[Day 6 – Afternoon, Jade Sun] Bayushi Maiden Hair (Open)

[Bayushi Hoshi]

((Alternative name: Tea before Doomsday))

After her watch on the Half Moon, Hoshi ventured off the ship again to catch a few sights of the city to what will be very soon, a short stay with the current circumstances. Attention was never a good thing when you already stuck out like a sore thumb here. The Mantis and Tortoise diplomats present in the city did little in cushioning the spiritual culture clash that erupted here. And this is without Doomsday looming on the horizon.

Rather can explore the unusual, Hoshi settled for something more familiar and was directed to the small tea shop known as the Jade Sun. She indulged herself in ordering one of the rarer blends of tea (they were all rare here really), the Scorpion land’s Maiden Hair tea.

[Bayushi Nobuyoshi]

Drawn by tea or by karma, another Scorpion sees Hoshi head into the Jade Sun, and changes wherever he was going to there. He makes the polite bows to those assembled and heads over to her table.

Another polite bow.

"Bayushi-san" he begins. "You look well this afternoon."

[Bayushi Hoshi]

Hoshi glanced up from her table when she say the other Bayushi approach her, returning his greeting with a bow of her own. “Bayushi-san, thank you...I didn’t know you were the type to resort to compliments so soon, we’ve hardly had the chance to talk.” Hoshi spoke in a near flirting tone.

Her mood soon grew serious again, as she had a feeling he didn’t mean it that way. “It’s good to be about... -Ah, would you like to join me? I hope Maiden Hair tea is a preferred blend?” She motioned across the table and arranged to have another tea cup brought.

[Bayushi Nobuyoshi]

Nobuyoshi bows and take the offered seat.

"Indeed a taste of home while surrounded by the strange would be welcome." Nobuyoshi agrees. "I hope your day yesterday was not too boring. I only received a secondhand account from Ichiro-san about her looking for you."

[Bayushi Hoshi]

Once the second cup arrived, she poured him a cup with trained motions befitting of court. She fished out a drinking reed as she spoke. "Mm...I take it it wasn't of the part where she found me in the Embassy...but the interaction with our local samurai countrymen?"

[Bayushi Nobuyoshi]

Nobuyoshi nods.

"She must have neglected to mention that part." Nobuyoshi replies, taking his tea in hand. "You were not, in fact, riding on an elephant having been named Queen of the Jungle, were you?"

[Bayushi Hoshi]

Hoshi gave her cousin an amused glance, “...If that’s a rumour that I haven’t heard, I certainly won’t contest it. Mm, except the queen part maybe. It almost doesn’t even sound so exaggerated if you ask anyone who witnessed my reappearance.”

[Bayushi Nobuyoshi]

Nobuyoshi shrugs.

"If you wish to share tales of your reapperance, or even disappearance, I'll certainly listen to them with interest." Nobuyoshi offers. "However, I also understand that some secrets are not meant to be shared, better than most of the crew. In which case, I'll contribute to whichever topic of conversation you prefer with your tea."

[Bayushi Hoshi]

Hoshi shrugged nonchalantly with one hand. “If you I could make much of a tale of it, that’s an invention best suited for Cranes and Lions. What happened to me was far mundane. My return was yesterday before midday at the Embassy. There was no elephant really, nor any title that was given to me. It was a walk from the raining streets to the front gates of the Embassy, even the guards didn’t give much of a fuss. I was only gone for a few hours.”

She took a small breath out. “-Ah, hai...I was dressed more fashionably with the locals that day. Blending in proved harder than I thought...I did run into Usagi-san, who was kind enough to review the Captain’s meeting with me. We’re in a lot it seems.”

[Bayushi Nobuyoshi]

Nobuyoshi sips his tea, all the whys and hows of his cousin's disappearance and reappearance being put to the side, as if unimportant.

Finally, after savoring the bitterness of the tea from his home, Nobuyoshi shrugs.

"The locals are." he states simply with no further explanation.

[Bayushi Hoshi]

Hoshi tapped on the table, “It’s not their troubles alone, even if we’re to have no place here. I was told that this was a cult that had its eye on the Empire in recent history past. Their burden could very well become ours ne?”

[Bayushi Nobuyoshi]

Nobuyoshi considers the Scorpion maiden before him for awhile, letting the scent of the tea rise from his cup for awhile.

"Perhaps, Bayushi-san." Nobuyoshi allows. "However, I would wager many among the crew would not share that sentiment."

[Bayushi Hoshi]

"My given name is fine Bayushi-san." Hoshi nodded once. "Mm...Is that so? Hadn't the captain made this threat clear with the crew? I would have thought it would be a priority of the Half Moon to travel back and warn the Empire."

[Bayushi Nobuyoshi]

A small inclination of the head.

"As you like, Hoshi-san, though it would be very rude of me to not reciprocate the offer." Nobuyoshi states.

His eyes look around the Jade Sun, it's walls being far less secure than the embassy.

"The Captain stressed many things, one of which was the importance of not upsetting the local populace. Not even a full two days later we are handed a decree against going into the city defenses without escort, against wearing armor, and against calling upon the kami without the express permission and presence of either our or their leaders."

A sip of tea.

"I truly doubt these restrictions were dreamed up without some transgression on the part of at least two members of our crew. Ichiro-san's response was along the lines of 'Who do they think they are ordering us around?' and storming back to the ship. I doubt she will be alone in such sentiment. "

[Bayushi Hoshi]

Hoshi refilled both cups on the table. "Is that to say that those who managed to stir up some attention here might have done something in disagreement with the Captain, Nobuyoshi-san? I know that a mistake or an intended breach are one and the same, back home. We were possibly let off lightly...It'll be surprising to hear any on the ship were fans of this nation even before we stepped off the ship."

[Bayushi Nobuyoshi]

Nobuyoshi shakes his head.

"Not at all Hoshi-san. I would never even think of disparaging members of our crew. "

Especially not to you.

"But shore leave always leaves the possibility for accidents to occur. Add in the fact that the average samurai knows very little about anything outside of the borders of Rokugan, and one can see how trouble may have in fact been inevitable."

"However, being a fan of anything shouldn't sway one from their Duty. If the Captain wants us to play nice with the locals, and learn about what's happening here, then that's what's to be done."

[Bayushi Hoshi]

“Hai. You should know that it can be difficult as is for the average samurai to keep out of trouble even on Rokugani soil. We just needed a slight sway to fall out of disfavour here. It was inevitable.” Hoshi placed both hands on her tea cup in thought.

“Our time here hasn’t been entirely squandered, I hope. For every set back, there must be some progress.” She said, looking to him expectantly.

[Bayushi Nobuyoshi]

A small smile behind teacup and mask.

"I believe, Hoshi-san, that if we and Kichirou-san all went into a city and let little things like a distrustful populace, language barriers, and a strange culture stop us from learning a great deal, we'd have to turn in our red and black clothing for white and light blue." Nobuyoshi offers in his normal flat tone of voice.

"I've certainly kept busy, talking to members of the embassy, our liaison, a local warrior-scholar, and attending the court of their leadership."

Nobuyoshi returns the expectant look that Hoshi's giving him, as if to say 'And you?'.

[Bayushi Hoshi]

“As sophisticated as they proclaim to be, you may be surprised as to how well some of the powder blue take to foreign interests Nobuyoshi-san.” Hoshi smirked in her tone.

“Busy sounds like you’re being modest, not many have been as privileged as you to attend their court. I don’t doubt that you’ve seen much, I could almost be envious. Mm, as for me...there was a bit of sightseeing with their barracks, city defenses with Daidoji-san, and some mingling with the locals really. I don’t think I’ll be exploring the fashion aspect again anytime soon though.”

[Bayushi Nobuyoshi]

A small smile behind the mask.

"I wonder if Toritaka-san is regretting being so privileged by now. Nobuyoshi offers. "I had wondered about his background, why a courtier had joined the ninth legion rather than being attached to any court in the Empire."

Nobuyoshi shakes his head.

"I've seen faster attempts to swallow one's own sandal in court before, but for all his charm, the Captain was quite quick to show Toritaka-san the 'Shut Up Now' Glare that one seems to learn once they are of high enough station.".


A small sip of tea.

"Agasha-san seemed about ready to burn down the palace after being subjected to magic from one of their holy men." Nobuyoshi says. "Akodo-san made little headway with the upstairs guards, but after some reluctance, seemed to find something of great interest in the library."