Kyo Takeuchi's Story

The summer sun beat down over the hills just outside Yōsái Village, and a gentle breeze teased the grass and trees as it brushed by them. Clouds drifted by overhead, an off-white that spoke of the potential for rain in the near future. Sat upon a rise that overlooked the village, Kyo breathed out a sigh as the wind ran through her black hair, flicking her ponytail to the side. It was a tranquil scene, with only the wind and birdsong disturbing the quiet. From this distance, the sound of the village going about its daily business was inaudible - the hubbub of chatter between locals and the bartering of traders.

The sunlight reflected upon the large lake beside the humble-but-growing fishing village, glittering idyllically with the ripples. Its waters were peaceful and inviting...

...at least, to those who didn't know better. See, the fishing village had a problem. They weren't fishing. They couldn't fish. Their primary produce was inaccessible.

Nobody knew what had caused the kappa of lake to become so aggressive, of late, but it had only taken a few violent assaults on fishing boats and the loss of three good men for it to become apparent something was wrong. The kappa were usually, if not peaceful, unambitious. When they attacked boats - which was seldom - they tended to be in small numbers, relatively easy to fend off with spears and hooks. Now, though they were swarming any craft which dared venture more than five minutes out onto the waters, not only dragging passengers down to the depths but wrecking the boats themselves.

Some of the villages claimed to have seen them venturing out of the lake during the night, vandalising the docks and the homes nearby, but people were hesitant to believe them. The kappa had never been known to raid settlements on the land before, ever.

Kyo wasn't so sure. Damage had been done to the docks, and even the most delinquent youths of the village weren't so foolish as to even further cripple the foremost trade of their home. She'd resolved to stay up tonight and keep watch.

The fishermen were struggling to maintain their livelihoods fishing from the shore or resorting to alternate crafts, and it was only through the generosity of the local farmers that they weren't going hungry. So far, reports to the local minister had produced no real results. Some ministry guard had shown up and sniffed around, made some empty promises and disappeared. That had been over a week ago, and still any boats sent out were swiftly assaulted. Kyo glanced off to her left, at the road that passed by the base of her hilly overlook and wound down towards the village. Still no sign of any horses or vehicles that might bear assistance. It seemed the village was on its own for now.

The young hunter sighed and looked to her bow that lay on the ground beside her. If this were any other threat, she'd be taking up arms to aid her home, but what use was a bow against a foe that made its home beneath the water? There was no way for them to chase the creatures to their source without the aid of machinery or magic, and neither were in plentiful supply at the small settlement. She could at least take heart that her father's trade wasn't suffering too much. So long as she could still bring in game from the nearby forests for him to make his leather, they had a place, for now.

But if the hostilities from the kappa escalated much more, they might have a lot more than money to worry about soon.

Kyo sighed, leaning back and staring up at the sky. Something had to be done. There had to be a way to figure out what had the kappa so enraged. And she had to find it to save her home.

He strode steadily down the ivy-choked cobblestone road, his walking stick tapping a foretelling metronome against the time-worn walkway. The less-than commendable condition of his clothes, coupled with the sack slung over his shoulder and the rice hat shadowing his face, gave no question as to what sort of man this was. Vagabond. Wanderer. Ronin.

Kyo would have undoubtedly heard or seen him coming a long way off. He had a slim figure, not terribly skinny, but certainly no imposing warrior. Though he was garbed in a comfortable, loose-fitting travelling robe and hakama, it wasn't difficult to size him up, even from a distance. His was a body used to walking. Used to enduring. Undoubtedly this mysterious man had many miles under his belt and likely twice as many stories to go with them.

As he reached the summit of the hill Kyo was roosting upon, he stopped, surveying the beautiful scenery splayed out before him. Without tearing his eyes from the valley, he reached for the canteen hanging off his hip, uncorking the bottle and bringing it to his lips for a slow and thoughtful swig. He never looked at the girl directly, though what he said next was obviously directed towards her.

"Beautiful, no?" he spoke in the native tongue, his accent slightly more Shogunate than it was Losenji. Though his face was still obscured under the shadow of his rice hat, his eyes were undoubtedly lost in his surroundings. "All my many miles have been recompensed in full yet again."

Within a small house in the village of Yosai, a young woman sat across from a much older counterpart. Within the hands of the younger woman was a sword, which the older looked upon fondly.

"That has been in the family far longer than I've been alive." she said, her voice the raspy product of her age. She managed a smile as her eyes met the holder of the sword.

"It's beautiful. The weight is strange- I didn't imagine the blade to be so light- but it is perfect. Why in the world are you giving this to me, Yu Meian? It is clearly something meant for a warrior, perhaps the son of a wealthy noble..."

Old Meian held up a hand to silence her. "You remember that I have no children of my own, nor do I have any brothers or sisters to gift me with nieces and nephews. The blood of the Yu family ends with me, but perhaps, through you, Zhiya, who I have taken care of all these years, I can allow its spirit to carry on." She pat the sword with one hand, then smiled. "Keep it, dear. Keep it."

Zhiya was stunned. Wordless. It took her a moment to speak. "But I cannot use it-"

"I know that you can. Badly, but you will learn." replied Meian. The young woman sighed, but managed a smile.

"I understand. Thank you. I'll...make sure to use it wisely."

"There we go, dear."

-------

As Zhiya walked out from the small village house, she tied the old, but well maintained sword, to her belt. It was shorter than she was used to, but light. A double-edged blade that was used in one hand. She barely knew how to use anything like it. Spears and pole arms were her forte, but she supposed this was a good change of pace.

With another sigh, she gathered her hair up into a ponytail, clipping it there with a green ribbon. The weight of the sword was uncomfortable on her hip. Just another thing to get used to.

She walked down the path, arms crossed. The tail of her green robed fluttered around her knees in a breeze. She looked out onto the lake and frowned. Ah, the kappa problem. Another thing that lingered on her mind. Her eyes were cast down upon the ground in thought, following the path, walking towards two figures that she had not noticed just yet.

Kyo had watched the boy approach with curious interest as he made his way down the path, sitting upright and fixing him with her deep brown eyes. He was a stranger, a rare sight in the little town. Even the visiting merchants and traders that came here were normally familiar faces who had been many a time before. This boy was something new, something different - evident enough by his worn garb.

When he spoke, Kyo allowed silence to pass for several seconds before responding. "Yes, it is." she said, "My father always said one must take time to appreciate what good and wonderful surrounds them, lest they become complacent about it and one day lose it."

She took her bow in hand and rose to her feet, the wind catching her hair. "You have chosen an unfortunate time to visit, stranger. Trouble brews in the lake and people are uneasy, you may find our hospitality strained by worry and distraction. What brings you to Yōsái?"

As Kyo finished speaking, she cast her eyes down back towards the village, spotting Zhiya approaching. "Zhiya!" she called in greeting, smiling before raising an eyebrow, "Is that a sword upon your hip I see? I would sooner have thought myself to take up the hammer in stead of my bow."

She nodded towards Rkyo, "We have a visitor from afar. A wanderer," she paused to glance in his direction "if I may be so bold as to make that assumption by your appearance, stranger. What ought we call you? I myself am Takeuchi Kyo." The hunter bowed her head politely to Rkyo.

Zhiya looked up to spot a familiar face, giving her a friendly smile in greeting. "Ah, yes. Funny how I came by the old thing. I-" The smile vanished upon spotting the stranger that Kyo spoke about. She paused as the girl introduced herself, then bowed her head similarly.

"Liu Zhiya, it is very nice to meet you. As Kyo asked...who might you be?" she inquired, clasping her hands together at her waist. Her sleeves draped along her hands, masking them from sight. Zhiya had been in the village for as long as she could remember, and this face certainly wasn't a familiar one. She passed Kyo a quick glance.

Rkyo bowed to both of them, much lower than they had to him. His eyes flickered between the girls, his vision obscured beneath the drooping shadow of his rice hat. He looked hard at the sword on Zhiya's hip, his eyes narrowing as he studied the intricate designs on the scabbard...

"Call me 'Samishii'," he smiled to both of them, nodding his head. His thorough inspection of Zhiya's blade would have passed in a mere second, "I've been travelling for a while now, though I've recently come in from Shogunate territory." He adjusted the straps on his shoulder, tipping his rice hat amiably. "I am well received by the both of you, thank you." Truth be told, Rkyo was simply glad they hadn't turned him away from Yosai altogether. Settlements such as these, lightly populated, close-knit and fiercely independent, rarely took kindly to strangers. Small towns were many things, but 'trusting' was not one of them.

"I'm sorry to hear about the trouble with your lake," his smile dissipated, "I am only passing through your village and intended to stay a few days. Five at most." His brows knitted together. "...but if there is anything a humble wanderer can do for the people of this village, he is at their disposal." He bowed again, humble and weary. He looked up at them after a moment, grinning meekly. "...though perhaps they would first be kind enough to show him a place where he might rest himself and find a bite to eat..."

A man clad in clothing common in this region stood before the village. He groaned as he stepped foot on the paths into the village. From what he could assume potentials would be slim to non-existent here. Though as a Recruiter for the Black Lotus he was required to scope out talent for the organization. Maybe a strong fighter looking to make a name for himself lives here. Though the odds of that seem improbable in what he considers a backwater town. He grew envious of those that worked back in the cities, were potential was easier to find. Though the higher tiers have commanded this of him, and he must do what the Syndicate asks.

He thankfully was not alone, a squad of Ninjas watched his back from afar. They were there for the Recruiter's protection, since bandits did frequent these roads. Any trouble and the 49ers took them out. Of course it wasn't too difficult, thanks to their armor supporting high grade tech. As the Recruiter searched around he hoped to find a bar or something were some potentials may hide. Though the tranquility of the village seemed to offer no unsavory characters whatsoever. He yearned to return to the Black Lotus outpost in Tiānshì City, and then take the next transport out of Lósénji.

Alas here he was feeling out of place, compared to back in the cities. He entered deeper into the village passing by a group of people. Though one caught his eye. He saw Rkyo speaking to a group of women. He looked strong and possibly skilled in fighting. Traits he couldn't pass up while here. He kept his distance as he would wait until he was alone. From there he would approach him and begin the process. Meanwhile the Squad infiltrated the village and remained hidden. Doing what was commanded of them they kept a vigilant eye on the Recruiter. Ready to act if anything should happen to him.

"Samishii, then." Kyo nodded her head, "I was right in saying you were from afar, but I had not realised how right. You have come a long way no doubt." The hunter thought it better not to pry into the man's reasons for travelling, at least not here and now. "You must be tired. I can show you to the inn, where the traders stay when they pass through."

Wasting no time, Kyo trotted the short way down the grassy knoll upon which she stood to the road, gesturing towards the village. "Will you walk with us, Zhiya, or have you business to attend to?" she asked the other woman before she carried on down the hill.

"I don't know what help you could offer us, regarding our troubles." she went on as she walked, "It's the kappa in the lake. They've always been troublesome to foolish fishermen who venture out alone on rickety craft, but of late they've become far more aggressive. They attack larger boats in great numbers, more than we've ever seen, and some even say they've been venturing onto land." Kyo shook her head, "We cannot fish with them acting this way, nor do we have the resources to do anything about it."

The waters of Lake Yōsái lapped gently against the narrow sandy beach that stretched out a short walk's length down from the nearby village. A breeze drifted across its tranquil surface and through the long grass and scattered flowers that merged haphazardly with the sand not far from the water's edge. Though normally pristine, today a section of the lake's beach was littered with flotsam, broken wreckage from a fishing boat that had washed up on the shore a short time ago.

The light of the setting sun was faintly warm against Kyo's back as she walked carefully between the various pieces of the vessel, picking through the jetsam and the ship itself for anything that looked like it could be salvaged. Her shoes lay up the beach on the border between sand and grass, and she was barefooted as she moved through the shallows, cold water washing over her feet and lower legs.

Her expression was grim. That, along with the respectful manner with which she treated the wreck, suggested that she was not simply an opportunist.

Not far from the lake where Kyo was picking through the wreckage that had washed ashore was another late evening traveler making his way down the road at an even pace.

Meke had the look of a drifter to him with a distant expression and the dirt of the road dulling his thick fur to a dreary grey and copper. He had little in the way of possessions on him save for a hide waterskin and worn leather satchel strong over shoulder and across his chest to hang at his side.

The sloshing of water caught his ear as he neared Kyo's location and the light padding of his footsteps on the dirt road fell silent.

For a moment he said nothing as he glanced to the setting sun on the horizon and then back to Kyo.

"Pardon me," came the deep rumble of a voice from Meke's throat.

Even with his unusual height and heft one might have mistaken him for one of the Torajin known to make their home within the Shénshèng Mountains, but though his Losenyu was passable there was a roughness to his pronunciation that betrayed his foreign origins. Placing his accent was difficult though as it held a touch of an archaic Terran dialect likely unfamiliar in these parts coupled with the influence of local Hafirjan tribals languages which were prone to varying greatly from tribe to tribe.

The footsteps of the approaching Mira had drawn Kyo's attention shortly before he spoke, though the sound of the sloshing lake had disguised them until he was close by. Though catfolk were not an altogether unfamiliar sight on Lósénji Island, with the Torajin making their home nearby, one of Meke's stature and build was rare, and so it was with wariness to her movements and voice that she turned to greet him. "Greetings, traveller." she said, stepping from the water onto the beach and pacing towards where her shoes and bow lay. She offered Meke a shallow bow.

"How can I help you? It is late to be on the road." It was rare for Yōsái to see travellers at all, let alone two in one day, and certainly not from beyond the Island, as this large catfolk undoubtedly was, judging by his odd accent and unusual size. Perhaps the fates smiled upon them, and sent them skilled and wise strangers to help with their plight. Kyo almost snorted with cynicism at the thought.

Meke returned the shallow bow with one of his own. The Mira warrior had been in Losenji long enough to have picked up some of their local customs enough to get by passably.

"I hoped you could tell me how far the next settlement is between Yōsái and Mount Senji," he asked.

The sun would be set soon, but he had no concerns with pressing on into the night. Few would give thought to robbing the Mira when there were easier, and more wealthy travelers to be found. Food on the other hand was a matter of note. Poaching off settled lands was likely to raise more trouble than he was looking for right now and so he weighed the options of pushing on, or staying the night in Yōsái where a meal could be found.

So the big cat had business at Mount Senji, did he? It was a common destination for travellers coming from the mainland. The monastery drew people from all walks of life to study there from all across Shintenchi. "Yōsén Town is about three hours' walk from here," she replied, "But you would have to detour on your way to the mountain by an hour to stop there for the night. The nearest settlement that lies on the direct route is a half day's walk at least."

She shook her head, "It's a bad time to be travelling alone in these parts overnight." Kyo gestured towards the wreckage, "The kappa in the lake have been attacking folk both on the lake and on the shore, under cover of darkness. They've brought down several boats like this. If you insist on pressing on, I suggest you avoid the lake's edge, detour further away from it."

Zhiya opened her mouth to decline the offer, but after a brief moment of thought, instead nodded. "No, I suppose I do not have anything urgent to attend to." Her way was going to be filled with entirely nothing otherwise, she supposed. Zhiya always was one to get errands done early, often finding the rest of her day free. Just like today.

"I've never been very far from here," she told the stranger, Samishii. "Nor do I remember very many strangers coming by from a long ways off. Where have you traveled from, if I may inquire?" she asked, but as politely as she could.

"Are the kappa still very rowdy? Ah, well...what would I be thinking, expecting to wake up one morning to hear anything different?" She tutted, then gave a small glance to Samishii as they walked. Perhaps she was just distrustful, perhaps she was paranoid, but he unnerved her the slightest amount. Was it because he did not seem to be from anywhere nearby? It might have been the case, but Zhiya did her best to shake it off. Just nerves, she told herself.

Where have you traveled from, if I may inquire?"

"I've been all over Terra," Samishii replied with a polite smile, "but I was born in Therrier-Paix, in a small village not unlike this one." His walking stick clacked against the stone road as the trio made their way into the town. "We farmed to support ourselves, much as your people fish. We were very dependent on our produce." He frowned. "A drought once soiled our crop for three whole months. We barely survived. I hope that Yosai's situation is not quite so dire." He reached up to his face, briefly raising his rice hat and running a hand through his hair. Were the girls watching at that moment, they might have been surprised to find that the sweaty locks mopping the wanderer's head were red. Blood red, even.

"I am curious, though," he adjusted his hat, "what are these 'kappa'? Fish with teeth, I imagine?"

As they walked, Samishii gave no indication that he was aware of the presence of the trailing 49ers. His walking stick, however, would make little marks in the patches of grass and dirt that spotted the road as he passed them. Individually, they were nothing; little nicks and lines with no real meaning attached to them. Far too simple and insignificant to arouse suspicion from his hosts.

...were the Recruiter to tally them all together, however... gather all the little symbols he made in the dirt and arrange them in the same space... he would have found that Rkyo had made a kanji.

Which roughly translated to: "No. Negation. Refusal. Decline.

Leave."

Kyo let out a brief and sharp laugh, "Fish with teeth? Would that it were so, I'd hardly consider them a threat. No, the kappa are very different. They have shells like a turtle, but the build and strength of a gorilla, and the scales of a dragon. They are vicious and dangerous creatures, but cowardly and independent. Until now, they could be easily warded off and seldom would they move together in packs." The hunter shook her head. The kappa were fearsome beasts, despite their soft underbelly providing an easy weakspot. Many of them had limited ability to control the water around them as a method of swimming swiftly.

"There are other types of kappa, less bestial and more akin to legend... sly and unpleasantly intelligent creatures. I have never seen one myself, of course, but the stories suggest that they are even more dangerous than their brutish kin." The tone to Kyo's voice made it clear she doubted that fact. Often the legends exaggerated such things.

The Recruiter watched as the women began to guide him down the road. His hopes of them leaving seemed to be slowly crushed. Despite this he would decided to tail them. Eventually they would have to leave his company. While Rkyo may have made the Kanji, The Recruiter's attention was only on the group. As made the nicks were rather insignificant in appearance, not to mention he didn't really have the mental clarity to piece this puzzle together.

As the Recruiter followed them he kept his distance. He had somewhat of an idea of where they are leading him. Most likely to lead him to some sort of hotel or inn. While the Recruiter followed them, The Ninjas themselves kept a visual upon him. While they hid amongst the shaded trees and buildings.

Meke grunted. He didn't fear the kappa that Kyo spoke of, but half a days walk was further on than he cared to push on.

"I will aid in your kappa situation, if you can spare me room and food for two nights," Meke replied.

He nodded towards the shore.

"Some fences along there where the bank is steepest would make the roads safer. One can see clearly along the beach even in the dark, but the foliage there provides cover and the steep fall makes for a difficult climb out of the water," he pointed out.

He rubbed at his lower jaw.

"I will find men from Yōsái to help build these fences."

The girl's eyebrow rose at the stranger's suggestion, her gaze following his nod. "I do not know that we have the spare wood..." she started, before catching herself. Kyo paused for several long moments before nodding. "It seems a good idea. A start, at least. I will speak in your favour for these terms, though I do not think any will turn away help. The ministry may not approve of the unauthorised development, but the kappa can take them for all the help they've been."

She frowned for a moment, "Of course, it will take more than fences to solve this in the long term. If only I could figure out what had changed to make the kappa act this way... I had thought to look in the wreck here for anything that might lead me in the right direction, but I found nothing of use."

"Perhaps a kappa is needed," Meke replied thoughtfully.

Shaking the matter from his thoughts for now he offered a hand to Kyo.

"I am Meke."