Just Another Ship in Ago Harbor

Life, Failure / Mishap

It had passed midnight when Maxim and his cohorts descended the bluff from Old Ōuchi Manor. Their return to Shimonoseki was uneventful, save for some discussion with Kitsuno. As his adviser, the frill-decked oni understandably wanted to know what had been discussed with Nagasone Kotetsu back in that underground forge. For his part, Maxim saw no reason to keep it secret. He explained to the other that it was his intent to recruit Kotetsu. To a certain degree, he'd been successful, although he still wished for someone more experienced to look over their agreement. With the patronizing way she'd taken a letter from Empress Genmei, Maxim was concerned that Kotetsu may feel like he'd be an easy target to take advantage of.   This answer satisfied Kitsuno, and also prompted the removal of at least one of the spells Maxim had been "suffering" under the whole day. He'd remain perfectly handsome and unblemished, as such could only aid in his work, but the enchantment causing citizens to actively adore him was a bit more than Kitsuno had bargained for.

Soon enough, the trio arrived back at the bottom of the cliffside road leading to Old Ōuchi Manor. The coliseum rose darkly against the starry sky not far away, but was all but deserted at this time of night. There wasn't anything left to do here, the Knight Commander noted. Makiko and Kitsuno seconded that opinion, at least until the tournament coming up after the handful of hours left before morning.   Before he called on Shigeaki Fujino to take them back, however, Maxim had one last question for his retainers: had either of them spoken to Haures much in his absence? Both Makiko and Kitsuno were able to truthfully answer that no, they hadn't. Indeed, Haures hadn't been seen around Ago Manor much in Maxim's absence. They'd both just assumed she was with him.   That didn't quell his doubts fully, so Maxim reached out with that "sixth sense" he'd recently developed. Makiko, it seemed, wasn't harboring much resentment at all. He couldn't feel any grudges within her soul. In contrast, Kitsuno's was simmering with a low-level animosity, but Maxim could tell that it wasn't directed at him in particular, so that was good enough. To be safe, he cautioned both not to take any deals with Haures or her kind.   About to call on their psychic transport then, Maxim paused when he saw the sour expression beneath Makiko's mask. He gave her leave to speak and received an echo of the young Tea Bucket Samurai's earlier concerns. It seemed odd to Makiko, a bit hypocritical perhaps, that Maxim would caution her against demonic deals when he'd entered into something very similar for their training together not an hour before.   That seemed to be a fair point, so Maxim asked Kitsuno if the other also bore similar concerns. With a dismissive wave of the hand, Kitsuno brushed the idea away. It would be silly to be so paranoid when one was not so far from a demon oneself, or so the white-horned oni opined.   Taking due note of that answer, Maxim returned to Makiko. He was not, he claimed, a Demon or anything close to it. He didn't have any way to definitively prove it, but to Makiko that seemed no obstacle regardless. She'd entered into the deal and wasn't about to break her word now. That being as it was, Maxim suggested that they should get back to Ago. After all, he might not need much sleep, but his two retainers likely did.   That turned out to be an incorrect assumption, but Maxim called on Fujino anyway and asked her to deliver them to the manor. Although normally as prompt as she could be, Fujino took a while this time to pick them up and make the journey. She'd been waiting for an important message, she explained. Something to do with a "heist" elsewhere in the country. Apparently looking to make small talk after that, Fujino joked that this was the fourth or fifth time she'd been in Ago that day.   When Maxim turned a suspicious eye upon the petite psychic, she blanched. That wasn't supposed to be a secret, was it? With only a little goading, Fujino let slip that Fubuki and her* entire galleon full of generals were even now sitting in Ago's port. This wasn't the worst situation, but neither was it entirely welcome news. Wasn't it customary to inform the ruler if you were going to move that large of a force into their territory? To be safe, Maxim asked Fujino to take him and anyone else who wanted to come over to the Matsumoto Black Galleon for a look. Kitsuno and Makiko both volunteered.   The night air was cooler here than in Shimonoseki but Ago Harbor's docks were just as empty. Fujino alighted on the deck of the Black Blade's Galleon with her three passengers, only to be greeted by a hulking, armored figure looming menacingly out of the shadows. A cloud passed from the moon, revealing in pale light a floppy-cheeked bulldog's face on top of a muscular warrior's form. The Kushin stared at them all for a moment, then began barking wildly.   The barrage of deep ワンワンs was only stymied when Fujino told him off in no uncertain terms. After another round of boofs and another reprimand, it seemed the dog-man was finally willing to talk it out with these suspicious intruders. He was Gamou Terukazu, and he was watching this ship while the Master was out. No, he didn't know where the boss was, or when they'd be back. It was like speaking to a particularly surly brick wall. Maxim calmed himself and reassessed his approach.   As he did so, another figure appeared from below deck to join Terukazu. This one was an oni, but a small and wild-looking girl at the same time. Something about the way her hair stuck out, the hint of fangs on her lips, gave Maxim the impression that she was as much a beast as the kushin next to her. Regardless, she and Terukazu were obviously friends, and they quickly took up growling at Maxim together.   Of all of them, Kitsuno appeared most surprised by this newcomer's appearance. That, Maxim's adviser explained to him telepathically, was Jirōuemon, an officer of the Mōri Clan. Or, at least, something close to it. It was hard to guess what the little Hayashi general was doing upon the Black Blade's ship, however.   As the two began growling more intensely, Maxim decided that he'd had enough. He put on his best dangerous expression and intoned very forcefully that he was the Lord of this land and he would be speaking to the Black Blade. His intimidation obviously had an effect, but it was no the intended one. After shrinking back for a moment, both Terukazu and Jirōuemon rumbled, then started barking and yapping at him in unison. Maxim rolled his eyes.   Mentally, he reached out to Fubuki. If these were the Black Blade's dogs, surely she* could call them off, right? Fubuki, for her* part, was quite surprised to learn that she* had a dog. That was new information. Whomever it was, Fubuki gave Maxim leave to enter the ship, and instructed him to tell the guard such. That was progress. Maxim would do so, provided he could get a word in between the frenzied barks filling the night air around him.