Expecting far less company than on the previous day, Also Akihiko ensures a small table on the far side of the lounge is prepared with tea for his guest. As he awaits her arrival, he stares at the tea pot, clearly deep in thought. Whether the thoughts are of tea or something else is not clear.

The Kitsu arrived shortly afterwards, her eyes mostly on her densai as she headed over. Then, she looked up, smiled faintly at the Akodo, and then gazed at the decor. "Must be nice staying here," she mused.

Akihiko catches the smile, but also the comment, and he grimaces. "It's," he begins, clearly lost for words. "It's where I was directed and I appreciate our hosts' hospitality," he says without really trying to sound convincing. He waves for her to sit and pours her tea, favoring his military/practical side over formality today.

Then the Lion pilot recovers himself a bit. "I'm sorry, Kitsu Nozomi-san, welcome." Akihiko bows his head deeply in respect, but he does it without rushing from his seat. "I understand the accommodations for most miai participants are more like what I'm accustomed to on the Fury of Bishamon?"

"Ah, it is the way it is," Nozomi brushed it off with an uneasy smile. She returned the bow and looked for a seat of her own. "The lodgings are not in any way luxurious. But that is not needed for any proper samurai, now is it?"

She pressed her glasses up and tilted her head. "So what can I help you with today?"

"Kitsu-san, it is somewhat a matter of 'proper samurai,' as you say," he says evasively. He pauses to think,and decides a more direct conversation is preferable.

Akihiko keeps his voice at just the volume that Nozomi can hear him without straining, but the sound will carry no farther: "For some time now, and nearly every night regardless of anything else that happens in a day, my sleep is regularly tortured by nightmares." He breathes deeply. "I steadfastly do my duty and do not allow this curse tho decrease my effectiveness," he looks straight at Nozomi to reinforce the point, "But I worry that, when married, I may may no longer be able to say that no part of my duty is impeded." Akihiko closes his eyes for a moment, takes a centering breath. "I would most humbly request any spiritual advice that Kitsu-san might offer."

Nozomi nodded along with Akihiko's words. Midway through, she took off her glasses, as if they were a distraction from further thought. "You may have been afflicted with a curse," she murmured at the end. It was not that she was afraid to say it out loud. She simply did not want others to hear.

"I would have to do a ritual to ascertain the true nature of it. But it can be invasive," she said with a meek smile. She put her glasses back on and then shrugged. "It may be good to check out any potential marriage candidates with it as well. They may not be happy with the idea."

She closed her eyes and dipped her head. "But back to the point: if it is indeed a curse, then the source could honestly be from any sort. They can be hard to narrow down," she admitted.

Akihiko nods in understanding, appreciating the Kitsu's candor. "If there is a chance of identifying a cause or source, I am inclined to pursue it. But asking a potential match about it?" He shakes his head even before asking the whole question.

"What would you do, Kitsu Nozomi-san? Or if I were your brother, what would you recommend?"

The Kitsu wobbled her hand. "Not quite. If I had to make a guess, it'd be related to the Realm of Dreams. But that is under the assumption that is indeed a curse."

She contemplated his next question for a moment. "What to do? Well, assuming it was due to one unhappy Spirit Realm," she said, putting it quite lightly, "then I would have to do my best to placate it."

Akihiko seems to relax somewhat, although he stats intensely focused on what Nozomi is saying. He thinks for a moment after she finishes.

"And is placating a spirit realm like placating elemental kami? I haven't had much experience with the spirit realms, being constantly in space."

Nozomi looked up to the ceiling. After a few moments, she said, "I'm not sure. With the kami, I find it easy to speak with them." She held up her hands. "Well, not exactly easy. More like, it's easier to find out what they want as opposed to the spirit realms."

Akihiko nods, deflating slightly. "I see. Well, if there is a path toward resolving whatever ... ill fortune affects me"--his voice makes clear he has little patience for fortunes or spirits--"I would ask your help in pursuing it."

"Oh, yes, of course I will help," Nozomi said, dipping her head. "Why would I not help a fellow Lion?"

The Akodo chuckles a little. "I greatly appreciate Kitsu-san's willingness to help. I don't take lightly asking for such help, recognizing that I do not know enough about any of this to really know what I'm asking. If it was in fact a burden, I would hope you would tell me so and decline," he says earnestly. "I am sensitive to the fact that, although I'm the ranking clan member at this miai, I am not your commander." He pauses. "I suppose even with those under my command, I'm not the sort of commander to pull rank if I can possibly avoid it."

"Oh, it's not like I have many duties to attend to here," Nozomi explained with a soft smile. "My only duty that I can think of is ensuring that the marriages for all of us Lion go well. And, well, your situation is part of that. I think."

Akihiko nods. "Very good." He glances around the room,keeping his voice a but lower even than it already was: "So when and where can we... do... what we're talking about?"

"Hm, well, I think we might need to do more research," Nozomi admitted. "I have never done anything related to, well, this sort of situation. I mostly do spellcasting and more mundane research."

Akihiko nods in understanding. "If Kitsu-san can find time for such research, or direct me in such pursuit, it would be appreciated."

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OOC:
I'm thinking /scene ?