(Expecting) Take A Hike! [Day 7, LM]

[Yoritomo Ochiba]

An expensive looking sports car jumps a curb, flies over a roundabout and skids to a spot across three parking spots and only inches from the disabled parking (the driver was not quite that level of evil).

Exit Ochiba in her hiking gear, a new athleisure suit definitely not taking inspiration from the Governor's at all.
She flips open her communicator, smirking at the message she'd sent last night after a half bottle of sake.

Hey Hitomiiiii u up?

Wanna go to the volcano tomorrow?!?!?!
[blurry picture of dark volcano in distance]

Bet u wont!

[Ochiba selfie with her new giant lizard skull]

But if u do, c u hour of the serpent, k?

Yeah, there was no way the Sparrow would answer that challenge.

[Suzume Hitomi]

*putputputputputput*

The little delivery scooter labors up the incline, as Hitomi follows the very clear noise of the only non-delivery vehicle on the mountain this early. Certainly made it easier to guess which lot and trailhead to aim for!

She takes a look at the parking and sighs, easing the back between the Mantis's car and the edge of the lot in parallel. 2 vehicles in 3 spots was a tiny bit lest wasteful than 2 taking up 4. She stows her helmet, pulls out a broad straw sunhat with sturdy ties to put on, and heads toward Ochiba with a wave.

"Ohayo, Yoritomo-sama! Her 'hiking' outfit was sensible running shoes, shorts (uh-oh) and pale blue T-shirt sporting a few patches over the worn spots. A belted fanny pack looks to have a gourd-shaped water bottle poking from the zippered main pouch. "Been trying to see more of these 'tourist' sights lately. Thanks for the message. Pushed me to actually get some sleep instead of working half the night."

[Yoritomo Ochiba]

Snip

"Suzume-san?? I mean uh, Ohaiyo Suzume-san, you came...here...for the hike."
Ochiba flips her communicator closed.

"Honestly did not think you would show, but happy to see yah. You're uhh very cozy looking. But better cozy than not cozy."
She stretches her back with a few twists and pops, eyeing the volcano.

"Yeah, I've had this on the list for a while but never got around to it. Sailing, shooting, duty, you know how it is. Big night for you? Lots of uh-" she thinks for a moment "-sewing? Guess stuff is crazy busy with all the off-worlders around."

[Suzume Hitomi]

snip

Hitomi laughs. "No sewing last night, though it's definitely been busier lately. I'd had a reminder that made me want to double check that the books were in order. I think I'll need to adjust some supply purchases out of exempt categories as I'm getting more requests for costumes vs. actual historical work." Which probably makes very little sense to someone who isn't super into their accounting.

"Anyway, you look...hmm, ventilated well. Very helpful if you don't have a personal temperator on you." Hers remained strapped around an upper arm, the kami bound to it, doing their work so constantly that she barely noticed them anymore.

"Were you planning to hike up the hill to the top, or had some other idea in mind? I did some research last night," She pulls out her densai, "And.." rotates is a bit and zooms, "looks like there's two trailheads here, one that goes to the top, but splits part way for a winding path vs. a straight one, and another that seems to kind of meander around the mount with a bunch of views marked."

[Yoritomo Ochiba]

Hitomi laughs. "No sewing last night, though it's definitely been busier lately. I'd had a reminder that made me want to double check that the books were in order. I think I'll need to adjust some supply purchases out of exempt categories as I'm getting more requests for costumes vs. actual historical work." Which probably makes very little sense to someone who isn't super into their accounting.

"Anyway, you look...hmm, ventilated well. Very helpful if you don't have a personal temperator on you." Hers remained strapped around an upper arm, the kami bound to it, doing their work so constantly that she barely noticed them anymore.

"Were you planning to hike up the hill to the top, or had some other idea in mind? I did some research last night," She pulls out her densai, "And.." rotates is a bit and zooms, "looks like there's two trailheads here, one that goes to the top, but splits part way for a winding path vs. a straight one, and another that seems to kind of meander around the mount with a bunch of views marked."

Ochiba's completely blank look indicated an almost unfathomable negative interest in accounting.
"Uh huh."

But ventilating people always draws her interest.
"Yeah, it's pretty flattering I reckon. It was in an outfit like this that I made the exchange we discussed what, a week ago? For those full price goods. Let's just say I landed the deal."
She then fist pumps.

"Well I kinda want to get to the top, but whether we go straight or not I'm flexible. Any particularly good views? It's your planet so happy to follow your lead."

[Suzume Hitomi]

Ochiba's completely blank look indicated an almost unfathomable negative interest in accounting.
"Uh huh."

But ventilating people always draws her interest.
"Yeah, it's pretty flattering I reckon. It was in an outfit like this that I made the exchange we discussed what, a week ago? For those full price goods. Let's just say I landed the deal."
She then fist pumps.

"Well I kinda want to get to the top, but whether we go straight or not I'm flexible. Any particularly good views? It's your planet so happy to follow your lead."

Hitomi's look is nearly as blank for a long moment as she works through the reference to full price goods. "Oh?"

Before blinking, "Oh!"

"Oh....that's great, Yoritomo-sama." Probably. "The Yasuki have some saying about any deal everyone walks away happy from..." ok, no that wouldn't work since it ends with 'one of them probably doesn't realize how much they lost out on. "umm...is a great deal." she finishes somewhat lamely.

"There's views even on the straight route, so that's fine." She tucks the densai away and unships a walking stick from alongside the bike. Someone had forgetten it in the umbrella stand two years ago and she'd never found the owner. It was solid and well sanded with no extravagant carvings, and useful for knocking stuff off tall shelves, so she kept it.

"I've seen a lot of paintings from along the really scenic trail. There's art tours that take people along there to paint, and folks making stuff to sell the tourists, and so on. Some very pretty views out across the water All the paths end up at the topmost viewpoint, so you get that, regardless of direction." She starts toward the marked trailhead. "But honestly, once you're up a ways, I think it's hard for a natural view to be ugly, right?" Distance-the beer goggles of nature.

[Yoritomo Ochiba]

Hitomi's look is nearly as blank for a long moment as she works through the reference to full price goods. "Oh?"

Before blinking, "Oh!"

"Oh....that's great, Yoritomo-sama." Probably. "The Yasuki have some saying about any deal everyone walks away happy from..." ok, no that wouldn't work since it ends with 'one of them probably doesn't realize how much they lost out on. "umm...is a great deal." she finishes somewhat lamely.

"There's views even on the straight route, so that's fine." She tucks the densai away and unships a walking stick from alongside the bike. Someone had forgetten it in the umbrella stand two years ago and she'd never found the owner. It was solid and well sanded with no extravagant carvings, and useful for knocking stuff off tall shelves, so she kept it.

"I've seen a lot of paintings from along the really scenic trail. There's art tours that take people along there to paint, and folks making stuff to sell the tourists, and so on. Some very pretty views out across the water All the paths end up at the topmost viewpoint, so you get that, regardless of direction." She starts toward the marked trailhead. "But honestly, once you're up a ways, I think it's hard for a natural view to be ugly, right?" Distance-the beer goggles of nature.

"Oh I assure you, neither of us were doing much walking after that!"
Ochiba starts snickering at her own joke.


"Ah and please, 'Yoritomo-sama' is a little formal for a hike, feel free to use my chosen name, I assure you, I won't take it as your goods going on sail."
Snickering intensifies.

"So this is where those landscapes come from! Lead on then, I'm most keen to see what all the fuss is about."
Ochiba marches merrily alongside, backpack jingling softly.
"I just pray I survive this journey alongside the infamous Queen of the rebels!"

[Suzume Hitomi]

"Oh I assure you, neither of us were doing much walking after that!"
Ochiba starts snickering at her own joke.


"Ah and please, 'Yoritomo-sama' is a little formal for a hike, feel free to use my chosen name, I assure you, I won't take it as your goods going on sail."
Snickering intensifies.

"So this is where those landscapes come from! Lead on then, I'm most keen to see what all the fuss is about."
Ochiba marches merrily alongside, backpack jingling softly.
"I just pray I survive this journey alongside the infamous Queen of the rebels!"

"But...it's not that formal, the inflection's all..." Hitomi stops, grimaces, and "well...as you like Ochiba-sama." It's not like her wealthy clients are never eccentric about such thing. "You'd have to ask my family about the price of goods though, if you *were* inclined that way," she adds in tones that sound completely matter-of-fact and earnest. "But...fine, only fair that I offer the same then."

Having been the one looking at maps and learning about trail markings, she did 'lead' as far as pointing the markers out. "Pity we don't really get autumn leaves here, the mountain would look amazing in all those reds and golds," she says as they pause at one of the breaks in the trees that allows a view.

At Ochiba's quip, she flushes beneath her makeup and looks over at her "That's a game!... I'm infamous?" Another pause. "Waaaait, did you cozy up with the Rose just to...to land that deal?"

[Yoritomo Ochiba]

Very amusing snip.

"Easier this way Hitomi-san!"
Ochiba pauses for a second, clearly having not expected the Sparrow to play that game.
"Oh! Ahaha, I fear we would struggle if they are anything like you. Not that we couldn't afford such a thing. But I get the sense we wouldn't be a natural fit...you know, relationship wise. Physically though-" She shrugs. "-who can say."

Ochiba alternatively meanders behind and races ahead as they continue, at Hitomi's comment she starts picturing the mountain in auburn.
"Huh...maybe I'll have to come back sometime.." before flashing a grin back at the Sparrow as they flushed. "Infamous in a good way! You rebel samurai you, I would never have guessed."
There's a good half second to process the last question before Ochiba howls with laughter.


"I didn-" hehehehe "-there's no" ahahaha. Still sniggering she manages to calm herself after a few moments.
"Hitomi-san, you've seen me under my clothes, you've seen my bank balance, you've seen my rizz. Do you really think I need to win LARPing to seal a deal?"
The Mantis wipes away a tear before deepening her voice like a true lich-wraith: "My queen, I have reconquered your port for you in the game Perhaps you could reward me with an evening of passionate love?"

Shaking her head with mirth.
"OH man, I almost wish I'd done that. No no, I sealed it the old fashioned way, some fun, getting comfortable with one another, food, drink a little honestly and then just...raw animalistic attraction. I mean, you've been on dates, you know how it is?"

[Suzume Hitomi]

"Easier this way Hitomi-san!"
Ochiba pauses for a second, clearly having not expected the Sparrow to play that game.
"Oh! Ahaha, I fear we would struggle if they are anything like you. Not that we couldn't afford such a thing. But I get the sense we wouldn't be a natural fit...you know, relationship wise. Physically though-" She shrugs. "-who can say."

Ochiba alternatively meanders behind and races ahead as they continue, at Hitomi's comment she starts picturing the mountain in auburn.
"Huh...maybe I'll have to come back sometime.." before flashing a grin back at the Sparrow as they flushed. "Infamous in a good way! You rebel samurai you, I would never have guessed."
There's a good half second to process the last question before Ochiba howls with laughter.


"I didn-" hehehehe "-there's no" ahahaha. Still sniggering she manages to calm herself after a few moments.
"Hitomi-san, you've seen me under my clothes, you've seen my bank balance, you've seen my rizz. Do you really think I need to win LARPing to seal a deal?"
The Mantis wipes away a tear before deepening her voice like a true lich-wraith: "My queen, I have reconquered your port for you in the game Perhaps you could reward me with an evening of passionate love?"

Shaking her head with mirth.
"OH man, I almost wish I'd done that. No no, I sealed it the old fashioned way, some fun, getting comfortable with one another, food, drink a little honestly and then just...raw animalistic attraction. I mean, you've been on dates, you know how it is?"

Hitomi looks at the convulsions of laughter she's inspired, first with a bit of her own laughter in that way that happens as folks feel they should laugh but are working on catching the joke, then with a bit of discomfort turning to actual amusement. "You obviously haven't been reading the game chat logs. There's...kind of a lot of that in there. Along with complaints like 'Lady Skorza has broken numerous compacts by awarding favorable hunting grounds to the newcomer Darkblade solely because they've been dating outside of game.' It's like city council meetings if you tossed the etiquette books out the window."

She didn't mention the occasional flamewars over people thinking in-game seduction should mean something out of game and...it was fun, but also complicated, like everything else seemed to be.

"But it's good to know that's not...um, how it happened." It honestly was. The Yoritomo came across as kind of immature sometimes, but not really 'horny 16-yr old' immature.

She pulls out her holo recorder to snap some shots of the view down the slope and across the water. They're not high enough for the abandoned hotel to mar the shot. "Ehhh, I don't really date. Things are so busy." Going out to dinner, or to a movie, or on a walk...those aren't dates if nobody specifically called them dates, probably. "Socializing's nice and all but I guess nothing really was like...a date." She shrugs and moves to continue up the path.

[Yoritomo Ochiba]

Snip

"Oh sweet fortunes, I might actually shrivel up and die if someone called Darkblade tried to get with me in really any context. I prefer my LARP a little more fun than that. Or at least what passes for LARP. But you can be at ease, I just took her on a hike."

Pausing.
"...Not like this though, a romantic hike...wait shit you don't date. Uhhh"
Ochiba spends a few minutes trying to figure out how to explain 'hitting on someone by making them desserts on a mountain' as Hitomi takes her photos, the Mantis trying to get into at least or two and offering the Sparrow the opportunity to be in a few herself as 'Landscapes need people or who's looking at it anyway?'

"Oh, no dating. Yeah, I get you." Nodding to herself as they continue the climb, the weather cooling a little bit now as the wind picks up.
"Keep it casual, keep it simple, just a night here or there. Works for me too...well it did, now I'm going on date dates again. Dunno, they can be fun though. Hmmm."

[Suzume Hitomi]

"Oh sweet fortunes, I might actually shrivel up and die if someone called Darkblade tried to get with me in really any context. I prefer my LARP a little more fun than that. Or at least what passes for LARP. But you can be at ease, I just took her on a hike."

Pausing.
"...Not like this though, a romantic hike...wait shit you don't date. Uhhh"
Ochiba spends a few minutes trying to figure out how to explain 'hitting on someone by making them desserts on a mountain' as Hitomi takes her photos, the Mantis trying to get into at least or two and offering the Sparrow the opportunity to be in a few herself as 'Landscapes need people or who's looking at it anyway?'

"Oh, no dating. Yeah, I get you." Nodding to herself as they continue the climb, the weather cooling a little bit now as the wind picks up.
"Keep it casual, keep it simple, just a night here or there. Works for me too...well it did, now I'm going on date dates again. Dunno, they can be fun though. Hmmm."

"It *would* be pretty embarrassing to be involved with some called Darkblade in almost any social context, yeah." Hitomi keeps the recorder out to snap photos as they go, spotting the occasional small flying critter up in the trees and some interesting flowers and mushrooms on the ground.

She laughs a bit nervously. "Ah no, no nights. Never really been interested in that. But dates should be fun, right? They're just the...socializing but with some kind of understanding that maybe there will be kissing involved later. So as long as you like socializing, that should be great." Admittedly, there were mountains of media with dates that were not particularly fun because they were just squished into the story to provide a transition to the spicy stuff the book/movie was really getting at. But Hitomi was used to media being wildly unrepresentative of reality.

"Now your cousin at the Dragon...she needs some dates, or a nakodo. Going to work herself to death if she doesn't get someone to shoulder some of the workload." She pauses..."Wow, I've never seen a tree that wide, stand in the picture for scale!"

[Yoritomo Ochiba]

Snip

"Hmmm?" Ochiba looks slightly bamboozled at the idea of someone not being interested in nights before the Mantis jumps to the genius conclusion that therefore the Sparrow must simply not be interested in that thing full stop.

"Ohhhhhhh. Oh yikes, yeah my bad. Obviously like, we don't all like socialising, or in the same way. Our cook is like that, it just doesn't do anything for him. But cool dude though, just a little different."
Smiling broadly.

"Means you got more time for other things, like those antiques and winning LARP. I follow."

And now fully beaming at the chance to show off just how big a tree was Ochiba poses next to it, one arm flexing.
"Gonna look small next to these guns, but no worries. And hey, which Dragon we talking about."
She holds her other hand out to knee height.
"That one? Or the mystery one?"

[Suzume Hitomi]

snip

*snap* "The boat, Azure Dragon." Hitomi laughs. "I don't know the Dragon clan members here well enough to know! But your cousin, Yoritomo Yakura-sama," who was definitely still on a family-name basis, "has been kind of run ragged of late. Hold sitll, I'll zoom in on that bicep and send you the shot." *snap*

"Don't think I've even met mystery Dragon. Her costume was great though. Do you know if she made it herself?" She should try and chat with her, if so. Dragon were strange overall, and she'd run into a few really interesting craft techniques over the years that came out of their mountains, might be interesting to find another.

"Never thought about it so much as freeing time up as not taking up any more, but I like that." There's a long pause as they clamber around a boulder. "Think that's actually useful for winning LARP? Be kind of neat to have a different outcome next time."

[Yoritomo Ochiba]

*snap* "The boat, Azure Dragon." Hitomi laughs. "I don't know the Dragon clan members here well enough to know! But your cousin, Yoritomo Yakura-sama," who was definitely still on a family-name basis, "has been kind of run ragged of late. Hold sitll, I'll zoom in on that bicep and send you the shot." *snap*

"Don't think I've even met mystery Dragon. Her costume was great though. Do you know if she made it herself?" She should try and chat with her, if so. Dragon were strange overall, and she'd run into a few really interesting craft techniques over the years that came out of their mountains, might be interesting to find another.

"Never thought about it so much as freeing time up as not taking up any more, but I like that." There's a long pause as they clamber around a boulder. "Think that's actually useful for winning LARP? Be kind of neat to have a different outcome next time."

"Ohhhh. Yakura-chan. She's working pretty hard, not just for herself, but the clan. I think all this investment has been both a real opportunity and a real burden. But she's good people, the best."

Ochiba treats Hitomi's innocent recorder to the gunshow as it zooms in.
"You know, I never asked Kanna, I think she bought it, but you know I'll check next time. It was very cute though...huh, maybe Kanna is like...." Ochiba ponders great thoughts.

"Oh yeah."
Ochiba scrambles up the path beside Hitomi, explores a small crevice and then stops for a drinks break, all in a frantic blur.

"No it's like a super power. Think about how much time people spend chasing that sort of stuff, or thinking about it, or making bad decisions based on it, right? You get to cut all that out. And LARP is like that supercharged, all those weird horny messages? You're immune! Total leech-wraith defence. And a queen which can't be swayed will be powerful indeed."

She reaches into her pack and offers a packet of crab spiced rice crackers to the Sparrow.

[Suzume Hitomi]

snip

Hitomi nods. "We're all a bit busier here with all of this, I've noticed it too. Took a nice spa day to relax." She holds her hand out fingers spread to show the perfectly done rose-gold polish. "These are holding up really well. The spa doesn't skimp on their stuff."

"Tamori-sama bought Kitsuki-sama's outfit? Well, they wouldn't want anyone showing badly for the Dragon here, and her family's spa business seems to be doing well..." She pauses to stay out of the way of the scurrying Mantis, then settles on a lumpy rock to fish out her bottle and accept the rice crackers. "Oh, dango-crisp...best cracker brand here." She tears open the wrapping. "I think they actually use koji with the rice before making crackers out of it...really good flavor and all."

After a moment, she pulls out some of her own snacks, onigiri made with a deep-purple rice and sheets of seaweed to wrap them in. "Really need to pick them up with the nori or you'll stain your hands pink. I'm experimenting with food for game meetups," The last is mumbled with an embarrassed dip of her head. "Anyway, the game seems kind of fun, and I like the folks I met, so I guess I'll try it a bit. If it turns out I'm extra powerful," she huffs a laugh, "well, I guess it's a new era for the Rebels then."

"Did you ever play that kind of thing before the event here?"

[Yoritomo Ochiba]

Hitomi nods. "We're all a bit busier here with all of this, I've noticed it too. Took a nice spa day to relax." She holds her hand out fingers spread to show the perfectly done rose-gold polish. "These are holding up really well. The spa doesn't skimp on their stuff."

"Tamori-sama bought Kitsuki-sama's outfit? Well, they wouldn't want anyone showing badly for the Dragon here, and her family's spa business seems to be doing well..." She pauses to stay out of the way of the scurrying Mantis, then settles on a lumpy rock to fish out her bottle and accept the rice crackers. "Oh, dango-crisp...best cracker brand here." She tears open the wrapping. "I think they actually use koji with the rice before making crackers out of it...really good flavor and all."

After a moment, she pulls out some of her own snacks, onigiri made with a deep-purple rice and sheets of seaweed to wrap them in. "Really need to pick them up with the nori or you'll stain your hands pink. I'm experimenting with food for game meetups," The last is mumbled with an embarrassed dip of her head. "Anyway, the game seems kind of fun, and I like the folks I met, so I guess I'll try it a bit. If it turns out I'm extra powerful," she huffs a laugh, "well, I guess it's a new era for the Rebels then."

"Did you ever play that kind of thing before the event here?"

"Oooh nice, I never get mine done because, you know, duty. But maybe if I have some time....and they're holding up okay? It is on the list."

Ochiba blinks at the outfit discussion.
"Oh no, no I don't think so...I mean...probably not. You could fit Kanna's hold head through that window. They looked good though."
The ritual snack exchange is very successful, Ochiba grinning at the special dyed rice.
"Ah ha! With this I will became a mighty leach-wraith lord! Mwahahaha" Nom nom nom. "Mmmhm, tasty though...hoping my tongue isn't purple, actually maybe that could be kind of cool."

Ochiba takes a few more swigs from her bottle before jumping back up and dusting off.
"Yeah, I'd never done this nerd stuff before. Not really my thing, thought people who did it were weird." Raising her shoulders. "But you know, it was kinda cool. People were really into it. You probably aren't gonna see me playing cards or painting those little miniatures...well okay, maybe the big robot ones, but not the others. Still, I kinda dug it."

Offering Hitomi a hand.
"Really thinking maybe I should come back here one or twice after the season ends. You ever get many repeats?"

[Suzume Hitomi]

snip

"Your tongue will be purple." Hitomi confirms, after laughing at the mighty leech-wraith, "but not for very long."

She pauses a moment to digest the comment about fitting Kanna's head through a window and then decides to just...not work that out any further.

"Repeat tourists? Definitely. From other clans? Less of that, but not none. Folks get vacation homes out here where it's harder for their company or clan or family to bug them. Or as a place to bring people for meetings and business." She stows the water bottle again, getting up to continue up the volcano.

"Phew! I don't walk uphill enough...gonna feel this tomorrow!" She looks at the map a moment. "Next viewpoint overlooks the abandoned hotel, I think. Which probably isn't much to look at. A little too new to actually have fallen into ruins yet, I bet."

[Yoritomo Ochiba]

"Your tongue will be purple." Hitomi confirms, after laughing at the mighty leech-wraith, "but not for very long."

She pauses a moment to digest the comment about fitting Kanna's head through a window and then decides to just...not work that out any further.

"Repeat tourists? Definitely. From other clans? Less of that, but not none. Folks get vacation homes out here where it's harder for their company or clan or family to bug them. Or as a place to bring people for meetings and business." She stows the water bottle again, getting up to continue up the volcano.

"Phew! I don't walk uphill enough...gonna feel this tomorrow!" She looks at the map a moment. "Next viewpoint overlooks the abandoned hotel, I think. Which probably isn't much to look at. A little too new to actually have fallen into ruins yet, I bet."

"I do appreciate not being bugged! Well, apart from the actual bugs."
She swats an ambitious bloodsucker into oblivion.

"It's the best glute training out there, way more interesting than being stuck in a gym all day." Ochiba seemed to be enjoying the chance to stretch her legs tremendously. "You'll be sore, but it's totally worth it. But hey, if you need a piggyback ride up a steep part, these might muscles are for more than just show."

Ochiba smirks as she follows Hitomi's directions and looks up the trail to the gentle curve and lookout.
"Huh, abandoned hotel? What happened?...Volcano lizards?"

[Suzume Hitomi]

snip

"Partly, I think. Its story was mostly done by the time I got here, but it's kind of famous as a giant boondoggle. I mean, you're building on a volcano, so there are going to be some issues there. Then you have to keep the workers from being eaten by things like..volcano lizards. Which is a challenge when you're right in the middle of volcano lizard territory." She pushes aside a branch that's grown low over the trail with a huff.

"I heard several groups tried to pick it up and make it work. Like "look...it's mostly built, we just need to get the finishing touches and put in a road through the volcano lizards! I hear a Mantis firm took it on and dropped it somewhere in there. Everyone's pretty sure it's abandoned for good now." She almost misses the turn off, but spots the marker just before they pass and leads over to the viewpoint. Looking down on the hotel, even if you can't see much damage at a distance, it feels a bit desolate. The bay shimmers off below them. "You can see why they thought the view would attract people, I guess."

She cocks her head slightly. "Wondering how worried we should be about volcano lizards."