Mei's stealthy stroll via rooftops, shady corners and alleyways reached its destination. At the outskirts of Dojyu was a small shrine dedicated to Zetsubo, the goddess of those who despair. As was appropriate to the nature of the goddess in question, the shrine was very nondescript and laid-back compared to the shrines of the greater and more generally revered kami. Mei rarely saw anyone at the shrine, but people came. Oh, they did. She slid inside. There was an altar of sorts, carved of gray marble, depicting the streets of this city part in an artistic manner. People feeling loss, despair or great shame left their offerings on the marble slab. Often there were beautiful blossoms of flowers. Mei scanned the slab for a purple one. That was a sign that someone wanted to meet her. The person then left the purple flower at the point where the meeting was to take place at the hour of the peacock, two hours after midnight. She nodded grimly, with a mixture of anticipation and joy. There was a purple blossom at the corner of the outer gate leading to the docks.
Mei knelt before the altar and left her own offering, a little pouch of rice.
- "Guide my step, Zetsubo," she murmured, rose and continued her stroll. She took care not to be seen by anyone. An occasional sailor or sake-soaked bushi staggered by, but otherwise it was quiet at these alleyways. Granted, if anyone saw a ninja slide by, the person probably would freeze in horror and count himself lucky to live to see the next day. But the less there were people who knew of her existence, the better. She would not only have to fear the legitimate authorities - she would get the Takeshi and other ninja clans after her as well if the secret was out. Mei thought fleetingly of the poison capsule hidden in the hilt of her ninja-to. If necessary, she would use it. She shrugged the thought away with the confidence of someone who was sure that the Fortunes were on her side.
The gate leading to the docks loomed ahead. Mei effortlessly scaled the wall of the storehouse next to the gate and crawled forward, observing her contact. The woman was nervous, middle-aged and worn older than her actual years probably were. The parched skin of her hands, the skinny cheekbones, and the subdued suffering in her eyes were telltale signs of poverty and misery. But there was something else in the eyes as well. The part of every person that is a beast. The flame of despair. Mei scaled the wall down where there was pitch dark. She crept next to the woman, and when she could see the finest strands of hair parting from her bun, Mei leapt forward, using her other hand to slap the woman's mouth shut and grabbed her waist with another. In a briefest flash of movement she had pulled her contact into the shadows.
Feeling the trembling of the poor woman's body, Mei nevertheless spoke in a low, threatening tone, for it was important that she got the message.
- "It is I, the servant of Zetsubo. You have called me and you have no reason to fear me. But you must not make noise, and you may not leave the shadow until we have finished our discussion. Nod if you understand."
The woman started to breathe a little bit easier and nodded her head. Mei let her go. She just stood there, still trembling.
- "It will do no harm to turn around to face me," Mei said. The woman slowly turned around, and the sight of a ninja dressed in a pitch black garb, only the black eyes glittering from inside of the slit in the hood, did nothing to ease her fear.
- "You have called for me because you have no hope, and no means to pay to the servants of Chirasu," Mei went on. She was referring to the goddess of stealth, whose shrines were the means to contact the Takeshi. "I shall hear your case, and if I decide you deserve my aid, I will work for free. But for one thing. If you ever mention meeting me, or our discussion, to anyone - I will come for you. Do you understand?"
The woman nodded, still terrified. Mei felt bad for menacing her that way, but it was necessary. Unless the people she helped kept their quiet, all was lost.
- "Talk then."
- "My husband... was a bushi, attending the daimyo's convoy. Just a footsoldier, but he was able to earn us a living," the woman started her tale. So was my father, Mei thought.
- "But in a battle against a bandit troop from the mountains he lost his leg and arm, and was not able to work anymore. At first his samurai lord paid him for the past services... but then poverty hit his lord too, and he no longer helped us. I have been able to work as a cleaning lady, together with our little daughter. It has been hard, but we have survived."
Mei nodded, feeling compassion. Still, this was not something she could really do anything about.
- "But now... now! The only thing mattering to me and my husband... our girl! She has fire in her eyes, hopes, dreams... she wishes to find a better life..." she ceased talking, sobbing, ashamed of losing her control.
- "What is wrong with her?" Mei softly asked.
- "The lord of the manor..." her tears were uncontrolled now, and she shuddered of shame at this loss of face, "... the manor she cleans... wishes her to... comply to his wishes. He is a cruel man, and he gets more callous about it every time... I have not told it to my Eichi-ko, but I know he will eventually take her by force, if she won't comply... and she never will, willingly. Not her. If I have to see her fire gone, her spirit dead... I... I..."
Mei's face was grim with anger as she listened to the woman instructing her of the location of the mansion and the identity of its lord, but she knew how to conceal her emotions.
- "Would it cause you sorrow," she nonchalantly asked, "if this lord met his untimely end?"
She kept staring at the woman. The woman understood. She shook her head empathically.
- "It may take a bit of time, but that man will not trouble your daughter any more. I will persuade him. Either that, or then I am no longer in Ningen-do. Go in peace."
And she leapt onto the rooftop and was gone before the woman could offer her her prolific gratitude.
