She sees a small basement entrance about a block away. Given that there are three yakuza guarding it, she assumes that it's probably conncected to the warehouse, an escape route or something like it. Ya-Ming returns. "They've got about two dozen men. Mostly, they use katanas and no dachi, but a few of 'em have matchlocks, and I saw one practicing with a bow, he seemed pretty good. They have drugs and contraband in boxes around the warehouse floor, but I think the gold is all in a vault that I couldn't get inside."
The concubine smiles. "Well, that's why I'm here." She doesn't drink any tea yet, instead preferring to smell the scent. "Though if I might say, a woman as beautiful as yourself will likely catch our emperor's eye quickly."
"Beauty is not all." She said as she took a sip - the poison wouldn't affect her, she took the antinode first thing. And the tea was served from one teapot. That would put the woman at ease. "And I am not of the first youth..."
The younger woman brings her cup to her lips, blowing on the steaming liquid, before taking a sip. "Mmm, nice. True, but with age comes experience, and if we're being honest, I think his majesty prefers his lovers to be a little older." She takes another sip and leans in, lowering her voice. "Actually, I think he loves women around the same age and body shape as his exquisite mother, so you'll have no problems catching his eye. You just have to pass the rest of your trials." She takes another sip, and Kina sees her pupils beginning to dialate.
"Good. Despite its destructive power, a matchlock can only fire in a straight line. Should be easy enough to beat, specially now that we know they have em." Kyouka nods, "And a bow man, eh? Interesting. If he's good, we may be able to recruit him. Otherwise, we can kill him." She said with a grin, "Ah, but we will need to keep one of them alive. Who do you think is the person keeping the key?" She asked pointing at the basement, "That there. Seems to be their escape route. Santo, along with two people with good enough aim will be given matchlocks. They'll be stationed here. Grugga will lead the charge, Ujo will support him while picking off any stragglers. You, will be assassinating them one by one inside." Kyouka spoke of her plan outloud for Ya-Ming to hear.
Ya-Ming nods. "Seems like a good plan. Those yakuza guys are good, but since no one ever picks fights with them, catching them off guard shouldn't be hard. If I had to guess who had the key, there was one guy that didn't look like the rest. He was scrawny and old, not muscle-bound like the guards. I'd assume that he's in charge of the numbers or something. If anyone can open the vault, it'd be that guy, so we should tell the men to spare him."
"Is that so?" Kina nods. "And what is his relationship with the Dowager?" She asked, waiting some more for the drugs to catch the effect.
"Mhmm. I'll do it. You stay here, watch in case something unexpected happens. Otherwise, feel free to mark targets that seem to hold the key." Kyouka said with a grin. "Fufu... before I leave. I take it you're in this for the gold. Or something else?"
Eikyo will go out and buy the supplies, shopping around a little and haggling, but not trying to squeeze out every last coin.
The concubine takes another sip, becoming a little more free spirited. "Well, I shouldn't... Well," she lowers her voice to a whisper, "a friend of mine went in to the imperial chambers to serve the emperor some wine and found...well...the dowager serving her son, if you see what I mean." She takes another sip. "Of course, I'm wouldn't dare to judge. What right do mere mortals like us have to question the actions of a divine being like his higness?" Her reverence seems genuine, especially since the drug means that she can't lie as effectively. Kina, however, doesn't share in the reverence of the emperor. To her, no being could be greater than her master.
"Very well. Stick with me, and you'll be drowning in gold." Kyouka cooes, before walking back to the tavern. She proceeds to tell the men the plan, handing Santo her matchlock along with the bullets. She tells him to pick two of the best shooter in the group.
He's having trouble haggling with a particular merchant who demands an absurd price. Eikyo is about to give up and go somewhere else, when he hears a voice behind him. "I'll pay." Turning, the half dragon sees a woman dropping some coins onto the counter.
He picks out a young man, barely old enough to be called a man, and an elderly geezer with a bald head and a long beard. "These two don't look like much, but I've seen them shoot. They're good." The young man gives a defiant look. "We ain't good, we're perfect, ain't we, Gramps?" Gramps nods silently, taking the matchlock and loading it.
"Good enough. But I don't think they'll be enough. Pick another one good with the sword, the four of you will be stationed just outside their escape route. Make sure no one escapes." Kyouka said in a stern tone, before facing Grugga and Ujo. "You two will be leading the charge. Ya-Ming said they had a couple of matchlocks, but if we storm them by surprise. I doubt they'd be able to use them. She also said they had a bowman, must be their leader. You're all free to kill as much as you want, but try to keep important looking people, because it seems like they keep the gold in a vault."
Ujo gives a curt nod, while Grugga gives a shout of enthusiasm and hoists up his naginata. "Time to kill some yakuza, boys!" There's a cheer. Santo gives a nod to indicate that the group is ready to move out on Kyouka's command.
"Now now. Don't get too excited. We'll need to wait til night fall. For now, eat, and drink. Because once we leave, we're in for a looong night." Kyouka said as she sits down to have a meal of her own. They wait until dark, before leaving to get in position.
There's a small feast, with surprisingly decent food for a dingy tavern like this one. Like Ya-Ming said, Ujo is very useful in keeping the men sober without angering them and inspiring disobedience, while Grugga drinks heartily. Finally, night comes, and the group is ready to move. They head out to the docks, experienced enough to not draw attention to themselves. Finally, Kyouka is looking once more upon the warehouse, her army in position.
"Alright! Let's try to keep the fun inside the warehouse, shall we?" Kyouka said as she draws her old sword. "Let's go!" She orders her men to attack the warehouse. Following behind to see how things develop, she mostly watches how her soldiers fight, while killing any yakuza foolish enough to approach her.
"Ah, I see." Kina nodded with understanding, refilling the woman's cup. As she noticed that the drug was taking firm hold on the woman, she continued. "Well, that makes my chances even smaller, then." She leaned forward, making sure that her kimono slipped a little, showing more of her salvage. "Then I would need a skilled ally on the court who would aid me. I'm sure I could... show my appreciation to such a person." She was laying it thick, but for a person under the influence of the drug, things needed to be explained simpler - the drugs clouded their minds.
