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  "writing": "Chapter 5\n\n\tThe walk home is long and silent, taking up much of the afternoon. Kuro takes the long way around walking down the river then around the bluff. The look in his eyes speaks of hidden suffering and fear. Kuro stops at the road that leads into town and looks to Sun, then Moon, then settles his gaze on Wind.\n\tNoticing the emperors gaze she straightens her back and stands at attention. Wind opens her mouth to speak but Kuro lifts his hand to silence her. He at last growls to her “we have walked around a third of the land today, but your eyes have hardly seen the road without first passing Sun’s tail.” Wind shacks her head to protest the accusation, Kuro roars to her then lowers his voice. “I remember when I was a boy, I found a wagging tail and the fragrance of mature women kept me from many hours of lobbers. Is it your heart or your mind that is looking at my son?”\n\tWind backs away still frightened by Kuro’s words and her own feelings.  “I… I…” she can’t seem to get out another word. \n\tKuro looks away. “it’s only skin and blood girl, speak up when you know what it is you wish for.” He waves his hand off to one side dismissing Wind “go, your sisters are looking for you.”\n\tSun smiles as he watches Wind run past him, Moon whispers with her brother “and what is it you want from Wind?”\n\tSun whispers back “things that I dare not speak of by the light of day.” He looks down to her “I never see you looking at anyone with need.”\n\tMoon lowers her head and lets loose a sharp disappointed breath “it seems that no one has such a grip on me. Sun, you are the only boy I talk to and when I dream it is…”\n\tKuro cut Moon off “you are his pet not his equal, do not make me remind you of this again.”\n\tMoon turns her head to Sun again “but now I think I am starting to understand why.”\n\tSun slides one hand down Moons back and rubs down her long fleshy tail, he nearly rubs noises with her getting in intimately close “Don’t let father frighten you.”\n\tWhen Sun, Moon, and Kuro reach the castle, the Shoguness has set up the front courtyard to for festivities, the yard is lined with lamps and a table has been set with food enough to feed forty or more rabbits. Ten young women have dressed in the finest of gowns and painted their bodies in white flower to lighten their fur the Shoguness included, a team of minstrels have erected a tint and begun playing. Girl dance and drums beet. Tonight is a night of celebration. \n\tThe Shoguness waves to Moon calling her forth “Moon my beloved girl, come to my side” Moon rushes over, The Shoguness kneels before her and her by the arms. “Moon,” she olds her softly for a long moment then stands and looks to the band. “since you were born we have had few days when the band has played for us.” She folds her arms and her ears lift high above her drawn into a brief trance by the beating of the drums. \n\tThe Shoguness lets one hand reach across her breast and taps out in the air the rhythm of the drums “I remember, when I was young having watched a band play. My mother stood alongside me. A fight broke out just out of arms reach of my mother and I. it was an ugly fight, one where knives speak louder than words. There was I single moment of silence when the town guard should up. The only sound that anyone could hear as footsteps slide across the floor was the drums, everything stops but the drums, the drummer never stops drumming. There where whispers all around us as people try to understand how started the brawl and why. I asked my mother what was going on trusting she could see more then I could, after all when she stretched her back and her lags she could see over the head of almost any rabbit. She looked down to me and whispered ‘remember this, even if you remember nothing else, in love or war, the drum is the pulse, and the drums never stop beating.’” The Shoguness lowers her hands back to her sides\n\t“I would learn weeks later that the fight was between two men I knew, Urchin and Laghorn. Twin brothers, one worked in the mine, the other was a tailor. Laghorn came to visit three or forth moths earlier wall Urchin was in the mine and Urchin’s wife accidently slept with him.” The shoguness tips her head up in contemplation.\n\tMoon looks to her mother tacking in her sudden openness. “yea, sometimes that happens. I guess. But why would that be important?”\n\t“not long after that the herbalist Wheat, was born. But we still don’t know who her father is.”\n\tMoon bite on to her hand thinking. “doesn’t seem to hard, the men are brothers, therefor they could both father Wheat.”\n\tThe Shoguness chuckles at the innocents of the statement. “yes, that would be simple.”\n\tNero approaches the Castle with a group of twelve men walking shoulder to shoulder with him, he is wrapped in his war garments, a deep green coat with red ribbons running down his chest, and skin tight laggings showing off his powerful shape, he has a thin blade strapped to his belt and a staff, it would seem, on his back. His men all garbed to match.\n\tNero looks slightly to one side to whisper with one of his men “outside of the smell of muck, Ra, I would say this isn’t a bad place.” Nero looks to the twenty paw high door standing before him “But if there is one thing I don’t understand it’s who did we lose track of an island we own for over 20 lifetimes. You would think that at the very least some pea counter would notice some missing greens.” The man called Ra at Nero side offers a understanding grunt.\n\tNero waves forward and Ra calls into the castle the alert of Nero’s arriving.\n\tThe Shoguness steps into the doorway to great their guest. She bows and waves one hand inward showing the men the way in. the army rabbits are quick to start gawking at the fur on display by the dancing girl. Nero sets his eyes on the Shoguness seeming to smell wealth and power on her.  \n\tThe Shoguness walks the men over to the table where Kuro is seated. Kuro sits cupping a glass of tea between his fist, Sun sitting to his right. Nero tucks his helmet under his arm and places a fist to his chest in greeting “I trust you are who I came here to see. First off in the name of the Emperor I would like to extend my apologies for our extended absents, and we would like to welcome you back to the states. We will forgive all late taxes and begin moving in for renovations before the end of next spring…”\n\tKuro cuts Nero off “I am Shogun Kuro. And you talk to fast.” Kuro points at the ground “Sit, eat.”\n\t“Yes, don’t mind if I do.” Nero sits down at the table “I am sorry, I have been on a very long trip and look forward to finishing the job I was sent her to do.”\n\t“you speak in the name of the Emperor. Aki, I have not seen him in many years. Is he well?”\n\tNero freeze mid breath, his eyes rolling up and from side to side thinking “Emperor Aki? He and all of his grandchildren went the way of the Jade Emperor over a thousand years ago, Kato, sun of Ka, is on the throne today.”\n\tKero grunts, “you still wave his flag, offering reverence to his name.”\n\t“that is our state flag, it shows our fealty to the Empire not to the Emperor.”\n\tKero folds his hand and tucks them under his chin, his eyes narrow as he thinks hard “there was once a time when every family had a flag, they placed the flag on staves and walked with them on their backs, or tied them in a bow and mounted them atop their brow. It was in times like that when the weapon you hold was crafted” Kero points at the pole on Nero’s back. “these where not the best of times. Family’s gathered arms to fight there next of kin, read eachothers camps in search of women, food, water. The worth of a family was measured in girls and children, the man with the most mates was surly the best man. My uncle killed 500 men once upon a time, and took their 3000 youths as his prize. He broke his ‘sword’ that day and planted a forest to drink the blood from the ground. The trees he planted sprouted rose’s.”\n\tUnsettled Nero pulls on the coat and breaths deeply “The age of states, Yes those where ugly times, I’m happy none of us lived through that, it would have been cute the unsavory day.”\nNero tips his head back thinking “From what I understand of it back then the average man took seven women as his mates and if one of them displeased him he reserved the right to take one of her children in the woman’s place, sickness ran ramped because of such uncouth behaver”\n\t“yes, only one in six children lived long enough to have children of their own.” Kero waves and a dancer fetches drinks for them “we often fall prey to sickness, wolves and war. Only the truly powerful live to pass on their strength” \n\tNero nearly spits up his drink in laughter as he replies “Hardly, these are civilized days, our fathers have left us the tools needed to make all rabbits equal, in the eyes of the law and on the battlefield alike.”\n\tThe Shogoness cuts in “there is nothing that will ever make all rabbits equal.  The strong will always be strong and the weak will always be weak.” \n\tNero smiles and takes his staff from his back and places it on the table between them. “maybe, but the score can be evened. Maybe you are strong, but you’re not stronger than this. This is the ‘flame tender’  this is the wepoin that brought peace to the western world. Everyone in the empire between 16 and 60 has one” Nero boast “knives are nice, the cute, but there not clean, and there not easy. This is. This makes every man stronger then any ten rabbits can ever be. Just fill one end with flash powder and then drop in any rock or needle and point. You win.”\n\tKero grunts, “do not place so much faith in magic. Demons are not fine host, and flesh will always be true.”\n\t“this is not magic. This is engineering, the most perfect of craft we have ever made.”\n\tKero grunts with unease “this weapon is old and evil, be careful to control it so that it cannot control you.”\n\tNero shacks his head “I have never shot someone without meaning it.”\n\tThe Shogoness leans onto the table moving in close to Nero “with such a tool at your side is there still need for swords?”\n\t“the sword gave us freedom; this gives us equality.”\n\tThere is a painful moment of silence before the presents of the dancers lightens the mood again. The Shogoness inquires “and what does the mainland look like today?”\n\t“We are in an age of peace, half the mainland is under the rule of the Usagi, industry has become the way of life, the working class have constructed allegiances and relinquished the needs of the one for the needs of each other. Truth be told the Emperor has little real power any more. He is tasked with protecting the walls of or land and little more.”\n\tSun takes interest in the conversation sits at the table with his mother and father. “the descendants of the Jade Emperor are tasked with watch duty? Hardly seems like the best use for such holy power.”\n\tNero bobs his head in agreement “Parliament has been broken into several houses, the blue party and the red party being the most outspoken. The Red party is the worker’s party and right now they have the most money and there for the most power. They say build walls and we have no chose.”\n\tKero and his wife trade a glance seemingly have a level of understanding the Sun does not share. Sun exstends his confusion “worker’s party?”\n\tLafe, Suns friend from the tea house approaches the table, she to dressed in the dancing girl outfit but mostly for uniform sake. Lafe sets down a new picture of water at the table as the dissection is going on.  Lafe intrigued by the strange rabbits and there strange clothing reaches down to pick up Nero’s weapon to see what it is.\n\tWhat happened in the next moment no one saw, and no one understood, but it changed the face of land. The weapon discharged, the sound of thunder stuns everyone in the courtyard, Lafe collapses, Kero throws the dining room table across the yard, Sun falls onto all fours looking for Lafe, the Shogunness yells for the band to keep playing, the royal escorts draw their swords, Nero’s men draw their ‘Flame Tenders’ and their time seems to freeze.\n\tKero steps up to Nero, Nero holds his Flame tender to his shoulder staring Kero down. Nero brakes the silence. “things don’t need to go down this way. Im here to talk about taxes, not start a war.”\n\tKero growls “I share with you my drink, I let you feast on my bread and look upon my women…”\n\t“this was an accident, there is no one to blame…”\n\t“… And you bring this evil into my home!...”\n\t“tell you men to lower their swords Kero. We will talk though this.” \n\t“I AM KERO! I AM THE RIGHTFUL KING OF ALL RABBIT!”\n\t“KERO! BACK DOWN!”\n\tKero pushes the Flame Tender off line then pulls it free from Nero’s grip with one flowed motion. Nero’s men move into to position to protect their captain. Nero holds out his hands and calls for them to stand down.\n\tThe Shoguness call to Nero “Go back to Ka, Tell him he will have nothing from us.”\n\t“who is this wom…” Nero starts to speak\n\t“I am the Shogun’s mate. You need no nothing more.” With that the Shoguness flags for her escorts to fallow her back to Nero’s ship.\n\tIn the confusion Moon slides down next to Sun to examine Lafe. Sun has stripped the younger girl and cut apart her gown to make bandages. Sun tries valiantly to bind the puncher wound between Lafe’s breast but it is clear that no amount of first aid would do Lafe any good. In the seconds since she hit the ground her eyes have already faded to red and her lips and fingertips purple.\n\tMoon looks Lafe up and down, she perks up her ears to try to hear Lafe’s heartbeat. Moon knows instantly Lafe isn’t dyeing, Lafe is dead. The built sundered her heart, Lafe’s life had bleed out before she even had time to kneel, never would she have even known what had transpired.\n\tMoon looks to Sun. “Sun, don’t.”\n\tSun frantic and subbing tries to pack the wound in Lafe’s breast “it is only a small wound.”\n\tMoon places her hands on her brother’s chest to sit him up. Overtaken by fear and grief Sun takes Moon in his arms and slides down her body like a child looking to be cradled. Sun understand just what Moon was trying to say, he just didn’t want to except it. Moon leans onto her brother holding him.\n\tThe drums play on till early in the morning, everyone has returned to their homes and the royal escorts have brought Lafe’s remains back to Weed at the tea shop. As the sun rises so much is as it always has been and yet it is not the same. When Sun awakens he cant seem to remember much of the party but when he looks down at himself he can still see dirty brown red bloodstains on his hands and arms. Bugs and birds outside the window chatter in calming tones but Sun cannot seem to hear them.\n\t“Moon.” Sun places one hand on his sisters shoulder to rows her. He sets his head on her shoulder. Moon reaches over her shoulder to place one hand on his cheek rubbing down his tuffs of fur.",
  "writing_bbcode_parsed": "<span style='word-wrap: break-word;'>Chapter 5<br /><br />\tThe walk home is long and silent, taking up much of the afternoon. Kuro takes the long way around walking down the river then around the bluff. The look in his eyes speaks of hidden suffering and fear. Kuro stops at the road that leads into town and looks to Sun, then Moon, then settles his gaze on Wind.<br />\tNoticing the emperors gaze she straightens her back and stands at attention. Wind opens her mouth to speak but Kuro lifts his hand to silence her. He at last growls to her &ldquo;we have walked around a third of the land today, but your eyes have hardly seen the road without first passing Sun&rsquo;s tail.&rdquo; Wind shacks her head to protest the accusation, Kuro roars to her then lowers his voice. &ldquo;I remember when I was a boy, I found a wagging tail and the fragrance of mature women kept me from many hours of lobbers. Is it your heart or your mind that is looking at my son?&rdquo;<br />\tWind backs away still frightened by Kuro&rsquo;s words and her own feelings.&nbsp;&nbsp;&ldquo;I&hellip; I&hellip;&rdquo; she can&rsquo;t seem to get out another word. <br />\tKuro looks away. &ldquo;it&rsquo;s only skin and blood girl, speak up when you know what it is you wish for.&rdquo; He waves his hand off to one side dismissing Wind &ldquo;go, your sisters are looking for you.&rdquo;<br />\tSun smiles as he watches Wind run past him, Moon whispers with her brother &ldquo;and what is it you want from Wind?&rdquo;<br />\tSun whispers back &ldquo;things that I dare not speak of by the light of day.&rdquo; He looks down to her &ldquo;I never see you looking at anyone with need.&rdquo;<br />\tMoon lowers her head and lets loose a sharp disappointed breath &ldquo;it seems that no one has such a grip on me. Sun, you are the only boy I talk to and when I dream it is&hellip;&rdquo;<br />\tKuro cut Moon off &ldquo;you are his pet not his equal, do not make me remind you of this again.&rdquo;<br />\tMoon turns her head to Sun again &ldquo;but now I think I am starting to understand why.&rdquo;<br />\tSun slides one hand down Moons back and rubs down her long fleshy tail, he nearly rubs noises with her getting in intimately close &ldquo;Don&rsquo;t let father frighten you.&rdquo;<br />\tWhen Sun, Moon, and Kuro reach the castle, the Shoguness has set up the front courtyard to for festivities, the yard is lined with lamps and a table has been set with food enough to feed forty or more rabbits. Ten young women have dressed in the finest of gowns and painted their bodies in white flower to lighten their fur the Shoguness included, a team of minstrels have erected a tint and begun playing. Girl dance and drums beet. Tonight is a night of celebration. <br />\tThe Shoguness waves to Moon calling her forth &ldquo;Moon my beloved girl, come to my side&rdquo; Moon rushes over, The Shoguness kneels before her and her by the arms. &ldquo;Moon,&rdquo; she olds her softly for a long moment then stands and looks to the band. &ldquo;since you were born we have had few days when the band has played for us.&rdquo; She folds her arms and her ears lift high above her drawn into a brief trance by the beating of the drums. <br />\tThe Shoguness lets one hand reach across her breast and taps out in the air the rhythm of the drums &ldquo;I remember, when I was young having watched a band play. My mother stood alongside me. A fight broke out just out of arms reach of my mother and I. it was an ugly fight, one where knives speak louder than words. There was I single moment of silence when the town guard should up. The only sound that anyone could hear as footsteps slide across the floor was the drums, everything stops but the drums, the drummer never stops drumming. There where whispers all around us as people try to understand how started the brawl and why. I asked my mother what was going on trusting she could see more then I could, after all when she stretched her back and her lags she could see over the head of almost any rabbit. She looked down to me and whispered &lsquo;remember this, even if you remember nothing else, in love or war, the drum is the pulse, and the drums never stop beating.&rsquo;&rdquo; The Shoguness lowers her hands back to her sides<br />\t&ldquo;I would learn weeks later that the fight was between two men I knew, Urchin and Laghorn. Twin brothers, one worked in the mine, the other was a tailor. Laghorn came to visit three or forth moths earlier wall Urchin was in the mine and Urchin&rsquo;s wife accidently slept with him.&rdquo; The shoguness tips her head up in contemplation.<br />\tMoon looks to her mother tacking in her sudden openness. &ldquo;yea, sometimes that happens. I guess. But why would that be important?&rdquo;<br />\t&ldquo;not long after that the herbalist Wheat, was born. But we still don&rsquo;t know who her father is.&rdquo;<br />\tMoon bite on to her hand thinking. &ldquo;doesn&rsquo;t seem to hard, the men are brothers, therefor they could both father Wheat.&rdquo;<br />\tThe Shoguness chuckles at the innocents of the statement. &ldquo;yes, that would be simple.&rdquo;<br />\tNero approaches the Castle with a group of twelve men walking shoulder to shoulder with him, he is wrapped in his war garments, a deep green coat with red ribbons running down his chest, and skin tight laggings showing off his powerful shape, he has a thin blade strapped to his belt and a staff, it would seem, on his back. His men all garbed to match.<br />\tNero looks slightly to one side to whisper with one of his men &ldquo;outside of the smell of muck, Ra, I would say this isn&rsquo;t a bad place.&rdquo; Nero looks to the twenty paw high door standing before him &ldquo;But if there is one thing I don&rsquo;t understand it&rsquo;s who did we lose track of an island we own for over 20 lifetimes. You would think that at the very least some pea counter would notice some missing greens.&rdquo; The man called Ra at Nero side offers a understanding grunt.<br />\tNero waves forward and Ra calls into the castle the alert of Nero&rsquo;s arriving.<br />\tThe Shoguness steps into the doorway to great their guest. She bows and waves one hand inward showing the men the way in. the army rabbits are quick to start gawking at the fur on display by the dancing girl. Nero sets his eyes on the Shoguness seeming to smell wealth and power on her.&nbsp;&nbsp;<br />\tThe Shoguness walks the men over to the table where Kuro is seated. Kuro sits cupping a glass of tea between his fist, Sun sitting to his right. Nero tucks his helmet under his arm and places a fist to his chest in greeting &ldquo;I trust you are who I came here to see. First off in the name of the Emperor I would like to extend my apologies for our extended absents, and we would like to welcome you back to the states. We will forgive all late taxes and begin moving in for renovations before the end of next spring&hellip;&rdquo;<br />\tKuro cuts Nero off &ldquo;I am Shogun Kuro. And you talk to fast.&rdquo; Kuro points at the ground &ldquo;Sit, eat.&rdquo;<br />\t&ldquo;Yes, don&rsquo;t mind if I do.&rdquo; Nero sits down at the table &ldquo;I am sorry, I have been on a very long trip and look forward to finishing the job I was sent her to do.&rdquo;<br />\t&ldquo;you speak in the name of the Emperor. Aki, I have not seen him in many years. Is he well?&rdquo;<br />\tNero freeze mid breath, his eyes rolling up and from side to side thinking &ldquo;Emperor Aki? He and all of his grandchildren went the way of the Jade Emperor over a thousand years ago, Kato, sun of Ka, is on the throne today.&rdquo;<br />\tKero grunts, &ldquo;you still wave his flag, offering reverence to his name.&rdquo;<br />\t&ldquo;that is our state flag, it shows our fealty to the Empire not to the Emperor.&rdquo;<br />\tKero folds his hand and tucks them under his chin, his eyes narrow as he thinks hard &ldquo;there was once a time when every family had a flag, they placed the flag on staves and walked with them on their backs, or tied them in a bow and mounted them atop their brow. It was in times like that when the weapon you hold was crafted&rdquo; Kero points at the pole on Nero&rsquo;s back. &ldquo;these where not the best of times. Family&rsquo;s gathered arms to fight there next of kin, read eachothers camps in search of women, food, water. The worth of a family was measured in girls and children, the man with the most mates was surly the best man. My uncle killed 500 men once upon a time, and took their 3000 youths as his prize. He broke his &lsquo;sword&rsquo; that day and planted a forest to drink the blood from the ground. The trees he planted sprouted rose&rsquo;s.&rdquo;<br />\tUnsettled Nero pulls on the coat and breaths deeply &ldquo;The age of states, Yes those where ugly times, I&rsquo;m happy none of us lived through that, it would have been cute the unsavory day.&rdquo;<br />Nero tips his head back thinking &ldquo;From what I understand of it back then the average man took seven women as his mates and if one of them displeased him he reserved the right to take one of her children in the woman&rsquo;s place, sickness ran ramped because of such uncouth behaver&rdquo;<br />\t&ldquo;yes, only one in six children lived long enough to have children of their own.&rdquo; Kero waves and a dancer fetches drinks for them &ldquo;we often fall prey to sickness, wolves and war. Only the truly powerful live to pass on their strength&rdquo; <br />\tNero nearly spits up his drink in laughter as he replies &ldquo;Hardly, these are civilized days, our fathers have left us the tools needed to make all rabbits equal, in the eyes of the law and on the battlefield alike.&rdquo;<br />\tThe Shogoness cuts in &ldquo;there is nothing that will ever make all rabbits equal.&nbsp;&nbsp;The strong will always be strong and the weak will always be weak.&rdquo; <br />\tNero smiles and takes his staff from his back and places it on the table between them. &ldquo;maybe, but the score can be evened. Maybe you are strong, but you&rsquo;re not stronger than this. This is the &lsquo;flame tender&rsquo;&nbsp;&nbsp;this is the wepoin that brought peace to the western world. Everyone in the empire between 16 and 60 has one&rdquo; Nero boast &ldquo;knives are nice, the cute, but there not clean, and there not easy. This is. This makes every man stronger then any ten rabbits can ever be. Just fill one end with flash powder and then drop in any rock or needle and point. You win.&rdquo;<br />\tKero grunts, &ldquo;do not place so much faith in magic. Demons are not fine host, and flesh will always be true.&rdquo;<br />\t&ldquo;this is not magic. This is engineering, the most perfect of craft we have ever made.&rdquo;<br />\tKero grunts with unease &ldquo;this weapon is old and evil, be careful to control it so that it cannot control you.&rdquo;<br />\tNero shacks his head &ldquo;I have never shot someone without meaning it.&rdquo;<br />\tThe Shogoness leans onto the table moving in close to Nero &ldquo;with such a tool at your side is there still need for swords?&rdquo;<br />\t&ldquo;the sword gave us freedom; this gives us equality.&rdquo;<br />\tThere is a painful moment of silence before the presents of the dancers lightens the mood again. The Shogoness inquires &ldquo;and what does the mainland look like today?&rdquo;<br />\t&ldquo;We are in an age of peace, half the mainland is under the rule of the Usagi, industry has become the way of life, the working class have constructed allegiances and relinquished the needs of the one for the needs of each other. Truth be told the Emperor has little real power any more. He is tasked with protecting the walls of or land and little more.&rdquo;<br />\tSun takes interest in the conversation sits at the table with his mother and father. &ldquo;the descendants of the Jade Emperor are tasked with watch duty? Hardly seems like the best use for such holy power.&rdquo;<br />\tNero bobs his head in agreement &ldquo;Parliament has been broken into several houses, the blue party and the red party being the most outspoken. The Red party is the worker&rsquo;s party and right now they have the most money and there for the most power. They say build walls and we have no chose.&rdquo;<br />\tKero and his wife trade a glance seemingly have a level of understanding the Sun does not share. Sun exstends his confusion &ldquo;worker&rsquo;s party?&rdquo;<br />\tLafe, Suns friend from the tea house approaches the table, she to dressed in the dancing girl outfit but mostly for uniform sake. Lafe sets down a new picture of water at the table as the dissection is going on.&nbsp;&nbsp;Lafe intrigued by the strange rabbits and there strange clothing reaches down to pick up Nero&rsquo;s weapon to see what it is.<br />\tWhat happened in the next moment no one saw, and no one understood, but it changed the face of land. The weapon discharged, the sound of thunder stuns everyone in the courtyard, Lafe collapses, Kero throws the dining room table across the yard, Sun falls onto all fours looking for Lafe, the Shogunness yells for the band to keep playing, the royal escorts draw their swords, Nero&rsquo;s men draw their &lsquo;Flame Tenders&rsquo; and their time seems to freeze.<br />\tKero steps up to Nero, Nero holds his Flame tender to his shoulder staring Kero down. Nero brakes the silence. &ldquo;things don&rsquo;t need to go down this way. Im here to talk about taxes, not start a war.&rdquo;<br />\tKero growls &ldquo;I share with you my drink, I let you feast on my bread and look upon my women&hellip;&rdquo;<br />\t&ldquo;this was an accident, there is no one to blame&hellip;&rdquo;<br />\t&ldquo;&hellip; And you bring this evil into my home!...&rdquo;<br />\t&ldquo;tell you men to lower their swords Kero. We will talk though this.&rdquo; <br />\t&ldquo;I AM KERO! I AM THE RIGHTFUL KING OF ALL RABBIT!&rdquo;<br />\t&ldquo;KERO! BACK DOWN!&rdquo;<br />\tKero pushes the Flame Tender off line then pulls it free from Nero&rsquo;s grip with one flowed motion. Nero&rsquo;s men move into to position to protect their captain. Nero holds out his hands and calls for them to stand down.<br />\tThe Shoguness call to Nero &ldquo;Go back to Ka, Tell him he will have nothing from us.&rdquo;<br />\t&ldquo;who is this wom&hellip;&rdquo; Nero starts to speak<br />\t&ldquo;I am the Shogun&rsquo;s mate. You need no nothing more.&rdquo; With that the Shoguness flags for her escorts to fallow her back to Nero&rsquo;s ship.<br />\tIn the confusion Moon slides down next to Sun to examine Lafe. Sun has stripped the younger girl and cut apart her gown to make bandages. Sun tries valiantly to bind the puncher wound between Lafe&rsquo;s breast but it is clear that no amount of first aid would do Lafe any good. In the seconds since she hit the ground her eyes have already faded to red and her lips and fingertips purple.<br />\tMoon looks Lafe up and down, she perks up her ears to try to hear Lafe&rsquo;s heartbeat. Moon knows instantly Lafe isn&rsquo;t dyeing, Lafe is dead. The built sundered her heart, Lafe&rsquo;s life had bleed out before she even had time to kneel, never would she have even known what had transpired.<br />\tMoon looks to Sun. &ldquo;Sun, don&rsquo;t.&rdquo;<br />\tSun frantic and subbing tries to pack the wound in Lafe&rsquo;s breast &ldquo;it is only a small wound.&rdquo;<br />\tMoon places her hands on her brother&rsquo;s chest to sit him up. Overtaken by fear and grief Sun takes Moon in his arms and slides down her body like a child looking to be cradled. Sun understand just what Moon was trying to say, he just didn&rsquo;t want to except it. Moon leans onto her brother holding him.<br />\tThe drums play on till early in the morning, everyone has returned to their homes and the royal escorts have brought Lafe&rsquo;s remains back to Weed at the tea shop. As the sun rises so much is as it always has been and yet it is not the same. When Sun awakens he cant seem to remember much of the party but when he looks down at himself he can still see dirty brown red bloodstains on his hands and arms. Bugs and birds outside the window chatter in calming tones but Sun cannot seem to hear them.<br />\t&ldquo;Moon.&rdquo; Sun places one hand on his sisters shoulder to rows her. He sets his head on her shoulder. Moon reaches over her shoulder to place one hand on his cheek rubbing down his tuffs of fur.</span>",
  "pools_count": 1,
  "title": "edge of the world chapter 5",
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  "pagecount": "1",
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  "rating_name": "Adult",
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      "content_tag_id": "5",
      "name": "Strong Violence",
      "description": "Strong violence, blood, serious injury or death",
      "rating_id": "2"
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  "submission_type_id": "12",
  "type_name": "Writing - Document",
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