Ronin in a Rusted World: I - 3:10 to Edo

Percy checked his pocket watch for the fifth time. He twiddled with his moustache with hsi free hand. Clay rolled his eyes under the brim of his Cordobés hat. He pointed at the clock outside the station. “He's got plenty of time,” he said, before leaning against the large crate beside him.

Percy's eyes widened. “How many times do I need to tell you not to lean against the crate?”

“Just once more,” Clay said, sarcastically. He pulled a cigarillo from a steel case and popped it in his mouth. “Got a light?” he said to the Englishman.

Percy flicked the switch on his pocketwatch, causing a blue flame to sputter out from the top. He held it to Clay's cigarillo until the American got it burning.

“I don't see why you need any more muscle,” said Clay. “I'm a capable courier all on my lonesome.”

Percy laughed, a weak laugh as he checked his watch a sixth time. “More like a smuggler.” He looked at the cowboy. “It's vital that this crate make it to Edo, and it's vital that it not be tampered with.”

Clay leaned over and looked at the writing on the side of the box. On the side was stamped MARCHWEATHER LIMITED. Stenciled ivy wrapped around the text.

“Don't smoke so close to the crate!” Percy said, eyes wide when he saw what Clay was doing.

Clay puffed out some smoke. “What? Is it filled with explosives?”

Percy pulled Clay away from the crate by his collar. “Do you remember the Great Exhibition?”

The cowboy looked at the gentleman with squinted eyes. His eyes widened, though, when he realized what Percy was saying. “You mean you,” he said, pointing to Percy, “are that Marchweather?” he said, pointing to the stamp on the crate.

“The very same,” said Percy. “But let's keep that between the two of us. I think the Queen is still a bit cross at what happened to the Crystal Palace. I just hope the sun that never sets on the British Empire doesn't reach all the way here to the land of the rising sun.”

The cowboy laughed. “If I woulda known, I woulda charged more.”

Percy crossed his arms. “I'll not have you extort me, Mr. Boone.”

Clay made a mockery of bowing and doffing his cap. “As milord wishes,” he said in a fake English accent.

Percy didn't say anything, but he checked his watch again.

Then, almost as if appearing from the afternoon haze, a man appeared. He was dressed like a ronin, wearing a blue kamishimo, and carried a katana. His hair was black, and his eyes were blue. He looked a bit confused and very tired. He stepped up to the platform.

“Chozen-san, I presume?” said the Englishman.

The ronin blinked a few times, looking from the man in the top hat to the man in the cowboy hat.

“I bet he doesn't speak English,” said Clay.

Percy glanced side-eyed at his companion. “The same might be said of you,” he said.

“No,” said the ronin. “I understand you. I'm just a little disoriented. I'm sorry.” He gave a short bow. “I am Kenichi Chozen. You can call me Kenichi if you like. We don't need to go in for all the formalities.”

“Very well,” said Percy. He tipped his top hat to the ronin. “I am Percival Marchweather III, Percy if you please, and this is my companion, Clayton Boone.”

“Call me Clay,” said the cowboy, holding out his hand.

Kenichi took it and gave it a shake. Then he looked at the crate and the platform and the train behind it all.

“So,” he said. “You need me and Clay to take turns guarding the box while we ride the train?”

“Precisely,” said Percy.

“And where are we headed?”

“Edo,” said Clay.

Kenichi's eyes widened. “Uh, this might sound like an odd question,” he said. “But where are we now?”

Clay laughed. “It must be the heat,” he said. “When we get loaded, get yourself a drink.” He flipped a coin to the ronin. “On me.” Kenichi caught it.

“We are in Dejima,” said Percy. “Are you certain that you're the ronin I hired?”

Kenichi laughed. “Oh, yeah, sorry. I've just been traveling a lot. You know how it is? Almost as if you go to sleep in one city, and wake up in another.”

Percy looked at the train. “Well, that is the plan, in a manner of speaking,” he said. “Now, let's get this crate loaded.” He handed the men their tickets. “And you and Mr. Boone can take shifts guarding it.” After tipping his top hat once more, he hurried off toward the train.

Clay watched him go. “He'll be back to make sure we didn't damage anything,” he said. He stubbed his cigarillo out on a rail before tossing it to the ground. “So, just be careful.”

Kenichi nodded. He helped Clay lift the crate. It was deceptively heavy. “What's even in here?”

Clay shrugged, which was quite an impressive feat considering he was holding his end of the crate. “The boss is a wacky inventor. So, probably a wacky invention.”

As they carried the crate to the caboose, Kenichi thought he felt something moving around in the box. A station attendant held open the door and directed them where to put the crate. The caboose was filled with an assortment of strange things, including several masked figures. They each had a stamp on their clothes that said “Kami Clockwork Kabuki Carnival.” They stood still as statues.

Clay and Kenichi set the crate down. “Well, I'll take first watch. You come get me in about eight hours.”

Kenichi nodded. He left the caboose and went into the next car, which was a luggage car, the bags and other items stacked on shelves along the walls with a narrow hallway down the middle. A man was putting a cage full of mechanical rabbits on one of the shelves. Kenichi nodded to him and squeezed past him.

The next car was a passenger car. By the looks of it, it was the coach car. Percy sat alone, his top hat collapsed on the seat beside him. When he noticed Kenichi, he smiled. “If you're still looking for that drink, the dining car is up ahead.”

He nodded and continued on, keeping careful track of his katana, so as not to accidentally bump someone with the saya. One Kenichi had passed Percy, the Englishman slipped out of his seat to check on the crate.

After a few more passenger cars, including one with rooms, he found the dining car. The door said “Clockwork Coney Cafe.” His head was a swimming from the recent events. He had felt a little betrayed by Katje, as while the Felixian was technically telling the truth, he did so in a misleading way. He caught a glimpse of himself in a mirror. He looked exhausted.

He set the coin Clay had given him down on the counter top, taking a seat next to a couple: a Dutch man in a flat-topped tricorn and a Chinese woman wearing a pillbox hat and tortoiseshell glasses. She had a large leather satchel around her shoulder. They were both drinking tea. “Something to drink, please,” he muttered to the person behind the counter.

A hand took the coin, sliding it across the wood top of the counter. Then a familiar voice said, “I've never seen a coin like this before. Who's that lady sitting there?”

Kenichi looked up. He saw her hand, holding the coin, her white sleeves with black arm garters, her red vest with embroidered rabbits and gears on it, her blue-gem earrings set in small gears, her green eyes, and her brown hair in a neat braid at her shoulder.

“Marumi?” Kenichi said.