(D11, EM, Taraka's apartment) The Morning After

[Yasuki Taraka]

"It's Mo...Moto Shiwahime," she manages to stammer out, grief already welling up in her voice.

"She's...she's dead."

Taraka couldn't help but think of the previous evening, with her putting the Moto firmly in her kill category, while the Miya thought she was romance material. Dying the day before Bon Festival, who does that?

"I....see." she said turning away from the Miya. She did not need an audience for her grieving.

She moved to switch on the informator to help conceal the Miya's grief.

SHINE!


"....did they say how it happened?" she said, watching the toothpaste commercial as if it were the most interesting thing in the world.

[Miya Kisha]

Kisha takes a moment to respond, her efforts to compose herself almost audible.

"Only that something happened at a place called 'the Temple of Light,'" she says. "I...I haven't been there. Do you know about it, Taraka-san?"

[Yasuki Taraka]

Kisha takes a moment to respond, her efforts to compose herself almost audible.

"Only that something happened at a place called 'the Temple of Light,'" she says. "I...I haven't been there. Do you know about it, Taraka-san?"

KISADA CRUNCH! PART OF A BALANCED BREAKFAST!

Taraka shakes her head slightly.

"I've heard rumors about it. It's some weirdo gaijin religion thing some of the heimin have picked up. Temple of Light, what a joke of a name. It's a old converted warehouse outside of Tenjin town. The Kuni have assured us they're harmless, just weird, but honestly a cult is a cult regardless of whose names are on their tongues. Maybe with Moto-san's passing, they'll finally root them out." she said.

Let the Miya do grief, Taraka found anger much more motivating.

[Miya Kisha]

"I'll..."

The Miya is, in fact, doing grief.

She takes a deep, shuddering breath, looks upward and blinks rapidly.

"Well," she says. "I guess that's what there is to say about it, then."

The shisha draws another deep breath. "I guess I should finish eating," she says. "You're right, Taraka-san. I'll need strength today."

[Yasuki Taraka]

"I'll..."

The Miya is, in fact, doing grief.

She takes a deep, shuddering breath, looks upward and blinks rapidly.

"Well," she says. "I guess that's what there is to say about it, then."

The shisha draws another deep breath. "I guess I should finish eating," she says. "You're right, Taraka-san. I'll need strength today."

Next up on Jade Chef. The mystery ingredient is a rock! How will our competitors handle this stone soup challenge?

Taraka nodded.

"If you want some heartier fare, I'd be happy to take you some place else, Kisha-san." she offered. The Miya was pulling herself together nicely, but it still felt right to offer some extra company should she want it.

[Miya Kisha]

Kisha shakes her head a little.

"I may later," she says. "But I've run...run into the problem of eating too much too quickly after a night out."

Something like a smile touches her face. "I'm not big enough to hold all that much at a time, you know."

She sighs and drinks of her tea.

"Thank you though, very much."

[Yasuki Taraka]

Kisha shakes her head a little.

"I may later," she says. "But I've run...run into the problem of eating too much too quickly after a night out."

Something like a smile touches her face. "I'm not big enough to hold all that much at a time, you know."

She sighs and drinks of her tea.

"Thank you though, very much."

Taraka nods.

"Always happy to help a friend, Kisha-san, and once the negotiations are over, who knows when I'll get a chance again?" she offered.

She smiled a bit.

"But I'll be sure to watch your streams, whenever available. They may not hold a candle to the real thing, but we'll make do in a pinch, yeah?"

[Miya Kisha]

Kisha manages a chuckle.

"You'll be pleased, then, when I get the longer piece on the battle carps compiled," she says. "I've gotten a lot of footage for it, so editing will take a little while...but it'll get done, and I'll get it posted.

"You'll like it, I think."

[Yasuki Taraka]

Taraka smiled.

"From what I've seen, you have a way of bringing out the best in your subjects, Miya-san. I've no worries it will be fantastic." she offered.

[Miya Kisha]

"I'll do what I can," Kisha replies. "I'll admit that it might take a little bit."

She sighs.

"I still haven't received my next assignment, or the choices for it," she continues. "Some will offer more time for editing than others."

[Yasuki Taraka]

Taraka tilted her head a bit.

"So you might be lingering around Nakahama for a few more days while you await your next one?" she asked.

[Miya Kisha]

"Tomorrow, at least," Kisha replies. "Probably at least a day after, maybe more than that. There will be some work I have to do for the Family, rather than on my projects."

She sighs.

"I will miss it here, though. It really is a good place."

[Yasuki Taraka]

"Tomorrow, at least," Kisha replies. "Probably at least a day after, maybe more than that. There will be some work I have to do for the Family, rather than on my projects."

She sighs.

"I will miss it here, though. It really is a good place."

Taraka shrugs.

"Who knows? Maybe your family will find a suitable suitor for you on Green Carp, and you could return often." she suggested. "We can't know the future, so try to enjoy what remaining time you have left here, Kisha-san, rather than thinking about it coming to an end."

[Miya Kisha]

"It's possible," Kisha says. "But it's hard to think about it right now, you know. This is... it's the first time I've lost a friend like this."

She falls quiet, manages not to weep, though a tear traces down her cheek.

[Yasuki Taraka]

"It's possible," Kisha says. "But it's hard to think about it right now, you know. This is... it's the first time I've lost a friend like this."

She falls quiet, manages not to weep, though a tear traces down her cheek.

"Ah." replies Taraka.

She looks to the side.

"My apologies. The first IS always the hardest...it's just the first is usually much earlier for most Crabs. Not that it's unexpected for you. The imperial families are....a bit removed from such happenings. Your worlds fully pacified, and none to wage war upon." she offered.

She looked back over at the informator to see if maybe it magically had the answers the Miya needed. But it was just playing a rerun of The Kuni Gurifsu Show, where folksy small town magistrate Kuni Gurifisu dealt with various small town dilemmas. It'd been in syndication forever, so it wasn't surprising to see it on so early this morning. The whistling theme song was just as catchy as ever.

"If...there were words I could say to take away your pain, Kisha-san, I would say them. It is the cost of allowing oneself to become close to another. But the cost of solitude is even higher. The pain will fade, the wounds upon the heart will scar, but it takes time."

[Miya Kisha]

wisdom

"I...I appreciate it, Taraka-san," Kisha replies. "And even with my wind tunnel blowing, I know you're right. I know I'll go on until I can't. I don't have any other choice, really."

She breathes deeply, sighs heavily. "I know I'll be okay. I'm just not there yet."

The Miya, where she sits, bows her head to the Yasuki. "And I really do thank you. You're a good friend."

[Yasuki Taraka]

wisdom

"I...I appreciate it, Taraka-san," Kisha replies. "And even with my wind tunnel blowing, I know you're right. I know I'll go on until I can't. I don't have any other choice, really."

She breathes deeply, sighs heavily. "I know I'll be okay. I'm just not there yet."

The Miya, where she sits, bows her head to the Yasuki. "And I really do thank you. You're a good friend."

Taraka returned the bow and offered a small smile.

"As long as you keep moving forward, that's all the matters. Step by step, day by day. And as a friend, I am willing to support you a long the way. I"m sure you'll do the same for me without even asking." she offered.

[Miya Kisha]

Taraka returned the bow and offered a small smile.

"As long as you keep moving forward, that's all the matters. Step by step, day by day. And as a friend, I am willing to support you a long the way. I"m sure you'll do the same for me without even asking." she offered.

"I couldn't do anything else," Kisha replies, and she tries to echo the smile.

For a moment. Then her stomach rumbles audibly, and she still has the grace to redden.

"Sorry," she says. "I suppose I should eat."

[Yasuki Taraka]

Taraka nods.

"Take your time, Miya-san. And if it's not to your liking, let me know." she offered.

[Miya Kisha]

"Oh, no, it's quite good," Kisha says after a few bites. "And very much appreciated."

She sips at her tea.

"Very much so."