Here Comes the Rain Again (D4 EE, Matsu Kogo's yurt)

[Yasuki Tomonaga]

He could make it back, he'd thought. No problem.

Now, Tomonaga was deeply regretting his decision to take a quick walk after his recent meeting. He'd been in no hurry to get back to his tent... but perhaps he should have been. He'd worn his nice kimono, and left behind his straw cloak and hat. And now it looked like it was going to...

Rain suddenly began falling from the sky, in pouring sheets. In an instant, Tomonaga was thoroughly wet.

Cursing softly, he hopped to the side, into the closest shelter he could find, the entrance to someone's yurt. The flaps on top provided a tiny bit of cover, but not much; Tomonaga found himself shivering, plastered against the doorway, looking helplessly out at the falling water.

[Matsu Kogo]

He could make it back, he'd thought. No problem.

Now, Tomonaga was deeply regretting his decision to take a quick walk after his recent meeting. He'd been in no hurry to get back to his tent... but perhaps he should have been. He'd worn his nice kimono, and left behind his straw cloak and hat. And now it looked like it was going to...

Rain suddenly began falling from the sky, in pouring sheets. In an instant, Tomonaga was thoroughly wet.

Cursing softly, he hopped to the side, into the closest shelter he could find, the entrance to someone's yurt. The flaps on top provided a tiny bit of cover, but not much; Tomonaga found himself shivering, plastered against the doorway, looking helplessly out at the falling water.

Kogo is slightly startled by the sudden appearance of a man in the entrance of her Yurt. But hearing the rain pour, it seems as if she has an unexpected guest. "Konbanwa! Come in, come in. I am sorry I am not prepared for hospitality, but at least it is drier." She has Noburu move off to the side, away from the entrance, so as not to startle the poor man.

[Yasuki Tomonaga]

A little startled himself, Tomonaga hesitated. But only for the briefest of moments, as warmth and the possibility of not being completely soaked took precedence. He stepped inside.

"Thank you, sorry, thank you." He said, clearly still a little stunned. He was very wet indeed, his fine kimono plastered to his fairly athletic figure. He flapped his arms apologetically, scattering raindrops.

As his eyes adjusted, Tomonaga spotted Noburu. For just a moment, they opened wide, but he'd fortunately met the other beastmaster just last night. "Yasuki Tomonaga." He said, turning to Kogo with a bow. "And thank you, really. I was on my way back to my yurt, but..." He shrugged. "Not fast enough, apparently."

[Matsu Kogo]

A little startled himself, Tomonaga hesitated. But only for the briefest of moments, as warmth and the possibility of not being completely soaked took precedence. He stepped inside.

"Thank you, sorry, thank you." He said, clearly still a little stunned. He was very wet indeed, his fine kimono plastered to his fairly athletic figure. He flapped his arms apologetically, scattering raindrops.

As his eyes adjusted, Tomonaga spotted Noburu. For just a moment, they opened wide, but he'd fortunately met the other beastmaster just last night. "Yasuki Tomonaga." He said, turning to Kogo with a bow. "And thank you, really. I was on my way back to my yurt, but..." He shrugged. "Not fast enough, apparently."

She stands up and bows to him. "This one is Matsu Kogo. And that one over there is Noburu. She is friendly and safe, do not be concerned." She indicates he should come inside and her brows furrows. "Come to the side here. I have a spare kimono you can use. You can dry off with the blanket." She hands him the blanket and then goes through her things to pull out her kimono.

[Yasuki Tomonaga]

Tomonaga gave her an openly grateful look as he accepted the blanket. "Thank you, Matsu-san. You're a lifesaver." He dried his face and hair first, giving his head a good shake, before beginning to rub his torso. Impressively, the simple shake made his hair look as though it were freshly washed and combed, his appearance already returning to normal.

"Hello, Noburu." He said to the great cat.

"This might be enough to get me dry." Tomonaga said, uncertain. "I wasn't out very long..." Still, he offers no further protest than that.

"Guess this is our first summer storm." He said, his tone conversational. "I hope the Unicorn won't be too surprised by it. I hear it was generally pretty dry, where they've been."

[Matsu Kogo]

Tomonaga gave her an openly grateful look as he accepted the blanket. "Thank you, Matsu-san. You're a lifesaver." He dried his face and hair first, giving his head a good shake, before beginning to rub his torso. Impressively, the simple shake made his hair look as though it were freshly washed and combed, his appearance already returning to normal.

"Hello, Noburu." He said to the great cat.

"This might be enough to get me dry." Tomonaga said, uncertain. "I wasn't out very long..." Still, he offers no further protest than that.

"Guess this is our first summer storm." He said, his tone conversational. "I hope the Unicorn won't be too surprised by it. I hear it was generally pretty dry, where they've been."

She looks at him. "Your hair does look better. But I suspect you may catch cold if you stay in that outfit. If you would prefer, you could keep the blanket or if not, my kimono is yours to borrow." She holds it out to him. "I had not asked them about the weather they were used to. However, I suspect they have seen worse than this." She smiled at him.

[Yasuki Tomonaga]

Just as before, Tomonaga hesitated. But then, with a nod, he accepted it. "Thank you, Matsu-san. I'm in your debt." He smiled. Fortunately, he was pretty sure he had an idea how to repay her.

Turning, he pulled a few small items from his kimono, setting them on the nearest flat surface. These turned out to be a fine ceramic sake bottle, and two cups. From there, he stepped to the side of the hut, away from the flap, holding the kimono.

As he waited politely for her to turn around, he spoke. "Yeah... so I gather." He frowned. "I haven't really had any of them tell me much about what they encountered. Except that it sounded rough. Have any been more forthcoming with you?"

[Matsu Kogo]

Just as before, Tomonaga hesitated. But then, with a nod, he accepted it. "Thank you, Matsu-san. I'm in your debt." He smiled. Fortunately, he was pretty sure he had an idea how to repay her.

Turning, he pulled a few small items from his kimono, setting them on the nearest flat surface. These turned out to be a fine ceramic sake bottle, and two cups. From there, he stepped to the side of the hut, away from the flap, holding the kimono.

As he waited politely for her to turn around, he spoke. "Yeah... so I gather." He frowned. "I haven't really had any of them tell me much about what they encountered. Except that it sounded rough. Have any been more forthcoming with you?"

She turns as soon as she hands the kimono over, placing her gaze on the ceiling of the tent. "I have heard some stories of their trials, particularly one of something called the Dark Ride. Apparently there was a time of great trial prior to their entry to Rokugan and they fought many creatures that did not resemble humans. I gathered it was not something commonly discussed."

[Yasuki Tomonaga]

For a time, there is the rustle of cloth. Then, "All done!" Tomonaga said, stepping back into view of the outside. He was dressed in the Lion kimono now; it seemed to fit him acceptably well, the two of them being of fairly similar sizes and builds, perhaps a bit tight in the shoulders. He held his Crab kimono, looking for a place to drape it.

"Ah." He said simply in response, nodding. As a Crab, he certainly knew about things that weren't supposed to be discussed. Instead, he stepped back to his sake bottle and cups. "Well, that makes sense, I suppose." He looked at her. "So... it just so happens that I was carrying a bottle of my family's sake. The good stuff, too. Since you helped me, I'd be happy to share a drink with you, if you'd like?"

[Matsu Kogo]

For a time, there is the rustle of cloth. Then, "All done!" Tomonaga said, stepping back into view of the outside. He was dressed in the Lion kimono now; it seemed to fit him acceptably well, the two of them being of fairly similar sizes and builds, perhaps a bit tight in the shoulders. He held his Crab kimono, looking for a place to drape it.

"Ah." He said simply in response, nodding. As a Crab, he certainly knew about things that weren't supposed to be discussed. Instead, he stepped back to his sake bottle and cups. "Well, that makes sense, I suppose." He looked at her. "So... it just so happens that I was carrying a bottle of my family's sake. The good stuff, too. Since you helped me, I'd be happy to share a drink with you, if you'd like?"

She turns after he states he is done and sees the sake on the table, as well as his robe. She smiles. "I would be honored. Also, it will likely help warm you. Let me hang your kimono up to dry and check the front flap to make sure it will stay up in this wind. You can pour for us." She reaches her hand out for his kimono.

I would never have thought to see one of my kimonos on a man . Today has been an interesting day.

[Yasuki Tomonaga]

Tomonaga returns her smile. "That sounds like an excellent idea, Matsu-san."

With an experienced hand, he pours a generous amount, first into the cup intended for her, then his own cup. "I think I may have seen you at the Mantis's party last night? If you liked the sake there, you'll love this stuff." He said confidently. Setting down the bottle, he lifted her cup, offering it to her.

Picking up his own cup, he lifted it. "What shall we drink to?" Lion were always the hardest. "Fate?" He suggested. Whether that was an acceptable toast, or she supplied her own, Tomonaga drank as she did, watching her reaction with one eye, as always.

[Matsu Kogo]

Tomonaga returns her smile. "That sounds like an excellent idea, Matsu-san."

With an experienced hand, he pours a generous amount, first into the cup intended for her, then his own cup. "I think I may have seen you at the Mantis's party last night? If you liked the sake there, you'll love this stuff." He said confidently. Setting down the bottle, he lifted her cup, offering it to her.

Picking up his own cup, he lifted it. "What shall we drink to?" Lion were always the hardest. "Fate?" He suggested. Whether that was an acceptable toast, or she supplied her own, Tomonaga drank as she did, watching her reaction with one eye, as always.

She hangs his kimono from a look like aparatus she had noticed the day before. It looks like the Unicorn had faced moments like this before. She checked the poles and ensured the flap would stay open so their lack of chaperonage should not be a concern. She turned back and saw him pouring. "Yes, I did attend. It was a lovely party." She accepts the cup from him. "Hmmm. I suspect New Beginnings would suit." She lifts her cup and drinks, her eyes brightening as she registers the taste. "This is quite good. I find myself grateful to the rain and wind that blew you into my tent."

[Yasuki Tomonaga]

"New beginnings, then." Tomonaga said before taking a drink, himself.

He chuckled gently at her little joke. "I'm grateful too, that it chose you, and not someone who'd get angry at the intrusion, and shove me into a puddle."

"But new beginnings." He said, nodding again. "That was a good idea. Very appropriate, what with the Unicorn returning, and the miai and everything. Ummm... how are you finding things, so far?" He wanted to ask any luck, but one often took care around a Lion, especially one with a lion.

[Matsu Kogo]

"New beginnings, then." Tomonaga said before taking a drink, himself.

He chuckled gently at her little joke. "I'm grateful too, that it chose you, and not someone who'd get angry at the intrusion, and shove me into a puddle."

"But new beginnings." He said, nodding again. "That was a good idea. Very appropriate, what with the Unicorn returning, and the miai and everything. Ummm... how are you finding things, so far?" He wanted to ask any luck, but one often took care around a Lion, especially one with a lion.

She smiles at his humor. "A puddle is a distinctly unpleasant thing on a day such as this. But I was bored, with the cancellation of the music concert and pondering whether it was worth venturing out for some entertainment." She nods at his approval of her toast. "I find this miai...pleasant. The daily challenges are interesting, if not to my strengths and the Unicorn clan are interesting and unique. I am intrigued to see what their return will herald in Rokugan."

[Yasuki Tomonaga]

"Pleasant. Yeah." He nodded agreement. "That's how I'd describe it, too. The Unicorn have been impressing me as hosts."

He sighed thoughtfully as she continued. "Now there's an interesting question. I could only guess..." He declined to, instead focusing on a different part of what she said. "But yeah, interesting and unique. I've seen a great deal of variation, between the different families, and even within the families."

He took a thoughtful sip of his sake. "It took me a while, but I think that, as a whole, I might say that they tend to be... genuine? If that's the right word. They can be polite, certainly, but they tend to say what they mean." He shrugged, not quite certain.