Beyond Rivalry

Gathering / Conference

Once he'd finished hashing out the details with Hayashi Hidesada on her mission to hunt down Ikkyū, Aotsuki Tsukamoto and company opted to accompany her to Inabayama Castle, where she'd begin immediately. Shigeaki Fujino facilitated their travel to Mino Province and also informed Aotsuki that there was someone already waiting for him in the castle's entry chamber. Indeed, shirtless and magnificent, "Master" wasted no time in approaching the young Daimyō as he apparated into the hall.

As always, the titan of construction didn't speak. Rather, he pulled forth a map of Mitake from his belt and, with a flourish, stamped upon it a great red "完". Aotsuki could only take that to mean that the town was finished. That was great, because he'd been in talks with Saitō Dōsan about constructing a fortress on the northern border of Mino Province in order to protect against potential assault from the Ikkō Ikki. From not far away, the Big Man himself chimed in with a request that it not be any larger than Inabayama Castle itself. Otherwise, they might as well just move the capital. Aotsuki agreed, noted "Master's" nod of acknowledgement, then turned to Dōsan to ask if there was anything else he'd like added to the prospective fortress. When he turned back, however, the bronzed artisan was already gone. Always a man of business, that one. It was no major matter, as Dōsan could deliver any special instructions, including a temple to suit his size, through the mental network.   In the meantime, Aotsuki and Tokku-hime delved into the caverns beneath Inabayama Castle to meet with Kuroda Kanbei. This bastion would have held against even the forces of Oda Nobunaga had it not been for Kanbei's own strategic brilliance. Therefore, while Inabayama Castle itself was quite small, it sat atop a complex network of tunnels which allowed for storage of supplies, ambushes, and a number of hidden escape routes. It was into these chthonic passages that Aotsuki now descended.   Ahead of him, the tunnel continued into darkness at a slight but steady slope downward. The sheer size and seeming endlessness of the passage reminded him uncomfortably of his encounter with Ōmukade. Fortunately, he and his wife had no need to delve that deep. Kanbei's sanctum was just on the left after descending from the main floor, easily identified by the polished human skulls she'd used to decorate the sconces on either side of its heavy wooden door. By this point, Aotsuki had learned the value of caution. Rather than sally up and open the door to a wizard's workshop, he first opted to look into Kagami's mirror for any sign of warding.   Indeed, the door showed in the reflection with a large, closed eye in its center. Aotsuki didn't know what that was or how to deal with it, so he contacted Kanbei mentally and asked directly for permission to enter. The necromancer gave her leave and Aotsuki approached. To his slight surprise, the door offered no protest as he opened it and entered into Kanbei's sanctum.   This room was quite unlike the stony dungeons below Wakigami or Ōtsu Castle. Instead, the polished wooden floor, steepled ceiling, and warmly-painted stone walls gave an impression of homely coziness that even Kanbei couldn't overcome. Oh, she'd tried, with her skulls and bones and instruments of dubious intent. Despite her best efforts, the worst that could be said about the place was that it was a bit cluttered.   Aotsuki wasn't there, however, to admire the decorations. He knew that Kanbei was not one for small talk, so he wasted little time in getting to the point of his visit. Ōtsu Castle needed guards to defend it against supernatural threats as well as corporeal, and Abe no Seimei was unwilling to train them. As a strategist and mage of some renown, he'd immediately thought of Kanbei next. With a few follow-up questions, the Inabayama Siegemaster assented to training a basic guard for a mere thousand koku for men and supplies. It seemed she would indeed like something to distract her from Toyotomi Hideyoshi's continued absence.   On that same subject, Aotsuki had news about Hideyoshi being sighted in Shimonoseki, but Kanbei said quite definitively that she didn't want to hear it. Indeed, as Aotsuki was about to leave, the necromancer had one more message for him. If he did find Hideyoshi, she said, Aotsuki should inform him that he was no longer made immortal by her magic. That admission nearly shocked Aotsuki into speechlessness. Knowing what he knew about Kuroda Kanbei and that mysterious black box she kept hidden within Don Simeon's ribcage, for her to cancel the spell to which she referred would be no small feat. After regaining himself, Aotsuki studied the other more carefully.   Kanbei did not show emotion easily, but Aotsuki had the compassionate insight of Amaterasu herself upon which to call. The light of that sun revealed clearly what was behind an otherwise impenetrable mask. It seemed to Aotsuki that losing Hideyoshi this time had spurred personal growth in Kanbei. She was truly doing her best to move on, but hers was an obsessive nature which did not easily let go of any matter, much less one so intimate. Not sure that his own input would be particularly helpful in Kanbei's internal struggle, Aotsuki instead opted to inform her that he'd be there to help, should she ever need it for any reason.   With that, Aotsuki and his wife departed the sanctum. Naturally, Tokku was quite curious about what had just happened. Her curious nature prompted Aotsuki to explain a bit about what had been happening with Kuroda Kanbei, Takenaka Hanbei, and their shared love interest, Toyotomi Hideyoshi. Before he could finish his yarn, however, Aotsuki was interrupted by a strained, urgent message from his adviser. Abe no Seimei needed to see him at his soonest opportunity, apparently having received some concerning information about their ally, Hashinara Yoshitakatomo.   He had rarely heard his trusted aide to be in such a panic, so Aotsuki wasted no time in getting back to Ōtsu Castle with Tokku. Together they entered the meeting hall where Seimei still rested on the cushion where Aotsuki had last seen her no more than an hour ago. The normally self-assured onmyōji was obviously shaken, so the young Daimyō and wife sat across from her to hear the reason.   Finally Seimei explained what had put in her in such a state. Ashiya Doman, her hated nemesis, was indeed active even in this age. Worse, Seimei had received reliable information suggesting that he was being harbored by Hashinara Yoshiyuki, even aiding the Princess-Daimyō in some of her* darker experiments. Calling upon all her sway in the Aotsuki Clan, Seimei bowed her head to her Daimyō in supplication as she asked for his aid in ending this malefactor's existence once and for all.   By this point, Aotsuki had gone quite pale. What his adviser was now suggesting amounted to little better than war with the Hashinara Clan. Yet this was a request from Abe no Seimei herself, a friend to whom Aotsuki owed more than he could ever hope to repay. He centered himself, then ventured to ask what Doman had done to warrant such action. Although she wouldn't go into detail, Seimei did suggest that the dastard had sought to usurp her political power for as long as the two had been aware of each other. Once, he had succeeded, removing Seimei's protections during a major crisis and causing the deaths of many thousands of her charges as a result. She would never forgive him.   When he understood that Seimei would never be in the same room as Doman without attempting to kill him, Aotsuki instead suggested that perhaps they, and the Lady Hashinara, could meet at Enryaku-ji and discuss matters under the protection of Imamura Naiku's antiviolence enchantments. When Seimei replied, the rage on her face was evident. She made it clear that she did not want to "hash things out" or "clear the air" with Doman. She wanted him dead.   That certainly wasn't what Aotsuki wanted to hear, but he still pushed back. What circumstance, short of ending the man's life, would satisfy Seimei? The greatest of onmyōji hesitated, then finally admitted that if Doman were exiled from Japan or, ideally, from Earth itself to another plane, she would at least feel better able to relax. Armed with that less lethal solution, Aotsuki promised to speak with Yoshitakatomo on the matter immediately. His urgency felt warranted, as this was no longer a personal rivalry, but a brewing inter-clan incident that could change the relationship between the Aotsuki and the Hashinara forever.   Fortunately, it seemed that Aotsuki would not have to wait long for his chance. Hashinara Yoshitakatomo sent out a mental message at that very moment announcing that she* would be venturing into the Dreamlands from Ise Grand Shrine. Any of the Cardinal Generals who wanted to accompany her* were free to. Aotsuki replied shortly thereafter with an assertion that he would indeed be joining.