Chasing Shadows [RP] [At Shiro Saisei]

[Mugao]

Some bakemono go about their business. There are some Lost training as well. For a moment, Mugao watches. That moment lasts for a second or two, or maybe a week. Mugao no longer worries about time; it has all the time in the world and just enough time to accomplish what the Shadow requires.

It stares out of the black, searching the rebuilt ruins for the one it is supposed to meet. From time to time, Mugao takes a sort of pleasure in watching others live their lives, content to know that they're not concerned about - or even aware of - it at all. It muses that the cities and fortresses of the Lost are, indeed, uncanny reflections of their untainted Rokugani counterparts, albeit dark, menacing ones. Many times Mugao has sat in shadow, neither sleeping nor fully awake, merely waiting, and watching the people of Rokugan. Even in his life before the Shadow delivered him, he watched.... He spent most of his life watching, and this was his shame.

Mugao sees a figure, clearly more sentient than many of the others, come out of the fortress to survey the bakemono amassed before him. This... his sister's voice hissed. This is the one I want you to find.

[Shoju]

The Engineer had worked quickly. Shiro Saisei wasn't what it was before it's destruction, but in its rebirth, it was starting to bristle with life.

Even though Shoju was not technically commander of a legion anymore, The new commander of the legion had saw fit to come back to Saisei and help rebuild. Training, rebuilding, and moving along. There was no denying that Saisei's rebirth was truly impressive. Iromasu bowed as Shoju exited the fortress, and he began gauging the capabilities of the Bakemono.

Shoju spoke with several of the larger bakemono, and surveyed the assembled "army" of bakemono. As he moved about, something kept nagging at him. Something else was here. He could feel it through the void. He couldn't see it, but... In a place like the shadowlands, seeing isn't needed to believe.

He resigned that it was probably nothing, and began inspecting the Lost troops. Satisfied with them, he walked to Iromasu, his engineer, and they began speaking about the plans the engineer held, and motioning to the wall.

Soon. Soon Saisei could be close to whole again. And then, it would be a sight to behold.

[Mugao]

A chill pierced Mugao, and it could feel that the-one-it-was-supposed-to-meet knew that it was there. Hhhhhhhhhhh....coward...ssssss breathed the darkness. What kind of being could assemble such a horde and unite the denizens of the Shadowlands toward a singular end? Mugao was not so sure he wanted to find out. He thought for a moment about returning to his hiding spot somewhere in the shadow, but as soon as the thought was formed it was gone. In its place, a deep and abiding discomfort seated deep in his mind. His head was buzzing like a hive; the singular will of the Shadow, a thousand wasps swarming him, driving him.... taking over...

Near the fortress, Mugao slipped out of the shadow. Emptiness dripped from its form, pooling on the ground at its feet. It approached the-one-it-was-supposed-to-meet, making no sound, and crouched low before him.

"Thissss one wisssshes to pressssent itssself to the-one-it-isss-sssuppossssed-to-meet..." The Goju seethed from its featureless face. The whisper of its voice seemed to emanate from the darkness itself.

[Shoju]

Shoju tilted his head to one side. In all of his travels inboth lives, he had never met one who had totally succumb to the Shadow. He had felt the disturbance, but dismissed it. "You are supposed to meet me?" Shoju queried.

Shoju shifted his Obsidian Armor slightly, and tilted his jingasa upwards. "Well then, tell me What is it that I should call you, and what is it you are supposed to meet with me about?" The face. He had heard before that the shadow takes your identity, but this... this was surprising, even to Shoju.

[Mugao]

Mugao smiled-grimaced, though it would be hard to tell if one was unfamiliar with the Goju. The pallid skin on its face shifted upwards and pinched a bit around the edges.

"It wantsss thissss one to hhhhhelp the-one-it-isss-sssssupposssed-to-meet. To hhhhhhwork for the-one-it-isss-ssupposssssed-to-meet." The Goju twitched, clearly uncomfortable to be out in the open, so far from the shadows.

"The-one-it-iss-sssupposssed-to-meet should call it Mugao," it breathed. "No face..." The creature seemed almost amused with the sound of its own name.

[Shoju]

"The Shadow wishes to help me?" Shoju bemused. "Well then, Tell me Mugao. What would the Shadow Help me with?" Shoju removed his Jingasa and inspected.... it.

As you can see, Shiro Saisei is once again becoming a breathing place. Not even Rokugan could destroy the Temple of Rebirth. "Are you here to be assistance with this, or are you here to assist me in another journey?"

Shoju handed the plans back to Iromasu "Thank you Engineer. Your Progress is astounding." Iromasu turned and left, regarding the faceless with fear. As Shoju turned back around, he decided maybe this wasn't a conversation to be had in the open.

"Follow me Mugao, we will retire to my chambers, and discuss your desire to help me." Shoju began walking in the fortress, past the guards, and down the hall. At the end of the hall is a large door, with no visible locking mechanism. Shoju was pleased that his engineer had rebuilt such a solid door for him. Tracing the Kanji on the door with blood from a vial they entered.

[Mugao]

Mugao followed Shoju through the fortress to his chambers, its movement silent as the shadows themselves, and singular in purpose and direction. Notable was its sheer lack of astonishment, its complete lack of a reaction regarding its surroundings; it could be in the Emperor's palace or an eta's hut, and it would make no difference to Mugao.

When they reached Shoju's chambers, Mugao answered the question.

"For now, you are to continue what you are doing," Mugao replied in a voice strangely familiar to Shoju... but.... who was it? Someone important, perhaps? "It is important to me that Rokugan fights many battles. Many..... battles.... Those proud samurai need to feel confusion and paranoia, and fear..." the voice hissed, emoting far more than Shoju had yet seen from Mugao. "When they realize - truly realize - what is really happening to them, then......"

Mugao's face became dull and emotionless again, and resumed the use of the voice it had used when it first appeared to Shoju. "For now thisss one iss to aid the-one-it-isss-sssuppossssed-to-meet in hisss current goal," it replied plainly, as if answering the question for the first time.

[Shoju]

That voice.... Shoju wondered. It is so... familiar? Shoju made no outward expression of curiosity. "Well then Mugao. I believe my next course of action is to attend to business in the Phoenix lands. Recently, there was a shugenja here who wore the trappings of a phoenix, and I believe it is time for me to pay him a visit."

Shoju weaved a spell over the table, and a view of Rokugan similar to that of a map glistened on the table. We will travel northeast and exit the shadowlands near the Yasuki provinces. We will traverse them, and into Crane Lands we will head, and then move north up and through to Phoenix Lands. I'm unsure where to start looking for him, but Kyuden Isawa would seem like a good place."

Shoju waved the spell off, and turned back and looked at Mugao. "I'm waiting for a few traveling partners to arrive. What.... accomodations would one like yourself require?" Shoju's query was out of true curiosity. Who knew how often one would meet one... so given to the shadow?

[Mugao]

Mugao had seen the Phoenix before, he thought, as he watched from the shadows. There had been other samurai in the shadowlands recently, but most of them had been Crab scouts and bushi. A few had come from the other clans, but all of them - with the exception of this lone, curious, Phoenix - had come to fight the creatures who occupied this forsaken land. Mugao wondered what this Phoenix was up to.

Mugao closed his eyes for a moment and shook his head. "There iss nothing thiss one requiressss..." he replied placidly, stepping backward into the shadows.

"I will be here," said the familiar voice again. "And I will know when you need me..."

[Daigotsu Thrakhath]

From the hall beyond the door to Shoju's chambers, a little goblin scurried fearfully down the hall. it was clearly not happy with the assignment given it by the guard at the gate, but it was clearly far more terrified of what might happen to it should it have refused. Behind him strode Thrakhath, a solidly-built, squat-faced man with a drooping mustache, a fur-lined cloak covering most of his body. His hand rested instinctively on the hilt of his broad scimitar as the frightened creature led him through the castle to the door that marked Shoju's chambers. "This one," it squeaked, gesturing wildly toward the door, "this is the room of the master."

"Be on your way," Thrakhath said in a deep voice. His free hand moved, and something shiny sailed through the air to land in the goblin's greedy palm. The creature squealed in delight and bolted down the hallway, eager to get away from the clearly dangerous man. Thrakhath studied the door for a moment, listening intently but hearing nothing from the room inside. Seeing that the door had no visible method of opening, and not wishing to be overly rude in any case, Thrakhath lifted a hand and slapped the door once with his wide palm.

OOC: I hope I'm not intruding.

[Shoju]

{OOC} No, not one bit

As the faceless shrank back, the voice came to him. Was his former sensei part of the shadow now? As Shoju pondered this, there was a large smack from the outside of the door. Curious... Shoju rarely had visitors to his chambers, and never one who wasn't accompanied by Kijiro. Thats when he remembered. Kijiro was sent to Toshi Ranbo to investigate the situation that had arose with Tinishi. Kijiro was a fine Shinobi, and would be unnoticed for sure

Shoju rose, walked a few paces, Drew the Kanji in the Air, and the door began to open. Shoju quietly readied himself for whoever was on the other side. When he saw Thrakhath... He was shocked. Shoju bowed low, "Thrakhath-san. It has been far too long since I have seen you. What brings you to Shiro Saisei?"

[Daigotsu Thrakhath]

Thrakhath smiled, a gesture that had little warmth attached to it. "Greetings, Oro... pardon me, Shoju-san," he said, and bent his head at the neck. "Forgive my slip of the tongue, it isn't easy to get used to new names on familiar faces." He took in the sight of the room from the doorway, though he did not enter as he had not yet been invited. "You have an impressive castle here, my friend," he said. Thrakhath's glance shot off to the side as he caught something moving in his peripheral vision, but when he looked all he saw was a shadow. He frowned slightly. "Your engineer must be a fine workman. As much as I would love to discuss architecture with him, however, I am here on business. May I enter?"

[Shoju]

Shoju smiled. "No worries. It is hard at times for even myself to keep up with the change." Shoju walked to the doorway, and extended his arm into the room "Please, join me."

As they entered the room, Shoju saw where Thrak had looked off to, and smiled "I see you have managed to spy a glimpse of another guest. It seems I have been blessed with those who wish to aid me, and those who wish to speak to me about business." Shoju scanned the chamber "Iromasu will be pleased to hear you like his work. Please, Let us talk business now, and who knows, Maybe I can find time for Iromasu to show you Saisei from his perspective."

Shoju sat at the table in the room, and offered Thrakhath the seat across from him.

[Daigotsu Thrakhath]

"Your other guest?" Thrakhath looked in the direction he'd looked before as he entered the room, yet still all he saw was a shadow. Though now that he saw it from a different angle, he found it odd that the shadow seemed to have changed perspective, despite the light source being the same. He smirked as it came to him. "A minion of the Shadow Dragon then," he said. "An interesting guest indeed."

His expression hardened as he took the offered seat, though he did offer a nod of thanks. "As for my business," he began, "it came to my attention that this fortress was recently attacked by a rather eclectic group of samurai, and that the fortress was nearly destroyed," he said. "I'm pleased to see that the damage reports appeared to be an exaggeration, though clearly this castle has been through a rough time." He leaned forward and rested his arms on the table. "I came here on behalf of our Lord, to see the progress of the repairs for myself, and to find out if, and how, you intend to respond to this attack."

[Mugao]

Mugao's interest was piqued by the mention of an attack on the castle. What would be done, indeed? Mugao knew that the Shadow had seen the course of history and had a plan for the future, and he knew that there was certainly some part for him to play. He didn't know what that part would be, as the Shadow only revealed to him that which was necessary for him to know at any given point in time. The rest of his life was spent watching and waiting.

He listened quietly from the shadows as the two men conversed, planning their next move.