Breaking the Ice (D2, LM, Player Event)

[Miyako Masato]

Turning over the two tea cups, Chizu lifted the teapot and poured a cup for each of them.

"I haven't been here that long," she admitted. "But the Crane wedding was quite impressive, and I know a lot more court events are planned. I got invited to some sort of ball tonight, in fact; that should be fun."

"I've been outside Crab lands before, but this is the biggest gathering I've seen; there are so many people, and of so many different clans and families," Chizu continued. "I'm hoping to make some friends while here. That's mainly why I agreed to come to this event." She gestured generally at the other people talking all around them.

"What about you, Miyako-san?" she asked politely. "How are you finding the Imperial Court?"

Masato offers his thanks to Chizu for pouring tea for the both of them. "Court has been alright, so far. I'm sure things will get even livelier as the days proceed."

He sips some tea.

"But, yes, the Crane do like to impress. It was quite a lovely wedding, wasn't it? As for the ball, I had heard about that, but don't think I'll be making an appearance; I'm not really one for dancing." He says with a sort of bitter chuckle. "But I do hope you enjoy it."

"Making friends, eh? I, too, am here to make... well... not necessarily friends, but connections. It is important for a trader to know people in all walks of life, in all sorts of different places."

[Makime Ayano]

"It is not a question I expect to answer anytime soon." Hikaru looked down at his teacup as he took a sip. "I expect it will be the work of a lifetime. Or perhaps more than one."

This time, he paused a moment to refresh his own tea. "Perhaps I should show you some of my work, if you would like to see it." He pursed his lips thoughtfully. "I had expected to be here only long enough to take some sketches. But with the snow being what it is, perhaps I have time to create a painting. I shall have to consider my subject."

"Maybe that is the answer? That there is no answer...or more accurately only steps on the journey never and end." Ayano offered, enjoying another sip of tea, "In that then perhaps the best Doji-san can do is merely to move as far as his life allows and forge the road ahead for those that follow him to go beyond."

"I believe I would enjoy that, and the work of all your kin." She blushed slightly, "And truthfully beyond that...every clan has their own views of art and its creation."

[Doji Hikaru]

"Maybe that is the answer? That there is no answer...or more accurately only steps on the journey never and end." Ayano offered, enjoying another sip of tea, "In that then perhaps the best Doji-san can do is merely to move as far as his life allows and forge the road ahead for those that follow him to go beyond."

"I believe I would enjoy that, and the work of all your kin." She blushed slightly, "And truthfully beyond that...every clan has their own views of art and its creation."

Hikaru inclined his head. "Then it would be my honor to show you, Makime-sama." He said. Pale eyes flickered briefly to Ayano's reddened cheeks, and then back to her eyes, his lips pursing for just a moment.

The moment passed.

"And yes, perhaps that is my goal." He said. "In this lifetime, I shall tend to my soul as best I can. And art is a fine way to do that." Another gentle smile. "But not the only way. I feel that if I share a conversation with a Lion and do not discuss the virtues of Bushido, I would be quite remiss."

[Akodo Daigoro]

Misaki talked as she poured tea for the man, "I am an Engineer, Akodo-sama. I work mostly on rural planning and farming innovation in-so-far as making sure Lady Doji-sama's lands are well maintained and bountiful. If anything I do can help with a bountiful harvest and maybe prevent starvation during lean years, I like to think my Duty has been well done."

Daigoro's expression blossomed into a true smile.

"Oh! An engineer?! That is what I do, too! Hydraulics, mostly, which has some irrigation applications. So rural planning...you design villages and such like?"

[Bayushi Sasori]

Kinsen tilts her head at that comment, "So desuka?"

Straightening herself back into seiza, she takes a sip. "I confess I have never heard about that tale. Thank you for sharing."

"I am not a story teller but have bit of knowledge of the spirit realms, Hantei sama. I like studying Chikuchudo and a Dragon made me interested in Sakkaku."

[Makime Ayano]

Hikaru inclined his head. "Then it would be my honor to show you, Makime-sama." He said. Pale eyes flickered briefly to Ayano's reddened cheeks, and then back to her eyes, his lips pursing for just a moment.

The moment passed.

"And yes, perhaps that is my goal." He said. "In this lifetime, I shall tend to my soul as best I can. And art is a fine way to do that." Another gentle smile. "But not the only way. I feel that if I share a conversation with a Lion and do not discuss the virtues of Bushido, I would be quite remiss."

Ayano considers something for a moment, "The Virtues seem a fitting form to bring to life with calligraphy. So then we have also found a beginning for my own work." Her smile returns, "But you wish to discuss the philosophy behind it, my Mother adopted it readily once the understanding was made fully known to her. So I have been raised learning all Seven, is there one you wish to focus on in particular or does your nature demand all be given equal time today?"

[Doji Hikaru]

Ayano considers something for a moment, "The Virtues seem a fitting form to bring to life with calligraphy. So then we have also found a beginning for my own work." Her smile returns, "But you wish to discuss the philosophy behind it, my Mother adopted it readily once the understanding was made fully known to her. So I have been raised learning all Seven, is there one you wish to focus on in particular or does your nature demand all be given equal time today?"

Hikaru's eyebrows went up. "A fine idea, Makime-sama. That is a work I should like to see."

He spread his hands. "I brought the topic up, but as it was Lord Akodo who first put to paper the laws of Bushido that we, as followers of the Kami, seek to follow, I feel I should leave the decision to you." He inclined his head. "Is there a virtue that we should focus on? Or should they all be given equal weight? I know that Clans already seem to be interpreting them based on the beliefs of the Kami they follow."

[Hisomu Ayeka]

Kawauso listens thoughtfully, then nods emphatically in agreement. "I am no fan of extra rules and expectations being added to my life," the Lion says candidly. "Especially for something that should be as straightforward as drinking something that smells nice," she says with a mischievous smile.

"It seems the addition of rules is an inevitability of our lives, especially as the way of Samurai becomes more and more codified," Ayeka says lightly. "It stands to reason that if nothing else, we might be able to enjoy something so straightforward as drinking something that smells nice without forcing new expectations upon each other I think." And as if to predicate that point, she lifted the cup to her lips and finished it in but one swallow.

[Ongaku Masanori]

”Weeks...?" That is a prospect Kogi hasn't seriously considered. "Your winters north of the Spine are no joke."

She looks up with a courteous nod as the Crane-helper (either a servant or a protege depending what Tsubaki has in mind!) drops off the tea things. "We'll manage, thank you." Then, returning her attention to Masanori--or a good part of it, at least, since she is now also occupied with checking over the tea tools, "Oh, dear. That's no way to treat decent tea, Ongaku-san. For the tea or for the drinker. Did you know, one of the first things anyone learns in the physician's art is 'food and physic share one source'?"

"The winter can indeed be long, though one does adapt. I personally take some pleasure in the wind as it sweeps over snow - there is unique and wild beauty in it."

A small shrug, and then he quirked an eyebrow.

"I never had heard that, interesting. Are you well acquainted with the physician's art?"

[Akodo Kawauso]

"It seems the addition of rules is an inevitability of our lives, especially as the way of Samurai becomes more and more codified," Ayeka says lightly. "It stands to reason that if nothing else, we might be able to enjoy something so straightforward as drinking something that smells nice without forcing new expectations upon each other I think." And as if to predicate that point, she lifted the cup to her lips and finished it in but one swallow.

The Lion samurai smiles at the bold move.

"There is not so much different for me as a samurai, guarding the great river for Lord Akodo, from if I were just a person of the river, guarding the great river for my father and my people," she says lightly, unprovocatively. And then, with perhaps a little dramatic overemphasis, she raised her cup and drained the remainder in one swallow.

[Hisomu Ayeka]

The Lion samurai smiles at the bold move.

"There is not so much different for me as a samurai, guarding the great river for Lord Akodo, from if I were just a person of the river, guarding the great river for my father and my people," she says lightly, unprovocatively. And then, with perhaps a little dramatic overemphasis, she raised her cup and drained the remainder in one swallow.

Ayeka took the initiative this time, refilling Kawauso's cup, then her own, her light smile never leaving. "In some ways it is very different, neh? I have served Lord Hisomu as long as I can remember, so I admit my perspective comes from having been born in the light of the Kami, but it seems to me that even in the short nineteen years of my own life, much has changed."

[Doji Misaki]

Daigoro's expression blossomed into a true smile.

"Oh! An engineer?! That is what I do, too! Hydraulics, mostly, which has some irrigation applications. So rural planning...you design villages and such like?"

A small nod, sliding the cup quietly over to Daigoro.

"A little of that, a little of plotting fields and roads. And the aforementioned irrigation channels. The roads and irrigation are the most important parts, typically; Farmers are pretty good at foguring out where the fields and houses should go once you have the infrastructure planned out."

[Yoshitsune Chizu]

"Making friends, eh? I, too, am here to make... well... not necessarily friends, but connections. It is important for a trader to know people in all walks of life, in all sorts of different places."

"Connections, eh?" Chizu nodded at this. "That sounds like a fine idea. Perhaps I could be a connection for you in the Crab, eh?" She smiled and tilted her head.

"What sort of trading do you do?" she inquired. "We could do with a few more merchant caravans coming by our lands, truthfully."

[Hantei Kinsen]

"I am not a story teller but have bit of knowledge of the spirit realms, Hantei sama. I like studying Chikuchudo and a Dragon made me interested in Sakkaku."

"I have no knowledge of the spirits or their realms, and a Dragon did talk me with me about that... or something related. Have you ever heard about the ancient shapeshifters that took the form of lions and other great cats?" She asks, analyzing Sasori's movements.

[Akodo Kawauso]

Ayeka took the initiative this time, refilling Kawauso's cup, then her own, her light smile never leaving. "In some ways it is very different, neh? I have served Lord Hisomu as long as I can remember, so I admit my perspective comes from having been born in the light of the Kami, but it seems to me that even in the short nineteen years of my own life, much has changed."

"Of course. But much also remains the same, for the kami are glorious but they cannot be everywhere. Their servants, like us, carry out their will. But even for every samurai, how many of our common people are there? Their lives still mean working, mostly as they did before. Feeding their children, weathering storms..." Kawauso makes a small gesture with her hand to indicate the building they're in. "How many lives up and down this river are really changed by this city," she asks sincerely, curious for Ayeka's reaction.

[Isawa Kyosei]

A man in a simple green kimono of sturdy fabric with a red panda on his left shoulder detached himself from the mass of people and approached the Imperial

''Isawa Kyosei?'' he asked

"Hai, and if you are approaching me, you must be Wu Zhe. I admit, I have met your clan's founder, but am not sure I have ever met a Wu before." He turns to the tables, and finds the one with their paired names on it. "Shall we sit?"

[Bayushi Kogi]

"The winter can indeed be long, though one does adapt. I personally take some pleasure in the wind as it sweeps over snow - there is unique and wild beauty in it."

A small shrug, and then he quirked an eyebrow.

"I never had heard that, interesting. Are you well acquainted with the physician's art?"

"Oh, yes. Consider anything people eat or drink... when you think about it, what can't a person poison themselves with, in excess? Even water, by drowning." A soft laugh puffs out the light fabric over her nose and chin as she pours hot water into the tea bowls to warm them.

"I'm acquainted, at least. A clever physician doesn't boast. But I know some things."

[Anjing Sagara]

"Tea would be most welcome." she nodded to the servant, then turned her attention ack to Sagara. "I hope the rest of your morning has been as pleasant."

The samurai-ko asked the servant to continue pouring tea for both of them as the music continued in the room. "My day has been good, thank you Ryoshun Rei-sama. I took the time to go for a bath at the springs since the gate doors were closed. How has your day gone? Will you be attending the ball later today?"

[Hantei Genji]

"Yeah. That makes sense!" She agreed enthusiastically. "I guess my parents went the simple route in naming us too? Hoshi, Tsuki, and Taiyo*. Mother sometimes does call us her little princess and princes though, but that's different. Like cute nicknames for kids. And only Taiyo is still a kid." That was a very important thing.

"You have a little sister then, right? What's she like? How old is she now? Is she here too?"

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*= star, moon, sun.

"She's at home at the moment, soon she'll pass her gempukku." Genji spoke with obvious pride. "I am sure she will do great." He eyed the tea. "I have no idea what blend I'm drinking to be honest. I just grabbed something green. What's yours?" He put the cup down, his own eyes meeting hers, cousin to cousin. "How're your siblings doing?"

[Wu Zhe]

"Hai, and if you are approaching me, you must be Wu Zhe. I admit, I have met your clan's founder, but am not sure I have ever met a Wu before." He turns to the tables, and finds the one with their paired names on it. "Shall we sit?"

''Indeed I am.'' he gave the man a bow ''Yes, let's''