Cherry Blossoms, Just a test, just a test.

[Hisui]

The forums are on Chapter III and I'm writing Chapter VI. Yup, looooooong way to go. Then after this, there's Black Pajamas and Enlightened Madness, covering the trifecta of feudal Japanese archetypes: the samurai, the ninja, and the warrior-monk.

This post has been edited by Hisui on Nov 28 2009, 10:14 PM

[Hisui]

Aya disliked moments of still silence. She was not a meditative sort, and her experience in battle taught her that silence often heralded events she would rather have avoided. Assassins laid in wait in bushes in complete silence, prepared to strike at a moment’s notice. Bandits prepared ambushes and used silence to mask their movements amidst the pine forests of the Togashi provinces. Battle had taught her that the lack of background noise or sound was not something welcome, and that such moments were a good cause for alarm. She knew the garden was no battlefield, but she found her instincts were hard to suppress, try as she had. Then there was the gnawing notion that the Ishida princess had kept something from her that she needed to know. She wondered, though, whether a blunt question would be rude of her.

Courtiers, she thought, are predatory. Yuki’s words echoed in her mind, and she wondered what possible consequences could arise should she take the impetuous, ill-considered course of action. A few notions crossed her mind, though by her estimation, there were none that her Clan could not weather out, and most she did not consider enough to worry the rest of the delegation. Certainly, none of the consequences she could envision could bring about the dissolution of the prospective marriage of Ishida Yuki and Togashi Genji, as well as the alliance that marriage would solidify; it was something even Aya could understand was of crucial importance.

A blunt question, while the most direct method, was also one that she worried could offend Yuki. She certainly was not pleased with that prospect, though she consciously tried to justify her reasons. She tried not to think that it was because she was quite fond of Ishida Yuki. Not her long, beautiful black hair that always seemed perfectly combed and seemed to have a lingering scent of lavender amidst the strands. It certainly was not caused by the natural ease that Yuki seemed to have in abundance, a certain combination of effortless grace and practiced poise that rivaled even the loveliest kata. No, not the voice either – which Aya had found nothing special or unusual about, even though she felt relaxed whenever she heard it. She focused to dismiss the sense of comfort and peace she felt around Yuki, things she associated only with her home in the mountains – a place she rarely visited. She dismissed those reasons and convinced herself her politeness, her conscious stepping around eggshells was a product of the political niceties she was caught in.

For several minutes, she focused on the garden. It was quite lovely, and it did seem to be a fine exercise in ikebana on a larger, grander scale. She had only a small amount of knowledge of the high art, but she did not consider herself to be particularly well-versed in it. She had a grasp of the basic principles of what made one formation beautiful or pleasing, but she could not sense the “soul” of them, as others had told her before. She had little appreciation for the more cultured aspects of beauty, though she often considered many of her martial practices as things of aesthetic wonder. Though none, in her estimation, compared to the beautiful women she had encountered in her lifetime.

Aya felt unsure how to proceed when Yuki graced her with a small smile over her shoulder; a little look in the eye that could have been flirtatious, but could also be seen as something else entirely. The Togashi warrior-princess had long ago told herself that things are never straightforward with courtiers, not even their facial expressions. Instinct had told her that Yuki was interested, and the look and smile Yuki had seen in those few young women who were charmed by her, but she was not sure she could trust her instincts to be correct at that time.

The warrior-princess furrowed her brow, her mind at a decision, and after a moment or two of walking, she cleared her throat. It was rude, but it got Yuki’s attention with ease. “I must be blunt on this matter. Is there something you wish to discuss with me?”

A pause came before the reply. “Indeed there is. My apologies for dawdling, but I was uncertain how to open the topic with you,” the Ishida princess said as they both stopped a small distance away from a small meditation pool. “Our Clans are to be allied once my marriage to your older brother is complete, and this is a welcome development for my Clan. However, I have this desire to secure it earlier.”

Aya frowned slightly. “What your words imply could be taken as grounds for a declaration of war.”

“Perish the thought! My intent was not meant to cause strife between our Clans. No, I merely believe what I have in mind is a matter of…,” Yuki paused, and then resumed speaking, “…well, I call it personal preference. Possibly prudence as well, if one looks at it that way.”

“You are not making very much sense.”

“I must request a favor of you, as a token display of our Clans’ future alliance. I will confess it bears with it a measure of burden, though you are permitted to refuse my request should you be so inclined,” Yuki said with a soft expression. “I am, after all, not your lord and cannot presume to command you.”

“As you have mentioned, our Clans are to be allies, and as a guest in your home, I would not wish to violate the rules of hospitality by refusing a request that is within my capabilities.”

Yuki took a deep breath, and then seemed once more calm and focused. “Then my request is thus: I would like to ask you to be my yojimbo.”

“Your yojimbo?”

“You seem to be pondering the thousand questions in your mind over this, as I am sure there are some things that must be difficult to understand.” Yuki offered a soothing, reassuring glance. “I am within my own family’s castle, and certainly it is not lacking in trained guards to ensure my safety. However, you may have noted any lack of someone specifically placed to protect my person, to answer challenges or duels in my name.”

“I imagine that any given member of the Ishida would be willing to take a duel in your place. You are in a position to be respected, and in the current situation, a capable sword to protect you is the least the Clan can spare.”

“Don’t you think it would be better politically to make a show of being serious about this alliance?” Yuki asked as she walked towards one of the larger stones around the meditation pool – large enough to be used as a seat. “Think of the statement it would make to the Clans if we provide this alliance with a show of our solidarity at this stage. Ishida political power and the tempered steel of the Togashi, as a show of unity to suppress doubts the other Clans might have.”

“You almost sound as if you plan to go to war with the other Clans, if you pardon my saying so.”

“No, no. That is not my intent at all,” the Ishida princess said with a sharp glare. “I will admit I have plans that may be seen as…ambitious. There are other ways to achieve my ends.” A moment of silence passed, and then Yuki spoke again. “Will you consent? With you by my side as my yojimbo, it would be quite a statement to the other Clans, and a warning to any enemies.”

“It could also make more enemies emerge from those who would have otherwise not have become involved in this situation.” Aya looked at Yuki in wonder. “However, you do not seem intent to bring our Clans to war. Your Clan is to become a true ally of mine, and your request is not one that would bring us dishonor.”

Yuki looked Aya in the eye. “Is that your agreement?”

The warrior-princess bowed. “I am at your service, Lady Ishida.”

Yuki bowed in return, and then smiled as their eyes met. “I look forward to spending far more time with you from now on.” She smiled, and then looked towards the castle. “I have the utmost confidence in your ability to defend me, but as a tradition in my Clan, you – as my yojimbo – must first meet the head of the palace guard in combat, to assess your skill.”

“Was I not to engage him in a demonstration of skill at your request?”

“Indeed you are. It will be a simple matter to make the proper arrangements. In fact, if you are feeling up to the task, we could do it within the day.”

“Forgive my saying so, but you seem to be enjoying the notion of me fighting your captain of the guard.”

“Perish the thought,” Yuki said. “I enjoy the notion of watching you fight. You are quite a sight to behold.”

Aya blushed profusely. It was all the response Yuki wanted.

[lilgumba]

That little sneaky...Aya you fell right for it.

[Relax]

Such a plotter, Yuki.. XD

[Hisui]

Look my pet gumba, a double update!

Mitsuhide Yokatsu was a palace guard, a man trained to fight on the defensive and to guard important figures. Togashi Aya was a woman trained as a kensai, a master of warfare with the art of the sword, and one that was not often used in a defensive capacity. Yet the two had suddenly found themselves with a bit of common ground, as both had become placed in positions responsible for the safety and protection of Ishida Yuki. That, however, had not erased Yuki’s desire to witness the two in simulated combat; she still wanted to get another view of the Togashi fighting style, to attempt to get a grasp of the mentality that accompanied it. She also intended to watch Aya move, to once again be entranced by the Togashi’s grace.

The selected ground for combat was one of the training facilities of the castle, though better furnished than the ones accessed by guests. Yuki had orchestrated the use of the more private training chambers, far from the potential prying eyes of unwanted observers. To her, the whole thing would be a private demonstration and not a spectacle that other courtiers could observe as they pleased. The announcement that Togashi Aya would be yojimbo to Ishida Yuki for the duration of the season had not yet been made; she was certain no end of speculation and shock would result from it. After all, aside from Aya and herself, no one had been made aware of the arrangement – she expected it would cause quite an interesting stir in the court.

She had, of course, made the arrangements at the last minute, which made them less than perfect. The private training chamber was of the same size as the others in the castle, though the walls and floors were deliberately made much tougher, and the flooring mimicked the floors of the halls, rather than the interiors of the rooms. The area had been designed to get little natural sunlight, and with everything adjustable to make it very dark within the room itself, even during the day. She had ordered servants to prepare it to her specifications, with some of the areas of the floor depressed to make the ground slightly uneven. Ishida Yuki was not intent on having a duel or sparring match between Yokatsu and Aya. She wanted a true display of skill from the Togashi’s part. Deep down, Ishida Yuki never believed that duels were the truest test of the ability of a samurai to fight.

Yuki had arrangements made to ensure that she could get to watch some of what was going to happen, with servants to hold lanterns for her to see, and the standard screens in place to serve as barrier between the combat ground and where she intended to observe. She had a small bottle of sake and a cup brought to her as she observed the two combatants prepare themselves.

Yokatsu put on the standard – rather bland – suit of armor that Ishida elite palace guards were given. It was not fancy or beautiful, but it did bear the Ishida mon and colors, and it was designed for functionality. The armor was light, to allow for maneuverability, but provided adequate protection on vital areas. He kept the weapon close to him, even though he was looking at the eastern wall. Yuki assumed it was some sort of pre-battle meditation for a moment, and then dismissed it. A guard must be constantly ready for battle, so such rituals were rather counter-intuitive to a state of readiness.

She was less dismissive of it when she noted Aya was doing the same. She had already come to know that the Togashi had a touch of faith to their rituals and philosophies, and pre-battle meditation and chanting was not that odd. Yuki had listened to such odd preparations before, from the former monk Mishka, and she had some idea what the chanting was about. Aya had opted to wear the same suit of armor as Yokatsu did, since her own personal armor had not been brought along – duels were fought without armor, and to wear armor while a guest in someone’s castle was an implication the host cannot provide adequate protection. It was an insult all of the Ishida Clan’s many guests had deftly avoided.

“I do hate to seem impatient, but are your pre-battle preparations done?” Yuki asked impetuously.

Yokatsu turned and bowed before he readied his naginata. He entered a defensive stance quickly, his weapon ready to press any foolish offensive away. “I begin at your command, Lady Ishida.”

Aya bowed to Yuki, and then to her opponent. She drew her katana from its sheath. “I am ready.”

The Ishida princess allowed herself one final look before she spoke. “Begin.”

* * *

The armor and weapons of a samurai were taken as aspects of their existence, as facets of their souls. Such things were, as much as possible, passed on from parent to child. Such items were well-maintained, even if the samurai who inherited – or were given them by their lords, as the case may be – such things would never allow them to deteriorate. The daisho, a symbol of the status of a samurai, consisted of two separate blades: the katana and the wakizashi. These were of critical importance to the entirety of the Empire’s nobility, and the utmost care had always been taken to ensure their proper maintenance. These duties were not unfamiliar to the twins, Rin and Ran, though they often found the ritualistic importance behind Yuki’s daisho and personalized suit of armor to be outside of their depth.

Rin and Ran knew enough to understand that these items meant things to samurai, that these were signs of their place in the order of things, as appointed by Heaven. However, they knew better than to question that it was part of their duties – as Yuki had enumerated to them years prior – to ensure that the ceremonial armor and the daisho were always well-maintained. That meant that while most of the courtiers were gathered in their private chambers or in the main audience chamber, the twins were in a small room adjacent to Yuki’s private quarters. They had various oils and cleaning implements, and worked in relative silence through the afternoon to ensure that their mistress could see her reflection on the blade of the sword she had only rarely even drew out of its saya. The armor had never been used, as far as the twins were aware, and Yuki herself seemed to acknowledge she had no use for it.

“I’ve never thought of it before, but I find myself rather fond of sunsets.”

Ran raised an eyebrow. “What?”

Rin let out an exasperated sigh as she noticed her twin’s questioning look. “Just taking a moment to appreciate it, Ran.”

“I know,” Ran said with a shrug. “Not like you at all.”

“No, but sometimes, you just have to stop and think about these things. Don’t you?”

Ran stopped the daily maintenance of Yuki’s unused katana and glared at her twin. “Is something the matter? Are you ill?”

“No!”

“You’re not the deep thinker between us, and neither of us is the type to be thinking like a monk, so what’s happened?”

Rin shrugged. “Lady Togashi talks a lot. She likes to do things for herself, but I don’t think she minds having someone to talk to,” she said as she continued polishing Yuki’s ceremonial armor. “I don’t think she has servants where she comes from.”

“She is samurai. Of course she has servants, don’t be ridiculous!” Ran said. Her tone betrayed fear as she spoke. “You could get us both killed with that kind of talk.”

Rin frowned, but she seemed to relent. Until she spoke again. “Even if she does, I don’t think she talks to them.”

Ran scoffed at the idea. “She has that woman, Uesugi-sama. I’m sure those two chitchat quite a bit.”

“Maybe,” Rin said before she sighed. “The lady just struck me as a bit…lonely, that’s all.”

“So lonely she’s opening up to a peasant, Rin?”

Rin frowned, but otherwise did not react.

“Lady Yuki will want to know what you’ve learned about her newest pet.”

The twin looked as if she had tried to contain a frigid chill along her spine. “Not much there, really.”

“You said she talked a lot.”

“She does, but not quite the things Lady Ishida would want to know. She talks about things I’d expect that monk woman to talk about,” Rin said while she continued to polish the armor. “I think she was trying to distract me, keep me from prying too deep.”

“So she’s much more private than the average girl our dear mistress takes a shine to.” Ran grinned. “I’m sure, given time, you’ll break this one too.”

“I’m sure, too. Just that this one might not need breaking.”

For the second time, Ran stopped polishing the blade. “What do you mean?”

Rin grinned as she leaned a little too close to her twin sister’s neck. “I think this one genuinely likes her.”


-------------------
I often imagine Aya looking somewhat like this:


This post has been edited by Hisui on Dec 2 2009, 08:32 PM

[lilgumba]

I didn't expect that coming from Rin at all. She must be skilled for picking up that knowledge so subtlety. I wonder why she is scared though and Ran's reaction of fear as well. Hmmm...

[Hisui]

It was in Uesugi Mai’s estimation that Toyotomi Kanpeki was a prideful, perhaps arrogant creature that did not take defeat lightly. She had taken what opportunities she had to observe him and his demeanor, always with her hand at her blade should the need ever arise. She had observed his reaction to his defeat in the tournament, wherein he had swaggered into the dueling ground and met someone who could match him move for move. Mai had pondered if it was possible Kanpeki had not met someone capable of coming close to what he viewed to be his level of skill, and then noted the shattered, indignant look in the man’s eyes as Togashi Aya struck the decisive blow. That single look was enough to seal Mai’s view of the man as someone who was too confident in his own abilities to understand he could be beaten.

Mai considered it part of her multitude of tasks as Aya’s primary aide to assess those that might be a threat to the Togashi warrior-princess. She understood that Togashi Aya required little in the way of being defended from physical threats, as the warrior-princess had both training and experience in combat. Mai often found that her duty as someone who assessed threats applied to the field of political dangers. The ways of the Empire and the treacherous coils of the courts, she knew, could reduce even the finest samurai into nothing more than an outcast with no name, no importance, and no honor. Mai knew that all too well.

Uesugi Mai was of the opinion that Toyotomi Kanpeki was a threat.

That opinion had not changed, even as she sat in front of him in the Toyotomi Clan’s designated audience chamber, with a written invitation for early evening tea in her hand. She had not wanted to go, even if she had found someone to serve as an unexpected companion — one the Toyotomi could not dismiss. However, the demands of diplomacy pressed on her, and while she personally found them distasteful, she decided it was better off not to insult them.

As a servant poured the tea for them, Kanpeki looked cautiously at Mai’s companion. “I believe I made it clear I wished to speak with you alone.”

“Does his presence disturb you?” Mai asked. “He requested to accompany me, and I could not simply deny him.”

Kanpeki kept his face calm as he spoke. “No, not at all. I was simply not prepared for an additional guest, Uesugi-san.”

“Are you certain? If my presence is unwanted, I can leave you two to your discussion.”

Kanpeki shook his head as he offered him a cup of tea. “Please, sit. Join us, Maeda-san.”

“I would not wish to impose, Toyotomi-san,” Etsui said with a slight bow.

“It is no imposition,” Kanpeki said. Mai could almost taste the lack of sincerity. “Have some tea. I was not intent on discussing anything private with Uesugi-san, so make yourself comfortable.”

Mai carefully picked one of the cups and noted how tense both men seemed. “It is gracious of you to invite me to tea with you, Toyotomi-san. I am certain you wish to discuss a critical matter with me.”

Etsui frowned as he took a sip, and then shot a quick glare at Kanpeki. “One wonders what you do intend to discuss with her, Toyotomi-san.”

Kanpeki offered a small smile; the look of it made Mai slightly ill. “Well, if Maeda-san wishes to skip the pleasantries and get to the heart of the matter, I will be happy to oblige him.”

Mai frowned, but took Etsui’s silence as her cue to speak. She disliked being in Kanpeki’s presence – the way he carried himself she found unsettling. Her own past only made being in such close proximity to him that much worse an experience for her. “If you would be so kind, then such expedience would be appreciated.”

“Then tell your mistress a simple message from me,” Kanpeki said as he leaned forward, his glare directed at Mai, who could only barely contain the urge to glare back. “Before this season is over, I will crush her at my feet and remind this Empire who is truly its finest swordsman, and who is as insignificant as a mere drop in the ocean.”

“That seems more of a threat than a message,” Etsui commented, though he kept his tone icy and cold.

“I consider it fair warning,” Kanpeki mused idly as he lifted his cup in a mocking gesture. “I will break her spirit as I have broken many of her Clan’s samurai in battle.”

“Such words can be taken as statements of hostile intent, Toyotomi-san,” Mai said moments after she managed to contain her own hostility. “We are not here to give our respective lords cause for full-scale war.”

“Speak for yourself,” Kanpeki scoffed. “You, like all your kin, are weak and afraid of battle. Your Clan will be crushed, your castles razed, and your weeping will echo through the history of the Empire if I had my way.”

Mai frowned and pondered grabbing the knife she kept in her obi in secret, and took a small amount of satisfaction in the thought of cutting Kanpeki’s throat. However, she knew it was not the time, not the place, and she was not the one who would shatter the man’s arrogance once and for all. All she could do was to focus and contain her anger and her memories; to deny him the small victory he sought in antagonizing her.

Kanpeki simply smiled as Mai left.


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Moar pics. This time, Sonozaki Noriko. No, you've not met her yet. She's from Chapter VI.

[lilgumba]

Oh how I wish she could have gave him another smile! A big red one that would never go away...

[Hisui]

I'll make a note to ask people's favorite character once this is all over. Even if I suspect a strong showing for t3h Aya. I'm partial to Mai, myself.

-----------------------

Yuki often hid a twisted sense of enjoyment from being at court. The Kyuden Ishida main court chamber was perhaps the most wonderfully decorated room in the castle, a means of displaying the image of prestige and power that the Ishida could call upon. The elaborate tapestries on the beautiful silks, the exquisite architecture that enhanced the air of dominance, and the sky blue glaze used on the porcelain were all chosen for a precisely calculated effect. The choices of the ancestral Ishida lords were made to display both a vast amount of influence and economic prowess, yet managed to avoid the risk of appearing too opulent and luxurious for a proper samurai.

Her father had decided to make changes to the place, to magnify certain subtle things and to decrease some of the less desirable cues. The room was made smaller, and allowed for less space between the courtiers. There was enough for things to be comfortable, but the lost space had been used to facilitate better opportunities to overhear conversations using servants along the side corridors, away from the eyes of the visitors. The choice of colors was altered, with the silks and curtains made to better reflect the Clan colors of the Ishida, with avoidance of darker colors – Yuki surmised it was to prevent the more ominous air that the chamber once had. Finally, the dais – the elevated part of the room where the Ishida Lord sat – was raised higher, with a display for a daisho in front of the lord’s seat. Yuki saw it as a clear reminder of who had power in the castle, and what an Ishida lord was capable of doing to preserve that.

She looked at the gathered throng of courtiers and their individual aides, yojimbo, and other important members of their retinue. She believed that none of them had any inclination, no awareness that she had an announcement that slipped past their notice. She admitted she probably overestimated the actual political impact of her decision, but she believed that the sheer surprise would make the decision a more powerful one than it truly was, even for only a little while. Yuki chose not to speculate on the prospect of what it might do for the political standing of her Clan over the course of the winter; her mind instead chose to dwell on the idea that she could more easily spend time with Togashi Aya without drawing suspicion from the rest of the court.

She veiled a cunning smile behind a fan before she stood up and nodded curtly at various courtiers. She approached the center of the room, the best place to gather the attention of the entire gathered court. “I bid you all a good day. As you are all clearly aware, I am Ishida Yuki. I would like to address the court, with the permission of Lord Ishida.”

Her father spent a split-second to look at her questioningly, and then waved his assent. “You may do so.”

Yuki bowed respectfully, and then turned her attention back to the court. “Recently, my Clan has bestowed the honor of my betrothal to the Togashi Clan, with the honorable Togashi Genji as betrothed,” she began. She made a calculated gesture towards the Togashi delegation as she spoke. “I speak before the gathered court today to bestow yet another honor upon the Togashi, and I will venture to express my opinion that there is no doubt that it is undeserved.”

She paused to check the reactions. She noted some hushed complaints – mostly in the direction of the Toyotomi and a few courtiers from other Clans – but she did not note any voiced objections.

Then, a woman in a jet black kimono stepped forward and looked at Aya. “If I may offer an opinion, Lord Ishida?” she asked. Again, Lord Ishida allowed it. “I have spent an extensive amount of time with the Togashi Clan, and I share the Lady Ishida’s opinion on the matter. Any honors placed upon them in this court are well-deserved.”

Yuki bowed slightly. “Might I inquire as to who you are?”

The woman in black bowed, and then addressed the court while she moved closer to Yuki. “My apologies for being remiss in my manners,” she said as she bowed to Lord Ishida, and then to the court. “My name is unfamiliar to many gathered here, though I suspect the name granted to me recently would be known.”

A pause arrived, though there was the slight hush of courtiers grumbling. Yuki saw the obvious violation of protocol and the actions that bordered on being discourteous.

The woman in black nodded to Yuki, and then revealed her hands from the sleeves of her kimono as she tied her long hair back. The tattoos on her arms were exposed for the court to see. “I offer you my apologies for interrupting you, Lady Ishida.” She bowed to Yuki, and then backed away. “Please continue.”

Yuki nodded slightly, and then addressed the court once more. “As I have said, I am here to bestow an honor upon the worthy samurai who earned for her Clan my betrothal,” she said. “Would you be so kind as to step forward, Togashi Aya-san?”

Aya stepped forward and bowed respectfully to Lord Ishida, and then to the assembled court. She was keen to bow lower and longer for the Lord, to show proper respect.

“As a sign of Ishida sincerity, and my own appreciation of the skill you displayed in the tournament, I wish to request the favor of your services as yojimbo for the winter.” Yuki smiled a little before she extended her hand in a mild gesture, as if beckoning Aya to approach.

Again, the murmurs came. Eventually, it was Utemaro that broke the still noise and spoke out. “I must ask of the reasons behind this move. Surely, in your Clan’s own castle, you are well-defended, Lady Ishida,” he said. “I do not question the worthiness of this honor you bestow, and I find no samurai in this room more worthy of being the sword that defends you than the Lady Togashi.”

Before anyone could respond, Etsui stepped forward. “I must offer my most sincere congratulations upon the Lady Togashi for this honor. It is well-deserved,” he said with a confidence in his tone that defied the older, more feared Utemaro. “I also congratulate both the Togashi and Ishida on this move, promoting the unity of the Clans amidst these dark, lawless times when no Emperor sits on the throne to guide us.”

“Do you accept this honor, Lady Togashi?” Lord Ishida asked.

Aya stepped forward and offered her wakizashi to Yuki as she knelt down to one knee. Yuki took the blade and slid a finger over the side of it before returning it to the Togashi warrior-princess. Aya clapped her hands twice and bowed to Yuki once more before she returned the sword to where it hung in her obi.

Within moments, Lord Ishida discretely ordered servants to fetch Aya’s weapons – no one tasked with the safety and honor of his daughter would go through the courts unarmed.

This post has been edited by Hisui on Dec 9 2009, 08:26 PM

[lilgumba]

It's official. Boy Yuki moves fast when she wants something. lol

[Relax]

I managed to miss many updates D:

It seems that even the servants of the clans are quite capable of plotting...

And Yuki made her move already?! And if who is the most hated character is asked, Kanpeki will have a overwhelming win! Surprising that Mai's past will be close to him, though.