[D5 MM] Everything Is Terrible [Hatsuki's Room, Closed]

[Shosuro Hatsuki]

She sighed. "Could be better, but I'm trying to improve things."

[Nadeshiko is probably still able to be hit with Hatsuki's Hope Beam, since the art is still on]

[Doji Nadeshiko]

"What --" She looks between them, bewildered, though her gaze lingers on Hatsuki; under different circumstances, Nadeshiko would be drowning her in compliments. "You left so suddenly I couldn't help but worry. Ah..." The air feels heavy and she doesn't understand why. Her mind jumps to conclusions: Scorpion business? "Apologies! I did not mean to interrupt. I only wished to check on you, Hatsuki-san. It's so unlike you to suddenly leave." Or perhaps... her shoulders slump again. Perhaps she just doesn't know Hatsuki as well as she thinks.

[Shosuro Hatsuki]

"Mikan's work affected us quite heavily, I would say," she replied, looking to Choudai for confirmation that this was his perspective, as well. "Imagine, using your work to try and depress other people just out of spite. Out of failure of Duty."

She looked like she was starting to work herself up into anger. "She's a shame upon the Kakita Artisan School."

[Bayushi Choudai]

"And to lash out so publicly."

Choudai shook his head.

"I can see why the Crane were willing to marry her out. I remain somewhat mystified by why the Scorpion agreed."

[Doji Nadeshiko]

Her expression softens. "I wish I could give you answers, or stop this in some way." The woman breathes in, finding her next words ... distasteful. "I wish you hadn't had to see that foul painting. Whatever pain that woman feels, her behavior's inexcusable. It's rare a person's happy to... to marry." Oh, that felt like a knife to the heart. Her despair digs deeper even as she turns to what little comfort she can find.

"I... if you need anything, I can get it for you. For both of you."

[Bayushi Choudai]

"There may be."

Choudai cocked his head to the side.

"You are a friend, Nadeshiko-san, so I would never use it without your consent, but... the letter. It might be of some service."

[Shosuro Hatsuki]

"The letter?" She looked at Choudai questioningly.

[Doji Nadeshiko]

"You are a friend, Nadeshiko-san, so I would never use it without your consent, but... the letter. It might be of some service."

She hesitates a moment -- Nadeshiko thought she'd be dismissed -- then moves to sit with her cousin, feeling a little better simply by being closer to Hatsuki. Her pain is beat back by something stronger.

"Tell me how you will use it, and to what end; that's all I ask, Choudai-san."

[Bayushi Choudai]

She hesitates a moment -- Nadeshiko thought she'd be dismissed -- then moves to sit with her cousin, feeling a little better simply by being closer to Hatsuki. Her pain is beat back by something stronger.

"Tell me how you will use it, and to what end; that's all I ask, Choudai-san."

"I would simply ask that, should testimony be required, you have it to hand. To clarify the nature of her refusal to accept her Duty gracefully."

[Shosuro Hatsuki]

"Ah, that," she nodded in agreement. "Evidence? What's your plan that it would need testimony?"

[Bayushi Choudai]

"Merely what I said concerning Doji Utemaro-sama."

[Doji Nadeshiko]

"I would simply ask that, should testimony be required, you have it to hand. To clarify the nature of her refusal to accept her Duty gracefully."

"Evidence? What's your plan that it would need testimony?"

"Merely what I said concerning Doji Utemaro-sama."

She nods. "I can agree to that." Nadeshiko breathes a sigh of relief as she pulls back from her own duty, body relaxing. Still, there's something gnawing at her, though she can't quite put her finger on it.

[Shosuro Hatsuki]

"Mm..." She sighed. "I see. Though Even Utemaro can only do so much, not being her lord. How did this manage to get this far...?"

She notices Nadeshiko's expression. "Are you all right?"

[Doji Nadeshiko]

"Mm..." She sighed. "I see. Though Even Utemaro can only do so much, not being her lord. How did this manage to get this far...?"

She notices Nadeshiko's expression. "Are you all right?"

"I feel like... there's so much I don't know," She answers softly. "And I know there are things you cannot tell me -- and I won't ask you to. But so much of this doesn't make sense." Nadeshiko sighs. "If Kakita-san's behavior is... new, I could see how it slipped past both our Clans. Otherwise... I fear... it's intentional strife. I can't even imagine who would benefit from that." Her eyes open just enough to peer at Choudai. "...you don't... have any enemies, do you, Choudai-san?"

[Bayushi Choudai]

"I feel like... there's so much I don't know," She answers softly. "And I know there are things you cannot tell me -- and I won't ask you to. But so much of this doesn't make sense." Nadeshiko sighs. "If Kakita-san's behavior is... new, I could see how it slipped past both our Clans. Otherwise... I fear... it's intentional strife. I can't even imagine who would benefit from that." Her eyes open just enough to peer at Choudai. "...you don't... have any enemies, do you, Choudai-san?"

"None who would work this way."

He sighed.

"And by Mikan's words to me after you departed, this is a purely personal development on her part. I think that if it wasn't me, it would be someone else."

He shook his head.

"She is quite obsessed with you, Nadeshiko-san. I am merely a placeholder in her disappointment."

[Doji Nadeshiko]

"She is quite obsessed with you, Nadeshiko-san. I am merely a placeholder in her disappointment."

That makes her grimace. "I thought I'd seen her before..." She covers her face with her hands. "Then it's myself to blame for this mess."

[Shosuro Hatsuki]

That makes her grimace. "I thought I'd seen her before..." She covers her face with her hands. "Then it's myself to blame for this mess."

Hatsuki put her hands on her shoulders gently. "What do you mean?"

She looked to Choudai. "I would normally wonder if there is someone who would see the writing on the wall and put you through this, but I can't see them interfering with a Bayushi family marriage, regardless of anything else."

[Bayushi Choudai]

"You are not at fault, Nadeshiko-san. The blame lies with only one person."

At Hatsuki's words, he nodded.

"If nothing else, my mother and my siblings are not enemies to be courted lightly."

Just ask the Soshi who had crossed Shino. His plays were never performed, and his marriage had seen him joining the Sparrow.

[Doji Nadeshiko]

Hatsuki put her hands on her shoulders gently. "What do you mean?"

Her breathing grows heavier; Nadeshiko shouldn't say it. She knows she shouldn't. To put it into words acknowledges it as truth, and she's already faced despair once this morning.

"You are not at fault, Nadeshiko-san. The blame lies with only one person."

It takes time for her to speak again.

"It's -- it's nothing. I'd only seen her once, that's all."

[Bayushi Choudai]

"And you appear to have made an impression."