Parlay With Darkness (Day 6, Late Night)

[Iuchi Saksaha]

"Because he thinks we alone are too ignorant to know better," Saksaha growls to Khulun and the other Unicorn.

[Bayushi Hotaru]

Seeing how everyone was mounted, and she was not, Hotaru was going to keep a very great respectable distance from the conversation and just observe from her perspective. It was hard to believe that two of the Empire's proverbial boogeymen were engaged in a war amongst each other and there was no friend found in each of them. If they were lucky, both would evils would eliminate each other and spare the Empire some trouble...

[Kiyoshi]

Kiyoshi nods toward Samai, but Saksaha's comment draws a smile to his lips. "It is true. You are ignorant, though that is not why were are here today. I would wager that few among the Clans have mentioned the opening of the Black Scrolls, or of how the Phoenix have opened the path for the Dark Brother to return to Ningen-do. Though, to be fair, the Scorpion have assisted them."

He waves the matter away with his hand. "If we speak of the failings of the Clans and of the things they will not tell you, we will be here until long after your miai has ended. Fortunately, my lord is less miserly with his knowledge. I have learned much of the world from the Dark Brother. As the seals of his prison are weaken, he grows more aware of the world around him and of the fate of his siblings. He knows of Doji's suicide, Hida's death, Togashi's lies... and of Shinjo's imprisonment."

[Moto Khulun]

"Where is she?" The Moto growls.

[Shinjo Monkhbaatar]

"If there is information to be shared to fight this Lying Darkness, then share it. If you have information on how to return Shinjo-kami to our people share it. But we will not be allies in any war, not even temporary for mutual benefit. Because the moment we let you in is the moment we fail in our war against you," Monkhbaatar replies.

[Ide Samai]

Samai glanced around, looking towards Samai. Togashi's lies? Dark brother returning?

She glared once again at Khuluun, but it had the same effect.

"As my compatriots are saying, this is a matter that concerns us gravely. So your.... lord." She didn't manage to wtihhold the shudder. "Is proposing to give us information on Shinjo-no-kami in return for our aid against this Lying Darkness?"

[Yuzuki]

Yep. Yuzuki was definitely in over her head. It was on a level well beyond her expertise.

She stayed quiet, letting the Unicorn speak their own piece.

[Kiyoshi]

Kiyoshi turns toward Samai, his steed's glassy eyes staring back lifelessly at the others. "You have cut to the crux of it, Ide-san. The trinket that I gave to Moto Khulun was taken from her person. The kami should be able to confirm that claim, if you have not already consulted with them."

"In short, I require bodies to fight the threat, in the most literal sense of the word. My offer, which you may convey to your respective daimyo, is thus: give me the bodies of those Unicorn who perish for the next ten years. Their souls will pass on to the Meido, unhindered by Jigoku, which will relinquish any claim upon their souls. Their bodies, however, will march in my armies."

He holds his hand out to the Unicorn, palm open and upwards. "In return, I will tell you where the darkness is keeping Shinjo prisoner. She is much stronger than a mortal, but she fights an enemy far greater than herself. It is only a matter of time before she succumbs to the darkness and becomes one of its faceless minions. There is still time to rescue her... though not much."

[Ide Samai]

Well..... that was terrible.

"Thank you for the offer Kiyoshi-sama. As instructed, we will convey this in the appropriate way of course." She looked to the others fiercely, urging them to leave the matter at hand.

[Shinjo Monkhbaatar]

"Tell us where she is. Her becoming free of it's imprisonment rather than becoming it's slave should be enough of a return for you. If you don't tell us you simply make your enemy stronger. Why would we bolster your strength that you can use it against us? That's a losing proposition for us completely, and you withholding the information is a losing proposition for you as well," Monkhbaatar says with an edge of anger in his voice.

[Iuchi Saksaha]

Saksaha suppresses a shiver when the pale rider, a vision straight out of her truest nightmare, smiles at her words. But she can't entirely conceal her unease from her mare, who's already unsettled by the presence of the horrid skeletal horses; Gio snorts and shudders her coat.

Anything he says could be a lie. Any truths he tells are fancy dress for more lies. Jaw set, she tries to look this warning at Samai and Khulun, though who knows what comes through in the moonlight and shadows.

She still has nothing to say to the pale rider except Get bent, but in her fury she makes an effort to put it in clearer terms, at least. "Your offer insults our clan, slave of Hell. Shinjo-no-kami would reject any child of hers who took such a bargain."

[Kiyoshi]

"Tell us where she is. Her becoming free of it's imprisonment rather than becoming it's slave should be enough of a return for you. If you don't tell us you simply make your enemy stronger. Why would we bolster your strength that you can use it against us? That's a losing proposition for us completely, and you withholding the information is a losing proposition for you as well," Monkhbaatar says with an edge of anger in his voice.

"Because I have leverage and am wise enough to realize it, Shinjo-san." There was little in the way of deception in his voice. "That is the way of the Empire. I recommend that you grow accustomed to it."

[Moto Khulun]

Khulun is silent in thought.

[Kiyoshi]

She still has nothing to say to the pale rider except Get bent, but in her fury she makes an effort to put it in clearer terms, at least. "Your offer insults our clan, slave of Hell. Shinjo-no-kami would reject any child of hers who took such a bargain."

"In the Empire I knew, sacrificing for one's lord was a virtue." He shrugs. "Perhaps that was not a tradition kept up by the Unicorn in their absence."

[Ide Samai]

"Quiet. We are leaving." Hopefully the Mekhem words will quiet them all down. She just wanted to get out of here with all of their lives and souls in peace... there was information to convey, whether lies, whether falsehoods!

"Thank you for the explanation Kiyoshi-sama. We will take your leave then, and will convey the messages in the proper way to our superiors."

She glared at Sakshasa now. They heard worse insults, they can endure.