Kyuden Shika

Somehow, in some way, things seemed to be working out- as if simply by saying "no" to everything, he had found a lever nobody in Rokugan seemed to realize was there.

But before he finally gave his final "fuck you" to the Shika and their knack for pointless cruelty, he had to touch base with a couple more souls.

It was very strange. He knew for a fact that he loved Usogawa Narumi dearly and always would, whatever name he ended up wearing.

He also knew they would never be in love, and that both of them were delighted by the fact.

So he'd sent a note asking her for a meeting.

He had to hope the Deer hadn't shit on her as they had him, but he couldn't be certain.

She showed up.
Paper umbrella over one shoulder, fine and elegant blue and brown kimono, hair done simply in a knot at the nape of her neck, dark locks fallen forward and framing features. her expression one of curiosity, a touch more animated than her usual self.
"Light of my life," she says to get his attention, moving next to him comfortably but remaining an arm's distance away. She'd miss this. A lot.

"Ah, my soul, my heart, she who outshines Lady Sun..."

He smiled.

She looks well.

"It seems, alas, you are to wed another. Truly, I am crushed."

"Ah, my reason for being, how will I wake up tomorrow knowing your face is denied to me?"
A wry smirk, and a glance to him.

"We'll just have to engage in torrid affairs behind your husband's back. Only natural."

I wish I could just keep it to this, this banter, it makes everything feel so normal, but...

"So. Who'd you get? I like to know who I need to be sneaky around."

She laughs at that, honest and true.
"Asahina Bo-san. He's a guard, so you'll have to be particularly sneaky." A pause, and a slow sigh. "I don't deserve him. The Deer are cruel to saddle him with me."

Ahhhhhhh fuck.

He'd hoped to keep it light. Keep it, well... as fun as he could. And he was happy that she'd ended up with that Crane of hers.

"Well. Happy for you, for what that's worth. He's a good man, and if he doesn't know how lucky he is, he's actually stupid- which, however slow he might be on some subjects, I don't think he is."

He took a ragged breath.

"But the Deer? Yeah, cruel is about right. I got paired with some Deer I've literally never met. Probably someone I've never even seen. Tell me, nakodo-in-training, what do you imagine the point of my coming a third of the way across the Empire to a miai is if I'm to be paired off sight unseen to someone from a Clan I now have every reason in the world to hate?"

Still, he seemed more angry than... sad.

"Matching her to another? I could... well, I'd still be pretty fucking miserable, but I could at least have understood it if they had paired me with someone I'd had a single fucking conversation with."

She nods at his words about Bo, then looks back to him quickly. "I'm so sorry, Raizo; truly, I am. I have no words."
Narumi frowns, angry with him.
"Truly, their cruelty knows no bounds." A significant pause, letting that sit in the air. "Former nakodo-in-training," she finally corrects him.

His blood was up, and something had evidently monkeywrenched part of his friend's life.

"Oh? What happened there? Going to become a Crane, then?"

Her eyes narrow a bit and she rubs at a temple in frustration.
"No." she says shortly, lips twitching to one side. "The Deer dug up... a lot of dirt on me, and presented it to Bo as a wedding gift." She's livid, and it's obvious as day. "So I hate them as much as you do."