Jade Legacy [L5R 3eR] - Act 2 Chapter 1: Daiippo/First Step

[Tei Kae]

The saddest thing about being in the middle of nowhere, even within a village, is that there was not enough people to blend into when one did not wish to be disturbed. But as ever, the mask was on as Miyako turned to face Kojiro. Taking it all in within a glance, she let the smile creep back upon her face.

She let him look for a moment and have that time to realize she was no young girl but a woman within the full blossom of youthful adult. She was a tiny, petite thing yes. As delicate as a doll, and no taller than a child of ten, but also wearing a lace mask that told of the trials she had proven herself through. She fluttered her fan a few more time as she let him look before speaking. "It as decent as one will find within lands that are not ones home, Bayushi-san." Keeping it polite and formal, but with just a hint of mischief about her. If she was surprised, it did not show. "Has your party yet grown weary of your sting?" Teasing him in a way she could not possibly know that would bite.  

[Plainsfox]

OOC: Forgot to roll this!
Int/Lore Heraldry (untrained) to see if he knows this Scorpion!  

[Plainsfox]

@The Husk and Shell

Kojiro would incline his head to where the rest of his party was. "I could not say. Most do not usually care for our company in the first place, little sister. They have tolerated my company as well as can be expected." Kojiro bowed deeply to the petite, young woman. "Forgive me for not giving you my name. I am Bayushi Kojiro of Trail's Respite Village."  

[Tei Kae]

A small glimmer of delight lit up the young woman's eyes before she demurred, snapping her fan shut and letting the sun catch the glint of the ruby like stones that dangled from within her mask. "Indeed, Bayushi-san. Though pleasant company can often be created were they not to have reason for mere tolerance." She was both direct and yet a hint that her words were not as direct as they seemed.

Just as quickly as it shut, it fluttered opened again, the woman using it to cool her skin as she spoke. Her words were careful, making sure he'd be very clear about just who she was. "I am Shosuro Miyako, of Otosan Uchi. I am here on behalf of Kuni Raicho. To -assist- you.." She let that sink in before she finished smirking as she did so. She knew exactly who he was, and how easy it would be to make his life difficult if she so chose. "and your party, of course."  

[Psychofish]

"Thank you, Toritaka-sama,"(san?) Denbe would nod a little blearily to the junior magistrate and put his papers away, and offering a small bow before he started to head further into the town, in a slightly... zombiesque state from the wears of the road and the heat. It occurred to him after he'd walked by him that he should have spoken with him further and sought after information regarded to their mission. Denbe was almost ready to curse himself mentally for that, but at least, he reasoned, the man was not told of the wardens coming or their reception would have been a bit different.

So instead he looked for the inn indicated, more than happy to allow himself one day out of the sun before he concerned himself with the rest of their travel and mission. He wouldn't be especially good to anyone in the kind of state he was in right now.

As he noticed the inn, he started to make his way inside to simply look for a room for the night... or perhaps day, if he could convince his fellows that traveling at night might be better for them in this kind of heat. Only as he went to do so he noticed that the Scorpion had beaten him there and...

...encountered a second.

For a moment, Denbe almost took her for a child as well, but while she may have been small, her face didn't have the right shape, what of it he could see past the mask. The second Scorpion appearing so suddenly and conveniently stirred his suspicion, studying the two carefully as he approached and watched just long enough to pick up on one more little detail.

The little mention of her assignment just as he was deciding he could pass discretely by them.

Huh. He hadn't expected her to be so young. Or small. Raicho-sama did not seem one to dote, yet here she was, young and minute.

...suddenly, he found he was a bit frightened of the little thing.

The Hare would quietly observe until he was noticed, at which point he'd politely introduce himself by name- leaving off his newfound rank.

[One Koku, one bu, and one weak of rations exhausted.]
[Denbe is Exhausted and Unfocused.]
[2k2 Perception: 12 vs TN 10 (to decide if he's oblivious and zonked out, or decent)]  

[Plainsfox]

@The Husk and Shell

Kojiro paused in panic. It had been a very long time since he's heard that name and even longer since he saw it's bearer. Could it be that she was already past her gempukku? It was hard to imagine that this was once the even littler girl he was betrothed to, the one who begged to be read the tales of the Shining Prince and could act out all of Prince Genji's love interests without cue! It seems that Miyachan grew up into a little mynx. Kojiro slowly resigned himself to his fate and put on his best smile.


"It has been a very long time, Shosuro-san and my heart aches to see you again. We should catch up later, but for now, I should start introducing you to the other Jade Wardens." Kojiro had seen the man garbed in bright red and white loiter nearby. "For instance, this is Ujina Denbe-san. He won several events in the Jade tournament."  

[Mongooseh]

@Kuda Mura

"If you'd declare me as a bog hag I would of cut you down where you stand Tokugawa-san... We both now how serious those claims are." Kagae grinned placing his papers back into his sleeve.

"Now if you'll excuse me I have some parents to remind I'm alive... If you want to find me just ask a peasant or a more reliable source where Kaiu Iesayu's estate is."

With that said he'd confidently stride off in a different direction seeming only weary from the travel and not the heat.

(One koku spent on traveling supplies/lodging. Weary: -1k0 and dice cannot explode for all fire-based rolls until you spend a full day resting (cumulative)*. )  

[Tei Kae]

@Husk and Shell

As the Hare gained Miyako's attention, she turned just enough to let the man see that her mask covered nearly nothing, only strands of string and drop jewels, which only served to highlight her eyes all the more. She glanced at him with appraisal for a mere split second before curling her lips into a smile. "Ujina-san. A pleasure to finally meet you." Her accentuation of words leaving an indication that she had heard of him; from Raicho-san, perhaps?

"I trust your journey has not been too arduous." And just that easily, Kojiro was 'dismissed' from attention. "I am Shosuro Miyako of Otosan Uchi." She knew that Denbe had overheard, but it was always polite to reintroduce oneself. Her green eyes sparkled in the heat surrounding them as the dry winds blew bringing up dust to catch the light that floated before them, but she seemed mostly unphased by the undue warmth for the moment and merely waited on Denbe to speak. Kojiro was not forgotten, of course, but she already had information on him.  

[Keith Valken Lionheart]

Seichiro took Tokugawa's advice to heart, heading to this 'Husk & Shell'. Perhaps there he could rest, or at least cool off. He had to hand it to the Crab clanners, enduring this heat. Some cold water or perhaps sake would go well right now!

Penalties:
One koku spent on traveling supplies/lodging.
One koku spent on traveling supplies/lodging.
Exhausted: -1k0 and dice cannot explode for all earth-based rolls until you spend a full day resting (cumulative)*.
Unfocused: -1k0 and dice cannot explode for all void-based rolls until you spend a full day resting (cumulative)*.  

[Psychofish]

So the Scorpions did know each other? He'd look into it more later, but for now it seemed fair enough to make Denbe suspicious.

The Hare blinked, a bit surprised by the phrasing, but he didn't seem to stop on it too long. She would have heard they were coming from Raicho-sama, and likely heard a bit about each of them. He passed it for pleasantry rather than special note.

"Likewise, Shosuro-san. I'm afraid Bayushi-san gives me too much credit though- luck was on my side."

It usually was, except when it really, really wasn't.

"Not unbearably so," he continued, trying to pass off how much the heat was bothering him, some where between reaction to a new pretty face, a bit distracting at that if still odd in her resemblance to a child, as he tried to politely shift the conversation to business.

"I trust it has not been stifling here either. Has anything new pertaining to our mission arisen whilst we traveled?"

[1 Raise to not sound like he's whining about the heat.]
[4k3-5 Awareness/Ettiquette: 41]  

[Psychofish]

[Explotiquette: 21, 18]  

[Tei Kae]

One artfully sculpted eyebrow raised as she glanced over at Kojiro. The Hare was handling himself quite well, despite the circumstances. She moved with a Geisha's grace and spoke as well as any lady, despite her size and seemed to move Denbe into a favorable light. "A modest Hare, you must be quite the role model to look to." Strangely, her words did not seem to have any mock to them, but a kind of mild admiration.

"But even a Hare will need luck where we go." She smiled again, "I've always been told that my eyes are a good luck charm, so perhaps with the two of us involved, our mission shall go well. But as of yet, I have no information in regards to our mission, but perhaps that will soon change." There was a small moue of disappointment upon her lips, but also a determined glint to her eyes before her entire face smoothed once again into pleasant smile.  

[Plainsfox]

@ The Husk and Shell

Kojiro took his dismissal well and bowed politely. He wasn't at his best and he was entirely too vulnerable to the wiles of Scorpion women. Let Denbe deal with this one while he arranged his room. Things weren't the same now and the bushi should probably not get too entangled here.  

[Rain Yupa]

@ Kagae's House:

If Kagae were to truly return home, he would find the place just as he left it about 2 months prior. Several servants could be seen through the windows or on premises, but none had noticed him yet. When he thought about it, he would realize that his father probably would not be home; if there was something in the village that needed constructing or fixing, Ieyasu probably was involved. And when work called him away from home, sometimes he would be gone for days at a time.

His mother would be home if he felt the need to be doted upon. Why did it seem that telling her about his accomplishments would be more overwhelming than facing down opponents with katanas in the tournament?

Would he indeed go inside?

--------------------

@ Husk and Shell Inn:

Undoubtedly, introductions would turn to casual conversation, but probably indoors, rather than in front of the Inn. Just having a roof over one's head did wonders to keep things a tad cooler. Plus, the samurai could get all the water they could drink at the inn, free of charge. Also, seats!

At this point, I'm going to assume that anyone who said they are going to the inn is there. That would be Kojiro, Miyako, Denbe, and Seichiro. Anyone else would probably be en route if they wish, or off doing other things instead.

About 20 minutes after the group had gone indoors to talk with Miyako, and let them know about the exact going-ons of the tournament, two men, heimin in appearance. They did don ashigaru armor and carried yari with them. They didn't seem any more bothered by the heat than Kagae was, and were chatting with one another as they came through the door.

"All these deliveries are kicking my a**. We need to find someone else to do them, eh?" the first would say.

"Eh, he needs us to deliver the goods. If we can't make the deliveries, then someone's gonna suffer." said the other.

"Well, I still think..." the first would begin to respond as the two suddenly went silent.

The inn was very sparsely populated at this point, which included the four of you, a drunk passed out at the table, a peasant having lunch, and the staff. So they would look at the group, and their eyes would focus on Kojiro and ********! THEY'VE FOUND OUT! WE'RE DEAD!" the first would shout in a panic, backing up shakily.

"Don't just stand there, you moron! RUN!" the other would yell, turning and bolting. The first would join him.

Does this seemingly erratic behavior warrant a response, guys?  

[Tei Kae]

Miyako was mostly processing everything that was spoken; other than introductions she said nothing much other than to nod at comments and pay attention. However, as the two men entered and then shouted down the Inn, Miyako couldn't resist the urge to facepalm, although in a much more lady like manner as she turned and watched them fumble over themselves. "Did they---?" She wondered if this whole thing actually was the supposed honor that Kuni Raicho had made it out to be. These two couldn't actually---

She broke off her own train of thought. It didn't matter if they were part of it or not; this was one of the things they'd have to deal with for this so called 'honor'. Setting her tea down, Miyako stood and headed out to see exactly what these fools were up to or headed. She was not one designed for fighting, but she was quick.