(D2, EE) Among the Cubes

[Soshi Eiji]

After being exposed to the artistry of Scorpion hedge decoration, the cubed bushes of the Lion courtyard seemed spartan to Eiji. The precision of the trimming did speak to the diligence of the gardeners but it didn't exactly speak to the soul. Or at least not to the soul of one who dreamed of more than cubes.

[Isawa Ebiko]

Ebiko decided it was time to wander about and see what the courtyard had to offer in the way of a view. Among the strange cubed plants, another visitor was looking around.

"Eto... Greetings, Scorpion-sama." The small Phoenix called out so she wouldn't startle the other samurai.

[Soshi Eiji]

Ebiko decided it was time to wander about and see what the courtyard had to offer in the way of a view. Among the strange cubed plants, another visitor was looking around.

"Eto... Greetings, Scorpion-sama." The small Phoenix called out so she wouldn't startle the other samurai.

Despite the Phoenix's slight frame she stlll stood out amongst the obsessvely trimmed shrubberies.

He bowed in return.

"Good evening Isawa-san," he said. "This one is Soshi-ke no kashin Miura Eiji. I trust the evening finds you well?"

[Isawa Ebiko]

"Quite! And yourself Eiji-san?"

"This one is Isawa-ke no kashin Yoshinobu Ebiko." She frowned looking at the shrubbery again, "I've never understood art like this..."

[Soshi Eiji]

"Quite! And yourself Eiji-san?"

"This one is Isawa-ke no kashin Yoshinobu Ebiko." She frowned looking at the shrubbery again, "I've never understood art like this..."

"I may understand it, Isawa-san. I think it's meant to bring to mind precision. There are no individuals in an army, simply a gathering of the same colored pieces marching across the board as one." he mused.

"But understanding is not the same as appreciation. It somewhat spoils the possibility for courtly romances when two romantics have to set their secret rendevous for 'third green cube down, eighth green cube right.'" he suggested.

He might be married, but what was court without romance?

[Isawa Ebiko]

"Quite! And yourself Eiji-san?"

"This one is Isawa-ke no kashin Yoshinobu Ebiko." She frowned looking at the shrubbery again, "I've never understood art like this..."

"I may understand it, Isawa-san. I think it's meant to bring to mind precision. There are no individuals in an army, simply a gathering of the same colored pieces marching across the board as one." he mused.

"But understanding is not the same as appreciation. It somewhat spoils the possibility for courtly romances when two romantics have to set their secret rendevous for 'third green cube down, eighth green cube right.'" he suggested.

He might be married, but what was court without romance?

Ebiko nodded along at the explanation of the reference of identical parts. "So the lion truly do view the art of war and themselves as replaceable, rapidly interchangible, cogs similar to the parts built by the Kaiu... a relentless wave of war and ferocity. How do the Scorpion view individuality? I notice your masks are all rather unique." She wondered if it might be a bit of a faux pas to call out the mask, but they were quite beautiful.

A small snort of laughter escaped her before she regained her On. "That does seem like a rather Lion-like take on romance."

[Soshi Eiji]

Ebiko nodded along at the explanation of the reference of identical parts. "So the lion truly do view the art of war and themselves as replaceable, rapidly interchangible, cogs similar to the parts built by the Kaiu... a relentless wave of war and ferocity. How do the Scorpion view individuality? I notice your masks are all rather unique." She wondered if it might be a bit of a faux pas to call out the mask, but they were quite beautiful.

A small snort of laughter escaped her before she regained her On. "That does seem like a rather Lion-like take on romance."

As someone who had been a Lion himself less than a year ago, Eiji took the Phoenix's punches without flinching. It was no longer his job to roar for them. Still, to speak which such open disdain for the host clan aloud, Eiji wondered about this Phoenix's chances at court.

"Our masks..."

Fortunes it still sounded so odd to him to combine Our and Masks.

"....would probably be the thing that makes us stand out as an individual. There are some....well, I hesistate to say 'rules' because they can be easily ignored....trends would fit better. Bushi, for example, tend to prefer the men-yoroi, but there's nothing to say a courtier couldn't wear one, or a veil for a bushi. A Scorpion might even choose something that isn't a mask at all, but obscures the face to a greater or lesser degree like a large hat, or even no mask at all. It's all about what they want to communicate to the world at large."


He looked at her curiously.

"Were you to wear one, Isawa-san, what do you think you would choose?"

[Isawa Ebiko]

"Are there any traditions among family lines that must be adhered to? i would not accidentally want to pick something that may have implications I am unaware of." She paused, "Hypothetically speaking, so long as there is no etiquette declaring otherwise, I have always liked the style of mempo, particularly the beak-like ones used to represent kenku characters in plays."

She looked again at the bushes, with their perfectly straight edges. "I may be trained in the ways of the court but I just spend most of my time amongst the scrolls researching. Our hosts I have seen thus far seem quite formidable, athletic, and honorable. Impressively so." She trailed a finger along the cube delicately. "I can see the effort spent molding these bushes into their desired form."

[Soshi Eiji]

"Are there any traditions among family lines that must be adhered to? i would not accidentally want to pick something that may have implications I am unaware of." She paused, "Hypothetically speaking, so long as there is no etiquette declaring otherwise, I have always liked the style of mempo, particularly the beak-like ones used to represent kenku characters in plays."

She looked again at the bushes, with their perfectly straight edges. "I may be trained in the ways of the court but I just spend most of my time amongst the scrolls researching. Our hosts I have seen thus far seem quite formidable, athletic, and honorable. Impressively so." She trailed a finger along the cube delicately. "I can see the effort spent molding these bushes into their desired form."

Eiji smirked a bit.

"i would be tempted to say that there aren't, but when you give no limits, there's always someone who goes a bit too far." Eiji admits. "For example, a cat mask is not going to win you any friends among the Scorpion, but it's not forbidden and if that's the statement you wish to make at all times....well no one will stop you."

The thought did cause a bit more of a smille as he thought of egret beak.

"I like what the kenku mask would symbolize for you Isawa-san; knowledge unknown to mortals and a certan mischeivious spirit. Although one should take into consideraton that their mask will be on most waking hours. You might have to contend with people closing doors on your mask and other assorted inconveniences." he offered.

[Isawa Ebiko]

"I'd need to be awfully close on the heels of another for them to close the door on my beak. Close enough for a level of impropriety, even?" She looked thoughtful for a moment and gestured with her hands, "mayhaps if the length were reduced from here," she held her hand about the length of her upper arm from her face, "to here?" She formed a short cone only a few inches out.

"Do you often find yourself in such proximity to others that it might be a risk?" Her tone had a hint of mirth despite her best efforts to sound serious. It was a bit playful sounding, even.

[Soshi Eiji]

"I'd need to be awfully close on the heels of another for them to close the door on my beak. Close enough for a level of impropriety, even?" She looked thoughtful for a moment and gestured with her hands, "mayhaps if the length were reduced from here," she held her hand about the length of her upper arm from her face, "to here?" She formed a short cone only a few inches out.

"Do you often find yourself in such proximity to others that it might be a risk?" Her tone had a hint of mirth despite her best efforts to sound serious. It was a bit playful sounding, even.

"Not often, no." Eiji admitted. "But it was simply the first that came to mind when I said 'assorted misfortunes' I've not been caught by a door but I have...been on a boat in bad weather and slammed into a wall mask first."

Ok, it wasn't a boat, he'd been drinking, but it was true enough.

He tapped the ornamentaton on his mask.

"These left quite the bruise and people joked about me having to have suddenly taken a vow of silence." he explained.

[Isawa Ebiko]

'I've actually never been on a boat. What was it like?' The ever curious Ebiko's eyes widened. She stretched up and extended a hand towards the decorations before catching herself and clearing her throat softly. 'That looks like it hurt quite a bit,' her voice was gentle and a bit concerned.

[Soshi Eiji]

'I've actually never been on a boat. What was it like?' The ever curious Ebiko's eyes widened. She stretched up and extended a hand towards the decorations before catching herself and clearing her throat softly. 'That looks like it hurt quite a bit,' her voice was gentle and a bit concerned.

The Phoenix reaching out for him did surprise Eiji a bit, causing him to move back just a little. Had to maintain proper distance after all.

"Hmmm, it's knd of like riding a horse, except less predictable and you're standing up. Eventually you get a feel for the motion, but it takes awhile." he offers.

He looked at her curiously.

"Hmmm, if you've not sailed before you came to court overland then, through Toshi Ranbo?"

[Isawa Ebiko]

"Hai... I came via land route through Toshi Ranbo. I'd been stationed in Nikesake previously."

"That sounds pretty exciting. When riding, there is a steady rhythm you can at least adjust yourself to match. Was it the hard pounding or the unpredictable motion that took longer to become accustomed to?"

(Ooc: if wrong on geography, pm me, it'd be ooc'ly)

[Soshi Eiji]

"Hai... I came via land route through Toshi Ranbo. I'd been stationed in Nikesake previously."

"That sounds pretty exciting. When riding, there is a steady rhythm you can at least adjust yourself to match. Was it the hard pounding or the unpredictable motion that took longer to become accustomed to?"

(Ooc: if wrong on geography, pm me, it'd be ooc'ly)

"The unpredictable motion, definitely." he offered. "On a calm day, it would feel like you weren't moving at all, but on a stormy day all you could do was grab onto a rope and hope you leaned the right way to avoid smashing into something, or worse getting thrown overboard."

He shook his head.

"Still, you should see Lady Sun setting upon the ocean. You think you've seen her spleandor every day, but upon the water and it's reflections, it's a marvel to behold."

[Isawa Ebiko]

"Then perhaps a gentle breeze to caress the sails and stir the water's surface is most ideal?" She paused, "I read a pillow book once describing a similar scene, describing Lord Moon's reflection and the glittering lights of stars above and below. It sounded almost too beautiful to be real, but perhaps if Scorpion-san says as much and has experienced it, then..."

[Soshi Eiji]

"Then perhaps a gentle breeze to caress the sails and stir the water's surface is most ideal?" She paused, "I read a pillow book once describing a similar scene, describing Lord Moon's reflection and the glittering lights of stars above and below. It sounded almost too beautiful to be real, but perhaps if Scorpion-san says as much and has experienced it, then..."

Eiji nodded.

"The author had the right of it. A cool, gentle breeze wth a slightly salty smell, and the Heavens above and mirrored below. One has to be willing to risk much to see such, but it leaves a mark upon you." he said.