(D10, ME) Smoke and Heat

[Yasuki Taraka]

Taraka nodded. If the Miya hadn't met them, there wasn't a lot of information to go on. But Taraka knew a whole bunch of the visitors. Her third place was definite. She took a moment to evaluate the other two.

"Hmm, Kakita standards make that a tough choice, Miya-san." she admitted. "Is it better to have a perfect romance with the knowledge that it will end, or a perfect marriage with the knowledge it won't?"

She strarted to answer, but then reversed herself, then again.

"Alright, alright, yes. Kakita Haruhi, Bayushi Senshuken, Moto Shiwahime. And may all Seven of the Great Fortunes watch over me attempting any of that." she laughed.

The ridiculousness of these things ever happening was the fun of the game after all.

"But as for my turn...." she said. "Kakita Haruhi, Bayushi Senshuken.....Bayushi Kazushi." Two Scorpions and a Crane, what would the Miya choose?

[Miya Kisha]

Kisha flushes red, and she hides her face behind her drink for a moment before answering.

"Senshuken, then Haruhi."

A little shrug.

"Kazushi's already married, and his wife was born Otomo. I've seen closer than many what interfering wit that can mean."

Another sip at her drink precedes "Bayushi Hinata, Kitsune Kiyoshi, and Kitsune Soratoshi."

It occurs to Kisha that she's met more women in Tango than men.

[Yasuki Taraka]

Taraka chuckled.

"Men of mystery, eh?" she said, amused. "Well, at least that means I can lean harder on stereotypes of families and clans than actual knowledge."

"Bayushi Hinata, Kitsune Soratoshi, Kitsune Kiyoshi." she said. After all, who wouldn't want a mysterious Scorpion lover?

She sipped her drink.

"My turn again....Moto Shiwahime, Susumu Sumiko, Shinjo Suh-Hyun." she offered. Two Unicorns and a Spider, what a deal!

[Miya Kisha]

Another blush, and a muttered "Moto, then Shinjo."

Kisha takes another sip of her drink and giggles.

"I haven't played this in years.

"Anyway," she continues, "Suzume Hitomi, Soshi Kotori, and Kuni Sumie."

[Yasuki Taraka]

Taraka grinned.

"Like I said, a girl deserves to have a little fun in paradise, right? And it's only really fun when you've got a bunch of new options to throw into the mix. Even celebrities get played out after the hundredth time you've ranked them." she mused.

She sipped her drink.


"Hmmm, Soshi Kotori, Suzume Hitomi, Kuni Sumie." she said. That one didn't require much thought. Despite what the Sparrow thought, she'd be an excellent partner, and only someone insane would try to romance Kuni Sumie.

"My turn again: Kaiu Nagisa, Kitsune Kiyoshi, Yoritomo Yakura." she said, tossing a man into the mix.

[Miya Kisha]

"Ooh. That's a good one."

Kisha sips her drink again, not blushing, and thinks.

"Probably the Yoritomo, then Kitsune-san," she finally arrives at. "I think she'd be more fun, but I think he'd be more stable."

She considers a little more.

"Ikoma Nonoko, Utaku Itsuka, and, hm, Tamori Kanna.

"I mean, we can run people twice, right?"

[Yasuki Taraka]

Taraka grinned.

"Of course, it's all in good fun and doesn't mean anything right? Though it's a little cheap if you try running the same person twice in the same grouping. That'd feel more like prying." she teased.

"Hmmm, a battle of the cute ones, hm?" Taraka said. She wasn't blushing on this, but it bore a little thought.

"I think probably Tamori Kanna, Utaku Itsuka, Ikoma Nonoko." she decided upon. "Utaku-san's a widow and it'd be nice if someone could bring the smile back to her eyes on a full time basis.

"What about, Agasha Sorato, Suzume Hitomi...and Utaku Itsuka." she offered, curious if her words would influence the Miya's choices.

[Miya Kisha]

"I didn't realize that about Utaku-san..." Kisha says. "That's so sad."

Another sip of the drink.

"I haven't met Agasha-san," the Miya says. "So...Suzume-san and Utaku-san? Maybe the other order, though."

Again, there is a flush creeping up the shisha's face.

"Wait, did I run someone twice in one group? That would be silly, right?"

[Yasuki Taraka]

"I didn't realize that about Utaku-san..." Kisha says. "That's so sad."

Another sip of the drink.

"I haven't met Agasha-san," the Miya says. "So...Suzume-san and Utaku-san? Maybe the other order, though."

Again, there is a flush creeping up the shisha's face.

"Wait, did I run someone twice in one group? That would be silly, right?"

Taraka shook her head.

"You didn't. Just thinking about people being cheap with the game in the past. Like someone saying, Miya Kisha, Miya Kisha, and a sewer worker." she gave as an example. After all, past games were to remain in the past.

"Some people just can't enjoy games for what they are, games."

She sipped her drink.

"Speaking of which, your turn."

[Miya Kisha]

"Just had to check," Kisha says.

"Hm. How about Yasuki Honoka, Kakita Hiroki, and Otomo Koroshi?"

The Miya nods.

"Yeah, that's a decent spread, maybe?"

[Yasuki Taraka]

Taraka laughed.

"A decent spread of trouble, maybe." she said, amused. "But rules are rules, they must be placed in order. But an Otomo and a Kakita, I'm really hurting for options."

She finished her drink.

"I suppose it would have to be Otomo Koroshi, Kakita Hiroki, Yasuki Honk...Honoka." she decided.

She grinned. "I think I could deal with the Otomo dating me once or twice in his rooster costume, but I couldn't stand waking up every day to his crowing."

Hiroki'd at least set her up in a nice out of the way little mansion while he pursued what he cared about...and Honoka could be buried under it.

"Bayushi Hinata, Yasuki Honaka, Yasuki Umiko." she offered for her turn. Would the Miya see herself marrying into high political office with someone who had lived a pristine and virtuous life?

[Miya Kisha]

Kisha smiles.

"That's an easier one," she says. "Bayushi-san, then Yasuki Honoka. She runs a good kitchen, which I'm told is an important thing for a wife."

She sighs a little. "I don't do as well at that, unfortunately."

Then she brightens again.

"The comment about the rooster was funny, though.

"Okay, so, how about...Kaiu Tetsu, Kitsune Soratoshi, and Kaiu Ryosei? I saw all three of them at the security...thing."

[Yasuki Taraka]

Taraka was fairly surprised that the Miya would kill the karo...but given how she simply omitted the kill name, it could well be that it was more of a 'I wouldn't think a romance or marriage with the person would work kind of thing.'

She considered the names offered. Kaiu Tetsu was the only name really worthy of consideration, but once he slid in to place, who would be a better romance partner?

"Hmmm, think that would be Kitsune Soratoshi, Kaiu Tetsu, and then Kaiu Ryosei." she admitted.

"I really had hoped to draw Ryosei-san more in as a fellow local business...but I really don't get his business model, and his taste in office decor does not suggest anything in the way of romance."

She pondered the ceiling for a moment.

"What about Soshi Kotori, Kakita Hiroki, and....Kaiu Ryosei." she offered, listing the three least likely to have anything in common with each other thus far.

[Miya Kisha]

"Hm," says Kisha again, and she finishes her own drink, nodding to the attentive bartender.

"Kakita-san probably does well in the first role. Kaiu-san might work for the second," she says.

Then she smiles wide.

"Susumu Sumiko, Susumu Ami, and Daidoji Chitose," she says, reaching deep.

Two more drinks arrive, and she hands one to Taraka.

[Yasuki Taraka]

The new drink is accepted with a laugh and a 'kampai!'

"You're going to do me like that, Miya-san? No matter what I have to at least take a Spider to bed?" she overdramatized. "This is the hard part about playing with Miya....no natural predators."

"Well, I can't say I know Daidoji Chitose other than I saw them on the expected diplomats list. Haven't even heard of them. But sure, we'll mar.....we'll put them second. It's a Crane wedding, so assuming...no even if they are a brain in a jar, that works." she almost slipped.

"And I all I've seen of Ami-san was her stalking about First Market looking all pale and tragic, so into third she goes. Leaving Sumiko-san to take first practically by default." she finished.

That called for a solid swig of drink.

"Kaiu Tetsu, Kuni Iwane, Yasuki Ayame." she challenged.

[Miya Kisha]

Kisha, of course, joined the toast. How not?

After Taraka poses her slate, she says "I believe in Yasuki-san's charms," and takes a pull from her own drink.

"Hm. Tetsu and Yasuki-chiji for the first two spots. Who could turn her down, really?

"But can you imagine playing this with a Seppun? I admire my cousins, of course, but the idea of two of them sitting in their dormitories and doing this..."

She starts to giggle again.

"Okay, the two Yoritomo and...the Lion, sure."

[Yasuki Taraka]

Kisha, of course, joined the toast. How not?

After Taraka poses her slate, she says "I believe in Yasuki-san's charms," and takes a pull from her own drink.

"Hm. Tetsu and Yasuki-chiji for the first two spots. Who could turn her down, really?

"But can you imagine playing this with a Seppun? I admire my cousins, of course, but the idea of two of them sitting in their dormitories and doing this..."

She starts to giggle again.

"Okay, the two Yoritomo and...the Lion, sure."

Taraka laughed hard at that.

"Absolutely! They're guards, not...um..those weird gaijin guards from the stories? The ones who had their equipment taken away to watch rooms full of women. Think of it, they spend all day honorably watching for threats, what are they going to do when they go home for the night? Just pray like some kind of...talking temple ornament? They've got knowledge and a need to vent. Course they play!" she opined.

"Yoritomo Yakura, Ikoma Nonnonoko....Yoritomo Ochibaaaa" she slurred just a bit.

It sure was a hot night wasn't it?

"Hiruma Akito, Ikoma Nononoko, Hiruma Akiro." That was three people right?

[Miya Kisha]

candy is dandy but liquor is quicker?

"I've known some Seppun who would do that kind of thing," Kisha says. "There seem to be a lot of them who make a big deal. About. Talking. Slowly. Too."

She giggles again.

"But brothers? Maybe the brothers first and second. Yeah. And Akiro second. I think. Maybe."

She takes another drink, sways a little.

"Kind of icky, though. So maybe Nonoko, then Akiro."

The Miya nods emphatically.

"Yeah. That way."

She leans on the bar a little. "These are really good drinks."

[Yasuki Taraka]

candy is dandy but liquor is quicker?

"I've known some Seppun who would do that kind of thing," Kisha says. "There seem to be a lot of them who make a big deal. About. Talking. Slowly. Too."

She giggles again.

"But brothers? Maybe the brothers first and second. Yeah. And Akiro second. I think. Maybe."

She takes another drink, sways a little.

"Kind of icky, though. So maybe Nonoko, then Akiro."

The Miya nods emphatically.

"Yeah. That way."

She leans on the bar a little. "These are really good drinks."

Taraka giggled and leaned on the bar as well.

"Right? And so smooth. I barely feel anything." she offered.

Which was probably more true in one direction than the intended one.

[Miya Kisha]

Taraka giggled and leaned on the bar as well.

"Right? And so smooth. I barely feel anything." she offered.

Which was probably more true in one direction than the intended one.

Kisha giggles back.

"This is so nice, being able to relax with a friend."

A hiccup.

"Did I say that out lout? I mean, out loud? Good. I mean it."

The bartender puts a couple of glasses of water down. He's a decent enough fellow, really.