Kamewaharu bows to each samurai as they are introduced.  Her voice is clear and well annunciated in the Imperial cadence.  Although a bushi, she is still a courtly creature.

  "My sister has mentioned you," she says to Akio.

  "Doji Ai, what a familiar name. Ah, yes. Your treatise on honour and law was much talked about amongst the Lion in the Legion, though a copy was never available to me."

  Now, with the woman closer, Kamewaharu examines Sorano more thoroughly.  She surely was mistaken in her first assessment of the woman.  It will be interesting to learn more. "Kitsune Sama."

  "I believe there are a plenty of battledores. Shall you join us,or..."  The tone suggests any excuse to stand after or has better be a good excuse.
This message was last edited by the player at 06:12, Fri 03 Nov 2017.

Yumiko turned towards Doji Ai and Kitsune Sorano, but barely had the opportunity to begin to bow before Kamewahru noticed them standing around. This was fine, as it saved Yumiko the awkwardness of having to introduce her social superiors to her lord. She supposed it was possible that she was of comparable status, but Yumiko found it unlikely.

"I'm sure your talents warrant a purpose far greater than a mere conversational facilitator," Yumiko observed to Kitsu Akio, "your training with Seppun Toma-sama, for example, is far more important than mere trifles of etiquette--at least among associates."

Akio's eyes drifted from one of the gathered to the next - Ai, Sorano, Chiyowaharu, Kamewaharu, Yamiko and Yuki each as they spoke.  His gaze solid and attentive, though sometimes one might wonder if he was looking through them.
"I would be honored to play, Otomo-sama," Akio offered, eagerly picking up a battledore and pleased at the offer.

A wry smile responded to Yumiko and Chiyowaharu, "Training?  Conscription was more like it."  A laugh.  "I am blessed to be able to speak with the honored dead.  As a Sodan-senzo it is not unusual for me to be summoned to help with certain problems.  I had helped Mirumoto Akira-sama with something, and he recommended me to Tomo-sama.  He summoned me to help with another issue, which turned into an invitation to train, which turned into an appointment."

A glance toward Chiyowaharu, "I suspect it was less training and more interview."

Sensing he was talking too much about himself he pried, "How did you come to work for Kamewaharu-sama?"

Yuki's little face lit up for a moment, until she realized that "Obachama" wasn't talking to her. Still, she didn't say anything. She was being quite good ... for now.

Chiyowaharu, meanwhile, allowed her smile at Akio to be interrupted by a nearly-invisible frown.

Kamewaharu hands her battledore to Yuki before fetching another.  The elder Otomo twin knows too well the importance of playing when young.



  Dead is a strong word to use on the Imperial Mound.  'Recently traveling', 'Disappeared', Even 'passed', were more delicate phrases that one would not expect from the mountainous man.  "Interesting."



  Yumiko is left to her own explanations.

Sorano quietly waited her turn; as the Otomo recognized her, she bowed politely.
"Otomo-sama."

As she rose, she glanced at the assembled throng.  It was a curious assortment, brought together by chance, or by design?



The Otomo's unsubtle directive interrupted her musings; Sorano deferentially picked up a battledore, though she waited for one of the others to take the lead on what exactly to do with it.
This message was last edited by the player at 06:28, Mon 06 Nov 2017.

"It was the usual sort of political thing," Yumiko replied, "I was a junior aide for the local magistrate and he didn't particularly like the testimony I brought him--it pointed away from his particular theory of the crime and eliminated the suspect he preferred."

Yumiko suspected Yoshiyuki-oniisama had been behind Bayushi Shinji's recalcitrance over her testimony--but then she always suspected him whenever she saw him. He might have been there on unrelated business--she doubted it, but then again she had a bad habit of letting her prejudices interfere with objective observation.

"Fortunately, Otomo-dono was present at the hearing and requested that all of the testimony, including mine, be presented in her presence."

Yumiko didn't mention sneaking into Kamewahru's rooms after the household had gone to bed and begging with her head to the mat to let her find the real killer. It hadn't been dignified, but she knew Suzu had been innocent. Yumiko and Suzu had spent the day looking at silks with Sanosuke the day of the murder, and she had been with her when they had discovered the body--not that Shinji had listened to her. But Kamewahru had, and that was all that mattered.

”After that my career options became very limited. Follow Otomo-dono or get ‘encouraged’ to become a nun. I chose the former.”

Kamewaharu looks to Sorano, who is momentarily a curious creature, then around the group.  Yumiko tells her abridged story.  The truth is convenient enough in this circumstance, she supposes.  Besides, who really cared?  Those who did are better off trapped in speculation as a bird that flew down a chimney and bumps against a window screen without wit to retrace its step, in Kamewaharu's reckoning.

  Suddenly, the elder twin's head turns to Sorano and her battledore knocks the shuttlecock in a gentle arc toward diffident the Fox Shugenja.  "One."  Kamewaharu eyes focus the response with all the intensity of a master duelist.

Sorano looks at the battledore with a curious eye, admiring the fine craftsmanship and intricate iconography. So much care and thought put into an item of such a frivolous nature; is it, she wonders, symbolic?



One?  One what?  The moment it takes the question to jog the shugenja out of her reverie is enough for the shuttlecock to reach its apogee; her eyes trace its path as it lands at her feet.

The Fox smiles at Kamewaharu beatifically.
"Ah.  A thousand pardons, Otomo-sama; How does one play this game?  I have not previously had the indulgence."
This message was last edited by the player at 07:01, Thu 09 Nov 2017.

Kamewaharu shields lower half of her face with her battledore when the shuttlecock hits the ground. How amusing. Her eyes flick to sister for a moment, and she uncovers her mouth by resting the battledore against her shoulder.

   "One plays by knocking the shuttlecock aloft.  One who drops it suffers the forfeit.  Since Kitsune Sama was unaware, she will be spared this time."  The ersatz Otomo child still smirks, and she gestures to the shuttlecock.  "Please take the serve."

""It was the usual sort of political thing...Follow Otomo-dono or get ‘encouraged’ to become a nun. I chose the former.”

Akio could sense he wasn't getting all the details, but the Shosuro conveyed the jist clearly enough.  "It sounds like you've earned your position.  Secretary to a Lieutenant of the 6th Legion?  Quite an honor."

Piercing eyes shift to the game, and Akio is relieved that whatever the game is he wasn't the first to have to try.  His eyes drop to the battledore in his hands as he listens to the Otomo "child"'s explanation.

"Is this an Otomo game?" he asks the twins while waiting for Sorano to serve.

"Typically it's played competitively" Chiyowaharu replied, "But we added a twist -- we play cooperatively to see how long we can keep it going."

Which does, coincidentally, make it easier to teach four-year-olds the basics of the game.

There is something of a "low hubbub" which then arises, low whispers and not-so-casual glances by the other guests, the source of which is not obvious until a pair of Samurai come into view. Wearing the Ronin Grays, the obvious question is how they got in here in the first place. The second question, when one observes their path, is why the Seppun Guardsman all but ignore them.

Or perhaps "ignore" is not the proper word.

When a Seppun Guardsman comes into view, one who is on duty to guard the Emperor and his family, they give a small but polite bow of their heads which is returned ever-so-slightly by the Seppun -- very much like a roving patrol might give to a superior, but stationary, patrol -- and it's return.

They continue walking, ignoring the guests and, one might suppose, altering their path somewhat to ensure that the Twin Otomo are not disturbed in their game.

[It's not hard to notice the "Badge of Imperial Authority" which marks them as members of the 12th Imperial Legion, but most of the attendees don't get past the whole "ronin" thing. Presumably the party pays attention to such "trivial details".]

"Ronin in the Legion?" Akio asked rhetorically.  The irony of the observation not lost on him, that he was noting it in the company of children with leadership positions in the legions.    "The Emerald Champion is progressive."

His attention returned to the game, realizing that he wasn't sure if there would be a shuttlecock flying at his head.

Though the game was momentarily overshadowed by the arrival of the mysterious Ronin, it took but a cursory glance to know that Kamewaharu was still expecting to play.  She deftly scooped the shuttlecock from where it lay with her battledore, keeping an eye on the newcomers; conveniently, Akio was standing in line with their axis of advance.  Taking this as a sign from the Kami, the Fox served the distracted Lion a gentle lob.

"Kitsu-sama."

Of course, she did remember to warn him.  The moment after she served.

The elder twin's attention stays on the game until Akio's comment.  With the shuttlecock safely sailing away from her, she looks to the brace of ronin.  She does not sneer, nor does she seem much surprised.  A high-number legion, one that hardly matters.  "So it seems," she replied diplomatically.

Yet, these two must have done something to be invited here.  Perhaps they were Musha Shugyo; however, it seemed impossible such a person would join a Legion without his Name. Their presence is curious enough to warrant investigation.  At least, it would be talk of court, and it was her duty to stay abreast of such things.

For later, after becoming an adult.  For now: play.

Yumiko remained on the sidelines, her injured leg preventing her the mobility necessary from joining the game. She also took note of the two ronin and wondered if, given their high legion number, they would be assigned to Kamewahru's probable task force--given the apparent lack of bushi present. That would be a problem for another time, later, after she'd had a chance to review the relevant dossiers.

Chiyowaharu stood by silently and observed the Ronin pass by, little details not escaping her notice. Ronin in the Legion were rare enough, especially this far away from Crab Territory. The Crab were far to practical, in Chi-Chan's limited experience at any rate, to let a good samurai go to waste -- Ronin or not.

Ronin made good "Ogre Fodder"; and if they died honorably, they might be rewarded in the afterlife.

Yuki meanwhile stood by as well, doing her best not to look overly anxious.

"Kitsu-sama."

The warning coming after the serve.  The Kitsu turned and his eyes picked up the shuttlecock flying in his direction.  Knowledge, however, is only half the battle, and he wasn't fast enough to act before it bounced of his chest.

At least Akio managed to catch it before it hit the earth.

"Here," he offered Yuki.  "Perhaps you should show us how this is done."

Sorano watched the shuttlecock bounce off Akio's broad chest with a look of curiosity; this game was far more intriguing in its dysfunction than it had been when the twins played it correctly.

Yuki was and remained a curious girl; she clearly had great favor with the kami, but was young and untrained.  The Fox recognized this situation, and had for some time attempted to avoid her; she had no gifts to grant the young one, and her needs seemed to be met.  In the end, it seemed the kindest way.

Yuki gladly took the shuttlecock, her smile almost wider than her face, and placed it over her racket. She then looked to Akio, with a sincere grin.

"Kitsu-Sama!"

She then batted the shuttlecock, and it took a high, graceful arc -- something that could easily be batted back.

"One!"

Kamewaharu steps back for the volley.  She busies herself with mixing ink on an ink stone nearby.  The brush is waiting and whoever drops the shuttlecock will get the forfeit--no more pardons.

Still unsure of the exact etiquette, particularly with three, Akio took a swipe at the shuttlecock intending to bat it into the air near Sorano.

Perhaps they were supposed to go in a circle?

"Two."

Noting that the twins seemed occupied by their various entertainments, Yumiko laboriously settled herself down on the ground--near enough to Kamewahru to provide any requested assistance, but distant enough not to appear to be hovering.

"Soshi Akiko-dono wished me to remind you that you have an appointment with Soshi Shinryu-dono immediately after the ceremony, Otomo-dono," Yumiko said quietly, not wishing to interrupt the concentration of the players, "and that you may select a few...additional bushi in order to support your duties, if you so choose."
This message was lightly edited by the player at 18:26, Tue 21 Nov 2017.

Sorano noted the incoming projectile; and, seeing the Lion's intent, batted it cleanly towards Chiyowaharu.

"Three."

The air spirits here were quiet today, barely twitching the shuttlecock's feathers.  Such calm surely would not last forever, but for the moment it gave the game a sedate tranquility.

"Forgive the intrusion, Kitsu-sama, but has court been agreeable to you this season?"

As Akio's eyes watched the shuttlecock floating in the air towards Chiyowaharu, "Well..."

He risked a glance towards Kitsune Sorano to answer her question, "It has been, though I must admit I only just arrived."  There was some shame in the words, there being no term for 'fashionably late' in Lion-speak.  The youngest Akodo being taught the lesson that even arriving on-time, one was already late.

"I was delayed.  Have I missed anything?"