Sapphire Ambassadors

Somehow Yoshino hadn't explored the maze yet. She'd seen it from afar, certainly, but she'd been somewhat kept busy with other things. Today she intended to have a wander. From the outside she could see a central structure. Getting to that would be fun.

She found the entrance. However, the hedge was much taller this close. She couldn't see the centre anymore. This meant she'd be going in blind. Yoshino had heard it was difficult to get truly lost inside, but she now hesitated; it'd be easy enough to get lost for an hour. When she was a child she'd gotten lost in one until the evening. It had gotten her scolded. She frowned at the memory. On the other hand, she was curious about it and she was no longer a child.

"Well, I have some time to spare." The Crane says to herself by the entrance. She was persuading herself really.

Soon a shadow feel over her from nearby. Hatsuki arrived under a parasol with a smile on her face. The hedge maze for her held nothing but good memories. She'd explored it pretty thoroughly by now, and it was one of the few places that at least offered visual privacy.

She bowed. "Ah, Doji-san, good afternoon. I was hoping to run into you."

Yoshino notes the umbrella first and foremost. A swift glance up confirmed there were some distant grey clouds. It would rain in a few hours. She looked back to Hatsuki and bowed while wishing she'd brought her own umbrella.

"Good afternoon Shosuro-san. You were...?" The Crane looked to Hatsuki inquisitively. Aside from the ink covering her face and hands, all of which was much worse than anything Hatsuki may have ever mistakenly done when experimenting with makeup, the Doji looked well. Not so tired or nervous. More colour in her face.

"Yes. I wanted to check up and see how you were doing after the whole... thing a few days ago," she replied with a nod before looking toward the hedge maze. "Want to walk and talk?"

"It was quite the thing, ne?" Yoshino states dryly with a hint of a smile. "Please." She moved to join Hatsuki.

"I spoke to Doji Utemaro-sama about the threat and he sent for a Phoenix shugenja, Isawa Kojiro-sama, who arrived the day before yesterday." The Crane goes on to explain. "Very talented and knowledgeable, and quick to let everyone know it. Not that his confidence is misplaced. He banished or slain the creature. I'm... not sure which. I had been instructed to keep still and have my eyes closed throughout, and to say nothing." She rolled her shoulders uncomfortably. "Less it get into me through my mouth. I also had the unique experience of being completely covered in wards, including these being written on me in special ink." Her hands were held up for Hatsuki to see. The kanji on her face were even more obvious.

"It doesn't wash off."

She lowered her hands with a slight grimace. "But it will fade in a week or so he said. I'm sure I'd know more if Isawa-sama had stayed longer than ten seconds once the spirit was gone. He just flew off in the dead of night back to town... as Isawa must do. He didn't even give me the chance to thank him." A frown follows. "I was still sat there waiting to be told it was safe to speak. Fortunately, my cousin was there to let me know it was over."

The Doji clapped her hands together twice. "May it stay that way. At least I'm safe. I was thinking of going to look for a suitable gift for Isawa-sama tomorrow... perhaps a mirror."

Clearly the Crane was unusually chatty today. She seemed in high spirits.

"It was." she led the way inside. "Ah, Isawa-san. I encountered him at the teahouse the other day... Probably after all of that business was over. I'm quite happy that it turned out well. He uh... did seem to be more wrapped up in research than necessarily in the best case scenario for people, but I can't really criticize someone for getting too absorbed in their work."

"Apparently he does divination, too."

She led them deeper into the hedge maze. It was a casual stroll, not taking any weird turns to mislead Yoshino or anything.

Yoshino covered her mouth with a sleeve giving Hatsuki a sideways glance as they walked. "If that work involved suggesting breeding someone whose bloodline seems disliked by gaki and a Yogo, to see how the curses interacted, what might you say then?" She states impassively.

The Doji followed along trustingly enough, whether Hatsuki had weird turns in mind or not. She felt quite safe of late.

"He has confidently said I'll be traveling with him to Phoenix lands and my Lord's orders will come through saying as much." Yoshino lowered her sleeve. Her lips were pressed together pensively.

"I suppose we'll see."

"That sounds like the sort of thing he would say " she agreed simply as they went, adjusting the angle of her parasol to account for how the tall walls of the hedge maze changed the shadows. "Hmm... will you let me know if that turns out to be true? I'd like to observe the accuracy of his predictions."

"I'll send you a note if you're still in town..." Yoshino agrees with a slight sigh. It was time to change topic.

"Asahina Jorujo-sama spoke highly of your art this morning." She comments positively.

"Oh, did he? How surprising. I don't think we've met, I shall have to thank him. What did he say?"

"That your work is very dynamic. He actually suggested I speak to you about making this... ink... less..." Words failed her. Less unflattering? Less 'hey, this lady is unhinged'? Less 'why is that scribbling child in an adult's body'? She placed her hands together at her waist as she walked. "You're incredibly good with makeup."

Smooth recovery...?

Not really.

She glanced at the ink. "Less obvious? More like something pretty and deliberate? Either is a possibility."

"Less ridiculous would be a start." Yoshino comments sardonically. Then, strangely, she shakes her head.

"If you are willing, then perhaps tomorrow... only if you have a little time?"

"Of course. I'd be happy to send you off with what you need to replicate it, too."

"That would be asking too much." She lifted her hands in protest. "They will fade in a week."

She waved off the protest. "That doesn't mean the pigments are no longer useful. And I can make more."

"True, but you have already been very kind." She hesitated before asking something. "Is there something I can give you?"

"... I appreciate that you see me that way," she replied after a moment, smiling. "I'm not really sure. I'm sure it will all even out eventually."

"I always liked to opportunity to make people feel beautiful."

Would she feel beautiful? In her mind she could create a somewhat beautiful painting, but she didn't see herself that way. "Aside from art I can copy texts well or do dictation." She smiled shyly. "Like your story from yesterday."

"Hmm... Well, I was planning on putting together a treatise on my art since it's so new. Maybe you'd be willing to help me with that at some point," she offered with a smile. "Oh god, the story. That was a fun event, Doji-san. I hope you enjoyed it... or at least were entertained. Enjoyed might be the wrong word."