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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 Eula 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 Gringor and Alice who had Shizuka between them. An altercation seemed to be the likely reason, stopped only by the human swordsman as well as Lunatea and Kerry. 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 Yuki with his arms crossed, he asked the Oni who seemed to be enjoying the scene before her. "Tell me, do I even want to know what's going on here? Don't tell me they were fighting over the cow..."
~~ TAKESHI'S JOURNEY ~~
"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
"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
~~ TAKAMORI TALES ~~
"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
~~ SORAE TALES ~~
*Finish 'Pre-Emptive Strike' to unlock next tale*
~~ TALES OF SHIZUYAMA ~~
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?"
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..."
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."
~~ LEGENDARY TALES ~~
"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."
Now, I'm curious, if there are monogamous monsters. Luna's reaction to (see: disdain for) and statement about Alice switching from Takeshi to Gringor promotes the idea that monogamy is commonplace and adultery is shameful for her species. It would be quite interesting for Alice to answer Luna's question and put viewpoint to task, as a highly intelligent member of the sporgy (+1 Pun) species known as Matango.
Maybe, pin that for later, if it comes up in an organic fashion?
In the lore, monsters are usually monogamous with harems (as in, one guy with multiple wives) are actually pretty rare barring the monster races that encourage harems (like Bicorns and Nurarihyons).
However, it is also true that some monsters don't find their fated partner in their first 'time' with a man and they would just move on until they do find him. (It's also pointed out that most men who get assaulted felt so great, they are very much tempted to seek the monster out or just seek monsters in general.)
That bit of the lore has been changed into rare occurrences but we're not sticking to hard canon here.
After Atsuha had left, Takeshi moved to leave too when the Fairy that had healed him unneccessarily earlier suddenly flitted up to him.
"Don't you worry Takeshi, I promise that no matter what, we're here for your people and you! If you wind up being exiled, I know some good human villages back where I come from. Or if you feel like bumming off of nature, I know a lot of poison plants to not eat."
Takeshi snickered. These yokai were never going to leave him, were they? He really should meet this 'Lady Kyouko' person and inquire as to why this yokai taskforce not only aided Shizuyama, but was also apparently ordered to look after him too. "I'll keep that in mind, madam. Thank you."
---
"What...?"
"Is this true?!"
"..."
"There-there has to be a mistake, Lord Takeshi..."
The group had moved on to the dining area as they continued their... antics. Their table was separated from everyone else's, for obvious reasons. Some of the children were curious and wanted to approach the yokai, but the taskforce's current interactions forced their parents back to their own tables. Some other, more optimal, time to build bridges then.
Ayu was glad that her little pep talk has managed to cheer Liliana up. Although, she worried that if the taskforce's morale can't take hits like this, then what would happen if worse things happen? Ayu decided not to worry about that right now. "I'll be joining the cooking crew, alright? Just holler if you guys need anything."
Eula and Shizuka had also returned from their mission, with some bandit prisoners even. After leaving their prisoners to the monks, however, they were led away by a villager. Perhaps they will be available in a short while.
The taskforce also overheard a couple of villager men walking by.
"I saw a couple of Zombies outside the temple. Are they part of the taskforce too?" "No, I heard they were the thralls of the Lich one. Made from Varjan corpses, or so Ayu says." "Well if I die, she can have my body. That's probably the only way I can be useful against the Varjans..." "Mmm, be careful what you wish for."
Through one way or another, Eula and Shizuka reached the temple with their prisoners without any further incident. Upon their arrival, they were greeted not by Ayu but a villager man. "You two! You were the ones sent by Saki, right? You need to come with me."
After leaving the bandit prisoners with the monks, the two taskforce members were led by the man towards an area of the temple where the unfortunate dead were given their final rites. The bodies were respectfully covered with clean white sheets while a senior monk recited prayers. There were other villagers here, mourning for their fallen, and Shizuka and Eula were taken to a seemingly random one.
"This is Saki, yokai. It's a strange tragedy." The villager said. "She slit her wrists open without anyone knowing, and came here just before she expired. She said she blamed herself for her family's death, and committed harakiri to atone for the sin. The monks could not save her and her last words were of gratitude to you two. She said that the yokai have more honor than anyone here in Shizuyama."
The villager then sighed. "What about you? Where did Saki send you exactly?"
~~ TAKESHI'S JOURNEY ~~
"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
"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
~~ TAKAMORI TALES ~~
"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
~~ SORAE TALES ~~
*Finish 'Pre-Emptive Strike' to unlock next tale*
~~ TALES OF SHIZUYAMA ~~
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?"
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..."
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."
~~ LEGENDARY TALES ~~
"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."
"Humans stand as the Apex Predators. Beasts should be made to understand their place. I’ll lend my talents to reset the Balance between Man and Mer..."
After Scarlett had left for the library, Einer snickered. "Pffft..."
"Aha, ahahahaha!" The little outburst from the white-haired, metal-armed woman had the musician letting out a hearty, genuine laugh. Normally, he would care about the feelings of those who were the expense of the joke but this was simply too much for Einer. "Forgive me, my lords and ladies." Einer continued, wiping a tear off an eye. "I've not seen such brutal honesty since... well, I believe this is the first time I've seen it!" He let out a few more laughs as he finished.
Scarlett. She was probably not good company, but she had been hilarious so far. She's probably one of those people best enjoyed from a distance. "She does not mince her words, does she? She has honesty untempered by manner or etiquette. Indeed, I do not envy Madam Shavis' job watching over her."
"But anyway, while I would love to browse the Tower's libraries like some of the others, let me earn my keep first and establish myself a Reaver of the Eon Tower." Einer said before looking at Taltrus and Evelyn. "Let me join Sir Taltrus and Madam Evelyn in their quest about the stolen weapons. I can offer..."
Offer what? Healing magic likely unneeded? Miasma-cleansing for a job that seemed not to concern any? Einer found himself running off a cliff with that sentence. Oh, why did he even start it? "...Some elevating tunes for the travel on the road. Aha!" He tried to save it with a small joke. Einer noted he should probably refrain from running his mouth off from now on.
"If you fella's have a moment, my comrade and I would like to ask you a few questions. We overheard a few of your friends talking about a woman who fell in love with one of your associates, and had even killed her whole family just to be with him. But it seemed that her love went unrequited, and she was abandoned. It hasn't been lost on me that my comrade and I may have been knowingly sucked into this farce, but we'd like to know the whole story."
"We don't know anything!" One of the crossbowmen exclaimed. "We just do what we're told! We didn't even know this was a lover's quarrel or something. Well, there were rumors circulating around the group but we thought they were just rumors! We didn't know it was true, much less the details." He explained. "The leader, the one who got cannoball'd. He has all the answers."
"Non-vital body parts may be optimal for targeting, including: Hair, pinky fingers, and testicles..."
"What the hell is a testicle?" The cannoneer muttered before coughing from the pain of his abdomen. "But I get your message. I don't plan on any of me getting crushed into powder."
"Heh, this is about a girl named Saki, isn't it?" The bandit leader then laughed. "She put you up to this? Nah, you wouldn't be asking these question if that's the case. You got suckered, didn't you?" He laughed again, savoring the moment while he still had it. "If you were this easy to trick, yokai, then no wonder we kept you out of this island all this time."
"But yeah, about Saki. We saved her from a bunch of Varjans. She got lovestruck, told her we needed food, she told us where her house is, we came for the food." The leader laughed again. "The food wasn't that much, probably why her family fought pretty ferociously. They all died, either way." Another laugh followed. "We kept the girl alive, though. Y'know, fair's fair."
"And nah, hadn't seen a Varjan ever since that incident. Haven't seen a proper Shizuyaman warrior either. They're all dead, aren't they? Gotta be the only reason a yokai could enter this island."
Before Liliana could leave, Ayu placed a hand on her shoulder to stop her.
While the others consoled Alice, Ayu tried her hand on a pep talk for the gloomy Fairy. "Come on, Liliana. Don't be like that. I mean, you're not just any Fairy but a knight Fairy in direct service to a Titania. Don't let stuff like this get you down. Don't leave when we need your inspiring personality the most."
"And besides, a sad Fairy in our midst? It's pretty disheartening, you know?" Ayu finished.
Moments after dismissing Gringor, Takeshi was about to speak to Nobutada when Atsuha appeared. Her sudden arrival surprised the young lord Oja, although he soon figured what she was really here for. "Nobutada, I think need to be alone with her right now. Just gather the others for now and I'll meet you all later."
"Milord, if the yokai are giving you trouble..." Nobutada offered.
But Takeshi put up a hand. "Just... trust me, my friend. I can handle this just fine." The large monk bowed and quickly left the lord and spider yokai alone in this secluded location with a huge tree to the side.
"Takeshi-san, could you spare a moment? Perhaps there's a better way to handle this situation. Having been here for the past few days, we've seen that your people's hatred for the yokai equals, if not surpasses the threat they feel toward the Varjans. I mean, some of the natives have even begun to ally with them! Some members of the taskforce, like myself, are quite magically inclined. I'm sure can find a way to work something out."
"I... appreciate your efforts to help me. Really, I do. But... I don't want to hide anything, especially not from my trusted friends." Takeshi began his reply. "They trust me, and as the heir to this island, look up to me as well. You know, set an example and all that. I don't want to betray their trust, and while I don't mind keeping secrets, what... happened to me and Alice is one secret that I can't keep."
"And besides, if I do keep it and it gets discovered, I'd be more in trouble. Right?" Takeshi finished before scratching the back of his head. "I... don't know what's gonna happen to me. Normally, that act usually warrants death. But we're not in normal times, and I'm the son of the island's Lord. Maybe I'll just be exiled, or just disinherited."
Takeshi wanted to place a hand on Atsuha's shoulder for reassurance, but she was too tall and large for his hand to reach it. He eventually settled on patting the Jorou-Gumo's arachnid legs. "All I'm saying is, you guys don't need to worry about me. Worry about the Varjan invasion, and the people of Shizuyama."
~~ TAKESHI'S JOURNEY ~~
"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
"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
~~ TAKAMORI TALES ~~
"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
~~ SORAE TALES ~~
*Finish 'Pre-Emptive Strike' to unlock next tale*
~~ TALES OF SHIZUYAMA ~~
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?"
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..."
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."
~~ LEGENDARY TALES ~~
"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."
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