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Inside the coarsest stone may yet be the most valuable gem.

Travel suited Shuji Yarimoto well. His advisors and generals were trusted enough

to keep things running, and his Samurai and vassals all enjoyed his calm, loose-handed rule.

As such he often took trips that would last several days away from his home, but the journey

he was on now was the farthest he had been. He did not mind. The walk had kept him from

focusing on the loss so recently suffered, and he had a goal to focus on as well.

The Masari Clan was the largest and most influential Clan in All of Ippon. It was the Masari

who were related to the Emperor. Uncles, Brothers, Nephews, all of these Royal personae

were of the Masari. Their Leader, the Priestess Shiuki, was fair, just, and calm. Convincing

the Masari to march would be no small feat; he knew that much standing at the gates of

Kyudo. The guards strode over, one of them approaching while the others stood back slightly.

"What brings you to Kyudo, Traveler?" the large red roan Rasagan queried,

leaning on his pole axe.

Shuji, still guised as a common merchant smiled, "jewelry, Lord. A Gift from the

Rokkotsu to the Lady of Masari."

The guard nodded, "ah, this way then, I'll guide you to the castle."

"Thank you, sir. I can say I've never been here before so I would certainly get

lost," Shuji bowed and walked along, the other guards going back to their posts. Once he

was past, one of the younger guards spoke up.

"I know I've seen that merchant somewhere," he mused.

The oldest guard spat, "Bah! There are merchants everywhere these days! Vile,

greedy, money hoarders they are."

"No, I mean... he didn't look like a merchant to me."

"What do you mean?"

The younger guard nodded, "what kind of merchant carries a staff that long? And

why would he wrap it?"

Another guard joined in, "Well, he â€"was- limping."

"On the wrong leg! He had the staff in his right hand, but was limping on his left

leg... something's not right..."

"You think he's an assassin?"

"I don't know... but we should question him again."

"Well go on then! Catch up to them!"

Shuji slipped down a corner setting his pack down and leaning against the wall as

several guards dashed past, "he went that way!" Shuji ducked closer to the wall and sighed.

He hadn't expected the guards to be perceptive enough to see through his disguise. The

scuffle he had caused when the two guards had attempted to arrest him sent half the city

into alarm. He sighed and thought quickly, but jumped with a shock when a small Human girl

poked her head out from an opening in the wall to his right.

"Hey. You're the one they're looking for, right? Come this way! You can hide in

here."

Shuji blinked and ducked down through the hole with his spear, pulling his tail in

as she nearly shut the makeshift door on him. Outside they heard the guards;

"Here's that pack. Take it to the station; they'll go through it there. He can't have

gone far!"

With footsteps thundering away, Shuji sighed a bit and looked at his rescuer. She

was small, even for a human, if she stood; he estimated she might be as tall as his upper

chest. Her rust-colored hair was cropped up short, likely a working class family, but he

couldn't tell. Her gray kimono was kept rolled up above her knees, with the sleeves tattered

and tied back to keep them out of the way. She was far from being ‘not pretty' but her

manner and how she carried herself hid her beauty well. He nodded and spoke softly, "you

have my thanks."

"Ah, no big deal, yeah?" she responded a little more gruffly than he had

expected, "So what's your story? Nicked something and got caught?"

"A thief? No, nothing like that. They are under the impression I'm here to kill Lady

Masari."

"You're not?" she blinked, tilting her head.

He perked an eye ridge, "no... I'm not."

"Ah... damn..." She looked back to the other door that was the actual door to the

little storage room. And then mumbled a curse, pushing the little trapdoor they had come in

through open again, "Out."

"Wha?"

"I said out! There's gonna be guards coming through that door any-"

She was cut off as the storage room door opened and a guard captain stepped in

with about ten guards behind him, "Good work, kid!"

Shuji glared at her, "You..."

"GET OUT!" she hit him, bruising her hand as she darted through the opening.

"Oh for the love of...." Shuji was behind her as the guards were shouting after

them. One of the guards actually grabbed his tail, but a quick jab with the butt of his spear

sent the offender sprawling. The girl was already halfway down the alley when he got to his

feet and dashed after her.

After an hour long sprint through the alleys and gutters of Kyudo, The girl opened

a shack door and stepped in, Shuji followed, closing the door behind him as she flopped onto

a makeshift bed. The shack was a collection of discarded things that had been meticulously

cleaned and repaired to be serviceable. She panted for breath, looking at him, "Well, at least

you can run fast."

"You sold me out," he growled, slightly winded.

She grinned a little, "For the offer I made them swallow to get my help, it would

have been worth it if you were really an assassin."

"And why shouldn't I seek retribution?" he folded his arms.

"Augh, you samurai are all the same!" she sat up, her smile gone and glaring at

him as she stood and stepped over, pushing his chest without much effect. "You think all

that matters is your own self-importance! You don't even consider those of us that have to

work ourselves to death to keep you living in such quality!"

He looked at her and blinked calmly, his scowl turning into a smile.

"Now what are you grinning about you stupid samurai?!" she hit him, wincing and

shaking her suddenly aching hand.

"You're a farmer's daughter?"

"So? What about it?!" she groused.

He nodded and sat down, setting his spear against the wall, "my grandfather was

a farmer..."

"That's not possible." She hissed, glaring at him, "you're just mocking me."

He looked up at her and shook his head, "his name was Karato. He worked the

mines of Roraien. The Lord there had been there on an inspection, when there was a cave in.

my grandfather was fifteen, and only he and the Lord had survived the collapse. He spent a

day's time digging them out. Once they were out they found the Lord's son had tried to take

over, making no attempt to recue the Lord. The Son attacked, when he saw his father, and

my unarmed grandfather wrestled the lord's son to eh ground to protect the Lord. The Lord

named him Samurai, and made him his personal retainer. When the lord died, my

grandfather was given rule over the lands, and he was to rename the Clan."

She blinked and calmed, "And he named the clan...?"

"Rokkotsu," he nodded, "I was still little when my grandfather died, but I remember

his hands. Even though they were rough and calloused, they had softness to their grasp that

both my father and I have strived to emulate in our leadership."

"So your father is the Lord of Rokkotsu?" she peered.

"No..." he sighed, "He died seven years ago."

She blinked, "that means you're...?"

"Shuji Yarimoto, Lord of Rokkotsu."

She eyed him and then folded her arms, "what are you doing all the way over

here?"

He nodded and stretched his tired legs, "The Gasaran forces are gathering, they

have already attacked several cities in the south. Eizu fell to them before my eyes."

A shiver ran through the human at the name. She nodded, "You'll stay here

tonight, and I'll show you a back way into the castle in the morning..."

"Thank you... you're not going to sell me to the guards again?"

She shook her head, "no. Not when I'm coming with you when you leave."

"No." he said curtly, "I won't take you with me."

"You don't have a choice here, Rokkotsu-sama," she retorted, "I â€"am- going with

you."

He stood, "no. I've watched one too many die in my company. We are better

suited as a group with those who can fight."

She stood too, "I can fight!"

"How? You lack claws, or teeth... or even a knife."

She lashed out with a foot, catching him in the shin by surprise, but his training

reared up and he moved back with the impact, lessening the damage, but it still hurt. With a

speed that matched his, she shot her hand at his head, but he ducked to the side. Despite

her smaller stature, she gripped the side and back of his neck and turned, pushing him over

her leg and hip and onto his back on the futon. She was on his midsection before he landed,

her tiny hands near his neck in a gesture that would do damage if he didn't have scales. "I

can fight."

Recovering from the shock, he nodded, "you have skill, yes... However, without

the element of surprise;" he sat up, his larger size easily helping him off-balance her as he

flipped her onto her back, moving too fast for her to move away from him, in a flash, he had

her wrists in his larger hand and hand them pinned to the futon above her head, smiling down

at her as she struggled, heels kicking at the backs of his thighs.

"G-get off!" she shrieked in frustration, thrashing a bit.

"You see my point though?"

She wasn't listening, "Get off me! I don't want this!"

The connection hit Shuji like a thrown rock. He let her go and scrambled back as

she curled up a bit, glaring at him.

"I had no idea." He shifted to his knees and bowed low, pressing his palms to the

floor and lowering his head. The girl blinked, her fear and fury evaporating like rain in a fire.

Shuji spoke again, "I apologize."

She bit her lip, "It's... it's nothing...you didn't know."

He looked up and watched her.

"What is your name?"

"Kinji..." she hissed a little...

Shuji boggled and sighed, "You'll come with me."

She looked at him, blinking.

"You have talent, and you have a passion that few of your placement would have,"

he nodded, "It is a terrible risk, and I am a fool for taking it again... but I cannot leave such a

treasure here to sit in dust and dirt."

She frowned a little, "I'm not going to be put on a shelf."

"No, no," he laughed and nodded, "but I have the means to help you become what

you should be."

"And what's that?"

"Samurai," he smiled and leaned back on the futon, resting, "those eyes are not

the eyes of a farmer's daughter."

She eyed him and sighed, "You're strange."

"you are not the first to say that," he grinned and shrugged, "Get some rest. We'll

head out in the morning."

"Eh?" she blinked as he lay down, "Head out? To Where?"

"First to get you something that has a few less holes, and a bit more color to it,

and maybe a meal," he nodded, closing his eyes and smiling, "Rest."

"Don't order me around like you-" she blinked and paused, leaning over him, "Are

you asleep?" the only reply she got was a few slow breaths, and she fumed

silently, "Mmmph... Samurai..." with a huff she laid down in her bedroll and curled up.

It was well into the darkest hours of night when the girl awoke again. She rubbed

her eyes and sat up, grumbling...

"Can't sleep?" the voice asked and she jumped, looking over as a pair of

shimmering blue eyes smiled at her from the dark.

"Ah, damn, it's you. You scared me half to death," she sighed, calming herself

down.

"Sorry," Shuji offered quietly.

She blinked, her eyes adjusting to the deep dark, and tilted her head at him, "why

are you awake?"

"I have had a hard time sleeping for a while now," He admitted quietly, holding a

strip of pink and white silk in his hand.

She scooted closer and looked at the fabric, then to him, "your wife?"

He jumped a bit and looked at her, "W-wife?!" he shook his head and sighed,

containing himself, "no... She... she was a foreigner... Why she came to Ippon I don't

know... but her husband... was not worthy. She despised him, and he treated her horribly."

Kinji gasped and looked at him, astonished, "you... were with another man's

wife?? That is quite dishonorable."

"Perhaps," Shuji sighed, "perhaps it was. But I truly believe that she was special.

She deserved better than a man whose only reason for being with her was to elevate his own

status." He gripped the silk.

"What happened?" she asked, not wanting to pry farther into the details of the

relationship.

"Something... somehow changed her husband into a monstrous thing. He

attacked our camp, and in a fit of rage, he knocked her aside, the impact alone killing her."

Kinji gasped in shock and looked to the fabric again, "Her own husband... did

he... mean to?"

"I... I don't know... I don't think he was himself at that point, I think he was just a

monster. Either way she is gone."

She swallowed a bit and placed her hand on Shuji's wrist, "Only if you see it that

way. You still remember her? You still carry those feelings. Those aren't gone."

He blinked and looked to her, stunned, "... you're right."

"Of course I'm right," she smirked.

He laughed a bit and nodded, smiling, "Thank you."

She smiled and yawned, a shiver running over her as a bit of the night's chill took

hold, "Gnah... It's so chilly this time of year."

He reacted calmly, draping an arm over her shoulder and pulling her

closer, "Mmm I find the cold refreshing... but I'm strange that way."

She tensed at the embrace and then sighed, leaning against him, "I thought

Lizards were cold-blooded."

He gave a snort and a squeeze, "Mmm, careful calling jirajin ‘lizards'... most don't

take it kindly..."

"Oh, s-sorry," she hung her head shamefully.

He laughed a bit and rubbed her shoulder, "Don't worry, I won't bite you for it."

She looked up at him and glared a bit, "you'd better not bite me at all."

"Oh? Why not?" he grinned a bit, looming over her, "One of my generals tells me

his wife enjoys being bitten."

She pushed at him, but he held her close still, "you wouldn't!"

He chuckled and nodded, "no, I wouldn't. I prefer women with more conventional

tastes in intimacy."

She blushed and smiled, shaking her head and leaning on him a bit, "Mmm...

you're still warmer than I would have thought."

"Mmm well that's a relief. I'd hate to have people think me to be cold," a grin lit up

his face as she leaned back and sighed, "thank you again... when she died... it left a very

large hole in my emotions... somehow you've managed to close that hole up a bit."

"So long as you're not expecting me to take her place," she jibed, closing her

eyes a bit and staying close to the warm, soothing presence that surrounded her. The blush

on her cheeks went unnoticed as she cuddled to his side. Her entire life she had not had

such calming, peaceful contact with others. Giving it a thought for a moment she mused that

she was likely catching up on lost time...

"Mmm tired yet?" he purred, moving again to lay back on the soft bedroll. She

followed along, shaking her head and blushing more, clinging to his side. He smirked and

leaned over, rubbing the tip of his snout against her hair in a soft gesture, "Maybe I should

tire you out?"

"Don't joke," she sighed and thumped him with her fist, "I just want to enjoy this."

"Agreed," he smiled and closed his eyes, draping his other hand over her waist

and holding her close. Within moments, she looked up tiredly and saw that he was sound

asleep.

She smiled and shook her head, leaning up a bit and gently pressing her lips to

his, giving a playfully exasperated sigh, "Samurai..."

She awoke the next morning, and the samurai was nowhere to be seen. After a

fast, and slightly panicked, search of the hut, she stepped out the door, only to run into him

on his way in.

"Where have you been?!" She groused, rubbing her nose, as she'd banged her

face against his firmly scaled chest.

"Gathering necessities. You were so sound asleep I didn't think I could wake

you," he smiled and pushed a bundle into her arms. "Wear these. I'll wait outside."

She blinked, "Wh-what? Hey! I... I can't just..." she eyed the clothing bundle and

shouted, "What if it doesn't fit?"

She replied, still outdoors, "It will! I'm a good guesser of body-types!" another

chuckle that made her growl, and she set about changing... After unfolding the bundle, she

gave a shocked gasp, realizing what was in store for her. While elegant beyond anything she

had ever gotten her hands on, the Clothing was notably made for functionality. The kimono

was simple at best, a soft teal color with gradating white and blue cloud-patterns on the

sleeves. The hakama were a deep indigo, with matching white clouds near the bottoms. The

white obi was not wide and decorative, as she had known most women to wear, but it was

smooth, narrow and functional, white with a singular blue stripe down the long center. With

some fussing she managed to get the outfit into place, stepping out and looking at Shuji

expectantly.

He smiled and nodded, "Perfection! Just two more things you need and we're

ready."

"Besides someone to tell me I'm an idiot for going along with this?" she hissed,

folding her arms.

"Hah, no," he retorted, grinning a bit, "This, for tying those sleeves back when you

need to." A length of white silk, rolled on itself was tossed at her. She caught it, barely.

"Right, and the other?" she blinked, tucking the sash into a sleeve pocket.

Shuji nodded and straightened, looking stern suddenly, "Kneel."

"Kneel? What for?"

He barked commandingly and stepped closer, "Kneel!"

She gave a little squeak of shock at the force of his tone and knelt, eyeing him

worriedly.

He nodded, "I, Shuji Yarimoto, Lord of Rokkotsu do hereby grant you the rights

and privileges of a Samurai of my clan. You will be entitled to a house in Kirushigi, and an

annual stipend equaling a thousand Koku. You will be trained in the way of Bushido, and

once that is completed, you will become my personal retainer, doubling your stipend, and

giving you a command of a hundred samurai. Do you accept?"

She blinked and boggled after hearing what she was going to be given, not

believing it. For a moment, she sat, stunned into silence. He spoke again, softer, and a little

less formally.

"This is normally where you would say ‘I accept'..."

She blinked and nodded, "Ah... y-yes... I accept."

"Very well. Now... I would add your name to the register, and start a Record of

your Fief, however... the name you have... doe not appear on Paper well. It would raise

confusion and worry, so you have this chance to name yourself."

She gasped and the bleak clouds of her life were blasted away by the bright

shining words he gave her. Her own name! Even she knew that her name was a cruel joke by

her unknown and illegitimate father. ‘Kinji' he had called her, ‘forbidden,' a mistake. She

hated her name, and everything that it meant, but she could cast it aside now. She blushed

a bit and nodded, "I... I knew someone... She was called ‘Kasumi'... I always thought her

name was beautiful...."

He nodded, "Indeed it is. Very well, you shall be known as Kasumi Hikamori."

She blinked, "Hikamori?"

He nodded and smiled, leaning down to use a fingertip to scrawl the kanji into the

dirt, "Hika, as from ‘light', and Mori, as ‘forest'."

"Where did you come up with that?" she peered at him confused.

He looked off, "Listening to you sleep... sounded like a soft breeze through a

forest, and it made me think of a place I saw when I was younger."

She didn't know much about jirajin, as there were very few that traveled so far

East, but she could have sworn the blue scales across his snout turned a vibrant teal for a

moment. She smiled a bit and nodded, "It is fitting then. Thank you.... My Lord."

He smiled and looked back to her, the teal on his face deepening to be

unmistakable... then he caught himself and shook his head to clear it, "This... is the other

thing that you will need." He reached back and passed the Daisho he had been holding with

his tail into his hands. "May I?" he asked, nodding to the sash as her waist, "there are

certain ways these must be worn."

She nodded and straightened, turning her left hip toward him a bit and blushing

herself, "I do not really know how they are used... I mean, I understand and have seen them

used, but... never actually held one myself."

He nodded, "when we have time, I will show you." Carefully slipping the Katana

into her sash, he adjusted it for comfort. Like his own, he left the Edge facing up. The

Wakizashi was next, situated in another loop of the sash, and just off the same angle as the

katana.

Kin- (she had to correct herself on her own name) Kasumi marveled at the beauty

of the blades, or rather the Saya that contained them. Lacquered to a glimmering pearl white,

with shifting hues of teal and blue somehow inlaid into the shine, it was hard to believe that

they were meant to kill. The fittings on the grip were all polished silver and steel, and the

cording of the grip was that same shade of teal and blue as her clothes. She Looked to him

and then reverently gripped the katana's handle, giving a tug to get it lose and then pulling it

from the scabbard. After about a hand width of the blade came out, Shuji's hand stopped her

from drawing it further. She blinked to him and titled her head a bit.

"It is customary to never fully draw your sword unless it is going to taste blood."

His smile was soft, but his tone carried a layer of well-trained respect to it. She nodded and

held her draw, looking to the blade a moment and then blinking.

"It's... blue?" she looked to him.

He smiled and nodded, "I was very lucky to find those here. Those are some of

the best blades you will find anywhere. The Steel is from Tetsumo, and it is harder and more

durable than anything else. They say the colors come from the forging and tempering, though

the method is kept secret. The Lord of Hodai's swords are from there."

She felt a surge of pride she had not known and pushed the blade back into the

scabbard, looking up to him with eyes shining.

"Now... Let us go and see the Lady of Masari. There is much to do."

Kasumi nodded and followed as Shuji picked up his spear and led them through

the town toward the castle, "Yes sir!"