While your enemy rests.... (D7 EA Open)

Ikoma Homura · **Posted:** Thu Apr 16, 2020 1:43 am

"Hmm, I see. Well, if it helps, you're not quite old enough for me to be a reincarnation of your wife" Homura chuckled "however I can understand how you feel, if I can't quite relate to it. You must have cared for her deeply."

Akodo Touki · **Joined:** Fri Apr 03, 2020 8:17 pm **Posts:** 628

Touki gave her a look. "Not quite old enough, Ikoma-san?" He winced. "Ouch. Ow. Okay. You definitely won that round." He raised his hands, half-smiling, half wincing.

Slowly, he nodded. "I did. Yes. It was arranged, but we were truly matched. I..." Touki trailed off, then grimaced. "Well. I should save some for the sake bar, shouldn't I?"

Ikoma Homura · **Posted:** Thu Apr 16, 2020 12:53 pm

Homura just smirked, allowing the conversation to move on from the previous age points.

"You have set yourself up now with such a cliffhanger. I'm expecting a quite incredible tale, one that would shake the very foundations of the Ikoma Libraries. I do wonder what it's like to find a match that is so well suited though...I'm not expecting such a thing, but one can only hope ne?"

Akodo Touki · **Joined:** Fri Apr 03, 2020 8:17 pm **Posts:** 628

Touki shook his head, smiling gently. "I am not sure it is a tale that anyone else would find interesting. But... I could try."

He inclined his head. "I expect that once we get through all of this, your prospects will be good. Although 'outwardly honorable and a good position' does not necessarily make for a harmonious household. That..." Touki pressed his lips together, "-well, as you say, one can hope."

"Are you expecting to be matched in the near future, Ikoma-san?" He asked politely.

Ikoma Homura · **Posted:** Thu Apr 16, 2020 4:25 pm

"You have more faith than I do Akodo-sama, but you are the one more favoured, so perhaps it's true?" Homura chuckled "I also would be surprised if the clan was not far off rearranging something for such a talented bushi. It is in our best interest after all, ne?"

Homura shrugged.

"I don't expect to be matched anytime soon. While I would be a great match, I don't think I'm considered a priority right now."

Akodo Touki · **Joined:** Fri Apr 03, 2020 8:17 pm **Posts:** 628

"Perhaps." Touki said, his tone noncommittal. "If the Lion wish for me to marry again, then I will marry again. Just as when they wish me to guard a gate, or charge the enemy line, I will do so."

"As for your prospects..." Touki began, "I've heard of your deeds as well, Ikoma-san, on the walls of Toshi no Omoidoso." He bowed, low and respectful. His lips quirked. "You would be a great match, and I expect that you will become more of a priority, if you continue on as you have."

Ikoma Homura · **Posted:** Thu Apr 16, 2020 5:00 pm

"Good. I know you will do what you're told" Homura grinned teasingly "as for that wall thing? Really, I just did my best. Learning how to fire a bow in a few hours just shows my natural skills I guess? Perhaps I should be an archer rather than a duelist? Ah, but then the courts would miss my wonderful wits, ne?" She chuckled "such a difficult situation. I trust the Lion to make best use of me though."

Akodo Touki · **Joined:** Fri Apr 03, 2020 8:17 pm **Posts:** 628

"Well, we couldn't deprive the courts, could we?" Touki said dryly. "Perhaps you should do both. Twice the audience for your wits that way." He chuckled, shaking his head, clearly amused by her.

His expression softened. "But that is for the future. For now, it seems we must make best use of ourselves. Even if that does mean learning to fire a bow in just a few hours... really?" His eyebrows went up.

Ikoma Homura · **Posted:** Thu Apr 16, 2020 5:59 pm

"You don't sound like you believe me Akodo-sama. I had never handled a bow before Matsu Mogami-sama showed me how to do it, then a few hours later I was on that wall" Homura crossed her arms "do you not believe I could have such a natural affinity to Kyujutsu?"

Akodo Touki · **Joined:** Fri Apr 03, 2020 8:17 pm **Posts:** 628

Touki looked at her a moment longer, and then bowed. "My apologies, Ikoma-san. I assure you, I do not doubt your words, nor would I ever. It simply took me a moment to reconcile the feat you preformed with the practice you've had. Truly, you must be naturally gifted." Another bow.

After a moment, he smiled, just a little. "Besides, as we discussed last time, it is hardly the most fantastical thing to have happened recently. We never did get the Kenku to show up, though. Well, perhaps we might hope that it moved on to another city."

Ikoma Homura · **Posted:** Thu Apr 16, 2020 9:00 pm

"I suppose I am the stuff of fantasy. Perhaps I am the Kenku?" Homura smirked "it would explain much, ne?"

She moved away, taking up her stance to resume her practice.

"You know, a Kenku wouldn't even be the strangest thing I'd seen, compared to the incident at court with the sudden spontaneous combustion."

Akodo Touki · **Joined:** Fri Apr 03, 2020 8:17 pm **Posts:** 628

"The stuff of fantasy, Ikoma-san?" Touki's lips parted, and then shut. Perhaps it would be better to let that one pass. Even if she wasn't quite young enough to be his reincarnated wife. "Perhaps you are the Kenku." He said instead, his tone amused. "If so, I must commend you on your disguise." He bowed.

Following her example, he turned back to his own training... for about two seconds. "What?" Touki turned back to Homura frowning. "Sudden spontaneous combustion?" He sighed, smiling. "The Ikoma do really know how to set up a story, don't they?"

Ikoma Homura · **Posted:** Fri Apr 17, 2020 2:05 pm

"Kenku are tricksters I hear, so it's entirely possible" Homura commented, before returning to her stance. A small smile appearing on her face at his sudden reaction, not answering him. Just keeping him waiting on that cliffhanger. Waiting...waiting...waiting...until she struck in her stance, another perfect draw.

Akodo Touki · **Joined:** Fri Apr 03, 2020 8:17 pm **Posts:** 628

So, that was how it was going to be, then. Touki shook his head, half-grimacing half-smiling at the look on Homura's face. He turned away, practicing his own strikes in the air. His form was very good... if somewhat marred by the occasional glance he took in her direction.

He held out for a while, but it was eventually too much.

He turned back with a sigh. "Ikoma-san..." His tone matched his look, exasperation and amusement. "Please, tell me your tale, if you would."

Ikoma Homura · **Posted:** Fri Apr 17, 2020 9:16 pm

Homura held back a smile as the audience begged for her glorious tale of...well, she didn't know what. Surrealism?

"Well....I suppose. It was a really strange situation that happened at the end of an autumn court this year, during my time in Tsuma. Beautiful city, with many quite wonderful gardens, as well as where the famous Kakita dojo is."

She turned to look at Touki.

"It was a very hot autumn court, enough that even some of the Crane had to reduce the layers down from the traditional eight" Homura chuckled "the season was a mostly uninteresting one. I could have slept though most of it, truth be told. On the final day of court the honourable Doji Akiko was beginning a quite amusing berating of one of of the Badger courtiers who had dared imply she was having an affair when she suddenly..." Homura made a 'woosh' sound "up in a ball of flames. Right there in the middle of court."

Akodo Touki · **Joined:** Fri Apr 03, 2020 8:17 pm **Posts:** 628

Touki frowned thoughtfully, crossing his arms over his chest once more. "I'd heard something about people bursting into flames, but it sounded unreal." After a few moments, Touki chuckled, shaking his head. "I should have known that it was not. As we've discussed, it fits with everything else that has happened to the Empire of late."

He tilted his head, regarding Homura. "Was it ever discovered why she suddenly burst into flames?" Touki frowned. "The husband? But no, that wouldn't explain the others across the Empire."

Ikoma Homura · **Posted:** Sun Apr 19, 2020 2:33 am

"I witnessed it. It looked surreal" Homura nodded with a frown "I cannot explain it. I think the final verdict came down to an extreme allergic reaction to something, but I don't really buy it. I just...don't have any answer to what else it could be, other than a real dampener to the mood of court."

Akodo Touki · **Joined:** Fri Apr 03, 2020 8:17 pm **Posts:** 628

"Extreme allergic reaction." Touki said. "That does sound unlikely to me. And yes, like quite a dampener."

He turned back to his practice dummy. "Well. I should train. Perhaps we should swap more stories when we get sake together, eh?"

While your enemy rests.... (D7 EA Open)

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