Nakahama

"Oh, Kami, no!" Kisha shakes her head vigorously. "I embarrass myself enough without provoking it more than I do, thank you very much. I'm content to celebrate my friends doing well!"

Moto Shiwahime wrote: Sun Nov 23, 2025 9:57 pm snip

Yasuki Taraka wrote: Sun Nov 23, 2025 8:58 pm snip

Miya Kisha wrote: Sun Nov 23, 2025 10:01 pm "Oh, Kami, no!" Kisha shakes her head vigorously. "I embarrass myself enough without provoking it more than I do, thank you very much. I'm content to celebrate my friends doing well!"

Moto Shiwahime wrote: Sun Nov 23, 2025 9:57 pm snip

Yasuki Taraka wrote: Sun Nov 23, 2025 8:58 pm snip

And here Taraka had been about to help the Moto peer pressure the Miya into doing it, but while she might not quick in the boulder dash, she sure was quick to point out she wasn't doing this.

Taraka looked over to the Moto to see what she thought about that.

''Pish-posh'' the Moto dismissed the Miya's comment with a wave of the hand then teased ''We all know you won't partake because you'd make us look bad by blazing through the circuit like a comet. On one hand I appreciate you generosity but on the other I am slightly insulted by the condescension.''

Moto Shiwahime wrote: Sun Nov 23, 2025 10:08 pm teasing that almost goes over Kisha's head for more than one reason

Yasuki Taraka wrote: Sun Nov 23, 2025 10:03 pm probably a business opportunity

Kisha starts to respond, then pauses and shakes her head, belatedly getting the joke.

"I couldn't rise to that level," she says. "Certainly not in these sandals, anyway, and I always have had trouble in platforms."

Shinjo Suh-Hyun wrote: Sun Nov 23, 2025 8:51 pm Suh-Hyun wasn't immediately visible, but if they Utaku was worried her Shinjo comrade was feeling down then that worry was soon dispelled.

"Hey Itsuka-san!" The other Unicorn waved, having managed to get a quick wash off and change into something dry. Her hair was still mostly wet but at least the slime was gone. "Good run!"

Worry was not it. Far from it, in fact!

She came straight from her own run, running straight to Suh-Hyun when she saw her waving. "Oh... mine? Thanks! I feel I could have done better. But your run, Shinjo-san, you were so close, it would have been the best run today - one of the best, at least!"

She looks at the course again, sees the Moto going at it really fast as well. "Would've been at least as fast as Moto-san!"

That fire in her eyes was there again - apparently there was something with speed that made her fire up, regardless of what it was.

Miya Kisha wrote: Sun Nov 23, 2025 10:12 pm

Moto Shiwahime wrote: Sun Nov 23, 2025 10:08 pm teasing that almost goes over Kisha's head for more than one reason

Yasuki Taraka wrote: Sun Nov 23, 2025 10:03 pm probably a business opportunity

Kisha starts to respond, then pauses and shakes her head, belatedly getting the joke.

"I couldn't rise to that level," she says. "Certainly not in these sandals, anyway, and I always have had trouble in platforms."

Taraka considered the pair. There'd been something about the Moto that caused her to pause, but things seemed to be on an even keel.

"They leave you spinning, Miya-san?" she asked.

Utaku Itsuka wrote: Sun Nov 23, 2025 10:15 pm Snip

"Well I certainly gave it my best!" Suh-Hyun chuckled and rubbed her own bottom, "That mechanical beast kicked more then I expected. The ancestors are probably furious with me."

Moto Shiwahime wrote: Sun Nov 23, 2025 10:08 pm Snip

If the Shinjo and Moto locked eyes at any point, Suh-Hyun would give her a thumbs up from across the room.

But her attention was focused on the Utaku, "It wouldn't do for any of us to be slow! Better fast and with a sore bottom then slow!" She adds lower, "That water was really disgusting though, like really nasty. I am taking another shower back at the embassy. Maybe two."

Moto Shiwahime wrote: Sun Nov 23, 2025 10:08 pm tag

Yasuki Taraka wrote: Sun Nov 23, 2025 10:03 pm tag

"Spinning?" Kisha asks. "Oh, no, Yasuki-san. But you might have noticed I don't have the commanding physique of many of the people here. They're murder on my ankles. I tried to wear them one time on Anadan, and I fell two steps outside the door! Not my best moment, really."

Shinjo Suh-Hyun wrote: Sun Nov 23, 2025 10:58 pm snip

She did, in fact cross sights with her and gave a thumbs up in reply

Miya Kisha wrote: Mon Nov 24, 2025 6:37 am snip

She empathized in the footwear department ''A good shoe is important. Sometimes looks is not quite worth the discomfort''

Fuckin' heels

''Still up for the Ochidama tho?''

Moto Shiwahime wrote: Mon Nov 24, 2025 9:37 am ''Still up for the Ochidama tho?''

"For that, yes!" Kisha replies with some enthusiasm. "Probably less chance of me getting hit in the head, too, and I don't need any more of that kind of thing."

Miya Kisha wrote: Mon Nov 24, 2025 9:39 am

Moto Shiwahime wrote: Mon Nov 24, 2025 9:37 am ''Still up for the Ochidama tho?''

"For that, yes!" Kisha replies with some enthusiasm. "Probably less chance of me getting hit in the head, too, and I don't need any more of that kind of thing."

The Miya was being awfully self-depreciating. Not really what Tartaka expected from an influencer. But smiling all the time had to tiring.

"Well, then it'll be my turn to sit on the sidelines and cheer for you, Miya-san." she said. "Tsuneo's Shiro was a unique opportunity I couldn't bring myself to pass up, but ochidama's not that interesting to me to do."

She looked over at the Moto.

"Though if Moto-san is your partner, there ought to be some really impressive moves on display to watch."

''Yeah, Tsuneo's Shiro was a pretty unique experience. You did good too Yasuki-sama, congrats on that. But ochidama-wise my best contribution might be in taking up more space then the average player.''

She turned to Kisha

''And that's why I suspect there's gonna be less headshots in your future then you might expect.''

Yasuki Taraka wrote: Mon Nov 24, 2025 11:30 am snippity

Moto Shiwahime wrote: Mon Nov 24, 2025 9:37 am snappity

...and she's gonna yappity.

"I'm all for that!" says the shisha. "I know that things happen when you play sports; I've seen some pretty bad injuries happen, even with something as tame as kemari. I was at a Winter Court one time, I think it was on Booteiya, where a Crane courtier--Doji Amari--went to return the ball and his sandal-strap broke. Rolled his ankle all the way over, compound fracture in his shin. How he managed not to cry out, I don't know, but he did.

"Took him the rest of the winter to walk again, though."

Moto Shiwahime wrote: Mon Nov 24, 2025 1:00 pm ''Yeah, Tsuneo's Shiro was a pretty unique experience. You did good too Yasuki-sama, congrats on that. But ochidama-wise my best contribution might be in taking up more space then the average player.''

She turned to Kisha

''And that's why I suspect there's gonna be less headshots in your future then you might expect.''

Taraka smiled at the praise.

"Honestly, I'm just glad there won't be footage of me falling into the mud accompanied by a cartoon sound effect." she admitted. "But speaking of headshots, man did it feel good to take the head off that zombie. I know it's not the same as the real thing, but with the clock ticking down and that one desperate swing....I see a little bit of the appeal of training as a bushi.....Not enough to run off and sign up for bushi night school, but at least appreciate their decision in going that way a bit more."

Miya Kisha wrote: Mon Nov 24, 2025 1:15 pm

"Took him the rest of the winter to walk again, though."

She winced at bit at the tale of pain.

"And that's why I'm less tempted to go to bushi night school."

Miya Kisha wrote: Mon Nov 24, 2025 1:15 pm snip

''Well fuck...that's why you need good footwear.'' Sandals...SANDALS...fuck that Doji was asking for it.
''At least it got better.''

Yasuki Taraka wrote: Mon Nov 24, 2025 1:17 pm snip

She started by giving a nod concerning the strike ''Yeah, that hit was solid. A real blow like that would have done some gnarly wound or kill someone outright.''

She tried to remain pleasant but knew all to well that the role of a bushi was far more grim then what she seemed to describe

''One does not take the path of the Bushi lightly, Yasuki-sama. A broken ankle is not the worse wound I've seen.''

Moto Shiwahime wrote: Mon Nov 24, 2025 3:13 pm good sense

Yasuki Taraka wrote: Mon Nov 24, 2025 1:17 pm snip

Kisha is about to reply about kemari requiring court dress when Shiwahime makes her comment about weightier matters.

To it, she nods.

"I haven't had to be defended, really," she says, "but I've been assigned details once or twice. One of them...I can't imagine what it felt like to get hurt the way she did--like you did, Moto-san."

She bows. "Thank you for doing things like that so the rest of us don't have to."

Moto Shiwahime wrote: Mon Nov 24, 2025 3:13 pm

Miya Kisha wrote: Mon Nov 24, 2025 1:15 pm snip

Taraka took a good pull on her beer. Jizo, how did they get from talking about foam zombies to broken bones? You'd think she was hanging out with the Kuni.

"Hmm, no, you are right on that Moto-san....though some do their best to pretend it's no more serious than Tsuneo's Shiro. Which is fine as long as it's pretending that's the case. Whatever it takes to get you through your duty and on to the next day. Actually thinking it's the case gets folks killed. People follow the path of the bushi for a lot of reasons: because they're the best, because it's their duty, because it's what is right, or because there is simply no one else who can." she remarked.

She took another sip of the beer.

"Of course, people say the same about courtiers. And I'm sure you've heard that quote about how when bushi screw up, they get themselves and those around them killed and when courtiers screw up it hurts their family and clan as a whole. But I always thought that sounded like a courtier coming up with reasons to not get punched in the face by a bushi they've annoyed, so I try to avoid it. It sounds like something a pretty Crane would say."

Miya Kisha wrote: Mon Nov 24, 2025 3:16 pm snip

Shiwahime bows back to the little Miya ''We all have our duties but thank you.''

Yasuki Taraka wrote: Mon Nov 24, 2025 4:06 pm snip

As to the topics concerning the differences of duties between the courtier and the bushi...she would not go there right now. There was no way she'd engage without going to *not nice* places

''Well...at least none of us are monks yet'' she simply added as she grabbed a beer from a passing waiter ''I'll drink to that!''

Moto Shiwahime wrote: Mon Nov 24, 2025 5:47 pm snip

Yasuki Taraka wrote: Mon Nov 24, 2025 4:06 pm snip

Kisha lifts her own still-not-empty drink.

"'May we be chaste and pure, but not yet,'" she quips, quoting someone or thinking she is.

Miya Kisha wrote: Mon Nov 24, 2025 5:50 pm

Moto Shiwahime wrote: Mon Nov 24, 2025 5:47 pm snip

Kisha lifts her own still-not-empty drink.

"'May we be chaste and pure, but not yet,'" she quips, quoting someone or thinking she is.

Even if the Moto's hairstyle WAS the closet to a monk's hairstyle, Taraka didn't dare go there. A girl's hair was serious business after all, and the two were not nearly good enough friends to joke about that.

Instead she'd offer a simple, "Kampai." and join in the toast.

She watched Tetsu's 'victory' interview.

"Is that really true? Well, I guess if you're only counting samurai participants it may be." she mused.