I13DT: John & Benji's Magical Mystery Briefing

[John Hino]

John, in full team uniform, sat at the table in the War Room with his personal prototype holo-computer set up in front of him, reviewing information as he waited for others to arrive. He was nervous about leading his first briefing, as evidenced by the mountain of jerky packages in the trashcan.

((If you want in, just assume John sent for whatever appropriate character))

[Will Stanton]

Will sat off to one side. It was John's show, after all.

[Rowena Mohsen]

Rowena was sitting at the table in uniform including a black hijab which really made her look more in the vein of a ninja than she'd intended, but whatever.

[Victoria Valentine]

Victoria sat back in her chair, her uniform looking more... gothy than usual. Granted, it might not be different enough for anyone but her to notice.

[Mizuki Hino]

Mizuki walks into the room, looking amazingly out of place.

[Narrator]

Benji Takahashi slammed through the closed doors, wearing a Hawaiian shirt and cargo shorts. He bumped into the table and swore, dropping some of his rolled up charts in the process.

[John Hino]

John facepalmed.

"Did you even try to look professional?" he groaned.

[Victoria Valentine]

"I'm suddenly much more glad that I signed on," Victoria mused with a smirk.

[Narrator]

John facepalmed.

"Did you even try to look professional?" he groaned.

"I brought charts! Cost me $19.43 at Kinkos!"

[John Hino]

Yep. I'm doomed.

"No, I mean... you know what? Nevermind. Have a seat, we'll be starting in a minute or two."

[Byrna Cooper]

Bear smiled and cupped her hands on the table, making room for Benji and his various things.

[John Hino]

John shut down his holo-screen and stood.

"Alright. Bear with me though, I haven't led a briefing before."

He paused for a breath.

"For those of you not already read in, recently I was informed of a probable threat against my family due to an ancestor's role in a secret war in the late 18th century between an organization of warriors working for a descendant of the sorcerer Abe no Seimei and a cult working to open a portal to the Japanese underworld strong enough for an elder spider demoness named Hakkotsukisai to enter our world. The warriors, the Hyakuryoushi or Hundred Hunters, won in the the but were decimated and forced to disband. At their victory, the Honechoukou Clan's high priest swore that they would rise again and that the descendants of the one who dared injure his goddess would be hunted down in revenge. It's a little fuzzy if there was a literal curse attached."

"This man here, Benjamin Takahashi, is a descendant of the Lord Abe that led the Hyakuryoushi, and his family as been watching for signs of the Honechoukou Clan's return and maintaining the masking spell hiding my bloodline from attempts at magical detection. He has seen no signs, but after I received this information I visited Professor Weaver and got all the confirmation I needed that the threat is still good."

[Victoria Valentine]

Victoria raised her hand. "I'm a little shaky on my Japanese mythology. What kind of demon are we talking about? One they just appease by feeding virgins to? Or the kind that actually gives them magic powers somehow?"

"Oh, and are there any books or artifacts left from this sorceror?"

[Narrator]

"Ah, yeah, I can answer that," Benji said, unfurling one of his charts.

"It's not so much a question of powers, from the information we have, but more guidance. Um, unlocking things already inside, stuff like that. I don't think they're actively channeling demonic...you know, stuff. But the records indicate they might have access to ancient techniques and the like. Things that you, uh ,don't see every day.

Abe no Rumitaro did leave some information, but it's...not exactly in book form."

[John Hino]

John subtly smirked. This was going to be interesting. Or a headache.

"It's one of his familiars. In fact, it brought me the warning of its own accord."

He looks to Benji. "Where is Taiki anyway?"

[Narrator]

"He SAID he'd be here...."

And that's when a blue light fought it's way out of one of the rolled up scrolls, and started darting around the room.

"Ladies and gentlmen, boys and girls, children of all ages..."

[Mizuki Hino]

"Whoa!"

[Rowena Mohsen]

Rowena reflexively phases, sinking into the chair slightly.

[John Hino]

"It's alright everyone, he's friendly."

Perhaps too friendly.

[Narrator]

"Liiiiiive from Feudal Japan, here's your host...TAIIIIIIKIIIIIII!"

Materializing on table in front of John was...well, it was a thing, that was for sure.

[Byrna Cooper]

Bear couldn't help but grin widely.

[Mizuki Hino]

"Hey, that thing's cute!"

[Victoria Valentine]

"...Please tell me you looked more serious a few centuries ago."

[Narrator]

"Just look up the word handsome in the dictionary, and you'll find little old Taiki."

Benji facepalmed.

[John Hino]

"Mr. Takahashi tells me he's a chōchinobake, a rather tame variety of yokai, a category for both spirits and demons, that's only really dangerous when used by other yokai as a lure. My ancestor freed him from a bunch of kappa... a turtle demon essentially... likes to drown people."

"Hakkotsukisai on the other hand, is or perhaps once was a jorōgumo. Traditionally they take the form of a beautiful woman and lure men off to be eaten. She, however, has become something greater that revels in death and, upon last encounter with the cult, was believed to want to bring the 'freedom' of death to the mortal world. To turn the Earth into an extension of the underworld."

"Do I have that right?" he asked Benji.

[Narrator]

"I was...easing into that. It's some pretty weird shit, man."

[Rowena Mohsen]

Rowena gets sort of stony-faced, ignoring the lamp on the table as she pulls out of the chair and solidifies.

[Melody Martens]

"....have I ever mentioned how much I hate magic?" Melody mumbled to herself, starting to regret signing up.

"So. This sounds undeniably shitty. How do we stop it?" she asked more seriously.

[Narrator]

The lantern got a serious look on his face...that was somewhat cut out by the incredibly cheesy reverb it gave to it's voice.

"Long ago, in the distant land of Japan, our ancestors discovered a weapon powerful enough to ward off the demons. Somewhere in the mountains rests a forgotten shrine. Inside the forgotten shrine rests a forgotten passageway. Inside the forgotten passageway rests a forgotten switch.

This switch leads you to...the undershrine. Legend has it that only those blessed by the magic of a descendant , and skilled enough to withstand the perilous perils that lie within, may pass and claim...Onihasaiki, the Enchanted Tetsubo.

You could start by running through the room of three gargoyles. Passing their challenge might lead you down a staircase to the dreaded wall climb. From there, you must choose your own path, be it through the observatory and the room of golden idols, or descending into the shrine...of the silver monkey.

The choices are yours, and yours alone.

Good luck."

[Melody Martens]

"...are you being serious or just quoting Legends of the Hidden Temple?"

[Narrator]

"He's serious, though he's also an idiot," Benji said, rubbing his temples. "We don't KNOW what's in the shrine."

[Mizuki Hino]

"I like him."

[John Hino]

"There's no record of what's insides this place?"

[Narrator]

"There ARE some records, but they're confused. Contradictory.

Taiki is right when he says there appears to be some sort of challenges and tests, but the nature of them..."

[John Hino]

"Do you at least know who it's a shrine to? That might gives us some idea."

[Narrator]

"It's a shrine to Tsukuyomi-no-Mikoto"

[John Hino]

"Forgive me for not knowing, but that's the god of...?"

[Narrator]

"Learn your history, mah boy," Taiki said in an old man's voice.


"It's the moon god," Benji explained.

[John Hino]

"So... perhaps the builders incorporated that into the design. Although supposition can only help so much."

"But then it won't be any more of a blind leap than half of what we've done."

[Narrator]

"Don't worry, I'm sure it will all be fine," Benji said.

"Or else you'll all die! And that will be fun, too," Taiki added.