[D6, ME: Stables] Yes, I Know, You're Lonely (Open)

[Shosuro Hikimasu]

"Well...", he cleared his throat. "That's happened many times and I have no excuse."

But it's not my fault.

[Moto Mitsuki]

"Well, that's indeed not reassuring at all about the average fairness of your deals...

Luckily for us, it's the Deer that will be arranging the deals here, not you.

And hopefully, the very fact they've organized more than one miai should indicate their deals were on average fair enough for the previous participants."

[Shosuro Hikimasu]

"I see...maybe not", he said after a bit of thought. "Most of my negative interactions are unknown to me. I say something, or do something...maybe i'm not aware of it. I'd say this miai has been good for the reason that I don't need to make the deal or risk saying something stupid...but that's actually not the case. I haven't had a single interview with the nakodo there, it's just been me meeting people the way I ususally do, without any set up. I wonder what the Shika are thinking."

[Moto Mitsuki]

"If you find out, please do inform me. We're halfway in, and I still haven't partaken in anything that seemed miai-like either.

At this point, I'm starting to wonder if there isn't some kind of issue and they aren't simply trying to buy time until it's solved."

[Shosuro Hikimasu]

"I think there is an issue", the suspicious Scorpion spoke with suspicion. "Near a whole week of rain in summer and spirits of sakkaku on the prowl", he shrugged. "I wonder if they know what's really happening."

[Moto Mitsuki]

"Dunno. The rain is apparently a normal occurrence in this region at this time of the year, and seems quite on brand for spirits to manifest themselves in the middle of a mysterious forest. Aokami is no Shinomen, but there are similarities.

Though the ones from Sakkaku aren't the most pleasant ones. Who had to endure a not so pleasant prank?"

[Shosuro Hikimasu]

"The Moth, Kaikoga Koi-san, and Shika Nesshin-san", he said. "The spirits had been playing about as Kaikoga-san and Kitsu Murato-san, I heard, they were chased off in the end but the rumors may still persist. Then that prank with the painting."

[Moto Mitsuki]

"At this point, I wouldn't fully exclude this is anything but another test from the Deer, to measure the skills of the most spiritually sensible members of our cast. There are several stories about trickster spirits allying themselves with equally tricky humans for what they see as complex pranks...

Though in general they end up with the human painfully outtricked."

[Shosuro Hikimasu]

"I've heard the same in the past, stories mostly", he admitted. "Though from what you assert and your own follow up, it seems perhaps you think the Shika, if this is their doing, may not have control of matters, so be careful."

[Moto Mitsuki]

"Please Shosuro-sama.

I'm always careful."