Post-Summit Vignettes

Miscellaneous

After Mōri Motonari's Yashiki Summit, yet before the eventful match between Maxim and Fubuki, a small sliver of time was almost lost to the ages. Yet events did transpire during that sliver, and they are no less worthy of our attention. Let us consider them now...

---

"Yo. You Maxim?"   The deep voice came from behind him, just as Maxim was about to tuck into a steaming-hot bowl of yakisoba noodles. It was the Yakisoba Yashiki special and a long-awaited meal after that lengthy meeting. So, it was with regretful eyes that the knight commander turned his eyes away from the food and to the demon who now stood behind him.   Others might have thought her a Wani, but Maxim had gotten quite good at identifying demonkind now. This one's bizarre style of dress didn't fit in with any sensibilities he'd ever encountered, but some demons were like that. More importantly, she had a big mouth full of sharp teeth and a heavy sword slung over one shoulder.   "Word's out that you've caused a ruckus down there. Tore up Lucifer's favorite palace. Vandalized some statues. Sound familiar?"   The demoness leaned forward with a predatory air, but Maxim was not so green as to be intimidated by an amateur display like this.   "I recall something like that happening," he said with a yawn.   "I was just down there at Ago Manor or whatever earlier. Nice place. Flammable. I'd make sure that payment gets to Lucy soon, or who knows what might happen," the other sneered at him, "I don't know my own strength, see. Might come knocking and knock that whole manor right down."   That was a little more concerning. Threats to Maxim's own well-being weren't anything new and nothing he couldn't deal with. Threats to his base of operations, though, and the followers it held, were harder to guard against. Unpleasant memories of Shax surfaced briefly in his mind.   Of course, even if Maxim wanted to pay, it wasn't like he knew where or how to deliver any money. The letter he'd received seemed to be written with the express intention of disallowing him to do so. But, as this demoness said, that was a "him" problem.   Both of them glared at each other for a moment while, on the other side of the table, Hashinara Kiyowara and Tōdaisen Nobuhara watched the exchange placidly. They commented on it, mused about Maxim's debt, and the great Daimyō of the Hashinara Clan even graciously offered her help in settling it. Maxim, however, did not respond. Since Lucifer had sent one of his dogs straight to him, that made things easy.   He smirked and stood up. Although the demoness wasn't short, especially for a human, Maxim's titanic stature dwarfed her. That is, until she suddenly grew three feet in size. Now she was looking down on him with a mirrored smirk. Despite the tense encounter, Maxim found himself liking this newcomer just a bit.   "You've got grit, I'll give you that. I'll just give you the amount owed, and we can be done with this."   "Fine by me. Settle up."   Even with that said, Maxim had his doubts. The phrase "deal with a devil" had its roots in the truth, as most demons he'd encountered had tried to deceive, swindle, or otherwise bind him to their own ends. After looking deep into this one's eyes, though, he sensed only surly aggression without a shred of duplicity. Still...   "I'll need something written saying all debt has been paid."   With a gush of dark water, a contract appeared out of the air and splatted onto the table. It was written in a language Maxim couldn't begin to comprehend, but the demoness looked down on it with a frown and waved her hand. The words squirmed and twisted themselves until the contract was in English. At least, nominally. It read:  

This scroll proof that I receive payment damage on Lucifer behalf. Deliver to Lucifer with 15% extra cut for me, Botis, Earl of Gluttony.

  Maxim squinted at the contract then back at Botis. ...Botis? Didn't exactly roll off the tongue. He found himself thinking of her as "Boots" instead, like the big stomping things she'd worn to this encounter. The total, according to her, wass four thousand, seven hundred, and thirty-four koku. A king's ransom, enough to feed a peasant family for the rest of their lives. So it was a surprise to everyone when Maxim nonchalantly counted out that sum and handed it off to Boots in a sack.   "...Glad you chose to do this the easy way," she said, as she counted through the money herself.   "Easy for both of us," Maxim replied with a smile. "Who did you say your boss was, again?"   That caused Boots to stop for a moment. "I already said Lucifer hired me. You deaf as well as loaded?"   "Hired you for this job. Are you saying you're a freelancer?"   "Nah, I'm an Earl. Seriously," Boots stuck out her hand and, with another wet splash, a thin stick with a tuft of cotton at its end appeared in her hand, "Clean out those ears of yours. You ain't hearing anything I'm sayin'."   She paused again, studying Maxim as though seeing him for the first time.   "Ain't nothing in the rulebooks about takin' on extra jobs, though. And the more money I make from stooges like Lucifer, the more merch I can buy."   ...Merch?   "I am curious about one thing," Maxim mused, "How long have you been out of Gehenna?"   "Eh..." Boots screwed up her face as though thinking, and then cursed as she lost her count of the money again, "Coupla hours."   That was surprising, especially given that they'd closed the rift to hell in the Palace of the Firebird some time ago. Hadn't that put a stop to the influx of demons into Japan?   "Eh, you lot closed the big one, but there's still the footpath up through Jigoku. Takes a lil' bit, but easy enough if you know the way."   Or not.   "That's good information to know," Maxim said, his face carefully blank, "Where abouts is it from here?"   "Pfff," Boots sprayed a bit of salty water from her lips as she laughed, "You're even dafter than I thought if you reckon I'll give up demon secrets like that just 'cause you 'appened to ask."   Despite her words, Boots' intentions were not lost on Maxim. Nor was her hand, outstretched with palm up, beneath the table. He sighed and plopped a hundred more koku into that waiting palm.   "It's under that big honkin' mountain you lot have got over there. Whaddya call it? Mount Ōo-ay or somethin'.   That was quite the journey. But...   "You might want to head back soon. Some free advice from me," Maxim offered.   "What, 'cause of that big rip in the sky's drawers over there? That doesn't bother me none."   This was the complete opposite of Haures' reaction. Maxim paused. "You aren't concerned about the End of Days?   Boots snorted. "Yeah right. You always get those types talkin' about doomsday or whatever. Some big war between the angels and the demons. We might see some circles 'a angels fight and maybe the Pride and Wrath demons will meet 'em, but neither Heaven nor Hell is as united as all that."   Maxim tucked this information away under "interesting."   "Looks like the money's all here," Boots said as she finally finished counting over four thousand individual coins, "You got any messages for hell you want delivered or somethin' afore I go?"   "No, I can't think of anyone I'd need to sent a message to," Maxim shook his head after thinking for a moment.   "Tch." Boots seemed...disappointed? "You got anyone you want intimidated? Roughed up?"   It seemed like she was fishing for a reason to stay here in the mortal world. The amount she'd scrounged up from Maxim was, apparently, a "weak haul," and she'd done it so quickly that it'd be a shame not to go back without earning a whole lot more on top.   "Well, I don't need anything that I can't handle myself. I'll remember you if I do, though," Maxim said, stalwartly refusing to throw Boots a bone. There was something still bothering him, though. Boots didn't exactly seem like the scholarly sort. How had she gotten here so quickly from Mount Ōe?   "Well excuuuse me, mister Expert on Magic," she lambasted him, "Would you like it better if I wore a big floppy hat and some robes with stars on or something? Read my lips. Demons. Are. Magic."   A big floppy hat and robes with stars on them? That just sounded like home, to Maxim. "If you can do that, then you can take myself and Kitsuno back to Ago Manor. Because of you, I need to do something before my next match."   Unsurprisingly, this elicited the question of payment. However, Maxim was not swayed.   "I made your job easier. Consider it a gesture of good will."   "Yeah, good one. Tell me the ground rules up front and, if I agree with them, then maybe."   "You don't cause any issues while you're in Shima or to anyone in Shima. If you require something, you come to me. Just don't give me a reason to distrust you and we'll be good."   Boots snorted. "Easy, done."   Despite her puckish reply, the demoness did indeed magic the three of them back to Ago. The experience was...not what Maxim expected. Every part of his body suddenly went rigid-cold as Boots' fingers made contact with his own. It felt like he'd been submerged into ice water. Plummeting, sinking, drowning into some unseen depth below, he could only struggle in vain. There was no purchase to be found against the current which held him in its deathlike grasp. Just as Maxim's lungs began to burn, he broke through some unseen surface tension and fell onto his feet in the entrance chamber of Ago Manor. Drenched from head to toe, a puddle slowly formed beneath him. Boots and Kitsuno stood nearby, but somehow they merely seemed damp; not sopping wet like Maxim was.   "That look suits you," Boots chuckled.   Kitsuno, fortunately, was happy to lend a hand. With one quick wave of the oni's hand, Maxim's clothing magically dried out to a level that was at least comfortable.   "Thanks," he said, "Now I suppose it's time to get this castle built so we can stop leeching off Muramatsu."   --   The stark white columns of the Alexandrian Embassy rose up in front of Ryūzaki Sanosuke and his companions. Seeking some closure to the foreigners' absence during Motonari's summit, the Silver General had gathered two of his closest advisers to call on them personally. Now, in his finest attire and together with Takenaka Hanbei and Mary Lyn, he prepared himself for whatever might come.   "Before we enter, Sanosuke-san," Hanbei cautioned him, "Might I ask what your aim is for this meeting?"   "I suppose this could be a bit of a reach," Sanosuke answered slowly, "But these people are familiar with the Sankuta Seidesu. IF we cannot get the truth about these divine, foreign Tengu from them, perhaps Lady Phaenarete can shed some light. At least that's the impression I got from what Navaaru-san said before."   "A wise choice, then," Hanbei agreed.   "I think I can offer some insight afterward as well," Mary added.   Before any of the three could take a step toward the Embassy, however, its doors opened to reveal a pair of knights in massively heavy armor. These guards stepped out to flank the entrance. Their presence, and the sheer weight of the armaments they carried, made for far more security than Sanosuke had seen on his last visit. After seeming to study him for a moment, one of the two knights stepped forward and spoke.   "Lord Sa-no-skay? You are not expected." The voice jumbled the foreign name but otherwise spoke without an accent; a clear sign of magical translation at work. More concerning, that sounded almost like an accusation.   "I think it's safe to say that the Alexandrians are worried about something." Hanbei noted through the mental network.   "Good afternoon," the Silver General said with the not-insignificant gravitas of his rank, "Apologies for showing up unannounced, but I expect Lady Phaenarte will not be so surprised. I would like to speak with her and perhaps as kher wisdom in the matter from this morning. If there is some way we can help one another..."   The two knights exchanged a glance under their visors.   "The Embassy is in lockdown," the same one replied, "We cannot allow anyone inside."   "Lockdown?" Mary's brow creased beneath the brim of her hat, "Has something happened?"   "A great many things have happened. You've seen some of them yourself, no doubt." This clear, almost musical voice was not that of either of the guards. Rather, Phaenarete herself had appeared at the door of the Embassy.   "Lady Phaenarete! The lockdown!" one knight protested.   "Oh please," she brushed past him lightly on her way down the marble steps, "I am going for a walk. You cannot truly seek to deny me the chance to see the sun."   Both knights hung back awkwardly. They were obviously unsure of how to react as their leader walked calmly up to Sanosuke and his companions. "Will you join me for a walk, Sir Sanosuke?"   The silver gears spun behind Sanosuke's eyes. Was Phaenarete seeking to speak with him alone, or would the presence of his advisers be allowed. After looking into the polite expression the other favored him with, he concluded that it did not much matter one way or another.   "Of course. We'd be happy to take in some sun, Lady Phaenarete."   With that, the Lady lead the way. She set off at a calm pace down the broad street of Shimonoseki, heading downhill toward the coast. "Your restraint in using Aretí thus far recommends you well," she began, apropos of nothing.   Sanosuke was momentarily nonplussed. This was not the topic of conversation he'd anticipated. "Er, it does?" He shared a look with his two advisers, walking a respectful distance behind. Then, the meaning behind her words occurred to him. "Ah. Then it has not always been so thoughtfully bestowed in the past?"   "Always thoughtfully bestowed," Phaenarete corrected, "Not always thoughtfully wielded. But you no doubt have questions for me. I am pleased to answer, although I may not have the answers you seek."   "Somehow it would not surprise me if you indeed knew what I wanted to hear before I know myself," the Silver General answered with a roguish glint, "But yes, I hoped you might share your thoughts on the 'visitors' from earlier. If your people are on lockdown, then I assume we are right to take their threats seriously."   "'The Wrath of Heaven.' It is not something to take lightly, even if you do not believe all that Sancta Sedes says about them. There is only one thing of which I am certain: I know so little about these 'Angels' that it amounts to nothing."   Then it had likely not been Phaenarete herself who ordered this lockdown. Or perhaps she was acting with an overabundance of caution. "If I may," Sanosuke ventured, "'Nothing' is more than I have so far. 'Even a grain of sand serves a purpose.' Please tell me anything you can, Lady Phaenarete, however insignificant."   This elicited a faint smile from the Lady. "Even if we know little of something, we may be able to observe its effects. Sancta Sedes are afraid of the Elohim, even if they profess otherwise. So is Megas Alexandria. She has ordered us to return to the motherland as soon as the tournament concludes."   "She's ordered you to return because of the Elohim? So Alexandria has encountered them before."   "Perhaps. I do not know. Perhaps her priestly advisers have suggested that she should leave Japan to its judgment. That is, of course, only speculation."   The two continued to speak for the remainder of the walk, Sanosuke's advisers listening intently. That last comment hung heavy in the air over all three of the Silver Meteor Storm, however. Had Alexandria, as Sancta Sedes, decided to withdraw their hand in favor of leaving Japan to its fate? Would they, as had been suggested at Motonari's summit, return like vultures to feast upon what was left? Such thoughts were troubling indeed.   --   "I'm sorry to put you through that. Perhaps it's best you stayed somewhere different. I would have thought that place safe." Fubuki offered some apologies as she and Sokotsutsu no Miko recovered from their ordeal in the Mirror Imperial Palace. Their foes, the Hounds of Tindalos, had been dispatched with greater ease this time, but they still represented a dire threat, especially if Fubuki was not present to slay them.   "I'd rather not stay here if there's any chance for more of those...monster things," the Miko agreed. "I could stay with my sister, if you can get me there."   "Sure, where is she?"   "The closest sister would probably be in Sumiyoshi-jinja. Uh...not the one that got destroyed, a different Sumiyoshi-jinja in Hizen Province," she hesitated. "On the coast north of Saga, if you know where that is?"   Fubuki did not, but that wasn't about to stop her. "We can certainly try." Then, mentally, "Fujino, do you know where Hizen Province's Sumiyoshi-jinja is?"   It turned out that even the teleporting genius of the Hashinara Clan hadn't heard of this unremarkable shrine, but with the help of a few maps and a quick break to study, Fujino was confident she could take them there.   A few minutes later, Fubuki and the Miko arrived at Hizen Sumiyoshi-jinja in their customary flash of light. This temple looked almost exactly the same as the one in Nagato Province, with its carved canals filled with sparkling seawater. Closer examination revealed that the structure was arranged in a different manner, however, if the same style. Without wasting any time, Sokotsutsu no Miko put two fingers to her mouth and whistled.   A deeper patch of blue detached itself from the ocean and crawled up to the beach, revealing another fish-tailed woman. This one boasted hair the same deep blue as her tail, but bore more than a superficial resemblance to the Ningyo Fubuki had already been traveling with. The two sisters seemed delighted to see each other, although Uwatsutsu no Miko, as she introduced herself, was heartbroken to learn about the destruction of Sumiyoshi-taisha.   "I'll be fine from here," Sokotsutsu no Miko offered her thanks, "Er...I don't have much to offer you, but I think the sea appreciates it."   Indeed, Fubuki felt subtly as though she had earned a greater presence's favor through this act. Perhaps that of the Sumiyoshi Sanjin for whom these shrines were named.   "You are safe and that is what matters," Fubuki said with a dashing bow. "We will inform you once things are back to normal. This is goodbye for now."   And so it was, for now.