Shigehisa's Nightmare

Life, Organisation Association

As chill as the night air was, Maxim was glad to put that warm, dewy, chaotic place behind him. He was just returning from a "trade meeting" at the Matsumoto Black Galleon docked in Ago Harbor. Docked in his harbor. That made it his responsibility, but didn't really make dealing with the Black Blade any simpler. Still, he'd accomplished what he'd gone there for. Now, he could return to Ago Manor and...   There was a sound. As Maxim stood before the manor's wide wooden doors, he head it again. A mechanical clinking and clanking was coming from right around the corner. It set his teeth on edge. Maxim checked his weaponry and stepped around to the side of the building.

It was more difficult going than he'd anticipated. Whatever groundskeeper the Tanahase Family employed clearly didn't pay much attention to this edge of the property. Crunching his way through bramble and heath, it wasn't long before Maxim found what he was looking for. Outside one window which looked much like all the others, a green-skinned wet gremlin was poring over some kind of mechanical contraption. That device was rigged to the window below it. With a flash of engineering genius he hadn't known he possessed, Maxim discerned its purpose. The simple mechanism would drop that foul-smelling bucket on top down over whomever next opened the window.   This was not a normal situation, but neither did Maxim sense any threat. The iguanalike intruder harbored a simmering sense of resentment that he could feel from here, but it wasn't directed at him. Rather than pick a fight right away, the Knight Commander cronched closer and asked the goblin if he could help them. It was meant as a tepidly hostile way of asking what the sheol was going on, but Maxim's intruder seemed to take his request seriously. She reached out with one hand, dropped a hammer into his grip, and asked him to hold it. Bemused, he did just that.   A strange, damp, moonlit discussion ensued. This was a Kappa, a freshwater yōkai, apparently, although they weren't exactly common in this part of Japan. She'd come all this way to get some petty revenge on someone who'd thrown a shoe at her in Lake Biwa. Once the offender inside opened his window, a pail of the most brackish, nastiest bog water the kappa had been able to find would drop right on his head.   Maxim wasn't against a little petty revenge. In fact, some of his closer associates absolutely encouraged it. Still, the target of this prank was a guest at his manor. He couldn't just let this happen without learning a bit more. Unfortunately, the intruder's description of the man didn't strike any bells. About her height, with longish black hair and a smug expression. That almost sounded like Netabi Shigehisa; a dandy who'd been sent by Empress Genmei to teach Maxm how to be a "true Japanese gentleman" or something. There was only one problem: Shigehisa was a good bit taller than this goblin-physiqued kappa.   On his queer visitor's request, Maxim relinquished the hammer he'd been asked to hold. A few more bangs here and there and the device was ready. Really, it was a mercy that the racket hadn't woken the room's occupant already. With everything in place, the kappa retired to a smoothed-down patch of grass a few feet away. The spot had a good view of the window. What's more, there was room enough for Maxim. He took the seat offered to him, crouching beside the intruder as he tried to puzzle out just who she was getting back at.   In the end, it didn't really matter. This was someone in Ago Manor, under his roof. Maxim voiced his decision: he couldn't let the kappa exact her revenge, no matter how petty it was. In return, he got nothing but a mild rebuke. In fact, the intruder started picking up small rocks and throwing them at the window. Maxim winced and prepared a technique he'd learned from a certain Kensei. If the worst came about, he should at least be able to stop the rain of bogwater.   At about that time, one of Maxim's resources came through. It was Kitsuno, in fact. The knight's frilled adviser commented that a person's perception of others' height could very well vary with how much respect was involved. If this kappa saw Shigehisa as lower than dirt, such as because of a thrown shoe, she might very well underestimate his physical height. In truth, Maxim hadn't ever heard of such a theory before. Still, it did explain the discrepancy.   He had to wonder no longer. Netabi Shigehisa himself threw the window open, a snarl upon his sleep-muddled face. The bucket above tipped, but a subtle move from Maxim was enough to manipulate the air around the thing enough to keep it aloft. Only a single drop of foul water fell to the ground. It totally missed Shigehisa, who didn't even notice. Indeed, he was too busy staring at Maxim, Lord of the Manor, whom he was supposed to turn into a gentleman, crouching in the dirt outside with a goblin.   A range of expressions passed over Shigehisa's face in turn. Confusion. Incredulity. Anger. Then, something Maxim didn't expect: heartfelt appreciation. Maxim was the same, yet different. Something about the unblemished skin, the piercing eyes, and that jawline... Shigehisa shook his head. Perhaps, just perhaps, this brutish foreigner wasn't such a lost cause after all. Even if had been caught in an bizarrely compromising situation.   As it turned out, Shigehisa recognized the kappa as well. He had indeed thrown a shoe at her several days ago, when he spotted her alongside their boat on a cruise across Lake Biwa. What's more, he was unrepentant. The kappa threw a rock at his face. In a dizzying display of martial mastery, Shigehisa raised his war fan and deflected the missile with unerring precision. Then, he blushed.   Maxim blinked as Shigehisa stammered. It was perfectly normal to sleep with one's weapon, he explained in a fluster. Especially one which was as important as a war fan was to tactician. Finally, the Knight Commander had to step in. He got the kappa's name, which was Maggu. All kappa were named Maggu, according to her. At least part of that was a lie, but Maxim just filed the name away from later. With her throwing a rock at Shigehisa, and him throwing a shoe at her, they were now even, right?   It was a close thing, but Maggu seemed to accept this. The embarrassing redness of Shigehisa's face as he blustered was revenge enough for now. As for the tactician, he was done with all of this. He deflected any assurances that Maxim had saved his life. After all, that contraption over his door was just a rainwater collector. Soon, Shigehisa was closing his window once again with assurances that they'd continue their gentlemanly training in the morning. As he left, he spared one last glance for Maxim's stunning features.   That left the Knight Commander alone with Maggu. He hazarded that she'd want to go back to Lake Biwa after all that commotion, but also had to admit that he didn't know how far away that was. As it seemed like too much trouble to make the trip again, Maggu refused. She'd just hang around here. The bog nearby was pretty nice, after all, even if the harbor water was way too salty. Water shouldn't be salty, she assured him, so Maxim should probably look into that.   That, with the exception of the bizarre comment about saltwater, was good enough for Maxim. It was probably a mercy that Maggu wouldn't be taking up lodgings in Ago Manor itself. At least, not while Netabi Shigehisa was still here. He did find a bit of appreciation in his heart for this wet gremlin who'd traveled several provinces just for some petty revenge. Perhaps Maxim would call on her again.