[Rokugan] Blood and Cherry Blossoms

[Pyske]

Zhiko bowed politely to the honored guests, 'though her eyes never leave them.

The first man, Tamori, strikes her as being somewhat soft... no callouses on his hands, though his finery seems less striking than she might expect. Then again, she has heard that the Dragon are a bit old-fashioned. A courtier, then, or perhaps a shugenja. The latter seemed more likely.

The second man, his shaven-headed assistant... perhaps a bodyguard. The monks of his order apparently practiced some martial discipline, for he was not only well-muscled, but his stance indicated some familiarity with the need to defend oneself. Still, the wide-eyed looks that he barely managed to conceal put her somewhat more at ease. If this man was an assassin, he must be a Butei worthy of the Scorpion.

She allowed her smile to become somewhat more genuine. She sensed no threat here, at least for the moment. The young one was intriguing... he seemed, perhaps, a bit innocent. Having someone like him as a chaperone might be useful at court. An innocent, but with unimpeachable honor. I wonder... is he perceptive?

 

[Isida Kep'Tukari]

The older man, who was apparently Tamori, approached the table with a smile upon his face. “Bayushi-sama! You honor this old man by agreeing to meet with me. May I present my companion, Togashi Cho?”

Behind him, Togashi Cho had also approached. He looked a little out of place, but tried not to show it as he set the wooden box upon the tatami.

*Cho was exceedingly nervous as he placed his burden down, and gave a bow to the personages assembled. He was not used to such beautiful women, or such fine garb. The female monks of his monastery had been nearly as sexless as a statue, and obviously not given to dressing in such finery. Though there had been many pretty women at the dinner, he had never been so close to one.*

*Those closest to him may notice that he is not exactly shaven-headed. He lacks eyebrows and eyelashes as well, giving his face a rather exposed look. His head bears none of the faint roughness than can come from repeated shaving, and instead is as smooth as an egg. Despite that, however, he does carry himself with grace. As he bows, one might notice the beginnings of some kind of tattoo on his chest, inscribed in red, orange, and yellow inks.*

 

[Guest 11456]

Hyota : Male Human Shugenja 8

Seeing the forest, Hyota was tempted to just gop out there and spend the night. But he thought that he would try something else. So he turned around and headed back into town. He made his way toward the theatre to see the famous Shosuro acting troupe.

 

[Dark Nemesis]

Kaji

Ayame beamed at the compliment. “Thank you!” However, her smile fades a bit when he informs her that he is leaving. “Well, business before pleasure, I suppose.” She rose to her feet, and wrapped her arms around him. “Be safe, please? I hear that this can be a dangerous city.”

Kaiten-sama is waiting in his rooms when Kaji finally arrives. “Well now, are you ready? The meeting is supposed to take place at the White Lotus. I have never been there, but I hear that it is quite quaint. There have also been a number of assassinations in that area.”


Itarabi

Mitsumi offers Itarabi a grin when he arrives. She is now wearing her katana, and has a bow slung over one shoulder. The Unicorn and the Crane had also retrieved their katanas. “I was thinking we would pair off for two matches, and the winners of those matches could spar a bit. How does sparring ‘til first blood sound, Itarabi-san?”



Cho and Zhiko

Bayushi-sama nodded slightly as Tamori introduced Cho, and glances briefly at the monk, before turning his attention back to Tamori. “I trust that your journey was uneventful?”

Tamori chuckled slightly. “We encountered a few ronin who thought to lighten our burden, but they were swiftly dealt with by Cho-san and myself.”

Bayushi-sama once again glanced at Cho, this time with a faint smile upon his face. “I see. It appears that you chose your companion well, Tamori-san. About your…. Burden. May I see it?”

“Of course,” Tamori replied, and gestured for Cho to reveal the statue to the assembled Scorpions.

Out of the corner of her eye, Zhiko noticed that the woman across from her leaned forward slightly as talk turned toward the contents of the box. Her green eyes were filled with interest and anticipation.


Hyota

Upon returning to the theatre, he saw that quite a crowd had assembled to see the play, a work entitled Ambition. Most had already found a place to sit, but two people lingered near the back of the theatre. One was a slender boy, no more than eighteen years old; the other was a tall man, with loing hair pulled back in a topknot. Both were dressed in varying shades of green, and wore the Mantis mon.

As Hyota entered the theatre, the lights were beginning to dim, and the actors were beginning to make their way onto the stage.

 

[Festy_Dog]

"Kaiten-sama, considering the area's past I am a little concerned, so I will have to be more wary. If you think the situation may warrant it we could take a less expected route to and from the teahouse. Nonetheless, I am ready to leave when you wish," Kaji responds.

He straightens his outfit, and steels his mind for work.

 

[Pyske]

Conscious of the amount of attention in the room being directed toward the box, Zhiko is careful to direct her attention elsewhere. She quickly scans the remainder of the room, and keeps a sharp eye on her newfound companions. It wouldn't do to be distracted by sparkly objects like some novice.

 

[Isida Kep'Tukari]

*Cho carefully opens the box, holding it so that everyone can get a clear view, bowing his own head as to keep the focus on what he carried.*

 

[Scotley]

Itarabi steels himself and manages a laugh. "First blood sounds great to me. One must have have real combat to learn. Practice without blood is merely a kids game." He hopes he sounds like generations of fierce lion warriors and not the frightened courtier his is."

 

[Dark Nemesis]

Kaji

Kaiten-sama paused and glanced out the window at the setting sun. “There is wisdom in your words, Kaji-san. Very well, I am certain we can discover a different route to the White Lotus. Now then, I think it is time we set off. It would not do to keep my host waiting.”

Unless Kaji had any objections, they would begin making their way toward the teahouse. The route that Kaiten-sama chose was not the most direct route, but it kept them on crowded main streets throughout most of their journey.

The White Lotus was a small, unassuming building, which sat upon the bank of a small canal that ran through the city. The walls were undecorated, and the only indication that it was a teahouse was a simple wooden sign in front of the door, which read simply White Lotus. The owner met them at the door with a low bow, and ushered them into one of the side rooms. This room was lit with a few lanterns, and a screen that displayed a scene of cranes flying over a lake. A tall, slender man awaited them, clad in a pale blue silk kimono, his long hair dyed white, and pulled back. He regarded them coolly as they entered.



Zhiko and Cho

Zhiko scanned the room, at first seeing nothing amiss. Then, her well-trained eyes noted an unusual movement of the shadow… then another. Someone lingered at the edges of the room, watching the scene silently. However, it was impossible to tell if the person was there at Bayushi-sama’s request, or if he was uninvited.

A smile spread across the green-eyed woman’s face as she examined the statue from a short distance. “Absolutely wonderful,” she breathed, clearly quite impressed by the statue of the dragon that had been carefully packed within the crate.

Bayushi-sama smiled, amused by the woman’s amazement. “Yogo-san has been looking forward to this meeting ever since she was informed of it. Tamori-san, would you allow her to take a closer look at the statue?”

Tamori-san grinned, and nodded. “I do not see why not. Cho-san, set down the box please.”



Itarabi

Mitsumi paused and regarded Itarabi for a moment. Then, she laughed and tucked her katana into her belt. “I could not agree more. Enough talk, though! Let us begin!” With that said, she turned and made her way into the practice circle, moving toward the far end, and turning to face Itarabi.

 

[Pyske]

Zhiko's eyes narrowed; a slight hitch in her breath might have revealed her dismay to a cautious observer. She tensed, preparing herself for the worst, ready to draw a weapon on the notice of an instant. The serpent choker at her throat twitched slightly.

Now, she truly missed her sword.

"Bayushi-sama, perhaps Yogo-san might prefer a better light?" 'Though her words were innocuous, her left hand flashed a single signal. Danger.