Looking for cows? Audio presents Saku of the Skull
Talkers by MP Temple as read by the author.
Episode one Sakura Tomatachi had spit the morning by the river,
filling a silo of buckets of river water.
Other villagers had worked for weeks on an irrigation system to
help them with their recent drought, but had run into
problem for some of the local wildlife.
So they had elected poor Saku to fill up the water bed while the
others kept the area safe. I'm tired of this curse, the
conquerors, Saku said to herself.
Her hands were cold from the river, but her face was warm
from a heat not expected in the coastal village.
She looked to the top of the Foothill at the container,
relieved that the work was almost complete.
But by the next day all the water would be gone, sent off
into bamboo tubes to the thirsty green tea plants on the slopes
below. Then should start out the next
morning, refilling the bin until told otherwise.
That would be her life. If you think you were tired.
Now I have some bad news. Voice came from behind Saku.
A woman approached wearing a dark cloak, complete with a
quiver of arrows and a long black stained bow that hung on
her shoulders. She squinted into the sun
towards the water silo and be thankful the conquerors took
over and stopped us from eating those crazy blossoms.
Can you imagine if we all still wandered around talking to those
dead things all the time? Easy for you to say, me, Boo.
Saku pressed and cooled her forehead with her still cold
hands. You haven't had to carry water
up the mountain. No warning.
Saku shook her head. No, I haven't.
I've been on duty on the outskirts, defending the
village, actually doing something that was asked of us.
Saku's muscles ached as she lifted the bucket and walked
back up the hill. I am doing something, I told
you. I've been taking water up like
they asked of me yesterday. She shook her head.
You did. I could see you from my post
filling up the wrong silo. Mibu's upper lip rose for an
instant, but flattened. They said fill up the West water
silo by evening. Saku cried.
They did. Mibu crossed her arms and now
the East water silo was filled and ready for the next season's
crops. But the West silo is unfilled.
You're joking, Mibu. That way is West.
You're having fun with me? Soku pointed at the silo.
Wait, no, the sun is in the wrong place.
I filled up the wrong one, didn't I?
Mibu pointed. You need to hurry, she said
playfully. Whack.
Cold water splashed on her bare feet.
Having been too deep in thought, Soku discovered she had
unknowingly dumped all the water from inside the bucket onto the
thirsty ground. She cursed.
Mibu bent over laughing. You didn't think for once the
check to make sure you were going to the right 10 Saku.
Why must you always do this to me?
Saku tried to calculate how long it would take to fill the silo,
counting on her fingers as if that would give her an answer.
It did not. I don't believe in thinking, she
said. Mibu uncrossed her arms.
Come on, let's get this filled. I thought you were on duty?
Saku asked. Mibu grabbed an empty bucket and
dipped it into the waters. She gave Saku a look that made
her feel uneasy. I was, until I saw you heading
up the wrong side of the mountain.
I'm here to do your job again. Of course.
Saku's eyes wandered in the direction of the village.
Fukui, why can't I do anything right?
Mibu placed a hand on her shoulder.
I am used to you disappointing me.
That is my curse. You're lucky to have one of her
own in charge. Take it easy on us.
You remember what Yataku's people used to do to workers who
made mistakes or knew about people like us.
The memories flashed before Saku's eyes.
Memories she did not like to dwell on.
She also didn't like being called a curse, Mibu went on.
We need to finish before the Gathering tonight before anyone
finds out I left my post. Rusu would really be ticked off
if she knew that gathering. Why are we having a gathering?
Is this about the drought? Oh, Saku?
Mibu said, shaking her head. She sighed before walking past
carrying two buckets. It's been talked about for
weeks. I know not, but all Fukui is
summoned. You think they'll miss me if I
don't show up? Soku refilled the container and
ran up the hill to meet her. Something caught her foot and
the next thing she knew she had fallen and was feeling wet dirt
on her face. Don't worry, I will always
protect you, Ibu said. You're the best sparring partner
ever, though. If you keep spilling water, we
are never going to finish and someone's going to find out.
She helped Soku to her feet. I will make it up to you
someday, somehow, Saku said. After completing the task, which
with the help of Mibu, was much quicker, they made their way to
the temple in the middle of the village.
Some others, still dressed in their working clothes, came out
of their long houses, the roofs covered with dying grass.
The two noticed the people had already gathered.
Rusu looked at both of them, walking in late, her eyes
narrowed. They didn't say what this was
about. Saku asked Mibu, looking into
one of the long houses. In the middle was a garden with
a shriveled tree. People used to grow their own
food in the old days, keeping their own crops, but lately no
one had been able to grow much. It's hard to grow crops and
dust. Do they ever tell us anything,
Saku? Why is Rusu looking at us?
Mibu said. They tell us to work faster and
not to have feelings, Saku sneered.
Other than that, I think we are in trouble, she said.
They passed the dry pond under the giant arch, joining the
others near one of the older shrines after they had taken
their place. Rusu nodded at them.
She then addressed the crowd. Next to a Cherry Tree whose
blossoms looked withered this morning came word from Sal Song.
They informed me they have increased their tea and rice tax
and have doubled their tribute demand.
We would need to quicken our pace if we wish to meet this.
We need to minimize our mistakes, like making sure we
deliver things to the correct place, Rusu said.
Saku heard a few laughs. Mibu's eyes widened.
Others began to bicker aloud. Saku raised her voice double.
The amount of tea they want is ridiculous.
Don't they drink anything else? Miku gave a friendly but firm
jab to Saku's ribs. Stop speaking, we are in danger.
Rusu's eyes caught Saku's. Your attachment to Mibu seems
unnatural. Our business is our own.
Saku said, feeling the villagers eyes turn upon them.
You're still talking, Mibu said, hitting Saku a second time in
the ribs. You're going to get us both.
The conquerors have requested this shipment of the forbidden
tea be brought to the city as soon as possible.
Lord Yataku is hosting a grand meeting to calm relations with
the other Lords in the land. As you know, the others who have
been sent out on this task did not return.
I feel like this is a good job for you, Mibu.
Saku's hand caught Mibu's as she tried to hit her again for
speaking. Saku threw her hand aside.
No, I will go, Saku said, stepping forward.
Laughter erupted. Some people clapped.
Saku stood, looking into Mibu's light brown eyes.
Let me go with her, Vibu said, turning in a panic back towards
the speaker. Let me guard her to ensure that
no, Russo said. Maybe that is one job Saku can
do correctly. You are to depart tomorrow after
the 6th morning bell. Please.
She doesn't know what she's doing.
I will go. Mibu shouted, But all of the
villagers left, leaving the two behind alone.
She kicked at the dirt ground. We need to get out of here
tonight. No, Taku said.
You know what happens to those who tried to leave the
conquerors. Find them every time.
I must travel to Chaosong alone. This is the only way our village
will ever accept us for who we are.
Maybe others will start seeing how unfair living like this is.
It doesn't matter if it's fair, Saku.
This is the way it has to be if you want to keep living, and
speaking out only makes it worse, What are we supposed to
do then? Saku said.
Keep working harder and keep living on less and less.
We have to do what we need to, to keep on going, Mibu said.
That is the only choice. That is why we should leave.
If anything ever happened to you, I'd never be able to
forgive myself. I weren't.
We meant for more Mibu. We're meant to grow the
Conqueror's tea. That's all she said That I will
prove to you that you are meant for more.
Mibu hung her head. Stay safe, and when in doubt,
don't say anything. Please come back.
I'll be back, Saku said. I'll show everyone.
I'll even bring you something back from the market she always
tell me about. She smiled, but Nibu did not.
The next morning, 6 bells rang echoing throughout the dusty
hills. Saku gathered the rest of her
meager rice rations and returned to the temple.
To her surprise, no one greeted her in the small closed off
structure. The row house was usually
guarded, but not that morning. She entered seeing a large grass
woven pack over stuff. What she assumed was the
forbidden tea. However, this kind Saku had not
seen before. Most of the villagers had not
seen this before. Only special handlers were
allowed to prepare the flower petals in that location using
ingredients scent from Shao Song.
She knew she should have made some travel rice balls the night
before for the day long journey, but after carrying water all day
her back and forearms thawed with soreness.
Bryce is also used as money, and she knew if she wanted to buy
anything in the markets she would need to eat light.
At least she would not have to carry water for the next few
days. Being able to stop by the river
along the way back was so heavy and overfilled Saku buckled at
the knees when placing it on her back.
That's a whole lot of tea. She found herself chuckling at
the insane amount of Ritz scented petals so much none of
them were even allowed to drink. She thought about what she had
heard about her people in the past, and how the conquerors had
banned the flowers that turned them mad.
The villagers were known to carry around skulls all day.
They weren't allowed to talk about those times anymore, Not
out in the open at least. Felt strange to her that
suddenly she were allowed not only to carry it, but deliver
it. She wondered why the conquerors
could drink it without anything happening.
Why would they be offering it to other nations?
Soku looked around the temple before setting out.
The entire village was still covered in thick dusk.
She pulled at her jacket. I better get going, she thought,
But then she paused and looked about.
She had no idea which direction Sal's song was in, especially
with the dust. I guess I'll figure it out.
And, she said. After a few hours, the dust
would be lifted and she would see the western mountains and
would be able to find the city from there.
So she set out, not doing where she was going.
Saku had seen Mibu once head to Salshong on the road outside the
temple, so she picked that way and began to walk, hoping she
headed in the right direction. The dust did not lift after six
hours of walking though, Saku was confident she was still
heading in the right direction for the road, still lay under
her feet. Her stomach growled.
She knew she would need to stop, prepare something soon, but Xiao
Song must have only been a few hours away.
But she looked down to what she thought was the road and only
saw dirt ground. What happened to the road?
She said, stomping her feet. She could see nothing but the
dust. Well, I'm doomed.
That didn't take long. Suddenly, Saku heard a voice
behind her. What are you looking for,
stranger? She quickly turned and saw a man
standing behind her. The dust seemingly lifted around
him. I'm looking for the Village of
South Song, she answered. She noticed the man was wearing
an outfit. She also had a dress of a very
bright orange color. He had a crazy haircut that
looked funny. The saku.
I thought this way would take me there.
You're almost a child, Song, the man replied.
Saku recognized this dialect to be one of the conquerors.
If you follow me, I can take you there.
It's down the road from here. We could be there within the
next few hours. All I ask is for a little cooked
meal. I'm starving, she said.
If you help me find water, I'll prepare Onikiri.
You can take me the rest of the way.
I'll take you the rest of the way.
The stranger agreed, grinning. What's that on your back?
T Saku said. The man took a few steps towards
her and smiled. You are one of those school
people that keep finding dead, aren't you?
Said. Saku began to follow him, having
been taught to obey all conquerors orders, But she
stopped. She looked and asked What's your
name? The man turned around and
smiled. He held onto the handle of a
large Cortana. Just call me Yayashi.
Nearby, she could hear the sounds of a stream from beneath
the dust. A massive tent appeared in front
of them. The front and back of the tent
allowed air in in. A large side flap allowed
entrance. It looked to Saku as if the man
lived there. Ayashi took off his Cortana and
placed it inside. She wandered, looking at the
stream before turning to the fire pit in the middle of the
encampment. That's a nice sword, Saku said,
pointing at the Lord's kitana, laying now in the tent.
I need one of those if I'm going to be travelling, huh?
Ayashi smirked. You can't have this one.
I claimed it recently. It is so new I haven't even
tested it out yet. Saku was listening.
She was rummaging in her pack. You have a pot to cook rice in?
I seem to have forgotten my cookware.
After a few moments, Ayashi brought a large pot with the
heavy lid along with the pan. He lit the fire and placed an
iron grid over the stone pit. Get cooking, he said, and cook
some of the He handed her four large eggs.
What are these, Saku Asked. Duck, he said.
He pointed to a spot near the stream.
Their feathers lay along with the corpse of the bird.
It's bare skull seemed to be looking at Saku.
She turned away. I'll get everything started.
She began to cook. As she did, Ayashi put a kettle
filled with river water on the fire.
The rice turned out wet and mushy.
Saku prepared the Saki Onikidi Anyways, with the burnt egg
inside, Ayashi handed her a black cup made from clay.
The liquid inside was so dark she could not see the bottom.
Drink this, he said, trying to swallow the food she had
prepared. What is it?
Saku didn't look before drinking.
She had drunk all of it before a Yashi spit the onigidi on the
ground. Let's call it Saki, he said,
taking another bite. Wow, that was easy.
Now, before we leave, I want you to help me test out my Cortana.
What do I need to do? Saku sat the empty cup down and
began to leap to her feet. She stumbled.
She felt her eyes grow warm, and her mind began to wander.
Before she realized it, she could only focus on the sound of
a laughing man. You don't need to do anything,
he said. It looked like he was walking
towards the tent. What did you do to me?
Saku asked, trying to get control of herself, but Ayashi
did not answer. He prepared his weapon for it to
be tested. Saku tried to regain her footing
inside her mind. Thoughts violently began to
swirl. Images of her people appeared,
but not like some of the old paintings She had seen once that
the conquerors had destroyed. But people telling her many
things. But as hard as she tried, she
could not grasp what they were saying.
Run. A voice inside her mind cried.
Other voices joined. Run.
She realized she couldn't tell what was real anymore.
The lines had seemingly blurred after drinking.
Whatever she had drank, she suddenly heard another voice,
but this one seemed more real. They're telling you to run
stupid, it said. Saku's eyes darted in the
direction of the voice, and it seemed to be coming from the
skull of a duck. Don't call me an idiot, Saku
said. You don't have time to argue
with the skull. Said Run.
Saku ran towards the stream. Not that way.
The skull cried. She turned around, but there
stood A Yashi with the Cortana of rays.
Let's see how sharp this is, he told her.
He swung down towards her. She rolled out of the way,
barely missing the blade. Ayashi charged at her again, but
she was able to move out of the way.
She had no idea what was going on, laying on the ground,
surrounded by chunks of bone, The skull said.
I'm not sure why I have to keep telling you this so much, but
run. She kicked the man's leg.
He dropped the sword. She rolled by the skull,
grabbing it, and ran as fast as she could into the forest
without the tea. You get your hands off my eye
holes I can't see, said the skull in the palm of Saku's
hand. She dropped it in the forest
ground and took a step back, reaching out to take a hold of a
dark red bark tree covered in Moss.
Her hands covered her mouth, partly in shock and a little
because of the fog of dust that's still lingered.
I don't like it down here. Pick me up, the duck skull said.
What are you? Saku bent down, keeping her
distance. Voices cried out.
From where she did not know. They seem to be speaking in her
mind. She bought the dried out the
multitude of voices. What does it look like?
I am? Said the skull.
I'm a duck and I'm dead. I thought that was easy to
follow. She placed the palms of both
hands on her head and dug her fingers through her hair into
her scalp. I must be crazy.
She stood to her feet, taking a few steps away and shouting.
How are you talking? That's like asking how you are
breathing. Everything.
Dead talks. Your people listened and
everything is kept in balance. Which, by the way, you'll have
done a horrible job with that in the past hundred years or so.
We help you out. What are you talking about?
That man tricked me, she said. The ex samurai you were cooking
for like you were married, he said.
That man was a samurai. Saku dropped down on her knees
to address the talking deceased thing.
The one who wanted to cut me in half all of a sudden?
No, the other one. Duh.
Ex masterless samurai Ronan. That's what those crazy people
do. Go around trying to cut people
in half for fun. I think after you've killed a
couple 100 people in battle, your mole compass goes straight
out the window along with your sense of fashion.
Saku blushed. I have that same dress.
The skull didn't reply for a moment.
I said what? I said.
Why are you acting like this is new to you?
You've drank that tea before, haven't you?
You had your 18th year tea celebration.
Whatever you do, we're not allowed to drink the tea.
We haven't been allowed to for a long time.
It makes us talk to. Wait.
That's why I'm talking to you now, isn't it?
You're responding. Only in my head.
She dropped the skull in a mossy rock, which is bounced before
landing in the Bush. Huh.
No, I'm really talking to you. Come on.
You skullies know this. That's what my mother always
told me. You take care of the wild and
keep everything in balance. We quack a lot.
Everyone does their part in all that.
No one told you about this agreement.
What do you do all day now? Work.
Growing tea. Tea that I need to get back from
a Yashi and deliver to the city before they do something to
Mibu. The skull looked at Saku
strangely. You're growing tea.
Why? How am I supposed to get my bag
back from that torso chopping? Happy ex samurai?
Did a Skull person of the Ultimate Magic Arts Seriously
just ask how they can defeat an ex samurai.
You asked that like you don't know you can command undead
armies and something lightning from the sky?
Saku blinked. She picked the creature back up
again. I'm sorry, what do you think my
people can do again? Are you really a school person?
You don't sound like it. He said Skull attacked that
tree. She pointed at the skinniest,
weakest tree her eyes could see. Skull Person?
No, it said. My name is Kambo, by the way.
She held Kambo in her hands, checking it's eye holes.
See Kambo? I can't command undead armies or
shoot lightning from my eyes. I'm a normal person.
Of course you can't shoot lightning out of your eyes.
That would be silly. I said.
You can shoot lightning from the sky.
Saku turned Kambo back in the direction of Ayashi's camp.
They don't get that tea delivered.
I don't know what the conquerors are going to do to me or my
village. If Combo could have rolled his
eyes, he would have. Maybe one of them in your
village can call on the wild for aid, someone who knows what
they're doing. Maybe this craziness will wear
off and soon I'll just be holding a dead dexical feeling.
Silly yet gross about myself. I'm going to leave you here and
I'm going to go wash my hands, she said.
Dude's going to drink your tea if you don't go, do something,
Combo said. And you need my help.
Don't leave me down here. I can't walk.
I have no legs, Saku. She sighed.
I can't. You aren't real.
I am very real. Me along and let me prove it to
you. When the teeth doesn't wear off
and you realize the things you can do, you are going to want
me. And if I stop talking, then you
can leave me. She thought about what everyone
would think of. Somehow, someone back in the
village knew what had happened. Memories of other people from
Kui not coming back, or even worse, the times the conquerors
had strung up the bodies of those who were unable to do
their duties as assigned came to her mind.
I don't have a choice, she said. I'm going to prove I can do
things about me, Boo. I will take you with me for now
until I find someone who can cure this tea illness.
Whatever is going on right now, I'll find a way to fight Ayashi
long enough to grab the bag, all without letting the people in
the castle know where I am. She carried Combo in her arms
towards the camp. You didn't even bring a weapon?
He said. Saku didn't reply.
Yikes. Better grab a stick or
something. She held the skull close to her
face and narrowed her eyes. I'll drop you.