[D2, EM] Oni Aftermath

[Otaku Chi-Pu]

Chi-Pu shakes her head

"Not until we know more. We aren't even sure what the thing was. You should be proud of Khulun, Butaj. Without her, we would not have survived."

[Usagi Tomoe]

Tomoe silently let the Otaku take charge. Like Kaiya, she didn't quite agree, but in the end this was Unicorn territory and their decision.

"If there is anything I can do to help, Otaku-sama, you need only ask. Were you injured in the fight, perhaps?"

[Iuchi Saksaha]

While all the fussing about went on with the new arrivals--so much for keeping quiet, indeed--Saksaha wanders off and quietly asks a Unicorn heimin carrying someone's breakfast who it was that stayed in the tent in question.

After a while she reappears and regards the body again. Since no one's done anything further with it, she gathers up a mostly unburned rug from one of the other damaged tents and spreads it over the poor corpse. i should have remembered to do this before. She sighs. There's no way to close the blackened thing's eyes, so this will have to do. The body is certainly small enough to belong to a young woman, though who knows how much it could have shrunk in the fire... no. Bones don't shrink, at least. It's probably her.

She crunches over toward Chi-Pu and the others again and says, "Otaku-sama, the heimin say this tent belonged to one of my kinswomen, Iuchi Tareef. I did not know her, but as an Iuchi I must take responsibility for her body for now." She glances at Batul, who she supposes has an equal claim and responsibility, but in any case she doesn't really expect much disagreement about what needs to be done. "We must have someone send for the eta. After such a violent death, she should be laid to rest quickly."

[Otaku Chi-Pu]

Chi-Pu shakes her head.

"No Rabbit-san, I was not. I am weak from no sleep and bad food"

The woman blushes, redness overcoming her ruined makeup.

"Iuchi Tareef..."

Chi-Pu looks at the blackened corpse and bows, sadness in her eyes.

"Please Iuchi-san, send her off."

[Iuchi Saksaha]

But I can't burn the poor thing in the middle of camp... that is why we need the eta. Saksaha looks around unhappily. "I can perform the rite once Tareef-san"--she makes a warding gesture as she speaks the dead girl's name--"is prepared for the journey, but it would be better to call the eta under Ide Dabo-sama's authority."

Because Dabo is already about to have a very bad morning, and Saksaha does not want to be in the position of adding a small irritation to his troubles by doing things in the wrong order.

"Is there anything more to be learned here?" She glances at the others, especially Kaiya and Tomoe, who seemed to have a bit more specialized knowledge. "Otherwise, perhaps it is time to tell Ide-sama all that has happened. Since I did not witness, I can stay to stand watch over my kinswoman until the eta come."

[Usagi Tomoe]

Tomoe gave a small shake of her head. "Not that I can think of. Fairuz-sama is a priest, I believe, and might have a wish to commune with the spirits..." she said in a quiet tone, unsure if it was something the Fairuz wished to do, or if it was safe.

[Shinjo Taichi]

Taichi seems to get himself emotionally sorted out, mumbling a small prayer to the charred remains from where he stands. The one he couldn't help.

"Is there anything more to be learned here?" She glances at the others, especially Kaiya and Tomoe, who seemed to have a bit more specialized knowledge. "Otherwise, perhaps it is time to tell Ide-sama all that has happened. Since I did not witness, I can stay to stand watch over my kinswoman until the eta come."

He nods at this, looking to the Otaku for further directions. Something clearly needs to be done to prevent this from happening again, and the best step to take for this would be to inform those in command.

[Otaku Chi-Pu]

"I assure you, Otaku Kotakuhime-sama will have alerted Ide-sama. She is an heir to the Otaku, and understands the importance of such matters. "

She glances around, looking for the eta.

Frowning when she realized she hadn't actually ordered anyone to do it and no one took the initiative to ask, she points to the distance

"There is an Eta encampment on the far edge of the Yurts. Can someone please fetch them? I must maintain command here."

[Fairuz Kaiya]

Tomoe gave a small shake of her head. "Not that I can think of. Fairuz-sama is a priest, I believe, and might have a wish to commune with the spirits..." she said in a quiet tone, unsure if it was something the Fairuz wished to do, or if it was safe.

Kaiya quietly nodded.. he had considered it, though it wasn't without concerns.

"Earth would likely give us the greatest estimation on any dangers involved with this," he gestured toward that sand once more, "though safety may be a concern if it is deeply afflicted itself. Fire, on the other hand, may give a clearer picture of the events leading to this.. and shouldn't require more than the usual precautions for such communion. As such, I believe that should be the initial focus.. does one have any particular lines of inquiry to follow?"

[Usagi Tomoe]

"How this happened in the first place would probably be the first concern..." the Hare frowned. The mystic art of the shugenja was rather beyond what she could understand, no matter how much she read and memorized.

She looked at Chi-Pu. Wait... did the Otaku just ask her to fetch the Eta?

[Iuchi Saksaha]

"You can just... ask? And it will be answered so easily?" Saksaha had been willing enough to march off and get the eta, but this arrests her attention and drives the plan right out of her head. Her dark eyes widen, eyebrows raising.

[Ide Amaya]

Amaya had been listening close by, and she finally saw something constructive to offer. "Allow me, Chi-Pu-Sama. I shall return with the Eta as quickly as I can."

[Otaku Chi-Pu]

Chi-Pu nods and smiles to the courtier.

"Thank you, Ide-san. Please be swift."

She motions for the rest who have gathered to stand with her and she turns to the priests to listen and assist in any way she can, listening intently to them speak on the matters that had transpired.

[Ide Amaya]

Amaya bows, smiling gratefully, and hurries away at a dignified but rapid pace.

[Fairuz Kaiya]

"Of course, Iuchi-san.. allow me to make the preparations and demonstrate."

A bit of firewood was set up in the remnants of one of last night's campfires a short distance back, where Kaiya figured it might be safe (and controllable should things go awry). The Fairuz stood a few feet from the small pile, the scroll in his hands slackening and pulled taut as he gestured this way and that, manipulating the seal imagined before him to call upon the kami.. and probably seeming a little foreign to the Unicorn and Rokugani alike.

"Spirit of Fire, I bring an offering in exchange for details of last night's events..."


Casting Commune (Fire), Invoking Seal: 2FR Clarity, 1FR Extra Question, 2FR TN Reduction, TN 6: 4d10o10k3 13