Crater Watching (Day 8, LA, Open)

[Doji Fukawa]

Fukawa nods.

"How have you found the miai thus far, Asako-san?" she askes.

[Asako Yuki]

Yuki smiled warmly. "I've enjoyed it quite a bit. It's been great fun, mostly, learning more about the Unicorn. What about you, Doji-san?"

[Doji Fukawa]

Fukawa nods.

"There have been entertaining competitions, new friends to make, and a new culture to explore. It's not over yet, but I think it's a very successful miai.

[Asako Yuki]

Yuki nodded, still smiling. "Hai. I think the meal was my favorite of the events so far. It has been a lot of learning and most everyone seems happy to do it, on both sides."

[Doji Fukawa]

Fukawa nods.

"Even Moto Butaj, who looks like a barbarian escaped from a pillow book has shown both a capacity and a desire to learn the ways of the Empire. The Empire will be united once again with the return of Shinjo's children." she says, happy about that.

[Asako Yuki]

Yuki, perhaps predictably, blushed a little at the mention of Butaj, but she was getting better about it.

"Hai, he does at that." Yuki, apparently, didn't object to that sort of thing. "I mean, hai, he has shown a great desire to learn, as have many of the Unicorn." She paused. "If Doji-san doesn't mind my asking, Moto Butaj-san hasn't... caught her eye, has he?"

[Doji Fukawa]

That caught the Crane short.

She deftly unfolded a unicorn purple fan with an image of charging horses.

"As fun as it would be to have Moto Butaj ride up to the gates of Kyuden Doji in full furs and demand to know when the barbeque celebrating his marriage into the Crane would be.....no, no he has not Asako-san." she offers lightly.


"This is not to say he is without merit. He is a very honest man, and interested in learning. But he will never belong to the world of Winter. His time is summer, atop his steed, with a song on his lips and steel in his hand." she says.


"I could be wed to him if I had to be...but I do not need to be, and so I shall not." she says, "Perhaps we will meet again on the next spin of the wheel and things will be different."

[Asako Yuki]

Ah, a fan. Yuki really needed to get a new fan.

Fukawa's declaration did get a little sigh of relief out of the Asako though, followed by a giggle. "Hai, I can only imagine the looks on some of your cousin's faces if he did ride up to the gates like that though."

She personally disagreed that Butaj was not a man belonging to the world of winter, but then again she might not be thinking of the metaphors that Fukawa was. "So it is Shinjo Akil who holds your favor?" She smiled.

"I met him once, he seemed nice, and brave, though he would not admit it."

[Doji Fukawa]

Fukawa would have been embarrassed by that question....but since the Moto had her singing that to everyone yesterday, it really wasn't.

Fukawa nods, holding the fan forward.

"This is his fan. I gifted him one of mine days ago." she confirms.

[Asako Yuki]

Yuki nodded. "My favored... well, he didn't have a fan to give to me." She shrugged a little. "But anyway, I'm glad to hear you've had a good time here, Doji-san. The Unicorn have done a good job of displaying their best here." Mostly.

[Doji Fukawa]

"And yourself, Asako-san?" she prods. After all, despite doing so well, it wasn't actually all about Fukawa.

[Asako Yuki]

"I've had a grand time here. I've made several new friends." Yuki said with a big smile.

[Doji Fukawa]

If only you were still friends with the Crane. Fukawa thought. Or cared to be once again.

But rather than saying that, she looks out at the 'lake'.


'A pity the lake is cursed. I've started dreaming about bathhouses lately." she says wistfully.

[Asako Yuki]

Yuki, blissfully unaware of the Doji's mind, or politics in general, looked out over the pond.

"Hai, I was speaking to Bayushi Hotaru towards the beginning of the Miai, hoping that the rain would give us some place to have a proper bath. I suppose I should have prayed for one that wasn't cursed as well." She sighed a little.

[Doji Fukawa]

Even the puppies seemed to be avoiding the cursed waters.

Fukawa nodded.

"I'm given to understand there are some nice hot springs in the Phoenix Mountains." she offers.