[D2, LE] Pounding Hot (Invitation Only)

[Hantei Kinsen]

The best after party one would ever have. A pool party, of course.

VIP invitations have been sent in secret, and Kinsen was already there, bathing away and drinking in whatever she managed to fetch form the party proper.

[Anjing Sagara]

Sagara was surprised to find herself in the hot spring. Her feet tapped on the floor as she approached the pool. After the party a spring did sound like the best place to end up at.

"You truly know how to host a party, Hantei Kinsen-sama." She confessed as she poured the cleaning water over herself before entering the springs. Her body shivered with the sudden temperature. After 2 more pours she was set and with quick steps, allowed herself into the water.

[Hantei Kinsen]

"Oh, I learned from the best." She ways, gliding her head above water while holding sake cups and a bottle towards Crab. Kinsen offers, "May I serve Anjing-san?"

[Yoshitsune Chizu]

"Ahhh, hello, minna-san," came Chizu's voice as she approached the hot springs. The tall woman had changed into a simple white robe for the baths, and her feet were bare. A few smudges of dark makeup remained around her eyes - remnants of the raccoon disguise she had worn earlier - and her color was still a bit flushed from the drinking and dancing.

"Thank you for inviting us," she said with a polite bow. "The party was quite enjoyable."

[Hantei Kinsen]

“Well, hello, Yoshitsune-san!” Cheers Kinsen while seeing the tall maiden approaching. “You two Crab have indeed impressed me once more at the party. What an entrance!”

She pours a cup for Chizu, ready to fetched as soon as her butt touches the warm waters.

[Hantei Genji]

Genji entered, a simple brown robe over his lithe body. He bowed to the assembled personages. "Ladies, greetings." He smiled nervously, unused to so much female company, even if one third was his own mother.

He started to disrobe. "Some hot springs during a cold winter sound lovely."

[Anjing Sagara]

Sagara offered her cup to be filled once more. "I would gladly accept some more sake, Hantei Kinsen-sama." The woman held the cup with one hand holding and the other hand supporting underneath.

It is not long till Chizu arrived, "good evening Chizu-san." She greeted with a warm smile as the unexpected attendance of the Yoshitsune caught her by surprise. So it seemed like a small party of... oh a gentleman. Someone she had not known just yet. Though there was no way to know where he was from. "Good evening, samurai-sama."

[Hantei Kinsen]

Kinsen politely catches the ladies attention with the sake serving, allowing room for Genji to get into the waters with all modesty, "This sake does come from your ancestral lands. I hope you enjoy this part of the party even further. Oh..."

Looking to her young boy, she extends a hand and introduces him, "This is Hantei Genji-sama. Prince and heir of the Stag Clan."

[Yoshitsune Chizu]

Chizu removed her robe and followed Sagara's example of rinsing with water before stepping into the bath. Her limbs were strong and straight, and her skin showed few battle scars, as of yet.

Slipping into the hot water, Chizu let out a satisfied "ahhhh" as the warmth enfolded her.

Kinsen politely catches the ladies attention with the sake serving, allowing room for Genji to get into the waters with all modesty, "This sake does come from your ancestral lands. I hope you enjoy this part of the party even further. Oh..."

Accepting the sake cup, Chizu commented, "I'm too young to remember the ancestral lands. But there are still those in my Clan who pine for them." She drank, and thought about the journey of many miles the beverage must've taken, only to end up in her belly. Such was fate.

Looking to her young boy, she extends a hand and introduces him, "This is Hantei Genji-sama. Prince and heir of the Stag Clan."

Chizu bowed her head at the introduction. "I'm honored to meet you, Hantei Genji-sama," she said politely. "I'm called Yoshitsune Chizu."

[Hantei Genji]

"Anjing-san, Yoshitsune-san, greetings." He gingerly sat in the warm water, his feet steadier then they were earlier in the party.

He sank lower, then observed the other women. "Our brewers have only good things to say of the produce of the land." Which was as much as he heard.

[Hantei Kinsen]

"Indeed. The lands in the south are a legacy which we embrace wholeheartedly and gratefully. We only hope we can honor its original inhabitants by showing respect for their traditions while incorporating the way of the Kami." Kinsen raises the cup again, and says, "Kanpai. To Hida-kami!"

[Yoshitsune Chizu]

"I'll drink to that!" Chizu declared. She raised her cup. "To Hida-kami! Kampai!" Chizu drank deep, until the cup was empty.

[Anjing Sagara]

"To Hida-sama! Kampai!!" The sake cup rose above her head following those of their fellow spring enjoyers, following down her throat with a well known flavor that her mind could recall. "I find myself amongst those that can remember the ancestral lands, especially since it is the land where I was born, and were I was rose by my father, but I have no attachment to the land itself, and have a stronger attachment to the oath I made to follow Hida-sama. I would like to visit the place someday though." Her words were full of nostalgia and sorrow, a deep scar that she wore on her face and in her heart and soul. "The cinders of my town will most likely have been eroded by time, but the soul of my people rest their from when they were destroyed and I would like to pray for them someday."

[Hantei Kinsen]

Kinsen downs the cup, and makes sure to refill her invitees as opportunity is given –– or until the bottle gets empty. Upon hearing Sagara's sorrow, the Lady of the Stag lowers her head and provides a short prayer. "Anjing-san's request will be honored. We of the Stag would like to offer hospitality and passage to the Crab samurai seeking to revisit their lands for pilgrimage and reconnection."

[Hantei Genji]

"Hai. As Mother says, we would appreciate any and all guests of your clan to visit us, Anjing-san, Yoshitsue-san." He sank a bit deeper in the water, enjoying the warmth in the cold winter months. "We would like to see the lands through your eyes, if you ever wish to visit."

[Otomo Gusai]

Gusai enters more or less at that point, his player doing something not unlike the character today.

"Be glad to facilitate it. Sea travel's often faster."

[Anjing Sagara]

"Sea?" the voice startled the samurai-ko that looked towards the source, another person she had yet to meet. "I guess it would be the fastest route, but first the sea would have to be reached, and the location of the Crab is quite far from it. We have the river nearby, and it does go downstream, so it could be possible, although a long distance. Nonetheless, it would be a great trip to not only revisit a resting place of dear ones, but also to visit an Empire that is growing and being formed."

[Hantei Kinsen]

"It would be a matter of opening the space." Kinsen says, "We can get the ships very close to what is now the Spider territory, and make sure a trade and passenger route with the Crab is established. We would connect north and south in great speed."

Kinsen sips, "I believe it is only a matter of making sure the Crab can reach out there."

[Yoshitsune Chizu]

"It's a kind suggestion," Chizu commented. "I imagine there would be many who would enjoy the chance to make such a visit."

Glancing at the sake bottle, she added, "Perhaps there might be a way to arrange for us to trade for sake or other goods from the lands now held by the Stag? I know there are others among my Clan who would also appreciate the taste of sake from the old country."

[Otomo Gusai]

Gusai nods. "We can likely work to that end. Though I have been told that there are distillations that might work better yet to that end," he says. "And an overland route along the northern edge of Spider lands...would that be available?"