Kyuden Hida: Duty and Honor in the Face of Gathering Doom

[Squishy Cheeks]

You have a chance at last to clean up and purify the mud and grim of the dark land from your body. It feels as first you will never come clean. You all sit in the bath house with Kage-sama who as usual is stoiclly silent. The attendants add jade powder to the water, to help you cleanse yourselves better. Quietly you escort Lord Hiruma back to his quarters when you meet kisada and his gaurd in the Hall outside Kage's quarters. There is fury in Kisada's eyes that he is restraining to keep up appearances in public.

"In the audience room, now!" He says no longer disguising his displeasure.

[Thaumaturge]

Sagaki fought the urge to cringe from this giant's wrath, and won, managing to retain his repose. Inclining his head downwards a little, he followed Kisada silently towards the audience chamber, his thoughts turning over what could have caused Kisada's ire, and what fate might be pronounced for this trespass, his stomach twisting into knots of trepidation.

[Malkadocian]

All throughout the bathing... Koyoja stole glances at Zatoichi... within his body... assuredly that had been what happened, but to gaze at his own body, so far away... it was a mind stretching thing. It was something he could not think of now, as he was involved in something much more important. However... the thoughts continued to nag at him... what of his Asako soul? Was its plan still secure within the Grand Plan? Was true growth now barred from him because of the Imperial body he now possessed?... More questions... with no real answers...

-----------

Koyoja followed Sagaki inside of Kisada's chamber, taking his kneeling position at where he should... bowing low to the Lord Daimyo of the Crab Clan. He bowed as a Phoenix Henshin should... not an Imperial Magistrate, but he had been trained all his life as the former.. habits do not die easily.

The subject of Lord Kisada's anger was obvious... it was Hiruma Kage's behavior. To show such a display... as the last of the noble Hiruma... showed great foolishness... but personally, Koyoja could not fault the man's emotions. Love was a powerful thing, indeed. He could only hope Kage would assume the mantle of leadership again, and return to his life.

[Squishy Cheeks]

Kage sets his weapons and armor next to him as he sits in audience with Kisada. Kisada stares at them.

"I see you have returned to your duties. You are getting married at the Hour of the Goat. (4 p.m.) Get Dressed."

Kage's face goes blank you know this death like mask, it's the same face he showed in combat with the lost samurai.

"Does my lord have a name for the women i am to wed, or is that not to concern me?"

Kisada's stare could wither even the mightiest oak and strikes terror even into your heart. His face is obsucred by the Helm of the Shadow Warrior, leaving only his eyes which are fixed on Kage. "We have signed a treaty of aid with the Phoenix." He says flatly. "There are two eligible women here; Isawa Akiko and Asako Kuhime. If you have a choice, speak now."

Kage scowls in defeat. "Hida-sama, Isawa Akiko is barely thirteen winters old..."

"Is that your choice?" Kisada Interupts him, stopping all debate.

"Ku...kuhime. let it be Kuhime." You've never seen a great man so defeated. Kage is barely able to hide his defeat, but his duty is clear.

"I will take my leave." Kisada says. he and his gaurds leave the room. The chime sounds marking it as the Hour of the Dragon (8 a.m.)

ooc: You have 8 hours to do anything you need to do before the wedding. And trust me there is alot to do.

[Thaumaturge]

Once he had been dismissed, Sagaki made his way through the halls of the great fortress. He had a duty to perform still - he should report the group's encounters to Kaiu Takakana, specifically the Dark Moto scouts that had come so close to discovering them...

As he walked he sought out those who might know where Takakana might be found, asking them briefly but politely where the Kaiu might be found. He was not in a hurry, but it was not in his nature to tarry over idle chatter when there was something to attend to, either. It occurred briefly to Sagaki thgat maybe he was missing something in that, that perhaps he would be more socially adept if he took the time for these things... but that thought was quickly dismissed. Let others further themselves by chatter; he had more important things to do.

[Squishy Cheeks]

Kaiu Takakana was in the main hall over seeing the set up for the wedding. "You know you saved the crab a lot of face by secretly bringing Hiruma-san back." Takakana says taking sagaki by the arm. "I will see Hida-sama recognizes your deeds appropriately."

____________
"I've been thinking," nadare whispers into the body that had until recently been Zatoichi. "Zatoichi, we had to rush the job of finding the tsukai. I don't think we found the right person, the yogo was just to convenient."

[Thaumaturge]

Sagaki nodded to Takakana, looking slightly stunned - it hadn't occurred to him that there might be some sort of reward for this. "Thank you, Takakana-san - I appreciate that."

Having made his report, Sagaki wondered what more might be done. For a moment he considered heading to his quarters to catch up on his experiment notes, but on a whim he decided to find out what Nadare was doing, and set off once again, this time in search of his friend.

[Squishy Cheeks]

Takakana grabs Sagaki and pulls him aside. "Who else have you told?" Takakana asks in a hushed tone.

[Thaumaturge]

Sagaki was startled by the sudden question, not to mention Takakana's renewed grip. "Told? No-one, although the other members of the group that I was a part of know, of course..."

[Squishy Cheeks]

"We must notify Hida-sama immediately. Let's find the others."

[Thaumaturge]

Sagaki nodded. "I do not know where my colleagues are now, but I would suggest that we start near Lord Hida-sama's audience room, where I last saw them - perhaps someone there can tell us where they went next, if they are not still there."

[Malkadocian]

Koyoja.. trapped within Zatoichi's body, nodded to Nadare, slow to respond. His body still very... foreign to him. Responding to a name not his own was just as strange.

"Yes... the Yogo was convienent, but was needed at the time. I believe whatever trail that we could have found by the tsukai has long since grown cold since our foray into the Cursed Lands. Time it has had to cover its tracks, and such. However, a discreet investigation is definately warranted. Two suspects are dead. We cannot afford to fail any longer in this matter. We should look at both the Lady Ide's and the Lady Isawa's room for any possible remains that we may have overlooked."

Koyoja shifted a bit, still new in his 'skin'... and furrowed his brows in thought, his own connection to the Kami was in question. For should it be called upon, he could never wield the katana that Zatoichi owned. He had never touched one in his whole life. Now he was expected to have the skill befitting a Magistrate of the Emperor. If he could not rely on the katana at his side, he needed to know of his... unique relationship with the kami.

"If you would give me but an... hour, to prepare myself. I would gladly join you in your task. I have need to meditate a while, center my soul after the trials in the Dark Brothers abode. Until I join you, perhaps you can have Asako Koyoja accompany you. I believe he will be most useful in your investigation."

[Squishy Cheeks]

Kaiu Takakana nearly dragged Sagaki up the stairs. He found the others still loitering around kage's room. "Come with me. NOW!"

[Krylo]

Koyoja's hand began to slide, instinctively, to were a katana should be at the sudden outburst, before he caught himself--realizing that preparing to attack such a man would be foolish, and he no longer carried his katana regardless.

His hand moved back into a comfortable resting position and he moved to follow Takakana.

[Squishy Cheeks]

Kaiu Takakana burst into the audience chambers and grabbed the scorpion diplomat by the scruff his neck.

"My appologies, Bayushi-sama, but i have urgent Clan business to discuss hith Hida-sama, that can not wait."

The scorpion yojimbo looked like they were going to go for hidden weapons when they noticed the emerald magistrate following the Kaiu.

"It is of little matter, I will reschedule our appointment Hida-sama."

Kisada nodded.

Kaiu Takakana genuflected before kisada. Nadare followed suit.

"What is this urgent matter Takakana-san." Hida kisada said. his voice was angered at the interuption.

"Tell him what you told me." Takakana said to Sagaki. "Tell him what happened after you found Hiruma-sama."

[Thaumaturge]

Sagaki, still slightly stunned by his sudden dragging, made his obeisances towards Hida, then paused to collect his thoughts and memories. After a moment he began, relating everything that he had told to Takakana to the best of his recollection, starting from the group's leaving the city, and covering their avoidance of the Dark Moto and the encounter with the oni at the bridge.

[Squishy Cheeks]

"Is this what happened?" Kisada asked?

[Malkadocian]

The form of Zatoichi nodded towards Hida Kisada immediately, agreeing with the facts that Sagaki had laid out.

"Hai, Lord Kisada." It was all that was needed to be said. Bringing up that this body that encased his spirit was not his needed not to be told to Kisada... it would only further entangle the issue. If it was even believed. No... it was an item that was best brought up with a shugenja of the Phoenix, at a later time.

[Squishy Cheeks]

ooc: sorry been busy.

"Return here after the wedding Ceremony, and attend me. I have pressing matters to attend to. You are to make sure that both of the betrothed are in the great hall at the Hour of the Goat, or I will hold you all responsible." Kisada said. "Takakana, begin readying our defenses. Keep it quiet."

ooc: Krylo pick a partner. You will gaurd Kuhime the un picked will gaurd Kage.

[Krylo]

Koyoja turned toward Zatoichi and nodded. "Could you please lend me your assistance in guarding Kuhime, seppun-san?" he asked with a quiet tone of voice. In truth, he only requested Zatoichi's presence, because he hoped to have a few private moments to discuss their particular problem.

[Malkadocian]

"Certainly, Asako-san." The meaning of "Koyoja" was not lost upon him, for he himself was thinking a similar line of thought. Their... unique situation needed much discussion.

"Care to lead the way?" Zatoichi asked, a familiar quiet smile lingering upon his face, eager to find time to... drop this ruse. At least for a time.

[Thaumaturge]

Sagaki nodded as the choice was made, making a mental note of his new duty. "Then it falls to me to guard lord Kage-sama." To be honest, he was happy to have a duty to perform - in the wake of the journey into the Shadowlands he had been left feeling lost, like a cloth on the wind, with no purpose to fulfil. There had been more to do,but he had not known what it might be. At least this was a direction in which to move.

[Squishy Cheeks]

"We have much to discuss Sagaki." Nadare said as he began to walk back to Kage's quarters.

[Thaumaturge]

Falling into step with his friend, Sagaki asked: "What did you have in mind?"

[Squishy Cheeks]

" We need to find the real killer." Nadare said in nothing more than a whisper. "The trail is cold, but we should have all the information we need."

[Thaumaturge]

Sagaki pondered this for a while, walking in silence.

"Where should we begin, do you think?" He said finally.

[Squishy Cheeks]

"maybe we looked at it not wrong, We looked at who had a reason to kill the girl. Maybe we should look at who benefited, in framing Kage-sama's bride."

[Thaumaturge]

Sagaki thought about this for a moment. "Well, Kuhime is now to be Kage-sama's bride... That could be viewed as a benefit. One could argue that it was a risky move, since the other Phoenix here present could also have been chosen, but then again she is only thirteen - an unlikely choice. In any case, she could be... removed, I suppose, if she were to be chosen, although that could begin to draw suspicion closer to the true culprit.

"The other possibility is an enemy of either Kage-sama or his former bride-to-be, of course..."

[Squishy Cheeks]

"Well as a Daimyo of the crab Kage-sama has plenty of enemies. He turned and faced the south. I know somehow the shadowlands army and the murder are connected. They are to close together to be coincidence. We probably have an Oni in our midst."

[Thaumaturge]

Sagaki stopped dead for a moment at those last words. An oni in their midst, walking freely amongst them... The thought slipped through his mind in a brief moment, and then he quickened his pace to catch up to Nadare again.

"You make a good point... But even knowing what we are looking for, where do we begin...?"

[Squishy Cheeks]

"With vigilance. We must wait. You know as well as i the Oni is wearing the skin of someone in this castle, but it will either make a mistake or strike again, and we must be ready to stop it before it does any damage." Nadare knocked on the sliding door to kage's quarters.

"Kage-sama, it is Hida Nadare-san and Kuni Sagaki-san. Hida-sama has assigned us as your Yojimbo, until after the ceremony."

One of kage's servants opened the door and Nadare walked in. Kage was beeing groomed for his wedding.

"So Kisada fears for my safety enough to assign a fine bushi and a skilled priest of the Kuni. It's good that he is at least giving me friends who I know are looking out for my best interest. Do you think the spirits of my ancestors will favor this union?"

[Thaumaturge]

Sagaki bowed to Kage, feeling a slight swell of pride to be described so. "We can but ask them, Lord Kage-sama, if you wish..."

[Malkadocian]

Zatoichi descended unto the forth floor of Kyuden Hida, taking care to hopefully find an empty room in which himself and Koyoja could converse. Instead, all he found was his duty. Lady Kuhime-sama was here, upon this floor, and it seemed the kami had brought them together for this reason. It was not time to converse with Koyoja... not yet. Besides, Koyoja seemed to be enthralled with his own thoughts. Zatoichi glanced over at his thoughtful companion, and shrugged lightly, kneeling outside Kuhime's door, and waiting for the guard outside her room to acknowledge him.