What a day.

Suihime sighed as she walked along the top of the beach, feeling the sand between her toes. Losing the morning battle was an acceptable loss; she was glad for the experience. The garden party however had been a disaster, and she knew that somewhere her brother was suffering. He may have made an error, a massive error...but I hope nothing too serious happens to him. Thoughts of being cast out or executed had to be kept away from the mind.

Finally she reached it; the flat rock that sat close enough to the ocean without being in it. It was still quite a distance, which meant very few accidental splashes from the water. Ideal doodling positioning.

She sat on top of the rock, and began to sketch the ocean. The small ship she could see far out was included. It was her best one yet.

And suddenly, in the dying rays of last of Lady Amaterasu's grace for the day, from surf and foam, he emerged.

The lone wolf, many generations removed. The one who wouldn't abandon his post even though his partner thought that women were more important than old buddies.

The water-sprinkling mayhem of law-enforcing melancholia.

Chappy-kun.

Movement caught Suihimes eye. Was it a whale? Maybe a seal?

...

A dog? Wait no, she knew this dog. A smile grew on her face, and she quickly resumed her drawing, adding the charming Chappy-kun to the piece, remembering how he looked when he emerged from the water. She also kept an eye out - if the dog was here, the master was likely nearby.

Alas, the master was not nearby. The inseparable duo was now divided by marital obligations of the all-important governor. After a succulent bone he had got at the Reversed Fortunes Chappy had simply decided to get back to old routines to reminisce, so he had gone swimming.

Now, having disciplined a seagull for seaside sedition, he was thoroughly shaking himself into semi-dryness.

After immortalizing the dog in her doodles, Suihime finally rose and moved over to the dog. "Well hello there. Out on your own tonight?" She said to the dog, giving him a bow and offering him a hand to sniff.

Ever diligent, Chappy ran forth to investigate olfactorily, detecting many attractive smells from snacks of the garden party, and so he investigated deeper, licking the extended hand profusely. He didn't know this she-human too well but he remembered her from the time she had lived in the House of Laurels, and she smelled Imperial enough.

Suihime laughed when Chappy licked her fingers, before petting the dog. "Ever-vigilant as always" she smiled, standing up more "seen anything interesting?" She knew he couldn't answer, but the dog always appeared to be quite intelligent. She looked around; the dog seemed to be alone too. "Well, I was only planning to do some drawing...but I guess I can go for a walk."

Chappy barked in agreement, having long learned to recognise the magical word: walk. He pranced back toward the surf and then across the sand in a vivid demonstration that his vital strengths were more than adequate for full participation. The Imperial she-human was apparently happy to assist him in tonight's law enforcing, a welcome turn of events. Running forth, he set his senses on contraband, and... there was something.

In poor light Suihime might or might not catch the difference in Chappy-kun's barking or hops across the sand, stone and seashells that signalled his alertness.

[Awareness/Animal Handling (Dogs) or Perception/Investigation (Notice) vs. TN20]

Suihime laughed at Chappys antics; dogs could be so silly sometimes. She followed him, saying "let me know if you find anything"
having no idea he already was doing so.

Silly dog, jumping around like that. I wish I could be so carefree...

Misunderstood, and unable to recover the roaring metal bone himself, Chappy-kun gave up and trudged on. Maybe that find was not important for she-human. Oooh... a crab! That's a better find. He rushed into the surf and got the creature between his teeth from the back. Now Chappinator with pincering tendrils from his muzzle was galloping back to Suihime.

Suihime had no idea of the terror that was galloping in her direction. The monstrosity that would soon be upon her.

"Oh you got something? What have you got there?" She asked, squinting.