Shokomaru gave some last minute directions to the staff regarding possible odd food orders common among his people, then asked the tea be set out early.

He wore his casual clothes instead of his uniform, consisting of a slim black suit and tie. He thought it might be a bit much for casual wear, but he was playing host, he had to show he was serious.

Sitting with his densai as he awaited his guests he went over the miai event schedule...it looked like a tournament. It looked like a lot of things he was not versed in. He didn't sigh or look troubled.

He'd simply try to have fun with it rather than look shamed, he supposed.

Ryuu was surprised he was the first of the guests to arrive. He had changed to the less formal field dress uniform for the luncheon. "Good afternoon." He bowed to Shokomaru, then looked to his face. "This one is Ryuu. It is nice to meet a cousin. Thank you for setting this up." He never blinked as he intensely stared, though his words were warm and genuine.

"Shokomaru, 5th company, 9th Obsidian Legion", he answered with easy words. A bit languid, he placed his densai on the table and returned Ryuu's bow. "It's good to have this opportunity. Have a seat."

It sounded a bit like an off-hand order, like he was used to telling people to sit down or they wouldn't do it on their own.

He nodded, taking a seat towards the far end of the table, most appropriate to his station. "Forgive me for not adding my rank. Doshin, through the Obsidian Magistrstes office on Shiragiku." His hands rested on the table, as he patiently waited for the others.

Tsugiahru made his way to the appointed lunch with his clan. As his room was still being cleaned, he hadn't had a chance to change into the nicer attire for the formal dinner this evening. But underdressed or no, it was generally wise to not ignore summons from big shots in the military.

He bowed to the two already there.

"Thank you for the invitation. I am Kuchiki Tsugiharu." he said briefly before finding a space to not aggravate those of rank.

A nod. "Alright, doshin. Welcome again. Can't say I've ever been to Shiragiku. They keeping you busy there?"

Then the...scientist...? Entered.


He replied with a proper enough bow for the distance between then.

"Kuchiki-san, good to have you. I am Daigotsu Shokomaru, chuui, 5th company commander from the 9th." Noting Tsugiharu took a seat before told to, he didn't seem to have an issue with it. He waited on his fellow Daigotsu to answer before making further comment.

Sometime later an older Spider courtier walked into the room, bobbing his head to greet everyone. "Good afternoon, minna-sam." A facetious smile typical to the Susumu clung to his lips, the arrival smiling as if he new something the others did not. "I am one Daigotsu Katsuo, here on the behest of Daigotsu Mayumi-sama." he shoot a glance at Shokomaru as if to make sure he knew what he meant. "I am pleased to see you here in such numbers, yes. And I am here to help you. I am your nakado."

Letting the news sink in, he added. "The Phoenix ones are doing the work, though. I am here to guide you so that you will not forget your duty as oftentimes happens with youngesters." Giggling, Katsuo took his seat. "Thinking with your gonads and all that."

The Magistrate-in-Training stood as the research scientist entered, offeeing a bow. "It is very nice to meet you as well. Doshin Daigotsu Ryuu, Obsidian Magistrates office, Shiragiku." He nodded, then took his seat again, looking to Shokomaru.

"Busy enough I suppose. Crime is relatively low. More having to confirm if any issues were caused by mundane crime of the realm of Gaki-Do intruding. Unfortunately it sometimes leads from one to the other."

When the nakodo entered, he stood tall again, bowing deeply. "Thank you for your guidance and help, Daigotsu-sama. It is very good to be here." His focus shined in those icy blue eyes.

Tsugiharu stood and bowed at the entrance of the matchmaker, remaining standing until the older man had his seat before resuming his own.

The comment about thinking with your gonads did bring him a smile beneath his mask. While other clans might be content to let 'honor' keep such from happening, the Spider were ever more practical. Although Spider tenacity couldn't be discounted, it was fairly certain that the matchmaker was up to the task.

To Ryuu he obviously quirked an eyebrow. Now he had to remember Shiragiku, a world with influence form Gaki-do would have been well documented in the Spider's campaign history.

"I see."

Before he could go on, the guest he was hoping would give lunch a pass showed up.

"Susumu-san", Shokomaru bowed a proper amount again. "Won't you have a seat? I hear you've been on world before any of us, is that right? Some intel on matters is always appreciated for us new arrivals."

Of course this Susumu would know all of them, having been fed all the intel necessary. Must be nice being a lap dog in a cushy situation. Though Shokomaru had a feeling this Susumu had met Mayumi-sama about as many times as he had.

"Well met, well met." Katsuo bobbed his head at the magistrate-in-training. "I am sure that a young man like you is more than eager to do your duty, yes?" Smirking, the nakado sat down, rolling his shoulders as he did so. "I really hope that the rest are punctual..." the same smile still lingering on his lips, Katsuo turned to regard the door as if he was waiting for someone. "Oh, I hope I didn't interrupt anything?"



"Intel? Well. I can tell you that there's a lot of worthless trollops out there. Substandard goods everywhere." the older man tsk'd. "You must tread carefully, obviously. Can't have any of you marrying someone lacking."

There was some disparity in that statement, Shokomaru thought. He let it go though. He felt like this one was trying to loosen them all up a bit too much too soon.

"Right, well there's tea, have some. Sake will come closer to meal time when we have everyone here."

"My Life for the Spider." He nodded, taking the comment about trollops in stride. He could almost feel oobaasan chuckling, and internally, Ryuu found it humorous his spectral rider and the nakodo were of a mind there.

"And balls too, I am sure." Katsuo quipped, chuckling "You should try to keep both, though. A man has only so much use without one or the other, eh."



"Tea? Thank you Daigotsu-sama." he offered Shokomaru a polite bow. "Commander is all too kind." Then again, Katsuo was a paper-pusher and words were his weapons - and just like the Kakita swung their swords around, so Katsuo swung his words. "Phoenix sake is... what it is. Say what you want of the Crab, but they know how to get shit-faced."

It took a little longer for Nara to be shown in, mostly because her outfit did not really have Spider colours on it. Being closer to Crane, she got missed a few times before she asked and was shown in.

She smiled brightly, and bowed.

"Hello!"

With a deep bow at the entrance, Shirokiku made her presence known to the gathering at large.

"Susumu Shirokiku reporting for duty, Minna-sama."

Once she had introduced herself, she would enter the gathering at large once invited in - she did admit to herself, she was pretty hungry.

"Oh, hello." Katsuo waved his hand at the newcomers, only to mutter under his breath. "Trust the women to be late..." Clearing his throat, he added. "Glad to see you two. I hope you have managed to find your bearings? I hear the Wisteria Inn is rather comfy, yes?

Shokomaru bowed as is proper to the arrivals.

So there really are women on this planet

"Have a seat and welcome. This is Daigotsu Katsuo, Daigotsu Ryuu, and Kikuchi Tsugiharu. I'm Daigotsu Shokomaru. I think we're still waiting for more, have some tea."

He almost expected salutes to be exchanged several times so far, but had managed to get it out of his head.

"Please let me." Katsuo moved to pour tea for the arrivals, offering them his GeniuineZeroFucksGiven (tm) smile. "Have a seat! I am sure we have lot to discuss."

Graciously, Shirokiku accepted the tea and the seat. "Thank you kindly - I imagine there is much to discuss. If we work together, I imagine we can 'win' this Miai, so to speak."