Jade Legacy [L5R 3eR] - Act 2 Chapter 2: Shuuki/Cycle

[Rain Yupa]

Since Kagae was the first one out of the building, which would be happening as the time Masuyo was tending to everyone's wounds...

KRAKOOOOM!!

A bolt of lightning would strike in one of the streets not terribly far away as Masuyo's summoning apparently would engage.

Kagae, the place where the lightning struck glows with a continuous bright light.

A little girl, maybe six or seven years of age, would be standing amidst the shining light, wearing clan colors and a mon you don't recognize. She had black hair tied back in pigtails, and she looked panicked.

"STOP!" she cried out.  

[Mongooseh]

"Get out of here kid. There's a couple of nice samurai from the direction I came who will take you to safety." Stated Kagae undeterred by this display of power as he walked on.  

[Plainsfox]

With the girlish cry from outside the temple they were resting, Kojiro's pain and drug addled mind could only think of one thing. He would race outside of the temple and cry out, "Miya-cha....an?" The Scorpion froze as he saw the little girl, not quite sure what to make of this.  

[Paidi tou Selini]

Had Fubuki's fur always been this soft?

KRAKOOOOM!!

Whoops, time to go. Masuyo gathered her things and followed Kojiro out. A bit slow on the uptake, but she did indeed stop, all kinds of worry and confusion plastered on her face. Yup, it was definitely time to go.  

[Rain Yupa]

The girl would spin in place to watch Kagae continue past her and further into the city. She would turn back, seeing Kojiro and Masuyo at the door to the temple, who had stopped to see her amidst the bright light of the lightning strike that persisted.

"Don't go! Your friends still live! There has to be someone alive on both ends of the ritual site to link the two together. If you leave, even for a day... your friends will be lost in time forever!"

A low rumble of thunder would be heard...  

[Plainsfox]

Kojiro would heave a deep, long sigh as the little girl spoke. Life was strange and weird so, he bowed to the little girl. "If you are willing to pledge that upon a piece of jade, I'm willing to see what I can do. By the way, I'm Bayushi Kojiro." Maybe he could see what perverse trap lay before him now and then move to avoid it. Kojiro bowed before the little one and then placed his hand out with his piece of jade in it.

OOC
Awareness/Courtesy 5k3 w/ 3 dice to handle explosion
Results: 23-5
Raises called: 1 to be polite about it.  

[Rain Yupa]

Kojiro, approaching her reveals the area she's standing in is superheated, and as you near, the hairs on your arms begin to stand on end.

Still going through with sticking your hand out towards her? Just checking.  

[Plainsfox]

"......what are you?" Kojiro would withdraw his and place the piece of jade back into his obi. Kojiro would step back warily towards the temple.  

[Rain Yupa]

If anyone wants to attempt an Intelligence/Lore: Spirits roll, they can do it; though the TN will be kind of really high. Wound penalties might make it not worth the effort, though.

Anyone can try a less difficult Intelligence/Lore: Theology (Fortunes) roll if they'd like, but it'll get you less information.

These rolls aren't mutually exclusive.  

[Plainsfox]

Kojiro 3k3 No explody Intelligence/ Lore: Spirits
Wound penalties: +10
Results: 19  

[Paidi tou Selini]

"C-... come again?" Her heart froze. Surely this was a trick. She could hear her inner thoughts echoing the Scorpion's words even as he spoke them.

[Intelligence/Theology (Fortunes) 3k2 = 9]  

[Rain Yupa]

You guys got nothin'.

"Pledge? Pledge?" the girl would ask twice, blinking in some conglomeration of confusion and shock. "Things have changed and evolved much over the centuries, that's for sure. The humans that we invited into our realm almost eight hundred years ago showed quite a bit more deference than... this."

The girl would close her eyes, and the light surrounding her began to diminish. "My time grows short - you must remain if you are to see your friends again, and if your friends are ever to return. It is extremely vital. Please remain... please!"

The light would fade faster and faster, and the girl began to grow translucent - it seems that if she is true to her word, she has but moments to remain, whoever she is.  

[Plainsfox]

Mentally, a certain portion of Kojiro's forehead now hurt very much as he bowed deeply to the little girl. "I'll stay. I think I'm best suited for what needs to be done here." Kojiro would give Masuyo a weak smile as he extended Asako-sama's daisho and the portrait of Doji Kita to her. " Please give these to Doji Kita and let the Jade Magistrates know what has happened here, Kitsuki-san.  

[Paidi tou Selini]

Hah. And she thought the previous encounter had been 'too much'. How small her world truly was.

"P-please forgive us. After all we have seen here it is becoming difficult to discern which spirits do and do not mean us harm. But your request seems to be exactly what that fallen warrior wanted us not to do, and that is good enough proof for me. If it means even a chance at saving the others of course we will stay. But... what must we do?"

She continued to ignore Kojiro. He could hold out those objects all day for all she cared. She would not touch them.  

[Rain Yupa]

Fading, the girl would try to get out an explanation. "The ritual has started and cannot stop until it has run its course. The link between here and then will continue to draw in the living, until you..."

Suddenly the light around the girl would fade quickly, leaving nothing. The girl would become a translucent shadow of her former self, and, seemingly as an afterthought, would utter one last word that would hang in the air.

"Prepare..."