(D4, ME) Mimei Matters by Shiba Isao

[Kaikoga Fujiko]

He considered that. "It's true we haven't seen the classic love triangle yet...do you think it's due so soon though?" he asked. "It would seem that should be something of a finale, if it's written well."

"Ending the miai with a reminder that some people won't be chosen and their love is in vain?" She smiled at Hikimasu to show him she wasn't serious. "You have a dark mind, Shosuro-sama."

"That being said," she added. "Given their theme of 'love conquers all', they might come with a more surprising ending."

[Shosuro Hikimasu]

"Ending the miai with a reminder that some people won't be chosen and their love is in vain?" She smiled at Hikimasu to show him she wasn't serious. "You have a dark mind, Shosuro-sama."

"That being said," she added. "Given their theme of 'love conquers all', they might come with a more surprising ending."

"Their theme is a joke", he grumbled. "Love conquers nothing, sometimes you just get people who agree with each other enough to be happy." he scratched the back of his head and motioned toward some seats for them. "Not as if I believe it has nothing to offer, but my experience so far has told me stories are nice because they don't happen, they're an escape."

[Shiba Taemon]

Despite the rains coming town, many are willing to brave the rains to attend the theater. Shiba Taemon arrives early and takes a seat in the very front row, frowning at the empty stage.

Drifting up to the front, Bayushi Mitsu settled next to the Phoenix with a nod. "Greetings, Shiba-san. You look like a man with a difficulty." The Scorpion glanced around the stage as if there might be something there that was drawing the other samurai's ire, then finally turned his look back upon Shiba.

The Phoenix narrows his eyes at the Scorpion and frowns a bit.

"We have not met yet, Bayushi-san. I am Shiba Taemon." he offers, standing to bow, before resuming his seat.

[Kitsu Murato]

She nodded. "Hai."

"Your poem earlier was very nice. I enjoyed it and thank you for sharing it. But I am curious if you meant 'our' in a more general sense of 'all of our' or a specific one like 'just two people'?" he offers as a potential shift in conversation.

[Kaikoga Fujiko]

"Their theme is a joke", he grumbled. "Love conquers nothing, sometimes you just get people who agree with each other enough to be happy." he scratched the back of his head and motioned toward some seats for them. "Not as if I believe it has nothing to offer, but my experience so far has told me stories are nice because they don't happen, they're an escape."

"It feels like a conversation that should happen around sake." Fujiko giggled. "Did something happen? But yes, if stories followed real life, there would be no point to them."

She looked away, far away to something that wasn't there.

"All the same, without those stories, what else would we miss? Honor, hope, love,...?" Her voice trailed.

[Shosuro Hikimasu]

"It feels like a conversation that should happen around sake." Fujiko giggled. "Did something happen? But yes, if stories followed real life, there would be no point to them."

She looked away, far away to something that wasn't there.

"All the same, without those stories, what else would we miss? Honor, hope, love,...?" Her voice trailed.

"I think anything that sparks the imagination has an equal chance of improving or harming your life", he said, also looking away to something else. "Though... if it's sake, we could go to the Song after this."

[Bayushi Mitsu]

The Phoenix narrows his eyes at the Scorpion and frowns a bit.

"We have not met yet, Bayushi-san. I am Shiba Taemon." he offers, standing to bow, before resuming his seat.

"And I, Bayushi Mitsu," the Scorpion returned, bowing perhaps a bit casually but with respect enough. "Have you enjoyed the previous nights' plays?"

[Kaikoga Fujiko]

"I think anything that sparks the imagination has an equal chance of improving or harming your life", he said, also looking away to something else. "Though... if it's sake, we could go to the Song after this."

"Why not? I haven't been there yet, truth to be told."

[Kaito Oubaihime]

She nodded. "Hai."

"Your poem earlier was very nice. I enjoyed it and thank you for sharing it. But I am curious if you meant 'our' in a more general sense of 'all of our' or a specific one like 'just two people'?" he offers as a potential shift in conversation.

"I just came up with it on the spot... so the general sense." she sighed. "this seems to be getting tougher everyday."

[Shosuro Hikimasu]

"Why not? I haven't been there yet, truth to be told."

Well, even he could tell her why not, but if Fujiko wasn't going to refuse, why bring it up?

"Then we'll toast to mistakes, anxiety, and finding happiness in the present", he nodded.