Finally back in town she headed straight to the sheriffs office. The two men she met before sat there again, and they frowned when she placed the bag down infront of them.
"What's this?"
"The head of Shinji Nakamora"
"You didn't collect the deed for this bounty, Bunto did"
"Bunto!?"
"Yes, he's a bounty hunter himself"
"Tall grumpy guy with a grey beard?"
"Yeah, him"
"He's dead, Shinji drove a katana through his heart"
The two men looked at each other again.
"OK, that means you killed Shinji?"
"Yes, after Bunto wounded him"
"Oh, makes sense, technically we still can't accept this, one it's called stealing a bounty, which should have us arrest you, and two you didn't stake claim on it, which means technically you shouldn't even recieve the reward money"
Baiken was starting to get annoyed.
"Then what the fuck do I have to do to earn some fucking money in this Godforsaken town!?"
The two men flinched and glanced at each other.
"Well, you seem like an OK gal, we'll ignore the steal, and reward you at least half the bounty, Shinji himself was an anoying case, and his bounty should have been much higher by now, so well give you five hundred yen for your efforts"
Baiken sighed "Fine, it's better than nothing, how do I make sure I get the full amount next time?"
"Take one of the papers you see on the notice board and bring it here, we stamp it to confirm a hunter is on the target. This way we prevent bounty theft, some people make a living out of bounty hunting, it keeps the job fair, and it also allows us to keep track of the papers that needs replacement on the notice boards" The one man said counting out the yen bills and handing it over.
"Very well, I'll be right back" She said and left the office. At the notice board she scanned the wanted posters, but not one of them had over five hundred, she took a roundom poster off in disgust and started heading back, it was then that a comotion behind her made her stop. Soldiers from the Japanese army came down the street and shunted people aside, she heard one yell "Step aside! Make way for the emperor!"
Baiken felt her spine run a chill, this means Yamamoto is coming here as well! She ran down the street and met the small street where the sherrif office was in and hid behind a building.
The convoy came down slowly, on a well decorated horse she saw the emperor himself, and to his right Yamamoto in his samurai armour. Baiken hid again, her heart pounded, were they only passing through? Or are they staying?
"Here here all!" One of the soldiers called "The emperor requests anyone who has rumor of a young woman! With bleek white eyes! To be brought to him immediately!"
'Oh fuck that's me!' Baiken yelled to herself, her worst fear realised.
"Anyone suspected of helping this woman, or is found harboring her! Will be executed along side her!"
Baiken felt the tears in her eyes.
"A bounty of a thousand yen will be placed out for her, and it will grow each week she isn't caught, bringing her alive of course doubles the bounty reward!" The man turned to the emperor, who wove his hand, the soldier nodded.
"Rumor has it this woman was last seen in this town! The royal guard will now search the house of every citizen, those who do not comply will be considered suspect! And will be arrested!"
"Fuck!" Baiken yelled and ran down the street in the opposite direction as fast as she could. She bolted down alleys and isles, hoping desperately no one saw her, she found the edge of the forest and darted in, running deeper and deeper.
In her heart she knew luck would never be on her side, but one thing she promised herself, she will never allow Yamamoto to catch her, never!
Baiken suddenly stopped running, there was only one person in that town who knew who she was, her mother would never rat her out, and that was Naka.
Hate, Baiken felt it for Yamamoto only, but he was a samurai, the husband of her mother, Naka, is just some concubine at a brothel, how fucking dare she!?
Baiken decided revenge was at hand, she turned back to the town, found a vantage point where she could watch the guards of the emperor closely, by nightfall the comotion died down and she cautiously entered again.
Using back alleys and sometimes rooftops of certain small structures she quietly made her way through town, until she reached the brothel, this place seemed now to be way more active than earlier.
She sneaked in through a window she was sure belonged to Naka's office, and sure enough Baiken found her, having sex with a roundom man. Naka still in the motions of the entercourse got a shock when the man above her suddenly got beheaded, Naka wanted to scream but the bloodied blade stopped in front of her face making her swallow instead.
"Hmph, you're an old hag under all that paint on your face, my body might be bruised and painted, but im in alot better shape than you... Betrayer"
"Betrayer!? We never had anything in common, it wasn't betrayal at all!"
"So you did rat me out?"
"It was only in the best interests of my emperor!"
"Why!?"
"Kazuna Benkei was trying to kill the emperor! He was a rebel!"
"And that made you think I wanted to do the same!? I told you I didn't even know him! I was told he was an honorable samurai!"
"But, there are other rumors, they say his wife gave birth to a demon, an Akuma! And it was said this child will one day succeed in slaying the emperor and bring chaos not only to Saipan island, but the whole of Japan!"