[center][h3]Terauchi Temple[/h3][/center]

[center]~ [@The Irish Tree] (EUL), [@Rezod92] ~[/center]

"[color=cyan]...I feel this discussion is something, deeply personal.[/color]" Revuel awkwardly observed the banter between [u]Eula[/u] and [u]Kerry[/u]. "[color=cyan]I shall excuse myself.[/color]"

The spellcaster moved to leave but had some parting words. "[color=cyan]Oh, and you are very welcome, madam Automaton. Once we have some free time, I shall attempt to repair your eyes as well. Simply seek me out.[/color]"

[center]---[/center]
[center]~ [@Crowvette], [@Restalaan] (SKA & GRI), [@AzureKnight] (SHI, HIN & ATS), [@The Irish Tree] (LIL), [@Hammerman], [@Nakushita] ~[/center]

[quote=Atsuha Hangai][color=9e0b0f]"Would you care to have us tag along, my young lord? ...Kikyo-san, is there anything more you can tell us about the encampment that the prisoners are being held at? Warrior types, the surrounding layout?"[/color][/quote]

"Of course, Madam Atsuha." Takeshi quickly answered, the words almost getting stuck in his throat. "You're very much welcome to join us."

Kikyo glared at the [u]Hangai[/u] sisters, making her contempt for the yokai clear. Takeshi wanted to intervene but he feared setting off his already fuming childhood friend and so, could only look on nervously. However, Kikyo closed her eyes and sighed before adopting a softer expression. "[color=lavender]I suppose it's also a pleasure to meet you, Hangai sisters. I heard you also saved Lord Takeshi in Sanjo Beach. You have my gratitude for that.[/color]"

"[color=lavender]As for your question, the prisoners are held in Fort Tanabe. The fort is pretty small and the Varjan garrison is relatively light... but that's more than enough to defend the place. The fort is on top of a plateau, with only one road going in and out. The garrison only needs to guard and fortify that one opening.[/color]" Kikyo explained. "[color=lavender]The plateau is steep and rocky. Climbing it is nigh-impossible.[/color]"

[quote=Shizuka Kannazuki][color=royalblue]"Alice-san and Carroll-chan seem to have left the taskforce, I can confirm because I sensed their chi fading further from the vicinity. Where they plan to go, I don't know, but I felt that you all should know regardless."[/color][/quote]

"What...?" Takeshi did not wait for a response. He turned around and whistled for his horse, Kuro, who quickly answered his master's call and galloped to Takeshi's side.

"[color=lavender]You're going to leave me with yokai?![/color]" Kikyo demanded from her lord. "[color=lavender]I thought you were going with me?[/color]"

"I [i]am[/i] going with you." Takeshi assured as he embarked his horse. "Go on ahead to the watchtower at the bottom of the Fort Tanabe plateau. I'll either meet you or catch up with you there. Don't worry, this won't take long." The young lord then rode off in search of the rogue [u]Alice and Carroll[/u].

"[color=lavender]...The yokai has thoroughly seduced him.[/color]" Kikyo remarked as she watched Takeshi exit the temple grounds.

"[color=yellow]He just considers them as his friends.[/color]" Takamori said, in defense of the young lord. "[color=yellow]He did the same thing for Kazenosuke, remember?[/color]"

"[color=indianred]I thought we all agreed never to speak about that ever again.[/color]" The aforementioned dancing swordsman complained.

Kikyo addressed the taskforce members going with her so far: [u]Atsuha[/u], [u]Hinami[/u] and [u]Gringor[/u]. "[color=lavender]I shall hold my lord to his word. Let's go, yokai. I don't wanna find him already waiting for us there.[/color]" The last Kinkakuji led the trio of yokai from the temple and toward Fort Tanabe, much to her consternation.

Ayu then spoke to the taskforce members going with her so far: [u]Shizuka[/u], [u]Liliana[/u], [u]Io[/u] and [u]Skarsneek[/u]. "[color=red]Not gonna lie, this is going to be a huge undertaking. I advise taking a few hours of rest before heading out. I'll ride out first, though, to meet up with our contact and inform him about what's gonna happen. Here, I'll show you where his house is. We'll meet up there.[/color]" The head spy then gave the taskforce members the directions.

[hr]
[center]= [b]Several Hours Later[/b] =[/center]
[hr]

[center][h3]Komatsu Bay Outskirts[/h3][/center]
[center][b]BREAKTHROUGH[/b][/center]
[center]~ [@AzureKnight] (SHI), [@The Irish Tree] (LIL), [@Crowvette], [@Restalaan] (SKA) ~[/center]

The sun was setting, bathing the land with orange, when taskforce group found the solitary house some ways away from the Komatsu fortress. It seemed a simple wooden home of a typical peasant, albeit larger than most. The group also heard arguing inside with one of the voices belonging to Ayu.

"[color=red]...keep everything quiet.[/color]"

"[color=aquamarine]You want quiet?![/color]" A squeaky, male voice responded. "[color=aquamarine]Don't ask me to rile up people who use blood as paint![/color]"

"[color=red]I wasn't asking.[/color]" Ayu declared. "[color=red]Not after Kirisame Shrine.[/color]"

"[color=aquamarine]That was a misunderstanding...[/color]"

"[color=red]That was a scared Ronin warrior trying to wriggle out of trouble.[/color]"

"[color=aquamarine]And it worked! I offloaded that sour rice water and you--[/color]"

"[color=red]--had to look over my shoulder, for a month![/color]" Ayu finished. "[color=red]You owe me, Shizuka.[/color]"

When the taskforce entered the home, they found Ayu talking to [url=https://i.imgur.com/gvm9nkN.jpg]a short but wide, youthful and innocent-looking man with dark brown hair[/url] wearing peasant clothes. "[color=red]Shizuyama's counting on us.[/color]" Ayu added.

"[color=aquamarine]...I love this island as much as the next guy, but this is too dangerous. It'll never work.[/color]" Noticing the taskforce that entered his house, he remarked to Ayu. "[color=aquamarine]These the yokai?[/color]" He sounded unimpressed.

"[color=red]You can call them 'Lady Kyouko's Taskforce'.[/color]" Ayu replied.

The short man, apparently named Shizuka, gasped and quickly bowed his head. "[color=aquamarine]Forgive me, my lords and ladies![/color]" He then raised his head to introduce himself. "[color=aquamarine]I am Shizuka! Upstanding merchant, renowned sake brewer.[/color]"

"[color=red]And the best swindler on the island![/color]" Ayu interjected. "[color=red]That's why he's going to help us sneak into Komatsu Bay.[/color]"

"[color=aquamarine]I keep telling you, that place is a fortress.[/color]" The swindler Shizuka retorted. "[color=aquamarine]You'll need an army to penetrate the walls.[/color]"

"[color=red]Or, a single delivery of sake.[/color]"

The swindler let out a sarcastic chuckle before declaring. "[color=aquamarine]It'll never work.[/color]"

[hr]
[center][h3]Near Fort Tanabe[/h3][/center]
[center][b]SECOND CHANCE[/b][/center]
[center]~ [@AzureKnight] (HIN & ATS), [@Restalaan] (GRI) ~[/center]

Under a setting sun, Kikyo and the taskforce group arrived at the base of the plateau where Fort Tanabe was situated in. Indeed, there was a watchtower here although unoccupied. The Kinkakuji lady looked up to behold the steep and rocky plateau, stony terrain covered all sides save for one: The sole entrance and exit of the fort. The rocks formed such a natural barrier that one could not even see the fort from the bottom.

"[color=lavender]...and the road's winding too.[/color]" Kikyo remarked to herself before turning to the yokai taskforce. "[color=lavender]We'll wait here for Lord Takeshi, but I doubt he would want us to wait long so we'll begin the rescue in a few minutes. Assuming, of course, we have a plan to break into the fort and free the prisoners. Whom the Varjans will likely kill once they realize what's going on.[/color]"

"[color=lavender]Got any bright ideas, yokai?[/color]"

[hr]
[center][h3]Terauchi Temple[/h3][/center]

[center]~ [@Hammerman] ~[/center]

[u]Lunatea[/u] had stayed in the temple to rest after exerting herself in the previous battle. She found herself in the company of Revuel Arvida, who was using telekinetic magic to lift rubble and debris into a neat pile to be cleaned later. "[color=cyan]So if I am not mistaken, you are some sort of scholar? Neither seasoned fighter nor warrior?[/color]" Revuel spoke to the Wererabbit as he worked.

"[color=cyan]I understand that the taskforce was formed to simply spy on the natives about their... deteriorating dealings with The Order. But as you can see, the situation has drastically changed. Combat is at the forefront of the taskforce.[/color]" Revuel continued. "[color=cyan]So why do you stay, Madam Lunatea? Out of pure kindness? I know some monsters who are like that. Or perhaps you fancy one of the locals?[/color]"

Before [u]Lunatea[/u] could reply, however, a tired Takeshi arrived on his horse. "...I can't find them anywhere." He said to himself as he disembarked.

"[color=cyan]No sign of this Alice--[/color]"

*SHINE*

Bright, white light shone from the teleportation pagoda, someone had arrived. Takeshi looked to Revuel, both men realizing that the usual greeter, Ayu, was not present. "[color=cyan]Go meet them, milord. I shall join you as soon as I'm done with this.[/color]" Revuel said to which Takeshi nodded and went off. "[color=cyan]Going to join him, Madam Lunatea?[/color]"

[center]---[/center]
[center]~ [@Enkryption] ~[/center]

[u]Alice[/u] awakened in a dim, wooden, unfamiliar room. It was thematically Far Eastern, likely somewhere in the Zipanguese Isles in one of their temples. Four pillars stood to support the chamber and on one side, there was a simple shrine with some unlit candles and a few statues. On the opposite side were a set of sliding doors, sunlight shining through them.

One of the sliding doors opened and a young human man with brown hair and red robes clothing entered the chamber. "Hey there! I am Lord Takeshi Oja and welcome to Shizuyama." The young lord greeted, unaware of who he was talking due to the difference in appearance. "Are you sent here by this Lady Kyouko to join the taskforce? Because if so, then you're in luck! You've been successfully teleported to their headquarters." He told [u]Alice[/u] with names unknown to her.

"You know, you look a lot like someone I know."

[hr]
[hr]
[hr]

[center]~~ TAKESHI'S JOURNEY ~~[/center]

[hider=Breakthrough (ONGOING)]
"Lady Kyouko needs a port to dock her fleet to properly engage the Varjan armada and deliver supplies, and that port will be Komatsu Bay. If we're going to liberate the fortress, we'll need help and Ayu says she has a friend for the job. We can join her and go to this friend's house, just outside Komatsu Bay."
-Takeshi Oja
[/hider]

[hider=Second Chance (ONGOING)]
"We almost have everything we need to save my father. However, we cannot leave the refugees of Terauchi Temple defenseless. We need warriors to fortify and defend the temple while we are away. Kikyo knows of some imprisoned warriors who can help replenish our ranks."
-Takeshi Oja
[/hider]

[center]~~ TAKAMORI TALES ~~[/center]

[hider=Teacher And Student]
"Lord Takamori said that his traitorous daughter, Setsuna, is training Varjan archers in Ōmiya. I know this frightens him, even if he tries to hide it. If we don't find her and end this, there may be no stopping the archers, and no hope for Ōmiya Springs. We need to see Lord Takamori immediately."
-Takeshi Oja
[/hider]

[center]~~ SORAE TALES ~~[/center]

[hider=The Husband]
"Lady Sorae told me that Kana, Sogen's wife, has disappeared during the attack on the temple. She wants help tracking her down as Kana is the only lead we have on the identities and whereabouts of the killers of Clan Tokinomiya."
-Takeshi Oja
[/hider]

[center]~~ TALES OF SHIZUYAMA ~~[/center]

[hider=Whispers In The Woods]
A villager woman remarked to the taskforce member as the latter passed by.

"You better watch out if you're passing Yabo Forest, yokai. It's haunted by angry spirits... Dead samurai, eager to spill blood."

"People go into the woods and never come out. Varjan and Shizuyaman alike! The bodies that turn up have all been killed by Shizuyaman blades..."
[/hider]

[hider=The Other Side Of Honor]
A peasant man eating barbecued meat on a stick was startled when the taskforce member approached. It appeared he has news.

"Yokai! You have to tell Lord Takeshi, there is another samurai noble who survived Sanjo Beach. His name is Lord Tonchiki. He's in his abode southeast of here. If you go see him, I'm sure he would join your cause."

"Err, maybe not. I guess you'll need Lord Takeshi himself to convince him."
[/hider]

[hider=Shizuyama's Freedom]
A villager sitting on some stone steps in the temple stood up when the taskforce member approached. 

"Yokai, I've heard of a small resistance group gathering in the Imahama Area. I believe they're headed by that shrine priestess that started a fight here not too long ago."

"They're recruiting farmers and fishermen to their cause. Brave, but it'll be dangerous if they're not trained."
[/hider]

[hider=Bottoms Up]
A peasant man warming his hands on a bonfire noticed the taskforce member passing by.

"Yokai, you must do something! It's Ayane's sake brewery in Imahama. That brewery is the pride of Shizuyama, but soon there will be none left. The Varjans are taking it by force."
[/hider]

[center]~~ LEGENDARY TALES ~~[/center]

[hider=The Heavenly Strike]
"Dealing with these students of the Heavenly Strike was more difficult than we thought. They have already thrown back two of the taskforce. However, the yokai fought them separately and at different times, so perhaps a more cooperative approach would be more fruitful."
-Takeshi Oja
[/hider]