Act 13: Imobatake Village
After yesterday's incident with kitsunes was dealt with. Lord Inari, discipline them for being rude, disrespectful, and disobedient to their honorable guests.
So they could sexually harass Kisuke without anyone knowing.
The four kitsune's punishment was to clean the flooring of the Fox Manor, serving, and catering to fat ugly guests who rented for lodging or ordered a meal.
Later that day Lord Inari informed Kisuke and Momohime that one of his fox messengers found a big red demon carrying a muramasa demon blade inside the Shinano Province: Oono Province, near a desolate village called Imobatake.
All Lord Inari knows is that the huge demon is currently causing havoc to residents and travelers who lived there.
Lord Inari quickly requested Kisuke and Momohime handle this problem. Once the issue has been resolved, the lord would send them there next mission.
So Kisuke and Momohime bid farewell to the residence of the Fox Manor and two days later they reached the village Imobatake.
Eventually the ninja and princess reached the entrance of the farming village, the mid morning sunlight was brightly overhead as they grew closer to Imobatake village.
The two village guardsmen approached both of them and questioned Kisuke and Momohime. "State your business here children." One of the guardsmen said.
Kisuke responded. "We are here on official business to help save your town. But would like to hear your side of the story please."
The guardsmen replied. "Mmm, very well then, If you desperately want to know, go talk to the head of the village. You'll find his house south from here. He'll explain our village's dilemma. We are currently busy at the moment."
"Thank you, very much." Kisuke and Momohime both said simultaneously and bowed their heads to the guardsmens as a sign of gratitude and respect.
Kisuke and Momohime walked side by side next to each other as they watched the desolate state of the village.
Despite it being the beginning of spring, there were a couple patches of fields with wilting rice sprouts and vegetation.
It was nearly dry and lacked the necessary water and nutrients to keep itself healthy, growing and sustained.
"This is a sad sight to see Kisuke. The river is all dry up and the rice fields are almost completely dry as we speak. We gotta do something or the village will suffer if they don't pay their taxes with their rice gains."
"I agree Momohime, I'll take action and help the village's predicament. But first we should gather intel so we can correctly solve their problem without any mistakes."
Finally, they reached the residence of the village leader, where he was discussing with other farmers and townsfolk.
"Please everyone remain calm and don't panic. I already explained our plight to our new lord of the Oono Province. He sent three skilled samurai to kill the demon that is causing havoc upon our land." The village elder said to complaining residents.
"But three days have passed since those samurai left to take care of that demon. If we wait any longer we will surely starve to death. It's only a matter of time. Please let me, Tagosaku, Moheiji and a couple of strong able men handle the task of getting rid of this demon and his lackeys." Gonbe said to the village elder.
(Gonbe is a DLC character from the game Muramasa: Rebirth. He is the protagonist of the downloadable scenario. "A Cause to Daikon For.")
(Gonbe is a downtrodden farmer who has taken it upon himself to ask the powers that be to re-think the taxes that are driving his village to the brink of ruin. With the spirit of his deceased wife Otae and some of his fellow farmers by his side, Gonbe sets off to fight for nothing less than the very survival of everyone he knows and cares about.)
"Me and my friends aren't just ordinary farmers, we fought our way across the land to save Imobatake village from starvation. We rebelled against Lord Hatono and stormed Umabuki castle and I killed him myself for letting the eighty-eight villages of Oone to withered and died, due him hoarding all the rice for himself."
"Me and my friends' acts of rebellion exposed his corruption and illegal conduct. Which saved our village in the process. I'll gladly sacrifice myself again so our village may prosper once again."
"Don't try to sacrifice yourself Gonbe, your wife Otae and your newborn son still need you in their life. Just here and let us handle this." Tagosaku said, feeling worried for Gonbe. Thinking he might meet his end with these strong demons.
"I won't die so easily my friend. So long you guys got my back. That demon won't know what hit him." Gonbe said confidently with a grin on his face.
Displaying a paunchy figure, bulbous nose, Popeye arms, beady eyes and wearing a rather nice green and yellow kimono with sapphire blue trousers. While sitting impatiently on his pillow seat.
Afterwards Kisuke and Momohime knock on the sliding doorway of the village leader's house. So they can find out more details on how to save Imobatake village.
"Ahh, yes you may enter." The village elder said, welcoming his new guests to his home.
I hope those samurai have returned. Clearly the villagers can't wait any longer until this crisis has been resolved. Some of them are ready for battle. The village elder thought.
Only to be left disappointed to see an adolescent boy and girl enter his household.
"Our deepest apologies for disturbing you, but could you please tell us what trouble plagues your village?" Momohime asked respectfully to the village elder.
"Tell us the situation and I'll quickly resolve it with my blade." Kisuke said, feeling somewhat bored and eager for some action and excitement today.
"Uhh, run along home children, this is grown folks business stay out of it." Tagosaku said, trying to drive away the children, so they could begin talking about their course of action to kill the demon and his lackeys.
"I assure you we may look like mere children, but my bodyguard is a highly skilled ninja, he was formerly a member of Yukinojo's ninja clan, but now he serves under me." Momohime replied, desperately trying to reassure the farmers and village elders that Kisuke is quite capable.
Kisuke responded back to the group of villagers and said. "Listen, I'll gladly take care of this demon problem or whatever issue that's going on in this village. So long as you give me and my lady friend here a free room to stay as long as we want for the meantime, with food and sake included."
"Mmm, very well then I'll allow it. As long as Gonbe, Tagosaku, Moheiji and a few other strong able men join you." The village elder said, feeling quite convinced that the young boy is actually a ninja.
"Sir you don't seriously believe that boy is a highly skilled ninja!?" Tagosaku said, feeling unconvinced.
"Just look at him, Tagosaku. He's wearing ninja attire and gear. Along with three muramasa swords and carrying human skulls behind his waist. I'm pretty certain he truly is a ninja and all of you are gonna need all the help you can get."
"Understood, sir." Tagosaku said as he bowed his head to the village elder and believed in his judgment and course of action. Afterwards Momohime questioned the village elder. "Before we embark, could you tell us what happened to your village?"
"Okay then, let's start from the beginning. Our village Imobatake became peaceful, bountiful, and prosperous after Gonbe and his friends rebelled against the government. Him and the others were captured and executed to be made an example of after killing Hamedayu Hatono."
"Afterwards Lord Enma punished him, his friends and already dead wife by sending them to hell. Unfortunately the demons of Hell can't keep up and do their jobs right after so many of them get killed by Jinkuro and/or left to search for treasures of the Seven Gods of Fortune lost by Rajyaki, and they're all too afraid to go talk to Lord Enma to hire more."
"Gonbe and his friends volunteer to get it done. Enma kicked them out of Hell and back to the living world over it, he also ensured their harvests were bountiful and their leaders wise and benevolent so he wouldn't have to deal with them again."
"A month later, there were sightings of a large demon using a crimson red muramasa sword on the main road attacking and eating travelers at sunset and during the evening. Later that very same demon made a dam in the riverside near his cave he resides in, thus preventing the water from flowing back to the village."
"Which caused our village's land and rice fields to not have any water for a few days. With some of our crops drying up."
"So I requested our new lord to handle the situation by sending four skilled samurai to kill the demon, his lackeys and destroy the dam. But they haven't returned since then."
"So the farmers and villagers decided to take matters into their own hands by killing the demon themselves. Trying to convince them to not take such reckless actions, but to no avail. But I'm sure with your ninja bodyguard aid, my villagers' chances of killing the demon and surviving will be much higher."
"I understand now, don't worry, village elder, we'll stop this monstrosity before it causes further harm to your homeland." Momohime said, overflowing with confidence.
Kisuke nodded with his head, agreeing with her statement and then responded. "Yes, but I think you should stay here where it's safe, Mina-chan."
(Mina Nakano is the undercover name Momohime uses when she is in public, since Rankai the evil monk still wants Jinkuro, who possessed Momohime, killed. So he sent out plenty of wanted posts around.)
"No way, Kisuke I'm coming too." Momohime said, disapproving, staying behind.
"This isn't up for debate my lady. You can't fight or weld a sword. You'll only be a liability in this battle. The demons could easily capture you and force us to surrender in exchange for your life and I'm not gonna afford you getting hurt or killed. I promise your older sister that I'll keep you safe from harm." Kisuke said, doing his utmost best to convince her to stay behind where it's safe.
"Okay Kisuke I'll stay behind, just be careful, I can't imagine a world without you." Momohime said compassionately while feeling a little worried for her closest friend.
"Well then it's been decided, let's gather the men and move out momentarily," Gonbe said, as he bid farewell to the village elder as he and his friends gathered the men and processed to where the demon was located. Eventually Kisuke said his goodbyes to Momohime and joined the men to battle.
"For now, why don't you stay in Gonbe's house for now Mina-san. His wife Otae and newborn son will be happy to keep you company until Kisuke and the others return safely. I'll lead the way." The village elder said, while showing his hospitality to the young girl.
Once the village elder reached Gonbe's house, he knocked on the door.
"Yes, who is it?" Otae asked
"It's me, Otae-san." The village elder replied.
Otae put her newborn son on the mat for a moment and opened the front door for her guests. "Elder it's so good to see you…mmm who's this young girl, a relative of your sir."
"Oh no Otae-san, this is Mina-san, she is a new visitor to our village. I wanted to ask if you could keep her company. While I talk to the counsel of villagers in the meantime." The elder said, kindly asking her for the assistance.
"Oh it would be my pleasure sir. I could use the company to distract myself from worrying for my dear husband Gonbe." Otae replied feeling quite pleased by the arrangement.
"Thank you for having me, Otae-san." Momohime said as she bowed head out of gratitude for welcoming her to her home.
Later, Momohime said goodbye to the village elder and entered the house alongside Otae.
"I hope you don't mind, that I have a baby here Mina-chan."
"Oh not at all Otae-san, I love children." Momohime replied, reassuring the young mother. "Oh I see, would you like to hold Mina-chan?" Otae said while holding her baby boy in her arms as she sat on the pillow seats. "Yes please." Momohime said as she opened her hands and arms to reach for the newborn baby.
"Be careful now, you have to hold his head gently, okay Mina-chan." Otae said, while giving her direction on how to properly hold a baby. Momohime followed her instructions correctly and gently held onto the baby.
"Kyaa, he's so cute, what's his name Otae-san." Momohime said with a bright smile and sparkles in her eyes.
"His name is Umekichi, my husband named him after a good friend of his when he and his allies were attempting to appeal directly to the Shogun during their journey to save our village from being taxed heavily during a bad harvest this year." Otae continued.
"Oh my, doesn't he know that a peasant addressing a Shogun can lead to instant death." Momohime said with a surprised expression on her face.
"Umekichi knew the plan of addressing the shogun would likely fail and end in death. So he sent Gonbe and the others to the wrong area to spare them. Despite the fact that Gonbe often urges him to leave the group to go be with his wife and child. He refuses, and ends up dying trying to talk to the shogun."
"I'm so sorry for your husband's friend's untimely death by the hands of the Shogun's personal guards." Momohime said with a sad look on her face and showing sympathy towards the loss of her husband's comrade.
He made a heroic sacrifice, just like my big sister Torahime. Momohime thought, while reminiscing her final moments with her dear older sister.
"The only silverlighting from his virtuous sacrifice. Is the fact that it allowed him to enter Heaven after death." Otae replied.
"That's at least good to hear." Momohime said feeling a little glad after hearing that. Then suddenly the baby boy, who is named after Umekichi, began crying.
"Oh it looks like he's hungry, please pass him to me." Otae said, as she opened her hands so she could take her baby back from Momohime.
Momohime returned the baby back to her mother. As Otae was holding on to her baby, she unwrapped the chest of her pink kimono, displaying her large breast to her baby, as he began breastfeeding.
"Oh my, I'm so sorry Otae-san, I should give you some privacy." Momohime said while blushing bright red and looking away from the baby who was currently sucking on his mother's right breast to drink her milk.
"No need to be embarrassed sweetie, I'm sure one day you'll have to breastfeed your own baby someday, when you have a family of your own." Otae replied, attempting to reassure the young girl that she isn't being rude or a bother.
Ahh, breastfeeding me and Kisuke's baby. Momohime thought as she imagined breastfeeding her very own baby with Kisuke as her lover and husband. While burning bright red and trying to resist such desires.