Usagi story

So... my familiarity with 'popular' American comics is generally really low, so my options on series to write about that people will (hopefully!) have some knowledge of were a bit limited. When reviewing what I put together I got the feeling that this ended up not being quite as christmas-themed as perhaps it ought to have been. So I may have ultimately written myself out of contention, but I hope you enjoy whatever I managed to put together nonetheless!
In true Stan Sakai fashion, items named in Japanese are translated <in brackets>
-Le Corbeau Noir (1MU3PX4QTCAGY .ca)
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Usagi & The Ivory Fish
Usagi could have been forgiven for wondering if he had spent weeks travelling in completely the opposite direction. His wanderings as of late had taken a typically-meandering but decidedly-southward course throughout the fall - bargaining, squatting, and perhaps occasionally hacking and slashing his path until a short ferry crossing would set him down on the island of Kyushu before the onset of winter.  And yet, within days of his arrival an uncharacteristically sharp turn in the weather made the southernmost of Japan's islands feel more akin to Hokkaido at it's northern extreme. The presence of snow - light as it was - was itself near-unfathomable in these parts, but the true source of misery came from a moist, sharp wind that relentlessly swept in from the sea. Left hopelessly exposed on a path skirting the coastline, even the cloak and kasa  <straw hat> Usagi had donned did little to shield from the merciless assault of the elements, generating a chill that seemed to soak right into his bones while sharp gusts made the ronin's frigid ears whip helplessly about his head. Almost at the limits of his patience, a nearby small coastal town revealed by a bend in the path sent a wave of relief running through Usagi. Finally the prospect of some proper shelter, and right as the sun was about to set.
"Blech! And winter has barely even begun. To think I came all this way to get away from this sort of wretched weather...!", the ronin muttered to nobody in particular.
The village seemed abandoned from a distance, but as Usagi reached the empty main street local activity became much more apparent. Ruckus and chatter was eminating from within warmly-lit gambling rooms and sake dens - everybody rightly seemed intent on remaining indoors. Soon the lights of a busy tidy-looking inn attracted the ronin's own attention, waving down an overworked server putting on a brave face as he paced among full tables.
"Aah good evening, samurai!", he acknowledged with some fluster, making himself heard above the din of lively chatter. "Humm... ah yes yes, I can seat you, if you are alright with sharing a table?"
"Anything under a roof suits me fine!", Usagi responded, removing his dripping hat as he was led to a lone remaining empty stretch of bench. Across him sat a gaunt mousey figure, carrying the countenance of one living a simple life on the land. He abruptly jumped out of his seat head dipped subserviently low as the server offered Usagi a place.
"Forgive me, samurai! I will let you eat in peace!"
Usagi blinked in surprise at the abrupt display of deference. He took his seat, untying his cloak "Uh... that's alright, I don't mind", the ronin responded, dipping his head in a bow of his own. "I'm simply a wanderer, any company I keep suits me fine. I am Miyamoto Usagi, and you?"
He blinked in surprise, easing back into his seat. "You... wish to sit with me? I've never heard of a samurai wanting to do such a thing before. Usagi-sama... W-well, as you wish. I am Masato, samurai."
"Humm, well Masato", Usagi replies, grinning in an effort to put him at ease "I need a local's recommendation on what to order!"
Masato couldn't help but return the smile. "You really aren't from around here are you? People come here from all along the coast for the herring soba!"
Usagi waved to regain the overtaxed server's attention "Make it two!"
-----------------
The two rapidly became more personable as night rolled in and torches were lit. Masato's recommendation lived up to it's hype; crispy stripes of herring an especially savoured change of taste for Usagi after days of eating roasted turnips on the road. Stories were passed back and forth, the ronin's tales of adventure and danger evoking rapt fascination from his impromptu companion. Masato become somewhat sheepish when pressed on his own life, altogether a more simple and more dull living as a kaiso <seaweed> farmer on the coast with his wife and two children. Usagi nonetheless followed with genuine interest: all too often he found himself envying the prospect of a safe and honest existence. The ronin let out a satisfied stretch as he finished his meal, dry and well-fed for the first time in days. "Ahh, thank goodness! I thought I'd be drenched the entire way to Nagasaki."
Masato perked up at that. "You're heading to Nagasaki, samurai?"
"Mmh, seems like it'd make sense to make my way there. Ought to be able to find some work there while I decide what to do next."
"Perhaps I can come with you? My home is on the way, it would only be for a couple of days..."
"Don't see why not. I'll take a room for the night and we can meet up in the mor-"
"Ah no, Usagi-sama! Please, I must get back home by tomorrow! We have to set out as soon as possible!"
Usagi blinked in surprise at his sudden urgency, glancing outside at the miserable relentless sweeping of sleet now shrouded by darkness. He shook his head "No way, it's far too dangerous. Besides, the weather might clear up by tomorrow."
"I know the way clearly, I can even show you some safe rest spots. Besides, you arrived in town far too late, you'll never be able to claim an empty room at this hour, I promise you! If you're going to be stuck outside tonight it might as well be spent on the move, right?"
The ronin sighed reluctantly, the pleading eroding at his resolve despite his better judgement. I swear, these errands are going to get me killed one of these days... He reached for his straw hat, free hand adjusting the sash keeping his daisho <sword set> secure "Well... I suppose it can't be helped.  If you're ready to go we may as well get a few hours of progress in."
The relief was palpable on Masato as he hopped back to his feet "Thank you samurai, thank you!" No sooner had Usagi tepidly agreed before his new acquaintance was halfway out the door, leaving him to hastily settle his bill with the server and catch up after him “Hey, well at least pay your tab...!”
A few tables away, a grubby, unkempt-looking patron glowered across the inn's bustle at the scene the pair were making as they fumbled their way outside. His gaze fixed on them as he downed the last of his sake, elbowing the ribs of his broad, piggish companion to seize his attention. “Those two who are leaving, they're taking the path to Nagasaki.”
“Tsh, so what? Let 'em freeze, I have a good feeling about that gambling den next door.”
“Exactly,” chimed a third sitting opposite the two, a thin weasely figure “I'm sick of sitting out in the cold shaking peasants down for spare change. We finally scraped up enough for a decent meal and I'm going to make the most of it.”
“Idiots!”, the first snapped. “Heading to Nagasaki, in the middle of the night, in this weather, with a ronin escort? He's probably been on the road selling goods, meaning he's loaded with ryo <gold coins> and trying to ferret his way back home under cover of darkness! It's exactly the kind of mark we've been waiting for.”
The thin one twisted around, catching a glance at Usagi's back just as he stepped outside. “Hm, they do seem to be in a rush... one bodyguard? I guess it'd be an easy job.”
The brute scratched his chin “Alright, well let's go. We can take them out as soon as they leave town.”
“Not yet,” said the first, shaking his head “Let 'em get further out, it'll make them feel safe. Fewer chance of witnesses too.” He swished the jug on the table, testing how much remained “Besides, I like the sake here.”
---------------
All too soon Usagi was stirred back awake by the creeping onset of sunlight peering through gaps and cracks in the dilapidated farmhouse. He shuddered; even inside it was uncomfortably cold and his damp clothes left him near-freezing. He recoiled slightly as he noticed a weight on his lap - a togake lizard had evidently decided to curl itself up against him while he slept. With a sweep of his hand he startled the lizard awake, sending it leaping off his lap and running up into the rafters with a panicked 'eep!'.
The misery of the preceding evening still weighed on Usagi. The damp frosty chill had become only more acute with the onset of night, all too quickly sapping the ronin's heat straight out his cloak. In the dark he could barely see the rocky path five paces in front of him; too much risk of catching the attention of bandits to light torches, even in those conditions. Masato's urgency was what was truly testing the ronin's patience, though. More than once Usagi caught himself nearly stumbling on a wet rock keeping pace with his enthusiastic guide, his growing suspicions made all the sharper by his sudden evasiveness. Masato barely seemed to acknowledge Usagi asking why the need for such a rush, and his urgings to slow down would be heeded for at best a few minutes before resuming his hurried pace. Finally, the ronin urged him to find a spot to at least rest up for a few hours and continue on in the morning. An abandoned farmhouse a few minutes walk off the path served their purpose well enough; sapped, Usagi unceremoniously slumped himself against a wall and promptly nodded off. A hand remained set firmly upon the pommel of his katana - even at rest he couldn't shake the sensation that his travelling companion was leading him towards some kind of unwanted trouble.
With a groan the ronin eased himself back onto his feet. Well, I didn't get ambushed in my sleep, I suppose that's something, he rationalized to himself. Masato for his part was still asleep, laid out on his side on some rotted sheets at the opposite end of the room. Usagi knelt down and nudged against his shoulder, "Come on, we best get moving again. We'll just freeze if we stay cooped up here much longer."
With a groan Masato rolled over, propping himself up on an elbow as he rubbed the sleep out of his eyes. "Mmhh... it's not too much further, samurai. We'll should reach my home before sunset, and then...you..."
Usagi's eyes bulged in shock as a metallic glimmer caught his eye. As Masato twisted around a slim golden chain around his wrist spilled free from his sleeve. Dangling freely and catching sunlight was a small charm the ronin only vaugely knew by the association it carried as a death sentance - a minute but unmistakable crucifix! Masato hurredly pulled down his sleeve, but his face blanched when it was quickly made apparent that he had already been found out. Frozen in panic for an agonizing moment, he suddenly threw himself down in prostration before Usagi with a lunging urgency that caused the ronin to flinch back in surprise.
"I know what you must do, samurai! Please make it quick!"
Masato's bravery in the face of summary execution was betrayed by the trembling that shook his frame as he laid himself out before the wanderer. Usagi blinked in surprise but upon grasping the situation waved the seaweed farmer off "Tsh, well I suppose this explains why you're always on-edge, at least...  enough of that, get up. I`m under the orders of no lord and have no reason to kill kirishitans <underground Christians>."
Masato slowly peered up, at first uncertain whether to believe the ronin's dismissal. "I... t-thank you, Usagi-sama, thank you!"
"That doesn't mean I don't think you're a fool, though! We keep these nanban <European traders> locked in Nagasaki and their poisons still seep through. Their illnesses, their teppo <gunpowder weapons>... what compels people to follow their god I'll never know!"
"The nanban have done good for us too," Masato responded sheepishly, now sat up on his knees. "They've brought tools that have helped my farm, and there are scholars who have gained all kinds of knowledge from their books of learning. I don't think I could truly explain my faith, but it feels right to me no matter the danger." He sighed, finally lifting himself to his feet "Listen, the feast of Saint Nicholas is supposed to take place tonight. I don`t expect you to understand any of it, but I had to leave to conduct some buisness and promised my family I`d be back home in time for it. I was supposed to be back days ago but with this weather I`ve been held up and I can't afford any more lost time. If I haven`t returned by nightfall... well, I can`t let it happen!"
Usagi's standoffishness slackened markedly as the farmer let loose, gaining a better notion of his sense of urgency. He sweept his winter cloak around his shoulders with a sigh "Well... I suppose we ought to get moving then, shouldn't we? Come on, grab your things. Your wife and children are probably worried about you."
The farmhouse's door was pushed open with a rusty creak, revealing the lay of the land in daylight. Usagi could see now that it sat on the corner of a small overgrown field that lay between them and the coastal path to Nagasaki. A fresh thin layer of snow concealed the footprints the pair had laid approaching the house the night before, and while still unfathomably cold for being so far south the sky had cleared and the sapping winds had mercifully died down. Usagi stepped out with Masato close in tow; the farmer had barely taken three steps before his foot suddenly shot out in front of him, yelping in surprise as his arms instinctively swung about to regain his balance. Usagi's hand shot out to grab at his robe, keeping him steady as he regained his footing “Careful! There's ice hidden under the snow.”
Masato laughed, ears growing red with embassment. “Not used to winters like this I suppose. Hopefully this doesn't slow us down too much.”
An awkward silence hung between them as they crossed the abandoned field with a deliberate caution to their steps. Usagi eventually glanced inquisitively over at the farmer “Why keep a cross tied to your wrist, anyway? That seems foolishly risky.”
“Kirishitans are expected to demonstrate an unyielding devotion to our God. I wear it to signify that even in danger I will keep my faith.”
Usagi shook his head “Just sounds like a good way to get yourself needlessly killed, if you ask m-”
The ronin sharply seized Masato's arm, keeping them shock-still as his free hand's grip tightened over the scabbard of his sword. The crunch of multiple sets of feet on snow betrayed the presence of intruders but even Usagi was caught off-guard by them being in the direction of the house, behind him. He shifted around and met eyes with three grubby and ill-kempt ronin perhaps 20 or 30 paces away, shivering from the cold but grinning with the evil intent of those who, like so many other unbound samurai throughout the land, turned to banditry and murder to make ends meet.
“Your long-eared friend has a pretty good point, kirishitan!,” taunted one. “We were just going to shake you two down for your ryo but you're about to make us even richer than we were counting on!”
“The lord puts good bounties on you heretic rats, even here in Nagasaki.” chimed the short weasely one, slowly pacing around to Usagi's flank. “You think we'll get extra if we report the ronin's corpse, too?”
The broad porcine frame of his companion let out a belly-laugh in reply, scratching himself as he circled opposite. “Wouldn't hurt to try. Why not just claim he's a kirishitan too? Our word against a dead body's.” With a dismissive grunt he reached across his shoulder to the scabbard slung at his back, pulling out an oversized no-dachi <greatsword> which he grasped in both hands and lifted up above his head in preparation to charge. “Come on, let's just get this done with. I'm fed up with this cold!”
The little one whipped out a tarnished blade of his own, rushing forward with his arms ready to strike “Go for the ronin, we take the heretic alive!” His partner released a gutteral scream, launching his heavy weight forward in a boisterous charge to close the distance from the other end. The bandit between them, for his part, withdrew his sword but held back in the enthusiasm of his run, clearly happy to let his cohorts do the tough work.
“Get back!,” Usagi shouted to Masato.
“You can't possibly take on all thr-”
“Get BACK!,” he barked, punctuating the command with a heaving shove to the farmer's chest that knocked him back with enough force to knock him off his feet and send him somersaulting into the snow. The cowardice of their ringleader opened up a small window of hope against the mismatched pair rushing to both sides, but to get the timing right...
Usagi crouched with his hand set upon the grip of his katana, his entire body a hair-trigger of tension as the smaller and more spry of the two bandits predictably closed in first. He held fast, long beyond when his instinct was screaming to react, waiting until that rusted blade was within a whisker of his flesh. Then, with a lunge of his leg he pivoted himself clear of the bandit's path, releasing the sword from his scabbard in a swift upward stroke. The tip of the blade carved through the resistance of the bandit's torso, his charging scream cut short to a wet choking gasp, dropping his sword under the physical shock as blood arced across the snow.
That's one...
The momentum of the smaller one's charge still left him staggering forward, enough for Usagi to grip him firmly by the back of his collar and keep him marginally upright as he set down on a knee and braced for the impact of what was coming next. The no-dachi-wielding berzerker, too slow to react to the sharp change in situation, put all the weight of his charge into a savage stroke of his greatsword down upon the ronin.
Usagi's entire body heaved from the sheer force that slammed down upon him, almost toppling him backwards. But it was the felled bandit hoisted between him and the rushing brute that took the full impact of the blade. Before its owner could fully grasp what was going on, the greatsword's cleaving strike produced a crunchingthud as it buried itself into the makeshift shield of his own raiding companion. A flash of panic set in as he realised the trap all too late – the no-dachi's blade was embedded so deep he wasn't able to pull it free for a renewed attack. Even with the vulnerability of his staggered balance, Usagi withdrew his wakisashi <short sword> and speared it upward through his oversized opponent, releasing a strained groan as he expired.
Two...
The ronin's luck finally ran out. The weight of two lifeless bodies now teetered forward and pinned him down in the snow, knocking the wind out of his lungs. The lone straggler, having stalled and gawked as his two cohorts were dealt with at a dizzying speed, now ground his teeth with a grunt as he charged upon the now trapped ronin with renewed vigor.
"Useless morons! At least now I'll get the bounty all to myself!"
He closed in on the hopelessly-entangled ronin... and suddenly one of his legs shot out as though someone had pulled a rug from under his feet. Not accustomed to icy terrain, the bandit's sword flew out of his hand as the lost traction caused him to flip clear head over heels. Flailing wildly with a shocked yelp at the sudden loss of control, he could do next to nothing as he came crashing back down to earth, his head smacking into a protruding rock hidden in the snow with a sickening smack, left lying shock-still a mere few paces away from the trapped ronin.
With a groan he managed to pull himself free from beneath the dead weight of the other two raiders, reclaiming his swords before kneeling down to check on the third bandit. Stone dead - the only thing that had kept Usagi's head on his shoulders happened to be a patch of hidden ice. He shook his head, heaving a sigh at his luck as he lifted back to his feet. It was only then that Usagi noticed Masato on his hands and knees, attentively digging about in the thin snow. "What are you doing?"
"My cross, I lost it someplace when I fell over..." He sat up, blinking incredulously at the scene in front of the farmhouse. "My god, how did you do that?"
"Sorry, it couldn't be helped, I needed you out of the way. I'm afraid you'll have to leave it behind, I want to get far away from here before someone finds all of this."
Masato gave a desperate look throughout the disturbed snow around him, but eventually gave a resigned sigh as he lifted himself back up "I suppose you're right... Perhaps you had a point on how dangerous it is, anyway. "
He cast another amazed look back at the gristly scene before they finally turned back to the path that would lead them home. A silence hung over them for many minutes as they walked their way along the coast, suddenly broken as Masato let out a laugh that caught Usagi off-guard. "Isn't that remarkable, though? Like I was saying, it's Saint Nicholas' feast day!"  The ronin blinked, staring at him as though he was mad. "Nicholas is the patron saint of protection against thieves", Masato explained. "Perhaps you are a guardian angel and don't even know it! Hahaha!"
Even Usagi couldn't help but crack a slight grin.
---------------
Mercifully, the three brigands proved to be the only sources of trouble to accost the pair in the final day of their travel, and as hoped they finally arrived upon Masato's farm before the sun had set. It was a modest setup, nothing like the big communal seaweed farms Usagi had seen elsewhere. A small, simple house set near the coast could be seen, it's features largely concealed by wooden racks set upon the full height of its exterior walls, hosting rows upon rows of drying nori <seaweed sheets> that gave the building the odd appearance of being covered in dark green scales. Again Usagi couldn't help but feel the pang of desire for a life so simple and peaceful.
Even as they approached the house, the front door burst open as a young boy and girl raced outside in the cold with excitable chatter, the pair all but diving into the arms of Masato. A woman emerged from the open doorway, dressed in the simple attire of a farmer's wife. Her smile quickly turned to frightened apprehension to see that Masato was being accompanied by a samurai, shared by the children as they too noticed the long-eared ronin. Masato was quick to reassure the two kits, leading them back to the house.
"No no no, he's not a bad samurai; in fact he saved my life today! I'll tell you all about it, but get yourselves back inside before you catch cold, alright?"
Masato turned back to Usagi, who had lingered outside. "You should stay the night with us. I can't pay you much for what you've done for me, but I can at least give you a hot meal."
"Oh, I shouldn't intrude on your, ah, festival? Nagasaki isn't much further anyway, I can make do on my own."
"Please, I insist! Our table is open to anyone, your faith is of no concern to us."
Still a little uncertain, Usagi nonetheless felt compelled to accept Masato's offer, welcomed inside the farmer's simple home. His wife was busy keeping watch over a large fish, spiced and roasted over the heat of the hearth, the current focus of the children's attention. Masato knelt among them, recounting to his family the events of the last few days. eliciting frightened gasps upon learning of their encounter with the bandits.  The children's apprehension of Usagi quickly transitioned into curiosity and and eventually fascination, the boy in particular asking for details of the ronin's fight that caused his sister and mother to groan in disgust. "Enough of that, Akio! We're about to eat!"
The fish was brought out of the fire and offered before the family. True to their living, it was accompanied by ample amounts of seaweed, some prepared in manners Usagi had never even seen before! His move towards serving himself was abruptly cut off by the family suddenly starting up a peculiar ritual, heads bowed and hands raised as Masato started speaking in a foreign tongue. Usagi, somewhat baffled by the bizarre display, understood at least well enough to keep his hands in his lap, remaining silent until the farmer completed the odd incantation and started serving the rest of the table, the odd somber tone of the thing breaking away to jovivial conversation. Usagi inevitably ended up being the focus of attention, the children in particular enthralled by the ronin's tales of pickpockets, evil spirits,  and corrupt lords.
Supper finished, the two kits only seemed to grow more excitable as the room was cleared. The reason why was soon made apparant: Masato withdrew a bamboo mat from the floor and removed a loose floorboard, uncovering hidden presents that he handed to the children, causing them to emit excited squeals as their claimed their prizes. Masato's daughter bounced on her feet, embracing a wooden doll of remarkable craftsmanship, sporting an ostentatious hairstyle and clad in a miniature kimono in elegantly-died linen. But even Usagi was impressed by the gift offered to the boy - a shrunk-down set of bokken <wooden swords> scaled to suit a child's dimensions. Simply but nonetheless gracefully carved in finely-sanded maple, each sword had bright red fabric tightly cross-woven to mark the handles.  They weren't necessarily the finest examples that Usagi had come across, but they were nonetheless remarkable items for a simple farmer to give away as presents.
Masato's wife laughed, noticing the surprise on the ronin's face. "Nicolas is the patron saint of generosity, especially towards children! We give gifts to celebrate his feast day."
"I thought Nicolas was the patron saint of protection against thieves?"
"Both!," Masato responded. "It's complicated, ha ha!"
Masato's daughter sat down, investigating her new doll. The boy, for his part, bounced about excitedly around a laughing Usagi, eager for lessons from a real samurai. The ronin adjusted the boy's stance, guiding his arms to demonstrate the proper grip and swing. The kit could only keep still for so long before he started growing impatient, clumsily swinging the wooden sword about in play-sparring against imagined phantoms. A wayward chop of the sword caught Usagi on the belly, prompting the ronin to drop to the floor, rolling around and groaning in comically-exaggerated death throes that sent both children breaking into squealing hysterics.
Finally the night took its toll on the two kits, even the boy's energy level winding down as he yawned wide. All too soon the family decided it was time for them to get some rest, and Usagi too determined it would be best to get on the road early next morning. The ronin bowed in thanks to his hosts as they retired for the night, himself content to lay himself down on his side against the still-smouldering hearth, eyes shutting as he sunk into the first proper rest he had been able to catch in far too long. He let out a pleased sigh as sleep started to overcome him; the simple festive cheer had clearly transcended faith.
---------------
Usagi woke up at the onset of dawn; with deliberate caution he packed up his things and prepared to set out. A shame he wasn't able to provide a proper farewell to his hosts, but the sooner he could get to Nagasaki and replenish his depleted funds the better. He delicately opened the front door with a faint creak, gently setting it closed behind him as he stepped out into the crisp wintry air - only to spot Masato already awake and inspecting the drying seaweed sheets hung off the sides of his house.
"Ah, good morning Usagi-sama! Everyone else is still asleep but I figured I'd get an early start today, I've been away from the farm for too long. I suppose you're heading on your way?"
Usagi bowed. "Thank you Masato, but I really should not strain your hospitality any further. It was a true pleasure to meet you and your family."
"Nonsense! I wouldn't have even made it home if it hadn't been for you, and the children seem so fond of you. But I suppose you know best what you must do... here, we wanted to give you this before you left, at least. We can't afford to pay you, but it's something."
Masato lifted a small bundle from the ground and offered it to the ronin. Usagi took a peek inside the tied linen, recognizing it as a leftover portion of last night's fish and a blob of minced seaweed. He noticed an object sitting on top of the parcel, a thin ivory circle two inches in diameter that Usagi recognized as a netsuke, a button commonly used to fasten one's money purse to their sash. His thumb ran along the broad toggle, recognizing the outline of a fish elegantly carved in relief to fill the circular space, it's eyes and fins inlaid with rich black lacquer. Even with his limited understanding of craftsmanship, the ronin recognized that it was a fine piece of work.
"I acquired it from a craftsman in Nagasaki," Masato explained. "The fish is something of a... good luck symbol among kirishitans. No matter your beliefs, I hope it brings good fortune to you as well."
"Masato, I..." Usagi gave a deeper bow. "May you and your family have health and success. I will not soon forget this."
"I hope you'll come see us again someday, Usagi-sama! You are welcome here anytime!"
Usagi threaded the netsuke into his sash, admiring it a moment before setting back onto the road. In the distance, the outside edges of Nagasaki could be seen. Not much further until he arrived, and then afterwards... well, who knew?
I hope they can keep their heads down, Usagi thought to himself. It's so dangerous to be a kirishitan these days,  I'd hate for him to do something foolish like go back for that cross he lost...
---------------
"...I'm telling you, I've never seen anything like it! She was juggling a top on the edge of a fan with one hand and cutting the guard's purse off with the other while sweet-talking the crowd, not even skipping a beat! So many people gawking at her act and I swear I was the only one who even noticed what she was doing. I gave her an extra coin, I was so impressed!"
"Incredible! You'll have to give me a proper description so I'll know to keep my distance! Ha ha ha!"
The two traders slowly pulled their cart along the snow-coated path that extended from Nagasaki along the length of the coast. The going was slow under the peculiar weather, but the empty vehicle they were carrying behind them was testament to their success of their day at market.
"Good call focusing on firewood, by the way. With this awful cold we can practically name our price. You think it's going to stay like this all winter?"
"Hmm well we probably ought to branch out a little, things could turn back to normal pretty qui- hey, whats that?!"
He pointed over to what appeared to be a small overgrown farm that ran along the road. In front of the house lay three dead bodies and what appeared to be signs of a violent struggle. Setting the cart down, the pair stepped up to the scene. A big overfed ronin stabbed clear through, a small one that was almost split in half, and a third with a massive blow to the head.
"Gods! What do you think happened?"
"Probably some scuffle with some bandits. Looks like it happened sometime yesterday, surprising that a patrol hasn't cleaned all this up yet."
"Hey, what's this?"
He noticed a metallic glinting reflecting the sunlight, perhaps at arm's length from the big ronin. Ducking down, he brushed aside the snow, drawing up a thin golden chain with a small cross freely dangling upon it. They both stared at the charm, then to one another.
"Kirishitans? Maybe some samurai caught them out and dealt with them."
"The lord offers a decent bounty for them, you know...", the other offered.
"He wants them alive though, doesn't he? Does he offer rewards if they're already dead?"
He shrugged. "Well we have an empty cart, and we have some proof. If the lord won't accept them I'm sure the sword-testers will. Well, the little guy might be too mangled, but the others would probably do. Come on, lets get them in."
Moving three bodies proved to be an exhausting prospect, especially for the largest of the three. Finally with an exasperated groan they piled the third corpse onto the cart. Taking a moment to catch their breath, they took hold of the cart and set it rolling once more.
"Luck seems to be on our side lately, friend! We're been racking in ryo hand over fist selling firewood, and now we'll probably get to pick up some extra funds on the trip back. To think winter was supposed to be our lean season!"
"Everyone's calling this weather a bad omen," the other replied, "but I think some god or another might be smiling on us!"
END