Hatate Quest

[O4rfish]

I don't see it as being a risk. It's just the next step in the conversation of her snubbing us. She's going to pretend we don't have an angle on her whether we do or not.

[Oldmansour]

>"I was just trying to help clean up, since you're busy reading up on the Yakumos and stuff."

>The Dai-tengu slowly turns her head towards you, that arrogant smirk plastered back on her face. "You find that interesting?" she asks.

[Hello Purvis]

>"I find news interesting, and we can both agree this sort of thing is newsworthy."

[Oldmansour]

>"I find news interesting, and we can both agree this sort of thing is newsworthy."

>"Then perhaps you should find the Yakumos and do your own investigating." Tsubaki suggests. "They could have all manner of interesting things to tell you."

[Hello Purvis]

>"Oh, would you have a recommended way to contact them?"

[Oldmansour]

>"Oh, would you have a recommended way to contact them?"

>"I'm sure you can come up with something."

[Hello Purvis]

>"I could, I could. Could you give a place to get lockpicks, in case I need to jimmy a few open?"

[Oldmansour]

>"I could, I could. Could you give a place to get lockpicks, in case I need to jimmy a few open?"

>Tsubaki's arrogant smile becomes a bit more pointed. "You have a very clever mouth. But you should be careful who you use it around. It could get you in a lot more trouble than a lockpick can."

[Hello Purvis]

>"So, you made your own, then? Could I commission a set?"

[Oldmansour]

>"So, you made your own, then? Could I commission a set?"

>"How you spend your money is your business. Mine is here. And since I'm sure you have your own investigative reports to conduct, I invite you to leave me. Now." she adds, quite firmly.

[Hello Purvis]

>"Oh no, I'm mostly done with my latest scoop's investigation. Have any final comments?"

[Oldmansour]

>"Oh no, I'm mostly done with my latest scoop's investigation. Have any final comments?"

>Tsubaki does not answer.

[Hello Purvis]

>Glance to Momiji. "You ready?"

[Oldmansour]

>Glance to Momiji. "You ready?"

>With a quick glance at Tsubaki, Momiji answers, "Quite."

[Hello Purvis]

>Nod, and head out. Now that we have more time, look around for more signs of tampering in the hall.

[Oldmansour]

>Nod, and head out. Now that we have more time, look around for more signs of tampering in the hall.

>With a measure of relief, you leave Aya's study. Momiji folds her hands in front of her and gives Tsubaki a slight yet respectful bow. "Ayatsuji-sama." She then turns and follows you down the hallway back the way you came. You examine the other doors, the walls, the bits of decoration and furniture within sight, but nothing shows any obvious sign of disturbance. Apart from the slightly askew picture you noted earlier.

[Hello Purvis]

>If we whisper, do we think that Tsubaki would be unable to hear us, or is dai-tengu hearing that sharp?
>Assuming we feel confident about it, whisper, "Do you think there's something behind that picture?"

[Oldmansour]

>If we whisper, do we think that Tsubaki would be unable to hear us, or is dai-tengu hearing that sharp?
>Assuming we feel confident about it, whisper, "Do you think there's something behind that picture?"

>The hearing of the average Dai-tengu is a bit sharper than the average Crow tengu. There are even some who have ears as sharp as a White Wolf, though you don't know where Tsubaki's ears rank. Even if she only has average hearing for a Dai-tengu, you would ideally want at least one closed door between you and her before talking to Momiji, preferably at the other end of the hall or downstairs, somewhere with a bit of distance between you and her.

[Hello Purvis]

>Then say nothing. Instead, walk up to the picture and very lightly pull it outward a little, and glance to Momiji questioningly.

[Oldmansour]

>Then say nothing. Instead, walk up to the picture and very lightly pull it outward a little, and glance to Momiji questioningly.

>Holding your tongue for now, you head back downstairs to the picture you noted earlier. Momiji gives you a small shrug as you pull it slightly out from the wall.

[Hello Purvis]

>Lift it out and peek behind the picture,  then check the back of the picture.

[Oldmansour]

>Lift it out and peek behind the picture,  then check the back of the picture.

>Carefully, you lift the picture of yourself, Momiji and Aya off of the wall, and examine the back of the frame. It seems a perfectly normal frame.

[Hello Purvis]

>Nothing behind the picture, either? Or signs that there used to be something on either which has since been taken?
>Assuming so, replace it as we found it.

[Oldmansour]

>Nothing behind the picture, either? Or signs that there used to be something on either which has since been taken?
>Assuming so, replace it as we found it.

>If there was anything concealed behind the picture before your arrival, you can detect no evidence of its removal. Nor are there any signs on the wall of any such.
>Finishing your examination, you place the picture back on the wall.

[Hello Purvis]

>Make sure the angle is just so, then leave and keep leaving until we are confident that we are out of earshot.

[Oldmansour]

>Make sure the angle is just so, then leave and keep leaving until we are confident that we are out of earshot.

>You make sure the picture is hanging straight on the wall. Aya'll appreciate that. And with that done, you depart Aya's manor, Momiji closing and locking the door behind her as she exits behind you. To put some distance between yourself and Tsubaki, you take flight, heading basically straight up, with the white wolf following you.
>"I don't know if that was brave, or just stupid." Momiji says with a shake of her head as you climb.

[Hello Purvis]

>"So, we're in agreement she's up to something really bad, right?"

[Oldmansour]

>"So, we're in agreement she's up to something really bad, right?"

>Momiji glances down. "I agree she can't be up to anything good. But you almost got yourself thrown into Ironsky, the way you were carrying on."
>Momiji makes reference to a mostly disused (hopefully) prison hidden somewhere on the mountain, where Dai-tengu imprison those who interfere with their works, or who perpetrate crime against them.

[Hello Purvis]

>"Not with the evidence stacked against her like it is, the only option she had was to try to intimidate us into doing nothing. I mean, a dai-tengu just broke into someone's house, and we caught her reading up on the Yakumo family. She can't even say it was some idle curiosity, because if it was she would have just sent some luckless flunky to do her dirty work, right? That means, what she's up to, she doesn't want anyone knowing about. So, what we need to do is take this right to the top, as soon as I get all these pictures onto paper."
>"Oh, and keep an eye out for some spiderweb, I'm going to need it."

[Oldmansour]

>"Not with the evidence stacked against her like it is, the only option she had was to try to intimidate us into doing nothing. I mean, a dai-tengu just broke into someone's house, and we caught her reading up on the Yakumo family. She can't even say it was some idle curiosity, because if it was she would have just sent some luckless flunky to do her dirty work, right? That means, what she's up to, she doesn't want anyone knowing about. So, what we need to do is take this right to the top, as soon as I get all these pictures onto paper."
>"Oh, and keep an eye out for some spiderweb, I'm going to need it."

>Momiji regards you with a rather grave expression. "Hatate, you know I'm your friend. I know how serious you take your job, it's who you are. But this is one thing you should let Aya handle. Tell her about this when we find her, and let her decide what to do. Interfering with a Dai-tengu is something she knows how to do, but you don't."