Sanguinity

[ellipsis]

Tomioka | 20:15

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As they walked, the scenery of the park was a sight to behold for sure. The moody lighting, the night sky, An exotic theme. It was like a perfect storm for romance. Couldn't be any more of a convenient situation, Tsuya thought. The trio walked through nature that seemed completely untamed. Birds, deer, rabbits, ponds with fish all populated this small area. They talked and had fun along the way, with Cait and Steph feeling particularly romantic by now. However, the path was reaching its end, and the castle came clearly into view for the first time. It's a quite marvelous and towering structure concealed by the trees surrounding the village, especially considering the conditions it was built under. The hallmark of tradition and technology combined. It's a technique lost to time, one of the perhaps many secrets the Dragons hold deep within themselves. "Impressed? Awestruck? To be honest, this was only made possible by ancient blueprints of the old Kusarian architecture, enhanced by modern tech and materials." Tsuya mentions as she walks up the stairs to the main entrance. A pair of soldiers block the way, but upon seeing the Shogun, move to open the doors. "We took many such secrets and crafts with us when Samura stabbed us in the back on that fateful day."

As the doors opened, they all could see a glimpse of the true beauty within. On the outside, it appears to be a simple castle, but on the inside, it is more like a palace. There is a large column of racks on the right side of the entrance, just inside the genkan, which is seemingly intended for holding your shoes, as evidenced by the many pairs of shoes sitting on its shelves. "Ah, before I forget, let's make sure our shoes are off, yes? We don't want to dirty the floors. There are slippers just inside so that your feet don't get cold." Tsuya reminds them as she removes her own shoes and steps into the slippers. She beckons them forward with a motion of her hand. Cait and Steph did not want to offend, so they oblige Tsuya's request and remove their shoes as well before following her into the castle and putting on their slippers. Now inside, they follow Tsuya up the stairs and onto the next floor that appears to be a dining hall of sorts, with futons already laid out on top of a tatami mat. There is a very low but lengthy table so that food can be placed without staining the tatami. Seems there is to be a dinner party tonight. A worker approaches the Shogun and bows deeply, as she does so in return. They mention that there is indeed a dinner party and they've allocated a private room for just the three of them. Tsuya nods and again beckons Cait and Steph to follow.

They are led to a side room of the dining hall separated by a sliding door. The trio are made aware that the room is soundproofed using revolutionary speakers that 'absorb' excess sound, removing any chance of sound escaping the enclosed room. As there is also the same setup from the previous room here, but significantly smaller, there is no longer a need for the slippers. Tsuya removes hers, causing Cait and Steph to follow suit. She walks to the other end of the table, facing the exit of the private room, and sits down, crossing her legs. The worker stands out of the way, seemingly waiting to receive food orders. "Welcome to Tomioka Castle. And to your dinner. They have countless Kusarian dishes to choose from, so you could really just pick what comes off the top of your head, or you could display a holo menu by tapping that small button on the center of the table."

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