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[4k3 Awareness/Courtier: 26]

GM's notes:
Kojiro: -1k0 earth/water.
Denbe: -1k0 earth/void.
Kagae: -1k0 fire.
Seichiro: -1k0 earth/void.
Zanzen: -1k0 earth/water.
Kyumi: ??
Hisashi: ??
Miyako: None
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@ Kagae's Residence:

"Duty to the empire? We've received no such word... probably because we're here, rather than Kaiu Shiro. Do fill me in as soon as you get cleaned up, Kagae-kun! Now, off with you!" She would gesture with both hands, shooing him away, as several servants already were amidst of preparing the hot bath for him.

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@ Yakety Sax:

Ashigaru 1: 14 base athletics. 12 base perception to resist intimidation. 16 to resist manipulation. 9 for contested grapple check.
Ashigaru 2: 23 base athletics. 12 base perception to resist intimidation.

Miyako looked around, and decided to use the side streets of the town to her advantage to try to help intercept if Denbe and Kojiro could not catch up. It was a good plan, and would have worked if she was a little faster. It would save her time in the long run, but she couldn't get there this turn.

Kojiro would rush after the slower ashigaru, found himself neither gaining nor losing ground. Rather than weapons, he would call out his threat. It would cause the ashigaru to slow as he looked over his shoulder at Kojiro with a look of utter confusion on his face; however, Kojiro continued to run, and so did he fearfully. "I DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT MEANS!" he would call out defensively, getting a 7 for etiquette to express he really doesn't know what Kojiro is going on about. Kojiro probably doesn't believe him.

As Denbe pleaded with the soldier, he would call out over his should as Denbe rapidly approached, "No! You're with the Scorpion, I saw you! You'll kill us all!" And around that point Denbe managed to close the distance enough, grabbing ahold of the man's shoulder to slow him down before twisting his arm behind him in a tight grip!

He would attempt to squirm free and keep moving, seemingly possessed by honest-to-goodness terror, but a 10 for a follow-up contested grapple check vs Denbe's roll + free raise probably wouldn't be enough to prevent him from being pinned.

Denbe secures one as another is still getting away! Further actions, anyone?

@Scorpion/Rabbit Shenanigans

Kojiro growled angrily. He couldn't blame the man. He almost did put away his Kusarigama, but it didn't seem to be a cycle he could win.

The Scorpion would try to keep pace with the fleeing ashigaru and attempt to knock him down again with the chain portion of his weapon!.

OOC:
Agility/athletics 4k3 (w/2 dice to handle explosions, first six)
Raises: 2 (one to keep pace, one to attack)
Results: 26
Agility/Kusarigama 6k3+3 (W/ 3 dice to handle explosions;next nine)
Raises: 2 Free raises to knock down, 1 Raise to knock down; 2 raises to add to the contested strength roll. 3 called raises total.
Results: 19

@Husk and Shell Inn:

Zanzen ordered a thing of water and some rice and whatever the innkeeper thought was good today.

[How Do You Stop an Exploding Hare?: 15]

GM's notes:
Kojiro: -1k0 earth/water.
Denbe: -1k0 earth/void.
Kagae: -1k0 fire.
Seichiro: -1k0 earth/void.
Zanzen: -1k0 earth/water.
Kyumi: ??
Hisashi: ??
Miyako: None
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@ Husk and Shell Inn:

"Well... if you ask me, honored samurai, the rice of Kuda Mura is the most renowned to all the Crab samurai serving on the wall, and it is viewed as the best in Crab lands. But if you just came from a long trip, you'll need something with more substance to help you get back your strength. I could fry up some salmon from a nearby brook for you if you would like."

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@ Yakety Sax:

Ashigaru #1: Caught!
Ashigaru #2: Athletics roll of 22 before raises, 1 raise to make a quick escape from Kojiro.

The Ashigaru that was still being chased saw his companion get effectively pinned him and kept from running. Panicked, he would look over his shoulder to see Kojiro come at him, swinging his chain around like... wait, again? Haven't you learned your lesson Kojiro? Don't run with scissors chain weapons!

As Kojiro would throw the weighted end of his weapon at a downward angle, the Ashigaru broke off at a parallel run, evading once more! He ducked down an alleyway, then took a sharp corner to hopefully buy him enough time to hide himself!

And he would then bump into a tiny woman, jogging along a side street. Miyako, you get an opportunity to attack or something else before he runs past!

Meanwhile, in the main street, some villagers were starting to gather and watch, murmuring amongst themselves. They seemed focused on Denbe holding one of their own prisoner like that, unsure what was going on and if they should be doing something - either to assist the ashigaru, or the samurai.

"Err... it's just... you know..." the ashigaru attempted to stall, trailing off again and again, avoiding answering the question altogether. He was either stalling for time, or simply dodging the question altogether. He no longer fought against Denbe's hold and dropped his yari proper, knowing full well the consequences of doing otherwise.

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@ Honor Loss During Bathtime:

Umm... what?

This wasn't going quite how he'd hoped. The man seemed more afraid to talk than he did evasive. If Denbe had really needed these answers, he could have seen just how fear of whomever, where ever they were, played against fear of his sword, right here, but it wouldn't have been his way. And it would not have turned out well in a street full of people.

As it was, a crowd gathering was bad, especially now that he'd obediently ceased fighting back. The people would either feel wronged and take his side, or the gathering might draw the attention of a local samurai... who might not take kindly to the Hare's interference. Had he been of another clan, or an actual magistrate perhaps.

But he was a Jade Warden, likely outside his jurisdiction in this regard, and he was of a minor clan. Drawing the Crab's ire was not something he desired.

"No, I don't," he sighed.

He was clearly afraid of the Scorpions having found him out though, not of a samurai in general having done so- whatever his business, it seemed less likely a matter of real treason. Perhaps crime or treachery, but such a matter was not his to investigate or punish, even if it took part much closer to their mission than he cared to shrug off as coincidence.

Denbe eased his grip.

"What's your name?" he asked, preparing to let the man go once he had a name he could possibly take to a local authority, for them to decide if this needed further investigation or not, while he ran the details through his head.

[1 Raise to try and find an additional fact.]
[5k3 Intelligence/Investigation: 26 vs TN+5 to try and piece together more from these facts.]

{4k2 agility/knives
Call 2 raises
VP for raise
Full Attack}

The only thing Miyako could think of was possibly also the stupidest, given her stature, but hoping to trip him up somehow so that Kojiro and the Hare could catch up with him a little quicker. Throwing her entire body weight at the peasant, she swung the tanto in front of him and around so she gripped it from both sides, since by herself, she wouldn't necessarily reach. She mentally cursed Kojiro; it had probably been his fault why the men had jumped to the conclusions they had.

Whether it worked or not, she'd then yell for Kojiro, hoping he'd move his a** and get there before she got into more trouble than she could handle. Oh he better have a good reason for this...