Day 4 LA - The Festival of Remembrance (Open/Event)

[Kakita Konohamaru]

Total Festival points: 17 points

"Whew" Ren blows out his cheeks in relief. "Good, you remember. It had proven useful. I am to present the band tomorrow morning for inspection. Assuming...you know." Ren makes a vague motion with his hands.

"As for Sutorenja-san...last night, I convinced her not to tell me, to maintain her oaths. Sadly, the choice was taken out of both of our hands by Yoko-san." Ren makes a face. "Which I appreciate, as it certainly does help..."

A dark chuckle from the magistrate. The kind one makes when a man swears fidelity, only to be found with his hands on a geisha's yakuta the next day.

"Somehow I knew she'd try to keep you in the dark. Damned fool would probably sacrifice herself not realising that the Empire would be Scorpions away from danger."

What that situation was, he didn't need to specify.

"That said, with our shared awareness, we can coordinate easier. Through time, even. Any suspicions?"

[Ikoma Ren]

A dark chuckle from the magistrate. The kind one makes when a man swears fidelity, only to be found with his hands on a geisha's yakuta the next day.

"Somehow I knew she'd try to keep you in the dark. Damned fool would probably sacrifice herself not realising that the Empire would be Scorpions away from danger."

What that situation was, he didn't need to specify.

"That said, with our shared awareness, we can coordinate easier. Through time, even. Any suspicions?"

"I went out of my way to convince her, and give me only the rough outlines. In retrospect, the signs were there, I simply horrifically misread them: an Ikeda as an old friend, a mother who has a good impression of the Ikoma, Lion forged weaponry and obvious training. I just thought..." Ren waves it off. "It doesn't matter."

"As far as I see it, there are two problems. One is the force moving against...our mutual friend. The other is the...remembrance. I am trying to think of a way to resolve the first without the second, as there is always a reoccurring danger, but it also provides an opportunity in that we seem to be catching up."

[Toritaka Hanatsuko]

"I know not. Perhaps Hida-sama would have such a thing? We could go there when the festival ends. I believe it will not be late enough so that we cannot enter the castle." He replies, looking around and going to a specific direction in the dark. "Ah, here he is."

"I want to meet privately with Kakita dono so perhaps some time during the evening after I have reported to Kakita dono." She nodded. She looked at the horse. "He is a magnificent stallion." She patted the horse's snout. "You are quite the handsome fellow." She scratched under the horse chin.

[Asahina Sanaharu]

"I know not. Perhaps Hida-sama would have such a thing? We could go there when the festival ends. I believe it will not be late enough so that we cannot enter the castle." He replies, looking around and going to a specific direction in the dark. "Ah, here he is."

"I want to meet privately with Kakita dono so perhaps some time during the evening after I have reported to Kakita dono." She nodded. She looked at the horse. "He is a magnificent stallion." She patted the horse's snout. "You are quite the handsome fellow." She scratched under the horse chin.

"Ah, thank you." He replies, three seconds later noticing it was for the horse. "I got him at my gempukku. An artist's life is frequently one of moving, from one court to a manor, as he is called to play." He added, saving face.

[Bayushi Ijihime]

The Bayushi waits patiently for the Crane and Falcon to finish even after her kind greeting.

[Toritaka Hanatsuko]

Hanatsuko now noted the Scorpion woman. "I see" She acknowledged the woman. She bowed to the woman that had seemingly followed them to the horse. "Good afternoon, Scorpion sama."

[Bayushi Ijihime]

"Good afternoon Toritaka-san, it is an honor to speak to a samurai of the fabled Falcon. I simply wish to give my kind regards to Asahina-san," she said warmly.

[Asahina Sanaharu]

(OOC: Dapper, we are outside the festival for a while, currently on a suburban part of the town. We should have opened a side thread

Unless she actually followed them.)

[Dapper Dog]

OOC: Well here we are, she is there now.

[Asahina Sanaharu]

So they were followed. He just blinked... She should have expected some juicy romance gossip maybe, but just heard so far a conversation about ancestors long gone.
His heart pounded. He broke her image in half the last day...
It was a day that never existed. He could play innocent with ease.
Even if the ronin was one of the rememberers, would Amika have risked telling what he said to her? When the Asahina could accuse the ronin of rattling his reputation and let the monster magistrate deal with her? Unlikely.
For the first time, he felt that he had the upper ground against this woman. Yet, when he tried to play Scorpion, he failed miserably. Perhaps he should go back at simply playing Crane.
Remember, your last meeting with her was yesterday for you.

He bowed back to her. "Have you eaten your portion of rice today, Bayushi-san? Such a fine afternoon this one was... Do you want to make our company for the festival?"

[Bayushi Ijihime]

"I would be honored, what is this affair?" she asked.

OOC: Wherever they are it's in comfortable sight of the event, to cut down on the followed thing. Consider that a retcon if need be.

[Asahina Sanaharu]

"Oh, the festival? It's a celebration for those who remember. By the nature of your question, I believe you have arrived after my speech?"

[Bayushi Ijihime]

"Oh, the festival? It's a celebration for those who remember. By the nature of your question, I believe you have arrived after my speech?"

"I suppose I did, I feel saddened to have missed it," she said kindly. "Is Toritaka-san your companion for the afternoon? I pray I have not intruded on a more personal affair."

[Toritaka Hanatsuko]

Hanatsuko shook her head. "If you two desire some privacy perhaps this one should leave." She looked at the horse. "The children are waiting and there is so much Kuma can do."

[Asahina Sanaharu]

Had he had a weaker on, he would have laughed. Thanks to the Falcons for their lack of courtly bliss. "Let us return together. No privacy is needed for anyone in this context."

[Kakita Konohamaru]

"As far as I see it, there are two problems. One is the force moving against...our mutual friend. The other is the...remembrance. I am trying to think of a way to resolve the first without the second, as there is always a reoccurring danger, but it also provides an opportunity in that we seem to be catching up."

"...We need to trade secrets. Not ones we can use against each other, but things we'd only say to someone we trust. Something we'd go 'I must have trusted you to tell you this' to. Maybe?"

[Ikoma Ren]

"Fair enough. Mine would be...embarrassing, but enough to be sure that I would not tell anyone lightly. Tell me" Ren coughs. "Last night, you dreamt of two scarred beauties. They did your favorite."

Ren gives the man a flat look. "And if you abuse that, I swear..." He bites off the comment and offers a smile. "What about yourself?"

[Kakita Konohamaru]

"Fair enough. Mine would be...embarrassing, but enough to be sure that I would not tell anyone lightly. Tell me" Ren coughs. "Last night, you dreamt of two scarred beauties. They did your favorite."

Ren gives the man a flat look. "And if you abuse that, I swear..." He bites off the comment and offers a smile. "What about yourself?"

"Ha, like I could abuse that. Fortunes forbid men have a drive to become fathers. This, however... Tell me"

It was a secret seven people in the world knew.

"The abbot died before interrogation began. Your hands are clean. You said this because you may forget."

[Bayushi Ushi]

A nod from the man who, were it not for the fact he was in Crab lands, would be masked himself.

"She's the only one remembers the last time this happened ten years ago. Not the end, but the looping days as well."

The mask not only reflects the nod but soon mirrors it in motion as well, "Well that likely rules out it being tied to one of the guests if it happened in this same space before. That will save time at least."

[Ikoma Ren]

Ren blinks and then nods. "Have you uncovered any way to prevent the cycle from repeating? "

[Kakita Konohamaru]

The mask not only reflects the nod but soon mirrors it in motion as well, "Well that likely rules out it being tied to one of the guests if it happened in this same space before. That will save time at least."

Konohamaru nodded, but added no further comment. Perhaps there was some ancestral ties involved in all this...

"Others have used the time to commit crimes, only prevented by the looping itself. How familiar are you with your clan brethren here?"

Meanwhile, in another conversation:

Ren blinks and then nods. "Have you uncovered any way to prevent the cycle from repeating? "

A sigh.

"We know only pieces. We think it's a Hida Hitomi, there may be dolls of soldiers belonging to Hida Gusari and Doji Bujeihime involved, Something needs to be reunited or something needs to be destroyed."

[Ikoma Ren]

A sigh.

"We know only pieces. We think it's a Hida Hitomi, there may be dolls of soldiers belonging to Hida Gusari and Doji Bujeihime involved, Something needs to be reunited or something needs to be destroyed."

"I'm afraid that I don't know anything about that. I am gathering Ronin and anyone who will pay attention tonight. Hopefully we can learn something of use based on that. Perhaps something will jog loose."

[Bayushi Ijihime]

Had he had a weaker on, he would have laughed. Thanks to the Falcons for their lack of courtly bliss. "Let us return together. No privacy is needed for anyone in this context."

"Of course, even if it feels the opposite," she said looking at the Toritaka with mild curiosity.

[Toritaka Hanatsuko]

The Toritaka rose a brow then shrugged. "Should I be worried?"

Why would you? Here you are between a horse, a Crane and a Scorpion. You are at a most disadvantageous position Hana chan.

She turned to the Asahina. "What is the horse's name?"

[Bayushi Ushi]

Konohamaru nodded, but added no further comment. Perhaps there was some ancestral ties involved in all this...

"Others have used the time to commit crimes, only prevented by the looping itself. How familiar are you with your clan brethren here?"

"I have met them but we are not well acquainted outside of that. Has one implicated themselves in such a crime?" There was no defensiveness in the tone. Stereotypes did sometimes evolve for a reason after all.