YŪGENRONIN

And Fundoshi-san was his name-o~🎶 (Had to cuz XD)

"Call me that one more time I -"

He stops, squinting at the bingo card.

"Never thought I'd have a girl like you getting bingo twice. Not interested, but thanks."

A commission from @yugenronin of her new OC Matsuoka Kasuga. The poor thing seems lost in thought.. I wonder what she's thinking about....

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“I…I never thought of that…I’m sorry…” she whispered. “I-if I do ever find the courage to speak with him, do you mind staying with me?” She asks her shyly. “I am still not sure of anyone else besides you right now…”

She wasn’t even confident if she could be as brave as Chizuru to even let a single word out.

However, she could hear the flowers she accidentally caused to grow in the bath speaking to her as the trees around them was reassuring enough to let them know, Guew was safe and Shingen wasn’t a bad person.

This out a bit of ease in her and she soon has the plants return back to the earths.

"For now, I will keep your secret. Let's go and see if the boys are done making something to eat or if we should do the tournament now. If they've already cooked, we should wait until later tonight."

Guew could leave if she wanted to. If she left that night, she would not be in trouble. She did not need Shingen's permission to go into town to shop or to leave for a new province, but the travel papers would help to keep her safe. People would be able to identify her as a traveler and, if she wished, a healer in profession. Not having documentation would be suspicious to some of the others, especially considering foreigners never came to Shinga.

The mention of mentioning all these things to their leader made her anxious despite being reassured how nice everyone were here.

“I wish to know more about the goddess first before I make my decision on telling Lord Shingen…I too need to find out why I was brought here…” she tells Chizuru. “And I would appreciate your help…I am not familiar with the outfits here but they’re so lovely,” she admitted as she dried herself and walked over to her.

Being cleaned too now, her beautiful feature of silky pale skin her hair that were like lavender pink turned almost a silver in the light.

“…and…I need to know more about your lord too before I can also simply trust him with everything I just told you…I’m afraid I must learn to be more cautious since I have been…hurt before…”

"I understand you have to be careful about who you trust. I just mean that if we wish to travel beyond town to investigate, permission is necessary. I cannot just take you wherever I please without letting him know. So, traveling to Himemiko-sama's main shrine up the mountain is not possible unless he understands the situation. I also cannot tell you everything you may want to know, if the gods did bring you here on purpose, without his permission. I do not have the authority to make that kind of call."

She doubted Shingen would be angry if she explained the full situation to Guew but it was a matter of respect, of the trust between them. Shingen trusted her with his life, and in turn she put her own life in his hands.

"But, if it is simply a matter of learning more about Minamiko-sama first while you wait to decide how much you are able to confide in our lord, we can check the archive here and local booksellers. Minamiko-sama does not have a shrine in the area for us to visit, but the priests who tend the nearest large cemetery may have information."

"That I am sure... else he would not be so prized as a teacher. I have heard of him being quite the charming man, I would not be surprised if he has broken a few hearts while teaching... but I do suspect he shall be taking up space here soon as a teacher during the day."

The lord offered to pay Sakura directly for information, and when he placed the bag of coins on the table, Sakura's eyes widened. It was quite a substantial amount. Keep this search quiet.

"This will not be the last time, no. You will always be paid for your services, but speak as freely as you wish. Now you know why I am here. Entertaining me is... merely do whatever you wish."

He was here as a client in a different sense. Seeking information, not pleasure. He did not care if this courtesan had a sharp tongue lurking beneath that pretty face. He did not care if Sakura wished to complain about personal hardships or sit in silence. He cared what information could be offered, but there was a certain amount of time they would be expected to spend together to avoid suspicion both from the okaasan and others.

So, he would try and make it as simple as possible for Sakura. Provide information when it was available and otherwise, treat the time they spent together as an opportunity to take a break if that was what Sakura desired.

A soft sigh escapes her next.

"There are also eyes of rejection or even interest like that of owning a pet and I have been treated as such, but I managed this far..."

Her gaze falls down into the reflection of the water before ripples formed and blurs her own image from the smallest of movements.

She turns back her gaze to the female and was still quite nervous.

"I promise that I will, one day...but for now, I wish to familiarize myself with everyone and everything here...I feel rather out of place still despite now knowing that I can at least show some extent of my powers here without having to feel as though I should hide it...thank you Miss Chizuru."

She had a wide grin on her face, the happiest she felt since her travels.

Sure she had felt some form of joy, but it wasn't purely joy as she often hid her true self. She still does here, but she has some freedom now and it felt like a huge relief off her shoulders for one.

She finished soaking in the bath, standing up and beginning to dry herself off. She felt so strangely comfortable with Guew, the other woman's presence giving off such warmth.

"I suppose we escaped that, being treated as a pet or prize, by the fact that our goddess has made herself known many times and announced that she would be giving worthy leaders a divine gift. Gekkazoku came from already well-respected, powerful families. Once those families were touched by a goddess... people were not likely to try and steal the power for themselves. A few tried and were made example of."

"At the very least, whether you were brought here by our gods or not, we will not hurt you unless you threaten us or our people. I don't expect that to be an issue. I can't say what reasons the gods, especially Minamiko-sama, might have to bring you here. She is one of the most reclusive among them. But we can find out, once you are ready to discuss the matter with Shingen. If you think you were brought here intentionally, he will need to know."

With that, Chizuru began to get dressed. She had no issue quickly putting on her own kimono and fixing her hair before turning to Guew. Holding out the clothes she brought for their guest to borrow, she smiled again.

Pleased by her reaction however, she couldn’t help but smile and finally allows herself to speak somewhat the truth.

“…I…I am not…human…I am an immortal Miss Chizuru…and besides these, I can do much more…” she began. “This include very powerful barriers…” she hinted.

"I cannot imagine living that long. Not just because of how many threats could so easily take a mortal life in this world and the fact that we are currently living through a war but beyond that. Seeing everyone around me die. Watching as the world I know and love changes could be interesting, as I am sure Shinga will be very different hundreds of years from now, but... would I have to sit back and watch if those in charge ruin it? If the land began to wither and die, crumble beneath us? Even the gods have limitations."

"Could you... no, this is something that you should tell our lord, tell Shingen, once you are comfortable with it. I don't want to get you involved in our problems or overstep boundaries regarding who is the authority here by telling you too much without his permission."

Sighing softly, Chizuru placed the flower she picked up on top of Guew's head before sinking deeper into the hot water.

There was also the fact she asked Guew about spiritual studies and philosophy.

It caught her off guard that she accidentally released some of her nature like powers and made some vines grow with flower buds popping out from them.

Embarrassed and frightened, she quickly tries to make them disappear in her flustered state but ends up doing the opposite and blooms the buds into beautiful flowers with a sweet scent.

“Ah! I’m sorry!” She squeaked.

"Flowers?"

Chizuru snatched one of the now floating blossoms, picking it up and running a finger along a petal.

"Is this something humans in your land can study to do, or are you perhaps somewhat like us...? We only have a small portion of the power a deity could wield, gifted to our ancestors and passed down to us over many generations, though I don't know any gekkazoku who can create flowers like this."

Chizuru hummed softly, a playful smirk creeping across her face.

"If you want to see what our power is like... I know someone who would be more than happy to show it off."

"I could show you myself but wouldn't it be more fun if I can get someone to spar with Kouga? You would just need to be up for a walk if we let him go all out. It would be a shame to break the manor."

They could do a regular sparring match and it would still be impressive enough, especially by a human standard, but... if they could go all out somewhere safe...

A break under the guise of working. He nodded, quite satisfied by his assessment being correct. But the other started describing the individual and he tilted his head. "It sounds... perhaps...."

"I have heard the okaasan speak of trying to recruit the services of a "Minoru-sensei..." I have not seen this man myself but he fits the description from what I've heard. He is gaining quite a following, with many teahouses asking for his help for training young maiko..."

Sometimes it was prudent to keep enemies close or allow a spy to remain to try and trace their movements or feed false information. The Mouri knew this. But bring a courtesan who does not love them into the mix, keeping them as a veritable pet and hoping the money was enough to buy their loyalty? Terrible idea.

"Rather than freedom, those courtesans simply move from one master to the next. I am not even certain the circumstances would be better."

He sighed, though when Sakura seem to sincerely consider his request for information, Motoharu cracked a slight smile. An astute observer, this courtesan. Perhaps well worth the money and time.

"Minoru-sensei, was it?" he hummed thoughtfully, considering how much information he wanted to hand over. "He is a threat to the peace, yes, though if it is any consolation would not intentionally harm any of the courtesans."

If anything, the courtesans would need to guard their hearts. Chosokabe Motochika was known to be a charming man, and handsome too. The only way that man was likely to harm one of the courtesans was to unknowingly gain their affections. It would not be hard to imagine.

"I will not promise you your freedom. I will not demand your loyalty or trust. But I will pay you for information. You. Not the okaasan."

And Motoharu slid a pouch of coins across the table.

However, she felt embarrassed when the other female mentioned her hair and blushed.

“Oh! I’m nothing if those sorts…” she says quietly before her head throbbed at the mention of the last goddess’ name. “M…Minamiko…?” She asks her while holding her head a little and apologized.

She takes a breath to compose herself again.

Chizuru hummed for a moment, sighing.

"If you want to know more about the gods and their histories, my brother is a better person to ask. I respect them but he wishes to serve them in a more direct manner."

Her brother knew much more about the gods, whereas Chizuru was a significantly stronger fighter than he was. He could fight and fight well, but if he were to face someone like her in battle... he would die. It made her relieved, if she was honest, that he wanted to stay outside the realm of politics. Shinobi were unlikely to be sent after a guardian or priest but generals and high profile political figures were usual targets.

Listening on, she couldn’t help but wish ti do more for the kind people that saved her.

“They sound like demonic spirits…is there nothing I can do to help?” She asks her worriedly.

"They are demonic spirits in a sense, I suppose. They are not difficult to kill in smaller numbers, but sometimes when they die they leave behind a gemstone of sorts. Like a crystallized soul. We can't touch it without risking our sense of self. Few of them carry these, but if they do, it needs to be purified at a shrine. So, unless you can fight or perform purification rituals, you probably shouldn't get involved with yakuma. You can help in other ways though, if you really want to."

"Wow, you really do have so much hair," she commented, shifting the subject somewhat as she continued to wash the salt from Guew, piling the clean hair on top of Guew's head and holding it in place with a pin.