Izumi had many questions he wanted answered, but the one that he was certain he could find the answer for was here, at the library. Into the stacks he went, in search of journals and histories of the early colonisation of Asakaze. He wanted to know if they'd shut a portal during pacification.

--

D8 EA Inv/Int Did they close a portal and where from during pacification of Asakaze? TN 20: 5d10o10k3 29

An hour in and he had three stacks of books, a load of electronic records on his densai and even a few dusty old scrolls unfurled on a table as he cross referenced it all together. Then he sat back and stared at the ceiling.


"Crapcakes."

Akemi went for the library for her usual studying session of the classics of warfare.

...

Okay, that's a lie. She certainly didn't have the heart to do that between two sessions of getting roasted by the Phoenix for her stupidity. So, while she did borrow a copy of Six Strategies, she ended up wandering the corridors looking for a certain shugenja.

She ended finding another one. But still one ]she knew to be related to the same issue through her... personal connections.

She sat at the same table as the Kitsune, set up her book, densai, and a few sheet of draft paper to take notes as usual.

"Hi Kitsune-sama. Long time not see. How went the miai for you so far?"

On a piece paper before her and pretty much under his nose, she wrote:

You + Tsugiharu --> Chikushudo investigation?

"Ohit'sgoingwell. GotanOtori, acloakandmyownlittledronefromitall. Lotsofnicepeopleherefromoffworld."

He didn't say anything about the 'natives', having had Mumei's message of warning earlier that hour. Already wiped off FoxComm 210 as he knew the device's liking of sharing with every network it could find.

As for her written question he idly formed an affirmative gesture directly over the piece of paper.

"Great! Found yourself a nice foxspouse? Or not yet?"

She added extra scribbles on the paper:

Getting better? Getting worst?

"Stilllooking. Afewdaysleftyettodecide."

He kept smiling as he typed on his densai, which was flat on the tabel where Akemi could easily read it if she wished.

How much did Kuchiki-san tell you?

"Oh come on, give me a shortlist at least. Could it be that you are interested in..."

Akemi had literary no idea who the Fox was hanging out with.

"... uh... Kitsu Nozomi? The Lion shugenja?"

Cult = Bad / Shrine = Nexus / Unleash Chikushudo = ???

He blinked. He hadn't even talked to Nozomi. Had he missed some gossip?

"Really.There'snolist."

He typed more into his densai.

It's not Chikushudo we should be worried about. I've discovered there is a portal to Sakkaku.

"Fine. Can you at least me about the nice people you met even if you don't intend to marry them?[/i]

Chikushudo = Nature / Tengoku = Good / Jigoku = Bad / Sakkaku = ???

"WelltherearesomeveryniceUnicornhere. ShinjoYulandUtakuHyeon-juforsure. Mumei . . . sorryNakauchiMumeiisalotoffunbutshe'salsoreallygoodatmeetinglotsofpeople. Thenthere'sMatsuHidebutI'msureshehassomethinggoingonwiththatKuni . . . "

Then he remembered he was talking to a Crab so waited for a reaction. On the densai, however . . .

Sakkaku = tricksters. Tricksters that rarely care if their tricks hurt.

Akemi laughed softly:

"Oh, there is definitely something going on between Matsu Hide and Kuni Eriko. Did the former also ask you to help set her up with the later?"

Shapeshifters? Here already?

"Notatall. Onelookwasenoughtotellmostofustopushthemtogether."

He was laughing as well.

Don't know . . . but do not trust Phoenix high rankers. Cult membership is widespread.

"Eriko actually complained about that you know? More or less said Hide had sent an army of wingpersons on her and this was starting to be very weird."

Names?

"Shedid? Didn'tlooklikeshewascomplainingatthekaraoke."

Kuchiki-san is working that angle.

"Oh, you were there? Details, details! Hadn't had time to probe Hide about this yet."

Anything Crab can do?

"Iwasverydrunk. Detailsaregonnabeabithazy."

He wobbled a hand, grinning. Maybe a bit too much. He definitely wasn't an actor.

"Buttheyweretogetherandtalkingalotwhiletherestofussung."


Be ready. If this goes off like we think there won't be much warning.

"Oh? Did you all leave early but the two of them at one point? Or the other way around?"

Any idea what to expect and how to deal with it?

He blinked.

"Idon'tactuallyrememberwholeftwhenorwithwho . . . . hadalottodrink."

I expect the local wildlife to be riled up, possibly even under cultist command. Outside chance the ritual might mess with the Void. Kuchiki-san and Nakauchi-san working on that.

"Better that I don't know honestly. Both Eriko and Hide would have been furious if improper rumors started running around about them.

Mumei was there too right? Was she... as Mumei as usual?"

Normal beasts? Die to tetsubo?

"MumeiisalwaysMumei. Didsomegreatduetswithher!"

Normal beasts of this planet yes. Sakkaku tricksters may well have spiritual protection.