[Day 9 - Mid Morning] Trading Notes

[Kuni Shiori]

Soon after receiving the letter from Shintaro, Shiori would hastily make to the Lion quarters to seek him out. 'Immediately' was taken as immediately, enough to have the Crab jog out to make it to the steps of the neighbouring housing. It was all for the best, considering with the busy day, she didn't know if there would be another opportunity to seek him out with opening its doors soon.

[Kitsu Shintaro]

The guards at Lion House part to allow Shiori to enter, giving her quick nods. It appears that 'immediately' was understood that way by Kitsu Shintaro as well, because he is standing in the main receiving area with the door to his (incredibly cluttered) room standing open behind him.

"Ah! Kuni-san!! Over here!!" He waves. There is no way that you could have missed him in this essentially featureless chamber, but he waves anyhow.

"I am pleased that you wrote! I trust Asahina-san has been in touch? You must tell me all about your progress!!"

[Kuni Shiori]

Shiori gave the prerequisite return nods to the guards and then a deep bow was given to Shintaru when he appeared. "Good morning, Kitsu-dono. Thank you very much for receiving me on such short notice. To be honest, it's the sort of expediency that I didn't expect but I am honoured by it. I only hope that what I have to share is worth your immediate time. Yes, Asahina had told me a bit of her findings and I shared with her what I had discovered. She recommended that I speak to you, especially about your accommodating hospitality."

"Yes, I shall get to the point, Kitsu-dono." She nodded as she brought her hands together, knowing time was of the essence and Shintaro's time was much more important than hers. "I have been following up on the earthquake investigation since my conversation with Agasha Yuna-sama. I did talk with the local earth kami and they told me of a concerning message, leading me from the mines to here. There is mention of deep roots and foundations crumbling. They also gave me an incomplete hexagram."

[Kitsu Shintaro]

"Hmm...the Earth Kami aren't my foremost associates, but deep foundations crumbling does sound fairly negative, doesn't it? And what's this about a hexagram?"

[Kuni Shiori]

"As much as I wish that the earth kami was waxing poetic, the most recent earthquake doesn't give me much of a sign of confidence. I was informed by Agasha Yuna and her discovered divination that there might be a greater earthquake in the future. While divination can also be up for interpretation, it does feel that this reading is quite blatant in its meaning."

She nodded gravely at the question. "The hexagram might have been more literal than one from a divination or Taoist reading, I can't be too sure by its meaning. One of the points was missing and Asahina Hoshiko told me of something similar. I'm not so sure if it means that our fate is uncertain or that we're almost fulfilling the entirety of such a reading. I can draw it out if you wish."

[Kitsu Shintaro]

"A missing point? Please do."

[Kuni Shiori]

Shiori nodded and was more than happy to provide a sketch based on her memory. She tried to make it work with some borrowed parchment and charcoal.

The soil shifts between her feet.

Something like a hexagram of pebbles shows--but there are only five such stones. Where the sixth should be is a small hole...and it seems to grow.

She feels herself released, only the echo of anger remaining.

"I confess that divination isn't my strongest suit but perhaps this might be an astrology reading? I can't say it's quite clear."

[Kitsu Shintaro]

"Possible, Possible!! But equally possible is that the numbers themselves are symbolic. We have 5 elements, but it doesn't feel like we've got another element all of a sudden (even though I still think metal is different from wood!). We also have 5 senses. A sixth sense represented by a growing hole would be strange, though. What else do we have that is 5?"

[Kuni Shiori]

"I suppose, now that you've mentioned it, perhaps it's a representation of 6 points rather than a divination hexagram," she said with a narrowed eye in scrutiny at this new perspective. "We have six Great Clans present in the Empire. But that would make the gap concerning...We also have 5 Winds, on my last check?"

[Kitsu Shintaro]

"So either a clan is in danger or there's another, much nastier Wind out there. Or maybe the one out there is a good one and one we have now is an ever-enlarging hole. Or, you know, could be both things! Some clan or other is always in danger, after all."

[Kuni Shiori]

Shiori paused and found herself glancing at both sides of the room as she deliberated on her answer. Sometimes the most obvious answers coming from the guy weren't often right but seeing as they were throwing many possibilities around, it seemed as right of a time as any to share. She dipped in a forward apology before speaking. "If I could speak my mind, Kitsu-dono...I would imagine that this danger could be on the Lion Clan, would it not? The earthquake and the foundation, perhaps the literal foundation of this kyuden."

She let out a sigh as she continued on. "I have also been made aware there's something of a...spirit, to put it very delicately, present in the kyuden? It seemed strange that one would make an appearance. I would find it hard to believe that's not connected in some way, no matter how ridiculous such a claim would be on paper. The earth kami would have me believe that the source is right here."

[Kitsu Shintaro]

"Oh, yes, well, the spirit! Hm...yes. Yes, that might fit as well. Yes! How excellent! You see, the spirit *claims* to be Hantei Ningi, the 4th Emperor. How is that for foundational, hm? We believe that he is a gaki, but have not determined within a reasonable degree of certainty whether he is telling the truth. The standard deviation is ENORMOUS! But I understand Asahina-san intends to determine more by interviewing the clerks of Meido, so I anticipate more information soon-ish. Would you like an ofuda scroll? They can make you feel better!"

He pauses for a moment, thinking. "Have you experience with gaki, Kuni-san? Are you familiar with their ways and weaknesses?"

[Kuni Shiori]

Shiori gave Shintaro a big blink on the matter as he hopped from talking about Hantei Ningi and then offering an ofuda scroll. "...If Kitsu-dono insists, I'll be more than willing to take an ofuda scroll. As for the spirit, the appearance and the name are too auspicious to be a coincidence, even if the claim isn't true. The talk of possible doom would fit the legends surrounding the 4th Emperor. I am curious how this is related or could be, to the late Empress. All Hantei are connected, of course, but why in this particular instance? Could there be perhaps...a shared soul?"

She found it hard to suggest that, considering she was truly throwing things out there and it wasn't her wheelhouse. However, the recent event hosted by Hoshiko made her consider that idea.

"Not personally, I admit," she said with some disappointment. "House Kuroyama is a bit removed from the borders of the Shadowlands and we have lived in relative security in the last generation. However, my training does provide me with some academic familiarity. If this one is like most gaki, it should have some corruption with the Shadowlands potentially, thought that does make it especially hard to deal with through mere mundane means."

[Kitsu Shintaro]

"Hm...well, a shared soul is a curious thought. I cannot reject it. But equally I think that we are sitting in a spot that has a lot of ambition, and lot of people who are hungry for one thing or another, but mostly power. This gaki may have been drawn to that, and popped through when its ambition matched our own. It is sad that all of this had to happen at the heart of the Lion clan, as you point out, but I suppose it can't be helped."

"In any case, it is unfortunate that neither of us have tangled with a gaki before personally...except for that ritual, of course, and I was unaware for most of that. It fled when confronted by the Clan Champions, I am told. I understand that the ancestral swords should be proof against him. But I do not know this particular gaki's little bag of tricks, so I am relying on old standbys." He dug an ofuda scroll out of his pocket. "Here, you can have mine! I can always make more!"

[Kuni Shiori]

"It does make sense that this place is far from ordinary when graced with the presence of an Empress...and her unfortunate passing," she nodded solemnly at his theory.

"Thank you, Ikoma-dono," she accepted the ofuda with a bow. It was a bit of an unexpected 'gift' but she would take any help that she could get. Her assumption was that such a thing was not the ceremonial sort that would be plastered on temples during festivals. "Perhaps it would be best to refresh on that ritual then. I could reflect on my studies but the library may help in that regard. I don't know if dragging the Clan Champions here would be possible but I imagine we can make them aware of the gravity of the situation, perhaps set a trap so that we can vanquish, rather than merely contain this corruption."

[Kitsu Shintaro]

"Oh, yes, you should absolutely have access to the Library. Go with my blessings and learn all you can! then we can devise a plan! A stratagem(!) to send this gaki back whence it came!!"

[Kuni Shiori]

Shiori bowed deeply when she was given permission to access the library. "Thank you, Kitsu-dono. I have been made aware that Asahina Hoshiko is very much in the loop already but in our conversation, we were wondering who else we could bring into the loop. I'm sure that a coalition of people more spiritually inclined could be of aid, which we could use your recommendation and guidance. I think Asahina-san also mentioned that it seems this gaki has shied away from certain ancestral swords, likely because it poses a threat. If I didn't misunderstand? I wonder if it would be too far-fetched to involve them too."

[Kitsu Shintaro]

"Well, as far as I am concerned, I think the court could stand to learn quite a bit from this experience. Um...yes, I think further minds devoted to the task is most likely the key to a working solution. Umm...Moshi Akane and Kitsune Aiko are shugenja, as are several members of the Phoenix delegation. Lady Seppun, of course. I think there's a Yogo? But the power of nemuranai is usually proof against spirits. Won't protect you, necessarily, but it'll hurt them well enough. I know Lady Doji has Shukujo. Shori is probably in storage either in Otosan Uchi or in the Tenshu, if Hantei Retsuhime brought it here. Lady Shiba probably has Ofushikai, and Lady Bayushi may have Itsuwari, but I doubt that she would tell you. Kiro, of course, is somewhere in the trackless west. Possibly Akkuei-uo is here as well, though also possibly not. Hantei Retsuhime was unlikely to need it."

[Kuni Shiori]

Shiori nodded soundly at the offered suggestions and bowed deeply afterward. "Thank you, Kitsu-dono, this is most helpful. I am uncertain if it will come to that but perhaps good information to keep in mind. I'm sure the Champions have important business to attend to and no necessity would be a great idea to put them in harm's way."

This matter was likely far below their Koku grade, probably.

"I'll put my efforts into researching this ritual, as a first priority. Hopefully, we'll get a better idea where the other pieces might find themselves."

[Kitsu Shintaro]

"I look forward to hearing your results!"