, thinking about the problem while performing light teaching duties at the Academy of the Blade, decides that what is needed is for someone to contact the eta to see if they have found either Kitagaki's body or a yakuza body missing an arm. He tries to think who he could ask to talk to eta, and asks the academy's administrator if there are any ashigaru students in the academy. "Not since you put the prices up," he replies, so Kimori is stumped. Later in the day, he, Emiko and Komako gather to discuss progress at Sugiyama's house. Sugiyama has spent the day guarding the artworks in the doshin house (i.e. with his feet up), issuing orders to his minions (including an order to advertise new doshin posts so that his ninja clan could infiltrate the doshin) and fending off Suganuma, who was visiting him. Going through the known facts, they knew that Kitagaki had left his house on the morning of day 6 to go to work, done a day's work and left. He had been seen by the barman on the way home, but on the other side of the river the shopkeeper hadn't seen him since the previous day. They decided to start their investigations the next day at Shindate bridge. Kimori reported on his attempts to contact the eta, and asked if anyone knew any eta - he himself had never met any socially, except those that blew into his yard and had to be swept out as happened a few mornings ago.

In Awaji Province, Mariko was reunited with her husband, but quickly put in motion various activities: setting up a shrine to the drowned woman, looking for pirate bases, looking for her lost luggage and sending out spies to look for signs of pirate activity.

Back in Matsuyama, the troubleshooters start out early. Emiko looks for paper merchants on Kitagaki's route and finds one. She buys some paper (three cheap sheets, one quality) but he doesn't know Kitagaki. Sugiyama uses his ninja contacts to see some eta, but fails to find the right people. So Komako uses his Buddhist connections and finds just the right people (those who deal with dead bodies) and learns that they haven't seen either Kitagaki's or Lucky's bodies. They meet Kimori on Shindate bridge and start looking for clues. They find nothing so Sugiyama sends Komako to fetch Emiko from the nearby temple to use her prana yoga. As they return, through the Bull yakuza controlled ward, they are attacked by a group of ten armed men, presumably Bull yakuza. Kimori charges to the rescue; Sugiyama hobbles up. Kimori's first swing cuts the leading yakuza in thirds; Emiko, standing nearby, is lucky not to be hit by spurting blood and incur pollution. Komako takes a sword wound and replies with a kick, and Hop-Along Sugiyama is hit by two yakuza, one with a sword and one with a club. Stung by this, he lashes out and in two efficient swings kills the sword-wielder. Emiko, with her too-heavy staff nevertheless manages a critical hit and two normal hits, dishing out slightly more damage than she received. Kimori then gave a master class in swordplay ("How NOT To Do It" by missing everything in sight (five 20s in three rounds of combat!!?) before returning to his senses and dispatching three more yakuza. Sugiyama killed three more also, and Komako, having rendered his opponent unconscious, went to Emiko's aid and captured her assailant with a jujutsu move.

Finally making it to the bridge, Emiko entered a prana yoga trance, but found only two copper coins and a hair grip. Komako had the idea that there were several houses overlooking the bridge so someone might have seen the scribe crossing the bridge. As some of these houses also overlooked the recent fight scene, the occupants were only too willing to help. One reported that he had seen a group of men meet another man on the bridge and have a heated discussion. They went down to the river bank and disappeared. Emiko, Komako and Sugiyama scrambled down to the waters edge and searched for clues, aided by Emiko's prana yoga (Kimori refused to go near the water on health grounds, "Cough, cough"). They had no success but then came the sound of footsteps on the bridge and a woman looked over the parapet. "What are you doing?" she asks. "Doshin investigation, ma'am." Sugiyama flashes his Ki stone. "Were looking for a missing scribe. Do you come here often?" "Every day. Just last week I saw some men arguing on this very bridge. They looked like such ruffians! There's altogether too much crime in the city these days. The Chief of Police doesn't know what he's doing!" "Just the facts, ma'am." "Well, I did notice several of them carrying those weapons made of two sticks and a chain." "Nunchaku." "Bless you." With this new information, Sugiyama and the others returned to the doshin house with their prisoners, intending to ask the doshin which yakuza used this uncommon weapon.

The episode ended with a flash forward to future events in Awaji province (or is this whole adventure in Matsuyama actually a flashback?) where Mariko was puzzling over a missing map...

^* known to some (behind their backs) as "Beauty and The Beast."

< Previous  Next >