[D8, LA, Event] Down By the River

[Doji Shinnosuke]

"Oh, my, no, Haku's much too elegant to bother with a fish that hasn't been cooked for him." Shinnosuke grins as he sets the basket down next to the drinks and removes the lid.

"Doji-sama is most generous to share her rods when they've already been baited. That's not exactly my favorite part," he adds a little wryly, helping himself to the shochu. "Oh, good one, Shiba-san!"

"I will bait the hooks for you if you wish to participate, Doji-san. Just bring the spent lines over to me."

“Goodness, no, Doji-sama.” Shinnosuke’s tone is light, but not exactly unserious. “You’ve given up more than enough for other people’s demands and conveniences today already. I’d be tired of it if I were you.”

He notices a telltale twitch on the rod he’s watching, and becomes absorbed for a short while in trying to pull it in… until it becomes clear the fish has slipped the hook. Oh well, win some and lose some. Wrinkling his nose just slightly, he flips open the bait basket and, as promised, takes care of that job himself.

Such is Haku’s refinement that he doesn’t even look over or sniff the air while the bait basket is open. He’s probably more interested in collecting his due tribute of pats from Noriko and the other assembled nobility.

D8 LA—looking for a fish, inv/per | 4k3 ⇒ 29 (TN: 15)

D8 LA—pulling in a fish, ath/stam | 3k2 ⇒ 10 (TN: 15)

[Doji Noriko]

"One bears what one must. If Otomo Keihime needed the Empire to know her heart, it was not for me to deny her the opportunity. And I have a strong back, anyway. I can handle a great deal more than a court game."

[Shiba Ryusei]

Having thus far been the only one to land a fish... Ryusei took a step back.

"I believe, Doji-sama, I will take a small measure of the refreshment on offer..."

No one needed a showoff landing a second fish before anyone else had landed any.

And of course, her words on Keihime were... useful.

"I believe it might have been Akodo-Kami who wrote, 'never interrupt your enemy when he is making a mistake.'"

[Soshi Eiji]

Eiji looked over at Noriko's comment before turning his attention back to the lines.

"I think that all who were chosen for consideration have had an opportunity to show their nature before the court. Whether they're cruel or kind, whether they'll stand up for the honor of another, or lay down as their own is trampled, whether they know court like the back of their hand, or are as if they're a visitor from a foreign land, if they are wise or only think themselves wise." he said to the river.

"The throne is infallible. Whatever flaws a mortal may have before assuming it are to be overlooked for the best interest of the Empire. Still, I think that the Empire would flourish more readily under one who is kind, honorable, and wise, rather than the opposite."

[Doji Noriko]

"If the throne is infallible, it is because the people need it to be so. The Imperial Person can only try their best to serve them as they need to be."

[Doji Hikaru]

"One bears what one must. If Otomo Keihime needed the Empire to know her heart, it was not for me to deny her the opportunity. And I have a strong back, anyway. I can handle a great deal more than a court game."

Hikaru bristles at the memory. "I will confess Lady Doji that it was infuriating watching those two. Not the act so much as using all they had to be petty."

He sighs and chuckles "The better payback appreciating the fruits of our labor. Benten has blessed this Court after all"

Hikaru tugs on his line, only to realize it's slack

"Curses! It just got away."

D8 Fishing roll, VP for untrained 3k3 | 3k3 ⇒ 14 (TN: 15)

[Shiba Ryusei]

Yep, definitely not going to try to land another just yet...

[Doji Noriko]

"But it was not pettiness, Doji-san. It was an object lesson. Otomo Keihime was merely showing us her power, and just the message that medium conveyed may have turned our stomachs a bit, for others the message was immaterial. It was the power itself that was important; the seeing it used. That was the game.

I believe it was a miscalculation, but it fits with what I know of Lady Keihime's understanding of the world. She believes that people will always compromise their integrity when they encounter a situation that asks them to choose between it and something they want, or want to avoid. She believes that there is no person with power here that would not like to continue to gather it to themselves, so just as we must show that we have rice in order to gather the goods we need, she must show that she has power to attract their support.

But I believe that she underestimates many among those gathered here, and I think especially she overlooks the sympathy that many have already demonstrated they have for Seppun Tomaru."

[Soshi Eiji]

A hit!

Line taunt, Eiji put his back into it...

And landed a carp!

It was on the small side, but it was definitely his.

His frown deepened as he listened to Noriko's description of Keihime.

He wanted to say something witty or insightfull, his mind grasped for some relevent metaphore to describe such a person as Keihime. But he was focused on but a single word:

Dishonorable.

It wasn't his place to denounce Keihime as dishonorable. But he yearned for someone to do so.

Instead, he took a second shot of shochu to chase the frown from his mouth.

[Shiba Ryusei]

Oh thank the Fortunes, I'm not the only one to catch a fish now...

[Kuni Shiori]

Shoiri did some mental calculations regarding the time of day and she did have an event to help host later on. So it was polite to have just one drink but she wasn't going to go overboard on the refreshments. She took a shot of shochu and gave a few blinks as she allowed the liquor to refresh her senses. It did give her some liquid courage to try this fishing business once more, especially if she saw that the pretty Crane actor wasn't going to be shy about handling crawlies for the next bait. She got to do the same and gave it another go...

It was easy to spot her prey once more and her attention was instantly grabbed once the line showed some strain. This time around, she showed a bit more efficiency in reeling in the fish from the water. It almost looked like it would slip away but she barely managed to pull it onto land where it flopped around in futility. "...there we go."

Rolls
Day 8 - Late Evening: Investigation (Notice)/ Perception rolls at TN 15 | 6k3 ⇒ 25 (TN: 15)
...Should be Late Afternoon, copy-pasta oni!
Day 8 - Late Afternoon: Athletics/Stamina roll at TN 15, Unskilled | 3k3 ⇒ 15 (TN: 15)

[Doji Shinnosuke]

"Oh well, done, Kuni-san!" Shinnosuke cheers, looking up from the rod he's almost gotten ready to cast again. "Er... I'm afraid... you do need to put the fish out of its misery, now, though."

Couldn't just leave it flopping around on land like some sort of heavy-handed (finned?) metaphor about power and ruthlessness, after all.

[Kuni Shiori]

"Thank you, Doji-san. Mmm..." Shiori would say momentarily before sinking into a deep pensive frown on the matter. Was it better to have a Crane tell her how to fish or have a Hiruma laugh at her for her lack of outdoor skills? She supposed she would have to vote for the latter, only because she didn't have to suffer that sort of embarrassment here.

Her gaze swept around in haste before finding something that any Crab could understand as the solution to any problem. She picked up the club that had been laid out for this purpose and gave the fish a few stern whacks before it wouldn't stop flopping about.

Thrwap! Thrwap! Crack!

She carefully replaced the club in the place she found it and stood upright once more to take a breather. "...I'm not so sure if I'll be needing this fish later, actually. Would Haku be interested?"

[Soshi Eiji]

Eiji raised an eyebrow at the Kuni's actions. Killing without need? Despite the actor's suggestion, she COULD have returned the fish to the water.

It wasn't a bad metaphor for Keihime, come to think of it...but not one to use right in front of the Kuni. She was a pleasant person, after all.

Instead he eyed the shochu bottle.

"Hmmmm, I wouldn't mind another drink.....but I feel like I may be taking more than my fair share." he mused.

Despite the generousity of the Crane, he was pretty sure the most anyone had thus far was one, and still a few with zero.

[Yasuki Masaki]

Having heard some people had gone out of town to the river, Masaki decided to give it a chance and take a walk down there as well. It was hard to miss that she was a bit different from her usual self, steps somewhat rushed, as if something was at the back of her mind the whole time.

In fact, one might even wonder if she had gone there more looking for someone she had to talk to to get some things organised than for another reason.

But seeing Noriko and the retinue of others around her, fishing and having drinks, somehow had an effect on her. She looked up. There was still some time, the event wouldn't start that soon after the sun went down, and a lot had been done already. She took a deep breath, smiled. Maybe she could relax for a while?

She approached the group, bowed appropriately low to all of them - lower to Noriko, a smile on her face somehow helping her out of the stress.

"Good afternoon, minasan", she says, looking at some of the catch. "I see it's going well?"

She wondered. Should she try? Given her training, and especially her 'later' training away from family lands, she never became skilled at this as her brother or most of her cousins. Didn't mean she didn't enjoy it, of course...

[Kuni Shiori]

"Good afternoon, Yasuki-san. And it's going, it's been educational, to say the least," Shiori said with a bow from the beaten fish. She supposed that if Haku wasn't a fish sort of pet, she could always bring her kill to Nyoko as an alternative.

"I take it this is something that Yasuki-san might be familiar with?" she asked curiously, assuming that lady with the fish mon might know a thing or two about fishing."I was thinking that casting a net might be easier than fishing but that likely won't make for good sport. I don't think we're looking to lug a large amount of fish back to our accomodations."

[Doji Hikaru]

Hikaru scratched the back of his head and took another shot of sochu.

"Your logic tracks Doji-sama, yet it makes their choices worse in my mind. I remember a sensei speaking on the role of the duel. If Kakita Hajime-sama were to challenge all those who displeased him few could refuse him and fewer will win. But if any comment is suspect, what value is discretion? Why not come with the rawest of insults bared? And then, if your entire legitimacy is based on immediately striking any and all opposition what happens on that one time in a hundred, or a thousand or a hundred thousand when you miss?"

"The threat of a blade is more effective than a reddened one." Hikaru pauses as he looks at the audience. "And if one defies that power, if the blessing of Benten override what you have tried to dictate? Well..."

[Doji Noriko]

"An hour's relaxation is the real goal, of course. I am glad that you could join us, Yasuki-san."

"You may be right, Doji-san. But even Kakita Hajime had to draw his sword to become Kakita Hajime as we understand him, yes? A theoretical weapon is seldom feared. This does not excuse them, but it does help to see them in their true proportions."

[Yasuki Masaki]

.

Masaki nods at Shiori, the small smile on her lips maybe somewhat nostalgic. "Familiar... yes. And Kuni-san is right that on a daily basis most back home use nets... except when fishing for fun." She looks at the fish the Kuni had just caught. "Adept... not so much, sadly. I wasn't in our lands so often during my training years, ended up focusing my attention mostly elsewhere, so... ." A faint chuckle. "I suppose I should take the hint and learn - less explaining to do, ne?"

"An hour's relaxation is the real goal, of course. I am glad that you could join us, Yasuki-san."

Snip.

"I'm equally glad, Doji-sama! All to easy to forget things that matter dearly if one doesn't leave some time for them, ne?"

Producing a sake cup from her sleeve, she will accept one dose of shochu. "I guess I could give a chance to learning some of what I should have in my early years then, ne?", she says through a grin. "If Doji-sama will allow me to borrow the equipment after Kuni-san is done, of course!"

--------------------
OOC:
Rolling already since dayflip is upon us in less than a day!

D8 LA - Fishing, roll 1. TN 15 | 4k3 ⇒ 31 (TN: 15)

D8 LA - Fishing, roll 2. TN 15 | 3k3 ⇒ 16 (TN: 15)
Pass without Raises, or much grace... but pass she does XD

[Kuni Shiori]

"I'd like to think that a little early experience goes a long way, you might be selling yourself short, Yasuki-san." She said before momentarily narrowing an eye in scurtiny at Masaki's word. She would imagine that such a skill was learned by the Yasuki in upbringing, unless there was some fishing requirement in their circumlum. Well, Yasuki was supposely a fisher...or a fish vendor? Perhaps she personally procured her fish?

Shiori would be more than happy to surrender the equipment if needed, considering she was debating what to do with her caught fish still.

"Well done on your first try, I feel that you're being a bit humble here," she said with a faint smirk.