Hunters Moon - IC

[Keeper]

Moon curled her hands around the hot cup savouring the warmth.
She allowed a wry smile to pull at the corners of her mouth as though she was resignedly accepting that Chang had discovered her secret. She saw no reason to correct him.
"Yes, Yun-Soo. More specifically Pi-Ka. The family have not heard from her in a long while. I need to find her."

[arcanus]

The Dragons Eye Curio Shop - San Francisco China Town - 1869
As a Lantern, Cheung Moon was a ceremony keeper and adjudicator of law, as such within the Beast Courts her auspice was second only to the Mirrors or Courtiers in their knowledge of the ancient Rites.

The key difference was that the majority of The Lanterns rites were solitary, even the ceremonial could be conducted by ones self, whereabouts whilst the Mirror had the same command of the smaller rites, their task was to mask the grand ceremonies.
In learning The Jamjaneun Yeonghon Uisig or Sleeping Spirit Rite its mystic mark left an imprint upon her spirit senses, although she knew not the type of spirits within the objects around her and would not without conducting the rite, she could hear them snoring, in their natural state as spirits of things they slept.

She smiled, a peaceful place, as she settled relaxing from the warmth of the tea she sensed that she couldn't hear the outside spirit world, the street outside had the sound of running water, which it occured she had heard from the shops doorway but all was silent now, other than the snoring.

The two of them sat in silence for a while enjoying the tea and the quiet, before Chang placed his cup on the table and smiled
"So can I be impertinent and look at that fine item" Moon noted he was hinting with his eyebrows at her sword
She thought for a moment, before nodding and handing him the weapon her palms open handed in offering, as she did unnoticed by Chang, Moon felt her teeth sharpen and a thin faint layer of orange fur crept across her forearms, her rage strained against the Worry Beads as she readied herself to strike if needed.
Chang took it as if carrying a new born baby, gently drawing it from its cloth sheath
His eyes widened "What Beautiful craftsmanship, 17th Century I would say but I'm no expert in Japanese Wakazushi, other than recognising one" he winked, as he looked along the blade Moon noted that its spirit inhabitant seemed to stir slightly
"Wonderful" he said again a hint of boyish excitement about him, he was now captivated by the blade
"These symbols, hmmm don't recognise them, not any eastern pictogram I've seen before, fascinating,, ah no matter, no doubt a family set"

Whilst he examined the sword, tracing the fine etching along the blade Moon observed him, she drew in his scent and looked upon him with spirit eyes, she breathed a sigh of relief although didn't relax, he was human, there was something curious about him, a scent of the wyld or possibly an attunement to the entity of creation but other than that her senses detected no greater power or hidden nature to him.

He laughed "Moon" he said bowing and returning her offering of the sword by doing the same, open handed with head bowed "You have brightened my day, thank you for sharing your heirloom with this nosy antiquarian"
"Yes I know of the Yun-Soo Family, clever people, industrious, Pi Ka's son is a carpenter, boatbuilder and fisherman, can I ask is she in danger?"
"There is much turmoil at home Master Chang and I have heard that the America's become more and more dangerous for people of the east, I pledged to her family to come and ensure she was safe, but no specific danger" she replied
"Why do you know of something that troubles Yun-Soo?" she added
Chang stood stiffly cricking his neck "Aiya old bones" he grumbled before hobbling over to the tea set
"Well nothing specifically for the Yun-Soo family, Moon, but there is much in the way of poor harmony, we craftspeople belong to the Gongshang Tuenti (Crafts and Trade Guild), lately some Traditional Zhongguoren have started to try and kick the Wakoku, Kujo and Nayue out of the guild.
It is very sad we have all got along very well, it has been good for our community and business, the younger ones often fight in the streets, as if we don't have enough trouble from the Laowai"
At that he looked saddened and a little defeated

[Keeper]

Moon saw the saddened expression but tried not to let on that she had noticed.
For a moment she sat in silence until something occurred to her.
“Grandfather, are you grandchildren having trouble?” she asked. There was something about the old man’s saddened face that his comment had had a personal implication.
Chang tilted his head forward, bowed almost to the point where his chin touched his chest, and sighed resignedly.
Moon understood his reticence; it was difficult to ask for help from friends and neighbours. To ask from a stranger was deeply embarrassing. For that reason she didn’t push the subject further.
Moon smiled again, lightly touching the old man’s elbow in a very uncharacteristically familiar gesture.
“It is getting late, honourable grandfather, and I have travelled far today. Perhaps I shall return tomorrow, but now I must sleep. Is there a place nearby where I might rent a room? An inn or boarding house, perhaps?”
The old man had flinched upon her touch, as though the gentle hand had been painful, but Moon realised that the pain was emotional rather than physical.
It was too soon in their association for the man to open up to her and so she backed away to give him both physical and personal space, picking up her travel roll and her sword.
Looking slightly flustered, Chang shuffled a few things around. “I’m sure we could make a bed up for you here,” he offered.
“That is incredibly kind, Master Chang, but I will not burden you. I will return in the morning to discuss Yun-Soo.”
Chang nodded. “Of course, Miss Moon. Well, you can find an inn, hotels they call them around here, left as you leave and then first right. It is run by Yung Ko Pa and his wife. Very reasonable price and they are honourable, they will not stiff you!” Chang laughed and then added, “Tell them I sent you and you will get a better room!”
With that Moon thanked him again and walked out of the back room.
The old man’s granddaughter was putting away a few things that were placed outside the shop door and placed a sign that read ‘closed’ in the window.
Moon smiled at her as she passed. “Hello,” she said. “I am Moon.”
“Ling-su,” the girl replied.
“If your grandfather allows it, when I have time to spare, would you show me around the city? It would be nice to learn of it from a friend,” Moon said confidently.
“Erm, yes, of course,” Ling-su beamed. “If grandfather permits.”

Moon stepped out into the dark night, the noise of the bustling city returning once more. She walked far enough away from the shop as to not be overheard.
“So, where have you disappeared to, Master Cat?” she said to the night.

[arcanus]

Moon sniffed the air, she could immediately smell Master Tails scent and more importantly she could hear his meow lingering on the Chi that flowed throughout the street, his meow was one of distress.

She snarled feeling her rage rise, Worry Beads or not, quickening her pace she broke into a jog as she did so she could sense the cries of spririts also lingering upon the current, her senses were sharp, she had his scent locked into her spirit senses and led her through winding backstreets and alleys.

Occasionally a drunkard or wretch would venture from the filthy shadows, her eyes shone, her teeth sharp although the apes minds were blinded by the masque of rage, her beast warned them away.

Following Master Tails calls she arrived outside of a fish warehouse.

[arcanus]

San Francisco Chinatown - Near Pacific Avenue
The area was made up of closely packed wooden buildings, its streets and alleyways at most two hand carts width, the smell of spices barely managing to mask hung meat, fish guts and waste, although the rapidly growing city had a sewer system it was rudimentary and better in some neighbourhoods than others, odious steam billowed from a nearby grate.

The only light was provided by the stars on this moonless evening and lanterns hanging from walls or porches, hidden in the predators shadows Moon listened, carefully hiding her travel pack behind some barrels, she could make out voices inside the warehouse.

Almost as swift as lightning she darted from her cover, silently bounced off an adjorning building and up onto the roof, quickly identifying the roof beams she quietly moved across to the skylight, looking around she noted that most flat roofed buildings had them presumably to vent odours and heat during the day.

Peering over the openings edge she saw that the interior of the warehouse was illuminated by a faint green light coming from several ornate wodden lanterns, the majority of the warehouse floor was taken up by prep tables next to stacks of crates of what she presumed were salted or pickled fish, there was one corner clear where were around two dozen ornate bird cages had been unloaded from a handcart onto a row of empty wooden boxes.
At first it appeared as if the cages were empty until she noticed that under the flickering green light, faint shapes moved inside the cages, looking across them she quickly saw the more distinct shape of Master Tails, the one thing she recognised from this place was fear.

She watched as three oriental men moved between the cages, one appeared to be supervising writing something on a scroll of parchment, the other two were making faces at the unseen occupants, jeering, all three wore brass goggles with opaque pale green jade lenses.
She hissed as one of the two bullys his back to his companions stretched open his mouth a long snake like tongue sliding down his chest licking the nearest cage, she silently snarled only a few cages away from Master Tails.

<"You, new lacky!'> snapped the supervisor at the long tongued man, who stiffened and quickly recoiled his tongue before turning and bowing.
<"Stop fooling around and check outside">, the long tongue man nodded and made his way into the darkness of the building, the supervisor shook his head dismissively whilst the third man although not admonished stopped his mischief and started to organise the cages.

[arcanus]

Moon snarled her eyes shone orange, willing herself to change, from deep down inside her Mother Tiger roared to be free.
Her pupils narrowing to slits, her delicate features becoming heavier boned and a thin layer of pure white fur complete with faint black stripes rippling across her face and body, her teeth whilst retaining their human shape gained points although her incisors lengthened into fangs.
The tips of her ears lengthened to points with tufts of black and white hair, always athletically muscled she now gained 50 lbs of hard muscle and 4 inches of height, the physique of a heavily built gymnast, her hair turning from sheer black to purest white and a long white and black striped tail pushing out of her waistline.

She suppressed a deep growl, spasming with animal rage as it swept her body threatening to take control and hunt.

Peering over the front section of the roof she watched long tongued man setp out of the door, look around and then turn to his left, as silent as a ghost she dropped from the roof to the floor, she moved with inhuman strength and speed, without a sound she bounded up to behind the man and in a single stroke, her Wakazushi cut his head off.

She snarled as the body flailed and with a juddering motion slumping on the ground, the blood that gushed from the wound a thick golden fluid that thrashed around of its own accord, it appeared to try and find its head which lay across the alley a look of utter shock cast into its features.
Moon felt another shudder of rage and faintly heard the jade Spirit of her sword stir.

[Keeper]

Moon felt repulsed by the foul ichor that speed from the body's severed neck.
The strike had been swift enough but even so, as she checked the wakazishi's blade she could see the smear of the stuff across its flawless surface.
She wiped the blade on the dead man's shirt, and just for good measure kicked the head further away from the body.
Turning to the door from which the man had emerged she finally let slip a deep growl.
Again she emptied stealth, entering the building silently and approving the voices within under the cover of the deep shadows inside the factory.
Her nose wrinkled in disgust at the smell of rancid fish and something else even more foul.
There was a clang of metal on metal filled by an "oof!"
"Be careful with those you idiot!" the apparent leader of the group admonished.
Moon crept to a spot where she could see both men through a gap in the fishy smelling crates.
She waited patiently for the two to get close to one another.
It didn't take long, leader coming to stand alongside the lackey.
Tails was there, in the cage beside the men. The cat's eyes locked with Moon's across the dark space.
He hissed and spat and lunged at the cage door.
Both men turned to the noise, backs to Moon, leader slammed his hand down on the top of the cage.
"Quiet! You mangey piece of shit!" he barked.
At that exact moment Moon landed herself from the shadows.

[arcanus]

Moon launched herself from the shadows of the doorway, as she did her movement seemed to catch the supervisors eye, he turned as she landed behind the lackey.
In a single motion she brought the Wakazushi down in a diagonal blow through his shoulder and slicing the lackeys entire head, kneck and right shoulder and arm clean off, a grotesque amount of red blood erupted from his body as it fell in two halves.

The coppery smell of fresh blood was thick and flooded Moons nostrils, she felt Mother Tiger claw at her to release the frenzy, she roared with feral hunger but kept the beast down.

The cages erupted in a cacophony of chirps, shrieks and howls almost invisible occupants frantically rocking their prisons, the supervisor stumbled back his eyes hidden by the opague glasses, his face aghast in terror.

As she side-stepped the gushing torrent of blood he quickly fumbled something from a red velvet pouch tied to his belt and lobbed it at Moon.
Unable to move that quickly she braced herself as the object, a firecracker hit her shoulder and erupted in a brilliant flash of white light, she felt the shockwave gnaw at her spirit-self, a few of the nearest cages shrieked in pain however she seemed unharmed and had blinked quicky enough to avoid being blinded.

She spun a fluid spinning motion taking her into a moving crouching position, flowing into a circular arc propelling her toward the supervisor who had by now turned, trying to flee, desperately zigg zagging but to no avail.
As Moon finished her arc she ended by thrusting the blade through his back and out of his middriff, savagely finishing by turning the blade and slicing out through his ribs.

She watched dismissively and snarled at him as he crumpled and she stood, a look of utter shock upon his face.

[Keeper]

Moon glared at the bodies, sword in one hand, claws of the other extended. She was motionless, fur tipped ears pricked, listening for any signs that there were more people in the building.
Aside from the odd chitter from a caged creature, no other sounds came to her.
Her breathing calmed, her Rage ebbing and she sheathed the sword.
Clutching the beads around her neck she felt them grow hot and closing her eyes she willed herself back to her smooth skinned homid form.

The cages were sturdy and locked, but the locks did not look like any that Moon had seen before and they felt… wrong. The locks themselves were plain boxes with an octagonal hole in the centre.
Although she knew it would be pointless she tried the cage and found no give in the structure.
“You’re not planning on leaving me her, I hope,” Tails said in a half-joking manner.
She arched an eyebrow at him. “Suddenly considering it,” she quipped.
Grimacing at the thought of having to touch them she logically concluded that the supervisor would likely have a key on him.
Searching through his pockets her hand suddenly recoiled and she yelped.
“What? What is it?” Tails implored with a genuinely worried look in his feline face.
Ignoring the cat, Moon slowly returned her hand to the man’s pocket, her nose wrinkling in disgust.
She pulled out a chain with a long black crystal about the size of the little finger. It was inset into a silver ring and hung from the chain like a pendant. It looked innocuous, but felt altogether unpleasant and the hairs on the back of Moon’s neck stood on end. It reeked of the Wyrm.
She held it at arm’s length.
“That’s it!” Tails hissed.
“That’s what?”
“That’s what they used to lock the cage,” the cat said excitedly.
Inserting the pendant into the hole a clunk could be heard from within but it was accompanied by something just beyond normal human senses; a cry or wail of distress and agony. She could kind of hear it as though it was happening outside the building and up the street a ways. But Tails’ back arched, fur on end and he hissed at the lock.
“What was that?” Moon asked but got no reply from the aghast cat.
It took a moment after he had been released for Tails to regain his composure. “I’m not sure, but it was very unsettling. It was like listening to someone die!”
“I’ll let the others out and then we’ll get out of here,” Moon said moving to the next cage.
As she released the lock the pained wail came again and once more Tails hissed.
Moon opened the cage then stood back as the semi-visible occupant darted passed and out into the shadowed night city.
Glancing down suspiciously at the pendant which she held by the ring she touched the pointed end to her skin and flinched.
It stung like nettles.
At that point Moon knew, not for definite but with a high degree of certainty that this diabolic gem was designed to inflict harm on spirits.
Had these bastards somehow bound spirits to these locks and the only way to unlock them again was to force the spirit to release it? The simplest way would be to kill the spirit, and for that this crystal had been created?
“What sort of land is this where such a thing can be created in such a way, Master Tails?”
The cat remained solemn and uncharacteristically quiet.
Moon shook her head in disbelief, eyes welling up at the realisation of what she had to do.
“I’m so sorry,” she said to the remaining cages, knowing that there was nothing she could do to save the little entities trapped inside the locks. They were doomed from the start, but at least now their deaths would mean the creature trapped within the cage would be free and could return to Gaia and the umbra having escaped whatever dire plan had awaited them.
Inserting the crystal into each lock wrenched at her soul but eventually there were no more left and all of the creatures were released.
Distraught at what had just befallen, Moon found she was unable to think.
Something nudged her leg. The cat preened himself against her. “Come, Moon, let us leave this place,” he said.

Moon didn’t speak but walked out silently into the fresh night air.

[arcanus]

San Francisco Chinatown - Pacific Avenue
Moon made her way swiftly from the warehouse and alleyway, her other senses told her that there was a sudden flurry of spirit movement fleeing down the alleyway.

Tiredness washed over her turning into a wider alley, the sign in Cantonese proclaiming it as Pacific Avenue, in reality it was a slightly wider alleyway.
She made her way towards the Jīn tàiyáng jiǔguǎn (Golden Sun Tavern), it was now late evening, people were shutting up, closing shutters and locking away shopfronts and wares.

The tavern was a simple two story building, washed white lined with red beams, which in turn were inscribed with gold text.
She approached the single red door, lantern light flickering through the screen windows, as she entered a bell chimed announcing her arrival, a short kind faced woman appeared from a room behind the reception counter.

"You must be Cheung Moon" she said in Cantonese and winked "Mao Chang send his grandson to let us know you would be staying, you look tired young lady, come lets get some food in you and show you your room"
Before Moon could utter a word she ushered through to a dining room and sat at a long table, at the end of the room through an archway she could see a small kitchen, the lady hummed a tune as she disappeared into the room and reappeared with a stack of dumpling steamers.

Moon hungrily tucked into the pork dumplings, which were delicious, once she'd eaten she was led up two flights of stairs arriving at a short corridor in the attic.
The woman let her into a small but comfortable room, she smiled and bowed "My name is Yung Ren, goodnight, sleep well Cheung Moon"

Moon bid her goodnight, locking the door she smiled at Master Tail's who was nosily investigating the room, before settling down and shifting to her Den Realm.