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

[Yoritomo Ochiba]

"Ugggh." Ochiba grumpily slides some older clothes to one side of a rack, then back again. "How do I even know where to start with this junk?"
Buying new was easy, you just picked the most expensive thing and it was good and everyone knew you could afford it. Buying second hand...well apparently that needed more skill. Or maybe you just looked bad and owned it.

The Mantis had been hoping to find clothing, furniture and random decorations for the upcoming party. But even finding out where to start in the store was hard.

She needed assistance she needed....a nerd.

[Agasha Sorato]

Sorato usually keeps his clothes until they fall apart, or at least until someone who knows about these things tells him he's 'not allowed to wear that coat outside anymore,' but in his experience not everyone is of this temperament, and you can often find nearly new things in a shop like Run-It-Back. Which is handy, because he came here straight from Starfall, and the outdoor gear appropriate for the climate zone of the colony settlement isn't quite right for the tropical belt on Green Crab. If he's going to do more surveying here in the daytime, he probably needs... ominous music swells in the background... shorts.

As one of those annoying people who always seems instinctively drawn right to the location of the thing they need in a packed shop, Sorato already has a couple of garments in one hand when Ochiba's hanger-rattling nearby him redirects his attention. "Oh? Is the ladies' selection that bad?" he asks in a mild, abstracted tone.

[Yoritomo Ochiba]

As one of those annoying people who always seems instinctively drawn right to the location of the thing they need in a packed shop, Sorato already has a couple of garments in one hand when Ochiba's hanger-rattling nearby him redirects his attention. "Oh? Is the ladies' selection that bad?" he asks in a mild, abstracted tone.

"I don't know." Is Ochiba's somewhat mystifying reply. "I...am fairly short jorts are out these days, but it's hard to tell if the samurai on this planet are doing baggy pants again or we're back to tailored. Doesn't help the kids are wearing both styles and I can't tell which is ironic."

She turns, seeing the Sorato mid shop and blinks before her eyes light up.
"Oh but you're a Phoenix! And one of them Agasha. Bet you know exactly what people are wearing, and why, and some facts about thread count and stuff. What's the hottest clothing for Nakahama servants these days?"

[Agasha Sorato]

"I..." Knocked slightly off-balance by this onslaught, Sorato needs a couple of beats to collect his train of thought. "For servants here? I landed the day before yesterday. I don't think I could say." He sounds genuinely apologetic about it, though. "Do you, uh, have a staff to dress... Mantis-san?" Yes, this woman could surely only be a Mantis. "I may not be the Agasha you're looking for. I don't really, ah, follow fashion."

[Yoritomo Ochiba]

"I..." Knocked slightly off-balance by this onslaught, Sorato needs a couple of beats to collect his train of thought. "For servants here? I landed the day before yesterday. I don't think I could say." He sounds genuinely apologetic about it, though. "Do you, uh, have a staff to dress... Mantis-san?" Yes, this woman could surely only be a Mantis. "I may not be the Agasha you're looking for. I don't really, ah, follow fashion."

Brow furrowing slightly.
"Really? Thought you guys knew all the boring stuff like that. How are you dressing your servants then?"

Ochiba looks back at the rack.
"Gaijin maid sends the wrong vibe, there's a bunch of traditional cast-offs, but that's just boring. I see shorts and boat shoes are in? But who's going to be wearing shorts at a party, can you imagine?"

With a grump she moves on to the next rack, loudly pulling various clothes out and inspecting them.
"I've got a whole cadre of hired help for a party and I won't have them swanning around in boring clothes."
Something black and shiny is found which gets Ochiba hopes up for a moment before it starts making loud squeaking noises as it sways on the hanger.
"Way too distracting, could not take onigiri service seriously with that sound."
Holding up the loud clothing to Sorato.
"You want it?"

[Agasha Sorato]

"I don't have any servants I'm responsible for dressing, actually," Sorato takes the squeaky garment reflexively when it's held out to him, only then taking a closer look. "Or any servants. Hmm. Thank you, but I, ah, don't think I have the build for this. Nor anywhere to wear it."

He returns the hangar to the rack, gently, attempting to minimize the plasticy noises. "What kind of party are we discussing? On a boat, boat shoes would seem appropriate. Possibly not in a banquet hall."

[Yoritomo Ochiba]

"I don't have any servants I'm responsible for dressing, actually," Sorato takes the squeaky garment reflexively when it's held out to him, only then taking a closer look. "Or any servants. Hmm. Thank you, but I, ah, don't think I have the build for this. Nor anywhere to wear it."

He returns the hangar to the rack, gently, attempting to minimize the plasticy noises. "What kind of party are we discussing? On a boat, boat shoes would seem appropriate. Possibly not in a banquet hall."

"Well, I'm sure you'll get some servants someday, really useful for cleaning. Never had any before but let me tell you."
Making a rising hand gesture with her hand.
"It is much better at the top-" as if sharing a secret "-they even do the carpets, it's great."

Her expression brightens slightly at the mention of the party itself as she moves on to a shelf full of stacked leg garments, Ochiba unfolding them, inspecting and then just roughly stuffing them back where they had come from, evil in its purest form.

"My party of course! The best party of the year, it's going to be in a penthouse with costumes. And of course top shelf food, drink, entertainment. Gonna get a chocolate fountain big enough to walk in. You should come! Haven't put any Phoenix on the guest list yet, and you can check out the servants and get a feel for it."

[Agasha Sorato]

"Well, I'm sure you'll get some servants someday, really useful for cleaning. Never had any before but let me tell you."
Making a rising hand gesture with her hand.
"It is much better at the top-" as if sharing a secret "-they even do the carpets, it's great."

Her expression brightens slightly at the mention of the party itself as she moves on to a shelf full of stacked leg garments, Ochiba unfolding them, inspecting and then just roughly stuffing them back where they had come from, evil in its purest form.

"My party of course! The best party of the year, it's going to be in a penthouse with costumes. And of course top shelf food, drink, entertainment. Gonna get a chocolate fountain big enough to walk in. You should come! Haven't put any Phoenix on the guest list yet, and you can check out the servants and get a feel for it."

"If I come to own any carpets, I will keep that in mind." Sorato nods. Perhaps unwisely--but irresistibly--he takes a step or two to follow Ochiba when she moves on to the next display. "Most of the time I'm on the move, so I'm not sure where I would keep carpets or servants." He winces slightly at the state of the shelf when Ochiba is done with it but diplomatically refrains from comment.

"Oh, a costume party? Planning is not my expertise, but in that case can't you dress your servers any way you like?" he asks, brows arcing inquisitively. "That must be quite a job to organize. I would be honored to be a witness to your labors," he adds. His mobile lips curve in a smile as he bows. "I'm Agasha Sorato, a priest of the kami and surveyor. My apology, I ought to have introduced myself sooner."

[Yoritomo Ochiba]

Snip

"Oh! you're a priest?!" Ochiba immediately stops rummaging through a sock draw featuring some truly heinous designs and turns, bowing deeply and apparently, quite seriously.

"No fault of your own Agasha Sorato-San, I was disrespecting your holiness, can't believe I handed a priest those squeaky clothes. That's gotta be bad luck." Clearing her throat. I took the name Ochiba, and I am of the Yoritomo Family."
Again, seemingly with 0 guile.

"I would be very honoured to have a priest's advice on all this, even a priest with no servants! Do you...I mean, if it's not disrespectful to the kami of course, do you think you could bless my search? I'm happy to make a donation to the proper place if that's needed."
Was she...trying to bribe good fortune?

[Agasha Sorato]

"Think nothing of it. I've been handed much worse." Sorato chuckles. "I'm honored, Yoritomo Ochiba-san. Hmm."

Even under somewhat frivolous circumstances, a request for a blessing can't be taken lightly. "I'm not a Fortunist--not that donations to the Fortunes' temples are ever unwelcome. My ancestors' tradition traffics with the elemental spirits, especially spirits of Fire. Fire loves cleverness and creativity. That sounds right for a costume party, I think?"

Playful, tricksy, charming Air would be even more suitable, but Air spirits and Sorato have a complicated relationship at the best of times...

[Yoritomo Ochiba]

"Think nothing of it. I've been handed much worse." Sorato chuckles. "I'm honored, Yoritomo Ochiba-san. Hmm."

Even under somewhat frivolous circumstances, a request for a blessing can't be taken lightly. "I'm not a Fortunist--not that donations to the Fortunes' temples are ever unwelcome. My ancestors' tradition traffics with the elemental spirits, especially spirits of Fire. Fire loves cleverness and creativity. That sounds right for a costume party, I think?"

Playful, tricksy, charming Air would be even more suitable, but Air spirits and Sorato have a complicated relationship at the best of times...

Ochiba waited, somewhat anxiously for Sorato's response, nodding a couple times at the suggestion of fire, but with the somewhat glaze over expression of a complete novice listening to an expert.

"Yes! I don't want it to be dull, in fact that would be considerably worse than it being bad. Should I..burn offerings? Incense? Something more expensive?"

She gestures to a used door mat, its letter faded so it now read:

----
Come
On
I
----

"Maybe that, just out of principle?"

[Agasha Sorato]

"Offerings are good. Usually things they'll enjoy burning." Sorato's brows draw together as he considers the questionable door mat. Would fire spirits like that? Even if they did, the rubbery backing would make it a decidedly unpleasant offering for any humans in the vicinity. He pats the carry-case holding his holoslates and locates what he's after in an outside pocket, extracting a slip of thick traditional paper brushed with mostly incomprehensible ciphered characters. "Oh, good. I did bring them. Here, hold this talisman, Yoritomo-san."

He intones an invocation a few moments long (between six and twenty seconds, to be precise), at the end of which he touches the talisman with the tips of two fingers. The paper feels strangely warm, then quickly cools again. "May the brilliance of Fire aid you on your quest for the best party ever," he concludes the invocation, clapping his hands together. "When you get home, you should burn that for the spirits. If you have some incense or candles, they like that, too."

---
D2 LM--casting Mental Quickness to stand as a blessing for Yoritomo-san's party planning. | 7k3 ⇒ 21 (TN: 15)

That's mostly for the blessing vibes, but technically for the next hour holding the talisman will raise Ochiba's Int by 1.

[Yoritomo Ochiba]

Snip

Ochiba's eyes go wide as she holds the sheet of paper daintily as if it might explode at any moment, and there's perhaps an undignified yelp as it rapidly changes temperature.

When it's over the Mantis bows her head before looking up in near religious awe.
"You're powerful Agasha-san and no mistake, nearly as much as that Tamori. I can already feel so many things slipping into place, like the kami are helping my mind...I...I need to organise parking, how'd I forgot that? And I was going to have way too many speeches, nobody likes those, they gotta be scrapped, aaaand...aaand."

Her brow furrows deeply.
"I...I'm realising I have some unresolved issues with my parents! It's like everything is really clear now, huh, is this what your life is like all the time?"

[Agasha Sorato]

...

"With unresolved issues, you mean?" Midway through putting away his holoslate, Sorato's expression goes pensive. "Whose life isn't?"

However, it quickly dawns on him that might not be the main idea here. This seems to be one of those times when the blessing is especially... blessed. It's easy to forget not everyone is used to passing around these small charms and prayers the way the Phoenix do. Well, at least Ochiba doesn't look like the sort of person who will start having a panic attack, or pass out, or something really alarming of that nature.

"The elemental spirits must be quite attracted to your cause, Yoritomo-san. Fire's insight can be overwhelming, but it levels out." After a moment he adds, more practically, "I find it helps to write things down so I remember them later. And take deep breaths. "

[Yoritomo Ochiba]

"With unresolved issues, you mean?" Midway through putting away his holoslate, Sorato's expression goes pensive. "Whose life isn't?"

However, it quickly dawns on him that might not be the main idea here. This seems to be one of those times when the blessing is especially... blessed. It's easy to forget not everyone is used to passing around these small charms and prayers the way the Phoenix do. Well, at least Ochiba doesn't look like the sort of person who will start having a panic attack, or pass out, or something really alarming of that nature.

"The elemental spirits must be quite attracted to your cause, Yoritomo-san. Fire's insight can be overwhelming, but it levels out." After a moment he adds, more practically, "I find it helps to write things down so I remember them later. And take deep breaths. "

"I always thought I was resolving all of my issues as soon as I discovered them, but maybe that was because of other issues."
The Mantis has started nodding rapidly as Sorato explains, still clutching the charm in one hand.
"Write it down? Yes, yes, right. Write!"
She thumbles in her pocket for her densai and thumbs it open one handed and starts manically typing with her thumb muttering terms like 'Hors d'œuvres' and 'combat karaoke'.

"Hmmm, so much to do, whoever thought organising a huge party at 0 notice on another planet would be difficult? Wait, maybe it is difficult?.... No, probably just difficult for other people."

Still typing away she looks up, staring into Sorato's eyes, then with an urgent tone:
"I need your top 3 karaoke songs right now."

[Agasha Sorato]

"I think no one would find it easy--" but the demand for karaoke titles interrupts this thought. The intensity of that stare is almost trance-inducing.

"Um. 'Kuwagatan Rhapsody'-- only after a few drinks. 'Sweet Kara-chan' because' everyone knows it, even the people who say they won't sing. And I always end up with 'Orbital Drop to Your Heart' every time, somehow." Usagi Drop! isn't even a Phoenix band, but that single is just such an earworm, it's inexorably become the song Sorato punches in when it's his turn and he can't think of anything else. "I'm not an excellent singer, though."

"Can those servants of yours handle some of the planning?" Unless they're the decorative kind of servants that get paid a lot just to stand around looking good and holding a tray. They do need costumes, apparently.

[Yoritomo Ochiba]

"I think no one would find it easy--" but the demand for karaoke titles interrupts this thought. The intensity of that stare is almost trance-inducing.

"Um. 'Kuwagatan Rhapsody'-- only after a few drinks. 'Sweet Kara-chan' because' everyone knows it, even the people who say they won't sing. And I always end up with 'Orbital Drop to Your Heart' every time, somehow." Usagi Drop! isn't even a Phoenix band, but that single is just such an earworm, it's inexorably become the song Sorato punches in when it's his turn and he can't think of anything else. "I'm not an excellent singer, though."

"Can those servants of yours handle some of the planning?" Unless they're the decorative kind of servants that get paid a lot just to stand around looking good and holding a tray. They do need costumes, apparently.

"Interesting, mainstream sensible! Partial to the Tawagoto's Boys 'Honour you that way' myself."
There's a a terrifying moment there it looks like Ochiba might just launch into a demonstration, but thankfully she carries on, talking at pace.
"Yes-yes, I'll make sure the karaoke has all those songs. Usagi Drop is popular. I'm sure you sing well."
Ochiba just lets that rather banal statement hang for an uncomfortable moment still staring at Sorato. A silence only broken by the rapid tap-tap-tapping

"Good, yes, done. Servants? Hmmm, no they might have some boring ideas, Most people don't think big enough, they're dull. You know the sort? They never throw parties, how can you trust someone who never throws parties to throw a party?"
A flash of fire ricochets across the Mantis' mind as she stops completely dead and looks down, starting to look up city noise ordinances, something Ochiba had never once bothered with in her life.

"Are you coming to come? You must come, you're invited, everyone else will be there, does Agasha-san party often?"
Gesturing at a box of past-used date fireworks in the corner in a blinding non-sequitor.
"Fireworks, good idea or not?"

[Agasha Sorato]

"Oh, fireworks are always a good idea, as long as you have a safe launch site." What other answer could an Agasha possibly give to that question? As sensible as he often seems, it's also possible that Sorato's definition of a safe launch site is more capacious than someone from another family would expect. The summer Hanabi Festival back home on Ujimitsu is a nostalgic celebration for the Agasha, but sometimes alarming for outside visitors.

"When is the party, Yoritomo-san? I'm obligated to the governor's events, but otherwise free. The more I hear the less I can imagine missing it."

[Yoritomo Ochiba]

"Oh, fireworks are always a good idea, as long as you have a safe launch site." What other answer could an Agasha possibly give to that question? As sensible as he often seems, it's also possible that Sorato's definition of a safe launch site is more capacious than someone from another family would expect. The summer Hanabi Festival back home on Ujimitsu is a nostalgic celebration for the Agasha, but sometimes alarming for outside visitors.

"When is the party, Yoritomo-san? I'm obligated to the governor's events, but otherwise free. The more I hear the less I can imagine missing it."

“A balcony can… be made to be a safe launch sight. But I feel as though I should hire a team… it suddenly seems very dangerous to allow drunken samurai to launch their own fireworks.”
Ochiba cocks her head, deep in accelerated thought.
“And it would be awesome if we could figure it out… it’s going to be held at my penthouse down by the waterfront, tomorrow actually! I’m hoping the governor will be there, I have a complex network of feelings in that regard that I’m not currently examining. Do you believe in love?”

[Agasha Sorato]

"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?"