The temple of Sadahako was a quiet place. Not because it was unvisited. The temple actually saw a fair amount of foot traffic, especially for one of the Minor Fortunes. But the Monks who tended to the temple, dedicated to the Courtesan of Hantei VIII believed that silence was the one gift they could give to those who sought its confines. The building was immaculately decorated, statues, paintings and murals highlighting areas. It was a place where artists could seek inspiration from the greatest of their numbers, and where Geisha could be free from the need to always be listening. And, for the woman summoned by the Jade Magistrate's Seal, this temple, seated on a small Island on the road from Toshi no Meiyo Gisei to the City of the Golden Frog, the most important fact was that this was the place where they were to meet the person who had summoned them.<br/><br/>Each had received the letter, from a Miya Courtier. It directed them to reach this temple within 10 days, if they wished to server the Emperor. No further information, just the seal, and the unimpeachable carrier standing for the truth of the message. No money was attached, nor indications of how they were expected to. They were given permission to show the letter to their Daimyo, and to ask him should they go. No one else was to know that they had received the letters. The Daimyo would excuse their absence by indicating that they were on his orders, a truth, given that each of their Daimyo's had ordered them to follow the directives of the Jade Magistrate.<br/><br/>Any of the girls who had arrived early were offered a place to stay, like all travelers. The rooms were bare, little more then cots, and any questions about why they had been summoned were met with incomprehension, and a smile and a shy shrug from the Monks, though listened to with calm and a smile. The tenth day came and went... and each girl, at a time when they were alone, would be met by a black crow. It would place an envelope with their name on it before them, and then fly off. Inside were further directions. There was a small room, used by the monks for meetings. They were to be there at midnight, and to bring everything they would require for a long mission. Each letter was in the same handwriting, and stamped with the same seal as the earlier message.<br/><br/>When the girls arrived, they found four girls... oddly enough, each one with a similar build to one of the Samurai. And one older woman, looking at them. The girls were all seated on one side of the table, with the older woman at the head. There were four cups of tea opposite the girls, and one for the old woman, but oddly, none for the young women. Each one who arrived was directed to sit and instructed to not speak. Any attempt to defy this was met with a glare. The younger girls did not have the bearing of Samurai, but the old woman had it in spades. When the last one arrived, the older woman finally spoke. “Thank you girls, do as you were instructed.” The four young woman rose, each of the inclining their heads respectfully to the old woman. “Thank you, Oka-saan.” The four then walked out. When the door shut behind them, the woman reached into a bag at her side, and pulled out a mask... placing it on her face with a smile. The mask was easily recognizable if one had knowledge of the styles the Scorpion used.<br/><br/><div class="spoiler_container"><div class="spoiler_header" onclick="hideSecond (this);" role="button">The Older Woman</div><div class="spoiler_body">(http://40.media.tumblr.com/10a847b8739469e9256777f33d12562e/tumblr_nesirkg6Qt1r3drn7o1_1280.jpg)</div></div><br/><br/>“Greetings.” The woman said. She reached into her bag again, and handed each of them another letter. “I am Soshi Kumori, the Jade Magistrate who summoned you here. The Jade Magistrate's require your aid in a matter of secrecy. You four have managed to follow the directions I gave adequately, and arrived without excessive notice. Nothing I say here is to leave this room.”<br/><br/>Her voice was self assured, completely calm as she spoke. She took a sip of the tea, and continued. “We know a user of Mahou lives in the City of the Rich Frog. We cannot find who it is. They are clever, and have hidden themselves from our normal means of detection. Furthermore, we have sent in a few of our best. The lucky ones did not come back. Those unlucky enough emerged. Acting on the Mahou Tsukai's orders, they perpetrated some obscenity, act of betrayal or sabotage. I had to kill one myself. Someone is providing this monster with information.”<br/><br/>The woman says this with equanimity, eyes dark behind the mask she wears. Each of the women can feel that she would kill them the same way, if it was forced. “Thus why you have been summoned. You will help me catch this thing, and put it down. You four will take the place of those girls who just left. I pose as the Okaasan for the Docks district of the city, and they had received permission from me to open a new Teahouse, Petals on the Water. They are new to the city and few, if any, have seen them well. You will be able to take their place easily. This disguise will be enough to hide you from the Mahou Tsukai. You may find it useful in other ways. You will locate the Mahou Tsukai, and you will kill him. Now, you may speak.” The woman paused, giving a faint smile. “I assume you have questions.”