EP02: A Spy in the House of Love

Servants, retainers and aristoicracy are lined up in a guard of honour to welcome Nobunaga Hitomi, the forst of her clan to visit the Tokugawa compound since the ill-fated raid more than 40 years ago. Yukishen greets her at the main gate like a sister and guides her along the guard of honour until they both stand before the Damiyo, Tokugawa Ieyasu.

"Welcome," says Ieyasu. "I hope that your visit symbolises a new chapter of peace and friendship in the history of our two great clans."

Hitomi echoes Ieyasu's sentiments and after several speeches recounting the great deeds of each clan allows herself, with an impatient and nervous Hirotada, to be led into the formal banquetting hall for the tea ceremony.

In the far corner of the traditional paper-walled building with the heavy tiled roof sits Renshi, irritated at having to play boring old-fashioned music on his electric guitar. In accordance with time honour philosophy, the banquet hall his free from decoration and clutter except for a single banner with the words 'peace,' 'friendship' and 'new beginning' drawn in the best Tokugawa calligraphy. Yukishen and Hinemuri accompany and escort Hitomi and Hirotada to their places at one corner of the long tables encircling the central fire place.

The articles for the tea ceremony are discreetly brought in by servants and place on a bench at the side of the hall. From here Yukishen prepares the tea while Hinemuri chats about the weather and current events to prevent the two lovers from doing anything 'rash.' He notices that Hitomi seems very nervous. He chalks this up to being a Nobunaga alone and defenseless in the heart of enemy terriroty. Hirotada has noticed as well.

"What's up, Hitomi? You're too quiet. It's not like you."

"It's ... ummm ... nothing. I've been made very welcome and that seems a little ... unnatural."

Yukishen stirs the tea. There's a subtle oily film floating on top and she sniffs at it. Poison! Some one is trying to poison ... who? Hitomi or Hirotada? She signals Hinemuri to follow her and with elaborate formality she glides into the corridor in search of the chef.

In the kitchen, chef is furious. Why didn't anyone tell him that there was a replacement chef for the tea ceremony today. Isn't he good enough? What has he done to deserve this insult? The chef for the day even laughed at him as he left.

Yukishen and Hinemuri look at each other. Hinemuri runs out to the carpark while Yukishen dashes back to the banquet hall.

Meanwhile in the banquet hall, Hitomi and Hirotada stare uneasily at each other. Hirotada is unsure how to handle legitimately being with Hitomi while his best friend Renshi plays on in the corner. Renshi is gradually cranking up the volume of the music to cover the commotion he hears from the courtyard.

The image of the courtyard reflected in this silver guitar peg shows Sanzo standing before the pagoda in the ornamental gardens inciting Tokugawa retainers to storm the banquet hall and destroy the hated enemy Nobunaga in their midst. Renshi springs into action.

"For how long," he says, "have we suffered at the hands of the Nobunaga. Now this usurper damiyo wants us to lay meekly down with them as if they had not killed our brothers, fathers and sons. I say all loyal, true Tokugawa retainers follow me. Death to the Nobunaga!"

The retainers' cheer is cut short with a word from Renshi. He stands on the bridge over the stream separating the ornamental gardens in which Sanzo incites the crowd from the banquet hall. He holds his guitar case across his chest.

"Get him!" screams Sanzo from the safety of his dais.

The retainers rush forward. Two at a time they try to grapple Renshi off the bridge and into the water. Renshi knocks retainers flying with his guitar case. When the retainers double up -- four to one -- he feels the need to draw his sword. He fights a rear-guard action to buy time while Yukishen and Hinemuri look to the safety of Hitomi and Hirotada.

In the carpark, Hinemuri looks around for the escaping chef and sees nothing. Then he catches movement on the roof out of the caorner of his eye. He turns just in time to see a pair of black boots disappear into a hole made by removing a couple of roof tiles.

On the roof he puts his head through the hole and narrowly avoids loosing it to the assassin's sword. He stands up and sprays lead from his submachine gun into the hole and through the tiles where he believes the assassin was standing. Pausing for a second, he hears a tearing sound. He dives through the hole into the ceiling cavity of the banquet hall.

Yukishen throws open the doors to the banquet hall in time to see Hitomi trying to wrestle and overly amorous Hirotada from her. The commotion in the ceiling soon stops him. Then, through the paper ceiling drops a black-clad Masdako, a pile of shuriken in his damaged right hand and a sword in his left. All four face off, motionless, each waiting for the other to move first.

Outside in the courtyard, Renshi begins to tire. A dozen guys to one is pretty tough going! Time to shake things up.

He throws his sword, pinning Sanzo's sleeze to the wooden pagoda wall. He leaps, somersaulting over the retainers and landing next to Sanzo on the dias.

"Call them off or you die, traitor," he whispers.

"Never. I should be damiyo and that Nobunaga should be dead."

The retainers hesitate. Should they carry out their orders and fall upon the Nobunaga in the compound like knives? Should they protect their master Sanzo?

In the banquet hall, Hinemuri's return is just the distraction required to break the spell. Maskao attacks! Yukishen attacks! Hinemuri attacks! They pass each other and turn for the next charge. Hitomi finally pushes Hirotada away and launches herself at Masako, leaping and kicking him again ... and again ... and again ... and again ... and again ... before landing delicately to the floor. Maskao twists, broken and bloody on the floor, unable to act.

Yukishen checks him over. He's dying but not quickly and in a great amount of pain. Hinemuri wishes Chuji was present. There's something about Hitomi's technique Hinemuri feel he should remember.

Yukishen rushes outside and into the courtyard. She sees Renshi outnumbered and pinning Sanzo to the pagoda. She rushes across the stream and cuts Sanzo deeply before Renshi forces her to stop.

Hinemuri escorts Hitomi to her limosine waiting outside the carpark gate to take her home to Clan Nobunaga. Before they reach the gate, he swears to protect her always.

At that moment the damiyo, Tokugawa Ieyasu, accompanied by his bodyguard turn up to take charge of the situation. The retainers are taken into custody by the bodyguard and Sanzo is allowed the dignity of walking unbound to his fate.

CUT TO:

Nobunaga Masako lies in a hospital bed in critical condition surrounded by machinery which keeps him alive. The only sound is the steady beep from his heart monitor. Tokugawa Ieyasu leans over so Masako can whisper something in his ear. Ieyasu's eyes widen in surprise and shock.

CUT TO:

Tokugawa Sanzo and those who continued to battle Renshi on the bridge are manacled together, hands and feets, and with others are being led through the gates by a Clan Momoyama patrol in to the Wastelands. The patrol is wearing protective suits and armour. The prisoners are not provided such luxuries. The citizen of Neo-Tokyo watch as fathers instill in children the consequences of disobedience and disorder.

CUT TO:

That night, the towers of Neo-Toyo are lit by street lights and neon signs. On the eighth floor and top floor of Toyotomi Tower, the tallest building in the city, light spills into the night from an office window. The window shatters and Tokugawa Ryouken flies out into space and falls, his arms cartwheeling, the panic on his face clearly visible as he approaches the ground at a great speed.

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