|
Post by Skylos on Dec 19, 2009 21:31:45 GMT -5
Skylos chuckled at that. "Heh. You'd be surprised..." Skylos knew who, of course. But he found it fun for Mitsuhide to keep missing Yamiken, so he didn't say anything on that note.
Omni also followed.
|
|
|
Post by Mumiyoshi on Dec 19, 2009 21:55:54 GMT -5
"I dare say," Yamiken remarked drily. By now, they had come to another doorway. Yamiken stopped in front of it and nodded. "Ah. Here we are." He pushed the screen door open.
Inside was Nouhime, Nobunaga's wife. She appeared to have been gathering some things together, presumably having already heard the news of the revolt, and looked up, startled, as Yamiken entered. "Oh," she greeted him coolly. "Nobunaga-sama." The honorific was pronounced with just a hint of sarcasm. "What do you want?"
Yamiken raised an eyebrow. "Now, is that any way to greet your husband?" he asked her wryly. He then stepped in and grew more serious. "Especially when he comes with an apology?"
Naga was surprised to hear that. From what little he knew of the man, that didn't seem like Yamiken at all... he turned to look at Skylos and Omni, to see if they'd expected it any more than him.
|
|
|
Post by Skylos on Dec 19, 2009 22:01:46 GMT -5
Skylos actually looked concerned. What if an apology changed everything?! Gosh..>Skylos freaking out that any little thing might change everything! he was getting jittery.
Omni put a hand on Skylos's shoulder to calm him.
|
|
|
Post by Mumiyoshi on Dec 19, 2009 22:05:43 GMT -5
Well, even if Skylos and Omni weren't sharing Naga's surprised look, Nouhime certainly was. "Wh-what?" she queried incredulously. "For what, exactly?"
"For everything," Yamiken answered, his face absolutely sincere. "I've neglected you, mistreated you, used you like everyone else in my life. I know you resent me for it. I can't ask you to stop, but I can express my regret. And so..." He gave a bow. "I apologise, for all that I've done to you." He looked up again. "I want you to know that... since I have a feeling I won't be living much longer." He seemed to choose his words carefully. "It is almost as if Fate has designated this day for my death. But... I wish to go to my grave without you, at least, so heavy upon my conscience."
|
|
|
Post by Skylos on Dec 19, 2009 22:08:07 GMT -5
But then something else occured to Skylos. What if events had been put into place by the being here to begin with... Could Yamiken somehow have knpwn this? But this was just speculation.
On the other hand, Omni's jaw practically dropped.
|
|
|
Post by Mumiyoshi on Dec 19, 2009 22:14:03 GMT -5
Nouhime was equally speechless. She gaped at Yamiken for several long moments. At least, she managed to recollect herself. "Is this some kind of a joke?" she asked cynically, but without any real conviction. Amazingly, Nobunaga did seem sincere... she then snorted. "Well, if you're starting to apologise, you have a lot more than just me to do so to." After that, however, her expression softened. "Still... I accept. Thank you." She frowned. "And... I think I understand."
Yamiken smiled. It wasn't one of his usual smiles, which were nearly always either arrogant or condescending... or quite often both. This seemed... more genuine. "I'm glad," he told Nouhime. "In that case, I should leave now." He turned and strode out of the room.
Naga followed, taking the occasional glance back at the now-pensive Nouhime. He had a feeling he'd just witnessed something monumental...
|
|
|
Post by Skylos on Dec 19, 2009 22:18:59 GMT -5
Skylos and Omni left with Naga, quite perplexed. What had just happened?
|
|
|
Post by Mumiyoshi on Dec 19, 2009 22:34:14 GMT -5
Yamiken led them down several more corridors. From the sound of things, they were headed towards where the action was; the shouts of soldiers and the crackle of flames were becoming louder. "You're wondering why I did that," he stated as they walked.
Well, Naga certainly was... but it was probably bet for Skylos and/or Omni, who knew Yamiken far better than he, to answer.
|
|
|
Post by Skylos on Dec 19, 2009 22:42:11 GMT -5
Skylos nodded. "Yes...Yamiken-san. Why? I don't mean to offend, but I've never heard you sound... that way...to anyone."
Omni just smirked. "Gone soft?"
|
|
|
Post by Mumiyoshi on Dec 19, 2009 22:47:09 GMT -5
"Far from it." Yamiken snorted. "I wasn't apologising for the sake of it." He let out a breath and stopped in the corridor. "Kichou will still kill me," he explained to the others. "I made sure she was aware of the necessity of that. She's very clever... I knew she would understand my remarks." His narrative moved on quickly from what could almost have been pride, even affection, for someone other than himself. "But unlike before, she'll now do so with a clean soul. Before, she killed me out of hate; now she'll do so because she believes it necessary, or at least that I will it. Hence she will avoid punishment post mortem. She won't go to Hell."
Naga scratched his head. That was all perfectly credible, but it did rather sound like Yamiken was denying that he'd done something nice... only to explain that he'd in fact done something even more generous.
|
|
|
Post by Skylos on Dec 19, 2009 22:50:08 GMT -5
Skylos's eyebrows shot up. "Wow...Yamiken." Skylos said, forgetting the honorific for once out of surprise.
Omni just smiled. "I'll be sure not to tell anyone. Your image is safe with me."
|
|
|
Post by Mumiyoshi on Dec 19, 2009 22:53:51 GMT -5
Yamiken gave an impatient sigh. "And that means," he continued in a more normal tone, "That she won't be resurrected with me to annoy me so. How much more peaceful my life in camp will be without her!" And with that he walked on. What he didn't say out loud was, And besides... I've proved on numerous occasions how much of a weakness love is. Best to distance myself from that entirely.
Well, that sounded much more like Yamiken, Naga reflected with a wry smile. Still... even not having heard Yamiken's unspoken qualifier, it did seem to him that that selfish justification had been a little hasty and contrived. He followed on.
|
|
|
Post by Skylos on Dec 19, 2009 22:59:11 GMT -5
Skylos looked at Omni and Omni looked at Skylos. Omni grinned, and Skylos said. "Heh. That's the Yamiken-san I know..." Omni nodded in agreement. He didn't read Yamiken's mind...he still felt that thoughts were private and not to be viewed unless he had permission. And even then, what was in one's mind could probably be said aloud.
|
|
|
Post by Mumiyoshi on Dec 20, 2009 20:44:10 GMT -5
Soon the four of them came to what seemed like a central corridor through the temple. Here, it seemed, was the epicentre of the action; everywhere, a melange of soldiers and retainers was dashing about in a state of panic. At one end of the corridor, fires could be seen burning; their spread was being fought, in vain at the moment, by some of the aforementioned milling attendants with buckets of water, presumably from the stores of drinking water in the temple.
One guardsman skidded to a halt in front of Yamiken. "My lord?" he asked in confusion. "I thought you had retreated into the temple's inner sanctum?"
"I had business I realised I needed to attend to out here," Yamiken replied smoothly. "I'll return that way now. Now, back to your post!"
The soldier saluted. "Sir!" He moved off.
Yamiken turned to the other three. "Well," he spoke, "It seems we know where 'I' am, though I already suspected as much. The question now is what to do here. Other than attempting to change history, I see little else to do here, but clearly there's something we're meant to be searching for. The most obvious place would be the magical centre of this temple... the inner sanctum. But if the younger me is there, my turning up could prove problematic, for obvious reasons."
|
|
|
Post by Skylos on Dec 21, 2009 0:35:29 GMT -5
Skylos scratched his head and wondered what they were going to do as well.
Omni just looked around for danger.
|
|
|
Post by Mumiyoshi on Dec 21, 2009 7:27:42 GMT -5
Yamiken considered it for a few more moments. "However," he concluded at last, "Other than blindly wandering about the corridors hoping for something to pop up and surprise us, or doing something foolish like attempting to fight our way over to Mitsuhide, I don't see that we have any other options. So I think our best plan would be for you to cast a similar illusion on me, Omni, and for us then to make our way there." He looked over at the Void Human as he said that. Though, of course, they should probably find an empty room first to cast the illusion in.
Naga just kept on the look-out. He hadn't even been on Terra 002 at this time... so he had no idea what was going on, really.
|
|
|
Post by Skylos on Dec 21, 2009 8:39:50 GMT -5
Omni nodded. "A good idea." Omni looked around for auras, and then found a room without any inside. He slipped in, presumably with the others, and then closed the door behind him. The illusion slowly crept over Yamiken, making him quite different.
|
|
|
Post by Mumiyoshi on Dec 21, 2009 9:02:37 GMT -5
Yamiken gave himself a brief look-over. "Most satisfactory," he noted in a pleased manner. He then looked back up at the others. "Now then, without further ado, I suggest we move." He began leading the way to the inner sanctum, where the other him would, at that very moment in time, be attempting to unseal the chamber containing Oroken.
Naga followed on. Now he thought about it, he could feel the ancient artifact's aura... it gave him something close to the heebie-jeebies. Before it had happened, he'd have been hard-pressed to name something worse than the Daedra... even the worst of the dragons weren't that bad.
|
|
|
Post by Skylos on Dec 21, 2009 9:07:06 GMT -5
Skylos nodded. He actually knew the way because he had been with Yamiken before, just in the present. "I would assume that using Power would not be a good idea, looking at the circumstances." It was almost a question.
Omni could make his Power invisible, so he didn't say anything.
|
|
|
Post by Mumiyoshi on Dec 21, 2009 9:11:52 GMT -5
"No, that it wouldn't," Yamiken agreed. His aura was in fact already concealed. "My younger self is probably too absorbed right now to have noticed our arrival, but when we get to him that will be a different matter." He glanced at Skylos and Naga. "Actually, it would be best if we were to conceal our auras too. Does that pose problems?" He didn't look at Omni as he said that... he knew he wouldn't have any problems.
Naga gave a shake of his head. "I'm a tracker; I'd be a bit useless if I couldn't conceal myself." He dug something out of his pockets and put it on his wrist; a bracelet of some sort, it looked like. His aura vanished from sight the moment it connected.
|
|
|
Post by Skylos on Dec 21, 2009 9:15:57 GMT -5
Skylos looked slightly sour for a second, but it vanished. "Omni...?" His aura suddenly vanished.
"Already on it, kid." Omni snickered. He then pat him on the head. "Don't worry. Your day wil lcome too when you have some strength." That put another sour look on Skylos's head. After all, Skylos was still Blue ranked.
|
|
|
Post by Mumiyoshi on Dec 21, 2009 9:42:34 GMT -5
Yamiken gave a light snort to himself at the brief display of family politics. "Very good. I'd say we're prepared now." He led them on through the corridors; they eventually came to a staircase down to the subterranean level. Not long after that, they came out into a large chamber. At the end was the enchanted doorway protecting Oroken's resting place. And in front of it, a collection of individuals, one of whom stood out from all the rest. Oda Nobunaga.
|
|
|
Post by Skylos on Dec 21, 2009 9:54:30 GMT -5
Skylos decided that it was best if he said absolutely nothing at this point. There was no need to draw attention to their group, right? Omni also shared this belief, but he wasn't quite sure why they were there anyways...In fact...Maybe they were supposed to do something.
|
|
|
Post by Mumiyoshi on Dec 21, 2009 10:01:19 GMT -5
Yamiken, for once, wasn't entirely sure what to do either. He'd decided to come here on intuition alone; he wasn't sure exactly what to expect. Zephyr's parting words came back to him... "You find some... interesting things along the line." What had the Dimension Guardian been talking about, exactly? Secrets they hadn't known before? Or something more... active than that, like interferences in these events? He decided, like the others, to hold his tongue now, as he watched his younger self muttering away at the symbols on the door, trying to break through them before Mitsuhide arrived. Speaking of which, the shouts from above were now beginning to come closer... and screams were accompanying them. Men dying. It wouldn't be too much longer now.
Naga was also silent. He was approaching the problem from a slightly different angle. This is meant to be some sort of trial... he mused to himself. So we have to accomplish something. But what exactly? He glanced over at Yamiken - the modern-day one - and a wry through came into his head. Perhaps simply resist meddling too much?
|
|
|
Post by Skylos on Dec 21, 2009 10:06:08 GMT -5
Simply resisiting wouldn't be a problem for Skylos and Omni. In fact, the former rather much liked living. In fact, they didn't even feel tempted to kill Nobunaga, because they knew that the Oda over there was going to die in a few minutes. They also doubted that killing hi mnow would do much of anything.
|
|
|
Post by Mumiyoshi on Dec 21, 2009 10:10:14 GMT -5
One of the retainers standing around Nobunaga looked up in worry as the noises from above grew louder and more violent; it happened to be Ranmaru. He looked back at his lord and seemed on the point of saying something, but then thought better of it. Oda continued his incantations, but he didn't seem to be making any significant progress... well, of course he wasn't. Things would probably have been very different this night had Nobunaga managed to penetrate the heart of the temple before being arrested by Mitsuhide...
Yamiken stood back a bit. He didn't want to be caught in the forefront when the Akechi soldiers showed up. They were, after all, simply here as observers as far as this event went. Naga noticed Yamiken stepping back into the shadows and decided this was a wise idea. He did the same. Though in another shadow of course.
|
|
|
Post by Skylos on Dec 21, 2009 10:14:26 GMT -5
Since no one could sense their aura, Skylos stepped into a shadow, upon noticing the other two, then refracted some light to make him invisible. Omni heard them coming, and was tracking their auras as they closed in. Seeing the others already hidden, he did so as well. He then mused to himself that he should have just made everyone invisible to begin with.
|
|
|
Post by Mumiyoshi on Dec 21, 2009 10:21:19 GMT -5
Yamiken was actually thinking along the same lines at that moment in time... he made himself invisible, as subtly as he could. Auras hidden or not, there was still a chance that actually using power would give the game away for them... fortunately, Nobunaga seemed too absorbed in what he was doing to notice this small disturbance in the background.
Naga turned to glance at his companions... then had to resist the urge to start. Berating himself, he realised what they'd done... he decided to do the same, though in his case he altered the air around him rather than the light. Incidentally, he could use his power without any risk of detection; the charm on his wrist ensured that, being more powerful than simple aura-hiding magic.
Eventually, there a crashing came from down the corridor at the stairwell, followed by the pounding of feet. Moments later, a group of samurai burst in. "There he is!" their leader shouted, pointing at Nobunaga. "Capture him! For the honour of the Akechi!"
The attendants around Nobunaga all spun at the interruption. Then Ranmaru drew his katana and cried, "For our lord!" And with that, short, bloody battle was joined.
Nobunaga himself, however, ignored the commotion behind him, continuing with his chanting...
|
|
|
Post by Skylos on Dec 21, 2009 15:35:56 GMT -5
Skylos bit his lip as he stared at the battle. Now there was an urge to stop them...This was all meaningless... But he couldn't interrupt the flow of history.
Omni closed his eyes, pretending nothing was happening of interest. In other words, what he usually did.
|
|
|
Post by Mumiyoshi on Dec 21, 2009 15:43:12 GMT -5
Nobunaga's retainers made a good account of themselves, but more samurai kept coming. Before long, all had been cut down, with Ranmaru being the last to fall, eventually dying wounded in several places. The Akechi men then turned their attention to Nobunaga, who was still incanting. By now it was pretty obvious that he was genuinely unaware of what was going on around him, so absorbed his spell was he. That soon changed as one enemy samurai, more daring than the rest, went up to him and viciously clubbed him in the back with the butt of his spear. Nobunaga's eyes shot open and he fell forth with a bit of a cry, though more from surprise than pain. This proved to break the spell over the others who hadn't acted so fast, however, and within moments the maverick daimyo had been trussed up and was being led out by his captors.
Once they were gone, Yamiken dropped his invisibility. "I suggest we follow," he spoke. "Being unnoticed isn't a requirement now; as you may have already noticed, our armour - or at least, our illusions' armour - is no different from the Akechi's, so as long as we don't try to attack any of them..."
Seeing the sense on this, Naga dropped his own invisibility spell.
|
|