He took the conelantern back with a flourish and led the pair out of the underground archive, and back into the bustling commercial district. A convenient set of vending machines and a bench was not too far off.

"Hm, pretty humid out, at least in the archive it was nicely cool." he notes, looking over at the vending machine.

"Do you have a preference of tea, Moshi-san?" he asks.

"Peach." She said without even thinking. "I don't mind the humidity. I quite enjoy it some how. The humid air is pretty good compared to the dry cold air." She nodded at that taking a seat on the bench. "A yuki no onna might appear out of no where and take you away in the frigid planets."

Two cans of peach tea were dispensed from the machine, and Tsugiharu handed one to the Moshi, and sat down on the bench.

"Hmm...it's different at least." he admitted.

He looked up at the sky.

"So's that, though I bet the view would be better outside of the city." he mused.

She took the can and opened it taking a sip. "I suppose, no lights, no artificial noise..." She started to imagine how the stars would look. She looked up at the sky. "Creating some constelations... nice natural sounds... no stress just nature and a..." She looked at the Spider. "great companion."

"I'll drink to that." he agreed, opening his own can of tea.

It really wasn't a toasting kind of situation, but it amused Tsugiharu to do so, nonetheless.

"To the present that is the present, and to all that tomorrow brings." he offered.

"Kampai then..." She rose her can to the sky then took a sip. "Kuchiki san have you ever wondered about past lives?"

Tsugiharu titled his head a bit at that.

"From time to time. Although if you asked a Phoenix they'd probably tell you I must have been just a truly horrible person in a past life to be born into the Spider. Kicked puppies, menaced the elderly, didn't say thank you after you passed the soy sauce." he noted with a dry bit of snark.

"Although, I was thinking about it the other day when we were discussing psychology and how it related to that. If we're like books and you can only open one chapter at a time, or if we're more like a themed anthology."

She looked at the Spider. "The Phoenix might also say that in my past lives I raided planets and stole many treasures. That I am not an honorable samurai but a filthy pirate." She frowned. "Still, part of what i was taught is the study of ancestors... and I wonder if I am special for being... odd."

Tsugiharu considered that.

"Hm, well you are gifted with the ability to speak to the kami, that alone makes you stand out as different than many." he advised. "Though not from me."

He sipped his tea.

"But 'Odd' is really only a label that others put on you so they need not put any more thought into your opinions. We're all different from another another, but people tend to try and toss people into boxes with a convenient label so they need not spend the effort. Mantis, Spider, none of them are alike, but if you can simply label them, why learn more?" he said

He shook his head.

"It's truly amazing what treasures they miss when they narrow their worldview so much."

"Finally someone that understands. We are humans, not monsters. We feel. We bleed. We make mistakes and try our best to fix them." She sipped her tea. "Many people don't see it... how bad labels are and the many opportunities they miss."

The fact that were people who would put both Atena and Tsugiharu in the same box marked 'Monster' really demonstrated that they didn't understand what the word meant.

"Well, I'm sure there are some among the allegedly pacifistic Phoenix who understand that we bleed, all too well, Moshi-san." he said. "But I take your point."

He sipped his tea.

"Perhaps that is truly the point of reincarnation. You live life after life, unaware of the past lives until you once more pass into the realm of waiting. And when there, once you truly understand that we are all human, that is when you break free of the cycle and move on to Yomi." he mused

He looked over at the Moshi.

"But the thing you must remember Moshi-san, that if people insist on branding you 'odd' or a 'monster', those people are simply obstacles to your success. Do whatever you must to get by them. Go over, under, around, through them. Do whatever you must to get to what you want to achieve. And then when you rest in the realm of waiting, you can think about what you accomplished, made all the sweeter because you earned it through your own will." he said, passionately.

She closed her eyes and wondered. I should tell him... he may understand where I come from... "Anoo... Kuchiki san... I... I am not really well... You remember me mentioning Komori san the evening that we met right." She swallowed her tea. "I have a second... soul... or what ever people may call it." She looked at the sky and sighed. "It is not easy this life... not easy to have two souls. That is why i think this psychology study may help me."

Tsugiharu looked at her consideringly.

"Hm. Could you explain that in a bit greater detail, Moshi-san? I know it's probably hard to do so, but understanding requires suffering at times." he inquired.

"Long story short... Komori san is my id. I am the ego... or so the medics in Starnest told me." She sighed. "I am damaged. In a way that not many understand. This probably means that... I really am not the best to represent my clan in this place."

Tsugiharu considered the ramifications of that. She was still a shugenja. It likely wouldn't affect her ability to breed, although it could impact her ability to care for children, and there was a potential that they might suffer similar mental illness.

"Hmm, perhaps I should have guessed that was why you wanted to study psychology, Moshi-san. It is often said that the person that the people who are drawn to that study most want to treat is themselves."

He sipped his tea.


"It's a tough situation. Sent to this miai by your clan hoping that they'll either be rid of you, or that you'll fail badly enough they'll have an excuse to ship you off to some quiet little monastery somewhere. Fighting to prove yourself worthy of a match with a handicap that no one else has under the eye of a hostile group of matchmakers."

He looked intently over at her.

"I believe that those who follow Shourido can find a path to victory, Moshi-san. No matter the challenges, no matter the colors on your sleeve, a path exists. The fact that you're willing to trust me with the truth about yourself tells me you want to find the path, and I am willing to help you along it."

The Moshi looked up. "Hai... I work hard and the path to victory is never an easy one. I just have a wall rather than a pebble that many find in the path of life." Then she remembered his words in the shuttle. "My own book to help others. One should always stride to better nommather if it is Shorido or Bushido, or just a mix of the two or create a new path to walk."

Tsugiharu nodded.

"It's an interesting idea. There are honorable people follow Shourido, the two are not wholly incompatible." he assured her.

"And it gives you more clarity of purpose. It's easy to say you'll do your best, and never accomplish anything. But if you say, 'I will write this book about how anyone can overcome their obstacles, just like I did.' That's a lot easier to focus on."

"Thank you... for understanding." She smiled. "Not many people believe the equality and duality of the human being." She looked down and took a sip of her tea.

Tsugiharu nodded.

"Well, while you shouldn't ignore the fact that many people don't, you should find some comfort in the fact that their are some who do." he rejoined.

"Then... should start with learning and continue with teaching... reaching toward the stars..." She chuckled. "A noble thing neh... for a double soul person."