Considering that he didn't want matcha powder flying everywhere in the wind outside, Jiro opted for the indoor option with the Mantis, as offered the previous evening. He had found a table and awaited his guest, sitting patiently and quietly.

Kasumi arrived carrying a carefully wrapped bundle, and moved with a bit less of her usual loose-jointed sailor's swagger as she carried it.

"Hello, Shiba-san..."

She made her way over and had a seat, carefully unwrapping the tea service.

It was a fine one, the sort a courtier might bring out to impress company, delicately lacquered in Phoenix colors and painted with pastoral designs a savvy or well-traveled observer would recognize as belonging to the environs of Shiro Gisu.

"Think I got everything, I... don't take it out much, not a lot of call for it aboard ship, and it's too nice a thing t'risk for just slurpin' tea out of at the end of a watch anyhow..."

Seeing the Mantis approach he rose as she neared the table then sat back down when she did. He had a pleasant smile on his face, warm and inviting. "Lovely to see you again Kasumi-san."

He watched here unwrap the set and gave an expression of approval and appreciation of it. When she speaks of it's lack of use he nodded in understanding. "They are usually important heirlooms of generations past, so it is good to take care with them. Even new ones will one day be in the care of your ancestors."

He puts a hand out as though to handle it, but does not do so, inclining his head as if to ask permission. It was assumed she'd give it, but he still waited until given proper leave.

She nodded and gestured for him to go ahead.

"Well, uh, this one's been in my family for about... I wanna say six months? Not sure how long Asako Akari-sama's family had it, but... yeah. It's... nice."

Spoken in the voice of someone who didn't typically have nice things.

He begins moving the pieces around, inspecting each for any cracks or chips, as he did with his own set each time he performed the ceremony, putting all the pieces in their proper place. "It's is a fine set. My own tea set is actually quite new, so it has no history behind it really other than it was made by a Kakita and given as a gift during an artistic exchange," he admits.

He then smiles pleasantly at her. "Are you ready?"

"I... sure? I guess?"

She was actually keenly ready, but wasn't sure of the protocol.

"What should I do?"

"I will do most everything, occasionally I will hand you something, and then indicate where it is placed as part of the ceremony," he reassures her. "It will be quite easy for you to follow."

He adjusts to his proper sitting position, which was comfortable but formal, and waited for her to mirror himself. He began the ceremony, and performed it with care and a steady hand. Each interaction between the two involved an exchange of a tool or cup and eye contact. The entire thing moved at a relaxing, languid pace, but drew the attention and awareness of both.

Eventually it came to the finish with Jiro handing Kasumi her cup and moving his own in front of him, lifting his and indicating she should do the same and take a sip. After that sip he smiles and nods, marking the end of the ceremony proper. But he leaves it to her to choose to either enjoy the tea or speak following the ceremony. It was, after all, supposed to be about relaxation.

----

D1 EA, Tea Ceremony | TN: 2 | Success: 2 / Opportunity: 1 / Strife: 2

Success, 1 opp offsets 1 strife, both participants remove 3 strife
Strife: 0/8

That was...

Whoa.

Whooooooooa.

Life aboard a kobune generally wasn't a relaxing affair.

Finding serenity in something as simple as making tea was...

Well.

She'd read about it, of course. But...

She didn't want to open her sailor's mouth and let her coarse words or tone ruin the moment.

So Kasumi sipped her tea in silence.

Letting a bit of time pass, the Phoenix enjoys the tea in quite with the Mantis. After a bit of time though, he finally speaks up.

"What did you think?" he asks.

Ah, damn it, here we go.

"It was..."

Do NOT say "fucking excellent."

"... real nice."

The Mantis wanted to strangle herself when she kept going.

"Classy. Elegant-like."

"Thank you for saying so Kasumi-san. I am glad that you enjoyed it. I was happy to perform it with you," he says with a nod. "And would enjoy doing so again in the future if you'd like."

If there were any judgement or sense that he didn't find her to be pleasant and proper, it didn't show.

"You know. You seem to want to avoid speaking from time to time. Glancing to others, looking around, the timing of pauses..." he then grows a playful smirk. "...mentioning inappropriate work songs but then not wanting to share them. Now that I've got you alone, I promise I don't bite."

"S'just..."

She sighed.

"I sound like th' deck and the docks. Takes an effort not t'lace my words with... colorful phrases, understand?"

He chuckles at that. "If you like, I could use more colorful language," he offers. "How about this. When we're speaking, do your best to speak how you hope to, but don't hold back or worry about saying something improper. If it slips out it slips out. It won't be the end of you and it won't upset me. Like anything, you don't get better at something without practicing and making mistakes."

"Well... all right, but, uh... think you'll end up regrettin' that..."

"Oh, I doubt that Kasumi-san. My sensei was pretty harsh with her language when motivating me. And I've spent time learning manual labor with folks that don't mind their words very much."

"Okay then. Your funeral!"

She chuckled and had another sip.

"But, uh, y'might find the conversation a bit limited, fair warning..."

"And here I thought the Mantis were known for being adventurous. Did I invite the one to tea that has never done anything interesting? I'm not that unfortunate am I?" Jiro asks with a grin, trying to tease a good adventure story out of her.

"Most adventure stories involve a lot of stupidity and panic, and I've only got a couple to call my own anyhow."

"Well, I'm not much of a camper or survivalist myself. But there is this little piece of land on the border that my family takes care of. I was out there with my father and we woke in the tent from noise one night. When we peaked out we saw a pack of a dozen wolves. They heard us and started inspecting the tent. In a moment of brave stupidity I ran shouting out of the tent to the campfire and took up a burning stick. Started waving it around at them and shouting because I didn't want them to hurt my father. They ran off into the night and I luckily didn't get eaten. I was 8 or 9 at the time. Kids are stupid," he says with a chuckle.

"Huh, well, stupid enough to pull it off, though."

Sip.

"A'course, a lot of predators are more curious than genuinely interested in gettin' a bite of a human who c'n fight back. Even sharks!"