[D5 MM] Of curses and pain

[Toritaka Hanatsuko]

The Toritaka came earlier than the previous day. Probably none of the people remember that she was here the day before. She halted at the guard. "Good Morning sama... I am here to see Kuni...sama." The woman winced in pain.

[Asahina Sanaharu]

Alongside with her, was a Sanaharu who actually slept. His mind seemed troubled, though. He bowed to Hanatsuko upon seeing her. "Have you eaten your portion of rice today, Toritaka-san?"

[Toritaka Hanatsuko]

"I have..." She took a breath. "Your timing is perfect... I follow that you... don't have the sketches... that you made...last night." She let the breath out slowly.

[Asahina Sanaharu]

He bows slightly. "Sadly not so, Toritaka-san. Last night, did you as well wake up on the middle of darkness on a place different than the one you chose to sleep?"

[Toritaka Hanatsuko]

"I decided to sleep in my own bed rather than staying watch on the Blue Bird." She shook her head. "For some reason, knew I was going to wake up there so... I saved the spirit the trouble." She shrugged.

[Asahina Sanaharu]

"No, I mean it as... I had waken up before morning on the top of a cliff. It had vision to the beach, a pretty place, if, on the beach, there were not enthralled people, by the making of curse or magic, advancing towards the sea."

[Toritaka Hanatsuko]

"No, Asahina sama... I've not experienced such thing... " The Toritaka shook her head. "It maybe linked... to being between realms... while we sleep and... you being related to... one of the party's clan... makes you a good subject to..." She searched for a word. The mixture of pain and some unheardable laughter mad it hard for her to concentrate. "... hmmm... be granted visions."

[Asahina Sanaharu]

"It may be the case. It may also be what happens if we don't stop this madness, even in a less literal sense... On my dream, I could save two people by talking with them, breaking them from the the enthralling slumber deep. It may be that the resolution of this is dialogue, or that I will be able to save two people on my abilities, which are, well, dialogue."

[Dapper Dog]

Junza is working on a flayed creature, she was not sure what it was but the eta was holding things open as she took notes. She paused and said as they entered, “I thought they were joking but I do have guests. Give me a moment.”

“Dirt move this to the holding area,” she commanded and then started cleaning her hands. She continued and said, “I am not sure what I could do for you, unless you poor bastards got tainted.”

[Toritaka Hanatsuko]

"It may be the case. It may also be what happens if we don't stop this madness, even in a less literal sense... On my dream, I could save two people by talking with them, breaking them from the the enthralling slumber deep. It may be that the resolution of this is dialogue, or that I will be able to save two people on my abilities, which are, well, dialogue."

I know what you are thinking... Don't even
Perhaps that voice in her head was right but she need to say it again. "Maybe it is the wedding... should not push for it to occur." She shook her head. "I told Otomo Saisei this. He doesn't believe so. What if the spirit..." she held her forehead. "I apologize Asahina sama but I may not be thinking straight."

Junza is working on a flayed creature, she was not sure what it was but the eta was holding things open as she took notes. She paused and said as they entered, “I thought they were joking but I do have guests. Give me a moment.”

“Dirt move this to the holding area,” she commanded and then started cleaning her hands. She continued and said, “I am not sure what I could do for you, unless you poor bastards got tainted.”

"Not tainted, Kuni sama but hurt by a wailing spirit. Knowing that you have remedies for these things made me come to you this time." She bowed. "This one is Toritaka Hanatsuko, hunter of spirits."

[Dapper Dog]

Junza smiled and said, “Oh please do go into detail about this wailing spirit. And may I see these areas of injury? Would you be adverse to providing… no, no, that would be unseemly. Unless you have excess skin you don’t need?”

[Asahina Sanaharu]

He bows to the Kuni deeply. Normally he would take out his sandals, but seeing what was happening there... Not in the seven hells. Even touching this woman's hand probably would require him some prayers at the shrine.

"Toritaka-san needs healing, yes. If you could provide her anything that soothes her pain, it would be greatly appreciated, Kuni Junza-sama."

[Toritaka Hanatsuko]

"I would be honored to explain this injury to you but if we don't break the cycle today, you may forget once again." The Toritaka sighed.

She probably will forget that you even existed.

She shook her head. "Kuni sama you may not remember but I came and told you the story of the hailing spirit and Dirt made the notes but the trickster spirit probably made this day again an the notes are lost."

[Dapper Dog]

She nodded, "Well that is an interesting story... so we already met once? How curious. Dirt knows better than to lose my notes, or they should. You mentioned a cycle? What exactly is happening?"

[Asahina Sanaharu]

"I believe the issue may become clearer with some light she'd on it. Please allow me to explain." He bows slightly. "We are together on a strange spiritual prank, making it appear that we are living the same day again and again.

Some people in the town also relate to be aware of the situation, but some forget that the day before was exactly the same as this one and live as nothing ever happened.

When we wake up, everything is set as they were on the same morning after the Earthy Pepper festival. This is why Toritaka-san wakes up injuried every morning, and why all changes to any items made before the day cycles back again are lost. The same happens with the memories of several people."

[Dapper Dog]

"So you came here to seek my wisdom?" she said with mild sarcasm.

"Sadly I have no memory of any of this, but obviously you knew that. So what do you need of me?"

[Toritaka Hanatsuko]

Hanatsuko nodded. "1. To allow us to sketch the pictures of Gusari and Bujeihime. 2. Help us break this curse. 3. patch me up before we begin the ritual to end the curse." She went straight to the point.

[Asahina Sanaharu]

And him, being Crane, went less straight to the point. "We believe this curse may be related to a child, and to free this child, we would need to reunite her with Gusari-sama and Bujeihime-shiryo both."

[Dapper Dog]

"You think these pictures are anchors for the spirits involved? From the local legend?" she asked putting pieces together.

"I can provide more mundane medical aid, Dirt fetch my tools. Breaking a curse sounds like something I should be involved with, give me more information so I can get caught up on what I suppose I once knew."

Dirt went to another room to fetch her things.

[Asahina Sanaharu]

"I don't know. I want to find them, and maybe the pictures will attract them or something like this. Konomaharu-bugyo said that there are two options to dispel a ghost. One of them is to destroy their anchor, other to negotiate with it and give it what it wants.

I want to convince the ghosts of Doji-bugyo and Hida Gusari-sama to find and tranquilize the ghost behind this curse. I believe that the wants of the ghost of Hitomi is to be reunited with the two."

[Toritaka Hanatsuko]

"Right... do you we know where the toys are?" The Toritaka wanted to get out of this loop and not to get patched out. "I also think that there may be something else because it feels rather...odd... that this is the second time this loop happened."

[Asahina Sanaharu]

He shakes his head to the sides. "Kakita-bugyo mentioned wanting to make a meeting at the inn this afternoon. You are welcome, Kuni-sama. We may also find our answers there."

[Dapper Dog]

"Dirt go get the historical scrolls from Row seven. What do you mean this is the second time for this loop?" she asked.

[Toritaka Hanatsuko]

Hanatsuko thinks. "It is said that the time looped about 10 years ago... I wonder... was there also a big wedding at that time?" The woman winced.

[Dapper Dog]

"I do not think so, nothing so large as right now," she responded.

"Come here."