Chapter 1: Meetings

It was nearing dusk as the lone Bayushi crested a small rise and spied the glow of a small town. Though his mission was not of the utmost importance he decided to make for the comfort of an inn rather than risk a solitary camp this close to the Kaiu Wall. Urging his sturdy pony forward at a greater pace he wound his way down the moonlit dirt road toward the town. Soft light spilled from the windows of the buildings closest to the entrance to the town as the Bayushi arrived. He had a choice, this town boasted two inns one seemingly more boisterous than the other. A quick decision it was and then the traveler entered the Copper Monkey Inn.

A wave of scents and sounds assailed him as he entered a combination of spiced rice, sake and sweaty bodies, loud jests and drunken laughs. As his eyes adjusted to the bright interior of the inn he made note that it was filled with Crab samurai, the source of most of the scents and all of the sounds. Scanning the room he took note that every table was occupied, and only two did not contain and Crab. Near the center was a table with a lone warrior, in full armor and the colors of the Lion, gold and brown, he sat hunched over his cup and appeared on edge. The other table not occupied by Crab held another lone Lion, or so it appeared at first, he was in brown robes but as the Bayushi moved toward him he noticed that he wore two Mons, one of the Fox clan over his left breast and the other seemingly a Unicorn family Mon on his right shoulder. This table appearing to be the most hospitable the Bayushi introduced himself as Bayushi Kyoji and asked for permission to sit. The Fox was slightly taken aback but politely returned the introduction giving the name Kitsune Sasuke and said he would be honored to share his table. Looking around the crowded room Bayushi Kyoji signaled to a serving girl who made her way over to them and took their orders, after she left Kyoji turned to Sasuke and inquired as to why a Fox would be all the way out in the Crab lands to far from home. Glancing away nervously Sasuke curtly muttered something about a mission given him by his Daimyo. Kyoji discerned that the young Fox had most likely never met a member of the Scorpion clan before and was merely acting to preserve what he thought may be a secret known only to his clan.

A little while later the serving girl came with their meals, she was cute, only about 14 though and merely a peasant, she smiled and bowed as she gave them their food and then wove her way back to the kitchen through the sea of tables. Halfway there a burly Crab samurai grabbed at her pulling her backward towards him, she wriggled out of his grasp and hurried out of the room while he boomed out obscene suggestions as to her sleeping accommodations for the night. Both Kyoji and Sasuke were disappointed with the samurai’s actions though it was only visible on the Foxes face. There was a level of vulgarity that could be blamed on sake and this Crab had nearly passed it. A few moments later the serving girl returned with a tray of steaming noodles weaving her way once again through the tables, this time going out of her way to avoid the clutches of the drunken Crab. This he apparently would not tolerate and he lunged for her catching her skirt and pulling her to the floor, the bowl of noodles went flying and landed squarely in the lap of the lone Lion warrior. He sat there for a moment and a silence came over the room, the serving girl rushed to clean up the mess apologizing repeatedly, the Lion looked at her and then stood up to face the large Crab that was sneering his way. At his full height the Lion looked more imposing than even the Scorpion had first thought, but there were many more Crab and they had all started to shift in their seats getting ready for the coming conflict. Obviously suppressing an underlying rage the Lion growled at the Crab that he required an apology for this disgrace. Shrugging off the request the Crab stated in slurred speech that it was the serving girls fault and he should take it up with the owner. The Lion would not back down, and right when it looked that bloodshed was inevitable Bayushi Kyoji stepped between the potential combatants and offered a round of sake to calm everyone’s nerves, after a few moments the Crab accepted and the Lion could turn away in victory, even if it was due to a drunkards vice.

Conflict narrowly averted, Kyoji invited the Lion to sit at his table and the Lion agreed. Introducing himself to the Scorpion and Fox as Matsu Yuudai, he responded more openly to Kyoji's inquiries about his destination and reason for travel than Sasuke had. Apparently the Emperor was forming an Eleventh Imperial Legion, and Yuudai had been selected as one of the warriors to represent the Lion clan. It was then that Kyoji revealed that this too was his mission, and there was no other reason that he would be this far into Crab lands. At these new revelations Sasuke's face brightened and he also confirmed what the Scorpion had thought all along, that he was also to join the Eleventh Imperial Legion at Kamisori Sano Yoake Shiro, or Razor of Dawn Castle. With the meal nearly finished and future companions found Kyoji suggested that they would all travel together the next day since their destination was the same, Sasuke quickly agreed and Yuudai merely grunted and left for his room.