Five Minutes Until Midnight (D7, EE. Invite Only)

[Togashi Satsuki]

The young Dragon tugged nervously at one of the sleeves of her pale yellow outfit. They had pushed this far, but... she wished she had clear answers to give.

At least they had gotten somewhere though.

She just hoped it would be enough. And that they wouldn't be too late.

[Saru Yatsufusa]

A second dragon also came along. The sound of his walking stick was as always noticeable. Yatsufusa was calm, trying to clear his thoughts for the meeting and for the theories he had about what is, and could be happening.

[Doji Hikaru]

Hikaru had come here once before in search of answers. Now they had found some. Would they be enough? He desperately hoped so.

He stood straight and tall as they waited, dressed in his finest kimono. Unlike Satsuki, he avoided fidgeting: those who knew him would recognize the forehead crease and tight lips as signs of his nervousness.

[Shiba]

Shiba waits for them on the dais, expression as serious as the occasion warrants. They are shown in and he nods to them. "Welcome my niece, Saru-san, Doji-san."

[Doji Dojihime]

Dojihime followed as well, since she was always totally here. Doji shinobi courtly technique activate!

[Togashi Satsuki]

(OOC: Sorry for the late entry for Dojihime. It's been a long day and I forgot to PM the scene to her. *bows*)

Despite the little exchange between her and Dojihime earlier today, Satsuki still gave her cousin a smile and a bow.

Seeing Shiba actually put her a little bit at ease and she stopped figdeting, instead taking a deep breath and bowing. "Honored uncle. Thank you for your time."

"I... believe we have some answers, regarding Lady Doji's condition." The young woman seemed shaken but still keeping herself composed for the sake of everyone. "It might be a bit lengthy, but... if I may?" she cast a glance to the Yatsufusa and Hikaru, in case they had anything they wanted to add before she would present her theory.

[Doji Hikaru]

Hikaru gave her the tiniest of nods, and the slightest upwards curl of his lips. By his standards, that was practically a fist-pumping cheer of encouragement.

[Saru Yatsufusa]

Yatsufusa will intervenee once the princess had made her explanation. He simply knelt, in front of the Emperor, while keeping his quiet until it was his time to give his ideas.

[Doji Dojihime]

Dojihime exuded, or attempted to exude, her mother's calm and poise.

OOC: Etiquette "Picture of Samurai Calm": 8d10o10k5+5 35

[Togashi Satsuki]

(OOC: Assuming Shiba lets her speak. xD Just so I can get this post in before going to bed lol)

"Firstly, I'm a complete fool for not seeing the connections before. My father being troubled by what he called strange dreams, and Hikaru-san describing Lady Doji's condition as being as one sleepwalking - or close to it. But... last night, I believe we finally could see some weight to that connection."

A deep breath. It was just like answering one of Nadare-sensei's strange riddles that required a lot of explanation once you figured it out.

"After I had seen Lady Doji's writing, that Hikaru-san has with him, I experienced a vision that I spoke with uncle Yuzuru about - where a man delivered to me a scroll to read that said: Sweet wisdom drips from the depths of the night sky and runs in black creeping rivulets into cracks and crevices. Find it, drink, and know truth.. After I read those words, the ink on the scroll liquified, dripping from the paper down to my hands - and that was when it ended. Uncle Yuzuru and I both agreed that it would be vision that would reveal more underneath the full moon, given its power for divination and making things clear."

"Lady Doji's writing on the paper Hikaru-san has, is as we know not one known to mankind or Kami... in fact, it's very nature seems wrong. Unnatural. And from what could be gleaned from the Void, from what Hikaru-san has told me from his own findings, is that to understand the writing we would... have to be like whatever unnatural entity that wrote it."

"Last night was the full moon, and I..." she paused, uncertain of her words for a moment. "... I should clarify. Since my gempukku, Lord Moon has attempted to take control of me, during the full moon. I hurt my brother once because of it, and it's why I travel with Saru Yatsufusa and Wu Ko - to make sure I don't hurt anyone else when it is the time of the full moon. Still, I was willing to take the risk it would entail, in hopes that we would understand more."

"I have no recollection of what happened last night, but from the words of those who were present to restrain me and to see if anything could be learned when I in my possessed state read Doji's writing, we have some answers." Her tone was serious as she did her best to recount the events that had been told to her.

"It would seem that the cause for Lady Doji's affliction is because she is containing something, in her mind, or... in her dreams, I suppose is the more accurate way to describe it. She is keeping this entity trapped, but it is also trapping her as its jailkeeper. Yume-do is... it is a realm accessible for most realms, is my understanding."

"The realm of Jigoku was sealed away, by the heroes who rescued uncle Hisomu, but that only sealed away its direct entry into our realm of Ningen-do. I'm... worried that it might be trying to find other pathways into our realm. Many of your guests here have experienced different visions of ill omen, of black ooze and ichor creeping. I don't think it's a coincidence that troubled dreams are spreading to more of us."

"I... when I've previously been possessed during the full moon, I usually don't have dreams I remember, but I had one last night that I do remember - but that isn't the strangest part, because other people had it too. The exact same dream. I could've written it off as Lord Moon's influence extending to more of his grandchildren if it were just me and my cousins," she wasn't sure if Dojihime had been similarly afflicted, but she knew at least others had been. "But others of no relation to our bloodline too experienced the exact same dream. We all had dreams of being overwhelmed with pressures from our peers and those around us, screaming at us in a cacophony of noise. Of feeling crushed underneath the weight of expectations. Slowly, silence descended, and the noise and the pressure, disappeared, leaving us in silence and blackness... similarly to the peace of the Void, perhaps. But, the respite turned to fear, as the black thickened, somehow becoming darker, inkier. We thought we had been floating in the dark, but realised instead we were sinking, being dragged down into the inky depths. Struggling to no avail to fight against it, and everywhere we look just black. Nothing else. But when all seemed lost, far away we culd see a very dim, very tiny, pinprick of color in the blackness. The slightest hint of emerald green glowing in the distance. As it was the only thing in the nothingness, we all struggled towards it, pushing towards the light, growing larger and brighter as we got closer. With a final push with the last of our strength, we reached toward the green - and there the dream ended. The fact that this dream was shared by multiple people is cause for concern."

"I don't know how we can fix this, but I am certain that whatever it is responsible for all this is using Yume-do somehow, trying to get a foothold into our realm. These dreams are like the reverberations of its movements through the realm of dreams, as its influence grows. If it's not Jigoku, then it might be something else... ancient, malevolent. I wouldn't know... it's beyond my knowledge."

She bowed. "I wish I could give more answers than this, but... I believe we know where to search now. That we're no longer searching blindly. That there is now hope that something can be done for Lady Doji."

[Doji Dojihime]

Dojihime offered calmly, "I have no such dreams and the Moon has no ill effects on me."

[Togashi Satsuki]

"Lord Moon has no such effect on my brothers either, and not on Rei-san either as far as I know... so it's not something that afflicts all of us who shares his bloodline. But some of us do have this affliction - I don't try to understand the reasons behind why it is so," she offered in return, bowing her head to Dojihime.

"Not everyone is having these dreams. I don't think Hikaru-san has experienced them, but... many people are experiencing them. It's just not my place to say their names here, unless honored uncle wishes me to. But it seems to be spreading, afflicting more and more people. I'm concerned about this because, it could at worst mean that Lady Doji's strength is fading..." which was the worst case scenario, and she was genuinly concerned for her aunt. "... If it truly is a great evil, Jigoku or something else, then who else could hold it back for this long but a Kami, as uncle Hisomu once did before he was rescued. The similarities of their situations is worrisome."

[Shiba]

Shiba listened carefully, closing his eyes and absorbing everything being said with absolute seriousness. "I see..."

"So my sister is not a victim of an illness, but a hero keeping the gates an enemy is battering against. I wondered if there were more to it. The fact that Yume-do, while it is accessible by most realms, is also remarkably resilient to the touch of other realms. Whatever it is we are dealing with has great power or great determination to have gotten this far. It is not only Doji that it has to contend against, but Nezumi shamans of great power who make their home there, as well."

"This revelation is making a great deal come into focus, if not everything."

[Saru Yatsufusa]

Yatsufusa still remained silent. He had more to add to the story, perhaps, but he would speak once the people of greater status asked for his opinion.

[Togashi Satsuki]

"There is the question of how this evil managed to sink its claws into Lady Doji, but the realm of Dreams might hold those answers. I don't know if my father is also enduring the same or not... but for now our goal is what we can do to save your sister - Dojihime's mother."

Satsuki nodded to Yatsufusa. "Saru Yatsufusa-san is a medium, like my mother, who can visit other realms. He's here because I greatly trust his insight and skill." That was at least her leave for Yatsufusa to speak.

[Doji Hikaru]

"It is my hope that now that this is known, we can find a solution." On matters of Lady Doji, Hikaru was not going to wait to be addressed. "Perhaps some way to bolster her strength, or lock the prison tighter. Or seal it away, as the pit of Jigoku was sealed."

His piece having been said, Hikaru bowed his head, giving way to Yasufusa.

[Saru Yatsufusa]

'' Heika...'' He began. '' Indeed what Togashi Satsuki-himesama has told you, this one also believes in. There has been too many connections, too many links between people who, otherwise should not have any sort of connection between them, sharing same visions, dreams, nightmares and other types of omens.'' he said.

'' As himesama says here, i can travel to other realms, like Togashi Saruko-donno, and in theory i could enter Yume Do and try see if i could reach your Divine Sister in there. It might be difficult, certainly dangerous if the realm of Evil has her trapped. I think i have an idea of how helpme into reaching her directly or at least reach her projection inside Yume Do, and for that, the key would be, in my opinion, the letter that Doji Hikaru-sama has.'' He adds.

'' It is also possible, that, the prophesy of the Thunders is linked to all of this. I assume that Shinsei-san informed you about my conversation with him, the Fortunes shown me that a great event was coming to shake the Empire, and when i pressed onwards through piercing the Void, i saw the figures, ningen made out of Thunder. I didn't knew about the prophesy, so at that point i was not sure about what i saw, but then, again without any previous link or connection, i had a conversation with Jiyo Sora-sama about his and his son's dreams, eerily similar to the vision that Himesama had here. About dark corrupted snow, crows and ravens, dark ink...''

'' I also asked a spirit to see if she could gather more information of what was happening, with the realignment of the Heavens. I have not obtained an answer yet but, it is clear that something is happening. The spirits feel it...''


a pause.

'' Before this one would try to see if i can travel to Yume Do, this one has two other ideas that at least could help into gaining clarity that might guide me more easily in there.'' He said to Shiba.

'' First i wish to see if i can gain any sort of knowledge by asking the kami of water to see if they can connect me to the Great Dragon of Wisdom and through him gather more information about the scroll.'' He was refering to Pan Ku, using his wisdom through the water kami.

'' Second, i could try, once again, to pierce the veil and shadows and harmonize myself to the Void. Though it might be confusing, this one now has clarity in what could be happening so the answers that i could seek through the void could be more precise, perhaps. One never knows what the Dragon of Void would allow me to see...'' That was his second way, to commune directly with the void.

'' And thirdly, of course, would be entering directly into Yume Do...''

'' Heika.'' He ended with a respectful bow.

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[OOC]

1) Will try to cast Reflections of Pan Ku on the scroll.
2) Will try to cast Commune with the Void and see if i can gather any information, given now that Yatsu has more clarity on what is happening.
3) Will try to use Medium to enter directly into Yume Do and see if i can reach Doji or at least Doji's section of Yume Do, by linking myself to the scroll.

*I have Inner Gift: Lesser Prophesy as well if it comes handy

[Doji Hikaru]

Wordlessly, Hikaru brought out the well-worn scrap of paper, offering it to Yatsufusa.

"Be careful." He said, his tone solemn.

[Togashi Satsuki]

"I can't go with you to the realms beyond, Yatsufusa, but... I can help a little. A prayer to strengthen your willpower to face what lies in Yume-do. And," reaching up to her wrist, Satsuki removed the jade bracelet she always wore. A gift from her uncle Hisomu, "this might help protect your soul. I don't know if it will help, when your spirit leaves your body, but... better safe than sorry."

She looked to Shiba. "... With your permission, honored uncle?" Even she knew better than to just suddenly cast spells in the presence of the Emperor. Even if he was family. No need to tempt all the hidden Jiyo samurai around to group-tackle her.

[Shiba]

Shiba let out a long breath. "The first two I can agree to. The third, if what we believe is correct, is far more dangerous than venturing into Yume-do normally. The risk outweighs the potential gain in information."