D4 MM - Does it still hurt?

[Kakita Konohamaru]

The magistrate moves with strict purpose and unrelenting speed, almost sprinting were it not for his reputation as a horrifying man.

Making his way up the steps, He looks again for Aji. If she knows what he thinks he does, he might be able to figure out some kind of solution to all this.

[Doji Yuma]

Yuma had been used all his life to people having their memories unnaturally unresponsive on some subjects. But that was definitely the first time he had witnessed so many people forgetting entirely about a whole day.

And, after the first shock, the terrible realization that the problem ran even deeper than altered memories made its way into his mind. The wards set up the previous day had disappeared. Not broken, just not there anymore, as if they were never cast. The tattoo design sketches he had done were blank papers again. The fresh charcoal he had used to draw them was uncut anew. And many small details like that.

In an attempt to estimate the scope of the phenomenon, he walked quickly to the shrine. And here, he saw, as he feared, the locals cleaning the remnants of the festival. Remnants that had already be cleared the previous day. And had returned somehow.

Fuck.

(he thought fuck; he did not say fuck; he is a proper Crane)

[Aji]

Aji was sweeping once more, as she was the morning previous.

[Kakita Konohamaru]

Aji was sweeping once more, as she was the morning previous.

"Aji-san! Aji-san I-"

He noticed the presence of Doji Yuma. He stopped, turning with his typical sharp precision, and bowed.

He had no idea if the Doji remembered, and didn't want to cause great risk if he didn't. As such, he chose to pretend he didn't know.

"Ah, Doji-san. I trust last night's festivities treated you well?"

[Doji Yuma]

Yuma looked at him straight into the eyes:

"Hello Kakita-sama. Oh, I'm still sore for having carried that heavy thing for the festival. While I shouldn't because it was already a long time ago."

[Kakita Konohamaru]

"Indeed, you did a great job. We all did, really, so we-"

Hold on.

A long time ago.

"Doji-san, how many days has it been for you?"

[Doji Yuma]

"Well, the day we got roughen up by the Crab at a party, the day we carried a giant penis to its burning death, the day with a series of unfortunate meetings that apparently only existed in my dreams, and today. So four, as in death."

[Toritaka Hanatsuko]

The Toritaka walked up the steps of towards the shrine wondering. She had walked up these steps before for perhaps a different reason. Hanatsuko looked at her falcon.

"I know we have been here before."
Then why in Jigoku are you coming this way? You should head for the castle and do what you told the Imperial.

"I just need to know and find something."

You are wasting your time Hana chan. There is nothing here for you to find out.

The woman stopped as there was two Cranes in this place. The nun was not alone unlike the previous day. "It is different..."

Figures...

The woman approached but waited to not interrupt.

[Aji]

The nun chuckled lightly as she swept.

[Kakita Konohamaru]

"Well, the day we got roughen up by the Crab at a party, the day we carried a giant penis to its burning death, the day with a series of unfortunate meetings that apparently only existed in my dreams, and today. So four, as in death."

"So you remember as well. Rest assured, it happened."

If the first day the curse begins, and the second day is eating sin... hmm.

"Look out for anything spiritually...off."

The woman approached but waited to not interrupt.

Kono waved her over.

"Torikata-san. What happened to your wounds?"

[Doji Yuma]

"You too? I confess I thought it was a shugenja thing at first.

It's as if yesterday never existed. I don't know of a power strong enough to rewind time so maybe it was actually all in our heads, a lengthy prophetic vision from the Fortunes about the harm that could happen if we do nothing to prevent it."

He noticed the nun and the falcon girl, who must have been thinking they were going crazy by now.

"Uh... By any chance, none of you would have had a very realistic and complete vision of a day that never actually existed?"

[Aji]

“You remember?” the nun replied with a chuckle.

“And what exactly do you recall?”

[Toritaka Hanatsuko]

"I remember the wailing spirit... I remember coming here and Aji sama treating them... but for some odd reason they still hurt. I do remember you coming to ask something to Aji sama..." She sighed. "They seemed to have returned somehow."

She looked Kono and blinked a few times. "Could it be the curse?"

[Doji Yuma]

"I awoke on the day that followed the festival. I went on with my day as usual. Good people got hurt during that day under strange circumstances. Then at night quite a number of enthralled inhabitants tried to throw themselves into the sea. Thanks to the quick action of the Mantis we were able to save them.

And then I awoke again on the day that followed the festival."

He turned to the Toritaka:

"Wait, you're hurt? Did that happen during the events I just recounted?"

[Aji]

“I would have warned you but it does no good, most of the time. Even when I revealed what I experienced last time they did not recall the next day. It seems this time I am not alone,” she said with a nod.

“Now let us see to those injuries… again.”

[Toritaka Hanatsuko]

He turned to the Toritaka:

"Wait, you're hurt? Did that happen during the events I just recounted?"

"No, they were wounds I got from a wailing spirit in the beach on the night of the Fertility Festival." She frowned. "I am trying to make sense of what happened. Because remember being late night at the Blue Bird and blacking out... I woke up at the Inn like I was never there."

[Aji]

"And you will wake up there tomorrow most likely and the day after that," she said to the samurai.

[Doji Yuma]

"Wait... Are you telling us you have been through, let's call it the day after the festival, several times yourself?"

He closed his eyes, trying to find back its focus.

"Let's do things in order. Are these wounds grievous? Do you need my help?"

[Toritaka Hanatsuko]

"The pain is real... I wouldn't mind being aided once more" The Toritaka sighed. "We shall live this pain...for 4 days... I think." She scratched her brow.


//Hana took 20 wounds on D2 and natural heal lowered them to 14. She is nicked

[Doji Yuma]

"The spirits of water are strong so close to the sea. I should be able to help."

Whispering a prayer, he stretched one hand in direction of the ocean, put the other on the Torikata's shoulder, and let the soothing energy flow through him from the sea to the wounded samurai.

---

D4 MM | Path to Inner Peace: 5d10o10k3 21 -> 11 Wounds healed

[Toritaka Hanatsuko]

"Thank you... Crane sama." She bowed. "This one is Toritaka Hanatsuko... and my companions Sari and (a whistle) Kuma" As the falcon perched on her arm and bowed.

[Aji]

"Wait... Are you telling us you have been through, let's call it the day after the festival, several times yourself?"

"I have, yes," she responded.

[Kakita Konohamaru]

"I have a name, if that helps - Doji Hitomi. What do we know about her?"

[Aji]

"The Crane champion?" she asked.

[Doji Yuma]

Yuma was puzzled:

"Yeah, what does our champion have do to with anything right now?

And what do you mean by several times exactly? Like you experience a phantom day every year the day following the festival?"