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

[Otaku Chi-Pu]

"Aye, there are many great lessons from our histories. It is amazing to hear how their trials can help with current issues."

She closes her eyes and grimaces in pain.

[Matsu Kogo]

"Aye, there are many great lessons from our histories. It is amazing to hear how their trials can help with current issues."

She closes her eyes and grimaces in pain.

"I long to hear one of those stories over the course of the miai. But perhaps tonight, I will leave the story there for now and retire, to better prepare for myself for the next day's events. Otaku-san, it has been lovely spending time and talking with you this evening and I hope we may speak again soon. Moto-san, I look forward to our continuing chats on the Matsu famiy and other historical events." She rises from her chair, taking a slow deep breath.

[Shinjo Hanashi]

...

"Stories keep us attentive on long nights after long days; help churn the hours past after ten hours of traveling. Let us hear each other in the darklands, to know we were not lost. We're full of stories, and our lords have bid us share them; so I certainly hope we're sharing Usagi-sama!" He chuckles a bit at that.

[Usagi Tomoe]

"So far, yes, you all seem very willing to share," she could confirm happily.

"... Seems I need to work on becoming better to tell stories to entertain then, and not get caught up in the details. Hm..." she certainly seemed to be giving it a very serious consideration, even if it meant moving away from her own comfort zone. "Otherwise, I might just be boring when I try to share. And boring isn't good in places like this!"

[Shinjo Hanashi]

"If any find themselves bored make sure they tell us; we don't want to be poor hosts after all."

[Moto Khulun]

"I long to hear one of those stories over the course of the miai. But perhaps tonight, I will leave the story there for now and retire, to better prepare for myself for the next day's events. Otaku-san, it has been lovely spending time and talking with you this evening and I hope we may speak again soon. Moto-san, I look forward to our continuing chats on the Matsu famiy and other historical events." She rises from her chair, taking a slow deep breath.

"May you find shade from the heat, Lion," she replies with a nod.

[Otaku Chi-Pu]

Chi-Pu stands and gives a large bow.

She raises her voice, shouting over all

"Let it be known the Lion have shown their worth as a Great Clan today to the Otaku! Glory to the children of Akodo and the women of Matsu!"

Her hand still presses against her stomach and her face shows pain, but her eyes are nothing but sparkling admiration.

[Matsu Kogo]

Chi-Pu stands and gives a large bow.

She raises her voice

"Let it be known the Lion have shown their worth as a Great Clan today to the Otaku! Glory to the children of Akodo and the women of Matsu!"

Her hand still presses against her stomach akd her face shows pain, but her eyes are nothing but sparkling admiration.

"Thank you Moto-san. I look forward to meeting again."

She turns to Otaku-san, her eyes lit up. Kogo cannot hide the pride on her face, but that is nothing new for a member of the Lion Clan. "You do me too much honor Otaku-san. But I am glad to say that the Otaku have shown themselves to be true samurai and true warriors, in their honor and in their honoring of their ancestors. " She raises her voice in response. "Glory to our newly returned cousins, the Unicorn Clan! Glory to the children of Shinjo and the women of Otaku!"

[Shinjo Liu Yue]

"My corner of our forest receives few visitors," Kumahime admits. "I never saw a Scorpion before my journey here, but I've met an Asako once, who came to share knowledge with the healers at the Shrine of the Proud Bear. The Asako are renowned for their knowledge, and this man was truly learned, but he did not use that knowledge as an excuse for arrogance or rudeness. He listened, he shared, and he respected those around him. I liked him. I do not know how normal he was among the Asako, but I want to believe that is the Asako way."

The other question is... more delicate. "The Scorpion... are more difficult to understand. I certainly don't. They are... clever. The Bayushi lead from the front, the Shosuro serve quietly from behind, and the Soshi and Yogo... they are the priests, and I seldom hear people talking about them unless it's some dramatic tale of dreadful curses and maddening illusions. I suspect their plays exaggerate... oh, and the Scorpion are said to put on the finest plays in Rokugan. The Shosuro are said to be masters of the art."

That would be in line with the Asako I met earlier. I will have to review with big sis later.

"The ones with masks are good at plays," she remarked, trying to be amusing. She thought on the Soshi she met earlier, Yuuru. He did not give her the impression of a priest. The Yogo, Yuichi, was as strange as Kumahime had claimed. And finally, Suteichi fit the description of a leader.

"Arigatou gozaimasu. That was most helpful, Kumahime-dono." Her brow furrowed for a brief moment as she resisted the urge to burp. "What is your impression of the men of my Clan?"

[Yasuki Tomonaga]

Hiroji nods. "True. It is rarely that a place matters when one drinks."

"That's certainly true." Tomonaga said. "Crab sake halls are really just whatever building they happen to be drinking sake in."

The conversation was a pleasant one, but Tomonaga's experience as a merchant encouraged him not to spend all his time with one person. Or small group. Smiling, he bowed. "Well, I shouldn't keep monopolizing your time. Yasuki-san, we'll talk again. Iuchi-san..." His smile grew ever so slightly. "We'll have to see if we can arrange for a time for you to try my sake." And then, with another bow, he moved off.

((PM if approached, or if you think he should approach you))

[Moshi Asakiko]

"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?"

"Because Lady Amaterasu give the beautiful flowers her blessings as many seemed to be kissed by the sun. I want to show the beauty of those flowers blessed by her beauty." The Moshi replied. "Hopefully Seppun sama you will be able to learn the arts."

[Doji Fukawa]

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."

After five minutes of conversation? No, I don't trust you implicitly. The poor man, the Scorpion are going to make him into such a frog. Fukawa thought.

"Thank you, Moto-san." she offers pleasantly. "Might I ask to hear more about your journey through the world outside the Empire? I would like to understand you better."

[Moto Butaj]

Butaj nods, glossing over previous hiccups.

"And which part of it interests you the most? It's been a few centuries after all."

[Shinjo Liu Fei]

"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.

Liu Fei looked at the woman, thought for a moment and then answered, "It is an understanding that does not need a voice."

[Yuzuki]

"Right, right. Like seeing a piece of jewelry and knowing you'll have it. Or... or I guess like ship captains pick names for their ships. But I'm not a captain so I like the jewelry analogy better."