Michael
*The Magistrate could not deny that the Scorpion Gardens were swiftly becoming one of her favorite places to visit. With the bathhouse and it's beautiful greenery only a short walk from her own Embassy the Dragon had found her feet leading her to slowly growing familiar paths more often then not. The location in some way making up for the more humble accommodations of her clan.*

*Dressed in a slowly growing familiar summer green yukata with a red obi, her daisho tied at her side, the Dragon Samurai followed the winding walkways on quiet feet. Allowing the laughter of children and the murmur of wildlife to settle over her like the shade of the trees she strode beneath. Only pausing in her steps when the Dragon chanced across an abandoned game of Go. The match at hand likely discarded by the two younger children who now ducked and weaved amidst the trees as the woan settled herself upon the stone bench with a smile as she inspected the pieces.*

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Cynthia
Saori usually avoided close association with her former clan. The mask was already enough to prejudice people against her, she didn't need idle speculation about her true roles and functions. As a Sister of the Sacred Light she had foresaken her clan, but as a Scion of Bayushi she could not seem to disrespect the great Kami by abandoning his mask. 

She'd come to tend to some of the smaller shrines that had been erected in the gardens. Some dismissed them as mere decorations, which only motivated the little priestess still further. She'd just come from trimming up around a lovely shrine set in the bole of a tree when she saw the children abandon their board game to go running across the meadow. She wasn't an expert, but she'd played Go as a child and she studied the board with interest, trying to divine the intent of both players. 

Glancing up she met the eyes of the Dragon who was seated across from her. "Oh! Pardon me, Dragon-sama. I had not meant to intrude. Are either of those children yours?"

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Michael
*Bright jade green eyes the shade seen rarely except amidst the Dragon regarded the Priestess with quiet interest. Their gaze turning to consider the two children as the Magistrate's gaze sharpened, but could not spot the mons of her clan's families upon either of the two young children. When each offspring was more precious then gold or jade to her clan it was unlike them to fail to properly make their claims known.*

*Turning back to the Priestess the Dragon smiled,* "Does it not take a village to raise a child?" *She inquires with a wry incline of her head as glancing over the pieces upon the board she made her first move.* "But neither child at least in the eyes of the kami is mine." *The Dragon assures her.* 

"Allow me to introduce myself. I am Magistrate Mirumoto Katsumi of the Dragon clan," *She murmurs offering the woman a polite bow.* "Would you care for a game of Go?" *Katsumi inquires gesturing to the game with a sweep of her hand.*
Cynthia
"Oh, Magistrate, forgive me," Saori said gracefully, while managing to avoid obsequiousness. I did not mean to break upon your thoughts. In truth I play a very meager game of Go, I fear I would not be of much interest to you." 

She bowed reverently. "My name is Bayushi Saori, and I am a Sister of the Sacred Light. Once I was privileged to call these gardens my home." 

Not that she'd ever visited, as a girl she hadn't had the pleasure of wandering far from her father's house. Perhaps Father had been concerned that Kaori would start a fight if she met a child of the Lion, although the more likely answer was simply that Mother was nervous about her remaining children's safety after her brother was returned to them. Father never could tell his wife anything, a fierce and proud warrior who absolutely melted when his wife slid her arm into his. 

The sight of the children playing had roused up old memories. Saori shook herself back to reality and settled down on the bench across from the Magistrate. "Hmmm... Though I must say... This is a very interesting defending position. Would you be black or white?"
Michael
"The purpose of a game is not to win, but to learn." *The Magistrate assures her with a gentle smile,* "And if you will forgive me my platitudes I believe you have much to teach Bayushi-san." *The woman carefully soothed, not wishing to dissuade her interesting company. Finding herself all the more pleased when the other woman slid into the seat across from her. The two inspecting the board lost in their own thoughts.*

"I believe I shall claim black," *Katsumi murmured curious to see how the woman would react to her choice. For amidst the children in the Dragon Lands Go had a more tongue and cheek name. There the young called it 'Crane and Scorpion.' For the movement of the pieces was not unlike the dance of black and white between the two clans.*
Cynthia
Saori had heard of this particular small cruelty, but she had never given it much thought. Children could be wicked things without any evidence of a soul or good matters, then one day transform into responsible adults. She examined the board, the pile of white pieces that already lay captured, and the woman across from her. "White will suit me. Then... I think I shall play here." 

She laid a stone with a soft click and looked back at the children. "I believe this was the taller boy's game... He seems a deliberate sort." 

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Michael
"Indeed," *The Magistrate murmured her gaze settling on the distant children with a fond leniency as she observed their antics.* "Wise of him to tire out his younger brother lest the boy get into further antics." *For with such resemblance the children could not be anything other then siblings or perhaps close cousins. The older had likely intended to teach the smaller boy patience and discipline, but still a child yet himself such goals had fallen by the wayside on such a warm and sunny day.*

"To which clan do you believe they belong?" *Katsumi inquires curious of the Priestesses observations as she considers the board before placing her own piece after some deliberation. Carefully keeping the advantage of the older boys prior strategy, but not yet pushing for the kill. Curious to see how her opponent would counter.*
Cynthia
"Hard to tell at a young age," Saori murmured. "They have not yet learned their ancestor's ways." 

Whether that was a critique or not could be left to interpretation. "They are probably not of the Unicorn or Mantis, since the former would see them astride a horse at this age and the latter would have them out rowing. And neither would encourage their young to spend time in a Scorpion garden. The Lion teach their cubs to be bold and go where they please, while the Crane seek the finer things for their children as well as themselves." 

She waved a hand about the garden. 

"My experience with your own clan is sadly lacking, I could not make a guess without betraying the most general of knowledge." She added, placing another stone. The younger boy had begun greedily, spreading himself out to create strategy by force of will. The older brother seemd to have deliberately allowed this, no doubt not wishing to crush his brother too early... But now a different hand was at work, and there was opportunity if she was only wise enough to see it. 

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Michael
"They have not, but there is always tells." *The Magistrate agrees with a small bemused smile and she listens to the Priestesses summary. She does not correct the woman nor give information in regards to the children of her own clan having already stated that the pair were not of her Embassy. In fact it was with great sadness the Mirumoto realized it was very unlikely any children of the Dragon clan yet resided within Ryoko Owari Toshi as of yet. Unless her fellows had families hidden away within the city that had yet to fall beneath her gaze. Even still such children would be carefully sequestered in the family dojo until they were a few years older yet.*

"A Scorpion, Crane, or Lion then," *Katsumi mused watching the board with a small quirk of a smile. The woman played with a cautious and observant hand much like her Kitsuki mentor from whom she had learned the game. Her pieces carefully prodding at Saori's own as she allows the children's boisterous play to wash over her.*

"The Lion Embassy is not so far from here." *She thinks aloud as she doubts the Crane were encourage to be quite so enthusiastic.*
Cynthia
"It doesn't strike me as wise to have children so close to conflict," Saori set a piece down and removed two. "This city trembles on the brink, with rival clans poised to strike the moment an opening is seen. If their clan is caught out, they would certainly suffer. I have know the Lion to be very cruel when dealing with the children of their enemies." 

She flicked her hair back from her eyes and spotted the children's nanny, a stern matronly servant who watched the two like a hawk. There was no spotting the clan sigil from here. 

"Speaking of rivalries, there is to be a great tournament hosted by the Crane," She remarked. "Do the Dragon intend to participate? I have never had the pleasure of witnessing *Niten* Unsheathed and I would be eager to attend if I knew your noble clan was participating." 

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Michael
"If the Lion waited till times of peace or chose places free of war to have their children then the entire clan would have long died out." *The Dragon muses observing Saori's move with a pleased smile despite the loss of their pieces. Their next move changing the rhythm of the game as they struck aggressively.*

"I myself will not be participating in the tournament hosted by the Crane. My skill with Niten is suited for the battlefield and I do not believe the Crane would look kindly upon me should I ruin their elegance and poise." *She murmurs with a wry shake of her head,* "But I suspect you will find at least one Niten swordsman among the competitors." 

"The Unicorn's poetry competition has however, caught my interest."
Cynthia
Time to see if she'd done a good enough job of shoring up the defenses. She countered at once, playing a trading game. "Then I shall certainly make an effort to attend. I have seen Crane swordsmen in action before, but never the famed rivals." 

There was a brief hesitation as the two boys met the larger group, but they were soon accepted and drafted to teams. It would be interesting to see how the older boy played when surrounded by peers. Would he become more aggressive in hopes of scoring accolades, or play a safe teamwork game to be accepted? 

"Do you write poetry then? That is something I have wanted to attempt for a long time. I have composed many poems during my travels, but they always flit from my head before I can set pen to paper." 

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Michael
"I fear to compare Mirumoto and Kakita is to compare a koi to a crane. Both move with elegance, but the purpose of such movements differ so greatly as to defy comparison." *The Magistrate murmured her smile fond as her gaze fell upon her own daisho where it rested at her side. Before she once more shifted the game. The woman's choice in offensive or defensive seeming to have very little rhyme or reason as she would snatch a piece here, spare a piece there. Never the same move twice.*

"The crane is swift and elegant in it's strike. It has nothing to fear for it is the master of it's domain. The koi's movements are fierce in their desperation for it's struggles are those to survive." *The Mirumoto explains their smile slow as the woman inclines her head,* "As for poetry I enjoy putting words to paper. Whether my prose are any good I cannot say as I write for the joy of it." *She admits as the woman leans back to observe the group of children with quiet curiousity.*

"But tell me Bayushi-san. Who do you believe would win in a duel between a crane and a koi?" *The Magistrate inquires, curious of the woman's answer.*
Cynthia
The scorpion considered that question. "I hesitate to answer, Mirumoto-sama, because I do not understand the anology. When does the koi ever turn to face the crane? Does it not always flee? The crane grows fat on a diet of koi, but no koi I've known has ever hunted a crane." 

She placed a cautious piece now, her play reflecting her current mental state. 

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Michael
*The Scorpions caution is wise as the Dragon springs her well hidden feint snapping up yet more pieces before returning to their more reserved defense.* "The crane kills always with the same perfect strike, but for a koi is to survive it must never use the same tactic twice." *The Magistrate explains suddenly lunging forward to grab the board lifting it in time to save the carved wood, but scattering the pieces as a cuju ball careens into the table rocking it precariously. One of the children running forward quick to bow in apology in hopes of retrieving the ball unscathed as the Dragon's laughter ran out soft and bright.*

"Ah... The best laid plans of Priestess and Magistrates..." *Katsumi muses setting the board back down gently with a bemused smile.*

"But as apology for our game cut short I will tell you this Bayushi-san. A koi of a hundred years that survives to swim upstream may yet become a dragon. Thus you may now say you know something of *Niten.*" *Or perhaps Saori was left knowing less then when they began. Katsumi could not say, but the Magistrate considered the afternoon one well spent all the same.*
Cynthia
"You have given me new wisdom to consider. I shall think on it and perhaps approach the beginnings of insight." Saori couldn't understand the riddle but some time in meditation might bring it loose. She bowed to the magistrate reverently. "Gratitude for this glimpse of Dragon wisdom. I shall cherish it." 

Rising, she stretched like a cat and glanced around the gardens. "I shall not keep your company to myself longer, Mirumoto-sama, I am sure your duties are far too important to linger too long in any place. It has been a wonderful visit. Shall I have the honor of seeing you at one of the temples in the main district soon?" 

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Michael
"And thank you Priestess Bayushi-san for your company. Your presence was a pleasure." *The Magistrate stated in turn as they rose from the bench to return the bow. Their hands carefully setting the game back to rights for the children to find once their attention returned to such things.* 

"I shall be certain to visit the temples soon that I may pray. It would not due to fail to pay my respects." *Katsumi assures the Priestess as she glances skyward gauging the time by the setting sun. It was true what they said about pleasant company as the hours had slipped between their fingers so caught up in their game.*

*Of course the evening doesn't end there. No it ends with a forgotten game of Go, some lion cubs with more bravery than sense, and a pond. But that was another story...*