30th Wisdom Moon, 908 – Osorekaku-machi, Great Gate Empire – Morning
Today, the dismembered body of Takigawa Touma was discovered.
The grizzly sight was horrifying for the non-Takigawa residing in Osorekaku, many vomiting at the disgraceful display of violence. But for the likes of Gaku and Takato, it was an annoying diversion in priorities.
After ordering the collection of Touma's body, the brothers investigated the scene. Immediately, they found the area the fight took place, or rather the execution. They followed the trail of blood dripping from the rooftop and found the splattering of dried blood painted across the tiles.
Gaku leaned down, dragged his finger across the blood, and examined it. "[Whoever attacked him didn't show mercy.]"
Takato scoffed. "[Who the hell could've overpowered Touma? He was an idiot, but not weak.]"
"[A brothel worker mentioned him coming back from drinking, so it would've impaired him slightly.]" Gaku stood up and examined the rooftop. "[However, for the fight to take place up here, he was still lucid. There isn't a sign of any damage from a fight. This was done by an assassin.]"
Takato rubbed his chin. "[You think it could've been the Mochizuki Clan? Masato was reportedly slain by an unknown assailant, but there were signs of an unexpected rain shower that knocked out the New Chariot soldiers he was working with.]"
"[It's not out of the question, but this isn't typically their style. Touma, plus the last five killings, were exceedingly violent. It's unlike the Mochizuki to be so reckless. Whoever did this was not only powerful, but did so without alerting anyone. Touma died without so much as a scream.]"
Takato rolled his eyes. "[An undignified way of dying. Well, that's what he gets for getting wasted and fooling around with women.]"
Gaku narrowed his eyes at the smug Ampharos. "[Weren't you doing the exact same thing last night?]
"[Yes, and in my private chamber where I wouldn't be caught off guard like that drunken buffoon.]"
Gaku groaned, then resumed investigating the crime scene. "[Something else is bothering me. When I examined his dismembered body, his arm looked like it suffered burst blood vessels. There was a strange welt on his fist, too. He was also cut up with a short blade, yet his body wasn't slashed apart. It was almost…ripped apart by a force imploding within him.]"
Takato shrugged. "[And…?]"
The Watchog scratched his chin. "[I don't know. I…feel as if I've seen this method of killing before.]" He glanced at his brother. "[When are Kiho and the others getting back again?]"
"[They left about a week ago. They won't be back until halfway through the Winter Moon.]"
"[What a terrible time to be without our town enforcers, but not unsalvageable.]" He tapped his chin in thought, then asked, "[Can you send a message out to the emperor? We may need his elite guard to lend a hand.]"
"[Tch. Like we need them fixing our mess. We'll just hunt this assassin ourselves.]"
"[I remind you, among the Takigawa that were killed recently, two of them had enhanced sensory abilities, yet were still killed. Whoever is targeting us, one thing is obvious: they know how to hunt us. So, bringing in expert fighters who aren't Takigawa gives us an edge.]"
"…" Takato groaned. "[Fine. But some were killed in broad daylight. Who's going to handle day patrol while Kiho is gone?]"
"[I'll scrounge up some replacements.]" Gaku jumped down from the roof and made his way down the street.
Takato shouted out, "[You don't think they're after Father by chance, right?]"
Gaku rolled his eyes. "[A dead man's game if that's the end goal.]"
Kumonohana-to, Great Gate Empire – Low End District
"Lady von Elmnou, time to rise."
"Uuuuuugh…"
Rising out from under the covers of her bed mat, the noble Zangoose wiped the sleep out of her eyes. Her fur was a tangled mess, a rough night's sleep trying to adjust to sleeping on the floor. The floor itself wasn't unbearable, especially with the soft mat serving as her bed, but she missed the comforts of a mattress.
She parted some fur from her eyes and looked to the Accelgor standing just outside the sliding doors of their rented villa. It was a compact space with a living area and a single bedroom, which her fateful bodyguard let her use for privacy while he slept in the living area. He was dressed for the day in a black kimono while she remained half-asleep in her wrinkly nightgown.
"We have much to do today," Katsu said. "We head out in half an hour."
Regina massaged her eye. "Katsu, I am a lady. I need more than half an hour to look my best. And some breakfast would do."
"A bowl of rice has been prepared."
She grimaced. "Seriously?"
"We're on a budget while we're here, Lady von Elmnou."
"As you keep reminding me…" She massaged her face and groaned. "I don't get it. Aren't you a famous assassin or something around here? Why can't you get us something more appealing to my tastes in the High End District?"
"Count yourself lucky we even got this far. The Kamiya Clan had access to secret channels hidden under the mountain, otherwise we would've taken the normal path through Osorekaku." Katsu looked aside. "I…am not welcomed there."
"Why…?"
"I…may have killed a Takigawa in a duel."
"…I need details."
"Under normal circumstances, a duel is considered honorable and wouldn't cause much trouble, but I may have…poisoned them ahead of time because I knew I would've been killed in a fair fight. And while the Takigawa aren't above such tricks themselves, their pride tends to favor them over such hypocrisy."
"What the hell did you do to get into a duel in the first place?"
He looked aside, almost embarrassed. "Well, this was back when I was a young lad, so…I may have insulted one of them while I was out for drinks."
Regina smirked. "Cold and composed Katsu was a troublemaker? You're joking!"
He coughed into his fist. "Ahem, well…those days are behind me. Point is, if any of them knew I was here, we'd run into some trouble. Fortunately, I have connections in the capital who are willing to keep my being here a secret. That's the only reason we can stay in this villa for free."
Regina groaned. "You assassins just come with all sorts of baggage, don't you?" She stood up, brushing the wrinkles out of her nightgown. "So, what's the plan for today? Same as usual."
"Mostly." Katsu glared over his shoulder. "What Sir Gerard said has left me rather perplexed. He mentioned a Zoroark assassin being sent to kill the royal children of the Penworth family years ago. If I had to wager a guess, it was someone from the Sakamoto Clan. Most likely the one currently working within the elite guard."
"So, is the plan to kill her or something?" Regina asked as she walked behind a dividing current to get changed.
"We have no business seeking revenge for the prince she slayed. No, my curiosity ties to why that hit was put out in the first place." He glared. "Remember how Sir Gerard said Princess Odolina was crucial in uncovering the secrets of that slab? I propose Great Gate found out about this and aimed to silence her."
"But who could've put the hit out?" Regina poked her head out from behind the curtain. "Waaaait, you don't think it was the queen at the time, do you?"
"It's all speculation. We have no concrete evidence beyond what Sir Gerard stated. Maybe they were aiming to assassinate all three royal children, or it did have something to do with Odolina's forbidden knowledge into the ruins. Or they were just trying to kill Prince Quentin." He glared. "It's puzzling. Why would Great Gate aim to assassinate the Penworth family? The only connection we have is—"
"Last Autumn," Regina finished as she slipped on a red kimono.
He nodded. "There are too many coincidences at play here. Gerard had suspicions of Lord Fletcher when he first arrived to court the princess, and this was years after the prince's death. But if the queen had any connection to Last Autumn, would she have orchestrated all of this? And why would she still die of heartbreak for her own son if it was her masterplan?" He shook his head. "It all centers on Emperor Orochi. For any of this to have happened, he would've had to approve Sakamoto's mission. He knows something."
Regina stepped out from behind the curtain, smoothing out the sleeves of her kimono. "So, how do we find the truth?"
"I need you to investigate Sakamoto's villa."
Her eyes widened. "Are you mad?! I'm not exactly stealthy!"
"With preparations for Lady Amano's ascension next month, she won't be around. You will have to persuade her staff to let you through, but you have a talent for such deceit."
Regina groaned. "And why aren't you doing this?"
"I'm going to gather some information and attempt to enter the palace, unless you would rather handle that."
"…" Regina forced a smile. "Raid someone's house, eh? Sounds good to me."
Katsu nodded. "I thank you again for aiding me in this mission, Lady von Elmnou."
She waved it off. "Yeah, yeah, whatever."
"…" Katsu looked away briefly. "Lady von Elmnou, please understand that I have the utmost faith in you. You…may think your life to be a spiral of deceit and treachery, but I am to prove you better than the rest of the von Elmnou family."
She raised her brow. "Where's this coming from?"
"…Nothing." He bowed to her and stepped away.
She rolled her eyes and followed behind. "Is everyone from Great Gate as confusing as you?"
"[Can I count on you three to handle Kiho's responsibilities while she's away?]"
There were a number of Takigawa that could fill Kiho's duties in her absence, though putting just anyone to the task was another matter entirely. For that, Gaku turned to the only three Takigawa he knew who could be persuaded into doing the job without much complaint.
The Three Great Flames.
Hayato sipped his morning tea before glancing at the Watchog with a lazy smile. "[Ehhhh, I don't know. I'm kind of booked for the day. Got plenty of lounging in the sun to do, then I have a scheduled nap in the afternoon followed by a two-hour laying-in-the-shade session.]"
Daimu looked up from his bowl and wiped his face. "[Translation: he doesn't want to.]"
"[He gets me]" Hayato said with a snicker.
Gaku pinched between his eyes. "[Are you three even remotely aware of what's been going on the last several days?]"
Natsumi sat at the other end of the table, hands pressed together in prayer. "[Six sparks of life were extinguished by an unknown assailant, returning to the ash of Ho-Oh to be reborn into new forms from the eternal flame.]"
"[At least one of you is paying attention.]"
Daimu waved it off. "[Hey, you're Father's lead advisor. Take care of it yourself. Or just have Takato do it. I'm not in the mood.]"
Gaku glared. "[If I wanted Takato to take over, I wouldn't bother asking you three. You know he has no restraint. The second he finds our mysterious assassin, half the town will be swallowed up in his rampage.]"
"[You could just send a letter to Kiho and have her come home early]" Hayato suggested. "[I'm sure Hatsu and Bansyou can handle the runts on their own.]"
"[This problem needs to be stamped out now. I can't wait a couple days for her to return.]" Gaku knelt in front of their dining table, slamming his hands down and rattling their breakfast. "[Now, unless you want me to do this the hard way, I suggest you get your rears out there and patrol our town.]"
Hayato grinned evilly. "[Oh? You threatening us, Brother?]" His eyes turned black with two orbs of red-hot light flickering in the center. His ears heated up, blazing with an aura of heat.
Daimu glowered, his mane bursting into wildfire, while Natsumi exhaled a thick vapor, wrapping herself in a dense shawl of hot steam. Gaku met their glares with his own, his eyes glowing bright red and crackling with intense sparks.
"…" Gaku breathed a sigh and cooled his energy. "[Let us not resort to these petty squabbles in search of agreement. You three were bred to be unstoppable pillars of flame. I can't expect any other to get the job done with a greater sense of precision. However, I suppose feeding into your gluttony is the only way to strike a deal.]"
Hayato cooled his aura and tilted his head. "[Oh?]"
"[Take over Kiho's responsibilities until she returns. If you do, I will pull some strings with Father and have him reach out to the emperor to call down the finest chefs to serve you whatever meals you desire for two—no, three weeks. Same amount of time Kiho is off duty.]"
"…" Hayato glanced at his siblings, then shrugged. "[Well, I'm convinced.]"
Daimu groaned. "[Seriously? Just like that?]"
"[Have you tried the glazed steak that have up there? That stuff is to die for.]"
"…" Daimu shook his head. "[Ugh, fine.]"
Natsumi bowed her head. "[If my brothers are in agreement, I shall assist as well.]"
Gaku sighed. "[Finally…]" He stood up. "[You can work in shifts. Decide who takes the morning shift—]"
"[Daimu]" Hayato volunteered before curling up on the floor.
Daimu burst into flames and snapped, "[I WILL TEAR OUR YOUR ENTRAILS!]"
Natsumi bowed her head again. "[Ho-Oh foresees another spark being extinguished soon.]"
"[GET OVER HERE!]"
Hayato laughed, springing off the floor and dodging his brother's attack. "[Ooh, too slow, Daimu~! Gonna have to try harder than that—]" He recoiled as Daimu suddenly splashed his tea into his face. "[Gah! My eyes are being assaulted with tea!]"
"[HA!]" Daimu tackled and wrestled with Hayato across the floor. "[You're taking first shift, you lazy houseplant!]"
"[Natsumi! He's biting my leg!]"
"[You probably deserve it.]"
"[You're so meeeeeeean!]"
Gaku's eye twitched as he watched the chaos unfold, wondering if the siblings even remembered he was still in the room. [Maybe I should've reconsidered asking Reika.]
Following the directions Katsu gave her, Regina meandered through the High End District of the capital until she found her way to the residential zone. She kept her head down, concealing herself behind the provided parasol, until she found her way to the villa of the Sakamoto Clan.
She grabbed the top of the brick wall dividing the property and peered over the edge, skimming the surroundings. She could tell immediately the villa belonged to a wealthy clan with the decorative garden and fixtures outside the house, along with the numerous staff members attending to the upkeep.
She raised her brow, spotting a few Zorua and Shinx and young adult Zoroark in the backyard. An older Luxray was keeping watch of them while sipping his tea.
Greeeeeat. The deadly assassin isn't here, but her family sure is. Ugh, just wonderful. How am I going to dig up secret mission crap while the house is occupied? I don't even speak their stupid language!
Regina hopped down and reached inside her sleeve, pulling out the journal gifted to her by Katsu. It contained a number of phrases written and transcribed from Old Johtonian. It ranged from basic greetings to conversation starters. It was meant to be a tool in case Regina wanted to go out on her own during their stay, but now it served as her only means of communication.
She slapped herself in the forehead with the book and groaned. I've lied and cheated my way through a number of impossible situations. I just need to find the right hook to get into that house. She tapped her chin. Maybe I could seduce Sakamoto's husband. Eh, but that can backfire. Disguise myself as a staff member? Ugh, but doing chores? No thanks. Uuugh! Why didn't Katsu prep me for this better?! What, did he think I already had a plan?! I only just learned my assignment this morning!
RING, RING!
Regina paused, then lifted her head over the wall again. In her inner turmoil, she completely missed a fancy Skiploom and Vileplume couple walking up to the villa's front entrance. A servant opened the door and invited them inside before calling upon the Luxray in his native tongue.
Regina blinked twice. Is there a party or something going on? She squinted. Waaaaait, didn't Katsu say the clans around here bolster goodwill with each other or something through social gatherings?
She ducked behind the tree again as another couple made their way to the front entrance. She rubbed her chin, then looked further down the road as, shockingly, a fancy Zangoose turned a corner carrying an equally fancy bottle of alcohol.
The gears turned in Regina's devious mind. Ohhhhh, now I get it. Clever, Katsu~.
"[Greetings, Ms. Ikeda]" the Gallade butler greeted at the door. "[We were beginning to think you wouldn't arrive. You're twenty minutes late.]"
The noble Zangoose, Ikeda, laughed charmingly. "[A pleasure to make your acquaintance. Care for a drink?]"
The butler raised his brow, confused by the noblewoman's disconnected response, but shrugged and gestured into the villa. "[Please, follow me.]"
"[Thank you very much.]" Ikeda let herself in.
If Regina were a kinder soul, she'd feel bad for knocking out the real Ikeda and slipping her a little potion that would make her forget her plans for the day. She'd also feel bad for leaving the unconscious woman in a bush outside someone's property a few blocks away, leaving her with an empty bottle of sake dug out of the trash to make it seem she came back from a different kind of party.
Oh, but Regina wasn't a kind soul at the end of the day, and how could she refuse the chance to dine with high society again?
Kumonohana Palace
"[HA!]"
In the palace training grounds, practice was underway for the emperor's elite guard. More specifically, for their rookie member.
Shizuka stayed on her guard as she rushed down the heavily armored Hanzo, who whipped out his katanas wreathed in intense flame. She slid under his strikes and flipped to her feet, kicking into his chin. He endured and retaliated back with a heavy swing of his bracer, throwing the Sneasel off.
Upon Shizuka's launch, she spotted paper throwing stars wrapped in dark energy converging on her position.
"[Toxic Fist Style: Corrosive Force!]" She punched the air, releasing a condensed haze of toxins that disintegrated and detonated the exploding paper in one shot.
After landing, a fierce wind came down on top of her, nearly slamming her into the tiled ground. She hardened her stance, roaring against the attack, and lunged out of the current. From her right, she lifted her bracer and blocked an incoming attack that flashed a bright blue, coating her arm in ice. She swung her arm around and aimed to catch her flying target.
"[Stop!]"
Shizuka froze, letting the flying Pokémon escape her grasp. She glanced at Hanzo, who sheathed his sword and removed his helmet, ruffling out his matted-down hair.
"[You're dead.]"
"…" Shizuka glanced up at the top of the palace, where an armored Slaking looked down upon her armed with a massive bow and harpoon-like arrow loaded in. He was aiming directly at her position.
"[A coordinated strike like that would cost you your life]" Hanzo explained. "[Fighting multiple opponents is unfavorable to most, hence why your focus should've been on evasion rather than retaliation.]"
"…" Shizuka slammed her fists together, breaking the ice off her arm, and bowed. "[My apologies, Himura.]"
Hanzo whispered, calling down the Slaking and the rest of his team. A Cryogonal spun into view, decorated in thin armor that left his edges exposed. A Zoroark stepped up, dressed in lightweight armor and carrying a chain and sickle chain on her side. She folded some origami throwing stars with only one hand. A Shiftry descended from the sky with a kite-like apparatus attached to his back, folding up under his mane of hair.
"[Still, you're getting better]" the Zoroark commented. "[Though, try to watch your claws there. We don't need you poisoning Yukimura by mistake.]"
The Cryogonal bowed slightly. "[Distressing. Outcome. Most distressing. Yes.]"
The Shiftry scoffed. "[Still, you have a long way to go before you ever catch up with your sister.]"
"…" Shizuka looked away, tightly clenching her fist.
Hanzo elbowed the older monster. "[Sensitive subject, Furukawa. Try keeping that to yourself.]"
He bowed. "[My apologies, Lord Himura.]"
The Slaking groaned. "[Is all of this necessary?]"
Hanzo nodded. "[Of course, Raijou. We will be taking part in Lady Amano's ascension just weeks from now. It's our duty as the emperor's elite to demonstrate our skill in protecting the Amano Clan and to ensure her ascension goes off without fail. These are crucial times, especially with the few times she was nearly assassinated.]"
The Zoroark smirked. "[I say let the assassins come. Gives us a better demonstration than a mock performance for her subjects. Ooh, you think we could gets some death row convicts to try and kill her? That'd really show how strong we are.]"
Furukawa glared at her. "[Perhaps you should keep those thoughts to yourself, Sakamoto, lest someone mistake them for words of a traitor.]"
"[You wound me, you old buzzard.]"
Hanzo sighed. "[We've been at this for three hours. Perhaps now would be a good time for a break.]"
The Slaking nodded. "[Agreed.]" He sheathed his bow across his back and walked over to the palace patio, where servants waited with hot tea already being prepared.
As the others walked over to grab a drink, Hanzo looked down at Shizuka who continued scowling at the ground. He touched her shoulder, mindful to keep his hand from brushing her fur or skin, and said, "[Do not let Furukawa's words affect you. He is a stubborn old bird.]"
"…" She sighed. "[I'm not upset. Such emotions are beneath me. I have removed such weakness years ago.]"
Hanzo sighed. "[Of course.]" He tucked his helmet under his arm and walked over to join the others.
Shizuka lingered behind, her scowl lightening a bit as she thought back to why she became an elite guard in the first place. True, it was an esteemed honor, especially being one of Lord Takigawa's strongest children, but the position held a certain weight that seemed to burden her shoulders.
After all, this was her sister's role once. Takigawa Makiko.
"[Emperor's Elite!]" Shizuka snapped out of her daze and stood at attention, as did the rest of the elite, as a Graveler soldier appeared before them. "[The emperor requests your presence in the throne room immediately!]"
The elite gathered before Orochi's throne, bowing to the regal Seviper. Coiled up atop his throne, the sound of his periodic hissing echoing across the spacious chamber, he gazed upon the group with a hardened glare.
"[My royal elite. I've gathered you here to undertake a most important assignment, brought about by Takigawa Takato himself.]"
Shizuka lifted her head. "[My brother summons us? For what purpose?]"
"[As you all may be aware, there has been an assassin on the loose in Osorekaku. A sixth Takigawa was reported dead this morning. Under normal circumstances, this matter doesn't concern the likes of you, but it seems whoever this assassin is knows how to hunt Takigawa. They are requesting the aid of the royal elite to help track this killer.]"
Hanzo bowed his head. "[But Your Greatness, what about our duties here in the capital? Sending all of us would put you and Lady Amano in jeopardy—]"
"[Takigawa offered to send a trained squadron to act on your behalf. They will serve as a temporary defense force until you've captured this killer. We cannot afford to have the demon hounds who serve to safeguard the capital slain by a single threat. You are the best of the best. Make good on those skills you've honed.]"
"…" Hanzo bowed again. "[It shall be done, Your Greatness.]"
"[Excellent. No time for delay. Move out within the hour!]"
"[Yes, Your Greatness!]"
Shizuka glared. [Who dares wage war against the Takigawa Clan?]
Meanwhile, hidden away in the mountains…
Hidden deep within the high mountains that made up the far north of the Great Gate Empire, the exiled clan of Mochizuki lay in waiting. With their family name scorned and made a target for the Amano and Takigawa Clans, they bided their time before they could retaliate against their ironclad rule.
"[Alright, try these on. I've adjusted the weight and internal mechanisms.]"
Outside the small home, a trio of Fraxure and Croconaw were hard at work completing their daily training. The youngest of the Fraxure, who wore a lensed eyepatch across her left eye, tinkered with the bulky, mechanical bracers attached to her older sister's arm.
"[This should increase your firing speed by twenty-seven percent]" the tinkering Fraxure explained.
The older sister tested the weight of her new bracers, which were a basic gray that would be painted later. After getting a feel for the weight, she aimed at the targets on standby and fired a cluster of Scale Shots in focused streams, tearing rows of targets to shreds.
"[Ha! That's power right there!]" she exclaimed, patting her sister firmly on the back. "[Thanks for the upgrade, Purin!]"
The younger Fraxure smiled bashfully before grabbing her sister's arm. "[Just be sure to give the bracers some rest between uses. This is still a prototype, and it might jam if you try firing stronger attacks.]"
"[Sure, sure, gotcha.]" The older Fraxure glanced at her twin brother. "[How's the new equipment working out for you, Issei?]"
The twin Fraxure lunged at some standing dummies, swinging his tusks which were equipped with sharpened blades. With each swing, he cleaved cleanly through the wood, dropping dummies one by one. He landed in the snow and laughed. "[Oh, I'm fired up! We'll absolutely destroy the Takigawa with this stuff!]"
Purin laughed awkwardly. "[Don't get a big head, Issei. Ue's equipment was a bit more complex to make than just fashioning attachable blades to your tusks.]"
"[When am I getting my cool shinobi tool?]" the young Croconaw asked as he continuously punched a tree with Ice Punch.
"[I'm still making adjustments, Yukiya. Be patient.]" Purin paused and looked around. "[Speaking of adjustments, where's Daiki? I wanted to show him some new tools I made for him.]"
Suddenly, the ground ruptured open under the young Fraxure, and she felt someone grabbing her legs. She yelped and lunged into Ue's arms. Laughter echoed from underground, and an energetic Frogadier burst out of the ground, his frubbles resembling a scarf made of rough stone around his neck.
"[Got you!]" he teased.
Purin pouted. "[Daiki, that was mean!]"
He laughed. "[Sorry, cousin.]"
"[Get back here!]" Purin jumped off Ue and chased after her cousin, who ran around the yard and kicked snow back at her.
From inside the house, Yasuko (the Haxorus caretaker of the Mochizuki Clan) smiled as her children and nephew laughed and chased each other around the yard. "[I think I'll make some hot tea for everyone.]" She stepped aside and went into the kitchen, leaving the Milotic and Greninja in the room to discuss their plans alone.
Shinsuke glanced outside, glaring slightly. "[They shouldn't be fooling around so much. We only have a month left to prepare.]"
Megumi smirked. "[They're not little kids anymore, but they're allowed to have fun. How can we ask them to undertake such a dangerous mission while being stressed? You should learn to relax yourself, mister.]"
"…" Shinsuke glanced down at the plans. "[This is serious. This isn't just about collapsing the Amano Clan. If what Shingo said was true, then…this mission could change everything.]"
"[Oh, you're serious about everything.]" She pulled her gourd from her sleeve and sipped on some sake. "[We have a month before Lady Amano's ascension. No need to put unnecessary pressure on the children.]"
"…" Shinsuke closed his eyes and sighed. "[Right…]"
Megumi smiled sympathetically, reaching over and placing her hand over his tail. "[Worried about seeing Shingo?]"
"[…Megumi, do you think I was too harsh on him last time?]"
She shook her head. "[If you're worried he hates you, don't. He still respects you.]"
Shinsuke sighed. "[Shingo thinks he's the reason we had to go into exile. I spoke without thinking. It was wrong of me.]"
"[Being a parent isn't easy. There will be times we lose our temper with our children. There will be times where we need to be the villain.]" Megumi smiled. "[But I know Shingo wants to make up for his mistake. He's been learning a lot from the Foresters from the letters we've gotten.]"
Shinsuke huffed. "[But do you think he'll be ready this time? I know that day rattled him. Going too deep into the palace. Finding what Emperor Amano's been hiding. Being chased out of the capital. Has he really gotten stronger?]"
Megumi snickered. "[You're too serious for your own good. We'll get through this together. Just you wait.]"
"…" He sighed. "[Your optimism is infectious.]"
"[It's the alcohol. Keeps the nerves stable.]" She guzzled down her drink.
He rolled his eyes and smirked. "[You're going to destroy your kidneys one of these days.]"
"[I'll ease up on the drinking once you've eased up on smoking.]"
"[Fair.]"
They heard their front door open and close, followed by the heavy footsteps of Shinsuke's brother. The towering Feraligatr lumbered into the room, dusting the snow off his shoulders and seating himself with a deep exhale.
"[That got risky]" he mumbled.
"[What happened, Hiraku?]" Megumi asked.
"[Nearly got spotted by patrolling guards in town. Took me a moment to lose them on my way out.]"
Shinsuke glared. "[What of your assignment?]"
Hiraku nodded. "[I made contact with the Zennami Clan. We eventually came to an agreement. Their finest samurai will be joining us in the invasion.]"
Megumi smirked. "[That's three clans willing to aid us.]"
Shinsuke glared. "[Not much to work with. We have the Ookubo Clan lending us material to make up our weapons, and the only other support we have for the actual invasion is the Ebisawa Clan from the south. A small band of shinobi and samurai isn't ideal, but it's all we can work with.]"
Hiraku leaned forward. "[True, but our goal isn't to engage in a fight. We just need to break into the palace and find the underground prison.]"
"[My main concern is with the emperor's elite and the Takigawa Clan. They'll be in attendance, and having both forces on us would be suicide.]"
Megumi chuckled. "[Well, it's good thing they have their own issues to deal with.]"
"[The assassin?]" Hiraku guessed.
"[Yes. If it goes on long enough, it might end up putting Osorekaku on alert. Less Takigawa to interfere.]"
"…" Shinsuke glared. "[We can't bet everything on an assumption, but it's the best we've got.]" He nodded. "[Alright. Hiraku, tell us what the Ebisawa Clan has to offer for the invasion.]"
Hiraku laid out a scroll over the table. "[Since the Ebisawa Clan lives in the swampier regions of Great Gate, they were thinking to utilize a few of their usual tactics to suppress counterattacks. What they suggested…]"
Megumi tuned the brothers out for a moment and glanced outside, watching as their children returned to training. She smiled warmly as they shattered practices targets with their improving techniques.
[Your concerns are valid, Shinsuke, but I have faith in our family. This time, we will win.]
