[c.l.o.s.e.d. f.o.r. n.o.w.]

[nodachitomonari]

WHO: Ranmaru Mori @ nodachitomonari & Nobunaga Oda @ demonkingrisen
WHAT: Meeting between lord and attendant
WHERE: The Docks~
WHEN: Shortly after Nobunaga's arrival.

Comments

[demonkingrisen]

This had certainly been an unexpected turn of events; being spirited away to an island with no lead except a conveniently provided journal and pen had hardly been on Nobunaga's agenda. It was no ordinary journal, of course, instead, some manner of communications device wearing a humble disguise. But what else was to be expected? It was consistent with the strange and sensational manner of arrival, which was to say, some unknown art was doubtlessly at the heart of it.

It was fortunate, then, that Nobunaga was a man able to keep his cool in all situations.

Even ones as strange as this.

As he made a mental note to ask Ranmaru of the rules of nature in Rivelata --after all, one could not craft anything without knowing the raw materials well-- he spared one last glance to the open journal he had balanced upon a thigh before he closed it, and then rose to his feet with it in hand. He was not without any of the Oda, which was at least something to be pleased about, and of all those who served him, Ranmaru was the most useful under these

[nodachitomonari]

Towards the dock lands the ground had grown muddy with the constant coming and goings of fishermen, as Ranmaru ran, effortlessly weaving in and out of the crowds the dark mud splashed up the trim of his boots and legs.

He came to a halt at the foot of the slope that led down to the harbor.

And there he was. Lord Nobunaga. Ranmaru fought to keep the grin from his face as he walked over to the other, quickly regaining his breath.

Ranmaru stood before the older and taller man, his eyes brimming with a light that had faded during his stay in Rivelata, his lips slightly parted as if he were to speak.

"My Lord!" Ranmaru dropped down onto one knee with his head bowed to the floor. With his face hidden from the other's view, he was smiling.

[demonkingrisen]

Nobunaga regarded Ranmaru as he approached, watching the young warrior intently. The light visible in Ranmaru's eyes did not go amiss, and Nobunaga waited in silence as his vassal kneeled before him.

"Three weeks... yet you were by my side until this unexpected intervention ocurred. Strange, no?" the corners of his lips curled ever-so-slightly upwards. "Rise, Ranmaru."

Nobunaga gave his vassal but a moment to recover before he began to stride off, without further word -- he expected Ranmaru to instinctively join him and keep pace, as well as take the initiative to direct their path. He had no desire to linger in place; he expected his most faithful servant to see it.

"Inform me of what must be known of Rivelata."

While he could have simply left such a request in his journal, Nobunaga saw no reason to immediately trust any answers written in response. Their value certainly could not compare to the words of Ranmaru. Any gaps in his vassal's knowledge could be later filled in, if any became apparent.

[nodachitomonari]

Ranmaru rose and fell into step beside Nobunaga. Business as usual resumed

[demonkingrisen]

Nobunaga muled carefully over Ranmaru's words as the young warrior spoke. He kept his private thoughts on the matters unfathomable, with the exception of a slight crease of his brow at mention of Rivelata being inescapable, the only clue to his annoyance at having been taken from Japan on the verge of the total realisation of his ambitions. But there was far more to think of, now. A seemingly immortal and immoral child-queen. Recent rebellions against her rule. Unresolved conflict within a tropical cage. He made note to pursue the incident discretely, when the chance provided itself -- the politics were part of the material of the land

[nodachitomonari]

Pausing, Ranmaru turned to face Nobunaga on the steps, a gust of wind blew his hair into his eyes. Somberly, leaving his hair to become wind tangled he cast his eyes out to sea

[demonkingrisen]

The answer was certainly an interesting one, but one that only raised more questions. There was a difference far greater than simply three weeks. "A charge that has already taken place."

Nobunaga simply smiled to himself at mention of Mitsuhide. Even then, at Tedorigawa, Mitsuhide had shown slight hesitation towards his methods. Nobunaga hadn't missed it, and his probing comments only served to reinforce the knowledge that his retainer himself did not know the source of it. To see the tension it caused in Ranmaru, though... intrigued by this development, Nobunaga turned the full focus of his gaze onto the young warrior beside him. "Mitsuhide is blind to the desires that lurk within the darkest depths of his soul. But he cannot disguise its first stirrings."

He allowed a moment's pause, before he chuckled briefly, and said with precise purpose, "Honnōji is to burn... or so I have been told."

((OOC; Sorry for that big delay! ♥))

[nodachitomonari]

A crease formed between Ranmaru's brows. He didn't quite understand the difference in their timeframe. If they were chosen by the Gods because they had something to offer Rivelata, what had Ranmaru not got several months/years from now that would cause him to be chosen from a time separate to his lord?

Nobunaga was most likely chosen later because he had become stronger, wiser, more efficient. Had...Ranmaru weakened whilst his lord had grown more powerful? But, why? He could almost curse his future self for becoming so had he not found the idea absurd.

As for Mitsuhide... His lord seemed to accept the idea, even hint of his own awareness to the fact. This too he struggled with; Mitsuhide had taught him everything he knew, everything about being loyal and trustworthy. It annoyed him, confused him, that Mitsuhide had turned his back on the Oda, something that as alike and as fond of Mitsuhide as he was Ranmaru could never see himself doing.

Ranmaru lowered his gaze whilst his lord spoke. Honnouji was to burn, he had been