[Day 0, Early Morning] What's This? (Open)

[Shiba Raizo]

It had been a long, long walk to the lands of the Deer (The Deer Clan? Was that really a thing? Apparently so!), made longer by his tendency to take detours.

Like this one.

He knew perfectly well where the gates were, and he knew his papers were in order (Say one thing for Gorobei, say he knew how to whip up some documents), and he knew that at some point that day he'd need to enter the Kyuden and brace himself for...

A FUCKING miai. Fuck's sake. If they want me to endure the agony of failure, I don't see why they need to send me traipsing off to sip tea with people I can barely understand only to prove that I do, in fact, barely understand them. They could just have me fight Issei in a duel, or arm-wrestle Kagero, or try to ride the new gunso's horse. Again.

Raizo took a deep, cleansing breath, exhaled, and let himself appreciate the forest.

Not exactly the Isawa Mori. It's nice here.

He knew- because everyone had cautioned him endlessly- that visitors were supposed to stay on the path, lest spirits lead them astray.

Well, that'd be one way out of the fucking miai. "Sorry, I wandered into the woods and the spirits got me."

He stood by the path's edge, contemplating his choices.

But how disappointing it'd be if that turned out to be a load of crap... Still. It's lovely here. Something new. And nice to be seeing a new place without being surrounded by sweaty assholes in armor that needs a good cleaning.

[Kitsu Moshumaru]

But how disappointing it'd be if that turned out to be a load of crap... Still. It's lovely here. Something new. And nice to be seeing a new place without being surrounded by sweaty assholes in armor that needs a good cleaning.

The sound of light footsteps gently followed the red-headed Kitsu as he wandered through the forest. Taking in the sights and the sounds, the black lion seemed almost spectral, the sunlight dancing off of his red hair like spring off the remnants of a Lion winter.

Spotting the other figure in the forest, Moshu looked to see if it was a Shika – seeing as the man didn’t look like a Deer kin, he almost reached for his blade – but then he remembered that there was a Miai happening soon. With that in mind, perhaps he needn’t worry for Katsuteru-sama’s friends after all.

Moving further in from the foliage, the writer bowed to introduce himself to the guest.

“Good morning, samurai-san; is everything well?”

[Shiba Raizo]

A wild Kitsu appears!

Ah well, knew it couldn't last.

Raizo turned to size up the other person, leaning on his naginata as he did so.

Well. The hair is certainly a bit odd.

"I find that everything is just about never well, but the morning looks like one I may yet survive. This one is Shiba Raizo, of the Phoenix Clan."

A pause.

"I presume you're not local either, since I recognize some of the heraldry of the Lion Clan."

[Kitsu Moshumaru]

"I presume you're not local either, since I recognize some of the heraldry of the Lion Clan."

The Kitsu listened, taking the time to take stock of the Phoenix before him.

"There is truth in what you say, Shiba-san. For instance, this one is Kitsu Moshu - or Moshumaru, depending on who you ask. Writer for the Fallen at the Ikoma libraries."

He gestured an open palm to the castle keep.

"By chance, are you here for the Miai?"

[Shiba Raizo]

"There is truth in what you say, Shiba-san. For instance, this one is Kitsu Moshu - or Moshumaru, depending on who you ask. Writer for the Fallen at the Ikoma libraries."

He gestured an open palm to the castle keep.

"By chance, are you here for the Miai?"

"For what I can only conclude were a multitude of sins across my last incarnation and this one, yes, I am here to horrify various maidens at the prospect of a life with me."

He was joking. Right?

"It's not an assignment which plays to my strengths, but one goes where one is sent."

A pause.

"And Kitsu-san... do you prefer Moshu or Moshumaru? I presume the reason for the difference is familiarity."

[Kitsu Moshumaru]

"And Kitsu-san... do you prefer Moshu or Moshumaru? I presume the reason for the difference is familiarity."

"I prefer Moshu if you need a preference, but the reason is more legal than social. Legally I am Moshumaru, but my clan has found I have... outgrown the suffix, so to speak. Often I'll find myself signing on paperwork with one name after my clan spends the day using the other. Perhaps once this... event is over, my names will be unified. But if you hear me referred to as both, that is why."

At the Phoenix's discomfort around the topic of the Miai, the Kitsu relaxes a little. As if some great weight has been shifted a little, granting him some respite.

"I'm glad I'm not the only one who feels out of place here - after all, I spend most of my day writing rhetoric about the recent passing. It's not exactly a career to attract the darlings of court, I admit."

From the small smile, it appeared as if the mourner was attempting some form of humour.

[Aimi]

"I'm glad I'm not the only one who feels out of place here - after all, I spend most of my day writing rhetoric about the recent passing. It's not exactly a career to attract the darlings of court, I admit."

From the small smile, it appeared as if the mourner was attempting some form of humour.

"Depends on the darling, Kitsu-sama."

The woman who emerges from amidst the treeline is at once commonplace and something of an oddity. The travelworn clothes and humble tools, the faintly windburned face and plain wooden walking staff, these things mark her out as a ronin, a woman of the waves such as one might find all across the Empire. And yet to find one here, so close to a court and a miai...

"Perhaps a young maiden in mourning shall read the words you scribe, and find her heart moved by the skill and devotion of the author's brush," the ronin says with a grin, leaning on her staff as she studies the two men, "Stranger things have happened, to be sure."

[Kitsu Moshumaru]

"Perhaps a young maiden in mourning shall read the words you scribe, and find her heart moved by the skill and devotion of the author's brush," the ronin says with a grin, leaning on her staff as she studies the two men, "Stranger things have happened, to be sure."

"Stranger things indeed. That said, any words put to ink are merely a reflection of the individual themselves, D-..."

As he turned to the speaker, He looked for some kind of marking to inform him from whence this woman came. Nothing seemed obvious, which left three options. He had incurred the wrath of a forest spirit (already?), it was an Imperial agent undercover, or...

"Ronin-san, I want to say? Forgive me sincerely if my estimation of you is false." His words are as cautious as they are sincere.

[Aimi]

"Ronin-san, I want to say? Forgive me sincerely if my estimation of you is false." His words are as cautious as they are sincere.

"Your eyes are keen, Kitsu-sama, and your estimation quite accurate," the ronin says, bowing politely to the Clan samurai. "This one is Aimi, a landless wanderer. Pray forgive my intrusion, but your words carried on the air, and I thought to investigate who was wandering the forest at such an early hour."

[Shiba Raizo]

"You must be damned good at what you do to land an invitation to this..."

He made a sort of awkward gesture in the direction of the Kyuden.

"... exchange. Good to meet you, Aimi. I'm Shiba Raizo, and the charming gent with the literary bent is Kitsu Moshu, Moshumaru if you're talking to him where his superiors can hear you."