Before the end of the ordeal with the kid and the dinosaurs Satoru had made plans to meet Shoan here later that night to grab some dinner.

Satoru had went home and showered after their impromptu combat training, had actually been similar to his day to day duties in a way. Regardless now Satoru stood leaning against a table reading from his densai waiting for his company for the evening. the light from the device reflecting off his glasses in the rapidly dying light of the day.

Satoru puts away his densai as Shoan approaches but doesn't break the silence yet enjoying the last rays as they spread across the sky painting the clouds in warm colors. Lady Sun disappearing for the evening, giving way to Lord Moon.

After the sunset was complete Satoru looked over to Shoan "Always important to take time for little beauties in life Matsu-san." he said before giving her a small bow "Have you tried the fried Otori here? I have heard it is quite good and after the excitement of the day I could use something filling." he said with a friendly tone and a small smile.

Something about the Spider's address seems to strike Shoan as amusing but she just nods her head politely.

"I might not have tried it yet Kuchiki-san, but I have found myself with a taste for Otori. If you lead me to fried food, I will follow. It has been quite the day, more eventful than yesterday, which was one of the most eventful days of my life except for the day before that."

Giving one last look to the xeno forest before returning her attention fully to her companion
"But everything ended as it should, something to take comfort in, I think."

Satoru chuckled a little "I know the feeling Matsu-san, you were incredible out there, I can see that the prowess of the Matsu warriors was not overstated." he said as he began walking toward the food cart that had smells of fried Ortori and spices flowing freely.

"It seems your life is rapidly increasing in excitement from the sounds of things. Was that your first time seeing action Matsu-san?" he asked as they neared the stall.

Shoan sniffs appreciatively, now that was a good use for Otori
"You are far too generous Kuchiki-san. A warrior is expected to face battle, there's nothing incredible about that. A shugenja rushing to fight monsters on behalf of a child is much more impressive."
Her tone is friendly but ever so slightly chiding, as if a shugenja were some precious frail substance
"You could have been hurt, or worse. And then not only would your clan have lost a talented priest, but I would have had to explain to everyone that a Spider showed more courage and honour than myself."

Eyes twinkling
"A devastating prospect. And to your question no, I have served a couple tours previously. They were...more complicated, today was simple. If all war was simply saving children from monsters then being a bushi would be wonderfully easy."

Once they reach the stall the Lion uses her height to peer over the small crowd at the menu above. Him, fried Otori...or double fried Otori, that was a hard choice.

"Although Kuchiki-san, could I beg a favour from you?"

Satoru's own eyes sparkled with some humor at her statement but he held in his laugh "Matsu-san your concern is touching but I have faced far greater horrors than some large lizards. I am a military man myself even if most of my training was spent on healing."

He hoped the lack of variety translated to an increase in quality from the stand. He quirked an eyebrow at the Lion "Yes? What is it Matsu-san?"

"Could you perhaps stop referring to me as 'Matsu-san'? I assure you, most tall Lion samurai-ko are Matsu, but not all. I'm far too calm to be a member of that honoured family, even at the best of times."

With her facing the cart it's hard to tell whether Shoan is joking, completely dead pan, or quietly annoyed.

he almost blushed a little at his fumble "My apologies Murame-san." a deeper bow this time "I'm afraid wires got crossed in my brain. My mistake It will not happen again."

"You are not the first and will not be the last Kuchiki-san, mine is a small family and there is no reason you would know of it. If anything, it amuses me. But for the sake of propriety I thought better to correct you than wait until one of my Matsu cousins was nearby at the time."

She nods, probably at the menu
"I shall have the double fried Otori on rice."

"Make that two." He says to the vendor and looked to Shoan "Be that as it may, Let me cover your dinner. its the least I can do after my mix up." He said inclining his head still obviously feeling a bit embarrassed about the whole thing.

"Oh Kuchiki-san there's no need to-"
Shoan looks down into her empty wallet as a small scrap of lint blows away
"-Well, it is a very kind offer, graciously accepted."

The vendor nods, taking several large pieces of fried bird and then beginning to fry them again in a chilli oil on a different hotplate while the Lion tries not to drool.

"Good food makes it possible to forget a great many things."
Shoan relaxes slightly as the food continues to cook

"You mentioned that large lizards were nothing special compared to what you've face Kuchiki-san? Has it really all been monsters and spirits like you said in the bathhouse?"

He nodded handing over the price of the meals as the man finished frying the skewers and dunking them in his signature sauce and placing them on a fluffy bed of rice.

Satoru handed Shoan hers and began moving to a table "Well not all but the unexplored areas of space house a menagerie of creatures. Some terrifying and dangerous, though the greatest dangers we've seen out there are the ones you can't see." His face was impassive but that was more through force of will thinking about some of the horrific diseases he had encountered. Best not to ruin dinner talking of such things in detail.

"But there is beauty out there too. Its like I said when you first arrived, enjoying small beauties and taking time to appreciate them has been one of greatest lessons I have learned out there. Anything from a atmosphere that creates a spectacular green and aqua sunset or a bioluminescent forest." He said finding a table and sitting "so no its not all horrors and evil spirits. Though those are certainly there."

Shoan politely waits for him to be seated before settling opposite the Spider.

“You make it sound pleasant, in parts at least. I don’t want to imply that your work is simple but when the enemy is a creature or a disease then... well, maybe there are less concerns.”

She tastes the Otori and then coughs a few times, eyes watering.
“This is... potent.”

His face was impassive as he watched her eat and he took a bite of his own but the only reaction that really registered on his face was a raised eyebrow and a slight clearing of the throat "A little, indeed." he said taking a second to calm his pallet before continuing.

"It is pleasant sometimes Murame-san, as I said it is not all horrors and violence but there is plenty of it." he took a moment to chew the food, quickly adapting to the new flavor "I suppose it is less morally complex, the things we are fighting are either already dead or mindless. For the most part but I would not call it simple."

croaking"A samurai can feel satisfied with such a duty, like drinking cool water after eating a surprisingly spicy sample of street food."
Which the Lion does, with gusto

"I hope to one day feel that completeness of duty that you do."

Satoru nodded "You have brought up that my duty seemed simple, do you find your duties troubling?" he asked with a raised eyebrow as he takes another bite of the fried meat.

Almost automatically
"My duties are never troubling, my duties are my life."

The Lion pauses and separates a small piece of chicken and nibbles on it with some rice which brings the spice down to more bearable levels.
"...I will do anything my clan requires of me, it is just that...I do not want to spend my whole life taking the lives of other Rokugani. Skirmishes like we fought are preferable the enemy were monsters, not people."

"I'm sure you're not the first samurai to have thoughts like this, probably why clans tend to dehumanize their enemies. It is easier to take a life when you believe that life is worth less than yours." Spider did this often with alien species which by religious beliefs the aliens are sub human but it makes one wonder at times.

"You are probably not wrong Kuchiki-san. But I have killed a...not inconsiderable amount of people. Most of them lacked the training and equipment to pose more than a negligible threat. They had forfeited their lives it's true, but all the same..."

Pushing around another piece of chicken

"I'm sorry, I imagine even for the Spider this is unusually grim dinner talk."