Stephen
Once more, Miho touched her omamori, thinking a prayer to Megumi. Nothing. Usually she felt like the Fortune of Heroic Guidance was keeping an eye out over her, but today, she was really alone.

Miho s conviction of her righteousness was almost unshakable. Almost. The deep dissonance between her mother's, a practical Ikoma Bard, and her father's, a staunch Akodo bushi, teachings had caused in her an internal conflict that she would probably carry for all her life. On one hand, she had been encouraged to boast her deeds, shine like a star, and seek glory, for her reputation also brought further glory on her ancestors. On the other, she was taught that there was no greater virtue than quiet service, to desire nothing but to serve her lord and cultivate her virtue, to reap her true reward in Yomi. There was some overlap between the two ideologies, which allowed her to live contentedly most of the year, but every once and then she was struck by a crisis of conscience that cracked her usual confidence. Usually, when this happened, she wrote to Idenori, Fortunist priest and her closest friend, but today she didn't feel like waiting a week or two to ease her conscience. Which was why she was here in the gardens, waiting for Miu.

It wasn't easy to swallow her pride and show a glimpse of weakness to someone that wasn't Idenori, but this time her crisis had been particularly severe, and she couldn't afford to process it bit by bit. She was in possibly her biggest mission so far, surrounded by people that would use this weakness to tear her apart. She needed someone she could confide with while making sure word of her doubts would spread. And that left her to reach to Miu. She was a shugenja after all, and one of Bishamon's Chosen, the Lord of Strength and Glory; it wasnt Megumi, but such troubles were certainly part of His portfolio nonetheless. It was part of her duties to provide spiritual healing, and if she couldn't trust in her comrades in arms, she might as well leave put on a mask and join the Scorpion. All she could do was trusting in the Kitsu's discretion, and try to cleanse her mind from these shadows.

And so she waited. She felt slightly nervous at doing this in a public place, but it was almost night, and she felt it would be discourteous to invade the shugenja s privacy by knocking at her door, or ask her to come in her room. It was already enough to bother her before sleep.

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Brittny
So when Miu had received the request of spiritual guidance from an Ikoma Bard she had been only surprised. Not that but she had slightly chuckled on the inside as she was clearly aware on how much pride the Ikoma held like a true lion. Yet helping the Ikoma would not be an issue, after all this was what her teachings and daily job were all about. So when she had entered the garden, the place where they had arranged to meet, she revealed herself within a blink of the eye. After all a tall being much like Kitsu Miu was hard to look past. Her looks had differed from her normal display however. Both of her arms were fully bare at this point, detailed with the golden scarring which had revealed itself in the brittle moonlight. Her hair had been put up in a high pony tail as two strands besides her ears had been braided and detailed with golden beads. Her golden eyes had looked over at the Ikoma as a polite smile had followed. 

As for her clothing, she had worn a black undershirt that much looked like a high collar shirt but without sleeves. Over it she had worn a lose kimono that had been dangling over one of her shoulder as the other part had found itself somewhere halfway her body. She was wearing some sort of pants this time, a bit of a beige coloring. 

*"Ikoma-sama."* She had bowed down when she had approached close enough before taking a seat in the garden with a silent thud. 

*"What is it I can assist you with?"* Miu questioned. She was much more silent than her usual self. Perhaps because she knew she'd wake up the whole lion clan by speaking in her normal volume.
Stephen
It was kinda scary how quiet Miu could be for someone of her size. She stared at her for a second before lowering again. She would not be distracted by the Kitsu's looks, while she was performing a sacred duty.

"Kitsu-dono. I thank you for finding the time for me." She adopted the same quiet tone Miu was using, bowing deeply. If she hadn't explicitly told her, she d probably look to her as her usual self.

"I am... Troubled." An obvious statement, but it felt wrong to just jump in the topic immediately. Plus, bringing herself to speak was like pulling up a bull from a well. "My... Desires are conflicting with my dedication to Bushido. I fear that one day, soon even, they could bring me to betray the Way of the Warrior." She realised she was twisting her hands, and stopped immediately. She hated the way she appeared right now, like a student fresh out of gempukku rather than a mature woman, with years of experience under her belt.

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