D5LM Watching the Soul Train (Open)

[Yukikaze no Kasumi]

Kasumi was certainly present.

She was equally certainly in no mood to talk, since even her one success of the morning owed its inspiration to personal misery.

[Funegao no Hirame]

"Ah Hirame-san. Hi."

He looked at the doll and then at the leafy stick he held.

"Well you made something . . . I kinda . . . destroyed something. Two somethings. I hope that teapot wasn't valuable."

Hirame considered that. "I think if it was valuable, they wouldn't have let a bunch of teenagers from a bunch of other clans put their hands on it." He reasoned.

He maneuvered himself into the corner as well, starting to lean back, then checking to make sure it was actually wood, then finally leaning back with a casual shrug. "Phew, these tests aren't what I thought they'd be." He said.

[Seppun Urusai]

"I can certainly understand that. Although, when is the last time an Artisan won the championship? I'm not exactly surprised that the events are not suited to my training. So I'm just happy to have the opportunity to try."

Urusai's eyes will follow the Asahina for a moment, and he will return the Akodo's bow, but he does not disengage.

"True," he says. "Being sent is a mark of honor. And there are other ways to achieve notice and reflect well on our sensei than victory here."

[Nekoma Seto]

"Oh that one was exactly what I expected. What I didn't expect was to act like a kitten at a dolls tea party and slap the teapot across the room . . . Gosh, darnit . . . I'm supposed to be good at this."

He stared at the dead plant as if he could reconnect it to the rest still in the pot by sheer willpower.

[Funegao no Hirame]

"Oh that one was exactly what I expected. What I didn't expect was to act like a kitten at a dolls tea party and slap the teapot across the room . . . Gosh, darnit . . . I'm supposed to be good at this."

He stared at the dead plant as if he could reconnect it to the rest still in the pot by sheer willpower.

Hirame gave a kindly chuckle at the comparison. "On a ship, I've seen people do something right a hundred times, and then the hundred and first, something goes wrong and someone ends up swimming. It's just how it is."

He titled his head, looking at Seto. "I don't know much about your Clan. Ship has a few cats. Most ships do, of course. But that's pretty much all I know. The Funegao doesn't route to your lands, or at least not since I've been there."

[Nekoma Seto]

Hirame gave a kindly chuckle at the comparison. "On a ship, I've seen people do something right a hundred times, and then the hundred and first, something goes wrong and someone ends up swimming. It's just how it is."

He titled his head, looking at Seto. "I don't know much about your Clan. Ship has a few cats. Most ships do, of course. But that's pretty much all I know. The Funegao doesn't route to your lands, or at least not since I've been there."

"Well, at least I'm not swimming then. Don't like being unexpectedly wet."

With one final stare he stopped fiddling with the poor dead bonsai and placed it on the floor before him.

"We're entertainers. We sell entertainment services like your clan sells mercenary services. Only the best for the highest bidder."

[Funegao no Hirame]

"Well, at least I'm not swimming then. Don't like being unexpectedly wet."

With one final stare he stopped fiddling with the poor dead bonsai and placed it on the floor before him.

"We're entertainers. We sell entertainment services like your clan sells mercenary services. Only the best for the highest bidder."

"Could be worse." Hirame grinned.

For his part, Hirame tucked the horrible doll into the sash he wore. "Among the things we sell." He murmured. "Huh! Have you ever visited Gotei City? A lot of wealth flows through there. I wonder if I've seen some Nekoma but didn't realize it at the time."

[Nekoma Seto]

"No I'd only had a few brief visits to Phoenix lands before coming here. Most of my life on Cat Island learning the way our clan works."

He glanced across at the other Mantis who seemed to be dissolving in a seething cloud of her own making.

"I guess you do things a little differently?"

[Funegao no Hirame]

"No I'd only had a few brief visits to Phoenix lands before coming here. Most of my life on Cat Island learning the way our clan works."

He glanced across at the other Mantis who seemed to be dissolving in a seething cloud of her own making.

"I guess you do things a little differently?"

"Makes sense." Hirame shrugged. "Well, if you get the chance, it's a good place for entertainers."

Glancing at Kasumi, Hirame sighed. "Yeah. We're not much for tea. Or making art; some of us collect it. Or for quiet conversations. Our conversations tend to be loud and involve a lot of laughing or hitting. Or both." Hirame smiled wryly. He wasn't quite sure if he was joking or not. "Guess I've still got more to learn, eh?"

[Akodo Michi]

Kasumi was certainly present.

She was equally certainly in no mood to talk, since even her one success of the morning owed its inspiration to personal misery.

The Lion also noted Kasumi, but did not interrupt the Mantis' mood. There were times for such, and times to not.

[Shiba Jiro]

Urusai's eyes will follow the Asahina for a moment, and he will return the Akodo's bow, but he does not disengage.

"True," he says. "Being sent is a mark of honor. And there are other ways to achieve notice and reflect well on our sensei than victory here."

Likewise, the Akodo gets a return bow from Jiro alongside the Imperial, before he turns back to Urusai. "The true benefit of being invited here is the connections and bonds we can potentially form with fellow competitors. Having friends in important places among the different families makes it easier to press your own or your lords agenda, and gives the opportunity to do so for your friends towards common goals. This event for me, it truly is an honor, but it represents several dozen opportunities to potentially prevent battles, form agreements and alliances, solve problems and make the empire stronger or better through cooperation alongside many talented samurai."

[Nekoma Seto]

"Makes sense." Hirame shrugged. "Well, if you get the chance, it's a good place for entertainers."

Glancing at Kasumi, Hirame sighed. "Yeah. We're not much for tea. Or making art; some of us collect it. Or for quiet conversations. Our conversations tend to be loud and involve a lot of laughing or hitting. Or both." Hirame smiled wryly. He wasn't quite sure if he was joking or not. "Guess I've still got more to learn, eh?"

"Loud, laughing and hitting . . . no, the Crane won't like that much. Pretty no one but the Crab would actually. Maybe the Badgers, but never seen one to know. If only we could have done one of the performing arts I'd have been much happier, but I guess the Crane get to set what they want for this, as it's their tournament."

[Funegao no Hirame]

"Yeah..." Hirame sighed. "I'm figuring that out. And hey, we Mantis are adaptable. I haven't hit anyone since getting here! Not that I do it all that much, really. You know, not unless someone's really asking for it..."

He shook his head, hair swirling about his shoulders. "There's still a bunch of tests left. Maybe one of those will have, I don't know, a singing component? I don't know, a lot of these have surprised me with what they've had us do."

[Nekoma Seto]

He watched the latest effort from the Dragon and had to cover his mouth at the picture the Kitsuki had . . . . 'drawn'.

"Oh well, we're not alone it seems."

[Seppun Urusai]

Likewise, the Akodo gets a return bow from Jiro alongside the Imperial, before he turns back to Urusai. "The true benefit of being invited here is the connections and bonds we can potentially form with fellow competitors. Having friends in important places among the different families makes it easier to press your own or your lords agenda, and gives the opportunity to do so for your friends towards common goals. This event for me, it truly is an honor, but it represents several dozen opportunities to potentially prevent battles, form agreements and alliances, solve problems and make the empire stronger or better through cooperation alongside many talented samurai."

Urusai nods, taking his fan and tapping his chin with it in thought.

"There is truth in that," he says, "and I have to wonder how many of those here will serve beside me in the Legions in days to come, or to whom I might be seconded in Magisterial service. Some would be perhaps more workable than others, but I have not met all here.

"But what are your thoughts as to who would be prominent in the days that follow the contest?"

[Shiba Jiro]

Considering for a moment, he looks around. "I... honestly suspect any here could end up being prominent in their own families. Even those that don't perform as well as others. They were chosen to participate here for their talents. Losing to other extremely talented people doesn't diminish their own abilities. I expect we'll see plenty of our fellow competitors at important courts or on important battlefields in the future."

[Seppun Urusai]

Considering for a moment, he looks around. "I... honestly suspect any here could end up being prominent in their own families. Even those that don't perform as well as others. They were chosen to participate here for their talents. Losing to other extremely talented people doesn't diminish their own abilities. I expect we'll see plenty of our fellow competitors at important courts or on important battlefields in the future."

"A diplomatic response," Urusai says, grinning. "I think you may be one of those at 'important courts' to come."

[Shiba Jiro]

"A diplomatic response," Urusai says, grinning. "I think you may be one of those at 'important courts' to come."

"That remains to be seen. I was not expecting and was surprised by news of my betrothal. It's possible that people in my clan have some purpose for me that I don't know," he says with a shrug. "But I suspect that whatever I'm doing, it will be political or social in nature."

[Seppun Urusai]

"That remains to be seen. I was not expecting and was surprised by news of my betrothal. It's possible that people in my clan have some purpose for me that I don't know," he says with a shrug. "But I suspect that whatever I'm doing, it will be political or social in nature."

"Here I was worried I was the only one," Urusai muses, tapping his chin again. "But that I seem to have company's not necessarily a comfort."

[Funegao no Hirame]

He watched the latest effort from the Dragon and had to cover his mouth at the picture the Kitsuki had . . . . 'drawn'.

"Oh well, we're not alone it seems."

Hirame chuckled. "Well, that's something. Hey, there's still room in the corner if they want to hang out." His lips twisted. "That drawing does sorta look like the sort of place my doll would bury its victims, huh?"