The New Winds

((This Event takes place BEFORE the remaining Duels))

As the ragged group of participants returns from the battle at the docks, followed by the healthy, but a bit groggy Topaz Champion, they see a harrowing scene.

In the center of the dueling groups, Kakita Riku sits, dressed in white, sitting in seiza and writing a poem. Behind her stand her second. Kakita Toshimoko looks on grimly, as do the other contestants and oberservers of the Iaijutsu tournament.

Just as Riku finishes her poem, Toshimoko sees the approaching group and raises a hand, commanding with a stern, hard voice:

"Wait. There may be more here than it seemed."

Ichiro rides towards the gathering, holding up the blue and white wrapped blade, "I do not mean to interrupt so solemn an occasion. But if Kakia-san wishes to do this she should do so for the right reasons."

"While her actions caused the wound to Hitoshi-san it was not her intention. Her weapon had been replaced with live steel by another."

The Topaz Champion nods, adding her voice to Ichiro's.

"Indeed, I saw it after the fact, this blade was on Bayushi Sugai's back. Unfortunately during the chase to bring him to justice, he brought me down. These samurai were able to defeat him and an entire kobune crew to bring this information to you. Regrettably, Sugai died in the battle.

Toshimoko nods and takes the blade observing it and then looks to Riku.

"Kakita-san, stand. You are not called to answer for a shame you did not commit today. "

The girl stands and gives a deep bow, tears welling in her eyes. Before they fall, she mutters a quiet

"Excuse me, samurai-samas"

and retires into the dormitory.

Covered in mud, Asahi had returned with the others.

Bayushi Jiro stepped into the arena, coming from the Academy, rather than the scrum outside.

"Kakita-dono, forgive me, I also have testimony to deliver in this matter, though I think perhaps a magistrate may need to hear what I have to say as well. This is...rather a knotty matter, I am afraid."

The Grey Crane eyes Jiro with a bit of distaste and anger in his eyes.

"Speak, Bayushi-san, but know that your words have a great importance. Currently, I can see nothing more than this event as being a direct attack and sabotage attempt from your clan. "

Drenched wet, muddied, bloodied and battered, Kokyou bows to the Topaz Champion and to Toshimoko, adding his silent testimony. Then, he waits to continue with the competition, if it remains ongoing and he has not disqualified for a no-show.

Ichiro watches Jiro quietly. He had no reason to distrust the other boy but it remained to be seen if this was a plot by Sugai alone or by the Scorpion as a clan.

While Toshimoko converses with Jiro, a number of healers approach the wounded and begin to work on them

((All participants in the battle are healed fully by the healers, so they will have no wound penalties going forward with the remaining duels))

Matsu Qiang approached with the others. He listened as the others spoke, and made ready to add his testimony to their words.

Mai appears with the captain's journal. She waits for him to finish talking to Jiro.

Keeping his distance from the others, Kichiro was there to witness these events.

Nesrin arrives a bit behind, having paused to find stablehands to care for the horses they borrowed in their dash to the docks. She's as bloody and damp as the rest of them.

Ikoma Eichiro is muddy from being.. somewhere. He arrives from the city, but from a different direction from all the others. His thoughts seem to be turned inward, but he seems interested in the aftermath of this event nonetheless.

Nobuko stood to the side, not far from Jiro. She was ready to step forward if her friend needed it, as he had discussed some of the possibilities with her and she felt she might be able to offer aid in the form of arguments on his behalf. But she would not come to his defense immediately. Not until or unless she was certain her words would be of help.

Jiro bowed to acknowledge the request for his testimony.

"Two days ago I was asked by a prominent member of your clan, Kakita-dono, to look into a round of slander that was being directed against her. This slander, I came to understand, was part of a larger effort to attempt to coerce her to perform a service for an entity which chose to sign their correspondence, with a chop saying "webs within webs. This correspondence delivered to the private rooms of this person and of another highly-placed individual at Kyuden Doji and at a roadside inn without their being alerted to the deliverer's presence, despite the considerable efforts and abilities of the public figures in question. I suspect that this was because the deliverers were of the peasant caste, and therefore not easily recognized as being out of place."

"While I was not able to discern much more than this about the writer, other than that their calligraphy was poor, It was not difficult to track down the source of the public rumors made here in Tsuma, a ronin by the name of Jimmu. I arranged a meeting with him in order to ascertain his motives and, perhaps, identify his paymaster. Akodo Kichiro and my cousin, Bayushi Kaidan accompanied me to this meeting. Though initially cagey to direct inquiry, Jimmu reacted with a dramatic escape attempt involving an illegal device when I mentioned the phrase "webs within webs." At that point, it became clear to me that his efforts to slander the public figure in question were made to divert attention from the role of his organization in attacking the students of Tsuma at the Poisoned Water Sake House some days ago. Fortunately, due to the quick thinking of my cousin, Bayushi Kaidan, the patrons of the Laughing Carp were able to restrain Jimmu and there, in full view and hearing of the crowd, he informed me that I had no idea what I was playing with, and that my only chance to avoid becoming a target of his paymasters was to arrange for him to be released, a request I refused."

"Now, Kakita-dono, I took it upon myself to alert Kitsuki Tai Yu and Agasha Sumiko by letter of the danger to this competition and to the people of Tsuma immediately upon receiving this information. I did so because it was plain to me that these events were part of a rather intricate conspiracy of whose membership I had no definite knowledge. I cannot deny that Bayushi Sugai, for reasons of his own, appears to have been a cog in the machine. That is unfortunate, but I would contend that I am closer to the heart of the Scorpion clan than most, by dint of my father's position and my own. If this...rather dramatic display were our design, would Jimmu have threatened me with an assassination? Lord Bayushi could simply order me to end my life, and I would do it without question. No need for public declarations one way or the other. No, we are looking at a criminal enterprise, a well-funded one that enjoys a touch of the dramatic and makes use of peasants for communication. It would be wisest, I think, to allow the magistrates to begin their work in earnest and to interrogate those captured here fully. Perhaps Kitsuki-san or others were able to find documentation on their craft. I formally disavow the participation of authorized Scorpion clan personnel in this effort, and am willing to answer further questions in a setting that would best help the magistrates and the Crane clan at this time."

Just before Bayushi Jiro bowed formally a second time to put punctuation on his testimony, he met Toshimoko's eye with a look that suggested further details in public might be injurious to the Crane clan, rather than to Jiro's people.

Ginkarasu really didn't know that so much of this was occurring.

Wow, had people been busy.

Asahi gave a nod to Mai, who held the journal.

Nobuko frowned at Jiro naming the chop used so publicly. It would most certainly draw this person's ire and make him a target. But otherwise, it was a good play, in her eyes. She hoped it was the right one.

Toshimoko looked at Jiro for a few moments, weighing his words in his mind. Akodo Eiko then comes forward and whispers something to Toshimoko who nods.

"I see. This does indeed seem like something much more elaborate than I initially suspected. Very well, Bayushi-san. With your testimony, and the confirmation from those you have mentioned once their tournaments are finished, I will see to it that no repercussions will be demanded of your clan. However, should your testimony come to be contested, I will insist that this was all machinations of your clan."