D9LA - A shopping we will go…(expecting)

[Agasha Inoshishi]

Inoshishi waits nervously, shifting her weight constantly from one foot to the other. She'd been napping after her disastrous debate when the note slid under her door, Hopefully she hadn't been snoring. She wondered if Ishioka would ever let her hear the end of that...

Either way, that wasn't what she was really worried about, not in the here and now. What she was really worried about was the activity itself.

"Come. Market. Horse." Oof. Someday, someone was going to need to teach that boy to write. Maybe she could get Narumi to do it. But here she was, really hoping she'd read the missive right. I mean, what else could it mean but 'Come to the market at the hour of the horse?'

Well...

-Come to the market on horseback. But she didn't have a horse, so let's hope not.
-Come sell a horse. Probably also not.
-Come buy a horse. Hopefully not. Please not. No way did Inoshishi have enough money for a horse. And she'd have to refuse more than 3 times to GET a horse because she didn't have money to FEED a horse. Not her fault her sensei kept cutting her off, the old penny pincher.
-Come be a horse at the market. Well...that...could be fun. But it seemed...unlikely. Since it was in Ishioka’s handwriting.
-Come to his room with a horse from the market. Well, she wasn't a servant, so at least that one she could gripe about.
-Come to his room dressed as a horse from the market. First, probably reaching. Second, could be fun, but she didn't have a saddle and wasn't about to risk running into that Utaku and her whip when she was supposed to be finding Ishi.

And everything after that was less likely than that last one, which was really only likely if the entire world had turned inside out while she was sleeping. Which was possible, but not likely, as her Uncle Kitsuki Rokku liked to say.

[Matsu Ishioka]

Standing tall and proud in his copper-colored kimono with the dual golden Matsu mons, Ishioka spots Inoshishi approaching and strides over to her. He seems downright jolly by the standards of a Stone Matsu, a twinkle of some kind of mischief in his eye. He notices her unease and takes her hand, looking into the Dragon's eyes. I've got you.

"Is everything alright, Ino-chan," he asks quietly, informal to help make sure she hears him. His smile has softened with concern.

[Agasha Inoshishi]

Inoshishi peers up at the Matsu, remembering a week ago when he took her to the noodle shop and she threw food at him. This is very different, his attitude now. She feels herself melting into that smile, forgetting her worries somewhat.

“I’m happy I found the right place. While they say love is a battlefield, Ishi-Kun, I don’t believe they meant love notes are intended to resemble a summons from a Chui to his Gunso, my beloved. Still, I am happy we are just doing some window shopping and not looking for a horse to buy.”

She smiles up at him hopefully, praying he agrees that they are window shopping.

[Matsu Ishioka]

The Lion's eyes narrow with a bit of confusion and a bit of distress that she dislikes his writing, but he mostly lets those concerns roll off of him as he presses ahead. He squeezes her hand gently.

"Just shopping in general. It's always nice to think about what would make a good gift for someone that you care about," he says. "Window shopping to some degree, at least in places where the stores are large enough to be indoors and have windows," he thinks out loud, glancing around the market as he contemplates which direction they should head first. Wait... did I just sound like her for a moment?

Ishioka smiles, though Inoshishi may not appreciate why. "Let us see if there is something that catches my eye for you," he says happily. "It's been some time since I had a clear idea when coming to the market, and with our event this evening..." he turns to look at her in an I have plans for you way. "I have a fairly clear idea."

[Agasha Inoshishi]

Inoshishi blinks in genuine astonishment at the sheer volume of words coming from Ishioka. She had no idea anyone could enjoy shopping as much as her Matsu does! His excitement is infectious and it takes all of Inoshishi’s taxed composure to not simply hug him from his sheer joy.

Her face is clearly struggling with her emotions as she whipsaws through a large number of strong inclinations. She hopes he means he’s going to by whatever he wants for her, in which case, relief! But also, she can’t repay such a gift, likely ever. Guilt! What if they wait and she has to pay? Terror! But maybe he wants to suit her to fit his fancy? Excitement and love. Needless to say, those all pass through at the same time, contorting her face in ripples as she again pushes against her desire to cling to him.

“I am excited to see what you think suits me, Ishi-Kun” she finally manages.

[Matsu Ishioka]

"Excellent," he says, showing no sign of understanding the cacophony of emotions swirling in the Dragon. But he can sense that something isn't entirely right, so he retains a gentle hold on her hand, improper as it may be, and starts to lead her down a particular line of merchant stalls.

"Now, if you don't like something that I think suits, you must tell me." He leans slightly closer to her to say quietly, "After all, I must learn what you like."

As they come to the first seamstress with a respectable collection of kimono, Ishioka pulls her toward the stall and incredibly close to the side of his body. "I am... particular about colors, as I think you know. What do you think of those," he says, indicating a pair of similar garments, one lighter green and one darker green, that are both rather richly edged and are clearly expensive.

[Agasha Inoshishi]

Even if she’d thought of leaving, the unthinking grip of Ishioka’s hand would be enough to leave her there with him. She follows next to him, apprehension increasing as they go closer and closer to the (to Ino’s eyes) incredibly expensive cloth, her eyes widen. When Ishioka pulls her closer, she allows him to with no hesitation, seeking the comfort of his presence.

She tries to shift further, stepping back slightly, trying to put the big Matsu between herself and things she knows she can neither have nor deserves.

“I…Ishi-kun, this is too much. I have never…I could never…this is not for me.”

She looks at him with pleading eyes, hoping he will somehow infer that she has no money.

“I want you to know me, hai, but I am…this cloth it is…I am too rough and would rip this cloth without meaning to.”