[D8 LA Event] Scavenger Hunt (RP)

[Bayushi Sasori]

You can sit around and watch people find clues

[Otomo Gusai]

Gusai staggers about, unable to find the cat he's sought again, cursing himself fluently in his mind.

[Otomo Gusai]

Some time later:

“Chrysanthemums are sleeping around me; find me if you can!” read the strange note that Chizu had found just outside the Imperial Court. This could be an interesting diversion, she reflected, and decided to try and find the mysterious person who had left the clue.

At first Chizu thought the note might be alluding to the Imperial apartments, but then she reasoned that no one would be sleeping there during the day. So it had to be the Imperial Gardens.

The morning snows had left a pristine blanket of white stone all over the gardens. The snow-covered plants and statues seemed magical in the afternoon light. Soon Chizu stumbled across someone’s tracks, left in the snow. Aha! The big Crab eagerly followed them; despite circling the gardens several times, Chizu was certain that this would lead to her quarry.

“Ha, I found you!” Chizu said after finally catching up. But it turned out the tracks weren’t those of light-footed Bayushi Sasori at all; the Crab woman had found Otomo Gusai instead.

"Yoshitsune-san!" Gusai says, somewhat surprised, and bowing.

[Yoshitsune Chizu]

Some time later:

“Ha, I found you!” Chizu said after finally catching up. But it turned out the tracks weren’t those of light-footed Bayushi Sasori at all; the Crab woman had found Otomo Gusai instead.

"Yoshitsune-san!" Gusai says, somewhat surprised, and bowing.

"Aha, I found you, Otomo-sama," Chizu said triumphantly. "It was a clever puzzle you left, but your tracks in the fresh snow gave you away."

[Otomo Gusai]

"Aha, I found you, Otomo-sama," Chizu said triumphantly. "It was a clever puzzle you left, but your tracks in the fresh snow gave you away."

"But I'm not the target of the hunt," Gusai says. "I..." he trails off, breathes.

"I was following the same clues. I'm not...able to leave them."

[Yoshitsune Chizu]

"But I'm not the target of the hunt," Gusai says. "I..." he trails off, breathes.

"I was following the same clues. I'm not...able to leave them."

"Oh really?" Chizu asked, surprised at this revelation. "But I was so sure! Oh well, perhaps we can hunt for them together." She looked around for any other clue as to their mysterious target, but to no avail.

[Otomo Gusai]

"Oh really?" Chizu asked, surprised at this revelation. "But I was so sure! Oh well, perhaps we can hunt for them together." She looked around for any other clue as to their mysterious target, but to no avail.

Gusai gestures at his eyepatch. "Hard to see things, really," he says.

Should I apologize for court? he wonders. It went bad quick.

[Yoshitsune Chizu]

Gusai gestures at his eyepatch. "Hard to see things, really," he says.

"Oh, I imagine it's sometimes useful not to see certain things," Chizu said ruefully. The big Crab gave up on searching for the mysterious clue-giver to give the conversation more attention.

[Otomo Gusai]

"Oh, I imagine it's sometimes useful not to see certain things," Chizu said ruefully. The big Crab gave up on searching for the mysterious clue-giver to give the conversation more attention.

"Not nearly as often as it's a pain--or a danger," Gusai replies, a similar rue in his voice. He looks up at her, sighs, and bows. "I must apologize for my presumption earlier today, Yoshitsune-san. I acted in haste and without due regard, and it was wrong of me to do."

[Yoshitsune Chizu]

"Not nearly as often as it's a pain--or a danger," Gusai replies, a similar rue in his voice. He looks up at her, sighs, and bows. "I must apologize for my presumption earlier today, Yoshitsune-san. I acted in haste and without due regard, and it was wrong of me to do."

Chizu nodded a sad acknowledgment.

“At the start, I thought the scene might’ve been choreographed by the Stag to maneuver me into agreeing to something,” she said. “But in hindsight, that seems less likely. I gather that Genji was not told of his mother’s plans, eh?” Her smile was a little strained.

[Otomo Gusai]

Chizu nodded a sad acknowledgment.

“At the start, I thought the scene might’ve been choreographed by the Stag to maneuver me into agreeing to something,” she said. “But in hindsight, that seems less likely. I gather that Genji was not told of his mother’s plans, eh?” Her smile was a little strained.

"I'd not presume to know what conversations the Lady Hantei and the young lord have when I'm not there," Gusai affirms, "but I'd not doubt you're right. And I'm somewhat surprised; the young lord's usually not been so...open, previously."

He smiles with a bit less strain. "Honestly, it's good to see. He'll have to lead, after all, and he can't do that if he's...constrained."

[Yoshitsune Chizu]

"I'd not presume to know what conversations the Lady Hantei and the young lord have when I'm not there," Gusai affirms, "but I'd not doubt you're right. And I'm somewhat surprised; the young lord's usually not been so...open, previously."

He smiles with a bit less strain. "Honestly, it's good to see. He'll have to lead, after all, and he can't do that if he's...constrained."

"If you say so, Otomo-sama," Chizu said in polite disagreement. "I would never be able to contradict my parents in public like that. Perhaps the rules are different for the son of a kami, though."

[Otomo Gusai]

"If you say so, Otomo-sama," Chizu said in polite disagreement. "I would never be able to contradict my parents in public like that. Perhaps the rules are different for the son of a kami, though."

"Most likely," Gusai replies. "Above my head, though, in any event.

"Again, though, I was in the wrong, and I can assure you that I, at least, had no preplanning in that regard."

[Yoshitsune Chizu]

"Most likely," Gusai replies. "Above my head, though, in any event.

"Again, though, I was in the wrong, and I can assure you that I, at least, had no preplanning in that regard."

"I understand," Chizu said, nodding. "But really, Otomo-sama, this is twice now that you've had to apologize to me. What am I to think?"

[Otomo Gusai]

"I understand," Chizu said, nodding. "But really, Otomo-sama, this is twice now that you've had to apologize to me. What am I to think?"

"That we are all in strange waters that have been greatly troubled," Gusai replies swiftly. "And that I am sincere in what I say."

[Yoshitsune Chizu]

"That we are all in strange waters that have been greatly troubled," Gusai replies swiftly. "And that I am sincere in what I say."

Chizu tilted her head as she considered Gusai's words.

"I believe you," she said after a moment. "Still, if we are going to be friends, it would be better if we had fewer misunderstandings like this, hmm? We do still plan to be friends, right?"

[Otomo Gusai]

Chizu tilted her head as she considered Gusai's words.

"I believe you," she said after a moment. "Still, if we are going to be friends, it would be better if we had fewer misunderstandings like this, hmm? We do still plan to be friends, right?"

"You're right," Gusai replies, "and I hope so. Very much so."

[Yoshitsune Chizu]

"You're right," Gusai replies, "and I hope so. Very much so."

"So, then. What can we do to make things better?" Chizu asked.

[Otomo Gusai]

"So, then. What can we do to make things better?" Chizu asked.

Don't say the first thing that comes into your head, Gusai thinks, and he doesn't, opting instead for "Talk, to begin. Such as--what did you think was leading you here? Before you came on me, I mean."

[Yoshitsune Chizu]

"Talk, to begin. Such as--what did you think was leading you here? Before you came on me, I mean."

"Talking is good," she agreed. "I actually wasn't sure who was leading me here - I thought it might be a game, something connected to the Game of Letters maybe. To be honest, it was a welcome distraction after court."