THE ROAD TO SHINTOPART ONE: JONMy grandmother was very dear to me.
As Emperor of Japan, third of the Fairplay clan, I have a strong love for my family. Call it hereditary, my grandfather made it a point to always be spending time with me and my dear sister Corinne, even when there were urgent civil duties to attend to. His love for us was indescribable, and it left a lasting imprint on me. It always amazed me how he could be two completely different people depending on who he was with. When in the presence of myself, Corinne and his wife, he was the most loving and compassionate man the world had ever seen, yet when his adviser stepped up to inform him of some new developments in the empire, all love vanished from his face. Both he and my father were feared throughout the land as bloodthirsty rulers. My grandfather had ascended to the throne after a violent civil war, and by the time my father was born 1 year later, he had managed to keep his subjects in check, largely through fear.
I loved my grandfather as a human being, but as a ruler I knew I could never be the same type of emperor as him. He frequently entered the battlefield himself to lead his armies, and while in a skirmish with a warring nation, he was brutally murdered after a series of major tactical errors. My father ascended and soon afterward, began to teach me the secrets of leadership. He was no different from his father, perhaps even a bit more violent. And just like it had cost his father his life, soon it cost his as well. I was around 11 years old when I became Emperor. As of this writing I am 27 years old.
My first act as Emperor was to enter peace negotiations with all the enemies my elders had made in the past. It took a great many years, but I luckily managed to convince them all to end any and all hostilities with no bloodshed. My land could finally know the meaning of the word peace.
By far the strongest mother figure I had as a child was my grandmother. I never knew my mother, she had died giving birth to my younger sister when I was 3. After her husband's death, my grandmother dedicated her life to me and my younger sister, teaching us the ways of the world and how to properly live our lives. My sister Corinne, while still being very dear to my heart, took after my father and grandfather much more then I, often getting into petty squabbles with other children over admittedly trivial things. As an adult she was no different. I remember the first meeting she had with the woman who was soon to become my wife. She was quite openly hostile with her, I couldn't for the life of me figure out why.
Not more than a few months later, my fiancee was discovered dead in her sleep. Doctors were baffled and struggled to find a cause of death. In the end, it was said that she died of "natural causes," but deep down, I knew something more was afoot.
I fell into a depression, but by my side the whole time was my grandmother, there to comfort me in my time of need. She helped me to accept my fiancee's death, for the good of my country. This was last month.
Before our nightly dinner two nights ago, my grandmother called me over to her quarters to talk to me. "There is something very important I must tell both you and your sister Jon. Something that could destroy everything this family has built." We agreed to discuss it at the dinner table. Yet as we all began our meal, Corinne and I noticed something troubling. Our grandmother was having trouble eating much food past the first bite of sushi, obviously struggling to keep things down. Then blood began to drip out of mouth, before she fell face down and ceased all other movement. Doctors say she died that very moment.
I am writing this in a hurried frenzy. I know that something troubling is brewing within the empire. I don't yet know for sure, but I suspect someone is planning an attempt on my life. The first step is to find out the information my grandmother was intending to give me. I searched through her bedroom yet found no notes or letters. Her secret has apparently died with her. Yet hope is not lost. I know of a way to communicate with her. But before I do, I must search the land for three champions to go on this journey. The road ahead is laced with all sorts of danger, and only the best will suffice.
Gods be with me.
PART TWO: COACHWhen I am drinking my tea, I prefer to be left alone. I don't understand why people just can't understand that. If they knew the type of life I live, they would understand why I'm such a "loner" as they tend to call me.
I was sitting at an inn, by myself as usual. I try not to stick out among the crowd as much as I can, yet some low brow hooligans must have found my kimono quite amusing. They all came up to me as I sat in my wooden chair, 4 of them, all armed with blades that I could tell from afar to be inferior to my own.
"Hey gramps, that piece of trash you call an outfit comfortable?" one of them said.
"Yeah, don't you think that you would be a bit more fashionable in public, HUH?!" one of his buddies yelled. This sent them into hysterics. I tried to keep my cool.
"I could say the same thing about those rags on your backs." I spoke with a calm tone. They had no idea of the fury that was about to befall them.
"Say gramps, you're one to talk! Are we going to have to teach you not to diss us?"
"I think we're gonna have to! BOYS, ARM YOURSELVES!"
They drew their swords. I stood up and drew mine. Their technique, if you could call it that, was sloppy You could tell they had no actual experience. I was in full power to murder them all right there. The only thing stopping me was my conscience. I wouldn't be able to live with myself had I been responsible for these young men's death, since while they did antagonize me, that was really the extent of their transgressions. So I did the next best thing: I beat them to the ground like dogs, leaving them cut up but not much else. The apparent ringleader groaned in defeat as I walked to him.
"Son, do you have any idea who I am. People around this country have given me many names. Dragon Slayer. Warrior of the East. The list is far too much to tell you now. Would you like to know how I got these names? I'm sure you heard the tales of the Kuma-wani as a child, yes? Well son, those tales aren't just legends. I've battled with those crocodile sharks in the past. And every time I have, I left in victory, slaying them with this very sword I hold in my hands. Now I could end your life right here, I really could. But your blood on my sword would honestly be a waste. So go ahead and call me gramps, or old man, or whatever you will..."
I sheathed my sword, and began to walk away before turning my head...
"...but just know, that the name's Coach."
PART THREE: COACHI knew I had caused quite a scene, so I left the inn as quick as I could. No sooner had I made my exit I was stopped by two imperial officials.
"Halt. You were the one fleeing from the inn, weren't you?"
"That I am." No reason in lying to these men, I've tried before. The results were not nice. I fully expected them to declare me under arrest for disturbing the peace. Yet instead, they told me...
"Come with us. There may be a job for you straight from the emperor himself."
I was perplexed, yet thankful this was not ending in my arrest. I followed them for some time before we arrived at the gates to the palace. There were two others besides myself and the guards.
The first was a rather large, heavily built, and equally heavily bearded man, conversation revealed his name to be Rupert. My first guess was that he was some type of fisherman, yet according to him, he was a most-powerful sumo wrestler, highly in demand as a mercenary due to his unique ability to absorb blow after blow, and yet refuse to even flinch. I asked him what gave him such strength.
"My beard. My beard gives me strength!" He bellowed, following it with a hearty laugh.
The other one was a woman, dressed in kimono much like my own, a fellow warrior from the looks of it. Her name, she told me, was Abi. Like Rupert, she was also in high demand as a mercenary, only she was known for her almost invisible like presence and silent tactics.
"One minute they think they're alone, the next minute they're dead. It's that simple."
We all continue our conversation until another official opened the gates.
"The emperor will see you now."
The officials led us through the gate and into the Palace, where Emperor Jon stood, waiting for us.
"Welcome, my friends. We have very urgent matters to discuss."
He imparted upon us the tale of the very suspicious murder of his grandmother, and how she had been meaning to inform him of something important.
"I need to know what it was that she meant to tell me. And I intend on finding out."
"But how are you going to do that? I don't think you can get much answers from a dead woman!" said Rupert.
"On the contrary..." replied Jon. Everyone's ears perked up in surprise. "... I don't suppose you all know of the Shinto Otherworld, do you?"
"The afterlife of lore?" said Abi. "That place is but a myth, a thing to tell our children to aid their grief over death they do not understand!"
"No...I believe it's real." I spoke up.
"How?!" cried Abi.
"I've seen quite the fantastic creature in my time. Slain quite a few of them. If they are allowed to exist, I have no doubt this Otherworld also exists."
Jon nodded in agreement before continuing. "I have a family friend, Gregory, he's an expert in Kotodama magic. It is with him that you three shall cross over to the Otherworld and find my grandmother. I shall stay here and comfort my sister. She is...not taking her grandmother's death well."
"Understood." I said.
That was last night. Tonight, we go to meet this Gregory. I shall continue my reports after the day is done.
PART FOUR: ABIWe began our journey at sundown. This trip was to be a long one, apparently Jon's friend lives far from the kingdom, only occasionally making trips within the city walls. Immediately Coach began to bemoan this like the cranky old man he was.
"Blast this so called friend! This would be MUCH easier if we had visited one of the many other so called "magic practitioners" in the city!"
"We could, but that wouldn't be much of an adventure now, would it?" said Rupert.
"He's right. Plus, those other vendors are shady. Perhaps this one is the most trusted by the emperor for a reason." I said. Coach had no answer besides a disgruntled snort. I got the feeling he wasn't a people person.
It was here where we met the first of three assassins, a dark cloaked man standing in the middle of the road, waiting. We tried to ask him questions, but they were answered by the drawing of his sword. Coach's face, which not even an hour ago complaining and grumping, now froze in fear.
"Angarita. We meet again."
"That we do, old friend." replied the cloaked man.
Battle quickly ensued. Despite our three to one advantage, Angarita appeared to keep up with us. Every time Rupert tried to pin him down to the ground, Angarita wrestled his way out of it. Every blow by Coach was met with a parry by Angarita, and my tactics were of no use out here in the open. Finally it came down to just him and Coach. Their battle was a sight to behold. For a while it seemed that Angarita would best him, until he made one fatal mistake in pausing to catch his breath. Coach took the oppurtunity, and one final slash of his sword, opened Angarita's chest completely open, much to my and Rupert's shock. His blood shot out like liquid fireworks, spraying Coach's entire face and a bit of his chest. As Angarita finally fell to the ground, Coach sheathed his still bloodied sword and began to walk away.
"Farewell my friend. May we never meet again."
As Coach later told us while cleaning himself up at a nearby river, Angarita was an old friend of his who had betrayed him dearly in the past. "We used to travel the lands together looking for work in this violent land. One night I caught him trying to steal my share of the money. I told him to leave my presence and to never speak to me again." He splashed water across his face.
"He'd become quite good in his swordsmanship, I'll give him that. I've just gotten better."
PART FIVE: ABIAngarita was but the first assassin we would see. Our next test came in the form of a man and a woman. The woman was dressed the part of a geisha, yet was an assassin none the less, any fool could see it. Except for perhaps Rupert of course. One single wag of her finger was enough to draw him, as she guided him away from us and left Coach and I with the man.
"Kid, you remind me of those punks that approach me every day looking for a challenge. I'm telling you right here that you're out of your league. ESPECIALLY with that blasted stick you call a weapon!"
Indeed, the man seemed to only carry a tiny stick as his weapon. The battle seemed hopeless for him, yet his only response was loud, mocking laughter as he flipped some sort of switch on the handle, extending it to the length of a large kendo stick. Coach halted his antagonizing ways and drew his sword as I drew my shuriken, and once again battle ensued. This kid, whoever he was, was absolutely no slouch, managing to strike both Coach and I with his stick. It was way more painful than I imagined it would be, I was almost to the ground in pain. And yet somehow Coach fought through the pain, and sliced the man's stick in half. He stared at it dumbfounded for maybe a minute before Coach's glare sent him running away.
With one threat out of the way, I gazed to where the Geisha had brought Rupert, and ignoring the pain as bet I could, began to make my way behind her, careful not to make any sudden movements. As I saw whispering words in his ear, I caught a glimpse of a knife in her hand, hidden behind her back. I hurried my pace, and before she knew anything, I grabbed knife from her hand and thrust it deeply into her back. I didn't even stay to watch her die, guiding Rupert back to Coach.
With those two roadblocks out of the way, we continued our journey, which is hopefully nearing it's end. Yet I know even more trouble lies ahead.
PART SIX: GREGI had received a letter from Jon some time ago that I was to expect a party of three travelers to enter my home. I had not been within the city for quite some time, and was curious as to what was going on. Jon said that the group of three would explain everything to me when they arrived.
So I patiently waited, sitting out front front from my humble little living quarters, awaiting their arrival. Finally, after days of sitting there, I saw what appeared to be a group of mercenaries come up the road to my house.
"Are you the one named Gregory?" asked the bearded fellow.
"That I am. I hope the emperor hasn't sent you all to execute me." I joked.
"No, much more serious matter is at hand." said the older man. I could tell all of them were tired.
"Come in, all of you. I'll fix you some tea and you can tell me what I need to know."
My mouse is not large by any stretch of the imagination. I try my hardest to live as simple a life I can, farming outside my house so I won't have to go to the city for food. There is just barely enough space for me to practice my Kotodama, meditate, sleep, and prepare my meals. Stick three other people in here, and suddenly claustrophobia kicks in. To my surprise though, the travelers didn't seem to mind. I think they were just happy to sit down after perhaps days of walking. I served them all a fresh cup of tea (the old fellow seemed to enjoy it the most) and sat down with them.
"So tell me, what are your names?" I asked the three of them.
"Coach" said the older one in between sips.
"Rupert" said the bearded fellow.
"And I'm Abi. Nice to meet you Gregory."
"The same. So what's been going on? As you can see I'm not one for keeping up with city news."
Coach spoke up for the group. "The emperor believes there may be a plot brewing within his own palace to make an attempt on his life. So far both his fiancee and his grandmother have been mysteriously murdered. He fears he may be next."
I stopped him dead in his tracks. "Wait...did you say....his grandmother?!"
"That I did."
My stomach dropped. Muriel was dead. The woman I had cared for...no, LOVED was gone. I could feel tears beginning to come up. "I'm sorry. I...I'm having a moment right now."
I knew Jon through his grandmother. I had met her one day at the marketplace, while I was still living in the city. She was obviously many years my elder, but from the moment I saw her, I knew that something about her was special. I walked up to her and began talking to her, and everything just sort of grew from there. She introduced me to Jon, and we became great friends, although I don't think he ever knew I was romantically involved with Muriel. I struggled to regain my composure.
"How can I be of service to you?"
"The emperor believes you can enter the Shinto Otherworld, and we can find his grandmother. According to him, she was to give him important information before she was killed." said Coach.
I didn't even have to think about it. "Okay, I will aid you. It may take a while to get there, and it's not very safe, but it can be done."
"That's all we can ask for." said Coach.
PART SEVEN: GREGIt indeed took me some time, but I managed to get them all through. The Shinto Otherworld is not the place you want to be without good reason. Stray demons are prone to attack without warning, and if you're not careful, you may end up here forever. Luckily this was not my first time here. I had gone a few times before in my youth as a sort of adrenaline fueled adventure done just to say I had done it. This time was different though. This time I had a purpose.
Muriel.
Immediately after arriving we were attacked by two horrific demons. The first seemed to swing through the air, hanging on to some invisible thread, while the other was more monstrous, sporting two heads, both spouting the loudest cacophony of sound the human ear could handle.
Our battle against them seemed near hopeless. It seemed nothing we could do could best them. I knew the danger going in, but I never imagined it would be on this level. I could've sworn we were goners....
...until....
...a mysterious figure appeared, almost as if from nowhere. A demon, most definitely, but in human clothes, and this one was armed with a blade. The air demon was just about to destroy me, when this new demon intervened, cutting straight through the demons body. It let out an ungodly scream as it dissipated into the Otherworld. It quickly turned it's attention to the two-headed demon, and in what seemed like a single second, had slain the demon, decapitating it twice over. We just stared dumbfounded at this new demon. I had no idea it was possible for a demon to be this compassionate towards mortals.
"So...we meet again....Coach." it said.
"God Coach, HOW MANY PEOPLE HAVE YOU MURDERED?!" bellowed Rupert.
"Enough to not have any recollection about this one. Can you tell me your name?"
"Does the name Nathan ring any bells?"
It took Coach a few minutes, but he managed to remember. "Ah yes, you were one of the many hooligans that antagonized me while I was trying to enjoy my tea all those years ago. If it's any comfort, now when they do it I just beat them till they run away."
"It does not." growled Nathan.
"So why harass me now? I'm actually on an important mission."
Nathan sheathed his sword, and gazed at the world around him.
"I've quite a long time to hone my skills here, and I've been putting them to use. Hoping one day there would be a way for me to leave this place and return to the land of the living....and to redeem myself of my past misdeeds."
"Well you can begin..." I said, "...by helping find a recently departed soul. The grandmother of Emperor Jon...Muriel, her name is."
He guided us to where he believed she would be. I searched the many souls there, looking for her. I almost gave up, until I saw her face amongst the crowd.
"MURIEL!" I called to her. She looked to see where the noise had come from, and saw me. She almost fainted at the sight of me here in the Otherworld. I excitedly ran over to her, finally being able to hear her voice again."
"Gregory...wh-what...just WHAT are you doing here?! Oh no, don't tell me you've..."
"Don't worry, I'm just here to find you. Jon told us about what happened, and sent for us to find you."
"We were told you had information you had meant to give to him. Could you please tell us what that information is?" asked Abi. Muriel didn't even miss a beat.
"THE CHEF! Tell him not to trust the chef! He's the one who poisoned me!" I tried to recollect who exactly the chef was.
"You mean...ROB?!"
"YES, ROB! NOW GO, BEFORE IT'S TOO LATE!"
I had wished I could've spent more time with her, but I knew my duties, and just like that we were off, back to the world of the living, Nathan now in tow, and a new mission, to save Jon's life.
PART EIGHT: JON"I'm hoping that they arrive back soon, sister." I was with Corinne outside, thinking about the group of warriors I had sent out. It had been days since I last heard from them, and I was beginning to get worried.
"I'm sure they're fine. They ARE the best warriors in the land, after all. Aren't they?" she replied.
"Yes sister, yes they are. I'm just hoping they can survive the Otherworld."
"You're thinking too much brother, we should get you to your dinner."
"Yes...yes, perhaps some food in my belly will help ease my mind."
I walked with back inside the palace, and into the dining area. The imperial chef, Rob, was still preparing the food when we got there.
"Do you know when it will be done?" I cried out to him.
"Just a while longer, my lord." he cried back.
I sat down, and my mind could not leave the warriors. I started to become guilty, thinking I had sent these fine men and woman to their demise. I sat there, silent and still as stone, just thinking about them. I thought about this until Rob finally brought in the dish...which, oddly enough, was sushi, the same dish in fact that had killed my grandmother just days before.
"Dinner is served my lord." said Rob. I looked to Corinne, paranoia creeping in.
"Go on brother, it's just sushi."
I stared at it a good long while, scared to put even a bit in my mouth, until I decided I was being foolish. "Of course it is, what am I thinking."
"That's the spirit, brother!"
I began to take the first bite...
...until I heard five voices suddenly cry out.
"DON'T EAT!"
I turned my back, and there they were. Coach, Abi, Rupert, Gregory, and another warrior with them.
"It's Rob!" yelled Gregory. "He's the one who killed your grandmother!"
I put my food down, and stared daggers at Rob, who was beginning to sweat profusely.
"Rob, is this true?"
He refused to speak. I stood up, and looked him dead in the eye, and asked again.
"Rob...is this true, what I'm hearing from Gregory? That you poisoned and killed my grandmother, who you served under for years? WELL ROB? IS THIS TRUE?!"
And then he blurted out...
"CORINNE! IT WAS CORINNE'S IDEA!"
PART NINE: JON"Sister?"
I couldn't say another word. I just looked at her. I couldn't comprehend what I was hearing. And yet...the look on her face told me everything. What Rob was saying was true.
"Sister, why?"
This was not the Corinne I had known for many years. Gone was the facade of love, all that remained was a look of pure hatred.
"How do you think it feels, Jon? To be sister of an emperor with no BALLS to run an empire THE FAIRPLAY WAY?! You call yourself a Fairplay...a true Fairplay wouldn't ever DARE to use such things as a "peace treaty!" A REAL FAIRPLAY WOULD SEND HIS ENEMES TO THE VERY SAME WORLD YOU SENT THIS MISERABLE BAND OF CRETINS! I knew if the empire was to return to the glory days of our grandfather, that I would have to take the reigns!"
"So that's why you killed my fiancee. To make sure I never had any heirs!"
"And dear departed grandmother too! That way once you were gone, there'd be no one else in line but little old me!"
"Sister..."
I tried to say something. Tried to convince that her ways were evil, that had the "glory days" of our ancestors continued, our entire country would have been eradicated within a week. That this empire we had struggled so hard to protect would crumble under her rule.
But I couldn't. Words failed to form, even as I saw her take a knife from the table. A large one, large enough to kill.
"There's just one thing left to do. And since old Rob here apparently can't do it, I GUESS I'LL HAVE TO DO IT MYSELF!"
She lunged at me, and in all fairness gave me enough time to, but she was taking advantage of me, how I had turned to stone in front of her. And if it wasn't for Coach blocking her swipe with his sword, she very well would have stabbed me. She grunted, and engaged Coach in combat, armed with only a knife.
I stepped back and watched the chaos unfold. Rob tried to get away as quickly as he could, until Rupert tackled him to the ground and tried to choke him. It seemed to work, until somehow Rob managed to escape him, and immediately grabbed the sushi meant for me, and shoved it into Rupert's mouth, forcing him to eat it. Abi caught a glimpse of this. Without saying a single word, she got behind Rob, unsheathed her katana, and did something I had never quite seen before. She actually took her sword and shoved it right up his bottom. There was no doubt that he was dead after she took it out.
"They don't call me the ASSASSin for nothing."
She then joined the brawl that was Coach and Corinne. So far Corinne had managed to keep up, our grandfather had made it clear to give us training with weapons when we were young, and she was definitely putting those teachings to use as she survived this one-on-one onslaught. As soon as it became two-on-one though, it was clear she was not going to survive. They had down to ground, both about to end her life, until I said...
"NO! STOP!"
All three of them stopped and looked at me.
"I don't mind her being imprisoned. I don't mind the idea of her in a lifetime of servitude. She has plotted against my life, and for that I cannot forgive her. But unlike my sister, I don't know if I could live with one more family member dead. So please, as your emperor, I ask you...to spare her."
Coach seemed upset. "If I were you, I'd have taken her out no problem. But...you are my emperor, and I am bound to serve you. So I will honor your requests. Abi and I shall keep her here while you go get the guards to take her away, I don't think she's in much position to fight back anymore."
I nodded, and began to leave. I didn't even look at Corinne as I stepped out of the room to fetch the guards.
PART TEN: COACHSome time later after the whole incident, Abi and I decided to join Greg on another journey to the Otherworld. The threat of demon attack was gone, now that Nathan was on our side. We soon came across Muriel and Rupert together. Both were very excited to see us.
"GREGORY! So good to see you again dear!" Muriel said to Greg.
"Indeed it is my sweet. Has Rupert been keeping you company?"
"Oh he has! He's a surprisingly great storyteller, and we never run out of things to talk about. Isn't that right Rupert?"
"It sure is!" he bellowed. In a weird way, I sort of missed that signature bellow of his, even if I had only known him for a short period of time. "How have you two been?"
"We've been quite good, actually." I said. "Jon has been able to get us steady and reliable work for our services to the country." Abi nodded in agreement, a big smile on her face.
"Good to hear, my friends! By the way, have any of you managed to keep up with the Sumo Wrestling out there?" he asked us.
"I have." said Abi. "Your absence is felt by everyone, although luckily they have a new Geisha to keep them entertained. I'm sure Corinne is doing a fine job with your boys."
"EXCELLENT! I think this calls for a meal. OH ROB!" As soon as Rupert said his name, Rob appeared before us. "Get all these people some good food to eat while they're here!"
"Yes sir." said Rob, a defeated tone in his voice.
"Wait, hold up? You have the same guy who fed you poisoned fish serve your food in the afterlife!?" I said.
"Well of course. It may have killed me, but it was damn sure tasty!"
Everyone laughed at this. Everything was well. And I'm sure, even a world apart, that Jon could feel this too.
THE END.
gl Genji!
