She's going to carve a path in these gardens... [Day 1, EE]

Matsu Tani · **Joined:** Wed Apr 01, 2020 8:49 pm **Posts:** 493

[Expecting, but not closed]

Gardens were supposed to be relaxing. Indeed, supposedly many found solace in the beauty and serenity of such places. Tani, it seems, was having issues finding the serenity. She had to have walked the paths five times now, and still the intense, neutral expression on her face did not change. Though she was not breaking on, it was still enough that two peasants had dodged her path to stay away from her.

Yogo Aya · **Joined:** Sun Apr 05, 2020 12:42 am **Posts:** 719

Yogo Aya had a more....hands-on appreciate of gardens, and seemed to be bent over poking at a dormant bush.

"Hmmm, maybe? I'm not sure about the strains that grow in these parts." she mused aloud.

She seemed to take no notice of the Lion on the prowl, apparently having slipped in somewhere between the 4th and 5th circuit.

Matsu Tani · **Joined:** Wed Apr 01, 2020 8:49 pm **Posts:** 493

The Matsu did stop when an actual Samurai had appeared. She considered the person, and bowed as she did. "Have interest in the local flora, -sama?" There was an edge to her voice that didn't indicate... malice. But certainly indicated that she was still not quite Calm.

Yogo Aya · **Joined:** Sun Apr 05, 2020 12:42 am **Posts:** 719

To her great and everlasting credit, Aya did not attempt to shove the bush down her robes and run away. She did look mildly pleased at being called Sama, though.

And she even had enough etiquette to leave the bush and bow to the strange samurai.

"Huh? I guess. Suddenly there's a lot of people in town in need of medical attention. I thought I might be able to find some roots or bark good for frostbite, or for those with the shits. The march from court to here was the first exercise some of those courtiers have seen since they were children."

"I am Yogo Aya, and you are?" she adds, almost as an afterthought.

Togashi Iko · **Joined:** Wed Apr 01, 2020 3:00 am **Posts:** 408

Iko needed to find her centre after the harrowing trials of last night and the early morning. The flee to safety had kept her on edge for many hours and so she found herself in what passed for a garden in this place.

Far less impressive than the gardens in the Crane lands of her youth, it was still...adequate. A fact that Iko attributed to the former owners rather than the current. Bowing politely to the familiar Nikutai and the Scorpion she was conversing with, Iko moved to an out of the way bench and unwrapped her furoshiki, revealing a crystalline box containing writing supplies and parchment. Sitting down, she closed her eyes and let the song of the universe flow over and through her as she wrote.

Matsu Tani · **Joined:** Wed Apr 01, 2020 8:49 pm **Posts:** 493

Describing them as the shits was... yeah. But anyway. She bowed to Iko as she noted her, but her attention for now was on Aya. "I'm sure the Lion won't mind borrowing whatever you might need for such assistance. It is well of you to look after people in that way. I am Matsu Tani, Nikutai of the First Matsu Army, Daughter of the Antecedent Matsu Daimyo." The way she mentioned her lineage seemed to suggest she was trying just a bit too hard to be dismissive of that specific part of herself.

Yogo Aya · **Joined:** Sun Apr 05, 2020 12:42 am **Posts:** 719

Aya considered the words that were said, and their meanings briefly.

"Huh. Well alright Tani-san. You know anything about herbalism? I know the Matsu are the best at killing people on the battlefield, but I figure you have to have a few people who know how to patch people up who didn't find their glorious death so they can go look for the next one." she said, blithely ignoring the tani's position and most of propriety.

Matsu Tani · **Joined:** Wed Apr 01, 2020 8:49 pm **Posts:** 493

She shrugged at that. "Herbalism is not my strong point. I am, as you say, one of those Matsu who is very good at killing people on the battlefield. My... extracurricular activities have largely also been physical in nature." If she wasn't a Matsu, one might have thought she was making an innuendo.

Yogo Aya · **Joined:** Sun Apr 05, 2020 12:42 am **Posts:** 719

Aya gave a small smirk, though if it was due to innuendo or her own amusement, even the Dragon didn't know.

"Hey, we all play to our strengths right? At least you have a talent likely to be useful in the days to come. And hey, with the alliance between our clans, it's good to have talented killers on our side rather than against us, ne?"

She brushed a bit of dirt from her hands.

"Have you been in town long, Tani-san? I wasn't planning on a sidetrip here, so I'm not well versed in the charms of the town."

Matsu Tani · **Joined:** Wed Apr 01, 2020 8:49 pm **Posts:** 493

"Just arrived this morning," she shook her head. "If you are a particularly pious sort, I might suggest the Shrine of Remembrance. It helped... calm me... this morning." Not that she seemed all that calm, but she wasn't stabbing people!

Yogo Aya · **Joined:** Sun Apr 05, 2020 12:42 am **Posts:** 719

Aya looked thoughtful at that.

"Hm, an impious shugenja? I wonder what that would look like?" she mused.

She offered her poorly mimed rendition of that.

"There may be nothing listening, but if these wounds just happened to close, that'd be swell..."

"Hmmm, maybe I'll run that past the playwright. But what I'd really hoped you might offer, Tani-san, would be insight into the local drinking establishments. The soldiers I served alongside always seemed to know where those were, and I'd like to get to the good stuff before all the grieving courtiers do....those it's probably too late to beat some of them."

Matsu Tani · **Joined:** Wed Apr 01, 2020 8:49 pm **Posts:** 493

She flinched a bit at the statement. She wasn't expecting the bit of venom. But she recovered easily enough. "Gomen. I did not mean to suggest impiety on your part. Unfortunately, I have only just arrived here myself, and do not have much insight into establishments for drinking or other reverie."

Yogo Aya · **Joined:** Sun Apr 05, 2020 12:42 am **Posts:** 719

Matsu Tani wrote:

She flinched a bit at the statement. She wasn't expecting the bit of venom. But she recovered easily enough. "Gomen. I did not mean to suggest impiety on your part. Unfortunately, I have only just arrived here myself, and do not have much insight into establishments for drinking or other reverie."

Aya looked at the deeply apologetic Matsu....and then laughed.

Not mockingly. She had a ton of mocking laughs. No, this was a genuine one.

"Suggest a bit of impiety...oh fortunes be good....that is...hilarious Tani-san." she said with a genuine smile.

"Trust me Tani-san, I've been called way way worse that than far more openly. Apologizing for that is like...like apologizing to a piece of iron for picking it up too roughly." she offered, composing herself.

Matsu Tani · **Joined:** Wed Apr 01, 2020 8:49 pm **Posts:** 493

Now Tani was just a bit taken aback. What an odd woman. "As you say. If I had not caused offense, there is nothing to apologize for." Despite herself, she managed a small smile.

Togashi Iko · **Joined:** Wed Apr 01, 2020 3:00 am **Posts:** 408

As the two chatted, Iko was humming a quiet tune to her self, just barely audible as she wrote down the notes.

After a few minutes she scrunched up the piece of parchment and tossed it away it was not up to her usual standard and she was obviously displeased with it.

Matsu Tani · **Joined:** Wed Apr 01, 2020 8:49 pm **Posts:** 493

In that moment of lull, Tani opened up a bit, long enough to catch a glance of Iko. "Togashi-sama? Would you like to join our conversation? It has been some time since the two of us were in the same place, after all."

Togashi Iko · **Joined:** Wed Apr 01, 2020 3:00 am **Posts:** 408

Her focus snapping to Tani after hearing herself addressed, Iko paused for only a moment before packing up her things and securing the furoshiki back upon her obi.

"Matsu-san, it has been some time since, the war. I hope that time has seen you well." She replied as she walked closer, pausing on arrival to offer bows to both ladies.

"And Yogo-san, I am Togashi Iko, one fortunate enough to have made the acquaintance of Matsu-san during the War of Broken Fangs."

Matsu Tani · **Joined:** Wed Apr 01, 2020 8:49 pm **Posts:** 493

"Well enough. Someone cursed me last fall that I might live in interesting times. I am not sure that this is what they were intending." Despite the joke, there was a surprising lack of humor in her voice.

Togashi Iko · **Joined:** Wed Apr 01, 2020 3:00 am **Posts:** 408

"Just you?" Iko asks in misplaced humor. "It seems we are all sharing that burden if recent events are anything to go by."

"I am glad to see you made it out of Morikage Toshi, have they determined casualties yet? Or is it too soon to know?"

Yogo Aya · **Joined:** Sun Apr 05, 2020 12:42 am **Posts:** 719

Aya bowed at the Dragon's bow.

"I am Yogo Aya." she says, not bothering with titles or achievements, apparently Yogo Aya was sufficient to garner a sama out of Tani, no need to oversell it....

"Togashi Iko? Iiiiiiikooooo...." she muses aloud. "Hrrrrrm, now I've heard of Togashi Oku. Its said he stalked the streets of Tsuma, seeking out lost little samurai children whose courage had failed them upon the approach of adulthood. He would sneak up on them silently, and then without warning....drop wisdom upon them. It's said there was one young girl that his wisdom was so deep that the shock of it turned her hair bright pink."

She pauses a moment.

"Do you know him?"

She's going to carve a path in these gardens... [Day 1, EE]

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