Jade Legacy [L5R 3eR] - Act 2 Chapter 1: Daiippo/First Step

[Tei Kae]

Once her things were settled, which didn't take surprisingly long compared to normal when she traveled, Miyako sat down on the end of the bed and glanced at the door where she had heard Kojiro knocking and asking after her. Had she really idolized him as a child? Then perhaps she'd been as foolish as her Crane grandfather had claimed.

Shaking aside the notion, she sat down and began writing her own missive, this one to Kuni Raicho.  

[Keith Valken Lionheart]

Seichiro sighed, then rubbed the back of his neck. He helped the heimin to gather what he dropped as best he could. "I'm sorry for startling you, sir, but I just need to know if this place has a shrine nearby." He said this with his usual soft voice, trying to be as gentle as possible.  

[Rain Yupa]

@ The River:

Kojiro would scour the riverbank for a special rock! The problem was, as he began looking... what kind of special rock? What makes a rock "special", anyways?

As the last glimmers of sunlight would fade over the western horizon, he did happen to catch sight of something that reflected light. It was a wayward finger of jade, caught between two rocks jutting out of the water's surface! Jade was a rare commodity in recent years, so it was indeed a lucky find.

--------------------

@ Outside the Husk and Shell:

"I-It's a-alright. Y-you n-needn't a-apologize, I-I a-am u-unw-worthy..." the servant stammered, bowing repeatidly. He really was living up the whole lower social caste thing!

"Th-there's a-a sh-shrine t-to B-Bishamon n-near th-the H-headman's h-house," he would try to answer, pointing a shaky finger towards the center of the village.  

[Keith Valken Lionheart]

The Samurai bowed to the poor peasant, and thanked him verbally, leaving him to his musings. He headed to where the man pointed, looking around for the shrine. Hopefully, it wouldn't be too hard to find.  

[Rain Yupa]

@ Lion Shenanigans:

Seichiro would arrive at the village's Shrine to Bishamon, the Fortune of Strength. A monk, easily 20 years Seichiro's elder of the Order of Seven Fortunes was amidst prayer in this small stone building. He seemed to be well in shape despite his age, which would not be unexpected of a monk who tends to a such a shrine.

He either had not noticed Seichiro's approach, or simply did not react to it.  

[Plainsfox]

@The River

The bushi made a mental note to be especially thankful to his ancestors as he fished out the jade from the river. He would then place the stone next to the finger of jade that his grandmother gave him and headed back to the inn.  

[Tei Kae]

Once the letter was written, Miyako went downstairs and arranged to have it delivered before making her way back into the central room of the Inn. She was still a bit concerned about what everyone else was planning but she figured that it would at least not be as horrible as she was envisioning. Kuni Raicho would not have let them be chosen if they were imbeciles, right?

Settling herself in, she ordered a cup of tea and sat down to enjoy it.  

[Plainsfox]

@The Husk and Shell

Kojiro entered the Husk and Shell just as Miyako had taken several sips of her tea. He would politely bow to his fellow Scorpion. "Good evening, Shosuro-san! You missed a beautiful sunset, The fading light from Lord Sun illuminated a most splendid gift for Lady Kaiu. I was wondering if you might have any opinions on how I could present it to her? It's been a while since I've been in Crab lands."  

[Tei Kae]

Miyako looked up, a bit startled by Kojiro's sudden reappearance. Since she was discovering that Kojiro didn't really have much of a subtle bone in his body, she wondered at his speech and how exactly he was going to justify a found present to be given as a gift to the lady.

"What exactly is it? Perhaps I have something that would accentuate it properly"  

[Plainsfox]

@ The Husk and Shell

The Scorpion pulled the water smoothed stone from his obi and presented it to the actress. "About a finger's worth, I'd say. I wonder if it means that there is any more in that area?" Kojiro shrugged. "I have some ideas... but I am not sure how well received they would be."  

[Rain Yupa]

Tei Kae

She was still a bit concerned about what everyone else was planning but she figured that it would at least not be as horrible as she was envisioning. Kuni Raicho would not have let them be chosen if they were imbeciles, right?

@ Elsewhere in Rokugan...

"ACHOO!!"

"Goodness! I hope you're not coming down with a cold, Raicho-san..." Kita would respond, concerned.

"Jigoku no," Raicho responded, sniffling once. "No illness can conquer me. Everyone knows that."

"Well, then, I hope no one is talking about you elsewhere..." Kita would say inquisitively, turning and looking directly at the fourth wall.  

[Tei Kae]

Miyako just stared at the stone that matched her eyes and frowned. It was lucky that he'd found it but..."I'm not sure, Kojiro-san" It was really rather lovely and she reached up to stroke the material in his hand lightly. "But for an impromptu invitation, are you sure it wouldn't outshine everyone else's gifts in comparison?"

She smiled softly to lighten the blow, it was a nicely done gift, but perhaps a bit too much. "Perhaps you could offer to play for her. A gift doesn't have to be physical."

[Etiquette/Awareness so that Kojiro doesn't take her criticism too harshly 6k4=44 with the explod-y]  

[Tei Kae]

Explod-y  

[Plainsfox]

@The Husk and Shell

Kojiro frowned when he heard this. He replaced the gem inside his obi and cupped his hand in his chin. "Perhaps, this jade could presented as a gift of the Jade Wardens to Lady Kaiu and then we could each present our own gifts? My skill with the shakuhachi has improved some, but I don't know how well it would work as a gift."  

[Tei Kae]

[Etiquette/Intelligence + explody = 4k2 = 11]

Miyako thought more about it, it wasn't necessarily a bad gift; the item was quite expensive, but the idea behind it... "Not to critisize, Kojiro-san...but do you really want her to think that we think she needs protection. That's what Jade is for after all. I'm not even sure you should be flashing it about. I mean, there's not even enough jade to go around for badges for us, and we don't even know what we're going to be up against."