Notes:
- Illustrated version of Chapters 14 now online. New illustration has been added to Chapter 28. See my profile page for link to illustrated chapters.
- Reworked Chapters 27 - 29. Check out the (hopefully) improved versions.
- In this ficverse, Kougakyo is in Tanba Prefecture.
- For the map of the world of Retribution, see my profile page.
- In the 'real world', typically only high-ranking samurai were trained in equestrian archery, and the majority of samurai, who were of low rank, did not have this benefit. The warriors who went mounted into battle were usually officers of significant rank. (Source: Ratti/Westbrook, Secrets of the Samurai)
-Ayame, despite her sword skills, is not likely to be a very skilled equestrian archer, considering her social background. In the South, East and West of this ficverse, (as in the 'real world') only high-ranking samurai were formally trained in mounted archery, though that did not stop people of lesser lineage from trying to acquire such skills. The Mount Kei'an Dojo students had some training in mounted archery; Mizuho excelled at it, as mentioned in Happy Endings, but Ayame's aim is not perfect. (See Wolf Warriors "The Way of Ashura" chapter).
-On the topic of archery, it was the skill of most "traditional significance" to a samurai. Next in importance came spear-fighting. Sword fighting came in only third. (Ratti/Westbrook in Secrets of the Samurai ) Ratti/Westbrook describe archery as "more exclusive and aristocratic in nature". In an interview with the Tokyo U history professor in the Otogi Zoshi anime DVD, the Japanese historian said that the primary weapon of the high-ranking warrior was the bow. In the Hei'an era Otogi Zoshi anime, the son/daughter of the leader of the Minamoto clan carried a bow, quiver and short sword into battle. Minamoto no Raikou did not even carry a katana. Tsuna, the low-ranking warrior accompanying the clan leader, was the one wielding the sword.
This, however, did not mean that high-ranking samurai did not learn to use the katana with skill. (It was important in close-range combat) It was just not the weapon that 12th century military nobles chose to identify their status with. Lidstone observes in his Kendo: "people in high positions were delighted when their ability as archers was acclaimed but made every endeavor to have their prowess with the sword hushed up."
During the later Sengoku Jidai (I believe Seven Samurai is set towards the end of that period), the bow/spear still had supremacy over the sword because these long/mid-range weapons mattered more in the battlefield situations of that era. It was only during the relatively recent Pax Tokugawa, when there were much fewer battles for samurai to fight, that the prestige of the sword increased. The nature of violent encounters had "moved from the battlefields to the streets, mansions, and castles, finding particular expression in a series of intrigues, assassinations, half-aborted revolts, and numerous instances of petty lawlessness… the importance of the bow and arrow or of the spear in combat was lessened, while the … importance of the sword was greatly enhanced." (Secrets of the Samurai, Ratti/Westbrook)
Warning: Some violence.
In the crimson warrior's seemingly never-ending dream, he was still a child sitting on the gray sand beach, staring at the dark, foaming waves ahead. The boy's skinny fingers aimlessly drew circles in the Sands of Time, his dull crimson eyes were fixed on the Sea of Shadow. Kyuuzou knew not that at this moment in the waking world, his thin body was being propped up by "Big Brother" Haruko while his junior Yasue was trying to pour a bowl of rice soup into his mouth.
Yasue gave an exasperated hiss as a trickle of rice soup spilled from the corners of her senpai's stubbornly closed lips. Seeing this, Tashiro Sensei unapologetically pulled Kyuuzou's jaws open with her large strong hands, forcibly unclenching his teeth.
Tilting the unconscious samurai's head slightly back, the sword master told her student. "Try again." This time, the soup went down Kyuuzou's throat with less resistance. The two double-sword fighters cautiously laid Kyuuzou back down on the padded sleeping mat. "Turn him on his side this time so that he doesn't get bedsores," instructed the Sensei. Yasue complied.
Their task of feeding the patient accomplished, the two women rose to leave the room, only to hear Kyuuzou murmur "Kanbei…" the moment they turned their backs on him.
"He's calling for Kanbei again?" Haruko raised her eyebrows slightly.
"The bear!" exclaimed Yasue as she glanced back at her sleeping senpai. "We forgot his bear!" The pale-haired maiden briskly crossed to the other side of the room where the white toy bear with black legs and ears was sitting neglected in a corner. Earlier, before they attempted to feed rice soup to the unconscious samurai, Tashiro Sensei had pulled the bear out of Kyuuzou's arms and tossed it aside.
Now Yasue placed the stuffed bear against Kyuuzou's chest and wrapped his arms around it once more. The blond samurai slowly embraced the toy animal.
Haruko stared at the strange sight. Why was it that only the presence of a childhood toy could cause the seemingly unconscious Kyuuzou to show some signs of awareness?
At that moment, Kazumi's voice floated in through the open window. "Sensei! A fast turtle courier just came by with a letter from Hokuhei!"
Making their way down to the first floor, Yasue and Haruko found Kazumi waiting for them at the foot of the stairs. With both hands, the youngest student presented a blue paper envelope to Tashiro Sensei.
Tashiro Sensei opened the letter. She noted that it was dated three days ago. The contents read:
Haruko-sama,
I will leave for Kougakyo immediately. I believe I can find someone in Iyashi no Sato who may know the whereabouts of the aforementioned Kanbei. If I locate Kanbei, I will endeavor to bring him to Kyuuzou as soon as I can. In the meantime, please take good care of 'imoto-chan.'
Regards,
Third Sister
Turning her head slightly, Tashiro Sensei cast a stern look at her eldest disciple who was craning her neck in an attempt to peep at the letter over the tall Sensei's broad shoulders. Yasue took a step back apologetically, but was still not ashamed enough to refrain from asking. "Is it from Ayame-senpai?"
"Yes," the sword master answered. "She wrote that she is going to Kougakyo to ask after the whereabouts of Kanbei. The letter was written three days ago, which means Ayame should have reached Tanba Prefecture by now."
--
In an airy private tearoom in the House of the Fireflies, a woman carrying twin swords sat alone at a low table, her backpack, bow and quiver set on the floor beside her. Ayame was tapping her fingers impatiently against the lacquered table top when she heard a knock on the door. The screen door to the guestroom slid open and Yukino re-entered. Trailing behind the black-haired woman was a sullen blond.
"I'm sorry to have kept you waiting," the innkeeper bowed gracefully before the golden-eyed swordswoman. Then Yukino turned towards her companion. "Shichiroji-dono…" she began.
The unsmiling man addressed Ayame. "Kanbei has gone to Akashima Province, but I won't tell you his exact destination in the province…"
"WHAT?!!" Ayame roared. She could not possibly search an entire province for one man.
"… But I will take you to him," Shichiroji added grudgingly. "If you attempt to harm him, I will be there to stop you."
"You paranoid creature!" The dreadlocked woman muttered under her breath. But much as neither war veteran fully trusted the other, Ayame did not want to waste more time arguing. Shichiroji's offer was an acceptable compromise.
"Very well, shall we leave now?" Kyuuzou's Third Sister rose from her seat and picked up her backpack and archery equipment.
--
The fragile truce between the two former foes lasted until they got to a fast turtle dealership in the outskirts of Kougakyo. Ayame insisted they should pursue after Kanbei on turtleback – they could not afford the time it took to travel on foot. Shichiroji did not disagree with the mode of transportation, but an ugly argument broke out over who should pay for Shichiroji's fast turtle.
"This whole journey is YOUR idea, so you should pay for my ride," The man insisted stubbornly.
"My idea?" The golden-eyed woman snarled. "You could have told me exactly where Kanbei is going so that I can go there on my own, but YOU insisted on tagging along! And now you want me to pay for your land turtle?"
Ayame was not an individual of great wealth, but she had wisely brought just enough money to buy a fast turtle in the suburbs of Kougakyo where prices were lower than they were in the city proper. However, she did not have enough cash to pay for two turtles.
"If I set a precedent by paying this time, this fellow will want me to pay for food, water, new shoes, sun screen or whatever else he considers a 'necessity' for this journey…" Ayame eyed the blond coldly. But Kyuuzou's life force was probably draining away with each passing second they stood here quarrelling.
Shooting a withering glare at Shichiroji, the akindo woman whipped out her Merchant Bank of Hokuhei credit card. "Charge this please," she spoke briskly to the fast turtle dealer.
Ayame scowled at Kanbei's former aide. "Well, I catered to your wish this time. So it is only fair that I get to decide the next major course of action on this journey, whatever that may be. Let me make it clear in advance that you will acquiesce to my wishes when the time comes."
"Within reasonable limits," Shichiroji scowled back as he mounted the land turtle his foe had paid for.
--
Leaving the metropolis behind, the two war veterans crossed the Tanba border and galloped west through the northern region of Nankai Prefecture. Shichiroji kept his extendable yari within easy reach, in a spear-holder attached to his mount's saddle. Ayame, carrying the sword Shourin across her back and wearing its twin Aoki in her belt, kept her bow in her left hand while she steered her land turtle with her right. A quiver of arrows rested on her hip.
Nankai Prefecture was a place that Ayame was familiar with – it was there she spent the better part of her girlhood as a trainee in Mount Kei'an Dojo. But never for a moment did the armed travelers let their guard down. Ukyo's samurai-vs-Nobuseri experiment was largely limited to Tanba Prefecture, the state over which Kougakyo City Government had jurisdiction. Beyond Tanba State, Nobuseri still roamed the land.
The former samurai cut through the state of Nankai without incident, but when they passed the northern edge of the Gray Forest on the Higashihara border, Ayame sensed watchers among the trees. "Could the Nobuseri have worse timing?" Third Sister cursed under her breath as she drew an arrow from the quiver and fitted it to her bow.
"Prepare for battle!" the former Confederated Army captain barked at her companion.
"Who gives you the right to order me around anyway?" Shichiroji answered mentally while turning his attention to the ten Mimizuku bandits riding out of the forest with their bows drawn. He heard Ayame's crisp command. "Take out their leader! I'll cover you with my arrows."
"A convenient strategy to get me killed while she hides behind me," the blue-eyed man muttered under his breath. But still, he had to honor their earlier 'agreement' that his former enemy had the 'right' to make the next major decision on this journey. With one quick motion, the former Allied Forces samurai extended his telescopic spear to full length.
As Ayame let fly her arrows at the left flank of the approaching bandits, the blond rode towards the bandit leading the charge, deflecting Nobuseri arrows by deftly spinning his spear on the right flank of his mount. Still, it had been many years since he had practiced mounted warfare, and the samurai was not as dexterous as he would have liked. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the pair of Mimizukus approaching on his left aim their bows at him. Shichiroji made a motion to switch his spear over to the left flank but found himself split between caution and haste - the move had to be exercised with some care as to avoid lopping his own land turtle's head off.
"I'm too slow!" Shichiroji barely finished his thought when he saw the two Mimizukus on his left fall to the ground, struck down by arrows. Shichiroji was vaguely aware of Ayame's presence behind him. Quickly, he turned his attention back to his target.
The former soldier dodged a Nobuseri arrow by leaning to his right, conveniently extending his yari at the same time to trip the fast turtle charging at him. The Nobuseri's mount fell to the ground, throwing its rider with a bellow of agony. The dismounted Mimizuku had barely gotten to his feet before he was struck in the head by another of Ayame's arrows.
Still, the human warriors were outnumbered. There were 7 more bandits, including the leader, Shichiroji counted. And they were so far undeterred. Just then, the blond man heard someone give a ear-splitting battle kiai behind him. The sound was so loud and unearthly that not just the bandits but also Shichiroji were momentarily stunned. Two more arrows whizzed from behind Shichiroji and a couple more Mimizukus tumbled off their turtles.
"Was that crazy yell from that bad ass Confederated Army veteran?" the blond recovered a split second faster than his opponents and charged forward to impale the bandit leader on his three-pronged yari. Black grease spurted from the Mimizuku leader as Shichiroji cast him to the ground.
Upon seeing their leader's demise, the remaining four Mimizuku scattered in different directions, running back towards the cover of the trees. Ayame drew her bow and shot at the bandits fleeing east. One more Mimizuku fell to the ground, leaving a riderless turtle galloping towards the forest. As the dark-haired woman reached into her quiver for another arrow, one of the bandits fleeing west turned and fired an arrow at her. Out of the corner of her eye, Ayame saw the parting shot. She tried to steer her mount out of the line of fire but Ayame's Kougakyo-bought fast turtle was not as well-trained and as maneuverable as the battle-ready fast turtles used by samurai. "Move it!" she willed the beast but in the split millisecond it took to make this wish, a sweep from Shichiroji's three pronged yari had knocked the enemy projectile aside. Ayame returned fire, shooting down the fleeing Mimizuku.
"Forget the rest! Let's leave quickly!" Shichiroji said to the woman. Ayame scowled but seeing that the two surviving bandit archers had already reached the cover of the trees and were out of range, she spurred her mount to follow after the escaping Shichiroji.
--