"Where is it?"

Kaguya's hands were a blur as she rifled through the scrolls and files in the rear workspace of Scorpion House. She could sense, behind her, the judging eyes of her chief subordinates. "If left it right here! Damnation!," she hissed as she began to tremble with fury--or perhaps self-loathing.

Unabara Asakaze was not one of those Shosuro you meet who just blend into a crowd. No, those fellow was one of those types you remember for weeks afterward; exquisite jaw, pretty eyes, robust (if slender) physique. He was already in his court robes.

Standing behind and to the left of his Champion, he watched her search for her briefing papers in increasing desperation.

He couldn't help it. He smirked.

She moved over to her trunk, throwing it open to rifle through its contents. "I know that I had it in that file, Unabara-san! Where is it?" The edge of panic had begun to seep into her voice. She needed that briefing, or her goose was going to be cooked in court.

After a few more moments to really enjoy it, he felt that it was time to move along. They weren't to the stage where Bayushi Kaguya would be late to court...yet.

"Oh!" said Unabara Asakaze, opening a drawer. "Here it is, Bayushi-ue! Didn't you say this is where you left it?"

She tore back behind the desk. "What? But I...I checked..."

Unabara Asakaze shrugged, handing it over. "Must not have seen it, but...honestly, Bayushi-ue, it was right on top. I wonder," he trailed off, peering at her with naked concern on his face, "well perhaps its best we just focus on court, hm? Come on, it won't do to dawdle."

And he strode out of the room, file in hand.

Kaguya stared down at the drawer for a moment, brow furrowed. She had checked it. Three times. Something was deeply wrong.

But there was no time for that now. She shook her head, took a deep breath, squared her shoulders, and walked out of the room to face her first Imperial Winter Court.