Beautiful Pain [Day 1, EN, Red Dragon]

[Kuni Koyuki]

Drowned in the harsh bright lights of the Horogai mall Koyuki felt more like a specimen than a person. Ahead of her, in the glass window of the place that offered privacy only by completely covering the inside of the window with knickkacks, posters, and tattoo designs. Standing alone, near enough the window that she didn't obstruct much traffic, she viewed the mirror with apparent disinterest. Which would beg the question why she was even looking. Less someone more learned' of Kuni took a gander, then maybe they'd see the interest in her eye buried beneath.

[Hotaru Tsuyo]

Passing by after catching the almost last showing of Home for the evening, a flash of something new in the window catches Tsuyo's eye. She pauses, then grins at the 'official winter court 3124 commemorative tattoo' art on pristine paper. The stylized Scorpion manages to look both cute and menacing beneath swirling script. The Kuni is noticed, of course, which becomes obvious when Tsuyo speaks to her. "Thinking of getting the commemorative one, Kuni-sama?" Always best to -sama the Kami clan folks, never know who'd be touchy about that.

[Kuni Koyuki]

"If I ever considered such a thing I would hope that someone would be in their right enough mind to stop me," she said, dispassionately as she looked upon the glass. Searching out the different designs, marking their skill. Bending down to get a better look at one before speaking at Tsuyo from over her shoulder once more, "Why mark your body with a reminder of someone else's achievement? What of you, Samurai-sama, considering new art?"

[Hotaru Tsuyo]

She grins at the response. "Well, I'd sure advise against it. It's kinda hideous, yeah?"

One hand lifts, letting her appraise the vines scrolling along her wrist. "new art...hmm, maybe. I've been thinking of how to mark this installation." The arm lowers as she looks up to catch the Kuni's eyes, assessing the stranger before she offers a wry grin. "Might be I should get introductions settled before talking too far about marking anyone's body. Hotaru Tsuyo, sculptor."

[Kuni Koyuki]

Rising to a proper stand Koyuki turns to Tsuyo, rising as if connected by a string to Tsuyo's hand first lifts. Her own coming to rest comfortably across one another on her midsection as she apprises Tsuyo in turn, though the similarity stops there as Koyuki's expression keeps even, save through the eyes.

"Kuni Koyuki, I work with the embassy. No one of great note. I cannot claim as much familiarity with the art as you, but I can share in some regard a devotion of it," she says, reaching to the sleeve of her own kimono she pulls it up to reveal one head of the dragon tattoo winding up her arm. Giving Tsuyo but a few seconds to admire it before switching arms and doing exactly the same on the other side revealing a twin.

[Hotaru Tsuyo]

Tsuyo offers a bow to go with the introductions. Appraisal, introduction, then bow, is not exactly the order as listed in any book of etiquette in the Empire, but somehow it felt appropriate here. Left hand resting on her cane, she leans a bit to examine the dragon tattoos in the mall lighting. "Those are nicely done." Glancing back up, she adds, "Do Kuni ever simply tattoo their masks of paint on." It certainly seemed like a practical idea.

[Kuni Koyuki]

Pulling the sleeve back down she shook her head, "No. It would defeat the purpose, but I will not explain the intricacies of why to you, Hotaru-san. After time, the process of applying it becomes meditative regardless. I do not think I would ever choose to do such a thing, even if it the opportunity was present. I am certain there are a number of things with which you might find source enough to relate?"

[Hotaru Tsuyo]

Her eyes crinkle with a puzzled-on-the-edge-of-amused smile, though her lips are half hidden as she rests right thumb to jaw and and index knuckle just beneath her nose. "Kuni secrets? Or?" She stops the roll of possible reasons, some less charitable than others...some less realistic than others as plots about solemn promises to odd spirits roll through her mind from childhood tales of promises among the stones in the void.

"But yeah, there's plenty that's meditative. Not sure how many I'd hang onto if there was another way to do the thing. There's already too few years to get everythin' in my head carved onto the world somehow. Can't shortcut the sculpting, but there's plenty else I wouldn't mind cuttin' loose."

[Kuni Koyuki]

"I do not know much of the more tactile arts," a phrasing that was as self-damning as any other, certainly. Glancing back toward the window she considered the location for a moment, and then focused back on Tsuyo. "I had thought to go inside and see what else they might have to show for themselves, but perhaps we might find someplace to grab a drink, Hotaru-san? You can tell me all about your sculptures you plan, and those you have done. Perhaps I will learn something?"

[Hotaru Tsuyo]

A heavy eyebrow lifts. "You paint your face every day, seems pretty tactile ta me. Or you saying you manage that without touching as you go...like...is it all airblown paints?" Her hand drops, cane lifting to point off down the mall walkway. "But a pause at the Carp sounds a lot more interesting than what they've got inside. Though I'll grant I'm kinda biased since I've already been inside. Not the place I'll use if I do get something to commemorate the winter."

"Just get here for the season? Or been around a bit, just not where I'd spot ya?" she asks as she turns to head toward the very Crab little sake space.

[Kuni Koyuki]

"Recent arrival," she says, and turns toward the direction of the Carp allowing Tsuyo to lead the way. Falling in by her side at whatever pace the woman dicated. "As for my face paint, I wouldn't say it's art. It is a recreation I have mastered once, and do not have the capacity or time to care to come up with something original. I am more like a printer than I am an artist. You sculpt. Turning one thing that once maybe had no value at all to anyone, and make it into something that can be admired. It's a skill worthy of admiring, and I do so as I have no sense of where I would even begin."

[Hotaru Tsuyo]

She's not terribly speedy--no reason to be--as the cane taps along the tile, fake foot landing heavily a smidge after, then the lighter clomp of a boot. "Well, you begin with re-creation, copying. Least that's usually how it seems ta go. When you get some actual lessons, that's where they start ya too. There's lessons in copyin'. How'd they get that effect? Well...I can get it like this, maybe that's how they did it too? Each thing expands the toolkit in your head an' hands."

Grinning, she adds, "so...might be surprised what copyin' it every day's taught your hands. Hair and clothes are art too. Sayin' somethin' to those around, yeah?" The glance over isn't surreptitious, as the Firefly glances down then up, taking in the Kuni's attire.

[Kuni Koyuki]

"Then I relent," she says, glancing forward as to search the surroundings. There was humor in her tone when she spoke the words, an appreciation for Tsuyo's demeanor, but it didn't seem to rise to any body language. Which was something that Tsuyo was doubly in the position to notice as she was giving Koyuki's dress a glance. Something punctuated, in a sense, by her saying, "I take then that you find some merit in my dress? I am glad you approve, but-" she focuses on Tsuyo, "I still disagree."

"I think you consider things that are far too minor to be art. Maybe a skill in common with these things you use, but to call them art does not live up to my expectation of the word. They are just things, clothing. Perhaps the construction of them held some kind of artistry, but to put them on my body and wear I do not see the merit."

[Hotaru Tsuyo]

"And I think you place too high a barrier on art. Listenin' ta too much Crane propaganda there." There's definitely some humor, but perhaps also a certain bite from an artist who's almost certainly dealt with comparison to Crane perfection...or claims of perfection. "Fashion's an art and a skill. We say things with what we wear, or chose to put on our skin. The core of art is sayin' things," she pauses and laughs, "sometimes by actually sayin' things, like poems or song or whatever."

They approach the little bar with its blinking neon brand signs in the window...colorful bottles with animated labels and plain logos, along with a simple gold 'open' sign over the brightly-painted, split curtain of the doorway. Tsuyo pauses, leaning on her cane and gesturing with the free hand. "After you, Kuni-sama. Kids'll be on duty tonight and oughta be impressed by a Kuni strollin' in. Might not try passin' off local brew as vintage Friendly Traveler on your watch too."

[Kuni Koyuki]

Koyuki's eyes narrowed at the suggestion she was considering a Crane's opinion to be worth anything, but it was faced forward so not as reproachable as it might otherwise have been. Keeping her focus on the task she was doing, as was her way, and what that was right now was more walking than it was talking. At least, it took precedence. She didn't quite like the idea of trusting strangers to warn her if she was about to walk into something or miss something important coming at her.

Tsuyo though, well- she spared a few more glances at her than she might have most folk as she walked. "I will take your word for it then, Hotaru-san. I am.. not an artist," she says, with some smug self-satisfaction as she dips her head and then enters into the establishment first. Stopping at the entrance to take a gander at all that was inside. It was noticeable, immediately, the influence of the location but she was hardly surprised given its name. Scanning, she found a few seats that were available but wasn't keen on making a move toward them yet.

[Hotaru Tsuyo]

"Well that's sense. Callin' oneself an artist only really works if that's your main thing. I think. Like, I reshelved some stray books in the embassy library last week, but I'm not gonna call myself a librarian." Tsuyo nods at the gangly girl behind the counter as they enter, establishing their 'I recognize your face' level of familiarity. Her younger brother was probably around too at this hour. Gesturing toward one set of seats, she notes, "those are right under the ventilation, so they're great if you prefer the cold. Otherwise, everything's pretty similar. No real 'best seats' here."

She holds up a hand, still holding eye contact with the kid behind the counter, and points toward the scrolling board of specials before flashing two fingers for the grilled onigiri and house sake special #2. "They've got an actual grill going, not just heating up frozen, pregrilled stuff from a box. So they've got that going for them, at least." Her attention shifts back to the Crab and notes how her face stands out even more in the bar's subdued lighting.

[Kuni Koyuki]

"So long as you don't mind it, Hotaru-san," she says, and then promptly moves to the seat underneath the ventilation. Letting the bite of that cold wake her a little. Not that she was nearing bed anytime soon but it sharpened the senses similarly. Glancing around the room she continues scanning it to see what her viewpoints were and what exits she was able to see. It wasn't her favorite location, too dark, too much clutter about the quickest ways out, but it wasn't horrible. Waiting until Tsuyo joined her to continue.

"Are the kids alright handling the equipment like that?" she asks, but shakes her head and discards the question. Whether Tsuyo picks up on that or not, she continues without much pause before she answers, "So, you've mentioned you sculpt. I don't believe you've mentioned what it is you have sculpted before?"

[Hotaru Tsuyo]

Tsuyo shrugs as she takes her seat, nose wrinkling at the ozone smell of the air coming through the filters. "Warm food'll chase the chill, and I admit, there's somethin' homey about the flow of ventilation. You can't much escape it on small ships."

"If the place hasn't burnt down.." is as much as the Firefly offers on the barely-there question. "Carved a bit of this an that. Mine waste originally. Now it's mostly the inside of space objects...asteroids, far system objects, shepherd moons and the like. Carved the outside of one once...prefer not doin' that again. Really tricky not to shove it off orbit when blowing chunks off the surface."

"And what's it that Kuni-sama does for the embassy...since we've established that it's not art, I guess?"

[Kuni Koyuki]

"I grew up on Hida Prime," she said, incidentally at the comment of it being homey. Just a small note before Tsuyo continued and was offered the remainder of Koyuki's attention. Hands resting on the table in front of herself.

"I am here in a fair number of capacities, serving as an attaché to the diplomatic core. I'm a veteran of the exploration corps and from that have a fair bit of experience that the diplomats like to rely upon in a number of ways, but mostly for the purpose of security. That's only incidental, mostly, as the fact I am a proper Kuni shugenja lends a lot of credit to my advice on whatever topics they might need to ask me after. Consultations and consultations," she says, letting the sound of it being able to drone on and on continue.

"So, if you carve statures inside of the asteroids, how does the sculpture get seen and appreciated? Perhaps there is something I'm not understanding.."

[Hotaru Tsuyo]

"No, no...that would generally be a bit of a challenge," Tsuyo nods. "You're not missin' it." She pauses a moment as the server drops by with food. Not that the conversation was anything they shouldn't overhear...just seems polite to offer the least acknowledgement of their existence.

"Some folks spend a ton to actually fly out and walk through in a suit. But most viewin' is through drones...both curated footage for a view like I want it, but also remote drones for self-directed viewin' when the object is near enough for that. Though most folks have some trouble drivin' with that time delay for transmission." She swirls the sake cup gently. "My second big work is external, so folks do just do flybys to see it, or look through scopes an' such."

"What's Hida Prime like? Stories make is sound a bit like this," she waves a hand indicating the much wider space beyond the little sake joint, "but less shadowy and less showy stuff coverin' up the scruffy bits."