Kyuden Shika

After the play finished (and feeling disappointed that the standard seemed to be getting worse) Emiko under her umbrella had intended to walk back to the inn. However, a gust of wind had pulled her parasol nearly out of her hands, making her stumble down a different path and eventually find her way to a temple.

Huh? Where am I?

She took a few steps towards the big tree in the middle, looking around. She'd not gone this way before, and was admittedly a little lost, but this placed seemed really pretty.

Some people and descriptions match. Sometimes a pretty girl finds a pretty place. Sometimes a creepy guy is walking by and finds themselves staring at them.

Hikimasu was always one such. Maybe he was too far in the dark for her to see, the rain probably helped. The Scorpion, also under their umbrella watched her for a while, feeling as if he were seeing something he could only catch glimpses of. A bittersweet feeling, but one he'd hold onto.

Well, time to ruin it by saying hello,

She's probably just lost.

"Ahem", he said, walking up behind her silently in the rain.

"Wha?!" Emiko nearly jumped out of her skin, turning around and looking at the man who startled her.

"Oh, Shosuro-san" Emiko bowed "did you follow me here?"

It's because I'm Scorpion right?

"Yes, you were by yourself at a night", he said, totally going with it. "And there are worse things than me about at these times."

"So you were protecting me?" Emiko chuckled "thank you Shosuro-san but I'm sure that the Deer guards would have kept me safe. The wind seemed to be my biggest problem, although it's blown me here..."

She turned back around to look at the shrine.

"Perhaps to pray? Have you been here before?"

"I've been here before...hmm, now three times it seems", he said, thoughtful. "And that's precisely why, the Shika would protect you from someone like me, but I know your true enemy."

He approached the tree, leaned on it and faced her. He smirked under his mask.

"Nature."

Emiko managed to stifle the laugh that was about to escape.

"So Shosuro-san intends to slay nature to keep me safe? Will you be there for every bush, tree, rabbit and stone that crosses my path to put me in danger?"

She turned around to look at him with a smile.

"Shosuro-san knows how to swim I hope?"

You couldn't paint a bigger smile on a barn, the mask had a lot of trouble holding that one.

"I can swim", he repeated the motto of the Bayushi family. "Yet slaying bushes, trees and rabbits? No, even if the river is your enemy, I would just do my best to rescue you. An enemy in nature needn't be fought, not if reaching out a hand, or diving into action can keep what is important safe."

He held out a hand toward her. "Will you risk this tree with me? Even if it's dangerous, it can protect you from the wind, and I can keep you safe from it's roots."

So only when it's dark at a distance can i be this smooth? I'll have to remember that.

Not like acting that way was slowing his heart rate or anything.

"Wouldn't being under a tree be more dangerous. Sounds like Shosuro-san is trying to lead me to certain tripping over."

Still, she did move closer, and the free hand not holding a parasol did indeed take his.

"At least if I trip I should be quite light, ne?"

Not any more light than I'm feeling right now.

Was this alright?

"I wouldn't...", he started to say something but suddenly had to breathe. "I'll do what I have to."

And he found his hand not letting go, he started sweating. Clearly just the rainy humidity.

"I um... I've been speaking to people about what you said...music and all. Shika Pei Pei-sama said she would like to hear it before giving an endorsement."