D2ME, Shopping! (Expecting)

[Asahina Sanaharu]

"Oh, at the dinner I got to meet a brother of the groom. Easygoing one, brother of the groom. His name is Daichi and seems to know something about dressing himself. I was shocked, too, when I noticed."

[Kakita Yuuwaku]

"Oh, him! He's a darling! I got to meet him yesterday morning, in fact; I had gone in to put in a little work with my wakizashi, and he was there.

"All of him was. And there's quite a bit!"

She almost giggles. Almost.

"If his brother's anything like him, Daidoji-sama will be a happy woman."

[Asahina Sanaharu]

"Oh, I didn't knew you trained with your wakizashi. Guess I just didn't expect it because none back home did." He said, taking his wakizashi from his obi, a tie on its handle that dangerously had the function of making Sanaharu die whenever he would need to draw the blade before being able to do so.

[Kakita Yuuwaku]

"Well, there's a lot of overlap between sword-work and dance. And, if I do have to use it, I want to be able to do it right."

She shrugs.

"I am a Kakita, after all."

[Asahina Sanaharu]

"Do you plan on mastering Iaijutsu at the Academy, or are you only going to do it at your own?" He asks, fanning himself. "It was a surprise to hear those news, nevertheless. You never seemed the kind."

[Kakita Yuuwaku]

"Oh, no. I know better than that. I don't think I'll ever have a katana. But there's something to being more than just an ornament, you know."

[Asahina Sanaharu]

"Perhaps I don't, Yuuwaku-senpai." He replies with a long blink, dramatically.

[Kakita Yuuwaku]

"Sana-kohai," Yuuwaku says, looking at him with an arched eyebrow, "you don't come across as 'just an ornament.' I know there are differences here, but, back home, at least, you are respected for your art and your insights. People look up to you," and she chuckles at the irony.

"Now, come on, let's look at some of the wares, and you can talk to me about what you want to accomplish--here and elsewhere. Not for the mission--because I know the mission--but for you.

"Artists have to be true to themselves, after all."

[Asahina Sanaharu]

"I want to find no offense in the words of a friend, Yuuwaku-senpai, and the same could be said for you." He puts his head up again. "Oh, it is a good idea. I particularly wanted to see if there is an acceptable wagasa here. I brought not one, and now suffer under the sun because of this." He nods, waiting for her to take the first step. "But do people really look up to me back home?"

[Kakita Yuuwaku]

"Yes, they do," Yuuwaku says, responding first to the last.

"But if you'd needed an umbrella, I would have let you borrow mine, of course! Tell me, though," and she begins to thread a path towards a still-open stall that displays a few of them, "did you want a design in place, or did you want to paint your own? I presume you have your supplies?"

Yuuwaku starts to eyeball some of the wares on display.

[Asahina Sanaharu]

He smiles slightly with the answer. He used to think of himself so average, and knew at the same time that Yuuwaku wasn't meaning it as a mean pun. "Mostly of my supplies are for calligraphy, and I think they would be in scarce quantity for painting. A design in place would perhaps be more appropriate, but I do have ideas to paint my own." He nods.

[Kakita Yuuwaku]

"Well, then," Yuuwaku replies with a gesture towards one of the umbrellas, "you'd do well to work on this one." Her tone sharpens, biting to exceptional effect (36 + FR). "Why, it's clearly already been prepared to take paint twice, or else somebody was trying for an understated painting style. Maybe one of our Sparrow cousins worked on it?"

Indeed, the design on the umbrella is pale, wan.

[Asahina Sanaharu]

He chuckles. "I would best give it to a wolf or samurai, and see if even they can do something better out of it. I do find the learning of art on this land highly peculiar if then. We were never given premade assets to paint over, but perhaps the practice is commonplace with children here."

[Kakita Yuuwaku]

"One can hardly expect our work unless we do it, you know." Yuuwaku points at another one, "Although that one looks like the artisan tried to get Osano-wo to help." The comment is perhaps not as biting (19 + FR), but it does look like a rain motif got rained upon before the paint could fully set up.

[Asahina Sanaharu]

He smiled faintly at this one. "This one is sacred, as it was an offering to Lady Sun." He points with the fan to one sun rained down upon, the most vibrant tones of paint already faded away. "I met a wolf artist today in the company of that Bayushi. Peculiar, I know. I was curious, so I stayed there to see how her work would turn out. But had we only greeted ourselves, that Scorpion un-lady tried to immediately use her work to insult the Academy."

He looks around for another funny wagasa whilst he talked. "I know not why she tried to distance me and the wolf, neither why she tried to throw one of us against the other. But you know what we were told to do. I know not the relation of this minor ploy to the other schemes of the Scorpion, but every one of them is worth to frustrate. Even if the price of this is befriending a ronin."

[Kakita Yuuwaku]

"Don't be so quick to dismiss those who ride the waves. Rezan was such a man, after all. And it would be quite the coup to be able to bring in and refine a raw talent. If one is there."

Yuuwaku looks meaningfully at another of the umbrellas. "It is, admittedly, a large 'if.'"

[Asahina Sanaharu]

He nods. "Her technique is good, although she lacks the fundaments of what makes good art. The Academy would benefit from having her for a year or two. I can introduce you to her and her work, assuming she would have finished it, tomorrow."

[Kakita Yuuwaku]

Yuuwaku nods. "It might be nice to see a different perspective on things, truly. There's always the danger of falling into a rut."

As opposed to being in rut.

"And this one," she gestures toward a fan hanging on display, "certainly has the different down."

That color should not exist, really.

[Asahina Sanaharu]

He nods. "If you find it good enough, may we present her to the daimyo of the Ashidaka or the Iwasaki? Although we would need to find a time that Scorpion was not near to meet with her. Maybe invite the wolf to the Blue Bird house?"

[Kakita Yuuwaku]

Yuuwaku nods.

"The generosity of the Crane is celebrated in story and song, of course. And our hosts have clearly worked to provide well." She nods. "It is to their credit, certainly, and I have striven to make my appreciation known to them."

Her eyes find another umbrella, and her fact goes stony. "Sometimes, it has taken more effort."

[Asahina Sanaharu]

He smiles softly, almost chuckling. "Let's check the quality of the unpainted ones and get one for that rōnin to show her art on, then. I was thinking on letting her do work on her own, although since it is something I intend to use if the quality is passable, you may guide her with your advice, if you would want so."

[Kakita Yuuwaku]

Yuuwaku gestures to the unadorned umbrellas, saying "Two, please."

Then, to Sanaharu, "We'll see how she does. But it will be good to have another in case things go...other than optimally."

[Asahina Sanaharu]

He nods, giving the merchant his coin purse and waiting for him to take the coins before reclaiming it, taking both on his hands. "I don't think this market will have anything more that is enough for our tastes."

[Kakita Yuuwaku]

"Not at this hour, no. But then, we are a bit late."

She shrugs.

"Any plans for the rest of the evening?"

[Asahina Sanaharu]

"Depends on if you would think it wise to invite her tonight. If you don't, then I got no plans."