Mugen
This is a tale of two brothers, Mugen, the younger and Taro the eldest. These two brothers have come far in life since their parents disappeared ten years ago. As we begin this tale, the morning was just like every other morning. The two were sleeping peacefully in their beds inside their shelter they had built out of bamboo and driftwood. Just then, Taro was awoken by the blood curdling scream of his brother. “NOOOOO!!!!!!!!!” Mugen screamed. At least three times a week Mugen had nightmares that were so horrifying it would wake him from his slumber crying. The thing is that once he woke he couldn't remember what they were about. As soon as he woke the memories faded, though the fear lingered for hours. Taro did his weekly ritual of calming his brother down by keeping his mind off of his feelings. “Mugen” Taro said. “Do you want me to warm some miso soup for you?” “No, I don’t feel like eating right now” Mugen said while looking down at the ground. “Well then, let’s get our poles ready” Taro said “We need to catch some lunch”. Mugen quickly snapped out of his sadness, as he loved going fishing with his brother. The fish they pulled from the river was their main food supply. Alas young Mugen didn’t realize the trials and tribulations they were about to embark upon. Their journey begins along the banks of the Oyabe River. The banks of the river are a mixture of green and red, covered in what is called blood grass. The trees were cascading over the water, creating a canopy of shade over the peaceful and serene waterway. Each tree housed creatures of all shapes and sizes. While walking the riverbank searching for a good place to fish, they stumble upon a fork in the river they have never been to before. They have traveled this river for many years, for some reason they do not recall this area. “Has this always been here?” Mugen asked. “I’ve never seen it before.” Responded Taro.
Just then a pale black mist came from out of the water and started to engulf the two brothers. “TARO!!!!” “WHAT *COUGH* *COUGH*IS THIS!!???” Mugen said. “I don’t know!” Taro yelled “Whatever it is, we should get out of it. Cover your face and let’s hurry” said Taro. They grabbed their fishing gear, held their breath, and began to run as fast as they could through the mist. As they exited, they dropped their poles and drew the only weapons they had. Mugen took out his sai with one broken yoku that he used for digging up wild roots and mushrooms to eat. Taro has a Shoto that belonged to his father. These weapons were their only protection against bandits and wild animals along the riverbanks. Taro turns to his brother and says “we should hide our gear out of sight until we figure out what’s going on here.” Just then the ground started to crackle beneath their feet. They looked up and all the bright green trees they were so accustom to seeing had quickly turned brown and dry and the blood grass just blew away. “Uh Taro…how did that just happen?” Mugen asked with a puzzled look on his face. “Your guess would be as good as mine would be little brother” Taro said with the same bewildered look. “Do you hear that Taro?” Mugen said. “Hear what? I don’t hear anything” Taro whispered. “That’s what I mean” “There are no birds singing, no animals in the trees, nothing.” “What’s going on here?” Mugen said. With a look of confusion on his face Taro replied. “I’m not sure. But I’ve got a bad feeling about this.” As they looked around in the distance, they saw what appeared to be a city. “Maybe we can find some answers there little brother. “
As the two approached the city, there was an old broken sign on the ground which read Gojoseon. “Gojoseon? Why does that sound familiar?” Taro whispered to himself. The city was mostly covered with vegetation, dried grass and vines. “Where are we, big brother?” Mugen said. As they gazed at their newly discovered anomaly, Mugen noticed something in the distance. Just then he slowly pointed through the trees, and stuttered, “T T Taro wh what is that”? “It appears to be some sort of palace Mugen” Taro said. Neither had seen a palace of this size before. It towered over the treetops and into the clouds.”I bet that belongs to Emperor Jimmu. He should know what’s going on here.” Mugen said. “You’re probably right Mugen. By the look of it, it looks to be at least two days walk away. Are you up for the journey?” Taro asked. “I am if you are brother” Mugen said. Since curiosity filled them both, they looked at each other at the same time and said in synchronicity “maybe we should check it out”. They both nodded yes and then continued on their quest. Not before Mugen ran over to a nearby tree and hid their poles and gear under some debris. He then took his sai and cut a small notch out of the trunk. Taro looked at his brother with pride and said “Good idea Mugen, now our things will be easier for us to find upon our return.”
After to what had to be hours of traveling, nightfall was closing in on the two. They decided to set up camp and continue their quest in the morning. The found a clearing not far off the main road they were traveling on. They gathered some branches from a paperbark maple tree that was nearby. They used the bark as kindling to start a fire as well as to lie on instead of the hard ground. As they lie in their makeshift beds trying to get some sleep, Taro’s mind started wondering to a time when his parents were still around and Mugen was just a toddler. Taro’s mother had just laid young Mugen in his bed. “Taro…come over here” Their father said in a stern tone. “I need to speak to you my son” “Yes sir” Taro said with confusion. “Should there come a time that your Mother and I are no longer able to care for you and your brother, you must promise me just one thing.” “No matter what, protect your brother with your life” “He has a journey far greater than we will ever know. A journey that was first told thousands of years ago.” With a puzzled look on his face, Taro looks at his father and asks him what he was talking about. As he was about to tell him, their grass walled house was riddled with thousands of ya and some that were even on fire. Their Mother came running in the room just as a ya strikes her throat. She died instantly in front of Mugen’s bed and their father had suffered irreparable injuries. With their father’s last breath, he told Taro “Get your brother and run, don’t look back, just run” “But father!!” Taro said.” RUN DAMN IT!!!!!” Cried his father. “Taro?” Mugen said. With no answer he repeated himself louder. “Taro!!” Taro was staring blankly with a single tear rolling down his face. Taro appeared to be coming out of his trance-like state. “Big brother, what’s wrong? Why are you crying?” Mugen asked. “Oh I’m sorry Mugen, I was just thinking of when we were younger having dinner with Mom and Dad.” “I wish wherever they are they would come back” said Taro. “I know Taro” Mugen said. “I feel the same way”. Even after all the years since their parents’ slaughter, Taro has kept the details of their death from his brother. “Let’s try to get some sleep Mugen” Taro said. “Who knows what tomorrow shall bring.” So the two cautiously lay down to sleep for the night.
As morning approached, Taro awoke first from his slumber. “Damn it” Taro thought to himself. “It wasn’t a dream”. “Mugen...Mugen...wake up. We have to go” Taro said to his brother. The two gathered their things and proceeded down the main thoroughfare. “Wait a minute Taro” Mugen said. “Let’s get rid of our campsite. So, if anyone does come through here, they don’t know we’re here” “Good idea Mugen” Taro said. Mugen ran back to their site and scattered the ground where they were sleeping with a branch from the tree. While Mugen was taking care of that, Taro made sure the fire was completely out. Once they knew the fire was out, they covered the spot with dirt and leaves and then continued with the journey. While walking through the streets of the city, it appeared deserted. Like everyone had just disappeared. There were dried up gardens, the bones of dead koi in empty ponds, there were also remnants of clothes hanging on the clotheslines and not one person was to be seen. They cautiously decided to explore the city, to find out what was going on. They first came upon an old Shinto shrine. They almost walked right by the shrine without even noticing it. It was almost totally covered by kudzu. With his sword, Taro cut a path through the entrance of the Torii. They proceeded walking cautiously between the Komainu, and approached the Shrines entrance. As they were approaching the dried up Tsukubai, something caught Mugen’s eye just outside of the shrines doors. Mugen ran as fast as he could to the doors. Nothing was there. “What are you doing, Mugen?” shouted Taro. “I saw something run by,” Mugen said while gasping for air. “Right outside the door, it looked like a person.” “Are you sure? It appears nothing or no one has lived here for years. So I’m sure it was just your eyes playing tricks on you” said Taro. “This is a strange place. So you never know what lies around each corner. Just stay close to me” “Just in case.”
As the two continued to search the shrine, Taro tripped on a loose floor board and fell to his knees. He quickly grabbed his knee from the pain. “Taro!!” Mugen screamed as he raced to his brothers’ side. “Are you ok?” He asked. “Yes Mugen, I’m fine” Taro said obviously holding his true emotions to himself. “What did I trip over?” Taro said. Mugen pointed to the floorboard. Taro hobbled back to the scene of his accident and attempted to stomp the board back into place with his non hurt leg. It wouldn’t stay. He’d stomp, it would come back up. So Taro tried to pull it up so he could start fresh. “Give me one of your sai Mugen” “I’m going to attempt to pull this up.”Taro said to his brother. “Ok, please be careful with it” Mugen pleaded. “It’s the only thing I have left from Father. “ Taro successfully lifted the board apart from the floor. As he was about to put it back into place, he noticed something hidden under where the floorboard was. He lifted a few of the boards and found an old wooden box. Inside the box, according to the inscription on the seal, were the thirteen scrolls of the Dragon Clan. The Dragon Clan according to local legend was nothing more than a myth. There wasn’t any evidence of their existence, except for the ramblings of an old man who lived near the river. Taro remembers the stories the old man would tell the local children to scare them from going into the forest, with the hope that they would be too frightened to go near his home. But that’s all they were, stories. At least, until now. Taro began to read the scrolls one at a time. The scrolls told a pretty detailed depiction of the Dragon Clan. How they swept the land like a plague. Taking what they wanted, when they wanted, and killing anything and anyone who crossed their paths. A genocidal entity by the name of General Amatsu led the clan. His hell-bent mission was to dominate the river providence, Buyeo, and then world. He gathered every cutthroat, maniacal, madman in the land and recruited them for his army. They were nothing but the blackest of evil. No one knows exactly where he came from; the stories say he came from an order of demons millions of years ago. Stories are all they’ve ever been. No one over the age of ten has ever believed them. Though according to these scrolls, he and his army are as real as you and I.
As Taro continued to read through the scrolls, young Mugen made an in-explainable discovery. He was looking through the box and something just didn’t seem right. There were three scrolls missing from the box. The box wasn’t damaged, and there was no sign of it being broken into. “They’re not all here,” said Mugen to his brother. “What are you talking about Mugen?” said Taro. “The scrolls, there are three missing,” said Mugen to his brother. “Maybe someone took them,” he said. “They’re probably around here somewhere, as soon as I’m finish looking through these we’ll look around.” said Taro to his brother. As Taro continued to read the scrolls, it told how there was an uprising of the villages along the banks of the river. The villagers were no more than mere farmers. The only weapons they had were there tools they used to cultivate their crops. It said they grew tired of the centuries of tyranny the Dragon Clan had placed upon them. The villagers finally stood up to General Amatsu and the rest Dragon Clan. They took what weapons they had and stormed the Clan’s fortress. Then Taro unrolled the scroll a little more to finish reading it and to his surprise the bottom of the scroll torn off. Mugen looks at his puzzled brother and says, “What’s wrong Taro?” “The bottom half of this scroll gone” said Taro. “Maybe if we find the missing three, we’ll find the torn piece, too,” said Mugen. “I think you might be right little brother, let’s put these somewhere safe just in case someone comes looking for them. I’ll go ahead and keep the torn one in case find the missing piece. So if it matches up we’ll know it’s the right one.” said Taro.
The two searched within the temple for a safe place to hide the scrolls. They searched and they searched and couldn’t find a place that they thought would hold them safely. As Taro was walking around the shrine, he looked out a window. “I think I’ve found a spot” Taro said. Mugen walked to the window to see what he was looking at and shook his head in agreement. What they were looking at was the safest place they could find. The decided it would be the safest under one of the Komainu. It was obvious that they couldn’t move the Komainu, as it was too heavy. So they decided to dig next to it. They found a hoe and shovel and started digging. After the hole was big enough, they placed the box in it and covered it up with dirt. They also proceeded to do what they did with their campsite. They took some tree branches and leaves and sticks and made it look like no one had ever been there. “They should be safe in here Mugen.” said Taro. After they securely hid the scrolls they continued with their quest. “You don’t think anyone will find them, do you Taro?” said Mugen to his brother as they were walking out of the shrine. “By the look of this town” Taro said. “I don’t think we have anything to worry about.”
The two left the shrine and proceeded to cautiously walk down the street. “I get a very strange feeling about this place little brother.” said Taro. “I know what you mean.” Mugen said to his brother. “I feel the same way.” As the two proceeded to walk down the streets, Mugen noticed some writing carved into a wall. He stopped dead in his tracks and had a ghostly look on his face. “What is it, Mugen?” Taro said. Mugen pointed to the wall, but could not speak. “Wha wha what does it mean Taro?” Mugen said. The wall said LEAVE NOW OR YOU WILL PERISH. “I think they’re trying to keep people out.” Taro advised his brother. “Maybe we should leave” Mugen said. Taro turned and looked at his brother with concern and said “We can’t little brother; we have absolutely no idea where we’re at and we need to find out what is going on here”. “Well who do you think did that to the wall? Do you think it was someone from the town?” Mugen said. “I don’t know” said Taro. “Maybe we should keep looking; something is bound to come up”. So the two carefully proceeded down the street looking for some sign of what happened here. “What about this place Taro?” Mugen asked. Mugen proceeded to read the name on the sign. “Boa J. Cain’s Jade Emporium.” He read. Taro approached the front door; it was locked. “Let’s try around back.” As they walked around the back of the emporium they came to an alley, a very dark alley. Though it was the middle of the day, it was still pitch black. Mugen turned to his brother and said “I’m not so sure about this Taro, I’m scared.” “Don’t worry little brother, I wouldn’t ever let anything happen to you” Taro said sternly. The two proceeded down the alley searching for a back entrance to the emporium. Just then, from out of nowhere, the alley lit up like the brightest of stars. The sound of horses filled the air. Quickly covering their eyes they ran for cover. Barely missing being trampled by a group of shadowy figures on horseback, they dove into an open window of the abandoned business. When the two uncovered their eyes there was nothing in sight. No sign of any horses or anything. The light was even gone. Just total darkness, exactly like before. As quickly as the figures appeared, they left just as fast. It was like nothing had happened.
While attempting the find a way out of the business they were hiding in, they had found a candle. They used the sparks made from Mugen’s sais and Taro’s sharpening stone to create a fire for the candle. Once the candle was lit, they heard a sound. So they quickly dispersed the fire. “Put the fire out Taro” said Mugen. “We don’t want to attract those horsemen back, whoever they were”. Before leaving the house they decided to take a look around. They also wanted to find a safe place to rest. While walking from the bedroom and down the hallway, Mugen tripped over something, knocking his leg on it and falling to the ground. “Are you OK Mugen?” asked Taro. “Yea I hurt my leg a little, but I’ll be alright” “What was that?” Mugen said. Then Taro walked over to where the object was at to see what it was. He leaned down to feel what it was. It seemed the owner of the business put a large bowl on a pedestal full of water in the hallway. The two found it odd that it still had water in it. Simply because everything else in the town that would have had water in it was either drained or had dried up. The water from the bowl that Mugen inadvertently knocked over was streaming down the hall and draining into the floor. The two can hear it falling through the gaps. They walked over to where it was trickling down. “It sounds like it’s going into another room Taro” Mugen said. “But how can that be?” Taro paused for a minute then turned to his brother and said “I bet there is a room down there.” “Since there is no obvious entrance to it, there might be be a hidden room.” “Look around for a way to get in” “It's so dark in here, how are we supposed to find anything?” Mugen asked. “Just feel around, there’s bound to be something.” Just then Mugen found a knothole in one of the floorboards. He stuck his finger in a there was a thin piece of rope in it. “Taro! I found something” Mugen said excitedly. Taro walked through the darkness to find his brother. He reached down into the hole and tugged on the rope. It stopped as if something was preventing the rope from going through the hole. He pulled as hard as he could and he felt the floor move a little under his feet. “Mugen, come to this side.” Taro said as he moved as well. He then pulled again and a trap door opened in the floor. Still not being able to see Taro feels around and finds a staircase leading down. He then turns to his brother and says” Come on Mugen”. “Hold on to the rail and stay close to me.” “I’m not leaving you alone.” The two slowly proceeded down the in to the unknown.
As the two cautiously crept down the creaking and half rotted staircase, there was an awful odor in the air. “Ugh what’s that smell?” Mugen asked. "I think I'm going to be sick." “I’m not sure I want to know little brother” Taro answered. Once they reached the bottom, Taro stumbled on a box. He reached down to see what it was. It feels like more candles, Taro thought to himself “Mugen” he said. “There are candles in this box. Start a fire so we can light the one we had from upstairs.” Again Mugen used one of his sai and the sharpening took to make a spark for the fire to light the candle. He lit the one and lit another one for his brother and put out the fire that he started so it wouldn’t spread. They brightened the room well. “WOW!” Taro said. “I’ve never seen so much jade.” They were walking around and they found a pile of hay in the corner. “Good thing you put that fire out” Taro said. “This would have gone up in flames so fast”. There was something odd about it though. There appeared to be a rope coming out of it and tied to the ground. Taro walked over to it and found it wasn’t a pile of hay at all. It was a tent that someone had covered with hay. It was as if someone was trying to keep it out of sight. As Taro slowly walked closer to it, the stench got worse. He covered his nose and mouth, and peered inside. As Taro looked his eyes widened and his skin turned pale. He then turned and said to Mugen with disgust “Ugh I think I found the odor”. “What is it?” Mugen asked. “I don’t think you want to see little brother” “oh come on, I can take it” Mugen said to Taro. “OK, only if you’re sure” Taro responded. Mugen shakes his head in approval. So Taro slowly pulls back the cover and reveals five decomposed bodies. It appears it was a family. There was a male and a female and three smaller people, obviously children, as one of the kids was still holding a small doll in her arms. From the look of it they were there for quite a while. Not to mention looking like they were hiding from something or someone. Simply because they were all together in a huddle as to keep each other warm. Taro untied the tent and placed it over them and then covered them back up with the hay. “Let’s go. We’ve seen enough.” Taro said to his brother.
So they went back up the stairs and cautiously headed out the back door. They walked around to the front of the house and proceeded to walk down the main thoroughfare in search of some answers. “I was starting to get hungry Taro” Mugen said to his brother. “I have a little hoshizakana in my satchel. I don’t know about you but after what we just seen, I’m not hungry” Taro replied. “Yea, me either”. Mugen said in disgust. “What do you think happened to them Taro?” Mugen asked. “Do you think they were hiding from those riders?” “I’m not sure Mugen.” said Taro “But whatever or whomever they were hiding from had to be pretty bad for them to not come out, even for food.” “It makes me leery of us going any further.” Despite their reservations of the unknown, they proceeded on. Every house, building, and business they passed was just as empty and abandoned as the previous one. “This is so strange” Mugen said. “How can an entire town just disappear?” I wish I knew.” Taro replied. “Maybe we should stay off the main road for a while” “You know, in case those riders come back.” “We’re going to hide?” “Like that family?” Mugen asked. “No Mugen.” Taro replied. “It’s like father used to say when I was a boy, SEEK NOT TO FOLLOW IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF MEN OF OLD, SEEK WHAT THEY SOUGHT” “How I think that applies to right now is the men of old have traveled this road and most likely have confronted those riders before. They don’t seem to be here any longer to tell their tale, and I don’t want their fate.” “Don’t follow those who’ve come before you, make your own path” “Do you understand Mugen?” “Yes I do” responded Mugen.” I understand completely.”
As they were walking through the forest, a very familiar aroma was drifting through the air. “Do you smell that Taro?" Mugen asked. “That smells exactly like…Come on!!!” At that moment Mugen took off running as fast as he could to find the smell. “Mugen Stop!” Taro yelled. “Wait for me!” Taro caught up with Mugen and they both stopped instantaneously. It was a village. A village full of people. They slowly walked through the town, looking in every direction. The villagers are staring holes through them. Then Mugen stops and says “This must be where that great smell is coming from.” Taro looks up and reads the sign, Sy Dine’s Usagi, dumplings, & ramen. “Usagi” Mugen said. “Do you think they really have usagi?” “Well it’s on the sign” Replied Taro. “So I would think so.” “That does sound good. We haven’t had usagi in so long.” So, the two entered the establishment with the hope of getting to eat something that they haven’t had since they were much younger. As they entered, they were looking around to make sure it was safe and to also find a place to sit down. Once inside they noticed it was fairly empty. Only a few people were actually eating. There was one old man that was asleep in the corner. They found a place to sit and were approached by a young lady. “Konbanwa gentlemen, would you like something…Mugen interrupted with a very excited “Yes, I want!!!” Before he could finish his sentence his brother slammed his hand on the table. “I apologize for my brothers’ behavior. He really loves usagi.” Taro said. “You’re not from around here are you?” asked the young woman. “No” replied Taro. “We are not” “Well then, let me be the first to welcome you to Sy Dine’s Usagi dumplings, & ramen.” “Is this your restaurant?” Taro asked. “Yes it is. I am Sy Dine” replied the woman. “What would you like today?” Taro then turned to his brother and noticed he was on the verge of biting his tongue. “Go ahead” Taro told his very excited brother. “Five Usagi dumplings and a large bowl of ramen please” Mugen told her. “Wow. Five, and a bowl of ramen? Are you sure you can eat all that? She asked as she turned to Taro and whispered. “And are you able to pay for this? We don’t give out any damn handouts here. If you’re expecting a freebie, you can just walk right out the door came in” “No” Taro replied. “We have a little money. How much is it?” “250 mon” She said. “Mon? What is mon? Taro asked. “Mon is…money. I thought you said you had a little money. What do you have? To which Taro looked in his purse and said “About..I’d say…500 wadokaichin. “Wadokaichin?” The woman asked with a puzzled look on her face. “What did you say your names were?” “We didn’t.” Taro relied. “But since you’re asking, I’m Taro and this is my little brother Mugen” A surprised look came over her face. Just then out of the corner of his eye Mugen noticed the old man in the corner moving. As quickly as Mugen noticed the old man, the old man drew his sword and lunged at him. Sy Dine kicked a chair towards the old man and striking him in the head knocking him unconscious. “NG!!!” Shouted Cy Dine. “Ng Lea! Get in here!” Just then a young woman comes running from the back. “Get some rope Ng, and tie this trash up” Demanded Sy. “You two.” As she pointed to the brothers. “Come with me”
As the two followed her through the kitchen, she stopped abruptly in front of the counter. Looked behind her and proceeded to pull the counter away from the wall. Behind the counter there was a hole in the wall. It appeared to be some sort of passage way. “Quickly” She said “In here”. She then guided the very confused brothers through the passageway. “Ng!!...Let’s go” Just then Ng came running through the kitchen and into the passageway pulling the counter behind her. As the two are crouching through the tunnel, Mugen stops and turns to his brother and whispers “Where are we going?” Before Taro could say a word, Sy Dine replied very sternly “Quiet…just keep moving” She can only imagine the fear going through young Mugen’s mind. With that she says very calmly “I’ll explain everything when we reach the end where it’s safe.” As time went on, it seemed as they were traveling for an hour. They reached the end and came out of an old tree trunk. As they all emerged out of the tunnel Mugen says “Finally we’re out and we can see.” Don’t get to comfortable little one” Sy Dine said. As soon as she came out of the tree trunk, Ng Lea appeared to be looking for something. “It’s over here” She said. They pulled back a pile of debris and uncovered a hidden door. “Another one?” Complained Mugen. “Come on little one” Cy Dine said. “This one isn’t as long as the other.” So they all entered the passage and closed the door behind them. The door had branches, leaves, and other things attached to it. That away as soon as it was closed, it went to looking just how it looked beforehand. Once again they started traveling through the tunnel. After about forty five minutes Taro stops and demands to know where they are taking them. “We’re saving your lives” “It’s not that much farther” “I told you; once we’re there everything will be explained.” Sy Dine said. “How do you know where we’re at? It’s so dark in here.” Mugen asked. “Believe me little one, we’re almost there.” she responded. Just then Taro sees a sliver of light up ahead. “I see it!” Taro claimed. “It’s right up here”. Once they reach it Ng Lea tells Taro to push it open from the bottom. He pushes it open and is immediately welcomed with four swords pointed at his face. “Whoa whoa whoa it’s us” Sy Dine shouts. The swords immediately lower.
As the group exited, they were now in the middle of a small group of people. “Where are we Taro?” Asked Mugen. “I’m not sure” He replied. Sy Dine extended her right arm out with her hand open and her palm facing up and she said “This is all that’s left of those that refuse to bow down to that monster of a General.” Taro and Mugen looked around at the crowd and noticed about fifty maybe sixty people staring back at them. Taro swallowed and took a deep breath and said in a stern tone to Sy Dine. “You told us that once we safe, you would tell us what’s going on here.” “Yes I did, strong one. Yes I did. But first we must relieve some of the tension.” Sy Dine turns to Ng Lea and asks her to go make sure everyone is here. Ng comes back with a small handful of people who were tending their gardens not that far away. “Is this everyone Ng?’ she asks. “Yes” replies Ng. Sy Dine jumped up on the table and addressed the crowd. “My friends…my family…can I have your attention please?” “I know you are confused who these strangers are that I have brought with me” “You know we have a strict no unapproved people policy Sy” a voice shouted from the back. “You do remember what happened the last time, don’t you?” “Of course I remember” she replied. “I was the one who made the rule” “Let me introduce our visitors before you cast judgment.” “To my right, this is Taro” Just then the crowd started to whisper inaudibly to one another. “This young man here is Taro’s younger brother, Mugen”. The whispers bursts into full conversation mode. “Could it be?” “How could this be?” “Are you sure?” “They can’t be” Were just a few of the many things the crowd was saying. “Just calm down my friends. Just calm down. All your questions will be answered”. She said attempting to calm them back down. “Before any questions are answered, let’s offer our new guests something to eat. They have been through a lot and I’m sure they are famished.” Sy Dine said. The three walked over to a nearby table and sat down. Just then Kyoko, one of the cooks, offers the two some miso soup. Mugen whispers to his brother “I really want some usagi dumplings”. Kyoko overheard him and said “If usagi you want, then usagi you will have”.
Off to the side not too far away Ng Lea was standing there looking on. Just then a man approached her. “Ng, what are you over here by yourself for? He asked. “Just keeping an eye on things Yuudai. She replied. “Just keeping an eye out”.
