3 The samurai's mission

Chapter 3 The samurai's mission Tempo flew down beside the samurai. Gently she poked him with her beak. "Cuckoo?" "It's okay," Sarah told her. "He's coming around." The samurai stirred and opened his eyes. "Hello," Sarah said. "Are you all right?" She was surprised by how young the warrior looked. "Just really tired," he said, sitting up. "I've traveled a long way, very fast." Jackson handed him their leftover tea and tofu. "Here," he said, "this will make you feel better." The samurai sipped the tea and ate some pieces of tofu. "You're right," he said. "I do feel better." "Cuckoo!" Tempo squawked happily.

The samurai looked at her. "Maybe your bird will bring me good fortune," he said. Sarah smiled. "She's already brought you two friends. I'm Sarah, and this is Jackson." "I'm Kojima," the warrior said. "Am I near the Shogun's castle?" Jackson pointed to the walled buildings. "You are! See?" Relief spread over Kojima's face. "I have to deliver an urgent message to the Shogun," he said. "It's from my Daimyo." "What's a Daimyo?" Sarah asked. "We're from far away," she added. Kojima sipped more tea and explained. "Daimyo Matsuzo is lord of the province where I live." Tempo put her head on one side and peered at the remaining tofu. "Cuckoo?" she squawked. "Not for you," Sarah said. "Kojima, eat this last piece." The samurai ate, then struggled to get up. Jackson reached out to steady him. "Stand still and wait until you feel ready to walk," he said, and picked up Kojima's curved sword. "Ah, my katana," Kojima said, taking it. "Thanks."

A passer-by stopped to retrieve the samurai's helmet. He handed it to Jackson and bowed. Jackson bowed back and gave the helmet to Kojima. As he put it back on, Sarah noticed that he was chewing his lip anxiously. "Is something wrong, Kojima?" she asked. "I'm afraid so," he said. "Daimyos must live in Edo for part of every other year. Spending time with the Shogun shows their loyalty, and proves that they're not becoming so powerful that they might plot against him. This system is one of the reasons Japan has been at peace for so long." "Is your Daimyo coming to Edo?" asked Jackson. "He should be traveling here right now," Kojima said. "But there's been an earthquake in our province. It caused avalanches at the mountain passes Daimyo Matsuzo's procession would normally take." Sarah was shocked. "The earthquake must have been terrible for your people," she said. Kojima nodded. "Their homes have been destroyed, there are floods, and they have little food," he said. "Daimyo Matsuzo will not leave his people while they are in such dire need."

"So that's why you've traveled here so quickly—to tell the Shogun that your Daimyo can't come?" said Jackson. "Yes. I've brought a message written by Daimyo Matsuzo himself," said Kojima. "It's inside this." He removed an inro from his belt. Sarah and Jackson admired its intricate octopus design. Golden tentacles twisted and curled against a blue background. "This is Daimyo Matsuzo's inro," said Kojima. "The octopus is his personal emblem. It will prove to the Shogun that the message it contains is genuine." He returned the inro to his belt, then frowned. "That's strange," he said, pointing at a cherry tree. Sarah turned to look at the tree, too. A spray of blossoms withered before her eyes. The pink petals drifted to the ground, where they immediately turned brown and slimy. Sarah and Jackson shared an anxious glance. A glitch in time, Sarah thought. DeLay must be nearby...

"I hope it's not a bad sign," said Kojima. "If the Shogun doesn't believe my story, he may suspect Daimyo Matsuzo has betrayed him." He took out a small piece of silk and rubbed the dust off the panels of his armor. "Must look tidy to see the Shogun..." he muttered. Sarah whispered to Jackson, "That message of Kojima's is exactly the sort of thing DeLay would interfere with. If it doesn't reach the Shogun, he might think Daimyo Matsuzo is planning a war." Jackson's eyes went wide with horror. "That would destroy peace in Japan!" "Kojima, we'll come to the castle with you," Sarah told him. "Thank you," he said. "I will enjoy your company."

They walked quickly past neat houses and a small school, then followed a stream that flowed into the castle moat. Kojima led the Timekeepers across a drawbridge to a gate in the wall. A guard in armor that was even bulkier than Kojima's blocked their way. His helmet came down over his forehead, while a big peak at the front stuck out so far that it completely shadowed his face. "Stop right there," he said in a gruff voice. "I must search you for weapons before you enter." Tempo perched nearby while Sarah and Jackson pushed their sleeves up to prove they weren't hiding any daggers. Then Sarah showed that the bulge in her obi sash was just origami paper. The guard said Kojima could keep his katana, as he was a samurai, then searched him carefully. When he was satisfied, he waved them through the gate. "Enjoy your time in Edo castle," he said, with a strange grin. The three friends set off along a tree-lined path. They had hardly gone any distance at all when Kojima yelped and clapped his hand to his belt. "The inro!" he cried. "It's gone!"