Ambushed! (D10 LA)

[Doji Yoshino]

Yoshino was heading back to the inn after a lively morning. She'd popped into town to visit a few shops. Even picked up a few sweets as a treat.

The day was going well.

This thought occurred to her as the inn came into view one street over. The next idea that popped in her head was that the day was going too well. Perhaps she jinxed herself?

[Heiribeiri]

Yoshino was heading back to the inn after a lively morning. She'd popped into town to visit a few shops. Even picked up a few sweets as a treat.

The day was going well.

This thought occurred to her as the inn came into view one street over. The next idea that popped in her head was that the day was going too well. Perhaps she jinxed herself?

Perhaps it was, perhaps she did.

"Doji Yoshino-sama! Doji Yoshino-sama!" came the voice of the innkeeper as he ran towards her.

He stopped short, falling into a deep bow.

"Ah, thank the Fortunes, I thought you might have already left." he gasps,

He preferred a letter bearing the seal of her lord.

"This msessage arrived for you while you were out." he managed to get out.

[Doji Nadeshiko]

Nadeshiko, who's been futzing about with her own delivery (she has a giant bag of... something in her arms, and a letter, both of which she's trying not to drop as she reads), notices the fuss with Yoshino and looks up. "Oh..." She'll quietly wait for the innkeeper to leave before approaching.

[Doji Yoshino]

The innkeeper was polite. The level of alarm was noted. It made her a bit anxious.

She turned to the man and smiled. "Tomorrow innkeeper-san. I'll be staying one more day."

Her expression turns to surprise for a moment as the letter is presented. "Thank you. I'll read it now."

[Saibankan]

The innkeeper was polite. The level of alarm was note. It made her a bit anxious.

She turned to the man and smiled. "Tomorrow innkeeper-san. I'll be staying one more day."

Her expression turns to surprise for a moment as the letter is presented. "Thank you. I'll read it now."

The letter was a fairly simple affair. A set of orders from her lord telling her she would be escorting one Iksawa Kojiro to the Fukanou Research Institute in the lands of the Phoenix. Upon arriving at the institute, she would report to the Director of the Institute for new duties as a guest researcher. The orders had her lord's chop upon them. There was also a set of travelling papers for Phoenix lands, properly affixed with an emerald magistrate's seal. The travelling papers were in order, though they were a bit general. They listed the Fukanou Institute as Yoshino's destination, and granted her permission to travel through Phoenix territory to arrive there, but did not dictate which roads she must take to get there.

[Doji Yoshino]

After scanning the letter twice, confirming the contents, Yoshino folded it up and sighed gloomily. As predicted. There were, at least, some grounds for mischief.

Her mind turned to the nearest port. It was then she spotted Nadeshiko. She curiously lifts a hand in greeting before heading toward her.

[Doji Nadeshiko]

It was then she spotted Nadeshiko. She curiously lifts a hand in greeting before heading toward her.

Nadeshiko waves back, almost tipping over the sack she's carrying before asking -- "How does the afternoon find you, Yoshino-san?"

[Doji Yoshino]

Bows of greeting follow before she answers tight-lipped. "So-so. I shouldn't complain. And you, Nadeshiko-san?"

[Doji Nadeshiko]

Bows of greeting follow before she answers tight-lipped. "So-so. I shouldn't complain. And you, Nadeshiko-san?"

Her fellow Crane does her best to give Yoshino a bow without dropping things... it does not go well. Nadeshiko squeaks as she grabs a little pouch of spices mid-fall. "Good!" She seems a little stressed out from managing the parcel, though. "...you've not been, ah, bothered, have you?" Hopefully Chicken-sama wouldn't burst in anytime soon...

[Doji Yoshino]

"No... actually. I expected there would be a sudden surprise today, but so far... nothing." Yoshino says cautiously as she eyes their surroundings. Particularly the sky.

"Isawa-sama seemed intent on journeying with me and said he'd meet me today, but perhaps something came up. No doubt he is a busy man." She manages to say with a straight face.

She gestured to Nadeshiko's full hands. "Can I help you carry things anywhere?"

[Doji Nadeshiko]

"Can I help you carry things anywhere?"

"I -- I would greatly appreciate that, thank you, Yoshino-san." A bit of tension releases from Nadeshiko's shoulders as she carefully lowers the parcel so a few bags can be taken from it. The closer Yoshino gets, the more she can smell -- they're all spices. "...do you need someone to keep you company while you wait?" She asks gently, a little worried for the girl now.