Satsuki was idly plucking away at the strings of her guqin, awaiting the next person to perform.

Hikaru, sitting a bit across from her, played a little trill on his flute. It had a decidedly martial sound, almost challenging.

Ayano was of course there, eager to see the music take shape. For now she sat out of the concert...far to shy to try her voice at singing, her hand at music, or her feet at dancing. There were simply too many eyes for the Lioness.

She was still enjoying herself, immensely.

It had been a disastrous day, all things considered. As her mother would say, in times like these, people would need something to lighten their spirits to better brave the darkness ahead.

Lady Saruko had after all kept up morale during the expedition south by entertaining with her stories frequently and spreading good cheer. So Satsuki really couldn't do any less than her mother would've in this moment.

Well, except maybe not flub her performance, but eh... smile, pick up the fan and carry on.

"I'm glad to see you smile again, Makime-san, after all that's happened today. I... think this is just the thing we all might need, considering the circumstances."

Ayano, still embarrassed and exhausted from her impromptu song, turns to face the Dragon, "...yes, thank you and Doji-san for starting this show, Togashi-sama."

She smiles, "I...gave it my best effort but may have overdone it. But then again...everyone seems exhausted but still giving it everything."

Her hair had come out of it's loose tie, the dancing and playing seemingly breaking that hold. Long enough to reach past her waist, having never know the edge of a blade. She was still laughing boisterously, maybe the stress and the weight of everything cracking through in this release.

Her flute tucked beneath her arm, she clapped in rhythm with the other players.

Makime Ayano wrote: ↑

Tue Jun 29, 2021 4:51 pm

Ayano, still embarrassed and exhausted from her impromptu song, turns to face the Dragon, "...yes, thank you and Doji-san for starting this show, Togashi-sama."

She smiles, "I...gave it my best effort but may have overdone it. But then again...everyone seems exhausted but still giving it everything."

"I know my mother would say that the effort and the intent matters more than the quality when it comes to performances like these. We're just trying to unwind and lighten the mood after all."

The red panda's antics certainly got a good laugh from the princess. And Matsu's performance was also applauded with gusto.

Once the panda had finished stealing the show, Zhe picked him up and rejoined the spectators.

''You really enjoy these kind of things, heh?'' he asked the panda

A squeak and a yawn where his only answer before Shu closed his eyes for a nap

Wu Zhe wrote: ↑

Tue Jun 29, 2021 6:36 pm

Once the panda had finished stealing the show, Zhe picked him up and rejoined the spectators.

''You really enjoy these kind of things, heh?'' he asked the panda

A squeak and a yawn where his only answer before Shu closed his eyes for a nap

Hikaru, drawn by spotting a fellow warrior, and not by a cute animal, really, wandered over.

"What sort of animal is that?" He asked, pale eyes on the panda.

Zhe raised his head to meet the second host of the event and gave a nod

''We call them Red Pandas...even if they are very unlike regular pandas in nearly all aspects. They do share similar habitats, however''

Wu Zhe wrote: ↑

Tue Jun 29, 2021 6:43 pm

Zhe raised his head to meet the second host of the event and gave a nod

''We call them Red Pandas...even if they are very unlike regular pandas in nearly all aspects. They do share similar habitats, however''

"Red Pandas..." Hikaru echoed. He stared at the creature.

He shook his head. "Where do they live? The mountains of the Dragon?"

Doji Hikaru wrote: ↑

Tue Jun 29, 2021 6:52 pm

"Red Pandas..." Hikaru echoed. He stared at the creature.

He shook his head. "Where do they live? The mountains of the Dragon?"

''We can find them there for certain. Red pandas usually live in high altitudes where bamboo and some pine trees can be found...I wouldn't be surprised to find some of them across all the northern mountains.''

Wu Zhe wrote: ↑

Tue Jun 29, 2021 6:58 pm

''We can find them there for certain. Red pandas usually live in high altitudes where bamboo and some pine trees can be found...I wouldn't be surprised to find some of them across all the northern mountains.''

Hikaru tilted his head, watching the creature. "How intelligent is it? At a guess, I would say at least moderately."

"... and what is its name?" The question was almost reluctant. No special interest in cute animals, really...

Togashi Satsuki wrote: ↑

Tue Jun 29, 2021 5:14 pm

"I know my mother would say that the effort and the intent matters more than the quality when it comes to performances like these. We're just trying to unwind and lighten the mood after all."

The red panda's antics certainly got a good laugh from the princess. And Matsu's performance was also applauded with gusto.

That brought on a new smile, "I suppose that is true...and I did have fun singing, after I overcame the embarrassment at any rate." Ayano glanced down at Satsuki's instrument, "How long have you been playing?"

Doji Hikaru wrote: ↑

Tue Jun 29, 2021 7:05 pm

Hikaru tilted his head, watching the creature. "How intelligent is it? At a guess, I would say at least moderately."

"... and what is its name?" The question was almost reluctant. No special interest in cute animals, really...

''I am not quite sure how intelligent they are as they are rarely domesticated. This one is quite experienced or might simply be an exceptional specimen...his name is Shu.''

"Shu." Hikaru repeated. After a moment, he nodded.

Turning to the unfamiliar warrior, he bowed. "I am Doji Hikaru." He introduced himself.

The dragon stood up and returned the bow as best he could without waking up the panda

''I am Wu Zhe''

Wu Zhe wrote: ↑

Tue Jun 29, 2021 9:28 pm

The dragon stood up and returned the bow as best he could without waking up the panda

''I am Wu Zhe''

Hikaru nodded slowly. "I have met several of your fellow clansmen. Togashi-sama, Wu Ko-san, and Saru Yatsufusa. Each has impressed me, in their own way."

Sora was there, although out of deference to the ears of those present, he left any efforts at music to his kids.

As I said to Dojihime... we need to fight, sure, but we also need to remember what we fight for.

Makime Ayano wrote: ↑

Tue Jun 29, 2021 7:59 pm

That brought on a new smile, "I suppose that is true...and I did have fun singing, after I overcame the embarrassment at any rate." Ayano glanced down at Satsuki's instrument, "How long have you been playing?"

"Since I was little. Mother let me try all sorts of instruments, as she'd bring them around for my brother and me to play around with - some were more popular than others," she snickered, remembering those childhood days of making infernal noises on various instruments.

Bless their father for being the most patient being in the universe.

"My brother Hoshi likes the flute the most himself and its pretty much the only one he's managed to get the hang of, but our younger brother Taiyo is a bit like me in that he can pick up any instrument and play it with some skill - he just does it much better and he's four years younger than us."