A Place to Rest (Day 7, Late Eve)

Osamu · **Joined:** Mon Apr 06, 2020 9:53 pm **Posts:** 408

It had taken a bit of time wandering the streets for Osamu to find an Inn he approved of. Most would say its lucky he found one at all. But in these circumstances the pricier inn's in town were not the first to fill.

Sitting in the posh common room he took a sip of sake, his eyes lingering on the board of various snacks in front of him. It had been a long march, but at least he had someplace to relax now.

Kaiu Maiya · **Joined:** Tue Apr 14, 2020 6:43 am **Posts:** 878

Of course Osamu wasn't the only one staying there or even in the common room. A Crab bushi, Maiya, had been staying at that very same inn throughout the winter. Being a wedding guest with the Lion footing the bill had been quite enjoyable in many ways. One of them was having a finer room than she ever had in Crab lands. Another was access to good food and drink, courtesy of the wedding hosts. Actually, the wedding had been over a week prior, but with how things were the Lion had permitted guests to stay while their lands were insecure. That meant more time enjoying peaceful days.

And so Kaiu Maiya slowly ate some tempura, enjoying and savouring each mouthful, only a table away from the Mantis. The sake accompanying the meal was good and the room was nice and refined. So, nothing like her then. She at least had the manners to eat quietly, politely and slowly. And to have brushed her hair and bathed. That was something.

Catching the man's eyes as she marvelled at the room (not for the first time during her stay), she gave him a polite nod. He looked handsome. Maiya admired a good tan. It showed someone worked. She was reminded of her own and felt a bit sad that it had faded since she'd been staying in Nikesake over winter. Feeling self conscious she lowered her cup and brushed her cheek.

Osamu · **Joined:** Mon Apr 06, 2020 9:53 pm **Posts:** 408

Osamu spotted the young woman looking his way, and offered her a polite nod in greeting, she was attractive though he could still detect the lingering kiss of a summers tan, which almost assuredly meant she wasn't a courtier. Though it appeared she had spent most of the winter indoors, which in this part of the world was forgiveable. Setting aside his own cup he paused for a moment before speaking up.

"Care for some company? He asked after a moment. "It seems strange to take up two tables side by side when sake so often tastes even better when shared with another."

Kaiu Maiya · **Joined:** Tue Apr 14, 2020 6:43 am **Posts:** 878

The nod was nice, but being spoken to suddenly was unexpected. She sat up straighter by instinct as the unknown man spoke to her. It took her a second to process something.

No, he wasn't her Sensei or the officer in charge or her or her parents. She could relax. Great!

She rolled her shoulders back slightly and turned to face him, setting her hands down on the table. "Nice to meet you. I am Kaiu Maiya, a Crab Clan bushi. How do you do?" There, her etiquette sensei could be proud and not scold her. Oh, wait.

A moment later she added a slight bow from where she was seated. There, now her etiquette sensei could be proud.

"Sake does taste better when shared, hai." He was right so she agreed with him. "Nice to meet you samurai-sama. I am in your care."

She added a second bow to well and truly ace this test of courtesy.

Matsu Mogami · **Posted:** Thu Apr 16, 2020 12:01 am

Needing somewhere to relax, Mogami and her Budoka enter the Inn and look for a table. She notices the Kaiu and Mantis she fought with before, looking to Osamu to see if he would invite her over, or if her and her two men would be drinking alone tonight.

Osamu · **Joined:** Mon Apr 06, 2020 9:53 pm **Posts:** 408

"A pleasure to make your acquaintance, Kaiu-sama." Osamu replied, smiles didnt come easy to his lips but he attempted one as he dipped into a polite bow. "I'm Osamu, a Shugenja of the Mantis."

Picking up his cup and bottle, he moved to join the crab at her table, a motion that caused the servants to bring over the board dull of snacks "But I am well, happy to have a chance to relax after the march here though. Yourself?"

Mogami received a polite dip of his head as she entered, but as he was no longer at his own table he sadly couldn't invite her to join. That was in the hands of the young crab it seemed.

Kaiu Maiya · **Joined:** Tue Apr 14, 2020 6:43 am **Posts:** 878

Mantis? They... live on the islands, right? He has travelled a long way. Aren't the Crab related to the Mantis? Maiya tried to remember things she'd heard, but had no luck. Instead she perked up as the man gave his introduction and joined her. He was nice? On the other hand, not having a family name was strange.

"I am fine. I was here over winter for my sister's wedding." She lifted up her hands, joining them together and then bursting them slightly apart from each other. "And then everything exploded like this. Lots of stories and people running here and some people randomly attacking others in the streets until the magistrates had to kill them. It was really odd. I don't know what to believe anymore." She explained in a burst of chatter. The sake was good for that.

"You marched here?" She asked, reaching for her chopsticks to resume her tempura consumption. It didn't appear the Crab had noticed the Lion yet. Maybe with some prompting?

Matsu Mogami · **Posted:** Thu Apr 16, 2020 2:08 am

Mogami nods to Osamu in understanding and then takes a seat at a table close by, within eyesight of the woman in crab colors he is enjoying company with. Should the woman look up, she would surely spot Mogami.

Osamu · **Joined:** Mon Apr 06, 2020 9:53 pm **Posts:** 408

"Yes, with Matsu, over there." He motioned towards Mogami. "And quite a number if others. We were in Toshi no Omoidoso before that. The advancement of the Steel Chrysanthemums Armies caused us to withdraw though." The Lion couldn't leave so many guests to fight after all.

"Honestly it might have something to do with all the trouble you had here. From what I hear he had his people infiltrating many places. To cause chaos among other things." Assassination maybe?"

Kaiu Maiya · **Joined:** Tue Apr 14, 2020 6:43 am **Posts:** 878

The prompt from the Mantis was just what Maiya needed to acknowledge her. She blinked and adjusted her seating to be more inclusive of the Lion. Listening to Osamu, she waited for a good moment to invite the other woman over.

"Toshi no Omoidoso? Naruhodo. The Steel Chrysanthemum is the name of the returned Hantei, ne?" She had been trying to follow the news.

She makes a soft noise of agreement at Osamu's speculation. He was likely right.

"Ano, excuse me Matsu-sama, would you like to join us?" Maiya called out to Mogami, lifting her left hand and opening it to help catch her eye.

Matsu Mogami · **Posted:** Thu Apr 16, 2020 10:32 am

Mogami was discussing something with her budoka when Maiya called out to her. She stops speaking to Tsuruga and stands.

"Go ahead and relax you two. Just don't get excessive. I still need you in working performance"

She then walks over to where Maiya and Osamu are seated and bows.

"Matsu Mogami"

She introduces herself with a bow and then takes a seat with the two.

"Hello again, Osamu-san."

Then she looks to the crab.

"And to you, Crab-san"

Kaiu Maiya · **Joined:** Tue Apr 14, 2020 6:43 am **Posts:** 878

The short and sweet introduction was novel. She tried to respond in kind. "Nice to meet you Matsu-sama. I am Kaiu Maiya... I am in your care." She discreetly set down her chopsticks on their hashioki so she could return the Lion's bow from her seat.

Matsu Mogami · **Posted:** Thu Apr 16, 2020 10:50 am

"A pleasure to meet you, Kaiu-san."

She addresses the table:

"Are we all just relaxing tonight, or celebrating?"

Osamu · **Joined:** Mon Apr 06, 2020 9:53 pm **Posts:** 408

"Relaxing for the moment." Osamu replied. "Or at least that was my intention. Of course after three days of walking under the rain a little celebration wouldn't be a bad idea either."

"But yes, Kaiu-sama that is the returned Hantei. I suppose he's claiming to be the Emperor now though?" He glanced to the Lioness for clarification. "As he just killed the current one and sacked a city."

Kaiu Maiya · **Joined:** Tue Apr 14, 2020 6:43 am **Posts:** 878

The Crab lifted her chopsticks again. "I was just having my meal. It's important not to miss dinner." She began to eat her tempura as the pair chatted.

At Osamu's confirmation she stops to give a nod. Finishing her mouthful and washing it down with some sake she followed up. "We heard that from messengers, but many were not sure what to believe. What if more past Emperors showed up through another portal? It is very confusing."

Matsu Mogami · **Posted:** Thu Apr 16, 2020 2:46 pm

"If more show up, we do the same we do to this one. Fight them and put them back in their place. The empire has no need for murder spirits running havoc. It sets a bad precedent to allow anyone who kills the current emperor the ability to take control."

Mogami motions for a server and asks for a large bottle of hot sake for the table.

Osamu · **Joined:** Mon Apr 06, 2020 9:53 pm **Posts:** 408

"Wise to never drink excessievly on a empty stomach either." OSamu replied to Maiya as he selected a riceball from hsi board of snacks, motioning for the others to help themselves.

"As you say Matsu-sama, if we let such a precedent stand here, others might get the idea that they can do the same." Which is likely somethign they all wanted to avoid. Murdered emperors made for troubled times. "So fight we will, or at least that's what I intend to do."

Matsu Mogami · **Posted:** Thu Apr 16, 2020 10:29 pm

Mogami raises a cup of sake at that.

"And fight we shall, Osamu-san. I believe on the wall you were the only one to exceed my count at putting the enemy down. Most impressive."

She looks to Maiya.

"And what of you, Kaiu-san? Will you stand and fight on the walls along with us, as your clan is renown to do in their own lands?"

Kaiu Maiya · **Joined:** Tue Apr 14, 2020 6:43 am **Posts:** 878

"I like fighting and I already said to some important Lion samurai that I'd help. That's why they are letting me stay here. I think. It is also more comfortable here than the Wall back home. I don't need to worry about being eaten." She was a little distracted by the order for more sake and then additional snacks being made available. It was quite exciting for her. She had scanned what was on offer while Osamu and the Matsu spoke. As neither were treating it like a big deal gift giving she was mimicking how casual they each were with their generosity.

She tentatively picked some edamame for herself. Something modest to start. "Thank you Osamu-sama, Matsu-sama, you are both very hospitable." She couldn't believe her luck. "It was good fortune to meet you both. When the fighting starts please seek me out if you need any armour repairs. I can do that. It's one of the few things I'm good at. My sensei said it was one of my redeeming qualities." Maiya commented cheerfully, perhaps ignorant to just how belittling that was about herself.

Quickly finishing an edamame she nods energetically to Mogami, raising her own cup. "Mina-sama are right. We should not let anyone that kills the Emperor seize power. It would be a really bad rule. Let's fight and slay all the angry returned samurai. Kampai."

She made it sound so easy.

Matsu Mogami · **Posted:** Fri Apr 17, 2020 12:50 am

Mogami pours herself another cup.

"Kampai!"

She downs it in one go and lets out a delighted Ah.

"I quite enjoy your spirit, Kaiu-san. More should share it! Can you tell us more about your smithing skills? Are you able to enhance armor already made, or are your talents more in repairs?"

A Place to Rest (Day 7, Late Eve)

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