Session Three; Existential Lunch

Mikoto sat on the bench perplexed by Daigotsu’s behavior. Daigotsu hadn’t ever really given Mikoto an answer, but no answer was usually the polite way to say no. She hadn’t tried again, believing her charms lost on Daigotsu, but now Daigotsu had just patted her leg, touched her, and that was the opposite of no. Then she just ran off. Maybe this was some strange way the Spider played hard to get. She wasn’t even going to pretend to understand. Mikoto looked down at Hikaru, “I don’t know either.”

It wasn’t long before the little Scorpion girl came walking towards the dueling grounds. She was clutching a pin doll and although she wasn’t crying, she seemed obviously upset to Mikoto. Okay… now what? Mikoto had told Daigotsu she would keep an eye out, and she stuck to her word, she never said she would interact with the kid. Besides, she wanted to watch the events unfold, see how it worked from this side of the Realm. If they had fixed the problem on the other side, things should just fix themselves here. Yes, it was better to keep her distance for now. Just keep watching, as she vowed to do.

Session Three; A Tangled Web we Weave

The communal tent was alive with jovial voices and firelight as Katsumi passed the open flap of the doorway of the Spider’s largest tent. It had been a good day despite not taking first, it would seem. Inside she caught glimpses of youths clad in other clan’s colors, students who were bending an ear towards what the Spider could offer. She considered joining them, just for a moment, to make an appearance as the Spider that shook the Topaz Championship up, but reconsidered knowing exactly where that would lead, to too much drinking and probably a late morning the next day. Unfortunately her morning was already reserved for something of more importance than sleeping in.

She had spent two days living in Yume-do, only to be returned to Ningen-do to replay those days on the other side. She wasn’t complaining, knowing what was to come was largely a blessing, and one Katsumi didn’t take lightly. It’s just that tomorrow would be the day the little girl became lost, and after this morning she knew it was more than a dream, it was an accurate foretelling of things to come. Today was the third day of the tournament, the final day, the day she had woken in Yume-do. In the Realm of Dreams the people she found herself with had battled dark creatures coined the Noise and saved a Dragon girl from a Scorpion plot.

Session Three; A Night of Letters

“What a spectacular match,” Anjin began talking to the person closest to him which happened to be a Scorpion. The clan didn’t matter; he was speaking loud enough so all those passing could hear as well as all those filling in the seats around him that had held the entire Spider traveling party just moments before. He had always had a way with words and he liked Asahina, so a little boasting was the least he could do in order to shine a more positive light on the duelist who bested his new yojimbo, Daigotsu. He very much appreciated Daigotsu as well, she had proven to be efficient enough to reach the finals and losing to a Kakita Duelist wasn’t something to be ashamed of; it was expected to happen.

“To win the tournament is one thing; but to win it in such magnificent style is unprecedented. It’s legendary! Such deeds of heroics shall surely be spread far and wide. Poems will be spoken of this man.”

Session Two; Winning isn't Everything

Kyuzo gave Matsu one last smile as they turned towards each other, having taken their places on each side of the dueling grounds. He kept running into her as if their fates were intertwined. Since he arrived, there hadn’t been a day Matsu hadn’t made an appearance in his life, even in the gray world he had lived in the last few days, she was there. And now, out of everyone he could have faced off against in the iaijutsu tournament, it was Matsu. It was a tiny bit regretful that it had to be her; she didn’t have a chance against him when it came to iaijutsu. Not only did Kyuzo possess an almost unnatural ability for iaijutsu, he had also bore witness to Matsu’s fighting techniques in that other realm and it was safe to say that she lacked the grace and focus of katana use. He was certain she knew it too with what she had said before they took their positions. She had said her respect had grown for him over the last few days, and she believed he had great talent.

Session Two; Same Day, Different Tricks

The canvas colored roof of Morasahi’s tent greeted her when she opened her eyes. She sat up, half expecting this to be a dream, to come to her senses and be back in the gloomy world she spent the last two days. Nothing changed. She was in her sleeping kimono, covered from the waist down by her blanket, which had fallen when she sat up. There was noise all around her, coming in from the cracks where her tent brushed the ground, the sound of people talking, walking, eating, and shouting. The sound of setting up, cooking, and working. It was the sound of life, something she had missed but hadn’t known until now. The silence from the last two days along with that terrible screeching, it was gone from the world, but not from her memories. She smiled, closing her eyes and just listening to the world.

Session Two; A Childhood Lost

Mikoto had been quiet throughout the conflict between Shiba and Daigotsu. She was literally in the middle of things, making sure to be out of the way enough so she wasn’t blocking their conversation, but close enough to prevent any swings from one to the next. At least that was her hope. The Lion fought, not as often as the Crab, and more times than not it was just words being thrown around during a rowdy night drinking. It rarely led to anything. The Phoenix weren’t like that, always saying what they mean, at least that‘s what she was told. And the Spider? Mikoto really had no idea. She assumed they were constantly battling amongst themselves, they were tainted and even Lost, and the firm grasp of Jigoku surely had something to do with their violent nature. She had watched the two cautiously, until they suddenly started talking about uniforms. The fight had just died.

Session Two; Enter the Dragon

Katsumi surveyed the scene, or what remained of it. The world still stood as it had before the ogres, but their bodies faded away like all the others had. The tent was toppled. That’s right, the tent, and those bats. She glanced over towards the strange cave, sitting there where she was almost certain it hadn’t been the day before. There wasn’t any movement but never had she seen so clear of a sign on where to go next. If the bats had been causing the problems, and they still had to find the problem, then the cave was where they needed to head. Katsumi leaned her bisento against her shoulder and watched Matsu go through the motions of cleaning off her already clean blade before sliding her katana back into its sheath. Shiba was collecting her spear that was sticking out of the ground at least five feet behind where the ogre had been. And Asahina stood stringing a bow. He seemed to always be ahead of the game, or at least cresting the lead. First to run after a task, and now preparing for the inevitable fight against aerial creatures. Katsumi absently gazed at the cave, wishing she had a bow to conquer their foe with.