D2 Information Event: Sake and Skullduggery (Roleplay thread)

[Susumu Yakumo]

"I will admit, the Red Swallow is the only offering here I've ever tried, and it was most exquisite indeed. If the Dark Blossom is as good or better..."

Tenma hesitated a moment before grabbing a glass of Dark Blossom Blend off a tray.

"...I suppose there's only one good way to tell though."

She took a small, Crane-like polite sip, letting it settle on her tongue and spread out.

"It's nice, yes?" she asked as Tenma joined in the drinking. "Very... uh, well, I don't know the proper terms for it, so I'll just say it's good and it gives a nice buzz over the evening."

Seeing something else catch her attention, Yakumo offered a bow to Tenma. "Well, I shouldn't keep you anymore since you're on the job and all. Was nice chatting, Bayushi-san. Toodles~!" she giggled and waved before moving to mingle in a crowd of well-dressed people.

[Bayushi Tenma]

"It's nice, yes?" she asked as Tenma joined in the drinking. "Very... uh, well, I don't know the proper terms for it, so I'll just say it's good and it gives a nice buzz over the evening."

Seeing something else catch her attention, Yakumo offered a bow to Tenma. "Well, I shouldn't keep you anymore since you're on the job and all. Was nice chatting, Bayushi-san. Toodles~!" she giggled and waved before moving to mingle in a crowd of well-dressed people.

It really WAS nice. Definitely different, clear, but complex. She took another little sip after inclining her head to Yakumo's goodbye, not wanting to reply with the alcohol still in her mouth.

After she swallowed she looked around and noticed a lot of people giving her odd looks. So, just like home really. Taking it in stride she took her tall stemmed glass and headed over to the windows to look out for a bit.

[Asahina Hinata]

"Naming convention aside, there's a parallel to be made with the sacred dances and songs of old.

Though now I'm wondering if there are bands working with the kami of water, earth, and fire, so to keep the balance right."

Hinata looked happily blank. He literally had no idea what Kanna was talking about now, which didn't stop him replying.

"Those don't help with the illusions though and I'm not very good with the fire kami. They never listen to me."

[Susumu Yuji]

He listened with a small smile, not fully stoic as was his normal wont. "I have. It's always interesting meeting new people and seeing what happens." What sort of nonsense and disaster goes down, specifically. "So I would say I'm excited. I get to watch it from the comfort of a cat cafe, as well, so that's a bonus. What is it like living here for the the long haul?"

"A hustle and bustle. Even without the Winter Court season, there's always much to do here. With so much commerce, and visitors to all the Embassies, you have to remain ever vigilant and ever dutiful." Yuji replied, reaching for his fan from his sleeve. "There sometimes is a feeling that while you make many connections... how many of them are meaningful?"

[Kuni Koyuki]

"Well." There was a short, somewhat pregnant pause. "Yes. Professional hazards. Courtiers, that is. Cranes less often." Sadae glanced at one of the all too tipsy Cranes present. "Though if I could have my way, I'd avoid working with the Crane. They have all the ideas." he pretended to shudder. "That said, can't remember when we last had someone marry a Crane. Powder blues being all cozy with Mantis sits poorly with a lot of people."

A smirk cracks, briefly. It might have gone unnoticed but the facial paint, bright red lips, drew the eye easily enough to their shifting it was hard to miss. "Only bleeds the Empire a bit closer," she says, glancing out over the room. There's the question sitting in the knit of her brow, and maybe if she wasn't drunk, "How long do you think all of this lasts before things really start to turn toward the inevitable?"

[Yogo Sadae]

A smirk cracks, briefly. It might have gone unnoticed but the facial paint, bright red lips, drew the eye easily enough to their shifting it was hard to miss. "Only bleeds the Empire a bit closer," she says, glancing out over the room. There's the question sitting in the knit of her brow, and maybe if she wasn't drunk, "How long do you think all of this lasts before things really start to turn toward the inevitable?"

"This all?" Sadae waved his hand at the crowd. "Inevitable? Not long. People are well into their cups. Things are going as planned, I would wager?" he paused for a moment. "Or are you talking politics?"

[Kuni Koyuki]

"This all?" Sadae waved his hand at the crowd. "Inevitable? Not long. People are well into their cups. Things are going as planned, I would wager?" he paused for a moment. "Or are you talking politics?"

"Politics, the kind where it's only solved when the other guy finally gives up, or can't. War, Yogo-sama. Real war," she says, and if to punctuate where she got the bluntness she takes another drink from the glass in her hand. Staring out into the field of people. "No more comfy politicking out in parties for everyone. Lines drawn, that kind of thing."

[Yogo Sadae]

"That? Uh. That is a good question that I am horribly underqualified to answer. Lion and Mantis are it again, like old lovers. The Champion is licking her wounds - but who knows what she does next." he muttered. "But even when people die among the stars, parties like this continue - because the clans need to keep talking to each other. Everyone knows what happens when diplomats stop talking."

[Kuni Koyuki]

"We do," she grimaces, but she wasn't quite sure that would hold. Everything looked glum from here, the cloud over it all. "Though I wasn't expecting you to have the answer for me, Yogo-sama," she chuckles, there's a darkness to her voice in the moment. Eyes narrow as she looks out over the happy faces and mingling guests. Slipping into her cup a bit. Koyuki rights herself, and settles the glass down as she turns back properly to Sadae. "Just tossing around thoughts. Curious what it looks like from your perspective, is all."

[Yogo Sadae]

"A lot of people expect me to have answers." he answered, solemnly. "Even some of your kin." Sadae added, pointing at her face paint. "Believe me or not." Taking another sip from his glass, the man sighed, a frown marring his rather nice lips. "It's a mess and a half. The Lion and Mantis are never going to stop. But, I have a ton of problems and Mantis aren't one of them, so I guess I have that going for me." Leaning a bit closer, Sadae tilted his head to the side. "What on earth made you conjure such a gloomy topic. Your kin tend to be more jovial most of the time."

[Kuni Koyuki]

Koyuki laughed softly, but it didn't have that ring of someone who enjoyed laughing. Shaking her head, she spoke in that closer space letting Sadae maintain it himself, "You have met interesting members my kin then. I would have thought it an impossible joke, but just earlier today I met a former Kuni. One Matsu Eriko. She is.. well, for her to give you an impression you would have to be forgiven."

Settling, focusing on the feeling the warmth of the alcohol in her system, "I can be a rather sour drunk, Yogo-sama."

[Yogo Sadae]

"Can't say I have met Kuni Eriko - or Matsu Eriko for that matter. But I have met a few Kuni. Tadashi, Sango, Hideki. Then again, I am sure that there's like a dozen of Hideki Kuni of Oka." Crab were hardly original when it came to names. "Why so sour, Kuni-san?" he asked, tilting his head to the side even as sly smile flickered on his lips.

[Kuni Koyuki]

Eyes narrowing on him, she gave a half-smirk. "I like you, Yogo-sama. I'm drunk, but I'm not that drunk," she said, shaking her head. Bringing her glass up to her lips once more she finished off what was left at the bottom, and pushes it off to her side on the table. Letting her hand retract halfway before going palm down resting the pads of her fingers in an arched position. From there she rolled them across, each one lifting in succession so that it created a soft pattering noise on the tabletop.

[Yogo Sadae]

"What happens when you get that drunk? A bar fight? Or something more interesting?" he asked, smiling still. "Nervous?" Sadae asked, seeing Koyuki behave like many of the people he interviewed for the work did. "Does that mean you need more sake?" Sadae waved for a waiter, picking up two glasses from his tray, placing them between the two before pulling one closer to himself. "No need to force yourself, though."

[Kitsu Kanna]

Hinata looked happily blank. He literally had no idea what Kanna was talking about now, which didn't stop him replying.

"Those don't help with the illusions though and I'm not very good with the fire kami. They never listen to me."

"Oh, I was thinking practical effects. For example, if I recall correctly, the Phoenix have at least one traditional fire dance where they play around with real flames.

Probably not a good idea to try it if the spirits of fire are capricious with you though."

[Asahina Hinata]

"Oh, I was thinking practical effects. For example, if I recall correctly, the Phoenix have at least one traditional fire dance where they play around with real flames.

Probably not a good idea to try it if the spirits of fire are capricious with you though."

"A fire dance with real fire??? Cool!!! I'd love to see that."

He drank from his left glass again and then stared at it's emptiness, but hey! the right glass still had some in!

[Mirumoto Shigure]

"Mirumoto? So a bushi? I see."

Nishdia sat down, slowly. He swayed a bit until he was safely seated.

"So I take it you were in a war when you say you were a survivor?" he asked unconcerned.

"Not war but battles... even though a war is just many battles in different fields." Shigure smiled. "I have also survived being stranded in a forest."

[Ide Yamako]

She watched the Kuni she had spoken to in the gardens of illusion as she sipped her coffee. Clearly some depths there. As for the young Crane…well they were nice. As long as they didn’t go full Doji Hanahime on her, she would be content.

[Kuni Koyuki]

"What happens when you get that drunk? A bar fight? Or something more interesting?" he asked, smiling still. "Nervous?" Sadae asked, seeing Koyuki behave like many of the people he interviewed for the work did. "Does that mean you need more sake?" Sadae waved for a waiter, picking up two glasses from his tray, placing them between the two before pulling one closer to himself. "No need to force yourself, though."

Koyuki's hand came to a standstill, laying her hand flat against the table. Measuring him with a slightly narrowed eye, not so accusatory but suspicious of the man opposite her. Holding that look until the glasses were set down. Hand rising to grasp the glass full around the rim with her fingers and gently pull hers before her. Resting it there.

"I seem to have found your interest. I'm not so ill-refined of a woman to be getting into barfights. Being Kuni, I hold a position of.. respect. Even as Hida comrades might scuffle and brawl, I've never cared for needless violence. No.. I just get more discontented until I eventually leave. It's a rather disappointing outcome," she says, laying one finger on the rim of the glass like a 'tap' and then collecting it for a sip.

[Hotaru Katsutoshi]

"Huh, quite a name." I wonder if it's a secret ingredient...would the Scorpions hide a secret like that in plain sight? "I think I got Dark Bloom something but it's all free and fancy sake in the end, right?"

With that, she raised her glass and joined the Hotaru in taking a sip from her own drink. "Hm, not my usual booze but I don't think I'd get upset if someone gave me this as sake. I don't think I'd do more than a few cups. Not the sort of thing you'd exactly you would have at the end of the day but maybe for a shindig like this?"

Her gaze did go to the lost arm momentarily but she knew better than to stare for too long. "Oh me? I guess I'm something of a gopher and an ear on the ground. I've got assigned her due to my previous familiarity with the World of Dreams, have a few contacts here when it comes to looking for things from lost pets to cyphers. I suppose they keep me around because I know where to look, comes with the territory as a witch hunter and investigator, you know?"

"Heres to free and fancy!" Sip sip, might as well enjoy while stocks last. He looked around conspiratorially. "Don't tell my clanmates, but this really beats miner's moonshine."

His brain took a few moments to catch up. "Wait. Witch hunter? I didn't know the Matsu had Witch hunters. That's cool though, I guess it's never a dull moment." A pause. "Of course the only thing I know about Witch hunters is from that old show: Kuni P.I." The Firefly occasionally got old Crab shows on repeat. That one had a lot of fist fights, gun battles, and moral ambiguity.

"So you've spent a lot of time here? But just short stays by the sound of it? What's your favourite place to visit? I've only recently started to make trips further afield."