Kyuden Shika

The worst of his hangover was gone, so that meant one thing.

It was time to go and practice.

Raizo, somewhat disheveled and certainly even less exuberant than usual, hit the dojo with the intent of hitting practice dummies until he thought the bastards had gotten what they deserved. He selected a bokken and got to work.

Kakita Reina walked into the dojo bright eyed and bushi-tailed. But doing well in miai events and not drinking yourself silly tend to have that effect. She bowed to the dojo and took up a bokken.

\She even gave Raizo a smile that was unlikely to ever be returned.

"Good morning, Shiba-san. Have you had rice today?" she asked, ready to tackle the rest of the day.

Okay Fortunes, I get it, you hate me and want me to suffer, but there's no need to be so... blatant about it.

"Inari-no-kami has been most kind."

Times like this I really despise the way we do things.

"And you, Kakita-san?"

Reina nodded.

"Hai, our hosts have been most accommodating," she says agreeably. "And many of the guests have been quite interesting to talk to. It's a good chance for people from across the Empire to not only find their spouse, but to make connections outside of a Winter Court, neh?"

"I... suppose?"

He shrugged.

"Never been much good at it, so I've spent a lot of my time deeply confused about what the hell it is I'm meant to be doing..."

Reina smiled a bit.

"Aren't you supposed to be starring in your own pillowbook, Shiba-san? Every day is a chance for you to meet your future spouse and bond over a shared love for...some activity or another. Hm, what do you love, Shiba-san?" she asked.

"People keep asking me that. And aside from enjoying seeing new sights, going to new places? Not much really presents itself."

He nodded to their surroundings.

"And being cooped up in the same Kyuden for longer than I've been in one place since my gempukku is... a bit of a strain."

Reina considered that with some measure of mirth.

"Perhaps you should have 'I like Travel' put on a back banner, Shiba-san. It would save people having to ask you the question." she suggested with an amused smile.

"With my calligraphy? They'd probably come up and ask me what the gibberish on the banner said."

He gave a mock-grimace.

"Or maybe they'd start asking me where I like to travel..."

A small shrug.

"Or perhaps they'd offer you calligraphy lessons." she suggested. "But out of respect for your trials, I will not ask you where you like to travel. Might I ask why you like to travel?"