Hantei Dave: Isawa Tsuke approaches you alone. It is late and it is odd for people to be wandering the hallways at this time...even guards.

Togashi Udon: (I was out exploring the night?)

Hantei Dave: "Udon-san, may I have a word with you?"

Hantei Dave: (why not?)

Hantei Dave: ^_-

Togashi Udon: "Of course, sama. You may have as many as you wish." (smile)

Hantei Dave: He smiles

Hantei Dave: "I understand you have a sort of ...problem."

Togashi Udon: "Hai." (looks down)

Hantei Dave: "Is it something I can ease your mind of?"

Hantei Dave: He looks around

Togashi Udon: "It would be most kind of you."

Hantei Dave: "Ah. Perhaps you can tell me about it someplace...quieter. My chambers perhaps."

Togashi Udon: "Of course, sama. You do me a great honor."

Hantei Dave: He turns to walk down the hall. With each few steps another light flickers on from the walls and the one behind you flickers out

Togashi Udon: I follow.

Hantei Dave: He opens the door to his chamber and allows you to enter

Togashi Udon: I enter.

Hantei Dave: His room is neatly arranged....wild flowers...artwork...many exquisit candles and candle holders

Hantei Dave: He walks in and shuts the door

Hantei Dave: He does and gets a small metal cup

Togashi Udon: "Tsuke, sama. May I ask what you might already know of my ... problem?"

Togashi Udon: ( - not a , )

Hantei Dave: He smiles as he places the cup over a simple candle in its candle holder...the cup fasten above it

Hantei Dave: "It is the duty of all good men to rid themselves of lies and impurities isn't it?"

Hantei Dave: "I have heard what you ask of us."

Hantei Dave: "My fellow Masters cannot help you alone."

Togashi Udon: "Hai."

Hantei Dave: "Together there is a way but it is not likely to happen. It would leave you mind...devoid."

Togashi Udon: "Empty?'

Hantei Dave: "Yes, empty and fragmented...like a broken dish. But in truth it is because they do not understand. It is their ignorance that causes this."

Hantei Dave: He places a lead bar in the dish and waves his hand in a strange manner. The candle light turns blue."

Togashi Udon: "Every moment is a lesson to be learned."

Hantei Dave: "Well said. Please keep this lesson to yourself and companions."

Hantei Dave: The lead begins to melt

Togashi Udon: "Hai. I will, sama"

Hantei Dave: "I know you will. I can trust you."

Hantei Dave: He takes the dish in a napkin now. And brings it to a wall with a painting.

Togashi Udon: "I do not think I can turn a candle bright blue, though." (smile)

Hantei Dave: He pours the lead liquid into a hole in the wall...you see it run through the cracks a bit and disappear behind the wall

Hantei Dave: He turns to look at you as the wall begins shifting back...a hidden door begins revealing itself

Togashi Udon: (smile, surprised)

Hantei Dave: Torch light emits

Hantei Dave: He asks you to follow as he decends a stair case

Hantei Dave: torches line the wall

Togashi Udon: I follow. (shift bodhai tree uncomfortably)

Hantei Dave: Once you enter, he nonchalantly waves a hand and the door begins to shut

Hantei Dave: The stairs wind down

Hantei Dave: "There is another way to remove the taint Udon."

Togashi Udon: "How sama?"

Hantei Dave: "It can only be done by one who understands it...knowledge is the key. Others will hinder the effect. Yes, I can help you."

Hantei Dave: You reach a room

Hantei Dave: torches on every wall

Hantei Dave: scroll cover the shelves

Hantei Dave: s

Togashi Udon: "The gaijin went on about how to preceive the taint. That we don't understand it. He was speaking in gibberish. Even gibberish an Ise Zumi had a hard time following." (smile)

Hantei Dave: "Karasu is a dangerous man. Ask yourself, if he is such an expert why then can he not cure himself."

Hantei Dave: He passes a fire pit

Hantei Dave: and then a stone alter

Togashi Udon: "Perhaps he does not desire to be cured."

Hantei Dave: and turns to you

Hantei Dave: "but you do."

Togashi Udon: "Hai"

Togashi Udon: "As you can see, much has been added to my body since birth."

Togashi Udon: (motions to tattoos)

Hantei Dave: "Like the Phoenix rising from ashes to be reborn, I can purify you through fire. Do not worry, you will not be scarred or changed...Like the Phoenix you will return to as you once were."

Hantei Dave: "Some pain will occur."

Togashi Udon: "But these I accepted.The taint I do not accept."

Togashi Udon: "Hai."

Togashi Udon: (puts bodhai tree down against a wall

Hantei Dave: "It will take me most about 3 hours to perform. Lie down on the stone alter."

Togashi Udon: "Before you do this, I ask you to understand one thing."

Hantei Dave: He gets a wooden bowl and tea crusher

Hantei Dave: He pours a red liquid in

Hantei Dave: "yes?"

Hantei Dave: He beings stirring it with the crusher

Togashi Udon: A Tanto Bearer cannot be in debt to anyone.

Hantei Dave: "I understand. I was hoping you would do me a small favor though...on your journey that is."

Togashi Udon: I would gladly help you, but I cannot endanger my fellow bearers or our quest.

Hantei Dave: "It will be no danger. A small favor that I do not trust to most. Would you please deliver this scroll to the Daimyo of the Badger Clan when next you travel to the Unicorn province. It will not be too far out of the way."

Hantei Dave: "It is most urgent."

Hantei Dave: He continues stirring

Hantei Dave: "Please remove your robe."

Togashi Udon: (Is that the next thunder--Udon checks his list-Dave???)

Togashi Udon: (was that our next stop)???

Togashi Udon: (Removes robes

Hantei Dave: (next is arbitrary. Otaku Kamoko is there now you found out during this game...it is the next closest)

Hantei Dave: (I don't know what the others will decide)

Togashi Udon: (I will want o go there next)

Hantei Dave: (ok)

Hantei Dave: "Will you deliver then?"

Togashi Udon: "Hai"

Hantei Dave: "Domo arigaro gozaimas"

Hantei Dave: arigato

Hantei Dave: (that formal big thanks)

Togashi Udon: (insert formal -no sweat)

Hantei Dave: Udon says "Sume masen"

Hantei Dave: heheh

Togashi Udon: Lie on the stone alter

Hantei Dave: He takes a brush and dips it into the liquid. "This is soul fire. It will invoke your latent fire element."

Hantei Dave: He paints a symbol on your chest

Togashi Udon: You know the dragon tattoo?

Hantei Dave: you asking me or Tsuke

Togashi Udon: him

Hantei Dave: "Magnificient."

Togashi Udon: I know my soul fire.

Hantei Dave: "Good." I will start my chant now

Togashi Udon: (would udon have any chance to remember this chant?)

Hantei Dave: Unless you have anything left to say, the chant begins and takes as he predicted about 3 hours.

Togashi Udon: (not that i'll have this soul fire stuff...)

Hantei Dave: (no....for reasons you'll see now)

Togashi Udon: Udon is silent.

Hantei Dave: The symbol flares red as coals and burns you through to your spine. It takes all you can not to jump from the alter

Togashi Udon: ...

Hantei Dave: Tsuke continues his chant throughout the whole process...the burning coming and going in waves

Togashi Udon: owe...

Togashi Udon: (find a happy place find a happy place)

Hantei Dave: When he finishes, it takes you a few moments to recover from the immense sweating and pain. But you feel better....cleaner...weaker again.

Hantei Dave: You feel the taint gone.

Togashi Udon: (Panting)

Togashi Udon: "It is gone." (stunned)

Togashi Udon: (Deep bow)

Hantei Dave: "I am sorry. I have left a slight scar." There is a black and blue mark on your ankle.

Hantei Dave: It is noticable...but not major

Togashi Udon: "You burned it away?"

Togashi Udon: "ah, it will heal."

Hantei Dave: "Yes. You might say I burned you away."

Togashi Udon: But I am here? You burned the taint away?

Hantei Dave: He hands your robe and a scroll case.

Hantei Dave: "You don't have to worry about it anymore Udon."

Hantei Dave: "It is gone."

Togashi Udon: "Thank you sama."

Togashi Udon: (bow)

Hantei Dave: "Please do not open the scroll case. It is private."

Hantei Dave: he bows

Togashi Udon: (How do I feel?)

Hantei Dave: remove your taint points and bonuses

Hantei Dave: it seemed to have worked

Togashi Udon: (Do I have the same memories, the same personality quirks?)

Hantei Dave: you feel otherwise the same

Hantei Dave: exactly

Togashi Udon: (Am I udon?) or am I his slave???

Hantei Dave: Well, he isn't treating you like a slave

Togashi Udon: (Well, slave, deliver the scroll)

Hantei Dave: ^_-

Togashi Udon: hehehe

Hantei Dave: and we are done

Togashi Udon: TAINT GONE! ADD A BRUSE!!!