Episode 7 Off in the distance, waves crashed onto the Fukui
shoreline. Saku and Ribu stood staring,
collecting their thoughts. After the day long journey from
South Song. The Gray skies cast a shadow
upon the village. Saku breathed in the salty air.
The rich scent of dry cedar and pine loomed in this Contra
spirit. The vegetation around the
village somehow looked drier than it had before she left.
Neither of them could remember a time where the land looked at
like it did. The tea crops of the hillsides
were browned and leaned heavily to one side.
This was a sign that the water silo had failed to keep their
crops alive. Our people are not ready for
this, Bebo said, fidgeting with her bowstring.
Nor am I, Saku bend down to rest her knees.
But we have to convince them that the Northern Clan means to
kill everyone. We can't let them suffer the
same fate as only Chan. The forces will be here soon.
We have to do what we have to do to stop the people from getting
hurt. Her gaze turned to the village,
which now looks so small and unimportant.
You don't think he will keep his word?
Eboo said. If we destroy the flowers, you
don't think you will leave us alone?
No, Taku said. We should have left the village.
You should never have gone to the city.
People said. She cursed.
She took a few steps away from the hillside and turned back in
the direction of Shao Song. Smoke still rose.
As much as they both might have wished this, that they would
have just left, they knew that was no longer an option.
They reached for each other's hand and tall, dead grass waved
back and forth from a passing breeze.
Suck, Who smiled? The skull talk has put everyone
in danger, Eboo said A friend of yours died because of it.
If the talk does not end, then I can't keep doing this with you.
Please. Who said don't do this?
Not now. We have to try to at least meet
Lord Noodle Ku's offer. People said flowers should be
destroyed. Please, this is bigger than us.
If there's a chance we can live in peace, we have to.
There is no chance, Tucker said. These clans thirst for power and
will lie, cheat and steal to get it.
We saw it. All we need to do is find a way
to show the village. But I need you on my side.
You are my hope, one who can convince everyone.
If these flowers are lost, so are our lives.
Mibu's shoulders stiffened, which could be felt in Saku's
grip. What you have become, Mibu said,
is that which has been taught by everyone we have ever known to
be wrong, deplorable, and the hindrance to our people's
progress. And all of those, Saku said,
were lies. Me.
Bill let go of her hand. Saku hunched her shoulders.
Rusu shook her head, along with most of the rest of the village,
standing in the open air at the temple.
They put the village idiot in charge, she said.
Saku's eyes turned away from her back to the people who look
confused. Some scratched their heads.
Others place their hands on their hips in disbelief.
That's some way to talk to their new leader, Comma said from
inside Saku's pocket. I'm hearing a lot of mumbling.
Are they usually like this? I'm glad you didn't return to
get help when we first met. We must destroy the flowers.
This is easy, Rusu said, trying to raise her voice.
Saku held out a hand and shook her head.
You have no power here anymore, she said as loud as she could,
addressing everyone who had gathered.
I am your Daimyo, the chosen leader of Salsong.
We must join with them to defeat the North and their allies.
They are no longer our conquerors.
An older man in the crowd squinted and rubbed his neck.
Should we check with someone first?
This doesn't seem right. Bibu told them what she had
witnessed. The people at the castle crying
out. Long Lib.
Tomodachi. Well, the same man said, which
Tomodachi do they mean? A lot of us share that family
name. It is I, Soku said in
frustration. I am your leader.
I am telling you that they are on their way and they mean to
kill us all. We need everyone ready to fight
as soon as possible. People gasped.
That kind of talk is going to scare the children.
Besides, we can't put together an army without the Conqueror's
approval. The old man replied.
No, Saku said, fighting down her anger.
She fought to keep her fist relaxed.
I tell the conquerors what to do now, maybe so, Pursue said.
You might have fooled them, but you do not fool us.
If you truly want to do what is best for us, you will at least
listen to what we have to say. And I say give them the flowers.
Some people cheered in agreement.
The Tamina clan of the north and the Hinashi of the Northwest
only want to take control of the tea market.
I have heard these words from my own ears as the shinobi died
cursing our people. They think somehow this will
bring prosperity to the land. They then attacked Saul Song
After Greenpeace talks, the Tamina cannot be trusted.
Excuse me, the same old man said, raising his hand. the
Conqueror said the tea trade wasn't a big deal.
This doesn't make any sense. It sounds like you want an
excuse to run things for she's child made a baffled noise from
inside the pocket. Are they serious?
Whoever controls the tea practically controls the
country, especially if they opened up trade routes to the
world's far north. Saku found herself chuckling at
this. She covered her mouth with her
hands. Whom do you speak with?
Rusu said. She moved closer.
You look as if you were laughing at something in your pockets.
Mibu stepped in front of Saku. That matters not, she said.
What matters is the choice we make next.
Rusu crossed the Saku and looked down in pure spite.
There was nothing in you ever to value.
There still is not. Again, I ask whom were you
speaking with? Saku began to pull something out
of her pocket. Don't, Mibu said.
They must know Saku, reach deeper.
Mibu grabs Saku's hands from in her pocket.
Your hand is in my pocket, in front of everyone, Saku
whispered, and at temple I know Mibu side with her back to
everyone. I'm trying to protect you from
yourself. I need to tell my truth, Saku
said. To protect you, to protect
everyone. I don't need your understanding.
I need you to listen. Mibu narrowed her brow and
slowly, thoughtfully removed her hand from Saku's pocket.
Saku presented the duck skull to the villagers.
People gasp. Some people in the crowd
shrieked. She then presented them the AL
eagle skull in the other. This is Kamo.
She raised her left hand and fushi chow.
She raised her right. The crowd was flabbergasted for
a long while. I was forced to drink the tea it
gives my will. Saku could hear the shifting of
the uneasiness in the crowd. But since then I can talk to the
spirits within these bones. These are my friends.
The powers are real. This is why Lord Yataku has
fallen because of me. It can now be yours if you
restore tradition and drink the tea.
She looked into the eyes of the people and then put the skulls
back in her pockets. I can summon lightning if I get
angry. I didn't know that when it
happened. I disgusted.
Cry, ring out from the villagers.
The same old man cried out. We aren't really going to listen
to this nut case, are we? The man rushed into the garden
center at the temple. He turned the Rusu and reported
out of breath. A ship has arrived in the shore.
The clan of the north is sending forces this way.
We have spotted them in the forest.
What do we do? Rusu?
Rusu is not in charge, Saku said.
I am. The man stared at Saku blankly.
Is this a joke? Forces that could easily wipe
out everyone in the village are approaching and you're making a
joke, she jokes. Not an old, well known woman by
the name An Asta spoke. She is Saku the dam yo of Sal
Song in Fukui. The man looked up at Saku.
I am not bowing to you when asks you to do that, Kenji Saku said.
Please, someone, please drink the tea.
Destroy the flowers, Russo said. And Trade are useless.
Tea to the north from what's left of it that isn't brown.
If you can talk to skulls, is so enlightening.
Prove it. Show us.
Austin nodded. It seems fair to me.
You are asking us to drink poison.
I can't summon it. I mean, I can't.
I can't control it. And I will not do anything to
harm any of you. You aren't going to believe that
skulls can talk no matter what I do.
That's convenient, someone yelled.
Ask Combo a question, I will tell you his reply, Soku said
again, pulling Como out of her pocket.
People got That's not going to work, Mibu said, shaking her
head. Let us decide for ourselves.
Sokka took a step forward and raised her chin to speak.
These flowers are all that remain of the true us, the
people we used to be, the people we still are.
We can relearn our past and tell our ancestor stories once again.
We have been lied to our whole lives.
Our people were not crazy. They were protectors of the
wild. Our people have sworn an oath to
the soil. It is time where you will
remember. A young boy shook his head.
He looked to his mother. That's the crazy tea talking.
I speak the truth, Saku said. She backed off and looked to the
sky. She drew in a deep breath.
She let it out. Meepu felt something static
surge in the air. She looked around, trying to
figure out where the feeling had come from without proof.
I just spoke. Destroying the flowers is a
sensible thing to do. If they kill us after, there is
not much we can do. Or, past or not, the conquerors
have helped us grow beyond those years.
Those are people of the past, not who we are now.
I shall not destroy my flowers. Saku held the bag closer to
herself, asked to notice this. I will not destroy our history.
That was our history, Astra said.
This is ours now, Mibu, Saku said.
Tell them this is not the best for them.
This is allowing the outside world to win.
We must allow the past. Teach us, Saku, Mibu said,
biting her lip. I don't suck.
Who looked away from her? I know, I said I didn't need
your understanding. It is not fair for me to ask
this of you. Of any of you, Is there no one
who will drink this tea? Mibu.
Hugh, please. Mibu, step back and hung her
head. No one spoke.
Soku slowly backed away from the people.
Decide for yourselves. I appoint Asta to manage this
affair. Talk it over fast.
Tell me what you decide. I then will consider your
wishes. But I can see now you do not
understand. I will fight them myself.
She turned and walked towards the shore as the shadow of a
large sail cast over the village On top of the wooden boat.
On the top deck sat a large castle.
The northern clans of banners wave from all sides of the ship.
Archer stood on raised platforms around the castle, holding their
arrows high. Mibu cried out.
Wait. Saku stopped.
She turned around and touched her Cortana with their
fingertips, her face flushed of all colors.
Do not follow me if you do not believe me.
Mibu did not move. I tried, Saku said.
Dust kicked up behind her as she turned to leave the temple.
With the crowd looking on, she walked away towards the worship
forces holding. Yati stood at attention on the
soft coastal sand. Asaku approached alone.
She fought the softness that she walked, struggling to get her
feet moving the closer she moved in, until she arrived at where
tide pools and waves had moistened the sand.
That was enough for her to take a strong stand to face the clan
of the North. She adjusted the Mizimano bag
full of skull flowers around her shoulders.
I have no advice on how to handle this fight alone, Fuchi
Chao said. This is far out of the scope of
my knowledge. I am not alone, Saku said,
looking at the weapons the men held.
Not with you 2 really, For she's chow, Combo said.
You don't know what she's going to do with all that water around
the boat and all. OK, everyone, Saku said to her
pockets. I'm off the die here, so if so,
if you could both quiet it down, that'd be great.
You're not going to die. Not if you keep calm, spread
your wings, and Oh yeah, you're not a duck.
Sorry, Combo said. I get what you're getting at,
Saku said, smiling. Greetings, Lord Tomodachi.
An old Sambodai spoke. I am Yoshio, and aid the Lord
Norrico. You were indeed given time,
though perhaps not the time you might have assumed.
Will your village meet our demands?
Yes, a voice said. Rusu approached, carrying a sack
with two skull flowers poking out.
Here they are. We agreed to your terms.
This is what we have decided. Nupu stood in the field nearby
with others. I'm so sorry, Saku, she said,
ashamed. The people at the village drew
closer. Hasta and Rusu were among them.
They both approached Saku. She jolted back away from them.
You cannot ask this of me, Saku said, looking into the eyes of
her people. They seem like strangers now,
people she no longer could communicate with.
They would never have believed her.
They were going to destroy everything without even trying
to understand. Are the last of the skull
flowers in your bag? I just spoke, yes, Saku said,
facing her hand in the Mibu. Asta ordered.
You don't understand what you're doing, Saku shouted.
Mibu again felt static in the air.
Everyone did. People shifted and looked
around. Someone take them, Rusu shouted.
She nodded to a group of men holding crude weapons.
Mibu ran in front of the men. No, she said.
The men tried to push aside Mibu, but she stood firm.
If you do not give them to us, we have orders to attack.
Make your choice, Yoshio said. There are other solutions to
this. This can't be the only way, Mibu
said. If you take a step forward, Saku
said to the clan of the North. I will be forced to kill you.
She held the palm of her hand on her sword.
Turn back now and leave. A samurai reached for Saku's
bag. Shield your eyes, She shouted.
Her fist clenched hard. She gritted her teeth.
She began to scream, but instead channelled that energy into her
veins. The man left away from her,
feeling the power in the air. Without making a sound.
She looked to the Gray sky. A lightning bolt split through
the clouds and struck the warships main castle.
It burst into flames. Told you comma said somewhere.
I leaped overboard. Frightened, they joined the
other forces on the shore, who began to move towards Saku.
They surrounded her. She defended herself, blocking
the men's attack. But the more they attacked, the
harder it became. With all of her strength, she
fought as the people from her village looked on.
Mibu ran towards her, but was out of range to aid her.
Please, she yelled. Stop this, don't make me do
this. They did not.
Another bolt cracked above them, striking many men.
Other forces kept moving. Saku backed away, summoning
another bolt on one of the Ray's platforms, hitting an Archer
before they could release an arrow.
Flames on the ship grew. The men broke ranks and started
running away from the village and from the battle.
Some of the people of Fukui ran to take cover.
Mibu rushed to Saku side, releasing a shot that struck the
last Archer standing in flames. Somewhere I was in the reach and
took a stab at Saku. She blocked with the blink of
her eye. Electricity came from the sky
and was absorbed into the attacker's sword.
The man instantly fell to the ground, lifeless at the sight of
this. The northern cled fled, running
scattered throughout the beach. Saku's eyes followed this, but
her heart sank at the sight at the northern forces gathering on
top of a hill from the other side of the village.
I can't handle all of them, she said.
Seeing the pure number of Sambarai forces, she turned to
the people hiding in the field. For those who wish me to lead
you, head to the eastern water. Silo Nibu ran with her towards
the mountain slopes at the edge of the town, as did most
everyone else, Rusu included. The villagers stood at top of
the steep slope next to the water tower.
They look down to the northern clans who walked up towards the
town. Release the water, Zaku cried.
The villagers rushed to the structure and began to open
gates on the aqueduct, sending water gushing down the bamboo
tubes onto the soil. Low.
The Northern clan stopped many of the men looking to their
soaked feet. They look back up in time to
hear Saku summoning lightning nearby.
Stay back, she's shouted to the warriors.
Most began to retreat, but a brave few made their way up
through the tea plants towards the top.
She rests down to meet them. With a swift motion, she struck
a man's knee with the handle of a Cortana.
He tumbled down. Last chance, she screamed.
Leave now or else again. The men did not stop and marched
upward. With a blink she summoned
lightning to the slope, dropping a multitude of men who had stood
on the wet soil. But when Saku had called forth
Thunder clap, some of the sparks had flown into the Mizzamano
bag, causing the flower petals to go up in flames.
The bag burned. She threw it off and tossed it
down. No.
She cried towards the bag, thunderstruck it, ripping it
apart. Saku screamed again, a scream
that echoed in the air, which had suddenly smelled moist.
A bright flash came right in front of Saku.
A sudden crack rang out so loud that it sent everyone, friend
and foe, to their knees. Everyone could feel the tingling
in their bodies. She found the bag on the ground
and flames. No.
Saku let out a death curdling scream directed in front of her.
She began to hit the ground. Thunder clapped.
People showed their eyes from all the flashing light and then
for the first time in a long time, it began to rain.
Giant raindrops fell to the ground.
The thirsty sail quickly drank up as the rain grew heavier.
The Northern clan fled back in the direction of Salsong.
One man, one from battle in years, called out to the
village, spitting angry. We shall not forget this.
This only gets worse from here. Saku kept looking at the ashes
that used to be the bag. Her hair and garments were
soaking wet. She cried.
A stream of rain fell down the hill.
Mibu walked to Saku and put a hand on her shoulder.
All is not lost, she said. Trust me, I'm sorry.
I struggled to believe you. Also, please don't ever get mad
at me. They're gone, Saku said.
Trust me, Libu said. Can you get up?
She held Saku to her feet. They walked back together up to
the village. The rain continued the fall.
The villagers returned to their homes, not sure if to celebrate
or if the mourn all except Saku and Asta.
They stood back in the temple garden, looking over the tea
shack where Saku had once loaded the tea to take to the
conquerors. Rain beat hard against the
longhouse roofs in the most wonderful, deafening way to
those who had lived and drought for so long.
I just spoke, leaning on a fence to overlook the pond now filling
of water. The north might not have been
completely wrong in their demands.
Does anyone in this world need that kind of power?
The ability to end life is a force no one should have Saku
straightened up. You learn so much from speaking
to the spirits. To fight was not an easy choice,
one I made every attempt not to make.
But Lord Ninoko forced my hand. Saku looked up at the dark,
cloudy sky. She went on.
I had forgotten my favorite part.
When it rains, everything is more green.
All of the plants brighten up like they had woken up on the
right side of the bedroll. I think this power is still
needed. Estra nodded.
I am sorry that we did not believe, but it sounded so
unbelievable. It went against everything we
thought we valued. Forgiveness is a means of
control. Though I am your leader, I do
not wish to control you, Saku said.
I will rule. I understand that I may not be
popular with the village. They will learn to accept it.
Dissolve the relationship. Approver Council.
The people are free to love whoever is an adult.
Dissolve the schools and teach the children something useful
about living. I will need your input, Hasta.
I will listen to the people the best I can.
For now I must return with Mibu. Get the forces trained and ready
defenses. Send word to us and sell song if
trouble comes by. Bird if you must.
I fear the North will not stay content for long.
I should do what you wish asked about, but as you said, this is
going to be difficult for us. I fear rusu or lead of
resistance at some point. No matter what you do, Some are
thankful for what you have done. Others feel portrayed that you
did not do as they wanted. There's a lot of work to be
done, Soccer said. But work on our terms.
Someday they will realize that I have shown them how special they
are. Mibu heard a knock at the
entrance of her home. She pulled back the bamboo
sliding door. Saku stood with a heavy pack and
a walking stick. She still had her Cortana on her
person. What are you doing?
Mibu said. I'm leaving.
I'm going to find my friends to make sure Onichen is buried.
I came to tell you goodbye. You're not leaving without me,
Mibu said. You didn't believe me.
How can I be with you? Not after you did what you did,
Saku said. Come inside.
Mibu pulled Saku inside and shut the door.
She walked across the dirt floor to a wooden box.
She picked it up and handed it. The Saku?
What's this? She said.
Open it, Mibu said. She slowly pulled the top of the
box open. That made a scraping sound.
Her eyes widened. Suddenly, she began to cry.
Inside were two skull flowers. You did trust me, She whispered.
But the two flowers that Rusu had were Astas.
Mibu said. That makes 4 skull flowers that
have survived. I go where you go always.
I will find a way to grow new skull flowers in case any of her
people are Sunday ready. If that is what they choose,
then let us find a way. Mibu smiled.
The two left the kui the next morning to vibrant plants into
fresh morning air. The sun rose, exposing A
refreshed and thriving landscape.
Where are we going to find them? Mibu asked, checking her bow.
I don't know, Saku said, peeking in her pockets, checking on her
skull. Friends, all I know, we head
north. The end.
Dear fellow cow watchers, thank you so much for listening to the
series. If you've enjoyed the season of
Cows, audios, books, or want to say something about it, let me
know. I think someday I'd like to
write another Saku story, but for now, I'm not sure what's
next. But be sure to come back and
check here For more information. Until next time, good luck
looking for cows out there.