Scene #8039: Divine Ink

Owner	Pose
Tamamo	Archipelagos inhabited by people with similarity to Earth-type Japan aren't particularly uncommon in this sector of the Multiverse, but the requirements of Tamamo's search were fairly strict. It's not that she was looking for a place like where she'd once walked, a lifetime and what feels a thousand years ago, but that she was looking for the perfect set of circumstances, out of so many possible worlds, to produce the best version of a certain item. The result of that search is here, a gateway at the base of a snow-capped mountain. Behind is the sprawl of terraced farms that give way to the jumbled streets of an ancient city, built up and but recently 'modernizing,' accepting such things as foreign automobiles alongside processions of hand-carried festival shrines and great, flowing robes of traditional styles. The mixture of influences caused by Unification is, itself, a well-known phenomenon even in the pre-Unification history of some worlds. But that's not where this party is heading. The attendants of the shrine at the base of the mountain give some trouble, but cannot long bar the party's progress, even should it be left to Tamamo to convince them that they have legitimate business up the long steps. At the top, rather than transitioning to thin and cold air, the 'proper entrance' takes one to this world's Takamagahara. This is the divine mountain precisely because it is the entrance to the Plain of High Heaven, a place that feels 'blessed' in itself, pleasantly energizing just to walk toward, though at least slightly dangerous. The opposite of 'thin,' this atmosphere would be too much, for some. The Plain is, as one would expect, comprised of gently sloped fields. Nothing quite as could be called a 'town' is in sight, but there is more than one hilltop castle. Each part being a minimum of eight stories tall, they're easily visible, even here from the gate. The shut, barred, and guarded gate. A pair of guardians at least twenty feet high flank the gate, with shaved heads apart from the topknots, clothed above the waist only with sashes that float around them and golden crowns. On the left, a red-skinned giant, and on the right, blue-skinned. They view all who approach with stern disapproval and implicit challenge.
Kale Hearthward	Here arrives Kale. He shows his credentials, states his business ("We're here to buy ink") and expects to be let pass. Someone a bit more diplomatic may want to handle that instead. He tries again anyway when they reach the gate guards. "Hello there!" he calls up to them. "Oh, wait, where are my manners-" He kicks on his boots, and flies up to eye level of the right one. "Hello there!" he repeats. "Kale Hearthward, Paladins! We're here to talk to the-" He cuts off, and checks the notecard he'd hidden up his sleeve. "The...Tosen-Kai. We're here to treat with them, give our regards, and do some business!" "Though I hope they're not all as big as you are, or we'll be shouting business across the table, hah!" He smiles, trying a joke. Humor is always good in a negotiation, right? And these two look like they appreciate a good joke.
Ishirou	Ishirou has continued to help Tamamo help Lilian. So here he is today, despite his body still not healing from the ordeal against the Lady of Shadows. His work in Secundus has given him little chance to actually sit and heal, yet he's here again pushing on. As they climb he starts to sweat. There are a lot of excursions lately, and the thinning air doesn't make things any easier on his body. However, he doesn't complain once and doesn't ask for people to slow down or to rest. He pushes along, step by step to make sure they can get to where they are going with his unique help! While Kale starts with introductions, he starts by trying to get the measure of the two guards. If everything was going to be a challenge, or have to challenge them to get anywhere...well he'd better know the dangers they'd be up against. He does, however, sit down to 'rest'. Hoping that if they think that he's not worth their focus, he can continue to get the information they need. Sometimes you gotta use what you got for your benefit.
Candy	Candy is still beat up from the last mission--and he is accordingly low on patience for more obstructions. Though he's quite happy to see his friends (and not outwardly displeased to see Kale), foul language and crude analogies mark his passage to (and even up) the steps. Injuries from Scathach complain nigh constantly, and the shrine's keepers earn all manner of ill will, from contemptuous rolls of his eyes to rude expressions and hand gestures. His shirt is matted to his body with sweat by the time he reaches the giants. Contrary to Kale's approach, Candy's is decidedly more blunt. "I'll make this simple for you, ah?" he says. "...we need you two to let us through. A friend of ours, that all of us have fought for, and bled for, and cried for, needs their help." There's a nod towards the castle in the distance. He doesn't cut a terribly imposing figure in perfect health. With bandages showing in places and the light sheen of sweat, he perhaps looks even less so. As his brown eyes burn with determination, he stuffs his hands into the pocket of his motorist's coat and digs in the heels of his work shoes. Cracking his neck, flexing his fingers, he takes a breath. "That good enough for you?" It's plain to see on his face that he's prepared to force the issue if it's not good enough.
Cantio	Despite her frequent denials last time, Cantio is once again here to aid in the monumental task of finding a remedy for Lilian's condition. She arrives wearing her white and purple getup that doesn't look particularly suited to the colder weather, but she seems comfortable enough while behaving more like a tourist and taking pictures of everything with her phone. Once she's had her fill, she heads towards the mountain proper and finds her way through with a combination of flashing ID and introducing herself as literal divinity, but without actually elaborating on what she's there for. Whether that works or Tamamo's convincing is required, Cantio continues onwards, and she moves at a brisk pace that's just enough to keep her from feeling too cold while slow enough that she doesn't have to worry about running out of breath. The trickier part is finding a way past the giants. "Hello! My name's Cantio, second deity of Cadenza." Once again, her introduction starts right with trying to use her lineage to her advantage even though she's probably the shortest person here and definitely less imposing than Candy. "We'd like to speak with the Tosen-kai, and..." She keeps an amicable smile on even as she's internally trying not to snicker at that terrible joke from Kale. "... Seek their guidance on treating a colleague." She wiggles her attache case briefly as if that might be an indicator of something relevant to that, but she doesn't actually elaborate there. It's totally just a bluff.
Lilian Rook	This might be the first time one could really feel compelled to notice that Lilian is uneasy here. That is to say, anywhere that can be described as simply 'with Tamamo'. It is far from lost on her that this whole thing is a burden Tamamo has taken upon herself, for Lilian's own sake, and that it has already come with a great deal of blood and sweat and risk. Of course she could never bring herself to sit at home and let Tamamo struggle through more of it on her own (ample company attracted by her personality, goodwill, and many owed favours notwithstanding) but there's no helping her restless posture and roving eyes that can't quite find anywhere to settle on. Tagging along with her woman for the purposes of said woman being hellbent on putting herself way, way out there, to fix her problem, not wanting to trust it in anyone else's hands is . . . She's not really sure. But it feels awkward. Happy for the occasion at least, she's dressed in the red and white (and gold) Tamamo stitched for her a while ago, fitting in more than well as the bunrei's own miko (of a sort) by simply changing her hairdo. She did some cursory research on what would be typical of her own world to theoretically expect here, but isn't feeling all that confident about it. Except on ething. "Hearthward. I am fairly certain that isn't good manners." Lilian exasperates, glad to have something to focus on rolling her eyes at. It softens a little, with a wince, at Candy putting on his bravest face. "You look like . . . You really don't have to be here every single step of the way, Candelario. Not after you already were before. I believe in that sincerity of yours, so you don't have to push yourself."
Rita Ma	Before joining up with the group, Rita gets a post card (or the closest souvenir-equivalent) from the city. White Dwarf will be heartbroken if she doesn't bring anything back from a place like this. Once she's with the others, Rita remains withdrawn, even while Tamamo talks to the shrine attendants. It's not hard to guess the source of her unease this time: after greeting Lilian with a weak, apologetic smile instead of her usual enthusiastic wave, she sort of crumples down into herself, minimizing space and attention. Ishirou and Candy help coax her out of that state a little bit. On the way, she tries to offer them what medical attention she can; light painkillers, and something like a tube of chapstick she says will help prevent scarring. "We couldn't have done it without either of you, so... I'd feel bad if you were still hurting. Okay?" She, herself, is in perfect health. She tends to always be. While the others try to persuade the two towering guards, she makes a discreet phone call to local Watch contacts. What sorts of dangers can be expected ahead? And what sorts of things are useful in bargaining with, or persuading, the ruler of the Plain? After that, she finally works up the courage to address Lilian, though her tight posture and fidgeting hands suggest she'd really rather be doing almost anything else. "Are you feeling okay, Ms. Rook? I know it's... been a while. This is the kind of thing that tends to get worse, isn't it?"
Hibiki Tachibana	In more peaceful times, Hibiki might actually be interested in checking out the city they've left behind. Obviously, because she'd naturally be a little curious about a particularly cool form of Japan, but the place has a kind of...mystical quality. Maybe that's just her, though. Any of that will have to wait though, as she's here to continue assisting Tamamo in making sure she'll have what she needs to help Lilian, despite still having some visible wear and tear from previous events. Not nearly as bad as some of the others though, and she sticks close to Candy specifically on the way up in the event he needs any support on the trip. Traveling up a divine mountain is a pretty weird feeling in general, especially compared to the one she's bothered to go up before. Doubly so, even more than the dense atmosphere once they come to the beautiful plains, having Lilian with them this time, bearing that sheepish kind of look... Something about that awkwardness, she finds reassuring. Well, maybe that's a little rude towards Lilian. But it helps firm up her resolve to help her, strong as it already was. "Anyone who's here is here because they want to be," she adds on towards Lilian in a (slightly uncharacteristically) quiet tone. And then, a bit more like her usual, "And we're all here doing it together, so nobody'll push themselves too hard. Not without getting chewed out for it, anyway." She's one to talk. Looking up at the two guards though, her addition to the negotiations is simple. "What they said. We're gonna be on our best behavior, promise."
Tamamo	Before making their way up the steps, the priests prove the lesser problem. They do, if somewhat begrudgingly and with suspicion, accept Cantio's credentials, followed by Kale's, while Tamamo backs everyone up as definitely here for legitimate and trustworthy reasons through her radiated aura of 'everything is fine.' Lilian is implicitly accepted as a shrine maiden, Tamamo's own claimed identity being remarkably difficult to doubt. Green eyes may not be usual here, but long black hair is the expected look, and red and white the colors for attendants of gods. Upon arriving at the gate... Do they appreciate a good joke? Maybe. Do they think Kale's jokes are good? Apparently not. Tough crowd. "Many seek entrance," the blue one says, "but only beg favors. You from foreign lands, claiming 'business,' look much like the rest. You'll say you have much to offer, but who knows the truth of that? The Head is busy. Make an appointment, and wait in line. In a few seasons, he may see you, then." Drawing up to his full height, he returns to looking down on Kale, unless he flies higher to match. Ishirou finds that these guys aren't any weaker than they look, though they're not paying close enough attention to him to object to his scanning -- or maybe they don't notice. They're individually tough, strong, and have a lot of magical energy, taking full advantage of how much naturally flows out of this place. If they use that to enhance their physical abilities, they'd be dangerously fast, too. Their energy is taggable as 'divine' but at a relatively low ranking. Still, he's met more than one divine-flavored, high-physicality elite who could probably plant them both in the ground inside of a couple minutes. The red guardian looks at Candy, raising one massive hand to stroke his chin. "You come for a friend's sake?" Perhaps based on Candy's current state, he further adds, "To come to seek healing? If that is all, why come to the Tosen-kai? There are priests in the Lands Below. Are they not enough for you?" In turn, the blue giant says to Cantio, "If it is only wisdom you seek, that is another matter." It sounds like maybe they're coming around to a positive answer, after going through this many angles. The report Rita gets back is that not too much is known about what's up in the heavens, because barely anyone can get in. It's known that it's a dangerous place to step out of line, and that the Tosen-kai is a 'family' with little hesitation regarding violence. They value power, loyalty, and a code of honor that's a bit too much to convey in the middle of another conversation, but she can glean 'adherence to predictable principles' out of it. Bargaining with them hasn't been well explored, but it's known that they don't trust the (large, pushy) foreign powers neighboring this nation, and that it's a bad idea to imply that they 'need' help. After Hibiki's assurance that this isn't a causing problems on purpose type of trip, Tamamo adds, "Is this not enough to allow that we should be, at least, an 'interesting' party to meet with the head? They would regret turning us away without hearing us, if only for a lack of stories to tell." Sharing a look, the giants look again over bird, miko, bunrei, imouto goddess, magical girl, normal girl, and normal boy. "We must agree that this is true." "If you are here to seek aid and wisdom for another's sake--" "--and you wish no trouble for the masters of this place--" "--then we allow you entry. Go on to Takamagahara, and make your case." "Be ready to offer more than wishes. A wish is nothing but an ember." "Great journeys demand the action of a raging fire." The gates open.
Ishirou	Rita's aid and relaxants help Ishirou out a lot and he gives her a smile. "Thanks, Rita, just what I needed," he admits. Though it also might be realizing that exercising and straining yourself are two different things. He didn't know! All exercise was straining to him at one point... Standing up from his sitting position as they're waved through, he gives the two gate guardians a proper bow. Now that they're moving forward, he connects to the data he acquired before they got up here. Knowledge of laws and customs and occult matters should help them with the next steps. He goes over the data, wanting to know the proper greeting, and what might be used to get the favor they need. He imagines it is not going to be a small favor.
Cantio	"I don't think Candy's the type to let something like lingering wounds stop him." Cantio comments with an approving chuckle, rubbing her neck briefly before tugging on it to get a crick out. "I'm still surprised you two get along so well, though. Or... At all." Hibiki's assurance, meanwhile, gets a brief thumbs up from Cantio. It's not as though she had planned on behaving badly, but the possibility is never far from her mind. That's why, when the giants appear to approve of their reasons for being here (mostly), Cantio breathes a relieved sigh and bows lightly to the pair. "Thank you. Not just for letting us through, but for the forewarning." As calm as she sounds when she's addressing the guardians, Cantio does sound a smidge more worried after passing through the gate. "So... Um. Did anyone bring anything worth trading?" She asks while starting to walk backwards, talking for a few moments before stumbling and hastily turning back around to see where she's going again. "I've got some neat tricks I do with my drones, and I could probably share some info on how to put these sorts of things together, but..." She looks back at Lilian again, pursing her lips briefly as she considers the odd way Rita had addressed Lilian earlier. "Do you... How are you feeling right now, anyway? You don't look so... You."
Candy	Candy's stubborn, but he's not proud--Rita's painkillers are accepted with a small, grateful smile. "Thanks, Rita. And I don't just mean for the pills, ah? Thanks for worrying, like that. I worry about you, too." Once again, concern is shown for him, and his expression shifts from one of staunch determination to a soft, warm smile as he looks over his shoulder at Lilian. "I know I don't," he says. "You got some amazing friends. And I'm glad you care enough to worry about me, too. But I'm not here 'cause I didn't think you could do it without me, or 'cause I 'have' to. Not at all." "I -wanna- be here, 'cause you're my friend." His stance eases up slightly, eyes turning away, as he adds, more quietly, "...and you, ah, deserve as many people in your corner as you can get." Candy turns to face the giants again. He doesn't so much speak up as shake his head when asked if any of the healers down below would help. There is, nevertheless, what seems to him an intolerable, tense silence which follows. "...thank you," he says to the giants, stepping through the gate much more relaxed than he had been. "I can take care of 'worth trading,'" says Candy to Cantio. "Even with these, ah, 'lingering wounds,' I should be able to make something they've never seen before." And if he can't win them over with uniqueness, he can certainly offer bulk goods, too. "As for me and Irish, well... sometimes I rile her up, and sometimes she picks on me, but at the end of the day, we trust each other to do right by other people. Wasn't always like that! But I'm real glad it is."
Rita Ma	Rita nods along with the contact on the other end of the line, then says her thank-yous and snaps her phone shut. Not much actionable out of it, except for what not to do, and the impression that... "Great journeys demand the action of a raging fire." They'll probably have to impress the family head with force of arms. That thought makes her grimace. It's less unsettling to her than it would have been a year ago, but fighting is still scary. Ishirou and Candy's responses do cheer her up a bit, at least, as they pass through the gate. "You're welcome, Mr. Ishirou! You're welcome, Mr. Candy! It just makes me happy to be able to help other people. It feels like... no, like sort of a relief. You get that, don't you?"
Lilian Rook	Rita joining up is something Lilian could only fail to react to if she were asleep. Maybe not even then. Rita crumples in on herself; Lilian tenses up and pressurizes, rapidly building to the point where her whole figure radiates intolerable strain and fatigue, and she entirely stops breathing for a little while. It takes less than a minute for her to exceed her tolerance and accept that she just can't ignore it. She turns on Rita with a lot less control than she'd like, standing in the way of the gate, fists balled out by her sides, straining her wrists. "No. You don't get to ask me that. You don't get to pretend like everything's fine, Rita." says Lilian. She's trying to sound hard and harsh, but the words scrape raw in her throat. "It must be easy for you to try and pretend like nothing's wrong. You're the one who got her way, so that's good for you, right? Just like everyone else. But you can't just make it go away. Especially not by acting nice after you got what you wanted, when it costs you nothing." She strangles down something else into a hoarse sigh, then takes in a deep breath that jumps an entire octave. It sounds exactly like the one she took one night on a private radio band, right before a certain story. Except now Rita gets to see the tension vibrating in her body. "Leave. If you think going through all of this is going to change things back to normal, it won't. So give it up. You can't just . . . you don't get to decide for me, how I'm allowed to be around you, and then try and force me to like you too. You can't hold this over me." Lilian squeezes her eyes shut. "I said I hate you. Since you're obsessed with people being too kind to you, just be happy already that one less person is. You don't owe me anything; I'm sick of you. Be relieved about it and go home."
Tamamo	The path to the castle is a winding road, yet it takes one nowhere near the scattered buildings. At this time, the sun above is hot, the breeze is soothing, the air has the full force of its magical goodness for all present, and if these fields have workers, none are in sight. Perhaps it's just the wrong hour for that. Or, given that this is a divine realm, maybe they just don't work that way. Tamamo doesn't seem to consider it noteworthy, and no one else is around to clarify. While that first gate had been guarded, this one isn't so much. The large doors open on their own, not entering a courtyard, nor an entrance hall, but what can be vaguely recognized (or sharply recognized, for those very familiar with such things) as a killbox. This would be the number one place to avoid for someone actually attacking with the force of an army -- but that's not the current atmosphere. There is the issue of hostility, but it has a different flavor than 'a war.' The men in this room -- and they are all men, ranging in appearance from young to middle-aged, but every one looking like he never missed a day of exercise in his life, and all but the youngest-looking like he never missed more than a couple meals, producing that strongman musclefat look -- look to the visitors with challenge and expectation. Appropriate senses will pick up that most of them, including those closest to the door, are only around the level of 'superpowered soldiers.' They're wearing uniforms off the traditional end of the spectrum of garb found in the own below the mountain, with black outerwear, white symbols showing grain stalks and tied ribbons arranged in a circle, and a couple have sheathed swords. The tough customers, the ones to whom the others subtly pay deference, are the few toward the opposite end, despite none of them having weapons, and having less visually energetic expressions. Just looking at them, one would assume them on the slower end of reaction times, and the amount of core strength they're hiding is hard to gauge. These are also the few who keep their robes open, showing the tattooed waves, flowers, trees and Buddha-like spirits that cover their bodies below the neck, with few areas of exception. Before there's a good chance to repeat everything from the last encounter, one of the men in back says, "We got word you'd arrive. Please excuse me for not being able to welcome you with a feast, as it was a sudden visit." Based on customs in similar areas, Ishirou can guess that this is at most half-sincere, and the rest is a criticism of arriving without invitation. "Likewise, I hope you'll forgive me for skipping straight to the purpose of your visit. I'm known as Susumu, and I've heard as much as you said at the gate," probably in the minutes it took to walk the rest of the way, "but not just what you're looking for, nor whether this is alms-seeking. I see a shrine maiden among you, but no monks. If you're here for 'business,' then you have something to trade. If you're here for 'stories,' then you're planning to impress someone." He gestures to the half-open door behind him. The main courtyard is beyond it. There's a slightly raised wooden platform just visible, in the middle of it, covered in sand. When he says, "Personally, I'd like to see just how impressive a party as unusual as yours can be," it's a man next to him, built like a sumo wrestler, who crosses his arms and nods, "but I wouldn't want to jump to conclusions." His polite tone is contradicted by a layer of eager menace below it, though the former is in control of the latter. It takes above-average insight to notice that the man speaking is, at most, 'not immediately dangerous' only out of some sense of principle, and not temperament.
Kale Hearthward	Ah, here we go. Kale's on guard as he sees those assembled. The gate guardians were tough customers too, but their job was to guard. These... look more like the Empire council back at home, cultural (and species) differences aside. People whose job it is to guard wouldn't get in your way as long as you don't try to prevent them from guarding, but people whose job it is to rule (or manage) might decide that their job is best accomplished by... a whole range of actions that you wouldn't want them to take, of which 'drawing swords' is but the tip of the iceberg. There is also the issue of Rita and Lilian's conversation, which Kale puts a pin in for later. A big pin. More like a knife than a pin, embedded in the bulletin board to hold up the note. One of those long thin fish-gutting knives. "A... bit of both, I imagine," says Kale. He doesn't bother repeating his credentials. "But business first." He reaches into his vest and pulls out a large rolled-up parchment. "A map, to a particularly resource-rich part of the multiverse. The only one of its kind, and I can guarantee that. Worth quite a lot as a novelty, whether or not any of yours are inclined to seek out treasures and power."
Candy	"I do," says Candy. "It's hard, when you feel like you're, ah... slowing people down. When you help somebody else, that feeling goes away." He frowns a little. "How do you get that feeling to go away, when you're the one that needs help? That's what I wanna know. 'Take it' sounds right. But it don't seem like nobody's any good at that. So... what the fuck?" There's a pained, quiet moment wherein Lilian lays out, in no uncertain terms, her feelings towards Rita at the moment. Pleadingly, anxiously, he looks between the two of them... "Hey..." It trails off pathetically--having not been present for the mission, this is all new to him. What would he even say? The only thing he can think to do is to try and look Rita in the eye, his brown pools quietly imploring her not to leave. Could things have changed this much? Shaking his head, Candy banishes the worry in his eyes, taking a deep breath and steeling himself. Worry about it later. Fix what your hands can fix right now. That means focusing on what's in front of him. In this case, the interior of the castle, and more specifically, the man in the back. Candy knows enough about pecking orders to know how to spot who's at the top of them. "Susumu, ah? Candelario. Candy for short." Candy lets Kale make his pitch first. After, he makes his. "I'll let Ms. Tamamo, or somebody that's smarter than me, explain what we need, and why we need it. All you need to know about me," he says, "Is that I can make you weapons like you've never seen before, specially for you. This," he says, pulling the turquoise ribbon from his hair and offering it up for inspection, "Is a replica, yeah?" The glammer is dispelled, and the long, obsidian-toothed macuahuitl rests flat in Candy's hands. The teeth gleam eerily in the interior light, the mouths and eyes of the wahy depicted on its lacquered turquoise flat seeming a little too real. The craftsmanship is exacting in its care and attention to detail--Candy isn't an expert, but he does have near-infinite retries and a lot of time and quiet to work in. "I do original pieces, too. You get us what we're after, I'll make you a goddamned masterpiece." When Susumu is satisfied with the weapon, Candy accepts it back, re-applying the glammer and tying his hair once more.
Cantio	"That's actually kind of reassuring." Cantio replies to Candy, not quite smiling but not quite frowning as the thinky look comes back to her face. "You seem like a pretty good judge of character, so... I'll trust that you have a better idea of what she's like than I do." She chuckles, but it's an awkward and uncertain one that only grows more in both ways at Lilian's reaction to Rita. It turns into a more tense silence as she tries to eyeball just what it is that happened between them based on that alone, and Cantio ends up being considerably more quiet for the rest of the trek. It's not until the doors to the killbox open that she finally remembers to put her practiced imouto goddess smile back on. The level of ambient hostility and power in their air doesn't faze her, but the ink does after Tamamo reveals the purpose of all that ink. It's a power source. It's something that might even be reproduce-able, but that's something she'll have to consider for later. Instead, Cantio keeps the appearances going for the time being, bowing lightly in greeting once the group is addressed. "Thank you for indulging our request to visit. It's not something we would do lightly, but considering the circumstances..." Cantio fights the temptation to just kind of look at Lilian, instead trying to keep some of that Tamamo-energy going in her voice while she keeps that measured tone on (even if she is shaking a little at all the looks). "... We've had to improvise. My name is Cantio, second deity of Cadenza. It's good to met you, Susumu. Everyone. We can talk business and impress at the same time, right?" She approaches the courtyard and the wooden platform, pausing to just kind of admire its construction (and definitely not crib ideas for how to build something like it later). Before she climbs up, however, she pops open a hatch on her attache case to let several cubes spill out that float upwards and enlarge as they hover around the ring. Some produce lights, others are ready to record footage, and all of them have obvious speakers on each side. "My nation's specialty is in producing music technology, and machines like these are a dime a dozen." A bit of a stretch, but it's not like she can't make more of these. "We're open to trading information and what we produce, if you'd prefer swapping information or products more."
Rita Ma	Rita recoils, eyes wide, as Lilian turns that raw stare and hoarse voice on her. One hand balls up over her own chest; the other anxiously clutches her skirt. What follows is a slow gradation of fear into anguish. Halfway through, she can't find it in herself to meet Lilian's gaze anymore. "I'm sorry," she says, trying to keep the tremble out of her voice. She needs to sound less pathetic than she feels. "I didn't understand... how much you didn't want to fight me. I thought I was being kind by kepeing you from siding with me. But really, it was... just a different kind of selfishness. I'm sorry for making that choice for you, Ms. Rook." Her body is so tense now that it's a miracle her bones don't creak. She'd rather be anywhere but here. "... But I'm not here to make you stop hating me. I don't know how to do that, anyway. I'm here to make sure that you'll be okay. That you'll get better, and stay the Ms. Rook that I know." Rita can't stop a couple of tears from leaking out, so she averts her face so they don't show. It's not a matter of dignity; just a matter of trying not to be manipulative. "I just want you to be alright, Ms. Rook. Even if you still hate me, I'd be sad if you weren't. Is that okay?" She manages to compose herself with some eye-wiping and a couple of concealed sniffles by the time they reach the gathered family, even if her eyes are still a bit red. She does know at least the rudiments of manners here: she greets the family head with a deep bow, and then speaks surprisingly formally. "It is a pleasure to be granted your audience, Lord Susumu. We come in search of a boon of your divine ink. I am poor, and can offer few gifts. I am young, and can offer few stories. It is only the terrible sickness of my-" She stumbles, here. "-My friend, that gives me the boldness to ask. I have heard that you value strength of arms. If that is your wish, we are willing to be tested." A brief pause. She seems to remember something, and abruptly rummages in her satchel, pulling out a thermos and unscrewing the cap. Inside is a very hearty serving of some very good spicy-salty crab stew. "Oh! Right. I also have some food- I mean, um, it is only a humble gift, but by offering what little I have, I wish to show my respect."
Hibiki Tachibana	The guards actually relent. Phew. Hibiki gives Tamamo a small smile and a nod, and Cantio gets a thumbs up right back. They're clear to be able to keep on walking ahead, which she's all too happy to do. It can't be any harder than climbing up a mountain. She hopes. Rather than the trip itself though, it's the conflict in the group right at the outset that makes her uneasy. Very uneasy. She knew a fair bit about the fight between Rita and Lilian, from the former talking about it before. Back then, Hibiki gave the advice she thought was right...that there wouldn't be that tension forever, and things will work out with time for the both of them...and effort. Where they can find a happy compromise in their relationship. Seeing Lilian's burst of emotion sure makes all of that feel hollow, no matter how true she thinks it is. ...Rita handles it as well as she ever could have hoped for though, and she's also not sure if there's anything she could say to Lilian right now that'd make anything better and not worse. The most she can do is move forward with a grimace, trying to keep an eye on both girls at the same time. Maybe later... ...Further ahead, in the well-manned room and their host - Susumu - Hibiki can pick up on that atmosphere instantly. Magical ink, huh...? Then they're tougher than they look. Well, they're in a divine realm, so that's probably natural. It only takes one look at this small teenage girl to understand instantly - she doesn't have shit to trade. She could turn her jacket pockets inside out and produce nothing. Candy is the one who gets a glance when that's brought up. That's his forte. Predictably, it's the gesture to the sand ring outside and the gesture by The Big Guy that draws her attention. She slowly folds her arms in a not-dissimilar manner. Her head tilts some, looking up at the muscle. "...Will proving ourselves make you any more willing to deal with us?" Even she can't miss out on the kind of vibe that this guy is putting down. He's expectant. "I know I said we weren't planning to cause trouble, and we're not. But I can take him, if that's the sort of thing you're trying to imply here." Pause. "/We/ can take him." This is the proper way to handle divine yakuza. (It's not.)
Ishirou	Ishirou was about to say something...but then he doesn't. He only gives the faintest nod toward Rita before looking towards Susumu. He's got to believe that Rita and Lilian can make it work because he trusts in both of them. "Honesty works better in these kinds of things," is the only thing he says...and fairly open about who he meant it to.
Ishirou	Ishirou was about to say something...but then he doesn't. He only gives the faintest nod toward Rita before looking towards Susumu. He's got to believe that Rita and Lilian can make it work because he trusts in both of them. "Honesty works better in these kinds of things," is the only thing he says...and fairly open about who he meant it to. Towards Susumu, he does the proper greeting, practiced a hundred times in his head. "Hello! I am Ishirou. I'm a friend of Lady Tanamo and Dame Rook. I'm here to assist my friends with an issue..." he says, looking outside and at the muscled men around. "I'm not a warrior myself, but I do fight for what I believe in so... let's put a pin on that..." he says, calmly. While he talks, he attempts to get a deeper scan through his biohacking, trying to keep his attempts quiet and on the down-low. What he's looking for is what Susumu would be most interested in, and how they could turn this deal-making into a successful relationship.
Lilian Rook	'I didn't understand... how much you didn't want to fight me.' "What was there to understand?!" Lilian bites back, choked, despite her best efforts to keep quiet. "What part of it?! Do you think it doesn't hurt if a friend hits you?! Do you think it's okay to be tossed around by someone you thought needed you?! How is this complicated?!" 'I'd be sad if you weren't. Is that okay?' "Is it?" Lilian replies, faster than she can think it through, and her throat tightens up so much the words almost don't make it. "It didn't seem like it mattered to you that much at the time. What's the point of feeling guilty now? If you want to fight, if you want to make it about Paladins will be Paladins and I have no agency, then let's just be enemies. Don't make it complicated. Don't . . . don't fuck with me like this. I can't take you acting this devoted one second and taking things away the next. What am I supposed to do?" Lilian tries to draw a bracing breath, and then just ends up holding her hands to her face. "I know I wasn't . . . I know I wasn't perfect in the past. I was a wreck and you decided to help me anyways, because you felt like you owed me. If you resent me for not just staying fixed, just say it. It's not as if I can cry like a victim; I can't hide behind saying I've never done anything bad to you, so just come out and say that you want your shitty pound of flesh back for it; I can understand that. I'd get it if you were tired of me and trying to squeeze out what you can before cutting it off. That's normal. I just . . . I refuse to let it hang over me forever. All of this who owes what the minute someone wants something. I said I was done with that years ago." All the breath she was holding comes out in a painfully deflated, trembling sigh. "God, I know. Coming from me that's . . . Look, Rita, I'm . . ." Lilian swallows too hard, and then doesn't say the next word. She spins on her heel and puts Rita stiffly at her back instead. Lilian marches up the road in prickly silence.
Lilian Rook	They're thirty seconds into the 'castle' before Lilian falls back into exhausted exasperation. "Tamamo." she begins, as if not sure how to broach the subject. "These people are yakuza, aren't they? This is a yakuza family." A totally superfluous beat. "We're dealing with the yakuza, Tamamo. The . . . the tattoos and everything." Still, people are talking about her, and the head mentioned her directly. Begrudgingly slipping back on her poker face, Lilian gets to remind everyone of the literal plural years she spent as an impenetrable, unknowable, unpredictable, and insufferable manipulator on the Multiversal stage, never betraying a genuine feeling and never saying anything that wouldn't get her way. All evidence of her prior anguish with Rita is gone in the blink of an eye, just like it never happened. A properly rehearsed and appropriate bow is employed with a perfectly pleasant and respectful (but not so respectful it seems humble) smile, greeting, and pleasingly modulated voice. "Thank you very much for seeing us. Of course, allow me to speak for all mortals in assembled company that we understand how valuable your time is. The usual appointment was of course generously offered on our way here, but exigent circumstances demand that we endure the rudeness of declining it." Lilian begins. "'Dame Commander Rook' would be myself." she adds, glancing sideways at you know who. "Given that I am, in function and title, an acting shrine maiden of Amaterasu no Omikami, I trust that you understand what matter of pride is involved in my Lady seeking out your assistance, rather than handling this matter of her faithful herself." Lilian gracefully removes the contact, scraping below the eye as she does. Kintsugi gold glitters, cold and unnatural, a direct foil of the warm golden amber natural to Tamamo. A miniscule pilot light of some nameless colour burns in the black of her pupil. "I apologize for troubling you with nonspecifics, but the situation is both unusual and dire."
Tamamo	Tamamo doesn't interfere with the conversation between Lilian and Rita. Rather, she can't. She knows that some conflict occurred, but Lilian had been too clearly upset about it for her to ask for details, and she won't cheapen those feelings with some blanket words of comfort, nor aphorism. She does, only after they begin walking again, move to take Lilian's arm, wordlessly, and remain that way for at least the minutes until their arrival at the castle. At the castle's entrance chamber (presently not an active death trap)... Reading Susumu's reactions is difficult, but it's degrees easier to get an approximation by reading the faces of his uniformed subordinates, if one can assume they have similar ideas. They're trying to keep straight faces; they're just not as good at it. A treasure map gets definite signs of interest from a few of the younger men, whether its for wealth or adventure. Candy's weapon gets more appraising but interested looks from some of the older men. Cantio's bots get more suspicion than anything else, whether because they don't understand the use, because it's 'too' foreign, or due to something about the phrasing, though one of them retains cautious interest. Rita shows appropriate deference, and Susumu nods, at which one of the few sword-carrying men goes to take her gift. It'll only be checked later, and it's hard to tell, but that probably helped smooth out some roughness in the overall interaction, as does Ishirou's care with local customs, and Lilian's flawless performance. Susumu says to the former two, "Neither of you have the look of warriors, but... looks can be deceiving, and deception is another tool of war. You're something special, I can say that without testing you." The look he gives Rita is deep and searching in a way that would feel like a predator's if it wasn't so inexplicably human. He Knows something, just with that. "But, since you've offered..." Hibiki's claim gets an actual grin out of him. "That's right, young lady. Not just because I'm curious, though there's that, too. And not just because some of the younger folk need to keep their bodies busy. It's because you've asked for our ink, and that's not something that's just given out because it would help. It'd 'help' anyone, if they had the skill to apply it. And yet, I may be forced to give you the answer you'd least like, all the same. If you're not planning to join our family, and forgive me for making the assumption that you aren't, then I can hardly give you what's always been reserved for our family, crafted by our own hands. It's no small request, no matter how I sympathize with a group brought together out of some desire to aid one of their number. As different as you are from one another, that's commendable loyalty, in the young." While others are speaking, Tamamo quietly nods to Lilian. "Ascended via deification, and formerly of the human realm, as I understand their history. It is a rare occurrence, so far as I have found, that produced this unique circumstance." Yes, they're absolutely yakuza, and that's what let them fulfill Tamamo's very specific requirements, during her search for 'the best.' And then Lilian makes her address, eyes turn toward Tamamo at the name 'Amaterasu,' and the bunrei gives a polite smile that still raises the temperature of the air. All eyes turn back toward Lilian at the reveal of hers, and Susumu rubs his chin. "Well, isn't that something."
Tamamo	That same, searching gaze. Susumu looks into Lilian's eyes and comes away Knowing Something. It's not an entirely pleasant experience, though Lilian's had enough experience with overwhelming presences, not to mention her training as an Immune, to deal with it. It's a regular hazard when dealing with those who are larger and weightier than they appear. "I understand, now, why you couldn't send a messenger. Be sure I'll give due respect to all of you coming all the way here, together. An exception may be in order, in apology for having been, however unintentionally, rude in the face of a serious matter. That said... Yukou. Jiro." Two of the other tattooed men, one with the aforementioned roundness of a local wrestler, and the other older and almost deceptively thin, step forward as they're mentioned. "It's not just skill that needs testing, but strength of arm, form, and will, before one's ready to be painted. If you can show that, I'll know I'm not throwing away my good will. I'd have no reason to refuse granting the favor you've asked, in that case." Tamamo perks up an ear, and subvocalizes to the group's radio, "'A favor,' he says. He will ask for some task in return, in this case, atop all else offered, and it would be rude to refuse. Best that we define such a favor now, in some terms he would find acceptable, should any have some idea as to what these terms might be."
Ishirou	Oh, they're /yakuza/, that makes sense. This clears up a little confusion in the idea of customs, but also why they're not as...exact on the customs as traditional aristocrats. I suppose coming from a lower stratum will mutate customs over time. This also might make it easier to get what they want, though he still wonders if they're going to need to strength of arms something. Ugh... Still, it's for Lilian so he can't complain too loudly, but he's not happy about fighting another group of muscle heads. Though when Lilian lets it through how dire the situation is, he sucks in a breath. Though...it seems that this is recognized as the situation as it is. The ink was thought to be a hard thing to sell, but now it seems more obtainable. Also, it seems that he didn't need scanning to read these guys. Their leader can't even be read. Ugh...why does everyone have resistance to his biohacking??? It's really unfair. First-world Ishirou malds a little, as he considers how to phrase 'nothing super illegal' in a polite way. This is actually harder than it looks. "Well you're right, I'm definitely not a warrior. I work better in a group. I can aid allies and make it harder for enemies to do what they need to do. I'd be willing to offer to help in anything you need...as long as it does not hurt anyone else. I think it'd be too ironic for my taste."
Kale Hearthward	The map gets some interest. "I'll let you examine it, but I'm holding onto it till we make a deal," says Kale. A challenge of skill, arm, form, and will, huh? He's down. He figures he has at least one of those.
Tamamo	Ishirou's scan can easily confirm that the unspoken expectation, shared by all the Tosen-kai, is that those who offered items will still be held to that, and there'll be offense taken if that isn't just implicitly understood. What Susumu's saying appears mostly honest, though he's understating how much he wants to see a fight happen. There's another name in there, 'Chukitsu-kai,' with the feeling of an enemy, and a thought of how Candy's weapons would fare against 'them.'
Cantio	With that tension still lingering in the back of Cantio's mind, she barely even registers that her drones aren't quite hitting it off too well with the divine yakuza here. She mostly notices the one that's actually showing some interest at all, but she still has enough sense to not let any of the machines turn around to accidentally point their cameras at those present. For now, they'll just be focused squarely on the raised platform while the discussion continues. "That does sound like it make things a little more... Er. Complicated if it's to be used on our colleague here-" Cantio admits with a knowing nod as she glances over at Lilian, staring briefly when she once again reveals those gold lines to the group and yakuza alike. "-especially if it's usually reserved for family." <J-IC-Scene> Ishirou says, "Well, how about it Lilian? Want to become part of their family?" <J-IC-Scene> Cantio says, "That would definitely be the fastest way to do it." Ishirou asks the question before Cantio can, and she laughs quietly while leaning back against the platform. She doesn't offer to join, but there is the inkling of something in her mind as she tosses that idea around. While she does that, she hears the challenge issued by Susumu, and she looks over the two tattooed yakuza briefly. "I accept your challenge, Mister Susumu. A show of strength should be..." She looks towards the rest of the crew gathered today, and she gets a brief glint in her eye that's definitely not a sign of plotting anything. "... Good. Really clarify some things, you know? And for any favors after that..." Cantio puts on her best 'regal queen' smile rather than her usual 'anxious sister' smile. "I'm sure we can work something out. The Concord helps those that help us, and we might even be able to come to a more long-term arrangement, if you're open to that."
Rita Ma	THEN: Rita crumples in on herself as Lilian speaks, further and further, like a submarine exceeding its maximum depth. She shakes. She squirms in place, her body trying to do anything but stay still in the face of pain like this. When she passes the critical point of distress, when she ought to be sobbing, she relaxes into the pain instead. The unbearable tension leaves her, replaced with a bleak resignation, a defeated demureness. "Before, when you were losing to the bad things in your heart, I spoke up for you. I tried to bring you back. It wasn't because I felt a debt. It was because... I don't have many people left anymore, Ms. Rook. And none who really know what it's like." "I'm sorry that I wasn't strong enough to let you help me. There's a weight in my heart, and every time someone gives up something for me, it gets heavier. But I don't want to have to let go of you. Even if you've let go of me. I've already . . . I don't think my heart can survive any more of that." She smiles, forlornly, at Tamamo holding Lilian's arm. Then she looks away. NOW: Rita recoils under Susumu's gaze, transparently uncomfortable with the feeling of being Seen. (The 'predatory' element disturbs her comparatively little.) "It is true that I lack a warrior's heart, Lord Susumu. What strength I have came to me by an accident of fate, and I did not welcome it. But, as it is for the sake of a friend, I will muster my courage. Thank you, Mr. Yukou. Thank you, Mr. Jiro." She is, in fact, a fair bit nervous.
Candy	"Sure," says Candy. "Count me in. I'm a fighter, and even that's different from a warrior, I got all the heart and spirit it takes." He's got no problems submitting to that kind of test. Glancing briefly at Tamamo, he furrows his brow and falls silent for a moment, hands in the pockets of his coat. "Whatever happens after, the Watch is a good friend to have, I'll tell you that," he says simply. "Something to think about for later, maybe, ah?" Thank God for Ishirou and Tamamo--subtlety isn't a forte of Candy's, at least, certainly not to the degree that's necessary for these kind of engagements. "I'm gonna get to work on that weapon," he advises. "Not much time's gonna pass for you, and I can be back here in time for the test--but I wanna have it ready for you." He manages a sly smile, despite the questions and worry gnawing at the edge of his mind. "Something tells me your tests are gonna be... vigorous, you know? Hahaha." He even manages to sound like he's looking forward to it.
Hibiki Tachibana	"...Yeah, I figure it wouldn't be an easy thing to ask of you." Hibiki might not be yakuza (despite being sort of delinquent-aligned), but she has a decent idea of how they work. From movies, which are very much accurate to real life and not at all an exaggeration for entertainment value. If they were, she clearly would not be here in the heavenly plains wheeling and dealing with deified ones all tatted up. But that grin is still a good sign, and despite the 'buts' appended onto the deal, she gives a nod after a moment. She's not entirely sure what Susumu saw within Lilian's affliction, but if it means that they're treated more seriously and can get right to it, she'll more than take that. Her attention goes from the man from before to his lankier companion, and then back. The magical girl brings a fist to firmly smack into her other palm in a show of readiness. "Well, we've got all three of those in spades, so consider your tests already completed. I'm more than in." A problem she can solve this way is about as simple as it can possibly get. It's kind of a relief, really. And probably won't be as painful as their trip in the Land of Shadows. Probably. It might be. And despite her gung-ho attitude, the idea of working out a deal has her going noticeably quiet with her eyes somewhere off to the side. Best to leave that to the people who are good at handling it.
Lilian Rook	"I'm relieved that you understand." Lilian replies to Susumu, without sounding relieved at all. "The realities of this situation are severe. We would trouble you for no trivial reason. I regret that my hands would be very much tied any other way, and so I appreciate your wisdom in coming to a reasonable conclusion, founded on the understanding that these things should at least happen in a mutually beneficial way." he way she speaks to him is every bit the polite and well-heeled, but urgent ambassador of a cause that she presents. It's just the way she looks at him --that quiet, detached, almost alien intensity-- that silently communicates the remaining layer of subtext. Her stare alone makes it clear that what she is really saying is 'Good. Because I wasn't asking. This is your chance to get something out of it; I'm glad to see you take it, but don't push it too far.' Even dressed in miko red and white, it should be unmistakable for a yakuza head; she alone has the look of someone who is ready to start shooting without question, the instant her 'boss' needs her to. "It is the way of both heaven and earth to seek harmonious cooperation and mutual benefit willingly given. I have no opposition to the reasonable request to see your own kindness repair; I had no illusions that it would come freely from the heart, for total strangers. My conditions are simple and twofold, within which I will trust your judgement." Lilian reluctantly produces a little card, embossed with gold leaf and kept in a separate inner pocket, easily mistaken for the sort of thing one puts prayer or verse on to keep as a personal effect, though it is only to save time and render the head's closest man with a written version of the Thirteen. "That the performance of the favour should be no more onerous than it would be to take the ink. And that the performance of the favour should not cross with any one of these simple codes. That is all." Given a moment's respite, Lilian lets her diplomacy face fall off for a little bit. Her prim posture slackens with a sigh of fatigue. She turns to force herself to look at Rita again. "Giving up something to have the thing you want is life. Everyone has to do that, every day. Especially people like me. Stop acting like you owe me for the things I chose to spend. If it's fine for you to do all of this to keep me, then it should be fine for me to do whatever I want to keep you, shouldn't it?" She makes an uncomfortable, slightly queasy noise. "If you're actually serious about wanting me around --and I know you're serious right now; I mean . . . later-- then accept the cost you pay for having me around is the mortifying ordeal of being wanted." Lilian pinches the bridge of her nose. Her eyes slip lower than Rita's. "I can't get over it all at once. Not that fast. Even though I already know you're not lying. I was really sure that . . . that was the way things were just going to be from now on. I wouldn't have really blamed you, I think. So just . . . leave it alone for now. And we'll talk more later. Probably."