(Open) Tea Room? Sure!

[Toritaka Sasaiko]

Feeling pleased with herself for her performance during the day, Sasaiko moves cheerily into cleaning. And she finds herself attending to a room clearly dedicated to a tea ceremony.

Lovely! she thinks, and she cleans the room deliberately and with patience.

When it is done, she notes having more time, and so she practices her skill in the refined art, doing quite well with it (Tea Ceremony 25).

The question is, is anyone there to see it?

[Kokyou]

Of course such a beautiful scene would have its number one admirer, Kokyou. His smirk couldn't be wider looking at a minor clan mate being so diligent and elegant. Almost like a Crane.

The Mantis takes a seat and waits for a free drink. It is always better when it is free.

[Toritaka Sasaiko]

If Sasaiko is startled by the Mantis's presence, she does not show it, wrapped up in the ceremony as she is. And she remains similarly enwrapped as she presents the cup to the Mantis with an elegant bow.

It is fortunate, perhaps, that the cup has a clearly marked front.

[Kokyou]

Kokyou takes the bowl in hand and sips as expected, being used to deal with the white and light blue folks when they visited his father's cas––house. Was he thinking in Portuga?

He even slurps at the end, and sets the cup on the floor, circling it back.

[Toritaka Sasaiko]

"I am pleased to see you appreciate such things, Kokyou-san."

Her voice is even, calm.

(Edit: If I remember correctly, both Sasaiko and Kokyou get a Void Point back. Should be room for two more to do so...I think?)

[Kokyou]

"Oh. I do appreciate th' pretty delicious thin's in life, I do." He looks at Sasaiko with a sly grin.

[Vutall]

Not long after the Toritaka began her preparations for a practice ceremony, a perfect picture of a DOji maiden enters the room and lets out a small, surprised

"Oh!"

She bows shallowly to those present.

"I did not expect to find students in here already."

She then sees the ceremony implements and looks to Sasaiko.

"You have prepared this, Toritaka-san?"

[Kokyou]

At the sight of a REAL Doji maiden, Kokyou's eyes sparkle with excitement and admiration for the elegance, class, honor and all the things that he probably will never have, but won't give up searching for in his own way.

He provides a bow to the sensei.

[Toritaka Sasaiko]

Sasaiko bows deeply--easy enough to do, given that she has been in seiza for the ceremony--pressing her forehead to the backs of her hands as they find the tatami of the floor.

"After cleaning the room, yes, Doji-sensei," she replies to the question. "This one hopes not to have overstepped in doing so."

[Vutall]

"No, no, not at all. I was surprised is all."

She looks over the room again, carefully examining everything for the ceremony.

"You seem to have quite a good grasp of the ceremony. Have you already conducted it with Mantis-san?"

[Kokyou]

He nods, never letting that smile fade.

[Toritaka Sasaiko]

"No, no, not at all. I was surprised is all."

She looks over the room again, carefully examining everything for the ceremony.

"You seem to have quite a good grasp of the ceremony. Have you already conducted it with Mantis-san?"

"Thank you, Doji-sensei. And for the most part. There was still the inspection, were it requested, and the cleaning and return of materials."

[Vutall]

"Then please, continue. It is always nice to see others learning the art."

[Toritaka Sasaiko]

So bidden, Sasaiko bows again and turns back to Kokyou. With eyes properly slightly downcast, she arranges the tea implements in a precise line, the dojo's service up for inspection before being cleaned ritually and returned to its keeping. She then shifts slightly back and to her right, permitting clearer view of the wall-hanging and the small bonsai that sits just off-center in the appropriate alcove.

[Kokyou]

Kokyou breathes with serenity, even though he's truly unable to speak. His eyes moving from bonsai to sensei, kamiza to Sasaiko, and back to sensei.

[Vutall]

"You seem distracted, Manits-san. A tea ceremony should be approached with the intent of settling all your worries, allowing it to bring you to peace for a time after. You must take it seriously, it loses its meaning"

[Toritaka Sasaiko]

Boys, thinks Sasaiko as the sensei speaks. But she is wise enough to say nothing.

I'm never going to be able to lead them around like that. But it's good to know that they can be led that way.

She allows another small while for inspection, if it is desired. And she remains attentive to the sensei's words.

[Kokyou]

Kokyou nods. Seriously. He even puts his stern looking face that has a mild frown along a pressed lip.

He nods again, happy that another sensei noticed him.

[Asako Saburo]

There was a slow rumbling ... no, wait that was footsteps. Just ordinary footsteps from someone who probably should remember not to put their feet down too hard everywhere that they went. Still, it did at least announce their presence. Carrying supplies for the room, a boy in phoenix colors entered, looking infinitely too serious about this and everything that he did. He caught sight of who was there and cleared his throat. "Apologies, -samas. One moment." He didn't bother to check mons until what he had brought was stowed properly before turning and then formally bowing.

One was obviously their senior and other looked like ... uhhhh... right. Another of those bug people and that one was a bird, but not a crane, right? No, not sparrow. They were usually even plainer than that. "I apologize if I am interrupting. Just bringing supplies."

[Toritaka Sasaiko]

Sasaiko was about to put away the utensils--her hands were even moving to that end--when the Phoenix entered.

Several ideas ran through her head, and she settled on one of them.

"It is no interruption. I shall finish here, and then I would ask if tea would be welcome. And, if it would not be an imposition, if Doji-sensei would offer her kind and insightful critique of the technique, as her guidance would be singularly welcome."