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[Tanstaafl]

Kirito gives Rai a mysterious look but makes no comment of it, instead he changes the subject. "Anyone seen my monkey? I was away visiting some friends and learning some more shamanistic powers in the mountains and he ws gone when i came back." He asks.

Udo rubs his chin, "Uh, I don't think you had that monkey since we left Hirosaki. Didn't see it on the wagon on the way back. I think."
He shakes his head, "But loads of stuff happened while you were away. Keitaro's uh, gone"

[Daedalus]

Udo rubs his chin, "Uh, I don't think you had that monkey since we left Hirosaki. Didn't see it on the wagon on the way back. I think."
He shakes his head, "But loads of stuff happened while you were away. Keitaro's uh, gone"

"I had my monkey with me. Strange." He shrugs. "Yes, i heard. He set fire to a bunch of houses and made innocent people die. Quite frankly i dont think he deserved to die with his honour intact, but who am i to question the magistrates wishes."

[Not Aman]

"I had my monkey with me. Strange." He shrugs. "Yes, i heard. He set fire to a bunch of houses and made innocent people die. Quite frankly i dont think he deserved to die with his honour intact, but who am i to question the magistrates wishes."

"We should not talk about such unfortunate events." Roka says, clenching his fist. He then stares at Kirito, specifically at his hand.

"Seeing how you aren't drinking yourself senseless, I assumed you've gotten over your alcoholic phase?"

[Daedalus]

"Yes, part of the reason i visited them to begin with." He smiles genuinely. "So, i heard we goth quite a wu-jen to visit... What are your thoughts on the matter?" He asked gently.

[killa_robot]

Udo points at him, "... You... you're speaking..."

Shaking his head, he then looks at Yuki, "You don't seem very, uh, sure of bringing Kioko with us. Why?"

Yuki doesn't answer Udo. Instead, she looks away with an unsure expression.

[Not Aman]

"Yes, part of the reason i visited them to begin with." He smiles genuinely. "So, i heard we goth quite a wu-jen to visit... What are your thoughts on the matter?" He asked gently.

"Them? Who did you visit, Kirito?" Roka asks, smiling and wondering.

Yuki doesn't answer Udo. Instead, she looks away with an unsure expression.

"Yuki?"

[Daedalus]

"Them? Who did you visit, Kirito?" Roka asks, smiling and wondering.

"I will explain everything later." He chuckled out, Kirito was unexplainably happy for some reason.

[killa_robot]

"Yuki?"

"Hm? I'll go let Kioko know she's coming with us."

Yuki replies, walking towards her house.

[Not Aman]

"Hm? I'll go let Kioko know she's coming with us."

Yuki replies, walking towards her house.

"If you're okay with it." Roka replies, and turns away.

"I need to go make some purchases. See you all tomorrow."

[BerkaZerka]

Yuki replies, walking towards her house.

Arriving at home, Yuki is met by her Mother (and Kioko of course).

"It's too bad about that fire," Yuki's Mother says, not going into any detail, due to the little fox girl's presence.

"Yeah, I heard there was a really bad fire!" Kiokoi says - the little luminous spirit familiar on Kioko's shoulder suddenly taking the shape of ghostly white flames - as if to help illustrate Kioko's words.

"Did you help put it out?" Kioko asks curiously - to which, the spirit familiar 'douses' itself and begins to steam - before popping back to normal and hopping up and down excitedly...

[Daedalus]

"If you're okay with it." Roka replies, and turns away.

"I need to go make some purchases. See you all tomorrow."

"Roka, i have something to discuss with you." Kirito said as he walked after him.

[Not Aman]

"Roka, i have something to discuss with you." Kirito said as he walked after him.

Roka sighs.
"Make it quick, ha ha. It's only noon and I'm already tired."

[Daedalus]

"Oh, i think you'll be postively stunned when you hear what i have to say." He smiled, then he got closer and whispered "Meet me at my house, tonight." then he walked off, to buy wooden swords and other toys to give to orphans at some random nursing home.

[Not Aman]

"Ha ha, I make no promises, but I'll try and be there." Roka says with a laugh, and countinues on his shopping trip.

[Daedalus]

"Ha ha, I make no promises, but I'll try and be there." Roka says with a laugh, and countinues on his shopping trip.

"Thsi isnt something you'd want to miss out on." Kirito replies, waving his and and walks off. anime style.

---

Continued in Kirito's Secret Thread

[killa_robot]

Arriving at home, Yuki is met by her Mother (and Kioko of course).

"It's too bad about that fire," Yuki's Mother says, not going into any detail, due to the little fox girl's presence.

"Yeah, I heard there was a really bad fire!" Kiokoi says - the little luminous spirit familiar on Kioko's shoulder suddenly taking the shape of ghostly white flames - as if to help illustrate Kioko's words.

"Did you help put it out?" Kioko asks curiously - to which, the spirit familiar 'douses' itself and begins to steam - before popping back to normal and hopping up and down excitedly...

Yuki smiles at Kioko.

"No, unfortunately I didn't know about the fire until after."

She replies, leaving out Keitaro's part in it and the loss of lives. Yuki then turns her mother.

"The chief magistrate has recommended we take Kioko with us to see Kenjiro Yunikawa."

She begins.

"He thinks that Kenjiro Yunikawa will be able to answer some of the questions we have."

Yuki then looks back to Kioko.

"How about it? Wanna come on an adventure with us?"

She asks excitedly.

[Tanstaafl]

Udo waves good bye to the leaving party-members, seeing them leave, he decides to talk to Miya, "So, uh, are you excited to meet the Wujen Kenjiro? I think it'll be exciting, and will allow us to find, out more about, uh, Sakura and Kioko. But I ah, still wonder why he wants us personally..."

[BerkaZerka]

"How about it? Wanna come on an adventure with us?"

She asks excitedly.

"An adventure? Oh yes!" Kioko replies excitedly and the spirit familiar squeaks gleefully in response.

Yuki's Mother purses her lips however and gives a very concerned look.

"Yuki," she says, "if you do this, you have to promise me to look after your 'little sister' and see to it that she get's 'home'."

"Home? I get to go home?" Kioko interrupts, jumping up an down uncontrollably - "Oh I miss my mommy so much! I want to go home!"

"Uhm... yes, Kioko dear," Yuki's Mother replies, trying to calm the little girl down with a hand on her shoulder.

Then to Yuki, she continues, "The Wu-Jen Yunikawa can certainly show you how to get Kioko back 'home', but ..." and here she bends over to whisper in Yuki's ear - "He may try to take her as his own, for he can enslave spirits. You mustn't let that happen. You cannot leave Kioko with the Wu-Jen, for any reason - no matter what."

Then speaking again at a normal volume, Yuki's mother smiles and says "Promise me this Yuki."

[killa_robot]

"An adventure? Oh yes!" Kioko replies excitedly and the spirit familiar squeaks gleefully in response.

Yuki's Mother purses her lips however and gives a very concerned look.

"Yuki," she says, "if you do this, you have to promise me to look after your 'little sister' and see to it that she get's 'home'."

"Home? I get to go home?" Kioko interrupts, jumping up an down uncontrollably - "Oh I miss my mommy so much! I want to go home!"

"Uhm... yes, Kioko dear," Yuki's Mother replies, trying to calm the little girl down with a hand on her shoulder.

Then to Yuki, she continues, "The Wu-Jen Yunikawa can certainly show you how to get Kioko back 'home', but ..." and here she bends over to whisper in Yuki's ear - "He may try to take her as his own, for he can enslave spirits. You mustn't let that happen. You cannot leave Kioko with the Wu-Jen, for any reason - no matter what."

Then speaking again at a normal volume, Yuki's mother smiles and says "Promise me this Yuki."

Yuki nods to her mother and smiles.

"Of course I'll promise that!"

She then turns to Kioko.

"You better go pack! It'll be quite the adventure, hehe!"

[BerkaZerka]

"Yay!!!" Kioko cheers and runs to get her school books.

[BerkaZerka]

17th Day of Mid Summer, 1297
Into The Mountains

The early morning mist still clung to the ground as the Samurai of Sendai collected their mounts and geared up for their latest adventure.

They had gathered at the City Gate early, so that the journey to Master Yunikawa’s mountain home would end with plenty of daylight left – as traveling in the mountains at night was a dangerous business.

Unless they lost their way or encountered unforeseen delays, the trip would take nearly a day's travel, with them arriving at their destination sometime in the late afternoon. They would be expected to stay the night of course, as it would be an insult to be forced to return with so little daylight left, or denied shelter from the cold mountain air.

Little Kioko rubbed the sleepiness from her eyes, as she waited patiently, sitting in the front of Yuki’s saddle with the little spirit familiar happily riding on the girl’s shoulder as always. In her little green sailor’s outfit and clutching her schoolbooks so closely, it was hard to believe that she wasn’t just a normal little girl.

“Where are we going?” Kioko asked, as everyone made the last minute checks to their mounts and equipment. “Are we going to find my mommy now?”

[cool74]

Rai smiles and says, "No little one but we are taking you to someone who might be able to."

[BerkaZerka]

"Aww..." Kioko says, slightly deflating in her excitement - while the small spirit familiar on her shoulder just sighs heavily and rolls its eyes, as if in disgust...

[killa_robot]

"Aww..." Kioko says, slightly deflating in her excitement - while the small spirit familiar on her shoulder just sighs heavily and rolls its eyes, as if in disgust...

"Don't worry."

Yuki says, trying to cheer Kioko up.

"The person we're going to see is known as a great Wu-Jen mage. He can do all kinds of cool magic!"

[BerkaZerka]

"Ooh, Magic! Really?" Kioko says, brightening immediately - with a happy chirp from the spirit familiar to suggest its agreement.

[Daedalus]

"Lets get going shall we?" Kirito asked wondering for himself if it was near his Nezumi friends.

[Not Aman]

Roka arrives, followed by his three students, who are all looking groggy.

"Firstly, Kioko, Yone told me to give you this lunch pack to snack on. It's gonna be a long ride." Roka says smiling.

"Secondly, I realize that we aren't supposed to bring Doshin, but we need a bunch of people to stay with our wagon. So, I brang my students with us." He says, and then looks at his students.

"Dont repeat that to your mother." He says, sternly.

[Tanstaafl]

Udo comes ready with all his animals companions, excited, he doesn't even bother hiding Kirito's monkey (though it's being guarded by the squirrels for whatever reason....)
"Hello Kioko, glad you could, uh, come with us. And stuff" He says, grinning. "This should be ah, interesting experience."

[cool74]

Roka arrives, followed by his three students, who are all looking groggy.

"Firstly, Kioko, Yone told me to give you this lunch pack to snack on. It's gonna be a long ride." Roka says smiling.

"Secondly, I realize that we aren't supposed to bring Doshin, but we need a bunch of people to stay with our wagon. So, I brang my students with us." He says, and then looks at his students.

"Dont repeat that to your mother." He says, sternly.

Rai looks at the students and says, "This mission was not suppose to go outside us. Do you really think it is a good idea to bring inexpernce people with us Roka?" as he finish hisstatement Rai loks at Roka with a semi disapproving look.

[Not Aman]

Rai looks at the students and says, "This mission was not suppose to go outside us. Do you really think it is a good idea to bring inexpernce people with us Roka?" as he finish hisstatement Rai loks at Roka with a semi disapproving look.

Roka waves it off, and then looks at Rai.

"We were told not to bring Doshin. I'm not bringing Doshin. Otherwise, you'll just have to trust the guy with the strongest fist in Sendai."

[Daedalus]

"Yo Rai." Kirito said to him, he then did a series of super quick hand gestures. "I know who you are."

[cool74]

Rai sees the gestures and nods his way at kirito and responds with a quick flurry of hand signles that mean, "We will talk later." He also says out load, "Good to see you back with us."

Responding to Roka, "I will trust you but I wont go out of my way to protect them."

[Not Aman]

"Never asked you to." Roka replies, shrugging.

[BerkaZerka]

"Oh, Udo," Kioko exclaimed, laughing - "You have all the best pets!"

---

With that, the Samurai of Sendai headed out the City Gates and on their way.

[BerkaZerka]

It was late in the afternoon, as the Samurai of Sendai made their way up the final leg of the narrow mountain trail leading through the rugged and high terrain to Master Yunikawa’s place.

Kioko, who was riding with Yuki, gazed in wonder at the spectacular views offered by the high mountain vantage, even pointing out Sendai in the flatlands sixteen miles below – “Look at that! You can see the whole city from here!” she said excitedly.

Rounding a corner, an awesome sight came into view – Master Yunikawa’s mountain home.



The whole thing was more of a miniature citadel, sitting on the top of a thick spire of rock, with a series of ancient stone steps and heavy rope bridges leading up to it. A large round landing just below the entrance was wide enough to accommodate the horses, but they would have to be carefully led one at a time up the narrow way. Leaving them below was not an option, if the Samurai wanted mounts to ride back after their business was finished.

As the Samurai stood at the base of the first stairs looking towards the imposing stone structure, the wind blew cold and chill through the high mountain air – and everyone felt a sudden unease.

Kioko shivered uncontrollably and snuggled backward into Yuki’s chest – “What is that weird lady doing there on the landing?” Kioko asked with a trembling hint of fear in her voice, while the little spirit familiar squeaked once and darted into Yuki’s armor to hide.

Looking carefully at the landing, no one saw anyone – the landing was clear...

[cool74]

Rai looks at Yuki and asks, "Can you see any  thing with spirt sight?"

[Daedalus]

Kirito casts spirit sight, and looks at landing again.

[killa_robot]

Rai looks at Yuki and asks, "Can you see any  thing with spirt sight?"

Yuki uses her spirit sight and looks at the landing.

[BerkaZerka]

Kirito and Yuki, feeling a powerful focus of Ki energy in this place – and an unwholesome presence – activate Spirit Sight.

Immediately they recognized the place as a tremendously powerful Spirit Shrine, wrapped in some sort of Epic Magic beyond their comprehension.

Kirito and Yuki also saw the woman Kioko could see – an unmanifested Kyoso-No-Oni, sitting on the stone railing of the platform – she was a dark pillar of vaguely female-shaped flesh, sprouting four monstrous arms and crowned with a wicked rack of sharp horns.



This was a powerful Independent Demon, able to move through rock and stone at will and throw great bolts of soul burning fire, which was rumored to permanently drain a person’s Ki energy (or Essence) – burning its victims alive from the inside out.

Currently, she just sat there watching the group with an indifferent and somewhat smug look, until her eye’s met Kirito’s gaze – though nothing changed in her expression, Kirito immediately knew that she was aware that he and Yuki could see her…

[killa_robot]

Yuki turns to Rai and nods, indicating that she can see something, but she doesn't say what.

"Don't worry Kioko, she's probably just a friend of Kenjiro Yunikawa."

Yuki says, placing her hand on Kioko's head in an attempt to calm her. She then turns her attention to the Kyoso-No-Oni.

"We're here by request of Kenjiro Yunikawa."

She says to the woman, to see if she gets a response of any kind.

[Not Aman]

"What did you see, Yuki?" Roka asks, curious.

[Daedalus]

"Oh, just a VERY powerful spirit shrine, and a equally powerful... eh.." Kirito glanced at Kioko to make sure she wouldent be able to hear him. "A very powerful Oni."

OOC: Does Kirito know about the Oni's abilities?

[killa_robot]

"What did you see, Yuki?" Roka asks, curious.

"A Kyoso-No-Oni."

[Not Aman]

"A Kyoso-No-Oni."

"... Oh." Roka says, sobering up, and motioning for his students to sober up as well.

"Oh, just a VERY powerful spirit shrine, and a equally powerful... eh.." Kirito glanced at Kioko to make sure she wouldent be able to hear him. "A very powerful Oni."

OOC: Does Kirito know about the Oni's abilities?

"Wait, Kirito. You can finally see spirits?" Roka says, surprised that Kirito can do something useful.

[Daedalus]

"Yes. And i can do fire balls." He gave him the thumbs up and a childish grin.

[Tanstaafl]

"Yes. And i can do fire balls." He gave him the thumbs up and a childish grin.

"Did you ever figure out what those plants did?"
Udo asks, yawning. Staring at the nothingness, he suddenly shivers- Keitaro at least was able to fight unmanifested spirits. Hopefully this one indeed worked for the Wujen, or at least didn't attack for its own purposes.

[cool74]

Rai hearing what it was grabs his chain weapon. He doesn't put it into a threatening position but it he is clearly ready to use it.

[BerkaZerka]

Yuki and Kirito watched the Kyoso-No-Oni as Yuki spoke, gauging its reaction. At first, the ten foot tall (counting the horns) Oni seemed not to be listening, but then with a flick of one of her four arms, she motioned up the stairs towards the door of Yunikawa’s citadel and whispered in a terrible voice, light as the air, yet painful to be heard and eerily alive, like some entity all its own – ‘inside.’

As the rest of the Samurai watched the empty landing, they heard the sudden whisper carried on the wind, seeping (like some black disease) into their very souls…

Kioko’s eyes widened as the sound – “What is this place? I’m scared!” she said in alarm, not wanting to go any further, and keeping very close to Yuki.

[Daedalus]

"This... isnt a very good place for children." Kirito said with a sad smile to Kioko.

He then said to the group "Let's go, i do not wish to tally here any longer than needed."

[Not Aman]

"Don't worry Kioko, we will protect you." Roka says, comfortingly. "Everything will be good."