[Day 2 - MA] Earthy Pepper Festival [Observation Thread]

[Kitsuki Naida]

"I can imagine," Yuuwaku replies.

"A smoker? Never have tried it, myself."

"Probably not the best for my voice, I'll admit. Or my stamina, in the long run. Picked up the habit a t the dojo and have this wonderful pipe I picked up in Kaeru Toshi, and it helps me relax. Your certainly welcome to try sharing a bowl with me some time. "

[Kakita Yuuwaku]

"Probably not the best for my voice, I'll admit. Or my stamina, in the long run. Picked up the habit a t the dojo and have this wonderful pipe I picked up in Kaeru Toshi, and it helps me relax. Your certainly welcome to try sharing a bowl with me some time. "

"I'd be interested in it," Yuuwaku replies. "Perhaps after our meal tomorrow?"

[Kakita Masao]

"You are speaking to a ronin, Kakita-sama. I'm not- I wouldn't know what a courtier or a poet might say to suggest something like that, so.. maybe you did? I wouldn't know any better," she shrugged, glancing off elsewhere in the area where they were. "Thank you, though, for what it's worth. Just temper any expectations, eh?" she looked back, a short smirk.

Masao chuckles, the smirk warming his heart but the words forcing the laugh. He pivots on the ground to face her. "I just walked a mile, in fundoshi, carrying a giant... fertility offering... to honor a Crab lord that I barely know. I think it is fair to say that I am... past... having expectations for this wedding." He's smiling, clearly trying to make her laugh, but his eyes remain earnest. With a small breath of hesitation, he says, "A wise person once told me that, ah, we must do our best to honor those we care about. Something like that. So, just honor. No expectations."

[Kitsuki Naida]

"I'd be interested in it," Yuuwaku replies. "Perhaps after our meal tomorrow?"

"That's one of the best times for such things anyways, I've found."

She glanced back at the parade while talking.

"...I don't suppose anyone would mind if I wore this to breakfast tomorrow, neh? If someone were to ask, I could say I simply partied too hard today."

[Togashi Keigo]

Yuma had managed to miss the Togashi he had heard about so far, but it wasn't really possible to not notice him at the moment, his distinctive tattoos even more exposed than usual.

He slipped out of the crowd in turn to join him.

He bowed:

"Togashi-sama? This one is Doji Yuma, priest of the Crane, and student of Togashi Taiki in the art of tattooing."

Keigo noticed the Crane approach and was already rising to bow when he arrived. "It's an honor to meet you, Doji-san. I'm Togashi Keigo. A student in the art of tattooing? It's doubly a pleasure, then. Did you visit the mountains to learn, or was he visiting you?"

[Kakita Yuuwaku]

"That's one of the best times for such things anyways, I've found."

She glanced back at the parade while talking.

"...I don't suppose anyone would mind if I wore this to breakfast tomorrow, neh? If someone were to ask, I could say I simply partied too hard today."

"I don't think anyone would say much," Yuuwaku comments. But you'd have everybody's attention!

"Might be a bit hard to carry your accoutrements, though." Those not attached, anyway.

[Hida Fuboshi]

Fuboshi departs after getting word from a Crab runner.

[Otomo Saisei]

And Saisei arrives running after the Crab departs.

In fundoshi, and sweat.

--
PM to talk

[Yoko]

Masao chuckles, the smirk warming his heart but the words forcing the laugh. He pivots on the ground to face her. "I just walked a mile, in fundoshi, carrying a giant... fertility offering... to honor a Crab lord that I barely know. I think it is fair to say that I am... past... having expectations for this wedding." He's smiling, clearly trying to make her laugh, but his eyes remain earnest. With a small breath of hesitation, he says, "A wise person once told me that, ah, we must do our best to honor those we care about. Something like that. So, just honor. No expectations."

Masao got what he wanted, she looked to him for a moment and then laughed as she shook her head. "You know, Kakita-sama, how freely you talk to me, like this, it's different. Nice, but different. Just- know I appreciate it, eh? End of the day, for whatever it's worth. Last time I met a someone, a woman, so readily willing to care about someone she never knew it changed my life forever. Whether that's for the worse.. I'll never think so, but I'll let the world decide when my stories done, eh?"

"Enough of that thought," she leaned off the spot she'd been leaning, put a hand on one hip as she glanced off toward the festival around. "I- I should tell you, your cousin- well, I'm pretty certain she'd much prefer never seeing me again. So, take that piece of information as you want, eh? Might help you avoid an awkward conversation sometime.. or," she shrugged.

[Kakita Masao]

Masao got what he wanted, she looked to him for a moment and then laughed as she shook her head. "You know, Kakita-sama, how freely you talk to me, like this, it's different. Nice, but different. Just- know I appreciate it, eh? End of the day, for whatever it's worth. Last time I met a someone, a woman, so readily willing to care about someone she never knew it changed my life forever. Whether that's for the worse.. I'll never think so, but I'll let the world decide when my stories done, eh?"

"Enough of that thought," she leaned off the spot she'd been leaning, put a hand on one hip as she glanced off toward the festival around. "I- I should tell you, your cousin- well, I'm pretty certain she'd much prefer never seeing me again. So, take that piece of information as you want, eh? Might help you avoid an awkward conversation sometime.. or," she shrugged.

Masao smiles through the first part, and his face darkens at mention of his cousin. He glances around with wary eyes, then, satisfied no one is paying much attention to him and Yoko, he steps close to her to speak quietly. "You... know my cousin? I had not gathered that." He breathes a heavy breath. "Is this... a... recent preference?" Masao keeps most of his surprise in check -- with effort, given the dull roar echoing inside his head.

[Doji Yuma]

Keigo noticed the Crane approach and was already rising to bow when he arrived. "It's an honor to meet you, Doji-san. I'm Togashi Keigo. A student in the art of tattooing? It's doubly a pleasure, then. Did you visit the mountains to learn, or was he visiting you?"

"I did travel to the north though my stay in your lands has been shorter than I would have liked. Due to the complex and rapidly shifting political situation there, my lord has deemed better to call me back early. I hope to be able to return one day, under more stable circumstances, to properly complete my apprenticeship."

[Yoko]

Masao smiles through the first part, and his face darkens at mention of his cousin. He glances around with wary eyes, then, satisfied no one is paying much attention to him and Yoko, he steps close to her to speak quietly. "You... know my cousin? I had not gathered that." He breathes a heavy breath. "Is this... a... recent preference?" Masao keeps most of his surprise in check -- with effort, given the dull roar echoing inside his head.

"Recent, met her.. actually, just an hour or so ago. Before I hefted one of those things with some of the Mantis, eh? Even had time for a smoke break after," she said with a somewhat-sardonic laugh, shaking her head. "Anyway, wasn't an incredibly good interaction, but I was walking on egg shells as it was and pushed a little too far. So, don't give it too much consideration, eh? Just felt I should mention it cause I brought your name up."

[Kakita Masao]

"Recent, met her.. actually, just an hour or so ago. Before I hefted one of those things with some of the Mantis, eh? Even had time for a smoke break after," she said with a somewhat-sardonic laugh, shaking her head. "Anyway, wasn't an incredibly good interaction, but I was walking on egg shells as it was and pushed a little too far. So, don't give it too much consideration, eh? Just felt I should mention it cause I brought your name up."

The Crane looks pensive for a time, then asks, "What were you pushing a little too far?" His voice isn't angry, just seems baffled.

[Yoritomo Koemi]

"You're kind to say so," the elderly woman said with another smile. "Perhaps I shall make the attempt, at the next fertility festival."

"Yes, it looked very well done," Soon-ja concurred. "Do you have similar festivals in the Mantis Isles? Or is it perhaps alike to some kind of ship-board duty?"

"From what I know about the locals, that might be soon," Koemi jested. "It'd be a sight to see."

The sailor shrugged. "What, were we that adept at this that prior practice is assumed? But in all seriousness, we do have to carry things from time to time and sailing is difficult work." She massaged her shoulder a bit. "Not too often do we have to make a performance out of it though."

[Togashi Keigo]

"I did travel to the north though my stay in your lands has been shorter than I would have liked. Due to the complex and rapidly shifting political situation there, my lord has deemed better to call me back early. I hope to be able to return one day, under more stable circumstances, to properly complete my apprenticeship."

"I'm sorry to hear that. Things are a bit exciting at the moment, but they will be resolved. I hope it's soon enough that you can return in a reasonable amount of time. What inspired you to pursue tattooing?"

[Yoko]

The Crane looks pensive for a time, then asks, "What were you pushing a little too far?" His voice isn't angry, just seems baffled.

"Wanted to see if I could manage a few words for-" she paused, glancing away a moment as she thought. Shaking her head, an inward smirk, "I was hoping to check on the future of the Daidoji family, and see if she was happy enough with the day. Not my place, eh? But.." she shook her head. "Let's just leave it at saying she's in a position to remind me of someone, wanted to.. guess I was just wanting to check she was happy."

[Ikeda Ishi]

Once again dressed, Shouji let his eyes drift across the crowd. Finally letting his eyes land on one of the few that had sailed south with his he hadn't had much chance to speak with on the journey. Making his way over, he offered the woman a bow. "Enjoying the festivities Ikeda-san?" He asked politely.

"Hai," she said turning her gaze to the Mantis.

"The Captain, it is a pleasure to see you again."

[Doji Yuma]

"I'm sorry to hear that. Things are a bit exciting at the moment, but they will be resolved. I hope it's soon enough that you can return in a reasonable amount of time. What inspired you to pursue tattooing?"

"The Asahina teachers have their pupils try a wide variety of arts to see for which one we have the most natural and spiritual affinity with. After many lukewarm results with other art forms, the spirits ended up reacting very positively to my mock attempt at tattooing. So I'm quite literary following the will of the kami there."

[Tsuruchi Shouji]

"Hai," she said turning her gaze to the Mantis.

"The Captain, it is a pleasure to see you again."

"Likewise, Ikeda-san." He offered the woman a soft smile, as he looked her over for a brief moemnt.

"I see you find dry land more to your liking. Have you been well since you left my ship?"

[Kakita Masao]

"Wanted to see if I could manage a few words for-" she paused, glancing away a moment as she thought. Shaking her head, an inward smirk, "I was hoping to check on the future of the Daidoji family, and see if she was happy enough with the day. Not my place, eh? But.." she shook her head. "Let's just leave it at saying she's in a position to remind me of someone, wanted to.. guess I was just wanting to check she was happy."

Masao nods thoughtfully, adding to his mental notes about the ronin. He checks again for eavesdroppers, and keeps his voice low as he expects Yoko would prefer: "Yoko-san, I worry that your good heart may put you in unnecessary danger. Please remember that you are not alone here. Let your Mantis friends help. Let me. We would all like to see you again, in places far from here, so please let us help make that possible." The Crane's voice remains low and controlled, but by his last words is heavy with concern.

[Yoritomo Xung-Ji]

"For sure." She nodded.

"And for me, the wise and interesting folks always tend to have their guard up due to my profession. Makes everyone think I mean business when I just mean to enjoy company."

"It's dangerous to get personal even for business," she offered.

[Ikeda Ishi]

"Likewise, Ikeda-san." He offered the woman a soft smile, as he looked her over for a brief moemnt.

"I see you find dry land more to your liking. Have you been well since you left my ship?"

That brought a rare smile and slight laugh of embarrassment to her lips. She raised her sleep to protect her On and then said, “I have improved since my troubles at sea.”

She narrowed her eyes briefly at something distant and then focused on the Captain and added, “I hope it is not insulting if I have requested that our delegation return by a land route.”

[Tsuruchi Shouji]

That brought a rare smile and slight laugh of embarrassment to her lips. She raised her sleep to protect her On and then said, “I have improved since my troubles at sea.”

She narrowed her eyes briefly at something distant and then focused on the Captain and added, “I hope it is not insulting if I have requested that our delegation return by a land route.”

"Good." He replied with a warm smile. "If you don't mind I'll send you a list of things that may help, should you ever find yourself travelign by sea again." Which from here following words didn't seem anytime soon.

"Insulting no, disappointing? Perhaps a little." For various reasons. His gaze moved in an effort to follow hers. "Sea travel is not for everyone though, and a crew of Mantis sailors is often said not to be the most polite of company." He added with a soft chuckle."

[Ikeda Ishi]

"Your crew were the soul of Courtesy, they have my admiration," she said in reply.

"This one apologizes for bringing disappointment to you, she just would not wish to sully your ship with her poor manners."

[Moshi Minari]

"Mind your language, Moshi-san." Katsu grunted. His voice had a bit less bark than usual, owing to his fatigue.

Smirking, he brushed sweat from his chest. "If you're going to say fuck, use Thranish."

"Sure, dad. Fuckity-titty-fucking fuck." If there was one thing that was important to learn about any foreign language, it was how to string a few words of obscenities together.

"Just getting it out of my system before Meiko gets to doll me up for the feast later."

She really wanted a smoke right now, but the state of dress didn't exactly leave much room for bringing pipe and tobacco. Apart from the wrappings and fundoshi, all she had was satchel of prayer scrolls and a small figurine attached to a cord hanging on her hip.