Welcome to Gaia! ::

AND

::Tenkou frowned...he had hoped to gaod the boy a bit more than that. But he was by no means out of ammunition. This simply meant a change in plans. And Nakago could surely accomplish it one way or another. He walked quickly "into" the wall...dissapearing, with the haze fadeing from veiw behind him::

::Nakago turned and headed towards the temple doors as if to leave, but stopped as a farmiliar purple haze materialize on the inside of the door::

::Tenkou had revised his enchantments on the way, this would serve the ultimate purpose better if it worked. He appeared again at the temple, his arms and face emerging from the door in Tomo-esque fashion.::

"What is it now Tenkou?"

::Borderline angry, but fairly emotionless::

"Just making things interesting..."

::Now in his hands were two earrings. The inital false replica, and another. The false replica still bore the purple orbs of Tenkou's power, to keep the motif of the "illusion" going. The other was simply made as a connection to the other. The enchanment, focused on Tenkou's hair fused with the earring, worked in similar fashion to Kodoku, though by no means as potent. More of a "Kodoku Light". Not something that completely changes a person, but brings out those attributes that would normally be restrained...generally anger and such similar things, coupled with the secondary which would be like a communicator between the two, for whispering little "hints" or ideas" that the wearer might not have thought of, and might mistake as his or her own thougts. Tenkou knew that the real earring would not support his enchantment, the Monks protections would not allow for any such things, so thgis would have to do at least long enough for the effects to fall into place::

"This one is yours to keep..." ::The new earring levitiating towards Nakago::

"..And this one is to fall into the hands of the Byakko. Control them. Use them...then destroy them! ::The other earring, purple orbs and all, floating out to meet the other::

::Nakago grabbed both earrings out of the air, the orbs supressed against the earrings and his hand::

::Tenkou and his haze faded out of sight, shrinking away, but leaving thet blood curling laugh to linger in the temple::

::Nakago frowned visibly, unsure of Tenkou's intentions He stepped forward and dissapated the last purp[le haze as he pushed the doors to the temple open, off to find their returned again Seishi.::

::Nakago tucked the second earring Tenkou had fashioned away, and held out his hand with the false replica. Opening his hand, the orbs began orbitting it and left it levitating above his hand. Simple magic, easily dispelled if Nakago wished it, but Tenkou had left it that way for a reason. For now, He tucked it away where he could quickly and easily retreive it, as it was the presumed reason for the returned Seishi...Tenkou thought so..and the memories Tomo had extracted verified it. So it would be instrumental, the real on if not the false one.::

::Then, the doors open, Tenkou vanished, Nakago emerged from the temple...some of the cieling and walls dripping fragments from Tatara's attack. He walked forward, a number fo things on his mnd, first, the wayward visitor, and second, Yui. So much had been going on, he had not been with her much. We'll need her soon...or all my protaganism will be for nothign no da! His mind bombarded with these and other things, he might have walked right past Tokaki...had he not been speaking as Nakago walked past::

::The words echoed in his mind:: "The ends justify the means"...

::He stopped mid walk and spoke, not even turning to face the lone seishi::

"Somehow I do not think you believe that...or else you would not be here right now."

Nuriko frowned at the lack of response. Perhaps she didnt hear him. At any rate, he should follow her. For all he knew, that phycho-puppy was still on the loose. He glanced up at Miaka, making sure she wasnt going to fall off anytime soon before tailing after the girl.

He approached her silently, the girl appeared to be deep in though so he wasnt sure if she had even heard them.

"If your lost, sitting in the middle of the forest isnt going to help much."

Nuriko stated, giving a friendly smile as he extended his hand down to the girl infront of him. He stared down at the female curiously- he didnt recognize her as being from around here. Athough she was fairly attractive... for a girl anyways.

[***Tokaki***]

"Yay." Tokaki muttered drily as he sauntered after the shogun. He would remain obedient for now and comply with the demands the shogun had but only until he was no longer tired, then he would take the opportunity to depart - but there was really very little he could do for now.

"You know, she really likes you," He began half to himself, glancing briefly at the shogun's back before glancing at the floor again, "Buuuut how do ya get her eh?" It was unclear as to who he was referring to, somewhat ambigious but it kept him amused. "Such a waste of a good woman, I mean c'mon...she likes you, like - really, really likes you?" He sighed and shook his head, a frown flicking onto his features.

"Pitiful, you don't even know how to appreciate her - and get off my damn shoulder!" he snapped, swatting at something unseen upon his shoulder, "Hey -"

"OW!"

"Oh...I..." Subaru blinked at the appearance of Nuriko and then chuckled slightly, bringing her hand to rub at the back of her neck, "Ah...well, wandering around isn't going to help much either is it?" She enquired gently and tilted her head to the side.

So he had returned, the man from before! But where were the other two that were with him? For a while she paused before at last taking his hand and nodding.

"So, what brings you to a place like this?" She enquired in a merry voice, "And...I'm Subaru by the way!"

Nuriko laughed slightly at her comment and nodded.

"No, I suppose that isn't either. But being in woods alone, probably isnt the best idea."

He helped the girl gently to her feet again and bowed his head in greeting.

"I'm Nuriko, and this is Miaka."

Nuriko introduced, pointing to the young girl clinging to his back like a monkey. He turned back to Subaru, trying to think of a simple way to explain it. It wasnt that he trusted the girl, but he did get an odd 'feeling' about her, unsure of weather it was good or bad.

"Oh, this is our friend's village. We're just travellers passing through."

~And~

ninja ninja ninja

::The black clad men continued to hold their tounges...reacting suspiciously at the strange behavior of their guest...and as he leapt, so did they ready to attack at a moments notice::

::Nakago eyed him as his strange behavior intensified. 'Such a strange breed these Byakko...the whole group of them......And who precisely does he mean...they seem to have more information about us..than we do about them...' As he returned to "normalcy in the hallway, Nakago cleared his throat::

::The elites snapped back to attention and their previous positions following::

::Continuing through the halls of the Palace:: "Each time you Byakko have...graced the prescence of Kutou...you insist on making it harder and harder to retain civil relations."

::He stopped suddenly mid step and turned staring Tokaki down:: "It would be wise for you to discontinue your brash demenour...I don't think your diety will come to the rescue again should I choose to dispatch you."

::He slowly turned back away from him..his eyes only leaving tokaki's at the last possible moment.:: "Considering this new information...That Byakko has already been summoned...it is not neccessary to kill any of you. Not even ::sarcastically:: poor, poor, Tatara...suffering from his illness. ::Now he pulled the fasle earring out and etended it in front of him as he walked, it leviteted in place moving with him, the purple orbs Tenkou cast circling:: "However...since the diety is already summoned...then your lives are no bargaining chip..and therefore, it befits me to kill Tatara by keeping this...and you by my own hands if need be. However...since Byakko has been summoned already...You need not continue to interfere with the affairs of Seiryuu. If killing you all is the only way to accomplish this...so be it.

::Finally the destination was reached...one of the dining Halls, as customary, food had been prepared regaurdless of the attendance and two servants stood at the doors. As the shogun approached the doors were opened and Nakago continued inside::

::The following elites took up postion next to the door from which they had enetered, while two others waited, one at a door at the far end of the room, anbd another at the door to the side.::

::Nakago sat in the chair at the head of the table, actually intending on eating, as he had not, and even one such as he needed to sustain his body. He moved his hand over a gold candle holder which was devoid of the candle, and the earring hovered there::

"It seems I have quite a decision in front of me..."

::Nakago pushed the plate that was in front of him to the side. Perhaps it was time to show this lad the severity of the situation? Make him think twice about asking to be killed? His icy blue eyes never left him and he didn't so much as blink, but sent his chi, focused directly at Tokaki, intending to "blast him against the wall, and hold him there, maintaining the pressure over his ability to use his own powers in such close proximity. Indeed...it was time to firghten him...one way or another.::