Li Si gazed into the small red orbs that were the tengu's eyes. Perched in a tree, the blue-feathered humanoid looked down on his female visitor and nodded. Opening its beak, it let out a loud squawk and leapt to the earth, its large eagle-like wings flapping hard so as to slow it down as it reached the earth. The tengu landed softly and nodded. It produced a large iron fan and cooled itself for a few moments. Li Si saw that it held a cudgel in its other hand and could see a sword, possibly a katana, hanging from its belt. The tengu was a legendary warrior in the Eastern Islands, and was exactly who Li Si was looking for.

"So you are the infamous Li Si, master of the dragon missile, or so they say," squawked the tengu.

Li Si bowed respectfully to the creature. "Yes, I am."

Next to Li Si stood a green, monkey-like creature with a large tortoise shell adorning its back. The creature laughed aloud and said, "Ri Si! Ri Si! I think she's more man than those samurai who tried to beat me a few days ago."

Li Si looked down at her companion and sighed. In a low whisper, she said, "Don't push your luck, Raja."

"You wouldn't dare hurt me," Raja said, even louder. "I have Grizo here by my side. We yokai always stick together."

"Silence, kappa!" yelled Grizo, the tengu. Looking back at Li Si, Grizo inquired, "So, what brings you across these seas and to my abode?" Grizo narrowed his eyes as he asked.

Averting her eyes from the tengu's gaze, Li Si answered, "I have heard legends that the first volume of the Sacred Scroll that was stolen from the court library generations ago is in your hands."

Grizo said nothing, but nodded slightly.

Li Si continued, "You must know that I am of the Hunters Guild. My colleagues and I have been…uh…er…hunted by the government for the past several years. I have discovered that the one responsible for this decree is the eunuch Lau Shek."

Grizo remained expressionless, but grunted.

"Eunuch?" said Raja incredulously. "Why would an effeminate man-woman want—" He was silenced by Grizo raising his hand.

"I know Lau Shek," Li Si went on. "I know that he's mastered the iron vest technique—"

"Three," said Grizo, coldly.

"Excuse me?"

"Lau Shek has mastered three different iron vest techniques, each with its own weak point."

"How do you know?"

"One of them is described in the volume of the Sacred Scroll that made its way into my possession. The scroll mentions two others, although it doesn't give any explanation about them. I assume you came all the way here to seek counsel about how to counter that technique?"

Li Si nodded and bowed reverently.

"Many samurai have come from the far corners of the island to study under me. Most of them I have turned away. Why should I help you, who are not only a foreigner, but a woman as well?"

"A woman who can probably beat up all those samurai who came to you, Grizo," butted in Raja. "But a woman, nonetheless." He quickly ducked away to avoid being struck by an irate Li Si.

Li Si took a deep breath and fixed her eyes on him. "Grizo Sensei, you know that I came here with only the purest of intentions. I do not wish to use any knowledge I might gain from you for myself, but to avenge my colleagues of a tyrant whose designs I think both of us can agree are far from honorable. You know a lot about the world around you. So you know that because of Lau Shek, even the spirits themselves are being hunted, so that nobody may oppose his eventual rebellion and coup. I can't oppose him by myself. Please," Li Si bowed again. "Please help me."

Grizo was silent for a few moments. Then, striking his cudgel on the ground he laughed. "Very well. I shall take you as my student. But I need a payment first." He stroked his beak gently. "How about your famed Dragon Missiles."

Li Si grew pale for a moment. "E-excuse me? But t-these—"

"—will be of no use to you when you finally confront Lau Shek."

Li Si removed her two Dragon Missiles from her garments. For a few moments, she stared at that them and rubbed her light skin against the ornate dragon sculptures. The weapons had been hers for many years; she had defeated and killed numerous bandits and criminals and had saved many lives with those weapons. They were practically a part of her being, now. Li Si finally took a deep breath and walked over to Grizo and handed the two legendary weapons over to the tengu.