[D4 MN] The Moth Balls (Expecting)

[Kitsu Murato]

"The Lion's wisdom is unheard," Murato says, muttering to himself. "So either something hasn't been asked or hasn't been answered. The hunted hunter would be the deer you are looking for? So this deer is capable of raiding a foxes den, but that's happening right now according to the message. So should we go into the city and see if anyone is dealing with any breaking and entering in their home or business? Red threads I have no clue on. Doesn't fit the animal metaphors at all. And I can't do anything to help your focus Kaikoga-san, that's all on you to figure out. But if you are up for it, I'm rested enough to join you both to look for any signs that someone's place was raided."

[Kaikoga Koi]

Koi stood still in the rain, her brain entering her mind palace a place of intricately laid out lanterns with a scroll place beside them with some tutorial of some vague thing she learnt as a child to more recent information from the front. Smaller Moth's fluttered laying the scrolls down, or organising or destroying things to unnecessary to remember. The space that filled the palace was filled with stumps of trees in a forest filled with autumn leaves, and a twin moon above.

"When I arrived in this city I met an old man that seemed to live here his entire life, a baku spirit named Allul guided me to him. The old man told me of two places of importance's - the temple where if you sleep under it you are said to have prophetic dreams and the second being the cedar trees in which if you slept under them you'd be protected. Additionally, the spirit advised me of bad omen's of the painting in the castle as it didnt feel right." She said outloud, taking the scroll in her mind and laid it down.

"On the second day (D1) I visited the temple and dreamt under the tree. I awoke in darkness to an unpleasant, familiar sound. Wishing to be free of the darkness and the sound, I spread wings and flew into the air. High above the emerald lands I flew, with the warmth of Lady Sun feeling like love from the Heavens themselves. Farther and father south I flew, and as night began to come, I flew over the Aokami Forest, to see a grand arrangement of lanterns. The lanterns were of all colours and all sizes, from bright Phoenix orange to dark Unicorn purple. I felt herself drawn to the lanterns with joy. But off to the side, there was one small lantern that gave me the opposite feeling. Chrysanthemum hued, it rested next to a very large crimson lantern. I could hear the whisper of my special friend in my ears, "The star of luck will bring you only misfortune. Fly as you will between the others, but that one will only sear your wings. And with that, I awoke." She said taking that scroll and placing it down as she picked up the next.

"Immediately after, I spoke to Pei Pei-sama about the paintings in the Hall. She gave me some advice about the meanings of the paintings - they serve as a warning." She said, trying to remember really focusing barely noticing the tap tap tap of the rain on her. "Many a samurai comes to Kyuden Shika with Benten on their mind, not Musubi...she indicated towards the idea of people having fruitless sex as to why she meant Benten." She caughed before continuing, "It is a wonderful thing when Benten and Musubi are in harmony.... Truly, a lifetime of wedded bliss to the one your heart desires is amazing. However, dishonouring Musubi to chase after 'Benten' is a foolish foolish thing indeed."

"She added; 'Each of Shosuro Yoriko's victims learned what folly that truly was, at the cost of their own lives. And so, as you walk through the castle halls, my hope is that she reminds you that it is Musubi to whom your devotion should be paid, not Benten. She said this with a deadly serious tone, and I appreciate that of course she'd say that seriously as she is running the Miai I cant help feel that holds meaning to with the older spirit." She placed that scroll down in her mind and fetched the next.

"On that night, I went to the gardens to investigate the Cedar trees and tried summoning Baku spirits, thinking I might be able to converse with them. I attracted a spirit but it seemed almost malicious but did not physical harm. It seemed to only want me for my lantern, and when I turned the light off it vanished." She said. "Nesshin-san was there with me at the time. It remained invisible from my eyes, and the Kami helped where they could but it still was incredibly creepy but I dont think it's anything to do with this."

"On the third day (D2) I did some information gathering with the assistance of your cous- Kitsu..." Koi paused, her jade eyes flashing wide and her mouth opened for a second as clearly things begin to explode in her mind. "Oh! By the heavy laden balls of Bishamon!" Koi said, doing the Rokugan equalivent of a fist-pumping action. "I went to Kitsu Tsugumasa on the third day for advice about the spirits of the City. He said he would need a few days to get information back to me at some point today but he never got back to me - " She said bubbling with pride as she cracked her clue. "The Lion's wisdom that goes unheard..."

Koi stopped. "We need to get to the Inn." She said, her heart pumping now. "The spirit was trying to make me narrow my search, I was looking for two many things. Shika-san is in the forest, we will get him at dawn as he comes in. But who you hunt him here...Something else is happening that we need to be there..."The hunted hunter raids the Fox's Den.." She said. "The Sleepy Fox in...what we are meant to be hunting here is there, or going to be there going to Kitsu Tsugumasa...which means his information will not be heard because we aren't there to save him. The red treads are the people we have met through the miai, they are all there and they can help...We need to hurry!" Koi said, already bounding in her step towards the Inn.

OOC: DM has said before just indicating us heading that way will be fine.

[Shika Nesshin]

Makes some sense, Nesshin says--and he joins Koi in pursuit.

Flitting Moth.

[Kitsu Murato]

The thought that someone's life was actively in danger sobered Murato, and he took off with them, flowing over obstacles like the rain they went through, leaving his sandals behind in the mud. The straps would break at this pace anyway.

[Kaikoga Koi]

Koi had been working out!

She flowed with the water kami as she took off, allowing each slide into the mud to project her forward a little before she was able to find more course ground as she headed towards the Sleepy Fox Inn with her companion's in tow with her lantern bobbing in the rain as she speed forward, soon perhaps being taken over by the Kitsu and Shika who were way more developed muscularly than her!

[Shika Nesshin]

Nesshin does swiftly lead the way, running like the wind towards the Inn. "Sorry, Renjiro," he says as he enters in haste--more quietly, perhaps, than would be expected, but still in full gear and with spear in hand, dripping water. "Where's Kitsu Tsugumasa's room?" he asks, his voice quiet and forceful.

[Saibankan]

Renjiro always took a long time to wake up. Quite a few drips of water dripped off the Shika while Renjiro slowly roused. Eventually, Renjiro wandered down the hall coming down the hall before one of the rooms, putting a paw on it.

[Kitsu Murato]

Murato followed along down the hall, and put his hand on his hilt. If someone was attacking his family he would defend. He let the Shika take the lead though, since he had actual jurisdiction.

[Shika Nesshin]

"Thank you," Nesshin says, and he presses himself to the door, listening...

~~~~~
Will edit to include roll after GM note.

[Kaikoga Koi]

Koi eventually caught up, her eyes scanning for any trouble as they made their way back to the Inn. She was breathing hard but her new workout routine had been doing good, she hadn't missed a single day of leg day and it helped her arrive moderately soaked, breathing hard but her lantern was still lit as she came into the Inn catching the shadows of the two bushi ahead of her.

Koi however also had her hand on her sword as she caught up. "I'm here..." She said, calling out.