Sapphire Ambassadors

Yoshino headed to the manor shrine in the late afternoon. She hoped that was enough time for some research. However, she also had a rather shocking update for the Asahina shrine keeper.

Entering the shrine grounds she begins to walk around in search of the shugenja.

Jorujo is not hard to find, being seated in the room where he had examined Yoshino the previous day, tea rapidly cooling beside him, ignored as he reads through what is clearly another scroll, as many others lie in stacks--some neat, others less so--on his table and the floor beside him.

He looks up, blinking. "Doji-san, please, come in."

Yoshino bows and enters. "Please excuse me." She stepped inside and sat down where she had sat before. She took in the scene with some surprise. "You have been too busy Asahina-sama."

"Not at all," Jorujo says.

"Will you take tea?" he asks. "I mean, this seems to have gone cold, but I can have more brought."

"More would be good. Maybe I can persuade you to have some too?" Yoshino states with the hint of a smile. "Please forgive my teasing. It's good to see a friendly face. Actually, there was an incident last night that I need to tell you about..."

The Crane was unaware of Jorujo's meeting with a certain Scorpion earlier in the day so the story that would follow likely doesn't surprise Jorujo as much as Yoshino expected it to.

"Say on," Jorujo says as he motions, and there is the sound of a servant making more tea.

Jorujo quaffs the cooled liquid in the cup next to him, making a face, and sets aside his scrolls to listen more fully.

"Last night I was awoken by something in my room." Yoshino begins, taking a steadying breath. "I pushed down the futon and saw this shadowy thing moving toward me. It was like inky darkness, an unnatural creature. Of course I screamed and fled as fast as I could. I'm no bushi." She was rubbing her hands together to comfort herself. "It didn't pursue me. I don't know quite how I sensed it, but I did. I don't recall any particular noise so perhaps it was intuition. I think it must have come before."

Yoshino let that sink in.

"It may be why I started to not feel myself. Other guests of the inn came because of the commotion but they found no trace of it. A Kitsune shugenja asked the spirits about it however and they confirmed there was something. That it had come through the painting in my room. Two Scorpion that arrived also said they had some experience of such creatures so... I am not making this up. It's real. There is something stalking me Asahina-sama. I don't know what you've discovered with your research, but I think this is related. I'll be staying tonight with my cousin. I think it would be too dangerous to be alone in that inn."

She placed her hands in her lap, fingers squeezing her thighs. "I will remove any paintings in her room, but I'm worried it will come back. Have you heard of such a thing? A... creature of shadow?"

Jorujo listens intently as Yoshino talks. When she is finished, he nods and says "I have heard of such things, yes. The heroes of a generation past fought against such things, remember. And there are older stories of...different things coming through works of art, things of such sort as have plagued the Empire since the First Hantei. But these are different things, and it may be that something else is afoot, as well."

Jorujo pauses, sighing heavily.

"What I believe, based on your testimonies and the research I have done with what I have here, is that your...family history makes you...attractive to some other spirit than those the ancestors faced. That is to say, I do not think it is from the south, nor do I think it is of the greater darkness. Rather, I believe it would be a hungry spirit, to which, again, your family history calls.

"But without more information than I have, I cannot make more than general recommendations for its dispatch."

Crossing her arms, looking equal parts contemplative and concerned, Yoshino mulled over Jorujo's information. She appreciated the man's tactfulness. Her family certainly seemed to have something strange and undesirable in its history. If only she knew more.

"I am relieved it isn't from the south or... the greater darkness." None of the stories she had heard about either were pleasant. In fact, they were much worse than merely unpleasant. She didn't wish to think about it. "A hungry spirit sounds almost a good thing in comparison. Especially if it is only one. What recommendations can you give Asahina-sama? Anything would be more than I currently have."

"It's not much, unfortunately," Jorujo confesses. "The prayers my Family and School study do not tend towards addressing such matters."

He sits up suddenly, blinks.

"Where are you staying tonight?"

"The Jinbaori. I'll share a room with my cousin." Yoshino was confused. What happened to the general recommendations?

"Are you and your cousin available in the next hour or so?" Jorujo asks. "I just remembered something that may be of some assistance."

"The daily competition display will be in an hour or two, but I can be available after. I am available now as well?" Yoshino queries.

"Oh, right!" Jorujo replies. "After will be better; I will have to prepare some things for the ritual."

He adds, somewhat sheepishly, "I found a record of a prayer that might be useful. I should have recalled it sooner."

"Yes?" The courtier neatly smoothed down her kimono. "If you think it will help, please."

"It cannot hurt," Jorujo says.

(Thread me?)

"But you will have to prepare--if you are still submitting for tonight's event?"

(What about those general recommendations for its dispatch?)

"That is my duty while I'm here. I would be lacking otherwise. Ano, you mentioned general recommendations though...?" She tried to bring up the point again.

"Ah, yes. Those."

Jorujo nods, reclaiming a train of thought.

"What the spirit hungers for might be provided it," he says. "Or," and he blanches somewhat, "aiding its return to the Kharmic Wheel might be of some help. But that, I do not know how to do."

He gestures to the Asahina mon on him.

"I understand, although it sounds like my choices are to let it prey on me or to fight it." She paused to check that it was a reasonable summary. If so, it was information she could have speculated on. Still, he was at least helping her. She tried to not let her thoughts turn completely and utterly negative.

"That..."

Jorujo sighs.

"Let us see to warding your room this evening," he says. "And in the coming days. It may also be that more information arrives that is of use; I have," and he gestures, smiling sadly, "more reading yet to do."