D2 Information Event: Sake and Skullduggery (Roleplay thread)

[Hotaru Katsutoshi]

" <snipped>
"I've been in and out of the World of Dreams a few times. For this particularly stint, it's been a month or so and the first time in the province, at least. I'm a fan of the mall, it's got almost everything there, but I've been really meaning to hit that cat cafe. No, not the one where they dress up as cats...but the one with the actual cats. And, the Slums are interesting."

She let out a cough. "...A friend told me that. Maybe. Probably."

"Oooooooh. Yeah that makes much more sense! Huh, so do you fly to Kuni space to train, or how does that work? I guess you must. My cousin trained at the Kaiu school through the Firefly exchange programme and she goes back for a month or more most years."

He nodded along, more catching up with his own thoughts than anything. "Right, the mall! Yeah I've hardly scratched the surface. The actual cat Cafe? Don't know that one. And yeah the Slums has good food if you like mouth meltingly spicy and know where to look... or so I've been told." He smirked a little.

"This has been fun Matsu-sama, thanks for chatting with a nobody Firefly. If you ever need help with an engineering problem, or a trade deal, please do let me know!"

[Matsu Eriko]

"Oooooooh. Yeah that makes much more sense! Huh, so do you fly to Kuni space to train, or how does that work? I guess you must. My cousin trained at the Kaiu school through the Firefly exchange programme and she goes back for a month or more most years."

He nodded along, more catching up with his own thoughts than anything. "Right, the mall! Yeah I've hardly scratched the surface. The actual cat Cafe? Don't know that one. And yeah the Slums has good food if you like mouth meltingly spicy and know where to look... or so I've been told." He smirked a little.

"This has been fun Matsu-sama, thanks for chatting with a nobody Firefly. If you ever need help with an engineering problem, or a trade deal, please do let me know!"

"In this case, my sensei doesn't lose me so easily, even if he wishes he did! Being a Witch Hunter is kind of a tutoring thing, we're kind of tethered but it makes it far easier if only one of us needs to travel about. I just need to fly to him or he needs to fly to me. The latter never happens, between you and me, but we're pretty mobile. We've got to be in my line of work. Being more grounded is more or less new to me as well." She nodded.

Eriko could help but offer a wink back when they've managed to build an understanding of the slums in the city at least. "The cat cafe is worth a visit. Really been trying to build up my cat networking skills and my cat diplomacy skills. We got a cat at the embassy who hasn't quite warmed up to me yet. I need to pull more stops to make that relationship happen, you know?"

"Oh yes, certainly. You wouldn't want me bothering you with engineering problems, trust me. I've caused a few of them myself. Trades, that's something I'll tell my wife and her pals. It was great chit-chatting with you Hotaru-san. Have yourself a great evening." She gave him a quick bow.

[Hotaru Katsutoshi]

<snipped>

"Oh I see, well it's nice that you get to see your sensei regularly!" That sounded like a bonus at least. "As for the cats...what? Like, a real cat, that you want to impress? Um. Have you tried giving it fish?" He shrugged. "Not that I know anything about cats mind you."

Returning her bow he gave her a last curious grin. "You wouldn't believe the engineering problems I've had to deal with. The offer is there though, if you need it, and I hope to hear from your wife in the next few days. Lovely yo meet you Matsu-sama. Good bye for now!" With that he left her to her evening and went to find a large glass of water.

[Matsu Eriko]

"Oh I see, well it's nice that you get to see your sensei regularly!" That sounded like a bonus at least. "As for the cats...what? Like, a real cat, that you want to impress? Um. Have you tried giving it fish?" He shrugged. "Not that I know anything about cats mind you."

Returning her bow he gave her a last curious grin. "You wouldn't believe the engineering problems I've had to deal with. The offer is there though, if you need it, and I hope to hear from your wife in the next few days. Lovely yo meet you Matsu-sama. Good bye for now!" With that he left her to her evening and went to find a large glass of water.

"You know, I swear I read somewhere that fish weren't all that great for cats. Maybe too much of it? She might appreciate the variety, at the very least. Good call on that." She nodded.

With the exchanged farewells and the reminder about her wife, Eriko figured it might be a good time to make her leave this shindig. She looked around for a moment before taking a long sip of her glass before she drained her sake cup in short order. That was a good drink but some food would be nice with that...

/exit

[Susumu Sumiko]

"What? Oh. Hm, yes, this is my companion, she's good luck," Nishi said with a small smile, and put her hand up to invite the companion mouse to sit in her palm for further preening. The mouse is black and white speckled, very fancy, and regards Sumiko curiously. "Do you believe in luck?" Nishi asked.

"A good luck mouse? That's adorable" Sumiko finally decided on that word and smiled brightly, looking closer as the mouse was brought out "I do believe in luck Ikoma-sama. A companion is great also, but a companion to bring you luck is even better. I didn't know mice were considered good luck though, is there a story behind your friend here?"

[Kitsu Kanna]

A Crane Courtier might have been shocked to be asked that, but Hinata was not a courtier, nor would he ever be one.

"Oh loads. Scorpion boys are so pretty . . . well if you find one you can see past the mask of."

He grinned over his sake glasses, looked around quickly to make sure a certain someone was not in hearing range and continued on.

"But have you seen Usagi Rei-samaaaa??? He is . . . absolutely . . . smokin' . . . hawt."

"We haven't met no. But if you manage to hook up with him, please send a few selfies of you two to shameful.display@ikomapress.ln."

She froze, realizing the Asahina might not understand sarcasm and actually do it. And exploiting someone's innocence, even to achieve a blow against a political enemy, was definitely not honorable conduct.

"Actually, keep the pictures to yourself. Or don't take any at all. You wouldn't want them to end up in the hands of the gutter press, would you?"

[Asahina Hinata]

"We haven't met no. But if you manage to hook up with him, please send a few selfies of you two to shameful.display@ikomapress.ln."

She froze, realizing the Asahina might not understand sarcasm and actually do it. And exploiting someone's innocence, even to achieve a blow against a political enemy, was definitely not honorable conduct.

"Actually, keep the pictures to yourself. Or don't take any at all. You wouldn't want them to end up in the hands of the gutter press, would you?"

He was actually committing the address to memory, it wouldn't have stayed, when Kanna said not to use it and mentioned the hated gutter press.

"Ugh those guys. Really?? Digging around looking for things we might have done in the past. Who wants to know what I did in the dormitories at Shiro Satsuki? ugh, those guys are the worrrsssssssttttttttttttttttttttttt!!!"

[Akodo Reki]

"Oh, they are quite tasty Akodo-sama, with a mixture of flavors. I am not a connossieur by any means, but I found them tasty. Though not quite as...punchy as traditional Hotaru brews, based on my limited experience."

She blushed and shivered at the thought. "A room full of Generals seems quite intimidating Akodo-sama. Have you had such experiences?"

"Is there any truth in the Hotaru practice of filtering their beverages with industrial filters?" Reki smiled lightly, a jest. "I have indeed been in rooms with Generals. Just part of the job really."

"Well then, what are your clan's parties like." She gestured to the crowd, "I expect more...rambunctious?"

[Hotaru Sakura]

"Is there any truth in the Hotaru practice of filtering their beverages with industrial filters?" Reki smiled lightly, a jest. "I have indeed been in rooms with Generals. Just part of the job really."

"Well then, what are your clan's parties like." She gestured to the crowd, "I expect more...rambunctious?"

"Well...I only attended a few, but yes. This is more..subdued." She smiled. "Firefly measure breaths each day, for their labors, so when given the opportunity to spend that energy and focus on not just our daily Duty, everyone is given some leeway. How are Lion parties?"

[Kitsu Kanna]

He was actually committing the address to memory, it wouldn't have stayed, when Kanna said not to use it and mentioned the hated gutter press.

"Ugh those guys. Really?? Digging around looking for things we might have done in the past. Who wants to know what I did in the dormitories at Shiro Satsuki? ugh, those guys are the worrrsssssssttttttttttttttttttttttt!!!"

"Weirdly enough, lots of people seem to want to know about that."

Kanna's tone suggested she didn't count herself among these numbers.

"It's a profitable market. Most press groups have a branch dedicated to publishing such scandals, even though they rarely are proud of it. It pulls in the money required to fund their prestigious but loss-making titles.

A disputable practice certainly, but not technically dishonorable in the general case. Well, unless we're talking about the gutter of the gutter, where stories are simply invented.

Thinking of it, pretty sure we're going to have a few papers on this soirée tomorrow, even if nothing happens."

Though Kanna suspected the writers would have to be exceptionally lazy to resort to inventing a scandal when there seemed to be so much potential here.

[Asahina Hinata]

snip

"Ugh the Crab are the worst for that. The absolute worrssssssssssttttttt."

It seemed Kanna had managed to find the repeat button on the Hinata soundtrack.

"They always make up such ridiculous rubbish about us. Yakumo-samaaa as well. Stupid Crab press."

[Kitsu Kanna]

"Ugh the Crab are the worst for that. The absolute worrssssssssssttttttt."

It seemed Kanna had managed to find the repeat button on the Hinata soundtrack.

"They always make up such ridiculous rubbish about us. Yakumo-samaaa as well. Stupid Crab press."

"Yakumo? Ah, the Spider idol.

Well, the bird who has rubbed shoulders with snakes shouldn't be surprised it gets attacked by the mongoose as if it had scales of its own."

Yes, definitely too much alcohol for complicated sentences.

"Crab hates Spider. Crane friend of Spider. So Crab hates Crane."

Kanna was tempted to advise him to cast Jade Strike at Yakumo the next time he saw her so he could score a few points with the Crab. But she was worried he would actually follow that advice.

[Asahina Hinata]

"Yakumo? Ah, the Spider idol.

Well, the bird who has rubbed shoulders with snakes shouldn't be surprised it gets attacked by the mongoose as if it had scales of its own."

Yes, definitely too much alcohol for complicated sentences.

"Crab hates Spider. Crane friend of Spider. So Crab hates Crane."

Kanna was tempted to advise him to cast Jade Strike at Yakumo the next time he saw her so he could score a few points with the Crab. But she was worried he would actually follow that advice.

Even sober Hinata would have had a hard time with the mongoose lien. Drunk he just looked confused. The simplified assessment got through though.

"Well Crane not like Crab either!"

[Kitsu Kanna]

"Well Crane not like Crab either!"

"The depth our conversation has reached suggests it's high time for me to obey Akodo's commandment to go rest early."

Yet another look at her glass.

"And also that I should be way more cautious with what I drink for the rest of my stay here."

Bow.

"It has been a pleasure Asahina-sama. May you enjoy the rest of your night."

/exit

[thanks for scene]

[Asahina Hinata]

Bow.

"It has been a pleasure Asahina-sama. May you enjoy the rest of your night."

/exit

[thanks for scene]

"You too Kitsu-samaaaa!!"

The bow was returned without spilling any sake. Somewhat helped by the fact he'd already drunk most of it. He then wandered off to finish off the rest of his mostly drunk partying for that evening.

--

(Thank you also!)

[Mirumoto Shigure]

Although Nishida struggled with the contents of his stomach, he seemed to be listening to the dragon, if only to distract himself. "And the grunt came from?" he asked tensely.

Shigure even if he doesn't know medicine can notice the man turning a little green. He looked around and there was a trashcan near by. "Excuse me..." he went to fetch it, leaving it close to the Miya. "If you wish I can stop and I can escort you to get some fresh air."

[Miya Nishida]

Shigure even if he doesn't know medicine can notice the man turning a little green. He looked around and there was a trashcan near by. "Excuse me..." he went to fetch it, leaving it close to the Miya. "If you wish I can stop and I can escort you to get some fresh air."

"I think fresh air would be quite good, Mirumoto-san," the green carp replied, standing up shakily again.