General Summary
In this session of Tsuwamono, the following events transpired:
Encounter at Old Ōuchi Manor1559年11月15日 22:00 (Evening)
Old Ōuchi Manor
Historical Entry: Encounter at Old Ōuchi Manor
Knight Commander Maxim wasn't sure what was happening to him. Everyone had suddenly started fawning over him. The civilians around Ryūzaki Sanosuke's fight, those who had clung to him on the way to The Tanuki's Glee, and even Shigeaki Fujino. All were suddenly completely, inexplicably entranced by Maxim. The towering foreigner seemed, at least, determined to not let anyone's strange behavior affect him. He callously deflected all of Shigeaki Fujino's blatant advances. When introduced to her aunt, Shigeaki Tōno, he said as much as that they were reliable allies and nothing more. Having obviously wounded Fujino in some way, Maxim sought to make amends, and yet still wouldn't acknowledge her obvious flirtations. All the while, Kitsuno watched from a few steps away. The well-adorned Oni's expression was a mixture nonplussed and wry amusement. Was Maxim truly this oblivious? Or perhaps he'd taken some kind of oath against any kind of romantic involvement. At the very least, those around him were finally giving him the respect his station demanded. It seemed like the show was over, anyway. Maxim had arrived just at the tail end of Sanosuke's duel with Hōzōin In'ei. The Silver General hadn't even acknowledged the knight's presence before focusing in on some other matter. No civilians seemed to be wounded or in distress, so there was little keeping Maxim here now. With Shishikura Makiko keeping the crowds at a respectful distance, he took his leave and began a trek back across town. The storm and accompanying earthquake had summoned Maxim in precisely the wrong direction. He realized, spotting Old Ōuchi Manor looming above on the hill, that he'd been running away from it. That meant that he was in for a decent walk back to the skirts of town and up the cliff face, but it was a nice night. The air was crisp and the streets mostly empty except where he'd just left. As Maxim and his two companions climbed the winding bluff up toward the Manor, he began to feel an odd sensation of being watched. Looking about, he saw not a soul nearby save for the two he'd brought with him and Evaine, an extension of his own. The moon was heavy in the sky above him, though. It looked larger than it usually did, as though looming in towards him. On the black surface of the ocean below, its disc was reflected like a great glowing eye, looking up at him from the abyss. Maxim shook his head. That phenomenon must be to blame for the creepy feeling running down his spine. Not much more time had passed before the quartet of travelers stood in front of Old Ōuchi Manor's double doors. The big wooden passage was closed, obviously locked by means of a heavy bar on the other side. Not a light was on in the visible windows. Nothing sounded from inside. With the moon rising into the sky behind him, Maxim had to face the fact that he might have left this errand for too late. He'd imagined Nagasone Kotetsu would be up forging late into the night, but if she was doing so here, there was no sign of it from outside. Maxim sighed, but this wasn't a totally wasted trip. The cliff above Shimonoseki was quiet and private. A perfect place to have a few serious words with one of his soldiers. Calling on Shishikura Makiko, Maxim asked her what, exactly, she was working for. What was her goal? He'd noticed her trying her hardest in several of their battles, but the girl hardly had the strength to wield her katana properly. The soul of a warrior she might have, but her body did not seem able to match. Makiko appeared surprised by the question. At least, that was what Maxim judged from what little of her expression he could see beneath that oni mask. She pondered for a moment, then gave her answer. Her only goal was to become a true member of the Tea Bucket Men. She owed everything to Baby Huey's training, and Makiko wouldn't stop striving until she'd become a samurai that the General could be proud of. In the moonlight, Maxim nodded his head once. He seemed satisfied with that answer; perhaps it had even been what he expected. With such drive, he offered, he could help her. He could grant her power and help her to attain her goals. A small silence followed. Makiko did not appear enthusiastic. But then, she rarely did. The girl did not often wear her emotions openly. Once she spoke again, Maxim realized that he might have given her the wrong idea. She asked what she'd have to sacrifice in return. What part of her she'd have to forsake in exchange for power. Perhaps with Maxim's known associations with Demonkind, it was not so strange of an assumption to make. The Knight Commander clarified, however, that he was talking about training. Under his command, and with his aid, she could become the Brave Guardian Lion that General Baby Huey had seen in her potential. If she wished, he would make that happen. Again, Makiko remained silent for a moment. Her next words were like a barb aimed straight at Maxim's heart. Was that what he'd said to Kumazaki Terutsugu as well? That other Tea Bucket Man whose life had been lost at the Battle of the Palace of the Firebird? He'd never had a chance to realize his potential under Maxim's command, and he was a true Tea Bucket Man. If Terutsugu had fallen, what chance did Makiko have? His subordinate's words were harsh, and they rang true with conviction. Maxim kept his composure, however, and did not offer a contradiction. Instead, he suggested, they'd just need to make Makiko into a greater Tea Bucket Man than Terutsugu. Then she'd be able to face any challenge that might ever arise. That seemed to satisfy Makiko. She bowed and said that, if he was sincere, she'd place herself into his care. Before Maxim could so much as react, however, he was stymied by a loud clattering sound from behind him. Someone inside the Manor had dropped the door bar from inside. The place was not as abandoned as it seemed. Those two great wooden doors were now groaning open, revealing only darkness within. Maxim's instincts screamed at him as something inside the portal leaped out at him. It was quick, form uncertain as it seemed to skate upon the air and fling itself at him. There was no time to draw Hokkuken. Maxim raised a gauntleted fist and deflected the attacker, deflecting them off to the side as he interposed himself before his allies. It quickly became apparent, however, that he was not in any danger. At least, not conventional danger. Under the brilliant moonlight, Maxim's attacker was revealed to be a buxom, divinely beautiful woman floating through the air as gracefully as if she were lounging upon a cloud. She puffed her cheeks up in mock frustration, and demanded that Maxim relent and give her a hug. The Knight Commander was, understandably, a bit flabbergasted. This woman didn't even look Japanese, and she was clearly some kind of powerful being, by the way her feet never touched the ground. And why did she keep saying she loved him? Still on guard, he voiced his confusion. Love? Had they even met? The woman swayed to and fro in the air, then answered that no, they hadn't ever met. But she still loved him. Maxim blinked. He couldn't shake the feeling that his strange visit to Shimonoseki was about to grow even stranger.1559年11月15日 22:00 (Evening)
The Tanuki's Glee
Historical Entry: The Shōta Problem
The battle was fought, and Ryūzaki Sanosuke had barely emerged the victor. Yet there was something the Silver General didn't quite understand. He voiced his question to his opponent, Hōzōin In'ei: They'd obviously both been giving it their all at the end, but she'd been fighting these duels for a long time. Could it be that she'd given up on being Champion of Susano'o? Still visibly in better condition than Sanosuke, In'ei crossed four of her six arms as she pondered the question. That she didn't immediately contradict him, however, was telling in itself. Eventually, In'ei answered that she could indeed have kept fighting after that last strike. His attack didn't kill her, after all, even if it should have. But the next blow after that might have. Or the next. It had been many years since she'd last been put in such danger, and her feelings at the time were that maybe it would be better for Susano'o to have two powerful champions in the world. That is, rather than just the one left after the other's death. That was why she had conceded the match. The kensei's answer seemed to at least partially satisfy Sansouke. He offered that they'd need to sit down so that In'ei could tell tales of her great deeds sometime. It was obvious that the Silver General's focus was elsewhere, however. His steely eyes were scanning the yard, looking for one familiar face in particular. Beyond those who'd been watching the fight to the end, however, the only other notable one in attendance was that of inexplicably-handsome Maxim. The Knight Commander's presence here was unexpected, and went unacknowledged. Muttering something unkind under his breath, Sanosuke made his way carefully toward the tavern's entrance. In'ei watched him go. Surprised to find their conversation cut off so abruptly, she edged in a comment that they'd meet again soon. For drinks, or perhaps a rematch. What truly broke Sanosuke's trance, however, was the firm paw of Kono Minoko upon the obi at his waist. Blinking the intensity out of his eyes, Sanosuke first gave his regards to In'ei as she departed, then turned to the bright-eyed Bakedanuki still grasping at his clothes. The proprietress was all smiles. She thanked him for the great performance, above and beyond what she'd expected. People would surely be talking about it, and therefore The Tanuki's Glee for a long time to come. Indeed, Minoko was so impressed that she offered to pay twice what she normally would for a night's performance. That meant, after deducting it from the cost of repairs to the ruined stable and shaken tavern...Sanosuke only owed her about ten thousand koku. That sum would have made even a lord's eyes bulge, but the Silver General just shrugged and accepted. Minoko, who was obviously preparing to haggle, couldn't hide her delight. She released Sanosuke immediately and wished him well. The bill, she stated, she would send to Nijō Castle for fulfillment. Leaving the proprietress and whatever was going on with Maxim in the yard behind, Sanosuke entered the tavern proper. His own earthquake had shaken down some dust from the roof. It covered the place in a thin, dirty patina, but made it quite easy for Sanosuke to find his quarry's footprints. Following the bare footmarks led him toward the exit at the back, but then seemed to stop. It took a moment for the Silver General to discern what had happened here. Shōta, or whoever was currently piloting his body, had doubled back on his own steps to confuse any would-be trackers. That was the work of an experienced scoundrel. Sanosuke had to wonder if the youth had really changed all that much. This way, out through the kitchens, and the entrance he'd come through seemed to be the only ways outside. Calling for his allies, Sanosuke asked Ryūzōji Ryouka to block the kitchen while he positioned a sleepy-drunk Aoki Michiko to block the entrance. He sought out Shigeaki Fujino instead, but found himself rudely rebuffed. She was busy, apparently, and didn't want to talk to him just then. That didn't seem like Fujino's normal temperament, but Sanosuke couldn't afford to dwell on it. The Glee's interior furnishing was quite traditional, and that meant no big western tables to hide under or wide cabinets to crawl into. In fact, there were relatively few places to hide. Kono Minoko puttered around with a broom, attacking the dust that Sanosuke had shook free. Following her sweeping, Sanosuke wondered whether a youth could fit under the mats on the floor, or somewhere into the rafters above. He notified the proprietress that someone was hiding around the place before moving to investigate. Surprisingly, Minoko knew exactly who he was talking about. Shōta, it seemed, was banned from the Glee. The proprietress asked Sanosuke to tell the youth if he found him. That was welcome news, even if the reason behind it remained unknown. The Silver General might have asked why, if his attention hadn't been grabbed by something particularly queer across the room. A long wooden counter, presumably for serving food, was built into the floor there. It had struck Sanosuke as one of the most obvious places to hide, but checking behind it hadn't yielded any results. And yet, there was something there if he looked hard enough. A tall, lanky figure leaning against the wall with the scenery pulled around him like a cloak. Only by squinting, and perhaps by means of some superhuman enhancements, could Sanosuke even tell that anything was there. It was an eye-watering but definite discovery. That just left what to do about it. After pondering for a moment, Sanosuke decided on the direct option. Calling out to the mostly-invisible figure, he reiterated the proprietress' former ban with an offer to beat it or else. Although it didn't speak, the shape visibly twitched in surprise. Its head swung around to regard Sanosuke with the urgency of panic. Then, shoulders slumped in defeat, it began slinking its way over to the door. This was progress, but Sanosuke wasn't about to let his prey get away that easily. He intercepted the translucent figure and swung one arm around its shoulders. They were about the same height, as it happened, and the other didn't resist. Not that he probably could have. Sanosuke's grip on the invisible lad's bony shoulder was entirely unyielding. He tried addressing the miscreant, but still no response came. All he could read in the other's posture was slouched shoulders and a general air of defeat. This...this didn't seem right. Perhaps he was remembering a similar trick played by one Akechi Mitsuhide back in Wakigami. Regardless, Sanosuke wisely opted to take precautions against this just be a distraction. He wordlessly asked Ryūzōji Ryouka, then standing by the kitchen, to take to the rooftops instead. Transforming suddenly into a tiny ball of feline fur, the Bakeneko obliged and climbed out of sight. From there, Sanosuke called for reinforcements from the ladies in the room. He only found Michiko, however, fallen asleep on her feet in the doorway, and Minoko, who was giving him the dubious look reserved for those caught talking to empty air. Sanosuke fervently hoped that last wasn't the case. Fortunately, at long last, the Invisible Shōta spoke. He whispered something to Sanosuke, something about forgetting all of this and never speaking of it again. Shōta would leave, wouldn't return, and that was the truth. Even at the utterance of those dreaded words, Sanosuke kept his composure. He first searched the voice for any sign of duplicity, but again found only shame and an underlying desire to be anywhere else. Given that, the Silver General made a counter offer. How much, he put forth, to leave the kid alone? Or...if the worst had indeed happened, for the Essence of Shōta to leave Hayashi Narinaga alone? Dropping the Hayashi Daimyō's name certainly had an effect. Shōta immediately broke his silence, demanding to know how Sanosuke knew that name. Sanosuke, who'd heard it from a pair of Hayashi generals a mere hour before, played it safe. He offered only that there were few men more wanted in Shimonoseki than Narinaga. Finally, the invisibility spell melted away. When Shōta's boyish form was revealed, his demeanor had completely changed. No longer standing ramrod-straight, the youth stooped a little, but the sense of presence his ancient eyes imparted was unmistakable. If he was wanted, Hayashi Narinaga spoke with Shōta's lips, then Sanosuke could tell his subordinates that he had been found. The boy's body had reached the end of its usefulness, and he would now— After a moment of concentration, Shōta's expression changed. First surprise, then dismay, then growing horror all passed across the youth's cretinous features. The spell had somehow failed. He could not return to his true body. How could this be possible? Of course, unknown to them, the answer to that lay far away, in the Dreamlands. There, Hashinara Yoshitakatomo wore Hayashi Narinaga's true body magically transmuted into a tattoo on her* back. It was no wonder that Dōhan's soul could not return to a body whose physical form had been so radically altered. But he was not to know this. Hayashi Narinaga raised Shōta's fist and shook it to the sky. This was a curse, surely. The heavens were punishing him for his hubris, for his folly, by forcing him to remain in this despicable body. Sanosuke didn't answer. He'd received a wordless report from Ryouka and, while Shōta was found, she'd spotted a White-Masked Merchant peddling his wares out there. That was a problem for another time and, hopefully, another person to handle. Sanosuke just asked her to come back for now. When he returned his focus to the accursed Daimyō, Narinaga was accusing Sanosuke of orchestrating the whole thing. He demanded to know what the Silver General and goons had done with his true body. Sanosuke, however, could truthfully say that he'd had no part in it. Indeed, other than the body swap thing, he didn't really know what was going on. Was Narinaga some kind of spirit? The Hayashi Daimyō collected himself and seemed to see the sincerity in Sanosuke's words. He took a few steadying breaths with borrowed lungs, then began speaking with the tone of one who intends to impart a long tale. Ryouka arrived just in time to hear, and both she and Sanosuke noticed Minoko gathering another audience and taking entry fees for the coming story. An enterprising character, that one. The tale which unfolded from Shōta's mouth was one of preternatural intrigue. He was indeed, as Sanosuke had claimed, Hayashi Narinaga, Daimyō of the Hayashi Clan. In service of a greater power, he had been tasked with infiltrating the Hashinara Clan and learning everything he could about them. Their strengths. Their resources. And what weaknesses a foe might exploit. Narinaga's first such venture was largely unsuccessful. Wielding powerful magics, he had transported his own soul out of his body and into that of Shigeaki Fujino, the clan's psychic and communications master. He'd learned, at least, of her mental network and teleportation capability, which explained much of the Hashinara's uncanny ability to act so quickly and decisively in the past. His second possession was much more fruitful. By taking the body of Tōdaisen Nobuhara, Narinaga had gained access to an incredible wealth of information. Nobuhara's records were no doubt exhaustive. Although his time in the body had been cut short, Narinaga had taken away far more intelligence than on his first attempt. Finally, he had chosen this boy. Shōta. As a member of the Hashinara Clan's official tournament team, Narinaga had assumed the youth to be an influential member of the clan despite his appearance. Indeed, Shōta's cretinous aspect could even be an advantage in disguise. As Dōhan claimed, few suspect those whom are so easily dismissed as below them. Regrettably, this had proven to be a mistake. Shōta did not hold even a shred of the power, physical or political, that Narinaga had expected. And yet, he found himself hesitant to leave the youth's body. Perhaps it was enjoyable, in a way. The heady energy of youth, experienced again after so long, combined with the great numbers of beautiful women in attendance at the Mōri tournament... Narinaga lowered his boyish face. To be so taken in by the flesh was pure folly. The greatest of his many failings. Indeed, by trapping him in such a body, fate must be punishing him for his hubris. From there, he lapsed into silence. It seemed as though the tale of Hayashi Narinaga was at an end. A moment passed with Sanosuke acutely aware of the watching audience, and of the many pieces of sensitive information which had been aired as part of Narinaga's tale. In a moment of quick thinking, he attempted to salvage the situation. With that, he shouted merrily to the crowd, the night's entertainment was truly over. He hoped they'd enjoyed the Tale of the Man with No Body and would heed its moral well. Fortunately, the youth called Shōta seemed game to play along. Straightening from his stoop and rubbing a hand across the back of his neck in a gesture of boyish modesty, he thanked everyone for coming and Sanosuke for his part in the play. The return of Shōta's normal mannerisms was so convincing that, for a moment, Sanosuke thought that he'd been somehow duped by the whole tale. As the crowd dispersed, however, Hayashi Narinaga's ancient weight returned to the youth's eyes. For reasons that the ancient Daimyō did not pretend to understand, it seemed that the Silver General was going to offer his aid in handling this singular situation. For the moment, he'd take Shōta's body and its passenger to Wakigami Castle. Surely Hashinara Yoshitakatomo would be eager to speak with him upon her* return from the Dreamlands. Pinging Fujino, Sanosuke found her much more receptive this time around. Her standoffish attitude had totally vanished. Indeed, the psychic seemed quite revolted by her previous actions. Had she truly turned into a simpering flower in the presence of Maxim? That didn't seem right at all, and yet her memories were insisting that such was the case. She had no issue now in delivering Sanosuke to where he needed to go, at least. As he prepared to leave, however, events converged as they so often did. The Silver General's head played host to no fewer than three important reports from various agents under his command. After sharing a sympathetic look with Fujino as she entered from outside, Sanosuke began tackling the notifications one by one. The first of these was from Ōtomo Sōrin, whom he had asked to work with thief Katō Danzō in retrieving a valuable, dangerous metal from Odawara Castle. Sōrin had provided an illusory Hōjō Clan disguise, by means of which Danzō was able to scout a route to the treasure room they sought. That only left the infiltration itself. Danzō being a "phantom thief," there was a particular way she'd need to go about this. Fortunately, Sōrin had set up a custom spell of "tele-vision" that would allow Sanosuke to watch and direct the thief's movements within the castle, should he wish. The Silver General affirmed that he did and thanked Sōrin. He'd hear from them again when they were ready to begin. Next was a message from Sanosuke's own adviser and administrator, Trivia. She didn't pose a question so much as a notification. Scouts had found a strange object a few miles from Nijō Castle that seemed like a pod from the Lunar Empire. Its shape and material were unknown to Trivia, however, who was herself a native of the same. If there were any passengers, they'd either vanished or perished in the presumed crash. For now, she'd sent more teams to search the area while bringing the pod itself back to Nijō. Its structure was based on some kind of "star metal" that she expected Sanosuke or his talented staff could find a use for. Again, Sanosuke thanked her for the report, and moved on to the third and final message. With that done, he was finally ready to depart. Although first, Sanosuke had Fujino take the sleeping, drunk, and otherwise present ladies safely to one bed or another. Then, taking "Shōta" into his care, the two left that fateful tavern and returned to Wakigami Castle to await their Daimyō's return.1559年11月15日 22:00?
Baharna
Historical Entry: Encounter at Old Ōuchi Manor
Things in the Earthrealm seemed to have settled down. At least, Hashinara Yoshitakatomo could no longer sense such a powerful disturbance through her* avatars. Aotsuki Tsukamoto remained eager to return to his lands, and Fubuki was just returning from her* smithing lesson with Jorani the Whitesmith. There was little now to keep those generals of the Hashinara from making their way back to The Thing in the Attic. There, Kravann awaited their last delivery of Wamp hides. Fubuki sent telepathic word ahead, asking Taira no Tokuko to inform the merchant that they were on their way. Although the streets were still largely deserted under the star-dappled sky above, nothing interrupted their short journey to the inn. When the trio arrived, they found Kravann indeed there waiting for them. Most of the generals they'd brought from Earth also loitered in one part of the building or another. Notably, Chhean the Curator also seemed to be visiting, sharing a friendly drink with Oyama Hikari nearby. Fubuki detached herself* from the group and made over to that table, while Yoshitakatomo and Aotsuki instead opted to sit with Kravann. Of Sasaki Kojirō and Taira no Tokuko there was no sign. They still had to talk business before they put Baharna behind them, however. When the Black Blade took a seat next to Oyama Hikari, the little rabbit(?) was in the middle of telling a story. Although Fubuki's arrival interrupted her, it seemed to have been something about Hikari and Ryūzaki Sanosuke performing a heist in the blizzard-covered province of Mimasaka. Fubuki herself* had business there, and so asked Hikari to continue, but the cheerful treasure hunter displayed a bit of uncharacteristic hesitation. Instead, she enthused that she'd made an unlikely friend in Chhean the Curator. Aotsuki had left the two in something of a standoff, with Hikari ready to "treasure hunt" (i.e. steal) Chhean's Only Accurate Map of the Dreamlands from her library. Fortunately, it seemed events had resolved themselves peacefully in the White Frog's absence. Apparently Hikari had possessed something of great interest to Chhean, and so the curator had traded an item from her own collection for it. The treasure hunter proudly displayed this now. Resting in her palm was a small, golden bell. The cute face painted on it and a pair of nubs resembling ears gave it the unmistakable aspect of a cat. As they discussed this curious item, Fubuki opted for a pair of cat ears to erupt out of her* own head. However, Hikari appeared entirely nonplussed. It seemed that this treasure hunter was used to a certain level of chaos in her life. As for what the artifact did, Chhean remained vague on the subject. The bell could have unpredictable effects when rung, she advised, and so it was best to keep the clapper on. Ever the entrepreneur, Hikari turned the conversation once again to Fubuki's collection of treasures. Perhaps the Black Blade didn't consider any of them disposable, but the treasure hunter could "smell" them on her* without any doubt. Maybe they could set up an exchange for the cat bell, since Fubuki seemed so interested in it. Considering this for a moment, Fubuki once again opined that there wasn't really anything in her* collection that she* could afford to lose. Although... She* produced from her person the Vorpal Sword and the Queen of Hearts' crown. Neither of these were fully understood, even to the Black Blade, and so she* thought to ask Chhean if she could identify anything about them. Hikari slammed the bell down on the table, stating excitedly that she wanted the crown. Without a moment's consideration, Fubuki agreed. Even as Hikari made the swap, Chhean was saying that she couldn't sense any sort of power from the headwear. It was a fine piece of jewelry, and nothing more. At this revelation, Hikari fell into a funk. She continued to sulk for the remainder of the discussion, looking sadly at the mystically-empty crown in her hand. The Vorpal Sword, however, Chhean recognized from Alice in Wonderland. It was a wonder that Fubuki had managed to get her* hands on something like this. As the Black Blade made allusions to the various things, like a Jabberwock and the Queen of Hearts, that she'd* encountered in The Enchanted Wood, however, Chhean didn't seem to quite catch on. To the curator, those concepts seemed little more than stories. All Chhean really took away from their talk was that Fubuki had read the book, Alice in Wonderland, in her library. The sword itself was a mighty weapon, however; able to cut most anything in the Dreamlands. Meanwhile, Aotsuki and Kravann were having their own discussion one table over. The merchant first expressed her surprise that he and his allies were alive. Then, after being assured that the Wamp corpses awaited her outside, she moved to the subject of payment. Aotsuki had agreed to take on the task for two souvenirs; gifts to bring back from the Dreamlands for his loved ones. To this end, Kravann had performed wonderfully. She retrieved two carefully-wrapped packages from beneath the table, setting them forth for Aotsuki's inspection. Although he trusted Kravann's selection, Aotsuki couldn't help but take a peek inside each one. The leftmost package contained a small, fine vase. It was apparently molded from ordinary clay, but glazed in a fashion he didn't recognize. Under the lustrous shine of resin, small black figures were portrayed in various activities relating to sea travel. In the mosaic's center, a great ship conquered a raging sea. Even at a glance, Aotsuki could tell whom this gift was for, and he silently nodded his approval. The contents of the rightmost box were a bit more morbid. Wrapped in thin paper, Aotsuki thought the object at first to be a cow skull. Upon closer inspection, however, he found it to look a bit more human than that. The two curving horns which extruded from each side of its smooth skull weren't quite as unsettling as its complete lack of any facial features. All the normal orfices, be they for eyes, nose, mouth, or ears, were entirely absent. Instead, it appeared to be a smooth, featureless chunk of bone in the mocking semblance of a horned human skull. For most people, it would be a gift in extremely poor taste. Even now, however, Aotsuki could imagine Abe no Seimei's reserved delight when she received it. With that, their transaction was settled. Kravann assured them that she'd get the Wamp corpses loaded onto their ship overnight, so as to be ready to depart as early as the morning. That statement surprised both Aotsuki and Yoshitakatomo for two reasons. First, they'd been planning on leaving right away, not in the morning. Second, Kravann was coming with them? Indeed, the Baharnan trader was apparently looking to expand her mercantile influence beyond the Dreamlands. On the other side of the Veil, she'd found a willing partner in Tanahase Muramatsu. Apparently, on behalf of Maxim of The Wolfpack, Kravann would be traveling with them back to Earth in order to conduct some business dealings in Ago. The Tanahase Family would, of course, compensate them for the trip. This arrangement came with some unexpected perks for Yoshitakatomo. As Kravann only wanted the hides and blood, she'd planned to dump the rest of each body into the Dreamsea. After confirming that the remainder of the corpses didn't have any value (who would eat a Wamp?), Yoshitakatomo laid claim to them for her* own study. They could be kept in the ship's makeshift abattoir with the Gug until then. Kravann's eyebrows raised at the mention of the four-armed beast. Gugs were not native to Oriab, but found far north, with other nasty things like hooved pirates and psychic spiders. Once Yoshitakatomo explained how they'd found the monster enslaved by some Black Galleon pirates, Kravann relaxed. Apparently a Gug on Oriab would have been disastrous. They already had enough to deal with given the hunting Night-Gaunts from Mount Ngranek. Indeed, that was why the streets had been deserted when Yoshitakatomo and her* squad returned from the Ruins of Tyrhhia. Few braved the streets at night, as Night-Gaunts were known to abduct travelers in the dark of night. Nobody seemed to know where victims were taken or for what purpose. None of them were ever heard from again. Yoshitakatomo and Aotsuki shared a look. Had they unwittingly been in danger the whole time? Then again, they hadn't seen a single Night-Gaunt on their trip. That, Kravann assured them, was probably because their rubbery black skin blended in perfectly with the darkness at night. If Aotsuki wanted to see what one looked like, he just had to take that skull in the box and imagine it with a coat of black rubber stretched across it. A disturbing mental image popped into the White Frog's head, but Yoshitakatomo didn't have to imagine. She'd* seen them before on more than one occasion. Regardless, the 'Gaunts weren't afraid of light, as they didn't have eyes. It was likely only because it provided such camouflage that they hunted at night. Still, if they had some kind of light source, it would make it easier to spot them before anyone got carried off. Aotsuki, plagued by visions of Kagami or Tama being swooped off into the sky, agreed. For lighting up the night, Ka-ten Agni seemed the obvious choice. It only took a little bit of discussion to convince the temporarily-embarrassed Hindu God of Fire that they were looking only to illuminate the streets a bit, not burn them down. Eventually, with a disappointed huff, Agni gathered up the merry fire from the hearth in her arms and carried it like a bale of hay. It blazed like a bonfire in her arms, and should be enough to keep them lit until they reached the ship. Then, they could just wait beneath deck until they reached their destination. As it seemed that Fubuki was finished with her* own business, the trio of Cardinal Generals reconvened. They'd gather their allies and head for the port, but not before Yoshitakatomo found Zhyrgal sleeping on an empty bed and dropped the Zoog into her* pocket. The Princess-Daimyō yet had plans for that one. The Cardinal Generals opted not to take up Veasna the Elder on his offer of a crew. Instead, by means of her* mystical mastery over water, Fubuki was able to man the ship alone. Everyone, including the current captain, retired belowdecks so as not to offer any tempting targets for circling Night-Gaunts. It was a relatively short journey, but would still take some time to complete. Fubuki didn't share the Baharnan sailors' familiarity with Oriab's coast. What's more, she* was currently steering by means of vision linked to a dagger strapped to the mast. That situation limited her* vision a bit. So it was that they expected to regain the portal in just under an hour, rather than the half of that time it'd taken them to make Baharna the first time. To pass the journey, Aotsuki and Fubuki settled down for a friendly game of Go in the gunnery room. Their match attracted quite an audience, most of their allies they'd brought with them, except... With a start, Aotsuki realized that they were missing a single hand. Sasaki Kojirō was nowhere to be seen. In times like these, Shigeaki Fujino's mental network truly had a chance to shine. Between Aotsuki and Yoshitakatomo, they were able to contact Kojirō. It turned out that the kensei was hunting Night-Gaunts at the base of Ngranek. What's more, she had no intention of coming back with them. That is, so long as the portal would stay open for her return at a later date. Yoshitakatomo assured her that it would be and, drowning out Aotsuki's objections, Kojirō stated that she'd continue her "training," try to get one alive for the Daimyō later, and come back to Earth when she was ready. Although he still had his misgivings, Aotsuki didn't pursue the matter. Instead, he returned to his game with Fubuki. The board didn't look quite the same as when he'd looked away, but the skills he'd learned from Fujiwara no Takeie weren't about to fail him now. As he reached out to move his next piece, the door to the hold suddenly slammed open. Oyama Hikari burst into the room, yelling for everyone to stop the game, to stop the ship. This flagrant display of disrespect earned her a chiding from Tsurugi, but Hikari was too pumped up to care. There was a treasure nearby. A big one, very valuable, somewhere beneath the ship. Yoshitakatomo had joined them as well by this point, drawn by the ruckus. Could this be connected to that "sunken city" that they'd heard mentioned on occasion in Baharna? A powerful dream-curio was too much of a temptation for Yoshitakatomo to resist. She* placed their return on hold, while Fubuki reassessed her* spellwork. With only a little modification, the Black Blade was able to create a "bubble" of suspended water around the ship. Lowering this down, the vessel stayed upright even as it descended to near the bottom of the sea. Fortunately, that wasn't too far just yet. They were still near enough to the coast of Oriab that the shelf of the seafloor hadn't yet fallen off into a full abyss. As the ship landed softly on coral and fine sand, a magnificent sight awaited them. This was indeed a city, at some point. It had either sunken to the bottom of the ocean or had been built there to begin with. Judging by the swooping, thalassian motifs present in what could be seen of the architecture, the latter seemed quite possible. Everything was covered by a coat of living, vibrant coral. There, in the center of it all, was a chest. Centered on a podium overlooking a great, dark hole in the seafloor, it appeared largely untouched by time. Given the chest's opulence and location, it had to contain something very valuable. And yet, that wasn't the source of the powerful magic Yoshitakatomo had been sensing as they descended. That was older, less focused, illogical, and somewhere deep in that abyssal hole. Fubuki's bubble only extended so far. There, the water squirmed like a living wall. It seemed that they'd need to find another way to cross the bejeweled bridge leading to the chest beyond. For the moment, there was plenty enough air for them to take the deck. Fubuki did this now, followed by Yoshitakatomo, who apparated there even as she* laid a cloak of complete oblivion upon herself*. Only the most powerful of creatures would be able to discern her* presence now. In apparent response to their arrival, something was happening in the dark chasm beyond the chest. A single teal light flickered on, casting its surroundings in an eerie halo. Then another lit itself. And another. Soon, there were six lights rising at various speeds to encircle the treasure podium. As they flowed out of the dark, the observers could see that each light was connected by antennae to a fish-like maiden's head. These things were not dissimilar to Zhyrgal in form, but larger, more piscine in their aspect, and obviously adapted for the deep sea. The encircling figures didn't attack yet. Instead, they appeared to be watching the intruding ship, waiting for what its crew would do. By the tension of their fins and slant of their eyes, however, one thing was clear. Yoshitakatomo and her* allies were not welcome here.Rewards Granted
- +6 total Kuma Commendations
Character(s) interacted with
- Aoki Michiko
- Aphrodite Ourania
- Chhean the Curator
- Flying George Samidare
- Hōzōin In'ei
- Ka-ten Agni
- Kitsuno
- Kono Minoko
- Kravann
- Oyama Hikari
- Ōtomo Sōrin
- Ryūzōji Ryōka
- Sasaki Kojirō
- Shigeaki Fujino
- Shigeaki Tōno
- Shishikura Makiko
- Shōta
- Taira no Tokuko
- Trivia
- White-Masked Merchant
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