S04 - Calm after the Storm III Report

General Summary

After Lady Kisei introduced Kitagawa-san and Murasaki-san to the party, she dismissed them again. Tadayoshi, Akira, and Tsuji all head back to the ramen cart, followed by Kitagawa, Jun and Murasaki.

Kyo, feeling bad for pressing Minatozaki and Fujioka for information despite there inner turmoil, invites them to the onsen. The two women, still not ready to forgive him, decline Kyo's offer and both head to the onsen by themselves. Tagoshi decides to reflect upon what he learned at the Accursed Archive, heading back to his house. While Hakase heads back to his forge.

Those who decided to go to the ramen cart were greeted by a commotion happening inside the mess hall. Murasaki, Akira, Tadayoshi, and Tsuji head inside and see an absolute mess. Tatahara and Shiggy, Fujioka's tanuki, are trying to catch a feral red panda running amok in the mess hall. Tadayoshi was able to subdue the red panda, as Hakase hears the commotion from the mess hall and arrives at the scene as well.

Tatahara and the other cooks explain to Lady Kisei that the red panda stowed away on the ramen cart and found its way to the mess hall. Tadayoshi decides to adopt the red panda and call it Aggretsuko. Seeing the mess, Hakase, Fujioka, and Tsuji decide to help Tatahara with cleaning. Tadayoshi prepares Lady Kisei's, Kitagawa's, and Mursaki's ramen bowl.

Minatozaki walks to the onsen by herself, reflecting on past tragedies. Kyo runs up to her, asking for forgiveness and asks if they could talk. Minatozaki is apprehensive, and wants time by herself, not wanting to be around Kyo for awhile. Kyo, not wanting to cause anymore harm, relents and runs off to the Onsen by himself. Minatozaki trails behind her.

At the Onsen, Minatozaki is greeted by an ashigaru named Susumu, asking her whats wrong. Minatozaki explains whats bothering her, and Susumu tells her that if ever Kyo bothers her again just let her know. Kyo gets the reputation of "heartbreaker".

Meanwhile, in Tagoshi's pondering, he hears someone walking up to his house. He looks out the window and sees Reiko standing a few feet away from his abode, staring at him. Tagoshi runs. He enters the dojo of Lady Kisei, looking for someone to help protect him, and calls out to Lady Kisei. No one seems to be home, Reiko appears behind him and Tagoshi starts running further in the house. He runs to the audience hall, looking for a place to hide, but to no avail. Seeing no other recourse, he ready's himself to jump out the window as soon as Reiko enters the room. He waits, but it seems Reiko is gone. As he is about to exit the audience hall, he feels a chill run down his spine as Reiko seemingly appears behind him, Tagoshi faints, and Reiko has a new friend.

Back at the ramen cart, Kitagawa and Murasaki are having an eating competition. Their battle is fierce, only matched by Tadayoshi's fierce cooking. Now up to their seventh bowl, Murasaki is determined to beat Kitagawa this time, and pushes the limits of her body. She was able to finish her seventh bowl, and asks for her eighth, but before she can even swallow her first bite, her body gives up and Murasaki falls into a food coma. Though, Kitagawa wasn't able to eat an eighth bowl either, leaving their competition a tie.

Akira, not seeing a Haakuma before, is curious about Kitagawa's red skin. Hakase and Tadayoshi, sensing trouble, tries their best to stop the innocent little child. The battle was tough, one side just barely edging the other, but at the decisive moment, the child one and asked why Kitagawa has red skin. At first, Kitagawa seems like she is angry at Akira, as her menacing presence exudes itself. But something changes as she gets down to the kids level, and lets him off as she stalks away. Tadayoshi and Hakase decides to bring Akira to the onsen for a stern lecture.

The rest of the party decides to have dinner at the mess hall, while Tadayoshi, Akira, and Hakese join Kyo at the onsen. Tadayoshi, is very visibly red, much to Akira's and Hakase's concern but is able to brush them off as he swims in the far side of the onsen. Kyo decides to strike a conversation with Hakase, and Hakase learns just how socially inept Kyo is and understands why Minatozaki and Fujioka cried after Kyo spoke to them. All of them turn in for the night after the onsen, except Hakase who seeks Rue's counsel.

He approaches her workshop, just before it explodes. Hakase nearly forgets that this is a regular occurrence at Otorii castle. Rue invites him into the workshop where Hakase unloads his burdens on Rue. Rue reassures him that its ok not to know everything, and that he should trust in his party mates. After having his spirits brightened, he helps her making her Lieurr dish, so to curb her homesickness.

The following day, Lord Kisei rides into Otorii castle and summons the party. Lord Kisei confirms what Kyo said, the Empress and the Emperor are dead, the imperial families dead as well, and the imperial palace has burned to the ground.