Nakahama

Participants and observers for the event gather around to see who can stomach all the drinks to honour the dead! Needless to say, the temple is filled with cheer, laughs and boisterous toasts! There are the occasional gasps, then followed by claps when one must bow out to the drinking! The Crab aren't sticklers for drinking embarrassments faux-pas here, it's all for a good cause!

A slightly tipsy Senshuken walks around with a giant, toothy grin at her face.

And Taraka was here for it! She felt remarkably good for all the alcohol she had consumed. The alcoholic fuzz in her mind was telling her she could go another round, but ever since the infamous Kuni Taro incident, she was cut off. Citywide for that matter. Still it was fun to watch the others honor the dead.

Bayushi Senshuken wrote: Fri Dec 05, 2025 6:36 pm A slightly tipsy Senshuken walks around with a giant, toothy grin at her face.

"Hey Bayushi-san!" Taraka cried out with a wave.

Yasuki Taraka wrote: Fri Dec 05, 2025 6:39 pm
"Hey Bayushi-san!" Taraka cried out with a wave.

Senshu waves, as well, and changes direction to head towards Taraka. "Hello, hello! How are you doing, loyal friend and ally? You look very beautiful today! Your skin is glowing!" She leans her head in to take a more careful look. "Hydrated and smooth, yes! Having enough fluids is the key to success."

Bayushi Senshuken wrote: Fri Dec 05, 2025 6:47 pm

Senshu waves, as well, and changes direction to head towards Taraka. "Hello, hello! How are you doing, loyal friend and ally? You look very beautiful today! Your skin is glowing!" She leans her head in to take a more careful look. "Hydrated and smooth, yes! Having enough fluids is the key to success."

Taraka laughed readily at that.

"Our ancestors are watching over us tonight and they are well honored." she said. "I'm feeling...good. How about you Bayushi-san?"

Honoka was still in the proximity of the festival for the moment. At this precise moment, however, she was sat nearby on a stool resting her head while Hiroto watches over her. Standing there with some water in his hand that he has been slowly feeding to her the past few minutes to ensure she stays hydrated enough. All the while, ever presently on the lookout for anyone who might harm his charge. Though surely such attempts were over at this point, he was learning truly how a yojimbo must always be prepared.

Yasuki Taraka wrote: Fri Dec 05, 2025 6:49 pm
Taraka laughed readily at that.

"Our ancestors are watching over us tonight and they are well honored." she said. "I'm feeling...good. How about you Bayushi-san?"

"As good as it gets. Tipsy enough to think more positive than ever. That point that you love everyone and everything?" She keeps grinning. "That's where I am."

"Alright just have a seat right here Unicorn-san." The big Crab gave her a slap on the shoulder, "Pretty good for someone not a Crab." His smaller companion leaned in to whisper, "Everyone here has lost someone. I promise you none your departed want to see you down like this. But...I'm sure they would understand. Carry the Fortunes Shinjo-san." And with that Suh-Hyun was alone. Leaning back into the rest of the bench, she turned her eyes skyward. The stars shined back down as they always had.

Bayushi Senshuken wrote: Fri Dec 05, 2025 7:00 pm

"As good as it gets. Tipsy enough to think more positive than ever. That point that you love everyone and everything?" She keeps grinning. "That's where I am."

Taraka grinned.

"It's a good place to be. Tommorow Taraka won't think so, but that's her problem." she said with a small laugh. "Ahhh, so speaking of love, swing by the shop tommorow yeah? I think it's a pretty safe bet you've got 1st for the league locked up. We'll be having a small gathering to hand out the prizes." she offered.

Shinjo Suh-Hyun wrote: Fri Dec 05, 2025 7:03 pm "Alright just have a seat right here Unicorn-san." The big Crab gave her a slap on the shoulder, "Pretty good for someone not a Crab." His smaller companion leaned in to whisper, "Everyone here has lost someone. I promise you none your departed want to see you down like this. But...I'm sure they would understand. Carry the Fortunes Shinjo-san." And with that Suh-Hyun was alone. Leaning back into the rest of the bench, she turned her eyes skyward. The stars shined back down as they always had.

Soon, another shape found it's way next to the Unicorn and took seat, as drowned in the haze, carrying part of the same loss.

She wore simple today. A white shirt with black loose jeans, paired with a oversize-looking jacket. Her voice was low, deep and gently gravely, with a gentle echo to it as it reverbed within the rebreather the woman sported.

"I'm sorry about Moto-san."

Kitsuki Ichitaiyo wrote: Fri Dec 05, 2025 7:15 pm Soon, another shape found it's way next to the Unicorn and took seat, as drowned in the haze, carrying part of the same loss.

She wore simple today. A white shirt with black loose jeans, paired with a oversize-looking jacket. Her voice was low, deep and gently gravely, with a gentle echo to it as it reverbed within the rebreather the woman sported.

"I'm sorry about Moto-san."

"I didn't really know her all that well." Suh-Hyun's eyes remained star ward, "But...we Unicorn have always relied on each other, every time one of ours dies..." She sighs, the slight tremor in her breath perhaps hinting at a more emotional response being suppressed, "I wasn't prepared for it out here. Not like out there, hurts the same I suppose. No wing mates or ship mates here though."

She blinks and seems to realize she's talking to a real person, "My apologies. I am not at my best at the moment."

Shinjo Suh-Hyun wrote: Fri Dec 05, 2025 7:41 pm "I didn't really know her all that well." Suh-Hyun's eyes remained star ward, "But...we Unicorn have always relied on each other, every time one of ours dies..." She sighs, the slight tremor in her breath perhaps hinting at a more emotional response being suppressed, "I wasn't prepared for it out here. Not like out there, hurts the same I suppose. No wing mates or ship mates here though."

She blinks and seems to realize she's talking to a real person, "My apologies. I am not at my best at the moment."

"Neither am I. Sometimes I wonder who is in these kind of festivities."

And Ichitaiyo took a gentle swig of the softer beer she had served herself. "I got to know her. Good woman. Her mission possibly saved hundreds if not thousands of the people of Green Carp."

Kitsuki Ichitaiyo wrote: Fri Dec 05, 2025 8:00 pm "Neither am I. Sometimes I wonder who is in these kind of festivities."

And Ichitaiyo took a gentle swig of the softer beer she had served herself. "I got to know her. Good woman. Her mission possibly saved hundreds if not thousands of the people of Green Carp."

Suh-Hyun nodded at that, but her eyes stayed upwards, "I didn't press for details. It's not my place to prod the Crab, if such is needed then the embassy will do so."

"She was a Moto after all, so I imagine she threw herself into battle with reckless abandon. Weapon held high and calling out to the Shi-Tien Yen-Wang. I suppose they ultimately called her to their side."

Shinjo Suh-Hyun wrote: Fri Dec 05, 2025 8:22 pm Suh-Hyun nodded at that, but her eyes stayed upwards, "I didn't press for details. It's not my place to prod the Crab, if such is needed then the embassy will do so."

"She was a Moto after all, so I imagine she threw herself into battle with reckless abandon. Weapon held high and calling out to the Shi-Tien Yen-Wang. I suppose they ultimately called her to their side."

Ichitaiyo offered a gentle smile. "She rode her bike into a door to blast it open, and then did loops on an interior until it took two shugenyas to put an end to the chaos she delivered."

And another swig of beer. "I.. never expected anyone to die during these weeks. Not violently."

Kitsuki Ichitaiyo wrote: Fri Dec 05, 2025 8:34 pm Ichitaiyo offered a gentle smile. "She rode her bike into a door to blast it open, and then did loops on an interior until it took two shugenyas to put an end to the chaos she delivered."

And another swig of beer. "I.. never expected anyone to die during these weeks. Not violently."

"A Moto's death. Even having long abandoned their horses they still have that urge. Ride into certain death with a smile and a cry."

Another sigh, "It was easier when there was the expectation." Suh-Hyun finally looks at the Dragon, though she only moves her eyes, "Every time one sorties from a carrier, the prospect is there. But here? Who expects a fight in the middle of a diplomatic mission?"

Shinjo Suh-Hyun wrote: Fri Dec 05, 2025 8:41 pm "A Moto's death. Even having long abandoned their horses they still have that urge. Ride into certain death with a smile and a cry."

Another sigh, "It was easier when there was the expectation." Suh-Hyun finally looks at the Dragon, though she only moves her eyes, "Every time one sorties from a carrier, the prospect is there. But here? Who expects a fight in the middle of a diplomatic mission?"

"Greed and lust for power can be as perverse or worse than what crawls from Jingoku, and against those, we have no jade to fight the twistedness that such terror carve into our souls." Ichitaiyo offered in reflection. "And in these missions is that those demons of our own making show up."

Kitsuki Ichitaiyo wrote: Fri Dec 05, 2025 9:01 pm "Greed and lust for power can be as perverse or worse than what crawls from Jingoku, and against those, we have no jade to fight the twistedness that such terror carve into our souls." Ichitaiyo offered in reflection. "And in these missions is that those demons of our own making show up."

Suh-Hyun frowns, "Such...banal motivations, to kill another over. I assume you were there then when Moto-san died? I understand if much of what happened is restricted. I have no desire to meddle in the Crab's business."

Shinjo Suh-Hyun wrote: Fri Dec 05, 2025 9:23 pm Suh-Hyun frowns, "Such...banal motivations, to kill another over. I assume you were there then when Moto-san died? I understand if much of what happened is restricted. I have no desire to meddle in the Crab's business."

Ichitaiyo shook her head. "No, I wasn't there to observe her passing personally, simply I was part of the scene and spoke with witnesses. I can't tell any more than that without breaching information that might be confidential."

Sitting at the edge of the room, a monkey drank a cup of sake while his Kitsune friend drank water.

Kitsuki Ichitaiyo wrote: Fri Dec 05, 2025 9:27 pm Ichitaiyo shook her head. "No, I wasn't there to observe her passing personally, simply I was part of the scene and spoke with witnesses. I can't tell any more than that without breaching information that might be confidential."

"I understand." Suh-Hyun nodded, her eyes turning star ward once more. "How did you know Moto-san? Before coming to the island? Or a new friend?"