(D8ME, Ishioka’s Room, expecting) Your presence is required.

[Agasha Inoshishi]

Inoshishi smiles softly as the Matsu speaks of stories. Whether he meant to or not, this is the way to her heart and willingness to participate. When she speaks, it's shy, like one imagines a virgin offering themselves or the moment before the first kiss in someone's life.

"I will tell you one of mine if you tell me one of yours. We trade, one for one." She ponders. "I have made no promises of women, only of men. I will tell you of my first time, then you may tell me if you wish to hear of the one or both. I warn you, it will be much longer if you wish both. However, since I have sworn nothing of them, I do not believe you have cause to be concerned."

She slips into her storytelling stance and cadence, her spine straightening and her hands weaving a tapestry of their own in front of her. Her voice changes, rising and elongating, making it almost impossible to escape from her trance-like words.

"At a Winter Court, when I was one season beyond my gempukku, I was even more mischievous than I am now. We were in the Mountains and the court was attended by a then lesser known clan called the Moth. I was intrigued by the beauty of a certain of their daughters, she was 20 and had an air of rakish mystery about her. There were rumors that she entertained mirrors. I stumbled upon her one night, drunk as a skunk, and pretended to be a guard. Very nearly scared the piss out of her. I think literally.

She took her revenge on me and I on her and a prank war escalated. It was...titillating in ways I hadn't experienced before. The suspense, the surprise, the often intense feeling that came with her pranks.

So one night, I snuck into her room with a bottle of cider that her family had given to mine. I don't know exactly what I intended. However, she claims she thought I was perhaps a burglar, setting upon her at night. I think she knew me better than she claims. By the end, her ribs were bruised and most everything important of mine was bruised. And I loved every minute of it. I'd never felt quite like that before. Needless to say, I spent every night of winter court with her, rumors be damned."

Her story fades and her hands wind down until she's sitting in the room with Ishioka again.

"I won't lie to you, Ishi-kun. It felt different than what you and I do. Kaikoga Koi knows how to blot out my life until I remember and feel nothing but pain and pleasure so intermixed I don't know which is which. If you continue with this game of trading," her eyes might flicker here, her face suddenly look sunbaked and world weary before the shadow moves and her face is back, "you will come to know why. Since I know you must know, this is nothing like being with you. You are like a second Amaterasu, filling my life with love and glory, making each moment bearable with your presence. I prefer a life I live."

She winds down suddenly, almost like a top, her face still open, waiting for your judgement, knowing there must be some.

[Matsu Ishioka]

Ishioka had listened attentively, eyes narrowing in curiosity and widening in amazement at different times. By the end he looks at her pensively, contemplating how he should respond.

Before his brain has figured out the words, he wraps his arms around the Dragon and hugs her gently. Earth first.

"Ino-chan, it... That is a powerful story that I am sure I don't fully understand," he admits, judging only himself with those words. "I look forward to learning more..." He says tentatively, clearly not sure he's right about that.

He looks at her a little nervously. "Ah, what kind of story would you like from me? I'm... not sure how to, uh, follow... your story."

[Agasha Inoshishi]

Inoshishi has certainly noticed the attention he's been paying and his obvious attempt to understand who she is and what she's done. She leans into the hug as he begins to speak again. Between the rhythm of his heart and the words he's saying, she is calmed and convinced she's made the right decision. This will be alright. He won't actually tell a story, whatever she had said earlier. Facts and places and names don't make a story. Emotion, impact. That Matsu could impact her, but he wasn't...

"what kind of story would you like from me?"

"A story for a story, then you're done."

Nope. Not listeningYou had to know this was coming. All of you. This is not that. He is not just a story. I am not here for that.

"Yes Piggy, you have a question? No, you may not go to the bathroom."
(quiet laughter)
"No Piggy! You may never, ever, become attached to a story giver. You serve the Dragon! One story taken, one story given, then you're done."

Her face twists, memories of her training overwhelming her, Sensei's face burning through her thoughts, years of indoctrination up against her stubborn pride. She goes pale, so pale.

The snow. It beams up at her, harsh glare of Amaterasu bouncing into a much younger and curvier Inoshishi, standing, panting, as the steam surrounds her. The Tattooed Man NO! Togashi YoshiLiar liar... approaches her. "Well well, Piggy. It seems you're finally good for something." Togashi Yoshi No, he's already here, he's Quiet. inclines his head fractionally, as one would to a heimin to the...other Togashi...Yoshi.

Inoshishi clings hard to Ishioka, fighting her way through the overwhelming flood of memories she's sought hard to get rid of. She knew this was coming, knew it like she knew her future and her past. But Kami, Lady Amaterasu, how she'd hoped it would be in her own quarters.

I hope you're proud of yourself. He'd said to...Fine, two of them.You know the truth himself. The Tattooed man nodded, ignoring the spite to feel pride. "It's always good to find someone motivated." The TattooTOGASHI!Shut up.ed Man led her away. Her classmates remained in the field, staring at the steam.

"I am proud of myself, Sensei Yoshi. I did what you couldn't. I'm..." her hands grip Ishioka's tunic as her mind continues to fragment.

The steam.Iron-colored and cool, drifting in the humid air. Inoshishi, younger, larger, crouched, face covered in blackness, soul covered in blackness.

"Give a story, take a story. If they remain, dispose of them. Yes Piggy, exactly like you disposed of the bandit at the field. To make it look like an animal did it, remember to remove..."

She screams silently, into Ishioka's robe, face covered, her body rocking back and forth between his body and arms. No. She was not that. She couldn't be. She'd left that person behind in the swamps south of Scorpion land. When she finally saw...that she didn't need it. Her holy purpose wasn't covered in blood and deceit.

She wasn't that. Not anymore. Togashi Yoshi Except notcould burn. She was just a Chronicler now.

As her mind recovers, words form again, "I'm sorry" over and over.

[Matsu Ishioka]

Ishioka doesn't understand what's happening, and maybe on some level is even frightened by how little he understands. At first, he scans the room for signs of some spirit or magic that is affecting Inoshishi. Feeling her clutch at him and his clothes, he knows something is very wrong. This isn't the mellow movement that accompanied her story-telling.

The Lion starts to make soothing sounds to Ino, softly, right near her ear, and he mixes gentle hugs and rubs on her back trying to bring her back to him. When she starts apologizing he foolishly tries to argue, as though she can hear him. Finally, worry painted all across his face, Ishioka simply takes the shivering woman in an unbroken embrace, holding her by his heart until that makes her better.

[Agasha Inoshishi]

The hugs and holding seem to have been exactly what she needed. She calms down over the next minute or two. Her hands' grip weakens and her head drops lower, clearly ashamed of how she's been behaving.

"I'm sorry, Ishi-kun. I...what you said, I thought it would be...I am..." She raises a hand, wipes her face and then makes a face as her hand comes away somewhat sticky. "Oh no, I've made a mess of your kimono."

Somehow, that seems to be some kind of breaking point and she starts giggling. "Here I am, having shared with you that my first time was with another woman, which you accept and then ask how you should say whatever you were going to say. And somehow I'm the one falling apart! I'm so sorry."

She's clearly willing to let Ishioka pull away if he's grossed out by the things she's left on him. Otherwise, she's staying put.

"I assume our dojos are not so different? So you have kata and other moves and ideas that you repeat until you could say it asleep? Some of mine returned and they are not...always pleasant memories. 'A story for a story' was the mantra. You take a story, you give them a story to remember."

And she's back to some tears while also still giggling. The tears seem to be an echo of tears long since shed. In a soft voice, she says, "I love you, Matsu Ishioka-kun. I am sorry I am difficult. It is...complicated."

[Matsu Ishioka]

The Lion tries to catch her eyes so she can see him smiling at her, but it isn't easy. As she keeps trying to find words and organizing them almost as badly as Ishi thinks he would in a similar situation, he once again gives up on trying to do words. Mostly.

Ishioka squeezes Inoshishi back close to him, just tightly enough so she'll know he's got her. He kisses her hair and then leans in near her ear to say, so softly, "I love you too, Ino-chan."

[Agasha Inoshishi]

Inoshishi happily let's him hold her, one hand rising to rest on his chest. As she hears what he says, she looks up at him, leaning back in his circling arms. She's smiling, eyes clear of everything previous aside from a little leftover watering.

"You said it. I wasn't certain you ever would. I will remember this moment." She aims a kiss at his chin, figuring he'll either look down or be happy with her small lips on his chin.

[Matsu Ishioka]

Ishioka knows that his words are likely not the best, but as he sea her lips rising there's no hesitation in the man. He bends slightly to meet her lips with a slow kiss, gently rising in intensity, but not catching fire like some of their activities. This is the kiss of a deep, assured and safe love, the Lion her steady rock.

[Agasha Inoshishi]

Inoshishi returns the kiss in the same way, her hunger absorbed by the deep, abiding love she feels for the big Matsu. Her arms loop lazily around his neck, one hand playing in his hair. Her body is still far lighter than it likely should be, but she seems stronger than she was. Eventually, she breaks the kiss, pulling away to look adoringly at the Matsu.

“I think I feel strong enough to continue.” Her voice is soft but strong, “If there is anyone or anytime of yours I need to know about, tell me of it.”

She’s not exactly excited to hear about any of his other times, but there’s a certain amount of satisfaction in her voice as she triumphs over her internal demons.

[Matsu Ishioka]

Ishioka strokes her hair with a gentle hand, smiling with relief at her strength.

"There... has never been a time that meant anything. Just..." He shrugs. "It never mattered until you."