(D3, EE) Hail to the Chef

[Kakita Yuji]

Deciding to take sanctuary in the House of the Laughing Carp for dinner rather than travel back to the Academy, Yuji rubbed his arms to get warm.

Guess the prayers didn't work. he wondered. The Heavens must really be unhappy for all day hail.

[Funegao no Hirame]

Hirame, meanwhile, was already there. Inclement weather made a long day even longer, and the day had certainly been a long one to begin with. Weird mind games in the morning, physical labor in the afternoon... it was certainly enough to give a teenage boy an appetite!

And so he sat, rubbing his hands both in anticipation and for warmth. At least his fine sharkskin jacket was waterproof, and kept some of the hail from stinging him.

Seeing another samurai come in, Hirame smiled and gave a bit of a wave; hardly a standard greeting among the Crane, but they weren't in proximity to require introductions, so perhaps it was alright...

[Kakita Yuji]

Hirame, meanwhile, was already there. Inclement weather made a long day even longer, and the day had certainly been a long one to begin with. Weird mind games in the morning, physical labor in the afternoon... it was certainly enough to give a teenage boy an appetite!

And so he sat, rubbing his hands both in anticipation and for warmth. At least his fine sharkskin jacket was waterproof, and kept some of the hail from stinging him.

Seeing another samurai come in, Hirame smiled and gave a bit of a wave; hardly a standard greeting among the Crane, but they weren't in proximity to require introductions, so perhaps it was alright...

Yuji noticed the motion as his eyes adjusted to the interior lighting, but didn't assume it was for him. Clearly, the man must be signaling his desire to order to one of the servants. However, seeing that he was alone, Yuji thought to see if perhaps he would enjoy some company since he hadn't started dining yet.

He approached and bowed.

"Good evening....Mantis-san." he offered recalling talks about some of the Mantis competitors. "I am Kakita Yuji. Might I share a table with you? I find that conversation makes the best spice for a meal."

[Funegao no Hirame]

Hirame smiled brightly. "Good evening, Kakita-san! Yeah, go ahead. The more the merrier, I always say."

Everything else to the contrary, Hirame was well-mannered enough to rise to his feet for introductions. "Funegao no Hirame. It's a pleasure to meet you." He said as he bowed, gracefully if a bit rakishly.

[Kakita Yuji]

Hirame smiled brightly. "Good evening, Kakita-san! Yeah, go ahead. The more the merrier, I always say."

Everything else to the contrary, Hirame was well-mannered enough to rise to his feet for introductions. "Funegao no Hirame. It's a pleasure to meet you." He said as he bowed, gracefully if a bit rakishly.

Yuji accepted the seat offered.

"Surpassingly a good night for a hot stew, I think. I've never seen such weather in Tsuma at this time of year. I hope your stay has been pleasant beyond that Mantis-san." he offered.

[Funegao no Hirame]

"It has been, actually!" Hirame said brightly, sitting again. "Tsuma's a nice town. I mean, I wouldn't want to live here, but it's nice to visit."

He waved a hand around. "A nice fish stew sounds perfect. Especially with the hail." He looked at Yuji. "I gather you've been here before? Are you a local?"

[Kakita Yuji]

"It has been, actually!" Hirame said brightly, sitting again. "Tsuma's a nice town. I mean, I wouldn't want to live here, but it's nice to visit."

He waved a hand around. "A nice fish stew sounds perfect. Especially with the hail." He looked at Yuji. "I gather you've been here before? Are you a local?"

Yuji smiled.

'Indeed, I am local to Tsuma, Mantis-san. My family has deep ties to the Academy stretching back generations>" he admits.

He looked curiously at the Mantis.

"Would I be correct in assuming that Mantis-san's reservation about living here is that he prefers life upon the water?" he asked.

[Funegao no Hirame]

"That's great." Hirame said agreeably. "And now you're in the championship, huh? That must be great for your family."

He rubbed his hands together again. "Well, yeah, that's part of it. But also, I'm used to big cities." He wobbled his head, frowning. "Yeah, a bit of both, I guess, if that makes sense." He nodded to Yuji. "Have you done any travelling, Kakita-san?"

[Kakita Yuji]

"That's great." Hirame said agreeably. "And now you're in the championship, huh? That must be great for your family."

He rubbed his hands together again. "Well, yeah, that's part of it. But also, I'm used to big cities." He wobbled his head, frowning. "Yeah, a bit of both, I guess, if that makes sense." He nodded to Yuji. "Have you done any travelling, Kakita-san?"

Yuji shook his head.

"Not physically, no. I've read a great deal about places across the Empire, but that is not the same as visiting and experiencing for yourself. The works on the islands of silk and spice were certainly very colorful in their description. Have you travelled up and down the coast much, Mantis-san?"

[Funegao no Hirame]

"Oh yeah." Hirame nodded. "A bunch of times. North to south, south to north; it depends on the season. You should try Kyuden Doji sometime, if you haven't already been."

He grinned at the mention of the Mantis lands. "Yeah, Gotei city's really something." He studied Yuji. "If you're travelling and you get a choice, I don't know if I'd start there. Maybe hit a few other capitals first. It's kinda... a lot." He said, frowning. "It's hard to explain."

[Kakita Yuji]

Yuji smiled a bit.

"Ah well, one often has little choice in one's travels, ne? But who knows? If we make the right connections at the tournament...well we'll likely end up somewhere in the Winter yes? I would think I would more likely find myself in Phoenix lands, rather than Mantis. But should I find myself in mantis lands, well, I can at least I now know a couple of Mantis at least." he said, rather enjoying the energy of the two Mantis he'd met.

[Funegao no Hirame]

"Yeah, sure!" Hirame said, enthusiastic as always. "Sounds like you've met Kasumi-san too, eh? She's a good sort." He nodded. "And yeah, if you end up in Gotei city, and I'm there, I'll show you around."

He tilted his head thoughtfully. "You know, I thought about that. This championship is an opportunity to meet samurai from all over the empire. I know I've met all sorts. A Sparrow, a Cat, a bunch of Phoenix, a Lion..." Hirame frowned. Was he forgetting one? Oh right. "Another Kakita." Hirame cleared his throat. "I guess it is good to make connections... do you know what duties you're gonna get?"

[Kakita Yuji]

"Yeah, sure!" Hirame said, enthusiastic as always. "Sounds like you've met Kasumi-san too, eh? She's a good sort." He nodded. "And yeah, if you end up in Gotei city, and I'm there, I'll show you around."

He tilted his head thoughtfully. "You know, I thought about that. This championship is an opportunity to meet samurai from all over the empire. I know I've met all sorts. A Sparrow, a Cat, a bunch of Phoenix, a Lion..." Hirame frowned. Was he forgetting one? Oh right. "Another Kakita." Hirame cleared his throat. "I guess it is good to make connections... do you know what duties you're gonna get?"

Yuji chuckled a bit.

"Assuming I won't be the Topaz champion thus getting to choose my first duty?" he joked. "I'm assuming I'll get an assignment to yojimbo duty to a junior diplomat. I would suspect an assignment to Phoenix lands. Perhaps Pale Oak Castle or Nikesake if Pale Oak is hosting the Imperial Winter Court this year."

Yuji looked thoughtfully at the Mantis a bit.

"I know that the ship they are on is quite important to a Mantis. Will you stay with your current ship or is it traditional to change ships once you obtain your gempukku?"

[Funegao no Hirame]

"Those sound pretty good." Hirame said agreeably. "That's the sort of thing that can mean duels, right? I bet you're a pretty hot hand with a blade." He looked at Yuji, eyebrows going up.

"It depends." He said. "As it happens, my captain's offered me a position." Hirame cleared his throat. "Ummm, there's a chance that I'll be joining you as a Kakita, though. There's an engagement, a whole thing with our families and a boat that sank, details didn't get figured, now there's a bet..." Hirame cleared his throat again. "It's complicated."

[Kakita Yuji]

"Those sound pretty good." Hirame said agreeably. "That's the sort of thing that can mean duels, right? I bet you're a pretty hot hand with a blade." He looked at Yuji, eyebrows going up.

"It depends." He said. "As it happens, my captain's offered me a position." Hirame cleared his throat. "Ummm, there's a chance that I'll be joining you as a Kakita, though. There's an engagement, a whole thing with our families and a boat that sank, details didn't get figured, now there's a bet..." Hirame cleared his throat again. "It's complicated."

Yuji considered that.

"Hm, I see." he offered, pausing to put in an order for some food. "Well, should that come to pass, I hope your new lord will take full advantage of your nautical knowledge. The shipping routes of the Crane are quite important after all, and it would be a shame to station Mantis-san in a court far away from the sea."

Though Yuji wasn't entirely sure about the fate of the Mantis. If he wasn't assigned to a Crane vessel, would being this close to the sea and not being on it hurt him? Would a Crane vessel just make him long more for a Mantis one?

[Funegao no Hirame]

"We should definitely split a fish stew." Hirame put in as the ordering was happening.

"Here's hoping." Hirame agreed. "At least my fiancee seems to think it'll be possible." He took a breath. "And if she joins the Mantis, well, there'll be plenty of opportunities to use her skills." He frowned, then shook his head.

"You must like the ocean, growing up in a town like this." Hirame put in a few moments later, smiling again. "Have you ever been out on a ship? Before yesterday, I mean."

[Kakita Yuji]

"We should definitely split a fish stew." Hirame put in as the ordering was happening.

"Here's hoping." Hirame agreed. "At least my fiancee seems to think it'll be possible." He took a breath. "And if she joins the Mantis, well, there'll be plenty of opportunities to use her skills." He frowned, then shook his head.

"You must like the ocean, growing up in a town like this." Hirame put in a few moments later, smiling again. "Have you ever been out on a ship? Before yesterday, I mean."

Yuji nodded at the order before returning his focus to the Mantis.

"Ah, nothing more serious than a day trip, I'm afraid. Ocassionally going out to appreciate the rising or setting of the sun, or her partner the moon The interplay between light and water is quite inspiring don't you think?" he asked.

[Funegao no Hirame]

"Sure." Hirame agreed. He frowned for a few moments before decided to go ahead and ask. "Inspiring how? Like, for poetry or art or something like that?"

He smiled ruefully. "I'll admit, I see lots of beautiful things, and I think, hey, maybe it'd be cool to paint a picture or something. But I've never really studied that stuff. I'm sure I could pick it up if I put my mind to it, but..." Hirame shrugged.

[Kakita Yuji]

"Sure." Hirame agreed. He frowned for a few moments before decided to go ahead and ask. "Inspiring how? Like, for poetry or art or something like that?"

He smiled ruefully. "I'll admit, I see lots of beautiful things, and I think, hey, maybe it'd be cool to paint a picture or something. But I've never really studied that stuff. I'm sure I could pick it up if I put my mind to it, but..." Hirame shrugged.

Yuji tilted his head at that.

"Your fellow Mantis expressed similar sentiments. I managed to convince her to contribute to this final project I'm working on. I'm attempting to gather two poems from each of the competitors in the tournament. One of their initial impressions of the tournament, one of their final impression. A collection of poetry told from the viewpoints of this generation's finest upcoming samurai as they transition from childhood to adulthood." he explained.

"I would be pleased if you would join your fellow Mantis in contributing to this project, Mantis-san." he politely requested.

[Funegao no Hirame]

Hirame frowned. "But I don't know the first thing about poetry. Or, barely the first thing. Five-seven-five, that's a haiku, right?" Hirame made a face. "I don't know, are you sure you want a poem from someone who's not a poet?"

He tilted his head, regarding the Crane curiously. "How many have said yes so far, anyway?"