[Expecting] The Post Court Pregame (Day 1 - Mid Evening)

[Yoritomo Ochiba]

"Thank the fortunes that's over. Yawwwwn."
Ochiba signals a waiter for a beer as she throws her feet up on the seat next to her and rocks back, lazily watching the rest of the crowd. Her dress was a mix of court formal and 'I hate court formal', which was at least vaguely wearable in a bar. Although any diplomatic notes were spoiled by the guns hanging at her sides.

The seedy bar wasn't exactly the sort of luxurious spot Ochiba had planned on spending the rest of her life in (those speculations often involved shirtless bartender, piles of gold and impromptu musical numbers praising her), but it was the sort of seedy bar she felt comfortable in.

Sometimes after a long day of duty, or maybe like, one duty (but it had been a long one) it was important to seek out a bit of comfort.

"Cheers" as the beer arrives she slides over a few coins, stretching before knocking the bottle back and starting to relax.

[Soshi Kotori]

Kotori had wandered a little after concluding her business for the evening, while not enthused by the prospect of walking great distances, it was a chance to familiarise herself with a little more is the area.

The izakaya caught her attention, the table and chairs spilling out into the street, accompanied by the bustling sounds of trade and the patrons within.

Peering inside the busy izakaya she looked about for somewhere to sit. The bar was full and tables busy. After looking over the room she spotted a reasonable space occupied with only a single patron. Kotori approached politely, the crimson pleats of her skirt shifting with every step until she paused by the table, allowing a moment for her presence to be noticed before speaking.

"I'm sorry to interrupt, but i was wandering if you were expecting company or I might be able to share your table?"

[Yoritomo Ochiba]

Snip

"Hmmmm?"
Ochiba looks up, mid drink. Then down, then back up again, not so subtly checking the visitor for any visible weapons.
"Sure, if you're not on duty. If you are then at least let me finish the beer."

She reaches out a foot and slides a chair open opposite.

[Soshi Kotori]

"Hmmmm?"
Ochiba looks up, mid drink. Then down, then back up again, not so subtly checking the visitor for any visible weapons.
"Sure, if you're not on duty. If you are then at least let me finish the beer."

She reaches out a foot and slides a chair open opposite.

The Scorpion wears a Daisho at her hip, and that seems to be about it.

"Not at all, my visit is a leisurely one. I was passing by and the establishment looked popular so I thought a little rest stop wouldn't go astray." Kotori smoothed her skirt as she took up the offered seat and then looked across the table "Thankyou, I'm Soshi Kotori."

[Yoritomo Ochiba]

The Scorpion wears a Daisho at her hip, and that seems to be about it.

"Not at all, my visit is a leisurely one. I was passing by and the establishment looked popular so I thought a little rest stop wouldn't go astray." Kotori smoothed her skirt as she took up the offered seat and then looked across the table "Thankyou, I'm Soshi Kotori."

"Well met Soshi-san. I'm, Ochiba of the Yoritomo."
She inclines her head mostly politely.
"What are you drinking? You must be parched in all that getup."
She turns and signals to a waiter to approach.

"Did I see you early at the whole thing with the Governor? Man that was long, right?"

[Soshi Kotori]

"I was indeed." She smiles behind her veil, as the she looks to the wait staff.
"Sake for myself, and another round for Yoritomo-san? Or something different perhaps?"

[Yoritomo Ochiba]

"I was indeed." She smiles behind her veil, as the she looks to the wait staff.
"Sake for myself, and another round for Yoritomo-san? Or something different perhaps?"

"I'll have whatever you're having, hoping it's something fancy."
She finger guns Kotori before tossing some coins at the waiter.

"First time on planet eh? What do you make of it?" Frowning slightly "Wetter than I'd hoped so far, classic tropics. But I can get rained on on any Mantis planet, so hoping for a bit more. Guess it only matters if you're not going to be on your duties the whole time which-" with a grin, "-I am absolutely hoping not to be."

[Soshi Kotori]

Kotori laughs softly behind her veil, she'd been reaching for some coins, too slowly it seems. Next round, she'd be faster.

"The weather has been a little wet this morning, hasn't it." She mused, resting her arm on the table. "I'm quite partial to the rain when it's not accompanied by heat and humidity."

"I'm sure it'll clear up soon enough. Have you already made a list of things to do? Or just plan to wander wherever your feet take you? Admittedly I didn't really have time for much more than a cursory search."

[Yoritomo Ochiba]

Kotori laughs softly behind her veil, she'd been reaching for some coins, too slowly it seems. Next round, she'd be faster.

"The weather has been a little wet this morning, hasn't it." She mused, resting her arm on the table. "I'm quite partial to the rain when it's not accompanied by heat and humidity."

"I'm sure it'll clear up soon enough. Have you already made a list of things to do? Or just plan to wander wherever your feet take you? Admittedly I didn't really have time for much more than a cursory search."

"It can play absolute havoc with my hair, which doesn't matter 99% of the time. But here I am on a foreign planet as a Clan representative so now hair is sometimes important...although maybe I could just wear a hat...hmmmm."
Ochiba idly considers life as a cap wearer, no it wasn't really showy enough.

"I've made a couple of basic lists, gonna climb that volcano, rent a boat. Might do some flying too if I can find the right craft. But I'm more of a 'where my feet take me' sort of samurai yeah."
Raised eyebrow.
"Sounds like you got sent here on short notice? Must be rough. Family back home?"

[Soshi Kotori]

"

"It can play absolute havoc with my hair, which doesn't matter 99% of the time. But here I am on a foreign planet as a Clan representative so now hair is sometimes important...although maybe I could just wear a hat...hmmmm."
Ochiba idly considers life as a cap wearer, no it wasn't really showy enough.

"I've made a couple of basic lists, gonna climb that volcano, rent a boat. Might do some flying too if I can find the right craft. But I'm more of a 'where my feet take me' sort of samurai yeah."
Raised eyebrow.
"Sounds like you got sent here on short notice? Must be rough. Family back home?"

"I sympathise..." Kotori twirles one of the curled pieces of hair that frames her face on a finger. Humidity - the true enemy of samurai everywhere. "I find braiding helps a little, although you still get some flyaways trying to escape."

"That's sounds... nice." -for you, it was a little too adventurous for Kotori's kind of holiday. She leaves the last two words out before nodding. "It took a little while for the missive to make it down the chain - I wasnt the first choice."

She sighs softly as the waiter places the sake on the table. She takes the bottle and pours for Ochiba as she answers. "Just my parents back home, my siblings are all older and married with their own families now. What about you?"

[Yoritomo Ochiba]

Snip

"On a ship it's much easier, zero gravity and controlled humidity. Never thought I'd miss that rust bucket."
Nodding her head as Kotori pours and raising her glass in a toast.
"To home, where the hair is easier. Kanpai!"

She drains her cup in one motion, nodding. Yeah, that was pretty solid.

"No siblings but otherwise the same. Don't see my folks much but they're alright, I guess. Only samurai I'm really tight with have all split for the moment."
Peering into her now empty cup.
"Hmmm, it definitely is quieter without them. But that's hardly important. Although you know, I've never really wanted to be with anyone full time. Hassle, right? Probably worse for you guys, having to work out who's minding the kids which secret mission. But Governor Yasuki Ayame-sama, she's kinda cute, right?"

[Soshi Kotori]

...

Kotori gave a somewhat shy kanpai before listened along, nodding.

She took the bottle, refilling Ochiba's glass soon after it was emptied.

"We Scorption take the children with us when the clandestine calls, better for their early development." Laughing softly she placed the bottle back on the table and too another sip of her own sake.

She paused, at... cute comment, cup half way to the table, as if it took some serious contemplation to consider.

"Yasuki Ayame... sama... cute?" Slowly she placed the cup on the table and considered for a moment. "I hadn't considered that... Perhaps I will have to defer to your discerning judgment?"

[Yoritomo Ochiba]

Snip

"I suppose the children could have little pacifier masks." Ochiba nods her thanks as Kotori refills the glass, tapping the table animatedly at the rest of the Scorpion's response.

"Ah ha! Very diplomatic. One of those damned if you do, damned if you don't questions, hmmmm? Well, fear not Soshi-san, for am I will to say that yeah, she absolutely is!"
Waving her arms expressively, although managing not to spill any sake.
"Most governors aren't, right? So, low bar. But she's waaaay over it. 1st day and I'm already excited." She raises an eyebrow at the other samurai.

"You're not gonna have as much fun as me if you're aren't gonna get out there Soshi-san." Then, leaning forward conspiratorially."I know you gotta do your duties, fine, I respect that. You scorpion take that very seriously. But you're here on beach planet, booze is flowing, you got samurai from everywhere milling around and partying and you're currently flying free. Don't tell me you aren't gonna let your hair down a little? Braids or no braids."

[Soshi Kotori]

chop chop

It was a well practiced motion, slipping her spare hand beneath the veil and steadying it as she lifting the cup to drink once more(because the player forgot, about that bit and she definitely didn't drink it straight through the veil, as entertaining of a thought as that might be). She then returned the empty cup to the table.

"Aren't I out there now? I even asked to sit at a stranger's table - that has to count for something right?" It almost seemed an earnest question, as if this was indeed her definition of being out there. After mulling it over for a moment she spoke again. "Or does it not count because we're inside Yoritomo-san?" Another pause and then she stifled a quiet laugh - it was a terrible joke and Kotori knew it.

"In that case, as my venerable senior in such matters-how would Yoritomo-san suggest I let my hair down."

[Yoritomo Ochiba]

Snip

"I dunno, if you're inside Yoritomo-san it definitely counts." Ochiba starts sniggering.

"Talking to folks is a good first step, and hey. If that's what works for you then, uh, sure. But go push your comfort level a bit, do some stuff you can't do elsewhere. Scuba uses mask, go scuba diving, or enter a race go to a posh restaurant and order a feast on the Clan dime."
Draining her cup again and setting it down with a quiet thunk.

"I'm giving you more entry level stuff here, but you get it? Back home you got rules and people judging you and duty duty duty. Out here you got some duty, but you set your rules, you choose who sees you. Live it up. Life is short and nobody is gonna come to you one day and formally instruct you to have fun."

She twirls her cup around on the table idly.
"My folks worked their whole life to make it up one rung, never got to enjoy stuff like this. Never got to take holidays or get drunk or make mistakes. They're good people, but they never got to be happy."

[Soshi Kotori]

Snip.

"Oh Kami- that wasn't-" Kotori's eyes widened when she realised, she spluttered trying to recover before just sighing heavily in defeat. "Definitely lacking the equipment for that adventure...."

She took mental notes, glancing to the bottle of sake, she picked it up, swirling it slightly in thought before giving a subtle wave to the waiter for another and taking a few coins from her skirt pocket. Her attention stayed on the conversation, but she's started to get the feeling she might need a little more sake for the evening. When the waiter arrived she emptied the first bottle into Ochiba's cup and then filled her own.


"Do they not have time now?" She asked tentatively.

[Yoritomo Ochiba]

snip

"Ah huh, necessity is the mother of invention, you know." Ochiba is clearly very amused by herself but manages to move on.

In fact the amusement makes a good distraction for Kotori to beat her to the punch on paying for the next round!

"Oh hey, that thing has pockets, hells yes. Anyway, my folks? They get a lot of shit duties, 'guard shiro nowheresmura for 5 years', 'escort kuge princess who doesn't wear deodorant shopping'."

Another nod at the refill, the Mantis' features turning a little pensive.
"I don't know if they'll ever get to rest. But I swore to myself that wouldn't be me. Not ever. And look at me now, already richer than they ever were. And I ain't stopping here. Only onwards and upwards. What about you, you got that drive?"

[Soshi Kotori]

Ello there.

It was a curious question, one that Kotori took a moment, and half her cup of sake to contemplate.

"Drive, huh..." Kotori shrugged a little, it was a sore topic. "I do what is expected of me, and then then when they aren't expecting anything of me I do what I wish for myself. The latter has certainly afforded me certain... comforts."

[Yoritomo Ochiba]

It was a curious question, one that Kotori took a moment, and half her cup of sake to contemplate.

"Drive, huh..." Kotori shrugged a little, it was a sore topic. "I do what is expected of me, and then then when they aren't expecting anything of me I do what I wish for myself. The latter has certainly afforded me certain... comforts."

“Nice! So you’re doing some independent stuff.”
Honestly”Never would have guessed, you seem a pretty straight shooter, in a Scorpion kind of way.”

She raises an eyebrow looking over from her glass
“Doesn’t seem to be making you happy though.”

[Soshi Kotori]

“Nice! So you’re doing some independent stuff.”
Honestly”Never would have guessed, you seem a pretty straight shooter, in a Scorpion kind of way.”

She raises an eyebrow looking over from her glass
“Doesn’t seem to be making you happy though.”

"Trying to fulfil expectations is a weary game where noone wins." She laughs wearily. "Perhaps once I've met them. I'll have time for happy."