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

[Hisomu Susumu]

Satsuki chuckled. "I think there's plenty of weird folks in all the clans, Hisomu-san. Yours and mine being no exception or exclusive. Just the flavor of weirdos seem to vary depending on the clan and the Kami that leads it."

At the admission of using her as a cover, the princess waved it away. Dojihime was leaving with her throng of sycophants anyway. Or were they servants? "Ah, don't worry about it. She's a... uh.... weirdo too, to be blunt about it. The Crane seem to believe strongly that circumstances of birth should exclusively judge a person's character, which I simply don't agree with. We're only one generation into this Empire, with me and my cousins being those of noble birth finally reaching adulthood," she used the term with some amount of sass, "I think it's way too soon to start talking about one's lineage being far superior to others. Sure, my father is Lord Togashi, but my mother was also a goat-herder and storyteller before they wed, I think that more than shows anyone has the potential to rise to greatness, no matter one's birth or station."

Hisomu looks at Satsuki with a moment of unabashed curiousity. He shakes his head for a moment. "Forgive me, I had a few preconceptions about what the children of kami in the other Clans would be like. Hisomu Eiji is quite young still, so it was difficult to draw conclusions. What I expected was what I saw from your cousin. I did not expect that there would be someone so..." Hisomu casts his eyes down for an instant. "Down to Earth. Please forgive my wrongheaded thinking. I am happily surprised."

[Doji Hikaru]

With Dojihime gone, Hikaru was left once more to his own devices. He settled back, much as he was, except that his thoughtful frown was darker than before.

Slowly, he continued to sip tea, his pale eyes distant, fixed on nothing.

[Wh'rr'kk]

After he has made his arguments the Nezumi finds a corner where he is currently wiping an bit of biege paper with writing on the opposite side over his nose.

[Ryoshun Rei]

There's a moment of joy and the pops her fan open once more to approach closely. "Although one's preference has to be considered, let's begin with your duty. What would be best for the Bat in this potential match?"

She shrugged. "We are very spiritual, so a familiarity with the elements or with spirits would be welcome. We are practical, as well, craftsmen who seek improvement and innovation. But, there are the things we lack to consider. We have few warriors or negotiators."

[Bayushi Sasori]

After he has made his arguments the Nezumi finds a corner where he is currently wiping an bit of biege paper with writing on the opposite side over his nose.

Sasori's prank seem to have gone unnoticed so now a new prey for the girl. The Bayushi girl approached the Ratling with an amused look on her face. "Good afternoon."

[Doji Hikaru]

After he has made his arguments the Nezumi finds a corner where he is currently wiping an powder blue embroidered piece of paper over his nose.

The corner happened to be not only not far from Hikaru sat, but it also happened to be where he was staring. It took a bit, but the waving blue paper drew his attention.

Frowning, Hikaru approached him. "Are you in some distress, Nezumi-san? Paper like that should not be used so. I have a cloth if you need to wipe your nose." He said politely.

[Wh'rr'kk]

Sasori's prank seem to have gone unnoticed so now a new prey for the girl. The Bayushi girl approached the Ratling with an amused look on her face. "Good afternoon."

Greeting Scorpion-san" he bows toward her as she approaches.

The corner happened to be not only not far from Hikaru sat, but it also happened to be where he was staring. It took a bit, but the waving blue paper drew his attention.

Frowning, Hikaru approached him. "Are you in some distress, Nezumi-san? Paper like that should not be used so. I have a cloth if you need to wipe your nose." He said politely.

He then bows to the Crane, "Yes a srvant brought me this though, it has a strange scent but i can not understand the message in it, no matter how hard I sniff"

[Doji Hikaru]

Seeing as he arrived at the same time as a Scorpion, Hikaru bowed. "Bayushi-san. Good afternoon. I'm sorry, I didn't see you." She seemed to blend in naturally. "My name is Doji Hikaru."

He then bows to the Crane, "Yes a srvant brought me this though, it has a strange scent but i can not understand the message in it, no matter how hard I sniff"

Hikaru looked blankly at the Nezumi for a few moments, then his eyes widened just a little. "We do not send messages by smell." He explained patiently. "We write words on them." He frowned. "Can you read our language?"

[Wh'rr'kk]

Seeing as he arrived at the same time as a Scorpion, Hikaru bowed. "Bayushi-san. Good afternoon. I'm sorry, I didn't see you." She seemed to blend in naturally. "My name is Doji Hikaru."


Hikaru looked blankly at the Nezumi for a few moments, then his eyes widened just a little. "We do not send messages by smell." He explained patiently. "We write words on them." He frowned. "Can you read our language?"

"It smells like flowers but there is no memory there" he frowns and then pauses, "Wait is this one of your...books? the memory sticks man-man read with eyes? " He looks at the letter a little more reverently, and begins uncrinkling it.

[Bayushi Sasori]

Greeting Scorpion-san" he bows toward her as she approaches.

He then bows to the Crane, "Yes a srvant brought me this though, it has a strange scent but i can not understand the message in it, no matter how hard I sniff"

Sasori tilted her head. "Do you need help then?" The Scorpion bowed to the ratling. "This one is Bayushi Sasori."

[Wh'rr'kk]

Sasori tilted her head. "Do you need help then?" The Scorpion bowed to the ratling. "This one is Bayushi Sasori."

The Nezumi turns the paper so both can see the writing.

[Bayushi Sasori]

Sasori tilted her head. "Do you need help then?" The Scorpion bowed to the ratling. "This one is Bayushi Sasori."

The Nezumi turns the paper so both can see the writing.

"Seems you have a friend amonst the Crane. Who wish to arrange a meeting." She looked at Hikaru. "My guess it is for you to guide the ratling emisary to your clanmate or relay the message."

[Doji Hikaru]

"It is from Doji Misaki." Hikaru confirmed, nodding to both. "Would you like me to read you the whole thing?"

His eyebrows went up a little. "Are you acquainted with Doji-san? Would you recognize her if you... encountered her?"

[Hantei Kinsen]

She shrugged. "We are very spiritual, so a familiarity with the elements or with spirits would be welcome. We are practical, as well, craftsmen who seek improvement and innovation. But, there are the things we lack to consider. We have few warriors or negotiators."

Kinsen frowns in thought. It was indeed a dilemma, every time. She puts a smile at her face soon after and says, "Well. What does your Clan need it can't get from others: more people familiar with the elements or spirits, innovative craftsmen, warriors or negotiators?"

[Ryoshun Rei]

"We have been largely self sufficient since our founding. We have the resource to provide and care for our own." she explained. "But, we have limitations in how well we can defend ourselves and in how we represent ourselves to the rest of the clans. To put it simply, we are small and number inn comparison to everyone else."

[Togashi Satsuki]

Hisomu looks at Satsuki with a moment of unabashed curiousity. He shakes his head for a moment. "Forgive me, I had a few preconceptions about what the children of kami in the other Clans would be like. Hisomu Eiji is quite young still, so it was difficult to draw conclusions. What I expected was what I saw from your cousin. I did not expect that there would be someone so..." Hisomu casts his eyes down for an instant. "Down to Earth. Please forgive my wrongheaded thinking. I am happily surprised."

"Eiji-kun, hmmm... I believe he's about the same age as my younger brother Taiyo, yes," she said thoughtfully, but wasn't quite sure. Some of her aunts and uncles were producing babies at every corner so at some point she had kind of stopped keeping count - at least with Shinjo since the woman seemed to be kept in a continual state of pregnancy.

"Down to earth? I keep hearing that compared to the other clans, this makes me weird," Satsuki chuckled and sipped her tea. "It's just how I was raised, really. The teachings of Shinsei promotes the innate capability in all mankind to reach amazing heights - and his teachings are pretty far-spread in our lands. Father also says there's wisdom in what Shinsei says... though not as clearly as that. But what's it like in the lands of the Spider? How much focus is there on these philosophical ideas regarding the Celestial Order and the power of man?"

[Hantei Kinsen]

"We have been largely self sufficient since our founding. We have the resource to provide and care for our own." she explained. "But, we have limitations in how well we can defend ourselves and in how we represent ourselves to the rest of the clans. To put it simply, we are small and number inn comparison to everyone else."

She nods, and gives her point of view, "You're neighbors of the Crab and Ki-rin Clan. Both are inclined to martial activities. Then you have Lion and Dragon with an open middle field. Also considering and affinities, I would presume making an alliance with the similarly martial Lion would be the best way to ensure independence and Clan identity –– they would need you as much as you need them. As a secondary option, I would consider choosing the favor of the Dragon Clan. In any case, it should be someone that knows how to lead people, either in court or in the battlefield."

[Hisomu Susumu]

"Eiji-kun, hmmm... I believe he's about the same age as my younger brother Taiyo, yes," she said thoughtfully, but wasn't quite sure. Some of her aunts and uncles were producing babies at every corner so at some point she had kind of stopped keeping count - at least with Shinjo since the woman seemed to be kept in a continual state of pregnancy.

"Down to earth? I keep hearing that compared to the other clans, this makes me weird," Satsuki chuckled and sipped her tea. "It's just how I was raised, really. The teachings of Shinsei promotes the innate capability in all mankind to reach amazing heights - and his teachings are pretty far-spread in our lands. Father also says there's wisdom in what Shinsei says... though not as clearly as that. But what's it like in the lands of the Spider? How much focus is there on these philosophical ideas regarding the Celestial Order and the power of man?"

"I don't know about "weird". I mean, the Spider aren't a bastion of normalcy throughout the Empire but to be quite honest it's rather refreshing to meet you. As wonderful as the kami are, they are imposing as they are magnificent. Your "normalcy" is an asset to convey your family's message to the world at large. In my humble opinion, milady"

" As for Shinsei-ism, we do not have much in the way of organized monestaries. There is plenty of room for self-actualization, but a significant portion is in regard to care for others. We came from such disparate backgrounds, what kept us together was the chance to be something more while still being ourselves. You can't encourage craftsmen to innovate new methods, or farmers to experiment with new agricultural practices, or scholars to research new topics, or even a new dojo if the cost of failure is starvation. You have to be willing to pick them up if they fall. In the Celestial Order, the greatest service that can be offered is to help that flourish as caretakers. Does that answer your question? "

[Wh'rr'kk]

"It is from Doji Misaki." Hikaru confirmed, nodding to both. "Would you like me to read you the whole thing?"

His eyebrows went up a little. "Are you acquainted with Doji-san? Would you recognize her if you... encountered her?"

"Please do, I am afraid I do not know what she smells like, unless that is her sweat-smell on the letter"

[Doji Hikaru]

"Please do, I am afraid I do not know what she smells like, unless that is her sweat-smell on the letter"

"I'm afraid I could not tell you that." Hikaru said blandly, his expression neutral. Lifting the letter, he began to read:

"To Wh'rr'kk-san". He cleared his throat, frowning, having trouble with the name. He went on.

"I hope this letter finds you in good spirits, and with yourself having a good winter so far. My name is Misaki, of Lady Doji-sama's Crane Clan, and I am writing to you with the hopes that we can arrange a time to meet, some time in the next coming days. It would be you, myself, and Makime Ayano-sama, a woman of good manners and intellect who was also fascinated to hear your storytelling prowess the other day." Another brief pause.

"If I could hear back from you, or meet with your sometime should you ne unable to reply, I would be most grateful to be able to arrange something so we can sit and talk, perhaps have some food or drink that would be agreeable to everyone involved."

"Hoping to hear from you." Hikaru folded the letter, handing it back. "This at the end is her personal seal. Any letter you receive with that at the end will be from her."