11 February 2012

Webcomic of Dooooom! Candidate 5: Kuhan (Blackrock Fief)

I first noticed the Nomin on the day of my older sister's wedding.  It was my first time wearing something other than the common child's samue, and I was feeling very grown-up in my kimono. Certainly, I had seen the Nomin before, toiling in the fields outside our village, or carrying the sedan chairs of those too old -- or self important -- to walk.  But that day, as I hurried down the dirt road toward my Aunt Nene's house, I lost one of my wooden clogs and had to turn back a step.  That's when I noticed it.

Nomin-san had paused in his work, minding a hedge.  He stood still, one white plastoid finger outstretched, his green, slightly luminescent photo-receptors focused on the butterfly perched on the end of his finger.  I watched him, really examining one for the first time, from the ceramaplas covering his torso, marked with the Mon of our barony, to the kon-painted metal of his feet. After a breathless moment, he raised his hand, and the butterfly on the end of his finger flew off.  He watched it fly for a moment, and then turned back to clipping.

I wedged my foot more firmly into my clog, and hurried down the road.  When I arrived at Aunt Nene's house, I found my father standing with some of the other Samurai of the village, their laughter unrestrained on this day of celebration.  I approached, and stood by my father until he glanced down at me.  "Well, Plum Blossom?" he asked, smiling.

"Papa, why would a Nomin stop to watch a butterfly?" I asked.

"They wouldn't," Uncle Genki said, not unkindly.  "They're just machines, Blossom. They don't have feelings."

I nodded.  "But..." I started.

My father interrupted me.  "Your mother will need help getting your sister into her shiromuku. Go and help her, please."

"Yes, father," I said, and turned away.  I knew what I had seen, and discovering the truth behind it would change my view of our world forever.



This is the fifth, and probably final teaser.  Again, if you'd like to see a webcomic developed from this, please let me know.