The journey from Mikawa to Owari had been mostly uneventful, and the arrival at the border of the province into Mino was the only point in that trip where anything of note even occurred. They made it to the border checkpoint and found themselves facing a rather large blocked off segment of road leading past one of the many camps. Two guards stopped them, and it was Emi to approach first, "Pardon me. We'd like to move past here, if possible."

The first guard shook his head. "Unless you have an Oda pass, no one gets through this area."

"This is our only route-"

"Sister," the second guard cut in, "we've had too many smugglers and ne'er do wells trying to cross through here. If you want to get through, you'll need a pass."

"Oi!" A voice made the two guards turn to face the man approaching them. He was on the short side and spindly, carrying himself with an almost exaggerated swagger as he approached them with a samurai in tow. "Why are you hassling these travelers?"

"Mister Kinoshita," the samurai leaned in close and looked up at Sen and company with a smile, "these are the ones."

"Ah!" The short man beamed and clapped his hands together. "You're the ones who saved Ayumu!" He paused and narrowed his eyes at the two guards, "And you haven't let them pass... why?"

"Ah, sir, we..."

"It doesn't matter now. They pass with my permission."

"B-but Lord Nobunaga..."

"Will be fine with one little group. Now get going already!" He shooed them away before he turned back to the group with a broad smile. "Sorry about that. Lord Nobunaga has been highly insistent on keeping these roads locked down until we get people inspected. You remember Ayumu, right?"

The samurai smiled behind his somen and bowed, "I was several feet shorter and a lot hairier, I fear."

It clicked. "Oh!" Sen exclaimed in surprise as the samurai beamed back at him.

The man named Kinoshita laughed heartily and grinned at them, "That's Ayumu for you! When he disappeared during our scouting mission, I got worried I wasn't going to see him again."

"Your army has many yokai," Hachirou observed as he watched some of the soldiers pass. "Is that by design?"

"Our Lord is... well, let's just say that strength and ingenuity are good for him regardless of where that strength comes from," Kinoshita scratched the back of his head and glanced over his shoulder. Sen followed his gaze and saw what he was looking at. Standing on the nearby ridge was a tall man garbed from head to toe in dark armor, the jinbaori he wore over it decorated with a scene of a midnight field of spider lilies and fireflies, and the helmet adorned with an upturned crescent that held the crest of the Tokugawa of Mikawa. Sen couldn't see his face past his somen, but the eyes that burned above the metal mask glowed a burning amber – the color of yokai. Kinoshita regarded him for a moment before he gave a friendly wave. The yokai hesitated a small moment before raising his hand and turning away and vanishing further over the rise. "Eh, he'll come around," the short man shrugged and turned back to Sen and company. "Anyway, as a favor for saving my pal here," he slapped Ayumu's shoulder as he spoke, "I'll let you all get through here to keep on your way. Uh, just, don't tell anyone I was spotting you some favors. Last thing I need is a chewing out from Shibata again..."

"I'll escort you to the end of the checkpoint," Ayumu nodded and gestured for the group to follow him. He led them through the makeshift checkpoint, and Sen couldn't help but marvel at the soldiers milling about. He hadn't seen that many troops before in his entire life, let alone so many fully armored. His eyes went to the ridges on other side of the road, and he saw camps and even more soldiers milling about. He couldn't even imagine what all of these troops were needed for.

As they passed, Sen saw the Oni that the farmers had spoken of. He was easily two meters tall and garbed in finely made armor. His kabuto, Sen noted as they passed the camp by, had two holes to accommodate his horns that cradled the Oda kamon like a nest. The grew back from his head, two large, golden horns. He had them plated with gold. Typical Oni vanity. He was standing with other officers, one of whom, Sen noted in awe, had skin close to the color of obsidian.

"To his credit," Aoi muttered as he watched the soldiers, "Oda has an impressive array of people."

"My Lord is a man of vision if nothing else," Ayumu spoke over his shoulder as he led the group along. "He has the potential to change the course of thee future. All of us yokai here can feel it. We're drawn to men like him – men of destiny, men of power. The gaze of the Kami are on them, tides flow and change depending on their actions, and those of us who are, in some way, connected to it can feel it."

Hashi nodded as his eyes followed the ridgeline. He began his gesturing and Sen watched. Feels like greatness. Power. Strength. Has a... Hashi seemed to struggle to find the word and settled for a motion like he was tugging on a rope, a pull.

"Why do yokai follow men like him?" Emi asked as she hurried forward to get closer to Ayumu. "What draws you to people like him?"

"They change destiny. Not all yokai do, but when you're like us, where you can feel how they change the fate of the land around them... Well, I guess it's just in our nature. We follow strength, change. Humans are change, everything impermeant. We follow them sometimes not as servants, but as equals to survive the tests of time and follow the flow of the world." Ayumu paused and frowned as he looked back over his shoulder, "Call it an instinct, I guess."

They made it to the opposing end of the checkpoint where Ayumu stopped and smiled at them with a bow. Sen turned and looked at him, "What do you plan to do with this newfound freedom of yours, Ayumu?"

The inugami paused and stared at them for a moment like he was surprised to have been asked such a question. "Well, continue to serve Kinoshita, of course! I'll be here as long as he needs me to be. That's my duty, after all."

"He's lucky to have a friend as devoted as you," Emi smiled at him with a nod of her head.

"He saved my life," Ayumu stated matter of factly. "I don't think there's any other option for me. He's my friend, too, of course, but I owe him a lot more than that."

Sen understood that better than most as he glanced at Hashi. Helping him to get to Hoshiga on Kyushu was the only option. What else were you supposed to do for friends?

---

The trip into Mino proved to be mostly uneventful, but as time went on, Sen began to see Hashi growing weaker and weaker, before finally the yokai could barely stand up. "We need to stop," Sen looked up at the group as they gathered their things to keep moving after a brief stop. "He's in no condition to keep going right now."

Aoi looked around, and Sen saw a look of recognition cross his face. "Lucky for you," the Ronin turned to look at him with a broad grin, "I know exactly where we are. Hashi, can you make it about another mile? We're near a place where we can hole up for a few days."

Hashi wobbly got to his feet and nodded, as he leaned on Sen for support. Hachirou quickly handed his naginata to Yuzuha and joined Sen, hefting the yokai's other arm up over his shoulder. "We can carry your weight for now. Aoi, where are we, roughly?"

"A mile outside of an old estate. Even if people are there, I... let's just say that I know the family there. They'll help us."

"This is Mino," Yuzuha frowned. "How do you know people here?"

Aoi just smirked at her, "How do you think? I'm from these parts. Now, enough chatter. Let's get our big friend to a place where he can sleep this fatigue off."

With more certainty than Sen had seen in anyone in his life, Aoi led them through the winding old roads through the forests of Mino to a clearing that revealed old gates that looked as though they hadn't been used in years. At the sight of them, Aoi paused and Sen saw him shake his head from behind as they approached them, "They didn't..." he began quietly as he stormed forward and pulled them open with no bit of effort.

The old gate creaked and groaned as it opened to reveal a courtyard with traces of an old rock garden. The willow trees had overgrown and an old maple tree sat with its burning red leaves on overgrown branches that scratched the tiles of the roof nearby when the wind blew the boughs. Branches and leaves littered the grounds in a thick blanket and moss had completely covered the old decorative stones. The house was vacant, but intact from what Sen could see as the group followed Aoi in. He saw the ronin slow and look around. When he turned and Sen could see his face, the look of shock and sadness took him aback. He hadn't expected to see the ronin so emotional about the state of an old noble's house.

"Hey, old man," Yuzuha turned to look at him and cocked one of her eyebrows, "what in the hell is this haunted house?"

"It used to belong to... to an old friend. I thought his family would have..." Aoi looked around, his voice trailing off as he shook his head. "No... No, I guess they wouldn't have." Without another word, he trudged ahead towards the main doors and waved the group after him.

Aoi shoved open the old sliding door as they hefted Hashi inside and laid him down in what used to be the reception hall of the old estate. "This used to belong to an old friend of mine. He... He died a long time ago..." Aoi's voice trailed off as he gave his head a shake and knelt down to begin tossing old remnants of wood into the brazier. "He wouldn't mind us using it for a little while, I think."

Sen looked around. The house was mostly intact save for a few windows that had been broken by the weather. Something about the house itself seemed vaguely familiar, but why that was the case, he couldn't quite explain it. Emi rubbed her hands and warmed them by the fire as she turned back to look at Aoi, "What exactly is this place, Aoi? You said it used to belong to a friend."

Sen watched Aoi's face change when he looked around the old manor with a long sigh. "Once upon a time, this place was filled with light and life... it's sad to see it so dark and cold now," the ronin folded his arms across his chest as he glanced down into the brazier as the fire he started began to grow brighter and warmer. "We would come here a lot as children and hide in the forest, and when we were older, we would go hunting."

"What would you even hunt in these woods?" Yuzuha asked as she warmed her hands beside Sen.

"Deer, boar, and sometimes yokai if they were causing trouble. Ha! I remember one time we were hunting this particularly destructive beast, and Mitsukage leaped from his horse and stabbed it right in the neck! He had so much speed going that he slit its throat as he swung across it. Landed and almost dislocated his shoulder! Oh! His father and his uncle were furious!" Aoi chuckled and joined the group around the fire. "He always had a way of doing that - of making his uncle hate him. His cousin, Jubei, adored him, though. I... don't miss many people in my life. Death is natural, but... I never got to say goodbye to Mitsukage. Maybe that's what hurts the most."

Emi reached over and placed one comforting hand on his arm with a tender smile, "Saying goodbye is a gift we are not all afforded. I am sure that your friend is resting happily in the embrace of the Kami."

Aoi chuckled again and patted Emi's hand, "Oh, he's probably raising hell in Yomi. It never was like Mitsukage to sit still. Heavenly paradise would be torture. He was always going somewhere, doing something, saving someone. Confining him would be a worse fate than death."

"Who was he, this Mitsukage?" Yuzuha asked as she sat back and crossed her arms while Sen began to get up and look for a bedroom for Hashi.

"My best friend and my lord, for a time. We traveled together for... ages, I guess. He was one of the best friends I ever had, and he was an even better swordsman. We journeyed all across the country together. Mitsukage, me, Rokujo, Shigezane... even that twerp Ujiyo."

"Wait," Sen paused before he could leave the room and turned back to Aoi. "You know Dewa no Ujiyo?"

Aoi looked at him, eyes widening in surprise, "You know him? My apologies." He snorted, "That weaselly little bastard... after everything Mitsukage did for him, he turned him in to the shogun. Got him banished and branded a traitor, sent him on the run for the rest of his life. Why he never decided to kill the ass is beyond me."

Sen slipped out of the room as Aoi began his rant and went down the hallway, finding one old bedroom at the end of the hallway. He returned and helped lift Hashi to his feet, guiding his friend down the hall until they came to the room. He set him down and went into the closet to rummage for supplies and found several duty but usable pillows and blankets. Without a word, he patted them out and hauled them over to Hashi, laying them out in a makeshift bed and moving his friend to it.

Hashi grabbed him by the arm as he turned to his pack, and he stopped to look over at him. The yokai had a look on his face before he began signing. Knew him.

"Who? Mitsukage?"

Hashi hesitated a moment before he nodded and continued. Brave and kind, he motioned with his hands. Traveled with him. With Myugou.

Sen paused and leaned in, "You did? How did Aoi not mention him?"

Hashi shook his head. Myugou. Followed later.

"What happened to Mitsukage, then?"

Killed. Left everything to Myugou, Hashi explained as he went through his motions. The yokai paused and watched Sen's face with another expression the man couldn't quite place before he sighed and continued. Always tried his best. Not a traitor. Ujiyo not to blame. Shogun needed a villain. He understood.

"Why not tell Aoi?"

Hashi gave him an indulgent smile and shook his head. Promised not to tell. You must keep secret, too.

Sen smiled at him and nodded, "Of course. Now, rest. I'll bring you in some food later if you're awake, okay?"

Hashi gave another smile, this one sleepy and satisfied and he closed his eyes and snuggled down into the blankets with a heavy exhale as Sen patted his shoulder and stood up. He slipped soundlessly from the room and slid the door shut behind him as he rejoined the rest of the group. Hachirou stood with Aoi as the girls were noticeably absent. Upon seeing Sen, Aoi waved him over.

"You can take that room down the far corridor if you want. That will put you closest to Emi without being untoward," Aoi finished with a nod as Sen joined them. "Good. You can bunk in with Hashi and I'll stay with Hachirou. We were just talking. There's a town near here called Kikukawa. Tomorrow, we should head in without Hashi and make a supply run. I think we should also rotate in groups to go in. I've been keeping an eye out recently, and I think we're being tailed. If we can make ourselves look like a few smaller groups, mores the better. Emi and Hachirou are too conspicuous, so I think we'll keep them here. You, me, and Princess will rotate out. I can go by myself, but I figure sticking you two together would work best. I'll go out, buy some necessities, and come back. Then you two can head out. If anyone asks who you are, you're sellswords coming to work for the Aoigahara Clan. Got it?"

Sen frowned, "Who are they?"

"Local lords here. Kikukawa is their turf, and they take on hired blades from time to time to handle menial tasks and to scout samurai candidates," Aoi looked over at Sen again and gestured for him to follow him outside. The two stepped through the doors and Aoi slid them closed behind him with a heavy sighed before he brought his fingers up to pinch the bridge of his nose. "Sen... Promise me one thing while we're here."

Sen furrowed his brow and nodded, "Of course."

"Whatever happens, if Hashi has one of his outbursts... promise me that you won't let him hurt the people of this town. This is my home, and if he gets out of hand... my honor dictates that I have to stop him, no matter what," Aoi looked at him with a frown.

Sen hesitated, but he knew that had it been Ebume, he likely would have felt the same way. "I won't let him hurt anyone, Aoi. I promise."

The ronin watched him for a moment, his eyes holding his face in their gaze before a small smile came to the man's tired features, "I know you won't. Funny... You reminded me of someone just then..." Sen wanted to ask who, but Aoi just patted his shoulder and walked back inside before he even got the chance.

---

Kikukawa was a pretty little farming town. Rice paddies surrounded it and fields of various kinds grew crops that Sen hadn't gotten to see much up in the north. The houses all had thatched roofs where Sens aw farmers running their day-to-day errands bustle vanish and reemerge with their tools and the like. The house were all lined up in neat rows along the central road, and small shops and a teahouse were further along where the main gathering area of the town was set up. There was a smithy, a potter, painters, and textile makers. Compared to the little farming communities they had gone through, Kikukawa was a metropolis in Sen's eyes. He paused briefly to watch one of the kimono designers paint a mountain scene at night onto one of the haori he was making before he trotted after to catch up with Yuzuha, who had paused by the forge with a look of awe in her eyes. The smiths there hammered away as a senior blacksmith looked over their shoulders. When he looked up, he could see one of the more well maintained roads lead to a large house in the distance, the gate emblazoned with a flower encircled by hollyhock leaves.

Yuzuha cleared her throat, "The Aoigahara kamon." Sen nodded, and she continued, "It's, um, a derivative of the Akechi kamon. Samurai clans who have been attached to certain families for long period soften have variations of their parent clan's sigils to show relation."

"That makes sense," he nodded and smiled at her. "You know a lot of things, Yuzu."

She reached up and rubbed the back of her neck with a shift, "Not... really. I just picked stuff up along the way, you know."

They turned from the smithy and continued down to see where the townspeople had set up shop. Overstocked produce, extra fabric, dyes, brushes, inkstones, woven baskets, fresh food, freshly caught game... Sen couldn't help but marvel at the wide array of what Yuzuha considered commonplace necessities. She glanced over at him with a snorted laugh, prompting him to break from his amazement and look over at her questioningly.

"Sen... They're baskets."

"They look so beautiful, though..." He picked one up and turned it in his hands. "No one in Ebume ever made anything like this." He stopped and set it down as he turned his attention to the earthenware jugs another stall had set up, "You could store so much sake in these! Our potter left... maybe a decade ago? We were never able to have enough liquor to sell because we could never get any jugs in."

Yuzuha gave a breathy laugh of disbelief as she shook her head, "Sen, you are the only man to get excited over jugs."

She went to turn and bumped into someone. When she looked up, she had to keep looking up. The man standing and admiring the jugs as well was a giant of a human being – taller than any person Yuzuha had ever seen. What really made her stop and her eyes go wide was his hair. It was the color of golden silk and hung in a messy ponytail down just past his shoulder, and when he turned to look at her, he had eyes the color of mountain streams and a beard that matched the hair on his head. Despite that, he wore Japanese clothes and at least smelled like he bathed from time to time.

"Oh," he spoke in a strange accent, "my mistake, miss." Yuzuha had absolutely no idea what he said because it certainly wasn't Japanese.

Another man slid up beside him. Now, he was at least Japanese, albeit, Yuzuha noted, he looked a little shifty. That, and he had one of those things on his back. Yuzuha had heard about them. Guns, they were called. These were from the West, not from China, and they were relatively new. He had his hair pushed back and a dirty old headband wrapped around his forehead, but the Jinbaori he wore over worn old armor was oddly fine for a man that looked as shifty as him. He gave her a conman's smile and spoke, "He apologized for running into you. Don't worry. He looks terrifying, but he's as gentle as a foal."

Yuzuha felt Sen walk up beside her, and when she slowly turned her eyes to him, she was stunned that he didn't look overly impressed by the massive gaikoku-jin standing in front of them. Then again, Yuzuha reasoned quietly to herself, he was used to yokai. Chances are that the foreigner didn't come across as overly exotic considering most of Sen's regular company.

"Say, have you two seen any strange creatures along the road?" The shifty man inquired, prompting Yuzuha to cross her arms.

"Have you seen the war going on? We've seen plenty of strange things, believe me," her reply was clipped and she kept herself looking as intimidating as humanly possible.

"I'm a Saika Mercenary. I've been hired to hunt down a Rotted yokai with my group of friends. A pretty big one. Wondered if you two had seen it: tall, kinda hunched over, travels with a group," the mercenary asked as he also nonchalantly crossed his arms.

Sen tried his best not to outwardly tense up, but Yuzuha had him covered. She rolled her eyes, "No. I haven't. Now can you and your big, ugly foreigner get out of my way so we can continue shopping?"

"Have some respect!" Another voice came from behind them as another man stormed up. Yuzuha knew he was a samurai, and seemingly from the way his face changed, he realized who she was. "Oh, my apologies, Onna-bugeisha."

The shifty mercenary slowly turned to his friend and frowned in disbelief, "Hold up! Aren't you supposed to be on our side?"

"Did she have to call me ugly, though? That was a little rude," the gaikoku-jin rumbled something quietly in his own tongue under his breath before he crossed his arms.

"Are you travelling with a servant, my lady?" The samurai cast his eyes to Sen, who frowned and looked at her in the most offended way she had ever seen, and the mere idea of Sen being her servant was enough to make her burst into a peal of laughter.

"My... my servant- Oh, by the Kami, that's hilarious!" She wheezed out as she turned to look at Sen, "Get a load of this guy!"

"I am not a servant," Sen grumbled.

"No, he's definitely not," she finished off her laugh and shook her head, "and it's none of your business."

"No luck with the Aoigahara, I guess," the mercenary looked oddly smug as the samurai slowly turned to look back at them with his handsome face turning to a scowl. Sen didn't quite get how this group was laid out, but he knew for a fact that there was a bit of tension.

"Lord Aoigahara is away, and Lord Harukawa point blank refused to help us," the samurai replied like he was trying to keep up some shred of dignity as the mercenary gave a look that oozed of "I told you so". "If you have come seeking employment, I suggest moving on and trying the Saito or Akechi. The Aoigahara have no interest in hiring anyone on," the samurai sighed as the mercenary snickered behind him. "Naoyuki, shut up."

"What? I didn't say anything!" The mercenary protested.

Sen saw another man appear, dressed in a straw gasa and dark kosode and hakama. He had a finely made sword hanging from his hip and a decently large pack slung over his shoulder, but it wasn't until he spoke that something about him rang a familiar chord. "What are you three doing? Harassing travelers again?"

"Oh, Maru!" Naoyuki heaved a sigh of theatrical relief. "Thank the Kami! Call off your dog before he starts a fight!"

Sen froze, eyes widening almost imperceptibly as the man met his gaze.

The Sayonakidori from the forest. The one who hunted Hashi. He caught a look of recognition in his eyes, too. However, rather than say anything, his look was quickly replaced by a smile as he looked to Naoyuki and the samurai, "Nobu, relax. Who are our friends? You did ask names, right?"

"No, and frankly, I don't want to know who these idiots are," Yuzuha snorted. "Come on, Sen. We're leaving."

"Wait, before you go..." Maru moved to the front of the group, fixing Yuzuha and Sen in his gaze again. "We're looking for a Rotted yokai," Maru spoke, turning to Sen. "He was said to have been travelling with a group along these roads."

"Already asked, Maru," Naoyuki called as he walked away with the gaikoku-jin in tow. "Me and Avery did right before you and Shining Samurai Nobuhiko the Valiant showed up. They said they didn't see anything out of the ordinary."

"Stop calling me that!" The samurai snapped, but stayed rooted firmly by Maru's side.

Maru watched them both closely, and Sen could feel something digging about his gaze. "He's right," Sen finally managed out as calmly as he could. We've seen a lot of yokai, but none like what you described."

Yuzuha grabbed his arm and began to drag him away, but as they went to pass, Maru turned to face him, his eyes watching them from under the rim of his gasa. "By the way," he called out, making them stop where they were, "have we met? You seem familiar."

Yuzuha glanced briefly at Sen before he looked back over his shoulder, "I've never seen you before in my life."

---

"Fuck!" Aoi slammed his fist into the wall of the house, making Emi shoot him a disapproving glare as she passed out tea to the group. "How in the hell did they catch up to us so quickly? And how in the hell does he have connections with samurai and the Saika?"

"It doesn't matter how," Hachirou responded as he took a long sip of the tea before setting his cup down in front of him, "but that they have. How do you suggest we proceed from here? This is your home, after all."

"We need to be careful," Aoi muttered as he brought his hand to his chin and stroked his chin. "The Saika are good at what they do. Them being able to take out Hashi is a very real possibility. As for the Sayonakidori... He's also good. Too good. The techniques he uses are impressive for a glorified hunter for hire. The key here will be only moving Hashi when absolutely necessary, so lying low for a few days and taking roundabout paths back here will do us some good."

Sen looked over at Hashi as his friend lumbered weakly in. The yokai sat down and picked up his cup of tea with his hands, far too large for the small cup, and gingerly took a sip of the hot tea as he looked between the group, unaware of the new development about the Sayonakidori. Sen leaned over and began filling him in as Emi reached up and stroked her chin thoughtfully, "Could we perhaps try and reason with him?"

"As much as I would love that. I doubt it," Aoi muttered. "The Sayonakidori get commissioned by usually wealthy patrons, and they are expected to deliver results - no matter what."

"They were trying to get help from the local ruling family," Yuzuha added, prompting Aoi to raise his eyebrows in surprise while still somehow looking completely exasperated. "Apparently, though, the eldest son shut them down."

"Second," Aoi corrected quickly. "Harukawa is lord and Lady Aoigahara's second son."

"Why is a second son dealing with family business?"

Aoi hesitated a moment before he set his jaw. "Their first son was kidnapped when he was a kid. That's why neither the lord nor the lady are here, from what I gathered. They've been out searching for him."

"There is one more pressing issue," Hachirou cut in as he looked between the group members. "I was out getting some supplies and overheard some rumors about an impending bandit attack. Armed raiders, apparently, comprised of deserters from surrounding armies. People are anxious."

"This just keeps getting better and better, doesn't it?" Sen sighed as Hashi followed suit. "We can't just abandon your home, Aoi. What do you want to do?"

Aoi reached up and stroked his beard as he began to slowly pace back and forth. He just walked slowly back and forth before he looked up at the group, "Head into town together. All of you. Take Hashi, stay together, and get to the inn. It's owned by an old man named Zaemon. He'll be sure no one tries to do anything to Hashi. Wait for me there. I'm going to try and pull a favor."

---

The group did as Aoi suggested, and when they found themselves in the inn, Sen caught sight of Maru and his company in one of the far corners watching the door. Sen placed himself between Hashi and them, and he saw Yuzuha lock eyes with them and scowl as they took up place in the opposing corner.

"No worries," Emi smiled, trying to stay calm. "I doubt they'd start a fight so openly."

As Sen got a good look around, an old man hurried up to them and clasped his hands together with a friendly smile. "Welcome to Kikukawa, travelers. Would you like a meal? Forgive us if it gets crowded. People are worrying about the raiders."

"Do you need protection?" Sen asked. "We can help. No charge."

"Honestly, if you could just stay and be sure that nothing happens, we would appreciate it. Lord Harukawa has his hands full with supplying troops for the Akechi. I fear he has few resources to spare helping us."

The group all exchanged looks, and Yuzuha was the one who spoke up, "Cover our food, and you've got a deal." Emi frowned as the old man laughed and nodded. "Uh, we'll cover drinks, though," she added in an attempt to appease the glaring nun.

"That sounds like a fine arrangement!" Zaemon nodded and disappeared back into one of the rooms  out of view of the main room.

A few moments later, a young woman emerged with a tray of food that she sat down on the table along with several jars of warm sake. She glanced over at Sen, who took no notice of her staring at him as he handed one of the bowls of rice to Hashi and quickly began eating out of his own. Yuzuha frowned when she saw the girl holding the tray and staring down at Sen. "Oi, what are you looking at?" She asked and made the girl jump at the same time.

"Ah! I'm-I'm sorry. He just... He looks a lot like Lord Harukawa. I was just a little surprised..." She stepped back and lowered her eyes.

"It's alright," Sen shrugged, but his eyes were soon pulled to Maru, who had stood up and made his way over to their table. "Oh great..."

Maru smiled down at them, and Hashi pulled his lips back in an irritated snarl as he shoved more millet into his mouth. "I thought you said you hadn't heard of any yokai."

"Lay a finger on him, and I'll cut your hand off," Yuzuha snarled as she set her bowl down and swallowed the millet she had in her mouth.

"I'm getting the sense that you also lied when you said we never met."

"How would I know it was you? Last I checked, you were hiding behind a mask," Sen frowned and followed Yuzuha's lead in setting his bowl down.

"And I was under the impression that you only hunted yokai who were a danger to humans," Hachirou slowly dragged his eyes from the strip of beef he held between his chopsticks and stared at Maru. "Hashi has never done anything to warrant a contract."

"Not according to my client. He killed a samurai's son," Maru dragged his eyes across the table to Hashi.

Sen watched his friend set his bowl down and sign, Not a samurai. A Thug. The way he added the last word with such vitriol was a surprise. 

"He said it wasn't a samurai. It was a thug," Sen looked from Hashi back to Maru, who had this focused look in his eye that made him instinctively begin reaching for the tanto strapped to his back.

Before the situation could escalate, a woman burst through the door with a child in one arm and another holding her hand, "They're coming!" Her breathless shout broke everyone's tension and made the whole room turn to look at her as Zaemon emerged with a young man around the same age as the woman who served them. "They're coming, Zaemon!"

Maru move to the center of the room, "Listen, if you all listen to me and my companions, we can make it through this unscathed!"

"Oh, brother..." Yuzuha stood up with Sen and the others as they followed him.

"And why should we rally around demon hunters?" One man shouted, making Maru blink in surprise. "The whole reason there aren't yokai here to help us get rid of these raiders is because of your ilk!"

"Why would a yokai help you?" Nobuhiko retorted.

A woman stood up next, "We had a guardian yokai who lived here! He was our protector and you snakes killed him!"

"I didn't-!" Maru protested, but another voice from the back of the inn cut him off. 

"You Sayonakidori are all the same! The only thing you care about is coin!"

As more protests to Maru's idea piped up, Sen dragged his eyes to him and watched his face carefully. There was something there in his eyes, even if his face didn't show it. Sen knew the look well. Shame. Perhaps, he considered as his group futilely tried to defend him, he wasn't as firmly into his job as one would initially believe.

"Then will you rally to Aoigahara Mifune?" Sen turned to Aoi's voice and blinked when he saw him standing in full armor. The purple cording that wove the iron platelets together stood out against the dark metal, and the crescent moon on his kabuto caught the light of the inn. No longer did he look like a ronin. No, now, Aoi was a samurai. "This is my fault. Had I remained here, you would all be safe." Sen watched as every Kikukawan dropped to their hands and knees in a low prostration, but he also saw Aoi hurry forward and begin hauling the people top their feet, "Enough! I left you. I need to earn this respect back!"

"Oyakata-sama," the old innkeeper gripped his forearms with a shake of his head, "you earned our respect years ago. We knew that you would come back for us!"

Aoi paused and looked around at the people who all began to stand with a shake of his head. "My family does not deserve loyal servants like you. It shames me. Zaemon, I need you to get everyone in the town here and keep them here. I have few men and fewer with combat experience. We need to keep the people safe, first and foremost. I've sent for my son. He should be here soon with whatever men we can muster with Lord Akechi supporting Lord Dosan. These bandits won't be walking out of here without a bloody nose."

Yuzuha stepped forward with a firm stamp of her naginata, "How can I help?"

Sen nodded, "And me. These people need protection."

Aoi grinned at them and nodded, "Princess and Sen, you two are with me. Emi, Hachirou, I need both of you to remain here with these people and whoever else calls when we start ringing the bell. Until Harukawa gets here with our men, we're going to be outnumbered and outmatched..." He paused when he saw Hashi looking expectantly at him and sighed, "Can you fight with that arm, Hashi? Last thing I want is you getting hurt and spreading the Rot further."

Sen saw Hashi give a resolute nod and shift his naginata to his good hand with a grunt.

"Alright," Aoi nodded with a smile. "We can use extra muscle back here. The people have to be our top priority."

"Where can we help?" Maru asked as he stepped forward, and as he did, Sen felt his hand tense up and flex by his side.

Aoi looked them over, his gaze hardening and scrutinizing every inch of Maru's motley group. "Up front with us." The older man didn't say another word as he strode from the inn with Yuzuha and Sen close behind him.

---

Yuzuha helped fit Sen with the rest of his armor as he tied the cords of her shoulder guards in place. She glanced to Aoi with a smirk, "Should we start calling you Lord Aoigahara?"

Aoi laughed and shook his head, "Absolutely not! I always hated being called by that title. I was never supposed to be the heir. When all of your siblings die in freak accidents and leave you, the bastard son, as the last man standing, people tend to feel like they have no options, however."

"Ah," Sen nodded, "so you are both a literal and hyperbolic bastard."

"Exactly!" Aoi chuckled. "The humor is coming along, kid. Nice one."

Sen glanced beside him to where Maru and his group readied themselves. The sleek black armor of the Sayonakidori looked even more fierce in the light of the candles, and fitted with the black jinbaori over top, he looked the part of an assassin, at least. Sen saw Maru pick up his mask and consider it for a moment before he frowned and tossed it back into his bag. The samurai with him had already adorned himself in his red armor and antlered kabuto. he gazed down at his own somen before he slipped it onto his face, hooking the half mask behind his ears. Even the gaikoku-jin had armor, and when he was bedecked in the iron platelets, he looked a rather intimidating sight.

Aoi walked over to Sen holding something in his hands, and it wasn't until Aoi set it onto his head that he realized what it was. "What good is your armor if you don't have a helmet, eh? It even matches," Aoi chuckled and adjusted it before tying the cording under Sen's chin. "I grabbed one for you. Now you look the part."

Yuzuha stepped up beside him, holding something in her hands with a smile, "While you got staring at a kimono maker, I grabbed you something." She walked forward and placed it on his face, looping a cord behind each of his ears, and when she stepped away, he saw the fruits of their efforts.

The person staring back at him was a fanged demon in armor, not the ragged orphan from Ebume. The somen, he noted, resembled Hashi's snarling visage with four curved fangs, and combined with colorful cording of the armor and the polished upturned crescent on his helmet, he felt a lot stronger already. 

Or at least a lot more intimidating, if nothing else.

"The Wolf of Ebume and the Demon of the Bridge," Yuzuha had a proud smile on her face as she put her hands on her hips and looked him over with a nod. "I dare those bandits to try anything against you looking like that."

Sen chuckled, "With The Guardian of Tomoemura and the legendary Lord Aoigahara? I'd like to see them try." He turned to look at Maru and his group as the Sayonakidori approached him. "Are you ready?"

"As ready as we can get," Maru nodded and looked him over with a low whistle. "That's good armor. It suits you."

"Flatter me after the bandits are dealt with," Sen turned away and grabbed his odachi, sliding back over his shoulder before turning back to Maru, "And if you try anything in this fight, I'll kill you."

"Noted," Maru nodded and followed the from the room with his people in tow.

Aoi led them to the front of the inn before he turned to them, "You, Nightingale, you're with me and Sen up here. I don't trust you back at the inn with the yokai. Yuzuha, take the rest of them and keep them in line. They try anything, kill them. You'll get a pardon." Yuzuha nodded and gestured curtly for the samurai, the Saika, and the gaikoku-jin to follow her.

"I won't kill the yokai with bandits breathing down our necks," Maru protested as he watched his friends go with Yuzuha. "If you ever worked with one of us before, you'd-!"

Aoi looked back at him with a scowl as he unsheathed his sword, "I've dealt with your kind before. It's why I don't believe you."

Sen saw Maru click his jaw shut and get that look on his face again as he turned to face the woods. Much to Sen's surprise, Hashi emerged and took his odachi from his back, looking down at him with a smile as Maru stared at him in awe. "Feeling better?" Sen asked with a smile.

You look strong, Hashi signed with a nod. Fierce. Wanted to come. Didn't trust Nightingale.

Sen glanced once at Maru before he signed back at Hashi, Neither do I, but we're together. No one can beat us together.

Hashi smiled down at him with a nod as he turned his attention to the woods as well. Sen didn't expect the first of the bandits to leap from the tree line and almost stab Maru. On instinct, he reached out and slung the man back just in time for the bandit to miss. His hands went to his tanto and he ducked forward to thrust the blade into the man's throat. He slung him off to one side and wheeled to see Maru standing quickly up to launch the sickle of his kusarigama out to catch another bandit in a tree and drag him out onto the ground so Sen could stab him.

"We make a good team!" Maru called out as he slid forward to wrap the chain around a third bandit and flip him over his shoulder.

"Don't flatter yourself!" Sen snapped as he slipped his tanto back into its sheath and backed towards Hashi.

"We can fight later!" Maru snapped as he wheeled around one of the bandits and cut the backs of his ankles with the blade of his kusarigama. "These people need us!"

For once, Sen agreed. He turned and saw Hashi holding his odachi, his injured arm shaking slightly as he proffered the blade out with a resolute nod of his head. Sen grabbed ahold of the sword's handle and yanked it from its sheathe, spinning around in a great arc and bringing it down onto one of the bandits.

There was a loud sound from behind them, and they turned to see a yokai much like Hashi standing beside the bandit leader. The man was bedecked from head to toe in armor, and Aoi snarled out a swear. "Kencho, that piece of-! His head's mine!" Without waiting for anyone to reply, Aoi cut off across the field towards the man.

Sen looked over at Hashi, who looked down and quickly signed, The yokai. I'll fight it.

"Be careful," Sen nodded as he grabbed Hashi's naginata from the ground beside them and handed it to him.

He heard a great shout from behind him, and both him and Maru turned in time to see the body of a bandit fly through the open door of the inn as Emi emerged, her naginata covered in the blood of the man laying lifeless on the ground. "Pray for mercy from the Kami because you will receive none from me!" She screamed out, and Sen saw some of them men once considering the inn as a target hesitate, and in their hesitation, he saw Hachirou descend from the nearby bluff like a demon incarnate and cut them all down as their comrades fled in terror.

The yokai with them careened forward with a primal bellow, and to Sen's surprise, Hashi met him head on. Their horns slammed together like deer in rut and the crash that resulted resounded through the air even over the shouts and screams of battle, and he saw Hashi strike out with his claws and cut the other demon across the face. He swung the naginata in a sharp upward thrust and hit the beast in the chest, sending it backwards with a hissing tremored roar as it held its odachi up and charged him. The two rounded one another in a deadly, animalistic dance of weapons. Hashi's naginata scraped across the odachi, and the blades rang out in a loud grating shriek across the open courtyard.

Sen let their battle set his rhythm and fell in with his odachi, mimicking Hashi's wide arcing strikes with his old sword. "What is this guy?" One of the bandits called out as Sen struck one of his comrades across the chest and quickly stepped into a wide overhead swing with a shout. He glanced beside him as he brought his sword down and saw Maru quickly cut up and struck another of the bandits under the arm. The two of them were soon side by side, blades at the ready as they watched the remaining bandits in the group they were dealing with look nervously between them. "They're demons!" The man from before shouted anxiously as Sen slowly began to change stances.

"If you think I'm a problem, you should see my friends," Maru smirked as Sen saw him flex his fingers as he slowly move his stance as well.

"I'm giving you one final chance," Sen spoke with a growl, "to walk away before I kill every last one of you." As he finished, Hashi lumbered up from behind him and threw something. It wasn't until it hit the ground that Sen saw what it was. A head, belonging to the yokai he was fighting, rolled up to them and hit the foot of one of the bandits.

That did it.

One of the men screamed and they took off back into the woods, and it wasn't long before Aoi strode up carrying a head of his own, only this one belonged to the leader of the bandits. He reared back and launched the head at the men who were fleeing. "Run, you cowards!" He screamed after them.

Only, as they tried to flee, the sound of a horagai rang out and before long the fleeing men were encircled by riders on horseback that burst from the woods like phantoms. A young man rode at their head and rode to Aoi with a nod, "Chichiue, forgive the delay. I had to rally our men from the outlying villages."

"Harukawa!" Aoi laughed, "The only thing that matters is that you made it and caught the cowards while you did!"

Sen slowly began to lower his sword as he heard Maru sheathed his own beside him. He turned to look at him as he rolled his shoulders and looked to Sen with an impressed raise of his eyebrows, "Okay... The rumors I heard that you fought like a demon were true."

"And the rumors I heard about you having impressive skills for a glorified butcher were true, too," Sen quipped as he turned to see where his friends were.

He caught Yuzuha coming around the corner with Naoyuki and Nobuhiko in tow, looking more than a little angry about something. Sen wasn't sure what, but he heaved a sigh of relief when he saw that she was unharmed. He then looked for Emi and Hachirou, and he saw Emi emerge shakily from the Inn and collapse to her knees as her naginata clattered to the ground next to her. Hachirou joined her quickly. He didn't see any injuries, but he knew immediately why she had fallen. Emi wasn't a warrior, and when that adrenaline leave your body... Well, the first time was never easy.

"That... felt awful," Emi whispered as she look down at her shaking hands. It was Hachirou who took them in his own. "I..."

"Sometimes, to protect the innocent and weak, we must kill. If not, those people die. These men would not have retreated. They would have killed everyone in this inn had it not been for you," Sen had never heard the sohei's voice so soft and gentle before.

"I know, but... I took vows to preserve life, not take it."

Sen watched as Naoyuki chattered excitedly at Yuzuha, who looked ready to murder him and everyone close to her. "But you took on three men at once! That was amazing! And the way you did that thing-!"

"Shut up," she snarled.

Nobuhiko snorted beside her, "The fact you took on so many at once was stupid. You could have been overwhelmed-"

"The only thing about to be overwhelmed is your face here in about another minute if you say one more word to me, pretty boy!" Yuzuha wheeled on him with a vicious snap, making the samurai take a step back and blink at her in shock. "Go on! Try me!"

"Yuzu!" Sen called out, prompting the woman to immediately abandon her group and go over to him. "Are you okay?"

"Better, now that I know you're alright," she sighed, looking more than a little relieved. "Is Hashi good?" She looked up as Hashi nodded exuberantly at her, and she smiled. "Good. Good..." She trailed off as she saw Maru standing somewhat awkwardly by. "Take your stupid group back before I rip the samurai's head off," she snapped, prompting Maru to blink at her in surprise as his own group rejoined him.

"Aoi is meeting with his son," Sen nodded at her, ignoring her outburst.

He went to continue, but Maru cut in quickly, "Thank you. For saving me."

Sen slowly turned to look at him and saw him standing by with a tentatively hopeful smile. Sen watched him for a moment. He wasn't sure what to make of the demon hunter before him. "...You're welcome," he settled on flatly, resting his odachi across his shoulders. "I presume that this means we're enemies again."

Maru hesitated a moment, and Sen once again saw that conflicted look come across his face as he sheathed his sword. "I suppose we are, but... Honor demands that since you helped me, I give you something in return."

"We don't need anything from you," Yuzuha snarled.

"I'll give you a three day head start," Maru wiped his blade with the cloth and slid the square of fabric back into his kosode with a frown. "I'm giving you two days and I leave on the third. If I catch the yokai again, he's mine."

"If you catch us again," Sen slid his odachi into its sheath as Hashi held it, "I can promise you that you won't survive it."

"Fair enough," Maru gave him half a smile and nodded. "Good luck, Wolf."