A Letter to All Scorpions

The Crane have been given our lands and our children. This is as it should be, as we owe much to the Grey Crane, Kakita Toshimoko. He realized that the "obvious truth" is never the case with our clan, and refused to take the easy way out. The Crane are being scorned by many in the land, and many seem intent on taking their land, but remember that our fates are one with theirs. If Doji Castle falls, our hope dies with it. To protect the Children, we must support the Crane.

There was a rumor that the Crane were desiring to annex our lands for their own profit, and that they would "be gracious enough" to "allow" the Bayushi to become a minor family in their clan. I do not believe this to be true. The Crane are far too intelligent to do such a thing, and their Daimyo, Kakita Yoshi, is too wise a man to make enemies of those he cannot see.

In this time of turmoil, the shugenja of the realm have been cut off from the fortunes. Someone is making the elements bleed, according to Naka Kuro of the Phoenix. This enemy may be the same one that kidnapped Toturi, and framed us. We must discover the secrets of why the elements have been severed from the shugenja of Rokugan. We have an advantage over the others. Our shugenja may have been exiled, but the one known as Hoseki may lead us to an answer, for she contacts the elements in a different way than others.

My uncle's lessons when I was young have aided me in this time of madness. I will stay behind and find the ones who framed us, and I shall make them pay. Whether you support our clan in the shadows or you infiltrate the other clans, remember Bayushi Chimizu's words: Never, ever regret joining Scorpion.

Find the ones who caused our pain. Make them pay.

Bayushi Murai
Scorpion Clan Poet

We have been redeemed, my brothers! For the valorous deeds of our clan and our leader, Kachiko, the Emperor Toturi I has restored us to our rightful place... Because we currently have no official Champion, the Lady Kachiko shall stand as the leader of our clan, and Lord Aramoro shall govern us while she is aiding Toturi in the beginning days of his reign. It is her orders that Lord Aramoro's decrees be followed as if they were his brother's. She has another command for us:

We Must Recover the Black Scrolls!

All in the Clan must aid her in recovering them. She shall personally deal with anyone that disobeys this command.

There are daggers in a woman's smiles and deeper threats in a silken voice than any man could conquer

 

"Kachiko walked down the ancient corridor, her footfalls making no sound, leaving no wake of disturbed dust behind her. When she reached the end of the hall, she stopped and stood still, her eyes closing, her fists clenched.

"If there are fewer than seven", she whispered, her words echoing around her in the small corridor, "all is lost"

Then she turned left, to the stones of the wall. She counted three stones from the gate along the bottom and four stones up. She twisted and pulled until the latch gave way and the concealed panel slid aside. Then she pushed against the two heavy doors, amazed at how easily they opened for her. The night wind swept into the corridor, and for a moment, she was blinded by the swirling dust. When her vision cleared, she saw them and smiled.

"Welcome to Otosan Uchi", she said, her voice ringing in the air. They rushed in, and she saw that one of them was covered with blood. Two Phoenix maidens gently put him on the floor as his blood spilled into the dust.

"What", Kachiko began.

"Be silent, mother of lies!", shouted the elder maiden.

Kachiko's eyes grew narrow, but a warm hand fell on her shoulder. She turned and saw the ronin. "He clings to life by a thread. Take care."

She shook her head. "No. This is not right. It must be only us. Only the seven and the.."

"..and Shinsei,"whispered a cloaked figure from the shadows.

Kachiko's eyes widened and his own gleamed in the darkness. "..and Shinsei", she mumbled.

The hooded figure stepped forward "She is right. You must leave him"

"No!", the older maiden screamed, tears running down her eyes, but the younger took her hand, "Tsukune we must leave him now. Leave him with the Thunders"

"Leave with him with her!", Tsukune cried, pointing at Kachiko.

"We also leave with him with Shinsei and the others. We all play our parts Tsukune. We have played ours. Now it is there time. Let him go."

Tsukune nodded and stood, adjusting the swords in her obi. She let the girl turn away, but she took one last look at the wounded Phoenix Thunder and then looked at Kachiko,"All of this is your fault, Scorpion. All of it. I swear, lady of lies, if you live and he dies, I will teach you about revenge."

Then the Thunders stood alone with Shinsei. Again.

"Let me", said the Unicorn.

"No, let me." Kachiko took the weight of the wounded Phoenix onto her shoulders. He whispered from under the mask "Do not listen to Tsukune. She is a samurai, a little too brash and a little too courageous."

"She is a woman in love", Kachiko replied, "I know precisely how dangerous she can be."

Shinsei walked before them in the dust-filled darkness. The slick black flight of a crow flashed over the Thunder's heads and landed on Shinsei's shoulder.

"Shinsei and his crow", Kachiko thought, all the childhood stories of two cunning tricksters coming back to her from the past. "I will pay for my crimes tonight", she thought. Then she felt the wet cough of the Phoenix and shuddered."Perhaps we all will pay"

From ahead they heard a distant laughter. They all stopped. All but Shinsei. His stride never broke. His crow called to them from his shoulder, urging them on.

"I am not afraid,"whispered the Unicorn.

"We are all afraid, battle maiden",the Lion whispered as he stepped forward. "But so is the thing that waits for us."

From up ahead she heard the crow caw again.

The last time the Thunders walked with the Shinsei, she thought, only the Scorpion returned.

She spoke aloud,"Not this time." All the Thunders looked at her, but she kept her eyes forward, following the man with the crow, as they walked deeper into the darkness...

The vast Chamber was silent and still. Kachiko was alone. She stepped closer to it, the swish of her satin the only sound in the room. Her footfalls led her to the Emerald Throne of the Hantei Dynasty and she looked upon the carving that showed the sun goddess and the first Emperor and the fissure that seperated the two. Shadows fell across the image, making the crack seem deeper than it was, or perhaps the shadow revealed its true depth.

"The first steps have been taken, sweet Mother Sun", she whispered. "Already, one of your chosen ones has fallen. I have wounded one of your Seven Thunders." There was the slight sound of laughter in her voice. "I cast him down from the light of your favor. He is nothing." Her fingers caressed the lion head engraved in the throne. "The next fall will be even more delicious than the Crane's."

She spun about, the folds of her kimono folding all about her and she fell into the arms of the Emerald Throne. Only the darkness heard her laughter. She spoke "Aramoro?"

The darkness answered:"Yes, my Lady?"

The lids of her eyes gently closed. "Kisada has made his alliance with the dark lands?"

The darkness answered again: "Yes, my Lady"

She smiled: "Excellent"

"But there is other news that troubles me."

She snuggled into the throne, her eyes closed and her smile unfaltering. "Yes, what is it?"

"Lord Toturi is leading an army of Dragon samurai"

"We knew that, Aramoro. You have not told me anything new."

"He brings with him the armies of the Naga."

Her back straightened and her eyes flashed open:"Naga?"

"Aye, my lady"

Thunder rolled in the distance as the darkness waited her commands. Her eyes seemed lost for a moment, but then she regained command of her thoughts. "Panic will not serve us well at this hour", she said. Then she regarded the darkness once again:"Tell Lord Kisada. Suggest to the Great Bear that Yakamo would serve us well in this situation. I am sure he will come to the same conclusion."

"Yes, my Lady." The darkness was silent again.

"Naga?", she whispered. "Indeed, the situation has changed." But then she remembered the young Dragon samurai maiden who had just recently left the palace and she smiled. "A small surprise for you from me, Lord Togashi", she said. "I only wish I could see under that mask of yours when you see how much she has changed." It took all of Kachiko's will not to fill the dark room with victorious laughter....