Trade Summit (D4 LA, outside Ide Samai's yurt)

[Ide Samai]

That particular question, combined with leaning closer and winking, couldn't help but draw a reaction from Tomonaga. "There is." He said, his voice a little rough. Again, his hand twitched down at his side, as he leaned a little closer... and again, he glanced quickly around, remembering himself. "Ah... I'm most interested in just hearing what life was like, day to day, as you traveled. I travel more than most, and I still spend half my time in the same spot."

"And as for horse-riding..." Tomonaga said, smiling at Samai. "As it happens, I have a bit of experience with it. Not much, but enough that I'd be glad for the chance to show you what I can do."

"Day to day life? Well, interesting." She raised her fan, and whispered from behind it. "The situation with the yurts is somewhat luxurious compared to most of our days." A giggle snuck out before she smothered it.Lowering her fan, she continued. "It was tiring, getting up, eating our rations, drinking our water, and getting on our way. In case, we stood in one place for a longer time, we usually settled down, and we settled our routine accordingly."

She smiled at the thought. "Oh? That sounds wonderful. Would you like perhaps visit Scirocco, my mount."

[Yasuki Tomonaga]

"Huh. Yeah, that makes sense." Tomonaga said. "I guess when you're just thinking about it, it's easy to get caught up in the excitement, but when you're actually doing it..." He shrugged. "I get reminded every time I take a journey. It's easier when you know how far you have to go, too, which the Unicorn didn't."

"Scirocco?" Tomonaga echoed, trying to get his tongue to twist around the unfamiliar word. He does a halfway decent job. "Is that a, what was it, a Mekhem word?" He asked. "But yes, I think I would enjoy that very much. It seems that if one wants to know a Unicorn, one should know her horse. And I've always liked animals, anyway."

Looking up at the sky, he added: "Although perhaps not today. It looks like it's going to rain, soon." He frowned gently.

[Ide Samai]

"Well, we were coming back to Rokugan. The details were a bit fuzzy though." Her smile was teasing this time. "It was a journey I will tell my grandchildren about... but it was all worth it." Her eyes lingered longingly on Tomo just a moment too long before she turned towards the sky.

"Yes, Mekhem. If you want, I can teach you a few words sometime?" Her and Tomonaga. Alone. In a room. Studying. Teaching.... she quickly shut those thoughts down.

"Ie, it is not a problem Yasuki-san. I am sure we can find some time for it... it does seem that the recent good weather is coming to an unfortunate end. "

[Yasuki Tomonaga]

Naturally, Tomonaga's mind when to roughly the same place that Samai's mind did. "Yes, learning a few words of Mekhem sounds... like something I'd enjoy quite a bit." Or at least the process of learning it, alone somewhere with Samai...

"Yeah." Tomonaga looked up at the sky again. "Summer thunderstorms are a pretty common occurrence here. Makes everything seem really alive, but make sure not to get caught in one. You'll get soaked in an instant." Tomonaga said, unaware that he'd suffer such a fate shortly. He looked at Samai, his expression interested. "How much experience do you have with that sort of thing? I've heard about duststorms, and the yurts look fairly waterproof."

[Ide Samai]

"Rain is not exactly somethgin new to us, but as you've heard, we've seen dust storms as well, and in some rare cases, hale." She glanced up again. "Rain.. was never my favorite. It seems like it's a nice shower, which after a long journey, believe me, is quite welcome. Yet it is not, but a cold evil that will make you miserable until you dread the next step and the step after until you have shelter."

She blinked twice. "Gomen, I got carried away Yasuki-san."

[Yasuki Tomonaga]

Tomonaga's gaze was sympathetic as he looked at Samai. "No, don't worry about it, Ide-san. I know... I've heard that it was often a rough time, on the ride."

His eyes were still sympathetic, but his smile grew. "But now, look at it this way. The rain comes, but you don't need to travel, so you can stay inside, safe and dry. You can hear the rain on, uh, your roof yurt, but you'll be warm, inside, possibly with a bottle of sake and a book, if you have one. And then you hear it stop, and you know it's safe to go outside, and you see how green and fresh everything is. Not so bad, eh?"

[Ide Samai]

Tomonaga's gaze was sympathetic as he looked at Samai. "No, don't worry about it, Ide-san. I know... I've heard that it was often a rough time, on the ride."

His eyes were still sympathetic, but his smile grew. "But now, look at it this way. The rain comes, but you don't need to travel, so you can stay inside, safe and dry. You can hear the rain on, uh, your roof yurt, but you'll be warm, inside, possibly with a bottle of sake and a book, if you have one. And then you hear it stop, and you know it's safe to go outside, and you see how green and fresh everything is. Not so bad, eh?"

Samai blushed at his sympathy. It seemed that next to Tomonaga she let her guard down. "That is true... you like to look at things from the bright side Yasuki-san?" She turned back towards him. "And who knows... perhaps if I go outside, I will see you."

[Yasuki Tomonaga]

For the first time since the conversation started, Tomonaga was the one who found himself blushing now, his cheeks reddening just a little. The words were simple enough, but they were surprisingly touching. "I think that I would like that very much, Ide-san." He said, his voice soft. For a few moments, he can only meet her gaze, his own brown eyes soft.

He recovered so much, his smile becoming playful once again. "Well, but why leave something like that to chance, eh? After all, I owe you a story, and you owe me a visit with your horse. Maybe I could send you another letter, and we can arrange another time to meet?"

[Ide Samai]

"That sound splendid Yasuki-san." She smiled, a slight reddening of her cheeks in response to his, but she seemed to be mostly in control.

"Today was a great conversation, so I am looking forward to the next one." She stood awkwardly, not wanting to really leave yet... but it seemed the conversation was over.

[Yasuki Tomonaga]

"Me too, Ide-san. Very much so." They both stood, a little awkwardly.

Tomonaga smiled. "Here, let me walk you back to your yurt." He glanced up at the sky. "It's not raining yet." He leaned in, closer to Samai, a smile on his handsome features. "If you like, we could take the long way back. And walk slowly."

Still, he couldn't remember exactly where her tent was, so he waited for her to lead the way.

[Ide Samai]

"Me too, Ide-san. Very much so." They both stood, a little awkwardly.

Tomonaga smiled. "Here, let me walk you back to your yurt." He glanced up at the sky. "It's not raining yet." He leaned in, closer to Samai, a smile on his handsome features. "If you like, we could take the long way back. And walk slowly."

Still, he couldn't remember exactly where her tent was, so he waited for her to lead the way.

"Arigatou Yasuki-san." She giggled, hiding behind the security of her fan. Again. And failing. "Well, I am sure the Heavens can spare us a small reprieve while we take the longer way." She started stepping slowly, not moving with haste.

"I am very glad to have this conversation with you Yasuki-san."

[Yasuki Tomonaga]

Tomonaga followed, strolling slowly next to Samai, perfectly happy to be taking plenty of time to walk back. He didn't notice the sky overhead grow darker, as more clouds rolled in.

As he walked, his head turned, and he gave Samai a warm smile. "Me too, Ide-san. I've really enjoyed our time together." A few more steps, and his expression grew rather pensive. "It's hard to believe the miai isn't quite half over, huh? I wonder what else is going to happen in the remaining six days." Indeed, his expression grew more thoughtful as he considered.

[Ide Samai]

"Hai, quite so. Time seems to behave in strange ways here... or maybe it's only our hearts." She giggled again.

"As for the coming days... I know I have another meeting to look forward to. I'll leave the rest to the Fortunes I think."