[Day 7, Early Evening] Rumours

[Daidoji Fuichi]

Fuichi shivered and seemed to shrink back, momentarily stunned by the ferocity of O-washi's response.

"Please, love. Please be calm."

[Isawa O-Washi]

The larger man was, it seemed, to lost in his rage to hear his lover's pleas. Still cursing, though thankfully under his breath now, O-washi continued his destruction for a few minutes more while the boat continued to groan and rock in the tides of his anger. Gradually, however, his rage burned out, the waves slowing, until the ship had regained it's usual sway and the large Phoenix knelt on the floor, panting and cradling his hands, still fisted, in his lap.

[Daidoji Fuichi]

Fuichi stood and moved to crouch behind O-washi and wrap his arms around his powerful shoulders. He remained perfectly silent, just cradling him against his shallow chest.

[Isawa O-Washi]

O-washi didn't say anything, his muscles slowly relaxing as he silently accepted Fuichi's comfort. After a while, a small, humorless laugh shook it's way through his chest and out. "I shouldn't take on so, not when it's your Clanmate, your classmate, who's gone. It should be the other way 'round, this."

His breath gusted out in a long sigh and then he unfurled his hands, unsurprised to find the knuckles split and bleeding, down to the bone in a few places. "Tell me about it...and you'd best tape up my hands while you're at it."

[Daidoji Fuichi]

Medicine roll=26
Ouchies treated=3

Fuichi took first one hand and then the other and carefully wrapped the torn flesh the best way he knew how. Only once he was certain that there was no chance of infection did he begin.

"It was the cultists from the dark Temple. We never saw any; it was like they wanted us to find her, to know what they were capable of. They'd...they'd left her on their altar, seated like she often did while meditating or casting the coins, but they'd cut her throat almost to the point of severing the head."

He took a breath. "They drained her blood."

[Isawa O-Washi]

Tsukai...

O-washi hissed it, almost clenching his hands again but refraining due to the bindings upon them.

"I don't know if this land has them but if it does, well, we've found a right proper nest. Damn it all...what I'd not give for a Kuni, or one of the Asako..."

[Daidoji Fuichi]

The Agasha certainly imagines himself among their number...

"She wasn't the first victim. The altar-room walls were peppered with niches, which all had heads in them. Moving heads. The Temple is an affront, but the kami were terrified of the place. Even the Tsuchi-kami refused to recognize that it existed rather than engage with its evil. The Kaze-kami responded to my prayers, but lost their nerve quickly once we were inside."

[Isawa O-Washi]

"You called them in there?"

O-washi was looking grim now.

"Did you have Jade?"

[Daidoji Fuichi]

"Only once inside. They responded properly but did not linger long." Fuichi frowned. "The last jade I had was taken from me by Hida Sozen. I am sorry."

[Isawa O-Washi]

O-washi's eyes closed for several long seconds. "Junpei created a swarm of air kansen by mistake, Fuichi-kun. The locals seem to think they've stayed largely at that tower but..."

He trailed off, not wanting to voice the worry he now had.

"You'll have to be fully tested when we get back to Rokugan."

[Daidoji Fuichi]

Fuichi looked down. "So that is why Agasha-san persecutes him, why he tortures himself." He shook his head sadly. "Doesn't anyone on the vessel know Jade Strike? Can't they just shoot us and be certain?"

[Isawa O-Washi]

"I know it...the problem is, it's not conclusive for early cases. That takes more specialized testing and we don't have any Witch Hunters or Inquisitors in the flotilla." O-washi shrugged helplessly. "I could zap you with it if you'd like but it won't mean you're safe, just that you're well within the range where drinking Jade Petal Tea will keep you a productive member of our society."

[Daidoji Fuichi]

"When the time comes, let it be the Inquisitors. The Kuni would execute me for wearing the blue and white, even if they found no...found nothing." He sighed. "If the Inquisitors are anything like Agasha-san, though, I expect he'd find a better hearing among the Crab."

[Isawa O-Washi]

"Don't underestimate the power of the Imperial Legion crest. Even Kuni respect it...especially since Daigo-dono is the Jade Champion and so they have more ties to the Imperial ranks than usual." O-washi gave his best reassuring grin. "Besides. You're Daidoji. They at least give your kindred a modicum of respect. That's the only reason I don't despair over Yasuki-san accepting you eventually."

[Daidoji Fuichi]

At the mention of the name of the Jade Champion, a vein in Fuichi's temple begins to throb and he coughs, though he makes sure to cover his mouth with his sleeve to prevent O-washi getting splattered with his blood.

When he's finished, he slumps. "I am sorry, O-washi-kun. Bad memories." A careful breath. "I will be so much happier when we've left this mess behind, though I suppose I would not have minded a visit in better circumstances."

[Isawa O-Washi]

The larger man had turned when the coughing began, resting a large hand comfortingly on Fuichi's back, his brow furrowing as he gauged the sound. "Five years, eh? I see I'll need to do some serious training in that time, then."

Trying to get off the depressing thought of mortality, he went along with that of their current locale. "I'd rather be here than the Sea of Shadows again but not by much. It's not the gaijin so much as the oppression of what's coming. I soared above the city, you know. I saw the darkness on the horizon, the smoke of burned cities and the streams of refugees bound here. I pity the people...gaijin they may be but it is still very depressing to watch doom bear down on them with no hope. They aren't gifted with the blood of the Kami to make them strong enough and even if they had it, it is, I fear, too late for them."

[Daidoji Fuichi]

"Oh, I have absolutely nothing against the people. I can't imagine that most Rokugani would handle such an exceptionally devastating circumstance all that much better. It takes exceptional souls. Fortunately, Rokugan has them in abundance, but there are weaker ones as well. It is much the same here."

He pauses, thinking. "I met a priestess of their equivalent of Fukurokujin, the same woman who is training Junpei-san. I must say, the gift-giving customs, or rather the lack of them, are very strange. But other than a few differences in culture and methods, there is much we have in common with these people."

[Isawa O-Washi]

"Oh?" Interest gleamed in the big man's eyes. "What are there rituals like?'

[Daidoji Fuichi]

"I have not seen them in action, but she mentioned that their prayers are built on strong names. They say a series of empowered words and then invoke the name of one of their deities to seal that power."

[Isawa O-Washi]

"How...strange."

O-washi frowned a bit.

"That's like skipping the kami and asking a Fortune directly. Madness."