Tampopo knelt properly before the wizened form of Lady Kagebara. The leader of the kunoichi village had called this meeting and her advisors Kagetsuki no Mae and Shika no Mae flanked her, gazing at the ranks of kunoichi before them.
"This is a little abrupt," Kagebara began. "However, I am getting on in years, and my leadership is beginning to suffer." She reached down and took a sip of the tea on a tray beside her. "To that end, my advisors and I have decided to pass leadership of the village on to the next generation." She let the chatter die down and continued. "We have chosen three candidates for the position." Kagebara coughed fitfully into her fan and made a gesture, causing three of her subordinates to present scrolls to a like number of the kneeling kunoichi.
Tampopo received her scroll with good grace and noticed out the corner of her eye that Kagetsuki Okiku and Shika Sumire were the other two recipients.
"Each of you has been given details of a village which has been decimated by the poor management of their daimyo. The first of you to return with suitable recruits or an alliance shall be our new Lead Shadow. You are dismissed." The wizened elder left the hall, soon followed by the village's kunoichi.
The fox within Tampopo thrilled at the assignment. This would be so interesting! She reviewed the scroll, and began her journey to the Flower River Village.
''We don't just borrow words; on occasion, English has pursued other languages down alleyways to beat
them unconscious and rifle their pockets for new vocabulary.''
-- James Nicoll
"This is a little abrupt," Kagebara began. "However, I am getting on in years, and my leadership is beginning to suffer." She reached down and took a sip of the tea on a tray beside her. "To that end, my advisors and I have decided to pass leadership of the village on to the next generation." She let the chatter die down and continued. "We have chosen three candidates for the position." Kagebara coughed fitfully into her fan and made a gesture, causing three of her subordinates to present scrolls to a like number of the kneeling kunoichi.
Tampopo received her scroll with good grace and noticed out the corner of her eye that Kagetsuki Okiku and Shika Sumire were the other two recipients.
"Each of you has been given details of a village which has been decimated by the poor management of their daimyo. The first of you to return with suitable recruits or an alliance shall be our new Lead Shadow. You are dismissed." The wizened elder left the hall, soon followed by the village's kunoichi.
The fox within Tampopo thrilled at the assignment. This would be so interesting! She reviewed the scroll, and began her journey to the Flower River Village.
''We don't just borrow words; on occasion, English has pursued other languages down alleyways to beat
them unconscious and rifle their pockets for new vocabulary.''
-- James Nicoll