If they take offense at the idea of someone claiming false fealty to the Hittori, and he can move faster than you, I think we may have found something Iga.

>Choose your words carefully, traveler.
Stay calm, despite the rather obvious threat to your life. Don't make any unnecessary motion, no need to get your throat slit.

I have not spoken falsely. I still carry my Lord's letter of introduction to the village if my word holds no weight in your ears.

Ask them to identify themselves. The average woodcutter does not risk their life attempting to cut down a samurai who simply introduces themselves as a member of a noble house. The fact that they reacted so quickly implies that they are agents - of whom is unknown.

As for you, show them the letter of introduction but do not allow them to handle it.

I think we just found Ninjas.
Hopefully, these are our Shinobi and we're not about to die an ignominious death.

look for an angle of escape but calmly explain you do not take names in vain, you have an official letter

"I have not spoken falsely. I have a letter of introduction from Lord Toda, if my honorable word means nothing."

You remain as still as you can, wary of the blade at your throat, even as you begin reaching for the letter in question. A slight pressure from the blade halts your movement, and instead the man makes a gesture with his other hand. The woman slips pulls her knife away and slips it into some hidden pocket before moving closer and retrieving the letter from your clothing. A quick step back, and then the rustling of paper. Silence reigns for a few short moments, and you watch as the woman's face goes from wary to clearly shocked. She proffers the letter to the man silently, and he takes it, glancing over it himself. Another heartbeat of tense air, and then the knife is removed from your throat and he too slips his knife into some hidden pocket. He quickly bows, gesturing for the woman to do the same, as he speaks.

"I apologize, Lady Himura. We were unaware Lord Hattori had taken another under his wing. We were in Omi province, undertaking other business, unfortunately unsuccessfully. Please forgive our rudeness."

You sheathe your sword, rubbing your throat gently to relieve some of the slight pain before replying. It seems this encounter, while unexpected, is at least going better than you hoped. Proper respect is being displayed, at least. Although judging by their demeanor and their chosen attire...

"You are shinobi, are you not?"

"That is correct, Lady Himura. Of the Iga Clan, in service to Lord Hattori. I am called Kaito, this one is my disciple, Aki."

Both bow again, low and with respect, although you can tell Aki performs the action somewhat more fluidly than her apparent teacher. You find the disparity odd, but pay it little mind at the moment. There is other business to attend to.

"I assume you are returning to Iga?"

"You are correct, Lady Himura, although we have heard of the bandits and I thought it a good opportunity to further test Aki."

You pause, pondering this development. You find the pair... distasteful, after all they are of the shadows. However, you have been instructed to leave a good impression, even among the shinobi, and you would be remiss to treat them without some manner of respect. Still, keeping the coldness and loathing out of your voice is... somewhat difficult, and you cannot help but feel that at least one of them must have noticed by now. Perhaps focusing on other things will distract you from them entirely.

She might make a good ally in the future, so work together with Aki. Kaito can form a general plan to deal with the bandits.

well, ask if they have found any information about the bandits. can double team them while both honoring your codes. you challenge them openly and when they all come out to fight the ninjas stab their leader in the back.

>You find the disparity odd, but pay it little mind at the moment.
It might be age or an injury on his part. Or maybe a female shinobi finds it easier to respect a female samurai than her male counterpart.

Interesting contrast, there, if their order doesn't discriminate by gender the same way yours does. Maybe that's one thing you can respect.

>bandits a test for Aki, too
Your orders were to dispose of the bandits. There was no stipulation you refuse aid. Dealing with the bandits more quickly and effectively limits the damage they can do to your master's interests.

Share your suspicions about the attacks. The valuables not targeted, it not being harvest season. It appears the attacks may be intended to harm food produced and taxed.

Surely the Hattori clan has standard operating procedures for this sort of thing: Ask how such joint operation typically works.

"You said you were coming from Omi?"

"Yes, Lady Himura."

"That is the province north of here, isn't it?"

"It is."

You frown slightly. If Omi province is to the north, and the bandit attacks are somehow connected...

"Your business. Did it involve investigating Omi province for possible threats to Iga?"

Kaito looks surprised, but nods his agreement. This does little to calm your fears. If this is truly a threat from the north, from Omi, and they somehow kept it from the Hattori spies, then that does not bode well. Your business here must be concluded quickly, so that this news can be presented to someone of higher station.

"Kaito. I believe these raiders are not mere bandits."

"... May I ask how you came to believe this, Lady Himura?"

"The bandits have been targeting food and supplies, as well as damaging the rice paddies. If a bandit were to truly attack, they would go for far more easily transportable goods, not to mention they would attack for food during harvest season. Not mid spring, when crops are just being planted. This seems more like a deliberate attack upon the Hattori supply lines."

"You are... correct, Lady Himura. This does not bode well... I must report to Lord Hattori at once. Aki, stay. Provide Lady Himura with the information we've gathered, and assist her as best you can. Remember, our way is not one of glory."

"It is to be as shadows. I remember, Sensei."

"Good. Lady Himura, I leave this matter in your hands. You seem capable, and I'm certain you will see the bandits dealt with. Return to Iga as soon as you are finished. Preparations must be made. If your suspicions are true, the Clan may be fighting a war sooner than we'd thought."

Kaito bows once to you, then hurries off, moving much faster than you expected him to be able to. An uncomfortable silence soon settles over the two of you that remain, the Aki girl seemingly waiting for you, and you uncertain as to how to proceed. If the Hattori samurai have some manner in which they interact with the ninja, then you have never had the opportunity to learn of it. Still, with the silence dragging on, you eventually force aside your uncertainty and get to business, something you should both be keen on.

"Aki, was it? Let me hear what you have on the bandits."

"Yes, my lady. Sensei and I have been attempting to track them for the past few days, but have had little success, I think because I have been slowing Sensei down with my own ineptitude. Still, we have confirmed that their are about 9 of them, and that one is a ronin warrior. We've also found a few places that would be ideal for an ambush, if you would like to view them."

"Of course. Lead on."

Aki bows before leading the way, weaving through the trees with hardly a sound, contrary to your own rather noticeable tread. She proceeds to show you various spots, most of which she quickly decides probably wouldn't suit your particular fighting style after actually reaching them thanks to the overabundance of vegetation. Two, however, make very good ambush points.

The first is a small clearing, and judging by the hoof tracks throughout the area, it is safe to say that the bandits come through here to and from the village(at least, that's what Aki seems to think, you'll have to take her word for it, as you're no tracker). It provides ample space for you to move about and use your own skills to their fullest, however Aki would be somewhat limited to striking from the tree line, of which there is no guarantee anyone will be close enough. Asking after her skill with ranged weapons yields little results, as she has throwing knives at best, which coupled with the moonless night, likely would be widely inaccurate anyway.

The second is along a stream further into the forest, one which Aki believes the bandits use as a resting point for travel back and forth. With tree along the waters edge, Aki could easily utilize her own skills to deadly effect, however you would mostly likely find yourself fighting in the water, which would slow the movement of your feet somewhat, detracting from your own ability to fight, although it would likely include the bandits as well.

Both would need to be lit, of course, otherwise you'd be without sight, but that is a small problem. What might be worse is your companion. She speaks little other than what is required, and you still feel that air of unease around her(and to be truthful, around yourself as well). You don't relish the idea of working with her, but even you know that not being able to trust ones allies in battle is a deadly trait to have. You still have a few hours till nightfall to decide on an ambush point, and you might try and at least clear the air between yourself and the shinobi girl.

Well at least we settled on ostensibly honorable combat right off, and we aren't having an argument about the ninja trying to poison the bandit camp instead, or anything in that vein.

>Both would need to be lit, of course
Hmm. A campfire or torches would kind of give away the ambush in advance. You need a light ready to be lit at the right moment. One advantage, there, if you're prepared for / expecting sudden light it and they're not.

>ambush sites
Does the analysis change if you use your bow? At the second site, terrain that would favor a ninja might better favor an archer than a swordswoman. And if you're firing at targets in the water, you have splashing to help you aim, and the water would reflect whatever light you use. (Granted, it might still be too dark for you to make shots reliably, and you will likely have to switch to melee as the close).

Even without that though, a battlefield that puts one of you and the enemy at a disadvantage is better than a battlefield that merely puts one of you at a disadvantage.

>you might try and at least clear the air between yourself and the shinobi girl
Well, I can think of one thing you have in common. And something that might be on your mind.

Are women... common, among the shinobi?

(In almost any other context, this might be an insult directed at her or the way her clan functions. It's not a man or a non-warrior asking, though).

>>638515
Nothing important to add besides general agreement to this and asking if there is an established protocol for how these sorts of... joint operations are supposed to work. Knowing what our ally is used to and capable of would go a long way to improving our ability to cooperate.

You might also consider asking some advice on walking more quietly through the forest, for several reasons:
-if you're going to be working with ninja often, it would be better not to give them away with your loudness.
-even alone, surprise can be decisive in battle. (It's not considered dishonorable, right?)
-asking to learn from her indicates you respect her skills, which should go some way toward easing her tension.

Finally, after a few minutes of deliberating with yourself and dealing with the awkward air between the two of you, you speak up, hoping to at least seem civil, even if you'd rather have little to do with the girl. Still, you hope there is an answer to your first question, as at least it will mean there is an established protocol you can follow.

"Is there a method to how shinobi and samurai work together?"

Your sudden question seems to catch Aki off guard, but she recovers quickly and lapses into brief thought. After a few moments, she begins to speak, somewhat hesitantly, as if she is attempting to recall information from her memory that is being difficult to retain.

"I believe, for the most part, that such things are generally left... unspoken of... if they do exist, Lady Himura. I have never heard of it personally, at least not like we are. Among the Hattori, it is somewhat common to find shinobi that pledge themselves to work under specific samurai, and through them the Hattori clan as a whole. I... have been taught by a few of them, but if they have a particular method, they never spoke of it."

"I see... Then it is safe to assume the methods differ between encounters."

"Yes, Lady Himura."

"... I have another question, if I'm not being too forward."

"Never, Lady Himura."

"Are... Are women common? Among shinobi, I mean."

The question had been bothering you. You'd heard of female ninja before, but mostly only in rumor. Many believed that they were just as many female as there were male, but you supposed if that were true, they were much more accepting than the samurai. Aki frowns slightly, clearly hesitating, before answering slowly, pausing every now and again as if she's deliberately leaving out certain bits of information that she's likely not sure she can give.

"It is not... uncommon. Although we are... not technically shinobi, in all truth."

"Not shinobi?"

"It is... complicated, my lady. And I am not certain I am... supposed to give that information."

"I see. I have put you in an uncomfortable position. I apologize."

You bow slightly, honor demanding that you address the slight you've caused, but Aki is quick to bow right back, clearly alarmed that she's received an apology from you, and quick to attempt to brush over the issue.

"Never, Lady Himura! I am just not confident that I am allowed to share such information. I did not mean to... I wasn't..."

Aki is clearly grasping for something to say, and you decide it best if you move on. You have other things to do, such as setting up your ambush. Besides, you have another question you would like answered, if only to help in the case that you inevitably must work with other shinobi.

"Let us both pretend the question was never asked then, agreed?"

"Ah! Of course, Lady Himura!"

"Good. Another question, this one hopefully less troublesome. Can I ask you to show me how I might move more quietly? It seems a skill that could prove useful in the future, given who I am to serve."

"Of... Of course, Lady Himura. I am hardly qualified, but I shall do my best!"

You quickly establish that you'll be using the river as your ambush point, if only because the open space will provide you the opportunity to use your bow, at least at first. Hopefully that will also draw them to you, bringing them closer to the treeline and into the domain of your more shadowy companion. This does mean, however, that you'll need to collect your bow, along with the need to prepare some torches for later use. It is on the trip to and from the village that you take the opportunity to practice this somewhat alien skill. Aki does her best to show you, although teaching seems to be a difficult test of her own ability, as she has to think about how she performs tasks she's done instinctively for years now. Still, while her first attempts to instruct you are ill-fated at best, upon your return trip, you find yourself at least picking up the basics, and Aki seems pleased she was able to help. It was also during this impromptu training session that you discover something about your companion.

She is young, younger even than your nineteen years, and somewhere along she never picked up the strict discipline that forged you. Underneath whatever training she's had she is still a young girl, and you catch at time a certain awe in her tone when speaking to you. You are not entirely sure what to make of Aki at all, or even if she is trustworthy to kill without hesitation, but you suppose you can only trust in her teacher. If he believes her ready, she must be ready. It helps that she displayed such fury earlier, clearly ready to kill. You suppose you will see tonight.

In all, the trip, significantly slowed thanks to your efforts to learn to move quietly, takes almost the rest of the day, making it almost dusk. Probably thanks to not having eaten since morning, your stomach protests lightly, and you sigh inwardly. Perhaps you should have thought this through a bit more carefully. Aki, however, pulls a small bundle from among the wooden sticks she's carried on her back all day, and extracts from within a pair of rice balls. She offers one to you hesitantly, but smiles slightly when you take it with a small bow of thanks. Before you can begin to eat, however, you are interrupted by the young ninja, who immediately cringes at your slight look of distaste in response.

"Ah, Lady Himura?"

"Yes?"

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to interrupt your eating."

"It's fine. It can wait a few moments more."

"Of course, Lady Himura. If I may ask a question?"

"You may."

"How... How did you go about becoming a samurai?"

Suddenly, your hunger is gone, and you find your mouth filled with a bitter taste. This is not a question you've been asked in a long time. Lord Toda had seemed inclined to simply let things be, whether because of tact or lack of interest didn't matter, and Lord Hattori seemed similarly inclined, although you believe he might already know your reasons. Still, it is not a subject you like to speak about, even if you barely remember the events of that night...

>You may define as much or as little of the events as you like(the name of the rival clan, the exact details, etc.), or simply brush the question aside

hmmm.... my family was killed and a friend of my family only managed to save me, he showed me the way of the sword so i could restore my family's name.

I don't think we need to name the specific enemy right now, unless she presses us on that detail. Nor do we need to go into great detail on the... more gruesome details of what we witnessed. We've opened up a little, but this isn't a full fledged therapy session.

When you were a young child, your family was betrayed and attacked by honorless rivals. Fire, darkness, and deception. By only the narrowest intervention of fate, a family friend arrived in time to save your life. But only yours.

In order that your family name live on, for a chance at vengeance, (for a chance to fight back, instead of running, of hiding) you implored your rescuer to teach you the way of Bushido. Were it not for the guilt heavy in his heart, he might well never have heeded such a request.

But he did, and here I am. But for one night, I would have a brother standing here. And I... would be doing whatever it is ordinary women do.

>>638832
"I..."
>The smell of smoke as you awoke
>The air of fear as the four of you hurried through the halls
>The blood spraying everywhere as your father's head was severed
>The sickening crunch of your brother's leg breaking
>The pounding on the heavy iron door
>The way your mother collapsed as she was cut down halfway out the window
>The arrow sticking out of your assailant's face and nearly into yours
>The dust flying into your eyes as you rode away
"...I do not wish to discuss it."

"I..."

Images flash threw your mind, broken memories from a time you can barely recall. The constant smell of smoke and blood. The screaming and shouting. The clash of steel against steel. Your mother's cries as your father was dragged to his knees and head cut from his shoulders. The fear that permeated everything as your mother fled through the house, you in her arms, your brother already caught and doomed to his fate. The look of sorrow in her eyes as your mother pushed you to safety over the wall of your home, even as others descended upon her with blades drawn to end her life. Your own panicked rush to find anywhere safe, even as horsemen began to run you down. And, finally, the sounds of shouts and steel meeting steel once again, and the arms that enclosed around you, protecting you from the pain, if only for a little while, of the worst night of your life.

"... I do not wish to discuss it. Suffice to say that I do this for the honor of my family..."

Aki looks stricken, although you suppose you cannot fault her, as you've done little to hide the look of pain on your face. She bows low, muttering an apology for asking, then silently eats her meager meal. You follow suit a few moments later, thankful to be focusing on something else. The meal is short, given the small portions you each have, and once you finish you stand, ready to begin your preparations, of which there is notably little for you to do beyond making sure your bow is strung and the torches are ready for use. Aki stows her things among the tress and strips away the peasants garb, revealing a much tighter outfit of black cloth underneath, designed from the looks of it for ease of movement and concealment. Other items are extracted from among the sticks, that dagger she'd had before slipped into a sheathe on her waist and smaller knives, designed for throwing by your guess, stashed along a carrying device along her legs. She pauses, checking the sky for the time, before bowing to you one last time.

"I am honored to work with you, Lady Himura. May the gods smile upon you this night."

"May they smile upon you as well, Aki."

The ninja girl straightens, then disappears into the trees, making not a sound and seeming to meld with the shadows. You crouch among the trees yourself, making considerably more noise before you settle into a comfortable spot and keep bow and arrow in hand. Now all you can do is wait.

It seems like hours before their is any activity, time you spend in disciplined thought, going through various imaginings of the attack to come and coming up with how you might counter each scenario. You find your focus caught, however, when you hear rustling among the trees. You almost tense in anticipation, but soon remember your training with the bow. An excited heart can not send in arrow along its desired course. Instead, you begin to steady your breathing, slow and quiet, keeping your heart steady and calm. The rustling continues, and you soon catch sight of light coming through the trees. Soon, they emerge into the small space next to the stream, and your eyes squint slightly against the sudden light. You adjust quickly, while the people seem to rest and drink from the stream, and you catch conversation as you silently prepare your bow, going through the motions as slowly as you can to keep the noise you make to a minimum.

"Hey, how long we gotta keep this up, yeah? We ain't getting nothin good from these farmers, and it don't help we're smashin up the rice. How we gonna get anything come harvest time?"

"Ah, what do you care? We're gettin paid, ain't we? Sides, that ronin or whatever seems to think more rewards are comin if we do a good job, so why not keep doing it? Not like it hurts us none."

"Quiet, both of you. Opinions don't matter anyway. Boss says we do it, we do it. You don't hear the rest of them complainin."

"That's cause the rest of em don't got a lick of sense between their ears."

"Quiet you lot. We're only stoppin for a few minutes, then we hit the village again, just like we were told."

"Yeah, yeah. Don't get pushy. Just sayin we've been camped out here for way too long. Why can't we go into Kyoto? They got them a nice little red light district there, real nice woman. Wouldn't mind spendin a little of this coin we've been gettin."

The rest of their conversation is inane, vulgar and useless to you, but at least it proves the bandits are getting paid by someone. With your eyes adjusted to their light, you can count six in total, leaving three unaccounted for. Perhaps back at this hide out of theirs? Two carry torches, while the others seem to be busying themselves with getting drinks and wiping away the sweat of travel. One seems to be leading the others, or at least seems confident enough to give out orders in place of whoever is. You decide that there will be no better time than now. All that's left is to pick a target and then begin firing from there.

Play around with honor and dishonor: take down the stronger lackeys first, and then the weaker lackeys. Challenge the leader to a duel when he seems alone. Aki and Kaito are to ensure that the duel is one-on-one.

If you can incapacitate the leader, Kaito should know a few torture techniques that use minimum violence; ask for a demonstration.

Character development up, trust building down. Oh well. I suppose there's room for development there later, and it's kinda symmetrical neither fully answered the other's question.

>pick a target
Targetting the torch bearers doesn't help, since then you lose light to aim by. Prime target is probably the one in charge- hurt their morale and prevents him from rallying them. More likely they act disorganized.

I might consider keeping him for information, but from the sound of their previous conversation, he doesn't know their employer. The Ronin does. Which means you may want to keep him alive to question, if you get the opportunity, later.

whoever you hit be loud and distracting. everyone will look at the obvious samurai and never notice the ninja in the back.

Go by danger level. None of them seem to be leader of the whole group, so the amount of information you'll get from any survivors will probably be the same. So after the leader pick off the one's you think would be hardest to kill in a fight, or the fastest to run away.

Your arrow is drawn and target selected. While taking out their effective leader straight out is hardly what you'd call the most honorable act, removing him should provide enough of a distraction to warrant some confusion among his peers. You pause, taking another deep breath to center yourself, and then release, the arrow flying true and striking the man in the chest. You don't bother to wait for a confirmation of his death, nor do you continue to bother with silence. Now it is a matter of putting as many arrows into your opponents as possible before they reach you. The next arrow is on the string quickly, drawing back even as you take aim at the closest of the bandits. He stands just as you let fly, and the arrow strikes him in the stomach, sending him to the ground in pain once again. The four others spring into action, distancing themselves from each other and trying to determine the location of the arrow while shouting about an ambush. Separating, however, proves to be a bad idea, as you see one of the torches suddenly go out, the light extinguished by some unknown source. One of the men screams about forest spirits, only to have one of the others finally spot you, unsubtle as you are and shout a warning. The bandit you were aiming for barely ducks behind a tree as an arrow hits home at where his body used to be, and you decide its time to abandon the bow. You set it aside as gently as is practical and draw your blade, the hiss of steel leaving sheathe comforting as a bandit finally reaches you, torch in one hand and blade in the other. He swings at you angrily, without any hint of skill at all, and you simply parry the blow and end him in a single motion, shoving his body to one side as you pass. The torch hits the ground, and you ensure to kick it towards the water, which promptly extinguishes the last light source provided by the bandits and plunging the area into darkness. A forest fire would hardly be ideal. Two more remain, although you are quick to amend this statement as the man closest to you misses his ally getting yanked into the shadows behind him. His gaze jerks around wildly, searching for his attackers, with clear fear, and he backs towards the river, uncertain and clearly without honor.

"L-Look. I don't... I don't know what you want. You want money? I have money. I can give you money. Just... J-Just let me go. Please, w-we... we were paid to do this. I sw-swear."

Hm... a source of information? You spot Aki appear from the shadows behind him, moving without sound as she does, position herself so that she'll be able to stop him running if needed. Your own sight is somewhat ruined by the lack of light, but she seems to be having little trouble overall. Still, you can hear the groaning of the injured as well. Most likely the ones you'd hit with arrows. A single shaft would likely not kill depending on the placement, so you'll have to put them out of their misery as well. Or perhaps take them to the village to be dealt with by the townsfolk.

Tell him to put down his weapon. Ask him if he know who his employer is. If he knows, have Aki kill the rest and take him prisoner to the village.

He probably doesn't know much, but question him anyway.
Do we want to take prisoners, or just finish them off?

questions, if he knows anything important at all take him prisoner, if not then nod to aki.

>While taking out their effective leader straight out is hardly what you'd call the most honorable act
Hrm. I can already going to tell it's going to be hard to distinguish dishonorable tactics from effective ones.

I mean, you can hardly expect to walk up to a group of bandits, challenge them all to single combat, and expect them to line up and go at you one at a time. But that leaves me unsure how far the practicality / honorable line goes.

>but she seems to be having little trouble overall
She's probably far more used to working in poor lighting than yourself, considering what she's trained as.

>Hm... a source of information?
Your Ronin leader. The others. Where are they?

Your employer?

>Kill them? Hand them to the village?
Hmm. Our orders were to dispose of them. Not very specific. I've nothing against killing them if necessary, but I suppose if they surrender they're subject to whatever passes for legal process, here. (Prison? Labor? Compulsory military service? Not how that works, here. If the penalty for banditry is just being put to death, dragging them back to town to be publicly executed doesn't do much but waste our time).

Letting them go isn't an option, though.

Damage and bind their limbs so that they can't use weapons, and then take them back to the village to be judged.

>>638904
that is just being cruel. ether we take them or kill them here. that convoluted idea is terrible.

"The Ronin. The others. Where are they?"

"Wha-?"

"Where are they?"

You speak calmly yet forcefully, hoping to intimidate the answer out of the already frightened man. Thankfully, it seems his fear makes for an easy interrogation, improvised as it is.

"N-North. Just within Omi lands. B-Boss said it would make it so the Hattori couldn't do anything to us once we crossed the border. Please don't kill me!"

"And your employer?"

"I don't know. I was never told. We were just supposed to cause problems for the Hattori, that's it."

You frown in mild frustration. While this is hardly all the information you need, it will do for now. With three of the six dead, and two injured enough to make moving them difficult through the forest. This one, however, can be taken back to the village and left to the village guard to deal with. Perhaps others could obtain more information from the man. You have Aki disable the man from behind, which she does so swiftly and competently, binding his arms. The others you grant a swift death, offering a small prayer that they live a better life in the next. Aki seems somewhat surprised you would do so, but voices no complaint, and you make no further comments. Regardless, traveling northward at night can only end badly, so you opt to head back, the captured bandit in front of you and Aki leading the way silently through the trees.

You eventually return, turning in the bandit to the village guard. His treatment is rough, to say the least, but you hardly pay it any mind. You have had a long day, and you cannot be faulted for no longer caring about the man. He is certainly no concern of yours, and you promptly return to the room you've been given.

For you it seems you have a decision to make. Your orders are still clear, you have to eliminate the bandit threat, of which there are three still remaining, including a masterless ronin. They are, however, within Omi province, one you are sure the bandit you've captured is at least somewhat right about. The Hattori do not have the right to enter Omi, or encroach upon the authority of the local lords. This leaves you with a difficult decision.

Before you can think much on the issue however, even tired as you are, there is a knock on the door. You make sure you are presentable, then answer the door. Seated and already bowed is Aki, dressed once more as a peasant.

"I feel I must apologize for my earlier transgression. I asked a question I should not have."

If it was possible for Aki to press her forehead into the floor any harder, you believe she would have. It seems she believes herself to have performed some major insult, even if you didn't feel particularly insulted.

explain that while the memory is painful you have long learned to let it go when asked about it out of ignorance. she did not know it was painful until asking, so you have no fault with her.

now to the real matter, bandits hiding over the boarder to get no-invasion clause protection. that is like, the most cowardly thing you have heard of. ask aki if she has any ideas to deal with it.

Screw your face up and explain she offered no insult. It is through no fault of hers that she asked after a painful memory. She could not have known.

Best thing to do is to try and lure the three left into Hattori territory so you can deal with them with no complications. Aki might be able to help with that, if she is willing.

>The others you grant a swift death, offering a small prayer that they live a better life in the next. Aki seems somewhat surprised you would do so
Hey, it doesn't help anyone if they just come back as bandits, again.

>dressed once more as a peasant
We should probably keep aware of peasants in the future. It's an easy way for shinobi to hide in plain sight, and they won't all be allies.

>>639062
If they can be baited or drawn over the border, that would be the easiest solution, yes.

Other than that, we're faced with the difficult decision of leaving the task unfinished, or forcing your lord's hand by encroaching on anther's territory.

>>639057
You'll live. The only repercussion is that she should have patience before inquiring further. You support your squad asking questions, as it helps fill in the strategic gaps and build profiles. However: if she attacks you with words or asks certain questions at inappropriate times, then that should be considered a transgression.

Talk to Kaito about whether or not they should go back to the village for now, or just attack the remaining bandits.

Go back to village:
- Send bandit into custody
- Purchase supplies and hire assistance
- Warn villagers of the upcoming raid
- Deliver a progress report to any visiting higher-ups

Find the Bandit Camp:
- End this now
- Prevent pre-emptive strikes on the village
- Ambush chance higher (they could notice the missing patrol)
- Captured bandit is of low priority

Since he's the senior officer here.

>>639118
Kaito left to inform the Hattori. That's at least a day's journey, each way. So asking his opinion isn't an option in the short term.

We need to send a letter back to base, advising them of the problem regarding where the remaining bandits are based. Suggest including a draft-plan that if they do not show on Hattori soil by the end of the next night that you intend to send Aki to scout their base and (hopefully) draw them into Hattori territory.

Frankly, Ninja are outside Bushido, aren't they? Let's exploit that.

"No apology is necessary. You could not have known, and it was a long time ago besides. Perhaps I will wish to speak of it at a later date. For now, simply leave it be."

"Of course, Lady Himura."

"Let us focus on more pressing matters. By your count, there should only be three men left, correct?"

"Yes, Lady Himura."

"They are, however, likely across the border in Omi, hiding like cowards. Do you think it possible you could find them with such vague direction?"

"I believe I could, Lady Himura. Sensei and I have been using the forest as a crossing point in our mission, and I'm confident that I know, at the least, where they are not."

"It is a start. The only issue is the protection they have. If we could somehow lure them over the border into Hattori territory..."

"Ah... Lady Himura, forgive me for overstepping my position, but I'm not bound by such things as law. I could attempt to deal with them from the shadows, without making a scene of it. Your own hands need not be dirtied in this matter any further."

A somewhat... noble gesture, you suppose. All things considered, it would be ideal if the remaining bandits were dealt with quietly, without drawing the attention of the lords of Omi. You do not, however, like leaving the matter entirely in someone else's hands. You were given this task to finish, and the only way you can be sure the raids are dealt with is the capture or execution of all the bandits. Not to mention that Aki, willing though she is, is not a full shinobi, or whatever she is called, quite yet.

There are problems with that: We ideally wish to capture the leader alive for questioning. We want information on who their employer really is or at least how they were in contact with this leader so as to (potentially) investigate who sponsored these attacks. Second, even if ninja are not bound by bushido the Omi are. Their feudal control requires they investigate such activity upon their land if it came to their attention for one thing and the possibility that they are behind the attacks cannot yet be discounted either.

These men will have noticed when their allies did not return (it's the next day, right?). And they know that they oppose the Hattori, so they know they might face the Iga. They are safe from other retaliation in Omi territory, so they should expect you, or someone like you, to make such an attempt.

Your talents may be less effective if you are expected. And if this Ronin is wise, he will position himself purposely where an attempt would make a scene.

(Diplomatic way of trying to say sending a not fully trained not-ninja into a ninja trap might be dangerous).

Not a good idea. Neither of you are ready to take on covert missions in foreign territory. Not to mention, your superiors might berate you for increasing tensions with the Omi just to take down three bandits and a wandering ronin.

"They will have noticed the absence of their men by the time we reach them. It is likely they would expect response from a ninja as well, given who it is they face. I would advise against attacking them alone."

"Of course, Lady Himura. I was only trying to help."

"I understand, and I appreciate it. Still, there is the issue of enterring another lord's domain. You might be more capable of doing so, but I am not. It ends up being a much more complicated decision. We either enter Omi and deal with the issue ourselves, or be more cautious and return to the Hattori fortress, present what we have discovered and wait for further instruction."

"A complicated matter indeed, Lady Himura."

You both fall silent, although your lack of sleep is beginning to catch up with you. You eventually decide that it is of little use deliberating the issue as you are. You bid Aki a pleasant night, to which she bows and departs, before turning in for the night, intending to make the final decision tomorrow.

-----

You awake the next day to another pleasant morning. A small meal is provided for you, the same meager meal as yesterday, but this time, you find yourself joined by Aki, who seems to have managed to assume the place of your server. She delivers the meal silently before placing herself to the side and remaining quiet as you eat. Eventually, the meal completed, you turn to your temporary companion, intending to continue yesterdays discussion.

"In your personal opinion, would the Hattori prefer to have its subordinates deal with matters on their own, or look for guidance from them?"

"I... cannot say, Lady Himura. The Hattori are a mysterious family, even to those of us that live among the shadows. One as low as I could not hope to fathom the wishes of Lord Hattori. I do know that among the shinobbi, if a matter is dealt with in a satisfactory manner, the deed will not go unnoticed or unappreciated by Lord Hattori. I am no samurai, though, and do not know if that same consideration extends to you."

Information that only serves to confuse you further. Hardly helpful at all. Still, you suppose it fits the Hattori family, masters of the shadows that they are. If they were not masters of subterfuge, the family, and the relatively small province of Iga, would not have lasted this long against the foes that surround them.

"If you were to make a decision, what would you do?"

Aki looks surprised, but lapses into silent contemplation before hesitatingly giving her opinion, as if she is unused to being asked, which is very likely given her current status.

"I would... I would perhaps scout the enemy. Know where they are. If an opportunity presented itself, I would take it only then."

All right. What are our obligations under honor, here?

First, there's our mission. We're bound to complete it, to the best extent we can. More generally, we're bound to serve our master's greater interests- causing an international incident, or triggering a war, doesn't serve that. But neither does letting the Ronin escape and missing the chance to discover the identity of his employer. It's not good to leave an enemy unknown.

There's Aki as well. She's a student of her art, and she's been implicitly left in your care / under your command. You have a responsibility to see her safely back to her teacher, and not be reckless with her safety.

>I would... I would perhaps scout the enemy. Know where they are. If an opportunity presented itself, I would take it only then.
Unfortunately, I can't think of a better course of action. We don't have enough information.

What will our enemy's next move be? To begin recruiting a new set of bandits? To retreat and return to his masters? (To report, and attack from another angle?). To wait, and see if they are pursued across the border?

We should head north, towards the border. If we are fortunate, they may dispatch a spy or scout of their own to intercept, simplifying things.

If not... she can cross the border and she what she learns. Perhaps they will have already retreated (in which case we return home, we can't send her to chase them across nations). Perhaps they will be vulnerable and easily dealt with.

Emphasize that she is to err on the side of caution. You have no wish to have to explain sending her to her death to Kaito, and information helps no one if she does not return with it.

We'll wait by the border for her to return, and to offer support if she has to retreat, or if she is pursued back. (Best to pick a site where the border is hard to notice, so if they do chase her across, they might not realize it before they find themselves in honorable combat with you).

Attempting to scout is one possibility. Another possibility I like better is openly visiting Omi and requesting aid in engaging a joint operation.
Can we not send a messenger to home base with our progress report and a request for updated orders? This strikes me as a political decision, especially since approaching our neighbours openly to jointly take on this bandit problem is likely to be the best way to handle the issue. That would not be true if instead they are hostile or complicit.
We don't know that, we don't know the history of historical and recent relations involved well enough to even try to guess. We need more information to try and make that decision if we even dare to make it ourself when this potentially starts a skirmish or larger incident.

I think that completely completing the mission will look better than running to our superiors every time we run into a problem. In my opinion the best option is to get them over the border and set a trap. Catching the Ronin is also important if we want 'bonus points' with the Hattori so we can uncover more of the plan against them.
Our resources are one trainee ninja and a prisoner. Any plan to bait them over the line would likely involve finding out if they would naturally investigate the disappearance of the men we killed or if they need extra motivation.

"It seems that shall be our next move then. I can think of no better option, and at least it provides a solid course of action. We'll head north through the forest as soon as possible."


"As you wish, Lady Himura."

You finish your preparation as Aki removes the remnants of your meal. She disappears soon afterwards, but upon making your way to the northern edge of the village, you find the young ninja in training waiting for you, still dressed as a peasant but with a small bag slung over one shoulder. She bows at your approach before falling into step behind you, remaining silent and only taking the lead once you reach the forest's edge. The journey is largely a silent affair, neither of you having much to talk about.

It is midday before you arrive on the opposite side of the forest, on the very edges of the Iga-Omi border. You stop temporarily, both of you producing another meager meal(your's a gift from the locals for dealing with the bandit raid the previous night). Aki finishes before you, glancing up at the sun overhead before turning to you and bowing again.

"Lady Himura, if I may go over possible places they may have hidden."

"Please do."

"Beyond this point the forest thins out, so while they could camp along the border, I doubt they would do so or risk discovery. It is more likely bandits will have taken refuge among the hills east of here, if they are avoiding the notice of the authorities of this province."

"And if they are not?"

"Then it is likely they have taken up residence in a village. One is not too far from here, perhaps two or three days to the north. The issue there is..."

"The local authorities would have doubtlessly noticed them. If they have not acted already then they are tolerating their presence..."

"Yes. It would also provide more support for your theory that someone hired them, although most specifically the lords of Omi."

"A troubling prospect indeed. Any other possibilities?"

"Besides areas farther from this specific area? Not really. Some of the local temples and shrines perhaps, but that would be even more troubling. The gods do not take kindly to criminals intruding upon their sacred lands. If one of are quarry did go to ground at one, it would have to be the Ronin. He would probably be the only one the monks would allow upon the grounds."

Aki speaks truth there. The gods, and similarly their servants, do not take kindly to criminals intruding. The monks of the local temples would have done everything in their power to keep them out, but the Ronin, disgraced though he may be, would not be considered a criminal in their eyes. They might have let him into the grounds. He would have only gone to such lengths, however, if word of your coming had reached them. Aki interrupts further thoughts on the matter, bowing slightly to show she meant no disrespect with her interjection.

"Lady Himura, where shall we go?"

any signs of recent passage? if not then we let gods/fate/luck decide. place your sword, tip down, on the ground and let it fall over. we head the direction it falls.

Hmm.

The temples and shrines would be the hardest to check, and the hardest to them from. Also, the least likely for the Ronin be initially, since it is unlikely that word of our pursuit has already reached him.

Also, even if the Ronin is in a temple, his criminal companions will be elsewhere.

That leaves the town and the hills.

The hills are easiest for us the check, and the simplest to deal with should we find them there. (We can either fight them, or simply report their presence to the authorities).

How safe would it be to visit a town if it turns out the neighbours are the ones sponsoring the bandits? Are we at war, a tense ceasefire, troubled peace with a history of incidents, or long-standing peace here?

>>640961
While Aki can infiltrate Omi territory without repercussion, we cannot. But likewise, we may gain entry to a temple whereas Aki could not.

Our target is the Ronin, the rest of the band are hired criminals. Without leadership, they would have no further reason to enter Hattori lands.

If Aki can visit the village and sow rumors of our arrival, while we make our way to the temple, the Ronin may be flushed out and right into our hands.