Shiba Mirabu

Shiba Mirabu was a bushi and personal yojimbo of Shiba Aikune, who became the first Phoenix Clan Champion elected by the Council of Five, and the first filled with the Soul of Shiba. When he became the Isawa's Last Wish wielder became unstable and was killed during a fight with Isawa Sezaru.
== Student ==
Mirabu was one of the finest students ever to emerge from the Dai-Chikai Dojo. His toughness and knowledge meant he would be just as capable of debate as battle. This coupled with his great sense of loyalty was a sign of great things, but when the time came for him to take a charge, Shiba Tsukune came to him and asked him to guard her son Shiba Aikune. Shiba Mirabu (A Perfect Cut flavor) His decision to remain faithful to Aikune put him at odds with both the Elemental Masters and his sensei Shiba Saisune. Way of the Samurai, p. 58 Mirabu also was the student of Isawa Sawao three years in his duelist Shiba dojo at Nikesake. Wishes, by Shawn Carman
== Imperial Legionnaire ==
Mirabu was a rank in the First Legion, and in 1159 he was stationed on Kyuden Seppun after Toturi Tsudao declared herself as the Empress Toturi II. Nightmares, Part I, by Rich Wulf
=== A Demon's Prophecy ===
In Kyuden Seppun the legionnaires were attacked by the Onisu Hakai and Yokubo. During the fight Hakai told Mirabu that Aikune would kill him, and he would be remembered as a traitor, yet it still does not deter his loyalty to Aikune. Mirabu wounded Yokubo and another legionnaire, Daidoji Megumi, sacrificed herself to kill the Onisu. Mirabu was nearly to be killed by a Hakai's mortal spell when Doji Okakura seized him and rolling aside a Hakai's death ray. Aikune was adverted by Okakura and both worked together to destroy Hakai. 
=== Allegiance to Toturi II ===
The same year Mirabu followed Aikune to Kyuden Seppun where Aikune bowed his head to Toturi Tsudao, proclaming his loyalty alongside with all of the Shiba family to the newly proclaimed Empress Toturi II. The Wish created a flaming tanto with a portion of its power which was offered by Aikune to Toturi II as a gift. In return Toturi Miyako gifted an Eye of the Emperor to Mirabu. Wisdom, by Shawn Carman
Tsudao's beauty greatly impressed Mirabu, who considered her the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. 
== Aikune's Retreat ==
In 1160 Aikune with Mirabu and Shiba Arai rushed in the Council's chamber, despite the opposition of Shiba Yoma, the Voice of the Masters. He told the Elemental Masters his decision to use the power of the Wish against Fu Leng. He came to the Temple of the Last Wish with his companions and shortly after they were magically transported to other places. The next thing Mirabu knew was the Temple, the mountain where it sat, and all the monks who tended the temple, had disappeared in an explosion. Aikune and the Wish also had disappeared. Broken Wishes, by Rich Wulf
Aikune was alive, but shamed. He had commanded the Wish to magically march to Tengoku, being rebufed by the Wish who became uncontrolled, and caused the explosion. The Wish was afraid of the Kami who killed his father Isawa. Aikune came with the Wish into exile. 
== Phoenix Clan Champion ==
In the month of the Dragon Imperial Histories 2, p. 207 Mirabu was made Champion by the Elemental Masters shortly after Shiba Aikune's disappearance. The Soul of Shiba always had elected the successor, but the Soul was no longer accesible. Return of the Master (Diamond Rulebook Story), by Rich Wulf and Shawn Carman Four Winds, p. 170 His record as soldier was admirable, the Shiba respected him, but he had no expertise in politics and the Council wanted a Champion they could easily control. Blood Dawn, Part VII: Soul of the Phoenix, by Rich Wulf
=== Kaneka and Sezaru joined the Phoenix ===
After Toturi Naseru became Emperor Toturi III in an attempt to curtail the ambitions of Akodo Kaneka, was ordered to abandon his current army and all ties to former allies and swear fealty to the peaceful Phoenix. Four Winds, p. 60 Legend of the Five Rings; Third Edition, p. 25 Doji Akiko invited the Shogun to join the Phoenix and Akodo Kaneka accepted but he decided to not be part of any Phoenix family, and took the name of Kaneka. Toturi Sezaru asled to be also a Phoenix joining the Isawa in honor of his mother, and took residence at Kyuden Isawa. Isawa Sezaru suffered and assassination attempt the first night there. Homecoming, by Shawn Carman
=== New Alliances ===
New trade agreements with the Crane had brought much prosperity to Phoenix lands, and the Isawa had forged a rough alliance with the Unicorn. 
=== Rain of Blood ===
In 1165 Iuchiban enacted a ritual that covered the Empire in a Rain of Blood. The Phoenix lands were protected with a serie of coordinated rituals because the Council knew in advance of the Rain. A group of Jade Magistrates discovered a Bloodspeaker cell and their leader was interrogated . Before he died, he revealed the incoming ritual that involved the death of the last Ki-rin. The council dispatched two shugenja, one of these was Sezaru himself, one to Toshi Ranbo, the Imperial City, one to Kyuden Doji, capital of their Crane allies. Mirabu and the rest of the Empire had not been not informed and he confronted Doji Akiko and Isawa Taeruko being the rest of the masters supporting the protective rituals. 
=== Toshi no Omoidoso ===
Shiba Ningen had noticed a disturbing silence from the south, the shugenja in Toshi no Omoidoso had ceased praying. Sezaru appeared and stated it meant that the City of Remembrance had been destroyed by Mantis pirates. The legendary Matsu Hitomi stood with the local magistrate band led by Moto Najmudin, being surrounded and outnumbered by the corrupted, who had Isawa Nodotai between their ranks. Mirabu, Shiba Yoma and fifty Shiba warriors were magically transported by Sezaru there, to destroy those who fell to the taint. When they arrived Mirabu was able to endure the Rain and aided to Yoma to do so. Sezaru left to journey to the other daimyos and show them how to protect their people from this rain, knowing that Mirabu could handle the battle. What remained of the city was saved. Legend of the Five Rings; Third Edition, p. 296
=== Rifts with the Mantis ===
The City was a major Phoenix trade center and its destruction had caused the Phoenix to fail their end of a bargain with the Mantis Clan. The Mantis asked them to fulfill their comercial obligatiosn and the Phoenix blaming on the Mantis. The rifts between them grew near an open conflict. The Phoenix and Crane attempts to forestall the conflict failed. Matters of Import, by Shawn Carman and Rich Wulf
=== Kusatte Iru ===
Iuchiban unleashed the Kusatte Iru toward Kyuden Isawa. Mirabu saw the four available members of the Council and Naka Tokei began a ritual in the Grove of the Five Masters, while Togashi Satsu and Isawa Sezaru fought the immense oni gaving time for the ritual. Isawa Taeruko completed the spell with her sacrifice, and the monster was sent to its slumber again. Fires of the Hidden City, Part Five, by Rich Wulf
== Return of the Soul ==
In 1166, due to Aikune's mastery of the Wish, the lost Soul of Shiba was severed from the Ancestral Sword Ofushikai, and it was magically bound to the Shiba bloodline. Mirabu was the first to hear the soul of his ancestors since Tsukune's Ascension, and proven him as the rightful Champion. Ofushikai also returned, albeit changed by Aikune's actions, the sword was now merely a symbol of Shiba's promise, tucked beneath Mirabu's obi. Immortal, by Rich Wulf Command of the Kami (Lotus flavor)
=== War of the Fire and Thunder ===
In 1167 Mirabu was in the Agasha coastline where he had the Shiba Army command post. One of his trusted advisors was his brother, Shiba Naoya, and a newcomer, Asako Bairei. The scholar and head priest of the shrine to Lady Moon had not been involved in the War of Fire and Thunder, but he had been sent by Nakamuro. Bairei had studied the records regarding the Mantis Invasion of the Phoenix lands made by Yoritomo, to get insight in the Mantis tactics. Bairei told Mirabu the place he guessed would be chosen by Yoritomo Kumiko to make her winner-take-all assault. Mirabu sent scouts to the coast near the place revealed, and the gunso Shiba Bunjaku saw the entire Mantis fleet approaching. The War of Fire & Thunder, Part 1, by Shawn Carman The available Elemental Masters arrived to deny a beachhead to the Mantis. The War of Fire & Thunder, Part 2, by Shawn Carman
==== Battle of the Broken Waves ====
In the ensuing Battle of Broken Waves in the Isawa coastline, the Phoenix armies engaged the Mantis in the land, while the Orochi and Storm Riders harassed the Phoenix from the sea. The Mantis Rikugunshokan, Yoritomo Naizen made his way toward Mirabu. The appeareance of the Dark Wave Fleet firing indiscriminately over Mantis and Phoenix made the things worse. The two general decided to fight shoulder to shoulder against the corrputed forces of Yoritomo Kitao. When the corrupted fleet was destroyed in a combined effort of the Master of Earth, Isawa Sachi, and the Master Sensei of the Storm Raiders, Yoritomo Kaigen, Isawa Nakamuro surrended the Phoenix to Naizen, ending the war. The Mantis got the island they had seized during the war, the new one created during the battle, Kaigen's Island, as well as trading rights along its shores. Mirabu refused to withdraw the Phoenix claim that the Mantis were still a Minor Clan. The War of Fire & Thunder, Part 3, by Shawn Carman
=== Aikune Emerged ===
Aikune was again away of the Phoenix affairs for a time. He felt that his absence during the War of Fire and Thunder had fostered resentment among his cousins. When in 1168 the Wish told him that the Emperor Toturi III was alone in the Shadowlands seeking enlightenment he knew was time to emerge. Aikune met Mirabu at Shiro Shiba and requested to lead the Phoenix rescue party, as a way to seek forgiveness. He would not call upon the power of the Wish within the Shadowlands, avoiding any risk it would became tainted. To Defend the Emperor, Part 3, by Shawn Carman
=== Onnotangu Cultists ===
Mirabu assigned Shiba Jouta to investigate the kidnapping of over a dozen children villages to the south in Phoenix lands. Working with the aid of the ronin Motaro, the chidren were found in the Mountains of the Phoenix when Jouta and Motaro came upon a ritual being performed by the Cult of the Dead Moon, devoted to Onnotangu. The ritual sought to rise again the dead Moon. Jouta and Motaro attacked the cultists, Jouta slew the master of the cult, Bunrakuken, and the children were saved. Rising from the Ashes, by Shawn Carman
=== Threat inside the Clan ===
Jouta and Motaro found ciphered scrolls in the cultist's lair. The scrolls were dispateched and decoded by students of Asako Bairei. There were a number of references to sinister adversaries' and blasphemers' that dwelled within a city in the forest. The Phoenix guessed they were talking about the sacrosanct and unhabited City of Tears and sent Shiba magistrates to investigate. At Nikesake Mirabu told Jouta he would assign him to the group after their return. They never returned from the city. Mirabu reported to the Council and Bairei was sent to investigate. Bairei exposed Kinuye as a leader of a bloodspeaker cell. In the ensuing battle with Kinuye he barely survived, and returned significantly wounded to Kyuden Isawa. The Master of Earth Isawa Emori and Shiba Tsukimi led to the City of Tears a legion of Shiba assembled by Mirabu and destroyed the cult. Asako Kinuye barely escaped, and was taken in by Kokujin. Blood for Blood, by Shawn Carman
== Isawa's Last Wish ==
=== Aikune's Death ===
After Aikune died in Battle of the Tomb alongside with the Emperor Toturi III and many others, the Wish did not know if he could recovered from the battle on his own. Seeking time to rest, he needed someone who protected him while he was weakened. The Wish found Mirabu and imbued its power inside the Phoenix Champion, who became his bearer. Distant Thunder, by Shawn Carman
=== Sezaru's Madness ===
Sezaru was growing increasingly unstable, and it seemed that no one else could see it, or at least would not acknowledge it, but Mirabu. The Wish saw it inside Mirabu's mind, and willing to aid his new master, the Wish tempted Mirabu about confronting the Wolf. 
=== Mirabus' Unstability ===
After bonding with the Last Wish, Mirabu became more and more unsure about the mental health of Isawa Sezaru, possibly because of the bonding. He had dreams of terrible things that have not yet happened, but that could happen. Mirabu came to seek counsel with his old master Isawa Sawao, who had reached Enlightenment. After his visit, Mirabu left to Honored Treaty City, the place where he had dreamt Sezaru would accuse an innocent. 
=== Mirabu confronts Sezaru ===
Mirabu confronted Sezaru in Honored Treaty City when Sezaru was about to execute Isawa Nomi as a bloodspeaker. The ensuing battle between the Sezaru and Mirabu was fierce, and Sezaru would have lost was it not for the timely intervention of Isawa Angai who used an illusion of Shiba Aikune to confuse the Wish, who wished to bind itself again with Aikune. The Wish control over Mirabu's mind diminished and the Phoenix Champion realized the destruction he and the Wish had caused all around. He understood the unstability of Aikune had reached him while bonded with the Wish. It had sent the dreams which foresaw the Sezaru's acts. Knowing the type of destructive power Sezaru would wield with the Wish, Mirabu used all of his might to prevent the Wish from leaving him. Seeing that Mirabu was in a state where he could not defend himself, Sezaru cast an immense fire spell that incinerated Shiba Mirabu, destroying Isawa's Last Wish at the same time. 
== Death ==
Seeing that Mirabu was in a state where he could not defend himself, Sezaru cast an immense fire spell that incinerated Shiba Mirabu, destroying Isawa's Last Wish at the same time. Mirabu was killed while praying for forgiveness from his ancestors. 
== External Links ==
* Shiba Mirabu (A Perfect Cut)
* Shiba Mirabu Exp (Heaven and Earth)
* Shiba Mirabu Exp2 (Diamond)
* Shiba Mirabu Exp3 (Lotus)
== See Also ==
* Shiba Mirabu/Meta
Category: Phoenix Clan Leaders