Deborah
Tomura was currently in the Scorpion Garden, enjoying the peace and serenity of the esteemed jewel of his clan. He laid on his side, lazily moving a toy around which the grey furball beside him energetically tried swatting at.

He was a black yukata with a crimson scorpion tail rising and curling on his back, his other free hand fanning himself with a folding fan with the mon of the Bayushi. As was his custom, he was wearing a black kitsune mask, but due the casualness of the event, wore it so to reveal his face.

He had, about yesterday, sent an invitation to a warrior who had seemed intrested in meeting his boon companion
Miriam
It was not the first time that Kiyoko had been to the Scorpion Garden, though it *Was* The first time she had actually been invited. The Kakita duelist had been unsure whether to bring a gift—but just in case, she brought a small cat's-head *Netsuke* Of cherry wood. A similar *Netsuke* Poked out of her own obi, next to her daisho. The platinum-haired samurai-ko wore a black kimono embroidered with light blue sakura blooms under a blue haori emblazoned with the Kakita mon on its left shoulder and the Crane mon on its back.

Come to think of it, she was fairly sure that she had worn this same outfit the last time she was at the Garden. Well, no matter. She doubted her host would know, and even if it did, what harm would it do?

Kiyoko wandered the paths, keeping a sharp lookout for the courtier called Tomura. As she did so, she made a point to enjoy the birdsong she could hear on the gentle breeze running through the Garden.

At length, she found the man she was looking for, lazing about as only a courtier would deign to do. Attired in black himself, she was glad for the blue haori, if only to provide a bit of contrast to their respective outfits. He seemed to be... Playing with something?

As the samurai-ko approached closer, she held in a girlish *Squeee* Of delight when she realized that the 'something' he was playing with was an adorable little feline. Kiyoko paused a few feet away and cleared her throat.

"Bayushi-san," She said by way of greeting. "I see that you remain the picture of relaxation, as always."

||
Deborah
Tomura looked up at her, looking her over as if to see if she was really there, the famed ice queen of the Crane. Rising up to bow, Tomura would deny the gift three times before accepting, as is custom, then return to sitting with his boon companion.

"Picture of relaxation..." It could be taken as an insult to some... But he decided for his mind, it's a compliment, "Well, I do hope to be able to be an island of peace, especially in the chaos of our lives." He picked up Baka and held him up to her, "Look Baka, the pretty lady wanted to meet you, isn't that nice, Kakita-san, it it my honor to introduce, Baka-sama." He seemed to lighten his mood and voice when his cat was involved.
||
Miriam
Kiyoko played along with the traditional "Offer the gift three times" Etiquette, though she couldn't help but let a *Tiny* Bit of annoyance tinge her words as she offered a second and third and fourth time.

All was forgiven as soon as Tomura held up his cat, though. 
Strangling another *Squee* In her throat (which thus made it sound unrecognizable and much more like she'd just been elbowed in the gut), she offered Baka a smile that she *Hoped* Seemed pleasant (and which was probably quite hostile-looking, in actuality). The duelist lifted up one hand to pet Baka on the head and said, "Hello, Baka-sa—"

Wait, Baka-*Sama*?

Kiyoko furrowed her brows and turned a confused look on Tomura.

"*Sama*?"

||
Deborah
Tomura couldn't help but chuckle as Kiyoko held down her elation upon seeing Baka, clearly this was woman of refined class and taste. Baka for his part, looking up at her with a delighted look in his eye, giving a soft purr as she pet him.

"Yes, Baka-sama... Although I suppose just Baka can work as well," He then handed the kitten over for Kiyoko to hold, "Baka, Kakita-san here is a Bushi of the Crane of some skill... Yes yes, mother's family," He looked at his cat as he spoke to it, then looked up and Kiyoko, now that she was holding Baka he rested his hands in his sleeves.

"So, Kakita-san, how have you been finding yourself of late?"
Miriam
*Kittykittykittykittykittykitty!* Kiyoko thought to herself, taking the kitten up in her arms and petting it, desperately trying to keep a besotted grin off of her face. The effort was only partially successful.

"Mmn?" The duelist asked, tearing her gaze away from the feline in her arms. "Oh, yes; well enough. I met one of your kin recently. She was very..."

Kiyoko searched for the word. Coquettish? Flirty? Seductive? Forward? Manami *Had* Seemed to calculate her actions toward either teasing or seducing the Crane samurai-ko, though she wasn't sure which.

"...Colorful."

||
Deborah
"Let me guess, Bayushi Kotori?" He chuckled, "She's a lively woman, and I've notice very outgoing, the kind that's easy to make friends with anyone." Baka made some content meows as he was pet by Kiyoko, looking up at her as if to say 'more please'

"Personally, things have been slow for me, but at the same time new variables have been seeming to add on, whether they will be interesting or not I can't say at the moment." He mused, moving to pet Baka gently, "Did you hear of Bayushi Yuto's win against Shinjo-san?"
||
Miriam
Kiyoko shook her head. "No, though I have met Bayushi Kotori-san. This one was... Bayushi Manami, I believe."

The Crane tried to carefully hide a doting look at the kitten as she continued to run her fingers through the feline's fur. After a moment, she glanced at Tomura, as if to invite him to elaborate on his 'new variables.'

"I cannot say that I have. Iaijutsu?" She asked in response to his question, immediately assuming it was somehow related to a contest of a sort she'd actually care about.

||
Deborah
"Bayushi Manami..." He tasted the name on his lips, then waved a hand in some dismissal.

"Yes, Bayushi Kotori is a more recent arrival, a social butterfly, wonderful to converse with and a talented musician." He smiled, chuckling, if the Crane wanted to fish him for information, she's have to do better then that.

"Yes, it was a wonderful match of skill, the duel was fierce, but Yuto came out on top... Then we were given a surprise match between Matsu Rin and Utaku Takeda, Matsu-san one the day, a very intresting style... I would not be surprised if she would become the most stored swords-woman in the city."
||
Miriam
Kiyoko's curiosity when it came to court gossip was quickly exhausted—she didn't press the point further when Tomura failed to elaborate. Instead, something else the Scorpion courtier said caught her attention.

"Oh? I have not heard of this 'Matsu Rin.' Is she also a new arrival?" She asked. Takeda had not struck her as a particularly talented swordfighter himself, so this Matsu's victory really told her nothing about the woman's skill. Nor was she entirely so sure of Tomura's ability to appraise a *Kenshi*'s skills with the blade.

The Kakita duelist reached under Baka's chin to rub the fur there with one finger. 

"But I am not surprised that Yuto was victorious in his own match. He is a skilled fighter."

||
Deborah
Baka gave a satisfied purrrrr at the rub, leaning into the duelists touch, yess, all the two legs shall pamper Baka, it is the way.

"I suppose, he is useful in a fight." Tomura offered with a shrug, *Maybe* There was a part of him that wanted to watch a classic Kakita/Matsu duel, it's like... Rokugani tradition at this point. "Matsu Rin is rather new, something of a country girl, but she is skilled, maybe enough to offer one such as your self competition."

And the pot is stirred
||
Miriam
Kiyoko arched an eyebrow at Tomura. She had been called an *Iaijutsu* Prodigy since she was a child, though she supposed that the Scorpion courtier likely had never heard anyone sing her praises. Nor were any but those already friendly with her clan—people like Chiyoko, or the Unicorn, or perhaps Akodo Akechi. Or Bayushi Yuto himself, *Maybe*.

"One should definitely be wary of country girls," She said wryly.

He was definitely trying to injure her pride by the comparison to this Matsu samurai-ko. Still, the Kakita duelist was most assuredly a *Kenjutsu* Enthusiast, and so if the opportunity presented itself, perhaps she would have to see about crossing blades with the woman.

Kiyoko turned her attention back to Baka, desperately wanting to make cooing noises at the little furball—and restraining herself. 

"Anyway," Kiyoko said, changing the subject. "I forget. How did Bayushi-san say that he came upon Baka?"

||
Deborah
Tomura nodded to her words, he was wondering if she was thinking of the challenge, or that his words were meant as insult, or is the brain empty and just trying to give Baka the adoration and head pats he so rightly deserved, the cat moving himself to nuzzle Kiyoko before staring up at her with adorable kitten eyes.

"Well, it was on the road to the city in fact I found him, it was raining and the roads where something awful with the mud," He recalled the day, "I look out of my box and see this poor kitten on the side of the road, shivering and looks to be near death, I had the escort stop and got out myself, cleaned his fur and brought him with me." He moved closer to her, giving his cat some gentle pets.

"We've been together since."
||
Miriam
"Good of you to take him in," Kiyoko said, then added dryly, "Even at the cost of getting out in the mud."

The duelist turned her attention to Baka again and stroked his fur. It *Was* Remarkably clean and smooth—more what she would have expected of an in-door cat than one that was ever left to roam on its own.

"Does Bayushi-san brush his hair regularly? It seems so soft. Or do you not let him wander much?"

||
Deborah
Tomura rolled his eyes at the mud comment, not everyone shared the constitution of a warrior.

"I wash him every night," He nodded, "Once Baka returns from a day's adventure, he comes back home, eats the food I leave out for him, then I give him a nice bath." He smiled, it was good when someone appreciated the work he put into Baka's fur.

"It's nice to have a routine."
||
Miriam
"I... See." Kiyoko glanced to Baka again, still stroking his fur. Maybe she should try brushing Rokuko-chan's fur out more often. Not that she could imagine giving a cat a bath, so maybe leave that part out of the routine—how did Tomura manage it?

"I have not known many cats to enjoy being doused in water. They bathe themselves, do they not? Or is Baka-ch—sa—..." She couldn't bring herself to call the cat 'sama,' but 'chan' seemed perhaps a bit too familiar. She decided to just leave it up in the air.

"Is he not particularly good at caring for himself?"

||
Deborah
Tomura could help but giggle as she couldn't seem to find a proper way to address Baka, ah, Crane were always fun to troll, oh hell everyone was.

"He should be good at caring for himself, considering he spends so much time wandering the city," He said with a cock of his neck, "I just enjoy grooming him, a nice and peaceful hour to spend with him after a long day, am I not allowed such simple pleasures"?

||
Miriam
Every time Kiyoko thought she understood the way samurai comported themselves, a new wrinkle was added. Trust a courtier to spend time *Bathing* A creature that rarely wanted to be wet. No bushi would have expended the effort. On the other hand, Tomura was correct: let the man enjoy his simple pleasures. She had her own, after all. They just involved wooden *Bokken* And sharpened *Katana* Rather than fur and claws.

"...The c—Baka-ch... Sa...*The cat* Will hold still for you for a full hour, Bayushi-san?" She said, a note of incredulity creeping into her voice. On that note, she started to imagine Rokuko-chan curled up on her own lap. Fluffy, soft fur, dainty whiskers... Curled up in a compact ball, sides rising and falling as she purred.

Kiyoko abruptly wiped a besotted grin off of her face.

"Ahem. I-I can imagine that to be problematic, should other duties arise."

||
Deborah
Tomura offered a giggle at that.

"Baka is a strange one, perhaps its because he was covered in mud when I found him, but the little one actual seems to enjoy baths, when I give them to him at least, maybe we can test what happens when someone use tries."

He cocked his head, a mischievous glint in his eyes

"Care to test this, Kakita-san?"
||
Miriam
The Kakita duelist arched an eyebrow.

"I am not so keen to feel a cat's claws in my hands, Bayushi-san," She said, demurring. "So unless you happen to be carrying thick gloves, I think I will simply take your word for it."

Kiyoko held Baka out for Tomura to reclaim the kitten, noting the fur that the cat had left behind on her—and which contrasted starkly with the black of her kimono.

"But now, perhaps it is best I take my leave. I would hate to overstay my welcome."

Not to mention there was another cat at home whose fur she suddenly wanted to bury her face in.

||
Deborah
Tomura bowed his head as he retook his cat, raising him to his face and giving some nuzzles, Baka meowed in joy at being reunited with Tomura.

"Leave, why you only just got here." He cocked his head, his voiced dripped with exaggerated disappointment, "I hope I have done nothing to offend you, Kakita-san, I would bow in apology if Baka where not in my arms." He gave the kitten some scritches under his chin

"It's lonely in the Palace for this poor guy, I wonder if their are any other cats in the city for him to play with?"
||