[D3 EE] Rabbit Hunting

[Usagi Tomoe]

"I'm sorry... I do not know exactly what he is capable of, only that he is rumored to be a very powerful practicioner of blasphemous magic. The power to summon monsters like you and Otaku-sama fought is... not impossible for someone who is skilled at dabbling in that kind of heresy." It wasn't exactly a pleasant topic to discuss, and she looked to see if the Fairuz had anything he wanted to know, or add.

[Moto Khulun]

She looks at the Otaku and then back to the Rabbit and says, “Rabbit-sensei, thank you.”

“Is there any connection between this netsuke and the Onyx Champion? I do not see it… although Otaku-nikutai thinks…” she trails off.

“It is nothing. I do not know why this Kiyoshi had this relic or why it is important to the Onyx Champion.”

[Otaku Chi-Pu]

Chi-Pu does not speak as Khulun tells her story. She simply frowns and looks as if something is troubling her deeply.

"What happens when one becomes corrupted? You said there are tales of cures, but for those who are not, what evils do they face?"

[Usagi Tomoe]

Tomoe picked up her tortoise, who had finished lazily devouring the offering, as she considered how to best answer such a question.

The Hare continued in a very quiet tone, not wanting others to overhear this from outside her tent. Already people were speaking of her being a blasphemer over something as silly as a children's tale.

"It can take years before corruption becomes noticeable... and sometimes it goes faster, there is no way to say for certain there as some are more resilient to withstanding it, while some fall soon after. The first known signs are physical harm when touching jade, or when shugenja call upon the powers of the kami to summon the purity of jade. Mental deteriation soon follows... horrible nightmares, hearing voices, paranoia, sometimes understanding of the world around them."

"Some of the most common physical changes are blood being turned black, followed by other traits like discoloration of the skin, eyes or hair, sudden and unnatural hairloss..."

"... From there, it really can vary from what I've read, and none of the results are pretty. At such a point, the person is beyond potential redemption through committing seppuku to prevent themselves from causing harm to others. When a person becomes heavily influenced by the touch of Jigoku, they are no longer themselves, but servants of that evil realm."

[Otaku Chi-Pu]

Chi-Pu nods again as Tomoe speaks, her frown growing larger.

"Like those lost to the Shadow..."

She looks into the eyes of all three.

"Khulun, Kitakuhime-sama, Taichi-san, and I all must get a piece of jade as quickly as possible. We fought that Oni and it had strange magics. We cannot risk becoming an enemy to our people. The jade you let me touch did not burn, but if it can take years..."

She looks to Khulun again.

"Or if we come in contact again..."

[Moto Khulun]

“My soul is pure, hand me that jade, if you doubt me,” she says calmly.

[Otaku Chi-Pu]

"I mean for the future."

[Fairuz Kaiya]

"I'm sorry... I do not know exactly what he is capable of, only that he is rumored to be a very powerful practicioner of blasphemous magic. The power to summon monsters like you and Otaku-sama fought is... not impossible for someone who is skilled at dabbling in that kind of heresy." It wasn't exactly a pleasant topic to discuss, and she looked to see if the Fairuz had anything he wanted to know, or add.

Unpleasant indeed... and yet it was the topic they were here to speak of.
"I have no direct knowledge of this 'Onyx Champion'.. but I do have a warning regarding all things touched by Jigoku. Remember that no matter what they offer, what they say.. the end goal is always the corruption of the pure, and the destruction of the Empire. There is no pact or bargain that will benefit in the long term."

His eyes moved again to where Khulun held the strange object.

...are we even sure that thing is safe? Even if it is this thing Usagi-san has stated, who could know how it could have been tampered with...

[Moto Khulun]

“The enemy of my enemy is my friend, as I have heard said. The Onyx Champion must seek an ally for an enemy that even the Dark Brother cannot counter,” she says confidently.

“Would that not be a time when even enemies may be hated allies?”

[Otaku Chi-Pu]

"If this Onyx Champion is some sort of leader, or general, could you tell us an example of what happened last time something like this came into the lands of the Empire?"

[Moto Khulun]

“Tell Otaku-nikutai story of Iuchi-Ban… not Iuchi by birth, but a dark sorcerer. Defeated at great cost,” Khulun says looking at Tomoe.

[Usagi Tomoe]

Tomoe sighed mentally as she recalled as much as she could of the history lesson she had given the first day, and repeated it to Chi-Pu to the best of her abilities.

"Iuchiban is perhaps the greatest danger the Empire has faced since the war against the Ninth Kami... an enemy that could not be defeated by conventional means."


((sorry for just linking the post there, but it's rather lengthy to write it up all again. Chi-Pu knows the common info there is about Iuchiban now!))

[Moto Khulun]

Khulan adds, “But not Iuchi, right Rabbit-sensei. Not Iuchi… but bad sorcerer.”

[Usagi Tomoe]

"Correct, Moto-san. His name is written like so," she picked up her calligraphy brush and wrote it on a blank sheet of paper for them to see. "While the Iuchi family write their name like this." Another example was made next to it, showing that the two are different.

"His name does not have any relation to the Iuchi family of your clan."

[Otaku Chi-Pu]

"It took armies to defeat one man. That is indeed bad..."

She again looks to Khulun.

"If this Iuchiban was ever to return, the Empire would expect all to fight him immedietly, no? So then, would the same be expected if this Onyx Champion showed up?"