District 4

*District Four- Reykyon Monastery: Daybreak* (P.S. This is still the same day, but earlier in the morning. I will write about later on in the evening with the next post.)

The daily routine of a monastic always began with a morning prayer meant to cleanse the body of impure intentions and create good energy for the rest of the day, and even though the Venerable Shingen Kamakura was responsible for the entire monastery’s daily necessities he was no exception to this religious observance. As the warrior monk finished with this ritual he proceeded to clothe himself in the traditional dual blue and white kimonos reserved for trips outside of the monastery, but of course they were used most every day by the entire order. In recent years the Foreigner had successfully terrorized the populace of Bay City and initiated a cruel reign of a zealous tyrant, this in turn forced the Reykyon monastery to continually patrol the streets and shield their followers from his wrath. Luckily there had been no outright conflict between the factions as of yet, but the day was soon to come when the Reykyon monastery would be forced to act as it had in the past.


As the young monastic finished folding the intricate garments and fastened both belts around his waist in order to keep the kimonos in place a shadow appeared on the other side of the fusuma that separated his room from the hallway. Shingen’s soft feet made only the slight swishing noise of cloth on wood as he proceeded to the wood and paper door and slid it over to reveal the kneeling figure of the novice Nobutada. This novice served the senior monk as a servant/messenger who carried out the minor duties assigned him while learning the duties of a Reykyon monk.

“Come young Nobutada; let us breakfast before assigning any duties today. I am feeling particularly at peace after this morning’s prayer and wish to enjoy this tranquility for a while longer.”

The young novice, only fourteen years of age, rose up quietly after his tutor passed by and proceeded to follow him three paces behind with his head tilted slightly downwards, leaving the half-shaven head facing Shingen while his eyes followed to intricate wooden floor. The aroma of the morning’s fresh bread and porridge wafted through the still air as the monastery’s inhabitants, minus the already bustling cooking staff, all ventured towards the dining area in silence. Instead of seating themselves in tables and chairs the monks preferred to use large mats and used the floor as one giant table with the congregation seating themselves per their status in the order’s hierarchy. As the monastery’s leader it was Shingen’s place to be seated on the small dais overlooking the large circle of his peers.

Their food was always prepared by a generous cooking staff comprised of bakers and cooks from the neighboring areas as a sign of homage to their religious teachers, and after the fresh rye bread and oatmeal had been served they departed from dining area and finally the monastery to continue with their daily lives. The congregation always ate in complete silence, not wanting to disturb their morning meditation, and just as quietly the novices bowed away one by one to take empty dishes to the kitchens, clean the kitchen itself after the morning’s meal preparation, and gather the generous amount of extra food to be given as alms to the less fortunate families in the area. After all the bowls had been gathered and the novices departed to begin their daily chores Shingen finally broke the silence.

“Good morning brothers, and thanks be to Reykyon for the blessed food and yet another beautiful day on this planet,” The young monk then reached into his left sleeve and produced a parchment that had been tucked away into a pocket earlier that same morning, it was the schedule he kept to keep from showing and favoritism when assigning alms-giving, preaching, or merely traversing the city’s streets, “If you may allow I shall continue with the reading of today’s list.”

His brothers all nodded with courteous smiles on their faces. It was more of a ritual than anything, but everyone enjoyed the small gesture immensely, and no one was in contest with Shingen’s schedule.

“For the distribution of alms I would like for these individuals to pair up and proceed to various sections of District Four: Takamitsu, Keiji, Washizu, Toshiro, Kenshin, and Hideyoshi. For sermons and guidance: Nobunaga, Goemon, Masamune, Nagamasa, Toshiie, and Yukimura. I trust in the rest of your wisdom and decisions. If there are any questions I will be traversing this neighborhood and speaking with various business owners, but my pupil Nobutada will know how to reach me, so please have me sent for. If not I will be back for luncheon. Brother Hidetada please wait for one moment so I may speak with you.”

As their monastic brothers departed to begin their various duties or leisurely pursuits Shingen’s twin advanced slowly towards his brother. Hidetada had taken a vow of silence when initiated into the brotherhood, but his was a personality that needed few words to express his inner thoughts. The twin sat down softly next to his brother, Shingen, and waited patiently for whatever it was that he wished to “discuss.”

“I would like you to join me for a short while this morning Hidetada, at least until lunch-time. After that there is an errand I wish for you to run for me. Word is that in District 3 the young, female twins have been causing trouble again. I would like you to find them and give them this letter,” Upon mention of the letter Shingen again reached into his left sleeve to produce yet another parchment and handed it to Hidetada, who then slipped the rolled-up paper into his own left-sleeve, “It is a shame to hear of children forced to act in such a way, and wish to offer them help if they so desire. I also ask you to take my novice Nobutada and our brother Ieyasu with you should any complications arrive.”

Hidetada nodded his acquiescence with a bowing of his head to touch the floor with arms stretched forwards. His brother Shingen placed a light hand on his shoulder to urge the prostrate man to rise from his position. The two brothers quickly shuffled towards the dojo to obtain their respected naginatas and continued towards the entrance where they placed wooden geta on their feet for the rough roadways of the city.

The wave of fanatics and believers slowly marched towards the monastery all the while waving banners depicting the Holy Lord and his many deeds, and many screaming, singing, and yelling prayers to the Holy Lord, his songs, and also his holy deeds Lone patrolling monks were surrounded by angry thongs of worshipers, many who where bearing cheap firearms, rods of iron, wood, knives, any weapon that could be found in the general vicinity of District 3 and 4. A couple monks attempted to calm down the crows and were immediately beaten to pulp, and almost to death had it not been for several priests who urged them not to kill, at least not yet while none of them had been killed. Also, they ordered the crowd to let trapped monks flee back to the monastery where they would be trapped like rats. Several more prominent looking monks came out demanding to speak to their leader. Several of the priests refused to call Siro forth and instead continued leading the crowd in several litanies and prayers. Siro himself was in the far back, watching as several of his gang members brought out small mortars and set them up while others others rushed into a nearby building and set up rifle and machine gun positions. Most of the mortars had been cobbled together, and most of the rifles themselves were just civilian rifles, nothing with an extreme stopping power, range, or accuracy. However, the machine guns had been stolen from a police shipment at a high cost to the raiding group, more then half of them being killed by the police. Either way, they had all been costly, and Siro hoped they would be more then enough to convince the Monks to stop their sacrilegious practice and follow the Holy Truth.

Shingen Kamakura’s day had been tranquil up until several of his brothers began straggling into the monastery after suffering horrendous beatings at the hands of The Foreigner’s rabble. The time of conflict had come much sooner than anticipated, and already things were looking rather grim. What had started as a torch and make-shift weapon wielding congregation outside soon assembled into a partially organized siege meant to barricade the Reykyon monastics inside of their temple, and all the meanwhile he could hear the misguided priests yelling about one of their own brethren who had supposedly been murdered by one of Shingen’s monks.

The idea itself that one of their faith would commit such an atrocity was laughable, and as the abbot he knew each and every monk under his care very well. Not a single one would attack another being lest forced to in the defense of another or their well-being, but even then murder was an unquestionable religious-taboo that defied all of their teachings. This riot lacked any integrity or even substantive evidence, which seemed to indicate foul play, and the only idea Shingen could fathom would be The Foreigner’s hand had come into play. He could not understand why the two religions could not live harmoniously with one another, did they not both believe in benevolence and tolerance, yet why would the very followers and priests who mindlessly regurgitate these ideals spurn them so easily?

The three monks directly under him in their hierarchy returned inside after their failed attempt to speak with Siro, and the shadow of shame marked their down-turned faces as they approached the abbot, who was, for the moment, sitting on the steps at the front door of their temple at the end of the short path from the monastery’s gates. His hands were busy examining both arrow and yumi in case they needed to be used for the defense of their lives. Unfortunately the monastery’s roster only number 50 ordained monks with another 25 apprentices under them, and the apprentices had been sent out through a hidden side-entrance while the mob outside was still unorganized so they could escape to the safety of their homes.

Toshiie trod within three paces of the abbot and knelt down and sat on his sandals while continuing to look at the ground. Shingen placed the yumi down at his side carefully and replaced the arrow into the quiver sitting next to him. He had a suspicion they would come back empty handed, and as such knew that their shame was unnecessary, and with a wave of his right hand the three monks, Toshiie in the middle with Takashi on his right and Ieyasu on his left, looked upwards complacently at their abbot.

“Venerable Shingen the priests refuse to call forth The Foreigner, and as we speak they are setting up both automatic weaponry and artillery. I am sorry to have failed you so in this task, and hope that this shame will not scar our honor for too long.”

“Nonsense Toshiie there is no shame in what just happened, and all the more so it is better for the moment. We have a better understanding of their position and intents. They believe us to be heathens and blood-thirsty, yet are blinded to the fact that their own leader has committed crimes in the name of their God. The people are misled by this man and refuse to see they are merely pawns in his schemes. I wish that I could bring enlightenment into their world, but cede the notion as they do not want to believe a holy man is capable of evil.”

Takashi, one of the most recently ordained, had a frightened look on his face. His voice quavered slightly as he spoke to the always calm-minded Shingen. “Shingen what are we to do? We cannot sit here while they wait to slaughter us. What they are doing is wrong and should be punished, why are they so ignorant and blood thirsty?”

Ieyasu frowned at Takashi’s remarks. Ieyasu was one of the senior brothers who had taught Shingen and Hidetada as they were growing up in the monastic lifestyle, and he had always been a patient and caring individual who never spoke a harsh word, yet the Takashi’s comments had sparked a fire in his soul.

“You should watch those remarks more carefully Takashi. It is not our place to judge another human being, and they are merely misguided as the Venerable Shingen has already stated. It is not their fault that they have been led down the wrong path for the moment, yet this is not to say their faith or beliefs are any less valid than ours, but the leader of the pack has corrupted them. The youth is correct though Shingen. Something must be done.”

Shingen’s pause lasted for several minutes as the sound of prayers outside the gate gave way to hoots and hollers for vengeance whilst he pondered the comments made by his charges. This was a very fragile situation he was confronted with, and no matter the ideas he struggled with there seemed only one way in which he could protect the monastics under his care. Hopefully he could take time and attention enough so that they could all escape if the need arose. Finally the abbot stood up to address his three brothers seated in front of him.

“Toshiie, Ieyasu, Takashi please gather all of the remaining brothers and head towards the cellar. Our senior brothers know why I want you to go there. It was a precaution taken after our exodus from Japan many years ago in case of an emergency such as this. I will not allow you to die, and neither will I allow our followers to go unguarded if we were to be murdered here. I must go forth and speak with The Foreigner personally, but if I go out whilst armed they will cut me down before I get within ten paces. Do not worry about me brothers. Please hurry!”
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A full thirty minutes had elapsed since Toshiie, Ieyasu, and Takashi and reentered the monastery, and in the meantime the inhabitants of the Reykyon neighborhood hid within their domiciles while the mob outside grew larger. Whether they would be spared the slaughter was uncertain, but they had faith in their monastics and knew that something would be done. Just as the tension grew too great for the inhabitants to bear any longer the large gates to the Reykyon monastery burst open to unveil the form of Shingen Kamakura, the monastery’s abbot.

The solitary figure was unarmed as he ventured forth into the throng of the venomous crowd, and it seemed the only reason he was not assaulted was due to the fact that the priests had done a remarkable job restraining the masses so far, yet as he continued even deeper the mass began crowding in ever closer. It seemed that several of the priests recognized him as the abbot, which further inspired them to restrain the crowds, but none the less they continued to berate Shingen with harsh comments concerning his faith. After what seemed an eternity Shingen Kamakura finally came within speaking distance of The Foreigner, yet far enough to give the man a sense of security lest he become suspicious and believe the monk wish to attack him.

“Father Siro I am most appreciative of your coming to our monastery. May we speak alone of why you are here? If you worry about my intentions of coming here there is no need for I am unarmed and have come alone. A look at the walls would tell you my brothers will be of no bother either.”

The warrior monk stood calmly with a rather complacent look upon his face, and in fact there was the hint of a smile spread across his lips in a genuine fashion. With his hands clasped before his heart the young abbot bent over into a half-bow as a sign of respect to a fellow religious leader. As he bent back up the smile stayed and he waited patiently for the man’s answer.

Takami stood on the balcony, it over looked the entire district. She had find a newspaper and on the front page was her new employer, Lance pane. She had discovered he was one of the richest men in Bay city. No one knew how this man became so rich, his parents were both immigrants who came to this city. So the man didn’t get an inheritance, most guessed that he became a member of some of the local gangs at the time and made a name for himself. This man wasn’t one to be messed with, he had connections to just about everyone. If he wanted you dead, it would take only a snap of his fingers. Takami wondered why a man such as him would have such weak guards, he must have enemies so why have guards who can be single handily defeated by her.

She took a sip of her tea, she looked out onto the beautiful houses below, she then noticed a commotion. She could slightly hear yelling and screaming, her trained ears allowed her to hear things from such a far distance. But she could barely make out what was going on, but it couldn’t be good. She left the balcony and found the Jester, she gripped his shoulder and said “I’m going to go check something out, you stay here and protect our money bag.” Takami smiled and then ran out of the house in a hurry, she knew the Jester could handle anything that came his way. She had been traveling with him and seen his skills, even if the man’s enemies sent someone after him the Jester could handle it. He was the kind of person who always had a trick up his sleeve. As she ran toward the commotion, she wondered what she would see. Would it be a murder? Possibly a animal on the loose? Or maybe your normal mob. Either way Takami would help anyway she could. That was the kind of person she was, she could never just leave things as they were if someone needed her help she would be there.

It only took her about ten minutes of jogging to reach the scene, she saw the mob surrounding what looked like a monastery. The mob had weapons, they were clearly out for blood. Takami tried to squeeze in to get a better look, but then a man turned around and said “get out of here, outsider! Only the followers of his holiness should be here!” She shook her head, great a mob of religious fanatics only one way to deal with them. She punched the man knocking him out, this was the best way to deal with fanatics. If they couldn’t move they couldn’t do harm to anyone. Others saw this and they began to attack her, this mob was untrained. None amongst them stood a chance against her, she left a good number of them battered and bruised. But there were still more, to many for her to defeat alone. She had to find the leader, that was when she heard someone say “ Father Siro I am most appreciative of your coming to our monastery. May we speak alone of why you are here? If you worry about my intentions of coming here there is no need for I am unarmed and have come alone. A look at the walls would tell you my brothers will be of no bother either.”

That was when Takami stepped in, she followed the voice and that’s why she saw them, the young monk and the leader of this mob. Takami stood between the two, she faced the mob leader and said “I’m guessing you’re the leader of this “congregation” if that is true then I must ask you to have your followers disperse. As a religious leader you should know that this is no way to handle a dispute. One should only use Violence when necessary….” She then paused and thought about the group of people she had just beat up, but that was necessary, they were crazy. She then continued “listen, you can not do this, the monks in this monastery don’t deserve this and look at what you have done to the people in this community. You have scared them, look at them peeking from behind their curtains as if that will shield them from this madness. Please end this and go home, if not..” Takami sighed and then took the sword off her back, she unwrapped the gauze revealing the large blade. She inserted the tip of the blade into the concrete and said “if not you will have to go through me.” Her eyes were serious, she knew about religious fanatics, they would follow their leader off a cliff if he said it would get them closer to their god. She knew that they would not back down unless forced to and she was going to be the force that stopped them.

Siro smiled as he saw his unruly mob part for the abbot of the monastery. What was his name, Shingen? Shingen queried as to why he was here and if they could speak together privately. His honor guard looked unnerved by this suggestion and started to move forward, but Siro waved him back, ready to answer. Suddenly some random women punched and fought her way through his mob to his position, leaving a great deal of them injured. Then she started to go on about how religions should be peaceful and that he should go home. Smiling coldly, he said " Of course abbot, it would be a pleasure to talk this over privately, away from all this." then he turned to face the women and reached from under his robes and pulled out his Scythe, uncompensated and set it down onto the ground with a loud thunk. " Now you, stranger, I think you don't know how this city runs. The law only keeps criminal scum out of this district, and never patrol anywhere else. We have to look after ourselves, and can only depend on each other. This monastery and my church have not been on the best of terms, but we never did anythign to provoke conflict against each other. Until now. One of my followers was found killed by what matches weaponry of this monastery. My followers could not tolerate this grave sin and marched here to protest and demand an explanation and justice. It is true they have...gotten out of hand, but my priests and nuns are doing their best to keep the blood lust down to a minimum. Furthermore, none of this is really your concern stranger. I'd advise you to leave and stay out of these religious strife." He waved several of his guards to escort her out while the rest pointed their rifles at her. He then turned his back to the women and told Shingen, " I'm sorry about that, now where were we? Oh yes, a private discussion. Let's go somewhere secluded, do you have any ideas?"

Shingen’s head quirked off to one side when the newcomer thrashed her way through the crowd to stand in the middle of the open area that had formed between the two religious leaders. By her speech and mannerisms she was not a native to Bay City, and surprisingly enough for the abbot the thought crossed his mind that she might be from the homeland. Her accent, clothing, and physical appearance were obviously characterized in the same ways as many of the dislocated inhabitants of his neighborhood. Unfortunately his inquisitive mind would need to rest on that subject for the moment, and indeed there were much more pressing matters at hand to be dealt with before the night day was over.

He listened quietly while the Foreigner responded in kind to her protest and summoned several guards to escort her away, yet before Shingen himself replied to Siro’s inquiry he stepped towards the newcomer before she could be shown away from the group. After reaching within a five-foot distance he gave a deep bow to her, his head coming down perpendicular with his waist, and as he came up he walked within whispering distance of the younger woman. The words that he uttered were quiet enough for only her to hear, but still loud enough for easy comprehension, “Apologies miss, yet there are pressing matters to be handled. I do wish to have a word with you later though; you are from the homeland yes? If you would be so kind as to wait in the monastery it should not take much longer for this business to be handled, or if not please come back on the morrow when you have had some rest.”

Standing back up with a large smile spread across his friendly face Shingen then turned to the direction of the Foreigner. He came within several paces, close enough to speak yet far enough to denote a sense of security for the other man, and a busy hand came upwards to scratch his chin as the abbot pondered over the question posed previously. “Where could we go that is secluded you inquired? Well the monastery is quite empty, yet with concerns to our current situation that may not be the most desirable of locales.” Looking around at the buildings nearby gave Shingen several moments to think laboriously over a neutral location that would please the man. “Oh yes that seems like a wonderful place. Would you agree to that teahouse? There are private rooms in the back where we shan’t be disturbed, nor shall we disturb any others by requesting them to leave. Would you be so kind as to follow me?”

The youthful abbot then lead the way towards the teahouse in question, a modest establishment known for its exquisite tea that was considered the favorite amongst the citizens of Bay City. As they entered the few clientele that had stayed in the building grew very quiet upon seeing the two men wander towards a private room on the west-side of the business, and the owner rushed quickly to see to their needs. “Venerable Shingen it is such a pleasure to have your business. Will you gentlemen be wanting for cha while you are here?” Despite his calm voice several beads of sweat that had formed on the man’s brow cued Shingen into the anxiety he suffered from seeing the Foreigner, and wanting to ease the man’s fears he clasped his right hand around the proprietor’s shoulder. “Oh yes, please, and thank you Mr. Takamitsu. I do find your cha most enjoyable. I hope it is not too much of a bother if we were to sequester ourselves in one of these private rooms for a brief discussion?”

The smaller man repeatedly bowed his head while walking backwards towards the kitchen hurriedly, and all the while sputtering words like, “Yes sir,” and ,”Right away sir,” until he disappeared into the back. Shingen proceeded inside the door to the private room they were to use, seating himself on the square mat at one end of a short knee-high table where the tea and cups would be placed. “Well now that we are here. Please Master Arrakis. Explain to me why your followers are clustered around the monastery once again? I do hate having to ask people to repeat themselves when I have forgotten something, but it just seemed like such a good joke that I must hear it again. There was some concern that a member of the monastery had murdered one of your priests?” A hearty laughed erupted from his broad smile at the hypothetical question while both hands clasped his stomach in merriment. “Oh dear that is terribly humorous Master Arrakis, but please do not misunderstand the laughter. It is terribly saddening that one of your followers was murdered, and I am in no way am laughing at his misfortune, but the idea that one of the Reykyon monastics would commit such an atrocity is quintessentially insane. Do you not agree?”

Takami stood there, she listened to what the man had to say and when he told her it was not her business, Takami became angry. She balled her hand into a fist, but that was when the monk came up to her, she turned and looked at him when he asked her if she was from the homeland. She took a long look at him and she realized that his speech was very similar to her own. She smiled and nodded, to think she would find someone from Japan in Bay City. She then turned to the priest with all of his followers around him.

She picked up her sword and slung it over her shoulder and said “You sir are not a religious leader, I see through your act, you are nothing but a criminal. I see it in those cold eyes of yours, those are the eyes of a true villain.” She turned and looked at the monk and said “please be careful, this man doesn’t seem like the understanding type.” That was when one of the man’s guards placed his hand on her shoulder to try and escort her away. She turned around and twisted the man’s hand and said “don’t touch me.” She let him go and walked off toward the monastery, she planned to wait for the monk there.

She walked to the door of the monastery and sat down, she placed her sword in her lap and sat there to meditate. As she sat there she thought about the Jester, she wondered if he was ok. After a while Takami was dead to the world, she heard nothing but the sound of herself inhaling and exhaling. A calm swept over her, a light breeze blew causing her hair to become a mess, but its not like that mattered to her at this moment. She was calm, this method of meditation had been taught to her by her father and whenever she did it she thought about that night. A tear inched its way down her face, and then she smiled when she thought about Kizashi, he had always been there for her. They used to have so much fun as kids he was like her best friend. That was why she was here, she knew her brother had been in Bay city, this was the only place where information about the Eternal Garden could be found.

Suddenly a chill ran down her back, it was quick and almost unnoticeable but she knew she had felt it. It was like something bad had happened. She wanted to head back home, but she wanted to stay here and wait for the monk. Maybe he knew her brother and maybe he knew the person her brother got information about the Eternal garden from or maybe he was the one who knew. Monks seemed to always know information about long lost secrets. She then shook the thoughts away, this was her time to meditate. She had to be completely still and her mind had to be clear. After a while she went back to her completely still state, the only feeling within her was that of her breathing.