[Expecting] Get Me The Second Best Of Everything (Day 2-LM, Run It Back)

[Yoritomo Ochiba]

"In... love?" Once again another of Ochiba's abrupt topic switches leaves Sorato repeating her words like some sort of lanky flightless parrot while his thoughts lag behind. "I think so? I definitely do believe in fireworks safety... but a penthouse balcony is all right, if it isn't facing another building right close by." According to Agasha standards, anyway. "And if you have a hanabi team who hasn't had too much to drink, that's important, yes."

"Wait, tomorrow?"

"You think so? Interesting. I don't know if I do either, perhaps we have the same approach."
Sorato gets looked over top to toe before Ochiba shakes her head, whatever that means.
"I believe I am infatuated with someone...but it is not the same...interesting, never really considered that."

Blink and looking up at the last question.
"Yes! Tomorrow evening, best time for it, people have settled in but are not yet burnt out, hmmm, apparently I'm actually a genius quite often. Yes, when else would it be but tomorrow?"

[Agasha Sorato]

"Well, uh... try getting to know the other person? Find out if you actually like each other?" The instinct to try to be helpful and knowledgeable is strong, even if Sorato is entirely out of his depth on this one. Possibly-Heritable-Minor-Curse is only part of the reason he's still single, after all.

"You know, that is a good point. If the governor keeps all of her guests busy with events and parties every day, we foreign visitors will be tired enough soon." He nods gravely. "So... do you still need costumes? While we're here." He tucks his two hangers, each holding a relatively nondescript pair of board shorts, under his arm. "I've found what I'm looking for already, if you could use assistance."

[Yoritomo Ochiba]

"Well, uh... try getting to know the other person? Find out if you actually like each other?" The instinct to try to be helpful and knowledgeable is strong, even if Sorato is entirely out of his depth on this one. Possibly-Heritable-Minor-Curse is only part of the reason he's still single, after all.

"You know, that is a good point. If the governor keeps all of her guests busy with events and parties every day, we foreign visitors will be tired enough soon." He nods gravely. "So... do you still need costumes? While we're here." He tucks his two hangers, each holding a relatively nondescript pair of board shorts, under his arm. "I've found what I'm looking for already, if you could use assistance."

"Found out if you actually like them? Sensible, is that before or after getting physical? Isn't that an important part of finding out if you like them?"
On that bombshell Ochiba nods, doing her best to rapidly steer Sorato to the eclectic display of costumes which feared several dated halloween getups, a set of idol cosplay and what looked like the detritus from a local production of 'Tonbo on the Roof'.

"Your assistance will be greatly appreciated, I can tell a number of these are offensive...but not which ones. Surely a muscle suit is a reasonable thing to wear as a Hida?"

[Agasha Sorato]

"I uh, I think that depends on what everyone expects physical intimacy to mean..." He coughs awkwardly. His ears are slightly pink. "This is a little past my pay grade, Yoritomo-san. A monk of Benten might be more help than a priest of the elements."

The redirect to the costume rack is welcome. "I don't think anyone could object to a muscle suit." Probably. There might be a few rare Hida out there who would regard it as culturally appropriative but that seems like a stretch to Sorato. "Look, here are some... I think these are animal ears? What animal, though?"

[Yoritomo Ochiba]

"I uh, I think that depends on what everyone expects physical intimacy to mean..." He coughs awkwardly. His ears are slightly pink. "This is a little past my pay grade, Yoritomo-san. A monk of Benten might be more help than a priest of the elements."

The redirect to the costume rack is welcome. "I don't think anyone could object to a muscle suit." Probably. There might be a few rare Hida out there who would regard it as culturally appropriative but that seems like a stretch to Sorato. "Look, here are some... I think these are animal ears? What animal, though?"

“Oh sweet fortunes! I recognise those ears!”
Ochiba angrily snatches the offending pair and waves them around.
“They’re rat ears, representative of Dai-Koku-no-fortune’s rat. I was ambushed by an Otomo wearing them.”

Ochiba only barely resists the urge to start trashing the ears. Perhaps only stopped by catching sight of what they’d been sitting on.

“There’s a rat-suit?!?!?”

[Agasha Sorato]

Ambushed by an Otomo in rat ears? With a heroic effort, Sorato stops himself before getting caught out yet again just sort of bewilderedly echoing the last thing he'd heard, like a bad straight man in a crosstalk comedy scene. "Not a dangerous ambush, hopefully."

He coughs. "Rats are lucky. Maybe someone wanted a lucky mascot suit?" And then... didn't want it any longer, given that it's here? "It's in good shape, for, er, a rat. Is that the sort of costume you wanted? Or there's this..." ' This' is a plasticky silvery thing clearly meant to be an inexpensive replica of a space vessel's EVA suit.

He pulls out the next hanger. "What's this thing? Oh, ah..." It appears to be a maximally cliched 'sexy historical pirate' costume, consisting mainly of a green and black striped shirt with a deep V neck, rather short hakama with fake-tattered hems, and a head kerchief. A pair of plastic kama dangle from the belt.

[Yoritomo Ochiba]

Ambushed by an Otomo in rat ears? With a heroic effort, Sorato stops himself before getting caught out yet again just sort of bewilderedly echoing the last thing he'd heard, like a bad straight man in a crosstalk comedy scene. "Not a dangerous ambush, hopefully."

He coughs. "Rats are lucky. Maybe someone wanted a lucky mascot suit?" And then... didn't want it any longer, given that it's here? "It's in good shape, for, er, a rat. Is that the sort of costume you wanted? Or there's this..." ' This' is a plasticky silvery thing clearly meant to be an inexpensive replica of a space vessel's EVA suit.

He pulls out the next hanger. "What's this thing? Oh, ah..." It appears to be a maximally cliched 'sexy historical pirate' costume, consisting mainly of a green and black striped shirt with a deep V neck, rather short hakama with fake-tattered hems, and a head kerchief. A pair of plastic kama dangle from the belt.

"Oh that takes me back, I used to wear something similar to parties when I was still at the dojo. It was sort of our unofficial universal backup costume, everyone had one."
Ochiba ponders the costume for a few moments.
"But, I wonder if maybe we were playing into stereotypes are teenage minds hadn't even really become aware of, dressing for the gaze of society instead of ourselves, do you ever think that? It seems sort of obvious now, in hindsight...mmmhmm either way, I can't have my servants in that."

Kneeling down she digs around in various shelves nearer ground level before pulling out a selection of ancient looking costumes probably evocative of various elemental kami. They looked like holdovers from a stageplay.
"Ohhh these are classic. We could theme them, water for the bar, fire for fireworks, earth for security, air for waiters. Is that disrespectful though? I really need your opinion as a priest on this."

[Agasha Sorato]

"Really? Mantis students like those costumes?" Speaking of things that he'd thought might be offensive...

"The elemental spirits aren't concerned with human ideas about dignity and representation." Sorato bends down a bit for a closer look at the colorful archaic costumes. "Changing their environment or making demands makes them feel disrespected sometimes. They don't much care how we talk about or portray them." Picking up a leafy 'Earth' costume, he nods judiciously. "Even if they did, I don't see how this could bother them. Pretty tasteful." It isn't 'sexy Earth kami,' just 'Earth,' really. Though if it was a sexy Earth wench costume, the local Earth spirits probably still wouldn't care.

[Yoritomo Ochiba]

"Really? Mantis students like those costumes?" Speaking of things that he'd thought might be offensive...

"The elemental spirits aren't concerned with human ideas about dignity and representation." Sorato bends down a bit for a closer look at the colorful archaic costumes. "Changing their environment or making demands makes them feel disrespected sometimes. They don't much care how we talk about or portray them." Picking up a leafy 'Earth' costume, he nods judiciously. "Even if they did, I don't see how this could bother them. Pretty tasteful." It isn't 'sexy Earth kami,' just 'Earth,' really. Though if it was a sexy Earth wench costume, the local Earth spirits probably still wouldn't care.

"Oh yeah, they're flattering and it's kind of ironic, but that sort of ironic where you don't have to commit."
Nodding sagely.
"I think it's just a deflection from criticism, where we protect ourselves by refusing to actually commit to anything."

Before Ochiba can spend too long considering all the implications of that Sorato explains that the costumes would not be, in fact, horribly sacrilegious.
"I'm glad, I can't put the servants in sexy clothes, I mean, that's just awkward for everyone." Pause. "And now I think about it, plays into...power dynamics...I keep remembering this phrase 'intersectionality', huh, this blessing is powerful stuff."

Back to Sorato.
"Kami costumes it is then! And what will Agash-an be coming as?"

[Agasha Sorato]

"Err, yes, probably better not to put your employees in that position," Sorato agrees. "Nobody wants to be that samurai." Well, actually some people probably do, but not people Sorato especially wants to associate with if he has a choice.

Placed on the spot about his own costume plans, he waffles. "Hm. I didn't know I was coming as anything until half an hour ago. I may need a little time to think about it." Somewhat sheepishly, he adds, "I can't remember what would be the last time I dressed up in costume. It's been a few years, at least."

[Yoritomo Ochiba]

"Err, yes, probably better not to put your employees in that position," Sorato agrees. "Nobody wants to be that samurai." Well, actually some people probably do, but not people Sorato especially wants to associate with if he has a choice.

Placed on the spot about his own costume plans, he waffles. "Hm. I didn't know I was coming as anything until half an hour ago. I may need a little time to think about it." Somewhat sheepishly, he adds, "I can't remember what would be the last time I dressed up in costume. It's been a few years, at least."

“I might put up a sign in the hookup corner reminder guests to respect the staff. Oh but where am I going to get a sign saying exactly that…I could always take that one from the doctor’s office I passed.”

Ochiba waves off any sheepishness.
“What are your duties that prevent you from going to parties? Are you like a-“
Using her souped up Ochiba brain
“Wilderness researcher? Or worse, an introvert?”

[Agasha Sorato]

"I go to parties!" Sorato holds up his hands defensively. "None of them happen to be costume parties, that's all." He clears his throat and admits, "'Wilderness researcher' is close to the mark, though. Survey camps and colony installations have less, er, varied resources for party hosts."

He brightens. "Where there are Agasha, someone always has fireworks, though."

[Yoritomo Ochiba]

"I go to parties!" Sorato holds up his hands defensively. "None of them happen to be costume parties, that's all." He clears his throat and admits, "'Wilderness researcher' is close to the mark, though. Survey camps and colony installations have less, er, varied resources for party hosts."

He brightens. "Where there are Agasha, someone always has fireworks, though."

"Sure you do." Ochiba very nearly delivers an enthusiastic elbow to Sorato before remembering that striking a priest was a sure way to invoke the spirits wrath, so instead she just settles for a: "Yeah! now that's more like it! Gotta have a way to break up all that boring surveying stuff."

She scoops up an armful of the costumes and deposits them on Sorato before taking the other half.

"Help me get this to the counter, in return I can fake an interesting in colony installations. Is that what you're doing on planet?"

[Agasha Sorato]

"Sure you do." Ochiba very nearly delivers an enthusiastic elbow to Sorato before remembering that striking a priest was a sure way to invoke the spirits wrath, so instead she just settles for a: "Yeah! now that's more like it! Gotta have a way to break up all that boring surveying stuff."

She scoops up an armful of the costumes and deposits them on Sorato before taking the other half.

"Help me get this to the counter, in return I can fake an interesting in colony installations. Is that what you're doing on planet?"

"Not only do I go to parties sometimes, I can also talk about things other than duty." Sorato chuckles as he crouches to gather up his own double armful of colorful fabric. "I do a lot of botanical survey duties, though. Agriculture, pharmaceuticals. Since I'm here, I infer that Atsumaru Group is interested in that side of the Tango Province. You wouldn't send me if you wanted someone to find out about financial instruments, or arms manufacturing, or concert promotion."

[Yoritomo Ochiba]

"Not only do I go to parties sometimes, I can also talk about things other than duty." Sorato chuckles as he crouches to gather up his own double armful of colorful fabric. "I do a lot of botanical survey duties, though. Agriculture, pharmaceuticals. Since I'm here, I infer that Atsumaru Group is interested in that side of the Tango Province. You wouldn't send me if you wanted someone to find out about financial instruments, or arms manufacturing, or concert promotion."

“And you like that? The surveys?”
Ochiba manages to get her stack to the counter without too much trouble and just dumps it while the harassed looking clerk starts trying to scan it all.

“Interesting. Have you found anything valuable yet? I’ve never gotten into plant products before, outside of a couple useful substances for relaxation. There must be money in it or they wouldn’t send you here…”

[Agasha Sorato]

(snip)

"I do, yes. I'm never in the same place too long. I see more planets and places than most people," Sorato answers amiably. "I don't do the lab rat side most of the time. My cousins in the labs tell me to look for such-and-such a seaweed and I go and find it for them. Or I survey an area and send back samples of everything that seems interesting for them to test." He deposits his armload on the counter and starts casually arranging the garments much like they, too, are samples to be catalogued, stacked with tags outward.

"Planets are giant labs, really. Medicine precursors, plants to cross for higher yield crops, really delicious mushrooms--across the worlds, Nature invents a remarkable number of things on its own. Even on terraformed worlds like this one, unpredictable things happen."

Despite his protestations, he doesn't seem to mind talking about duty at all.

[Yoritomo Ochiba]

Snip

“Huh, I’ve never really thought of them like that, planets always just kind of were.”
Brow furrowing
“Maybe I should live a more examined life… but then it also seems kinda boring. No offence, I’m sure if you know the stuff it’s not so bad.”

The teller nods their tanks to the Phoenix who has prevented much needless digging for tags.

“So how’d you find the time to learn all this science stuff if you were also studying to be a priest?”

[Agasha Sorato]

"Oh. It's not so separate, really." Sorato makes a smaller stack of his own finds, a couple of pairs of board shorts and a (tastefully?) faded graphic t-shirt advertising Azuma Beach. "To be a shugenja means communicating with the elements. Well, that's part of it, at least," he adds, temporizing. "We learn to hear and be heard by the spirits of nature. Making a connection between the metaphysical and the physical sides of nature is... well, natural."

"Do you spend much time planetside, Yoritomo-san? Or are you the naval sort of Mantis?" People whose duties kept them on ships and stations are often less connected with the living essence of planets, in Sorato's experience anyway.

[Yoritomo Ochiba]

"Oh. It's not so separate, really." Sorato makes a smaller stack of his own finds, a couple of pairs of board shorts and a (tastefully?) faded graphic t-shirt advertising Azuma Beach. "To be a shugenja means communicating with the elements. Well, that's part of it, at least," he adds, temporizing. "We learn to hear and be heard by the spirits of nature. Making a connection between the metaphysical and the physical sides of nature is... well, natural."

"Do you spend much time planetside, Yoritomo-san? Or are you the naval sort of Mantis?" People whose duties kept them on ships and stations are often less connected with the living essence of planets, in Sorato's experience anyway.

Ochiba causally grabs the Phoenix’s loot and has it rung up on her dime too.

“Ohhhh, yeah. I bet if you can actually speak with the spirits it’s a lot less boring. It’s like book learning but the books talk back?… is that sacrilegious?”

She nods merrily at the last question
“Naval girl through and through. Probably spent more time in a metal can than I have planetside. The stuff worth buying is down here, but the cash to spend on it?”
Pointing to the ceiling
“It’s up there.”

[Agasha Sorato]

"Aha. Whereas I'm a dirt crawler who incidentally spends some time up there." Sorato smiles. "Does that mean you're only down here temporarily? In that case, I see why your party planning is so... expeditious."

The size of the costume pile is such that Sorato doesn't catch on to Ochiba's move with his purchases until it's too late. "Wait! I--er. Well, I owe you one, then, Yoritomo-san."