The warmth of the sun beat down on Nsihida, who had just found a corner in the garden for himself.
He sat in front of his personal pc, while Himei and Akechi had the surroundings in view. He had bought a little something to eat and drink and was in the process of eating it bit by bit.

On the screen of his computer there were lines of code and Nishida looked,... strangely sad?

"I wonder what she's doing right now?" he muttered to himself as he continued to browse through the code.

D1 EA Computer/Intelligence Void for +1k1 | 5k4 ⇒ 38 (TN: 20)

Although he was a bit melancholic, he made good progress and programmed a few more subfunctions into the existing code.

Dai often enjoyed the gardens. They were free and with plenty of space it was usually easy to keep out of the way of other samurai... and they were free.

Of course trying to keep out of the way of other samurai sometimes meant crossing paths with those who were also seeking solitude if for other reasons.

As he stumbles, thankfully not literally, over the Miya the ronin bows deeply and apologetically.

"Uh, sorry Miya-sama, didn't realize anyone was over here. I'll be gettin' out of your hair never you mind." Though deep in bow the ronin couldn't quite keep his eyes from appraising the personal PC... someday, someday.

Nishida looked to Dai. More ronin? went through his mind.
With one hand he closed the computer and straightened up.

Akechi and Himei had already taken a defensive position, but Nishida waved them off for now. If someone wanted to kill him in the middle of a park, that would probably cause too much trouble, he hoped.

"Who are you?" Asked Nishda directly, with a neutral expression.

Although the ronin is armed he definitely does not come across as threatening. Though someone shrewd could likely perceive that effort is being put into appearing extra non-threatening.

"Um... I'm Dai, sir, Delvin' Dai they call me. But nobody you need worry yourself about. Just out for a stroll is all." The young man does his best to offer a disarming smile.

Nishida scanned the Ronin's clothing and got stuck on the White Wolf.
"White Wolf, huh? Not necessarily my favorite, but you must have done something to earn it."
Nsihida points to the trademark symbol on Dai's clothing.

"Come sit down," Nishida offered kindly, though that was an offer that would normally be hard to refuse.

And an offer that, in the history of ronin, was often followed by one of the two scarier folk making you sit down if a refusal was attempted.

"Oh, of course, uh... thank you Miya-sama." He looks down at the logo as he settles into a sitting position, "Uh, yeah, I do a little broadcast and I guess I got enough eyes that they thought it worth a bit of coin."

Nishida slid the arragment of snacks and drinks between them and sat down again.

With a hand gesture he signaled Dai to help himself to it.
"What are these broadcasts? I hardly watch entertainment videos. The closest thing to it are documentaries I watch on my space travels."

With a few spare koku in his pocket Dai was not desperate enough to make a fool of himself in gobbling up offered food and, in fact, manages to present himself with decorum perhaps unexpected for one of his station. Not Imperial standards, of course, but with manners at least befitting a proper samurai.

He uses a brief moment of chewing to figure out a fitting description. "I mean I guess they're kind of like documentaries... in a way. Uh, I do urban exploration - why they call me Delvin' Dai - explorin' and investigatin' the abandoned and forgotten places." He looks to the logos again, "But it was when I started doin' my runs into Desolation that it really took off."


(Fluff - D1, EA: Etiquette/Awareness - Snacking with an Imperial | 4k3 ⇒ 17 (TN: ?))

Nishda was pleased with the manners of his guest. "The Desolation, then," he began, "I've only heard stories about it. Recently, I've been able to supply a Spirit Furnance to an interested party, so the story is twice as interesting. What do you know about the place?"

He scratches his chin, "Guess it was about five years ago now that it blew. Don't really know the how or why of it but it took out the surrounding district and apparently let a whole buncha scary shit, uh pardon my language, into the area. It was an industrial research park, before the blast, so lots of whizz stuff got left behind if it wasn't destroyed. So, with the right permits and a lotta guts, you can go in and explore and salvage."

"Ah, so the appeal for your show is those who won't or can't enter Ground Zero, I suppose." he waved a hand. "Once upon a time, I belonged to the crab clan. The manners there were far,,. less present."

He adjusted his glasses and looked over at Dai. "I assume the artifacts there are of high value to interested parties?"

"That or those hopin' to get to see me eaten by a gaki. Probably more of the latter than I might like." He chuckles a little, "And, yeah, sometimes you can find some intact tech that people drool over. If not you can usually scoop up a bit of glimmerstone to make a few coins off of."

"Glimmerstone?" it was the first time he heard about it. "Is this a local mineral?"

"Yeah, you only find it in the Desolation. Don't know if it was somethin' they were researchin' in the area or if it's a side effect of the furnace blast."

"Ohhh intersting." he actually had serious interest in it. "What buyers can you find among those who want such a Glimmerstone?" Nishida sounded as if he was also interested in it, possibly it could be sold profitably in the future.

The ronin nods, "There's some collectors, those who like fancy stones or morbid stuff, but mostly shugenja. Guess there's some spirit power locked in the rock."

Nishida was silent for a while. He was not a shugenja, but as a gift, or rather payment, he could continue to use this rarity. On the other hand, of course, the question was what the investment would cost.

"Tell me, are you interested in getting such an item for a reasonable compensation for an interested party?"

Dai straightens a little and nods, "That... could be arranged, for the right price of course." The change in demeanor is subtle but it is obvious to a keen observer that 'Business Dai' was a different beast from 'Delvin' Dai'.

Target Acquired.

Many guests were taken in by the beauty of the holographic gardens. The images were quite breathtaking. However, it was a poor idea to lower one's guard here. Those distracted might find themselves the victim of those who knew how to use the camouflage to their advantage and literally take someone's breath away.

One could easily hear the cry of the self-important Imperial, just near the weed of a ponytail sticking up among the foliage.

And so Hato made her approach.


Agi/Stealth: 35

"Well if that's what it's about..." Nsihida went a little quiet for a moment. A finger point to Akechi and Himei was all that betrayed that he noticed something that was different.

"You should keep in mind that I usually don't miss out on anything."

As he finished his sentence, Himei and Akechi simultaneously drew their weapons and pointed them at the spot from which Hato came.

"Better give up now, you wouldn't be the first person to try to kill me, whoever you are." said Nishida without turning away from Dai.

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D1, EA Perception Investigation against Hato Void +1k1 | 7k4 ⇒ 36 (TN: 35)