Crabception. (Day 3 Early Night) [GM Adjusted]

[Hiruma Daichi]

The delegations design left the crab house with a limited amount of privacy for those residing within, but enough functional space that they could entertain guests if it was necessary. Which also gave them a place to gather themselves, especially if they pushed desks together in the evening to make a makeshift table. It wasn't perfect but it was good enough in the eye of many a crab.

Daichi had put his desk out into the common area, using it as a setting for the sake bottle and cup he had brought along, and was casually petting the black cat curled in his lap as he sipped sake. A pleasant way to end the night if he had to say so. He wasn't sure if any of his clan would join him, but if a crab smelled sake, they were more than a little likely to come investigate.

[Kuni Shiori]

It wasn't the scent of sake that drew in Shiori but rather the light of the lantern in the temporary residence that they were given. The lit lantern made Shiori think of the night watch back at home, a necessity in abundance in the Crab lands when it came to ensuring that intruders didn't sneak by them under the cover a night. She would scratch the screen to make her presence known before sliding open the door and joining the room.

"Good evening, Hiruma-sama," she greeted him with a quick bow.

[Yasuki Masaki]

For Masaki, it was both. Well, in a way.

First the light, of course - it was hard to miss that there were others gathered in their House as she was coming back from another meeting. But she didn't think it that unlikely at first, as she figured they would be going back for the night around that hour.

The smell of sake when stepped closer to the door was similarly hard to miss - and harder to mistake for something else.

"Hiruma-sama, Kuni-san", she said as she took out her tabi, placed it at the door, stepped in and bowed to each of them. "I hope the Fortunes have treated you well today", she adds with a thin, but friendly smile.

[Hiruma Daichi]

"Good evening, Kuni-san." He greeted her in return, placing the cup on the table for a moment so he could offer the woman a somewhat awkward seated bow. His movement caused the yellow eyes of the vat in his lap to snap open, but the beast calmed as he straightened up and resumed the petting.

The second arrival had the cat jumping out of his lap though and darting behind the desk to examine the pair of invaders from around a corner. "Yasuki-san." He greeted the second woman, bowing once more. "Mine has been fair. It's just winding down to be honest." He finished as he gestured to the bottle of sake.

[Yasuki Ryoichi]

Though it had been a long day with several meetings already, Yasuki Ryoichi made sure to make it to the meeting with the other Crab.

"Good evening, minna-sama," Ryoichi said as he entered the common area with a small smile. "I hope you all have been doing well today?"

[Yasuki Masaki]

"Good evening, Shiozaki-san", the other Yasuki says with a bow, a smile still on her lips. "Not a bad start for the season, I think?" she gestures at the sake table and looks at Daichi for a moment. "And not a bad way to close it either, ne?"

"I guess it could have been worse - had I tried to excel at kemari, for instance." A small grin ends up growing to a chuckle which she instinctly draws her fan to cover. "I suppose the first lesson of the winter is that there's always new skills worth learning."

EDIT: 'Shiozaki-san' is so much better! Changed!

[Hiruma Daichi]

"Shiozaki-san." Daichi greeted the newest arrival with a seated bow before reaching once more for his cup, his other making a simple gesture to offer they join him for a cup. "You are right about that Kawagoi-san." He mused at her words.

"I don't think Kemari would be my first choice of course, but a few things do spring to mind."

[Yasuki Ryoichi]

"Kemari seemed fun, but is perhaps not so important as all that," Ryoichi agreed. "For my part, I'm certainly learning a lot about how Imperial Court works. It's a little different from back home, though I agree we're off to a good start."

[Kuni Shiori]

Shiori moved to take a seat at the table and produced a cup from her sleeve to have some sake. She nodded ruefully at the mention of kemari, there were the few aches she suffered earlier that seemed to flare up at the memory. "A little different does seem to be the sentiment I'm feeling as well, unfortunately. It was nice that kemari was introduced to add a little variety to our stay earlier. I never expected to qualify but I still managed to underperform in my modest expectations. I'm sure if we wish to put ourselves in another round of the game, we'll likely show a little more improvement next time."

[Yasuki Masaki]

(OOC note: See here! viewtopic.php?f=4&t=529&p=4070#p4070)

[Fukurokujin]

Hold until D3, please.

[Hiruma Daichi]

"True enough." Daichi replied, trying in part to keep the conversation light, there had been an earthquake that day and while it had been terrible, it wouldn't do to spend the evening whining about it. "Though If I'm honest I don't know when I might even try and play again."

He picked up his cup to take a sip his other hand scratching at his knee to encourage Nyoko to return to his lap.

[Kuni Shiori]

Shiori would offer to pour for the others and hoped the gesture would be reciprocated. She offered a small smile regarding the topic of kemari. "I do feel the game has something going for it at least, the idea of it as a team building activity. It would likely feel more enjoyable if done among peers with no stakes involved. It'll allow us to get a sense of each other and build some sort of bond, much like sharing a drink. It does bring out certain characteristics and traits that mere tea or a court session barely scratches the surface of. It just didn't help that we ended up playing with most acquaintances. Some people I don't know if we'll even speak to for the whole season. Did you see that Phoenix with the scar?"

[Yasuki Ryoichi]

"Well, there are plenty of other activities here at Court, even if kemari is not our game," Ryoichi commented reassuringly. "There were a lot of people sparring with bokken in the dojo today, and I heard there is some kind of archery contest coming up, as well as the artistic contest being organized by Kawagoi-san. I'm sure several of those will prove to be stimulating."

"Did you see that Phoenix with the scar?"

"I don't think I did see this Phoenix," he said, trying to remember. "What were they like?"

[Kuni Shiori]

"I don't think I did see this Phoenix," he said, trying to remember. "What were they like?"

She looked to Ryoichi and gave a disappointed shake of her head. "She was the one who did rather well at the kemari competition but I don't know much about her beyond that. This might be my ignorance, however. It was a curiosity I just found surprising and perhaps something that should be taken note of for future Crab Clan delegations. We should consider having a games athlete on staff every season."

[Hiruma Daichi]

"It could be an interesting idea." Daichi replied thoughtfully. "Having someone with skill at the game to show that the Crab can play in court as well as others." It might be a bit of a long shot to gain approval for though.

"You make a good point about the teamwork aspect too. Though I think for it to gain any traction among our clan we'd have to make it a bit less." He wouldn't say ridiculous, but that was the first thing that sprang to mind. "Refined."

"Maybe a bit more physical?"

[Kuni Shiori]

Shiori narrowed her eyes in thought for a moment, wondering what sort of refinement could they cut down from kemari when it was already a physical game. Then she also remembered that despite her efforts, it's not like she did well in the game because of a lack of refinement. Player skill was another issue.

"I fear that we would need to invent a whole other game that might not have the same appeal to people stuck on established traditions. It would have to take a few generations for something new to catch on, even if it is just an offshoot of something established. I think I did see some players wanting to use their hands, despite the rules forbading it. Would the throwing of hands make it physical?" She glanced at Daichi to see if that was what he had in mind.

[Hiruma Daichi]

"Maybe?" He replied as Nyoko crawled into his lap, satisfied that the new arrivals were safe. "I was more thinking ditching the hats and fancy clothes."

"Use of hands could make it more physical. Or maybe just using hands alone instead of feet?" It might take some time as age said, but it could be worth doing.

[Kuni Shiori]

Shiori glanced at Nyoko for a moment, reminded by the quiet cat's appearance before looking back to Daichi. "I suppose that might drop all pretenses of it being potentially a court game of any sort. I don't imagine how a thrown ball might be more physical than a kicked ball but that also raises the question of how one procures this ball during the game."

She gave a shake of her head and was reminded of something that could actually happen in the court, rather than this concept of a game. "I believe that Doji Shinnosuke is planning to put a play production together without the use of an acting trope but instead drawing participation from the attendees to fill certain roles. Has anyone else given thought to this?"

[Hiruma Daichi]

The cats slitted eyes opened to peer at Shiori as she looked her way, but the kitty was seemingly content with Daichi's attention at the moment. "Maybe not throwing it then? But using your hands to bounce it up into the air?" Daichi suggested as he moved to refill the Kuni's sake cup. "With a group aim to pass it through a hoop of some kind?" That probably didn't make any sense though. "Throwing it would probably just lead to horseplay." He added.

"Ah the play. I don't think I'd try my hand at acting." The Gunso admitted after a moment. "I could maybe help with the set or something though. Honestly, we need to find artists for our own art showing too. Which concerns me a bit more."