[D7, MN] Telephone Line

[Shiba Higashime]

For her part, Lady Shiba shot a grim look at Lord Togashi. "...I cannot disparage the testimony of the Empress' kin."

She then returned to her seat, her cold stare fixed on Shintaro.

[Kitsu Shintaro]

"Right, yes...Um...Where was I? Oh, right! I intend to contact the Empress immediately, she can then...well, you've all put it together by now." He smiled sheepishly, well and truly flustered, then took a deep breath and sat back onto the cushion to begin the ritual.

He chanted quietly, just barely this side of audible, and whatever strange paths his spirit walked, the assembled Daimyo found themselves examining the strain on his youthful features. And the minutes ticked by, slowly, as sweat began to bead on his brow and the candles began to flicker ominously.


His eyes opened wide; pupil-less, jet black orbs, like two marbles nested where those vessels of sight out to reside. His mouth opened, and then he spoke.

[Hantei Ningi]

"At last. You lot finally got up the gumption to make contact."

[Kaiu Masahiko]

Kaiu Masahiko's eyebrows rose about a foot as he turned his head to meet Hachi's gaze. This her? his eyes seemed to inquire.

[Miya Hachi]

For his part, Miya Hachi chose not to respond. I mean...it could be, but how rude!

[Doji Minehime]

Doji Minehime, famously courageous and seemingly unfazed by the odd introduction, addressed herself to the spirit.

"Blessed ancestor, do we have the honor to be speaking to the spirit of Hantei Retsuhime?"

[Hantei Ningi]

"HmhmhmhahahaHAhehehe," the voice giggled from the open, unmoving mouth of Lord Kitsu. "I am afraid my dear descendant had no interest in speaking with your medium. Something about spending time with her mother. Meaningless, of course. Time, that is. Grudges. Mothers, too, come to think of it. Heheheheh."

There was a sound like wind whistling between two great stones as the spirit hauled in a breath.

"Anyway, you are in the presence of a Hantei, and indeed a great Hantei, which is what you wanted. Speak. I desire it."

[Shiba Higashime]

Shiba Higashime's knuckles began to whiten as she gripped her knees. She turned to shoot a harsh glare at Mizohachi.

[Hantei Ningi]

"Well? Had you no questions? Seek you no answers? HmhmhmhmhahaHA! Speak, oh shepherdless ones, and know my wisdom."

[Otomo Tooru]

Nervously, Tooru stood. "Ah, Tenno-heika, this is Otomo Tooru speaking. Can you..."

[Hantei Ningi]

"Yes, I can hear you. OUT WITH IT! I taste your fear, little child of my grandfather's blood, and I find it boring. If you will not grovel as you ought, then stand as a man does! Speak from your diaphragm as you were trained by that sniveling little worm you called a sensei. Damned fool, has my grandfather's blood run so thin that you've nearly thrown it all away? Is this all that is left to our posterity?"

[Otomo Tooru]

Otomo Tooru's jaw dropped open in alarm.

[Seppun Sadako]

Seppun Sadako stepped forward from her position by the door.

"Tenno-heika, please. We need to ask of Hantei Retsuhime who should..."

[Hantei Ningi]

"Ah! Yes, that is the question, isn't it? Hmhmhmhm! Which of my scions is the one, yes? Who should get to enjoy the Empire I made my own? And each of you too stupid to see the answer right in front of you. Blind! Blind and stupid! HmhmhmhahahaHAhehehehe!"

[Togashi Mizohachi]

Mizohachi felt as though he had been slapped.

Ningi, you twisted, loathsome man, that you darken our world again galls me, and yet...you are right. I am blind.

[Akodo Sanae]

Akodo Sanae rose, reached over the candles, and grasped Shintaro by the shoulder.

"Enough," she uttered, low and dangerous, her eyes piercing like steel through the empty black orbs in the medium's head. "Give me my vassal, Hantei Ningi."

[Hantei Ningi]

Shintaro's body began to convulse, his jaw threatening to close, when a great rushing sound like a river in full flood seemed to issue from him, the force of it causing him to fold in on himself as his lungs expelled all the air within him right into Akodo Sanae's unflinching face.

"HAHAHA! Your vassal? The Empire is mine! I named it so! And all your fathers did was bow and scrape. There is nothing of strength in you, Akodo, as there is nothing of strength in all my scions. They are pale copies of the real thing! Now do as your fathers did, little Lion. Kneel and beg for the crumbs from my mouth."

And he began to rise, Shintaro's body flopping like a rag doll as it lurched to its feet.

[Cearnach]

Thinking on it later, none of those in attendance could rightly remember which of the Champions had moved first. One moment, it seemed as though Hantei Ningi would leave the ritual circle, and the next, Bayushi Kaguya, Shiba Higashime, and Doji Minehime had surged forward to join Sanae at the edge, grabbing hold of Shintaro's convulsing body to hold him in place.

[Akodo Sanae]

But it was Sanae who roared.

"Enough!"

And she slapped Kitsu Shintaro fully across the face. So firmly, in fact, that had he not been held by all the Hands of the Empress, he likely would have been dropped to the floor.

[Kitsu Shintaro]

And Shintaro blinked, tried to bring his hand to his stinging cheek, and found himself to be held immobile by the most powerful women in the Empire. And oh, how every bone of him ached!

"I take it we did not..."