By Rusty Priske
Edited by Fred Wan

K’mee kept to the shadows and watched the shrine for hours. None entered or left, but it did not look abandoned. She could see movement inside, through the open doorway, but whether there was one person or more, she could not tell.

The shrine was not what she expected. It was not a place of darkness. Humans might not be able to recognize evil in a pleasing shape, but the nezumi would not be fooled. They could smell, taste, and feel the corruption, but there was none here to find.

K’mee finally decided that there was no more reason to wait so she dashed from the trees, across the clearing, and crouched near the wall of the building. She did so as silently as she was able, though there was a slight rattle of the fetishes hanging from her jingasa.

“You might as well come in. I’ve known you were there for an hour.”

K’mee jumped when she heard the voice from inside. “Come on now. Don’t be shy.”

The young Nezumi peeked around the doorframe and slowly moved into full view, after she saw no immediate threat. Sitting in the middle of the room, cross-legged on the floor, was a human in a simple brown robe. Unlike most humans, who were only mostly hairless, this one was completely smooth-skinned. He smiled at K’mee. “Come in. No one will hurt you here.”

K’mee sniffed the air and concentrated on the space around the human. Her magic had found whom she sought. His name was strong. “You are the human named Tsuruchi.”

She did not phrase it as a question, as she knew the statement to be true. The human’s smile dimmed somewhat. “No longer. My name is Tanari now.”

K’mee tipped her head and scratched her cheek. “Tanari. No, that is not-not your name. That is clear. Why would-would wish to go by new name? Your true name is strong. It is proud name. You are a chief.”

Tanari eyed K’mee levelly before answering. “There are times when who you are interferes with who you are going to be. I was a … chief. As Tanari I am also a chief, as my new tribe has generously asked me for my leadership. Tsuruchi will be remembered, but Tanari will live and learn.
“Now, little ratling, tell me why you are here and what you want with a retired samurai.”

K’mee pondered his words for a moment. She knew that he was not yet Tanari, though he could be, if he tried hard enough. She had heard of those whose names changed over time, but first they had to release their names, and this human had certainly not done that. He was Tsuruchi still, but she would call him Tanari if he wished it.

“I came to find-find the one who is Tsuruchi. That name is being darkened and I hope-hope to find the one responsible.”

Tanari’s smile vanished and his eyes hardened. He rose to his feet and towered above the nezumi. “I left many things behind when I joined the Brotherhood. There was a time that I would have killed you for saying such things. It is in deference to my new calling that I stay my hand.”
K’mee stepped back, making sure she had a quick exit if she was wrong about there being no danger. “The power of name is strong-strong. I do not mean to offend.”

“Explain.” Tanari’s tone was curt.

“One from my pack was-was looking for…things for-for the pack. He found-found building guarded by humans in green. He could not enter, but he could smell what-what was inside. They protect something wrong. We do not know what, but it should not be there.”

“So, this is enough for you to track me here and accuse me of…what is that you are accusing me of?”

K’mee shook her head. “Not accuse. Warn. My packmate brought me to the place. I used magic to find the name of who-who responsible. I found no name. So I then asked for name of one who is chief of the land where building was. The name was Tsuruchi.”

“I am no longer the daimyo of the Tsuruchi. I am not who you are looking for.”

The nezumi shook her head again. “No, not so. The land knows. Your name knows. The people know. You may find different place to be, but-but the land still is yours.”

Tanari frowned. “You are asking me to return to being someone I left behind. I will not – cannot – do that.” He sighed. “However, I also cannot stand by if something is endangering the people of Rokugan. This sounds like a matter for magistrates rather than a simple monk, but I am not planning to ask them to investigate based on a ratling that smelled something bad.”

K’mee said nothing.

Tanari shrugged. “So, I suppose the best thing will be for me to go with you and find out for myself.”

K’mee’s face broke into a great smile, all teeth and tongue. “Right thing. You will see-see. You must fix-fix!”

The monk smirked, despite himself. “Let me gather a few things for the trip. Oh, and you must tell me, where did you get your jingasa?

“So, I still not-not understand. Why try to cast off your name? Why try to be someone you not-not?” Tanari and K’mee had spoken of many things as they walked. K’mee was pleased to discover her companion was not as brutish and stupid as many humans she had encountered or heard about. Still, giving up a strong name like his made no sense to her.

Tanari smiled. “Everyone goes through phases in their lives. When I was younger, I thought of nothing more than being the best archer in Rokugan. As I grew older, more was asked of me. I was given a clan of my own.”

“Being chief is great honor.”

“Yes it was. But then my clan was absorbed by another. I do not regret that, as it was what was best for my family, but it put me in a position I never wished. I found myself following orders I sometimes did not believe in. Freedom was replaced by politics.”

K’mee eyed Tanari sideways. “You found-found it too hard?”

Tanari bristled somewhat, but he was growing used to the nezumi’s bluntness. “No. I stepped aside because there were others who could do the job better. Everyone has their strengths and mine was in the thrill of the hunt, not in diplomacy and negotiation. I was even forced to wear the swords. It was a life that was not mine.”

K’mee’s eyes flashed to Tanari’s back. “No sword but you carry bow still.”
“True, but only because I do not know what to expect on this journey. To cast aside my best defense would be folly.”

“You tell-tell me why no longer chief. Why try to no longer be Tsuruchi?”
“When I passed on the title of family daimyo to another, I decided that I would spend the rest of my days seeking out enlightenment. A foolish thought, as I later learned, but it put me on my current path.”

“What is-is enlightenment?”

Tanari took a deep breath. “Enlightenment is a simple concept that very few truly understand. It is balance and harmony. It is being at peace with the world around you. It is being one with the elements and listening to the message they send. It is the highest state of being man can strive for. Or so I understand.”

K’mee looked puzzled. “This sounds like-like something good. Why would be foolish to seek it?”

“Seeking enlightenment is like fishing with a rope – you have the tools but do not know how to use them to your advantage.” The confusion did not leave K’mee’s face so Tanari continued. “Enlightenment is not an end point. It is something that can be found, but not sought. Some say that the act of seeking it makes it harder to find as your goals are no longer pure.” He thought for a moment, trying to find a different way to phrase it. “Try this, if there was a reward given to the person who was the least greedy, but the reward could only be given to someone who asked for it, how could it ever been given?”

K’mee stared at Tanari and then said, “Humans very odd.”

Tanari let out a deep-throated laugh. “Yes, I suppose we are.”

They walked in silence for a few minutes until K’mee said. “So what-what do you do?” It was Tanari’s turn to look confused. “You left tribe to seek-seek enlightenment, but you seek it no longer. What-what do you do?”

“Ah. I joined the Brotherhood, as I planned. I became a monk and changed my name. I know that part is confusing to you, but the reason we do it is to leave our old lives behind and dedicate ourselves to our new path. I swore to spend my days trying to find the harmony in life.”

“You say that you no longer seek-seek enlightenment.”

“And I do not. I seek harmony. My goals are not so lofty as to seek out enlightenment. I admit that I would very much like to learn the mysteries of the elements. This is my weakness. This is why I fail.”

K’mee tapped her teeth together in exasperation. “So you would be-be better off if no hear of enlightenment? No understand it?”

Tanari smile ruefully. “Maybe so.”

“I not understand at all. So, you are happy pretending to not-not be Tsuruchi?”

Tanari shook his head. “There is no pretence. Yes, I am happy. I respect the Brotherhood very deeply. They have helped me be a more peaceful man. In exchange they asked me to help them more fully function in Rokugan. They needed someone to lead them who understands the way the wind blows and the tides move among people, and not just the elements.”

“So you are back-back doing what you not like?”

The monk smiled. “Not really. The political manoeuvrings of the Brotherhood are very slight. I serve in much the same way I did when my family were just the Wasp, and not the Mantis. You know, you ask a lot of questions, little ratling.”

K’mee sniffed. “Nezumi.”

K’mee pulled Tanari along by his sleeve. “Quiet now. Quiet.” They reached the edge of the trees where they had a good view of the building. It was a solidly built structure with only one entrance apparent. Standing guard were two samurai, one male and one female, clad in Mantis colors. They appeared semi-alert and not in fear of any challenge to their protectorate.

“Those are Yoritomo. What are they doing protecting a building in Wasp lands?”

K’mee looked at Tanari and matched his hushed tone. “Are all one-one tribe now, no?”

“They are, but it is still unusual. Normally Tsuruchi would be given the assignment. I think it is time to ask a few questions.”

“No, wait!” K’mee’s protestations fell on deaf ears as Tanari strode from the tree line.

To K’mee’s eyes, the samurai barely reacted to the emergence of the monk. The female called out, “You there, monk. What is your business?”
Tanari walked forward until he was close enough for conversation, but still out of range of a quick sword strike. “Business? This was just what I was wondering about you. I am Tanari of the Brotherhood. May I ask who I am speaking to?”

The female samurai - clearly the senior of the two - sniffed. “You are somewhat forward for a monk. I am Yoritomo Satako and this is Yoritomo Batei. I ask again, what is your business here?”

Tanari did not react to the samurai’s tone. “I am here investigating reports of some evil housed here. I was hoping you could tell me what you guard.”

Both samurai stiffened at that and Batei moved as if to draw his katana. Satako motioned for him to hold and stepped forward. “I did not know that there were monks in the ranks of the magistrates.”

Tanari shook his head. “I am no magistrate. I am simply a concerned citizen of Rokugan. If you would be so kind as to show me what is in the structure behind you, and it turns out that my source was wrong, I will go on my way and leave you two honorable samurai to your task.”

Satako suppressed a laugh. “We would not be very good at that task if we were to allow you entry, would we? From where do these accusations come? Who is this source you speak of?”

Tanari turned his head back towards the trees. “K’mee? You can come out. These samurai will not hurt you.” There was silence for a moment before the nezumi slowly slipped from the trees.

Satako did not hold back her laugh this time. “Your source is a ratling?”

“She is a Nezumi.” Tanari corrected her. “I also maintain reservations, which is why I chose to look into this myself, rather than involve the magistrates. Now I believe that we can avoid any unpleasantness, for any of us, if you let me inspect the building.”

“With all due respect, we are not going to ignore our orders on the word of a monk and a …Nezumi.”

“Perhaps then you will listen to a magistrate.” A new voice interrupted the conversation and all eyes turned to see a third Mantis samurai. This one wore different mons than the two guards.

Satako and Batei both bowed, though not deeply. “Magistrate.”

Tanari bowed as well, but the magistrate practically waved him off as he took pains to bow deeper than the monk had. “Please, Tsuruchi-sama, it is my honor to serve.”

As Tanari shook his head, the two Yoritomo nearly tripped over each other in bowing to the former Wasp daimyo. “Our apologies, Tsuruchi-sama for not realizing…”

“No, no. I am but a simple monk. Now, noble magistrate, might I ask your name?”

“Tsuruchi Fusako, Tsuruchi-sama.”

“I appreciate the sentiment, Fusako-san, but please, call me Tanari.” The monk tried not to notice the nervous grin on K’mee’s face. “My apologies for not involving the magistrates in the first place, but I had hoped to solve this mystery without causing any loss of face to the Mantis or the Tsuruchi. As Shinsei said ‘avoid aiming at the ruin of others’. I did not want anyone to suffer from this investigation if there was no reason. May I ask what brings you here?”

“You were spotted in the area. Or, to be more accurate, your companion was. When someone reports a ratling poking around in areas they do not belong, I look into it.” Fusako spoke respectfully to Tanari.

“The nezumi has no improper motivations that I have found thus far, but you are to be commended for your diligence. I would have ordered the same thing once. Now that you are here, magistrate, I wonder if you might help us resolve this matter. K’mee, the nezumi, believes that this building houses something that could be a threat to Rokugan…”

K’mee interrupted, “Can you not smell it? Or taste it?”

Fusako looked intently at K’mee before turning back to Tanari. “And you wish to know if the creature is telling the truth?”

Tanari shook his head. “There are different truths. I do not doubt the nezumi’s intent. I just wish to know the nature of the threat and whether more action need be taken.”

Fusako nodded and turned to Yoritomo Satako. “Do you know the nature of what you guard?”

Satako shook her head. “We do not. We are under orders that no one enters.”

“Well, then we are at an impasse.” Fusako looked at the guards, over to Tanari and K’mee, and back to the samurai. “One that I will have to break. Yoritomo, will you step aside and great entrance?”

“I will not.”

“Where did your orders originate?”

“They came from Lady Kumiko.”

Fusako studied Satako. “Did you hear the orders from Lady Kumiko directly?”

“I did not, but I do not doubt their veracity.”

“Yoritomo, I wish you to be clear that you are denying access to an Imperial Magistrate, as well as the man who founded my family and the clan whose lands these belong to.”

Satako looked uncertain. “These are Mantis lands, but the Yoritomo have great respect for the Tsuruchi family and its founder. But my orders…”

“Your orders,” Fusako interrupted, “which you believe came from Lady Kumiko, though you have no way of knowing for certain. Besides, Kumiko has now died and I have not heard you say that Naizen has renewed your orders.”

“Neither has he countermanded them.”

“Maybe so, but do you think our new champion would wish you to stand by possibly outdated orders in the face of demands by an Imperial Magistrate, who happens to be a member of your own clan, and Tsuruchi himself?” Satako did not answer but Fusako saw her resolve waver. “I am giving you a direct order, Yoritomo-san. Step aside and allow us entrance.”

The only light source inside was the sunlight streaming through the doorway. It spilled across a wooden box, with no ornamentation. It was six feet long but only two feet across and deep. Fusako circled the room, keeping a fair distance from its only contents, though not with a wary gait. Tanari followed, and ushered K’mee along beside him. Unlike the others, the nezumi looked visibly uncomfortable to be there. The two Yoritomo stayed at the doorway.

Tanari turned to K’mee. “Is this it?” His words were met with a short nod. “Well, does the magistrate agree to let me open it? It seems pointless to get this far and not see what is inside.”

“I agree, but I will open it.” Fusako produced a short knife and used the back edge of it to pry the lid from the box. It came loose readily enough, as the box was not old and the nails were not rusted. The magistrate peered inside, without clearing the way for the others to see. Finally he pulled the lid aside and revealed a katana, the blade bare and unmarked.

“Interesting,” Tanari muttered as he beheld the blade. He turned towards K’mee without taking his eyes from the sword. “This sword is what you feared?”

K’mee moved forward reluctantly, sniffing the air as she did. She touched the edge of the box, though as she did so Fusako started forward before being stopped by a hand gesture from Tanari. The nezumi pulled her hand away swiftly and scrambled away from the box.
Her teeth chattered as she said, “It is.”

Tanari watched both the ratling and the box. “Is what you sense something intrinsic to the blade, or is it that something horrible has been done with it.”

K’mee shook her head. “Much worse. This thing from Tomorrow. It is not what has been done. It is what will be done. Darkness surrounds it.”

Fusako replaced the wooden lid. “Why would Lady Kumiko hide it, unless she was keeping it from someone.”

Satako took a few steps into the room. “Maybe she knows – knew what it would be used for.”

Tanari shrugged. “Or maybe she didn’t. We can’t ask her. We only have to ask what we will do now.”

“Destroy it!” K’mee shouted.

“We should report it to Yoritomo Naizen. If it was Lady Kumiko’s choice to hide it here, he is the only one who has judgement here.” Satako spoke firmly.

“What do you think, magistrate?”

Fusako nodded to Tanari. “I thank you for showing me this. My initial thought is that it should be brought back to my superiors in the magistrates. If it could be any kind of threat to Rokugan, my duty is clear. But…”

“But you fear that it will reflect badly on your clan. This is understandable. Yet it needs to be dealt with.”

Fusako looked expectantly back at the monk. “What would you suggest, sama?”

Tanari thought and then sighed. “I think Yoritomo Satako is right. This should be brought to the Mantis champion. If it was wrong to hide it here, the Mantis should have the opportunity to right that wrong. However, while I have no doubt that Yoritomo Naizen will do the right thing, I think that Tsuruchi Fusako should be the one to carry it there and share the story of how it was found. That way, he knows that the magistrates, the nezumi, and a simple monk know the story. I am sorry, K’mee, but as far as we know, appempting ot destroy may make things worse.”

Fusako nodded and Satako said, “I will accompany you, if it pleases you, magistrate. It was my duty to guard that sword, though I did not know it. I would like to guard it until my champion gives me different orders.”

“The humans in green hid bad-thing?”

Tanari nodded to his nezumi companion. “True.”

“Now humans in green take bad-thing to chief?”

“Also true.”

“How fixed? Why they not hide it again? K’mee came to you to fix. Tomorrow-thing threat to all!”

“Yes you did, and it will be fixed. I trust Yoritomo Naizen to do the right thing.”

K’mee’s eyes brightened a little. “You know him? Pack-mate?”

“No, but I know of him. I know that he is not stupid and that he will not do anything that would do more harm than good to him or his clan. Fusako’s message will be clear.”

K’mee scratched her head. “Message?”

“Fusako will tell Naizen who I am, or who I was, rather. Naizen will deal with the sword in an appropriate way and make sure word gets back to me.”

“Chief fears old chief?”

“Not quite. He knows that if I go public with the story, it will be believed, and when you are trying to hide something, scrutiny goes counter to your purpose.”

“So he do right thing so no seen doing wrong-wrong thing?”

“Now you have it. So, my little friend, I want to thank you for your help. This has been an amusing diversion. Where do you go now? Back to your tribe?”

K’mee cocked her head. “That was plan. Now not sure. I must be sure that Tomorrow-thing is no threat to tribes. I need wait-wait and see. Also, I watch you deal with danger and maybe solve problem. But none were-were killed. You not like humans I meet before.”

Tanari smiled. “Things have changed since I joined the Brotherhood. There was a time I would have handled that differently.”

“K’mee like Tanari better than Tsuruchi then. Even strong names can be set aside if new name just as strong.” The nezumi paused before continuing. “I like learn more about Brotherhood, harmony and enlightenment. You teach?”

Tanari stopped and stared at K’mee in amazement. “It seems that you are not the only one to learn something new today, my friend. You do me great honor by asking for my help. I don’t know if the path is available to nezumi, but if an old archer can find his way, I don’t see why you cannot.”

K’mee’s grin reached from ear to ear. “I learn and maybe me teach you as well.”

Tanari returned K’mee’s smile. “I certainly hope so.”