Prelude - Ikari, Kayo, Satoshi

The series of rest stops and post stations along the entire Nakasendo trail were constructed to intersperse with the mountain towns and villages such that travellers making the journey from Heian to Yedo would be able to pace their journey according to the distance a traveller could cover within a day. The first stop was still considered within the outskirts of the former capital, and as such was simply two short rows of buildings, comprising a few food vendors, and two small shops of services, notably a wainwright and metalworker. The largest building was the inn, or more specifically a kinchinyado, which provided accommodation but not food and drink. Travellers would pay a fireplace fee in return for the night's shelter. The interior was essentially neatly laid out floorboards, separated by low partitions, with no rooms, and a central hearth in the middle lowered section.

Satoshi was first to notice that the most affluent merchant on the road, evidently the one with the largest train, a proper wagon, and two bodyguards, had chosen to bypass the inn completely, pressing ahead in search of better accommodation. Perhaps they knew a better place further on, but that seemed a risky proposition given that dusk was nearly upon them. The rest of the wayfarers seemed sensible enough to enter the inn, simply named Idawata, after the station itself.

Ikari had arrived just a short distance behind the three women. They seemed to stand out as atypical sightseers, for they were by no means plying a trade nor looking like tourists, and then clearly had the means to employ an escort. In the inn, they also came prepared with the most extensive spread of food, unlike most of the others who either carried simply wrapped rice dumplings or seemed to go without dinner. It seemed that they were not unfamiliar at all with the demands of this mountain route. In one of the corners, a small group of rougher-looking farmhands had produced a bottle of sake and some dice, clearly intending to pass their hours in the manner.

But it was Kayo who caught everyone's attention, not when she stepped in through the low door of the inn, but when she found herself a spot to soothe her tired legs near the fireplace. She had removed the dusty traveller's overcoat and hat, to reveal an exquisite outfit underneath, for she was still wearing the finery of her workplace. One of the women present let out a soft audible gasp at her attire.

Kayo's arrival was subtle, but her presence, once settled near the fire, was a revelation. As she removed her travel-worn cloak and hat, the finery of her former life was unveiled. A collective breath caught in the inn; her exquisite attire and beauty, a beacon of elegance against the backdrop of rustic simplicity, silenced the room. She bows elegantly toward those who have a reaction, and wave at the closest Nakai (female attendant).

"Sumimasen," Kayo requested with her voice soft but clear. "A bed for the night please."

Her gaze swept the room, and she spotted Ikari-san, a regular at the Kitsune no Ana (fox's den). Their eyes brushed, but with the practiced grace of a lady, she offered no overt recognition leaving the initiative to him, should he choose to acknowledge her.

'Oh shit' Ikari thinks to himself. 'did she see me? she doesn't seem like she saw me'
He takes a glance in her direction..
'Shit* she saw me, it looks like she didn't see me, which means she totally saw me'
'These Socialites can have you entranced in a conversation about the weather while your house is blown apart in a storm'

'She's alone.. I didn't take her for a killer.. Maybe poison, don't let her near your supplies'

'What if she's not here to kill me? If I run the syndicate will just send some tall dark & ugly to off me.
Wait why would they send her? I have no guards to charm, no counselor to bluff'

'Running is no good, I can't play dice with trees in the dark to survive.
Ignoring it is futile, if she didn't see me, she will'

Ikari accepts what fate has served, stands up out of his nook, and makes his presence obvious with a show of gowning to stretch his back.
Walking over to Kayo.

(In a whisper)
"You are the last person I could have ever imagined seeing here"
"I don't think you're here to kill me, because if you were, I doubt I'd have the chance to see you"

Kayo offered a graceful bow as the gamblers approached. "Good evening, Kageyama-san," she said, her voice smooth. "It has been some time." Her memory, sharp despite the countless faces she'd encountered at the gambling house, served her well. A flicker of unease crossed her eyes as he spoke of killing him, but her smile remained fixed, an unyielding mask. A quirk of her physiology, her facial muscles were locked in a perpetual, beautiful expression, a trait that often proved awkward in moments demanding neutrality.

"I trust my presence is agreeable. I assure you that I harbor no ill intent, these delicate hands are unfamiliar with violence."

As he turned towards the inn, Satoshi wondered if the rich merchant and his wagon train knew the danger of traveling in such times under full darkness. Maybe he had important business or maybe he was taking a foolish risk and his entire entourage would be food for the crows come the morrow.

Satoshi entered the inn and found a quiet corner of the floor to sit. He laid out his encoded observations before him to review as he unwrapped his meal of dried fish and pickled daikon.

He had noticed Ikari enter the inn and recalled an enjoyable night of gambling and drinking at the Kitsune no Ana while with the bakuto. But while Satoshi felt he had developed a good rapport with the man, he had been in disguise the whole time and so the friendship had been based on deception. The life of a shinobi did not include many actual friends.

He had not noticed when the woman had entered the inn, but as he saw her unveil her finery he couldn't help but think of a green pheasant, hiding in dense brush and then suddenly rising into the sky in a beautiful display of magnificent color.

Watching closely out of the corner of his eye, he saw Ikari rise and approach the graceful woman. Although he cannot hear what is whispers, he notices the tension between the two, his notes forgotten for the moment.

"Delicate Hands are often the Most familiar with the Worst violence, only it comes in the form of a Stamp Seal authorizing Written Orders demanding Blood!" Ikari snaps quick to anger

He shakes his head in frustration with himself.
Bows in Apology.
Looks around, embarrassed of his outburst.

"That was rude and uncalled for, my sincere apologies. I'm in a bit of freighted and paranoid state.
I was given approval to scheme a heist off a visiting lord, but was caught. I'm sure the syndicate will sooth things over with the blackmail they have on him, but I need to not been seen for a while. I saw you and assumed the worst"
Another few apologetic bows~

"Soo.. It's not my business, but why are you here? A place like this is far beneath your status, and without escort?"

She presented her pale palms, the skin smooth and unblemished. "These hands bear neither the calluses of training nor the marks of years spent in martial pursuits."

A deeper bow followed, her mind a whirlwind of unspoken thoughts. What would he say if he knew I was a noble lady of a clan? She mused, the irony of her current station not lost on her. Perhaps her family is gone entirely. She savored the freedom of her choices, a luxury she'd never knew before.

Kayo registered Ikari's questionable activities, but, as a lady of propriety, refrained from comment on matters outside her purview.

"As you say, my business is my own," she continued, her tone light, "but I would welcome your escort. Though, I must confess, I lack the funds to compensate you." She herself was uncertain of her destination, only knowing she needed to move further from the capital.

Ikari thinks to himself smooth hands can be terrifying. Callused hands harvest crops, cook meals, craft products.
The same ink brush that writes poems, can certify death warrants.

Stunned at the thought of escorting a socialite. It would make for a good disguise, as well as pleasant company.

"I'm heading to the temple, with the bad leg we'd travel at the same pace regardless of an agreement.
My own hands aren't worth paying coin for protection, but under the right circumstances can win quite a sum. Perhaps together we can offer eachother a form of protection. A lone traveler alerts suspicion, but a sibling pair, or father escorting his daughter is a common and forgetful story to observers."
As Ikari dances a playing card amongst his fingers.

"Then we are of one mind," she stated, her voice steady. "I intend to visit the temple and offer my prayers to the spirits." An impromptu plan, yet genuine; her fortune needed a shift, a new path revealed.

The prospect of cards ignited a familiar thrill within her, like a bee drawn to the scent of nectar. "Would you care for a game?" she asked, her eyes gleaming. Ikari knew better than to be fooled by her delicate appearance; she was a formidable dealer at the den, a master of the cards who had left many a drunken samurai penniless.

As he finishes his food, Satoshi notices Ikari and the elegant woman take out cards. Perhaps they were going to play koi-koi or some other game. Ready for a bit of distraction, he picks up his things and walks over to the pair.

As Satoshi approaches, Ikari and Kayo hear him muttering under his breath about Nojo castle and the eclipse. "Apologies for interrupting," he says with a deep bow of his head. "I recognized you from the Kitsune no Ana, Ikari-san. I played with you there a while back and when I saw the cards over here, I thought I would ask if I could join you and your lovely companion in a game to pass the time this evening." He smiles, being careful to keep his lips closed tightly over his rotten teeth.

The temple that Ikari and Kayo referred to was certainly the Omitake Temple, or more commonly the Satomiya Shrine at the base of the multi-tiered staircase leading up to Mount Omitake where the sacred temple sat. A small community had formed around Satomiya surrounding the activities of the faithful. It was a good place to disappear for a while, certainly suited to Ikari's intentions if he wanted to distance himself as far as possible for his chosen profession. And undoubtedly a meaningful one for Kayo as well if she desired to see a different way of life from the unhappy trials she had had to put up with recently.

It was interesting that the two individuals with the most similar floating world backgrounds immediately understood the mutual support that they could benefit from. The other patrons of the rest house were not of the same ilk: the landworkers were likely to disperse before the night was done, socialised and drunk, back to their own homes. A few more arrivals entered the kinchinyado even as Ikari and Kayo spoke, finding their own spot of shelter to settle in. That made the common room that much more cosy, but still by no means cramped.

The only person who kept to himself was Satoshi. With his guise as a weary peddlar, no one particularly felt the need to approach him for conversation, or to see his wares for he obviously did not have any. There was a time when he would travel both day and night, if an urgent mission required it, but in these dark times, that was unnecessary risk. His first stop would be the tiny village of Itsuno, another half day from here. It was the location of a dead drop he needed to check for messages first, then locate his contact thereafter. But as an afterthought, he approached Ikari and Kayo.

"Geiko, give us a tune!" The womenfolk whose attention had turned towards Kayo's beauty recognised her couture and what it meant. It was a polite request, borne of good intention to liven up the end-of-day mood in the inn. And immediately a few others seconded the request with an encouraging cheer.

To entertain a crowd for free in this forgotten gateway town, how far she had fallen. Her skills, honed in the refined arts, once commanded fortunes in the city even for a Maiko (Geisha in training), where lords clamored for the company of her kind. Yet, her demeanor remained unchanged, a serene smile etched upon her face. "Perhaps later," she said with a voice soft. "Allow me a moment to refresh, and join the travelers for a game of cards first." A genuine desire, yes, but also a calculated delay, a practiced art of making her talents more coveted.

"Do you have a name, traveler?" she inquired, her voice gentle, addressing Satoshi's. "You may call me Lady Kayo. Please, join our game." She extended the invitation, mindful of the need for propriety; being alone with a man would invite unwanted scrutiny.

The woman bowed to Kayo gratefully for considering her request as her companions clapped excitedly at the prospect of a city geisha honouring them with a performance. Even the rougher peasants looked surprised as their eyes lit up.

The night's proceedings settled into some normalcy as it appeared that the travellers who needed the services of the rest stop had all settled in comfortably, the comfort of the roaring hearth fire a pleasant warmth as the grey darkness of day turned into the inky blackness of night.

But the year of darkness under Nisshoku's endless shadow had taught the inhabitants of Kage no Shima to steel themselves, and expect the unexpected. Even in the din of the cordial chatter within, the patrons of the kinchinyado could hear the commotion outside: a cry of alarm, the sounding of the gong, quickened footsteps. Some moments later the door of the inn swung open, there stood at the doorway the night watchman with his lantern, a distressed demeanour on his face. "All well here?" The question was more an implacable statement than a question. Something bad had transpired, everyone could tell.

Having made Satoshi's acquaintance (not recognizing him from before) Ikari had just dealt us three hands of cards for a friendly game of Koi-Koi when the disruption stopped them.

Ikari getting up, gestures to Satoshi to come with. "Lets find out what this is all about"
If it was a fire they will need every hand available.

"A pleasure to meet you Lady Kayo," the disguised shinobi says as he bows his head and shoulders. "You can call me Taro." Satoshi sits eager to play.

He is about to suggest some sake or umeshu to drink with the game, but the disturbance interrupts the game before it even really starts. Satoshi suppresses his annoyance since he knows the behavior expected of him. He rises with Ikari, placing his cards down on the floor. "What's the matter, watchman?" he asks.

"Welcome in our little troupe, Taro-san," she said, her voice smooth as she began dealing the cards, her movements fluid and practiced. Though her demeanor remained undisturbed, her senses were keenly alert, attuned to every word the watchman spoke. Kayo, despite her outward calm, was not one to ignore the undercurrents of a situation, especially in the volatile atmosphere beyond the capital's walls.

The three of them, Ikari, Kayo and Satoshi, were more perceptive to see how the watchman scanned the room carefully to confirm for himself that nothing untoward was happening within the confines of the small inn. Ikari and Satoshi rose to their feet, alongside at least two of the farmhands. One member of their group had tried to make light of the situation by muttering something about some livestock stolen by some supposed "... yokai who turned out to be a clever beggar ..." but he was shushed by the rest of his companions. The rest of the mood was one of concern, but there was a steel to everyone reactions, even from the women travellers, for these were darker times and people were prepared for the worst.

The watchman considered Ikari's and Satoshi's offer with a slight polite nod, "An extra pair of ears and eyes could be helpful." He beckoned them to step outside with him, "I will ask the rest of you to stay put, or return to your homes, and keep to the main street."

Compared to the well-lit warmth of the interior, outside was in contrast near pitch black. With Nisshoku's endless shadow, even waxing moons were weak orbs of pallid gloom. The watchman walked towards a small bundle of straw that he must have laid out along the side of the narrow street a few steps away. As the light of the lantern more fully illuminated the bundle, those who accompanied the watchman outside could see the remains of a severed arm, torn off between shoulder and elbow, blood still congealing. The hand gripped tightly a jitte; everyone understood who would wield such a weapon.

"We fear the worst for Doshin Nira." A doshin was a constable, and the jitte, or hooked nightstick, was a symbol of his authority as police for a given district of jurisdiction. Nira would have been the constable in charge of this Idawata post station along Nakasendo. Night watchmen were typically the villagers who were rostered to assist him in keeping order. "Sawada has gone ahead to follow the trail while I am making the rounds to secure our village." In the distance they could make out a receding pinpoint of light coming from the other watchman's lantern.

Kayo's hands stilled, the cards momentarily forgotten as she offered the men the space to react, a gesture befitting a lady of her standing.

"AH! By the Spirits!" Ikair startled by the sight
"I Volunteered to fight a fire not a horde of Wolves"

"Damn! What kind of monster could tear a man's arm off like that?" Satoshi says, acting shocked even though he has seen his share of gore and death. "I'm not sure how we can help if the nightwatch is already involved."

"Nira is dead and Sawada will be soon I think," he mumbles inadvertently. Then he wipes his mouth with a hand and says more clearly "We could help keep an eye on the inn here."