Description: With the plight of Earthrealm carried by Momiji back to her clan, the Master Ninja himself, Ryu Hayabusa, ventures to the woods in search of the Full Moon Society. There an alliance is struck to further oppose the forces of Outworld and perhaps lend the Hayabusa clan some assistance towards their local problems.
There are a great many things in this world that are viewed simply as myths and legends by the average person; stories of monsters, demons, dragons, and gods. These stories existed to help explain the way the natural world worked by people who had not yet mastered the sciences and found themselves faces by the inexplicable power of nature. An opportunity to help tear away are the fear of the unknown that haunts the deepest, most primitive levels of the human mind.
At least, that's what people tell themselves.
Many of those ancient stories were true... or at least wrapped around some small seed of truth. Powerful beings have always existed, able to help shape their own strength through the manipulation of the natural energy of the world or their own personal might. Monsters roam the world, beings that have been warped by some strange will of chi or alteration in their psionic well. The reason that these warped people have fallen into myth and legend rather than ruling the world with their powers is through the efforts of ancient bloodlines of heroes.
Heroes like the man born of the Dragon Lineage, Ryu Hayabusa, whose clan's mission for generations has been to protect artifacts of such great power that they could alter the balance of the Realms and to hold back the encroaching evils that would wish to make Earth their home. A man who has seen more blood spilled in his 23 years than most will see in a lifetime.
This is the man who now travels up the path toward an out of the way forest shrine on a chilly winter's night, with the moon just peeking over the treeline. A shrine that many would simply view as a small attraction on a nature hike, a simple place to rest weary legs before continuing onward or flowing back into the nearby city.
For him it is the destination.
The way he walks the path is somewhat odd. Despite wearing clothes that would help him blend into the night, he does not travel along the trees attempting to be nothing more than a shadow. His pace is even, showing no sign of the fatigue that causes many others who walk this path to pause at an empty shrine. He does not even rest a hand on the hilt of the sword that is sheathed across his back despite knowing full well that he approaches a strange power, whose intentions he only has an echo of from his apprentice. And, perhaps most surprising, although difficult to notice at first, his feet make no sound as he clears the final step into the clearing.
A full moon night.
The perfect time to wander to this secluded shrine.
There are some others that wander these path besides weary travelers and haplessly lost tourists. For as it is often the case, what are tourist attractions to most are places of great power to a few who know the truth behind myth and legend. True believers, be it due to sheer faith, or because they have seen things not meant for mortal eyes. People such as Ryu Hayabusa who walks towards this secluded are with purpose in each step, and people such as Nightwolf who happens to already be there.
Thing will become clearer to the wayward ninja as he approaches the shrine, for its not only the moon that lights his way towards the small, secluded temple. Light begins to be seen just outside the shrine in the form a large bonfire. This is no normal camp fire meant to keep people warm or cook food, there is an otherworldy sensation to it as any one with even the slightest capability to sense chi would notice. There is power flowing through the bonfire, a ritual perhaps currently in progress.
"Ate wankantanka
Wiconi mitawa ki el
Anpetu wanji a ke mi qui,
Heon wo pi la eci ci ye,
Micante ki eciya tanhan.."
Words are overheard as the shrine is approached, spoken by a man standing behind the bonfire garbed in decidedly non-Japanese clothing. Dressed in his normal buckskins, Nightwolf mumbles his incantations to the bonfire whilst he sprinkles more dust into it, causing the fire to burn brightly. There is a moment where he pauses, his eye lids opening showing blank white eyes beneath. It appears that the presence of the Hayabusa's heir has been noticed despite his super stealth. Must have something to do with all the dreamcatchers that are hanged on the nearby tree branches.
The sense that Something Is Here is strong. The atmosphere is charged, like the air before a thunderstorm. But it's not a foreboding feeling. Quite the opposite in fact; it feels as though a presence is here. A calm, watchful presence. Whether gods are a myth or not, something powerful watches over this place.
As Ryu approaches, the sense of being watched may be apparent. But like the overall presence, it's not a looming feeling of dread. Interest perhaps, but not ill will. And as he nears the Shrine, the air seems to be alive with static. Both the ninja and the shaman might find the small hairs on the back of their neck standing on end. And somehow it still manages not to be frightening.
Once Ryu gets to the perimeter of the shrine, something changes. It's a gentle lightning, if such a thing is possible. Quietly crackling into existence near the fire, wisps of blue-white lightning gather. And a shape forms from those wisps. A tall, broad-shouldered man in Asian garb much like a Buddhist monk. But the face visible under that conical hat doesn't look Asian at all. And his eyes, much like Nightwolf's, are blank white.
Power... Ryu Hayabusa has felt a great deal of power in his life. What stands out about this power is that it seems to lack the malevolence that he has all too often felt from sources this strong. He is not met with a feeling of unease or immanent violence. Perhaps if the Master Ninja had not been warned by his apprentice that one of the individuals here had the power of a god he would be put at unease, but this simply seems to confirm the information that Momiji had provided him.
Certainly, now it was a matter of determining if both parties' interests fell in line.
His path continues, taking him further into the clearing, closer to the shrine, and closer to the man that just appeared before him. This could well be the shinto god himself. Of all people, Hayabusa was not inclined to discount powerful spirits being real, especially not after being brought back from the verge of death by his own clan's guardian spirit.
"I am Ryu Hayabusa, Master Ninja of the Hayabusa Clan," his voices comes clear and confident, his tone forthright and to the point. "My apprentice, Momiji, has told me of your meeting as well as the fact that you claim to be Raiden himself." He offers a moment of attention toward the man in buckskins, then turns his eyes back to the man crackling with the spirit of lightning itself. "I am hear to speak to you as the voice of the entire Hayabusa Clan."
To be perfectly honest, Nightwolf feared that this might happen. While he's certainly not intimately well versed with Japanese clans of Demon Hunters, his experiences with the Ichijo clan have lead the Apache to believe that a good many of them are incredibly proud of their ways and dismissive of outsiders. The Sin Eater would at first liked to believe that the local Demon Hunters did not share the ideas of the Hunters Guild as a whole, that all Darkstalkers needed to be exterminated, and his meeting with Momiji had rekindled his hope that Ayame Ichijo was naught but a headstrong exception. However, as this Master Ninja approaches and speaks directly to Raiden, Nightwolf exhales a soft sigh as he recognizes the tone in his voice.
That is the sound of pride questioning if there is really such a thing as a God walking Earthrealm. It is not entirely different to the tone of voice Rugal addressed Raiden, wondering if the myth really could be real, and his eagerness to prove his strength had cost him dearly. It was, however, inevitable that after Momiji running off to inform her clan of her grand meeting, a warrior of the Hayabusa would come to seek them out to test their mettle.
Strange as it may sound, Nightwolf was more often than not Raiden's protector, not from outward threats, but he needed to protect overly proud mortals from picking a fight with the God of Thunder. Given the energy that swirls around the ninja and his weapons, something told Nightwolf that the Shrine would not survive such an event.. and he had worked so hard to repair it too!
Although clearly not the one directly addressed, Nightwolf interposes himself between Ryu and Raiden, regarding the man clad in similar uniform to the previous ninja that paid them a visit. "Greetings." He says, trying to ease tensions. "I am Nightwolf, Sin Eater of the Apache. We spoke to Momiji some time ago and bid welcome to one of her clan brothers. Is this a matter of the Society or do simply seek Lord Raiden's counsel?"
Raiden bows in greeting to Ryu's introduction. However, whether he recognizes the questioning tone or not, he doesn't comment on it. In fact he waits for Nightwolf to speak, and confirms, "Momiji did indeed come here, and mentioned joining forces. If we are both interested in protecting Earthrealm, it would be foolish to try to do so from separate fronts. With Outworld's invasion almost certainly imminent, any who wish to defend against it must present a united force, for the greatest chance of success."
It's only THEN that he addresses the questioning of his identity. "My being a god has been questioned before," he admits. "I do not fault those who do. It is natural to question what one finds difficult to believe. In this time of technology and science, there seems to be no room for the presence of gods. I do not expect you to believe in me, to trust me, merely because I call myself a god. But because I intend to fight for Earthrealm and its inhabitants against whatever may threaten it. Let my actions speak for themselves."
There is something strange that happens when you spend most of your life in a small village dedicated to mastering the art of combat to protect the world, especially when you are born into the ruling line, and a bloodline of destiny; Ryu Hayabusa is quite honestly not very good at talking to people in normal situations. Not that a meeting at a Japanese shrine between a ninja, a native american warrior, and a god could ever be considered normal.
And so now Hayabusa does his best to maintain the formal attitude of a leader, representing his entire clan while attempting to speak with a man of incredible power.
"I've come to you because Momiji told me that she believed you may well be Raiden-sama... and standing here, I am even more inclined to believe it." He finally reaches up to pull the mask down from his face. "I come to the both of you now," doing his best to avoid simply focusing entirely upon the lord of lightning, "because I can feel an ill wind howling, and a powerful storm is immanent. The Hayabusa clan has fought for generations to protect Earth from those who would seek to conquer it with supernatural might. We are dedicated, but small. Even with our current allies, I worry we may not have the strength to hold back the on-coming threat."
Azumi makes her way into the Shrine after quite a long period of absence. Nobody had seen her for quite time time, the werewolf abandoning her previous station of a lone tree and heading out to parts unknown. Since then, her attire hadn't seemed to change much at all, but it had a great deal of wear and tear upon it. Sleeves were ripped, her hands and...weird..dog...feet had bandages on them and her sweat pants were tattered at their ends.
As she makes her way up to the shrine proper she seems properly surprised by those gathered here...and in particular, two of them being people that she knew and a third that was....probably the closest thing to a super star in the ninja world. She walks around the side of the three gathered, passing a wave towards the relatively tame god-lord of thunder and his native american guy-friend to focus completely on Ryu, a wide, giddy smile creeping onto her face.
"Oh my god, are you serious? Like totally serious? Ryu Hayabusa, wielder of the Dragon Sword, of the famed Hayabusa clan, ass-kicker of demons and whatever military crap he comes across is just....here. Right in front of me. Just...ahem." She calms her-fangirling-self down and offers him a proper bow of respect towards him.
"It is truly an honor to meet one as famous as you."
It is fortunate that Nightwolf doesn't seem to have this problem. Even though he has lived his life much like Ryu, living and training in a small village dedicated to master combat and vanquishing demons, he seems to be very well traveled, his path as a Sin Eater having taking him all around the world and back. It is because of this that he seems to be a bit more articulate, and just the type of person necessary to act as a mediator between mortals and legitimate deity. The skinwalker pauses whilst Raiden and Ryu share their concerns before nodding once the Master Ninja reveals his intentions for traveling here. Nightwolf recognizes all the subtle signs; the pulling of the mask down is a sign of trust amongst the ninja, Momiji had done the same to them, and Ryu's tone of doubt is sincere when he speaks of that ill wind that heralds the coming of destruction. Perhaps, Ayame really was an exception amongst the local Demon Hunters after all.
"You have chosen wisely." Nods Nightwolf to the Master Ninja. "We know of this coming storm as well. It will be one that will threaten to consume all of Earthrealm and like you, we fear that what few allies we have gathered might not be enough to stop it."
Blank white eyes widen then in hope. "But together, things might fare differently for the forces of evil."
"If you have come to lend your sword in aid, we would be most glad to to accept the aid of another member of the Hayabusa. However, there are some technicalities that we must disclose before.."
And speaking of said technicalities, here comes one of them now. Nightwolf glances towards the wayward Azumi who after many weeks of absence just up and shows all of the sudden. The shaman is about to greet her when all hell breaks loose and she fangirls all over Ryu Hayabusa. Nightwolf arches an eyebrow and glances at Raiden for a moment to see his reaction to that before glancing back. "Right.."
So that happened.
"Ryu Hayabusa, this is Azumi. She's also one of our allies." Normally, Nightwolf would go ahead and do the full introduction for there are no secrets amongst the members of the Society. However, he's not too sure if Azumi still considers herself part of the Red Cloud clan or if her clan would even still accept her, and so he'll let her clarify that if needed. The question now is; will Ryu react negatively to a werewolf standing right in front of him?
Raiden nods to Ryu's words. "That was a concern of mine," he admits. "The forces of evil have multiplied. There must be warriors to stand in their way, otherwise Earthrealm will be lost in the storm." He pauses though, as Azumi begins to... well, fangirl... and chuckles quietly.
Oh he'd indeed felt the power Ryu Hayabusa commands. But unfortunately he didn't have a lot of memories of this to have any real sense of it. For Raiden's part, he merely was glad to have another who seemed to also be interested in defending Earthrealm.
In fact, this is exactly the opportunity Raiden takes, to greet Azumi with a smile. Bowing politely to her he offers, "Greetings to you, Azumi. It is good to see you again. I had concerns for your safety in your absence." Since he hadn't seen her for a while.
Nightwolf's concerns prove themselves valid, however, and Raiden nods. To Ryu, he explains, "We have amongst our allies some who are... not quite what you might call exactly 'human'. They are the 'Darkstalkers' you may of heard about. But it matters not to me whether our allies are quite human, so long as they hold the aim of protecting Earthrealm."
Then he will quiet so that Azumi can introduce herself, offering an apologetic look to her-- he'd merely wanted to be sure that Ryu would not instantly attack Azumi.
"
This is what happens now:
Ryu Hayabusa, a ninja of incredible skill who has been forced, by the nature of his position as a head of the Hayabusa clan and the Dragon Lineage that flows through his body, to take a great many lives of violent humans and fiends alike. A man who bears the nature of a man many times his age due to the heavy weight of responsibility that has been laid upon him, this Ryu Hayabusa is very suddenly set upon by the excitement of an overly enthusiastic and surprisingly hairy young woman who seems to know a great deal about him.
There is a moment where balance is shifted, and in a flash the Dragon Sword could have left its sheath and this young woman could very well have been cleaved in two by the Master Ninja.
Were Ryu Hayabusa less well trained, less masterful in the various ninja arts, violence could have errupted. Instead, there is a clear moment of confusion as his body begins to move into a defensive stance, his brow arcs downward into attention, and there is a flash like a brief, tempestuous gust as killing intent tugs at the end of its leash. And then it passes.
There is no look of danger from the men that Momiji has felt comfortable enough with to make an alliance. There is no violence exhuded by the beast woman.
Ryu Hayabusa is, at the very core of his being, a peaceful man who has come to accept that it his duty to take the path of death.
"...I... am honored that you think so highly of me..."
The werewolf may not be a master ninja, but she knew enough about murderous intent to figure that she was a razor's edge from being quite instantaneously slain. That same second he considers making a move, she drops into an even footed stance so that she could leap away if nessessary. She does have a palm facing him though, mostly as a gesture for him to calm down. Once that moment passes (and her heart starts back up again, because it'd recently purchased a ticket to whatever form of reincarnation she'd be subjected to if this went poorly) she elicits a small sigh of relief, her ears flattening against her head.
"I'd nearly forgotten about my appearance. Sorry about that. I'd been spending alot of time alone and...well...nevermind."
She gestures towards Raiden's introduction and takes a moment to adjust to a more casual, natural form of speaking. "Well, it's hard to not know of you but...forgive me, let me introduce myself, as my friend started to. I'm Azumi of...formally of the Red Cloud clan. I'm an exile now. I used to be one of their top hunters, but as you can guess, things haven't really been going my way. And it's an honor to meet you Sir Hayabusa. It's hard to not know of your exploits...I mean, you are practically a legend amongst us who use the shadows."
She looks down towards her clawed hands and starts counting off on them, raising a finger for each subject. Her tail slowly betrays her calm, wagging from side to side in poorly hidden awe. "Let's see, you've got a insanely cool weapon, you come from a legendary line of ninjas, I've seen tapes of you slicing through tanks like they were warm butter and it's rumored that you've taken down stories tall demons and planes. I think I remember a story about you visiting hell once and then there's that one about that giant chested lady who followed you around...okay multiple of them but still, that's not your fault right. A master weapon user, weilder of some of -THE- most powerful ninja magic we have and one of the only men I've ever heard of who can literally block an explosion...You might just be a personal hero of mine. Just maybe. Perhaps. Possibly. Ahem."
Realizing that her tail is nearing speeds of wagging that were borderline inappropriate, she reaches back and grabs it, holding it still for a moment. When she lets go, it returns to a much more neutral state. She turns to smile at the men awkwardly, showing off a mouth ful of sharp teeth.
"Sorry about that. Where were we?"
Nightwolf's own path is stained with blood as well. Likewise, he is no stranger to a killing intent when he senses, or in this case, plainly sees it like the light of day. However, Momiji had warned them that some of her clan members might react like this, it is to be expected, and as much as Azumi may not appreciate being used as bait, this is a perfect test of character for the legendary Ryu Hayabusa.
The shaman does nothing when it looks like Ryu is about to strike, his muscled arms are crossed in front of his broad chest and he waits. Will Ryu prove himself impulsive enough to attack someone just by the way they look? If so it will tell Nightwolf all he needs to know about this Master Ninja and if he should be trusted with the defense of the realm.
Nightwolf awaits, blank eyes wide staring at the Dragon Ninja. Telling him to /not do it/ with his gaze alone. Should he strike, Nightwolf is mentally prepared to jump in, but he must see if Ryu will fall prey to his own instincts.
And the Master Ninja relents.
Looks like he has passed the test.
Visible tension is released from Nightwolf's shoulders as the Dragon Ninja returns the polite greeting and waits for Azumi to impart her own introduction of the Ninja to the Society. "That is quite an extensive profile." Nightwolf states as a matter of fact. "It sounds just what we will need to overcome the forces of Outworld."
"But.." There is always a but. "Mere strength and skill will not win this war. As Lord Raiden has said, many of our allies are those who in another time we might have considered enemies. Azumi here is a walking, living example of this. The true challenge that awaits us now is not necessarily the storm that approaches, but that which rages from within."
"Ryu Hayabusa, if the legends are true then your strength is undeniable, and yet as the leader of your clan, you must show that you have the wisdom to wield such strength. Aid us in our plight, but I warn you not to fall victim to impulsiveness. Look beyond what you have been taught and help us lead Earthrealm to a new era of peace, free of prejudice towards those who were once called the dark ones. " Nightwolf actually has the /gall/ to warn Ryu Hayabusa of something, but hey, the shaman talks to Raiden, the God of Thunder, like he is his equal all the time. The Society has a very laissez faire style of government.
He then glances at Raiden in questioning. "What do you think, Haokah?"
That moment that Ryu almost seems like he's going to strike at Azumi... that's a tense one. In the mind of the Thunder God, there is movement. In that instant, Ryu may notice the surge of electricity zip across Raiden's frame. However, when Ryu decides not to attack, that lightning fades. And Raiden nods, once, in approval. There will be no violence here.
Azumi's recounting of the deeds of Ryu Hayabusa is one Raiden listens to intently. A great deal of priod experience in hunting evil, then. This will be very useful, if true. However, legends are often more told by word of mouth than by actual deed. But Raiden's also not going to immediately discount it. That's a lot of experience.
Here Raiden adds his voice to Nightwolf's words. "Those who answer evil's call will always outnumber those who answer the call of good. But yes, keep in mind that those who do answer may not always be those of the 'light'. The darkness may answer the call to defend Earthrealm from those who threaten it, whether if out of true good will or merely to protect its home. These are strange times, and allies may come from anywhere. It is important to show these allies that we are understanding... else we may lose these potential allies to the force that invades."
He nods to Nightwolf's question. "Any who would stand against the storm approaching is welcome here." A look at Ryu, indicating he means the ninja is welcome as well. And here he extends a hand to Ryu. "We will aid you, if we can count upon your aid in ridding Earthrealm of that which threatens it."
It's strange to Hayabusa to hear Ayumi talk about his past deeds. Not because he chooses never to speak of them, but because they are primarly spoken of within his own clan to help keep records, to teach the younger ninja, or as warnings of the threats that one may have to face and withstand. Hayabusa is not proud of his violent accomplishments. He has alway been pleased that he has been strong enough to complete those tasks which much be completed, but he has no grand desire for personal strength.
He also knows well that those who are afflicted or the service of fiends do not always do so of their own accord. The fact that so few of the fiends he battles have anything but a desire for violence and strength is what has led to the tremendous amount of blood that has stained the warrior's hands.
"All those who follow the path of righteousness or are forced into circumstances against the will of their own soul deserve peace and redemption. I will never turn on a true ally, and while I may be forced to strike hard and directly, I do not take violence lightly." When the ninja speaks, especially when one has the opportunity to look him in the eyes, it's difficult to imagine that this man is only 23 years old.
"The Hayabusa clan holds close its mission to protect the Earth from all fiends that wish to lay claim to it," Hayabusa says directly to Raiden. "Our missions are aligned, and I will be proud to call you all my allies. Whatever information you have on these new enemies would prove invaluable."
Azumi's smile fades as it seems as though the men were speaking of something less than desirable happening soon. She looks between them as they speak before piping up herself. "So...understandably, I've been a bit out of the loop with..ah...personal issues, but you guys all sound like the end is nigh or something. And I imagine if this guy is here..." She casually gesutres towards Ryu with a lazy finger. "Then that sounds about right. So what is it that's going on that's got everyone on such edge? Anything I can help with?"
"Then it is settled." Says Nightwolf as he uncrosses his arms, glancing at the Master Ninja with his blank white eyes. Such a curious individual indeed, one that wields so much power at such a young age. It is perhaps understandable why Ryu still has some impulsiveness about him, he has not given the proper time to grow. Nevertheless, that is not to say that he is immature, as he carries himself with the strength of a leader and a warrior, Nightwolf knows that when the darkness comes, Ryu will prove himself to be a formidable ally. Truthfully, he is now more concerned about him mistaking an allied Darkstalker for an enemy than he is of Outworld demons invading. Only time will tell the shaman which of the two will prove to be more dangerous.
"I offer to you the same as I did your ally, Momiji. Just as you help us defend Earthrealm from the coming invasion, should you ever be in need of our aid, we will be there to assist you, Ryu Hayabusa. Call upon us, for we are now your brothers in arms."
"That is what it means to form part of the Full Moon Society."
To Azumi, Nightwolf gives an amused chuckle. Looks like the girl is still not looking at the big picture despite all the evidence before her. How strange that she questions all of this when she herself walks as a werewolf. "War is coming Azumi, and we will need all the aid we can get to emerge victorious."
"When exactly will this happen, I do not know. All we can do for the moment is to prepare."
Raiden dips his head in acknowledgement to Ryu's words. "Thank you," he offers earnestly. While Nightwolf explains to Ryu, Azumi's words draw Raiden's attention, and he looks to her. "The furies have shifted, and evil creatures rise to walk. Nightwolf himself has seen them... the forces of Outworld have begun to make their move, and other evil creatures stalk the land now. I myself have seen that evil exists in humans willing to allow it to gain a foothold inside them as well. We fight not only an invasion from outside, but now we much be wary of threats within humanity as well."
There are a great many things beginning to shift in the world, and even more when you look beyond the threats from beyond this Realm and focus on the human elements. There is a limit to how much you can control, but perhaps with more allies they will at least be able to keep the threats more local. Hayabusa pipes in with his own information. "There is type of fiend called a Tengu... they had been banished to their own domain for quite some time, but recently their leader was murdered by one of their own and they have begun to spill forth into this domain. Momiji has located one that currently appears to not be a threat and I have tasked her with watching over her to make certain there is no true threat." He pauses, "The Tengu were the responsibility of one of the Hayabusa clan's allies, the Mugen Tenshin, and as such any information you have to locate further rogue fiends, or the murderer himself would prove invaluable."
There is a thoughtful moment before Hayabusa adds. "I believe the most important aspect of this alliance will be keeping lines of communication open between all of us. A wide network of information has always been a strength to ninja clans, and if we must be concerned with all the... Realms attempting to break barriers, then we must have eyes beyond eyes."
Azumi has most of her questions answered well enough for the time being, though the mention of there being an outworld is a little...eyebrow raising. Never the less, she folds her arms over each other absentmindedly as she raises one hand to stroke her chin. This is Azumi's buisiness face. "If it's got you three worried, then it sounds like some serious cause for concern. Normally I'd have some information on something like this from the proper channels, but as an exile, that's no longer an option. However, if you guys want me to be of a whole lot of use to you, I do have a favor I'd like to ask."
She turns towards Ryu and rubs a finger behind one of her ears. "It's quite obvious that since my ah...accident, I've had quite a few things taken from me; my sword for starters, my gear and even my Psi. I may have fixed that last problem with alot of meditation, but there's still the matter of the first two. Master Hayabusa, would any of your tailors or blacksmiths be willing to supply me with some attire more...suited to my current predictament? If not, that's understandable, as we've just met and it's bad form to already be asking a favor. I'd normally just go make some money and go purchase this type of thing, but I'm sure you are aware just how...special some of the equipment we use is."
Nightwolf is pensive for a moment as this information is exchanged. As Azami asks for Ryu's assistance, the Apache brave is given some time to consider a few things that the Master Ninja spoke of, namely the incident with the Tengu.
Being very in touch with the supernatural, this is not the first time that Nightwolf has heard of the Tengu causing problems locally. First it was Ayame mentioning it, then that one tourist, then Momiji herself when she first visited them. Every time Nightwolf had, frankly, ignored it since from what he knows of Tengu they are naught but mischievous creatures at best and paid them little mind. As Raiden said, he's been having to deal with Outworld enforcers that literally tried to eat his face off and another one that nearly cut him to ribbons. Adding his encounter with on Vampire God /and/ a literal Grim Reaper, let's just say that Nightwolf was not too terribly concerned about a roaming Tengu pulling pranks on people.
But then Ryu Hayabusa is talking about now, and he is right, if they are going to beat Outworld they cannot ignore the smaller details. Besides, suddenly the Tengu incident is sounding more complicated than he initially gave it credit.
Perhaps it's time he looked further into it. He glances at Ryu first and says, "This is not the first time I hear of the local Tengu incident. Rest assured, if I find any information about it, I will inform you immediately." Then he glances between Azumi and the Master Ninja, wondering if Hayabusa might comply. Such is not needed but it might strengthen their ties if Ryu is helping Azumi out just as Nightwolf promised to help him with his Tengu dilemma.
Log created on 13:16:06 01/16/2015 by Nightwolf, and last modified on 21:23:32 01/16/2015.