Fruits - Words Cut Like Steel

The rainy days of Toshi Ranbo's autumn weren't to his liking. The man sat in one of the cheap tea houses that filled the city, enjoying a good cup of flavoured tea, alone. He smiled to himself thinking that he has found the best tea in all the town while most of his comrades teased him on love for heimin beverages. Maybe they were right, he shrugged.

Slightly upset, he finally finished his tea and asked for a bill. Another small detail he loved about this tea house were the small fortune cookies they served. And the serving girls ofcourse. The man winked playfully to the one who brought him today's treat. Young hands carefully broke the sweet in half, anxiously lifting the small paper to his eyes, as if a child opening a gempukku present. The paper had only five words written on it, but they were enough for him to smile. The paper was burned in thanks to the kami who aided and guided the man before he finished the delicious cookie and payed the bill.



He wasn't surprised that on his return to his room that evening, one of the servants handed him a letter sealed with the mon of his Clan and family. They honored him with a winter of vacation at a resort, he smiled. Amatsutaki no Onsen, what a fitting name. The man guarded his invitation and traveling papers carefully, and began to prepare himself for a trip. He was to leave in a week's time if he wanted to cross the Seikitsu pass before the snow blocked the way. The hurry didn't upset him at all. The sooner he was there, the better. The fate of the Empire rested on his shoulders now, and on that of those who would assist him, for the fortune cookie had these five words:

'Your life's work's fruits. Tonight.'