James
The Dragons had been slumbering, in more than one way. 

While the rest of the city fought, stole, murdered, and conspired with and against each other, the Dragon had kept to themselves, making their potions, forging their armors and swords, and mending the broken bones and illnesses of the masses. Good work, that could be respected, but at the end of the day, it was just that. _Work._ 

And work brings fatigue, from the artisan to the monk to the warrior. And fatigue brings sleep. 

And sleep, _dreams._

One particular night, though some of the Dragon had their own places to rest, they were drawn to the embassy, and slumbered there. And a rare moment overcame them all, as they would soon find out in the morning, a dream was given to all, from the samurai to the hinin. 

_A forest, bright and beautiful, stretches over the horizon, filling all space. The sun is unseen, as is the sky, but it still bright and sunny. Warmth fills the soul of the dreamer, not a touch of cold to sink into the bones. Comfort. Peace._ 

_A sound reverberates, however, bouncing off the trees, and fills the ears of each of the dreamers. A voice, humming a song, but the song is unclear and uncertain in language or even tone. But it sounds pleasant, all the same._ 

_As the dreamers look about, they spot woodland creatures, or parts of them. To the blacksmith || 

_As the creature was glimpsed, a roar sounded, and a voice broke through, much clearer than the song from before:_ 

___"Let me in, please."___

All of the Samurai and servants in the embassy would awaken with a start, suddenly so. No matter the length of sleep they had, each felt as if they slept all night, more than well-rested. 

It is here that this peculiar situation begins.
Benjamin
The thought soon vacated her mind as her stomach thrummed with encouraging force. 

*"I should find someone to share a meal with. It is good to make new acquaintances."*

Yasei read the last line from a small booklet she carried- which held the wisdom of many people with common sense; something she may appreciate borrowing advice from, from time to time.
Andrew
Waking with a start and a gasp, Kokuto sat bolt upright in bed - or at least tried to. Instead, she slammed her head into the table her futon was set up beneath. She fell back with a thud and a moan, rolling around on the futon in an indulgence of her disgust with herself. Why did she have to put the futon *There* Of all places? She muttered darkly to herself about herself while she dressed. With all of her experiments at either the testing or fermentation stage, so nothing to do but wait. So she dressed in several layers of the blue grey fabric she favored when not in whatever was closest and clean. The white geometric lines along the sleeve, hem, and neckline contrasted beautifully and served as the sole decoration of the cloth.

Kokuto wound her way through the cabinet maze to the inner door, leaving behind her haori but slipping the stormy grey and green saya through her belt. *We wouldn't want any strangers to get the wrong idea,* She thought. As she made her way to the kitchens, she came across another unknown to her. Bowing her head in greeting, she decided to wait for them to pass before continuing. Not so unusual for her, she had her own thoughts to occupy her. Granted, they were more often than not focused upon some medical or alchemical problem rather than some vivid dream. "Dreams," She breathed, "Singing dreams when this one knows not the song. How peculiar."
James
As Yasei and Kokuto both stirred, they might have noticed that so did all of the servant staff. _All_ of the servant staff. 

For example, Agasha Kokuto, upon stepping out to go to the kitchens, would find a dozen or so of the heimin staff milling about, speaking to one another in a bit of confusion. They were all trying to get their bearings, but upon spotting the samurai amongst them, took note and bowed to her. 

"Agasha Kokuto-sama," Said Giro, one of the senior servants, "Good, er, morning. Please, forgive me and the night staff, we should be asleep, but-"

"-we've all woken up." Toriko, a younger servant woman, rubbed her eyes, and did her best to stifle a yawn. "It's bizarre, but I just went to sleep but feel as if I got all my hours in..." 

A soft mumble of 'yes, me as well' and 'ah, so have I' filled the hallway. 


Meanwhile, Yasei would be approached by a Samurai, Mirumoto Chikako, a woman that had recently arrived at the embassy. "Ah, good day, fellow Dragon," She said, her voice soft and polite as she bowed. "Mirumoto Chikako, I don't believe we've met. I don't mean to ask peculiar questions, but... Did you happen to just awaken? I've had a bizarre dream, but I can't understand what has happened..."

||
Carolyn
Remiki Kenzo was not prone to restless dreams and nightmares that made him jolt awake. With over four decades under his belt, he was an old man compared to the sprightly younglings whom he saw everyday, and with age came composure. Dreams of a young Dragon's blood staining his hands crimson no longer plagued him nightly. He no longer caught glimpses of the young bushi's accusing gaze in hidden corners, glazed and unseeing in death.

His slumber was greeted with a song that night, its melody tranquil and amiable in an alien way. He found himself in a lush forest, a terrain unfamiliar to those who called the treacherous mountains their home, yet fear did not grip him as he cast his gaze across the verdant greenery before him. Then he turned around, and before him loomed the fanged maw of a lion, its mane luscious and majestic—

The blacksmith sat up from his _futon_ with a start, only to regret it when his lower back flared up in protest. He had to resort to slowly pushing himself upright using his hands and in the process, he caught wind of some of the hushed words whispered by others outside the door. Did everyone in the embassy building awaken at the same time? What were the odds?

Coming to think of it, when was the last time he had felt so well-rested without a single crick in his neck?
Andrew
Kokuto frowned at the milling servants, not in displeasure but confusion. She looked to the ground for a moment, hand on her chin in thought. "Everyone waking at once," She murmured to herself then stepped to Giro. "Of course you should be sleeping, but you are, all of you, awake. Nothing to be done about that," She finished with a kindly smile.

Mass shared hallucination, a shared dream, a curse. She considered the possibilities ||Quick-witted|| and came to a decision. 

Regardless of the cause, the first step to a solution remained the same. She sighed, hating what she was about to do. "I be needing lists. Make an accurate accounting of who has woken and when, and who is missing. Find out which samurai are here. Go nowhere alone. Tell the samurai to go nowhere alone," She ordered gently, a worried expression floating on her face. She paused, wondering about that strange dream.

Turning to those not having rushed off to make those lists, she posed the question, "Did you dream of anything before waking?"
James
"Of course, Agasha-sama," Giro said, bowing to Kokuto," I will get right on that." He left to do as ordered, gathering the literate servants along with him. They would start doing a count, as directed, making quick notes using charcoal and tallies as they went along in sections of the embassy. 

For the others that Kokuta spoke to, they had some confusion, but did their best to explain what they saw. "Well, it was a forest," Said one, "And I saw some big lion monster."

"No, no, I saw the forest, but it wasn't a lion, it was a cow, I saw the tail!"

"I hate to argue, senpai, but it was a horse, a Unicorn steed by the size of it."

They call gave similar, yet conflicting reactions, but the one thing that was agreed upon was this: There was a creature out there, and they were in a forest. 


============

Elsewhere in the Embassy, Mirumoto Chikako spoke to Togashi Yasei about her peculiar dream. Like many, she expressed that she was having an odd one and found out that she saw a horse body while another saw a lion's mane. 

"This is quite confusing," She sighed, "Like a monk's riddle. I fear there's no enlightenment from this, however." She pushed some of her bobcut out her eyes, and shook her head. "I wish my husband was here, he was always better in such confusion. Or my daughter..." She pushed the thought out of her head, there was no time for that. 

"I think some fresh air is in order." Chikako went to one of the sliding doors, and pulled it open...

...To reveal a giant, magnificent forest. 

The forest was large, with giant trees basked in perpetual sunrise, golden rays bouncing of the leaves of every bough. The sky was golden in color as well, with high-flying clouds that took shapes of many things, most of all, a dragon. 

"What?! This... We're...

_"Where ARE we?"_ 


||
Andrew
The little alchemist listened carefully, giving each person her undivided attention regardless of station. She pulled out a notebook tucked inside her clothes, flipping it open and began to take notes of what each individual saw. Unfortunately for them, Kokuto's undivided attention was rather intense even if she wasn't making potions. She asked little clarifying questions as she wrote down the descriptions with fervent stares. 

"Did you see the whole lion?" "Just the tail? No side or horns?"

"What gave you the impression of a horse, being to the side of the size?"

At first, it made no sense to her. Each person saw something different. Kokuto was no artist, but she had been practicing a form of calligraphy that was very impressionistic. She flipped to a set of blank pages. The sound of pages being turned accompanied each few strokes as she flipped back and forth between the descriptions and the formerly blank pages, taking no notice of what occured around her while she did ||Time blind||. One page began to fill with the crude drawing of the compilations, using the kanji for each part to form the image ||Calligraphy 3||. Once done, she turned to the other page and began copying in a more coherent whole, making it look more like one creature rather than a collection of parts. She eyed it critically; no masterful work, but it would do. "So, you are what?" She asked the page, though she expected no answer back.
James
Agasha Kokuto's drawing was a peculiar one. Lion's mane, horse body, tail like a cow. It was a peculiar creature, one that was just on the tip of the tongue of the Agasha, the longer she looked at it. 

Suddenly, the book was caught by the wind, and fell to the ground before her, and the page flapped back to the descriptions given by the servants. New words added to the others, in an unfamiliar handwriting: 

__They didn't see the horn?__ 

The pages flipped back to the other side with the amalgamation, and out of the pages burst out that very drawing, given life! A large, imposing beast of blue and green, with a cow's tail, horses' body, a fluffy lion's mane... And a large, imposing horn. It let out a low rumble from its chest as it stared at the servants and Samurai. 

"..."

"..."

"...AAAAAAAAH!" 

One of the servants screamed, and tried to run away. The creature did not give chase, however, instead looking at the poor man quizzically as he tried to run away. 

However, as soon as he threw open a side door to get outside, another of the strange creatures rushed at him, and _skewered him in the chest!_ He flew to the ground, screaming in agony at his horrible, grisly wound. 

Or... No, no he was _fine._ The Agasha would be able to tell easily ||6/6 medicine || that the man hadn't been run through. He'd just been pushed back inside. The other identical creature gave a short, gruff rumble of a roar, and remained outside, where the sun shined brightly over a... Large, vast forest? 

||
Andrew
Kokuto panicked for a moment trying to catch her notebook. The unfamiliar hand caused her to frown, which stayed on her face as the beast burst forth from the page. She stood blinking for just a moment before she jolted and bowed low to the beast. The little alchemist allowed herself that moment to run through the gamut of emotions she felt. Awe, a range of fears, shock, and just a slip of excitement. She tamped down the idea of asking if the beast would mind helping with her experiments. The scream made her rise with an outstretched hand and a choked off plea.

The sight of the screaming man flying back to prove unharmed was idea inducing, but the sight of the forest threw everything from her mind. She walked slowly to the outer wall, amazed at the transformation of the city outside to a vast forest. She was careful not to cross the bounds of the building and stared for a long moment in wonder. She swiftly turned back to the page-summoned creature. "This is a dream. Do it be a waking one or sleeping dream?"
Jordan
Though Shuto had woken up like the others, the physician selfishly kept himself in bed. He had heard the scurrying of hurried feet and the soft murmurs of the worried crowd, but he hoped that through stillness and patience, he could remain uninvolved. The day was fresh, and he would rather spend his morning waking up comfortably.

That said, he quickly changed his mind as a blood-curdling scream flooded the embassy. With a little fumbling, he scrambled up for his katana before peeking his head nervously out of his room. The loud thump that had accompanied the cry made the doctor shiver. But after noticing that the embassy was strangely quiet for what sounded like an attack, he decided to see the fuss for himself. Had there been some genuine carnage happening, he'd have expected a bit more fanfare.

Tip-toeing out the nearest door, he was bewildered by the sight of trees. The doctor cautiously rounded the inside of the outer wall. He hadn't lived here too long, but there ought surely be sky here. He should have seen the sun by now. Just, what in the name of all goodness was going on?

Having noticed another confused noble, Shuto rushed over to the woman, only to see she was speaking to a beast. A small noise escaped from his throat, but he did not draw his blade. He saw ||5/6 Notice|| that his fellow clansman bore no ill-will to the beast, nor did it bear its weapons at her. They were oddly tranquil, which made him feel even crazier.

Shuto took some sizable steps back and curled his hand over his hilt. "Dragon-sama. Are you... Alright?" 
He figured that was a good starting point, they could address the nonsense later.
James
The creature looked at Kokuto quizically, trying to interpret her question. It looked at her for some time in silence before it motioned to her notebook, as if it was obvious to look there. On the pages, an answer was manifested. 

__Is there a difference? Waking dream or sleeping, dreams are dreams.__ 

Not the most helpful of answers, but for a Dragon, it could almost be expected. The creature sniffed at her, and seemed to do the same with a few of the servants. 

__You all are here, in our realm. Strange for so many, all at once. Maybe it was _her_ doing. She has overstayed her welcome, so it'd be best to take her home. But we can't let her in here or let you out _there._ Too dangerous, with the Bad One roaming around.__ 

It continued to move by the others, sniffing and checking for... Something. It eventually turned back around, and gazed into the eyes of...

Kitsuki Shuto, He looked frightened, but the creature didn't seem to be concerned. If anything, it gave as sympathetic a look as the monstrous beast could give before nudging Shuto with his head. 

_You both are physicians, are you not? Sad. A warrior would be best to deal with the Bad One._ 

The notes continued on the pages, even as a new sound echoed through the embassy. The sound was a roar that came in different tones, vibrations and pitches, a cacophony of noise in a solid roar. The servants huddled in fear, while the creatures growled at the unseen threat. 

__The Bad One is hunting _her,_ no doubt. Been wanting to eat that soul for ages.__

"M-my lady," An older servant managed to say, "I-I think I know what this all is." The old man swallowed a lump in his throat. "This place, it's the realm of dreams, no doubt. And that would mean these are Baku... And the bad one... That must be a _Baku no Oni."_ 


__The Bad One, yes. We'd been trying to deal with it, but we are weak. No bad dreams to eat, not in this place.__

It would come to some recollection to all that heard the Baku's words that they do not recall having a single dream in the last week or so. Nor would they recall the feeling of waking from dreamful sleep, so not even that was there. No dreams was a peculiar thing, indeed. 

"W-well, I had a dream," One of the servants said, "Just two days ago, come to think of it... But, it was just a woman's voice. It said... To 'let me in.'" 

||
Andrew
"How philosophical," The apothecary remarked amused as she lifted the notebook. Kokuto watched in awe as the beasts continued to move about while words appeared on the pages with no hand to guide them. She looked about as she let her brain run wild with ideas and solutions, quickly discarding those that were too ridiculous to hold. As Shuto arrived, she looked down at the stick of charcoal and the paper. The memory of a lucid dream prompted an idea.

Kokuto closed her eyes and believed the charcoal would write in rainbow colors. She wrote in a single line: *A dream is a dream. Dreams change.*

She glanced at the writing as she turned to Shuto. "Ah, yes. All is being well. For now," She added the last bit with a touch of joviality, quite unaware of the more sinister meaning.

She read the note about them being physicians aloud. There was a soft laugh. "First and foremost, alchemist this one is. Apothecary work is being an advancement of alchemical work," She murmured softly to the baku closest to her.

As the older servant made his claims, Kokuto nodded gently. She smiled reassuringly at him, "Yes, a very good point." She frowned at the mention of no dreams. The alchemist had noticed it but only inasmuch as someone notices a cessation of a nuisance; the relief felt at not having the occasional nightmare had allowed her to focus more on her work, though she had missed the dreams of continuing her work in her sleep - they had often led to her waking with ideas she implemented immediately.

"If we cannot be going out to her and she cannot come in to us, perhaps a melding of the walls could be happening. We must be knowing more about this woman that has been overstaying her welcome in the Dreaming. Perhaps a plan could be formed for this Baku no Oni," She paced slowly as she spoke, one hand on her chin in thought. She smiled ferociously at the baku, "Like the hunting of plants or a badger with its mate to protect, with careful consideration and planning even a small creature is being a threat." She looked at the surrounding servants and then to Shuto, "A giving of ideas you are having?"
Carolyn
___You all are here, in our realm.___

Open-minded to the point of being considered to be enigmatic by many, the Dragon clan was no stranger to the more supernatural aspects of the world - especially those bearing the name of the shugenja family "Agasha". 

The sudden appearance of a dweller of Yume-do, however, sent the clan reeling back in shock, including a certain reclusive Remiki blacksmith.

"There are many who have the heart of a warrior in the Dragon clan, but wielders of the blade do not number many in this clan."

The blacksmith's soft baritone sounded not far away from where Kokuto stood. There was a furrow in his brows that was rarely seen, and calloused fingers fiddled absent-mindedly with a whetting stone as he gazed at the Baku, apparently deep in thought.

"To draw out impurities from the _tamahagane_, it must first be heated and its pores opened so that it can be folded again and again. Indeed, impurities can only be drawn out if the flame is large enough. This "Bad One", this _Baku no Oni_ that you whisper, what must be fed into the flames so it can be drawn out?"
James
The Baku looked at each other after Kokuto make her request for more information over the woman. They didn't speak, but they made some sort of consensus before the notes started to write once more. 

__A woman came to our realm, some time ago.__
__Yes, wandered in from your realm. A hidden gate. Two trees crossing paths, this can be a gate.__
__She visited before, the normal way. In dreams. She said she was a... Scribe.__ 

__She traveled with another woman. Angry woman, temperamental, but she was young as foolish too.__
__But she came to this realm the wrong way alone.__
__This was some time ago. She wandered about in the dreaming wake, lost in dreams and nightmares.__
__Not until now that she found this place, or found a way to get your attention.__
__But that got the bad one's attention, too.__ 

The notes were sporadic and disjointed, but it was thus: A woman from the realm of man wandered into the realm of dreams, and sayed for for some time, and found a way to reach the living world through dreams, only to catch the attention of the Baku no Oni. 

As Kenzo spoke of the Baku no Oni and how to deal with it, the Baku again consulted each other before addressing him. Upon the floor before Kenzo, words appeared in burnt wood fashion, as if metal slag fell upon it. 

__Dreams draw it in. Good dreams, lovely ones. Nightmares as well, but good dreams are its favorite.__
__It is very mighty, but not very wise. In the waking dream, those with understanding may will things to happen, with the power of their dreams.__

A howl sounded from outside, as the Baku no Oni stalked outside the embassy. It paced, inching closer and closer, but never quite reaching the doorway. A Baku outside roared at the beast, but was met with a mighty blow of the front leg, which sent the poor Baku flying. 

__As we say, it is strong. Very strong.__ 

||
Carolyn
Having gotten over the initial shock of the realisation that all the residents of the embassy may have been collectively transported elsewhere, the old blacksmith allowed his gaze to fall upon the words as they seared their way across the floorboards. Samurai were raised and trained not to allow their emotions to get the better of them, and the Dragon clan was famed for their adaptability. His brows knitted together in deep thought as he read over the Baku's answers several times before he craned his head to the side so he could read the jagged and disjointed script on Kokuto's scroll.

Good dreams apparently drew the _Baku no Oni_ in—_lovely ones_, according to the enigmatic Baku. He was but a simple blacksmith; the part of his heart that had not perished alongside _her_ lay amid the flaming coals and burning ironsand of the furnace, and his song was the clanging of the hammer against softened steel. He knew next to nothing about the neighbouring realms, and creatures prowling in dreams to hunt a succulent soul was far out of his area of expertise.

"It is strong, but the warriors in our clan are as stalwart as the mountains that we call home. Pleasant dreams must be had for the _oni_ to come forth out of hiding... Well, seeing as we seem to be in the dream realm, perhaps the daunting task has already been made easier for us. Wise Baku, are you able to give us a description of this woman who came to your realm?"
Andrew
Kokuto nodded to herself. There was much to think about. This stranger came through the wrong way. They had arrived in a shared dream. Could she leave that way? They "Said" Something about a gate. "Where be the gate? If it be far, will you take us?"

She saw Kenzo leaning to get a look at the notes to her. She took a small step nearer and angled the notebook for him to read it better, catching the rainbow gleam off the paper. She felt a rush of elation at the sight and took the opportunity to do the same to the words upon the floor, feeling the elation grow. So, there *Was* A way they could get through this. Lovely dreams. It has been some time since she remembered those, but she had seen enough to color dreams quite fantastical.

"We be needing a plan. Eliminating this Oni would be ideal, but we should be to prepare for less direct methods. Ideas?" She directed the question to Kenzo, but spoke loud enough to be heard by the nearby servants; she reinforced the idea of inclusion by giving a glance around.
Jordan
Shuto had been taking his time drinking the scene like a soldier clinging to his last meal. Frankly, this was all too much for the man, and he could feel himself start to pale, but as he looked around and saw the emboldened faces of his fellow clansmen, there was a slight kernel of hope jumping in his heart.

He had to bite down a yelp as he heard a roar outside. His eyes traced the poor Baku as it went off like a crashing kite. They... Did not have as much time as they would have liked.

The only net positive seemed to be the word 'will'. Shuto would very much like to *Will* This situation to a stop. He looked between all that had gathered and sighed: An alchemist, a doctor, an artisan, and some poor mistreated Baku. It would have to do.

He turned to Agasha Kokuto and nodded, his expression just short of remorseful, "I agree with being indirect. As it stands, though our warriors are strong, we gathered here are not. Forgive me for my ignorance, but could we perhaps poison it? If this Oni is but a feral thing, can it be baited with the visage of this dream scribe?"

"Alternatively, we could force it to the gate, but I do not know what sort of carnage it would cause on the other side..."

"Uhm..." He rubbed his thumb over his knuckles, his worry beginning to shine through. "If an understanding of our dream leads to power, as the Baku said, could we conjure something as a shugenja might? Like lightning or fire or, I don't know, a great self-wielding naginata?"

He looked between the other two, still flabbergasted, "I am not the ingenious sort, but both of you speak with great insight. Perhaps you are of such understanding you could bid this world to your will."

" It is that or we figure out how to kill it manually. Though I am personally not opposed to the use of tar and fire."
James
__A description of the woman..__ 

The Baku looked at each other for a moment before they conjured up a drawing, pulling the already-used notes together into an amalgamation of an image. It was a woman, of course, depicted as elderly, with long silver hair that reached well past her back to her rear, with tattoos stretched up her arms and legs and a simple green monk robe. Prayer beads wrapped up her left arm, and to her side, she had dozens of small scroll cases strapped around her waist. 

Kenzo and Shuto would be able to make up the depiction, for different reasons, but that depiction was of Togashi Yuuko, a Chronicler of the Monk Order. Kenzo knew of this woman as her disappearance was something Chiyoko-san had spoken to him before, at his forge. He would've remembered the tale of the missing Chronicler held in high regard among the Dragon Clan. || Dragon Lore 4, Chiyoko's inside info|| For Shuto, similarly he was well aware of the disappearance, having treated Chiyoko-san's wounds on the day of Yuuko's disappearance, but would also know her place among the lawmakers of the Dragon Clan. ||Chiyoko in his backstory, Law 3|| 

__That is the woman. And now, the gate.__ 

The Baku drew up a crude diagram of the outside of the embassy. It was surrounded by a dense forest, and explained that there was a gate... In the back garden. Or, there _should_ be. A dense forest filled that space now, but there should have been a gate there, somewhere in the back. It was unsure on how far it might actually be; as the three Samurai had noticed, the rules of the world didn't seem to work here in the dream realm. 

||
Andrew
Kokuto listened to Shuto's suggestion with a pensive frown. She nodded along, "Baiting we could be doing." She thought on the ways they could. Perhaps a dream of this woman - a good, delicious dream. Could they make the Oni follow it instead of her? Shuto mentioning conjuring as easily as shugenja made Kokuto suppress a snicker.

"If allowing this woman in be bringing this dream eater's ogre in, perhaps we be allowing her exit as soon as she enters? To where she be going through the gate. A hard shove to send the demon through? If we could be waking to have someone there, it would be most effective," She meandered as she spoke, one hand going to her chin as she continued her thoughts. "Dispatching it here be ... Difficult, this one imagines," She tapped her chin as she frowned, "Possible, if guardian dream eaters be helpful. Distraction while she flees is another option, but how? Set out buffet and shout Come Get It?" Regardless of how they accomplished this, they would need to communicate this to the woman trapped. 

Kokuto had been mulling that over and come to the conclusion the most expedient way was to have a small, harmless messenger find her and tell her. Something that was used to scurrying or flying about beneath threats, that was quick and hard to catch; something that could talk to them. She let herself feel the longing for that before turning back to thinking about how to deal with the horrible Oni; she hoped her fellow clan members had ideas, if nothing else then ideas that would finish cooking her own.
Carolyn
One could say that the Dragon clan, enigmatic and well-versed in the convoluted scriptures of Shinsei, were experts at handling matters in a _less direct manner_, even if the present group seemed to be at a momentary loss as to what to do.

"I can only admit to knowing very little about _yume-do_, unlike the Agasha shugenja. If our dreams are what fuel the creatures in this realm, and if it is drawn to good dreams as the _baku_ said, perhaps we can easily draw the _oni_ out if we collectively focus on pleasant memories from our lives?"

The blacksmith looked a little taken back at Shuto's suggestion of _tar and fire_, but he could not rebuff the suggestion if he did not have another idea to offer. If it did come down to slaying the oni with an imaginary weapon, however, he was fairly confident that he would be able to conjure an imaginary blade of _sublime_ quality that matched even the sacred Twin Sister blades of Mirumoto's blacksmiths.

The drawing that the Baku conjured stirred a memory in him, sending him back to a day in his smithy when he had spoken to the Lost Dragon about an esteemed Chronicler who had gone missing, although her name eluded his memory.

Dreams were difficult for the untrained to control, and thoughts were impossible to rein in. At the sight of the sketch and the memory of his conversation with Chiyoko, the blacksmith's mind wandered to the twin _tsurugi_ that he had forged for the ronin. By his hands the steel was forged, from sifting through each grain of _masa satetsu_ in the crucible to create the perfect harmony between the _shingane_ and _hadagane_, to singing to the water _kami_ as his hammer fell and fell, to maintaining the _tatara_ at the perfect range of temperatures to achieve the unique emerald lustre of the blades, and to the jagged _hamon_ lining the blade that starkly resembled the mountain ridges of the Dragon clan.
_ _

Even the calmest minds found it difficult to control one's thoughts, and the blacksmith's thoughts had wandered to the blades that he had forged not so long ago for a certain Lost Dragon.
Jordan
"Given the bestial nature of this oni... Shouting at it doesn't seem too bad of a plan."

He looked between the two of him as he scratched his chin in deep thought. He looked over at Agasha Kenzo as he considered the prospect of dreaming. "You have a very good point, dreams seem to be the currency of success here."

"Do you think if, at our instruction, we could hold meditation around the front end of the embassy? I might be delusional, but if we dragon can meditate, we can surely dream. Perhaps all that energy can keep it where it lies near the front gates, leaving the back door open to us. I'm thinking of it almost as a shield, that draws the beast's attention evenly away from where we need to be."

"From there, we exit out the back and begin our search for the missing monk. If even our servants were brought to this realm, perhaps some ponies might have been too." He turned back to the Wise Baku as he glanced at the amalgam of notes. He did not like to bet if he didn't know the odds, so he turned to the others for assurance. "Does... That sounds feasible in any sense?"
James
As the Dragons pondered and thought out their next steps, their next steps were thought up, and manifested. 

First, was Kokuto-san's musings of a messenger. As she made her concerns known, but internally and externally, she might just feel a little bit of weight as her kimono shifted. A look to her shoulder, and a diminutive beast would be there. 

Specifically, a dwarf flying squirrel. It looked at her with unblinking eyes, a piece of parchment rolled up in its tail. "I can fly and scurry, too, tchu-chu-,"It said, in a pleasant little voice. "Dreaming that, you did, yes? Just write what you need, and I can give it to the nice lady in the woods, tchu-chu." 


"Yeah, and we can fight that stupid oni for you guys!" 

Behind the lot of them, two figures stood. They were girls, maybe no older than ten or so, but their skin was glistening metal, shiny and polished. One was pristine, with metallic black hair that seemed to be held together with mail links, clinking and clattering on her shoulders down to her back, her eyes two blazing forges of orange and red fire. Her teeth were sharp as well, her fingers and toes ending in claws. She bore a simple green kimono, the Remiki family mon emblazoned on the back. The other looked similar, but the hair was shorter, more akin to a young lady Kenzo had met before on a very fateful day. She bore a brilliant lightning pattern up and down her body, lancing across her face, and wore the garb of a peasant. 

"As my sister says, we will help fight them, of course! Anything for Ojiisan!" They both looked to Kenzo, as if he should know exactly who (and what) they are. 

And lastly, Shuto's musing. The Baku looked to the man, and heard him out with curiosity. While his musings did not manifest a form, it did give good ideas. __Dreams can be shared,__ wrote/said the Baku, __so you may be able to do as you say. The others created things from their dreams. Dream together, and you may just do as you desire.__ 

"Yeah, what the silly dog said," The sword girl declared, "Bring it out front; me an' Tsurgini will mess 'em up long enough for you guys to get away!" 

"Indeed, Tsurugichi and I can handle that. We were forged by the best, right, Ojiisan?" 

"And I will fly to the lady, tchu-chu," Said the squirrel, "And tell her where to go. A good plan, we be doing, tchu-chu!" 

__And we will defend you as you flee.__ The Baku made their place clear as well. __Gather your people, and get prepared. We will herd you out of here, and keep the Baku no Oni at bay.__ 

||
Andrew
Kokuto felt the weight of her kimono increase to one side and looked upon the very image of the perfect messenger. The thrill joy was most unbecoming, but the only outward sign she gave was a slight twitching of her fingers. She turned to the new appearance of two weapons as people. The absurdity of the sight was dismissed - this *Was* A dream after all. She left Kenzo and Shuto to discuss the particulars of their given ideas with a slight wave and nod, as if to say they were good ideas, while she wrote down a no-nonsense missive to this missing Dragon. She gave the broad strokes of their ideas words, wasting none on frivolous speech.

The short woman looked up from the finished missive as she rolled it up and passed it on to the squirrel. "A shield to distract and keep this demon at bay, yes, one that will send it in the opposite direction should it break through. A very good idea, indeed." She kept the very real fear that it wouldn't be enough at bay with the one thought she had been keeping to herself, a childhood savior grown beyond reality. She walked to the open edge of the room to look at the forest beyond, "Be fast and silent and unseen, my little friend." She held out her hand to help launch the little flying squirrel into the wilderness.

Kokuto's dark eyes alighted upon Kenzo, Shuto, and the baku as she turned back. "What can this one be doing to help now?"
Carolyn
Kenzo had thought that he would be shocked, or at least apprehensive, when the two girls made their appearances. Their eyes burned like the _tatara_ of his forge, and their fingers ended in sharp claws that were clearly made to rend flesh. Yet, even if he did not see the mon of the Remiki family emblazoned on the back of their kimono, he instinctively knew who—or _what_, they were. A father would always know his children, even blind.

**"Tsurugini and Tsurugichi. She picked good names for you."** His mumbled words were barely audible, and the gaze that lingered on the two brimmed with the warmth that only a father could know. _Have you been well?_ There were so many questions that he wished to ask yet did not have the words to form them. He wanted to apologise for not being able to protect them as a father should have, that he was sorry for his inability to stop injustice from tarnishing their steel before they had a chance to see the world.

However, this was neither the place nor time to dwell on such matters. The old blacksmith steeled himself, straightened his back as best he could, and turned to address Kokuto. **"None of us present here are bushi trained in the sword, and we would only be in the way of the fighting if we tried to help. Tsurugichi and Tsurugini are strong—of their strength and capability, I have not a single doubt. If it is swift steeds that we need, Kitsuki Shuto-sama made a good point. The chance is small, but perhaps my Ranko was also brought to this realm."** He turned to glance briefly at the front door of the embassy, as if he expected to see his loyal Rokugani pony trotting through the door at any moment.
Jordan
In the face of such wonder, his brow shot up like an arrow as he watched the dream manifest into reality. He could not help but envy his comrades' stoicism against such absurdity.

As the alchemist turned away and after the smithy greeted the newcomers, Shuto finally collected himself. If such blessings could be built by the wishes of these three, he could not fathom what would come from the whole embassy. There could be no clan better suited for the tribulations ahead than bountiful thinkers of the Dragon.

He turned over to Kenzo and nodded along. "The faster the steed, the faster we can resolve this." He was still at quite a loss for thought, but the way ahead seemed much more opaque.

"From here... I suppose we prepare, rally, and keep creating. All we need now are steeds and hopefully the embassy's support." 

Shuto turned to the Baku and bowed, hoping to be more eye-level and to show some reverence. "Wise Baku, could you gather our fellows in the embassy and sit them down to meditate near the front? I would imagine they would heed your warnings more than ours, and you are, of course, most familiar with the intricacies of this ritual. Perhaps, with their combined prayer, they can help Remiki Tsurugini and Tsurugichi-san with their defense."

"As for us, I suppose we ride off to find this dream woman ourselves." Shuto had already figured out Togashi-sama's identity, but there was so much going on he decided not to explain. "We'll need one more steed to accommodate four people. One of us will ride with the monk once we find her."

He turned to the Baku, masking sudden nervousness behind a smile. The guardians had already done so much, and he felt like asking if they could ride a sentient spirit was disrespectful, so he tried to word his thoughts as gently as he could, "Wise Baku, would you know of any entities here that could provide us transport?"
James
The three Dragons had plans, made discussions, and formulated (quite literally) their dreams for the scheme. Kokuto had her little squirrel friend, ready to carry a message to the missing Togashi Yuuko. Kenzo had his mighty twins Tsurugichi and Tsurugini, ready to wage war against the Baku no Oni. And Shuto had gotten the Baku to round up the servants and other Dragon Samurai, ready to make for a mighty dream and force get ready to leave this realm, hopefully for good. 

But as they made their musings and their dreams, the beast without stirred with anger. 

It had been hunting the Togashi woman for some time now, her dreams being the most potent and delicious. It caught her, a few times, and devoured her dreams before the Baku could stop it. She was weaker now than then, older, too. It was only a matter of time before her delicious mind was hers. 

However, a new source had arrived, and it was full of surprises. Instead of one, hefty meal, it was like a buffet of dreams and memories, so much variety... And so much to eat. 

Indeed, there was a buffet of sorts, as the servants, samurai, and everyone else stood outside of the embassy, meditating as hard as they could on whatever they thought would help. The Baku surrounded them, providing a first line of defense, but other conjurations joined the fight as well. Mirumoto Chikako conjured a trio of duelists: Her father, her daughter, and her son. It was definitely a dream, as the three of them were working together and were more than happy to do so. Three warriors, six blades, ready to fight. Others made Agasha Shugenja, ready to cast might spells. Most impressively, a group of monks were able to meditate on the same thing, and form a full dragon out of the ether, a mighty emerald beast with long whiskers and a smiling maw of sharp teeth. With the twin sword girls up front, they were ready. 

=========

Meanwhile, the small stable indeed held a few ponies, looking familiar to their owners, albeit a bit more compliant then they would usually be. Now, all they needed to was wait for-

**_RYOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOWRRR!_** 

A booming, unnatural howl erupted on the other side of the embassy as the Baku no Oni emerged from the forest. Even from their side of the area, they could see how massive and monstrous the creature was. It was was as if a Baku had been enlarged, stricken blue in flesh, and devoid of all fur but the monstrous mane on its pulled, deformed visage. Its face was a maw of long, blunted teeth, with the eyes of a goat, blood red. It reared back on its clawed paws, and roared again at the amassed dream force. 

"Okay, everybody," Tsurugichi shouted, "Lets do it! CHAAAAAAAAARGE!" 

And so, the battle commenced. The mass of warriors, swords, shugenja and dragon constructs charged at the demon, clashing into a magnificent display of violence. 

"Koku-chan! Koku-chan!" 

Out of the sky with a swoop would come the little squirrel, landing directly on the woman's head. "I did it! I did it, tchu-chu! Found the lady, gave the note! She'll go where you go, Koku-chan, tchu-chu!" 

||
Andrew
Kokuto watched the others finish their parts and get ready to leave. She scuttled about while she made sure the riding party was settled and ready to go ||Horsemanship 1||. She knew she was no master, but it would not do for anyone to fall in a panic, even if it was a dream.

A sudden roar jolted her attention to the front of the Embassy. "Sounding like it be time to go," She said, just as the little squirrel came to a stop with soft sound on her head. "Timing of perfection," She clapped in delight. Now, if only they had a guide and protector. The only thing she could think of were the furibiri, deadly luring flames of the marshes and mountains - spiritual printing of a soul's dangerous death, but ones that lured the Baku no Oni away from them, should it break through. She closed her eyes for a moment to center herself before they left to meet this hunted woman.

||
Jordan
He had known battle was inevitable in his lifetime. He didn't expect it to have flying cows and dragons, but in some horrifying way, it made it all the more breathtaking. He scrambled through the mass of papers and nabbed the diagram of the garden and the description of Togashi.

There was little time to make sense of limbs and colors, as soon as there was a moment to spare the doctor retreated to the stables. Quickly the doors were thrown open, and it took no time to find his mare in the chaos. It was almost comforting to have that stubborn old friend, and to his endearment, his pony reared quickly and rejoined with the others. He was startled by a sudden roar that shook the embassy and strongly agreed that it was time to leave.

 With one arm hooked under the reins and his ride brought to a steady canter he hurriedly presented the directions, "It isn't all that clear where the gate is, but presumably if we head straight through the back garden we'll find it." 

Shuto shoved the pages back into his robe before settling a shaky hand on his katana, trying to imagine himself as a braver man. "Best we stagger ourselves and spread out, we'll see quicker and be harder to attack-" As the throws of battle shook the earth, he found himself suddenly trotting ahead. A physician's place was far away from the combat after all.
James
With the Dragons (and the Dragon... And the other magnificent creatures and monsters) keeping the Baku no Oni at bay, the others were allowed to rush off to find Togashi Yuuko. Their path would be led by their little squirrel companion into the woods. "Me thinks she be around here, tchu-chu!" It would float on air, defying physics as it stayed aloft, guiding Kokuto through the dense forestry. Likewise, Shuto made his way into the forest, with his horse staying close to the others. ||because hell no we're not splitting the party|| Taking up the rear was Kenzo, hesitant to leave as he watched his twin swords do battle. 

And what a battle, it was. The sounds of clashing, roars and monstrous anger erupted behind the trio, but it seemed that the Baku no Oni was kept at bay, for the time being. As a matter of fact, the dragon had it wrapped up tightly, while the twins slashed at the beast's lashing tail, slicing it clean off. It was an intense battle, that ultimately would distract the denizens and baku from the very slippery Oni. 

But before that peril became clear, the trio had someone to find. Darting through the veil, the sounds of battle grew softer as they travelled further and further, up and through the tress. "Okay, tchu-chu, she was, uh... Um..." The squirrel fussed as it seemed to be getting lost, sniffing the air and getting rather upset. "Me, me saw here, truly! Tchu-chu, she be over..."

"There."

A serious, austere voice rang out above, where a furabri manifested, a brilliant bird of fire. It hovered above a section of forest, dazzling feathers igniting to mark the way. "This way, mortals. And quickly!" 

With the path figured out, they could race and race until they reached a clearing in the forest. 

And in that clearing was an old woman, feeding woodland critters a handful of grain. 

She was short, and very much ancient, judging by her withered, wrinkled demeanor. She was wearing monk's robes, clearly out of style (even among the slow-to-change Dragon), and her hair was wildly long, reaching down past her waist and to the back of her knees. Her walking stick was also old and withered, and yet as she stooped down to toss dreamt up grain to dreamt up creatures, she looked rock solid. Her eyes were mere slits of brown, her face seemingly stuck in a simple smile that creased her face even more. 

"Ah, there you are." Her voice was soft and accented, with a tone of a favorite aunt. She looked over at the three, as if she was expecting them. "Well, then! Good work, you three. Such smart young men and women, you are." She gave a little bow of the head, and tossed the rest of her grain on the ground. "So, I take it you've dealt with Grumpy-kun, then? He's been trying to eat me since..." She paused, staring off into space. "Sorry, it's been either two days, or five years? It's hard to say. Either way, Togashi Yuuko, at your service." 

Meanwhile, as the trio found their missing Dragon, a tail of a certain monster was writhing on the ground... And then, slithering. From the tuft of hair at the end, a snake-like maw emerged, and unseen eyes spotted a furabiri in the air. _There._ Like an arrow, the tail-snake shot off, charging for the forest and its next meal. 
||
Andrew
The sight of the squirrel defying nature to fly aloft caused Kokuto to chuckle to herself. She followed diligently, and though the pause caused some concern, it did not last. A bird aflame guided them. The thrill it gave her made her more confident in the dreaming. They reached a clearing, their destination.

"Here we be," The alchemist intoned with a slight giggle. It was the stress, she reasoned. Kokuto hopped down, scurried over to the older woman, and began to direct her to the saddle the apothecary had just vacated. "Agasha Kokuto, a pleasure it is to be meeting. Moving along we should be doing. Little oni only preoccupied," She explained in slightly rushed and clipped tones. She would never stoop so low as to manhandle anyone that was not a patient, but she might have skirted close in the given circumstances ||Etiquette 1||. She kept a wary eye on the surrounding forests, checking low and high for any sign of predatory movement. ||Observant|| "You can be telling us all about it along the way," She said with a plastered on smile.
Jordan
Shuto lay low to his horse as flames as a bright bird captured the group's attention. This was one place he would surely commit to memory; this place stirred a sense of valor he never had before.

He steered his pony behind the Alchemist. He thought it better if she led. He backed his horse around and bowed deeply as the group greeted the great monk before pulling himself aside to re-check the directions to the portal. After which, he rolled the drawings and chimed in. "We'll be taking you to the 'exit' Yuuko-sama. We have it on good authority with a wise Baku that it should be afoot." And based on the collected drawing, he geared his proper in the proper direction, looking onward with a smile.

||
James
Yuuko smiled and nodded as the samurai explained the situation, as if time didn't matter. "Ah, I see, I see. A thousand pardons, good dragons. I was trying to find a way back, once I realized that I wasn't just having a dream... Well, no, I suppose this still _is_ the dream, but a dream in the land of dreams. Though, truly dreams and lands are only as real as we make them, but there are also everyone else's dreams, as well. Truly, life is a tapestry, and our lives, hopes and dreams are the threads that-"

_"Tch-chu! Dragon people? Scary Monster!"_ The little squirrel made a point of pointing out what looked like a tail, rushing forward at them, gnashing and writhing in fury. 

"Oh, my. Grumpy-kun, Grumpy-kun." Yuuko shook her head. "Well, good. Now I know for certain where up and down are, since that can't happen in the regular world, right?" The monk smiled, and looked back at the Samurai as the monster raged towards them. "I had lost myself so much that I couldn't tell if this was real or not," She explained, slowly and nonchalantly. "See, that's the most dangerous thing about a potent nightmare, dear dragons: When once doesn't know it's just a dream, they ccan get lost within."

The Tail was almost upon them, morphing into a full-sized Baku no Oni. It was right on top of them. "But, once you know for sure," Yuuko mused, placing thumb and index finger together, "All you have to do-"

The monster lunged, ready to kill them all. 

"-is **Wake up."** 

_Snap._ 


With a start, everyone in the Dragon Embassy would wake up on the grounds. They woke up in the infirmary, with the servants and guards from the other shift looking horribly surprised. "Oh, thank the fortunes," One of them said, "We were afraid the lost of you had been cursed."

"Indeed, you've all been asleep for hours, and nothing woke you!" 

Indeed, Shuto and Kokuto would both wake up with stinging cheeks from slaps, and wet hair from cold water. 

"No need to fret over them," A semi-familiar voice said, "They'll all be fine." 

The servants turned to the old monk woman, who bowed to them all. "Who are you, miss?"

"Oh, sorry." Yuuko placed a hand on her chest. "Togashi Yuuko, Chronicler. And I remembered what I was doing before. I was on my way here; I was _supposed_ to be the Dragon Clan Ambassador to Ryoko Owari Toshi." 

|| Super duper mega sorry for all the delays. But, we're in wrap-up now. Sorry again fro the long time on this, but congratulations on getting an ambassador.