Day 9 MA- Restitution, more than one way (Closed)

[Bayushi Hinata]

The Scorpion's only known Bushi had been out and about most of the day, following behind his charge's footsteps. Busy hours gathering more alliances and making sure the target painted on her back wasn't all too visible. It had been the first day he had worn the mask without removing it, all tied together by the formal outfit he had been wearing all day. A stern, glaring expression to give the world as he took one last opportunity to do something for himself before he was thrown into the thick of it once more. A brief stop by Yuta Records yielded his desired purchase, one of the first albums by The Heavenly 7, a gift, an opening for his clan, and perhaps for the woman he was looking to meet.

*Ringtone!* "Yasuki-Sama! I know it might be a little late, I was hoping to deliver the gift we had spoken about? I'll be at the boardwalk, next to Crabkkaku, it's looking a little packed at this hour so I guess this may need to be a brief delivery."

He hit send on his communicator, leaning against the wall by the boardwalk. He was luckily still in time to rest before the Arcades, 'I should help Sumi get tickets for her prizes...' He thinks to himself. He finally dislodges the mask from his visage, pushing it to the side. The warm smile he usually wears gone as he takes a deep breath and runs his fingers through his hair to put it back in order.

In due time he let's out a soft chuckle, a friendly smile playing across his features once more. Staring down at the album and the letter he has been asked to deliver in turn he runs his thumb over the cover.

"I guess it's showtime"

[Yasuki Umiko]

And Umiko would make her appearance, dressed rather warmly in a fashion that would be only possible with the help of a temperator device. She had a length morning of meetings and planning for the upcoming Bon Festival. While she hoped the volunteers were hold the banner over such matters, it seemed there were a matter of licenses and permission to go through.

She was glad to be doing something instead. Finally, something relaxing and fun, right?

"Bayushi-san, good afternoon," she would call out before walking over to where he was, presenting a quick bow with a tired smile.

[Bayushi Hinata]

The Scorpions returns the bow with a smile of his own. Warm and welcoming as all Scorpion are.

"Yasuki-sama! I hope I didn't catch you at a busy hour." His posture was relaxed, casual even, one hand was holding the album while the other remained in his pocket.

"I don't see your escort yet... They must be very discreet!" With that affirmation he leans forward and extends the gift with both hands. Giving her. A curt bow of his head before flashing a smile.

He hands over the album, yet as she takes it into her hands she notices an envelope, addressed to her personally. No signature, only her name.

The young man's voice is low enough for only Umiko to hear, his mouth doesn't seem to move. "Must be from a secret admirer. You should open it, maybe I can send a message back?"

[Yasuki Umiko]

Umiko smiled sheepishly at the mention of the escort and gave a glance behind her with an anxious laugh. "I told her to take a small walk away for a moment, but they are around."

She blinked at the presented gift and would likely go through the quick rounds of exchange, believing that Hinata seemed a bit old-fashioned in stressing presenting a gift to her for something she considered to be a small gesture on her part. He did mention that it meant the world to his sister and himself, so perhaps it was greater than she thought?

"Oh...so you did manage to find a copy? You really didn't have to, Bayushi-san," she smiled softly as she opened the said envelope...

[Kuni Sumie]

"UGH! Mega-lame! What are you doing, Hinata?!" called out a voice from the Harbourfront crowd as Sumie stormed into the scene.

She would walk over to where the Scorpion bushi and try to take hold of his forearm, only to drag him off from this mega lame scene. Ugh, a mainstream ex-Idol, ex-actress? Even someone like him could be doing better than spending him with her! She probably plays 4th edition too, the worst! Bet her character wears a sexy school uniform. Lame! Played out!

"Come'on, you and I, let's go!" She called out to him, like she knew him.

"I'm rescuing you," she would half-whisper to him. "Consider this a Mysterious Stranger merit proc."

[Bayushi Hinata]

The Bushi smiles all the while they go through the motions. Three offers, three refusals, prim and proper, formal and old fashioned.

It all flies out the window the moment Sumie bursts into the scene.he puts on a wry smile at the Kuni as she brazenly takes hold of his arm. Not even Senshuken had dared to do something like that in public! He is frozen in shock as she drags him away with little resistance, not that the young man had enough muscle on his bones to stop the shugenja.

"Ah- K- Kuni-sama- is it Sama? I was... I really need-" he looks over his shoulder at Umiko, completely perplexed. 'There goes the plan...'

He allowed the woman to take him away and around a corner before actually putting up resistance. He put his hand on hers over his forearm and leveraged his weight to bring them to a stop. "Ehem-! Kuni-san! First off, Bayushi Hinata! Pleasure to make your acquaintance, I remember you from the Edge of Darkness bid event, you did a great job as the rebel leader!" He says politely, sweetly, voice dripping with honey as he pulls together every ounce of courtly training he has. "While I appreciate the intentions I really should get back to Umiko-sama, I think I delivered a letter to her by mistake, I should probably get it back before she reads it on accident."

[Bayushi Hinata]

In the meantime, if Umiko feels so inclined to do so. The letter unfolds into the following message.

To Yasuki Umiko
Karo of Nakahama Province

We extend to you the formal courtesies of your station. The tone that follows however, is entirely of your making.

For generations Chugo has bound Crab and Scorpion alike. A shared understanding that duty is the spine of the Empire and loyalty its breath. It is upon this foundation that our alliance has endured, flourished and carried both our clans through storms of politics and war. Yet duty without loyalty is but ceremony and loyalty without integrity is only shadow. One cannot claim steadfastness to allies when one’s devotion to family, tradition and the Imperial law is allowed to fray.

And yet here we stand.

Your recent activities suggest a flexible understanding of both duty and loyalty. We assure you we are not confused. Merely disappointed.

Since subtlety has proven ineffective, please, let us be uncomfortably direct.

We know.
We know about the rumors.
We know about the automated systems.
We know about the hardware acquisition.
We know about the suspiciously enthusiastic security measures around the temple.

And we know exactly how this will look once the rest of the Empire knows, too.

Now, a question, purely rhetorical, of course. Are you a woman prepared to eliminate her own twin or a bored Yasuki child who found a box of matches and thought "What’s the worst that could happen?"

Because, Umiko-san, the adults are in the room now and the house is already smelling of smoke.

Nakahama’s network of partners dislikes instability almost as much as it dislikes scandal. A governor whose ascend is clouded by whispers of treachery, illegal actions and familial danger will find doors closing with impressive synchrony. And every clan champion in Rokugan appreciates one thing above all else. Not being publicly embarrassed.

What a sister would feel? That is for you and your mirror to contemplate late at night. What the Empire will feel is predictable, swift and unfortunately not subjected to your preferences.

We trust you now understand the situation.
There is no negotiation.
There is no alternative route.
There is no third option hiding under the tatami.

Cooperate and we will cooperate in ways that keep your future and the future of Nakahama intact, you may even salvage your relationship with your dear sister. Refuse and you may keep your pride in favour of everything else you’re about to lose. We believe the choice an obvious one.

We expect a swift response. Or we will have to assume your decision in line with your prior choices.

With all due courtesy,
The Clan of Shadows.

[Kuni Sumie]

The Bushi smiles all the while they go through the motions. Three offers, three refusals, prim and proper, formal and old fashioned.

It all flies out the window the moment Sumie bursts into the scene.he puts on a wry smile at the Kuni as she brazenly takes hold of his arm. Not even Senshuken had dared to do something like that in public! He is frozen in shock as she drags him away with little resistance, not that the young man had enough muscle on his bones to stop the shugenja.

"Ah- K- Kuni-sama- is it Sama? I was... I really need-" he looks over his shoulder at Umiko, completely perplexed. 'There goes the plan...'

He allowed the woman to take him away and around a corner before actually putting up resistance. He put his hand on hers over his forearm and leveraged his weight to bring them to a stop. "Ehem-! Kuni-san! First off, Bayushi Hinata! Pleasure to make your acquaintance, I remember you from the Edge of Darkness bid event, you did a great job as the rebel leader!" He says politely, sweetly, voice dripping with honey as he pulls together every ounce of courtly training he has. "While I appreciate the intentions I really should get back to Umiko-sama, I think I delivered a letter to her by mistake, I should probably get it back before she reads it on accident."

Sumie was sure to drag Hinata away from the vicinity of the ex-idol, ex-actress, at least away from her earshot. It was a tough task, considering that she imagined that Umiko was a massive event horizon of substance and original thought. She had just saved Hinata from being swallowed in her vortex! Thankfully, this was only possible because Sumie was not lame and had enough strength to carry Hinata on her shoulder, by her correct estimation.

"Eh, you're welcome," she said when she finally let him go. "Kuni-sama, or you can just call me 'Doctor Badass'. That's one heck of an NPC introduction, if I say so myself. Except, I'm not an NPC dork but a real person!"

She would glare and look back at Umiko, whom they 'escaped' from. "Ugh, she has such NPC energy..."

"Anyway, hello! Hey!" She said, waving her hand in front of his face to get his attention, as if he were concussed. "I obviously know your name. I called you out, from the sidelines, remember? Jeez, you're so lame that it's almost cool again. Well, just barely, don't flatter yourself."

[Yasuki Umiko]

While that was going on, Umiko would blanche at the letter that was given to her. This was not the gift she was expecting. Seeing the two bicker, she quickly made her exit through the crowds of the Harbourfront.

/exit

[Bayushi Hinata]

Hinata leans around the corner to see Umiko making her escape. There was no chance of chasing her amidst the crowds with the Kuni on his back. He lets out a heavy sigh, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Senshu's going to kill me..."

He straightens his posture. Standing over the slightly older woman with a much sterner expression, looming over her with an air of frustration. "Kuni-san. Yes, you did call me by my name, no honorific too, yet we'd never spoken before. You also dragged me off in public, into a secluded spot..." He leaned forward, pushing her back, cornering her against the wall.

"You would do well to remember my clan's reputation. If only to maintain your own... Wouldn't want people thinking you're sneaking off with some... lame... Scorpion jock." His tone again drips with honey, when did he loosen his tie and undo the first two buttons of his shirt?

(OOC Attempting Temptation (Seduction) to wrap her around Hinata's finger mayhaps?)

"You wouldn't happen to be Umiko-sama's assigned bodyguard would you? Who'd be so lame as to take such a post? You wouldn't know would you?"

[Kuni Sumie]

"Whoa!" Sumie said as she was placed against a wall, uncharacteristically asserted on. "Jock?! Let's not get carried away here. Outside of some shirtless oshidama action, sure, I don't know if you can quite pull off a supplex? You have that kind of look about you. You know, if we're being real here. Kind of that fuckboi energy."

"What? No! Ugh!" Sumie acted out a dramatic dry heave at that implication that she was Umiko's bodyguard. "Do I look like a dainty popstar backup dancer to you? If I escorted that, I'd walk her to the ocean!"

***
GM Fiat: Sure, I'll allow this roll on Day 9

[Bayushi Hinata]

"A fuckboi? Is that the impression I give off Sumie-chan?" He leans closer, she can almost feel his breath on her skin, a hand goes to trace the tattoo's on her shoulder, from the base of her neck down her arm.

"A shame. Even if she's a bit of an, NPC... Don't you think she's been acting more suspicious recently? Going with extra security, she's been jumpier too! You really don't know anything about it?" As his hand comes to brush against hers he pulls it away, taking his mask and holding it at eye level between them with a devilish smile on his face.

"Maybe I can make it worth your while..."

(temptation Seduction 33)

[Kuni Sumie]

"Uh, yeah, totally," Sumi would answer immediately regarding her impressions of him, even before he would respond with being increasingly sexy. She was more than willing to cut to the chase, bluntly so. "You know, we could just get a room, I'm not going to giggle and blush about this."

"I'm kind of too cool to be following the lifestyle of an idol. Gross. I mean, why wouldn't she be acting jumpy? She probably has a million stalkers and creepos after her. You know, 100 affairs with 100 Yasuki entertaiment corpos. Part of some polycule that has 100 couples, ugh. so totally undeserving. Plus, she probably belongs to some underground 12-Step program to link up with the dead kami of extinct worlds or something."

Okay, I'll let you cook... "Yeah, and, what do you want me to do about it?"

***
Sumie failed, just
Day 9 - Early Afternoon, Etiquette/Willpower: Void spent for +1k1 | 5k4 ⇒ 32

[Bayushi Hinata]

"Well... She may not be a member of the Edge of Darkness roleplaying society in the city. But he sister is!" He pulled back with a smug smirk on his face. "Doing her a little favour dodging a lame ass incel creepo probably would get you a favour. You've got big guns, you can probably punch a feeble basement-dweller back to the scorpion clan coup no problem neh?" He dons the mask as he rests his weight onto the wall of the alley, rain had been pouring down all morning, and he had slowly grown more and more soaked, his suit and shirt dishevelled and... oh kami it's clinging to him...

"So blunt Sumie-chan~" His voice comes charged with static and distortion. Most people would be intimidated by the tone, mechanical, artificial and still very menacing. Kuni Sumie... probably not so much. The golden eyes light up, whirring as they give the woman a look up and down. "Tell you what. You know a place nearby? We're not jumping straight in by the way, I like to take my time."

[Kuni Sumie]

The idea of helping Ayame didn't sit very well with her. "Ugh, I am absolutely not doing her sister a favour. Hello?! Remember, she killed my character?! I mean, I started it with the secret rebellion, and sure, I might have broken the rules in the past to get reported by her, but ugh, so totally her fault, and she's the bad guy in all of this! Now the game is totally going mainstream. It's like one step up from just being a sexy party game you can buy from a department store. For 8-16 players, those kinds, barely a real game!"

"A yep, there's like a hotel that charges by the hour. There's this one where it's a subway platform, and they're like one fourth of a train car next to a bedroom..." she would say at first before glaring at Hinata. "Which, I totally happen to know by complete coincidence and don't already have already rented already. You're like 5'11", right? Totally random guess."

[Bayushi Hinata]

"I thought you'd be into sexy games." He crosses his arms and tilts his head. The mask raises an eyebrow... oh it was damn good if it could mimic expressions! "Well if you're not looking to go back into the game that's your decision." He says in his unnervingly robotic tone.

"Did you rent it with someone else?" He asked, his tone almost bored amidst the static of the mask's voice filter. "Or just scouting out kinky hideouts for Lady Bearitsu?"

The bushi's posture loosened at her last inquiry. "Spot on Kuni-san. May I ask WHY my height is an important factor?" The mask's eyes narrowed visibly as water continues to run over it's surface.

"This place close? I got more work to do I can't be late. My lame-ass boss would kill me! Wanna go ent an open room while I grab some beer maybe?"

[Kuni Sumie]

"So whatever! There's more than one game with an ERP table," she scoffed at the idea of Edge of Darkness. It was perhaps more liberating that she could ditch that game completely behind her and look into far more obscure games that didn't have the backing of some large entity encompassing all of the Green Carp. Maybe a game where ERP tables were the only mechanic? Or something where you died in character creation? Better yet, a game where you had to look at 2 tables to determine damage... "Way better games you never heard of!"

"Because, I just wanted to see if you fit in this outfit...that came for free with the room," she said unconvincingly. "You're not allergic to latex, right? Anyway, enough talk, let's go..."

She snapped up his hand and began dragging him away once more...

If not stopped, Sumie will drag Hinata to fun....?

[Bayushi Hinata]

"ERP... how abundantly topical..." Did Edge of Darkness have an ERP table? It wasn'tt in the condensed ruleset they were handed the other day...

"I bet, not like I've heard of a great many that fit your vibe..." The almost walkie talkie voice replies. The mask's unsettlingly artificial eyes set on her.

"Free huh... Sure..." He knew better than to continue to entertain the delusion of the Kuni's interest. He wasn't alregic to latex... But he didn't much like the feel of it in what he could imagine would be all of his skin.

He doesn't protest. His hand follows hers with no resistance, he makes sure she lets go of him to walk besides her, each step quiet as a mouse's. As they pass a conveniently placed Fire Kami Topic he stops to look. As Sumie is distracted with the wares on the display Hinata makes his exit. Crossing the street quietly and unnoticed. Crouching behind a car just in time before Sumie turns around to look for him on the other boardwalk.

He waits an agonisingly long minute before daring to peek over the hood to check if she was still standing there. And swiftly makes his escape stopping a cab.

"Scorpion Embassy, please and thank you."

/Exit

[Boogiepop]

It looks like Sumie will just have to try harder next time!

/scene!