[D0EE] Refilling supplies

[Moto Mitsuki]

Mitsuki's trip to reach Kyuden Shika had been long, and the halts short. So she had been living on her reserves for a good number of essential products, and her reserves were now dangerous low.

A trip to the market seemed like the best way to solve that issue, and there she did find an apothecary that looked like they could provide her with exactly what she needed.

And then, cultural difference set in:

"I'm sorry samurai-sama, but I cannot sell you newt powder without official permission from the castle physicians."
"Why? It's a common cosmetic product. I just need some for my make-up foundation."
"You put it on your naked skin?"
"Yes? Everyone does it."
"They certainly don't. It's a heavily Yin-charged item. That would unbalance your chakras dangerously, put you into a murderous trance. Only something a wit... I mean, it's certainly nothing but a big misunderstanding. Certainly, you've been looking for fruit powder all along. I have a citrus cataplasm here that's..."
"I know what I'm looking for and it's not citrus!"

[Matsu Ishioka]

A tall and imposing looking Lion samurai was exploring the market at this time, no particular need or destination in mind. But he noticed the tension around the Unicorn samurai and her heimin adversary and, perhaps against better judgment, stepped closer.

"Good apothecary-san," Ishioka interjected before he could antagonize the Unicorn further. "Do the castle physicians track your supply levels? if not, surely such a thing is not the kind of rule that should cause strife with an honorable samurai guest, hm?"

[Moto Mitsuki]

Quite an awkward silence answered the suggestion that the merchant could circumvent the law, no matter if the law was dumb or not, or the risk to get caught low or high.

Mitsuki's mind was racing, trying to figure out if she had fallen into some sort of social ambush, where but a single wrong word would have guards appear out of nowhere and escort her to a nearby prison cell for negotiations from a pretty fragile position.

Like that time with the "watermelon merchant" in Lungzi. A weird and unpleasant affair that one.

As for the now, better play it safe:

"Good day to you Lion-sama. No need, no need. I have realized I was unproductively stubborn. The weariness of the long trip that has brought me here certainly.

As the idiom goes: At sea, eat fish. In the mountains, eat cheese. In the desert, eat roasted scorpions. One must always do with what their environment can provide instead of mimicking the habits of another place. If some product is unusual there, I'll simply use its local equivalent instead."

Her eyes wandered on the stall.

"A fern-based composition apparently."

[Matsu Ishioka]

Ishioka's eyes narrow skeptically at Mitsuki, but he doesn't immediately respond to her. Turning to the apothecary with a bit of a glare, he says evenly, "How fortunate that Unicorn-sama displays such compassion and understanding. It would be good to finish assisting her straightaway." The impassive expression of the commanding looking Matsu, like a stone mask save the focus of the narrowed eyes, is probably somewhat motivating for the apothecary, so he doesn't feel too much relief at Mitsuki's concession.

Turning his head and shifting to a warmer tone, the Lion says, "Perhaps Unicorn-sama would speak with me when her needs are met? I will wait a time under that tree," he indicates a respectably sized tree to still be standing so near the center of town, and then gives a simple bow of his head as he starts to turn and walk toward it.

[Moto Mitsuki]

This didn't really sound much like a request she could refuse.

Mitsuki took a few minutes to complete her purchases, buying a few cosmetics that look harmless enough to give them a try without support from a professional make-up artist.

Then she rectified her white dress and moved to the tree to perform the expected salutations, bow and all:

"This one is Moto Mitsuki Lion-sama, of the ten thousand blades of the Khan, who came to Kyuden Shika to partake in the upcoming miai. Pleased to meet you."

[Matsu Ishioka]

The Lion bows in reply. "Likewise pleased, Moto-san. Matsu Ishioka, nikutai in the Lion embassy security detail at Kyuden Hida." He looks at her expressionless, save a bit of fire still in his eye from spooking the commoner.

"To save you asking, yes, I would have done similar for any guest." The bland expression on his face makes his sincerity somewhat hard to gauge.

[Moto Mitsuki]

"What an amusing coincidence. While the troops in the Burning Sands employ a different, more flexible organization due to the sheer size of the territory we have to cover in comparison to our numbers, I command a unit of similar size. That would make us of equivalent military ranks.

Not that it matters much that far away from the soldiers we have authority upon. In this land, we are both simple respectable samurai instead of on duty commanders.

So, if your usual base of operation is within Crab lands, may I hazard the guess you came here to partake in the upcoming miai?"

---

As to not interfere too much with D1, I propose we wrap this up quickly.

[Matsu Ishioka]

"That is interesting," he agrees briefly, "and yes, I am here for the miai." Such talkative women, he thinks. Perhaps this is considered desirable in samurai-ko?

"And I assume you are as well," he says without much expression. "Do you have, ah, specific shopping to do in that regard," he asks, cracking a small smile at the incredibly weak joke.

[Moto Mitsuki]

"I've come here with in my luggage everything I would need for the miai. Which kind of commander would I be if I went anywhere without planning the logistics first?

From this market I only need a few commodities to iron out the kinks."

[Matsu Ishioka]

Ishioka blinks. Someone more literal than me? Fascinating.

"Are you similarly well-planned in what you seek in the miai, for your match?" He asks the question clearly but kindly, genuinely curious about the answer.