Idealist
A Samurai Warriors Fanfic A Sequel to A Smile Worth of Coins
Okuni knew an opportunity when she saw one. It made neither her offer of friendships, or her offers of more, less sincere. If she offered either she meant it. However, she was hardly going to pass over the chance to make friends with someone whose friendship could be a valuable asset. While "Sawa of Omi" remained anonymous whenever they met, they both were aware from the start that she knew his real identity. That she respected his wish for anonymity may have been why Mitsunari returned again and again. There was also a chance he honestly enjoyed the plays. Or enjoyed the honesty of the plays may have been a more appropriate wording.
She always made sure to take a few moments to speak with him afterwards. A few moments had stretched to a few more, and then to meetings the next day, and so on. Their friendship existed as stolen moments of relaxation among the hustle and bustle of every day life. She found the sharpness of his tongue refreshing. Especially as it seemed to cover a gentler nature. She was far more used to sweet words hiding knives instead. No doubt so was he, so though her words were more often sweet, they were also flirtatious, or - as he'd once termed her plays - lewd, and never dishonest. It was a combination that worked.
It was their friendship that had inspired the play. Stories he'd told, and stories she'd heard combined with recent rumors involving certain lords. She was pretty proud of the play, but she'd had no intention of him ever seeing it. She usually kept an ear out for when he was in town, and - to the best of her knowledge - he wasn't supposed to be anywhere near Kyoto. Her first thought when she saw him in the audience was. "This cannot end well."
The play itself started innocently enough. The opening number singing the praises of "The Monkey King", played by one of her most acrobatic actresses. Other actors, also dressed as animals, sang of his victories in battle, and the peace he was bringing to the various animal kingdoms. If the subtext of the song didn't get across who "The Monkey King" was supposed to be representing, the staff the actress carried left no doubt. After his initial look of horror, though, Mitsunari seemed to enjoy the number. It was, after all, subtly praising his own lord. In that, Okuni had had no worries. It was what followed the opening that worried her.
"The time has come to bring another animal kingdom into our fold." The Monkey King announced after the song was over. "For this task, I will need the help of my three most trusted generals. For this purpose, I have called them here. First there is the Ape, Rakkii!"
She'd chosen her tallest actress for the part, and she stormed on the stage with a yell, pounding her chest. "I am Rakkii! I will stomp and pound my king's enemies into oblivion!" Picking up her own weapon, a club, from the stage she made a show of slamming it down multiple times, before striking a pose.
"Rakkii is among the fiercest of my warriors." The Monkey King praised, then raised his hand to his mouth to whisper loudly to the audience. "But between you and me, he isn't the sharpest tool in the shed." The audience laughed appropriately. "Luckily, I also have the Tiger, Seigi!"
The actress strode onto the stage with her spear over her shoulder. Reaching the side of Rakki, she stepped in front to swing it in an arc. "I am Seigi. I owe everything to my liege and will lend my strength and mind to the glory and protection of his house, even at the cost of my own life." She continued to whip the spear in arcs, flipping over and around it before striking a pose. The crowd cheered the show of skill.
In the back, Mitsunari had hid his face behind his fan. Okuni hoped it was in amusement and not mortification.
"Now Seigi." The Monkey King took over the tale again. "He's definitely a shining star among my troops. Both intelligent and skilled in battle, his support of my house is invaluable. But my trio would not be complete without the Fox Katachi."
The third actress swept onto the stage with a fan of her own, and tossed flaming red hair over one shoulder. "My mind is the weapon I use to keep safe the life and legacy of my king. There is no bumbling officer who I cannot outthink, and no crisis I cannot avert with the application of appropriate planning. For those who would get in my king's way, I shall give only one warning..." She spread the fan out with the toss of a wrist, "Their last!" She danced across the stage in arcs before posing with the fan behind her. The crowd cheered.
"Ah, Katachi... She's almost as clever as me." The Monkey King nodded. "It wouldn't hurt for her to be a bit nicer, though..."
He was gaping. It wasn't a good sign. 'He's going to kill me...' The thought crossed her mind.
"While these three are without a doubt the best of the best and very dear to me, there's one problem." The Monkey King's dialogue continued.
"Hey, Know-It-All, who invited you!" Rakkii poked at Katachi, who took a swipe at him with her fan.
"A better question is, who invited you? Are you for cannon fodder?" Was the retort.
"Hey!"
"Can't you two fools give it a rest?" Seigi put in. "We're in this together."
"If this fool can manage not to trip over his own feet, I supposed he could be of use." Katachi sashayed by, swinging her fan idly.
"More use than you! Are you going to talk the enemies to death?" Rakkii shook his fist after her.
"You're the one with the big mouth, Ape."
"Hey!"
"Break it off, will you?" Seigi pushed them apart, turning to Katachi. "It wouldn't hurt you to learn to talk a little bit nicer to your own fellow generals, you know."
"If you don't like the honesty of my words, then best plug your ears, Tiger. I won't sweeten my tongue for any fool's pride."
"They fight like cats and dogs." The Monkey King sighed sufferingly. The crowd roared with laughter as the three continued to bicker.
"Children! Children! Don't be naughty!" Seeming out of nowhere, an actress appeared on the stage. Despite being shorter than the other three she managed to smack each on the head, hauling Rakkii to her level with a hold on his ear. "All this fighting isn't good! Behave or you won't get supper!"
"Ah, behold my Golden Flower!" The Monkey King gestured. "She truly was a flower once, but now she is my beloved wife." Raising his hand up again, he whispered to the crowd, "She's actually probably scarier than any of us combined. But that's between you and me."
The crowd was laughing once more. Mitsunari had hidden behind his fan again. He wasn't going to be telling her anecdotes about his fellow generals any time soon. Provided he was still talking to her at all.
"Now, all of you sit and be good. Darling is going to tell you about the coming battle." The Golden Flower forced the three to sit down next to each other. They continued to poke and make faces at each other through the rest of the scene, which consisted of The Monkey King giving them their orders. Seigi and Rakkii were on the front lines, while he had a special assignment for Katachi. The Monkey King and The Golden Flower then left the stage to the three generals.
"Great, a special assignment. This is just going to give her a bigger ego." Rakkii complained.
"Worry about yourself, you idiot. This is an important battle." Seigi smacked the back of his head.
"AAAAAHHHH! I won't be outshone! I'll defeat more enemies than anyone!" Rakkii beat his chest again.
"That's great. Just try to be a little quiet. The point is not to let the enemy know you're there." Katachi quipped, placing her fan on her head and closing her eyes as though painfully resigned.
"Enough fooling around. To Battle!" Seigi shouted out.
It was the cue for another number, and Katachi swept away as other actresses came on. Battle was reenacted through dance and acrobatics, with Rakkii and Seigi front and center. Each time their forces were hard pressed, Katachi would appear with new dancers to turn the tide, before disappearing off stage again. At the end of the number most of the cast disappeared off stage, and Katachi entered with a set of acrobats.
An actress appeared with a scroll, which Katachi took. "Forces are needed at the western garrison. Go." She pointed toward the audience. The acrobats lept off the stage and proceeded to flip and leap through the audience, before coming full circle and disappearing backstage.
Left alone, Katachi frowned, thoughtful. "Something doesn't seem right. Our foe is Lord Futoku. That clever Tanuki must have a plan, the question is - what could it be? I should be returning to camp, but the enemy base is not far off. Should I go check on it myself?"
"No! Don't!" Someone called out.
Katachi turned to the audience. "My lord demanded my return but..."
"Go to the base!" Someone else from the audience called out.
"I shouldn't disobey an order, but is it not also my duty to think of that which my lord has not?"
The audience went back and forth as Katachi debated. Behind her, actresses dressed all in black slowly crept onto the stage, weaving along the background.
"Behind you!" Someone called out.
Katachi whirled to the back of the stage. "The shadows! Of course!" She flung out her fan, scattering the shadows for a moment, but they quickly circled her. Fighting her way out, she ran from the stage with the shadows following.
Seigi and Rakkii ran back on stage, fighting off more dancers. Once they were defeated, The Golden Flower appeared. "Seigi! Rakkii!"
"Lady, are you alright?" Seigi hurried to her side.
"Katachi has not returned to camp! Have either of you seen her?"
"Not for some time now." Seigi frowned.
"She should have been back by now." The Golden Flower wrung her hands.
"Don't worry. Rakkii and I will go check on her."
"You mean we have to go help her?" Rakkii protested. Seigi smacked the back of his head. "OW! I mean, sure thing!"
"She was last seen near the northeast enemy base."
"That's not far from our own camp. If she's disappeared, our king could be in danger." Seigi realized.
"Fear not, no one will get to darling while I'm around!" With that promise, The Golden Flower disappeared from the stage.
Rakkii and Seigi battled more dancers in order to show their movement. Busy with them, they didn't notice the shadows slowly creeping on stage again.
"The shadows! The shadows!" The audience called.
"Huh?" Rakkii scratched his head. "Of course there's shadows, the sun's out." He came up to one of the "Shadow" acrobats and studied them, then proceeded to wave his arms. The shadow actress imitated his motions, causing the audience to laugh. Scratching his head again, he froze when the shadow failed to do the same. "AH! Seigi! The shadows!"
Seigi whirled to the back of the stage, and the two began to battle the shadow actresses. Suddenly flames shot up around the stage, and the shadows dropped to the ground in defeat. The fireshow faded, revealing Katachi with her fan up. The three were forced to wait through the audience's cheers before continuing. Katachi lowered her fan to come forward, tilting her head in confusion. "What are you doing here?"
"Uh..." Seigi hesitated to answer.
"We're here to rescue you?" Rakkii offered. Katachi gave the audience a suffering look.
"Nevermind that. The shadows are returning." Seigi put in. True to his word, the shadow actresses were beginning to rise again.
"These are mere illusions. We must find and defeat the Shadow King to bring an end to their interference." Katachi explained.
"How do you intend to find him?" Seigi countered.
"I say we just smash all of them!" Rakkii pounded his club.
"As much as I hate to rely on brute force rather than strategy..." Katachi fell into line with them.
"In this case it just might work. Let's do this, the three of us!" Seigi led the charge, and the other two followed.
Another battle through dance and acrobatics followed, finally revealing the actress playing the Shadow King and his subsequent defeat. As the three celebrated their private victory, a messenger ran on stage.
"Good news, Generals! Lord Futoku has surrendered to the Monkey King! The battle is won!"
"We did it!" Rakkii cheered.
"He surrendered?" Katachi frowned. "But why?"
Seigi patted her shoulder as he passed. "It doesn't matter. Another kingdom is united beneath our liege's banner. We should be celebrating."
"Yah! Let's drink!" Rakkii charged off the stage.
"Oy! You're a wretched drunk! Don't drink too much." Seigi called after him, before turning back to Katachi. "We better go make sure he doesn't cause trouble."
"Seigi, wait. Futoku's surrender, isn't it strange? He certainly could have kept fighting."
"You worry too much. The battle is over. Let it go, Katachi." Seigi shook his head, heading off stage.
Left alone, Katachi frowned. "For the legacy of our lord, though, I can't help but worry..."
"Come on, Know-it-All! Or we won't get the good liquor!" Rakkii called from off stage.
"Seigi! Don't let Rakkii drink!" Katachi chased after them.
In the finale, the cast returned, singing about the latest victory of The Monkey King and how he would soon unite all the animal kingdoms. The troop members not on stage circled the audience for donations. Usually this was when she would slip away to talk to Mitsunari, but when she looked out over the audience she didn't see him. One of her troop members brought her the letter after her rotation of the audience. In the neat, crisp writing of her now absent friend was a time and place to meet the next day. Okuni wasn't sure if that was a good sign or a very bad one.
It was a peaceful section of town not far from the local temple. Mitsunari was waiting for her, hat firmly shielding his face. "I was a bit upset with you at first." He greeted before she even approached him.
A small smile played across her lips at the confession. "Why, noble sir, you don't say."
"For the most part, though, I can't truly find fault with your representation. I only have one question."
"Oh?"
He turned to scowl at her. "Why was the Fox the woman?"
"In most of the stories, foxes usually are women, sir."
"Okuni." His eyes narrowed. "Why was the Fox the woman?"
"She's a crowd favorite."
"Okuni..."
"The ape would make a terrible woman."
"You could have made Kiyomasa the woman!" He finally exploded.
"Why, Sawa of Omi, my play is about the Monkey King and his generals. What does Kato Kiyomasa have to do with anything?"
Mitsunari crossed his arm with a scowl. "Playing dumb doesn't suit you."
Okuni broke into a bright laugh. "You're one of the few to think so, Sawa of Omi."
"If Kiyomasa and Masanori see that play, I'll never live it down."
"They don't come to my plays." Okuni reassured him with a smile.
"Somehow that doesn't make me feel any better."
"Many people don't even make the connection, you know. They aren't well informed enough to understand who is being represented."
"Unlike Ujisato Sanzaburo?"
Caught off guard, Okuni resisted the urge to gape, though by the smug smile he shot her way, Mitsunari knew he'd thrown he off. With a small frown, she wagged her finger at him. "Listening to rumor, Sawa?"
"Rumors are fascinating things."
"Hm, so should I ask what brings you to Kyoto when the official word is you're nowhere near? Or should I ask if you're on a little side trip? Trying to hire a certain renowned strategist by the name of Shima Sakon?" It was Mitsunari's turn to be caught off guard, and Okuni allowed herself a delighted laugh. "You're good, Sawa, I'll give you that. I'm just a little bit better."
"So it would seem." His smile was rueful. "Though the trip may prove to be nothing so much as wasted time."
"Nonsense, I reckon you're odds are quite good."
"How unlike you to be idealistic."
"Don't be silly. You're the idealist, I'm the realist." When Mitsunari snorted in response, Okuni smiled. Opening her parasol, she started strolling up the street. He fell in step beside her, adjusting the hat he always wore to cover his face and hair.
"So how are you counting my odds as good, then? The man has turned down offers too steep for me to match."
"I'm considering the character of the men involved. Shima is a samurai, and a samurai wants a master to serve. If Sakon is turning down steep stipends, than steep stipends do not impress him. He's looking for a worthy master, not a flashy one."
"And you think he'd consider me?"
"You have something a man like him will admire in spades."
"Do I want to know exactly which trait you're referring to?"
"Determination." Okuni winked at him.
"Determination? I'm going to win a renowned strategist with determination?" His tone was caustic.
"Precisely."
"Which one of us is the idealist again?"
"Still you, or you wouldn't be making the trip in the first place." She pointed out.
"Sure, tear apart my argument with facts."
With a grin, she took his arm. "You like facts. Now, are you buying me tea today?"
"Not a chance." Mitsunari responded, then added by way of explanation, "You made the fox a woman."
Okuni laughed.
Fini
Ujisato was rumored to be both Okuni's benefactor and lover. Actually, though, there's no real historical facts to back up the rumors. (Game-wise, I have to say I'm way more a Keiji/Okuni shipper. But for this fic it seemed far more useful to go with the Ujisato rumors.) This has been floating around in my head for a while, so I finally forced myself to sit down and write it. Have more of the friendship of Mitsunari and Okuni, and another badly written play.