Kyuden Shika

Soyokaze lazily rubbed the ointment into his hands, just a few drops. "Hameko-san, go get some sleep and return here at midnight so we can continue." The attendant bowed and as she exited the front of the stall she held the door open for the approaching guest, giving a rather obvious double cough as warning to her sensei. He turned to face the door while tying up is kimono.

The three-eyed oni mask stared down at the fake coughing servant for a brief second before brushing right past her and into the forge.

"Assuming you're that Asahina?" She crossed her arms over her chest and looked down at him with an unmoving, vicious and fanged snarl that dominated the full faced mask she wore.

Soyokaze knew what death stood before him and tried his hardest not to squirm on shrink under its gaze; it somewhat worked. "Hai I am Asahina Soyokaze it is an honor to meet you Bayushi-sama, welcome to my humble forge and please make yourself comfortable." He gestured to the cushion beside her. "I hope Inari-no-kami has blessed you today, can offer you tea and perhaps something to snack on?" he moved cautiously towards a pot warming by the forge's hearth.

"No. I'm only here to pick up something of Seppun Unsei-san's. They said that they had spoken with you about a commission or something." She paused briefly. Her head ever slightly shifted to the side. "I think you're the first one in this place to call me sama. Why?" Her Imperial heritage didn't shine through. Rare was the person that knew of her status due to it.

"You one of those peasant-born and adopted samurai still getting used to being a great clanner?"

He looked confused at first but reddened at the insult. "I can trace my line back to the tribes of Isawa, Bayushi Luixian-san. I refer to you formally as we have only just met and you have not given me a name, it is proper." he picked up the pot of tea and brought it to the front anyway but kept the high table that severed as a partition between them for now. "As for Unsei-sama, we have discussed no commission that I can recall, did they give you any idea of what you were supposed to be picking up?" He set the pot down on the rough wooden surface.

"I still haven't given you my name but it appears that either my reputation proceeds me or my cousin hasn't shut up about me. I'm assuming it's the latter."

Upon the revelation that there was no commission she grew still as she thought over the wording. "They said that they needed me to come here and pick up an 'unused long sword draped in a steathe of silken white and blue'." As soon as the words left her mouth she realized. "It's supposed to mean you isn't it? Did they put you up to this?"

Soyokaze put his palm to his face in understanding. "Unsei-sama intended to introduce us at the mixer last night but I left before they could. They thought we would...get along well with each other. And yes, you are known to many here and not because Unsei-sama spoke of you." he walked over to the cushions and sat on one, placing the tea pot on the table between them began to pour. Well you came all this way, are you sure you don't want a drink? I have something stronger if you like."

"It seems like your idea of many and mine are not the same. I'm sure a handful of people know of me and that is it." She said. She didn't sit down yet. "Explain what you mean by 'get along well with each other' as Unsei-san knows much better than to play nakodo with me. I'm assuming that this isn't about feelings though. Unused longsword makes it seem as if they were expecting me to be the steathe."

"You may not be known by many but you are known of." He let out a weary sigh, he was to tired for polite Crane words or embarrassment. "You are tall, beautiful and terrifying, every man here has noticed you whether they have approached you or not." He could not entirely escape his embarrassment however and red faced he added. "And yes, I believe I am the unused longsword. I went to Unsei-sama for advice about that, for the future and they think I need a tutor." His own words made him cringe.

The groan that came from Luixian was long and suffering. "Get me the strongest you've got. Tea isn't even close to what I need. I also will point out that no one knows if I'm beautiful or not. Under this mask I could have the face of a hog and no one would know." With that said she sat down on the previously offered cushion. "And why do they think you need a tutor?"