Charles
Rin stood awkwardly In the middle of the corridor before asking a guard for directions, for the third time. The embassy was still ginormous to her, and every time she thought she had the mental map of the place nailed down her head started to spin at the sheer size of the building. Finally, though, she was here, at the cost of a lot of wandering and many ashigaru annoyed. The door to Miu's room.

She had been prepared to just let the wound heal with time, as she had always done, until one of the Lions she was introducing herself to pointed out why she wouldn't just ask the shugenja to cure her, and she immediately rushed to search for her. Besides the healing, she had never seen a real shugenja before, as they were rare in the Lion and doubly so in rural areas, and wanted to see their mythical powers in person.

*Where's the gift? Ah, here...* This time she had remembered to actually bring something, unlike with Himiko: a crimson headband with a dozen different kanji emblazoned on it, all something on the lines of "Honor", "Glory", "Sacrifice" And other banal things in painfully bright characters. It wasn't exactly the most refined of gifts, but she thought it was nice, so it had to be a good gift, right?

"I'm sorry, could you announce Kitsu-sama I would like to see her? My name is Matsu Rin, recruit of the Third Company." She said to the first servant she found near the door (whether it was her real attendant or not) and waited impatiently, pulling her fingers excitedly.

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Dennis
However the attendant had no true moment of rest as the door to Miu's room slid open and two curious golden eyes peered right into Rin's. A smile grand and radiant like lady sun. Her manes were beyond crimson red and spoke on their own. She had been wearing simple clothing, a brown like shimo, some socks and a white top. It was quite revealing but what would one expect just suddenly showing up. 

It had been revealing her golden ancestry engraved into her body. A kind gesture dismissed the attendant. *"I heard my name."* The Kitsu would stretch and then bow down to the Matsu. *"It is an honor meeting you. I am Kitsu Miu. Is there anything I could help you with?"* She politely asked as curiosity clearly covered her face. 

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Charles
Rin raised her head, and raised her head, and kept raising it, until it was almost parallel to her shoulders. Despite her resolve to look composed and impenetrable like a true samurai, she couldn't help but drop her jaw as her eyes shone like stars. *She's huuuge! And her hair are so red, and I thought mine were unique-and what are those tattoos? I want them too, maybe I can ask where she got them?* She had expected a lot from the shugenja, of course, but this exceeded all her expectations. So stunned she was, that she just stood straight as Miu bowed as if she was a lord, and realised all too late her discourtesy, bowing frantically.

"A-ah, hello, Kitsu-sama, it's a honor for you- for me, as well! My name is Matsu Rin, new recruit of the Third Company, and I've been told that you could help me with this injury- if you want, if you have time, o-of course." She holds out her bandaged arm like some sort of offer.

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Dennis
Miu would stare at the arm like it had been a gift. She would squint her eyes for a second as she would chuckle for a moment. *"Looks like whoever got you, Matsu-san, got you good."* She would gently gesture for the Matsu to put her arm down. *"Come."* She would gesture the Matsu to walk into her room. Her room had been nothing but a peaceful sanctuary. Some incense here and there and a tatami mat. Other than that it was empty. She would grab two pillows and place them on the ground. 

*"Sit."* Miu would gesture the Matsu to get seated on a pillow. Then Miu would do the same. *"Can you show me your injuries?"* She would politely ask. Making sure to maintain calm as not everyone could contain themselves when there were wounds. 

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Charles
"Y-yes, Matsu Hotaru-sama is a great swordsman..." She agreed meekly as she walked into the room carefully. Its peacefulness was off-putting to her, as the bundle of energy she was, but at least there weren't many things she could accidentally knock over. 

She sat down where she Miu pointed her to, holding her arm high despite the fact it had stopped bleeding a long time ago. She was just about to heed her request, when she realised she had forgotten something. "Ah, by the way, I got you this, Kitsu-sama. Please accept it as the sign of my appreciation." She handed her the gaudy headband a bit unceremoniously, as she tried simultaneously to follow proper protocol and unroll the bandages. When she was done, the wound stood clear to Miu: a shallow, horizontal cut between her shoulder and elbow, not bleeding, but still fresh. It was clear the author of this wound had wanted to only harm her only this much and no more. "Is there something you can do for it...?"

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Dennis
*"Tell me why Hotaru-san cut you? Aren't you supposed to use bokken in simple brawls?"* Miu seemed concerned for a moment. She would glance at the gift and deny it twice before taking it. Smiling grandly at her. Even taking her time to stand and bow at her. She would accept the headband and put it in her hair. It fit perfectly somehow. *"Thank you Matsu-san."* 

The Kitsu went on and not sit down but light some incense into the room. *"Don't worry about it Matsu-san. Nothing the kami can't fix."* She would wink before this time sitting down again. She would whisper a few words, hum a melody and with that her hands started to slightly glow and illuminate the room. A smal hah! Would sound from the shugenja, not that she had been surprised, she was simply happy. *"Sit still. It might tickle a bit."* 

And with that, the power of the water kami made her perform a healing spell. She was humming all the way through. She would carefully touch the wound as a warm yet a bit stingy feeling would cover the wound area and heal it to its fullest. Leaving no scar whatsoever. 

*"Move your arm carefully please."* 

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Charles
Suddenly she realised how strange that remark must have seemed to the Kitsu, and hurried to explain: "Ah, you see, she has been mentoring me, and she wanted to teach me a lesson, so for the first lesson we used real blades- it was just for this time, though! I, think." However, she stopped speaking as the Kitsu put on the headband. She liked it? Really? That was a relief! She wasn't even sure it would fit her, she was getting good at this giftgiving thing!

She observed curiously her rituals, with the face of those unburdened by things like thoughts, and finally straightened her spine as Miu prepared to do her magic (literally). She hadn't lied, it *Did* Tickle, and she was very sensitive to tickling, but although her face reddened like a beet she squeezed her thighs and stayed still until she was done.

And then, it was over. She was slightly surprised: she had expected it to be more flashy, like flares of energy or something, but the results were undeniable. As she raised her arm, her pain was gone, her mobility had fully returned... And her scar was gone.

The large smile froze on her face, dying a little. She dropped her arm low, and avoided the Kitsu's gaze for a moment.

She didn't know how to say this without looking stupid. "I-i m sorry, Kitsu-sama, i do not mean to appear ungrateful. I can't thank you enough for your help. However... I kind of wished to keep the scar, so I could remember Matsu-sama's lessons when looking at it... I-is it possible for me to just make a little cut over my arm and then you cicatrise it just a little? If it's not possible,I understand, of course! It's just, you know... Yeah." She shifted her legs uncomfortably. Why did she talk? Couldn't she just shut up and take the gift as it came? Her and her damn obsession with theatrics. *Be honest, Rin, you just want it to look cool in front of your siblings, don't you?* But now there was nothing she could do, the cat was out of the bag. All that was possible was going through with this, like a true Matsu.

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Dennis
Miu had looked at the strange request of the Matsu. She would shake her head. *"Matsu-san. I will not harm you. After all that is not who I am."* Miu would face the Matsu as she gestured to look at her with pride. Insecurity would cost one a head in battle, even the shugenja knew. *"I will not let you harm you for the sake of a lesson. If you need violence to share knowledge then the lesson hasn't been thought well."* Miu stated before leaning back a bit. The Kitsu would reveal her arm. These were scars too. Deep scars of golden that mimicked as an tattoo.

*"A scar should tell a story instead. Since you truly gifted me a good gift I can appreciate. Let me return one for you Matsu-san."* The Kitsu would rummage through her closet only to find a small blade, one used for small things like cutting paper for Miu's instance for the Omamori. Another box would be revealed, that one remained closed. She would sit down in front of the Matsu and smiled slightly. *"May I?"* 

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Charles
Rin tried to hide the curve of her mouth as she looked at the Kitsu, her face red. But violence was the way a warrior learnt, right...? Many lessons had been literally beaten into her at the dojo, and she found the Kitsu's approach more alien than Hotaru's. 

However, she was uplifted Miu mentioned a story. There were few things she liked more than a good tale, and if it involved those golden scars, it had to be amazing! "Of course, Kitsu-sama!" She put her hands on her knees with a curious expression, already forgetting her disappointment.

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Dennis
*"Very well."* Miu stated before leaning back a bit before placing the small knife and the box down. *"You see I was raised in two ways. The way of the warrior, much like you, Bishamon if you will. Second I was raised as a shugenja. In my lifetime I was graced with the idea of combining those two forces, perhaps I'll master it when I spend more time here."* Miu would rub the back of her head before making sure the headband Rin had gifted her would sit straight on her head. 

*"Me and my friends went out. Keep in mind my friends are bishamon's chosen as well as I have lived there for as long as I can recall. My friends and I wanted to prove our strength to Bishamon. So we went to our sensei and asked for how we could prove our strength."* Miu would smirk. *"Next time I'll bring some tea."* She paused a bit. 

*"Our samurai told us that we could prove ourself by challenging a lion. Us children gullible as ever decided to believe so. Perhaps he thought the same. Resorting to violence to teach us something. So we went out to the forest. After seeking out in the places we wished to be to find our Lion, we hadn't found one. In our dissapointment we hadn't stumbled upon a mighty one. There was a reason he called for a Lion in rural lands. They were not there to be found."* Miu looked at Rin with a warm smile. 

*"On our way home we had however stumbled upon a bear. I told them not to approach it but they had not listened. After all we had to be strong, not cowardly. Perhaps you'll understand what happens to three children challenging a bear?"* Miu stated. 

*"The bear had grabbed ahold of one of my friends and she got gravely wounded. If it wasn't for me being as tall back then. She would have died. I nearly lost my arm."* Miu smiled. 

*"The two Bishamon friends did lose a leg and an arm. Never to be warriors again over a stupid challenge to show our will as warrior."* Miu stated. She would hold out her arm. Tracing a golden scribble on her arm. *"This would be their part of my lifeline. It is beautiful is it not? We remained friends by the way. We still are."* She looked at the lines. 

*"Please let me help you tell your story."* She would hold up the small box and opened it as it contained golden fragments. 

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Charles
Rin was mesmerised. Usually her attention span could have exasperated the most patient Akodo, but when it came to stories, she could sit still for hours, listening a tale she had already heard a thousand times- and this was a new, exciting one. However, as the excitement wore off she also understood the lesson behind it... This was another fear of hers, to be crippled before she even had the chance to become a real warrior, and Miu's scars made her ridiculous 
But then what was she supposed to do? She had to show her courage, right? How else people would know she was ready...

"I-it is, Kitsu-sama. Your story was beautiful as well." However, she perked up as she opened the box, leaning in to see its content. "Uh, what are these things, Kitsu-sama?"

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Dennis
*"Those are the things my scars were cherished with. You said that a scar should stand for a lesson. I found the middle ground that it should stand for a reminder, a story, something you cherish."* She would put the small knife and the box with gold down. *"If you wish I could help you make your own story. I feel truly bad for taking away your scar. But I will not hurt you on purpose. Or without purpose Matsu-san. If you truly wish your scar back, the only way I will do it is the way I've learned how."* Miu stated. She looked relaxed as she clearly did not want to push her ways onto the warrior in front of her. 


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Charles
"Eh?" She didn't really understand the last phrase. Was she going to fight her? She definitely wouldn't mind a little brawl, she was already getting itchy feet from staying still so long, but it felt like it contradicted with Miu's recent lesson. A scar had to have a good story, and this one just didn't seem good enough, granted as a wish by an ally. She wanted her first wound to be from an heroic act, felling the enemy of the Lion or protecting someone else. Like Miu.

"...I think I'm fine like this, Kitsu-sama. But thank you anyway. For the healing, and... Well, this." She bows low, touching the floor with her head.

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