[center] "..." "[color=yellow]We will save your father first, Takeshi. And it will be he who will pass the verdict and the judgment.[/color]" "[color=mediumpurple]We know you're better than this. Make sure this first trifle of yours will be the last time.[/color]" "[color=lavender]...[/color]" "..." [/center] [hr] [center][h3]Terauchi Temple[/h3][/center] [center]~ [@The Irish Tree] (LIL), [@Crowvette], [@Restalaan] (SKA & GRI), [@Rezod92], [@Nakushita], [@Hammerman], [@AzureKnight] (HIN & ATS), [@Enkryption] ~[/center] Takeshi was spared judgment and punishment from his peers for now. It was agreed that the matter would be brought to his father, once he was rescued, and it would be him who would decide Takeshi's fate. The young Oja supposed this was the best outcome of the situation. It could have been very much worse. Still, Takeshi could feel the disappointment in their eyes. They were not the only ones, he was disappointed in himself too. The young lord made his way back to the taskforce upon the meeting's conclusion. Not a wise decision considering the earlier meeting's topic but Takeshi decided he should let things cool off with his peers for now. He should probably talk with them again soon, especially Kikyo. His head was downcast and full of thoughts as he walked, only raising it upon arriving at the taskforce's table. What he saw was... unexpected to say the least. The young lord arrived just in time for [u]Eula[/u] to be leading a cow out of the temple premises. Where the cow came from or what it was doing near the taskforce was unknown to him. Not even his imagination could conjure a likely scenario for it. And besides that, most of the taskforce seem to be grouped around [u]Gringor[/u] and [u]Alice[/u] who had [u]Shizuka[/u] between them. An altercation seemed to be the likely reason, stopped only by the human swordsman as well as [u]Lunatea[/u] and [u]Kerry[/u]. Their antics were drawing a bit of attention from the nearby refugee villagers, probably wondering why their supposed protectors were bickering amongst themselves. Placing himself beside [u]Yuki[/u] with his arms crossed, he asked the Oni who seemed to be enjoying the scene before her. "Tell me, do I even [i]want[/i] to know what's going on here? Don't tell me they were fighting over the cow..." [hr] [hr] [hr] [center]~~ TAKESHI'S JOURNEY ~~[/center] [hider=Kazenosuke, Dancing Blade] "Kazenosuke could deflect any attack with his spinning blade, and deliver slashes faster than the eye could see. I have no idea why he couldn't make it to Sanjo Beach. I know he's a ronin, but he still should have heeded my father. Well, his house is near Terauchi Temple. Not very near, but just follow the river near the temple and we'll find his home and then we can ask for his help." -Takeshi Oja [/hider] [hider=Yurine, Death Keeper] "Yurine has taken care of Clan Oja for as long as I can remember. Despite being a servant, I know she can swing her masakari axe pretty hard. I've little idea of her past but I know it involves tending cemeteries. She should be in Castle Oja but my father sent her to Onrai to begin enacting some way to protect the graves from being desecrated by the invaders. I know of a famous cemetery south of Terauchi Temple. We can begin looking for her there and she'll surely help us." -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] *Finish 'Pre-Emptive Strike' to unlock next tale* [center]~~ TALES OF SHIZUYAMA ~~[/center] [hider=Empty Baskets] A villager woman sitting near a bonfire was muttering to herself when the taskforce member approached. "Poor Honoka, she'll likely starve soon. Oh, I didn't see you there. Err, Honoka's a widow, living alone in the outskirts of Yabo. Please, if it's not too much of a bother, do you mind checking in on her?" [/hider] [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=Lost At Sea] A villager woman was sitting beside a bonfire as the taskforce member approached. "There's a man, yokai, swinging his sword... slashing the air on the beaches of Hama island. I'm not sure if he is a survivor of Sanjo Beach, or a mere bandit. But I'm fairly sure he was crying." "Hama island is just off the southern coasts, but you'll definitely need a boat or something to reach it." [/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]