Likewise on the outside, Asuka was her usual self, calm, collected, and indeed sincere of all, but on the inside however...different story. At first, she was seething underneath with a burning rancor aimed for this...this imposter of a samurai Noriaki, so much she even refused to refer to the woman as [i]-dono[/i] anymore for that was only reserved for those who she deemed honorable, and through the actions the poet had displayed, such in Asuka's scrutinizing gaze of the woman were indeed dishonorable and downright unscrupulous. Why, had it not been for her vow to never shed blood, the samurai would have already bared her weapon unto the wretch, challenging her on the spot, as would Kaede...possibly upon this very moment. The pinch in her stomach grew ever more bothersome as she heard of the woman's plan...her plan to travel with whom Asuka considered was the woman she had lied with last night, for the odor of the sin was still among the sinful woman, sinful in how she abdicated all noble duty she was to fulfill of the honorable Hime-dono, and abandoned her comrades in the heat of battle, in pursuit of the more sensual heat of her own lust. How disgraceful! How selfish! But still, the ronin refused to speak of such to the woman. [i]A time of judgment will come for this wrongdoing, certainly it will for this dishonorable one. It shall not be my hand that graces justice's blade...but rather the hand of the divine will of our goddess, and justice swiftly shall she deal indeed.[/i]

Besides, more pressing matters to the ronin came to mind, as this new girl and her reactions about Hanami-dono, the woman....Asuka was rather flustered to mention, but the woman Asuka had first laid eyes upon. And still she had to wonder, why was she becoming so flustered all of a sudden over this new one, carooning about the miko in such...infatuation of her? [i]I'm sure she is probably intimidated by her newer surroundings, indeed it must be so.....right?[/i] Ugh! How Asuka hated this twinge in her nerves, how her blood seemed to boil as she watched this girl, Ageha-dono, parade about the shrine maiden, the very same...Asuka was quite infatuated with herself...though she feared to mention it. [i]She's just being friendly, indeed that must be all.[/i] She kept reminding herself, such a test to her saintly patience.