[D1, LE] The Wedding Reception (Open, Event)

[Jiyo Sora]

"Sand and heat would be northwest of your lands. That is the result of the Day of Wrath, when Lady Sun turned her terrible gaze upon her children and burned away half the continent." She shakes her head sadly. "Beyond Senpet is the ocean, I believe. The same one that lies on your eastern shore."

"Huh, you know,l the Emperor and his siblings are children of Lady Sun. Maybe I should ask him about that. The Day of Wrath, I mean. I get the impression that time works a little differently in Tengoku."

[Doji Tsubaki]

"I would not exect that of any Engineer even, despite our Duties with the Heimin. We should have higher Duties and greater purposes as those chosen to follow the Kami."

Misaki turned to the two students and slightly inclined her head, "I pray the Fortunes watch over you both in your efforts."

Turning back fully to Tsubaki, "Otherwise, I would be more than happy to talk tea some time, or so forth. I can think of nothing more appropriate to keep warm over the winter than a well brewed cup of tea over productive conversation."

Another smile and nod, "That would be lovely. You are always welcome in the Camellia House."

[Doji Misaki]

Another smile and nod, "That would be lovely. You are always welcome in the Camellia House."

"Thank you. I visited once already; A truly lovely atmosphere and selection of teas. I certainly will not pass up the opportunity."

Misaki wasn't much for luxuries. But fine tea was one of those exceptions; Even the most expensive of teas was still relaxing and made of carefully cultivated plants. And one could not be too over the top and fancy with the preparations without ruining the drink's essence.

[Doji Tsubaki]

"Thank you. I visited once already; A truly lovely atmosphere and selection of teas. I certainly will not pass up the opportunity."

Misaki wasn't much for luxuries. But fine tea was one of those exceptions; Even the most expensive of teas was still relaxing and made of carefully cultivated plants. And one could not be too over the top and fancy with the preparations without ruining the drink's essence.

"Ah wonderful! Here or the one outside of Doji-no-Kami's palace?"

[Doji Misaki]

"Ah wonderful! Here or the one outside of Doji-no-Kami's palace?"

"Only the one here. I confess, back home I never really go out for meals or tea. If I am not fortunate in enjoying someone's hospitality I tend to cook for myself with stuff from my gardens or from hunting. Old habits I suppose... But since this is a more formal gathering, it would hardly have done for me to bring produce to cook while I'm here. Or to go hunting or foraging, ccertainly."

[Doji Tsubaki]

"Only the one here. I confess, back home I never really go out for meals or tea. If I am not fortunate in enjoying someone's hospitality I tend to cook for myself with stuff from my gardens or from hunting. Old habits I suppose... But since this is a more formal gathering, it would hardly have done for me to bring produce to cook while I'm here. Or to go hunting or foraging, ccertainly."

Another nod, "And your impression?"

[Shosuro]

“What are your duties?” He asked without guile.

"I fight. I find things my father asks of me. I am his bodyguard at times. I manage the Shosuro family," she listed quietly. "You say you are a sword... What does that mean to you?"

[Makime Ayano]

"Ah, perhaps you are correct, a wedding wouldn't be the best place for such a discussion. Some time in the future then?" Hadananzi asked the question in a way that almost seemed like he was setting up a time to have that conversation already. "That does beg the question then, what does one talk about at weddings?"

"Perhaps again before we both depart, and maybe a discussion between my Lady and your Lord could be arranged for the spring as well." Ayano agreed, she was not fully authorized to make such promises but it seemed something her mother would agree to...

She blinked at that...what did one speak about at weddings. "Did Nanzi-sama have much hand in the planning of the wedding? Or is this mostly the work of Lady Doji's elegant touch?"

[Ryoshun Rei]

"Then, if you so wish it, I will do my best. Hmm. This connection with the Void - is it like my own with the Earth, being able to call upon the spirits of the Earth for some aid, with prayers and gifts?"

"There are similarities." she nodded. "But, there are no Void spirits. Communion is a different experience, more instinctual. I reach out into the Void, seeking answers myself."

[Hantei Kinsen]

snip

Sagara saw the large woman waving, it was hard to miss a Crab in a crowd. She left behind a large sculpture and walked to the crab woman, intrigued by the figure that was posed next to her.

"Konichi wa" she saluted with a bow, and a deeper bow to the woman next to her. Then she presented herself to them, "my name is Anjing Sagara, emissary of the Crab and priestess of the kami. It is an honor to meet you."

The Stag bows in greetings, and smirks, reminding herself of the maiden of pounding to say, "Anjing-san. Indeed an honor." She adds, "I am Hantei Kinsen. Wife to Hantei-kami-dono. Please treat me kindly."

[Doji Hikaru]

"No need for apology. She is treated as a welcome addition to our clan, as are all that have joined us."

This Crane wants me to put my hands on a sword? "I only learned the most basic use of a knife, as part of my school training." Fumi flushed a bit, "perhaps, if you are talented in handling your blade, you could show me."

"Perhaps." Hikaru said politely. After a moment, he smiled, just the tiniest bit. "Although the Spider do not lack for warriors to teach you. Hisomu Matsu has earned great fame, and I caught sight of her presenting a gift. She is a paragon of both Bushido and the blade."

"I didn't realize she was so tall." He added, more indifferently.

[Kakita]

"I fight. I find things my father asks of me. I am his bodyguard at times. I manage the Shosuro family," she listed quietly. "You say you are a sword... What does that mean to you?"

He looked to the woman for a moment, trying to glimpse something beyond the perceived world.

“A sword is an implement. It is not well equipped for planting or for building... it cuts. Excises that which is detrimental or harmful. When put to good use it defends the weak. Saves rather than harms. Those who use their strength to oppress... they are not blades. They are clubs. The ability to excise is a more delicate craft than many are fit to do.”

[Viveki Doshi]

"Huh, you know,l the Emperor and his siblings are children of Lady Sun. Maybe I should ask him about that. The Day of Wrath, I mean. I get the impression that time works a little differently in Tengoku."

"Hantei Kinsen mentioned that in our earlier talk," she reveals, nodding at the confirmation of hearing it from another. "It would be very interesting to learn. The desert people also worship Lady Sun and Lord Moon, and the, ah... Ra'Shari, I believe they call themselves? They claim that the Day of Wrath was caused when Lady Sun grew upset with her children and burned them away."

"It leads me to wonder whether your fallen gods remember their older siblings. By all accounts, this took place long ago."

[Hadananzi]

"Perhaps again before we both depart, and maybe a discussion between my Lady and your Lord could be arranged for the spring as well." Ayano agreed, she was not fully authorized to make such promises but it seemed something her mother would agree to...

She blinked at that...what did one speak about at weddings. "Did Nanzi-sama have much hand in the planning of the wedding? Or is this mostly the work of Lady Doji's elegant touch?"

"That would be splendid, I hope such can be arranged. As to the wedding, I believe it was mostly the work of the Lady Doji. Everything here speaks to me of her hand guiding each element into place. It truly is a lovely event."

[Yoshitsune Chizu]

Sagara saw the large woman waving, it was hard to miss a Crab in a crowd. She left behind a large sculpture and walked to the crab woman, intrigued by the figure that was posed next to her.

"Konichi wa" she saluted with a bow, and a deeper bow to the woman next to her. Then she presented herself to them, "my name is Anjing Sagara, emissary of the Crab and priestess of the kami. It is an honor to meet you."

The Stag bows in greetings, and smirks, reminding herself of the maiden of pounding to say, "Anjing-san. Indeed an honor." She adds, "I am Hantei Kinsen. Wife to Hantei-kami-dono. Please treat me kindly."

"Lord Yoshitsune has often spoken of Hantei Kinsen's heroic deeds in the early days of the Empire," Chizu said to her clanmate. Turning back to Kinsen, she added, "As one of the few priestesses among our number, Anjing-san is quite important to us."

[Bayushi Kogi]

"That of chivalrous gentlemen with poetic spirits." As she straightens up, it becomes easier to find her eyes. One swath of silk is draped across the bridge of her nose and ends at about the level of her collarbones, while another trails over the top of her head, just about concealing her hairline; in between the two layers, though, one can clearly see two dark eyes accented with subtle cosmetics. Well-shaped eyebrows arch upward. "A lantern is a well-chosen wedding gift. Do you know the couple?"

Genji's eyes slowly made sense of the swirling silks around her. "Oh? I did not know that my poetic spirit was shining through, for it to be visible for such a scarlet...samurai?" Wow, that was goooood Genji. Super good.

He tried to move past that with false confidence and a sincere smile. "I've met them in the past on occasion, but not closely. The lantern was my mother's idea, to be truthful. I am terrible with gifts. Just ask my sister."

“Filial and modest, too.” It’s hard to tell exactly whether this is a serious observation or a humorous one, with the veil hiding any twitch of her lips (or the absence thereof).

“May I introduce myself?” Assuming he doesn’t object, she does so: “Kogi, of the house of Bayushi-kami.”

[Shosuro]

]
He looked to the woman for a moment, trying to glimpse something beyond the perceived world.

“A sword is an implement. It is not well equipped for planting or for building... it cuts. Excises that which is detrimental or harmful. When put to good use it defends the weak. Saves rather than harms. Those who use their strength to oppress... they are not blades. They are clubs. The ability to excise is a more delicate craft than many are fit to do.”

She nodded in agreement, looking away into space for a moment. He can feel it more keenly when he studies her, the urge for his eyes to slip away elsewhere. "Sometimes one has to remove a piece of something to save all of it. That sort of thing. I think clubs don't often recognize themselves as such."

[Hantei Kinsen]

snip

snip

"Lord Yoshitsune has often spoken of Hantei Kinsen's heroic deeds in the early days of the Empire," Chizu said to her clanmate. Turning back to Kinsen, she added, "As one of the few priestesses among our number, Anjing-san is quite important to us."

Kinsen's eyes widen for a moment, in surprise. Then, she says, "A shugenja of the Crab! An Anjing, in fact. I confess that is indeed unexpected, and pleasantly interesting. We definitely will have to get to know each other more. There would be plenty to discuss for the future."

[Anjing Sagara]

The Stag bows in greetings, and smirks, reminding herself of the maiden of pounding to say, "Anjing-san. Indeed an honor." She adds, "I am Hantei Kinsen. Wife to Hantei-kami-dono. Please treat me kindly."

"Lord Yoshitsune has often spoken of Hantei Kinsen's heroic deeds in the early days of the Empire," Chizu said to her clanmate. Turning back to Kinsen, she added, "As one of the few priestesses among our number, Anjing-san is quite important to us."

Surprised at both the words of Hantei Kinsen and Yoshitsune Chizu, Sagara bowed even deeper when she found out who she was in front of. "Lady Hantei Kinsen-sama it is an honor to be in your presence. It is an honor to be at your assistance. But please, my sister is overly exaggerating. I am a shugenja, yes, but just a humble one still learning to serve her clan and the kami."

[Kakita]

She nodded in agreement, looking away into space for a moment. He can feel it more keenly when he studies her, the urge for his eyes to slip away elsewhere. "Sometimes one has to remove a piece of something to save all of it. That sort of thing. I think clubs don't often recognize themselves as such."

“Unfortunately... you are quite right.” He said with a nod as he turned his gaze out toward the gathering again.

“It takes a trained mind to see within.”