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Post by Shoju on Feb 3, 2012 9:41:00 GMT -5
Shoju stood, and pulled the Chop from his Obi carefully, and handed it over. He looked at Mai, with a look to do the same.
After handing the Chop over, Shoju rested his hand just against his Obi, and a second later his voice filled Mai's head. Follow my lead, and no one has to die.
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Utaku Mai
Unicorn Clan
*Battle Maiden* *Paragon of Honor* *Goddamn Rockstar*
Posts: 484
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Post by Utaku Mai on Feb 3, 2012 11:51:32 GMT -5
Mai was not nearly so comfortable in her lie as Shoju was, but she did as his silent command demanded. Her hand moved toward her obi, glancing over the borrowed katana. She was struck by the thought of returning it to Noki's family at the end of this ordeal. If she managed to get out of this alive. Her hand found her chop and handed it over to the Shosuro, a small tremor running through the object from her hand into his.
She was nervous, and was hiding it poorly. Mai had no idea what was going to happen, or even if the custody of the Scorpion would be any better than the custody of this tsukai, but she was beginning to come into into a sense of hyperfocus, her ears perking at any noise, her eyes sharply looking around for the next threat. It was the same as she felt before entering battle, though she felt woefully unprepared for whatever onslaught she was storming into.
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Shosuro Kyo
Scorpion Clan
*Magistrate *Loyal *Paragon of Duty *Lord of Dance
Posts: 123
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Post by Shosuro Kyo on Feb 3, 2012 12:07:08 GMT -5
Yogo Miyuki walked into Kyo's after he had been locked in it for roughly an hour. He had the garbage removed by then, and his room had the smell of incense. She walked forward and sat across from him. He helped the armor piece in his hand, he had examined it several times. He had some papers in front of him, one of them labelled the woman he saw as a Crab Hida. But this armor piece was obviously Unicorn.
She continued to watched him. So, what did you find, digging into todays garbage. She said looking at him closely.
Kyo just simply replied, Some rice, and old tea set, some less then unmentionable things, and this little piece of armor. He tosses it to her. Can you ask the kami were it comes from.
Miyuki raised and eyebrow. Depends on the reason.
Kyo: Just a hunch, and if I'm right. We might have something new to deal with. Something big.
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Shosuro Honzo
Scorpion Clan
Scorpion Clan * Shosuro Daimyo * Ninja* "Master of Shadows"* Loyal * Unique
Posts: 194
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Post by Shosuro Honzo on Feb 4, 2012 2:50:50 GMT -5
The hatamoto took the tray with the two chops on it. He bid the duo to sit and make themselves comfortable while he presented the chops to the daimyo. The guards that had escorted the Crab samurai took their respective places on either side of the entrance to the waiting parlor. Their eyes were fixed on the male Crab, looking for any sign that he would attempt any hostile actions.
Three hours passed before the hatamoto returned, flanked by four black robed shugenja. The male Crab looked non too plussed to have been kept waiting so long. The Hida samurai-ko looked nervous, and chewed her lower lip while wringing her hands together. She tried to keep it from showing, but the situation she was in got the better of her.
The hatamoto addressed the two Hida. "The daimyo will see you now. But first, you will surrender any and all weapons or other personal devices before being allowed to come before Honzo-sama. Failure to relinquish all such items will be seen as an act of hostility." The four black robed shugenja spread out to encircle the Crab samurai. Their hands were tucked within the sleeves of their robes and their masks were crafted of lacquered wood. For each shugenja, the mask depicted one of the earthly elements: Fire, Water, Earth, and Air. The only one missing was Void.
The hatamoto waited; a small curl of his lip showed his amusement as he entreated the Crab silently to make a move now. Powerful as the man was, he would be sorely pressed to handle four masters and two elite guard. The hatamoto almost wished he would. But his master had been explicitly clear. The man was to be taken alive.
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Post by Shoju on Feb 4, 2012 10:02:45 GMT -5
Shoju raised an eyebrow. So let me get this straight. I come unarmed save for a ceremonial knife given to me by my mother, and you want me to give that up? Shoju looked at him incredulously. A Crab, with proper paperwork, in a city controlled by a clan who supports the Hantei Dynasty, Scorpions to boot, and you want me completely unarmed?
He looked at the four. He may not be able to take them all, but the confusion would allow him to escape if they pressed. I think, The Shosuro Daimyo is just as safe if I hold onto it thank you very much.
stand next to me. was the whisper in Mai's head.
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Shosuro Honzo
Scorpion Clan
Scorpion Clan * Shosuro Daimyo * Ninja* "Master of Shadows"* Loyal * Unique
Posts: 194
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Post by Shosuro Honzo on Feb 5, 2012 7:35:45 GMT -5
The hatamoto stiffened at the impudent man's words. The four shugenja masters' hands slowly came out of their sleeves but remained non-threatening for the moment. The two elite guard gripped their spears a little tighter. The woman looked more nervous than ever.
Shosuro Komorou, hatamoto to the daimyo straightened and took two steps towards the Crab samurai. Eyes fixed and boring holes through the man he said in a very controlled, authoritative voice, "Ceremonial knife or no, you will relinquish all weapons and personal effects for the duration of your audeince with the daimyo. You seem to have spent far too much time on the Wall, Hida-san. You have forgotten your place. You have the proper paperwork it is true. However, any samurai worth his salt would know that immediately after entering any city travelled to in the Empire from beyond your own lands, you are to conduct yourself to the local ruling body for audience. The purpose of the audience is to show the proper respect and inform the ruling local official of the purpose of your visit. The dignitary that oversees the area might have some task for you or favor to ask.
"Now, I will forgive you your social faux pah this once. You are a guest in our city. We will show you all the hospitality that is due to you but you must respect the laws of the city and the Empire. The Empire is in Civil War. Akodo Kaneka seeks to usurp the Hantei's rule. Your clan, Hida-san, stands with the usurper. It is therefore my duty to remind you that your travel papers indicate that you are here on peaceful terms. However, should you fail to relinquish your weapons and personal effects, then your actions here and your failure to conduct yourself to this castle immediately after arriving will subject you to suspicion of espionage. Consequently, you will be labeled a spy, arrested, tried and hanged!
"So, I will ask you one final time Hida-san," the hatamoto stressed, his finger upraised in warning, "will you abide by our laws and relinquish your weapons and personal effects?" The tension in the room was as thick as solid ice. The next few moments would decide if blood would be spilled, or if the stubborn Hida would decide that it was not his day to die.
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Utaku Mai
Unicorn Clan
*Battle Maiden* *Paragon of Honor* *Goddamn Rockstar*
Posts: 484
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Post by Utaku Mai on Feb 5, 2012 9:02:56 GMT -5
"Come, Mendo," Mai said suddenly, coming to some sense of her own role in this charade. "We must respect their laws as much as a Scorpion in our lands must respect our own. Our work here is too important to be held up by such a trifling matter."
She untied her own daisho and handed it to the nearest guardsman. "Please take care of it, Shosuro-san. The wakizashi was a gift." Her tone was sincere and honest.
She looked over at Shoju, daring him somewhat to belabor the point.
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Post by Shoju on Feb 5, 2012 11:11:21 GMT -5
Shoju leveled a gaze at the man who spoke. He would make sure to peel him like apple when this was all said and done. I assure you I haven't forgotten my place Shosuro-san. I just don't appreciate being told to relinquish something that means more to me than you can fathom. Shoju removed the knife from his obi, and turned it in his hand, to offer the hilt first, and cut a small line in his hand as he did. Considering that my papers also put me as a man with business in this city... Shoju raised his eyebrow as he nodded towards the papers, and held up the bundle of paperwork he was holding Who is aiding in the investigation of your bloodspeaker problem, I didn't feel it necessary to seek an audience again, when I was just granted one so.... recently.
Shoju looked at Mai. You are right though. If we are ever to meet the Crane who brings us the Nemuranai of the Tsukai behind it all, I can't go and get myself thrown in prison for crushing flies buzzing around. Shoju looked back at the Scorpion. It would also be a shame to not get a chance to relay the news of the traitor we learned on the road.
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Shosuro Honzo
Scorpion Clan
Scorpion Clan * Shosuro Daimyo * Ninja* "Master of Shadows"* Loyal * Unique
Posts: 194
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Post by Shosuro Honzo on Feb 6, 2012 2:30:54 GMT -5
The hatamoto nodded. "Thank you, Mendo-san, for your cooperation. We will also require your daisho as well." Komorou saw the man blink twice as he realized that the twin swords were indeed at his side, as if he did not expect he should be wearing them. Nondescript, the swords looked fucntional but held no artistry. On the Wall, it was probably for the best to have a sword that was sharp and durable and not pretty and shiny. The hatamoto quirked an eyebrow ever so subtly but said nothing on the matter. The guards accepted these from Mendo as well as the weapons that Noki proffered. Komorou spoke again, "These will be returned to you on your departure. Please follow me."
The double doors cast in bronze were a match for the entrance gates to the castle, but on a much lesser scale. The Crab samurai pair followed Komorou into the audience chamber, followed by the four black robed shugenja. Inside, the lighting was ruddy and dim, the air thick with incense.
Upon the dais, the Shosuro Daimyo, Shosuro Honzo stood straight-backed, but with a relaxed posture. His robes were the blackest, with only a single scarlet mon of the Shosuro family on the left lapel. His mask, ever enigmatic, showed no detail or ornamentation. No facial features could be gleaned and even the eyes were shadowy and invisible. The man seemed to have a blank hole where his face should be. It was a symbol to all that Shosuro Honzo was anyone, and no one. He could be anywhere at any time, for no one knew what he looked like.
In the center of the audience chamber on the highly polished marble floor made of onxy and alabaster colored tiles was a circle. Dominating the circle was a large image of the Scorpion, symbol of the Clan to which the city belonged. Red lanterns were lit and hung on chains that swayed ever so slightly from some unseen breeze. Huge red pillars lined the causeway to the dais, gold veins crawling over the surfaces of each pillar capped with gilded mountings at the top and bottom as well. Along the back of the hall behind the throne on the dais were four large banners. Each banner was dedicated to the heraldry of one of the houses of the Scorpion Clan: Bayushi, Shosuro, Soshi and Yogo. During times when a ruling dignitary was in-house, it was customary to have the largest banner raised for the family with the highest status individual. Currently, the Shosuro banner had the high place of honor, with the Bayushi on the right only being slightly smaller and the other two houses being equal and smaller still.
Sconces set into the walls were unlit. As soon as Mendo and Noki saw this, the daimyo clapped his hands twice and the sconces lit in a brilliant flare of flame. The lighting in the room was much brighter now and once the Crab duo were escorted to the middle of the circle, their processional stopped.
The hatamoto bowed, as did the elite guard and shugenja masters. Noki did so as well, but Mendo hesitated. After a second or two, he bowed, but not so low as he ought. The insult was not lost on the daimyo, whose head tilted to the left ever so slightly. The daimyo bowed his head in return, showing the proper respect for a magistrate and samurai of Noki's status. Komorou straightened again, indicating the proper amount of time for the bow was complete. The rest of the group followed suit. He raised his voice so that the audience chamber boomed and echoed his words. "Honorable and Illustrious Honzo-sama, I present to you Hida Mendo and Hida Noki, of the Crab Clan!"
The daimyo stood and looked to his right, nodding once. A servant quickly entered from behind a shoji screen near the rear of the room. She brought a small tray that held the two chops as well as the ceremonial knife that Mendo had relinquished. He picked up one of the chops, the one that Mendo had turned over and played with it as he inspected every facet. Then he spoke, "Greetings to you both. Welcome to Ryoko Owari Toshi. The daimyo paused as if considering something, then continued, "I would really like to go through all the formalities and niceties with you both, but there is something that I cannot tolerate any longer."
Noki looked at Mendo, her eyes full of anxiety. Mendo paid her no heed, his eyes were only for the daimyo. The small cut in his hand was beginning to weep and he gripped his hand tighter so not as to spill a drop...yet.
The daimyo held up the chop in his hand. "This is the personal chop of one Hida Mendo. It was last seen here about two weeks ago, when the governor held it in his hand. When you entered the city and presented your travel papers, your presence was reported. When you did not come to this castle in timely fashion, allowing for you to settle in at an inn and grab a hot bath and a meal, you were sent for. When you presented this chop to my hatamoto, Komorou-san I called for the governor. He indicated that he had indeed met with a Mendo-san of the Crab clan, a magistrate no less. Such a samurai would have stuck out from the common samurai. The funny thing is, you do not match the description that the governor gave."
The daimyo turned to his right again and nodded. In walked the governor of Ryoko Owari Toshi, Bayushi Natsuto. Clad in scarlet silks and bearing the mon of the Bayushi family, he was a short, portly man. His head was bald, his jowls sagging, making his mustaches droop. Crow's feet wrinkled his aged eyes, but they remained clear and sharp. The daimyo and governor stood together on the dais now. The daimyo asked the governor, "Is this the man you met, bearing this chop and bearing the travel papers that you reviewed?"
The governor replied in a husky, watery voice, "No, it is not. I remember him quite clearly and this is not the man who was Mendo-san."
The daimyo nodded saying, "Thank you Natsuto-san, that is all." The governor left the audience chamber and disappeared behind the same shoji that the servant left. The daimyo turned back to Mendo. "That is quite distrubing news for you Mendo-san. I should also like to inform you that during your three hour wait before this audience, I took the liberty to use your chop as a focus for a spell. I entreated the kami to allow me to see events taking place around this object: who held it, where it has been. These bits of information can be gleaned using everyday objects. Normally, this information is a trifle, not worthy of notice. But this," the daimyo indicated, holding up the chop again, "this chop showed me that you took this off a dead man. Thus, I confirm what we already know. You are not Hida Mendo, nor were you ever."
The four shugenja masters turned in place, centering on the man in the middle of the circle. There was the sound of shoji slamming open and a dozen elite Shosuro guards poured into the room, bearing long spears and daisho. The daimyo nodded and Noki was grabbed by a pair of guards as was Mendo, their arms pulled behind their backs.
The man who was not Mendo seethed with fury. His eyes full of murder and rage, he bared his teeth to the daimyo in hatred and defiance. But just as he was about to unleash a powerful spell, his mind began to fog. The words to the spell seemed so close, but they kept slipping away.
The daimyo placed the chop back on the tray. His voice filled with triumph, "The effects of the neurotoxin should be kicking in about now. The tea and rice candy that you were offered were laced with one of Kotaro-san's most efficient poisons. He calls it 'Sleeping Viper'. It will not kill you, but will make casting spells all but impossible. Your body should begin to feel sluggish in a few moments as well. Therefore, my only question to you, before your speech fails you is, who are you?"
[OOC-Shoju will NOT die in this encounter. He has a destiny, as we all know. He has a date with the Thunders. This encounter with the Master of Shadows is a hurdle for him and will be played out accordingly. His eventual escape is assured, for now but let us RP through it]
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Post by Shoju on Feb 6, 2012 7:20:49 GMT -5
[ooc] Normally hurdles like this are the type of thing that people like to know about in advance. [/ooc]
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Shosuro Honzo
Scorpion Clan
Scorpion Clan * Shosuro Daimyo * Ninja* "Master of Shadows"* Loyal * Unique
Posts: 194
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Post by Shosuro Honzo on Feb 6, 2012 22:40:49 GMT -5
[OOC- I will be modifying my posts soon. There are some corrections to the thread on my part]
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Shosuro Honzo
Scorpion Clan
Scorpion Clan * Shosuro Daimyo * Ninja* "Master of Shadows"* Loyal * Unique
Posts: 194
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Post by Shosuro Honzo on Feb 7, 2012 0:01:41 GMT -5
[OOC-Okay, two posts modified, to reflect the changes most needed. My apologies to Shoju for railroading this accidentally. After reviewing some facts and backstory, I have made the necessary changes to reflect how this might better go down]
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Utaku Mai
Unicorn Clan
*Battle Maiden* *Paragon of Honor* *Goddamn Rockstar*
Posts: 484
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Post by Utaku Mai on Feb 7, 2012 0:33:53 GMT -5
(OOC: This interlude of a post is a compilation of a few PMs between Kyo and myself, detailing the attempt by Kyo's shugenja friend to glean more information from Mai's discarded armor piece) Miyuki huffed at Kyo. "Fine, but only cause you have good hunches." She takes her leave of him and heads to her room. Miyuki set up her materials and ritual circle. "now then..." She begins to whisper softly and calls out to the spirit in the armor.
As Miyuki begins her ritual, she begins to feel the prayer as if it were like some kind of invisible tendril emanating from her, finding purchase on the hard surface of the metal piece as easily as if she were knocking on a door. At first, it seemed the spirit was unwilling to reveal itself, but with a little prodding on Miyuki's part, it was finally convinced to answer. The earth spirit manifested itself more as a sound than a vision, at least at first. A metallic rhythm of clanks invaded Miyuki's ears, like the rattlng of heavy geta. The scraping of armor in tandem with the clanks made Miyuki think the spirit's form must be gargantuan. She continued her imploring words until finally, the form of the spirit appeared. He looked like a heavily armored yamabushi, pacing back and forth haughtily like the most prestigious of the Lion generals. His form would have probably looked quite frightening, if it weren't for the fact that he stood barely taller than Miyuki's palm. He spoke in a voice like the scratch of a pick against stone, the hard clang of a blacksmith's hammer against the forge. His words were blunt, curt, and short. "What is your business, mortal?"
Miyuki was worried about how this spirit would answer her. She was worried that Kami might have partial answers due to it's lack of full armor. she brought her mind to fro and started to let's her questions flow. "It's an honor to speak with you, I have several questions for you. the first of course, being who is the bearer of Your armor?" "Who bore me?" He said, laughing with a sound like chains crashing together. "The mountain bore me for countless millennia. The fire and anvil bore me. The water will bear me until the mountain can claim me once more before the end of all things."
Miyuki smiled at him, but inwardly she sighed and was going to give Kyo a piece of her mind when she was done with this. "This may be true, but a young human woman also bore you. She tempered and treated you, and in return you protect her fragile form from harm. Do you know who this woman was?" "She puts me on, then falls, then puts me on again. She fell many times. From her brown horse. From a sharp blade. From a silent darkness. From an arrow in the mountains. Always in battle, always when I must hold her close." He was rattling off stories of the generations of warriors who wore the armor, pacing with a metallic clack of his geta until he stopped, distracted by some detail. "Then, I fell. The knife bit me and I fell. The knife was...odd. Sticky with the rusty red iron, even when it pierced true."
She continued to listen to the stories, never interrupting the spirit. When he talked about how he fell she asked her next two questions. "Do you know the maiden you were protecting when you fell? And do you remember who was the wielder of the red rust knife?"She knew this was going to lead to another longer story, but for every question she asked, she got one step closer to the answer she sought.
He gave something of a Who cares? expression as he strained to remember. "She had many names, too many to remember. The only thing that stayed the same was the purple roundel she always wore. She changed in an eyeblink, but her mark was always the same.""He...he was just as rusty as his knife. Corroded. She called him...bloodspeaker. Used the rust to take us into the mountain. Used the rust to take her and I both. She fought against the mountain, but the mountain withstood all of her attacks. As it always does." He seemed slightly proud of this fact.
She bows her head in respect to the spirit. "Thank you, the information you have given will help us greatly, is there anything in return I can do for you?"After all the help she figured there was something that could be done. She knew that is she didn't do something to please the spirit that it might talk to others and she would be unable to do it again.
"If I cannot fulfill my purpose then return me to the earth, mortal. All things will become as dust in the end, and so shall I." "Very well, I will try my best to honor your wish," Miyuki replied simply. she then stood knowing there was nothing left she needed. She bowed graciously and ended the spell. She then turned to head back into the room, Poor Kyo-san, his life is about to ger harder.... She then grinned sadistically. And that's before I tell him about the spirit. She hurried on to tell her friend what she heard.
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Utaku Mai
Unicorn Clan
*Battle Maiden* *Paragon of Honor* *Goddamn Rockstar*
Posts: 484
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Post by Utaku Mai on Feb 7, 2012 8:47:49 GMT -5
(And now, back to our regularly scheduled programming)
Mai looked at the Shosuro daimyo, not daring to believe the news he just delivered. Even in this stuffy castle, even being literally pinned down by guards on either side of her, her eyes began to water in relief. She was free.
"Shoju."
Her eyes filled with their accustomed fire as the name echoed through the ornate room.
"His name is Shoju. Formerly Tamehei Shoju of the so-called Snake clan. He seeks vengeance on your champion Bayushi Senshi, and sought to use me and those close to me to fulfill his ends."
She stood straighter, her nerves disappearing, her demeanor indicating much more of her accustomed Utaku self-assuredness.
"I cannot express the depths of my thanks, Shosuro-sama. I have been in his custody since I brought my cavalry to bear on his tsukai acolytes in Far North Village, but now..." Mai began to choke up. Sojiro would be safe at last. She swallowed hard and continued. "I have information that will be valuable concerning his crimes against your clan and the empire."
There was no lie in Mai's words.
(OOC: Is Mai poisoned too?)
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Post by Shoju on Feb 7, 2012 9:50:02 GMT -5
You silly girl. Shoju stared at her. Do you think that this will.... SAVE You? Do you think this will.... SAVE Your beloved? His voice growled as he staggered a little, the toxin robbing him of the finer points of his coordination, but his mind was sharp. We are in the land of the man who took everything from me. His anger was burning in his eyes. Do you think I won't murder them all the way I should have handled you? The look was back in his eyes. Do you think I look at them the way I did the child?
Shoju broke his stare away from her. I'm here, in Ryoko Owari, to reclaim my weapon. Nothing more, Nothing less. He looked at those assembled in the room. And once I have it, I will kill your champion, and there is NOTHING you can do to stop me. He moved his hand to cast a spell, but the toxin was keeping the kami from him. My compliments to your poison master. He did a fine job in dulling my connection to the Kami. Shoju smiled widely. I'm curious, Do you think it has the power to sever my connection to this? he grinned wildly, as he closed his eyes. After a few seconds, the guards holding his hands screamed in pain clutching their hands releasing their grasp on his. The flesh on them smoked as they clutched them. He held up his hand, the cut from the blade leaking blood, his own flesh glowing like a poker.
Blood, never fails. There is a reason that Isawa stopped using it. He looked at Honzo's face. You think you know who I am. Shoju nodded in affirmation. I tell you, that man, is dead. He turned, looking at all of them, secretly gauging his mobility. Your former clansmen. He looked at the governor.Your former magistrate. Shoju lowered his head. Your Champion murdered the last shreds of that man. All that is left? Death, and vengeance.
Shoju walked towards Komorou. If you would please, My blade. I don't want to take it from you. Shoju pushed the stopper out of the vial of blood with his thumb. My business, doesn't have to include your death.
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