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[vishdafish]

Slash the pole of the naginata just below the blade, sever the stick from the pointy end. 

+1, was going to type slash the samurai, but realised that we would be impaled in the process. I dont mind cyoa too much, although I prefer freeform more. I think cyoa would increase popularity, since a lot of people dont like to spend ages thinking about the next action.

[crazyabe]

Slash the pole of the naginata just below the blade, sever the stick from the pointy end. 

+1, was going to type slash the samurai, but realised that we would be impaled in the process. I dont mind cyoa too much, although I prefer freeform more. I think cyoa would increase popularity, since a lot of people dont like to spend ages thinking about the next action.

+1

[Wolfhunter107]

Slash the pole of the naginata just below the blade, sever the stick from the pointy end. 

+1, was going to type slash the samurai, but realised that we would be impaled in the process. I dont mind cyoa too much, although I prefer freeform more. I think cyoa would increase popularity, since a lot of people dont like to spend ages thinking about the next action.

+1

+1

[Pancaek]

Slash the pole of the naginata just below the blade, sever the stick from the pointy end. 

+1, was going to type slash the samurai, but realised that we would be impaled in the process. I dont mind cyoa too much, although I prefer freeform more. I think cyoa would increase popularity, since a lot of people dont like to spend ages thinking about the next action.

+1

+1

((Well, looks like we're staying freeform for a while longer.))

Turn 32

Unnamed atakebune

Hideki capitalizes on the opening Otsu has created for him to attack. Realizing that leaning forward to reach the samurai is probably a bad idea, he instead Slashes at the pole of the naginata itself. Muramasa slashes through the pole with ease and the blade of the naginata, along with an inch or two of pole, clatter to the ground.

"Feh. Priest, some help here?!"

The priest holds his staff aloft, chanting his mantra louder than before. Otsu and Hideki are momentarily conflicted between going for the samurai or the priest.

"oṃ va jra sa ttva sa m-", the priest drones, but is suddenly cut off by a loud thunderclap. His left eye explodes out of his skull and he falls to the ground, dead. His staff clatters to the deck, the sparks of energy coming off of it dying out one by one.

A little bit further on the deck of the ship is Ed. He's sitting up, braced against the railing and holding his side. He's holding his smoking pistol in his hand. He lets his arm drop to his side and looks over at the rest with one eye open, the other closed because of the blood running into it.

"I managed to reload my pistol."

The samurai let's go of his naginata and begins to reach for his sidearm, but Otsu is too quick on the draw. She steps forward and puts her arms around the Samurai's waist. She heaves, lifting the samurai off the ground and proceeds to suplex him. Her form is pretty much perfect, and the samurai crashes head first into the deck, splintering the heavy wooden plank where he impacts. The rest of his body follows suit and he sprawls face down on the deck. Hideki can see that he's not dead, but it doesn't seem like he's going to need a few minutes before he can move again.

From the raised part of the deck, someone starts laughing.

"Well well, looks like you beat my men. Congratulations", Ogino says, voice full of spite, "I suppose a man must know when he is beat. I take it you'll be wanting to take me to whoever it is you're working for, then?"

[vishdafish]

"Here, drink this."
Hideki tosses the knockout poison to Ogino. If he makes any suspicious movements, Hideki throws a powder egg at his eyes.

[Pancaek]

"Here, drink this."
Hideki tosses the knockout poison to Ogino. If he makes any suspicious movements, Hideki throws a powder egg at his eyes.

((A short one, because all the rolls were good.))

Turn 33

Unnamed Atakebune

"Here, drink this.", Hideki says to Ogino and throws him the vial.

Ogino catches it and eyes it suspiciously.

"Well, I suppose I don't have much choice. I'm in no mood to go up against your sword or the fists of that bear of a woman. Maybe I'd try my luck against the wounded gaijin."

"Hey, fuck you too, buddy." , Ed says as he's helped upright by Otsu.

Ogino opens up the vial, takes a deep breath and downs the entire thing in one go.

"Well, that wasn't really that bad. So what was in thlhl-" Ogino slurs his last word, and his left eye starts looking in another direction than his right eye. He slumps over onto the deck, knocked out and drooling.

Ed has Otsu help him to the oar of the ship.

"I'll turn this boat around and get us back to the dock in Nara. We've only gone a short ways out to sea, so it shouldn't take long."

"I hope you have a plan, Nagayoshi-Dono." Otsu says while ripping off the burned sleeves from her vest. She rolls her shoulders and flexes her arms. "You've got the guy you were hunting, after all. It'd be a shame if you slowed down now, things were just getting fun."

"Hah, maybe fun for people who cleave men in two or punch people into the air. Us regular mortals aren't exactly having fun getting stabbed and slashed."

"Best ignore the nanban, Nagayoshi-dono. The salty sea-air is clearly getting to him."

"I handle the sea air just fine, thank you very much."

What will Hideki do now once they arrive back in Nara, if he wants to go back to Nara in the first place?

[vishdafish]

Hideki ties Ogino up, and takes him back to the scorpion clan daimyo, asking for her help in interrogation and holding the prisoner.

[NRDL]

Hideki ties Ogino up, and takes him back to the scorpion clan daimyo, asking for her help in interrogation and holding the prisoner.

+1

[Pancaek]

Turn 34

Unnamed Atakebune

"We head back to Nara. Then we will get answers from Ogino, one way or another.", Hideki answers to Otsu.

"You might want to try that samurai guy as well. I think he's still breathing over there."

"All hands on deck! Hard to starboard! We're turning round to Nara!", Ed shouts with a big grin plastered on his face. True to his word, the entire ships lurches to one side as it begins turning back to Nara. Hideki and Otsu almost lost their balance, but Ed doesn't seem bothered by it at all. Once the ship has turned and Hideki is no longer jostled around, the crew makes smooth sailing to Nara.

Nara

When the approach the Nara harbour, city guardsmen guide the ship towards a dock at the back, our of sight from the busy streets. A gaggle of guards and ninja are waiting on the dock, weapons at the ready. They all relax once they see it is Ed steering the ship and they spot Hideki. Once the ship is moored, the ninja and guards come aboard.

"Nagayoshi-dono, you left so suddenly. It is good to see you have returned unscathed."

"I would like to get these prisoners to the palace, for interrogation."

"Of course, Nagayoshi-dono. My men will escort you. We will dispose of the ship."

Hideki and Otsu tie up Ogino and the samurai and each take one of the captives and they and their escort start going towards the palace. Hideki carries Ogino in a fireman's carry while Otsu has simply put the samurai, battle armour and all, on one shoulder. She doesn't seem particularely burdened by this. Ed is walking along, rather stiffly.

"We were in the same blast right? I seem to remember something like that, before being thrown on the deck and eating wood chips. You seem to have gotten off lightly."

"What can I say, I'm a big girl."

"Yeah, I notice. How are you even carrying a grown man with one arm so easily?"

"I ate my vegetables as a kid."

The trio and their escort move swiftly through the streets of Nara. It's still very early in the morning, the sun hasn't risen yet. As such they don't meet many people out and about yet, and those they do meet quickly find some other place to be once they see the ninja escort.

Nara palace

Once inside the palace the ninjas go their seperate way. Hideki still remembers the way to the castle dungeons. Hideki walks through the winding hallways of Nara castle with practised ease. Ed and Otsu are following, clearly already lost in the maze of small corriders. Understandble, Hideki muses, since these small winding mazes are made specifically to delay attackers during a siege. He walks on, turning into a small nondescript corridor that you wouldn't find on any map. It leads to a set of stairs that wind down and down into the very foundations of the castle. There, at the bottom they enter the Nara dungeons.

Already waiting for them is the Daimyo, still in her exquisite kimono. Only now she has the sleeves done up with a piece of cloth string, in the way of working handmaidens, and is toying around with some very sharp and evil looking implements. A little further is an old man setting up a bunch of alchemical apparati. The old man turns around, his rheumy looking at Hideki through small round spectacles. His frown turns into a grin.

"Ah, Nagayoshi-kun! How nice to see you again. It's been a while, did you have a nice trip?"

"Good to see you as well, Genji-san. Our trip was adventurous to say the least. But we did manage to bring two gifts."

"How thoughtful, I do enjoy a nice gift once in a while. You can put them in the chairs and strap them in, we'll see about making them talk later. Now, did you get hurt at all? Let me see."

Before Hideki can answer, old man Genji walks a circle around Hideki, scrutinizing every part of his body. Satisfied that he won't keel over, he does the same to Otsu and Ed.

"Well well, looks like you got off better than the men you fought. You'll heal up just fine. The little lady has some burns, but I'm sure that doesn't worry her one bit, am I right? Probably be gone in the morning. Bit of a family thing, eh?"

Otsu is taken aback for a moment, but composes herself again fairly fast.

"Quite so."

"Hee hee, I knew I was right. But you, Gaijin, we'll need to take a look at those wounds or they might infect. Come over here."

He motions for Ed to sit down in a third chair.

"I'd be worried that the court poisoner is inviting me to sit in the torture chair, but at this point I'll take whatever rest I can get at this moment."

Ed sits down in the chair and removes his vest and shirt, and old man Genji sets about cleaning his wounds and wrapping them in bandages. meanwhile, Otsu has removed the samurai's armour and strapped both him and Ogino in chairs.

The daimyo turns to Hideki.

"Well then, Nagayoshi-Dono, shall we begin?"

[vishdafish]

Hideki lets out a short chuckle at Ogino's misfortune, before inclining his head in agreement to the Daimyo's suggeestion.
"Yes, if you are ready to start."
He then turns back to Ogino, slowly asking the questions:
"Why did you betray your clan? Who else was involved in the murder? What was the purpose of replacing the Shogun's Shadow? Is there any greater cause behind the killings of my clan?

[Pancaek]

((yo, probably best to put what kind of info you're trying to get out of them in your action. So that we don't spend several actions answering one question at a time.))

[vishdafish]

((Edited  ))

[NRDL]

Hideki lets out a short chuckle at Ogino's misfortune, before inclining his head in agreement to the Daimyo's suggeestion.
"Yes, if you are ready to start."
He then turns back to Ogino, slowly asking the questions:
"Why did you betray your clan? Who else was involved in the murder? What was the purpose of replacing the Shogun's Shadow? Is there any greater cause behind the killings of my clan?

+1

[lawastooshort]

+1, but also ask who is "the grass" and who commands them.


((I presume I understand the early grass reference but IC he doesn't. Worth following up. If they can betray, they must be commanded, right))

[Pancaek]

((Sorry about the super late update guys. I went to a convention during the weekend and caughty something there, so I've been quite sick these past few days. I'll try to do an update tomorrow, but no promises.))