Sisterhood of Smoke (D6, Early Eve, Black Elephant)

[Rixy]

"The mask is odd, too. Why do you wear it? If ugly, it would make sense, but you are not, so why?" Jada had, clearly, been wondering about that for a while and was quick to take the chance to ask. "My friends, not so bright in some things, though one uses the urumi and so did not question like others. Many of them are not warrior but sage instead...they do not understand."

[Bayushi Hoshi]

"They must be bright in some things but hai, sometimes book smarts doesn't equate to knowledge everywhere, even in this part of the world it seems." Hoshi smirked faintly and turned her attention to look at her mask, which she kept within an easy hand's reach. It wasn't a practice that was adopted everywhere in the Empire outside of the Scorpion lands, but none really asked her reasoning why Scorpions wore a mask.

"I could see what it may look odd to some. It's a custom that was adopted by those of my Clan, the Scorpion Clan. At first, it was to honour our founder and kami, Bayushi-kami but with the centuries afterwards, I think each and every Scorpion had found their own reason as to why they wear their own masks. Mm...the first Scorpion, Bayushi-kami wore his first mask as a scrap of silk during the Tournament of the Kami after he was granted wisdom from the Little Teacher, Shinsei. Shinsei took the known fable of the Scorpion and the Frog but spun it with a different ending, showing that perhaps a Scorpion has more than one reason for their actions." She explained, overlooking the fact that Jada may not know this fable, it was common knowledge to a Rokugani.

[Rixy]

Sure enough, Jada was blinking at her in confusion. "Fables? We have child stories but only one with frog I know is of girl and her golden ball."

[Bayushi Hoshi]

"A girl and her golden ball...?" Hoshi repeated in a question, that definitely wasn't some variation of the Tale of the Scorpion and the Frog. They were gaijin here, it should have been expected that similarities here were different.

"I can tell you the original fable Jada. It's a very short one." She nodded after a sip of the sweet drink to quell the spiciness from the food before.

"At a crossroads divided by a stream, a Scorpion and a Frog met by chance. The frog could easily get through the stream without incident but the same couldn't be said with the Scorpion. Desperate to get to the other side, the Scorpion asked a favour of the Frog to carry her to the other side."

"Naturally the Frog was skeptical and told the Scorpion that she was likely to sting him. The Scorpion assured him that if she did so, both will drown in the stream. Satisfied and feeling friendly, the Frog carried the Scorpion across the stream. But...only to the shock of the Frog, he was stung by the Scorpion. As both sank into the water to drown, the Frog asked 'Why?""

"And the Scorpion answered with, "It's in my nature"."

[Rixy]

"What tale is that for children?!" Jada was appalled. "Tales should have heroes live, not all dead."

[Bayushi Hoshi]

Hoshi tittered behind the back of her hand at the girl's reaction. "Hardly a tale just for children Jada, and not all stories always have happy endings. Not in Rokugan. It is a wise lesson in itself, especially if it was enough to influence my Kami who named the Clan after the Scorpion."

[Rixy]

"Lesson is what? Rise above nature or die? Useful, but means nature of all is evil. Not a good thing. I like my frog story better." Picking up her cup, Jada sipped the golden liquor inside. "In it, a young Rani...that is a woman of very high standing...has a ball of gold, gift from her father. She played along a deep well and lost the ball in it. When she cried for the lost, a frog said he would get it if the Rani would only reward him by keeping him as dear companion, eating as she did and sleeping in luxury as she did. The girl agreed, though not intending to do any such for a mere frog, and the frog did his half of the bargain."

[Bayushi Hoshi]

There could be some comfort found knowing that all people are bad people, than having bad people among truly good people. Hoshi shook her head of that cynical thought and propped her chin on a hand as she listened to the tale Jada traded back. "His full half unfortunately..." Hoshi softly commented as an aside.

[Rixy]

"The raji took her ball, gave weak thanks, and then went home. The poor frog chased, calling for her to honor the deal and take him in her pocket but she refused. He kept in chase, nearly dead of the work when he got to her home. His cries were sad, calling for honor, and the raji's father heard. He said, "If you are kshatriya, you must honor your word." The girl, unhappy, took the frog and fed him scraps no beggar would eat and put him in the wet dark dungeon, saying it was fit for one who liked wet stone. Despite her father's word, she still did not show full honor."

[Bayushi Hoshi]

Hoshi followed along with a few bites of food. "The frog must have beem wiser that this was not how the princess lived..."

[Rixy]

"Yes. He told her father, who had been kind to him before. The Raj was very angry and said if the girl could not keep her word, she was unworthy of station. She would keep her word and live with frog as companion, or he would send her to live at the well with frog. The girl was sullen but obeyed, but could not stand the touch of frog skin on hers as she carried him, fed him, and slept with him at night. She asked, 'How do I end the bargain, may we make another?' The frog considered it and said at last if she would kiss him then he would leave after if he still wanted her to go."

[Bayushi Hoshi]

Hoshi pursed her lip in thought, curious if the Princess would agree. "This frog must have some strange romantic ideas for such a request..."

[Rixy]

Jada's smile widened. "The Rani protested the act in dislike but after another week could stand no more of the frog. She agreed and kissed him, though disgusted. A great flash erupted and she dropped it, screaming, only to see it had become a man, beautiful of face and form. He had been cursed by a demon to be a frog until a maiden's kiss freed him and had, at first, meant to honor the Rani for freeing him. His time in her company showed him she was of no honor, though, and so he simply blessed her father, who had been wise, and left the girl to regret her lack of courtesy for all her days."

[Bayushi Hoshi]

Hoshi laughed lightly at the end of the tale and thanked Jada with a polite clap. "-Ah. So the frog was a man who tested the girl the entire time? Clever man. I almost thought the frog's goal was to merely steal a kiss, even that act was not as it seemed."

She smiled after some thought. "Uhm...But I can't see how that would be a good ending for the heroine, making so presumptuous of a mistake. She would be more of a villainess ne?"

[Rixy]

"Yes. The point of the story is that humility is important, keeping a word is important, and to be careful in all dealings because things may not be what they look at first." Jada finished her drink with a happy sigh. "Many tales are like that here. Meant to teach children manners and such."

[Bayushi Hoshi]

Hoshi nodded once. "Mm, those are sound tenants for children to grow up with. We have some less...scarier tales in our lands too. The Scorpion and the Frog was only the first one that was taught to us for many reasons. I don't think I'll be regarding all frogs as possible princes but...That was nice, thank you for sharing that Jada." She ducked in a small bow.

[Rixy]

"Bah, is nothing. Simple story, one everyone knows." Still, the young woman's cheeks had pinked, though that might be the drink as much as pleasure at the thanks. "Telling stories over drinks, common, yes?"

[Bayushi Hoshi]

"Mm, hai Jada." She said with a chuckle, if she needed confirmation that this was also true in the ways of the Rokugani. "It's when they're best told, and I'm not saying that because that's when performances of all sorts are more...tolerant than any other venues."

[Rixy]

"Not much time otherwise? Is that way for Kshatriya, too....much time in practice, in prayers and care of gear, not much time for friends." Jada sighed. "Was that way before, at least. Not anymore, not for many. Too busy planning plans that do no good, just to feel they did something."

[Bayushi Hoshi]

"Hai, Duty is a priority for a Scorpion. But, we do at least know how to enjoy ourselves when the timing is right and the occasion calls for it."

Hoshi frowned a little when the conversation dipped in the impending doom that was looming over Lanka. "Have many have chosen to abandon their posts? ...What will do you with your time here Jada?"