1559年11月15日
Except... Yoshitakatomo's next words
were not assent. Rather, she* wished to speak with Akamatsu Norishige now as a small show of appreciation, then she* would return later to extract her* true price for bringing the Matsumoto Clan into matters. Hisae was not pleased. She immediately countered that it was Yoshitakatomo who wanted something from her, and therefore Norishige would not be making an appearance until Hisae's own desires were fulfilled.
It seemed that neither of the prideful negotiators were willing to budge on their respective sides. Yoshitakatomo adopted an aloof disposition, claiming that it was an interest of hers* but nothing more to speak to Norishige. Hisae's desire, however, had a much stronger grip on her heart and the Princess-Daimyō recognized this. Slowly, Yoshitakatomo
teased all the ways Hisae's crusade could go wrong into the conversation. When the Daimyō said that the ancient Kitsune was no longer powerful enough to do anything about Jigenzaemon, however, Hisae snapped.
With a flick of her hips and a glow in her eyes, suddenly every eye in the room was intractably drawn to Hisae's form. Hano Sadao, Kansei, Alice, and even Yoshitakatomo were unable to look away, unable to think, and unable to act as the vixen glided up to her opponent. Lifting up her* mask, Hisae planted a cold-lipped kiss upon Yoshitakatomo's mouth. Pleasure and pain mingled with an icy chill running down her* spine. Yoshitakatomo had time only to send a hurried plea for help to
Ryūzaki Sanosuke before falling to the ground,
all life gone from her* slender form.
Sanosuke was busy elsewhere, but he came almost at once upon news of his lord's crisis. Sending Fujino off once again for backup, he faced off with the priestess of Izanami in that cavern, the only person still able to focus and move. Hisae held two souls dancing in her hand. One was surely Yoshitakatomo's, which meant that the other could only be that of
Akechi Mitsuhide, taken from the corpse's mask. Sanosuke had known when he hired her that Hisae was a risk. Any priestess devoted to Izanami would be. Still, he
tried to talk her down before taking any other action. When he asked for the souls twirling in the vixen's hand, Hisae refused. The point would soon, however, become moot.
Unholy magics crawled along the ground behind Hisae, earthing themselves in Yoshitakatomo's corpse. With a flare of necromantic light, Yoshitakatomo's soul
ripped itself from the hand holding it and darted back into its original form. For a moment, the undead princess held in the air, then vanished entirely. A few things happened at the same time, then. As Hisae screamed in fury,
Yoshinami Sujio appeared to lend his calming presence, while Yoshitakatomo reappeared on the other side of the cavern with Sanosuke between her* and Hisae. In the chaos, nobody noticed Mitsuhide's soul vanish from the vixen's palm...
Now regained of her* composure, Yoshitakatomo ordered Hano Sadao to bind Hisae to his will. It took a few tries and even a spell to break the spell of fascination that had come over the boy. Fortunately, as Sujio and Sanosuke astutely observed, Hisae no longer held the advantage. Whatever she had done before, she was unable or unwilling to perform it again. Hisae herself surely knew that. Expressions of consternation, rage, and fear were awash in her expression. Finally, Kansei managed to kick his brother into gear, and Hano Sadao placed Hisae under his control with an expert's flourish. It seemed that, his personality aside, the boy was indeed skilled with his shikigami.
Now that there was no more threat of violence, Sanosuke took control of the situation and attempted to calm everyone down. He went first to the matter of the remaining soul, but... The Silver General and Hisae noticed it was gone at the same time and were equally unpleased. As if on cue, a shadowy figure appeared above the altar in Miwa-myōjin, coalescing into the vision of none other than
Kashin Koji. Mitsuhide's partially-digested soul flopped around in her hand as she taunted the Hashinara before her. With a preternatural burst of speed, Sanosuke
rushed the hannya. She should have had no time to react, but it didn't matter; it was only an illusion. Kashin Koji's laughter faded away with a last claim that Izanami would be very interested in whatever soul this was that they wanted so badly.
A heavy annoyance set over the group as Yoshitakatomo chided Hisae for associating with the likes of Koji. It seemed the vixen herself didn't like it either, but Koji was her only current link to Yomi. Indeed, it would have been that mischievous spirit which Hisae would have asked to retrieve Norishige's soul.
It seemed no more horrible ghosts were about to pop from the shadows, so the only question remaining was how to deal with Sumisaki Hisae's treachery. Fully aware now that she was at an utter disadvantage, Hisae dropped to her knees and prostrated herself before Yoshitakatomo, begging for the Daimyō's mercy. Sanosuke spotted this display for what it was: a bid for safety and nothing more. Hisae possessed no remorse for what she had done. Still, the Silver General
threw in his support for the vixen. This, too, could be a useful tool, and she was still the best choice he knew of for running this hidden temple.
After much groveling, Yoshitakatomo
agreed to suspend her* vengeance on a condition. Hisae would procure for her three souls of increasing importance. First, Akamatsu Norishige as they originally bargained. Second, Akechi Mitsuhide, who had been stolen from her* by Hisae's actions. Finally, Hashinara Yoshiyuki herself. Yoshitakatomo expressed a desire to see her* daughter again, even if it would not be permanent. The implications of this statement were not lost on anyone in the room, except maybe Sadao, who looked clueless as usual. Indirectly, Yoshitakatomo had just
revealed her* true identity as Hashinara Katamoto, thought-fallen patriarch of the Hashinara Clan.
The profound moment was shattered moments later by a strained message from Tōdaisen Nobuhara. Usutsuki, he claimed, had told him that an evil spirit had infiltrated Wakigami Castle and was now slipping into the dungeons. He'd already sent the security manager,
Gamō Torasaburō, but wasn't sure how the man would fare against what seemed a dangerous supernatural threat. This was not the kind of news Yoshitakatomo wanted to hear. Indeed, it seemed to be one thing after another these days.
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