Choosing the Rescue Team [LM, D15]

[Shinsei]

Miyako stepped forward after hearing all of this and finding her place in line. "Judge as you might..." she said to the Little Teacher when it is her turn, and she stood there and awaited, curious to know what he might say about her. She could not recall their meeting but perhaps in passing over the course of this whole trip, but she had heard much about his wisdom and insight.

Hunting. Sneaking. Blood, but not of game. An ancestral line with heavy expectations. Falling stars, a massive wave, anger and frustration...

He frowned. "I fear there is much Jigoku might use against you and your fellows if you dared the pit."

[Shinsei]

"I know where my place shall be... but I had been pondering such an art as which you speak so I hope you will begrudge me a moment to see what it looks like from the other side once you are done with the rest."

Jin awaits his eventual turn under Shinsei's gaze.

"If you wish to see the technique, I shall oblige."

Shinsei locks gazes with Jin. At first nothing seems to idleness, but then there's a moment where time seems to fall away, and...

Sacrifice. Dutiful sacrifice. Blood paid for blood saved. Heartache, loss, loneliness... renewed purposed, touched by doubt...

"Likely your chosen goal is best, but I do hope this has assisted you in your interests."

[Jin]

Jin nods, "Thank you."

[Shinsei]

Wu notes a few final things concerning hubris before silently getting up in line.

I am not as strong as others here but I will not shy away from what must be done

Strength of purpose mixed with doubt. Willingness in intent, but a slight waver of conviction. The smallest crack with which take root...

Shinsei shook his head. "I am afraid not, Wu. This will not be your time. Not yet, at least."

[Shinsei]

Inga shrugged. "I am ready to die... so I will go where I am most needed." She shrugged again. "My life is yours... for what it is worth." Maybe she is brave, maybe she is just stupid, who knows.

Visions of the future, Inga within the depths of the pit, walking, searching... then something happens. Shinsei cannot see the shape of the misfortune, but he can feel it hovering close about her shoulders...

"I do not doubt your conviction, but there is something following you which would not overlook the opportunity to do you harm in that place."

[Shinsei]

Ryoko did not cease her music, allowing the gentle sound of her instrument to underline all the events taking place, artful pauses permitting the quiet of voice to speak, yet their words were woven into the tapestry of her song. At last the demand was given for those present to step forward...

She moved to the line, but her art did not stop - those in charge of this expedition could decide for themselves how best to make use of her, for now, she continued to play the song of clear speaking, the ritual undercurrent of oath-making and business arrangements for her tribe. Her role was to support those important enough to make the decisions, to underscore their words, not distract from them.

Doubt. Fear. A roil of emotions, mixed with a budding strength, sheltered and nurtured in the shadow of a great mountain. A delicate blossom not quite ready for full bloom...

He smiled, but shook his head. "You have strength, but it is new and untested. I would not have you test it against a force so great that it might consume you utterly."

[Shinsei]

"I didn't get dressed up for nothing. Let me know, Little Teacher, if my place is with the assault, or defending the spirit-talkers."

The swing of an axe. Against all odds, it hits its target. A splash of blood. Sora holds his hands up to inspect them, but instead of read, they are covered in paper, an unfurled scroll. Knowledge, study, dutiful effort. The presence of something over his shoulder, guiding him to know and search for more to know...

"Jiyo Sora. Within your mind is a sturdy foundation of knowledge and a desire for the truth. You will be the vision that sees past the lies Jigoku sends before you."

[The group has been selected. Shinsei may still give visions if you wish for them once the Underbirb's eyes to back to pointing in the same direction again]

[Shinjo Koyama]

Kanna stepped forward. "I'll go, if I'm seen as worthy enough."

Beneath a full moon, a howling obsession for protecting another. A virtuous ideal, twisted into an unpleasant extreme...

"I believe you are best served attending to the defense of Reiko, as you have done so admirably up to this point already."

"Pure? Mah guidwife haes brought us a' 'ere whaur a'd ower we weren't. Howfur kin ah mak' sure that this is finally ower wi'oot haeing mah haun in it?" He folded his arms in grumpy defiance. He had had a 'fook ye' ready for Shinsei for the rejection of his aid, but changed his mind hearing the reasoning. All he wanted was Shinjo leaving the obsession about her fallen brother behind, and was willing to go to hell and back to ensure it.

[Hantei Kinsen]

Kinsen looks at Koyama waiting for the cursing to begin, and is –– again –– surprised today, when he contains his usual rebellious attitude. Not knowing entirely why, she simply gives him a reassuring nod.

[Nozomi]

Phi simply nodded when the four were selected. At this point, she didn't need to ask him to look into her eyes. It was a thing that she knew. She was ruled by fear. She had come to this expedition because she feared that her people would cease to exist and that she would cease to have meaning. She had fled to the Hikaru as a child, terrified of the horrors that had destroyed her village and the very thing that had savedher life. In coming to this place, she was plagued by nightmares of the things that haunted her dreams, and she was as certain now as she had been the day she fled her burning village that the darkness followed her still, for she had seen it, and it had seen her, and the bone-chilling terror of it burned at her very soul, threatening to take on a life of its own.

Nobody so ruled by fear, no matter how they could master it normally, had any business walking into the very pit of fear itself. She would fail them below. Her place was above, somewhere, preferably at his side. For now, though, she was... not content, but accepting. The selections seemed... good ones.

[Seppun Dawei]

Dawei nods firmly once the selections are finalized.

That's that, then, he thinks.

I wonder if there's anything else that needs saying here.

[Inga]

Inga shrugged. "I am ready to die... so I will go where I am most needed." She shrugged again. "My life is yours... for what it is worth." Maybe she is brave, maybe she is just stupid, who knows.

Visions of the future, Inga within the depths of the pit, walking, searching... then something happens. Shinsei cannot see the shape of the misfortune, but he can feel it hovering close about her shoulders...

"I do not doubt your conviction, but there is something following you which would not overlook the opportunity to do you harm in that place."

"There is no harm when one is dead. My life is nothing, my suffering is nothing compared to what would be achieved." Inga shook her head.

[Ongaku no Ryoko]

Ryoko just accepted the statement of her readiness, and then finished her song, now that the choices were made and the deciding complete.

Resting the instrument against the seat, setting the bow against it, she rose, dusting herself off and glancing at those gathered, pondering if those present would follow or oppose the choices made here.

Even standing, she was dwarfed by Yamadono's height, but she reached to her shoulder, giving the hand a small squeeze, and then began gathering her things, assuming there was nothing else for her to do here.

[Togashi Saruko]

"I have faith in Shinsei's wisdom in this choice," Saruko at least spoke calmly in support of the wise man. It was right that the choice was made by someone with a calm mind who could manage to detach himself from the many feelings of the situation.

She supported Reiko dearly, but she also worried that the young woman let emotions cloud her judgement too much...

[Nozomi]

A thought occurred to her, and she reached into her clothes. she wasn't hoarding, but she had a third piece. She reached in and brought it out, offering it to one of the four. "I have two others, and if I have been gauging the pace of it, the jade will hold as long as we are here. If one of you has need of more... I trust the shamans, but you will need it more than me. I know another offered, and good. But you need to go fully prepared, where you are going."

(OOC: This is an offer to Yamadono, Sora, Dawei or Ch'Chit - She has a spare piece of Jade. Private Message me if one of you claims it. She 'may' have been holding this specifically for this event.)

[Seppun Dawei]

Dawei nods to her.

"Thank you. I am certain it will help--but I hope I will be able to return it to you, after."

(PM sent.)

[Nozomi]

Dawei nods to her.

"Thank you. I am certain it will help--but I hope I will be able to return it to you, after."

(PM sent.)

"It's a pretty rock to me, whatever its properties are. What I want is for the four of you to succeed and crawl out of that damned pit alive with him," she said, nodding firmly as she handed over the jade.

[Jiyo Sora]

Sora nodded. Then looked to Dawei, T'kkiri, and Yamadono.

"I gotta say... I'm glad it's you guys."

[Seppun Dawei]

Dawei nods in reply.

"Wonder how much company we'll have."

[Jin]

Jin approaches the chosen and hands Sora a finger of jade, "If you fail I suppose I won't be needing this. So don't fail." He offers a grim smile, "Coat your weapons well - they will likely be useless without it."