D0ME, A Stroll (Open)

[Shika Nesshin]

"As to the first," Nesshin replies, admiring the scene as he does so, "yes, I do, and I'd be happy to escort you to one or several as the case may be. Including some that few others know, so if you're looking for a quiet place to work a rod in privacy, you'll be in luck.

"And as to the other," he continues, "that yours is a small group and widespread, running long on shugenja. Why?"

[Kaikoga Koi]

Koi raised a brow at Shika-san with a sly smile that appeared very feline-like. Oh, he's a pervert - oh I like him. She mused before raising a brow at Shika-sama. "I would appreciate your expertise in the area, and I shall leave it to you to show me good places to work my pole."

"I am in your care." She chimed, her jade eyes glinting like Yeah, I caught that cheeky man.

"Least you know more than the guard that was working the gate this morning, did not even know of my clan existence or how to pronounce my name." She pouted playfully before continuing on. "Well, largely that is correct but not quite entirely true." She said applicably, and continued walking. "We have a unique connection to Yume-do, and often understand the shapes of dreams that come to people within their sleep - to some extent largely better than most."

"We are also known to have knowledge about Baku spirits which comes to my research that I am bringing with me. Do you know of any stories about Baku spirits locally like folklore, any changes in behaviour? Anything strange? It's something of a pet project but I am rather keen to collect new information." She said excitedly, there was no hiding the joy she was expressing as she talked as the normally fast speaking cadence turned into more of a salsa with it's tempo.

[Shika Nesshin]

"About the Baku," Nesshin says, "I can't say much. Spirits...are not my area of expertise, unless they're the distilled sort. But if I hear about such things, I'll tell you.

"As to the fishing," he continues, "it's likely a bit late to head out to explore the best holes. But there're some quiet places around, even if we would have to go into a bit of the bush to reach them; I've found it worth the doing, though." He grins; he can't help himself, really.

"And I apologize for the lack of exposure of my colleague. Everybody has to be new sometime." He bows to emphasize the words.

[Kaikoga Koi]

She returned that coy smile, and watched two children playing some sort of chasing game. "I suppose that is correct, well he shall learn in the future if I ever get around to leaving a firm review letter for him." She teased, and shook her head. "All seriousness, I understand his situation I am use to it now I am a very small clan that exists in a small portion of Rokugan - I doubt it will not be the last time."

Koi listened intently about the Baku spirits, and nodded. "Ah, okay I shall continue my search for information thank you for that though. Don't enjoy spirits too much, Shika-sama otherwise you'll not find your way through the bushes and tire yourself out before you get to the hole to cast your road."

Koi had to resist a snort, like a full blown snort chuckle that formed in her stomach with the fortitude of a mountain she kept that snort down but she did laugh softly into her hand trying to maintain composure. Cheeky little fuck, I like you. She mused, and raised a brow. "Equally, I must add you should be careful to trim your bushes if you struggle to reach through them, Shika-sama."

[Shika Nesshin]

It is hard to tell in the evening light, but Nesshin might've just winked.

"It's not always that a person stands amid the sublime," he says, "but I'll take your wisdom to heart. I'd hate to disappoint a fishing companion through inept handling of my rod, slinging a line where it does no good.

"I'll note, though," he continues, playing the game, "that there is often undiscovered pleasure where some might think the bushes overgrown, although I do work to keep my own gardens well weeded. Sometimes, the springs that well up are sweeter for it, and it is a wonderful relief to wet my lips in such flows."

[Kaikoga Koi]

Koi had to stop for a moment, and pull a fan from her Obi flicking it open to hide the beaming smile she was unable to crush as this was perhaps one of the funniest conversations she had since June last spoke with her. This Shika has game She thought and for only a moment, for a briefest of seconds she allowed a glance of the smile she had.

She flicked her fan for a moment and allowed the fan to drop to the floor, her eyes meeting him hoping he received the connotation intended through the old fan language technique. We shall be friends. Hoping he bends to pick up the fan.

"Please dont let me be disappointed by him." She thought, "At least last two minutes while you are fumbling fo-" She caught herself and blushed slightly. "A bushi that knows how to maintain and water flowers is a rare find indeed and good to have on hand, one can not go into gardening only attacking the bush head on you've got to find the flow of it - the right areas that need attention and when to know that it might need some attention. Plus, one must have stamina rooting through the bushes is be quite stimulating for gardeners, and one must not get spent before they achieve their goal."

She raised a brow. "Shika-sama, are you joining in the Miai?"

[Shika Nesshin]

She really does have a cute smile Nesshin thinks as he meets her eyes again. He bends--dropping almost to a kneel--to retrieve the fan, rising languidly and looking up at her as he does. He examines the painting on it carefully as he holds it open in his left hand. "You have the truth of it," Nesshin says. "And any such work has to take into consideration the contours of the land, their slopes and swellings, their rises and falls. It is not a wise one who neglects such things or who rushes, eager though a person might be."

He turns the fan so they can both see it. "I don't recognize the artist. Perhaps you could say more of the scene?"

And we shall see if you take the meaning, he thinks.

[Kaikoga Koi]

She found herself curious at Shika's reaction, and allowed the battle of innuendos to fall silent but she thought that the Deer was able to understand one another applicably enough.

Koi watched the Deer with eyes of soft Jade, the light from a nearby lantern sent them fluttering in the night as if alive and threatening to sail away to the moon as she inspected the interaction. "The painting is the tale of the Moth and the Firefly.." She said, touching a single finger to the soft lilac colours of the fan. "Our clan tell stories that Moth's are blessed to see dreams for someday we will be blessed to witness Amaterasu's in all her glory, so our parents tell stories of Moth's chasing fireflies as they are destined to always love the light even in the deepest of darkness."

She ran her fingers through the fan's ribs lightly before she took the fan softly for Shika and smiled sheepishly. "Perhaps not the most realistic but it is also said to mean - love wins."

She closed the fan not to fast, not to slow before resting it in her right hand at her side. "The artist is old, it was done by my Great grandmother, it was passed to each of her daughters during their miais for good luck - for we are a small Clan and it helps."

[Shika Nesshin]

Fitting enough for the context, Nesshin thinks, and he smiles softly.

"Thank you for sharing your gift with me for a time," he says. "And if this moth would like to see the fireflies, I know places where she might see them in abundance. Or perhaps a quieter place for more conversation? There are several near to hand.

"But that story rings true for the Deer, as well; it is why we host so many miai as we do, why so many of us work so much to arrange matters. Something of a spark of recognition between people--for those who can see it." He sighs. "I see much," he continues, looking over her again, "and I esteem it, but I do not see what many in my Clan do. So I dance the spears."

[Kaikoga Koi]

Koi did not wave her eyes from Shika-san with mild curiosity, and she looked over a small pond that is within the garden filled with fat Koi.

"So you are a skilled master of innuendos and secretly are a soft hearted man. Interestinf. She thought to herself absentmindedly and beamed a smile at the conversation of fireflies. "Yes, that would please me so I do not get to see them in the Mountains so it would be a rare chance for me to enjoy them."

Her feet hurt but for the time she was ignoring the sores and blisters wrapped under her socks. "This one enjoys a good conversation, it brings peace to a heart weighed down from responsibilities."

A small voice barely more than a whisper, like a rumble of thunder in the sky ahead fuelled by the wind kami and laced with the venom of her Mother. You are indicating interest to this man but you find no sexual attraction to him as much as you perform the dance you do. You are a hypocrit - a louse - a liar - you only are casting your net wide because you-.

She took a breath, held it before allowing it to leave her lungs. "Could you give me any insight to what is to come? To expect?"