Bayushi Haruka
Scorpion Clan
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Post by Bayushi Haruka on Dec 5, 2011 0:32:50 GMT -5
Nori seemed to have been waiting on him really. The minute he sat was the minute she turned and plated him a sizable dish and placed it before him as well as her own. She only took another moment longer to set things aside and sit across from him. Her gaze traveled over him a moment before she started eating, and it seemed as though her outburst from the night before was purely out of duty and nothing more, as any trace of her hostility seemed to pacify into a casual and almost normal persona.
"I hope you enjoy it. Normally I don't have the chance to enjoy a simple good meal, but I have a secret passion for cooking. It's nice to finally have a chance at having a mission that allows me to share it."
She pulled down her mask showing off her delightful smile and her scar on her chin again. With a quick clap of the hands she started on her breakfast. Nori was more than happy to try and make small talk with him.
"Did you have any plans for the day Zeure-san?"
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Zeure
Crane Clan
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Post by Zeure on Dec 5, 2011 0:39:05 GMT -5
"Oh, I'm sure I will enjoy it.
Zeure clapped his hands together as well, almost in unison with her and lifted his utensil. He ate for a moment before answering.
"I have nothing planned. Really, it will be a boring day, I think. Not that I'm complaining, yet."
He smiled at her after his own obvious bad joke.
"Unless I'm called to do something, of course. Lady Haruka has my full attentions as she needs them."
He ate more, seemingly enjoying himself quite a bit.
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Bayushi Haruka
Scorpion Clan
OOC Cleanup Crew
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Post by Bayushi Haruka on Dec 5, 2011 0:46:37 GMT -5
Indeed the spices were nicely balanced and the effect seemed to have almost a stimulating experience for the senses. Nori just continued eat and nod in approval of her own meal.
"For the time being, Haruka-sama will not be in any trouble or danger that I know of. She may go into hiding anyway though, still for fear of her life.
But in her current state I'm more than well aware she's in no shape to travel. For now she hopes moving to this city will take her just far enough away from Kyuden Bayushi to stay ahead of any who might seek her."
She was aware of the general mission that Senshi was on, but when the conflict would go down was something she could only make a guess at. Nori was more than capable of handling the physical dangers that could come after her, but the rest was now being trusted to Zeure, or so the plan was.
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Zeure
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Post by Zeure on Dec 5, 2011 0:53:50 GMT -5
He waved his hand dismissively. "Shoju-sama is not a threat to Harukaaaaa-sama." He stumbled, using just her name again, he had to school himself, apparently.
"I don't know why she thinks that he will be, but he is a great deal more in control of his faculties than everyone gives him credit for. He is not the evil monster in our tale."
He finished up his plate and smiled at her.
"It was very good, Nori-san. Thank you for cooking the meal."
He leaned back on his hands, putting his legs forward underneath the table.
"I was surprised to see her this soon. I figured that she would still be recuperating from her ordeal. Surely she has already survived the most dangerous thing she will in that she has survived child-birth. I'm surprised Bayushi Senshi would have let her leave his side this soon. If I'm not mistaken, the Scorpion clan's custom is for the husband and wife to stay together for a while after the birth of a child."
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Bayushi Haruka
Scorpion Clan
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Post by Bayushi Haruka on Dec 5, 2011 1:03:24 GMT -5
Nori also finished and cleared up, taking the moment in silence. With her back turned to him she looked up slowly at a small scroll of the countryside, a quaint little painting really.
"The threat wasn't just from Shoju though. I know Haruka-sama will never vocalize it, but..."
She turned slowly to look him in the eye as she said it, not bothering to put her mask in place as it hung loosely around her neck.
"She also has been afraid of her own husband as of late. He was there to be at her side when their son was born, but she made plans to leave as soon as possible.
She believes he might try and use their son as some sort of leverage to have her commit herself to joining Hantei's cause. Senshi-dono paid such a heavy price to prove his loyalty, and Haruka-sama has already expressed such deep dedication to Toturi's cause. And she doesn't want her son to be used as leverage for anything. She's thinking of going into hiding until after the war finds a conclusion."
An elaborate lie, but believable since Senshi's injuries were such widespread news.
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Zeure
Crane Clan
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Post by Zeure on Dec 5, 2011 1:12:24 GMT -5
"Well, we can't let that happen, now can we?"
Apparently totally believing her, he just dove right into the conversation about Bayushi Senshi. His eyes were glowing that iridescent green, this may have been the first time Nori has seen it or noticed it. He had not yet used his ability to conceal his taint today, so they had the iridescent green color that were the tell tale sign of taint corruption.
"I don't know how you feel about it, Nori-san. But I will not allow Bayushi Senshi to harm...our lady."
Despite the glow, his eyes were steady. He felt sure of this fact. Loyalty ran strong in Yun, and he had given his loyalty to Haruka; so there was nothing for it. He turned his head downward, considering something, changing his mental estimations a bit.
"I was....unaware that she feared Bayushi Senshi."
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Bayushi Haruka
Scorpion Clan
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Post by Bayushi Haruka on Dec 5, 2011 1:24:56 GMT -5
She came back to the table, sitting on her knees and only slumping slightly as she rested them off to the side in relaxation. The nature of his taint seemed to be an afterthought for her and she did not try and distance herself at all even as she saw the classic signs.
There seemed to be an unspoken approval as he shared his sense of ownership of the woman. "She cannot show that she is afraid of course. And if you ask anyone else in the clan they will not know. These things are the burdens of leadership, and in truth I have no envy for her position.
I mean, have you honestly ever seen her caught off guard or compromised? Haruka-sama simply never lets it happen, which normally I'm grateful for, but I imagine it is a very stressful lifestyle."
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Zeure
Crane Clan
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Post by Zeure on Dec 5, 2011 1:35:23 GMT -5
He nodded as she spoke, but he was still aligning the pieces in his mind, thinking on the new information and considering the play.
"Unfortunately, my time seeing her in a place where she could be compromised has been incredibly limited."
All of the few minutes that she was here yesterday... He thought to himself.
"My meetings with her have been rather...secluded, given my nature, I'm sure you understand that we can't be seen together, so...we have not been. It would not do for the wife of the Scorpion champion to be seen with a person that has been tainted. Especially given Bayushi Senshi's feelings on the subject."
Thinking on Senshi was what he was doing, actually. Hearing this information about Haruka having issues with him only solidified it in his mind that he did not like the man. It was enough that he had, at one point, killed Shoju; this was too much.
"I will kill him if he harms her..."
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Bayushi Haruka
Scorpion Clan
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Post by Bayushi Haruka on Dec 5, 2011 1:44:07 GMT -5
"Well you understand the importance now with the information I give you. If he sees you, finds out what you're up to, he would try and kill you. I merely am giving you a fair warning now since our objective is essentially the same.
Haruka-sama has asked that I help as much as possible without placing myself in harm's way in the process. I will do my best to ensure that you are aware of his presence should it become the case."
Popping out one of the smaller pieces of tatami matting, Nori pulled out a tea set and poured them both some green tea since she knew he had no intent on partaking the Jade Petal tea. Nothing particularly fancy, simply something to wash down their breakfast.
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Zeure
Crane Clan
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Post by Zeure on Dec 5, 2011 1:53:52 GMT -5
He nodded. "Then the feeling is mutual, I think."
He was a little surprised that she had not flinched or made any indication that she was upset about him threatening to kill her champion. Perhaps she had no love for the man either, or at least, favored Haruka a great deal more.
As she pulled out the tea set, he looked over at the jade petal tea, still covered by the cloth. It was clear to him that Haruka wanted him to drink the stuff, even though he was quite sure that it would not do him any good. Would he be willing to do this for her?
"Thank you for the drink, Nori-san. Indeed, thank you for the information as well."
He sipped on the tea that she had prepared for him, and then decided that a change of topics was in order.
"So, Nori-san, are you Scorpion born and raised? I know that Lady Haruka is Utaku originally, and you show her a fierce sort of loyalty. Not that this isn't expected of Scorpion, I just wonder if there isn't more of a connection there."
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Bayushi Haruka
Scorpion Clan
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Posts: 1,054
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Post by Bayushi Haruka on Dec 5, 2011 2:08:18 GMT -5
Nori seemed pleasantly surprised at the change in tone. She actually had to blink a few times as if she would have heard him more correctly.
"Oh I am Scorpion born and raised. My father was a Shosuro and my mother was actually a Doji who he seduced. I did have a brother as well, though Yaki-kun prefers the company of Crane rather than the Scorpion."
She stroked her finger over her scar absentmindedly, the air hardly ever touching it for such a length of time.
"Needless to say I've no particular love for the Crane, nor did they show any love for me. My life has been simple and straightforward as the Shosuro's way is to serve the Bayushi, and I have done so to the finest extent of my abilties. But I still was quite astonished to have been assigned to the wife of the Champion."
Her gaze drifted a bit higher, as Nori seemed to stray off in her own thoughts often, at least in the quieter moments of the day.
"She was nothing like I expected her to be, but she was certainly beautiful for a Unicorn woman. I couldn't believe what fortune had blessed me with such an honor. If my heart stops before hers, it will have been a life well spent."
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Zeure
Crane Clan
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Post by Zeure on Dec 5, 2011 2:25:01 GMT -5
"I have a similar impression of her, Nori-san."
Indeed he did, from the very first moment he had thought of her as one of the most beautiful women he had ever seen. And he had been curious about her. In that first night, he could have simply withdrawn from the dream when the simultaneously cast Dream-Walking spells that he and Sprinkles had used crossed and deposited him into Haruka's mind instead of Senshi's; but he hadn't. And a mistake had never made him so happy.
"The fabled Shosuro loyalty. I've never seen it so prominently displayed before. It's an admirable quality, Nori-san. Going back to your earlier words, though, I have never had an interaction with the Crane on their terms before, so I am unaware of how they are. I'm sorry for whichever one put that on your chin, though."
His own scar was obvious such that he did not even think about it anymore.
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Bayushi Haruka
Scorpion Clan
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Post by Bayushi Haruka on Dec 5, 2011 2:35:38 GMT -5
Nori seemed to take initiative and bring it up of her own volition.
"Actually it was my father who gave me this scar as a part of my training. A lesson I won't soon forget...
But I am curious Zeure-san, how did you recieve yours?"
Her eyes rested on his face as she had been polite before and not fixated on the scar, but her curiosity and the fact that she hoped to learn more about it allowed her the leeway to study it.
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Zeure
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Post by Zeure on Dec 5, 2011 2:47:28 GMT -5
"From my Yojimbo, actually. He has this belief, or maybe it's ingrained into them at the school he attended, that once you've decided on who your charge is, you can not separate from them. When I left my former clan, he came after me. A battle ensued and he managed to get a very precise cut in on me before I was able to best him. I'm still not sure if he let me win, or if I was actually better than him. But either way, he's dead now, and better for it, I think. He disagrees, but it isn't really up to him."
It may be weird for Nori to hear him talk of a dead person in the present tense. There must be something else there; but Yun ceased talking about it. He did run his hand down the scar though. That was an old memory that he had not conjured in a while.
"What were the circumstances that surround yours? Parents are often giving invaluable information when they decide to do things that drastic."
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Bayushi Haruka
Scorpion Clan
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Post by Bayushi Haruka on Dec 5, 2011 3:13:08 GMT -5
Her fingers etched into the wood of the table, following the knots in the wood.
"Oh this and that. I'm certain you've heard the old 'ninja' stories of how we're given some sweet little animal to bond with and then in the end we're forced to kill and eat it in order to sever our sense of humanity and pity."
She smirked, laughing a little at herself as her gaze relaxed respectfully.
"No... my lesson was quite simple. I spoke my mind on a matter without fully understanding the nature of what I spoke of. I questioned loyalty, I questioned duty... and my father made sure that I would never forget that the tongue is just as dangerous a weapon as any. That I should think before I speak, much as I must assess a situation before applying force."
Every once and a while as she spoke, Yun could see into her mouth. The scar actually running from the back of her tongue to her chin in one stroke. A painfully memory indeed.
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