[D1 MM, Streets, Open] Seeking Umbrella

[Agasha Sorato]

"More of a general surveyor than a specialist." Right now he's surveying the selection of umbrellas, turning them over on the rack and looking at the tags. The ones with collapsible handles would be easier to pack, probably? He doesn't seem to have noticed the heimin shop clerk watching Sumiko. "My family's ancestors, the Atsumaru, used to be herbalists in the old days. A lot of us are still growing from those roots--botanists, agriculturalists, doctors. Except now they've got a whole galaxy to search for biologicals that might help people. That part is my line."

Closing his eyes, he hefts a folded umbrella by its handle, inadvertently looking almost like a duelist in an old drama testing the weight of a sword. Except much less cool.

[Susumu Sumiko]

"Oh I see" Sumiko nodded "so similar to what the Kuchiki do, important sciences to help all people. The advancements made through Kuchiki work has been impressive to read, but if I remember right the Atsumaru go back even further."

She paused to look at the art of the umbrella, amused, before adding "the advancements that could be made if they worked together would be incredible huh. Did that umbrella meet the expectation?"

[Agasha Sorato]

"It'll do," Sorato affirms, heading toward the sales counter with the closed umbrella held en garde--more like a knife or shortsword than a duelist's blade, really, since it's one of the collapsible-handle ones.

"Yes, our family dates back all the way to Hantei times on the old world. So far that the dates are a bit fuzzy. The Kuchiki have... a different working style in their labs, I hear. But interesting results, for a younger tradition." That's rather an understatement of the variety of rumors about the Kuchiki among Phoenix shugenja. Some of those rumors also suggest the Agasha daimyo is quite interested in what the Kuchiki are up to, though Sorato himself spends more time in remote locales far away from all such intrigues.

[Susumu Sumiko]

"So perhaps 1200 years before the Kuchiki" Sumiko commented with a small laugh as she waited for Sorato to pay for the umbrella and not approaching the desk to avoid any more issues. Once he was done she'd hold the door open for him to leave.

"A lot of the work the Kuchiki does is secretive and very advanced which is why they don't often work with other families. I've read some of it, and it's a fascinating read. Hmm, now which way was the standing food place..." she looked from side to side as she opened her umbrella."

[Agasha Sorato]

"I'd say all the priestly families have a secretive streak, wide or narrow." The closed umbrella swings from his hand as he follows Sumiko out the door after settling up with the clerk. "Lots of mine do--let alone the Isawa."

He shrugs. "The only secrets I have to pay any mind to are secrets kept by Nature. That suits me, but working in a lab shapes a different attitude, perhaps. Should we ask directions?"

[Susumu Sumiko]

"As a librarian and a scholar, priestly family secrets are the worst" Sumiko laughed "I like to study everything. Document everything. Put all the pieces together. I understand though that things need to be documented once they're ready though."

She took one more look around before hopping to the middle of the street and saying "that way!" before walking "no need to ask, the fun is in exploration Agasha-sama!"

[Agasha Sorato]

"Exploration is a delight, but I've learned not to discount local knowledge either," he replies, lips quirking. "It's kept me out of trouble now and then. Probably not too much trouble to fall in here, though." He steps out after Sumiko, once again pacing his longer strides to her short ones. "Sometimes knowing too much is trouble, too, but those secrets usually aren't freely told when you ask directions."

[Susumu Sumiko]

"Hai hai local knowledge is important. However the locals are not very...want to share their local knowledge with me" Sumiko said with a small shrug "which I fully understand with our clans histories. Still, I at least will remember where we are as soon as I see one of three shops as they became my landmarks in the market. The big Crab symbol on the koi clothes store back there" she motioned behind her from where they came "the Unicorn coloured drink symbol that is for Tians bubble tea, and the Dragon symbol for Serenity Bakery. They're at different points in the market but once I've seen them I know where to go. Although someone said there's a fantasy flight shop in the market somewhere and I haven't found that yet..."

She paused at an intersection and leaned forward to peek.

"The Dragon symbol! That's the bakery, ok it's a street over from there to the standing space place."

[Agasha Sorato]

"Hm. True. This is a challenging station for a Spider." Sorato marks the location of the Dragon bakery in his mental map in case he wants to visit there another time. "Since you've been invited by the governor, though, surely people are prepared for your presence here."

[Susumu Sumiko]

"They haven't tried to do anything more than ignore me so I'll take that" Sumiko chuckled as she walked "I do also do my best to not disturb them also. I prefer that they see that I respect their views and they'll understand we don't need to be opposed to each other. A difficult goal but one I believe in truly."

She turned the corner and noticed the stall.

"There it is! Muri Donburi, a standing stall that sells rice bowls and noodles. Have you had breakfast yet Agasha-sama?"

[Agasha Sorato]

"Sounds like Shinsei discussing the spirits. 'Respect spiritual beings, but keep a healthy distance.'" His brows arch. "That advice only sometimes applied, though, even for old Shinsei. If Isawa followed it back then, we wouldn't have any of this."

"I have not," he says in reply to the question about breakfast, opening his non-umbrella hand in a gesture toward the stall. "I take it this is recommended?"

[Susumu Sumiko]

"Hai, but Shinsei also said You cannot conquer the elements. You must learn to dance with their harmony and such things apply here too. The Spider will not convince the Crab in one day after near 2000 years of war and hatred. It is a slow, careful process which starts with respecting the locals and letting them learn to trust us. Until then I will respect their wishes" Sumiko lowered her head respectfully "we can learn from the past that such things can be overcome though, as Kakita and Matsu showed us."

There was a pause as they got to the stall and she looked at the menu.

"I haven't actually eaten here yet, but the clerk at the embassy said it was both good for breakfast and also good for busy people as it's standing space only. Seasonally different sauces with proteins and rice. Seems the sauces for this season are sesame dressing for vegatarian meals and...oh they have a tonkatsu, I have to try that."

[Agasha Sorato]

"Noodles sound good to me on a rainy morning." Sorato nods. "I may not qualify as 'busy' before I know what's ahead of me here. I'd guess they won't turn away customers who don't meet that condition, though," he adds, deadpan again.

He briefly ponders whether a standing counter restaurant is really the best place to eat with a fellow samurai whose chin only comes up to about his solar plexus. But this was Sumiko's idea, after all. A polite gesture of his long-fingered hand indicates she should order ahead of him, if she likes.

[Susumu Sumiko]

"I can see the day being long and busy, so starting with warm food is ideal" Sumiko went up to order a fish tonkatsu and a green tea, before moving to a side to wait for the food after paying. She hummed a small tune to herself as she waited for Sorato to order some food. Her food would arrive quickly enough thankfully, so she could move to one of the standing areas to eat while waiting.

[Agasha Sorato]

Sorato deliberates for a few moments, then orders rice topped with a pile of fried tofu and vegetables, remembering the advice of a colleague on Starfall who had been insistent that if he was going to a Crab planet, he absolutely must eat all the oil-fried things on her behalf ("No one deep-fries like the Crab! It's incredible!"). He soon discovers that the shop lives up to its reputation for both efficiency and portion size--his 'medium' bowl definitely would have been a 'large' on Ujimitsu.

Before long, he joins Sumiko at the standing counter, saluting her with his disposable chopsticks. "Here's to a bountiful stay on Shiawase, then."

((Should we Fade To Breakfast here?))

[Susumu Sumiko]

Sumiko paused to nod and raise up her bowl.

"To a bountiful stay on Shiawase" she smiled and then went back to eating

(fade to breakfast and scene sounds good! Thanks for the thread)