Shigeko's Dossier: No one is completely sure what to make of Kitsuki Jotomon. She shows little interest in the romances which occupy the young nobles, nor aptitude for the merchant schemes which fascinate the older ones. She has one passion only, and that is swordplay.
Make no mistake; though she seems naive and trusting, she is a dangerous woman if she has a weapon within reach. I'll give an example; I was once present for a demonstration of her skill. I'd like to say I saw it, but it was too swift to be seen. She stood before a lit candle, set onto a bamboo pole. Then she cut the candle in half down the center, along with a foot of bamboo. All this she did with such quickness that it looked like only a twitch; but she had cut the candle's wick in half as well - and both sides remained lit.
It's a telling example of her skill, but there is more to Jotomon than skill. I heard a story about her from the Strong Arm Firemen. They said that one time they found some Moment's Edge Firemen in their area of town and, since they outnumbered them, decided to give them a beating to "keep them humble." It happened that Jotomon came upon this fracas while the leader of the Strong Arms was kicking a fallen opponent.
He said that Jotomon grabbed him and immobilized him, and then she said to him, "What are you doing? Don't you realize you could be executed for this? What if you kill him? Can't you see that he is helpless?" He told me that he was amazed that even as he struggled with her, she was concerned for his future and well-being.
Perhaps this attitude explains some of her more outlandish behaviors - specifically, she has opened a dojo located in the Merchant Quarter, not far from the southeast pier. She has a few noble students - the sons (Ide Michikane P15, Ide Asamitsu P16) of Ide Baranato (P14) study with her, along with Iuchi Sadako (P21) and a member of the Mantis clan called Shrimp (P34). She also accepts peasant students, which occasioned much outcry (as you can imagine).
When Governor Hyobu (G9, P1) learned that Jotomon was teaching bushido to commoners, her first thought was to enact a law forbidding such instruction. Jotomon, however, asked for an opportunity to argue her case. Hyobu agreed, and convened a panel consisting of myself, the Governor, Jocho (P2), and Yogo Osako (P10). The panel would be allowed to freely advise, but in the end it was Hyobu's sole decision.
Osako and Jocho were expecting little from Jotomon, except some transparent attempt at political maneuvering. Jotomon was certainly transparent; she said that if any student of hers was convicted of a crime, Jotomon would share in any punishment.
"It is my belief," she said, "that the code of bushido strengthens souls and improves those who study it. I will eject any whom I feel are unfit vessels for my knowledge, and I will accept the consequences of any failures in judgment"
Then she said she would gladly accept the law if we could answer two questions. "First, if you believe that the way of the warrior improves the soul, does it not make sense to give its improvements to those whose souls are weakest? Or is it only the samurai whose souls need improvement? Secondly - if you believe that the samurai are truly superior to the heimin and hinin; why are you afraid? Surely such inferior stuff could never be made into superior fighters?"
We had no answers. Hyobu accepted Jotomon's arguments and struck down her law. However, Osako, myself and the Thunder Guard all keep a close watch on her and her common students. There have never been any problems.
Tamori Gojinka heard the sound of fighting but thought little of it until she heard a yell of pain shortly followed by an impossibly loud noise. She rushed in to find Jotomon collapsed on the ground with a masked man standing above her holding only a wakizashi in his left hand.
When Mirumoto Tetsuzae arrived this masked man was standing in the burning dojo holding a scroll case in one hand and Jotomon-sensei's decapitated head in the other. He fled immediately.