D10ME, Pregaming (Open)

[Seppun Tomaru]

Seppun Tomaru joins a table full of Seppun in the corner of the hall. Several stand and bow; others give seated bows. He returns the gestures and settles in, seemingly at ease among comrades.

A servant delivers food to him, and low-volume conversations about duty rotations and oddities observed resume around him.

[Yasuki Masaki]

Masaki hadn't had much of a chance to talk to Tomaru other than during his official duties, ss when she saw Tomaru eating among comrades she feels that might be a good chance for a word in a (veey slightly) less formal setting.

She gave a deep bow to the group of Seppun, and one specifically to Tomaru - a contained, but calm and friendly smile on her lips.

"Seppun-sama-tachi. A good time for a meal, ne? Not too late for sleep, not too early to feel untimely hunger."

[Seppun Tomaru]

Tomaru is caught mid-slurp when Masaki approaches, so it is just a moment before he is able to respond.

"You needn't load me with honorifics, young Crab," he says, his crooked grin finding his face as he gestures for her to sit. "But you're right; it is a good time to eat. It doesn't do to go to the Banquet on an empty stomach."

He chuckles a bit. "I've seen many attempt it in my time. For many, it ends far less well than they would like."

[Yasuki Masaki]

Tomaru is caught mid-slurp when Masaki approaches, so it is just a moment before he is able to respond.

"You needn't load me with honorifics, young Crab," he says, his crooked grin finding his face as he gestures for her to sit. "But you're right; it is a good time to eat. It doesn't do to go to the Banquet on an empty stomach."

He chuckles a bit. "I've seen many attempt it in my time. For many, it ends far less well than they would like."

She waits patiently for the answer - even raises her hands slightly as if apologising for the timing.

"It is an interesting occasion, ne?", she finally answers with a smile before taking a seat, not too close, not too far. "I'm afraid this will be my first time. Hopefully won't become one of the cautionary tales", she adds with a faint grin. "I imagine how much Seppun-sama has seen in Winter Courts past. I suppose it's a good change of perspective when you have more to compare... and yet this one seems like it would be a very particular one." She sounds as if she were wondering aloud - but her eyes do indicate that her attention is fully on the old man.

[Seppun Tomaru]

Tomaru nods at Masaki's comment as he chews.

"It is," he says, and she will notice the prevalence of white in his clothing and that of the surrounding Seppun, who have grown largely quiet as Tomaru speaks. They are not staring, as such, but the weight of their attention is palpable.

"We do what we can to proceed as if someone sat the Throne," he continues. "For now, it is all we can do."

[Yasuki Masaki]

Tomaru nods at Masaki's comment as he chews.

"It is," he says, and she will notice the prevalence of white in his clothing and that of the surrounding Seppun, who have grown largely quiet as Tomaru speaks. They are not staring, as such, but the weight of their attention is palpable.

"We do what we can to proceed as if someone sat the Throne," he continues. "For now, it is all we can do."

"So it is, ne", she says, nodding as well. A small smile follows. "I guess I should follow Seppun-sama's lead and get a light meal as well". And that she does, politely asking a servant - some fish and rice, if they had it.

She seems to ponder something for a while as she waits. It takes a rather long while before she speaks again - a question with a friendly smile on a somewhat distant expression. "In all those years... was there a particular showing Seppun-sama found particularly memorable?"

[Seppun Tomaru]

"Oh, there have been a few, Yasuki-san," Tomaru replies, and the crooked grin finds his face again. "Some of them, although only a few, were even fit for such a table as this!"

One of the other Seppun snickers a bit.

"There was one, I think it was my second or third time assigned to Court, that a particular courtier, whose name I will elide here for reasons I hope my young Crab friend will understand, had thought of beseeching the kami for assistance in the event. Now, this is a common enough practice, I am told, with the importance of the Banquet and all, but this courtier had thought of asking for a different blessing than is common in such circumstances. Not like those a certain Crab I know uses," and he very nearly winks, "but rather their opposite.

"Now, this courtier was a popular person, but somewhat blithe in regard for others. That is, the courtier did not realize that their popularity had made others jealous, including the shugenja whose assistance they sought. And so that shugenja mouthed some meaningless words and waved their hands over the courter," Tomaru pulls a face and waves his hands as if moving puppets, "and the courtier went into the Banquet believing themselves immune to intoxication."

Tomaru grins again. "The Banquet did not serve sake that night. It served shochu."

[Yasuki Masaki]

"Oh, there have been a few, Yasuki-san," Tomaru replies, and the crooked grin finds his face again. "Some of them, although only a few, were even fit for such a table as this!"

One of the other Seppun snickers a bit.

"There was one, I think it was my second or third time assigned to Court, that a particular courtier, whose name I will elide here for reasons I hope my young Crab friend will understand, had thought of beseeching the kami for assistance in the event. Now, this is a common enough practice, I am told, with the importance of the Banquet and all, but this courtier had thought of asking for a different blessing than is common in such circumstances. Not like those a certain Crab I know uses," and he very nearly winks, "but rather their opposite.

"Now, this courtier was a popular person, but somewhat blithe in regard for others. That is, the courtier did not realize that their popularity had made others jealous, including the shugenja whose assistance they sought. And so that shugenja mouthed some meaningless words and waved their hands over the courter," Tomaru pulls a face and waves his hands as if moving puppets, "and the courtier went into the Banquet believing themselves immune to intoxication."

Tomaru grins again. "The Banquet did not serve sake that night. It served shochu."

The Yasuki answers with a thankful smile at the Seppun's remark. The story itself, in turn, makes Masaki find herself having to raise a hand slightly to hold back a chuckle - which she does successfully, but still leaves a grin remaining on her face.

"Oh... that would certainly do it, wouldn't it? And with some extra", she says through the grin. "I imagine the shugenja in question had a lot of fun that night, ne?"

Her expression slowly returns to a more peaceful smile. "I suppose this story would also make for a good moral story, ne?" The smile widens slightly. "There seem to be some lessons there, I feel. On... popularity, or even status, and how respect and friendship are worth more than both together, maybe?"

As her food arrives, she takes a moment to receive and respectfully thank the servant who brings it.

"Although maybe Seppun-sama sees another lesson there? Or... maybe a more proper lesson on friendship? I suppose those in my age sometimes think we know about such things, just to find our experience is much less wide than we think."

[Seppun Tomaru]

"I assure you, Yasuki-san," Tomaru replies, "that it is irrespective of age. I have seen the young know well that they know little, and I have seen the old--older than me, if it can be believed!--think they have nothing left to learn and find out that they are wrong."

He takes a bit of food, chews thoughtfully, swallows.

"And it's not as if that courtier was quite so near childhood as might be thought."

There's the crooked grin again.

[Yasuki Masaki]

"I assure you, Yasuki-san," Tomaru replies, "that it is irrespective of age. I have seen the young know well that they know little, and I have seen the old--older than me, if it can be believed!--think they have nothing left to learn and find out that they are wrong."

He takes a bit of food, chews thoughtfully, swallows.

"And it's not as if that courtier was quite so near childhood as might be thought."

There's the crooked grin again.

She nodded, thoughtfully, although there's a bit of a grin behind the seriousness as well. It's only after a while and a good mouthful of rice and fish that she speaks again.

"If you allow me to ask, Seppun-sama. Did the courtier and the shugenja ever make amends after that?"

[Seppun Tomaru]

"They did, in fact," Tomaru replies after drinking a bit of tea. "It took some time, admittedly, but they did reach an accord. So far as I know, they remain yet well accorded."

Another of the Seppun at the table, clearly older but not so old as Tomaru, snorts ever so slightly.

Tomaru glances at her, gives the barest of nods.

[Yasuki Masaki]

"They did, in fact," Tomaru replies after drinking a bit of tea. "It took some time, admittedly, but they did reach an accord. So far as I know, they remain yet well accorded."

Another of the Seppun at the table, clearly older but not so old as Tomaru, snorts ever so slightly.

Tomaru glances at her, gives the barest of nods.

The nod is possibly noticed, which would make the snort also noticeable, but Masaki's reaction doesn't make that clear, limited as it is to a warm smile and a nod.

"That's good to hear! Makes the episode even better as a moral story as well, don't you think?" The smile widens slightly.

"Which... would suggest another question, I suppose. In all these Winter Courts, lessons on trust, pride, respect, friendship lost and regained were probably plenty, ne? Would Seppun-sama think lessons such as one finds in this story were taken more to heart over the years? Or... hopefully not, but perhaps even the opposite?"

[Seppun Tomaru]

"Some of each," Tomaru replies. "But that's true of much teaching, alas. Even the Tao; consider the differences between the abbots here."

He eats more, then continues.

"I would hope to see more standardization in teaching, for that reason and others."

[Yasuki Masaki]

"Some of each," Tomaru replies. "But that's true of much teaching, alas. Even the Tao; consider the differences between the abbots here."

He eats more, then continues.

"I would hope to see more standardization in teaching, for that reason and others."

She nods, pensively. "Standardisation? That's an interesting idea." A smile is still on her lips, but somehow she doesn't seem fully convinced. "Wider learning definitely sounds like something that could be very helpful. But... one is left to wonder if some variety in teaching would not be a good thing, at least in some things? Continuing with the brotherhood as an example - it might be very different if there were but one sect, might it not?"

[Seppun Tomaru]

"Or we might not see some of the problems that have presented themselves this Court," Tomaru rebuts. "But you are correct to note that some lessons would be taught to some pupils and not others. People cannot devote themselves to all things.

"Even so, consider the misunderstandings that have been at work even here, with people having less of a common frame of reference. A certain amount of standardization would minimize misunderstandings, allowing for greater coordination, greater unity."

[Yasuki Masaki]

"Or we might not see some of the problems that have presented themselves this Court," Tomaru rebuts. "But you are correct to note that some lessons would be taught to some pupils and not others. People cannot devote themselves to all things.

"Even so, consider the misunderstandings that have been at work even here, with people having less of a common frame of reference. A certain amount of standardization would minimize misunderstandings, allowing for greater coordination, greater unity."

She nods, first pensive, then with a faint smile. "Seppun-sama is right, of course. Coordination and unity are very important - even if those who are coordination have differences - in skills, their greatest devotion, and so on. We could not expect the Lion's devotion to Suitengu to be equal to the Crab's or the Mantis'... but to not know of Suitengu, would not be right, ne?"

[Seppun Tomaru]

"Just so," Tomaru says. "Yasuki-san has the right of it."

[Yasuki Masaki]

"Just so," Tomaru says. "Yasuki-san has the right of it."

Her smile widens a bit. "Seppun-sama is a good teacher, in addition to your other honourable duties, ne?"

[Seppun Tomaru]

"I've heard it said teaching is the profession from which all others flow," Tomaru replies. "It isn't the least pleasant thought."

He gets a bit more food in him.

"So, any thoughts for what you will present at the Banquet?"

[Yasuki Masaki]

"I've heard it said teaching is the profession from which all others flow," Tomaru replies. "It isn't the least pleasant thought."

He gets a bit more food in him.

"So, any thoughts for what you will present at the Banquet?"

She nods, then eats some more as well while she reflects on his question.

"Hm. I... hadn't given it that much thought, I guess. But now Seppun-sama asks... I believe some local poems from the lands I come from might be an interesting idea. Kawagoi lands are known more for its sake than its songs, I believe - but we do have both". A faint grin adorns her face as she completes the thought.

"And Seppun-sama? Is there something specific you have in mind for tonight?"