Sakura had plans to meet with a friend, having heard about a foreign drink that sounded like it could be interesting to try, and who better to try it with than a particularly interesting Mantis?

Kasumi's day thus far had been a bad one, and she seemed to be carrying her own personal storm cloud with her.

But Sakura was one of about two Crane who hadn't pissed her off particularly, and besides...

A little classy company might help counterbalance her own clearly evident (to her) failure to adapt.

Said Crane's face lit up at the sight of Kasumi, though she tried to keep some semblance of her On in place.
"Kasumi-san!" her tone mutedly excited to see someone she would call a friend, even if said friend threw her at a certain Imperial the day before.

"Asahina-san, how y'doin'?"

Because I am *livid*

Sweet, oblivious Sakura... "I'm good," she chirped, and looked from the Mantis to the stalls around them, searching.
"I'm excited to try something new with you!"

You and everybody else, since it's plain I'm no good at anything traditional.

"So, uh, should warn ya, this... coffee stuff? S'got some... kick. Not like sake, either."

She raised an eyebrow. "Could be I, um, I mean, it can't hurt to try? Right? Seems today's a day that might need it?"
Spotting the seller's stall, she motions for the other girl to begin their approach!, tucking her hands into her sleeves.

"Well, ah, it'll certainly... keep you alert?"

Yes, that was the polite way to put it.

Kasumi ambled up and surveyed the wares.

Okay, nothing too out of the ordinary.

Sakura's brow furrows in thought at that. "Might be that's exactly what I need - I'm seeing my brother after this. And this is my treat, Kasumi-san; I'll um, have what you're having?"

Do i fuck with her without mercy and order that... no, no.

Be nice.

She's nice, so you pretend, for an evening, that you're nice, Kasumi.

Kasumi held up two fingers, and indicated a... moderately strong-smelling pile of grounds.

"Got'ny milk t'go with?"

The proprietor smiled at her.

"Ah, dairy is not this ones purview, but I suppose, for a reasonable consideration, some might be procured from my personal supply, acquired at extra expense-"

"You're selling coffee. So y'know it'f for drinking. So y'know that Asahina-san here might find it a mite strong. So cut the crap about it being an extra expense 'fore I drag you outta there and introduce you t'my sandals."

The merchant... cocked his head at the young Mantis.

Best not to get crossways with a samurai, even the immature variety. Especially since she evidently knows the game.

"For such a discerning customer, I suppose I can provide a reasonable sample-"

"Bright boy."

She looked back and forth, watching the conversation and the admired the assertations of the Mantis privately, the smallest smile touching her lips.
Milk? Eyebrows ticked up with surprise at that but she decided to put trust in the Mantis.
Sakura produces the payment and the exchange is made, taking her offered steaming cup and taking an exploratory sniff, her nose wrinkling at the unfamiliar scent.
"You said it's different from sake, Kasumi-san?"

"Aye. Sake makes y'sleepy if y'get too much. Might spur y'song, or a fight, or romance... this stuff..."

She took a sip.

".. this stuff tends t'wake you up. Kinda harshly."

"So moderation is key, then... as in all things," she replies with a small smile.

"Moderation, maybe. But certainly, don't drink too much before it's time t'sleep..."

"Well, I don't know how likely much sleep is tonight? Um," Sakura took an experimental sip of the coffee, finding it different- for sure- but not unpleasant?
"How, um, how have you been? Anything new and uh exciting? I'm sure you've had interesting things happen?" she's delightfully friendly this evening.

"Well..."

I made out with Shiba Jiro who is engaged to Isawa Natsuko which, you might have noticed, isn't my name.
I am rapidly coming to think that those iaijutsu lessons I got from Akodo Michi might have been a waste of time, since it doesn't look like I'll be competing here.
I have enlisted Kakita Ahiru into helping me torment Hirame- who's not just a fellow Mantis but a friend of mine- because it struck me as funny.
I helped track down an opium smuggling operation here in Tsuma.

"Been kinda busy. Helped find out who's been smugglin' opium into Tsuma."

Yeah, that IS the safe one.

Sweet, oblivious Sakura had no idea of the turmoil in her friends' mind.
"Oh!? How'd that go? Another new friend of mine mentioned his involvement? Um? Kitsu Masaru-san? Were you going to bring up that.. whole.. thing.. to Ten.. Asahina-san?"

"Yeah, Kitsu-san was there. So was Shosuro Kaoru-san, Kitsuki Jun-san, an' Togashi Shinko-san. We took it to 'im first thing today."

In a thread which had yet to resolve.

"Which was... quite a thing. Took alla us t'figure it out. Dunno how these magistrates do it."

"I don't know either, to be honest!" Sakura chuckled lightly, taking a sip, "He's always been a discerning sort? Um. Wanting to understand everything, get to the bottom of things, um, to do what's right and what's just."

Another sip.

"Huh."

She chuckled.

"One'a those. We don't get a lotta that type in th'Fleet."