Wedding at Fire Shrimp Village an L5R PbP

Having been woken and passed the Kuni "spiritual purity check," Yuuwaku composes herself more or less decently and finds her way to the yard of the inn that serves for now as the Crane embassy to the village. Fan in hand, she begins a series of stretches, loosening muscles and breaking joints free of the night's stillness. And then, much as a bushi with sword in hand would work through kata, she moves with a languid grace through a series of basic dances--nothing terribly fancy or daring, not as a warm-up, but motions that stretch and work all parts of the body.

It would appear to warm her up considerably and with aplomb (35), or that her small body was already warmed by thoughts she does not utter and passions that make themselves clear in her impromptu performance.

Keigo walked by the Crane embassy as he returned from the shrine, having not paid too much attention to it before now. A graceful movement caught his eye, though, the smooth turn of fabric. He looked over more carefully and saw it was Yuuwaku, and paused in his journey, moving over to the gate to watch. He wanted to speak up and ask, he really did, but interrupting seemed even more rude than simply observing and enjoying the performance.

Once she was finished, he knocked lightly at the wood and smiled to her. "My apologies, Kakita-sama, for intruding."

The voice is an interruption, but as Yuuwaku sees who it is, she smiles and closes her fan, bowing.

"You are not an intrusion, Togashi-san. I could hardly fault someone for coming into an open space, after all--and I do love an appreciative audience."

She gestures to welcome him in. "To what do I owe the honor of the most welcome visit?"

"No special reason - I was just returning from helping up at the shrine and happened to spot the movement of your sleeve," he explained as he stepped into the yard. "I wanted to speak to you again, soon. Plus, anyone living person with a pair of functioning eyes wouldn't be able to help being captivated by your performance."

The tip of Yuuwaku's fan rises to hover over her right cheek.

"You have surely been eating honey, so sweet is your tongue this morning, Togashi-san!" she says. "But I am, of course, happy to talk with you again." I'd be happy for more, too, she thinks as she adds "Would you like to come in for tea?"

He chuckled at that. "Isn't it natural to praise something deserving of praise?" he pondered with a smile. "I would love to come in for tea, Kakita-sama."

He stepped up closer to allow her to lead. "How has your morning been?"

She does precede him into the common room of the inn and to an alcove off to its side, and a quick command sends a servant scurrying for a local tea.

After he sits, she does, and leans in a bit to keep conversation quiet. She also lifts her fan to shield her lips from the room.

"Other than the fracas with the Kaiu this morning, it has been to the good. Better for seeing a friend unexpectedly. And yours?"

"Fracas? I hadn't heard about any fights..." He looked curious. "I know some Kuni came up and tested us with jade. I wonder if they think something's wrong?" He rubbed his chin with a frown.

Still, he smiled at that. "Mine is better for it, as well. I also meditated and helped the monks with the setup for the festival a bit. It's been a good morning."

The fan drops as the servant arrives with and pours tea. That done, the servant leaves, and Yuuwaku raises her fan again.

"Do they ever not? But evidently something has popped up. It might be worth watching for.

"Anyway, I'm glad to see you've recovered from last night. I can imagine it was overwhelming, truly."

She lowers the fan to the table again, sips at her tea.

"Perhaps. It could be normal Crab being Crab, but not being from here, I can't really say," he replied. At the comment about his recovery from last night, he chuckled. "It was, but a combination of your company and the cool air afterward helped me find my center. You have my appreciation."

"I'm always happy to help," Yuuwaku replies.

"Do try the tea. It is quite bracing."

She adds "You said you helped set up for the festival. Is there anything I should expect there?"

"Oh! Yes," he said, appearing to remember that drinking liquids is a thing. He lifts his teacup and takes a sip, blinking. "Mm... that is bracing. It's been a while since I've had tea."

"Hmm... Some interesting decor. Lots of anatomically-accurate statues. Lots of suggestive peppers. Lots of people in fundoshi exerting themselves."

"Anatomically accurate, Togashi-san?" Yuuwaku quirks an eyebrow, makes a motion with her fan suggesting a size she knows to be average.

Her other hand brings her teacup back to her mouth, as if it does not know what the fan-hand is doing.

"In terms of the, uh... surface details," he clarified with a shake of his head, his cheeks turning slightly pink. He held his hand above the floor to signify how tall the statues were.

"Oh, my! The poor wives of such men!"

Yuuwaku laughs lightly are the jest.

"But attention to detail is a good thing in an artist. Consider your own; would you prefer the needler had glossed the details on your skin?"

He laughed at that. "That does seem like... An effort."

At first, the change in topic threw him and he turned red, but then realized the subject had changed to tattoos. "No, I completely agree on that front. How does attention to detail manifest in dancing, I wonder?"

His blush is so cute, Yuuwaku thinks. I wonder how far it goes on him.

"Many ways, of course. Different dances ask for different rhythms, different placement of feet and hands, different carriage. Some of them are all too similar to one another, making it easy to slip into one when another is needed," she says, her enthusiasm for the topic clear. "And there is risk of injury, too, for a sloppy dancer."

He nodded, leaning forward a little to listen with obvious interest - whether in her or the topic or both. "I see... I'd love to see one fully eventually. You're very skilled, of course, but there's also a special joy in watching the performance of someone who lives what they're doing."

"I'm glad to know I bring you joy, Togashi-san. And I would be happy to perform for you; I expect you'd be rapt with attention, and that's always a thrill."

Yuuwaku smiles. "I do try to throw myself into what I do. How can I not? It would ruin the art."

"I would," he agreed with a smile. "It would ruin the art? How so? I'm curious about your thoughts."

Really?

"Oh, it's only that part of art is the artist opening themself up and showing what lies within. To do it well requires commitment; half-measures will not do, not and be good.

"To be fair," Yuuwaku continues, "passion alone is not enough, but without it, no skill suffices."

She looks Keigo in the eyes, and her mouth quirks. "Is there something about which Togashi-san feels so?"

"It's interesting that one form of honest passion and self-expression is considered positive and others are considered offensive or taboo," he mused. At the question, he tilted his head a little. "Hmm... Learning, I suppose. I feel very strongly about learning."

"A worthy cause, learning," Yuuwaku nods in agreement, "but what was that about the self-expression?"

Awoken forcefully by the Kuni, tested whilst complaining about being tested again, he goes to the yard of the inn to find there Yuuwaku and a strange person. He approaches them both and bows deeply, waiting for word to be directed to him.

Yuuwaku notices Sanaharu approach and nods.

Well, I guess that answer will have to wait for later.

Maybe?