[D1, MM: Event] The Easy Way or the Hard Way?

[Shosuro Hikimasu]

Giving a gift to one's host, a proper way for you to show off your gratitude and them to show off their humility. For something that is supposed to symbolize sincerity, it was incredibly insincere.

However, Hikimasu was here to participate, unfortunately. So he had his piece prepared for the game and came as ready to play as he could.

Dressed well in black, the red infinite knot of the Shosuro family displayed only over his heart at the nape of his neck on the kimono, he held a small box wrapped in silk. He sat with the box before him and bowed low before speaking.

"Lord of the Shika, I am Shosuro Hikimasu, i came from Kawa in the lands of my lord. Like many here I have travelled a long way, over mountains, rivers, and the lands of other clans to answer your invitation." He unwrapped the box, revealing a broken kabuki mask.

"I've answered the call with a peice of my family lineage. This is the mask of Shosuro Kondo", he said, displaying the item. It covered only half the wearer's face, one eye, half the mouth and nose. It was white lacquer with red painted under the eye, running from the nose and around the false lip, making it smile. "Two hundred or so years ago, my family's house burned down, my ancestor Manji made a mask out of a fire-bitten piece of oak he found in the ruin, to honor the ancestors who had lived there, the builders who made it, and the history that transpired in that place."

He turned the mask over a bit, showing the details. "It is a piece of history, much like your promising castle, it is an opening of discussion much like the miai held here, I would like you to accept it with the well wishing of my family, as symbolized by the the fortunes of this mask."

He held it out, head bowed.

[Shika Renji]

Renji bowed.

"A truly interesting piece of your family's history you seek to give me, Shosuro-san. Your ancestor took what they could from tragedy and rebuilt stronger than before, yet never forgetting the tragedy that befell them so they might be ready for it to happen again." he says.

He offers a shake of the head.

"Still, such a token should remain within your family, Shosuro-san, I could not ask you to surrender something so deeply personal to your family." he says, offering first refusal.

[Shosuro Hikimasu]

"In many ways, what you say is true, and my father argued with my uncle greatly over this matter", he said wirh another bow. "It would be an honor to my bloodline if you could settle this matter by accepting."

[Shika Renji]

Well that was an unusual second offer, 'Please settle an argument between two Scorpions'.

Renji considered that.

"While the Deer clan are happy to assist in many situations as neutral arbiters, I'm not certain that a matter of 'gift-giving etiquette of Scorpion family artifacts' is an area where we can provide much expertise. Perhaps the gift would be better suited to one of the Scorpion daimyo?" he suggested as his second refusal.

He certainly was curious where the Scorpion was going to go from this particular twist in the game.

[Shosuro Hikimasu]

"Ah, but this is not truly the same mask", the Scorpion replied cryptically. "As I said, my ancestor Shosuro Manji did make a mask, and in spirit it is here certainly."

He turned the mask over again, viewing it's old, carved lines. "But as I said, this is the mask of Shosuro Kondo, which came to be when my aunt split the mask and one half fell to my father and the other his brother, Shosuro Kondo. We hold another piece of this, to care for as is proper, but offer you this."

He held the mask out a third time.

[Shika Renji]

Renji bowed.

"Then it is my hope that just as a piece of this mask remains within the possession of the Deer, so shall our hospitality remain within you Shosuro-san," he said, accepting the gift.

(Shosuro Hikimaru gains 1 Courtship point, 1 Glory, & 1 Honor)