Tonight it would be the girls, it seemed, as the male act stood them up for other plans. So after a quick stop by the hotel earlier for change of clothes (with Yakumo opting for comfort over fashion, tea, and exchanging new information, before they drove Yakumo's car over to the dojo.

Hopefully, this would be a quick in-and-out deal, with no fuss. As the dojo might see less activity at this time of day. Still, Yakumo checked her sidearm in its gunbelt, and her wakizashi that she often carried around with her too as the symbol of her status. Neither of which she had ever had to use. And she hoped it stayed that way.

"Ready?" she glanced over at her partner-in-crime.

One look at Yakumo and Koyuki could at least understand one reason why it was just the two of them tonight. Not that she had any idea if that was the case, mind, but she'd understand if it was begrudgingly so. Yet the sight of the woman stirs up a few of those feelings she was trying so damn hard to keep buried. An all too present reminder of her own past sitting among the contacts on her communicator, the information keyed in as soon as she'd had it. That information made the damn thing feel like it weighed the same as a solid block of iron.

Head in the game time though. Time to focus she looks to Yakumo and nods, "Ready."

"I'll see if it's clear, and if it is I'll get to work. All I need you to do is keep anyone from walking in until I'm done, okay? Nothing we're doing should be too damning it's just embarrassing potentially. Don't risk anything."

"I know, I know," she nodded, confirming that she knew the plan. Keep watch, and if anyone showed up, just distract them with her ditzy-diva-glam until Koyuki could finish. "Just... casual sightseeing. In the middle of the night."

Yakumo was fairly sure she could play up being rather tipsy and drunk. "Right, let's do this." Koyuki was the expert, so she would let her lead the way.

About to take off she hesitates. Looking back to Yakumo with a muddied sort of look in her eye she fights with herself. Decision made, she takes this last moment of riskless privacy to lean in and kiss her quickly, "I trust you."

That felt like a whole load of bricks just fell down into her stomach suddenly, the turning of it like it was full of acid and nerves bunched together and sloshing around. Condition of that full faced embarrassment and complication to her emotions hidden wonderfully by her face-paint Koyuki immediately sets off trying to put distance between herself and whatever that was.

Like it was just your average every day thing, because it was, Koyuki would lead the way up into the dojo structure and follow around to the dojo proper itself. Stopping before they reach the dojo-proper entrance she would look back to Yakumo, confirm she was ready, and then listen by the door for a moment. With confirmation that she didn't hear anything she'd push forward and check around inside to make sure everything was clear.

Dojo was dead quiet, with kami of the lamps lighting the dojo humming if only to feel less lonely.

"Hey, I trust you too," she said though with a lot more ease to it, with an easy smile accompanying it too.

Finding a good spot where she could easily see (or maybe hear?) anyone coming, Yakumo took up her spot as lookout. But also trying to make it look very casual so it didn't look like she was a look-out. Look Casual.

A thumbs up was given to Koyuki to show she was ready.

Seeing the thumbs up she sets herself up a space. Shifting the satchel at her side to her front, making it easier to access. Sound of a zipper in the empty space was a little louder than she would have liked but it was simply what she had on hand to work with. Inside the satchel she merely had a large bowl that might be used for serving to a large group. Low enough that it would create a surface of water in which for the water kami to aggregate at her beck and call.

One last exhale, she goes about beseeching the spirits for her aid. Weaving a more complicated arrangement of the spell to get as clear an answer as possible. However, for this first attempt to beseech it unfortunately did not come together and no spirit came to her call. A glance toward the door where she left Yakumo she hoped for more time before looking at the bowl again.

Day 8, MN | Commune, Water: Void +1k1, 3 Raises for Clarity | 6k4 ⇒ 22 (TN: 25)

Yakumo looked around, still not seeing anything out of the ordinary... so a thumbs up for Koyuki to keep doing the mystical stuff she was doing.

Something about the famous diva keeping lookout for her, the songstress of the Imperials and a prominent member of the Spider clan giving her a thumbs up in the middle of the night to tell her the coast was clear was intensely charming.

For a moment, all of those titles and names didn't matter. All it was, was just this girl she cared for looking cute.

Time to focus again, and she returns to the bowl. Focusing hard on the chant as it was written in her densai.. intoning it best as she remembers.

Day 8, MN | Commune, Water: Void +1k1, 3 Raises for Clarity [Note, Void from Yakumo Tea Ceremony in Earlier Slot] | 6k4 ⇒ 25 (TN: 25)

Summoned and roused from its slumber, the perky spirit of Water greeted the samurai. "Hello-hello two legs! Wherefor thou callst upon me!" Due to months of slumber, the kami's voice was a little hoarse.

Was an interesting way of manifesting to be sure.

"I call upon you for what aid you might give me. I am trying to understand events that have happened long ago by our reckoning. I have only been within this room twice. I need you to recall the time I was here last. The man that I was with at the time, Bayushi Mineichi, we engaged in a physical contest. That man was also here many times I am certain but once was far different from all the others as he engaged in a great deal of violence, having also been in here with the woman he loved dearly. This violence resulted in something large and powerful bursting out of this room and through those very doors," she does indicate them physically, "Either it came into being here, or entered in a different form, I do not know. Can you tell or show me more of what happened that day?"

The spirit of Water blinks its large eyes, tilting its head to the side, it's blue-grey 'tongue' slipping out of its mouth. "Two-legs talks-talks a lot. A lot-lot. Yes-yes, the man has been here many a times. Many-many times, yes." the hoarse-voiced kami answered. "Often-many-times."

"What happened on the day he engaged with a powerful being, a day he had come here with a woman he loved dearly yet left alone?"

"Something dark-dark came in through the veil, summoned by emotions crimson and black, yes! A life was lost-lost for good yes. Soul pure and good cast into greyness." the spirit nodded eagerly, bringing its hoof to its chin as it tried to recall the details. "Much lament-lament and woe followed, much despair in the room. Much regret, yes-yes. Yet something remained even as something escaped, yes. Twin-soul, twin-soul." Its obligation complete, the spirit slowly drifts out of existence, leaving a faint scent of sea in the air.

In the distance, both Yakumo and Koyuki can hear steps and hushed voices. Voices that slowly grow louder and louder.

Hearing sounds, Yakumo waved to Koyuki. "Pssst. I hear voices!" she whisper-shouted to her to get her attention.

The voices come closer - two young men discussing something in hushed voices. Moments later Yakumo and Koyuki can hear an audible thud, followed by an equally audible sensual moan, someone kissing someone else rather passionately not too far away from the unlikely duo.

As the kami returned, Koyuki took a breath in. Hearing Yakumo that breath was cut short however and she quickly picks up the bowl and shoves it back in her pack. Throwing the satchel around her neck for it to rest in her back hip she moves quickly up back to Yakumo's side.

"Okay, I'm done. Now it's your part," she says softly, giving a brief smile and immediately falling into a readiness to follow whatever direction Yakumo might give. Subtle or otherwise.

Yakumo stood listening for a moment, then blushed... then grinned. "Just sounds like two people making out," she covered her mouth to avoid giggling.

"Wanna sneak and see who it is? Maybe it's something really scandalous..."

Looking to Yakumo her brow knits in confusion then slowly settles as she realizes that she's being completely serious. Wearing that dangerous smirk of hers.

"I should say no, because that would be dumb and risky. But I am very curious," she pauses a moment, letting it sink and holding herself back from being too amused by it all.

"Excellent," Yakumo mouthed the word with glee, and with a jerk of her head indicated the direction in which she had heard the sounds. More than willing to let Koyuki do most of the sneaking as she followed behind her.