With a Cartful of Wamps

Expedition

With their three trophies piled into a cart, pulled by the ever-helpful Sable Fox, the team led by Hashinara Yoshitakatomo made their way back to Baharna. Their path took them along the side of Lake Yath. On the trip to Tyrhhia, this had been a fairly unremarkable walk. On this return trip, however, they had company to entertain them.

Their new companion, eccentric "holy woman" Raspberry Pudding, had hardly stopped chattering since they'd departed. Her favorite topic of conversation seemed to be the many parties she was invited to within the Truffle Tsardom. These varied and colorful events invariably seemed to end in someone attempting to kill Raspberry and hide her body. Of course, she always survived through some stroke of luck or favor of fate. As Aotsuki Tsukamoto and Fubuki had seen during their encounter with the Wamps, she was far from helpless in her own regard as well.   At last the group arrived at the outskirts of the great port city, only to find empty streets under a starlit sky. That last was most concerning, as the sun had been high overhead while they were in Tyrhhia. None of them could quite pinpoint where on their journey, exactly, it had set. Nevertheless, it seemed to be closer to midnight than evening, and hardly a soul populated the once-bustling thoroughfares before them.   Stopped in the middle of a sentence by their arrival, Raspberry Pudding didn't offer any concern at the strange phenomenon. Rather, she wanted to know what they'd be doing from here on out. Prompted by Aotsuki's previous suggestion that Raspberry led a thrilling life, Hashinara Yoshitakatomo took opportunity to one-up her. With a droll, everyday sort of tone, the great Princess-Daimyō mentioned her* desire to uncover the secrets of Tyrhhia and the portal to Yomi below her* castle in the same breath.   And they had said Raspberry Pudding led a thrilling life.   The nun seemed most interested in a portal to the Land of the Dead. Indeed, she seemed to take it for granted that they would be exploring it without delay. Once they'd done so, she hoped that they'd tell her all about it. After all, Raspberry enthused, they would surely meet again.   That seemed to mark her departure, and yet Aotsuki had one last concern to voice. What of that foppishly-hatted man who had attempted to kill "Sweet Little Raspberry Pudding" and toss her body to the Wamps in the first place? Wouldn't he be shocked at seeing that she was alive and well? In answer, a wide grin Raspberry Pudding's fair features. They always were, she said, and Aotsuki saw something not far from sadism dancing around her crystal eyes.   Their traveling companion departed then, no doubt off to find entertainment or a vessel to Oonai, from which she could, apparently, cross into the Tsardom. That left the Yoshitakatomo Squad alone in the empty streets of Baharna, lit only by the lights in buildings overhead, and holding a cartful of dead Wamps. At least the emptiness of the place meant they weren't facing a crowd's reaction to the three fallen creatures in plain view. After a moment's more deliberation, the three determined to head down to the docks and see if any of those who had sent them on this task happened to be around.   After a short walk, the trio were greeted by a most marvelous sight. The pitch-black water was lit within by a multitude of luminescent specks. Swirling and dancing with the tide, the billion specks of light illuminated the harbor from below in an otherworldly green glow. It was quite beautiful, in its own strange way, although even the most learned among them could not determine the phenomenon's cause. Fubuki, who had since shed her* fox form, could only posit that the light was born of tiny, near-invisible creatures swimming in the sea. That was the root of a similar sight back on Earth, at least. Here, in the Dreamlands, who could say if it was the same?   In contrast to the deserted streets behind them, the port was dotted with individuals enjoying the night air and the view offered by that roiling, glowing sea. Fubuki spotted Jorani the Whitesmith at once. The buxom Baharnan was near the center of the tangle of docks and wharfs, apparently presiding over a competition between Sasaki Kojirō and Toba Himawari.   Whatever gumption Kojirō had used to lure the Dreaming Empress into fighting her hadn't seemed to have carried over to the competition itself. Musashi's would-be rival was at a severe disadvantage. Even as Yoshitakatomo's cohort approached, Kojirō forfeited another point and received a measure of scorn from Himawari to accompany the loss. With the Kensei's companions here, neither of them seemed inclined to continue. The mere association, however, seemed promising for Kojirō's goals within the Dreamlands.   Jorani tore herself away from the duelists to greet Fubuki, approaching down the long pier. She was thrilled to see the bounty of Wamps retrieved from Tyrhhia. Indeed, with her referee duties finished, Jorani offered to show Fubuki her "Wampwyrd" technique straight away. Of course, the Black Blade accepted. Informed along the way via a mental message from Taira no Tokuko, Fubuki passed on that their other client, Kravann, was awaiting them back at The Thing in the Attic where they were staying. It seemed as though they'd be able to finish both tasks before retiring for whatever passed for a night in this place.