[Otosan Uchi, Higshikawa District] Yaar!

[Kuni Yotsuo]

"Traveler," he replies. "I've been doing so since I was very young. My parents first figured it out when I started talking about spending time with them during dreams, describing their own dreams that I had apparently wandered into. I didn't understand that was strange until they got me a tutor to teach me about it. Now I can explore the different realms, but I have enough control that I don't go into other peoples dreams anymore. That's too private."

[Iuchi Prashant]

Prash seems fascinated, but maybe a bit jittery as well at what he hears.

"Oh... I suppose it is. But... wow! Exploring even our own mortal realm is a daunting task by itself, exploring the spirit realms sounds almost.... limitless."

"The spirits of the various realms must be quite a varied bunch themselves, I suppose? I mean, the elemental spirits and their ways are quite varied in and of themselves, and they are all used to our own mortal realm, in their own way, so I wonder how varied the spirits in other realms must be!"

[Mai]

"Ah. But can things follow you back? I have heard tales of kitsune maidens who fall in love with mortals. And I would worry about something from Sakkaku following me just because it thought it was fun."

She nods to Kokyou. "We will drink until we are blind and unable to walk when we graduate. Tradition and all."

[Iuchi Prashant]

"Oh!", he looks at Mai and Kokyou for a moment. "I guess traditions are varied!", he says with a happy laugh. "Unicorn lands see a fair bit of celebration too, perhaps just a bit less... wild I guess. We do have horse races!"

He then turns to the Kuni, his friendly face showing a crease of worry. "Oh... do spirits also come visit you back, Kuni-san?"

[Kokyou]

I don' think that's what he means by spirits, Kokyou-san!

He then turns to the Kuni, bowing as he speaks.

"Ah! So Kuni-san is a... Spirit Caller or something like that? Or maybe a.. yaakshe...... a Spirit Traveler?"

Kokyou looks to Prashant with a narrowed eye and a nod of trust. He has found his future advisor to Foreign Affairs. Then, he looks at the Kuni, not really understanding what going on, but highly interested into getting such an experienced traveler to describe more of these distant places. He asks, "Which kind o' treasures do these different lands 'ave that are o' value fer gentlemen o' fortune?"

"Ah. But can things follow you back? I have heard tales of kitsune maidens who fall in love with mortals. And I would worry about something from Sakkaku following me just because it thought it was fun."

She nods to Kokyou. "We will drink until we are blind and unable to walk when we graduate. Tradition and all."

"Aye. Th' siren's shanty that lures many scallywag t' guidin' thar ships into th' jagged rocky bottoms o' th' most mischievous patches o' land out thar in th' briney deep. They sink 'n try t' swim out o' th' clashin' waves, but th' naughty sirens embrace them 'n drag them t' Daidoji Yono's locker. 'n it ain't jus' t' feed th' fish, I tell ye!" Kokyu explains, and produces a visible shiver at the end.

After a dramatic pause, he agrees with Mai with a grin. "Aye. We'll drink as much as Osano-wo's tears o' joy pour down from th' sky above. I'll be blind by th' shiny smile that shall come out from yer pretty lips. Aye."

[Kuni Yotsuo]

"Never had one follow me back or visit me afterwards. I suppose some of them might be able to, but when I travel there I'm in a spirit form so they see me as one of their own."

He looks to Kokyou, "There's stuff that would be neat to bring back with me if I could. Things that exist there that don't exist here. But I can't actually bring it back because I'm not physical there. It's like being a ghost when I visit. All I can do is look and talk."

"Also, I been told that I shouldn't drink because of my ability as well. I guess if I do so I would be likely to make mistakes that could maybe put me in danger, or I might travel to the wrong place like one of the dangerous realms."

[Mai]

"Oh. What you bring?"

Mai suddenly was less jealous about the ability to go to different realms with knowledge the poor Crab can't drink. Not that Mai had before. Not more than sip. But she was Mantis. She expectations to fulfill. At least, that's what her brother told her.

[Iuchi Prashant]

Prash suddenly seemed a bit more serious. Of course, one could have many different reasons to eschew drinking - well, one who wasn't Mantis from what Kokyou was saying, at least! But not drinking because otherwise you might end up in a dangerous realm? That sounded really serious...

"Ah... I suppose in time Kuni-san will center yourself enough to keep control of your travels even after some spirits, ne? Or... Does sake have some special effect on spirit travelling? I know more about the elemental spirits only, and as far as I know some of them may even like drinks - and of course there are kami IN drinks too... But I'd never heard of drinks having such powerful effects on spirits!"

[Kuni Yotsuo]

"It's mostly just because the sake or whatever can mess with your head and make things confusing. I had a bad fever once and ended up visiting Meido because I didn't know what was going on," he replied with a shrug. "So I was told that drinking sake could make me make a mistake and I might end up somewhere I didn't expect again. Maybe when I am older I will. But I think I need to master my gift first."

[Iuchi Prashant]

Prash nods to the Kuni. "Hai, that makes sense, Kuni-san. It's wise to master each step before challenging oneself further", he says, with a smile that soon turns into a grin. He looks in turn at Kokyou, Mai and back to the Kuni before speaking again.

"Even, or perhaps more so, if that challenge is alcohol"

He then gestures towarda the gravel roads to the city centre. "Minna-san, shall we walk back as we continue our talk? Or do you plan to remain here for a while longer?"