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Post by Miyamoto Kenji on Mar 7, 2014 23:10:56 GMT -7
The scene before Kenji was horrific. He had seen battle, harsh and bloody. He had seen men disembowel others with broken swords like it was nothing, distinctly remembering the blade ripping, sawing through the flesh. Hell, he'd even seen children used as hostages just because someone was desperate to get away, but this...
This was unacceptable.
After collecting his fallen jaw, Kenji managed to compose himself, sheathing his swords and appoaching the woman, his hands open and visible. He knelt down and checked her over to verify her state, then moved onto the other four women to do the same. Before he made his next choice, he had to know what the hell had happened.
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Post by Miyamoto Kenji on Mar 7, 2014 22:36:52 GMT -7
Kenji rubbed his neck with a pommel and chuckled. "No guarantees." His confidence was strong, but he couldn't predict everything.
Moving along, the merc took stock of the room that they moved within as he removed splinters from his flesh. There were an apparent lack of other guards, meaning those men may have just been here as watchmen. Maybe. He noted the other doors in the room: three left to investigate, with the trap door saved for after the basement level was clear. God knows if anyone really was up above them.
"Let's pick a door and get searching. By the way, thank you for earlier. You handle yourself pretty well with improvised weapons." Kenji nodded with a smile, then assuming he didn't get more than a verbal response, he'd pick the door directly across the room and check its lock before pushing/pulling it open, keeping a sword held in front of him in case he was going to get taken by surprise again.
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Post by Miyamoto Kenji on Mar 7, 2014 22:17:24 GMT -7
Kenji felt himself shoved back a couple steps from the force of the boot. He hadn't expected there to be men right behind the door; rather, he anticipated that they'd be further into the room. It was bad timing is all, a factor he would not focus on, for battle was joined.
The shugyosha ducked underneath the sword's arc and rushed in low as he drew his own katana, slashing for his aggressor's stomach with the intent to slice it open, if not outright cleave him in twain. If successful, Kenji's free hand had already grasped his second sword so that he could turn, draw, and advanced on the next man to try swatting his weapon aside and rend him with an uppercut slash from his drawn sword.
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Post by Miyamoto Kenji on Mar 7, 2014 21:52:21 GMT -7
The game was afoot. No going back now. Wrapping his fingers around one of the hilts protruding from his sash, Kenji gestured for Kaede to follow him to the side of the door that it didn't appear to open toward, and quietly crept into position himself. Once joined by his comrade, he took a silent breath, steeling himself for the battle to come, then reached for the door. If locked, he would then bang his fist on the door to intentionally draw the attention of those inside. If unlocked, he would throw the door wide open and step out, ready to draw as he looked upon those within.
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Post by Miyamoto Kenji on Mar 7, 2014 21:37:27 GMT -7
"Alright," he nodded to himself. "I'll go first, then you. We'll watch eachother's backs. The idea is to look in every place we can, and if we run into anyone who isn't an obvious captive or a corpse, take them down. I'll respect your choice whether to kill or knock them out, but make sure they can't get back up... If we miraculously manage to find the whole coterie of kidnappers down here, all the better, but if they're not here, the goal is to find a lead on where they and their victims are."
With that plan in mind, Kenji lowered himself down through the gap and tried to land as quietly and safely as he could, then wait for Kaede to join him.
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Post by Miyamoto Kenji on Mar 7, 2014 21:19:38 GMT -7
Kenji considered. He would need to be quiet when it came to traversing the wooden floor, for it could be creaky with such a lack of recent maintenance. The blood concerned him as well, though he knew not how fresh it was from up here, but certainly implied that they were on the right track. He glanced up at his companion and beckoned her to stoop down next to him.
"Looks like we've got a way in... Chances are, if anyone's still here, we may need to fight through. Are you much for fighting?"
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Post by Miyamoto Kenji on Mar 7, 2014 21:15:23 GMT -7
Hands clasped behind his back, Kenji paused in his wandering of the streets to spy a Christian flock. Though they were converts and not Europeans, he managed to recognize them due to having ran into a fair few of both natives and foreigners during his travels. A couple of his acquaintances were, infact, of Christian faith. Despite the less than positive connotation of the group's purpose, that of the burying of the dead, it made Kenji yearn to see his friends once again. At the same time, he paid silent respects to the dead, whoever they were in life, for they would find peace in their religion's afterlife one way or another. That's what he hoped, anyway.
In his peripherals, the shugyosha noted a tall, almost lanky-looking fellow in ebony clothing, himself looking like he would fit in with the mourners before them, yet not seeming to be in the same melancholy. Another intrigued party, no doubt. Kenji contemplated his impressively calm demeanor, wondering what he did for a living. He had no reason to approach the stranger, however, and continued to observe the funeral in action. The mannerisms of foreigners, and of their religion, were curious.
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Post by Miyamoto Kenji on Mar 7, 2014 21:04:38 GMT -7
"Let's find out," Kenji decided. He grabbed the ring of the door and gently pulled up until it either refused to budge or opened all the way. If it was unlocked, he would look down within to see what he could see. If it was locked, he would lift as much as he could before it stopped and feel around underneath the door for some kind of unlocking mechanism.
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Post by Miyamoto Kenji on Mar 7, 2014 10:42:43 GMT -7
I'll pray that it's not my turn to post in Okehazama on Monday, then. :3
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Post by Miyamoto Kenji on Mar 7, 2014 2:52:58 GMT -7
Struck curious, Kenji stopped immediately and looked down, noting the details of what he just found. He knelt down to brush off what he now surmised was either a basement hatch or trap door, and glanced over at Kaede. "I found something."
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Post by Miyamoto Kenji on Mar 7, 2014 2:39:41 GMT -7
Kenji considered the possibility of cutting through the boards. He had replaced his worn-down blades with two well-crafted katana. The problem lay in the fact that, were he able to cleave them through, it would make a racket that anyone inside - if there was anyone at all - would hear and prepare for. Kicking in the door wasn't always a good idea. Rather, he shook his head. "Let's search the outside for another way. We don't know what, if anything, is waiting for us inside, and bashing through the front entrance could end badly." If Kaede concurred, he would take her and commence investigating the outside of the building, keeping his head low and away from any openings or windows through which they could be spotted.
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Post by Miyamoto Kenji on Mar 7, 2014 2:28:57 GMT -7
"Hm..." A month ago would fit the bill. Perhaps they closed down the hangout in question in order to remove attention away from it, or perhaps they had moved to another location. Perhaps it was entirely unrelated, but this was the closest thing they had to a lead. It was worth a try. "Let's try that place, then. We'll get in somehow and see what we can find. Are you in?"
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Post by Miyamoto Kenji on Mar 7, 2014 2:26:25 GMT -7
Not a significant activity change, but I'm going back over to my former apartment for some cleaning later today. I'll be around during the morning, then I'm not sure when exactly I'll be back, but at the very least, I'll be here for the evening and night. This will also go on for tomorrow (Saturday) and Sunday, except on Saturday, I'm also going to dinner afterward, so I may skirt the evening and be back at night. We'll see what happens.
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Post by Miyamoto Kenji on Mar 7, 2014 2:16:53 GMT -7
There was one thing that Kenji learned through his travels. If something was least likely of occuring, it was worth investigating that possibility, because it could, infact, be what one is looking for. Of course, there was an equal chance that it wasn't, but anything was possible. "At least a month, huh... Roughly when did the first kidnapping happen?
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Post by Miyamoto Kenji on Mar 7, 2014 2:07:58 GMT -7
Kenji chuckled in accordance with the woman's laugh. If he were to have a companion for this venture, he would certainly not turn her down. Of course, they were still strangers, so it wouldn't be unreasonable for him to be a little cautious. She was likely the same way. As her review wrapped up, he pondered for a couple moments. "We'll need to find a lead on where she could've been taken, or at least where the kidnappers are or have been. We have to assume that they're not fond of the standard establishments... Does this town have any seedy joints or hangouts?"
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Post by Miyamoto Kenji on Mar 7, 2014 1:53:31 GMT -7
Kenji took in Kaede's recollection and reviewed it in his mind. From the sounds of things, Keiko had inadvertently reignited the kidnapping fiasco by asserting her desire to find the victims. Absolutely no one could blame her for wanting to do this, yet there were those who seemed to do so back in the bar. It bothered him, making him wonder if they were simply bitter, or if he had yet to learn of certain details...
As for Kaede's question, he folded his arms under his chest. "Honestly? I just can't stand people being taken and never being found. It doesn't help that I've heard much of how saintly Toda-san sounds, and harming someone who spreads goodwill to others is a pretty low spot in my book." He rubbed his neck to relieve an itch before dropping his arms, continuing to monitor his surroundings as he spoke again. "I have no stake in this town, but that's no reason for me not to try doing something about what's happened. That's what I believe, anyway... I'll find Toda-san and as many of the missing townspeople as I can, regardless of what occurs."
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Post by Miyamoto Kenji on Mar 7, 2014 1:32:17 GMT -7
The woman's statement was cryptic, but there was likely some truth to it. Whether it was an honest truth or a less than honorable one, he was about to find out... Maintaining awareness of his surroundings and of Kaede, he followed the woman out of the bar and to wherever she deigned to take him, ready to react should something occur.
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Post by Miyamoto Kenji on Mar 7, 2014 1:20:07 GMT -7
So many conversations going on, and just as many to glimpse tidbits from. Kenji took interest in two exchanges in particular. The first was the one with a woman called Kaede, whose partner was in agreement with how Keiko was apparently a scion of her deity. The second was the man who threatened to harm a curious woman. On one hand, he had a point in that if a local got involved, the kidnappers in question might take interest and silence them. On the other hand, unprovoked violence was never an answer.
Kenji stood from his table and began to approach Kaede and her companion, deliberately taking a route that would have him pass the latter party's spot in the bar. If no violence occured on his way, he would leave them alone and proceed onto Kaede, politely asking, "Pardon my intrusion. Do you know what happened to Toda Keiko?"
If the threatening man swung for the woman, and Kenji was within reach, he would lash out and catch his wrist, stating calmly, "This is not the answer. If you're worried about others being taken, do something about the kidnappings instead of taking it out on others." If, however, he was not within reach and the woman got harmed, Kenji would instead come up behind the man and roughly slam his head into the table (or another hard object if he's not sitting), declaring to both him and those nearby, "Why're you attacking your neighbor instead of working to stop these kidnappings? That's low and petty!"
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Post by Miyamoto Kenji on Mar 7, 2014 0:34:01 GMT -7
With the head priestess's information in mind, Kenji politely took his leave and ventured into town. His first objective was to find a lead on Keiko's whereabouts, and to do that, he thought the best place to get such information would be a drinking hole.
No, not a literal drinking hole.
Kenji specifically searched around for teahouses and bars, particularly ones that were well-frequented. Upon finding one, he would enter, take a seat, and listen quietly to the conversations going on within, attempting to pick out a detail regarding the missing miko.
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Post by Miyamoto Kenji on Mar 7, 2014 0:20:15 GMT -7
"No, I think that's all I'll need." On that note, Kenji stood up, offering the old woman a hand up if she also wished to rise. Regardless, he bowed low, still smiling. By this point, he was committed to the task ahead. "On my life, I swear I will do everything in my power to find Toda Keiko-san, and as soon as possible."
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Post by Miyamoto Kenji on Mar 7, 2014 0:04:18 GMT -7
Kenji reflected on the newest information, stroking his chin. Truly, this girl was a saint if everything he was hearing was true. Her family must be at least as proud of her as the elderly priestess was, and if they weren't, well... He'd be quite surprised. Nodding, he adjusted his posture for comfort before continuing with a smile. "May I just say, your heir sounds like a wondrous lady. What is her name?"
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Post by Miyamoto Kenji on Mar 6, 2014 23:41:04 GMT -7
Kenji had a little secret: he was quite fond of the Sun Goddess and what she stood for. In his youth, he had even carved from wood an amulet in the shape of the sun. He carried this amulet with him to this day, and wore it under his haori regardless of what he was doing, where he was, and what his state of dress was. So, combined with his desire to help his fellow man, when Kenji heard of what had happened to a devout of Amaterasu, he didn't even hesitate to offer a hand.
Listening to the explanation given to him, the miko certainly sounded like a splendid woman, and Kenji felt that her fellow priestesses had no reason to lie. Seeing as he was being given access to any info he needed, he'd take full advantage of it. "There are a couple things I would like to know. Could you tell me what she liked to do in town? What kind of places would she frequent, and was she sent for anything in particular, or visiting for her own reasons?"
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Post by Miyamoto Kenji on Mar 6, 2014 22:45:53 GMT -7
Type of Quest:
Rescue Job
Quest Info:
On his way to Owari, Kenji learns of a temple dedicated to Amaterasu, Goddess of the Sun, where one of their miko, who was being groomed to succeed as head priestess, was kidnapped while in the nearby town. She hasn't turned up in a day, and no one in town claims to have seen her leave, but the rumor is that this has happened before. Kenji has offered to help find the miko, and has been sent to locate her and bring her back, or elsewise learn of her fate.
Location:
Near the Mino-Shinano border, on the northern end closest to Hida.
People Involved:
Kenji, kidnappers, miko
Plot-Important: Not intended, but I'm open to surprises. Maybe a minor lord/vassal/samurai paid the kidnappers to do the deed? I leave this to staff discretion, but in terms of major plot upheaval, I'll pass on that. Also, catch the title reference.
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Post by Miyamoto Kenji on Mar 6, 2014 22:17:18 GMT -7
Buying:
(x2) Iron Katana: This blade seems well made. It cuts clean. +3 Str 240 Yen
240x2 = 480
1,352 - 480 = 872
¥872 yen remaining after purchase.
Also discarding ye olde starter weapons, but that doesn't factor into the transaction.
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Post by Miyamoto Kenji on Mar 6, 2014 21:55:05 GMT -7
Kenji's opportunity to join the brawl came in the form of a bumbling drunkard, a fresh drop of vomit hanging off of his chin as he swung at the merc. Ducking aside a wild haymaker, he rushed in low to strike the man's ribs, then rose with a hard uppercut that collided with his chin. The combo attack disoriented and knocked back the already-unsteady brawler, and he harmlessly fell back, disappearing amidst the sea of bodies.
It wasn't long until Kenji's next opponent made themselves known, throwing a straight for his chest. He grunted and stepped back from the force of the attack, but did not let it stop his retaliation, stepping in with a low fist for the man's gut that caught him off-guard. Using his momentum, Kenji moved in and grabbed the man's shoulders, hauling him into a knee strike meant to bash his solar plexus. He was rendered breathless and sputtered, the shugyosha following with an elbow strike across the stranger's cheek. This did the trick, sending the man into another's back, who in turn stumbled into Takehiro's striking range.
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