Ume hated the position of witless stumbling about, yearned to actually do something - but slashing at one of her companions was worse than that, so she held herself in check for the moment.
Edonichi and Heihachi:
But, there was no time to stare - she had to act and help the Kuni. That ..thing had to be destroyed before it hurt anybody else. She forced down her feelings of revulsion and urged Arashi forwards to a canter.
As Yukari bore down upon the monstrosity, she angled her blade down and outwards, hoping her aim was true.
Daichi checks on Fuguki's physical condition to ensure that nothing snuck up on him in the fog. Once that is out of the way he will try to listen to get his bearings on anything else happening in the fog before...
"What is happening?" Daichi shouts
Take it from the Bloodspeaker, definitely,
"Unicorn let us Kill that bloodspeaker!"
I will then use my last earthspell for the day casting another Jade Strike. I will use the free raises for dmg
Using scroll: Casting 5d10.open(10).takeHighest(3)=23
3d10.open(10)=23 +10=33 for the 2 free raises, and +5 for any additional raises from the casting itself.
I think I put some serious hurt on the Bloodspeaker too..
"Unicorn let us Kill that bloodspeaker!"
Megumi 31
Umasu 26Yukari 26
Ume 21
Nagatsuna 19
Daichi 16
Ryoko 15
Heihachi 12
BloodSpeaker 7
Megumi, Ume, Yukari, Heihachi:
Nagatsuna, Daichi:
"Is that all of them?" Megumi's question is distracted as she frantically glances around to make sure there are no more enemies. The Crane also takes the time to measure the condition of her allies hoping no one appears too injured.
Nagatsuna staggers forward off the bridge with a glazed stare as he seems to be focused only on his mission. Only vaguely aware of his surroundings his deathlike grip on Ryoko continues even after he stops moving.
Megumi's eyes dart around but seeing the large Crab almost stumbling her face shows some concern.
"Hida-san," She calls out. "Were you injured?"
With a few hurried steps Megumi makes her way to Nagatsuna, her features the image of a worried friend.
"This is the merchant that had taken an interest in us at the teahouse...I should have detected his taint then. Now two of the empire's wards are dead." Heihachi states as he lets the flame katana dissipate.
Heihachi turns toward Nagatsuna. "Megumi-san, you've obviously never seen a Crab enter the rage...be careful, he may not be able to tell friend from foe just yet."
Ume cursed loudly and none-too gently. "At least they're dead, but..." Impotent rage welled up inside, unable to find an outlet. She hadn't even done anything to defend the horribly-tarnished honor of the lion, merely stumbled around impotently and taken a lucky shot.
What could be said to explain or make this better? She felt like that night, about a year ago, when it had all crashed down on her. "No surrender" she had told herself back then, and did so again. Despite her cheeks flushed and fingers trembling, she had to find some way to recover this disaster.
...his deathlike grip on Ryoko continues even after he stops moving.
Ryoko tenses as she becomes aware of the large Crab holding her, flushing pink as she presses a hand against his shoulder. "You may set me down, Hida-san. I can stand on my own."
After a few minutes, the heaviness lifts from Nagatsuna's mind as the spells' effects end.
All:
Taking in your surroundings, you see Hitomi Fuguki move from a fetal ball to sitting and rocking on the bridge, followed quickly by the realization that one of your travelling companions, the other Kakita, is missing.
In addition, two Ashigaru wearing the colors of the Lion quickly approach from the other side of the bridge, breathing heavily and with spears lowered. Seeing the dead Tonbo and the remains of the other guards, they stop short. Bowing deeply to Matsu Ume, one of them steps forward. "What has happened here, Matsu-sama?"
At Heihachi's warning the young Crane samurai-ko instinctively steps back from the large Crab, her demeanour becoming a little sheepish. When she responds to the Kuni her voice lacks in the smoothness and grace customary to Megumi, replaced instead by uncertainty.
"Err, yes of course Kuni-san. I am, uh, sorry."
Finally realising Umasu has disappeared she begins to search around the area. "Did anyone see where Kakita Umasu-san went?"
Her tone has become considerably more focused and determined during her search for the other Kakita.
It takes several moments for Nagatsuna to realize Ryoko is at first asking and then struggling to be free. He suddenly releases her somewhat unceremoniously and turns slowly toward Megumi, "No....I'm fine. Resisting the.....dark powers has made me weary." Hearing his fellow Crab's words, "Be at ease I have not released the fury. We have taken this day but our foes are not all defeated. The one attacking me was neither the Tonbo nor this bloodspeaker that Heihachi-san faced." Upon hearing that the Kakita is missing a darker cloud than already exists on his face crosses his features, "The Kakita tried to take Ryoko from me just before the bloodspeaker fell but I told him to attend the Hitomi instead. Either he was in league with the servants of the shadowlands or was abducted himself." His barely checked fury and knotted muscles tell plainly which of the two choices he thinks is the case.
A warm smile appears on Megumi's face once Nagatsuna shares that he is all right, aside from weariness. She seems happy in that knowledge but the feeling is very fleeting once the possibility that Umasu was in league with the Bloodspeakers. The very idea was enough to cause her cheeks to grow red in anger.
"He must have been abducted! A Crane would never ally themselves with such vile things. The Crane are not in the habit of joining forces with enemies of the Empire, unlike some Clans. Our party owe it to Kakita-san to search for him in a rescue attempt, he was our guest after all."
Megumi's indignance is palpable and grows with each passing word, an indignance she seems all too willing to share through her rudeness.
"Lets not discuss who allies with whom" Ume snapped, nearly losing her temper. "There have to be some tracks. Where is a tracker when we need one?" She wiped her katana several times, clearing the blood but not even thinking of putting it back.
For a moment there is a flash of anger but his expression quickly turns deadpan, "We shall see." Striding over to the Dragon, "Hitomi-san, do you know where the Kakita has gone? He said he was going to help you last he was seen."
"We shall see." Striding over to the Dragon, "Hitomi-san, do you know where the Kakita has gone? He said he was going to help you last he was seen."
Slowly standing, Fuguki places a hand to either side of his head, as if to steady it. With a sudden jerk, his neck pops and he smiles with visible relief.
"I am not sure she knows where he has gone, brother," Fuguki says, and points to the fallen Tonbo, "but he is still here."
"... Where is a tracker when we need one?"
With hands clenched so tightly they match the colour of her hair, Megumi moves to investigate the scene. Choosing to ignore the wise advice of the Lion she stumbles around still fuming at the idea of a Crane allying with Bloodspeakers. With no evidence presenting itself immediately she gives up with great haste.
"There is nothing here!" She snaps, frustration etched in her face and terse mannerisms.
The Hida carefully examines the area for traces of the missing Kakita. Upon hearing the Dragon's response to his question he takes a closer look at the Tonbo and bloodspeaker bodies, being careful not to actually touch either.
...he takes a closer look at the Tonbo and bloodspeaker bodies, being careful not to actually touch either.
The Tonbo is alive, but only barely.
"It appears the Tonbo yet lives. Perhaps he has the answers to our questions." The big Crabs expression plainly says that whether he does or not his life is still measured in minutes.
Yukari frowns as she wheels Arashi around, concerned for where the Kakita might have gone. With the day that they had experienced so far, the battle maiden did not think that the disappearance of Umasu boded well.
She kept her blade drawn for now, uncertain of whether the danger had passed. "Now isn't a good time to argue. We need to find him in both cases anyway," she says with a slight hint of exasperation.
She then moves a few steps down the bridge, searching for any signs of what happened.
Percepton/Investigation: 5k3 = 44
You are easily able to spot a recent set of hoof tracks leading away from the bridge.
Ume moved to her Katika ex-rival, and gave her a short look. It showed her own nerves on edge, her anger at the current situation - and that she had herself well under control regardless. She did not say a word, but her gaze told volumes about keeping face, being controlled and letting vengeance for any insult arrive at the proper time.
Yukari falls quiet for a few moments, her brow furrowing in concentration as she looks around the bridge for any hints as to what happened to the Kakita.
At the edge of the bridge, a set of hoof prints caught her attention. Arashi was the only horse on the bridge earlier, but there were new hoofprints that she knew weren't his.
"Look. There are fresh hoofprints here, and I know they don't belong to Arashi," the Utaku points out to her companions before beginning to follow the trail.
Anger clouding her every move caused Megumi much consternation, she looked about in futility but was again quick to give up. Her gaze levelled onto the approaching Lion wondering what words of advice could be given in this frustrating situation. When nothing more than a stern look passed between them it took the Crane by surprise but the nobleness of the Lion was enough. Megumi closed her eyes and reached into her kimono taking deep breaths. After a moment she looked knowingly at Ume a thankful look in the Crane's eyes.
"Can you follow them Utaku-san?" She looks to the Unicorn noticing the Battle Maiden already proceeding. "Now we can get to the bottom of this."
Upon hearing the Utaku's words the Hida gets up from where he is examining the Tonbo, "He does not have that much of a head start, Utaku-san should be able to catch him easily. We shall make the best time we can on foot." Looking down at the Tonbo, "His fate is all but sealed, he should be brought before a magistrate."
"If he's consorting with Bloodspeakers, I doubt he'll give up, we'll most likely have to put him down"
...Arashi was the only horse on the bridge earlier...
"His fate is all but sealed, he should be brought before a magistrate."
Ume moved up with Yukari, ready to once again fight. "Let's go quickly. We can't allow him to get away, not here. This is Lion territory, and we can't allow this to take root".
She seemed eager, though convinced. Zealous even, but in control.
"Guards, dispose of that merchant by pyre, he was a bloodspeaker."
Ume moved up with Yukari, ready to once again fight. "Let's go quickly. We can't allow him to get away, not here. This is Lion territory, and we can't allow this to take root".
She seemed eager, though convinced. Zealous even, but in control.
Nagatsuna gives Ume a sharp look, "Perhaps I should be more clear. Since these are Lion lands don't you think it appropriate you see that the Tonbo be taken before the authorities? Leave those that follow the shadowlands to those equipped to deal with them. Brother, let's go before our quarry widens it's lead further." The big Crab turns and begins to follow the trail at a quick pace.
Ume turned her head towards the Hida, and seemed adamant. "Hida-san, I am not going to discuss this. The Tonbo will answer for his crimes, but only after we have finished this. Drag him along if you like, but I will not sit by idle and let others deal with this insult."
"Kanbe, come" Heihachi calls to his dog.
Heihachi takes off after Nagatsuna, drawing his wakizashi as he begins to trot.
"Then he's your burden Lion...try to keep up, we're hunting shadows."
Megumi's eyes darted between each of her companions watching the chase unfold. Wincing every time the Bloodspeakers were brought up the young Crane seemed unable or unwilling to argue any connections Umasu may have with them. While everyone else was rushing to move on Kakita Megumi remained stoic in her place. When she did move it was only to motion to the ashigaru.
"This man," She points to the fallen Tonbo with a look of disgust. "Allied himself with Bloodspeakers-" Megumi's voice falters for a moment before continuing. "In a vain attempt to steal away Asako-san. He deserves nothing more than the swift death of an honourless dog."
"This man," She points to the fallen Tonbo with a look of disgust. "Allied himself with Bloodspeakers-" Megumi's voice falters for a moment before continuing. "In a vain attempt to steal away Asako-san. He deserves nothing more than the swift death of an honourless dog."
One of the guards looks to Matsu Ume for a moment, and then turns to Megumi. "We shall send for eta to deal with the bodies, and ensure that the blasphemer is dealt with as he deserves," he says, motioning to the other guard to do just that.
"Would you have the eta take the Tonbo's body after you deal with him, or shall he be brought before the magistrate to give his confession, Samurai-sans?"
Hitomi Fuguki is following after the two Crab at a slow walk, but Asako Ryoko's focus seems to be divided between her sandals and the muscular physique of Hida Nagatsuna as he departs.
Ume looked at the Ashigaru, trying to keep her calm against the Crab. Was she the only one who found them grating?
"For these acts, he deserves the public shame that awaits all traitors. Bring him before the magistrate, and make sure he understands that confessing is his best choice now. It may be more merciful than I will be if I find him drawing breath again." She announced.
"Do as Matsu-san instructs." Megumi says her attention drifting toward the Inquisitor. After a few moments the Crane's eyes move in the same direction as Ryoko's.
"My, my. These are certainly some interesting developments within the Lion terrority. I do believe that my clansman's mind has been effect in his obsession over Asako-san. There is however no proof of his involvement with the Bloodspeaker. He has dishonored himself and disgraced himself but without a confession or proof of his ties to the Bloodspeakers then he should be given a proper trial."
Mirumoto Daichi continues after the others that are following after the wayward crane. "There is a chance with the involvement of magic that your crane brethen was effected by the Bloodspeakers' spells and not in league with him, Kakita-san. Though to find out the truth we must catch up with him and question him."