The Welcome Dinner (Post-Event Thread) [D1, Early Evening]

[Otaku Imane]

How to explain . . . ? Where's a Kitsu when you need one?

"It is a matter of spiritual purity. That grown in the earth and fished from the waters is of the highest purity. It is something impressed on us at an early age by our priests."

"Oh." The smallest Shiotome considered that for a few sips of kumis. "So it must be some sort of big change in spiritual advice since we lived in these lands! We do not have the same advice, so, it must have changed since the Ki-rin left."

She nodded firmly and ate some more tofu, this time wrapped in red meat.

"I wonder why?". She pondered as she chewed.

"Maybe we should talk sky other things though? Perhaps you could tell me a little about your family Matsu-san?"

[Usagi Tsukimi]

"She sounds lovely. I look forward to meeting her, and perhaps bringing her an apple to help win her over. If she is beloved of yours, then her opinion of me should matter, nei?" She gave a light smile in return to the kind Unicorn.

[Matsu Nintoku]

He would certainly need to purify himself after the meal, having eaten red meat and cheese and what not, but for now he could sample all of the Unicorn food.

A part of him was slightly disappointed that he was not mingling with any of the Unicorn participants but another, increasingly big, part was determined to show courtesy and respect to his hosts.

[Shinjo Monkhbaatar]

...

"She's very friendly and gentle. I'm certain that you'll get along fine. But a small treat never hurts to build a stronger connection," he says with a wink. "She certainly won't say no to it, that's for sure."

[Matsu Yurio]

"Oh." The smallest Shiotome considered that for a few sips of kumis. "So it must be some sort of big change in spiritual advice since we lived in these lands! We do not have the same advice, so, it must have changed since the Ki-rin left."

She nodded firmly and ate some more tofu, this time wrapped in red meat.

"I wonder why?". She pondered as she chewed.

"Maybe we should talk sky other things though? Perhaps you could tell me a little about your family Matsu-san?"

As Yuuru had adequately covered the required answer to the red meat question, Yurio chose to indulge in a favourite Lion pastime. Bragging.

"The Matsu is the biggest family in the Empire. Lady Matsu's descendants carry on her martial prowess. We constitute the largest and most formidable armed force in the Empire. Ready to march on Akodo Misaki's command at any moment."

[Iuchi Batul]

Hiroji nods silently. And then adds. "Your clan sounds like a mighty one indeed."

"You are most kind, Hiroji-san." She responded softly with pride. "Those of us who reached the Embire fought our way through. I am full of bride after seeing them." There was nostalgia in her voice as she remembered the years through the darkness, and how they had gotten through. Her hand went to her back and played with one of the amulets that she had there. "It was a long way here." She added with a lost sight.

"So" She got back to the room "Kaiu Hiroji-san is a constructor? I don't remember having constructors in the Unicorn. Sounds intriguing."

[Usagi Tsukimi]

"She's very friendly and gentle. I'm certain that you'll get along fine. But a small treat never hurts to build a stronger connection," he says with a wink. "She certainly won't say no to it, that's for sure."

She smiled shyly. "And you? I'd like to have something for you as well, since you've been so kind to me here."

[Kaiu Hiroji]

Hiroji nods silently. And then adds. "Your clan sounds like a mighty one indeed."

"You are most kind, Hiroji-san." She responded softly with pride. "Those of us who reached the Embire fought our way through. I am full of bride after seeing them." There was nostalgia in her voice as she remembered the years through the darkness, and how they had gotten through. Her hand went to her back and played with one of the amulets that she had there. "It was a long way here." She added with a lost sight.

"So" She got back to the room "Kaiu Hiroji-san is a constructor? I don't remember having constructors in the Unicorn. Sounds intriguing."

Hiroji looks slightly embarrassed and puts his sake cup back on the table. "No... I am afraid I myself am not a constructor. I am a Bushi. Although I have done my share of rock hauling, my extended family are the real builders."

[Matsu Kogo]

Kogo replies, "That would be nice but time consuming. I agree though, it is a weighty decision to make with so little time."

Kogo ponders this question for a moment. "I will admit, I can understand why that would be confusing. When one laughs, one is supposed to cover one's mouth, as it is seen to be unseemly to have someone see the inside of one's mouth. Also, laughter is sometimes considered...not a feminine thing to do. So when one smiles broadly or laughs, one covers one's mouth with a fan. With some individuals, sometimes the only way to tell what one is thinking is by looking at their eyes. Some of the Scorpion clan, when they are wearing their masks, are particuarly hard to read and one must learn ways of watching for subtle cues. I admit it is puzzling and there are some within my clan who do not follow these edicts or laugh at them. Matsu was not a particuarly traditionally feminine woman." Kogo smiles broadly behind her fan. "But others value these gestures and so, knowing that I am in company with others of many different ideas, I aim for a more traditional view. Does that make sense, Otaku-san?"

Chi-Pu listens intently to the explanation.

"I see. I admit it makes little sense to me, but in time I am sure it will. My first reaction is why would one care about such things, but that might come off as insulting. It looks like I will need to get a fan them. Luckily, I have an entire trunk full of items I was told that could be helpful here in the Empire, so perhaps I already have one in there. Otherwise I'll need to ask around to see if anyone has an extra or can make them."

She looks at the Lion's fan again.

"Where did you get yours, Matsu-san?"

"There are some who would construe it as insulting, but as someone who is still learning more of the etiquette of samurai than of big cats, I understand the confusion. You could see if you could trade for one. Though there is no shopping here from what I have heard, trading will likely occur at some point. And if you have a trunk full of things, I am sure there is something in there someone will want to trade for."

Kogo ponders a moment. "It was a gift before my entry into the Akodo court. I spent several months there and learned a great deal." The Matsu's fan is gold, with lines of yellow, black and white outling a mon of a lion's paw holding a samurai sword. The lines radiate out from the mon, forming a styilized sun.

"I think there was a Mantis here in the room earlier speaking of trade."

[Shinjo Monkhbaatar]

...

"I think my treat will be when I get to see you dance Tuskimi-san," he says playfully. "But I suppose I also wouldn't mind seeing some of your cartography work as well. Maybe get to understand how it's done."

[Usagi Tsukimi]

"If you're as smooth with your moves as you are with your words, then there should be no trouble in teaching you to dance, Shinjo-san."

[Otaku Imane]

Yuuru leaned in towards the conversation and smiled, "If I may... It's a matter of dealing with dead things and blood from what I remember. Both things are considered impure by many religious leaders. Warriors deal with death and blood quite frequently, but have several rites that help protect them from the potential dangers. And even though we deal with blood and death, there is a bit of a taboo on willingly taking something considered 'impure' into your body."

He smiled gently again, "It is a bit of a strange distinction when you think about it though... We eat other living beings like chickens and fishes with regularity. Monks won't for the most part, and some priests may shy away as well... From what I can tell it's mostly animals that are domesticated in some way and serve other purposes than food that tend to be tabooed. It's all a bit high-minded for me personally. I mean... one has to eat what is available to stay alive sometimes. I've been lost in the woods for long stretches at times and had to rely on things far less tasty than a bowl of rice and some miso soup. I doubt there were many times during your travels though that you had the luxury to pick what kind of animal you wanted to eat."

(OOC: Sorry I didn't reply directly!)

The little Otaku paused and speed some kumis as she thought about what the fellow in red had said. "Of course you may, ah, samurai-sama. Yes, differences over time must have become great."

She pointed at a bowl of vegetables.

"Is this not dead? Or do we draw a distinction between things with blood and things with life in general?"

She raised an eyebrow and looked back at the tall (to her) Matsu.

As Yuuru had adequately covered the required answer to the red meat question, Yurio chose to indulge in a favourite Lion pastime. Bragging.

"The Matsu is the biggest family in the Empire. Lady Matsu's descendants carry on her martial prowess. We constitute the largest and most formidable armed force in the Empire. Ready to march on Akodo Misaki's command at any moment."

Imane smiled. "Oh how wonderful, a full family full of big samurai like you! Tell me more about Lady Matsu and this Akodo Misaki!" She popped some bacon into her mouth and looked at him with honest curiosity.

[Shinjo Monkhbaatar]

...

"I've always had good eyes and no filter. So I tend to speak my mind when I see something I like. Sort of like... I'm not the only one in this conversation with nice eyes. I may not be the most refined or proper person in the room, but I can promise you that I'm always honest and ready to speak my mind. If that's something you like in a person you'll get it whenever I'm around."

[Usagi Tsukimi]

"Honesty is a virtue I cherish. Lies do not become us." She nodded muchly, then winced, feeling woozy still.

[Yasuki Tomonaga]

Hiroji looks slightly embarrassed and puts his sake cup back on the table. "No... I am afraid I myself am not a constructor. I am a Bushi. Although I have done my share of rock hauling, my extended family are the real builders."

Tomonaga smirked at this modesty. "So, you don't build walls. Instead, as our mutual cousins are so fond of saying, you are the Wall." He lifted his sake cup, toasting Hiroji.

Turning back to Batul, he spoke again. "I met a Shinjo Akil this morning." He said. "He seemed to me to be an impressive warrior." For just a moment, he frowned. Then, his eyes crinkled with humor as he looked again at Batul. "But Iuchi-san! I didn't realize your mother had taught you about trade. Perhaps I should be trying to trade my family's sake to you instead of offering it, eh?" His tone was joking as he spoke.