[D1, LM, Hajime's Room] Mountain People

[Kitsuki Hajime]

The tea set had been laid out and the pillows arranged, so the surprisingly spartan but tastefully arranged room of Kitsuki Hajime was prepared to receive his kinsmen from near and far. He waited behind his low desk for his guests to arrive, composing a message on dark blue paper.

[Kitsuki Edogawa]

"Good morning." Edogawa announced himself as he arrived.

[Agasha Inoshishi]

Inoshishi enters, already looking around for curiosities and new stories to be learnt.

“Wow, did you all see that beautiful hall at the castle? I bet I could make it echo really well! Would you all like to hold a trial there? Not that I think anyone did anything wrong, but I bet you could make a great impression with a gong or a gavel un that space! BOOOOOOOOONNNNNG!

Have any of you found someone you think is dreamy? I haven’t, but the Stone Matsu is taking me out to dinner, so I’m excited about that! Would you like some mushrooms?”

[Kitsuki Hajime]

Hajime blinked, then slowly looked up from his letter.

"Yes. Good morning, Kitsuki-san." He smiled and bowed formally to Edogawa. "And..." he turned to the Agasha. "It's lovely to meet you, Agasha-san. I am Kitsuki Hajime. I appreciate the offer of..." mushrooms "...mushrooms..." that was it. "...but I have eaten already this morning and am trying very hard to keep my hips under control. Could I interest you in a seat and a cup of tea?"

He rose and moved to the cushions around the tea set.

[Kitsuki Edogawa]

"I am Kitsuki Edogawa." he bowed to them both, before finding a place at the table. "I have eaten, but mushrooms do sound tasty."

[Kitsuki Hajime]

Hajime nodded and began to pour tea for his clanmates.

"It is a pleasure to meet you both." His eyes drifted over to Inoshishi. "I have not met terribly many individuals in the short time we have been here, Agasha-san. And though one might have been... flirtatious ...open in his expression, I think that dreamy might be stretching it a little. Is Matsu-san...dreamy ...appreciably handsome?"

[Agasha Inoshishi]

"I am Kitsuki Edogawa." he bowed to them both, before finding a place at the table. "I have eaten, but mushrooms do sound tasty."

Inoshishi happily supplies you with candy cap mushrooms, a variety that tastes oddly sweet!

. "I have not met terribly many individuals in the short time we have been here, Agasha-san. And though one might have been... flirtatious ...open in his expression, I think that dreamy might be stretching it a little. Is Matsu-san...dreamy ...appreciably handsome?"

“I suppose it must depend on what you consider handsome! After all, it must be in the eye of the beholder, yes? Certainly if you prefer your men one way or the other. I find him to be quite…solid, with a sternness of face that nearly begs to have a reason to smile. I can tell you more tomorrow, as I imagine there will be no kissing and therefore no prohibition to tell! Thanks for the tea! I just hope whoever I get paired with is neither like rice nor like bean paste. The one is too ordinary and the other given to tedious discussion of varietals and colors with no stories! Give me a dashing Lion any day over a boring Crane.”

[Kitsuki Hajime]

"Crane don't tell stories?" Hajime asked. That certainly was not his experience, but perhaps that hadn't been exactly what the Agasha had meant.

[Kitsuki Kiyonobu]

A third Kitsuki arrived before long. He wore a dark green kimono with a geometric pattern of triangles, and his hair was bound in a neat topknot. A bit of bright green cord with decorative knot work dangled from the pommel of his sword.

"Good morning, minna-san," he said, bowing politely. "Thank you for arranging this meeting. I am called Kitsuki Kiyonobu, recently arrived here from Shiro Mirumoto."

[Kitsuki Hajime]

Hajime looked up and rose to bow. "I am pleased to meet you, Kitsuki-san. Please, come sit with us." He gestured to the remaining pillow. "I am Kitsuki Hajime, and this is Agasha Inoshishi and Kitsuki Edogawa."

He sat. "Agasha-san was just telling us of her suitor in the Lion clan. Are you enjoying your miai thus far?"