[LM 13] Seeking Destiny (Open)

[Nanzi]

Nanzi nodded as he thought to Nanashi, This one seems real enough... now tell me about the girl, you know something.

Nanzi said to Shinsei, "Well do try and keep your hubris in check in the future, it nearly gutted Ryoko-san and the Thunder."

[Jin]

That Shinsei?

"Was... was there another infiltrator? A shapechanger who didn't need to steal the skin? That... that is not a good sign."

As if to demonstrate, Shinsei lifted an arm which, despite Jin's healing, was still very much bleeding, something the spirit hadn't done once. He also touched some jade to his lips just to be sure.

"It is a difficult explanation, but what you just faced was a manifestation of my own hubris. A subconscious desire that somehow broke free and became dangerous."

The explanation does little to help his concern, "Oh... how does such a thing come to be? Do we need to worry about them from others?"

That said he is still first and foremost a healer and he continues to spend his blood to help the man despite what may have happened.

(25 more healing)

[Ninube]

With that, Ninube asked nothing more, just stayed by Phi ready to help if she needed it.

[Canary]

Nanzi nodded as he thought to Nanashi, This one seems real enough... now tell me about the girl, you know something.

Nanzi said to Shinsei, "Well do try and keep your hubris in check in the future, it nearly gutted Ryoko-san and the Thunder."

That is the real one. Something is different about him, now. Something has been torn from him.

I sensed it more than her. Seeing its attention made things a little clearer. I'm not sure what it was.

[Nozomi]

Phi began to relax when Shinsei's opening volley did not solicit immediate attacks, seeming to ease some. She wasn't about to start talking until she was certain he was finished and things were ... returning to normal, but at the very least, it seemed they were getting verbal jabs and probably merited nasty comments. Not blades. And that made her feel... better. Safer. It was obvious that the worry was getting to her. She wasn't used to being this unsure about anything.

The fact that the spirit had escaped... that was a worry for another time. Wait. "Thunder?" she said, raising an eyebrow. Did this have to do with what they had talked about? The Cycle?

[Noriaki no Yamadono]

He stood, hoisting Matsu up, even as she wasn't the little girl she once was, the large man was feeling especially protective at the moment.

"That thing dared to attack my daughter. It threatened her as it disappeared that her days were numbered." There was a growl in his voice, as he puffed his chest.

[Nanzi]

That is the real one. Something is different about him, now. Something has been torn from him.

I sensed it more than her. Seeing its attention made things a little clearer. I'm not sure what it was.

Torn from him, he said glancing to his side for a moment not that he could see Nanashi. He stroked his beard and said to Phi, “The creature was after the Thunder, Matsu-san of the Spider, it mentioned something about a Cycle as well and well… maybe it’s time we know a little more of this.”

Observe Shinsei closely, just in case, real or not.

[Shinjo]

Shinjo looked to her companions. "From what he's said, there is a cycle that repeats every thousand years, where Ningen-do and Jigoku clash, each with their own champions. Shinsei hoped to stop the cycle this time through the rescue of my brother. Jigoku seems to be keen on him for its champion."

She sighed. "Unfortunately, his focus on stopping it warped into that thing. It was different - it wanted to destroy everything related to that battle rather than just keeping Jigoku from its champion. When he realized what was going on and what it might do, he tried to stop it. It left him worse than you see now. We barely got to him in time to save his life."

She looked to Matsu. "Her destiny must be tied to this battle."

[Canary]

Torn from him, he said glancing to his side for a moment not that he could see Nanashi. He stroked his beard and said to Phi, “The creature was after the Thunder, Matsu-san of the Spider, it mentioned something about a Cycle as well and well… maybe it’s time we know a little more of this.”

Observe Shinsei closely, just in case, real or not.

Yes... I will.

[Shinsei]

Shinsei turned to Nanzi and bowed, his motions slow and careful, not wishing to re-open his injuries. "I only became aware of the potential after speaking with the seer, Haka. I am not certain precisely how much must happen to create one, but the potential seems universal. When we grew close to this one I... felt its otherness, and tried to dispatch it myself. I was not up to the task, and should not have thought myself capable of fighting such a thing alone."

There was a deep mollifying tone to his words as he spoke, and maybe the occasional furtive glance towards Phi, as if he were assuring her he'd learned his lesson more than anyone else.

"As for the Thunders, I know very little specifically, but I will share what I know. It is said that they are the ones who possess the power needed to battle the eventual champion of Jigoku. The ikiryo likely thought that Matsu held such power, and if my understanding of the spirit is accurate enough, it likely has merit."

[Jin]

"That must be the cycle, the war, that I warned you of earlier Shinjo. The one revealed by the stone marker of those that came before us. I guess the forewarning was not quite in time to truly help if it is already upon us..."

He frowns looking to the girl in Yamadono's care. She had grown much since he last saw her but she was still so very young.

"Is there a way to find these other... Thunders? Surely they are also at risk."

[Nanzi]

“Well then she carries a heavy burden,” he said in reply giving her a glance and then focusing back on Shinsei.

“Will this battle with Jigoku come to pass even if we somehow seal the portal to hell?” he asked.

[Shinjo]

She nodded to Jin. "Yes... I remembered some and connected the dots when he talked about it."

"They will have whatever it likely detected upon her. And if it could find her, we can undoubtedly find a way to do so, as well. Reiko, Haka, or Agasha might be able to help. Jin, you, as well. Perhaps all together."

[Shinsei]

Shinsei was silent a moment. "Jigoku may find a way to resume the war even without the hole in the realms. But, so long as it is there, the time between cycles will be filled with strife and destruction. It may not need to wait if it retains a permanent gate into the mortal realm."

[Jin]

Jin nods at Shinjo's words and continues to listen.

[Nozomi]

Phi's eyes watched them, scanning from one to another as they spoke. Today, she was listening, not fighting. She needed to hear all of this. When Shinsei reassured her with a gaze, she gave him a rueful grin and nodded right back. That was right, teacher. She was not above drumming some sense into you again one of these days.

Her gaze lit on Matsu at the talk of the Thunders and she frowned. It... was not time, not if what he'd said was true. But it also meant that Matsu was important. That she needed to be watched. She swallowed and tried to give the girl a small smile when she let her eyes meet her, winking once. She'd promised, hadn't she?

And then she just listened, her eyes narrowed as she tried to pick up anything of note, but voice kept quiet. Let the big wigs talk.

[Nanzi]

Nanzi nodded and then went silent as he considered what this all meant.

He thought, Nanashi-san, you seem an old spirit have you experienced these wars before or is that beyond your understanding?

[Shinjo]

"Giving it a weaker hold in this realm will likely make its eventual assault weaker, as well," the goddess added. "If you think of it like a battle, cutting off your enemies supplies is an essential tactic."

[Ongaku no Ryoko]

Ryoko was surprised by the sudden hug, but did not put up any struggle, instead, just letting herself be embraced.

With a slow, soft sigh, she let the stress start draining away. Whatever was happening, it was over now. She was safe.

As her heart rate finally began to slow, she was shocked to find she was... crying? It wasn't a loud crying, but somehow the shock was just bleeding out via her eyes, in clear streams down her cheeks, which made her blush with shame.

She was fine... so why? Why did she cry?

As Yamadono rose and addressed the group, she sat, and then finally rose, rubbing at her face with one hand, hiding the embarassing sign of her weakness, and took a steadying breath.

She didn't understand any of this, not yet. It was too sudden, too raw, and so she just drifted away to the fringe of the group, expression bland, an ache in her chest as emotions and thoughts warred within her. She'd never thought she was going to die so clearly before... never come so close. It still felt so raw and real... and now there was nothing. No sign of her brush with death.

[Jin]

"Deny it its general, deny its supplies..." Jin nods. For one who hated battle and death it had, paradoxically, lead him to consider the quickest ways to end such when violence was required.