Still disguised as The Handsome Man in Tuxedo and Mask, the secretly incognito Kaiu Setsu goes to the movie theater pauses at the poster for the movie to honor it with a heartening chuckle.

"Undercover." He says out loud.

--
D4, EN, Awareness/Acting to maintain disguise | 4k4 ⇒ 27 (TN: 15)

Kaiu Setsu wrote: ↑

Tue Apr 12, 2022 1:13 pm

Still disguised as The Handsome Man in Tuxedo and Mask, the secretly incognito Kaiu Setsu goes to the movie theater pauses at the poster for the movie to honor it with a heartening chuckle.

"Undercover." He says out loud.

--
D4, EN, Awareness/Acting to maintain disguise | 4k4 ⇒ 27 (TN: 15)

Hato had planned on observing the target straight through, but there was something about it that made her shiver a bit. Instead, she walked past the mall to take a little break. The night was young, after all.

There seemed to be some sort of mysterious man in a tuxedo and a mask near the movie theater.

Per/Investigation: 21

He certainly did seem mysterious, though the sweep of his shoulder did remind Hato of someone.

Hato wrote: ↑

Wed Apr 13, 2022 3:11 am

Hato had planned on observing the target straight through, but there was something about it that made her shiver a bit. Instead, she walked past the mall to take a little break. The night was young, after all.

There seemed to be some sort of mysterious man in a tuxedo and a mask near the movie theater.

Per/Investigation: 21

He certainly did seem mysterious, though the sweep of his shoulder did remind Hato of someone.

Noticing a present that he knew but had to pretend he did not, the only thing that betrays him is his broad grin. He hadn't yet heard good news, but since she was alive and unscathed was a good sign. He suddenly approaches with a swirling cape and asks, "Do you enjoy mystery and espionage movies?"

Kaiu Setsu wrote: ↑

Wed Apr 13, 2022 11:59 am

Noticing a present that he knew but had to pretend he did not, the only thing that betrays him is his broad grin. He hadn't yet heard good news, but since she was alive and unscathed was a good sign. He suddenly approaches with a swirling cape and asks, "Do you enjoy mystery and espionage movies?"

Hato bowed deeply to the mysterious figure.

"It depends Lord Samurai. There is an art to building a mystery well. The really good ones show the audience everything, and yet they are still misled until the end. The bad ones are only a mystery in the sense of wondering how the characters have gotten through life as unintelligent as they are." she offers.

"This one recalls a recent movie where a famous author dies and the audience sees his servant do the foul deed. However, they are misled, and the ending gives such a sense of wonder to the audience, it is a sight to behold."

She tilted her head.

"Are you to star in such a movie, Lord Samurai?" she asked.

Hato wrote: ↑

Wed Apr 13, 2022 2:08 pm

Hato bowed deeply to the mysterious figure.

"It depends Lord Samurai. There is an art to building a mystery well. The really good ones show the audience everything, and yet they are still misled until the end. The bad ones are only a mystery in the sense of wondering how the characters have gotten through life as unintelligent as they are." she offers.

"This one recalls a recent movie where a famous author dies and the audience sees his servant do the foul deed. However, they are misled, and the ending gives such a sense of wonder to the audience, it is a sight to behold."

She tilted her head.

"Are you to star in such a movie, Lord Samurai?" she asked.

"I am no star, as I entertain any light cast so others may shine, instead." He replies, still playing around. "There's bad and good in everything, as you say. But you can only achieve the latter by... well... basically going through the first."

He flips his cape and shows a ticket in his hand, "May I show a new magic trick... if the lady would like to accompany this mysterious figure?"

Kaiu Setsu wrote: ↑

Wed Apr 13, 2022 2:18 pm

"I am no star, as I entertain any light cast so others may shine, instead." He replies, still playing around. "There's bad and good in everything, as you say. But you can only achieve the latter by... well... basically going through the first."

He flips his cape and shows a ticket in his hand, "May I show a new magic trick... if the lady would like to accompany this mysterious figure?"

Hato smiled a bit.

"In the name of mystery then, how could this one refuse?" she agreed.


Hpefully it was a mystery, and not a horror, otherwise the audience would be yelling at Hato to run.

Hato wrote: ↑

Wed Apr 13, 2022 2:23 pm

Hato smiled a bit.

"In the name of mystery then, how could this one refuse?" she agreed.


Hpefully it was a mystery, and not a horror, otherwise the audience would be yelling at Hato to run.

He uses his other hand to splash some magic into the ticket and then, with his other hand holding the tickets, the masked man slides his index and thumb to show that those were actually two tickets. And he says, "Tadaaaaa!"

Lame, yeah. Funny, maybe.

He confesses, "It was a promo. Buy one, get two. The only issue is that they said I have to go there and give a smooch into the pair I am bringing to validate the ticket."

As if sent from the pits of some unfortunate origin, Koyuki appears at that very moment. In the middle of the previous conversation, she strides up toward Hato and this supposed mysterious stranger. Inhalator in hand she takes a long inhale, holds it, and releases with a pepperminty cloud filling the space around them all. First, she looks at Hato. Then, Setsu.

"Evening, Kaiu-sama. You're dressing well tonight I see," she says, voice of neutrality.

Day 4, EN | Setsu's Disguise of Wonders, does it do the job? Investigation/Perception | 3k3 ⇒ 15 (TN: 15)

His playfulness is destroyed with the arrival of the Kuni, as usual, in any situation in Rokugan and the Empire as a whole.

"Ok, I was kidding. There's no need to validate, Hato-san. I just wanted to importune you for a moment." He narrows his eyes at Koyuki as if saying 'fun-blocker', and greets her with a bow. "Good evening."

After the bow, he does the magic again, and, voilà, three tickets. "Tadaaa!"

Hato had actually found the sleight of hand charming, but the demand for a kiss had drained the fun out of the moment.

She remembered how charming 'he' could be around others, but behind closed screens, those demands 'he' made were certainly anything but playful.

She had been making up her mind how to respond when a peppermint-scented, smoke breathing Kuni savior stormed up like a Thunder of old.

"Ah, Lord samurai's magic does seem to be truly without limit." she offered, after a deep bow to the Kuni.

Offering an appropriately deep bow to Setsu, Koyuki is sure not to leave Hato behind in this instance and returns one to her as well. Turning her eye on the little 'magic-trick' that Setsu was performing ultimately had that quality of charm that someone who actually could incite kami to action would have viewing such a thing, but she had to give him some credit for the craft. Only to break from it for a suspicious glance around for the ticket machine.

"Impressive, Kaiu-sama," she says, a knit in her brow as she looks between the both of them. Inhalator coming up to take another drag from it. Smoke blowing in a smooth, thin line.

"Thank you. I aim to please. Even if sometimes I shoot missiles instead of bullets." He shrugs, also noticing that his previous incognito flirtatious attempt might have not been received well.

Imagining why, he asks sincerely with a smile in his face, as much as the smoke coming forward could block their vision, "Did I really trick you, Hato-san –– or were you playing me out, instead?"

Hato offered her very best disarming smile.

"This one is certain that Lord Crab understands that some mysteries are better left unsolved. The world becomes quite dull if everything is laid out so neatly, does it not?" she asked coyly.

She did spare a grateful glance to the Kuni however.

"Lady Crab cuts an impressive figure as a hero, does she not? Lord Crab is truly fortunate to be able to call her an ally, this one is certain. Far far better than calling her an enemy." she added with confidence.

"I think that is well said of most, Hato-san," she says, a quick deflection of her glance elsewhere in the space than at either of them. A small fidget, a foot sliding forward and stopping lest she lessen her stance into something that wasn't quite as steady. A soldiers positioning of stance.

"But I appreciate your words," she speaks a touch faster, not much, but a touch. Turning her attention then to Setsu, "You had left a message back at the embassy that you wished to meet sometime, Kaiu-sama. When I returned I asked where I might find you, and they suggested I try here. Lucky that I didn't have to travel far to find you."

Giving out tickets to both, he replies first to his clan mate. "I did. I wondered how the games went out. You mentioned we would have a very keen player in the competition on our side." A pause, and he looks to the movie poster, saying, "I hope you enjoy some secret agent movie."

Back at Hato, he provides another bow with a sincere gaze, and says something he might have not said to anyone in more than a decade, "I apologize if I made you feel pressured. Specially by my awful acting."

Taking the mask off for a moment, he rubs his chin to explain his itinerary to Koyuki, "Yeah, I was out of business cards after the party this evening and ran to the Embassy before coming here. Didn't want to miss the flick. I wonder how many syndicate villains are taken down by the ronin at the end."

--
D4, EN, Sincerity/Awareness Unskilled | 4k4 ⇒ 22 (TN: 15)

Hato shook her head.

"Lord Crab need not apologize for the actions of Lord Samurai. This one is quite certain we have seen the last of that villain." she offered with a confident nod towards the Kuni.

Had it made her uncomfortable? Sure. But while the Kaiu had a heart bigger than the ocean, it was probably not wise to make him feel too obligated to a mere ronin.

"They went rather well, Kaiu-sama. Though, perhaps the best way to move forward now would to merely accept that offer of the movie. So long as Hato-san does not have prior arrangements. Far be it from the Crab to say we are ones who aren't conscientious of the time that those underneath must live their own lives, and find ways to do so," she says, offering Hato the best way out she could think of, if she'd wanted of course. There was a look in the eye, a simple and some might say kindly offer of doing the bare minimum in not making the ronin force potential offense.

"Though, we also do not want you to miss your movie, of course, Kaiu-sama. I'm sure the movie will have some rather ridiculous ideas of what goes on, as if such a life were glamorous skulking in the shadows."

"Indeed. I got tickets at the back row. The chair there are reclinable. Very, very comfortable." The Kaiu mentions as starts to walk into the direction of the indicated room.

It is a Crab duty to fight against the darkness. Specially if it is one's own. He doesn't comment anything about the villain.

Kuni Koyuki wrote: ↑

Wed Apr 13, 2022 7:18 pm

"They went rather well, Kaiu-sama. Though, perhaps the best way to move forward now would to merely accept that offer of the movie. So long as Hato-san does not have prior arrangements. Far be it from the Crab to say we are ones who aren't conscientious of the time that those underneath must live their own lives, and find ways to do so," she says, offering Hato the best way out she could think of, if she'd wanted of course. There was a look in the eye, a simple and some might say kindly offer of doing the bare minimum in not making the ronin force potential offense.

"Though, we also do not want you to miss your movie, of course, Kaiu-sama. I'm sure the movie will have some rather ridiculous ideas of what goes on, as if such a life were glamorous skulking in the shadows."

Hato nods.

"This one would not wish for Lord Crab to have wasted a ticket and would enjoy seeing the movie with Lord and Lady Crab" she consented.

One last drag from the inhalator, the mixed pepperminty scent filled the space in a cloud once more. Giving Hato time to walk ahead of her, if she'd wished, as Koyuki takes one last gander up and down the mall's pathway. Letting that smoke sit in the air for a moment, the smell to dissipate, before she saw away the inhalator and would quickly catch up behind.