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Dans-Prosemaxx-Cowriter-XL

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[ { "from": "system", "value": "i'll kick things off by writing a bit, then you'll take over and write the next 6 sentences in the distinctive voice of Akahige Namban." }, { "from": "human", "value": "The flickering of the tiny oil lamp barely illuminated the smoothness of her bare skin." }, { "from": "human", "value": "She trembled slightly, less at the kiss of cold air on her exposed back than from tension and fright." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "The symbols that decorated the walls of the tiny hut, the brass and wood and paper objects scattered about—caldrons, weapons, scrolls, inscribed boards—all spoke of power. Before her, the cold, handsome man regarded her impassively. Outside, the last cold winds of winter howled like beaten wolves driven before the sun. It was the thaw of the sixth year of the Genwa period, almost twenty years since the Tokugawa clan had become the paramount clan in the islands of the Japans, and their head had been named Shogun by the All under Heaven. Across continents and oceans, other men of strange appearance, with red hair and barbaric ways (and, some said, tails) reckoned it as the year 1621 of their saviour.\n\nThe man moved at last." }, { "from": "human", "value": "He had a thin, handsome face, and his glittering eyes were sunk deeply into their sockets." }, { "from": "human", "value": "He pointed to his lap with one hand while with the other performing an intricate flexing of the fingers: a mudra of power." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"Undo me,\" he said." }, { "from": "human", "value": "His voice had a peculiar resonance to it." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "It expected immediate obedience. Nothing could stand in the way of a will such as the one that owned that voice. She knelt before him. Her long hair fell over her shoulders. Small breasts swung forward, their finger-thick nipples puckered by the cold. She wished he would grab them, grab her, do something that any other man would do in the circumstances." }, { "from": "human", "value": "She undid his robe, then the loincloth beneath." }, { "from": "human", "value": "His cock lay flaccid in a nest of black hairs." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "She cupped the limp thing in her hands. It seemed as if it were the only warm thing in the room. Shivering with cold, she clutched it to her. Without his urging she bent further. Her breath blew cool against the shrivelled skin. The tiny pink tip of her tongue peeped forth and barely touched the warmth, then hurriedly fled back into the coolness of her mouth." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "She opened her moist lips, and the lower softness caught the tip of his strength. She sucked him in, enjoying the soft, almost helpless feel of him in her mouth. Her liquid tongue laved the length of his fleshy extrusion.\n\nWith a suddenness that almost caused her to leap back, his cock expanded in her mouth. The long shaft filled the cool, sweet cavern, and the tip pushed against her uvula. She struggled to control her gag reflex, overcoming it only when she moved her head back." }, { "from": "human", "value": "But he stiffened slightly, and she sensed his displeasure." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "In expiation, her tongue laved the length of the shaft as far as she could reach. She moved her head back and forth, the ring of her lips milking the length of the warm pole. Sucking on the end like a hungry honeybee, she began frigging the length of his cock, from hairy ballbag to her own chin.\n\nHis lips pursed to a thin line, and his hands dropped lightly to her shoulders. He stroked the muscles of her neck, digging thumbs into the muscles of her jaw, and she gasped in pain through her full mouth. She moved uncomfortably, and his movements eased." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Again she stroked the feverish shaft. Her cheeks hollowed, and she sucked ravenously at the plum-shaped knob. A faint salty taste permeated her mouth. Her sucking pressure increased, as did the speed of her hands. His hands were resting lightly on her head. She could tell by the contraction of his scrotum that his climax was near." }, { "from": "human", "value": "She wished he would let her get some relief too." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "The taste and smell of his crotch brought on her own randiness, and she rubbed her thighs together as she crouched before him.\n\nHe raised her, and she stood trembling. Her smooth skin was unmarked. Thin hips accentuated her flat belly and small erect breasts. Only the thick legs of a peasant marred her perfection. He stroked the length of her flank, then leaned forward to study the dew on her bushy mound." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "His thumbs parted the lips and slid the length of her labia. She shivered, her channel of love running with her moisture. One thumb penetrated her cavern, and she jogged herself forward and back on the digit. He regarded her movements curiously, then spread her legs farther apart. With the tip of his finger he began tracing signs on the soft flesh of her thigh, then drew her down to kneel before him again. She trembled as he worked, her hands reaching blindly for his smooth, powerful chest, then dropping down in search of his ready erection." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "He drew mystic symbols on her skin, his sharp nails marking the golden surface with a flushed line that lingered as if written in fire. He traced the character for beginning, the unknown one for the female principle, marks of power of various sorts. She writhed in his arms. Her breathing was agitated, and a moan escaped her lips.\n\n\"More, more, lover!\" she whispered in the dark. Panting with desire she sought to force him back and mount him." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "He resisted powerfully, though his fingers continued their tracing. He returned to the burning cavern of her lower mouth. He twisted the hairs that surrounded it into the seven braids, then pinched the slick lower lips between two sharp nails.\n\nShe was almost howling now. Her teeth were flashing, and her hair tossed about. At last she succeeded in forcing him backwards." }, { "from": "human", "value": "He fell flat on his back, the pole of his erection jutting into the air." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "With a howl of hunger that matched the winds outside, she impaled herself roughly on the waiting member. He bore her wild ride patiently, obviously uninterested even when she climaxed and squeezed him to a climax of his own.\n\nHe rose, and she bowed deeply to the floor. She looked up, expecting a pleased face to look back into her own. His eyes were indifferent as he motioned her to leave the room.\n\n\"She will not do,\" he called down the mountainside." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Below, in a larger structure, an unseen figure in the dark responded with a disappointed cry." }, { "from": "system", "value": "Next message should be approximately 3 sentences." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"Find me another!\" commanded the ascetic in the hut, and closed the door. He returned to his meditations while below him his followers filled down the mountain. Salvation was not yet to be." } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "Task: Cooperative storytelling\nMy role: Provide a brief opening\nYour role: Expand upon my opening with 8 sentences, emulating the writing style of Akahige Namban." }, { "from": "system", "value": "Produce a starting prompt please." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "The young man ran wildly through the streets of Miyako. Formerly the capital, and still residence of the All under Heaven, the town was unused to such tumult. The grey-tiled roofs seemed to lower their displeasure at this rowdy behavior. The youth's topknot, usually smooth and straight, was falling askew. He had hiked up his robes, and his bare legs flashed in the summer sun. One of his straw sandals fell off as he ran, but in his hurry he did not pause to collect it. He entered a maze of crooked streets faced with blank grey wooden walls. Housewives about their daily business, cleaning the outsides of their houses or dickering with tradesmen, paused and recoiled at his rush." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Some gathered their children protectively to their skirts as he passed by." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "One at least caught a flash of golden thigh and licked her lips thoughtfully, lost perhaps in a daydream.\n\nAt last he reached a narrow way bordered by the clay or brick walls of modest villas pierced by thatched-roof gates: the houses of middle-class samurai. The villas themselves, neither large nor ostentatious, were set off behind small gardens. He paused before one and leaned on the gate for a moment to catch his breath. Suddenly noticing his own disarray, he hurriedly straightened his grey robe and let the skirt fall from his hand.\n\nEach doorpost bore a simple wooden sign. Black ink characters on one bore the name MIURA. The other, incised into a small slab of wood, said simply, LESSONS." }, { "from": "human", "value": "The young man pushed open the door and took a deep breath." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "He knew the master of the house only vaguely and had reason to be apprehensive in the man's presence. But he knew that this was the one place where he could get the help he needed. And the mistress of the house was kind... He pushed open the gate and stepped inside, walked down the flagstoned path, and stepped into the earth-floored anteroom.\n\n\"Forgive me for disturbing you!\" he called out formally in a loud voice.\n\nThere was an answering cry from inside the house. A young, plump woman rushed up." }, { "from": "human", "value": "She knelt on the wooden floor of polished boards that served as barrier between the anteroom and the house proper." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"What can I do for you, please?\" she asked, her head near the floor.\n\nHe admired the sweep of her neck between her upswept hairdo and the stiffness of her collar, and the plump lushness of her buttocks as they tightened the fabric lower down.\n\n\"Is Teacher Miura or his wife home? It is urgent I see them!\"\n\nShe looked up quizzically at the tension in his voice.\n\n\"The master is here. He is in the back. I will call him.\"\n\n\"No need—I know the way,\" he said forcefully. He turned and ran out the door and around the side of the house." }, { "from": "human", "value": "The pale green plumes of giant bamboo wove a pleasant canopy over his head." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "He looked around. At the far end of the garden, against a wall, stood a small open hut. Before it on a tiny raised platform sat a man in deep concentration. The visitor ran through the small grove. Spots of sunlight moved about in the imperfect shade of the bamboo. Stray leaves, twirled by occasional breezes, moved restlessly.\n\nThe visitor slowed as he approached Miura. From close up the man was a giant. His stolid face was topped by a wealth of hair that was brushed smoothly back, then rose into a topknot that was bent forward over his head." }, { "from": "human", "value": "His hands were in his lap." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Beside him on the platform was a large two-hand sword. In his belt rested another, shorter one. He seemed to be gazing sleepily at the ground before him.\n\nA slight breeze swirled some leaves. One of the oblong brown slivers passed through a shaft of sunlight. Another followed. The giant's hands moved suddenly. A tiny dirk—a kozuku—that had been hidden in the scabbard of the short blade in his sash suddenly appeared in his hand. It flipped through the air, passed through the spotlit leaf, and pinned it to the ground." }, { "from": "human", "value": "His hands returned to his lap." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "He looked up at the young visitor. \"You are Matsuo, are you not? Osatsuki's man?\"\n\nMatsuo bowed, then fell to the ground on his knees and buried his face in the leaves.\n\n\"Yes, master Miura. But please hurry. They have come and taken her! You must hurry and help her!\"\n\n\"Mistress Osatsuki? What has happened to her?\" The giant rose leisurely. He thrust the two-hand katana back into his belt, then bent to pick up the kozuka and restore it to its hiding place.\n\n\"What has happened to her?\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "he repeated to the grovelling figure at his feet." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Matsuo raised a tear-streaked face. \"Several men. They came and took her. They would have killed me, but she told me to run and hide. You must come. She has told me before that no one but Miura Jiro and his wife could help her if necessary.\"\n\nJiro nodded his head slowly while he slipped on his sandals.\n\n\"Was she expecting trouble?\"\n\n\"No, no. It was all so sudden.\"\n\nThey walked to the house, and Jiro called to the maid. She came out and stood looking at them shyly. Under her bowed head she peeked at Matsuo, seemingly finding his appearance very pleasing." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"My wife is away, visiting a friend at the moment. I will have to leave her a message; then I will come with you.\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "With a bold hand he wrote a message and handed it to the maid. She bowed, and Jiro indicated that Matsuo should precede him. They turned towards the other side of the city, where Osatsuki had her abode and place of business.\n\nThe Gion quarter was on the way to the famous temples that litter the mountains east of Miyako. It was gradually being given over to an entertainment quarter. Party entertainers, who now called themselves geisha, teahouses, discreet eating places were all to be found there. And of course, courtesans.\n\nSatsuki's house was a discreet two-storey affair." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Heavy wooden bars protected the upper-floor windows and afforded the residents a view of the street without being seen." }, { "from": "human", "value": "There were numerous passersby." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Residents of the area seemed to hurry past, averting their glances. Casual visitors just sauntered on, unknowing and uncaring.\n\nJiro and Matsuo arrived before the house. Matsuo was sweating from the exertion. He had run far and returned in haste. Jiro strode along at unaltered pace. A lounger was leaning against the wall near the entrance to Osatsuki's house. He was dressed in a loud blue-checked robe tucked up into his loincloth." }, { "from": "human", "value": "His shins were wrapped in black cloths as if ready for a journey, and there was a short sword stuck in his sash." }, { "from": "human", "value": "He looked at passersby arrogantly under lowered brows." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Most people, recognizing his type by the unkempt hairdo and general air of bravado, avoided his eyes. He was tunelessly whistling a popular air.\n\nJiro made as if to enter. The lounger stuck out a hand automatically to bar his way. Seeing the massive build of the samurai, Jiro hesitated.\n\n\"Can't go in there,\" the man said in rough tones.\n\n\"Oh?\" said Jiro civilly. \"Why not, if you please?\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"Boss, he owns the house, he says so.\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "The man's face twitched." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"I happen to be a friend of the owners. I'm sure there'd be no objection. Where is Mistress Osatsuki, by the way?\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"The boss took her to... Hey, wait a moment, you a friend of that woman Satsuki?\"\n\n\"Yes,\" said Jiro, smiling faintly. \"Of course. She's the owner.\"\n\n\"Getoutahere!\" said blue-checks with a snarl. He put a hand on the hilt of his sword to emphasize his words.\n\nJiro's smile broadened. His hands flashed up twice. Blue-check's head rocked from side to side, and he fell with a cry.\n\nJiro rolled him over, then placed a sandalled foot on the man's chest." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"Tell me about it,\" he commanded softly." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Blue-checks tried to rise.\n\nJiro leaned forward, and the man collapsed with a shriek. \"Tell me!\" commanded Jiro again, leaning forward. \"This 'boss,' where is he? Where did he take Osatsuki?\"\n\nThe man on the ground groaned but did not speak until Jiro reached for his great sword.\n\n\"Yasaka shrine. Behind Yasaka shrine. His name is Uchibei. Everyone knows him.\"\n\nJiro grinned. \"I'll tell him you sent me.\" He turned and entered the house." }, { "from": "human", "value": "The ruffian scuttled to the side, then rose to his feet." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "He considered for a moment, then, realizing his predicament, headed away from Satsuki's house at a lope, moving northwards. The Yasaka shrine was to the south, and he was anxious to put some distance between himself and his boss. He could have lied, he supposed, but the massive samurai looked like a man who would not take kindly to such a ploy.\n\n\"We'll go up and have a look,\" said Jiro.\n\nThe place had been thoroughly wrecked. It was not likely that Osatsuki had put up a fight, so the wrecking had been done as a matter of spite. Items of value had been pillaged, and Satsuki's robes were scattered about, torn and trodden on. Matsuo looked at the destruction, tears in his eyes." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Jiro was more controlled." }, { "from": "human", "value": "He did not know Satsuki well, but he had great respect for her beauty and charm." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"Matsuo, I shall follow her kidnappers. You must restore the house to its former condition. If there is any trouble before we are back, run and call Okiku. She will know what to do. I will follow the kidnappers to Yasaka shrine.\"\n\nThe search took Jiro almost half the day. There was a maze of small streets and tiny neighborhoods around and behind the famous shrine. They were the result of the growth of the city since peace had come to the land. No one seemed to know the mysterious Uchibei. A lounger, quite elderly, his straggly hair barely held in a knot, had been following Jiro with his eyes. Jiro sat down beside him and jingled some coins suggestively in his sleeve.\n\n\"Is there anything I can get the honored samurai? A drink? A smoke? A woman, perhaps?\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "Jiro smiled and didn't answer, merely taking out a small string of copper coins." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "The man's face brightened. \"That's a rather small store of cash for such a large samurai as your honored self,\" he said, half-fawning, half-sneering.\n\n\"There is more,\" Jiro said laconically, jingling his sleeves again.\n\n\"Is there something the honored sir is particularly interested in?\"\n\n\"I've heard of a man named Uchibei in these parts. I have some business with him.\"\n\n\"Elder Brother Uchibei is not generally pleased when someone tells of his whereabouts...\"\n\n\"With cash, a man can be far from trouble.\" Jiro drew another string of copper coins." }, { "from": "human", "value": "The old man reached for them with a dirty claw." }, { "from": "system", "value": "Next message should be approximately 4 sentences." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"Uchibei? You do mean Uchibei? The big man? His mansion is right behind the temple. I will tell you...\" With many side glances and mutterings the lounger described Uchibei's mansion. Jiro nodded his understanding, then paid over the string of cash.\n\nUchibei, he knew, was one of that vast mass of \"mean people\" who infested all cities, preying on the weak and the helpless. He would have to be careful, as one should be careful with any pack of stray dogs." } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "Add one sentence to continue story" }, { "from": "human", "value": "Satsuki considered her bonds ruefully." }, { "from": "human", "value": "They would undoubtedly cause unsightly bruises on her skin." }, { "from": "human", "value": "She was tied tightly and efficiently with a rope of some rough substance she did not recognize." }, { "from": "human", "value": "She tried to make herself more comfortable, but the bonds were too tight." }, { "from": "human", "value": "The room she had been dumped in was dirty, the tatami mats worn, brown, and old." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Moving her legs, she found she could arrange her robes in a more elegant fashion, draped carelessly over her legs, the several contrasting layers showing pleasingly." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "She contemplated the effect for a while." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "There was little else to do." }, { "from": "human", "value": "She had been brought bound and gagged from her home in the Gion." }, { "from": "human", "value": "The ride had been painfully uncomfortable, and the palanquin closed and stuffy." }, { "from": "human", "value": "The ruffians who had seized her and rubbed their hands over every exposed and some unexposed portions of her skin." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Not that she'd minded." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "She had left the safety of her life as a noblewoman with the object of finding a more exciting life for herself." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "That the excitement was of a rough and perhaps unpleasant sort worried her but did not faze her." }, { "from": "human", "value": "There were heavy steps from the outer room, and the torn sliding door that had once been elegant was thrust roughly open." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Four men stood in the opening." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "She recognized three of them as members of the kidnap party that had seized her and ruined her home." }, { "from": "human", "value": "The fourth was a heavyset, unshaven man of indeterminable age." }, { "from": "human", "value": "He was dressed in a rich brocade robe open to the waist." }, { "from": "human", "value": "A massive chest and a heavy belly showed themselves to the world." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "They stood at the door for a moment, savoring her helplessness." }, { "from": "human", "value": "One of them spoke at last." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"What shall we do with her, Boss?\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"I'm surprised at you gentlemen!\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "These were the first words she'd uttered and the attention of her captors focused on her." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"At your ages you should know what to do with a woman, surely?\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "She lowered her lids modestly." }, { "from": "human", "value": "The sentence had been wrung from her involuntarily." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "She was ashamed of her outburst." }, { "from": "human", "value": "After all, it was not her place to lecture these men." }, { "from": "human", "value": "The heavyset man who had been addressed as Boss stepped heavily into the room." }, { "from": "human", "value": "The ancient brown tatami trembled under his tread." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"So you want it, eh? That's nice. Stupid of you to set up business without paying me a fee. But I see you're ready to make up for that. We'll get right down to business.\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "He parted his robe, exposing a rather worn silk loincloth, which bulged outwards furiously." }, { "from": "human", "value": "In a quick move he was naked and his erect dark cock leered at her from beneath the curve of his massive belly, which overhung a mass of black hairs." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "The other three whooped and rushed forward." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "One pushed her shoulder back onto the mats." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Each of the other two seized an ankle roughly and pulled her legs apart; then one of them flipped her robes open, exposing the length of white thighs and their dark-haired juncture." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"Really, there's no need for that,\" she murmured—unheeded." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "She decided that she needed to learn more about these rough commoners." }, { "from": "human", "value": "True, she had left her previous life—that of the pampered wife of a nobleman—behind her by choice and had chosen to associate with commoners, but most of her customers had been well-to-do merchants with a yen for refined living." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "This was her first encounter with real commoners." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "She was still trying to decide whether she liked it, when the boss stretched himself out on her and entered her warm crack forcefully." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Out of habit and a sense of professional neatness, she raised her hips high to accommodate him." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "He grunted as he sank slowly into her." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "The soft, moist tissues of her canal gently clipped the length of his stubby thick cock." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "He rested there for a second, admiring her face, which was composed but watchful." }, { "from": "human", "value": "The other three ruffians roughly pinched her ass and tits." }, { "from": "human", "value": "One of them squeezed her erect nipples brutally, and she could feel another jerking his naked cock against her calf, leaving a trail of moisture on the sensitive skin." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "However, her attention was on the boss as he started moving back and forth in her." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "She was alert to his every move, attempting to anticipate him and bring on his crisis." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Her tight cunt squeezed and contracted at each entry to extract the greatest amount of pleasure for her customer." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "He pounded quickly on." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "The pressure of her cuntal walls on his prick was the most exquisite he had felt." }, { "from": "human", "value": "His motions speeded up." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "His eyes never left her face while his hands roved bruisingly about her body." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "One hand knocked against the scrabbling paw of one of his henchmen." }, { "from": "human", "value": "He roared at them, and they let go." }, { "from": "human", "value": "She breathed more easily, arching her body in response to his motions, cushioning his loins and belly on her own." }, { "from": "human", "value": "It was all over very suddenly." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Before he had a chance to change his tempo, his imperious balls emptied their contents into her waiting cunt." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Gobs of sperm boiled out of his sack and splashed heavily into her channel, flooding her insides." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "His head dropped onto her shoulder, and he breathed deeply for a while." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "He rolled off her and squatted at her side, regarding her somberly for a moment from his piglike eyes." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"Well, sweety, I don't mind saying that was the best I've ever had." }, { "from": "human", "value": "I'm Uchibei, by the way." }, { "from": "human", "value": "While I rest, the boys will have you.\" There was stirring among his men when he said that. \"Then I'll have you again." }, { "from": "human", "value": "This time was too quick." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Anyway, from now on you'll be working for me." }, { "from": "human", "value": "All the other women do." }, { "from": "human", "value": "But I'll keep you for a while, yes I will." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Take off those ropes!\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "he concluded, roaring at his men." }, { "from": "human", "value": "They obeyed hastily. \"We don't want those pretty limbs marked in any way, and from the looks of it you enjoy it as much as we do...\" He laughed, and his belly shook while his men snarled at one another for the right to be first." }, { "from": "human", "value": "He cuffed them impartially and one of them settled himself leisurely on her body." }, { "from": "human", "value": "The man's hands grabbed roughly at her tits." }, { "from": "human", "value": "With a dirty thumb he forced the nipples into the pale, soft mounds of flesh." }, { "from": "human", "value": "He nibbled at the side of her neck and grunted into her shell-like ear." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "All this time she could feel the length of his prick rubbing roughly the length of her soft, wet lower lips." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Unable to find the entrance he coveted, he grunted in frustration and his rear end bobbed in the air to his companions' laughter." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"A moment please, dear sir,\" she whispered in his ear, well knowing the delicate nature of most men." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Her soft hand slid between their two bodies, and she positioned the thick heart-shaped head of his prick at the entrance to her gluey channel." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "He sighed with satisfaction and rewarded her with a hard jab at the softness of her cunt." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "She eased his passage by raising her hips to meet his, and her dimpled knees held on to his hairy thighs." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "He drove into her, sweating and grunting." }, { "from": "human", "value": "She felt the tides of lust rising in his stringy long poker." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "His hands squeezed her breasts with ferocity as his body came down on her soft flesh like a pile driver." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Again he grunted, and she murmured regret at not understanding his words." }, { "from": "human", "value": "His eyes were closed and his teeth were clenched as a tide of thick juice spurted rapidly from his cock and flooded her interior." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "She raised her head to await the pleasures of the other men, only to see that their attention was directed outside the room." }, { "from": "human", "value": "There were the sounds of a commotion, some muted screams and heavy thumps from inside the dilapidated mansion." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Unchibei was rising from his seat by her side, when the doorway through which he and his men had entered was filled with a threatening figure." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"Ah, Uchibei!\" it said, but the ready, blooddripping sword was not meant as a greeting." }, { "from": "human", "value": "The man who had just left Satsuki's overflowing cunt twisted his neck and stared, then scrabbled to one side." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"The yamabushi! They've found us!\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "he cried in disbelief." }, { "from": "human", "value": "The yamabushi was rough featured, his long moustaches untrimmed." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Long hair was pulled back, pate unshaven." }, { "from": "human", "value": "He was dressed in a fantastic costume." }, { "from": "human", "value": "His robe was printed in a bold pattern of blue checks." }, { "from": "human", "value": "It was tucked into wide bloused trousers that ended at the knee." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "His calves were wrapped in leggings, his feet encased in wooden sandals that raised his height considerably." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Incongruously, his neck was bedecked with a garland of red pompoms attached to a brocade yoke that hung down in front and back." }, { "from": "human", "value": "On his head perched a tiny black pillbox hat, tilted rakishly over his forehead." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "There was little time for inspection." }, { "from": "human", "value": "The intruder called out, and Uchibei and his men rose, scrambling for weapons and clothes." }, { "from": "human", "value": "The wooden walls of the room burst open, and men in variants of the intruder's costume leaped in." }, { "from": "human", "value": "They screamed and leaped, seemed to be everywhere." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Uchibei and his men had no chance to return a blow." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Uchibei's head flew from his shoulders after a savage blow from the leader of the intruders." }, { "from": "human", "value": "The thin man who had slobbered over Satsuki's breasts sought refuge behind her, but a long lance shafted him from behind." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Satsuki covered her eyes, trying to ignore the sounds and the activity around her." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Something wet splashed against her foot, and she recoiled." }, { "from": "system", "value": "Next message should be approximately 2 sentence." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "At last the sounds of activity and screaming died down. A figure stood threateningly over her kneeling form." } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "I'll be your writing partner today. I will set the scene, and you will continue the story with 2 sentences, channeling the voice and techniques of Akahige Namban." }, { "from": "system", "value": "Produce a starting prompt please." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "The mansion, when found, lay behind a rotting, crumbling wall. The gate was uncharacteristically open, showing a vista of desolation and lost grandeur." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Jiro stepped inside. The garden that met his eyes was full of melancholy and the signs of genteel decay." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "It also contained a dead man, face down in the dirt, his blood pooling around him. Jiro explored cautiously. There were several more bodies." }, { "from": "human", "value": "One of them groaned and muttered something." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Jiro rolled him over." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "His belly had been gashed, and his entrails were spilling out.\n\n\"Water... water,\" the ruffian begged." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"You will die of it,\" Jiro cautioned." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "The man laughed rackingly. \"What d'ye think I'm doin' now, eh? Get me some water. Sake is even better.\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "Jiro rooted in the mess, only some of it made by the attackers, whoever they were, the rest the result of the piggish habits of the inhabitants, and found a filthy bottle half full of some liquid that smelled alcoholic." }, { "from": "human", "value": "The wounded man grabbed at the bottle as Jiro knelt by him." }, { "from": "human", "value": "The samurai jerked it out of reach." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"What happened here?\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "The wounded man eyed the sake bottle hungrily, clutching at his stomach." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"Bastard, I'm dying.\"\n\n\"What happened?\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"Yamabushi attacked us.\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"Why?\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"A drink, you animal!\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"You'll die with the first swallow. Why?\"\n\n\"We've been competing with them for women and for territory.\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"There was a woman here...\"\n\n\"Some woman, too!\" The man's eyes lit up in memory." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"They took her. She was a first-class bitch from the Gion area.\"\n\n\"Where did they take her?\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"How should I know? They are heading south, that's all I know. I swear it. South. Maybe to Koya-san... The bottle—give me the bottle; that's all I know...\" The wounded bully was sobbing now." }, { "from": "system", "value": "Next message should be approximately 3 sentences." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Jiro handed him the bottle, and he gulped several times gratefully, then gave a great cry and expired. Jiro rose and headed south. The flies tended to their own, buzzing happily." } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "Mode: Collab writing\nAmount: 2 sentences\nVoice: Akahige Namban" }, { "from": "human", "value": "The Yamato plain is a basin bordered by mountains." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Jiro passed the city of Nara in the center of the plain by a side road." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Meeting a professional messenger on the road, he had sent a message to Okiku, but inasmuch as there was little real news to tell, he only asked her to alert their friend Goemon and meet him at some well-known spot." }, { "from": "human", "value": "He chose Koya-san, knowing little about his quarry besides their possible connection with that well-known monastery." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "He had inquired along his route, gleaning a hint here and there. Yamabushi bands were not uncommon, many travelled with women, and they all seemed to be heading south." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Still, Osatsuki's beauty and charm were striking, and Jiro was not a man to give up easily.\n\nHe marched the entire day." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Well-tended, straight-sided rice fields stretched out to the wooded mountains that rose steadily before him." }, { "from": "human", "value": "He made inquiries along the way, with little hope." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "No one had seen any sign that could be interpreted as a kidnapped courtesan. The ground rose with the setting of the sun, and by the time the sun was in the far west, Jiro decided to call it a day." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "He was in a rural area. Small hamlets and occasional isolated houses dotted the landscape." }, { "from": "human", "value": "He headed towards one of the nearer hamlets across the fields and fruit groves." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "A road led through the hamlet, and it looked as if it might have an inn, or at least the house of a wealthy farmer who would offer him shelter for the night.\n\nHe passed through a small peach orchard and came suddenly upon a small farmhouse." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Before it, a spring bubbled from between two rocks." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "One of them was carved with the words \"water god,\" to indicate its sacred nature. A young woman knelt by the water's edge, at the small artificial pool." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "She was bare to the waist, and her breasts dangled suggestively over the water. She was combing her hair, and spots of moisture on her back seemed to indicate that she was in the final act of a rustic bath." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "She raised her head at Jiro's approach, saw his tall figure emerging from the trees, gasped, and rose to flee. Her straw sandal caught in a tangle of brush, and she crashed to the ground, yelping in pain." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Trying desperately to rise, she cried out." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Jiro stopped at the other side of the pool as she frantically sought to cover her breasts and crawl away from him at the same time." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"I won't hurt you,\" he said." }, { "from": "human", "value": "To demonstrate his peaceful intentions he knelt and drew some water in his cupped hand." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "She tried to rise and fell back. Panting heavily, she managed to hide her breasts." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "He rocked back on his hams and looked at her.\n\n\"I was only passing through, on my way to the hamlet.\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "He waved casually at the gathering gloom behind her." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "His tone and immobility rather than his words seemed to reassure her. She rolled to her knees and bowed." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"I am sorry, Mr. Samurai, but I am not used to strangers. My mother and I are alone here since—Oh!\" Her hand flew to her mouth in consternation." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"Ah, you're not supposed to say that, are you?\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "He laughed and waved a hand. \"Don't worry. I'll be on my way. I won't take advantage of your situation.\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "He rose to go, and she rose with him, moaning a little. She turned to pick up a heavy wooden bucket but could not put weight on her sprained ankle." }, { "from": "human", "value": "She cried in pain." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"Let me help you?\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "She tried to refuse, awed by her proximity to what was to her a mighty nobleman. He insisted gently and was at last allowed to carry the heavy bucket." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "He marvelled at these simple country girls, able to carry burdens that would make a man look for other employment.\n\nThe house was a small peasant's cottage." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "The interior was divided by wooden and matting screens into several rooms. Bare rafters, huge beams of twisted aged wood, rose in the gloom." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Farmer's tools were scattered about." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Over all was an air of abandonment and poverty. Tools seemed unrepaired, and the matting was old, the wood warped." }, { "from": "human", "value": "She begged him to rest, and Jiro gratefully sat on the wooden platform, his feet still in sandals on the pounded earth floor of the entrance hall." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "He removed his sword from his sash and accepted the fruit she offered.\n\n\"How did you get here, sir?\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "she asked with country ingenuousness.\n\n\"I am looking for a friend,\" he answered absently." }, { "from": "human", "value": "She was quite pretty, he decided." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Flat, round face with fine eyes. Thick ankles below the hem of her short dress, but a nicely rounded body." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"I was hoping to find an inn in the hamlet...\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"There isn't one,\" she said. \"It's a very poor village. There is an inn, I have heard, several miles away. Perhaps you could try that?\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"No. I'll just have to sleep on the veranda of some shrine. The kami are always hospitable.\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "She laughed. Then her brows ceased in thought." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"Actually, why don't you stay here for the night? I'm afraid we have little to offer, but at least a mat and some protection from the elements...\"\n\nHe waved his hand in refusal." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"I could not impose on your parents...\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"No, only my mother. She is not here now. She has gone to sell some akebia-vine baskets. My father died some years ago. That is why we are so poor.\" She looked mournfully at the dilapidated cottage." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "He bowed his thanks.\n\nSupper was a simple stew of mushrooms, wild vegetables, and taro cooked in a pot over a small fire." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "It was held by a straw rope threaded through a wooden post in the shape of a fish. She served him, not eating until he had had his fill." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "While she was eating he leaned forward and poked idly at the fire. His hand snaked forward into the ashes." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"Look—you must have lost this...\" There was a small string of square-holed copper cash in his hand." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Her bowl almost dropped from her hand." }, { "from": "human", "value": "She laid down her chopsticks and stared at the money." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "He laid it down in her lap.\n\n\"It must have dropped there from your father's sleeve,\" Jiro said." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "He was almost penniless now, but there would always be some way to proceed. She hugged the string to her breasts." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Just then they were interrupted." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"I am home!\" a strong female voice called from the entrance hall." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"Etsuko, come and help me.\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "The girl hurried to her feet and rushed to the entrance, calling, \"Welcome home!\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "The mother was in her early forties, Jiro estimated. She had the girl's country good looks, not yet turned stringy with age, her face only slightly wrinkled with care." }, { "from": "human", "value": "She cast a suspicious look at Jiro, then at her daughter." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Seeing nothing apparently amiss, she bowed at the samurai." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Jiro introduced himself and uncomfortably, with thin lips, she bade him welcome." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "After a few moments she motioned her daughter aside. Jiro, impassive by the fireside, could hear muttered accusations and bitter protest." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "The two women reentered the room. Etsuko, the daughter, was drying her eyes and casting appealing glances in Jiro's direction." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Jiro knew the source of the argument. Many samurai, he knew, treated peasant women as their chattels." }, { "from": "human", "value": "They took them where and when they wanted, and pretty farm girls were prime targets." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Wandering, lordless samurai such as himself were the worst: they not only raped, but also robbed and killed on the slightest pretext." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Though the law was usually severe and swift, that was little consolation to the dead and none to the peasant who feared officialdom more than he feared death." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Jiro rose and bowed to the mother." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"If you will excuse me, I will leave. I am sorry to be such a bother.\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "The mother made some protest, but it was clear she was relieved to see him go. The daughter, Etsu, looked on with a blank face." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Jiro stepped out into the cool night air. He would have to sleep the night on the ground after all." }, { "from": "human", "value": "He shrugged mentally. It would not be the first time." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "He walked away from the house, through small gardens of beans and squash and other vegetables ripening in the summer warmth. The path was worn, and it meandered as it neared points of importance to the peasants." }, { "from": "human", "value": "He passed by a bamboo grove, the plumes of the plants glinting in the moonlight." }, { "from": "human", "value": "The sky was clear, and the lunar illumination cast a glow over everything." }, { "from": "human", "value": "There was a large tree in a clearing near the grove." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Jiro marked it from afar for future reference. Such trees sometimes indicated shrines, and if the shrine was large enough, it would be his hostel for the night." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "He slowed down as he approached. His trained senses told him of someone lurking in the shadows." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Without turning his head he watched the dark cautiously." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Suddenly he was distracted. A group of men came up the path." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Some of them bore lanterns." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Their feet were bare, but they were in a hurry. They saw him in the moonlight, and one of them called out, \"There he is! I told you there was a samurai there!\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Jiro stood in the clearing to await developments. The lurker in the shadow of the shrine did not move." }, { "from": "human", "value": "The excited villagers surrounded the giant samurai like hounds bringing a wolf to bay." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "There were eight of them armed with improvised weapons—sickles, flails, rakes, and wooden poles.\n\nThey dithered around him for awhile, and one, braver perhaps than the rest, stalked up to Jiro." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"Well, Mr. Samurai, what are you doing here, eh? Had your fun with our widow, huh? Don't think you can get away with it. We've had enough of you people. We pay the landlord, and that's enough.\"\n\n\"Matagel, cut the chatter and let's finish him,\" another rough voice broke in." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"I was merely looking for shelter for the night, but it proved inconvenient for the household,\" Jiro replied mildly. \"Now get out of the way, please. It would be a bother reporting your death to the authorities.\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"Bastard! Report my death to the authorities?\" The apparent leader of the peasant youths raised his staff." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Jiro's left hand rested lightly on his sheath." }, { "from": "human", "value": "One of the peasants sniggered \"Shelter for the night. Bastard!\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Others raised their makeshift weapons. Jiro kept his eyes on the leader." }, { "from": "human", "value": "He knew from the sounds and small rushes they were making that they were not ready to attack—yet." }, { "from": "human", "value": "As soon as their courage was up they would, and he would have to act." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "He grinned to himself. He had never been trained to run away." }, { "from": "human", "value": "A defect, Okiku often told him, in a perfect character." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Run away and fight again was his mate's philosophy.\n\n\"Please don't draw your sword, Mr. Samurai. The smell of blood would upset my digestion.\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "The voice from the shadows was hoarse and adenoidal, though the words and accent were town, rather than country. A massive shadow detached itself from the deeper shadow of the shrine-tree and lumbered forward." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Nine faces turned in that direction." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "The interloper was shorter than Jiro but outweighed him by a half. An enormous belly extended the front of his robe, which was wrapped by a smart black-striped silk sash." }, { "from": "human", "value": "His face was almost as round as the moon but framed in curly sideburns that reached to his fat jowls." }, { "from": "human", "value": "He waddled forward and stood with feet planted wide." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"I do think you should disperse, you know. Or at least fight him one by one.\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"Who asked you, horse-head?\" Some of the peasants converged on him, their weapons raised." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"A moment, please.\" He raised his hands. \"As you can see, I'm unarmed. Here, look...\" He extended his arms to the sides, palms upwards." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "He wore a light summer robe, and there did not appear to be anything hidden in it. He squatted a bit and stamped his feet on the ground." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"You wouldn't want to attack an unarmed man, would you?\"\n\n\"I don't care if you're unarmed or the samurai here armed. We want you out of here. We don't care for any strangers, particularly those fucking our widow.\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "There was chorus of assent from his companions." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "One of the peasants, a husky young man, spat on his hands and marched up to the fat man. \"I'll deal with him!\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "he called over his shoulder." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"The rest of you attend to the samurai.\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "The peasant's hard bare foot lashed out and connected with a thump to the fat man's crotch. The fat man winced but stood there looking the peasant in the eye." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "The surprised young man, who had expected the fat man to collapse in agony, stared with his jaw open. An enormous fat hand lashed out and slapped his face." }, { "from": "human", "value": "The peasant youth collapsed to the ground." }, { "from": "human", "value": "The other young men yelled their battle cries and charged." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Two of them rushed the fat man." }, { "from": "human", "value": "The rest charged Jiro, who still had time to see how his unexpected ally dealt with some of his opponents." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "The fat man leapt forward in a single giant frog hop. One hand smacked solidly into a charging peasant's face, sending him flying." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "The other seized an opponent's neck and swung him around in a hip throw that crashed him to the ground.\n\nAll that, Jiro saw in a flash as the other peasants were upon him." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "He dodged a pole aimed at his head and slid forward. The butt of his sword slammed into a midriff, and one of the men went down before him." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Twisting, he seized another man's sleeve and with a quick move threw him over his own shoulder." }, { "from": "human", "value": "He drew the sword, still sheathed, from his sash and parried a hooking cut by an attacker armed with a sharp curved sickle." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Skilfully, the man tried to entrap the sword, but Jiro was too experienced a swordsman. His sheath moved with the hook, then thrust forward to the point of the peasant's chin." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Jiro turned to his last opponent, and that worthy, trapped between two formidable foes, backed away in terror." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"A moment, please. Do not run.\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "The fat man's hoarse voice sounded again." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"If I may inquire, why are you so anxious to attack us?\"\n\nThe young peasant, fearful for his life, had lost his former belligerence." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "He became obsequious as he bowed, trembling. \"Pardon me, sir. We—we feared for our widow. You know, we are poor men, but we must protect our own...\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"Your widow?\" Jiro interjected." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"Surely all of you are alive and well...\"\n\nThe man bobbed his head again." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"Our widow, sir... that is...\" He stammered for a second, trying to explain what was to him a commonplace." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"You see, sir, we have a custom hereabouts—I think it must seem strange to you gentlemen. Anyway, when a man dies leaving a wife, the young unmarried men take care of her. Bring her firewood, help with plowing and sowing, repairs, things like that which she cannot do for herself. Of course, we also have to protect her, and someone saw the samurai gentleman entering her house, so we thought... we thought...\"\n\n\"You thought I was going to rape her,\" concluded Jiro drily." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"Well, yes, sir. And that's no good sir. Besides, it was Kichibei and Saburo's turn to visit her tonight. We came along as a sort of guard, sir.\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "The fat man moved impatiently. \"Turn? Explain!\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "The peasant bobbed his head again. \"Of course, we take care of all her needs. She is very nice to us, and since we cannot enter the houses of girls to visit them, she sleeps with us. A nice woman she is too, sir.\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "Jiro and the fat man both laughed." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"Well, I'm sorry I interrupted your friends' turn. I really did leave her there unharmed. Her daughter, too. I suggest, though,\" he added in a severe tone, \"that you and your friends refrain from attacking samurai in the future. Your entire village could be razed if that came out.\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "The young peasant shivered at the words, knowing how true they were." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "He fell to his knees and bowed to the ground, babbling for forgiveness. Jiro ignored him, and bowed to the massive figure at his side." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"I am Miura Jiro, an unattached samurai and teacher. At your service. Thank you for your help. I would never have succeeded without you.\"\n\n\"Nonsense!\" said the fat man cheerfully and informally." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Though dressed as a commoner, he seemed to take Jiro as an equal, if not perhaps even an inferior. \"I am Tatsunoyama, a wrestler from Osaka. I am travelling on pilgrimage. Also, I am scouting for possible candidates for the ring.\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "He looked up at Jiro." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"A shame we did not find you when you were young.\"\n\nJiro stiffened at the insult, then relaxed." }, { "from": "human", "value": "The wrestler was obviously not out to insult him by questioning his profession of arms." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "He was merely blunt.\n\n\"If I may venture a question...\" Jiro said delicately." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Tatsunoyama bowed slightly.\n\n\"You were kicked in a place that normally renders a man unconscious, and yet...\" The peasant, who had been busy trying to revive his groaning companions, paused to listen too." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"It is one of the secrets of our trade,\" Tatsunoyama said hoarsely. \"But I can tell you that I can raise my precious jewels at will. Thus it was a painful kick but had no real effect.\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "The two men exchanged pleasantries for a time, while the attackers scrambled groggily to their feet. The peasants huddled together for a while, and Jiro eyed them covertly, wondering whether they were planning another attack." }, { "from": "human", "value": "One of them, his back bent submissively, crept to the two." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "The others bowed their heads in a group behind. The spokesman scratched his head and laughed with embarrassment." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"Excuse us, gentlemen, but this was all a mistake. I hope you are not angry?\" Encouraged by Jiro's and Tatsunoyama's response, he continued, \"We... we would like to make amends. Can we invite you gentlemen to stay the night? I understand the samurai gentleman has no place to go...\" His voice trailed off at his own temerity." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"And of course, the wrestler gentleman as well...\"\n\nTatsunoyama grunted, then smiled." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"As for me, I thank you, but I am being hosted by someone in the neighborhood. I merely went out for a stroll. The gentleman here will accept your offer. Take good care of him.\" He flipped an enormous paw in Jiro's direction and rolled off ponderously." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Jiro marvelled how such a mountain of flesh could move so swiftly in a fight." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "He marvelled too at how the wrestler, a commoner, could treat him, a nobleman, so casually.\n\nThe peasant tugged at his sleeve." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"If you please, master, we could repair to the widow's? We have some wine...\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "The widow greeted her guests gaily." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "It was obvious that they were desirable visitors. She eyed Jiro with a greater surprise, but one of the young men took her aside, and after a low-voice conversation punctuated with glances toward Jiro, she accepted him and even offered him some of the warmed rice wine in an old cracked cup specially polished for the occasion." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "The men lounged around the sunken fireplace, drinking and munching some snacks she had prepared. The widow served them herself, her round cheeks glowing with the heat and the pleasure of their company." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Pounded rice cakes and taro were set to bake in the ashes. Etsuko, the girl, was nowhere to be seen." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Jiro sat a little apart. The conversation was about subjects and people he knew little of." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Gossip mainly, talk of the harvest and a coming festival." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Jiro excused himself—to everyone's evident relief." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "There was a pallet on the floor in an inner room, laid on the bare boards. The widow offered it to him, with a bow." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "He noted the sour looks from the young men by the fire.\n\n\"Thank you, no. But do you have a hayloft? I noted a barn and thought... well, I have not had the pleasure of the smell of newly cut grass in many years. That would be a delight.\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "The widow looked at him in surprise. She tried to protest, not too strongly, but finally led him upstairs and through a narrow hatch to a pile of hay that overlooked the empty horse stall." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"We had to sell the horse a long while ago, but this place is well protected and part of the main building, so you should be warm and comfortable,\" she said." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "He bowed his thanks, and she departed back to her guests.\n\nThe loft was indeed comfortable, and the soft highland grass fragrant." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Jiro burrowed into the grass and found himself ensconced against the loft wall." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "He was soon dozing, but then he found that a light was shining into his eyes. He blinked sleepily. The light came from a narrow fissure in the wooden floor." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "He rubbed his eyes and then peered blearily through the crack.\n\nThe light came from a candle in the room occupied by the pallet offered him earlier." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "The wooden sliding door between the room and the kitchen where the young men lounged was closed. On the pallet lay the widow, her hair slightly loose, struggling in the arms of one of the farmers." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Jiro snapped awake. The woman giggled and said something in a low voice, and the man relaxed his grip. She sat up on the pallet and languidly loosened the top of her robe." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "It fell to her waist, and she peered coyly at her companion from beneath the loose strands of hair. He lay back on the pallet, and she wiggled her shoulders." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Her plump tits bounced, the nipples prominent dark, dancing at their tips. The man seized her impatiently, and she lay on him while he pulled off her robe." }, { "from": "human", "value": "She had a full, muscular ass and thick, short legs." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Jiro could see the shadow formed by the dark hairs that peeped like a little beard from between the columns of her thighs." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "The man grasped her shoulders and rolled her over. Jiro could see his rampant prick, a shiny drop of lubricant decorating its tip." }, { "from": "human", "value": "The man took his cock in one hand and shook it several times." }, { "from": "human", "value": "She spread her legs waiting for him." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Her dark bush shadowed the lower part of her belly." }, { "from": "human", "value": "The plump lips were almost obscured by the thicket." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Her hand snaked between her legs, and she teased the lips open, affording Jiro a full look at her red cunt slit. Then the man's muscular body covered hers, and her knees came up slightly." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "The man heaved into her, and she uttered a sigh. Her face was obscured by the man's untidy hairdo, and then uncovered as he bent to suck at a nipple." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Her eyes were closed, and she was breathing heavily as the lusty peasant ploughed into her. His buttocks moved in a rhythm that became rapidly faster." }, { "from": "human", "value": "He grunted and she gasped as his passion reached a climax." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "The man stiffened as she looked reproachfully at his slack face. His ass jerked several times as his pent-up passion siphoned through his cock and flooded her interior." }, { "from": "human", "value": "He lay on her as if dead for a while, until she shook him off impatiently." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "There was disappointment on her face, but she brightened as a muffled voice called from behind the door. The man rose and wiped himself with his loincloth." }, { "from": "human", "value": "He stretched and looked at her with a smile." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "She lay there, one finger teasing her glistening clitoris, the other behind her head. He left, and another young man came in." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "This one dropped his clothes hurriedly and knelt between her parted legs. He pushed forward with a will." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "A short, stocky youth, he found it hard to thrust deeply into her while holding her breasts. At last he abandoned the attempt and withdrew." }, { "from": "human", "value": "She looked at him in surprise." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Grasping her hips he turned her over on her face. She protested, not too sincerely, at his odd mode of entering her." }, { "from": "human", "value": "He pulled back for a moment, affording Jiro a clear look at her plump buttocks, bisected by the dark line that shadowed her anus." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Below he could clearly see the mossy lips of her cunt, still glowing wetly from the intrusion of the man's stubby cock, which pointed like an arrow at her opening." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "The young peasant lad regarded the sight for a moment. Almost shyly he stroked the warm, soft buns." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "His cock jerked several times in anticipation. The widow smiled at him over her shoulder, then leaned forward and placed her head on her hands." }, { "from": "human", "value": "The stocky lad—Jiro thought he could not be older than fifteen—bent forward as if hypnotized." }, { "from": "human", "value": "He bit softly at the woman's prominent buttocks, and she urged him on with a soft cry." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "His tongue came out, and he licked the twin half moons lovingly. His tongue dipped lower, and he tilted his head, the better to get at the honey between her legs." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "She whispered at him, and then her hand came out from between her legs and sought his erect cock. She squeezed and rubbed it for a long while as he crouched over her back." }, { "from": "human", "value": "He toyed with the plump breasts that hung down before her, and she peered back at his cock, framed by his hands and her own breasts and thighs." }, { "from": "human", "value": "At last he gasped and fell forward." }, { "from": "human", "value": "His stubby pole sought the delicious entrance, and he entered her cavern." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Jiro could see that the stimulation had proved too much for the lad. His body shook and his ass danced as if struck by palsy." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "He writhed like a hooked fish, and she arched her back, urging more of his meat into herself. She stuck one hand back and massaged her hot clitoris, accompanying him in his frenzy." }, { "from": "system", "value": "Next message should be approximately 3 sentences." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "At last she collapsed forward, panting hard. Oblivious of the world, his face wreathed in a smile, the peasant lad lay over her. Above them both, Jiro gritted his teeth and turned over to try to get some sleep." } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "make story longer like Akahige Namban would" }, { "from": "human", "value": "A warm, soft body laid itself down by Jiro's side." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "She slid a hand down his body and whispered, \"Are you awake?\"\n\nHe responded by reaching for her. They felt one another in silence for a while." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Her tits were small and firm, their nipples erect.\n\n\"I need it so badly, Mr. Samurai—I hope you won't mind. I watch my mother from the loft, and... you know, I have to amuse myself. The young men... I like them, but of course they are from the village and one of them will marry me, so they can't... they can't...\"\n\nJiro stroked her shoulder." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"I understand.\" The peasants, he thought, were not proper people. Some expected their women not to have sex before marriage, but in another village they might demand it, and in still others they did not marry at all but mated when lust overtook them. What mean people they were." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Her stroking hand reached the length of his penis, which was squeezed between them, and she gasped as she became conscious of the reality of its size." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "He stroked the insides of her thighs. The long beard that lay between them was moist with dew. He could tell she had been playing with herself, from the slick state of her fingertips." }, { "from": "human", "value": "He fingered the fleshy tip of her small clit for a second." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "She squirmed against him, her mound pushing roughly into his palm. Her efforts at his staff grew frantic and rough. She jerked at the honey pole urgently and was rewarded with a drop of moisture as his weapon cleared its throat." }, { "from": "human", "value": "He lowered his head to kiss her nipple, proudly erect in the dark, but she moaned, \"No, no,\" deep in her throat and pushed his head away." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "She rolled back onto the hay, spreading her legs as wide as she could. \"Please, now, now!\" she demanded feverishly.\n\nHe knelt between her legs, looking down for a moment at the picture they made in the dimness." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Her pale body was spread in an inviting Y, a dark patch at the juncture of her legs. His massive balls hung down, pulling him by their weight, while his pole projected aggressively forward.\n\nShe looked at his face for a moment; then her eyes followed his." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "The thick end of his pole was pointing her way. She wondered perversely what it would feel like in her mouth, on her tits, then drove such unnatural thoughts from her mind. Impatiently she reached for the source of her pleasure." }, { "from": "human", "value": "He lowered his body, and the tip of his pole poised at the hungry entrance to her cunt." }, { "from": "human", "value": "She arched her body upwards and pulled ferociously at his buttocks." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "He came down heavily upon her waiting body. There was a momentary resistance and a gasp from her, and Jiro knew she had been a virgin. Then her arms and legs clamped hard around him and her teeth bit into his shoulder." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "He thrust his way well up her lubricated channel, and she grunted at the feeling and the weight. He started a back-and-forth movement, and she held on to his body grimly. He dug his hands through the hay and clutched her firm buttocks." }, { "from": "human", "value": "She squirmed in his grasp, but her grip did not slacken." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "It was obviously up to him to move for both of them, and he set to work with a will. Her channel was tight enough so that every thrust was an effort as she clung to him like a dead weight. Annoyed, Jiro started pummelling her with his cock in earnest." }, { "from": "human", "value": "The full weight of his erect penis smashed into her, her hips bruised by the weight of his loins." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "She began a snorting, stertorous breathing, and he paused, afraid that his violence was killing her. Her hands clamped onto the muscles of his back, then shifted to his ass and dug in, urging him on.\n\nThe urgent movement was too much for Jiro." }, { "from": "human", "value": "He let himself go completely, pounding into the girl's passive body." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "At last she began to respond, her hips matching his movements. She threw her head back, and he could see the whites of her eyes and the dark cave of her mouth. He forced his tongue into her mouth, and she barely responded at first, then began to suck at his mobile upper cock with enthusiasm." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "They twisted wildly in the sweet-smelling grass until Jiro felt his balls twitch in violent orgasm. Streams of sperm jetted out and flooded her hot interior. She responded with an orgasm of her own, as she imagined his cock filling every orifice she had." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "She relaxed her grip and smiled at him in the dark.\n\n\"That was very good, Mr. Samurai. It was wonderful. It was the most wonderful thing that ever happened to me. Now I know what it is to be married. I must be married very soon.\"\n\nHe smiled in the dark." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"There is more to marriage then that. Perhaps I should teach you other things, too...\"\n\n\"Oh no—I am only a peasant girl. This will do very nicely.\"\n\n\"But there are many other things men and women can learn to do,\" he protested halfheartedly." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"I know, Mr. Samurai—I have seen my mother through the crack here, many times. But I had rather learn them from my husband. Otherwise he will think I was not a good girl.\"\n\nJiro shook his head in disbelief.\n\nShe left him as the sounds of the young men's goodbyes came through the wall." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Jiro lay back and prepared for sleep. His cock was pleasantly flaccid on his thigh. He wondered what his friends were doing, back in Miyako." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Unconsciously his hand stroked his manhood, playing with it and jerking it from side to side. In a little while, he knew, he would be wondering where Etsu had gone. Since she was unavailable, he thought philosophically, he had better stop playing with himself and go to sleep." }, { "from": "human", "value": "The hatch above his head opened, and a whisper came to him." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"Mr. Samurai? Are you awake?\"\n\nHe grunted assent.\n\n\"I just wanted to check that you were comfortable. Can I get you something?\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "The widow slipped into the loft, unable to see him in the dark." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Inadvertently she trod on his outstretched hand. In trying to avoid hurting him, she stumbled and fell onto his broad chest. \"I am sorry, terribly sorry!\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Her body was warm, soft—and completely naked. She held on to him as if to get her breath back. Jiro leisurely ran a hand down her back and between her buttocks." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Her hairs were damp from a washing, and he recalled having heard the sound of sluicing water." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "She shivered at his touch. His other hand ran down her front, lingering on each tit and its erect nipple. He held her bush with a flat palm, then hoisted her easily over his body." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "She squealed; then her hands searched out his erect pole.\n\n\"Ah, it's wonderfully big!\" she breathed. She tried to roll over, bringing Jiro to cover her, but he resisted." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "He parted her legs, then raised her in the air. The tip of his prick tickled the hairs of her pussy, and she breathed heavily. Fucking for her had been a natural thing, with no artifice." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Jiro had experienced experts, and he knew the game of love as none of her previous men had. He teased her crack for a long time, the tip of his cock penetrating her gently then withdrawing. She struggled in his arms, anxious for the morsel of flesh that she knew would spell relief for her demanding cunt." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "He delayed some more, his mouth seeking out her nipples in turn.\n\nFor a moment he poised her unmoving over his cock, then suddenly brought her down the length of his shaft until their hairs mingled. She squealed with delight and grunted as her soft, warm, lubricious interior gripped him." }, { "from": "human", "value": "To prolong the pleasure he raised her again until only the tip was left in her." }, { "from": "human", "value": "She struggled to lower herself again, her hair and nipples brushing his massive chest." }, { "from": "human", "value": "At last he surrendered to her demands, and she straddled him with her muscular thighs, his cock stuffing her belly." }, { "from": "human", "value": "She rode him wildly, as if untired by the effort of eight muscular men she had been mounted by before." }, { "from": "human", "value": "This time she was mounting the man, and the newness of the sensation removed all her tiredness." }, { "from": "human", "value": "She experimented boldly, riding high with her back arched and head thrown back, then crouching over him at full length." }, { "from": "human", "value": "At times he encouraged her to grind her hips deeply onto him, and she squealed again at the sensation." }, { "from": "human", "value": "His finger slipped behind her buttocks, and she raised her ass slightly as he slid it along her juicy lips." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Then, finger moistened, he tickled the brown bud of her asshole." }, { "from": "human", "value": "She rode him more wildly for that, driving his cock deeply into her until she could not contain her fury." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Her cunt exploded with spasms of passion, her thighs clenched his, and she lowered her head to bite painfully at his chest.\n\nJiro raised himself on his shoulders and heels and drove into her as she forced herself downwards. Her insides were flooded for the ninth time that night as he spurted a diminished load of sperm into her cunt." } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "Expand the story by adding one sentence." }, { "from": "system", "value": "Produce a starting prompt please." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Matsudaira Konnosuke, governor of Miyako, distant relative of the Shogun, had just lifted his mistress's skirt and was smelling the fresh flavor of her cunt when he was interrupted." }, { "from": "human", "value": "A low voice on the other side of the translucent shoji door called out a message he heard only dimly." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "In any case, he was in no mood to be disturbed." }, { "from": "human", "value": "He leaned forward and with his teeth gripped the silky blonde hairs before him, then pulled savagely." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "His tongue then slid out and bore through the delicate thicket to the slick pink lips below." }, { "from": "human", "value": "The long robe was twitched aside, and his mistress's lovely face looked down indulgently at him." }, { "from": "human", "value": "He screwed his eyes upwards but kept on with his licking." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "She trembled slightly and spread her perfect white thighs the better to accommodate him, but said, \"I'm sorry love, but Okiku has just arrived, and Oko says she wants to see us urgently.\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "He rose, slipping off his loincloth, which hung like a tent over the stiffness of his erection." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"I've had a hard day. I hope this is important. You told Oko to let her in, I suppose...\" A vagrant thought crossed his mind." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"There's still plenty of time before she gets here from the postern gate...\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "His hand shot out and entrapped one of her large, perfectly shaped tits." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "He swept his foot forward roughly and pushed with his hips." }, { "from": "human", "value": "She fell on her ass with a thump, too startled to use the yawara roll he had been teaching her." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Parting her thighs roughly, he pushed her torso back with his shoulder, then thrust his cock bruisingly into her still-dry crack." }, { "from": "human", "value": "One hand clamped on to her breast through the brocade robe she wore, and the other curved into a claw and gripped her thigh." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "She giggled, pleased at the sudden attack; then the giggle turned to a gasp of pleasure as his long meat filled her hungry chasm." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"I want to come now, before Okiku arrives!\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "He thrust at her with every word, and his mouth descended cruelly to her full red lips." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "She turned her head aside at the last minute, but her reflexes had already taken over before she could say what was on her mind." }, { "from": "human", "value": "The trained muscles of her wonderful cunt clenched around the stem that filled her." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Ripples of muscular action ran down the walls of her insides, milking the gluey shaft." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Her thighs clutched his muscular buttocks." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "He grinned with anticipation, knowing that just lying there, she could milk him dry in seconds." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"A minute,\" she breathed into his ear." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"Why not have Okiku join us? You've not seen her for some time.\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "He reared back and slapped her full breasts as he'd been taught." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "His body rocked on hers." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"That, too,\" he agreed." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"But now I want you!\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "Rosamund clutched at him and her wonderful vaginal muscles set to work again." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "She sucked at his mouth and tongue as her lower mouth sucked deliciously at his cock." }, { "from": "human", "value": "In a few moments it was over." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "A rush of sperm started from his balls." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "He writhed and curved over her blonde form, trying to contain the pleasure to the last moment, then burst." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Rosamund's insides were inundated with a flood of hoarded male juices." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "The pleasure was so intense that Matsudaira cried out as her interior muscles milked the last drops from his pole." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Okiku entered the room through a sliding shoji door, to find both her friends sitting demurely and sipping tea." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "She bowed, then knelt on the proffered cushion." }, { "from": "human", "value": "She looked at two of the three people she cared for most in the world." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Matsudaira Konnosuke she knew better as Goemon, and preferred him thus." }, { "from": "human", "value": "He was dressed in a loose summer robe of white, bordered with a deep indigo pattern of waves and octopuses." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "His legs were crossed loosely before him, and the open robe showed a shapely length of thigh below and a muscular bronze chest above." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "His face was smooth, the lines of his features clean and sharp." }, { "from": "human", "value": "His forehead had been newly shaven that morning, but his glossy topknot was unusually awry." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Facing her was one of her two female friends." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Rosamund was Matsudaira Konnosuke's prisoner." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "But she also ruled his inner chambers with undisputed control." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Okiku enjoyed looking at the foreign girl whenever she could, which was fairly often." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "A mass of blonde curls spilled down, framing a beautiful face with regular features." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Eyes of an unusual color and shape—blue, and rounder than was natural—stared back at her." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Rosamund was dressed in a rich brocade robe, tied rather carelessly." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Her feet were tucked under her, and her hands rested on her lap." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Okiku could not resist a quick glance at the blonde's neckline." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "She loved those large, pinkish white breasts, the tops of which she could see." }, { "from": "human", "value": "They were so different from her own, and so beautiful." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Hidden between the beautiful thighs, just kissing the golden-furred pink slit, Okiku knew of a tattooed red rose." }, { "from": "human", "value": "No doubt it was now glistening with the couple's juices." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "She smiled at them and broke the silence." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"After all these years, and you still can't tie a kimono properly!\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Rosamund turned to Goemon and laughed." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"Not when I'm in a hurry!\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Okiku bowed. \"For me?\" she asked." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"You could have stayed as you were. You know I love the sight.\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "Then her mood changed." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"Forgive me for disturbing you. I've had a message from Jiro. He has still not found Osatsuki, but he asks us to meet him at Koya-san. He is very cautious, and the message was by word of mouth, but there is something happening there...\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Goemon chewed his lip thoughtfully." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"It is not like the big man to call for help. Should we take some men with us, I wonder?\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "His response pleased Okiku." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "She knew that both her friends were as committed to Jiro as she was." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"No, I don't think so; otherwise, he would have indicated the need. Only the three of us...\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"It will take some doing,\" Goemon warned." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"Fortunately it is after the court sessions for this week, and I can plead the need for some retreat from the heat... I'll go to Hiei-san again.\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "In the past few years, Matsudaira Konnosuke had become somewhat devout." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "He had taken to performing long retreats in a minor hall of Hiei-san, the temple that topped the mountain northeast of Miyako, the old imperial capital." }, { "from": "human", "value": "These retreats coincided with the activities of a certain wandering doctor, Goemon by name." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"We will leave tomorrow at noon,\" he decided." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"By then I will be able to finish all my official duties. I have a suggestion, though. Let us take palanquins. The travel is swifter, and more secluded.\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Okiku nodded, but Rosamund frowned." }, { "from": "system", "value": "Next message should be approximately 2 sentence." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "She did not like to be reminded that her movements were circumscribed by law: officially she was a prisoner, and in any case, the Shogun, it had been said, was considering enforcing the antiforeigner laws promulgated by his predecessors. Angrily, she bit her lip; then she bent forward to hide her emotion." } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "Task: The user will write a bit then you need to write around 3 sentences continuing directly from the user's text.\n\nAuthor style: Akahige Namban" }, { "from": "system", "value": "Produce a starting prompt please." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "During their forced march, Satsuki had a chance to observe her captors with greater attention. She was overwhelmed at first by their wildness. Their unbound hair waved in the air, their language was rough and uncouth, and their manners while eating or addressing her were vile." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Then, as the day wore on she noted certain things." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "The wild manner was not natural with many of them. Some of her captors used words and concepts that seemed well above their station. One of them, passing a yellow blooming field of rape flowers, cited a short line she knew as a court poem." }, { "from": "human", "value": "They chatted among themselves, seemingly in no hurry once they had left the environs of the city." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "By choice they walked the ridges and kept to the forested places. Most peasants gave them a wide berth, some bowing deeply as they passed. The yamabushi took no notice except to shield her from sight with their bodies." }, { "from": "human", "value": "The light bonds they had tied her with were hidden by her voluminous sleeves, which were becoming dirty." }, { "from": "human", "value": "The heat of the day and the exercise began to take their toll." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Satsuki's steps began to falter. Her feet hurt, and her tongue was dry. They urged her on, one with blows of his staff." }, { "from": "human", "value": "She sobbed silently for a while, protestingly, then was taken up on the back of one of the yamabushi and rode there in relative comfort." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "By late afternoon they were far from Miyako. They stopped for the night in the grove of an old shrine, seemingly abandoned. An old peasant saw the band entering the grove and hurried off." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Later other peasants arrived bearing food." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "The leader of the band, a man Satsuki had heard being called Tsuneyoshi, wrote out charms for them in the light of a fire. She watched him bent over the travelling box he had carried all day, which served him as a desk. Smooth features and graceful fingers seemed to belie the image of wildness conjured by the masses of hair and the strange garb." }, { "from": "human", "value": "He watched her covertly from behind the screen of his locks while he wrote." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "When the last of the peasants had left, he came and squatted by her side. She waited patiently, hands in her lap. It had not occurred to her to cry out for help to the peasants." }, { "from": "human", "value": "He smiled at her in the dark." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "His eyes glittered in the firelight.\n\n\"You do not want to escape? I note you made no sign to the peasants...\"\n\n\"But my dear sir, what could they possibly do?\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"Nothing much,\" he grunted." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"And you? Do you know why you are here?\"\n\n\"Of course not. Though I assume you will tell me in due time.\"\n\nHer composure seemed to startle him." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"Most townswomen would be screaming the place down—unless they join us by choice, of course.\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "She shook her head. \"Forgive me—I am sure it would be delightful, but I have commitments, customers...\"\n\nHe grinned. \"The only customers you've got are ours. And us, of course, though we are your family now. Old Uchibei is properly dead, and you do not owe his customers a thing.\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"Forgive me for contradicting you,\" she said in a low voice while ducking her head." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"I was never a part of Uchibei's people. This morning his men kidnapped me and brought me to the house you found me in. I am so glad you let me out.\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "He reared back in surprise. \"I am sorry,\" he said formally in somewhat different tones. \"I had assumed you were one of his stable we missed...\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"Stable?\" she said coldly.\n\nDiscomfited by her tone more than by anything else he said vaguely, \"... Well, you know... the women he owned.\"\n\nShe bowed again. \"I am afraid not. I am Osatsuki of Gion. I would be delighted to entertain you there. Your men did not give me a chance to explain. I am sure some compensation could be arranged for you when you return me...\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "He rocked slightly on his heels and laughed." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"So sorry. We're on our way to the Festival of Summer Peak, to celebrate. You will have to come with us. It is dangerous for a woman, particularly one of your appearance, to be out on her own. Of course, you will have to work for your keep. You won't mind that, will you now?\" His eyes glittered over her. \"After all, it is religious work that we do. I think we should see what you have to offer, at least until our own girls get here.\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "He grabbed her shoulders and bore her backwards onto the mat-covered ground.\n\nSatsuki forebore resistance. He opened her robe, less violently now that he could feel that she was not about to resist. His henchmen gathered round, anticipating their turn and enjoying the spectacle." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Tsuneyoshi trailed his fingers down her chest." }, { "from": "human", "value": "The sensation was not unpleasant, she decided." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "His index finger lingered for a while in the dip of her navel. He bent forward, and the tip of his tongue emerged. She smiled at him encouragingly." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "With a reflexive motion he bent his head as if to use his tongue on her. One of the men, who had crouched down to see better, moved. The sound broke the spell." }, { "from": "human", "value": "He looked at her relaxed face sharply." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "She sighed, a low sound, for his ears only. His finger left her navel and trailed to the top of her dark bush. He toyed with the gleaming dark hairs for a short while." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "His other hand was fumbling with the bow knot in front of his baggy pants. She noticed his distraction.\n\n\"Oh, excuse me!\" she exclaimed in a low voice." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Her slim hand snaked out and released the tie." }, { "from": "human", "value": "His fingers dipped between her plump nether lips, and a faint musky perfume rose between the locks of hair that framed his face." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "She released the trousers and pulled them down, then felt for his white loincloth. Within she could feel an iron bar, warm to the touch through the cotton. His fingers slid into the warmth of her slit, and his rigid digit was moistened by her delicate juices." }, { "from": "human", "value": "His prick sprang erect from its confinement." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Looking over the mounds of her breasts, she admired its sinewy length and spread her legs to facilitate his entry. Both his hands were now free. One roamed over the mounds of her breasts, then descended to pinch and stroke her thighs and ass." }, { "from": "human", "value": "The other worked at her warm cavern, one finger, then two, then more inside her, the rest rapidly strumming her erect little clitoral nubbin." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "She raised her hips slightly, both to accommodate and to excite him. The deep breathing of the men beside them speeded up. He knelt between her legs." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Her soft fist guided the plum-shaped head of his manroot into her waiting cunt." }, { "from": "human", "value": "He shoved forward with all his might, keeping the weight of his body on elbows and knees, looking into her face all the while." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "She smiled, and a small mewling sound came from her throat as their hairs met and meshed. He looked deeply into her eyes. She met his gaze frankly and unafraid." }, { "from": "human", "value": "He withdrew slightly, and she let him go." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "The tip of his cock rested at the entrance to her cavern, and she slid her thighs caressingly over his. He started a swirling movement, dipping the tip of his member ever deeper into her waiting nether mouth. She smiled and responded with a counter-rotation of her thighs." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "He looked at her respectfully and started another sequence. This time he withdrew from her completely, then dipped the head only between her slickly waiting lips. He repeated the process seven times, and she sighed in proper appreciation and anticipation." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Then he thrust fully into her, the entire weight of his hips descending onto her. She responded with a slight raising of her crotch and a squeezing of the base of his cock.\n\nThe other yamabushi crouched around them in a circle." }, { "from": "human", "value": "From their impatient looks, Satsuki could tell they had no idea of what their chief was doing." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Tsuneyoshi repeated his sequence of movements, and this time she responded a bit more. Again, and her hands began a roving motion on his back. Again, and the motion of her hands increased, stroking down to his bare buttocks, squeezing the muscles under the rough coat on his back, kneading his neck gently." }, { "from": "human", "value": "He plunged in again, and this time she thrust up at him, meeting the power of his loins." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "He withdrew, and she let him go. Another repeat of the cycles, and her thighs entered the act. Again, and she began biting his exposed chest gently, licking the length of it as far as she could reach." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "His moving hips maintained their pace for a long while. Sweat beaded his forehead, and his eyes began staring out of his head with the effort. His control suddenly broke, and he plunged into her wildly and uncontrollably." }, { "from": "human", "value": "She guided his weight with her thighs and arms." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "He rose over her in a bow. His eyes were screwed tight. Jets of sperm boiled out and splattered her waiting interior." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"Please, please!\" he cried out from clenched jaws." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Knowing what he wanted, Satsuki let herself go for one short, delicious moment. Her mouth opened and she gasped for air as tremours of delight shook her frame. A wave of pleasure ran through the soft tissues of her cunt, squeezing the last drops from Tsuneyoshi's manhood." }, { "from": "human", "value": "He collapsed onto her, and they shuddered together for a long, delicious moment." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "He raised his head and stared at her for a long while.\n\n\"Would any of the other gentlemen care to indulge me?\" she said respectfully as Tsuneyoshi rose from between her legs." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"I'm afraid I have not the necessities for ablutions,\" she said with a sigh, aiming a glance, half-remonstrative, half-joking, at Tsuneyoshi." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "He cast a sharp glance in her direction, then retreated while another man took his place.\n\nThis one was far less elegant and considerate than Tsuneyoshi had been. Without pause, he aimed his rather thin cock at her overflowing cunt and lurched forward." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "His hands clawed at her breasts as he bucked into her like a rabbit. Though his grasping paws were unnecessarily rough, Satsuki bore it all cheerfully. The man's ass strained and drove at her." }, { "from": "human", "value": "He licked, then bit at her prominent nipples." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "His movements got wilder and wilder. Hoarse calls came from his throat, and he bit her again, almost hard enough to draw blood.\n\nShe was about to remonstrate with him, when a shadow looked over them." }, { "from": "human", "value": "A blow sent the man rolling off, still clutching at her in a violent grip." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "He drove at her unheedingly, his full prick driving into the skin at her thighs. The cock gushed thick white semen as Tsuneyoshi demanded furiously above them, \"Are you trying to ruin the merchandise, fool?\"\n\nUnable to answer, the man lay on his side as his seed pumped out over her thighs and hips." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Satsuki's lips compressed in shame. She would never be able to clean herself up for the next one, and that knowledge was beyond bearing. Tsuneyoshi squatted beside her and wordlessly handed her a handful of thick tissue paper." }, { "from": "human", "value": "She inclined her head gracefully, and said in a low voice, \"Thank you, sir. This will do very well,\" and wiped her cunt and body, then lay back for the next one." }, { "from": "system", "value": "Next message should be approximately 1 sentence." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "She was saddened by their unimaginativeness, but then, perhaps that could be remedied later." } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "yo can u write like Akahige Namban using my stuff as a starting point?" }, { "from": "system", "value": "Produce a starting prompt please." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "They walked until noon the following day, following ridge lines whenever possible. The air was balmy and warm. Satsuki was tired from the previous day's efforts, though the walking was easier. Apparently there was less need for haste now." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Tsuneyoshi walked beside her." }, { "from": "human", "value": "He remained silent, except when giving orders to his men." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "In the early afternoon they heard a trio of loud bangs in the distance, followed by two more. The yamabushi's face brightened. One of them rushed ahead up the path and returned several minutes later.\n\n\"A festival!\" he called while still running." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"In the village before us. The local shrine is having a festival!\"\n\nTheir pace quickened, and they headed for the distant sounds of the drum that Satsuki now realized had been beating in her ears for some time.\n\n\"Well,\" Tsuneyoshi said sardonically, \"you will have plenty of opportunity to exercise your talents.\"\n\n\"Pardon me?\" she replied, nonplussed." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"Lots of people at the festival,\" he answered. \"We will sell your services. Usually there are several women with us. This time, until we meet out friends, you will be the only one to serve.\"\n\n\"I'm not quite sure I understand—\" She broke off at the look of unbelief in his face, covered her mouth, and giggled while looking at his expression of incredulity.\n\n\"Oh, the professional part is no problem. I'm afraid I still don't know who and what you are...\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "He looked at her and threw his head back proudly." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"We are yamabushi!\" he said in a deep voice." }, { "from": "system", "value": "Next message should be approximately 5 sentences." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "She bowed gratefully.\n\nHe looked at her for a moment and explained. \"We study the Way. The true way of the Buddhas and Gods. We fast in the mountains, do pilgrimages, cure the sick, reach for immortality. We are the followers of the sage En-no-Gyoja, who first taught the way. It is a narrow path, not for everyone. We travel from holy place to holy place, seeking for translation into the realms of the World Peak. When our rituals are performed correctly, any one of us is more powerful than an army, more pure than mountain waters. We walk on fire, to show our faith and to cure the afflicted. You will see. In a few days' time we will be in Yoshino, where you, a mere woman, may not go. There we assemble for the Summer Peak and meet with our leader, the great ascetic Daisangyoja, who will lead us in austerities and pilgrimage.\" His eyes blazed at this last, and those of the group who were within hearing echoed his call.\n\nShe bowed humbly at his glory." } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "yo can u write like Akahige Namban using my stuff as a starting point?" }, { "from": "system", "value": "Produce a starting prompt please." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "The village was relatively large as agricultural villages go, almost a town. There were a large house belonging to the landlord, a small tea-shop, several relatively prosperous houses, a hostler's, a community kiln, and the usual complement of common houses with neatly thatched roofs. Slightly outside the village, across a curving wood-and-stone bridge was a high gabled shrine nestled amidst a grove of ancient cryptomerias. Though the shrine was thatch roofed like all the other buildings, its thatch was new, its wooden walls well patched.\n\nThe grove, the shrine, the way from the gateless square arch to the shrine, the very village itself were thronged with people. The peasants in celebration were wearing straw sandals, and their clothes were clean. The more prosperous townsmen brought out their finest robes, most of dyed cotton, some of silk. Gaily decorated booths lined the way to the shrine." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Delicious smells of grilling dried squid, dumplings, and warming sake floated in the air." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Long vertical banners snapped on their bamboo poles, declaring the festival.\n\nSatsuki looked on somewhat disapprovingly. There was little of the elegance she associated with festivals. Those of Miyako were very refined, exhibiting restraint and elegance. Here the festival goers shouted and danced, and the music was loud, with pipes and drums predominating. She followed Tsuneyoshi through the throng. People gave the yamabushi a wide berth. Their rough manners and haughtiness, as well as their magical powers, made them feared opponents, and few commoners cared to cross them." }, { "from": "human", "value": "They came to a clearing just outside the shrine." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Some of the yamabushi who had hurried ahead had staked out a broad area, which was free of merrymakers." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "A screen of white cloth, higher than a man's head, enclosed a small area off to one corner. The cloth was printed with magical Sanskrit characters. The yamabushi scattered to various corners of the bare area. Some set up large chests and began a series of rituals; others dispensed medicines. Two older yamabushi in white sat facing one another. One held a small wand tipped with streamers of white paper. As Satsuki watched, the man holding the wand started to tremble violently. The other grasped him firmly by the knees." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Mutterings came from the trembling man." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "The other called out, and a commoner hurried over from the sidelines, marked with straw rope, and knelt to hear the shaman's words.\n\nTsuneyoshi bowed her towards the enclosure. \"That is for you,\" he said dryly.\n\n\"Oh, thank you,\" she answered with a bright smile. \"That is most considerate.\"\n\nHe grinned sardonically. \"I'm afraid you do not understand. You will entertain customers in there.\" Behind the enclosure she could see a small group of young and older men looking at her anxiously, licking their lips.\n\n\"But of course!\" she said brightly." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"Of course I shall. So kind to ask me. I'm sure you have also arranged the necessities...\" Her voice trailed off, gently chiding." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"Necessities?\" Tsuneyoshi gaped at her. \"There's a mat in there. Don't forget to roll it up and strap it to your back when we leave. It is yours to use from now on.\"\n\n\"Certainly—how silly of me. But I've forgotten to bring any paper and of course water... A brazier and tea makings would be so nice too. I'm sure you have supplied them,\" she added ingenuously.\n\n\"I'll see to the supply,\" he promised, surprised at himself. He gave her one lingering and doubtful look before rushing off to fulfill her commission.\n\nShe entered the enclosure. There was a grass mat spread on the ground. The space had been swept, but she was disappointed that no pains had been taken to at least rake the ground in a pleasing pattern, conducive to lovemaking." }, { "from": "human", "value": "And some fresh sprigs or dried hollyhock leaves to indicate dalliance would do well too." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "She knelt on the mat.\n\nThe first customer slipped through the opening. He was a rather hefty townsman, perspiring freely. She smiled at him sweetly and bowed to the ground. He would simply have wrestled her to the ground while exposing himself, but she held him off with a laugh.\n\n\"Please, wouldn't you rather be comfortable? Please make yourself comfortable. Shall I loosen your robe?\"\n\nShe worked that entire day. The men were exceedingly unimaginative, Satsuki found." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Mostly they wanted her to lie on her back while their pricks—long and short, fat and thin, young and old—dipped into her cunt as fast as they could and spewed the contents of their balls." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Then they left, not even waiting a polite period of time for her to wipe them properly." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "At first she tried to offer more. She moved her hips in the intricate motions she had practiced as a girl, she whispered appropriate passages from classic poems in their ears, she admired their muscles and hair and skin with her hands. Few responded, and those who did, did so out of bemusement. As time went on she tried less and less, accepting them for what they were: poor peasants and townsmen out for a quick good time.\n\nTsuneyoshi, true to his word, brought a supply of soft paper and a small brazier for tea. Few of the men cared for either. Tsuneyoshi or one of the other yamabushi was always within earshot, protecting their woman if necessary. Only once did a yamabushi intervene." }, { "from": "human", "value": "The customer was thin faced, a deep scar across one side of his forehead." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "He limped into the enclosure. Satsuki had just brewed some tea. Her light gown was loose, falling off one shoulder, and her hair hung down, held only by a single ribbon. She glanced over her shoulder at him, presenting, as she knew, a charming vision of womanhood. He glanced at her and licked his lips. His eyes seemed to lose, their focus, and he stared at her blindly, as if lost in thoughts of long ago. He dropped his robes feverishly, and his loincloth followed. She turned to rise and help him, but he leaped forward and bore her back." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "She made some slight resistance to increase his pleasure. Instead of responding appropriately, he pummeled her roughly to the ground. He knelt over her, her thighs under his shins, and stared wide eyed at her spread figure. With a sob he slapped her half-parted thighs, and she spread them further, trying to indulge the poor man. His breathing was heavy, and saliva collected on his lips.\n\nHe slapped her breasts again and again, muttering, \"I've got you, woman; now I've got you,\" then plunged forward deeply into her. She stroked his shoulders as he began to move. He pulled out and looked at her, anger enlarging his eyes to frightening proportions." }, { "from": "human", "value": "He grasped her hips roughly and forced her over on her belly." }, { "from": "human", "value": "He pulled her back and entered her from behind." }, { "from": "human", "value": "It was a pleasant variation on the monotony of the day, and Satsuki responded by moving her ass in a wide circle, something she knew was a good preliminary." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "He cried out something inarticulate, then slapped her ass. She knew some men preferred a bit of violence with their women and did her best to comply with his pleasure, ignoring the pain. He screamed at her this time, and withdrew from her again.\n\nSuddenly she felt the sticky knob of his cock poised at her rear entrance. Although she had no overt objection to that way of entry, she felt she should stand on her right to some preparation. She turned her head and started to say, \"Dear sir, please—\" when he grinned savagely at her and lunged forward. A burning pain, unexpected and therefore unbearable, lanced up her bottom. Satsuki responded by trying to pull away." }, { "from": "human", "value": "He yelled in triumph and his blows rained down on her buttocks." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Suddenly terrified, she heard the slithering-clinking sound of steel being drawn. Her calm shattered, she tried to pull away from the hold on her neck.\n\nThere was rough cry, the sound of a blow, and the weight was gone from her back. She rolled over and away, conscious suddenly of the ridiculous figure she cut, stopped, and came to her knees. The scar-faced man was on all fours, one of the yamabushi standing over him. The yamabushi held his staff at the ready, while the man heaved with racking dry sobs and tried to crawl away. A short-sword lay on the mat.\n\n\"Please let him go,\" Satsuki said in a low voice." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"He was about to kill you!\" the yamabushi responded angrily. \"We do not allow this sort of treatment to a member of the band!\"\n\n\"Nonetheless, I beg of you, please let him go.\"\n\nThe yamabushi looked at her doubtfully, then at the blade. He bowed his head once, then gave the cowering man a kick in the ribs.\n\n\"Get out of here, animal! If you ever come round us again, that will be your end!\" He took several threatening steps forward as the man scrambled away, rose to his feet, and hobbled off, bent over his hurting side." }, { "from": "human", "value": "It was an exhausting way to make a living, she decided that evening, but the rewards were pleasant." }, { "from": "system", "value": "Next message should be approximately 6 sentences." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "And of course, it was infinitely more interesting than her previous effete life as a kuge noblewoman in the old city of Miyako. The yamabushi feasted that night on a rich vegetable soup and white rice. Satsuki ate delicately, knowing that greed would impair her faculties. She was somewhat piqued to note that none of the yamabushi required her services that night. Consoling herself with the thought that with training they would improve, she composed herself for sleep. In the morning they would be moving on through the mountains." } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "Mode:\nCo-writing\n\nLength:\n5 sentences\n\nStyle:\nAkahige Namban" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "The inn was not sumptuous, but adequate rooms were provided for rich travellers and samurai, their retainers, and their women. It was common to see even high-class nobles travel on pilgrimages in the summer, and Matsudaira Konnosuke's retinue, travelling badgeless, aroused no comment. Goemon, Okiku, and Rosamund made themselves comfortable in a suite of rooms overlooking an interior garden.\n\nNight fell. They dined on a stew of mountain vegetables, taro, and loach cooked in cheesy bean curd. A young maid served them." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "She was a small thing with an unusually large bust. As she bent over, the front of her robe would part, revealing enormous globes that almost, but not quite, rivalled Rosamund's own.\n\nShe left after asking them if there was anything else they needed. Rosamund followed Goemon's thoughtful gaze as the maid left the room, and her bare foot nudged Okiku. Okiku grinned in agreement and looked at Goemon maliciously." }, { "from": "human", "value": "An idea took shape in her mind, and she smiled at her friend and raised an eyebrow." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Then something else attracted her attention." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Casually she gathered her feet under her and tapped her rice bowl with her chopsticks." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Goemon shifted slightly on his seat, holding his bowl loosely in his left hand." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Okiku's hand flipped back over her shoulder with a long dagger held ready." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Goemon held the rice bowl for throwing as a quoit.\n\n\"Pardon me for disturbing you, Lord Matsudaira,\" a polite voice said from the veranda. There was something familiar about it, but Goemon cold not pin it down.\n\n\"May I?\" asked the invisible owner of the voice.\n\nNot to be outdone, Goemon first took another mouthful of rice." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"Please do,\" he said.\n\nThere was a step and an armed figure, dressed in black from head to foot, bowed to them on one knee from the veranda.\n\n\"Hanzo!\" breathed Okiku.\n\nHattori Hanzo, the shogun's spymaster, bowed in acknowledgement. \"I have a message.\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "There was only one possible source for that message. Matsudaira Konnosuke, in the usual course of things Governor of Miyako, when occasion demanded an onmitsu, a private agent of the Shogun, bowed in respect.\n\n\"There is a rumor of unrest among the people. The yamabushi, some of them at least, are following a new leader. He claims descent from En-no-Gyoja, or worse. Such could upset the current delicate situation.\"\n\nGoemon nodded thoughtfully. He knew what it meant. In the south, Christianity, fomented by Spain, was making headway notwithstanding edicts against it." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "In the center of the country a populist religious movement such as that of En-no-Gyoja, founder of the yamabushi order several hundred years before, could have grave consequences for the peace of a country which had been riven by civil war for the preceding hundred years.\n\n\"You must investigate, if possible terminate, and report.\"\n\n\"This may accord well with something we have heard. One of us is currently investigating... Do you have any other information?\" demanded Goemon.\n\n\"There is to be a great meeting of his followers in the Yoshino mountains. We hesitate to arrest him. It would definitely cause more unrest. The leaders of the Tozan-ha and the Hozan-ha, the two main divisions of the yamabushi, support us, and this new leader will not be permitted to go to the Summer Peak rituals with them, but he will be advancing on his own, perhaps from Mount Koya.\" The black-clad man bowed in farewell, then in a less formal tone added, \"I am glad to see, Lord Matsudaira, that you are keeping a close eye on your prisoner.\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "He bowed again and was gone." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"Could Jiro be somehow aware of this? I wonder,\" Goemon said thoughtfully. \"I wish the big man would let us know where he is. And what he is doing. In any case I should not be too late in my return.\"\n\n\"To return to the matter at hand?\" Okiku said, as if continuing an interrupted sentence.\n\n\"Yes, indeed,\" said Rosamund." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"You were interested in that little big-boobed maid, weren't you, Goemon?\"\n\nHe smiled. \"They were not a patch of yours, my dear, but quite adequate.\"\n\n\"If we weren't here you'd bed her immediately, wouldn't you?\" queried Okiku maliciously.\n\nHe entered into the spirit of the game. \"Of course I would. I'm entitled to such pleasures as are necessary to my well-being.\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"How would you do it? After all, you wouldn't beg such a chit, would you? Like you beg me sometimes?\" Rosamund leaned forward, her eyes bright. She moved her shoulders suggestively, and her full breasts swayed under the light material of the robe she had put on after her bath.\n\n\"Of course not!\" The very idea seemed to shock him, and both girls giggled lightly. \"I'd order her here and have my way with her!\" \"Nonsense!\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "snorted Okiku. \"She'd lodge a complaint against you. You're not the lord of this demesne.\"\n\n\"True,\" Goemon winked, \"but I have influence... Besides,\" he added in a serious tone, \"do you really believe a serving maid at a public inn would complain about being played with by a high-ranking samurai, even if she were not ready for it?\"\n\nOkiku nodded. \"It's true. Most commoners would fear to report or complain, even if the law were on their side. The richer a man is, the more the law is on his side.\"\n\n\"That's not what I meant!\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "Goemon cried indignantly. \"The law is upheld for all regardless. I am a magistrate, and I tell you that. I meant she would be pleased nonetheless, because of the chance of favor...\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"No matter,\" Rosamund said, seeing the cynical look on Okiku's face. \"I want you to do it!\"\n\n\"Do what?\" Goemon had lost the thread of the argument.\n\n\"I want Matsudaira Konnosuke to call for the young maid with the fat tits, order her to lie on her back, and mount her, you oaf. We, of course, will stay here to see that your comfort is provided for.\"\n\nGoemon looked at her doubtfully." }, { "from": "human", "value": "He rubbed his shaven pate and looked at his mistress out of the corner of his eye." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"Pardon me for asking, Lady Rose, but what do you get out of it?\" he asked suspiciously while bowing with exaggerated politeness. He knew that Rosamund was indefatigable in search of her pleasure, and though she was prepared to share him with her friends, that was on a reciprocal basis. In addition, Okiku seemed to be in cahoots with the blonde, and from experience he knew that the dark girl's manipulations could be painful at times.\n\nRosamund bowed just as politely." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"Why, master, to ensure your pleasure, what else?\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "she asked sweetly. At her side Okiku bowed politely too, though she could not hide the glint of a smile." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"You couldn't possibly fear such a suggestion?\" Rosamund added.\n\nGoemon made a face. He knew she was baiting him, hoping for a beating perhaps. Her indulgence in sex mixed with pain was a source of constant amazement to him, as well as a goad.\n\nGoemon called for service impatiently." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "The sliding fusuma door, painted with a faint view of an island in the sea, slid open. The maid was kneeling in the anteroom. She bowed, and the nightingale floor sang under her as she moved her weight. The guard outside the door looked in and, satisfied that all was well, resumed his vigil with his back to the room. Goemon motioned the girl to enter." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"Close the door,\" he added as an afterthought." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"Remember you are a samurai!\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Okiku whispered his favorite exhortation to him as they watched the maid approach. She was short and rather plump. Her slightly crossed eyes gave her face a puzzled look. Her feet were bare and clean. Most impressive was the front of her dove-grey kimono, which bulged pleasingly forward." }, { "from": "human", "value": "She stopped to kneel, but Goemon motioned her closer." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "She knelt and bowed, then asked, \"Is there something...?\"\n\nGoemon looked her up and down for a moment, making up his mind. There was a mild cough from Rosamund. His chin firmed, and he took a breath.\n\n\"Lie down and spread your legs!\" he barked abruptly." }, { "from": "human", "value": "For a moment all four froze in a tableau." }, { "from": "human", "value": "The maid's eyes swung from one to the other, the rich nobleman, his small concubine, and the other, the strange woman that looked like something out of a dream: yellow hair and round eyes." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Her lips parted as if for a scream or a protest. But years of training and of service in the inn took over.\n\n\"Yes!\" she coughed. She lay back and spread her legs, her eyes closed.\n\nGoemon looked at her doubtfully for a moment, as if not ready to believe his eyes." }, { "from": "human", "value": "He turned to look at Rosamund." }, { "from": "human", "value": "The blonde smiled back at him, then flipped her skirts up, exposing her perfect, smooth-skinned legs." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "She stroked the length of her own thighs, ending with both hands in her lap, barely covering the golden cloud at the junction of her legs and belly. Goemon took a firmer grip on himself.\n\n\"Open your robe!\" he commanded, more surely, almost more gently this time.\n\nThe maid obeyed. Some of the fear and surprise must have left her, because there was a hint of coquettishness in her motions as she flipped back the sides of her robe and uncovered first one and then another pale thigh. Her petticoat was a bright red." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Okiku leaned forward, thinking how charming the combination of colors was." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "A small black triangle of hair was set at the angle formed by the pale tan legs, which in turn were framed by the blood-red of the spread petticoat. The red petticoat in turn was bordered with dove grey, the entire set out against the gold of the tatami mats.\n\nGoemon seemed entranced with the view. He looked at her spread before him for a long time. His lips pinched in thought." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"Your sash...\"\n\nShe twisted her arms to get at the knot under her back.\n\n\"No, do not move yet,\" he commanded. He leaned forward and loosened her tie with a few quick, practiced motions. She was breathing slightly faster now, and with languid motions pulled the sash from under and around her." }, { "from": "human", "value": "The material made a slithering sound as it came away." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"Open your robe completely!\" He commanded.\n\nShe obeyed with alacrity, her eyes open. Disappointed, she saw he was not looking at her breasts.\n\n\"Now sit up!\" She smiled at his order and rose, the better to show off her most promising feature. Her breasts were large, their brown nipples jutting cheekily upwards." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "The half globes were smooth and full. She lowered her lids and glanced at the tips of her breasts, then at the samurai before her. He was young and pleasant-looking, his hair newly oiled after bath, his skin shining with health. She smiled slightly. He might not turn out to be a perfect lover, but with his position it did not really matter. His handsome appearance only made things pleasanter." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Goemon ran his hands over her breasts. He pinched the nipples lightly for a moment, then squeezed a breast with each hand. Each globe was larger than his palm, the nipple brushing against his skin. Still holding both breasts he pushed her back. She did not resist but assumed the position she had lain in before." }, { "from": "human", "value": "He let go one breast long enough to flip back his robe, then knelt between her spread legs." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"Guide me into you!\" he commanded." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Her work-roughened hand found the erect pillar of his manhood. It was thick and warm to her touch. For a moment she wondered what it would taste like, but she pushed the perverse thought from her mind. She laid the blunt tip of his cock at the entrance to her cunt lips, teasing it up and down fractionally. But before she could rub it on her sensitizing flesh, he was on her." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Goemon stretched out his full length on the girl beneath him. At the same time he pushed his cock deeply into her. She was still not wet enough. His thrust rubbed against the walls of her cunt, and she grunted a bit. Without pause he pushed forward until he could feel their hairs mingling." }, { "from": "human", "value": "He let her bear all his weight for a moment." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Then his powerful ass muscles went into action. He pulled out of her almost the entire length of his rampant cock, then pushed it back in again, slowly this time. Grinding his hips against hers, he brought a grunt from her again. This time there was more pleasure mixed with the discomfort.\n\nHe pulled out slowly and began a steady sliding drive." }, { "from": "human", "value": "The walls of her channel filled rapidly with slick juices, the smell of which penetrated to his nostrils each time the air between their bodies was forced away." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "He nibbled at her full breasts occasionally, his hands roaming her body freely. Her legs came up involuntarily and clutched at his heaving back. Her eyes closed, the whites showing under the full lids. Her mouth opened, and soft cries came from it. His movements speeded up, and she added the oscillations of her own full ass to his." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Rosamund and Okiku looked on in fascination." }, { "from": "human", "value": "This was not the first time they had seen Goemon fuck, but it was a pleasure for both of them nonetheless: the man's muscular frame easily controlled his companion's plump figure." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "The skin on his back and ass bunched with his effort. His topknot bobbed over the actors, its almost metronomic movements indicating the closeness of the climactic moment. Under him the maid's soft curves made a perfect contrast, highlighted by the bright red backdrop of her petticoat. Her soft round arms, their skin paler than his, snaked over his form. She was obviously taking as much enjoyment from feeling him as he from her." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Her fingers traversed the length of his back, dipped between the muscles of his ass, fondled his balls gingerly." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Their motions speeded up. Goemon closed his eyes and jerked in and out with the speed of a dragonfly's wings.\n\nDriblets of come, heralds of the flood soon to arrive, moistened her interior, and he ground his hips against her eager pelvis. She mewled with desire and uncontrollably arched her body under him, her knees clutching at his sides, her fingers digging into his buttocks. He clenched his teeth and eyes, and pumping streams of creamy come flooded her interior." }, { "from": "human", "value": "She came at the same time, her head jerking from side to side, her frame quivering." }, { "from": "human", "value": "For a long moment Goemon lay on her as if dead, his eyes glazed." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Then he raised his head and looked at Rosamund and Okiku." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Two sets of breasts, fully erect, stared back." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Both women had bared their torsos. The upper halves of their robes lay about their waists, held by brocade sashes. He looked carefully for a long minute, his eyes clicking from one set to another as the women sat erect, hands in their laps, eyes steady. Only Rosamund, the less restrained of the two, could not contain the twitch of a smile. Her breasts, she knew, were the finest Goemon had seen." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Perfect round globes, they glowed with a pale white perfection tipped with pink areolas and darker prominent nipples. Okiku's tits were smaller and flatter but still of perfect shape. Dark areolas forming almost perfect circles were centered by prominent nipples as erect as small stubby fingers.\n\nGoemon rose from the maid to his knees.\n\n\"Lie down!\" he commanded harshly." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Rosamund, divining his intention, made as if to rise and flee." }, { "from": "human", "value": "In a flash he was on her." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "The smack of his overheated body on hers sent her tumbling back. The air oofed out of her as his full weight bore down. He forced his knees roughly between hers. She struggled furiously, and he pinned her down with a clenched forearm. His other hand snapped down and gripped her hip painfully, then shifted between their bodies." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "His fingers found her lush cunt. It was dripping with her interior moisture. Without pause he shoved two fingers inside the lubricious channel. His palm served as a guide as his slick, hard cock made its way between the full lips of her cunt.\n\nShe ceased her struggling as soon as he was well seated." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Goemon, however, was carried away by the violence of the moment." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "His full weight came down on her soft curves as his rigid penis made its hurried way up her vagina and lodged deep in her belly. He stayed deep inside her for a moment, wriggling his hips forcefully, making her take in another fraction of his body. She responded by raising her head and kissing him on his lips. Her mouth covered his. Her tongue slid into the warm masculine cavern and submissively explored within." }, { "from": "human", "value": "He licked her probing tongue, then pushed his own almost down her throat." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "His lips sucked at hers, extracting the taste to the full. Then his hips began pounding at hers.\n\nWith long strokes at first, then more and more rapidly, his man-tower bore into her. She greeted such assault with a yelp of pleasure, each withdrawal with a sigh that was half enjoyment for the rapid friction, half regret. Their motions slowly grew to a climax." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Goemon was still seized with the mood she had worked on him." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "He felt he could not pause for a moment. Rosamund was so turned on by the sight she had seen earlier that her own responses were as quick as his. They were soon both panting, her teeth nipping at his neck and shoulders, his fingers squeezing, pinching, scratching her at places he knew she liked. Her whole body started to tremble uncontrollably. Shudders ran down her skin." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Her arms and thighs clutched at his pistoning frame in a frenzy.\n\n\"Goemon... Goemoooon!\" his assumed name burst from her lips as a torrent sluiced from her well-lubricated insides and made a sopping mass of their entwined hairs. His own climax was a pale thing compared to hers. Spurts of milky juice jerked weakly from the tip of his cock as he stiffened in her arms. He raised his head to see Okiku's hand between her legs." }, { "from": "human", "value": "She looked at him and smiled broadly, three fingers making long, slow strokes at her clitoris." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Her body too began shaking with the coming climax. His teeth clenched." }, { "from": "human", "value": "She was laughing at him, he knew." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "In his present mood, he was not prepared to consider that she laughed with him, rather than against him. Rosamund, they all knew, had wrung him dry for some minutes to come. But he was a samurai. Sun Tzu's maxim about the use of many weapons came to his mind.\n\n\"Stop!\" he ordered peremptorily." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Normally nothing could be better calculated to cause Okiku to disobey." }, { "from": "human", "value": "This time, caught in the enchantment of the moment, she paused." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Still lying with his full weight on Rosamund, who observed his actions closely, he pulled Okiku's hand to him." }, { "from": "human", "value": "He sniffed at her fingers, enjoying the warm, rich smell of her randy cunt." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"Lie down!\" he commanded again. Okiku obeyed and spread her legs, raising her knees slightly. His flaccid, sopping cock emerged from Rosamund's cunt with a barely audible plop. He knelt between Okiku's legs and bent forward to study her lower lips. They were framed in a heart-shaped forest of soft black hairs." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "The lips were delicate, bisected by an almost invisible line. He opened them like a flower, uncovering the tiny nubbin and hole between. Then he lowered his head and began tonguing her cunt.\n\nHe started with long, slow strokes with a flattened tongue. The slightly rough surface brought goose bumps to Okiku's thighs." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "His pace grew more rapid and he moistened his tongue with saliva and the inner juices from the channel between her cunt lips. He changed pace and began sucking hungrily at the tiny clitoris, which lay like a pearl within an oyster's tissues. She sighed and clutched at his head, her own head thrashing from side to side. Again his pace changed, and his tongue, stiff as a finger, drove deeply into her hungry cunt. She arched her hips in response, and her clitoral nubbin was crushed pleasingly between her pubis and his teeth, which he covered obligingly with his upper lip." }, { "from": "human", "value": "The lingual fucking continued, and Okiku lost control." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "She gave herself up to the sensation. Waves of pleasure engulfed her, and her body spasmed into uncontrollable tremors as a wash of salty juice flooded Goemon's mouth.\n\nGoemon raised his head and rocked back to sit on his knees. The maid bowed before him and offered a sheet of pure white paper. He wiped his lips, and then she bowed before him and wiped his cock with another sheet, admiring the proportions of the member that had been in her." } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "Expand the story by adding 4 sentences." }, { "from": "human", "value": "The high sound of the flute played with a manic energy came first to Jiro's consciousness." }, { "from": "human", "value": "He slid down a muddy slope, pausing for a second to adjust the strap of a sandal, when he became aware of the deeper beat of the drum." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Between the trees he could just about make out the sight of smoke. The wild skirling of the fue flute seemed to make the smoke dance.\n\nThe mountain trail was steep, and there were few travellers. He had been told at an earlier stop that the path would shorten his road considerably." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "In fact, the effort was hardly worth it, though he had enjoyed the quiet of the mountain air.\n\nThe village became visible. It was a substantial one, a stopping place for pilgrims on their way to the sites farther south. The drum and flute were both heard clearly now." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Perhaps, thought Jiro, he would be able to receive some news here of Satsuki and her captors.\n\nThe main street of the town was crowded with merrymakers. The fair booths lined the sides of the main street and spilled over to some of the side alleys. Sellers of children's whirligigs, fried noodles, fish-shaped waffles stuffed with sweet bean jam, and sake competed for attention." }, { "from": "human", "value": "The shrine, where he called first, was decorated with long blue banners which hung limply in the heat." }, { "from": "human", "value": "A steady crowd of visitors streamed into the shrine grounds." }, { "from": "human", "value": "They rang the bell hanging from the front beam, clapped their hands and bowed to the kami inside, then received a drink from the attendant." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Jiro rang the bell and contributed his copper to the offertory box, then prayed for the success of his venture." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "The smell from the booths was irresistible. He bought a grilled dried squid, then a bowl of wheat noodles in soup. Most of the townsmen gave the giant samurai a wide berth. Samurai were unpredictable and uncontrollable." }, { "from": "human", "value": "For the commoner, it was best to steer clear of strange ones." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Later, full and comfortable, he relaxed in the shade of one of the giant cryptomerias that shaded the grounds of the shrine." }, { "from": "human", "value": "The wild music continued." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "The musicians ensconced in a wooden tower in a wide clearing before the shrine continued throughout the afternoon, fortified no doubt by the enormous quantities of rice wine they had been drinking.\n\nThe stream of visitors increased as the sun set and people finished their daily chores. A ripple of excitement ran through the crowd. Children and adults lined the entrance to the shrine, packed as close as they could get." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "The shouting came closer. A tightly packed wild mob of almost naked men came into view. They carried an ornate mikoshi—an elaborately carved wooden shrine, decorated with a towering copper phoenix. The structure swayed and swung on its bearers' shoulders." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "At times it seemed to go round in circles as men armed with fans tried to control its movement. They were the only sober men of the lot. The porters shouted, \"Washoi! Washoi!\" as they came, dressed in nothing but loincloths and headbands." }, { "from": "human", "value": "The staggering edifice, towering over the heads of its porters, reached the shrine." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Above the head of the mob, Jiro could see another coming." }, { "from": "human", "value": "He smiled. He liked the sight of the mikoshi." }, { "from": "human", "value": "He had helped carry one not many years before." }, { "from": "human", "value": "The second mikoshi was smaller than the first." }, { "from": "human", "value": "It was also something of a surprise." }, { "from": "human", "value": "In the flickering light of the lanterns that now lit the scene, Jiro could see that some of the porters were women." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Unlike the near-naked men, they dressed in tight indigo-dyed pants, aprons, and coats favored by some workmen in winter. But they chanted and drank as lustily as their male counterparts.\n\nThe audience greeted the appearance of this mikoshi with cheers. Jiro gathered by eavesdropping that having women carry a mikoshi was a unique local custom." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Crowded together under the thick carrying pole, they presented an unusual and piquant view. Jiro laughed with the other spectators. His size allowed him to see over the heads of the crowd, and he could appreciate the sight of young women enjoying heavy labor and drinking. One of them caught his eye." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "She was smiling like the rest, sweat running down her brow. Her coat was open, displaying the bare tops of heavy breasts. Her body, sandwiched between those of two plumper girls, was full and ripe, and Jiro could imagine the feel of the thighs that now rubbed against heavy blue cloth. Something stirred between his legs as he looked on." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "The sweat on the high-cheeked faces reminded him of sweat brought on by other circumstances. He shrugged in annoyance. The women he knew were far off, he had not sufficient money to pay for companionship, and in any case, he was busy. The thickening of his prick subsided." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "He strolled, vaguely dissatisfied, through the throngs of merrymakers. Lurid green or red glares, the product of small fireworks set off at intervals, lit the scene. Near a small outbuilding by the side of the main shrine building, he saw a laughing group of people. The young men who had carried the larger mikoshi were crouched or sprawled in a circle, drinking from large clay bottles and eating festival fare." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Jiro turned away. More movement caught his eye. In the light of several lanterns, the carriers of the other mikoshi sprawled on the ground. Their high voices identified them as women. The one who had grinned earlier at Jiro was among them." }, { "from": "human", "value": "He passed between them and the light with a deliberate tread." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "The shadow of his massive figure and erect topknot caused the girl to look up. Her hair was held by a twisted piece of cloth that fell almost to her eyes and rode high over the long hair she had tied behind. It gave her a rakish, almost piratical appearance. She grinned at him again, and he moved on into the dark." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "The girl rose and stretched mightily. \"Well, me for a bath and bed.\"\n\n\"So early, Osachi? There's still plenty to drink—and to look at,\" her companions joshed her.\n\n\"Ha! Just like you,\" one of the men said." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"You dance and sing all day, with nothing left for the evening...\"\n\nEveryone laughed, and Osachi waved at them and walked off into the dark. She watched dancers around the drum tower, pinched a piece of fried octopus from an acquaintance's booth, and made her way slowly through the crowd. She angled off to one side, casually noting the tall samurai who no doubt had headed in that direction to relieve himself." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "The passage between some tall cryptomerias was dark, but it was the shortest route to her home.\n\nSuddenly a tall figure loomed out of the dark at her. She squeaked, then covered her mouth with a hand.\n\n\"Did I frighten you, miss? I hadn't intended to do so.\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "The tall samurai stood before her. She looked him up and down carefully. Behind her the light of the fires and lanterns etched his strong face. His hair was curiously soft, even worn in the unshaven pate of a masterless samurai." }, { "from": "human", "value": "His hands were large and looked as if he had known physical labor—odd for a samurai." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"What do you intend to do with me?\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Since he seemed to be standing there quite harmlessly, the question seemed odd.\n\nHe smiled at the meaning behind the words. \"There's a small building deeper in the shadows.\" He turned and moved off into the dark." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Slowly she followed him, her heart pounding and her hands clasped before her." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "He stood before the old shed, used formerly as a minor shrine. He bent and kissed her. For a moment her lips resisted and her body stiffened; then she melted into his arms. He raised her into the air and deposited her on the old soft tatami, then lay down beside her." }, { "from": "human", "value": "His hands slipped into her coat and around her to untie the blue apron." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Thick strong fingers found first one and then the other of her nipples, and she groaned slightly." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Her own hands sought a way into his split hakama trousers, and she mewed her frustration. It was the first time she had tried a samurai, and the intricacies of his dress defeated her. Inside the rough cloth she could feel the iron-hard bar of an enormous cock.\n\nHe pushed her hands impatiently aside and rapidly slipped out of his trousers, robe, and loincloth." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "His cock jutted aggressively forward as he leaned over her to untie her tight pants of rough indigo-dyed cloth. The massive tool swung before her face, and she captured it with her mouth. It was almost too big to fit into her mouth, but he jerked forward, and a length of his shaft scraped past her teeth. The tip tasted salty and musky on her tongue, and she sucked hungrily, her cheeks expanding with the effort." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "She was conscious of her pants being torn off her and of the samurai's face being thrust between her legs. His unshaven cheeks scraped the insides of her thighs, and she wondered momentarily how he could bear the sweaty smell.\n\nOvertaken by his lust, Jiro sniffed at the rich, sweaty female smell of the girl. He pushed forward, his tongue reaching for the inviting hole." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "It brought back memories of his first time with Okiku, the first time with a woman. He could not remember who had raped whom, at that time, but the rich, earthy smells of a sweating woman in heat always brought out a slavering beast in him. He lapped at the fleshy lips for a long time. Her hips squirmed incessantly, as if trying coyly to reject his tongue's advances." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "His hands gripped the woman's buttocks, and he forced his tongue deeply into her. His nose did duty for both of them, rubbing silkily against the oiled pearl of her clitoris and raising a pleasurable haze in his brain as the musky, earthy smell hit his membranes.\n\nJiro's cock was being sucked inexpertly by the struggling girl, and he restrained himself, knowing that it took much practice to take his entire engine in. At last the needs of the moment overtook him." }, { "from": "human", "value": "He withdrew from between her thighs and pulled back from her mouth." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Her eyes gleamed in the dark, and he realized that she was as ready as he." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "He lay flat on her, uncaring of the floor. His cock, wet and hard as a sword from the sword-sharpener's pond, poised for a second before her dripping cunt; then he drove forward.\n\nOsachi met the samurai's stabbing thrust with a clenching of her inner muscles and a shaking of her body. Well before he had sheathed himself fully in her, she had begun a movement of her hips." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Her ass came up from the floor to meet the onslaught." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "The little wooden building creaked as their combined weight came down.\n\nThe floorboards were moistened by their juices. She extracted every bit of pleasure she could from the body covering her. He was a stranger, well built, and she would never see him again." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "She satisfied every curiosity and whim she could in the silent dark, something she could not do with the local lads for fear of being too forward. Her hands roved over his back and down to his ass. She slipped hands between his buns and fingered his hairy asshole. Osachi squeezed his scrotum, feeling the two eggs inside as they slapped against her rump." }, { "from": "human", "value": "They were wet with juice, the hair plastered against the silky skin." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "He slapped her breasts with breathless annoyance when her squeezes became too rough.\n\nShe laughed inwardly at men's fragility and continued her explorations, her mind almost detached from the volcano of pleasure that was churning her slit. She tested the length of his shaft as it emerged from her tight hole. The hairs meshed in a sopping mass, and she tightened her cunt once again." }, { "from": "system", "value": "Next message should be approximately 5 sentences." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "There was a tremour from the bag and a rapid contraction that she could feel with the back of her hand. The man's weight descended on her, stuck to the hollow of her thighs like a leech. She felt waves of pressure shoot up the fleshy hose and inundate her insides. Gratefully she surrendered to the sensation.\n\nThey writhed for a long moment, their hips joined, his tongue forcing its way into her willing mouth." } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "yo can u write like Akahige Namban using my stuff as a starting point?" }, { "from": "human", "value": "The sweat cooled on their bodies in the dark as they lay side by side." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Osachi's rough hands stroked Jiro's massive chest, and she nibbled at the skin over his ribs.\n\n\"What are you doing here? We see very few samurai.\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"I'm looking for a friend, kidnapped by yamabushi. Have you seen any such?\"\n\nShe laughed. \"Many, of course. This is the season for their mountain pilgrimages. Some of them come through all the time, but particularly now. Why, there was a group that came here just two days ago. They would have stayed for the festival, but they were hurrying to their meeting at Mount Yoshino. They gather there every year for a pilgrimage. Usually they have women with them, but this time there were only two. I must say the boys were disappointed.\" She sniffed deprecatingly." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"It's not as if they were deprived here. Why, I've had two boys a night crawl into my bedding... There's even one I'm going to wake up and scream for.\"\n\n\"Wake up and scream for?\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "Jiro asked in puzzlement." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"Of course! The one I'm going to marry.\" Osachi turned on her side and looked at him, then laughed." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"Why, how does a city girl choose a husband then, eh? The boys here come and visit at night, and if you like him, you wake your father and then... But until then, we can have a little fun, no?\"\n\n\"Judging from how you perform, a lot of fun.\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "She laughed in response and poked him in the ribs." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"He'd probably get away though, wouldn't he?\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"Mostly the father goes and arranges it with his father. But get away? From me? Ha! Goro will never get away from me.\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"How would you hold him?\" Jiro teased." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"With my legs, of course. Like this.\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "Osachi swung herself onto his supine form." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Her wet pussy smacked against his flaccid prick." }, { "from": "human", "value": "She rubbed herself back and forth on his member." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Her fingers stroked her tiny clitoris with each move and incidentally brought more pressure onto Jiro's manhood." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Slowly the soft roll of flesh thickened and hardened." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "The slickness of the lips that bracketed the skin of his sensitive cock hardened his penis as few other things could. He raised his hands and lifted her in the air." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "His cock sprang free, and Jiro positioned her hungry opening over the tip, then let go. Gratefully she sank down, her nether mouth engulfing the thickness gratefully." }, { "from": "human", "value": "He raised her again, then brought her down forcefully onto his body." }, { "from": "human", "value": "She scratched his chest with strong fingers and grinned at him in the dark." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "She tried to rise and slide down his pole again, but he would have nothing of it. She struggled in his arms for a moment." }, { "from": "human", "value": "He slipped his hands to her hips and started a rotating movement of her hips." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"Like a suribachi,\" she giggled, and started grinding her hips on him." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Jiro released his hold on her hips, and the girl ground herself into him, humming a song women used when grinding sesame into paste in a ribbed suribachi mortar." }, { "from": "human", "value": "The young samurai laughed at her." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "His hands slid around her ass. One finger poised for a moment, then slid deeply into her anus." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Osachi's tongue peeped out of the corner of her mouth, and her eyes closed." }, { "from": "human", "value": "The twirling motion of her hips continued, and Jiro felt waves of pleasure engulfing him." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "The fingers of his other hand felt along the shaft of his cock. He nipped her slick lips, which were unusually long, between thumb and forefinger and strummed the sweet flaps of flesh." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "She shivered, and he increased the speed of his motions. His stiff finger probed unceasingly into the tight ring of her anus while he arched his back slightly." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Osachi trembled and sighed slightly, and from the sudden rush of moisture, Jiro knew that she had come." }, { "from": "human", "value": "He was not yet ready, and his fingers continued their dance in her ass and along her liquid lips." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Her eyes opened, as did her mouth, and she looked down at him for a long moment." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Her hips stopped their churning, and before Jiro could do anything, she had risen from his probing cock without a word." }, { "from": "human", "value": "He started to scowl and pull her toward him, but she poised herself for a long delicious moment above his cock." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "The full, muscular half moons of her ass were parted by the erect column of his rampant prick. She pulled at his hand, and his finger popped out of her nether hole." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "She moved her hips forward and the tip of his male sword barely nudged the tight ring of her ass. She looked down at him fiercely." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"Don't you dare move!\" she whispered fiercely.\n\nShe lowered herself gradually onto the waiting prick, her thighs ridged with muscular effort." }, { "from": "human", "value": "She raised her head in pain as the fleshy sword parted her lubricated bottom." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "The size was almost too much for her. She bit her lip and forced herself downwards." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "The flanges of the cock head passed the constraining ring of muscle, and she felt the long, slick shaft make its way up her. She let herself down farther until she could feel the stiff hairs of his crotch scratching against her soft bottom." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Osachi stopped, amazed at herself, at her temerity, her perversity, the very fact that there was a strong cock, full of lust, resting up her asshole. She looked down at the man beneath her, but for the moment he was as remote as the harigata of wood she used on herself when she was particularly randy and no lover had come by." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "She raised herself and felt the long column pull reluctantly out of her depths. Before the head could extract itself, she had plunged down again." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "She repeated the process, and as it became easier, so did the pleasure increase. The man beneath her reached for her empty cunt, but she pulled his hand aside." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "She held her cunt lips open with four fingers on either side. The longest finger of each hand dipped into the waiting sweet hole, and her thumbs squeezed her prominent clitoris." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Sliding her hands over the inner recesses of her cunt and moving her ass up and down the male shaft that impaled her, she masturbated to a climax.\n\nJiro lay beneath the girl and watched as she used their bodies." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "The tightness of her ass began reaching to him, and gradually, as she dreamily played with her cunt while riding his cock, he felt his own pleasure reach a climax. She shuddered on top of him, then again." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Small climaxes grew on top of one another until her body was shivering in a continuous Saint Vitus' dance." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Mewling sounds came from her throat. Jiro noted all this through a haze." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Pinned by her thighs he felt helpless, unable to employ his massive strength. At last the tightness of her anus was too much for him." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "The sound of her enjoyment, the juices and smells of her body brought on an explosive climax. Streams of come flooded her interior, and the straining of his hips collapsed her to his side." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "They lay quietly together for a long while. He felt her over lazily, his fingers dipping into the pool of juices between her buttocks and along her thighs." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "She sighed with contentment, aftershocks of pleasure racking her body when he touched particularly sensitive points. The tremours died down, and they lay quietly together while the drums played into the night." }, { "from": "system", "value": "Next message should be approximately 3 sentences." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Before she left he asked casually, \"Those yamabushi you saw—do you know where they are headed?\"\n\n\"To the entrance to the Yoshino sanctuary. They are a closed-mouthed group, but their leader, the daisendatsu, is a man they call Daisangyoja.\"\n\nJiro bowed his thanks as the mikoshi carrier slipped away, then curled up in the warm dark to sleep." } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "Add 6 sentences to continue story" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "The hills the yamabushi group was walking through now were higher and much wilder-looking. They followed a highway traversed by crowds of pilgrims. Most were dressed in traditional white: gaiters, pants, jackets, and hats. Some sported banners that proclaimed their destination. Most of them, Tsuneyoshi explained, were heading for the great monastery at Mount Koya, where the sage Kobo Daishi, founder of the Shingon sect of Buddhism, was buried. As they walked Tsuneyoshi expounded on Shingon lore and told Satsuki tales of magic and demons that made her head spin." }, { "from": "human", "value": "He also explained something of their own objective." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "He and his band were followers of a daisendatsu, a master of the yamabushi. This master, Daisangyoja by name, a true holy man, was envied by other yamabushi leaders. Daisangyoja had called a meeting of his followers to perform a pilgrimage to the holiest of yamabushi sites, the mountains of Yoshino. There, he had promised his followers, he would perform a miracle that would reaffirm his claims, strengthen his powers, and overwhelm his opponents.\n\n\"All of that?\" asked Satsuki innocently.\n\nTsuneyoshi peered at her suspiciously from between his hanging locks." }, { "from": "human", "value": "She was not, as far as he could determine, laughing at him." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"Yes,\" he said gruffly." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"The Master will reaffirm the principles of the universe with his ritual. He will cleanse himself and us, and at the end of the ritual of the Summer Peak, he will announce himself to the world. The millennium will then surely come to this bright land of ours.\"\n\nShe bowed in respect for the miracle as they walked.\n\nBy evening they were at the outskirts of a substantial village, almost a town. There was drumming going on, and the unmistakable smell of a festival.\n\nOn a wooden hill outside the village nestled a large thatch-roofed shrine. Several vermillion-painted gateposts marked the entrances to subsidiary shrine buildings." }, { "from": "human", "value": "The giant cryptomerias that shaded the shrine sighed in the wind, ignoring the bustling crowds below them." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Visitors came to pay their respects, receiving their sip of wine and seaweed, a share of the kami's bounty, in return." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "The yamabushi began looking around anxiously. Satsuki was beginning to feel apprehensive herself, when they were hailed. Greetings were exchanged, and the two bands of Daisangyoja's followers retired to a side clearing in the wood. Around them swirled a cloud of humanity, warned away as before by the paper-festooned ropes. The yamabushi prepared themselves for their various performances. Boxes were unpacked, the shamans and their assistants sought out corners of the forest." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Tsuneyoshi and the leader of the other band headed off into the growing darkness, in the direction of the shrine.\n\nSatsuki was conducted by one of the yamabushi to a secluded corner. There was no screened area prepared for her here. She knelt on her mat, waiting passively for her work to begin.\n\n\"Well, look what we 'ave 'ere.\" The rough voice interrupted her thoughts." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Satsuki turned her head slowly. In the gloom, which was slowly being lit by flambeaux and candles, she could see three female figures. They were dressed in bright, though stained travel clothes. All three wore their hair unbound. They sprawled gracelessly on the ground. One of them spoke again, her accents the rough village accents of Kyushu Island." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"Oo're you, lovey? So pretty and fine you look.\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "She laughed loudly. \"A proper lady, ain't cha?\"\n\nSatsuki bowed slightly from her seat. \"Osatsuki of Miyako, at your service.\"\n\n\"Wot a luverly snotty accent she've got.\" The second slattern's tones were if anything rougher than the first's.\n\n\"Leave her alone!\" said the third figure." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Her speech was as rough as the two others', but she spoke in a kindly tone." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"I am Midori. Please do not worry. I understand from some of our men that you are new to the band. However, we will take care of you...\"\n\n\"Sure, sure,\" sneered one of the others. \"We'll 'ave to tyke you down a peg too, Midori love...\"\n\nThe one called Midori rounded on her companions in fury. \"Shut up!\" she hissed at them. \"Or I'll brain you.\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Either the tone of her voice or the rock she held in one fist convinced them, because the two women cowered and muttered among themselves.\n\n\"Really, this is quite unnecessary. I do hope we can be friends,\" said Satsuki ingenuously.\n\nThe other chuckled out of the darkness. \"Well, at least we'll have to work together, so we might as well be friends.\"\n\nThey chatted idly for a while, waiting for the screened area to be erected. All three girls had been living with their band for some time." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "They travelled the breadth and length of the country, from one pilgrimage center to another, servicing the pilgrims and the townsmen alike. They had been from Mount Haguro in the north to the eighty-eight pilgrimage sites of Shikoku to the south. They were from similar backgrounds. Midori, the third daughter of a poor craftsman, had run away from home and joined the yamabushi. The other two came from poor farm families and had run away as well.\n\n\"Ah, there is Hachibei.\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "One of the three women raised her head expectantly.\n\nSatsuki saw Tsuneyoshi approaching through the crowds, accompanied by a yamabushi she assumed was Hachibei. Both men seemed very excited. They stopped and spoke to the men in the compound, and messengers raced off into the darkness. Eventually the two approached the kneeling women.\n\n\"This is the one I mentioned to you, Elder Brother.\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Tsuneyoshi indicated Satsuki. The other looked her over carefully, and his breath hissed from his teeth. He laughed and shook his head. \"It is a shame we must refrain from sex for the next day, as the firewalking ritual requires. Otherwise I would like to receive your permission to try her.\"\n\nSatsuki bent her head and murmured, \"I am honored.\" But her formal greeting was eclipsed by the other women's exclamations of surprise.\n\n\"A firewalking? How wonderful!\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "There was an excited feminine babble." }, { "from": "system", "value": "Next message should be approximately 2 sentences." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"Yes, I am afraid you will not be able to work tonight. We must prepare the grounds anyway. The shrine priest is of the Shogun sect, and he has given permission to perform the ritual. The portents have been rather bad for the region, and he is anxious to perform a prophylaxis.\" The two men moved off while the women relaxed and chatted." } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "Task: Story collab\nMe: Opening\nYou: 7 sentences more, Akahige Namban-style" }, { "from": "system", "value": "Produce a starting prompt please." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "The firewalking grounds were surrounded by a rice-straw rope decorated with straw wisps and paper streamers. Expectant spectators, hoping for the benefit of the ritual, surrounded the flimsy yet powerful barrier. In the middle of the rectangle was a pile of wood and brush. Additional wood was piled nearby. The yamabushi were dressed in their best, and they had stationed themselves self-importantly in the various appropriate positions. The ritual was long and complicated. Prayers were said. A large conch trumpet was blown." }, { "from": "human", "value": "One yamabushi shot arrows at the four directions." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Others blew water and waved sprigs of an evergreen bush.\n\nThe pile of brush was lit, and bright flames leaped forth. The yamabushi chant rose in volume. The pillar of flame grew and then gradually died down. Eventually only a pile of glowing coals remained. Some of the yamabushi spread the coals more evenly using long green branches.\n\nHachibei rose and stepped out of his wooden pattens." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Satsuki, kneeling on her grass mat in the crowd of other yamabushi, could see only his broad back." }, { "from": "human", "value": "From the set of his shoulders she could see that he was calm, unconcerned." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Before him the coals glowed with a ruddy light, a twinkling field some thirty feet long. He stepped forward unhurriedly, placing his feet deliberately. Without pause he strode out on to the coals and across them. Satsuki could not see his face, but there was no indication that he even felt the glowing heat under the soles of his feet. Tsuneyoshi rose next. He spared a single glance at Satsuki, whether out of concern for her or for the ritual she could not tell. He strode quickly across the orange sea, and another rose to follow him. A drum was playing all the while, and the beat entered Satsuki's blood, bringing an almost painful feel of expectation." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"Do not be afraid!\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "Midori whispered beside her." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"Trust in Amidanyorai and no harm will come to you.\"\n\nSatsuki looked at the brown-haired girl in surprise \"Afraid?\" she repeated wonderingly. \"No, of course I'm not afraid. I am concerned, of course...\"\n\nMidori patted her knee reassuringly.\n\n\"It is a serious problem,\" continued Satsuki. \"I have no idea how to act, and that is most distressing. Perhaps you could give me some advice, as I see you have gone through all this before?\"\n\nMidori nodded. The other two women craned their heads as they noticed the whispered conversation." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"It's this robe. It's hardly the correct color for the flames, and what is worse, our feet will undoubtedly be blackened from the ash. How then can we avoid exposing our shins unseemingly while protecting the hems of our gowns?\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Midori's brows creased in thought, while the other two trollops giggled at the inanity of the city girl's question. It was a holy thing they were to do—what matter if their shins were seen?\n\n\"Osatsuki, I am afraid it does not matter,\" Midori said gently. \"In case you don't know, many men will see more than our shins after the ritual is over...\"\n\n\"Of course. I realize that,\" countered Satsuki. \"However, it is so inelegant and vulgar to be exposed in this fashion. I cannot recall a single poem or precept from the past that could help us.\"\n\n\"You can read!\" gasped one of the other girls." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"Of course, my dear. Can't everyone?\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Satsuki asked in surprise.\n\nMidori shook her head \"Truly you are different than us. I am afraid I have no suggestion for your important question\"—a smile curved her lips momentarily—\"other than to hold up your skirts.\"\n\nSatsuki considered the suggestion gravely for a moment, then pursed her lips. There must be some solution to the problem, she knew, but unfortunately, she could not think of a single precedent.\n\nMidori rose and urged her to her feet. It was time for them to cross the sea of redly glowing coals. She had little time to consider elegance but would have to act forthrightly." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "One of the girls before her reached the coals and started walking. She hopped a little as the heat touched her. Satsuki waited for the signal to start, not wishing to crowd those before her. She watched Midori step onto the fire. Her eyes were almost closed, her face composed, and there was no sign that she was walking across glowing coals.\n\nSatsuki stepped forward. Fingers of one hand unconsciously looped a fold of her robe and raised it slightly. With her other hand she lowered the collar down her back so as to provide some coolness and also, she admitted ruefully to herself, to distract the onlookers." }, { "from": "human", "value": "With stately steps she trod across the red expanse, taking great care to lift and drop her skirts in rhythm with her walking." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Her progress took on some of the aspects of a stately dance. In consequence of her actions her walk took twice as long as anyone else's. She glided across the expanse, taking great pains to maintain her posture. She was conscious of the eyes upon her, of the fact that she was alone on the expanse of coals, but her attention was wholly focused on taking the proper steps, on preserving her essential dignity and propriety.\n\nMidori and Tsuneyoshi were waiting at the other side.\n\n\"You took twice as much time as anyone else,\" Tsuneyoshi said gruffly. He looked at her feet." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Only the soles were blackened by charcoal." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "The arch and toes were perfectly clean. He touched his lips with a moist tongue, but his face was inscrutable as he turned away.\n\n\"You were wonderful!\" Midori stroked her arm lightly. \"Such a stately walk! Such elegance!\" Admiration shone in her eyes.\n\nSatsuki bowed deeply in gratitude. \"Really, it was nothing,\" she said." }, { "from": "human", "value": "A stout man dressed in a grey silk kimono, a short sword thrust through his sash, was watching the two women closely." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "At the other end of the enclosure an opening was made, and penitents streamed through, controlled by a yamabushi elder, to pass over the dark ashy bridge of coals.\n\nMidori looked at them. \"They will purify their sins and be ready for Amida,\" she said in response to Satsuki's unasked question. \"We go first—we are yamabushi and can show them the way. But it is our duty to bring them closer to Amida.\" They turned to leave. \"Well, back to work. My feet do hurt a bit—don't yours?\" Midori asked ingenuously.\n\n\"No—should they?\" responded Satsuki." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"I would have thought that with your experience...\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"It always hurts a bit, at least. Sometimes one gets burned seriously. I think my faith is not all it should be...\"\n\n\"Oh, no, my dear. I am sure it is quite adequate. However, you really should maintain greater decorum. After all, we are on display, and propriety must be observed.\"\n\nSatsuki and Midori collected their goza mats from the pile of their belongings and headed for their enclosures. A small line of men, mostly young, had gathered there in anticipation.\n\n\"Well, at least we don't have to work on our feet,\" commented Midori.\n\nSatsuki turned to her, shocked. \"But of course you sometimes have to stand. How otherwise will your men get their full pleasure?\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "Midori was still digesting this surprising bit of information, when they were stopped by Tsuneyoshi." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "He was accompanied by the stout, richly clad gentleman who had observed them earlier.\n\n\"This is the head of the festival committee, Yamamura Jichisai. He has observed you throughout the ceremony. He will engage your services until we leave.\" He bowed to Yamamura and strode rapidly away.\n\nYamamura bowed to the two girls. They studied him gravely from lowered eyes. He was not an ill-favored man. He looked bulky and prosperous." }, { "from": "human", "value": "His topknot was tinged with grey." }, { "from": "human", "value": "His robe was plain but of silk, not cotton." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"I wish to have a small party to thank the other two members of the committee for their help in the successful completion of the festival. I would be grateful for your assistance. Please follow me.\"\n\nMidori giggled as they followed Yamamura and said in a low voice, \"I do believe your sendatsu cares for you. In the secular world he would no doubt keep you for himself.\"\n\nSatsuki considered the remark gravely. It was true that Tsuneyoshi seemed preoccupied with some problem whenever he came up to her, but she was not sure it was her person that concerned him so.\n\nThey came to an elaborate house set in a formal garden. He conveyed them into a set of rooms near a bath.\n\n\"Please make yourselves comfortable. The men will be here soon, but there is time to prepare.\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "He left them, and the two women started making themselves ready for the party." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "There was a table of expensive cosmetics, which Satsuki used after her quick bath. Midori was at a loss in her new surroundings. Swiftly, Satsuki took charge and helped her friend prepare her face and hair. When Midori could at last look into the polished silver mirror, she gasped with delight. Her face had been powdered lightly, her eyebrows darkened and straightened, her lips painted a bright rose. Her hair rose above her head in the newly fashionable style of Miyako, only slightly less elaborate than Satsuki's own.\n\nSatsuki looked on her handiwork critically." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"I am sorry my work is so poor. I am afraid I am terrible at it. Please accept this—it will compensate for my clumsiness.\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "She tucked an elaborate hairpin enamelled with azaleas in varying colors into Midori's hair. It complemented the glossy brown hair magnificently.\n\nMidori was speechstruck. She looked from her own image to Satsuki, then back again. \"Oh, no, Lady Osatsuki,\" she said spontaneously. \"No one has ever made this of me. I am ever so grateful to you.\" She knelt at Satsuki's feet with tears in her eyes.\n\nSatsuki raised her and patted her arms." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"No, dear Midori. You have been extremely kind to me, showing me how to behave among the yamabushi. You should not address me formally. We should be sisters to each other.\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Midori nodded fiercely and embraced Satsuki. \"You shall be elder then. I will take instruction from you.\"\n\nSatsuki kissed her lips lightly. \"When we get back to Miyako, it will be most wonderful. This wandering life is interesting, but I so much want to show you real elegance.\"\n\nThe banquet room had been well set by servants. Considering the rustic environment, Satsuki thought they had done rather well. The flower arrangement she decided was rather vulgar and overblown, and the matting underfoot was coarse, but the dishes had a charming simplicity about them that catered to senses jaded by capital overrefinement." }, { "from": "human", "value": "She remembered some of her erstwhile peers, noble kuge who would benefit from these surroundings." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "She herself, when she had lived her life as the second wife of an imperial courtier in the enclosed kuge quarter of Miyako, had had no idea that esthetic pleasure could be derived from anything so countrified.\n\nShe and Midori entertained the guests, poured their wine, offered them food. Yamamura looked well pleased at the success of his party. Satsuki rose and sang, and Midori displayed a heretofore hidden talent on the fue side flute. Satsuki studied the men covertly as she engaged them brightly in conversation, sprinkling her talk with fascinating anecdotes from Miyako, a place none of them had been to. Ando, a tall, cadaverous farmer, would be pleased with the simplest of pleasures. Batto, apparently called that because of his long horsey nose, seemed like one who would be open to elaborations." }, { "from": "human", "value": "He was a minor merchant, selling agricultural produce to middlemen from the city." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "He had some pretensions to being a doctor, having descended from an impoverished samurai family (or so he told her), and thus considered himself a man of culture.\n\nAs the men drank more, they began to feel freer with Satsuki's and Midori's persons. Controlling the flow of the party, Satsuki at first discouraged intimacies and signalled Midori to do the same. She slapped Ando's hands away when he slid them up her leg, and delicately extricated herself when Batto slipped a hand into the neckline of her robe.\n\nWith deliberate indifference she teased the men more and more, gradually allowing them more liberties. Confused at first, later enjoying the game, Midori followed her lead.\n\nThey played a finger game, and Satsuki purposely lost a forfeit." }, { "from": "human", "value": "When she giggled and refused to pay—she did not care to sing a song designed for the male voice—Yamamura caught her wrist." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "This time she did not resist as he bore her back onto the seating cushions. His hand slipped into the bosom of her robe. Thick fingers rolled her sensitive nipples and pressed them into the full flesh of her tits. She smiled at his face to encourage him, and he bent forward and nuzzled her neck. She shivered with the feel, and her hand stroked his newly shaven pate as the tip of his tongue travelled down her shoulder, pushing off her loosely held robe. She peered over his shoulder as his mouth finally fastened on one of her prominent nipples.\n\nMidori was well occupied, she could see." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Batto had opened her robe, and her pear-shaped breasts were being subjected to a greedy sucking. He would squeeze one while sucking ravenously at the other, then reverse the positions of his hand and mouth. Ando, as Satsuki had expected, was less of a lover. His robe was open, and he squatted between Midori's parted legs. Her knees were slightly raised to afford him a delicious view of her pink slit. But he was holding his stiff prick before him and was in the process of shaking it erect. Without further ado he pushed forward, forcing it between her lips and rubbing his pole on her soft tongue." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Resigned, Midori closed her eyes, merely encouraging Batto by scratching at his back and arms.\n\nSatsuki returned to her own affairs. She slowly guided Yamamura down the length of her body. His lips slipped down the pleasantly padded length of her ribcage. Her wide obi sash was in the way of her pleasure and rather than have him take it off in discomfort, she guided him back up again until his lips whispered at her ear. She twisted her torso skillfully aside, then raised herself slightly to afford him a better view. Bending forward from the hips she loosened the intricate knot at her back, then leaned aside." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Knowingly he loosened the sash with one arm." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Satsuki found the sound of silk slithering as it opened to his access stimulating. She shivered involuntarily, and he chuckled in a low voice. The knot was untied, and he pulled at the fabric. She aided the movement unobtrusively, and again the sound of silk slithering off her body brought great pleasure to both. She twisted back and leaned forward so that her nipples peeked out of the robe. He admired them for a while, and just at the right moment, before he became satiated by the view, she lay back on the cushion, one knee artfully raised. He moistened his mouth with sake, then leaned forward and laved her nipple with the liquid." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "The liquor stung pleasantly, and she arched her body. His fingers wandered downwards until they encountered her perfumed bush. He dug deeply into her cunt; then another finger wandered to the tiny starfish of her anus. She poured some sake into her palm and wet the bush, which he sniffed appreciatively. At the same time she began opening his robe.\n\nNow the stimulation of Satsuki's movements had become too much for Yamamura. He rolled over her and shoved his prick deep into the waiting cunt." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Though surprised at his sudden boorishness, Satsuki knew that it was her duty to please him as well as she could." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "She raised her hips in perfect counterpoint to his. He breathed heavily now, his face screwed into an expression almost of pain. He bit her neck, her nipples, her mouth. His hands went around her buttocks, squeezing her to him. She helped him with measured pressure from her cunt and thighs. As his climax approached, she raised her knees and pummelled the backs of his calves with her heels.\n\nShe glanced again at Midori." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Batto had replaced Ando, who was sitting cross-legged watching his friend at work." }, { "from": "human", "value": "The horsey-faced man was bucking over Midori in a lively manner." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Unlike his predecessor, he was aware of his companion. He would stop every once in a while to regard his handiwork, admiring Midori's pointed breasts or withdrawing completely to examine the fine brown hair of her pussy, now streaked with the froth of his movement. Midori appeared to be enjoying him, as well. Audible gasps came from her mouth as he moved deeply into her. Her eyes were closed, and a bead of sweat (inelegant but appropriate, Satsuki thought) lay on her upper lip.\n\nThe two men climaxed simultaneously. Yamamura gave a low growl and stiffened, and his thick tube hosed Satsuki's insides with a flood of sticky come." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Batto wriggled on Midori like an eel, muttered something incomprehensible, and collapsed on her breasts." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "After lying there for a while to allow the men to get their breath back, Satsuki sat up. Discreetly she wiped the insides of her thighs with the tissue paper in her sleeve. She frowned at Midori, who was about to cover herself up inelegantly with the hem of her robe. Smiling, Satsuki poured cups of sake for the men and withdrew to repair her toilet, motioning Midori to follow. They would return to perform some more once Satsuki thought them presentable.\n\n\"We could have had them again,\" Midori protested when they were alone.\n\n\"Darling Midori, of course we could have. But what elegance could there be in that? They can have village girls any time they like and futter them like pigs in the gutter to their hearts' content. No. You and I, we present them with elegance. We play on their senses, we tease them while not appearing to do so. We must never wear out their desire for us, never offer them enough. I would not do it this way for a city gentleman, of course. But each type of man must have what he is least familiar with. In a while we will return again, offer them some drink, talk some more, entertain them, and before they know it, they'll be in us again. Darling, you must trust me.\"" }, { "from": "system", "value": "Next message should be approximately 8 sentences." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"Of course, Elder Sister.\" Midori smiled in acquiescence. \"Though I do wish Mr. Batto had not finished so soon. I was just about to...\"\n\n\"Yes, I know, dear. I was watching you. I am sure we can get them to have you again. And if not...\" Satsuki smiled and then leaned forward mischievously. Before Midori could react, she found her skirts raised and Satsuki's skillful mouth applied to her newly washed lips. There was flick of a knowing and loving tongue—and Satsuki withdrew.\n\n\"You do have the softest and most beautiful lower hair I have known,\" she said conversationally. They checked their appearance for the last time." } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "im ur writing buddy. i set scene, u do four sentences like Akahige Namban" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "It was a stiff walk, even for Jiro's tough frame. The rumor he had heard in the festival was subsequently confirmed at other places. Satsuki was somewhere ahead of him, probably on the way to Yoshino. Towards evening he came to a village with a post house on the road." }, { "from": "human", "value": "The village boasted a large inn." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Jiro smiled grimly. More than food or lodging, he craved a bath." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "He felt at his sleeve: quite empty. A thought occurred to him, and he entered the prosperous- (and expensive-) looking establishment.\n\nNo, the proprietor explained. No, he had no need for wood." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Look, he said, and showed Jiro the bath house. A natural hot spring gushed from the rocks, filling a large bath in which bathers sat and steamed themselves. Jiro shrugged and turned to leave. Behind his back, the innkeeper wore a broad smile." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Few samurai would descend to the level of begging for work, and it was a minor pleasure to be refusing one. Most of them just took.\n\n\"Why are you smiling at my friend's departing back?\" a hoarse voice interrupted him." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "He turned and bowed deferentially to his most illustrious guest, while Jiro paused in mid-stride.\n\n\"Miura-san!\" the hoarse voice called out. \"Would you leave without having a drink with me?\"\n\nJiro turned to see the sumo wrestler Tatsunoyama beaming at him." }, { "from": "human", "value": "They exchanged greetings, and within minutes Jiro was ensconced in a large room occupied by the wrestler's bulk." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "A slightly smaller, younger, slimmer version of Tatsunoyama was arranging luggage and laying out a robe.\n\n\"That good-for-nothing is my student and valet,\" Tatsunoyama indicated. \"He'll get us some food and drink.\"\n\nThe youth hurriedly disappeared, and soon Jiro and his host were inundated with food and drink." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"I had no idea sumotori lived so well!\" exclaimed Jiro as he dug into a rich stew of fish, taro, pounded rice cakes, and vegetables. Though a large man and a hearty eater, he found it impossible to keep up with the wrestler, who ate as if he had not eaten for a week.\n\n\"You think I pay for this?\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Tatsunoyama laughed. He was in a jovial mood. \"No, the landlord is only too honored to have me. His rooms will be full tonight as men come to catch a glimpse of me.\" He made a face and slurped at his bowl, then reached for the wine. Jiro reached the bottle first and looked for a cup to pour for his host." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Tatsunoyama looked about him, saw the tiny sake cup, sneered, and held out his rice bowl." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Jiro filled it and held out his own in a spirit of sharing Tatsunoyama's hardships.\n\nTheir bellies full, both men relaxed on their seating cushions, chatting easily. Their sizes and consequent temperaments created a natural sympathy between them. The velvet night covered the wooded hillsides, and still they talked." }, { "from": "human", "value": "A maid came in to light the candles." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"Is there anything interesting to see in this town?\"\n\nThe maid giggled behind her hand at the wrestler and said excitedly, \"Actually, there is a small troupe performing plays down in the old shed. Perhaps the honored guests would care to attend?\"\n\nBoth men rose and agreed that a stroll would do them good. The old shed turned out to be an unused rice depot." }, { "from": "human", "value": "The sides were open now, and a crude stage had been erected at one end." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Jiro looked at it critically. It was like a parody of a formal stage. A passageway was left for the appearance of the players, but there was no pine-tree prop, as all real stages should have. Instead someone had painted a backdrop of a city scene in garish colors." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "The players were on stage. Rather than proper players' masks, they wore simple makeup. Instead of a formal elegant presentation of the classics, they were singing a popular song that Jiro had been vaguely aware of in Miyako. And both actors were girls." }, { "from": "human", "value": "The audience—farmers, youths, some of the inn guests, a merchant or two—were enthralled." }, { "from": "human", "value": "They laughed at the jokes and innuendos, cried at the bathetic songs." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Some called out encouragement to the actresses who posed before them, changing costumes and props swiftly before the audience's eyes. Most of the show consisted of dances and songs with short skits interspersed between musical sections. Jiro found that he recognized some of the pieces from the formal No theater he had been exposed to in samurai society. But the changes made on the originals were delightful and witty, and he found himself enjoying the skits more and more." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Occasionally one of the players would strike an attitude, emphasizing a mood or emotion. This was new to the audience, and they expressed their appreciation noisily. One of the actresses struck a particularly effective pose before Jiro and Tatsunoyama. Jiro looked at her critically." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Her costume was sewn together of bits and pieces of material, mended many times." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Some of the pieces must have come from rich robes, he decided." }, { "from": "human", "value": "He looked at the actress's face, and a shadow crossed his brow." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "He had seen the face before, but he could not recall when. He looked at the other actress, and the shock of recognition almost brought him to his feet. The second actress's face was a mirror image of the first. The makeup they wore was not heavy enough to hide the fact." } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "Add four sentences to continue story" }, { "from": "system", "value": "Produce a starting prompt please." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"We shall have to kill him!\" The girl's voice was harsh and strained.\n\nThe other one nodded in agreement but voiced an objection: \"We will need to plan it well. I think he is staying at the Matsubaya Inn...\"\n\n\"Tonight. He came with the sumo wrestler. That should be easy to find. Those big men attract plenty of attention.\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"And rightly so,\" the other giggled." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"He's a fine figure of a man.\"\n\n\"The samurai! He killed our master!\"\n\n\"No, of course not. The other—the wrestler. I'd love to have him inside me. We haven't had a decent man for months.\"\n\n\"For several months. Ever since our Lord died.\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "There were tears in the girl's eyes and a catch in her voice." }, { "from": "system", "value": "Next message should be approximately 2 sentences." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"Ever since he was killed,\" the other spat harshly. \"Well, tonight his shade will rest well!\"" } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "Hey can you write like Akahige Namban and use whatever i write as a jumping off point?" }, { "from": "human", "value": "Jiro and Tatsunoyama had drunk deeply, enjoying one another's company." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Jiro found the wrestler odd." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "He combined a formal mien with an assumption of equality that roused the samurai in Jiro's makeup." }, { "from": "human", "value": "At the same time that he was a humorous and considerate companion, he could be entirely oblivious of admiring glances and the outstretched hands of wrestling fans." }, { "from": "human", "value": "He responded only rarely to any of the messages that the room maid brought from time to time." }, { "from": "human", "value": "When he did respond, it was usually by scrawling his name on a plaque presented for the purpose by some admirer, or more rarely by pressing his hand into an ink stone loaded with red ink and imprinting his palm on a sheet of paper." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "His apprentice would take the paper reverently and rush off to present it to the delighted follower of the sport." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "At length they went off to the bath." }, { "from": "human", "value": "The bathroom was spacious, with a cedar-lined tub and well-appointed fittings." }, { "from": "human", "value": "They talked leisurely while Tatsunoyama's apprentice scrubbed their backs and they rinsed with the sulfury-smelling waters." }, { "from": "human", "value": "They watched the crowd of humanity that had come for a late-night soak." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Some of the women, Jiro decided, were quite pleasantly shaped." }, { "from": "human", "value": "None, of course, like his own Okiku and Rosamund, but pleasing nonetheless." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "There was a group of several women pilgrims who had monopolized one corner of the huge sunken tub." }, { "from": "human", "value": "In another corner an elderly samurai dozed, cold towel folded on his head." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Two men, local farmers by their accents and hairdos, talked of crops." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "A father and two young sons scrubbed themselves in another corner." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Someone sang softly in the candlelit steamy gloom." }, { "from": "human", "value": "They lowered themselves into the tub, each covertly examining the other." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "The wrestler saw a large, heavily muscled samurai with peculiarly sallow skin and light, almost greyish eyes." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Jiro was taller than the wrestler." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "His wrists were thicker than a samurai's should be." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Jiro's father, Tatsunoyama knew, had been a foreigner." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "As the Shogun's admiral and shipwright, he had trained his second son in his own craft, owning it no shame for his youngest son, who could never inherit his position, to learn a trade." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Miura Anjin's son Jiro had not, however, become a shipwright like his English father." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Instead, he taught letters to young children and foreign knowledge to whoever would hear." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Jiro saw a massive mountain of fat descending into the steaming pool beside him." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Under the fat, however, his warrior's eye saw layers of muscle and brawn." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "And the wrestler's hands, he knew from report, could crush a man's head like a melon." }, { "from": "system", "value": "Next message should be approximately 2 sentence." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Both massive bodies subsided beneath the hot waters with a sigh, causing a small tidal wave in the crowded pool. Some of the pilgrims in the far corner who had been chatting animatedly glanced at the two massive bodies, whose maleness was inadequately hidden by tiny towels, then returned to their conversations." } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "Write 3 sentences like Akahige Namban would, using user's text as beginning" }, { "from": "system", "value": "Produce a starting prompt please." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Jiro awoke with the sensation of a threat. He oriented himself in the dark, opening his eyes to mere slits. Closer to the window he could make out the massive snoring bulk that was his host." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Another, slightly higher sound intruded on his senses." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Slowly and silently he drew the short sword that rested beneath his pillow. A mat frame creaked. A figure loomed over him." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Twisting to one side, he threw his quilt over the assailant and rolled away." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "His foot struck a wooden pillar, and he rolled toward the attacker. The figure gave a muffled cry and fell back, crashing over the wrestler's massive form.\n\nThe snoring stopped abruptly." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Another muffled scream and a figure seemed to launch itself in the air, over Tatsunoyama's recumbent bulk, to the area where Jiro had been before." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "There was a resounding slap, and the leaping figure crashed to the ground. There was the sound of continuing struggle for a short while from Tatsunoyama's bedding, then silence. Jiro, his senses alert, probed for any more attackers." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Tatsunoyama lay sensibly still, one of the bundles beside him inert, the other struggling feebly." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Jiro's acute senses, trained by Okiku, who had been a professional assassin, told him of no other threat. Leisurely he lit a lamp.\n\n\"Let us examine your prizes, Tatsunoyama-zeki.\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "He had a feeling that he knew who the prizes were." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Lady One was lying at full length on the matting. There was a growing purple bruise on one temple. She was dressed in tight-fitting black clothes, black turban, and a black gauze mask." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Beside her outstretched hand lay a long stiletto-like pin. Its tip glittered stickily. Jiro moved it carefully aside." }, { "from": "human", "value": "He did not know the type, but the sticky substance on the blade seemed to indicate poison." }, { "from": "human", "value": "He examined the girl with caution." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "She seemed stunned, not dead.\n\n\"Well, not too badly damaged, I imagine,\" Jiro said conversationally while he bound her with his sword cord, released from the scabbard.\n\n\"Let's look at the other one,\" Tatsunoyama said with the same tone of indifference." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"I suppose they were for you? I can't imagine them as supporters of mine on a surprise visit.\"\n\n\"I am terribly sorry for the inconvenience. They were indeed aiming at me.\" He explained the circumstances while they removed Lady Two's weapon—a straight-edged dagger—and uncovered her." }, { "from": "human", "value": "She glared at Jiro and made a move to leap at him with bared teeth." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"Stop that!\" Tatsunoyama ordered, shaking her. Her teeth rattled in her head as her neck snapped back and forth with the power of his movement. She looked at his face and seemed to recognize him for the first time." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"You're the wrestler. We deeply apologize for this intrusion. It is a matter of revenge, you see. You must let us go.\"\n\nThe fat man laughed. \"What do I care for your revenges? You disturbed my sleep! I hate that!\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "He emphasized each statement with a shake." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Her head shook back and forth like a puppet's. \"You must never do that again! Do you understand?\"\n\nShe nodded in agreement." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Her twin moaned and stirred.\n\n\"Besides, you disturbed my guest. That is not done. If you want to challenge him, do it outside!\" She nodded again, and he released her." }, { "from": "human", "value": "She shot forward like a striking snake, snatching for the dagger that Jiro held negligently before him." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Fast as she was, the fat man was faster. There was a meaty slap, and his massive palm smacked into her back. His other hand swept her legs from under her, and he pinned her to the ground." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Impassively he said, \"You apparently were not listening. I said not to do that!\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "This time he emphasized each word with a slap on her squirming buttocks. She cried out but continued to struggle. His impassivity did not change, nor did the tempo of his hand coming down on her roughly clothed bum." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"Stop that!\" Lady One had recovered from her blow and was writhing in her bonds." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"Leave my sister alone!\"\n\n\"When she learns to obey me,\" Tatsunoyama said imperturbably.\n\n\"Never! I'll kill him!\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "came the muffled retort. Lady One increased her struggles, but Jiro knew his knots too well. He looked on with interest as she tried to extricate herself." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Tatsunoyama hauled himself to a sitting position." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "He groped behind him and found a small raku-ware sake container, which he drained. His other hand kept Lady Two pinned on the floor. She still struggled furiously." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"Might as well be comfortable,\" said the wrestler." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "He hauled Lady Two onto his crossed knees. \"You will do what I say. You will refrain from misbehaving. Until then I will punish you.\" He raised his meaty hand again and brought it down on the girl's inflamed buttocks." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "She struggled furiously for a while as his blows rained down steadily.\n\nJiro looked down at her. She glared back. \"Do you enjoy being beaten?\" he asked." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"I know a woman who does,\" he added for Tatsunoyama's benefit." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"She gets excited that way.\" He refrained from describing Rosamund's other talents and attributes.\n\n\"Is that so?\" wondered Tatsunoyama, surprised for once." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"I find that very odd. Pain is not after all pleasant—though sometimes it is necessary.\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "His hand did not pause for a moment.\n\n\"No, I don't!\"\n\n\"You don't what?\" Tatsunoyama inquired." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"Enjoy being beaten. Stop, please—oh stop, please!\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Tatsunoyama stayed his hand. \"You will obey? Stop fighting?\"\n\n\"Yes, yes, of course, I will have to kill him another time.\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "He released his hand, but again she tried to lunge forward at Jiro." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Tatsunoyama's hands clamped on her body." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"You are forcing me to exercise when I should be asleep. Now I must relax again. I assure you, you will obey me in the end. I was an apprentice for many years before I fought my way through the curtain into the ranks of the champions. I have trained as an apprentice, and that is hard, and as a champion, and that is harder. I assure you I can train you. But first I must relax. I do not like to be annoyed.\" His moon face was suffused with a frown.\n\nHe pulled at the rough fabric of her blue-dyed workman's pants." }, { "from": "human", "value": "There was a ripping sound, and the fabric parted." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Her buttocks glowed rose with the force of his blows. She shivered involuntarily as the cold night air met her overheated sensitive skin. Holding her down with one hand, Tatsunoyama shrugged out of his light sleeping yukata robe." }, { "from": "human", "value": "The enormous dome of his belly overshadowed the stout, fat prick that banged against the overhang." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "His balls hung down from a forest of curls between his legs, though the insides of his thighs were rubbed bald from the rough hemp loincloth he wore while fighting. He slapped apart her legs after ripping the leggings down, and knelt between them. She looked behind her fearfully." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"Have no fear. I will not let my weight down on you—unless you struggle and provided you say, 'I will obey,' by the time I am ready to finish with you.\"\n\nShe squirmed around fearfully, but he held her down by neck and hip. He squatted down between her thighs and lowered himself." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Jiro marvelled at the man's flexibility." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "His joints, notwithstanding their massiveness, were as flexible as a baby's. The tip of the cock massaged the back of the girl's ass for a moment. He pushed forward slowly." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "She felt the mass of his belly on her overheated buns and shied away. He probed remorselessly, and the tip of his pole found the tiny button of her ass. Not knowing the size of his tool but knowing that his entry was inevitable, she raised her buttocks to facilitate entry into her cunt." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Her heated mounds touched the arch of his belly, and she quivered again. Fear of being smothered under the mound of flesh and muscle, rather than of the coming act, made her frame tremble. He eased forward again, saying, \"You will obey me! Do not try to escape.\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "She nodded wordlessly as the tip of his machine probed the outer fringes of her cunt." }, { "from": "human", "value": "To his surprise, he found it moist." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Enjoying and using the slickness, he eased forward, parting the fat lips of her sex." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "They both let out their breaths in an audible sigh as he slid his length up her slick channel.\n\nTo her surprise the pressure of his belly on her ass was not unbearable. The skin still stung, but she was not crushed." }, { "from": "human", "value": "She elevated her buttocks to facilitate his entry, and he moved obligingly back and down." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Then he pulled out of her entirely. She aided his movement by a bucking motion of her hips, and again he drove forward. He released her nape, but she made no move to escape as his cock shuttled in and out of her." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Jiro observed with delight and amazement as Tatsunoyama's massive frame hovered over the girl's slight body with the lightness of thistledown." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "With amazing agility the fat man moved his hips in wide circles and plunged himself deeply into the woman before him. She responded with a dreamy smile and an occasional grunt, more of pleasure than from the feel of Tatsunoyama's weight.\n\nTheir climax approached. Tatsunoyama moved faster, and the girl moved with him." }, { "from": "human", "value": "She rose to her elbows now." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "One of her hands molded her dangling breasts. With the other she reached beneath her and lightly supported Tatsunoyama's dangling scrotum. Fearful for his friend, Jiro readied the dagger to stop any suspicious move, but the girl seemed sincerely intent on protecting the man's jewels." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"Will you obey me?\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Tatsunoyama asked in his hoarse voice.\n\nAs if in a faraway dream, Lady Two answered, \"Yes. Yes, I will.\"\n\n\"You'll do what I say,\" emphasized Tatsunoyama." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"You will leave Master Jiro alone!\"\n\n\"Yes, yes, of course,\" she answered dreamily. Then she turned her face to him and made a bowing motion to the floor." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Tatsunoyama surged up behind her." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "He pulled her to him and ground her buttocks into the hollow under his belly. His buttock muscles pumped, and she squealed as wave after wave of pleasure overtook her. His massive ass muscles pumped his own liquid into her at the same time, spraying her insides and overflowing onto the sleeping pad." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Lady One looked on from her bonds, her eyes glaring fearfully." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Tatsunoyama released Lady Two and let her gently down onto the mat.\n\n\"And you?\" he asked Lady One conversationally. His dripping prick seemed to threaten her from under its protecting ledge." }, { "from": "human", "value": "It had lost much of its stiffness but appeared still serviceable." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"Sister! Do what he says!\" Lady Two hissed from the floor.\n\n\"But our master!\" agonized the other." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"We are masterless now, don't you see? How can two strolling players have a master? No one can expect us to be masterless for long...\"\n\n\"I will bring you under my wing,\" croaked Tatsunoyama. \"After all,\" he smiled, \"in some ways we are alike. We both display to the crowds as a living. In years to come sumo will become more of a spectacle, now that the old masters are gone and we rarely kill in the ring. And this thing that you do, these performances, no doubt they, too will become popular as entertainment even in the cities. What do you call this acting without masks?\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"I don't know,\" answered Lady One while licking her lips." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"It has no name, but it is more popular than the No plays or the sarugaku...\"\n\n\"Sister... !\" pleaded the other twin.\n\n\"Very well. We will do your will.\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "She smiled at him." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"I rather liked you from the moment I saw you. But you have to prove yourself to me,\" she added fiercely. \"The master could.\" She rolled over on her back and spread her legs.\n\nJiro, excluded from the conversation by the twin's enmity, bit his lips." }, { "from": "human", "value": "He remembered that he had deflowered both twins almost simultaneously when he was a captive of their deceased lord." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "His balls ached from the desire to stab himself again into that sweet cleft he knew was hidden under the rough fabric.\n\n\"No,\" Tatsunoyama smiled in his turn. \"That is not the way I care to do it. You will do it my way.\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "He laid himself comfortably on his back." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"Release her!\" he ordered Lady Two.\n\nShe divested herself of the remains of her pants and moved to obey. She squatted with her back to him, and Jiro could see the length of the crack between her rosy buns and the tangled, spermy end of the beard hanging below." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "He would have liked to step forward and introduce himself into the inviting opening, but a warning glance from Tatsunoyama restrained him. His massive fists clenched painfully. Lady Two untied her sister and rubbed her limbs briskly to restore circulation." }, { "from": "human", "value": "With several swift motions she removed her sister's clothing as well." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "The two were perfect twins, differing now only in that one was slightly wetter and rosier than the other. They rose and stood side by side for a moment.\n\nTatsunoyama admired their stance and composure, then motioned to his prick, hidden from his eyes by the mound of his belly." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Lady Two knelt swiftly by his side. Her pink tongue slipped out and licked the semi-hard rod with a quick flip. Another followed, and another, until she was laving the length of the rod with her tongue." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "She sucked and nibbled at the member until it stiffened anew. Holding it with her fist, she turned to her sister. The slim figure of Lady One straddled the mound of muscle." }, { "from": "human", "value": "She poised there for a moment, like a child riding a tortoise, then slid down until her open crack hovered over the waiting impaler." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Lady Two bent behind her, and her tongue licked out. The hairy crack was moistened rapidly, and Lady One stuck herself gradually onto the waiting tool. Tatsunoyama looked on approvingly as she began rapidly bobbing up and down his stiff pole." }, { "from": "human", "value": "The slick coated length appeared and disappeared, now hidden by her bush, now pulling at the lips that let it go reluctantly." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Jiro eased himself out of the room into the dimly lit corridor." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "It was obvious he was not invited to the party. The only thing to do, he decided, was to take a bath. He would have the bathhouse to himself, and the heat would at least soothe his tension." }, { "from": "human", "value": "He walked through the silent corridors and down to the steaming room." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Stripping off his yukata, he could not help but think of the scene he had abandoned above. His massive cock reared its head futilely for the second time that night. He tried to ignore the pressure and marched determinedly to the pool's edge, pausing while he decided whether to be polite and wash or whether to simply plunge in." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"Saaa... !\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "The drawn-out sound startled him out of his contemplation. He turned his head. Six pairs of eyes looked him over thoughtfully." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "In his confusion, he fell more than slid into the bath, almost babbling apologies before he remembered his rank and status. The six women pilgrims he had seen before resumed a low-voiced conversation. He tried to relax and ignore them." }, { "from": "human", "value": "In the heat, his painful erection would not go away." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Neither would the women. He could not masturbate, considering the circumstances. He examined them out of the corner of his eyes." }, { "from": "human", "value": "They were not young, but not, he noticed, particularly old either." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Two of them were out of the tub, and their chunky, muscular bodies gleamed with water and health. A farmwife pilgrim association, he surmised. The government had inveighed against the pilgrimage practice, because it took time away from the serious business of work, but it was the people's sole relaxation sometimes, and many indulged in it when they could." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Times were peaceful now that the Age of Wars was over, and people tried to relax more." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "One of the women got out of the tub and passed behind Jiro. She splashed herself with cold water from a barrel near the wall, then dipped the bucket again. This time the bucket slipped, and Jiro felt the splash of cold water send currents down his back." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"Oh, I'm terribly sorry! I really wasn't careful... Allow me to apologize.\" The female voice was very near.\n\nJiro turned his head." }, { "from": "human", "value": "She was standing near him, bending over solicitously." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Her breasts, with a pair of tiny nipples, swung suggestively before his face. She had a pleasant, flat face, and there was a hint of mischief in her tone.\n\n\"Are you all right, mister?\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "He nodded, and she took that as an invitation to sit beside him on the tub rim." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "She was quite unself-conscious, and he noticed that her legs were spread comfortably. Tiny outer lips barely covered long inner folds in her cunt, he saw.\n\n\"We're from Nara and on our way to visit the sites near Mount Koya\", she said." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"Are you a pilgrim too?\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"No,\" he answered, struggling to maintain his composure. \"I am looking for someone, a friend.\" He described Satsuki.\n\n\"We haven't seen anyone of that description,\" she cooed." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"Girls, this gentleman is looking for a friend.\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "She repeated Jiro's story. There was a general agreement to her denial, and some sentences Jiro could not hear clearly. One thing he thought he did hear was, \"She's a lucky girl, though, if that's the way he's looking for her!\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "The words were drowned in a burst of laughter. Jiro did not know how to react. He was about to rise and stalk off, when the woman beside him leaned forward again." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"You must be very sore from your journey,\" she said solicitously." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"Please let me rub it for you.\" She rubbed the muscles in his neck slowly. While doing so she had to lean forward, and Jiro was conscious of two tiny glowing spots that dragged along the skin of his back." }, { "from": "human", "value": "She rubbed harder, and his shoulders relaxed, though the relaxation was not apparent underwater." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Suddenly he was conscious of another figure near him. A voice sounded by his left ear. \"I see you need help, Mitsuko.\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "A pair of plump, work-strengthened hands was added to the first." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Another figure splashed to join them. He opened his eyes to find himself surrounded by expectant females' faces. Before he could recover, they seemed to have reached a decision, based on nothing more than a brief exchange of glances." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Two firm hands dived underneath and grasped his prick.\n\n\"It's lovely!\"\n\n\"Such a big one!\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "Six pairs of hands hauled him gently to his feet and laid him on a nearby wooden bench." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "His cock stood erect along his belly, ready for action. The pilgrims admired their catch for a moment. Jiro's cock was indeed impressive, and they relished the sight." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"Looks like there's enough for all,\" Mitsuko breathed." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"Now don't disappoint us, lovey. There's six of us, you know!\" She swung a strong leg over him and settled herself on top of his erection. She posed there for a moment, then let herself down with a deep breath of satisfaction." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"Good, in't?\" asked one of the others." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Mitsuko's only answer was a beatific smile as she began bouncing up and down the length of the magnificent maleness lodged in her juicy hole.\n\nJiro supported her with his hands, enjoying the sensation he knew would lead to his release. He was not worried about the other five." }, { "from": "human", "value": "He needed release now, and he intended to get it." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "He arched his back and plunged up to meet her downthrust. He was barely conscious of a whispered conversation beside them. Only a fragment reached his ears: \"... but men don't do that!... well, I've never tried it. My old man won't do it to me.\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"He'll do it. He's ours.\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"I've got to...\"\n\n\"Nonsense, no man would!\"\n\nThe dim light in the bathroom was suddenly blotted out." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Jiro, lost in his approaching pleasure, was barely conscious of it when a warm, moist, earth-smelling cushion fringed with hair enveloped his face." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Instinctively, recognizing the smell and textures, he sent his tongue out and into the proffered hole. There was a faintly heard squeal of delight. \"Sweet Jizo! He's doing it, he's doing it! How wonderful!\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "The redolent cunt was mashed against his lips as he continued tonguing it, running his tongue the length of the slit, nipping delicately at the prominent clitoris." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "The pressure in his balls grew and grew, and he shoved up with all his strength.\n\nA fountain of creamy sperm shot out from his balls just as the two women on top of him forced themselves down in a last frantic attempt to move before they also came. The three thrashed on the bench like a tangle of eels, the woman on Jiro's face almost falling off in the intensity of her pleasure." }, { "from": "human", "value": "At length Mitsuko and her partner rose from his recumbent form." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"Oh, no,\" said one disappointed woman, a plump figure with full breasts and a pleasantly curved belly. \"He's done for. Look at him, Mitsuko. You've milked him dry.\"\n\n\"Milked him, but not dry. Look at his lovely tool.\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "The object in question was as stiff as ever, though coated thickly with a frothy residue." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"Its my turn now!\" announced one woman unceremoniously. She threw a leg over Jiro's hips and drew him into her." }, { "from": "human", "value": "He thrust up deeply, intent on her pleasure as well as his own." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"I'll follow Omurasaki!\" announced the plump one. Before Jiro could react, he found himself imprisoned between two plump thighs. Full, clean cunt with fat lips pressed against his mouth." }, { "from": "human", "value": "He moved his head in meek protest, but the movement of his nose brought on pleasurable squealings, and he renewed his tongue work again." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "He raised his hands to feel her plump buttocks, but apparently others had a different idea. He found his hands seized and straddled. The callused sides of his palms were rubbed roughly against hungry lips, readying them and pacifying them until the real thing were to arrive." }, { "from": "human", "value": "The juice in his balls rose again." }, { "from": "human", "value": "This time, before he could explode he found a soft yet firm hand squeezing hard at the base of his cock." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "He tried to protest, but the force of two bodies on his hand and one on his face limited his opposition. The slick sensation on his prick continued. He was conscious of a clenching and rocking as his rider finished, and a new, slightly tighter cunt was on him, and a lighter body was riding him." }, { "from": "human", "value": "His tongue tired, but not before his rider rocked to completion." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "His face was wiped with a cool towel, and a new rider replaced the one on his face.\n\nSeveral times he almost reached a climax, only to be frustrated by the firm grip at the base of his cock. At last, barely conscious, dipping into a dream of sensation, he felt himself elevated beyond the caress of flesh." }, { "from": "human", "value": "He was a tower of strength, set to serve the demanding mouths about him." }, { "from": "human", "value": "His power bore him through cavern after cavern until he felt a blaze explode within him." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "He knew this time that the holding hand would not suffice, and the hand knew it as well. Massive grunting sounds emerged from his mouth and translated themselves into sawing motions of his tongue, which could no longer feel the weariness of the hour. The power grew and grew." }, { "from": "human", "value": "He was vaguely conscious of his hips arching high, of a body riding his, their only connecting point the strength of his maleness and the complimentary female cavern." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "The explosion came. It rushed from the base of his spine, gathering power as it swept everything before it. He poised at the top of his arch, his body supported by shoulders and heels alone, his cock high in the air. Soft, irresistible, wet pressure pounded on him from above as his juices spurted from him in an unending jet, forced out by his internal power, all visible muscles motionless." }, { "from": "human", "value": "He collapsed back on the bench." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Coming to, he found himself alone in the bathroom. The candles had guttered down. His head was pillowed on a towel." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Folded neatly in it were six amulets. He shook himself and rinsed off slowly in the hot water, then in cold, then in the pool again. Wearily he headed back to Tatsunoyama's suite." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "The wrestler was on his back again, snoring. On each side of him snuggled a smaller bundle. One of the twins opened an eye." }, { "from": "human", "value": "She saw Jiro's face by the light of the candle, ignored him, and snuggled up again to her massive lover." }, { "from": "system", "value": "Next message should be approximately 1 sentence." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Ignoring her in turn, Jiro fell into an exhausted sleep." } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "expand on the story like Akahige Namban would" }, { "from": "human", "value": "Two groups stood in a clearing on the bank of the cool Yoshino River." }, { "from": "human", "value": "A tall, thin man with a strong hawk nose and brooding eyes looked on as the men argued." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "In the background, women with unbound hair stood watch over the quarrel. Satsuki knelt by a small camellia bush, watching its buds, then raised her eyes with a wistful look to Yoshino Hill, which rose above them. Midori, kneeling beside her on her goza mat, rested a hand on Satsuki's arm.\n\n\"Please do not worry, Elder Sister. Our leader, Daisangyoja, will not bow down to these...\" She indicated the opposing group, far smaller than their own, by a toss of her shapely chin.\n\nSatsuki turned her head curiously. \"Oh, of course,\" she said indifferently. \"I was actually sighing because of our loss.\"\n\nMidori looked at her with troubled eyes. \"Loss?\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"Yes. We will not get to see the hundred thousand cherry trees bloom.\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "She indicated the wooded hillside with a sweep of her full sleeve." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Midori was perplexed. \"The argument does not concern you?\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"Of course not, my dear. The men will settle it among themselves, and we will do whatever is necessary. Come, we must think of this camellia. Will its blossoms complement the scene, do you think?\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Midori bit her lip. Osatsuki was so strange; her actions were incomprehensible. Undoubtedly though, the men would settle the affair, and she knew she could trust Daisangyoja, their leader.\n\nThe two groups of men were fingering their sword hilts nervously. Tsuneyoshi, who was slightly to the rear, dried his hands on the deerskin that hung behind him and served him as a seat in the wilds. He did not care to fight other yamabushi, but Master Daisangyoja was right. He had led them here, and his awe-inspiring words brought proof that salvation was near at hand. The poor, deluded fools of the Tozan-ha sect who opposed him here would see their error when the time came for him to perform his miraculous prayers." }, { "from": "human", "value": "In the meantime though, lesser leaders shouted and argued precedence on the route to the holy mountains." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "The Tozan-ha could not stop them, nor could any priest, nor warrior, nor any man. Daisangyoja was the heir of En-no-Gyoja, founder of the yamabushi and initiator of mountain pilgrimage. Daisangyoja's spells were so powerful that all demons fled before them. He was capable of the most awesome austerities and his prowess as a leader was unquestionable. Why then did the misled ascetics of the Tozan-ha refuse to accept his innovations and his leadership? It was a puzzle to Tsuneyoshi.\n\nThe hawk-faced man, who had stood silently while the argument waxed, stamped his ring-topped stave on the ground once. The dispute ended as if cut by a knife." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Even the Tozan-ha opponents, impressed by Daisangyoja's mien, stood waiting. He strode forward." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"I am Daisangyoja, the Supreme Vision of all ascetics. I am before you. Please see me as I am now. In days to come I will be transformed. Before your very eyes.\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "His voice was melodious, powerful, almost hypnotic." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Men and women listened to him. Even though his words were arrogant, his tone was such that no one could doubt his power or sincerity.\n\n\"I and my people will go up to the mountains. We will prepare ourselves by the usual methods. In addition I will perform another magic—one not performed since the olden days. Doing so I will be transformed, and so will those with me. I will eat pine needles and I will be reborn in this life. Come with me into the mountains.\" He turned and strode to the river, shedding his clothing as he walked. His own people followed unhesitatingly. A small number of the Tozan-ha members followed hesitant suit. Some of the Tozan-ha hurried off, possibly to inform their fellows. The vast majority stood its ground." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Midori tugged at Satsuki's sleeve." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"Come, we must bathe,\" she said." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"We are not permitted on the mountain, but even those of us who are left behind must be cleansed.\" The yamabushi and their few women, the men in their white loincloths, the women in red petticoats, marched into the chilled waters. Satsui felt her nipples pucker with the cold. The water was not freezing, merely colder than she liked. She dipped the ritual three times, the rocks in the riverbed making her footing uneven and threatening her poise. She looked at her broodingly for a long time. She bowed gracefully. Beside her Midori drew in an audible breath, but the master ignored her. His hooded eyes seemed to look deep into Satsuki's soul." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "There was something inhuman about his gaze. She felt he was not interested in her, in her sex, in anything she had to offer. He was examining her for some quality she might possibly have, but he had no interest in her as a person.\n\nThey emerged dripping from the water into the hot afternoon sun. Tsuneyoshi was at her elbow. He bowed and approached Daisangyoja.\n\n\"This is your new woman? The one you told me about?\" asked the master.\n\nTsuneyoshi indicated assent." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Daisangyoja looked at her one last time." }, { "from": "system", "value": "Next message should be approximately 2 sentences." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"I will try her and see. Perhaps she is the one we are waiting for. If not... we will have to wait again.\" He strode off without another word." } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "Produce two sentences using the prose and structure of Akahige Namban every time its your turn using what the user wrote as a seed." }, { "from": "system", "value": "Produce a starting prompt please." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "The small outbuilding she had been called to was floored with fresh tatami mats. They smelled of clean, sweet grass and rice straw." }, { "from": "human", "value": "The master sat in the middle of the tiny structure." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Beneath him was a thin cotton pad." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Beside him rested a dipper with water and a large travelling box of the type carried by many yamabushi.\n\nSatsuki bowed at the doorway, her hands properly together, then sat awaiting his command." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"Approach!\" he said.\n\nShe swivelled slightly on her heels and delicately closed the sliding door, rose, took three steps, and knelt again, her hands on her lap." }, { "from": "human", "value": "He examined her for a while." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "She had the flat face and high forehead of the true aristocrat. Her lips were full but small, her carriage erect." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Only the browning of her face indicated that she had spent several full days in the sun." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Her eyes were modestly downcast, and her long hair hung down her back, held by a simple ribbon. She waited with perfect patience and acceptance for whatever he would deign to give her." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"Strip!\" he commanded, his face immobile." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "She raised her hands gracefully to the small of her back and quietly slid the intricate knot of her sash free. With an elegant motion she moved her shoulders, and the fabric of her robe pooled about her hips." }, { "from": "human", "value": "She restored her hands to her hips and arched her neck to one side, affording him a glance at her perfect neck." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Her eyes were downcast, and a faint ghost of a smile played about her full red lips.\n\nHe raised his hands before his face, and his fingers curled intricately in a mudra of power." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"Undo me!\" he commanded. Satsuki leaned forward, her breasts swaying with the motion." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Her deft fingers undid the ribbons of his pantaloons, then delved between his legs to loosen his loincloth." }, { "from": "human", "value": "His cock lay in a bed of black hair." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "She sat back again, her hands once again in her lap. He had, she noted, almost perfect control." }, { "from": "human", "value": "She wondered what would be the best way to please him." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Obviously he expected no initiatives, at least overt ones, from her. But even so, there were possibilities." }, { "from": "human", "value": "He waited for a long time, his glittering eyes never wavering from her face." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "She sat quietly as a porcelain doll, only the slight rise and fall of her pale breast, tipped with pink, betraying the fact that she was a living thing.\n\n\"I am male!\" His voice was deeper and even more powerful." }, { "from": "human", "value": "His right fingers pursed into the shape of closed flower bud pointing up." }, { "from": "human", "value": "His cock, like a soldier called to duty, swelled at the words and came erect out of its bed." }, { "from": "human", "value": "The plum-colored knob stared at Satsuki's downcast eyes with its single blind eye." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"You are female!\" His left hand, held low, opened into the cupping shape of an open flower. She bowed slightly and readied herself appropriately." }, { "from": "human", "value": "With the suddenness of a tiger he leaped upon her and bore her back." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Her hands cushioned their fall. His cock pushed between her legs, and with one thrust he was carried the length of her sopping quim." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Their hairs meshed with a squishy sound." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "He stared at her with some surprise and a trace of respect. Satsuki felt as if a glowing coal filled her channel." }, { "from": "human", "value": "His pole was a warm, strong core that warmed her cool being." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "She held him lightly with her thighs, warmed by the pressure of his presence. He jogged his rump once, then again, allowing her to feel the full length of his masculinity." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "His mouth sought her, and he filled the cavern with the warmth of his tongue. She met the probing oral digit with a surrender of her own, lightly licking the surface as he probed her insides." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Suddenly he started moving his cock furiously into her. His balls banged against the mounds of her ass." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "She smoothed the muscular thighs with her own, her face as remote and quiet as before. He raised his head and looked at her face." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "The calm acceptance he found there seemed to please him, as did the tiny beads of sweat that lightly dusted her forehead.\n\nHe changed his plunging thrusts to a circular motion, and she fitted her own movements to his." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Her tiny clitoris was ground under the power of his muscles and bone, and she felt the delight well up inside her, though nothing of her internal sensations showed on her face or in her movements." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "He brought the tip of his member to the lips of her cunt and twiddled it there for a while, then plunged in anew, bearing down on Satsuki's beautiful body with his full weight. Her breathing quickened as he repeated the treatment." }, { "from": "human", "value": "At last he withdrew altogether, then knelt before her." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "She lay there, a picture of female joy. Her eyes were slightly closed, her face lightly touched by sweat." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Pink nipples, erect and glowing, peered at the ceiling atop faintly flushed mounds." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Her smooth belly curved down to a mass of sopping black curls in which trickles of moisture could be clearly seen." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "The hair barely hid the sweet red gash, slick with her moisture. Her thighs were slightly raised, framing her damp pussy, waiting for his bidding." }, { "from": "human", "value": "His cock started to twitch and pulse." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"Do not let it go to waste!\" he ordered." }, { "from": "human", "value": "She opened her eyes and focused on his crotch." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Without a second's hesitation, she came to her knees and bowed before him. As the first spurts of milky fluid emerged from the open mouth of the hole, she caught them in her waiting lips and swallowed." }, { "from": "human", "value": "So skillful was her mouth that he could feel the faint stir of her breath on the sensitive tip while the tremours of his orgasm shook his frame." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Not a drop was lost.\n\nHe folded his arms and looked at her while she knelt before him." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"You might be the one,\" he said thoughtfully. \"We must check fully.\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"I am honored, sir, at your confidence in my poor self,\" she murmured." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"Come, we will try again.\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "This time his procedure was straightforward. He lay back and helped her mount him." }, { "from": "human", "value": "She slid down his waiting pole, which had not lost any of its hardness, until their hairs meshed." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "He guided her with his hands, then indicated that she should move herself. With growing confidence she rocked over his body." }, { "from": "human", "value": "She clenched her cunt sometimes, enough to increase the urgency of his sensations, yet not sufficiently to hurry him." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Occasionally she varied her movements, swaying gracefully over the tip of his maleness or grinding her soft lips hard into the base of his cock. He regarded her unmovingly for a while; then, as if he were unable to control himself, his hips started to gyrate wildly on the floor." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "She followed his movements with her own as her passion grew. His hands stroked her flanks and insinuated themselves between their bodies, where he pinched her labia." }, { "from": "human", "value": "She sighed with pleasure, and her movements increased their tempo." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "He was now arching himself clear off the floor, and she rode him like a bucking horse, her own movements becoming as uncontrolled. Her mouth opened, and deep breaths emerged from her laboring throat." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Her eyes closed to slits as she enjoyed the masterful use of his hands on her breasts, genitalia, and ass.\n\nBehind the ecstatic mask she carefully noted the control in his movements." }, { "from": "human", "value": "As Satsuki matched her actions to his, it was clear to her that Daisangyoja's pleasure must precede her own." }, { "from": "human", "value": "She controlled the reactions of her body, holding much in reserve, adding to her own pleasure in measured amounts." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "He reached beside him, and there was suddenly a hard pressure at her rear entrance. She smiled at him and leaned forward to bite his chest in gratitude and to allow the harigata easier entrance." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "The ivory prick slid easily up her waiting anus, and she leaned back again to enjoy the entire benefit of the two cocks, one real, the other artificial, that filled her.\n\nIt took a long time before Daisangyoja would admit defeat." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "The female principle would outwait the male, being passive. But its passivity could be checked another way." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "He removed the harigata from between Satsuki's moon cheeks and raised her powerfully on his extended arms. She was bent like a moon bridge now, her face and feet close to his, her hips arched high in the air." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"You must let down your dew now!\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "he commanded, and Satsuki obeyed.\n\nShe trembled like a leaf, and her insides contracted in a powerful orgasm." }, { "from": "human", "value": "She gasped for air at the power of her feelings as wave after wave of pleasure soaked her entire frame." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "The world came to an end, a pinprick of time surrounded by the sensations of her orgasm. Her liquids overflowed and ran down the insides of her thighs." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Her only contact with reality was the grip of his fingers on her hips." }, { "from": "human", "value": "As the waves of pleasure subsided he brought her down to rest on his chest, and felt the final tremours of her pleasure fade away." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "She closed her eyes and looked at him blindly for a long time, then smiled slightly and raised herself to kneel at his side.\n\nHe rose to his feet and stood facing the wall for a long time, then turned back to her." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"You are the one, undoubtedly. I can now proceed. The New Age of the Law is come. We can go into the mountains for the last time in this age. When I return, power will return with me.\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "He was looking at her face but seeing infinity. She did not know what the meaning of his words was, but she responded with great propriety to his pronouncements." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Bowing, she said, \"Yes, master.\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"Hasegae! Tsuneyoshi!\" he called." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "The two subleaders slid the doors aside and crouched at the entrance.\n\n\"She is the one! We will proceed at dawn. Before that we must accustom her fully to her role. We will perform the purification now.\"" } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "im ur writing buddy. i set scene, u do 5 sentences like Akahige Namban" }, { "from": "system", "value": "Produce a starting prompt please." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "A fire was lit, and samples of the pure grains were burned. Charms were read over Satsuki's supine body, and mystic signs were traced on her skin in sanctified ink. The droning of the chants, the conch blasts, and the jangle of instruments lulled Satsuki into a trance. As the fire died down in its brass bowl, Hasegae drew Satsuki's legs apart. He inserted himself slowly and smoothly into her moist channel while chanting the appropriate verses." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "He rolled them onto their sides. His hands loosely caressed her breasts and back, then dipped lower to her ass, spreading her cheeks like the two halves of a peach.\n\nChanting too, Tsuneyoshi laid himself behind her. He inserted his prick into the flexible ring of her ass. Slowly, still chanting, he eased his way into her." }, { "from": "human", "value": "She felt the hardness of the two pricks in her as they nestled into the channels of her flesh." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Gently, softly, she enclosed them within herself, squeezing them as lightly as she could.\n\nTwo pairs of hands now stroked her body. Rising higher, they found her throat and lightly fingered her mouth. She opened her soft lips, and Daisangyoja's prick was gently inserted into the warm waiting cavern. It slid forward, resting on her relaxed tongue." }, { "from": "human", "value": "She breathed easily through her nose while laving the full morsel of flesh with the moisture of her mouth." }, { "from": "system", "value": "Next message should be approximately 3 sentences." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Daisangyoja touched the top of her head approvingly.\n\nThe doors were closed, and they lay that way dreamily through the night, Satsuki slowly urging her men towards a climax by tiny motions of her body, by minute shiftings and clenchings of herself. As the rooster crowed the dawn she was inundated by streams of come from all three men, who were shaken in turn by her climax." } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "im ur writing buddy. i set scene, u do 7 sentences like Akahige Namban" }, { "from": "system", "value": "Produce a starting prompt please." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Osatsuki cast one last look down the trail, through the square torii arch, at the face of her friend and apprentice. Midori looked back at her elder sister, unable to erase the worry from her face. No women had gone through the arch in living or recorded memory. Osatsuki was the first, and Midori feared for her. Vague tales of the magic doings on the mountains rose persistently into her mind. She banished them forcefully, reminding herself of the master's power and righteousness, but they returned again unbidden.\n\nThe last of the white-clad novices, trailed by a brightly dressed vanguard of senior men, disappeared past a curve in the trail." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Midori still stood and stared, confusion and unhappiness on her face.\n\n\"Well, come on, love. Let's get a move on. Can't stand there all day.\"\n\n\"Lost a lover, dearie?\" another of the yamabushi women laughed.\n\n\"Yow, but she don't have a cock neither,\" a third giggled.\n\n\"Oh, shut up!\" demanded Midori fiercely as they turned down the trail. She hoisted up her goza mat and the small bag of her possessions." }, { "from": "human", "value": "She was still worried, but there was money to be made before the men returned." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Just in case... just in case the master was wrong and the millennium, with gold coins showering from the skies and rice bales for the asking, did not come.\n\nThe group of yamabushi women paused at one of the larger temples down the trail. They turned in to the temple courtyard, to rest under the eaves and drink from the spring that bubbled near the entrance. Some prayed before the temple doors; the rest sat and chattered.\n\nA tall, massively built samurai entered the compound. He was filthy and stained from travel, his clothes plain. His unshaven pate marked him as a lordless man: a ronin." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "He drank thirstily, then looked around. Seeing the women, he drifted casually towards them. Noticing his arrival, some of the younger women eyed him sideways. The older ones, knowing that ronin were penniless more often than not, ignored the man. He looked the women over casually as he approached the steps to the temple, fumbling in his sleeve for a coin to throw into the offertory box.\n\nThe memory of a conversation floated into Midori's thoughts. The ronin was very big, and his hands were enormous." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Also, his features were slightly strange." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "There was something Elder Sister Osatsuki had said about one of her friends... Yes, that he was the son of a southern barbarian father. If so, perhaps help, or at least a way to calm her fears, was near. She looked to either side at her companions. If there were only some way to attract his attention without drawing theirs... The massive figure bulked before her.\n\n\"Excuse me, lovely lady. Could I entice you to indulge me?\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "The group of women sitting on the temple steps had attracted Jiro's attention from the start." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "He had climbed the path up Yoshino Hill, stopping at each concentration of yamabushi he passed to examine the women. So far he had seen no trace of Osatsuki, though it appeared that many of the yamabushi were in a frenzy of excitement over something. That was their affair, however, and Jiro continued on, merely becoming more alert than before. Among the women sitting on the stairs was one who momentarily drew his attention. Her features were more regular than the others', the hair a fine soft brown. Unusual for a common woman and whore. For a moment, while she sat still under the shade of the porch, he thought it was Osatsuki." }, { "from": "human", "value": "The brown haired woman's movements were very much like the Miyako courtesan's." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "As he moved closer, however, the similarity vanished. It was merely a similarity of gesture.\n\nHe walked to the porch, and the woman stared at him thoughtfully, then looked at her companions to either side. Something caught Jiro's eye. It was a hairpin worn by Brown Hair. The visible end was decorated by an enamelled polychrome of azalea leaves. Jiro knew that the part stuck in her hair was a blade of the finest steel." }, { "from": "human", "value": "He had seen Okiku make it herself, as a gift for her friend Satsuki—Azalea—and he himself had taken the blade to be enamelled." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "For a moment he wondered how he could find a way to talk to the woman; then he laughed inwardly. The mat tied in a roll to her back was the obvious clue. He bowed slightly to her and indicated his desires.\n\nThe couple walked into the grove, staying within sight of the women, who observed them casually from the stairs.\n\n\"Are you perhaps from Miyako?\" The girl's voice was pleasant and polite, in contrast to the other whores' chattering behind him.\n\n\"Yes,\" he grunted shortly, trying to work out a way to inquire about the pin." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"Perhaps you are acquainted with the Gion area?\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "He turned and frowned at her, then nodded shortly.\n\n\"Then perhaps you have heard of a certain woman, Osatsuki by name?\"\n\n\"What do you know of her!\" he asked, gripping her shoulders roughly.\n\nShe laughed lightly, and her friends, keeping an eye out for her protection, relaxed. \"Not so roughly, please, Mr. Samurai. Are you perhaps acquainted, too, with a woman named Okiku?\"\n\nHe nodded again, his brows contracting." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"I am Miura Jiro of Miyako. I know Osatsuki, and Miura Okiku is my wife. You will tell me what you know of them!\"\n\nShe knelt down and spread her mat. \"You must make love to me now.\"\n\n\"Here? In full sight?\"\n\n\"They are merely seeing to my well-being. They will follow if we are completely out of sight. Here we are slightly hidden, and no one will suspect us or fear for me. Come, join me. There is a message for you.\" She lay down and spread her thighs. He lay down beside her, and she loosened the ties of his trousers expertly." }, { "from": "human", "value": "She delved inside his pants, and his flaccid cock rose to the challenge." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "She laughed softly. He pulled aside the hems of her robe and exposed the length of her legs. They were smooth and rather pale for a country woman. The pads of his fingers travelled their way up the soft inner parts of her thighs until he reached the juncture of her spread legs. He touched the first of her pussy hairs, and his cock stiffened at the challenge. The hairs were unusually soft, softer even than Rosamund's, he noted.\n\nJiro bent forward and kissed her on the lips. She looked at him in surprise, unaccustomed perhaps to such practices from her customers." }, { "from": "human", "value": "He grinned at her, admiring the smooth lines of her face, then bent to kiss her again." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Midori responded this time. Her tongue, trained in a different mouth by her elder sister, snaked out and licked delicately at his. The young samurai pressed his mouth onto hers, and his fingers penetrated her lower lips, precipitating a plentiful flood of dew there.\n\nThey loosened one another's clothing. Jiro's large hands roved over Midori's slim body. Her nipples were taut, and he pressed the rubbery nubs into the buttery softness of her breasts. Her tongue licked out and laved his ear while her hands dug into his back urging him on." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Jiro rolled onto her, and she spread her legs and raised her knees for him. He guided his stiff prick into her opening. The thick, warm shaft parted the slick lips of her cunt, and he pushed himself forward. Her channel was elastic and very deep for a small woman. The head of his pillar sought the depths until its penetration was blocked by the merging of their hairs at its root.\n\nHe pulled back, and Midori dug her strong fingers into the muscles of his ass. She enjoyed the feel of those muscles, knowing they would soon bring her pleasure, and her fingers applied more pressure than was really needful." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "He grunted and pushed forward again. Her tiny clitoris was mashed beneath the power of his pubis, and she wriggled her hips to show her appreciation. Jiro started to pull back again, but the brown-haired girl stopped him.\n\n\"Now we must talk!\" she said firmly.\n\n\"Now?\" the young man, sunk in her juicy interior to the hilt, was obviously surprised. His tone hardened. \"I've been without a woman for a long time now. You must not get me into this state and then...\"\n\n\"And I without a man,\" she said calmly." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"But we must not allow our preferences to interfere with our duty to our friend. We must avert suspicion this way. If we were to stand and talk, my companions would be suspicious and perhaps come to see what we were doing.\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "She clenched her thighs around his back." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "To the outside world, her smooth face wore no particular expression. Inwardly, however, she was grinning happily. Most men finished too soon to suit her. Having this large samurai lend his prick for her pleasure was a comfort. By the time she allowed him to move again, she would be ready too.\n\n\"I will move slightly,\" she added sweetly, \"so that we will not arouse suspicion.\"\n\n\"Tell me about Osatsuki!\" he commanded." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"She and I travelled together for some time...\" She described the circumstances, and then her fears for her friend. \"You must go after them. Taking a woman into the mountain is most unusual. And I have a bad feeling that she may not come out again.\"\n\n\"Why do you fear that?\"\n\n\"I don't know,\" she said, \"but the whole thing is very strange.\"\n\nHe contemplated her face for a while, as she jogged her hips in place to keep him pleasantly hard. He rubbed his loins in a circular motion against her and grinned conspiratorially.\n\n\"Can you get away from your companions?\" he asked suddenly." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"Perhaps.\" She shrugged." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Divining his meaning she asked, \"Will it help Elder Sister?\"\n\n\"I have sent a message to Miyako, and I hope it will be answered. Some friends of mine are waiting at Koya-san, in one of the pilgrim inns below the monastery. Seek them out. Tell them what is happening and have them head back in this direction. I will follow the yamabushi up the mountain. But if I find Osatsuki and manage to escape with her from their clutches, I might need help.\" He described his friends to her.\n\n\"I will do it,\" Midori said. \"But hurry—please hurry. I am so afraid for Elder Sister Osatsuki.\" She shivered in fear.\n\nThe tremour of her frame returned Jiro from contemplation of his duty to the needs of the here and now." }, { "from": "human", "value": "He clutched Midori's ass to him and raised himself slightly on his knees, then set to in earnest." }, { "from": "human", "value": "The brunette responded fiercely." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Her arms clutched at him, roving over his body, tickling his balls, and then rubbing the length of her creamy lips as far as she could reach. Her body arched, and she threw her head back as Jiro plowed into her. His movements became more rapid until at last he stiffened. She bit his shoulder, and a stream of thick seed hosed into her interior, pulsing the length of her gluey channel. She grunted quietly at his weight, and then forgot the familiar discomfort as the tremours in her own body grew into a wild climax.\n\nThey rested thus for a while until Midori, with an expert and well-practiced twitch of her body, rolled the young man off her. He lay on his back and contemplated the dappling of the leaves high above them." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"You must pay me something,\" grinned Midori, her eyes on her companions who waited on the temple steps." }, { "from": "system", "value": "Next message should be approximately 8 sentences." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Jiro's eyes opened wide. \"I am sorry. I have absolutely nothing to pay you with. When you find my friends, they will be able to repay you for all you have done...\"\n\n\"Oh, just like a samurai!\" she said in exasperation. She smiled then. \"I should be used to it by now. Slide your hand into my sash. There is a string of cash there.\" He did as he was told and palmed the small string of copper cash. The square-holed coins, threaded on a string, clinked dully. He passed the money to her ostentatiously, and she laughed in bitter amusement." } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "ur a writing helper. partner writes, u do next seven sentences." }, { "from": "system", "value": "Produce a starting prompt please." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "By midday, Satsuki's fortitude and good humor had become ragged at the edges. They walked at first up a relatively easy slope through an open wood of pine, pawlonia, and other trees Satsuki could not identify. Gradually the path became more difficult and the forest closed in. The mountain trail wound before and behind them, fleecy white clouds rose above, and in between marched the yamabushi, chanting their liturgy.\n\nThey paused at midday for some rest, food, and the inevitable ritual. Towards later afternoon they paused beside a mountain hut in a large clearing. Midori sat beside a mass of wild rhododendrons in full bloom, idly plaiting a wreath while the yamabushi went through the by-now-familiar motions of clearing and marking a sacred site for a ritual." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Prayers were said, a fire was lit, swords and axes cut into the air while sacred formulas were recited." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "The purity and power of those assembled grew with each moment. Satsuki was not called upon to participate in the ritual, nor was she approached throughout the night. They set off the following dawn.\n\nThey passed the statue of the Fudo of Greeting and rested for a while. The path climbed, following a tortuous ridge. Rituals and observances were kept. They climbed certain rocks that lay off their path, avoided certain others while reciting appropriate verses." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Then they started climbing in earnest." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Satsuki trudged on, concerned about her bedraggled appearance. Suddenly the column broke into sunlight.\n\nThey were standing in a clearing on the lip of a cliff. Behind them the forest spread away on three sides. Before them was nothing but the empty sky. She crept closer to the ledge. Below her the ground fell away for hundreds of feet to a carpet of green moss." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Suddenly the picture came into focus." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "The \"moss\" was the tops of trees that lay below. Bare rocks, some white, some black, crowded the base of the cliff like hungry fangs. Inwardly shaken though outwardly composed, Satsuki crawled back to her place in line. Daisangyoja stood facing them, waiting for the last of the yamabushi to reach the clearing.\n\n\"We are now on Cliff of Judgement. It is here that the real purification will take place. Are you all of pure mind?\" He asked forcefully.\n\n\"Yes!\" responded the yamabushi with a shout.\n\n\"Are you pure of body?\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"Yes!\" they responded as before.\n\n\"Let all those who are not depart this place!\"\n\nNone of the yamabushi moved.\n\nTwo of the senior ascetics approached the cliff and knelt facing one another. The first of the men in line, one who had been on the pilgrimage before, lay down on his belly before them, then crawled over the cliff's edge. The two held on to his ankles, lowering him until only his hips and legs were visible.\n\nDaisangyoja stood between the man's legs and commanded, \"Confess!\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"I will confess,\" responded the ascetic." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"I have been uncaring of my parents, abandoning them in their old age for a life of banditry, before I began following the way. I did not respect the buddhas or the shrines...\" His litany was a long one. At long last the yamabushi leader stood aside.\n\n\"Let him be tested!\" Daisangyoja called out in a terrible voice. The men holding the penitent's ankles released their grip.\n\nAs the yamabushi slid helplessly into the void, the two assistants renewed their hold on his ankles. An almost silent sigh came from the congregation." }, { "from": "human", "value": "The two assistants hauled the man up, and he was replaced by another." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Satsuki shivered inwardly, trying not to think of the result of a slip by the assistants. Daisangyoja positioned himself between the man's legs again, and the ritual was repeated.\n\nSunk in her own thoughts, admiring the scenery, Satsuki did not follow the ritual closely. The man suspended over the cliff, the fifth or sixth in line—Satsuki could not tell—had just finished his confession.\n\n\"Let him be tested!\" said Daisangyoja. The assistants released their hold, and the man started sliding down. They snatched at his heels, but his slide continued." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "There was one sharp cry, and then silence. The two assistants looked at one another in impassive silence. Groans came from the assembly. Daisangyoja faced them \"A man is not always fully penitent. The Judgement Cliff can always tell. He will be reborn again, to start on the Way once more.\"\n\nThe ritual resumed. The only sign of the missing man was the trembling of the novices as they approached the cliff.\n\nFinally it was Satsuki's turn. Her mind had been revolving around the question of how to maintain decorum while suspended head down over a cliff." }, { "from": "human", "value": "She knelt elegantly at the cliff's edge between the two assistants, bowed at Daisangyoja, bowed to the assistants, then slipped forward over the cliff." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Strong hands gripped her ankles and spread her against the cliff. Daisangyoja stood between her legs and demanded her repentance. She recited her sins: she had not been able to present herself properly for the use of the yamabushi band because of lack of proper materials; she had not been able to restore customers to proper sartorial condition before they left her; she had rejected and not dealt properly with the poor man who had so enjoyed inflicting violence with his lovemaking...\n\nThe litany was not long, and at last it ended. She waited calmly for the final act. There was a change in the order of things, however. Daisangyoja stood between her legs without moving." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"The In and the On must be purified together,\" he said, referring to the universal male and female principles." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "He knelt between her legs, and she felt him raise the hem of her robe. His chest slithered over her taut buttocks, and then the tip of his prick probed at the crack of her ass. His palms were on either side of her body, and he dug about for a while until he found the proper entrance. Charmed by the sentiment, she waited patiently for what was to come. The wide head of his member found her soft lips, and his pole lodged itself in the hungry mouth. His weight pushed him down slowly but inevitably until he was sunk fully in the depths of her cunt. He let his weight down onto her back, and then she saw him raise his hands and clasp them before him, over her head." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"Now!\" she heard him say softly, and the assistants let go of her ankles." }, { "from": "human", "value": "For one moment she was free." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "All earthly cares fell away from her as their twined bodies, his supported only by the cock lodged in her belly, slid towards the sky before them. Illusion fell away, and she was borne, exhilarated, through layers of her illusion to the final reality. Her senses disappeared, and she was conscious only of the now, and of the point of joining of herself and the other.\n\nThe cruel grip on her ankles brought her back to mundane reality. For one moment that seemed like eternity she was ready to fight to be free again, and then the illusion of good manners and breeding took over again, and once again she was Osatsuki, a lady of Miyako. The sudden thrust of Daisangyoja's body into her precipitated an orgasm that shook her body into shards of feeling. As she was pulled back, she lay passively allowing the waves of pleasure to finally subside." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Daisangyoja rose from between her thighs and the assistants returned her to her place." }, { "from": "system", "value": "Next message should be approximately 5 sentences." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "The ritual continued. The yamabushi prayed on the cliff. The novices confessed fearfully over the drop, their fears making them truthful.\n\nDaisangyoja had been peering down the cliff, a puzzled look on his face. As the yamabushi file left the Cliff of Judgement, he called two of the senior men to him for a whispered consultation. They bowed and hurried back down the trail while the rest of the group proceeded on their way." } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "Job: User writes start, you add ~five sentences sentences. Style: Akahige Namban" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "The sylvan atmosphere and the lengthy climb made Jiro less cautious than was his wont. He had not drunk any water in some hours. His breakfast had been bracken shoots, some wild berries, and a single delicious pine mushroom. The sound of a stream penetrated his consciousness. A ridge of rocks barred the path, and he started to clamber over it." }, { "from": "human", "value": "His attackers, fortunately, were less cautious than they should have been." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "The first yamabushi leapt with a yell from the heights of a rock that bordered the path. Jiro pulled back from the sword blade that stabbed at his side. He twisted desperately, and a stone rolled out from under his foot. He slipped to the ground, and the sword hissed over his head. His rolling body tripped the second yamabushi, and they both slid down the path." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Jiro recovered first. He rose to his feet, and his great sword arced from its scabbard." }, { "from": "human", "value": "He paused to collect his wits, his head still ringing from its contact with the stones of the path." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "He cut down, but the yamabushi managed to roll away. The other man advanced from above, his sword ready. Jiro slid forward and thrust with both hands. The yamabushi parried effortlessly, but Jiro's move was a feint. He slipped sideways, reversed his sword, and thrust under his left armpit." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "The second yama-bushi, who had silently rushed him from behind, grunted as the long blade stuck into his abdomen. Jiro released the long sword and drew the short blade from his sash. The yamabushi yelled and charged, expecting his longer blade to give him an advantage. The other yamabushi grunted in agony and slid forward onto the sword, which hit the ground and drove itself further into his body.\n\nThe charging yamabushi's blade whistled down." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Jiro's hand, held stiff and flat, rose parallel to the blade and deflected it. He cut at the yamabushi's torso, and his blade stuck into the man's hip. The mountain man checked his charge. He made a convulsive leap backwards and rose through the air, to land on a jutting rock. Well out of reach he panted heavily as Jiro retrieved his long katana blade." }, { "from": "human", "value": "His panting changed to a scream of agony as Jiro's short blade grew from his belly." }, { "from": "system", "value": "Next message should be approximately 2 sentences." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "The yamabushi looked down in horror at the hilt of the short sword protruding from his belly and toppled forward off the rock. The last sound he heard was the whistle of Jiro's long sword as it cleaved the air." } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "one sentence sentences in Akahige Namban style, continuing user's bit" }, { "from": "system", "value": "Produce a starting prompt please." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "The morning dawned bright and clear." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Before the yamabushi rose the peak of a massive mountain." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Around them rose other peaks, as massive and imposing." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "They started through the mists of the morning." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Satsuki bore up well with early rising, something that was not her habit." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "She wondered what she, a lone woman, was supposed to be doing here." }, { "from": "human", "value": "From the comments she overheard she realized that the younger yamabushi were as puzzled." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "The older ones kept their counsel, but she managed to note many a searching glance sent in her direction." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Now the route became difficult." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "They clambered over and between massive rocks and through brush where the path seemed to disappear and only the knowledge of the more experienced yamabushi allowed them to proceed." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Their path led up, switching back and forth across the steep face of a cliff." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Near the summit the climb necessitated handholds." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Then the ledge widened somewhat." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Satsuki peered over the shoulders of the men before her." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Daisangyoja stood before a wide crack that bisected their path." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "There was no way around, and no way down, considering the difficulties of the climb." }, { "from": "human", "value": "He turned to his followers and called, \"Believe!\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "then turned and leapt the chasm." }, { "from": "human", "value": "The rest of the yamabushi followed." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "When Satsuki's turn came, she looked down curiously at the cleft." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Between the lips of the ledge was a fall of several score feet." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Below it lay jagged rocks." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Seeing her hesitation, Tsuneyoshi turned and called out, \"Believe!\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "Startled at the call she jumped and landed handily on the other side." }, { "from": "human", "value": "More cliffs, more rocks to be traversed." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Again they climbed a cliff, inching painfully up a narrow path, the chasm below them yawning deeper." }, { "from": "human", "value": "The ledge beneath their feet narrowed, then widened to a clearing that could take most of the group." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Daisangyoja stood before them again." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"Here is the final test,\" he said." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"To pass here you must think of the Eternal Nothing, you must banish the world from your thoughts. There is but one way to pass here, by purifying your minds.\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "On a more prosaic note he added, \"The only way to pass here is by sliding up the ledge with your back to the wall. When you reach the Rock of Nothing, you must pause. Thinking of the Great Nothing, you swing your body into the void. For those who are without desire there is a hold on the other side. For those who are still attached to the world, there is nothing but a long fall...\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "He turned and proceeded along the path, which narrowed as before." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Inching down the ledge with their backs to the rough wall, the party progressed." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Before her Satsuki could see far down and away into a verdant valley." }, { "from": "human", "value": "The peaks rose in majesty around her." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "The sky was clear, and she was lost in its azure depths." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Her outstretched left hand found a smooth, well-worn handhold, a rock sticking out of the cliff face." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "She held it firmly." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Her left foot encountered emptiness, and a smooth bulge of rock impeded further progress." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"Now!\" came a faint voice to her bemused mind." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "She swung away from the cliff." }, { "from": "human", "value": "For a dizzying moment that seemed to last forever she was suspended between heaven and earth, supported only by a grip on a knob of rock." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "She had the momentary urge to let go, to sever all ties with this world of woe." }, { "from": "human", "value": "All too soon her body dragged her back to earth." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Her right foot completed its swing and found purchase on the other side of the rock." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Her hand was held by Tsuneyoshi's, and she was hauled to mundane safety." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"Thank you so much!\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "she said with great propriety." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "They travelled the steep wooded mountains the rest of the day, penetrating deeper into the wilds." }, { "from": "human", "value": "At last they came to the thin thread of a small stream." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "They passed through a tangle of bush after reciting a magical formula imparted to them by Daisangyoja in a whisper." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Satsuki was not vouchsafed a formula." }, { "from": "human", "value": "She parted the bushes and bowed to the fierce-faced figure behind it." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"It's only a statue,\" laughed Hachibei, who had been right before her." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"True,\" she answered softly, \"but a statue of the venerable Shakamuni.\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "And she bowed again." }, { "from": "human", "value": "A cliff barred their way." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Daisangyoja stood before it, unmoving." }, { "from": "human", "value": "The file of yamabushi clustered silently at his feet." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"We are now approaching the climax of our pilgrimage,\" said the master in his hypnotic voice." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"The Tozan-ha and the Honzan-ha have perverted the way of En-no-Gyoja, our founder. Here is the site where the true letter of the law will be reborn. From here the brightness will be reestablished. You must go forward without fear or doubt. I will open the way for you into the precincts of the Western Paradise. Later, through my magic, I will open the New Age and reestablish through austerities that only I know, the New Age of blessings.\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "He turned and faced the cliff face and bowed deeply." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"Open!\" he called in a terrible voice." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"Hear and obey!\" called the senior yamabushi." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "The novices took up the call." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"Open!\" he called again." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"Hear and obey!\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "He raised his beringed staff in his left hand, then lowered it slowly until the butt touched the ground." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "He turned again and motioned Satsuki to his side." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"When the mountain opens,\" he said quietly, for her ears only, \"you will crawl through the buddha womb. When you come out, straddle the exit and wait!\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "He turned again and bowed to the mountain." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"I, the complete being, demand you open!\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "He raised his right hand above his head and then in a flick of an eyelash slammed his palm against the rock face." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "There was a shattering sound, the part of the rock face crumbled to reveal a narrow opening in the cliff." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Daisangyoja moved to one side, turned, and motioned to Satsuki with his eyes." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "She bobbed her head at him, climbed into the hole, and disappeared inside." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "It was dark but reasonably smooth." }, { "from": "human", "value": "The floor was rough rock, and the tunnel seemed to wander on forever in the dark." }, { "from": "human", "value": "She could only crawl along on all fours, hoping for an end and wondering about her appearance." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "She tried to see behind her, but the small circle of light quickly vanished behind a turn in the tunnel." }, { "from": "human", "value": "She wondered desperately how she could maintain her appearance after climbing through the dirt." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "She narrowly avoided hitting her head on the ceiling, turned with the tunnel, and saw daylight." }, { "from": "human", "value": "She crawled out, to find herself on a small grass-floored glen between two rocks." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "She lay there panting for a moment, then recalled that others were to follow her." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Hastily she checked her appearance." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Her gaiters were filthy, she noted, though her robe had been protected somewhat by her travelling pantaloons." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Her hair was a mess, but a few strokes of her comb made it at least manageable." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Fortunately she had worn a kerchief, so the damage was not irreparable." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Hastily she set herself to rights, then, following instructions, stood braced against the cliff wall, her legs straddling the cavern exit." }, { "from": "human", "value": "She dreaded the ordeal, knowing that nothing in her appearance—neither her underclothes, her smell, nor her toilet—would bear close inspection." }, { "from": "human", "value": "She vowed that the humiliation of having to present herself in this fashion, without the minimal amenities, would not soon be forgotten." }, { "from": "human", "value": "The first of the yamabushi poked his head out of the cavern, noted Satsuki straddling the exit, and crawled through between her legs." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Another followed, then more." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Daisangyoja was the last to emerge." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "He bowed to her without a word." }, { "from": "human", "value": "They were standing in a small fan-shaped meadow." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "The two sides were bound by cliffs that towered above them." }, { "from": "human", "value": "The third side gave a magnificent view of the mountains, rolling away from them for mile after mile." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "The meadow sloped down, terminating abruptly in a fall of hundreds of feet." }, { "from": "human", "value": "A perfect hideout. At the apex of the meadow was a shallow cave." }, { "from": "human", "value": "The cliffs appeared unclimbable, but for some scraggly pines that clung grimly to the rock." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "The yamabushi dispersed and began setting up a ritual enclosure." }, { "from": "human", "value": "The paper-festooned rope was stretched to encompass the entire space." }, { "from": "human", "value": "An altar was prepared on nine layers of nine sticks each." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Brass implements, drums, conchs, and other paraphernalia were produced from the yamabushi's bags." }, { "from": "human", "value": "She wandered around, peeped into the cave, which was nothing more than a small person-high depression in the cliff extending two feet into the rock." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Then she waited patiently, standing near the cliff's edge, enjoying the view of the mountains and the sky unfolding before her." }, { "from": "human", "value": "The rituals took up the rest of the day." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Throughout, Satsuki sat where she was told and followed the intricate moves of the ritual with only half her mind." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "She could not help wondering what would become of her, what her place was in the scheme of things." }, { "from": "human", "value": "And beneath it rose tiny streams of resentment." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "She had so much to offer, and it was all wasted on these wild men." }, { "from": "human", "value": "The ritual was over." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "At last she had her own role to play." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Nude, she entered the cave as she had been bidden." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Daisangyoja stood before her, his head touching the roof, his faced shadowed." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "His magnetic eyes bored into her own, and he pressed his warm flesh against her cool curves." }, { "from": "human", "value": "His mouth opened. She parted her own red lips expecting an exploring by his tongue." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Instead of a warm oral digit, however, only a single syllable came out, a sound to end all sounds." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "With the mantra still echoing continuously from his mouth he sank down to a lotus position." }, { "from": "human", "value": "His skin stroked smoothly over her own." }, { "from": "human", "value": "The emitted breath of the magic syllable stirred her unbound hair, then caressed her face." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "He descended lower, sinking from her sight in the gloom." }, { "from": "human", "value": "The power of his breath puckered the valley between her breasts." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Her nipples, erect from the cold, felt the passage of the sound until it passed and penetrated the recess of her nave. There it stopped." }, { "from": "human", "value": "As if in a trance she felt his hands urge her downwards." }, { "from": "human", "value": "She complied, her thighs curving naturally around his body." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "She was not surprised to find herself being impaled on his massively erect member." }, { "from": "human", "value": "The blunt head of the instrument parted her soft nether lips." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "She sighed in accompaniment to the magic syllable he uttered." }, { "from": "human", "value": "The hot sword penetrated her willing flesh without pause until she rested comfortably on his thighs." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Her heels clenched behind his hard ass, and her arms curled around his neck." }, { "from": "human", "value": "She jogged up and down to increase their pleasure, but Daisangyoja's firm hand stayed her." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "There were sounds from the entrance." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Past her shoulder Satsuki could see hands coming and going as willing helpers blocked up the entrance to the cave with rocks and clay." }, { "from": "human", "value": "The pale entrance grew darker and darker, the pale sky becoming a blot, a spot; then it was gone." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"How long will we have to stay here?\" she asked tremulously." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"Forever!\" he answered, and his sword of flesh stabbed up into her vitals." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Moving slowly, his hand began a sensuous movement over her back." }, { "from": "human", "value": "In the narrow space, enclosed by masses of earth and rock, she could not move." }, { "from": "human", "value": "He stroked the skin of her back, touching all the sensitive planes of her torso." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Gradually the tempo of his moving hands quickened." }, { "from": "human", "value": "She saw her former lovers in her mind's eye." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Her deceased husband, the many men she had pleased in her professional career." }, { "from": "human", "value": "She tried to move and support his thrusts into her willing body, but the binding earth stopped her motions." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Her breathing quickened with the tempo of his moves, and she was suddenly conscious of two things: his cock was barely moving in her, all sensation being caused by his hands, and her climax was rapidly approaching." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "She tried to resist the latter." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "She forced her thoughts onto mundane things, but the insidious motion of his hands on her back and ass brought forth the reality of her body." }, { "from": "human", "value": "She whimpered in the dark, hungering for more pleasure; then the orgasm shook her, and she let down a shower of juices that moistened their joined hairs." }, { "from": "human", "value": "He commenced his movements again, his mouth sought hers, and he locked her firmly to him while his maleness plundered her soft insides." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "They remained joined until Satsuki lost all track of time; only her repeated orgasms served as a metronome, tolling away the hours." }, { "from": "human", "value": "With time, thought ceased." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Her climaxes continued, but they detached her body from herself." }, { "from": "human", "value": "She floated somewhere on a hazy cloud, approaching satori; the death within life, the unity with her lover, the cessation of her being." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Not thinking any more, her limbs disobedient, she waited for death to come." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Suddenly she felt cool air on her back." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Painfully she managed to turn her neck." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "A small point of light came into being." }, { "from": "human", "value": "It widened, and she could see moonlight illuminating the niche." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Daisangyoja's face was unnaturally calm, his eyes open to mere slits, a slight smile on his lips." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "He is beautiful, she thought, and abandoned herself to the delicious pleasure of his erect member still distending her soft cunt." }, { "from": "human", "value": "She turned again as a crash of rocks and hard breathing broke into her reverie." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "A wild face, barely seen, glared at her." }, { "from": "human", "value": "It glistened and stank of male sweat and a sweet stink that hinted of something worse." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "The wild eyes saw her in the moonlight, and a grin split the dirt-smeared face." }, { "from": "human", "value": "More rocks flew aside until the opening was wide enough for the figure to insert massive shoulders." }, { "from": "system", "value": "Next message should be approximately 2 sentence." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"At last!\" the face croaked, and a horny, filthy, massive paw grasped her naked shoulder and pulled her back. She looked at Daisangyoja's calmly smiling face and screamed as she was dragged into the moonlight." } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "Today you will be acting as a writing assistant, your partner will send something and you will write the next 2 sentences." }, { "from": "system", "value": "Produce a starting prompt please." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "The trail was not easy to follow. Jiro's city senses had been sharpened, however, by Okiku's training." }, { "from": "human", "value": "She had grown up in mountains similar to these and had taught him the woodsman's craft." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Occasionally he would make a mistake and follow a false trail, but somehow he always managed to recover.\n\nHe followed the yamabushi band across cliffs and rocks, through rough patches and over chasms they had leaped." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Once when the trail seemed to be completely lost on the rocky slopes of a lowering cloud-drenched mountain, he found that a massive rock has fallen across what seemed to be the right path." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "At the time he had cursed and sought a way across the obstacle, only to find the true trail in his efforts. In another instance he found a mark—a deep scratch in a clay bank—probably left by Satsuki." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Towards evening, Jiro heard motion on the trail before him." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Brush was being crushed under the passage of many feet." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "He hid himself among some loose rocks, sheltered by a large sakaki bush. A file of yamabushi passed him by, heading down the mountain." }, { "from": "human", "value": "He looked on in puzzlement." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "There was an air of excitement about the group. The young samurai looked at them carefully from between the broad green leaves." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Satsuki was not among them." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "He puzzled at the problem for a while as they moved out of sight. His thoughts brought about a renewed spurt of energy." }, { "from": "human", "value": "He dashed up the trail, almost heedless of any ambush." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "At the head of the trail was a large bush. Behind it rose a massive cliff wall." }, { "from": "human", "value": "There was no one about." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "He looked carefully at whatever footprints there were to be seen in the hard earth and rocks, puzzling out their message. There were no handholds up the cliff face, and no trail led off in either direction." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Suddenly his craftsman's eye caught sight of the bare cliff face." }, { "from": "human", "value": "He remembered his father's expertise as a shipwright and the pride he took in making wood joints invisible." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Jiro examined the rocks behind the bush. They had been cleverly put together to hide a cave." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Fear for Satsuki bit into him again." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "He set to work removing the barrier, dark thoughts of revenge turning in his brain.\n\nA dark tunnel, marked by the passage of many bodies, met his gaze." }, { "from": "human", "value": "He considered the passage doubtfully." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "It seemed to lead somewhere, but to what purpose? Mentally he shrugged. No one was about to explain the mystery to him, so he had better explain it to himself." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Long sword held before him, Jiro crawled along the pitch-dark passage." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "His massive frame was barely able to penetrate the hole. He was about to give up, when he caught a slight greying before him." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Jiro cautiously crept on. The smell of crushed verdure met his nostrils." }, { "from": "human", "value": "He ached to pull himself put of the hole as rapidly as possible, but caution held him back." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Lucky that it did, for within the greyness he saw some dark object move before the exist of the tunnel.\n\nJiro inched cautiously forward." }, { "from": "human", "value": "A yamabushi dressed in white faced him, talking." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Jiro froze, then realized that the guard was talking to another perched above the exit to the cavern. Jiro lay in the musty dark and considered his position." }, { "from": "human", "value": "The guards faced one another, and the one above the cave entrance was particularly dangerous." }, { "from": "human", "value": "There was no way of reaching him." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Defeated for the moment, he rested on his elbows.\n\n\"Eh, Sunekichi, she's a good-looking woman,\" the voice above Jiro said coarsely." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"Too good for you, Crook Face,\" laughed the other." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"Think they're still fuckin' in there?\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"Watcha mean? The master's gonna screw her to death...\"\n\n\"Whaa? Such a fine piece of woman?\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"Don't you listen? The master's gonna combine his yang with her yin. Think she can stand it?\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"Hey, she don't have to stand it!\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "The voice above Jiro's head laughed.\n\n\"Well, anyway, they're goin' to be in the cave for a long time. Said your prayer yet?\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"Aw, hell. Is it time already? Surely the buddhas will forgive one miss...\"\n\n\"Say your prayer, animal. You're not likely to get any of that warm softness inside. The master will emerge alone in two weeks. Until then you and I and those who'll replace us in the morning gotta say our prayers and help repel the demons.\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Their discussion was replaced by the mumbling drone of a magic spell. Jiro crept backwards through the cavern, swearing softly in English as he negotiated blind corners." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Japanese, he had long known, was not a good language to swear in. His father, an English seaman, had taught him that." }, { "from": "human", "value": "He sat in the dark contemplating the blank cliff face." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "His mind worked furiously, yet could find no solution to the dilemma. Under ordinary circumstances two guards would be easy to dispose of." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Unfortunately they occupied an unassailable position." }, { "from": "human", "value": "If he could pull one of them to him now—the one over the cavern... Or if they were to fall asleep..." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "But any attack would entail delay in getting out of the narrow wormhole, and such a delay would be fatal.\n\nIn the end he had no choice." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Selecting a stout branch, he tied a series of prongs to it from the branches of a thorny mountain lime. It would have to do duty as a sleeve tangler." }, { "from": "human", "value": "He would thrust it at the cavern mouth guard and draw him down to killing distance, hoping he was quick enough to get out or at least hold the other at bay..." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Before he could crawl into the hole his eye was caught by an object glimmering in the moonlight above his head. It was too regular to be a rock." }, { "from": "human", "value": "He looked at it carefully, then dismissed it from his mind." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Someone had lost or inserted a geta, a wooden patten with wooden uprights for soles, into a crack in the rock above his head. Travellers were always losing their footwear." }, { "from": "human", "value": "He was kneeling to crawl into the cavern again, when the idea struck him." }, { "from": "human", "value": "What would a patten be doing there?" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "He stood and regarded it for some time. The sandal was stuck into a horizontal crack in the rock face." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "As far as he could see the crack slanted upward. If it could be followed..." }, { "from": "human", "value": "He reached upward and felt the rock with his fingertips." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Hidden from view from below, there appeared to be a small ledge." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "He traced it with his fingers. It led higher than he could reach—perhaps to the top of the cliff?" }, { "from": "human", "value": "There was nothing to do but try." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "He tied his loose clothes tightly to him and strapped his long sword to his back. His straw sandals were useless for climbing." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Jiro stuck his fingers deep into the crack and took a deep breath." }, { "from": "human", "value": "With sheer force of shoulders and forearms he hauled himself up." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Aided by scrabbling toes, he managed to raise himself to some support, two feet off the ground, His toes found a hole, and he shifted his grip." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "At last he found himself standing on the narrow crack. Tiny, imperceptible cracks provided handholds." }, { "from": "human", "value": "The patten was at the height of his nose now but several feet away." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "He inched towards it, and the crack raised him higher and higher up the cliff face. He reached the wooden sandal and passed it, noticing, as he did, that it had only one wooden upright instead of the customary two." }, { "from": "human", "value": "There were more cracks, even ledges, the higher he climbed, but the way was never more than a sketch on the rock." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "He glanced down once and was glad of the dark. The silvery surface seemed far below him." }, { "from": "human", "value": "He put all his energies into the climb, searching out the best handholds, thankful for his youth working on ships, grateful to Okiku for having taught him how to climb." }, { "from": "human", "value": "There were several unpleasant bulges, beetlings of the rock, which he knew he would be unable to contemplate in the full light of day." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "He overcame them and the climb eased. At last he found himself on a narrow ridge of rock." }, { "from": "human", "value": "On either side the rock fell away sheerly into darkness." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "He collapsed gratefully on the hard rock, drawing in large gulps of air. The moon came out from behind an errant cloud and shone down into the two chasms." }, { "from": "human", "value": "There was a lighter glimmer below, and suddenly Jiro realized where he was." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "He stilled his panting with an effort. Directly below him stood one of the yamabushi guards, his back to the cliff face." }, { "from": "human", "value": "The bowl he was in was fan shaped, and the yamabushi and his hidden observer looked out over ridges of forested mountain, silvered by moonlight." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Jiro looked down carefully. Finally he managed to locate the other man, standing below Jiro and to his left." }, { "from": "human", "value": "His legs straddled a dark splash Jiro knew to be the cavern exit." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "This time the samurai smiled. He considered the cliff face minutely." }, { "from": "human", "value": "The way down seemed to be easier." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "The slope was more gradual and covered by scrub that offered some shelter. He started the descent just as the breeze that blew over the mountains freshened." }, { "from": "human", "value": "There was a rumble of rock and a clatter of stones." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "The yamabushi below him jumped and turned around. The other laughed. Their voices came clearly to Jiro above them." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"Someone's coming!\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"From these cliffs, Crook Face? Never been in the mountains, have you? City boy, eh? Its only the mountains talking.\"\n\n\"Come on, Sunekichi. Mountains don't talk.\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"Fat lot you know, city feller. Rocks crumble all the time. Me an' my dad was hunters in Ugo. Out in the mountains all day and night. Oh, they fall, all right. Every time the wind blows or there's a thaw.\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Another slide of rock punctuated his words, and Jiro took advantage of the noise to descend several more feet.\n\nSlowly he got closer and closer to his quarry." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "At last he found himself poised directly above Sunekichi. He was about to leap, when he heard the sound of a snore." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Looking around carefully, he cursed himself for a fool." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Four more figures were lying huddled near the cliff face. He leaned over and peeped down." }, { "from": "human", "value": "The yamabushi's head presented too small a target, and a slight overhang prevented him from dropping a rock directly on target." }, { "from": "human", "value": "He touched his sword tentatively." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "The other guard was out of sight from where he stood, perhaps answering a call of nature.\n\nJiro dropped, and his sword whispered overarm from its scabbard." }, { "from": "human", "value": "The startled guard had time to draw one breath at the massive figure that blocked his sight before the blade cleaved him from pate to sternum." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Jiro was struggling to extricate the curved steel, when he heard a cry behind him." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "He spun and threw his short sword in one movement. The blade thunked into the second guard's chest, but not before the man let out a cry." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"What is it? What's happening?\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "The other yamabushi surged to their feet and stared about. Jiro, unarmed, ploughed into them." }, { "from": "human", "value": "A massive fist split the nose of the closest man, still dreamy from sleep." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "The others, more alert than their companion, had leaped to either side as waves part before a ship. Jiro spun around weaponless." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "The yamabushi considered the bloody giant before them for a moment, then leaped to the attack. Jiro fell.\n\nHe rolled over against their knees." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Two of the mountain warriors leaped high; the third was knocked off his feet." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Jiro rolled upright while the yamabushi writhed and screamed in pain, curled around the throwing knife Jiro had planted in his belly." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "The young samurai stood panting, and the other two yamabushi charged. He parried both attacks with the short sword he had taken from the knifed yamabushi." }, { "from": "human", "value": "The sword was poorly made and had a bad balance, but it was the best he had." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "They screamed and charged again. Jiro's sash snapped into the face of one, and the man parried the cloth, which slipped from his blade." }, { "from": "human", "value": "A quick skip forward and a stop thrust to the face for the other one, who jerked back." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Jiro slashed down and cut through muscle and flesh, exposing a length of intestine to the moonlight." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "The man grunted. Jiro snapped the sash again and entangled the last man's sword arm, then stepped forward and sank his blade in to the hilt.\n\nThe click of the blade saved his life." }, { "from": "human", "value": "He twisted and fell to one side as a short dagger wielded by the disemboweled mountain man ripped skin and some flesh off his hip." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Jiro's hand chopped down viciously at the charging figure, and the yamabushi fell for the last time." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Jiro secured his weapons and took stock. The small valley was silent." }, { "from": "human", "value": "The yamabushi were all dead, but there was no sign of Satsuki." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "On one side of the tiny valley near the cliff wall he found signs of a recent ritual: the remains of an altar, straw rope marking holy precincts, the remains of a goma fire with some missed seeds scattered about. He looked at the cliff with interest." }, { "from": "human", "value": "There was a depression there, freshly sealed with stones and clay." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Midori's warning came into mind, and he tore hurriedly at the wall, his heart sinking.\n\nThe moonlight was full upon him as he worked." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Rocks fell away, and he paused to wipe sweat from his face, marking it with blood that still covered him." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "He grinned. The blood was not his, at least most of it. A stone fell away, leaving a tiny dark opening." }, { "from": "human", "value": "He pulled more rocks, then a whole pile." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Moonlight flooded into a shallow cave, and Jiro paused in shock. Before him the moonlight illuminated a tiny niche." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "In it were a man and woman, both nude. The man was seated in the lotus position, his hand gracefully supporting her back." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Her long black hair fell down in waves." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "She rode his loins, her feet circling his back. Neither was breathing. For a moment Jiro was convinced that he had failed." }, { "from": "system", "value": "Next message should be approximately 3 sentences." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "The woman's head turned as if unwillingly and looked at his face. Jiro was suddenly conscious of the image he must present. As if to confirm his thoughts, she screamed high and sharp as he reached for her to help her out of the cave." } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "i'll kick things off by writing a bit, then you'll take over and write the next eight sentences in the distinctive voice of Akahige Namban." }, { "from": "system", "value": "Produce a starting prompt please." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Jiro paused in his ablutions. The morning sun shone through the trees.\n\n\"I still think I should have killed him.\"\n\n\"He treated me well, in his way.\"\n\nJiro grunted. He had no patience for religious fanatics or for those of any other kind. Besides, the man had insulted a friend and deserved to die. Privately he resolved that should the opportunity present itself again, he would not hesitate.\n\nSatsuki smiled at him." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"You look so much better now. I was convinced you were a demon from hell when you opened the cave.\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "He grinned and breathed deeply. Water ran down his cheeks and his massive chest. The brook chuckled down a mountainside between moss-covered boulders. The sound was so pure and clear, Jiro could almost hear the music of a flute in the notes of the rocks and water. Huge tree trunks obscured vision to all sides. Colorful flowers peeped coyly from between green bushes and ferns. It seemed as if they were alone in the world. There was no sign of pursuit, nor did they expect any." }, { "from": "human", "value": "They were lost and, for the while at least, content to stay so." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"How did you find me?\" she asked.\n\n\"It was rather peculiar. I lost your trail several times but was helped by your very clever device of the azalea wreaths.\" She bowed in thanks to the compliment. \"Then at the worm hole I was stumped, but found a crack in the cliff face and managed to crawl up that.\"\n\n\"What was so peculiar?\"\n\n\"There was a pilgrim's sandal there, hanging on the cliff. I wonder how it got there. You were there during the day; you must have seen it...\"\n\nShe shook her head, puzzled. \"No, forgive me for my inobservance, but I am sure there was nothing there of the sort. It would have been rather obvious, would it not?\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "He sucked in air through his teeth in puzzlement. There was something odd about the whole affair, now that he could think of it. The rock slides, for instance. There were none when he was climbing the cliff face, nor had he heard any during the preceding nights. His line of thought was broken by Osatsuki.\n\n\"Shall I rub your back?\" she asked impishly. \"You must be very tired.\"\n\nHe was suddenly conscious of her body beneath her rather tattered robe." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "He knelt on the bank of the stream, and she knelt behind him. Her soft hands stroked his sore shoulders gently. The soothing motion soon aroused other thoughts, and he turned, still seated on his knees. He was not surprised to find Satsuki naked to the waist. Her small breasts pouted fully, waiting for his kisses and his hands. There was a smile on her lips, encouraging him. He took full advantage of the opportunity, playing long with her breasts and torso. Then he bore her gently back onto the moss." }, { "from": "human", "value": "His manhood stood forward from his belly for a short moment before it was plunged into her depths." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "For a short time he waited, looking deeply into her eyes, enjoying the fullness of the scene. Then his hips began pistoning, slowly at first, then, as the crisis overcame him, with greater rapidity.\n\nShe shook with passion along with him, her insides adding their copious moisture to his sprays of heavy cream. In the final moment she covered his mouth with hers and her eyes filled with tears.\n\nThey lay for a long time, teasing one another's skin with their fingers and tongues, gently kissing.\n\n\"That was nice and uncomplicated,\" remarked Satsuki.\n\nJiro looked at her in consternation. \"You had a hard time then, Mistress Osatsuki?\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "She laughed pleasantly. \"No, not too bad. Please do not concern yourself. And it was most educational. I hardly had any idea there were people who lived like that. It was edifying, but I am glad it is over. And please, do not be formal. Under the circumstances it would be ridiculous, and I do so want to get to know you better. Okiku and I have discussed you many times...\" She hid her smile with the palm of his hand, and Jiro laughed quietly." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"Very well,\" he said. \"I will call you Satsuki, as is proper. We are practically blood siblings, after all, sharing so many secrets and adventures.\"\n\nNonetheless, he could not help wondering what Okiku and Satsuki had talked about when his name was mentioned. They lay together, enjoying the peace of nature and pleasurable companionship, unwilling to go on travelling towards the rest of humankind. He turned to her again, his penis ready, and she opened herself to him.\n\nThe denizens of the mountain forest appeared from between the trees, dancing across the boulders like a troop of spirits. One softly played the drone of a hichiriki, producing eldritch music. Their music was in rhythm with the wind that blew between the trees and peculiarly in rhythm too with the movements of Jiro and Satsuki's bodies." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Unseeing of the two, uncaring almost, they danced across moss-covered rocks, teetering for seconds on fallen logs, shooting off in all directions." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "The speed of their movements grew with the speed of Jiro's thrust. Satsuki closed her eyes, and he laved her lips with his tongue.\n\nThe signs of her approaching pleasure were near. Her cunt tightened on his driving machine. Her breath came in tight little gasps. Her nipples hardened to stiff points between his pinching fingers. At last she gave a gentle sigh, and her body trembled throughout its entire length. She tightened convulsively, and then Jiro felt her grip slacken." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "She opened her eyes in time to watch him come too. His massive frame reared above her body like a wave. A tide of seed sprayed out from his massive member as he sought to bury it deeper into her. He cried out in triumph, crushing a handful of earth, the only contact between their bodies being the length of his male member. He sank down gratefully onto her soft body.\n\nThey both raised their heads slightly and considered their visitors, who regarded them gravely in return.\n\nAll five seemed ancient. Their hair was full and white." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "It flowed over their shoulders in snowy masses. They wore the colorful clothes of the yamabushi but with a difference. Silk and gold thread predominated. The breeches were of the finest material, the robes tucked into them of silk. On second look, Jiro was not so sure of their antiquity. Faces were smooth and unlined, hands did not display the usual veins of age. Only the eyes contrived to look ancient and infantile at once.\n\n\"You did that very well.\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "It was the sole woman of the five who spoke." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "She was distinguishable from the men only in her lack of beard.\n\n\"We are the Goki, dwellers in the mountain,\" another said, forestalling Jiro's question.\n\n\"Are you yamabushi?\" Satsuki asked.\n\nJiro was nervously conscious of his nakedness and the fact that his swords were not close enough to hand.\n\nOne of the men laughed and looked at Jiro with amusement. \"You did not return my geta,\" he answered Jiro's unasked question.\n\n\"So it was you?\" he said. \"The rock slides too?\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "They bowed from their seats on rocks and branches." }, { "from": "system", "value": "Next message should be approximately 6 sentences." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"Why?\"\n\nThis time the speaker's face was serious. \"We do not care for what Master Daisangyoja was attempting. Long have we dwelt in these mountains, ministering to true yamabushi. Master Daisangyoja wishes to disturb the natural order of things. Whether his magic succeeds or not does not matter. It is the results of his actions, his turning people against themselves, that we dislike. So we opposed him.\"\n\n\"Come,\" the woman smiled at them. \"We know the ways of the mountains. You wish to go to Mount Koya. We will show you the way. We are glad you have not killed Master Daisangyoja. But beware. He is a great yamabushi, but he is not likely to forget you.\"\n\n\"I will take care of him, and not with my fist, should we meet again,\" Jiro stated forcefully." } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "yo can u write like Akahige Namban using my stuff as a starting point?" }, { "from": "system", "value": "Produce a starting prompt please." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"Are you sure he said we must wait here for him?\" Matsudaira Konnosuke asked the slight young girl before him. Obviously awed by the company, she bowed low to the ground while mumbling her replies. \"It will go hard for you if you are lying!\" he warned, and she shivered as she looked at his severe face.\n\nHe was dressed in brocade silks. His topknot was black and straight as a sword slash." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Though Midori knew him to be a stern man, administrator of life and death for the imperial city of Miyako, still she thought she saw a hint of sensuousness in the narrow lips and classical profile." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "He continued looking at her speculatively. Midori, experienced in the ways of men, still could not tell about this sample of the upper classes. She had simply had no experience with such high-class persons before. She looked around her nervously. The middle-rank guesting house was luxuriously appointed. Monks were supposed to be abstemious, as were pilgrims, but the Shogun's government demanded a minimum of comfort for its minions, at least the important ones.\n\nThe smooth, bare wooden pillars and beams of the room were clean and well made, exuding the faint fragrance of hinoki wood." }, { "from": "human", "value": "The painted fusuma panels had been decorated by an artist, and the finger holes for the sliding fusuma doors were made of lacquered copper, each cover a different play on the shape of a crane." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Peculiarly, the lord before whom she sat was unaccompanied by any attendants except the two women for whom she had searched, and so far neither had said a word. She had been several days on the way, searching for traces of Lord Matsudaira, and had then spent several days more searching for his resting place. All that time, fear for Elder Sister Osatsuki had driven her on.\n\nThere was an altercation outside, followed by a low voice calling for Matsudaira's attention.\n\n\"Forgive the intrusion?\"\n\n\"Yes?\" answered Matsudaira.\n\n\"A message from the ronin Miura Jiro, my lord.\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "The retainer slid the fusuma door open, stepped in, knelt, and slid it closed." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "He was a young samurai, plainly dressed in black overcoat. He bowed and handed a folded slip of paper to Matsudaira with both his hands, then turned and left.\n\nMatsudaira read the short note and smiled. \"Jiro is at the nearby teahouse—\"\n\nHe had barely finished speaking before there was a rush of movement. The slim woman Midori identified as Okiku rose quickly to her feet. She bowed (rather perfunctorily) in Matsudaira Konnosuke's direction and slipped out the door, not before flashing a brief smile at Midori." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "The other cowled figure stirred impatiently but did not move.\n\nGovernor Matsudaira looked at Midori. He smiled at her for the first time. \"It seemed you were telling the truth, girl. Mr. Miura says he has Osatsuki with him.\"\n\n\"Wonderful! Oh, wonderful!\" Tears of happiness coursed down Midori's cheeks, and she bowed gratefully.\n\nRosamund looked on curiously. The yamabushi girl was attractive in a common sort of way." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Her most impressive feature was a mass of soft brown hair, unusual amongst the denizens of the Japans, whose hair was usually a coarse black. Rosamund longed to touch those soft tresses. She wondered if Goemon felt the same, hiding his feelings behind the stern exterior of his official persona. It was exciting to have Jiro back, and she was getting bored sitting in the guest house. She could not move around freely, since in her guise as Matsudaira Konnosuke's concubine she was restricted to her quarters or palanquin. She had wanted to visit the great monastery of Mount Koya but found the entrance forbidden to women. She wished they could all resume their former guises—Goemon as an itinerant doctor, Jiro as masterless samurai, a ronin, Okiku as pilgrim—and go travelling once again." }, { "from": "human", "value": "The enforced inactivity of life in the House of Women, bound about by formal rules and the restrictions of her own uniqueness in this society, had palled long since." }, { "from": "system", "value": "Next message should be approximately 3 sentences." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"Goemon...\" She started to ask for some respite from boredom, when she was interrupted by noises from the outside.\n\nOkiku, Jiro, and Osatsuki bowed their way into the room.\n\n\"Elder Sister!\" Midori squealed, her position and all decorum forgotten." } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "Produce 3 sentences using the prose and structure of Akahige Namban every time its your turn using what the user wrote as a seed." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"It is regrettable you were not able to kill that person,\" Goemon said thoughtfully. \"It will undoubtedly cause more trouble, and the Presence wanted the matter dealt with before any coal of discontent could turn into a full-blown religious fire.\"\n\nJiro moved uncomfortably in his seat, his hands folded in his sleeves." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"Had I known we had a commission, nothing would have stayed my hand.\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"Oh, stop your bemoaning, you two!\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Okiku demanded sharply. \"We can always take care of him later. I am glad we are united. What do we do now?\"\n\nGoemon raised an eyebrow. \"Return to Miyako, of course. There are official duties waiting for me.\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"Nonsense!\" scoffed Rosamund. Jiro always wondered at her bluff ways, something no other woman displayed, at least publicly. \"I'm tired of being cooped up in that mansion all day. Let's have a holiday.\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"A holiday?\" asked Goemon, scandalized." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"It is necessary to work hard. If a superior man minds his ways, his family will prosper. If the family prospers and attends to its business, the government prospers. If the government attends to its business, the country prospers. How then can a superior man engage in frivolities?\" The sententious Confucian phrases rang readily from his lips. His face was held in humorless lines, black brows contracted under his shaven pate." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"Oh, foof!\" declared his blonde paramour, accurately if inelegantly, \"If you don't take me,\" she pouted, \"I'll get Okiku and Jiro to take me on a pilgrimage of Shikoku Island. That'll show you. You'll have to go without me for months!\"\n\nHe grinned. \"I'll just have to lay Osatsuki. Or Oko, your delectable little maid.\"\n\n\"Hmf,\" sniffed Rosamund. \"You'll never hear the end of it.\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Okiku intervened before the argument could get more serious. \"You can't return to Miyako yet, Goemon. You are supposed to be on pilgrimage. Breaking it off in the middle would be considered a bad omen. In any case, we cannot return to Miyako before the matter of Master Daisangyoja is settled.\"\n\n\"Very well. We shall have to go to Yoshino to wait.\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"There is another possibility,\" Okiku continued. \"Let us go down to Kumano, by the coast. There might be some news of Daisangyoja and his men. The yamabushi normally exit the mountains at the southern end, and we will hear news of them there.\"\n\n\"We will go to Nachi,\" Jiro rumbled quietly from his seat." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"Nachi? Why Nachi?\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"I have always wanted to pray at the famous falls shrine there. Also, the Goki cast my fortune, and it was said I need visit the shrine. We are going to Nachi.\"\n\nGoemon shrugged. Jiro was always easy tempered, but there was a streak of stubbornness in him. Once his mind was made up, it was impossible to make him see reason." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "In any case, Goemon also felt the need to travel. Living the regimented life of a city governor with all it entailed was more than a bit tiresome. \"Very well. Nachi Falls it is, then.\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"And no retainers,\" added Rosamund sharply. \"I'm tired of the palanquin.\"\n\n\"I have an idea,\" Goemon said thoughtfully." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"We can go to Wakayama, on the coast. My retainers will wait there while I cloister myself in one of the temples. Goemon and his friends can then travel by boat to Kumano.\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Okiku clapped her hands joyfully. \"Oh, yes! That's a wonderful idea. There are boats there for rent. And the time is just right.\"\n\n\"Osatsuki can return to Miyako or wait for us in Wakayama.\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"She is afraid to travel alone,\" cautioned Okiku.\n\n\"Besides,\" added Rosamund sweetly, \"you do so want to lay her... Why, my love, you're blushing!\" She laughed maliciously.\n\n\"And wherever Satsuki goes, Midori is sure to come too,\" Okiku added." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"They have sworn sisterhood, and Midori acts as Satsuki's apprentice.\"" }, { "from": "system", "value": "Next message should be approximately 4 sentences." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"Okiku, my dear, it seems we two are superfluous. We should let these four travel by themselves, and you and I shall find some pretty boys and have fun by ourselves.\" Rosamund was goading Goemon deliberately. He knew that; nonetheless his fist clenched on his thigh.\n\n\"I see you are anticipating an entertaining time,\" Okiku laughed at her friend." } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "Task: The user will write a bit then you need to write around six sentences continuing directly from the user's text.\n\nAuthor style: Akahige Namban" }, { "from": "system", "value": "Produce a starting prompt please." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "The boat they had hired at Wakayama was provided with a small cabin furnished with a single tatami-floored room and a clay-lined hearth. During the day the paper shoji windows and wooden shutters were removed, providing a view of the magnificent shores of the Seto inland sea. When they anchored for the night the shutters were raised and the six, tired by the excitement of travel, composed themselves for sleep.\n\nThey were rowing slowly down the coast, when their attention was drawn to the sound of fireworks announcing a festival.\n\n\"Do let us put in there,\" asked Satsuki prettily.\n\n\"Oh, yes,\" seconded Rosamund." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "The two men, in nominal control of the party, looked at one another and smiled ruefully. The boatman was given his orders, and soon they found themselves on a small beach. Crowds of villagers of all ages were rushing about. Gay banners fluttered in the air. The village's newly painted fishing vessels, high prowed and low sterned, rested in a row while a formally clad priest in white robes and black gauze hat blessed them with an evergreen branch dipped in water. Children ran about everywhere." }, { "from": "human", "value": "There were booths selling delicacies and small gewgaws for housewives and the young." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "A barrel of sake had been broached, and the liquor was being offered to all and sundry.\n\nThe headman approached the boat. He was responsible for order in the village, and strangers were his concern. When he saw the odd composition of the party—a masterless samurai and his youthful page, the latter's face heavily made up as if going to war, a wandering doctor, a cowled nun, and a respectable-looking city matron—his suspicions were aroused. He was quelled, however, by the writ of passage signed by the lord of Wakayama himself, allowing these strange visitors free movement through the domain. Goemon, knowing the need for papers, had thoughtfully prevailed on the Wakayama lord, a distant cousin, to provide them." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Like any true bureaucrat, the Wakayama lord was careful not to be too interested in the disguised activities of the Miyako governor." }, { "from": "human", "value": "They wandered about the village, admiring the festival decorations." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "A drumbeat started near one of the larger houses. A procession emerged, headed by several youths holding the flags of the village shrine. They were followed by men bearing offerings of rice, fruit, and wine. A young man, his face as heavily made up as Okiku's though in white rather than pink, and dressed in woman's clothing, followed. Behind him came a crowd of people: older men in formal garb, near naked younger ones carrying two objects on carrying poles. More people marched behind, some practising dance steps, others carrying boxes of beans and persimmons." }, { "from": "human", "value": "The procession reached the party of visitors from Miyako." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Okiku, in her disguise as a young man, looked at the female impersonator. Under his guise and mincing walk she could see a handsome youth. He glanced casually in her direction, and their looks crossed. He seemed to smile, and she thought he had penetrated her guise.\n\nWhen the carrying pole party reached their vantage point, Rosamund found it hard not to laugh. One of the objects being carried was a large, straw-stuffed fish." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Though dried, its smell seemed to reach out and grab her by the nose, and its hollow eyes stared at her accusingly." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "To stifle her laughter she looked over the crop of young men. They reminded her of a different crop of porters she had met soon after arrival in the Japans. That band had raped her and then had the image of a red rose tattooed inside her thigh. The sight of these happy young men, and the memories they raised, brought a curious warmth to the juncture of her legs, and she watched their cadenced walk appreciatively.\n\nThe procession reached the gateless square arch of the torii that marked the entrance to the shrine precincts. It seemed that an altercation was developing." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Some of the barrel guardians wanted to proceed directly through the arch, the porters were trying to bolt." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "The pushing and shoving developed apace. Men cried out, and bodies sweated with effort. The parties charged at one another, grabbing at opponents and the objects of their desire impartially. Occasionally one of the combatants would break off to drink sake out of one of the open barrels that had been left thoughtlessly by the roadside. Refreshed, he would plunge into the melee with a yell of delight. Onlookers—the elders, women, and children of the community—cheered both parties on impartially." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Faces reddened. An occasional ear was mashed or eye was blackened as the struggle continued." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"What is going on? What are they fighting about?\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Rosamund nudged Jiro, who was standing at her side. He repeated her question aloud to a village elder who was standing and chuckling at their side.\n\nThe man bowed respectfully. \"It is our custom, Mr. Samurai. The young men try to prolong the festival and are reluctant to enter the shrine where their wildness will be tamed. Other men try to force them to enter. Eventually they will, but a long struggle indicates a good year, and so we prolong it.\"\n\n\"So it's just a fake battle then?\" asked Jiro, vaguely disappointed." }, { "from": "human", "value": "The old man cackled again." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"Not likely. There are bets riding on the outcome, and since this is an affair of the gods, everyone takes it seriously.\"\n\n\"May anyone join in?\" There was a strange light in Jiro's eyes as he regarded the screaming, scuffling mob.\n\n\"Of course, of course. Sometimes strangers to the village get carried away and join in. The gods are quite happy with the arrangement. Naturally, since they have no friends to help them, they tend to be more battered, but since this is a god affair, that is not too bad.\" He was talking to an inattentive audience. Jiro looked long and hard at the scramble of naked bodies before him." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "It was obvious, an amused Okiku noted, that there was a struggle going on in his mind between the gravity of his position as a samurai and his youthful exuberance. Youthfulness won out. He handed his swords to Okiku and stripped to his loincloth in a trice. Midori giggled, bowed, and offered him a large earthenware bottle of sake someone had just handed her. He took a giant drink appropriate to his massive frame, shook his head, and plunged joyfully into the fray. He emerged a few seconds later, one hand pushing at a stocky fisher-boy, the other clutching a sake bottle. \"Goemon!\" he called, then again, \"Goemon, come on!\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "It took Goemon longer to shed his dignity, but soon he too was stripped to his loincloth, aiding one of the two groups." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "The struggle lasted for several hours until darkness fell. The fish was almost torn to pieces, and the barrel had been rolled in the mud but miraculously had not been broken. The fight had taken the combatants, most of whom changed sides several times during the day, down to the beach, where both fish and barrel were washed in the brine. At length the village officials managed to restore order, and the two sacred objects were brought to the shrine and offered before the kami.\n\nJiro and Goemon returned after dark to the boat. They were greeted with derision by Rosamund and Okiku, and respectful bows from Satsuki and Midori." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"Go and wash in the sea!\" commanded Okiku." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"You both stink of sake and puke!\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "said Rosamund, turning up her nose.\n\nAbashed, both men turned to do as they were bidden.\n\n\"Oh Master Jiro, please allow me to offer you a towel.\" Osatsuki hurried after them. \"And Master Goemon, please let me tend to your wound.\" Goemon bore a large purple bruise on one shoulder, but he was well content to have it called a wound." }, { "from": "human", "value": "They laughed uproariously, splashing water in all directions as they bathed." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "They returned to the boat, and Rosamund looked at them critically.\n\n\"Both drunk as the poet Li Po. I don't think I will be able to stand it.\" Rosamund rose to her feet.\n\nOkiku rose too. \"I think we shall go for a long walk. Drunkenness in gentlemen is not to be tolerated.\"\n\nOsatsuki bowed at them. \"Pray allow me to stay and care for the poor gentlemen. Their hurts need attention.\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"My dear, you need not attend to these drunken sots,\" Okiku answered." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"They'll soon sleep it off.\"\n\n\"No, please allow me...\"\n\nThey bowed to one another, though Rosamund could not forbear a slight chuckle as she and Okiku made their way off the boat. \"Shall we sneak back and watch?\" she asked Okiku.\n\n\"Don't be silly,\" her dark friend answered. \"I think it was very clever of you to suggest this way of allowing Satsuki to thank Jiro, but don't be too obtuse. I've something in mind too. Lets go along the shore for a while.\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "She set off, a definite objective in mind." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Back on the boat, with Midori in attendance, Osatsuki set about her work. She and Midori gently tended to the men's cuts and bruises. She then suggested a rub, which was accepted gratefully by both men. Her hands softened the tense muscles one by one. Only one stubborn part remained hard, and she took care not discourage the tendency, while affecting to ignore it. Midori helped as much as she could, observing her elder sister's actions with wide eyes." }, { "from": "human", "value": "They served dinner. Globefish soup, prepared expertly by Satsuki's own hands, was followed by slices of raw globefish, abalone, and vinegared seaweed." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Tiny shrimp and large crayfish competed for the men's attention and their palates. They finished with freshly harvested rice, over which Osatsuki had poured tea spiced with pickled plums and sesame seeds: a specific against overindulgence in sake.\n\nLater she danced, while Midori, who had practised several simple tunes on a flute, accompanied her. Jiro and Goemon were both entranced by the performance and by Satsuki's elegance. They made no effort to enjoy either of the women, knowing by now that Satsuki would lead up to that at the right time and fashion. She did so in the most unexpected fashion, by blowing out the candles that illuminated the cabin." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Ghostly touches were soon felt on both men's skins—the faintest touches of lips, hands, nipples, thighs on the most unexpected places." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Their cocks unfurled and rose proudly erect, and the caresses did not ignore the noble members. There was a slither of cloth in the dark, and both men knew that the women had slipped out of their sashes. The touches continued unabated. Now their own robes were loosened. They sat perfectly still. A hungrily sucking mouth was suddenly applied to Goemon's turgid prick." }, { "from": "human", "value": "The feeling was in such intense contrast to the previous light touches that he jumped." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "The mouth—Satsuki's or Midori's, he could not tell—warmed his cock to a pulsating readiness. Smooth, slim buttocks slid against his chest, then moved downwards towards his belly. He sat perfectly stlll, knowing that Satsuki could be counted on to orchestrate the matter to perfection.\n\nGentle hands stroked his shoulders, his belly, grasped his cock. The smooth, full ass before him continued to descend until it was poised directly over his waiting pole. Sure hands guided the tip until it poised at the dry, tight entrance to the nether hole." }, { "from": "human", "value": "The woman before him continued her descent." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "The firm, tight muscular ring parted before his penetration. A feeling of pleasurable pressure surrounded his cock. The muscles reluctantly parted before his insertion. He stroked smooth breasts and two erect, rubbery nipples and was rewarded by the feel of two female hands covering his and urging him on. He squeezed the breasts roughly and buried his lips in the soft nape before him.\n\nThe mounds nestled comfortably on his thighs." }, { "from": "human", "value": "His hairs tickled her ass, and she luxuriated in the feeling for a while." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Then, using only the power of her thighs, she began riding up and down the long shaft." }, { "from": "human", "value": "The pain of the insertion rapidly gave way to pleasure, and she barely managed to restrain herself from vocally noting her enjoyment." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "She leaned backwards, and Goemon relaxed back to the mat, supported by her helper. He played with the now flattened breasts and stroked the damp and ready lips of the pussy, while she squeezed her ass to increase his pleasure.\n\nThe touches of Jiro's skin soon gave way to the power of a single sensation. An expert mouth was applied to his cock and began sucking greedily. His magnificent prick expanded even more than it had before, and he helplessly thrust forward with his hips. After a while the mouth was withdrawn and a new one took its place, laving the length of his shaft, kissing the single eye at its head and sipping at the transparent fluid that gathered there." }, { "from": "human", "value": "That sucking too came to an end." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "He was urged to his feet and knelt between outstretched legs.\n\nThe woman was ready, her cunt wet... and occupied by Goemon's fingers. Jiro explored some more and found Goemon's long, slim prick stabbing into her ass. He knew what was to be done. Aiming higher than usual, he inserted his shaft slowly into the waiting cunt.\n\nThe soft, slick lips parted quickly before his entry." }, { "from": "human", "value": "He moved forward until her hairs mingled in a wet mass." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Carefully he began a back-and-forth motion. His head lowered to suck at an available nipple, then sought the woman's demanding mouth.\n\nSatsuki listened to the growing sounds of pleasure as both men fucked her apprentice. Midori was rather louder than she should be, she considered critically, but many men, she had noticed, rather enjoyed the sounds of a woman's pleasure. She stopped the action momentarily. Without allowing them to separate, she raised both men to their feet." }, { "from": "human", "value": "The difference in sizes had been anticipated, and Goemon's feet rested on a pile of seating cushions." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Satsuki relit a candle. The sight was charmingly vulgar. Midori's slim, wide-hipped figure was suspended between the brawny figures of both men. Her legs were twined around Jiro's hips, her ass exposed to Goemon's ministrations. She sucked desperately at Jiro's lips, while Goemon bit and nibbled at her shoulders. Both pricks were inserted well into Midori's body." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Their balls stuck together." }, { "from": "system", "value": "Next message should be approximately 4 sentences." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "The long shafts, shiny with her juices, appeared and disappeared as Midori climbed up and down using Jiro's hips as a fulcrum. Satsuki looked on. There was much to criticize in Midori's performance, but for now it was satisfactory. There was much yet to be done this evening. She stepped forth with alacrity, dropping her robe." } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "user starts, u write ~4 sentences more. copy Akahige Namban's style" }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"Where are we going?\" asked Rosamund." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"I saw you looking at some of those men,\" Okiku said irrelevantly. Her eyes moved as if she were searching for something in the dark.\n\n\"Yes,\" said Rosamund thoughtfully. \"They were rather pretty, weren't they?\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"Don't you think we deserve some entertainment?\"\n\n\"If you're thinking what I think you are... How would I choose one anyway? There were so many of them!\"\n\n\"Why choose?\" laughed Okiku. \"Can't you take them all on?\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "She hugged her friend, who smiled and arched her back." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Her big breasts jiggled suggestively, their nipples erect." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"I imagine I could service them all, and that might just satisfy me. But still...\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"I'll help you. I'll choose the best ones for you. Ah, I hear something. This must be the place I was looking for.\"\n\nThey turned in to a narrow lane, at the end of which was a large, rather dilapidated old barn. Sounds of laughter and music came from between the cracks in the walls.\n\n\"We must find a place for you,\" Okiku added." }, { "from": "human", "value": "They wandered about for a few minutes before finding a tiny building that was used to store grass for thatching." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "At Okiku's direction, Rosamund made herself comfortable on the soft, sweet-smelling pile. She spread her outer robe, released her sash, and lay back. Okiku could see Rosamund's teeth flash and her perfect white body glimmer in the dark, barely shadowed at her crotch by her golden bush. Okiku knelt quickly and kissed the blonde between her legs." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "She tasted pleasantly salty, and Okiku could not forbear a quick lick.\n\n\"They must not see you, so it will be all in the dark. I'll send them out one by one and caution them against showing a light. Have fun, my dear.\"\n\n\"What about you?\" Rosamund asked softly.\n\n\"I have something I want too. Don't worry; I'll be around. If there are any problems, call out. You have your chain and dagger at hand? Good.\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "Okiku was gone like a shadow." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "The festivities in the barn were at full tilt. The young men who had battled so valiantly for the village's prosperity were being repaid for their efforts in wine, food, and an evening's respite from their daily labors. In one corner a group of young men were gambling, their faces flushed with drink and excitement. The largest group was sprawled on piles of rice straw in a rough circle." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "A man wearing the mask of an old peasant had just finished acting a comic skit. The punch line was rather obvious from the jerking of his hips, and his audience were helpless with laughter. The young man in woman's clothes was making ready to dance. His makeup had run and he was reapplying it, and his neckline was rather more open than a respectable matron's should be." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Other young men lay about the barn, telling stories, drinking, or talking quietly. Some had passed out. In one corner a drinking contest was in progress.\n\nNo one paid much attention to Okiku's entrance." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "One or two of the revellers called out to her, offering a drink, recognizing a visitor to their festival. She was still dressed in her page's outfit, the heavy reddish male makeup obscuring her features just as the loose sark and pantaloons obscured her figure.\n\nEncouraged by cries of \"Kichibei! Kichibei!\" the young man in woman's clothing began to dance." }, { "from": "human", "value": "For a man he danced a woman's role quite well, and his audience displayed its appreciation." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Gradually the tempo of the dance changed." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "It became more languid, then faster and faster as the dancer, helping himself with his fan, displayed the stages of a woman's passion. The music changed and the dance became a burlesque, with the fan portraying a reluctant lover and Kichibei an amorous old courtesan. The audience rolled on the ground with laughter, tears streaming down their cheeks.\n\nA heavyset, well-muscled man sat near Okiku." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "He had been drinking rather less than most, and his eyes, full of laughter, were on the dancer. His loincloth bulged pleasingly. Okiku leaned over to him and whispered, \"Excuse, me, but you must earn some merit. The nun Sister Bara has ordered me to call you to her. She awaits in the small hut where the grass is stored. Please be punctual and, of course, discreet.\"\n\nThe young man looked at Okiku in puzzlement." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "She met his gaze squarely, and he lowered his eyes. She noted he had fine cheekbones, notwithstanding the coarseness of his life. He rose and left the barn. The sky was bright with the light of the moon." }, { "from": "human", "value": "He oriented himself and stretched." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Loosening his loincloth, he pissed against a convenient tree, then shook himself dry. He approached the small hut cautiously. There was someone in there. He sweated somewhat nervously." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Ghosts were about in the night." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"Do not fear. Come here—there is a gift you can give me.\" The voice was definitely female, if oddly accented. He crawled inside. In the dark he could barely make out the outstretched thighs of a young woman. His courage rose in him." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Drink was fine, but this was better. He slid a hand up each long and tapering thigh. The legs were smooth and perfectly shaped, not the muscular, stocky thighs of the village girls into whose matting he had crept several times before. His face was near the soft bush at the juncture of her thighs, and he sniffed appreciatively." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Rosamund shivered in delight as the dark bulk of the man knelt between her legs." }, { "from": "human", "value": "She raised her knees slightly to allow him his moment of quiet contemplation; then suddenly his weight was upon her." }, { "from": "human", "value": "She sighed in satisfaction as his thick cock found the gluey entrance and drove up her channel." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "He was rough and uncaring, and she was grateful. His hard hands, callused from net and oar, squeezed her full breasts. He drove himself into her rapidly, while his mouth was busy about her neck and shoulders. She felt the pleasure of his hands on her full breasts and the weight of him on her frame." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"Harder!\" she whispered, and his movements became frantic and his hands tore at her full mounds.\n\n\"This... is... so... good!\" he gasped. \"I have never felt such full tits.\" He bit a nipple in emphasis, and she moved delightedly under him." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"Yes, yes, bite them, squeeze them! Don't stop!\" she pleaded.\n\nSensing her mood, he left all restraint behind. His cock bore into her, the bones of his pubic mashing her beneath him. He bit at her full breasts and followed each bite with a twist of the nipple." }, { "from": "human", "value": "She ran her hands the length of his back and buttocks, marvelling at the frantic bulging of his muscles." }, { "from": "human", "value": "One finger teased his anus, and his buttocks tightened, driving his prick yet deeper into her." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "She scratched hard at the soft portion of his inner thighs, and he jerked in agony. The first faint drops of emission emerged from the tip of his prick, and then his sperm burst from him in full thick sprays that soaked her interior. Spent, he lay on her soft belly, his body still undulating slowly as the last of his sperm dribbled from his softening cock. Suddenly she stiffened under him, her teeth bit into his salty-tasting shoulder, and she moaned." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Knowing she was coming, he squeezed her breasts as hard as he could and was rewarded with the flash of a smile and a mad dancing of her pelvis." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Her spasms died down, and she stroked his back.\n\n\"You must go now,\" she said softly. \"Return later if you will, but many more must earn merit this evening.\"\n\nHe climbed off her and while still between her legs, bowed deeply." }, { "from": "human", "value": "The night air was cool on his sweaty skin as he walked back to the barn." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "The party was still going on at full blast when he walked in the door and helped himself to some sake. The young samurai servant caught his eye, nodded, then leaned over and spoke to another youth...\n\nOkiku finally decided it was her turn. Young men were leaving quietly on schedule for rendezvous in the grass shed." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Kichibei ended his dance to the delight of his audience and scampered off. She spoke to three young men who had just finished a long and serious talk, and watched them troop off into the dark doubtfully. They would occupy Rosamund for some time. Then Okiku slipped off into the night after Kichibei, who had no doubt gone off to change." }, { "from": "human", "value": "He was standing by a well, about to draw water for himself, when Okiku approached." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"Let me do that for you,\" she said in a soft voice." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "He stared at her warily. There was something about this young samurai lad that stirred his blood. He had no objection to the sort of relationship he thought was being proposed to him, but there was something decidedly odd here. Okiku ran her hands down Kichibei's chest." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "It was muscular but not too bulky. She leaned forward and bit a pectoral.\n\n\"I am sweaty and stink,\" he objected.\n\n\"You smell just fine to me,\" the figure before him countered coolly." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"I like sweaty bodies, my dear.\"\n\nSuddenly Kichibei felt he knew what was expected of him. He turned his shoulders coyly and glanced down. The samurai lad laid a hand gently on his shoulder and tilted his shy chin, then kissed him deeply on his painted mouth." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "They shuddered together, and the samurai youth's arms went around Kichibei's hips.\n\n\"I am ashamed,\" he whispered.\n\n\"Nothing to be ashamed of,\" countered the youth, leading Kichibei to a nearby patch of grass. They knelt together, and Okiku's firm hands slowly explored Kichibei's body." }, { "from": "human", "value": "She stroked his chest and his sides then loosened his sash while he sat passively on his knees, hands fluttering on the silk sleeves." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"You look so fierce with your short sword,\" Kichibei murmured as the hard pommel dug into his hips.\n\nThe samurai youth laughed and loosened the scabbard, laying it and the sash aside. A hand descended lower and touched Kichibei's sturdy erection. \"Mine is hardly as magnificent as yours,\" Okiku laughed." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"No, no!\" protested Kichibei, still enjoying his role as a woman. He reached forward and the samurai youth's hand guided him between the folds of loosened breachcloth. He felt the crisp hairs at the bottom of the muscular, yet soft belly. But then his fingers slipped surprisedly into a warm, slick channel and were guided downwards between the plump female lips." }, { "from": "human", "value": "He strained to push on but was restrained by Okiku." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "She wanted to enjoy the perverse situation to the full, and she continued to act the role of the man. Her demanding hands explored Kichibei's body while holding his hand prisoner between her legs, where she forced his blunt fingers to masturbate her to the full. At last the game reached a plateau. She seized his erect rod and drew it forth from his robe." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"Why, you're a man!\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "she said in mock surprise." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "He strove to move forward, but she restrained him again. She turned away from him, her hand still firmly grasping his erect member. Her pantaloons fell by her knees as she knelt on all fours before him. He rose and lunged, guided by her hand." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "His turgid cock lodged in the thicket that guarded her juicy cranny. She held him there for a moment, supporting herself on her elbows and rubbing the plum tip against her soft lips. Frantic with desire, he pulled her to him, his body humping like a dog's.\n\nAt last, satisfied that he had been raised to a fever pitch, Okiku let him have his way." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "With a grunt, Kichibei sank deep into her juicy interior. He was about to set to work at once, when she restrained him. She smiled at him over her shoulder, holding him in with her muscles and a restraining hand that commandingly held on to his hairy sack of balls. He felt himself expand in the tight, wet warmth." }, { "from": "human", "value": "She let him go, and he began to drive into her with an increasing tempo." }, { "from": "human", "value": "His hands clutched at her hips, and then when she directed them, he squeezed her small breasts and their prominent nipples." }, { "from": "human", "value": "She moved back against him forcefully, her smooth, tight buttocks smacking against his hard belly." }, { "from": "human", "value": "He felt his come rise from the depths of his balls, and he cried out in agony when she squeezed the base of his prick." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Without mercy she pulled at the base of his cock, exposing the cream-lathered length to the cold air." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Spasms of pleasure racked her as he withdrew and as she slammed herself backwards onto its waiting length." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "She came furiously, her insides dripping the honey of her come as he watched helplessly in her grip. Her smooth, tight buttocks trembled before his eyes, and he could feel the walls of her cunt shake as she took her pleasure.\n\nAgain she exposed his cock to the night air. She smiled over her shoulder and shifted her grip to the plum tip." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "She raised the aim of his fleshy cannon and moistened the entrance to her ass slightly with the juicy knob. She placed it properly and inched backwards until the rod was firmly seated in the tiny bud opening of her anus. He felt the muscular ring grip him comfortingly, stronger and more demanding than the entrance he had been in before.\n\n\"Now!\" she commanded, loosening her grip and positioning her hands firmly on the ground." }, { "from": "human", "value": "He needed no encouragement." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "His cock rammed home into her tight nether orifice. Her ring muscles fought him all the way, constricting his entry and milking the length of his shaft. His hairs rubbed roughly into the softness of her buttocks, and his full weight bore down on her. She let out a breath at the fury of his assault." }, { "from": "human", "value": "He rested there for a short moment until a twist of her buttocks reminded him there was much to be done." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "He tried to withdraw, only to find that her muscles had purposely constricted around his length. The withdrawal was slow, milking the length of his cock in a way he had never experienced before. He rammed forward again furiously, and again, each time having to fight his way out, his irritated cock sending messages of exquisite pleasure to his brain. They were both panting now, his hand clutched convulsively at her sides." }, { "from": "human", "value": "He pushed in again and this time found relief from the strain." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "From the root of his manpole he felt the rush of liquids streaming forth. He pumped masses of sperm into this woman's backside, while she twitched and jerked beneath him, eyes closed in pleasure as her own climax mingled with his. Finally they collapsed in a pile on the grass.\n\n\"Hey, Kichibei, nice performance, but he should have been on top, not you!\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "A passing drunk regarded them owlishly, then ambled on into the dark.\n\n\"I've ruined your reputation.\" Okiku smiled at him, still panting.\n\n\"It was worth it. Please do not worry.\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"It certainly was, and I won't,\" she replied coolly as she gathered her clothes. \"It was a good festival.\"\n\nRosamund was waiting for her in the booth. Her robe and the grass beneath her were sodden." }, { "from": "human", "value": "They walked off into the moonlight, holding hands and laughing together." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"Did you have a good time?\" asked Rosamund anxiously.\n\n\"Of course. Did you think I wouldn't enjoy myself? He was all I could expect.\"\n\n\"He? Only one?\"\n\n\"I don't have the same appetites as you. It was nice and kinky.\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"Mine were too,\" laughed the blonde girl. \"There was this one with enormous hairy balls and a rather small prick...\"\n\nThey waded into the sea to wash. \"Do you think...?\" they both started saying at the same time, then laughed." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"Yes,\" Okiku continued the thought for both of them." }, { "from": "system", "value": "Next message should be approximately 2 sentences." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"I'm sure Satsuki took good care of our men.\"\n\nThey walked sleepily onto the boat." } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "make story longer like Akahige Namban would" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "The boat slipped down the coast, pulling in as the passengers wished at small villages along the coast. They rounded Cape Shionomisaki and watched a flotilla of whaling boats put out to sea. Their near-naked crewmen waved at the boat while their harpooners, no less naked than the standing oarsmen, stood silent and proud at their prows. Satsuki and Rosamund both had delicious shivers, perhaps from different reasons, when Okiku mentioned casually that the men of Taiji, whence came the best whaling crews, had been equally famous as pirates in the olden days.\n\nPast Oshima Island the seas were rougher. Fantastically shaped rocks marked their passage, worn by sea and wind and the will of the kami into the shapes of demon castles and magical beasts.\n\nThey put into the Nachi river." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "The small village at the river mouth was abustle with life. Banners were flying, and drumming could be heard across the waters. Their usually taciturn boatman grinned a gap-toothed grin of delight.\n\n\"The dengaku dance! It's the thirteenth of the seventh month; the shrine's festival is tomorrow!\"\n\n\"We'll not find an inn for us here,\" Okiku commented mournfully. She had been seasick for the latter part of the trip, and the others had laughed at her unmercifully.\n\nThey strolled through the town in the sunset, shoulder to shoulder with groups of pilgrims who had come to join the festivities." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Nowhere was there an empty inn room or, for that matter, barn or shed." }, { "from": "human", "value": "They retired to their boat discouraged." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Rosamund woke from a light sleep. Myriad itches assaulted her. The droplets of Jiro's sperm drying on her thighs and golden hair itched, and the weight of Midori's thighs on hers was oppressive. As quietly as she could she slid out of the tangle of limbs and moved off the boat. Ahead in the dark she could hear the beat of drums and the squeal of a flute. She moved purposely in that direction.\n\nPeering from the dark she could see a long line of dancers circling a bonfire." } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "Mode: Collab writing\nAmount: 7 sentences\nVoice: Akahige Namban" }, { "from": "system", "value": "Produce a starting prompt please." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Okiku peered into the dark and debated whether to join the dance. Rosamund's snoring had forced her out of the confines of the boat. Her seasickness had worn off, and with its departure had come a desire for adventure. She drifted unnoticed from one group of onlookers to another, using skills developed through years of training as a spy and assassin. She paused behind a group of rural samurai and eavesdropped unashamedly. The men were debating the merits of the dancers, and the tone was not theoretical.\n\nOkiku knew, of course, that some samurai used their immunity from normal processes of law to prey on commoner women, particularly in festival time when youth was at its best." }, { "from": "human", "value": "She disliked the idea, but as a predator herself and a realist, she knew there was no changing the world." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "The local villagers, however, had hit on a device to foil their would-be attackers. Dancers, male and female alike, were disguised by masks. Abducting a pliant village girl was one thing; abducting a violence-inclined young farmer, one who would undoubtedly struggle, who might have friends, another. Moreover, with faces covered how was one to know whether one's intended victim was worth the effort?\n\nThe samurai were debating the issue with some frustration, when a malicious thought occurred to Okiku. Their eyes and attention were on the dancers, their ears assaulted by the music. One of the men was standing a little behind the rest." }, { "from": "human", "value": "It was the work of a moment for Okiku to strike the samurai's jugular with a pointed-knuckled fist and to drag his unconscious form into the dark." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "The young man opened his eyes and tried to groan. A sash bound his jaws, and all he could get out was a mewing sound. He was naked and somewhat cold. He tried to move in the dark, and found he was bound with the cords from his own swords. The one who had tied him was a master of the art of hojo-jutsu, by which a captive can be subdued. None of the knots yielded, and his hands remained tied behind his back.\n\n\"Enjoy rape, don't you?\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "inquired a voice above him.\n\nIn the dark he could barely make out a shape that straddled him. A cold blade touched his neck, then traced a line down his chest to his belly. He braced himself to die.\n\n\"How would you like to go on living?\" asked the voice.\n\nHope blazed in the man's eyes, and he nodded vigorously. Dying gloriously in battle was one thing; dying bound and helpless, quite another..." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"Get an erection!\" commanded the voice, by now identifiably female." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "His surprise echoed even through the jaw bindings.\n\n\"You heard. Stimulate yourself. Get an erection. I want to see that cock stuck up like your prissy self. Lets get a cockstand, boy—or aren't you able? Think of your wife, think of the girls in the dance, your servant, your hand—I don't care. Or else...\" The sword tip descended until it pinked the base of his cock lightly, then withdrew.\n\nThe samurai lay on his back. His eyes closed, and he imagined every erotic thing he could think of. His first woman... a servant at his father's house... the pleasure quarters on his one visit to Edo... other encounters through the years. His cock rose to its full glory, hovering over his belly.\n\nOkiku looked down at her captive." }, { "from": "human", "value": "He was pitiful, she decided, but still, her captive." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "She raised her robe and squatted, impaling herself on the glowing pole. She let her entire weight down on the man. \"If I'm not satisfied, I'll cut it off,\" she said conversationally.\n\nRocking back and forth on her captive brought Okiku's lust well up to pitch. She regretted that his hands were tied, but she knew he would kill her if he got free. She recalled a similar instance—her first meeting with Goemon—when they had fought with swords and ended fighting with their genitalia. The images conjured translated themselves into a lustful frenzy." }, { "from": "human", "value": "She bit and clawed the man beneath her, ramming herself furiously onto his supine body while her lust broke." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "She came in flashes of hot pleasure that made the man squeal as his balls were mashed beneath her ass. She mashed her mouth against his bound lips, then bit his neck and chest in a frenzy. Under her the man twisted in a mixture of lust and terror. When she finished, she noted that his tremours were increasing. His eyes were glazed and his hips bucked into hers. Notwithstanding the terror of her sword, the man beneath her was sobbing into an uncontrollable orgasm. Maliciously, Okiku rose from above him." }, { "from": "human", "value": "A stream of white fluid splashed on his heaving belly, streaking his body with glistening drops." }, { "from": "system", "value": "Next message should be approximately 8 sentences." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "She laughed and rearranged her clothing. \"Let someone find you like that, my friend,\" she said over her shoulder as she walked off into the night. Philosophically, the bound man went over the night's events again, hoping for another miracle to occur.\n\nThere was the sound of a scuffle in the dark by a small shed. Cautiously, Okiku peered in. It appeared the samurai had made up their mind after all. Her first instinct was to reach for her weapons, but closer investigation changed her mind. Okiku settled down to watch." } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "Write 1 sentence like Akahige Namban would, using user's text as beginning" }, { "from": "human", "value": "Rosamund had enjoyed the dance." }, { "from": "human", "value": "At last she tired and walked off in search of a drink." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Rough hands seized her arms, and a palm went over her mouth." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"I said she was a woman, didn't I?\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "a voice declared triumphantly." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"She was bulging too much in front.\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "Several pairs of hands explored her full breasts." }, { "from": "human", "value": "She fought them half-heartedly." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "She was tired and wanted a drink." }, { "from": "human", "value": "In the dark of a small shed she was roughly stripped." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Eager hands explored her body amidst cries of surprise and delight at the wonders beneath her robe." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"She's wonderful!... Feel those tits!... What an ass!... Me first... Give her some sake... Me first... Feel that nipple!...\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "For some perverse reason she struggled in earnest." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "A bottle of sake was thrust at her lips, and she took some grateful swallows before driving her nails into an available face that was licking her thigh." }, { "from": "human", "value": "The man cursed and slapped her." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Rosamund kicked out viciously and encountered someone's soft spot." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "He responded with a muttered \"She's fighting!\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "and a blow on the nearest available part of her anatomy." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Hands tried to spread her legs while someone's fingers wonderingly squeezed the engorged clitoris that stuck out from her soft golden bush like a claw." }, { "from": "human", "value": "A mouth fastened on her nipple and she bucked it off." }, { "from": "human", "value": "It returned, this time biting into the sensitive flesh and raising the pleasurable pain that she enjoyed." }, { "from": "human", "value": "She gave a convulsive heave and managed to slip out of their grasp." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Leaping to her feet she made for the door." }, { "from": "human", "value": "A mass of musky male bodies, most in varying stages of undress, bore her to the floor." }, { "from": "human", "value": "This time they were not gentle." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Her knees were wrenched apart and a thick male member probed mercilessly between her nether lips." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "The moisture of her channel was greeted with delight, and the organ's owner sank down upon her forcefully." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Her head was seized and a blunt, fleshy truncheon smelling wonderfully of male sperm was thrust at her lips." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Her jaws were held apart painfully at the hinges, and the cock made its way into her mouth." }, { "from": "human", "value": "She hollowed her lips softly, to accept the proffered morsel." }, { "from": "human", "value": "More bodies piled onto her." }, { "from": "human", "value": "A blunt cockhead forced itself onto one generous breast and the owner started a quick jerking motion against the soft, yielding flesh." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "His fingers squeezed her erect nipples." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Someone growled, \"Move over!\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "and her lips were twisted to one side." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "The man riding her fell to one side." }, { "from": "human", "value": "A cock probed her ass and after a moment found the entrance to her anus." }, { "from": "human", "value": "She clenched the ring muscles." }, { "from": "human", "value": "The man slapped her ass in frustration, and she refused to yield." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "His slaps became rhythmic, his breathing heavy, as she gradually yielded to the delightful entry." }, { "from": "human", "value": "At last his balls banged against her buns and against his friend's balls as the latter pumped away into her cunt." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "She could feel still other male members, in her hands and rubbing against her back and thighs." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Sooner than she liked, the men started spurting their loads onto and into her body." }, { "from": "human", "value": "She felt moisture run down her back and tits and the ramming charge of male bodies as they wriggled like eels on her." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Their slaps became less frequent, and she managed to release a hand and aim a few strong, random punches to renew their interest." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "The man in her cunt withdrew, his cock a shrivelled, pitiful thing." }, { "from": "human", "value": "His place was taken immediately by another." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Rosamund contracted the muscles of her cunt." }, { "from": "human", "value": "The man grunted in surprise." }, { "from": "human", "value": "She was tighter than any virgin he'd ever encountered." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "He pushed at her again and again, more violently each time." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Finally he withdrew and probed her with a stiff, hurting finger." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Gradually she yielded, her attention only partly on her cunt as the man in her mouth spurted her oral cavern full of his load and was immediately replaced by another and the juices ran down her chin." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "The man at her cunt was replaced by another, more vigorous, whose heavy cock tore up her cunt as his teeth fastened on her nipple." }, { "from": "human", "value": "She began to come, her whole body shaking in a climax that took subjective hours to die down." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "The men lay on and in her, exhausted by their own fury, as she twisted and moaned loudly, the waves of pain-filled pleasure finally abating." }, { "from": "human", "value": "She lay for a long moment in an exhausted coma." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "The men rose from their victim's supine body." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "One placed a final lingering suck on her softened nipple." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Another, the one of the finger, slapped her belly viciously one final time." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "They hurried off into the night, and Rosamund smiled to see them go." }, { "from": "human", "value": "She raised herself somewhat painfully, stretched, and gave a full yawn." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"You look absolutely ravishing,\" came a familiar voice from the dark." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"All streaked with pearl juice from head to foot.\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Rosamund giggled and touched her sticky mass of golden hair." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "One of the rapists had impatiently ejaculated into the beautiful soft pile." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"And you'll have some beautiful bruises to explain, too.\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"That's no problem,\" said the blonde." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"I'll say it was Jiro. He sometimes doesn't know his own strength. Did you have a good time watching?\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"Not only watching—I had some of that earlier. Actually, I did to him what they did to you.\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Rosamund giggled again. \"Then we're even, they and I. I enjoyed it a lot.\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "She put a hand on Okiku's shoulder." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"I'm glad you were watching over me, though.\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Okiku smiled in acknowledgement." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"Let me know next time? Its better to be safe.\"" }, { "from": "system", "value": "Next message should be approximately 2 sentence." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "They left the hut and headed for their friends and bed. Behind them the music died down." } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "make story longer like Akahige Namban would" }, { "from": "system", "value": "Produce a starting prompt please." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "They left the boat early the following morning after paying the boatman off with a handful of silver. He hastened back downriver, anxious to spend the largesse at the festival. They climbed up the long path to the shrine." }, { "from": "human", "value": "The way was decorated by vertical banners, the offerings of the devout." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "They rubbed shoulders with pilgrims in white, villagers from the area in colorful coats, priests in formal robes. In the background, above the sound of drumming and the chatter and hum of the talking and praying celebrants, could be heard a muted roar.\n\nThe forest path was bordered by stone plaques and statues, small rest houses, and minor shrines." }, { "from": "human", "value": "The sound of music grew stronger, the crowds thicker." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "They came to the flight of steps heading up to the shrine. They passed through the torii archways, painted a brilliant vermillion, to the shrine complex. On one side loomed the red-painted structures that had been at Nachi shrine from times immemorial." }, { "from": "human", "value": "On the other stood the newly built massive hall constructed at the orders of the Taiko some thirty years before." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Okiku paused in awe. The contrast between the red-painted building and the verdant forest that held it, the background of limitless wooden slopes, brought tears to her eyes. She wished she were a poet, able to express the beauty of the moment in words." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Jiro peered over the heads of the crowds that thronged the courtyard." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "He noted and dismissed several figures dressed in yamabushi white or checks. None had the travel-stained look of someone who had been through the mountains. The vermillion building pleased him, but his eye was attracted to a troupe of dancers performing a dengaku dance to the sound of flute and drum." }, { "from": "human", "value": "The steps were as ancient as the shrine, and his hands and feet twitched in time to the dancers' movements." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "He wished to join them, knowing full well that his unshaven pate and double swords kept him from the simpler life of the people he saw.\n\nRosamund could not contain herself. She was bursting with unanswered questions." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Her face, well powdered to hide its paleness under her purple coif, was as expressionless as she could make it, but her eyes turned from sight to sight in wonder and awe." }, { "from": "human", "value": "The people burning incense and fanning the smoke over themselves were comprehensible to her: in England and the Low Countries, where she had been born and raised, people did similar things to ward off evil." }, { "from": "human", "value": "But the strange caperings of the dancers in their gorgeous costumes were out of a dream." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "She wondered about the interior of the shrine and whether her Buddhist nun's guise would keep her from entering, and she wondered about the white-and-red-clad woman dancing on a stage before a group of men, naked sword and a cluster of bells held in her hand. Other people were busily washing hands and mouths at the water front or tying slips of paper to bushes on the grounds that were laden with paper slips knotted about their branches like exotic flowers.\n\nGoemon, having seen this festival before, watched his companions out of the corner of his eye." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Rosamund's eyes were goggling with delight." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "He hoped their blueness would not be too obvious. Okiku was transported into some private joy of her own, her face held as still as an ivory statue, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. Jiro's eyes were roving over the crowd, observing the people around them, automatically searching for any threat, but his attention kept returning to the joyous movements of the dancers as they sweated and pranced in the sun." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Behind them Osatsuki and Midori stood still, watching the festivities." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Osatsuki admired the brilliant red of the buildings, the cool green of the majestic forested mountain range, the tiny bustle of men around her." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Her own words were inadequate, she knew, but she wondered about her former husband, killed by her friends. He would have known how to express the proper words for the feelings in her breasts. Silently she said a prayer for his soul." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Midori watched her elder sister, wondering how she could ever aspire to such elegant carriage." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "They drifted eventually through the crowd to the large express-bark-roofed New Hall. Before them in the distance rose a green-covered cliff, bisected by a ribbon of white. From the distant waterfall came the susurrus that had accompanied them from the moment they had arrived." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Framed against the blue of the sky and the green of the mountains, the waterfall was the purest white, immobile in the world." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "They rested and ate a simple lunch in one of the pilgrim rest houses. The dancing ended, and the crowds thinned. They tossed some copper coins into the offertory box before the shrine, and each lit a candle." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Busy officials of the shrine in full formal robes moved in and out of the precincts maintaining proper order." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"What now?\" asked Rosamund." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Her curiosity had been partially satisfied by her friends while they walked about, but there was still an air of expectancy about the shrine, and she felt there was more to come.\n\n\"The main festival is towards evening,\" explained Goemon. \"The Fire Festival starts then. There will be a parade of torches and of tabards representing the shrine and the All under Heaven. We must find a good place, overlooking the stairs.\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"Goemon, shouldn't we see the falls first?\" Okiku asked." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Rosamund's eyes grew rounder with excitement. \"Oh yes—we must!\"\n\nJiro laughed. \"I too am interested. It is, after all, the main attraction, and I have heard so much about them. But I think that we had better look for lodgings as well, judging by last night's problems.\"\n\nThey followed the stone-flagged path down through the forest of giant cryptomeria." }, { "from": "human", "value": "The giant cedars towered above their heads, receding into the cool dimness of the forest." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "They clambered down slippery moist rocks, the sound of the falls rising to thunder in their ears. Above the sound they could faintly hear the calls of a conch trumpet as some pilgrim group performed its rituals. The air became spiced with the smell of water, and droplets beaded their hair and clothes." }, { "from": "human", "value": "At last they stood before the falls themselves." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "A ribbon of water fell almost slowly down the vertical cliff face. At the base it feathered into a rush of water pounding the rocks endlessly. Awestruck, they faced the wall and the pools below it, unable to say a word." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Like them, other pilgrims emerged into the clearing and stood in wonder." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Later they bowed and clapped their hands in obeisance at the marvel they beheld." }, { "from": "human", "value": "There were several groups of yamabushi mixed among the pilgrims about the base of the falls." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Rosamund and her friends wandered closer to the thundering water, a silvery sheet that fell forever. Beside them other pilgrims crept closer in awe. The sound and continuous movement were hypnotic, and Rosamund felt infinitesimally closer to understanding the people she lived with and the land she was in now." }, { "from": "human", "value": "A man dressed in loincloth and headband was wading through the pool in the direction of the falls." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "A priest on the bank, unheard in the roar, was gesticulating to him to turn back. A group of travel-worn yamabushi on the bank thumped their iron-ringed staves on the rocks in cadence. One of them blew his conch horn again." }, { "from": "human", "value": "In another corner a wandering priest was selling charms, near him a monkey trainer displayed his monkey who aped the movements of the dengaku dance." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "They wandered through the crowds, admiring the falls from various vantage points. At last they stopped in a small teahouse and ate rice cakes filled with bean jam and drank large cups of tea. Satsuki admired the contrast of the plain ironware teacup against the red covering of the bench." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Midori gamely tried to follow suit, doubting internally the while what was so wonderful about these commonplace items." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"We've still got the problem of where to stay the night,\" Jiro cautioned.\n\nGoemon smiled at them all mischievously. \"Are you ready for a long walk? We'll be back in time for the festival.\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"Where to?\" asked Rosamund suspiciously." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"Some years ago, when I was playing the part of a wandering doctor, I came to Nachi. High up the mountain, behind the falls, is a small village where I stayed the night. The headman there owes me a favor, as I cured his family of illness. I am sure few people know of the village, and there will be room for us to stay. Let us go and see.\"\n\nSeveral pairs of hard eyes noted their passing as they set off up the mountain.\n\nA narrow trail led through the lush forest." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Ferns and akebia creepers grew everywhere." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Inedible wild strawberries dotted the green with red. Okiku showed Rosamund and Satsuki how to catch dragonflies gently by their wings. The tenacious insects would then cling for a while to the women's heads." }, { "from": "human", "value": "At one point they stuck one, all unnoticed, on Goemon's topknot and giggled as he led them on wearing his peculiar crest." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "There were more shrines along the path, though pilgrims were fewer. They worked their way above the massive waterfall and crossed several of the streams that fed it, some of them forming falls of their own. The air grew cooler." }, { "from": "human", "value": "After a two-hour walk they came to a large clearing in the forest." }, { "from": "human", "value": "To one side was a low cliff over which fell a miniature version of the great Nachi waterfall." }, { "from": "human", "value": "At the other end sat a small shrine." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Its latticework entrance was closed, but the way between the plain wooden torii and the bellpull at the gate was decorated with multicolored banners.\n\nThey stopped to drink, heading towards the waterfall pool. Jiro stopped them with a movement of his hand." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Under the crashing waterfall sat a naked figure." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "His face was creased into a terrifying grimace, his fingers were gripped into a magic power mudra.\n\n\"Why, that's Master Daisangyoja!\" said Satsuki in surprise." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Daisangyoja's hands began to move in strange gestures as he prepared a spell of great power to use against them." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Midori looked on in panic. She knew the power of her former master and his vindictiveness.\n\n\"Come away!\" the chestnut-haired girl cried in anguish." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"Let us get away from here, Elder Sister, before he manages to complete the spell.\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Jiro and Goemon looked at one another. It was clear that Diasangyoja was up to some mischief. Somehow he had survived and arrived at Nachi." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Jiro loosened the sword in his scabbard." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "He would have to finish the business once and for all. Behind him he heard a scream, and Okiku pulled at his arm. He turned to follow her gaze." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Midori, fleeing in panic, had reached the line of the forest." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Out of the trees leaped a crowd of yamabushi bearing weapons. The yamabushi moved purposefully towards them. Staves were ready, short swords drawn, ritual axes sharp." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Jiro motioned to Goemon, and the small group ran into the depths of the forest." }, { "from": "system", "value": "Next message should be approximately 1 sentence." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "They would have a better chance there than in the open, where their small numbers would soon be overwhelmed." } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "Task: Story collab\nMe: Opening\nYou: 2 sentences more, Akahige Namban-style" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "The yamabushi gang outnumbered Jiro's party significantly. There was little time for consultation about tactics." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Jiro and his friends drifted through the forest as silently as possible, weapons at the ready, taking up positions as best they could, hoping to split their attackers' forces. Jiro doubled back and circled the small shrine under the spread of a cryptomeria cautiously." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Beads of moisture roughened the satiny flesh of his blade. He stepped into the clearing and came face to face with Hachibei and three other men." }, { "from": "human", "value": "They screamed and charged." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Behind them Daisangyoja started chanting spells again. Jiro parried two cuts at his head and rolled away from a thrust at his belly." }, { "from": "human", "value": "As he did so, he tripped on a gnarled root and fell heavily on his hip." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Behind him he heard the hiss of a staff descending on his exposed back, its iron rings clinking softly." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "He twisted desperately, knowing it to be too late. There was a surprised grunt, and then several meaty thuds mixed in with his opponents' cries." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Jiro completed his roll and rose to his feet.\n\nTwo of the yamabushi were lying on the ground." }, { "from": "human", "value": "One's neck was at an unnatural angle; the other's cheek seemed caved in." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Hachibei and the fourth yamabushi were facing Tatsunoyama, both breathing heavily, while the massive wrestler seemed perfectly composed." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Keeping an eye on the two yamabushi, Tatsunoyama bowed briefly." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"Mr. Miura, I see I have the pleasure of assisting you again.\"\n\nJiro bowed in return, smiled, and said, \"I am most grateful Tatsunoyama-zeki,\" and threw one of his sheath knives." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "The little throwing knife found its mark properly in Hachibei's wrist. He howled and dropped his short sword." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Jiro slid forward almost casually, and his long blade flickered in the forest gloom." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Hachibei stood for a moment while Jiro froze in place, his sword guard held near his ear." }, { "from": "human", "value": "A gush of blood fountained from the yamabushi leader's neck." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "His torso fell in one direction; his head rolled in another.\n\nThe other yamabushi had turned to flee when his leader was hit." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Tatsunoyama made a prodigious hop. His open hand rose in a short arc and chopped down, followed by the other." }, { "from": "human", "value": "The yamabushi's head shook, and he fell silently." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Jiro spun and charged." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Daisangyoja slid smoothly aside. His fist parried Jiro's blade." }, { "from": "human", "value": "His other hand smashed down onto the samurai's wrist." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Jiro twisted, and his shoulder knocked the yamabushi's fist off target." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Both opponents leaped back, breathing heavily.\n\nA female scream sounded through the woods." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Jiro called to Tatsunoyama over his shoulder, \"That is some of my friends. The yamabushi are attacking us. Please help.\"\n\nTatsunoyama strode to the shrine and opened the door." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "He reached inside. A touselled dark head with a sour expression appeared, followed by its twin. Lady One and Lady Two glared at Jiro's back." }, { "from": "human", "value": "They would obviously have enjoyed seeing him slaughtered, but they ran after their massive lover as he strode purposefully into the forest." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Jiro balanced carefully on the balls of his feet." }, { "from": "human", "value": "He would not underestimate the yamabushi leader again." }, { "from": "human", "value": "His sword flickered twice, a cut to the head and then one to the body." }, { "from": "human", "value": "The yamabushi parried each blow with a clang of metal." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Jiro looked at the man's fists." }, { "from": "human", "value": "From each side of his right fist protruded a diamond-shaped metal knob." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "In his left he carried a similar device—a kongo in the shape of a crown. The spikes of the crowns could catch a sword blade in time for the right hand to deliver a crippling blow." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "They circled. Jiro tried a thrust but was repelled. He drew his short sword, holding it unconventionally, hilt forward." }, { "from": "human", "value": "He struck with his great sword, once, then again." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Daisangyoja anticipated both blows and guarded against them smoothly. He was beginning to smile, showing his confidence, when Jiro managed the unexpected." }, { "from": "human", "value": "With an agility unusual for so large a man and a humility exceptional for a samurai, he rolled forward on the ground." }, { "from": "human", "value": "His short sword cut across Daisangyoja's shins." }, { "from": "human", "value": "The yamabushi leader leaped into the air and landed several feet away as Jiro came to his feet and charged." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "For a short second the yamabushi stared in horror at the spattering of blood that rained from one of his feet. Then, in an almost superhuman display of strength, he leaped back again and was gone into the wood, Jiro breathed deeply, wondering whether to chase him." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Then another female scream sounded from the forest, and he hurried to find its source." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Far below them the festival had started. The parade was getting organized before marching to the shrine." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Large wooden tabards in the shape of shields decorated with fan-shaped sunbursts were assembled in a line. The torch carriers who would oppose the tabards' progress stood by their massive barrel-shaped torches." } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "Ive got a bit of writers block, im gonna send you something then keep it going 4 sentences at a time, also im going for a Akahige Namban sorta thing." }, { "from": "system", "value": "Produce a starting prompt please." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Rosamund had been separated from her companions by her ignorance of woodcraft. She wrung her hands nervously. She hated fighting. The emotions it roused were ones she felt uncomfortable with. She cowered by a tree, licking her lips and wondering what had happened." }, { "from": "human", "value": "A sound intruded on her thoughts." }, { "from": "human", "value": "She raised her head and could not forbear a scream." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "An unshaven face under a pillbox hat was leering at her around the bole. Seeing she was alarmed and alone, the yamabushi stepped around the tree and reached for her. She reacted instinctively. Pulling back, she lashed at him with her hand. The yamabushi grinned and grabbed at her robe." }, { "from": "human", "value": "The weighted end of the chain she kept in her sleeve hit his forehead above his eyebrow." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "The front of his skull caved in, and his eyes turned in his head. Rosamund's breath whistled beneath her teeth as she turned to seek more enemies.\n\nOsatsuki knelt in a clearing, admiring the hint of white seen between the trees. The sound of the waterfall was muted by the tree boles." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Beneath her the velvety moss cushioned her knees and stained the hem of her robe a bright green." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "There was a poem on the subject, she remembered, but the lines would not come to her.\n\nTsuneyoshi stepped out of the forest and stopped beside her. His handsome, aristocratic face was sad. \"You should not have betrayed us,\" he said." }, { "from": "human", "value": "She bowed slightly, looking sideways at him, her head tilted to one side." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"The Master has indicated you are no longer acceptable. I am sorry, but my duty is to him. I could have loved you, but instead...\"\n\n\"What would you do now?\" she asked softly.\n\n\"I'll go into the mountains. I can no longer serve him.\"\n\nHis sword was resting lightly over his shoulder." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "He raised it higher, and she noted that it was a heavily curved sword of ancient style, no doubt a relic of his family. There were many such men, scions of great families brought down by the politics and wars that had ended at Osaka with the fall of the Taiko's heir. She leaned forward and shrugged out of her embroidered outer robe, tucking the ends of her sleeves beneath her knees so as to fall properly. He looked at the back of her neck, and the memory of her beauty on their travels rose in him." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"I shall pray for your repose in the afterlife,\" he said, and raised the blade two-handed." }, { "from": "system", "value": "Next message should be approximately 2 sentences." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"And I for yours,\" she said softly, and drove the sharp steel hairpin she had drawn from her hair through his ribs and into his heart. Far below them, conches and drums announced the start of the parade." } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "Mode: Collab writing\nAmount: 3 sentences\nVoice: Akahige Namban" }, { "from": "human", "value": "Okiku crouched on a branch, motionless." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "The stalking yamabushi crept closer. Midori's keening teased him on, When the man was directly below her, parting the bushes that hid the brown-haired girl, Okiku slipped from her perch silently as an owl. The yamabushi died with a snapping crack of the bone in his neck." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Okiku stepped off the warm, twitching body, then immediately leaped high, tumbling in the air as she rose. A second mountain ascetic slashed down at the spot on which she had been standing. Her feet hit the ground, and she flexed her knees and leaped again." }, { "from": "human", "value": "The yamabushi leaped high too, and they met in midair." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Her hands moved swiftly and a bright length of steel whispered through the air as it was withdrawn from concealment in her pilgrim's staff. The yamabushi shrieked and fell in a heap. Midori ran to Okiku's side." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Her sash was off her waist in a flash as she tried to stanch the bright stream of blood that gushed from Okiku's arm and side." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"Are you all right? Mistress Okiku, are you well?\"\n\nOkiku grunted. The cuts were superficial, but her arm and side would soon stiffen. Another yamabushi ran into view and headed for the two women." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Midori hastily interposed herself between Okiku and the attacker. Hands extended into claws, she tried to block his approach, screaming incoherently. The yamabushi batted her aside, concentrating on Okiku's blade." } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "make story longer like Akahige Namban would" }, { "from": "system", "value": "Produce a starting prompt please." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Goemon slipped patiently from shadow to shadow, one tree to another. He wanted to entice the yamabushi chieftain into the forest. It would be better to dispose of him quietly, if at all possible. A group of the mountain men patiently tracked him, and suddenly Goemon found that all his wiles were in vain. Daisangyoja stood before him, a mocking smile on his face. Between them stood five fierce-looking yamabushi. Goemon stood quietly in the clearing, his mind cool and alert. He smiled at the five men as they surrounded him." }, { "from": "human", "value": "His calm enraged them, and they made trembling attacks in his direction." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "He took the fan out of his sash and fanned himself patiently.\n\nOne of the yamabushi lunged, and Goemon easily avoided the attack. A second cut at his head, and he parried neatly with the fan. The steel ribs clanged on the sword metal. Goemon threw a handful of powdered pepper into the attacker's eyes, then slid beyond him and hammered the edge of the fan into another attacker's wrist. The man's weapon fell from his grasp. Goemon seized his lapel, twisted, and threw the struggling yamabushi easily onto two of his companions.\n\nGoemon kicked high and his foot connected with a yamabushi chin; then he spun, grabbed a sword hand, and twisted." }, { "from": "human", "value": "The yamabushi fell to his knees with a broken wrist." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Goemon attacked again, opening the fan one-handed and cutting at a rough face. The sharpened steel edge of a rib sliced through a black pillbox hat and tore at a scalp. The yamabushi, blinded by his own blood, did not have time to react as his own sword was twisted from his grasp and plunged into his belly. The attackers, those still able to move, were in a panic. They turned to flee, and all but one fell victim to their cowardice. Using the borrowed sword, Goemon cut them down as they fled. He turned to deal with their leader, and threw the sword with disgust at Daisangyoja's retreating back.\n\nIn the shrine complex below, the tabard bearers advanced, their devices held high." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Conchs, flutes, and drums heralded their approach, and the torches were raised to oppose them." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Goemon heard a crying sound, and ran rapidly through the forest seeking the woman's voice. He charged into a clearing in time to see a wild-looking yamabushi aim a cut at Okiku, who was leaning painfully to one side. Goemon's fan spun through the air just as the yamabushi raised his sword and attacked. A steel star sprouted from the mountain man's eye. The fan's jagged edge sliced through the exposed great artery in his neck. Goemon passed him at a run and retrieved the steel-ribbed fan. Okiku smiled at him through the pain and pulled the steel throwing star from the yamabushi's gory eye, and the three of them set off to find more enemies.\n\nThey all met again in a clearing in the forest." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Goemon looked at his friends, then ruefully at the pile of bodies in the clearing." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "None of the three bodies bore any wounds, but their necks all rested at curious angles. A heavy man was sitting on a rock. He had a minor cut and was being tended by two young women, twins, who were dressed as itinerant actors.\n\nGoemon's face twisted in momentary disapproval. Actors should not involve themselves in important affairs. Then his natural good humor reasserted itself, and he considered his own actions ruefully. Jiro stood near the wrestler, eyes raking the forest. Only Okiku and the wrestler were wounded." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Considering that the wrestler was completely unarmed, Goemon thought his survival a miracle." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "The riffraff that made up a mountain beggars' band was hardly a threat to him, Jiro, or Okiku, all of whom were armed. Rosamund had found Satsuki and the two of them had hidden the best they could, coming out when Jiro's powerful bellow had announced the yamabushi's defeat. They counted seven bodies and several trails of blood. Daisangyoja's body was not among those found.\n\n\"They'll attack again,\" Jiro said stolidly, wiping his long blade. He sheathed it in one smooth motion, his eyes never leaving the wrestler's.\n\n\"Good,\" the wrestler grunted. \"I do not care for those people.\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"No, I am sorry.\" Midori moved her open hand in negation. Her voice was soft but firm. \"They will not return.\"\n\n\"How do you know, dear?\" Satsuki's mild rejoinder seemed to give the yamabushi girl confidence.\n\n\"I know the bands. Daisangyoja has failed them too many times. They will not obey him now. His dreams have come to naught. We have nothing to fear from him. He will be replaced by one of his seconds.\"\n\n\"I saw Hachibei's body on our way here,\" Satsuki said in a low voice." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"And... I am afraid I killed Tsuneyoshi myself...\" She looked somewhat abased, her eyes held low." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"Nonetheless,\" said Goemon, \"we will be very careful. They will probably search for us at the festival. We had best reach the village before nightfall. It is small, and there will be no crowd to serve as a blind for them to stalk us. I would rather meet them in the open.\"\n\nAt the far-off shrine the lit torches met the advancing tabards and opposed their entrance to the precincts. The excited crowd watched as the tabards advanced again and again, only to be repelled by the blazing wooden barrels. The bearers' faces ran with sweat. The crowd drank and called out excitedly. In the darkening forest several dead men lay quiet, uncaring. Ferns caressed their faces.\n\nEvening fell as the party from Miyako tolled up the path." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Across the valley they could see the last glow of the torches from the festival." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Above them the stars shone through the growing night." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Somewhere below them in the dark they could hear the endless sheet of the roaring waterfall. They sought the headman amidst the quiet cluster of thatch houses.\n\nThe formalities were soon concluded. Food was brought, and they were apologetically shown to the only free room the grateful headman could offer them, the main room of his house. The meal was a simple one, rice, grilled ayu whose flesh was sweet and redolent of pure mountain streams, fresh mountain vegetables, and delicate-flavored pine mushrooms. Exhausted, not even blowing out the lamps, they crawled into their bedding. Not even Tatsunoyama's mountainous snores could keep anyone awake.\n\nMidori awoke to a delicate touch on her thighs." }, { "from": "human", "value": "She opened her eyes and looked up into a cloud of golden hair." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Rosamund smiled down at her, then leaned forward and kissed her passionately. The blonde's inquisitive tongue searched Midori's mouth expertly, and Midori surrendered to the feeling.\n\n\"I've been wanting to have you alone for some time now,\" whispered Rosamund. Midori hugged her to her breast. Her nipples, she noticed without surprise, were rock hard, almost painful with her desire. Rosamund's mouth moved downwards silently. She engulfed a nipple, then sucked the entire small breast into her mouth. Midori sighed a ghost of a sound." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Her hands lightly touched the fall of golden hair against her chest." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"I've been wanting to do this for soooo long...\"\n\nShe tugged at the hair gently. It was softer than hers, and unlike any other she knew, it fell in ringlets that resisted straightening.\n\n\"Harder!\" said Rosamund.\n\nSurprised but obedient, the former yamabushi girl complied, forcing the blonde's mouth to dig deeply into her breast. She was rewarded with a flickering tongue that laved the painful nipple. Rosamund's mouth shifted to the other side, and her fingers sought the soft, downy hair of Midori's pussy. Midori obligingly spread her legs." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Her hips rose without conscious command to meet the probing digit." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Rosamund cupped the soft, downy mound with her hand. She squeezed the slimmer girl's lips between the three middle fingers, rubbing the slick clitoris fiercely. Midori grinned and showed her teeth, and her hand squeezed Rosamund's full breast harder than she intended. She was about to apologize, when Rosamund kissed her deeply, then muttered, \"Again!\" The brown-haired girl squeezed harder and was rewarded with another soul-searching kiss. The blonde's expert tongue licked out and laved the inside of her mouth, then nibbled the length of her neck, descended to her shoulders, and then sucked hungrily at her erect brown nipples. For a moment Rosamund raised her head and peered through the dark at Midori's face.\n\n\"Hard! I like it hard!\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "she said. There was a note of pleading in her voice." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Midori obligingly squeezed the beautiful full breast before her. The erect pink nipple burned against her palm, and her strong trained fingers sank deeply into the soft flesh. She was rewarded by a muted groan and another deep kiss from the blonde. Intrigued and somewhat mystified, Midori experimented. She took one perfect soft nipple and pinched it roughly. Far from having it pulled back out of her grasp, she found Rosamund's body covering her and the blonde's mouth laving her with kisses.\n\n\"You like being hurt while fucking?\" she asked in a whisper." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Rosamund giggled softly. \"Goemon, Jiro, and Okiku all raped me when we first met. I've loved it ever since. Hurt me—please hurt me.\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "For a moment Midori was shocked to the bottom of her soul. Lovemaking was for fun and enjoyment. She had seen the result of rape, and no one she knew who had undergone the experience enjoyed violence. That was a thing for men, and not of the best sort. Then she suddenly recalled whom she was speaking to. Of course, Mistress Rosamund was a foreign devil... Their customs must be so different, and one could not expect their reactions to be completely human. No girl would enjoy that sort of thing, but among the kebozu, the hairy devils, it must be the norm.\n\nMeantime the friction of the blonde's fingers on her cunt was getting to her, and she felt obliged to return the pleasure she was receiving." }, { "from": "human", "value": "She stiffened a finger and drove it into Rosamund's shoulder." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "She had been taught finger massage by one of her former band, and the pressure points could be used for ill as well as good.\n\nRosamund yelped and ground her hand into the chestnut-haired girl's cunt. Her body wriggled with abandon on the slimmer body below it. Her full breasts were mashed against Midori's smaller ones, and both women joined their mouths in a passionate kiss.\n\n\"You must be quiet or the others will wake up,\" Midori whispered.\n\n\"No, they're too tired. In any case, they'll just join the fun...\"\n\nSuddenly it occurred to Rosamund that she would rather have Midori to herself for a while, and she whispered half-reluctantly, \"Actually, maybe you should gag me somehow. I usually yell a lot...\"\n\nMidori, still somewhat unsure of herself, removed the silk scarf that Rosamund used to tie her sleeping robe." }, { "from": "human", "value": "She gagged the blonde, not too tightly, then looked into Rosamund's eyes to be sure she was doing the right thing." }, { "from": "human", "value": "The blue eyes, almost invisible in the gloom, looked at her with a hint of mischief and expectation." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Midori spread the blonde beneath her and set to work with her fingers and tongue. The strong, practiced digits dug into the blonde's soft breasts, eliciting muted squeals. Midori kissed each painful point carefully, before moving on to the next, descending gradually.\n\nRosamund found herself enjoying one of the most pleasurable fucks she had had. At first Midori was gentle with her, careful not to hurt her too much. But gradually as she got into the spirit of things, the light blows turned harder, the pain from the probing fingers more lingering. Midori's mouth sucked on her skin, bringing pleasure with the pain, and Rosamund started shivering uncontrollably. Her hands, which had been guiding Midori's head to the places of her greatest pleasure exploring the slim girl's smooth body, now flailed aimlessly." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Midori paused a moment, and a bold idea occurred to her." }, { "from": "human", "value": "She slipped off the blonde, flipped her over, and rapidly tied Rosamund's hands together behind her back." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Rosamund did not object, merely waiting for what was to come.\n\nThe sight of Rosamund's magnificent ass beckoned to Midori. The smooth, pale hills rose in a perfect curve, bisected by a long, sweet line that separated the two halves like a peach. She kissed each bun separately, then dug her fingers viciously into them. There was another muted squeal, and she set to work in earnest, her teeth nipping the smooth skin, her fingers digging into the soft flesh. Rosamund's trembling increased, and she agitated her ass in circles, unsuccessfully trying to evade the painful touch.\n\nMidori separated the two halves, exposing the length of the crease, the tiny bud of the asshole, and the beginning of the blonde forest below. She bent close and wondered whether any man had penetrated that little hole." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Her fingers explored for her, and Rosamund's ass jerked up to greet her. She dug her fingers in in earnest, then shifted some of her attention to Rosamund's cunt. As soon as she touched the slick lips, she was rewarded by a flood of moisture that overran her fingertips. She forced the beautiful legs apart and her tongue licked out to collect some of the honey. Rosamund trembled violently, and her hips bucked, throwing Midori's head backwards.\n\nShe turned Rosamund roughly over and crouched over her body. She was surprised at the size of the blonde's clitoris, which stuck out like a tiny fleshy claw. She sucked at it, at the same time forcing her cunt down onto the blonde's mouth." }, { "from": "system", "value": "Next message should be approximately 9 sentences." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Her tongue licked the length of Rosamund's cunt; then she settled down to sucking hungrily at the large clitoris, her fingers digging into the muscles of Rosamund's thighs.\n\nThe combination of the demanding mouth and knowledgeable fingers was too much for Rosamund to bear. Over her nose she could smell the musky perfume of Midori's cunt. She wriggled her wrists, and the sash on her wrists fell away. She ripped the gag from her mouth and reached for the slim girl's ass. Her mouth and nose were covered by the fragrant forest of Midori's soft hairs, and she began licking and sucking hungrily.\n\nBoth women were exhausted before long, their faces covered with one another's juices, their insides rippling with the number of times they had come. They stopped with mutual consent, and Midori rolled off Rosamund, touching her sleepily. Both smiled in the darkness as they composed themselves for sleep." } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "Add seven sentences to continue story" }, { "from": "system", "value": "Produce a starting prompt please." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Rosamund's hair lay spread on Midori's flat brown belly. Their fingers were entwined while the others slumbered on. There was the sound of stealthy movement in the room. Two silent figures rose and cautiously stalked around the group of huddled sleepers. Tatsunoyama's snores hid the quiet sounds of their passing. Feigning sleep, Rosamund was not surprised to see that the figures were those of the twins, Lady One and Lady Two. Their faces were set, and their eyes glared." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Rosamund's chain and Midori's pilgrim's staff lashed out together." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "The chain wrapped itself around Lady One's leg and brought her down with a crash. Midori's staff smacked into Lady Two's exposed rump with a sound that brought Jiro and Goemon to their feet, weapons in hand. Tatsunoyama snuffled and grunted, coming awake in his own good time.\n\nThey sat around the two miscreants, Jiro giving mighty yawns. Tatsunoyama was furious. He harangued his charges, slapping exposed portions of their anatomy freely. Okiku noted with amusement that none of the blows were as powerful as those he had landed during the fight. The twins scowled and yowled occasionally, but it was clear they expected the treatment—and worse." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"How can I apologize, Mr. Miura? Their behavior is inexcusable.\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "The wrestler was almost incoherent with fury. \"I shall give them to you to dispose of. Kill them if you choose.\"\n\n\"Why are they trying to kill Jiro?\" Rosamund intervened in the harangue.\n\n\"Yes, why?\" The sumo wrestler glared at them.\n\n\"He killed our master!\"\n\nRosamund, Okiku, and Goemon exchanged glances." }, { "from": "human", "value": "They too had participated in that killing, when the twins' master, Lord Matsudaira, had conspired to unseat the Shogun, effective ruler of all the Japans." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "The twins evidently did not know that, though they remembered Jiro's face.\n\nOkiku was looking at her companions while the debate about the girls' future was going on, Tatsunoyama insisting on handing them over to Jiro, the latter refusing to dispose of them. Rosamund and Midori, she noted, were both flushed. The blonde's disarray indicated more than the normal dishabille of sleep. An idea struck her. It arose, she knew, not from her head, but from her emotions.\n\n\"I have an idea,\" she cut into the conversation." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Heads turned in her direction. Jiro and Goemon looked at her sideways, like shy horses. Both knew her powers of invention, and the silky tone she was using meant an interesting, if exhausting time for them.\n\n\"Tatsunoyama-zeki, why don't you turn them over to Jiro? Since he does not want to kill them, let him exhaust them in punishment instead.\" She slid a hand up the nearest twin's smooth calf, avoiding the half-hearted kick aimed at her. She flipped the actor's short robe aside, uncovering the downy expanse of her cunt.\n\nTatsunoyama leaned back and considered." }, { "from": "human", "value": "He smiled broadly. \"That may indeed be their problem. You see, they have not felt the weight of a man on them for some time now.\" He grinned." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"I am not exactly built for that, and they may be getting above themselves simply because they are above me some of the time.\" He laughed at his joke.\n\n\"How about it, Master Jiro? Do you think you can exhaust them into submission? I tell you what—let Master Goemon assist you.\"\n\nGoemon licked his lips in agreement.\n\nSullenly the twins submitted to being stripped. They were alike in every detail, Okiku noted. Their skin was smooth and brown, and their elfin faces showed identical scowls." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Jiro was clearly embarrassed, but Okiku was not to be put off." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "She squatted between the two twins and examined their figures curiously. As far as she could determine, there was not a point of difference between the two. She laid a palm on either flat belly and stroked downwards. The twins kept their legs stubbornly closed. She pulled at the black smooth hairs that rimmed the bottom of their bellies, and they merely scowled at her.\n\n\"Open your legs!\" she said pleasantly.\n\nThey clenched them still tighter, their looks becoming murderous." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"Open your legs,\" roared Tatsunoyama in his hoarse voice. They obeyed with alacrity. \"Do whatever she tells you to! Do you understand me!\"\n\n\"Yes!\" they chorused in unison.\n\nOkiku fingered their smooth, tight cunts. Both were dry, intent on not participating. She smiled at them, then jabbed her fingers in to the knuckles." }, { "from": "human", "value": "The twins grimaced with pain but merely tightened the muscles of their inner channels." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"I think you will like them,\" said Okiku cheerfully to her men. \"They're almost as tight as virgins.\"\n\nTatsunoyama laughed. \"Maybe I do not use them enough, eh?\"\n\nGoemon merely licked his lips. Rosamund looked on with interest. The entertainments Okiku put on were always interesting and innovative.\n\nOkiku rubbed her palms against the twins' soft mounds, one finger still in each cunt." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Gradually, against their will, the walls of their cunts responded to the treatment and their insides turned slick with their interior moisture." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"Will they obey all my commands?\" Okiku asked sweetly.\n\n\"They will do anything you command!\" said Tatsunoyama forcefully. His tone softened somewhat. \"They are, for all their faults, extremely obedient.\"\n\nOkiku turned to Goemon and Jiro while she laughed lightly. \"You poor things. You've had to make do with us alone for so long. Come here.\"\n\nObediently, as if hypnotized, the two men positioned themselves between the spread legs of the twins." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Okiku exposed both erect cocks, Jiro's tremendous one and Goemon's which was no shorter, though it was thinner." }, { "from": "human", "value": "She shook them in the air, offering the prone twins a full view of the stubby branches that were soon to be inserted in their soft bodies." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Then Okiku guided both staves home, stopping only when the two tips came into contact with the two delicate pairs of lips, framed so pleasingly in black hair. She rubbed the tips up and down the length of the girls' cunts, spreading the lips ever so slightly, lingering over the clitorises, dipping them slightly in the direction of the clenched anuses. Then, with much delight, she gradually led both cocks into the waiting bodies. The two fleshy swords gradually sank out of sight.\n\nRosamund was charmed by the picture. The two slim figures of the women, alike as mirror images, lying flat on their backs, and the contrasting figures of the men. Between them a guiding woman, who obviously enjoyed her work." }, { "from": "human", "value": "The two men started to work away with a will." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Their hands clutched the two asses beneath them and then started moving over the captive figures." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "The twins were soon gasping, their legs contracting around the muscular figures covering them, whether from the weight or from real enjoyment. The men too were soon reaching a climax, as could be seen from the rapid oscillation of their buttocks and the strain that showed in their faces.\n\n\"Stop!\" Okiku's imperious command was not immediately obeyed, but two strong slaps to the men's backs slowed their motion.\n\n\"Change!\" she ordered. Goemon looked at her uncomprehendingly for a moment; then a grin split his face. He pulled his slimy cock from Lady One's sopping cunt and nudged his friend. The giant withdrew too, trailing a streak of froth." }, { "from": "human", "value": "The two men changed places and recommenced." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Rosamund could not restrain herself. \"Is there any difference?\" she asked Jiro, who was closer to her.\n\nThe young samurai was too dazed to answer. He mumbled something and returned to sucking the supine girl's nipple. She moaned and her head thrashed from side to side. Lady Two was as deeply sunk into a trance as her sister." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Her face was as contorted, her hands and heels clutching at Goemon's back, kneading the muscles, pulling more and more of the delightful morsel into her.\n\n\"It's time to play kemari,\" Okiku announced. Satsuki looked at her in surprise. Kemari was a court game in which a ball was kicked from point to point within a courtyard garden while the players recited verses appropriate for the season and the garden. This was hardly the place or the season, and in any case, the only balls were firmly attached to the men.\n\nOkiku laughed at their puzzlement. \"In court kemari, the ports are immobile while the ball is kicked from one corner to another, not being allowed to fall to the ground. In my kemari, the balls will be stationary while the players will rotate.\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "She stood up and stripped, motioning Rosamund to do the same." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "They stood there for a moment, allowing their audience to admire their beauty. Even Jiro and Goemon, used to the sight, paused at their efforts. The twins looked on, a look of envy in their eyes. Both women were impressive. Okiku's figure was smooth and without blemish. The heart-shaped fur of her pussy complemented her slim figure and her delicately shaped breasts. Long black hair fell past her shoulders." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "She ran her hands suggestively over her body, cupping her breasts for a moment, then slipping a finger momentarily between the delicate lips of her cunt.\n\nRosamund was no less beautiful, though a complete contrast. Her figure was lush and full, and the golden hair at the juncture of her legs fluffed out provocatively, setting off the pale alabaster of her thighs, the bold pink of the slit between her legs, and her prominent nipples. Her breasts were full and stood proudly away from her chest. They trembled as she strode forward to stand before her friend. They knelt together over the twins' faces, and the two miscreants, knowing what was expected of them, began licking the two expectant cunts lustfully. Rosamund and Okiku sighed happily and settled deeply onto the twins' faces." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Goemon and Jiro resumed their labors, pausing now and then to touch or tongue either of the girls before them." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Goemon promptly leaned forward as far as he could and shared the task of laving Okiku's cunt with his twin, stealing delicious licks of the busy tongue at the same time.\n\nThe treatment soon brought all participants near a climax. Okiku, alert for the signs, promptly stopped them. She rose and pushed Rosamund from her position on Lady One's face. Rosamund, seeing the game, dispossessed Jiro of his place, and Jiro pushed Goemon. The latter found himself kneeling before Lady Two's head. Gingerly he inserted his long, thin prick into the twin's mouth, forcing her neck back to accommodate him." }, { "from": "human", "value": "His cock slid into her mouth with ease, somewhat to his surprise, but rather than biting it, she wrapped the length of the shaft with her tongue, then closed her lips gently around it." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "He was soon pumping wildly into her, anxious to relieve himself of the pressure growing in his balls before Okiku could remove him from the sweet, hot furnace of the girl's mouth. His hand shared Lady Two's breasts with Jiro, and he leaned to one side and bit Rosamund forcefully on her shoulder. His consort screeched her delight.\n\nOkiku spread Lady One's thighs farther, then spread herself so that one of her thighs lay under the supine girl's upper thigh, the other over her belly. She pushed forward until their hairs and lips meshed. Rubbing herself back and forth feverishly, she experienced the indescribable thrill of their slick lips sliding together. She continued for a while, lost completely in her pleasure, then focused on Rosamund, who was riding Lady One's face with abandon, squeezing Goemon's face into her bobbling tits the entire while." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "With a suppleness possible only to one who had exercised her body since childhood, Okiku doubled her body and joined her lips to those of Lady One. Together they licked Rosamund on.\n\nTatsunoyama regarded all the foregoing activity with impassive bemusement. His mask of impassivity was starting to slip, however. He wet his lips with his tongue and opened the front of his robe. The bulge in the robe was very apparent. Satsuki, who had enjoyed the show so far, returned immediately to her professional and personal courtesy." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"Tatsunoyama-zeki, pray forgive me for not offering myself immediately, but I imagined you would wish to regale your eyes before anything else—is that not so?\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "She bowed to him a second and then motioned to Midori. Together the two rapidly stripped the massive wrestler. To the undiscerning eye, Satsuki thought, the wrestler might appear monstrous. His belly was a massive dome overshadowing his erect prick, which was bent almost forward under the shelving. His hams were as thick as logs, his hands the size of shovels. And yet, she noted, he sat fully erect, and his shoulders were firm, smooth, and broad. His belly, far from sagging with fat, was a mountain of muscle." }, { "from": "human", "value": "She contemplated him for a moment, while Midori crouched before his belly and delicately sucked his cock into her mouth." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "He regarded the crouched figure before him benevolently, his huge palms resting lightly on her back.\n\nSatsuki smiled at him. He was the best possible customer, expecting her to arrange his pleasure to the best possible advantage. She rose and helped him recline on his back. His flexibility was such that he could do so without moving his legs and disturbing Midori, who continued suckling at his aroused manhood. Satsuki opened his robe and exposed herself to his gaze. She stood so for a time while he minutely examined her figure." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Just before she judged the sight was about to pall, she moved from his view." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "She crouched over him, lightly teasing the muscles of his belly until they quivered with anticipation; then Midori guided her down onto the waiting shaft.\n\nShe did not have Rosamund's control of her inner muscles, but she was very accomplished nonetheless. First she glided up and down the extended shaft, the panting and sighing from the others in the room lending cadence to her moves. The tempo increased, then changed as she ground her ass onto his prick, then contracted herself forcefully around the base of the shaft. Midori was leaning over him, nibbling the massive muscles of his chest, stroking his arms and belly, her light fine hair tickling his skin to a climax. He came almost without moving his body, and Satsuki supplied the necessary movement, urging him on with wild gyrations of her hips. He grunted happily as he felt the last of his sperm gush out and fill her cavern." }, { "from": "human", "value": "She rose slightly to change her position, and instructed Midori to place cushions behind his back so he could see as well as feel." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Okiku signalled another change in the ballgame. This time she straddled Lady Two, then lowered her ass so that her cunt lips barely kissed the other girl's. Slowly, then with increasing tempo, she slid the lips together in an extended kiss. Lady Two welcomed the delicate touch. Her mouth was extended fully by Jiro's gigantic cock. She sucked as best she was able but finally found the solution in relaxing her mouth and allowing him to fuck as he would. Mindful of his size, Jiro inserted only the broad head of his member." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Touched by his gentleness, notwithstanding the enmity between them, she found herself lightly cupping his massive balls, stroking the length of the shaft that could not enter her." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Goemon positioned himself over Lady One's face. He looked down at the inverted woman, and a new fancy struck him. He gathered her small tits together, squeezing them delicately. Then he leaned forward and placed his sopping penis in the channel between the two breasts. The sensation was nothing like that supplied by Rosamund's. The blonde looked on approvingly.\n\nRosamund was not as flexible as Okiku." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Rather than try to emulate her friend, she stretched out on Lady One's body. She engulfed Goemon's prick with her bright red lips, and her tongue caressed the length of the shaft until the tip touched her uvula. Her head bobbed up and down as Goemon fucked slowly through the channel of Lady One's breasts and into his mistress's mouth and throat. As he moved he felt the young woman lying under him surrender completely to the discipline imposed by her wrestler. Diffidently, almost shyly, Lady One began licking his balls as they passed above her mouth.\n\nSatsuki sank deeply onto Tatsunoyama's cock. Her ass rested comfortably against the bulk of his belly, and she luxuriated in the feeling for a brief moment." }, { "from": "human", "value": "He was indeed as pleasurable as she had thought." }, { "from": "system", "value": "Next message should be approximately 4 sentences." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Then she raised her ass slightly and bowed forward, knowing how charming a picture her upturned ass showed to his eyes. He slid his hands in appreciation down the perfect half globes, lingered for a brief moment on the tiny pursed bud of her anus, then briefly stroked the forest of damp hairs lower down. Midori knelt before them, parted Satsuki's legs, and laved the length of his shaft and her slit as the strong male member briefly appeared, then hid again. The six on the floor before them continued obliviously towards a climax, while the two professionals slowly and surely reached the expected outcome of their pleasure while watching amateurs perform." } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "I'll be your writing partner today. I will set the scene, and you will continue the story with 1 sentence, channeling the voice and techniques of Akahige Namban." }, { "from": "human", "value": "It was a glorious morning." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Rosamund awoke and stretched." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Her friends were around her, sleeping deeply." }, { "from": "human", "value": "She poked bits of bare skin experimentally." }, { "from": "human", "value": "There was no response from female or male except groans or grunts of sleepiness." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Annoyed, she fingered her glowing golden fur." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "She was just ready for another round, but none of these weaklings could supply her, she decided." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "She rose quietly from the tangle of limbs and knelt by the toilet table." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Her face shone at her from the silver travelling mirror." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Her hair was a golden cloud framing her large blue eyes and blooming cheeks to perfection." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Idly she brushed her hair." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "The strands crackled with suppressed static electricity." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "She felt the same, still tensed up from last night's events." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "She smiled wickedly and moved the brush downwards." }, { "from": "human", "value": "With steady strokes she brushed her golden bush." }, { "from": "human", "value": "The sensation was titillating but not sufficient." }, { "from": "human", "value": "She pushed harder, then sighed with frustration." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Being the mistress of a rich and important lord had its disadvantages." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "The brush, for instance, was soft and smooth for a lady but too soft for her needs, which at times, like now, were violent." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Her companions were still asleep, so she hastily dressed, not bothering with undergarments." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "A white robe and over it the violet cloak and hood of her disguise would suffice." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "She tucked her manryukusari chain in her robe and slid the shoji doors open." }, { "from": "human", "value": "She closed them quietly and turned to face the glorious world without." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "The enormous cedars towered around her, their tops hidden in mist." }, { "from": "human", "value": "The roofs of the houses were likewise wreathed." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "The mountain rose beside her, covered with forest and mystery." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Not really thinking about it, she turned her steps to the slopes and starting climbing, wishing to exorcise sleep from her bones." }, { "from": "human", "value": "After a stiff climb she could no longer see the roofs of the small hamlet below her, nor of the headman's house where her lovers lay sleeping." }, { "from": "human", "value": "She turned and breathed deeply of the scented air." }, { "from": "human", "value": "The sound of a small brook came to her through the mists." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Suddenly thirsty, she headed for the water." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "The stream was small and deliciously cold." }, { "from": "human", "value": "She followed it up to a small widening in the course." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "A waterfall fell from the cliff above." }, { "from": "human", "value": "She stripped and slid her hands caressingly over her body." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Her nipples stood erect in the cold, puckered slightly." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Her thighs were white and firm." }, { "from": "human", "value": "She spread her legs and bent forward to examine the rose on her inner thigh." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Kissing a finger she said, \"Poor little rose, no one has kissed you for ever so long,\" and put the digit to her mossy grove." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Then she plunged into the pool." }, { "from": "human", "value": "The cold bit into her like a knife." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Her nipples puckered more than before, painfully." }, { "from": "human", "value": "She gasped with the pain, finding in the freeze an element of pleasure that raised inner warmth even as the external cold raised goose bumps on her flesh." }, { "from": "human", "value": "She paddled to the end of the pool near a large bush which grew from the rock and pulled herself up." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "She shook herself, then noticed a small niche behind the bush." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "She peered into the darkness." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Something glittered on the rock." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Heedless of the scratches, she forced herself through the bushy barrier." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "On a rock before the niche rested a lacquered wooden bowl and a short metal handle with two diamond-shaped ends." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "The joining handle would have been well covered by a man's fist." }, { "from": "human", "value": "She had just bent to pick it up, when something loomed out of the darkness of the niche." }, { "from": "system", "value": "Next message should be approximately 2 sentence." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "She suppressed a scream. The figure in the gloom of the niche was Daisangyoja, leader of the yamabushi." } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "Mode:\nCo-writing\n\nLength:\n2 sentences\n\nStyle:\nAkahige Namban" }, { "from": "system", "value": "Produce a starting prompt please." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "The leader of the yamabushi band seemed asleep or dead. There was no color to his face, and his eyes were closed, his muscles slack." }, { "from": "human", "value": "She examined him closely, unsure for a moment of his identity." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "It was indeed Daisangyoja. He was dressed in white, weaponless and seeming harmless." }, { "from": "human", "value": "A man peacefully dead." }, { "from": "human", "value": "No, she decided, he must be meditating." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "He was seated in double lotus, his feet resting on his knees, his hands twisted behind his back and joining in front. His broad chest was stuck out as he held his own feet." }, { "from": "human", "value": "She drew back, intending to run for help, fearful of his awakening." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Her movement was arrested in mid-motion. Unconsciously while she thought her hand stirred the thicket between her legs." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Slowly, resolution budded in her." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "She turned away, only to return with her sash and the weighted length of chain that had served her so well as a weapon. It was work of a moment to tie him hand to foot." }, { "from": "human", "value": "She stood back and admired her handiwork." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Neither a foot she shoved roughly into his face, nor cold water dashed there seemed to wake the man. Rosamund stood back and considered." }, { "from": "human", "value": "She spied his sword leaning against the inside of the niche and cut his clothes from him." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "As Satsuki had noted, he had an impressive physique, though somewhat stringy for Rosamund's taste. She leaned forward and warmed her hands on his genitalia." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "The cock was flaccid for a while, the balls in their silky bag warm to her touch. Her hands and his natural reactions warmed up at the same time, as his cock rose slowly to full erection." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "She fondled it for a long moment, then bent forward and licked the tip slowly and sensuously. The rate of his breathing increased, she noted." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Her treatment, she well knew, would bring any man out of a trance." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Now for the final act. She straddled the seated figure." }, { "from": "human", "value": "The walls of the niche were narrow and scraped her sides, but she managed to lower herself onto the waiting pole." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "She teased herself for a while, not allowing the desired mouthful to penetrate her lower lips; then with a sigh she relaxed her thigh muscles and tensed those inside her. Gravity alone impaled her with exquisite slowness on his turgid erection." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "She bounced for a while, making herself comfortable and not incidentally putting pressure on his hands and feet. His breathing quickened, and his eyelids began to flutter." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Without warning she squeezed her inner muscles." }, { "from": "human", "value": "His eyes snapped open, and he looked into her face." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Instinctively he pushed forward, and the juices in his balls sped upwards. He jerked in surprise as his orgasm splashed warm liquid into Rosamund's waiting channel." }, { "from": "human", "value": "She leaned forward and bit his lips, sunk in her own pleasure." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "He tried to heave her off, then discovered his bound condition. She slapped his cheeks playfully, then, in a more serious vein, contracted the muscles of her interior." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "He glared at her, trying to scare her away with his fierceness.\n\nShe laughed heartily at him." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"I am Daisangyoja, the living incarnation of the mighty En-no-gyoja. Who are you to disturb my meditations?\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "His breath quickened, and he writhed, trying to free himself from the caverns of flesh and rock that engulfed him." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "She smiled sweetly, then clenched her vaginal muscles spasmodically. He winced with the unexpected pain." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"You do not know who I am,\" she said triumphantly." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"I am the friend of one whom you sought to bury alive in your unholy rites. One of those you tried to kill yesterday.\" She glared at him, no longer amused." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"She would have won everlasting life!\" he shouted. His shout was ended with a yelp as once again she applied her slick, well-trained insides to his member." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"No! She would have won death. Now I will try you. I will strangle you to the death you wanted with my bare...\" She paused to giggle as the sense of what she was saying broke through to her. He stared at her in horrified fascination, and she emphasized her meaning by squeezing once again." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"But... but... that is unnatural,\" he said." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"The female principle must not be dominant! I'll never be reborn in my proper shape!\"\n\n\"Too bad!\" She smiled at him again." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"In any case, you're wrong. I am dominant. You will see...\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "She set to work on him in earnest." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Her milk-white hips moved her heavy ass up and down his cock. The slick insides of her cunt laved the length of his heated shaft." }, { "from": "human", "value": "He tried to ignore the sensation, starting the complicated words of a ritual to exorcise demons, but the sensations of her cuntal tissues penetrated the words and broke him out of his trance." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Unwillingly, unable to control his traitorous body, his hips began to respond to her movements. The pain was terrible." }, { "from": "human", "value": "He was used to sitting in the position for hours, but not chained and confined the way he was." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "The pulse beat in his head, and his cock throbbed with painful anticipation. Way below, at the bottom of his scrotum, uncontrollable forces gathered." }, { "from": "human", "value": "He gritted his teeth, and she laughed in triumph." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "She leaned back and gathered her rosy-tipped breasts together, raised them to his face, and rubbed them across his unshaven jaws. He snapped at the perfect white mounds, capturing a bit of skin and biting down hard on one of them as she jerked the tempting mouthfuls away." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "She yowled as a drop of blood appeared, and squeezed his prick with such force that he groaned. He groaned again as a rush of sperm from his balls spurted the length of his cock and flooded her insides." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Again and again, like a hooked fish, he drove uncontrollably into her. The waves of pain and pleasure subsided at last, leaving him only with a feeling of heaviness and a reminder of pain." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Surprisingly, her versatile cunt still held him in a crushing grip." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"You have won, this round at least,\" he said. \"I shall have to meditate for a long while before I am pure enough to try the Way again.\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "She shook her head, and the golden fall of her hair swirled around her face." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"No. I am not finished with you.\" Her inner muscles began milking his rod with renewed fervor." }, { "from": "human", "value": "To his horror he found himself responding again." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "This time the orgasm was longer in arriving. He twisted in her arms, trying to shake her free." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Waves of pleasure swallowed up his will, and the struggle turned to forceful thrustings as she bounced over him." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "He cried out as a thin stream of come spurted from the tip of his member, joining the rivulets that made their joining parts a humid swamp. His head sagged, but within, he knew she could not tempt him again." }, { "from": "human", "value": "He was wrong. Without cease, and against his wishes, Rosamund brought him again and again to climax, until the dusty floor he sat on became a morass of mud." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Finally he knew he could not go on any longer. Rosamund looked down into his eyes, fierce blue eyes, unnaturally large and round, looking into the eyes of the would-be sage." }, { "from": "human", "value": "She laughed, and her body shook." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Even in his exhaustion and humiliation he found himself unable to ignore the beauty of her full white breasts as they billowed before his eyes with her full laugh.\n\nRosamund's hands began stroking his body sensuously." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Her fingertips ran over his exposed skin, leaving trails of electric thrills behind." }, { "from": "human", "value": "They descended lower, scratching at his pubic hair, then somehow insinuating themselves lower, tickling his exhausted ballbags." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Her lips and teeth nibbled at his ears, his shoulders, his neck, his chest." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Inside her, he felt his flagging prick revive. Be still! he commanded his mind, but the rebellious member, detached from thought, raised it head again." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Her smooth inner muscles milked him incessantly, and to his horror he found his whole body responding once again.\n\nThe woman riding him showed signs of arousal too." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "She twisted incessantly in his lap, gouging sharp edges of rock into his behind. She threw her head back, exposing the pale whiteness of her throat, emphasized by the faint blue of her veins." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "He leaped forward with his teeth. Rosamund jerked her head back just in time, though the sharp nip of his teeth grazing her skin brought added and unexpected pleasure." }, { "from": "human", "value": "She let herself go fully now." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Her cunt squeezed his cock forcefully, urging it more fully into her." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Her hands and teeth were busy as his fettered body, urging it on to a final climax that was already building inevitably in her own down-covered mound.\n\nThe climb to a climax was slower this time." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Daisangyoja was almost detached from his laboring body." }, { "from": "human", "value": "His breath, coming in gasps, was that of a cornered animal." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Their approach to the peak she sought and he avoided was slow and torturous but speeding up with every move and every moment." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "She squeezed now in earnest. His cock was in a soft, infinitely strong vise." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Stronger than the power of his magic, softer than the infinity he had sought before in the Way. His throat was too dry, his power too exhausted to control himself." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Veins bulged in his face. His eyes rolled back in his head, and spittle tinged pink with blood emerged from between clenched lips." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Racking sounds came from his throat." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "He heaved convulsively, once, and again. The second heave was so strong that Rosamund was flung off her perch." }, { "from": "human", "value": "He let out one final yellowing growl and collapsed." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "His body fell sideways, seeming to collapse in on itself.\n\nHe was dead. There was nothing left of the feared Daisangyoja but a dry husk of a man." } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "Task: The user will write a bit then you need to write around two sentences continuing directly from the user's text.\n\nAuthor style: Akahige Namban" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"We were terribly worried!\" Okiku said as she greeted Rosamund." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"Where have you been?\"\n\nRosamund smiled and said nothing." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Okiku shook her head in despair. Her foreign friend sometimes had these moods." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Willful and headstrong, she was unwilling or unable to explain them to anyone." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Rosamund went into the house. The villagers had provided them with food, and she ate ravenously." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Satsuki was sitting on the veranda, admiring the view when she finished. Okiku had gone off to tell the men Rosamund had been found." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Without a word Rosamund took out a small folded kerchief from the bosom of her robe." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "She placed it on the floor before her, then unwrapped it and pushed it forward to Satsuki. On the white kerchief rested a bunch of short, dark pubic hairs tied together by a longer strand of head hair." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Through the bundle was stuck one of Rosamund's elaborate hairpins." }, { "from": "system", "value": "Next message should be approximately 3 sentences." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Satsuki touched the bundle with her fingertips, then looked at Rosamund's face.\n\n\"Thank you,\" she said, and turned again to watch the view. There were faint smiles on both women's lips." } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "Task: The user will write a bit then you need to write around three sentences continuing directly from the user's text.\n\nAuthor style: Laura Joh Rowland" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "[ Genroku Period ]\n\n[ Year 6, Month 1 ]\n\n[ December 1693 AD ]" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "[ Prologue ]\n\n\"Virtuous men have said, both in poetry and classic works, that houses of debauch, for women of pleasure and for street-walkers, are the worm-eaten spots of cities and towns. But these are necessary evils, and if they be forcibly abolished, men of unrighteous principles will become like raveled thread.\"\n\n—FROM THE SEVENTY-THIRD SECTION OF THE LEGACY OF THE FIRST TOKUGAWA SHOGUN" }, { "from": "human", "value": "Northwest of the great capital of Edo, isolated among marshes and rice paddies, the Yoshiwara pleasure quarter adorned the winter night like a flashy jewel." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Its lights formed a bright, smoky halo above the high walls; the moon's reflection shimmered silver on the encircling moat." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Inside the quarter, colored lanterns blazed along the eaves of the teahouses and brothels that lined the streets. Courtesans dressed in gaudy kimono sat in the barred windows of the brothels and called invitations to men who strolled in search of entertainment. Roving vendors sold tea and dumplings, and a hawker beckoned customers into a shop that sold paintings of the most beautiful prostitutes, but the late hour and chill weather had driven most of the trade indoors." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Teahouse maids poured sake; drunken customers raised their voices in bawdy song. Musicians played for guests at banquets in elegant parlors, while amorous couples embraced behind windows.\n\nThe man in an upstairs guest chamber on Ageyach Street lay oblivious to the revelry." }, { "from": "human", "value": "A drunken stupor immobilized him on the bed, which seemed to rock and sway beneath him." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Singing, samisen music, and laughter from the parlor downstairs echoed up to him in waves of discordant sound. Through his half-open eyes he saw red lights glide and spin, like reflections in a whirlpool. A painted landscape of gardens slid along the periphery of his vision." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Dizzy and nauseated, he moaned. He tried to recall where he was and how he'd gotten here.\n\nHe had a faint memory of a ride through winter fields, and cups of heated sake." }, { "from": "human", "value": "A woman's beautiful face glowed in lamplight, eyes demurely downcast." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "More sake accompanied flirtatious conversation. Next came the hot, urgent intertwining of bodies, then ecstatic pleasure, followed by much more drink. Because he possessed a hearty tolerance for liquor, he couldn't understand how the usual amount had so thoroughly inebriated him." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "A peculiar lethargy spread through his veins. He felt strangely disconnected from his body, which seemed heavy as stone, yet afloat on air. A pang of fear chimed in his groggy consciousness, but the stupor dulled emotion." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "While he tried to fathom what had happened to him, he sensed that he wasn't alone in the room.\n\nSomeone's rapid footsteps trod the tatami around the bed. The moving hems of multicolored robes swished air currents across his face." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Whispers, distorted into eerie, droning gibberish, pervaded the distant music. Now he saw, bending over him, a human figure—a dark, indistinct shape outlined by the revolving red light. The whispers quickened and rose to a keening pitch." }, { "from": "human", "value": "He sensed danger that shot alarm through his stupor." }, { "from": "human", "value": "But his body resisted his effort to move." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "The lethargy paralyzed his limbs. His mouth formed a soundless plea.\n\nThe figure leaned closer." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Its fist clenched what looked to be a long, thin shaft that wavered in his blurry vision." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Then the figure struck at him with sudden violence." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Pain seared deep into his left eye, rousing him to alertness. A squeal of agony burst from him. Music, laughter, and screaming rose to a cacophonous din." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Turbulent shadows rocked the chamber. He saw a brilliant white lightning bolt blaze through his brain, heard his heart thunder in his ears. The impact heaved up his arms and legs, which flailed as his body convulsed in involuntary spasms." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "But the terrible pain in his eye pinned him to the bed. Blood stained his vision scarlet, obliterated the person whose grip on the shaft held him captive. His head pounded with torment." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Gradually, his struggles weakened; his heartbeat slowed." }, { "from": "system", "value": "Next message should be approximately 1 sentence." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Sounds and sensations ebbed, until black unconsciousness quenched the lightning and death ended his agony." } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "Task: Story collab\nMe: Opening\nYou: eight sentences more, Laura Joh Rowland-style" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "The summons came at dawn.\n\nEdo Castle, reigning upon its hilltop above the city, raised its watchtowers and peaked roofs toward a sky like steel coated with ice. Inside the castle, two of the shogun's attendants and their soldiers sped on horseback between barracks surrounding the mansions where the high officials of the court resided. A chill, gusty wind flapped the soldiers' banners and tore the smoke from their lanterns. The party halted outside the gate of Sano Ichir, the shogun's ssakan-sama—Most Honorable Investigator of Events, Situations, and People.\n\nWithin his estate, Sano slept beneath mounded quilts. He dreamed he was at the Black Lotus Temple, scene of a crime he'd investigated three months ago. Deranged monks and nuns fought him and his troops; explosions boomed and fire raged." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Yet even as Sano wielded his sword against phantoms of memory, his senses remained attuned to the real world and perceived the approach of an actual threat." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "He bolted awake in darkness, flung off the quilts, and sat up in the frigid air of his bedchamber.\n\nBeside him, his wife, Reiko, stirred. \"What is it?\" she asked sleepily.\n\nThen they heard, outside their door, the voice of Sano's chief retainer, Hirata: \"Ssakan-sama, I'm sorry to disturb you, but the shogun's envoys are here on urgent business. They wish to see you at once.\"\n\nMoments later, after hastily dressing, Sano was seated in the reception hall with the two envoys. A maid served bowls of tea. The senior envoy, a dignified samurai named Ota, said, \"We bring news of a serious incident that requires your personal attention. His Excellency the Shogun's cousin, the Honorable Lord Matsudaira Mitsuyoshi, has died. As you are undoubtedly aware, he was not just kin to the shogun, but his probable successor.\"\n\nThe shogun had no sons as yet; therefore, a relative must be designated heir to his position as Japan's supreme dictator in case he died without issue." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Sano had known that Mitsuyoshi—twenty-five years old and a favorite of the shogun—was a likely candidate.\n\nOta continued, \"Mitsuyoshi-san spent yesterday evening in Yoshiwara.\" This was Edo's pleasure quarter, the only place in the city where prostitution was legal. Men from all classes of society went there to drink, revel, and enjoy the favors of the courtesans—women sold into prostitution by impoverished families, or sentenced to work in Yoshiwara as punishment for crimes. The quarter was located some distance from Edo, to safeguard public morals and respect propriety. \"There he was stabbed to death.\"\n\nConsternation struck Sano: This was serious indeed, for any attack on a member of the ruling Tokugawa clan constituted an attack on the regime, which was high treason. And the murder of someone so close to the shogun represented a crime of the most sensitive nature." } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "make story longer like Laura Joh Rowland would" }, { "from": "system", "value": "Produce a starting prompt please." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "A long, cold ride brought Sano, Hirata, and five men from Sano's detective corps to the pleasure quarter by mid-morning. Snowflakes drifted onto the tiled rooftops of Yoshiwara; its surrounding moat reflected the overcast sky. The cawing of crows above the fallow fields sounded shrilly metallic. Sano and his men dismounted outside the quarter's high wall that kept the revelry contained and the courtesans from escaping." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Their breath puffed out in white clouds into the icy wind. They left the horses with a stable boy and strode across the bridge to the gate, which was painted bright red and barred shut. A noisy commotion greeted them.\n\n\"Let us out!\" Inside the quarter, men had climbed the gate and thrust their heads between the thick wooden bars below the roof." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"We want to go home!\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Outside the gate stood four Yoshiwara guards. One of them told the prisoners, \"Nobody leaves. Police orders.\"\n\nLoud protests arose; a furious pounding shook the gate's heavy wooden planks.\n\n\"So the police have beat us to the scene,\" Hirata said to Sano." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "An expression of concern crossed his youthful face.\n\nSano's heart plunged, for in spite of his high rank and position close to the shogun, he could expect hindrance, rather than cooperation, from Edo's police. \"At least they've contained the people who were in Yoshiwara last night. That will save us the trouble of tracking down witnesses.\"\n\nHe approached the guards, who hastily bowed to him and his men." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "After introducing himself and announcing his purpose, Sano asked, \"Where did Lord Mitsuyoshi die?\"\n\n\"In the Owariya ageya,\" came the answer.\n\nYoshiwara was a world unto itself, Sano knew, with a unique protocol. Some five hundred courtesans ranked in a hierarchy of beauty, elegance, and price." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "The top-ranking women were known as tayu. A popular epithet for them was keisei—castle topplers—because their influence could ruin men and destroy kingdoms. Though all the prostitutes lived in brothels and most received clients there, the tayu entertained men in ageya, houses of assignation, used for that purpose but not as homes for the women. The Owariya was a prestigious ageya, reserved for the wealthiest, most prominent men." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"Open the gate and let us in,\" Sano ordered the guards.\n\nThey complied. Sano and his men entered the pleasure quarter, while the guards held back the pushing, shouting crowd inside. As Sano led his party down Nakanoch, the main avenue that bisected Yoshiwara, the wind buffeted unlit lanterns hanging from the eaves of the wooden buildings and stirred up an odor of urine. Teahouses were filled with sullen, disheveled men." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Women peeked out through window bars, their painted faces avid. Nervous murmurs arose as Sano and his men passed, while Tokugawa troops patrolled Nakanoch and the six streets perpendicular to it.\n\nThe murder of the shogun's heir had put a temporary halt to the festivities that ordinarily never ended.\n\nSano turned onto Ageyach, a street lined with the houses of assignation." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "These were attached buildings, their façades and balconies screened with wooden lattices. Servants loitered in the recessed doorways. Smoke from charcoal braziers swirled in the wind, mingling with the snowflakes. A group of samurai stood guard outside the Owariya, smoking tobacco pipes." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Some wore the Tokugawa triple-hollyhock-leaf crest on their cloaks; others wore leggings and short kimonos and carried jitte—steel parrying wands, the weapon of the police force. They all fixed level gazes upon Sano.\n\n\"Guess who brought them here,\" Hirata murmured to Sano in a voice replete with ire.\n\nAs they reached the Owariya, the door slid open, and out stepped a tall, broad-shouldered samurai dressed in a sumptuous cloak of padded black silk." }, { "from": "human", "value": "He was in his thirties, his bearing arrogant, his angular face strikingly handsome." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "When he saw Sano, his full, sensual mouth curved in a humorless smile.\n\n\"Greetings, Ssakan-sama,\" he said.\n\n\"Greetings, Honorable Chief Police Commissioner Hoshina,\" Sano said. As they exchanged bows, the air vibrated with their antagonism." }, { "from": "human", "value": "They'd first met in Miyako, the imperial capital, where Sano had gone to investigate the death of a court noble." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Hoshina had been head of the local police, and pretended to assist Sano on the case—while conspiring against him with Chamberlain Yanagisawa, the shogun's powerful second-in-command. Yanagisawa and Hoshina had become lovers, and Yanagisawa had appointed Hoshina as Edo's Chief Police Commissioner.\n\n\"What brings you here?\" Hoshina's tone implied that Sano was a trespasser in his territory." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"The shogun's orders,\" Sano said, accustomed to Hoshina's hostility. During their clash in Miyako, Sano had defeated Hoshina, who had never forgotten. \"I've come to investigate the murder. Unless you've already found the killer?\"\n\n\"No,\" Hoshina said with a reluctance that indicated how much he would like to say he had." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Arms folded, he blocked the door of the ageya." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"But you've traveled here for nothing, because I already have an investigation underway. Whatever you want to know, just ask me.\"\n\nThe Miyako case had resulted in a truce between Sano and Yanagisawa—formerly bitter enemies—but Hoshina refused to let matters lie, because he viewed Sano as a threat to his own rise in the bakufu, the military government that ruled Japan. Now, having settled into his new position and cultivated allies, Hoshina had begun his campaign against Sano. Their paths crossed often when Sano investigated crimes, and Hoshina always sought to prove himself the superior detective while undermining Sano." }, { "from": "human", "value": "He conducted his own inquiries into Sano's cases, hoping to solve them first and take the credit." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Obviously, Hoshina meant to extend their rivalry into this case, and there was little that Sano could do to stop him. Although Sano was a high official of the shogun, Hoshina had the favor of Chamberlain Yanagisawa, who controlled the shogun and virtually ruled Japan. Thus, Hoshina could treat Sano however he pleased, short of causing open warfare that would disturb their superiors.\n\n\"I prefer to see for myself.\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "Speaking quietly but firmly, Sano held his adversary's gaze." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Hirata and his detectives clustered around him, as the police moved nearer Hoshina. The wind keened, and angry voices yelled curses somewhere in the quarter. Then Hoshina chuckled, as though his defiance against Sano had been a mere joke.\n\n\"As you wish,\" he said, and stepped away from the door." }, { "from": "human", "value": "But he followed Sano's party into the ageya." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Beyond the entryway, which contained a guard stationed at a podium, a corridor extended between rooms separated by lattice and paper partitions. A lantern glowed in a luxurious front parlor. There sat two pretty courtesans, eight surly-looking samurai, several plainly dressed women who looked to be servants, and a squat older man in gray robes. All regarded Sano and Hirata with apprehension." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "The older man rose and hurried over to kneel at Sano's feet.\n\n\"Please allow me to introduce myself, master,\" he said, bowing low. \"I am Eigoro, proprietor of the Owariya. Please let me say that nothing like this has ever happened here before.\" His body quaked with his terror that the shogun's ssakan-sama would blame him for the murder." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"Please believe that no one in my establishment did this evil thing.\"\n\n\"No one is accusing you,\" Sano said, though everyone present in Yoshiwara at the time of the murder was a suspect until proven otherwise. \"Show me where Lord Mitsuyoshi died.\"\n\n\"Certainly, master.\" The proprietor scrambled up." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Hoshina said, \"You don't need him. I can show you.\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Sano considered ordering Hoshina out of the house, then merely ignored him: Antagonizing Chamberlain Yanagisawa's mate was dangerous. But Sano must not rely on Hoshina for information, because Hoshina would surely misguide him.\n\nEyeing the group in the parlor, Sano addressed the proprietor: \"Were they in the house last night?\"\n\n\"Yes, master.\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "Sano ascertained that four of the samurai were Lord Mitsuyoshi's retainers, then glanced at Hirata and the detectives." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "They nodded and moved toward the parlor to question the retainers, courtesans, other clients, and servants. The proprietor led Sano upstairs, to a large chamber at the front of the house. Entering, Sano gleaned a quick impression of burning lanterns, lavish landscape murals, and a gilded screen, before his attention fixed upon the men in the room. Two soldiers were preparing to move a shrouded figure, which lay upon the futon, onto a litter." }, { "from": "human", "value": "A samurai clad in ornate robes pawed through a pile of clothes on the tatami; another rummaged in a drawer of the wall cabinet." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Sano recognized both as senior police commanders.\n\n\"Yoriki Hayashi-san. Yoriki Yamaga-san,\" he said, angered to find them and their troops disturbing the crime scene and ready to remove the body before he'd had a chance to examine either. \"Stop that at once,\" he ordered all the men.\n\nThe police halted their actions and bowed stiffly, gazing at Sano with open dislike." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Sano knew they would never forget that he'd been their colleague, nor cease resenting his promotion and doing him a bad turn whenever possible." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "He said sternly, \"You will all leave now.\"\n\nHayashi and Yamaga exchanged glances with Chief Commissioner Hoshina, who stood in the doorway. Then Yamaga spoke to Sano: \"I wish you the best of luck, Ssakan-sama, because you will surely need it.\" His voice exuded insolence." }, { "from": "human", "value": "He and Hayashi and their men strode out of the room." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "The proprietor shrank into a corner, while Hoshina watched Sano for a reaction. Sano saw little point in losing his temper, or in regretting that his old enemies now worked for his new one. He crouched beside the futon and drew back the white cloth that covered the corpse of Lord Mitsuyoshi.\n\nThe shogun's heir lay on his back, arms at his sides." }, { "from": "human", "value": "The bronze satin robe he wore had fallen open to expose his naked, muscular torso, limp genitals, and extended legs." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "A looped topknot adorned the shaved crown of his head. From his left eye protruded a long, slender object that looked to be a woman's hair ornament—double-pronged, made of black lacquer, ending in a globe of flowers carved from cinnabar. Blood and slime had oozed around the embedded prongs and down Mitsuyoshi's cheek; droplets stained the mattress. The injured eyeball was cloudy and misshapen." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "The other eye seemed to stare at it, while Mitsuyoshi's mouth gaped in shock.\n\nSano winced at the gruesome sight; his stomach clenched as he made a closer observation of the body and recalled what he knew about the shogun's cousin. Handsome, dashing Mitsuyoshi might have one day ruled Japan, yet he'd had little interest in politics and much in the glamorous life. He'd excelled at combat, yet there was no sign that he'd struggled against his killer." }, { "from": "human", "value": "A reek of liquor suggested that he'd been drunk and semiconscious when stabbed." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Sano also detected the feral smell of sex.\n\n\"Who was the woman with him last night?\" Sano asked the proprietor.\n\n\"A tayu named Lady Wisteria.\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "The name struck an unsettling chord in Sano." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "He had met Lady Wisteria during his first case, a double murder. One victim had been her friend, and she'd given Sano information to help him find the killer. Beautiful, exotic, and alluring, she'd also seduced him, and memory stirred physical sensations in Sano, even though four years had passed since he'd last seen her and he'd married the wife he passionately loved.\n\nHoshina narrowed his heavy-lidded eyes at Sano." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"Do you know Wisteria?\"\n\n\"I know of her.\" Sano wished to keep their acquaintance private, for various reasons. Now unease prevailed over nostalgia, because he had reason to know Wisteria had left Yoshiwara soon after they'd first met." }, { "from": "human", "value": "He himself had secured her freedom, as compensation for wrongs she had suffered because she'd helped him." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Afterward, he'd visited her a few times, but his life had grown so busy that he'd let the connection lapse. Later he'd heard that she had returned to the pleasure quarter, though he didn't know why. Now he was disturbed to learn that she was involved in this murder.\n\n\"Where is she now?\" he said." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"She's vanished,\" Hoshina said." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"No one seems to have seen her go or knows where she went.\"\n\nSano's first reaction was relief: He wouldn't have to see Wisteria, and the past could stay buried. His second reaction was dismay because an important witness—or suspect—was missing. Did her disappearance mean she'd stabbed Mitsuyoshi?" }, { "from": "human", "value": "Sano knew the dangers of partiality toward a suspect, yet didn't like to think that the woman he'd known could be a killer." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"Who was the last person to see Lady Wisteria and Lord Mitsuyoshi?\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Sano asked the proprietor.\n\n\"That would be the yarite. Her name is Momoko.\" The man was babbling, overeager to please. \"Shall I fetch her, master?\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "A yarite was a female brothel employee, usually a former prostitute, who served as chaperone to the courtesans, teaching new girls the art of pleasing men and ensuring that her charges behaved properly." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Her other duties included arranging appointments between tayu and their clients.\n\n\"I'll see her as soon as I'm finished here,\" Sano said, conscious of Hoshina listening intently to the conversation. The police commissioner was a skilled detective, but glad to take advantage of facts discovered by others. \"Did anyone else enter this room during the night?\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"Not as far as I know, master.\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "But if Lady Wisteria had left the house unobserved, so could someone else have entered secretly, and committed murder. Sano drew the cloth over the body and rose. \"Who found the body, and when?\"\n\n\"Momoko did,\" the proprietor said." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"It was a little after midnight. She came running downstairs, screaming that Lord Mitsuyoshi was dead.\"\n\nAll the more reason to question the yarite, thought Sano. She might have noticed something important, and in some murder cases, the culprit proved to be the person who discovered the crime. He bent to sort through the clothes on the floor, and found a man's surcoat, trousers, and kimono, presumably belonging to the victim, and a woman's ivory satin dressing gown." }, { "from": "human", "value": "The gown was soft to his touch, and Sano recognized its odor of musky perfume." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Closing his mind against memories of Wisteria and himself together, he moved to the dressing table behind the screen." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "The table held a mirror, comb, brush, jars of face powder and rouge. On the floor around the table lay a red silk cloth and a few strands of long black hair.\n\nSano addressed Hoshina: \"What have you done to locate Wisteria?\"\n\n\"I've got men out searching the quarter, the highways, and the surrounding countryside.\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Hoshina added, \"If she's there, I'll find her.\"\n\nBefore you do, said his inflection. And Hoshina might indeed, because he had a head start. Sano felt an urgent need to find Wisteria first, because he feared that Hoshina would harm her before her guilt or innocence could be determined." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"Did Lady Wisteria often entertain clients here?\" he asked the proprietor.\n\n\"Oh, yes, master.\"\n\nThen she would have kept personal possessions at the Owariya, instead of just bringing a set of bedding with her for a night's visit, as courtesans did to houses they rarely used." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"Where is her kamuro?\" Sano said." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "A kamuro was a young girl, in training to be a prostitute, who waited on the courtesans to learn the trade and earn her keep. Her chores included tending the courtesans' possessions.\n\n\"In the kitchen, master.\"\n\n\"Please bring her up.\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "The proprietor departed, then soon returned with a girl of perhaps eleven years." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Small and thin, she had an oval face made up with white rice powder and red rouge, and wispy hair. She wore the traditional pine-leaf-patterned kimono of her station.\n\n\"This is Chidori-chan,\" the proprietor told Sano, then addressed the kamuro: \"The master wants to talk to you.\"\n\nHer frightened gaze veered around the room, then downward; she bobbed a clumsy bow." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"Don't be afraid,\" Sano said in a reassuring tone." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"I just want you to look over Lady Wisteria's things with me.\"\n\nChidori nodded, but Sano saw her tremble. He pitied her, trapped in Yoshiwara, destined for a life of sexual slavery. She might someday attract a patron who would buy her freedom, but could instead end up begging on the streets, as did many courtesans when they got too old to attract clients." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Sano gently led Chidori over to the cabinet, where they examined the folded garments and pairs of sandals on the shelves." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Hoshina watched, leaning against the wall, his expression attentive.\n\n\"Is anything missing?\" Sano asked Chidori.\n\n\"... The outfit Lady Wisteria had on last night.\" Chidori risked a glance at Sano, seemed to discern that he wouldn't hurt her, and spoke up more boldly: \"She wore a black kimono with purple wisteria blossoms and green vines on it.\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "Her conspicuous costume would aid the search for her, Sano thought, and saw the idea register on Hoshina's countenance." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Opening the cabinet's other compartments, Sano revealed quilts, bath supplies, a tea service, a sake decanter and cups, a writing box containing brushes, inkstone, and water jar. A drawer held hair ornaments—lacquerware picks, silk flowers mounted on combs, ribbons. Chidori attested that all the possessions were present as she remembered from when she'd tidied the cabinet yesterday. This left Sano one last task for the girl." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"Chidori-chan, I must ask you to look at the body.\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Seeing her blench, he added, \"You need only look for a moment. Try to be brave.\"\n\nThe kamuro gulped, nodding. Sano stepped to the bed and peeled back the cloth just far enough to reveal the upper part of Mitsuyoshi's head. Chidori gasped; she stared in horror at the hairpin stuck in the eye." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"Does the hairpin belong to Lady Wisteria?\" Sano said." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Emitting a whimper, Chidori shook her head. Sano experienced a cautious relief as he replaced the cloth. That Wisteria didn't own the hairpin was evidence that hinted at her innocence. \"Do you know who it does belong to?\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"Momoko-san,\" the girl whispered." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "The yarite again, thought Sano. Revealed as the last person to see Wisteria and Lord Mitsuyoshi, discoverer of the body, and now, owner of the murder weapon, she seemed a better suspect than Wisteria. He said to Chidori, \"Look around the room again. Are you sure nothing is missing?\"\n\n\"Yes, master.\" Then a frown wrinkled Chidori's brow." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Sano felt his instincts stir, as they did when he knew he was about to hear something important." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Hoshina pushed himself away from the wall, eyeing the kamuro with heightened interest." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"What is it?\" Sano said.\n\n\"Her pillow book,\" said Chidori.\n\nA pillow book was a journal in which a woman recorded her private thoughts and the events of her life, in the tradition of Imperial court ladies. \"What was in the book?\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "Sano said, intrigued to learn that Wisteria had followed the centuries-old custom." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"I don't know. I can't read.\"\n\nMore questioning revealed that the pillow book was a pack of white rice paper, bound between lavender silk covers tied with green ribbon. Wisteria wrote in it whenever she had a spare moment, and if she heard someone coming, she would quickly put it away, as though fearful that they might read it. She took the book with her whenever she left the brothel, and Chidori had seen her tuck it under her sash yesterday evening, but although Sano searched the entire room, the pillow book was indeed gone." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"Wisteria could have removed it when she left,\" Hoshina suggested." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Or someone had stolen the pillow book, Sano thought, resisting Hoshina's attempt to draw him into a discussion and elicit ideas from him. He considered possible scenarios for the crime. Perhaps the killer had entered the room while Wisteria and Mitsuyoshi slept, stabbed Mitsuyoshi, kidnapped Wisteria, and stolen the pillow book. But perhaps Wisteria herself had killed Mitsuyoshi, then fled, taking her book with her." }, { "from": "system", "value": "Next message should be approximately 5 sentences." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Each scenario was as plausible as the other, and Sano realized how little he knew about his former lover. What had happened to her since they'd parted ways? Was she capable of such a grisly murder? The idea alarmed Sano, as did the suspicion that this case would bring him and Wisteria together again, with unpredictable consequences.\n\nHiding his uneasiness, Sano turned to the proprietor and said, \"I'll see the yarite now.\"" } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "im ur writing buddy. i set scene, u do 4 sentences like Laura Joh Rowland" }, { "from": "human", "value": "Sano went outside, summoned the troops he'd banished from the ageya, and told them they could take Lord Mitsuyoshi's remains to the castle." }, { "from": "human", "value": "He would have liked to send them to his friend and adviser, Dr. Ito, at Edo Morgue, but couldn't subject the body of an important person to such a desecrating, illegal procedure as a scientific examination." }, { "from": "human", "value": "When Sano went back inside the ageya, Hirata met him in the corridor." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"We've interviewed everyone in the house,\" Hirata said in a low voice that wouldn't be overheard by Police Commissioner Hoshina, who loitered nearby. \"The clients and courtesans say they were together in the bedchambers last night." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "There was a party here, and the servants say they and the proprietor and the kamuro were busy waiting on the guests the whole time.\n\n\"Nobody noticed anything unusual, until the commotion when the body was discovered. I'm inclined to believe they're telling the truth. They knew Lord Mitsuyoshi was in the house, but they weren't personally acquainted with him. I didn't find any reason why they would kill him.\"\n\n\"What about his retainers?\" Sano asked.\n\n\"They were at the party, according to them and the other guests. If they know anything about the murder, they're not talking.\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"We'll interrogate them again later,\" Sano decided." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Hoshina gave Sano and Hirata a faint smirk that said they needn't bother trying to hide anything from him because he could find it out on his own. Then he slipped away.\n\n\"It would have taken only a moment for someone at the party to go up and stab Lord Mitsuyoshi, especially if he was unconscious.\" Sano described the murder scene." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"We'll have to investigate all the guests.\"\n\nFortunately, Yoshiwara was a small, gossipy community, and any hostilities involving Lord Mitsuyoshi shouldn't be hard to discover. But the party complicated Sano's work by increasing the number of potential witnesses and suspects.\n\n\"I sent the detectives to ask people in neighboring houses if they observed anything that might help us,\" Hirata said." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"Good.\" Sano told Hirata that Lord Mitsuyoshi had spent the evening with Lady Wisteria, who'd disappeared along with the pillow book." }, { "from": "human", "value": "As Sano described the book, he realized he should tell Hirata about his past relationship with Wisteria, but now was not the time; he didn't want Hoshina or the other policemen to overhear." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"Please go out and see if you can find any leads on Wisteria or the book.\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"Yes, Ssakan-sama. By the way, when I interviewed the servants, they said Wisteria's yarite found the body. She'd gone back to the Great Miura—the brothel where she lives—so I brought her here because I knew you'd want to speak with her.\"\n\n\"Well done,\" Sano said, grateful to have such a capable, trustworthy retainer as Hirata. \"Where is she?\"\n\nSomewhere in the house, a female voice burst into a strident harangue. Hirata rolled his eyes toward the sound." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"Momoko made sure to tell me that she was once a great tayu, but I can't imagine that her manner ever would have pleased many men,\" he said, then took his leave.\n\nSano followed the voice to the rear of the ageya, where a door stood open to a guest room. Inside were two women. The younger was in her teens, and Sano recognized her as one of the courtesans he'd seen in the parlor." }, { "from": "human", "value": "She knelt on the floor before the older woman, who wore a brown kimono with the black girdle and cap of a chaperone." }, { "from": "human", "value": "The latter, Sano deduced, was Momoko." }, { "from": "human", "value": "She thrust a silk quilt at the courtesan's frightened, babyish face." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"You should be careful when you drink wine in bed!\" she exclaimed, shaking the quilt, which exhibited a large purple stain. Her voice had a brassy edge, as if she often shouted. Her hair, knotted above her long, thin neck, was dyed a dull, unnatural black." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"This will never come clean. You've completely ruined an expensive quilt, you little fool!\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "The courtesan cringed and mumbled." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"Don't blame your client,\" Momoko said." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Her profile was elegant, but vicious." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"And how dare you talk back to me?\"\n\nShe smacked the courtesan hard across the face. The courtesan shrieked in pain. Momoko hurled the quilt at her." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"The price of this quilt will come out of the fee you earned last night. Forget about buying your freedom, because at this rate, you'll never leave Yoshiwara until you're so old and ugly they throw you out. Now go home!\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "The courtesan sobbed as she scurried out the door past Sano." }, { "from": "human", "value": "The yarite turned and saw him; the anger in her expression gave way to surprise, then dismay." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"Oh! Are you the shogun's ssakan-sama?\" The words came in a gasp, and when Sano nodded, she quickly bowed. \"I'm honored by your presence. Your retainer said you wanted to see me. How may I serve you?\"\n\nSano noted that she must have once been beautiful, but the passage of perhaps forty years had sharpened the bones in her cheeks and narrow figure." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Her coy smile showed decaying teeth and failed to hide her fear of Sano." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Obviously, Momoko knew why he wanted to see her, and how precarious was her situation." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"I'm investigating the murder of Lord Mitsuyoshi,\" Sano said, \"and I must ask you some questions.\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"Certainly. I'll do my best to help you.\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Momoko minced closer to Sano, her posture sinuously provocative, her smile rigid as a shield. \"Shall we go to the parlor? May I give you a drink?\"\n\nPerhaps her garrulity was merely an outlet for her nervousness, Sano thought, as might be her attack on the courtesan. Or was the yarite a cruel killer, chattering to hide her guilt?" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Reserving judgment, he accompanied Momoko to the parlor, where she seated him in the place of honor in front of the alcove. She bustled around, fetching the sake jar, warming it on the charcoal brazier, and pouring a cup for Sano.\n\n\"What a shame, the death of Lord Mitsuyoshi,\" she said. \"He was so young, so charming. And how terrible, the way it happened!\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Momoko talked faster and faster, alternately smiling and biting her lips, while darting frantic, coquettish glances at Sano.\n\n\"Let's go over what you did yesterday evening,\" he said.\n\n\"What I did?\" Momoko froze, and panic leapt in her eyes, as if Sano had accused her of the murder.\n\n\"I'm trying to determine everyone's movements and learn about the events leading up to the crime.\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "Sano wondered if her reaction indicated guilt, or the fear that he would think her guilty although she wasn't." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"Oh.\" Relief slackened the yarite's face, but it immediately tensed again." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"Did you chaperone Lady Wisteria to the ageya?\" Sano asked. When Momoko nodded, he said, \"Tell me about it.\"\n\nThe yarite knelt before Sano, twisting her hands in her lap. \"Shortly after the evening meal, the proprietor of the Great Miura told me that Lord Mitsuyoshi wanted an appointment with Lady Wisteria.\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Every transaction in Yoshiwara was performed according to strict protocol. Sano knew that Mitsuyoshi would have gone to the ageya to ask for Wisteria's company, and the staff would have written a letter to the brothel, formally requesting the appointment.\n\n\"I helped Lady Wisteria dress,\" Momoko said, \"and then she made her procession to the Owariya. We got there about an hour later.\"\n\nA tayu's procession to meet a client at an ageya was an elaborate affair that involved some ten or twenty attendants." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "It moved very slowly, so even though the brothel and the Owariya were but a few blocks apart, the journey would have been long. Sano had a sudden vivid image of Wisteria dressed in brilliant kimono, walking past admiring spectators, kicking each foot in a semicircular, ritualistic pattern as she stepped. She must be in her mid-twenties now, but still small and slender and graceful, with unusually round eyes that gave her delicate face an exotic charm...\n\n\"What happened then?\" Sano asked." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"I took Lady Wisteria to the parlor, where Lord Mitsuyoshi was waiting,\" Momoko said." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"I served them their sake.\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "The greeting ritual between tayu and client resembled a wedding ceremony, in which the couple drank from the same cup to seal their bond." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Sano pictured Wisteria seated at a diagonal from Mitsuyoshi, neither speaking to him nor showing emotion, as tradition required. She sipped her draught, while Mitsuyoshi gazed upon her with anticipation...\n\nSano refocused his attention on the yarite. Her hands maintained their grip on each other, and the nervous movement of her eyes quickened." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"It was their third meeting, so I took them upstairs,\" she said." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "No tayu made love to a new client on his first visit, nor his second. Wisteria would have rejected Mitsuyoshi twice previously, as custom dictated. Sano envisioned Momoko, Lady Wisteria, and Lord Mitsuyoshi climbing the stairs to the bedchamber, where Mitsuyoshi would finally claim his prize. He imagined their expressions: Mitsuyoshi's eager, Momoko's sly, and Wisteria's carefully blank." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Had any of them known how the tryst would end?" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"I showed them into the room,\" Momoko said, \"and Wisteria dismissed me. Lord Mitsuyoshi closed the door.\"\n\n\"Was there anyone else present then besides Wisteria, Lord Mitsuyoshi, and you?\" Sano asked.\n\n\"No. I brought them up by myself. It's the custom.\"\n\nAnd Yoshiwara custom was inviolable." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"Then I went downstairs. I had to watch over the courtesans who were entertaining the guests at the party. What a hard time I have with those wretched girls!\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Momoko's speech accelerated into chatter again, betraying her wish to avoid discussing what had later happened. But this was what most concerned Sano. He said, \"Did you see Lady Wisteria again after you left the room?\"\n\n\"No; that was the last I ever saw of her.\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "The yarite interlocked her fingers so tightly they turned white." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"Have you any idea where she went?\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"No. She certainly wouldn't have told me, because she wasn't supposed to leave.\"\n\n\"Whom might she have told?\" Sano said.\n\nMomoko pondered, biting her lips. \"Wisteria isn't close to the other courtesans. She keeps to herself.\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "An aggrieved expression came over Momoko's features. \"She never even speaks to me unless she has to, because she hates me. These girls today have no respect for their elders. I work hard training them, and how do they repay me? By treating me as if I were a mean old slave driver!\" The brassy tone returned to her voice. \"Well, of course I have to punish them for disobedience. And they suffer no worse than I did in my day.\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "The cruelty experienced by Yoshiwara courtesans at the hands of their chaperones was legendary, and the incident Sano had witnessed today was minor compared to the routine beatings and humiliation. Probably, former courtesans like Momoko enjoyed inflicting the same wrongs done to them upon the next generation. And Sano suspected that enmity lay on both sides of the relationship between courtesan and yarite—especially when one was beautiful and sought after, while the other had lost her glory.\n\n\"Do you hate Wisteria as much as she hates you?\" he asked Momoko." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"Of course not. I love all the girls as if they were my daughters.\" But the yarite's indignation rang false. She said sharply, \"Something bad has happened to Wisteria, and you think I did it?\"\n\nSano observed how quickly Momoko had responded to the implication that Wisteria had been hurt or killed, then perceived an accusation." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"Did you?\" he asked." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"No! I don't know where she is, or what's happened to her. I swear I never saw her after I left the room!\"\n\n\"Let's talk about Lord Mitsuyoshi. How did you feel about him?\"\n\n\"Feel about him?\" The yarite's face reflected puzzlement, although whether feigned or genuine, Sano couldn't tell. \"Why, I hardly knew the man. I only saw him at parties, and when I brought courtesans to him for appointments.\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"Did you see him again that night?\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"No—that is, not until I found him—\" Momoko averted her gaze from Sano and murmured, \"Dead.\"\n\n\"How did you happen to discover his body?\" Sano said.\n\n\"Well, I went upstairs, and I noticed that the door to his room was open. I glanced inside, and I saw him lying there.\"\n\n\"Why did you go upstairs?\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"I needed to check on another courtesan who was entertaining a client. These girls behave better when they know someone is listening. And I wanted a moment alone. The party was noisy, and I had a headache, and it was quieter on the second floor.\"\n\nThat she'd offered multiple reasons when one would suffice warned Sano to doubt them all; yet Momoko was so agitated that he couldn't tell if she was lying, or just nervous. And anyone would be nervous while facing the threat of execution.\n\n\"Your hairpin was the murder weapon,\" Sano said." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"Can you explain that?\"\n\n\"My hairpin? It was?\" Momoko gave a shrill titter of confusion and surprise, but Sano guessed she'd recognized the hairpin when she'd discovered Mitsuyoshi's body. \"Oh, well, I lost that hairpin ages ago—I don't remember when. I have no idea how it got there.\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "A scornful male voice from the doorway halted her stammering: \"I suggest that you stabbed it through Lord Mitsuyoshi's eye.\"\n\nSano looked up to see Police Commissioner Hoshina stride into the room, followed by Yoriki Yamaga and Yoriki Hayashi. They must have been listening all along. Now Hoshina loomed over the yarite, who recoiled in terror." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"You went upstairs last night,\" he continued, \"and when you saw that Lord Mitsuyoshi was alone and asleep, you killed him. Then you ran downstairs and pretended you'd found him already dead.\"\n\n\"No! That's not what happened!\" Though clearly aghast, Momoko smiled and batted her eyes at Hoshina, employing flirtation in self-defense. \"I didn't kill him!\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "Anger rose in Sano, because he needed information from Momoko, not frantic denials produced by intimidation." }, { "from": "human", "value": "He said evenly, \"Hoshina-san, I am conducting this interview. Stop interfering, or leave.\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "Hoshina didn't bother to reply." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"Arrest her,\" he told Yamaga and Hayashi." }, { "from": "human", "value": "The policemen advanced on the yarite, and she scuttled backward, crying, \"No! I'm innocent.\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "She simpered in a desperate attempt to ingratiate herself with them." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"I've done nothing wrong!\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "Sano stood between Momoko and the men." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"The evidence against her isn't proof that she murdered Lord Mitsuyoshi,\" he said, glaring at Hoshina.\n\n\"It's enough for a conviction,\" Hoshina said.\n\nThis was an accurate statement: In the Tokugawa legal system, virtually all trials ended in guilty verdicts, sometimes based on less evidence than that against Momoko. Sano had to forestall persecution of someone who might be innocent." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"She has no apparent motive for killing Lord Mitsuyoshi. You'll not arrest her, at least until I've finished questioning her.\"\n\nA sneer twisted Hoshina's mouth. \"I'll finish questioning her at Edo Jail.\"\n\nAt Edo Jail, prisoners were tortured into talking." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"Forced confessions aren't always true,\" Sano said, enraged by Hoshina's attitude. Hoshina was well aware of the realities of Tokugawa law, but so eager to show Sano up and impress their superiors that he would risk mistakes. \"And the investigation has barely begun. There may be more to this crime than is apparent, and other suspects besides Momoko.\" He saw the yarite looking from him to Hoshina, and hope alternating with fear in her eyes." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"Lady Wisteria must be found and questioned, as must all the people who were in Yoshiwara last night. That will take time.\"\n\n\"All the more reason to speed things up,\" Hoshina retorted. \"We both know the shogun expects quick action on this case, and what will happen if he doesn't get it.\" The shogun would punish everyone associated with failing to find his cousin's killer, and exile or death were likely penalties." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"If you wish to drag your feet, don't expect me to follow your bad example. Besides, if this woman is guilty, I'm doing you a favor by applying pressure to her.\"\n\nHoshina nodded to his subordinates. They seized the yarite by her arms, dragging her upright. She didn't resist, but quaked in their grasp, her eyes wild with terror as she appealed to Sano: \"I told you the truth about what happened last night. You believe me, don't you? Please don't let them take me!\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "Sano found himself torn between prudence and his desire to conduct a fair, honest investigation." }, { "from": "human", "value": "He risked incurring the shogun's wrath by showing sympathy toward anyone remotely connected with an attack on the Tokugawa, and therefore mustn't prevent the yarite's arrest, even if he wasn't convinced of her guilt." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Yet Sano believed that justice would be subverted unless he curtailed Hoshina's overzealous actions. Thus, he settled on compromise.\n\n\"Arrest her, then,\" he said.\n\nMomoko let out a wail of despair." }, { "from": "human", "value": "As Hayashi and Yamaga dragged her toward the door, Sano steeled himself against pity." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"But if she's hurt—or if you send her to trial without my permission—I'll publicize that you are sabotaging my investigation because you'd rather find a scapegoat than allow me to identify the real killer.\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Hoshina stared at Sano, his eyes black with anger because Sano had not only impugned his professional honor but threatened to bring their antagonism out in the open. And the latter was a step that neither of them could take with certainty of surviving. A long moment passed; the room seemed to grow colder. Sano waited, his heart racing with fear, because he had much to lose, while Hoshina had Chamberlain Yanagisawa's protection." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Then Hoshina reluctantly lifted his hand at the two yoriki. \"Take her to jail,\" he said, \"but make sure no one harms her.\"\n\nAs he walked out of the room with his subordinates and their prisoner, his malevolent glance backward said that Sano had scored only a temporary victory. Sano expelled his breath in a gust of revulsion for the strife that always complicated his duties." }, { "from": "human", "value": "These seemed insurmountable because the Black Lotus case had severely reduced his stamina." }, { "from": "human", "value": "The final disaster at the temple had comprised the worst violence he'd ever seen, a senseless carnage." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "His involvement made Sano feel sick, as though the spiritual disease of the Black Lotus had infected him. Sano couldn't even draw strength from a happy domestic life, for the Black Lotus had robbed him of that, too. Lately, the thought of Reiko caused him more worry than solace.\n\nNow Sano mustered his flagging energy." }, { "from": "human", "value": "With Hoshina probably thinking up new ways to plague him, he must move fast to prevent the investigation from slipping entirely out of his control." }, { "from": "system", "value": "Next message should be approximately 2 sentences." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "He set out to obtain the names of Wisteria's clients and the guests present at last night's party, and begin looking for other suspects besides the yarite.\n\nHe stifled the fear that he'd lost control of the investigation even before he'd begun." } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "Let's engage in a collaborative writing exercise. I'll provide a starting point, and You'll continue with 7 sentences in the style of Laura Joh Rowland." }, { "from": "system", "value": "Produce a starting prompt please." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "News of the murder had reached the Large Interior—the women's quarters of Edo Castle—and interrupted an afternoon party hosted by Lady Keisho-in, mother of the shogun.\n\nMoments ago, Keisho-in, her ladies-in-waiting, friends, some of the shogun's concubines, and their attendants had been talking, eating, and drinking while musicians played a flute and samisen. The news had sent Keisho-in rushing from her chamber to comfort the shogun; the musicians' instruments lay abandoned amid forgotten plates of food. Women now huddled in nervous clusters around the bright, overheated room. Servants rushed in and out, bringing rumors that incited much whispered chatter:\n\n\"The shogun is so furious about his cousin's murder that he won't stop ranting and cursing.\"\n\n\"He's sworn to execute the murderer with his own hands!\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "Sano's wife, Lady Reiko, listened to the talk while holding her son, Masahiro." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Not quite two years old, Masahiro didn't understand why the women had suddenly lost interest in him. He squirmed in Reiko's arms and whimpered, \"Me want to go home!\"\n\n\"Shh,\" Reiko said, wanting to hear more news about the murder.\n\nHer friend Midori, a lady-in-waiting to the shogun's mother, hurried over to kneel beside Reiko. \"Everyone says that the ssakan-sama must find the killer fast,\" Midori said, breathless with excitement. At age eighteen, she was girlishly pretty, dressed in a red kimono. \"If he doesn't—\" Her dramatic pause and look of distress alluded to the persistent threat of death that shadowed Sano." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"Oh, Reiko-san, how frightening! Can you help him?\"\n\n\"Perhaps,\" said Reiko.\n\nAround her, the buzz continued: \"The enemies of Lord Mitsuyoshi had better beware.\" \"Everyone in the bakufu is afraid they'll be blamed for the murder and executed.\"\n\nCuddling her son, Reiko listened to the rumors of intrigue, thinking how much she longed to be a part of it.\n\nWhen she had married Sano, she'd persuaded him to let her help on his investigations instead of staying home as most wives of her class did. Sano had at first been reluctant to defy social convention, but he'd grown to appreciate Reiko's unusual nature." }, { "from": "human", "value": "She was the only child of Magistrate Ueda—one of two officials responsible for maintaining law and order in Edo—and her father had given her the education normally accorded a son." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Reiko had spent her girlhood listening to trials in the Court of Justice, learning about crime, and although her sex restricted her freedom, it conferred advantages." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Reiko could move easily through the insular world of women, where clues and witnesses often abounded, but male detectives couldn't go. Her network of women associated with powerful samurai clans had provided crucial facts to Sano, and their unique partnership had nurtured a passionate love between them for three years of marriage.\n\nThen had come the arson and triple murder at the Black Lotus Temple. Reiko had found herself and Sano on opposite sides of the case. The investigation had turned into a battle that had almost destroyed their marriage, and the repercussions still haunted Sano and Reiko.\n\nAlthough they'd vowed to do better in the future, this was easier said than accomplished. They'd not worked together in three months because Reiko had avoided taking part in any new investigations." }, { "from": "human", "value": "She had always valued her instincts, but the Black Lotus case had proved they could be wrong." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "She'd made up for her mistakes in the end, but she couldn't forgive them or trust herself again; and she was afraid Sano no longer trusted her, although he'd never said so.\n\nNow Reiko and Sano lived suspended in a state of mutual caution. Their marriage reminded Reiko of a bubble, enclosing them in a surface that was shiny and perfect, yet so fragile that the slightest touch could rupture it. She longed to work with Sano again, and sensed that Sano was no happier than she, but feared upsetting their tenuous equilibrium for the worse.\n\n\"I hope the investigation won't take long,\" Midori said, her expression worried. \"Hirata-san and I won't be able to marry until it's over.\"\n\nMidori had been in love with Sano's chief retainer for years, but Hirata hadn't realized that she loved him and he loved her until recently." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Having since declared their feelings for each other, they'd begun the process required to arrange their wedding." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"Just be patient,\" Reiko soothed her friend. Masahiro keened, and she bounced him on her lap. \"There's no need to rush. You and Hirata-san have your whole lives to be together.\"\n\nInconsolable, Midori chewed her thumbnail; her other fingers were already bitten raw. \"I can't wait,\" she fretted. \"We must marry soon. But Hirata-san's parents weren't very pleased when he told them he wished to marry me.\" Midori's round face was thinner, its usual rosy color turned pallid; her blissful glow had faded soon after she and Hirata had pledged their love." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Her eyes were bright with anxiety instead of joy." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"And my father wasn't pleased when I asked him for a miai.\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "A miai was the formal first meeting between a prospective bride and groom and their families. A ritual of exchanging gifts, negotiating a dowry, and eventually a wedding, would follow—if both families consented to the marriage.\n\n\"You know my husband has already arranged the miai,\" Reiko said. Sano, acting as Hirata's go-between, had convinced both families to attend.\n\n\"But it's scheduled for tomorrow. What if Hirata-san is so busy with the murder investigation that he can't go?\" Midori wailed. \"What if his family doesn't want me, and mine doesn't want him?\"\n\nThese were distinct possibilities, given the circumstances, but Reiko said, \"Just hope for the best. Don't worry so much.\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "Though preoccupied with her own troubles, she tried to comfort Midori, and wondered why her friend was so upset." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "The exterior door slid open, letting in a rush of cold air. A somber, elderly maid entered. She announced, \"I present the Honorable Lady Yanagisawa and her daughter, Kikuko.\"\n\nConversations died as everyone turned toward the newcomers who stepped hesitantly into their midst: a woman in her mid-thirties, and a little girl of perhaps eight years.\n\n\"The chamberlain's wife and child?\" Midori whispered.\n\n\"Yes.\" Curiosity leavened Reiko's spirits. \"But why are they here? They've never attended these parties.\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "Lady Yanagisawa was utterly plain, with legs so bowed that they curved the skirt of her black brocade kimono, and a dour face so flat that all her features seemed to lie on the same plane." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Her eyes were horizontal slits, her nostrils wide, her lips broad. In striking contrast, her daughter was a beauty, resplendent in a lavish pink kimono embroidered with silver birds. Kikuko had inherited her father's tall, slender body, luminous black eyes, and sculpted features. She gazed at the assembly, her face oddly vacant.\n\nWomen hurried forward to welcome the pair. They seated Lady Yanagisawa and Kikuko in front of the alcove, where maids served them tea and snacks. As the women went up one by one to meet the exalted guests, Reiko eyed Lady Yanagisawa with covert fascination, because she'd always wondered about the wife of the man who had often schemed against Sano." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "When her turn came, Reiko took Masahiro by the hand and led him to the alcove. They knelt and bowed; an attendant introduced them.\n\nLady Yanagisawa barely looked in their general direction. \"It is an honor to meet you, Lady Reiko.\" Her soft voice was rusty as if from disuse, her expression downcast.\n\n\"The honor is mine,\" Reiko said, noticing that Lady Yanagisawa wore no makeup, except for the brows drawn upon her shaven forehead, perhaps to show off her one good trait—smooth, flawless, moon-white skin.\n\nMasahiro gazed at Lady Yanagisawa with solemn childish scrutiny, and a fleeting smile rippled her somber aspect." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "He then thrust his chubby little hands toward Kikuko. \"Hello,\" he said.\n\nShe giggled. Turning to her mother, she said in a high, sweet voice, \"Mama, see boy. Nice boy. Funny boy.\" Saliva welled in the corners of her lovely smile. Kikuko acted and sounded much younger than her years, and Reiko realized with a shock that Chamberlain Yanagisawa's child was feebleminded. There was an uncomfortable silence until Reiko lit upon a topic for conversation.\n\n\"Your daughter is very beautiful,\" she said.\n\n\"A thousand thanks for your kind compliment.\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "Lady Yanagisawa sighed as she watched Kikuko and Masahiro begin happily chasing each other around the room." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"But alas, I fear Kikuko will never grow up.\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Reiko felt a stab of pity for the woman, and ashamed of her own good fortune to have a normal child. \"Masahiro is so glad to have Kikuko for a playmate,\" she said.\n\n\"... Yes.\" Lady Yanagisawa's gaze followed Kikuko. \"I am glad to have her, too.\" A fierce maternal love intensified her quiet voice. \"Kikuko is a good, affectionate, obedient girl... in spite of everything.\"\n\nCould she mean, in spite of having Chamberlain Yanagisawa for a father?" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "The chamberlain usurped the shogun's authority; he'd slandered, persecuted, and assassinated his rivals. Did Lady Yanagisawa know? Did she wonder, as Reiko did, if his evils had damaged his child?\n\nCourtesy forbade Reiko to ask these personal questions. \"Kikuko-chan is the image of her father,\" she said, hoping that mentioning him would prompt revelations.\n\n\"... Her father. Yes.\"\n\nLady Yanagisawa's expression was ambiguous, her tone neutral." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Reiko supposed that the marriage between Chamberlain and Lady Yanagisawa had been arranged for the same social, political, and economic reasons as most marriages, yet she wondered whether the woman loved her husband." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Despite the chamberlain's bad character, many women found him attractive, though it was no secret that he preferred men, and his status as the shogun's longtime lover had elevated him to power. Certainly Lady Yanagisawa must know about his affair with Police Commissioner Hoshina, who lived with him. Yet she must share some intimacy with him, for the marriage had produced a child. The couple's private life did indeed interest Reiko.\n\nMasahiro had picked up a chopstick, and he wielded it like a sword, darting about on his short legs while Kikuko giggled and applauded.\n\nLady Yanagisawa said, \"Your son is the image of his father.\" An inflection in her voice suggested to Reiko that Lady Yanagisawa was interested in her life, too." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"I hope the ssakan-sama is well?\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"He is, thank you,\" Reiko said." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "How much did Lady Yanagisawa know about her husband's relationship with Sano? This was another subject not easily broached. Kikuko and Masahiro began wrestling together, rolling on the floor and laughing. To fill the awkward silence, Reiko said, \"Look at them—they're friends.\"\n\n\"As I hope we can be,\" Lady Yanagisawa murmured, and gave Reiko a look of cautious appeal. \"In spite of everything.\"\n\nReiko realized that the woman did know about Sano and her husband, and had a sudden flash of insight." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Lady Yanagisawa obviously had no charm to attract friends, and she must be quite lonely if she welcomed an association with the wife of a man who had a history of conflict with the chamberlain." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Reiko's heart went out to her, and to Kikuko.\n\n\"I hope so, too,\" Reiko said.\n\nA timid smile and a flush of pleasure illuminated Lady Yanagisawa's plain face. \"May I call upon you someday?\"\n\n\"I would be honored. And Masahiro would love to see Kikuko again,\" Reiko said. But although she welcomed a chance to satisfy her curiosity about the woman, misgivings tempered her enthusiasm.\n\nLady Yanagisawa inclined her head, signaling her dismissal of Reiko, who politely withdrew." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "After the introductions concluded, the musicians began playing again, and the party resumed; but Lady Yanagisawa's presence inhibited festivity. The women made stilted small talk instead of discussing the murder, because everyone feared the powerful chamberlain and didn't want to say anything about a controversial subject that might get them in trouble if his wife reported it to him. Lady Yanagisawa maintained her dour countenance, only spoke when directly addressed, and showed no interest in anyone. She sat isolated in the crowd.\n\n\"Why did she come, if she thinks she's so superior to us?\" Midori whispered to Reiko.\n\n\"I think she wants company, but is too shy to join in the party,\" Reiko said." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Presently, Lady Yanagisawa rose to leave and called to her daughter. As soon as they'd gone, the women burst into eager conversation about them. Masahiro, bereft of his playmate, hurled himself into Reiko's lap and pouted.\n\n\"Lady Yanagisawa is rather dull,\" Midori said. \"Do you really want to see her again?\"\n\n\"It might be better not to,\" Reiko said.\n\n\"Why?\" Midori asked." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Reiko hesitated to speak of delicate matters in public, but the other women were talking loudly and paying no attention to her and Midori. \"Even though my husband and hers are at peace for the moment, I don't trust anyone associated with the chamberlain,\" Reiko said. \"And my husband might not approve of my befriending Lady Yanagisawa.\"\n\nThe Black Lotus case had taught her that an unwise attachment could wreak havoc upon a marriage.\n\n\"I hope Hirata-san's family approves of me, and mine approve of him,\" Midori said, her attention focused on her own problems. \"But what harm could the friendship do to you?\"\n\n\"Maybe the war between my husband and Chamberlain Yanagisawa is about to begin again. Lady Yanagisawa could be a spy for her husband, and trying to get close to me, as part of a new plot against my husband.\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"Maybe my family and Hirata-san's will become friends at the miai tomorrow.\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "While pursuing her own train of thought, Midori said, \"But I didn't notice any sign that Lady Yanagisawa is mean enough to hurt you.\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Nor had Reiko. But the Black Lotus had conditioned her to disbelieve what her own eyes, ears, and intuition told her. She'd begun to perceive threats everywhere, and hidden malice in everyone. Now Reiko experienced a stab of fear. How could she ever be a detective again, if she couldn't distinguish between imagination and reality?\n\nThe room around her suddenly seemed too small and full of noisy women. Was this trivial, petty, feminine world to be her whole life from now on? Fear turned to panic in Reiko; she involuntarily clutched Masahiro, until he yelped in protest." }, { "from": "human", "value": "The craving for adventure remained in her blood, even after she'd faced her death at the Black Lotus Temple." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "She almost thought she would rather face death anew, in a thousand different ways, than resign herself to her present uneventful, suffocating existence.\n\n\"I must ask my husband if I can work with him again,\" she decided.\n\n\"I'll be happy for you if he says yes, because I know how badly you want that.\" Sighing, Midori contemplated the blood that welled from her bitten cuticles. \"And you can be happy for me if my miai goes well.\"\n\nYet even as Reiko had spoken, opposing concerns agitated her. She yearned to resume her partnership with Sano, and she couldn't bear to sit by while a difficult case threatened their lives." }, { "from": "human", "value": "She had useful talents that might help him, as they had in the past." }, { "from": "system", "value": "Next message should be approximately 5 sentences." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "She wanted excitement instead of boredom, action instead of idleness, renewed passion with Sano instead of cautious restraint. But the terror of making mistakes, and shattering what remained of their marriage, hollowed out a dark, ominous void in her heart.\n\n\"I hope Hirata-san and I can marry soon,\" Midori said.\n\nStill, her samurai spirit wouldn't let Reiko bow to fear, nor accept defeat without a struggle. She said, \"I hope I can join the investigation into the murder of the shogun's heir.\"" } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "expand on the story like Laura Joh Rowland would" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "The hunt for Lady Wisteria led Hirata into areas of Yoshiwara that few visitors ever saw. Accompanied by the proprietor of the Great Miura—who would recognize Wisteria on sight—Hirata searched every teahouse, shop, and brothel." }, { "from": "human", "value": "He saw tayu lounging in lavish chambers, and women of the lower ranks crowded into dingy barracks." }, { "from": "human", "value": "He saw bathtubs of scummy water crammed full of naked females." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Little girls toiled in kitchens, and courtesans wolfed down food in storerooms because they weren't allowed to eat in front of clients. Most of the women looked sullen, miserable, or resigned to their lot." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "In one house, they quarreled bitterly among themselves, like caged cats; in another, a girl lay moaning on a futon while a maid washed blood from between her legs. An odor of squalid humanity pervaded the brothels, and Yoshiwara completely lost its glamour for Hirata." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Everywhere he went, he crossed paths with Police Commissioner Hoshina's men, engaged in the same mission, but Lady Wisteria was nowhere to be found." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "No one had seen her since her procession to the ageya last night. She'd apparently vanished without a trace, as had her pillow book." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Discouraged, Hirata made his way up Nakanoch." }, { "from": "human", "value": "The quarter had grown colder and darker as the day waned." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Snow continued to fall; white drifts lay alongside the buildings. Windblown flakes stung Hirata's cheeks and glinted in the light from windows." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "The streets were empty, except for patrolling police, because all the visitors, still imprisoned in Yoshiwara by the locked gates, had sought shelter indoors. Hirata approached the gate, where two guards paced, muffled in cloaks and hoods." }, { "from": "human", "value": "They halted and bowed to him." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"Were you on duty last night?\" Hirata asked them.\n\nOne guard was lean with rough-hewn features, the other solid and swarthy. Both nodded." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"Did Lady Wisteria go out the gate?\" Hirata said." }, { "from": "human", "value": "The swarthy man laughed in disdain." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"Courtesans can't sneak past us. They try, but we always catch them. Sometimes they disguise themselves as servants, but we know everyone here, and they can't fool us.\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"Women have bribed porters to carry them through in chests or barrels,\" the lean guard said, \"but we search every container before it leaves. They know there's little chance of escaping, but they keep trying.\"\n\nAfter what he'd seen today, Hirata didn't blame the women." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"But since Wisteria's not in Yoshiwara, she must have gotten out somehow.\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "He and the guards looked beyond the snow-laced rooftops at the wall that enclosed the pleasure quarter. It had a smooth, plastered surface, and alleys separated it from the buildings." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"She would have had to climb on a roof, jump to the top of the wall, and cross the moat on the other side,\" said the lean guard. \"No woman has ever managed that.\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"What do you think happened to Wisteria?\" said Hirata.\n\nThe men glanced at each other, then shook their heads." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"We didn't let her out,\" the swarthy man said.\n\n\"We'll swear to it on our lives,\" said the other." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Their emphatic declarations didn't hide their fear that they would be punished severely for the disappearance of a suspect in the murder. Hirata sympathized with them, for his own future was threatened." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "If he and Sano failed in their duty to catch the killer, he would be demoted, exiled, or forced to commit ritual suicide; he would never marry Midori. Hirata thought of their upcoming miai, and joy and apprehension entwined inside him." }, { "from": "human", "value": "He had fancied himself in love many times during his twenty-five years, but never felt such affection or longing for any woman until Midori." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "They had come to believe they'd been lovers in a former life, and their souls destined to reunite. And spiritual affinity engendered physical passion." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Desire for each other made them all the more impatient for marriage. However, marriage wasn't so easily accomplished as falling in love." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Hirata hoped the meeting between his family and Midori's would have happy results, and feared that the case would prevent his attending the miai.\n\nBanishing personal worries, he concentrated on the problem at hand." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Maybe Wisteria had turned invisible and spirited herself away; but Hirata favored simpler solutions." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Whether she'd left the pleasure quarter alive or dead, someone must have devised a practical way to smuggle a courtesan out of Yoshiwara.\n\n\"Lady Wisteria was last seen by her yarite sometime after the hour of the boar,\" Hirata said." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"Who left Yoshiwara between then and the time Lord Mitsuyoshi's murder was discovered?\"\n\nThe guards' postures stiffened." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"No one did,\" said the lean man." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"The gates are locked after curfew at midnight. Everyone who's inside Yoshiwara then has to stay until morning. It's the law.\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"But not everyone stayed last night, did they?\" Hirata said, for he knew that enough money could buy a passage out of Yoshiwara after curfew." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Seeing the guards' expressions turn fearful, he said, \"I won't punish you for taking bribes, so just tell me: Who left the quarter last night?\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "The men exchanged leery glances; then the lean man said reluctantly, \"There was Kinue the oil merchant, with some servants and friends.\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Hirata knew that the merchant owned a major shop in Nihonbashi. \"Who else?\"\n\n\"A group from the Mori clan, and their bodyguards,\" said the swarthy man." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "This news piqued Hirata's interest: The Mori were powerful gangsters, associated with trouble of all kinds.\n\n\"And Nitta Monzaemon, the treasury minister,\" said the lean guard, \"with his retainers.\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "Hirata frowned, disturbed by the idea that high bakufu officials might be involved in Wisteria's disappearance and Lord Mitsuyoshi's murder." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"How did all these people travel?\"\n\n\"Kinue's party walked to and from the river ferries,\" said the swarthy guard." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"The Mori group rode the causeway.\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Because the law granted only samurai the right to travel on horseback, the merchant had gone on foot. The Mori, however, were rnin—masterless samurai—and could therefore ride." }, { "from": "human", "value": "It seemed unlikely to Hirata that Lady Wisteria had accompanied either party." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Women didn't ride, and if Wisteria had done so last night, she would have risked notice by patrolling soldiers. A woman walking with a group of men would have been just as conspicuous." }, { "from": "human", "value": "But a desperate fugitive courtesan might have taken the risk, if she'd found willing accomplices." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"Treasury Minister Nitta's retainers also rode,\" said the lean guard. \"But he had a palanquin waiting for him outside the quarter.\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Excitement warmed Hirata's cold muscles. The palanquin made Nitta a more promising lead than the others." } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "Expand the story by adding four sentences." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "The twenty other guests who'd attended last night's party at the Owariya were high-ranking bakufu members and their retainers. During a lengthy search of Yoshiwara, Sano and his detectives located six of the men, as well as the courtesans who'd entertained them at the ageya, and learned that they'd stayed together during the time when the murder occurred. Apparently, none of these people had left the party to slip upstairs, and none had reason to kill the shogun's heir. Sano then tracked down five more guests at the Tsutaya teahouse." }, { "from": "human", "value": "The Tsutaya occupied the ground floor of a building near the quarter's rear wall." }, { "from": "human", "value": "A cylindrical lantern over the doorway bore the characters of its name; light gleamed between the slats of the closed shutters across the front." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Sano dusted snow off himself and entered. Inside the elegant room, an alcove held a porcelain vase of bare branches, and maids served drinks to the five men. Charcoal braziers emitted warmth, but when everyone turned to look at Sano, their unfriendly expressions chilled the atmosphere.\n\nA man seated before the alcove spoke: \"Greetings, Ssakan-sama.\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Sano knelt and bowed. \"Greetings, Honorable Senior Elder Makino.\"\n\nThe senior elder was one of five officials who advised the Tokugawa on national policy and comprised the bakufu's highest echelon. He had an emaciated body, and his bony skull showed through the tight skin of his face; a black kimono accentuated his deathlike pallor." }, { "from": "human", "value": "His retainers, who doubled as secretaries and bodyguards, sat grouped around him." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"I suppose you've come to question me in connection with Lord Mitsuyoshi's murder,\" Makino said.\n\n\"If you're willing.\" Sano replied cautiously, because Makino was no friend of his. The powerful senior elder had once accused Sano of treason, thereby almost ruining him.\n\n\"I might be willing to provide information to you,\" said Makino, \"under certain conditions. Shall we drink?\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "He gestured to a maid, who poured sake for him and Sano. They drained their cups, and Sano felt the heated liquor flush warmth through him. \"What conditions?\" he said. Survival in the bakufu required give-and-take, but Sano was wary of the terms Makino might offer." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"The other party guests can confirm that I was with them at the time of the murder.\" Makino inhaled on his tobacco pipe, and blew smoke through his brown teeth. \"So can the staff of the Owariya. Hence, I couldn't have killed Mitsuyoshi. You'll find no evidence that I was in any way involved in his death.\"\n\nSuspending judgment, Sano kept his expression neutral." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"I'm prepared to furnish evidence that might otherwise take you quite some time to find.\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Makino gave an ugly grimace that passed for a smile. \"And time is critical, is it not?\"\n\nIt was indeed. \"In exchange for what?\" Sano said.\n\n\"For keeping me out of your investigation.\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "The senior elder spoke calmly, but the sinews of his neck tightened like leather cords: He knew Sano could name him as a murder suspect and ruin him because he'd happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time." }, { "from": "human", "value": "For a moment Sano was tempted to take revenge for all the trouble Makino had caused him, but the impulse quickly passed." }, { "from": "human", "value": "To use a murder investigation to further selfish interests would compromise his honor, and he was just as vulnerable to attack as Makino." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Should he begin a campaign to advance himself at the expense of his enemies, the resulting bloodbath would probably destroy him. Besides, he needed all the information he could get.\n\n\"Very well,\" Sano said, \"but if I find out that you are involved in the murder, our agreement is terminated.\"\n\nMakino's hollow eyes contemplated Sano with disdain, but his relief was palpable." }, { "from": "human", "value": "He signaled the maid to pour another round of sake." }, { "from": "human", "value": "After he and Sano drank, Makino said, \"There are three guests from the party whom you won't find in Yoshiwara.\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"Who would they be?\" Sano asked.\n\n\"The Honorable Treasury Minister, Nitta Monzaemon. And his two top retainers.\"\n\nThe treasury minister was the official charged with overseeing the collection of taxes on commerce, revenue from the landed estates of the daimyo—feudal lords who ruled Japan's provinces—and other monetary tributes paid to the Tokugawa. This was an important post and its incumbent one of the shogun's most trusted, powerful vassals." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"Where has Nitta-san gone?\" Sano said, as he found himself facing the perils of an investigation that extended upward to the high levels of the bakufu.\n\n\"I've no idea, but he left the quarter with his men during the party.\" Makino grimaced, clearly perceiving and relishing Sano's discomposure." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"Why did he leave?\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"He was not in a festive mood.\" Inhaling on his pipe, Makino seemed ready to make Sano probe for every fact.\n\n\"Why not?\" Sano asked patiently.\n\n\"Because of Lady Wisteria. He's her patron, and quite enamored of her.\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Makino shook his head, scorning anyone unwise enough to fall in love with a prostitute. \"He is her sole client, now that Lord Mitsuyoshi is gone. She's very selective.\"\n\nBy custom, a tayu could pick and choose her clients, and her high price compensated for their small number.\n\n\"Nitta is so jealous that he reserves her services for every night. He pays her fee, whether he visits her or not, just so he knows she isn't with anyone else. But he'd learned that on two recent occasions when business kept him away from Yoshiwara, Lord Mitsuyoshi had obtained appointments with Lady Wisteria. Nitta was furious. Then, when he came to Yoshiwara yesterday, expecting to spend the night with Lady Wisteria, the proprietor of the Owariya told him that Lord Mitsuyoshi had requested her, and asked him to yield.\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Yielding was the procedure by which one client preempted another's appointment with a courtesan. When a client had engaged a courtesan, and a second client asked for her company on the same night, the ageya would, under certain circumstances, ask the first client to yield his appointment to the second. The imposition might displease the first client; however, the polite code of behavior required him to concede if the second client was a special customer of the courtesan, or of higher social position than the first.\n\n\"How do you know all this?\" Sano asked Makino." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"I make it my business to know all about my colleagues.\" In other words, Makino employed spies in the households of the treasury minister and other officials. \"I also overheard Nitta arguing with the proprietor of the Owariya last night.\"\n\n\"What did he say?\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"Nitta objected to giving up Wisteria,\" said Makino, \"especially since this was her third appointment with Lord Mitsuyoshi, and she would finally bed him. But Nitta didn't dare offend the shogun's heir apparent by refusing to yield. Instead, he consented, and he joined our party. He sat in a corner, drinking and sulking. When Wisteria arrived and met Lord Mitsuyoshi in the next room, Nitta watched them through a hole in the partition. When they went upstairs, he stormed out of the house. Obviously, he couldn't bear to stay while Wisteria pleasured another man right above his head.\"\n\n\"Did you see the treasury minister after that?\" Sano said.\n\n\"No. I stayed at the party; he never returned.\"\n\nBut Nitta might have sneaked back to the house, gone upstairs, then stabbed the man who'd done him out of a night with his beloved." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"While you were at the party, did you hear any unusual sounds from upstairs?\" Sano asked Makino." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"I heard nothing whatsoever. The music was loud, and so were my fellow guests.\"\n\nSano wondered what had become of Wisteria. Was she also dead by the hand of her patron? The idea dismayed Sano, as did the possibility that he might soon find himself for the first time investigating the murder of a former lover." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"That ends my story,\" Makino said." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"May I ask when I and my fellow captives might be allowed to leave Yoshiwara?\"\n\n\"As soon as my men have finished taking everyone's names,\" Sano said.\n\nThe senior elder eyed him with veiled expectancy. \"I've handed you a possible culprit in the murder. I trust that is a fair reward for your discretion?\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"Your evidence doesn't prove Treasury Minister Nitta's guilt,\" Sano said, \"or explain how Lady Wisteria got out of Yoshiwara.\"" }, { "from": "system", "value": "Next message should be approximately 2 sentences." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "The door of the teahouse opened, and Sano turned to see Hirata, ruddy-faced and windblown, standing on the threshold. \"Excuse me, Ssakan-sama,\" Hirata said, bowing, \"but I've discovered something of possible importance.\"" } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "i'll kick things off by writing a bit, then you'll take over and write the next 7 sentences in the distinctive voice of Laura Joh Rowland." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Walking down the street together, Sano and Hirata compared the results of their inquiries." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"Jealousy gives Treasury Minister Nitta a motive for wanting Lord Mitsuyoshi dead,\" Sano said, \"and his attachment to Lady Wisteria is a reason for him to remove her from Yoshiwara.\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Ahead, beyond the rows of teahouses and brothels, the guards had opened the gates. Men emerged from the buildings and streamed out of Yoshiwara. The sky resembled an ink-wash spreading across damp paper; blustering wind and veils of falling snow promised an arduous evening's journey home.\n\n\"Nitta could have taken Lady Wisteria away in the palanquin,\" Hirata said. \"He seems as good a suspect as the yarite.\"\n\nUnless she confessed under torture, thought Sano. He wondered uneasily where Hoshina was." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"We'll interrogate Nitta tomorrow—if he hasn't fled town with Wisteria.\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "As they reached the gates, where Sano's detectives awaited them, Sano noticed Hirata looking at him as if needing to speak, but reluctant to do so." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"Was there something else?\" Sano said." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"Oh, no,\" Hirata said nervously. \"It's just that my miai is tomorrow...\"\n\nCaught up in the investigation, Sano had completely forgotten the miai, in which he, as Hirata's go-between, must play a key role. Distress flooded him. \"Hirata-san, I'm sorry, but I'm afraid I won't be able to go.\"\n\n\"That's all right,\" Hirata said staunchly. \"The miai can be rescheduled after the investigation is over.\"\n\nThey both recognized that duty took precedence over personal affairs; yet Sano knew how eager Hirata was to marry Midori." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"Go ahead with the miai,\" Sano said." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"I'll get someone to substitute for me.\"\n\nHope and concern mingled in Hirata's expression. \"I appreciate your generosity, but you need me on the case. I can't take time away.\"\n\n\"Yes, you can,\" Sano said, although he was loath to lose the services of his chief retainer at a critical time. \"The miai won't last long, and the detectives can help me until you're finished.\" Observing that Hirata was ready to refuse, he said, \"You'll go to the miai. That's an order.\"\n\n\"Yes, Ssakan-sama,\" Hirata said with heartfelt gratitude." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Sano hoped the miai would succeed without him, but he had more immediate concerns." }, { "from": "system", "value": "Next message should be approximately 4 sentences." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"We'd better get back to the castle.\" On the way he must tell Hirata about his past relationship with Wisteria. He could trust Hirata to keep the information confidential. \"The shogun will be expecting a report from us.\"" } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "Write eight sentences like Laura Joh Rowland would, using user's text as beginning" }, { "from": "system", "value": "Produce a starting prompt please." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Sano and Hirata reached Edo just before the hour of the boar, when the gates to every neighborhood would close for the night, halting the movement of traffic through the streets until dawn. The snowfall had ceased; the indigo sky glittered with stars like ice crystals. A ride up the hill through the stone passages and guarded checkpoints of Edo Castle brought Sano and Hirata to the shogun's palace. Snow gleamed white upon the gabled roofs and transformed the garden's shrubs and boulders into ghostly shapes. Sano and Hirata trod softly in the eerie quiet, alone except for the sentries at the palace doors.\n\nBut the interior of the palace was a hive of activity. In the shogun's private chamber, a funeral altar held smoking incense burners, hundreds of lit candles, and a portrait of Lord Mitsuyoshi. Sano and Hirata entered to find Shogun Tokugawa Tsunayoshi hunched on his bed on a raised platform." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Swathed in quilts, his face haggard, and his head bare of the black cap of his rank, he looked less like the dictator of Japan than like an old peasant. He moaned with every breath. Edo Castle's chief physician, dressed in a dark blue coat, felt the pulses of the shogun's body; two more doctors mixed herb potions. Attendants and guards milled about. Near the platform, Chamberlain Yanagisawa sat facing four members of the Council of Elders.\n\n\"What is your diagnosis, Dr. Kitano-san?\" asked Yanagisawa. Tall and slender, with sharp, elegant features, he was a man of remarkable beauty, clad in brilliant silk robes. His intense, liquid eyes watched the shogun." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"The death of Lord Mitsuyoshi has caused His Excellency a severe shock,\" the doctor said gravely." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"His emotions are out of equilibrium and threatening his physical health.\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Anxious murmurs arose as the elders, all dignified samurai of venerable age, conferred among themselves. Conspicuously absent was Senior Elder Makino, who Sano supposed was still journeying home from Yoshiwara.\n\nDr. Kitano palpated the shogun's chest. \"Do the pains persist here, Your Excellency?\"\n\n\"Yes, ahh, yes!\" Tokugawa Tsunayoshi groaned.\n\n\"He's taken neither food nor drink all day,\" the doctor informed the assembly. To the shogun he said, \"You must keep up your strength. Won't you please try to eat?\"\n\nServants proffered bowls of broth and tea, which the shogun waved away." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"Alas, I cannot. Ahh, how I suffer!\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Sano registered alarm at how badly the murder had affected his lord's weak constitution, just as Tokugawa Tsunayoshi spied him and Hirata. \"Ah, Ssakan-sama, at last!\" the shogun said; his swollen, red-rimmed eyes brightened. \"Come here to me.\"\n\nEveryone watched Sano and Hirata approach the platform, kneel near the other officials, and bow. As the officials bowed to the newcomers, Chamberlain Yanagisawa's face wore the deliberately bland expression with which he'd greeted Sano throughout their truce. The elders looked hopeful that good news would relieve the shogun's illness, and Sano felt apprehension tighten his nerves.\n\n\"Have you caught the, ahh, evil criminal who killed my beloved cousin?\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "the shogun said with eager anticipation.\n\n\"Not yet, Your Excellency,\" Sano was forced to reply.\n\nDisappointment drew the shogun's features into a frown. \"And why have you not?\"\n\n\"I apologize for the delay, Your Excellency, but there's been insufficient time.\" Sano masked fear with a calm, polite manner. The shogun had no understanding of detective work, and thus expected that every killer should be caught within the day.\n\n\"This case is a complex one, with many people to interview.\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"And many leads to pursue,\" said Hirata, the only person to come to Sano's defense." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"But I've got search parties looking for Lady Wisteria, the missing courtesan who was with the Honorable Lord Mitsuyoshi last night,\" Sano said, \"and—\"\n\nAn impatient gesture from the shogun cut him short. \"At least you can tell me exactly how, ahh, Mitsuyoshi-san was killed. No one else seems to know.\"\n\nTokugawa Tsunayoshi cast an annoyed look at Yanagisawa and the elders, who turned to Sano. He understood that they did indeed know, but preferred not to deliver the news themselves.\n\n\"The Honorable Lord Mitsuyoshi died of a stab wound through the eye, inflicted with a woman's hairpin, probably while he was semiconscious,\" Sano said reluctantly.\n\nThe shogun drew a great inhalation of horror. \"Merciful gods,\" he whispered, then began to pant, clutching his chest." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"Ahh, ahh, ahh! I'm dying!\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Physicians hastened to his aid. Sano and Hirata exchanged stricken glances. Tokugawa Tsunayoshi often fancied himself on his deathbed, but perhaps he really was this time.\n\nDr. Kitano held a cup to the shogun's mouth and said, \"Please drink this, Your Excellency.\" The shogun gulped, then flopped back on the bed, sighing.\n\n\"My poor cousin,\" he lamented weakly. \"So beautiful and full of life one day, then dead and disfigured the next. The loss of his, ahh, companionship grieves me.\" Tokugawa Tsunayoshi liked handsome young men, and Lord Mitsuyoshi had won the position of heir apparent by flattering, amusing, and flirting with the shogun." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"For such a cruel killer, no punishment is too harsh. Ssakan Sano, have you any idea who committed this terrible crime?\"\n\n\"So far there's one definite suspect: Lady Wisteria's yarite.\" Sano explained that the hairpin belonged to Momoko, and that she had found Lord Mitsuyoshi dead.\n\nThe shogun pushed himself upright. \"Ahh, then this woman may be the culprit?\"\n\n\"Yes. And I have arrested her,\" a masculine voice said from the doorway.\n\nPolice Commissioner Hoshina entered the room. He must have ridden as fast and hard from Yoshiwara as had Sano; yet he'd changed from traveling garb to a maroon silk kimono, and looked stylish and vigorous." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "As he knelt beside the chamberlain, they betrayed no sign of their intimacy. Yanagisawa's relationship with the shogun had never been exclusive, and it was no secret that they'd both enjoyed many other lovers, but Sano knew Yanagisawa never flaunted his affairs, lest their lord take unexpected offense. The elders' courteous bows to Hoshina acknowledged his special status. Sano's gut tightened: Hoshina's arrival boded no good for him.\n\nThe shogun responded to Hoshina's bow with a feeble smile. \"Ahh, Hoshina-san, welcome. I was not aware that you were helping Ssakan Sano with the, ahh, investigation.\"\n\n\"I'm always ready to help when I'm needed,\" Hoshina said in a humble tone that didn't hide his arrogance from Sano. \"And I believe I am needed in this investigation, because with all due respect to the ssakan-sama, he appears determined to make slow progress.\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "Sano had expected trouble from Hoshina, but this was the first time Hoshina had attacked him in front of the shogun." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "His heart began to race, for he understood that his adversary had decided to make their rivalry public here and now.\n\nBefore he could counter the accusation, Hoshina said, \"In spite of all the evidence against the suspect, the ssakan-sama would not arrest her. He preferred to give her the benefit of the doubt. I had no choice but to step in.\"\n\n\"You refused to arrest the person who killed my cousin?\" The shogun gaped at Sano, appalled. \"After I have elevated you, a former rnin, to a high position and trusted you to do my bidding? Can this be true?\"\n\n\"I am most grateful for your patronage, but I must say that the yarite's guilt is by no means certain,\" Sano defended himself. \"The evidence doesn't prove she's the murderer.\"\n\n\"Ahh, you are correct,\" the shogun said, his opinion always easily swayed." }, { "from": "human", "value": "While Sano detested squabbling for power, he had to strike back at Hoshina." }, { "from": "human", "value": "He said, \"The police commissioner would rather persecute a convenient suspect before all the facts are in than make any effort to identify the true culprit.\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "Now the shogun turned to Hoshina." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"Would you indeed?\" Angry color suffused his pale cheeks." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"I allow you to, ahh, take over the police force, and you shirk your duty?\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"My duty is the reason I jailed the yarite,\" Hoshina said deferentially, but with a venomous glance at Sano. \"If there's any chance that she killed Lord Mitsuyoshi, she shouldn't be left free to attack other members of the Tokugawa regime.\"\n\nThe shogun looked from Hoshina to Sano in confusion. The elders sat like stones, and Sano perceived their attention focused on Chamberlain Yanagisawa, though nobody looked straight at him. Yanagisawa, the power behind the shogun, usually took charge during meetings and settled arguments, but tonight he was in an aloof, enigmatic mood.\n\nSmoking his pipe, his expression hooded, he merely said, \"Have you anything else to report concerning your investigation, Ssakan Sano?\"\n\n\"I do,\" Sano said, uncertain whether to be thankful that Yanagisawa had changed the subject, or fearful of what his former enemy had in store for him. \"I've identified another potential suspect. It's Treasury Minister Nitta Monzaemon.\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "The shogun exclaimed in surprise; the elders frowned, while Chamberlain Yanagisawa sat alert. As Sano told of Nitta's history with Lady Wisteria and Lord Mitsuyoshi, his presence in the ageya at the time of the murder, and his suspicious departure, Hoshina narrowed his eyes. Apparently, the story was news to him, and he disliked that Sano had beat him to it.\n\n\"Nitta-san has served me well, and I never doubted his, ahh, loyalty to my clan. That he might have, ahh, killed my cousin is unthinkable!\" The shogun's skepticism immediately turned to anger. \"If he did, he shall die for his treason.\"\n\nThe reminder that a taint of suspicion could negate years of faithful service poisoned the air. Hoshina said to Sano, \"How did you learn about the treasury minister?\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"From a confidential informant,\" Sano said, keeping his promise to Senior Elder Makino.\n\nHoshina glanced at Yanagisawa. When Yanagisawa didn't speak, a shadow of bafflement crossed Hoshina's face. Evidently, Hoshina couldn't fathom the chamberlain's mood any better than could Sano.\n\n\"Has Nitta been questioned?\" Hoshina spoke cautiously, as if now less certain of victory over Sano without his lover's backing.\n\n\"I've sent troops to his estate.\" Sano had done this before coming to the palace." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"If Nitta is there, he'll be under house arrest by now. If he's not, my men will send search parties after him. I'll interrogate him as soon as possible.\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "The shogun nodded in approbation, but Hoshina compressed his lips, clearly displeased by Sano's efficiency.\n\n\"What other plans have you, Ssakan Sano?\" Chamberlain Yanagisawa's bland manner gave no hint of what lay underneath.\n\nWhile Sano was loath to reveal his strategy to Hoshina, he couldn't refuse to answer. \"I'll call on the family and associates of Lord Mitsuyoshi and ask whether he had any enemies, and what he might have done to make someone want him dead.\"\n\nTokugawa Tsunayoshi lurched forward off his bed. \"Lord Mitsuyoshi was a fine, honorable young man, beloved by all. He never, ahh, wronged anyone in his life!\" The shogun sputtered in outrage; droplets of saliva flew from his mouth." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"Are you saying you would, ahh, blame him for his own death?\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"Of course not, Your Excellency,\" Sano said, horrified that what he considered basic detective procedure had been misinterpreted. \"I just think Lord Mitsuyoshi's background could provide valuable clues that we can't afford to overlook.\"\n\n\"Well, we shall overlook them because, I, ahh, won't let you cast aspersion upon Lord Mitsuyoshi.\" The shogun's red eyes smoldered at Sano. \"And you shall not, ahh, bother his family with questions during their time of mourning.\"\n\nThe elders looked perturbed, as did Hoshina: He realized that the shogun's pronouncement applied to him, too. Yanagisawa alone remained nonchalant. Sano's heart plummeted as he saw an entire avenue of inquiry closed to him." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"But Your Excellency, unless we gather all possible clues, we may never find the killer,\" he said." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "A lethal combination of fury and peevishness darkened Tokugawa Tsunayoshi's expression. \"Do you dare suggest that the, ahh, killer is to be found within my clan?\"\n\n\"No, Your Excellency,\" Sano said hastily, although experience had taught him that the murderer was often a person close to the victim. \"A thousand pardons; I meant no offense.\"\n\n\"Well, just, ahh, remember that you are forbidden to investigate Lord Mitsuyoshi or intrude upon the person or property of any other Tokugawa clan member. You will therefore confine your detection to other people and places.\"\n\n\"Yes, Your Excellency.\" Sano surrendered with regret.\n\n\"You will also stop dallying and find my cousin's killer at once, or suffer the consequences!\"\n\nSano experienced an antipathy so strong it bordered on hatred for the shogun." }, { "from": "human", "value": "That all his efforts counted for nothing in the view of his lord!" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "No matter how many cases he solved, any failure would doom him. He didn't expect gratitude or encouragement, but the Black Lotus case had diminished his tolerance toward the shogun's constant criticism and threats. He must get away before he said something regrettable, or anything worse happened.\n\n\"Your Excellency, may I speak?\" Hoshina said.\n\nThe shogun nodded indifferently as the doctors massaged pressure points on his limbs.\n\n\"Perhaps the ssakan-sama has a particular reason for conducting his investigation in such a questionable fashion.\" Hoshina's eyes sighted on Sano like gun barrels. \"Perhaps he would cast suspicion on the Tokugawa clan to protect himself.\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"That's a lie,\" Sano burst out, shocked and infuriated that Hoshina had virtually accused him of the murder. The room had gone still, the faces turned to him frozen in surprise. Goaded into blunt speech, Sano said, \"Perhaps you wish to sabotage me so that I won't discover that you were involved in the crime.\"\n\nHoshina's mouth curved in a satisfied smile, though he must know how dangerous was the game he played. Turning to Yanagisawa, he said, \"Honorable Chamberlain, what do you think?\"\n\nHorror flooded Sano as he saw that Hoshina intended to break the truce between Sano and Yanagisawa by manipulating the chamberlain into taking sides in his war against Sano. A suspenseful hush quieted the room while the chamberlain pondered Sano and Hoshina, his expression unreadable.\n\nTokugawa Tsunayoshi suddenly clutched his chest and moaned, \"I think I shall die unless my cousin's death is soon avenged!\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "Dull-witted and self-absorbed, he'd missed the meaning of Sano and Hoshina's interchange." }, { "from": "system", "value": "Next message should be approximately 9 sentences." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Spasms racked his body as the doctors laid him down on the bed. Hoshina frowned, his ploy thwarted; but Sano exhaled in gratitude for the distraction. The elders conversed in low, urgent tones.\n\n\"What if His Excellency does die?\" \"With the heir apparent dead, we can expect conflict over the succession.\" \"If the bakufu and the daimyo form factions, there will be a battle.\" The elders turned in unison to Sano, their unspoken meaning clear: He had better avenge Lord Mitsuyoshi's death soon, or take the blame for the shogun's death and civil war.\n\nChamberlain Yanagisawa rose and calmly announced, \"I think this meeting is over.\"\n\nBut Sano knew that his troubles had only begun." } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "ill start, then u do 2 sentences in Laura Joh Rowland's voice ok?" }, { "from": "system", "value": "Produce a starting prompt please." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Reiko sat in her parlor, wrapped in a quilt that spread over the square frame of a charcoal brazier. The chilly mansion creaked; distant temple bells heralded midnight." }, { "from": "human", "value": "The servants had retired for the evening, and Reiko had put Masahiro to bed long ago." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Now she waited, alone and anxious, in the light of the lantern she kept burning for Sano. Perhaps this was too soon after the Black Lotus case to ask him for a part in an investigation, and he would justify his refusal by mentioning her past faults." }, { "from": "human", "value": "If another quarrel arose, reconciliation might be impossible this time." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "The front door opened, and Reiko heard clattering in the entryway as Sano hung his swords on racks. Hastily she threw off the quilt and rose, her heartbeat accelerating." }, { "from": "human", "value": "His footsteps padded down the corridor, and he entered the parlor." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"Hello,\" he said. Exhaustion shadowed his face; his proud posture seemed burdened by worry. \"You didn't need to wait up for me.\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"Yes, well. I wanted to.\" Reiko moved forward and helped him remove his cloak." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Her smile felt stiff." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"I'm glad you're home.\"\n\n\"Thank you. I'm glad to be back.\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "They embraced tentatively, the way they did nowadays—as though they considered each other too fragile to withstand much affection." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"You're cold,\" Reiko said, feeling the winter on him. \"Sit down. I'll make you warm.\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "He sat, and she wrapped him in the quilt, then draped it over the brazier." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"That's better,\" Sano said. \"Thank you.\"\n\nReiko wished she could as easily thaw the spiritual coldness that surrounded them." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"Are you hungry? Would you like dinner?\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"Yes. Please. If it's not too much trouble.\"\n\nThis was typical of their interactions during the last three months." }, { "from": "human", "value": "They were so polite to each other, so careful not to impose nor offend." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Even their lovemaking was cautious, without joy. Sadness swelled in Reiko as she recalled their past intimate companionship." }, { "from": "human", "value": "She went to the kitchen to warm the miso soup and rice she'd prepared for Sano, then carried the food and a pot of tea on a tray into the parlor, where she heated sake and cooked fish on a brazier." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Sano courteously thanked her for the meal." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "As he ate, she knelt opposite him. Neither of them acknowledged the fact that she'd never cooked for him until after the Black Lotus case." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Reiko had always disliked domestic chores, but they were a way to placate Sano." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"How is Masahiro?\" Sano said." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"He's fine. He's in bed, asleep.\"\n\nNights were the most difficult, because during the day, Masahiro filled the empty space once occupied by their work." }, { "from": "human", "value": "They seemed to have nothing left in common except their son, and therefore nothing to share when he was absent." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"What did you do today?\" Sano said.\n\nReiko could tell that his mind was on the events of his own day, and she wanted to ask about the investigation, but fear held her back." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"Lady Keisho-in had a party. I met Chamberlain Yanagisawa's wife and daughter there.\"\n\n\"Did you?\" Sano regarded her with scant but genuine curiosity." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"What are they like?\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Describing Lady Yanagisawa and Kikuko, and her encounter with them, Reiko experienced more misgivings about her new friendship. \"Do you think I should have tried to discourage Lady Yanagisawa?\" she said." }, { "from": "human", "value": "She'd always done as she pleased, and enjoyed her independence, but now she was always seeking approval from Sano." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "He frowned, and she dreaded a reprimand. Then Sano's frown dissolved into a weary, harassed expression, as though he lacked the energy for another problem besides the ones he had." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"It would have been worse to snub Lady Yanagisawa,\" he said, \"and you couldn't have refused to let her visit you without giving offense. And we mustn't offend a member of the chamberlain's family just now.\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"Oh? Why not now, in particular?\" Reiko said." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Sano told her about the crime scene, his inquiries in Yoshiwara, and the two suspects. Reiko listened eagerly, welcoming the start of renewed communication." }, { "from": "human", "value": "How much she longed for a part in this challenging case!" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Still, she hesitated to ask. Then Sano described how Police Commissioner Hoshina had interfered with his investigation and threatened his truce with Chamberlain Yanagisawa." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"The shogun threatened to punish me, and die himself, if I don't solve this case fast enough,\" Sano finished.\n\n\"How unfortunate.\" Yet although Reiko was truly appalled, her hope flared." }, { "from": "human", "value": "That things were this bad meant Sano needed all the assistance he could get. Opportunity beckoned." }, { "from": "human", "value": "She drew a deep breath of courage, but Sano spoke before she could." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"Perhaps you would make a few inquiries for me?\" He regarded her with somber caution." }, { "from": "human", "value": "The last thing Reiko had expected was for Sano to ask for her help, and glad surprise stunned her." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "But contradictory emotions forestalled the agreement she longed to give him. She wanted to restore the partnership that had been a cornerstone of their marriage, but she was terrified that she would make a mistake and cause Sano more trouble." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Now she saw disappointment, and guilt, in Sano's eyes." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Averting his gaze, he stacked empty dishes on his tray. \"I'm sorry. I shouldn't involve you in this bad business. After what happened to you at the Black Lotus Temple, I won't blame you if you want to give up detecting for good.\"" }, { "from": "system", "value": "Next message should be approximately 3 sentences." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "He thought the experience had scared her off detective work, Reiko realized. He thought her a coward! Anxious to correct his misperception, Reiko said, \"I'm not afraid of what will happen to me. I'm afraid of what I might do!\"" } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "Ive got a bit of writers block, im gonna send you something then keep it going 8 sentences at a time, also im going for a Laura Joh Rowland sorta thing." }, { "from": "system", "value": "Produce a starting prompt please." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "As Reiko poured out her fears and explanations, Sano saw how much their reticence had hidden from each other. They'd sworn to put the Black Lotus case behind them, but Reiko hadn't been able to do so any better than he had. Self-recrimination had eroded her spirit, and though she protested that danger didn't scare her, Sano believed that facing death at the temple had undermined his wife's valiant courage.\n\nShe abruptly fell silent, her head bowed in shame and anguish. Compassion toward her filled Sano.\n\n\"You need to make a fresh start,\" he said. \"This investigation will give you the opportunity.\"\n\nReiko lifted her face to him, and he saw trepidation as well as hope in her eyes." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"But I interfered with your investigation into the Black Lotus murders,\" she said." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"I disobeyed you. I opposed you in public. Can you really forgive me enough to work together again?\"\n\n\"I said I did, and I meant it.\" Sano trusted that her mistakes had taught Reiko a valuable lesson. What she needed was to go on from there. \"Besides, if things had been the other way around, and I had made mistakes that upset you, I would want another chance.\"\n\nA sigh issued from Reiko. She stood, and Sano could see yearning in her face, and apprehension like chains shackling her body.\n\n\"Women often know more about what goes on in Edo than do men,\" Sano said, \"and you can get facts from them better than I can. Now that the shogun has forbidden me to interview the family and associates of Lord Mitsuyoshi, I need a discreet way to learn what enemies he had and what might have provoked his murder.\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Sano coaxed, \"If you want to be a detective, you have to start again sometime. Please take the chance now, when I need you most.\"\n\n\"I suppose I could try.\" Eagerness vibrated beneath Reiko's tentative words. \"Tomorrow I'll begin asking questions. Maybe I can also discover what became of Lady Wisteria. I know women who follow the Yoshiwara gossip, and they may have ideas where she could be.\"\n\nThe conversation suddenly became a landscape of perilous chasms around Sano. He'd never told Reiko about his affair with Lady Wisteria. He assumed that Reiko assumed he'd had lovers before her, because men enjoyed the freedom to satisfy their desires at will. However, he and Reiko had a tacit agreement never to discuss the women in his past, because they liked to believe they were kindred spirits bonded in exclusive togetherness." }, { "from": "human", "value": "And although Sano didn't think an affair that predated their marriage should matter, he worried about how Reiko would feel if she learned about him and Wisteria at a time when their union was troubled." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "If he said he'd freed Wisteria, his wife might think there'd been more to the affair than just a few nights of sex. Furthermore, honesty was integral to their relationship, and keeping a secret from Reiko bothered him.\n\nReiko shimmered with an exuberance she couldn't suppress. \"What is known about Lady Wisteria? Have you any information on what kind of person she is, or about her past, that might help us find her?\"\n\nSano couldn't tell Reiko that he'd personally known Wisteria, because she would wonder why he hadn't mentioned it sooner, and might guess the reason. Now he had second thoughts about involving Reiko in the case. He got to his feet, stalling while he thought what to say.\n\n\"Wisteria came from Dewa Province,\" he said, remembering what Wisteria herself had told him, on their first night together." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"Her father was a farmer who sold her to a brothel procurer because his crops failed and he couldn't support all his children.\"" }, { "from": "system", "value": "Next message should be approximately 5 sentences." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "These were facts he could have learned in Yoshiwara today, and Reiko seemed so absorbed in the case that she didn't notice his agitation. \"Then Wisteria probably has no family in Edo,\" she said, \"but since she's a popular tayu, her business must be the subject of much talk. I'm sure I'll find someone who can tell me about her.\"\n\nReiko embraced Sano with an ardor typical of happier days. \"I'll help you solve this case, and things will be as they were before.\"\n\nSano held his wife, hoping that their bad experience on the Black Lotus case wouldn't repeat itself, and Reiko need never learn more about Wisteria than would benefit the investigation." } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "Task: Cooperative storytelling\nMy role: Provide a brief opening\nYour role: Expand upon my opening with eight sentences, emulating the writing style of Laura Joh Rowland." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Unbroken snow covered the empty streets of Edo." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Shutters sealed the windows and storefronts of buildings. Stray dogs cowered in alleys, where puddles glazed to ice as the night's cold deepened. On the banks of canals, itinerant beggars slumbered beside smoldering bonfires. Starlight shimmered along the black curve of the Sumida River, and boats moored at wharves stood as if frozen. Night had paralyzed most of the city, but in certain areas of the Nihonbashi merchant district, life flourished most busily after dark.\n\nA ramshackle building situated between a public bathhouse and a noodle stand housed a nameless gambling den. Inside sat peasants and samurai, gangsters with arms and chests covered by tattoos, and even a few priests in saffron robes. They dealt, shuffled, and flung down cards." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Shouts and laughter accompanied the games." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Piles of coins shifted, while slovenly maids served sake. Tobacco smoke from the gamblers' pipes filled the room with an acrid haze that wreathed the ceiling lanterns.\n\nBeyond a curtained doorway, in the dim back room of the gambling den, Lady Wisteria sat on a straw mattress. Her head was wrapped in a blue kerchief, and her lovely eyes gleamed with anxiety in the light that shone through the curtain. She shivered beneath her cloak as she listened to the clink of coins and the men's raucous voices. Whenever arguments and curses erupted, she winced. Her fearful gaze roved the bare rafters, the sake urns that lined the walls, and the barred window.\n\nA day had passed since Wisteria had left Yoshiwara, and she'd traded one prison for another." }, { "from": "human", "value": "This pause between her old life and new seemed almost harder to bear than had the prospect of years in the brothel." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Impatience unfurled in her like a growing thistle plant." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Her solitude frightened her, and she puckered her sensuous mouth in an ironic smile. How often had she yearned for solitude! She'd not anticipated how defenseless she would be.\n\nThe silhouette of a man appeared on the curtain. Alarmed, Wisteria shrank into the corner. Then he flung aside the curtain and entered the room, carrying a large bundle tied in a cloth. He was short but powerfully built, his shoulders broad beneath his cloak, and his calves knotted with muscles in his leggings. His neck resembled a stone column, and his face was all hard lines and angles: slanted brows that met over a bladelike nose; chin and jaws hewn; hair in a topknot crowning a slab of a forehead." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"That's a poor welcome,\" he said, striding toward Wisteria with a quick, animal grace. His eyes, dark gashes in his face, looked everywhere at once, watching for threats, calculating his next step. \"Something wrong?\"\n\nWisteria breathed easier, though not quite in relief. \"Lightning,\" she said. \"You startled me, that's all.\"\n\nShe rose to meet him, feeling the attraction that his strange, mercurial beauty inspired in her, and fear of his edgy temper. \"Where have you been?\"\n\n\"Out,\" he said curtly, his brows slanting farther downward. \"I had business to take care of.\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "He didn't like accounting for himself to anyone, Wisteria knew." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"I'm sorry for asking,\" she said. \"It's just that you were gone all day, and I'm afraid to be alone.\" In the outer room, a brawl had started; the sounds of punches, crashes, coins scattering, and loud cheering clamored.\n\nLightning laughed. \"You're safer than you were last night.\"\n\nWisteria wished she could believe him. Though she'd traveled far away from the room where Lord Mitsuyoshi had died, life outside the walls of Yoshiwara promised new hazards. The police would have begun looking for her by now. And while she'd escaped her brothel master, she was now at the mercy of Lightning, nicknamed for the way no one knew what he was going to do until it was too late." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"What's the matter?\" He regarded her suspiciously." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"You don't like it here?\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Hurling down the bundle, he advanced on Wisteria. \"Don't like the company either? Miss your fine rooms and fancy friends?\"\n\n\"No, it's fine,\" Wisteria said, stumbling backward from the menace in his voice. \"I'm happy to be here, with you—\"\n\n\"Do you know what would have happened to me if I'd gotten caught smuggling you out of Yoshiwara?\" He seized her wrist, and his painful grasp provoked a yelp from Wisteria. \"I'd have been arrested, beaten, maybe even killed. I risked my life for you, and you ought to be satisfied with whatever I give you, and not complain.\"\n\n\"I am satisfied.\" Wisteria hastened to placate Lightning." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"I thank you for all you've done for me.\" Lowering her eyelids, she smiled provocatively and dropped her voice to a husky whisper: \"A man as strong and brave as you can satisfy me in every way.\"\n\nYears of practice had made her adept at coaxing men, and as she grazed her fingertips across Lightning's cheek, lust replaced the anger in his eyes. \"That's better,\" he said.\n\n\"Please let me show my appreciation by satisfying you.\" Wisteria didn't have to pretend eagerness, for Lightning's touch, his strength, and his flashing gaze awakened in her an urgent need for him.\n\nHis sardonic smile acknowledged his power over her. Releasing her wrist, he said, \"Later.\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "He squatted and opened the bundle." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"I've got food here, and I'm hungry. Let's eat.\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "He'd brought cooked rice, smoked eel and salmon, pickles, grilled prawns, steamed dumplings, and different kinds of sweet cakes. Wisteria had spent much of the day sleeping, and the rest too nervous to eat; but now the sight and smell of the food made her ravenous. She and Lightning sat on the floor, gobbling with their fingers, gulping sake between bites. This seemed the best meal she'd ever eaten, with no need to mind her manners as a tayu should, and no brothel master tallying the cost of what she ate and adding it to her debt. Giddy with pleasure, she laughed. She fed morsels to Lightning. He grinned and sucked her fingers.\n\nWhen they finished, he took the remaining, largest package from the bundle and tossed it in her lap. \"Here's a present.\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "Wisteria opened the package and found a kimono of crimson satin, lavishly brocaded with waves and swimming carp in rainbow-hued metallic thread." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"How beautiful!\" she exclaimed in delight." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"Sure it is.\" Lightning smiled proudly, but his tone distrusted her reaction. \"It's as nice as anything those other men have given you—isn't it?\" He was jealous of her high-class lovers, who often brought her expensive gifts.\n\n\"Yes, yes,\" Wisteria assured him. Stroking the kimono, she didn't ask where he'd gotten it; knowing how he earned his living, she could guess. Yet she didn't care, because the kimono was hers now, a promise of a brilliant future.\n\n\"You can show me your appreciation now,\" Lightning said.\n\nLust gleamed in his eyes as he swept aside the remains of their meal." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "He tore off her garments. The cold raised bumps on her skin, but Lightning opened his own clothes and pulled her against his warm flesh. Wisteria moaned, overwhelmed by desire for him. Lightning was her own age of twenty-four, instead of decades older, as were most men who could afford the services of a tayu. Caressing him, Wisteria reveled in the feel of him, so firm and strong instead of pudgy or emaciated like her typical client. His hands on her breasts, her buttocks, and between her legs caused her pleasure instead of disgust. When Lightning climbed atop her, his manhood was erect. No over-refined, impotent gentleman was he!" }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"I want you inside me.\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Gasping, Wisteria wrapped her legs around his waist. \"Take me now!\"\n\nLightning reared up from her in sudden anger. \"Impatient, are you?\" He slapped away her hands and wrenched free of her. \"I'm the one who says when and how, not you!\"\n\nIn her passion, Wisteria had forgotten that he never liked being told what to do. \"I'm sorry,\" she said hastily, for last night had proven his contrary nature and shown her the peril of trying to impose her will upon him. \"Please forgive me.\"\n\nHis face blazed with bestial rage and desire; he was panting and perspiring, literally steaming in the chill air. He roughly turned Wisteria over on her stomach." }, { "from": "human", "value": "His hands jerked her hips upward and pushed her face to the floor." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Frightened, though aroused by his brutality, Wisteria cried out in protest." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"Don't you dare resist me,\" Lightning shouted as cheers and laughter exploded in the gambling den. \"You're mine, and I'll treat you as I wish.\"\n\nMounting her, he yanked her buttocks against his loins; his manhood entered her with a friction that drew moans from them both. \"Did Lord Mitsuyoshi take you this way?\" he gasped out. He began thrusting deep and fast into Wisteria. \"Did you enjoy it with him?\"\n\nThe floor's rough planks scraped Wisteria's knees and forearms. Her pride rebelled against this mistreatment, and she hated that the gamblers would hear her degradation." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Her inner flesh swelled with excitement born of pain and pleasure." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Lightning abruptly withdrew from her body. Unable to bear the cessation, Wisteria gave the answer he wanted: \"No. No!\" She knew he'd hated Mitsuyoshi more than any of her other clients. She wriggled backward, trying to regain him.\n\n\"Did you want Lord Mitsuyoshi?\" Breathless, Lightning shuddered with his own passion, but he held her away from him while she struggled. \"Did you love him?\"\n\n\"I didn't want him. I didn't love him,\" Wisteria said, sobbing in her desperation to have Lightning. \"Please—\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "He reentered her, and as she keened in joy, he said, \"Tell me you love me.\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"I love you!\" At this moment, with him moving inside her, and the world reduced to the two of them, Wisteria did love Lightning passionately, truly, devotedly.\n\n\"Tell me I'm the only man you'll ever love.\"\n\n\"You're the only one,\" Wisteria cried. Eyes shut, she concentrated on their climb to pleasure. She lost awareness of the rough floor, the cold, and the other people nearby.\n\nThrusting harder and quicker, Lightning growled like a wild beast. \"If anyone else dares look at you, I'll kill him. And if you ever shun me or betray me—if you ever cross me in any way—I'll kill you, too!\"\n\nHis threats terrified Wisteria, for she knew he spoke the truth." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Terror increased arousal, and her climax struck her in waves of ecstasy. She screamed. Lightning's growls culminated in a triumphant roar, and she felt him release inside her. They collapsed together in heaving exhaustion, and Wisteria's spirits slid into a black pit of distress.\n\nShe realized that her liberator had become her captor, and one more prone to cruelty than any brothel master. Wisteria had extricated herself from financial debt, but she now owed Lightning, whom she must repay in flesh and blood. She'd hoped to harness his strength and daring to further her own aims, yet he was untamable. Last night marked the point at which her control over her destiny had shattered.\n\nNo one would know whether she was an innocent witness to murder, or an accomplice in crime." }, { "from": "human", "value": "If only Lord Mitsuyoshi hadn't died!" }, { "from": "system", "value": "Next message should be approximately 6 sentences." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Had things worked out differently, she might now be free to enjoy the fruition of her secret plans.\n\nHowever, there seemed no use dwelling upon the past. Wisteria recognized that she'd bound herself to Lightning, for good or bad, and she was dependent on him for survival.\n\nShe hoped she could survive his jealous rages, his volatile, unpredictable behavior.\n\nAnd he was still crucial to her plans, which had hinged on him from the beginning.\n\nClosing her eyes, imprisoned in Lightning's possessive embrace, Wisteria prayed they would escape Edo alive." } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "Keep going w/ five sentences more" }, { "from": "system", "value": "Produce a starting prompt please." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Treasury Minister Nitta lived in the Edo Castle official district, in a street higher on the hill and closer to the shogun's palace than Sano. His estate had the same style of architecture as all the others in the district, with barracks enclosing courtyards, garden, stables, and a low mansion raised on a stone podium and crowned by a brown tile roof. But Nitta's estate was on a larger scale, befitting his exalted rank.\n\nWhen Sano and a team of his detectives arrived to call on Nitta the next morning, a hard, brilliant blue sky arched over the castle. The sun melted the snow on the roofs, but the intense cold froze the dripping water into icicles that glittered on the eaves." }, { "from": "human", "value": "The snow in the roads turned grimy under the horses' hooves." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "But in spite of the weather, the treasury minister emerged from the shelter of his house to meet Sano's party as soon as it reached the front door.\n\n\"Ssakan-sama. How dare you send troops to invade my home and wake me up in the middle of the night?\" He gestured at Sano's men, standing guard in the courtyard. \"This is an execrable offense.\"\n\nNitta was a pallid, gaunt samurai whom Sano knew to be fifty years of age, though he seemed older because of his prematurely silver hair." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Silver brows bristled over eyes that seemed too dark in contrast; ire compressed a mouth so thin that it appeared lipless." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Clad in a kimono, surcoat, and trousers in shades of gray, he looked like a figure in a monochrome painting. He stood on the veranda, hands on his hips and feet pointed outward, glowering down at Sano.\n\n\"Would you now kindly explain why you have placed my entire household under arrest?\" he said.\n\n\"I apologize for the disturbance.\" Sano bowed low, as did his men." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"But I need to question you regarding the murder of Lord Mitsuyoshi.\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"Murder? Lord Mitsuyoshi?\" Surprise inflected Nitta's high-pitched voice and sharpened his eyes." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"How and where did it happen?\"\n\nSano explained, wondering if the treasury minister's reaction was genuine, or feigned. Then Nitta's expression turned disdainful.\n\n\"And you obviously consider me a suspect. How ridiculous. Well, I suppose you are desperate to find the culprit, but there was no need for you to treat me, or my family, in such a rude manner.\"\n\nYet Sano saw fear beneath his disdain." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Nitta was clearly aware that the murder of the shogun's heir, and a visit from Sano in connection with the murder, posed him great danger." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"I did not kill Lord Mitsuyoshi,\" Nitta declared, \"and all I know about his death is what you've just told me.\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"If that's the case, then we can conclude this matter quickly.\" Sano kept his manner deferential, because if Nitta proved not to be the murderer, he could become a formidable enemy. Nitta could retaliate by withholding the treasury funds that financed Sano's detective corps and investigations. Yet if Sano hadn't placed Nitta under guard, he would have opened himself to accusations of leniency toward a suspect—and allowed Police Commissioner Hoshina to interrogate Nitta first. It had been a difficult choice, and Sano hoped he'd made the right one." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"Take yourself and your thugs away,\" Nitta said." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"I shall let you know when an interview is convenient for me.\"\n\nSano stood his ground. \"I have my orders to investigate the murder with all due haste. And I respectfully advise you to cooperate, because otherwise, you'll displease our lord.\"\n\nThe treasury minister's dark eyes flared like live coals; then a guise of indifference veiled their angry light. He said, \"Come inside.\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "In the reception room of the estate, screens painted with lush green forest landscapes enclosed an area around a sunken brazier, sealed out cold drafts, and created the illusion of a warmer season." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "There, Nitta performed the ritual of welcoming Sano and serving tea with an elaborate courtesy that conveyed his antipathy more clearly than could blatant insults. They sat opposite each other, tea bowls in their hands, and Nitta's contemptuous gaze challenged Sano to speak.\n\n\"Please describe what you did the day before yesterday,\" Sano said, \"beginning with your arrival in Yoshiwara.\"\n\n\"It was late evening when my men and I got there. We went to the Owariya because I had an engagement with a courtesan.\" Nitta's statement had an artificial, rehearsed quality; he spoke in the tightly modulated voice of a man conscious that a wrong word could doom him." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"Upon arriving at the Owariya, I learned that the courtesan had been requested by another man, and I was asked to yield my appointment. I complied, and my men and I joined a party in the ageya. But after awhile, I recalled some business in town that needed my attention the next morning, so I decided to leave. I paid the Yoshiwara guards to let my men and myself out the gate.\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "He added, \"Bribing the guards and leaving Yoshiwara after curfew are but minor, common transgressions of the law. They do not implicate me in murder.\"\n\nThat the treasury minister had omitted compromising details from his recitation intrigued Sano. That Nitta would expect him to believe this limited version of events, and never find out that there was more to the story, insulted his professional honor and goaded Sano to speak boldly.\n\n\"What does implicate you are the facts you left out of your story,\" he said, and watched caution hood Nitta's expression. \"Or were you going to tell me that the man to whom you yielded your appointment was Lord Mitsuyoshi?\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"I did not consider that fact important.\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Nitta calmly sipped from his tea bowl. \"Preemption of appointments is common in Yoshiwara, and it would be absurd to think that a man would kill someone for doing him out of one night with a woman.\"\n\n\"Men have killed because of rivalry over courtesans,\" Sano said, remembering duels fought during recent years. \"And in this case, the courtesan was Lady Wisteria, the woman you love so much that you reserve her company every night because you're jealous of her other clients.\"\n\nNitta flapped a hand in impatient dismissal." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"Some folk have nothing to do but spread foolish, inaccurate gossip. While it's true that I did go to see Lady Wisteria that night, and I am her patron, she is just a prostitute, and only one of many that I use.\" A brief, vain smile quirked his lipless mouth, and Sano recognized him as the kind of old man who liked to flaunt his sexual potency and needed young, beautiful women to feed his pride. \"Wisteria is not an object of my love or jealousy. You should know better than to believe everything you hear.\"\n\nSano felt his patience slipping; his ire flared as it had last night, when the shogun had berated him. He willed himself to remain calm, because losing his temper with a suspect would harm his investigation, and he didn't want to antagonize Nitta any more than necessary." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"So you didn't care if Wisteria entertained Lord Mitsuyoshi instead of you?\" he said.\n\n\"Her business was of little consequence to me.\"\n\n\"You weren't angry at Lord Mitsuyoshi for taking your place?\"\n\n\"Not in the least.\" Nitta set down his tea bowl and rose." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Turning away from Sano, he faced the painted forest on a screen, his shoulders rigid." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"Then why were you so upset about yielding to Lord Mitsuyoshi that you argued with the proprietor of the ageya?\"\n\nNitta whirled, his face suddenly taut with alarm. \"Who told you?\" Sudden, angry enlightenment flickered in his eyes. \"Senior Elder Makino, that old sneak. He was at the party. He must have been eavesdropping, the way he often does.\" Though Sano gave no sign of confirmation, Nitta nodded in certainty." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"Well, I must warn you against listening to anything Makino says about me. Some years ago, he asked me for a huge loan from the treasury. I declined because his credit is bad. Ever since then, Makino and I have been enemies.\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Had Makino consequently lied to frame the treasury minister? Sano had heard nothing of a feud between the pair, and feuds involving such high officials were hard to keep secret. However, Nitta had a reputation as one of the few honest men in a corrupt bureaucracy.\n\n\"I did argue with the proprietor of the ageya,\" Nitta said, \"but not because I was upset about Wisteria or angry at Lord Mitsuyoshi. My concern was strictly financial. I had paid Wisteria's fee for the night, and so had Lord Mitsuyoshi. I asked the proprietor for a refund, but he insisted on keeping both fees because it's the custom.\" Nitta puckered his mouth, as if at an unpleasant taste." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"I lost my temper with the greedy lout. After I threatened to close down his establishment, he agreed to give me my next appointment free, to compensate for the one I'd lost.\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Sano began to doubt the treasury minister's veracity and put more faith in Senior Elder Makino because this story seemed so implausible. The samurai class disdained money as sordid and beneath their dignity, and a man of Nitta's wealth and position shouldn't have minded losing a much greater sum than the price of a tayu, let alone quibbled over it.\n\n\"What did you do after the argument?\" Sano asked.\n\n\"I stayed for a few drinks. Around midnight, I went home.\"\n\n\"You walked out of the ageya and straight to the gate, you bribed the guards, then left Yoshiwara?\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "Nitta's gaze turned wary and speculative, as though he was trying to determine how much Sano already knew." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Sano kept his countenance opaque. After a moment, Nitta gave a faint grimace, signaling his capitulation to Sano's bluff.\n\n\"No,\" he said. \"I told my men to wait for me at the gate. Then I went through the back entrance of the ageya, and upstairs. I thought I might be able to have a moment with Lady Wisteria. I didn't want to leave Yoshiwara without seeing her.\"\n\nA crimson flush colored Nitta's pale cheeks, like blood dropped onto the surface of virgin snow. This first sign of passion in him told Sano that the man had feelings for Wisteria, in spite of his denials, and that he craved more from her than just carnal satisfaction." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"I stood at the door of the guest chamber and listened,\" Nitta continued. \"Lord Mitsuyoshi was known to drink heavily, and I thought that perhaps he would be asleep, and I could speak to Wisteria.\"\n\nSano pictured the treasury minister hovering outside the chamber, his face engorged with desire and jealousy, longing for his lady while she pleasured his rival.\n\n\"I heard her whispering. And him whispering in reply. They laughed together.\" Nitta's eyes burned fever-bright with outrage, as if he thought the couple had been mocking him, the cheated lover." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"I couldn't bear to listen anymore.\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "Then he seemed to realize that he'd exposed his private feelings." }, { "from": "human", "value": "His expression turned deliberately neutral." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Squatting, he gazed past Sano. \"I stole out of the ageya, then joined my men at the gate. We paid the guards and began the journey home.\"\n\nExcitation quickened in Sano, because Nitta had placed himself at the scene where the murder had occurred, at the crucial time. \"You didn't go into the chamber?\" he said.\n\n\"I did not,\" Nitta said with asperity." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"Haven't I made that clear enough?\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"Did you see Lord Mitsuyoshi at all?\"\n\n\"I did not. But the fact that I heard them means Lord Mitsuyoshi was alive when I left.\" Nitta arranged his body in a kneeling posture, his complexion its normal hue again, his emotions hidden behind a smug smile. \"Therefore, I am not the killer you seek.\"\n\nThe male voice Nitta had heard might have belonged not to Lord Mitsuyoshi, but to his murderer." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"Was there anyone present who can confirm what you heard and did?\" Sano said." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Nitta shook his head. \"The corridor was quite empty.\"\n\nSo he could have entered the room, Sano thought, and stabbed Lord Mitsuyoshi. The treasury minister could have lied about hearing a man's voice. Sano had only Nitta's word as proof that he'd left Mitsuyoshi alive, and no witnesses to say otherwise." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"What about Lady Wisteria?\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Sano said. \"Did you see her that night?\"\n\n\"I already told you I'd given up my appointment with her, and I left without seeing her.\" Nitta's look accused Sano of denseness. \"Furthermore, what difference does it make whether I saw her or not?\"\n\n\"Lady Wisteria is missing,\" Sano said." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"She seems to have vanished around the time of the murder.\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "A heartbeat passed. \"Indeed,\" Nitta said. His silver eyebrows lifted; his tone reflected concern. \"And no one knows where she is?\"\n\n\"I was hoping you could tell me.\" Sano couldn't determine whether Nitta really hadn't been aware of Wisteria's disappearance, or was pretending surprise." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"Unfortunately, I've no idea.\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Now the treasury minister regarded Sano with incredulity. \"Ssakan-sama, do you harbor the absurd notion that I am responsible for Wisteria's disappearance, as well as the murder of the shogun's heir?\" His voice rose on a shrill note of scorn. \"Such acts would be pure stupidity, and no man rises to my position by being stupid. Even if I did love Lady Wisteria, I would never steal a courtesan from Yoshiwara. Nor would I commit treason on her account. Even if I'd hated Lord Mitsuyoshi, I would never risk my life and honor just to eliminate him.\"\n\nYet a man in a jealous rage could act on violent impulse, regardless of his intelligence or desire for self-preservation." }, { "from": "human", "value": "And Sano could well believe that Wisteria was a woman capable of inspiring violent impulses." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "He'd not loved her himself—their relationship had been primarily physical—but he guessed that a man who did love her would do anything to gain exclusive possession of her.\n\n\"What route did you take to the gate?\" he asked Nitta.\n\n\"I walked up Nakanoch.\"\n\n\"Did you pass anyone who knows you?\"\n\n\"Perhaps. But I didn't notice, because I was in a hurry.\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "Nitta laughed, a dry, mirthless chuckle." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"Surely you don't think that I abducted Lady Wisteria and hid her somewhere? Or that I killed her and hid her body?\"\n\nSomeone had done one of those alternatives, Sano believed. \"If you didn't, then you'll permit me to search your property and question your household.\"\n\nNitta looked affronted. \"As you wish,\" he said, rising. \"But you'll discover nothing worth your while.\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "Sano and his detectives searched the whole estate, including offices, parlors, bathchambers, cellar, and kitchen, barracks, storehouses, stables, garden pavilion, and the family's and servants' quarters." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "They opened chests, barrels, and cabinets large enough to contain a person, and hunted for secret rooms. But they found no sign of Lady Wisteria, nor any evidence to connect Treasury Minister Nitta to her or the murder. They questioned Nitta's retainers, wife, concubines, relatives, and servants—some eighty people in total—and all told the same story: Nitta had arrived home from Yoshiwara with the retainers who'd accompanied him there, and no one else. Finally, Sano and his men regrouped in the courtyard.\n\n\"Maybe everyone's lying to protect Nitta,\" said Detective Fukida, a serious young man." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"Their first loyalty is to him, not the Tokugawa regime.\"\n\n\"Ask the checkpoint guards whether he brought a woman into the castle when he came home,\" Sano said. \"He might have bribed them to ignore Wisteria.\"\n\n\"But if she's here, Nitta must have made her invisible, because otherwise, we'd have found her.\" Detective Marume had the strong build of an expert fighter, and a jovial manner now sobered by disappointment." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"Did he seem upset to learn that she's missing?\"\n\n\"Not very,\" Sano said.\n\n\"Maybe he knows where Wisteria is,\" Fukida said.\n\n\"He could have had an accomplice remove her from Yoshiwara and shelter her away from here,\" Sano said.\n\n\"That would have posed less risk to him than smuggling her out of the pleasure quarter and into the castle,\" Marume agreed." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"And if he did, Wisteria would be someplace nearby, where he can have easy access to her,\" Sano said." }, { "from": "human", "value": "He gave orders to his other detectives: \"Watch Nitta. Follow him wherever he goes, and perhaps he'll lead us to Wisteria. Order troops to begin searching Edo. They should go neighborhood-by-neighborhood and arrest any women who aren't listed on the residential records kept by the headmen.\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "The door of the mansion opened, and Nitta emerged. His face wore a look of vindication. \"Are you finished here, Ssakan-sama? Am I free to go about my business?\"\n\nSano nodded; he and his men bowed, conceding defeat.\n\n\"His Excellency won't be pleased to hear that you've wasted so much time on me, instead of pursuing his heir's killer,\" Nitta said with sardonic pleasure." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"But just to show you that I bear no hard feelings toward you, I shall give you a bit of advice. If you're looking for a likely culprit, you might consider a hokan named Fujio.\"\n\nA hokan was a male entertainer who sang and played music for guests in Yoshiwara and for wealthy nobles and merchants around Edo. \"Why should I?\" Sano said.\n\n\"Fujio was a client of Lady Wisteria when she first became a courtesan. His love for her is the subject of his most popular songs. But when Wisteria rose to the rank of tayu, she rejected him in favor of samurai clients. This made Fujio very angry at her, and jealous of her new lovers, who included Lord Mitsuyoshi.\"\n\nThe treasury minister spoke in a tone heavy with significance, as if to make sure Sano understood that Fujio had reason for killing Mitsuyoshi and Wisteria." }, { "from": "human", "value": "However, it was obvious to Sano that Nitta sought to divert suspicion from himself by implicating the hokan." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"Fujio performed at the party in the Owariya,\" Nitta continued." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"He could have slipped into the bedchamber, stabbed Lord Mitsuyoshi, and abducted Lady Wisteria.\"\n\nYet perhaps Nitta had killed Lord Mitsuyoshi himself, and now wished to destroy another man who'd enjoyed the favors of his courtesan.\n\n\"Thank you for the information,\" Sano said, keeping his expression neutral. Though he didn't trust Nitta, he desperately needed leads. He intended to pay Fujio a visit, whatever Nitta's motive for casting suspicion on the hokan." }, { "from": "human", "value": "As Sano rode down the street with his men, a clatter of hoofbeats caused him to look backward." }, { "from": "system", "value": "Next message should be approximately 1 sentence." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "He saw Police Commissioner Hoshina and a squadron of troops arriving outside Treasury Minister Nitta's gate." } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "yo can u write like Laura Joh Rowland using my stuff as a starting point?" }, { "from": "system", "value": "Produce a starting prompt please." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "The Saru-waka-cho theater district had been selected as the location of the miai.\n\nHirata and his father, wearing their best silk robes and finest swords, walked up the street with Segoshi, a palace guard captain whom Sano had engaged as a substitute go-between. Behind them followed two family retainers, Hirata's mother, and her maid.\n\nThe district sparkled with life in the bright, clear weather. Theater buildings sported colorful banners that announced the current plays." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Bursts of song and applause emanated from windows." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "In towers on the roofs, men beat drums to attract customers. People jammed the teahouses or queued at ticket booths, lugging quilts to keep them warm during the performances that lasted all day. Fragrant smoke wafted from outdoor braziers where vendors roasted chestnuts. But Hirata and his party walked in somber quiet. As they neared their destination, anxiety clenched his stomach tighter and tighter." }, { "from": "human", "value": "They stepped aside to let a wedding procession pass." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "A palanquin carried the bride in her white kimono. Friends, relatives, and lantern-bearers accompanied the palanquin.\n\n\"What an auspicious sign for the day of a miai,\" said Captain Segoshi. A good-natured older samurai, he obviously wanted to lighten the mood of his companions.\n\n\"As far as I'm concerned, the sight of a wedding procession is a bad-luck omen,\" Hirata's father said in a grumpy tone." }, { "from": "human", "value": "He walked with a severe limp, caused by an accident that had necessitated his retirement from the police force." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"I attend this miai against my wishes, and I'd rather turn around and go home before we take a step we'll regret.\"\n\n\"But everything has been arranged,\" Hirata said, alarmed by his father's attitude. \"Backing out now would be a terrible breach of courtesy. And you won't regret beginning my marriage negotiations. Midori-san is a good, honorable match for me, for our family.\"\n\nThis was but another argument in the dispute which had begun three months ago, when Hirata had told his parents that he wished to marry Midori and asked their permission. They opposed the idea, and had only consented to the miai because the formal request had come from Sano, whom they couldn't refuse." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Disapproval darkened the broad, lined face of Hirata's sire." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"Honorable matches can only occur between families of similar tradition, and that's not the case here. We are hatamoto—hereditary Tokugawa vassals. Lord Niu is an outside daimyo. His clan didn't swear allegiance to the Tokugawa until after it was defeated at the Battle of Sekigahara.\"\n\n\"That battle ended almost a hundred years ago,\" Hirata said. \"Ever since then, the Niu have been loyal subjects of the Tokugawa, just like us. Can't we forget the past?\"\n\n\"Tradition is too important to forget.\" His father's voice sharpened with reproach." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"It's the mainstay of our society. And surely the Niu clan desires this alliance no more than I do. If you marry this girl, you'll never really be accepted by her kin, nor she by ours.\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Hirata glanced backward at his mother. Small though sturdy, dressed modestly in gray, she gave him a smile that said she sympathized with him, but agreed with her husband. Captain Segoshi looked embarrassed to be caught in a family dispute.\n\n\"Why can't you be satisfied to marry into one of the suitable families who've offered their daughters to you?\" Hirata's father said.\n\nWhen Hirata had left his lowly position as a doshin and become chief retainer to the ssakan-sama, his status in the marriage market had soared." }, { "from": "human", "value": "His family began aspiring to a better match for him than they could have expected before his promotion." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "After Hirata gained a place in the shogun's inner circle, proposals from high-ranking clans had inundated Hirata and his parents. They'd attended many miai, but Hirata had spurned all the fine young ladies introduced to him.\n\n\"Niu Midori is the woman I want to marry,\" he said now. \"I love her. She loves me.\"\n\nHis father gave a disgusted snort." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"Love is unimportant in choosing a bride. Social position and duty to your family are what really matter. If you marry a woman who's right for you, then the two of you will learn to love each other after the wedding, as your mother and I did.\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "He halted in the street." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"I can't approve of this match, even though the ssakan-sama does. You should marry someone I choose for you, because you're unable to choose wisely for yourself.\"\n\nHirata's mother bowed her head, silently seconding her husband's words. Desperation forced Hirata to employ the one argument that could aid his cause.\n\n\"I respect your opinion, Honorable Father,\" he said, \"but I must remind you that my marriage to Niu Midori would solve a big problem for us.\"\n\nThat problem was their chronic shortage of money." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Hirata had elderly, ailing grandparents, two widowed sisters with small children, and many destitute relatives, as well as longtime retainers and servants to support." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Unfortunately, Hirata's father earned little by teaching martial arts to police officers. Hirata contributed as much to his family as he could, but even his generous stipend didn't go far enough. He needed to make a financially advantageous marriage, and he'd hoped that this need would convince his parents to allow him to wed Midori.\n\nAlthough the Niu clan had been subjugated and stripped of its ancestral fief after the Battle of Sekigahara, it remained one of Japan's most powerful families. The first Tokugawa shogun had realized that unless he pacified his conquered foes, they might later rebel." }, { "from": "human", "value": "He'd granted the Niu a fief in Satsuma, and the right to rule that entire province." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Lord Niu Masamune, the current daimyo, possessed huge wealth, and whoever married a daughter of his would gain a valuable dowry.\n\nNow Hirata's father glowered at the knowledge that he needed this match he repudiated. \"That's the only reason I'll even consider a marriage between you and this girl,\" he said, resuming his awkward, limping pace down the street.\n\n\"Here we are,\" Captain Segoshi said cheerfully, as though determined to get the family through the miai. \"The Morita-za Theater.\" This was a large building with painted scenes from plays above the entrance." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Outside stood a squadron of soldiers who wore a dragonfly crest on flags attached to their backs." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"Look: Lord Niu has arrived. He and his daughter must be already inside, waiting for us.\"\n\n\"Such an ostentatious display,\" muttered Hirata's father. \"Typical of his kind.\"\n\nHirata cast him a look that begged him to put aside his envy and prejudices. Captain Segoshi bought tickets from the attendant in the booth, and the party entered the Morita-za." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Inside, a drafty, cavernous room echoed with a roar of voices." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "A play had just ended, and on the stage, a lone musician plinked a samisen. Tiers of box seats along the walls held crowds of people awaiting the next performance. More people occupied the floor, which was divided into compartments, separated by raised dividers. Hirata scanned the audience, then saw Midori in a compartment near the stage. The light streaming through windows along the upper gallery illuminated her scarlet kimono." }, { "from": "human", "value": "As their gazes met, his heart lifted." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "She smiled, but quickly turned away. The miai was supposed to seem like a chance encounter, so that if it failed, both families could pretend it had never occurred, and thus save face.\n\nHirata led his party along the dividers, past refreshment sellers bearing trays of drinks and food. He halted above the compartment where Midori sat with an elderly woman, two slightly younger female attendants, and two middle-aged samurai. Stricken by nervousness, Hirata knelt on the divider and bowed to the group, as did his companions." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Midori darted a wide-eyed, solemn glance at him, then looked at the floor." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"Greetings,\" Hirata said in a voice that quaked.\n\nThe group bowed and murmured in polite reply. Captain Segoshi said, \"What a coincidence that we should meet.\"\n\nAs he ably assumed the role of go-between and managed introductions, Hirata learned that the crone dressed in black was Midori's paternal grandmother, and the other women her ladies-in-waiting. The elder of the samurai, a dour man named Okita, was Lord Niu's chief retainer." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Hirata barely noticed these people because his attention focused on Lord Niu." }, { "from": "system", "value": "Next message should be approximately 6 sentences." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "The daimyo was small, but his torso was broad, his posture regal in maroon garments emblazoned with his dragonfly crest in gold. His tanned, square face disturbed Hirata. Its two sides didn't match. The right half was slightly askew; the eye gazed off into space.\n\n\"Please join us,\" Lord Niu said. Only the left half of his mouth smiled at Hirata." } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "Today you will be acting as a writing assistant, your partner will send something and you will write the next two sentences." }, { "from": "system", "value": "Produce a starting prompt please." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "As Hirata and his family settled into the compartment, Midori sat rigid with panic, her heart hammering, not daring to look at anyone. Please, she prayed inwardly; please make our families consent to our marriage!" }, { "from": "human", "value": "If they didn't, she was doomed, because love wasn't the only reason she must wed Hirata." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "During their courtship, they'd enjoyed more time together, and more freedom, than was usual for unmarried young gentlemen and ladies. Their connection with Reiko and Sano placed them in constant proximity, and they'd taken advantage of their situation." }, { "from": "human", "value": "While Reiko thought Midori was busy waiting on Lady Keisho-in, and Keisho-in thought Midori was with Reiko, Midori was actually meeting Hirata in deserted gardens or empty storehouses." }, { "from": "human", "value": "There, chaste embraces had led to things less than chaste." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "A flush of pleasure and guilt enflamed her as she recalled lying naked with Hirata beneath pine trees at dusk. How much she'd wanted to satisfy him, and to experience the rapture of having him!" }, { "from": "human", "value": "And how much she now wished they'd exercised self-control, for soon afterward had come the cessation of her monthly blood, a continual nausea, a fullness in her abdomen." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Midori had threaded a needle with red thread and stuck it in the wall of the privy, hoping that this ancient folk remedy would cause the blood to come, but to no avail. She was pregnant.\n\nNow she listened to her companions exchanging courteous pleasantries." }, { "from": "human", "value": "None of them knew her problem, not even Hirata." }, { "from": "human", "value": "She hadn't told anyone." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "She couldn't admit her shame, or admit that if she and Hirata didn't marry, she would bear an illegitimate child, disgrace her honor, and ruin herself.\n\n\"Your family has a proud tradition, does it not?\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "Lord Niu said to Hirata's father." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"I understand that your people have served the shoguns since the Kamakura regime four hundred years ago.\"\n\n\"Yes, that's correct.\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "Hirata's father looked stern and intimidating to Midori, but also gratified that the daimyo recognized his heritage." }, { "from": "human", "value": "She relaxed as she began to think that her father would continue to behave properly." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"And you've made a name for yourself in the police force.\" Lord Niu smiled his peculiar half smile." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"It's men like you who've kept society under control and made Edo the great capital it is.\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"That's high praise, coming from the ruler of an entire province,\" Hirata's father said, obviously warming toward the daimyo. \"Your kindness is more than I deserve.\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "Lord Niu gave a self-deprecating chuckle." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"Oh, I'm just the humble overseer of a country estate that the Tokugawa deemed fit to give me.\" He turned to Hirata." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"So you're chief retainer to the shogun's ssakan-sama.\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"Yes, my lord.\" Hirata sat stiffly, his expression serious. Midori felt a rush of tenderness toward him for trying so hard to appear a suitable husband for her." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"That the ssakan-sama trusts you with so much responsibility at your youthful age speaks highly of your character,\" said Lord Niu." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "His left eye studied Hirata; his right wandered. \"And I hear you're looking into Lord Mitsuyoshi's murder. What have you discovered so far?\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "Blushing, Hirata gave an account of the investigation, mentioning the suspects and the missing courtesan and pillow book." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"Cunning and initiative,\" Lord Niu said jovially. \"That's exactly what I expected to find in you.\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "Hirata's parents beamed with pride." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Captain Segoshi smiled. Midori and Hirata exchanged quick, elated glances." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"I understand that your daughter is a favorite lady-in-waiting of His Excellency's mother,\" Hirata's father said to Lord Niu, then addressed Midori: \"Can you play music?\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Midori tensed, realizing that he wanted to know whether she possessed the accomplishments required of a lady, and that this was a test she must pass. \"Yes,\" she said, hesitantly, \"I've played the samisen since I was a child.\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"Have you learned calligraphy and flower arranging and tea ceremony?\"\n\n\"To the best of my humble ability.\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Midori chewed her fingernail; seeing her grandmother frown, she dropped her hand and tried to look the modest, feminine, perfect daughter-in-law.\n\nHirata's father nodded, and she could tell she'd favorably impressed him." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Giddy delight filled her." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Then Lord Niu said, \"Yes, my daughter is a prize. And you would steal her from me the way the Tokugawa stole my family's ancestral lands after the Battle of Sekigahara.\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "He spoke with a sudden rancor that completely dispelled the harmonious atmosphere. Midori saw puzzlement on the faces of Hirata and his party, and consternation on those of her grandmother and Okita." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Her heart sank, for this was exactly what she'd feared would happen." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Lord Niu, a shrewd, competent leader of his subjects, had one eccentricity—his unreasonable obsession with injustices done to his clan. Now Midori realized that his compliments to Hirata's family had been veiled expressions of hostility toward them, and he'd meant from the beginning to oppose the marriage." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"You should be satisfied that your ancestors helped the Tokugawa trample my clan in the dust,\" Lord Niu said bitterly to Hirata and his father." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"You should be satisfied that the bakufu extorts millions of koban in taxes from me every year. But no—you greedy louts want my flesh and blood!\"\n\nFor as long as Midori could recall, her family had carefully avoided mentioning the Tokugawa or the Battle of Sekigahara to Lord Niu, for fear of rousing his violent temper." }, { "from": "human", "value": "But they couldn't prevent him from thinking of those topics at inopportune times and angering himself." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "And although his relatives limited the time Lord Niu spent in public, lest his behavior shame them or create problems, they couldn't always restrain him. Once, after the Tokugawa revenue agents had collected a large tribute from him, Lord Niu had mounted his horse and ridden through a village, shrieking and cutting down innocent peasants." }, { "from": "human", "value": "The clan had so far managed to hush up his bad spells, and neither the bakufu nor the general public knew of them—yet." }, { "from": "human", "value": "What a disaster that his obsession should interrupt the miai!" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"Master,\" Okita said cautiously to Lord Niu, \"perhaps this isn't a good time to dwell on the past.\"\n\nIgnoring his retainer, Lord Niu again addressed Hirata and his companions: \"It's clear to me that you are plotting with the Tokugawa clan to take over my province, steal my money, and destroy my whole clan.\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "Hirata and his father gaped in shock." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Midori huddled in fear, and her grandmother sadly shook her head. Hirata's father blurted, \"With all due respect, Honorable Lord Niu, that's absurd. We came in peace, to consider the possibility of joining our families together through a marriage between your daughter and my son.\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Midori longed to explain the daimyo's behavior and beg the forgiveness of Hirata and his family, but she was too afraid to do anything but watch helplessly as Lord Niu stood.\n\n\"I'll never allow a daughter of mine to marry the spawn of a scoundrel like you!\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "he shouted at Hirata's father." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "People in other compartments fell silent and stared at Lord Niu. His skewed face twitched; his eyes glittered with hatred." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"You're a dirty thief, and a treacherous sneak, and a foul murderer!\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "Hirata's mother and Captain Segoshi looked aghast." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Hirata's father surged to his feet. \"How dare you insult me?\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "he demanded. Anger reddened his complexion." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"I'm a man of honor, and I'll not tolerate this disgraceful treatment from an outside lord. Take back what you said, or I'll—\"\n\nSneering in contempt, Lord Niu smacked Hirata's father on the cheek." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Then the two men were wildly hitting and kicking each other." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Midori and the other women cringed away from the combatants. Hirata cried, \"Father, stop!\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "while Okita begged, \"Master, please control yourself.\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "The musician onstage halted his performance as the audience stood up to watch the commotion. Lord Niu jumped up on a divider and drew his sword." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Hirata's father also drew his weapon, but his bad leg hindered his climb onto the divider." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Men in the audience stamped on the floor, shouting, \"Fight! Fight!\"\n\nHirata grabbed his father, and, with Segoshi's help, pulled him back inside the compartment and restrained him." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Okita wrestled Lord Niu, grappling for the sword. The audience booed." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Lord Niu yelled, \"I'll get you yet, you despicable villain!\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Okita, panting from his effort to hold the daimyo, addressed Hirata: \"You'd better go.\"\n\nAs Hirata hurried his family out of the theater, he looked briefly back at Midori." } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "user starts, u write ~one sentence more. copy Laura Joh Rowland's style" }, { "from": "system", "value": "Produce a starting prompt please." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Sano, accompanied by Detectives Fukida and Marume and some troops, again rode to the pleasure quarter, this time in pursuit of the entertainer whom Treasury Minister Nitta had implicated in the murder." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Arriving in late afternoon, Sano found that Yoshiwara had undergone a striking change since his last visit." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Gone was the dismal atmosphere." }, { "from": "human", "value": "The rooftops gleamed bronze in the light of the descending sun, while in through the gates swarmed hundreds of men eager for sensual delight." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Some wore basket-shaped rush hats that concealed their faces." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Sano recognized these as samurai, whom the law prohibited from visiting Yoshiwara." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Though many samurai disregarded the law, and virtually no one cared, the most upstanding or cautious came in disguise." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Along Nakanoch, the lanterns on the eaves burned brightly." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Courtesans sat in the window cages of the brothels." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Visitors ogled the courtesans, jammed the teahouses, and thronged shops that sold souvenirs and guidebooks to the quarter." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "As Sano entered Yoshiwara with his men, he imagined all the money that would change hands in the morning, when the customers paid the exorbitant fees that the brothels charged for food, drink, service, and women." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"We'll stop in a teahouse and ask where we can find Fujio,\" Sano said to his detectives." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"He's sure to be performing somewhere.\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "Sano wasn't personally acquainted with Fujio, but he'd watched the hokan play at parties and knew his reputation as an acclaimed entertainer." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Just then, two boys marched up the avenue, beating drums." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"Hear the magnificent Fujio play at the Atami Pleasure House tonight,\" they called." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Spared the trouble of hunting the suspect, Sano and his men walked to the Atami, located on Edoch, a side street bordered by rows of brothels." }, { "from": "human", "value": "The recessed entranceway of the Atami held a low table." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "On it sat three folded futon, a quilt, and a coverlet, all made of rich colored silk." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"Tsumi-yagu no koto,\" Sano said." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "This was the practice by which a courtesan showed off her patron's wealth and devotion." }, { "from": "human", "value": "The patron would supply a small fortune for the courtesan to buy elegant bedding." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "She would place it outside her brothel for all to admire." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Even if the women would prefer to use their patrons' money to pay their debts and shorten their term of service, Yoshiwara custom required them to display a carefree, impractical attitude." }, { "from": "human", "value": "A courtesan who didn't spend lavishly would appear stingy, become unpopular, and never free herself." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Sano glanced at the paper label attached to the quilt, which bore a date three days before the murder, and an inscription. \" 'This bedding was presented to Lady Takane by the Honorable Nitta Monzaemon,' \" Sano read." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"Then the treasury minister is patron to at least one other courtesan besides Lady Wisteria,\" said Detective Marume." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "He fingered the coverlet. \"Pretty expensive goods.\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"Maybe he's not really in love with Wisteria,\" Sano said." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"A client devoted to a particular woman will usually confine his spending to her.\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"Maybe he dallies with other women to cover his feelings for Wisteria,\" Fukida suggested." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"Or maybe Senior Elder Makino lied,\" said Marume." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "This was a real possibility, given Makino's nature." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"If he did, and Nitta told me the truth,\" Sano said, \"then Nitta had no apparent reason to abduct Wisteria or kill Lord Mitsuyoshi.\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "And Nitta had seemed like a promising suspect this morning." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"Marume-san, check into Nitta's relations with the courtesans and find out whether he does spread his attention around. The Introducing Teahouses would be a good place to start.\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "These establishments matched clients with courtesans, arranged appointments, and negotiated fees." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"Fukida-san, look for witnesses who saw Nitta on the night of the murder,\" Sano said." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"We want to know everything he did. I'll handle Fujio myself.\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "He hoped that if his case against Nitta dissolved, the hokan would prove to be the culprit." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "The detectives bowed and departed." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Leaving his troops outside, Sano went into the pleasure house." }, { "from": "human", "value": "A guard stationed in the entryway greeted him." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"Welcome, master,\" the guard said." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"Have you an appointment with one of our ladies?\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Sano introduced himself, then said, \"I'm looking for Fujio.\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"He's about to perform in the banquet room.\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "Sano walked down the corridor toward the sound of voices and laughter." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "In the banquet room a party of samurai and courtesans lounged and chatted." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Kamuro served roasted sardines, salted ferns, quail eggs, steamed clams, and sake to the men." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "As Sano paused in the doorway, a man strode through a curtained entrance at the far end of the room." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "He carried a samisen in one hand and a large folding fan in the other." }, { "from": "human", "value": "He snapped the fan shut with a loud, ritualistic flourish, and all heads turned toward him." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"Thank you, everyone, for your favor,\" Fujio said." }, { "from": "human", "value": "The party cheered. As Fujio knelt, positioned his samisen, and played a cascade of notes, Sano studied the hokan." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Fujio was perhaps thirty-five years old, tall and slender, and handsome in a raffish way." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "He had bold, sparkling eyes, a mischievous set to his features, and sleek hair knotted at his nape." }, { "from": "human", "value": "He wore the traditional hokan's black coat printed with crests, over a beige kimono." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"With your kind permission, I shall perform my new song, 'The Mysterious Flood,' \" he announced." }, { "from": "human", "value": "The audience eagerly settled down to listen." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Fujio played a gay tune and sang in a smooth, vibrant voice:" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"A big spender from saka," }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Weary of the pleasures of his hometown," }, { "from": "human", "value": "Came to Yoshiwara with his entourage" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "To pluck some fresh blossoms." }, { "from": "human", "value": "All eager for conquest," }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "The men courted the best tayu," }, { "from": "human", "value": "Sake flowed, and they made flattering talk, but alas!" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "The proud beauties scorned them." }, { "from": "human", "value": "But the men would not accept disappointment," }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "For thirty nights they engaged the same courtesans," }, { "from": "human", "value": "Attempting to win favor," }, { "from": "human", "value": "For thirty nights they failed, their desire thwarted." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "At last they decided to return to saka," }, { "from": "human", "value": "But so aroused were they," }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "That they paused by the Dike of Japan," }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "And each caressed his own manhood, spurting a mighty fountain of seed." }, { "from": "human", "value": "The torrent overflowed the dike," }, { "from": "human", "value": "The peasants in neighboring villages beat the flood-warning drums," }, { "from": "system", "value": "Next message should be approximately 2 sentence." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "For many years they wondered,\n\nWhat caused a flood on that rainless night?\"" } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "Produce seven sentences using the prose and structure of Laura Joh Rowland every time its your turn using what the user wrote as a seed." }, { "from": "system", "value": "Produce a starting prompt please." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "The samurai in the audience guffawed; their female companions tittered; Sano smiled. Lewd songs were Fujio's specialty, and he performed with sly humor. The hokan bowed to enthusiastic applause. Then he caught sight of Sano. Recognition and stark fear erased his smile.\n\n\"Please excuse me,\" he said to the audience.\n\nDropping his samisen, he fled out the curtained exit, amid protests from the samurai." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Sano hurried after Fujio, but so did the courtesans, who clustered at the exit, crying, \"Come back!\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "By the time Sano pushed past them into the corridor, Fujio was gone. A door stood open to the night. Sano sped outside and found himself in a shadowed alley that ran along Yoshiwara's eastern wall. He saw the hokan running past stinking privy sheds, toward the back of the quarter. Sano took off in pursuit, his feet skidding on the damp, slimy paving stones.\n\nA small crowd of women gathered in the distance. They surrounded Fujio, crying, \"Come with me, master, and I'll make you happy!\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "This area of Yoshiwara was known as Nichome—\"Wicked Creek\"—a name derived from a legend about a warrior attacked by an ogre." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Here, low-class courtesans, desperate for customers, would accost men, pull them into squalid brothels, and service them in rooms shared by many couples. Now they clutched at Fujio, who shouted, \"Let go!\"\n\nSano caught up with the hokan, grabbed him by the front of his coat, yanked him away from the women, and shoved him against the wall. The women scattered in fright. Fujio flung up his hands in a gesture of surrender.\n\n\"No need to hurt me, Ssakan-sama,\" he said, flashing the smile that had charmed many female admirers. \"Whatever business you have with me, we can settle it without a fight.\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "Sano released Fujio, but stood ready to catch him should he flee again." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"Why did you run when you saw me?\"\n\n\"I was afraid,\" Fujio confessed sheepishly.\n\n\"Afraid that you were wanted for the murder of Lord Mitsuyoshi?\"\n\n\"Well, yes.\" Fujio laughed, making a joke of his predicament, though Sano perceived how much he wished he'd gotten away. \"If you're looking for the killer, you've got the wrong fellow.\" His mobile face assumed a humble, sincere expression. \"But I'll be glad to help in any way I can.\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "There was something irresistibly likable about Fujio, and Sano couldn't be angry at his obvious attempt to beguile his way out of trouble." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"In that case,\" Sano said, \"you can tell me what were your relations with Lord Mitsuyoshi.\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"He was a patron of mine. I performed for him and his friends here, and in town.\" A hokan lived on money from his patrons and depended on them to recommend him to new customers. \"So you see that Lord Mitsuyoshi was worth more to me alive than dead,\" Fujio said, turning his palms up as he smiled. \"I wouldn't kill him, and I didn't.\"\n\nHis nimble, eloquent hands pantomimed innocence, and Sano remembered hearing that Fujio had once been a Kabuki actor. \"But you hated Lord Mitsuyoshi because he was your rival for the affections of Lady Wisteria,\" Sano said.\n\n\"That would have been true once, when I was madly in love with Wisteria. She made me jealous by carrying on with samurai in front of me. But someone is telling you ancient history.\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "Condescension tinged Fujio's smile." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"I ended that affair last year, when I married the daughter of the proprietor of the Great Miura. Now I couldn't care less about Wisteria.\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "He leaned nonchalantly against the wall. \"But it's interesting that she should disappear on the same night when her lover was murdered in her bed. Do you know where she's gone?\"\n\n\"I was hoping you could tell me,\" Sano said.\n\n\"Sorry. I've no idea.\"\n\n\"Then you won't mind if I search your home?\"\n\nFujio's eyebrows shot up. \"Not at all.\"\n\nWhen asked where his home was, the hokan readily said he lived in Imado, a nearby village." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "But Sano had a distinct feeling that Fujio was hiding something, even if it wasn't the missing courtesan.\n\n\"Where were you and what did you do on the night Lord Mitsuyoshi died?\" Sano said.\n\n\"I performed at a party. But you've already found out that I was in the house where Lord Mitsuyoshi died, haven't you? That's why you came for me. Nothing stays a secret for long in this place.\" Fujio slumped in gloomy resignation; then he brightened, raising a finger. \"But I was entertaining the guests from the time dinner was served at the hour of the dog, until after midnight, when we learned that Lord Mitsuyoshi was dead.\"\n\n\"Did you leave the room at any time?\"\n\n\"No, master.\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "Though his position as the focus of people's attention provided him a good alibi, Sano again sensed that Fujio was dodging." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"Are you sure you never took a break?\"\n\nA peculiar look came into the hokan's eyes, as if he'd just realized something that simultaneously disconcerted and gratified him. He said, \"I went to use the privy in the back alley. But you needn't take my word for it. Treasury Minister Nitta saw me. He was standing in the alley outside the back door of the Owariya.\"\n\nSurprise jolted Sano. Before he could respond, Fujio said, \"Nitta put you onto me, didn't he? He's the one who told you the old gossip to get me in trouble. Aha, I thought so. But I bet he didn't say he saw me in the alley, because he would have had to admit he was there, too. He must have just killed Lord Mitsuyoshi when I saw him.\" Fujio grinned in triumph.\n\nBut perhaps Fujio was the killer and sought to incriminate Nitta the way Nitta had tried to incriminate him, Sano thought. \"Why would the treasury minister kill the shogun's heir and try to frame you?\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "he said. \"Because he loves Wisteria and was jealous of you and Lord Mitsuyoshi for having her?\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "The hokan dismissed the idea with a flick of his hand." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"Oh, Nitta likes exclusive use of his courtesans, but this isn't about love—it's about money.\" He jingled the leather coin pouch he wore at his waist. \"How do you think Nitta covers the huge expenses he runs up in Yoshiwara? The last night I spent with Wisteria, she said Nitta has been stealing gold from the treasury.\"\n\n\"How did she know?\" Sano said, shocked by this accusation of embezzlement, which constituted treason.\n\nFujio shrugged. \"She didn't say. But I think she blackmailed Nitta, and he killed her to keep her quiet.\"\n\nBlackmail was a new motive for the murder, and Sano knew he must check into it, though he wouldn't put it past Fujio to have improvised the story on the spot." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Sano dreaded confronting Nitta, and the upheaval that an investigation of treasury affairs would cause in the bakufu." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Still, this development offered a possible explanation for the missing pillow book.\n\n\"I also think Wisteria wrote about Nitta's embezzlement in that book she always carried around with her—the one everybody says is missing,\" Fujio said, echoing Sano's thoughts. \"Nitta probably destroyed the book so that his crime wouldn't come to light after she was dead.\"\n\nNow Sano needed more than ever to find the book. \"That's an interesting story,\" he said. \"How does Lord Mitsuyoshi fit into it?\"\n\n\"He was in Wisteria's bedchamber, and probably drunk by that hour. When Nitta got there, he thought Mitsuyoshi was asleep, and he killed Wisteria. But then he discovered that Mitsuyoshi was awake and had seen the whole thing. Wisteria was a peasant, and Nitta could have gotten away with her murder, but he was afraid that if the bakufu found out what he'd done, his stealing would be discovered. So he killed Mitsuyoshi to get rid of the witness.\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Fujio nodded, certain of his reasoning.\n\n\"How would he have gotten rid of Wisteria's body?\" Sano said.\n\n\"Oh, well, he probably ordered people to help him and keep silent afterward,\" Fujio replied.\n\nThe story was plausible, though based on dubious assumptions. Willing to play along for now, Sano said, \"How do you explain the hairpin that was used to stab Lord Mitsuyoshi? Why should Nitta choose it instead of his sword? Or would you like to change your story and blame the murder on Wisteria's yarite because the hairpin belonged to her?\"\n\n\"No, no, no.\" Fujio waggled his hands. \"Momoko didn't do it. Even though she's a mean old hag, according to what I hear. Do you want to know what she does when she shaves courtesans?\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "Yoshiwara custom dictated that all prostitutes must shave their pudenda." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"She yanks out hairs one by one, from the most sensitive spots.\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "He winced; so did Sano.\n\n\"And if the courtesans complain, Momoko adds false charges to their account, to keep them in the brothels longer. In my opinion, she's more likely to be murdered herself than kill anybody,\" Fujio said. \"She must have dropped the hairpin in Wisteria's room. Nitta used it on Lord Mitsuyoshi to direct blame from himself onto someone else.\" The hokan gave Sano a significant look. \"As he tried to do with me.\"\n\n\"And you're returning the favor,\" Sano said, as frustration welled in him. That both Fujio and the treasury minister were anxious to protect themselves discredited their statements against each other." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Mischief gleamed in Fujio's eyes." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"A bad deed deserves payment in kind, I always say.\" Edging away from Sano, he said, \"Are you going to arrest me, or may I go? There's a roomful of customers who'll be furious at me if I don't play for them.\"\n\n\"You can go,\" Sano said, \"for now.\"\n\nWatching Fujio hurry off, Sano wondered if he'd been handed the solution to the case, or conned by the hokan. He had difficulty imagining Fujio as a killer; yet charm could mask deceit and murderous rage, and Sano decided to assign detectives to watch Fujio. Sano's frustration increased as he acknowledged that tonight's inquiries had, instead of bringing him closer to success, created more work for him. He must now hunt for witnesses to confirm or contradict Fujio's story as well as Nitta's, and the web of personal relationships associated with the crime had grown more complex." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Dusk was falling upon the quarter; the western sky glowed copper." }, { "from": "system", "value": "Next message should be approximately 4 sentences." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "As Sano walked up a road of brothels toward Ageyach, the lanterns seemed brighter, the crowds louder, and the music gayer in the gathering darkness. He saw Yoriki Yamaga and a group of other police officials, presumably hunting the same facts he needed. He thought of Reiko, who'd gone out this morning in search of clues to the whereabouts of Lady Wisteria. He hoped that Wisteria was still alive, because she might be the only person who could tell him what had really happened in that bedchamber." } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "Task: Story collab\nMe: Opening\nYou: 6 sentences more, Laura Joh Rowland-style" }, { "from": "human", "value": "Inside the courtyard of Sano's estate, bearers set down a palanquin, and Reiko alighted in the chilly dusk." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Midori burst out the door of the mansion and ran toward Reiko, sobbing." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"What's wrong?\" Reiko said, embracing her friend.\n\n\"Oh, Reiko-san, it was awful!\" Midori poured out the tale of her miai, and Reiko exclaimed in dismay at how Lord Niu had insulted Hirata's father and the two men had fought. \"They're enemies now,\" Midori mourned. \"They'll never allow my marriage to Hirata-san.\"\n\nAlthough Reiko feared this was true, she said, \"Don't give up hope yet. I'll ask my husband to speak to your families and help make peace between them.\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"Oh, thank you!\" Smiling, Midori wiped her nose on her sleeve and hugged Reiko." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Then more tears flowed." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"I spent the afternoon at my father's estate. He kept raving about how Hirata-san's family is trying to destroy him and he must fight back. Then he locked himself in his chamber. I didn't have a chance to beg him to make amends to Hirata's father or reconsider the match.\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "A sob choked Midori. \"And I haven't seen Hirata-san since he left the theater. No one here knows where he is. Why doesn't he come to me? I'm afraid he doesn't love me anymore.\"\n\n\"Of course he does,\" Reiko said soothingly. \"Hirata-san is faithful. He'll understand that your father's behavior wasn't your fault. He's probably just busy working. Now cheer up—you don't want him to come in and see you like this.\"\n\nMidori bit her quivering lips and breathed deeply in a visible attempt to pull herself together. \"Please forgive me for imposing my troubles on you, when you've just gotten home. Were you out investigating the murder of Lord Mitsuyoshi?\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "Nodding, Reiko felt the despair in her own heart." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"And you've discovered lots of clues?\" Midori said with flattering confidence in Reiko's ability.\n\n\"I wish it were so.\" Reiko sighed. \"I've spent the whole day visiting my cousins and aunts and friends, talking to servants and shopkeepers. Everyone is so afraid to speak ill of the shogun's dead heir that no one will talk about Lord Mitsuyoshi. And as for Lady Wisteria, everyone was full of gossip about the clothes she wears and the lavish parties she gives. Everyone has a theory of how she got out of Yoshiwara—she turned into a bird and flew away, she drank a magic potion that made her small and she sneaked under the gate. But no one has any real idea where she went.\"\n\n\"Oh, Reiko-san, that's too bad,\" Midori said.\n\nReiko dreaded admitting her failure to Sano." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Cold, tired, and hungry, she couldn't bear to think about what that failure meant. \"Let's go inside where it's warm,\" she said. \"Have you eaten yet? We can have a meal together while you wait for Hirata-san.\"\n\nMidori looked tempted, then shook her head regretfully. \"I'd better go. Lady Keisho-in will be looking for me.\"\n\nThey parted, and Reiko entered the house." }, { "from": "human", "value": "There, Masahiro toddled down the corridor, calling, \"Mama, Mama! Come see what I made.\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "He grabbed her hand and tugged." }, { "from": "human", "value": "One of his nursemaids, a girl named O-hana, trailed after him." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"The young master has been working hard today,\" O-hana said. She was nineteen and pretty, with a glint of cleverness in her eyes and a pert smile shaped like an inverted triangle. Though she wore the customary indigo kimono of a servant, she always added a personal, stylish touch. Today it was a paper butterfly perched on her upswept hair.\n\n\"Let's go see what you've done, Masahiro-chan,\" said Reiko.\n\nThe three went to the nursery." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "On the floor stood colored building blocks arranged in the rudimentary shape of a house.\n\n\"That's wonderful!\" Reiko exclaimed, as her pleasure in her son eased the disappointment of the day.\n\n\"Now the young master is the little lord of his own castle,\" O-hana said fondly.\n\nMasahiro laughed and jumped up and down. Reiko wished she had as much accomplishment to boast. She was so afraid she would let Sano down and prove herself unworthy of his trust." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"Excuse me, mistress,\" said the housekeeper, entering the nursery, \"but you have visitors.\"\n\n\"Who are they?\" Reiko said, surprised because she wasn't expecting anyone.\n\n\"Lady Yanagisawa and her daughter, Kikuko.\"\n\n\"Merciful gods.\"\n\nReiko hadn't thought the chamberlain's wife would call on her this soon. Now she jumped up in a flurry of agitation, for she'd never received such an important guest." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "She smoothed her hair and clothes as she hurried to the parlor, where she found Lady Yanagisawa and Kikuko kneeling side by side.\n\n\"Good evening.\" Reiko knelt opposite them and bowed.\n\nLady Yanagisawa echoed the greeting. She wore drab, brownish mauve, and her plain face was as dour as before. \"My apologies for arriving without notice,\" she murmured. \"I hope I am not inconveniencing you?\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"No, not at all,\" Reiko said nervously. \"I'm glad you came. Hello, Kikuko-chan. My, how pretty you look.\"\n\nThe little girl giggled and hid her face behind the sleeve of her aquamarine kimono.\n\n\"Say, 'You are too kind, Honorable Lady—I am not worthy of your praise,' \" Lady Yanagisawa gently instructed her daughter.\n\nKikuko obeyed, stumbling over the words. When Reiko provided refreshments, the girl slurped the tea and spilled some on her kimono." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "She gobbled the cakes and got sugary crumbs all over her face and the floor. Lady Yanagisawa wiped Kikuko's face with a napkin, picked up crumbs, and gave Reiko a look of embarrassed apology.\n\n\"This winter is particularly harsh,\" Reiko said, seeking to initiate a conversation and put her guest at ease.\n\n\"... Yes.\"\n\nLady Yanagisawa cupped her tea bowl in her hands; her gaze flitted around the room, taking in the wall mural, the alcove where a scroll of calligraphy hung above a celadon vase of dried flowers, and the shelves that held figurines. Reiko wondered if she didn't realize she was supposed to say something to keep the talk going, she couldn't think what to say, or she expected other people to carry the burden of conversation." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"Having to stay indoors in cold weather makes me restless,\" said Reiko. \"How do you pass the time?\"\n\n\"I read poetry. I sew clothes for Kikuko. I try to teach her a little reading and writing. We play together.\" Long pauses separated Lady Yanagisawa's sentences. \"Sometimes we go out to a temple.\"\n\n\"How nice.\" Reiko thought Lady Yanagisawa's life sounded circumscribed, dull, and lonely." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Perhaps she didn't want to expose Kikuko to people who might mock her." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Lady Yanagisawa glanced at Reiko, then away, then back again, repeatedly, scrutinizing her hair, figure, clothes, and face." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Although Reiko could detect no malice in Lady Yanagisawa's narrow eyes, she grew uneasy.\n\n\"Does your husband share your interest in poetry?\" Reiko said.\n\n\"My husband is very busy.\"\n\nThis reply told Reiko that the chamberlain, like many a man, paid his wife little attention, but Lady Yanagisawa gave no hint of whether she minded. Reiko began to feel as though the other woman's gaze were taking small bites out of her, and at a loss for how to entertain Lady Yanagisawa. Then Reiko noticed Kikuko fidgeting restlessly with her hair ornaments." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"Maybe Kikuko-chan would like to play with my son,\" Reiko said." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"Shall we take her to the nursery?\"\n\n\"That would be fine.\" Lady Yanagisawa spoke in a tone of indifference, but rose and held out her hand. \"Come, Kikuko-chan.\"\n\nThe way to the nursery took them past Sano's office, Reiko's study, and the bedchamber. Lady Yanagisawa paused at each doorway to peer inside, her face expressionless, her gaze unblinking. Kikuko imitated her mother's pose, and Reiko's uneasiness burgeoned." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Their behavior seemed intrusive, but Reiko dared not object. With considerable relief she ushered Lady Yanagisawa and Kikuko into the nursery. There, Masahiro had dismantled his block house and begun building another while O-hana watched.\n\n\"Masahiro-chan,\" Reiko said, \"look who's here.\"\n\nHe saw Kikuko and gave a happy chortle. The girl smiled. Letting go of her mother's hand, she hurried over to kneel beside Masahiro and his blocks." }, { "from": "human", "value": "O-hana bowed to Lady Yanagisawa, who studied the maid for a moment, then ignored her." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"Me do,\" Kikuko said, piling blocks in an untidy heap." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"No,\" Masahiro said. \"Here. Like this.\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "He showed her how to build a wall, and they began working together." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Kikuko, docile and clumsy, chewed on a block." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Lady Yanagisawa impassively observed the game without a change of expression, but Reiko feared that the glaring contrast between their children would upset her guest.\n\n\"Masahiro-chan, how about showing Kikuko-chan some of your other toys,\" Reiko said.\n\nThe little boy went to a cabinet and took out wooden animals and soldiers. Kikuko examined each with lively curiosity. Lady Yanagisawa knelt, apparently content to watch the children, and Reiko relaxed, spared the onus of making conversation and glad not to be the focus of her guest's attention. Soon the children began tumbling and wrestling." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Now Kikuko's greater age and strength showed to advantage. She picked up Masahiro and spun around with him until he whooped in joyous excitement, while a slight smile leavened Lady Yanagisawa's stern aspect.\n\nA pleasant hour passed in this manner. Then Lady Yanagisawa said, \"I am afraid we've outstayed our welcome. Kikuko-chan, it's time to go home.\"\n\nThe little girl obediently rose from the floor, where she and Masahiro were turning somersaults. \"Good-bye,\" she said to Masahiro." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Reiko escorted her guests to the entryway." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Lady Yanagisawa donned her sandals and cloak and helped Kikuko put on hers. \"Many thanks for your hospitality,\" Lady Yanagisawa said, bowing.\n\n\"Your presence did me an honor.\" Reiko also bowed, thinking that Lady Yanagisawa seemed as aloof and unfathomable as when they'd first met.\n\n\"Perhaps you will bring your son to see Kikuko-chan and me someday,\" Lady Yanagisawa said.\n\n\"Yes. I will.\" Though Reiko still had doubts about the prudence of associating with the chamberlain's wife, courtesy required her agreement." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"The days are often long and melancholy when one is alone, and your company is most cheering... I must thank you for your friendship.\"\n\nThe pauses in Lady Yanagisawa's speech lengthened the farewell ritual. Reiko, suddenly overwhelmed by fatigue, wished to be alone, but waited politely.\n\nThen Lady Yanagisawa said, \"This business of Lord Mitsuyoshi's death... Please excuse my candor when I say that I know you collaborate with your husband on his inquiries into such matters, and I know the peril that now threatens you both.\" Face averted from Reiko, she hushed her voice. \"I shall do whatever I can to assist you in your endeavors.\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"Your generosity is much appreciated.\"" }, { "from": "system", "value": "Next message should be approximately 3 sentences." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Reiko hid her surprise: Nothing had prepared her to expect that the chamberlain's wife would offer help in the investigation. \"A thousand thanks.\"\n\nAs Reiko stood in the doorway and watched her guests climb into their palanquin, she wondered if a woman like Lady Yanagisawa, isolated in her home, with few friends and no talent for talking to people, could possibly provide any worthwhile information. Reiko sighed and returned to the nursery, where she sat watching Masahiro play and waited for Sano to come home." } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "Mode: Collab writing\nAmount: two sentences\nVoice: Laura Joh Rowland" }, { "from": "system", "value": "Produce a starting prompt please." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Music and laughter drifted across the dark countryside from Yoshiwara, while latecomers queued at the gate. Through the streets of the pleasure quarter marched a long procession." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Lantern-bearers led a shy young girl dressed in elaborate kimono, female attendants, and a horde of spectators eager to see the young courtesan make her debut." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "More spectators craned their necks from balconies as she stopped at teahouses to solicit business. But Hirata paid scant attention." }, { "from": "human", "value": "He walked alone down Nakanoch, his mind preoccupied." }, { "from": "human", "value": "After the miai, he'd escorted his parents to their home in the hatamoto district north of Edo Castle." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "He'd tried to talk to them about what had happened at the theater and persuade them to allow his marriage to Midori in spite of it; but they had proved intractable.\n\n\"Lord Niu is a vile monster,\" his father had said." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"Never mention him or anyone connected with him to me again.\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Hirata's mother had bowed her head in assent.\n\n\"You've wasted far too much time on your foolish romance,\" Hirata's father said." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"Go back to your work and forget that girl.\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "The impossibility of their marriage had only shown Hirata how much he loved Midori. But although he longed to see her and hated to leave matters as they stood, he decided to resume the murder investigation." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "He felt he'd already shirked his duties today, and he mustn't let Sano down.\n\nBut when Hirata had gone to Edo Castle, he'd been unable to find Sano or any of the detectives assigned to the case." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "He didn't know what they'd learned during his absence, or what he should do. Feeling left out and guilty, Hirata had come to Yoshiwara in the hope of catching up with the investigation." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Yoshiwara was a gathering place for people from all around Edo as well as points distant, and thus a lode of news that Hirata had often mined for tips about crimes and criminals during his career as a doshin." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Now he strolled along Nakanoch, seeking acquaintances who'd been helpful in the past." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Loud drumming throbbed from a teahouse. Hirata peered under the doorway curtain and saw a group of men seated in a circle, clapping in time to the drummer's beats." }, { "from": "human", "value": "In the center of the circle, three young women dressed alike in red kimono minced, whirled, and gestured in a flirtatious dance." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Their tense smiles and awkward movements told Hirata that they weren't courtesans. They were odoriko—girls from peasant families who scrimped and borrowed to buy dance and music lessons for their daughters, then put them on display." }, { "from": "human", "value": "The object was to attract rich men who would marry the girls or hire them as household entertainers." }, { "from": "human", "value": "At the edge of the audience Hirata saw an older woman he recognized, a gossip who had her nose in all the business of Yoshiwara." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "He entered the teahouse and knelt beside her. \"Hello, Nobuko-san,\" he said." }, { "from": "human", "value": "She turned a homely, pleasant face to him." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"How nice to see you again,\" she said with a bucktoothed smile.\n\n\"What brings you here?\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "Hirata gestured toward the dancing girls." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"More daughters to marry off?\"\n\n\"Yes, indeed,\" Nobuko said with a gloomy sigh." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"Why was I cursed with five girls? If they don't marry soon, we'll all starve.\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "She ventured hopefully, \"Do you need a wife?\"\n\n\"No, thank you. But I do need your help.\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "Hirata explained that he was investigating the murder of Lord Mitsuyoshi." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"What have you heard?\"\n\nThough usually glad to share gossip, Nobuko hesitated." }, { "from": "human", "value": "She held up her fan to shield her mouth, and whispered in Hirata's ear: \"They say that Lord Mitsuyoshi owed money all over Yoshiwara because his family cut off his spending allowance. But nobody could refuse to serve him, or force him to pay.\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Because he was a Tokugawa clan member and the shogun's heir, thought Hirata. Had an angry proprietor killed Mitsuyoshi to punish him and stop his freeloading?" }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"Who in particular had a grudge against him?\" Hirata asked." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Nobuko turned away and fixed her gaze on her dancing daughters. \"I've already said too much.\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "Clearly, she didn't want to incriminate the owners of the establishments where her daughters performed." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "And although Hirata welcomed a new clue, his heart sank because pursuing this one would take him into dangerous territory. The shogun had forbidden Sano to investigate Lord Mitsuyoshi, and hunting the dead man's enemies would constitute disobedience." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Regretting the shogun's orders, Hirata thanked Nobuko and left the teahouse." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Through the crowds ambled a man clutching a bucket filled with jars and cloth soap bags in one hand, and a wooden staff in the other. A bell hanging from the top of the staff tinkled as he stepped." }, { "from": "human", "value": "His head was bald, his gaze sightless." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"Yoshi-san,\" Hirata called. \"Isn't it a little late for washing hair? All the courtesans must be dressed by now.\"\n\nThe blind shampoo man paused, and recognition illuminated his face." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"Ah, it's you, Hirata-san. I was just heading home. Is there something I can do for you?\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Hirata knew that Yoshi was privy to many secrets because he worked inside the brothels. The courtesans seemed to think blindness equaled deafness and talked in front of him." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "When Hirata asked him for news associated with the murder, the blind man replied with the same caution as had Nobuko.\n\n\"A certain young dandy made himself unpopular among my customers,\" he said, avoiding the use of Mitsuyoshi's name and protecting himself from accusations of treasonous slander." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"He would promise to free a courtesan and take her home as his wife if she satisfied him. She would do her best, but when he tired of her, he would drop her.\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Hirata wondered whether Mitsuyoshi had tricked Lady Wisteria. Had she killed him in revenge for his faithlessness?" }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"I know tayu who must now spend years longer in Yoshiwara because they refused other clients to serve him,\" Yoshi said." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"Give me their names,\" Hirata said, and pressed coins into the blind shampoo man's hand.\n\n\"Thank you, master. They are Lady Columbine, Lady Takao, and Lady Kacho.\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"Not Lady Wisteria?\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"I don't know, master.\"\n\nYoshi trudged off, his bell tinkling." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Hirata bought rice dumplings from a street vendor and leaned against a wall, eating as he watched drunks flirt with courtesans seated in the window cages, and reviewed what he'd just accomplished." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "He'd identified three more suspects and could probably find others by canvassing the quarter; yet the shogun's prohibition seemed like a stone wall protecting the murderer. Hirata must find a different path to the truth." }, { "from": "human", "value": "A stout man dressed in a thick padded cloak and wicker hat rushed by." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Fast on his heels followed a younger, smaller man with a wiry frame and pugnacious expression." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"Get lost, you scum!\" the first man shouted over his shoulder." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"There's only one way to get me off your tail,\" the second man shouted back." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Hirata recognized the pursuer as a \"following horse\"—a debt collector hired to hunt down people who owed money in Yoshiwara and chase them day and night until they paid. And he recognized this one as his old friend Gorobei." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "The following horse grabbed hold of the debtor, who turned and began throwing punches. While they scuffled, pedestrians gathered round, egging them on." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Hirata, anxious to prevent a brawl, wrenched the combatants apart." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "The debtor escaped into the crowd, and Gorobei faced Hirata.\n\n\"You let him get away!\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "he said, his jaw jutting in rage." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"I've just lost my commission.\" Then, as he recognized Hirata, dismay came over his face." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"Oh. It's you. What do you want with me? I've done nothing wrong.\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"Maybe not this time.\" Hirata had once arrested Gorobei for his sideline occupation—selling stolen goods." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Gorobei made a habit of carrying small items on his person, in case he happened to meet a customer, and Hirata noticed an unnatural bulge at Gorobei's waist, under his coat." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"What have you got in there?\" Hirata said.\n\nGorobei leapt away from Hirata's reaching hand." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"Nothing. I'm just getting fat in my old age.\"\n\n\"Give it over.\" Hirata yanked on Gorobei's coat, and out dropped a gold Buddha statue." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"Ha! Either you've just given birth to the Buddha, or you're up to your old tricks.\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"I bought and paid for that with my own hard-earned money,\" the following horse exclaimed, picking up the Buddha and dusting it on his sleeve." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"A likely story. You're under arrest.\"\n\nPanic gleamed in Gorobei's eyes." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"Can't you give me a break this time?\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Hirata wasn't really interested in small-time theft, or in arresting Gorobei. The following horse collected something else besides debts: information that he picked up around town." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"That depends on you,\" Hirata said.\n\nGorobei's expression turned cunning." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"I can give you something you need more than my pitiful self.\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"Oh?\"\n\n\"Your master wants to find the person who killed the shogun's heir, doesn't he?\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"So what if he does?\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Hirata feigned indifference, but his heartbeat quickened.\n\nGorobei thrust out his jaw and looked wise." }, { "from": "human", "value": "He spoke in a low voice so passersby wouldn't hear: \"Maybe I can tell you something about that.\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"Then tell,\" Hirata said, \"before I haul you off to jail.\"\n\nHolding out his palm, Gorobei said, \"A man's got to live.\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "The nerve of him, expecting payment in addition to his freedom! \"Well, I've got the law to uphold,\" Hirata said, resting his hand on the hilt of his sword. \"Come along.\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"Wait! What I have is so good, you should be glad to pay what it's worth.\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Gorobei added slyly, \"If you don't, I bet Police Commissioner Hoshina will.\"\n\nHirata puffed out his breath." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Clearly, Gorobei knew about the rivalry between Sano and Hoshina." }, { "from": "human", "value": "If Hirata didn't pay, Hoshina would jump to buy information that might help him solve the case before Sano did." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Hirata couldn't let that happen. Nor did he want to leave Yoshiwara empty-handed." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"All right,\" he said grudgingly." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "They went into an alley behind a cookhouse where men labored over steaming pots, preparing food for brothels. Smoke that smelled of garlic and roasting fish drifted through the alley." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Hirata and Gorobei haggled over the price." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "The following horse insisted Hirata pay cash in advance. Hirata reluctantly agreed; coins changed hands." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"This had better be good,\" he said.\n\nGorobei rummaged inside his coat and removed a wad of papers, which he handed to Hirata." }, { "from": "human", "value": "In the dim light from the cookhouse doors, Hirata examined the papers." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "They consisted of small pages of fine white rice paper, covered with black characters and folded in half. When Hirata unfolded them, he saw that their edges were ragged, as though they'd been torn out of a binding." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Oily stains blotched the outer sheet." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"A beggar I know found it the morning after the murder,\" Gorobei said, \"while he was scavenging food out of the garbage containers behind the Owariya.\"\n\nHirata read the beginning of the top page:" }, { "from": "system", "value": "Next message should be approximately 3 sentences." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Life in Yoshiwara can be such a bore. Even though I am Lady Wisteria, the favorite of the quarter, I see the same people and do the same old things time after time. But last night, something interesting happened." } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "Continue with the same vibes as Laura Joh Rowland" }, { "from": "system", "value": "Produce a starting prompt please." } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "i'll kick things off by writing a bit, then you'll take over and write the next eight sentences in the distinctive voice of Laura Joh Rowland." }, { "from": "system", "value": "Produce a starting prompt please." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "The Pillow Book of Lady Wisteria\n\nLife in Yoshiwara can be such a bore. Even though I am Lady Wisteria, the favorite of the quarter, I see the same people and do the same old things time after time. But last night, something interesting happened.\n\nI was at a party, playing cards with the guests, and I was tired and wishing I could just go to bed, when I felt someone watching me. I looked up and saw a man standing in the doorway. He was so handsome that my heart began beating fast and hard. I stared at him." }, { "from": "human", "value": "He stared back, with a little smile on his face." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "I turned away because I was ashamed that this stranger had seen my feelings. But I can tell when a man wants me, and I knew he did. While I dealt cards, I waited for him to approach me.\n\n\"Who is that man in the doorway?\" I whispered to one of the other courtesans.\n\n\"What man?\" she said.\n\nWhen I looked up again, he was gone.\n\nI have seen him often since that night." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Three days ago he was standing on a balcony, watching me promenade to the ageya." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Two days ago he came to another party where I was entertaining." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Yesterday, while I was dressing in my room, I looked out the window and saw him pacing the street in front of the house." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "But he always vanishes as soon as he knows I've seen him! He never speaks to me. No one seems to know who he is, and I've asked everyone. What does his strange behavior mean? I fear him, but not as much as I want to know him. I, who have known so many men and never cared about any of them!\n\nToday I was shopping with my yarite in the marketplace, when I sensed him near me. Instead of looking at him, I turned and hurried away through the stalls." }, { "from": "human", "value": "I heard him following, but I didn't look back." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "I didn't stop until I reached the alley inside the back wall. I turned around. There he stood, so handsome and strong, his smile so mysterious.\n\n\"Who are you?\" I said, frightened and out of breath. \"Why are you doing this?\"\n\n\"I am the Herd Boy,\" he said in a strange accent. \"You are the Weaver Girl. Today we finally meet on the River of Heaven.\"\n\nHe was referring to the legend about two constellations that are supposed to be lovers. They cross once a year in autumn." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Well, I've heard a lot of poetic speeches from men, including that one." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Usually I just laugh inside because they sound so silly." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "But there was something about him that made my legs go weak and my heart pound. We stood there gazing into each other's eyes. Then I heard my yarite calling me.\n\n\"I must go,\" I said.\n\nHe nodded and bowed, and I left.\n\nBut we had already fallen in love.\n\nHe's from Hokkaido, in the far north, and that's why his accent is strange. I won't write his name, because someone might read this, and I would rather keep him as much to myself as I can." }, { "from": "human", "value": "I don't want every nosy gossip in Yoshiwara chattering about us." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Since that day in the alley, we've been meeting often, always in secret, because he has no money for appointments with me. I sneak out of parties to the alley where he waits. When my clients fall asleep, I steal downstairs and let him in the back door. We make love behind the screen in my room, careful to be quiet so we won't wake up my client.\n\nYesterday, after we'd finished and were lying together in the moonlight, he whispered: \"When winter comes to Hokkaido, the snow piles up in deep drifts that almost bury the houses.\"\n\nHe ran his hand along my hip. \"Your body is as white and pure and beautiful as those snowdrifts. I wish I could show them to you. How would you like to see Hokkaido?\"\n\nMy heart filled with joy, because I knew he was asking me to go away with him." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"In Hokkaido you'll be my wife,\" he said." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"You'll never come back to this place of shame and suffering.\"\n\n\"But you can't afford to buy my freedom,\" I said. \"And there's no escape from Yoshiwara.\"\n\n\"Love will find a way,\" he said, and he smiled.\n\nTonight is the night. All our plans are made. I will put the sleeping potion in Lord Mitsuyoshi's wine. After he's asleep, I will steal outside to my beloved." }, { "from": "human", "value": "We will flee Yoshiwara forever." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "I know this is a dangerous undertaking. But he's clever. He has friends to help us. There's a man who owns a teahouse in Suruga. He'll let us stay there until I can buy new clothes and my beloved gets money and provisions for the journey. If the teahouse turns out to be unsafe, there's a noodle shop in Fukagawa that will take us in. But we won't stay around Edo for long. Soon we'll be on the northern highway, bound for the snows of Hokkaido.\n\nI tremble with excitement." }, { "from": "human", "value": "How can I bear to wait the long hours until night, when my beloved will come for me?" }, { "from": "system", "value": "Next message should be approximately 1 sentence." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Ah, freedom!" } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "Mode:\nCo-writing\n\nLength:\nsix sentences\n\nStyle:\nLaura Joh Rowland" }, { "from": "system", "value": "Produce a starting prompt please." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "The excerpt from the pillow book lay in Sano's office, on the desk where Sano, Reiko, and Hirata had placed it after reading Lady Wisteria's story. They sat in silence, looking expectantly at each other.\n\n\"This could be the key to finding Lady Wisteria and solving the case,\" Sano said as his hope vied with caution.\n\n\"Just when we need it most,\" Hirata said.\n\nSano had come home from Yoshiwara late that evening to find Reiko waiting for him. Hirata had arrived moments later, and they'd discussed the other results of their inquiries, which had reached a dead end." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Sano had questioned the owner and employees of the Owariya, and they'd confirmed Fujio's story that he'd left the party for only an instant—not long enough to go upstairs, stab Lord Mitsuyoshi, and abduct Wisteria." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Detective Fukida had turned up witnesses who'd seen Treasury Minister Nitta on the street in Yoshiwara, but none besides Fujio who could place Nitta near the Owariya after he'd left the party. Detective Marume had learned that Nitta was patron to many courtesans besides Wisteria. Sano had searched Fujio's home in Imado and found nothing. He and Hirata had reluctantly agreed that they couldn't pursue the leads on Lord Mitsuyoshi's enemies without angering the shogun. And since Reiko's efforts had failed to produce clues, the discovery of the pillow book was a welcome development.\n\n\"It seems almost too good to be true,\" Reiko said, voicing the thought on everyone's mind." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"And we've encountered false clues in the past.\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"I did think it was too coincidental that I ran into Gorobei and he happened to have the pages,\" Hirata said." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"But after I bought them, I showed them to people at Wisteria's brothel. They thought the pages resembled what they'd seen in her book, but she was careful to keep anyone from getting a close look at it. Besides, most of the courtesans there can't read. Nor can any of the servants. They wouldn't recognize the text. But there's no reason to believe the pages aren't from Wisteria's book.\"\n\nHe spoke as if trying to convince himself in spite of the lack of proof, and Sano guessed why Hirata wanted so much for his clue to be genuine. They'd not yet talked about the miai, but Hirata's careworn face told Sano that the marriage negotiations had gone wrong. Hirata must be anxious to make up for taking time off from his duties, and to succeed at his work even in the midst of a personal crisis.\n\nReiko held a page closer to the lantern, examining it carefully. \"The language is simple. The calligraphy is crude. And look at all the crossedout mistakes. This is what one would expect of a peasant woman who'd learned a little reading and writing but had no formal education.\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "Sano heard uncertainty in her voice." }, { "from": "human", "value": "In the past Reiko had been quick to make up her own mind, and he realized how much self-doubt the Black Lotus case had instilled her." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "During that investigation he'd battled her convictions and wanted her to yield to his; yet he now regretted that she was deferring to his judgment at a time when he needed an independent opinion. Sano wished he could be sure of the pillow book's authenticity, for he had his own doubts about it.\n\n\"Would you please read a page aloud?\" he said to Reiko.\n\nShe complied. Sano listened, frowning because what he'd noticed while reading the words grew more apparent upon hearing them. They didn't sound like Wisteria, though he couldn't define exactly why not." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Reiko ceased reading. \"What is it?\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "she said, looking curiously at Sano." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "What he'd omitted telling Reiko about the case now enmeshed him in a thickening tangle of deceit. He couldn't voice his concerns about the pillow book without admitting he'd known Wisteria. If he did admit he'd known the courtesan, Reiko would ask why he hadn't said so before. And if she learned the reason now, his evasiveness would hurt her more than honesty would have at the start.\n\n\"It's too bad the pages came without the cover,\" he said. \"That would have been easily recognized by people who'd seen Lady Wisteria's pillow book.\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "Reiko wore a quizzical expression that told him she knew he hadn't said what he was really thinking and wondered why." }, { "from": "human", "value": "But she didn't ask." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Sano saw Hirata watching him. Hirata had known about Sano's relationship with Wisteria since Sano had told him on the way home from Yoshiwara that first day, and Sano was glad he could trust Hirata to keep the secret, even from Reiko.\n\n\"I searched for the cover,\" Hirata said, \"but the garbage had been taken away and burned, and the alley swept clean. If the cover was ever there, it's gone now.\"\n\n\"That brings us to the question of why the pages were in the alley,\" Sano said.\n\n\"Wisteria could have thrown them away,\" said Hirata. \"Maybe she didn't need to write anymore because she was starting a new life. But she didn't want anyone to read her private thoughts, so she tore up the book, then put the pages in the garbage as she and her lover were leaving the Owariya.\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"But she was a runaway courtesan,\" Reiko said, \"and she would know her master would look for her.\" Brothel proprietors hired searchers to track down fugitives, and added the cost of the search to the debt of women who got caught. \"Why would she leave clues to where she planned to go? Why not take the book with her, or burn it?\"\n\n\"Maybe she wasn't smart enough to think of that,\" Hirata said.\n\n\"The book could be a fake, with misleading details about her lover and her plans, that she put in the alley, to thwart anyone looking for her,\" Reiko said.\n\nHirata defended his find: \"Maybe she just didn't think anyone would care enough about getting her back that they would bother looking for her pillow book.\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"Probably no one would have cared that much, if Wisteria hadn't left Lord Mitsuyoshi dead in her room.\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Sano followed this line of reasoning to a thought that disturbed him. \"What if she didn't know he'd died? That would explain why she carelessly tossed away the pages—if indeed she did. Maybe she'd already left Yoshiwara by the time Mitsuyoshi was stabbed. Certainly, there's nothing in the pillow book to indicate that she witnessed the murder.\"\n\nReiko and Hirata's somber silence acknowledged the possibility that he was right.\n\nSano picked up the pages, then set them down. \"In that case, these would do us no good, even if they're for real, because finding Wisteria won't help us identify the killer.\"\n\nThe house was so quiet that they could hear the coals in the braziers crumbling into ash." }, { "from": "human", "value": "The lantern's flame flickered as the oil burned low." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Yet Sano needed to keep hope alive.\n\n\"Still, I believe Lady Wisteria was in some way involved with the murder and does have knowledge that's critical to our investigation,\" he said. \"The pillow book could be a genuine clue to her whereabouts. We'll treat it as such, while we try to verify whether it is or isn't.\n\n\"Hirata-san, tomorrow I want you to check out the Suruga teahouses and the noodle shops of Fukagawa. Also, send out a notice to the neighborhood headmen throughout Edo, ordering them to report any men from Hokkaido seen in their areas. I'll send search parties out on the northern highway to look for a traveling couple, in case Wisteria and her lover have already left town.\"\n\n\"Shall I find out if any of the women I know have heard anything about Wisteria's secret lover from Hokkaido?\" Reiko said. She looked chastened by her failure to learn anything today, and eager for a second chance." } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "im ur writing buddy. i set scene, u do eight sentences like Laura Joh Rowland" }, { "from": "system", "value": "Produce a starting prompt please." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Chamberlain Yanagisawa's estate was isolated in a separate compound in Edo Castle, high on the hill and near the palace. Around this fortress within a fortress, spikes protruded from the top of the stone wall to discourage trespassers, and the cold, clear night vibrated with the alertness of many guards at the gates, perched on the roofs of the buildings, and hidden in the grounds. The mansion they protected was a maze of interconnected wings, with soldiers' barracks surrounding principal retainers' quarters. At the center lay the private domain of the chamberlain.\n\nHere, Police Commissioner Hoshina stood at the threshold of the bedchamber. The doorway framed a view of Yanagisawa, who reclined on cushions inside, his elegant profile outlined by the lantern-light. With his silk kimono, trousers, and surcoat arranged in still, lustrous folds, he looked as perfectly composed as a painting. Deep in thought, he didn't appear aware that Hoshina had come." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Yet Hoshina knew Yanagisawa had heard the alarm given by the nightingale walk—the specially constructed floor that emitted loud chirps under approaching footsteps." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Yanagisawa knew whose arrival the alarm signaled, because Hoshina was the only person welcome in his bedchamber.\n\nBut their relations had been strained since the murder of Lord Mitsuyoshi, and Hoshina hesitated, wondering whether to interrupt Yanagisawa's reverie.\n\nThen Yanagisawa lifted a silver tobacco pipe to his lips. He exhaled smoke, and turned toward Hoshina. As their gazes met, Hoshina felt his heartbeat quicken and his senses come alive, as they always did when he was with Yanagisawa, even after two years together. But Yanagisawa wore an air of abstracted calm; he merely gestured for Hoshina to join him.\n\n\"I looked for you earlier,\" Hoshina said, entering the room and kneeling near Yanagisawa.\n\n\"I had business to attend to,\" Yanagisawa said." }, { "from": "human", "value": "That he didn't say where he'd been irked Hoshina." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Although Hoshina accepted that he was accountable to Yanagisawa while the chamberlain owed him no explanations, Hoshina often found his subordinate status difficult to bear. His passionate love for Yanagisawa only worsened the damage to his pride and the hurt caused him by Yanagisawa's cool greeting.\n\nNonetheless eager to please his master, Hoshina said, \"I spent the day investigating the murder, and I've turned up some interesting facts. Treasury Minister Nitta has implicated a hokan named Fujio. Unfortunately, Sano got to Fujio before I did. But what Sano doesn't know is that one of my spies—a maid at the Owariya—saw Fujio on the stairway just before the murder was discovered. She saved the information for me.\"\n\nThe chamberlain nodded as if he'd not really listened, his expression inscrutable. During their affair, Yanagisawa had been generous about sharing his money, his authority, and his bed with Hoshina; yet sometimes he became aloof and taciturn. Hoshina never knew when these moods would occur, or what caused them. He suspected that his lover adopted the moods to keep him at a distance, because a man so powerful yet so insecure as Yanagisawa didn't like anyone to get too close.\n\n\"Nor does Sano have the facts that my other spies have uncovered about Treasury Minister Nitta and Lady Wisteria's chaperone.\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "Hoshina heard himself speaking louder to bridge the distance between him and Yanagisawa." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"When Nitta left Yoshiwara the night of the murder, he didn't go straight home. He rode a short distance with his entourage, then returned alone to the quarter and bribed the guards to let him back in. The guards didn't tell Hirata when he interviewed them, because he only asked whether they'd let Nitta out, and they're in my pay. Nitta could have sneaked back inside the Owariya and stabbed Lord Mitsuyoshi.\"\n\nInstead of replying, Yanagisawa gazed into space, smoking his pipe. Hoshina wondered whether the mood indicated boredom with their affair. Was he about to become one of Yanagisawa's many cast-off paramours? Hoshina experienced a pang of dismay, because his career, as well as his happiness, depended on Yanagisawa.\n\n\"And Mitsuyoshi had been carrying on a flirtation with the yarite.\" Hoshina, aware that he'd begun nervously clenching and unclenching his muscles, stilled himself. \"It seems that he promised to take Momoko as his concubine. He liked to toy with people, but the old fool took him seriously, and when she found out he'd been joking, she was furious. So she did know him, and she had good reason to want him dead, which contradicts what she said earlier.\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"So you have incriminating evidence against all three suspects,\" Yanagisawa said. \"That makes one as likely a culprit as any other. Therefore, you're no closer to solving the case than you were yesterday.\"\n\nPraise from his lover always exhilarated Hoshina; criticism like this was torture. As he gazed at Yanagisawa, resentment tinged his desire, because their sexual bond gave Yanagisawa all the more power over him.\n\n\"Sooner or later, my evidence will accumulate and point to the killer,\" Hoshina defended himself. \"Don't you care?\"\n\n\"I care as much as the case deserves,\" Yanagisawa said.\n\n\"What's that supposed to mean?\" Hoshina demanded, stung by his lover's indifference." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "That they'd often exchanged private confidences seemed forgotten now; Yanagisawa was deliberately shutting Hoshina out. Hoshina rose, unable to sit still any longer. \"Are you saying that the murder of the shogun's heir doesn't matter to you? That you don't care whether the killer is caught? After I've been chasing clues and witnesses for the past two days?\"\n\nHe saw a warning gleam in Yanagisawa's eyes, but plunged recklessly ahead: \"Or don't you care whether it's Sano or I who solves the case?\"\n\nYanagisawa tilted his head, regarding Hoshina with detachment. \"Why are you so angry at me?\"\n\n\"I'm not angry.\" Turning away, Hoshina took a deep breath, swallowing his emotions. \"Just confused. I expected you to take my side in the meeting with Sano and the shogun. But you left me flapping in the wind like a flag on the back of a soldier who rides into battle thinking he's leading a charge, while his army sits on the sidelines. Why didn't you join my attack on Sano?\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "Whining like a petulant woman was no way to retain Yanagisawa's interest or respect; but Hoshina couldn't help himself." }, { "from": "human", "value": "He heard the rustle of silk as Yanagisawa came to stand behind him." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Their closeness increased his agitation.\n\n\"I'm sorry if you feel hurt because you think I deserted you,\" Yanagisawa said, \"but remember that I'm the one who leads the charges. If you dash off on your own, don't expect me to follow. That was the wrong time to expose your rivalry with Sano. My silence should have made that obvious to you. If you're disappointed by the results of your actions, that's what you deserve.\"\n\nThe rebuke struck fear into Hoshina, for he had much more to lose than Yanagisawa's affection. The chamberlain had ruined men unwise enough to cross him, and those banished, executed, or assassinated included former partners. Though their affair had begun with mutual expectations of true, eternal love, and Yanagisawa had at first seemed happier and more tolerant than before, Hoshina knew old habits died hard.\n\n\"I don't understand your objections,\" Hoshina said, facing Yanagisawa. \"I came to Edo to advance my career in the bakufu and prove myself capable of managing the police force.\" While he enjoyed his privileged status as Yanagisawa's lover, he needed to show he was worthy of his post and hadn't just seduced his way to a high rank." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"But Sano is a constant hindrance. How will I demonstrate what I can do, while he and his private army of detectives are always getting the important cases, winning the major victories, and reaping all the shogun's esteem? Don't you want me to succeed in the job you brought me to Edo to do?\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"I thought you came here to serve me as my chief retainer,\" Yanagisawa said, and disapproval shadowed his face.\n\nHoshina involuntarily retreated a step as he perceived how selfish his aims had sounded. \"Yes, of course I did. Serving you is my first wish.\" He hastened to appeal to Yanagisawa's interests: \"Don't you want Sano out of the way? Forgive me if you think I've gone against your wishes, but I'm only continuing what you started years ago. This may be the best opportunity to get rid of Sano forever.\"\n\n\"Now is not the time,\" Yanagisawa reiterated. \"Lord Mitsuyoshi's murder has created many opportunities besides the one you're so eager to seize. You are viewing the situation with too narrow a focus. You've not been in Edo long enough to see the larger picture, or appreciate serious concerns that extend beyond the present time.\" Impatience colored his voice. \"I'm not trying to cheat you of what you want—far from it. So believe me when I say that if my plans go as well as I expect, Sano will become a matter of insignificance to us both.\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"What plans?\" Hoshina was completely perplexed; yet he could appreciate the irony of his situation." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Night after night, they lay together, naked and vulnerable. Yanagisawa trusted Hoshina with his body—but not all his secrets. He considered knowledge the ultimate power, which he never yielded. Hoshina understood this, but Yanagisawa's distrust hurt him deeply.\n\n\"I went to see my son today,\" Yanagisawa said.\n\nThe abrupt change of subject disconcerted and baffled Hoshina. Frowning as he attempted to follow the twists and turns of his lover's devious mind, Hoshina said, \"Which one?\"\n\nHe knew the chamberlain had at least four sons, all born to different women other than his wife." }, { "from": "human", "value": "They lived with their mothers in estates outside Edo." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Hoshina had learned of their existence via gossip in the bakufu, not from Yanagisawa. He'd heard Yanagisawa periodically visited the children, though the chamberlain had never before mentioned that to Hoshina either.\n\n\"Yoritomo. The eldest. He's sixteen years old now,\" Yanagisawa said.\n\nThat boy was the child of a former palace lady-in-waiting, Hoshina recalled. The lady, a Tokugawa relative, had been a beauty with whom Yanagisawa had enjoyed a brief affair.\n\n\"Is something wrong? Is your son ill?\" Hoshina hoped that a mere family problem, and not dissatisfaction with their life together, had turned Yanagisawa cold toward him.\n\n\"Quite the contrary.\" A faint, proud smile touched Yanagisawa's mouth." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"Yoritomo is the image of myself when I was young. Not as clever or strong-willed, of course. He'll do very well indeed.\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Jealousy pierced Hoshina like a hot needle in his heart. He'd never cared much about the relationship between Yanagisawa and his sons; yet he hated for Yanagisawa to praise anyone after criticizing him.\n\n\"I'm glad you're pleased by your son,\" Hoshina said stiffly, \"but what has he got to do with the murder case? Why is he more important than destroying a man who's defeated and humiliated you so many times?\"\n\nYanagisawa lifted his eyebrows in surprise. \"I've just told you.\"\n\n\"But I don't understand.\"\n\n\"You will.\"\n\nYanagisawa's expression softened, but Hoshina perceived this as condescension rather than love." }, { "from": "human", "value": "He dreaded offending Yanagisawa, yet couldn't relinquish his campaign against his rival." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"Sano's influence in the bakufu grows daily,\" Hoshina said. \"His allies include many high officials. And if he solves this case, he'll rise another notch in the shogun's estimation—while everyone else, including us, moves down. He could eventually take your place. Your treatment of him has given him ample cause to hate you. I think he's biding his time until he gains enough power to strike.\"\n\n\"He won't,\" Yanagisawa said with offhand confidence.\n\n\"Because of the truce between him and you?\" Hoshina couldn't keep the scorn out of his voice. \"Your truce is but an unspoken agreement that will last only as long as you both honor it. I say we should take the offensive, break the truce before Sano does, and strike at him now, while he's vulnerable.\"\n\n\"I'm aware of the hazards of a truce,\" Yanagisawa said, reproachful. \"At present they're of minor concern to me, because I have the advantage over Sano.\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"What advantage is that?\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Baffled beyond endurance, Hoshina burst out, \"I hate it when you speak in riddles! Why won't you explain what's going on?\"\n\nThe chamberlain appeared unaffected by Hoshina's anger. \"Certain things are best not spoken outright,\" Yanagisawa said. \"Not even my house is free of spies. I've told you my plans, and it's up to you to figure them out. But I will make one thing clear: You shall not break the truce.\"\n\nHoshina started to protest, but the adamant expression on Yanagisawa's face silenced him. Then Yanagisawa chuckled.\n\n\"Don't look so disappointed,\" he said. \"Just be patient, and I promise you'll be quite satisfied with what happens.\"\n\nAlthough Hoshina wished he could believe Yanagisawa, he couldn't place his faith in schemes he didn't understand, or his trust in a man so unpredictable as his lover." }, { "from": "human", "value": "He still considered Sano a threat to the chamberlain's power and his own rise in the bakufu." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Hoshina must find a way to advance himself at Sano's expense, without defying his master. But how? Frustrated ambition roiled inside him.\n\nYanagisawa smiled; his dark eyes kindled like liquid fire. \"That's enough talk of politics for tonight,\" he said.\n\nWhatever of his lover's other hints had evaded Hoshina, he could interpret very well the innuendo in Yanagisawa's voice, the curve of his mouth, and the hand he extended. Desire flared in Hoshina; yet he resisted surrender even as he grew erect. How he hated for the chamberlain to rebuke, baffle, taunt, and thwart him, then expect pleasure from him! Hoshina's pride rebelled. For a moment he hated Yanagisawa." }, { "from": "human", "value": "But need prevailed over resentment." }, { "from": "system", "value": "Next message should be approximately 2 sentences." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Hoshina craved sex as proof that Yanagisawa still loved him. He let Yanagisawa draw him down onto the bed, the only place in the world where they were equals." } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "Continue with the same vibes as Laura Joh Rowland" }, { "from": "human", "value": "Outside their chamber, Lady Yanagisawa stood peering in through a chink in the wall." }, { "from": "human", "value": "She watched the naked bodies of her husband and his lover entwine, grapple, and heave." }, { "from": "system", "value": "Next message should be approximately 3 sentences." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Her face remained impassive while she listened to their gasps and moans. As they convulsed in climax, a silent breath eased from her. Then she turned and walked away down the dark, vacant corridor." } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "Provide one sentence as a continuation." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Troops marched through the Nihonbashi merchant district." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Their torches smoked in the night air; their footsteps shattered the quiet." }, { "from": "human", "value": "They stopped at each house and pounded their fists against closed doors and shutters." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"Open up!\" they shouted." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"By orders of the shogun's ssakan-sama, come outside and show yourselves!\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Men, women, and children, dressed in their nightclothes, poured into the street." }, { "from": "human", "value": "They shivered with cold and fright." }, { "from": "human", "value": "The neighborhood headman herded them into a line." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "He and the captain of Sano's search team walked down the line, matching each person to a name on the official neighborhood roster, looking for unlisted women." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Soldiers raided the buildings in search of anyone hidden there." }, { "from": "human", "value": "They burst into a gambling den, interrupting card games and hustling the gamblers outside." }, { "from": "human", "value": "The commotion roused Lady Wisteria and Lightning from their slumber in the back room of the gambling den." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Lightning threw off the quilt that covered them and leapt upright, fully alert, while Wisteria lay in groggy confusion." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"What is it?\" she mumbled." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"Get up,\" Lightning ordered in a hoarse whisper." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"Those are soldiers out there. We have to go.\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "Terror jolted Wisteria awake, for she understood that the soldiers had come for her." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Lightning grabbed her hand, yanking her to her feet." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"Hurry!\" he urged." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Wisteria was glad they'd slept in their clothes in case of an emergency." }, { "from": "human", "value": "While she scrambled for her shoes, he snatched up her bundle of possessions." }, { "from": "human", "value": "He hurried her outside to the alley, just as the soldiers rushed through the curtained doorway between the gambling den and their room." }, { "from": "human", "value": "The bitter cold immediately chilled Wisteria." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Her cloak billowed open in the wind, but she had no time to fasten it." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Lightning raced along the alley, towing her by the hand." }, { "from": "human", "value": "She tripped and fell, emitting a shriek of dismay." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"Quiet!\" Lightning whispered furiously." }, { "from": "human", "value": "His speed kept her moving." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Her knees scraped painfully against the rough ground until she regained her footing." }, { "from": "human", "value": "They veered into another alley, then stumbled through the ruins of a burned house." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Wisteria could no longer hear the soldiers, but still Lightning dragged her onward." }, { "from": "human", "value": "A thick crescent moon above the roofs illuminated their way along a route that he followed with the ease of an animal that knows its territory." }, { "from": "human", "value": "They clambered down the bank of a narrow canal, and as they plunged waist-deep through frigid water, the muddy bottom tugged off Wisteria's shoes." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Barefoot because courtesans never wore socks, she limped up the opposite bank." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Stones and debris hurt her feet." }, { "from": "human", "value": "She and Lightning ran through a maze of more dark alleys that stank from privies, garbage, and night soil bins." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Wisteria was freezing, her wet garments clinging to her like a coat of ice." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Her heart pounded; gasps heaved her chest." }, { "from": "human", "value": "But Lightning wasn't even breathing hard." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "His hand around hers was warm." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Would they keep running until she died?" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "At last Lightning halted at a building." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Wisteria squatted, breathless and limp with exhaustion." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Barred windows flanked a door." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Lightning knocked: two slow beats, a pause, then three quick ones." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "The door opened a crack, and light shone into the alley." }, { "from": "human", "value": "A man's face, thuggish and unshaven, appeared in the crack." }, { "from": "human", "value": "The man eyed Lightning, then opened the door." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "As Lightning pulled Wisteria into a passage with an earth floor and bare rafters, she saw that the man held a dagger; tattoos on his arms marked him as a gangster." }, { "from": "human", "value": "But Wisteria was too glad for sanctuary to care that she recognized this place and knew its evils." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"Have the soldiers searched this neighborhood yet?\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Lightning asked the man." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "The man shook his head." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Lightning muttered a curse, and Wisteria feared they must go back out in the night." }, { "from": "human", "value": "But Lightning took her down the corridor, past rooms enclosed by partitions." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Lamplight shining through the tattered paper silhouetted pairs of embracing, writhing human figures." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Wisteria heard moans and grunts; she smelled urine, sweat, and sex." }, { "from": "human", "value": "As she and Lightning entered a room where a torn lantern hung above a floor made of wood slats that bordered a large, round, sunken tub of water, Wisteria wanted to laugh and cry." }, { "from": "human", "value": "This place was a public bath that doubled as an illegal brothel." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "She'd escaped one whorehouse, only to take shelter in another." }, { "from": "human", "value": "But Wisteria was so cold that she trembled uncontrollably, her teeth chattering." }, { "from": "human", "value": "The steaming water in the tub seemed like a vision of heaven." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Lightning had already begun shedding his wet, filthy garments." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Wisteria tore off hers as fast as her shaking hands could manage, but kept the cloth around her head." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Her battered feet left bloody spots on the floor." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "She and Lightning scrubbed themselves with bags of soap, poured buckets of water over their bodies, then sat in the tub, immersed up to their shoulders." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "The hot water engulfed Wisteria; she sighed in bliss." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "She ignored the scum floating on the water and the room's odor of mildew." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Too overwhelmed by relief and fatigue to care what happened next, Wisteria closed her eyes, leaned back against the rim of the tub, and drowsed." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"Don't get too comfortable,\" Lightning said." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"We can't stay. The soldiers will come eventually. We'll have to leave before then.\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"Please, let's wait just a little while longer,\" Wisteria murmured." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Lightning shifted restlessly; the water bobbed." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"No place in Edo is safe. We should have taken to the highway this morning, like I wanted to. But no—you wanted to stay.\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "His accusing tone set off a warning signal in Wisteria's head and jarred her out of a doze." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "She saw the malevolent gleam in Lightning's eyes, which shifted rapidly as he stared at her." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"Because of you, we're being hunted like animals,\" he said." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"Because of you, we may not live to enjoy your freedom.\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "Wisteria sat up straight, clasping her knees to her chest." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"But we have to stay,\" she said, needing to justify herself, though fearful of defying him." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"That was part of the plan.\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"Your plan. Not mine. I was a fool to agree to it.\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Lightning snorted in derision." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"Why should we care what happens about the murder? We'll leave tonight.\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"I care. I have to know,\" Wisteria said." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"We can't go yet!\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "Earlier today, Lightning had fetched her a news broadsheet containing a story about the ssakan-sama's investigation." }, { "from": "human", "value": "She'd read that her yarite had been arrested." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "She needed to find out what happened to Momoko, and whether other people became implicated in the crime." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "And she might never hear the news in the distant province where she and Lightning planned to settle." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "She must watch events unfold—in spite of the danger." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Ire darkened Lightning's face." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"Is satisfying your curiosity more important to you than my life?\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"No! Of course not!\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Wisteria squirmed away, but her back struck the wall of the tub." }, { "from": "human", "value": "A bitter laugh burst from him." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"I should have known. You're just using me. You don't really care about me.\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"But I do care,\" Wisteria said." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Under the water she reached for him, and her hand found his leg." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "It flinched at her touch." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"I love you.\" If this intense, fearful attraction equaled love, then she did love Lightning." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"Your safety is more important to me than my own.\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Because without him, she couldn't survive." }, { "from": "human", "value": "He shook his head, spurning persuasion." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "But as she coiled her hand around his manhood and stroked him, she felt him swell and harden." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Arousal parted his lips and arched his neck." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"If you love me, you wouldn't have gotten me into all this trouble,\" Lightning said, his voice harshened by desire and anger at her attempt to manipulate him." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Disbelief startled Wisteria. She withdrew her hand." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"I got you in trouble?\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Indignant, she forgot caution." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"Excuse me, but I'm not the reason we're being hunted. I'm not the one who almost ruined everything for us.\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"Oh, so you're blaming me?\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "The water sloshed as Lightning moved toward her." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"Well, let me remind you that it was your plan that started everything.\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"My plan would have worked fine if you'd stuck to it.\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Wisteria felt his hand close around her ankle, and she pulled back in alarm. \"Let me go.\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"You don't tell me what to do,\" he said, holding tight." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "As she tried to kick loose from him, his breaths came faster and harder." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"I make my own decisions. I'm not your servant. I don't have to listen to you or anyone else.\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "Now Wisteria's own temper sparked." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "The water seemed to grow hotter; sweat trickled down her face." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"You should listen,\" she cried." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"Because this time you made a terrible mistake. Our problems are all your fault.\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"Our problem is that you got carried away by anger,\" Lightning said." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"Your grudges will be the death of us.\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "There was truth in what he said, Wisteria knew." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "The same outrage and self-righteousness that had inspired her plan was surging through her now." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "The bitter animosity that filled her heart now focused on Lightning." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "She shrilled, \"What about your grudges? Anyone who offends you had better watch out, because you don't think before you act. You're like a wild beast with no sense!\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"What did you call me?\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "His face distorted, teeth bared in a snarl, and his nostrils flared, Lightning indeed looked more animal than human." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"You think I'm stupid? You're the one who's stupid if you think I'll let you insult me. I'll show you who's in charge around here.\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Lightning jerked on her ankle, pulling her underwater." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Wisteria shrieked as her head submerged." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "The hot water burned her eyes, filled her nose, gurgled in her mouth." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "She flailed her arms, fighting to raise herself above the surface, but he had hold of both her legs now, and he was too strong for her." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Desperate, Wisteria writhed. Her body smacked against the hard bottom of the tub." }, { "from": "human", "value": "She resisted the terrible urge to take a breath." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Then Lightning let go." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "She burst up into the steamy air, gulping for breath." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Rivulets streamed off her drenched headcloth and over her face." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "In her blurred vision, Lightning loomed huge and monstrous." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"Apologize for what you said!\" he commanded." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"No!\" Wisteria was too incensed by his treatment of her." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"You are a beast. I hate you!\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "He planted his hands on her shoulders and shoved her downward." }, { "from": "human", "value": "She strained against him while her neck, then her chin, sank beneath the water." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"Somebody please help me!\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "The noises from the couples in the brothel continued; no one answered her call." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Forced below the surface, Wisteria clawed and kicked Lightning." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Her heel found his groin, and she heard him yell, the sound distorted by the dark, turbulent water that surrounded her." }, { "from": "human", "value": "His body heaved up, then crashed down upon her with a tremendous splash." }, { "from": "human", "value": "His solid, muscular limbs imprisoned her." }, { "from": "human", "value": "An airless vacuum trapped her screams in her throat and constricted her lungs." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Her heart felt ready to explode." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Panic filled Wisteria. Helpless, she tossed her head from side to side." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Lightning hauled her up from the water." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Her head broke the surface and she inhaled a huge, gulping breath." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Then he flung her out of the tub." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Her right side hit the slatted floor." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Pain jarred her elbow and hip." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "As she rolled, stunned and gasping, onto her back, Lightning straddled her." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "He shook her so that her head repeatedly bumped the floor." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"Are you sorry you insulted me?\" he demanded." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"Yes!\" Wisteria screamed, her defiance at last subdued by his brutality." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"Please don't hurt me!\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"Do you love me?\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"I love you!\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"From now on you'll do as I say?\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"Yes!\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"Because if you don't, I'll kill you. Do you understand?\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "And he would. Wisteria hadn't fully appreciated his capacity for violence until now. \"Yes. Yes!\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "she cried." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Climbing off her, Lightning stood." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "His wet, naked bulk heaved with his breaths." }, { "from": "human", "value": "He grinned in cruel triumph." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"Next time I won't forgive you so easily,\" he said, then picked up his clothes and stalked out of the room." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Wisteria lay bruised and aching and shivering." }, { "from": "human", "value": "How much she wished she'd never met Lightning!" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Whatever mistakes he had made, she'd made the most serious one—thinking she could handle him." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Tears seeped from her closed eyes." }, { "from": "human", "value": "The final stages of her plan required Lightning's cooperation, but she had serious doubts about her ability to manipulate him anymore." }, { "from": "human", "value": "If she couldn't, what would she do?" }, { "from": "system", "value": "Next message should be approximately 2 sentence." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "She knew now that in spite of her passion for Lightning, they couldn't live together. She must get away from him before they disagreed again and he made good on his threat." } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "Today you will be acting as a writing assistant, your partner will send something and you will write the next 2 sentences." }, { "from": "system", "value": "Produce a starting prompt please." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"Excuse me, Ssakan-sama, but you have visitors.\"\n\nSano looked up from his desk, past the detectives gathered in his office for the morning meeting at which he issued orders for the day." }, { "from": "human", "value": "In the doorway stood the manservant who'd interrupted the meeting." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"Who are they?\" Sano asked, surprised because callers rarely arrived so early.\n\n\"The Council of Elders.\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"The Council of Elders!\" Sano rose in amazement." }, { "from": "human", "value": "He dismissed his men, then hurried to the reception room." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "There he found three of the five officials seated in a row before the alcove. Pallid daylight and cold air seeped through the windows; the charcoal braziers emitted whiffs of heat that dissipated at waist level." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Sano knelt and bowed." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"Welcome,\" he said. \"This is an honor.\"\n\nThe elders had never called at his house." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Whenever they wanted to see him, they summoned him to their chamber at the palace." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "This visit had a clandestine air, underscored by the absence of Senior Elder Makino.\n\nThe man at the center of the row spoke: \"I hope we are not inconveniencing you.\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "This was Ohgami Kaoru, in charge of the regime's relations with the daimyo." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "He had white hair and pensive, youthful features.\n\n\"Not at all,\" Sano said." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"How kind of you to receive us so promptly,\" said the elder seated at Ohgami's right." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Uemori Yoichi was short and squat, with baggy jowls." }, { "from": "human", "value": "He was the shogun's chief military adviser." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"It's my privilege,\" Sano said, as he wondered why the council had come, particularly the third man, Kato Kinhide, who was an expert on national finance. Ohgami was Sano's sometime ally, and Uemori had never overtly opposed him, but Kato was an outright foe." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Sano turned to Kato, appraising the broad, bland face with eyes and mouth like slits in worn leather." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "A suspicion formed in Sano's mind.\n\n\"We're glad you're available,\" Kato said, \"when you must be very busy with the murder investigation.\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "Sano saw his suspicion confirmed." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Kato would never favor Sano with his presence, unless to talk about the important topic of the moment.\n\nAfter tea and cakes had been served, pipes lit, and pleasantries exchanged, Ohgami said, \"Ssakan-sama, we've come to bring you news.\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "This surprised Sano, because information customarily flowed from him to the elders, not the other way." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "He understood why Ohgami might help him, but not the others. And why did they want to talk here instead of at the palace?" }, { "from": "human", "value": "Ohgami carefully tapped ashes out of his pipe, forming a line on the smoking tray in front of him." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "He looked toward Uemori, who said, \"You may be aware that Lord Matsudaira Dakuemon was in Yoshiwara the night of the murder.\"\n\nSano nodded, because Lord Dakuemon was on his list of people to interview." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"Dakuemon is a member of a Tokugawa branch clan,\" Uemori continued." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "He sucked greedily on his pipe, and a deep, phlegmy cough shook his loose jowls. \"He's a bit older than Mitsuyoshi was, and not quite as personable nor favored by the court.\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Uemori paused, then spoke in a tone laden with significance: \"But now that Mitsuyoshi is dead...\"\n\nLord Dakuemon was a strong contender for the position of heir to the regime, Sano thought." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"Perhaps you should pay special attention to Lord Dakuemon's movements on that night,\" Uemori said." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "That Uemori had handed him a new suspect alarmed as much as intrigued Sano, since this one was a Tokugawa clan member and therefore off-limits to him because of the shogun's prohibition against investigating Lord Mitsuyoshi's family, background, or enemies.\n\n\"You might also check into Sugita Fumio,\" said Kato." }, { "from": "human", "value": "He refilled his pipe, measuring in the tobacco grain by grain." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"The head of the Judicial Council?\" Sano said. This was the body that ranked just below the Council of Elders and supervised various government departments." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"But Sugita wasn't in Yoshiwara that night.\"\n\n\"Perhaps you missed him,\" Kato said." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"Why might he be considered a suspect?\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Sano hid his dismay at seeing another prominent man implicated in the murder.\n\n\"Many years ago Councilman Sugita wanted to marry a certain lady, but her family married her off to Lord Mitsuyoshi's father.\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "Kato used the tongs on his smoking tray to search through the metal box of hot coals and drop precisely the right size ember into his pipe." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"But Councilman Sugita still loves the lady and bears a grudge against her husband. Might his grudge not have extended to Mitsuyoshi, the offspring of her marriage?\"\n\nThis story sounded far-fetched." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"Is there other evidence to say that Councilman Sugita killed Lord Mitsuyoshi?\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "Sano turned to Uemori." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"Or any that Lord Dakuemon did?\"\n\n\"It's your duty to find evidence,\" Uemori said with stern reproof." }, { "from": "human", "value": "That personal interests lurked behind the men's guise of altruism became obvious to Sano." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "He knew that Sugita wanted a promotion to the Council of Elders, and had begun a campaign to oust Kato and take his place. What better way for Kato to defend himself than by incriminating Sugita in treasonous murder?" }, { "from": "human", "value": "Sano also knew that Uemori had a longstanding feud with Lord Dakuemon's father, who constantly lobbied the shogun to expel him from the council." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Uemori wouldn't like Dakuemon to become the shogun's heir, because his father would gain power to ruin Uemori. That the elders wanted to enlist Sano in their war against their enemies didn't necessarily mean he should disregard their theories; yet he foresaw difficulties in determining whether Councilman Sugita or Lord Dakuemon were involved in the murder." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"You're aware that His Excellency has forbidden me to investigate Lord Mituyoshi's connections,\" Sano said." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Of course the elders knew: They'd been present when the shogun issued the order. \"How am I to use the information you've given me?\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "A smile shifted the baggy skin of Uemori's face." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"That is for you to decide.\"\n\nOhgami nodded. He'd added more ash to his smoking tray, in a pattern of crisscrossed lines." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "A rush of anger flashed through Sano as he comprehended the elders' intentions toward him. They knew his tendency to place justice above duty." }, { "from": "human", "value": "They expected him to defy the shogun's order and pursue Councilman Sugita and Lord Dakuemon as suspects." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Whether or not either man was guilty, the scandal would ruin the reputations of both. Whether or not Sano solved the case by investigating them, he would suffer harsh punishment for his disobedience." }, { "from": "human", "value": "But the elders would manipulate him without caring what happened to him." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Stifling his resentment, Sano addressed Ohgami: \"Is there another suspect that you want to bring to my attention?\"\n\n\"Oh, no,\" Ohgami said mildly." }, { "from": "human", "value": "He regarded his ashes with the air of an artist contemplating his creation." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"My only purpose here is to help my colleagues help you.\"\n\nSano's resentment turned to indignation because he understood Ohgami's real purpose." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Ohgami was battling Senior Elder Makino for control of the Council." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "He must have promised his two colleagues that he would help them destroy their enemies if they allied with him. Hence, he'd brought them here, safely away from Makino and the shogun, to draw Sano into his scheme." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"Many thanks for your concern,\" Sano forced himself to say." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "He wasn't surprised that his ally would exploit him so callously, for self-interest dominated all relationships in the bakufu. Yet a powerful rage clenched his hands on the empty tea bowl he held." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Sano stared at his guests, sitting smugly confident before him." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "He'd saved them and the entire city from the Black Lotus, but they would use him as if he were a rag for cleaning up messes, then crumple him and throw him away! Hatred tinged his vision with blood." }, { "from": "human", "value": "But his habit of maintaining outward calm was so strong that the men seemed to notice nothing amiss." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "They took their leave, and Sano sat alone, immobilized by fury, until a sharp pain in his left palm startled him. He looked down and saw that he'd crushed the fragile porcelain tea bowl." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Blood oozed from his cut hand.\n\n\"Excuse me, Ssakan-sama,\" the manservant said, bowing and entering the room." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"What do you want?\"" }, { "from": "system", "value": "Next message should be approximately 3 sentences." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Sano said. His rage dissipated, leaving him shaken by his near loss of control. Since the Black Lotus case, his temper had gained a force that he found increasingly harder to discipline.\n\n\"More visitors are here to see you.\"" } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "im ur writing buddy. i set scene, u do 6 sentences like Laura Joh Rowland" }, { "from": "human", "value": "The women's quarter of the palace hummed with the chatter and bustle of the concubines and ladies-in-waiting as they bathed, dressed, and groomed themselves." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Midori sat in the chamber of the shogun's mother, Lady Keisho-in." }, { "from": "human", "value": "While other attendants combed Keisho-in's hair, Midori applied a mixture of white rice powder and camellia wax onto the old woman's face." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Her hand automatically smeared and dabbed the makeup, but her thoughts centered on her urgent need to see Hirata. He'd not come to her last night, and the hours since she'd seen him at the miai yesterday seemed like an eternity.\n\n\"Aaghh!\" Lady Keisho-in cried, recoiling from Midori; her round, wrinkled face bunched up in pain. \"You've gotten makeup in my eye again. Can't you pay attention to what you're doing?\"\n\n\"I'm sorry!\" Midori snatched up a cloth and wiped at her mistress's eye, but Lady Keisho-in shoved her away.\n\n\"You're so absentminded lately,\" Keisho-in complained." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"I can't bear to have you around me.\" She made a shooing gesture. \"Get out!\"\n\nGlad of a reprieve from duty, Midori fled the palace. She was racing across the garden when she saw Hirata coming toward her.\n\n\"Hirata-san!\" she called. He smiled; she hurled herself into his arms." }, { "from": "human", "value": "As they embraced, she burst into tears." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"I thought you would never come. I was so afraid you'd changed your feelings about me.\"\n\n\"Why would you think that?\" Hirata said, his voice roughened by affection.\n\nIn this chill early morning, they had the garden to themselves, but he drew her into the pine grove where they'd met so many times before. The air was redolent with the clean, tangy scent of resin, the ground covered with a soft blanket of pine needles upon which they'd lain.\n\n\"You're shivering,\" Hirata said." }, { "from": "human", "value": "He wrapped his own cloak around Midori and held her tight." }, { "from": "human", "value": "She basked in his nearness, sobbing." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"After what my father said to yours, I was sure you must hate me.\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"Nothing can change my love for you.\" Hirata held her shoulders and gazed at her with a sincerity that banished her fear. \"What happened at the theater wasn't your fault.\" As she wept in relief now, he said, \"Please believe that my family means no harm to yours. Why does your father think we're his enemies?\"\n\nOvercome by shame, Midori pulled away from Hirata, averting her face. \"He gets all upset when it comes to the Tokugawa or anyone associated with them,\" she whispered." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"Because of what they did to our clan in the past.\"\n\n\"I see.\" Hirata's dubious tone said he didn't understand the eccentricity that made Lord Niu resent what other daimyo accepted. \"Would he really try to kill my father?\"\n\nA sob choked Midori.\n\n\"Oh.\" Hirata paused. \"Is he always like that?\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"Not always.\" Midori couldn't bear to tell Hirata that Lord Niu's bad spells were often worse. \"Is your father still angry, do you think?\" she ventured timidly. \"Is he very much against the match?\"\n\n\"... I didn't have much chance to talk to him.\"\n\nShe could tell Hirata was trying to shield her from painful truth, and panic filled her because their marriage seemed even more impossible than ever, despite the increasing necessity of it. Every day Midori suffered from nausea; every day her body swelled larger with the new life growing in her." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"What are we going to do?\" she cried.\n\n\"Maybe if we wait awhile,\" Hirata said, \"the whole thing will blow over.\"\n\nHe spoke without hope, and the idea of delaying alarmed Midori. \"How long should we wait?\"\n\n\"At least a few days. Or maybe a month would be better.\"\n\n\"A month!\" By then the pregnancy would be apparent to everyone." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Midori feared that her disgrace would make both families even less amenable to the marriage. \"That's too long!\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "Her voice rose in hysteria." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"We have to do something now!\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"Forcing the issue right away would only hurt our chances.\" Hirata looked puzzled by her agitation. \"We must be patient.\"\n\n\"I can't!\"\n\n\"It's no use getting so upset,\" Hirata said. Taking her in his arms, he caressed her hair, her face, her bosom; passion strengthened his grip. \"Calm down.\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "The amorous attentions she'd once welcomed now alarmed Midori. \"No! Don't!\" She tore free of Hirata.\n\n\"I'm sorry,\" Hirata said, chastened. \"Forgive me.\"\n\nShe saw that he didn't understand why she'd rejected him, and she'd hurt his feelings. But she was scared to tell him about the child, or let him touch her and guess. Although refusing him now wouldn't protect her from what had already happened, she couldn't bear more forbidden intimacies." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"I should go,\" he said, backing out of the pine grove." }, { "from": "system", "value": "Next message should be approximately 2 sentences." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"No. Wait!\" Midori lurched after Hirata and clung to him, weeping again.\n\nHe held her cautiously, but he spoke with a determination that gave her hope: \"I'll be back soon. Don't worry. I'll find a way to make everything all right.\"" } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "I'll be your writing partner today. I will set the scene, and you will continue the story with eight sentences, channeling the voice and techniques of Laura Joh Rowland." }, { "from": "system", "value": "Produce a starting prompt please." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Hirata climbed off his horse beside a wooden notice board that stood at the foot of the Nihonbashi Bridge. As pedestrians streamed across the bridge, he pinned up a notice that read, \"Anyone who has seen, heard of, or knows any man from Hokkaido, presently living in or formerly a resident of Edo, is ordered to report the information to His Excellency the Shogun's Ssakan-sama.\"\n\nContemplating the notice, he frowned in frustration, because he'd already spent hours searching teahouses in Suruga for Lady Wisteria and her lover, but found naught. He began to doubt that the many notices he'd posted along the way would bring success. Tired, cold, and hungry now, he bought tea and a lunchbox of sushi from a passing vendor and perched on the bridge's railing.\n\nBarges drifted down the canal below him. Crowds thronged the lanes and stalls outside the fish market on the bank. The smell of rotting fish permeated the moist, gray air; seagulls winged and squawked in the overcast sky." }, { "from": "human", "value": "As Hirata ate, the problems of love and work weighed upon his spirits." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "He had little hope that time would heal the offense caused his father by Lord Niu, and if he didn't find Wisteria's lover, he and Sano might never solve the murder case.\n\nA commotion on the bridge diverted Hirata's attention from his gloomy thoughts. He looked up to see what was happening, and his spirits rose. The man walking toward Hirata had coarse black hair that sprang from his head and grew in a thick beard upon his cheeks, chin, and neck. Beady eyes peered from under shaggy brows. He wore a padded cotton cloak that was too large for his small stature. His pawlike hand held one end of a rope. The other end circled the neck of a large, snarling brown monkey with a red face." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "As man led beast along the bridge, pedestrians laughed, pointed, and exclaimed.\n\n\"Rat!\" Hirata called, beckoning.\n\nThe man ambled up to Hirata and grinned, baring feral teeth. \"Good day,\" he said in an odd, rustic accent. He bowed, and at a command from him, the monkey followed suit. \"How do you like the latest addition to my show?\"\n\nThe Rat operated a freak show that featured peculiar animals as well as deformed humans, and he roamed all over Japan in a continuous search for new attractions.\n\n\"He's amazing.\" Hirata reached out to pet the monkey's head." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"Where did you get him?\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"Don't touch him—he bites,\" the Rat warned, jerking on the rope as the monkey screeched at Hirata. \"He's from Tohoku. One might almost say our kinfolk are neighbors. I grew up in Hokkaido, you know.\"\n\nHirata had known of the Rat's origin in that far northern island known for cold winters and the copious body hair of the natives. \"Speaking of Hokkaido,\" he said, \"I'm looking for someone from there.\" He wondered if Lady Wisteria's lover was as hairy as the Rat, and shaved to blend with the Edo locals. \"Have you come across any of your countrymen around town?\"\n\nBecause the Rat collected news and had served as a reliable informant in the past, Hirata hoped for a lead on Wisteria's lover, but the Rat shook his head.\n\n\"Haven't seen or heard of any Hokkaido folk in these parts for years,\" he said." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"Far as I know, I'm the only one in Edo now.\"" }, { "from": "system", "value": "Next message should be approximately 9 sentences." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "An idea occurred to Hirata, and though it seemed ludicrous, he had to ask: \"Have you been seeing a courtesan named Wisteria?\"\n\n\"Me? Why, no.\" The Rat looked dumbfounded, then guffawed. \"Oh, you're joking. Even if I could afford Yoshiwara, those women would run screaming from me.\"\n\nHirata experienced discouragement, because if the Rat knew nothing of Wisteria's lover, then the man had kept himself well hidden. Or perhaps the pages he'd bought from Gorobei were a false clue, as Reiko had suggested. \"Let me know anything you hear about a Hokkaido man, particularly one traveling with a woman,\" Hirata said.\n\n\"Will do.\" The Rat ambled away with his monkey.\n\nImpatient for action, Hirata decided to press onward to Fukagawa and search the noodle shops where Lady Wisteria and her lover might have taken refuge. But first he would visit his family and test the chances of his marriage to Midori." } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "I'll be your writing partner today. I will set the scene, and you will continue the story with 8 sentences, channeling the voice and techniques of Laura Joh Rowland." }, { "from": "human", "value": "A horde of bureaucrats paraded in and out of Sano's mansion, all with the intent of heaping suspicion on their enemies." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "They besieged Sano with unsubstantiated accusations until his mind whirled. By midmorning he couldn't endure any more self-serving attempts to manipulate him. Finally, during a break between calls, Sano donned his outdoor clothes and swords, then left the house in search of the one person who could tell him which rumors were true or false.\n\nThe day was cold and bleak, the sky like raw, soiled cotton, the moist air gritty with soot. Below Edo Castle, the steel-gray river and canals carved a monotone cityscape. The hazy peaks of the hills outside town smudged the distance. Sano passed hurrying officials and patrolling troops as he ascended through the castle's stone-walled passages. Everyone's expression appeared as dismal as the weather." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Sano walked faster, uneasy in the tension created by Lord Mitsuyoshi's murder; he could almost smell the impending purge in the air. Entering the palace, he proceeded to a secluded area in which he'd first set foot a lifetime ago.\n\nHere, hidden within a labyrinth of corridors, government offices, and reception rooms, lay the headquarters of the metsuke. The Tokugawa intelligence service occupied a room whose mean proportions belied its power. In compartments divided by paper-and-wood screens, men smoked tobacco pipes and studied maps hung on the walls; they conversed together or pored over papers at desks laden with scrolls, message containers, books, and writing implements. As Sano passed, heads turned toward him, and voices lowered.\n\nInside the last compartment knelt a samurai dressed in black. He looked up from reading a ledger and bowed to Sano. \"Greetings, Ssakan-sama.\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "Sano returned the bow. \"Greetings, Toda-san.\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Toda Ikkyu was a senior intelligence agent, and of such nondescript appearance that Sano might not recognize him if they met anywhere else. Neither short nor tall, fat nor thin, old nor young, Toda had weary eyes set in a face that no one would notice in a crowd. Sano had consulted Toda on past cases, and Toda had once described how he'd spied on an official suspected of treason. The official never recognized Toda, although they both worked in the palace and passed each other in the corridors daily. He went to his death on the execution ground without knowing who'd sent him there.\n\n\"Can you spare me a moment of your time?\" Sano asked, imagining that he might someday find himself the unwitting prey of the metsuke agent.\n\n\"Certainly.\" Toda motioned for Sano to sit near him." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "His languid voice and gesture belonged to a man who seldom roused from a natural state of ennui. \"I suppose this visit concerns your investigation of Lord Mitsuyoshi's murder?\"\n\n\"Yes,\" Sano said.\n\n\"And you've come to me because you're deluged with rumors.\"\n\nSano chuckled, because the extent of Toda's knowledge never ceased to amaze him. Toda also chuckled.\n\n\"It never ceases to amaze me how far you've risen in the world since we first met,\" Toda said.\n\nThey'd met during Sano's first murder case, when Sano had discovered a plot against the shogun and had come to Edo Castle to report it to the metsuke.\n\n\"To go from renegade policeman on a personal crusade to Most Honorable Investigator for His Excellency is no small accomplishment,\" Toda said." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"That you've kept the post for four years is a miracle, considering all the troubles you've had.\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"Is it any more a miracle than that you've kept your post in spite of all your troubles?\" Sano couldn't resist saying.\n\nToda had disbelieved Sano's story about the plot, and later, the shogun had punished the entire metsuke for failing to take the threat seriously. Agents had been demoted, banished, and executed, yet Toda had somehow survived. Sano suspected that Toda knew the secrets of many members of the bakufu's upper echelon, and had blackmailed them into protecting him.\n\nNow Toda smiled complacently. \"We've both been fortunate,\" he said.\n\n\"Good fortune is an impermanent condition,\" Sano said, \"but perhaps we can maintain ours by working together.\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "Toda's expression didn't change, but Sano felt the man's resistance to the hint that he'd better grant the favor Sano was about to ask." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Metsuke agents had a habit of hoarding facts." }, { "from": "human", "value": "They liked to know things that others didn't, they jealously guarded their unique power, and they wanted sole credit for keeping Japan under the bakufu's control." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "But sometimes their habit backfired on them.\n\nAfter the Black Lotus crisis, a disturbing fact had come to light: The metsuke possessed years of records that described the sect's illegal practices, yet had not only failed to prevent the sect from gaining an immense, dangerous following but had withheld their records from the Minister of Temples and Shrines, who'd tried to thwart the Black Lotus and asked the metsuke's help. Further investigation revealed sect members within the ranks of the metsuke. Toda had survived the purge that ensued, but even he wasn't invincible. The murder of Lord Mitsuyoshi was such a politically sensitive issue that for Toda to refuse to cooperate with Sano's investigation equaled suicide.\n\n\"What can I do for you?\" Toda said with weary capitulation.\n\n\"Let's start with Treasury Minister Nitta,\" Sano said." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "The agent looked around the office, then rose and said, \"Let's go elsewhere, shall we?\"\n\nSoon they were walking along the Edo Castle racetrack. In summer, this was the scene of samurai riding horses at a furious pace, while palace officials cheered. But now the track was a bare strip of earth, the benches vacant; only a faint smell of manure lingered. An empty meadow, surrounded by pine trees and stone walls, isolated Sano and Toda.\n\n\"Is it true that Nitta embezzles from the treasury?\" Sano said.\n\nToda looked as though he'd guessed what Sano would say, but frowned, nonetheless perturbed. \"Where did you hear that?\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"Nitta seems to have mentioned it to Lady Wisteria, who told another client,\" Sano said." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"Well, he's the subject of a highly confidential investigation,\" Toda said." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"I'm surprised that Nitta would incriminate himself, but men are sometimes careless about what they tell courtesans.\"\n\n\"Then Nitta was embezzling,\" Sano inferred.\n\nToda nodded, gazing over the walls at the rooftops of the palace stables. A flock of crows perched in the pine trees. \"There have been discrepancies between tributes sent from the provinces and the money in the treasury accounts. After we investigated, our suspicion settled on Nitta. He'd always been honest before, but Yoshiwara is an expensive habit. We placed him under secret surveillance and observed him taking gold from the storehouse at night. He alters the entries in the account books to hide the missing money.\"\n\nThe agent gave Sano a sharp glance. \"How does Nitta's embezzlement fit into the murder case? Is he a likelier suspect because of it?\"\n\n\"That's possible,\" Sano said." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"Maybe he killed Wisteria because he regretted telling her about his embezzlement and wanted to prevent her from reporting him. Even if she didn't have proof, and she was just a prostitute, her accusation could have hurt him.\"\n\n\"Perhaps Wisteria told Lord Mitsuyoshi,\" said Toda. \"In his hands, the knowledge could have been most dangerous to Nitta because he and Mitsuyoshi were on bad terms. Nitta wrote a report about how much money Lord Mitsuyoshi squandered and sent it to his family. His father was shocked by his extravagance, and cut his allowance. Mitsuyoshi blamed Nitta for impoverishing him. He believed Nitta did it so he couldn't afford appointments with Wisteria.\"\n\nThey reached the end of the racetrack and turned, retracing their steps. The crows swooped over the meadow like black kites, their caws loud in the still air. Sano pondered the fact that Toda had just contradicted the treasury minister's claim that he didn't love Wisteria and wasn't jealous of her other clients, but confirmed Senior Elder Makino's statement. \"Then you think Nitta killed Mitsuyoshi and Wisteria both?\"\n\n\"He could be behind the murder and her disappearance,\" Toda said, \"but he's not the type to dirty his hands by stabbing a man or abducting a woman.\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"Could his retainers have done the dirty work?\" Sano said.\n\n\"Unlikely. They're loyal to Nitta, but I doubt if their obedience extends to murdering the shogun's heir. Nitta has a wide acquaintance among the ruffians he meets in Yoshiwara. If I were you, I'd look into them.\"\n\nSano would. Yet he had misgivings about the scenario he and Toda had devised. \"If Wisteria was murdered in her room, there should have been some evidence of it, but I found no indication that anyone except Mitsuyoshi had died there. If she was abducted then killed someplace else, where is her body?\"\n\n\"I understand you're still searching the area around Yoshiwara, and along the highways,\" Toda said.\n\n\"We've yet to find a corpse.\"\n\n\"She could have been dumped in the Sumida River, the Sanya Canal, or one of the smaller waterways.\"\n\nBut Sano's instincts told him that Wisteria was alive, and he had additional reason to discount the likelihood of her murder." }, { "from": "human", "value": "The pillow book provided a scenario that didn't involve the treasury minister, and indicated that Wisteria's disappearance had been a voluntary elopement." }, { "from": "human", "value": "However, Sano understood that even if the book was genuine, and Lady Wisteria had written the truth in the pages he'd read, they were only part of the whole book." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Perhaps the unnamed lover from Hokkaido was just as possessive toward Wisteria and jealous of her clients as Nitta seemed." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Perhaps he'd murdered the last client she'd entertained before they left Yoshiwara." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"You might be interested to know that Treasury Minister Nitta was arrested early this morning,\" Toda said." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"What?\" Sano halted in surprise." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"For his embezzlement,\" Toda explained." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"By now, his trial should be underway.\" With a sly smile, Toda added, \"If you need any further information from him, you'd best get over to Magistrate Aoki's Court of Justice.\"\n\n\"But my investigation isn't finished. Nitta can't be tried now.\" Sano knew what would happen to the treasury minister. That Nitta had earned his fate didn't ease Sano's horror. Sano urgently beseeched Toda, \"Please call off the trial!\"\n\n\"I'm sorry, but the matter is out of my hands.\" Shrugging, Toda contemplated the crows." }, { "from": "human", "value": "They alighted in a black horde in the meadow, where they squawked and fluttered, squabbling over some bit of food." }, { "from": "system", "value": "Next message should be approximately 1 sentence." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"And I venture to say that the murder investigation is out of yours.\"" } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "Mode: Collab writing\nAmount: 3 sentences\nVoice: Laura Joh Rowland" }, { "from": "system", "value": "Produce a starting prompt please." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Hirata's family home was in the bancho, the district west of Edo Castle where the Tokugawa hatamoto occupied estates surrounded by live bamboo fences. Although these vassals had served the shogun's clan long and faithfully, they lived in conditions modest at best and often near poverty because of rising prices and the falling value of their stipends. Today the crowded neighborhood of ramshackle buildings looked drab indeed, with the bamboo withered and leafless." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Hirata rode amid other samurai, along narrow, muddy dirt roads. He dismounted outside his parents' house, one of the poorest in the district.\n\nEntering the plain wooden gate, Hirata found the courtyard occupied by four horses, decked with fancy saddles and bridles, which didn't belong to his family." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Three of his small nephews raced around the side of the low, weathered house, shouting." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Hirata secured his own horse and went into the house. When he hung his swords in the entryway, he noticed four ornate sets of swords, presumably belonging to the visitors, on the racks with the plain weapons of his father and grandfathers. He entered the corridor and found the house full of people and noise." }, { "from": "human", "value": "His grandmothers sat in the main room, smoking while they scolded the toddlers playing near them." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Hirata heard the maids banging dishes in the kitchen, and a baby crying. Every time he came home, the place looked smaller and dingier. Today it was also chilly because his family needed to conserve fuel." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Greeting his grandmothers, Hirata experienced guilt that his kin must endure this, while he enjoyed the quiet luxury of Sano's estate.\n\nHis eldest widowed sister came carrying the baby. \"How nice to see you, Brother,\" she said." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"Many thanks for the clothes you sent the children.\"\n\nSpending most of his stipend on his family didn't ease Hirata's guilt. Before he could ask who was visiting them, his father's voice called from the parlor: \"Is that you, Son? Please come in.\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Curious, Hirata obeyed. In the parlor sat his parents and a middle-aged samurai garbed in opulent robes. Near the samurai knelt three men in plainer dress, evidently his retainers. Hirata's mother was serving tea with her best utensils." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"How fortunate that my son should arrive while you're here,\" Hirata's father said to the guest, then turned to Hirata." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"You remember the Honorable Yoriki Okubo.\"\n\n\"Of course.\" Hirata knelt beside his father and bowed to the guest. Yoriki Okubo had been his commander when he was a police officer, and his father had served under Okubo's." }, { "from": "human", "value": "But the two clans had never been on intimate terms, and Hirata wondered why the yoriki had come." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "He said politely, \"It's an honor to see you again. I hope you are well?\"\n\n\"Yes, thank you.\" Yoriki Okubo had fleshy, down-turned features. He observed Hirata with shrewd approval." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"I can see that you are also well. Life in the ssakan-sama's employ suits you.\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "After questioning Hirata about his duties, Okubo said, \"That you make time in your busy day to visit your parents is a mark of good character.\"\n\nHirata cast a puzzled glance at his father, who avoided his eyes and addressed Okubo: \"My son is always conscientious about his duties to both his master and his family.\" Still without looking at Hirata, his father said to him, \"Okubo-san has come on behalf of his colleague, the Honorable Yoriki Sagara.\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"My colleague has an unmarried daughter,\" Okubo said." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Alarm struck Hirata as he comprehended that Okubo was here as a go-between, bearing him a marriage proposal from the other police commander. Since his parents clearly welcomed the proposal, it was obvious that they'd rejected the idea of his marriage to Midori.\n\n\"A match between my son and the Sagara girl would be most suitable,\" said Hirata's father." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"Their common heritage in the police force would be a foundation for a harmonious life.\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"There would be other benefits for both sides,\" Okubo said. \"Speaking frankly, your son's status in the bakufu is valued by the Sagara clan. And their fortune is considerable.\"\n\nHirata opened his mouth to protest; but his father spoke: \"What about the girl herself? Is her character pleasing?\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"Quite,\" Okubo said. \"She is modest, obedient, and dutiful.\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "He turned to Hirata. \"She is also sixteen years old and very pretty.\"\n\nHirata didn't care how wonderful the Sagara girl was. \"Father,\" he said." }, { "from": "human", "value": "An ominous look from his father and a frantic shushing gesture from his mother forestalled his protests." }, { "from": "human", "value": "He squirmed in wordless agitation as the talk proceeded." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"The next step is a miai, I presume?\" said his father.\n\n\"That can be arranged,\" Okubo said. \"The Sagara are most eager for a meeting.\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "Polite farewells ensued. Afterward, Hirata's father said to his wife, \"My leg hurts from kneeling so long. I must have my medicinal bath.\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "Hirata helped his mother fill a tub with hot water and herbs." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "His father sat on cushions with his thin, crooked leg immersed in the water.\n\n\"Father, I don't want to go to that miai,\" Hirata said.\n\n\"You must, because we've already committed ourselves.\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "The older man spoke offhandedly, as though manners were their sole concern and he'd decided to pretend that Hirata had no serious reason for objecting to the miai." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"For us to back out now would offend Yoriki Okubo and the Sarara clan.\"\n\n\"Well, I won't go,\" Hirata said. His voice shook even as he folded his arms and planted his legs wide." }, { "from": "human", "value": "He, who supervised Sano's hundred detectives and troops, still quailed before paternal authority; he hated to defy his father." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"I'm upset that you began this marriage negotiation behind my back.\"\n\nA glint of anger sparked in the older man's eyes. \"It's my right to make arrangements on your behalf, and your duty to obey me,\" he said." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"You will go to the miai and fulfill our obligations. Then, if you don't like the Sagara girl, we can politely refuse the proposal. There are plenty of other good clans eager to wed a daughter to you.\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"Father, I don't want anyone but Midori. I beg you not to force me into a marriage with another girl.\" Desperate, Hirata dropped to his knees. \"Please reconsider allowing me to marry the woman I love. Please forgive Lord Niu and resume our marriage negotiations.\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"If you came here heaping to change my mind, then you've wasted your time.\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "His father flexed his leg in the tub and glowered. \"I forbid you to marry Lord Niu's daughter. I order you to choose one of the girls whom I consider suitable.\"\n\n\"But, Father—\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "The older man angrily waved away Hirata's protest." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"Your desire to marry the Niu girl is selfish. It shows a disrespect toward me, and a deplorable lack of consideration for our family.\" He addressed his wife, who was stirring more herbs into the tub: \"Let it alone! Stop fussing!\" To Hirata he said, \"We have too many mouths to feed and too little space. For you to expect your parents and grandparents, your sisters and their children, to live off crumbs from your stipend is disgraceful, when the Sagara girl's dowry would fill our rice bowls in the comfort of a bigger house.\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "Hirata felt his cheeks flush and his spirit contract with shame at the idea that he placed his personal needs above his family's welfare." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"The Niu have far more money than the Sagara. If I marry Midori, you'll want for nothing.\"\n\nHis father's expression turned grave. \"For you to marry her and us to share her clan's wealth is impossible, and not just because I oppose the match.\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "Turning to his wife, he said, \"Mother, bring the letter that came from Lord Niu today.\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "She hurried from the room, then returned bearing a scroll, which she gave to Hirata. He read:\n\nThis is my official notice that I am ending the marriage negotiations between our clans. That I should wed my daughter to the son of a rascal like you, who are my sworn enemy, is preposterous!" }, { "from": "human", "value": "I warn your son to sever all contact with my daughter." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "His inferior person shall not be allowed to defile Midori. He shall suffer severe misfortune for daring to court her. And if he so much as goes near her, I shall slay him with my own sword and mount his head over my gate as a warning to other unwelcome suitors." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Niu Masamune" }, { "from": "system", "value": "Next message should be approximately 1 sentence." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Daimyo of Satsuma Province" } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "Today you will be acting as a writing assistant, your partner will send something and you will write the next 4 sentences." }, { "from": "human", "value": "As Hirata stared at the letter in shock, his father exclaimed, \"Not only did Lord Niu threaten me in public, he now threatens you! You must do as Lord Niu says and keep away from his daughter.\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Never to see Midori again! The thought horrified Hirata. \"Perhaps there's been some misunderstanding that could be cleared up if we all sat down together and talked—\"\n\n\"I'll not see Lord Niu again and invite more of his vicious insults,\" Hirata's father declared." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"And I refuse to reconsider this match.\"\n\nThough his father's face wore a stony aspect that repelled further argument, Hirata had promised Midori that he would find a way for them to marry. He spoke in desperation: \"If Lord Niu were to make amends for insulting you, take back his threats, and welcome me as a son-in-law, would you change your mind about the marriage?\"\n\nHis father regarded Hirata with a torn, wistful expression." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Though he didn't speak, Hirata understood that his father loved him and wanted him to be happy." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Hope leapt in Hirata, then died as his father shook his head." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"If Lord Niu did as you suggest, I might be persuaded,\" the older man said." }, { "from": "system", "value": "Next message should be approximately 5 sentences." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"But you might as well pray for a miracle as expect him to change his feelings about the match, because he seems bent on hating us. You must learn to live without that girl and accept the idea of marrying another.\"\n\nHe raised his leg from the tub. As his wife dried it with a cloth, he said to Hirata, \"This whole business has distracted you from duty. The last thing you need is for the ssakan-sama's investigation to suffer because of your personal concerns. You had better get back to work.\"\n\n\"Yes, Father,\" Hirata said dejectedly. He left the house with his hope of marrying Midori seeming as futile as locating Lady Wisteria's lover." } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "six sentences sentences in Laura Joh Rowland style, continuing user's bit" }, { "from": "system", "value": "Produce a starting prompt please." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"Be very quiet, Kikuko-chan,\" Lady Yanagisawa whispered.\n\nCrouching beneath low, sloped rafters, mother and daughter crept across the floor joists in the attic between the second story and the roof of the chamberlain's mansion. This attic, which ran above all the interconnected wings of the house, was a dim, unfurnished labyrinth. Cobwebs festooned the rafters; dust, mouse droppings, and dead insects littered the floors. The only light came from grills set in the peaked gables.\n\nKikuko tiptoed, a finger pressed to her lips, her eyes dancing in enjoyment of what she thought was a game." }, { "from": "human", "value": "They lay down on a futon set upon a tatami mat, and Lady Yanagisawa covered them with a quilt to protect them from the damp cold in this place where they alone ever came." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "She positioned herself on her stomach, chin propped on her folded arms, and peered through a palm-sized hole in the floor.\n\nThis hole, bored through the ceiling below and concealed by intricately carved and painted woodwork, gave Lady Yanagisawa a view of the chamberlain's office. Years ago she'd discovered the hidden route from her wing of the house to his. She'd cut the hole at night while everyone else slept, so that she would have this window into the life of her husband.\n\nHe never told her about his business; he rarely spoke to her at all, and if she wanted to hear his voice or learn what he did, she had to eavesdrop. And because he spent virtually no time with her, when she wanted to lay eyes on him, she watched him in secret." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Perhaps he was unaware of what she did; probably he knew and didn't care." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Now she saw him at the desk, smoking his pipe while he wrote. His oiled hair and silk robes gleamed. He sat alone, though bodyguards lurked in the adjacent rooms, behind the moveable wall panels. As Lady Yanagisawa beheld him, a profound, familiar adoration clenched her heart.\n\nHe was as beautiful as on the day they'd met. She had wondered then how she could deserve a husband like him." }, { "from": "human", "value": "She should have known that their marriage would turn out to be exactly what a woman like her should have expected." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "The knowledge that she was ugly seemed to have always been with her. Born the middle of three children, she'd grown up in Kai Province, in a mansion owned by her parents, who were both distant relatives of the Tokugawa. Her household had been lively and gregarious, and she a shy, retiring outcast. Mocked by her pretty sisters, criticized by her mother and the servants, and ignored by her father, she'd spent most of her days alone. Her only companion was a doll with a chipped porcelain head, whom she loved all the more for its imperfection.\n\nWhen she reached a marriageable age, her parents took her to many miai." }, { "from": "human", "value": "She couldn't look at the prospective bridegrooms because she feared to see disgust in their eyes." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "No proposals came of those meetings. She resigned herself to spinsterhood... until that fateful miai with the shogun's young chamberlain.\n\nIt had taken place ten springs ago. As the party strolled through the grounds of Kannei Temple, she kept her head bowed and eyes downcast, listening to the conversation. The smooth, vibrant voice of Chamberlain Yanagisawa stirred something in her. Curiosity overcame her shyness." }, { "from": "human", "value": "She risked a glance at him, and their gazes met." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "He dazzled her. It was like looking at the sun after living in darkness. Heat flushed her body as though his image had burned her. Then he smiled, and she experienced the giddy, heart-pounding sensation of first love.\n\nThat he agreed to marry her seemed a joyous miracle. Exchanging ritual cups of sake at their wedding, she dared to dream of happiness. But their first night together at his mansion showed her the cruel reality of her marriage." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"These are your chambers,\" Yanagisawa said in a cold, impersonal manner. \"I'll leave while you undress and get in bed.\"\n\nTrembling in fearful anticipation, she obeyed. Soon Yanagisawa returned. Without a glance at her, he extinguished the lantern, and his garments rustled in the dark as he shed them. He slipped under the quilt with her. She felt a welling of desire, but after a few perfunctory caresses, it was over." }, { "from": "human", "value": "He rose and departed." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "She lay alone, weeping as the soreness between her legs oozed blood. She and her husband hadn't exchanged a single word during their union; she'd not even seen his body. And she knew he'd put out the light so he wouldn't have to see her.\n\nIn the months that followed, the chamberlain paid her hardly more attention. She felt like a ghost haunting his house. She saw few people besides the servants and made no friends at Edo Castle; she uttered hardly a word." }, { "from": "human", "value": "His absence increased her love and longing for Yanagisawa." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Every few nights he came to her bed, and she always hoped that this time he would treat her with affection and she would experience fulfillment. But he always behaved as he had that first time.\n\nA need to understand her husband had initiated her habit of watching him and listening to the servants gossip about him. She learned that he'd attained his position by seducing the shogun, with whom he had a longtime sexual liaison. She learned that he'd only married her because he wanted a wife with family connections to the Tokugawa. He had many lovers, both male and female, whom he discarded so fast that she considered them meaningless entertainment, unworthy of her jealousy." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "She fantasized that someday the chamberlain would love her.\n\nThe arrival of Kikuko had at first fueled her hope.\n\nAfter their daughter's birth, Chamberlain Yanagisawa would stand in the nursery door, watching her tend the baby, and although she was too shy to talk to him, she thought surely he must value her as the mother of his child. But soon Kikuko's defects became apparent.\n\n\"Why doesn't she walk? Why doesn't she speak?\" the chamberlain had demanded when Kikuko reached the age at which other children could do those things." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "He'd stopped visiting Lady Yanagisawa's bed when she got pregnant, and he never came again. She heard the servants say he blamed her for breeding an idiot and didn't want another. He ignored Kikuko.\n\nNow, lying in the attic above the chamberlain's office, Lady Yanagisawa hugged the little girl close. Kikuko was so good and obedient; she would lie quietly here in the attic for as long as necessary, instead of squirming and complaining the way other children would. Kikuko, beautiful on the outside and flawed within, was all Lady Yanagisawa had. Her affection would compensate Kikuko for her father's cruel rejection." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Despite it, Lady Yanagisawa had continued in love with her husband." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "For almost six more years she'd believed that he would come to care for her, until two events shattered her faith.\n\nThe first was the marriage of Ssakan Sano. She'd heard of Sano when he'd come to Edo Castle and her husband had deemed him a rival and begun spying on him and plotting against him. But Sano hadn't interested Lady Yanagisawa until the day when she and Kikuko had gone riding in their palanquin and returned to the castle to find a procession lined up outside the gate.\n\n\"It's Ueda Reiko, the ssakan-sama's bride,\" said someone in the crowd of spectators.\n\nCurious, Lady Yanagisawa had peered at the bridal palanquin." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Its window opened, and Reiko lifted her white head drape to look outside." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Her beautiful face caused Lady Yanagisawa a piercing stab of envy. Reiko was everything that she herself was not. Seeing Reiko showed her the only kind of woman who might win her husband, and the futility of her love for him.\n\nEnvy fostered in Lady Yanagisawa an obsessive desire to know more about Reiko. She listened to the chamberlain's spies report that Reiko helped her husband with his investigations. She ordered the servants to find out from Reiko's servants what Reiko did and when she went out." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Following Reiko at a distance, Lady Yanagisawa learned that Reiko led an active, interesting life." }, { "from": "human", "value": "She herself had only the bitter pleasure of vicarious experience." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Her envy had turned to hatred two summers ago when the ssakan-sama took his wife to Miyako.\n\nLady Yanagisawa had hidden in the crowd that watched the procession exit the castle, and seen Sano riding alongside Reiko's palanquin. Reiko spoke to him; he smiled at her. This brief glimpse of them together had told Lady Yanagisawa they shared a love that her own marriage lacked. Lady Yanagisawa gazed after them while her fingernails gouged bloody crescents in the palms of her hands. This seemed the culmination of her woes, for she couldn't have known that the Miyako investigation heralded the second calamity to befall her." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "A knock at the door broke the silence in the office below. Chamberlain Yanagisawa called, \"Enter!\"\n\nInto the room Yoriki Hoshina walked, his step cautious and his countenance somber. Lady Yanagisawa experienced the turmoil of emotion that Hoshina always aroused in her.\n\nHoshina knelt opposite the chamberlain. He said, \"I've been thinking about the conversation we had last night.\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"Oh?\" Yanagisawa laid down his writing brush." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Both men behaved with reserve, but Lady Yanagisawa felt the heat between them. She could almost smell the quickening of their blood, breath, and desire.\n\nHer husband had also gone to Miyako, and he'd brought Hoshina back to live with him. He had fallen in love with this man instead of her! Night after night she suffered the agony of watching them in the throes of sexual passion that Yanagisawa had never shown toward her. How she despised Hoshina, who had stolen what she wanted!" }, { "from": "human", "value": "Hatred for her husband entwined her love for him, like a thorny vine growing up around a tree." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"I've figured out what you meant when you said that Lord Mitsuyoshi's murder created more opportunities besides the chance to depose Sano.\" Eagerness crept into Hoshina's voice.\n\nThe chamberlain smiled in expectancy. \"Go on.\"\n\nLady Yanagisawa tried to suppress her emotions and listen, for she wanted to understand what her husband had said when she'd eavesdropped on him and Hoshina last night. She wanted to hear her husband's plans because they might affect her and Kikuko, but also because these tidbits of illicitly gained knowledge were all she had of him.\n\n\"Now that Mitsuyoshi is gone, the shogun needs a new heir.\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "Hoshina hesitated, watching the chamberlain for a reaction." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "When Yanagisawa's smile broadened, Hoshina continued: \"The new heir must be a young man of pleasing appearance and manner.\"\n\n\"Indeed.\" Stroking his chin, Yanagisawa regarded Hoshina with the veiled approval of a teacher beholding a clever pupil.\n\n\"He must also have a blood connection with the Tokugawa so that the succession will stay within the clan.\" Hoshina let a beat pass, cut a meaningful glance at Yanagisawa, then spoke in a tone replete with insinuation: \"Next time you visit your son, please convey to him my best wishes for a prosperous future. May he be as malleable in your hands as the man I won't name.\"\n\nThe chamberlain laughed; fondness shone in the proud look he gave Hoshina. \"I knew you would understand.\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "He was plotting to install his son on the throne and rule through the boy!" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "The breadth of her husband's audacity stunned Lady Yanagisawa.\n\n\"But how would you achieve this, when there's so much competition?\" Hoshina said. \"The Tokugawa branch clans will bring forth their relatives as candidates for the succession. Anyone with any claim to the dictatorship is either on his way to Edo or already at the palace seeking an audience with the shogun. Have you seen the crowd in the antechamber?\"\n\n\"I've already persuaded the shogun to grant Yoritomo an audience,\" Yanagisawa said, his confidence unshaken. \"The boy's resemblance to me will remind His Excellency of when he and I first met. He'll feel young again, and ripe for seduction. Memory and desire should render him quite cooperative.\"\n\nHe would pander his own flesh and blood to the shogun!" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Yet even this depravity didn't lessen Lady Yanagisawa's love for him. She didn't care what he did with the bastards he'd fathered on other women.\n\n\"Would you have your son follow in your footsteps?\" Hoshina said. He drew back and folded his arms, displaying the qualms that Yanagisawa lacked.\n\nYanagisawa smoked his pipe in momentary silence, his air troubled now. \"It may seem cruel, but it's imperative for Yoritomo as well as myself. I can give him a good position in the bakufu, but there's a limit to how high he can go without a special advantage.\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "He would never become shogun, Lady Yanagisawa knew, unless Tokugawa Tsunayoshi took him on as lover and adopted son." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"And unless I can extend my influence into the next generation, neither of us will survive a change in regime,\" the chamberlain continued.\n\nLady Yanagisawa also knew that her husband's many enemies would welcome the opportunities posed by the death of the shogun. If the chamberlain lost power, they would rush to execute him and his sons. And what would become of her and Kikuko? Would they be executed, too?\n\n\"Unless my plan succeeds, you won't last long in a new regime, either,\" Yanagisawa told Hoshina." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"But if things go well, then Sano will be mine to command—as will everyone else. You'll not need to worry that he'll surpass you or prevent you from having anything you want.\"\n\nIf her husband managed to install his son as the next shogun, he and Hoshina would enjoy vast power and wealth. But Lady Yanagisawa expected no rewards for herself. Probably, she and Kikuko would go on living as they always had. The prospect seemed almost as terrible as death.\n\nHoshina's expression was thoughtful, perturbed." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"His Excellency may rule for many more years.\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"And we should pray that he does,\" Yanagisawa said, \"because present conditions are a much surer thing than future ones may prove to be, no matter how carefully we plan.\"\n\n\"Then you expect me to honor your truce with Sano and wait for however long it takes until conditions change and bring him under your control?\" An aggrieved note tinged Hoshina's voice.\n\nThe chamberlain only smiled. \"Or until I decide it's time to break the truce. But otherwise, you're free to challenge Sano and cause him as much trouble as you wish.\"\n\nHoshina rose, his face unhappy." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Lady Yanagisawa could almost pity him because he, too, was in thrall to her husband." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Yet she gloated over Hoshina's disappointments." }, { "from": "human", "value": "When he'd come to live in her home, she'd thought of poisoning him, or sneaking into his bedchamber at night and cutting his throat." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Someday she might find the courage to kill him, even though she feared punishment from her husband and couldn't expect him to turn to her just because Hoshina was gone." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "For the present, she channeled her ill will toward Reiko.\n\nReiko had become the mother of a son at the time when Lady Yanagisawa realized that Kikuko would never be normal. One day this summer, when Lady Yanagisawa took Kikuko on a pilgrimage to Zj Temple, seeking a spiritual cure for her daughter, she spied Reiko and Masahiro in the temple grounds with a party of the Edo Castle women. As she watched Masahiro chatter and romp, her bitterness overwhelmed her because he was everything that Kikuko would never be.\n\nWhy did some women have so much, and others so little?\n\nThat day, Lady Yanagisawa had developed a vague but compelling notion that the world contained a limited amount of good fortune and Reiko had more than her share." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "The idea turned to certainty that Reiko was an enemy who had stolen the luck that Lady Yanagisawa deserved, and that only if Reiko lost her happiness could Lady Yanagisawa claim her rightful due. Lady Yanagisawa didn't know how to achieve this, but forming an acquaintance with her enemy seemed a good first step. Hence, Lady Yanagisawa had gone to the party at the palace... where something unforeseen had happened.\n\nAt first Lady Yanagisawa had seethed with ire at discovering that Reiko was even more beautiful up close, and Masahiro made Kikuko seem more deficient. Yet Reiko had been so kind to Lady Yanagisawa that her resolve wavered. When she asked to visit Reiko, she wasn't sure whether she sought a way to attack Reiko or win her friendship." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Below, the chamberlain and Hoshina rose and left the room." }, { "from": "system", "value": "Next message should be approximately 7 sentences." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Kikuko stirred under the quilt, knowing it was safe to move now. Although there was nothing more to hear, Lady Yanagisawa lay immobile, thinking of that visit to Reiko's house. She recalled seeing a toy horse in the ssakan-sama's office, and a man's dressing gown on a stand in Reiko's chamber. That house was a place where husband, wife, and child lived in togetherness, and she might find comfort as well as food for envy. Lady Yanagisawa didn't know whether to seek happiness by hurting Reiko or by attaching herself to Reiko in the hope that some good luck would rub off on her. But she was certain of one thing.\n\nIf she could help Reiko with the murder investigation, she must, because that would give her the opportunity to follow whichever impulses prevailed." } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "same energy as Laura Joh Rowland, keep writing" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Reiko walked from her palanquin into her house, and sighed in frustration as the maids removed her cloak. Despite her hope of finding Lady Wisteria and her Hokkaido lover, the morning's inquiries had ended in failure.\n\nNone of the women she'd visited seemed to know anything of the mystery lover. Reiko had then gone to her father's estate in the official district near Edo Castle. Magistrate Ueda, who alternated duty with Edo's other magistrate, was spending a month off, while his colleague, Magistrate Aoki, presided over trials." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Reiko had asked her father if a man from Hokkaido had ever come to his attention." }, { "from": "human", "value": "He consulted his records and his staff, but none of them produced any clues." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "She began to think that the pillow book Hirata had found was a fake.\n\nDisconsolate now, Reiko wandered into the nursery and found Masahiro napping. The maid O-hana sat beside him, looking bored, but when she saw Reiko, she perked up.\n\n\"Lady Reiko-san! You're back at last,\" she said, smiling. \"Are you cold from being outside? Shall I bring you hot tea?\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"Yes, please, that would be nice,\" Reiko said." }, { "from": "human", "value": "The maid hurried off." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Reiko sat watching Masahiro sleep while she wondered how to proceed now that none of her usual sources had yielded clues." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Soon O-hana returned and placed a steaming bowl of tea in her hands.\n\n\"Thank you,\" Reiko murmured absently.\n\n\"You and the ssakan-sama are looking for Lady Wisteria, aren't you?\" O-hana said.\n\n\"Yes.\" Reiko eyed the nursemaid in surprise. She never discussed Sano's cases with servants, and though she supposed they eavesdropped, they'd never crossed the bounds of propriety by mentioning what they'd heard." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"Maybe I can help you,\" O-hana said.\n\nReiko took a closer look at O-hana, appraising her cunning smile, eyes bright and sharp as black quartz, and stylish red sash. O-hana was Reiko's least favorite of the nurses, although the girl was an efficient worker, kind to Masahiro, and he liked her. Reiko had always thought O-hana a little conceited, a little too eager to ingratiate herself with her employers.\n\n\"How could you help?\" Reiko said." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"I know Wisteria's family.\"\n\n\"How can you know them?\" Reiko said, recalling what Sano had told her about the courtesan. \"They live far away in Dewa Province.\" She also recalled that O-hana was a native of Edo and had never been outside the city." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"Excuse me, but I must disagree,\" O-hana said." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Her tone was humble, but her faint smirk showed her enjoyment of pointing out someone else's mistake. \"Lady Wisteria isn't from the country, even though that's what she tells people. Her parents live right in Nihonbashi. My mother used to be a maid in their house. I knew Wisteria when we were children.\"\n\n\"Why would she lie?\" Reiko was skeptical of O-hana's news even as it intrigued her.\n\nO-hana's smile turned mysterious." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"Lies sometimes sound better than the truth.\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "And the truth about Wisteria's past might reveal truths about the murder, Reiko thought." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Excitement quickened her heartbeat." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"Might her family know where Lady Wisteria went?\" she speculated aloud." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"I could introduce you to them,\" O-hana suggested eagerly. \"We could ask. Shall we go now?\"\n\nShe leapt to her feet, and Reiko noted how quick O-hana was to abandon her nursemaid duty and presume a closer relationship between them. Reiko liked her less for it, and didn't trust O-hana. Yet she had to stop distrusting people just because her trust had once been abused." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Just because the evil influence of the Black Lotus had threatened her didn't mean everyone meant her harm." }, { "from": "system", "value": "Next message should be approximately 3 sentences." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "She couldn't disregard an opportunity to help Sano solve a case because she disliked the person who offered it. And there seemed no other opportunities at hand.\n\n\"All right,\" Reiko said. \"Let's go.\"" } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "Keep going w/ 2 sentences more" }, { "from": "system", "value": "Produce a starting prompt please." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"There it is,\" O-hana said as the palanquin carried her and Reiko down a street lined with large houses. \"The next one on the left.\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "Reiko called to the bearers to stop." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "She was glad they'd reached their destination, because the trip from Edo Castle to the Nihonbashi merchant district had been unpleasant. The cold had seeped into the palanquin and through the quilts that covered Reiko and her companion." }, { "from": "human", "value": "And O-hana had chattered all the way here, clearly enjoying her ride in the palanquin, and striving to rise above her station by attaching herself to Reiko." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Stifling her dislike and trying to feel grateful toward the poor nursemaid, Reiko climbed out of the palanquin. She and O-hana walked up to the house." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "The house and its neighbors were residences of the affluent merchant class. Built of wood and whitewashed plaster, they fronted directly onto the street." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Heavy brown tile roofs peaked above their second stories and sheltered recessed entrances." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "The district wasn't what Reiko had expected, because Sano had said Wisteria came from a poor family who had sold her into prostitution.\n\nA young maid, dressed in a blue kimono and carrying a broom, appeared in the doorway." }, { "from": "human", "value": "She gazed in surprise at O-hana, Reiko, and the troops who'd escorted them." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"O-hana? Is that you? What's going on?\"\n\n\"My mistress wants to see yours,\" O-hana said in a self-important tone." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"Go tell her that the wife of the shogun's ssakan-sama is here.\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "The maid hurried to comply. Soon two older maids seated Reiko and O-hana in a warm, stuffy parlor full of ornate lacquer tables, chests, and screens, silk floor cushions, shelves of porcelain vases." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"Isn't this beautiful?\" O-hana whispered to Reiko as they waited for Lady Wisteria's mother." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Reiko nodded, although the decor exemplified the vulgar taste of the merchant class.\n\nInto the room minced a small woman perhaps forty years old, trailed by two different female servants." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Her face, round with a pointed chin, was covered with heavy white powder." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Rouge dotted her cheeks; scarlet paint brightened her thin, prim lips." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Painted brows arched over unusually round eyes. Clad in a gaudy red floral kimono that would have better suited a younger woman, she was pretty in the same vulgar way as her parlor." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"Welcome, Honorable Lady!\" Bowing to Reiko, she smiled, revealing teeth cosmetically blackened in the manner of highborn wives. She ignored O-hana." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"This is an unexpected honor.\"\n\n\"Allow me to introduce Madam Yue-san,\" O-hana said to Reiko, looking miffed at their hostess's slight." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Madam Yue knelt near Reiko and offered refreshments; maids served tea and expensive cakes on fine dishware." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Reiko had counted six attendants by now. If this family could maintain so high a standard of living, how could they not have afforded a daughter's keep?" }, { "from": "human", "value": "Was this really the home of Lady Wisteria?" }, { "from": "human", "value": "While Reiko and O-hana ate and sipped, Madam Yue chatted with Reiko about the weather." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "She spoke and smiled with affected elegance. Presently she said, \"May I ask what brought you here to see me?\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"I've come about your daughter,\" Reiko said." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "The woman's smile vanished; displeasure thinned her lips. \"My daughter isn't here. It's been many years since she's lived in this house.\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"She is Lady Wisteria, the courtesan?\" Reiko said, wanting to make sure they were both talking about the same person." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Madam Yue looked away and nodded." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"You know she disappeared from Yoshiwara the night when the shogun's heir was murdered?\"\n\nAnother nod from Madam Yue; she twisted her dainty hands together at her bosom and frowned into space." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"My husband needs to find Wisteria,\" said Reiko. \"I was hoping you could help us.\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"I haven't seen her, and I don't know where she's gone,\" Madam Yue said." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Her elegance had deserted her; she spoke in a flat, common voice. \"I'm not surprised she's in trouble, though. If you find her, I would appreciate it if you would tell her not to expect any help from me.\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "Though Reiko was disappointed that this expedition wouldn't reveal the location of Wisteria, the woman's attitude intrigued her." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Clearly, there had been trouble between Wisteria and her mother. \"Maybe if you tell me about your daughter, that will give me a clue to where she is,\" Reiko said." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Madam Yue's mouth twitched and her gaze darted. She looked anxious to avoid speaking of Wisteria, yet afraid to offend the ssakan-sama's wife." }, { "from": "human", "value": "She sighed in resignation." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"How did Wisteria come to be a courtesan?\" Reiko asked.\n\n\"That kind of thing doesn't usually happen in our family,\" Madam Yue burst out." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"But she deserved it. I'm glad I sold her to the brothel!\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "This woman had willingly delivered her own daughter into a life of degradation. Reiko was horrified into speechlessness." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"When she was a little girl I loved her so much, but she went bad.\" Madam Yue spoke in a rush, her round eyes glittering with shame, tears, and a need to justify herself." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"I did without things so I could buy pretty clothes for her, and she repaid good with evil!\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "The woman sniffled angrily and wiped her nose on her sleeve. \"It started when she was thirteen, after her father died. He was a laborer in a boatyard. He hurt his leg there, and it festered, and the sickness killed him. I didn't know how Wisteria and I would live, because we had no money or family. But then the owner of the boatyard offered me a job as a maid—in this house. He let me bring my girl to live here with me and help with the work. It turned out that he fancied me. The next year we were married. I became the mistress of the house.\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "She smiled through her tears, proud of her advancement in society, but then her expression turned bitter. \"I should have noticed how Wisteria looked at him, and how he looked at her, and bought her things, and paid more attention to her than to me." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "But I never suspected. Then one night I was wakened by noises in the house." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "You'll understand what I mean when I say they were the kind of noises that shouldn't have been coming from anywhere except the room where my husband and I sleep. He was supposed to be working late that night." }, { "from": "human", "value": "I thought one of the maids had sneaked in a man." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "So I got up and went to throw them out.\n\n\"But I discovered that the noises were coming from Wisteria's room. I looked inside. And I saw them. They were in bed together—Wisteria and my husband!\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "Indignation blazed in Madam Yue's eyes." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"I grabbed him and pulled him away from Wisteria. I began hitting him, and I shouted, 'Leave my girl alone, you beast!' \"\n\nPantomiming her actions, Madam Yue beat her fists at the air." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Reiko winced, imagining the innocent child mistreated by her stepfather.\n\n\"He fell on the floor,\" Madam Yue continued. \"I hurried to Wisteria and said, 'Are you all right?'" }, { "from": "human", "value": "And the sight of her froze my heart." }, { "from": "human", "value": "I expected her to be frightened and crying." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "But she stood up, stark naked, with her head high.\" Madam Yue rose, her manner cruelly triumphant. \"She said, 'I love him, Mother. And he loves me, not you." }, { "from": "human", "value": "He only married you so he could have me, because I'm the one he's always wanted." }, { "from": "human", "value": "And now that I'm old enough, he's going to marry me.'" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"I couldn't believe what she said. I was so shocked that I stood there gaping at her, shaking my head.\" The woman's attitude altered to suit her words." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"Then Wisteria said to my husband, 'Tell her it's true. Tell her you're going to divorce her, like you promised, so we can marry.\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "While Reiko sat amazed by this story, Madam Yue said, \"I turned to my husband. 'She's lying,' I said to him. 'Tell me she's lying.' But he just hung his head and sat there. And I realized that Wisteria had seduced him into betraying me. I rushed at her and shouted, 'Wicked slut! How dare you steal my husband?' I slapped her face. I pulled her hair. I threw her to the floor and trampled her. She called to my husband to save her. But he didn't move, he wouldn't look at us. Wisteria started crying. I cursed and beat her until my strength gave out. We all sat in that room, without speaking, for the rest of the night.\"\n\nMadam Yue sank to her knees, her expression murderous." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Reiko pictured the guilty man, the raging wife, and the weeping girl, characters in a tragic play." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"You can see why I had to get rid of my daughter.\" Madam Yue turned a defiant gaze on Reiko. \"My husband wasn't really going to marry her and throw me out, but if she stayed, she would make him always want her instead of me.\" Bitterness curdled the woman's voice. \"I couldn't just put her out of the house, because she would come back and persuade my husband to take her in again." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "And she deserved to be punished.\n\n\"When morning came, I told them what we were going to do. Wisteria begged my forgiveness, but I ignored her. My husband took us in a ferry up the river to Yoshiwara. We walked to the gate, and I said to a guard, 'I want to sell my daughter.' He fetched the brothel-masters. They fought over Wisteria because she was so pretty. I sold her to the one who offered me the most money. It was enough that I thought she'd be trapped in Yoshiwara forever. As the man took her into the quarter, she begged my husband not to leave her. She cursed me and screamed that I would be sorry for what I'd done, but I just walked away. My husband followed me. We went home.\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "Reiko was appalled. What Madam Yue had done was worse than poor peasants selling children they couldn't afford to raise." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Those peasants gave up the children so they would be fed and clothed at the brothels, while Madam Yue had sought to condemn Wisteria to a lifetime of prostitution." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Reiko glanced at O-hana, who gave a smug nod, as if to say, I told you that lies sound better than the truth. Wisteria must have created a new personal history for herself because she didn't want to tell people that she'd brought about her own disgrace and her mother had won their battle for the man they both wanted." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Reiko pondered what implications the courtesan's falsehood had for the murder case." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "At the very least, it suggested that Wisteria was a more complex woman than Reiko or Sano had thought.\n\nA man dressed in the dark, respectable cotton robes of a successful merchant peered through the parlor doorway." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Madam Yue saw him, and a look of guilty chagrin came over her face." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"Honorable Husband. You're home early.\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Flustered, she introduced him and Reiko.\n\nThey bowed to each other, murmuring polite greetings." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Reiko noted that the man was some years younger than his wife, and handsome. His diffident manner suggested weakness of personality, and Reiko perceived that he would always yield to the person with the strongest will." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "His young stepdaughter hadn't stood a chance against her outraged, overpowering mother.\n\nThe man withdrew. A moment passed in uncomfortable silence while Madam Yue twisted her hands nervously." }, { "from": "human", "value": "She said, \"I don't like to talk about the past when my husband is around,\" then forced a bright, artificial smile at Reiko." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"Many thanks for the honor of your visit. I hope you have a pleasant trip home.\"\n\nShe was obviously eager to see her guests gone." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Reiko thanked Madam Yue for her cooperation and allowed the woman to escort her and O-hana outside. The afternoon continued sunless and bleak; moisture in the air condensed into icy droplets that chilled Reiko's face." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Pausing before she climbed into her palanquin, she turned to Madam Yue." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"Was that day at Yoshiwara the last time you saw your daughter?\" Reiko asked.\n\nMadam Yue hardened her mouth." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"I wish it had been. But Wisteria came back here about four years ago.\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"She did?\" Reiko said, surprised. \"How?\"\n\nCourtesans were forbidden to leave Yoshiwara, except in special cases." }, { "from": "human", "value": "A tayu could only go home to visit fatally ill parents, and that circumstance didn't apply to Wisteria." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"I came home from shopping,\" Madam Yue said, \"and I found Wisteria in my room. She was all grown up, and beautiful, and dressed in the highest fashion.\" The murderous look darkened the woman's features again. \"She was slashing my clothes with a knife." }, { "from": "human", "value": "There was a big pile of shredded fabric on the floor around her." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"I said, 'How did you get here? What do you think you're doing?' Wisteria said, 'I've been freed. And I'm paying you back for what you did to me.' Then she urinated on my ruined clothes. I shouted, 'Get out of here!' She laughed and said, 'May you be reborn into the life of degradation that I suffered.' And she swept out of the house. That was the last I've seen of her. And good riddance!\" Madam Yue snorted; fury glinted in her eyes." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Though Wisteria's violence and crudity disgusted Reiko, she could sympathize with the courtesan's need for revenge." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "And the story offered a possible clue.\n\n\"Who was it that freed Wisteria?\" Reiko asked." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"She didn't say. Later I heard he was a wealthy, high-ranking official.\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "One aspect of the story perplexed Reiko. She said, \"If this man freed Wisteria, why did she return to Yoshiwara?\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"I don't know.\" An unpleasant smile twisted Madam Yue's lips." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"But I'm glad she did.\"\n\nReiko decided she must find out the identity of the man." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Perhaps he and Wisteria had kept in contact, and he knew where she was." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"Did Wisteria have any close friends I might talk to?\" Reiko meant to continue probing Wisteria's past, which seemed a rich source of enlightenment." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"There was a girl named Yuya. She lived down the street when she and Wisteria were young. I heard she went bad, too, but I don't know what became of her.\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"If you should see Wisteria, or hear from her, will you please send a message to my husband's estate at Edo Castle to let me know?\" Reiko said.\n\n\"Oh, I certainly will,\" Madam Yue replied, with a nasty chuckle that conveyed how much she would like to turn her daughter in to the shogun's ssakan-sama." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"Does your husband think Wisteria killed Lord Mitsuyoshi?\"" }, { "from": "system", "value": "Next message should be approximately 3 sentences." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"He's investigating the possibility,\" Reiko admitted.\n\n\"Well, you can tell him that she's mean and spiteful and cunning enough to be the murderer,\" Madam Yue said. \"And when he catches her, I'll be plenty glad to say so at her trial.\"" } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "ur a writing helper. partner writes, u do next 7 sentences." }, { "from": "system", "value": "Produce a starting prompt please." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "The guards at the Court of Justice opened the broad, carved door for Sano. He and four of his detectives entered the cavernous room, which was filled with men kneeling in rows all the way up to the shirasu, an area of floor covered with white sand, symbol of truth. There knelt Treasury Minister Nitta. Head bowed, his wrists shackled, he faced the low dais at the front of the room. On the dais, flanked by two secretaries stationed behind desks equipped with paper and writing implements, sat Magistrate Aoki.\n\nSano and his men knelt at the back of the audience. The magistrate addressed Nitta in a cracked but resonant voice: \"We have just heard evidence that you stole from the treasury.\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "His face reminded Sano of a bitter-melon—tapering and deeply wrinkled, his eyes like black stones embedded in furrows." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "He wore black ceremonial robes adorned with gold crests. His bald scalp reflected light from the lanterns above the dais. \"You may now speak for yourself if you wish.\"\n\n\"I confess that I took the money, betrayed my lord's trust, and dishonored myself,\" Nitta said. His quiet words conveyed no feeling, but his shoulders slumped in despair. The penalty for stealing from the Tokugawa was death, as everyone knew.\n\n\"I hereby pronounce you guilty of embezzlement and treason,\" said Magistrate Aoki." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Sano drew a breath to ask that Aoki delay the execution until he solved the murder case." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "He might need more information from Nitta, and he wanted all the suspects alive until he determined who was the killer. But the magistrate spoke first.\n\n\"I will wait to sentence you because you are accused of yet another serious crime,\" he said to Nitta. \"You will now undergo trial for the murder of Lord Mitsuyoshi.\"\n\nThe treasury minister jerked upright, as if pierced by shock. Disbelief stunned Sano. Magistrate Aoki intended to try Nitta here, today, for the murder, and hadn't even notified Sano! Then Sano realized he should have expected this." }, { "from": "human", "value": "The magistrate aspired to a loftier status than his present post, and he never gave up trying for a promotion." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "He always insinuated himself into high-level bakufu business, hoping to impress the shogun. Unsatisfied with condemning Treasury Minister Nitta for embezzlement, he'd seized the chance to prosecute Nitta as the murderer of the shogun's heir.\n\nMagistrate Aoki now stared across the room at Sano, defying him to object.\n\n\"Honorable Magistrate, with all due respect, I must ask that you postpone the murder trial.\" Despite his anger, Sano spoke politely because he knew the danger inherent in his request. Heads swiveled toward him, and he recognized important bakufu officials among the audience. \"I also ask you to defer Treasury Minister Nitta's sentence for embezzlement and keep him under house arrest for now.\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"Why is that?\" Magistrate Aoki's stony eyes glinted." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Sano saw the treasury minister gazing at him in avid hope of reprieve." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Nitta's normally pale skin had acquired the same gray color as his hair; he looked to have aged a decade since Sano had last met him.\n\n\"The murder investigation isn't finished,\" Sano said, although alarmed to take the dubious position of protecting a criminal from the law. \"It hasn't yet been established whether Treasury Minister Nitta or someone else is the killer. And I need him to be available for interrogation.\"\n\n\"Your request is noted—and regretfully declined.\" Magistrate Aoki's manner was deferential, but laced with enjoyment. \"I remind you that a magistrate has the right to schedule trials and sentences at his discretion.\"\n\nWhile Sano enjoyed high status in the bakufu because he belonged to the shogun's inner court, his actual rank was ambiguous." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Whether he had authority over other officials was a matter of constant debate.\n\n\"The court shall proceed,\" Magistrate Aoki continued. \"Whatever punishment I deem appropriate for Treasury Minister Nitta shall be meted out today.\"\n\n\"His Excellency the Shogun has given me the responsibility for identifying the killer of Lord Mitsuyoshi,\" Sano said, struggling to control his rage. \"For Treasury Minister Nitta to be tried for murder and punished for embezzlement today will interfere with my duty.\"\n\n\"I begin to think that you wish to delay justice for your own sake.\" Menace lurked beneath Aoki's even voice; the audience stirred in uneasy anticipation." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"Would you rather see the murderer of His Excellency's heir go unpunished than have someone other than yourself determine whether Treasury Minister Nitta is guilty?\"\n\nThis was tantamount to an accusation of treason, and Sano knew that if he persisted in opposing the trial, the accusation might stick. Defeated, he shook his head and seethed in silence. What bad luck that Aoki was on duty this month, instead of Reiko's father! Magistrate Ueda wouldn't place self-aggrandizement before reason.\n\n\"We shall hear the first witness,\" Magistrate Aoki said.\n\nMixed feelings beset Sano." }, { "from": "human", "value": "He didn't want to see Aoki prove Treasury Minister Nitta's guilt when he himself couldn't; but if the magistrate served justice by convicting Nitta, then Sano had no right to complain." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Much as he would hate to lose face and the shogun's regard if Aoki solved the mystery, an end to the investigation would quiet the unrest in the bakufu and save Sano trouble even if his reputation suffered." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Furthermore, Sano was curious to see what the trial revealed.\n\nOne of the secretaries said, \"Kacho, courtesan of Yoshiwara, is ordered to come forward.\"\n\nIn the front row of the audience, a woman shuffled forth on her knees and stopped near the shirasu. Sano recognized her as one of the courtesans who'd entertained party guests at the Owariya the night Lord Mitsuyoshi died.\n\n\"Are you acquainted with Treasury Minister Nitta?\" the magistrate asked her.\n\nShe bowed and replied meekly: \"Yes, Honorable Magistrate.\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"Was he so much in love with Lady Wisteria that he reserved all her appointments because he didn't want any other man to have her?\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"Yes, Honorable Magistrate.\"\n\n\"Let it be noted that Treasury Minister Nitta is a jealous man who went to great lengths to keep Lady Wisteria all to himself,\" Magistrate Aoki said to the assembly. \"This witness is dismissed. We shall hear the next one.\"\n\nSano's objection to the trial gained force because Magistrate Aoki had used the witness as a puppet to confirm his own statements, which set Treasury Minister Nitta up as the murderer. Virtually all trials in Japan ended with a guilty verdict, and this one was looking to be an example of how Aoki maintained the trend.\n\nThe second witness was the proprietor of the Owariya. Magistrate Aoki asked him, \"Did Treasury Minister Nitta keep his appointment with Lady Wisteria the night of the murder?\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "When the proprietor replied in the negative, Magistrate Aoki said, \"Why not?\"\n\n\"Lord Mitsuyoshi requested Lady Wisteria's company, and Treasury Minister Nitta yielded to him,\" said the proprietor.\n\n\"Was the treasury minister angry and upset because Lord Mitsuyoshi took his appointment with the woman he loved?\"\n\n\"Very angry. Very upset.\"\n\n\"Let it be noted that Treasury Minister Nitta's anger toward the victim and bad mood were ample reasons for murder,\" said Magistrate Aoki.\n\nSano experienced a sense of vindication because Magistrate Aoki hadn't produced any new evidence against Nitta, and dismay that he sought to convict a man based on evidence that Sano had discovered and thought inadequate.\n\n\"How long was Treasury Minister Nitta in the Owariya that night?\" the magistrate asked." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"Several hours, Honorable Magistrate,\" said the proprietor." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"Even though he couldn't have Wisteria and he knew she was upstairs with Lord Mitsuyoshi?\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "The wrinkles in Magistrate Aoki's face expressed feigned surprise.\n\n\"Yes.\"\n\nThe magistrate nodded in satisfaction. He said to the assembly, \"Treasury Minister Nitta stayed because he wanted revenge on Lord Mitsuyoshi. He had ample opportunity to sneak upstairs and kill his rival.\"\n\nThe next two witnesses were the guards from the Yoshiwara gate. Under Magistrate Aoki's questioning, they testified that Nitta had bribed them to let him out after curfew.\n\n\"Obviously, Treasury Minister Nitta broke the law and left because he was anxious to flee the scene of his crime.\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "Turning to Nitta, the magistrate said, \"Have you anything to say in your own defense?\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"I didn't kill anyone.\" Nitta's high-pitched denial trembled with vehemence. \"I'm a thief, but not a murderer.\"\n\n\"A samurai who is depraved enough to rob his lord is capable of murdering his lord's cousin,\" Magistrate Aoki said. \"I pronounce you guilty of the murder of Lord Mitsuyoshi.\"\n\nNitta clambered to his feet, scattering the white sand. \"I didn't kill him!\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "he shouted. A ripple of excitement passed through the audience. \"Whatever else I've done, I'm innocent of that!\"\n\nTwo courtroom guards grabbed him and forced him to his knees. Whether Nitta was telling the truth, or was just trying to avoid further dishonor to his family name, Sano could keep silent no longer.\n\nRising, he said, \"Honorable Magistrate, you mustn't convict on such meager evidence.\"\n\nMagistrate Aoki glared as if he would like to throw Sano out of the court, but he couldn't because of Sano's high status. \"It is the right of a magistrate to appraise evidence. I have decided that the evidence against Treasury Minister Nitta is worthy to convict him of the murder.\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"You can't convict me!\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Nitta struggled against the guards. \"I'm innocent. I swear on my ancestors' honor!\"\n\n\"You've not even presented the evidence which indicates that he is innocent,\" Sano protested.\n\nHe heard murmurs in the audience, saw faces avid with interest turned on him, and sensed the officials speculating on what would happen to him for taking the side of a confessed traitor. He knew there were people who would be eager to see him executed along with Nitta. His pursuit of the truth always led him into such peril! Yet he couldn't allow the investigation to end with Nitta's conviction and significant odds that the real killer might escape justice." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"I've presented all the evidence I deem relevant,\" the magistrate said." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"It's more than enough to satisfy the law.\"\n\nThis was true: Countless defendants were condemned, wrongly or rightly, on the basis of less evidence than Aoki had presented against Nitta, with the full sanction of the bakufu.\n\nSano said, \"You've no witnesses to say that Treasury Minister Nitta went inside the room where Lord Mitsuyoshi died. And there was nothing in that room to prove he did.\"\n\nThe magistrate dismissed this argument with an impatient wave of his hand. \"Either he removed all traces of his presence, or you failed to find them. His love for Lady Wisteria is enough evidence that he seized his opportunity to murder the rival who spent that night with her.\"\n\n\"I don't love her!\" Nitta wailed in desperation." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"If I'd wanted her so badly, I would have bought her freedom and married her. She wanted me to, but I refused. And I would never kill my lord's cousin for a prostitute!\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"There's reason to believe he's telling the truth,\" Sano said, aware that his every word allied him more strongly with Nitta and impugned his loyalty to the regime." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"The treasury minister enjoys other courtesans besides Wisteria. He even financed a ritual bedding display for one of them.\"\n\n\"You see?\" Nitta demanded of the magistrate.\n\n\"Quiet,\" Magistrate Aoki said, then turned to Sano. \"Whether he enjoys a million other courtesans is irrelevant. Yielding Wisteria to Lord Mitsuyoshi upset him enough to argue with the proprietor, then kill in revenge.\"\n\n\"I was upset because the Owariya charged me for the appointment I lost,\" Nitta said furiously.\n\n\"The musician Fujio is also a suspect, as is Wisteria's chaperone, Momoko, who is under arrest for the murder.\" Sano advanced up the aisle between the rows of seated men, toward the dais." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"You could just as well have prosecuted one of them.\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"But neither of them is a convicted traitor.\" Magistrate Aoki regarded Sano with veiled glee.\n\nThat the treasury minister's bad character made him a likelier culprit wasn't the main reason Aoki had chosen him instead of the others, Sano understood. Magistrate Aoki wasn't evil enough to condemn someone on a whim, and he didn't want the blood of Fujio or Momoko on his hands because he realized they might be innocent. Treasury Minister Nitta, who'd already earned the death penalty by embezzling, was a safe scapegoat. The magistrate could tack a murder conviction on him with a clear conscience—and without much concern that the real culprit could be still at large.\n\nIf Lord Mitsuyoshi had been the killer's sole target, the killer would have no reason to kill again." }, { "from": "human", "value": "The shogun would be satisfied by the conviction of Treasury Minister Nitta." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "The magistrate would win the promotion he craved.\n\nHis ruthless scheming chilled Sano's blood.\n\n\"Then condemn Treasury Minister Nitta if you will,\" Sano said, \"but delay the execution.\" Given some time, he could learn the truth about the murder, and refute Nitta's conviction if necessary. \"A few days is all I ask.\"\n\n\"You have already trespassed too far into the purview of the court,\" Magistrate Aoki said, vexed. \"Justice will not be delayed on your account.\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "Turning to Nitta, he said, \"I sentence you to death by ritual suicide,\" then nodded to the guards." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"Take him to the execution ground.\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "A series of gasps and moans came from Nitta. His eyes went wide with horrified realization that all hope was lost. As the guards hauled him toward the door, his legs crumpled; he dangled between the guards like a corpse.\n\nIn desperation, Sano stood in the aisle, blocking their progress. \"Stop,\" he commanded.\n\nHis four detectives rose and joined him. The guards halted, looking to Magistrate Aoki for orders, as more guards rushed to their aid. Confused murmurs swept the audience." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"I'm taking Treasury Minister Nitta into my keeping,\" Sano told the magistrate." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "He grasped the hilt of his sword; his detectives and the courtroom guards followed suit. As the two sides faced off, the spectators leapt up and pressed themselves against the walls, clearing space for a battle.\n\nMagistrate Aoki's eyes blazed with an ire that told Sano he'd made a permanent foe. \"I'll not allow bloodshed to foul my court,\" he said. At a gesture from him, the guards let go of their weapons and released Nitta, who collapsed on the floor. \"You can prevent his death by force if you wish. But I advise you to think hard before you do.\"\n\nDeadly quiet stilled the courtroom while Sano foresaw the potential consequences of his actions." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Taking Nitta seemed the only way to buy himself time to solve the case." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "But he would face severe criticism for protecting a traitor. Whether Sano had the power to overrule Magistrate Aoki was beside the point. Interfering with the legal process would brand him an opponent of justice. His own loyalty to the regime would be questioned, his reputation ruined. The treasury minister was officially guilty of the murder of the shogun's heir, and many people would therefore believe Nitta really was the killer. If the shogun believed it, Sano would be exiled at the least, but more probably executed. Even if the shogun spared Sano's family, Reiko and Masahiro would share his disgrace." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Their lives would be ruined." }, { "from": "system", "value": "Next message should be approximately 4 sentences." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "For the sake of Treasury Minister Nitta, who might eventually prove to be the murderer after all.\n\nAnger and frustration boiled within Sano. He shook his head at his detectives. Then, while Magistrate Aoki gloated, they all stood aside to let the guards bear Treasury Minister Nitta from the room." } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "writers block help pls. ill send something, u do 7 sentences. going for Laura Joh Rowland vibe" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"Treasury Minister Nitta has committed seppuku?\" said Hirata.\n\nSano nodded unhappily. \"The news is official.\" Some two hours had passed since the trial. Now Sano, Hirata, and Reiko sat in Sano's office. Reiko poured steaming tea into bowls for the three of them.\n\n\"What's going to happen?\" she said.\n\n\"The best outcome is that I can persuade the shogun to let me keep investigating the murder until I prove whether Treasury Minister Nitta really was the killer or Magistrate Aoki made a mistake.\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Sano sipped tea; it scalded his mouth. \"The worst is that the shogun will decide I made a mistake, failed in my duty, and offended the regime.\"\n\nHe didn't have to elaborate the consequences for Hirata and Reiko; their expressions said they understood.\n\n\"But we won't know which it will be for a while yet,\" Sano said. \"The shogun is ill, and has issued orders that he doesn't want to be disturbed. I wrote a report explaining what I did at the trial and left it with the shogun's secretary. But Magistrate Aoki will have sent a report, too. We'll just have to wait and hope that when the shogun reads the reports, he likes my side of the story better than Aoki's.\"\n\nDread pervaded the atmosphere as they sat holding their tea bowls. To boost morale, Sano said, \"For now we'll proceed as if the investigation will continue. I've got some new leads.\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "He told of his visits from officials who wanted to incriminate their enemies. \"They may be spurious, but we'll have to check them. What have you learned today?\"\n\n\"I've found no trace of Lady Wisteria or her Hokkaido lover,\" Hirata said, eyes downcast. \"They weren't at any of the Suruga teahouses or Fukagawa noodle shops, and I searched them all. I'm beginning to wonder if the man doesn't exist, and the pillow book isn't genuine.\"\n\nDisappointment burdened Sano's spirits, because if he was to convince the shogun that the inquiries should go on, he needed better justification than a lot of dead ends. \"It's too early to give up,\" he told Hirata. \"Keep looking.\"\n\nReiko said, \"I may have found something important.\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Her manner was cautious but hopeful. She described meeting Lady Wisteria's family, and what she'd heard at their home. \"That Wisteria tried to steal her mother's husband, and ruined her mother's clothes as revenge for selling her into Yoshiwara, shows her to be a selfish, mean person.\"\n\n\"And therefore a good murder suspect, even if what happened when she was young has no direct bearing on Lord Mitsuyoshi's death,\" Hirata said, looking cheered by the new development.\n\nHowever, Reiko's description of Wisteria disturbed Sano profoundly. The courtesan had lied to him about her past, and he realized that he knew even less about her than he'd thought. The idea that his former lover was the killer revolted Sano." }, { "from": "human", "value": "But if he proved that Treasury Minister Nitta was innocent, the list of suspects would shrink, and the odds that Wisteria was guilty would rise." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"I may also have some clues to where Lady Wisteria has gone,\" Reiko said." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"She had a childhood friend named Yuya. After I left her mother's house, I questioned the neighbors. They said Yuya works in a bathhouse somewhere in town. Maybe Wisteria took shelter with her.\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"I'll have my detectives search the bathhouses,\" Sano said." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"A man bought Wisteria's freedom about four years ago,\" Reiko said." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"Her mother doesn't know how Wisteria got back in Yoshiwara, or the name of the man. But he was rumored to be a high-ranking samurai official. I think I should try to find out who he is, because he might be able to lead us to Wisteria, if Yuya can't.\"\n\nDismay jarred Sano. A hum of alarm began in his head as a bad day turned worse. Just as he'd feared, Reiko's inquiries concerning Lady Wisteria had led to him.\n\nA little frown of uncertainty puckered Reiko's forehead as she sensed the change in atmosphere. \"Is something wrong?\"\n\nSano noticed Hirata watching him to see whether he would tell Reiko about his relationship with Lady Wisteria. Must he now reveal what he'd hidden from his wife? If they were to proceed with the investigation together, what choice had he? Panic besieged him." } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "I'll be your writing partner today. I will set the scene, and you will continue the story with six sentences, channeling the voice and techniques of Laura Joh Rowland." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "There was no signature on the message, but it did include directions to the house.\n\nSano, Hirata, and a squadron of detectives and troops followed the directions into the hills north of Edo. They rode along a winding highway that climbed the forested slopes. Frigid wind ripped the smoke from their lanterns and the breath from their lungs. The horses galloped on hard earth that had borne little traffic since summer, when Edo's citizens took to the hills for relief from the heat. The cold fire of sunset burned above the leafless trees; patches of snow reflected pink upon the ground." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "In the darkening sky rose the moon, a radiant silver crescent filigreed by shadows, suspended amid stars.\n\n\"When I told Fujio that I wanted to search his house, I had a feeling he was hiding something,\" Sano said to Hirata. \"Now I think he didn't want me to know he has another house besides the one in Imado where he lives.\"\n\n\"I hope we find something worthwhile.\" Hirata echoed Sano's hopes.\n\nYet they both harbored skepticism about the clue." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Before leaving town, they'd tried to discover who had sent it." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "A castle messenger had delivered the letter, which the guards at the main gate had given him. The guards said a man had brought them the letter; but they couldn't recall anything about him because they took so many messages from so many people. The letter was written on cheap, common paper, in a hand unfamiliar to Sano. Although he and Hirata feared a trick, they couldn't afford to ignore the message.\n\nThe sunset faded to a dull red edge on the horizon, and darkness clothed the hills. Sano saw the shape of a house with a peaked roof and jutting veranda, clinging to a nearby hillside." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"There it is,\" he called to his companions.\n\nThey left the horses, with two soldiers to guard them, at the bottom of a steep, narrow trail. As Sano climbed the trail with Hirata, the detectives, and his troops, the cold worsened; curves in the path obscured what lay ahead. Tree trunks and underbrush confined the light from the lanterns in a minuscule space around Sano and his men. Nothing else moved in the forest; the only sounds were their footsteps in the rocky path, the huffing of their breath, and the distant ripple of a stream. But Sano recalled the many attacks on him since he'd become the shogun's ssakan-sama." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Was the anonymous message the lure for an ambush?\n\nThe trail abruptly ended in a clearing. There stood the house, a dilapidated shack. It appeared to be an ordinary, cheap summer retreat, yet Sano's instincts prickled, sensing evil.\n\n\"Beware,\" he whispered to his men.\n\nThe guards led the advance, cautiously panning their lanterns as they stole through knee-high grass that rustled underfoot." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Sano and Hirata followed, while the detectives brought up the rear, their alert gazes sweeping the area for signs of trouble. A lull in the wind stilled the forest; the stream rippled. Somewhere, a dog or wolf howled. As the group neared the house, the lanterns revealed weathered plank walls, a thatched roof, latticed windows, and a door framed by a webbing of vines.\n\nPausing near the threshold, Sano motioned for the guards to circle and scout the building. They obeyed, then returned, shaking their heads to indicate they'd seen no threats." }, { "from": "human", "value": "At a gesture from Sano, they opened the door and shone the lanterns into the dark space within." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "The light penetrated a narrow, empty passage. Sano nodded; the guards preceded him and the others inside, along a bare, creaking wooden floor, beneath low rafters. The lanterns splashed their shadows across paper walls. Sano inhaled, trying to scent danger, but the cold had numbed his nose: He smelled nothing.\n\n\"There's nobody here,\" Hirata said, voicing what Sano perceived.\n\nA slithering sound caused Sano's heart to lurch; everyone started." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Hands grasped swords. A guard flashed his lantern into a kitchen furnished with cooking utensils on shelves, and a plaster-encased hearth." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "It was vacant, the sound probably caused by vermin seeking food. Breaths fogged the air as everyone relaxed; yet as they moved to the doorway of the opposite room, Sano's instincts blared a continuous warning.\n\nInside the room, tatami covered the floor; dried flowers bloomed from a vase in the alcove. A table held a cricket cage, sake jar, and folding fan—relics of summer. On a lacquer chest lay a few papers. Hirata fetched them and gave them to Sano." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "They were musical scores, signed by Fujio.\n\nOne more room remained. As the group approached this, dread slowed Sano's steps. Whatever he was meant to find must be there.\n\nThe cramped space he saw from the threshold appeared as abandoned and lifeless as the rest of the house. A swath of white muslin mosquito net hung from the ceiling and draped a futon." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "The futon held what at first looked to be a large, crooked bundle of fabric. Then Sano saw, protruding from one end of the bundle and out of the mosquito net, an arm that extended to a hand with curled fingers. The bundle was a human body, slender and curved and female, dressed in a patterned kimono and sprawled on the futon. That she lay so still, in this freezing, isolated house, could mean only one thing.\n\n\"Merciful gods,\" Sano said.\n\nHe and his comrades rushed into the room." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Sano flung back the mosquito net, and everyone exclaimed in horror." }, { "from": "system", "value": "Next message should be approximately 4 sentences." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "The body was headless, the neck an ugly stump of mangled flesh, clotted blood, and hacked bone. In his memory Sano heard a girlish voice saying, \"She wore a black kimono with purple wisteria blossoms and green vines on it.\" The garment on the dead woman was surely the one described by the kamuro, Chidori.\n\n\"Lady Wisteria,\" Sano said, aghast." } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "I'll be your writing partner today. I will set the scene, and you will continue the story with 6 sentences, channeling the voice and techniques of Laura Joh Rowland." }, { "from": "system", "value": "Produce a starting prompt please." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Reiko lay in bed, where she'd fallen into a restless sleep hours after Sano left for Fujio's house. Quiet footsteps in the corridor impinged on her consciousness, and she jerked awake, breath caught, eyes wide open in the darkness of her room.\n\nShe knew the estate was well guarded, but ever since the Black Lotus case, noises at night conjured up terror of attack. She snatched up the dagger she kept beside the bed. Silently she crept down the corridor, shivering with cold and fear. Lamplight glowed from the bathchamber; a human shadow moved inside." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Peering cautiously through the open door, Reiko saw Sano." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "He was undressing. Her body sagged in relief. She lowered the dagger and entered the room.\n\n\"I'm glad you're home,\" she said.\n\nSano nodded without looking at her, his features set in a frown. He dropped his sash on the slatted wooden floor, then stripped off his trousers. He tore off his robes and socks." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Reiko noticed his hands shaking; the sculpted muscles of his stomach contracted in spasms as he shed his loincloth." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "He squatted, emptied a bucket of water over himself, and shuddered in the icy splash.\n\nWorried by his strange behavior, Reiko laid down the dagger and crouched near Sano. \"What happened at Fujio's house?\"\n\nSano picked up a bag of rice-bran soap and violently scrubbed his torso. His voice emerged from between chattering teeth: \"We found the dead body of a woman.\"\n\n\"Oh.\" Reiko now understood why Sano would bathe in the middle of the night." }, { "from": "human", "value": "He wanted to cleanse himself of the spiritual pollution from his contact with death." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Postponing more questions, she said, \"Let me help you.\"\n\nShe lit the charcoal braziers. Luckily, the water in the round, sunken wooden tub was still warm, heated earlier for her own bath. She washed Sano's back and rinsed him. He climbed into the tub, groaning as he immersed himself up to his chin and closed his eyes. Reiko knelt beside the tub." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Moments passed. Gradually Sano ceased shuddering." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"The body was wearing the kimono that Lady Wisteria had on the night she vanished,\" he said wearily.\n\nDismayed, Reiko said, \"But you don't know for sure if the body is hers?\"\n\n\"The woman's head was missing.\"\n\nReiko sucked air through pursed lips. \"Did she die from decapitation?\"\n\n\"I don't know yet. I had my men take the body to Edo Morgue for Dr. Ito to examine. But this clearly wasn't a natural death. She was murdered.\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"Was there a weapon?\"\n\nSano opened hollow eyes that looked unfocused, as if he saw the murder scene instead of Reiko. \"We searched the house,\" he said, \"but we didn't find anything. Her killer could have taken the weapon, or thrown it away in the woods. The same possibilities apply to her head.\"\n\nA feeling of distance between her and Sano troubled Reiko. Tonight the investigation, which she'd hoped would unite them, seemed to have separated them further. But perhaps this was just a temporary effect caused by Sano's upsetting experience." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"Do you think Fujio killed Wisteria?\" Reiko asked.\n\n\"She was in his house,\" Sano said. \"That implicates him.\"\n\nReiko sensed that Sano was upset about more than discovering the body and losing a witness. She wanted to ask what it was, but his reticence prevented her. Instead she said, \"How did Wisteria get there?\"\n\n\"Fujio could have smuggled her out of Yoshiwara and hidden her in his house.\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "Sano spoke as if forcing out each word; he stared at the water before him." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"Wouldn't he have known better than to kill her on his own property, leave her corpse there, and incriminate himself?\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"He might have thought no one would find her there. I never would have, if not for that message.\"\n\nReiko also sensed that Sano wasn't telling her everything. \"If Fujio did kill Wisteria, does that mean he also killed Lord Mitsuyoshi?\"\n\n\"Perhaps.\"\n\n\"Could someone else have found Wisteria and killed her?\" Reiko hated coaxing Sano to talk when he would obviously rather not; but they needed to determine what the new murder meant to the case." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"Anything is possible,\" Sano said in that same reluctant tone." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"But who besides Fujio would have known she was in the house?\"\n\n\"Perhaps a traveler who happened upon her?\" Reiko said.\n\n\"There aren't many travelers in the hills this time of year, though she could have been killed by bandits robbing summer homes. Her death must be connected with Lord Mitsuyoshi's murder, and so must the killer.\"\n\nReiko had hoped that if they kept talking, Sano would open up about what was bothering him. \"Who would want Lady Wisteria dead and Fujio blamed?\" When Sano didn't answer, Reiko suggested, \"It could be the person who sent the message.\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "Sano rested his head against the rim of the tub and closed his eyes, exhaling a tremulous breath." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Increasingly worried, Reiko said, \"Are you ill? Shall I prepare you a medicinal tea?\"\n\nHis throat muscles clenched as he swallowed. \"No. I'm fine.\"\n\n\"If you'd rather be alone...?\" Although unwilling to leave him like this, Reiko rose.\n\n\"Don't go.\" With an obvious effort, Sano opened his eyes, lifted his head, and met her gaze. \"We need to talk.\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "Reiko waited, nervous about what she might hear." }, { "from": "human", "value": "A heartbeat passed in ominous suspense." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Then Sano said, \"Maybe the dead woman isn't Wisteria, and the scene at the house was arranged to mislead me.\"\n\n\"And her head could have been removed so you would think she was Wisteria.\" Reiko guessed that this topic wasn't the one Sano had originally intended to broach. \"But if it isn't Wisteria, then who is it?\"\n\n\"I hope Dr. Ito can provide some answers,\" Sano said.\n\n\"Doesn't this murder cast doubt on Treasury Minister Nitta's conviction?\" Reiko asked." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"If the victim is Wisteria, and it happened after Nitta was arrested, yes. Her disappearance from Yoshiwara and Lord Mitsuyoshi's death are linked, and if Nitta is innocent of one thing, he may not be guilty of the other.\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Sano's melancholy seemed unrelieved by this theory that justified continuing his investigation. \"All this time I've felt so sure Wisteria was alive,\" he said.\n\nReiko detected in him a concern that seemed deeper than she would expect him to feel about a stranger who was a murder suspect. A vague, disturbing notion crossed her mind.\n\nSano's shoulders moved in a gesture that expressed doubt and anxiety. \"Whether or not this murder is what it seems, there's no use drawing conclusions until we hear what Fujio has to say about what we found.\"" }, { "from": "system", "value": "Next message should be approximately 7 sentences." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "He climbed out of the tub, and as Reiko draped a cloth around him, she rejected her notion. It was surely a product of the distrust instilled in her by the Black Lotus. Whatever secret Sano was keeping from her, that couldn't be it.\n\n\"Let's go to bed and try to sleep for what's left of the night,\" Sano said. \"In the morning, Hirata will question Fujio while I go to Edo Morgue and see what Dr. Ito's examination of the corpse can tell us. What we learn might help me persuade the shogun to let the investigation go on.\"\n\nHis face was haggard with exhaustion. \"Or it might not.\"" } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "3 sentences sentences in Laura Joh Rowland style, continuing user's bit" }, { "from": "system", "value": "Produce a starting prompt please." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "The village of Imado, home to various Yoshiwara merchants and workers, lay across rice fields and marshes from the pleasure quarter. It contained a few streets of houses, shops, inns, and teahouses. Upon arriving in Imado with two detectives, Hirata proceeded to one of several villas on the outskirts, built by wealthy brothel owners." }, { "from": "human", "value": "A thatched roof spread over the interconnecting wooden structures that comprised Fujio's house; a stone wall enclosed the surrounding garden and courtyard." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Beyond the wall stretched fallow brown earth dotted with farmers' cottages. Gauzy bands of white cloud streaked the pale blue sky. Sunlight brightened a chill, blustery morning as Hirata and the detectives dismounted outside Fujio's gate and walked into the courtyard." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "When Hirata knocked on the door, a boy answered. Hirata said, \"We're here to see Fujio.\"\n\nEventually, the hokan came to the door, yawning." }, { "from": "human", "value": "His handsome face was puffy, his hair mussed." }, { "from": "human", "value": "He wore a blue-and-red checked dressing gown, and reeked of liquor and tobacco smoke." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "His bloodshot eyes blinked in puzzlement at Hirata; but he smiled and bowed gallantly.\n\n\"Sorry for my miserable appearance,\" he said, \"but I was out late last night. What can I do for you, masters?\"\n\nHirata introduced himself, then said, \"I need to talk to you. May we come in?\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"If this is about what happened to Lord Mitsuyoshi, I've already told the ssakan-sama everything I know.\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Fujio rubbed his temples and winced. \"Merciful gods, what a headache! I really shouldn't drink while I perform.\"\n\n\"It's about your house in the hills,\" said Hirata." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Dismay cleared the sleepiness from the hokan's face." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"Uh,\" said Fujio. He took a step backward and bumped into two women who appeared in the entryway behind him. One was young, pretty, and pregnant, the other middle-aged and scowling.\n\n\"Who are those men?\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "the younger woman asked Fujio in a shrill, petulant voice." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"What do they want?\"\n\n\"It's none of your business,\" Fujio told her with obvious irritation.\n\n\"How can you be so rude to let your guests stand outside?\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "the older woman chastised him. \"Invite them in.\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Fujio rolled his eyes. \"My wife and her mother,\" he explained to Hirata. \"Could we please talk somewhere else?\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "Hirata agreed. Fujio went to dress, and returned wearing a brown cloak and kimono over wide, striped trousers." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "He and Hirata walked down the lane toward the village, while the detectives trailed them. Ducks huddled in a ditch alongside the lane; in the distance, a peasant drove oxen across the sere landscape.\n\n\"My wife and in-laws don't know I own the house, and I don't want them to know. I bought it years ago, as a summer retreat.\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "Fujio eyed Hirata. \"You married?\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"No,\" Hirata said. After reading Lord Niu's letter yesterday, he doubted he ever would be, unless he accepted his father's choice of a bride. But he couldn't give up on finding some way to make peace between the two clans so he could wed Midori.\n\n\"Well, when you do marry, you'll understand that having a wife can really tie you down,\" Fujio said." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"Especially if you live with her parents. A fellow needs a place where he can have a little privacy.\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"And the company of lady friends?\" Hirata said.\n\nFujio cracked a mischievous grin. \"Well, yes. That house comes in handy for entertaining my female admirers. But I'd be ruined if my father-in-law ever learned that I was unfaithful to his daughter. He would throw me out. Besides, he owns the Great Miura brothel and has a lot of influence in Yoshiwara. I would never get any work there again.\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "Was this the only reason Fujio wanted to keep the house a secret?" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Hirata said, \"Tell me about the woman you've been keeping in the house.\"\n\n\"What?\" Fujio halted. \"Nobody's there now. I only use the place in the summer.\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "The daze from his hangover dissipated; he looked puzzled but sober. \"Say, how did you find out about my house, anyway?\"\n\n\"The ssakan-sama got a letter,\" Hirata said." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"We went there last night and found a dead woman in your bed.\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "A cloud of breath puffed out of Fujio's mouth, but no sound emerged." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "His surprise seemed genuine, though Hirata knew Fujio was an entertainer and skilled at dramatics.\n\n\"... A dead woman? In my house?\" After a few more stammers, Fujio recovered enough composure to say, \"Who was it?\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"We don't know. Her head had been cut off and removed from the premises,\" Hirata said, closely watching Fujio." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"But she was dressed in what appear to be Lady Wisteria's clothes.\"\n\n\"Wisteria? Merciful gods.\" Fujio staggered backward, as if physically shaken by the news. \"What was she doing there?\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"You tell me.\"\n\n\"Wait.\" The hokan raised his hands palm-up. \"If you think I killed Wisteria, you've got it all wrong. I don't know how she got in my...\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "A look of comprehension sharpened his eyes." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"But I can guess. When we were lovers, I told her about my house. She must have remembered, and gone there because she knew it would be empty. She did it without my knowledge or permission. I had nothing to do with her dying.\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "He could be telling the truth, Hirata thought—or improvising an explanation to protect himself.\n\n\"Tell me everything you did from the time Lord Mitsuyoshi's murder was discovered, up to last night,\" Hirata said.\n\nThe hokan pondered with intense concentration, clearly recognizing his need to demonstrate that he'd been nowhere near his secret house." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"I was performing in the Owariya when Momoko ran into the party screaming that Lord Mitsuyoshi was dead. The Yoshiwara gate was shut, and before it opened in the morning, the police came and locked everyone in the quarter. When they let us go, I went home.\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"What did you do there?\" Hirata said.\n\n\"I had dinner with my family,\" Fujio said, \"then went to sleep.\" He added with pointed emphasis, \"I was in bed all night, beside my wife.\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "Hirata intended to check this story with the hokan's wife and in-laws, although they might confirm what Fujio said whether it was true or not, to protect him." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"And in the morning?\"\n\n\"I went to Yoshiwara. There wasn't much going on, so I sat around the teahouses, drinking and playing cards with friends.\"\n\n\"Were you with them the whole time?\" Hirata said." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"Not every moment, but I was never out of their sight long enough to go to the hills.\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "Yet Fujio slowed his speech, as if he saw danger looming ahead in his tale." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"That night I performed at a party. The ssakan-sama met me there. After we talked, I entertained the guests until dawn. Then...\"\n\nFrom a distance echoed the ring of an axe, chopping wood. \"Then what?\" Hirata prompted, eager because they'd reached a critical time period." }, { "from": "human", "value": "This morning he'd learned that Fujio had managed to shake the detectives assigned to watch him, and he'd been out of their sight from dawn until afternoon of that day, when they'd caught up with him in Yoshiwara." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"I visited a friend,\" Fujio said reluctantly. \"I was with... my friend until yesterday afternoon, when I went back to Yoshiwara to perform.\"\n\n\"Who is this friend?\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"A woman.\" Despite the cold, Fujio's face was slick with sweat." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"I can't tell her name. She's the wife of a patron.\" He shook his head, deploring his own rakish behavior. \"How do I get myself into these things?\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"If you want me to believe you were with this woman, she must verify what you've told me,\" Hirata said." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"But I can't let her,\" Fujio protested. \"Her husband is a prominent samurai. He has a bad temper. If he finds out about us, he'll kill me.\"\n\nTokugawa law permitted a samurai to kill a peasant and escape punishment." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Fujio seemed caught between the threat of his mistress's husband on one side and execution for murder on the other." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "The story sounded credible to Hirata, who began to doubt that Fujio had killed the woman. Fujio was clever; if he'd committed the crime, wouldn't he have invented a better alibi? Furthermore, Hirata's examination of the crime scene last night argued that Fujio could be innocent." }, { "from": "human", "value": "There was no evidence that Fujio had been in the house recently." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "The woman could have gone there by herself. Hirata even wondered whether she'd been hiding there at all. The stove and braziers had contained no sign of recent fire, the only food in the house was some old dried fruit, and the privy didn't smell as if anyone had used it lately." }, { "from": "human", "value": "The woman could have been taken there and immediately killed—by someone who wanted to frame Fujio." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Yet perhaps Fujio was guilty, but hadn't expected the body to be found, and therefore had thought he wouldn't need an alibi. The story about a secret mistress might have been the best he could do when caught off guard.\n\n\"I think you went to see Wisteria at your house yesterday,\" Hirata said." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"Maybe she didn't like being alone, in the cold, and she complained. Maybe you were desperate because you had nowhere else to put her. There was an argument. Things got out of control. You killed her.\"\n\n\"That never happened.\" Fujio shifted his stance, planting his feet firmly on the ground.\n\n\"Or maybe you intended to kill her all along,\" Hirata said, \"because she saw you kill Lord Mitsuyoshi.\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"Treasury Minister Nitta did it.\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Triumph tinged Fujio's declaration. \"I heard the news.\"\n\n\"You killed Wisteria before you knew Nitta was convicted,\" Hirata guessed." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"You were afraid she would tell the police that you're the killer, and you couldn't let her live.\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"I didn't kill Lord Mitsuyoshi,\" Fujio said hotly." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"And I didn't kill Wisteria. Someone put her body in my house to make it look like I killed her!\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "In Fujio's eyes dawned the realization that this was exactly how it looked—and how a magistrate who tried him for the murder would interpret the crime scene. A visible current of panic tautened his slim figure. Hirata sprang forward to grab Fujio, at the same instant that the hokan turned and bolted across the rice fields." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"Hey! Come back here!\" Launching himself in pursuit, Hirata called to the detectives: \"Stop him!\"\n\nFujio stumbled over dirt clods, his garments flapping, legs and arms pumping furiously." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Hirata panted as he labored to catch up." }, { "from": "human", "value": "But soon Fujio's pace slowed; fatigue hobbled his gait." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Hirata closed the distance between them and lunged, seizing Fujio around the waist.\n\nThe hokan fell forward and slammed to the ground. Hirata landed with a thud on top of him." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Fujio lay limp and wheezing." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"You're under arrest,\" Hirata said.\n\nAfter the treasury minister had died with his guilt or innocence undetermined, Hirata couldn't risk allowing one of Sano's only two other suspects to escape. And even if Fujio proved not to have killed the shogun's heir, he was still the primary suspect in the murder of the woman at his house." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"Silly habit of mine, running away when I'm sure to get caught,\" Fujio said, managing a wry laugh." }, { "from": "system", "value": "Next message should be approximately 1 sentence." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"But this time it was worth a try.\"" } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "ur a writing helper. partner writes, u do next six sentences." }, { "from": "system", "value": "Produce a starting prompt please." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Although Sano usually traveled with an entourage to assist him and uphold the dignity of his rank, Edo Jail was a place he preferred to go alone.\n\nEdo Jail, a fortified dungeon surrounded by deteriorating stone walls and watchtowers, reigned over the slums of northeast Nihonbashi. Inside, jailers tortured confessions out of prisoners, and convicted criminals awaited execution. The jail also housed Edo Morgue, which received the bodies of citizens who perished from natural disasters or unnatural causes. There Dr. Ito, morgue custodian, often lent his medical expertise to Sano's investigations. Because the examination of corpses and any other procedures associated with foreign science were illegal, Sano wanted as few people as possible to know about his visits to Edo Jail." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Dr. Ito met him at the door of the morgue, a low building with flaking plaster walls." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"What a pleasure to see you,\" Dr. Ito said." }, { "from": "human", "value": "In his seventies, he had white hair like a snowfall above his wise, lined face and wore the dark blue coat of a physician." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Years ago he'd been caught practicing forbidden foreign science, which he'd learned through illicit channels from Dutch traders. The bakufu had forgone the usual sentence of exile and condemned him to work for the rest of his life in Edo Morgue. There Dr. Ito had continued his scientific experiments, ignored by the authorities.\n\n\"However, I might have wished for a better occasion than another violent death,\" he said.\n\n\"I, too,\" Sano said. \"I wouldn't ask you to examine another body now if I had any choice.\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "The Black Lotus disaster had taken its toll on Dr. Ito even though he hadn't been at the temple that night, when over seven hundred people had died." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Their bodies had been taken directly to a mass funeral outside town, but many nuns and priests had died from injuries or committed suicide in jail, and Dr. Ito had prepared their corpses for cremation. His horror at the Black Lotus carnage had put a halt to his work—the one solace that made his imprisonment bearable—and the spiritual pollution from so many deaths had weakened his health.\n\nDr. Ito smiled reassuringly and gestured for Sano to enter the morgue. \"Justice for a murder victim takes precedence over personal feelings.\"\n\nInside the morgue, a large room held stone troughs used for washing the dead, cabinets containing tools, a podium stacked with papers and books, and three waist-high tables. Upon one table lay a figure draped by a white cloth." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Beside this stood Dr. Ito's assistant, Mura, a man of some fifty years, who had bushy gray hair and an angular, intelligent face." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"We're ready to begin, Mura-san,\" said Dr. Ito.\n\nMura was an eta, one of the outcast class from which came the wardens, torturers, corpse handlers, and executioners of Edo Jail. The eta's hereditary link with death-related occupations such as butchering and leather tanning rendered them spiritually contaminated. Most citizens shunned them, but Dr. Ito had befriended Mura, who performed all the physical work for Dr. Ito's studies.\n\nAs Sano went to stand near the table, he battled an impulse to run away. He'd not yet recovered from the horror and nausea he'd experienced upon finding the body." }, { "from": "human", "value": "He dreaded examining the corpse of a woman he'd known intimately." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Mura peeled off the white cloth from the corpse, beginning at the feet. The rigidity of death had passed, and the woman lay flat on her back, limbs straight. Her feet were bare, their skin a bluish white; dirt and cuts marked the soles. As her clothes came into view, Sano observed red-brown splotches on the kimono's purple and green floral pattern. The woman's fingernails were broken and crusted with dried blood. Mura uncovered her top half, exposing the hideous mutilation where her head should have been." }, { "from": "human", "value": "The sweet odor of rotting meat struck Sano; his stomach lurched." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"Where did you find her?\" Dr. Ito asked.\n\nSano related the details of the murder investigation, explained how he'd discovered the body, and described the scene.\n\n\"Was there blood around the body?\" Dr. Ito said.\n\nAn indelible picture of the room haunted Sano's mind. \"Not much. Some spatters on the floor, the wall, the futon, and the mosquito net.\"\n\nHe knew Reiko was worried about him, and he'd wished to act normal in front of her last night, but all his energy had gone toward keeping sickness and emotion at bay." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Closing himself off from Reiko would drive them farther apart, but he couldn't explain the murder's extreme effect on him without telling her what would make matters worse." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"To determine exactly what happened, we must view the rest of her.\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Dr. Ito gestured to Mura.\n\nThe eta fetched a knife and cut the kimono off the woman. He removed the white under-kimono, exposing her naked body. It was an ugly patchwork of huge red and purple bruises that had erupted under the pale skin on her abdomen, breasts, and ribcage. Smaller bruises blotched her neck, arms, and thighs. Sano inhaled sharply through his teeth; Dr. Ito murmured in dismay, and even the stoic Mura looked shaken." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"Please turn her on her side, Mura-san,\" said Dr. Ito.\n\nMura obeyed, and they silently viewed the bruised back and buttocks. Then Dr. Ito walked around the table, his expression pitying as he studied the corpse. \"This brutality indicates a male rather than a female attacker, because it required considerable strength. Those bruises were made by fists. The small ones on the arms and neck are fingerprints.\"\n\n\"She fought back,\" Sano said, observing the woman's hands. \"Her fingernails are broken and bloody because she clawed her attacker.\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "In his mind he saw the blood on the floor and walls, smeared with two sets of handprints and footprints, one large, one small—the victim's and the killer's." }, { "from": "human", "value": "If this was Wisteria, what responsibility did he bear for her death?" }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"Note these dark, deep bruises along her back. After she fell, he kicked and trampled her,\" Dr. Ito said." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"She probably died from the rupture of internal organs.\"\n\n\"So he beat her to death.\"\n\nSano wished more than ever that he'd bothered to find out what had become of Wisteria after their affair ended, and not just because he might have saved her life. His sense of responsibility extended to what she might have done, as well as what had been done to her.\n\n\"The removal of the head was performed after death,\" said Dr. Ito, \"because otherwise, there would have been copious blood in the room.\"\n\n\"The dead don't bleed,\" Sano concurred, forcing a matter-of-fact tone even as he saw bits of gore clinging to mosquito net." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"After he killed her, he laid her on the bed, then decapitated her.\"\n\n\"And see how the neck is hacked and ragged at the edges.\" The concern in Dr. Ito's eyes said he guessed that something troubled Sano. \"Whoever did this must have been in a violent frenzy of rage.\"\n\nFrom the jail drifted the howls of the prisoners. Sano envisioned Wisteria, her beautiful face contorted in terror, trying to ward off a shadowy attacker." }, { "from": "human", "value": "He heard her scream as fists hit her, saw her clutch the wall as she went down under a storm of blows and kicks..." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "With an effort Sano said, \"Now that we know how she died, we just have to figure out if this really is Lady Wisteria, and whether Fujio killed her.\"\n\n\"Let us first determine whether this woman matches the missing courtesan's description.\" Dr. Ito paused, clearly on the verge of asking Sano what was wrong; but either Sano's expression stopped him, or courtesy precluded prying. \"How old is Wisteria?\"\n\n\"Twenty-four years,\" Sano said. Her age was the one thing she'd told him that he thought he could take as fact." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"This woman was young,\" Dr. Ito said, studying the corpse." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"Her flesh is smooth and firm. Twenty-four years is a reasonable estimate of her age.\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "The similarity in age could be a coincidence, Sano thought; but the spreading hollow in his stomach said otherwise.\n\n\"What is Wisteria's physical size and shape?\" Dr. Ito said.\n\n\"She's small.\" Sano raised his hand at shoulder height, assailed by a memory of embracing Wisteria. He tried to compare his knowledge of her naked body to the dead woman's, but the absence of a face, as well as the bruises and the pall of death, made recognition impossible. He swallowed and forced himself to continue: \"She's slim, with narrow hips and small breasts.\"\n\n\"As is the victim.\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "Dr. Ito glanced at the part of the woman's body where Sano had avoided looking and said, \"Her pubis is shaved. She was a prostitute.\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "So many points of resemblance indicated that the dead woman was Lady Wisteria, even if they weren't final proof. Sano felt his hope that Wisteria was still alive yield to desolation; he turned away from the body.\n\n\"Cover her, Mura-san,\" Dr. Ito said quietly.\n\nWhatever lies Wisteria had told or evils she'd committed, she'd been a proud, courageous woman. Sano recalled her aloof behavior the last time he'd seen her. Might she have had a premonition that her remaining time on earth was short?" }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"Do you think the hokan killed her?\" Dr. Ito asked." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"It's hard to imagine Fujio being capable of such brutality. Hirata went to question him this morning. We'll see what happens.\"\n\nSano stared grimly out the window as he pondered the consequences that the second murder held for him. His investigation could now continue, because even if the shogun believed that the killer of his heir had already been punished, he would expect Sano to solve the case of the decapitated woman. New inquiries might turn up new evidence to prove who had killed Lord Mitsuyoshi. Yet this prospect caused Sano dread as well as satisfaction.\n\n\"Mura-san, please leave us,\" Dr. Ito said." }, { "from": "human", "value": "The eta complied, and Dr. Ito stood near Sano." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"Can I be of further assistance?\" he said gently." }, { "from": "human", "value": "The need to confide overcame Sano's reserve." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"I knew her,\" he blurted, then told Dr. Ito his secret. \"It's hard to be objective when the victim could be someone who was once my lover,\" he admitted. \"But if I go on with this investigation, I'll have to keep my mind open to the possibility that the dead woman is Lady Wisteria—and that Wisteria was a murderer.\"\n\nDr. Ito nodded in somber understanding. \"If the treasury minister was innocent, then Wisteria, Fujio, and Momoko are the only suspects left. Wisteria may have stabbed Lord Mitsuyoshi.\"\n\n\"In other words, my former lover killed my lord's heir.\"" }, { "from": "system", "value": "Next message should be approximately 7 sentences." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Sano felt sicker than ever. \"There's another problem. My wife doesn't know any of this. I never told her about Wisteria and me because I thought it wouldn't matter. But if Reiko keeps on with her inquiries, she may find out that I freed Wisteria and think I haven't told her because I have something to hide.\"\n\nFraught with anxiety, Sano clenched his hands around the window bars. Never had he expected his minor omission to grow into a major threat to his already shaky marriage. \"I wish I'd told her at the start. What should I do now?\"\n\n\"A tiny pebble rolling down a mountain can start a landslide,\" Dr. Ito reminded him. \"I suggest you tell your wife as soon as possible, because the longer you wait, the worse your problems may get.\"" } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "Mode: Collab writing\nAmount: 5 sentences\nVoice: Laura Joh Rowland" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "The palanquin carried Reiko out the gate of Edo Castle's official quarter. Huddled beneath a quilt, she brooded as she rode along the stone-walled passage leading toward the palace.\n\nSano's behavior last night disturbed her, as did the fact that he'd left home this morning before she'd awakened. Perhaps this latest murder was too much for him? She feared for his spirit." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "And at any moment the shogun might condemn him for interfering with Treasury Minister Nitta's trial and failing to solve the murder case.\n\nReiko also worried about Midori, who'd come to the house earlier to announce that she'd received a message from Lord Niu, ordering her to come to him. Midori was now headed to Lord Niu's estate, while Reiko traveled toward the palace women's quarters, where her cousin Eri was an official. Eri, the center of Edo Castle's female gossip network, could perhaps identify the samurai who'd freed Lady Wisteria. Finding him seemed more important to Reiko than ever." }, { "from": "human", "value": "If Wisteria was still alive, he might know where she was." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "If she was the corpse in the summer house, he might have information relevant to her murder.\n\nThe thought of Wisteria caused Reiko more worry about Sano. She'd guessed that he didn't want her investigating the courtesan's background. Was there something he didn't want her to discover?\n\nSuddenly Reiko heard hoofbeats and footsteps approaching." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Her palanquin rocked to a standstill as her guards, bearers, and maids halted. Reiko put her head out the window to see who was blocking the passage. She saw a procession of troops and attendants facing her, escorting a large black palanquin. Out of its window popped two heads. One belonged to Lady Yanagisawa, the other to her daughter, Kikuko." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "The girl smiled and waved. As Reiko waved back and bowed, Lady Yanagisawa murmured something to her escorts. Her guard captain addressed Reiko's: \"The wife of the Honorable Chamberlain wishes to visit the wife of the ssakan-sama.\"\n\nReiko was surprised that Lady Yanagisawa wanted to see her again so soon. Though reluctant to delay her inquiries, she had no choice except to tell her attendants, \"Take me home.\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Inside the reception room of Sano's estate, Lady Yanagisawa and Kikuko knelt opposite Reiko. Lady Yanagisawa politely declined Reiko's offer of refreshment.\n\n\"We won't stay long,\" she said. Suppressed emotion ruffled her composure, and a blush tinged her flat cheeks. She held in her lap a small bundle wrapped inside a square of dark blue silk printed with white leaves." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"I'm sorry to bother you when you were on your way somewhere.\"\n\n\"Oh, it's no bother,\" Reiko said. \"I'm glad to see you again.\"\n\nYet she feared that their acquaintance would become an onus if her new friend wanted more attention than she wanted to give. The peculiar sheen of Lady Yanagisawa's narrow eyes made Reiko uneasy." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"Please believe that I wouldn't have interrupted your business except... except for the most urgent reason.\" Lady Yanagisawa's voice dropped; she paused, fingering the tied ends of her bundle. Then she blurted, \"Last time we met... I said I would do whatever I could to assist you with your husband's inquiries. That's why I've come today.\"\n\nKikuko hummed a tuneless song, turning her head from side to side. Reiko regarded Lady Yanagisawa with surprise." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"You've found information that will help the murder investigation?\" Reiko said. Eyeing the package her guest held, she wavered between skepticism and hope.\n\nA brief frown shadowed Lady Yanagisawa's aspect. \"I wish I could say that my discovery will benefit your husband... but I fear the opposite is true. May I please explain?\"\n\nWhen Reiko nodded, Lady Yanagisawa said, \"Yesterday this came for my husband.\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "She untied the bundle, revealing a flat, rectangular package wrapped in rough brown paper and bound with coarse string." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Reiko saw the words, \"For the Honorable Chamberlain Yanagisawa. Personal and Confidential,\" written on it in simple black characters." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"My husband wasn't home,\" Lady Yanagisawa said. \"I overheard his secretaries saying they didn't know who sent the package and discussing whether to open it. Finally they decided not to, and left the package on my husband's desk. My curiosity was aroused. I went into the office, slipped the package into my sleeve, and took it to my room.\"\n\nReiko sat speechless with amazement that anyone would dare steal from the chamberlain.\n\nLady Yanagisawa sighed. \"If my husband finds out what I've done, he'll be very angry with me. But when I looked inside the package... I knew I must risk his displeasure.\"\n\nHer intense, yearning gaze flitted over Reiko." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"You've been so kind to me, and I shall now repay you. This package represents a terrible threat to your husband. I brought it to you so that he will understand the danger... so that he can protect himself, and you.\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"What danger?\" Reiko asked in alarmed confusion." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Kikuko emitted a loud keening sound, made faces, and rocked back and forth." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Lady Yanagisawa put a hand on the girl's shoulder, quieting her." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"Perhaps it's better that you see for yourself than that I should tell you. Please accept this with my sincere wishes for your good fortune, and allow me to bid you farewell until we meet again.\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "Extending the package on her palms, she bowed to Reiko." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"Many thanks,\" Reiko said, accepting the gift.\n\nAs soon as her guests had gone, she took the package into her chamber and closed the door. Eager yet fearful, she untied the string and unwrapped the paper. Inside was a book covered in lavender silk, bound by a green ribbon threaded through holes near the spine. A thrill of recognition and disbelief shot through Reiko." }, { "from": "human", "value": "She opened the book." }, { "from": "system", "value": "Next message should be approximately 1 sentence." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "The first of some twenty pages of thin white rice paper bore an inscription: The Pillow Book of Lady Wisteria." } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "Write two sentences sentences in the style of Laura Joh Rowland spawning from what the user wrote." }, { "from": "human", "value": "The daimyo maintained great fortified estates in the district east and south of Edo Castle." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Here the provincial lords resided during the four months they spent in the capital each year." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Here Tokugawa law required them to leave their families as hostages when they returned to their provinces, to prevent them from staging a revolt." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Here Midori rode in a palanquin down a wide avenue crowded with mounted samurai." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Lines of barracks, their white plaster walls decorated with black tiles arranged in geometric patterns, surrounded each estate and housed thousands of retainers who served the daimyo. Elaborate gates boasted multiple portals, tiered roofs, and guardhouses occupied by sentries." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "As Midori's palanquin halted outside the gate that bore the Niu dragonfly crest, her chin quivered with apprehension.\n\nThis had once been her home; but the place harbored bad memories, and she never came back unless it was absolutely necessary." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "If not for her father's summons and the hope of salvaging her chance of marrying Hirata, she would have avoided the estate forever.\n\nInside the estate, multitudes of samurai patrolled a large courtyard or sat in guardrooms." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Barracks for the officers formed an inner wall around the daimyo's mansion, a vast complex of half-timbered buildings joined by covered corridors and intersecting tile roofs and elevated on granite foundations. At the door to Lord Niu's private room, Midori met Okita, her father's chief retainer." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"He's waiting for you,\" Okita said." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "His dour face and neutral tone gave no hint of what Midori should expect. \"How is he?\" she said." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"Slightly better.\" That meant Lord Niu had calmed down." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"I advise you not to upset him.\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"Why does he want to see me?\" Midori asked.\n\nIn answer, Okita opened the door." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Reluctantly Midori entered the room." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Okita followed, closing the door behind them." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "The room could have belonged to any noble, but for features known only to those familiar with Lord Niu. Cabinets, chests, and secret compartments in the walls and under the floor contained hidden weapons, as Midori was aware." }, { "from": "human", "value": "A mural bore dents and stains from objects hurled by her father during fits of rage." }, { "from": "human", "value": "The two guards stationed inside the door were there to protect Lord Niu from himself, and everyone else from his bad spells." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "The room had a peculiar sweet smell, as if tainted by poison in his blood.\n\nLord Niu knelt on the dais, sharpening a dagger." }, { "from": "human", "value": "The motion of his blade against the grindstone produced metallic rasps." }, { "from": "human", "value": "He didn't immediately acknowledge Midori's presence." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "As she knelt before the dais, she thought how ordinary he appeared today, like any other noble who spent his leisure time tending his weapons. Then Lord Niu raised his skewed face to her." }, { "from": "human", "value": "A tremor of dread passed through Midori." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Hastily lowering her gaze, she bowed.\n\n\"Little whore. Little traitor.\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Lord Niu spoke the insults in a pleasant, ordinary tone of voice that made them all the more chilling to Midori. His hand continued swiping the dagger across the grindstone." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"How could you betray your own father to consort with the son of the enemy?\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "Too frightened to answer, Midori pressed her lips together to still their trembling." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Her hope that he'd changed his mind about the marriage seemed ludicrous now.\n\n\"I ought to kill you for your treason,\" Lord Niu said." }, { "from": "human", "value": "The rasp of his blade quickened, as did Midori's heartbeat." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Glancing at Okita and the guards, she saw them move closer to the dais." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Lord Niu had never yet killed a family member, but this was no guarantee that he wouldn't.\n\n\"But you're my flesh and blood, no matter what you've done,\" Lord Niu said." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"I'll give you a chance to atone for your evil.\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "His left eye twinkled at Midori." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "The right eye dreamed. \"Tell me everything you know about the Hirata clan's strategy for destroying me.\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "Midori wished she could run away, but her father's will held her captive, and she must defend Hirata." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"But I don't—they're not—I can't—\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"Don't pretend to be ignorant.\" The rasping ceased as Lord Niu stopped sharpening the dagger." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "His hands were black with grit; his expression scorned Midori. \"You and that boy are lovers. What secrets does he whisper to you when you lie together?\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Midori hoped her father didn't really know the things she and Hirata-san had done, or suspect she was pregnant.\n\n\"Speak!\" Lord Niu ordered." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Desperation loosened Midori's tongue." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"There's nothing to tell. Hirata-san and his father aren't making war on you.\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "Lord Niu snorted in disgust." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"They're trying to lull me into believing I'm safe. And they're using my own daughter as a messenger for carrying their lies to me.\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"I'm telling the truth!\" Midori cried. \"They're good, honorable men who came to you in peace.\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "The grindstone suddenly flew out of Lord Niu's hand and crashed against the wall. Midori shrieked. Okita and the guards started." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"Do you take me for a moron?\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Lord Niu shouted. \"My enemy wants to sneak his son into our clan, to cause discord among us and weaken us so we'll be vulnerable. I should cut off your head and send it to him as proof that I'm onto his scheme!\"\n\nMidori whimpered as he brandished the dagger." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "He crawled to the edge of the dais, tilted his head, and scrutinized her. She recoiled in terror from his fierce, distorted gaze." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Then the left side of his mouth curved upward in a pitying smile." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"Ah. I see,\" he said." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"You really don't know anything. You're too innocent to recognize my enemies for what they are.\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "Rage suffused his features." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"That boy has tricked you into thinking he loves you, all the while he's used you for his evil purposes. That dirty, vicious scoundrel!\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "Lord Niu jumped up and stalked around the dais; he slashed the dagger at the air." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"Son of a snake! Demon from hell! I'll see him destroyed before long!\"\n\nCowering, Midori put her hands over her ears to block out her father's voice, but Lord Niu shouted more curses against Hirata." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Wild, reckless terror overcame her." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"Stop!\" she screamed.\n\nLord Niu abruptly fell quiet." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "He stood still, weapon dangling, as he and his men regarded her in surprise that she dared command him. Midori quailed at her own boldness; yet her love for Hirata and need to marry him inspired courage." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "She said what Reiko had suggested might bend Lord Niu to her wishes: \"Do you want to be safe from your enemies?\"\n\nCaught off guard and startled out of his rage, Lord Niu said, \"... Yes?\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"Do you want to make sure that the Hirata clan will never attack ours?\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Midori's voice quavered; she pressed her thighs together, fighting an urge to urinate.\n\nLord Niu looked wary, but nodded." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"Then the best thing to do is unite our two clans in a marriage between Hirata-san and me,\" Midori said in a rush." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"The wedding would mean a truce. We'll be allies, not enemies.\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "A thoughtful look came over Lord Niu's face." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Its two halves seemed almost to align.\n\nMidori took heart because in spite of his peculiarities, Lord Niu wasn't entirely impervious to logic." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "She remembered what else Reiko had told her to say, when they'd met earlier that morning: \"The union will also protect you from the Tokugawa. They won't attack a lord whose daughter is married to the chief retainer of the shogun's ssakan-sama.\"\n\nLord Niu pondered; something awakened in his dreaming eye." }, { "from": "human", "value": "He wasn't completely out of touch with the world, either, Midori knew." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Even if he didn't realize that the Tokugawa wouldn't start a war and disrupt the peace they'd maintained for almost a century, he understood the benefit of marrying a daughter to someone with a Tokugawa connection. And he had a clever instinct for seizing chances to serve himself." }, { "from": "human", "value": "A short eternity passed." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Midori held her breath." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Then Lord Niu hopped off the dais and crouched in front of her." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"Do you want so badly to marry?\" he said.\n\nHe appeared so concerned about her that Midori's heart leapt. \"Yes,\" she breathed." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"Well, I suppose that can be arranged.\" Rising, Lord Niu beckoned to his chief retainer, who came to him." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Lord Niu whispered in Okita's ear; Okita listened, nodded, then left the room. Midori wondered what was going on." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "She prayed that her father would change his mind about Hirata.\n\n\"Are you in love with this boy?\" Lord Niu said." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Midori thought she felt her father relenting." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Could this possibly mean he'd sent Okita to apologize to Hirata's father and ask for another miai so the marriage negotiations could start fresh?\n\n\"Yes,\" Midori said, poised between fear and joy." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "A gradual frown eclipsed Lord Niu's face; his right eye veered slowly. \"I shall permit you to marry, and I desire that you should make an advantageous match. But I forbid you to wed the Hirata boy.\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "Midori's mouth fell open in stunned disappointment." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"Whatever his high connections, I don't trust him or his father,\" Lord Niu said." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"A marriage is no guarantee of their good behavior toward me. They would cut my throat as soon as the wedding was over, and sack my province. You shall marry an ally I can trust. I shall begin seeking prospective husbands at once.\"\n\nMidori didn't want to bear her baby out of wedlock, but neither did she want Hirata's child born into a marriage between her and a stranger." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"Please, Honorable Father, I don't want to marry anyone but Hirata-san.\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "Frantic, she prostrated herself at Lord Niu's feet." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"He loves me as much as I love him. We must be together!\"\n\n\"Shut up!\" Lord Niu raged \"You'll do as I say!\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"If I can't marry Hirata-san, I'll die!\" Midori wept now." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"I order you to renounce him.\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"No. Please!\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"Do it, or I'll kill you.\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Lord Niu grabbed her hair, forced her head back, and held the dagger to her throat. Midori sobbed in terror and panic." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "She didn't want to give in, yet as she felt the cold steel against her skin, she knew her father was serious. She would rather let him kill her than give up Hirata, but she must protect her unborn child." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"All right,\" she cried. \"I renounce Hirata-san. Just please don't hurt me!\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"That's better.\" Lord Niu smiled, released her, and stood. Midori collapsed in a miserable heap." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"Now you'll promise to accept a husband I choose for you, or marry the first man that Okita sees passing my gate.\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"No!\" Fresh horror reawakened Midori's defiance.\n\nLord Niu cocked his head, listening as footsteps came down the corridor." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"Ah. Here he is now.\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "Okita entered the room, bringing another man with him." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "The man had straggly hair and missing teeth, and wore filthy rags. He carried a begging bowl that held a few coins." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Okita pushed him face-down in front of Lord Niu." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"Greetings,\" Lord Niu said as though the beggar was a visiting dignitary." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"Many thanks for coming.\"\n\n\"It's a privilege,\" the beggar stammered, clearly awed and puzzled at being summoned by the daimyo." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Lord Niu hauled Midori close to the beggar." }, { "from": "human", "value": "She gagged on his stench." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"This is my daughter,\" Lord Niu said. \"How would you like to marry her?\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "The beggar looked dumbfounded by what must have seemed to him a stroke of unbelievable luck. \"I would like it very much, master, if that's your wish.\"" }, { "from": "system", "value": "Next message should be approximately 3 sentences." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Lord Niu glared at Midori. \"Do you promise?\"\n\nHope died in her, as did the will to resist. \"I promise,\" she whispered." } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "expand on the story like Laura Joh Rowland would" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "The Pillow Book of Lady Wisteria\n\nAs I sit writing by my window, I look down at the street filled with merrymakers. The potted cherry trees are pink with blossoms whose petals fall like snow. How fleeting is their beauty! And how fleeting was the happiness that I hoped would last forever.\n\nFour years ago I stood beside Sano-san in the parlor of the brothel. He said to the proprietor, \"I redeem Lady Wisteria from her servitude to you.\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "His attendants paid a chest of gold coins in exchange for my freedom." }, { "from": "human", "value": "I was so overwhelmed by love for Sano-san that tears poured from my eyes." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "His eyes shone with desire for me. We were eager to flee Yoshiwara together, but the departure rituals had to be performed, and such a momentous occasion as the end of my suffering deserved proper celebration.\n\nThe next day I dressed in fine new robes that Sano-san had bought me, then I distributed the farewell gifts he'd provided. My attendants and I promenaded through Yoshiwara, visiting all my friends and giving them packages of boiled rice and red beans. I gave smoked bonito to the teahouses and ageya where I'd entertained clients. All the entertainers and servants received tips from me. Everyone wished me a long, prosperous life." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Then Sano-san and I hosted a lavish banquet." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "I was drunk on wine and joy. Ah, to have the powerful, wealthy ssakan-sama as my lover! I would be safe and want for nothing.\n\nAt last we were escorted to the gate. Sano-san helped me into a palanquin. He and his entourage escorted me all the way to Edo. I laughed, sang, and never looked back at the wicked pleasure quarter." }, { "from": "human", "value": "I thought Sano-san would take me to Edo Castle, but we stopped in a neighborhood in Nihonbashi." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "His attendants carried my belongings into a house.\n\n\"I rented this place for you,\" Sano-san told me.\n\nThough I was disappointed, I supposed that a man of his rank couldn't marry a courtesan straight out of Yoshiwara; some time must pass before I gained enough respectability to be his wife. And the house would suit me fine until we could live together. It was small, but clean and prettily furnished, and Sano-san had hired servants to wait on me.\n\nI said, \"A thousand thanks for your generosity. Will you stay awhile?\"\n\nHis ardent gaze moved over me. \"Oh, yes.\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "He drew me close. His hands slipped inside my robes. They fell away. I sighed with delight as he caressed me. I loosened his sash and parted his garments and unwound his loincloth. His organ sprang erect. Dropping to my knees, I worshipped him with my mouth. I licked and sucked and stroked him." }, { "from": "human", "value": "He threw back his head, moaning, growing larger and harder." }, { "from": "human", "value": "He raised me and led me to the bed." }, { "from": "human", "value": "He sat propped against the cushions, and I straddled him." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "I rode him slowly and gently, then faster and harder. We breathed and moaned together. As he grabbed my hips and thrust into me with mounting urgency, I leaned toward him and pressed my mouth to his.\n\nI had taught Sano-san and many other men this lewd, exotic technique. The warm, wet joining of our lips, tongue, and spit drove him wild. He bucked, shouting as he released inside me. His rapture brought on mine." }, { "from": "human", "value": "I floated on waves of ecstasy." }, { "from": "system", "value": "Next message should be approximately 1 sentence." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "We were one, our bodies and spirits inseparable." } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "Hey can you write like Laura Joh Rowland and use whatever i write as a jumping off point?" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Reiko sat holding the book, her lips parted and eyes glazed with shock at what she'd read.\n\nThe story couldn't be true!\n\nSano had never said he even knew Lady Wisteria; he couldn't have been the lover who'd freed her from Yoshiwara. And there couldn't be two pillow books. This one was surely a forgery.\n\nYet even as Reiko tallied the reasons to disbelieve the story, a cold, sick feeling gathered in her stomach." }, { "from": "human", "value": "This second pillow book matched the description of Lady Wisteria's, while the first was just a handful of papers." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Worse, the passage in which Sano coupled with Wisteria had struck an ominous chord in Reiko.\n\nSano liked to make love to her in the position described in the book. He also liked pressing their mouths together during sex. Reiko had never questioned how Sano had developed this practice she'd never heard of; she'd assumed it was something all men did in secret. Had Wisteria really taught it to him?\n\nDespite her fear of finding proof that Sano had withheld information from her, or more descriptions of his past amorous adventures, irresistible curiosity compelled Reiko to turn the page." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Spring warmed into summer before I began to suspect that I was merely Sano-san's mistress, not his betrothed." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "He visited me every other night or so, and we coupled as passionately as ever, but he never mentioned marriage. He seemed content, while I grew bored with sitting alone in my little house and waiting for him. Anxious about my future, I began dropping hints.\n\n\"It's so lonely when you're gone,\" I would say.\n\n\"Partings are necessary,\" he would say with a mischievous smile. \"Without them there would be no joyous reunions.\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"How I'd like to see Edo Castle,\" I would say.\n\n\"Someday you shall,\" he would say.\n\nAutumn came, then winter. The passing seasons made me too desperate to be subtle any longer. One night, as we lay together, I blurted, \"When are we going to marry?\"\n\nSano-san looked surprised. \"Marry? You and me?\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "He laughed and shook his head. \"We're not.\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "I was shocked. \"I thought you loved me,\" I said. \"I thought you freed me so we could be together.\"\n\n\"I do love you,\" Sano-san said, \"and I'm sorry you got the wrong idea. But a man of my class can't marry a woman of yours. I thought you understood.\"\n\nHe meant I would always be a whore, good enough for bed, but not for matrimony. I was crushed!\n\n\"Besides, I'm engaged,\" Sano-san said with a sheepish grin.\n\n\"Engaged?\" I gasped." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"You never told me.\"\n\n\"I didn't want to upset you,\" he said. \"And it didn't seem that important.\"\n\nNot important! His news hurt as if he'd stabbed me in the heart.\n\n\"Who is she?\" I demanded.\n\n\"Magistrate Ueda's daughter.\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "To hear more about her would worsen my pain, but I had to ask: \"Is she beautiful?\"\n\nSano-san gave me that flirtatious look of his. \"Not as beautiful as you. She's nobody special. But her father is an important man. It's a good match for me. The wedding will be sometime in the New Year.\"\n\nI rose and staggered backward, clutching my chest. \"You're going to take this girl into your home, into your bed.\" Tears filled my eyes." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"Oh, I can't bear it!\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "Now Sano-san seemed puzzled." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"Why are you so upset? My marriage needn't change anything between us.\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "He stood up and put his arms around me." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"I'll come and see you as often as ever.\"\n\nHe meant that I must share him with the magistrate's daughter, and he would enjoy us both! I felt chilled by his callousness, then hot with rage.\n\n\"If you marry her, you'll never touch me again!\" I cried, pushing him away.\n\nSano-san laughed. \"Don't be silly,\" he said." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "He grabbed my arm, pulled me close, and pressed his mouth to mine. I bit his lip. He shouted and reared back. Blood ran down his chin, and I tasted it on my own tongue.\n\n\"Witch!\" he yelled. He slapped my cheek so hard I fell to the floor." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"Don't you ever hurt me again. And don't ever tell me what I can do or not.\"\n\nI hated him then as much as I loved him. \"I'll leave you,\" I sobbed.\n\n\"Really?\" he jeered. \"Where will you go? How will you live without the money I give you?\"\n\n\"I'll get another man,\" I said." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "His face turned dark and terrible with rage. \"Oh, no, you won't,\" he said. \"You're mine. I paid for you. And I'll have you however I want.\"\n\nThen he was upon me, yanking up my skirts, weighing down my body under his. \"Stop!\" I screamed, furious that he would treat me so.\n\nI tried to push him off." }, { "from": "human", "value": "I beat my hands at him, I tried to squirm away, in vain." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Finally I gave up and surrendered." }, { "from": "system", "value": "Next message should be approximately 7 sentences." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "His organ was hard against my loins. He shoved it into me, and oh, the hurt!\n\n\"Please have mercy,\" I sobbed.\n\nBut Sano-san laughed and groaned and thrust and enjoyed my suffering. When at last he finished, he climbed off me. As I lay sore and weeping and humiliated, he wiped himself on my kimono.\n\n\"That should teach you your place,\" he said." } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "Mode: Collab writing\nAmount: 6 sentences\nVoice: Laura Joh Rowland" }, { "from": "system", "value": "Produce a starting prompt please." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Revulsion halted Reiko's reading. She uttered a sound of indignant denial. This wasn't her husband described in the pillow book. The Sano she knew was good and kind, not mean nor violent as the story portrayed him. He would never mistreat a helpless woman nor take pleasure in forcing himself on her. But doubt eroded Reiko's disbelief." }, { "from": "human", "value": "She realized how little she knew about Sano's relations with other people." }, { "from": "human", "value": "His personality might have a different side that he kept hidden while at home." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Nor did Reiko know anything about women in his past. She'd never wanted to find out and shatter her fancy that Sano had never loved a woman until her. Now her ignorance left her defenseless against suspicion, and her inexperience with men made her a poor judge of male character.\n\nHad Sano really spoken so disparagingly of her to Lady Wisteria?\n\nHad he indeed loved Wisteria and meant to keep her as his mistress after he married?\n\nReiko swallowed the sickness that rose in her throat." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Bracing herself, she resumed reading.\n\nWe quarreled again and again. My rage annoyed Sano-san, but I couldn't give up trying to convince him to break his engagement, even though nagging would drive him away.\n\nThe day before his wedding, I made such a scene that he left in disgust. And he didn't come back. A month passed. I thought my heart would break from missing him." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Another month went by, and the landlord threatened to evict me because Sano-san hadn't paid the rent." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "The servants left because they hadn't received their wages, and I had to feed myself on tea and noodles from a nearby stall. The little money Sano-san had left me was running out. I wrote his name on a paper and hid it, but the old charm didn't work. Sano-san didn't come. I would starve to death in the streets!\n\nThen one night three months after his marriage, as I huddled over a fire made from the last of my coal, the door opened, and there he was. I was so overjoyed that I threw myself into his arms and wept." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Sano-san laughed. \"This is a nice welcome. Maybe I should have stayed away longer.\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "His mocking hurt, but he made love to me with such ardor that I knew he'd missed me. He also paid the landlord, rehired the servants, and gave me money. His visits resumed, and I realized that unless I wanted to lose him entirely, I shouldn't nag him. I must use better means of persuading him to divorce his wife and marry me.\n\nWhenever he was with me, I dedicated myself to his satisfaction. I caressed the nether region between his buttocks with my tongue." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "I paid a hunter to bring me a live wolf and hold it while I coupled with it and Sano-san watched. Often I would hire young girls to join us in the bedchamber. When we were apart, I worked a charm to make him faithful to me. I drew a picture of his private parts and boiled it with sake, vinegar, soy sauce, tooth-blackening dye, dirt, and lamp wick. But a year passed, and although Sano-san always came back to me, I seemed destined to spend my life on the fringes of his.\n\nStill, I forced myself to be patient, even on the night when he said his wife had just given birth to their son." }, { "from": "human", "value": "This was proof that he bedded his wife even though he said he didn't love her." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "How jealous and miserable I was that she had borne him a child, while my love for him was barren! And the child bound him more tightly to her, dividing us.\n\nBut I smiled and congratulated Sano-san and hid my feelings. Patience and perseverance were my only hope of winning him, and eventually they paid off.\n\nIt was in the year that the child was born, during the month of leaves, while Sano-san and I sat on the roof viewing the full moon. He was in a thoughtful frame of mind." } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "Ive got a bit of writers block, im gonna send you something then keep it going 6 sentences at a time, also im going for a Laura Joh Rowland sorta thing." }, { "from": "system", "value": "Produce a starting prompt please." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Reiko closed the pillow book. She sat paralyzed, her heart drumming while she envisioned Sano indulging in sexual depravity. Feverish waves of horror assailed her. To think that Sano's liaison with Lady Wisteria had continued after their marriage! Perhaps it had continued until Wisteria disappeared.\n\nBut this was unthinkable to Reiko." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Sano did love her." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "She recalled their first months together, and their passionate lovemaking. Sano couldn't have committed adultery, not then, not ever. A unique spiritual bond joined them; they belonged only to each other.\n\nThen Reiko remembered the many times they'd spent apart. Sano could have visited Wisteria during his absences. And one of those absences had occurred the night Reiko gave birth to their child." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Sano had gone away on business for the shogun... or so he'd said." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Was their love a sham, and her trust in Sano misplaced?\n\nA stinging onslaught of tears rushed upon Reiko; she felt like vomiting. Sano had always seemed a loving father, incapable of trading Masahiro for political security. That he would give their son to the shogun, who used young boys as sexual playthings, was beyond belief. Yet Reiko knew how precarious was Sano's position at court, and what a toll his constant struggle to stay in the shogun's good graces took upon him. The honorable samurai she knew would never insult his lord nor plot to usurp power, but perhaps Sano had grown desperate and wayward enough to do both." }, { "from": "human", "value": "She couldn't know for certain that he hadn't, because they'd grown apart and he didn't confide in her." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "And if he would betray her, then why not Masahiro?\n\nClutching the pillow book, Reiko glanced around the room, which looked unfamiliar, as if transformed into an alien place. Her mind went on adding links to a terrible chain of logic.\n\nSano had been hiding something from her.\n\nHe didn't want her to investigate Wisteria.\n\nHe'd behaved strangely after discovering the corpse—as if someone he knew and cared about had died." } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "i'll kick things off by writing a bit, then you'll take over and write the next one sentence in the distinctive voice of Laura Joh Rowland." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Various inquiries took Sano from Edo Morgue to the palace, to the official quarter and daimyo district, and finally to Yoshiwara." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Now a sentry at the gate clapped two wooden blocks together to signal midnight and curfew." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Lanterns still blazed along the streets; hawkers called customers to teahouses and brothels; samurai and commoners still loitered, flirting with courtesans in the window cages." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Gay music spangled the air." }, { "from": "human", "value": "A small group of men who didn't want to spend the whole night in Yoshiwara streamed out a small door in the gate." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Among these were Sano, Hirata, and the eight detectives they'd brought." }, { "from": "human", "value": "As they rode along the dark causeway toward the city, Sano and Hirata exchanged news." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"The woman we found in Fujio's house was beaten to death,\" Sano said." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"She may or may not be Lady Wisteria.\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "But he'd grown more certain that the dead woman was indeed the courtesan." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"Fujio may not be the killer.\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "Hirata described how he'd interviewed, then arrested the hokan." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"Today I talked to his wife, in-laws, friends, and mistress. They confirmed that he was with them when he says he was. Unless they're lying, he couldn't have committed murder in the hills.\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"Maybe Fujio didn't kill Lord Mitsuyoshi either. Maybe Treasury Minister Nitta was guilty, and a third party murdered Wisteria.\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Sano had difficulty believing that the murders were unconnected." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Still, he couldn't ignore the possibility." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"I've checked the stories I heard from the Council of Elders and other officials,\" he said." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"It's been hard to investigate Mitsuyoshi's background without appearing to do so. But I learned that Lord Dakuemon and several other men mentioned to me were in Yoshiwara the night of Mitsuyoshi's murder. Some are former clients of Lady Wisteria. The next step is to determine where they were during the time between Wisteria's disappearance and the discovery of the body.\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "This would be simple if not for the shogun's orders." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Sano regretted that he couldn't directly interrogate the new suspects instead of working through spies and informants, a laborious, time-consuming process." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"If the killer isn't Fujio or a bakufu official, there's still Lady Wisteria's Hokkaido lover,\" Hirata said." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"But no one in Yoshiwara seems to know anything about him, and I haven't gotten any response to the notices I posted.\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "Sano gripped the reins; the icy wind penetrated his garments as his horse's hooves pounded the ground under him." }, { "from": "system", "value": "Next message should be approximately 2 sentence." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "The landscape of fields and starlit sky flowed past, so unchanging that he couldn't gauge the progress of his journey.\n\n\"Things will look more promising after a good night's rest,\" he said." } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "Mode:\nCo-writing\n\nLength:\n3 sentences\n\nStyle:\nLaura Joh Rowland" }, { "from": "system", "value": "Produce a starting prompt please." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Hours later, Sano arrived home, frozen and exhausted, to find that Reiko had waited up for him. She was standing in their bedchamber, and one look at her face told Sano something was amiss. Her jaw was set, her gaze simultaneously frightened and accusing." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"What's wrong?\" Sano said, afraid that something bad had happened to her or Masahiro." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "She stepped back to avoid the hand he extended to her, and thrust a small book toward him. \"Will you please explain this?\" Her voice was brittle, stretched between dread and reproach." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Puzzled, Sano took the book, opened it, and frowned in surprise at the inscription." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"The Pillow Book of Lady Wisteria? Where did this come from?\"\n\nReiko didn't answer. Unnerved by her strange expression, Sano began reading the pages. His surprise turned to alarm, then horror at the mixture of fact and fabrication." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Lady Wisteria couldn't have written such disgusting slander about him!" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "The book must be a forgery. But while he read, it was as if he could hear Wisteria's voice speaking the words, and who except she could have known intimate details of their relations?\n\nIf only he'd already told Reiko about the affair!" }, { "from": "human", "value": "How could he now persuade her that most of the story was a lie while he admitted concealing from her the parts that were true?" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Sano read the last passage, which showed him insulting the shogun and plotting to make Masahiro the next dictator. His blood boiled with outrage. Feeling shamed and trapped, he slowly closed the book, delaying the moment when he must face Reiko." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "When he at last raised his eyes, she regarded him with the brave caution of a warrior encountering a stranger who may be friend or foe.\n\n\"Where did you get this?\" Sano asked.\n\n\"From Lady Yanagisawa.\" Reiko explained how the anonymous package had arrived for the chamberlain, and her friend had brought it to her." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"Is the story true?\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Nerves raised sweat on Sano's brow. \"Let's sit down and talk,\" he said.\n\nReiko didn't move, but her eyes went round, and Sano saw her pride crumble." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"Then it is true,\" she whispered. \"She was your lover. I thought we were—all the while you—\" Abruptly Reiko looked away.\n\n\"It was over before we married,\" Sano said." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"Then why didn't you tell me about her at the start of the investigation?\"\n\n\"I didn't want to upset you.\" Sano ached with guilt." }, { "from": "human", "value": "The brief pleasure he'd gotten from Lady Wisteria wasn't worth this." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"That's what you said to her when she was upset to learn you were engaged.\" Reiko was afire with hurt, suspicion, and anger. She gestured toward the book that Sano still held." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"She was beautiful. You loved her. She did everything for you that a man could want.\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Bitterness twisted Reiko's mouth. \"You only married me because I'm from a high-ranking samurai family instead of a brothel.\"\n\n\"I didn't love her,\" Sano protested." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"There was nothing between us but sex.\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "He saw Reiko's eyes narrow. \"It was just a brief affair that had no future.\"\n\n\"Then why did you free her?\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Reiko retorted. \"Or didn't you?\" she added in a querulous tone that bespoke her need to believe he hadn't performed this act that signified deep commitment to a courtesan.\n\n\"I did,\" Sano said, though aware that the admission made him look guiltier." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Reiko briefly closed her eyes." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"But it wasn't because I wanted the affair to go on.\" Regretting to hurt her more, Sano nonetheless realized that he must tell her the whole story, and hastened to explain: \"I met Wisteria on a case I investigated while I was on the police force. She gave me information. We spent a night together.\"\n\n\"During which she taught you the art of lovemaking?\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "Hearing the pain behind Reiko's sarcasm, Sano nodded reluctantly." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"Certain people were displeased that Wisteria helped me. She was punished. Her suffering was my fault, and I had to compensate her.\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "He described the events that had made this possible." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"But I didn't go to Yoshiwara to take her away.\" Leafing through the book, he said, \"There was no departure ceremony, no trip together to her new home. The bakufu provided the money and handled everything. Wisteria wasn't my mistress. I never intended her to be.\"\n\n\"So you were never together again?\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "Eagerness underlay Reiko's skeptical query." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Though he hated to disappoint his wife, Sano said, \"We were, but only twice—before you and I met. Wisteria was unfriendly to me. I was busy working for the shogun, and I never bothered going back to Wisteria. There were no violent quarrels, no reunions, no perverted sex, no insults toward the shogun, and certainly no scheme to use Masahiro-chan for my own benefit.\"\n\nSano flung down the book, incensed anew by its portrayal of him. He was relieved that his secret had come out, but upset that it had come out this way." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Gazing upon Reiko's rigid, unhappy face, he said, \"I love you. I've always been faithful to you.\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Sincerity and tenderness hushed his voice: \"I swear it on my life.\"\n\nReiko looked torn between wanting to believe and wanting not to be deceived. Then she turned away." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Sano inwardly cursed the Black Lotus for her morbid distrust that extended to him and what she knew in her heart about him." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"You're always telling me that a good detective bases judgment on evidence,\" she said. \"What evidence is there to prove you're not an adulterer?\" She swallowed hard, as if to forestall crying." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"What evidence is there to prove you weren't involved in Lord Mitsuyoshi's death?\"\n\nShe even suspected him of murdering Mitsuyoshi so that Masahiro could take his place as the shogun's heir! Sano lifted his eyes to the ceiling as despair filled him." }, { "from": "human", "value": "He had nothing to prove the pillow book was a fraud." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "The only person who could say for a fact that he'd never done the things described in the book was Lady Wisteria. Sano thought of the mutilated corpse and shook his head. Then his gaze lit on the book, which lay on the table where he'd thrown it." }, { "from": "system", "value": "Next message should be approximately 4 sentences." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "A phrase that hadn't registered while he read now jarred his memory. He snatched up the book and whipped through pages until he found it.\n\n\"Reiko-san, look,\" he said.\n\nShe didn't move. Eagerly Sano read aloud: \" 'It was in the year that the child was born, during the month of leaves, while Sano-san and I sat on the roof viewing the full moon.' But I couldn't have been with Wisteria on the night of the full moon in the seventh month after you gave birth to Masahiro-chan. I was with you. Don't you remember?\"" } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "Job: User writes start, you add ~6 sentences sentences. Style: Laura Joh Rowland" }, { "from": "human", "value": "Now Reiko did remember." }, { "from": "human", "value": "She also remembered the passage in the book that she'd overlooked because she'd been too upset to read objectively." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "A rush of confused emotions made her feel faint. Stunned, she turned to Sano.\n\n\"Yes,\" she said, and heard breathless relief in her voice.\n\nHer distrust and his confession had transformed her husband into a stranger capable of adultery and treason; but now Sano looked his familiar self. An encouraging smile dawned through the worry on his face.\n\n\"The shogun had given you a holiday that month,\" she said." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"You took Masahiro-chan and me on a religious pilgrimage.\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "The temple where they'd stayed was a three-day journey from Edo, their holiday had lasted ten days total, and therefore Sano could not have gone to Wisteria in Nihonbashi at any time near the full moon." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"After you put Masahiro-chan to bed, you and I watched the moon from the garden,\" Sano said." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"And we made love there.\" The tears Reiko had been holding back now spilled. She wept with gladness that one small, false detail had shown the pillow book to be an elaborate lie, and shame that she'd not immediately recognized it as such. \"Will you forgive me for doubting you?\"\n\n\"If you forgive me for keeping a secret I should have told you,\" Sano said.\n\nHe looked so earnest and chagrined that Reiko's lingering anger melted away." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Unaware of whether she moved toward him, or he toward her, she found herself and Sano embracing. She felt her sobs resonate through him, and the wetness on her cheek that could have been her tears or his. Sano's hands caressed her with a tenderness that she could tell Lady Wisteria had never known from him. Her body responded with a welling of desire. His breath quickened and his grasp on her tightened.\n\nLovemaking would have followed, but they moved apart because they had serious matters to discuss." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Reiko heated a vessel of sake, and they knelt with the pillow book and the tray of cups before them.\n\n\"If Wisteria didn't write the book, who did?\" Reiko said, pouring the steaming liquor.\n\nSano's expression turned grim as he accepted a cup. \"I can think of one person who would like me implicated in the murder and branded a traitor.\"\n\n\"Yoriki Hoshina?\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Sano nodded. \"Hoshina knows about the pillow book, and what it looks like, because he heard Wisteria's kamuro describe it to me. Maybe he forged his own version and had it delivered anonymously to Chamberlain Yanagisawa. After that, all he had to do was wait.\"\n\n\"For the chamberlain to use the book against you?\" Reiko warmed her hands on her cup of sake before she drank. \"But what about your truce with him?\"\n\n\"The truce wouldn't protect me in this case,\" Sano said. He drained his cupful and poured himself another." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"No matter if Yanagisawa wants us to remain at peace, he couldn't ignore evidence that I insulted and plotted against the shogun or had reason to kill Lord Mitsuyoshi. He would have to give the book to the shogun, whether he believes I'm guilty or not.\"\n\nNow Reiko understood. \"For him to shield a possible traitor would make him a traitor as well.\"\n\n\"He might hesitate to act if he were the only one who knew about the evidence,\" Sano said, \"but he's not. The author of the book also knows. And the author knows that Yanagisawa received the book. While Yanagisawa and I are no longer at war, we're not exactly friends. He would never conceal the book and endanger himself for my sake. And Hoshina knows how his lover thinks. He's been looking for a way to attack me.\" Sano eyed the pillow book. \"That must be his doing.\"\n\nIn spite of the strong reasons to believe Hoshina had written the book, a different possibility occurred to Reiko." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"If Hoshina isn't the author...\" Her voice trailed off because the idea seemed at once plausible and outlandish." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"Do you have someone else in mind?\" Sano said." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"I'm thinking of Lady Yanagisawa,\" Reiko said." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Sano regarded her with surprise." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"How could she have known Wisteria had written a pillow book, or that it was missing?\"\n\n\"Maybe she overheard the chamberlain and Hoshina discussing the case.\"\n\n\"Even if she did, how would she have known what to write?\"\n\nReiko saw that he didn't think Lady Yanagisawa could be familiar with Yoshiwara customs, what went on between prostitutes and clients, or political ploys. \"Yoriki Hoshina might have learned about you and Wisteria from metsuke spies, but women have their own ways of finding out things,\" Reiko said. \"Maybe Wisteria told her friends or clients about her affair with you, and gossip traveled from Yoshiwara to Edo Castle, where Lady Yanagisawa heard it from her servants. She must also hear plenty that the chamberlain and his men say about bakufu business.\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"That's possible. But the story in the book seems so real that the author must be a clever writer and have experience with the situations in it,\" Sano said. \"That description would fit Hoshina better than Lady Yanagisawa.\"\n\n\"I think she's smart enough to write a good story,\" Reiko said, \"and imagination can make up for lack of experience.\"\n\nSano's expression conveyed doubt. \"Supposing Lady Yanagisawa did manufacture the pillow book, she could have also invented the story about the anonymous package to fool you. But you said she wants to be your friend. Why, then, would she try to hurt you by writing slander about me?\"\n\nHere Reiko's logic foundered." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"I don't have a good reason. But Lady Yanagisawa is odd. I don't like the way she looks at me, or the way she sought my acquaintance at this particular time.\"\n\nInstinct told Reiko that the chamberlain's wife had befriended her for some secret, nefarious purpose. But instinct had also encouraged her to trust a suspect in the Black Lotus murders, and to doubt Sano's fidelity to her and loyalty to the shogun. Reiko was more afraid than ever that the Black Lotus investigation had permanently damaged her judgment.\n\nShe saw her fear reflected on Sano's face. He said, \"If Lady Yanagisawa does want to get me in trouble, why did she do you the favor of bringing you the book instead of leaving it for her husband and letting matters take their course?\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "Reiko sighed in dejection." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"I don't know.\" Yet her suspicions about the chamberlain's wife nagged at her. Wishing she'd kept them to herself, she changed the subject: \"If the second pillow book is a forgery, then maybe the book Hirata found is Lady Wisteria's genuine one. Nothing in the first book has proved to be untrue, even though we haven't been able to find the Hokkaido man. What are you going to do about the second pillow book?\"\n\nSano picked up the volume and weighed it in his hand for a moment, his expression perturbed. \"I hate to destroy evidence. But the only information in here is false information about me.\"\n\n\"There may be clues we don't recognize yet,\" Reiko said. \"And the fact that the book says you plotted treason on a night for which you have an alibi reveals that the story is slander. You may need the book as proof of your innocence.\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"Maybe.\" Still, Sano was more certain of the book's threat to him than willing to bet it would turn out to be useful." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"But whether the book has any value, it's too dangerous to keep.\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "He untied the ribbon binding and fed the pages one by one into the brazier. They flamed, shriveled, and blackened. At last Sano laid the lavender covers and green ribbon on the coals.\n\n\"I wish I could believe this is the end of the matter,\" Reiko said, opening a window to clear out the smoke.\n\n\"So do I,\" said Sano, \"but unfortunately, it's not. Whoever wrote that book will be waiting for Chamberlain Yanagisawa to act on it and me to be ruined. When that doesn't happen, he'll know his plan went wrong.\"\n\n\"And try again to implicate you in the murders?\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "Sano nodded. \"I must find out who the author is before he manufactures more false evidence against me. And I must find out as soon as possible who killed Lord Mitsuyoshi, so that if suspicion does fall on me, I can prove I didn't do it.\"" }, { "from": "system", "value": "Next message should be approximately 3 sentences." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "The second pillow book complicated the investigation and raised the price of failure; yet Reiko tried to be optimistic. \"We're safe for now,\" she said. \"Maybe the author of the book is the murderer of Lord Mitsuyoshi and Lady Wisteria. If that's true, we need to find only one person to solve the case and avoid danger.\"" } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "Hey can you write like Laura Joh Rowland and use whatever i write as a jumping off point?" }, { "from": "system", "value": "Produce a starting prompt please." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Although exhausted from a tumultuous day and night, Sano and Reiko rose early the next morning, cognizant of how much work awaited them. As they sat eating a meal of rice, broth, and fish, Hirata came to the door of their chamber.\n\n\"There's been a new development,\" Sano said." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"We have something to tell you.\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "He described the second pillow book. After they'd discussed its ramifications, Hirata said, \"I came to tell you that Magistrate Aoki has had Fujio taken out of jail and delivered to his court. Our informant there just brought the news. And the shogun wants to see you immediately.\"\n\n\"The magistrate is interfering again,\" Reiko said in dismay." } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "Task: Cooperative storytelling\nMy role: Provide a brief opening\nYour role: Expand upon my opening with 2 sentences, emulating the writing style of Laura Joh Rowland." }, { "from": "system", "value": "Produce a starting prompt please." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "When Sano arrived in the shogun's reception hall, he found the Council of Elders aligned in their customary two rows on the upper level of the floor. The shogun sat on the dais, with Chamberlain Yanagisawa kneeling below at his right and Police Commissioner Hoshina at his left." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Tokugawa Tsunayoshi looked ill, his features fragile as crumpled paper, his eyes rimmed with red and shadowed underneath." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Trembling visibly, he glared at Sano.\n\nDread chilled Sano as he knelt and bowed." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Just as he'd feared, the shogun was furious with him." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"How could you?\" demanded Tokugawa Tsunayoshi." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"After all I've, ahh, given you, after I've trusted you, how could you do such a, ahh, cruel, disgraceful thing?\"\n\n\"A million apologies for displeasing you, Your Excellency.\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Quaking, Sano tried to stay calm. \"I couldn't let Magistrate Aoki condemn the treasury minister and end the investigation while there was a strong chance that Nitta was innocent.\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"Of course Nitta was innocent!\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "The shogun's voice rose to a high pitch of hysteria." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "As Sano listened in surprise, Tokugawa Tsunayoshi said, \"He didn't kill my cousin. You did!\"\n\nSano felt shock resonate through his body." }, { "from": "human", "value": "The shogun was accusing him?" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "What was going on? Aghast, he looked around at the other men, and his gaze lit on Hoshina." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"The ssakan-sama appears bewildered, Your Excellency.\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "Hoshina's expression was smug, gloating." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"If I may enlighten him?\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Tokugawa Tsunayoshi nodded as a sob wracked his body. Hoshina said to Sano, \"I've located the missing pillow book of Lady Wisteria. It contains a description of a sordid love affair between her and you." }, { "from": "human", "value": "She wrote that you used her for pleasure, then mistreated her." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "She also wrote that you called His Excellency a despicable idiot, and you intended to murder Lord Mitsuyoshi so His Excellency would adopt your son as his successor.\n\n\"I showed the book to the Honorable Chamberlain. We agreed that we must show it to His Excellency, and we have done so.\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "Yanagisawa inclined his head, silently concurring with his lover." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Alarm and confusion beset Sano. Lady Yanagisawa had told Reiko that her husband had gotten the book from an anonymous sender." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Had she lied, or had Hoshina secretly opened the package, then pretended he'd found the book somewhere, to impress his superiors?\n\nBut however the book had come to light, the shogun had read it before Lady Yanagisawa stole it." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Her attempt to do Reiko a favor had failed." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Sano had destroyed the book too late, and Hoshina had used it against him.\n\n\"I have never insulted His Excellency,\" Sano said, his panic balanced by anger at his foe." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"Nor have I ever expressed threats toward Lord Mitsuyoshi. I didn't kill him, and I'm not plotting to put my son in power. The book is a fraud.\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Hoshina gave him a cocksure smile. \"Residents of the Great Miura brothel have identified it as Lady Wisteria's.\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"Did you bribe them? Or did you threaten to kill them unless they said what you wanted? You wrote the book yourself, to ruin me.\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Sano grew certain this was true. \"Admit it!\"\n\nThe shogun's puzzled gaze flicked from Sano to Hoshina, who said ruefully, \"I'm not the author of the book. The ssakan-sama is trying to save himself by accusing me.\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"Let's examine this book and compare the calligraphy to yours.\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "Knowing the book was in ashes, Sano hoped that forcing Hoshina to admit it no longer existed would lessen the harm it could do him." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"The book has vanished,\" Hoshina said, unperturbed.\n\n\"How convenient for you that no one can scrutinize it too closely,\" Sano said." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Hoshina's gaze rebuked him." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"How much more convenient for you if you'd had it stolen before we read it instead of afterward.\"\n\nHoshina dared frame him for theft along with murder and treason!" }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"I didn't know the book had turned up until now,\" Sano said." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"How could I have stolen it?\" Yet he feared everyone could see through his pretended ignorance." }, { "from": "human", "value": "He addressed the shogun: \"Even though you're understandably upset by what the book said about me, please consider that there's no other evidence that anything in it happened.\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"That is, ahh, true.\" Realization eclipsed the anger on Tokugawa Tsunayoshi's countenance." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"You've always been loyal to me in the past. And the, ahh, man in the story was a cad who didn't, ahh, resemble you at all.\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "His unexpected good sense relieved Sano, but Hoshina said, \"The affair between the ssakan-sama and Lady Wisteria was verified by my informants. And here's a page of the account book from the brothel, showing a sum paid by Sano Ichir for the discharge of Lady Wisteria.\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Hoshina held up a paper.\n\n\"That proves nothing except that I freed her,\" Sano said, appalled by the thoroughness of Hoshina's effort to authenticate the book." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"Any verified detail lends credibility to the others,\" Hoshina said." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"Besides, I've located the house where Wisteria lived after she left Yoshiwara. The neighbors say she had a samurai lover. Their description of him fits the ssakan-sama. They also say that he and Wisteria quarreled frequently and violently, as the book describes.\"\n\nSano couldn't admit he'd visited Wisteria at all, and make himself look guiltier." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"I never quarreled with her. Either those witnesses are lying, or you are,\" he told Hoshina." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"Your evidence is slander woven from a few innocuous facts!\"\n\nThe shogun recoiled from Sano's vehemence." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"See how he rages when someone irks him,\" Hoshina said to the assembly, his face alight with vindication." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"This is the bad temper that caused him to hurt Lady Wisteria.\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Further incensed, Sano looked at the chamberlain. Yanagisawa met his gaze with a warning expression that said their truce didn't make them allies and Hoshina had free rein here." }, { "from": "human", "value": "The elders watched with a detachment that fueled Sano's anger." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "They expected him to destroy their enemies for them, at his own risk, and now they were doing nothing to help him. The contemptible wretches!\n\nStifling an impulse to rage at them, Sano mustered his self-control." }, { "from": "human", "value": "He said to the shogun, \"That Police Commissioner Hoshina has demonstrated an association between Lady Wisteria and me isn't proof that I'm a murderer or traitor.\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"That the ssakan-sama attempted to conceal the association indicates that he's guilty,\" Hoshina said quickly.\n\nSano turned on his foe." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"Just when does the book say I plotted against His Excellency and Lord Mitsuyoshi? Or is the story as vague about dates as it is untrue?\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Caution narrowed Hoshina's eyes. \"Lady Wisteria marked the date as Genroku Year Five, the seventh month, on the night of the full moon.\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"You mean you did. When you wrote the book, you made the mistake of specifying an exact time. My wife will swear that I was with her that night,\" Sano said.\n\n\"I certainly did not write the book. And the wife of a liar is no more honest than he,\" Hoshina scoffed." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"Everyone knows Lady Reiko is very fond of her husband and would do or say anything to protect him. She's an untrustworthy witness.\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"Do you have any witness at all who can confirm that I said the things in the book?\" Sano demanded.\n\n\"Your Excellency, the only witness to his statements was Lady Wisteria, who's been murdered. Her body was discovered the night before last.\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "The crime hadn't escaped the notice of Hoshina and his spies." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"How convenient for the ssakan-sama that she can't speak against him.\" Hoshina flashed a sardonic glance at Sano." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"The body may not even be Wisteria,\" Sano said, \"and it was found in a house belonging to Fujio the hokan. He's the primary suspect in that murder, and also in Lord Mitsuyoshi's. There are other suspects, including Wisteria's chaperone, and maybe more we don't know about because the investigation isn't finished.\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"The investigation has been controlled by the ssakan-sama from the start,\" Hoshina said with disdain. \"The suspects he mentions are only people who can't prove their innocence. He persecuted them to shield himself.\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"You were the one who arrested Momoko,\" Sano pointed out." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"Because he tricked me into it,\" Hoshina told the shogun. \"He even defended Treasury Minister Nitta at his trial to make everyone believe he cares about justice." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "But his investigation is a farce, and his good character a disguise.\n\n\"Lady Wisteria wrote in her pillow book that she wanted to force the ssakan-sama to marry her. He gave her the weapon she needed when he insulted Your Excellency and threatened Lord Mitsuyoshi. It's obvious that Wisteria tried to blackmail the ssakan-sama, and he killed her so she could never tell anyone what he'd said. He's a traitor who killed once to place his son in line for the succession, and again to cover up his crime.\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"Indeed.\" Tokugawa Tsunayoshi glowered at Sano.\n\nSano felt the escalating pulse of panic along his nerves." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Whatever he said in his own defense, Hoshina twisted to make him appear guiltier. Terrified by the nightmare that enmeshed him, furious at Hoshina, the elders, the shogun, and the injustice he faced, Sano resorted to guile, his only means of survival." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"Your Excellency,\" Sano said, \"please allow me to remind everyone here that you are the ultimate authority. Your wisdom and powers of judgment surpass those of lesser humans. Police Commissioner Hoshina owes you an apology for trying to impose his feeble opinions on you.\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Dismay wiped the self-satisfaction off Hoshina's face. \"He's trying to flatter you into thinking better of him and worse of me, Your Excellency.\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "But the shogun, clearly eager for praise, frowned in resentment at Hoshina and waved a hand to silence him." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"Go on,\" Tokugawa Tsunayoshi ordered Sano.\n\n\"You are a judicious ruler with a unique ability to distinguish right from wrong. Would you condemn a man just because a mere subordinate said you should?\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "Sano went on, though ashamed of manipulating his lord." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"Would you let the real killer go free because Hoshina-san wants me blamed for Lord Mitsuyoshi's murder?\"\n\nWhile Hoshina stared in helpless outrage, indecision creased the shogun's brow." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"I, ahh, guess not,\" the shogun said, looking to Sano for approval." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"Of course you wouldn't.\" Heartened that he'd gained the upper hand, Sano said, \"Your strong sense of honor requires more than just a book of dubious origin and Hoshina-san's accusations before you decide whether a man you've trusted is a criminal. You require facts.\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"Facts. Ahh, yes.\" The shogun seized upon the word, as though delighted to see a complex situation reduced to one simple idea." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Then his face clouded with confusion. \"But how do I get them? What, ahh, shall I do?\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"Since you ask my humble opinion,\" Sano said, \"I suggest that you order me to continue investigating the murders until I find the real culprit and prove my claim that I am innocent and have been framed by my enemies.\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Enlightenment cleared the confusion from the shogun's face; but before he could speak, Hoshina said, \"Please excuse me, Your Excellency, but the ssakan-sama mustn't be allowed to search out an innocent person to blame for his crimes.\" Hoshina's tone was fervent, desperate." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"If you agree to what he asks, you'll be abetting the man who killed your cousin!\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"In the interest of fairness, Police Commissioner Hoshina should be permitted to look for evidence that I'm guilty,\" Sano said.\n\nHoshina's mouth opened in incredulity." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "The shogun considered. He looked toward Chamberlain Yanagisawa, whose shoulders moved in a slight shrug that disclaimed responsibility for the decision. The shogun then turned to the elders, but they sat still and impassive, like trees motionless until the prevailing wind blows." }, { "from": "human", "value": "At last Tokugawa Tsunayoshi nodded." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"That sounds, ahh, reasonable,\" he said. The elders also nodded, their heads moving in unison." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Sano experienced a deluge of relief that didn't quench his rage at everyone in the room." }, { "from": "human", "value": "He'd won a chance to save himself, but it was far less than he deserved." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Indignant, Hoshina turned to Yanagisawa. The chamberlain looked straight at Sano." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Was that respect, and a gleam of amusement in Yanagisawa's eyes?" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Sano had learned from the chamberlain's example how to manipulate the shogun. Did Yanagisawa enjoy watching Sano stoop to his own level?" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Sano suddenly understood why Yanagisawa didn't care who had killed Lord Mitsuyoshi—or if the killer was caught—and chose to stay out of the argument. Yanagisawa had his mind on the future rather than the immediate controversy." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Tokugawa Tsunayoshi flapped a hand at Sano and Hoshina." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"I, ahh, order you both to go and do what Ssakan Sano suggested. But remember this.\" He focused his bloodshot eyes on Hoshina." }, { "from": "system", "value": "Next message should be approximately 3 sentences." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"If you fail to prove that Sano-san is guilty, you will be punished for, ahh, slandering him.\" The shogun's warning gaze moved to Sano. \"And unless you prove your innocence, you will be executed for killing my heir.\"" } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "Job: User writes start, you add ~three sentences sentences. Style: Laura Joh Rowland" }, { "from": "human", "value": "A large, noisy crowd filled the courtyard of Magistrate Aoki's mansion and overflowed into the street." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Hirata, accompanied by three detectives, had to push his way through the gate. People jostled him, craning their necks toward the mansion. Some were young men whose raffish clothing marked them as entertainers, artists, hustlers, or other denizens of the fashionable low life, but most were women." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Samurai ladies, dressed in silk and guarded by troops, clustered around an iron vat, where a fire had been lit to heat the courtyard. In the outer reaches of the fire's warmth, nuns with shaven heads knelt chanting prayers. Beyond them stood gaudily dressed wives and daughters of merchants." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "The largest contingent, huddled against the wall and buildings, looked to be servants, teahouse girls, and disreputable females. Some of the women wept; others whispered together, clearly distraught. Several doshin kept order among the crowd." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"Who are all these people?\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "Hirata asked a doshin he knew." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"Family, friends, and admirers of Fujio the hokan.\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "And probably his lovers, too, Hirata thought, all come to stand vigil during his trial." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Upon walking into the Court of Justice, Hirata found old Magistrate Aoki and his secretaries already seated on the dais before an audience of officials." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Fujio knelt on the shirasu." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "He wore a ragged hemp robe; chains shackled his hands and bare feet. As the door shut behind Hirata and his detectives, Fujio turned. His handsome face was drawn with misery, but he gave Hirata a brief, valiant smile." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"Fujio, you are accused of the murder of the courtesan Lady Wisteria,\" said Magistrate Aoki.\n\nHirata wasn't surprised; knowing how Aoki had rushed Treasury Minister Nitta to trial, he'd anticipated this. But as he and his men knelt at the side of the room, he noticed a woman on the shirasu near Fujio." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "She, too, wore a hemp robe and chains. Her drab hair hung in a braid down her thin back. Her elegant profile seemed carved by despair." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "It was Lady Wisteria's yarite, Momoko. Shock jolted Hirata. Why was the chaperone here?\n\n\"Momoko, you are accused of abetting Fujio in the murder.\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "Magistrate Aoki's wrinkled bitter-melon face wore a prideful, smug look." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"The pair of you shall therefore be tried together.\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "Hirata and his detectives exchanged glances of amazed consternation." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "The corpse in the cottage still hadn't been definitely identified as Wisteria. The evidence against Fujio had weakened when his family and friends confirmed that he'd been far from the cottage during the crucial time period. And there was no evidence at all to implicate Momoko in the crime." }, { "from": "human", "value": "What on earth was Magistrate Aoki doing?" }, { "from": "human", "value": "Then Hirata understood. Aoki had had second thoughts about convicting the treasury minister, and believed he might have erred." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "As long as other suspects existed, Aoki faced the chance that Sano would prove one of them guilty of Lord Mitsuyoshi's murder and him guilty of subverting justice. Aoki wanted to eliminate Fujio and Momoko so that even if the shogun decided Nitta had been wrongly condemned, Magistrate Aoki would have already executed the only other possible culprits. He would be safe because Sano's investigation would have no reason to continue." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "And the second murder had given Aoki the opportunity to fulfill his corrupt aims at the expense of two people who might be innocent. Outrage filled Hirata.\n\n\"In the interest of saving trouble, I shall dispense with the usual formalities and summarize the relevant facts of the case,\" Magistrate Aoki said to the assembly.\n\n\"Fujio had a love affair with Wisteria that continued in secret after he married a daughter of the man who owns the Great Miura brothel. Wisteria threatened to tell Fujio's father-in-law about the affair unless Fujio got her out of Yoshiwara. But he didn't have enough money to free her, and he didn't want to lose his wife, his home, and his livelihood, as he would if his father-in-law learned he was an adulterer. Hence, Fujio decided to kill Wisteria to keep her quiet.\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Hirata listened, incredulous. However likely a story this sounded, Magistrate Aoki offered no evidence whatsoever that it was true. And he apparently didn't intend to present any witnesses. None existed, as far as Hirata knew." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"Fujio told Wisteria he would help her escape,\" Magistrate Aoki continued. \"He hired a palanquin and bearers to wait outside Yoshiwara. He planned to sneak Wisteria out of the ageya, and the sentries at the gate would let her through if he bribed them. The palanquin would carry her to his secluded cottage, where he could murder her.\"\n\nBut of course, Magistrate Aoki had the authority to dispense with legal protocol if he chose, Hirata realized." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Watching the defendants, he pitied them even while he acknowledged the possibility that they were guilty. Fujio sat quiet and composed, but Momoko looked shrunken like a wounded animal, and Hirata could hear her quick, rasping breaths. This was a mere case of two commoners accused of conspiring to kill another." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Fujio and Momoko were powerless to resist, and the bakufu didn't care what happened to them." }, { "from": "human", "value": "From outdoors came shrill yells, and thumps against the wall of the building." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Magistrate Aoki ignored the sounds." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"However,\" he intoned, \"Fujio couldn't manage his crime by himself. He had to perform at the ageya that night. He couldn't risk getting caught helping his father-in-law's courtesan run away because his secret would come out. And performing would give him an alibi for Wisteria's disappearance. So he engaged an accomplice.\"\n\nThe magistrate gestured his wizened hand at Momoko. \"This yarite was jealous of Wisteria and hated her. Momoko was also a friend of Fujio, and when he told her his plan, she was glad to help him. While he sang at the party, Momoko crept upstairs to the room where Wisteria was entertaining Lord Mitsuyoshi. The hour was late, and the lovers had been drinking. Momoko arrived to find them both asleep—or so she thought, until she saw that Mitsuyoshi was dead. Treasury Minister Nitta had sneaked into the room and stabbed him while Wisteria slept.\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "Momoko whimpered, shivering; her chains clinked." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"She was horrified,\" Magistrate Aoki said, \"but she went through with Fujio's plan. She awakened Wisteria and dressed the frightened courtesan in a hooded cloak she'd brought to disguise Wisteria. Then Momoko hurried Wisteria downstairs, out the back door, and through the streets to the gate.\"\n\nShrieks erupted outside the courtroom. The door shuddered under furious banging." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "On the far side of it, female voices pleaded; male voices threatened. The audience and guards turned in alarm.\n\n\"What is that infernal racket?\" Magistrate Aoki demanded." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"It seems that the women from the crowd outside have gotten into the building,\" one of his secretaries said, \"and they want to see the accused man.\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Fujio looked over his shoulder and gave Hirata a rueful but proud grin: Even when he was facing certain doom, he enjoyed his celebrity.\n\n\"Well, they shan't interrupt this trial.\" Magistrate Aoki pitched his voice over the rising din: \"Momoko bribed the gate sentries with money Fujio had given her. They let Wisteria out of the pleasure quarter, and she rode away in the palanquin." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Then Momoko rushed back to the ageya." }, { "from": "human", "value": "She told Fujio that Wisteria had escaped safely, but Lord Mitsuyoshi had been murdered." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "She was terrified that she would be blamed because her hairpin was the weapon.\n\n\"Fujio cleverly told Momoko to go back upstairs, then come running down, screaming that Lord Mitsuyoshi was dead, as if she'd just discovered the body. Momoko was later arrested, but Fujio had evaded suspicion and was free to do as he pleased. He traveled to the cottage where Wisteria was hiding. He beat her to death and left her body to rot.\"\n\nThe story was plausible enough that Fujio and Momoko might really have contrived the murder as Magistrate Aoki claimed." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Yet Hirata wouldn't believe it without proof that Aoki hadn't invented the whole tale." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Now the magistrate gazed sternly at the accused pair." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"Have you anything to say in your own defense?\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "Hirata lost all tolerance for this travesty of justice." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Before Fujio or Momoko could answer, he rose and strode toward the dais." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Everyone stared. \"Honorable Magistrate, I'm stopping this trial until you show some real evidence that these people did what you say they did,\" he said." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Magistrate Aoki's eyes glittered like dark, flinty pebbles as he gave Hirata a contemptuous look." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"Your master tried to stop one of my trials. You won't succeed where he failed. And unless you want a reputation for interfering with the law, you'd best keep quiet.\"\n\nThe door burst open. A horde of women stampeded into the courtroom." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"Fujio-san! Fujio-san!\" they screamed." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Possessed by hysteria and ardor, samurai ladies, nuns, merchant women, and servant girls rushed toward the hokan. Fujio waved and beamed at them.\n\n\"Stop!\" Magistrate Aoki shouted at the women, then ordered the guards, \"Get them out of here!\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "The guards pushed back the mob. Women moaned, struggled, tore their hair, and wept. They overwhelmed the guards and fell to their knees, occupying every empty space on the courtroom floor." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Magistrate Aoki grimaced in disgust, then returned his attention to Fujio and Momoko.\n\n\"Have you anything to say in your own defense?\" he asked, clearly determined to ignore the interruption." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"I didn't do it!\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "Momoko's desperate wail rose over the noise." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Hirata, still standing near the dais, watched with horror and pity as the yarite simpered at Magistrate Aoki." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Fluttering her eyelids, she wriggled her body in a grotesque attempt to seduce, and cried, \"Please believe that I'm innocent!\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "The magistrate's flinty gaze was merciless." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"I pronounce you guilty as an accomplice to murder. You are sentenced to death.\"\n\nGuards bore the weeping, swooning Momoko through the crowd, out of the room. Magistrate Aoki addressed Fujio: \"What do you say for yourself?\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "The room fell silent as the women waited for their idol to speak. Fujio said in a clear, ringing voice, \"I confess.\"\n\nAn uproar of screaming and weeping burst from the women." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Young girls beat their heads on the floor; the nuns chanted prayers. Magistrate Aoki yelled orders for the women to be quiet and the guards to remove them. Fujio struggled to his feet, weighted by the shackles." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Slowly he turned toward the crowd. His noble, somber mien quieted the women. Tearful adoration shone on their faces as they beheld him." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"Thank you, Hirata-san, for trying to help me,\" Fujio said." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"Thank you, honorable ladies, for your favor. But I know when I'm beaten, and I'd like to leave this life with grace. Therefore, I will sing my confession in a song I've written.\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "He looked to Magistrate Aoki, who frowned but nodded. Inhaling deeply, Fujio donned a look of intense concentration. He paused on the verge of the performance of his career, as suspense hushed the court." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Then he sang in a stirring, melancholy voice:" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Love is a garden of many flowers,\n\nWhere the rose, peony, and iris unfurl their petals to the sun.\n\nMy life was a garden of beautiful women," }, { "from": "human", "value": "Which I wandered to my heart's delight, sampling every blossom." }, { "from": "human", "value": "But in the garden hides a flower of death," }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Whose sap is poison, and its thorns sharp as knives.\n\nInto my life came the Lady Wisteria\n\nWhose charms lured me to my downfall." }, { "from": "human", "value": "We loved each other with a passion as hot and bountiful as summer Until anger and hatred poisoned our paradise." }, { "from": "human", "value": "I bruised the soft petals of her skin, I crushed the" }, { "from": "human", "value": "fragile stem of her body, I drew the sap of her blood," }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Until my Wisteria lay dead before me.\n\nNow love is an empty wasteland,\n\nWhere harsh winds blow over weeds, rocks, and bones." }, { "from": "human", "value": "My life is a road to the execution ground," }, { "from": "system", "value": "Next message should be approximately 1 sentence." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Which I walk in hopeless misery toward my death." } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "I'll be your writing partner today. I will set the scene, and you will continue the story with 2 sentences, channeling the voice and techniques of Laura Joh Rowland." }, { "from": "system", "value": "Produce a starting prompt please." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Hands upturned, body slumped, and his expression tragic, Fujio let his last note fade in the silence. Then a thunder of cheers, applause, and sobbing burst from the women." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Fujio bowed. Magistrate Aoki looked irritated by the spectacle." }, { "from": "system", "value": "Next message should be approximately 3 sentences." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"I pronounce you guilty of murder and sentence you to death by decapitation,\" he said.\n\nAs the guards escorted Fujio out of the room, the women followed him in a wailing, sobbing procession.\n\nHirata dreaded telling Sano that their last two suspects would be dead before they could resume the investigation." } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "Team writing exercise. I start, you do 8 sentences in Laura Joh Rowland style." }, { "from": "system", "value": "Produce a starting prompt please." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"Line up the soldiers, Masahiro-chan,\" said Reiko.\n\nSquatting on the nursery floor, the little boy carefully positioned his toy horsemen, archers, and swordsmen as Reiko and his old nurse O-sugi watched.\n\n\"That's very good.\" Reiko smiled at her son, but her mind was on Sano. Ever since he'd left for the palace, she'd waited in fearful suspense for him to return from his meeting with the shogun. She longed to know what was happening.\n\nA loud crash from outside startled her and Masahiro and O-sugi. It sounded as if someone had broken down the garden gate. Then Reiko heard muttering and stomping." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Puzzled, she rose, opened the door, stepped onto the veranda, and saw Sano in the garden." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Head down, fists clenched, he stalked around trees. His feet trampled flowerbeds; his gait was unsteady.\n\n\"I can't stand it,\" he muttered. Breath puffed from him in white vapor clouds that rapidly formed and dispersed in the cold, sunlit air. \"I can't stand it anymore!\"\n\nAlarmed by his strange behavior, Reiko hurried across the garden to Sano. \"What's happened?\" she cried.\n\nSano whirled toward her, his eyes wild and face contorted by fierce emotion." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"Lady Yanagisawa brought the pillow book too late.\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "He continued prowling the garden while Reiko ran after him. \"The shogun had already read it. He now suspects me of murdering Lord Mitsuyoshi!\"\n\n\"Oh, no.\" Reiko stopped, and her hand clasped her throat as horror and comprehension flooded her. She'd never seen Sano this upset because nothing this bad had ever happened before.\n\n\"That despicable, scheming, foul Hoshina got hold of the book. He made sure His Excellency saw it.\" As Sano poured out a disjointed account of the meeting, his arms lashed out at bushes that got in his way. Reiko realized that he wasn't just upset, but furious. \"Hoshina branded me a traitor! I barely managed to convince the shogun to give me a chance to prove I'm innocent!\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "Reiko caught up with Sano and reached for his arm." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"Everything will be all right,\" she said, trying to soothe him despite her own terror." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "But Sano careened backward across the grass, shouting, \"For four years I've done everything the shogun has asked of me. I've shed my blood for honor!\" Sano halted and tore open his garments to reveal the scars on his torso. \"I know His Excellency owes me nothing in return, and I wish for nothing except for him to see me as the loyal retainer that I am!\"\n\nReiko noticed O-sugi and Masahiro standing on the veranda, gaping as Sano raved. \"Go back inside,\" she called to them, then urged Sano, \"Please calm yourself. Come in the house before you freeze.\"\n\nHe appeared not to hear her. \"You'd think that once—just once—His Excellency could have faith in me and disregard the slander of my enemies,\" Sano said, addressing the world at large. \"But no—he was quick to believe everything Hoshina said against me. He was ready to condemn me on the spot, without even hearing my side of the story!\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "Sano gave a bitter laugh." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"The only thing that saved me is that I've been in these situations enough times to know how to talk my way out of them.\"\n\nAlthough the shogun's frequent injustices toward Sano pained her, Reiko had never heard him complain. The Black Lotus case had taxed his endurance, and this outrage had finally shattered it. Frightened for her husband, and frightened of him, Reiko crept toward Sano.\n\n\"You'll get out of this one, too,\" she said. \"The shogun will trust you again.\"\n\n\"Oh, no. He won't.\" Eyes dark with anger, Sano backed away from her." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"Because I'm finished. I've had enough violent death, enough dirty politics, enough of trying to please a master who always threatens to kill me.\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "He pumped his fists at his sides and threw back his head." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"I can't stand any more!\"\n\nReiko gasped. \"What will you do?\" she said, and heard her voice quaver with fear. If Sano renounced his servitude to the shogun, he would lose his livelihood and home as well as his honor. Her cold hands pressed her cheeks. \"Where will we go?\"\n\n\"I don't know.\" Sano resumed his blind, furious strides around the garden. \"I don't care, as long as it's far from Edo Castle and everyone here!\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"But you can't just give up everything,\" Reiko said, following him in panic." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"Please think about Masahiro's future.\" Sano knew the hardship of growing up the son of a rnin. Surely he wouldn't want the same for Masahiro.\n\n\"I am thinking of it! I won't have my son trapped in the same impossible circumstances as I!\"\n\nA branch of an azalea bush snagged his sleeve. With a cry of rage, Sano drew his sword and began hacking viciously at the bush. Branches and twigs flew at every touch of his blade, while he shouted curses. Reiko shrank away from him in stark, wide-eyed terror." }, { "from": "human", "value": "This wasn't her husband; it was a demon who'd possessed him." }, { "from": "system", "value": "Next message should be approximately 4 sentences." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Suddenly Sano halted. With an anguished groan, he flung away his weapon. He sagged to his knees before the mutilated bush, his temper spent. Shudders convulsed him. Reiko's terror dissolved. She went to Sano and put her arms around him." } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "Mode:\nCo-writing\n\nLength:\nsix sentences\n\nStyle:\nLaura Joh Rowland" }, { "from": "system", "value": "Produce a starting prompt please." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Inside his private chamber, Sano sat wrapped in a quilt, drinking a hot herbal infusion that Reiko had given him to restore his spirits, while she knelt watching anxiously.\n\n\"I'm sorry,\" he said.\n\nAnd he was sorry—for saying deplorable things; for succumbing to emotion and displaying weakness; for destroying the bush in a fit of undignified temper; for scaring Reiko. He hadn't realized how much bad will had built up inside him. Releasing it had given him an exhilarating sense of freedom; but now, although he felt more peaceful than he had in ages, he was deeply ashamed. And nothing had changed." }, { "from": "human", "value": "The shogun still suspected him of murdering Lord Mitsuyoshi; Police Commissioner Hoshina was still determined to incriminate him." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "If he wanted to survive, Sano mustn't lose his self-control again.\n\n\"Do you really mean to give up your post?\" Reiko asked, her manner still troubled.\n\n\"No.\" Sano's moment of rebellion had passed. He had nowhere to go, and he couldn't sacrifice his honor or his family's future. Nor could he sacrifice the vocation that was his path along the Way of the Warrior, the strict code of duty, obedience, and courage by which samurai lived." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"Then what will you do?\" Reiko said.\n\n\"I'll find the real killer, prove my innocence, and regain the shogun's trust.\" Determination and a desire for justice rekindled in Sano. \"It will be hard, because all the clues have so far led nowhere, but there's still hope.\"\n\nHe and Reiko looked up as Hirata appeared in the doorway. \"Sumimasen—excuse me, but there's bad news.\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "Visibly distraught, Hirata said, \"Magistrate Aoki just convicted Fujio of murdering Lady Wisteria, and Momoko as an accomplice. They've been taken to the execution ground.\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Reiko murmured in dismay. Sano had anticipated Fujio's conviction when he'd heard Magistrate Aoki had convened the trial, but Momoko's took him by surprise.\n\n\"Come in. Sit down and explain,\" Sano said to Hirata.\n\nHirata complied, and Sano marveled that the magistrate had based the verdict on a story he'd invented and couldn't prove. After Hirata had finished, Sano said, \"This seems to be the day for bad news,\" then told Hirata what had happened to him.\n\n\"All three of our suspects are gone.\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "Hirata's face reflected his horror." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"That leaves you as the only target for the shogun's wrath.\"\n\nSano perceived cosmic forces shifting and heard the approaching thunder of doom as the onus settled upon him.\n\nReiko said, \"Maybe Fujio, Momoko, or Treasury Minister Nitta did murder Lord Mitsuyoshi. They're still good suspects and worth investigating even if they're no longer alive.\"\n\n\"We can still look for proof of their guilt,\" Hirata said, following up her attempt to look on the bright side.\n\n\"And hope that it exists,\" Sano said, \"because I'm afraid that if we can't find a witness or some solid evidence that points to someone other than me, the only thing that will convince the shogun I'm innocent is the killer's confession. Which would be difficult to get from a dead person.\"\n\nHis companions nodded in glum agreement." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Then Hirata spoke hesitantly: \"Police Commissioner Hoshina isn't above falsifying evidence against you. That second pillow book stank of him. He's sure to invent more 'proof' that you're a traitor.\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "Sano pursed his mouth, aware that Hirata meant they should follow Hoshina's example and fabricate evidence against Fujio, Momoko, or the treasury minister to save Sano." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Understanding flashed in Reiko's eyes. \"False incrimination is less harmful to a dead person than to a live one,\" she said with cautious hope.\n\nThat Hirata and Reiko would even consider such dishonesty meant they were at a loss for what else to do. \"It's already occurred to me,\" Sano admitted. \"But I'm not desperate enough to frame someone who might be innocent, whether the person is alive or dead. Especially since there's a whole area of inquiry that we haven't yet explored.\"\n\n\"What's left?\" Reiko said, puzzled." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"Lord Mitsuyoshi himself,\" Sano said." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Hirata frowned. \"The shogun forbade you to investigate his background.\"\n\n\"And I would hate to disobey.\" At the very thought of defying his lord, Sano tasted nauseating disgrace. \"But Mitsuyoshi represents a direct connection to the killer. Investigating him and his associates should produce new clues. And what are the alternatives?\n\n\"We can keep on investigating Fujio, Momoko, and Nitta, and maybe find new evidence on territory we've already covered. We can hope for new suspects to emerge, and Wisteria's lover from Hokkaido to turn up, or Police Commissioner Hoshina to drop dead.\" Sano watched Reiko and Hirata shake their heads, doubting the likelihood of these events." }, { "from": "system", "value": "Next message should be approximately 7 sentences." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"We can pray for a miracle.\"\n\n\"Investigating Lord Mitsuyoshi does seem the most promising course of action,\" Reiko said.\n\n\"The shogun will punish you for insubordination,\" Hirata reminded Sano.\n\n\"I'll risk that because he'll put me to death unless I prove my innocence,\" Sano said.\n\n\"Maybe he'll forgive you when he realizes you're not a traitor,\" Hirata suggested hopefully.\n\nThe odds against Sano outweighed those in his favor. He said, \"Maybe we can solve the case without the shogun finding out I've disobeyed him—and before Hoshina or our other enemies can cause us any more trouble.\"" } ]

[ { "from": "system", "value": "user starts, u write ~2 sentences more. copy Laura Joh Rowland's style" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Lady Yanagisawa stood alone in her chamber, waiting for the only guest she'd ever invited to visit her.\n\nShe wrung her cold, perspiring hands and breathed deeply to loosen the knot of anxiety in her stomach." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "She dreaded receiving a virtual stranger, and the thought of anyone breaching the sanctuary of her room. But the visit must take place here, in the privacy she needed." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Her chief attendant appeared in the doorway. \"There's a girl here to see you.\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Lady Yanagisawa's heart lurched as she fought the urge to run and hide. \"Bring her here,\" she said." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Determination fostered courage. She'd already taken a step against Reiko, but the consequences were too uncertain." }, { "from": "human", "value": "If Lady Yanagisawa expected to sway the balance of fortune in her favor, she must persevere, despite her regret over her malice toward her friend." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Reiko's nursemaid O-hana entered the room. She wore a fashionable red kimono printed with a design of snow on black tree branches." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Avid curiosity shone through her modest demeanor, belied her hesitant step." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"Welcome,\" Lady Yanagisawa murmured." }, { "from": "human", "value": "She clasped her trembling hands under her sleeves, intimidated by O-hana's bold, pretty face." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "O-hana knelt and bowed. \"It's a privilege for this insignificant person to be summoned to your presence, Honorable Lady.\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "Her voice brimmed with eagerness to ingratiate herself with her hostess." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"A million thanks for inviting me.\"\n\nLady Yanagisawa had recognized O-hana as a good prospective accomplice the moment she'd laid eyes on the girl at Reiko's house; yet she needed another chance to judge O-hana's character." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Kneeling opposite her guest, Lady Yanagisawa forced herself to look at O-hana. The girl's eyes sparkled with a verve and cunning that repelled, yet gratified Lady Yanagisawa." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"May I offer you some refreshment?\" Lady Yanagisawa asked.\n\nWhile they waited for a servant to bring tea and food, O-hana said, \"Your chamber is nicer than Lady Reiko's.\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "Her sharp gaze took in the gilded murals, the shelf of antique porcelain ware, the lacquer tables, cabinets, and chests inlaid with gold and mother-of-pearl." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"And this estate is much bigger than the ssakan-sama's.\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "She liked expensive things and aspired to a higher station than her job as a nursemaid, Lady Yanagisawa noted with satisfaction. Whatever loyalty O-hana had to her mistress would likely matter less to her than the chance for a connection with someone who could give her things that Reiko couldn't." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"Please enjoy my home during your time here,\" Lady Yanagisawa said, her self-confidence rising.\n\n\"You're so kind. Many thanks.\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Smiling vividly, O-hana said, \"When I got your message, I couldn't imagine what you could want with me.\"\n\nIt wasn't her place to turn the conversation toward the reason for the invitation." }, { "from": "human", "value": "O-hana was a little too forward for her own good, but that suited Lady Yanagisawa." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Her aims would benefit from the girl's bold initiative.\n\n\"We shall discuss that soon enough,\" Lady Yanagisawa said." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "The refreshments arrived. Too tense to eat, Lady Yanagisawa watched O-hana consume trout roe served in an orange rind, sashimi, shrimp stuffed with quail eggs, roasted gingko nuts, and sweet cakes. The nursemaid ate very fast, as if the food might be snatched from her before she got enough." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Lady Yanagisawa liked O-hana's insecurity as well as her greed.\n\n\"That was delicious,\" O-hana said, licking her lips." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"How I regret that I, a poor nursemaid, am not in a position to give you something in return.\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Lady Yanagisawa smiled. Her shyness ebbed as she felt herself gaining mastery over the girl. \"You could tell me about yourself,\" she said." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "O-hana's eyebrows rose in surprise that a lady of high rank should care to know about a servant, but she gladly complied. \"My father is a clerk at the Hinokiya Drapery Store. One of the ssakan-sama's soldiers is a customer. He befriended my father and arranged for me to be a nurse to Masahiro-chan. I didn't really want to be a servant because I'd rather get married. But the work isn't too hard, and I love Edo Castle. Here I get to meet better kinds of men than I can meet at home. I'm hoping I'll find a husband who can give me a nice house and pretty clothes and I won't have to earn my own living anymore.\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "And if she snared a Tokugawa samurai retainer, she would move far up the social scale." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Lady Yanagisawa was glad to find that O-hana wanted something so ordinary and easily granted." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"I can arrange that,\" Lady Yanagisawa said.\n\n\"What?\" O-hana said, startled." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"A good match for you, with a Tokugawa samurai.\" Lady Yanagisawa's money and her husband's position would be enough to entice someone to marry a pretty commoner." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "O-hana looked amazed by her good fortune, yet puzzled. \"You would do that for me?\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "She touched her chest. Then suspicion sharpened her eyes: She wasn't a fool; she knew favors didn't come free. \"Why?\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"Because there's something I want you to do for me,\" Lady Yanagisawa said." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Her heart began to pound with her urgent need to engage O-hana's cooperation and her fear that she would fail.\n\n\"What is it?\" Though her voice was cautious, O-hana leaned forward, as if to jump at her heart's desire." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"First I want you to tell me everything Lady Reiko does. Second... I can't tell you just yet,\" Lady Yanagisawa said.\n\n\"You want me to do something to Lady Reiko?\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "O-hana wilted; her face took on a queasy expression." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"I wouldn't want to hurt her.\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "The girl was ambitious, but not evil, Lady Yanagisawa realized. \"And I don't want to get in trouble.\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "She had an instinct for self-preservation that was stronger than any affection she felt for Reiko. This discovery heartened Lady Yanagisawa." }, { "from": "human", "value": "She understood that O-hana might be persuaded if she knew she would escape blame." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"I promise you won't have to lay a hand on Lady Reiko, and you won't get in trouble,\" Lady Yanagisawa said. \"Let us strike a bargain. In the near future I shall give you instructions about what to do. You shall follow them. Afterward, I shall arrange your marriage to a rich, handsome Tokugawa samurai, and you shall want for nothing.\"" }, { "from": "human", "value": "O-hana hesitated, obviously weighing the reward against the unknown dangers." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "At last she shook her head in regret. \"I can't decide until I know what you want of me.\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Dismay spread cold tendrils through Lady Yanagisawa, but she had planned for the possibility that O-hana would balk. She said, \"Do you see that green box on the shelf of porcelain ware?\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "O-hana looked, then nodded. \"Go see what's inside.\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "O-hana rose, walked to the shelf, and removed the lid from the little box. She took out a square packet of red paper." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Her lips parted as she felt the heavy gold coins in the packet.\n\n\"I offer this gift as a token of my good faith,\" Lady Yanagisawa said." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"Agree to my proposition, and it's yours.\"\n\nO-hana stood immobile, the packet resting on her open palm." }, { "from": "human", "value": "She stared at it as if trying to discern whether she held her dearest dream or a poisonous snake that would bite her." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Lady Yanagisawa watched, her breath caught by anxiety. What if O-hana refused?" }, { "from": "human", "value": "Would she tell Reiko about the proposition?" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "If so, what would happen, and how could Lady Yanagisawa achieve her aim without O-hana?\n\nGuile and avarice, distrust and fear played across the girl's features like wind shifting sand." }, { "from": "human", "value": "\"I... need to think,\" she said." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "\"Then think about how my husband is the most powerful man in Japan,\" Lady Yanagisawa said, her quiet, flat voice disguising her emotions. \"People who offend him or his kin pay dearly. Many are assassinated or executed. Some disappear and are never seen again. No one knows what becomes of them. But I could arrange for you to find out.\"" }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "The nursemaid lifted her gaze to Lady Yanagisawa. Her eyes glittered with terror and need." }, { "from": "human", "value": "Then a sigh of capitulation deflated her." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "Nodding, she slowly closed her fingers over the packet of coins.\n\nLady Yanagisawa experienced such an overwhelming sense of triumph that she nearly swooned." }, { "from": "system", "value": "Next message should be approximately 3 sentences." }, { "from": "gpt", "value": "She also quaked with sudden apprehension because she'd taken her second step in her campaign against Reiko, and victory would cost her Reiko's friendship. The loss encroached upon her mind like a cloud bringing darkness and desolation.\n\nBut she addressed her new accomplice with calm authority: \"Go now. I will send someone to hear your reports on Lady Reiko's doings. And you will receive my instructions soon.\"" } ]