Emiko: Have you seen the laundry bill for my robe?
Session 21. (19/12/01)
Episode 5 contd.
We rejoin the troubleshooters as they are riding up to Oita for instructions. Suddenly they find they have ridden into a rocky outcrop that is heaving with snakes. The snakes immediately launch themselves at the intruders and two of them bite Mariko, but two others find they have launched themselves from too high in the cliff face, fall to the ground and stun themselves. The troubleshooters draw weapons and every one of them scores a hit on a snake (is this a first?). The fight then falls into a familiar routine, with Kimori hacking his opponents to bits, Sugiyama and Mariko taking slightly longer, Komako missing everything in sight, Emiko hitting for tiny amounts of damage and the snakes unable to get through the armour apart from the occasional nip. Kimori gets a nasty bite and os stunned, Sugiyama is bitten on the arm, both snakes attacking Mariko manage to dislocate of break their jaws (what kind of armour is she wearing?) and Emiko is nipped twice. Komako and the two snakes attacking him go through the entire fight without getting a hit after Komako's initial strike, and he has to accept help from Sugiyama, Mariko and Kimori to finish them off. In the end the score is Troubleshooters 9 - Snakes 0 (but they did cause Emiko to break her bo). After some healing from Emiko the party sets off and reaches Oita without further incident, although while staying in the small town of Notsu, Sugiyama manages to find a new robe for Emiko to replace the rather dishevelled, blood- and ink-spattered one she is wearing. Emiko is overjoyed and kisses Sugiyama on the cheek. What would Suganuma say?!!
Episode 6. Sobo-Zan Pass.
Having reached Oita, the troubleshooters are briefed by Hoshina Jyuso, commander of the 2nd force in Oita. He fills them in on the situation in Hyuga and tells them to go up to Sobo-zan Pass and scout out the land to see where would be the best place for a temporary fort to block any armies advancing from southern Hyuga. Before leaving Oita, Sugiyama buys a good quality tool kit and Emiko buys a new bo.
The five ride up a river valley towards the Sobo-zan pass, following the roads and tracks except where they sneak past the enemy-held town of Mie. It is a peaceful time as they dodge spring showers and see the flowers forcing their way through the last remnants of the snow, which is even now melting from the higher slopes. Suddenly they hear a rumble, and the bubbling stream they are following becomes a raging torrent. The troubleshooters scramble to higher ground, but Mariko is caught by the flash flood and swept away. She is carried into the middle of the stream and she has to swim for the banks. After a couple of heart-stopping moments she swims to safety, 400 yards downstream. The others rush to help her, but artificial respiration is not necessary.
The party stops for lunch and to dry out. They carry on up the valley and in the afternoon pass a man walking between villages. Sharp eyes discern that he is a professional gambler, and he politely asks if any of the honoured warriors would like to play a game of chance? The troubleshooters wisely decline, and no budo is gained.
After a less eventful day's travelling, the group arrives at the Sobo-zan pass and find a place to camp for the night. The following day they scout the area and Mariko uses her chikujojutsu expertise to size up the requirements for fortifications and troop strength. She has an excellent idea of what is needed and draws up plans which she sends Kimori off with to deliver to Jyuso. For the next few days Sugiyama and Komako scout the area beyond the pass to make sure they are not surprised by a Hyugan army, but they see nothing. Meanwhile, Kimori has an exciting time riding back down the valley. First he encounters a pack of wolves. He decides to ride around them but they wind him and give chase. Fortunately his horse outruns the wolves. The next day he rides straight into a large bear. He slashes at the bear then dismounts and finishes the job, but not before the bear swipes him with a large claw and gives him a nasty wound. Shortly afterwards Kimori encounters and advance party from Jyuso's army, sent ahead to help build the fort. A messenger is sent back to the main force while Kimori and the advance party ride once more up to the Sobo-zan pass. They are still making their way up the valley when Sugiyama makes an important discovery on the other side of the pass. He finds that no-one has used the pass since the winter snows cleared. He is on his way back to tell Mariko when he and Komako are attacked by a pair of shishi, a legendary (some say endangered) lion-like creature. The first bites Sugiyama quite seriously and he responds by cutting it with his sword quite seriously. The second goes after Komako, but true to form fails to succeed in any attack. Komako however hit with every attack, much to the shishi's surprise. Sugiyama hit the shishi again and got clawed for his pains, then finished it off. Then he went to help Komako and finished off the second shishi as well. However, Komako gained enough budo from the encounter to reach level 4 at last.
The next day Kimori arrives with a few dozen troops and Mariko organises them to build fortifications. Mariko organises them so well that they build a very fine fort, giving her bonus On. Everything goes quiet for a few days, with Sugiyama and Komako making short scouting missions through the pass. Then Wakebe Koreyasu arrives with the troops to man the fort. He brings news that northern Hyuga is now under their control, and Nobeoka is threatened. He also has instructions for the troubleshooters. He says, "Your talents are wasted waiting here for an attack that may never come. I would like you to scout the Gokase Valley on the other side of the pass and see what the Hyugans are up to." And so the troubleshooters prepare for missions in enemy territory.