[D7 MA] The Wolf and the Flower (expecting)

[Miya Nishida]

Nishdia had slowly taken a liking to the pavilion. Now that the heat dominated the planet, it offered a pleasant shade. The surreal nature of the park, however, somehow reached a new height with the merciless sun, the flickering heat underlining the holograms and shadowless trees, creating an image like a fever dream.

Accompanied by his bodyguard, he sat in the pavilion and awaited his guest.

[Hato]

Nishdia had slowly taken a liking to the pavilion. Now that the heat dominated the planet, it offered a pleasant shade. The surreal nature of the park, however, somehow reached a new height with the merciless sun, the flickering heat underlining the holograms and shadowless trees, creating an image like a fever dream.

Accompanied by his bodyguard, he sat in the pavilion and awaited his guest.

Hato was grateful that she normally didn't spend money on makeup these days, because it would have just been melting off her. She had heard the rumors of the Miya's teatime. While others had snickered at it, Hato thought it was a good tradition to be upheld. Modern tea houses were beautiful in their variety, but they lacked the elegance of the old way.

She bowed deeply, after making sure the guards saw her coming a long ways away.

"Lord Chrysanthemum, this one appreciates Lord Chrysanthemum's invitation on this rather warm day." she offered.

[Miya Nishida]

Hato was grateful that she normally didn't spend money on makeup these days, because it would have just been melting off her. She had heard the rumors of the Miya's teatime. While others had snickered at it, Hato thought it was a good tradition to be upheld. Modern tea houses were beautiful in their variety, but they lacked the elegance of the old way.

She bowed deeply, after making sure the guards saw her coming a long ways away.

"Lord Chrysanthemum, this one appreciates Lord Chrysanthemum's invitation on this rather warm day." she offered.

"Hato-san" he greeted them and bowed his head slightly, "Come sit in the shade." he pointed to a cushion at some distance from him. "Did you know that hot tea on hot days helps to cope with the heat? Most people drink cold drinks to cool themselves down, but they only manage to heat their bodies up again shortly after."

[Hato]

"Hato-san" he greeted them and bowed his head slightly, "Come sit in the shade." he pointed to a cushion at some distance from him. "Did you know that hot tea on hot days helps to cope with the heat? Most people drink cold drinks to cool themselves down, but they only manage to heat their bodies up again shortly after."

Hato nodded.

"This one has heard such wisdom before, Lord Chrysanthemum. Yet the sellers of shaved ice do the most of their business of hot days. This one would view it as a representation of how one deals with adversity they cannot change. Do they struggle against it in vain, or do they seek to adapt?" she offered conversationally having taken the offered cushion.

[Miya Nishida]

Hato nodded.

"This one has heard such wisdom before, Lord Chrysanthemum. Yet the sellers of shaved ice do the most of their business of hot days. This one would view it as a representation of how one deals with adversity they cannot change. Do they struggle against it in vain, or do they seek to adapt?" she offered conversationally having taken the offered cushion.

"That's a good question. And one that you have to ask yourself every day. Do you give in to the pressure or do you fight it? Do you decide to bloom or wither in the desert? Our head is made of steel and we are hard until we go to sleep at night. Then they come, the doubts, the fears, the worries and hardships that we take upon ourselves and tear at the iron facade. It is a struggle that lasts for eons, the eternal race against one's own shadows, so to speak," he returned.

[Hato]

"That's a good question. And one that you have to ask yourself every day. Do you give in to the pressure or do you fight it? Do you decide to bloom or wither in the desert? Our head is made of steel and we are hard until we go to sleep at night. Then they come, the doubts, the fears, the worries and hardships that we take upon ourselves and tear at the iron facade. It is a struggle that lasts for eons, the eternal race against one's own shadows, so to speak," he returned.

Hato doubted that the Miya eternally struggled against anything more difficult then whether to have the really nice sake, or the really smooth sake with his sushi dinner. What must it be like to be born to wealth and power, but view oneself as some sort of struggling hero? But Courtesy demanded that such thoughts be hidden behind a pleasant face and Duty demanded that she steer the conversation to the point of the meeting.

"Lord Chrysanthemum's grasp of such struggles is beyond this one's reach." she admitted. "This one recalls speaking with Lord Chrysanthemum about those who had lost everything in such struggles. This one wonders if Lord Chrysanthemum has had a chance to speak with Soshi Kioku? She is currently working on spin drake research in the conservation area, but before she lost everything to the blast, she was working as a genetic researcher in that area. At least, that is the whisper upon the street."

[Miya Nishida]

"Soshi Kioku?" he pondered, he met her at the concert, he believed.

He took a teapot in his hand and classically led it to two cups he prepared.

"Interesting, did you find out anything else about them?"

----
D7 MA - Tea ceremony 2 / Void 3 | 5k3 ⇒ 32 (TN: 15)
+1Vp for Hato and Nishida

[Hato]

"Soshi Kioku?" he pondered, he met her at the concert, he believed.

He took a teapot in his hand and classically led it to two cups he prepared.

"Interesting, did you find out anything else about them?"

----
D7 MA - Tea ceremony 2 / Void 3 | 5k3 ⇒ 32 (TN: 15)
+1Vp for Hato and Nishida

Hato sat through the ritual that brought harmony to the soul in the proper silence. It had been a long time since tea had been anything but a cheap instant drink. She had forgotten just how calming it could be. It would have been nice if she had been able to at least save a tea cup to remember them by.

Hato shook her head.

"Little more than that. The Scorpion have no love for wolves, and this one would not presume to use Lord Chrysanthemum's name to discover more. That is a privilege reserved for Lord Chrysanthemum and Lord Chrysanthemum alone." she admitted.

"Still those that this one talked to seemed very sure that she would be a person of interest for Lord Chrysanthemum, who might have one of those unpopular stories he is seeking out."

[Miya Nishida]

"Hmmmm" he thought out loud, "Too bad, I guess I'll actually have to take care of it myself." he sighed slightly.

"You have done me a good service though, Hato-san, how can I thank you for that?" he asked unabashedly, as Yasuki just did.

[Hato]

"Hmmmm" he thought out loud, "Too bad, I guess I'll actually have to take care of it myself." he sighed slightly.

"You have done me a good service though, Hato-san, how can I thank you for that?" he asked unabashedly, as Yasuki just did.

Strangely, the answer he got back was way more reserved than one would expect of a ronin.

"This one trusts that Lord Chrysanthemum knows the value of good service and knows how to properly balance the scales for such." she demurred.

She took a moment to breath in the pleasing aroma of tea for a few more moments.

"This one would also ask if there is any more side missions that Lord Chrysanthemum would need of this one." she asked. "Although if this one has none until Lord Chrysanthemum speaks to the researcher, this one understands."

[Miya Nishida]

Strangely, the answer he got back was way more reserved than one would expect of a ronin.

"This one trusts that Lord Chrysanthemum knows the value of good service and knows how to properly balance the scales for such." she demurred.

She took a moment to breath in the pleasing aroma of tea for a few more moments.

"This one would also ask if there is any more side missions that Lord Chrysanthemum would need of this one." she asked. "Although if this one has none until Lord Chrysanthemum speaks to the researcher, this one understands."

"There might actually be something" he said, tilting his head slightly, "It's not easy work though, but could be far more rewarding" he said, flicking a Koku at Hato.

He drank his tea with relish. And watched the young ronin intently.

[Hato]

"There might actually be something" he said, tilting his head slightly, "It's not easy work though, but could be far more rewarding" he said, flicking a Koku at Hato.

He drank his tea with relish. And watched the young ronin intently.

As expected, the koku made it's way into Hato's possession quickly enough. She didn't look offended by the Miya literally throwing money at her. She had been hungry far too many times for pride to still be a factor.

"This one is happy to honor Ebisu whenever one can." she offered. "Lord Chrysanthemum seems to have an excellent understanding of how things are, so this one will not be so foolish to state obvious things. How may this one be of assistance to Lord Chrysanthemum?"

[Miya Nishida]

As expected, the koku made it's way into Hato's possession quickly enough. She didn't look offended by the Miya literally throwing money at her. She had been hungry far too many times for pride to still be a factor.

"This one is happy to honor Ebisu whenever one can." she offered. "Lord Chrysanthemum seems to have an excellent understanding of how things are, so this one will not be so foolish to state obvious things. How may this one be of assistance to Lord Chrysanthemum?"

He grinned, "My teacher once said that koku flourished wherever the masses clamored for goods, the only thing needed was information. And that's exactly what I'm looking for. Information."

He leaned back a bit, "You are good at not making yourself known, at least to the average samurai," he said, "Would you dare to find out more about the Sohi and their gene lab?" he asked. "The word is that she works in the Wild Sanctuary."

[Hato]

Hato considered the request.

"This one could do that." she agreed. "This one would ask for Lord Chrysanthemum to help with a demonstration of piety in exchange."

She did a little math in her head.

"Would Lord Chrysanthemum be willing to entrust to this one, a one koku offering for each of the great fortunes now, and one for each of them on the return?" she posed.

Of course, Hato wasn't going to actually give the money to the temple. But it was a polite enough way to ask for 14 koku, 7 up front.

Though if he was the sort to haggle, it didn't feel like she was unmovable on that price.

[Miya Nishida]

"7 koku now and 7 koku later?" he considered, 7 koku was virtually nothing. He took a sip of tea and darted out onto the park, the flickering of the hologromma coupled with the flickering of the heat was still hard to understand. It created a whole new illusion.

"No problem, Hato-san," he finally replied. He clapped his hands and Akechi brought a Small Bag. Nishdia took from it 7 koku, which he carefully placed between himself and Hato, "A good price for a dangerous service."

[Hato]

"7 koku now and 7 koku later?" he considered, 7 koku was virtually nothing. He took a sip of tea and darted out onto the park, the flickering of the hologromma coupled with the flickering of the heat was still hard to understand. It created a whole new illusion.

"No problem, Hato-san," he finally replied. He clapped his hands and Akechi brought a Small Bag. Nishdia took from it 7 koku, which he carefully placed between himself and Hato, "A good price for a dangerous service."

'No Problem, Hato-san' got a slightly curious look from the ronin. There was something in it's phrasing that broke with the established image of Miya Nishida. It was a little mystery to be filed away for later.

The bag was filed away now.

"Of course, Lord Chrysanthemum, it will be done. This one shall report their findings to you tomorrow, at the same time and place, if it is pleasing to Lord Chrysanthemum." she said.

[Miya Nishida]

"You promise fast delivery times, I respect that. I'm here as always" he said and put down his cup. "I wish you good luck in any case, Hato-san".

Hopefully this ronin wouldn't appear half dead. Eventually, people would just ask questions if he drank tea with blood poor ronin at regular intervals.

[Hato]

"You promise fast delivery times, I respect that. I'm here as always" he said and put down his cup. "I wish you good luck in any case, Hato-san".

Hopefully this ronin wouldn't appear half dead. Eventually, people would just ask questions if he drank tea with blood poor ronin at regular intervals.

Hato rose and bowed deeply, taking that for a dismissal.

?exit

[Miya Nishida]

He bowed slightly for a last farewell.

/scene (Thank you! )