[D2, EA] Imperial Court, Part 1 (Open, Event)

[Kakita]

"It is decided then." He nodded.

"My training is a bit of a unique blend of styles. It will be my pleasure to see how it measures up to the training of the Spider."

[Hisomu Ayeka]

"And I shall be intrigued to test my style against your blend of styles," she responds easily. "I am certain it will be an entertaining bout."

[Nozomi]

"We did. It was balanced on the edge of a knife, several times, I think. But, it did succeed. And now, I think it is time for us both to head our separate ways for a bit, and spread the word a bit. And, for you, young lady, a bit of advice; listen to what your mother tells you, but listen more closely for what she doesn't tell you. That may be the most important part."

Mayumi nodded vigorously up at Kyosei and Nozomi smirked softly. "Good advice." And it would be advice that was important tonight, in fact. There were things she never told her daughter, and Mayumi knew it. Bowing together, they offered him thanks for his speaking with them. "We will speak again soon I think, Isawa-sama. Thank you for finding me today."

(OOC: She gets ahold of Shinsei in the evening, and will send a note Day 3 to him indicating as such. You can handwave that piece of info gets to Kyosei.)

She paused after he stopped by and looked around, momentarily wary. There could be so many dangers, even in a place like this. For now, she was watching, unsure for the first time in her life. Taking her time, she began to focus, the awareness of eight directions washing over her, the awareness of all life within the room, the insurance that only they were here.

(OOC: Private Message if you approach and quote her, if you could. She's free to approach.)

[Yuzuru]

''What did I miss?'' he asked as he sat beside Susumu while a red panda climbed on his head to leer at the fox beside the consort

The red panda is noticed but the fox is too busy being judgmental of the court to greet it properly.

[Kakita]

"And I shall be intrigued to test my style against your blend of styles," she responds easily. "I am certain it will be an entertaining bout."

"I hope it will be an opportunity to engage in further discussions in the future as well. I may have questions that you and your kin may have greater knowledge on than a simple swordsman like myself."

[Hisomu Matsu]

Satsuki at least seemed to catch on the discomfort. "Matsu then." A firm nod of respect. "I'm Togashi Satsuki, daughter to Lord Togashi of the Dragon Clan, and Lady Saruko of the Saru. A pleasure to meet you." Hands firmly by her side, the girl bowed.

"I had the pleasure of speaking with Ayeka yesterday, as she helped me find a lost pet. Since she's pretty wonderful, it must mean that you're amazing, and my mother has told me of how you travelled with her and the others to save uncle Hisomu. I wish I could've gone on adventures too when I was that age!"

"I wasn't exactly invited." She laughed, somewhat sweetly. "Father went. I snuck along and he couldn't turn me back when I arrived. Even if he tried, I was a stubborn child, I wouldn't have. He probably thought it was safer to at least keep me nearby, rather than risk me trailing along." She blushed somewhat at the compliment of being amazing. "I... thank you. I don't know if amazing, but just wanting to be the best possible samurai." The modesty wasn't quite false, but trying to be polite. The confidence, though, was there. A determination and drive that seemed to burn through her, shining like a star.

"Togashi Satsuki." She committed the name to memory. "It's really an honor for me, then, to meet you."

[Ryoshun Rei]

"Huh, you know, time was, I wouldn't have had any- the Hikaru tribe didn't have much time for that sort of thing- But I think I could see about finding a few we've collected. My daughters love them."

"My younger sister does too. She probably knows more of them than I do." she smiled. "The stories can be helpful. They serve as a warning of the unseen dangers of the world and they can be used to draw out spirits to help guide them to their proper place."

[Hantei Genji]

"It is very interesting so far." She returns the bow, hands clasped together, then looks him up and down. "I am Viveki Doshi, of the Doshi family, of the Ivory Kingdoms."

"Ah, gomen Doshi-san." He gave a small bow of apology. "I did not intend to be overly familiar. Well met then. I am Hantei Genji, heir to the Stag Clan."

[Jiyo Ayumu]

snip

"The one where people are surprised we aren't dead or at least in a retirement home?

I must admit, to anyone born after the funding of the clans, people old enough to remember the before time must appear as ancient as if someone was telling us rocks and pointy sticks were the pinnacle of technological advancement in their childhood. Regardless of our actual age, we're relics of a past era. Stone axes among blades of the finest steel.

But there are jobs for which an axe, no matter how old, is better suited than a sword."

He glanced at the daisho at his belt. An item that he had picked up only a few weeks ago, after his return to the estate, when an intendant had made a scene about the fact he had to carry one. Until then, he had been traveling the land with his old spear as his only weapon, and would always leave it at the door of any building before entering.

So strange that in a more peaceful world, one was required to always have instruments of doom at hand.

"But enough metaphors. Since you just said your hands are slightly less tied than they used to be, might I inquire what are your projects for the near future?"

[Jiyo Sora]

"My younger sister does too. She probably knows more of them than I do." she smiled. "The stories can be helpful. They serve as a warning of the unseen dangers of the world and they can be used to draw out spirits to help guide them to their proper place."

"Drawing out spirits, hm? Now that is a neat trick. Any sorts of spirits in particular this works on? Or perhaps I should say, any that you know where it doesn't?"

[Doji Hikaru]

It was better late than never. As impeccably dressed and coiffed as ever, he quietly entered, and equally quietly found a spot to occupy.

(Sorry, not sure who's still free! Please message me if you are!)

[Hisomu Susumu]

snip

There was, in fact, another late arrival

''What did I miss?'' he asked as he sat beside Susumu while a red panda climbed on his head to leer at the fox beside the consort

"I believe that one of our shugenja made a plea to Shiba-o-kami to acknowledge and extend courtesy to spiritual beings not native to ningen-do Dragon-san" Susumu bows in greeting. "I am Hisomu Susumu. It is a hope that I would support, and I believe that the Spider would as well. If they are here, I see no reason why they could not be treated as other dignitaries who visit the realm"

Sasori arrived at court. She decided not to call much attention to herself yet a familiar face called to her. She took her fan out and moved behind the man tapping the right shoulder with the fan and moving to his left. "Good afternoon Hisomu sama." The Bayushi giggled.

you have been approached

"Ahh Bayushi-san, it is unsurprising to see you again, and yet still a welcome meeting. I hope that the night's festivities have left you undiminished since we first spoke"

[Hantei Kinsen]

"The one where people are surprised we aren't dead or at least in a retirement home?

I must admit, to anyone born after the funding of the clans, people old enough to remember the before time must appear as ancient as if someone was telling us rocks and pointy sticks were the pinnacle of technological advancement in their childhood. Regardless of our actual age, we're relics of a past era. Stone axes among blades of the finest steel.

But there are jobs for which an axe, no matter how old, is better suited than a sword."

He glanced at the daisho at his belt. An item that he had picked up only a few weeks ago, after his return to the estate, when an intendant had made a scene about the fact he had to carry one. Until then, he had been traveling the land with his old spear as his only weapon, and would always leave it at the door of any building before entering.

So strange that in a more peaceful world, one was required to always have instruments of doom at hand.

"But enough metaphors. Since you just said your hands are slightly less tied than they used to be, might I inquire what are your projects for the near future?"

Kinsen's eyes widen in shock and she nearly snorts at comparison.

After a moment, she argues, "I refuse to be considered an old tool, Jiyo-san! I am as sharp as any of these new blades. Ok... perhaps not as sharp. But I am very well much stronger. Time and temperance does wonders to one's character."

Raising a red fingernail up, she adds, with a partially offended expression, "Well, one of these projects is to my primogenitor married. Can't stay still when Doji-kami-sama sets a new trend, after all. Which means I am also looking forward for a new dress."

[Shinjo Ryoko]

Belatedly and clueless, Ryoko still found her way to this big social gathering. Frankly, this density of assemblages of animated matter that can talk in one place was a novelty she found both atounding and a bit annoying. So many interference patterns, so much collapse. Mind-boggling.

[Wu Zhe]

"I believe that one of our shugenja made a plea to Shiba-o-kami to acknowledge and extend courtesy to spiritual beings not native to ningen-do Dragon-san" Susumu bows in greeting. "I am Hisomu Susumu. It is a hope that I would support, and I believe that the Spider would as well. If they are here, I see no reason why they could not be treated as other dignitaries who visit the realm"

The dragon nodded, thinking

''I see, thank you'' he smiled and bowed in return ''I am Wu Zhe, a pleasure to meet a neighbor''

[Kuu]

"Does that not risk complacency? If heroes strive to shoulder the cost, does it not prevent the layman from learning the value of their life? I don't mean to speak low of your order, but my curiosity is strong in this. What prevents the common man from relying on the heroes and potentially shirking their own roles as heroes down the line?"

"Someone acting acting to help others generally does so when they cannot help themselves, rather than when they will not help themselves. We might share food with a farmer who had their farm swept away in a flood or help him harvest if they are injured. Do we want to help the farmer that didn't harvest because they were procrastinating or having fun instead of working? Most people will choose not to help simply because it is inconvenient. And so the number of people that will help even when the recipient has willfully failed will be even lower. But there are some that are overly kind that unfortunately develop parasites because they cannot say no."

[Viveki Doshi]

"Ah, gomen Doshi-san." He gave a small bow of apology. "I did not intend to be overly familiar. Well met then. I am Hantei Genji, heir to the Stag Clan."

She waves the apology away. "Viveki is preferred. I am surprised that your people do not like using personal names. It must make speaking to multiple members of the same family very difficult." She smirks. "In any case, that would make you a prince, Hantei?"

[Hadananzi]

"Someone acting acting to help others generally does so when they cannot help themselves, rather than when they will not help themselves. We might share food with a farmer who had their farm swept away in a flood or help him harvest if they are injured. Do we want to help the farmer that didn't harvest because they were procrastinating or having fun instead of working? Most people will choose not to help simply because it is inconvenient. And so the number of people that will help even when the recipient has willfully failed will be even lower. But there are some that are overly kind that unfortunately develop parasites because they cannot say no."

"So your order preaches a firm hand, helping those in true need and only occasionally those who might have gotten themselves in too thick with their burdens. I can respect that notion." Granted Hadananzi was more for culling the weak than helping them, but he didn't wish to betray that side of his personality here. The brief thought, however, did flash across his features in a peculiar expression.

[Ryoshun Rei]

"Drawing out spirits, hm? Now that is a neat trick. Any sorts of spirits in particular this works on? Or perhaps I should say, any that you know where it doesn't?"

"It does not always work." she cautioned. "Most often it is the spirit the tale is based on that is drawn to the telling, or a spirit whose story is similar or connected in some way.".

[Jiyo Ayumu]

snip

At first glance at least, Kinsen was indeed the rock of permanence among the ocean of change, in body as in spirit.

"Your oldest son... Genji is that it? I guess he is of age... But why the sudden rush? With his parentage, he should have no issue finding the perfect spouse eventually. You did almost literary pluck your own from the Heavens after all.

As for the dress... I get the hint, but I must confess I haven't got much practice this last decade. Meanwhile, the renewed prosperity of the Empire has allowed for crafts to flourish everywhere. Nowadays, you can find a tailor exceeding my skills at almost every street corner. And with your status, the very best of the land would answer your call with a snap of your fingers.

I'm also very much out with fashion. Haven't really updated my repertoire since... Well, since our visit to the Nezumi capital.

Not trying to make excuses there, just giving you all the facts."