The thin Crab girl looked a little anxious as she sat, waiting for her friend's arrival. Fresh sake bottle, two cups, quiet table to one side of the room, gentle sounds of the continuing hail pattering down outside. No apparent reason for any concern, but the Kuni was definitely not fully relaxed. She glared at the sake bottle, as though it could somehow cause a pretty-eyed Mantis to simply spring into being.

Between the weather ruining her hammock-related plans in the afternoon, her utterly dismal performance in the day's event, and her own sober understanding that any time she grabbed with Jiro was stolen and not likely to lead anywhere good, Kasumi's mood wasn't exactly sunny.

But she put on a brave face for her Crab friend as she ambled in.

"Mitsuko-san. Hope y'haven't been waitin' long."

The Kuni immediately looks up and seems improved by Kasumi's arrival. "Um... No not at all," she says brightly, waving the Mantis to sit and immediately pouring a cup for her. She was a skilled enough hand that two cups were quickly filled without any risk of wasted sake.

"Oh, and I didn't really get to say, great job yesterday on the test," Mitsuko says warmly, starting to reach for her cup.

"Well."

Kasumi managed a grin.

"I am a Mantis. Doing poorly on that one would have been... worrisome."

"But you did great," Mitsuko enthuses. "You almost won, and you set such a good example for me that I did well too!"

The level of positive energy almost seems like Mitsuko has been here drinking for a while, it's so seemingly out of character for the young Crab.

"Don' sell yourself short- I wasn't holdin' your hand when you excelled, Mitsuko-san."

Kasumi scooped up her cup and raised it to the Crab.

"Y'had the courage t'climb the rigging without much pressure, after all."

Shinko is looking a bit worse for the wear today, having spent a great deal of energy over at a shrine. Today, she doesn't ask for diluted drinks and raises a cup to the familiar Mantis.

"Alright!" She calls, "Who's ready for verse two?!?"

She take a swig and belts out a few notes.

"Now Jin at the bar is a friend of mine
He gets a strong drink for me
And he's quick with a joke, or and charms all you folk
But there's some place that he'd rather be
He says, "Shin, I believe this is killing me"
As a smile ran away from his face
"Well, I'm sure that I could be a kabuki
If I could get out of this place

Oh, la, la-la, di-di-da
La-la di-di-da da-dum"

Her eyes cast over at the Kuni and Mantis having a chat, and inspiration (along with the drink) flows.

"Now 'Suki's a duelist Kuni
Who's never once backed down from strife
And she's talkin' with 'Suni,
who's who stands for her navy, and always will be for life

Now we're all stuck in this politics
And war comes with any thrown stone
But hey it's better than loneliness
And no one likes drinkin' alone

Sing us a song for us also rans
Sing us a song tonight
Well, we're all in the mood for a melody
And you've got us feelin' alright"


So sure, she was slurring a little bit, and might have some titles wrong. What did they call that? Artistic license? Yeah, that might fly.

Hooboy!

Kasumi didn't wince.

But she did wave the Togashi over in a hurry.

The Kuni, beaming at Kasumi's praise, isn't overly bothered by the singing Dragon - although she's not entirely sure what to do when she's inspiring singing. After a moment of confusion on her face, and seeing Kasumi waving to the Dragon, Mitsuko whispers hurriedly to the Mantis: "Kasumi-san, what do you do when someone is writing bad song lyrics about you?" The Kuni seems anxious, like she knows there's some appropriate response here but she has no idea what it is.

Shinko grins at the wave and joins the pair. "Hey, I'm glad you liked it,! I'm gearing up for a third verse later, any ideas? "

Kuni Mitsuko wrote: ↑

Thu Nov 18, 2021 12:40 am

"Kasumi-san, what do you do when someone is writing bad song lyrics about you?" The Kuni seems anxious, like she knows there's some appropriate response here but she has no idea what it is.

"Aboard ship we'd throw a bucket of seawater on 'er..."

Togashi Shinko wrote: ↑

Thu Nov 18, 2021 1:24 am

Shinko grins at the wave and joins the pair. "Hey, I'm glad you liked it,! I'm gearing up for a third verse later, any ideas? "

"Dunno Togashi-san, maybe somethin' 'bout..."

Shit! I don't know who else she knows!

"... your cousin?"

Togashi Shinko wrote: ↑

Thu Nov 18, 2021 1:24 am

Shinko grins at the wave and joins the pair. "Hey, I'm glad you liked it,! I'm gearing up for a third verse later, any ideas? "

Yukikaze no Kasumi wrote: ↑

Thu Nov 18, 2021 3:59 am

"Dunno Togashi-san, maybe somethin' 'bout..."

Shit! I don't know who else she knows!

"... your cousin?"

A flash of mischief inspires Mitsuko.

"Something about those Shiba boys!" The Kuni says with a little giggle. Then she looks at Kasumi with the kind of childish glee she'd shown in tickling the Mantis' foot, clearly looking for some validation of her suggestion.

Ohhhhh no no no no no.

...

Wait.

YES.


"... Yes. Yes. Let's get a verse on the twins."