[Last time, on Rising Sun Pioneers! Stuff happened! Well, not really. Sakura ran off and people talked, nobody got brained by trees, and there was an absolute lack of talking raccoons.] [Let's see if we can't change that, shall we?] [We join our not-quite-heroes on the not-quite-trail that the not- quite-bandits made, because they weren't bandits, but animals. Seems they led to a water source with... guess who! John and Fanfan! And Hazel, too, who's every bit as important as them.] [It's about noon. The sky is clear. The session is starting.] [Go!] [More important, actually, you just don't know it yet.] * Jinx brings Lightning to a halt near John and Fanfan. He then glances back to Tairan. "What now?" * Tairan looks around. "I dunno... those were definately animal tracks..." ( I kill Hazel and eat her to obtain her martial essence. ) * John drinks the water. (You get a new air-hole in your head, too.) * Fanfan tilts her head at Tairan. "Ill luck?" Is there any other kind? * John wipes his face. "Good luck." * Jinx takes out a waterskin and hands it over to John who presumably isn't mounted. "Mind filling this up?" * John takes it (And he isn't mounted) and fills it up. "So, did you guys find anything? Besides us?" * Millie flicks the reins slightly in her hands and looks around from side to side. She doesn't seem too talkative. The tracks you followed were animal tracks. And Kojiro and his merry band didn't enter the bandit camp. They musta split off somewhere, hoping we'd stumble into it. * Mikoto answers, from behind Millie, "And stumble we did." What've you got here, besides some nice water? * Fanfan winces, then dismounts and goes to sprinkle some water on her face. "Well, we seem to have had slightly better luck. The travelers we met saw someone resembling the Pippins woman with some soldiers." * Jinx takes the waterskin from John. "Oh? That's a start." ... soldiers? * John nods as he gets up. "Dunno if she was goin' willingly or not." * Mikoto winces. "That sounds problematic. Did they mention what clan the soldiers were from?" From what they said, it sounded like they might have been a scouting party. There weren't too many of them. * Tairan furrows his brow. "So either Kojiro has a military escort, or MaryAnne's kidnapping has no connection." * Sakura watches. Does she watch quietly? Guess! (No!) * Mikoto nods. "The latter seems more likely, which makes this a difficult decision." She is a Westerner. There are those suspicious of Westerners in these times. ( Westerners are very suspicious. Unlike the forthright, honest Shomurans. ) * Jinx nods. "Well, did we get any information to help follow these soldiers?" * Tairan rubs his temples. "Great. Do we go after the tablet, or the employer?" ( Oh, of course. The Shomurans have always been the heart of honesty and full disclosure. ) ( Indeed. Like an open book. ) ( Hearts on our sleeves. ) ( Very friendly too. ) * Fanfan half-shrugs. "They were going to Hoshimoto City." I say we chase the employer. We aren't certain Kojiro has the tablet and trail after him is rather weak. Also the tablet is less perishable. * Mikoto winces. "That... could be bad." ... oh you have *got* to be fucking kidding me. Sorry. Problem? * Mikoto rubs his temples. "Hoshimoto city's the last place we want to go." Hoshimoto, Jinx. My old stomping grounds. Lucky, ain'tcha? * Jinx gives a somewhat worried grin. "Oh.. well. Least we don't have far to go." * Millie lets out a slight breath. "Well we got no choice. 'Sides, it'll be easier ta catch up with this Kojiro lunkhead than Miss Mary. He ain't exactly easy ta hide if anyone spots 'im." * Tairan cheerfully informs John that he's number 1! ^_^__|_ * Mikoto grimaces, and shifts his weight on Pepper's back. "This is going to be trouble." There's no way we can just walk in the gates with half of us Westerners and more than half carrying guns. ( And 1/7th of us being Tairan. ) * Jinx shrugs. "Well I'm up for it. Who else is still in? This definately wasn't part of the original contract." ( Yeah, that's a bummer. ) * John hops up and *lands* on Hazel without crushing his croch, against what many modern movies may have you believe. "Not to mention Tairan over there." What makes ya think we're jus' gonna walk up there? Much as I'd love to ride valiantly into Hoshimoto city and lay siege to my old man... I'd rather have an army behind me when I do it. * Mikoto smiles faintly. "Let's just say on average, this group wouldn't know stealth if it fell on us like an anvil." ( Humph. ) ( And it WILL! ) ( But not right now ) * Millie grumbles slightly. "And even so, WE ain't got anyone ta tell us what the tablet does. I hate ta say it, but it's no use ta us without Miss Mary." * Jinx grins at Mikoto. "Well, I am damn good at making huge distractions. If you can't manage one may as well do the other." * Mikoto raises an eyebrow. "If you're going, I'll go with you... but this is a serious undertaking and we're putting our lives in danger. An entire city is different from a hunting party with divided loyalties." Since when has that stopped us? I have some little skill with costuming; I might be able to help disguise some people so that more of us can enter the city. ( Me too! Shomuran eye for the Teckian guy. ) ... uh, guys? I wanna make sure you appreciate the full magnitude of this. Hoshimoto city is home to several hundred of the toughest warriors in all of the East. And they don't like guns. Or Westerners. Or me. Especially me. ( Why do we not simply kill Tairan, and offer his corpse as a good will tribute so we may pass unhindered? ) * Jinx shrugs. "They say you only die once." * Millie looks casually at Tairan, fluttering her eyelashes at him. "So what do ya suggest we do instead, eh lanky?" * Mikoto nods. "If we're going, we'll need an excellent plan and a foolproof set of disguises, though I have modest ability with that myself and would be happy to assist you." ( Oh Sakura. WHat would we do without you? ) ( Laugh a lot more. ) * Fanfan glances at Jinx. "You seem to have disproved that theory." ( Actually, I was only *mostly* dead. Which is a little alive.) * Jinx looks at Fanfan with a strange grin. "Or if it's right, then I got nothing to worry about." Me? I don't have a goddamn clue. My first instinct is to go after Kojiro before the trail goes cold. We know where MaryAnne is... we can always come back for her after we get the tablet. * Fanfan grins back, a little. * Mikoto frowns. "It might be better if we split up. Some of us can sneak in and find Mary Anne while the others keep a low profile in the city." I'm not so good with the whole keeping a low profile thing. * Millie coughs and turns slightly away from Tairan. "Sure. Raight. Do ya think, with the way they feel 'bout Westerners, that she'd be ALIVE after we get the tablet?" If they were going to kill her, they would likely have done it already. Not necessarily. From what ol' hothead tells us, the ol' coot LOVES ta rub things in. In which case it would not matter either way, unless she has the same condition as Jinx. Nah. They won't kill 'er for just being a Westerner. Throw her in prison, sure... Well, that's almost hospitable. * Mikoto glances at Tairan. "That said... if we could actually pull this off, we might even have a chance of reclaiming your sword." His tone implies further possibility, but he doesn't say anything more. 'sides, I didn't say that's what I thought was the best idea. Just what my first instinct was. ( We could also slit your father's throat! ) ( Mayhem! ) Recent events have me feeling less confident in my abilities than normal, alas. ( Mayhem! Mayhem and death! Mayhem and chaos! ) ( And Kirby, too! ) * Millie stops Pepper and pats her pack with one hand. "Look. I got that kimono if we need ta. I jus' need ta stay quiet...lighten the skin a bit...do up mah hair an' dye it..." ( Brett: Well, that's a given of course. ^_- ) An what're ya thinkin' they should do about me and Jinx? * Jinx glances back at Tairan. "The fact that none of your former men bet against you gives me some confidence in your plans at least." * Millie frowns and her brow twitches a bit. "An'...give up...Greenpeace..." * Mikoto says, with a faint smile, "Stuff you in a cart full of hay." ( I almost typoed 'cart full of gay'. Slash ahoy! ) ... of course, we could always try to do this the easy way. * John chuckles softly, then looks at Mikoto straight. "You serious?" No, soldiers guarding a city are overly fond of sticking spears in suspicious cargo. * Mikoto shrugs. "It works in old stories. Somehow I doubt we'd get away with it." So have 'em hang under the cart. ( How does she know? Certainly not from personal experience...) However, if there were a way we could... * Fanfan nods at Millie. "What she said." * Millie smirks. * Jinx looks at Mikoto. "Just remember, with my luck, I tend to attract attention. Even when I don't want it." * Mikoto rubs his chin. "Of course, if Tairan were bringing you in as a peace offering... wanting to make up..." The thorn there is Daigoro and Tamiko. An' Greenpeace could be in the hay too...y'know, it jus' might work... * Tairan hmms. "Mikoto... if you, Sakura, and maybe Fanfan walked in, requested an audience with the old bastard, and requested MaryAnne's freedom on behalf of a clan Hoshimoto isn't at war with..." * Millie rubs her chin thoughtfully. * Mikoto raises an eyebrow. "Before or after he finds out I bought your honor sword for 100 kanmon, then hid it in a forest?" ( Send in just Sakura and Fanfan. I'm sure that would end well. ) Oh, Daigoro ain't gonna say anything about that. * Jinx snickers. "Maybe not Mikoto then." ( No, don't-- *Sakura chops off someone's head. ... oh, well. *killkill* ) You think he'd admit to letting me go and live to talk about it? He'll just say he found the sword or something. Fanfan seems good though. * Millie looks at her. "What do ya think?" * Mikoto chuckles. "Fair enough." * Fanfan bites her lip a little, thinking it over. "It...seems to work." And the last time I checked, the Ryuugen weren't at war with anyone. We've served the court for generations. I cannot think of a reason why any clan would want the woman. Torture her to death for her nonstop talking. We could say she committed a crime on our lands, but Lord Hoshimoto might execute her on the spot as a favor to us. * Millie smirks. "Ohh...I'm sure there's plenty of reasons..." * Mikoto hmmms. The old dipshit's a sadistic fuck, but he's a stickler for honor, as warped as his sense of honor is. If you say MaryAnne was invited East by Ryuugen for some reason, and that her being waylaid by Hoshimoto troops was an affront to Ryuugen's honor or some bullshit like that... And to truly seem like envoys from an influential clan, we would need more than two people. My uncle is an official in the Imperial military. I could pretend to be a functionary sent to retrieve her for an audience, if necessary. * John nods. * Fanfan tilts her head at Mikoto. "Is there anyone from Ryuugen currently at Hoshimoto court? If so, that might not work." * Millie flicks her eyes to Sakura for a second, then back to Fanfan. "Do ya think ya could make me up? I could be...uh..a distraction." * Jinx smiles slightly at that. Hoshimoto's not that big a clan, or that influential, really. Just produces damn good warriors. * Mikoto shakes her head at Fanfan. "Almost everyone lives in Kyo." He hmms. "I'll need to find court-suitable clothes. This Teckian garb won't do." * Fanfan looks Millie up and down, lip between her teeth. "I may be able to work something out." * Millie takes the kimono out of her pack and flicks it slightly to unfold it, holding it out. "An' how 'bout this?" * Fanfan widens her eyes. "Impressive." * Millie turns her eyes to Mikoto. "I won't say a word, I promise. I'll jus' stand there an' look pretty." * Mikoto raises an eyebrow. "It's not up to me to decide." * Fanfan looks it over. "It might indeed do...and I have plenty of things that I could work into your hair." * Mikoto turns to Tairan. "Is there a haberdasher's in Hoshimoto City? I'll need to find better clothes." * Fanfan turns to Mikoto. "Speaking of hair, do you know anything that would change the color of yours and Millie's? It's, ah, fairly noticeable." * Millie takes a deep breath, and turns it around. "Never thought I'd be usin' it for this..." Where did you get it? * Jinx dismounts and walks over to John. "Somehow I don't think we're gonna be too useful on this mission." * Mikoto colors faintly. "There was someone who made hair coloring... concoctions, in Teck. But he said my hair color doesn't change well, and ends up looking false." From a priestess when we got over here. We, uh, kinda saved her from a tengu." ( Go star in some slash fics while you wait. ) * Fanfan raises her eyebrows. "Ah." * John shakes his head as he dismounts as well. "Nope. So, whatcha wanna do while they play dress up?" ( Heh. ) * Mikoto smiles. "I'll find a suitable hat and pin it up." At court? * Mikoto points at the oversize white short and canvas shorts he's wearing. "I certinaly can't be presented in court wearing this." * Millie sighs and dismounts, looking around for a tree, then glaring at all the males. "An' ya better not peek." True. * Jinx shrugs. "Not sure. Could play something." He then adds with a slight tone of distaste. "For fun, even." Your eyebrows, though. What do you intend to do about those? Yeah, there's a place to get decent clothes. Though I'd suggest doing it before you got to Hoshimoto city itseelf. * John chuckles. "Remember, I don't gamble. But I wouldn't mind learnin' ta play." * Mikoto raises one of said eyebrows. "Shave them off, if necessary. They'll grow back." I can direct ya to a couple of the outlying towns. I don't think the color of my hair will be an issue, however, provided my protocol is correct enough. m vvvjmnnck7uu8eeef * Jinx nods. "What'd you know? I'm always happy to contribute to the progress of human civilization by spreading some games about." ( Err. Sorry. My cat says hello. ) ( ...Sakura chopped off her own head. ) * Fanfan looks dubiously at Mikoto. "Well, if you are certain..." ( Moti's cats like doing that too. ) As for what we'll do... well, we can try to figure out the general direction Kojiro and his group went, so we'll at least have some clue which way to go once we get MaryAnne back. * Millie heads to the trees to change. * Mikoto hmmms. "Let's find a nearby town and get prepared. I'll need some paper and ink as well." Maybe arrainge to meet up someplace safe... y'know, OUTSIDE of Hoshimoto territory. ( Ha! HA! FINALLY I can use that skill. ) ( You think I'm not yippy-skipping about the Disguise thing? ^^ ) (With my luck, I"ll do all that and it'll still be a critfail. ) ( 4 skill points justified! ) (Yeah, after the critfail, Fanfan would look like a western that carried guns instead of swords. :P ) ( Yes, while disguising Millie I accidentally made myself look like her. ) (*snerks*) ( Well, shit, pardon my Teckian. ) * Jinx glances back at Mikoto and then back at John. "He's probably got the right idea. Think of anything you'd like to learn, or learn more about on the way and I'll be happy to teach you." [Our her- er, protagonists meet a ways outside the city, possibly to put the finishing touches on their plans, possibly to wish each other luck. The sun's just starting to set, turning the sky a lovely gold and purple.] (If only to say "bye, good luck! *run*") [Ahead is Hoshimoto City. It's built... rather like a fort, actually. A heavily fortified fort. Not horribly surprising, since they're at war.] Where shall we be meeting afterwards? * John is mounted on Hazel, because the fools decided to take Lightning. The suckers! He shrugs. [There are two guards outside the gate.] * Mikoto rubs Pepper's neck and eyes the 'boys'. "Hopefully this won't take too long." He also tries and fails to look bishounenly cool dressed in a ceremonial kimono atop a horse. * Millie frowns slightly. "This stuff itches...an' I'm not used ta ridin' side- saddle.." * Jinx stands next to Hazel. "Quicker we get this done, quicker we're out of here. Let's meet over there afterwards." He points to a spot that looks relativly easy to hide in. All right. Sounds like a plan. Good luck. If we do not emerge within a reasonable amount of time...well. Don't come after us. We'll find a way out. * Millie adjusts her seat and puts her hands on Mikoto's sides to steady herself on the horse, trying to keep her expression neutral. * Fanfan nods. * Jinx waves. "Good luck. Come back alive, and ideally with my horse." He grins then gets walking to the point he indicated. * John chuckles and rides in said direction. "You'll make it out." One way or another. ( Way: Dead. ) (Another: Deader) * Sakura follows quietly, because she is Sakura. ( Final way: Dead, but more glorious death, talked about for years to come ) * Mikoto oofs at Millie's grip. "Once we get outside the city, you can change and have your horse back. But geisha riding a horse any other way would be... unseemly." * Fanfan turns Lightning around carefully and follows. Don't worry 'bout it...I'm good at fakin'. * Millie lets a slight smirk crack before settling back on a neutral. Just remember... the old bugger thinks he's the be-all-end-all of honor. Appeal to that, and take advantage of it. Remember to take small steps, and your face a little lowered. * Mikoto nods. "We'll do our best. We'd better get moving." [The guards look around lazily.] * Fanfan whispers assorted other tips to Millie as they ride down to the city. (Makes ya wonder how Fanfan knows this.) (It does? ) (She reads a lot of books. :P ) * Tairan moves AWAY from the city with the others. I repeat. AWAY. * Mikoto guides Pepper toward the gates. "Hopefully this will be short and sweet. I have something prepared that should help." [Tairan succeeds in moving away, without even having to make a navigation roll.] ( Why, Mr. Rogers, Ah'm jist an ardinary Sho-moor-an girl, t'ain't nothin' spectaklar 'bout knowin' how t'present mahself at cawrt. ) (...) ( >.> What? ) (Worst. Western. Accent. Evah.) (Very Beverly Hillbillies.) ( Thank yew, thank yew. Y'all're jist makin' mah poor little heart jist barst with jo-ah. ) [The guards are inspecting a farmer at the gate critically and, finding all satisfactory, let him through. Then it's your turn(s)] (Now let's bluff the guards before I continue. >_< ) (If we fail to a farmer, we suck so much) ( Oh, dear. Wha'd he say this time? ) * Mikoto pulls on the reins a bit to stop. "Good evening." He sits up straight! His voice flattens out! He's the picture of poise. [Somewhere, Tairan trips over a root.] * Fanfan stops Lightning and sits demurely. * Millie glances off to the side and towards the ground, not wanting to meet the guard's gaze. [The guards offer no greeting, sounding like people who have been standing out here all day. "Names?"] (What movie would you like to see tonight?) * Mikoto clears his throat. "Mikoto Ryuugen. My companion is Mireiyu Ryuugen." He looks to Fanfan to speak for herself and Sakura. * Fanfan inclines her head. "My name is Keiko." * Fanfan gestures to Sakura. "She is Sakura." [The guard's expression doesn't change as he says in the same bored voice, "State 'cher business."] ( Wise choice. Fanfan: "This is Mika." Guard: "Is that true?" Sakura: "I am Sakura. We are lying to obtain easy entrance." ) ( Yeah, I figured. Same with changin' her last name. ^^) * Mikoto withdraws some parchment in a roll from his kimono. "We're here on official business to see Lord Hoshimoto." "All of you?" * Fanfan nods. * Mikoto raises an eyebrow. "This is my entourage." * Sakura sits there and looks scary. * Millie still doesn't meet the guards' gaze, keeping her head down. (Sakura does a really good job.) ( As usual. ) ( Hmm.. Sir, you look like a martial artist. I'm going to have to ask you to carry a weapon, you're too dangerous unarmed. ) (Ha!) [The guards make a few notes, then nod. "All right, go on in."] * Mikoto nods his head. "My thanks." He takes the reins and heads in first. * Fanfan follows Mikoto. * Millie lets out a slight womanly eep as the horse moves and holds on tighter to Mikoto, keeping her head down lower. * Sakura follows of course. * Fanfan quirks an eyebrow, impressed. Didn't have time to teach her that one. * Mikoto whispers faintly to Millie as he continues toward the palace. "You're doing fine. I'm sorry about all this." * Millie looks to the side, her head against Mikoto's back, checking to see if anyone's there, whispering back. "It's too easy so far..." * Fanfan murmurs to Mikoto. "Well, that's the easiest one down...who am I to be, your adjunct?" [You enter the city! It's a very bustling place, but I'm assuming you're going straight for the palace?] * Mikoto colors a bit, then coughs and glances sidelong at Fanfan. "A guard captain and escort." Very well. ( I got a promotion! ) * Mikoto turns to look ahead but keeps his voice quiet. "If all goes well, this shouldn't take long. We present the formalities, make obeisance, get Mary Anne, and leave." [You head down the busy but as of yet non-descript street to the palace, which isn't so much a palace as it is a large one-story house atop a hill. The hill has a path that goes up it, which is good since it's too steep to walk up.] If it was indeed soldiers of Hoshimoto and not of some other Ki clan. We won't know until we present ourselves. * Fanfan also speaks quietly, her lips barely moving. True. * Millie stays quiet, taking in the city a bit from her position, more to note any position of guards than to notice any splendors or whatnot. * Fanfan looks around much the same way as Millie, but looks for exits instead. ( Not that that difference *means* anything... ) [You get to the palace, leaving the city to be described later.] ( ;_; ) [After climbing the hill, you're confronted by the guards, who, in a very guard like manner, also ask for your names and purposes.] ( And here Sakura was just itching to be all touristy. Either that, or she's looking around the same way Millie and I am, but looking for bandits. ) * Mikoto presents the scroll again. "I am Mikoto Ryuugen, here on official business. This is my entourage. We would like to request audience with the honorable Lord of this castle." ( Thief, thief, thief, thief...damn, so close.) [The guards take it, and look at it. Without saying anything, one of them enters the house.] (You guys are SO gonna screw up... o/~) ( I didn't write it. ) (Better than the boys...the cowards. ;P) (...why am I being lumped with the girls? c.c;) ( The other boys. ) ( If they screw up, I shall leave them to die, and then returns and loot their corpses. ) [He comes back in a few minutes. "Alright, you can enter."] "Follow me." ( Loot our corpses? Oh, my. ) (And because she didn't kill them herself, she's not a bandit, right?) [He turns and heads into the house.] ([24 hours later] Well, we're unnemployed. What do you wanna do? I dunno, what do you wanna do? ) ( Let's not start that again... -_^ ) * Mikoto dismounts, and offers his hand to 'Mireiyu', looking around for some sort of attendant for the horses. * Fanfan dismounts and looks for a horsey-taking-care-of sort of person. [Lo, there just happens to be one.] * Millie slowly flutters her eyelashes up and timidly takes Mikoto's hand. She clasps it tentatively and slips down from the horse. * Sakura dismounts as well. * Mikoto eyes Millie a moment, then hands the attendant the reins. "Please keep them ready, if you could. I expect our audience will be brief and we must depart soon." * Fanfan hands the reins over to the attendant. "And make sure they are treated well." ( Or we'll EAT YOUR HEAD. ) * Millie steadies herself on the ground and puts her hands in the sleeves of the kimono, holding them together and bowing her head to her master in thanks as she slowly raises. * Mikoto nods once last time. "I humbly thank you for your service." With that, he heads inside, Millie in tow and presuming Fanfan and Sakura can fend for themselves. ( I'm so damn proud of her...*sniff* ) * Fanfan follows Mikoto inside. ( She's creeping Mikoto OUT, actually. c.c; ) * Millie follows behind. * Sakura does not flip out and start killing people. INstead, she follows Mikoto in. (^_^_v) (Instead Sakura flips out and starts maiming people. It's a step up. ) * Fanfan murmurs to Millie. "You are doing an *excellent* job. I am very impressed." [The guard who's leading you opens a sliding door and heads down a hallway.] * Mikoto follows! And mentally tries to keep track of the hallways. * Millie raises her sleeves to hide her face a little. She shows Fanfan a faint trace of a smirk before returning her expression back and lowering them again. * Fanfan tries to look around for other exit-looking-type doors. [Down the hall a bit and to the left, you pass a large set of double doors. Opposite those,the hall opens up into a courtyard, complete with cherry- blossom trees and a koi pond. The guard heads for neither of these, but continues to the door at the end of the passage.] * Mikoto continues following, mentally mapping out the layout as best he can. * Millie looks to the sides, trying not to raise her head too much. NOW she seems to be taking in the scenery a little more, but only if you're close enough to watch her closely. (Careful, they're on a different faction.) * Fanfan follows, flanking Mikoto. La lee lah. [However, as you near the guarden, you hear flute music. As you pass, you can see the one playing the instrument: an incredibly beautiful woman. Or maybe and incredibly beautiful man. It's hard to tell. S/he sits on a rock, playing the flute, wearing a white kimono. Goes well with his/her neck-length white hair. Also, s/he carries a katana.] * Fanfan takes in the androgyne and narrows her eyes, but continues on. ( My, what a long hallway. ) [As you pass, the person's eyes (brown!) open and s/he looks at you sideways, but just for a second before closing them again.] * Mikoto blinks as he walks past, noting to ask Tairan about such a notable character once he's not masquerading as an official with three fugitives in hostile territory surrounded by men who would like to sword him. ( And not in a gay way. ) ( Before I will allow you to enter the audience chamber, you must answer one question. Am I a man or a woman? ... ) ( That won't work. ) [Eventually, you get to the end of the hallway, where there's a door. Which is opened. By the guard.] ( Well, that'll suck. ) ( Sakura: *grabs flutist's crotch* "Man." Party: "..." ) ( *flip her kimono up.* Male. ) ( A little head-subletting going on here? ) * Mikoto bows to the guard. "My thanks." [He enters the next small room, turn's left, and opens a door there, too.] * Mikoto does the bowing when the last door is opened, then. * Millie follows suit and bows too, not meeting gaze with the guard or saying a word. Just fluttering lashes and looking like a beautiful lotus blossom. ( ...freak. ) ( Aww, ain't she purty? ) * Fanfan does not bow, instead giving a nod to the guard. [He doesn't say anything, but stands to the side of the door, inside the room. The room itself is quite large, containing a few weapons on the walls, a few plants, some poems and art. Y'know, stuff ike that. There's also three people in the room! Which will be described in a sec!] * Millie heads in after her master, taking small steps like she was told. Or because she's not used to walking in the clogs, it's hard to tell. [The one one the left is an older man, with white hair, a moustache and a short bear. The one on the right is about your ages, but big, built like a keg. He sports long sideburns, so long that they practically ARE a beard, and thick eyebrows. Did I mention he's big? That includes his muscles, of course.] ( A short...oh. RIght. ) ( Beard. ) ("This is the Hoshimoto mascot... a trained bear. We call him Booboo.") [The man in the center is the notable one, being the best dressed. The top of his head is bald, but his sorta-spikey hair fans around the back and sides of his head in a half-circle. He has a small moustache that flows around the corners of his mouth to become a small beard, thick eyebrows, and deep, dark eyes.] ( Does he steal picanic baskets? ) [All three of them have weapons nearby, you notice.] * Mikoto bows low and stands at the sort of center of the group, Millie behind him and Fanfan and Sakura off a little behind to the right. He speaks before rising. "I am grateful and honored to be received by you, Lord Hoshimoto." [He speaks with a thick, commanding voice. "Indeed. To what do I owe the honor of this visit?"] * Mikoto straightens again for actual discourse. "It is I who am honored as guest. I am travelling on official business." ( [Lord Hoshimoto] What is your quest? [Mikoto] I seek the Holy Grai- er... ) [He (who I should note is the guy in the center) nods. "Well, let us then dispense with the formalities for now and discuss business."] * Mikoto nods, bowing his head briefly. "If that is your wish, I am grateful. We have been travelling in search of a Teckian woman who was abducted in this area recently. The Ministry of Antiquities called her to Shomura as a consultant due to her unique expertise. We had heard, after losing track of her in Ki territory, that she had been sighted with soldiers near Hoshimoto clan lands." [He raises his eyebrows. "Abducted? We've had a number of Teckian visitors recently, but I can't say I've come across anyone like that. Although, my men did pick up an injured woman a few days ago."] * Mikoto nods. "That may be her. According to reports, she has a history of... misfortune, I believe was how it was phrased. I'd like to meet her, if possible, to ascertain if she is the one." ( Oh... I didn't... factor in something very important in this plan. ) ( Very, very important. ) (...) ( Hmmmm? ) (Mikoto isn't wearing any pants) * Millie glances up just slightly at that, then hides her face with her sleeves, bowing her head and looking away. (HA.) ( It's a kimono, of course I'm not. ) ( Ha ha, *I'm* wearing pants. ) ( See! I was right! ^_^ ) (I *knew* there was gonna be a screw up!) [Lord Hoshimoto hmmms thoughtfully, and picks up a sword by his side. It looks familiar. "Well..."] ( And besides, it's just a kimono. There are popular designs. ;P ) (Was going to say just that) * Mikoto bows his head respectfully. "If your Lordship would permit it." ["That may prove difficult."] * Mikoto looks up again, perfectly neutral. "Begging your lordship's pardon, but may I inquire as to why?" She's dead, isn't she? ( ... ) ( Blunt guard captains are such fun. ) ( Unfortuantely, her injuries will prove fatal. ... Stupid honor, forcing me to use the proper tense. ) [He draws the sword and holds it vertically, looking up and down the blade. Then he looks at Fanfan in surprise. "Oh no, she's very much alive."] * Millie turns to Fanfan, a bit of a look of shock on her face before she looks down again. * Mikoto shoots Fanfan a quick look, then glances back at Lord Hoshimoto. "Please forgive my guard's forthrightness. She is a realist." * Fanfan half-shrugs. ( *Fanfan steals Sakura's personality. ) ["Quite alright. As I said, she is very much alive. But she may not be the one you seek."] * Mikoto turns to Fanfan for a moment, pretending to silently rebuke her, and mouths "this may be a trap" when he's turned sufficiently enough away so the lords can't see it. (No she hasn't. No one is dead yet.) ( This is not the Mary Anne you are looking for. ) ["You see, a rather famous criminal from the other country has been sighted in out lands, recently. One matching her description."] * Fanfan bows her head in acquiescence/understanding. * Mikoto turns back to Lord Hoshimoto and blinks, then clears his throat. "If I may be so bold, has my lord captured the woman known as Calamity Jan?" * Sakura narrows her eyes, as if you could tell from behind the mask. * Millie tries not to bite her tongue as he says that. Too hard at least. ["Perhaps. She hasn't come to consciousness, so we can't be sure. But if it is her..."] [He shakes his head. "I've heard she's travelling with a group of mixed East and West origins."] And may we ask why we are not permitted to see her? * Mikoto clears his throat. "My lord's martial skill and soldiers' might must be unparalleled to apprehend such a dangerous criminal. My work often takes me into Teck; if you would like, I would humbly offer my help in identifying the captive." [He rises. "Very well. I will take you to her." The other men rise with him.] * Mikoto bows low. "My lord's generosity matches his admirable strength. My thanks." ( Half of diplomacy is a good vocabulary. The other half is simply lying through your teeth with a straight face. ) * Fanfan bows as well, but in a more businesslike way. [He leads the way, followed by the men, through a few more rooms/halls, to a set of stairs.] * Sakura considers how best to cut of Calamity Not Jane's head and she follows. * Mikoto follows at a respectable distance, saying nothing unless questioned. * Millie bows, but in a humble kind of way. And follows, keeping her head low and expression hidden. * Fanfan mumbles something to Mikoto along the way about apologizing for overacting a bit. ( Oh, such plans do I make. Hopefully Sakura won't behead me before they happen. ) [He heads down the stairs, which look very dungeony. It's probably because they lead to a dungeon, complete with cells and guards. The whole lot. He stops at a cell in the middle and gestures. "She's right there."] ( Uh-oh. ) * Mikoto shakes his head at Fanfan as they walk, whispering quietly. "It helps the veracity." * Mikoto bows at Hoshimoto again. "Thank you, my lord." He then rises and looks into the cell. [Inside is Mary Anne!] ( *blink* ) ( Well, that shoots my plan to hell. Ah well, this is almost as good. ) * Mikoto blinks, then coughs, careful to keep his expression neutral. "I am sorry to say, my lord, that is not Calamity Jan. This is, in fact, our wayward Teckian scholar." * Fanfan looks at her, trying to see if her wounds have healed up any. He nods. "Hmmm... I was afraid of that." * Millie looks in the cell and covers Mikoto's ear with her sleeve, as she whispers, trying to make it look like a lover's whisper. "This is goin' well, keep it up." * Mikoto turns to Millie and nods faintly, then raises an eyebrow at Hoshimoto. "May I ask what weighs on my lord's thoughts?" [There's a rush of footsteps, and several guards burst in from above, all armed and pointing sharp things at you threateningly. Lord Hoshimoto's companions also draw their weapons. He says simply, "If she is the woman you seek, then you are in league with that wretched honorless dog, and therefore cannot leave here."] [And now we'll be ending.] [Session End]