Jiro enjoyed the tea house. So much that he had decided to stay after his last meeting. It was nice in here. He knew he'd be visiting shortly as well. He suspected he might end up spending more time here than anywhere else during the tournament.

He had pulled out his own tea set and was inspecting it piece by piece.

Entering the establishment, Sakura takes a moment to give a small bow to Big Shinji before looking about the tea house properly for where she might fit in.
Spotting the familiar colours of a Phoenix, a tepid smile crosses her expression and she makes her way over to the table and gives a proper bow.

"Konichiwa, Phoenix-san; this one is called Asahina Sakura, may she join you? That is a wonderous tea set, pleasant on the eyes."

The Asahina receives a seated bow when he looks up at her greeting. "Please, do join me. I am Shiba Jiro. It was actually crafted and gifted by the Kakita artisans at Shiro sano Kakita, when I visited the artisan dojo there for an exchange," he explains, as he turns one of the cups to allow her to see the floral pattern on it. Both consistent and non repetitive.

She takes the offered seat before leaning forward some and gives the painted cup a studious and assessing once-over, nodding slightly in quiet approval. "Truly beautiful and to the standard of the Crane, you must have made quite the impression! What was your end of the bargain, if it is not too intrusive a question?" she asks before righting herself to a proper sitting position.

The Empire ran on tea. Fueling both long conversations in the Winter, or settling one's nerves before a battle, Tea was King. Yuji had been waiting for the delivery of a new volume of poetry, 'The Song of the Cracked Crab', However, he'd received word that the Miya bearing it had fallen into the river and the volume was lost. Who knew when a new copy would arrive? And so, to deal with his disappointment he went to drink tea.

Spying the semi-familiar form of Shiba....Jiro, and a Crane he was unfamiliar with, Yuji positioned himself to be invited in or allowed to pass on, as the couple wished.

He smiles to the Asahina. "I wouldn't say it was so much a bargain. But I presented a number of smaller pieces: paintings, origami, carvings and performed the tea ceremony with the set several times during my stay there," he explains.

Noticing Yuji, he nods to the Kakita to invite him to join.

"Let me prepare a bit of tea for us," he says, asking one of the folks working the tea house for some water.

"Ah, Kakita-san, it would please us deeply to enjoy your company," Sakura nods in greeting to the other Crane before nodding to the Shiba once more as he makes his request to the staff.
"I see; so you're an accomplished artist? Very good." she offers another small smile to Jiro.

"I like to think I am more of a creator in general rather than just an artist. I've cooked meals, made furniture, and even built a shrine. I do apply artistic flair to most of my creations though."

With the arrival of water, he sets some tea to steep in the pot.

"Kakita-san is from Tsuma, we spoke yesterday about that. Is Asahina-san also local or do you call elsewhere home?"

Shiba Jiro wrote: ↑

Wed Nov 10, 2021 6:14 pm

"I like to think I am more of a creator in general rather than just an artist. I've cooked meals, made furniture, and even built a shrine. I do apply artistic flair to most of my creations though."

With the arrival of water, he sets some tea to steep in the pot.

"Kakita-san is from Tsuma, we spoke yesterday about that. Is Asahina-san also local or do you call elsewhere home?"

Yuji smiled.

"Ah, I can attest that Asahina-san is local. You should have seen her face when it was announced which students of the Academy would be competing in this year's tournament" he said, taking the offered seat.

She tucks her hands in her sleeves and nods along with the Shiba's further explanation, "Ah I see, Shiba-san, are you proficient in any one thing, or still finding your way?"

A touch of colour tinted her cheeks at the other Crane's words and Sakura dips her head modestly. "I ...wasn't expecting to hear my name, is all, Kakita-san, and am proud of the other students who were chosen to represent their families here. I look forward to seeing others' talents put on display for the pleasure of the Empire, and observing who the other clans have sent to compete, as well."

He nods, producing a piece of paper from his things.

"I have a particular enjoyment for the immediate and visible nature of origami," he says as he begins folding.

"There is a simplicity to it. That it takes very little in the way of resources and time, yet has an incredible number of possible creations."

His hands work diligently as he looks up to the two crane.

"In as short a time as it takes to steep tea, or as long to tell a story. Complex or with only a few folds. You may take however long you wish, and in the end have a piece that can be handled and looked at from any angle. Appreciated or derided by critics in a handful of minutes or after several hours."

He places the lotus that came into being between his hands on the table before Sakura. "A flower for a flower," he says with a smile.

He then takes the teapot with now steeped tea and offers a pour for each.



D1 LA, Origami | TN: 2 | Success: 2 / Opportunity: 0 / Strife: 0

Sakura heals 3 strain from Shiba artist technique

Sakura nods as a go-ahead for Jiro to pour her some tea, and had watched him carefully make the folds to the origami paper to create the lotus, a small smile widening a touch at its completion.
"It's marvellous, Shiba-san, but it is too perfect for this humble Crane to accept. You should keep hold of it as an emblem of your talent." she offered the first refusal, tucking a stray lock of white hair behind one ear.

"If I kept every piece of art I made, I would be weighed down with paper alone," he says with a smile. "Art is meant to be shared and I would share it with new friends," he says with a nod, as he slowly filled her cup, before hovering the pot near Yuji's cup, filling it with his confirmation.

But are you friends? a voice asked Sakura and her affable smile faltered for a microsecond before reaffirming as her gaze flicked to the left over Jiro's shoulder, then back to his face once more.
"Your kindness is most welcome, Shiba-san, but this one cannot pretend to be worth the effort of your attention, and so she must insist you keep this token for yourself."

"The worth of another is not something to be measured in gifts, Asahina-san. And attention is given so that we might learn more of others. But gifts are given in the hopes that they will be appreciated as we appreciate those we give them to. I appreciate the inspiration you had in my creating it, so I would like for you to have this flower," he says offering once more.

Colour touched her cheeks as the gifting ritual was completed and Sakura offered a genuine albeit it small smile and picked up the origami, examining it then. "This one offers her gratitude and hopes she can return the favour in the coming days. I'm... thankful to have met you, it's a sign of good fortune, and um, well wishes that uh.. well.." -she flusters, and her gaze flicks behind Jiro for a heartbeat. "Good luck in the tournament."

He smiles pleasantly at the flush. "I am pleased you like it. And what of yourself? Are there any arts that you favor? Kakita-san is a fan of poetry to at least some extent with his project, though I wonder if there are other arts he might favor too?"

The lotus was carefully tucked into a sleeve, and her other hand was found to scratch at her temple lightly, nose wrinkling briefly.
"I haven't, well, found where I'm most proficient, or uh, a particular specialty? I dabble in just about everything, truth be told, the medium really depends on the subject?"

"Oh, absolutely," he agrees with a nod. "Even different types of wood beg different aesthetics and different projects. I prefer not to think of anything as a specialty of mine. Most people probably associate me with origami, given how much I do so in public, but I create in as many ways as I can. Why limit yourself in expression?"

"Hmm, I find when it comes to creating art, I see what wants to be seen and bring it to the fore in hopes others might see what I see and ...maybe find peace, or inspire contemplation and silent questions in regard to one's place in the wider universe."
She dips her head shyly, finding her tea cup suddenly incredibly interesting.