The Mysterious One-Night Castle (Part 1)

Expedition

Once the meeting had fully ended and Aotsuki Tsukamoto's mercenary business handled, he was free to return to Ōtsu Castle for his remaining evening plans. A strange castle, appearing only at night and apparently altering the memories of everyone under a certain threshold of power... Well, that was not something he could very well ignore. His adviser, Abe no Seimei, suggested that Maxim come along as well, and the two found her in the main hall of Ōtsu already wearing traveling gear. For a bit of extra protection, Aotsuki invited Ka-ten Agni and Sugihara Hidemitsu to come as well, but wisely kept his diplomatic party to this limited size.

It was a short jaunt, thanks to Shigeaki Fujino to the outside of Kannonji Castle in the "new" province of Kōka. She apologized that she couldn't teleport them right inside, as she'd already tried without success. Taking this somewhat worrying declaration in stride, Aotsuki led his party up to the closed castle gate and hailed one of the night watchmen up on the towers. When he introduced himself as Aotsuki Tsukamoto and asked to meet with the Daimyō, he was testily informed that there was no Daimyō here, but a Gichō, and the fact that he didn't know that seemed to make the guard suspicious.   After a bit of cajoling and more than one threat from Agni to burn down the gate, the guard finally agreed to send "one of the Council" to meet with him. Moments passed, then minutes. It was only through Hidemitsu's calming influence that Agni didn't start any fires, and Maxim seemed to be getting impatient as well. Finally, a smaller door set in the gate opened and a girl with vibrant pink hair and a single horn peeked most of the way out. She stared, blank-eyed and slack-jawed at Aotsuki for some time. The Golden Daimyō's own attempts to introduce himself seemed to fall on deaf ears. Slowly, eventually, she called him "pretty."   After some more laborious discussion, the party managed to tease out that this girl's name was Rokkaku no Ateshi, and she was a member of the Council of Six Corners, whatever that was. Aotsuki sought entrance, perhaps a meeting with the Gichō, but Ateshi only reached out for his hand in response. Abe no Seimei was able to reassure him that there was no charm or magic at work here, and so Aotsuki returned the gesture, grasping for Ateshi's outstretched hand with his own. This was a mistake. With a grip like steel, Ateshi grabbed onto Aotsuki's arm and, in a single motion, yanked him through the door into the castle. Kagami and Tama barely had time to slip in behind him before the door slammed and a heavy bolt rammed home, locking it shut.   Seimei, Maxim, and the other two stood in stunned silence for a few beats. The onmyōji confessed that she was, uncommonly, left without any idea how to proceed. Maxim wondered aloud if they should simply break in and rescue him, but the other was able to determine that Aotsuki was perhaps not in any immediate danger. Maybe. Regardless, she wished to avoid a slaughter here if possible, and that's what was more than likely to happen if Maxim, Agni, and the Senji Ryakketsu were unleashed within the castle walls.   For his part, Aotsuki found himself briefly in a guardhouse with an ashigaru on duty. Rather than helping him, the man just gave Aotsuki a defeated shake of the head and muttered something about "another one." Still caught in an unbelievably strong grip, Aotsuki was pulled along with a force that seemed unstoppable in its momentum. Ateshi possessed far more strength than her slight frame would suggest, and while that wasn't particularly strange in this land, her behavior certainly was. With a few complaints, Aotsuki managed to get her to slow her pace, but that was all.   His forceful host led him past the courtyard and into the castle proper before they stopped at a door that wasn't quite like the others. While most had been in the sliding, paper, Japanese style, this one was crafted of heavy wood, and looked more like a miniature castle gate. Ateshi pulled it open and shoved Aotsuki inside, telling him to "stay" before shutting the portal and audibly locking it from the other side. Then he was left in darkness. Not complete darkness, as a sliver of moonlight filtered in from a high, narrow window in the wall, but stygian enough that he could barely make out the comfortable-looking pallet and fine paintings he shared the room with.   A horrifying thought occurred to Aotsuki, and he began pounding at the closed door, shouting that there were a pair of girls outside who would do very poorly in his absence. Much to his relief, a tiny voice answered from the other side. It was Kagami! She and Tama had managed to sneak in after him, but were unfortunately powerless to reach the bolt high on the door. There was a small thunk outside as Tama bopped her sister on the head and reminded her that they could fly. A moment of scrabbling later, and the bolt slid back, releasing Aotsuki into the castle. This was not how he intended to enter Kannonji Castle, but at least now he was in less danger of being stuck here when the sun rose and it vanished once again. Thanking his two sheele, he reported his situation to his allies outside, then considered his next course of action.