This is my curse...

[Tainted Bushido]

(Solo)

Curse - (kûrs) - noun.

1. An appeal or prayer for evil or misfortune to befall someone or something.
2. The evil or misfortune that comes in or as if in response to such an appeal: bewailed the curse of ill health.
2. One that is accursed.
3. A source or cause of evil; a scourge: “Selfishness is the greatest curse of the human race” (William Ewart Gladstone).
4. A profane word or phrase; a swearword.
5. Ecclesiastical. A censure, ban, or anathema.
6. Slang. Menstruation. Used with the.

Rengoku seemed to whisper to him. He couldn't make out what it was saying, but he knew the sentiment, he would have to face his fear eventually. Fear, perhaps the most dangerous of the three deadly sins, clung to his heart. Fear gave rise to perhaps the most cowardly acts a human was capable of, betrayal, abandonment, treason. He was a walking death trap. One day he would succumb to the curse within his very blood, and then those he cared for would suffer.

It had been months since his time training with Hoturi. The monk that had shown him how to fight, and taught him the best way to overcome the darkness that even now clawed within his heart. He had learned the basics of a fighting style, and was taught the beginnings of another. Seeds Hoturi had called them, and he had impressed upon the Ronin, that these seeds would take time to grow, and the fruits be well worth the effort.

His footsteps carried him through the summer sun on the roads of the empire. He estimated he was roughly a days journey north of Yanbo Harbor, the capital of the east district of Akashima. His blackened armor was hot, and it caused sweat to form upon his brow. Really, Taka wished he didn't have to wear it, but he had to to protect himself. His hair was left loose to form a curtain from the heat, one of the blessings of his white locks. The fact he could not wear bright colors was punishment enough during the summer months, when he could not wear the cooler colors of a vassal family to the Emperor.

It also did not help that his arms were bandaged heavily, and the gauntlets he should only wear for battle were covering his hands. The stigmata of blackened skin in the lands was too much to risk, especially when he was cursed with an oni's blood. The worst of it being how he had exonerated his name, only to be found cursed and still relegated to the path of an exile.

That was what stung his heart the most.

Rengoku, his katana, seemed to increase its burden in response to these thoughts, and the ronin stopped looking down upon the blade. He let a soft sigh escape his lips before he spoke, "No little one, I do not fear your burden. I merely wish we both could be at peace."

The burden only grew as he continued on until he let out an exasperated sigh, "Alright, I confess. I desire to be assigned to a Lord. Is this what you wished to hear?"

The sword lightened its burden upon his hip before he nodded solemnly, "One day little one, one day we will prove to this empire, what we stand for."

It was then he saw the town.

[Tainted Bushido]

The sun beat down upon the ronin as he entered the small village; his straw cloak neatly rolled up and attached to the side of his pack. There was no need for such a thing, and his armor felt unbearably stuffy for such a warm day, but he was willing to endure. A ronin who entered a town unarmored was a target, one perceived weak. Only perseverance and discipline would keep him safe from peasants who were eyeing him. As it was the border of the eastern provinces he was sure that a few would resent the presence of a samurai, for the borders were seldom patrolled. It was these people he tried to look strong for.

The village was small, the peasants working their fields and carefully preparing them for the fall. Water had flooded the fields from the nearby river flows, allowing the rice to begin growing in preparation for the harvest. The houses were a simple wooden construction he had seen numerous times, cool enough to escape the insufferable heat of summer, but come winter, they would probably huddle into the only tea house in the place. Serving as a community center as well as a place for travelers to visit, it would be here that Taka would probably rest for the night.

Slowly he made his way to the tea house as he prepared to stay the night before moving on as he had countless times before. Sitting at the table he ordered a pot of the local tea and waited patiently as he drew out his book of samurai tales. He was currently in the middle of one that spoke of a ronin who traveled the lands, in search of worthy foes to duel and vanquish. A master of wielding both Katana and Wakizashi, it intrigued him to see such an odd character, so carefree, and yet so powerful. One of the stories spoke of him arriving late to one of his duels, merely to unnerve his opponent. He bordered on blatant disregard of Bushido, making him the perfect foil to Taka, as he took to heart the lessons.

Surely great power came from someone similar to this ronin, but he was not a true Samurai. He would eventually pay for his misconduct, and be slain, as all Ronin were. He was simply too high a profile of fighter, to be allowed to constantly insult his opponents. His jingasa by now had been placed atop his pack, as to not get in his way as he sat in the cooler building. When he finally heard a soft voice clear he looked up at a young peasant woman. She seemed expectant of something from him, and he nodded before he set his book down and spoke, “I’m sorry, my manners…”

She smiled upon him her raven black hair was loose and flowing over her shoulders. Her kimono was conservative and closed, it was obvious that she would have nothing in common with a geisha, but held a simple elegance and beauty that Taka felt a geisha could never touch. She had a warmth to her actions that made it seem as if she truly enjoyed her work, and wished for nowhere else. It brought a rare smile to Taka’s own face as he looked up expectantly. She continued to favor him with a smile before she spoke, “May I help you Samurai-sama?”

Taka nodded as he spoke, “May I have some of the house tea please?” He then sighed before he said, “And please, call me Taka, I do not wish us to stoop to titles.”

[Tainted Bushido]

Taka sat at the table quietly, occasionally sipping his tea as he slowly read through the stories, hoping to one day add a few of his own to the pages. Still, he kept his head down, so as to not attract attention, even as a group of men came in. The colder wind that blew through the door gave him a slight shiver as his eyes drifted up to occupants of the entry way.

They were Ronin, their garb giving this away as instead of wearing the colors of a family; they were dressed drably, much like Taka. At their hips were the standard Katana and Wakizashi daisho that functioned as their only weapons. He recognized a few of them as veterans from the west, their demeanor giving this away, as with the death of their lord, and no new one to swear fealty to, saw many Samurai cast as Ronin. While the Samurai were a dying breed, even they understood the importance of having a Lord, and so probably were traveling to the east, in the hopes of the Duke Asakari allowing them to swear fealty.

Taka lowered his eyes to his book once more as he continued to read before he heard a throat clear in front of him. Taka ignored it, figuring it was merely the serving girl trying to be polite, and who would be on her way when he merely refused to acknowledge her. He was disabused of the notion when a rough hand reached out grabbed the book and set it sharply on the table in front of him. Taka felt the heat of anger rise to his cheeks, giving them a rosy blush in sharp contrast with the snow white locks of hair that adorned his head.

Before him stood the group of five ronin, an expectant look upon each one’s face. They appeared to be studying the smaller ronin by their standards, and it would be easy to see why. They were obviously well fed, for they had a much more muscular build to them. About half the group was eyeing him with their arms folded across their chest, the other half had hands near weapons, incase the young Ronin should grow violent. Taka smirked inwardly at the notion that they were so threatened by him. The leader however merely remained still leaning over the table with his hand on Taka's book, before he rather loudly cleared his throat again.

Taka gave him a polite smile as he spoke, "Can I help you my friend? It appears that you are in urgent need of me, to so bother my reading, I had almost finished that story as well, a shame..."

Chuckling erupted from the group as Taka recognized the patterns. These men were employing common wolf pack tactics, one leader and a pack of dull witted wolves, surrounding and confusing their prey. One would try to claim leadership now and again, but the only truly dangerous one of the bunch, was before him. This man merely smiled as he asked politely, "May I join you wave man? It is not often we see one of our kind alone in such a place."

Taka gestured to the cushions about him as he said, "Certainly, I would certainly be selfish to refuse the company of a fellow ronin."

"I had, thought as much. I actually was merely stopping in town, when I heard talk of a ronin in these parts. I of course had to investigate, for if a fellow wolf was running alone, I am duty bound to ensure his safety with the pack..." The man said smiling.

"A...wolf?" Taka asked letting a hint of curiosity hit his voice. He had never been referred to as a wolf, and yet this man clearly referred to him in such a manner.

"Ronin, wave man, wolf, it doesn't matter, we're called many things. We prefer to call ourselves wolves, for it is in packs that we guarantee survival my friend. A lone wolf is but a rebel looking to die, in a world that doesn't give a rat's piss about him. You obviously are a new wolf to these parts, and for that I offer my sincerest welcome," The man said as he grinned, his smile no less predatory for the jovial tone of his voice.

"I see, I must of course accept your welcome, I am Taka," Taka replied as he nodded his head in respect. The man eyed him for a moment before he too returned the nod.

"They call me, Akihiro, and it is a pleasure Taka. I am sort of the head ronin of these parts. Most of the other ronin look up to me, and I in turn take care of them, any job I take, I make sure the needy ones get in on. Like I said, a wolf alone dies alone, but a wolf in a pack, survives," Akihiro replied never dropping that predatory smile from his face.

Taka could tell what was going on. This man was recruiting, and Taka, being without a lord, was a perfect candidate. As he sipped his tea he remained calm, keeping the polite smile on his face as he replied, "Must be a tough job, keeping so many mouths fed, huh?"

More chuckles escaped the pack's lips as the man leaned forward, "I got a job, rather big one, I think a smart guy like you would fit right in with my company, what do you say? Join the pack, win a bit of glory for yourself and some food in your belly?"

Taka looked the man in the eyes as he searched for something in them. He couldn't tell what this man was hiding, but he obviously needed manpower. Why else would he be hunting down ronin to do the job? That alone set off warnings in the back of his head. Closing his eyes he sipped his tea, before he set the cup down and spoke clearly, his eyes opening and drilling into the leader's own, "I shall need time to consider such an act, as I had plans in the making. I may not be able to afford the time of a job."

The leader leaned back as he nodded softly, almost impressed with Taka's reserve, "Alright, take your time, I'll be back within a week, if you're still here, I'll assume you want to sign on board. Till then I'll be around, feel free to seek me out."

[Tainted Bushido]

Taka watched the men leave as a chill entered his bones. He could see them occasionally looking back upon him, and he could almost tell something was off. When they left an absent minded sip of warm tea restored the heat to them, but did not leave the sense of foreboding. It was an ominous sign to say the least, and he was more than certain that the offer of employment had an underlying "or else" at the end of it.

Taka slowly broke the spell upon himself by pouring more of the tea and sipping it, picking up his book deliberately and opening it to the story of the ronin who wielded two blades. A snort of disinterest left him even as the light while dim began to spread out across the tavern. It would be hard to make out distinct features, but one could easily manage to traverse the tavern without stumbling over the belongings of another.

Finishing the story he snapped the book closed irritably as he looked about the modest tables and the pillow he sat upon. The ward of the bar seemed busy stoking the fire as he kept the water warm, even as he dipped a ladle in and began to fill many pots, possibly for tea. There was a shelf that held a few clay bottles, carefully warming the Sake that a few of the peasants seemed fond of. The night was like any other. Still, deep in his bones, he could not ignore the feeling of unease that surrounded the place.

Raising his eyes about, he carefully shifted his gear even as the peasant woman came forth, and bowed deeply, her blackened hair forming a curtain before she spoke softly, obediently, "Shall I escort you to your room, Taka-sama?"

"Not yet, I'm merely adjusting my position, but thank you," Taka replied softly. Even the small bit of joy he had felt upon the girl’s modest demeanor seemed to not shake the sense of unease. Looking about he finally realized just what made him feel so odd, there was not much joy here. Even peasants such as these should not be so subdued, there was something off, and the town’s mute concerns were stepping forth.

"Is everything alright Taka-sama?" The girl asked.

"The Ronin who met with me earlier," Taka began as he tried to place it.

"Yes, Akihiro-sama and his friends," The girl replied bowing lowly.

"Are they working here?" Taka asked as a frown crossed his lips.

"They do work in the village, Taka-sama," The girl replied.

Taka felt something snap into place in his mind as he looked about. Finally he asked, "And what exactly is it they do?"

"If Taka-sama wishes to ask, perhaps he should be seated while this humble one tells the tale?" She asked softly.

[Tainted Bushido]

"Akihiro-san, what did you think of him?"

The words drifted as the man led the cart of rice out towards the ronin's camp. Their march was made so as to cover the wagon, their sole source of food for the month, between the jobs at the very least. As they walked through the forest the leaves flitting in the occasional breeze Akihiro sighed before he looked upon the ronin who spoke up, "He is strong minded, perhaps too much so. He will be trouble, I fear."

"Should we kill him?" One of the others spoke even as his hand went to the hilt of his ono, the large axe strapped precariously across his back, ready for action in a mere moment.

Akihiro paused as he thought about the ronin Taka. Finally he looked back at the Ronin as he said, "We'll give him his shot when we reveal the plan. Things go well he should fit in, if not, no one cares about a ronin's death."

Solemn nods crossed through the band as they all agreed with those sage words. A few of them set about leading the horse off the path, in turn bringing their food on the correct path to reach camp. While the trail was new, it had already begun to die as the flora made way under the tread of boots; soon they would need to cover their tracks somehow, possibly with the help of a ronin Shugenja. A priest of the Kami might be able to hide them a bit longer, when the dukes of course came to take their share of the rice. Ambushing the collectors after it had been collected would mean no one would be the wiser.

However, this relied on the ronin in town not ruining it for them and telling anyone else of their plan. He would regret having to kill a fellow wolf, but such things could not be avoided. All that mattered was him and his men eating, anything else was merely a luxury.


~*~

Taka knew better than to believe the story would be anything but depressing. He was not disappointed;

"Akihiro-sama is indeed in the employ in the village, but as to what ends even the Elder does not know. He demands we pay him in food, and in return we're safe from bandits, only in the sense that Akihiro-sama despises competition. When his group 'works' in town the woman are hidden for fear of his men taking what they like. Children are warned against playing and the men tend to work harder to avoid associating with them. They constantly drain the town of food and drink, then meander off to their camps in the hopes of letting us recover before they come back to repeat. If this is protection, then I would rather risk the threat of bandits than allow them to protect me another day," The woman explained.

"And what of the local magistrates?" Taka asked a bit of indignation rising in his voice.

"They avoid contact at all costs, and leave village before the Magistrate can properly evict them. With the drain they've put on the village I fear for what should happen when the Imperial tax collector arrives," The young woman replied as she bowed her head. Her tone while pleading was not desperate, not yet. Of that Taka was at least heartened.

"So they are bandits, in the guise as defenders," Taka replied softly. A hand went to his eyes as he tiredly rubbed them before he sighed.

"Please Taka-sama, do not be angry, we only wish to survive this," The girl pleaded as she gently reached out a hand to the ronin's shoulder. Taka tensed as he felt it gently touch his armor before he looked over at her and deeply in the eyes. The look of innocence he found there was alarming as he quickly diverted his eyes.

Finally after what seemed like forever Taka spoke, his voice worn, "If they refuse to follow the law, my duty in this is clear. Though I would hope to have more authority behind me, I guess I'll just make do with what I have." Rengoku seemed to lighten on his hip as he felt it agree with his decision, almost glad at the chance for battle.

[Tainted Bushido]

He closed his eyes before he thought bitterly, And here I am, a ronin with no authority. I wonder if Hoturi is watching me with amusement at the situation. He wouldn't put it past the monk to be tormenting Taka by standing nearby. Ready, should Taka be in too deep. It certainly fit the master pupil relationship they had grown between each other.

It was also getting late as he found himself engrossed in the conversation with the peasant girl. Her demeanor and beauty were intoxicating. He was certain that should this era continue, and he be forced to forgo the path of a samurai, she would have been one he would have married. Of course he was cursed with the taint within his blood, and talks such as this were a moot point anyways. He couldn't settle down any more than he could give up Rengoku. Not until he had freed the peasant who had gone into making his blade, could he rest.

With a yawn he stretched before he said softly, "The hour is getting late; perhaps I should sleep for the night."

The girl nodded softly before she bowed and gestured for Taka to follow her. As they moved forward she spoke softly, "I am sorry I have dragged you into our problems Taka-sama. I-"

"I know the situation is dire. These bandits are bleeding you dry, and eventually you will be unable to make the payments, and the village will fall. How long do you believe you have?" The ronin asked softly.

"I- I do not know Taka-sama, I am not in charge of such things. I merely tend to the inn, and hide when Akihiro and his men enter. The fact I was even working today was because my brother was sick."

Taka nodded as before they stopped outside his room. The thin screen door was a bit comforting, reminding him a bit of home when he carefully set his bag inside the doorway and turned to the peasant girl. She had an expectant look upon her face, almost hopeful. Taka had an idea of what it was, but refused to give it any thought further than to catalog it. He merely gave her a polite smile before he said, "Thank you..."

He frowned realizing he had not even gotten the young girl's name.

"I am Kachiko, sama," The reply was quick, helpful, and polite. Taka looked once more into those innocent eyes as he saw her hopes in them. Again he found his eyes elsewhere before he entered the room and carefully began to set up for the night, his daisho placed upon the stand as he prepared to pray for penance for the night and sleep.

She remained silent behind him, almost watching and waiting for the dismissal. Taka was more than certain she was trying to make the best of her situation, as she only could. She had already gotten herself in trouble by talking to Taka about the situation. When he went to the elder tomorrow to talk of perhaps mounting a resistance to these men, given the short time table he was on, she was surely to be found as the culprit.

Taka turned and saw her still there in the doorway of his chamber waiting silently. He sighed as he moved to the door and spoke softly, "Thank you Kachiko-san, I will have no further need of your assistance."

She nodded solemnly before she spoke once more, "If you have need of anything Taka-sama, please ask, it is my duty to help you as much as possible."

Taka smiled as he said firmly, "That will be unnecessary. Please, enjoy your night Kachiko-san."