(Day 1, LE) Popup Event: Street Justice

[Kakita Kenji]

Kenji thinks about what would happen if they would turn him to the Yoriki

D1 LE What would happen to the Thief? Lore:Law/Intelligence VP for Skill: 3d10o10k2 22

[Vutall]

((He would in the very least be imprisoned in a small cell with little care to his well-being))

The young man looks desperately from Kokyou to the others, cowering in fear and subjugation.

[Akodo Kichiro]

Kichiro returns Kokyou's bow and relaxes. Arms crossed Kichiro turns not to just Kenji but to all samurai as to let his truth be known.

"This man has chosen his path and has disrupted the harmony of this festival. He must stand by his actions and face the consequences. Our duty to uphold the law yes but this is not compassion you offer in return. For what compassion is there to his victims? Present, past, or future? A first or only the first attempt caught? By disrupting the order of our society he has insulted not only his community but his place in the heavens. To let him go, to let this crime go unanswered before all this people will only further inspire disruption to order's harmony."

A sigh sounded as he averted his gaze. "If you want compassion you must lead these people towards a better future. Offer charity or appeal to authority on their care of their people if you wish to sate your emotion but this man has chosen his fate. As the most valued tenet of my clan, you must remember compassion for the many and not the few."

[Kakita Kenji]

Kenji listened carefully to the two positions. Something reminded him of the magistrate's hour in Hirosaka. This time, however, no lies were involved, just two different opinions.

Kenji could support the lion. Considering the current political situation this might even be a good thing. Kokyou, however, was an old friend and his opinion had some weight. Kaidan didn't seem to give any opinion on the case.

"First of all, let us introduce ourselves properly, Lion-san. My name is Kakita Kenji, pleased to meet you. Thank you for your explanation, Kaidan-san.

Kenji looked back and forth between the two, remaining calm as before.

"I follow your point, Lion-san. A stolen bread can lead to a stolen purse, gambling, murder and other crimes. But you should also admit that this is not a man cowering before us, but a child, children, who we still are before the law, make mistakes, are allowed to make mistakes. That does not mean that they can go unpunished."

Kenji turned to Kokyou.

"Kokyou-san, if you vouch for this boy's crimes, you will be very generous. But let me tell you that I cannot guarantee that the Yoriki will accept your offer. Furthermore, if the boy should relapse, your honor will be in jeopardy. Are you really willing to lay down your hand for him?"

[Akodo Kichiro]

"A child?" Kichiro closes in to inspect the thief. "Just a hair younger than us less you think we are all children while on the horizon of our gempukku. I have faith the magistrates of the crane will match his crimes honorably. Taking in all variables into consideration before hand of course. I will respect your wishes Kakita-san but... I do not feel it wise, especially with so many eyes watching, to take the law into our own hands. With our every action being tested so."

A shifty look towards the crowd around them. "It's Akodo Kichiro by the way." He slips in there at the end while staring out towards the gathering crowd.

[Bayushi Kaidan]

Kaidan sighed. He looked at Chen and fronwed. "If we send him to the magistrates his sister will go hungry and not only 1 but 2 lives are affected. If we show compassion then deed should not be unpunished." He looked at Kenji. "Let's save 2 lives." He looked at Chen. "Are you willing to pay for your transgression?"

[Vutall]

“If course samurai-samas, please just let me go and I swear I’ll do anything!”

[Kokyou]

"Are we passin' down judgements, now? Blasted swab! ... Shiver me timbers! Jus' let this lad go afore more harm be done t' th' poor one's family. 'tis a farrgin' piece o' sea biscuit."

[Bayushi Kaidan]

Kaidan rose a brow. It was up to Kenji now but ideas did come to the Scorpion's mind. "He has to promise he won't steal again. Also might be good if... he works for us. That way he can be taught the path of a proper... heimin." Then he looked at Kenji. "It is your call."

[Kakita Kenji]

Kenji was deep in thought.
Here two opposites met in Kenji, on the one hand he wanted to let the young man run, the bread was perhaps worth a few zeni, practically nothing for a samurai. On the other hand this young man was a criminal before the code and the law. In an ideal world he wouldn't have to steal, but unfortunately this was not an ideal world, so Kenji had to act to the best of his knowledge.

Poor, idealistic Kenji.

The gathering crowd doesn't make it any easier for Kenji to make up his mind either.
He gave a long sigh before strengthening his On. It had to be so easy to point to the crane in the room and say, "Hey decide!"

He cleared his throat and said in an authoritative yet calm tone: "None of us here is a full samurai It is not in our hands to judge him, it is in the hands of the magistrate," he said decided.

He addressed one of the peasants in the crowd, "Hey, you there, get the Yoriki!" he ordered.

Then he turned to Kokyou: "Kokyou-san, if you want to do something good for this man, you should ask him where his sister lives. You can help his family, it would be very honourable of you, but he must answer for his crime, however small it may seem.

[Vutall]

The boy begins to cry and one of the crowd members rushes off to get the Yoriki. It won't be long now before they return with him.

[Kokyou]

Kokyou reaches down to the thief in a crouch to look him in the yes to say, “Tell me where ye live 'n th' name o' yer sister.”

Then, he drops a bu into the thief’s hand from his bag.

Once he gets the information, he rises up and bows to the rest of the samurai. When done, he says in clear Rokugani, “As samurai, you should be ashamed to make this young man suffer. You fucking fools!”

He sneers and leaves before the lawmen arrives.

/Exit if not stopped

[Bayushi Kaidan]

Kaidan shook his head and looked at Kenji. "I gave you a third option. Yet you decide to see a man suffer." He fronwed under his mask. "This might be why I cannot be your friend." He looked at the crowd gathering. "There is nothing to see here. Please continue with your duties."

Then back to Kenji "Lesson, sometimes listen, teach a man to be better before taking his fate away."

[Akodo Kichiro]

With the crane's decree the thief's fate was sealed. Kichiro closes his eyes and chooses to ignore the Mantis's outburst. An impassioned misunderstanding of bushido. Better to bulwark his flames than burn us all down together.

"Sincerity Bayushi-san. We stand by our decision and support Kakita-san's choice. Regret is a sin after all." Kichiro turns outward awaiting the yoriki to put an end to this mess.

"Comfort yourself in honor's benevolence Kakita-san. You made the right call." Kichiro rubs his palm against his face. Letting the masquerade of confidence drop for a second and feeling genuinely distressed from this situation.

[Kakita Kenji]

Kenji maintained his On. "You misunderstand me if I let this young man suffer, Bayushi-san, for no reason. He has sealed his own fate and as I said before, the law is not in our hands here. I live in Tsuma and these are the Crane's lands, but that doesn't mean I can do as I please.

He glances after Kokyou, "I can understand him, but it doesn't change anything. However, I will talk to the Magistrate as soon as he is here. If that's the way he wants it, the boy Chen can work off his debt instead of ending up in a cage."

[Bayushi Kaidan]

"Kenji... you see... I don't know if you'll understand what I see." The young Bayushi frowned under his mask. "I understand Kokyou san. I will help you redeem this hungry soul."

[Vutall]

Chen looks pleadingly into Kokyou's eyes and tells her his sisters name, muttering a thank you for the bu. When the yoriki arrives, he glares at Chen, but bows tot he samurai holding him.

"You have my thanks, samurai-samas. I will take this thief to be given punishment for their crimes."

[Kakita Kenji]

He bowed shortly before the Yoriki "Greetings, Yoriki-sama, I would like to accompany you to deliver testimony." Said Kenji. He nodded at Kaidan. Once at the magistrate's office, they could discuss punishment.

[Vutall]

"Certainly, your word against a peasant would me most appreciated."

[Akodo Kichiro]

Kichiro falls in line behind Kenji and follows them onward. The young lion responsible to see this through to its conclusion.