[EE9] - The Feast of Thanks

[Yukikaze no Kasumi]

"Is there something the matter with your food, Yukikaze no Kasumi-san?" Taura asked in a whisper. "It seems quite amazing to this one."

Kasumi turned. Regarded the Crab for a long second.

Shrugged.

"S'less th'food than th'circusmtances."

[Kaiu Taura]

Taura paused, contemplating that, and then nodded. "Still, you should eat. This is taught to the Crab, enjoy each meal, you never know when you will have another one." She returned to her eating and watching the Emperor, now, more often sparing a moment to watch the other people near to her.

[Yukikaze no Kasumi]

Taura paused, contemplating that, and then nodded. "Still, you should eat. This is taught to the Crab, enjoy each meal, you never know when you will have another one." She returned to her eating and watching the Emperor, now, more often sparing a moment to watch the other people near to her.

"Some things are more t'be endured than enjoyed, Kaiu-san."

[Funegao no Hirame]

Following the rest when given permission to rise and eat, Ahiru took her seat next to Hirame.

"Wow, can you believe it? Such august audience for tomorrow's finals!" she said behind a raised fan, keeping the voice somewhat low. "It must be such a great occasion for the princes too, to have some exciting entertainment tomorrow. I know it's pretty common for the Emperor and his family to observe the Topaz Championship, but since neither his majesty nor the princes were here at the start I had thought they wouldn't show... how lucky we are that they came for the finals."

Following her example, Hirame brought out his own fan, the one with the wave motif, and raised it. He didn't quite know how to hold and angle it best, but he did his best.

"Caught me by surprise, that's for sure." He murmured back to her. "If the duels weren't exciting enough before, they certainly are now. And they were exciting enough before!"

He gave a casual shrug. "It's fortunate that I was dressed for the occasion." He peered over the top of his fan at her, eyes crinkling ever so slightly.

[Kakita Ahiru]

Following her example, Hirame brought out his own fan, the one with the wave motif, and raised it. He didn't quite know how to hold and angle it best, but he did his best.

"Caught me by surprise, that's for sure." He murmured back to her. "If the duels weren't exciting enough before, they certainly are now. And they were exciting enough before!"

He gave a casual shrug. "It's fortunate that I was dressed for the occasion." He peered over the top of his fan at her, eyes crinkling ever so slightly.

Ahiru was practically beaming as she smiled, looking over him once more and the clothes he was wearing. "I'm glad it looks good on you." Oh my Kami, imagine if he was wearing that dreadful sharkskin vest in front of the Emperor! Gasp, the scandal! I'd never hear the end of it!

"Do you like the new clothes?" she asked with great interest as she dismissed the thoughts about the scandalous vest.

[Kaiu Taura]

"Some things are more t'be endured than enjoyed, Kaiu-san."

"Hai," she agrees. "But the advice is still good."

This one obviously lacks some context for Yukikaze no Kasumi-san's displeasure at the circumstances here. This one will ask after the meal. Yes. She took a big bite to keep herself from asking right now.

[Seppun Urusai]

"Soonest would be best," Urusai replies. "Even now, if it could be done."

Can it? asks the voice in his mind.

[Yukikaze no Kasumi]

And worst of all, I can't just fucking leave. Not with the Emperor and the entire fucking leadershi8p of the Empire here. It would have been hard when it was just the Gray Cock sitting up there patting himself on the back.

[Funegao no Hirame]

Ahiru was practically beaming as she smiled, looking over him once more and the clothes he was wearing. "I'm glad it looks good on you." Oh my Kami, imagine if he was wearing that dreadful sharkskin vest in front of the Emperor! Gasp, the scandal! I'd never hear the end of it!

"Do you like the new clothes?" she asked with great interest as she dismissed the thoughts about the scandalous vest.

Hirame's smile was more reserved, although it grew a little as he saw how happy she was. "I do." He said. "Very much."

He held up one arm, demonstrating the look of it. "I think it suits me. Not always, perhaps. There's a time and place for different things, after all." He was not going entirely give up his sharkskin jacket. "But I was very glad to have this here, now."

[Kitsuki Jun]

Jun is trying to eat while also watching the royal party while also trying not to look like he's watching the royal party. He seems to be managing #2 and #3 passably well, but this comes at the expense of #1. He keeps forgetting his chopsticks are supposed to be doing something.

[Isawa Natsuko]

Jiro returns to his seat with the emperor's words and eats. He notes Kasumi's mood. He's only known her for about a week, but he can imagine what she is thinking. Something about the pomp being ridiculous probably.

But when he looks to Natsuko he can't even begin to imagine what she thought of the situation. She did all the things she was supposed to, but it was difficult to read her expressions. The only time he had been able to read anything about it was when he disappointed her.

Life... is... so messy.

Natsuko, when she rises to eat, is noticeably pale, keeping her eyes on her food, not daring to sneak glances. It isn't like the Void has tended to show her anything if she doesn't reach for it...but the realities and possibilities surrounding so august an assemblage seem like they might just be powerful enough to reach out in some fashion, and she'd rather not embarrass herself before everyone.

[Shiba Jiro]

Natsuko, when she rises to eat, is noticeably pale, keeping her eyes on her food, not daring to sneak glances. It isn't like the Void has tended to show her anything if she doesn't reach for it...but the realities and possibilities surrounding so august an assemblage seem like they might just be powerful enough to reach out in some fashion, and she'd rather not embarrass herself before everyone.

He observed for a few moments, then spoke as other whispers picked up. "How are you feeling?" he asks quietly.

[Asahina Sakura]

"Soonest would be best," Urusai replies. "Even now, if it could be done."

Can it? asks the voice in his mind.

Could it, indeed.
Sakura looks to find her brother and raises eyebrows at him, tilting her head to silently ask to talk to him, as siblings are wont to communicate wordlessly...

[Isawa Natsuko]

He observed for a few moments, then spoke as other whispers picked up. "How are you feeling?" he asks quietly.

"Concerned," she says equally quietly, her eyes flitting toward the Unicorn woman before focusing on picking apart the most delicate dish before her. "How they can let one of those travel with them, so close, despite the warnings..."

[Shiba Jiro]

"Concerned," she says equally quietly, her eyes flitting toward the Unicorn woman before focusing on picking apart the most delicate dish before her. "How they can let one of those travel with them, so close, despite the warnings..."

"I imagine that you are seeing something I am not? Since I have not heard any warnings about anyone or anything in the procession," he replies, still at a whisper.

[Isawa Natsuko]

"I imagine that you are seeing something I am not? Since I have not heard any warnings about anyone or anything in the procession," he replies, still at a whisper.

"The warnings that have come out, the tensions born between our clan and the Unicorn? It was one of our senior sensei who caught the vision. More that she was caught by it. Her student was ill and everyone nearby felt it." She takes a few moments to eat, avoiding an extended spate of whispers in their section of the tables.

"There is something dangerous to come from their strange magic. They should have..." she stops, unwilling to say the Emperor ought to have decreed differently. "Letting the Seppun study it was probably wise, but keeping her so close?" With a deep breath, she picks up her tea, sipping to settle nerves about conditions that cannot be changed. "But that is how it is, and it is a wonder that the Emperor is here"

[Kaiu Taura]

Taura continues to eat at a measured pace, trying as many different dishes as she can. Asking what things are when she cannot identify them herself.

[Shiba Jiro]

"The warnings that have come out, the tensions born between our clan and the Unicorn? It was one of our senior sensei who caught the vision. More that she was caught by it. Her student was ill and everyone nearby felt it." She takes a few moments to eat, avoiding an extended spate of whispers in their section of the tables.

"There is something dangerous to come from their strange magic. They should have..." she stops, unwilling to say the Emperor ought to have decreed differently. "Letting the Seppun study it was probably wise, but keeping her so close?" With a deep breath, she picks up her tea, sipping to settle nerves about conditions that cannot be changed. "But that is how it is, and it is a wonder that the Emperor is here"

"The emperor has reasons beyond what we can know for many things. It may be necessary for the good of the empire to keep them so close, he replies with a shrug.

He smiles softly at the table with his eyes moving to Natusko's hands. "I am glad that you are watching out though. You understand such things much better than I can."