Ahiru had spent quite some time washing and cleaning herself to get rid of the smell of boat and boat-life, and thankfully she felt she was properly clean again in time for the "date" with Hirame. Though she might've been a tad over-eager on the perfume to make sure there was absolutely no remaining smell of boat. They had planned this date to find an artisan to do something with the pearl he had gifted her, but she also wanted to find the opportunity to tease him with finding some suitable Crane kimono.

While not as regally dressed as when they first met, she was still dressed very nicely for this meeting, in fitting kimono of blue with spring flowers in full bloom decorating the sleeves and hems.

Her guardian Kagehisa trailed somewhere behind the pair, kind of chaperoning the date but also giving them enough to privacy to not hear their conversation.

"So... you did rather well today," Ahiru remarked to Hirame.

For his part, Hirame applied minimal scent, but that didn't mean he didn't clean. His medium-length hair was still slightly damp, and secured with a single tie, mostly floating loose. He'd changed clothes and clearly scrubbed thoroughly, including his jacket; yes, he was wearing it again. The thorough cleaning meant his skin was just the lightest bit pink, and his scent was clean male. Begin as you mean to go on.

As they walked along, he gave her a sidelong glance, smiling slightly at her. As regal as the first outfit she'd worn had been, Hirame found that he liked this outfit better. The blue did look really nice on her... would she look as nice in green? How would he look in blue? Hirame suddenly looked away.

"Thank you." He said, turning back, his voice as confident as ever. He smirked, but it wasn't an unkind one. "A Mantis is at home on the water. If I'd done poorly, I might as well have turned in my sharkskin jacket right then." He chuckled. "Although, I didn't get the chance to say yet, you did rather well yesterday. You learn to kick like that in school?"

"Thank you. Kemari is in fact a popular game of winter courts, where the goal is to maintain grace and dignity while kicking the ball," her chin lifted a bit triumphantly that she had done better than him yesterday, though he had outperformed her today, and with a better margin too. Damnit. "So yes, every courtier has learned at least the basics. And as a Kakita, I believe it is important to maintain a healthy and fit physique."

She certainly was no slouch when it came to keeping in shape.

"I know there's some nice Crane-blue silk to be found here," Ahiru teased a little innocently. "If you want to turn in your sharkskin jacket, that is."

"Grace and dignity, huh? That makes sense." Hirame gave her another sidelong glance and smile. "We Mantis like to stay fit, too. Gotta be ready for whatever the sea throws at you!" His smile turned rueful. "I just wish it had thrown a few more balls at me instead of storms."

The comment made him chuckle. "Turn in my sharkskin jacket? That'll be the day." His balance shifted, then centered as he quickly glanced back at their chaperone. Mantis liked to accompany playful flirty banter with a clap on the shoulder or something, but Hirame had some instinct for what was appropriate and what wasn't. "Maybe instead we should get you measured for a matching one. His and hers sharkskin?" He teased back.

Ahiru visibly seemed a bit uncomfortable with that idea. "... I... hm, it was my impression that those garments were more for those who had proved themselves as talented Mantis sailors, since not everyone has one, right?"

Hopefully that was a good enough save.

"No..." Hirame frowned at her, mildly confused. "They're just expensive. It's like a fancy kimono, but for Mantis, if that helps explain it."

After a moment, he smiled again. "Really, no matter how things turn out, you can wear what you want, you know. It won't bother me if you stick to kimonos. Although... give the sharkskin a try sometime. Next time, I can carry it instead of wear it, maybe?" He studied her features. He could tell she was bothered, but he didn't want to ask why. A nagging fear that I don't want to marry you! would be the answer cut his usual boldness short.

"I... don't know. It seems a bit..." her brows furrowed thoughtfully as she raised her hand to her lips, slightly obscuring them with the knuckles of her fingers as she seemed to search for the right words. "I've never seen a Crane wear anything like that, so I don't know if it would be..." Ahiru glanced away for a moment, then back to Hirame as she defaulted back to courtesy. "Proper attire. My apologies, I have not met many from outside the clan, so some of the ways of the Minor Clans are somewhat of a mystery to me."

"But I am glad I can wear what I want, if I marry into the Mantis." But I hope that doesn't come to pass. "Though after my performance today, I don't know if I would make a very good Mantis."

"Oh." Hirame said, frowning. The frown deepened as he considered. Had she been looking at him and judging his jacket as improper this whole time? Hirame glanced briefly away, then back. "Well... for Mantis, it's quite a fine jacket indeed." He said sturdily. "Maybe more great clans should learn about our ways."

Another moment, and he smiled again. Begin as you mean to go on, right, Hirame reminded himself. An evening spent with a pretty girl was an alright evening, wasn't it? "Ah, you'd be fine." He reassured her with a wave of the hand. "You've got guts. That's what it means to be a Mantis. You didn't shrink from kicking that ball, and you didn't shrink from giving that customs clerk what for, either!" Hirame grinned at that. "I bet you'd take to it just fine if you had to."

"Hmm... it is probably a good idea that the Great Clans learn more about the Minor ones. Too often they are considered beneath notice, but your Lord Yoritomo has certainly made waves," she grinned for a moment at the little joke of a Mantis 'making waves', hoping it would cheer up Hirame's mood as it had seemed to turned sad for a little while.

His comment that she had guts made her blush a little bit, her eyes lowering and looking away as she considered such praise. "Gutsy? I don't think I ever considered myself... 'gutsy'." Ahiru chuckled with amusement. "The customs clerk was the easiest part - I've had many lessons about the intricacies of bureaucracy. If I am to do my duty as a diplomatic attendant, I must know these things."

"But the boat was very noisy, and all the shouting and things going on. It was all very chaotic! And wet."

"Waves, hah." She certainly did win a quick grin at that. But it was the blush that really made Hirame smile. Yes, that was something he'd very much like to see more. "You wagered your future on a contest of skill, Ahiru-san." Hirame said, still smiling, his voice low. "No one could say you don't have guts." He shrugged casually. "I like it."

They turned down a market lane; it seemed like Hirame knew where they were going. "Yeah... I guess I can't argue with wet." Hirame smiled ruefully. "Chaotic, I mean, once you're used to it, it's very organized on a good ship, actually. Like a bunch of people doing kata together, or a military unit. But right at first, yeah."

He glanced at her. "But there's nice things, too. I'm not an adult yet, and I've seen so many places. And sunrise on the ocean..." He took a deep breath, as though imagining breathing clean sea air. Actually, there was the pleasant scent of incense, spice, and whatever intriguing perfume Ahiru was wearing.

The way he said I like it felt like a moment out of a questionable pillowbook, where the man would slam his hand into the wall behind the woman, seeming both intimidating and alluring at the same time.

So with that in mind, Ahiru was still blushing, but she was doing her best to pretend that she was absolutely not blushing!

"I suppose there is an organized chaos to it, much like how a flock of birds or a group of ants seem to be without order for us, but make sense to them," she agreed with a murmur, stopping to look around where they were. The evening breeze carried the scent of her perfume; flowery, a touch sweet, but also refreshing. If Hirame knew his way around flowers, he'd recognize orchids and peonies.

"Sunrise on the ocean does sound nice... I imagine being out at sea under a full moon would be beautiful too."

Hirame absolutely did not know his way around flowers. But he knew what he liked, and the scent Ahiru wore certainly applied. There was certainly something of the rakish pillowbook male lead about him, especially in that confident smirk, and the intensity of his gaze, sea-green in the dimming light.

"Yeah. It's really something." Hirame murmured "The reflection's so clear on the open water that it's like seeing a second moon in a dream." He studied her a moment, something strange in his expression...

Then he shook his head. "So, tell me about life in the Crane. Y'know, just in case." The pair had wandered into the center of the market, the junction of several areas. Artisans were just ahead, on the other side of a number of food stalls.

"Just in case", Ahiru thought with some irritation, considering how well Hirame had performed in today's test.

"Hmmm... it is a life of wealth and excellence. We set out to be the best at our given tasks and duties, while also maintaining the legacy set down by Lady Doji and Lord Kakita." Composing herself a bit more, she looked over Hirame. "I am certain you would find your place easily with the merchant vessels. Unless you prefer war vessels...? We don't have many of those, but some."

"Wealth and excellence, huh? That sounds pretty good." Hirame said, as they walked casually into the artisan's section. His eyes narrowed as he looked around, trying to find a jeweler, or something similar.

"I don't know." Hirame admitted honestly with a shrug. "I mean, most Mantis vessels to a bit of both. The Funegao gets into a scrap now and then, but mostly it hauls stuff. Captain does pretty well, but I think it's the war vessels where you really get a chance to stand out." He smiled. "Not too different from on land, right?"

As expected, there were many different artisans about, but who specialised it jewelry, it was hard to tell. Ahiru on the other hand didn't seem to be looking around, but rather walking with a calm stride like she knew where she was going.

"Not too different from land in that regard, no - as samurai it is our duty to serve our lords however they need, which inevitably means war too." She didn't seem too bothered thinking of that. In fact she seemed unafraid thinking of something like war or fighting. "As a Minor Clan, I suppose you're not too accustomed to the idea of proper warfare between the clans? You are after all protected my Imperial decree."

Well, if she knew where they were going, that was good enough for Hirame. Frankly, even if she didn't; confidence! That was the thing.

"No..." Hirame frowned. "I mean, I guess not. We can fight, especially on the ocean-" he said, a little defensively, "-but yeah, there's just not that many of us. I don't think there's any shame in saying I don't think I could take on five Lion all by myself, or anything." He chuckled.

"I guess land wars don't affect us that much." He went on. "We hear about them; things like no point in going to this city, the road's cut off, or such and such city is under a blockade." He looked at Ahiru as they walked. "I guess it's different for you?"

Ahiru looked at Hirame. "Well of course you couldn't, we're not yet adults." Duh. She chuckled a little bit.

"But yes, it is different. we must act with great consideration of how our actions reflect upon our clan; wars have been started over the silliest things if you go by all the times the Lion have declared war on the Crane, not to mention the silly reasons they've decided to wage war on everyone else at some point." It's as if Akodo's Clan frequently forgot Imperial Law, but perhaps they were just too busy having a stick up their... ahem, no that would be improper to think. "So yes you are right that war means roads become cut off, travel becomes unsafe, and a city could be under siege. But the Crane are the Emperor's Left Hand - we do all we can to maintain the Emperor's peace."

She stopped for a little bit, looked around to make sure she was in the right place, then continued into a turn to a nearby place. It wasn't the fanciest looking shop; it had a worn but maintained wooden sign with the words "heavenly treasures" carved in. Judging by its state, it had probably been here a while.

Hirame chuckled at that. "Right, check back with me in a month, and we'll see." He flashed her a quick appreciative grin.

"I guess there's some truth to that joke. What's the plural of Lion? A pride. What's the plural of pride? An invasion." Hirame said, smirking. "Sometimes there's good reason for jokes like that. But not always; just these two days here have shown me that, clear enough.

As they reached the unassuming little place, Hirame glanced around with a critical eye. It didn't look fancy... but he knew that sometimes you had to look beyond the obvious. "You've been here before?" He asked.

Ahiru snickered a little bit behind a raised sleeve, amused at his confidence even in jest. "Sounds about right description for the Lion... that is certainly one thing that defines a Crane's life, from what I've been told, that the Lion will always consider you an enemy or a rival. Even in times of peace."

She hadn't had the chance to really meet the Lion contestants so far this tournament, but so far they seemed behaved if dull?

"Mm," came the first confirmation, "I told you - I know Tsuma better than most of the contestants here. It is an important holding of the Kakita after all. Are you surprised?"

Inside, the shop was clean and tidy, with a scent of cedar clinging to it. Soon enough it was obvious to see that the scent came from small boxes neatly stacked on shelves on the far end - wooden boxes made of cedar. On the wall to their right hand from the entrance, a number of sketches and drawings were pinned up on the wall, each an illustration of a piece of jewelry or accessory, showcasing many different designs.

The artisan working there, an aged woman, looked up from her current work and bowed her head in acknowledgement of the young pair. "Please continue your work for now," Ahiru spoke. "I wish to look at your designs first."

Hirame shook his head. "Not surprised. Interested, I guess." He frowned, as he struggled with the right words. "I've had shipmates I've known for years, maybe slept a few yards away from them, know who snores. I'm pleased to learn stuff about you, too." Since they were, after all, going to be married.

A moment, and Hirame had shaken off the rather daunting thought. "Hello!" He greeted the woman as he entered the little shop. Following Ahiru's lead, he began to study the sketches, hands carefully behind his back. After looking at a few, he glanced back at Ahiru, both to gauge her interest, and to mentally compare the designs to jewelry she wore. Maybe she already had something from here?