Aki bows to those who leave the room and then stares blankly for a moment at the bundle in his hands. He then looks to Doji Kusanagi and says "By your leave, I will distribute these as you wish. I think it wise to first see to your safety." He then looks to Tsutomu-Sensei and draws one of the swords from the bundle. He then hands it to him with a bow. "I trust that you will see this put to good use, Sensei." He then stands and then waits for further instruction.

If no further instruction is forthcoming, Aki looks to Satoru and indicates that they should exit the office and goes to speak with Sakura-San.
This message was last edited by the player at 12:36, Thu 16 Oct 2008.

With the dismassal Gyatso departs the office, pausing only to recall his manners and bow to the folk still in the room. Outside he glances at the others but seeing they intend to wait for a while longer he matches them, settling in quietly and waiting for anyone else to exit the room.

Satoru nods his head. [Private to Daidoji Sakura: "Hai, I will send for them immediately."]

Satoru quickly walked thru the building looking to find the nearest samurai on patrol, upon discovering one he will lean in close, his lips move but only the guard will here his words. [Private to GM: "Go and bring the two servants that discovered our Lord's murdered body. I shall be waiting outside Kusanagi's office."]

Bowing to Sakura Aki begins in hushed tones "You wished to speak to me?"

Asako Suleiman leaves the room also, after a final bow to Doji Kasaruga.  Like Moto Gyatso, he stands near to the others.  Quietly he ponders how he has not yet achieved his purpose in coming here today, yet how little that likely matters, in the scheme of things.

Reunited with her Yojimbo once again, Sakura left the room and joined Akibieden. Sakura motioned Suleiman and Gyatso over* before she addressed Akibieden.

"It's ... unusual" she began, "to have so many people in one place that know about the Lying Darkness, and even more so to have so much crystal in one place."

"The Darkness has its own type of taint, one that is even more difficult to detect than He Who Should Not Be Name'd, and even more insidious. The Taint is difficult to eliminate, but not impossible. I have been told that it is not impossible to eliminate the Darkness either ... but one must be careful how much one trusts a Ratling ..."

"Besides the Kami's direct influence, Pure Crystal -- the tears of Lady Sun -- and Awakened items are the only things that I am personally aware of that can 'properly' harm it. As an added bonus, viewing a person or object through crystal will reveal the Darkness influence."

"Unfortunately, the Darkness can influence we humans far too easily ... and many of those under its influence will know of nothing unusual, save odd or unusual nightmares."

"The fact that ..."

Sakura stopped mid-sentence, her face showing that she had forgotten something rather important.

"Shiko-Chama*!" she whispered, not really caring who heard it.

"Kedo-Kun and I must check in on the Imperial Messenger. Her life has been in jeopardy twice" she said in an intense, but low, tone, ", and I suspect that a third time is imminent."

"I would appreciate it if you accompanied us, Captain" Sakura said using his title once again, this time implying that he come in his official role.

"I would also like to use one of those knives you found" she said to Suleiman. "I suspect the Wakizashi would best be used by Kedo's trained hands ..."

[1) Akibieden and Kedo are both there; Satoru has important business, but will undoubtedly ask questions later ...
         2) Chama -- The familiar/"cute" version of Sama, like Chan is to San.]

 Kedo listens with interest of course - he pays attention to most things that go on around him with an attentive air of watchfulness that suggests he's looking forwards to the next delightful little entertainment it has lined up for him. When Sakura starts to elaborate upon the Lying Darkness, expounding her beliefs on the matter until the point when he is struck by a sudden thought.

 Whether it's something he's heard before - or even believes - is of course rather more difficult to ascertain.

 "I have a blade, thankyou." remarks the Ronin Yojimbo to Suleiman as the suggestion that he might want to pick up a weapon from the bag is floated, though his motivation for the rejection is obscure - it could be anything from a preference for his own swords (whether from familiarity or a point of honour) to concern over carrying what amounts to a villages ransom worth of rare natural gemstone on his hip as a sidearm in the midst of a Crane city.

Looking to Satoru-san Aki says, "This does not change the threat of the lion, we need to convince the Mantis to join the conflict as our allies." Aki pauses a moment, "You are wounded and recent from battle, that may in fact be of benefit when speaking with them. You might let it slip that a dishonorable attack was made on our lord and you where forced to defend him.....Also I will entrust you with these." Aki hands the bundle to Satoru-san drawing a knife for Sakura and a Wakizashi for himself. To kedo he says, "I am humbled by the honor you show your soul, but I believe your master suggestion is sound." Aki hands Kedo a wakisashi. "Some enemies care little about the honor of your fallen ancestors, why show them the respect of your fathers blade?" Then back to sakura, "Lets move, the guest chambers are this way." As soon as he finishes Aki sets out toward the location of the Miya's chambers.

Aki's words are curt to say the least but as he speaks them the true nature of his soul is revealed. He is a leader of men, not afraid to make the hard call and ruffle feathers to get the job done. Aki is a man of action not thought or question. He is entirely in his element at this moment.

The first guard he sees he questions him on the readiness of the guard and weather or not the castle has been set to full alert as per his previous orders in the bath house. Regardless of the response Aki relays all his previous commands and asks if there have been any reports regarding Miya Shiko. "I want her located, I want her safety ensured, and I want it done now" he says all the while never slowing down on his way with the others.
This message was last edited by the player at 05:39, Fri 17 Oct 2008.

 Which blade the tattooed Ronin... simply does not accept, though a slight bow is offered by way of acknowledgement for the uncommon courtesy Akbieden is showing him by pretending that the honour of a Ronin is worth the consideration of a Crane.

 "Tsutomu-sensei will be guarding your Master. If steel and courage are not enough, better my ward and I should struggle than they." he states with the sort of simple unconcern that blends with just a touch of reproach for the assumption that Kedo was thinking of himself rather than the safety of his host - and of course inserting subtle clarification of his relationship to Daidoji Sakura as he sees it. After all, part of his job is to keep her out of trouble, which he can hardly do by blindly following her orders now, can he?

Upon kedo-san's rejection of the blade aki hands it back to satoru-san. There is no time for debate on this, they killed the last ones without the aid of crystal. I assume he can do as well as monks and preists.

Sakura took the proffered blade, and headed directly to the guest quarters where they could hopefully find Miya Shiko. She would not speak to Kedo about this -- yet. But the time would come all too soon. Both Sakura and Kasumi had a duty, one that neither could afford to ignore.

Even if it offended her Yojimbo.

The guard bows to Satoru and departs quickly in search of the two servants.

It takes but a few minutes for him to locate them and return with Tsuruno and Takakura in tow.

"Y-you r-re-requested us, S-s-satoru-sama?" Takakura asks.

When Satoru had interviewed these men he had been purposefully harsh in order to extract testimony, this was an act as he had a good deal of compassion in his soul. However, given the events of the day, Satoru had no time to deal with mumblings or fear. "Control yourself. This instant." he said his eyes filled with fire.

He lowered his voice and leaned in to the men, "Another Crane Lord has been attacked, but his would be killers have been stopped. Your services are needed." With his one whole arm, he gestured for the men to follow him.

Walking briskly and expecting the two servants to follow, Satoru quickly located Sakura & Akibieden.

"Daidoji-sama, Doji-sama, the two servants who discovered Lord Doji's body." Satoru said with a bow to both samurai.

[Just in case it's needed. We can delete otherwise ...]

"Thank you, Brother*" Sakura replied to Satoru. She then turned indicated to the servants to follow her. Once at the bodies, she showed them the faces.

"Are these the two servants that have gone missing?"

[* Or whatever the honorary title for Monk would be.

Sorry for being impatient ...  m_O_m ]

While they await the return of the monk, Asako Suleiman stands near to Daidoji Sakura, his eyes near to the Crane but not upon her.  His stance and the unwavering just-diverted attention make it clear that he wishes to speak with her.  Once he has her attention, he makes his request.  "Daidoji-sama, I would like to perform some research which I hope may assist our task.  May I be excused to do so?"


OOC: Sorry for the slight rewind, but this is a formality that should probably be followed, what with the recent subordination to Sakura and all.

Sakura cocked her head inquiringly.

"Research?"

Satoru stood by Sakura but said nothing this was her province and he would only advise when asked.

In reply to Daidoji Sakura (msg #138):

"N-n-no S-sama," Takakura bows, obviously gathering his courage to speak, "w-we are the ones who discovered Doji Kusanagi-sama's body.  Koiichi and Shinichi are the servants who usually served Doji Kusanagi-sama, but they have, as you say, gone missing."

OOC:  sorry, just trying to move something forward ^_^

"So then" Sakura replied, keeping things both polite and formal, "these two are not Koiichi and Shinichi?"

Sakura drew out a scroll.

"Probably impersonated them to gain access ..." she muttered, waiting for an answer.

[She will cast Wisdom & Clairty to memorize the faces of the two assailants so that she can paint them later.]

"N-no S-s-sama," Takakura stutters, made nervous again by Sakura's words and the spell casting, "K-k-koi-i-ichi and Sh-Shin-n-nich-chi r-requested l-leave t-to v-visit fam-m-mly.  S-so w-we were c-c-called in-n-n t-to f-f-fil-l i-in.  I-i-i've never s-s-seen the-es-se b-b-bef-f-fore...ar-rn-n't th-thos-s-se the m-m-mon-n-n of-f D-d-doj-ji K-k-kas-s-sar-rugi-s-sam-ma's yo-o-jim-m-mbo?"
This message was last edited by the GM at 18:20, Thu 30 Oct 2008.

[The dead people. I want to know who they are, since they are "obviously" not the missing servants. And since they'll most likely be burned, the only real way to do that is to make a sketch and show it/them around.]

Sakura spent a moment memorizing the appearance of the two dead on the ground before she returned her attention to the servants.

"I see ..." she finally said, "thank you, you have both been most helpful. Thanks to you, I now know one more thing that it couldn't have been."

She was trying to calm their nerves, though whether it would work well was anyone's guess.

"If you remember anything else, anything unusual -- no matter how insignificant you might think it to be -- please let me know. Otherwise, you are free to go with my thanks."

[Other than complimenting Suleiman -- she never even considered such a thing -- I am done with this thread.]

Satoru cleared his throat, Tsuruno and Takakura, step down the hall, Iwish to speak with Daidoji-sama."

Assuming the servants do as told Satoru will speak lowly to Sakura, "Daiodji-sama, I feel it only best to clarify what has occurred. When these 'yojimbo' were slain their faces bore the familair guises of Lord Doji's loyal yojimbo. As the perished on his most skillful sword, there faces disappearred to nothing. Eventually they took another form, ones wholly unrecognizable to us, but never once did they assume the form of the still missing servants."
This message was last edited by the GM at 19:12, Thu 30 Oct 2008.

After Satoru has finished with the other samurai, Tsuruno and Takakura return.

"Do you have any further questions for us, Satoru-sama?" Takakura asks.

Satoru looked over the two servants with an eye of a disapproving teacher. "No, return to your tasks and say nothing of which you have seen. If anything out of the ordinary occurs you will find me and tell only me. Is that understood?"

"Hai, Satoru-sama," they bow and leave.

OOC:  so now what do you want to do?