Fantasy Key to an Oath: IC

[Nano]

Key to an Oath:
In Character

Interest Check

Lore

Applications

Characters

Story

物語

When the god Izanagi returned from his descent into the polluted Land of Yomi, he bathed himself within the waters of the plain of Awagihara to purify his body. As he rose from the Tachibana River to dry his body, the droplets that fell upon the earth beneath his feet imbued the land with supernatural energy. From these shed impurities, the strange apparitions known as yokai sprung forth.

In the days of old, malevolent spirits were little more than myths passed down to warn children and weary travelers of the dangers of the night. “Beware of the Yamauba who tricks merchants and feasts on their flesh,” they’d say, among many other stories. However, as the yokai grew in number and strength, the creatures thought to exist only in folktales gradually crept out from the shadows of the night. Compared to the yokai whose natures bestowed them with supernatural gifts, the feeble humans could do little but cloister themselves within the precarious safety of their villages and cities.

The need to protect themselves gave rise to various human-invented techniques to combat malevolent spirits. When the yokai invaded the human capital of Kanoe, a woman who went by the name Chisato purified the city with the mystical arts she wielded. Her discipline would later become known as onmyodo, while the ones who learned the practice became known as onmyoji. This field of study would later branch off into nine main disciplines, with each headed by the nine clans of the Imperial Alliance.

Though not every human was suitable to practice onmyodo, the power of the Nine Clans as well as the influence of the art would carve out distinct territories separating humans from yokai. Fear spurned hatred, and the two races became deadlocked in a constant struggle to stand their ground. From time-to-time, the leaders of the respective sides attempted to make amends, having become weary of the endless millennia of fighting. However, peace talks would never fall through, leading the racial tensions to fester into something far worse than what they had been prior. That is, until a common enemy happened to draw the attention of both sides.

The third year of the Seiun (星雲) Era marked the official recognition of a cease-fire, signed by the Empress, Chief Commissioner, and the three Demon Lords. Initiated by Chief Commissioner Ichimoku Souya, his decision to reach out to the Demon Lords of Mount Kasumi, Onigashima, and Firefly Forest caused a stir within the Imperial Alliance. Amidst the accusations of “desiring to hold hands with monsters” and betraying the human race, the Chief Commissioner remained resolute in his decision. However, rather than a gesture of goodwill towards the yokai, the onmyoji believed that the situation in the nation of Kouka had turned dire enough to require the two races' cooperation.

Kyonshi, corpses reanimated by the power of grudges and resentment, had always been malignant creatures that attacked any living beings indiscriminately. Whether they be driven by the unfulfilled desires of their past selves or drawn to the flow of life, they had always been a menace whenever one appeared and attacked the humans or yokai. As a result, the denizens of Kouka always took care to grant the dead proper burials, even if the body must be buried in a nameless grave. However, the past decade saw a steady rise in the number of Kyonshi seen skulking about. Worse yet were the spelltags found upon the defeated corpses of the Kyonshi, evidence that the corpses were being manipulated by a much more sinister force.

In accordance with the ceasefire agreement, the treaty was signed to authorize a collaborative effort to more efficiently eradicate the Kyonshi infesting various areas in Kouka. In addition, several teams of onmyoji and yokai were assembled for the specific purpose of tracking down the source of the spelltags creating and manipulating the Kyonshi.

Index

索引

Chapter 01: Seeds of Discord
Post #001

Code by Nano

 

[Nano]

Chapter 01: Seeds of Discord

The ceasefire had been met with much opposition from both sides, followed by angry riots and threats of revolts. As a result, the implementation of the treaty was a slow undertaking that required much effort and legwork from the leaders of both sides. The most difficult mandate to enforce by far was the order to remove any and all anti-yokai and anti-human measures and allow free passage between all regions regardless of race. Amidst the sea of complaints regarding “allowing vermin to invade our lands” and concerns over safety, the mandate had ultimately proven successful given the decrease in casualties from kyonshi attacks. However, much of the first year of the treaty had been dedicated to fortifying each region’s defenses and had little to no direct collaboration between the two races.

In a public convocation headed by both the Chief Commissioner and the Demon Lord of Mt. Kasumi, the two leaders announced the formation of the treaty’s first Special Investigations Unit. Unlike previous units that had been grouped up and sent off to the nation’s various locations, the Special Investigations Unit was composed of a mix of yokai and humans as a means of creating a unit with a more diverse skill set and knowledge. Despite its idealistic goal of promoting unity and allowing for more efficient allocation of resources by having a greater pool to match compatible members with, the formation of the unit was inevitably met with a large degree of skepticism. In truth, many of the clans’ leaders and the demon lords themselves considered the Special Investigations Unit to be little more than an experimental group with little to no actual weight.

After two months of joint training sessions, the Special Investigations Unit finally received the details concerning their first official dispatch. Unlike the other units prior which focused on defense, the Special Investigations Unit primary goal was to dedicate themselves to discovering the root cause of the recent influx in kyonshi. Perhaps contrary to the expectations of its current members, the unit was ordered to be shipped off to Akagiri located in Seiryu near its shared border with Kirin. Aside from rumors of a series of murders two decades ago, Akagiri was a town of little note. Not much occurred in the town, and the townspeople themselves were known for being reclusive and sticking within their own borders. However, recent years had shown an odd trend: though the surrounding area was known for hosting a relatively high amount of kyonshi activity, they never seemed to pay much attention to Akagiri itself and favored the other neighboring villages. When one of the onmyoji stationed nearby had ventured into the town to investigate the matter, he was unable to pick out anything particularly odd aside from the eerie sensation he felt while trying to sleep at night.

Their objective was simple. Even if the reason why the kyonshi didn’t go out of their way to attack Akagiri was not related to whatever was controlling them, figuring out what repelled them was still vital information. Recognizing the benefits despite her doubts regarding the Special Investigations Unit, Princess Hakaze had generously lent the unit one of her prized Oboroguruma. Though the giant face sitting at the front of the cart was grotesquely shapen with eyes that wildly wandered aimlessly, the ghostly oxcart was surprisingly spacious (as opposed to what its compact exterior suggested) and its interior was furnished with a level of comfort fit for royalty. The wind whistled sharply as the oxcart hurtled past unpaved dirt roads and poorly maintained forest paths, yet the passengers it carried felt naught a bump or rickety shake.

At present, the members of the Special Investigations Unit were resting in Ichiwara, a town close to their final destination but still a few ways from Akagiri. A handful of the yokai milling about the streets whispered while pointing and staring, while others shushed their children and urged them to hurry along. Fortunately, as it was already approaching nightfall, the majority of the townspeople had already tucked themselves at their respective homes for the day.

As for the Special Investigations Unit, after settling into their designated lodgings for the night, some stewed in the awkward silence. Others went in search of food, while some may have even gone ahead to interrogate the townspeople regarding anything they might know about Akagiri as an excuse to escape the tense atmosphere. Should any have taken to the streets, whispers about “traitors” or “mongrels” were virtually inescapable.

 

[Nano]

Location: Ichiwara, Inn

Kokuyo

Camellia

Over the two months of training, humans and yokai alike dropped from the Special Investigations Unit until only a handful remained. Perhaps some were like Kokuyo themselves and were trapped within this little deal between the authoritative figures of Kouka. Without a doubt, there were some who genuinely believed that the unit would be able to push forward the nation’s progress that had stagnated due to their inability to unveil the cause behind the artificially animated corpses. When the bickering and microaggressions grew too much, however, it wasn’t long until they too had left, disillusioned with the unit’s purpose. Amidst all the uncertainties, only a motley crew of characters managed to see things through to the day that they were finally handed an official dispatch notice. Whether or not they’d succeed was a different matter altogether.

Well, we’ll worry about that when we get there,

Kokuyo thought while idly twisting a twig between their thumb and index finger. Despite the less-than-gentle handling, the three flowers decorating the twig swayed gracefully with not a petal out of place. Carefully preserved by the power of the sakura spirit it had come from, the small clipping had remained fresh without any extra care over the past three days. However, what concerned Kokuyo was not the state of the flowers but rather their location. When Hanae had handed them the twig, the yokai had given the group a stern warning not to lose it, as it was difficult to produce a twig blessed with the ability to communicate with them while remaining durable enough to last a year. Kokuyo had become the unfortunate bearer of the twig due to having been standing the closest at the time. Though they hadn’t paid much mind to the matter at first, when the twig had fallen from their sleeve and they’d nearly accidentally left it behind while alighting from the oboroguruma, they’d taken it as a sign to find the twig a new handler.

The tall human who was always dressed with practicality in mind seemed like the best choice, but an onmyoji had no need for the twig. After all, they had their own methods of communicating via their talismans.

As Kokuyo observed the members of the Special Investigations Unit go on with their business now that they’d finally arrived at a town to rest for the night, their eyes landed on the back of a certain figure. Suddenly, it became an easy choice. Their face lit up as they recalled the way in which the lady with the lantern would obsessively cling to it as if it were her greatest treasure.

“Miss!”

they called out.

Ah, what was her name again? No matter.

Ignoring whatever expression the yurei wore on her face at Kokuyo’s approach, the camellia spirit briskly walked up to the woman. As swiftly but gently as they could, they slipped the sakura into her hair and tucked it behind her right ear.

“Please keep that safe for me, or else Hanae-san will become angry,”

they explained with a smile. Though their expression was devoid of mischief or any emotion other than the intention to pass on a sincere request, Kokuyo quickly made themselves scarce to avoid the potential wrath of the lantern lady.

On the way back to their allotted room, Kokuyo noticed the way the innkeeper jumped as they passed by. Shrugging off her reaction with nothing more than a glance, the yokai paid no mind to the old woman who scurried off in a hurry and proceeded on with their preparations for the night.

#tsukiko

Code by Nano

 

[Dawnsx]

Location: Ichiwara, Inn

Asaka

Gojo

Asaka’s first thought upon being thrusted into the Special Investigations Unit was to find a way out. He knew better than to directly defy his father’s orders, so maybe he could find a way for the higher-ups to have no choice but to eject him. The idea was quickly discarded though, only because his pride wouldn’t be able to handle what people would say if he couldn’t even make the cut in a group of lesser onmyoji and yokai.

He wanted to say that Tadamasa’s decision to toss him in with a group of outcasts and good-for-nothings was incomprehensible, but he couldn’t. He wasn’t blind to the Gojo clan’s disdain and disappointment in him, nor was he deaf to the occasional rumors that still floated about regarding the incident that left his family in shambles. In the end, he could only grit his teeth and persist through the training. If he couldn’t get out, then he would be the best there was in the unit and prove to his father that he didn’t belong with the rabble.

If things went well, Tadamasa would retrieve Asaka from the unit after this first mission of theirs. For now though, he had to suffer breathing the same air as his fellow unit members in their lodgings. On an empty stomach, no less.

He approached the innkeeper with a severe frown.

“Do you not provide dinner to your guests?”

Asaka snapped. He opened his mouth to demand food, but quickly swallowed his words. He didn’t trust any yokai to prepare his meal, especially not after all the hostile stares and murmurs from the Ichiwara residents. The feeling was mutual, at least. Instead, he asked impatiently,

”You must have a kitchen and ingredients for a meal, at least? I’ll pay for whatever I use, so tell me the way.”

Code by Nano

 

[Steve Jobs]

» kazetani tsurugi

『 TAGGED 』 Open

"Leaves fall from the vine
Drifting through the cold waters
Miss, please refill my wine"​

Tsurugi hummed, plucking the strings on his shamisen. Where other members of the Special Investigation Unit went to rest, he opted to eat at one of the few restaurants open for a late dinner. Though not a target for malicious entities, most of the businesses closed early and Tsurugi had slept the day away in the Oboroguruma. Sure, he could have subsisted off the provisions in his bag, but per his brother's recommendation he just had to try the food in Ichiwara at least once in his life.

As it turned out, Teruyuki had good taste. The rice was grilled to perfection while the radish was just acidic enough to offset the fattiness of the grilled eel. To top it off, whoever brewed the sake must have been a master because he finished his third tokkuri. He shot the waitress a sheepish grin as she took his empty carafe.

It was a welcome distraction from the bigger mission given by his father. Though it was imperative that the SIU eliminate the source of the Kyonshi, he was also tasked to find information on the Kazetani members in the Yonaga clan. Up until the day of their execution, their representative had kept a correspondence with the main branch of the Kazetani family wherein, their ancestors requested knowledge of "something important" but never received an answer. Frankly, Tsurugi wasn't even sure the documents still existed but there was no harm in keeping a lookout if they ever passed by the correspondent's old place of residence. So far all the other members of the Special Investigation Unit had proven themselves capable of defending Kouka so they ought to be able to handle themselves should he ever need to wander off.

"Your sake," the waitress announced, setting down a refilled container and removing Tsurugi's empty dishes, "and just so you know, we are closing up so please finish up."

"Aw, but the night is so young," Tsurugi sighed, producing a string of coins from his pack. In his haze, he was pretty sure he overpaid for the meal but paid no mind as he downed the rest of the alcohol straight from the vessel.

Perhaps they'd have something stronger at the inn.

code by Nano

 

[OldTurtle]

Location: Ichiwara, Inn

Shūzen

Ducking low to avoid the door-frame, Shūzen stepped over the threshold of the inn. Its wooden interior was a familiar sight, similar to any of the dozens of other inns he'd stayed in over the years. It would have been impressive how consistent they were if it weren't equally as unimaginative. Was there some sort of Kouka-wide architectural standard every inn was compelled to follow? Shūzen scratched his chin and shrugged. At least this one wasn't the smallest he'd ever seen. There had been many would've been cramped even not accounting for his large frame. He'd learned over the years that comfort was a rarity when traveling, and ought to be appreciated when it was found.

But while the human princess's loaned Oboroguruma - the likes of which Shūzen had only ever seen twice before from a distance and certainly never ridden -, had made the ride physically comfortable, but no less stifling. It was no fault of the Oboroguruma, of course, as they were certainly fit for royalty. But the few members of the Special Investigations Unit remaining were far from the most sociable bunch and the journey to Akagiri had been stifling. Such an awkward mood. The old yokai could use a good, strong drink now - or two, or a dozen. Yes, a dozen sounded good.

Reaching down to his left hip, Shūzen retrieved a large, gourd-shaped flask. He hefted it with a frown and sighed, refastening the bottle to his belt. It was almost empty, an unfortunate consequence of drinking his boredom away on the ride over. With only a few meagre droplets remaining, he'd have to resupply in town at some point. But for now, hopefully the inn would have something palatable to drink.

Ignoring the way she flinched as they walked by, Shūzen approached the innkeeper. Similarly choosing not to comment on the young Gojo's... pointed remarks, he sidled up besides the pair.

"And two bottles of your finest sake to start, if you would," Shūzen followed on the onmoyji's heels, smiling disarmingly at the old woman. He shifted his weight conspicuously, drawing attention to the swollen drawstring bag of coins hanging besides his flask. "With more to come later."

Code by Nano

 

[nios]

Location: ICHIWARA, INN

月娘

tsukiko

Tsukiko dreamed again and she wished she hadn’t. She favored dreamless slumbers where stillness and a dark abyss welcomed her. The hauntingly distant laughter of children among the sweet scent of fresh pine and crisp snow only made her feel bitter when she woke up. As the yurei spurred awake, she found herself and her precious lantern alone inside the traveling cart.

By the time her fatigued figure crept out of the Oboroguruma, night had fallen and the others in the unit were dispersed somewhere in the town. Tsukiko, reinvigorated with the intent of exploring the town for the rest of the night, was hit by a wave of nausea. "Urrgh," she groaned as she leaned against the cart to steady herself. Suddenly, it became apparent that sleeping did not dispel the inevitable motion sickness. The disgruntled and now nauseated Tsukiko wanted to loathe herself for going into a hibernation state during transport. She knew fully well where it would lead her, but turned her finger at her lantern instead. "I did it for you, got it? All I do is for you. Do not blame me."

Tsukiko continued to jab accusations at her lantern, which left her to linger by the Oboroguruma for some time. They, Tsukiko and her lantern-counterpart, seemed to have made amends as Tsukiko was now currently distracted by the oxcart’s hideousness. Unbeknownst to the others, she was staring at the oxcart for a good half-hour before she decided, "...Yup. I'm going to smack it." Confident in her intrusive thoughts' success, Tsukiko’s free hand reached to smack the Oboroguruma’s cheek―

“Miss!”

Tsukiko immediately stole her hand back. A sharp hiss slipped from her tongue as she whipped around to face the interrupter of her plans. Meanwhile, a protective arm coiled tightly around her lantern. “I'm innocent―”

Silence lodged in her throat as a foreign object was felt being tucked upon her ear. Taken aback by the gesture, Tsukiko plucked it off immediately and scowled at the branch. She was prepared to throw it back to Kokuyo, but alas, they fled before they could face her verbal barrage.

Tsukiko huffed and her shoulders drooped in admittance to her new role as… plant babysitter? Was this her ultimate excuse for joining the Special Investigation Unit? She tossed the sakura branch inside her lantern without a second thought and mumbled to the lantern the same message Kokuyo gave her. “Keep that damn thing safe or Hanana-whatever-her-name-is will get pissed.”

No, no… She recalled it was to “find herself”, but who would have thought Tsukiko (of all the yurei) would be the type to oblige requests and orders? “Well, I have no choice if I want to stay here,” she remarked to the steady glowing lantern. Now that her annoyance seemed to be an excellent pacifier to her nausea, Tsukiko parted ways from the oxcart and proceeded with her tour into the town.

#kokuyo

Code by Nano

 

[Sunsmiter]

Eiyuu-Ou
Interactions: Open
​

The water yokai was simply meditating in their chambers, scaled hands clasping a simple cup of tea that seemed to never get cold before the master of water and fortune. They saw no real need to venture out, and if their false clairvoyance was telling them anything, going out would not be a good idea. Not opening their golden eyes, the dragon lifted the cup, gingerly taking a sip. Herbal, with a faint bitterness to it, coupled by the slowly spreading sensation of warmth so rarely felt in the shapeshifting dragon.
While Eiyuu wouldn't outright complain, the sensation of being so far from their shrine, the throne of false tithes upon which they had guarded for so long, masquerading as a benevolent spirit with only a fraction of what it felt like to be truly benevolent, was an odd sensation to get used to. Rarely anything could have swayed them, come hell or high water.

(Sorry for the late post, I had two performances)

 

[Steve Jobs]

» kazetani tsurugi

『 TAGGED 』 @OldTurtle @Dawnsx

The walk back to the inn was a short one, made eventful only by crickets chirping under the moonlight. It shouldn't have been a surprise that he didn't see any of his fellow SIU members roaming around, but it still disappointed him. As straight laced as Araki was, he expected to at least see her picking herbs or whatever it was that Nitou Clan members did in their free time. Eiyuu-Ou, too, was nowhere to be found but he could forgive their absence given that they had no need for "normal" sustenance.

"I'm heeeere," Tsurugi announced as he twirled into the building, "who's ready for round two?"

No answer, which again, was not surprising but still disappointing.

It seemed that the innkeeper was engaged with two of the other members of the Special Investigations Unit, though the look on her face seemed wary at best. He hadn't worked with either of them very closely before the mission but Gojo's reputation preceded him. The boy had skill, but his temper was far fiercer than that of other clan members. Shuzen, on the other hand, was a total mystery. Aside from never having seen a yokai like him before, that flask constantly danced in his mind. Tsurugi was no alcoholic but the idea of something so potent that no human could consume it, only tempted him further.

"You know what? Make that three bottles," Tsurugi exclaimed, holding his fingers up for emphasis.

"Ah, yes..." the old woman smiled weakly, "please take a seat."

code by Nano

 

[Nano]

Chapter 01: Seeds of Discord

When passing by with her head bowed failed to deter the Special Investigations Unit from calling out to the innkeeper, she reluctantly lifted her head to meet the gaze of the irritated purple-haired onmyoji. Her eyes darted nervously between Asaka and the two others coming up from behind the man, as if fearful that the trio had appeared to gang up on her.

The old woman wrung her wrinkled hands together and slowly shook her head from side-to-side when Asaka continued his pointed remarks. “No, no sir. We couldn’t possibly have a guest trouble themselves over preparing their own meal!” The considerably less harshly worded requests of Shūzen and Tsurugi did little to calm her nerves, and her only response was to smile weakly and hurriedly offer her guests a seat in the dining hall.

As soon as she pointed them towards the correct room, the old lady turned to yell down the corridor, “Shizuka! Shizuka dear! Tell the kitchen that the guests from Kanoe are ready for their meal, will you?”

Within a minute, a tall woman gracefully turned the corner of a hallway and stopped before the group. Though her height didn’t reach Shūzen’s, the crown of her head was level with his line of sight, causing her to tower over the innkeeper. Her face bore dog-like features and a thin wreath of flaming feathers adorned and lazily licked at her neckline. Though her expression was serene, the yokai was unafraid of displaying the contempt blazing in her rubescent eyes.

“A meal for three? Shall I bring the other’s meals to their rooms?” she asked.

The old woman nodded, “Yes, dear. And remember to bring out three bottles of sake to the dining hall.”

“The Special Investigations Unit is awfully carefree. It’s reassuring to see they’ve sent such confident men,” the younger yokai remarked. Though her words bit sarcastically at the request for liquor, her tone remained modest and placid. Before the shocked innkeeper could get in a word, the young woman bowed respectfully. “Then, I’ll make sure to retrieve the finest bottles we’ve received from the local brewery.”

“P-please allow me to apologize in her place,” the innkeeper stammered, stepping between her guests and the figure of Shizuka drifting back towards the kitchens. “She means no harm. Many residents in Ichiwara are wary of Akagiri-”

Suddenly, the old woman paused, as if she had just caught herself before spilling information that she was reluctant to reveal. A nervous smile returned to her face, and she let out a strained laugh. “Ah, the villages near the borders where Lord Rei’s influence is weak don’t take very kindly to outsiders. I do hope you enjoy your brief stay here, regardless.”

Dawnsx Steve Jobs OldTurtle


Tsukiko would find herself stopped once again by yet another fellow who was oddly chipper compared to the tense mood of the village. Not long into her solitary tour, a man chatting cheerfully while playing cards with a natto kozo suddenly excused himself from his partner and bounded towards the yurei.

“Heey! Scowling Lady! Ghost Lady!” he called out. He stumbled clumsily while giving chase, but he was quick to catch himself and wave a bandaged hand at the woman. When he finally caught up to the woman, he gave her a once over and nodded to himself as if satisfied that he’d gotten something he’d assumed about her correct. Messy bangs hung low over his eyes, but the yokai’s beaming made it evident that he was (for some reason) glad to see Tsukiko.

“Whew, for being the talk of the town, you guys sure are difficult to meet in person,” he said while wiping his nonexistent sweat for dramatic effect. “So, Miss Lantern Lady. You’re not from here, are you? Which means you’re with those onmyoji from Kanoe everyone’s been talking about?”

A sharp clap would echo through the relatively empty streets of Ichiwara, and the man bowed slightly while clasping his hands before his head as if in prayer. “Could you maybe pleeeeease hear me out? Ya know. Help out a poor sod and collect some good karma?”

nios

 

[Dawnsx]

Location: Ichiwara, Inn

Asaka

Gojo

It wasn't everyday that Asaka felt inclined to agree with a yokai, but he couldn't help but snort at Shizuka's barbed words, even if he was included as one of the victims of her thinly veiled insult. At least he wasn't the only one taking issue with members of the Special Investigations Unit drinking on the job.

Averse as he was with sharing a dining space with the blithe onmyoji and a literal primate, Asaka kept his silence if only to find out if Kazetani learned anything of use on his brief excursion. Though, perhaps there was more to be learned from this innkeeper. Asaka narrowed his eyes at the crone's slip of the tongue.

“I hope you're not withholding information that would impede our investigation,"

Asaka said sharply, leaning forward over the counter.

Code by Nano

 

[Sunsmiter]

Eiyuu-Ou
Location: Home -> Inn
Interactions: Dawnsx Steve Jobs OldTurtle
​

​

"Hello. My apologies for being late." The pale gold yokai seemed oblivious to the atmosphere inside the inn as they gracefully glided in from the door, ducking slightly to avoid goring their antlers against the doorframe. "I thought I'd join my teammates."
Eiyuu, with an impeccable sense for chaos as always. "Innkeeper." the yokai smiled faintly. "May I have a cup of tea?"
They took a seat near the others of the Special Investigation Unit, carefully folding their robes to cover their scales. Eiyuu resembled a moving ocean, eternally shifting, waves eternally caught in the throes of change. "Please, do continue upon your conversation. I'd hate to intrude."

 

[OldTurtle]

Location: Ichiwara, Inn

Shūzen

Shūzen's thin, dark lips peeled back further into a broad grin upon Tsurugi's arrival, the mysterious, young onmyoji obviously having had a few drinks of his own already. The yokai reached out to pat Tsurugi's shoulder with a heavy mitt and laughed boisterously.

"Ah, company is always appreciated! So few seem to appreciate the worth of a good drink lately," Shūzen sighed dramatically, pressing a hand to his forehead in mock distress. "Such a shame, I say."

The silvered yokai looked up from his act as a second woman approached, nearly as tall as him and with an impressively intense look of utter disdain painted across her features. His already ear-splitting grin widened again - if that was somehow possible. Shūzen had faced plenty of hatred from both humans and yokai as a member of the Special Investigations Unit, but such barefaced scorn was almost refreshing compared to the chore of avoiding the usual concealed venom.

"No need to apologize," Shūzen interjected gently, folding over into a low, sweeping bow as Shizuka returned. "Even unknowingly, she spoke truly - we are indeed among the finest and most capable in all of Kouka. Rest assured the Special Investigations Unit will work tirelessly for everyone's sake. Of course, any information you could offer us - no matter how large or small - would be greatly appreciated." Eyes flicking to the side as Eiyuu joined them, Shūzen spoke reassuringly but firmly. "Remember, madam, we are here only to help."

#Tsurugi

Code by Nano

 

[Steve Jobs]

» kazetani tsurugi

『 TAGGED 』 OldTurtle (Shuzen) Sunsmiter (Eiyuu-Ou) Dawnsx (Gojo Asaka) Nano (Innkeeper)

Tsurugi returned Shuzen's shoulder pat with a grin, nodding with the vigor of a man back from the dead. Whether out of spite or an attempt to diffuse the tension, he acted oblivious to the taller woman's sarcasm. So long as it wasn't laced with poison, he didn't care whether drink was poured by a friend or a foe. As much as Gojo tried to act intimidating, it was hard to throw his weight around when he was close to a head shorter than the rest of the SIU members.

"Oh, Eiyuu! Nice of you to join us," Tsurugi nodded after seeing the Yokai approach them. Though Shuzen was doing his best to curry the innkeeper's favor, a presence as calming as theirs was always welcome. He turned back to the innkeeper with a calm gaze, the flush seemingly gone from his face.

"If it suits you, we are also happy to answer any concerns you or your staff may have about our investigation."

code by Nano

 

[Nano]

Chapter 01: Seeds of Discord

If the old woman’s wrinkled skin weren’t already a sickly shade of white, she might have blanched at Asaka’s accusatory remarks. She opened her mouth, taking a moment to quickly inhale before silently closing her mouth once again. Fortunately, Eiyuu’s entrance seemed to snap her out of her stupor, and the woman quickly gathered her wits enough to nod and pour another cup of tea for the extra guest.

“There are a few odd rumors, but I assure you that they’re nothing of note,” the old woman said carefully while sliding the fresh cup of tea towards Eiyuu. As if fearful that they weren’t convinced, she quickly added, “Nothing but a few words that the riff raff in town spread to cause a little trouble. The yōkai in this town dislike Akagiri and onmyōji, but they won’t act foolishly.” Before anyone could inquire about the rumors the innkeeper mentioned, she hastily excused herself using preparing an extra meal for Eiyuu as an excuse to make her escape.

The four would be left to chat among themselves for another five minutes before Shizuka arrived with three other members of the inn’s staff and their meals. Once their meals were set and the bottles of sake were delivered, the three excused themselves while the dog-like yōkai remained on standby in case their guests were in need of anything else.

Though Shizuka sat to the side in a respectful manner, the scrutiny in her gaze had all but disappeared. Her ear closest to the dining area’s door flicked once, and she suddenly let out a small sigh. “The madam is too kind to say it, but it would do you good to be wary of Akagiri’s residents. They’re naught but a pit of vipers, and I fear that your incompetence in Akagiri might implicate our village.” Perhaps it was due to the innkeeper’s absence, but the yōkai had abandoned all pretense and lifted her head arrogantly. However, before she could get in another word, a commotion erupted in the hallway.

Though most of the words were garbled and incomprehensible from within the room, those with sharper ears would be able to make out the words “he’s back” and “warn them to stay indoors.”

Dawnsx Steve Jobs OldTurtle Sunsmiter

 

[Steve Jobs]

» kazetani tsurugi

『 TAGGED 』 Dawnsx (Gojo Asaka) OldTurtle (Shuzen) Sunsmiter (Eiyuu-Ou)

Tsurugi shot a look, first towards Shuzen, then Gojo, and finally Eiyuu.

He couldn't be the only one who heard that. As much as he would have loved to sit back and enjoy the free meal, Tsurugi was still an onmyoji it was nigh impossible to ignore Shizuka's words nor the subsequent murmurs from the hallway. It wasn't unreasonable for locals to be mistrustful of their group, but they weren't wholly incompetent people. Surely they ought to have gone to group first right?

His eyes moved over to Shizuka who comfortably positioned away from their table.

"Do you often get visitors this noisy?" he asked, "or are we a special case?"

code by Nano

 

[OldTurtle]

Location: Ichiwara, Inn

Shūzen

Shūzen sighed, halfway through his first cup of sake when Shizuka spoke. Choosing to first drain the remainder of the cup and pour out another before responding, he chuckled softly.

"The warning is appreciated, though I feel I ought to be offended by your lack of faith." Shūzen glances around the table at his companions before drinking deeply again. His eyes flicked to the doorway as the hushed cries arose, then returned to his glass. "Yet I find such emotions to sour the taste of even the finest of sake." Placing his now-empty cup onto the table, the massive ape rose from his seat, stepping out past Shizuka. He took a few steps toward the source of the noise, then paused and glanced at the smaller yokai, giving her a sharply-fanged grin. "But if you wish not to be... 'implicated' by our actions, I recommend you explain your warning about Akagiri to my companions. The better informed we are, the less likely your village suffers any unfortunate consequences."

With his piece said, Shūzen turned to head toward the hallway. He paused, a half-step away, and looked back to the table, scooping up one of the bottles of sake then making his way across the room. Whatever commotion was occurring, it seemed likely to be of interest to the SIU - but the yokai'd be damned if he had to work without a few more drinks in him.

Code by Nano

 

[Nano]

Chapter 01: Seeds of Discord

Shizuka ignored the lightly-worded quips and subtle threats of the Shōjō and calmly stood to the side out of the yōkai’s way. Before Shūzen could leave the room, a lanky yōkai slid open the door to the dining hall and stuck his head into the room. He was dressed in a ratty blue jinbei and appeared to be little more than skin and bones. A singular eye peeked out from a tear within the tattered umbrella made of red oiled paper bound tightly around his neck, and the kasa-obake stared at the inhabitants of the room before wildly looking around.

“I thought there were six?” he asked while jerking his head from side-to-side as if looking harder would make the two missing members of the SIU magically appear..

Compared to her coworker who seemed about ready to collapse in fright, Shizuka’s cold expression remained unchanging. “One decided to eat in their room, while the other has yet to arrive at our inn,” she replied, clearly disinterested in whatever had the kasa-obake so worked up.

“We get our fair share of rowdy guests, but as you can see, I hope you can accept the inn’s apology about the ruckus our staff is causing.” Though Shizuka had turned to give Tsurugi’s previous question a belated answer, her tone was far from apologetic. “To show my sincerity, I have a story that I’m sure you’ll all be quite interested in.”

“Shizuka!” The kasa-obake gripped the woman’s wrist and moved to pull her out of the room, but the hostess refused to budge. Though his facial expressions were difficult to decipher from under his umbrella, his reluctance to allow their guests to hear whatever Shizuka had to say was evident in his harsh scolding. “Do you know what you’re doing!”

“Oh, I know what I’m doing,” Shizuka snapped. A sharp tug pulled her arm free from the bony hand attempting to drag her out of the room, and she rubbed it gingerly as a deep scowl revealed her repressed resentment for their current state of affairs. The flames decorating her neckline flared up to match her foul mood, but she made no move to physically jab back at the man. “The question is, are you aware of what you’re doing? First was the woman washing her clothes by the river. Then it was the old carpenter. Are you going to wait until it eventually kills someone?”

The frame of the kasa-obake’s tattered umbrella rattled in response, but the yōkai remained silent. Seeing that the man would no longer interrupt her, Shizuka turned her attention back to the four in the room who no doubt had questions about the incidents she’d just mentioned.

“You wish for our cooperation, and I’ll personally see to it that you get whatever information you need on Ichiwara and Akagiri. However, you’ll first need to gain the trust of the village.” Rather than a threat, Shizuka spoke as if it were simply a matter of fact. “Our village is full of craftsmen and not fighters. We fear conflict and being accused of crimes we didn’t commit more than anything. However, the three kyonshi you heard running amok just now are making that very difficult.”

In a rare display of humility, Shizuka bowed her head towards the members of the SIU. “There isn’t much time, so I promise that I’ll explain the full story after making sure everyone is safe. If you have any quick questions, I’ll answer to the best of my abilities. I just request that you vanquish the kyonshi troubling this village.”

Dawnsx Steve Jobs OldTurtle Sunsmiter

 

[Dawnsx]

Location: Ichiwara, Inn

Asaka

Gojo

Asaka's eyes narrowed at Shizuka's brusque manner of speaking. Quite often did people murmur and gossip about the his capabilities as an onmyoji, but rarely did anyone insult his abilities straight to his face. Infuriating as it was, he forced himself to tamp down the instinctive urge to snap back at Shizuka. Impudent as she was, she was proving herself more informative than the innkeeper.

Before Asaka could ask—demand—Shizuka to elaborate on her statement about the Akagiri citizens, a ruckus broke out in the hallway, followed by kasa-obake coming into the room. His exchange with Shizuka made little sense to Asaka, but the woman soon elaborated on what exactly had gotten the kasa-obake so worked up, and went further to offer the SIU an offer that they can't refuse. As it was, they were heading into Akagiri blind, and they needed whatever scraps of information that they could get.

“If this is a ploy just to get us to do your bidding, then I will personally make sure that you regret it,"

Asaka said, glowering at Shizuka. He lifted his head up haughtily at his fellow SIU members.

"I will be handling those kyonshi. I care not whether the rest of you join me."

With that made clear, he turned back to Shizuka and asked,

"What can you tell me about the kyonshi's abilities and tendencies?"

Code by Nano

 

[Nano]

Chapter 01: Seeds of Discord

Though Asaka’s blatant threat and arrogance caused the kasa-obake’s eye to narrow in thinly veiled anger, Shizuka only nodded solemnly. “You have my word,” she swore, albeit not without a warning dosed with her usual sarcasm, “though I would advise against throwing your life away for the information you desire.”

“Fret not.”

When a voice suddenly came from beyond the open doorway, Shizuka’s head would snap towards the newcomer. Quickly recognizing the white-haired intruder as another member of the SIU, the confusion and suspicion on her face soon morphed into a scowl. Despite having clearly displeased the yokai with their interruption, the culprit merely gave her and anyone else who bothered to look a low lying but cheerful wave.

“We’re all aware that Sir Chief Commissioner would be very disappointed if he hears that we left everything to little Gojo here,” Kokuyo continued with a playful lilt. The corner of their lip was quirked into a carefree smile, almost belittling the gravity of the situation. “He does have a point that we need information on the kyonshi, however.”

A faint click of her tongue from Shizuka had Kokuyo shut their mouth obediently, and the dog yokai soon obliged Asaka’s request. “For a span of five nights within each month, a group of four kyonshi become active within the neighboring forest and then seemingly vanish until the following month. They fight viciously, yet they appear to be bound by a set of rules. They flee and disappear without a trace the moment dawn breaks, and they never attempt to force their way into a building. So long as you remain indoors and ignore their knocking, nothing will happen.”

“We’ve managed to keep injuries low by hiding indoors, but some aren’t notified in time while others foolishly believe they can catch and defeat the kyonshi due to the corpses having once been humans without any notable abilities or skills that we’d consider dangerous. But this village is used to peace, so no one is particularly experienced in combat. You can’t pick them off one-by-one, as the others will flock to the area the moment the one you injured lets out its ugly screech. Should you be strong enough to heavily mangle their rotting bodies, three of the kyonshi will flee the moment they’re heavily injured before eventually returning with nary a scratch, but the one carrying a hoe seems to meld any broken bones and torn flesh back together in an instant. They’ve never shown any other abilities, but their physical capabilities alone made it better for us to simply hide away during the nights that they appear. That’s about all anyone here can tell you about them.”

Shizuka stood from where she’d been kneeling and ran her palms down the front of her kimono to straighten out any creases. “Akabane can lead you to where he last saw them, but I’ll have to excuse myself to make sure all the guests are safe. If you can’t find me when the time comes for me to fulfill my side of the deal, ask for the madam to call for me.”

When the kasa-obake was left alone in the room with the members of the SIU, his shoulders slumped forward and his head fell into his hands. Though clearly reluctant to allow the SIU to handle the case, the yokai inhaled deeply and made a curt gesture signaling for the others to follow him. Any questions asked on the way would be ignored by Akabane, and further attempts to press him for answers would only result in him scoffing and retaining his stubborn silence.

The streets of Ichiwara were eerily silent with not a soul in sight, no doubt abandoned due to the inherent danger that the kyonshi posed. Even the lamps that had been keeping the streets lit just an hour prior had been snuffed out, leaving the moon as the sole light source illuminating the otherwise dark night. However, it wouldn’t be long before Akabane stopped in his tracks.

Tap, tap, tap.

A faint knocking sound echoed throughout the dead of the night. The tapping noise would appear again, eventually turning into dull thumps. Then, after a short pause, the group would hear sandals shuffling across the floor accompanied by the sound of something being dragged through dirt.

A figure clumsily swayed from side-to-side as it departed from the door of the fourth house to the SIU’s left. The kyonshi appeared to be alone with only a long object in hand.

Dawnsx Steve Jobs OldTurtle Sunsmiter

 

[Steve Jobs]

» kazetani tsurugi

『 TAGGED 』 Dawnsx (Gojo Asaka) OldTurtle (Shuzen) Sunsmiter (Eiyuu-Ou) Nano (Kokuyo)

Tsurugi downed a cup of sake before letting out a long and breathy sigh. Even when Shizuka was begging, the Gojo boy was incorrigible. Briefly, the onmyoji contemplated leaving the situation up to the other members of the SIU but the lack of response from Eiyuu and Kokuyo's sudden intrusion told him that there no logical reason for him to stay behind.

This was to say, if word got back to his father, Tsurugi would be told to go out with honor.

The Kazetani man produced a roll of blank paper, spinning it in his hand as Akabane led the group through Ichiwara. His mind was already swapping between Yatagarasu and Makami as the optimal pick for their situation. Either of them could slay a kyonshi given enough time, but ensuring its silence however, was another matter. Would Gojo's talismans be enough to restrain the beast? Kokuyo's branches? Shuzen's strength? The questions pooled in his mind, only evaporating once the creak of a door brought his attention to a nearby house.

Hallowed in face, shoddy in stance, and partially exposed in moonlight it seemed that the search was already over.

"I'm not much of a strategist, but we should strike while its still unaware of us," he said, unfurling a roll of paper.

code by Nano

 

[Sunsmiter]

Eiyuu-Ou
Location: about to get ganked probably
Interactions: Dawnsx OldTurtle Nano Steve Jobs
​

Silently taking delicate sips from the teacup, Eiyuu seems to ponder the situation for a while, pale hair pooling over broad shoulders in a lengthy wave.

"Suffering their strikes will not be a problem." Well, for Eiyuu in particular, at least. Especially if there was water nearby. Running a single golden claw along the edges of the teacup, Eiyuu watches the steam rise before speaking. "I can restrain them if there is a water source nearby. Even if they have some form of regeneration, per say, water would be a heavy advantage in my favour." Extending the claw, Eiyuu watches as small ripples form beneath his golden gaze, the remains of the tea briefly animating before the yokai lifts the cup once more to drink.

"As in offensive properties, however, I'm afraid there's nothing more I can offer." To be fair, unless one expect Eiyuu to drop a rock upon their heads due to "severely terrible unspeakably terrible luck", there's not much to be done.

Golden eyes flickering at the knocks, Eiyuu's gaze turns to kyonshi the tea settling back down to serenity as the tatsu places it down. "Oh. A visitor. How interesting. I guess it's time for a visit then."

Robes swishing, Ei advances to the source of the sound, claws clicking as he strides with his usual serene gait to greet the "visitor". "I will be fine." was their only, unalarmed call back.

 

[OldTurtle]

Location: Ichiwara, Streets

Shūzen

Paused beside the door, Shūzen lifted the bottle of sake to his lips and took a sip, one thick, hairy eyebrow raised as their little gathering grew in size. Shizuka's sudden about-face was odd, but not entirely surprising. For all her obvious pride, she herself admitted none in Ichiwara were capable of fighting off kyonshi. They were growing desperate -- and desperation had sunk greater men and women than her to lower depths. What was a bit of humility in exchange for the lives of your village?

As the smaller yokai explained their plight, he took another shallow draught from the bottle to disguise the faint frown twisting his lips. Dealing with four kyonshi at once -- Shūzen was far from naive enough to believe they could swiftly eliminate one before it called for its kin -- was a tall order for a rather small, untested force. More worrying, however, was the regenerative abilities Shizuka warned of.

It seemed the old Shōjō would need to earn his keep tonight. Shūzen grimaced and took another drink. Hopefully it'd be worth the effort, though he supposed they should've eliminated the kyonshi plaguing Ichiwara regardless of Shizuka's deal. It would be a good measure of the SIU's capabilities before they approached Akagiri. Her compliance was merely... hm? There was a common idiom he wanted to use here, but the phrasing escaped him now. Shūzen glared into the mouth of his bottle of sake. Perhaps it was hiding in the bottom. He tilted the container back against his lips and relished in its taste.

Quickly enough, they'd moved through the darkened streets of Ichiwara, guided by the little kasa-obake with the attitude issues. Now there was a man who could do with a few drinks. But then the first kyonshi came into sight and all thoughts of finding a way to fill him with enough liquor to grow a second eye vanished. Shūzen unslung his long, weighty staff across his back and hefted it in both hands.

"If none of your little onmyodo spells can swiftly and reliably silence the kyonshi before it can cry out, then focus on binding it," he directed the spellcasters in a hushed tone. "And above all, prioritize your own defenses. We have no way of permanently eliminating them if the two of you are incapacitated." With that, he followed closely behind Eiyuu-Ou, padding silently over the ground. Catching up to the draconic yokai, Shūzen nudged him with a subtle elbow. "Careful now, old boy. You never know what tricks nasty little things like these have up their sleeves. A bit of caution may serve you well."

Code by Nano

 

[Dawnsx]

Location: Ichiwara

Asaka

Gojo

Patience had never been a virtue that Asaka possessed, but even he was not foolish enough to charge into a battle without learning about his enemies. And so he did not react to Shizuka's sarcasm and Kokuyo's flippant comment beyond a faint scowl, if only to get the information on the kyonshi sooner rather than later.

Once Shizuka was finished outlining the kyonshi's abilities, Asaka nearly scoffed. Beyond their tendency to flock together when threatened and one of them having the ability to regenerate instantaneously, nothing stood out to him. Give him some time to prepare, and he would be able to rig the town with enough talismans to ensure that there was no escape for the kyonshi. Alas, time was not a resource that he had to spare. He would have to suffer to work with the rest of these clowns to get the job done as quickly as possible.

Along with the other SIU members, Asaka followed Akabane out of the inn. Trailing behind the kasa-obake, there was the quiet urge to lift the kasa-obake's umbrella to take a peek at what was hiding underneath. Asaka shook off the childish thought and focused on the dim streets, one hand gripping tightly to his khakkhara, and the other poised to pull out a talisman. Before long, his attention was diverted from the mysteries hidden beneath Akabane's umbrella, and onto the kyonshi stumbling down the streets like a drunkard trying to get home on a late night.

"I do not require you to give me instructions for something that even a primate can figure out. Focus on what you're doing. I'd hate to clean up any of your messes if you muck this up,"

Asaka sneered disdainfully, even as he retrieved a talisman with a silencing spell imbued within. Without waiting for a go-ahead from his comrades, he sent the talisman flying toward the kyonshi.

Code by Nano

 

[Nano]

Location: Ichiwara - Dirt Path

Kokuyo

Camellia

Compared to Tsurugi’s uncertainty and Eiyuu’s complacency, the first set of serious instructions unexpectedly came from Shūzen. Rather than having anything to add, Kokuyo was instead inclined to agree with the old Shōjō’s words. Though foresight and precaution weren’t their specialty, even Kokuyo possessed the sense to take advantage of what little information they had been provided. The young Gojo, on the other hand, was far less receptive towards Shūzen’s warnings, going as far as to slip in a handful of insults before engaging the kyonshi.

“Temper temper,”

Kokuyo tutted, though their tone betrayed a hint of amusement,

“I suppose it runs in the bloodline.”

Still, the young Gojo’s grandstanding was not without results. In spite of their hushed tittering, the kyonshi continued to sway about as it made its way to the door of the next house and remained none the wiser of the talisman flying its way. Before it could raise its gnarled hand to knock upon the aged wood, the purple-haired onmyoji’s talisman sealed the kyonshi’s mouth with a sharp snap of crisp paper.

The kyonshi ripped its hand away from the doorway and took a brief moment to thrash about, yet as the silencing talisman ordained, it failed to grace the silence of the night with its garbled wailing. The creature raised its rotting nails towards its mouth, but before it could tear at the talisman, Kokuyo took that as their cue to make their move.

“Oh, no. We can’t have you doing that now, can we?”

Kokuyo said with a levity unbefitting of the current situation. With a light step that barely disturbed the dust curling above the dirt road, the tree spirit leapt forward. A blackened hand reached out towards the kyonshi, and roots shot out from within their sleeve, twisting like vines and securing a hold of the decaying arm of the creature. A flick of their wrist pulled the kyonshi’s hand away from the talisman and sent its body careening towards Shūzen.

However, the kyonshi wouldn’t sit still and allow itself to be tossed about like a ragdoll. A mighty swing of its wooden sword cleaved through the roots digging into its flesh, freeing its hand and allowing it to flip and land with the deftness which starkly contrasted against its previous clumsy hobbling. Its milky eyes stared down its nearest aggressor, and as soon as its feet touched back down upon the ground, it swung the training sword in its hand horizontally, letting loose a sharp blast of energy towards the group.

===

Note: No, Shizuka's report never mentioned anything about one of the kyonshi carrying an enchanted wooden sword. As for why, you may interpret that as you wish.

#everyone

Code by Nano