[EE0] - Gathering of Future Heroes - Table 3

[Kakita Ahiru]

"Poetically said, Shiba-san," Ahiru remarked with a smile. "I suppose it would not hurt to play a little game with previous questions. It is all in good fun." While she gave a nod to Yuji, she looked to the others to make sure everyone was comfortable with such a game. It wouldn't do to start off the tournament by making guests uncomfortable.

[Kakita Yuji]

Yuji nodded with the expressed consent of half the table the the player assumed consent of the other half (because time waits for no player after all), he kicked off the impromptu quiz night.

"Very well then. Question 1 of 10:

"Your lord has fallen in battle, and there are no priests who can tend to his remains. What do you do?"



It was a simple question, but generally the first few were the easier ones after all. He looked to the table for an answer from anyone who cared to offer one.

[Isawa Kiriko]

Kiriko frowned, contemplated, the question, then finally said. "Hmm... I guess if I'm both there and not there simultaneously, it depends on if I can physically interact with the environment physically enough to create a pyre..."

[Shiba Kuroneko]

Kuroneko took out his fan. He looked at his clan mate who is also a shugenja. "I suppose that the more experience priest would also had fallen, leaving me with the task. Hopefully my prayers can either keep them here or send them to Emma-O." He wondered about those who aren't priests. "Then again following the rites to one fallen companion even if it is one's lord. See how the service of this one can be of use to a new lord." He sighed. "If none of the options are available then honor should be preserved and well one must commit..."

[Kakita Yuji]

Yuji smiled a bit.

"The person writing the question did sort of assume that the one queried are not, themselves, a priest. But the answers given would have been accepted, perform the last rights, construct a pyre and so on."

(Just going to keep moving along rather than giving each person a chance to answer each question because timezones should give everyone a chance to answer at least one question. Will assume you answered appropriately or refrained appropriately.)

"Question 2 of 10:

'"As you walk through the city on your way to court, a heimin accidently runs into you, causing you to spill your morning tea all over your best kimono. You will now have to return home to change into a fresh kimono, and will be noticeably late for court. How should you punish the heimin?""

[Kakita Ahiru]

Ahiru's nose wrinkled at the odd question. "What sort of person would walk and drink tea at the same time on the street?" And really, why walk when you could be carried?

"I would not punish the heimin. If I was so careless as to walk and drink a cup of tea at the same time, the fault would be on me."

[Kakita Yuji]

Yuji nodded.

"An acceptable answer, Kakita-sama I believe the question is meant to remind us that samurai are meant to be compassionate and merciful to those beneath our station. 'Only the weak must prove their power by dominating others.'" he remarked.

"Question 3 of 10:

"The Scorpion have held the Crab city of Rinzuki Toshi for five generations, since they originally captured it during a border skirmish at that time. The Crab launch an unexpected counter-attack, reclaiming the city and its primarily Scorpion holdings and heimin. To whom does the city rightfully belong?"

[Shiba Kuroneko]

"My guess is who the Divine Emperor decides who should keep the land." The Shiba gave it some thought "Or maybe they could work something out. So the Scorpion may strike a deal with the Crab keeping both happy. The land belongs to the two until the Divine Emperor decides."

[Kakita Yuji]

"My guess is who the Divine Emperor decides who should keep the land." The Shiba gave it some thought "Or maybe they could work something out. So the Scorpion may strike a deal with the Crab keeping both happy. The land belongs to the two until the Divine Emperor decides."

Yuji frowned slightly at the Shiba's answer, as it was close....but not correct. He looked to the others seated about the table to see if they could pick up on the mistake.

[Kitsu Masaru]

The Kitsu boy had approached the table after entering towards the back of the procession of candidates. He was richly dressed in fine silk kimono layered to the best of his ability to highlight the Lion colors starting with deep, almost black, brown and shifting through to red that matched his hair and ending in bright yellow that was warm rather than glaring.

The boy seemed to have joined in the midst of a game or quiz of some sort and opted to quietly join the table rather than interrupt by announcing his presence. He hoped to absorb what was happening rather than ruin the pace of conversation by having it explained to him.

[Kakita Yuji]

The Kitsu boy had approached the table after entering towards the back of the procession of candidates. He was richly dressed in fine silk kimono layered to the best of his ability to highlight the Lion colors starting with deep, almost black, brown and shifting through to red that matched his hair and ending in bright yellow that was warm rather than glaring.

The boy seemed to have joined in the midst of a game or quiz of some sort and opted to quietly join the table rather than interrupt by announcing his presence. He hoped to absorb what was happening rather than ruin the pace of conversation by having it explained to him.

It was hard to sneak up on people with bright red hair, and no proper Crane was going to let a guest go untended.

He rose and bowed to the arrival.

"Kitsu-san, please be welcome at our table. I am Kakita Yuji. Allow me to introduce Seppun Urusai, Kakita Ahiru, Isawa Kiriko, and Shiba Kuroneko." he said, indicating each.

"We were discussing the Test of the Mind, and reviewing some of the questions used in previous tests. Perhaps you'd care to join us in playing? The current question is:

'The Scorpion have held the Crab city of Rinzuki Toshi for five generations, since they originally captured it during a border skirmish at that time. The Crab launch an unexpected counter-attack, reclaiming the city and its primarily Scorpion holdings and heimin. To whom does the city rightfully belong?'

"Shiba-san's answer was close...but not entirely correct. Do you know the answer?" he posed.

[Shiba Kuroneko]

The Shiba nodded to the new arrival acknowledging his presence. He thought he was somewhat creative as a Phoenix always seek peace and harmony between parts.

[Kitsu Masaru]

Masaru's eyebrows rose at being greeted and warm amber eyes flitted between faces before landing on the Crane who had greeted him "Oh um Hai." He bowed taking the time to Compose the slight fluster he seemed to be exhibiting.

He was more put together as he righted himself "It is a pleasure to meet you all. This one is Kitsu Masaru." He said in greeting before his face slipped into contemplation.

"Well the land itself belongs to the Emperor as all things do so his ruling would be final should the matter be brought before him. Otherwise I would say the Crab are the rightful owners of the land. Five generations is really not much in the scope of history and if we say the history matters how long must they hold it until it rightfully becomes theirs? At the end of it all whoever can retain possession is the rightful owner."

[Isawa Kiriko]

Kiriko looked up. "Ah, it's Kitsu Masaru-san from earlier. Hello again."

[Kitsu Masaru]

Masaru smiled to the familiar Isawa "it is good to see you again as well Isawa-san. Fate seems to have brought us back together after visiting the shrines. I hope the time between while brief was enjoyable." He replied to Kiriko

[Kakita Yuji]

Masaru's eyebrows rose at being greeted and warm amber eyes flitted between faces before landing on the Crane who had greeted him "Oh um Hai." He bowed taking the time to Compose the slight fluster he seemed to be exhibiting.

He was more put together as he righted himself "It is a pleasure to meet you all. This one is Kitsu Masaru." He said in greeting before his face slipped into contemplation.

"Well the land itself belongs to the Emperor as all things do so his ruling would be final should the matter be brought before him. Otherwise I would say the Crab are the rightful owners of the land. Five generations is really not much in the scope of history and if we say the history matters how long must they hold it until it rightfully becomes theirs? At the end of it all whoever can retain possession is the rightful owner."

Yuji nodded.

"I figured Kitsu-san would get the question correct. Not that Shiba-san's answer didn't hint at the ultimate authority of the Emperor, but the question was specifically looking for who owns the lands and would only accept 'The Emperor' as the correct answer." he said, slightly apologetically. It was, after all, a tricky question with much irrelevant information.

There was some movement as the servants cleared away finishing plates and cups and brought more.

"Hm, alright, Question 4 of 10:

'As you are in the garden having a private talk with your lord, the two of you are attacked by a ninja! The ninja throws a poisoned knife at your lord; what do you do?'

[Isawa Kiriko]

Ahiru's nose wrinkled at the odd question. "What sort of person would walk and drink tea at the same time on the street?" And really, why walk when you could be carried?

"That does seem kind of confusing. Why would someone be out on the street with tea in the first place...?"

Yuji nodded.

"I figured Kitsu-san would get the question correct. Not that Shiba-san's answer didn't hint at the ultimate authority of the Emperor, but the question was specifically looking for who owns the lands and would only accept 'The Emperor' as the correct answer." he said, slightly apologetically. It was, after all, a tricky question with much irrelevant information.

There was some movement as the servants cleared away finishing plates and cups and brought more.

"Hm, alright, Question 4 of 10:

'As you are in the garden having a private talk with your lord, the two of you are attacked by a ninja! The ninja throws a poisoned knife at your lord; what do you do?'

"... But ninjas aren't supposed to exist, right? Are we supposed to answer as if they do?"

[Seppun Urusai]

"A samurai defends their lord," Urusai replies, flatly. "There is no other way."

His player seems to be over the reaction to the flu vaccine, helpfully.

[Kakita Yuji]

Yuji nodded at the pair of responses.

"Interestingly enough, Isawa-san's and Seppun-sama's answers would have both been accepted. An affirmation of Duty OR a statement of inaction because ninja don't exist work. I would suppose after the last question, people would have been more on guard against tricky wording." he admits.

He take s a sip of tea and continues on,

"Question 5 of 10:

"Soshi Methula arranges to rent a building from Yasuki Okami, in the hopes of transforming it into one of her Clan's well-respected geisha houses. A month later, just as the building has been renovated, Okami returns to Methula and states that his lord has decided that Okami overstepped his bounds in offering the the building to Methula, and regretfully informs Methula that she will have to vacate the renovated building by the first light of the morning. What legal recourse does Methula have in this situation?"

[Kakita Ahiru]

"That does seem kind of confusing. Why would someone be out on the street with tea in the first place...?"

"I know right?" she chuckled a little bit. "Maybe the ones who wrote these questions led a very different life than us, and assumed samurai would be so busy that they couldn't sit down to drink their tea."

With the new question, Ahiru took some time to think about it.

"It's a complex matter, as it would depend a lot on the specifics of the arrangements. If there's any bureaucratic paper-trail, that would certainly be something for Soshi-san to bring to an Emerald Magistrate as this would be an inter-clan matter to handle. Though in the end, the building does belong to the Yasuki."

The Kakita shrugged. "Soshi-san could also acuse Yasuki-san of deception and causing economic losses for her and her clan, which could result in a duel. Either way, it must be handled or overseen by an Emerald Magistrate."