The return trip to the Forge is a quiet one, except for Toshi's random bursts of excitement. You have the horses, but it was a tough fight,Ramma - though you've only known him briefly - never did catch up with you, and several people lie dead by your hands. This isn't how it was supposed to go.

Kagemaru and Kiara bid a brief but intense goodbye as the wounded ninja climbs onto the wagon of a trading caravan headed back to Golden Harvest, and with that, Yukio. Surely the news that Toshi has the horses back will bring her hope.

Speaking of the horses - although you've hidden the brands as well as you can, you can already feel the looks on you, the shadows waiting for their moment. You have the horses the whole city is after. Now you must take care that they arrive at their destination safely.

---

It is quiet in the clearing. Only Toshiba Shiretoko is there, still surveying the carnage.

A tsunami of thoughts tears through Toshiba's mind, years of paranoia turning in on themselves, scenarios discarded as he stalks the bandit camp, finally culminating in The Ayami found me. The woodsman had abandoned the Ayami on his first mission. He simply never came back. He thought that he wouldn't be worth tracking down, that the Ayami clan had more pressing issues.

The scrap of genin fabric tell another story. Whatever other reasons could account for it being here in Eagle's camp have to be discarded in favor of survival. Toshiba Shiretoko spent too much time in the wilderness to be run down like prey, however. His pursuers will soon know they hunt dangerous game.

With that, the young failed ninja stalks into the forest, hunting his hunters.

Being careful to leave the logging road and head down into the side alleys, Kagemaru and Kasumi manage to escape most of the attention before things heat up too much. The city proper looms in the distance, beyond the small logging "town" and its mud roads. You trot the two horses - Natsu and Fuju, Toshi says - at a slow pace, trying to look like a handful of merchants on the lookout for a cheap place to stay the night.

Which isn't really too far from the truth.

"Uh, I got a question," Toshi says. "I mean, you're the - whatever you are" - he nods to Kagemaru - "and you're" - he looks at Kasumi - "you're, well, you, so I'm not questioning anyone's expertise here, okay, just wanted to make that clear, this isn't about me being smarter than you because I know I can be stupid and..."

Toshi trails off, then starts up again.

"What I'm saying is, shouldn't we be galloping the horses back to Matsumoto right now?"
"Matsumoto-sama strike you as the forgiving type, Toshi?" Kasumi asks.
"Not...particularly," Toshi says, carefully.
"And what do you think would happen if you returned to him with his stolen horses in tow and a sorry look on your face?"
"I...I get punished?" Toshi says. "But...if you bring them back, then...how will he know I brought them back? Er, that is, helped to retrieve them after they were stolen, again. I mean, he has to see that I'm trying to make up for my mistake and not running away, right?"
"If you honestly think you're getting back into his good graces after this little debacle, you are sorely mistaken," Kasumi says, shaking her head. "I will do what I can to make sure the price on your head is dropped, but your days of showing your face in his court are over, Toshi." She looks over and glares at him with those last words, driving the point she made earlier with a twisted arm home.
"All that work for nothing," Toshi mutters.

Kasumi bites her tongue, suppressing the urge to lash out at Toshi's impudence and stupidity. Focus on getting away with your life, you idiot.

"Sometimes, the most important skill to know is when to walk away, Toshi," she says sagely.
"Yeah, but sometimes it's about going in with all you've got, taking everything they have and being long gone when they notice!" Toshi says, grinning like a loon. "Right, Toku?" he says, using Kagemaru's alias.
"So much about leading a honest life eh?" Kagemaru says while making sure that Toshi hears what the Ninja thinks of him. "Be glad if you get out of this alive and go back to your wife."
"Huh," Toshi says, disappointed at getting no traction in the discussion. "The hunter got it! Okay, he smelled, but he had his head on straight!"

Mercifully enough, you spot a small boarding house ahead. It seems to cater to the independent contract loggers that don't have lodgings with a company. A few horses rest in the nearby stables, and two kids are playing in front of the building, apparently involved in some intricate game played with marbles.

Kasumi pulls the horse to a stop next to the kids, hops off and kneels down next to them as they half-ignore, half-glance at her. She pulls four silver out of her purse and holds them up in her fingers. "Anyone in there working for Matsumoto-sama or his friends?" [1d20+9 = 20 + 9 = 29]

(Threat = activated!) The silver coins disappear quickly from Kasumi's hand. "Auntie Wo," one of them says, "second room, she reports to Matsumoto's man. He comes by here every day at 5 in the afternoon. But she doesn't like him much, I don't think she'll tell him you're here if you give her something for her trouble."
"She has a bad knee!" the other child blurts out, sounding far more...age-appropriate.
"Shush!" the business-like kid says. "Not important for the lady here. You go in, you ask my Dad for the provincial special, he'll keep you safe. 10 silver per person and night, nobody's gonna know."
"Our Daddy hides people all the time!"
"I said shush!" the kid says, scolding his brother again. "And Matsumoto has a lot of people in the cloth district. You don't want to go through there if he's looking for you. Go by the ironworks, that's Old Man Han's turf. But you should watch yourself."
"There are a lot of bad men there!"
"Shush! There are...yes. There are a lot of bad men there. You don't want to mess with them, but I think they'll let you through. Anything else you need, lady?"

Kasumi smiles. "Not right now. Keep an eye out though, you let me know if anyone comes in asking about us, there's another two silver each for you, alright?"
"Two silver each for watching, if we warn you it's five each. No budging."
Kasumi plays at being upset and thinking about it, rubbing her chin, then smiles again. "Deal." She extends her hand to shake.
"I don't see coins in there," the kid says.
"Well," his brother says, "I think you're a nice lady."
"Shush!"
"Oh, you want the two now? You drive a hard bargain, sir," she says, and gets the four coins out. She starts to hand them over, then pulls them back. "You better be as good as you say you are..."
The kid grins. "You're hiding from Matsumoto. If he finds you, you're not coming back for a refund. But don't worry, lady, this is the family business. We'll take care of you."
"Alright," she says, and hands the kids the coins. She tossels the hair of the younger one. "See you two around."

As you turn away, you hear the brothers argueing behind you.

"Hey, gimme my cut!"
"Shush! You're stupid! You'd just spend it on candy!"
"Give me my money! I'm so not gonna spend it on candy!"
"I'll save this for both of us."
"You're mean!"
"And you're stupid!"
"I'm gonna play over there, you...you meanie!"

Kasumi smiles as she walks over to Toshi and Kagemaru. "This should be a good place for you to hide out for a while, Toshi. We should stay here for a bit anyway, let the trouble die down before we head back into the city."
"Oh, laying low," Toshi says. "I'm good at that."
"As you've proven in the past." Kagemaru says with a smirk. "I'd say we should have a nightwatch. Just incase that one of the boys says something he shouldn't."
Kasumi nods. "Alright. Do you have any favorite aliases?"
"Toku will do," Kagemaru says. "I'll watch the horses."
"Ooh, I'll be Kaneda!" Toshi adds, almost giddy at the thought of being able to lie to someone and get away with it.

The inside of the boarding house is simple: the door opens first into a small coatroom, with racks of shoes and some hooks for overgarments. Taking the clue, Kasumi and Toshi take off their shoes and put on a pair of the provided houseshoes. That done, they step into what looks like it may have been a living room once: the fireplace, the little nooks for beds, a central table. A 40-ish man - thin brown hair, thin nose, thin smile - takes note of your entrance, rises from his chair and walks over to greet you.

"Welcome, honored guests. I am the keeper of this house. What can I do for you?"

Kasumi bows towards the man. "We are interested in obtaining lodging for the next few days, there are three of us and two horses. We were told that the provincial special is a very good deal in this establishment."

The man's smile grows slightly broader.

"I see you've met my boys," he says. "Very well. How many rooms will you be needing?"
"Two rooms, please. Towards the back, if you can manage. First floor, if you can manage." She smiles. "We are interested in staying for a few days. I would respectfully inquire if I might be able to ply my trade here, I worked as a geisha in a previous life. I would be pleased to give you a free session as payment, if you like."
The man eyes you with just a hint of suspicion. "Geisha? Not...oiran? Just so that we're clear on that."
"No, sir. Things will stay strictly...above the board."
"That's good to hear. And if you don't mind, I'd prefer if you gave that session to my wife. She's not in the best of moods these days. As for your stay...call it a square hundred, in advance. That'll see you three days, and we can talk again if you need to stay longer than that."
Kasumi bows again. "Of course. Once we're set up, please, send your wife my way at your convenience."

After tying up the horses, Kagemaru sits down in the hay and lets his thoughts wander.

I wonder if you're alright, Kiara. For our first mission, this sure turned out to be more work than expected. You're lucky that you're way too stubborn to die. Kage has to smile, at the thought what reaction that kind of talk would produce if she was around. And that Toshi... I trust him about as far as I can spit. I wonder what Yukio has to say to all of this.

Toshiba has kept busy at the bandit camp. A single piece of cloth is not much to go on, so he scours the area for more clues about his enemies.

[1d20+7 = 16 + 7 = 23] (Toshiba's Investigate)

It's not quite There was a firefight!, but Toshiba spends a few minutes going over the remains of Eagle's tent again, retracing the fight that took place there. He figures out fairly quickly that the large now-corpse was attacked by at least two assailants, one with a blade, the other...huh, are those abrasions on the bandit's neck? Somebody tried to strangle him, without too much success.

Most of the other corpses in the camp were moved after the fact, but underneath a collapsed tent, Toshiba finds one that wasn't. The poor guy has an arrow stuck through his neck. So, knife, wire, bow? Three guys.

A lot of horseshoe prints near a tree. Must have been where the bandits kept their horses. Most of the tracks lead away from the camp, but two go right through it. Huh.

What if it was one guy with three weapons? Toshiba muses, before putting that thought out of his mind. The two horse-tracks are the most curious. If his scrap of fabric came from a wounded ninja, they might have very well used only two horses to escape. Toshiba looks up at the morning sun, then starts tracking the two horses that rode into the camp, looking for the path they took out of the bandit massacre.

[1d20+7 = 6 + 7 = 13] (Toshiba's Survival, boosted to 23)

Toshiba leaves the camp and wishes it had rained a little more in the last few days; the forest floor is in constant movement, and even after a few hours, horses aren't the easiest things to track off the beaten paths. Still, he muddles through, a clear print here, broken branches there. By the time he's absolutely certain that the only way they could have gone is down the logging road into the Forge outskirts, the sun has fully risen.

Tracking them inside the logging camp by horseshoe prints is going to be considerably harder, considering the loose dirt and the many people trampling about now that the day has started.

Toshiba considers his nebulous quarry. An inn, tavern, anything like that would be the first place to check. If they had contacts in the Forge or a safe house, the trail would be much more difficult. Best to start with the simplest route. Toshiba meanders into town, eyes alert, looking for somewhere a small band of strangers might stay.

[1d20+7 = 8 + 7 = 15] (Toshiba's Investigate)

Toshiba keeps it low-key. Eyes open, trying to go with the flow, where do people go, how does this part of town work? But it doesn't seem like there's too much to go on. Nobody's really in a talking mood, either. Well, okay, somebody is, but all that gets Toshiba are a half dozen nearby inns. Looks like a lot of the contract workers don't much like the standard accommodations, and that's not counting the merchants looking for a better deal than the cramped quarters in the city proper.

It's noon by the time Toshiba considers taking a break, with the sun and its pitiless gaze squeezing pearls of sweat from his brow. He finds a small shady spot and sits down. Across the street appears to be a nice little inn...a little out of the way. But there's only one horse in the stables up front, and he's tracking two...

His look falls to a pair of young boys hanging on the porch of the inn under the extended roof, playing with marbles and shoving each other around when one seems to be winning a little too often.

They look like they've been out here a while, the hunter thinks. Toshiba gets up and approaches the boys.

"Hello, little men," he greets them. "Have you perhaps seen three strangers come this way today? One would have had a bow, and they would have been on horses."
"Three?" the younger boy says. "Can't say that we have, stranger," the older boy cuts in. "Can't say that we haven't. Maybe we should flip a coin."
"I see. Well, I happen to have a coin right here."
"Well," the older boy says, "you're looking for three people, right? I think we'll need to flip three coins, then."
Toshiba smirks at the kid, then produces the coins. "And a fourth, to flip for the horses."
"Those horses are more than a single coin!" the smaller boy blurts out. "Shush!" the older boy says, pocketing the silver quickly. "We did see a bowman come past here earlier today. He didn't look very happy. I think he was headed for Matsumoto-sama's place."
Toshiba nods to the boy, then presses one more coin into the smaller boy's hand. "What makes these horses so special they'd be worth more than a single coin?" he asks the younger kid.
"Akira!" the older boy yelps, but the young one quickly rescues the coin from his older brother and puts it behind his back. The older boy briefly looks like he's going to wrestle the younger one for the coin, but finally decides to back down. The younger boy - Akira - blows him a raspberry, having finally come out on top for once.

"They're Matsumoto-sama's horses!" Akira says. "He's looking all over the place for them!" "You haven't heard?" the older boy says, looking at Toshiba's face. "Look, Mister, if you haven't heard, this is a bad time to get involved. You don't want nothing to do with those horses."
"You're right, I don't want the horses."
"Well, that's just good sense at this point," the older boy throws in.
"But I have something that belongs to their riders."
"Hey, can I see what you got? I wanna know what kind of stuff you have when you steal Matsumoto-sama's horses."
"Heh. That's worth a coin, at least."
The older boy smirks. "You're cleverer than you look, stranger." "Hehe," Akira laughs, "you just said he looks stupid!" "Did not!" "Did!" "I didn't say that!" "You were gonna say that!" "No, I wasn't! That would be stupid!" "You're stupid!" "Shush, Akira! I'm trying to do business here, okay?"

Finally, the older boy turns back to Toshiba. "Fair enough, stranger." He hands one of your coins back to you.

Toshiba sits down on the porch and produces his flute. He twiddles out a short theme. "That was the sound Master Yagyu's sword made as he stood his ground at Kawayuki castle. He took the heads of twelve noblemen that day and planted them in fields as he traveled. Each head grew into a magnificent tree and bore fruit of the finest quality, for of course noble blood watered the soil where they took root. But the noblemen were still dead."
"12 nobles..." the older boy muses. “He must have been a hunted man to his death."
"Indeed he was. And that is the point of the story: It is one's deeds and one's life that are to be cherished, for you may leave all the gold and silver in the world at your grave when you die, but you will not be around to spend it."
"I don't think being a ronin is very profitable in any case," the older boy says. "But thank you. I don't get to hear too many warrior stories anymore. It's all trees this and trade routes that." "But what about the thing?" Akira cuts in. "That thing...you were gonna give to the riders," he adds. The older boy turns to shush him, but Akira puts on a defiant face. "We paid for an answer, not a story."

Toshiba shrugs, stashes the flute, and shows them the fabric he found at the bandit camp.

"No, that wasn't what the bowman was wearing," the older boy says. "And I haven't seen anyone wearing this." Akira looks like he wants to say something but then decides against it. "Well, it's been fun, stranger," the older boy says. "But we'd like to get back to our game now."
"Well, maybe the bowman knows who was wearing this," Toshiba says. "Which way is Matsumoto's place?"
"His mansion is in the noble quarters," Akira says. "You can't miss it. It's got, like, fox images all over the outer walls." "Akira!" the older boy chastens. "What, Kiro?" "You could have sold that!" "But he's nice!" "He's a customer!" "You're mean!" "Shush!"
Toshiba bids them farewell with "Enjoy your coin, don't just stuff it under your mattress," and he heads for Matsumoto's, on the lookout for a male archer who is decidedly NOT wearing the clothes Toshiba found earlier.

The inn owner has hooked Kasumi up with an empty room for her "business", a somewhat larger two-bed room with a table and its own fireplace. While Kasumi prepares inside, the innkeeper's wife waits outside to be called in.

Kasumi prepares a welcoming, but largely blank setup for the room, preferring to allow the client to project their inner feelings on to the space. It's more degree of insight that she can use to deduce their feelings.

With the room prepared, she slides the door open with a warm smile on her face and bows to the innkeeper's wife. "Welcome, please come in. My name is Kasumi, and your's is?"
"I am...my name is Wo," she says. As she walks into the room, Kasumi can see that she's limping rather badly.
"Oh, let me help you," Kasumi says, and moves to support Wo on her strong side.

With Kasumi's help, Wo makes it to the bed. She breathes a sigh of relief when she's finally sitting down, and stretches her leg out. Her head is bowed down and her hands folded in her lap. "Thank you," Wo says. "Normally I manage, but...I have good days, and bad days."
"If I may ask, what was the injury that caused the limp?"
"I fell," Wo said. "I...it's stupid, I know. I was just walking down the street with my father and I fell and hit my knee against a stone. I didn't pay attention for a moment, and since then I have never walked right. It still hurts, years later. Ken - my husband - he found me begging in the streets a year ago. He took me in. I've been working here with him since."
Kasumi smiles. "That's very kind of him." She kneels in front of Wo. "May I take a look? I know some medicine, maybe I can help."
Wo looks like she wants to shake her head but can't quite manage the power to deny you outright. After a moment, her right hand grasps her kimono and she pulls it aside, giving you a sparse look at her right knee.

Kasumi moves her hands slowly towards her right knee, and gently feels the outline of the joint. [1d20+4 = 4 + 4 = 8] (Kasumi’s Medicine)

It would take more time and more expertise to diagnose the exact problem, but Kasumi can tell that the knee doesn't feel right at all. Whatever it is that plagues Wo, it feels like it's there to stay. After your quick examination, Wo pulls her kimono closed again. "Every now and then, I save up enough money to see a doctor...there are many doctors in the city. I have not found one who can treat me. They have herbs and tinctures for the pain, but...it's not so much the pain. It just doesn't want to work. They can't fix that."
"I can massage the muscles; perhaps that will help with the pain. Much of it is probably from your muscles working the joint, some massage should help."
"Okay," Wo agrees after a moment. "If you think it will help...I don't want to be a bother, is alll..."

Kasumi smiles. "It's no bother at all. This is obviously bothering you and you deserve some relief from it." She parts Wo's kimono again and starts to work the muscles above the injured joint. [1d20+4 = 4 + 4 = 8] [1d4 = 4] [1d4 = 4] [1d4 = 2] (Kasumi’s Medicine, spent one AD, exploded twice.)

"Are you sure, Kasumi? Because I've been to a massage parlor with this and...oh. Oh! Ohhhhhhhhh. Oh, oh, yes. Please, just a little - yes!"

Kasumi finishes up before the innkeeper thinks that she's going back on the "no prostitution" promise. She looks up to see Wo smiling contently.

"That is so much better," she says. "I guess I should have visited a geisha, hm?"
Kasumi smiles. "Perhaps. The next time your leg begins to ache, you can take care of it yourself." She takes Wo's hands, and places them on her leg where she found the large knots in the muscle. "Rub here...here...and here, just like this, with your thumbs." She holds Wo's hands as she mimics Kasumi's motions. "Better?"
"I need to remember this," Wo says. "But it's good for now...I think." She smiles, then looks back down and folds her hands. "It's a really nice thing for Ken to do, to send me to you."
"He seems like a very kind man, one who knows who to trust at first glance. That's what drew us to this place, we had heard that he was a man who could be trusted to protect us."
"Oh, yes," Wo smiles insincerely. "He is...he is nice, and shrewd, and trustworthy."

[1d20+7 = 17 + 7 = 24] (Kasumi’s Sense Motive)

Kasumi can tell that Wo isn't...well, she's not lying about what she says, but she is holding something important back.

"It's so important to know that you have a place that you can come back to again and again if you need shelter, yes?" Kasumi asks, taking a seat on the floor in front of Wo. "That must have felt so good, when Ken took you in. I think that this seems like such a safe place, even for someone with secrets, don't you agree?"

[1d20+12 = 12 + 12 = 24] (Kasumi’s Distract, with Silver-Tongued Trick.)
[1d20+4 = 20 + 4 = 24] (Wo’s Sense Motive)

Wo smiles. "Well, it depends, Kasumi. Are you looking to dig up secrets, or are you here to bury some?"
"I have heard a great many secrets in my time, Wo," Kasumi says, matching Wo's smile. "I have no need of any more. In my line of work, privacy from the prying eyes of nobles is the best security one can have. I am eternally looking for a place to while away the time when I am not on the road." She looks Wo in the eyes. "I think this would be a good place for that, don't you agree?"
Wo produces a polite little laugh. "The boys warned you, didn't they? You layer your implications too thick not to be warned of my side job as well. But I can assure you of one thing, Kasumi: it is not me selling people to Matsumoto. It is this family -" she seems wistful at that - "doing everything we can to earn money. If you pay the boys for protection, we make money. If you rent a room, we make money. If you are a bad guest and I sell you out, we make money. If you hide with us, we make money. I mean nobody harm. I am simply doing what I can to keep Ken's business afloat."
Kasumi smiles, a real smile, one with the added edge that the sudden dropping of pretenses deserves. "Well, it's good to meet a kindred spirit in honest self-interest. I have no interest in making trouble for you, merely looking for a place to hide from Matsumoto-sama's men for a few days. He would rather kill us than pay us the pittance we are owed from him, and we would rather live another day. As long as no trouble comes of us, we will not bring trouble onto your house." Kasumi looks back towards the front of the inn. "I rather like your boys, they must be very quick studies."
"Oh, they are not my boys," Wo says, her smile fading. "Why do you think they call me Auntie? They are...no." She smiles again. "This is what you get. A widower and a cripple trying to raise them. It's no wonder they're thieves. But it keeps them fed."
Kasumi takes Wo's hand. "No, no, you and Ken have raised them well. They are clever, quick, sharp, they are far smarter than many of the grown men that I know." Kasumi smiles, thinking of Toshi. "Some of them would be taken down to their undergarments by your boys. Trust me, you have given them all they need to not only survive, but thrive."

"I just don't want them to get in trouble," Wo says, "but we make a living off trouble. I think...if I had a good leg, I might try what you're doing, earning my way through powerful men, journeying around the world. But as it is, I'm just a farmgirl with a bad knee who can hardly leave the house. But -" she looks at Kasumi earnestly - "I'm not unhappy here. Ken, he - he will never touch me like he touched his wife, but we care for each other and he tries to make me smile. We run this place, and we run it well. I...I long, I think, for something, but I do not regret. And that will see me through. Others waste away and toil in misery. I, at least, am fed and comfortable."
Kasumi squeezes Wo's hand. "You give yourself too little credit. Ken must have seen something in you, something that you are reluctant to see for yourself. You have not only provided for him and the boys, but have raised them to be smart, something that is more valuable than all the material advantages in the world and is the best armor against trouble I know. Believe me, I have seen more than my fair share of spoiled rich men - and I use the word 'men' loosely. You have everything to be proud of, Wo. Ken loves you, and the boys love you. Believe in that."
"Thank you for your kind words, Kasumi. And the massage. I appreciate it, really, I do." She smiles again, apologetic this time. "But I must be getting back to my routine. A house this big doesn't take care of itself. I look forward to having you around for the next few days, though. It's rare that I meet a liar skilled enough to be worth speaking truth to."
"And it's rare I meet a family as bright as this one. Your boys will be running this place one day, Wo. If they can stop squabbling quite so much." Kasumi giggles a bit at that.

Kagemaru spends a quiet morning with the horses in the stables at the back of the inn before Toshi relieves him. The thief tries to be friendly to Kage but is obviously much more interested in the horses, sweet-talking them all the way until Kage is out of earshot.

It takes about half an hour to reach the city core and with it, the market. Kage discreetly ducks into a weapon vendor's house. A few minutes later, he walks back out, having traded some of his silver for steel.

It is just past noon.

Kagemaru feels visibly better with some of his favourite tools restocked. He slowly walks past many different market stands. As he spots a tailor, he halts in front of it. It's more of a little pedestal than a traditional market stand, but the tailor working there is a young woman with very nimble fingers. Kage watches her skillfully sewing on another woman's dress.

He patiently waits until the other customer is done and stands on the pedestal to greet the tailor. "Hello, I see you're quite skilled with clothes. Could I give you these," Kage takes his damaged clothes out of a bag while saying this and holds them in front of the tailor, "to clean and fix?"
"Of course, Sir," the seamstress says. "Would you kindly wait over there?"
Kage sits down in the shade and shoots a glance at the woman. What he does to people, she does to the holes in his clothes, hunting them down and efficiently eliminating them with nary a word.

[1d20+6 = 10 + 6 = 16] (Kage's Notice)
[1d20+4 = 13 + 4 = 17] (Toshiba's Blend)

A glance at the crowd shows nothing unusual. It's hard to tell, though, with all the merchants and buyers crowding the plaza.

Kagemaru examines her work and with a smile he gets 5 silver out of his pocket and presses it into the seamstresses hand. "You did great work, thank you."

Kage is already on his way to Matsumoto's mansion when the scent of food stops him in his steps. His stomach reports that it's time to get some nutrition into the body's systems. He walks into the closest restaurant and sits in the farthest corner, facing the entrance, awaiting the waitress.

A waitress quickly arrives to take care of him. She's an older woman, maybe 50, with a loose bun of brown hair and wearing a long, dark red kimono.
"A good day to you, Sir!" she says, bowing. "Here for lunch? May I recommend the steamed eel? We got them fresh from the river just this morning!"
"Sounds tasty, I'll take it." Kagemaru says in joyous expectation.

The meal takes a few minutes to prepare, but not overly long - it is the daily special, after all. Having grown up in a mountain retreat, Kage is aware of the concept of a fish but has no real reference point to what it would look like. It's only when the dish is served that he gets his first impression.

Which doesn't add up to much, visually. The plate is stacked with strips of a white-ish meat that's still steaming along with the hot rice next to it. A spicy red sauce compliments the more solid parts of the meal. The waitress fills a cup of cheap rice wine for Kage and puts it down on his table.

"Enjoy your meal, Sir."

Kagemaru takes his first bite of eel, together with some of the spicy sauce. Mmm, so this is fish? Tastes good. Kagemaru thinks, enhances the taste with some rice and washes it all down with the rice wine. Not the stuff you'd serve your friends, but good enough for a normal meal.

Kage scans the room during his meal, better to be safe than sorry after all.

[1d20+6 = 3 + 6 = 9] (Kagemaru’s Notice)

Nothing much going on in the restaurant. Customers. More plates with fish. No big burly men with swords or tattoos. Looks safe enough.

Kage finishes his meal and drinks the rest of his sake, before he signals the waitress that he'd like to pay. The waitress takes his two silver, thanks him briefly for his patronage and collects his dish before walking off, back to the kitchen. Kagemaru walks out and slowly towards Matsumoto's mansion. He tries to look like he belongs here, and checks if he's being followed regularly.

[1d20+6 = 9 + 6 = 15] (Kagemaru’s Notice)

Kagemaru's carefulness seems to be unnecessary, as there is no sign of anyone following him. The noble quarters are walled off from the market, and when Kage walks through a large arch in the wall, he catches his first glimpse of raw luxury: a large, open plaza with a central fountain, presumably fed from the nearby river. The masonry on the statue in the middle is exquisite, showing a central pillar with a handful of different animal gargoyles on its sides: a rabbit, a fox, a tiger and a pig. A stream of water comes out of each gargoyle's mouth, splashing down into the pool below.

[1d20+4 = 17 + 4 = 21] (Kagemaru’s Knowledge check)

Kagemaru quickly surmises that the fountain represents the powerful noble families that rule this quarter. Apparently, Matsumoto - the Old Fox - is one of the leading nobles in the city. Not that that's a big surprise.

The bustle around the fountain is less chaotic than on the market just a few minutes away. Here, nobles are enjoying the good weather and going for a walk. Several women are congregating next to the fountain, large paper umbrellas protecting them from the sun. They see Kagemaru enter; a few chuckle politely with their mouths closed and a hand in front of their mouths.

Kagemaru spots the women at the fountain, giggling. He responds with a smile and a polite bow in their general direction. Afterwards he starts to check out Matsumoto's mansion. He doesn’t take long to find it. It is a gaudy little palace hidden behind high walls, decorated with fine reliefs of various fox-related imagery. Given enough time, a thief might get rich off scraping the gold from the outer decorations without ever actually getting past the wall, but the security patrols by Matsumoto's guards would surely chase off anyone trying that. With that amusing picture in mind, Kagemaru begins his reconnaissance.

[1d20+6+2 = 2 + 6 + 2 = 10] (Kagemaru’s Notice + synergy from Tactics)

The bad news first: Kagemaru can't really pick out any oddness in the guard rotations, at least not from a few minutes of watching. They patrol the entire open perimeter quickly and efficiently. Give it nighttime and an optimal approach...an intruder might have fifteen seconds to scale the wall, not more.

[1d20+6+2 = 15 + 6 + 2 = 23] (Kagemaru’s Notice + synergy from Acrobatics)

However, the walls aren't the only way to get in. Paradoxically, the main gate's arch has decorations that look sturdy enough to be used as steps to scale the wall there. It'd be a pretty audacious move, with essentially no room for error in the timing and right under the nose of the guards at the place with the most light, but if he can get close enough unseen, it just might work.

[1d20+6 = 19 + 6 = 25] (Kagemaru’s Notice)

A sound of splashing water permeates the ambiance. Kage notices that it's not the fountain at the middle of the plaza - that's too far away. No, it has to be a pond and moat system behind the walls, fed from the main river to judge from the volume of water that must pass through it to be this loud. That would probably make crossing the outskirts of the mansion grounds easier, and might even take Kagemaru to the mansion's cistern.

[1d20+6+2 = 19 + 6 + 2 = 27] (Kagemaru’s Notice + synergy from Athletics)

Escape, now that's the easy part. Several large trees grow on the mansion grounds. If he can make it to the top of the mansion, it should be possible to climb onto the highest tree, shuffle down, jump to another tree and take a branch that reaches all the way over the outer wall to...okay, that'd be a painful drop. But if he can lick that last one, yeah, it'd be doable. Not easy, but doable.

Kage has seen enough. He continues in the same direction he has walked past the mansion, and takes another route back to the fountain. "Hello ladies," he says with a charming smile on his lips.

---

[1d20+7 = 7 + 7 = 14] (Toshiba's Notice)
[1d20+6 = 8 + 6 = 14] (Kagemaru's Blend, raised to 22 through Hand of Death)

Toshiba's too intent on finding out about Matsumoto to notice anything unusual in town. Of course, given how little time he spends there, he wouldn't really know what 'unusual' is, would he? Toshiba figures he must be pretty far behind this mystery bowman, and so hurries towards Matsumoto's abode.

Toshiba leaves the market as quickly as he entered, weaving through the crowds and heading for the noble district. The walls he passes a few minutes later hold little meaning to him - all the walls in the world will not protect a man from his own folly, after all. After a bit of searching around the central plaza and its decadent fountain, he ends up in the right spot - a large, walled-off mansion. The walls show a wild mixture of gold-plated fox imagery. Several unfriendly looking men in light scale mail patrol all approaches to Matsumoto's estate.

I am not good with cities, Toshiba thinks. More and more it seems that this trio wasn't hunting him. Matsumoto loses two horses, two horses get ridden here from a bandit massacre, all the signs point to "someone's returning some horses".

But one Ayami was among them. What do they care about a couple of horses? Unless... of course! Gratitude for a prized possession returned, the lowering of one's guard... Matsumoto no doubt had a mark on his head!

It'd be a shame to come all this way for nothing, Toshiba thinks. He approaches the closest entrance to the estate.

The guards quickly take note of Toshiba, who's mountain man exterior does not quite want to fit in with the clean-shaven, silk-wearing inhabitants of the noble quarter. Two guards step closer to the main entrance, while one walks away, circling around Toshiba. It's clear that they're looking to box him in if he gets closer.

Toshiba stops and addresses the lead guard.

"Tell your master I have information about his horses... and something more."
"Do you, vagrant?" the guard says. "Tell me and I will decide if it is worth relaying."
"I am not a subtle man, nor am I versed in the intricacies of court. I do know, however, that information is not given freely, especially this information."
"And we do not let every stranger with a story into Matsumoto-sama's estate. If you wish to make certain that he is a man of honor who will pay you fairly for any important information, you need only ask around town. We will be here when you are willing to abide by the rules."
"Then tell him his two horses are here in town."
The guard looks at Toshiba with an empty expression. "And this is useful information, how?"
"They will be delivered to him, and those that bring them mean to assassinate your master."
"I see," the guard says. "What do you know of those who have the horses, then?"
"I think at this point I may take your advice and ask around town before I offer up anything else for free," Toshiba replies.
"If I may offer more advice," the guard says, half-mocking, "details and truth earn you more coin than vague portents of disaster."

What do you lose by telling them? You once thought they meant to kill you.

"There are three. One is a bowman. All are skilled in the arts of war. One may be hiding wounds."

There. It is done.

"A bowman?" the guard asks, suddenly sounding interested. "Where did you learn about this?"

Seeing Toshiba's reluctance, the guard motions to one of the others. Toshiba is silently presented with a small leather pouch, heavy with coin.

"Answer carefully, for this could be yours."
"I tracked the bowman and two others here. Two brothers playing games on an inn stoop led me to this estate once I mentioned the bow and the horses."
"Tracked from where, stranger?"
"A large dead bandit's encampment," Toshiba replies. "I was hunting and came across the scene."
"Give him the money," the head guard says. Toshiba receives the pouch - judging from its weight, there should be about 30 to 40 pieces of silver in there. "And you, stranger, will get your meeting. Follow me."

Toshiba, the head guard and another guard head through the main gate that shuts closed behind them. At the same time, a young ninja walks through the noble quarter's arch and admires the central fountain...

---

Kasumi's first customer of the day is a logger from a village to the north, a large beast of a man with a slow demeanor and a slower way of speaking. He seems lonely, and it doesn't take much for him to open up to her. His slow manner means he's not particularly popular in the camp after work, and he really is just looking for someone to listen to him, make him feel less homesick and more comfortable where he's at.

[1d20+12 = 20 + 12 = 32] (Kasumi's Impress)

The logger opens up to Kasumi's patient ears, spinning his tale and getting her encouragement in return. After their long talk, he looks visibly relieved at finally having gotten a lot of things off his chest. With a patient and deliberate hand, he counts out 30 pieces of silver - a whole week's pay - and thanks Kasumi for her time.

---

Another logger staying at the inn enters Kasumi's room, this one with the thin and clean look of one who leads, not one who does. A bit of talking gets him to say that he's from the Forge, and is upset over missing his sister's performance in the recent festival, where she was to perform a traditional dance. Kasumi tells him to stay seated on the bed, and then performs the same dance for him.

[1d20+12 = 1 + 12 = 13] (Kasumi's Impress)

"No! No! The left hand goes up like this, and - oh, forget it! You're hopeless!"

Despite trying to put up with the increasingly complex demands of the logger, Kasumi can't seem to produce the dance exactly as he wants it to be performed. Finally, he storms out without paying her a single lousy piece of silver. Kasumi is left to wonder if she actually did it wrong, or if that logger was never going accept anyone but his sister performing it.

---

Word from the first logger must be spreading, because one of the local businessmen walks through her open door next. He starts talking about how nervous he is about an upcoming deal he's working on with a large iron mine in a neighboring valley, and before he knows it, she's holding his hand and listening to him talk about how nervous the family business has made him and how the future of his family rests on his inexperienced shoulders.

[1d20+12 = 5 + 12 = 17] (Kasumi's Impress)

Fundamentally, you can't give someone confidence, they have to find it, and the session just isn't long enough to cut that deeply. Kasumi does her best to encourage the young man to believe in himself, but it doesn't seem to be really getting through to him. After the time is up, he quickly hands over 20 silver and leaves.

It is late afternoon, after Kasumi finishes up with her latest customer, that Kagemaru returns from his reconnaisance and shopping trip. A quick strategizing session in their room is in order. Kagemaru enters Kasumi's room after the last nervous customer walks out. He greets her with a short nod and sits down on the bed.

"How are events in town? Has Matsumoto-sama turned the city upside-down looking for his horses yet?" Kasumi asks as she rearranges the items on the table.
"He probably did, the town is peaceful right now, though. None of his men wandering around, at least as far as I've seen. I was at his mansion, too," Kagemaru says with a smile and tells Kasumi everything he's seen.
"Well, getting through the front door shouldn't be a problem, you and I will simply be a returning member of his court and the nice hunter who found his beloved horses for him," Kasumi says. "After that, I'll take my cut of the reward, and we can be on our separate ways, yes?"
"I thought about that. But really, I'd feel better at sneaking around than facing Matsumoto head on. Just in case that something goes wrong. He's got some flaws in his security too, so that shouldn't pose too much of a problem," Kagemaru replies.

Kasumi goes from comforting and curious to razor's sharp and fierce in a flash. "I'm sorry, where did you think that was up for negotiation? You are not going to get me killed when you fall out of the trees and get captured by his men. We will walk in the front door, and unless something goes horribly wrong, you will walk out the same way. It is the safest and easiest way."
Kagemaru's smile disappears and his expression turns a notch darker. "I'm sorry too, where did you start to think that you could order me around? I might still be young, but I'm a highly trained professional. One that doesn't fall out of trees, I might add. Having some backup is always a good plan, don't you think so?"
"Not if that backup gets caught. All the training in the world is no substitute for experience, do not confuse the two," Kasumi says. "Matsumoto-sama's men are smart, and you may be very good at what you do, but so are they. You are advocating taking extremely unnecessary risks to satisfy some degree of personal paranoia. I don't know what exactly they taught you about entering places where you don't belong, but the best way is almost always through the front door."
"I was taught that the best way in is where no one will know that you were there. You should know that, since you know what I was trained to be," Kagemaru adds.
"And there is a time for such things," Kasumi says. "But we are not assassinating Matsumoto-sama, we are merely returning his horses and collecting the reward. We don't need to tell him that you are ninja, we don't even need to tell him your name. The worst that can happen is that he knows we're lying about who you are. Your way, if you are caught, he instantly suspects that you are there to assassinate him." She pauses for a second. "Are you here to assassinate him?"

Kagemaru thinks for a second if he should tell her the whole truth and says, "No, I'm not. But our target more than likely is in his mansion."

"Hm..." Kasumi says, and leans back against the wall. "Why do you want to go inside there, besides to kill your target? Are you trying to gather information? There are other ways to gain access, but I have to know what your intentions are."
"I need to know if the Little Fox is in Matsumoto's mansion. It'd be also good to know where his room is, if they all eat together, if he goes out a lot. And then he has to die." Kagemaru answers, colder than he ever sounded before.
"Well, I make an effort to remain in the background, but I know the names of most of the regular guests at Matsumoto-sama's table, and I do not recognize the name Little Fox," Kasumi says. "I would not say this for sure, but it is a fairly safe bet that he is not one of his close aquaintences. Still, if information is what you're after, there are better ways to gain access to those who might know your target." She smiles. "Did they teach you any sleight-of-hand or military tactics in...where did you say you were trained?"
"Both actually", Kagemaru says as he gets a coin out of his pocket and lets it wander seamlessly over his fingers. "I'm an Ayami Clan ninja."
Kasumi's smile widens. "Of course you are." She opens her pack and pulls out a small cloth bag that clanks slightly as it moves. "I think you'll make a wonderful houkan," she says as she opens a container of white face-mask. "And we have just enough time for me to teach you. The first lesson will be about gullibility, I suspect."

Just as Kasumi is about to start explaining the finer points of court etiquette, a rumbling sound from outside the room can be heard. Kagemaru rushes to check, and just before he reaches the door, he can hear the unmistakable voice of Toshi yammering outside. He pulls the door open and sees the thief flat on his back, rubbing his head.

"Ow!" Toshi whines. "The floor is really slippery here!"
"Especially when one is eavesdropping," Kasumi says. She sighs. "What did you hear, Toshi?"
"Nothing!" Toshi insists. "Well - that bit about gullibility, I guess, I wanted to knock when I slipped."

[1d20+7 = 3 + 7 = 10] (Kasumi's Sense Motive)

Coming from anyone else, such a statement would be suspicious. But Toshi? It's almost painfully plausible that he managed to get up to something stupid like this.

Kasumi rolls her eyes. "It's a wonder you manage to con your way into a noodle stand, let alone Matsumoto-sama's court."
"Hey!" Toshi says. "Now that - that's not fair! I'm a great con artist! I'm just...you're bad luck! You're all bad luck! I can't help it if being around you makes the kami hate me."
Kasumi smiles. "Relax, Toshi. I know you're very competent at what you do, you must be in order to have managed to get as far as you have."
"That's right," Toshi says, effortlessly flipping from hurt to boastful. "And despite these recent...setbacks, I am still the king of all con men. Oh, the bards will sing about me once I have plundered the riches and women of this valley -"
"That's enough, O King of All Con Men," Kasumi says, barely managing to keep her sarcasm in check, and looks over at Kagemaru. "Are we done for now? I'd like to get a few more customers in today, and then we can start your training."
"The king of all con men, eh? You seem to forget often that you told me that you're leading an honest life now. A good con man wouldn't," Kagemaru says with audibly low interest. "I'm going to the horses. Just tell me once you're done," Kagemaru answers to Kasumi before leaving the room.
"I'm honest!" Toshi shouts after Kagemaru. "I'm opening up, I'm sharing with you guys! I'm trying! I'm really trying! Come on, don't be like that!"
"Quiet down, Toshi," Kasumi says. "Come, tell me about what you've seen going on around here. You're keeping an eye out for Matsumoto-sama's men, I assume?"
"I did see that guy come in," Toshi says, becoming more serious, "and talking to the inn keeper's wife for a moment. He had a top knot and dressed like a Samurai. I think it was the guy who came to Golden Harvest looking for me after I took the horses. But I'm not sure, I didn't get a good look at him back there. Kiara...Kiara would know."

Toshi looks around.

"I didn't mean for her to get hurt helping me," he says, and it sounds remarkably more honest than anything else he's said so far.
Kasumi feels a twinge of sympathy for Toshi. "I know, Toshi, I know," she says, and takes his hand. "You're a good person, you just...you just look out for yourself first. Not that that's a bad thing."
"That's nice of you to say, Kasumi," Toshi says, "but let's not lie to ourselves. We're not good people."
Kasumi's comforting expression fades. "No. We're not." A slight smile returns to her face. "But we can try."

---

After Toshi leaves and Kasumi resets her room to receive customers, a woman nervously walks into the room. She sits down and nervously starts to talk about the weather, and asks questions about what's going on in the outside world. She says that she doesn't get out much.

[1d20+12 = 16 + 12 = 28] (Kasumi's Impress)

Kasumi mixes some heartfelt advice with a bit of a "review" of recent world events done in exxagerated impersonations of important imperial nobles. After a few of those, the woman's careful smiles turn wider, and finally Kasumi gets a few good laughs out of her. After their session, the woman thanks Kasumi profusely and pays 30 silver for the service.

---

The next customer that walks in has the look of a frequent traveller about him, with seemingly all his belongings in a small bag he brings in over his shoulder. Kasumi notices he places it in between his feet, and all he seems to be interested in is gossiping about the local businessmen, what they're like and so on.

[1d20+12 = 19 + 12 = 31] (Kasumi's Impress)

After a few guarded exchanges, it becomes clear that Kasumi's customer is in the same business as she is, and was expecting to squeeze a 'harmless' geisha for intel. But with Kasumi, he quickly settles into a careful talk between equals, sharing a few juicy tidbits about the magistrates in the imperial capital in exchange for the scuttlebutt on the Forge's big merchant families. At the end of the session, the grifter pays Kasumi 30 silver for the intel and her silence.

It is late at night, and Kagemaru is finally alone in his room, with Kasumi preparing for sleep and Toshi watching the horses in the stable. But even though it's been a long day, Kagemaru isn't going to sleep yet. Instead, he has unrolled his gear and selected a light load of infiltration tools for his nightly trip. With everything safely stowed on his person, Kagemaru slips on some baggy street clothes to not draw too much attention on his way to Matsumoto's mansion.

[1d20+6 = 12 + 6 = 18] (Kagemaru's Disguise)

It is the first real test of Kagemaru's abilities as a ninja, and so far he acquits himself well, effortlessly hiding his gear and black stealth suit. Now, all he must do is what he does best...slip away quietly.

[1d20+10 = 20 + 10 = 30] (Kagemaru's Sneak)
[1d20+6 = 2 + 6 = 8] (Kasumi's Notice)

And slip away he does. The old masters couldn't have done it better.

---

After an hour of back streets and rooftops, Kagemaru has made his way to the noble quarters. He has hatched a risky plan, but first...

[1d20+1 = 14 + 1 = 15] (Kagemaru's Search, untrained)

A ways off from the mansion grounds, Kagemaru can hear the water of the river flowing beneath him. After a short search, he finds a heavy metal cover over what must be an underground aqueduct feeding into Matsumoto's estate. It looks to be about 100 feet, minimum, before Kagemaru could come up in the moat behind the walls surrounding the mansion. The current this way is favorable, but that's a dubious blessing: if there's anything blocking his way in the aqueduct, he'd have to fight against the current to get back to the entrance. And who knows if there's any air pockets down there to use? But then again, the conventional way - past the guards and the wall - is fraught with its own dangers.

He who dares wins, Kagemaru thinks. He strips off the street clothes, climbs into the (cold) water, takes a deep breath and off he goes.

[1d20+6 = 19 + 6 = 25] (Kagemaru's Swim: 10 feet covered, 90 to go)

So far, so good. The current makes it easy for Kage to keep his bearings.

[1d20+6 = 16 + 6 = 22] (80 to go)
[1d20+6 = 9 + 6 = 15] (70 to go)
[1d20+6 = 20 + 6 = 26] (Crit activated! 50 to go.)

Kagemaru's swimming and diving technique is more theoretical than practical, but the grace and control of a ninja conquers seemingly all. With but a few strokes, he's already halfway through. Could it really be this easy?

[1d20+6 = 16 + 6 = 22] (40 to go)
[1d20+6 = 3 + 6 = 9] (Stuck)
[1d20+6 = 12 + 6 = 18] (30 to go)
[1d20+6 = 2 + 6 = 8] (Stuck)

It turns out, no, it's not that easy. The aqueduct narrows considerably underneath the mansion wall, and Kagemaru must actively work to squeeze through. His lungs are starting to tell him that taking a breath might be a good idea.

[1d20+6 = 9 + 6 = 15] (20 to go)
[1d20+6 = 10 + 6 = 16] (10 to go)

Almost there! Kagemaru can already see the moonlight illuminating the waters ahead. His lungs are starting to burn. Just a little farther...

[1d20+2 = 16 + 2 = 18] (Fort save against DC 10)
[1d20+6 = 11 + 6 = 17] (Swimming done!)
[1d20+10 = 13 + 10 = 23] (Kagemaru's Sneak)

With a supreme effort of will, Kagemaru keeps himself from bursting up through the surface and taking the deep breath he deserves. Rather, he lengthens his ordeal by several seconds in rising up slowly, breaking the surface of the water silently. Finally, he can breathe.

The courtyard of the mansion looks quite exquite in the pale moonlight - a large garden with a system of canals crossed by the occasional small footbridge. From his vantage point, Kagemaru can't see any guards, but nearby footsteps admonish him to proceed as quietly as possible from here.

[1d20+10 = 13 + 10 = 23] (Kagemaru's Sneak)
[1d20+3 = 11 + 3 = 14] (Guard's Notice)

With slow, measured strokes, Kagemaru proceeds in the canal, trying to keep his head low and not make a sound. He comes to a bend in the canal and sees the next stretch ahead: a straight shot to the mansion's cistern. Over the edge of the canal, he can see the main entrance of the mansion, well-lit with several lanterns.

[1d20+10 = 9 + 10 = 19] (Kagemaru's Sneak, boosted to 21)
[1d20+3 = 8 + 3 = 11] (Guard's Notice)

Kagemaru is halfway up the next stretch when he hears footsteps closing in quickly. Thinking quickly, he takes a deep breath and dives, covering a few more feet until he's under the shadow of a footbridge. He carefully surfaces again just as the footsteps pass over the bridge. Kagemaru looks to see an impatient guard walk up to a bamboo construct - a sōzu fountain that seems to be stuck.

"Piece of junk!" the guard mutters and fiddles with it. After a good thwap, the fountain moves again, emitting a periodic slapping sound meant to scare away animals. Kagemaru ducks back under the bridge just as the guard turns around; after a tense moment, it becomes clear that he hasn't been seen. The guard walks back over the bridge and to the mansion's entrance, none the wiser.

[1d20+10 = 17 + 10 = 27] (Kagemaru's Sneak)
[1d20+3 = 19 + 3 = 22] (Guard's Notice)

The final stretch takes Kagemaru right next to a lit lantern on a pole. Working carefully to avoid noise, Kagemaru draws a nearby reed close to him and breaks it off. The cracking sound feels like flash powder going off, but nobody else seems to have noticed - good timing in matching the crack to the deerscarer's sound. With a gentle blow through the reed, Kagemaru makes sure that it's hollow all the way through, sticks it into his mouth and goes under.

The experience of diving on your back with a reed in your mouth is not a great one. Kagemaru worries about such imponderables as air bubbles escaping his nose, won't somebody see that reed moving, what if it slips under the surface or out of his mouth? But none of that happens, and finally, he leaves the well-lit portion of the moat and reaches the dark corner of the house where the water feeds into the cistern. The opening for that is far too small to go through, though, so now Kagemaru needs a way to actually get into the house.

The main entrance is about thirty feet away but mostly out of sight, being that it's sunk into that side of the building - looking at the mansion from above, imagine an H-shape, but with the horizontal bar very thick andprotruding past the vertical ones. The main entrance, then, is on the lower middle of that horizontal bar; Kagemaru is on the right side in the lower corner. A small footpath leads around the mansion on the other side of the moat. There is no land directly next to the house here. Leaving the water would require climbing up the wall, which offers the occasional surface feature sturdy enough to serve as a hand-/foothold. Alternatively, Kagemaru can see light around the other corner (the right side of the building) - there are probably windows or terraces to climb onto.

Swimming a little further, Kagemaru spots an unlit window.

[1d20+6 = 20 + 6 = 26] (Kagemaru's Athletics)

Even with his wet clothes, Kagemaru quickly and quietly finds purchase on the wall, darting out of the water, up the exterior and through the window in seconds. He rolls out of his dive through the window and looks around. It looks like he's in a guest bedroom that's currently not occupied. Quickly, he grabs a nearby jug, takes off his wet clothes and wrings the water into the jug, avoiding the splashing sound of letting all that water drip into the moat from up here. A nearby towel provides him with additional dryness; he folds it back neatly and places it low in the stack. After slipping back into his drier clothes, Kagemaru is ready for more sneaking.

[1d20+10 = 11 + 10 = 21] (Kagemaru's Sneak)

The door creaks uncomfortably loud when he opens it, but there doesn't seem to be anyone nearby who heard it. Kagemaru sticks to the shadows as well as he can, looking for anything that might prove helpful. The layout of the house is pretty obvious from down here: each of the four levels has a large walkway circling around a central atrium, leading to the respective rooms; the staircase for navigating from floor to floor is at the far end. The near end leads to the main entrance - not where the ninja wants to go.

It seems like there's nothing much of note down here, but the staircase is well-lit by lanterns and candles. On the other hand, there doesn't seem to be anyone up and about this late.

Kagemaru steps out into the light, grabs onto a nearby pillar holding up the walkways of the floors above and sets to scaling it.

[1d20+6 = 10 + 6 = 16] (Kagemaru's Athletics)

It's not pretty, but it works: Kagemaru shuffles up. He's almost at the top of the wooden parapet of the first floor when he hears a noise coming out of a nearby room. Footsteps closing in - he only has seconds to react.

[1d20+10 = 5 + 10 = 15] (Kagemaru's Sneak, boosted to 21)
[1d20+7 = 17 + 7 = 24] (Toshiba's Notice)

Kagemaru quickly tries to get his body behind the pillar, hoping to hide from the sight of whoever's coming out of the room. The door opens, Kagemaru holds his breath - and there are no footsteps for a second, then the door closes. The footsteps close in further, and...

A gruff but somewhat friendly-looking face appears, with the man leaning over the parapet to look at Kagemaru.

"A quick question, if you don't mind," the man says and reaches underneath his jacket. He holds out a piece of cloth - something Kagemaru recognizes as a piece from Kiara's clothing. "Are you Ayami-clan?"

Kagemaru easily swings up and over the handrail. "Only if you answer me a question in return... Who the heck are you? You surely are none of Matsumoto's goons," he says as he eyes up the man in front of him.
"Toshiba Shiretoko," the bard says. "I'm the man who found Eagle's camp burnt to the ground. I have been tracking a group including at least one Ayami-clan that I believe is responsible for that event." He shrugs. "Not that I miss the old ass. But Matsumoto's intensely curious about that event, because he believes that the people who burned down the camp also have two horses that belong to him." Toshiba looks at Kagemaru. "Your turn."
"I am indeed an Ayami-clan member," Kagemaru explains. "And we do indeed have the horses. A friend of ours stole them and we are trying to return them peacefully to trade them for his freedom."
"You have a strange way of returning horses," Toshiba jokes. "If you answer me one more question, I will tell you how to get out of here without being seen. What I want to know is, simply, this: who is your target?"

After a brief pause, he adds "Oh, don't look like that. You're out here, you have been given an assignment." He grows strangely defensive at that. "Tell me who they want you to kill!"

"That's exactly what I'm trying to find out. No other reason brought me to this mansion. I have been given a single hint: The name 'Little Fox'," Kagemaru elucidates.
Toshiba seems both puzzled and relieved by that. "That's...not the answer I feared. They don't know I'm here, then. Good." He looks at Kagemaru. "And you won't tell them, I know. I have a good feeling about you."

He points upwards.

"Councilman Yubari's chambers on the third floor, straight up from here. He's gone for the night and so are his guards. I can't speak to the other private security on the third floor, but if you can make it into his room, the balcony has a trellis that should get you all the way up to the roof. And from there...I think you can figure out a way down."
"It's hard to report a stranger you don't know anything about who helps you out of tight situations," Kagemaru says with an almost invisible smile under his mask before going back to continue climbing the pillar.

[1d20+6 = 5 + 6 = 11] (Kagemaru's Athletics)
[1d20+6 = 11 + 6 = 17] (Kagemaru's Athletics)
[1d20+6 = 5 + 6 = 11] (Kagemaru's Athletics)
[1d20+6 = 19 + 6 = 25] (Kagemaru's Athletics)

How hard can it be to climb two floors? As it turns out, pretty hard. Let's not dwell on slipping, the aching muscles or slippery holds, and focus on the result: Kagemaru makes it to the third floor, a little worse for wear but without screwing up too badly.

[1d20+10 = 3 + 10 = 13] (Kagemaru's Sneak, boosted to 21]
[1d20+3 = 12 + 3 = 15] (Guard's Notice)

Slipping over the parapet, Kagemaru almost lands right behind a guard doing his rounds. But a quick tuck and roll and a right guess takes Kagemaru around the guard's back as he turns to look at the source of the noise. With the grace of a natural acrobat, Kagemaru darts back over the parapet and hangs from it, getting back into the precarious shadows just as the guard turns back. His heart pounds all the way up to his head, but after a few seconds, the guard walks away. Kagemaru slips back onto the walkway and breathes a silent sigh of relief.

[1d20+10 = 19 + 10 = 29] (Kagemaru's Prestidigitation)

Let's not even mention the lock on the door to Councilman Yubari's room. It's more like a joke made out of pig iron. Kagemaru easily forces it open, slips into the room and closes the door behind him. He quickly skips out onto the balcony and looks at the trellis supposed to lead to the roof.

[1d20+6 = 1 + 6 = 7] (Kagemaru's Athletics, Crit Fail)

Kagemaru stares at the trellis in disbelief. This? Is that supposed to be a joke, this rickety thing? No, that...oh, don't look down now...crap, there really isn't any other way?

[1d20 = 12] (Kagemaru's Resolve, boosted to 22)

Thank you, Toshiba, Kagemaru thinks to himself. But the courage quickly returns to him. He's a ninja, right? Ninjas climb stuff like that all the time.

[1d20+6 = 17 + 6 = 23] (Kagemaru's Athletics)

And so Kagemaru does. The trellis shakes and shivers, but it holds long enough for Kagemaru to get up onto the roof. The wind is blowing harder up here, but he doesn't have time for that. Instead, he jogs up to where the big tree is closest. His pre-scouted route of escape - a strong branch - dangles several feet away. A short jump...

[1d20+10 = 12 + 10 = 22] (Kagemaru's Acrobatics)

Kagemaru takes a few steps back, gathers himself and then takes off, sprinting and leaping off the edge. The branch closes in fast, and...

[1d20+10 = 2 + 10 = 12] (Kagemaru's Acrobatics, boosted to 21)

...Kagemaru catches hold, swings a bit and lets go, landing on a lower branch. A few leaves fall from the impact and he sways precariously for a moment, but finally balances out. Okay, so far, so good.

[1d20+6 = 11 + 6 = 17] (Kagemaru's Athletics)

Climbing down the rest of the tree is fairly straightforward; finally, Kagemaru is at the branch that spans over the external wall. From here, there are multiple ways down...jump onto the wall and go down from there, take the branch and drop down on the outside, or take the branch all the way and jump to a nearby roof from there.

Eh, let's flaunt it, Kage thinks, and goes for the latter.

[1d20+10 = 18 + 10 = 28] (Kagemaru's Acrobatics)

Like a bizarre tightrope act, Kagemaru balances along the branch at speed, picking up momentum for the jump, and...

[1d20+10 = 3 + 10 = 13] (Kagemaru's Acrobatics, boosted to 21)

...makes it, though the landing could have used some work. Fortunately, there's nobody around to see that. Kagemaru dusts himself off, climbs off the house and makes his exit, finally. He stops at the metal grate where his adventure started and quickly collects his clothes, slipping them over his black stealth suit. Mask off, and Mr. Upstanding Citizen is back on his way to Kasumi and Toshi.

[1d20+10 = 10 + 10 = 20] (Kagemaru's Sneak, boosted to 21)
[1d20+6 = 11 + 6 = 17] (Kasumi's Notice)

Kagemaru's return is as quiet as when he left earlier tonight.

[1d20+10 = 6 + 10 = 16] (Kagemaru's Prestidigitation)

Kagemaru quickly strips off all clothes, bundles them up and slips them in a quiet corner of the room, behind a chest. That would have been much more fun with Kiara, he thinks. Finally, he lays down on his bed and tries to get some sleep. It's about damn time, too.

Kasumi is slowly roused from her sleep by the first rays of the rising sun that filter through the trees and illuminate the walls of her room. She sits up, stretches, and reaches for her clothes.

[1d20+6 = 1 + 6 = 7] (Kasumi's Notice, Crit Fail)

Apparently, someone has wished for prosperity for her sinuses, because the first attempt at consciously breathing finds Kasumi with a dry mouth and a plugged-up nose. One of the reasons why Kasumi could never make a living the forest: inevitably, it sets off her allergies. With her nose blocked up for the forseeable future, this feels like it's just gonna be one of those days.

---

[1d20+6 = 16 + 6 = 22] (Kagemaru's Notice)

The young ninja wakes up to an intense reek in his room. The culprit is easily found: what possessed him to stash dirty wet clothes in a dusty place? They're definitely ruined now.

This is just gonna be one of those days.

---

With the morning's business completed, it is time for Kasumi to disguise Kagemaru as her partner in entertainment, the first step of their plan to get into Matsumoto's estate. [Take 10 = 19] (Kasumi's Disguise)

With the clothes and the makeup in place, the two of them venture forth, with Kagemaru glad that Toshi isn't around to offer "helpful" advice on the acting. It's difficult enough to walk the streets in such a strange costume as is.

Eventually, the two of them reach the noble quarters and make for the main gate to Matsumoto's estate. The guards stand their watch even in broad daylight and dutifully stop the two before they reach the entrance.

"Halt," the guard says. "Lady Kagawa, who is that with you?"
"This is Kei, a houkan friend of mine," Kasumi says. "He's excellent with sleight-of-hand and was educated in the latest in modern military tactics by some of the best scholars. I think he'll make an excellent addition to our master's court, and hope to gain him an audition with Matsumoto-sama."
"A demonstration," Kagemaru says. He reaches into his kimono and retrieves a single silver coin. With a smile, he first makes it walk over his knuckles, then flips it into the air a few times, snatching it between his pinky and ring fingers, behind his back, standing it up on edge on the bridge of his nose...
"Parlor tricks," the guard says.

[1d20+10 = 13 + 10 = 23] (Kagemaru's Prestidigitation)

"Reach into your left pocket," Kagemaru says, still balancing the coin on his nose. The guard eyes him sceptically, then places his hand into the left pocket of his jacket - and withdraws a shiny silver coin. Kagemaru smiles, throws his head back and tosses the coin on his nose up in the air. "Convinced?" he says. The tossed coin rotates in air, tumbles back down and falls right back into Kagemaru's held-out purse.

The first guard just looks flabbergasted, but another one standing at the gate gives Kagemaru a polite round of applause.

"Well, okay," the guard says, "that was...our lord might enjoy tomfoolery like that, some light entertainment. And you're a tactician, too?"
"Ask me about any of the 100 Stratagems," Kagemaru says.
"Uh...okay, I - that isn't really, I mean - okay, just go right in, I guess. Lady Kagawa, you can find your way to the master. I don't think he's expecting anyone today."
"Thank you, Shimao," Kasumi says, and smiles at the guard. She leads Kagemaru through the gate and across the gardens outside of Matsumoto's main house. Once they're clear of any eavesdroppers, she turns to her ninja companion. "The guest quarters are on the second floor, overlooking the pond. I'll find Matsumoto-sama, and we'll meet up in five minutes to turn in the horses."

Kagemaru's stroll through the gardens is rather more relaxing than last night's adventure - it looks better in sunlight, too. Across the moat, near the deerscarer fountain, a man in a heavy kimono appears lost in thought. Kagemaru recognizes him as the man he met inside the mansion last night.

[1d20+7 = 9 + 7 = 16] (Toshiba's Notice)

Toshiba takes notice of the new guests. There is something odd about the way they carry themselves, but perhaps that's to be expected of entertainers. Toshiba, for his part, rather prefers his face painted with matted black and green tones to blend into the shrubbery, not done up in a garish manner like those two.

"When is the show?" Toshiba calls out to the entertainers.
"For the guests of Matsumoto-sama, we are always at your disposal, sir," Kasumi replies, and bows deeply in Toshiba's direction, motioning for Kagemaru to do the same.
Toshiba returns a shallower bow, adding, "Although I am the Old Fox's guest, you are clearly not here for the likes of me. Please, do not let me keep you from your appointments."
"Thank you, sir," Kasumi says, and the two continue on towards the main house.

Inside the mansion, there is - not all that much happening. In fact, it's rather empty, certainly emptier than what Kasumi is used to. Consequently, they can only take a few steps before they catch the attention of Shironabe-sama, the mansion's majordomo in charge of all guests and "lower" court members. Kagemaru doesn't have to ask Kasumi for a way to act here, because Shironabe can barely hide his contempt when he comes storming in, grinning like he's overjoyed to finally be able to harass Kasumi.

"Ah, there you are!" he says. "I was beginning to wonder where you'd wandered off to! And who is this - riffraff - that's following you like a lost puppy?"
"This is Kei, a friend I was receiving for an audition with Matsumoto-sama, Shironabe-sama," Kasumi says. "I believe I am allowed to take my leave of the palace grounds for a few days once a month, yes?"
"Hmph!" Shironabe scoffs. "Hiding behind the letter of my rules, as usual. And an audition? For this...this clown? I suppose you expect me to drop everything and fetch the master right this second, too. But when I need you, your afternoon shopping trip turns into being gone for days with no word from you. Your popularity here will not last if Matsumoto's guests can't enjoy their company when they wish it. And if they are not satisfied..."
"Oh, Matsumoto-sama will be more than satisfied with what Kei and I have found, Shironabe-sama," Kasumi says slyly. "Believe me, my position here is secure. As for you, isn't that one of the dish washers heading down to the pond again?" She points over Shironabe's shoulder. [1d20+12 = 16 + 12 = 28] (Kasumi's Bluff)

[1d20+4 = 14 + 4 = 18] Shironabe's Sense Motive

The majordomo whips around as if ready to fly into blind rage. "I have told you a hundred thousand times to..."

[1d20+1 = 8 + 1 = 9] (Kasumi's Sneak, untrained)
[1d20+10 = 6 + 10 = 16] (Kagemaru's Sneak, boosted to 21)
[1d20+1 = 6 + 1 = 7] (Shironabe's Notice)

"...and don't think you -" Shironabe spits at where Kasumi and Kagemaru were a second ago. He looks around but doesn't see them anywhere; after a second, he simply throws his hands up in a huff and storms out of the main entrance. Kagemaru and Kasumi emerge from behind the pillar they used as a hiding spot. Looks like clear sailing from here on.

"Okay, take a look around upstairs, but be careful, you're not supposed to be wandering around quite yet, so just act like you belong here, blend in a bit. Matsumoto-sama's chambers are up there," Kasumi says, pointing to the topmost floor. "We'll meet there in five minutes, I have a few things I have to pick up from my quarters."

---

[1d20+7 = 10 + 7 = 17] (Toshiba's Notice)

The show with the majordomo was quite amusing from just outside Toshiba's second-level quarters. (It always pays to have a way into and out of your room that doesn't go through the main entrance.) He doesn't see where the male entertainer is going, but he's got a good bead on the geisha. Now, where is she going?

Something is afoot, Toshiba thinks. The ninja last night, now these two making a show for the majordomo. And that second entertainer managed to elude even Toshiba's trained senses. The young woodsman decides to shadow the geisha. Just following her wouldn't work - she's already seen his face. Toshiba will have to rely on his old training.

[1d20+11 = 11 + 11 = 22] (Toshiba's Sneak)
[1d20+6 = 11 + 6 = 17] (Kasumi's Notice)

Kasumi slowly walks through the outer hallways of the palace, grabbing a tea tray left outside a room for clean-up and carrying it along with her. Now, where was Toshi's stash around here?

[1d20+2 = 14 + 2 = 16] (Kasumi Search, untrained, reduced to 15)

After some browsing and knocking against the walls, Kasumi finds a hollow space that contains some minor items Toshi must have left behind.

[1d20+6 = 15 + 6 = 21] (Kasumi's Prestidigitation)
[1d20+7 = 7 + 7 = 14] (Toshiba's Notice)

Unseen by Toshiba, Kasumi quickly pulls out the stash and hides it in the folds of her kimono, walking away as if nothing is wrong.

The stash is a small bundle. It contains s few coins, a rope...and a note.

I don't think she knows, after all.

Kasumi raises an eyebrow at the note, but she doesn't have time to ponder its meaning, as she moves down the hall, towards one of her stashes, closer to the geisha's quarters. She needs to look presentable to Matsumoto-sama, and she's lifted a few bits of jewelry that she knows he likes.

[1d20+6 = 17 + 6 = 23] (Kasumi's Prestidigitation)
[1d20+7 = 20 + 7 = 27] (Toshiba's Notice, Crit activated)

Jewelry, eh? That geisha's been here before, and she's rounding the place, grabbing things that were stashed throughout the mansion. Must have taken some time to prepare that. Perhaps planted by that genin last night, Toshiba surmises. He remains hidden, content for now to follow and observe.

Kasumi heads up the staircase to Matsumoto's chambers, and puts on her jewelry and straightens herself up while she waits for Kagemaru. Kagemaru soon appears, having made another round of the accessible parts of the mansion to strengthen his sense of the place. Together, he and Kasumi head into the lion's den. The guards at the staircase leading up to the topmost floor let the two pass.

[1d20+6 = 14 + 6 = 20] (Kagemaru's Notice)

Aotaka Matsumoto, known as the "Old Fox", stands in the middle of his quarters, contemplating a small bonsai tree. His rooms are decorated in a sort of sparse elegance, in complete contrast to the gaudy decorations outside the walls. Without turning around, he motions for his personal bodyguards to wait outside.

"Kasumi-kun," he says, speaking slowly. "I did not expect you gone for several days. And who is the man you have brought with you?"

Kasumi bows so deeply she might be able to kiss her knees if she goes much lower, and stays there. "I apologize, Matsumoto-sama. I was receiving a friend of mine, Kei, who you see before you now, when I heard two bandits talking about conning one of your servants into bringing them two of your horses under the pretense of an errand, and then robbing him of your property. We followed them into the woods, and they were indeed discussing the theft of your two valued horses."
"And you returned to report to me of this conversation?"
"Better, Matsumoto-sama," Kasumi tells the floor. "We have retrieved your horses from their camp! They are being kept in a safe stable nearby, we thought it would be best if we did not parade them through the city when such a price has been placed on the two of them."
"A price you seem eager to collect, Kasumi-kun," Matsumoto says, and finally turns around to address her. "I have heard of a bandit camp in the forests being attacked, and in the process burned to the ground, with the scoundrels scattered to the four winds and their leader slain. Tell me, Kasumi-kun, how you and your friend managed such a martial feat."
"Bandits have been known to lie to save face, Matsumoto-sama," Kasumi says. "We merely found the horses tied to a tree on the outskirts of their camp. Perhaps our retrieval of your property sparked a fight between the bandits, and their camp was destroyed in the ensuing chaos." [1d20+12 = 11 + 12 = 23] (Kasumi's Bluff)
"Men of low ways have been known to turn on each other," Matsumoto muses. "Tracker!" he shouts. "I have need of you."

The doors slide open to admit Toshiba into the room.

"As it happens, I have met this gentleman who professes certain knowledge of the happenings at the bandit camp. Perhaps we can gain a more complete understanding if we all pool all expertise. Tracker, I pose this question to you: were these two at the camp site when it was besieged and burned down?"

Toshiba looks the man and woman over closely. His face, normally cheerful enough, is lined with worry. His next few words could very well end lives.

[1d20+7 = 19 + 7 = 26] (Toshiba's Survival)

The two were so there, it's not even funny. Her hair still looks singed at some strands from the heat, the way he carries himself matches the smaller attacker in Eagle's tent...if it wasn't them, it had to be their identical twins. Toshiba knows it. But what can he tell Matsumoto?

I can only tell him the truth, Toshiba thinks. I am no palace wit, I have no guile to my words. But I need not tell all I know, either.
"Yes, Matsumoto-san. They were at the site. The lord is as cunning as his namesake."
"And of what happened to the bandits, you have told me the whole of your knowledge?" Matsumoto asks.
Damn it to the hell where people are eaten by rabid weasels, Toshiba thinks. "I told you all I knew, save one thing. Those who killed Eagle were of the Ayami clan. Your next question would of course be, 'how would I know this?' I was once counted among them."
"The Ayami clan?" Matsumoto asks. "Hm. What purpose could it serve for them to meddle with the bandits out here - well, no matter."

Matsumoto smiles at Kasumi and Kagemaru.

"In any event, you have done well to come to me with such good news. Simply tell my servants where you have hidden the horses, and they shall be fetched. In the meantime, I hope you will indulge me as your host for the night. I do so love your performances, Kasumi-kun, and with your entertainer friend, you will make a splendid addition to my empty guest quarters."

Somehow, Matsumoto's "guest" sounds a whole lot like "hostage".

Kasumi's back is starting to ache, but she doesn't dare stand upright. Instead, she looks up enough to be able to see Matsumoto's face. "Of course, Matsumoto-sama. We must accompany your servants, however, the friend who is watching the horses for us will only reveal them for the two of us. We took the proper precautions with your property, you understand."
"Hm," Matsumoto says, turning back to tend to his bonsai. "Will that really be necessary? You should at least join me for lunch for your brave service."

[1d20+7 = 4 + 7 = 11] (Kasumi's Sense Motive)

Translation: Tell me where the horses are and how to get them, or you won't leave this room.

1d20+6 = 18 + 6 = 24] (Kasumi's Notice)

There doesn't seem to be anyone else in the room besides you and Matsumoto. As for exits - well, there's the way you came, and the balcony, if you'd like to give this whole "flying" thing a try.

Kasumi smiles. "Of course. The horses will be fine. There is an inn outside of town where they can be found. But before we discuss location, I might ask that we discuss the consideration for finding and retrieving your property, Matsumoto-sama."

You can't see Matsumoto crack a grin, but reading his stance, you know he has.

"Would you kindly stop ruining your back, Kasumi-kun?" he says. "I expect deference from my underlings, not from a negotiating partner."
Kasumi stands upright, and rubs her back. "Thank you, Matsumoto-sama. So, the reward?"
"I am prepared to offer a generous sum of silver," Matsumoto says. "About as much - no, not about, exactly as much as I offer for the apprehension of the man who stole the horses in the first place." He turns back around to face you. "Your reward," he says, "is Toshiro Mohime, in balance. His life - or what his life is worth."
Kasumi's stopped cold for a moment, and fights to keep her inner turmoil under control. Even someone as ruthless as Matsumoto would still pay a handsome sum for the return of his property. But...Kasumi promised Toshi, really promised him, that she would get him out from under this.

"That's nice of you to say, Kasumi," Toshi says, "but let's not lie to ourselves. We're not good people."
Kasumi's comforting expression fades. "No. We're not." A slight smile returns to her face. "But we can try."

She closes her eyes for a second. You'd better do something worthwhile with this, Toshi. "Remove the bounty from Toshiro's head, Matsumoto-sama, and I will tell you where your horses are."
Matsumoto ponders this. "I cannot leave Mohime to escape the consequences of his deeds. He must still be seen to be brought in so that he may face me. But if the horses are back in my possession, and in light of your efforts - I would find it in my heart to forgive him. And if he has learned from this, I will leave him be."

[1d20+7 = 7 + 7 = 14] (Kasumi's Sense Motive) [1d4 = 2]

Matsumoto is hard to read, as ever. He is certainly hard enough to visit violence upon those who transgress against him, even if they come crawling for mercy. But his appreciation for Kasumi's efforts sounds sincere enough, and the offer of clemency comes with a substantial public shaming attached - Kasumi has no trouble believing that Matsumoto would enjoy watching Toshi squirm over it much more than any actual punishment.

"Thank you, Matsumoto-sama," Kasumi says. "Your kindness is most appreciated." She forces herself to smile. "Now, we should eat, and discuss horses and where they might be located." Toshi, I hope you listened to me this time...

---

What do the rats do when the cat slides over the bowl with its food and invites them to take a nibble? The answer to that question is lunch with Matsumoto.

Kasumi already knows the Old Fox from countless engagements, but for Kagemaru it's more of a surprise. The man, so controlled and subtle during the negotiation, seems to come to life at the table, regaling his (few) guests with tales of his exploits, the latest news from the Imperial capital and even some poetry. The food is a delicious rainbow of fish and fruits, with fresh bread and enough rice to feed a whole class in the ninja mountain fortress of the Ayami. In fact, there are five different sorts of rice, all subtly different. Kagemaru didn't know rice came in any sorts besides - well, rice.

After a while, the shouts from outside signal that the men Matsumoto has sent to the inn have returned. Matsumoto and his guests step out onto the balcony of his quarters and enjoy the view - a group of well-armed samurai flanking two horses and a Toshi who seems to be busy trying to unlock the mystical power of disappearing into thin air through sheer effort of will. Finally, the group is let into the estate, and while two stablehands take the reigns of the horses, the samurai surround Toshi and lead him into the mansion.

"I'm afraid we must interrupt our meal," Matsumoto announces. "Please, everyone, retire to your quarters and let the meal settle. We should not eat so much now, in any case, for we will all enjoy a truly spectacular dinner tonight - two of the Emperor's personal chefs are expected, and frankly, every time they stay at this house, I almost wish I could become Emperor - just to be in the tender care of their cuisine at all times!"

The guests laugh politely. Matsumoto's ambitions are one of the less secret items on the menu.

You are politely but efficiently led outside, where the samurai are already waiting. Kagemaru recognizes their leader as the man who came to look for Toshi way back in Golden Harvest. He doesn't look very happy that he had to be told where to go to find his quarry.

Toshi, for his part, tries to put on a brave face.

"I had to do this," he says to Kasumi and Kagemaru. "You'll understand."

Then they lead him inside, and the doors close behind him. Toshi's fate now rests in the hands of Matsumoto, and on the strength of his promises.

The guards have gotten you settled into your guest rooms for the moment. A palpable sense of "What now?" permeates the entire mansion as everyone waits to see how Matsumoto deals with Toshi.

Your rooms are lavish, compared to the rather Spartan look of Matsumoto's private quarters. Nice beds, towels, a closet full of fine silk kimonos, a table and chairs, a shelf with some of the classics on scrolls, and a balcony with a nice view of the setting sun outside.

In her room, Kasumi walks up to the balcony and looks out over the courtyard, trying to see where Matsumoto-sama's guards are.

Two levels down, below the balcony, the moat that surrounds the mansion and separates it from the garden stretches along. Kasumi sees one samurai/bodyguard/mercenary wander along the side of the mansion, but overall there doesn't seem to be much activity outside.

After looking out of one exit, she sneaks back across the room to check the other, carefully sliding the door open to see what's out in the hallway.

The guards - and there's not just a few of them - are essentially clustered around two points: the staircase leading up to Matsumoto's quarters, and the front door. Nobody seems to be patrolling the halls. It's not a very sophisticated method of establishing your security, but the goals are clear, at least.

Well, at least they're not trying to keep us in our rooms, Kasumi thinks. She grabs a few silk kimonos and puts them on over her own, and just casually walks out of the door and down the hall to the next room.

The door slides open to admit a rather startled Toshiba Shiretoko, who steps back slightly in surprise. He quickly regains his composure, adding, "Oh, it's you. What is going on?"
"Guards at the stairs to Matsumoto-sama's headquarters and the front door," Kasumi says, stepping into Toshiba's room. "I think introductions are in order. Who the hell are you?"
"Hunter Toshiba / Abandoned the Ayami / Again he sees them." Toshiba smiles. "I tracked you and your friends here thinking you were after my blood. Now I fear that has come to pass, but not from where I originally suspected."
Kasumi grins at the impromptu haiku. "Cute, but we have bigger problems at the moment. Did you see where they took Toshi to, or where Kei wound up?"
"Kei should be close, most likely in one of these rooms here. Toshi... that's the one the Old Fox will have in his quarters."
"Yes, that's what I was afraid of. Let's get Kei in here and see if we can't figure out what's going on between the three of us, hm?" Kasumi slides the door open and heads to the room next door, expecting to find Kagemaru there.

As Kagemaru opens the door of his room to see what is going on outside, he almost runs into Kasumi.
"What did you find out?" Kagemaru asks after she enters the room.
Kasumi holds the door for Toshiba, then slides it shut. "Guards are at the front door and the stairs to Matsumoto-sama's chambers, a lot of guards, Kei. Toshi's up there with Matsumoto-sama. Did you see anything else, Kei?"
"Not really, I was going to check when you almost ran me over." Kagemaru responds.
"What are you planning to do?" Toshiba asks.
"Before we plan to do anything, maybe we should figure out what's really going on here," Kasumi says. "The guard isn't very heavy outside; maybe one of you could get up onto the roof and see what's going on in Matsumoto-sama's quarters while the rest of us scout out the ground floors."

Kagemaru remembers the trellis from the balcony of the councilman's room that leads to the roof. He'd just have to get up to the room and get in without being seen.

"And how will he pass us the goings-on in those chambers once he's up there?" Toshiba asks.
"He comes back down," Kasumi says. "I'd love to have some kind of note-passing system, but we're obviously working with what we have here. One of us could be hoisted up and down the roof, though." Kasumi starts taking off her extra kimonos. "These silk kimonos should provide a good method of climbing up and down once they're anchored in the roof tiles. We can dye them with the ink from the calligraphy sets in the rooms so they'll blend in on the roof."

Toshiba starts taking off his clothes, eventually revealing a coil of rope tied around his torso. Attached to that rope is a grappling hook. He grins. "Or we could use this."
Kasumi shakes her head. "Matsumoto-sama's guards are getting lazy. We should probably hold onto that in case we have to get into Matsumoto-sama's quarters quickly, don't you think?"
"Fine with me." Toshiba looks at Kagemaru next. "So, what have you hidden under your clothes?"
"Various lethal things; nothing that helps with climbing, though," Kagemaru says.

Kasumi sticks her head out of the balcony sliding door, looking for any trees that would provide cover for the impromptu rope ascent. If she knew about Kagemaru's nightly trip, she'd recognize the large tree that stretches a few feet from this balcony. The branches are not the densest, but barring any major fuckups it should provide some concealment. Kagemaru steps up to the challenge without further words, having already taken the liberty knotting the kimonos into a kinda-sorta rope. He climbs up onto the balcony rail and makes his way up.

[1d20+6 = 19 + 6 = 25] (Kagemaru’s Athletics)

And as ninjas are wont to do, he makes it look way too easy. A few grabs, some steps on the wall and he pulls himself up onto the balcony above. From there, it's another jump to the balcony of the councilman, then a climb on the trellis to get to the roof.

"Anyone else coming?" he whispers downward.

After a few seconds, Kagemaru throws down the kimono-rope, obviously having fixed it to something above. That should make it easier on the next climber. Toshiba nods and starts his ascent.

[1d20+5 = 11 + 5 = 16] (Toshiba’s Athletics)

Toshiba's tale of being a runaway ninja seems slightly suspect, if only in the comparison to Kagemaru's graceful climb. This one's more of a struggle, muscles versus gravity, but after a few seconds Toshiba is high enough that Kagemaru can take his hand and pull him up the rest of the way. So much for that, then. Now it's the jump to the next balcony.

[1d20+10 = 20 + 10 = 30] (Kagemaru’s Acrobatics)

It's not a long jump. It's not a difficult jump. Kagemaru decides that, what the hell, he might as well show off a little. With a smirk to Toshiba that seems to say "Try to keep up", he steps up onto the rail, leaps and somersaults in mid-air, landing onto the councilman's balcony railing with both feet and a graceful deceleration. Still smirking, he skips off the rail and motions for Toshiba to follow.

Toshiba bows - now he recognizes Kagemaru as the silent infltrator from before! He smirks back and gives the jump his best.

[1d20+7 = 14 + 7 = 21] (Toshiba’s Acrobatics)

Toshiba's jump is similarly point-perfect in the landing, although he decided not to go for the extra credit and fancy it up. No matter; Kagemaru nods to him, and the two of them set to climb the trellis.

[1d20+6 = 20 + 6 = 26] (Kagemaru’s Athletics)

If Toshiba hoped that Kagemaru's display of freshly-trained ninja prowess would stop after the jump, he's mistaken. Kagemaru takes one quick look at the trellis and spiderwalks up the wooden structure, quickly hauling his weight onto the roof. A single leaf is shaken loose from the plants growing on the trellis, and it floats past Toshiba's head.

[1d20+5 = 7 + 5 = 12] (Toshiba’s Athletics)

The trellis sways notably more under Toshiba's weight. But it's not a great distance to cover, vertically, and again Kagemaru holds out his hand to help pull him up.

Kagemaru and Toshiba are now on the roof. The "escape route" tree looms, just waiting for a jump, but what you're here for is elsewhere...namely, the balcony of Matsumoto's quarters.

[1d20+10 = 11 + 10 = 21] (Kagemaru's Sneak)
[1d20+11 = 17 + 11 = 28] (Toshiba's Sneak)

The two saunter off silently, sticking to the ample shadows of the roof's many protusions on your way to the balcony. To their suprise, they find that Matsumoto and Toshi are standing on the balcony, apparently taking a break from a conversation. The two ninjas move up closer to listen in...

"The safety of the horses is not the issue here, Toshiro-kun," Matsumoto says. Toshi doesn't respond, so the older man continues. "That you have lied to me, though, I do not appreciate. You have given me nothing but half-hearted excuses and fibs in your defense. What should I make of all this, Toshiro-kun? Of the people you have recruited to do your bidding?"
"I did not recruit them!" Toshi defends himself. "They are my friends and they decided to help me set this right."
"Set this right?" Matsumoto asks. "There is nothing to correct. The error was in your decisions - your choices. Tell me, Toshiro-kun...tell me of that 'life' you live with that farmer woman of yours. What is it worth? Would she mourn you if I threw you off this balcony?" He leans in closer. "Would anyone?"

[1d20+6 = 15 + 6 = 21] (Kagemaru's Sense Motive)

The ninja weighs Matsumoto's words. He knows the Old Fox is a cold man when he wants to be, and certainly capable of killing someone...but this doesn't sound like a disconnected threat, more like a stern warning.

Toshiba gently grasps Kage's sleeve. Little Fox, he mouths. It has to be. How clever for Kagemaru's target to play his would-be assassins into escorting him to safety! Well, perhaps not safety - Toshi certainly was living dangerously now. Toshiba stays hidden, trying to puzzle it out.

"Do not take this out on Yukio!" Toshi growls, almost shaking with anger at the implication. "Would you parade my dead body in front of her, too, Matsumoto-sama?"
"It would teach her not to marry someone as unreliable as you," Matsumoto says. "But no matter. If you really wish to see yourself as the victim of the fates, so be it. I have done my best to set you on the right path, to encourage your wits and give you a comfortable life. The rest is up to you, Toshiro-kun. And now, leave. Return to your wife. There is nothing left to say between us. Oh, and you should say farewell to your friends. You have brought them too far in your egotism."
"If there is nothing to say, Matsumoto-sama," Toshi says, "then leave me to my thoughts." He turns and bows to the Old Fox. "A good day to you, Sir!" he says frostily. Matsumoto nods and walks back into his quarters, leaving Toshi alone on the balcony.

Kagemaru nods to Toshiba and gets up to sneak back. They've seen and heard enough for now.

(Climbing & jumping & climbing montage set to "You're the best around")

A few minutes later, the two ninjas - well one ninja and one ex-ninja - touch down on the balcony of the guest room. Kasumi is there, waiting for the two. She is packing what she could get from her stashes in the mansion for quick travel when the two men return from their rooftop expedition. "Well? What did you see?" she asks.
"The Foxes reunited, that's what,” Toshiba says. “Also, Matsumoto plans to dispose of us any moment now."
"Wait, what? Start with the first part."
"The second part is what concerns me. Little Fox is not my target. Is there somewhere else we could strategize besides 'prisoners' rooms'?"
"Just other guest rooms," Kasumi says, taking slow, deliberate steps towards the two ninjas. "And how did you know about Little Fox?"
"Matsumoto spoke to Toshi with his characteristic unreadable demeanor, but it was Toshi's angry remarks - without reprisal - and Matsumoto's willingness to have us killed to cover it up that marks your 'friend' as much more than a horse thief farmer con man fuckup."

Kasumi lets Toshiba finish, thinking about what he was saying, then turns angrily to Kagemaru. "You told him? When? How does he know about your mission, Kagemaru?"
Kagemaru meets Kasumi's anger with a stern face. "There are no secrets between Ayami," he says calmly. "And it is my mission. My mission, my methods."
"It's a wonder you've lasted as long as you have, sharing secrets with an ex-member of your clan." She waves her hand in front of her face then places it on her head in thought. "No matter. We will settle whether or not Toshi is who this man thinks he is later. First, we should probably find a way to get Toshi and get out, yes?"
"Do you mean 'get' (Toshiba makes a slashing motion across his throat) Toshi? Or actually get him?"

Kasumi takes that same stern gaze and aims it at both Kagemaru and Toshiba. "No one will be killing Toshi until we have a chance to talk with him about what is going on here. Anyone who tries will have to do so over my dead body, is that clear?"

The two ninjas nod their assent. It's just as well, as there's a bit of a commotion outside. You proceed to the door to find Toshi making a hell of a racket without actually shouting, stomping his feet down every step as a few guards lead him slowly to the front entrance. He spies you standing a floor above him and gives you a sarcastic nod.

"I'm out," he says. "Out of patience, out of options, out of this place. But maybe Matsumoto-sama will enjoy having you as guests for dinner." He stands and sighs, waving off the unvoiced admonishments from the guards to keep moving. "I'm sorry. You've helped me out and I owe you my thanks. More than that, even. But I'm...I'm tired. I'll head back to my wife and tell her that the matter is resolved."

The guards turn around to face the staircase. Your looks follow them, and you see Aotaka Matsumoto, the Old Fox, climb down the stairs, the slight smirk he wore before gone. He shares a look with Toshi, but stops at your floor and walks up to you, bodyguards in tow. Then, out of the blue, he bows slightly to you.

"You have done much for Toshiro-kun," he says. "Travel with him or remain for the night as my guests, you will have my blessings either way."

"I vote we take our leave of this place as soon as possible," Kasumi whispers.
Toshiba bows low to the lord. "I thank you for your hospitality and respectfully take my leave," he says. Definitely time to go.
"We bid you farewell, Matsumoto-same," Kagemaru says, joining the choir.

After a few more assorted pleasantries - the kitchen staff appears out of nowhere to provide you all with a packed lunch for the road - you are all led outside the mansion. It's good to breathe the fresh air in the garden and even better to breathe the fresher air outside of the walls that surround Matsumoto's estate. After a few moments, as you gain more distance, it sinks in that you're now as home free as you're likely to get without leaving the Forge and running away to a place that's not on any map.

Toshi, for his part, seems to be cheering up a little again. "I'm glad we're finally walking away from this mess," he says.
Kasumi walks next to Toshi. "Toshi, do you know who Little Fox is?" she asks. "Are you Little Fox?"
"Little Fox?" Toshi says. "That sounds like...I don't know, the son of the Old Fox?" He pauses for a moment. "Oh. Oh! You think I'm Matsumoto-sama's son?"
"Are you?" Kasumi asks.
"Of that old codger?" Toshi spits. "No, I'm not. I'd hardly be trying to scam him if I was his son, now would I?"
"That depends," Kasumi says, her voice hardening slightly. "Toshiba and Kagemaru were above you out on the balcony, Toshi. They heard you speaking with him. What is your relation to Matsumoto-sama? If you are Little Fox, we will talk first, alright?" she says, throwing a glare back to Kagemaru.
"You were...on the roof?" Toshi says, pointing at Kagemaru. "And you -" he says, pointing at Toshiba. "Wait, who are you? I thought you were thatbow guy, but you smell better than him. Where do you pick up all these guys, anyway?"
"One topic at a time, Toshi," Kasumi says, and walks out in front of Toshi, stopping them both. "Are you Little Fox?"
Toshi looks at Kasumi. "No, I'm not. I'm not Matsumoto's son, and I'm not 'Little Fox'."
Toshiba laughs. "Since we're on the subject, do you know who is?"
"How would I?" Toshi says, getting flustered. "How would I know anything about Matsumoto's damn son or nephew or whatever?"

[1d20+7 = 10 + 7 = 17] (Kasumi's Sense Motive for "Are you Little Fox"?) [1d4 = 1] (1 AD)
[1d20+7 = 8 + 7 = 15] (Kasumi's Sense Motive for "Do you know who Little Fox is?")

Toshi sounds honest/honestly upset/upset. He's probably telling the truth.

"They told me about what you said, that doesn't sound like how a man whose life hangs in the balance addresses the man who decides whether it has come due. He knows you, Toshi. Really knows you. How does he know you?"
"I'm...look," Toshi says, fighting for words. "I did a couple jobs for him, okay? Not the savory kind. We bonded a little when things looked bad, but now it's all messed up."

[1d20+7 = 6 + 7 = 13] (Kasumi’s Sense Motive)

Toshi is lying about that one. Kasumi isn't 100% sure, but her gut says that Toshi has run out of truthful things to say.

"Really? A rich warlord like Matsumoto-sama hiring an outside con man like you to work directly with him? And he goes out there himself and gets his hands dirty? Come on, Toshi, do you really expect me to believe that? How does Matsumoto-sama really know you?"

Toshi looks more and more like a cornered rat. He's clearly weighing his options, to continue to claim that things aren't how they look, or to just run away, but neither of them looks very promising. It seems that Kasumi's questions have finally drilled down to the cowardly core of his, and he visibly slumps in defeat.

"Yukio," Toshi says. "Yukio...she is Matsumoto-sama's daughter."

[1d20+7 = 1 + 7 = 8] (Kasumi's Sense Motive)
[1d20+6 = 6 + 6 = 12] (Kagemaru's Sense Motive)

Both Kagemaru and Kasumi just stare at Toshi. What he said is...well, neither is sure just what that is. Is it another desperate lie? Or have they hit the jackpot?

"And how do we know you are telling the truth, Toshi?" Kasumi asks.
"Turn around, knock on the door and ask Matsumoto," Toshi says. "Come back with me to Golden Harvest and ask Yukio. I don't know what else you want from me, Kasumi. Is it so hard to believe that I both wanted this to be a secret and am now tired of keeping it from you?"
"No, Toshi," Kasumi says. "Well, yes, but I think you can understand why I had to know. They were convinced that you were who Kagemaru has been sent to assassinate, and I was trying to protect you from them. But I saw you with Yukio before, Toshi. I would never doubt your love for her and that you only want to make sure she's safe."
"It makes sense," Toshiba agrees.” Matsumoto could have thrown you from the balcony, except it would hurt his daughter. So..." Toshiba walks on without finishing his thought.
"Now who's being careless with my mission?" Kagemaru says, looking at Kasumi. "At least I can keep it between clan brothers."
"You already told him that you were hunting for Little Fox, and that you were Ayami," Kasumi shoots back. "Excuse me if I decide to verify that he is who you say he is before you decide to stab him in the back."
"And this is, of course, the right place to repeat that," Kagemaru says.
"The whole prefecture might know by now, for all you've been talking about it," Kasumi says. "But you are right." She looks back to Toshi. "Do you trust me, Toshi?"

"Trust you?" Toshi says. "You are a liar and a manipulator, you make a living of it, and you have just humiliated me to sate your curiosity. Should I believe you still have my best interest at heart, you hag?" He turns to Kagemaru. "I do not know why you were hired to kill Yukio, but if there's anything...anything I can do so that you won't.“
"I was given the assignment to kill Little Fox," Kagemaru says softly. "And I am not convinced that your wife, Yukio, is Little Fox. And even if she is...there are reasons that there are ex-Ayami." He nods to Toshiba, who returns the gesture.
"I promised you that I would get you out from under Matsumoto-sama, and I kept my word, didn't I, Toshi?" Kasumi asks.
"I..." Toshi stammers. "I guess you did. I just don't want to think about him much longer, alright? I want...this is over. This is over. I want to go home, Kasumi."
"And that's exactly what we're going to do, Toshi," Kasumi says, putting her hands on his shoulders. "And when we get there, we will sort out things with Yukio, and if she is Little Fox, we will figure out a way to get her out from under this death mark." She looks at Toshiba and Kagemaru. "Because it doesn't matter if Kagemaru and Kiara refuse to kill her, the Ayami clan still has an obligation, right?"
"That is true," Toshiba says. "We must...wait, who is Kiara again?"
Kagemaru smiles. "I'll explain on the way."
"At any rate, she will still be marked for death. We will find a way to get that mark removed, Toshi." She looks him square in the eyes. "I promise you that."
"That's good," Toshi says. "Thank you, Kasumi. I just wish my Yukio could live in peace, finally..."