Darian thanked the female officer who welcomed him, "Let this man through, i see no harm in letting a simple trader come through, besides perhaps he has something useful." Darian told Korogi. Then to Axle "You are welcome here for a time but i expect you to act civilly while here and to not be bothersome about selling your wares."

"Why, of course." Axle says as he continue through the town to a market like area and sets up shop.

"sir... I hunt for a living, how else am I going to feed myself?" hache let himself ask as he felt him self look around and tucked his mask deeper into his pockets. He couldn't sniff them well, it was different this way. Almost scary, it was like having your hand taken away. Heche felt sympathy for the blind man now, he had to live like this everyday it must be terrible. Speaking of him, hache was no longer sure if it was a man, he seemed more femanine than most but he was none to talk. "also, kane-san... I haven't seen him return yet, I fear with the others as they are we wont be doing to good against the igans" Hache let out shamefully.

-

Kuro Higi ~ Iga Village

"So be it, Darian-san." Mia nodded as she turned to Korogi and signaled for him to return to his quarters; this scene denoted who had the higher rank. Another female officer, Tarou, turned to Darian as she gave him a snide look. "It seems you had forgotten how to bow, Darian. I think you know that men are expected to be courteous when it comes to ladies. I shall put you in charge of this merchant, and should he do anything to disrespect this village, much less the women... you'll be the one to answer. Teach him the rules and expected behavior here, lest you be the one to face me in trial." Tarou commanded as she ordered the warriors to stand down and let the traveler in.

"Things are beginning to get awry here in the village. Betrayals, and strangers. Things just get weirder everyday." Tarou remarked as she faced the merchant. "I expect you to be well-behaved. More importantly, should our village be attacked... you will help us defend it. Whether you like it, or you will like it." Tarou continued in a morbid tone as she brushed her blonde locks. "You can set up shop down the provincial districts. You are under close guard, stranger. Remember that."

Tarou observed Darian and the merchant leaving... she had a bad feeling when it comes to men, and these people just exemplified why.

Shiro Kuma ~ Kouga Village

"Remember whose lives you will prioritize first, Hache." Danjo scolded the lad. "The warriors of this village will always prioritize the safety of those who can't fight. You'd do well to remember that. Don't turn into a woman now." Danjo continued as he coughed. "Kane is a woman. He thinks that we could just waltz right in to the Iga and ask for peace. Only women think that way; that peace and unification can ever exist. That's why we are men, Hache. We are practical, we are realistic... we think of reality, not fantasy and bedtime stories."

Suddenly, Danjo turned to Hache once more, pointing the tip of his cane.

"Don't tell me now that you've also become a woman as well, Hache? If you did, you'd do well to put that mask back on. It'll help you hide such disgrace." Danjo gritted behind his teeth as he went back to his quarters followed by the burly warriors who served as bodyguards.

Darian sighed regretfully, he had to much on his mind right now to worry about his behavior and yet he knew he had acted out of hand. Darian made a note to keep a closer track on his behavior, a distracted mind was no reason for a distracted body. Darian would have apologized but Tarou would have just mocked him for weakness and that would've gotten him nowhere. Darian watched Axle set up shop in the town center, Drian waited untill he was finished and then walked over, "So what items of intrest do you have to share with us today?"

hache was left with his arm being cut into by his fingernails as to keep himself from rashing out. Though the elder was no brute he could be unreasonable at times in hache's eyes. He agreed that with the battles there were no chances of the getting along to well but to believe the only way to survive was to punch and cut our way was ubserd to him. Walking away with the last words about his mask echoing in his heads hache aloud himself a moment of true anger. As young girls spoke of the boy in secret and the young rugged men spoke in justly of him he tried his best to get out of there sight back to his house. The heat and smell of blood hit him quick as hache opened the door to his vacant lot of a house. The food had dried and his sacks of rye and rice sat in the corner. He felt lonely as he layed down on his hammock and sat his mask down next to him. He loved the thing, kept it with him everywhere he went. Thinking more and more about the encounter he wondered what he had done. The others that he almost attacked were so... pretty. He hated to let it get to him but the two girls that he almost skinned alive, he would let such pretty girls go to waste what was wrong with him. They made him blush now, he began to wonder if all women in the igan village were that pretty and began to think it over as his stomach growled.

"Beauty is in the eye of the beholder my friend, it all depends on what you are looking for, my friend." He said, "I'll show you a 'sample patter' so to speak" he walks into the back of his carriage, "Most every thing I have has a special ability. Because most everything I have is from caves, runes, ancient temples, or crypts deep underground, and I only have one policy; if its cursed you get your money back, and that's a guaranty, and with out further stalling for time I present you, sir, a wondiferous and stupendous supplies from around the world." Axle comes out with a actual platter that has multiple stones, jewelry, potions and poison, and a couple of daggers. "And if alchemy is your thing I even have an apothecary pouch that I made out of a handful of flour sacks." Axle says with a smile. (If you want, name a item type and I will describe what he has on the platter)

Hache sighed as he knew well hat he'd have to do. Mince meat and jerky was all he could make now, the village wouldn't be to please with this, but it was all he could give them. Pulling the left over meats he could get and ploping them into a bowl with fruit to allow it to flavor up. He wished he could go into the village but it was to soon, and the forest was off limits for now. "man I want something to do"

Darian gazed at the platter in amazement, he had never seen saw an array of treasure before, and it appeared as though the man had more in store. He wiped the glazed expression of his face and pondered on what would he actually wanted, "Hmm, do you perhaps have some magical necklaces for sale?" Darian asked thoughtfully.

Benihime ~ Iga Village

Ogen had awakened from her rest. She sat up, tired and annoyed. She had always known that Enma, a brash and cold boy, would turn on them one day. She knew, however, she trusted him. Apparently, trust was overrated. Ogen grabbed the umbrella that she had always carried with her, and sometimes used as a walking cane. She stood up, and stretched her weary bones. Hota and Mirrai were still asleep as it seemed.

Ogen walked around as she saw a new face in town, a merchant as it seemed. He was talking to an armored young man who she remembered as Darian, one of the few people who had the audacity to even interact with a cold boy such as Enma. Ogen smiled as she walked slowly towards them.

"Good afternoon, Darian-kun. Have you rested your tired soul from the fight? I would be worried as to how you would be feeling after that boy betrayed us." Ogen sighed as she looked at the merchent. "It seems we have a new guest in the village." Ogen smiled softly, completely opposite of the officers. "I have received reports of you being treated as a criminal, stranger. I do hope you forgive my officers. They are quite... well, hostile. Especially to men." Ogen looked sternly at Darian, as if trying to remind him of something.

Suddenly, a triad of female warriors appeared from the shadows. They bowed and knelt before Ogen as they extended a white parchment. Ogen nodded as she took the parchment in her hands... A look of surprise took her face, she was in disbelief. "A spy from the Kouga is trying to aid us in entering one of the weak spots of the Kouga... Well. Isn't this new? We need to meet at the temple as it is." Ogen smiled as she looked up. "It seems even your men are turning against you, Danjo. What say you, Darian-kun?"

Maou ~ Kouga Village

Danjo sat in his office as he looked at some report files about Hache. The boy was a mysterious type... He was deemed unstable yet proficient, the reason why he was even accepted in the village. However, the fact still remained that Hache was not someone to be left alone too easily... a tiny feather could tip the scales, in the same way, a single event could tip the scales within Hache.

Suddenly, his bodyguards entered the room. A parchment in their hands. "Danjo-sama... We have received this letter from an igan scout at the temple. It's best if you would actually read it."

Danjo coughed as he extended his wrinkly hand and grabbed the parchment. He slowly unfolded the parchment, and began to read it. His eyes opened, and his lips formed into a smile. "An igan spy is going to defect to us at the temple... This will be nice." Danjo chuckled as he looked at his bodyguards.

"Will we accompany you, sir?"

"No. I'll need some expendable soldiers, those that don't really have any real worth. Get Hache. However, two of you will go with us." Danjo instructed as the guards bowed and left. "Well... Will you look at that, Ogen, not even your sweet words can keep the loyalty of your lackies."

The bodyguards arrived at the well-known lot that belonged to Hache. They entered without any warning, that is how men act... They don't need pleasantries, only women do those. "Hey worm, you're needed for a mission. You're going with us whether you like it or you will like it." the bodyguard spoke in a deep tone as he cracked his knuckles.

Darian sighed, it seemed he would never be able to live down one simple mistake. He said to Axle "It seems our chat must conclude for now, i'll be sure to come back later." Then Darian bowed to Ogen "It would be my pleasure to head to the temple to verify this report Ogen-sama."

Hache kept his back to the guards trying to keep from showing them the anger in his face. The people here were brutes even the women at times, but they had there goodsides thought he rarely saw them. Quickly sliding on his mask and feeling his eyes begin to wander and the sensations of smell hit him a smile grew on his face. "oh how lovely a stroll with such braun men would be great, let us march hehheheheheahahahaha" hache remarked as he slithered closer to them, allowing his to grab his things as he did.

"Well, ma'am" Axle says with a bow "I've been treated much worse my much less." Axle says with a chuckle. "Come back any time." Axle pulls a chair out of his carriage and a gord of saki. "Would you like to purchase anything, uhh... Ogen-sama is it?"

Benhime ~ Iga Village

Ogen chuckles as she faced the merchant. "I'd love to, my dear. What wares do you have for an old woman?" Ogen smiled. Suddenly, Tarou, one of the warriors approached Ogen.

"Ogen-sama... I advise you to refrain buying from unknown merchants. We'll never know what 'miracles' they might have." Tarou's blue eyes glared at the merchant. For a split second, one might notice that Tarou's eyes flashed green before returning to its current hue. "I suggest we move now, Ogen-sama."

Ogen shook her head as she sighed. "Tarou-chan, I don't believe that this young man is hostile. However, I will take your suggestion to leave early. Mia-chan will be the one to purchase from you, stranger. I sincerely apologize for my lieutenant's behavior." Ogen nodded as she turned around. "Darian-san, shall we?"

Ogen marched forward towards the temple. The thumping of the wooden umbrella creating a steady rhythm.

Mia's eyes flashed green as she smiled at the merchant as she looked at the wares he had. "What would you have for Ogen-sama?"

Maou ~ Kouga Village

"You really are a freak." Tenchi, the main bodyguard remarked. "Why are you even here?" Tenchi continued as his eyes flashed green for a split second. The party met with Danjo outside of the gates with the chilly wind blowing on them.

"I've got a bad feeling about this, Tenchi." Danjo remarked as he coughed.

"It's nothing, Danjo-sama. It's fine."

"Well, Miss Mia, a woman like Ogen-sama must have very professional tastes, so I present you..." Axle opens a chest near him and digs out a sword with a red sheath, "...this beauty, this is a ceremonial Heri-Keri blade witch has the user cremated when the wound is finished." There is a flaming skull made of opals and rubies. "And since Ogan-sama is hospitable, I will sell this to you for 100 gp." He says with a wan smile.

Darian was startled when he saw what he could've sworn was a change of eye color in Tarou, but he didn't want to bring it up since it wasn't even sure he saw it and the women were mad at him enough as it was. Darian got a bad feeling as they got closer to the temple and his eyes roamed everywhere looking to prove his suspcion, the constant rythm of the umbrella wasn't helping his nerves at all but he saw nothing out of the ordinary. He shouldered his weapon ready to use it as they moved closer to the temple.

Shin Igami Forest ~ Iga Village

Ogen walked without skipping a beat. She was graceful, elegant, and smooth. How did the Iga come to existence? This was question that none really bothered to ask for fear of retribution from Ogen. Then again, in Ogen's mind, the same and horrifying scenes always play... like a psychotic memory, they keep repeating. It was a war. A war whose cause vanished, or rather, was forced to disappear out of the minds of everyone who witnessed it. The only fragments of the war were kept sealed within a set of boxes found beneath the rattan desk that belonged to Ogen... Should those be uncovered... then, the foulest of Igan history would be discovered. These documents contain assassinations, prostitution, and even massacres. Those boxes are guarded by the Akahime, an elite group of female assassins who do Ogen's bidding from the shadows. They never question her words, they merely carry out the mission, even if it means killing their own families. One can guess what sort of training the Akahime would actually go through.

Ogen walks with grace, elegance, and smoothness. Her gracefulness hides a festering scar that consumes her conscience, her elegance shrouds sins that no man should discover, and her smoothness masks a rough journey equaled only by the screams of the children whose blood painted the Kanzashi river with crimson stains.

The small party arrives at the temple, steady and strong. Ogen, Darian, Tarou, and Tama stood there, waiting for the spy...

Shin Igami Forest ~ Kouga Village

Danjo's strides were mixed, unsteady, and inconsistent. His cane only made it more bearable by adding a humorous beat. Danjo's wrinkly arms tell a tale about a group of kougans who tried to escape the village. A group of Maous, Kouga's elite force, were dispatched to take down the traitors. However, the refugees were good in escaping, and as such, they managed to elude their assailants. The group of assassins were lost, and fatigued. They were already ready to accept their demise, until they saw a cottage in a forest yonder. The group went forth to seek aid, and without delay, the family did help them.

It was at night when the assassins left the family to return to the village, however, one of the assassins saw a very familiar trace... It was the kimono of one of the refugees. This fact was immediately reported, and without a thought of the hospitality they received, the assassins plotted revenge although in a gentle way.

They already knew that the family was good in hunting, and it would only be a matter of time before they would go out and hunt. As such, the assassins left a little present for them... one that would leave them in... stitches.

After a week, Danjo received reports of a group of people killed in the forests. He knew the deed was done. However, he didn't expect a haunting vision to appear before him on a very specific day... the day a boy who was wearing a mask appeared in the village. The boy bore a striking resemblance to the family that the assassins had trifled with. He immediately knew that this boy would be the retribution... However, all of these were considered as rumors... nothing more than fallacy and fiction. On the other hand, Danjo knows that the death of Hache's family wasn't just an accident.

Danjo and his party arrived at the other side of the shrine... For a split second, the group seemed to be unable to comprehend this chance meeting. "Isn't this interesting? It's good to see you again, Ogen-chan."

Darian sometimes wished he wasn't right all the time, his bad feeling had proved true as the leader of the Kouga village and his guards walked into view. Darian noted that Hache, the Kouga that had blinded Enma last time they had met was in attendance. He considered what best to do here, he decided it would be best to merely wait on Ogen's orders rather than acting preemptively and rousing her wrath, So Darian merely stood there in his hulking armour prepared for whatever happened next

Hache wiped his mouth again as he met eyes with darian even if his mask covered his the smell was enough to give the boy a feeling for him. The others ho were women didn't seem as interesting to him though it was important to note them. A fregrance like none had ever sensed before was what make his as energetic as he was. It was clear the person knew what they were doing and he could smell it off them, he couldn't wait to see her. "fancy meeting you here darian was it"