The New Winds

After sleeping just a bit, Sasaiko rises, dresses, and sets out tea service.

Then she waits for her guest to arrive.

Carrying in his little Ninya, he walks over to meet Toritaka Sasaiko. He had seen her in Hirosaka but never interacted with the Falcon woman. He knocked on the door to announce himself. "Good morning Toritaka san."

"Bayushi-san, neko-san, please do come in.

"Will you have tea?"

He entered the room, bowed and took a seat. "Yes, I thank you for it." He let go of the kitten. Ninya just walked about and laid between the two with a cute yawn. "Her name is Ninya."

"Hello, Ninya-san," Sasaiko says, giving the kitty scritchies for a moment before turning towards tea.

The preparation is excellent and invigorating (Tea Ceremony 30, regain two VP if you're down).

After the initial sips, she asks "So, about last night?"

Kaidan sighed. He shook his head. "I have been cursed by the realm." He said casually as he sipped his tea. "It is just that simple ghost hate me."

Sasaiko nods.

"Such things happen. And I presume the shugenja of your Clan have investigated the matter and determined no manner of purgation?"

She sips at her own tea.

"The clan deemed that it was not necessary for me to be cleansed because my grandmother from the Crane said she would work with the matter. She use ofuda scrolls to ward me. That was part of why I stayed in Shinden Asahina." He explained. He petted Ninya.

"Ah. And since we are not there, the wards put in place do not protect you here."

She nods.

"Such as I am skilled in making would not help with the kind of thing we saw last night, to be fair. They are more focused, and on a problem that none of us had the misfortune to have, Fortunes be praised."

Another pull from the tea.

"Still, I can imagine that the routine attention of such would make most of your duties difficult. Unless you are being tasked to help draw out spirits for containment and banishment, in which case, you would seem ideally suited to the task."

"Sort off... I had some scrolls placed but they all burned as the spirits stirred about and I kind of ran out." He sighed.

"As for my for my duties... they are sometimes a welcomed distraction... sometimes unwelcomed... They might assign me to a Yogo or a Soshi as a yojimbo. They might want to use me as a vessel." He simply stated.

"A vessel, Bayushi-san? For what?"

He shook his head. "For balancing Kharma." He looked at the Toritaka. "Aren't we all vessels of our clans?"

"It could be described thus. But, given my training, 'vessel' has a particular emphasis that can interact with your situation. Hence I sought the clarification; if I have given offense thereby, I apologize for it. It was not my intent."

"None taken Toritaka san." He gave a small nod to signify a small bow. He sipped his tea.

"So," she says, moving the topic away from that, "do you know who you are facing in the first round today?"

"Akodo san... if I saw the listing correctly." He nodded. "I am not good at Iai... me participating is just a pleasantry."


//Sorry if he is awkward to talk to.

"It is still no small thing. And you may yet win out.

"Though I wonder also whom you think the favorite in the overall Test is. Scores may not end up mattering, after all, given eliminations."

(No worries.)

"Not me... That is a fact." He shook his head. "I know little of each contestant to give you an accurate assessment. I would be happy if Tomohiro san makes it. But we are in Crane lands where we have seen so much sabotage."

"It has been a curious thing, hasn't it?"

"Yes..." He sipped his tea. "Odd and curious."