The garden pleased Nishida and therefore it was no surprise that he was here again to pour himself a pot of tea in the park. Similar to the day before, he had set up a pot of water over an electric heater and was waiting for the water to start boiling.

A cigarette was in his hand and he looked at his Densai. The court had just begun and already his calendar was full of appointments. He sighed slightly and looked at Akechi and Himei. Sometimes he wondered if they had an easier life than he did.

----
D2, MA, Tea Ceremony 2 / Void 3 | 5k3 ⇒ 43 (TN: 20)

A polite cough from nearby. "Pardon me, is it okay if I...?"

A short woman with a flash of Mantis-green scarf showing at the neckline of her jacket is half-crouching on the paved path not too far from Nishida, wielding a holorecorder that's not quite pointed straight at him.

While setting up a shot with the spidery maintenance bots in short focus against a slightly blurred background of picnicking park patrons, Seika has belatedly realized that one of the lawn-sitters in frame appears to be not just a samurai, but one from the Imperial families. She's not usually shy about photographing whoever and whatever crosses her path in public, but Seppun and Otomo can sometimes be tetchy types... this might be one of those rare times when it's actually better to ask permission than forgiveness.

Nishida looked in the direction of the coughing and put his densai aside.

A mantis?, he thought to himself. Probably wants to take pictures for home.

He gave her an okay wave, pictures of him weren't rare and he wouldn't worry too much about that.

Seika gives a quick wave back and bends her head over her holorecorder again, seemingly taking a series of pictures of the garden tableau from different angles. Although she moves around a bit while doing this, she doesn't wander far; before long she clips the holorecorder back onto its shoulder strap and approaches Nishida with a polite bow. "Thanks, um..." She looks a little closer, "...Miya-san, for letting me bother you with my hobby here. The light was really good in this direction, you know?"

A Miya, she guesses, would actually be a bit less likely to object to being included in a shot. But she hadn't been able to see his mon that well from further away.

--
Fluff roll!
D2 MA—Garden photography of people and robots, Artisan: Holorecorder/Awa, 1 raise for more ART | 5k3 ⇒ 21 (TN: 20)

San? he asked himself for a moment before studying the mantis woman more closely.

"You're welcome... Mantis-sama. I am Miya Nishida, servant of the Imperial Revenue Service. With whom do I have the honor?"
Now, as an Imperial, he had to take a neutral role, but he was all too mindful of the raids on the Yasuki merchant ships by Mantis pirates. he was thinking about how best to brush off someone who outranked him, when the whistle of his teakettle brought Nishida back from his thoughts.

"You seem to have come just in time. Would you like some tea?" he asked diplomatically.

"Imperial Revenue, huh? I bet you don't call very many Great Clan samurai anything-sama, then," the possibly-a-pirate Mantis says, brows arching. "Probably don't start on my account."

She bows with a little flourish, since introductions seem to be afoot. "I'm Yoritomo no Watanabe Seika, Watanabe Properties Flarenet division management." Someone with Nishida's background would probably be able to infer, from this description, a relatively high rank in the well-known vassal family conglomerate. "It's a pleasure to meet you. And share your tea, if you really don't mind."

"I didn't expect to meet such a high personage within the Mantis" he replied, gesturing beside him, "Do sit down, tea is best enjoyed in pairs."

"And you are right, there are indeed few I still address as -sama, Yoritomo-sama."

"Are you here for the court season?" Seika asks, plopping down to sit as invited. "The clan always sends a few samurai who can throw their weight around to the World of Dreams. I bet sooner or later you'd have run in to whoever got the short straw." Her bold-painted lips turn up in a quick grin. "Lucky for you, it just so happens to be me this year."

Settling down, she sets her holorecorder carefully beside her. She pats her pocket and looks, for a moment, like she might take something out, but then thinks better of it.

---
Nishida is saved from witnessing a gum-chewing Compulsion roll only by virtue of the 'no dice rolls in past-day scenes' rule...

"In fact, my husband, Miya Haruto, and I have been sent here for the Winter Court," he replied, and began to pull out two cups from a bag.

"Of course, to assist all the clans in word and deed. The well-being of the realm is very dear to the Miya." He took a spicier tea from his assortment, one that was probably more popular among the Mantis, not exactly his personal favorite, but not a bad tea either.

"I assume Yoritomo-sama is here for the Winter Court as well?"

Seika nods. "There's plenty of people who could use assisting around here, yeah. Even in a province this rich, there's always something. A smoking hole where a spirit reactor used to be... stuff like that." Seika shakes her head, still a bit boggled by that one.

"Yeah, that's right. Safeguard clan interests, keep an eye out for new Flarenet investors, all of the usual." Lightly, she adds, "I guess we're not expecting anything really big to go down for us on this planet this Winter, otherwise someone harder than me would've gotten the tap."

"The war in the Crossroads system has been going on for a long time now, I hope the Winter Courts in the Lion and Mantis worlds can finally restore peace" he mentioned diplomatically as he poured the tea. "It is in the interest of the Empire that peace is restored."

"Yeah, sometimes I wonder if the admirals on both sides are getting kind of attached to the place," Seika says, wrinkling her nose a bit in an expression of distaste. "Or they're afraid of getting bored if they call it quits. It keeps Watanabe Shipyards in business, of course, but there's definitely more we could be known for besides"--she waves her hands in an 'air quotes' gesture--"'pirate ships,' you know?"

"It would be nice if the shipyards got an image change. I remember many, many reports I have received in my past from their,... victories I've been privileged to read," he said cautiously.

He handed her a cup and took one for himself.
"I hope you like it"

She accepts the cup with a smile and a polite nod of thanks. "Tea shared by a generous person you just met--what's not to like, right?"

Apparently familiar with the basic forms, she handles the cup properly as she samples the scent and taste of the tea. "Oh, that's pretty nice. You're good at this, Miya-san." Spoken with the sincerity of someone who's had to sit through many fellow young socialites' obligatory-but-apathetic tea demonstrations...

"I thought you said you're in Imperial Revenue, though. You guys read a lot of battle reports in the tax department?"

Nishida was silent for a moment. He had blabbed, damn it! It would still take some time until he got used to being imperial. Lying was probably useless and also crying over spilled sake, the tea was served and politeness told him not to ignore it. Someday he was at the top of the food chain, someday....

"I have not been in the fold of the Chrysanthemum for long. I was once called Yasuki Nishida, Yoritomo-sama," he said, bowing his head slightly.

"O-oh, gotcha." Seika's brows arch knowingly. "Um, congratulations on your engagement, then, Miya-san?"

That's the most obvious conclusion by far, anyway. 'Adopted by a rich childless Miya magnate who needs an heir for legal reasons' happens in novels sometimes, but I don't think it's too likely in real life...

"Thank you, my wedding was quite,... opulent" he replied, clearing his throat. "Where were we?" he tried to reestablish the conversation.

"I was complimenting your tea skills." She lifts the tea bowl a little.

Then her painted lips quirk wryly. "And you were complimenting my family's warships."

"Right" he adjusted his glasses, "As I said before, a change in reputation would do the Galactic Community good, I think." It would also stabilize trade routes, though he wondered how the Mantis would survive without piracy.

"Sure it would. Peace is good for business, too." Seika sips her tea and nods. As a Yasuki by birth, she guesses she won't make Nishida wince too badly by speaking straightforwardly about commerce. "Not that the Lion are going to admit caring about that, though It's hard to make a square deal when one side thinks 'deal' is a dirty word, you know?" She sighs ruefully, though with some wry humor in her eyes.