Oh yeah the infiltrator. I remember now.

"I have no idea what that is but I can totally believe you are an actress indeed. You've got the theatricality for that.

Out of curiosity how did you find yourself part of a delegation which appears to be made of nothing but soldiers and nec... medics?"

Nara tilted her head.

"Neck medic? Kuchiki-san is a neck specialist?"

She frowned, then shrugged.

"I'm here because my brother had an accident. It wasn't planned!"

"Oh. Sorry..."

More or less.

"... to hear that. Did the miai turn well for you in spite of this rocky start?"

"I don't know, it's still going" Nara said with a grin "so far though the judges seem very biased, and not very artistic, which is a shame as the governor likes to sing so I'd expected more art!"

"What exactly did you expect when the invitation explicitly asked for... Wait. You've met the governor?"

"I did! At a karaoke bar! We sang together" Nara said with a few nods "he's a bit grumpy but has a lot of passion. I think he's a good soul, or at least a musical one. Less talented than me but more heart and soul into it."

"...

Did you actually say that to his face?

And you didn't use that maybe unique opportunity to try push things for your own gain? Like, inviting him for another karaoke session?"

"Huh?" Nara looked confused "he goes a lot, why would I need to invite him?"

"I mean...

You were with the governor when he was relaxing... and that's it? You didn't ask him to set up a play in which you could have starred as part of the miai or anything?"

"They don't seem to like the arts here, so I didn't think they'd go for a Spider trying to arrange a play here" Nara shook her head sadly "it would be really fun though! Does Hida-sama like acting too?"

She peered at the dress, adding "you seem comfortable in the dress too, maybe this is the real you coming out?" with a giggle.

Akemi shrugged:

"What even is one's real self? If you've got the answer to that question, I think a lot of philosopher monks would like to have a talk with you.

As for acting never tried it so dunno. What do you like yourself about that particular art?"

"Ones real self is when they look in the mirror and think 'I'm happy'" Nara said without hesitation "at least that's what I think. Maybe there is a longer deeper answer but that one feels right."

She paused to think, before speaking again.

"I like getting into a new character, and bringing a scene to life. Becoming someone else, someone made up, for a short while, and making people believe that person was real. It's a great feeling."

"Interesting. Now I'm left wondering if that short while you're talking about is the duration of the miai. Since most people here don't know about you, me first, could imagine that you've playing a role at this very moment, a role that will end when you will take the shuttle back home, or to a new home, in a few days.

Maybe the obtuse bushi playing dress-up in this room is not the one we might think about. Maybe this dress of yours is hiding guns bigger than mine. Who knows?"

"Huh?" Nara looked down at her kimono. It fit quite snug to her body, so there wasn't many places to hide things. Akemi obvious hadn't meant the literal, but Nara didn't catch that clearly.

"I don't have any weapons other than my peace tied sidearm Hida-san. See?" She had started loosening her kimono.

Even though it comes from a misunderstanding, Akemi will use this opportunity to get a better look at Nara's physique, trying to determine if she's built like a warrior, a gymnast, or any other profession that shapes the body deeply.

Akemi would spy another layer of clothes...and then beyond that a lithe body that certainly wouldn't be considered strong or athletic. She was thin and pale, although not unhealthily so - certainly an attractive actress body rather than a warriors body.

"See, no weapons!" She said without any shame at the situation of just being in her fashionable and colourful underwear.

Akemi nodded approvingly:

"Fine, I believe you, you're not secretly a big strong warrior.

That's... almost disappointing. You don't train your body for roles that require stunts or something? You said you were the star of Teenage Oni Slayer later, so I was kind of expecting biceps built to swing a ono."

"Why would I use an Ono when I have a blessed rifle that has the spirit of the first hunter in it?" Nara said, a little confused as she sorted her clothing out "demons are big and strong, guns deal with that better."

"Uh? That's like totally dependent of the demon. Some require a good old decapitation to be put out of the picture.

Guess you did star in a fiction show and not an educational show? Unlike that good old Crab children network show Who's that oni? I loved that stuff as a kid."

"I don't really know if the demons exist for real. They're all made up for the show as far as I'm aware, and a blessed bullet kills them" Nara explained with a frown "I've never met a demon in real life."