Ozu's Mill

[Tabs]

Shaosu, without any further ado, heads into the back room, he doesn't check if the others are following.

The "heart" of the mill has grinding stones that revolve via the water wheel and antediluvian cogs. Shaosu takes a hawthorn walking stick, a couple of straw mats, which he places over his shoulders, and a wide-brimmed straw hat, like a flattened cone; then, he slides a screen door open--the door is at the rear of the mill--and steps out into the rain.

[Mr. Handy]

"Let's go, quickly!" says Elisabeth to Mingzhu and Posie, leading them out the back after Shaosu. Samuel Grey follows, gesturing for the others to come with them.

[Tabs]

Mingzhu and Posie get up and join Elisabeth.

Li and Mae take a crying Mrs. Kolchak by the arms and lead her away; the Admiral is staring at the earth floor, not wanting to see his wife go.

Eichelstein leavers Pavlov off of the floor, the two professors shake hands:

"I'll be seeing you upstairs," says Eichelstein.

"Undoubtably," answers Pavlov.

Everyone, except Admiral Kolchak, Professor Eichelstein and the unconscious Mario Giovanni gather behind Samuel Grey.

Outside, Shaosu crosses a rickety bridge, and then keeps walking straight on into the night, leaving the water mill behind.

[Mr. Handy]

Elisabeth leads the group, following Shaosu across the bridge. "One at a time," she says quietly to the others. "I wouldn't count on this bridge to support more than one of us." She looks back at Tatsuo. "Some of us, it might not support at all."

[DSIGFUSS]

Tatsuo stops at the bridge and nods to Elizabeth.

He waits patiently for his mother to cross before he begins to cross himself. By all appearances, the sumo is quite dextrous for a man of his weight.


Arashi scowls at Elizabeth as she reaches the other side of the bridge but holds her tongue.

[Tabs]

A hand slips into Elisabeth's hand.



"I'm glad you're with us . . . and I'm glad you're my friend," says the little girl matter of factly, who, in her other hand, is holding on to Mingzhu and seemingly leading her along. "Daddy always says 'Cream rises to the top!'" Posie adds: "Have you seen my daddy and mummy? They have got lost in the dark!"

[ooc: Everyone begins to suffer due to the cold and wet; because of Elisabeth's skimpy clothing (coats were not worn when the guests were herded outside), she suffers 1-2 hit points of damage. Tatsuo, the blubbery walrus, can roll vs. Luck 70% or lose 1 h.p.]

Shaosu stops at the edge of the waterlogged fields. Li consults with the miller, and says in English: "Shaosu said follow him in single file, step in each others footprints." He nods to Shaosu to indicate that he has conveyed the instructions. The tiny man enters the paddy fields.

[Mr. Handy]

Elisabeth shivers deeply from the cold, but she tries not to let it show. She grins at Posie. "Thank you, Posie," she says. "I'm glad you're with me and that you're my friend too. Now, let's see if we can find your mum and dad. They can't have gone far. Has anyone seen them since the bridge?" She looks around and at the ground, hoping to find some indication of their trail in the mud.

OOC,Is a Track roll required to find footprints in the mud, or will a Spot Hidden suffice?

[Tabs]

Elisabeth's intuition tells her that Posie's parents never made it to the mill.

[Mr. Handy]

"I...I can't imagine where they might be," says Elisabeth, not having the heart to voice her suspicions to Posie. Did they even leave the train? she wonders. "But I do know that they left you in my care, and they'd want me to get you to safety more than anything. We have to keep going and hope they catch up with us later."

[Tabs]

The little girl looks up into her eyes and squeezes Elisabeth's hand by way of reply.



"You are first," says Li to Elisabeth; "and the princess." Posie giggles. Li bows subserviently to Mingzhu and respectfully to Samuel Grey.

Shaosu is 5 yards ahead, his silhouette is becoming lost in the dark. Although all the ground appears waterlogged, the route the miller is taking through the paddy fields is only ankle deep; Shaosu constantly dips his walking stick into the mud in front of him.

[Mr. Handy]

Samuel bows in return. "I'll follow right behind you two," he says.



"Step exactly where I step, Posie," says Elisabeth. She follows Shaosu, making sure to step precisely in his footprints and wishing she had better protection for her feet.

[Tabs]

15 minutes of careful steps brings Elisabeth to the pagoda in the centre of the paddy fields, the pagoda is a dry, sheltered haven for those toiling round about in the day. Shaosu pauses, hunkering down upon his haunches and stares out across the watery landscape, watching the ever increasing circles of the innumerable raindrops that plop in the water.

Posie and Mingzhu are chaperoned by Samuel Grey, who is followed by Mae, then, Professor Pavlov, Mrs. Kolchak and Li.



"The Jap is too fat: he is not coming," says Li without emotion.

[Mr. Handy]

"If we leave him behind, they'll kill him, Japanese or not," says Elisabeth. "Can't he...swim? I'd think he'd be better at it than a normal person."

[Tabs]

"He could try," says Li.

"Hard luck, I say," chimes in Mae," too much monstrous stuffing'--a description of a fat English schoolboy."

"'Billy Bunter,'" says Professor Pavlov, his head lifting from where it had sunk, disconsolately, on his breast.

"Maybe Buddha will look after him?" continues Mae. "Anyhow, his mother is most unpleasant--"

Mrs. Kolchak adds: "That's an understatement!"

"--so, it's not too bad for us."

[Mr. Handy]

"She'll probably come with us and leave him behind," says Elisabeth. "She seems to be especially unpleasant to him."

[Tabs]

Posie looks back to the water mill. "Oh! I hope not."

Mrs. Kolchak approaches Elisabeth, leans toward her, and says confidentially: "Your Chinese friend is taking it badly. She's lost her father and sister tonight . . ." Mingzhu is sat by herself on the floor of the pagoda; her knees are drawn up to her chin and her head is bowed.

[Mr. Handy]

Elisabeth nods and sits down beside Mingzhu, putting a comforting arm around her. "I know I can't imagine how much this is hurting you, Mingzhu," she says, "but I'm here for you. We will get through this and survive."

[Tabs]

"Do you think so? I wish I could share in your confidence."

[Mr. Handy]

"I do think so," says Elisabeth, shoring up her courage. "I'd be grief-stricken too if I lost my father, but look at it this way: your ancestors are watching out for you, right? And now your father is with them, doing the same."

[Tabs]

Mingzhu smiles. "That is a comforting thought--"

Posie interrupts: "Look, over by the water mill: fireflies!" Several gold spots dance with a regular, juddering movement.