[D4 LA] RP Thread: Discourses on Tea and Wine

[Doji Hikaru]

"Died?" she responded.

"He seems rather well for a dead man."

Hikaru gave the tiniest of shrugs, his white lock of hair shifting with the motion. "I do not know any others who have returned. Or what that involves."

He took a small sip of tea. "Perhaps the Bat could tell us more."

She didn't mind shifting a bit away from Hikaru and Dojihime, though she offered Hikaru a sympathetic look since he was called out of his enjoyement here to tend to the princess.

The briefest flicker of his eyes acknowledged Satsuki's look, and perhaps the tiniest shift in his lips, but no more than that.

[Bayushi Kogi]

"I'm surprised... happily surprised by the dedication everyone has shown to this little game." Kogi laughs softly, making the veil ripple over her nose and mouth. "It seems both tea and wine are objects of passion. It makes sense... well," she leans in a little bit, as if conveying a diplomatic secret, "at least the advantage of organizing is that I alone don't have to choose a side."

"Or you have chosen a side, which is dominant at this time, and have chosen not to intercede to maintain the appearance of neutrality." Ayano replied with a small smile, "This unexpected confinement has seen a great many scrambling for entertainment...both to provide it and indulge."

She glances out at the crowd, "What prompted you to choose such a topic, if I may ask. I would say it does provide for some safe discussion but...passion can always boil over."

"Oh, I would never dream of tilting the playing field! That takes the fun out of playing for small stakes." Kogi shakes her head, seemingly amused.

"And the topic? It's a subject that crosses tribes and factions. Everyone esteems both, really, so it lends itself to honorable contest." After a moment's further reflection, she adds, "I suppose physicians think more than most people about how both tea and wine can be medicine or poison... it might be that also helped the idea arrive, ne?"

[Makime Ayano]

"Oh, I would never dream of tilting the playing field! That takes the fun out of playing for small stakes." Kogi shakes her head, seemingly amused.

"And the topic? It's a subject that crosses tribes and factions. Everyone esteems both, really, so it lends itself to honorable contest." After a moment's further reflection, she adds, "I suppose physicians think more than most people about how both tea and wine can be medicine or poison... it might be that also helped the idea arrive, ne?"

"Ah so Bayushi-san has an expertise in such things?" Ayano blinked, "Or just moves in circles with several trained in such? I am not well read on the subject but it seems one of the unfortunate truths of nature is many things that aid also hurt."

[Bayushi Kogi]

"Oh, I would never dream of tilting the playing field! That takes the fun out of playing for small stakes." Kogi shakes her head, seemingly amused.

"And the topic? It's a subject that crosses tribes and factions. Everyone esteems both, really, so it lends itself to honorable contest." After a moment's further reflection, she adds, "I suppose physicians think more than most people about how both tea and wine can be medicine or poison... it might be that also helped the idea arrive, ne?"

"Ah so Bayushi-san has an expertise in such things?" Ayano blinked, "Or just moves in circles with several trained in such? I am not well read on the subject but it seems one of the unfortunate truths of nature is many things that aid also hurt."

"Well, yes, but..." Kogi shrugs, slipping her drink out from beneath her veil after taking another sip, "the reverse of that is, many things that can hurt can also help, with the right use. So it isn't all unfortunate." She wraps both narrow hands comfortably around the cup. "A clever physician doesn't make grand claims, but yes, I do have some experience. And I've spent enough time listening to the talk of elders who have much more of it," she adds, with a shake of her head and a soft chuckle that barely escapes the veil hiding her lips.

[Doji Dojihime]

Hikaru gave the tiniest of shrugs, his white lock of hair shifting with the motion. "I do not know any others who have returned. Or what that involves."

He took a small sip of tea. "Perhaps the Bat could tell us more."

Dojihime was the heir to the clan, if she noticed the looks she politely ignored them, this was important for her, and demanded remedy. She tapped her lips lightly with her fan and then said, “Yes, perhaps they could. Would you be a dear and seek their counsel on the matter. The dead should stay dead, and all those that I have heard returning from death were… monstrous.”

“I am in need of answers, dearest Hikaru-san,” she said kindly.

“I am vexed, and do not wish for a confrontation but if he presses this issue it may come to that, and the Clan and family must come first. Does he have any associates outside of the Bat that you are aware of?” she added from behind her fan.

[Doji Hikaru]

Dojihime was the heir to the clan, if she noticed the looks she politely ignored them, this was important for her, and demanded remedy. She tapped her lips lightly with her fan and then said, “Yes, perhaps they could. Would you be a dear and seek their counsel on the matter. The dead should stay dead, and all those that I have heard returning from death were… monstrous.”

“I am in need of answers, dearest Hikaru-san,” she said kindly.

“I am vexed, and do not wish for a confrontation but if he presses this issue it may come to that, and the Clan and family must come first. Does he have any associates outside of the Bat that you are aware of?” she added from behind her fan.

"I can ask them more about him..." Hikaru's lips shifted. "Doji-sama, as you know, Ryoshun Rei-sama's father is a Kami who has passed on." He bowed his head in respect for the fallen god. "They may view such things differently."

Gently, he shook his head. "I do not. Although we were friends in his first life. His father is dead. I... believe his sister is as well." He looked at Dojihime. "Have you spoken to your sister about it? She has not been attending court."

[Doji Dojihime]

"I can ask them more about him..." Hikaru's lips shifted. "Doji-sama, as you know, Ryoshun Rei-sama's father is a Kami who has passed on." He bowed his head in respect for the fallen god. "They may view such things differently."

Gently, he shook his head. "I do not. Although we were friends in his first life. His father is dead. I... believe his sister is as well." He looked at Dojihime. "Have you spoken to your sister about it? She has not been attending court."

“Do so,” when he mentioned inquiring further. “I will expect an update by the morrow.”

“As for my honored uncle, he is still dead, even the Bat recognizes that, more importantly he is not one of the living dead as he is decidedly beyond the veil of life. They may see it differently but the two are not comparable,” she said dismissively with a sigh.

She ignored the latter bit for now and focused on something else she had just remembered, as she tapped her lips with the fan and then said, “Kakita disparaged my honored mother by insinuating she was ill, I am not sure where these rumors are coming from but they must be squashed quickly. If this is some ploy by the Bat then they will regret slighting my family.”

Finally Dojihime added, “My sister is newlywed, she has other duties and that is why I am here to attend to matters of court. If any ask of her she is simply busy and direct them to me.”

[Hantei Genji]

Kawauso smiles in polite disbelief, blinking several times before she speaks. "Well, there was a woman of very similar height... with a rather fetching, hand carved stag mask..." she says with a warm but sarcastic voice, trying to trigger his memory. "But perhaps she was too, um, awestruck to be me?" The Lion watches the Stag Prince with rather predatory eyes, curious whether he's too far into Team Wine at the moment for her little joke.

"Oh....oooooh." Genji's face melted in embarassment. "Gomen!" He waved around with his cup a bit. "I...uhm...I'm sorry." He eyed her once again. "Yet you are right, I must be blind not ot have missed it. Same long, pretty hair, same height." He sighed. "I owe you my apologies Lady Stag."

[Akodo Kawauso]

"Oh....oooooh." Genji's face melted in embarassment. "Gomen!" He waved around with his cup a bit. "I...uhm...I'm sorry." He eyed her once again. "Yet you are right, I must be blind not ot have missed it. Same long, pretty hair, same height." He sighed. "I owe you my apologies Lady Stag."

Kawauso looks down, regretting the trap. Perhaps the feistiness that led to her little trick was a passing function of the Scorpion wine.

"No, Hantei-sama, no apology needed. If one is not recognized from a masked ball, it is a high compliment on the quality of their mask, right?" The Lion gives an amused but genuine smile.

[Hisomu Susumu]

"Probably an idea, yeah..." it would be rude to overhear what the Cranes were craning about. Or did cranes squawk? Crow? Scream?

She didn't mind shifting a bit away from Hikaru and Dojihime, though she offered Hikaru a sympathetic look since he was called out of his enjoyement here to tend to the princess.

"Font of knowledge? I don't know if I would go that far myself... I owe it to my parents for teaching me well. And well, I've had a pretty strange array of teachers growing up," Satsuki chuckled warmly. There was just a firey vibrance to her being.

"I find that the best way to learn is to just ask questions! Like, we should never be embarrassed about asking to learn more, neh? Like how I asked you earlier what you were trained to be - I had only met warriors so far from the Spider, so I was curious if that was an overarching trend of the Spiders present or not. And ta-da! I then learned you had an eclectic upbringing too!"

"Togashi-san, the thing you need to know about the Spider is that we are all weirdos." Susumu returns with mock seriousness, though is eyes glint with mischief.

"I jest, for the most part, but there is a shade of truth to it. The Spider were not overwhelmingly populated by a single tribe, but rather with splinters of others who did not quite fit in. My father was a Kakita for whom joining the Crane seemed a bother rather than a help. My mother could charitably be called a scout, and she has hinted that her past was darker. More than one bushi began as a bandit before coming under our banner."

"If you are looking for a single trait that groups us, it is...well, that we have embraced such variety, so long that we all sincerely look out for each other. The quickest way to get a Spider to fight would be to offer insult to their sibling"

Susumu does a double take back at the pair of Crane. "Forgive me as well, I used you as a bit of cover. Your cousin seems to be a lovely person, but seems to hold the idea of a rigid hierarchy of castes. I do not believe that she had intended to give offense, and I do not seek to make an issue of it, but I am cognizant that my origins are nowhere near as...stellar" Susumu smiles at his own pun "and yours and hers. Now would not be the time or place to push such an issue."

[Hantei Genji]

Kawauso looks down, regretting the trap. Perhaps the feistiness that led to her little trick was a passing function of the Scorpion wine.

"No, Hantei-sama, no apology needed. If one is not recognized from a masked ball, it is a high compliment on the quality of their mask, right?" The Lion gives an amused but genuine smile.

"Certainly, in a way. Hm, then I apologize for apologizing?" Genji still seemed to be cavalier about it. "Speaking of which, you did promise me to show me your craft sometime, neh?"

[Akodo Kawauso]

"Certainly, in a way. Hm, then I apologize for apologizing?" Genji still seemed to be cavalier about it. "Speaking of which, you did promise me to show me your craft sometime, neh?"

The Lion giggles at his flexibility, then gets a little quieter when the focus is back on her. "Um, yes, I did offer that," she says a little uncertainly. "I don't... I don't have a great many things with me, Hantei-sama, but I'll show you what I have." It takes a moment for Kawauso to regret that phrasing, but when the unintended innuendo registers, she takes an immediate and strong interest in her sake cup.

[Hantei Genji]

The Lion giggles at his flexibility, then gets a little quieter when the focus is back on her. "Um, yes, I did offer that," she says a little uncertainly. "I don't... I don't have a great many things with me, Hantei-sama, but I'll show you what I have." It takes a moment for Kawauso to regret that phrasing, but when the unintended innuendo registers, she takes an immediate and strong interest in her sake cup.

Genji seemed oblivious to the double meaning. "That is certainly fine Akodo-san." He did seem to catch up on her discomfort. "Please, though..I do not wish to pressure you if you would rather not. I just enjoy the arts, though not much of a practioner, to be honest. I dabble in poetry, terrible poetry usually, but that's it. And carving has a special place in the Stag hearts, so I am very fond of it."

[Akodo Kawauso]

Genji seemed oblivious to the double meaning. "That is certainly fine Akodo-san." He did seem to catch up on her discomfort. "Please, though..I do not wish to pressure you if you would rather not. I just enjoy the arts, though not much of a practioner, to be honest. I dabble in poetry, terrible poetry usually, but that's it. And carving has a special place in the Stag hearts, so I am very fond of it."

"Of course. You're very kind, Hantei-sama," she says, still a touch embarrassed but calming. "Perhaps... perhaps I can show you some technique? If Hantei-sama would like to dabble in terrible carving as well as poetry?" She jokes kindly.

[Ryoshun Rei]

Rei watched the room, sipping a cup of wine, humming quietly to herself.

[Hantei Kinsen]

Rei watched the room, sipping a cup of wine, humming quietly to herself.

Noticing that someone else likes wine without any major argument to defend it, Kinsen approaches with a happy smile and starry eyes of admiration. "My dear niece. Good to have you near."

[Ryoshun Rei]

"Hantei-sama." She managed a bow without setting her cup down. "It is good to see you. I was hoping we might speak."

[Hantei Genji]

"Of course. You're very kind, Hantei-sama," she says, still a touch embarrassed but calming. "Perhaps... perhaps I can show you some technique? If Hantei-sama would like to dabble in terrible carving as well as poetry?" She jokes kindly.

"Sounds like a fair bargain to me. If Akodo-san is interested, I can show her the basics of what I call poetry, and my sister calls mockery of poetry?" He finished his cup, and put it aside. It seemed like he was glowing. Maybe he actually was.

[Hantei Kinsen]

"Hantei-sama." She managed a bow without setting her cup down. "It is good to see you. I was hoping we might speak."

She provides a bow back to the young girl. "I pray Lady Sun has provided warmth to you today."

Taking another sip, she says with a sweet tone of voice, "I am all ears."

[Akodo Kawauso]

"Sounds like a fair bargain to me. If Akodo-san is interested, I can show her the basics of what I call poetry, and my sister calls mockery of poetry?" He finished his cup, and put it aside. It seemed like he was glowing. Maybe he actually was.

"Uh, of course, Hantei-sama. I'm happy to learn what you'd like to teach." Another small flush of embarrassment at her word choice, forced down by another drink from her cup. And the realization it's empty. And Kawauso's eyes getting wide at both the possibility of continuing without more sake, and the possibility of trying to continue with more sake. Somewhat frantically, she searches for a respectable escape.

"Ah, Hantei-sama? I believe I'm, um... ready to take a little walk. But, um, I look forward to our, um... sharing of skills, er, no... I'm, um, well... I look forward to meeting with you again." And with a fair amount of haste, she rises and starts to depart, cheeks slightly reddened. Because of the wine, of course.