Dark Edge Village

There was a large amount of... stuff... being delivered to one of the tents. Looked to be mostly ingredients. Rice. Vegetables. Dried fish. And assorted other edibles. Enough for a feast. Along with the personal belongings of someone who clearly enjoyed quality in her property.

"Well," Yuzuki gazed down the row of tents. "Guess this is the place."

The Mantis wasn't alone for long, soon enough a Phoenix appeared from behind a yurt, staring in some wide-eyed amusement as she poked at the fabric of the enormous tent. "So interesting to see one up close." She paused at the sight of the Mantis and bowed to her. "Good morning, Mantis-san. Have you had your rice yet?"

The Mantis was wearing a stunningly fashionable; not to mention expensive looking; kimono. She was also wearing a hakama and haori, both of excellent quality. To add to that, there was quite a lot of jewelry involved in the form of bracelets, ear rings, and necklaces. Yet somehow, something about her sense of fashion might seem 'odd'. Like she wasn't wearing it properly. Only, it looked really fashionable the way she was wearing it... just... improper. Innovative! Scandalous to anyone liking things the traditional way, though.

And then there were the pair of Kama she kept at her sides, in addition to a daisho.

Yes. Very Mantis.

She turned when addressed, and looked at the woman for a moment, like she wasn't sure if she was expected to say something back.

"Ohayo-gozaimasu, Asako-san," she said finally, with a bow. "I have partaken on the road. Yourself?"

The Phoenix looked nothing like the Mantis. Her clothing was well made, but by Mantis standards rather plain. The maiden wore little in the way of jewelry as well. In fact, the most stunning piece that the woman carried seemed to be her daisho, with a shining brass tsuba glinting in the morning sun and the stained red oak sheath. Yuki didn't seem to be too bothered by the fabulous dress of the Mantis.

"Hai, we did. We didn't have much left, but I'm sure the Unicorn have brought a lot. Do you think there will be a big feast to honor the start of the Miai? I've read that the people of the Burning Sands have a particular love of holding grand and lavish feasts. I hope there will be one, don't you?" She paused from her rambling and blushed a bit. "Oh, ah, this one is Asako Yuki. It is a pleasure to meet you." She said as she bowed.

"Yuzuki," she said with a bow.

Of course you're guessing.

They're not holding a feast.

They're holding a feast.

"Hmm, I guess so? We're kind of far from the sea, so I'm guessing seafood will not be of the best quality. I'm not sure they even eat sea food though. Do you happen to know anything about what they eat?"

"Oh yes. Well, some of it anyway. Actually, it's by most standards quite barbaric. They eat quite a bit of red meat, you see. Primarily goat, but some cow as well. They don't have rice out there, at least, not a lot. But they do use a lot of wheat to make bread, and they use not only the cow's meat, but also their milk as well." Yuki explained with the air that only an Asako could pull off.

Yuzuki did not like the sound of all that.

"Are you sure? That seems... a bit much. They are still Samurai, are they not?"

In the tent next to his Cousin's, a somewhat larger affair than usual, another Phoenix was in the process of moving in. His efforts were made a little more challenging by the presence of a small boy who, despite the efforts of a middle-aged serving woman, was endlessly peppering the man with questions.

"Why is it a fabric house?"

"Because the Unicorn enjoy travel. Remember how much you enjoyed seeing the new places we went through?"

"Why are their mountains small?"

"The Empire is a land full of many different types of place. I'm sure if we went north again, we'd see larger ones."

"What are those fluffy animals?"

"Those are sheep."

"If we move here, can we have one?"

"...we'll have to see."

Yuzuki wrote:Yuzuki did not like the sound of all that.

"Are you sure? That seems... a bit much. They are still Samurai, are they not?"

"Oh, hai. Or else they would not be the Unicorn and have been welcomed back, neh? I imagine it's just differences in taste or something like that. There are things Crab eat that I'd never try, but they're still samurai." The Asako explained her simplistic view.

Spotting Hirase, she waved at him and his small cadre with a smile.

"My cousins in the Crab enjoy simple foods. Fried foods especially. Though they have some good stocks of fish out in Earthquake Fish bay. Their standards may be different from that of say, the Phoenix, but I doubt they would eat cows. Or drink milk."

She noticed the other Phoenix, but he seemed preoccupied for the moment.

After several more questions, Hirase finally managed to extricate himself. Leaving the servant woman to deal with the child, he came to greet his cousin, peering briefly at her tent as if to assure himself it was suitably constructed for her safety before bowing to her and her companion.

"Ohayou, Yuki-san." A flicker over mons. "Mantis-san. This one is Asako Hirase, a pleasure. I hope I am not interrupting?"

Yuki lifted a hand and played with her hair a bit. "Hai, that's true I guess. But still, I can't imagine that they aren't samurai. Why would the Empire welcome them if they weren't, neh? Besides, there's more to a Samurai than what they eat and where they sleep. Ronin are samurai, even if they are the lowest form."

"Yuzuki," she said with a bow, then turning back to the conversation.

"They'll probably just need time to adapt."

Yuki nodded and smiled. "Hai, I expect so. They've been gone a long time after all. Things have changed even in Rokugan since they left. It will take some time to integrate them again."

Having been delayed by offering prayer at a small shrine, Nonin joined his Phoenix friends.

He bowed politely to Yuzuki and waited to be introduced.


OOC: At tabletop game, replies will be slow, but assume politeness from Nonin.