Hida O-Ushi

Hida Yoritoko was called Hida O-Ushi, almost since she was born, and was the daughter of Hida Kisada, sister to Hida Yakamo and Hida Sukune. She succeeded her brother Yakamo as the Crab Clan Champion following his ascension to become Lord Sun. She was also married to the son of the Unicorn Clan Champion Shinjo Yokatsu, Shinjo Yasamura, and had two sons with him, Hida Kuon and Hida Kuroda.

Bully
O-Ushi earned her knickname, Bully.

The Daughter of Kisada
When O-Ushi was born her father, Crab Clan Champion Hida Kisada, did not know what to do with her. He did not wish for her to be married away to some nobleman so he did the only thing he could think of, he raised her as he would have a son.

Coming of Age


O-Ushi came of age when she was ten years old, 4 years before her gempukku, when she blackmailed Kaiu Rioto to give her supplies so she could follow Yakamo into the Shadowlands. Yakamo showed her what happened to a human who was killed in the Shadowlands. After her gempukku her first charge was guarding the northern border of the Crab. Some would have seen this as an insult, but O-Ushi took it in her stride.

O-Ushi in Battle
In combat she would wait for her opponent to strike first, then overwhelm him with a devastating force, assaulting him from as many directions as she could. She was widely recognized as a leader of soldiers. O-Ushi would wear her daisho but preferred her beloved hammer, which no one ever saw her without.

Personality
She was pretty, small but stocky and could not be easily knocked off her feet. She shared Kisada and Yakamo's quick temper, but unlike Yakamo she would not let it get the better of her. She would goad and taunt, bringing others to anger before they could prepare for her. She relied on fear and uncertainty to gain an advantage over her enemies. She refused to take a vow of celibacy as other samurai-ko did.

O-Ushi & Sukune
She was very protective of her younger brother Sukune.

Scorpion Coup
O-Ushi was left manning the Kaiu Kabe in 1123 when Kisada led the Crab Clan army against the capital Otosan Uchi following the Scorpion Coup. In a letter to his daughter, Kisada revealed that it was Bayushi Shoju's act of asking for aid that made him decide to side against the Scorpion.

Clan War


O-Ushi held the Crab forces together after Hida Kisada's failed assault on the Imperial Palace.

She later commanded their assault on Otosan Uchi on the Second Day of Thunder.

Disdain for Seppun Toshimoko
After the Emerald Champion, Kakita Toshimoko, was supposed death, O-Ushi was not sad at all.

A Good Little Wife
In 1129, in the month of the Tiger, O-Ushi was married in a rather hasty ceremony to Shinjo Yasamura. To win the hand of the tomboy, a tetsubo-only contest was arranged by Yakamo. O-Ushi entered to win her own hand but, during the fight, Daidoji Uji and O-Ushi knocked each other out and Yasamura was declared the winner. The two were married before O-Ushi regained consciousness.

Yasamura
Yasamura took the Hida name, becoming Hida Yasamura, and the couple had twin sons, Hida Kuroda and Hida Kuon. Yasamura was killed during the War of Spirits after being shot in the throat.

Sneaking into Hiruma Castle
Hida Yakamo had seized Hiruma Castle in 1130 and many months without news from him had passed. When O-Ushi had news she realized his brother was trapped and besieged by the Shadowlands horde. In 1132 O-Ushi followed a white ratling through a hidden route to Kyuden Hiruma in an attempt to get to the sieged forces.

Crab Clan Champion
O-Ushi became Crab Clan Champion after Yakamo died in the Shadowlands.

Duty at the Wall
O-Ushi was on duty at the risky Carpenter Wall. An eta called Benin saved her life from an oni. She spared his life despite calls for his death after he had picked up a katana to save her.

War against the Shadow
O-Ushi suffered an assassination attempt by a Goju disguised as a Crab during the War Against Shadow. O-Ushi was saved by the Naga Balash, who killed the Goju.

Battle of Oblivion's Gate
During the Battle of Oblivion's Gate, O-Ushi was injured by an Oni attack. Her life was saved by her husband, Hida Yasamura.

War of Spirits
O-Ushi and her husband fought on seperate sides during the War of Spirits. Yasamura was killed in combat when he led a unit of Crab cavalry against his own kinsmen near Ryoko Owari, receiving a fatal shot to the throat.

Twenty Goblin Winter
The Crab numbers were low after Volturnum and War of Spirits. O-Ushi proclaimed a Twenty Goblin Winter to increase her ranks with any ronin who like journeying in the Shadowlands and kill twenty goblins.

Second Yasuki War
The Yasuki War between the Daidoji and the Crab had begun five days before the funeral of Toturi when Crane forces took over Yasuki Hanko.

Death
When the Crab retaliated the attack Hida O-Ushi was killed in a duel with Doji Kurohito in a battle over the Yasuki provinces, and she was succeeded by Hida Kuroda.