D8 LM - A Confrontation

Matsu Saena · **Joined:** Sun Apr 05, 2020 3:14 am **Posts:** 10

Saena stumbles forward from the shot, then topples to the ground, wheezing. She pushes herself upwards onto one arm and looks back at Mogami. "Letting... peasants fight your battles... shooting... your opponent... in the back..." She coughs up a gout of blood onto the floor of the dojo. "You... are a stain... on the Matsu name..."

She grimaces, then coughs once more and collapses to the ground, unmoving.

Matsu Mogami · **Posted:** Sat Apr 18, 2020 9:57 am

"I am Akodo trained, there is more to war than blindly rushing to attack."

Mogami bends down and picks up her katana, walking over to her grandmother.

"Do not come back again or you will suffer the same fate."

She decapitates the woman and then slumps to her knees, hands clutching at her guts pushing out of her stomach.

"Fuwa, go, find a healer for Tsuruga and I"

Tsuruga slumps down next to Mogami.

"Some morning."

Isawa Hachi · **Joined:** Fri Apr 03, 2020 2:42 am **Posts:** 401

It is not long at all before the budoka returns briefly, leading a shugenja. One who vaguely recognizes the Lion.

He nods that he will attend to the woman, but implores the budoka to see if he can find another healer. "I have only a little favor with the kami, and she looks to need a full healer."

When the budoka leaves again, Hachi pulls out a scroll and studies it. After a few beats, he begins to whisper out the words inscribed on it. Shortly, a light blue spirit glows slightly as it passes through the samurai-ko.

He then turns to the other two, and blinks at seeing one he recognized. "Wouldn't want to waste the educating I gave him..." He whispers out the words again. The same light blue glow occurs, as the same spirit of water enters the man and hurries the natural healing along.

He waits to see if either will need more healing. He only has so much favor with the water kami, after all.

__________

Both Mogami and Tsuruga regain 16 health.

Matsu Mogami · **Posted:** Sat Apr 18, 2020 11:01 am

Mogami opens her eyes after a few moments and squints in pain.

"Hello, Isawa-san. Forgive me for not bowing."

Tsuruga looks at his chest in amazement. There is but a thin line of wounded flesh showing from the cut in his armor, as if a kitchen knife gouged him. He rolls into seiza, and from the position says in a gruff voice.

"Thank you, Isawa-san. Thank you Water Spirits. Thank you for strength and mercy."

----
Mogami has 25 wounds still needing to be healed.
Tsuruga has 7 wounds still needing to be healed

Isawa Hachi · **Joined:** Fri Apr 03, 2020 2:42 am **Posts:** 401

Hachi heard them as he shakes his head over the third. "Can't heal that."

Turning back, he is about to ask how they are, but sees that the Lioness is still quite injured. He still has the scroll out, and walks back. "May I assist you further, Matsu-san?"

Assuming she assents, he calls upon the water kami again. Though willing to assist, it appears to be getting tired, and can't do quite as much.

__________

Another 12 points healed. Need a last top up? Or are you good for now?

Matsu Mogami · **Posted:** Sat Apr 18, 2020 11:10 am

Mogami nods as Hachi requests to touch her and lays back, breathing deeply.

"Compared to this, my tattoo today should be easy."

She sits up and motions to her grandmothers corpse.

"She can't come back, right? She died during the War of Burned Wings, but was here right as rain. I took her head, but do we need to do more?"

----------
Mogami has 13 wounds still needing to be healed to be at full, though she will heal 8 through natural rest.

Tsuruga has 7 wounds still needing to be healed to be at full, though he will heal 4 through natural rest.

Isawa Hachi · **Joined:** Fri Apr 03, 2020 2:42 am **Posts:** 401

Hachi takes a few deep breaths, then extends the scroll forward for a moment, and issues it's prayer. However, both he and the water kami seem tired, as it barely passes through the woman's body once before returning to swirl around the man.

After this, Hachi thinks for a moment. "To my knowledge, not so simply. However, the portal is open, and some of the Spirits may return. But, as she was slain, she must now return to stand before Emma-O-no-Fortune. Until he has passed judgement again, she must wait there. At least, that is my understanding of things."

"And I wish I could assist you further, but I have only so much favor with the kami of water, as it is. I will have to perform some rituals to regain what I have just used."

Matsu Mogami · **Posted:** Sat Apr 18, 2020 11:29 am

Mogami takes another deep breath

"I feel only muscle soreness from a good days workout, thank you, Isawa-san. It is an odd sensation though, having been disemboweled only to have the flesh regrow and organs put back in their proper place."

She sighs.

"I do not recommend it."

Looking over at the corpse, Mogami shakes her head.

"What a mess. The dojo will require cleansing thoroughly. How did one of the Steel Chrysanthemum's soldiers make it into the city? Is the governor not barring the gates already?"

Tsuruga remains in seiza position and mouths wordless prayers of thanks.

-------
Mogami has 6 wounds still needing to be healed to be at full, though she will heal 8 through natural rest.

Tsuruga has 7 wounds still needing to be healed to be at full, though he will heal 4 through natural rest.

Isawa Hachi · **Joined:** Fri Apr 03, 2020 2:42 am **Posts:** 401

"How would the guards know to keep this person out? She bears Lion mons, she has Lion features, no doubt her papers were stamped with an Imperial seal. Why would the guards even try to keep her out?"

Matsu Mogami · **Posted:** Sat Apr 18, 2020 11:36 am

"The governor knows that the army approaches and should bar anyone from entrance henceforth, but you are right Isawa-san. My anger has got the better of my judgement at the moment."

Isawa Hachi · **Joined:** Fri Apr 03, 2020 2:42 am **Posts:** 401

"For that matter, how long might she have been here? Did not several of the Spirits go to other places, and this might be one such."

Matsu Mogami · **Posted:** Sat Apr 18, 2020 11:41 am

"Perhaps. Last I saw her was in Morikage Toshi, as she had taken up residence at my family home. She may have came here directly after the events that transpired there. Again your wisdom cuts through my battle haze, Isawa-san."

Isawa Hachi · **Joined:** Fri Apr 03, 2020 2:42 am **Posts:** 401

"Try taking deep breaths. When I have come out of battle - particularly ones as injured as you were - it helps. Not perfectly, but it can help." *cough, cough*

"So, she had been in Morikage Toshi? That has not been a Lion city for long. It certainly wasn't during her first life. Why would she be willing to live there?"

Matsu Mogami · **Posted:** Sat Apr 18, 2020 12:02 pm

Mogami listens to the instructions and begins a few slow, deep breaths.

"She is my grandmother, and our family had taken up residence in the city when my father was stationed there as General."

Isawa Hachi · **Joined:** Fri Apr 03, 2020 2:42 am **Posts:** 401

"And your father had no other relatives? I'm not trying to discount the love the family once must have had, but trying to understand. Why did she go to there, not a more familiar place, with other family? I apologize if it is too difficult to think on."

Hachi had also sunk to the floor, sitting with his staff still in his hand, held up.

Matsu Mogami · **Posted:** Sat Apr 18, 2020 12:13 pm

"In life, my grandmother hated my mother for marrying my father. Before my parents, none of the Matsu married anyone other than a Matsu, but my father was Akodo. Additionally, when my father saw signs of my potential, he convinced the Akodo War College to take me as a student, instead of the Matsu dojo. I believe both these insults were too much for my grandmother to bear. She hates the three of us. When she died in combat at the War of Burned Wings, I imagine she went to Toshigoku for the rage in her heart."

Another deep breath.

"When the spirits first all returned, she sought out my parents. My mother had written me saying how good it was to have her own mother back, and that Saena seemed to be repentant for the way she treated the family."

Mogami closes her eyes, her breathing slowly returning to normal.

"When the Steel Chrysanthemum slew the Emperor, I believe Saena slaughtered my parents and then set her sights on me."

She opened her eyes and gave a shrug

"Though, that is only my speculation of it. You'd have to ask her why she did what she did, and that's going to be a bit...difficult, now."

Isawa Hachi · **Joined:** Fri Apr 03, 2020 2:42 am **Posts:** 401

Hachi looked at the remains. "Just a little bit, yes. Well, that answers some of it. Does make one wonder, how long has the Steel Flower been working on his plan? Are there any Spirits that returned that are not working on it with him? Or, will they all have to return to Emma-O's judgement?"

Matsu Mogami · **Posted:** Sat Apr 18, 2020 12:16 pm

"I am not as learned in these subjects as you would be, Isawa-san. Though, talking with some of the Brotherhood, all of the returned are breaking the will of heaven and have violated the Wheel. Once Emma-O places a spirit into Toshigoku, it is damned there for all eternity."

Isawa Hachi · **Joined:** Fri Apr 03, 2020 2:42 am **Posts:** 401

Hachi nods along. "I have heard that theory as well. It has a lot of evidence to it. No idea how sure it is. I don't know of anyone that's ever been sent there and left, but I had never studied the Spirit Realms before. Something I'll have to correct in the future, I suppose. If I get out of this."

Matsu Mogami · **Posted:** Sat Apr 18, 2020 12:40 pm

"Have faith, the walls here are strong and the city incredibly defensible."

Mogami rests her head on the dojo floor and groans a little.

"So long as we don't have more incidents like my grandmother popping up."

D8 LM - A Confrontation

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