L5R - Unity - Chapter 1 - Winter Solstice

[Plainsfox]

Naohiko felt a guilty twinge as he heard the anger in Gendo's voice. His effort to get on Ichi's good side blinded him a little. Gendo wasn't really the type Naohiko was. However, Naohiko had a thought. "Usagi-san. Could it have been possible that the imposter be the one that took advantage of your predicament? I remember Himura-no-kimi fielding several complaints about his behavior before we left for this court..."  

[Rain Yupa]

@ Naohiko & Gendo:

After calming a bit, Ichi would back up a few steps, bringing in the bases of her palms to wipe away her tears. "I'm... I'm sorry... I... mess everything up, I've always messed everything up..." she would explain, her voice still shaky and her cheeks puffy from her outburst.

Denbe would go over to the table and begin preparing tea - most of it had already been set up, including five cups, and he started by heating the water. Looking up from the table, he would raise his brow in a bit of concern as he looked to the two of you. "So I heard your pet Tsukai had escaped and was running amok earlier, but since the guards have relaxed somewhat, I take it that he was captured. Still, best be on your guards, just in case. Unless, of course, I'm incorrect in what I've been informed."

Naohiko would bow exceedingly low, getting onto the floor. He would miss Denbe's eye roll, and Ichi would seemingly be off-put by the gesture, taking another step back and looking away awkwardly. "P-please, get up..." she would say to him.

"If you were tainted it was a willing decision, or don't you know that?" Looking to Gendo for confirmation, Denbe would ask, "That is taught in the colonies, right? Sorry that it's not proper conversation, but I'm legitimately curious."

As Naohiko sat up, Denbe would then comment jokingly, "No love for the Ox? I understand." Turning his attention once more to the tea, he began preparing four of the five cups. "I haven't spoken much with the Sparrow twins outside of introductions. I get the sense that they have zero interest in politics, which is a shame. If you wish to meet with myself, Ichi, and..." he would pause. "... our third, you shouldn't expect to see either one here."  

[Plainsfox]

The Kraken hadn't wanted to make Ichi cry. He'd rather spend his time making the girl happy. At least she calmed down. Maybe Ichi would let him make her happier later? Naohiko could only hope. "Let us compare this taint to snow, for a second. We've never seen snow before. We were told about it, to be sure. However, this is our first real encounter with snow. It's sticky and wet and uncomfortable. My father may have told me this, but I've never experienced that before. I do not know how to really deal with snow." Naohiko took a breath. "It's like that with many thing we've found in Rokugan. Hare, Oxen, Mantis, mornings, and other things. Hopefully, with patience and the forbearance of those here, we can learn how to deal with these things."

Naohiko would c**k his head at Denbe's comment. "Your third?"  

[Raganui Minamoto]

Gendo would just move to take a seat, skirting a bit around the dog carefully.  

[Rain Yupa]

@ Naohiko, Gendo:

"You're quite an odd one, Naohiko-san. No offense," Denbe would respond, moving to pour the heated water into the prepared cups. "And I was referring to a Monkey Clan samurai who believes his destiny to be one of greatness, so he tends to act with impunity and often without reason."

Eyeing Gendo's uncertainty, Denbe would remove Izo from his kimono and set him down nearby. "Sit. Stay," he'd tell him with discipline in his voice. The Shiba Inu would obey, looking at Denbe only long enough to acknowledge his master, before once more turning to look at Gendo, his eyes narrowing on him. "I'm shocked you seem so uncertain around my own dog, Gendo-san. Is it because you are unfamiliar? I had heard you were good with animals, and the way you hold your own dog reinforces the notion," he would say, nodding towards Setsuna as he places the tea cup before Gendo.

When a teacup would be offered to Ichi, she would shake her head. "I'm... not thirsty..."

"It would be rude. Please, sit, and have some. Izo would like the company." Denbe would place the cup on the table in a spot nearer to himself than the Kraken, positioning the Hare to be flanked by Ox and Inu. She would solemnly seem to concede, taking her seat.

"So, Kraken friends... how are you enjoying Winter Court so far? Besides the matter of your unfortunate acquaintanceship; things like that aren't typical of court, I assure you." Having finished pour the tea for everyone present, he would take his seat at the end of the table. "The tea itself is nothing of note, and for that I apologize. Hopefully you do not consider it a transgression on my part. I figure I would save my best tea when I have the opportunity to meet your princess."  

[Plainsfox]

The Kraken samurai took a sip of his tea before speaking. "It's been an experience thus far. It's been so ...different from the Colonies. My family attended Winter Court at the Aerie last year and it did not prepare me for this."

Naohiko waved aside the Ox's comments about quality of tea."This is fine tea for this type of gathering. I'm sure Kaichiyo-hime will look forward to taking tea with you, Denbe-san."  

[Raganui Minamoto]

The man hadn't heard about the Incident then. That was good. Maybe. Ignoring the dog question, he merely scratched one of Setsuna's ears with his thumb. "It's been interesting. I expected that there would have been more standing around while Himura-hime attended various dinners and meetings or such. Definitely not the odd events that we have partaken in. Though it was nice to be in a warm shop for a day, next to a burning forge. The selection of iron and wood they had available was quite nice and of good quality."

Stopping himself there, he took a drink from his cup and decided that perhaps Naohiko would be better at handling most of the talking here.  

[Rain Yupa]

@ Gendo, Naohiko:

"Truth be told, this isn't a... normal courtly gathering. Doji Kioko is the only child of Doji Sayuri, the Clan Champion. Normally, a properly prepared regent of some sort would hold court in the Champion's stead; however, I believe the Crane Champion is using this as a test of her daughter's capabilities." Closing his eyes and bringing his own cup of tea closer to his face, he would silently breath in the aroma. "Of course, Kioko-sama opted to turn the more laid back, typical courtly games into a sort of... festival, I suppose. Not exactly dishonorable, but a far cry from traditional." He would then slowly sip his tea, before adding, "Such is the times we live in, I suppose."

Ichi would blink and look at the Ox. "Wow, Denbe-san, you know a lot about this kind of stuff!"

Holding his cup in his hands and bringing it back to the table, he would look to Naohiko. "May I inquire as to what court in the Colonies is like? I've always wondered. I have family of sorts down there, but I'm not in contact with them. Such distances tend to drive a wedge into familiar bonds."

"I don't think there are even any Hare samurai in the colonies. At least not living there, anyways," Ichi would comment.

To Gendo, Denbe would nod his head. "The Crane don't hold back when it comes to presentation. Even when it comes to matters that would normally be the specialty of another clan... say, the equines of the Unicorn, for example... the Crane will exhaust great effort and resources to ensure their own steeds are at least comparable. The Crane have a certain tenacity that drives them that is as charming as it is respectable, if you can see past their stubbornness."

"... Chikuma... punched me. A lot..." Ichi would say in response, pressing her index fingertips together. Denbe would let out a single loud laugh, and Ichi would turn and scowl at him, her face beet red. "IT'S NOT FUNNY, DENBE!"

"I'm sorry, Ichi-san, I'm sorry. It's not. I apologize," he would say, a broad smile on his face regardless.

"Hmph!" Firmly putting her cup on the table and crossing her arms under her bust, she would turn in place and face the back of the room, her back to the others. "You're as bad as they are, Denbe-san!"

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@ Kaichiyo:

Kaichiyo, you are escort through the castle, Kioko walking beside you and only a single step ahead, since she was leading the way. Though mostly silent, you would catch a small upturned smile on her lips as she lead you away.

You are lead farther into the castle than you had gone before, to the parts occupied by assorted Doji samurai and other Crane samurai. They all warmly greet both you and Kioko as you pass by them in halls, the latter receiving due reverence for a princess of their own clan. And definitely with less 'familiarity' than what Gendo and Naohiko show with you, or other clanmates with your mother.

Also, the Doji wing of the castle is extravagantly decorated, with sculptures and art pieces and masterfully written hanging scrolls - you've never seen anything like it. It's hard to gauge without a roll, but you're sure that most of the pieces here, if sold for expected value, would be able to feed the entirety of Megumi Tenpi for a month.

Your journey ends at the end of a hall, with several Daidoji guards - skilled looking ones, at that, moreso than anyone you've noted at the winter court events so far - keeping watch at a door. They would slide it open with Kioko walking inside without missing a beat, the door closing behind the two of them just as promptly.

"And this, Kaichiyo-san... are my quarters."

Kioko's room was excessively large, easily comparable to your mother's entire home in dimension. Parts of it were very traditional, keeping with what might be expected of an heir of a great clan champion honoring her ancestors, while other parts were lavishly decorated with more assorted art, a large collection of books and scrolls, an absurd amount of pillows, and... and...

Kioko's fingertips would suddenly find themselves placed on your shoulders from behind as you were looking at the room. "I confess, it's not very modest..." she would muse with a hint of playfulness in her voice. Now begs the question for you: is it all right for Kioko to be making physical contact with you so casually like this?  

[Plainsfox]

The Kraken took a deep breath as he struggled to recollect the events of the past Winter Court "We make allowances due to necessity. Not as many as you think, though. Or so my cousins have told me. Mainly more spices and sometimes different types of clothing. If you're fond of wearing that kimono, Ichi-san, there are dresses from the Ivory Colonies called sari that are similar in style. Mantis and Unicorn women wear them most frequently...although I've heard women from other clans wear them around their homes."

Naohiko would try to think of more differences, but he let himself be led off track by the Hare's comment. "It wouldn't surprise me if there were Hares in the colonies. I've heard that at one point all clans had a foothold."

Naohiko would then sit back and watch the interplay between Ichi and Denbe.  

[Raganui Minamoto]

He'd just look between them and Naohiko. After all, there was a reason he didn't get out much. "I'll have to excuse myself from many of your questions. I've spent a lot of time in doors, working on my craft and all due to certain complications." He almost seemed to wink a bit, behind his patched over eye.  

[Rain Yupa]

@ Naohiko, Gendo:

"I... don't really like that sort of thing," Ichi would respond to Naohiko, turning her head to the side and frowning a bit in her profile view. "I dislike court and I dislike playing dressup. The only reason I'm here is because my father ordered me to come." Her words would match her limited attire, which is something one might expect to see perhaps on a warmer day than today. If not for her wakizashi, she might not even be taken for a samurai, since she apparently trashed a perfectly good kimono. It is the 'ripped jeans' of samurai attire, and hardly proper.

"That's... part of the reason I'm here," Denbe would add. "Not here at Kyuden Doji, mind you, but here for Ichi-san's sake. This is more my battleground than hers, and I'm not the type to let her flounder. Allies can be a rare and precious commodity."

Denbe would look to Gendo, and respond to him. "What about questions of your own? Any good relationship is equal parts give and take. I'd like to hope you would utilize this opportunity for any answers you may have been seeking but did not know where to search for them."  

[Paidi tou Selini]

The intrepid princess held her head high even as the butterflies grew in her belly. She managed to find some sense of amusing irony in being nervous about time alone with Kioko but fearless in the face of a Maho Tsukai, and the humor lifted her nerves a little, but this was certainly an experience to say the least. An experience that kept growing as she followed on to the expensive sights in this new wing, marveling at its unique sort of beauty. Such things could never compare to the natural beauty of Megumi Tenpi, but for a clan with this kind of money, she could only imagine what managing such a beast must be like. The kind of pressures heaped upon her Great Clan counterparts' shoulders must be great indeed. It made her grateful she was where she was.

She politely greeted each new face as they passed, making sure to keep composure befitting a Princess, especially considering present company, but that sense of nervousness only grew as they moved deeper into the castle. Not because she couldn’t trust her safety to the Crane (even though recent events proved that to be true anyway), but because of what was obviously amiss in this situation.

Though at long last, when the moment of truth came… it was her hopes that got confirmed, not her fears. Still, her body went stiff at the sudden physical contact, her cheeks quickly turning crimson despite her best efforts to maintain calm. Was it proper? Well, they were in a private room, with no witnesses. What would grandfather do? Rock her world? No… but she could at least play along to be sure. "Well, it definitely looks comfortable. I’m glad the bleeding has stopped or I would have been concerned over ruining something of great value.”  

[Plainsfox]

Naohiko would take a long drink before considering what to ask his associates. "Perhaps I should ask the most simple of questions. I've not met Ox or Hare before this court. Perhaps you can tell me about your clans? I only know of your clan's origins and much second hand information."  

[Raganui Minamoto]

Ah, now that was a good question. It was always good to know who was good at what, so you knew where to get the right stuff. He sipped his tea lightly as he shifted, thumb itching behind Setsuna's left ear.  

[Rain Yupa]

@ Gendo, Naohiko:

Denbe would rub his chin thoughtfully as Naohiko asked him something in turn. "Has anyone ever told you that you are a peculiar one, Himura-san? Most people would know the people of the present and be oblivious to annals of history, yet you seem to be stuck in the past instead..." Smiling with mischief, he would look to Gendo as he would lift his teacup to his lips. "Is this one of his traits, or is it a Kraken thing?"

Looking to Ichi, Denbe would ask her, "Would you care to, or shall I?"

"Hmph!" Ichi would respond, turning her head away and scooting a bit farther away from the table.

"Very well. The Hare are... magistrates, of sort. They tend to hunt down ne'er-do-wells. They don't specifically act as the law, but they do so on behalf of it. Good intentions all around, and you would definitely want to be on their good side." Resting the cup upon the table, he would use his spare hand to gesture openly. "They also have a considerably-sized army, for a Minor Clan. Those who senses aren't as keen as their brothers and sisters still serve the clan's benefit during more open engagements. Many a time, they have lent aid to imperiled samurai of other Minor Clans."

He would turn his hand inward. "As for me and my fellow Ox, we too tend to lean towards the way of the sword, though we are considerably smaller in number. The Ox are skilled horsemen - not as skilled as our parent clan the Unicorn where I've received my training, mind you, but worthy enough to garner some respect from them - so we tend to be 'cavalry for hire' to whoever has need of us. Such training allows us to cross large distances in relatively short time." Folding both hands together and placing them under his chin, he'd comment, "I'm actually surprised you've not had the opportunity to meet one of my fellow Clanmates in the Colonies, to be honest. I'll have to speak to my Champion's public relations advisor to get our presence better known out there."

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@ Kaichiyo:

"This is the castle of the head family of the greatest dueling Clan in the history of Rokugan,and has held that position for over a thousand years. A couple drops would be lost in an ocean," Kioko would respond, an odd tone of bemusement in her singsong voice. "Unless you mean, in here in particular. Most of what you see here have been gifts from various suitors over the years. Toys, tokens, and trinkets from undeserving men who seek to use me to further their ambitions."

Kioko's gentle touch would turn to caress.

"Though some of them admittedly have good taste in art. A solitary positive trait does not a good match make."

Kaichiyo would feel Kioko's breath upon her neck now, the Crane princess leaning in suggestively close. "Though I pray to the Fortunes that you are more keen to exquisiteness, Kaichiyo-san. Tell me... is it true about what appearances suggest, that you find worth in that lowely Spider that pines for you so?" Her voice would inflect genuine curiosity, while her hands would begin to indicate a curiosity of a different nature.