[D8 EE] Lanterns and Walls (Expecting)

[Kaikoga Koi]

A delicately painted Koi and her shadow slipped out into the early evening to meet at the agreed location for her evening time with Yasu which she had been quite excited to have in all honesty. Koi had enjoyed the pleasures of men but deep down the desire to spend time with Yasu perhaps was more exciting and enticing than anything else she could imagine at this miai.

Koi had changed her outfit for this evening to her more beautiful kimono, the make up she used was perhaps designed to compliment the make up of the Kuni in subtle ways. Koi didn't want to be offensive but outright doing it but the subtly to the change of colours to match Yasu's, her own colours changed out for something more earth toned and peaceful than bright.

Again though Koi did not leave without her katana at her side, a lantern with painted moths on it and a clan mon at the base etched with silver. Her umbrella in her other hand as she looked over the garden, her mind filled with growing hate for this place. She knew what lurked here, and played tricks on people. A growing resentment to the place itself had nestled in her mind as she felt the throbbing pain from her side reminding her what happened the last time that she had been here.

Taking a deep breath, she casted that out of her mind and offered a prayer to the kami to look after. Perhaps, with the presence of Genkai and Yasu she might actually come away unharmed this time.

[Kuni Yasu]

Yasu wears her nicest, if still not silk, kimono--gray upon gray fabric woven through with an all-over water pattern, the purple irises and tiny crabs painted at the hems hard to see in the dark. Since their last meeting she's added a blue and brown woven cord with apricot pit netsuke to attach her scroll case securely at her hip, a jade pendant carved into the likeness of a badger's head, and a small carved crab charm replaces the bracelet of jade beads.

Beneath yet another borrowed umbrella, Yasu makes her way through the garden, peeking into nooks and crannies before finding the assigned meeting space, enjoying the lush growth, even if the ever-present drip of rain had grown a little too familiar.

"Koi-san! Evening! I hope these recent days have been kind to you?"

[Kaikoga Koi]

Koi practically became a beacon of joy in that moment, illuminating the world with her smile and joy for in that moment there was no one else that Koi wanted to spend the evening with. "Yasu-san! Good evening dear friend! These past days have been as exciting as they could possibly be, I find myself in a hurricane of events only to have found myself into the eye for a moment of honest pleasure in seeing you."

Koi would bow respectfully - of course. "You look positively wonderful tonight!" She raised the lantern a little to get a good look at her. "Did you dabble with the makeup I gave you?" She asked curiously, before chuckling. "You look as graceful as a Doji this evening but as mighty as the Kuni you are, it suits you!"

Yasu would notice a Shika guard a distances away from Koi watching but otherwise not interacting with her in any way but remaining vigilant.

[Kuni Yasu]

Yasu offers her own bow when closer, umbrella lifted protectively, smiling warmly. "I have! The water-fastness is useful in all this," she gestures in general at the air full of rain. "Mostly for the eyes, all of them. Really nice cobalt in there."

She glances to the Shika guard. "Exciting indeed. I heard...something about imposters?" There's a gentle shake of her head. "You don't seem the easiest person to impersonate, though. Ah..but we can sit and catch up on that, yes?"

[Kaikoga Koi]

Koi was practically preening at this as she leant forward slightly just on the edge of Yasu's personal space but it would appear to be done more cutely than anything else. "I think it suits you really well, I love the blending of the darker purple to give your eyes more curve to them. Positively wonderful!" She leant back smiling.

She smiled, offering her umbrella arm to Yasu the other holding the lantern. "I found this little pagoda that's covered up ahead perfect for two people to take happily in all this."

"Sakkuku spirits." She said grimly, her face looking towards the garden. "They took my identity and Kitsu Murato's, I went to confront them and the kami told me before they attacked us. Shika Nesshin defended me with his life, did you know that he wishes to go for a Magistrate position?"

"He deserves it compared to what I have seen of the guards so far, I believe." She adds quietly, clearly the courtier slipping out just then.

Koi waves her hand going back on subject. "The spirits seemed fascinated with one another as if they were truly in love which opens a load of new doors of inquiry about if spirits can feel love as such." She shakes her head leading Yasu through the trees, and finds her self looking at the cedars with a mixture of respect and strangely deep internal frustration.

D8 EE Pushing Nesshin's Agenda. Water/Courtesy. Tn 2 | TN: 2 | Success: 2 / Opportunity: 0 / Strife: 0

[Kuni Yasu]

"I had thought all the tricks with that painting might be trickster jokes." Yasu shakes her head. "They're not usually so violent though. Lucky Shika-san was there." She rests a hand on the offered arm as they head to the pagoda. "Murato-san mentioned the impersonations. Any idea why they focused on the pair of you? He seemed to think they were more focused on you, and he happened to be close by"
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[Kaikoga Koi]

Koi shook her head. "Gomen, the painting had nothing to do with the spirits I reckon. That was a prank done by Shika's guards against one another as far as I can tell it's to have one more bought of fun until they are married. Which does fill me with a question, Yasu-san. Is it typical for men to just believe once they are married off their lives are over? They can't have enjoyment with their friends? I understand perhaps having some ...fun when you are younger but the world doesn't suddenly change does it?"

Koi shook her head and frowned. "My hypothesis was that we were the first on scene into the room on the night when we went to the aid of his brethren but perhaps they didn't choose Shika-san solely due to the fact he is a Deer Clan member. It does leave a lot of questions but I am going to perhaps leave that rabbit hole unexplored until I heal."

Koi chewed her lip and looked into the rain. "I worry they became violent because of my actions, I do not know."

[Kuni Yasu]

Yasu shrugs slightly. "It could be that many find themselves in new place or roles once they're wed, so they can't have the same fun, with the same people. Whenever old friends of parents or consorts come through, there's always a pile of stories. Different kinds of stories though when they're old classmates who met when training, or friends from an early assignment, or a later one."

She lifts her off hand into the rain, just enjoying patter on skin. "Hmm, why would you expect that? I mean, they're usually just...well I guess they get mad if you're not doing what they want. Definitely some stories like that. As to love? There's really such a range of spirits, and some seem capable, others not. Like, I don't think I've ever heard of a tanuki in love, but kitsune certainly can be."

"Oh! But that reminds me, I have something for you that might...help a little if they're still a danger." She reaches into a sleeve with rain damp fingers to pull out a lopsided origami that...has wings? Might be a crane with no tail, or some kind of butterfly or moth. The paper is plain and white, the sort of thing that's commonly used for calligraphy practice and quick notes. It's rather inexpertly folded.

"I'm not very good at origami, I'm afraid, but there's an invocation stored inside that you can free by tearing or unfolding it. So, might be just as well that the package isn't too nice."

[Kaikoga Koi]

Koi pondered that for a moment and nodded, it seemed the most logical reason and a pretty earth based answer. "That's fair, I am for one looking forward to going somewhere different. I've never really felt like I belonged in my Clan, and I don't really have many friends at home. I have my cousin who seems to have gotten very sick and has retired to her room for several days now." There was concern but not much, it was something she was use too at the end of the day.

Koi watched the Kuni with genuine interest, each word said she hung upon. "That is quite true. With the rejoining of the Unicorn, I am curious about what spirits they have discovered in their journeys and if they answer any questions our knowledge is still missing." Koi was obviously generalising for the Rokugani public, as one question is answered a new one forms. "I must ask Moto-san about that but I need to track her down, at some point to ask. Oh, I would love to see a kitsune just once at a distances...where I can't get hurt." She said slowly, with a rye smile.

A smile spread across Koi's lip. "Oh! That is sweet of you, Yasu-san but I couldn't take something away from the Crab Clan such as a spell that might save your life..." She said, softly. The first refusal. She thought. Bless her little sandals she tries.

[Kuni Yasu]

"Oh, I've a scroll for it well prepared. So I won't lack for it. I mean...I'm not even certain that makes it a real gift..." she's suddenly uncertain if this is a game that needs playing or it would have been more proper to just offer the finer paper within as the plain tool that it is.