Eat The Rich

After breakfast, Tashiro and Meiko set off with the dog, on their way to Shiren, the Slum village surrounding the Fairytale kingdom like a dry moat.

On the way, Tashiro warned that it took him four hours to get from the village limits to the remote cabin, only for Meiko to point out that taking a detour through the swamp and mountain pass would have easily added a couple of hours, while trying to evade capture and throw off the scent.

Tashiro felt silly after realising he had made things more complicated for himself when he could have just walked in a straight line, until he remembered it was all the unnecessary meandering that had brought him to Meiko.

Upon reaching the Outer City Road, they were stopped by a passing Merchant, who recognised Yuzu. After explaining the disappearance of his colleague, the Merchant nodded solemnly and gave a silent prayer before offering the three travellers a ride on his wagon. 

Re-entering the slums, Tashiro (now in face mask and hooded) felt a kind of sadness, even though he had only spent six hours before exiling himself for his own safety.

There were more ruins and fewer people. He wondered how many children had been taken in the raids, children like Meiko, but injured and left to beg.

Meiko (in straw cape and Nagahame mask) stared out in wonder at the old buildings. Some of which were still smouldering from the last attack.

Tashiro was amazed that the place was still standing. A third of the population remained since the last time he visited. One third. Substantial numbers for the ongoing raids. 

Some day soon, they would all be gone.  

The Boxer wondered if he would feel anything if that were to happen. It had been a long two years, and his impression of them wasn't one of nostalgia. 

He remembered how angry they were when he tried to defend himself. Like his survival was some kind of inconvenience...to them.

Tch. He thought. Not my problem.

Once the wagon stopped, he helped Meiko and the dog down and thanked the Merchant

Nothing much had changed, the place still smelled of body odour, the people were dirty and dressed in Hemp rags, the ground was still packed Earth, with occasional bloodstains.

A stiff breeze brought the irreplaceable air of defeat and copper.

“Let’s get going, so we can leave before dark,” Tashiro said, where only a Mempo mask showed under a thick wolf-skin hood.

“Aren’t we staying long?”

“For what? You’ll either get dragged or stabbed or both. I ain’t looking to find out which.”

Passing the rough-looking market stalls hawking the bare minimum in wares, Tashiro found a Blacksmith and began negotiations.

After inspecting the ore, the Blacksmith nodded and handed over a bag of nails. Meiko couldn’t tell if it was a fair trade, but Tashiro seemed happy enough.

Leaving the alley, the girls’ belly started to rumble audibly. Tashiro passed her a cut of meat from the last hunt, and she chewed happily on it.

On their way back to the forest, they took a narrow street which curved to the right on a hill.

Halfway between the base and top, was a burnt out building with an arch-top doorway, belonging to a kind of guest house with a large lobby.

It was hard to tell what it used to be, since the walls had been blackened, and debris carpeted the floor. Gutted by fire, it was a miracle the place was still standing.

“The Coriander Hotel.” A voice said, from somewhere behind. Tashiro turned around to see the Tea House woman from two years ago, leaning with folded arms against the doorway. “It wasn’t much, but the adventurers enjoyed it. Especially, if it meant fighting any robbers brave enough to find them in the night.”

Tashiro strolled past the woman and back onto the street.

“Yeah, we aren’t looking to stick around.” He said.

“Wearing masks in broad daylight will only attract the worst. This ain’t the Citadel, folks around here gotta look out for themselves. Especially ones…with a score to settle.”

Tashiro paused, Meiko looked at him and then back at the woman. The girl could sense that there was tension, some kind of history. Yuzu panted, oblivious to all. 

The big man carried on walking.

Hoping to sneak away and return to the forest, they came across a huge crowd gathered at the Plaza. A ring of armed guards was using swords to keep the crowd at bay.

In the space, right in the centre, was an overweight and Paunchy noble on horseback, pushing a spear into a long-haired woman, who was pinned to the ground by the shoulder.

“You peasants need to learn your place!” The Noble said. “You think you can steal from me and get away with it. You think I won’t come at you in your own neighbourhood, and teach you rabble a lesson?”

The woman on the ground said nothing; she could only groan in agony as the spear tip grazed her bone.

Tashiro stared on, impassively.

Not my problem.

“Lord Ostaf.” The woman from the Tea House said. “He likes to come around here, throw his weight around. He knows the people are passive and indifferent. That’s what happens: a community beaten down by corruption is easier to push around.”

Meiko tugged at his cloak.

“We have to do something.” She whispered.

“Like what?” Tashiro said. “This is the world we live in. The corrupt elite have all the power. They are untouchable.”

“I guess,” Meiko said quietly. Her hand dropped, disappointed.

Something about her response made Tashiro’s heart sink. No child should feel that level of helplessness.

“Well, shit.” Tashiro said, “Stay here. Look after the dog.” He marched toward the crowd, ducked under the swords, and strolled up to the noble. With one muscular arm, he gripped Ostaf by the shirt and dragged him off the horse, slamming him against the ground.

The Noble looked up in shock and horror:  “Wha-wha-what are you?”

“Someone who is tired of the noise.”

“You must be some kind of idiot.”

“Without Wisdom, there is no gain.”

“You better start answering, before everyone here dies and it’ll be on your head!”

“Go ahead, you’ll be doing them a favour, just spare the kids.” The crowd backed away, their voices raised in protest. Tashiro looked back. “What? You got some great retirement planned?”

One of the guards helped up Ostaf.

“Interesting, you must think so little of these vermin. Who do I have the pleasure of knowing?”

“Name’s Graves,” Tashiro said, picking up the spear and spinning it around like a Bo Staff.

By now, three of the guards had surrounded him. 

“And you’re just a fat lord with a dead horse.”

The Noble squinted, confused. The crowd looked at the horse, chewing contentedly, somewhat relieved to be free of the considerable weight.

Tashiro covered his face with a hand

Damnit, I got into my Grimdark fantasy.

“Do you know who I am?” The Noble asked.

“Is this going to be in the test?”

Ostaf scoffed, brushing his tunic.

“I see, you’re one of them. A lone wolf who thinks he can solve the problems of the world.”

“The world can go to Hell for all I care,” Tashiro said. “Ain’t nothing here worth saving. These people have given up and are waiting to die. They’re just scratching by every day, cos it’s all they got.”

The expression on the crowd’s faces dropped as the truth slapped them from out of nowhere.

“So why do you care so much?”

“Because you’re in my way! I can’t pass by cos of these people.”

Laughter pealed from somewhere behind.

“You’re more concerned about being inconvenienced than injustice?” The woman with the shoulder injury said.

“Shit happens, rain is wet. Every day, the wealthy get their way. Nothing changes.”

This time, it was the Noble’s turn to laugh as he was helped onto his horse.

“You’re right!” He said. “Suffering is a punishment worse than death! I was going to have you all killed, but that would have been a Godsend. So I enjoy crying in the dirt like maggots, because no one is going to bury you.”

With that, he trotted out back toward the City, followed by a column of guards.

“Tch.” Tashiro said, the hood still covered his eyes, so he didn’t have to look at the dirty looks of the crowd as they dispersed.

“My Hero!” The woman said, whipping her long, silky hair back. “There I was praying for backup, and there you were!”

Who is this arrogant-looking woman? And why doesn’t she leave?

“Look Miss, I don’t have time for this. Let’s shake hands and part ways.”

“Miss?” The Woman said, surprised..

“Miss?” A passing peasant said. “You’re talking to Oliver Gulliver, the ridiculously handsome pirate.”

Tashiro’s jaw dropped. This…exceedingly effeminate person was a man?

Gulliver put an arm around him.

“Hahahaha!” He said. “The fact that you mistook me for a lady just made my day.”

Too close.

“He’s still bleeding,” Meiko said with Yuzu, as they emerged from the filtering crowd.

Tashiro took a look at the Pirate’s shoulder wound.

“And who is this?” Gulliver said, with a bow.

“I’m Meiko!” The girl said. “This is my Papa.”

“Wait…what?”

“Ah, a close family, tis truly a beautiful thing.” Gulliver said, interlocking his fingers in mock swoon. “I have the same sort of thing with Boss Thighs. She’s like a big sister.”

“Boss. Thighs?”

“Our illustrious captain!”

“Papa, the wound!”

“Right, right. We have to see to him.”

Gulliver whipped back his hair. “By all means, see to me all you want.”

This guy…

They set the man down by the nearest bench, and Tashiro took out a medicine bag.
Splashing a bottle of rum on the wound, he handed the flask to Gulliver who drew back a big swig.
“You might feel a little sting.”

“I’m disappointed already,” Gulliver said, with a smile.

Tashiro slowly sutured the wound with a needle and thread. Gulliver winced audibly but managed to absorb the pain.

After he was finished, Tashiro tied the wound and bandaged the shoulder.

“You’re all set.” He said.

“Amazing,” Gulliver said. “Our own surgeon just hacks off bits if they can’t be stitched up.”

“Yeah, he might wanna not do that.”

“Why don’t you join us? You can be his replacement."

“I don’t really want an angry surgeon coming at me with a grudge.”

Gulliver whispered in his ear. “We can always….send him on his way.”

What’s with this guy and personal space?

Tashiro stepped back.

“I only came here for nails, I got them, we’re going home.”

Gulliver shrugged, faking hurt feelings.

“And we were getting to know each other, as well.”

“Haha, yeah okay.” Tashiro took Meiko and guided her away from the flamboyant Pirate.

“He was funny.” She said, looking up.

“Yeah, he was all about the shits and giggles.”

"Papa! Bad words!"

On their way out toward the Forest, a hooded man bumped into Tashiro. After a few seconds, he realised what had happened.

“The nails!” Tashiro said and looked down to find himself with a heavy purse of coins. “And money?”

This was not how Pickpockets were supposed to work. They’re supposed to take money from the target, not give it to them.

What the hell is going on?

Tashiro stopped.

“What happened?” Meiko asked.

“It appears we’ve just made friends in low places.”