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

[Ide Samai]

"You have a generous spirit, Ide-sama," Akil said with a smile, "but do not let regard for me take away from your own duties. If I am able to help you in the same regard, I must insist you allow me to."

"I will certainly let you know. I am merely... browsing for now." She flashed him a smile. "Though I'm always open for suggestions if you find anyone suitable."

[Shinjo Akil]

"Well, I did meet a Matsu earlier today. I don't know how we will end up getting along with the Lion ultimately, but at least I can say that Matsu Nintoku-san was a pleasant enough person to talk to. Not nearly as... angry... as I keep hearing Matsu are."

[Ide Samai]

"That does sound hopeful... I mean, the Lions did took good care of our land." Even if there was a reluctance in the handover. "Perhaps i shall meet Matsu Nintoku-san."

[Matsu Yurio]

]
"..." Imane was about to say something but thought better of it. She could see the other Matsu was a little confused as well.

"That. Is...nice. Matsu-san."

She sipped some water and looked around at the dishes. "I like that one a lot." She pointed at the red tuna and tuna belly sashimi. "It's like meat with butter, but it's fish!" There was a hint of surprise in her voice, as if that was mad.

If the Otaku's confusion was noticed by the Matsu he did not show it.

"Ahh yes the red meat." he nodded "I also noticed the similarity between the two. I must say I enjoyed it quite a bit even though it is unlikely that I will ever eat it again."

Yurio had already had his say on red meat and it's spiritual deficits so he decided not to elaborate any further.

"The tuna? Has Otaku-sama tried the lobster then."

He indicated the lord of crustaceans with an idle chopstick.

[Shinjo Akil]

"That does sound hopeful... I mean, the Lions did took good care of our land." Even if there was a reluctance in the handover. "Perhaps i shall meet Matsu Nintoku-san."

"I suspect you will find it pleasant," he nodded. "And of course, if you just need someone to talk to, feel free to find me."

[Yuzuki]

"I don't understand. Horses can't talk, so how'd he have a say?"

"I.. do not know how to explain it to you Mantis-san. If you do not already understand I believe there is just a difference in the strength of our bonds with our partners, our horses, compared to what you have here with your own..." she hesitated to call a Rokugani pony a true horse.

"Well I don't have a horse, so..."

She scratched her chin absentmindedly, and looked about for...

...a creature that had wisely chosen to stay away from the party. Too many threats for a cat, given how she already had one Unicorn refer to him as 'food'.

"Ah well, I guess it's not something I can understand. But it's like, hearing a voice from the horse?"

If it was like that, she could maybe understand.

[Ide Samai]

"I suspect you will find it pleasant," he nodded. "And of course, if you just need someone to talk to, feel free to find me."

"Thank you Shinjo-san." She smiled happily at him. "I think it is time for us to mingle a little bit perhaps..."

[Shinjo Akil]

"Ah yes, I suppose I should not take up all of your time," he nodded, then bowed to her, "it was lovely getting to speak with you, Ide-sama."

[Usagi Tomoe]

"A fine gift indeed for a historian to have!"

"And probably a fine gift for a storyteller to have too. I can only imagine the words, and perhaps even different languages, you and your kin must have learned in your travels! I greatly look forward to the coming days when I can hear more about what sort of wonders Shinjo's followers have witnessed in their centuries-long journey... especially since it seems so many of your kin are eager to tell stories."

[Doji Fukawa]

Butaj does not insist on semantics, but he is interested in driving the point home. This conversation starts to resemble the one he had with the Usagi and it does not bring him anywhere near jolly. Butaj does not like to be stonewalled or played with quarter-truths.

"Rivals then, but what over? Butaj still wonders if you don't really know your rivals or just don't want to confide in Butaj. After Lady Shinjo's example, honesty is very important to the Unicorn. And it is so to Butaj."

Butaj does not have a fan so he starts to pull on his beard.

How had this dinner conversation turned into an interrogation? Oh right, when the Moto sniffed her head, throwing her completely off-guard. Fukawa would put that under 'Court Tricks only the Unicorn can pull off.' But it was certainly the uglier side of Unicorn inquisitiveness. Anyone else would have read her discomfort and dropped the subject by now. She did not wish to lie to the man, so apparently she was going to have to be very blunt for a Crane.

"To be perfectly honest then, Moto-san, it is the latter. I do not wish to share this information with you. I am not so weak that I need to beg for help from the first person who looks at me halfway interested at a dinner. And while I am being so blunt as to shame my sensei, I want to tell you that I do not wish to continue this line of conversation. You are a very interesting man, and I would be happy to talk to you about many other things, but not this."

She bowed to the Unicorn.

"My apologies for speaking to you in such a manner and being a poor dinner partner." she offered sincerely.

Fukawa could not take much more of this. If she had been earlier thinking about marriage to the Unicorn being made a prisoner, this certainly felt like a particularly brutal interrogation, with an incessant demand to name names.

[Moshi Asakiko]

"No Seppun sama. I am diviner and a florist. I also play the flute." She chuckled. "I heard that the Unicorn have met a culture that has some kind of divination. It seems interesting."

Hideo paused and examined the girl.

"A diviner you say? How interesting."

I'll have to watch this one...a shame, I normally like the Centipede.

"And a florist also. I've not met many that work with flowers, a very pretty art. You work with growing plants, or just Ikebana?"

"Just Ikebana, Seppun sama. I would like to grow my own flowers." The girl nodded. "It would be great to have a little garden." The girl mused. "What about you, Seppun sama? Do you have any artistic skills?"

[Seppun Hideo]

"Just Ikebana, Seppun sama. I would like to grow my own flowers." The girl nodded. "It would be great to have a little garden." The girl mused. "What about you, Seppun sama? Do you have any artistic skills?"

"Sadly the studies of art have escaped me, beyond calligraphy of course" Hideo shook his head "I would certainly welcome a chance to study the many arts of the empire, duty permitting of course. My studies and duties for the Imperial Families have kept me quite busy. May I enquire why Ikebana has garnered your interest? Are there a lot of different flowers in the valley?"

[Moto Butaj]

Butaj pouts, but not in displeasure, but in deep thought as if he is ingraining a lesson.

"Of course. It's all right to tell Butaj that he is not trustworthy enough for you. Butaj thus accepts we cannot be fast friends. He tries to make sense of how one such as you behaves, and why. It is not easy and Doji Fukawa probably knows why, because it looks like her sensei has taught her how to make it hard for such as Butaj. You have your reasons and Butaj can respect them even if understanding is not awarded to him. But what you call bluntness is honesty for Butaj, and contrary to deceiving it doesn't offend. Butaj and the other Unicorn might not be your usual but don't worry, we will find ways to mutually adjust!"

The man smiles encouragingly, without malice. His direct gaze conveys less enthusiasm, but he pulls his beard no longer.

"And so Doji Fukawa is fine, but Butaj is poor host, oi! No more uncomfortable subjects now. Maybe Doji Fukawa can suggest something then, something acceptable and not too compelling to be blunt."

[Matsu Kogo]

Chi-Pu nods at Khulun's statement.

"Aye, The Lion are a true Great Clan."

Chi-Pu looms to Kogo with admiration in her eyes.

And then, her stomach let out a loud growl

Kogo straightened under her praise. Perhaps this will not be so disastrous after all. I would have never thought my knowledge of history would be an asset. Hearing Chi-Pu's stomach reminded her of her own, forgotten as a wound is forgotten on a battle field. A brief ripple of pain passed through her. "I fear that our stomachs however, are not sufficient to the power of your chee-su. " She touched her belly briefly. " I am glad to be able to share the history of my family and my Clan with you both. To know one's past is to be able seize one's present. "

[Moto Khulun]

Khulun nods as she continues eating; cheese, shrimp, and anything else that proves edible on the table. She says to those around her, “Thank you Lion, I have learned much of the Lion strength this day. If I were a spinner of tales I would share more but I am best at listening to them, not so much retelling them.”

“I know more of the Moto than the Unicorn.”