Opening Ceremony (Day 1, Early Afternoon)

[Shinjo Taichi]

"I agree with much of what you said, Shinjo-san. If you will indulge me another question: what is it that you must learn in order to trust the samurai of the Empire?"

The question took him completely by surprise. He'd played through what she might say next in his head, all the different ways that she could agree with him or play with his words, but such a direct question was something that he hadn't even considered. For just a moment, his expression showed near-panic.

He scrabbled to get back onto safe ground, unquestioned. His manner seemed to return to normal, but there was something missing in his voice. "For the moment, I believe I shall watch and learn. The first steps of any journey are the hardest after all, and the road to understanding can often be a long one." What else can I do?

[Soshi Yuuru]

There was a mischievous smile that appeared on Batul when she was asked, her eyes glinted with a special sparkle. "I am a briestess, but I also like to deal with the merchants, though I have not been allowed much yet. And I also like blaying dice." She added as she revealed a dice set from her bag. "My gembukku is recent, so I have yet to be assigned brober duty for clan."

Yuuru matched the smile and nodded, "Well that's really quite promising then. A priestess who also knows how to let her hair down and have some fun."

He tilted his head slightly, curiously, "Have you heard of Ryoko Owari?"

[Shinjo Liu Yue]

"Coincidental to me, perhaps not to others. There are many tattoos; some are more common than others. I doubt anyone knows all of the ones people have gotten."

"Sou desu ka. Are the tattoos shared with those outside of the Family?" She wondered if she would receive such tattoos if she married the man.

[Seppun Hitako]

A blink.

"Five hundred times? Fortunes...it sounds horrible. You have my sympathy for the pain that must have left your wrists in. I certainly do not have the patience for that!" he laughed

"Nor did I, at first. But, once I did manage it, later learnings made it make sense. And, among other things, it teaches patience. A lot of patience, and getting things the same, every time."

[Togashi Udo]

"Coincidental to me, perhaps not to others. There are many tattoos; some are more common than others. I doubt anyone knows all of the ones people have gotten."

"Sou desu ka. Are the tattoos shared with those outside of the Family?" She wondered if she would receive such tattoos if she married the man.

"No, it is a school gift, not a family gift. Another would have to walk my same path; sharing my blood is unnecessary. And not all appreciate having tattoos, regardless. To be honest, we are occasionally seen as a bit odd." Udo shrugs.

"I feel this is many questions about me, and all I've gotten out of you is sand! Tell me something I do not know." He smiles lopsidedly.

[Shinjo Liu Yue]

"No, it is a school gift, not a family gift. Another would have to walk my same path; sharing my blood is unnecessary. And not all appreciate having tattoos, regardless. To be honest, we are occasionally seen as a bit odd." Udo shrugs.

"I feel this is many questions about me, and all I've gotten out of you is sand! Tell me something I do not know." He smiles lopsidedly.

"Sou desu ka," she said as she contemplated on the matter. Tattoos and masks. It seemed that each Clan had some oddities to them. "I do not know what you do not know, Udo-dono," she admitted. Still, she gave him a courteous smile.

[Togashi Udo]

"Sou desu ka," she said as she contemplated on the matter. Tattoos and masks. It seemed that each Clan had some oddities to them. "I do not know what you do not know, Udo-dono," she admitted. Still, she gave him a courteous smile.

"You do not, and yet, you could guess that I know almost nothing about what the Unicorn have seen and done." He pauses. "But that is fine." Udo begins to look around at the others around them.

[Shinjo Liu Yue]

"You do not, and yet, you could guess that I know almost nothing about what the Unicorn have seen and done." He pauses. "But that is fine." Udo begins to look around at the others around them.

Yue perked her brow. "You may ask me questions, Udo-dono," she suggested. And I thought the Yogo would be the strangest man I would meet here.

[Mirumoto Chou]

"That's a very interesting position for them. How do they fit into the monk hierarchy though? Do they have abbots of temples that are under the care of the Togashi? Do they have personal families because they're samurai? Would they get appointed to positions of power like magistrates or military commanders?"

"Oh, they have nothing to do with non-samurai monks. They do have families, or else Togashi Udo-san would not be here. He's an excellent match, by the way. But tell me, Shinjo-san, are half-naked men and women really what you want to talk with me about?"

[Shinjo Monkhbaatar]

"I could probably think of worse subjects than them, but I think what I'm really looking for is a stronger understanding of your clan. You've been very kind to the Unicorn in our return which is appreciated and stronger understanding and ties would be very welcome."

[Mirumoto Chou]

"I could probably think of worse subjects than them, but I think what I'm really looking for is a stronger understanding of your clan. You've been very kind to the Unicorn in our return which is appreciated and stronger understanding and ties would be very welcome."

The Mirumoto quirked a brow and made a sound in her throat that said this was not the reaction she'd been looking for. Still, her smile returned.

"The Dragon seek understanding, rather than just facts," she said. "So naturally, we foster that in others. I regret we had such a poor offering to show the Unicorn on the matter of ties. So, if there is anything you wish to learn about Rokugan--or anything you wish to share in kind--I would be happy to oblige you. Really, you may ask anything. A blind bushi is hardly in a position to judge anyone about anything."

[Shinjo Monkhbaatar]

"A poor offering?" he asks. "From what I can tell, it's quite the lovely offering. You need not be concerned about that at all." His voice is pleasantly reassuring.

[Mirumoto Chou]

"A poor offering?" he asks. "From what I can tell, it's quite the lovely offering. You need not be concerned about that at all." His voice is pleasantly reassuring.

Chou made a slightly more pleased sound in her throat, absently reaching for Saku's tail again to allow herself time to gather her thoughts. She really was not prepared for flattery. Did she believe it? Had she been so complimented before, when she could see? When she'd been so sure of her place and her future and thought she knew how the world worked?

"Tonbo-sama is beautiful, I hear," she managed to smirk. She did pull the end of Saku's fluffy tail in front of her face this time. "I should like to have returned the compliment, but such words could never be truthful again in my mouth."

[Iuchi Batul]

Yuuru matched the smile and nodded, "Well that's really quite promising then. A priestess who also knows how to let her hair down and have some fun."

He tilted his head slightly, curiously, "Have you heard of Ryoko Owari?"

"Ryoko Owari?" She wondered out loud, translating the meaning of the words. "Travel's end? I don't believe I've heard about this... blace?"

[Soshi Yuuru]

He smiled warmly, "I believe you'd truly enjoy it. It's the center of all gambling in the Empire. A city of vices to many, but a city of remarkable enjoyment and fortune to others. It's in my clan's home provinces. You'll have to make a trip to see it one day. If I'm around for that trip I'll be more than happy to guide you. There are plenty of unsavory types in such places... and I'm used to dealing with such people in my duties."