Hopelessly Devoted [D2 LE, Open/expecting]

[Bayushi Hotaru]

As the two talked, Hotaru meandered up the steps of the Shrine. It was rather late and likely devoid of visitors, but she felt that was little reason to forgo a visit. It wasn't a shrine devoted to a founder in her Clan but the holy grounds had enough ingrained history and old kami that its purpose could be interpreted as universal. She took a moment to offer her prayers to Kakita, who seems as fitting as anyone to wish for inspiration when it came to competition, and the Fortunes. Two lousy showings in a row and she probably had to pray harder to do better.

Once she was finished, she lingered a little longer, noticing both the Yasuki and fellow Scorpion. She bowed politely to greet them, mustering a bright smile. "Oooh...I hadn't know there were others here, my apologies if I missed you earlier. Good evening, Soshi-san and Crab-sama!"

[Yasuki Tomonaga]

Tomonaga gave a start, his head turning to face the new arrival. He relaxed a little as he realized that she hadn't been close enough to hear the more intense part of the conversation. He relaxed a little further as he realized that she was a cute young Scorpion.

"Hey, Bayushi-san!" Tomonaga bowed cheerfully. "Please, come join us. Soshi-san and I were just sharing a drink. Here; if you don't have a cup, I'll cede mine to you." Carefully, he wiped his off as best as he could before offering it to the Bayushi.

[Soshi Taira]

Taira smiled, and reached into his satchel, fetching a small wooden bowl.

"You can borrow this, it's clean."

He offered it, adding, "I hope you are doing well, Bayushi-san. Getting to know the hosts?"

[Bayushi Hotaru]

Hotaru looked questioning at the cup from Tomonaga, then the one from Taira, for a moment before answering. "Oh, no, thank you. I don't think I have need of that, I do have my own cup somewhere here, actually." She fished through her satchel and pulled out her own cup, which was a simple red painted cup.

She presented it over. "Thank you very much for sharing your sake with me! I'm not much of a drinker, so I'll just have a little bit! Lucky you guys, that means more for you both. Mind if I ask what's the occasion? Celebrating? Or commemorating?"

"Oooh, I've been here and there. Running into whoever the fates and winds take me. I suppose I've run into the both of you tonight," she chuckled and looked to regard the Crab, a touch cautious in her delay. "This one is Bayushi Hotaru, honoured shrine maiden of Tengoku's Path."

[Yasuki Tomonaga]

Tomonaga chuckled at Hotaru's enthusiasm. "Neither, really. I thought that Soshi-san here needed a drink, and I was in a position to provide him one." As per her request, he poured her only a little. "As it happens, I come from a family of sake brewers. Golden Carp." He added, a little hopefully. He hadn't yet met a samurai who'd heard of it here.

"Yasuki Tomonaga. It's a pleasure to meet you, Bayushi-san. I'm rather pleased that fates and winds took you this direction." He bowed, then indicated Taira. "This is Soshi Taira, if the two of you haven't already met."

[Bayushi Hotaru]

"Oh, a drink, just because! That's a good enough reason for me then," she tittered a small laugh. A part of her did wonder why they would choose a shrine to do so. They didn't seem like the rowdy sort but there were sometimes rowdy samurai who found themselves at a shrine after a good drink, drunkenly hoping that their ancestors would forgive them for their misbehaviour. They didn't look like the sort but she would have to keep and eye out for now.

"Oh, so you're of the Yasuki!" She said with a small chuckle in realization, just being able to tell the difference between Crab now. "Thank you sharing your sake with us, Yasuki-san. It must be quite something to be from a family of sake brewers, especially to see your product enjoyed throughout the land. You must be quite the hit at some sake houses."

She took small sip and nodded in approval. "It has a pretty distinct taste!"

[Soshi Taira]

Taira chuckled at the exchange, and just took a slow sip.

"Yasuki sake is famous for a reason, Bayushi-san."

Another sip.

"We're drinking to celebrate making it through two days of cultural adventures with our newest friends."

His expression was so bland it was hard to tell how much of that was a joke.

[Yasuki Tomonaga]

Tomonaga smiled warmly, first at Hotaru, then at Taira. "Ah, well." He said modestly. "I'm very pleased that you like it. My family does work hard at it. The art of sake brewing may be ancient, but we still try to innovate, find the best."

He glanced at Taira, but let the dry comment pass without question. Although, after a moment, he does top up the Soshi's sake cup.

He turned back to Hotaru. "And how have you been finding the Unicorn thus far, Bayushi-san? Speaking for myself, I'd say that I find them..." He paused for a moment, mentally editing, "-refreshing. If that makes any sense."

[Bayushi Hotaru]

"Ooh?" She questioned Taira monetarily before taking a small sip of sake. It might have been dry commentary by she understood where he might be coming from, seeing that their cuisine was a bit of an adventure for her health and she had been stumbling accross their events.

"They seem like friendly enough people, far different than what was rumoured about them. They take after our sensibilities and many are amicable, even if they milk sheep and wear fur. Some of them lack patience but that only in the Moto, I've seen," she nodded readily at her observations.

[Soshi Taira]

Taira contemplated how to respond to that.

After a while, he said, "One of them told me to come to her yurt for... marital trials... It was... almost a command."

He looked a bit lost.

[Yasuki Tomonaga]

"Mmm." Tomonaga nodded agreement. "That matches my experiences with them, too. Some of them are a little rough, but I've found all of them to be friendly." Of course, Tomonaga tended to get along with just about everyone. "Although I haven't really met any Moto yet, so I can't say anything about them."

Tomonaga looked to Taira, ready to ask about his experiences with the Moto. No need; he shared them. Tomonaga took a sip of his sake just in time to stop a laugh. "I haven't found the Unicorn to be quite that friendly." He said, his eyes alight. "Did.. ah, did she?" He breathed relief at having narrowly avoided asking an improper question. "Hmmm. Most of the Unicorn I've met have seemed a bit reserved when it comes to that sort of thing. Maybe the Moto are different there, too?"

[Soshi Taira]

Taira looked like a hunted man. "How was I supposed to respond to that?"

A swig of sake.

"I just glossed over it but what kind of impression is that to make!?"

[Yasuki Tomonaga]

Tomonaga regarded Taira for a few moments, choosing his words carefully. "It sounds to me like you did the right thing." He said. "They've been away for hundreds of years, so there were bound to be some rough parts, coming back. I mean, we know that nearly the first thing they did was offend the Lion."

He shrugged. "But most of them seem to be learning, and trying. I'll admit to having a certain amount of sympathy; some of my cousins can be pretty rough, too. But there's still common ground, eh? At least you like my family's sake." He offered Taira a sympathetic smile; it really did seem as though he'd had a rough day.

[Bayushi Hotaru]

Hotaru gave a big blink when it came to the Moto's bold offer to Taira, rather lost to what she could mean by that. She assumed for the better and not anything scandalous, but that still gave her the impression that the Moto were an aggressive lot. What she saw of them wasn't helpful at all. "I suppose you could take to her offer if you wish to win her respects. However, it seems a better venue would be in the duelling grounds or the fields. A brawl in a yurt will be the talk of the town if it ever gets rowdy enough..."

She took a quiet sip of her sake, still making the most of her cup and in no hurry to have more. "The Moto aren't the only ones around. I know that the Iuchi I've spoken to seem welcoming without sounding like they want to pick a fight with you. If you can get over their strange mysticism, I know that there's an Iuchi Sakusaha-san who might better your impressions of the Unicorn, if that's what you seek. She's plenty nice!"

[Soshi Taira]

Taira paused.

"I think I spoke with the Iuchi at dinner. She was very thoughtful."

And strange, though he didn't mind that.

"I don't think a brawl was what the Moto intended... though I could have been wrong, I suppose." With another slow pull, he emptied the sake cup, and then pulled a wry face the thought came to him.

"It would likely be the talk of the town, in either case."