Stars were just beginning to emerge in the sky as Bayushi Akagi rode through the farmlands. Twilight shadows had given the tall, tree-like fungal growths lining the path a fey and mysterious look, but the Scorpion's trusty otori remembered the way to Futaba Ranch even in the dim lighting.

Arriving at the ranch house, Akagi dismounted and approached the front door. Pulling out his communicator, he dashed off a text announcing his arrival.

Moriko had been waiting, and she and Ten appeared in one of the doorways on the upper level, "Bayushi-san," she waved cheerily and made her way to the stairs. "Good evening, how are you?" Ten sniffed about the Scorpion, wagging in welcome.

"Shiba-san," Akagi answered cheerfully, bowing politely. "I'm doing well. You're looking wonderful tonight."

"And, you're looking good tonight too, Ten, aren't you?" the Scorpion added, kneeling down to address the little shiba inu. "Aren't you!" He laughed as the puppy grew excited.

Ten, remembering Akagi, wagged his tail harder, body wriggling. “Thank you,” Moriko smiled at the unexpected compliment. “Ten, why don’t you show Bayushi-san what I taught you?” The pup sneezed from the excitement, looking to his mistress for the command.

"A trick, eh?" Akagi asked, grinning at the little dog encouragingly. "Well, let's see it, Ten! You can do it!"

“Ten-kun,” Moriko said firmly, and the pup looked at her, alert, “say hello to Bayushi-san.” The girl put her hands together and bobbed a shallow bow. Immediately, the shiba inu sat on his haunches, balancing himself as he raised his fore paws up to his chin, holding there.

"Well, hello, Ten-kun," Akagi said solemnly, returning a formal bow to the little dog. "Such good manners! Your etiquette instructor has taught you well."

“Good boy,” Moriko praised, her words releasing Ten from his pose, and he was on his feet in an instant, wagging and grinning. Returning her attention to Akagi, “now I just have to teach him how to serve tea, and we’ll have a proper like courtier.”

"He's already better behaved than some courtiers I've met," Akagi assured her with a small smile. "I expect he will do very well lobbying to gain more dog treats at court." He gave Ten a gentle pat.

"How have things been going with you?" the Bayushi asked. "I hope all of us off-worlders haven't been too disruptive to your routine."

“It’s been quite unusual,” Moriko admitted, “I’ve been furloughed from duties for the miai, so I almost don’t know what to do with myself.” The sun had fully set, shrouding the farms in darkness, as she had promised, glowing lights emanated from the jungle in almost every colour of the rainbow.

"Well, I'm glad that's allowed you time to have visitors like myself, then," Akagi said.

Peering towards the jungle, Akagi began to notice the glowing lights. "Wow! That is spectacular," he commented, sounding impressed. "Is that natural bioluminescence? Or some kind of phosphorescence?"

Moriko led the way to where their otori were waiting, “it’s all natural. In some places the light is enough to work by.” Some of the lights danced or swayed, insects seeking mates and slender vines disturbed by the passage of other living things. “It has been some time since I saw you last, Bayushi-san, has Asakaze been treating you well?”

"Quite well," Akagi said, as they mounted the otori. "The quarters they have us in are...all right. But the food is good, and I've gotten to visit and ride Daitan here quite a lot." He patted the side of his trusty otori.

"I do need to get out of the city to see more of the planet, though... so it's very kind of you to show me around tonight."

“It is my pleasure,” Moriko swung easily into Hana’s saddle. “I’m glad to hear you’re being treated well. And what of the miai itself? do you think there’s promise for your future?”

"I think I've made a favorable impression on the nakodo," Akagi said. "So I have high hopes for a good match. To be honest, I ... I'm hoping for a match that would let me stay here."

"I've really liked what I've seen of Asakaze so far. The otori, the screamers ... the beauty of the forest at night." The Scorpion gestured at the glowing lights floating through the night air. "And the people, of course." He glanced at Moriko for just a moment.

Moriko nodded, she'd seen Akagi do quite well in the recent days, "you've performed admirably, you should be pleased with the result." Hana voiced a soft kweh as the pair approached the road and met a scout, also on an otori, patrolling the farmlands. "It sounds like none have caught your eye in particular, that's a shame, Bayushi-san."

"Oh, I wouldn't say that," Akagi said carefully. "There's definitely a few who have caught my eye. But I figure it isn't a good idea to get my hopes up too much, since who I am matched with isn't entirely up to me."

The Scorpion gave a friendly wave to the scout as they rode past her.

"What about you, Shiba-san?" he asked. "After meeting all the people at the miai, have you formed any thoughts on what sort of person you'd like to be matched with?"

"In so far as we are allowed to control our destinies," Moriko hedged, leading them out onto the road and settling Hana into a relaxed walk, "I think I have found someone that I could make a life with." What is it with me and arachnids? she mused with some humour, "an unexpected pleasure, but a pleasure nonetheless."

"Oh," Akagi said, looking thoughtful for a moment as they rode slowly down the road. "I'm.. I'm glad you've found someone suitable," the Scorpion said, nodding. "Let's hope the nakodo approve the match."

"What kind of animals are making the dancing lights?" Akagi asked curiously, looking to one side of the trail as a particularly colorful pattern seemed to float in the night air. "Or are they some sort of xenofungi? It's... beautiful to behold."

“Yes, it could make for a very embarrassing choosing ceremony if they don’t,” she agreed, somewhat obliviously. Following Akagi’s eyeline, “those are a type of fungal vine, they hang from tall stalks so that animals passing by will brush against them, picking up spores. Something must have moved through there recently, that’s why they’re swaying.”