[D3, LE] Days that call for a night cap

[Matsu Ishioka]

Ishioka wasn't much of a drinker, especially in comparison to the Crab samurai who were frequent companions back at Kyuden Hida. But today had been a little emotional. The play had been pleasant, though, and another round of wet shoulders seemed a small price to pay for just a touch more relaxation to ensure a good night's sleep. He'd mentioned in passing to some acquaintances that he'd probably swing by Uguisu's after the play, so he sort of expected to see a friend or two, but as he entered the bar out seemed the rain was keeping most people away. It being on the quieter side worked well for Ishioka's plan, though, so he took to a booth and ordered warm sake and even ordered some food. I missed dinner, didn't I? What a strange day.

[Moto Mitsuki]

At the bar, Mitsuki, sporting her usual black on white style, was telling bigger than life tales after tales to an audience who did not always know how they were supposed to react to them, as they mixed freely classic warrior bravado, wonders of foreign lands, and supernatural elements.

"So I punched, and kicked, and sliced, my way out of the ambush. Through blood and rage I managed to reach the end of the alley, and good old Avel, always here when I need him, showed up, trampling another ruffian in the process. I jumped on his back – Avel's my horse – and it's full gallop out of this city of calamities.

I was not at the best of my form, but at that moment I felt like it was going to be a-ok. No way they could catch up with me now I was mounted, no camel travels as fast as Avel even in the deep desert. I just needed to ride to the nearest friendly encampment to get snitched while most of my blood was still in my body.

And then I saw the birds on the horizon. The Qamaree you see, they have that race of pigeons that they train to carry messages. Very small messages because pigeons are not strong at all. But you don't need a lot of words to cause a lot of harm.

And these feathery fuckers are fast. Faster than a Unicorn horse even. Well, maybe not faster than an Utaku steed – I dunno if anything is faster than an Utaku steed – but I'm not an Utaku.

So here I am, witnessing the pigeons spreading in the sky and disappearing from my sight in the dark of the night – hey, rhymes! I have no doubt than their destinations are my assailants' friends exactly in the places I planned to hide and heal, and that they all carry the same message – kill Unicorn girl. So if I go to any of these locations, I'm very much dead. Or at least it's not going to be pretty.

The good thing, there were only three pigeons, and I know of four refuges close enough for my needs. So all I had to was to go to the one that didn't get the memo and everything would be fine.

The bad thing is that I had just no way to guess which one it was. Well, I had suspicions, but nothing sure, and I don't like betting with my life as chip regardless if it's a 25% chance or a 75% chance.

So I do what anyone would do in such circumstances: I ask for a bit of help from above. I take my best bottle of kumis – it's mare milk liquor; I swear it's good – and I offer its content to my honored ancestors. No that's not a figure of speech to say I've drunk it, all that good alcohol ended up in the sands, mixed the blood that I was still losing drop by drop.

I shouted a prayer at the moon – the desert just to big, no god is going to hear you if you whisper – and I rolled my divination dice – the bone ones – on the dirty soil.

They ended up on the symbols showing the west. But before I could proceed, out of nowhere, there was a gust of wind, and they rolled again, to show up east this time.

I went east. I lived."

---

Here will either happen (have yet to choose one): 1. Indulging a Passion 2. Triggering an Anxiety 3. Spreading rumors 4. ???

[Kaito Oubaihime]

Wondering if she could meet that nice Kitsuki she met before in this place, Oubaihime headed to the bar. She saw the patrons and noted the Moto woman she had met on the day they arrived and the nice Matsu who she knows that had some deep emotional wound that she probably will try to avoid. She carried her bow that she left at the door as many would leave their weapons at the door. The Kaito took a seat where she had sat before asking for the keeper for some plum wine.

[Moto Mitsuki]

Mitsuki was trying to remain on the thin line of drunkenness where people would brush off her (bigger than average) irregularities to the samurai code while still remaining in actual control.

It was a very thin line.

"Matsu-sama! Kaito-sama!

Are you here to hear the stories of the times the ghosts of my ancestors saved my ass? Or to tell your own?

Better hone them in all cases! After genealogy yesterday and kemari today, I'm expected storytelling tomorrow and foretelling the day after."

[Kaito Oubaihime]

"I would have thought that tomorrow would be poetry or maybe some type of calligraphy thing." She sighed. "As long as we don't have to be creative I should be fine... oh Heavens.... I hope it is not another memory test. I am very bad with those." The Kaito shrunk down in her chair.

[Moto Mitsuki]

"For real, I don't know what tomorrow will be made of... But aren't you an fortune teller yourself? Can't you peek into the future to tell us? Will make sure we at least bring up exercise clothes for exercising."

[Kaito Oubaihime]

"Huh?... me tell fortunes... I think you have this one confused." She smiled politely. "Moto sama this one is a priestess of a water dragon temple not a fortune teller."

[Moto Mitsuki]

"Uh? Didn't you tell me you were a shrine maiden? Aren't you girls supposed to see the future by burning things? Pretty sure I heard a story about that."

[Kasuga Yoshi]

"Alright, the next bottle is one me!" Yoshi calls, putting a silver down on the counter. He seems in a rather good mood, as if something has gone well recently!

(Enjoying Passion: Generosity!"

[Kaito Oubaihime]

"Uh? Didn't you tell me you were a shrine maiden? Aren't you girls supposed to see the future by burning things? Pretty sure I heard a story about that."

"I haven't tried to do such thing... I guess some of my sisters would use the water to predict the future but not this one." She smiled.

"Alright, the next bottle is one me!" Yoshi calls, putting a silver down on the counter. He seems in a rather good mood, as if something has gone well recently!

(Enjoying Passion: Generosity!"

"Give my round to Matsu sama." She smiled "I am good with my lonely glass of plum wine."