"Sorry for poking around back there!  We were looking for clues!" Chizuru says, grinning confidentially at Houtai.

The man's glare only deepens, and he gives a disbelieving grumble.

"I could check but," says the wu jen with nose twitching, "you said THE key.  If one key fits every lock here, then one copy would get a person into everything. "

He looks at the shugenja nezumi, "And the spirits said the 'locks were the key,' right?" Zheng-ze looks back at the Matron, "So, who else has a copy?"
This message was last edited by the player at 04:10, Tue 22 Feb 2011.

Kuuhaku looks at the glaring man with an even stare.  "If we were trying to sneak in the back, don't you think we would have silenced the dog immediately?" he asks in an even tone.  After a moment he he adds, "Renshu Kiro, the winter sect priest, was here yesterday correct?  He was attacked by men with their faces painted half black and half white last night as he headed back to the temple.  Have you seen anyone like them around lately?"  He decides to leave his role in aiding the priest aside for the moment.

Scratching his whitened stubble, the swordless duelist gets an idea. "Say..you say this dog's been around for awhile. Has it exhibited any strange behavior lately? Barking at odd hours and the like? What about during the times of the disappearances? Knowing how loyal a beast such as it can be, it might ken problems where people can't."

O' mumbles to himself.
Maybe the key is magic...
Then realizing he has spoken aloud, retreats inward again.

Eyeing Houtai, the bladeless swordsman rises. "Pardon me, madame, but would you mind if we spoke in confidence with Houtai here?"

"No, nothing comes to mind--" the korobokuru caretaker begins before Ichiro-san suddenly interrupts--


Her brow furrows, but it seems more at the interruption than at the idea. With just the slightest hesitation she quickly agrees, "I have no problems with that at all." she says standing. "Besides I've told you what I know and need to go help Teacher with the children."

Looking at Houtai with a smile, she tells him to be helpful and get to his duties as soon as she can. She then excuses herself, leaves the small anteroom and goes down the main hallway before turning near the far end stepping-up a stairwell and out of view.

The one-eyed man nods obediently, but after she leaves he crosses his arms across his chest. His glaring eye moves slowly from the two "back alley intruders" to Ichiro-san.
This message was last edited by the GM at 22:32, Thu 24 Feb 2011.

OOC: Had I known the old lady was going to respond more verbosely, my character wouldn't have interrupted her. Sorry about that.

"I have a feeling that you're the one we need to talk to, Houtai, and I think you know why. It would be in your best interests to tell us what you know." says the bladeless swordsman, crossing his arms across his chest and meeting the gaze of the man who seemed so nervous just a moment ago.

Ichiro-san wins the quick and subtle battle of wills, and the one-eyed handyman/security guard looks at the floor "You don't know what's best for me..." he snaps, but doesn't sound fully convinced "besides, I don't, ummm, I don't know where they are." He says in a softer tone as glances off toward the connecting hallway,
This message was last edited by the GM at 19:00, Thu 03 Mar 2011.

PM to DM

Arching a brow, the man takes on a calmer tone. "Well, if you could tell us what you *do* know, then perhaps we won't have to turn you into the authorities for detainment and investigation. I can assure you that we're a lot more merciful than your captors would be."

Houtai's upper lip quivers in an snarl-like motion as he quickly (perhaps too quickly) snaps back, "I'm not afraid of city officials! I've protected this orphanage for years!"

Standing up and calmly, but instantaneously replying back, the brown-robed man seems like a coiled snake.
"The orphanage is the children in it, no? How is withholding information regarding their disappearance protecting them?"
This message was last edited by the player at 19:41, Thu 03 Mar 2011.

Zheng-Ze, having once again started to nibble on a small, crunchy, vegetable snack, speaks calmly in different language.

OOC: Spirit Tongue. If your PC speaks it, let me know.

Houtai locks his eye upon Ichiro-san,  "I do ca--" but then is suddenly cut off by whatever soft words the wu jen spoke.

Instead, he stops and stares silently at the floor for a long moment....

He softly speaks back to the Wu Jen
and then switches to the Common Language of the Humans of the East, "I did not know they would kidnap the children." the words tumble-out behind an emotional effort. The man's body language is completely submissive.

OOC: I did a quick, creative move of the posting order for effect.
Also, the dice roller just gave the party a great bounus---Houtai just had an "critical failure on his willpower." (My apologies for any confusion when I accidentally pulled Zheng-Ze's name in the drop-down menu instead of Houtai's!
)
This message was last edited by the GM at 22:21, Thu 03 Mar 2011.

Kuuhaku steps forward and places a gentle hand on Houtai's shoulder.  He speaks in a kindly tone, "If you made a mistake, do what you can to correct it...trying to hide it will only compound the error.  Tell us what we need to know and we will do what we can to end this crisis."  He looks to his companions, hoping they will support his words.

The duelist, seemingly thankful he doesn't have to do anymore talking, nods his assent to Kuuhaku, smirking to himself that he was able to keep his fists from talking for as long as he had, and hoping this gardener paints a clear target on something.

Zheng-Ze speaks rapidly, like always. His tone stays casual and relaxed. "Who..<bite, crunch>..did you not know..<munch, munch>..would take them?"
This message was last edited by the player at 16:09, Fri 04 Mar 2011.

O' watches the interaction with admiration and curiosity. Could he have just witnessed magic?

The one-eyed man nods slightly, more to himself than anyone else it seems, and glances at the Nezumi. "The Saishuu Warai yakuza [Final Laugh Thieves Guild]...they asked about the building and...the locks....I-didn't-take-their-offers-for-many-many-many months" he adds quickly and then falls silent for a moment.....

"But...I thought with the money they offered I could...that I could help replace whatever they stole. I didn't every think..." a trace of anger can be heard in Houtai's voice, "I never thought they were after the children." He looks up at the group and his voice rises, "Why would they do that?". He shuts his mouth almost immediately and glances toward the hallway where the Orphanage's Matron had gone. He rubs a hand across his face in obvious shame.
This message was last edited by the GM at 21:41, Fri 04 Mar 2011.

O' flushed with anger. He could be patient and forgiving of many things that occurred in the world, and saw no evil in the folly of beast, but he had not yet learned any understanding of the unnatural weaknesses of men...
O' looked about him, wondering if this was the time or place to smash.

"Bake them in an oven?" Chizuru says, finishing the rhyme unthinkingly. A moment later, she clapped her hand over her mouth.

"Sorry!  I mean... who knows? But we'll try to stop them, whatever they're trying to do! Is there anything else you can tell us about the Saishuu Warai?" she asks quickly.

OOC: Cool name for a Thieves Guild, T'ien Lung :)

“We should go find the Saishuu Warai yakuza if we suspect they took the children” the ratling suggested.

O' listened impassively. His features were dark, even more so that usual. The thought of children in harms way did not sit easy with him.