[D4 EA] Storming Weather

[Hotaru Sakura]

"Maybe someplace like here they'd end up that way, yeah," Seika agrees with a wry hmph.

"No, I was only on Mantis worlds. It's not too easy for ronin to get passage on a starship, specially across clan borders... well, I guess I don't have to tell you that, right?" She opens a hand to Sakura, her smile a bit self-conscious. "But also, that's the deal I struck with my family. They'd let me go, and I wouldn't leave Mantis space so they could always find me." She frowns a bit at that, wrinkling her nose.

"Ah, I see. Haven't been to Mantis space. Haven't been off-world ever, really." She smiled wryly. "I see." Wow, what a safe deal. "How did you find the experience?" She asked politely, opening her own hand in response.

[Yoritomo Seika]

"I learned a lot." Seika shrugs a little diffidently. "Nothing that would surprise you all that much, I bet, Hotaru-san. But for me it was a lot. When you've always had a big family, with certain, like, privileges... most of the time you only see the parts of the world you're supposed to see. And the parts of yourself they want you to see. You want to do your duty, you want to make life better, but you don't even know what most people need or what they worry about. I'm talking samurai, but also commoners."

She leans in a bit, elbows on the table. "I'm a shugenja by vocation, so I spent a lot of time in temples and following the monks on their rounds and all that. I learned common people trust you more when you're with monks, as a ronin. Or maybe just in general, to be honest? Not carrying two swords probably helps too." Her lips quirk at that.

[Hotaru Sakura]

"I learned a lot." Seika shrugs a little diffidently. "Nothing that would surprise you all that much, I bet, Hotaru-san. But for me it was a lot. When you've always had a big family, with certain, like, privileges... most of the time you only see the parts of the world you're supposed to see. And the parts of yourself they want you to see. You want to do your duty, you want to make life better, but you don't even know what most people need or what they worry about. I'm talking samurai, but also commoners."

She leans in a bit, elbows on the table. "I'm a shugenja by vocation, so I spent a lot of time in temples and following the monks on their rounds and all that. I learned common people trust you more when you're with monks, as a ronin. Or maybe just in general, to be honest? Not carrying two swords probably helps too." Her lips quirk at that.

Sakura nodded, for now, drawin the Yukata closer on herself.

"I can see that. Well, in a way." She looked down. "I saw...a couple of more provinces than the current court. That has been my life so far. Never been offworld. May never be." She shrugged, though there was some tenseness in there. "Monks...sometimes act as bridges between people. They'll listen to you, and guide you. Or steal your clothes, on occasion."

[Yoritomo Seika]

Seika snorts. "Monks are also people, yeah. Sometimes some of them get around." And sometimes they get around, even. Sometimes the ones you least expect, too.

She tilts her head, considering Sakura's hesitations. "So you've never been on one of the mining ships yet? Won't the Firefly have you up there sooner or later, or on that new planet J--I've heard about?" She nibbles her lower lip. "Or... don't you want to go?"

[Hotaru Sakura]

Seika snorts. "Monks are also people, yeah. Sometimes some of them get around." And sometimes they get around, even. Sometimes the ones you least expect, too.

She tilts her head, considering Sakura's hesitations. "So you've never been on one of the mining ships yet? Won't the Firefly have you up there sooner or later, or on that new planet J--I've heard about?" She nibbles her lower lip. "Or... don't you want to go?"

"Certainly, that's been my impression."

Sakura shrugged. "Haven't been a Firefly for long, truthfully. Just finished my basic certifications, so technically my skills match those of your average 16 year old Hotaru. Who has spent their whole life in space, while I never set foot there." she shrugged. "My skills lie elsewhere. Perhaps I'll visit the planet someday, but I don't have expectations of being ferried about for my own luxury.

[Yoritomo Seika]

"Even if they're parking you in court, there's other courts," Seika points out. "Imperial ones, even, with those exclusive mining contracts you have with them. I bet you're a quick study."

She shifts her gum from one cheek to the other, thoughtfully. "So, how many other Firefly have you actually met, if you don't mind me asking? You're only like the second person from the clan I've met, at least to have a real conversation with... Imperials say we other clans can't buy the good stuff from you directly, so we don't see too many Firefly trade reps at the shipyards."

[Hotaru Sakura]

"Even if they're parking you in court, there's other courts," Seika points out. "Imperial ones, even, with those exclusive mining contracts you have with them. I bet you're a quick study."

She shifts her gum from one cheek to the other, thoughtfully. "So, how many other Firefly have you actually met, if you don't mind me asking? You're only like the second person from the clan I've met, at least to have a real conversation with... Imperials say we other clans can't buy the good stuff from you directly, so we don't see too many Firefly trade reps at the shipyards."

"I have met a few." She replied defensively. "Like....3-4? There's Tsuyo-sama, and her wife, and Katsu-sama, and Hotaru-sama, of course..." Wow, a whole lot. "Some who were passing by..."

She blushed and looked away. "I may not be a good indication of a Firefly, Yoritomo-sama. Perhaps one day I'll visit another court, but for now, I'm just...interning. I guess.

[Yoritomo Seika]

Seika flourishes a hand reassuringly. "You're doing fine as far as I can tell. I was curious, is all. It's not a really big clan you've found yourself in, I bet there's room for you to be whatever you do best. So don't sell yourself at short prices, yeah?"

[Hotaru Sakura]

Seika flourishes a hand reassuringly. "You're doing fine as far as I can tell. I was curious, is all. It's not a really big clan you've found yourself in, I bet there's room for you to be whatever you do best. So don't sell yourself at short prices, yeah?"

"Ah, arigatou, that means a lot coming from an experienced hand like yourself Yoritomo-sama." She beamed at the compliment. "How are you liking World of Dreams so far?"

[Yoritomo Seika]

"Hah, experienced." Seika chuckles. "Tell that to my cousins in Marketing and Public Relations. They were pretty salty about me getting this winter posting over them. 'Is she even qualified for a major court? What's the last contract she negotiated?'" Seika imitates an exaggerated valley-samurai-ko tone with (mostly) good humor. "Because I handle people who do actual work, and don't just talk about talking about talking..." She shakes her head slightly.

"Well... it's like I said, when you have a certain station, you see the parts of things people want you to see. Those parts are pretty sweet, here." She pauses... diplomatically?

[Hotaru Sakura]

"Hah, experienced." Seika chuckles. "Tell that to my cousins in Marketing and Public Relations. They were pretty salty about me getting this winter posting over them. 'Is she even qualified for a major court? What's the last contract she negotiated?'" Seika imitates an exaggerated valley-samurai-ko tone with (mostly) good humor. "Because I handle people who do actual work, and don't just talk about talking about talking..." She shakes her head slightly.

"Well... it's like I said, when you have a certain station, you see the parts of things people want you to see. Those parts are pretty sweet, here." She pauses... diplomatically?

Sakura giggled. "I trust Yoritomo-sama to have handled this conversation with grace and applomb." Seika did not seem like one to brook fools at any rate.

"Like..does she even know, what to wear to court, like?" She tried to join in on the imitation. It was not good.

"Ah, I see. Yeah, World of Dreams can offer a lot to the rich and powerful." She eyed the woman. "But I wouldn't be surprised if Yoritomo-sama took a look at the parts she wasn't supposed to see."

[Yoritomo Seika]

Seika's lips turn up in a smile that is equal parts Yeah, you got me and cat-that-ate-the-cream.

"I can't help looking, anyway. It's a real problem with me, I'm told."

She cracks her gum thoughtfully. "Besides, you meet more interesting people in the bad parts of town. Present company excepted."

[Hotaru Sakura]

Seika's lips turn up in a smile that is equal parts Yeah, you got me and cat-that-ate-the-cream.

"I can't help looking, anyway. It's a real problem with me, I'm told."

She cracks her gum thoughtfully. "Besides, you meet more interesting people in the bad parts of town. Present company excepted."

Sakura let out a small laugh. "Yoritomo-sama is curious, like a cat, neh? Met anyone interesting in that part of town?"

[Yoritomo Seika]

"A bunch of common people who have some pretty hairy memories of the Kinuran accident five years back. And some who are damn good noodle cooks." Seika licks her lips delicately, remembering the spicy sauce from that one noodle shop. "And a couple of intriguing ronin. One guy with a chip the size of a planetoid on his shoulder, name of Akuta. And a guy called Dai, who's a holorecorder geek like me." She smiles at that.

[Hotaru Sakura]

"A bunch of common people who have some pretty hairy memories of the Kinuran accident five years back. And some who are damn good noodle cooks." Seika licks her lips delicately, remembering the spicy sauce from that one noodle shop. "And a couple of intriguing ronin. One guy with a chip the size of a planetoid on his shoulder, name of Akuta. And a guy called Dai, who's a holorecorder geek like me." She smiles at that.

"Oh? You know Dai-san? He's a good guy! Very professional." She smiled happily. "I can only recommend him. Did a few jobs together, and was a joy to work with."

She tilted her head. "Yoritomo-sama is looking into the accident?" How interesting.

[Yoritomo Seika]

"Oh, did you know him, uh, back when? That's a real recommendation, then. All I really know right now is that he's good with a holorecorder, seems cool... and might be on the crazy side of brave." Seika's lips quirk.

"Yeah, I'm... well, I am nosy, but also it's, like, professional curiosity. Me and my team at Watanabe Industries are working on experimental power generation, ourselves." Seika gestures vaguely at the rain-slashed observation windows, and the sky beyond them. "Solar orbit, not planetary. If we can get it up to enough capacity it could even make terrestrial spirit furnaces like Kinuran obsolete. So in theory it's a lot safer. But..." she winces.

"A criticality event like you had here is the worst case scenario. The worst case. And there's like a hundred safeguards that are supposed to stop it happening like that. But here, everything would've had to fail."

[Hotaru Sakura]

Sakura...sort of shrugged. She had abasic understanding of engineering now. "It certainly seems like an unfortunate event...I mean, maybe we had a Yogo who really loved their work?"

She glanced outwards, and drew the yukata in closer. "So...party tomorrow?" She asked timidly, trying to change to a happier subject.

[Yoritomo Seika]

"Yeah, it's gonna be sweet." It isn't hard to tell that Sakura would prefer to change the subject, and in this instance Seika has no problem accommodating her. "So there isn't time to order anything specially printed--I mean, like, napkins and stuff--and honestly that kind of look is way too stuffy for what we were planning anyways, but I was thinking, what if we get some stickers..."

--
Is Sakura's segue intended as a fade-to-party-planning? Works for me either way.

[Hotaru Sakura]

"Ooooh, sounds good. And since we're after the concert, we can put some Usagi Drop and Yakumo songs during the party?" Sakura seemed reinvigorated.

/fade to partay planning