Kyuden Shika

Raizo stood by the edge of one of the ornamental ponds.

Then he took a deep breath, and walked right out across the surface, and stood there, looking down at the koi.

Sometimes I envy you fish.

"Shiba san?" Oubaihime gave a bow.

He turned, still standing on the pond's surface.

"Oh, hello Kaito-san! Nice evening, hm?"

Out of the shadows emerged the 'secretary of death', as he was once called, as if emerging from the depths of Emma-O itself.

A little known fact about the writers of the records was that an substantial amount of time was spent practicing the entrance from the shadows - not for reasons as dishonourable as stealth, but for dramatic flair. He bowed to the two present.

"Kaito-san. Shiba-sa-"

How in the heck is he doing that?!

"Oh, Kitsu-san! Hello, how have you been?"

"Apparently kata have evolved to allow one to walk on water while I was busy, it seems. Otherwise well - I must say I was impressed with your choice of gift."

It was obvious the Kitsu was still unsure as to how the Shiba as standing on the surface of the water.

"Not a kata... a little something my grandfather learned in Dragon lands. Comes in handy, as you might imagine."

He cocked his head to the side at the mention of the gift.

"Oh, the prayer wheel? It seemed... appropriate."

And his family and superiors had said he should take it.

The Kitsu nodded at the explanations, as if he had always understood.

"Ah yes, of course - a Kiho. That would explain it."

He never understood.

"That reminds me - if I remember correctly, you were both present at the play yesterday. I believe we never exchanged our thoughts on it?"

"Am I interrupting something, Shiba san?" She looked at the other person in the scene. "Lion sama good evening."

"No interruption, just... making use of one of my skills."

He glanced at the Kitsu.

"Frankly, I found the play pretty nearly incomprehensible. Everything in it was pretty... alien to my experience. Nothing to relate to."