Kyuden Shika

"I'm afraid ot has to remain so, I can't spoil it", he said. "I made a promise." And there was a certain regard he had in his voice for those words. "The other matter though...much as I'm reluctant, well, I need your help, in more matters then perfume."

Koi mused. "A secret, eye. Okay, I wont push."

She stopped and raised a brow. "Okay, what do you need?"

"A friend of mine has run afoul of a particularly deadly enemy, and requires spiritual aid to fend it off", he said plainly. "I was hoping you might be able to provide some expertise and support."

the vendor finished boxing up the perfume and was going to set it down, but Hikimasu picked it up before it hit the counter.

"Please accept this in thanks, it is the finest I could find, selected by the most skilled expert in the aesthetic I have come to know here at this miai."

Koi levelled a look upon the Shosuro that could level cities as he presented the perfume to her. She stood there for a moment motionless, and closed her eyes.

"You Scorpions, by the stars and stones I should have seen this coming." She sighed, slightly miffed.

"Explain to me the situation, clearly Shosuro Hikimasu as I have already been harmed from such adventurers this Miai." She did take the box from the Scorpion, and bowed. She was annoyed, but he was a friend asking for her help and how could she not assist him.

He let it go, the refusals weren't necessary when he was being such a stinker. Instead he walked her away from the stall and stood close to speak low.

"A friend of mine is being devoured by a gaki, from what I can tell. I spoke to that Kitsu shugenja, Tsugumasu-san, he's offered to help and says there's a ritual he could do to protect them from it...but he needs others who are strong of spirit, so among others, I thought of you."

Koi winced. "A Gaki, owch. I thought a Sakkaku spirit was bad."

The Moth moved to stand comfortably before she pulled out a small pillow book empty exceot with her tight and script. "Do we know the origin of the spirit? How they got attached to the person? Was it something from Kyuden Shika? Also, who is it?"

"Utaku Kheree-san is the victim"< he said cooly. "The creature came to her the day the painting was switched, in the guise of the women from the story it tells. It is...well, I believe it is draining her life using her own desires against her, so I have tried to steady the woman but she is..." he grumbled. "Too much of a flirt, uncontrolled, foolish."

Koi nods. "That explains my original dream then."

There was a sigh. "If we are to continue it would be worth finding the original painting, much to Shika Muneyaki's displeasure."

She chewed her lip as she thought, and there was tightness in her shoulders. "You should report this to Lord Shika."

He seemed confused. "Are you saying this is matter beyond what I am seeing?" he asked. "What else is it tied to?"

Koi sighed, rubbed her eyes with her hands really not wanting to go through all this again because it fucking sucks but again a friend asked for help.

"I had a dream about the painting during which Utaku-sama and Seppun Unsei-sama. During the conversation, the Shosuro in the painting showed interest in Utaku-sama but all leads went to dead ends for me. Spirits I huntered turned out to be Sakkaku spirits, the painting turned out to be nothing more than a prank." She motioned towards Genkai who stood a distance away, picking his nose at this time.

"I told my information to Lord Shika, and now I have that as my shadow." She shook her head. "Just concerned it will lead me further into trouble but I will help."

She mused. "I know where the original is hidden, it's in the Shika Quarters in Shika Buncho's closet. If you can get it.." Koi sighed, and rubbed her neck.

Hikimasu would notice Koi is clearly flustered, like there is a massive chunck of her that wants nothing to do with this out of frustration, annoyance but a huge part is fear.