Closing the Wound [D15, EM]

[Jiyo Sora]

Sora's tone was level.

"If the spirits of this place want a sacrifice, they will most likely come to claim it without any action on our part."

[Canary]

"I have been working on this for years now. It may not be exactly what is needed, but it can't hurt." With that, Kyosei lifts the jade object he had been holding. "It is the largest jade I have found or heard of in all the land. And I feel there is something special about it."

The object is now roughly in the form of a gauntlet or long glove. It isn't finished, but it is obvious that is the shape it will take, if it continues to be worked on. "Perhaps if he holds it throughout? Send it to him right from the start?"

The Nezumi considered, the shrugged. "It can't hurt."

"Perhaps the spirits could be distracted with a sacrifice?" Haka offers.

Sora's tone was level.

"If the spirits of this place want a sacrifice, they will most likely come to claim it without any action on our part."

"Indeed. Sacrifices to the Realm of Evil won't lead anywhere good. Many monsters will likely be distracted by the other ritual, as well, and trying to make sacrifices of them so that Fu Leng becomes vulnerable. These creatures are not easily mollified by a single meal."

[Hantei Kinsen]

"I have been working on this for years now. It may not be exactly what is needed, but it can't hurt." With that, Kyosei lifts the jade object he had been holding. "It is the largest jade I have found or heard of in all the land. And I feel there is something special about it."

The object is now roughly in the form of a gauntlet or long glove. It isn't finished, but it is obvious that is the shape it will take, if it continues to be worked on. "Perhaps if he holds it throughout? Send it to him right from the start?"

Kinsen eyes, for some reason, are drawn upon the item. She looks to the pendant at her neck that Kyosei gifted her, and wonders if they were the same piece.

[Miyako]

Miyako listened to the discussion from a bit further away, her hand rubbing underneath her chin (and when she thought nobody was looking, rubbing her eyes of sleep from what was a very trippy evening where her nightmares did very much continue). The matter of Names and the magic behind them were just a bit beyond her understanding, and other matters of prayers and kami and spirits and other such things as well, and yet she could not help but pay attention to every word being said, turning her head so that she might hear the conversations better. The Chinsei spirit shamans were sure to be most interested in hearing of such things... assuming she could make it back to tell them, of course.

[Reiko]

Reiko had remained silent, listening to the discussions with interest. She still had her concerns, and while the Nezumi covered some of them she still had others.

"Once this is done, you still have the name. What then?"

[Canary]

Reiko had remained silent, listening to the discussions with interest. She still had her concerns, and while the Nezumi covered some of them she still had others.

"Once this is done, you still have the name. What then?"

"It depends on what its former owner decides," the Nezumi responded. "Whether it stays infused in the jade, we infuse it in something else, or we return it to him for the very brief time it would remain will be up to him. It is part of his name, after all."

[Reiko]

"So there is a time, even a small amount, where it could be used for other means than the one agreed here" Reiko asked to confirm

[Canary]

"So there is a time, even a small amount, where it could be used for other means than the one agreed here" Reiko asked to confirm

"... Again, it is up to the owner. Please explain what you're trying to get at."

[Jiyo Sora]

"The Nezumi would borrow the Name. One who borrows does not own. The 'owner' they refer to is Fu Leng himself."

[Reiko]

"I simply want to understand what can be done while you are borrowing the name beyond closing the portal" Reiko clarified "or if there is any way to ensure that when the name is borrowed, it is for this one cause alone."

[Canary]

"I simply want to understand what can be done while you are borrowing the name beyond closing the portal" Reiko clarified "or if there is any way to ensure that when the name is borrowed, it is for this one cause alone."

"We're going to use it and leave it up to Fu Leng from there. That's it. Your shugenja can't use it for anything else, and we won't. Infused in the jade, the minions of the realm of evil can't use it either."

[Reiko]

Reiko considered whether to press on, but decided not to, just lowering her head.

"Thank you for answering my questions. Let me know if I will be needed for this."

[Jin]

Jin listened but noted that things had not been settled even if the matter was dropped... and not settled with one of the most important pieces of the plan.

"I hear your concern, Reiko-san." He was not certain if she was one of the ones who enjoys these new honorifics or not but better to err on the side of caution, "There is much that can be done with Name. That I have learned. From changing one's form to erasing one's past in the memories of others. Your fear that something could be done is valid. But the question they hear is will something be done. Hence their offense and confusion." He looks to the nezumi then back to her, "We are at a crossroads where all that is left is a matter of trust. We must trust in the nezumi to do as they say. We must trust in our comrades to remain strong of body and will to allow the rescue to succeed. We must trust in your husband to remain strong in these last vital moments. It is all about trust."

He pauses for a brief moment, letting those points breathe to all present, before he continues, "Despite hard histories between them and humanity the nezumi have traveled with us, shared with us, risked their lives with us. I have had no sense they are duplicitous in their intentions or their motives. The only fractures have been issues of understanding... such as this one... where what is asked and what is heard do not align. But that is to be expected between languages no matter how skilled the speaker and how long they have known each other." His eye flickers for a brief moment to his student with whom establishing understanding and trust had taken its time and still had its faults, "Let alone those with little history. I ask you to consider this all and to trust the nezumi for without them even if we save your beloved this realm will know untold suffering."

Jin was no grand speaker but it was obvious he believed in the necessity of this plan and the honest intentions of their allies.

[Kyosei of the Isawa]

"Oh, right. Found these the other day. Don't know of they are of any use, but I definitely can't use them. They may be of use to you." He roots in his backpack, and pulls out about 4 or 5 sticks (okay, four full ones, and one that is cracked almost in half), that resemble memory sticks of some kind. Once they are free, he extends them to the nearest Nezumi.

[Ch’chit T’kkiri]

Ch'chit takes the memory sticks and presents them to the Shamans.

[Canary]

"What's the point of worrying about whether something can happen if it won't?" The Nezumi asked in confusion. "Your shugenja could open a crack in the earth and swallow us right now, or twist us inside out, or steal the air from our lungs. We trust that they won't."

[Ch’chit T’kkiri]

Ch'chit's hand twirled a bit and rolled his fingers as if to say, That's what I said...

[Shoji Haka]

"What's the point of worrying about whether something can happen if it won't?" The Nezumi asked in confusion. "Your shugenja could open a crack in the earth and swallow us right now, or twist us inside out, or steal the air from our lungs. We trust that they won't."

"That is true," Haka confirms for everyone's benefit.

[Seppun Chisei]

Chisei frowned, crossing his arms. He couldn't twist anyone inside out.

Maybe he just needed to study more.

[Seidou Haruyo]

"Then we are agreed that we will not be destroying the trust placed in one another who wish to embark upon what is already supposed to be a harrowing task?" she said with a soft grin. Shifting where she sat that she got her walking stick under hand and rose to her feet. "Are there other matters to which we might need discuss further? Others who would wish to speak?"