Chapter 2a: Confessions

[TetNak]

Yuudai moves closer. Hideki would like to kick him, but he cannot find the strength to attempt to trip him.

OOC

You are both still out Out/Down with no void remaining

"Tsk, tsk," Yuudai says, bending down in front of the two. "We are in the room where you shall find enlightenment, Scorpion-san." He stands back up, "You are not quite in any position to demand answers to your questions, are you?"

Looking down on the pair, he caresses his own chin with the black nails on his right hand. "My friend here wishes to torture you endlessly until you die. You did, after all, kill my servant." He begins pacing, back and forth, back and forth, "But, both they were very careless. Stealing coin from anywhere they could. Then they invoked my name, or so I have been told."

The doshin now looks very concerned, and is backing away slowly.

"I cannot allow such stupidity! Can I?" Like a cat, Yuudai thrusts his black, now talon-like, fingers into the doshin's chest. There is a dark glow around the doshin's body as he screams louder than anything either Takeo or Hideki have ever heard, on any field of battle. With a violent jerk Yuudai draws out his arm, his eyes now blood red with no pupil. The maho-tsukai groans out in pleasure as the doshin's body drops to the ground. "I never tire of the ecstasy of power ..."

[JohnnyWeird]

"Clearly. Few other explanations exist for the pursuit of dark art."

For all the urgency in his voice, the bound samurai might be discussing the weather or the fundamentals of go. For the lack of its urgency, there is steel beneath it; he will not be toyed with by this remnant of a man.

[TetNak]

Blood filled eyes look down upon Takeo. "I do not like your tone." He sweeps his claw against Takeo's defenseless body, opening up another painful cut along his shoulder.

It is not the pain, though, that might worry Takeo. He feels something else course through his wound and enter his body. Something unsavory. Strangely, he feels something exciting about it, as if he were stronger and more powerful ...

OOC

Earth: 9 vs. 20, Fail. +1 Box of Shadowlands Taint.

"There, now we can pursue the Dark Arts together." Yuudai gives Hideki a glance, "Shall we ask your peasant friend if he would like to join us?"

[Nate]

Hideki sits there unwilling to answer the man, or even talk to him. Partially because he's holding back the urge to vomit from the display of maho. Now if only he could move...

[JohnnyWeird]

"Enough posturing, cousin. We are samurai, not kabuki players. Tell us your intentions or slay us and be done with it. These theatrics ill-become you."

[TetNak]

"These are no theatrics," Yuudai says, "I assure you." He smiles watching Hideki cringe. "Let us speak about your immediate future, which may lead to death, but not by my hands."

The man takes a step away, his pupils returning to normal, and arms crossing over his shoulder. "You must decide. Do you retain your honor and report your taint, or do you keep it a secret? Will your peasant friend do the same?" He laughs, "You could kill him, of course, and it would be preserved. You shall see how the world changes, even for a Bayushi."

Yuudai then approaches, "Let me heal your wounds, cousin," he says, touching Takeo's chest with his talons. Takeo hears the laughter of kansen fill the room as a terrible paint jolts his body. He watches in terror as a thick, black, scar forms over his wounds and seals them shut.

He does not remain conscious long, as he fades from the pain. Hideki, meanwhile, feels something behind him that he cannot see.

*THUD*

Hideki's mind also goes black.

The next thing either Hideki or Takeo know they both are waking up in an alleyway, somewhere in the city. Their weapons, armor, and gear are laying at their feet. Takeo is shirtless, with the thick, black scar running across his chest.

The day is growing long.

OOC

Hideki is still injured as before.
Takeo is fully healed. Neither have Void.

[Nate]

Hideki tries pushing himself up, and falls back to the ground, laying there for a moment. Moving his hands back in front of himself he tries forcing himself to his knees, but gets nowhere. Hideki feels lucky to be alive, though surely he has failed Koshiro. The Doshin are dead, and they didn't find out much of Yuudai. Other than he was able to taint the scorpion samurai.

Lifting his hand to the back of his head he feels another new lump, given to him by somebody. I'm sure it'll match the one Toshinaka-sama gave me a few days ago... He thinks to himself as he lays there face down in the dirt.

"Takeo-sama, Takeo-sama..." The Yoriki asks checking to see if the other samurai is awake yet.

[JohnnyWeird]

The Laughing Steel Master, Bayushi Takeo, wakens in response to the words of the peasant beside him. He looks at Hideki and smiles broadly.

"Let us begin, Hideki-san, by affirming that I am not going to kill you."

The samurai moves to collect his things and dress.

"My kinsman has made an acute error in his handling of this situation. I think his plans will not be long for this world."

Having dressed and comported himself, Takeo reaches down and offers his hand and shoulder, bringing the peasant to his feet.

"We will need to get our bearings. Is this area familiar to you?"

[TetNak]

The only thing obvious about this area is that they must be in a peasant part of the city. The homes are fashioned close together, and both Hideki and Takeo obviously can tell they are not near the Imperial donjon and the Champion's offices.

[Nate]

"No Takeo-sama, I'm not familiar with this area at all..." The Yoriki replies on the verge of falling over even with the scorpion samurai holding him up.

"I think we're a fair distance from the Donjon though."

OOC

Tet, I was going through the wound levels, and just wanted to check... Can I walk if he's assisting me?