Sapphire Ambassadors

As the sun crested the horizon, Choudai strode up to the shrine with a painting under his arm.

He didn't really seem to know what to do with it, and instead looked about.

He was plainly exhausted.

Asahina Jorujo greets him, bowing slightly.

"Bayushi-san," he says.

"What is the matter?" he asks, recognizing that now is not the time for levity.

"Asahina-sama, how good to see you... have you had rice yet? No, probably not, it's damned early, maybe I'll make some for us... wait, no."

He set the painting against the wall, not taking his eyes off of it.

"Last night at a the Jinabori, we had a disturbance- Doji Yoshino, I believe is her name? She cried out, clearly terrified. She talked about a shadowy monster of some kind entering her room. Kitsune Shizenko consulted a spirit, and it said something about a creature entering through the picture."

He paused.

"So here it is, and here I am."

"I see," Jorujo says. "But I doubt it is the painting itself that is the problem. There would have been...other events, else.

"But you would appear to need something to restore yourself. I have only just eaten, and I am certain there is still somewhat to refresh you. If you would; I will not oblige you."

"So it's not the painting?"

He frowned.

"Then why would the spirit say it came through it?"

He blinked.

"Forgive me, Asahina-sama. It has been a long night. I would hardly turn down your gracious hospitality, of course."

The threat to Hatsuki and our child persists.

Killitkillitkillitkillitkillit.

Jorujo leads Choudai into the shrine and its rooms. As they proceed, he gestures at a door.

"From the reading I've...recently had occasion to do," he says, "it's like this door. Does the door determine who goes through it?"

"Only if it's secured."

And sometimes not even then, wheeeeeeee!

"So something's coming through..."

Blink blink.

"Does Asahina-sama have any idea how many paintings there are in this town?"

Jorujo sighs as he comes to a small room and gestures for servants to, well, serve.

Amid a clattering of cutlery and the like, he says "Only that the number is very large."

"And growing larger by the day."

He grimaced.

"I'm only a bushi, Asahina-sama, and not even a terribly good one. What can we do?"

"Unfortunately," Jorujo says, "I do not yet know. The research resources here are...limited. General wards, if there are any who can produce such, would be of at least some use. My school does not tend to such prayers, however."

A bowl of rice and pickles is served.

Choudai took a mouthful, chewed thoughtfully, then absently produced some spices from a pocket up his sleeve and added them to the dish.

"I'm not sure Kitsune-san knows any either. She didn't seem to suggest warding the room. Are there any other shugenja present for the competition?"

"If memory serves," Jorujo says, taking tea, "another Asahina, a Lion, and a Unicorn. Some of the monks might know useful techniques, as well."

Monks.

"I may see about the Lion and the Unicorn, then..."

Jorujo nods.

"I will continue to research this problem," he says. "But others may know more.

"Of all the times a Kuni would be useful. Or a Toritaka."

Visions of dark spirits using painted faces as gateways danced through Choudai's mind.

"As Asahina-sama says..."

He continued his... not exactly breakfast, since he hadn't been back to bed.

"I take it, then, that Asahina-sama has been aware of some sort of issue prior to this?"

"Not long," Jorujo says. "And much of my time since learning of it has been spent in looking into how to address it."

He sips at his tea.

"Not that that is much comfort, I admit."

"Puts you well ahead of me. I found out about it when I was meant to be sleeping."

"That would dampen things, yes," Jorujo replies.

"Without more information about the nature of the thing, what can be done against it is...unclear. Unfortunately."

"I suppose I could sit up with a sword to hand. See how that works..."

"That is...one way," Jorujo admits, clearly uneasy. "Although many such...things are...resistant to blades, as such."