[D12 LM] Shrek 2 Was Better Than The Original

[Mirumoto Jinkan]

A tall Mirumoto (as seen by his rather large Mirumoto mon displayed on his back) stood looming over a stall which supposedly sold small religious items and other curiosities. His long fingers touched a relic before he snapped away and turned his attention to another one.

Jinkan would be heard mumbling to the air as he steadfastly ignored the proprietress trying to get his attention and make him buy something instead of run his grubby hands on everything. His long hair was down today, covering his face and making it difficult to see his scars despite the light winds and abundant sun.

[Daidoji Sae]

A tall Mirumoto (as seen by his rather large Mirumoto mon displayed on his back) stood looming over a stall which supposedly sold small religious items and other curiosities. His long fingers touched a relic before he snapped away and turned his attention to another one.

Jinkan would be heard mumbling to the air as he steadfastly ignored the proprietress trying to get his attention and make him buy something instead of run his grubby hands on everything. His long hair was down today, covering his face and making it difficult to see his scars despite the light winds and abundant sun.

"Mirumoto Jinkan-san, is that you?"
Sae had returned to buy some questionably vibrant clothing when no-one would be the wiser and was carrying the robes in a large bag when she spotted the Dragon.

"Are you looking for anything in particular?" She shoots the proprietress an apologetic look.

[Mirumoto Jinkan]

"Daidoji-sama? You look much nicer in the open air, under our Lady's grace." Jinkan said rising from his bent position to bend again in bowing. He paid no mind to any interactions between the stallowner and the Daidoji, preferring instead to pick up a small cat figure and shake it like it owed him money. Being a solid bit of rock it made no sound and he put it down momentarily.

"Your betrothal is still very firm, right? Oh well, it is nice enough to see you from near and afar as I can." The Dragon spoke in a conversational tone as he took in the bag she was carrying with a raised eyebrow. "I haven't had anything catch my eye, unlike you I see."

[Daidoji Sae]

Snip

"...Yes, it's always nice to be out and about below Lady Amaterasu's grace."
Sae blinks a few times before adding "Indeed, still quite betrothed, but thank you for asking."

She colours slightly, looking down at the bag.
"Oh just a few things have caught my eye. I really only have my formal clothes and then something more utilitarian for my duties, so I have been trying to expand my wardrobe some. It seems I shall even need to think on whether my sleeping attire is suitable for battle."

She nods slightly at Jinkan.
"I saw you fought bravely that night when Tatsuya-san was attacked?"

[Mirumoto Jinkan]

Snip

"Tatsuya-san? Is that his name? Good thing I never talked to him, I thought it was Ryu-something." Jinkan said stepping away from the stall with his back to the hawker.

"I think you are braver than I, I was just trying to draw attention to the scene when I got stabbed. You on the other hand ran from really far away after seeing people get stabbed anyway. I did have to kill that guy though, something about the sight of my own blood makes me hulk out and wail on whoever was responsible." The Mirumoto shrugged as if to say 'what can you do'.

[Daidoji Sae]

Snip

"His son is the Ryu-whatever, although I understand he may have left us."

Raising a hand as if to in protest.
"Oh I did nothing, by the time I arrived the assassins had either fallen or been captured. Your steel slew one of them, you deserve more credit. Although I will do what I can to make sure you do not see your own blood again. Still, I did not know you were such a warrior? Do you find yourself serving your lord in that capacity often? Or does the mine take up most of your attention?"

[Mirumoto Jinkan]

"Being prepared to fight is almost always as important as the actual fighting." Jinkan said bending his neck to honor the Emerald Magistrate with what little he had to offer.

"Ah, no I spend most of my time keeping the mines running. Risa-sensei, Mirumoto Risa, is the sword of the Ito at the moment. She runs the patrols, acts as an investigator, and sees to the security of the mountain and the castle." Jinkan colored slightly while rubbing the back of his neck.

"She is...violent?" It sounded like a question. "Effective." Less of a question.

"But, here I am talking about other women in front of you. Let me buy you something as an apology. Do you like butterflies?" He scooted a little to another stall.

[Daidoji Sae]

Snip

"My yoriki is violent and effective, a good samurai, I am sure Risa-san is much the same."

Sae raises an eyebrow, following him to another stall.

"Butterflies? I suppose so, they're attractive, usually good-omens. What did you have in mind?" She turns back to the stall with interest."

[Mirumoto Jinkan]

"Agasha Yuna-san likes golden pins, perhaps they have a similar hairpin with a butterfly..." Jinkan said as he scanned the various wares looking for gold.

"Or perhaps a charm?" He grabbed a small gold butterfly charm from its box and held it up for her inspection. "Do you need the luck it will bring you, Daidoji-sama?"

[Daidoji Sae]

"Agasha Yuna-san likes golden pins, perhaps they have a similar hairpin with a butterfly..." Jinkan said as he scanned the various wares looking for gold.

"Or perhaps a charm?" He grabbed a small gold butterfly charm from its box and held it up for her inspection. "Do you need the luck it will bring you, Daidoji-sama?"

"Her family does administer a mine, I suppose an interest in gold would run in the family."
Sae shakes her head very slightly at the mention of a hairpin but nods at the idea of a charm.

"I could use the good fortune, Mirumoto-san. Something understated perhaps, but I would never turn down a little luck. Especially should the divinations continue to be bleak?"

She looks down at the selection, eyes resting on a small finely worked silver butterfly on a small chain.

[Mirumoto Jinkan]

The silver charm on a necklace rests for only a moment after Jinkan noticed her interest, he moved swiftly to grab it and look it over for any defects. Finding none, he waved his hand at the stall owner and let them know he was going to take this, the person paying was Mirumoto Jinkan, and they could collect their coin at the castle.

"Here, put it on Daidoji-sama. Bleak omens need a little beating by good vibes for sure." The Mirumoto turned back to her and held it out to her.

[Daidoji Sae]

Snip

"Oh" Sae hadn't expected it to just be offered so quickly, Jinkan didn't mess around. But a busy market after a purchase was a poor location for any gift ceremony.

"You're too kind, please remind me to find something equally fortuitous for you."
Sae carefully takes the charm and fits it around her neck where it fell to the base of her throat, gleaming very faintly in the morning light.

"It has a good feel to it, but I can't say how it looks.?"

[Mirumoto Jinkan]

Snip

"You would look radiant in nothing at all, Daidoji-sama." Jinkan gave her a wink that very temporarily gave his face a hint of not ugliness.

"But one thinks it brings out the color of your eyes and hair, while drawing attention to your neck." His eyes certainly lingered there for a few seconds. But he suddenly flinched out of it and muttered something that didn't sound Rokugani afterward.

[Daidoji Sae]

Snip

"Mirumoto-san has a certain talent for flirting with women capable of slaying him."
Sae raises both her eyebrows, but it's clearly more of a joke.

"I shall take those both as sincere compliments, and I thank you for being honest. Now, is there anything we can find you? Are you still writing to Bayushi-sama? She has everything she could want, but a well thought gift could lend your words some further weight."

[Mirumoto Jinkan]

"I could bring her the heads of a bunch of traitors, but I feel that would be difficult to manage with my meagre skills. And lack of access to traitors?" Jinkan ended the sentence on a question while looking around the market space with eyes narrowed.

"But yes, I have been continuing my efforts. Do you have any idea what she might like? I was considering framing someone for a crime but Togashi-ue said no. And now I am all out of ideas."

[Daidoji Sae]

Snip

"Togashi-ue is wise indeed."

Sae thinks for a moment, Kaguya liked...well actually she had no idea if the Scorpion Champion even liked all the murder or if it was just to make quota.

"It is certainly hard to uncover traitors in an organization one is not a part of. Perhaps you could find or create some literary work on the subject? Maybe about a vengeful samurai wronged by others who takes their blood revenge? That might be more Bayushi-sama's style."

[Mirumoto Jinkan]

Snip

"Togashi-ue is wise indeed."

Sae thinks for a moment, Kaguya liked...well actually she had no idea if the Scorpion Champion even liked all the murder or if it was just to make quota.

"It is certainly hard to uncover traitors in an organization one is not a part of. Perhaps you could find or create some literary work on the subject? Maybe about a vengeful samurai wronged by others who takes their blood revenge? That might be more Bayushi-sama's style."

"Togashi-ue said the Empire will need every able hand it can muster. It is hard to argue with your Champion when he is making more sense than he ever has in your entire adult life." Jinkan made a show of putting on a sad face to indicate his despair at being told no.

"I have been thinking of writing a book, but poetry is the only skill I possess. Oh, someone cut out a person's tongue and nailed it to my floor. Maybe I could use that in a book, though one is hard pressed to imagine what Bayushi-ue's inner monologue is." Jinkan rubbed an imaginary beard in thoughtful contemplation.

"Perhaps, 'look at these fools running around without understanding the nature of evil, huhuhuhuhu', or something. Do you think she is a hehehehe or huhuhu laugher?"

[Daidoji Sae]

Snip

"I am sure Togashi-ue has much wisdom to share, but doubtless some of it makes more sense at the right time and place." That being said, a plain speaking Dragon meant things had gotten rather serious indeed.

"Someone...someone what? There was a human tongue nailed to your floor? Are you alright? Have you reported this?"
The Magistrate looked at Jinkan with horror.
"Was Dragon House infiltrated again?"

It was a case of 'assassin got your tongue' as Sae just looked at Jinkan for a few long moments before adding.
"Uhhh, Bayushi-sama probably only laughs when she's having a breakdown, so maybe a more high pitched cackle sort of...really, I think the tongue is more important."

[Mirumoto Jinkan]

Snip

"Yes, probably. I am unsure who to blame for this one, even if the message is obvious. 'Stop talking' that is. I considered Bayushi-ue but then I figured she would try to cut my tongue out, not send me someone else's. But it doesn't cut down on the list of suspects by much. Could be the Mantis. The Phoenix. Those monks. The Imperial Advisor. One of those guys I told about their impending doom." The Mirumoto listed suspects off on his fingers and ended up on his other hand in no time.

"Do you want to investigate? I am rather put out by unclean things in my living spaces. Secret shinobi dropping from the roof is cool. Blood is not." He put his hands down. "Yeah, do I need to submit a formal request or something?"

[Daidoji Sae]

Snip

"Usually one seeks to make friends at Winter Court, not enemies. That is a rather long list, although given Bayushi-ue's interest in body parts I fear she would be near the top of it."

Sae pauses for a moment at the offer to investigate.
"I could look into it, if you would like. But it would be unlikely to resolve the issue. Still, if you write a full report with testimony from those of the Dragon and submit it to the Emerald Office and the Ikoma we can see what we can do. Perhaps we can post some guards to at least present the worst from happening. Maybe lie in wait one night to see who comes to call."

Gently.
"I am hoping no-one else dies during this court, so I would be put out if you were assassinated when the situation is still resolvable."