(Day 7, LM) I'll Make an Item out of You! (Butaj's, Closed)

[Moto Butaj]

In the heart of Butaj there is a drive to make joy out of sadness, and banish indifference where there could be so much more! Hence he has arranged for Imane and Hirase to meet. Hirase's appreciation and interest has been hinted to Imane, and the reverse is also more or less true, but who would pay attention to the small details. The future is now, the music, fruity and meaty snacks and kumis are here, and so is Butaj, waiting for both to see chances that would otherwise be obscured from them. It is high time absolutely, otherwise who would they turn their romantic ballads to? Butaj is of this mind, and he has even thoroughly vented the yurt so accumulated smells don't preclude tender feelings from emerging.

It is the ultimate challenge of Butaj the Lovebringer. Perhaps.

[Otaku Imane]

Imane wasn't entirely convinced she had heard correctly, but apparently Moto Butaj had found a man who would live up to her high Otaku standards and wished to introduce her to him. It sounded like the plot of one of her father's stories, so she wouldn't be surprised if a horde of rampaging Jinn arrived halfway through to spice it up a little.

Leaving Almatar to graze outside she approached the Moto's yurt. "Si Butaj? It is Sayedda Imane as you requested." Once she had announced herself she waited a few long moments to make sure that he was ready for her arrival.

[Moto Butaj]

"Come in, Sayyeda! Butaj's yurt is your yurt." The man calls, rising to greet her with a warm smile and a hand extended for a shake. "Yes, Butaj wants you to meet a special man today. Please, please."

[Otaku Imane]

Her hand extended automatically and she gripped his forearm with a smile. "Good morning, and congratulations on your performance yesterday. To see two Moto score in the lancing was wonderful."

She entered the yurt and noted it looked exactly like what she expected from her cousins, although it smelled less like kumis than she had been expecting.

"Yes, I am most curious about this 'special man' you mentioned cousin. A miai is for meetings, apparently." She gave a little shrug, it was all very different to how the Unicorn usually did things.

[Moto Butaj]

"Ah, thank you. It was a joy for Butaj to watch how you handled the umayari. Butaj was enthusing about it with Asako Hirase yesterday by this very hearth, and this is how Butaj learned how Hirase admires and appreciates many things Sayyeda Imane represents and espouses. Like the music, Hirase is enamoured with the music of the steppe. He even joked he would marry Butaj for his skill with morin khur if Butaj was a girl!" He laughs as he gestures for her to take a seat on neatly spread furs. "Kumis? Kimchi? Jerky? Fruits? Butaj would like to know if there are any expectations Sayyeda has about this meeting. Butaj has some ideas what Sayyeda would like in a man, she is an exemplary Otaku after all, but maybe some thoughts could be shared?"

[Otaku Imane]

"Hmm, I see. Well, you know that I enjoy the Morin khuur, amongst other instruments. Music and dance are important to me."

She took a seat on the furs and looked at the fruits. "Figs would be lovely thank you." A few thoughts passed through her head about the, currently mythical, husband she was looking for.

"My thoughts on a husband? Well, of course he should be kind and honourable. Happy to look after our household for now and raise the children we will have once Almatar retires. Preferably he will bring some useful skills to the Unicorn, and our marriage will help to build ties to a clan that will make worthy allies."

A small smile. "And not too tall."

[Moto Butaj]

Butaj sits and rubs his stubble in thought. "Hirase is smaller than Butaj, that is for sure. But he is very keen to join our Clan and know our ways. He shook hands and drank kumis with Butaj on the second night here in the village. He is a young widower and has a small son from first marriage, so he won't be hard-pressed to produce an heir and will give you and Almatar all the time you need to reach that point, Butaj thinks. And since his loins have already sired a boy, girls are sure to follow when it is time, great shiotome like their mother!" Butaj nods vigorously, then pops a nut into his mouth and munches as he thinks. "He also has a good household experience, knows how to raise children and is a very wise man in general, learned in many things. That can bring many benefits! He would know how to do things right in and around your ger, he would not trouble you with menial things but attend to them promptly. He is very good at explaining how things work here in the East in all the Clans, and can offer good counsel. And Butaj thinks he is not afraid of his wife being stronger then him and setting the course for the family." He grins wide and leans in to pat Imane on the shoulder. "Butaj has also learned on his own that the Asako are very honorable and kind. And can be very cute!"

[Asako Hirase]

Were his ears burning? Surely, that was just the morning sunlight.

The horse outside the tent was, surely, another Otaku steed. Hirase gave it a bow and a quiet "Ohayou, steed-san," on his way to the tent. He got just close enough to hear voices and so he stopped before he could make out the words and called, just loud enough,"Ohayou, Butaj-san! And, I presume, Otaku-sama, good morning to you as well. It's Hirase!"

[Otaku Imane]

Almatar's rainbow mane fluttered in the morning sunlight as she turned to regard the human speaking to her.

Inside the yurt Imane was digesting the information that had been Butajed to her. "It sounds as if he has made a good impression on you my friend." Almost as if you want to marry him yourself... She looked at her shoulder as the Moto made a somewhat fatherly gesture. It was almost as if her own father had possessed Butaj and was using him like a puppet. "Um, did you ever happen to meet Otaku Xiong-nu?"

At which point their guest arrived. "Ohayou Asako-san, please join us."

[Moto Butaj]

Butaj pauses and decides not to play Chi-pu card in this. It is something for Hirase to share if he wants. He shakes his head at an unfamiliar Otaku name, then turns toward the flap. "Come, come Hirase! Guest in yurt, Lady Shinjo in yurt!" He rises to greet the man with a strong handshake.

[Asako Hirase]

So invited, the Asako pushed the tent flap aside and came inside. He'd dressed up for this, so much as he was able, and the rich golds and reds fit very nicely with the cheerful interior of the yurt. Smiling, he accepted the hand clasp from his friend, bowed to Imane since they weren't yet familiar and the women he'd met didn't shake, and then took his place.

"I'd ask if you'd had rice, but I can see that our host has ensured if we haven't been before, we'll be fed now." Still smiling, he turned to Imane. "It is a pleasure to meet you, Otaku-sama. Your kinsman spoke very highly of you."

[Moto Butaj]

"Sayyeda Imane, this is Si Asako Hirase, wise man of the Phoenix Clan. Si Hirase, this is Sayyeda Otaku Imane, battle maiden of the Unicorn Clan." Butaj is very proud of this man and maiden, wise and battle symmetry he pulls off. "Butaj has taken care you know a few things about each other so you have things to talk about! Butaj will be here, playing music for you and pouring kumis, and will join the talk when he has something to add. But Butaj feels that won't be necessary too much." He smirks as he skirts to the side to take topshur, putting his morin khur near Imane. Butaj's forethought in nakodoing is great.

[Otaku Imane]

Imane offered a bow in the style of the Rokugani, which was not so dissimilar from what the Otaku had kept as part of their traditions anyway. "Asako Hirase-san, I am pleased to meet you." Her slightly foreign accent emphasised different parts of his name than he might be used to.

"I like the colours you have chosen Asako-san, and it seems that Si Butaj has been most effusive about both of us." She turned to look at him with a faint smile. "He tells me you enjoy kumis, so I suppose a cup would be appropriate."

Returning her attention to Hirase she attempted to judge his height, which was hard in the yurt. "I am told that you are a scholar. Perhaps you could tell me more about the Asako and the Phoenix?"

[Asako Hirase]

"Kumis is one of many things that I've been introduced to here that I find I enjoy. You have wonderful music and some of the spices are fascinating, though I admit my tolerance for the hotter ones could be improved."

Her question about his Family and Clan made him thoughtful, though the faint smile remained.

"The Asako are the courtly family of the Phoenix. We act as mediators where required, speak for our people in court, and keep the libraries of the Clan, which are rather vast. All of use tend toward curiosity and scholarship, even when we train with other schools. In short, we are the support for the many shugenja of the Clan, the Isawa, and try to keep our bushi, the Shiba, from ever having to draw steel. As for the Clan itself, we are rather unusual in a number of ways, starting back at the very beginning. Our Kami is the only one who knelt."

[Moto Butaj]

Butaj fills cups with kumis and serves them with no word and supple grace, carrying an 'ohnonono, don't mind me' smile.