Kyuden Shika

No wonder she's insane.

"That's as may be, but denying what's in your heart is a hardship that should be acknowledged as such."

"Denying it?" Shizuka looked at her empty tea cup. A small smile tugged at the edges of her lips. She steadied herself against the side of the table. Were her hands shaking?

"I deny nothing. A river runs downhill, but with ingenuity and effort, you channel it into paddies and orchards on its way down the side. The water is still water, you just put it to better use."

Reaching over to the box she carried with her, she withdrew her kiseru pipe. "Do you mind?"

"Far be it from me to deny someone a little relief."

it wasn't a vice he had picked up, but plenty of the men and women he served with smoked.

Tamping a wad of tabako into the pipe with her little finger, Shizuka brought the same digit near a lantern and beseeched the kami of the flames within. A small flame answered her call, dancing about her fingertip from little to ring to middle to index and that the Moshi brought to her pipe.

She was, if nothing else, a shugenja, after all.

Taking a puff from the pipe, she exhaled. The smoke making her red eyeshadow stand out for a moment as it dissipated.

"Relief?"

"Only reason i know of that anyone smokes."

Sip.

"Relief from what, that varies, but never the basic impetus."

Tap tap. Shizuka tapped her kiseru bowl into a container in the wooden tote box she brought about with her everywhere. A small clump of ashes fell away.

"Maybe people just smoke to smoke. It's a good way to while away the time. Helps conversation. It's like drinking in that way."

The silence that followed yawned, making light of the Moshi's words. She didn't seem like she noticed. She just tamped a new bit of the finely shredded, hair-like tobako into her pipe.

Raizo sipped his tea in silence.

Thus far, he'd seen little to alter his belier that she was crazier than eating broth with chopsticks.

For her part, Shizuka was more than certain that even her ancestor, the legendary oiran with whom she shared a name - and supposedly a personality - with would have found this Phoenix difficult.

Tap tap. More ashes fell into the ash bowl.

"Ja neh. The tea has run out, it seems, Shiba-san. Thank you for your invitation today; your company was most cordial, the conversation quite thought-provoking."

"Ah, the brittle assurances that things have not been as they are. Truly, you've been well trained in the role you have been thrust into."

He signaled for another pot of tea.

"I've never had the knack. But if you've grown weary of my decided lack of charm, far be it from me to do to you what everyone else seems to."

"Enjoy your tea, Shiba-san."

Whoever taught her, taught her well. Shizuka even sounded like she meant it.

Collecting her belongings with no particular hurry, she moved to make her exit from the stage.

</scene?>