(D3, ME) Ex-Hida by Yasuki Seiryo

[Matsu Ishioka]

"A nakodo? Oh, you should spend more time with Usogawa Narumi-san, she's also training to be a nakodo as well. Perhaps you two would get along well? Two nakodo in training meeting at a miai, it would be fate ne?" Emiko brought a hand up to cover a giggle "me, I'm an artist and a sailor. I'm not as good as others in the Otter at sailing, so I suppose I'm more of a musician and a dancer."

"I think those are all good skills," the Lion says pleasantly. "And I'm pleased to say I've met Usogawa Narumi-san. She seems to be quite a remarkable person in my estimation," he says with a touch of a smile. "I'm really no nakodo myself," he says honestly, "but, ah, an admirer and interested student."

[Suzume Senseki]

"Or maybe just *that* Imperial," Yasu says with a somewhat dangerous glint to her eye.

But she easily shifts to the topic she introduced. "Too task-oriented?" She thinks a moment and nods a bit. "Other than these small events, they haven't really filled our schedules, have they? These plays are a pleasant way to settle in and let someone else fill an hour of my time."

"Well, that much is true!", he answers, somewhat flustered. "I... well, I end up looking for tasks myself to have something to focus on, I guess", he says with a silent chuckle. "Old habits and all, ne?"

As he asks what she's thought of the experience so far, she smiles, soft and a bit faraway in her focus. "It's been something. I'd been focused on my studies before and here...just focused on a match is very, very new and something I haven't trained for." She laughs a bit with a shake of her head. "From never noticing hints to having them painted in broad strokes on my eyes."

"I think the tests are interesting at least. I don't know much about the Shika's techniques to guess at how these things all work to predict a match, but kemari is fun at least. And I've never met so many folks who aren't Crab at one time before. That's been surprising." Settling back in her seat, to look curiously at the Sparrow, she adds, "never in my life met a Sparrow, for example."

"How about you? Think these tests are going to reveal your best match?"

When she mentions hints painted in broad strokes on her eyes, he squints his narrows one eye and widens another for a bit, to somewhat comical effect. Either he doesn't quite understand what she means - clearly he doesn't seem too used to noticing hints as well - or he focused too on the ambiguity of the painted on her face bit there. Was the painting supposed to mean something? Was it a hint?

With a slight shake of his head, he tried to focus on her words instead of letting his mind wander.

As she gets to her comment on never having met a Sparrow before, he gives her a weak smile and a nod. "I guess you not having met a Sparrow might be expected, even with the Crab being our neighbours. Our people venture into our neighbours' lands now and then, but we're generally a quiet, reserved folk, I guess... even my little experience with other Minor Clans close by is more than that of many in my clan, I suppose. But then... I suppose you'd heard some things about us?"

A weak grin. "Since we were talking about stereotypes, I wonder what you've heard of his."

Then he gets to her actual question... and it's met with a long time of pondering.

"Ano...", he says simply, and that's followed by another half a minute of silence. "I wouldn't claim to know anything of the Deer's methods...", he finally says, uncertainly. "But then... maybe it's less about what the tests reveal in terms of matches, and more about what they reveal about what each of us? What we like, how we feel doing certain things... that sort of thing?"

He looks down for a while, humbly, waving dismissively. "Again, this is only a hunch. It could be something entirely different... maybe even a Fortune - maybe Musubi no kami - keeping tallies of how each of us does in each thing and the head Matchmaker consulting with that Fortune at the end." He then looks at her with another grin. "Or maybe that Fortune keeps tallies and then, based on the results, asking lesser Fortunes guiding those that did best who they think their protected would prefer" A shrug. "I mean... that last one sounds unlikely, even with my limited knowledge of Fortunism..." A kind, somewhat silly smile. "But well... I suppose if nothing else, the tests could be a way for us to get to know each other better, ne? What do you think?"

[Kuni Yasu]

As she gets to her comment on never having met a Sparrow before, he gives her a weak smile and a nod. "I guess you not having met a Sparrow might be expected, even with the Crab being our neighbours. Our people venture into our neighbours' lands now and then, but we're generally a quiet, reserved folk, I guess... even my little experience with other Minor Clans close by is more than that of many in my clan, I suppose. But then... I suppose you'd heard some things about us?"

A weak grin. "Since we were talking about stereotypes, I wonder what you've heard of his."

Then he gets to her actual question... and it's met with a long time of pondering.

"Ano...", he says simply, and that's followed by another half a minute of silence. "I wouldn't claim to know anything of the Deer's methods...", he finally says, uncertainly. "But then... maybe it's less about what the tests reveal in terms of matches, and more about what they reveal about what each of us? What we like, how we feel doing certain things... that sort of thing?"

He looks down for a while, humbly, waving dismissively. "Again, this is only a hunch. It could be something entirely different... maybe even a Fortune - maybe Musubi no kami - keeping tallies of how each of us does in each thing and the head Matchmaker consulting with that Fortune at the end." He then looks at her with another grin. "Or maybe that Fortune keeps tallies and then, based on the results, asking lesser Fortunes guiding those that did best who they think their protected would prefer" A shrug. "I mean... that last one sounds unlikely, even with my limited knowledge of Fortunism..." A kind, somewhat silly smile. "But well... I suppose if nothing else, the tests could be a way for us to get to know each other better, ne? What do you think?"

Yasu watches the squinting and staring and examining, becoming just a touch self-conscious. Was the paint smudged badly? She'd made sure to reapply it carefully after her time at the House of Night's Promises. Nothing to do about it until she finds a mirror, however, so she leaves it be...

in order to focus on Senseki's impressions and theories about the miai. Some parts received genial nodding and others a small grin. "I do think they're more interested in everything surrounding the actual competitions, yes, right down to conversations in the hallways

"Hai, little need for your folk to come so far as Kuni lands when they can likely find what they need talking to the Hida. As for what I've heard, it's mostly about poverty, long stories, and ...ah...yams? Was that actually a yam bonsai you gifted the other day?"

[Usogawa Emiko]

"I think those are all good skills," the Lion says pleasantly. "And I'm pleased to say I've met Usogawa Narumi-san. She seems to be quite a remarkable person in my estimation," he says with a touch of a smile. "I'm really no nakodo myself," he says honestly, "but, ah, an admirer and interested student."

"Oh, you're not? Maybe you could learn from Narumi-san then while she is learning. A student team learning together! It sounds lovely I think, and you'll learn lots from her" Emiko said with a few nods "I think if one puts their mind to it they can do anything."

(ooc - my apology I was sure I'd replied...)

[Matsu Ishioka]

"Oh, you're not? Maybe you could learn from Narumi-san then while she is learning. A student team learning together! It sounds lovely I think, and you'll learn lots from her" Emiko said with a few nods "I think if one puts their mind to it they can do anything."

(ooc - my apology I was sure I'd replied...)

Emiko's positive energy is infectious, even for the stoic Matsu who can't help but smile.

"That, ah, does sound very nice," he agrees, maybe a little bashfully although it's hard to tell on this man. "I do hope to learn a lot from her," he says with a clearly warm tone, the smile sticking around on his face.

"Ah, Usogawa-sama, I should not monopolize your evening," the Lion says politely, realizing they've been speaking a while. "Your conversation and thoughts on the play are appreciated. Perhaps we can speak again in the future, perhaps with Usogawa Narumi-san and one of my Kitsu cousins," he suggests innocently.

[Usogawa Emiko]

Emiko's positive energy is infectious, even for the stoic Matsu who can't help but smile.

"That, ah, does sound very nice," he agrees, maybe a little bashfully although it's hard to tell on this man. "I do hope to learn a lot from her," he says with a clearly warm tone, the smile sticking around on his face.

"Ah, Usogawa-sama, I should not monopolize your evening," the Lion says politely, realizing they've been speaking a while. "Your conversation and thoughts on the play are appreciated. Perhaps we can speak again in the future, perhaps with Usogawa Narumi-san and one of my Kitsu cousins," he suggests innocently.

"I have met with both of your Kitsu kin, and they're both wonderful people. I would enjoy speaking more in the future with yourself and your kin, and I'm sure Narumi-san would enjoy it too" Emiko nodded "although I would not wish to single either man out, so I cannot say who you should invite on that regard!"

[Matsu Ishioka]

"I have met with both of your Kitsu kin, and they're both wonderful people. I would enjoy speaking more in the future with yourself and your kin, and I'm sure Narumi-san would enjoy it too" Emiko nodded "although I would not wish to single either man out, so I cannot say who you should invite on that regard!"

"Perhaps this one can be of service, then, in speaking with my cousins. There is... significant motivation on my part to help in this regard," he says, revealing he's more than a little sweet on Narumi. "I shall try to make it happen as soon as possible," Ishioka promises.

[Usogawa Emiko]

"I have met with both of your Kitsu kin, and they're both wonderful people. I would enjoy speaking more in the future with yourself and your kin, and I'm sure Narumi-san would enjoy it too" Emiko nodded "although I would not wish to single either man out, so I cannot say who you should invite on that regard!"

"Perhaps this one can be of service, then, in speaking with my cousins. There is... significant motivation on my part to help in this regard," he says, revealing he's more than a little sweet on Narumi. "I shall try to make it happen as soon as possible," Ishioka promises.

"Perhaps in a few days then? You can speak with your kin and decide which one is better suited to such a meet" Emiko offered with a smile "I trust Matsu-samas judgement on this."