(D1 MA, open) Sun Worshipping

[Yoritomo Seika]

Balancing her just-purchased shaved ice drink in one hand, Seika flops into a seat at one of the metal tables on the patch of public boardwalk in front of the drinks stand. She purposely selects a table without a shade umbrella, the better to soak up the energy of the World of Dreams's unfamiliar sun. With a little sigh, she kicks up her feet and rests them, ankles crossed, on the chair next to hers. Dressed in thin, not-quite-translucent hakama and a light jacket over a sleeveless top, she's a picture of beachy contentment.

Also, there's definitely booze in that bright pink icy slurry of a drink. And a straw. And a little bitty umbrella.

"Okay, this is the right way to beat transit lag," she mutters to herself, tilting her face up to the sunlight.

[Akodo Reki]

Making her way down the boardwalk, Akodo Reki clutched one of the snow cones. This was the danger zone, enemy territory, very nearly on top of the enemy fortress on the planet. She shook those thoughts away, the war was many light years from here and the Lioness was technically supposed to be having fun. She had even shed her uniform before coming out here! Instead Reki wore one of her civilian outfits...which at least looked comfortable if not particularly stylish.

Her eyes drifted out over to the beach and she frowned deeply now. Reki had recognized another problem, an obstacle she would have to overcome to enjoy the beach. One that now weighed heavily upon her.

Akodo Reki had not brought a bathing suit.

[Yoritomo Seika]

Lying in wait, the enemy stirs... her drink.

And then...!

"Oh, dammit," Seika mutters, noticing the errant blob of pink slush that's just dripped onto her shirt. "Ugh." She sits up straighter and flicks at it with her fingertips, semi-effectively. "Napkin, napkin..."

Popping out of her seat, she beelines for the nearest napkin dispenser, leaning right past the pensive Lion to snatch one with her fingertips. "'Scuse me, Scor--" The wrong clan name is halfway formed on her lips before she registers that Reki, although carrying samurai weapons, really doesn't look like a local. "Oh, actually, 'scuse me, Lion-san." She dabs at the pink spot on her shirt with the napkin. "Minor emergency."

[Akodo Reki]

Reki stops herself from hopping back, instead merely turning to look at the flailing individual grasping for a napkin. "It's alright. My apologies if I was in the way."

The was suddenly a cold feeling in her chest. An icey lance stabbing directly into her heart. A shiver ran up her spine, her eyes slowly moving over the other woman. Down. Down. Down.

Past Seika...and to her own chest, where upon sat the Akodo's frozen treat.

"Dam...." Reki stopped herself from cursing, instead her mind raced to find some other vocal outlet to express the frustration. "Shit." And failing utterly.

With a heavy sigh, eyes still on her own now stained clothing, Reki casually tossed the remains of the shaved ice's container into the nearest receptacle and reached for her own napkin.

[Yoritomo Seika]

"Oh crap, I'm so sorry." Seika's eyes widen. Did I bump her? I didn't think I bumped her. Shit! "Uh...can I... do you need anything? Water?"

[Akodo Reki]

Another sigh as Reki wiped the ice from clothing, she couldn't help but frown at the big stain right smack dab in the middle of her chest. A vaguely cherry colored dark spot on her otherwise light brown shirt.

"It's...fine. Accidents happen. I was not paying close enough attention." She was still focused on her clothes, wheels turning on how difficult the stain would be to remove...she didn't much fancy buying a new one.

Finally the Akodo looked up, even managing a weary smile. "Well. I suppose impromptu introductions are in order. Akodo Reki, Gunso in the Lion armies." Her tone and expression were remarkable friendly...for a Lion.

[Bayushi Senshuken]

In a nearby table a young Scorpion rests after a long day of getting reacquainted with the city. She is dressed in a black pair of beach sorts with red little scorpions printed all over it and a simple red T shirt. Senshuken watches the exhange and despite not being the type of person that would ever laugh with people falling down or having ice creams falling on them, in this particular case she cannot avoid doing so.

"Isn't this like the cutest way to obtain a stain?!" She wonders out, loud enough for the two women to hear her. Senshuken lowers her sunglasses and looks towards the two samurai ko. "A Mantis and a Lion meet at a beach bar under a Scorpion's watchful eye... I am quite certain that a very funny story hides somewhere in this exchange, ready to be discovered and told over and over again till it becomes a classic." She offers a seated bow and continues. "Bayushi Senshuken, since impromptu introductions are in order."

[Akodo Reki]

Reki turned to regard the newcomer, but the Scorpion's words caused her head to snap back to Seika. Her hand twitched as her body momentarily tensed, as if expecting to have to defend herself and willing her body to relax. The earlier friendly, almost warm, expression was gone. In it's place was a cold weariness, which was probably better then a cold anger at least.

She willed herself to relax but when she spoke again, there was an audible flatness in her voice. The words and tone were friendly enough but the Lion was clearly throwing up some social barriers.

"Akodo Reki," Her eyes turn to the Scorpion, though she moves to keep them both in vision.

[Yoritomo Seika]

"I'm not too sure I actually want to be in a classic 'a Lion, a Mantis, and a Scorpion walk into an ice cream bar' joke..." Seika's bold-painted lips quirk doubtfully at the new entrant into the conversation.

She balls up the napkin and tosses it at the nearest rubbish bin, freeing at least one hand (the other is still holding her ice drink) for a casual bow. "Yoritomo Seika. Uh, if we're doing this formally, then--Watanabe Properties, Flarenet division management." Perhaps she's picking up on Reki's remote air, and taking it for formality. "I think I owe you a new slushy, Akodo-gunso."

[Akodo Reki]

Reki relaxes a fraction and releases a breath. Straightening up and tugging down on shirt like it was a uniform tunic.

"...formally then. Akodo Reki, Gunso, Legionnaire Staff, Operations Department." She crosses her arms, "On leave from the Crossroads."

Her eyes study the two, "Replacement won't be necessary Yoritomo-sama. Thank you for the consideration." Reki's voice remains cool but not actively hostile.

[Bayushi Senshuken]

Senshuken rises and offers a formal, yet kind of playful bow herself.

"Bayushi Senshuken, official Scorpion aide to the Province we so graciously stand in, daughter of Arasou and Eriko, Governess of the Seizou Province of the World of Dreams. Not on leave of absence or holidays, unfortunately. But! I am really grateful for the opportunity to make an official introduction while wearing flip flops!"

[Yoritomo Seika]

"Well, if you're sure..." Seika eyes Reki with mild concern as she brings the straw of her own drink to her lips.

"Anyway, happy to meet you, Akodo-gunso, Bayushi-san. I'm not exactly on holiday either" ... despite appearances, it seems... "but the sun helps with transit lag, you know? I just got in last night."

[Akodo Reki]

Reki relaxed a little more, she chided herself for the transparent reaction. The Mantis were the enemy, but the war was out there not down here.

"...A pleasure." Her voice didn't convey the sentiment, but some of the chill had left her voice at least. She returned the bows as appropriate. "And yes, it's fine Yoritomo-sama."

Her eyes flicked back and forth between the two, "I have also only been here for a day or so." The big stain on her shirt was really starting to clash with it's serious looking wearer.

"So...I take it both of you visited the festival."

[Yogo Ono]

Ono was idly skating around, Jun was streaming and Tsuko was in his backpack, probably sleeping after consuming a bowl of milk and four pieces of cake.

It could have been worse, she could had eaten three for instance...

He hadn't stored the prayer that allowed him to properly interact with others, so despite noticing the presence of other Samurai, some even in his clan colors (which wasn't that weird now that he thought of it, since it was a Scorpion planet), he continued skating and even tried to show off.

[Yoritomo Seika]

Reki relaxed a little more, she chided herself for the transparent reaction. The Mantis were the enemy, but the war was out there not down here.

"...A pleasure." Her voice didn't convey the sentiment, but some of the chill had left her voice at least. She returned the bows as appropriate. "And yes, it's fine Yoritomo-sama."

Her eyes flicked back and forth between the two, "I have also only been here for a day or so." The big stain on her shirt was really starting to clash with it's serious looking wearer.

"So...I take it both of you visited the festival."

"I caught the end of it. I was kind of wiped by the time I actually cleared the port, which was too bad... I got some good shots in just that hour or two, bet in full daylight it would've been even better." Seika shakes her head, one hand reflexively going to a small bag she's wearing slung on a cross-body shoulder strap, opposite her sidearm and wakizashi. It's about the right size for a holorecorder.

[Bayushi Senshuken]

"Yes, the festival. It's about the same each and every year, yet a unique experience at the same time. Did you enjoy yourself, Akodo san?" She asks.

"So you are both newcomers, allow me to say. You are here for the court, should I assume?"

She notices the Yogo showing off with his skateboard and despite looking like a relic, he is quite good at it. She gives the man a thumbs up from afar.

[Akodo Reki]

"I caught the end of it. I was kind of wiped by the time I actually cleared the port, which was too bad... I got some good shots in just that hour or two, bet in full daylight it would've been even better." Seika shakes her head, one hand reflexively going to a small bag she's wearing slung on a cross-body shoulder strap, opposite her sidearm and wakizashi. It's about the right size for a holorecorder.

"I see...there seems to be a steady flow of traffic to and from the planet." Reki remained relaxed as the Mantis reached for her probably not a gun. "A photographer? Hobby I assume."

"Yes, the festival. It's about the same each and every year, yet a unique experience at the same time. Did you enjoy yourself, Akodo san?" She asks.

"So you are both newcomers, allow me to say. You are here for the court, should I assume?"

She notices the Yogo showing off with his skateboard and despite looking like a relic, he is quite good at it. She gives the man a thumbs up from afar.

After a moment, she continued, "It was an interesting experience, the Lion can appreciate a ceremony that venerates one's Honored Ancestors. The food was pretty good too. More boisterous then I am used too."

"I was here for some rest. From the war front." Though it seemed to the Lion that one front had just been traded for another.

Briefly here eyes flicked to whomever the Scorpion had wave at, then lingered a moment as she found herself caught off guard. The cool and wary expression shifting to a brief look of mild confusion. With a small shrug, her attention shifted back to the conversation.

[Yoritomo Seika]

"Yes, the festival. It's about the same each and every year, yet a unique experience at the same time. Did you enjoy yourself, Akodo san?" She asks.

"So you are both newcomers, allow me to say. You are here for the court, should I assume?"

She notices the Yogo showing off with his skateboard and despite looking like a relic, he is quite good at it. She gives the man a thumbs up from afar.

"I see...there seems to be a steady flow of traffic to and from the planet." Reki remained relaxed as the Mantis reached for her probably not a gun. "A photographer? Hobby I assume."
[snip]
After a moment, she continued, "It was an interesting experience, the Lion can appreciate a ceremony that venerates one's Honored Ancestors. The food was pretty good too. More boisterous then I am used too."

"I was here for some rest. From the war front." Though it seemed to the Lion that one front had just been traded for another.

Briefly here eyes flicked to whomever the Scorpion had wave at, then lingered a moment as she found herself caught off guard. The cool and wary expression shifting to a brief look of mild confusion. With a small shrug, her attention shifted back to the conversation.

"Yup, for whatever reason, my lord cousin-twice-removed isn't interested in promoting me to full-time holo artist. His loss?" Seika's painted lips quirk.

Her gaze tracks Senshuken's wave for a moment, and she brings her holorecorder up to snap some quick shots of the older guy and the other (mostly younger) rolly-board stunt riders--not pausing to compose, just vibing. There might be a few keepers in there.

"I'm here, like, officially, yeah." Seika confirms Senshuken's guess, though wincing internally (and perhaps a little bit externally) when Reki mentions 'the war front.'

"The family business is interested in the markets here, of course, and then the Family went, well, if you're going to be out there anyway, why not kill two birds with one stone?" Somehow one can immediately hear the difference in the way she says Family and family. Vassal family life... if you know, you know.


---
D1 MA--Beach photo sequence, raise for fast. Fluff roll! | 5k3 ⇒ 21 (TN: 20)
I'm just lazily imagining this in the vicinity now, tbh: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Venice_Beach_Skatepark

[Bayushi Senshuken]

"Then I guess that we will be seeing more of each other the following days, Yoritomo sama. It is and will be official, we are in court!" She says more cheerfully than it would be expected and smirks before turning to the Lion this time.

"Physical and mental rest is part of a samurai's duty along with having some fun from time to time for we have to be at our best in order to serve. Lady Akodo is truly wise. You chose an excellent planet to continue your servitude in a slightly different capacity." Weirdly enough, she doesn't sound sarcastic. Like at all.

[Akodo Reki]

"Wasn't my choice actually," Reki shrugged, "An Ikoma personnel officer arranged the whole thing, I am not sure why he chose your world."

She added quickly, "It is, however, a most beautiful world."

Her eyes watched the Mantis work with the camera, she had seen the Ikoma public affairs detachment take pictures of course...but it had all struck her as a very controlled endeavor. This seemed more...freeform.

"Have you perchance had any of your pictures exhibited?" Reki resolved to loosen some of the tension. Mantis or no, she had to remind herself of the twin virtues of Courtesy and Courage.