Dojihime should be tired, but this was what she lived for, what she was meant to do. She approached her dear uncle's chambers to speak with him.

Bayushi answered the door, mask in place as usual, apparently having not gone to bed yet. "Dojihime-san. It has been quite some time. Please, come in." He stepped aside for her to enter.

“Thank you, dearest Uncle,” she said calmly and entered.

“I am in need of your guidance and wisdom, and of course, it is good to see you too. You truly know how to make an entrance.”

OOC: Unless Three cutted out of the game.

He nodded, gesturing for her to join him at the table. "I do my best. Tea or something stronger?"

"What sort of guidance and wisdom are you looking for?"

“Stronger seems appropriate after the day I have endured, uncle,” she admitted.

“Father said there would be days where the world will kick you down, but I feel less kicked and more trampled; and now I have to rebuild my Clan’s Honor and Name all while also purging the worst elements with ruthless haste.”

“Yes, something stronger is need,” Dojihime admitted.

He considered, then nodded, getting up to head to the closet and take out a bottle, pouring a cup for it. She can smell its strength as soon as it's in front of her. "Understandable."

She accepted it and then said, “Thank you.”

Dojihime drank deeply and then looking at the half full cup said, “I called that thing a friend, I trusted it, and it was… how do we fight an enemy that can be so… normal. It was our enemy and it lurked among us for all this time, all this time.”

“This may go down as the worst wedding of all time, Fortunes… my poor sister.”

He silently topped her off as he listened. "Yes... Enemies haunt our shadows, and we rarely know until they decide to let it be known, or we are very thorough or lucky." He shook his head. "Ananzihime-san... I feel for her situation."

"I am getting all the information I can, anything you could add on this enemy would be helpful, Uncle," she asked calmly.

"I have studied them in passing but my depth of knowledge is woefully limited."

"Unfortunately, it is not a supernatural force I am as well-versed as others in, but I can make some extrapolations based on similarities to other things," he explained. "What specifically did you want to know more about?"

Bayushi wrote: ↑

Tue Jun 29, 2021 10:24 pm

"Unfortunately, it is not a supernatural force I am as well-versed as others in, but I can make some extrapolations based on similarities to other things," he explained. "What specifically did you want to know more about?"

"Betrayal and subtle incursions," she replied.

He sat back and considered. "Our enemy clearly plans to go after people's minds first. We have seen that on multiple occasions now, as well as taking different forms. I suspect it will try to appeal to the weaknesses in each person, as it said itself. Speaking in their minds about their fears, hopes and dreams... Anything that can be a crack in someone's armor is a potential point of exploitation. At the same time, asking someone not to live for the sake of avoiding it will create resentment, which becomes another crack."

"Information and disinformation will both be excellent tools at your disposal. Learn your enemy and its weaknesses. Jigoku, for instance, is often impatient and rushes things. As subtle as it tries to be, there are often hints about its activities partly because of that, and partly because it is rather new to the subtle approach. Now that we know that it's here among us, we have a better idea that we should keep an eye out for unusual meetings, things like that. It likely still needs to coordinate its activities outside of the dream realm, thanks to your mother's intervention."

"Yes... Mother, I wish she had told me," she said sadly.

"I would have never left her side... but then... I also needed to be here. Maybe you know a trick to be in two places at once, Uncle?"

He chuckled. "You would have to ask my wife about that one. As to telling you... I'm sorry you had to go through that. It is entirely possible that she tried, but communication is metaphorical and unclear in dreams, and she has been immersed in one for... likely longer than we realize."

"That brings to mind, why her... is it tied to that crow demon or something else?" she asked considering her own question.

"I honestly don't know. Perhaps his proximity drew its attention. Perhaps, as an artist, she has very vivid dreams and that did it," he replied. "There are a multitude of possibilities."

Bayushi wrote: ↑

Tue Jun 29, 2021 11:28 pm

"I honestly don't know. Perhaps his proximity drew its attention. Perhaps, as an artist, she has very vivid dreams and that did it," he replied. "There are a multitude of possibilities."

"And your dreams and those of the rest of the family?" she asked.

"I have had no troubles but others here have."

"My dreams have been untroubled, but I understand Togashi may be having some difficulties."

Bayushi wrote: ↑

Tue Jun 29, 2021 11:58 pm

"My dreams have been untroubled, but I understand Togashi may be having some difficulties."

"We will have to reach the others to make them aware," she said considering that. She takes another drink and then said, "Fifteen years... I have a lot of work ahead of me cleaning house."

Doji Dojihime wrote: ↑

Wed Jun 30, 2021 12:03 am

"We will have to reach the others to make them aware," she said considering that. She takes another drink and then said, "Fifteen years... I have a lot of work ahead of me cleaning house."

"Indeed. We have our own searching to do - every Clan should, to make sure they don't have similar monsters in their midst - but if you need any extra hands good at sniffing things out, the Scorpion are willing to help. I understand if you would prefer to keep things in-Clan, however."