Hey, guess what. More Exalted. Can't think of anything extra to add, but if I come up with something, well, I'll replace this with that.
After Gou's trip to the Transcendent Peacock to talk with Teng Serey last session, he returns to the Moonlight Maiden to see an unfamiliar nerdy-looking woman standing on the deck of the ship. He makes the safe guess and greets her with "Hi, Hǎifēng!"
"Hi!" Hǎifēng replies.
"Oh shit, I was right!"
There's some confused back and forth before Hǎifēng remembers they're disguised, and they grab their nose and blow and their face 'resets.'
"There's that face who has been loved by many, many people," Gou says, leading into some back and forth bickering/bantering about how many people have 'loved' Hǎifēng's face.
Xương comes up, having watched this all play out while approaching the ship, and Gou offers to make everyone some tea while they all share what they've learned. Hǎifēng thinks aloud that they really should have asked for that artifact tea maker as their boon in the tournament.
Gou explains that Teng Serey is concerned that the Guild is treating Nha Beh Banin like a caged songbird and the theater might want her to perform for 'the people.' He shares the idea he floated to Serey that he and Copper Orchid can combine their efforts and resources to procure the contract as long as Beh Banin can be freed up to perform for the wedding. Hǎifēng likes the sound of that plan, but they're concerned that the Guild has deep pockets. But they might be able to procure some assistance there.
Gou then turns to Xương and mentions that as he was looking into the Marionette Cult, Gou thought it might be relevant that there were a couple of puppets in Serey's office -- one old and dusty, but one that looked pretty new and seemed a little out of place. He doesn't want to accuse anyone at the theater, but it might be a connection.
Xương says he has found that the puppeteers and the cult might be the front face of a criminal enterprise and could be watching anyone and everyone. Gou then comments that something definitely seems weird about the Peacock to him -- he shares his observations that they could easily be serving a higher class of audience than they do, like they have the budget to do so but aren't for some reason. Xương wonders if they're punching above their weight in trying to secure Beh Banin's contract, and Gou offers they might be a middleman for someone else. Xương says that doesn't necessarily make them an obstacle, and Gou agrees they can still keep them in mind as a possible ally.
Gou suggests Hǎifēng share what they learned next. Hǎifēng says they didn't learn much, but now their 'ex' remembers them and wants to meet the three of them at a time and place of their choosing. And he's bringing along an old friend who might also be an old friend of Hǎifēng's. Xương confirms that Jotaro means all of them and Hǎifēng says 'yes,' (though I should point out that Jotaro didn't specify a number of friends, he just assumed Hǎifēng wasn't there alone) but also to remember that Jotaro's representing the Guild in this manner.
But this potentially gives them some leverage into getting the Guild to back off. Gou thinks they should focus on that angle before tackling anything else -- like, for instance, Princess Chulin or the Dynasts fighting over her sister. Xương asks if this means that all roads lead to Jotaro, and Hǎifēng says that many of them do, but they're going to have to deal with him eventually. Xương says it sounds like they're all going to have to meet him, and he assumes that Hǎifēng's going to tell him not to hurt Jotaro, either. Hǎifēng says they're not going to say that, and Gou adds that they shouldn't just go in swinging. Hǎifēng admits that before they revealed themselves, they were about to rip his face off.
Gou says maybe they should go in swinging.
Xương says he'll take direction from Hǎifēng on that one. Hǎifēng remarks that Jotaro's a Solar, if he can't survive one or two fights he wasn't any good to begin with. They have someone send a message to Jotaro at the pleasure barge to meet them at their rented room above Madame Fong's teahouse.
So the appointed time comes, and there's a knock at the door. Jotaro is beckoned to the door and finds Hǎifēng sitting on the couch cross-legged with Gou standing directly behind them, visibly armed. Xương stands against the wall. All three are in human form.
He walks into the room, giving a snooty side-eye to the trappings of the inn. Behind him is a woman who appears to be in her 40's, with weathered brown skin, and dark gray (what we'd call 'gunmetal gray') hair tied into a tight bun, with loose burgundy-colored cotton clothing. She follows him in and closes the door and Jotaro's snooty façade vanishes into a more relaxed body language. He thanks the group for meeting with him, acknowledging he knows it's gonna be awkward and tense and he expresses some hope they can get through this without anyone getting hurt.
Hǎifēng says "Don't worry, we won't," and gestures to a seat across from them. He sits down and starts to introduce himself to those who might not know him already, through he's pretty sure he got a glimpse of Gou on the barge the day before, and as he looks at the three of them his gaze briefly lingers on Xương, to whom he nods and says his reputation precedes him (and gets a "Likewise" in return). And then he introduces his friend and sifu, Hollow Thunder.
She thanks them for meeting her, calling them the Chosen of the Moon, and with a bow identifies herself as a Chosen of Mars. She flashes her glittering red Caste Mark for a moment, just being upfront about that, as she says she's been Jotaro's ally and mentor for a few years.
Then she asks if Hǎifēng can indulge her in a question, and they tell her to proceed. She asks where they got the kimono. Hǎifēng says proudly they took it off V'neef Gamon's back, and that it fits nicely. "Well of course it fits," Hollow Thunder says. "It's yours." She says she hasn't seen it in forever, but... she then gestures to Jotaro's kimono, and says that she suspected that Hǎifēng had shown up when she saw Jotaro's kimono the previous day.
Jotaro looks at her and is all "You knew and didn't tell me?" She says she suspected, but felt it wasn't her place to say anything. Hǎifēng confirms she's talking about their bond, and they say they knew right away when they saw him. Previously it'd just been dreams here and there, but when they saw Jotaro it was like a world bloomed in their mind. That they were now aware of a void they had no clue was there until it wasn't. It was all very unsettling.
Jotaro says it was the same for him, and there's some back and forth on that until Hollow Thunder concedes that perhaps she should have said something, but was worried about making it go badly. But she comments that this is the first time the kimonos have been in the same room since the Usurpation... the Dreamspun Mantles, two kimonos practically made of the same thread. And she remarks with some amusement that fate apparently had V'neef Gamon hold onto Hǎifēng's for a time.
Hǎifēng says they dislike the notion of fate. Hollow Thunder says that fate is like a current, that it carries things in a certain direction but it's not an all-encompassing force and sometimes you still need to steer the boat one way or another. She also makes it clear, just for good measure, that she knew the two of them back in the First Age -- in her current incarnation. She was young then, and while she was there for the Usurpation she didn't participate -- and the fact that she's here, helping Jotaro, should say plenty about how she feels about it. She tells the others she can't always promise full transparency in their dealings but she wanted to be up-front about this, at least. Jotaro gives her a look as if to say 'that was a lot,' and he's about to say something when Hǎifēng says that it's a lot to take in, and they're going to be watching her more than Jotaro. And she nods with acceptance and Jotaro says that's fair.
Jotaro acknowledges that it was rocky dealing with her at first but they've got a working rapport. He then asks if Hǎifēng's actually interested in Beh Banin's contract, or if that was just some sort of pretense and a 'way in.' Hǎifēng says the interest was genuine, and asks a way in for what?
Jotaro points out he's a public-facing member of the Guild of some influence, and that attempts on his life aren't uncommon. Hǎifēng calls him a self-important jackass. Jotaro goes on to say that while he works fro the Guild, he's got his own plans and schemes and people might correctly assume as such and want in on whatever it is he's really doing. Hǎifēng says they're trying to be the grownup here, but he's making it hard. Jotaro looks at Hollow Thunder and says "I told you we should have brought food." Hǎifēng's confused, and Jotaro says this was supposed to be a lunch date, he had in fact been planning to have lunch with Hollow Thunder before Hǎifēng confronted them earlier.
Hǎifēng tries to get everyone back on task. Rather than risk airing any dirty laundry around their friends who are probably already sick of it (Gou gives an amused 'Eh), they want to push that to the side. They admit it's awkward and trying to act on a professional wavelength, and they realize that this is all one big conflict of interest, isn't it? (Hǎifēng, as has been pointed out, is uneducated in such matters) Gou says it' absolutely a conflict of interest, and Hǎifēng laments "Oh, the poor client." Gou says a lot of merchant families just try to ignore that bit about politics, conflicts of interest, etc.
Jotaro says that the conflict of interest doesn't matter as long as it publicly looks good. He can do whatever favors he sees fit as long as in front of everyone else he appears impartial. Xương gives a knowing chuckle, and Jotaro points to him and says "See, he gets it." He then repeats that as long as it looks good enough not to give people the idea to show up with daiklaves and power blazing, it's all fine. He's got no real loyalty to the Guild; they're a means to an end. He compares it to a warrior taking up his father's armor and weapons that have been used to commit terrible acts of war, and trying to use them for something better.
And, he points out matter-of-factly, it's his influence that has made it possible for Beh Banin to have a contract with a bit of freedom that doesn't practically enslave her to the Guild to begin with. He explains that the contract means she performs at Guild-sponsored events and such, and other people can hire her through the Guild to perform or what have you, but realistically that can be expensive, and the circumstances can be complicated and people outside the Guild rarely get that sort of luxury.
Hǎifēng's looking at Gou and Xương and asking them to bail them out on, as they know nothing about actual business. Gou asks Jotaro what it would take to get the Guild to back off or make it seem as though he tried but ultimately failed. Jotaro says that a bidder would have to put up at least 100 dinars, and even then they'd have to offer up something to make it worth the Guild's while for losing ready access to her. Jotaro asks them who it is they're working with on this, as that'd make it a lot easier to plan something out.
Gou leans in and whispers to Hǎifēng, asking if they're comfortable sharing that, and Hǎifēng's unsure, and Jotaro (pointedly not listening in on the whispered conversation) says he can give them some time on that. He promises he won't even snoop in the meantime, but it'd be a lot easier to work this out if he knows who they're working with. Working out a deal for one of the smaller independent bidders would be very different than, say, if the group were working with one of the Dynasts. But obviously they can meet later, talk wherever, he just wanted this first meeting to happen on their terms where they feel safe... and to put all the cards on the table, he flashes his own Eclipse Caste mark at them.
Gou says he won't disclose their client's name just yet until they've had time to discuss it, but he can describe them as an entrepreneur but not on the level of the big players. If the Guild favors other Guild members in hiring her out, would it be possible to pull some strings and make her available for a day to someone who wasn't? Jotaro says it would depend on who it is, and what sort of event, and where, and how much warning they've got.[0]
Jotaro proposes a dinner meeting for the following evening, and there's some back and forth on who picks the place -- they offer to let him pick, but he still wants to give them some wiggle room, so he proposes he'll choose a few options and they can pick one. He says (mostly joking) that he can even make sure there are witnesses, though it'd be easy enough to secure a private dining room. Hǎifēng agrees to that. Hollow Thunder asks if anyone's got any questions before the two of them take their leave, and Hǎifēng says this has been a lot.
Hollow Thunder says she's been through a lot herself, but it's good to see the two of them in the asme room again. She's quick to add she's not trying to push anything, but there are points during this conversation where she could close her eyes and remember better times. She says that if you want to push things, you'd get a Chosen of Venus for that. Hǎifēng's like "That's a thing?" and she says there are Sidereals who deal with connections and relationships and such, and Hǎifēng expresses some concern on the idea of Exalts who can make people fall in love. She's quick to clarify that that's not necessarily a Sidereal thing -- that anyone with the right words (she nods to Jotaro) or charisma (she nods to Hǎifēng) can do that. But Chosen of Venus can arrange meet-cutes and the like, know if two people are meant to be together, etc.
She then goes on to explain that when she was young and early in her career, she worked with their prior incarnations. She was young and foolish and didn't properly appreciate it, and... yeah. Hǎifēng uses Glance-Oration Technique to express to her that this is really complicated in a way they can't simply articulate with words, and she says she totally gets it, and she starts to come up with a comparison that it must be like, but she stops herself and says after all this time, she still doesn't have the words.[1]
Hǎifēng tells Jotaro they'll have to meet later that evening, just the two of them -- Jotaro waggles his eyebrows and gives him that Joey-from-Friends "How you doin'?" grin, and Hǎifēng responds with 'the anime face of pure killing intent.' Jotaro's amused, as is Hollow Thunder (as per her earlier comment about times she could close her eyes and remember old times), but Jotaro lets it drop and says he can do that, just say when and where. Hǎifēng says maybe later that evening, and they rattle off a pier number that's a good distance from the Moonlight Maiden. Jotaro's fine with that, and says that if they need to get a message to him, either he'll be at the barge or there'll be someone at the barge discreet enough to take messages if he's not there.
And as there's nothing else, they get ready to leave. Jotaro gets up and Hollow Thunder steps back to let him take point. Hǎifēng looks at him with a face clearly saying 'I'm trying, here.' Jotaro returns the look with a nod. And as he leaves, the moment he steps out into the hallway the 'snooty, judgmental noble' posture appears once more.
Once they're gone, Hǎifēng apologizes to the others for that being so uncomfortable. The others acknowledge it could have been worse, but also that it was pretty hard.
Hǎifēng says they're not sure how to react and that makes it harder because they feel like they know everything and nothing about Jotaro. The way they put it, you have to choose the reality you want, and they hate that. Because eventually choices become those of convenience and then it's all a lie. Gou says they didn't need to get all philosophical about it, and Hǎifēng says they think they're having an existential crisis.
A couple of minutes later, as they're decompressing, there's a frantic knocking at the door. Hǎifēng looks at Xương and is like 'It's your turn.' Xương tells whomever it is to come in, and it's a short blue-haired Meiyu woman from the theater, a day manager that Gou met during his visit earlier. She's looking for Gou and introduces herself as Fekedu. She says she thinks the people of the theater are in danger, as someone's watching it, possibly casing it. She went out to run an errand after Gou's visit and is pretty sure she's being followed, and this was soon enough after he left that she as able to trace him back to the inn[2], and would have approached sooner but she saw Jotaro and held off. She's not sure where else to go -- he seems like the sort of person who can handle himself, and they don't get a lot of mysterious businessmen like that at the theater.
The point is she's not sure it's safe to go back alone, and thinks something's going on connected to the theater. Xương ask if she wants them to investigate, and she says she'd be fine being escorted back by someone who might reassure her that -- worst-case scenario -- maybe she's just seeing things. Gou volunteers Xương for that, and asks her to step out into the hall while they talk a moment.
So once she's outside, he tells the others that he thinks this cements his suspicion about something involving the puppets and the cult. He asks Xương to escort her back while he and Hǎifēng follow along in bird form and keep their eyes on things. If something happens, they're sure Xương will be fine, but if need be they can swoop in and get involved if there's an ambush. That seems like a solid plan, and Gou opens the door and says his friend shall escort her back. She thanks them and grabs her shopping bag from the hallway.
Xương walks with her back to the theater, just looking generally menacing. He and the others, following along overhead, pick up that they are in fact being tailed by professionals working in a team. They're followed by two people at once, and at one point one drops off and is replaced by another. The second time Xương spots such a change-off, he grabs the new guy by the face and drags him into a convenient alley to slam him against the wall and demand answers. The others perch nearby, with Hǎifēng repeating things back like a deranged parrot.
After a moment the guy starts blubbering about how he's just watching the people running the theater, and Xương asks on whose authority. After a moment the guy says he's working for V'neef Midnight Blossom, someone who apparently works for the satrap. (Hǎifēng remarks "Squawk, we didn't see this coming, squawk," in their parrot voice) Xương squeezes the guy's head until he says that's all he knows, which Xương believes and lets him go.
He thinks this is a lot for a singer's contract, and all three of them quietly wonder if there's something about Nha Beh Banin they don't already know.
Fekedu comes closer and asks if it's safe now, and he assures her they were just following her, nothing more dangerous than that. But he walks with her the rest of the way to the theater, noting that the rest of the team have scattered with no other sign of trouble.
And we leave off there.
-----
[0]-- And obviously they'd need her for more than just a day, given that transportation alone's going to take some time going either direction.
[1]-- Admittedly she almost said it's like encountering a family friend who knows you and last saw you as a child but you don't remember them now -- but stopped herself because of Hǎifēng's own complicated past on that matter. Admittedly that something she probably shouldn't have known, that's a bit of a slip on my part, but I made an executive decision not to derail the conversation by delving into that and I'll make sure it all makes sense in the end.
[2]-- This was kind of an improvised scene on my part, as we had some awkward timing on things, and so I realize only as I type this that Gou went back to the boat, he didn't go back to the inn. But, again, I'll have it make sense if it comes up.
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