[center][h3]Komatsu Bay[/h3][/center] [center][b]BREAKTHROUGH[/b][/center] [center]~ [@AzureKnight] (SHI), [@The Irish Tree] (LIL), [@Crowvette], [@Restalaan] (SKA), [@Nakushita] ~[/center] [quote=Liliana][color=f49ac2][b]"Miss Ayu, I think you should stay with Shizuka. If anything goes wrong, you might be able to send a message or something, and be our eyes on the outside. At least, that's what I think. I'm not the best planner, but we're all a lot tougher than a normal person. If you got hurt, Takeshi would be super sad."[/b][/color][/quote] "[color=aquamarine]But... Shizuka's going inside. How will that work?[/color]" "[color=red]She was talking about you.[/color]" "[color=aquamarine]Oh.[/color]" "[color=red]I... would've liked to participate in this mission alongside you.[/color]" Ayu replied to [u]Liliana[/u], a little saddened that she would be staying in the sidelines. "[color=red]But I suppose you're right. And besides, I think I've done my fair share of fighting back in the temple attack.[/color]" The spy sighed. --- The merchant Shizuka closed off the cart after the taskforce has embarked. Darkness enveloped the inside of the cart with only bits of light entering through the few tiny holes, the holes themselves too small for an eye to see anything outside. Not even [u]Liliana's[/u] smaller eyes could see. However, they did hear Ayu and Shizuka the merchant conversing as the cart got moving. "[color=red]How bad is the occupation of Komatsu Bay?[/color]" "[color=aquamarine]A few people fought back. The ones left alive became prisoners... or slaves-- Oh, damn! Varjans! Taskforce, get ready. They might search the cart.[/color]" "[color=red]You said they don't do that![/color]" "[color=aquamarine]At the fortress gates! I've never seen them this far out here. Ayu, you better skedaddle. I always arrive alone and your presence might make them suspicious.[/color]" The cart then continued moving. The taskforce could hear several voices, Varjan and Shizuyaman, as well as axes hitting wood. "[color=6ecff6]Please... my hands hurt...[/color]" "[color=aba000]Keep working![/color]" "[color=f26522]You there! Stop![/color]" "[color=aquamarine]Sake! Sake for Komatsu Bay![/color]" "[color=f26522]Haha, sake! Hurry up, then![/color]" The cart moved again and the wails of the Shizuyaman prisoners died down... for now. ... ... "[color=a187be]It's the sake merchant. Open the gates![/color]" The taskforce heard two tall doors sliding open, and the cart was moving again. "[color=aquamarine]...I can't believe this worked.[/color]" Shizuka the merchant opened up his cart and allowed light for the taskforce. Moonlight, to be exact, it was already night when the taskforce successfully infiltrated the fortress town. They disembarked the cart in a grassy alleyway at the edge of the town. Wails and moans of pains could be heard faintly from the other areas of this occupied fortress. "[color=aquamarine]This is where we part ways for now.[/color]" The merchant said to the taskforce. "[color=aquamarine]I'll try to get as many Varjans drunk as possible, so they'll be unprepared for your attack. Stay safe, taskforce.[/color]" Shizuka the swindler bid his farewell, but not without a final suggestion. Pointing to the building they were hiding behind, he suggested. "[color=aquamarine]You can climb to the roof this building to get a better layout of the town.[/color]" From the roof of the small house, the taskforce could see that Komatsu Bay was roughly divided into two. One half was elevated than the other thanks to the natural terrain. In the elevated part, there were a few houses as well as a fancy estate where the town's ruler presumably lived. The lower part was where most of the buildings were located, and there was noticeable barracks smack dab in the middle protected by four watchtowers. In the horizon, they could see the dock and the bay itself. Both filled with Varjan galleons and ships, but at least the docked ones appear to be unmanned. Ayu's plan was to target the Varjan leaders of the garrison. They might need to search both the estate and the barracks. [hr] [center][h3]Fort Tanabe[/h3][/center] [center][b]SECOND CHANCE[/b][/center] [center]~ [@AzureKnight] (HIN & ATS), [@Restalaan] (GRI) ~[/center] [u]Atsuha[/u] successfully infiltrated the seemingly one-entrance fort, evading the gazes of the Varjan guards which were mostly focused on the one entrance. When she approached the prisoner cages, though, her words earlier rang false. The Shizuyamans imprisoned in the fort were... singing lively tunes to each other. Some were even laughing loudly at missing the lyrics or the beat. All in all, they were in a happy mood. One would think their Varjan captors would be annoyed by this but even that was not true, strange as that may be. A few Varjan Brigands were even tapping their weapons to the rhythm as they patrolled. All that changed, however, when [u]Atsuha[/u] unlocked their cages and dropped weapons in front. Picking up the weapons, the freed prisoners assaulted their Varjan captors while the alarm was raised. [u]Atsuha[/u] fired off the signal, which was clearly seen by Kikyo, [u]Hinami[/u], [u]Gringor[/u]... and a newly-arrived Takeshi. "Hey guys, what'd I-- what's that?" The young lord disembarked his horse while looking at the light. "[color=lavender]Your spider friend snuck into the fort and that's her signal to attack. Come on![/color]" Kikyo drew her sword and charged in with Takeshi following close behind. As the battle of Fort Tanabe commenced, the attacking group saw that the two watchtowers situated near the only entrance to the fort each contained two Footmen archers who were raining down arrows on the freed prisoners. The arrow fire prevented the Shizuyamans from advancing, allowing the surprised Varjan garrison to begin rallying and regrouping. "[color=lavender]We need to take down those towers![/color]" Kikyo pointed out as she slashed a Brigand on the back, her first kill of this battle. [u]Atsuha[/u] saw this too, but she also noticed that a cage she missed contained a large bear agitated by the fighting. Could this be utilized, or perhaps this was not the time to take advantage of a wild, scared bear. [hr] [center][h3]Terauchi Temple[/h3][/center] [center]~ [@Hammerman], [@Enkryption], [@The Irish Tree] (EUL), [@Rezod92] ~[/center] The temple's residents all heard [u]Alice[/u], [u]Kerry[/u] and [u]Eula[/u] speak their pieces. The refugees all looked to Sorae for her reply, who simply shook her head and turned away. "[color=mediumslateblue]Tsk. You think this is the first time we got speeches like from yokai? And what has the Automaton gain from speaking the truth?[/color]" The Tokinomiya lady began to walk away but not before saying her final words for the time being to the peasants. "[color=mediumslateblue]...Do what you want.[/color]" With permission sort of granted, some of the refugees felt brave enough to sit on the summoned tables and begin helping themselves to the many treats of the tea party. Their faces lit up at the sweet tastes, which encouraged more of the peasants to join them. [center]~ [@Enkryption] (CRL), [@The Irish Tree] (EUL) ~[/center] [quote=Eula 039][color=C48BD3][b]"...This one has blackberry jam..."[/b][/color][/quote] [quote=Carroll]"[color=808080][i]That's "first impressions" out of the way... I didn't want to be talk of the town so soon,[/i][/color]"[/quote] "[color=cyan]I believe you are one of the first monsters to ever set foot on this island for... millennia, I think.[/color]" Revuel Arvida joined [u]Carroll[/u] and [u]Eula[/u] in their long table, pulling up a chair to sit in which somehow managed to support his and his armor's weight. "[color=cyan]It will be difficult not to be the talk of the town. As well as the entire island, if I may add.[/color]" "[color=cyan]From what I've heard, you are a member of the taskforce who apparently has suffered an unfortunate case of amnesia. In short, this is your first time here, isn't it? Hah, I recently just arrived here myself.[/color]" Revuel said. "[color=cyan]I'm surprised that despite the memory loss, you and your friend seem to have elected to stay here to help. I commend your kindness, but do you have any questions as to where you are or what the situation is?[/color]" "[color=cyan]And what of you, Miss Automaton?[/color]" Revuel turned to [u]Eula[/u]. "[color=cyan]Are your... systems holding up fine?[/color]" [center]---[/center] [center]~ [@Enkryption] (ALC), [@Rezod92] ~[/center] "Stirring speech. That's so you." Takeshi remarked as he caught up with [u]Alice[/u] and [u]Kerry[/u]. "Listen, I'm needed elsewhere so I can't hang out and catch up with you. We'll do that later, alright?" Takeshi then patted [u]Alice[/u] on the back before looking at [u]Kerry[/u]. "I leave her in your care, Miss Kerry." And with that, Takeshi whistled for his horse, hopped in and rode away. --- The natural hot springs near Terauchi Temple was located in an elevated position overlooking the temple. A red-leaf tree provided cover for the spring as thin wisps of steam rose from the waters. The warmth emanated by the spring invited [u]Alice[/u] and [u]Kerry[/u] to bask in it, to sink their bodies in the comforting waters of the hot spring. [hr] [hr] [hr] [center]~~ TAKESHI'S JOURNEY ~~[/center] [hider=Breakthrough (ONGOING)] "Lady Kyouko needs a port to dock her fleet to properly engage the Varjan armada and deliver supplies, and that port will be Komatsu Bay. If we're going to liberate the fortress, we'll need help and Ayu says she has a friend for the job. We can join her and go to this friend's house, just outside Komatsu Bay." -Takeshi Oja [/hider] [hider=Second Chance (ONGOING)] "We almost have everything we need to save my father. However, we cannot leave the refugees of Terauchi Temple defenseless. We need warriors to fortify and defend the temple while we are away. Kikyo knows of some imprisoned warriors who can help replenish our ranks." -Takeshi Oja [/hider] [center]~~ TAKAMORI TALES ~~[/center] [hider=Teacher And Student] "Lord Takamori said that his traitorous daughter, Setsuna, is training Varjan archers in Ōmiya. I know this frightens him, even if he tries to hide it. If we don't find her and end this, there may be no stopping the archers, and no hope for Ōmiya Springs. We need to see Lord Takamori immediately." -Takeshi Oja [/hider] [center]~~ SORAE TALES ~~[/center] [hider=The Husband] "Lady Sorae told me that Kana, Sogen's wife, has disappeared during the attack on the temple. She wants help tracking her down as Kana is the only lead we have on the identities and whereabouts of the killers of Clan Tokinomiya." -Takeshi Oja [/hider] [center]~~ TALES OF SHIZUYAMA ~~[/center] [hider=Whispers In The Woods] A villager woman remarked to the taskforce member as the latter passed by. "You better watch out if you're passing Yabo Forest, yokai. It's haunted by angry spirits... Dead samurai, eager to spill blood." "People go into the woods and never come out. Varjan and Shizuyaman alike! The bodies that turn up have all been killed by Shizuyaman blades..." [/hider] [hider=The Other Side Of Honor] A peasant man eating barbecued meat on a stick was startled when the taskforce member approached. It appeared he has news. "Yokai! You have to tell Lord Takeshi, there is another samurai noble who survived Sanjo Beach. His name is Lord Tonchiki. He's in his abode southeast of here. If you go see him, I'm sure he would join your cause." "Err, maybe not. I guess you'll need Lord Takeshi himself to convince him." [/hider] [hider=Shizuyama's Freedom] A villager sitting on some stone steps in the temple stood up when the taskforce member approached. "Yokai, I've heard of a small resistance group gathering in the Imahama Area. I believe they're headed by that shrine priestess that started a fight here not too long ago." "They're recruiting farmers and fishermen to their cause. Brave, but it'll be dangerous if they're not trained." [/hider] [hider=Bottoms Up] A peasant man warming his hands on a bonfire noticed the taskforce member passing by. "Yokai, you must do something! It's Ayane's sake brewery in Imahama. That brewery is the pride of Shizuyama, but soon there will be none left. The Varjans are taking it by force." [/hider] [center]~~ LEGENDARY TALES ~~[/center] [hider=The Heavenly Strike] "Dealing with these students of the Heavenly Strike was more difficult than we thought. They have already thrown back two of the taskforce. However, the yokai fought them separately and at different times, so perhaps a more cooperative approach would be more fruitful." -Takeshi Oja [/hider]