Dark Edge Village

Kitsu Takashi finds himself, after an unpleasant period staring at the list of miai participants, just over to the side scratching notes on parchment. His facial expression is not the easy smile that he's generally seen wearing.

Samai was at the center, perusing the miai list also, lost in thought. Quite a few people I haven't actually met yet. she mulled over, not noticing the Lion close by.

Pausing, Takashi steps back toward the list--and stops, as he finds the way obstructed by the Unicorn woman. Unwilling to violate etiquette by stepping too close, he looks for some way to work around the woman. Finally, blinking his eyes and then taking a deep breath, he brings a smile to his face and asks, "Unicorn-sama--please forgive my interruption--but could I step up there to review that drawing?" He gestures somewhat vaguely to the paper posted right in front of her.

Samai's mind took a few leisurely moments to acknowledge what the Lion has said. "Oh, Lion-san, gomen." Her voice was accented, carrying tones both ancient and foreign. She gingerly took a step back. "Ide Samai." She introduced herself with a proper bow.

Takashi's smile turns more natural, comfortable, and he bows in reply--noticeably just a little deeper than Samai. "I am Kitsu Takashi, Ide-sama. Very pleased to make your acquaintance." Seeming to remember something, he glances back to the list of miai participants. "You are well regarded, it seems. Well positioned among the participants from your clan?"

Why does this woman make me want to smile so much?

Samai smiled as she read it. "Apparently so. I hope I can live up to the honor bestowed." She turned her eyes towards the Kitsu, taking him in. "I hope you are finding Unicorn lands accommodating so far?" Unicorn lands were still a foreign concept for her.

"Hai. They are... not unlike the plains of the Lion heartland, though more grand and open, I would say." He smiles politely. "I am more focused on studying the people, however," he says, raising his notes gently to illustrate. "I think many of us will learn much in a short amount of time."

Kitsu Takashi wrote:"Hai. They are... not unlike the plains of the Lion heartland, though more grand and open, I would say." He smiles politely. "I am more focused on studying the people, however," he says, raising his notes gently to illustrate. "I think many of us will learn much in a short amount of time."

"Oh? Meet anyone interesting Kitsu-san?" She asked, her tone curious. "Though I do think you will be right... we only have a short time, after all."

The Lion tries to keep a lighthearted tone in his voice. "Ide Samai-sama seems interesting," he says, with a swift transition to, "As I'm finding her kin to be." He smiles in what he hopes is seen as a good natured, not creepy way.

OOC:
Sorry for the lag. Writer's block.

Samai giggles and raises her fan to hide her expression, not that it was difficult to tell what it might be.

"Arigatou Kitsu-san. I think Kitsu-san is interesting as well.... and to be honest, I found all of hte Lion pleasant so far." She bowed to him deeply. "I am grateful for your clan stewarding our land while we were away. It is in excellent condition."

Her eyes gazed around the area. "It is beautiful. We have herd many stories about Rokugan, our proper home. We visited many lands, many tribes, many seas and mountains... " She took a deep breath. "Yet the beauty of our home is unmatched."

Her eyes fluttered quickly, refocusing. "Oh, apologies. I am sure my inane ramblings are boring you Kitsu-san."

[OOC: no worries, hopefully I'm giving you more to work with now]

Takashi shakes his head gently and smiles in a relaxed, casual way. "Quite the contrary, Ide-sama," he says, a little more matter-of-factly. "It is often that we look most clearly upon a thing by doing so with fresh eyes. Hearing how you and your noble clan see the empire, especially with the perspective of the many other places you have seen, can be enlightening for all Rokugani."

He pauses a moment, looking thoughtfully to one side. When he turns back to Samai, he restores the light, easy smile. "Of course, as learned people can attest, enlightenment is a great undertaking. Not all are suited to it. So too, perhaps, will some in the empire be... poorly suited to hearing your perspective. This does not make the perspective any less valuable or mean it should not be shared. It simply means," he says gently but earnestly, "that care must be taken in the delivery. The courts of the empire--some in particular--are not places to speak without the outcomes already considered and prepared for."

In the following pause, Takashi catches himself and chuckles. His smile is entirely natural, but now covers his face. "Now I must apologize to you, Ide-sama, as I look ahead to complicated things when the moment before us is already so delightful. My apologies." The Lion bows with a perhaps surprising amount of grace and precision, showing great respect to Samai without appearing stiff or overly formal.

Kitsu Takashi wrote:Takashi shakes his head gently and smiles in a relaxed, casual way. "Quite the contrary, Ide-sama," he says, a little more matter-of-factly. "It is often that we look most clearly upon a thing by doing so with fresh eyes. Hearing how you and your noble clan see the empire, especially with the perspective of the many other places you have seen, can be enlightening for all Rokugani."

He pauses a moment, looking thoughtfully to one side. When he turns back to Samai, he restores the light, easy smile. "Of course, as learned people can attest, enlightenment is a great undertaking. Not all are suited to it. So too, perhaps, will some in the empire be... poorly suited to hearing your perspective. This does not make the perspective any less valuable or mean it should not be shared. It simply means," he says gently but earnestly, "that care must be taken in the delivery. The courts of the empire--some in particular--are not places to speak without the outcomes already considered and prepared for."

In the following pause, Takashi catches himself and chuckles. His smile is entirely natural, but now covers his face. "Now I must apologize to you, Ide-sama, as I look ahead to complicated things when the moment before us is already so delightful. My apologies." The Lion bows with a perhaps surprising amount of grace and precision, showing great respect to Samai without appearing stiff or overly formal.

"Well then, hopefully I will be able to keep you interested a while longer with what I have to say." Her eyes glinted, and she seemed to be nejoying herself.

"You have experience with courts Kitsu-san?" Her eyes widened in interest. "I think I understand... my family stood in palaces where a wrong word led to banishment or even execution. Consequences can be dire, and an Ide must be always thoughtful, not just for fear of themselves or their family, but the whole of the Unicorn." She looked him in the eye. "Whenever a word leaves our lips, it is with the understanding that we bear full responsibility for it."

Her serious expression wavered. "Now now... life is complicated, though its bounties can be simple." Her eyes looked him up and down, taking in his face and his body all in one. "Besides, I am quite interested to learn of the Empire through the words and deeds of the Lion, Kitsu-san."

Takashi's eyes sparkle a little at the attention, but he shows no indiscreet reaction. "I am at Ide-sama's service for anything​she might wish to know of the Lion. My father's family, the Ikoma, are charged with collecting and preserving the history of not only the Lion but the entire empire." He gestures with his parchment. "You may have guessed that already," he says with a slightly silly smile.

His on is quickly restored, however: "I know many of us look forward to adding the stories of the Unicorn to our accumulated knowledge."

Samai continued smiling as she lightly fanned herself. "Oh, you are descended from Ikoma? I find them to be great storytellers, a topic I have quite some fondness."

She eyed the parchment. "Any particular topics that you are interested in?" She gestured with the fan towards him. "Hopefully I will be able to offer them some stories for you to record."

Takashi smiles, pleased with everything Samai has to say.

"It seems that we could have a very productive partnership then, talking about great stories and great storytellers. Many in my clan might be most interested to hear about how the Unicorn have kept Bushido alive and valued throughout your clan's travels. Of course, I would be happy to record any story that Ide-sama should find important enough to share."

He pauses, his smile perhaps looking a bit gleeful at what Samai has said. Then he remembers another of her remarks: "And, oh, yes, I'm descended from Ikoma. My father married into the Kitsu because he was such a strong match for my mother. The Lion," he says, voice returning to a bit more formal tone, "The Lion take the marriages of those with Kitsu blood very seriously."