Last of the Line [Ze Blitzkrieg]

[Lazy Kitsune]

Name: Kadenokōji Tomoki
Age: 18
Gender: Male
Race: Human
Appearance:

Spoiler (click to show/hide):

Perks:

Infernal Constitution: By way of their sorcery, the Kadenokōji clan has had no shortage of scions descended from oni, yōkai or otherwise supernatural beings. Tomoki is no exception to this rule, and his mystical heritage has endowed him with a level of superhuman vitality. He does not tire or grow ill easily, his body is more resilient to damage or intrusion than an ordinary person, and he recovers from fatigue and injury very quickly. A useful thing, given the nature of his work.
Keen Intellect: Tomoki possesses a quick mind and a sharp eye, and is quick to analyze problems and come up with their solutions. Whether it's solving a yōkai's riddle, or decoding the cipher of some ancient clan of sorcerers to divine their secrets, tasks of the mind tend to come easier to him than most.
Natural Beauty: The sorceresses of the Kadenokōji clan are renown for beauty that could match even the most refined Imperial courtesans, seducing both man and demon alike in pursuit of their exorcisms. While Tomoki lacks some of the more... traditional assets of his female ancestors, his delicate features and soft, feminine body cannot be ignored. He finds it easy to steal away into the beds of both men and women alike with little more than a sweet smile and a flutter of his lashes.
Prodigious Sorcerer: As expected of the heir of a clan which stretches back to the earliest history of the nation, Tomoki is an exceptional sorcerer, capable of performing powerful rituals and exorcism rites, though the nature of his family's technique has seen him specialize heavily into magics that 'bind'.

Flaws:

Aristocratic Pride: As the latest in a long, proud lineage of sorcerers, Tomoki has a certain level of pride that befits a noble more than it does the bedfellow of monsters. His pride makes him easy to goad into unfortunate situations, and he finds it difficult to back down from a challenge once presented as a matter of maintaining face.
Delicate Build: Though hardy, Tomoki is not an imposing young man. He is neither especially tall, nor especially strong, and his physique is better fitted for life as a pampered concubine than it is a rugged laborer or seasoned soldier.
Heightened Sensitivity: While some might find an abundance of sensation to be a most pleasant thing to indulge in, having a wonderfully sensitive body has only brought Tomoki a great deal of difficulty and shame. It is not especially hard to get him hot and bothered with a deft hand or silver tongue, and a judicious application of such things is liable to leave him a terribly sticky mess. Intimacy almost always sees him reaching climax several times over, for better or for worse.

Background: Born to a secretive clan of sorceresses and seductresses in the mountains near Kyoto, Tomoki's life was not expected to be an especially glamorous one. For a thousand years, his ancestors served as priestesses and exorcists for the people of the surrounding province, seeking out spiritual disturbances and demonic beings who plagued the populace, and soothing them with their unique magic—a way of binding spirits to their will by exchanging spiritual energy. The sorceresses of old could form contracts with these entities and dispel them once they were brought under heel, earning great esteem from the common folk and noble class alike. The nature of this ritual often lay beyond the purview of male members of the family, however, as unbeknownst to most all but the Kadenokōji themselves, the method of 'exchanging spiritual energy' required nothing less than submitting to whatever horror had manifested and serving as its mate until it was too exhausted to resist their binding spells. If he had been born even a few hundred years earlier, Tomoki would have served little more purpose than tending to the women of his family, acting as an emissary between them and the public who needed their works, and eventually furthering the line with a distant member of the clan in the hopes of producing daughters with the ability to perform their family's arts.

But time has not been kind to the Kadenokōji clan.

The fall of the Shogunate and the rapid modernization of Japan saw a marked decline in both their number and potency, which accelerated rapidly in the later years of Meiji's reign. As people moved from the country into cities, the need for exorcists to pacify hallowed places grew all the lesser. Garnering a reputation as 'wanton' at best, and 'glorified prostitutes' at worse amongst other sorcerer clans, the decline of intermarriage between established families led to fewer and fewer women being born with the ability to perform their ancient magics. Though his mother was as accomplished a sorceress as one could be in such an era, none of Tomoki's sisters proved to have the talent required to follow in her footsteps. Faced with the calamity of losing centuries of magical mastery, when young Tomoki proved himself astute and comely in equal measure, it was decided he would be taught the necessary arts to carry on the family legacy, regardless of his sex.

Having recently finished his education and... initiation, into the ways of the Kadenokōji, Tomoki leaves his mountainous home in search of the spiritual ills simmering just beneath Japan's surface, intent on re-establishing the name Kadenokōji as a force to be reckoned with in the mystical world, albeit with no small amount of embarrassment.

Turn Ons: Ahegao, cock comparison, femboys, fucked silly, group sex, harem/reverse harem, humiliation, hypnosis, involuntary orgasm, large insertion, light bondage, marathon sex, MILFs, muscular partners, musk, netori, rape, romance, sexual favors, sub/dom play, teasing

Turn Offs: Gore, vore, bathroom play, torture, eggs

---

Times had certainly changed both Japan and the Kadenokōji clan irrevocably over recent years. It seemed both this land and your clan were in the process of radically redefining what they were going to be going forward, but where Japan's transition was loud and chaotic, the Kadenokōji was instead doing anything it could to avoid quietly vanishing into forgotten history. Whatever your thoughts may be on the wider world, the changes close to home were far more prominent, especially given how they all seemed to hinge on you.

You made your trip down from your mountain home not unaccompanied. Tradition would have expected you to be most likely working as an attendant to one of your sisters or female cousins so they could better carry out their duties. Instead, you have found yourself travelling with two of your sisters, both of which have been assigned to you to keep you safe and help you find work and success out in the wider world.

Kadenokōji Harumi, your elder by three years and the one born with the expectation of continuing your mother's legacy, has held a stern expression on her beautiful face, her eyes peering out from behind her lenses to keep a seemingly constant watch over both you and your surroundings. On her back, kept wrapped up in its sheath, she carried an Ōdachi, the long, heavy blade donated to and preserved at the clan home in eras past was no bestowed to Harumi - a weapon befitting her immense strength.

Kadenokōji Yoi, your fraternal twin, lacked all the severity of your older sister, skipping along much of the way and talking your ear off about all the places you should visit now that you were free to travel. As she seemed to see it, the three of you were off on a country roaming vacation to enjoy all the sights and sounds that Japan had to offer. And sweets. She made it very clear you were to enjoy lots of sweets. Interjections from Harumi reminding her of the family duty were met with scoffing and accusations of never being any fun, a fight you might have been left out of had Yoi not chosen to drag you quite literally into it.

Her hands tug on your arm, pulling your shoulder against her curving bust, large enough for your arm to sink partially into the warm embrace of her cleavage even with her robe on - although she always did like to wear it a little more loosely than Harumi. "Tomo-Tan agrees with me! And he's the sorcerer, so what he says goes!" she says, sticking her tongue out at Harumi and letting out a quick "Pfft" before giving you a wink.

The sternness on Harumi's face intensifies as she adjusts her glasses, the glint of light obscuring her eyes for a moment yet you can feel her gaze burrowing into you. "Is that so? Need I remind you, Tomoki, that you carry the future of the Kadenokōji clan on your shoulders. If that future is nothing but sightseeing and seeking out simple pleasures, then maybe the rumours about us all are true. In your case at least."

"Oh come on, Haru-Chama! We can still do all that and enjoy ourselves too. Its not like we'll have a spirit to deal with every single day. We'll have to spend our time doing something." Yoi interjects, wrapping her arms around you tighter as she puffs out her cheeks.

Harumi sighs, placing her thumb and forefinger against her temple. "And how would you pay for all these somethings, Yoi? We have to use our starting funds wisely. Until we can be confident Tomoki can reliably find work, money is going to be a tricky thing to manage."

"We'll be fine! You can probably get a job as a bodyguard or lifting heavy boxes or something and when Tomo-Tan gets a client they'll probably pay for everything for us!"

"Please stop talking like that. Anyway while I'm doing these jobs, whose protecting Tomoki?"

"I will!" Yoi yells, pulling you even more firmly against her, and her bust which is not squished right against your back. Its clear these two aren't going to be resolving their differences over the course of just one conversation, and however you choose to deal with this, they'll spend the rest of the trek down the mountain without speaking to each other. Although Yoi will make it very clear after a certain point that her feet are sore and you should find someplace to rest as soon as you get to Kyoto.

---

Kyoto itself had changed much in recent years. While it may no longer be the nation's capital, it was certainly a bustling forefront of industrialisation and centralization. Its easy for the three of you, so used to the modest isolation of your mountain home, to get lost within any of the wards. The sounds and sights and smells are immediately overwhelming and whatever issues strain the bonds between you and your sisters fade in the sight of such chaos as the three of you stick close together.

"We're not likely to find much work here with ease, which isn't to say there isn't any to be found..." Harumi mutters close to your ear. "The trouble caused by any disturbed spirits would be buried under the noise of everything else."

Its difficult to have a conversation in such a busy street, especially as the bustling streets lead to the three of you - or you and Yoi at least as Harumi often seems like an immovable wall at times - being knocked over simply by the passing of others going about their daily business. Its now you notice that while the three of you seem to have disappeared within the crowd as far as onlookers from afar are concerned, those close to you are giving you all curious looks. Particularly the men, who leer upon all three of your bodies with considerable intent. While eyeing a group of labourers pausing from their workload to eye up you and your sisters with salacious grins, you're caught off guard by a sudden hand clasping against your ass - and from the sound of the sudden yelp, Yoi's ass as well. The force pushes you forward as the hand cups a feel before pulling away, and your face careens directly into the cushions of Harumi's bosom which you soon find your nose and mouth buried against as she catches you and helps you stand up straight again.

"Hey, watch it!" she barks after the groper, a man on the older side whose already moving on his way past to try and pass the whole thing off as a clumsy accident.

He turns with a cheeky grin, showing off gaps in his teeth. "Sorry ladies, but shouldn't you all be in a Hanamachi. Shimabara's the other way, or did you get lost?" he says before breaking into laughter as he walks off.

"Hanamachi?" Yoi murmurs as she straightens herself out, watching the man walk away.

"A flower town. It's a place where Geisha and... other female led professions tend to operate." Harumi states.

"Yes, I know what it is." Yoi huffs, folding her arms. "I just think that might be a good place to start. We could probably find a nice place to stay there, some good food, comfy clothes, a nice massage or two."

Harumi's hand swiftly passes over your head to swat your twin's. "We're here to work." She says, before letting out a heavy sigh. "But you're right in that we should go there."

"Ow! Hey, I- wait, I am?" Once the surprise passes, Yoi throws her arms into the air and jumps up and down, her bounciness radiating not just through her jumping and smile, but also her chest with each little hop of hers. "Yes! This is going to be fun!"

"But not for any of the reasons you've listed. There has always been a sympathetic bond between our clan and Geisha's, especially in regards to the misconceptions both groups have to face on a regular basis. If we want both some place to stay and a way to learn about the local community so we can find potential clients or spirits, then finding an okiya is as good a place as any to start. That... man... said one of the districts was this way... Shimabara, was it? We should head there at once."

Though Harumi makes the business side of the goal apparent, it does nothing to dull Yoi's enthusiasm, who hums a giddy tune to herself as the three of you make your way through the city.

---

It didn't take much travelling through Shimabara to realise it was more than just a typical hanamachi, but also a yūkaku - a red light district. Women dressed in revealing robes lined the avenues and through open windows the sounds of moans and flesh smacking against flesh could be heard over the various melodies of performers attempting to drown them out with music. Scented candles and burning incense helped cover the smell of sweat and cum and sex, but not eradicate it entirely. On more than a few occasion an offer had been made as the three of you past by for one or more or all of you to be hired by a drunken man making his way through the district, or to come inside to find work in any of the nearby establishments. This turn of events seemed to have no impact on Yoi's mood, however Harumi seemed to bristle a little at the realisation. Though fortunately for her it doesn't take your group long to find a teahouse, adjoining what must be an okiya. And from the sounds come from some of the upper floor windows that align with the rest of the neighbourhood, one that offers additional services on top of just your typical entertainment.

Entering through the teahouse, the sounds quiet compared to the outside, and an older woman woman with dark hair and a painted face makes her way over to the three of you, approaching already even as you entered. She smiles warmly as she greets you. "Welcome." she says with a bow, looking over each of you in quick succession. "Are you here for work? We aren't heiring at the moment, but when three women as beautiful as yourselves come in then it would be wasteful to send you away without at least interviewing you."

She pauses, her eyes widening as she gives you a second look over. "Oh! My apologies, young man. Although you would hardly be the first man to come work for us, and your features certainly lend themselves to the right appeal. Please, come in and..." she pauses yet again, this time eyeing Harumi more closely. Or more specifically, the wrapped up, long bundle strapped to her back. "Hmm... or perhaps I have misjudged why you are here. A shame, it would have been delight to help three such beauties as yourselves to flourish and blossom as you should, but if you have other business here I am happy to tend to that as well. I am Suguro. Okā-san of the house. Who might you be?"

---

Kadenokōji Harumi

Spoiler (click to show/hide):

Perks:
Natural Beauty: Like most the women of the Kadenokōji clan, Harumi and Yoi are matchless beauties, both sharing the lineage's renowned delicate features and womanly assets. Harumi's air of maturity gives her a further advantage in appealing towards those with such preferences, despite only being a few years older than Tomoki and Yoi.

Well Studied: Once having wrongly assumed herself to be the heir to the Kadenokōji clan's legacy, Harumi threw herself into her studies. While she lacks the spiritual energy required to perform a functional binding, her knowledge of yokai, oni and all manner of spiritual forces provides a useful well of information. Anything she doesn't know, she will at least have a good idea on how to best find out.

Trained Combatant: Though all potential sorceresses of the Kadenokōji clan are trained in more delicate arts of conflict resolution, Harumi chose to branch out into kenjutsu. Perhaps she desired to be a different kind of sorceress than her mother, or maybe she developed these skills to try and compensate for her lack of success on the spiritual side of things. Either way, after it was revealed that her younger brother would instead be her mother's successor, Harumi's talents make for a useful bodyguard in times when physical conflict is necessary.

Otherworldly Strength: Despite lacking the spiritual energy or talents required to become a sorceress, Harumi's lineage is as mixed with oni and yokai blood as Tomoki's. For her, this has manifested in a supernatural strength (which probably explains how she can avoid backpain with such a heavy bust). While her mortal blood keeps her from being able to confidently defeat aggressive spirits in a fist fight, she is more than a physical match for any purely mortal opponent.

Flaws:
Scorned Heir: Though she values her duty to the clan over her own personal feelings, Harumi harbours a deep font of jealousy and resentment over the fact her younger brother has been named her mother's successor instead of her. Being the first of a generation of Kadenokōji women to be considered so spiritually incapable that a male is the only option they have available to continue their art hurts her deeply and this pain often leads her to be particularly critical of Tomoki, pushing him harder than she normally would to fulfil his role properly. This emotional weakness provides an opening that certain spirits can prey upon, as well as a strain on her relationship with her younger brother.

Four Eyes: Harumi's glasses may give her a certain level of cuteness in the eyes of many, they are primarily there for a practical purpose. Without them, her vision blurs past her arm's reach, which could severely disadvantage her if her glasses were to break or if she were to lose them.

Spiritually Inept: Like many women of the current generation of the Kadenokōji clan, Harumi lacks the magical potency needed to perform any of the rites, rituals or spells that the clan or other clans would use to bind or banish malevolent spirits. Harumi in particular is incapable of mustering even the most mild forms of magic, her only connection to her supernatural ancestry manifesting in her superhuman strength.

Kadenokōji Yoi

Spoiler (click to show/hide):

Perks:
Natural Beauty: Like most the women of the Kadenokōji clan, Harumi and Yoi are matchless beauties, both sharing the lineage's renowned delicate features and womanly assets. Yoi's high energy and ability to present as sweet emphasises her youthful charm and helps when dealing with someone that might prefer more cute or playful girls.

Butter Wouldn't Melt: Yoi is very good at seeming sweet and innocent, to the point that it was even considered for a time a potential supernatural talent of hers. Strangers are inclined to step in to defend her if they see her even mildly distressed, people overhearing her in an argument are inclined to take her side. She never lies, its always a misunderstanding. Of course, those who know her best know this is all wrong, but the perpetual air of childlike innocence around Yoi helps her get away with mischief on a regular basis or pass by unassumingly if needed to.

Quick Hands and Light Fingers: While developed from a potentially problematic habit of having sticky fingers, Yoi has an undeniable talent for swiping things without being noticed. Her sleight of hand talents are versatile enough to be used in other ways, though she mainly uses them to keep shiny things that she likes with her.

Magical Embers: While not nearly as spiritually potent as her brother - certainly not enough in order to bind yokai through any of the clan's traditional methods on her own, as Tomoki's twin she seems to have also inherited a modest degree of magical capabilities. Yoi's spells are often feeble and draw upon her limited pool of spiritual energy, however even a little magical support is vastly better than none at all. She's reliably learned to manifest and control spectral orbs of fire. While these are incapable of burning anything, they can provide a light source or be used to distract others at a distance. She can even make them react to the presence of the spiritual energy of others, flickering in different colours and intensity to indicate the presence of potential threats.

Flaws:
Cheeky Prankster: Yoi enjoys having a good time. Sometimes that good time comes at the cost of someone else. Never severely, but the embarrassment caused by Yoi's little tricks sometimes piss off the wrong person and usually its the people Yoi is with that have to clean up the mess rather than Yoi herself.

Finer Things: Yoi enjoys being pampered and spoiled and is always on the look out for ways to indulge in the finer things in life. She's easily swayed by offers of riches or luxuries.

Pretty Little Thing: Much like her brother, Yoi is small and delicate. Manual labour or physical conflict are well outside of her wheelhouse. She can be easily overpowered by even the most mundane of enemies. Combined with how desirable she is to certain sorts, she's at particular risk of becoming a damsel in distress.

The Geisha, Suguro

Spoiler (click to show/hide):

[Ze Blitzkrieg]

The years spent as heir were difficult ones, often grueling as he worked to hone that latent potential that marked him as the only suitable future for their clan. Compared to what awaited him outside the ornate walls of their mountain complex, however, perhaps the time spent on his education would appear mercifully bland, for his sisters certainly had a way of making times interesting, for better or for worse. He had learned long ago that trying to stop the two of them from bickering was a monument to futility, opposed as they were. At best, he could mediate the worst of their conflicts, and try to smooth over things when tempers flared. Not that he was especially certain he could do even that, anymore. Haru-nee, the more forceful of the two, had certainly grown more and more cold towards him after she was passed over as heir, and Yoi-nee... well, she never quite listened to anybody, when she got some mischief or another in her mind.

Mischief that he wasn't sure he would be able to withstand, if it were anything more severe than her usual clingy showings of affection. Most of the trek down the mountain was punctuated by Yoi's ample bosom being pressed and rubbed all over him, and more than once he had to suppress an unbecoming shudder here or there and fight back the worst of his... instincts. It couldn't be helped, he'd tell himself through his shame, whenever a glimpse here, or a particularly squirmy hug there happened to titillate him. They were his sisters, he'd have to remind himself, whenever thoughts of his twin's body, or that of Harumi's almost motherly figure got him hot and bothered, but that never seemed to do much to suppress things. After his training—after awakening the magical potential in his veins—his appetites only seemed to worsen. And when it became time to learn how to... subdue malevolent spirits, in their unique way, from the more experienced members of his clan, those distant cousins and aunties who taught him ways to curl the toes of even great demons and phantoms firsthand... well, suffice to say, it did little to soothe the flames of his prodigious libido, and all the forbidden fantasies it caused to bubble within him.

"Ai—Yoi-nee! Enough," The heat in Tomoki's cheeks, as he felt her squeeze him to her all the tighter to her bountiful bust, was like fire, and he made a focused effort to keep facing away from his sisters as he spoke, "We left the mountains as a group and we will remain a group. The Kadenokōji are not common mercenaries. We have a duty to the people of this land, even if ever more the land seems to forget us. Even if it does forget our sacrifices, well, all the more important we dispatch our duty and show them our importance!"

The conviction in his voice, his noble pride, was almost enough to quell the misgivings he still had. In truth, he wasn't sure how well he would be able to dispatch those duties, the great task set out by his ancestors. He had learned the spells, learned the more salacious arts used to employ them, and memorized no small number of haunting both major and minor. But learning and doing were two very different things, and he could not help but wonder how well he would be able to dispatch those lurking shadows of the night once face-to-face with them.

The march to Kyoto continued regardless of his feelings on the matter.

_____

If his sisters had been stimulating, Kyoto proved to be overstimulating. Not just the sights and the sounds, but with so many people packed behind tall walls that he could scarcely conceive of how they all managed to eat and drink, much less live. In the mountains, he was a sorcerer prince, the next in a long line of proud magicians who bent even the most heinous spirits to their whims. In Kyoto, he was little more than another piece of meat crammed in amongst tens, no, hundreds of thousands of others. Something made all the more clear by the way the other inhabitants treated him. It wasn't bad enough that the crowd seemed to shove him this way or that, but they even deigned to lay hands upon him. Or, hand, as it were. The little sorcerer yelped as he felt a big paw of a hand land on his plush bottom, giving him a good fondle for his effort, turning around in sulking indignity as the man insisted they looked more in place in the flower and willow world than in the mean streets of the Old Capital.

He might have even thought to retort, had the man not so swiftly retreated into the crowds, and left them with little more to go on than the suggestion. It wasn't a bad suggestion, though it made him sulk all the more to think of. Geisha were an incredibly superstitious sort. There might have been those in this new era who scoffed at the notions of magic and witchcraft and spirits, casting them aside as old and outdated parts of the national character. But the women who inhabited the floating world knew better. If anyone were to employ diviners and priests and sorcerers, it would be them.

The journey carried on, to the pleasure districts that made Kyoto the luxurious place it was known to be.

_____

Luxuries of a sort perhaps not readily shared in the stories, Tomoki came to understand, as they stalked the streets in search of an establishment that might host them.

Or, at least, host them in the way they intended to be hosted.

It was only his ill-placed sense of aristocratic pride that buoyed Tomoki's composure, walking the scented streets of Shimabara. It was bad enough he was assailed on all sides by temptation when traveling with Harumi and Yoi, forced to camp along the sides of roads with little privacy. He hadn't had the opportunity to... unburden... himself since they left the compound, and being surrounded by the primal, needy sounds of sex, the musky smell of sweat and cum only thinly veiled beneath incense and perfume, he could not help but let his mind wander. He could practically see through the lacquered walls, see the shapes within, the glistening, tensing backs of men lost in the throes of passion, bucking themselves into the squirming mess beneath them, long, pale legs clasped tight around their hips to keep their bodies adjoined through every rut. He could feel himself ache in envy, remembering the way his 'tutors' had held him close, sweet words of praise in his ear as he worked and worked and worked atop them, ample breasts bouncing against his slight form, their intoxicating scent in his nose as he raced to a big, sticky, satisfying...

Tomoki swallowed hard, and shook his head to clear his mind, as the oka-san of the establishment approached him. The fact she had thought to offer them an interview, all of them, certainly did not help his fluster. Nor did the fact she seemed to consider him a beauty on par with his sisters, though he was sure their mother would only have beamed with pride at having whelped such a lovely son, even if she may have preferred for a daughter to have inherited her position. The young man lowered himself into a formal kneel at the entryway, and bid his sister do the same, bowing to the oka-san and only introducing himself once he rose once more to his feet.

"I am Kadenokōji Tomoki, and these are my retainers, Harumi and Yoi. For generations, our family have served as exorcists around Kyoto, and I come to the city to ply my trade for those in need. If you might do me such a kindness, do you happen to know if there is a need for such services here in Shimabara?"

[Lazy Kitsune]

"Kadenokōji." Suguro murmurs, recognition flickering across her eyes. Before you finish your introductions, she gestures - one hand cast aside to beckon over another painted woman while her eyes never leave yours and she tilts her head aside to whisper some instructions to her before turning her attention back to you. She reaches forward and plants a finger over your lips. "This sounds like a conversation we should continue somewhere more comfortable. And private."

Before you get a response to your question, or further acknowledgement of your introduction, the three of you find yourselves escorted to a private room, passing through the teahouse proper to a room tucked away for proper privacy. The fusuma you are lead through are painted depicting dances of geisha, many of whom have robes that part with the motions of their movements to reveal glimpses of the naked form beneath, presenting a tantalising spread of erotic art. Within, you and your sisters are invited to make yourselves comfortable upon the tatami laden floors around a chabudai. Your hostess does not join you immediately, leaving you alone with your sisters for a few moments.

"I wonder what that was about." Harumi murmurs, setting her ōdachi off of her back and to her side, but still near enough that she could draw it at a moments notice.

Yoi, whose eyes are quick to scan the rest of the room for anything else of interest, tugs at your arm as she points over towards a shamisen resting against the far wall. "See that. Think we might be getting a free performance? Maybe they'll let us get involved." She turns to you, smiling sweetly as she settles down to sit upon her ankles, her cheeks dimpling. As she sits, a shrug of her shoulders shifts her robes, teasing more of her cleavage out before your eyes. "I always thought I'd make for a good dancer. Don't you think so, Tomo-Tan?"

A few moments later, the fusuma opens once more and Suguro returns to the three of you, bringing with her a tea set that she lays down as she sits opposite you. "My sincere apologies for the wait. Ordinarily we would not leave any of our guests unattended for a moment, especially at the beginning of their visit, however given the nature of your visit I felt your hostess should be none other than myself, so I needed to make sure my absence from the teahouse would be covered."

As she explains herself, she begins pouring out tea for everyone present. As she leans forward, you find yourself with an even clearer view of her cleavage than you had of Yoi's just seconds prior. Unlike Yoi, there is nothing improper about the way Suguro wears her robes, however these are practically tailor made to show off her physique. Her breasts fill out the fabric nicely even with the room left to 'breathe' as it were, and you almost feel like if you stare long and intently enough, you might be able to catch a slip of a nipple at the right angle. Sitting closer to her in this quieter environment, you also notice her aroma. Her perfumed scent floats from her neck and drifts over you, and you find yourself relaxing into a gentle warmth that begins enveloping you - soothing and yet intoxicating at the same time. As you find yourself drawn into this feeling deeper and deeper, your eyes catch her own meeting yours, and a smirk plays at her lips as she notices where your eyes had been on her body. She offers no chastising remarks, however, and as the eye contact breaks without comment you know she has no issue with you admiring her form while you spoke.

"I've not heard the name Kadenokōji in quite a while, but I know the name still." she begins to say as she offers you and your sisters tea. "I am quite surprised to hear from you, however. Especially in Kyoto. Such old traditions have little place here, and your ways have less respect within this city than mine do outside this district. At best you'll find that those who know your clan's practices will consider you spiritually misguided consorts. At worse, con-artists that resort to whoring when they get caught. I suggest you choose carefully who you disclose your true identities too."

Yoi hisses as she drinks the tea, finding it too hot to her liking. Suguro smiles warmly at her, reaching over to gently stroke her cheek. "Oh you poor dear. Please, don't rush. If the tea is too hot to your like, you can take your time with it."

Harumi on the other hand was yet to touch her own cup, at least until after she sees Suguro raise a cup of her own to her lips and take a sip. This encourages Harumi to at least take hold of her cup and bring it closer to her lips, though actually taking a drink had been held off on still.

"But you had a question." Suguro says, returning her attention to you. "One I may have an answer too. Or a few potential answers at least. But before I shared them, I'd rather be sure of who I am talking to. And I must say, I am a little confused. I had been under the impression that the sorceresses and exorcists of the Kadenokōji clan were all female. That the first to appear at my doorstep would be a young man just makes your arrival even more surprising. Have you a way to prove to me you are who you say you are?"

[Ze Blitzkrieg]

After Kyoto's initial greeting, Tomoki was almost relieved that the madam who oversaw this particular teahouse had either the good sense or perhaps innate curiosity to invite them further within. The petite sorcerer made his way through the ornate halls of the establishment, somewhat taken aback by the brazenness of the sexuality that seemed inherent, though somewhat surprised. There was always an intrinsic eroticism to those women who dedicated themselves wholly to the arts, to the aesthetics of beauty and perfection, of that much he knew. Yet it felt so... debased, compared to what he imagined. Kyoto was said to be the peak of culture and refinement. Yet, even within the walls of the very teahouse he walked, sin and debauchery were unfolding. Was it a sign of the times? Perhaps that geisha, much like sorcerers and priestesses, had lost their touch with reality? Been forced to adapt to the greed of the modern era?

The thought might've rattled him, were he not already so. Part of him felt like a terrible hypocrite, bemoaning the descent of the art form while thoroughly titillated by the cheap thrills of low-cut kimono and the flashes of lecherous skin they offered. Another part simply wanted to partake, if only to ease his nerves with the blissful agony of a much-needed release. He could only hope they could find the privacy of an inn before too long. A soft mattress and a few minutes of furtive stroking would do his mind good.

True to his upbringing, Tomoki offered a gracious bow when his host vanished, settling at the table. The thought of his younger sister peddling herself in such an establishment immediately offended his pride, for theirs was a proud lineage, no matter what rumors their fellow sorcerers spread in jealousy. His pride was not the only thing incensed by the implication, of course, and he found himself fighting back both indignity and not an insignificant amount of arousal at the thought of Yoi's well-developed body slowly revealing itself to him over the course of a slow, methodical, thoroughly charged dance, each inch of skin unfurling like some sensual lotus until she was bare before him. Something made harder not to focus on by the almost purposeful way she parted her kimono's hem.

"Enough, Yoi-nee. Think of how mother would react if she heard you speaking like that. You are a Kadenokōji, not a courtesan."

He could practically hear the severe tone of their clan's matron as he spoke, and pondered, however briefly, if she would be proud of him for chiding his siblings in her place. One day, once he had managed to reestablish their family's name, he would need to return to the mountains and take her place properly. He could only hope, by then, that such stern words came more naturally to him.

Any internal division was swift to bleed away once Suguro returned to them, and served them with a deal of grace. He was at once brought to attention by both her words and her appearance, striking as it was. His eyes, carried on by either male instinct or the pent-up need he felt broiling about beneath his own fine silks, clung to her body as if bid to do so by some force other than his mind, his mouth feeling terribly dry as he relished in the teasing sight of her mature figure, that erotic fragrance which drifted over to him. A burning heat rose in his cheeks when she gave him a knowing glance in return, and that shame seemed enough to snap his eyes away from her. He might've buried his embarrassment in his cup, had he not glimpsed Harumi's prudence in not immediately partaking.

An intelligent thing to do. Suguro might've looked to be a perfect host, but that didn't mean he should blindly trust her. Even her own words to him echoed that.

Fighting back his composure atop the back of that sinking statement, Tomoki placed the steaming cup of tea back atop the table, considering himself for a moment before speaking.

"The magic of my family has indeed been ruled by women from its very foundation. It is a magic best employed by those of the fairer sex, and so until times recent, only the female members of each generation would be taught its secrets. It is only because of my... unique suitability... that an exception was made. Despite my sex, I was judged by our elders to be the most promising option—the future of the clan lay with me."

He almost cringed as he spoke the words, but to his pride, he didn't. It wasn't because he was especially ashamed of being made heir, not anymore. Rather, admitting that he was considered over his elder sister, who sat only feet beside him, made him worry about Harumi's feelings on the matter. She was already rather cold with him when he let the matter lay fallow, much less when he brought it up before strangers. At the very least, he did not divulge their decline and Harumi's lack. Perhaps she could take solace in that.

"I assure you, my abilities are no less sharp than those of my forebearers. If you might forgive me a demonstration..."

Trying to navigate social norms around such a vixen was not something he was especially good at. Not in his current state, at least. But what he was good at, was sorcery. It was perhaps the only thing he was truly good at. The very reason he had been permitted to leave the mountains, instead of remaining behind to father a brood of future sorceresses on whichever of his distant kin were deemed most advantageous. He breathed, deep and softly, for a moment. He felt the flow of the air around them. The flow of energy, that which permeated everything, everywhere, all at once. It might have been weaker in Kyoto than in the spiritually advantageous mountains his family made their home in, but it was present. It would obey.

"▮▮ ▮▮▮▮▮ ▮▮▮▮."

Delicate lips mouthed syllables not meant for them, in a language that at best felt fuzzy and unfamiliar to the untrained and mortal mind. It was not a long incantation. Not an especially strong incantation. But it would serve. He spoke the language of the world to it, and it responded to him in the only way it could; it spoke by action. The air in the room seemed to quiver for a moment, growing colder, much colder, as if the heat itself was sent to exile by his briefly murmured spell. The steam that had whimsically drifted from the cups in their hands vanished in this sudden flash of cold, goose pimples rising in its wake along hands and arms and exposed chests.

And then, exhaling softly, the chill about Tomoki was gone. Warmth returned to the cozy little tea room, the ambient sounds seemingly hushed by his arts returning in brief little thumps and the laughter of patrons distantly drifting in. It did not return to the tea, however, the liquid now rendered tepid enough for even the fussiest of little sisters to enjoy without complaint.

"You have my apologies if my... parlor trick... is not a sufficient enough showing to earn your trust, Suguro-san. But I assure you, my abilities are sharp enough to see any potential hauntings thoroughly dispatched," He lifted his cup back up as he spoke, letting the liquid swirl thoughtfully, "If there are such things to be found here, that is."

[Lazy Kitsune]

The conflict between your pride and your confused feelings about your sister's body was hardly a new phenomenon. Given how closely the two of you were raised, noticing the shapeliness of her developing body was all but unavoidable. She was filling out with all the characteristics of a Kadenokōji woman, and just as you were old enough to notice, suddenly the two of you were being raised with barriers between you both - an attempted at separating you both down different paths that Yoi seemed actively ignorant of. It seemed she had no interest on giving up on all the time she got to spend with her brother while growing up. Her familiarity with you developed into somewhat teasing habits. She would leave the door to her room, just across the hall from yours open as she changed, or occasionally you would wake up in the night to find her slipping into your bed to cuddle against you, and once in a while she would do things as outrageous as slipping into the bathtub while you were in it as if the two of you were little children once more. More recently you would even swear she would tease with you the same way she may tease some of the servants for fun. Could the way she pressed her tits against you on the way to Kyoto be intentional? What would be better or worse... that you found yourself fantasising about your own sister against your better judgement, or that she was doing it because she had noticed a change in how you looked at her and has made a little game out of it?

Whatever was going on in her head, you set your own priorities clear and Yoi pouts in response, shifting to face the table with a sullen expression, her sulking depriving you of your glimpse down her robes. "I just thought you'd like to dance with me, Tomo-Tan. We don't do anything fun anymore, you're just like Haru-nee!" she grumbles, which earns her a glare from Harumi, but fortunately before things can escalate your host returns.

Whatever Harumi's feelings were about you declaring yourself the clan's heir by necessity, she was far too professional to allow it to impact her composure in this moment. She kept any emotion from her face as she sat an observed, awaiting any sign that she might be needed for your protection. Yoi however still seems to have no thoughts either way on the matter of you being your mother's heir and if anything has moved on entirely from her scolding just moments ago, seemingly fully taken with the combined tasks fussing over the tea before her and admiring the makeup and presentation of Suguro.

What each person hears as you speak depends on each individual's spiritual training and potency. Neither Yoi nor Harumi have the combination of these talents required to even understand the words in even the estranged way that you do. Harumi has the training needed to recognise the tempo and rhythm and identify the incantation before its conclusion, but her ears won't ever know the low hum and alien sensation that the sounds you utter... or more accurately, that are uttered around you as your mouth moves... actually are. This is something Yoi hears clearer, but to those without that much spiritual energy they may hear nothing but brief moment of the absence of sound, jarring hiccups of the world holding its breath.

In the moments that you release the spell, your eyes find themselves following the evidence of your success. A shiver from your hostess brings your attention to her shaking chest and a trail of goosebumps that run along her breast and disappear past the coverings of her robes, where the fabric is pushed out by the stiffened nipples kept by the sheerest of fabrics from your eyesight. Not just cold, but also impressed, Suguro leans in, a motion enjoyed all the more from where your eyes happened to be when she does it. "Incredible."

Free to drink her tea without scalding her tongue, Yoi lets out a little yippy and starts to drink. Your attention, however, is captured by Suguro and the way in which she studies you now, her eyes taking in every detail of your face and body now that she's seen your talents in action. One hand coyly rises near her chin, fingers tapping against her face as she thinks. "We are most honoured to have such company with us. Consider yourselves welcome to stay here for as long as you are in Kyoto. Our establishment is quite busy this time of year, but I should be able to make sure we have some room available for the three of you to stay. Though... you are here for your duty... and I believe I may have a place for you to start."

She turns her head to the side, her expression growing more sombre as she gazes off past the walls. "You may have noticed that the girls who work here offer more services than traditional geisha. In part this is to adapt to the times. A means of survival. The world is busier than it was before, faster paced with people sparing less time for tradition. Geisha were always... misconstrued with other services... practicing both together is hardly a new concept, though its regularity may be increasing." she takes a deep breath before continuing. "But outside of the practicality of the matter, merging the practices together in this teahouse came about as a natural evolution of me taking in a large number of girls from another establishment that went of business. I've trained them to be hostesses, but many are experts in another field... one that I used to practice in myself in what feels like a lifetime ago. These girls were left without work and a place to stay because... well, official statements vary, but I've spoken to them myself. I can bring one here for you to question if you would like. This establishment had become haunted, by who or what I can't say, but I visited the site shortly after taking these girls in. It sits abandoned within this very district. I may be no sorceress, but just standing outside that building... I could feel the danger flowing off of it. These girls are lucky they left when they did. I fear if anyone has stayed their for any longer, they would have become trapped inside by whatever it is that now calls that place home."

[Ze Blitzkrieg]

Satisfaction—and not a small amount of titillation—followed in the wake of Tomoki's display of magic. However, the young sorcerer did his level best to divert his attention from the hardened nubs that rose in response to his powers. Better instead to revel in the relief that there were, in fact, those in the country who still believed in the old ways and, perhaps more solemnly, required those who practiced them to come to their aid. It was a terrible thing to think as heir, given the steady decline of his lineage, that in an ideal world, their services would not be required at all. But their world was not an ideal one, and it seemed that no amount of modernization would fully drive spiritual predators from Japan. A bittersweet sort of victory, but a victory all the same for one who wished to walk in the footsteps of his esteemed fore bearers.

❝I am honored by your hospitality, Suguro-san. I assure you that whatever arrangements you are able to make for us are more than acceptable.❞

Of course, Tomoki had his misgivings about staying in what had, apparently, transitioned into a brothel over the years. He still had a certain level of pride, no matter how lowly his family fell, or how... impolite... the rumors of their craft were. But a warm futon to sleep in and four walls around him and his sisters were all he could ask for, at least until they managed to procure more permanent lodgings. That same misplaced sense of pride would see him labor diligently to pay off such hospitality as well, as evidenced by the way he straightened up at the mention of the ill-fated establishment that had once hosted so many of Suguro's girls.

❝I see. Such circumstances are not especially rare. Dens of vice tend to accrue negative attachments from those who inhabit them, and those deep-seated feelings act as a lure for certain malevolent spirits. I will investigate this matter immediately, for the safety of the district, and to give peace to any who might have already been claimed by it.❞

His words were as bold as he liked, even if his nerves tugged at the facade of confidence he projected. It was impossible to say just what sort of entity might stalk the halls of an abandoned brothel, not without seeing and hearing things with his own senses. Would he truly be a match for a proper yokai? One not gathered in the forests of his mountain home for practice? That would remain to be seen. But he was the future of the Kadenokōji: he would not go in fear of that which prowled the night.

❝If you could see one of the girls who experienced this haunting to us, I would be much obliged. Testimony from one who experienced it firsthand might allow us to better understand what awaits us there, and allow us to prepare appropriate countermeasures,❞ An errant thought caught him as he considered just what sort of interview he would hold, and his cool confidence fluttered for a moment as he remembered just how 'busy' the establishment was, ❝I-If they are all not currently occupied with their work, that is. I would not want to... interrupt them.❞

[Lazy Kitsune]

Façade or not, your boldness seems to impress Suguro, whose composure relaxes once more after her brief disquiet. Her hand shifts, brushing a loose lock of her raven hair back over her ear before dropping to her side as she gives you a soft smile. Regardless on whether or not she considers you capable of resolving this haunting, she certainly seems to appreciate your willingness to try.

"Of course. I will see who we have available." she says with a nod as she begins to excuse herself from the table and rise to her feet. "Please, enjoy the tea. I won't be long." she bows as she dismisses herself from your presence, leaving you alone with your sisters once again.

"There's no shortage of spirits that could form in or seek out such a place." Harumi begins to speak once Suguro had left. "Though without any violent deaths or mournful losses happening on the location it shouldn't be anything too dangerous. At least, not for us. In terms of difficulty it is a fitting place to begin, even if this particular binding won't bring us any renown or honour."

"Oh?" Yoi perks up, sensing an opportunity to irritate her older sister. "So you do want something other than just doing our duty then, huh? Renown and honour? Is our big sister not famous enough for her liking?"

Harumi turns to Yoi with a huff, her cheeks puffing out and reddening in a manner uncharacteristic of her usual stoicism. "That's not what I meant. Of course we should do our duty wherever we find it, but so that duty can continue for as long as it is needed the clan will need to remain relevant. We should hope for deeds that would be spread by those who witness or hear of it so that our name reaches to regions past Kyoto once more."

"Then this one should be great. This place seems really popular. If the women working here start telling their customers about us, then that'll get our name circulating. Not to mention Suguro-San seems to think we'd fit in here. Maybe you could ask to borrow one of her robes and you can tell customers about our services as they come in?"

This comment gets an even more drastic reaction out of Harumi, whose harm darts out in a flash, pressing her hand against the chabudai with enough force to rattle it before she steadies herself. "I will not demean myself or our family name in such a way!"

"I'm not saying you should work here! Just put on a more appealing front as you let people know about us. I don't know what you have against looking beautiful. You'd be really good at it if you tried a little more."

Yoi lunges forward, reaching past you and dragging her tits against your chest as she does so. She lets out a cute groan as she stretches herself towards Harumi and grabs at her robes, pulling at the fabric. Fighting against the mass of Harumi's bust as her clothes were already, this quick tug is enough to create an opening to rival and perhaps even surpass Suguro's own revealing attire and threatens even to fall away more before Harumi quickly tries to pull her robes back together - though they now hang a little looser than before. Yoi loses her balance shortly after, collapsing onto your lap with a giggle. She looks back up, her belly on your lap as she reaches up to grab and prop up Harumi's breasts with her hands. "Look! Tomoki agrees with me! Wouldn't she look hot in those robes? Men from all over would probably come talk to her and she can use that as a chance to ask them about spirits and stuff."

Harumi's face blushes deeper as she starts trying to grapple with Yoi to pull her hands off of her chest. "Stop touching me like that. Why won't you ever behave!" she growls as both your sisters begin to wrestle in front of you, both sets of tits nearly knocking against your head with each jostle forward and back.

Its to this scene that the fusuma opens up again and young woman walks in. Her kimono was loose, only partially fastened around the waist to allow for a low and flowing parting. Her hair, while certainly worn beautifully, was a little messy, some loose strands still being combed into place as she walked in, indicating that she could very well have been 'occupied' up until quite recently.

"Oh? Getting started without me? I was told it was urgent... you are Suguro-san's special guests, correct? I am Ayuri. I hope you enjoyed your tea. It is not often Suguro-san prepares tea for guests without a prior booking herself. You must be very special." she moves her way around to the other side of the table with a bright smile on her face, which falters for a moment as she takes the three of you in.

"Wait, you're all women?" she asks, surprised... though not at all deterred. "Well then, seeing as you're so eager to begin, I suppose I should catch up. I know several games we can play to get to know each other better, though seeing as I am an expert I suppose I should handicap myself." as she speaks, she begins loosening her kimono further and parting the top more, letting it hang past her shoulders as her tits are now on full display before you and your sisters. And what a glorious pair they were. While not as large as Harumi's or your mother's, they were certainly enough to fill a hand and stood with the proud perkiness of youth and good vigour. Bright rosy nipples, already standing to attention with buds that seemed to ask to be kissed. Such smooth and delicate skin, with the cloth of her robes hanging so daintily from her shoulders, such a crude act of exposing her breasts to you somehow seemed picturesque with how she did it. Especially with how her hair fell against her breasts as they faintly rose and fell with her breathing as she awaited your appraisal. She could have stepped out of the portrait of a princess or shrine maiden, yet the slight messiness of her hair and similar imperfections ground her as real... which only seems to make her more mesmerising. You would be hard pressed to find a man that could fault you for losing focus on your mission at the sight of those tits offered so eagerly before you if you were alone.

Though you weren't alone, as Yoi made clear with a long, heavy gasp that emits from her face, which was still currently hovering in front of your chest as she gazed slack jawed at the young woman before the three of you. Even Harumi seems at a loss for words, focused more on trying to recompose herself than address the apparent misunderstanding that was happening.

"You see, in this game, we all tell two truths and a lie about each other, and as we make guesses, we remove articles of clothing if we're wrong. I'll go first." Ayuri continues. Its impressive that she's able to draw your attention from her tits back to her face as she speaks, though that's still just as pleasant to look at. Her charming smile, the glances she gives each of you as she steals a few long moments of eye contact from each perceived customer before her in turn while she talks... though you feel like her eyes keep flicking back to yours in particular "I can play several instruments, my favourite food is tempura and..." she pauses, as if distracted by something, and then leans forwards, her tits giving a bounce and sway before her face takes up most of your vision as she leans close towards you. "...and I really like your eyes..." she murmurs, and allows herself to get lost in them for a few moments before she straightens her back once more with a soft giggle.

"So, any guesses?"

Before any of you can respond, the clearing of a throat draws all of your attention towards Suguro as she stands by the fusuma, closing it behind her. "Ayuri. These are not customers. This young man is a sorcerer from the Kadenokōji clan. They are here to ask about the Blossom Garden."

Though there is no immediate change in her facial expression, the sudden shift in the energy behind Ayuri's eyes is astonishing. Its as if the warmth and welcoming energy that filled them is suddenly shattered, replaced with emptiness and a cold sliver of fear and regret. She blinks a few times as she comprehends what Suguro has just shared with her. "The.... they're not... customers..."

"No dear."

Ayuri's face turns bright red as she lets out a yelp, quickly pulling her robe shut as she stumbled back hastily enough to topple over. She quickly scrambles back to her feet, before getting on her knees and giving you and your sisters the lowest bow you've ever seen anyone give, all while trying with little success to keep her kimono shut.

"My sincerest apologies! I thought I had been asked for specifically because of... well... oh I'm so sorry, please don't think I'm a freak." her mood shifts again as she rears her head up, posed now on all fours almost like an angry cat as she glances over towards Suguro ready to hiss. "You! You weren't clear enough!"

"Now, now Ayuri." Suguro says, ever calm and composed as she sits beside her distraught co-worker. "I am sure our guests are gracious enough to overlook this simple misunderstanding. Besides, they have a few questions for you."

Ayuri grumbles something to herself as she shuffles back into a proper seating position, tying her kimono extra tight as she does so. "Okay, but you owe me some mochi for this. The good kind as well, not whatever it is they sell down the street." she murmurs to Suguro. Mochi, huh. Not tempura.

With that confusion resolved, Ayuri gives you her full attention, although she seems to struggle with maintaining eye contact now. "So, you have questions about the Blossom Garden. I'll try and answer what I can... but it was all very... weird."

Ayuri

Spoiler (click to show/hide):

[Ze Blitzkrieg]

It wasn't uncommon for Haru-nee and Yoi-nee to bicker amongst themselves. They were very, very different people, after all. It wasn't especially uncommon for those arguments to spill over and involve him as well. But usually, those arguments didn't take on such a... lecherous tone. True, Yoi-nee had a habit of crossing certain boundaries, especially as the two of them grew into proper adults, but usually the bouts between his sisters did not involve him being called in to judge his eldest sibling's figure. Maybe it was the atmosphere in Shimabara—the subtle, almost intoxicating eroticism that underscored the behavior of their host—that had so thoroughly frazzled him also beginning to nip at the heels of his siblings. Maybe it was simply that same shameful arousal that had so directed his mind. But given the circumstances, caught between the two of them, Tomoki could not help but feel the heat in his cheeks rising to a fever pitch. It wasn't enough that Yoi continued to direct his mind to Harumi's inherent, stoic beauty, letting his mind drift to images of her so prettily done up like the girls in the district, but also to her body. Haru-nee was the picture of poise and grace, a diligent and studious elder who scarcely debased herself with such cheap thrills... yet even in her relatively plain outfits, one could not deny how obscenely womanly her body was. Even though she was but a few years older than him, her severity lent her a certain maturity that was only enhanced by the bountiful curves their lineage had endowed her with.

And now, thanks to Yoi-nee's mischief, those curves threatened to spill out all over the place. It was erotic! It was way, way too erotic! It was bad enough to acknowledge, under any other circumstances, Haru-nee was absolutely and beyond doubt his type. Were things different, had she taken on the role of heiress and carried on their mother's legacy, had they not shared that same mother, he'd have considered himself lucky to be made her consort, diligently tending to her needs between exorcisms with all the love, however tender or voracious in nature, she could desire. Even in their positions now, such thoughts fought dangerously close to his mind whenever he had need of release. His eyes danced frantically across her parted robes, taking in every inch of the supple, womanly flesh barely contained within.

And with Yoi-nee's own undeniably feminine body rubbing all over him, sandwiching him in between the two of them as they fought, he couldn't fight the urges within him. He might have looked every bit the classic Kadenokōji seductress, if a more petite and delicate sort than many of his predecessors, but at the end of the day he was a man. And the most masculine part of his anatomy could only stir as he was assailed from all sides by two women that he had, to his eternal shame, lusted over more than once in their shared history.

It was a breath of fresh air when the bickering was suddenly interrupted by the arrival of another. If nothing else, it gave him a chance to try and collect himself. But fate was most cruel to him when the lovely young woman who manifested at the door immediately set about stimulating him all the worse. The things she had were mortifying enough, not only mistaking him as a girl but going so far as to imply that he and his sisters had begun something rather... unbecoming of siblings, however much his mind might have agreed. That she seemed not at all put off by the notion of joining such acts between women only made her all the more erotic, were it so possible, seeing how disheveled she was. He couldn't help but wonder, voyeur-like, what sort of activities she had been up to only moments before. How much of the sweat dotting her smooth skin was her own? Had she even had time to tidy herself up? He could practically smell the scent of sex, of basal rut on her even before she grew close enough for that to be a possibility. And his maleness only continued to respond to that notion, growing harder, more prominent at the promise that it too might have a chance to bury itself where another man had just found relief and spill the potency of its seed there.

He swallowed, hard, even before she decided to launch into her game, and when she pulled open her robes and exposed the perfectly shaped teardrops so coyly covered beforehand to him, he found his throat desolate in its dryness, his mouth hanging open somewhat as he stared shamelessly at her figure. She wasn't as busty as Haru-nee or their mother, nor as curvy as some of their aunties and cousins who had spent so many long summers teasing him to ecstasy, but in the light of that small parlor room, she was perfect. Her words practically didn't even register to him as he watched on like some slackjawed virgin at the sight of her, the throbbing in his loins only growing as she looked him in his eyes almost mystified by what she saw.

"I—I like, like you too..."

He barely managed to whisper the words out, his breath catching in his throat. The heat in his cheeks felt like it could fry egg, in part because of the intense arousal he felt, and in part because of how mortified he was at having conducted himself so. How could he call himself the heir of the Kadenokōji if such a sight could render him speechless and leaking through his fundoshi? He could feel the slickness of his pre-cum as it left sticky trails along his tummy, his length having long since outgrown the cotton of his undergarments to creep up along the curve of his soft, delicate abdomen, the size of his maleness made all the more obscene by how slender and lovely the rest of him was. It was to be expected, of course, for a clan of sorceresses who for hundreds of years took to bed inhumanly potent creatures, to produce sons with equally prodigious implements. And for however thankful he might have been in being blessed with such a thing, for the uses it provided him in bedding his own host of monstrosities, in the geisha house he could not help but curse its existence as he pressed his hands into his lap and tried to hide the growing outline forced so prominently against the folds of his kimono, the fine fabric tortuously smooth against his sensitive glans.

Sex! Ancestors beyond, he wanted to have sex so badly it hurt!

The timely arrival of Suguro made good on his hopes for Ayuri and took the proverbial sandal off his throat. However sensual he found the older geisha, however much more of his type as she might have been, compared to the damp, welcoming flesh of her younger employee, she was a breath of mercifully chaste air. He took several long moments to simply breathe and will the tension out of his body, begging his maleness to recede and be calm once more, and his face to take on the pale hues of a young master and not some love-drunk teenager utterly enchanted by a pair of breasts. Thankfully, Ayuri's own embarrassment gave him the smallest of smokescreens, and by the time she came around, he at least had mastered himself enough to respond to her without stuttering like an utter fool. Even if he still couldn't quite sit comfortably.

"I... understand that the memories might be quite frightening to recall. But anything you can share with us might help us immensely in exorcising the building and bringing peace to the spirits within," It helped to imagine the serene calm his mother might have manifested in such a situation, though given how thoughts of the women in his family had turned on him that day, he tried not to picture her too clearly, "Please, if you could tell me, do you recall when this haunting began? Were there any unusual circumstances leading up to the start of the events? And, if you could, describe the phenomenon that occurred in order of their occurrence."

[Lazy Kitsune]

Ayuri looks between you and Suguro for a few moments, the older woman setting a hand on the younger's shoulder. "It's alright." the matron of the house says, gently squeezing and rubbing to sooth Ayuri's nerves. "You can take your time."

Ayuri nods, swallowing as she steadies herself and faces you once again. "I'll do my best. But keep in mind... when this first started it was all quite... spread out... so it was easy to pass things off in the beginning as misunderstandings or simple imaginings. And some of the details are quite... well, I suppose we're past me being ladylike in your eyes, aren't we?" she seems a little solemn at that, but moves on quickly.

"I think it started not too long after I started working there. I came to Kyoto to be a musician, but there weren't a lot of opportunities for a young girl with no family name of renown and no letter of recommendation. Eventually I found work at the Blossom Garden, though I didn't start working the rooms until a handful of months in. At first I was there to bring customers drinks, work the gambling tables and... whenever I was lucky enough, I would perform in the main lobby. There was already a musician there, but he was a drunkard and sometimes overindulged to the point of not being able to play. It took some convincing, but I earned a spot as his stand-in. While I was playing, I noticed one of the girls who worked there watching me at the back of the room... only, apparently she was supposed to have been with a client at that very moment. So I assumed I had mistook someone else for her."

Her cheeks flush a bit and she purses her lips for a moment before she continues. "The next incident I can recall happened after I began working in the rooms. Or more specifically, during. I was... riding a client. I was still rather new at it all, but this particular encounter felt very... intense. He seemed to agree given how... enthusiastic he was about the whole thing. It was right when we were both... finishing... that I had this experience. I sudden coldness as I felt all that pleasure and passion flowing out of me and for a moment it felt like I had been dragged with it. I saw myself, from above, the look on my face as I spread myself on top of him. It was almost like a spiritual experience. I worried for a childish moment that he had somehow fucked my soul right out of my body, but a mere heartbeat later and all was normal again. Though it was after that point more strange occurrences began happening more often."

"During heated moments of passion with other clients I would notice... strange things happen. I had a man in my throat deep enough to make my eyes water. He was quite rough... a firm grip in my hair... so I was a little dizzied and fatigued the few times he relaxed enough to let me rise for air. Though on one such occasion, when lifting my head up, I swear I saw... blurred through watered eyes so I wasn't sure... but myself... sitting on the bed behind him, watching me as I worked. Then another time, another man... I was taking him from behind, my face mostly taken up with the sheets beneath me, especially when he pressed me down into them, but when I turned my face off to the side, I think I saw a quick glance of someone leaving the room we were in, only we were the only ones in there. Other girls would start to notice similar things... seeing people who were supposed to be with a client at the time, or even glancing a second version of themselves during the heights of their pleasure. We would search around, but there would be no sign of our doubles, and the boss disregarded it all as us being easily tricked by rumours and gossip."

"Then things got worse. One of our clients was attacked by one of the girl's kimono's after sleeping with her. Some of the girls began sleep walking in the night and carried out acts with imaginary partners. Acts that either themselves or another girl had done a few days prior. After one particularly exhaustive... ah... group of clients I took on, I chose to rest for a few moments before cleaning myself off. I... thought it was a nightmare at the time, but I awoke to warmth sliding up my body. The mess that had been left on my tits seemed to move of its own accord. It poured itself into my throat, after which I... well... I felt like I was one of the other girls there... but not... not quite who she actually was. More... who she pretended to be for the clients, if that makes sense. I left, I did things with strangers I would never normally do for free and returned. I only realised it wasn't a nightmare when I recognised one of those strangers at a later date. At this time, clients had started complaining as well. Apparently those who stayed the night would complain about nightmares where they were forced to work there... some assumed we had drugged them and tricked them into a night of service. Other times people would be overcome with intense sensations on entering the building and climax in public. Business began to dwindle, but by that point in time those of us that worked there were already frightened of what was happening."

There's a silence that follows as Ayuri realises she's reached the end of what she has to say. "I... sorry... I wasn't sure what details needed sharing. I hope I've not overstepped again. At the time I just wanted to get away from that place... but since leaving I've not been able to get it off of my mind. I'm worried in some way I'll always be stuck there... so... if there's anything I can tell you that will help you... put it right, whatever is wrong there, then I'm happy to do it."

Spoiler (click to show/hide):

Harumi Roll: 4, 3, 5

"Hmm." Harumi murmurs thoughtfully, leaning close to you to discuss for a few moments. "The kimono coming to life sounds like it could be a Kosode no te, or something similar at least. Something about the apparitions she described reminds me of Ikiryō, but for so many to manifest in one location seems unusual. Something else must be encouraging them to manifest somehow. Which means we may be dealing with multiple weak spirits and one stronger presence puppeteering them."

[Ze Blitzkrieg]

"I assure you, I do not think less of you for your profession, Ayuri-san."

Though he offered a gentle, reassuring smile, the memory of the hot blush on his cheeks almost made Tomoki's statement feel disingenuous, but it was not a falsehood. Indeed, his own family, full of women both living and departed, whom he thought the world of had often been scorned for the nature of their profession, despite the countless lives saved or otherwise bettered by their service. If he were to think poorly of a humble courtesan plying her skills as best she could, he would be no better than those who scorned his kin for generations. No, he did not think less of her for how she earned her rice. Thought of her differently? Maybe... but it wasn't exactly a negative kind of different. He would likely have images of her hot, supple body dancing through his mind for months to come.

But those thoughts, and the arousal they brought, needed to be tamped down upon until after he had seen to Ayuri's spiritual welfare. Straightening as best he could, he listened intently to her tale, considering each detail she shared with him with all due consideration. The racier parts of the story did not help, admittedly, but her little game had already gone more than enough to get him hot and bothered to the point where tales of her being taken this way and that by countless men were but a drizzle in the wake of a great storm, and he weathered them as such, concern for the inhabitants of that illusionary world taking precedence over the titillation of their exploits. Once the story concluded, he sunk into a period of contemplative silence, even as Haru-nee proved her assiduous nature by providing him with her theories on the subject.

"I concur."

The young sorcerer was quick to murmur to his elder sibling; indeed, the tale spun by Ayuri lined up with stories of living ghosts and out-of-body experiences, barring the kimono incident, which itself shared at least a few threads in common with the main haunting. The question was, of course, what could have caused such a nexus of these events? Ikiryō were normally isolated incidents, born from great passion or terrible grudges. If there were a more powerful spirit behind the cases, might it have been possible that they were stoking the emotions, positive or negative, of the inhabitants of such a house? And to what end?

"Ayuri-san, could you tell me more about the owner of this establishment? You mention he was quite dismissive of the experiences of his girls. Did he usually behave in such ways? I do not wish to speak ill of a man I have never met, but was his relationship with his employees particularly strained during your tenure at the Blossom House? Or perhaps even before your time?"

[Lazy Kitsune]

Ayuri brushed aside some of her hair as she considers your question, warmth returning to her features with a humoured smile. "Oh, don't worry. You can speak ill of him as much as you want. He was a fairly horrid sort. I mentioned that musician, the drunk. They were close... not sure if they were blood related or not, but Ishiwata - the owner - he clearly favoured him. Let him get away with a lot of things that he did when got drunk. There was a reason I struggled to get even the opportunity to perform there. And Ishiwata himself wasn't all that much nicer. Most I can say about him is he didn't grope any of us himself but he put a lot of pressure on me to work the rooms from the moment I started working for him. I was the youngest girl there at the time, hardly what you would call experienced. He had a way of making you feel lucky he hadn't thrown you out. Apparently it wasn't always like that at the Blossom House. But I can't speak much to that. Sometime before I got there the place was run by a woman... Mura-san I think. The women that worked there under her said it was much nicer, but Ishiwata owned the land. Apparently he fell on hard times and put pressure on Mura-san, which at some point led to him wrestling the entire place from her control and running it himself. Treated it like his own personal kingdom once he did. Not sure what happened to Mura-san. The others said they didn't see her again. To be honest, I'm not sure what's happened to Ishiwata either. For some reason I keep feeling like he'll show up and try and drag me back there, but no one's seen him either. Maybe he's trapped inside by whatever it is that's claimed that place. Or maybe he just left to ruin some other establishment instead. Sorry, whish I could be more help with that."

"Depending on what happened between Ishiwata and Maru-san, the door could have been opened for any number of spirits to come through into the building." Harumi confers with you. "He could have been cursed, or maybe she is the spirit - it would depend on how exactly she felt about the whole thing as it happened. Or they could be both victims of something else their discord merely fed and gave power to."

Spoiler (click to show/hide):

Tomoki Roll: 3, 4, 6

Your own sharp mind comes into focus on something of note, however. While your usual acuity may have been muddied by the parade of beauty and eroticism that has proceeded before you these past few minutes, it is perhaps helped by the fact that the detail you pick up on is attributed to one such source of fascination. The features of Suguro. She composes herself well, but from her melancholic reaction its apparent that she's familiar to some extent with this Mura-san. Its strange to think that Suguro would be hiding details of the case from you, especially as she brought it to your attention in the first place - but if she has some prior connection with the previous owner of the Blossom Garden, then that could provide additional motivation for both letting you know about the haunting and for taking in the stray girls from the establishment.

[Ze Blitzkrieg]

No great surprise that the man running a brothel was not especially sensitive to the needs of the women under his employ, Tomoki supposed. It was like as not a common tale even in Shimabara, with its relative wealth and standing in a great city like Kyoto. But even if his conduct had not been the direct cause of the haunting, it was clear enough that something related to him had triggered it. Whether that something was intrinsically tied to Muka-san, he could not say for certain. But the person who might have been able to do so seemed not so very far away. Tomoki addressed the solemn-looking madame with a brief look of consideration before returning his gaze to Ayuri. The girl was clearly rather shaken by the whole affair, even months after the fact—he could not help but feel guilty for dredging up old memories.

"I see. You have been of great help, Ayuri-san, and I thank you for your bravery in this matter. I believe I have a working theory on this haunting and how best to address it now," The consolatory smile he offered her was genuine, born from empathy for her experiences that only those who knew firsthand of such harrowing events could have, "Once I have taken care of the source, I would be happy to make your acquaintance again, and perhaps offering some counsel on how to handle any lingering unease from your time at the Blossom House. If it would please you, that is."

He couldn't help but think that enjoying her company again would please him, however much a lecher it made him feel to be so thrilled by the presence of a wanton beauty. Better to tell himself it was the satisfaction of ensuring her well-being that he was after, and not another glimpse beneath her kimono.

"For now, though, I believe it best I confer with Suguro-san about our next steps. I am sure you would like the opportunity to compose yourself before returning to your customers. Please, feel free to do so now."

His suggestion of her exit was as polite and well-mannered as any courteous, highborn young man could offer, and he prayed she took it, if only so that Suguro would not feel pressured to hide her connection to the matter in front of one of her girls. The truth could be a difficult thing to conjure forth, shy as it was like to be around those it involved. When it was just him, his sisters, and Suguro, he addressed the elder geisha with a seriousness befitting his position, the flames of his arousal simmering down enough for a respectable facade to rise in its place.

"I do not mean to be presumptuous, Suguro-san, but it seemed to me that Ayuri-san's story struck a distinct chord with you. Am I safe in my assumption you and Muka-san were acquainted with each other?"

Though the question was as crisp and stern as it might have been coming from the lips of his esteemed predecessors, Tomoki's soft, almost girlish features surely made them seem less severe, and the way he eased his expression under Suguro's gaze hopefully pressed the notion that he asked only out of concern for the situation.

"It may be difficult for you to recount, but please, if you could explain what you know of this situation—of what became of Muka-san after Ishiwata-san took over the Blossom House—it could well prove key in remedying this haunting. My only concern is mending spiritual disturbances; I offer none involved judgment or castigation."

[Lazy Kitsune]

Ayuri seems relieved at the notion that she was helpful, bowing her head with a happy smile before she lifts her head to grace you with a smile. "Thankyou, Kadenokōji-sama. It has been a pleasure to meet you. I... think it would please me. Speaking with you again. I hope to see you again soon. Perhaps I can play a melody for you next time you visit." she rises with as much grace as she can muster under the circumstances and bows once again to bid you and your sisters a polite farewell before leaving.

Left alone with the matron of the establishment, Suguro seems to know what you plan on asking before you even do. Perhaps she felt how expressive she had been during Ayuri's story, or maybe she simply had a good intuition for these sorts of things, but she gives a solemn nod once you begin to speak as she braces herself to speak her truth.

"You are quite right. Although, I don't know what became of Mura-san or the man who took her livelihood from her. If I did, I would tell you. Or more likely, I would have gone and done something about it myself by now and likely would have gotten into more trouble than I am capable of dealing with in the process. You see, Mura... she was my mentor. And my lover. She was a geisha. The best I ever had the honour of working alongside. And more than that, she was something of a spiritualist. Nothing that can hold a candle to you and your clan, I'm sure, but an open mind and heart all the same. Through her I learned to see the world in new colours. She opened the Blossom Garden not to reap the vices of Kyoto, but to provide a safe home for those with nowhere else to turn to. Girls that would have been turned away by the very institutions that trained her. I myself was one such flower she helped bloom. In many ways, me taking in the girls from there is me coming full circle, bringing that part of my life back into the way I live now. She is a woman that, were she born in another time, would have been courted by princes and heroes alike and her sage wisdom would have been valued as much for her sage wisdom as she was her body."

"She ran that place for near two and a half decades before Ishiwata took it from her. He was not her first landlord, but certainly the most present. From what I heard from her, he had as much of a gambling problem as many of his future clients, if not more so. This landed him in quite a significant amount of debt. Claiming the business for his own must have been his ploy of paying it off, though whether it was his idea or those of his creditors I do not know. I imagine the addition of gambling tables to the establishment must have been their idea, and likely many of the Garden's customers over the following years must have been from this same group. By this point in time my personal contact with Mura had become infrequent enough that I was not immediately concerned for her wellbeing. Although I always blamed myself for not investigating once I found out she no longer ran the Garden. Perhaps I saw her as too special to be taken down by such a lowly and mundane person as Ishiwata. Or perhaps I was too afraid of crossing those who Ishiwata owed money too, in case hounding people for money was merely the tip of what they were capable of."

Her speech remains so composed, you almost miss the tears making their way down her cheeks, streaking her make up with her silent sorrow. "Failing to be there for Mura is one of the single greatest shames of my life. If there is any chance that her... that her spirit is bound to the Blossom, unable to move on, I beg you, sorcerer, please, please free her from such torment." In that moment, the dam holding back the full font of her sadness breaks and and Suguro bows deeply and desperately, sobbing as she begs for your help. "I will give you anything you wish from me. My service, my home, my self. But I must know... I must know that everything that could be done for her has been."

[Ze Blitzkrieg]

While he had expected the visit to the teahouse to be a stimulating one, Tomoki had not anticipated the events unfolding within to be so touching. Indeed, he felt a different sort of shame burning within him for having been so easily led to thoughts of vice and debauchery while there was such a terrible disturbance afoot. It was clear enough that even if the events within the Blossom House were unlikely to earn him and his clan any particular renown in bringing them to a conclusion, it was no less important that he dedicate himself entirely to it. If not for the experience it would bring to him, or even for the sake of bringing Suguro and Mura peace, then because it was simply the righteous thing to do: something that was at the very heart of his kin who employed their sorcerous talents for the betterment of their fellow man. However naive it might have seemed, however childish, Tomoki's resolve at that moment was absolute, even before Suguro fell to her knees before him and begged his help.

"Please, Suguro-san, sit up. There is no need to prostrate yourself so. My assistance on this matter was guaranteed from the moment it was revealed to me."

For all his talent as a sorcerer, Tomoki had never been very good at consoling people. Not for a lack of want, of course, as his time at the teahouse had surely revealed his heart to still be quite soft to the plight of others. Rather, the rigors of his training had simply no time for such pleasantries. Still, seeing tears streaming down such an otherwise perfect mask of poise, Tomoki hefted himself from his cushion and crawled toward the madame such that he could reach out with a delicate hand and cup one of her cheeks with all the care one used to handle porcelain. A soft finger rubbed at the tears that trickled down it.

"Rest assured, I require no repayment for my services beyond your warm hospitality. I wish only resources enough to walk the world and practice my art, nothing more."

It didn't strike him just how embarrassing his words were until he spoke them, like he were some hero in the sorts of noh dramas popular in the Old Capital. But his sincerity was such that even that embarrassment did not cause him to reverse course. Once he was content in tidying up Suguro's cheeks with the sleeve of his kimono, he settled back down into a seated position.

"Could you show us to the Blossom House? I fear I can only theorize as to the fate of its inhabitants without seeing it firsthand, and I must become familiar with its premises before I can attempt an exorcism of any kind."

[Lazy Kitsune]

Your soothing words and touch brings the matron's sobbing down to more gentle tears that keep her eyes watery and cheeks flushed as she tilts her head up to look at you with gratitude and relief easing her soul. A few shuddered breaths bring her on the path to calming down and recomposing herself, though her expression remains tender and open as she feels your hand on her cheek. Her eyes look into your own, your faces inches apart as you console her, and you feel how she sees you in this moment. Not as the boy now barely a man whose spent the day so far being titillated and dazed by the feminine bounties on display around him, but as a daring sorcerer, here to save her from the sort of troubles only you can deal with. As you dry her cheeks, she smiles as she too sits back and recomposes herself.

"For someone so young, you have a special wisdom about you. I suppose that should be expected, but that doesn't make it any less special. You may be a man, but talking with you reminds me of what it was like to talk with Mura-san. The Kadenokōji clan is lucky to have you as their successor." she says, taking a few moments more to tidy herself up. "Allow but a few moments to prepare before I am seen in public again. Then I will take you to the Blossom Garden personally."

While Suguro prepares herself, your attention is drawn to Yoi who lets out a long, exaggerated groan and topples over to lie on her back. "Ugh! We're going right now? My legs still ache from all the walking we've done today already!"

Harumi instead stands at the ready, responding to Yoi in a calmer fashion than before as she retorts - perhaps due to the presence of Suguro in the room. "It is our duty to deal with matters like this as soon as possible. We have gathered as much information as we can here. Best to head to the location now, rather than leave the haunting linger and potentially risk more victims."

"That's easy for you to say. You and Tomo-Tan never seem to get tired! And your thighs are so thick you probably gave the mountain more of a work out walking down it than your legs got." Yoi grumbles, her comments enough to get a huff out of Harumi despite her trying to stay composed while in respectable company. "Maybe I can stay here while you two go and-"

"Oh no." This gets Harumi to raise her voice more as she reaches out with one hand and grabs Yoi's arm before yanking her up. Yoi's feet dangle as she tries to refuse to stand and struggle against her older sister's grip, whining about being to tired. "We are not leaving you on your own here of all places. Who knows why kind of trouble you'll get up to. Suguro-san has been a gracious host and we will be in our best behaviour while residing within her walls. Which in your case means always being in my line of sight. Besides, if you want to be able to assist your brother properly, you will need to practice those talents of yours in the field."

Mercifully it seems Suguro takes the spat between your siblings in good stride, demurely covering her mouth as she laughs softly in her mature, husky tones while Harumi and Yoi bicker. It seems the little show has raised the geisha's spirits as she finishes reapplying her make up and heads towards the fusuma. She glances towards you as she slides it open with a knowing smile on her lips. "It can be like corralling cats, can't it? A lot of my girls can be much the same sometimes."

---

You make your way to the Blossom Garden in two-by-two through the winding streets of Shimabara, you walking by the side of Suguro while your sisters follow behind. Yoi has given up on struggling, having quickly flitted from sulkily stomping her feet behind you to once again being entertained by the exotic sights, sounds and smells of the flower town, though Harumi dares not let her out of her sight for a moment. The sky was beginning to darken, though the rolling overcast of clouds added to this dimness, making it hard to judge from sight alone how late into the day you were. Despite the overcast, Suguro had brought her purple oil-paper umbrella with her, the sight of it open above her seems to help part the crowd before your group to allow her to pass unharried.

The path to the Blossom Garden takes you away from the busier streets, the paths growing narrower and windier as you feel the world grow quieter around you. Eventually Suguro stops before a gate. The paint was peeling from the wood, and the walls on either side showed faded pictures of flowers upon them. "We're here." Suguro murmured quietly, before gently reaching out to push open the gate and reveal the path to the building proper.

For all of Kyoto's modernisation, much of Shimbara had a more traditional aesthetic to it. This building was no different. Past the outer walls there was a small garden area, its few ornaments and features now overgrown with weeds and negligence. The building itself was primarily made out of wood, two stories tall and clearly abandoned. It might have once looked quite impressive compared to its neighbours, not least because it had a modest garden area all to itself, though as it stands now it doesn't look safe to inhabit even if it weren't haunted. You can feel a tension coming off of this place... a foreboding sense of danger.

Yoi shivers behind you, drawing your attention. She must feel something similar. Though lacking your spiritual potency, the few talents she seems to be able to reliably muster are those involving reacting to or detecting spiritual energy. "There's definitely something here. A lot of somethings maybe." she says.

Though its right as she finishes speaking that you feel this sensation become more acute. Focused, as if something within the building has suddenly seen you. Within moments, the cold foreboding energy becomes a warmth, starting from a pinprick against the back of your neck and then spreading throughout your body. You are unharmed, but instead flooded with all the thoughts and sensations that had gotten you worked up throughout the day, with a few more extra to add to it as well it seemed. Your cock springs to attention, and quickly begins adding to the mess of pre you made within your undergarments earlier. A second shudder from Yoi, matched with her heavier breathing and flushed face indicates she must be experiencing something much the same. She meets your gaze for a moment before looking away and biting her finger, leaving the likely very wet and ruined state of her own undergarments unmentioned.

The sensation seems to pass, but a low level of lustful passion remains permeating the air. It will likely only grow even more intense once you enter the building itself. Suguro remains standing beside you, gazing up through the empty, darkened windows of the upper floor. "Now that I'm here... I... I wish to go inside with you..." she says before turning to look at you. "If you will allow it. I feel I need to see this through to the end myself."

[Ze Blitzkrieg]

There might have been a moment when Yoi-nee began her tantrum, where Tomoki might have agreed with her. Perhaps it would have been better to rest before setting out, to indulge her now instead of denying her like earlier. He could rub her feet and let her snooze for a few hours as a showing of goodwill, and maybe sneak off for some relief of his own while she did. But Haru-nee proved the more prudent of the two of them, reminding him of his position even when he might have forgotten it. There was no time for soft-hearted spoiling of their youngest while a confirmed haunting was afoot, that much was true, and no matter how close or empathetic he felt towards his mischievous twin, duty came before pleasure. The young heir rose to his feet shortly thereafter, giving a shy smile to Suguro, who had reclaimed her matronly demeanor in the time it took his sisters to begin their bickering again.

"I must confess, my training did not include a section on how to encourage their getting along. Maybe you can teach me how best to manage them, once we have settled the Blossom Garden."

However much he might have wanted them to snap to his commands just as they would with their mother, part of him couldn't help but find their arguing the least bit endearing. The Kadenokōji were a clan, yes, but Yoi-nee's antics breaking Haru-nee's silent facade seemed to be the times when the siblings most felt like a family. Tonight, though, they would need to be more than a family. They would need to be a cohesive unit. They would need to be exorcists.

___

The streets of Shimabara were a welcome change of pace from the interior of the teahouse. Not for Suguro-san's lack of attention to the establishment's aesthetic, of course, but because the atmosphere was perhaps a little too good with its aesthetic for him. Even if the sounds of sin and debauchery couldn't have been heard through the second floor, and the subtle scent of sex and perfume tickled at once's nostrils, Tomoki's appreciation for the refined, graceful sort of woman more traditionally found in a proper geisha house would have certainly seen him just as flustered, if in a slower sort of fashion. The evening air, though muggy with the promise of rain, did well in cooling down his humors and getting his mind on the subject. While Yoi-nee skittered about, enthralled by the sights and sounds, Tomoki spent the moments between Suguro's place of business and the Blossom House in contemplation.

That contemplation came to an almost anti-climactic end when they reached the gates sooner than expected. It looked almost ostentatious, were it in its heyday, yet after however many months or years of neglect and abandonment, it was almost easy to miss the Blossom House, another aging building in a period of decline for the traditional arts. Though he had never commanded an especially fearsome visage, the young sorcerer squared his shoulders and held his head high as Suguro pushed the gates open and bid them all inside. His first steps onto the ground were pinpricked by a feeling of danger, not dissimilar to what his younger sister felt, he was sure. But danger came part and parcel with their duties. They would need to face many terrible foes on their journey across Japan, and it would fall to Tomoki to bring each of those hoes to heel like a hunter with his hound. That confidence filled his stride as he approached.

And then, it was quickly shaken, when the presence within seemed to see them—to feel them—entering its domain. The wave of emotion that crashed over him was something much harder to handle than fear; the arousal Ayuri-san described was certainly done justice by the near reverence she had ascribed to it. It was hard to stand proud when your cock near enough sprung from the confines of your kimono, kissing your midsection with its sticky pre, and a brief glance toward Yoi, the more sensitive of his siblings, seemed to indicate she felt it just as poignantly as he did. Struggling to suck in a centering breath, he addressed Suguro as best he could.

"I... understand your desire to join us, but for all my confidence in my abilities, I cannot guarantee your safety once inside. This place is... a maelstrom of strong emotion. Whether its lust, or love, or anger, or hatred, it's powerful... and the source, whatever it may be, is liable to have attracted other disturbances, like moths to a flame."

He could handle the moths, of that much he was confident, but the flame was another matter entirely. Even if the flame in question was dear Muka-san, who had given her life over to providing succor to unfortunate girls like the much younger Suguro, dark fates had a way of twisting even noble souls into dark shadows of themselves. He did not wish to see Suguro suffer in the wake of one she once loved dearly.

"If you insist... please, stay close to us, and heed my commands once inside. It is the way of our arts for the sorcerer to become the focal point of a haunting—I will do everything in my power to draw the worst of the malice into myself, and away from the rest of you."

His cheeks flushed just a little at that admission, knowing well enough what that often meant. But Suguro-san had made a living taking things into herself over the years, if somewhat different things. Surely she would not judge when the time came to potentially... engage... with the yōkai within.

[Lazy Kitsune]

Suguro considers your words for a few moments, turning her attention back to the looming visage of the building before you. Whatever deliberation that goes on behind her steeled gaze does little to shift her stance. She gives an affirming nod. "I understand. But I feel I must be here. I will do exactly as you ask once inside. I accept any of the risks involved as ones I am bringing onto myself."

As you cross the final threshold, entering the building itself, your sisters and Suguro follow closely behind, everyone staying huddled together and looking off in different directions. The main entranceway opens up to a parlour room of sorts, with tables laid out for various gambling games - many of which seemed to have been abandoned in a state of mid play. The air of arousal thickens and the slight gasps and deeper breathing you hear from Harumi and Suguro lets you know that its potent enough for them to pick up on it now.

"The air... tastes salty..." Harumi murmurs as she scans around the darkness. It's difficult to make out much, the light from outside dimmed even before it reaches the dilapidated windows of this place.

Spoiler (click to show/hide):

Yoi Roll: 4, 6, 2

Fortunately the seriousness of the situation seems to have gotten Yoi to focus. She clasps her hands together and mutters a quick prayer in words only you would be able to decipher the true meaning of and moments later three orbs of spectral flame appear, flickering to life one by one in the air around you. They begin to emit a light, first in a pale blue glow that reaches out to illuminate the surroundings, but one by one the colour changes, bleeding into a deep purple.

"Ohh... that's new... that's... a lot of... passion. Lust." she murmurs as the flames flicker with varying intensities, flaring and diminishing at infrequent intervals. "And its very chaotic."

Suguro is briefly startled by the sudden appearances of these flames, but steadies herself once she realises they are of Yoi's making. "Very impressive." she murmurs, to which Yoi responds with a wide grin before turning her attention back to focusing on her flames.

The light they offer shows the paths before you. A stairway is immediately available, rising up to the darkness above. Running parallel to it is a hallway taking you deeper in, whereas off to your right another hallway stretches along against the outer wall of the building. To your left, the parlour room continues on, where there seems to be a patrician partially opened to reveal a second similar room just beyond.

Then a sound catches your ear. Faint... but listening carefully you can make it out, music. It sounds like its been separated twice over from this building, muddied by layers of unseen walls. Yet if you focus on it you can start to figure out the direction its coming from. To your left, deeper within the gambling rooms.

"Do you hear that?" Yoi asks, also picking up on it.

"Something... faint... I can't make it out." Suguro murmurs as well.

There's a pause before Harumi makes her own comment. "I can't hear anything, what is it?"

Though she does react to the next noise. A loud thud from what sounds like it could be directly above you. Followed by repeated slamming of... something... and moans that begin to echo and bounce off the walls. The unmistakable sound of a woman being fucked, hard and fast in one of the rooms upstairs. Creaking begins to echo along the various hallways, as if footsteps were pressing against the floors as people roamed the building. Yoi's flames began to burn more intensely, indicating the movements of stronger spiritual presences throughout the building.

"Wait, there's someone over there!" Yoi calls out, pointing down the hallway to your right. By the time you look over, all you see is an open shōji.

It seemed there was a lot to investigate already, and all in different directions.

[Ze Blitzkrieg]

It was good to see that once they had properly entered the proverbial lion's den, Yoi-nee had the good sense to show herself to be more than just a hanger-on. The emotions which filled the decrepit brothel were doubtlessly ones of lust. It was as his sister said, a chaotic lust, wild and untamed and going this way and that. But it could not simply have been born from just that most primal of needs. Were that the case, every other establishment in Shimabara would be rife with spirits. There was something else at work here, something more sinister, hiding within that chaotic tide that made his throat dry and his fundoshi moist. They would need to peel away at this layer of unchecked ardor, bit by bit until the true source could be ascertained.

And goodness, was he not spoiled for choice in how to approach that particular strategy?

There seemed to be three primary phenomena to investigate. The one upstairs seemed most potent, and it was a thought to simply charge headlong toward the second floor to face it directly. Yet the other specters in the establishment were not liable to easily forgive such an intrusion. Better to start from the exterior and work one's way in, however much more laborious it would be, to secure a proper line of retreat, should such a thing be necessary. Ayuri and Suguro's tales had given him some notion of what to expect, and with that in mind, Tomoki nodded towards the gambling parlor.

"We will begin there. Please, mind yourselves."

The music within seemed almost immaterial, caught up in the cacophony of blissful agony that radiated all from around them. But Tomoki had a fair idea of how it might have related to their current predicament. The tune, so hazy, would need to be made clearer. With care, the young sorcerer raised his petite hands. He cleared his mind and imagined that ephemeral world beyond their own. Then, with intent, he clapped them, twice in quick succession, just as priestesses did to wake the kami within their shrines. A gesture to dispel the ambient noise, and invite the source of that tune to come forth and commune with him.

[Lazy Kitsune]

Even with the building growing livelier by the second, its hard not to notice the entrance slamming shut behind you as you start to move forward. It's not uncommon for malevolent spirits to try and trap potential victims within their domain. Its a situation you and your sisters have been trained for. Suguro, on the other hand, likely hasn't, though she contains her fear well enough to press on with the rest of you - although a trembling has reached her arms that betray her unvoiced fear.

Harumi pulls the long wrapped bundle from her back and looses the fabric. It tumbles to the floor and then draws her weapon from its sheath, the long blade of her ōdachi glints in the flickering violet lights of Yoi's embers. Its entirely possible there was nothing within these walls that would be physical enough for the blade to be of use, but the walls themselves may still be subject to your older sister's immense physical force should an emergency exit need to be made.

The hues of Yoi's flames mellow, tempered by emotions other than carnal lust as you step deeper into the parlour, however not by enough to make the flames change colour altogether. She keeps one near the parlour's entrance as your mother had taught her. Should the flame suddenly grow more intense, it would mean a spirit would be approaching the room from outside. The other two flames follow your group, flanking you on either side to provide light and continue to read the energies of the room themselves.

You focus your own efforts on the music, and with a quick clap of your hands draw forth its source.

Spoiler (click to show/hide):

Tomoki Roll: 5, 3, 2 vs. 4, 5, 4

The sounds of the Garden fade away in an instant, silenced by your palms, and in their place the music flows more readily and clearly. No footsteps creek nor whorish moans echo, instead this steady, casual melody floats around you.

And Yoi's flames flicker out.

The light they emitted is immediately replaced with warm candlelight filling the room. The various tables of gambling games seemed to have neatened themselves out in the blank of an eye, and half formed shadows sit at tables tended to by women dressed in revealing kimono, at least one of whom you recognise - Ayuri, sitting at a table right before you with a warm smile on her face as she gestures for you to take a seat.

"Welcome to the Blossom Garden. Your wager has been accepted. Quite the high stakes deposit. I'm impressed by how brave you are." she says as she spreads what appears to be a hanafuda set out on the table.

As welcoming as Ayuri, or at least this aspiration of Ayuri seems to be, there's little it can do to offset the panic brought about by the fact that Harumi, Yoi and Suguro are nowhere to be seen. However once you notice Ayuri begin to turn over the cards before, you see that the imagery upon their faces is not of flowers as you would expect, but of your sisters and the geisha matron you came here with. Each woman seems to be present on at least four different cards. And some of the artwork is quite... erotic.

"What do you like to play? I'm a fan of guessing games myself. Though I'm very good at them, so we can play with a handicap. Pick which of your prizes you want the most, and I'll give you your first card towards that prize for free. The rest will be shuffled and used for our games." Ayuri says, smiling up at you expectantly. She catches a look in your eyes and brushes back some of her hair. "Don't look at me like that. I may not look it, but I get nervous around cute guys, especially if they've got an intense stare like that." she adds with a giggle.

[Ze Blitzkrieg]

It seemed as though, for better or for worse, his efforts managed to attract the attention of the specter in the gambling hall. Given the sudden shift in scenery, however, Tomoki could not help but feel it was perhaps for the worst, as it seemed as though his companions had vanished in the instant of his clap, and in their place, he was left in the thrall of whatever particular haunting now inhabited the parlor room. A haunting that seemed to be quite personal, given the amicable young woman now goading him to join her at the table. However fond he might have been of Ayuri-san at the teahouse, however, he needed to remind himself that what he saw before him was not her. Or, at least, not the *her* he had briefly made the acquaintance of. At best, the specter before him was in the thrall of something more powerful than itself, a spirit with no body and no inhibition. At worst... well, there was no saying what it was.

He could take solace in knowing that the things before him were likely tricks of his mind. His actual body likely remained with his companions—under Haru-nee's care—while he engaged in what looked to be a battle of wits with the yōkai. The young sorcerer took his place across from the image of Ayuri, his look of vague interest growing a hair more worried as he viewed the depictions on the cards. Did it mean to try and threaten him with the well-being of the women who had accompanied him? It was one thing to try and work its magic over him, but for it to decide to strike at those unable to defend themselves properly...

A breath steadied his nerves. Yōkai were often a mischievous sort. The cards were likely just another way for it to toy with him, to try and grasp at the unsubtle feelings roiling just under the surface. He would play its game, for now, and encourage it to grow all the more comfortable toying with him. That was the way of their clan. He would not be easily rattled by such a childish gambit.

"I have never been one for games, myself. The house is free to choose the nature of our game—though I maintain my right to decide the wagers."

His eyes darted briefly to the table, to the cards laid out. A total of twelve? They would be there for quite some time. He could only hope the being behind this charade could be lured out without having to painstakingly win back each card. The choice of which card to take first, though, was a rather vexing one. How could he be made to choose between his sisters? They were both family, both dear to him. Suguro-san was a stranger by comparison, true, but she was also uninitiated in this moonlit world of theirs: a civilian caught up in the wiles of spirits beyond her comprehension.

The sorcerer reached across the table, placing a single finger atop the nearest card bearing Suguro's romanticized form, and slid it towards himself, choosing his 'handicap' in the game to come.