(D0, LE) Five for the Road

[Seppun Unsei]

Unsei clapped their hands at the various introductions, pleased either way with how they turned out. "Wonderful! All pretty good, though not as good as my cousins, of course." They glanced over at Luixian and smiled sweetly before looking back to the group.

Then they looked over to Mitsu and arched a brow. "Eh? Oh, yeah." Unsei looked a bit confused. No one had ever called their presence hallowed before, so it was certainly confusing times for them. "Are you looking for a shugenja for something?"

[Kaikoga Koi]

Koi sat with her hands on her lap, having survived the ordeal of introducing herself with absolutely no acknowledgement which was both good and bad she supposed. She accepted a sake cup with grace, and held it in her hand before giving it a small sniff to enjoy the aroma of the sake before partaking in a drink.

The Moth sat, watched, learning what she could vaguely gathered from the situation. Right, the Seppun is an narcissistic whelp but that doesn't seem much of a surprise, but they seem to be bouncing of Luixian like it was some sort of sport between them. She enjoyed the sake, and was curious about the Bayushi calling out someone being a shugenja and that left very little room for her to remain quiet still she waited for a spell not quite throwing it out there waiting for the reply from the Bayushi at the Seppun.

Yes, Bayushi why are you so curious about shugenjas, hm? She thought curiously, cautiously waiting.

[Bayushi Mitsu]

Then they looked over to Mitsu and arched a brow. "Eh? Oh, yeah." Unsei looked a bit confused. No one had ever called their presence hallowed before, so it was certainly confusing times for them. "Are you looking for a shugenja for something?"

"Only to pay my respects," he answered. "The spirit world is not to be trifled with; shugenja intercede on our behalf. I find it commendable."

With a smooth, confident motion he took up his sake cup and, tilting out the bottom edge of his mask with the other hand, took a quick drink. The mask was settled back in the space of a breath, and the half-full cup placed back on the table just as quickly. "Bayushi-san alluded to such a service to the Emperor, did she not?"

[Susaki Tanabe]

"Huh. Alright then." She replied casually to the Otter. "I'd say something more about the school but I've little doubt that you already get enough jabs about how the heiress chooses to protect herself with someone taught in the ways not of the Otter." When she said that it was in a neutral tone one meant to help convey that she wasn't pointing it out to start a fight. Only that she found it a bit odd.

Tanabe smiled with a confident, though some might call it cocky, smile "Plenty try to throw jabs but can word hurt when I can back up my position with skill? More than one challenged me and ended up taking a river bath to cool off." He spoke with a smile and friendly tone but it also seemed sincere, lacking boastful pride.

[Kaikoga Koi]

Koi found that she had lost the desire to drink as she sat there, the third glass of sake was enough to really drive the desire home as she looked into the bottom of her glass. She had travelled a long way on foot, and events of the day have honestly knocked her on her ass just sitting here trying to be social was just too taxing.

"Uh, Gomen the sake has perhaps hit me too quickly after a long trip, this one is going to excuse herself." She said, rising and bowing politely.

Not like they knew she existed anyway She thought, and headed back towards her room.

/exit

[Seppun Unsei]

"Might want to go chase her, Bayushi-san. She said she was a weaver of dreams but then decided to not answer you when you asked about shugenja." They sighed a bit dramatically. "Thought she was going to join the conversation more, and your question was certainly the way to do it, but I guess she didn't find our company pleasing enough or you worth answering."

I'll have to make sure that one isn't even close to any list of potential spouses for me. Too much of an ego.

If there were any cups that needed to be refilled, Unsei did so smoothly before answering the rest of Mitsu's question. "I have worked closely with the guard, as many Astrologers do. During my time there, which I'll be going back to when I get married, I had helped out some."

[Bayushi Luixian]

Tanabe smiled with a confident, though some might call it cocky, smile "Plenty try to throw jabs but can word hurt when I can back up my position with skill? More than one challenged me and ended up taking a river bath to cool off." He spoke with a smile and friendly tone but it also seemed sincere, lacking boastful pride.

She found her question still a bit unanswered but didn't go to push it further though she certainly hid it away for later if there were ever a need for it. "Throwing them into the river is certainly one way of doing it. A way I enjoy quite a bit. Rarely any rivers where I tended to stay though." A pause. "And if the ones thrown don't know how to swim? It's not a common skill."

[Bayushi Mitsu]

If there were any cups that needed to be refilled, Unsei did so smoothly before answering the rest of Mitsu's question. "I have worked closely with the guard, as many Astrologers do. During my time there, which I'll be going back to when I get married, I had helped out some."

"I appreciate the inscrutability of your answer," he applauded, raising his cup artfully, "as I appreciate your service to the Empire and your sense of things beyond natural ken. A toast - to the Emperor, to you, to all of us here, and to helping out."

The dark-masked Scorpion threw back the rest of his drink in another fluid movement, and settled the cup again upon the table. "I am at your service whenever I may be of help."

[Susaki Tanabe]

She found her question still a bit unanswered but didn't go to push it further though she certainly hid it away for later if there were ever a need for it. "Throwing them into the river is certainly one way of doing it. A way I enjoy quite a bit. Rarely any rivers where I tended to stay though." A pause. "And if the ones thrown don't know how to swim? It's not a common skill."

If Tanabe thought anything strange about the situation he certainly didn't show it. He sat happily sipping sake and chuckled at the Bayushi's words "Well if they couldn't swim they'd make poor Otters to begin with. We live most of our lives on the river, it's been said some of us learn to swim before we learn to walk!" He said with a laugh "Plus the Badger often used their technique to throw intruders off their mountains, at least the river gives them a chance of survival." He said grinning

[Seppun Unsei]

"I appreciate the inscrutability of your answer," he applauded, raising his cup artfully, "as I appreciate your service to the Empire and your sense of things beyond natural ken. A toast - to the Emperor, to you, to all of us here, and to helping out."

The dark-masked Scorpion threw back the rest of his drink in another fluid movement, and settled the cup again upon the table. "I am at your service whenever I may be of help."

Unsei toasted along with him, knocking the drink back and setting the cup on the table. After that, they pondered Mitsu's words for a moment. Then like they were some play villain, the Seppun leaned forward, twirling a mustache that wasn't there.

"Oh hoho, isn't that a dangerous thing to offer, Bayushi-san? After all, we barely know each other, but then offering to be at my service whenever you can be of help? I could be some terrible person that will use this power for terrible deeds!"