[Day 7 – Early Evening, Baths] Bath before Bloodshed (Open)

[Bayushi Hoshi]

Hoshi lifted a hand from water to wave it, "Iie, I suppose you didn't. I was wondering if you had grown attached here for a reason. Many samurai wouldn't think of preserving the way of the land as their natural instinct."

[Usagi Zenko]

He nods. "Hai, it is all strange, foreign and wrong, right?"

He proceeds with his own waving. "And yet, its been here. Its even been a threat that others of the Empire have fought against, and recently as well. The Unicorn left the Empire because of threats like that...and we find out the Mantis have been doing the same." Shaking his head, he continues. "Its ancient as well...and it exists outside the stories and history of Rokugan. Shouldn't we give it some modicum of respect, for existing without the Kami's guidance?"

[Bayushi Hoshi]

"Strange, foreign and wrong?" Hoshi repeated with some clear amusement in her tone. "That's one I've heard many times and it very rarely justified what was done."

"There is little wrong with what you are doing but...I don't know if many will find any admiration to your good intent of hoarding heathen historical items worthy of the Empire's memory. The Unicorn do so only because it's part of their heritage and even then it finds a hard time fitting in the Empire. You'll find respect hard to come by with what you take."

[Usagi Zenko]

"Who ever said doing the needed thing gained you respect?" He shakes his head, breathing out through his nose.

[Bayushi Hoshi]

"...And this doesn't bother you?"

[Usagi Zenko]

He raised an eyebrow. "No, not at all. If things like that mattered, the Hare would have never been a clan again." His eyes narrow, "If the gaijin didn't matter at all, then we wouldn't be here in the first place. We're not here in service of the Mantis, but of the Empress and Empire, after all."

[Bayushi Hoshi]

Hoshi placed the back of her hand on her lips as she restrained a laugh, "Good. That’s good Usagi-san. It was probably my fault that I mistaken your sentiments similar of those in the Lion or Crane. One could argue that the Ivory Kingdoms matter only because the Empire is at stake but...I will hope for the best in your little mission. I do agree that it would be a real shame if all this was lost.”

[Usagi Zenko]

He nods at that, silent a moment.

[Bayushi Hoshi]

Hoshi just watched Zenko as she soaked her shoulders, sure that he would get an epiphany of some sort...

Edit: Missing word was missing

[Usagi Zenko]

"Wait, that was a subtle compliment back, wasn't it?" he asks, chuckling a bit.

[Bayushi Hoshi]

There was a slow lift of a brow before she eased with a faint smile. "-Ah...Only if you choose to think so Usagi-san. I won't ruin the illusion by telling you directly. Where's the fun in that?"

[Usagi Zenko]

"Fair enough, good Bayushi, fair enough."

He chuckles a bit. "Of all the things in this land, what did you least expect to find? I have to admit, the teahouse is right up there on my list."

[Bayushi Hoshi]

"Despite what some may have you believe, I don't think it's too hard to find a house that's willing to heat water with leaves Usagi-san. The biggest surprise of all is..." Hoshi cupped some water in one hand and allowed it to drain out when she lifted it off the water. "...this."

[Usagi Zenko]

He nods at that. "Hai, but they have teas from the Empire there. That either means some of the same tea is grown here, or that someone managed to get some from there, to here, in the hopes that Rokugani would come and drink it."

[Bayushi Hoshi]

"-Ah? Just in hope of that? I hope that they haven't held their breath for so long, they must have suffered through a lot just waiting."

[Usagi Zenko]

He raises his eyebrows. "Why would the Mantis, or the Kasuga, bring a tea favored by your clan? No offense, but Maiden Hair Tea isn't the first tea that many people gravitate towards."

[Bayushi Hoshi]

Hoshi released a faint breath, which could have been a gesture in sign of an actual scoff. "They don't really? Then maybe I should be disappointed in what's consider favourable tea in the Empire...As for why it's here, I can only imagine that they thought some gaijin would have found it curious enough to try." I don't count on either clans making good decisions...

[Usagi Zenko]

Zenko nods. "Hai, I suppose that could be a reason..."

[Bayushi Hoshi]

"Some gaijin trends have found themselves a tiny niche in the Empire. I could see why they've did it. They might have found a difficult time being popular. I should make a point to stop by there one more time, now that I've thought about it, a hot cup of tea on board the Half Moon is a rarity. A hot bath however? A myth."

[Usagi Zenko]

"Hai, very true. Let alone any privacy...." he looks up then. "But I know I can help with the hot tea part, as long as we have the tea available."