[D1EE, Main Hall, Open] The first supper (Occasion)

[Togashi Genkai]

Akimitsu noted the Togashi and his expression stayed neutral he returned the gesture of greeting but he had no bowl in front of him to eat from.

He shook his head at the motion with the bowl "Good evening Togashi-san, I am not eating but your concern is noted and appreciated."

Akimitsu's expression never changed and his tone matched it. He was dressed in a formal and clearly quality kimono of emerald green silk accented in gold with Seppun mons both large on the back and small of his heart. Long black hair neatly tied up in a perfect bun not a stray hair to be found.

Genkai looked down at his bowl, then back to the Seppun, one eyebrow raised questioningly. He wasn't eating a whole lot himself, but it seemed that Akimitsu's choice to not eat confused him. He held out a hand, calloused and tattooed from the wrist and up, indicating for Akimitsu to elaborate.

[Seppun Akimitsu]

Genkai looked down at his bowl, then back to the Seppun, one eyebrow raised questioningly. He wasn't eating a whole lot himself, but it seemed that Akimitsu's choice to not eat confused him. He held out a hand, calloused and tattooed from the wrist and up, indicating for Akimitsu to elaborate.

Akimitsu gestured to the monks that were hosting them "I have come here to learn from them, to train with the master of an art. They clearly do not eat at this time but have made special accommodations for guests. I wish to train with them, I will have to live like them best to start early." He said looking from the monks back to the Togashi very little changing in his demeanor as he did so

"it is a personal choice, one I think will better prepare me for what lies ahead."

[Togashi Genkai]

Akimitsu gestured to the monks that were hosting them "I have come here to learn from them, to train with the master of an art. They clearly do not eat at this time but have made special accommodations for guests. I wish to train with them, I will have to live like them best to start early." He said looking from the monks back to the Togashi very little changing in his demeanor as he did so

"it is a personal choice, one I think will better prepare me for what lies ahead."

An answer that could have spurred on a flood more questions, and the monk did indeed seem to think about what Akimitsu said. While he contemplated what it meant, his gaze did drift to focus on something slightly behind Akimitsu... and then focusing back to the young Seppun.

Genkai smiled softly, nodding with understanding on his smooth features, and picked some more at the food he had been given. It was important to remember the journey was different for everyone.

[Moto Taka]

"Sorry to disappoint, I'm just a very, very pretty Kakita that likes freedom of being" Sumire shook her head with a grin "not even a Ki-rin, they're far too elegant and nosy. Nope, just a regular irregular Kakita girl."

She brought some rice up to eat, nodding at the second question.

"I love dancing actually, and have indeed danced in the rain. In this lifetime, not just in the one eleven lifetimes ago" she laughed softly "it's a unique experience. Robes soaked through but you don't feel the chill, only the warmth of the dance. Puddles create great additions too, splashing or creating mini waves."

Taka swallows his food, pausing for a moment.

Man, I am imagining the dancing in wet robes a biiiiit to vividly right now.

"Alas, it seems that the cold makes dancing in the rain unlikely. But if you need to a beat to help you keep moving, I am not terrible with a shamisen. You know, to keep yourself warm."

[Kitsuki Ketsudan]

Having had something of a rough day of it, Ketsudan finds his way to the meal, straightening his indigo jacket as he enters the room.

Meager rations are nothing new to him, so he takes the proffered bowl and finds a spot--close enough for correspondence, certainly.

~~~~~
Happy to talk; please quote me so that I know!

[Kitsuki Kindaichi]

Date: Day 1 of the Sweeping Monk Incident
Time: Hour of the Rooster
Location: Main Hall of Circle's End Monastery
Dinner: Rice Porridge

The sharing of rice is one of the many rituals of the Empire. Food is, of course, a necessity for life. And just as rice nourishes the stomach, conversation nourishes the mind. Thus whether it is over a sushi feast of noble lords, or humble peasants dining over buckwheat, mealtime was an important ritua.

Of course, only the most self-centered of guests would fail to note the hosts not eating. While this would be a cause for alarm in the lands of the Scorpion, here it was simply a matter of the monks normally fasting at this time to focus on their path. It was, perhaps a very socially awkward solution. The guests were fed, and yet it was a strange situation you could clearly read on the monk's faces.

There were many guests at the meal. (See Appendix 2) The highlight of the meal was the address by the Sensei himself....

The journal of Kitsuki Kindachi, The Sweeping Monk Incident

Kindachi quietly watched the proceedings while others talked. There was an interesting contrast of energies between the Kakita/Moto pair and the Seppun/Togashi pair. The Kakita and the Moto were certainly the easier to follow.

[Kaito Maya]

Maya was quite happy to partake of the offered food, having spent a good portion of the day trudging about the snows to get here and then opting to continue her exploration of the area. It reminded her of home, but her conclusion so far was that the similarities ended at mountainous and cold.

Not a promising start, but a start nonetheless.

Bland was relative and the shrine keeper was no stranger to simple fare, though Sensei Wu's musing about coming at them with an axe was enough to cause her to pause and look about to her companions, as if to pick up a cue to confirm from the others that the bojutsu master wasn't serious.

Was he?

[Kakita Sumire]

Taka swallows his food, pausing for a moment.

Man, I am imagining the dancing in wet robes a biiiiit to vividly right now.

"Alas, it seems that the cold makes dancing in the rain unlikely. But if you need to a beat to help you keep moving, I am not terrible with a shamisen. You know, to keep yourself warm."

"Wouldn't it just be dancing in the snow then? Just more solid rain in a slightly different colour. Still danceable ne?"

Which one is the shamisen again...oh right long thin neck.

"Ah a musician? I'm more of a biwa player. Got my mothers biwa with me, it's less warming than dancing but makes better noises. Although a biwa and shamisen are small enough to do both! Can you dance and play or focus on one thing at a time?"

[Boku]

Though the meal was not for him, as a member of the monastery, he was very curious indeed about what the Sensei would have to say.

As cover Boku had found an unobtrusive corner and, outside of the sensei's speech, was providing a calming background melody to the meal on the shakuhachi. By design it was light and non-distracting and he seemed to play with the skill one would expect of his apparent profession.

(D1, Settling In: Action 2 - The news of the world/Life of the party
Perform (Earth), Seizing the Moment | TN: 2 | Success: 2 / Opportunity: 2 / Strife: 2
)

[Seppun Akimitsu]

An answer that could have spurred on a flood more questions, and the monk did indeed seem to think about what Akimitsu said. While he contemplated what it meant, his gaze did drift to focus on something slightly behind Akimitsu... and then focusing back to the young Seppun.

Genkai smiled softly, nodding with understanding on his smooth features, and picked some more at the food he had been given. It was important to remember the journey was different for everyone.

Akimitsu nodded in return again acknowledging a sort of understanding. He wasn't certain the monk fully understood but then again the monk hadn't said anything

"Is your silence voluntary Togashi-san?"

[Moto Taka]

"Wouldn't it just be dancing in the snow then? Just more solid rain in a slightly different colour. Still danceable ne?"

Which one is the shamisen again...oh right long thin neck.

"Ah a musician? I'm more of a biwa player. Got my mothers biwa with me, it's less warming than dancing but makes better noises. Although a biwa and shamisen are small enough to do both! Can you dance and play or focus on one thing at a time?"

"Well, I think that we will have to try it out for ourselves one night. I'm eager to try out both, though I think you can get plenty of pleasurable noise as you dance if you're doing it right..."

Taka seems to think. "We should probably plan something as a backup plan if we don't warm up enough with the dancing"

[Kakita Sumire]

"Well, I think that we will have to try it out for ourselves one night. I'm eager to try out both, though I think you can get plenty of pleasurable noise as you dance if you're doing it right..."

Taka seems to think. "We should probably plan something as a backup plan if we don't warm up enough with the dancing"

There was a tilt of the head as she looked at the man with a curious expression.

"You weren't kidding about the open and honestness."

She chuckled, clearly getting the hint but not biting.

"A backup plan? How about a run through the forest? A swim in a lake? I'm not much of a fighter so I wouldn't be a challenge for a warrior in combat but for me dancing is enough to keep me warm."

[Togashi Genkai]

Akimitsu nodded in return again acknowledging a sort of understanding. He wasn't certain the monk fully understood but then again the monk hadn't said anything

"Is your silence voluntary Togashi-san?"

His expression seemed thoughtful, as if he wasn't sure himself for a moment, then nodded.

As if aware of the difficulties of the situation, he produced a piece of paper from inside his robe and unfolded it. Judging by the lines on the rough paper it had been folded and unfolded many times, and some of the elegant brushwork had begun to fade.

Togashi Genkai.
I divine. I create. I seek.

[Moto Taka]

There was a tilt of the head as she looked at the man with a curious expression.

"You weren't kidding about the open and honestness."

"Nope! Not in the least." Taka replies cheerfully. At this point, there's no possible way she isn't getting what she's saying...and while she's not enthusiastically saying yes, it's not a no.

She chuckled, clearly getting the hint but not biting.

"A backup plan? How about a run through the forest? A swim in a lake? I'm not much of a fighter so I wouldn't be a challenge for a warrior in combat but for me dancing is enough to keep me warm."

"Personally, I'm a fan of hot sake but I'm not sure that they have any here." Taka nods, seemingly to himself. "Usually in the wilderness the only method is to get out of wet clothes and find something nearby to keep you warm. Freezing to death is not the way I would like to go out, thank you very much."

[Kakita Sumire]

"Personally, I'm a fan of hot sake but I'm not sure that they have any here." Taka nods, seemingly to himself. "Usually in the wilderness the only method is to get out of wet clothes and find something nearby to keep you warm. Freezing to death is not the way I would like to go out, thank you very much."

"Why can't you have hot sake? Get some sake, start a fire, make some way to secure the sake over the fire? That would make it hot enough wouldn't it?"

She seemed entirely serious, it made sense to her at least. Wasn't like this guy had a nice warm fur coat after all.

"Carrying around clothes will just get them wet though. I have an umbrella and shoes! I'll be ok. You have a horse too, can keep warm that way. Or just keep running" she laughed "so music and a campfire in the wilds? When and where?"

[Moto Taka]

"Why can't you have hot sake? Get some sake, start a fire, make some way to secure the sake over the fire? That would make it hot enough wouldn't it?"

She seemed entirely serious, it made sense to her at least. Wasn't like this guy had a nice warm fur coat after all.

"Carrying around clothes will just get them wet though. I have an umbrella and shoes! I'll be ok. You have a horse too, can keep warm that way. Or just keep running" she laughed "so music and a campfire in the wilds? When and where?"

"I think the trick would be getting sake from the monks. I hear they are no the biggest fans, buuuuut if what you want is music and a campfire in the woods?" Taka grins. "I am all for it. As for when? They have us up at the crack of dawn tomorrow but it sounds as if we would have a little more time the day after. I have my camping gear with me. I can't promise it's fancy, but it's wild tested"

[Kakita Sumire]

"I think the trick would be getting sake from the monks. I hear they are no the biggest fans, buuuuut if what you want is music and a campfire in the woods?" Taka grins. "I am all for it. As for when? They have us up at the crack of dawn tomorrow but it sounds as if we would have a little more time the day after. I have my camping gear with me. I can't promise it's fancy, but it's wild tested"

"So you brought a wilderness campset with you but not a bottle of sake?" Sumire shook her head "seems like poor planning to me. However the date is acceptable. I'll bring my koto and an extra blanket. How wilderness tested? Is it squirrel tested, ox tested, bear tested?"

[Moto Taka]

"So you brought a wilderness campset with you but not a bottle of sake?" Sumire shook her head "seems like poor planning to me. However the date is acceptable. I'll bring my koto and an extra blanket. How wilderness tested? Is it squirrel tested, ox tested, bear tested?"

"I did need to ride quite a distance to get here you know." Taka remarks wryly, as if this explains everything. "And I meant "tested against wind, rain and snow", but it's survived horses well enough from time to time"

[Kakita Sumire]

"I did need to ride quite a distance to get here you know." Taka remarks wryly, as if this explains everything. "And I meant "tested against wind, rain and snow", but it's survived horses well enough from time to time"

"Even less excuse, a horse can carry many bottles. If you ask them nicely they might even carry one in their mouth."

Sumire nodded, appearing to be serious.

"So not bear tested. Hmm, this shouldn't be bear season but you never know. Horses are close but hooves and claws do different styles of damage" another nod "I know that well. Oh well, it'll have to do!"

[Seppun Akimitsu]

His expression seemed thoughtful, as if he wasn't sure himself for a moment, then nodded.

As if aware of the difficulties of the situation, he produced a piece of paper from inside his robe and unfolded it. Judging by the lines on the rough paper it had been folded and unfolded many times, and some of the elegant brushwork had begun to fade.

Togashi Genkai.
I divine. I create. I seek.

Akimitsu's lips pressed into a little line in thought for a moment but he gave his head a slight shake as if dispelling the thoughts swirling inside.

He took a look at the paper and nodded "Ah a monk and an artisan. Useful. Arts are important, though I have no skill with them myself." he said honestly "Well, I see you calligraphy is excellent. Do you have a way to tell me what sort of art you make?" he asked trying to find the best way to ask questions to one who can't speak.