Korin Baisotei
“You should consider going, they would be well served by one of your abilities.” Korin couldn’t help but smile a little at the old women, her voice seemed to him the sound of an old creaking tree; each word filled with a deep and rich history behind it. The women herself fitted the voice she wielded, her back slumped from age and a wrinkled face showed her great age. Korin shook his head though, the smile fading from his face as he did. He glanced around for a moment, looking at the crisp and informal walls of the small home in Edo, before him sat a cup of tea which he quickly emptied before speaking. “ You think too highly of me. I am sure plenty of other ronin shall be at the lady Chinatsu-donos call”
“Others will go for money, how many would go with honor and duty? How many will stay when they find the reward too small for what is being asked of them?” The lady moved now, gesturing beside her and drawing Korins eyes to the three heads that sat there. His latest work, he had spent an entire week hunting down the bandits for the ancient lady and he could still feel the dirt of the road on him. The bandits had killed the ancient ladies son who had been a minor samurai, in her want for justice she had offered a reward for their heads. The only one who had gone after them though was he, the reward offered had just been too small for anyone else to be bothered with going. He was looking at the head of his recent kills when he froze, moving his eyes back to the old women before him before he spoke, a chill now to his voice. “How do you know what is being asked for them? I heard it was but a call to service, a return of honor to those without.”
The old women smiled then, an almost cute act on such a face. Her eyes actually got a little shine to them as she started to speak. “Oh dear chocho-sama, you are still so young. You should listen to gossip more, they will certainly be hunting a very large prey” Korin winced slightly as she called him chocho, a name he had accidently picked up while protecting a small village in the mountains. One of the children had seen him fighting and with his style and purple clothing the child had called him chocho. Butterfly. Worst of all they kept on insisting that it was an honorable title. “What prey, and how would you know of this I doubt the gossips so bold as to name names?”
The old one leaned forward, pouring more tea into his cup as she spoke to him. “Of course they would not name anyone out right but, her husband was killed by lord Yousuke Haru and she is gathering powerful warriors together, it takes one to drink far too much sake for them to think these two things are not connected. ” A frown graced Korin’s face now, the wheels in his brain turning as they tried to piece together what she was saying. He had never bothered with gossip but he knew who Yousuke Haru was, and he was more certainly a big prey. The lady put down the pot of tea again, speaking once more. “How many do you think would be willing to fight a foe like that? One who could pay them far more than the most honorable lady? At least consider it chocho, it would do you good to have a purpose other than helping out helpless old ladies. “ Korin shook his head now, rising from his kneeling position as he bowed to her. “I shall consider your words, I do not think you as helpless as you might claim.” Turning easily he left, his thoughts more than a little troubled. The old women watched him go with a small smile on her face, turning she regarded the three severed heads before her. Reaching out he ran her fingers along the edge of one of their chins, tears running down her face freely since now there was no one to see them.
Standing outside of the house Korin looked up into the sky, the sun beating down on him as he thought. would it not be right that I die like my father did before me? Seeking revenge for a fallen master?....not my master though Turning Korin started away, the villagers moving from his path when they noticed he was a samurai. He walked slowly at first, going away from where the tryouts would be until he stopped, turning quickly he picked up his pace into a fast and hurried walk towards the building. He would look in on it he decided, if they did not need anyone else he would leave.
When he reached the home in which the Ronin were supposed to assemble he made his way in quickly, moving towards the sounds of fighting and the gathering crowd. More than a few people had come but Korin couldn’t help but frown at them all, many of the ones he saw fell into one of three categories. More than a few fresh faced boys stood around, eyes wide as they looked at the other warriors. They would be no help in a battle, many had probably little skill with the weapons they wore on them. The other group were men on the opposite end of the spectrum, warriors far past their prime whose time was well past. While they would have the experience the young ones were lacking they did not have the abilities to use it correctly. It was the third category that concerned Korin even more though, the last warriors were the men who seemed most dishonorable. The type of warriors who wanted money, not honor. The type of men that would easily be bought out by an enemy but more importantly might stab you in the back if they saw it as beneficial to them. They had no honor, and wanted none.
With that Korin closed his eyes, a small sigh escaping him as he moved his hand to his blade. If he left there was no way he could be sure one of them might not be chosen by mistake, the only solution he could see was to fight, to make it so that each of them left in disgrace. Opening his eyes with a new determination he found himself smiling. I guess the decision was not that hard to make after all