[Day 1, Late Morning] Good Enough to Eat (Open)

[Bayushi Choudai]

Choudai hit the flower garden with motives that would have had many of the ikebana purists throwing up their hands in horror.

With a small list in one hand, he went about the garden, not taking anything today, simply having a look around.

Daylilies, yes, good, plenty of those...
Jasmine, oh, good, good...
Marigolds, forget-me-nots, good, good..

And of course, roses.

[Saibankan]

Choudai hit the flower garden with motives that would have had many of the ikebana purists throwing up their hands in horror.

With a small list in one hand, he went about the garden, not taking anything today, simply having a look around.

Daylilies, yes, good, plenty of those...
Jasmine, oh, good, good...
Marigolds, forget-me-nots, good, good..

And of course, roses.

As he stood mentally cooking the garden, Choudai could hear the distinctive sound of a blade slice-slice-slicing away...and it wasn't coming from the cutting board in his head.

[Bayushi Choudai]

He cocked his head to the side, trying to home in on it.

Someone making some cuttings?

Choudai proceeded toward the sound.

[Busubi]

He cocked his head to the side, trying to home in on it.

Someone making some cuttings?

Choudai proceeded toward the sound.

Either the Crane were growing particularly large and unsightly weeds in the form of a monk......or more likely there was a tall and unsightly monk tending to a flower bed nearby, a small hand sickle removing weeds with a suprisingly swift hand.

Slice slice slice.

[Bayushi Choudai]

What in Bayushi's balls is up with all of these monks in this town?

Choudai drifted closer, while adopting the aimless stroll he'd mastered during his time as Yasuki Kanbei. The friendly smile was pure Choudai, however.

As was the way he casually browsed the flowers- and looked around to see if anyone else was present.

[Busubi]

What in Bayushi's balls is up with all of these monks in this town?

Choudai drifted closer, while adopting the aimless stroll he'd mastered during his time as Yasuki Kanbei. The friendly smile was pure Choudai, however.

As was the way he casually browsed the flowers- and looked around to see if anyone else was present.

Choudai acted casual...and the monk continued his labors....at least when Choudai had his eyes on him.

And Choudai could hear the blade working while he looked about confirming that there was no one else about at the moment.

And yet....though he heard the blade, when his eyes were off the monk, he could swear that he felt the eyes of the monk drilling into him.

But when he oh so casually looked back, the monk's eyes were firmly fixed upon the roots of the flowers, as if having taken no notice whatsoever of the Scorpion.

Slice slice slice.

[Bayushi Choudai]

Choudai acted casual...and the monk continued his labors....at least when Choudai had his eyes on him.

And Choudai could hear the blade working while he looked about confirming that there was no one else about at the moment.

And yet....though he heard the blade, when his eyes were off the monk, he could swear that he felt the eyes of the monk drilling into him.

But when he oh so casually looked back, the monk's eyes were firmly fixed upon the roots of the flowers, as if having taken no notice whatsoever of the Scorpion.

Slice slice slice.

So it's like that, is it?

Choudai wandered closer, still smiling affably.

"Pardon me, monk-san, I am a stranger here... I cannot help noting your diligent labor. Might you have found any kogomi in the course of your day?"

[Busubi]

Choudai acted casual...and the monk continued his labors....at least when Choudai had his eyes on him.

And Choudai could hear the blade working while he looked about confirming that there was no one else about at the moment.

And yet....though he heard the blade, when his eyes were off the monk, he could swear that he felt the eyes of the monk drilling into him.

But when he oh so casually looked back, the monk's eyes were firmly fixed upon the roots of the flowers, as if having taken no notice whatsoever of the Scorpion.

Slice slice slice.

So it's like that, is it?

Choudai wandered closer, still smiling affably.

"Pardon me, monk-san, I am a stranger here... I cannot help noting your diligent labor. Might you have found any kogomi in the course of your day?"

Slice.

The monk stands up, before bowing deeply to the samurai.

"Ah, a stranger? Looking for Kogomi? Ah no, that is not correct. Not correct at all. You are....Bayushi-sama....at least today. And what you seek is not growing beneath the shady branches deep within the woods."

He smiles back at the Scorpion. Affable is the wrong word for it. It's a wide smile, one that would make an excellent Scorpion mempo....were it not his actual mouth.

There were two other odd things the Scorpion noticed: there were no clippings by the monk, nor was there any sign of wear upon the blade of his sickle. Not even a little smudge of green.

"Bayushi-sama was also not looking for Busubi the groundskeeper, yet that is whom he has found."

[Bayushi Choudai]

"Ah, a stranger? Looking for Kogomi? Ah no, that is not correct. Not correct at all. You are....Bayushi-sama....at least today. And what you seek is not growing beneath the shady branches deep within the woods."

He smiles back at the Scorpion. Affable is the wrong word for it. It's a wide smile, one that would make an excellent Scorpion mempo....were it not his actual mouth.

There were two other odd things the Scorpion noticed: there were no clippings by the monk, nor was there any sign of wear upon the blade of his sickle. Not even a little smudge of green.

"Bayushi-sama was also not looking for Busubi the groundskeeper, yet that is whom he has found."

Fucking monks. Or whatever he really is.

"Ah, so nice to be properly introduced. Tell me then, Busubi the groundskeeper, if I seek neither edible ferns nor a groundskeeper... what was I after?"

He kept the tone light, but didn't bother playing dumb for the time being.

[Busubi]

"Ah, so nice to be properly introduced. Tell me then, Busubi the groundskeeper, if I seek neither edible ferns nor a groundskeeper... what was I after?"

He kept the tone light, but didn't bother playing dumb for the time being.

Busubi continued to grin broadly and maintain eye contact with the Scorpion.

"Lettuce. You are, after all, a tortoise. Waking up each doy, carrying your burden that is also your shelter upon your back, slowly plodding towards that sweet substance that you so crave, only to watch the red-eyed, black-furred rabbit leap effortlessly before you; The hare gobbling it all up, just as you were so close. And yet every day, you get back up and keep plodding towards the next field, the weight upon your back just a bit heavier than it was yesterday."

Busubi tilted his head, the smile looking even more disturbing at that lopsided angle.

"Do you think you'll ever get it?"

[Bayushi Choudai]

Busubi continued to grin broadly and maintain eye contact with the Scorpion.

"Lettuce. You are, after all, a tortoise. Waking up each doy, carrying your burden that is also your shelter upon your back, slowly plodding towards that sweet substance that you so crave, only to watch the red-eyed, black-furred rabbit leap effortlessly before you; The hare gobbling it all up, just as you were so close. And yet every day, you get back up and keep plodding towards the next field, the weight upon your back just a bit heavier than it was yesterday."

Busubi tilted his head, the smile looking even more disturbing at that lopsided angle.

"Do you think you'll ever get it?"

"My, my, you credit me with such hope and such diligence, Busubi the groundskeeper. But then, we've only just met, so I suppose you can't be expected to know me any better."

[Busubi]

"My, my, you credit me with such hope and such diligence, Busubi the groundskeeper. But then, we've only just met, so I suppose you can't be expected to know me any better."

Busubi bobbed his head.

"Too true, too true. We've only just met and I cannot be expected to know you any better than you know the back of your neck." he offered, before laughing hollowly.

"Of course, I've seen the back of your neck, Bayushi-san. Have you?"

[Bayushi Choudai]

Busubi bobbed his head.

"Too true, too true. We've only just met and I cannot be expected to know you any better than you know the back of your neck." he offered, before laughing hollowly.

"Of course, I've seen the back of your neck, Bayushi-san. Have you?"

"Ah, and here I thought wearing my hair long would preserve that sad little secret from a casual observer."

He smiled, a bit like the smile his first mask had worn.

"How silly of me."

[Busubi]

"Ah, and here I thought wearing my hair long would preserve that sad little secret from a casual observer."

He smiled, a bit like the smile his first mask had worn.

"How silly of me."

Busubi laughs hollowly.

"Ah too true too true, Bayushi-sama. How generous of you to proclaim me a professional observer. I do what can, but it's your smile that makes all the effort worth it." he said.

[Bayushi Choudai]

Busubi laughs hollowly.

"Ah too true too true, Bayushi-sama. How generous of you to proclaim me a professional observer. I do what can, but it's your smile that makes all the effort worth it." he said.

"And I have so much to smile about, don't I, Busubi the groundskeeper? But forgive me, I have interrupted your agricultural duties. These grounds hardly keep themselves, after all."

[Busubi]

"And I have so much to smile about, don't I, Busubi the groundskeeper? But forgive me, I have interrupted your agricultural duties. These grounds hardly keep themselves, after all."

Busubi bowed.

"Of course, Bayushi-sama. May your lettuce be just beyond the rainbow." he offered.

[Bayushi Choudai]

Busubi bowed.

"Of course, Bayushi-sama. May your lettuce be just beyond the rainbow." he offered.

"My, you have it in for the tortoise, don't you, Busubi the groundskeeper?"

Choudai kept his smile in place as he returned the bow.

"Carry the Fortunes."

He turned to go.

[Saibankan]

And off he went.

Choudai heard the sound of slice slice slicing grow fainter as he left, but it wouldn't be until he was well out of sight that he was free of the feeling of being watched intently.

[Bayushi Choudai]

[/Scene. 'cause no way is my boy going to hang around to have a soliloquy about that experience! ]