[D8 ME, Nishi Beach] Sandy Sunset (expecting but open)

[Agasha Sorato]

The city beach at evening again--sober this time, though. The night after the Jade Chef competition is something of an indistinct blur in Sorato's memory. Although he's definitely sure he was there (the sand in his shoes the next morning is material proof), he doesn't remember much in the way of specific observations. It might be nice to check out the beach in a context that won't lead to a splitting headache the next day.

Snacks are a constant, though. Sitting on the lowest tiers of the stairs leading down from the boardwalk to the sand, swinging a leg over the side of the steps, Sorato polishes off another bite of ebiyaki from the flimsy paper dish of the snack he'd bought from a boardwalk vendor a few minutes earlier.

The lowering sun is just starting to streak the gathering clouds with colors, but it's still quite hot and the beach is lively with heimin and samurai.

[Yasuki Taraka]

The city beach at evening again--sober this time, though. The night after the Jade Chef competition is something of an indistinct blur in Sorato's memory. Although he's definitely sure he was there (the sand in his shoes the next morning is material proof), he doesn't remember much in the way of specific observations. It might be nice to check out the beach in a context that won't lead to a splitting headache the next day.

Snacks are a constant, though. Sitting on the lowest tiers of the stairs leading down from the boardwalk to the sand, swinging a leg over the side of the steps, Sorato polishes off another bite of ebiyaki from the flimsy paper dish of the snack he'd bought from a boardwalk vendor a few minutes earlier.

The lowering sun is just starting to streak the gathering clouds with colors, but it's still quite hot and the beach is lively with heimin and samurai.

One of those samurai, as it turned out, was Yasuki Taraka. After an exciting day of marriage discussions, fashion, race car driving and dramatic hospital window staring, a walk on Nishi beach seemed like a nice way to end the day. With the boardwalk lit up, the area had an unreal quality.

She saw the Phoenix who barely escaped the tomb of fu leng, and Taraka stopped to spend some time conversing with him.

She offered him a bow.

"Good evening, Agasha-san. Lovely night to soak up the ambiance of the boardwalk, no?" she asked.

[Agasha Sorato]

Sorato bows from his seat. "It would seem to be, but you're the local expert, Yasuki-san. Is this an unusually nice evening, or are they all like this?"

[Yasuki Taraka]

Sorato bows from his seat. "It would seem to be, but you're the local expert, Yasuki-san. Is this an unusually nice evening, or are they all like this?"

Taraka considers the question.

"The weather is always rather unpredictable here, Agasha-san." she offered. "When we are favored with the sun, indeed, the evenings are enchanting. But for every picturesque evening we have an equal number of storm lashed ones. It is simply how to world balances things and reminds us to appreciate what we have when we have it."

[Agasha Sorato]

"Places where the weather is always the same can be dull," Sorato concludes after a moment or two of thought. "Ecologically speaking, as well as culturally, I mean."

He extends the the paper dish of ebiyaki toward Taraka. "Er, want a shrimp ball, by the way?"

[Yasuki Taraka]

"Places where the weather is always the same can be dull," Sorato concludes after a moment or two of thought. "Ecologically speaking, as well as culturally, I mean."

He extends the the paper dish of ebiyaki toward Taraka. "Er, want a shrimp ball, by the way?"

Taraka smiled.

"Sure, why not?" she said, taking the offering of food. "So...is it dull where you come from Agasha-san?"

[Agasha Sorato]

"Oh, no." Sorato shrugs. "Ujimitsu is a lovely and diverse planet, with plenty of axial tilt for interesting seasonal shifts at the latitude where my family live. Not like one of your world-gardened moons where every day's like the next." His lips quirk wryly at that thought.

"I don't spend very much time at home these days, though. Weather gets a bit too exciting when I visit for too long, actually." He looks a bit sheepish at that and opts to distract himself with an ebiyaki.

[Yasuki Taraka]

Taraka chuckles.

"Ah, so we can blame the rain on you then Agasha-san?" she teased. "Unless you've been secretly living in the woods until last week, I think the pattern may argue against you being the cause."

[Agasha Sorato]

"No, it's not usually rain," Sorato says with a resigned sigh. "If your island starts to see twisters or local gale winds, that probably means I'd better be moving on."

He brightens. "That usually takes months at least, though. I wouldn't worry about it. Truly."

[Yasuki Taraka]

She looked at him curiously, not entirely certain if he was joking or serious.

"Hmmm, well in the time you have been here, have you gotten to enjoy the local attractions? Anything in particular you've enjoyed?" she asked.

[Agasha Sorato]

He certainly seems serious enough. Either he's sincere, or he's got a really killer deadpan ability.

"Local attractions? I've been up both mountains at least once, and into the jungle a couple of times. Out on the water, too. And under it." His lips quirk. "I've enjoyed almost all of it except the biting insects. Nothing's perfect, though."

[Yasuki Taraka]

Taraka grins.

"Ah a naturalist. Explains why I haven't seen you around terribly often." she admits. "I don't get to go out in nature terribly often. Work keeps me pretty well tied to the city."

[Agasha Sorato]

"That's accurate enough--I'm a botanical surveyor, generally. Most of that here has been for pleasure, though," Sorato admits.

Sure, he's collected a few samples on Shiawase out of general interest, but it hasn't exactly been a typical assignment with study quadrants or a shopping list.

"It's so easy to get out here, though. The sea and the mountain are nearly at your doorsill," he adds. "People living in domes or on space stations would consider this a real luxury."

[Yasuki Taraka]

"That's accurate enough--I'm a botanical surveyor, generally. Most of that here has been for pleasure, though," Sorato admits.

Sure, he's collected a few samples on Shiawase out of general interest, but it hasn't exactly been a typical assignment with study quadrants or a shopping list.

"It's so easy to get out here, though. The sea and the mountain are nearly at your doorsill," he adds. "People living in domes or on space stations would consider this a real luxury."

Taraka chuckles.

"I'm not so certain about that anymore, Agasha-san. Every time I talk to Shinjo Suh-hyun, she reveals a new marvel that is contained within the steel walls of her home. Swimming pools at first seemed impressive, but now she's told me she often hang glides within New Hope Castle. I realize it's the exception, but it does make me appreciate what architectural marvels that the Empire has accomplished." she said.

She gestured towards the beach.

"Don't get me wrong, it is nothing compared to the entire backdrop of what we have been gifted with the expansion to the stars, but the idea that something like New Hope Castle was constructed by mortals hands, from concept to reality is stunning as well." she admitted.

[Agasha Sorato]

"We can build really impressive things, true. It's hard for the things we've built bolt by bolt to ever surprise us, though." Sorato says, turning a reflective gaze out to sea (past the bathers and late sun-bathers and several children throwing sand at each other).

"Well, you or I might stay surprised for a while in a major station or a big dome, as a newcomer," he temporizes after a moment. "Still, every breath of air in a station like New Hope Castle is managed by techs and shugenja. Anything they can't expect or predict could be... really bad. Nature has freedom in a place like this that it can never have there."

[Yasuki Taraka]

"We can build really impressive things, true. It's hard for the things we've built bolt by bolt to ever surprise us, though." Sorato says, turning a reflective gaze out to sea (past the bathers and late sun-bathers and several children throwing sand at each other).

"Well, you or I might stay surprised for a while in a major station or a big dome, as a newcomer," he temporizes after a moment. "Still, every breath of air in a station like New Hope Castle is managed by techs and shugenja. Anything they can't expect or predict could be... really bad. Nature has freedom in a place like this that it can never have there."

Taraka chuckled.

"Freedom to get blown away in a hurricane, eaten by a volcano lizard, eaten by mosquitos..." she said amused.

She shook her head.

"It may not sound it, Agasha-san, but I do love Green Carp. I am not looking to trade the birdcalls of the night for the hiss of air vents, nor the beautiful sunsets for one played on a giant informator. I don't take nature for granted, it's just that my duties mean I spend a great deal of time within the city rather than frolicking in the fields." she explained.

She turned back to the lit boardwalk.

"And there is beauty in the city too, Agasha-san. Our founding ancestors didn't even have a whole world to expand in to, let alone dozens spread across the stars. So much of what we do, of what we accomplish was undreamt of for so long. And I appreciate that, just as much as I do a lovely sunset. We are living in wonderous times, and both nature and manufacture deserve wonder."