Session One; The Tournament Begins

The city was crowded, more so the closer Katsumi got to the registration booths. She had noted the sheer amount of people the day before, when her traveling group first entered the city and set up their tent. Katsumi had never seen so many people, even though the Topaz Championship was the smallest jewel-named tournament the Realm had to offer, it still invited several students from across the land, from every clan, coupled with the town’s own population there were easily more people than the small villages Katsumi had grown up around. Even the Black Silk dojo couldn’t have held this many people when it was still operational, before it was burned to the ground. That was back when the Empire had declared her clan outlaws, when they were actively hunted, and all because of what? A little trickery and espionage. The other clans partook in those activities daily, and had been for centuries. That time, however was over, and now here she stood, proudly wearing her clan’s mon upon her back and there was nothing the rest of the Empire could do about it, no matter how much they sneered and turned up their noses at her. It really didn’t bother Katsumi, she was used to scowls and stares, she barely noticed them anymore.

She glanced over the list of events, pinned to the walls by the each of the tables used for registering competitors. It was a silly list, full of frivolous events that had no baring on what a real champion should uphold. Things like painting, origami, even flower arranging, made up the bulk of the itinerary. The real events, the ones that took strength and courage, were saved for the last day, no doubt set-up that way so people would be inclined to spend more coin to cure their inexorable boredom during their wait. Katsumi stepped up to the table, a middle-aged man sat on the other side, carefully dipping his brush in ink, preparing to register the next guest. His hair was graying, and he wore the clothes of the eta, though Katsumi noted they were clean and fresh, probably something provided by the city.

“Hajime-mashite, please state your name, clan and school you are representing.” The man said without ever looking at her. It was amusing to Katsumi, for a great many years she had been treated no better than the common folk, and now here she was, looking down at one of the working class and he wouldn’t even make eye contact with her. Such was the life of a samurai, what amazing things a simple title could change.

“Daigotsu Katsumi. Spider clan. Order of the Spider Monks.”

The man stopped mid stroke and dared a glance up at Katsumi. Curiosity and unease filled his dark eyes which he quickly shot back down towards the paper and began brushing her clan name again. He swallowed, an act that obviously did little for him since his voice cracked and wavered when he spoke his next words.

“Domo arigato gozaimasu. What events would you like your name assigned to, Daigotsu-sama?”

“Jiujutsu and kenjutsu.”

“Very well, jiujutsu will be held on the second day and the kenjutsu tournaments are currently scheduled for the final day. Please enjoy your visit, we would like to have you again.” The man bowed his head to nearly touching the table, with that Katsumi nodded and made her way back to the Spider camp.

***

“Katsu-kun, get dressed. Today we start as early as the cooks and the commoners.”

Katsumi opened her eyes to see her brother, Yanagi already dressed in the dim glow of sunrise. He was wearing the complete Spider Monk regalia save his mask, with his black hair pulled back in a half-ponytail. Yanagi was dark in skin tone with extraordinarily black eyes, a thick brow and strong jaw. He was of average height, standing 5'9", and a body well built from years of jiujitsu. Katsumi could hear the other members in various stages of their morning rituals. Some just stirring out of bed, like her, and others were already eating breakfast, the familiar click of their chopsticks touching bowls and plates.

“I will be ready shortly, big brother.” She said as she sat up and shuffled out of her blanket. Katsumi was good at dressing quickly. She had spent many years traveling with her family, sleeping on the ground and being ready at a moments notice when the group had to move. That life was gone now, but the habits it instilled weren’t so easy to leave behind. Within minutes Katsumi had dressed in all but her shinobi shouzuko and met the rest of the clan around the cooking pot. Ryoko had caught a few rabbits on their travel to the city, now roasted a beautiful crispy brown, only one and a half remained between the other members who had already taken their share. Katsumi eagerly snatched up what she could, filling her bowl and taking a seat while Yanagi began going over chores and orders of the day. Only a handful of the Spider were interested in the frilly arts and events held today, a lost part from their parent’s past, long ago left behind, which left the majority of the clan, those who weren’t cleaning and keeping watch at the tent, to recruiting. It was one of the reasons they had decided to attend with such short notice.

“Remember, we’re looking for students with potential, and usually that comes at the price of weak wills. Find what they want and offer it freely. Be sure not to dishonor their sensai, that leads to stubbornness and a lost cause. Simply explain how we can offer more than they already know. Cast the web and wait.” Yanagi’s eyes slowly rounded the group, hanging on each individual until they nodded in understanding.

“Good. Shinshi, Katsumi, Yugi, and Hikaru, you are not participating in events today so you four will scout. Find one of your elders every two hours to report in.”

Katsumi and the other three nodded, and with that, everyone dispersed. Katsumi shoved the rest of her food in her mouth, grabbing an abandoned tea cup and gulping it down. She returned to her sleeping area, rolling up her blanket and tatami mat and tying them to her traveling pack. She wasn’t going to be leaving for a few more nights, which meant she would just have to untie her roll and set it out again tonight, but this was just another habit that would take more than four months to break. Katsumi grabbed her sanjaku tangui from inside her pack and wrapped it around her head into the final piece of her outfit, a shinobi shouzuko.

Before she went, she withdrew a small leather bag, worn and scuffed from constant use, and a wooden bowl from her pack. Untying the small pouch, she shook out several bones of varying sizes, carved into odd shapes not resembling much of anything to the ungifted eye. The tapping the pieces made against the bowl as they fell was music to Katsumi’s ears. It was discovered long ago, that Katsumi was touched by the Realm. Not only was there the madness brought on by the moon every month, but she was also able to read the bones, a skill few possessed, even less so by those who don’t regularly speak with kami.

Katsumi squatted and pinched the ground, plucking a few blades of grass, she tossed them in the bowl with the carved bones. Closing her eyes she cleared her mind, shaking the bowl to mix the items held within until she felt the moment to stop, like a call in the back of her mind. She opened her eyes to see what the bones had reveled. Something is amiss at the Topaz Championship. She shrugged, gathering the bones and shook out the earth from her bowl, putting both back in her pack. Some days the vision was clearer than others, today it was quite vague. It could easily be said that the Spider clan being there made things run differently than usual, amiss. She would just have to keep her eyes open for anything more suspicious than her clan’s going ons. Grabbing her bisento, she made her way out of the tent and the Spider camping area. It was time to find some people with problems and be there to offer a resolution.