After returning to Ryoko Owari, Kasuga Osamu met with his students and the other magistrates to discuss the ninja situation.
Arriving early, Haku gave Kasuga the ancient ninja manual that he stole from Sho when he left, titled “Secrets of the Ninja Revealed!” He’s not literate. He also discussed some of his former master's teaching. That “A ninja’s greatest weapon is fear. If someone fears you, they have already lost,” and how it was their right to collect tribute from local businesses. Much like a daimyo collects the taxes owed to him from his peasants and is served by his samurai.
Several members of the Strong Arm Firemen showed up during the meeting looking for Kasuga and saying that their boss wanted to speak to him. Arriving at a home in the Two Gates neighborhood of the Merchant Quarter, Kasuga was introduced to Unknown, the leader of the gang. He revealed that he was also concerned about the rising threat posed by the ninja, but despite having a standing reward for information nobody was willing to say anything about them. Having heard that Kasuga was involved in a dispute with them as well, he suggested that they work together in order to combat them.
The magistrates, with the assistance of a few of Akodo Tadashi's Kenjingumi, attempted to track down any of the remaining ninja, scouring the streets while several of them went directly to Sho's shop in order to resolve the matter. Kasuga made it clear that he was interested in the students who had attacked him. Calling them in from the back room both Yasu and Juro were there at the time. One ran while the other attempted to fight his way out. Neither ended well and they were taken into custody.
Arriving back at the Magistrate Residence Usagi Kamahime informed them that a messenger had arrived. He conveyed that Watchful wished to speak to them in the Fisherman Quarter. Mirumoto Tetsuzae, Akodo, and Ichiro Bando went to speak to her while the others remained back to interrogate the ninja.
Arriving at the fish market where they were supposed to meet Watchful, they saw her running down the street screaming as a man on a horse wielding a no-dachi , his face covered by a full mempo, was pursuing her. They attempted to stop him, and while they were successful in saving Watchful's life, he galloped off and down a side street before he could be apprehended.
Kasuga told the apprentice ninja that they were going to be crucified as punishment for their assault on a magistrate. Although he could drug them into insensibility if revealed everything they knew to him. They did so with very little provocation, clearly terrified. Telling how Sho had told them that only blood could answer for blood and that it was their responsibility to avenge their fallen brethren for the honor of their ninja clan. Returning to Sho's shop in order to further discuss matters with him, he was not at home. His living quarters giving the impression that he had fled hurriedly. Kasuga gave the shop to Haku and asked him to call a meeting with the remaining apprentices.
Watchful revealed that she had felt that a tall, scary ronin was stalking her for several days and she was coming to the magistrates in the hopes that they could help protect her. Given the recent attack, she now wanted to simply flee the city and start a new life as a nun in a Phoenix monastery, far away from Ryoko Owari. She needed a travel pass in addition to help getting out. After discussing matters, she agreed to provide everything she knew about the Soshi Cartel. She expressed significant fear of Soshi Seiryoku herself, claiming that ever since she took over the cartel she has held her position through fear and was capable of terrible things. She described an incident where a decapitated head Seiryoku was in possession of was still alive and, how after pumping air through it's throat with a bellows, it was able to speak in order to reveal what it knew.
They arranged a deal where she was smuggled out at night through the tunnel under the compound and taken to a nearby peasant village for safe-keeping. There she made good on her end of the bargain, providing pages and pages of information on the cartel's operations before being set free with a travel pass.
As the magistrates planned on how to utilize this information word reached them from Toshi Ranbo. Matsu Tsuko had issued an "Order to Expel Barbarians", requiring that all gaijin vacate the empire by the end of the year. She cites this as a matter of national security and thus under her purview as Shogun. Word on the street is mixed as to whether she has the political authority to actually make such a sweeping change, let alone her ability to enforce it. Nonetheless, it has riled up her supporters and increased concern among the gaijin population.
Visiting Emily Stark to see the effects this has had, Akodo found that the household was in a state of chaos. Belonging were being packed and made ready to ship. Emily explained that her father had been recalled to Jukami Mura by Stijn de Vries. The assassinations and the recent Order had increased the perceived security needs within the Thrane Rokugan Company and Lukas Stark's position had resulted in a return to their headquarters on Inugashima to manage them. Speaking to Akodo, Cmdr. Stark explained that while he had no doubt about Akodo's skill at arms or dedication to his daughter, the current situation made him unwilling to entrust her safety to anyone other than himself... or her husband. Akodo, with almost no hesitation, proceeded to ask the Commodore's permission to marry his daughter.