Owari here I come! (Pseudo-Open)

[Bayushi Haruka]

Out of the corner of his eye, Zeure could see her crack a little smile. Her typical defenses seemingly having come down somewhat.

"Well thank the kami for that. My lady would be very saddened to hear of my forced hand. She sees so much in you and has such faith in you.

No other person has received such consideration besides the Master of Secrets himself."

It was a small give away on Nori's part, but she seemed to have a rather natural fixation on Haruka's cares and burdens, a little moreso than simply as a sense of duty perhaps.
Otherwise she continued to just smoke and relax there. Her steady conversation started to linger in her own mind, but she seemed unconcerned and seemingly enjoyed the chance to unwind for once.

[Zeure]

"I had wondered about that, Nori-san. It's good to know. Ha...Lady Haruka has only asked that I trust her, and I've tried really hard to do so. Inwardly though, my....previous associations have only engendered in me a sense of wariness. But, damned or not, I've decided to trust her. Odd thing to say about most Scorpion. I'm glad that she is not like most Scorpion."

A sort of laziness had taken his eyes, he was thinking about her and it was distracting him. He was just letting his words fall out without thinking about what he was saying. His mind cleared just enough to let him realize what he had said and he looked sheepishly over to Nori.

"Not that I mean any offense to your clan, Nori-san. But the Scorpion, as a general rule, are not supposed to be trusted; going back to their original role by kami mandate."

He got to his knees and looked into the pot and determined that it was ready. He scooped out some rice onto each plate and then made sure their was a bit of fish on top of the rice, which looked surprisingly dry. Then he moved aside some of what was left in the pot and scooped out some of the leftover broth and poured it over the top. He slid one of the plates across to Nori and then a set of chopsticks.

"Always let me know what you legitimately think. A cook never gets better if he is always congratulated regardless of effort or taste. Though I have been preparing this one for a while and am fairly confident in it."

And he should be. Given the simplicity of the dish, one would think that it was bland. And, lacking spices, it was maybe not what a high official would be used to; but the fish cooking with the rice made the broth that he had poured over the top flavor the whole dish wonderfully. Assuming that one liked fish. It had also brought back some of the original flavor of the fish itself.

[Bayushi Haruka]

Nori didn't hesitate in the least, setting her pipe down and placing her palms together in a brief but standard 'thanks for the meal' guesture before digging into the food. She seemed entirely untroubled about having someone tainted preparing the food as she took a few bites and nodded her head, brushing a stray strand of dark hair out of the way.

"It's more than good enough to fight battles on."

She seemed to have no opinion either way, only briefly regarding him and his food and the gradually approaching evening. The whole horizon being consumed in the oranges and reds of the setting sun.

But Nori was polite and more willing to continue conversation while they dined.

"You're right to be wary of a Scorpion, but that's only half the battle Zeure-san. So many fail to see that we are the more obvious 'villans' in order to allow others to realize what humans are capable of. People are more deceptive than they seem, and it is far too easy to fall into the comforts of believing that there is good in everyone when our clan knows that everyone has a game to play.

The Crane posture, and the Dragon brood, but in the end they are no different than us. Every other clan has a 'Scorpion moment'..."

Making the air quotes with her fingers as she briefly paused in eating.

"Which always strikes me as funny. But Haruka isn't like anything anyone has ever seen. Neither Unicorn and certainly no Scorpion..."

A thin lingering smile seemed to hang on Nori as she just dwelled on the thought.

[Zeure]

"I've never thought about it that way, Nori-san. I'd like to believe that I've seen the darker side of human nature in my travels and associations. But, uh, I'm still hopeful that there are at least a few people who aren't like that. I and my most recent associates are legitimately trying to find a sort of redemption in our actions. Haruka had led me to believe that she was vulnerable, or in danger, for helping Shoju-sama and the snake. So I came to her. Otherwise, I'd still be there."

Of course that wasn't the entire story. Yun had come for her specifically. The dangers she alluded to, or he made up were an excuse to see this person in the waking world.

"I hope I prove worthy of her faith."

He lazily ate his food, as he had mentioned, he had made this a number of times, which meant he had ate it a number of times. It was filling, which was important right now.

[Bayushi Haruka]

The Shosuro woman seemed to pause at that, as if she had no idea that Haruka was in any such danger. The horror seemed to show in her eyes as she nearly dropped her chopsticks.

"My lady is in danger...?"

Her train of thought was interrupted by the subtle sound of the door sliding open, without any suggestion of someone desiring to seek entry. Nori looked over and turned where she sat quite quickly, quite tensely.

"My lady!"

Dressed in long flowing robes with her face obscured by a long draping hood, it was near impossible to recognize the woman from his dreams. With one hand extended she tried to still Nori from her anxiety, using that same hand to draw her hood back.

Haruka looked just as she had in the dream, with her vibrant skin and rich dark hair. But her eyes looked drained naturally, her whole form weakened and strained from the events of the past several hours. One of her arms seemingly covered by a draping cloth that hung from her shoulder to her hip, the cloth only subtly betraying the fact that she was carrying something with her.

The Shosuro never rose, much to Haruka's dismay. She didn't have the strength to contest her obedience right now. Her gaze instead turned to Zeure as her fatigued expression gently softened. The dream now a reality for her.

"I am sorry I could not come sooner, Yun-san. I hope you had no problems coming into the city."

[Zeure]

"I....I did not have any trouble...Are you ok? Please, sit down."

He moved to the side off of the seat he was just occupying and offered it to her visibly with his hand outwardly extended.

"I had thought that it would be days before I saw you."

The obvious elation on his face was apparent to everyone in the room. It was mixed with concern as she looked a little strained, but the happy was outweighing the concern.

"I just made some food, there is some left if you'd like it."

He was stammering, he was so out of it. Their dream was made a reality for him, just as surely as it was for her, and he was struck speechless that the dream did not exaggerate her in any way. He was quite struck with her, and he had no way to, or would make any attempt to hide it.

[Bayushi Haruka]

Haruka carefully made her way over. Nori flew out of her way to fetch a luxurious cushion before Haruka could even sit down.
"Thank you Nori-san."

Again the Shosuro bowed like a servant to her. "I thank you for the offer, but I'm afraid I'm in no mood to eat, or do much of anything at the moment Yun-san."

The tired lines in her face only got more detailed as she got closer. But the cause for the extra layers quickly became apparent to the former Phoenix. As she sat the cloth slacked around her, and the tiny newborn soul slept peacefully in his mother's embrace with only his face exposed to the air.

Haruka was strong enough to have made it this far, but it was clear the chance to still sit and relax was a necessary step to take. She would still be recovering for days. Occasionally she would gently stroke over the cloth and check to see that her young son was all right.

She had every intention of bringing the young child along for this meeting, as she hoped Yun would be able to see with a bit more of her perspective. She let a deep breath escape her as her gaze returned to Yun.

"I promised I would tell you everything when you arrived. And I intend to keep my promise much as you have done by coming here so soon."
Her exhaustion only served to show a more heavily saddened gaze.

"I did not wish to have things turn the way they have but... I expressed concern in my own safety to you, that much is true.
But what I had to show restraint with, was who the threat was. And I know Shoju-san will be after my life very soon."

Nori was completely unmoved, but Haruka looked down. Clearly pausing as such information would likely jar the previously tranquil nature of the room.

[Zeure]

"Why would Shoju be killing you? You sent him aid and have risked much to help him, and myself..."

The dumb look on Yun's face would probably make the sentiment that Haruka was expressing all the more painful for her.

"That's one of the reason's that I'm here, is to protect you for aiding the snake."

A thought creeped into his mind, but he tried really hard not to believe it. That Haruka may have done something to harm Shoju rather than help him.

"Wha.. What do you mean, Haruka?"

Totally dropping the honorific as he had between them before. Nori would undoubtedly notice this; not that Yun cared at that moment.

[Bayushi Haruka]

This was hardly the court scene and the Shosuro maintained her stoic nature in their presence. Haruka seemed to breathe a bit uneasily as the thoughts swarmed her mind.

"For the moment, everything is as planned. Shoju will be meeting with the Scorpion retinue very soon I suspect."

She bit her lip, careful not to draw blood in his presence. But using the pain to ensure she did not say something that would jeopardize the mission.
"I'm not certain as to what reason Shoju might desire to turn and harm me, but I suspect that if his plans don't go smoothly... as I believe they won't, he will likely turn around and take it out on me."

She looked back to Yun with her eyes shining with a light wetness. She could easily draw on her emotions from the recent birth. "I can't defend myself against his kind of power Yun."
Also dropping the formalities. "And I only just received my son into this world. I'm not strong enough to protect him on my own like this."

The courageous woman he had come to know showed her weakness in such a contrasting light. But regardless of what information she kept close, her fear was indeed genuine and it was easy to understand that a first time mother would become so suddenly changed in nature.

[Zeure]

A wave of relief crossed his mind and his face visibly. He breathed a sigh of relief.

"Ok, well, if that's all. Don't worry about that Haruka.

He slid over to her, since he had not moved after vacating the spot that she was now sitting in. And put her hand in his.

"Shoju-sama is not so unstable, Haruka. He, like me, is in control of his taint. We are trying very hard to find a way to overcome our affliction and you helping him is going to cause him to remember your help, not turn on you."

He looked into her beautiful eyes, wet with fresh moisture and he smiled tenderly.

"We're not the monsters that the empire would have you believe. You have nothing to worry about."

[Bayushi Haruka]

Shosuro Nori reacted instinctively as Yun took up Haruka's hand and within a second a set of kunai in her fingers from her hidden sheaths, and she was halfway over the table and ready to strike out at Yun. Haruka's stone like gaze was the only thing that stopped her.

"That's enough, Shosuro-san."
The awkward tension forcing Nori back, but she looked quite obviously displeased. Haruka's natural authority rousing from her as she hardly moved her body, her hand did not pull away or flinch, but her voice carried such tone and aggression.

She sheathed her blades as Haruka gently removed her hand for the time being, readjusting her grip to hold both arms around her child. The Shosuro stared still fiercely.

"You are right in that sense, and I know you not to be the one I need to fear. But in all the time that I have known Shoju and you I have never asked for anything out of this relationship. It wasn't until I met you that I felt there was anything I could benefit from."

Haruka seemed to relax as they were past the tense point. Any train of thought abruptly was shaken from Nori's violent motion.

[Zeure]

Yun had not moved, but his face was shocked as the sudden rememberance that there was another person in the room with them. Seemingly he had forgotten her presence. It was doubly so as she had just made moves to strike at him.

"Oh, Nori-san, you must assume that I mean your mistress no harm. I really am very safe for the Scorpion."

He waved his hands in front of him trying to emphasize his point.

"You can absolutely rely on me to benefit you, Haruka. If it ends up that you need protection, I hope that I will be able to do so."

He looked back and forth from Nori to Haruka a couple of times to make sure that he wasn't in danger. But his gaze finally rested on Haruka.

Silently he thought: I'm already benefiting from you. I hope that Shoju-sama does not do as she says he might. I have not known him to be unstable.... He seems very in control.

[Bayushi Haruka]

In her haste Nori had dislodged the dish she was eating before, much to her displeasure. She did not make another lunge for Yun but instead proceeded to clean up the mess for now, as there would be no other servants to follow through and clean up after her.

Haruka nodded at him. "I most certainly agree, I would hate for anything to happen that might cause such an encounter. This also allows me to proceed with my other plans that I have for you, Yun."

Yun wouldn't likely see it, but Nori was paying very close attention to the conversation at hand, though her movements were near silent as was her preference for remaining largely unnoticed unless needed.

"I've already been dabbling in some research about cleansing, but I've not been able to yield anything complete as of yet. The Jade Petal tea is the only thing I've been able to find to assist in this, but I will not force you to drink it, I simply offer it as a choice Yun. I hope that it would be more to your liking rather than feeling like you needed to be feared."

She smirked, "I already know better, but for now the search will continue."

[Zeure]

"Unfortunately, jade petal tea does not kill the taint, it merely suppresses it. I can already do that myself..."

He looked over at the covered crates and then back to Haruka.

"I will drink it, if you want me to, Haruka, but if it is my choice I don't foresee it being necessary or tasty."

He smacked his lips a couple of times in distaste. His gaze came back to Nori.

"Nori-san, there is more in the pot, if you'd like."

His hand motioned towards the food. Then he came back to looking at Haruka, expecting an answer to his earlier comments.

[Bayushi Haruka]

"If you feel it is unnecessary..." Unsteadily Haruka pulled herself to her feet, causing Shosuro Nori to again tense up to try and aid her, just barely resisting.

"My lady..!"

She put her hand up yet again as she caught her breath, clearly unable to handle much more visiting time. She stood straight and slowly as she held onto her child.

"Yun, you don't have to take the tea if you do not wish to. But I would still hope that you consider it nonetheless. In any case, I'm afraid I'm not in any shape to remain far from my bed. So if you'll excuse me Yun-san... I will have to bid you a good night for now.
I'm so glad I was able to see you though."

She took her time replacing her hood and gradually making her way to the door.