The sea wind is breaking up the morning overcast outside the wide glass windows of the House of Storms, and Seika is playing at seascape photography while she waits for her guest. As yet, there are only a few people on the beach down below, but the clouds and waves are putting on a show of their own.

Her own suite has a small sitting room, but it's kind of a mess right now after the flurry of getting ready for the fancy-dress masked party last night, and besides, the penthouse common room has better views. She's claimed a window-lined corner with one of the heavy wooden tables and a pile of the embassy cushions to sit on. The cushions are are cozy, but also brightly embroidered with sea monsters sporting various fanciful combinations of claws, fins, shells, and tentacle-arms, because someone thought that was a good idea. Maybe it's actually the Gray Orochi's clever plan to scare diplomats out of wasting too much duty time here swimming and fishing...? Except now I kind of just want takoyaki instead.

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D5 LM--fluff weather/sea photography with Holorecorder/Awareness, CR for better work. | 5k3 ⇒ 23 (TN: 20)

Yamako stopped by the market briefly to snag some good tea before heading over. After the morning she'd had, some tea and relaxation with someone she knew at least a bit would be perfect.

She walked up to the embassy doors and entered, looking around for the appropriate person to direct her.

The basic functions of the embassy are the responsibility of a crew of well-paid and well-vetted heimin (completely bribe-proofing the staff would be impossible, but one has to at least try).

One of these guides Yamako to the elevators, which will whisk her up to the top floor where Seika is messing around with her holorecorder. At the moment she is trying to get a good shot of three shimmerwings outside on the roof deck railing, squabbling over a half-eaten packet of cuttlefish crisps they must have plucked out of a wastebin somewhere.

Yamako gives a delicate cough to gain Seika’s attention. She knows an artist can be…temperamental at times.

The artist is currently creating a very serious work of casual genius depicting trash birds being trashy while eating trash, so... fortunately, not a grand effort requiring deep concentration. Especially since, just as the elevator doors are opening, a gust of higher wind catches the cuttlefish crisp packet like a tiny foil windsock and tugs it out of the dominant avian's claw. The tableau scatters, all three shimmerwings launching into a ragged dive off the side of the building--and out of view--in hot pursuit of their lunch.

Seika turns around, holorecorder still in one hand, already in motion toward the elevator bank. "Oh, hey! Welcome, Ide-san. It's good to see you again." A genuine smile curves her bold-painted lips.

She bows, the memory of Seika's real identity being revealed still fresh in her mind. "Good morning Yoritomo-sama. It is good to see you again as well."

She moved forward, the tea in her hand, offering it formally. "Please, I thought we could have some tea while we waited. I procured an acceptable vintage."

"That sounds great." Seika flourishes a hand in the direction of the table she'd picked out near the window-corner. "I've got the place pretty much to myself until the Gray Orochi--um, that's Yoritomo Yukie-sama--has it for her mahjong club later this afternoon, so we can set up wherever, but that's my favorite spot. You can see the sea, and also the people down on the beach. It's interesting to watch, you know?"

She seems comfortably at home in the resort-like setting of the House of Storms, having had the run of the place for a few days now. Long enough to know where to find things in the bar cabinets, certainly. "Hang on, I'll just grab one of the auto-kettles."

"Its absolutely stunning. I find myself quite envious, especially compared with our Embassy's...design. It is not how I would have chosen to set up the space."

"I can also make some more traditionally if you prefer. Either way is fine to me."

"Oh, that'd be great. I always botch it if I try the traditional way myself," Seika admits without embarrassment. "Either way, you still need hot water, yeah?" A few thumps emanate from the bar cabinets as she rummages inside.

She smiles. “Yes, water is always useful.” She brings out the tea and some apparatus. She waits for the hot water after drying up.

“It is no trouble Yoritomo-sama. I have had little time for practice lately, so this is useful to me as well.”

Seika emerges from her cabinet sojourn with a hot water kettle. "If we have one of those real charcoal stove things I don't know where it's stashed. But ifwe've got these spirit induction heaters, that should work okay, right? Watanabe-made," she adds with a grin, as she fills it with piped springwater before bringing it to the table where Yamako is preparing her tools.

She chuckles. "Sure, let me see what magic your family has wrought."

She gets everything set up properly before bowing carefully to Yoritomo-san. "Now don't fault me i I set myself on fire with this spirit induction heater, but beyond that we are ready."

"Ah, don't worry, they've got safety features." Seika reassures her half-seriously.

Then she shifts on her cushion, tucking her feet under herself and assuming a more decorous pose. Seika is Seika, but also a tea ceremony is a tea ceremony and an invited guest is an invited guest--there are certain social bonds that outweigh her usual cavalier approach to etiquette.

She set up the tea, whisking and measuring expertly.

(oOC: not rolling as previous day)

Her technique was fluid and practiced though not extraordinary.

Pouring for them both, she took a sip and then a breath. “Well, haven’t totally forgotten at least.”

"It's delicious, that's the important part... right?" Seika offers after quietly sitting with her own first sip for a moment. "It all looked right to me. I'm not really an expert, though. Or... only at the drinking part."

She chuckles. “That’s the most satisfying part, I suspect. Now, how had your stay been here so far? Minus this lovely embassy.”

"So far, so good." Seika nods judiciously. "I guess this isn't exactly a soft posting--you have to watch your step some places--but I left a lot of jealous cousins behind when I took off from Ironhome anyway." She grins at that.

"Wasn't expecting the giant industrial accident site right across the river from the capitol district, though. That"'s... weird." She shrugs. "How about you? It's too bad K--um, Noboru-san couldn't join you, I have to imagine he'd have a field day here."

She nodded, sipping her tea. “It does seem an odd addition to the area. I am sure it just have a purpose but I could not guess what it must be. And I am glad you have been able to spread your wings so to speak.
“

Her face softens slightly. “Yes, I wish he had been able to come. He has such a sharp eye for people. But his assignment was in a different location and duty called.”

She sips her tea. “Have you met anyone else from New Kalani here?”

"Hmm." Seika drums her fingertips on the side of the teabowl. "Well, she's not from New Kalani, but Susumu Yakumo is here. The singer who made a big splash there." Seika hasn't run in to Susumu Sumiko here yet, and might or might not remember the mousy little Spider if she did.

"Oh, and, funny coincidence--you remember the Crane artist who was in Kyuden Sango at the same time? Kakita Nazuna from Usagi Drop, the one with all the moves in Moshi Moshi Super Sunrise Escalation? Well, he's not here, but this other guy from his band is, Asahina Hinata." She smirks cheerily. "Hotaru Sakura-san and I totally crushed the two of them in the Oshidama tournament the other day."

She mentally side stepped the mention of the Spider. She still hadn’t forgiven them for New Kalani.

“Ahh yes, I saw that! You were both incredible. I wish we had done as well but it was quite enjoyable nonetheless.”