(Day 1, LM) Just a walk in the park (Expecting)

[Hato]

There was more to Hato's life than sweeping the temple and walking. But one had to walk if one wanted work. It reminded her of the old joke about Shinsei and horses. Still, if one had to walk, having an excuse to walk through the garden of mists at least made the walk more enjoyable.

One of the spider-bots beeped at her and moved aside, it having a far more gentle understanding of what a person was than many of the samurai who walked through the park.

[Akodo Inasa]

Someone else also had the idea to walk. Meetings were stiff, not only in terms of formality, but physically. A walk would help loosen up after all that. A movement caught his eye, and he spent a few moments watching one of the lilac dragons chase a butterfly with a small smile. The World of Dreams had a lot to offer, but there was nothing quite like small pleasures like this.

Fortunately, he noticed another presence soon enough to bow. "Akodo Inasa. It's a nice morning for a walk, isn't it?"

[Hato]

Someone else also had the idea to walk. Meetings were stiff, not only in terms of formality, but physically. A walk would help loosen up after all that. A movement caught his eye, and he spent a few moments watching one of the lilac dragons chase a butterfly with a small smile. The World of Dreams had a lot to offer, but there was nothing quite like small pleasures like this.

Fortunately, he noticed another presence soon enough to bow. "Akodo Inasa. It's a nice morning for a walk, isn't it?"

Hato halted at the hail, and turned to the Lion, giving him a deep bow.

"It is indeed, Lord Lion, though yesterday's rains have left a heavy humidity to remind us of their passing. When one wishes to address this one beyond 'you, ronin,' this one is known as Hato." she offered. "This one hopes that Lord Lion was able to enjoy yesterdays festivities as well."

[Akodo Inasa]

"Hato-san, then. It's a pleasure to meet you," he said, dipping into a shallower bow. "I did not have the opportunity to go out into it, but it was hard to miss even from indoors. I hope you were able to engage with it a bit more and fully enjoy the festivities."

[Hato]

"Hato-san, then. It's a pleasure to meet you," he said, dipping into a shallower bow. "I did not have the opportunity to go out into it, but it was hard to miss even from indoors. I hope you were able to engage with it a bit more and fully enjoy the festivities."

Hato nodded lightly.

"It was a day for for remembering heroes and for the vendors to honor Daikoku. Not a day well suited for ronin, but relatively pleasant conversations were had with those who do not don the scarlet and black. One never knows where two paths will cross does one?" she offered.

She looked to the gardens, taking in their beauty in the late morning sun.

[Akodo Inasa]

Hato nodded lightly.

"It was a day for for remembering heroes and for the vendors to honor Daikoku. Not a day well suited for ronin, but relatively pleasant conversations were had with those who do not don the scarlet and black. One never knows where two paths will cross does one?" she offered.

She looked to the gardens, taking in their beauty in the late morning sun.

"Every day is a day for vendors to honor Daikoku, I suspect," he commented, doing his best and mostly succeeding at keeping an edge of sarcasm out of his voice. "Though, as for the former... it's not as though there have never been ronin heroes. Something more might do well to remember, all things considered."

[Hato]

"Every day is a day for vendors to honor Daikoku, I suspect," he commented, doing his best and mostly succeeding at keeping an edge of sarcasm out of his voice. "Though, as for the former... it's not as though there have never been ronin heroes. Something more might do well to remember, all things considered."

Hato pauses a moment taking in the Lions words.

"Lord Lion speaks the truth, there have been ronin heroes in the past.....but this one feels they are two different beasts indeed. A samurai of the clans becomes a hero because of their clan and family....a ronin becomes a hero despite their circumstance. Even after they've passed from this world, a hero of the clans will have descendants who bring offerings to them, will proudly boast of their connection to them, take their name to bring more glory and honor unto it. The ronin hero fades from the world much faster. A big wave, but a wave nonetheless returning to the ocean." she muses.

[Akodo Inasa]

Hato pauses a moment taking in the Lions words.

"Lord Lion speaks the truth, there have been ronin heroes in the past.....but this one feels they are two different beasts indeed. A samurai of the clans becomes a hero because of their clan and family....a ronin becomes a hero despite their circumstance. Even after they've passed from this world, a hero of the clans will have descendants who bring offerings to them, will proudly boast of their connection to them, take their name to bring more glory and honor unto it. The ronin hero fades from the world much faster. A big wave, but a wave nonetheless returning to the ocean." she muses.

"You also speak the truth..." He pressed his lips together, gaze focusing on the middle distance. "Though being a hero and being remembered as a hero is a bit of a Venn diagram."

Focusing back on her, he finally asks, "That's neither here nor there, I suppose, though, far away from the practical reality of things. How have your prospects been looking here?"

[Hato]

"You also speak the truth..." He pressed his lips together, gaze focusing on the middle distance. "Though being a hero and being remembered as a hero is a bit of a Venn diagram."

Focusing back on her, he finally asks, "That's neither here nor there, I suppose, though, far away from the practical reality of things. How have your prospects been looking here?"

It was an odd turn of phrase, though not as odd as the Yogo's fan of her work comment. Still, she felt confident that she knew what the Lion meant, while knowing that even in the garden one had to watch their words carefully indeed. One couldn't even trust the beeping little caretaking robots to not serve as ears for the Scorpion.

"The monks of the Temple of Shosuro provide this one a roof over this one's head and two small bowls of rice a day. Still, this one is not particularly enamored of the idea of shaving this one's head, and is always looking for new opportunities, rare though they may be. This one wonders if perhaps Lord Lion is looking for something as well?" she offers conversationally .

[Akodo Inasa]

It was an odd turn of phrase, though not as odd as the Yogo's fan of her work comment. Still, she felt confident that she knew what the Lion meant, while knowing that even in the garden one had to watch their words carefully indeed. One couldn't even trust the beeping little caretaking robots to not serve as ears for the Scorpion.

"The monks of the Temple of Shosuro provide this one a roof over this one's head and two small bowls of rice a day. Still, this one is not particularly enamored of the idea of shaving this one's head, and is always looking for new opportunities, rare though they may be. This one wonders if perhaps Lord Lion is looking for something as well?" she offers conversationally .

He kept mostly focused on her, though he was clearly keeping half an eye on the robots and potential bugs, as well. "Hopefully they'll become less rare soon. Personally, I haven't been here long, so I'd say right now I'm hoping to learn more about the World of Dreams... With as huge and densely packed a city as it is, though, I may need a guide at this rate."

[Hato]

It was an odd turn of phrase, though not as odd as the Yogo's fan of her work comment. Still, she felt confident that she knew what the Lion meant, while knowing that even in the garden one had to watch their words carefully indeed. One couldn't even trust the beeping little caretaking robots to not serve as ears for the Scorpion.

"The monks of the Temple of Shosuro provide this one a roof over this one's head and two small bowls of rice a day. Still, this one is not particularly enamored of the idea of shaving this one's head, and is always looking for new opportunities, rare though they may be. This one wonders if perhaps Lord Lion is looking for something as well?" she offers conversationally .

He kept mostly focused on her, though he was clearly keeping half an eye on the robots and potential bugs, as well. "Hopefully they'll become less rare soon. Personally, I haven't been here long, so I'd say right now I'm hoping to learn more about the World of Dreams... With as huge and densely packed a city as it is, though, I may need a guide at this rate."

Hato nods.

"It is a World of Twisty Alleys at times. Much like a dream, the way forward is not always straightforward. It would be sensible to have a local guide with Lord Lion. This one could serve in that basic of a capacity if it interests Lord Lion and it does not interfere with this one's other activities." she offered.

[Akodo Inasa]

Hato nods.

"It is a World of Twisty Alleys at times. Much like a dream, the way forward is not always straightforward. It would be sensible to have a local guide with Lord Lion. This one could serve in that basic of a capacity if it interests Lord Lion and it does not interfere with this one's other activities." she offered.

"I would be honored to have a guide such as yourself, Hato-san. I'm grateful - I'm sure I would be able to help what whatever you might need that I can provide in return," he replied with a nod and a shallow bow.

[Hato]

"I would be honored to have a guide such as yourself, Hato-san. I'm grateful - I'm sure I would be able to help what whatever you might need that I can provide in return," he replied with a nod and a shallow bow.

Hato returned with a deep bow.

"Is there anything in particular Lord Lion is interested in? The World of Dreams holds enough to sate many different interests, but it does not give one more time to enjoy them than one is already allotted." she asks.

[Akodo Inasa]

Hato returned with a deep bow.

"Is there anything in particular Lord Lion is interested in? The World of Dreams holds enough to sate many different interests, but it does not give one more time to enjoy them than one is already allotted." she asks.

He rubbed a hand over his face. "I have less time than some, sadly. I have more of an interest in knowing more about what's... off the beaten path. Something no one but a local might be able to find out about," he explained. "I know it might be a little extra effort, but... well, I can find the tourist attractions easily enough on my own, so it's worth it."

[Hato]

Hato returned with a deep bow.

"Is there anything in particular Lord Lion is interested in? The World of Dreams holds enough to sate many different interests, but it does not give one more time to enjoy them than one is already allotted." she asks.

He rubbed a hand over his face. "I have less time than some, sadly. I have more of an interest in knowing more about what's... off the beaten path. Something no one but a local might be able to find out about," he explained. "I know it might be a little extra effort, but... well, I can find the tourist attractions easily enough on my own, so it's worth it."

Hato tilted her head at that. Such inquiries were not expected coming from a Lion.

"Ah, this one believes this one understands Lord Lion. This one should have recognized Lord Lion for the Go fanatic that he surely is. The local Scorpion players are quite fierce opponents, it would make sense to set a handicap to make the game more fair." she offered.

Openly she was talking about Go, but she was definitely talking about a different sort of game, and how a player of 'that' game would add pieces to their side.

"Has this one understood Lord Lion correctly?"

[Akodo Inasa]

Hato tilted her head at that. Such inquiries were not expected coming from a Lion.

"Ah, this one believes this one understands Lord Lion. This one should have recognized Lord Lion for the Go fanatic that he surely is. The local Scorpion players are quite fierce opponents, it would make sense to set a handicap to make the game more fair." she offered.

Openly she was talking about Go, but she was definitely talking about a different sort of game, and how a player of 'that' game would add pieces to their side.

"Has this one understood Lord Lion correctly?"

"Indeed you have," he agreed with a nod. "To understand your opponents and have a plan for the placement of your pieces is fundamental."

[Hato]

"Indeed you have," he agreed with a nod. "To understand your opponents and have a plan for the placement of your pieces is fundamental."

Hato nods.

"Lord Lion is wise indeed. Go players do not exist merely sitting at the goban. One can learn about their opponents when away from the board from many sources. This one is reminded of the story of the two go masters meeting for the first time. One had a beautiful set, well cared for over many generations, truly a piece of art in and of itself. The other had the cheapest most commercially available board possible. You see, the latter had a tendency to trash the board and it's pieces when he suffered a defeat. His opponent knew that a man who would so abuse the pieces would think nothing of sacrificing pieces for short term gains, and so he already had the keys to defeating his opponent before the first stone was played." she said.

Here Hato was reminding the Lion subtlety, that the Scorpion tended to attack pieces that worked against them, and seeing if he had some sort of plan if she placed her piece in his hands.

[Akodo Inasa]

Hato nods.

"Lord Lion is wise indeed. Go players do not exist merely sitting at the goban. One can learn about their opponents when away from the board from many sources. This one is reminded of the story of the two go masters meeting for the first time. One had a beautiful set, well cared for over many generations, truly a piece of art in and of itself. The other had the cheapest most commercially available board possible. You see, the latter had a tendency to trash the board and it's pieces when he suffered a defeat. His opponent knew that a man who would so abuse the pieces would think nothing of sacrificing pieces for short term gains, and so he already had the keys to defeating his opponent before the first stone was played." she said.

Here Hato was reminding the Lion subtlety, that the Scorpion tended to attack pieces that worked against them, and seeing if he had some sort of plan if she placed her piece in his hands.

"An apparent short term gain often ends in long term losses... Both in the set you choose and the strategy you employ," he replied. "More than that, I would be concerned about the go master who protected his set. One who destroys their own pieces without regard is likely selfish enough to treat others' things in a similar way. That wouldn't do at all."

[Hato]

"An apparent short term gain often ends in long term losses... Both in the set you choose and the strategy you employ," he replied. "More than that, I would be concerned about the go master who protected his set. One who destroys their own pieces without regard is likely selfish enough to treat others' things in a similar way. That wouldn't do at all."

Hato nodded.

"Just so. A piece may changes sides as the fortunes of the game shift back and forth, but at the end of the day it's whose set you end in. Pity the poor piece that changes sides to fight on the side of the righteous, only to be left to the mercy of the wicked at the end of the game." she added.

She looked back to the Lion.

"Is this one correct in assuming that Lord Lion is the sort of player to take care of his set when the game is over?" she asked, nudging the conversation towards the point.

[Akodo Inasa]

Hato nodded.

"Just so. A piece may changes sides as the fortunes of the game shift back and forth, but at the end of the day it's whose set you end in. Pity the poor piece that changes sides to fight on the side of the righteous, only to be left to the mercy of the wicked at the end of the game." she added.

She looked back to the Lion.

"Is this one correct in assuming that Lord Lion is the sort of player to take care of his set when the game is over?" she asked, nudging the conversation towards the point.

"If a piece turns out to be particularly distinctive and well-made, one would be a fool to get rid of it for no reason," he replied, curious as to where she was going with this.