Reckoning 2 (evening), 6106 RTR (10 September 2006) Umeko and Tooth conspire to learn more about the Artist Hakuu – and somehow talk Lilac into stealing from him.
(Legend of the First Stone) (Jadai) (Lilac) (Master Long Tooth) (Umeko)
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Tsuguri Family Gardens
The Tsurugi family's gardens are extensive, and the family takes great pride in how lush and well-groomed they are. Sadly, the heads of the noble family are generally too busy to partake of them except when they're hosting friends or business associates, and it's left to the groundskeepers and a willful daughter to know all the corners and shady nooks the tranquil estate has. Green brooks with neatly tended edges quietly carry golden leaves under sturdy old footbridges, and koi surface to wiggle hopefully at people who linger long enough, should they be carrying a bag of bread.

Night has fallen, and the Tsurugi manor is still, possibly the only time it isn't filled with the shuffling of busy feet or the bellowing of its lord. The garden's stone lamps cast warm golden glows over the pathways, attracting moths that flit and circle around, bright against the backdrop of closed blossoms and shadows. Fireflies wink amidst the trees, and the only sounds are the gurgling of the brooks, the koi having retreated beneath stone shelves and lilies.

Umeko has managed to sneak the swords back inside without her father noticing their absence. Each time is a gamble for the young Kiriga, though. Feeling more relaxed, she steps back out into the night air. Holding her tail above the ground, she lightly strolls through the gardens, hands tucked into her kimono sleeves. For the moment, she feels oddly calm and collected, thankful for at least a quiet evening. Or perhaps it's because she has a hope of escaping her prison for once. In either case, she walks the pebble paths looking for her old instructor.

Long Tooth is found perched on a stone overlooking one of the garden ponds, the Procession reflected faintly in its mirror-still surface, knees to his chest and elbows resting on them. He takes a thoughtful swig from a battered gourd, oblivious to Umeko's presence.

"That drink cannot be good for you, Tooth-sensei," Umeko notes as she approaches the ancient Kiriga from behind. "But then, if it helps you forget dinner, I can understand the desire for it."

The old master perks a tattered ear fin, squinting over his shoulder to find Umeko gliding gracefully toward him. "Hmm? Oh, Umeko dear. What, this? Pah. It's good for me! Warms my bones, like the leaf warms my lungs." He thumps his sunken chest, then tries to disguise a cough. "What brings you out here? I thought you would be asleep by now."

Umeko crouches down at the water's edge. She taps a clawtip on it, creating a small ripple across the surface. "I should be," she agrees, "but I always seem to be creating waves in this family." She rolls her jaw thoughtfully, then asks Long Tooth, "What do you think of my husband to be?"

Long Tooth sniffs, then turns his head and spits. He rubs his nose crudely. "Honestly? Hmph. I can respect a man who's excelled and perfected his art, whether it's fighting or poetry. I haven't seen any evidence of it, though, and I don't like his manner. And what his art does to a person? When I use my art on somebody, I at least have the common decency to knock them out."

The young Kiriga pushes back a grin on her muzzle and manages to just nod. "I find him detestable as well," she says and looks up at the ancient Kiriga, who from her vantage point looks like a withered weed growing out of a rock. "Then you will understand that I … that I intend to leave this island before I can be wed to him," she says in a quiet voice.

After dressing, and not about to stick around and try to explain why she's in the bath alone to people who can't understand her, Lilac exits the way she came in. Sniffing, she follows after Umeko's trail, walking silently through the unlit paths.

In the bathing room, Lilac has finally eased herself out of the tub now that the water has started to become uncomfortably cold. She dresses herself, leaving her hair down. After all, without help, she has no hope of fixing the complicated hairstyle the servants gave her for the earlier gathering.

"I see." The old man looks down into the pond at the reflections staring back up at them, and he lets a few long moments pass. Eventually, he rasps, "There will be turmoil. Upheaval. I have a feeling your father arranged this for more reasons than we fully know."

"I know it will distress my family considerably, but … how can I consign my fate to … that if my Father will not tell me the true reason, if any?" Umeko asks. She taps her chest, adding, "I am a person too. I have dreams. I have desires. Should they mean so little to him?"

Tooth leans close, his breath carrying a whiff of strong drink. "They do, my girl. You are asking me this question… now ask yourself. Why would your hopes, dreams, and comfort mean so little to him?"

With surprising agility and silence, Lilac steps out from the shadows of the garden. She has her obi crudely tied around her waist, and she still has her hair up in a towel. "Oh, there you are Lady Umeko," she breathes, sounding a little nervous.

"I do not know. Father speaks little to me outside of condemnations for things I do wrong. Never for anything I do right," Umeko admits as she swats her claws across the pond, creating a small spray. She pauses and looks out over the pond, then asks, "Have I really been that bad of a daughter that he truly doesn't care anymore? Or, am I really just a way for him to gain more influence and nothing more?" When Lilac speaks up, the Kiriga bolts up to her feet. "Ah, Lilac," she says in standard, "I am sorry, I forgot to send Xiao to guide you to your room."

"Buh!" All Tooth's seriousness and dignity go out the window as Lilac seems to appear from nowhere, his arms flying up and his wine gourd flipping into the air. It lands with a splash in the pond, scattering the reflected Procession, and the old Kiriga looks at it mournfully for a few seconds before turning to squint at Lilac.

"Ummmm," is all Lilac seems capable of saying after the gourd hits the pond. She looks at the spot where it vanished, and back to the two reptiles. Her ears splay out, and by the movement under her kimono she's probably tucking her tail now, too.

"Jou moof quiet," grunts Tooth, switching out of Imperial. He eyes the human-ish girl for a moment, stroking his whiskers, his wine forgotten for the time being, and then resumes speaking Imperial to answer Umeko, wagging a bony finger at her. "You focus much on your suffering, little Umeko. But you are Lord Tsuguri's only daughter. Think also about how sudden this announcement was. Does not Lord Tsuguri take great pain to plan things? Such a fussy man, but now he hurls his only daughter into marriage with a day of warning? It is time we find out what is going on."

Umeko winces slightly at the reprimand, but has to nod in agreement. "Your words have wisdom to them, Tooth-sensei," she admits with a bow to the old Kiriga. "Do you think Mother may know? Father would not tell me directly, but perhaps Mother would … at least hint." Turning to Lilac, she says in standard, "You have done nothing wrong, Lilac. You just startled us." The Kiriga's ears flick as she then thinks of something and looks back towards the house.

Lilac lets her "umm" trail off as the old master looks at her. She ducks her head, blushing in embarrassment, and murmurs, "I don't mean to surprise you." She nods to Umeko's words, though, looking up. "I'm sorry. I was just trying to find you. I wasn't sure what to do, and I didn't want to get caught alone, Lady Umeko. Also," she waves at her obi, "I'm not sure how to tie this sash."

The manor is quiet and unlit, even the servant's quarters. A few of the house guards stroll about the decks outside with paper lamps, giving each other contagious yawns every time they meet.

"Do you think I could still fit underneath the house, Tooth-sensei? When I was young I used to crawl around under the floorboards, pretending to be an adventurer in some lost city … but now. Perhaps I can listen into my Father's discussions and learn what prompted this," Umeko suggests. Her attention then shifts back to the human and she motions for her to come over. "I will tie it for you. But please, pay attention," she manages out in heavily accented standard.

The old master taps the end of his nose. "Your mother might know, but I can't be sure. The two people who would know for certain would be your father and Hakuu." He laughs, and adds, "I've no doubt you could. You're bigger, but still quick and supple, like an eel."

Umeko noticeably shivers, then suggests, "Tomorrow I could also call on Master Hakuu, under pretense of learning more about my husband to be. He did say he wanted to design my wedding robes. Perhaps he would accidentally say something with the right questions. But, that would put me in his claws and … to be honest that is frightening. But, if that fails, I could then try to speak to mother and spy on father."

"Thank you," Lilac says, meekly. She hurries over, casting a frown back at the pond before arriving. "Should … I get the gourd? I, I can't really pay to replace it … " She looks between the two reptiles as they speak, one ear perked, the other skewed to the side in a confused manner.

Umeko undoes the shoddy tie job that Lilac did. "Here, like this," she says in standard. The dragon stands in front of Lilac and pulls the obi from back, to front. She overlaps it n the front, then draws it back around the back, where it overlaps again. Then when she brings it around the front one last time, she starts trying it into an intricate bow. "It is easiest to tie in the front, then just turn it so the bow is in the back," she explains. Once she's finished with the bow, Umeko tugs the obi until it rotates and puts the bow in the back.

The old master looks Lilac over critically. "Hm. Wine all leaked out. Fishes drunk, no more wine foh me. But maybeah jou do something else foh us." He turns to the Kiriga tying the obi. "Hakuu spoke to your parents, but I doubt he'd speak to you alone. You're not someone to talk to, you're someone to paint or dress. Your friend here might be of help, however. She moves with grace, but more importantly, she moves quietly."

Lilac watches with interest, if, perhaps, not with complete comprehension. Her ears remain skewed, with the skewed one perking and its opposite flopping to the side. "I … think I have it," she offers, uncertainly. "Should … should I go? Did I interrupt something?" She glances at Master Tooth, adding, "I'm sorry you dropped your bottle," before returning to watching him speak a language she doesn't understand.

"But, she does not understand the language. Even if she could sneak in, she would not understand anything said. Or perhaps do you mean if I distracted him, she could perhaps steal his documents?" Umeko asks the old Kiriga. And then with a simple look to Lilac she says quite formally in standard, "No, you will stay to attend me."

"Okay," the clueless human says. She begins looking around randomly, now, sniffing the air.

Tooth frowns, scratching his head so that his white mane wobbles. "I forgot she couldn't eavesdrop," he admits. "But your idea might be just as sound. Better yet, perhaps you can have both. She is quiet, and seems astute. She can get you where you need to go, find places for you to hide. I can move freely about the manor where you are always being told to go to your room, I will listen here. And if trouble happens, all you have to do is move faster than she does."

"And leave her behind?" Umeko inquires, brow-ridge furrowed. "But, perhaps. Perhaps it would work, yes. So, you will stay at my Father's estate and listen here. We will go to Master Hakuu's place and learn what we can, then?" The dragon then turns and smiles to Lilac, saying in standard, "We have been discussing ways which you can help me. I need to learn more about Master Hakuu and learn why he was chosen. Your skills will be most helpful there."

The old master grunts and nods. "It is dangerous, but I think less dangerous than just putting yourself in his clutches. As it is, this practice is not unknown in Jadai, or even Nagai."

"True, it is not, though it is not often spoken of outside a closed room," Umeko agrees. "If he truly does have power over my Father … perhaps I can prove myself to the family by seeking a way to free him from the hold."

"It will?" Lilac asks, sounding surprised. A second later she smiles. "It will! You'll find I'm very useful, Lady Umeko."

"Yes. I need someone skilled at sneaking to get me into Master Hakuu's home without him knowing. It is a pity you do not understand the language of the civilized, but such cannot be corrected quickly. Your assistance as an expert at 'sneaking' will do," Umeko tells Lilac.

The ancient Kiriga hefts himself to his feet, joints cracking and popping. Yes, he'd probably not be a stealthy one. He resumes speaking standard. "Good. Jou be carefoo."

"Wait," Lilac interrupt's, ears perking, "you want me to sneak you in to a noble's home? Now, I said I'd help you, but isn't this … well … suicidal? Won't they kill me for breaking in?"

"Of course not. I'm a noble and I asked you to do it," Umeko lies with a toothy smile. "And really, just don't get caught and everything would be fine, yes?"

"I … guess," the human relents. "Do I get paid extra for this? Isn't this robbery?"

"It is robbery only if you steal. We are not stealing … merely listening. We cannot be blamed of sounds enter our ears, no?" Umeko says with that same toothy smile. "Just think of the material you may get from this for your stories, no? You will be one of the few outside the Imperial court to see his artwork."

"That's true … " Lilac's ears lay back, she frowns, but she also nods slowly. "Well, all right. I suppose if I get paid. It's not like I have a choice, do I?" She glances between the two reptiles. "I mean, I'm stuck with you, right? You're not going to just let me leave, now."

"You always have a choice. I would not harm you," Umeko insists. "But, I would be very grateful for your help. You may help learn the reasons for this … situation I am in."

Lilac peers at Umeko, then sniffs at her and stares in her eyes. "Can't we just leave? Does it really matter? Can't we just … " She sighs, apparently finding something in the dragoness' eyes, or perhaps smell, that dissuades her from arguing. "Very well. But I do expect to be paid for dangerous work."

"If it becomes dangerous, you will of course be compensated appropriately," Umeko says with a small bow. "Tooth-sensei believes there is more to this wedding than first appears. My leaving may cause greater harm than loss of face for my family. I must know why he was chosen.".

"Well … You know. Bard. Adventure," Lilac agrees, sounding less than certain. "When do you want to go? Night's the best time for sneaking. I'm also feeling a bit hungry. Can I eat first?"

"We will go in a bit. I do not know if he will be awake or not, but perhaps we will learn something. But for now, come with me. I will take you to the servants quarters and instruct them to treat you as one of the servants. You should be able to get food there. I will then call on you in an hour," Umeko instructs. She then curls a claw in a 'come with me' gesture and walks off towards the servants section of the estate.

"Yes, Lady Umeko," Lilac replies. She gives Master Tooth a little wave, then a bow, before hurrying after the dragoness.

The old master waves over his shoulder, gives the pond one last wistful glance and begins hobbling back toward the manor along a different path.

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GMed by Bambridge

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