Dark Edge Village

Yuki and Rei come to the edge of the enormous crater, and Rei growls under her breath as her ears dart around and she looks generally uneasy.

"Ano, are you ok, Rei-chan?" She asks, kneeling down next to the dog who's main concern seems to be watching the mysterious crater with great annoyance.

Yuki followed his gaze. "Hai, it is most strange, isn't it?" She smiled a little. "Do you suppose the stories of an Orochi are true? They must be."

Doji Fukawa was walking her new dog around the village. She had picked up some sticks of various weights, and was tossing them high up in the air, causing the dog to run and jump after it. She was slowing increasing the size of the sticks, curious just how strong a puppy could get in a day.

Not really paying attention to where they were going, she arrived at the rumored cursed lake. Ah, why did it have to be cursed? A bath would feel so good, but not worth getting cursed.

Rei let out a warning bark as Fukawa and her dog came into view, and charged off, obviously to warn them of the dangers of the crater, barking all the way.

"Rei-chan! Get back here!" Yuki called out, chasing after her. "Gomen!" She called out to the samurai.

Seeing the incoming puppy, Takahiro leapt into action charging at the incoming menace with his own barking!

"Takahiro get back here!" she called out, hurrying towards the puppies with her own small footsteps.

Rei barked warningly until she was within 5 feet of Takahiro, when her bark turned into a bark of greeting and her tail started to wag. The danger of the crater completely forgotten by the puppy, she bounded towards a potential playmate.

Yuki, following not far behind the pup, smiled a little at her changed mood but kept moving forward, just in case.

Takahiro was intrigued by this new puppy, and much sniffing did commence, with the occasional lick for verification.

When Fukawa got close enough to the Phoenix, she would offer a polite bow to her.

"My apologies for disturbing your training, Asako-san." she offered. "I am Doji Fukawa, and this is Takahiro."

Rei growled and play attacked every time Takahiro tried to lick her until the traditional greeting was complete. Then she bounded away, glancing behind her to see if Takahiro was giving chase.

"Ah, it's alright. I was just exploring a bit with her." She bowed to the Doji. "I am Asako Yuki, and that is Rei."

Takahiro gave a happy bark and the chase was on!


Fukawa looked at the puppies running off with one another.

"I think, Asako-san, that I am willing to declare this an integral part of their training, while two trainers take a moment to rest and chat, if that is agreeable to Asako-san." she offers, not really up for more running.

Yuki nodded at that. "Hai, hopefully she doesn't wear herself out just before the big race though." She watched as Rei turned and started to expertly butt-block Takahiro.

Yuki looked back to the Crane. "Doji-san has been quite successful here at the miai so far." She smiled warmly.

Fukawa dipped her head in acknowledgement.


"If I have shone here, it is because of the excellent quality of the competitors in the events." she demurs. "We push each other beyond our limits."

She looks at the puppies playing.

"Has the miai lived up to your expectations, Asako-san?" she asked, curious.

Yuki waved a hand at that. "You're being too modest. If it is true, you have certainly thrived best under being pushed beyond our limits." She smiled warmly.

"Your piece was beautiful, yesterday. I'm glad the judges thought so as well."

Fukawa blushes at that, and unfolds the purple fan with horses charging on it that she has with her.

"Ah, yesterday was so embarrassing," she admits from behind the fan. "I didn't want to participate, but I couldn't let my clan down by not supporting the arts."


She watched as the puppies continued to pounce at each other, blissfully unaware that this evening they would be called upon to perform.

"It's interesting that the Shinjo family's events are last, but I have no idea what they have planned for us. Have you any guesses, Asako-san?" she asks.

Yuki nodded at that. "Hai, it was a bit." Her smile grew as her gaze moved past the conversation. "It had good from it though." She shook her head a bit. "It cleared the air a bit, when it came to intent on whom one intends to choose, neh? There will be less concern going in, hopefully."

Her head quirked to the side a bit at the question. "Does Doji-san mean the Iuchi? Shinjo's events were the archery and egg hunt." She smiled a bit, showing that she had none of the Courtier's snark that such a statement would usually include. "I have no idea what they have planned. I expect something to do with shugenja matters, or perhaps making approximations of their charms that they use?"

"Ah, gomen, you have the right about it Asako-san. My mind must be on an earlier conversation, my apologies." she says.

She considers the Asako's suggestions.

"Hm, perhaps. While it seems unlikely their challenges would involve actually invoking the kami, I could see contests that required either invoking the kami or some cleverness. For example, they could spread out a large rug, put a cup in the middle of it, and challenge the contests to retrieve the cup without stepping on the rug." she suggests.

Yuki paused for a moment at that, thinking. "Hai, perhaps. I admit though, there is a great deal I do not know of the Iuchi, which makes it hard to guess what they may want to see."