(Day 6, LN) DEADLY EVENT: Hallway: Curiosity killed the...(CW: Ghosts, Potential Death)

[Akodo Kichiro]

Kichiro gestures for Aiichiro to make the first move on the board. "Many times I've been pulled away from my class and inspected by a clansman of the kuni. Through questioning.... inspections of the eyes, veins, and mind. A sharp point of jade toss into the mix somewhere along the line. Very rude treatment from some very ugly samurai. That face paint is not a welcoming sight after awhile." Kichiro shakes his head at the memory. "You can relax. I am pure of soul. Magistrate must of just tossed me on a list given my father's condition... but I am aware of that dreaded plague that afflicts your defenders on the wall. Hida Junzo spoke of who he knew but we were both children. Having passed your gemuppku you must have a better understanding? I'd like to know."

[Kaiu Aiichiro]

His shoulders got tense at the description. If this tainted little thing was walking around without jade... Ah. It made him not fall in disgust, but continued to be tense. He takes a deep breath.
"When a short description is needed, I saw the Taint is like one of those lifetime diseases that just worsens over time, but with proper care you can delay it so much that it won't evolve to any significant level until your natural death. Like fatal chronic conditions, this one is easier to stop the earlier you detect it."
He puts the first piece.
"Unlike any disease, it is no physical or mental malady but a physical one. It not only marks impurity on your soul. It not only is only delayable but truly unstoppable. It not only is contagious. It not only deforms your mind, body or soul. It not only turns men into beasts. It not only brings steel-clad soldiers to insanity. It not only eventually tarnishes your entire soul and chains it to Jigoku. It not only may consume it altogether before that happens and make it lost forever."
His hand reaches for a bottle of water he did not bring. He could use some now.
"It turns you in an undead vessel working against the empire for centuries when your mind is long gone and your soul long broken. So for all that's sacred, and this thing is not, thank the Kuni. Now, do you need actual information on the Taint or is that enough?"

[Akodo Kichiro]

"I see... No no that should do." Kichiro takes a moment to absorb all this information. "Just before arriving here I had returned home for the first time since entering the Akodo war college. Over ten years since I've last seen him. His condition must have worsened... Else my early memories of life betray me. His skin pale as snow, veins black as ink, and eyes an unnatural color to them. Retired to a life of jade tea they called it. A cruel air about the man." He rises from his seat to pass over the bottle of water just out of Aiichiro's reach. "Any discussion on these topics are immediately shut down within my circles. Any scholarly scrolls marked forbidden. It seems my father is the rare exception to being allowed to live with this affliction given his status... Now diminished status but a respect owed nonetheless." Kichiro stares hard with a hollowed look in his eyes. Emphasis on the seriousness of his next question. "Does such familial affiliation make me a problem? Do I have a target on my back?" Kichiro thinks back to the kuni's tests.

[Bayushi Kaidan]

Kaidan decided to brew some chamomile tea. He offered Kichiro and Aiichiro. He sat down to watch these two work things out. While Ninya paraded and brought a mouse to Kaidan. "Nya."

[Kaiu Aiichiro]

Listening to the Akodo's history, he gets up from his seat to take his cup of tea. "Thank you, Kaidan-san. Very kind of yours."
His attention is grabbed by the cat. "Kitty!"

[Toritaka Sasaiko]

"A mighty hunter, that one," Sasaiko remarks.

After a moment, she adds, "Forgive me, but is there someone to whom we should report this incident?"

[Togashi Dao]

"A mighty hunter, that one," Sasaiko remarks.

After a moment, she adds, "Forgive me, but is there someone to whom we should report this incident?"

"Report what?" Dao glances towards Kaidan. "I imagine this is not an occurrence that will plague the town after Bayushi-san's departure and no serious injuries were inflicted were they?" He asked looking at Sasaiko and Aiichiro.

[Toritaka Sasaiko]

"I am not inconvenienced. But something may enter through one door even when another is present."

She shrugs.

"But if the issue is held settled, then I will not contest it."

[Kaiu Aiichiro]

"Wait until Yotsuo-sama awakes and report this situation to him. He will know what to do. For the remaining of the night, we may either stay awake for guard or return to sleep. Your choices."

[Toritaka Sasaiko]

"Seems several are staying awake. Since you've got watch, I'll sleep. Sing out if anything new emerges.

"A good rest of the night, minna-san."

She bows and will /exit unless stopped.

[Togashi Dao]

"Good night Toritaka-san." Dao replied before pouring himself a cup of calming tea hoping for the warm drink to settle him before he retires forthe night as well.

[Akodo Kichiro]

Kichiro happily accepts the tea. "Looks like little Ninya found some trouble as well. Little hunter came out on top it seems." Kichiro's On beams a hint of pride for the feline.

[Kaiu Aiichiro]

"I don't see a cat for such a long time. Since I was a child, I fear. Do you want to partake in our match and discussion, Bayushi-san?"

[Bayushi Kaidan]

"I don't play go or shogi. I understand that there is some clan rivalry..." He wondered. "I can listen and arbitrate if you don't mind."

[Akodo Kichiro]

After Aiichiro makes the first move Kichiro follows placing a stone of his own.

D6:LN Go Match R1: 7d10ro1o10k4 34 - Keep 27

He begins casual. Unsure of his opponents skill level and keeping it friendly.

[Kaiu Aiichiro]

"Ah no. I just may think that the subject of discussion may disgust you, though. We were talking about the corruption of the ninth kami."

[Bayushi Kaidan]

He shook his head. "Aiichiro san... I think with our experiences in Hirosaka nothing might be disgusting." Except for frogs.

[Togashi Dao]

As the game continued, Dao finished his tea and left quietly.

/exit

[Kaiu Aiichiro]

"Great." He nods. "Was him an emerald legionnaire or did he offer help to my clan? Will you follow his steps? Anyway, it feels dumb that you can't research the taint there not because there is no availability of the subject, but for a literal prohibition. Information never hurt people. Not knowing causes disaster, like when we had a tainted zokujin invasion."
He places another stone.
"The more I know about the remaining of the empire, not the things you learn on books but those you learn from living with people from other clans, the more I wish to return and not leave the Crab. Everything outside my lands operates so foolishly. I can understand sending them to monkhood, but executing a tainted is not only senseless but a waste of a good soldier. Of course from all those symptoms you talked about he should be deeply affected. If he was allowed to live merely because of his rank is a thought that disgusts me, but is also as well because he has not reached the point where execution is mandatory on my lands, and theorically too in the remaining of the empire. I'm not so certain of that, now, with my previous experiences on Tsuma and this town."
He eases the tension built on his shoulders that he did not even perceive that was building.
"In the Lion? I don't know. I know how it was supposed to work. I don't know how things actually work. Not anymore. If you even panic because of it, though, know that the legion of the damned would welcome you."

[Akodo Kichiro]

"No emerald legionnaire and I'm afraid there are no ties to the crab. Blessed to receive a title of governance before... Tragedy." Kichiro answers the question and there is a viable slowness to his stone placements. "I appreciate the gesture Kaiu-san but please... I am pure of soul." Denial or truth who knows. He just didn't want that lingering thought anywhere on his mind or accept it as a possibility.

"I am unsure what destiny has store for both of us Kaiu-san. Unknown if we'll ever see each other past this topaz championship once we are assigned to our stations. If there is ever a chance to assist the crab in their duty against this corruption. Ever a chance to take the fight back to this evil and protect those who suffer like my father. Like your kin. You must only ask and I will gladly do what I can. Until then I will do my best to rise within the lion's ranks to better answer that call." There is a fiery spark in his promise. An old rage kept hidden but always there and now finally displayed.