A Present? For Me? (D3 EE)

[Mai]

"I see. May I come in. I'll just collect my things and hopefully get a new room."

[Kuni Yotsuo]

"Anything that was touched by that black fog should be have a ritual purification," he says. "Including yourself as well. I wouldn't take anything out of here just yet."

[Mai]

Mai sighs. "I should have figured that." Maybe she was more rattled than she thought. "I think I might be cursed. When I go to sleep bad things happen."

[Kuni Yotsuo]

"I'm not very familiar with curses, so I wouldn't be able to say one way or the other. But if you do have a curse that affects you during sleeping hours perhaps you should have someone watch over you during those hours to observe and find out."

[Mai]

Mai shrugs. "It just seems like things happen when I am asleep. I was attacked by the gaki when I was sleeping. The goblins attacked when I was sleeping. I got this.... 'gift' while I was sleeping."

[Kuni Yotsuo]

"Well, at the very least, the gaki was seeking out others as well. It attempted to target me as well, but it failed. And the goblin attack was not targeting you, it simply happened. A good quarter of the day happens while people are sleeping, so I would not read into it too much. This box being left for you was likely done so while you were sleeping so that whoever did so could pass unnoticed. I used to have similar concerns while I slept before I came to understand my ability. I learned things about my parents that they would not have shared while awake simply because I wandered into their dreams. It was believed I was cursed at first as well."

[Mai]

Mai nods. "You're probably right. It's just unsettling. Every girl wants a secret admirer, but not like this."

[Kuni Yotsuo]

"This isn't an admirer, this is a predator. And a particularly dangerous one as well, given their methods. They want more than just the pleasure of your company and likely won't stop until they are dealt with," Yotsuo says with concern in his voice. "You should definitely avoid being alone as much as possible going forward."

[Mai]

Mai nods. "Yeah. And I won't be opening any strange gifts. Hm. Could there be some sort of clue in the letter? I don't the giver will be leaving anytime soon. Whoever it is wants to 'claim' me."

[Kuni Yotsuo]

"I'm not really certain. But the letter says they observed you, so either they divined over distance with magic or they are present and hiding in the local area," he replies. "Something that Crane magistrates will have to handle, since this is their jurisdiction."

[Vutall]

After some time (half an hour or so) Hida Goroharu and Kakita Toshimoko arrive at the House of the Laughing Carp and are directed upstairs to Mai's room.

"What happened here?" the Hida booms.

Toshimoko narrows his eyes and says nothing, his lips pursed.

[Kuni Yotsuo]

"Perhaps it would be best to discuss it with the door shut?" the Kuni says, keeping his vigil over the box. "It is an... unsavory topic." He was clearly more looking out for the Crane and the establishment more than being concerned about talking about it out loud. He suspected the Crab wouldn't really care about the subject being discussed, but better not to cause potential panic.

[Mai]

Mai bows low (especially to the Kakita). "Kuni-san is right. It is probably a situation where the fewer people who know, the better." This was not how she wanted to meet one of the most famous samurai in the empire.

[Vutall]

Toshimoko nods to Goroharu and they enter the room, sliding the door closed.

"Before we go any further, both of you, show us your arms, wrists, palms, and touch jade to yourselves."

Goroharu demands, his hand resting on his katana.

[Kuni Yotsuo]

The Kuni did as he was told since he knew the drill and was likely far more familiar with it than the man asking him. It was something that the Kuni had even their youngest practice before any formal training.

After both he and Mai had done so, Yotsuo finally spoke up. "I think it would be best for Mai to explain from her perspective first. She was here at the start of the incident. Also, I'd suggest refraining from handling anything in the room until the situation is explained. There is a spiritually corrupting item present and stored in the box here."

He continues to keep an eye on it.

[Mai]

Mai does as instructed and is currently holding a piece of jade. After that is done, she explains what happened.

"When I woke up this morning, I saw a letter. I put it to the side because I needed to get ready for the Topaz contests. Then, I saw the box when I opened the door. I brought it inside and put it on the table and left. After the contests, I came back to open them. The letter seemed a little creepy, but I figured maybe it was just someone who didn't know how to talk to girls. Then, I open the box. That thing jumped out and tried to bite me." She gestures to the head. "I managed to leap out of the way. Then, I ran out of the room and called for any Crab students in case it was still dangerous. I told a servant to find you."

After a moment of thought, "Oh. When I opened the box, it triggered a maho spell, Blood and Darkness." Almost to herself. "Wow. That dojo really did prepare us for everything."

[Vutall]

Goroharu and Toshimoko look at Mai intensely for a few moments before Goroharu whispers something in Toshimoko's earn, the older man relaxing slightly.

"It is good you sent for us. Word of this cannot spread" Toshimoko says curtly.

Goroharu nods. "I will gather the necessary priests to perform a cleansing, and the box, letter, and its contents should be burned at once."

[Mai]

"What about when people ask about the smell? Or me moving rooms?" Mai was definitely happy not to tell people she's being sent severed heads. But she does want to get the story straight.

[Kuni Yotsuo]

"I've been trained on how to handle corrupted things. I can take the box and letter to the outskirts with Hida-sensei to destroy the contents. The creature inside is a deceased Penanggalan. It is worth noting that whoever did this may be capable of creating or controlling such things, but at the very least can kill them and use them for nefarious purposes."

[Vutall]

Toshimoko thinks for a moment before saying

"Mantis-san, you will stay with Kuni-san in his lodging. If anyone asks, the room here needed work done on it, which would not be untrue, as it will require much for the proper cleansing to be done."

Goroharu nods to Yotsuo.

"We can go at once, Kuni-san. I would suggest that when we transport the box, you do not touch it directly however. Do you have gloves, or some sort of cloth you can wrap around it so to not expose yourself more to this foul corruption?"