Ryuu stood off to the side of the line at the Bubble Tea Shop. His head tilted upwards, gaze focused on the various beverages and treats being offered. He was almost unnaturall still, as he contemplated the menu, while not intruding on the queue already formed.

"Mori-san!" one of the attendants called out, and Moriko approached the counter to accept her drink. She was wearing one of her nicest outfits: jeans and a kimono top made from layers of thin, floaty fabric patterned in reds and oranges. She had pulled her hair up into a bun, warding it against the rain, but silken strands had slipped down and hung about her face, her ears, and the nape of her neck.

Sipping her milky drink, she turned to leave and very nearly bumped into the stone-still Spider, pulling up short. "My apologies," she mumbled, before looking up and the words withering on her tongue. The young woman's eyes widened in faint alarm, her mouth snapping shut.

His intense eyes looked to the Phoenix, head tilting slightly as he regarded her. "No need to apologize. I did not mean to stand in the way." His voice was level, and smooth. He offered a smile, then a bow. "This one is Daigotsu Ryuu..." then another glance at the menu.

"Any recommensations?"

It occurred to her the man might have been attractive, but there was a cold and stern set to him, like he'd been carved from stone, that made her self-conscious. She bobbed a polite bow in return, "well met, Daigotsu-san, I am Shiba Moriko. I saw you at the model peace talks this morning." She seemed to recall that his suggestion was somewhat unorthodox.

The ice in her drink shifted, drawing her attention, and she suddenly remembered his question. Waggling the drink for him to see, "I'm rather a fan of the Super Caramel-Fudge Cherry Sundae Delight. Choc-caramel with cherry tapioca pearls."

"Shiba-san. Very glad to meet you." He offered a smile, "I am afraid I did not perform as satisfactory as I would have preferred. It may be for the best that I find my talents lend more to enforcement than making peace. I know when I am out of my element." His eyes were bright as he smiled, though there was something off about it.

An eyebrow raised as he regarded the drink. It sounded extraordinarily sweet. But he did not want to offend his new acquaintance.

"I will try that." Getting into the line, he was able to quickly place his order, then return to Moriko.

"Are you local to Asakaze, Shiba-san?"

Moriko had moved aside, out of the way of the people picking up their drinks. Indicating to a table, "won't you sit, Daigotsu-san? It's better to recognise one's limitations, than to charge into failure," she answered his comment regarding his performance, though she was thinking more of the injured from the previous day. "I am, local. Asakaze born and bred, like the otori on Futago ranch." She seemed chipper enough, though she avoided looking directly at Ryuu.

"Spider-san!"

He went and grabbed the beverage, before joining Moriko at the table. "Thank you, Shiba-san." He slid into the seat, his back military straight as he sat. "Still, some risk is to be taken, to be able to prove to any potential that one would be a worthy partner, to build something together." His hand idly held onto the cup, before he adjusted the straw.

"The Otori are magnificent creatures. I have grown quite fond of Kinyobi." He smiled, before taking a sip. The chocolate was rich, the caramel not overly sweet, and the brightness of the cherry shined through. "That is good." He nodded, then focused his gaze on Moriko.

"What have you thought of the events so far, if I may be so bold as to ask?"

As she sat opposite, a shiba inu slipped under the table, curling up at Moriko’s feet, seemingly grateful to be away from the busy feet of the other patrons. “Indeed,” the Phoenix agreed, “something must be ventured if one wants to be noticed.” She tugged absently at a wide, draping sleeve, her nicest outfit was rather plain, the kind of thing that never quite went out of fashion, but was never “in” either.

She perked up at the mention of Ryuu’s otori, meeting his blue eyes, like her clothing her eyes were an unremarkable dark brown, similar in colour to the chocolate fudge in their drinks. “Well, I fear I’ve shown my hand rather early. I grew up with otori, I’m fairly sure that was my chance to make a splash done and gone,” she laughed softly, as if it didn’t matter in the end if no one noticed her. Taking a sip from her drink, Moriko dropped her gaze, not wanting to stare, it was just easier to look him in the eye than try to take in all of his appearance at once. “You can tell a lot about someone by how they treat an otori,” the Phoenix said sagely, “I’m sure that there will be a lot to learn about the participants, but I think that event was the most telling, for me.”

"No one can claim how they may do in future events, Shiba-san. If that were the case, I would grow despondent after not placing yesterday." His eyes half lidded as he grinned, taking another sip of the confection. He would have to run a couple extra kilometers later.

He heard the shuffling of the shiba inu beneath the table. Idly, he reached down, extending his hand, knuckles up, allowing the dog to sniff if it so chose.

"Now I am curious. What did you learn from watching all of us training Otori? Or helping to train, rather."

She idly waved away the talk of future events, but his grin made her uncomfortable in some way she couldn’t define, her spine prickling. “Well, first of all there are the people who were offered use of an otori, but declined. Now that is fascinating,” Moriko sipped her drink, pulling a number of the pearls up through the straw; below the table, Ten sniffed at the offered hand, giving Ryuu’s fingers an experimental lick before deciding there was no food involved.

“But mostly I’m interested by how people treated the otori. Were they afraid? Were they kind? Were they respectful? Did they speak to the otori as a living thing with feelings, or like a machine?” Shrugging one shoulder, “I don’t know if I could consider a spouse who refused an otori, or treated one with disdain.”

"I would be hopeful that there was a level of respect in how each treated their Otori. I appreciated that Kinyobi has a strong will, knowing how they want to run, how they would want to be treated by their rider. It is a partnership, not a master lording over a servant." He nodded in response to her thoughts. Another sip, enjoying the pleasant texture of the pearls.

"I can see how that event would help you determine your thoughts. I suppose we all have different ways we are judging any potentials."

"Tell me, Daigotsu-san," she scratched her companion's side with a toe and a soft thumping sound could be heard as Ten wagged his tail, "what qualities would distinguish a potential spouse to you?" She sounded genuinely curious.

The cup of bubble tea was set down, as he pondered the question. He looked slightly above Moriko's head, then blinked. A slight smile, and he looked back to the Shiba.

"Someone who would be a complement to me. Someone who could cover my shortcomings, and I theirs. Our service to our Clan, our Lord, would be a partnership, and thus, someone who would work with me. We would be paired for life, so adapting to each other, communicating. Someone who would communicate with me is important."

Moriko narrowed her eyes, “that’s only half an answer, isn’t it?” She slurped up a few more of the Cherry-flavoured pearls, and gave a dismissive wave of her hand, “I’m only curious, your response raises more questions than it answers, but that’s fine, too. It’s a good answer. A proper answer,” a fitting samurai answer.

He chuckled slightly. "I suppose it is, Shiba-san." He watched her for a long moment. "Someone who appreciates the arts. I grew up with a great love instilled in me for music, dance, theater, anything that can be performed."

He picked up his drink again, taking another sip. "To be able to share that with someone, to know that we have that baseline? That is important to me."

“”I like that answer,” Moriko replied agreeably, “common interests are a good starting point.” That made her think of the Shinri priest and, for a moment, there was a distant look in her eyes until she pushed it away. “Do you travel much for work?”

"Not at my rank. When I was younger, I accompanied my father offworld a few times. This my first trip outside of Spider space." He pursed his lips. "I do not enjoy re-entry. But one gets used to it, I suppose. What about you, Shiba-san? What does your work entail?" He truly seemed interested, leaning in slightly as his posture relaxed.

As Ryuu’s posture relaxed, some of the foreboding tension Moriko felt eased. She cocked her head to one side, studying him thoughtfully. She didn’t answer immediately, apparently preoccupied with something else, but she eventually took a sip of her drink and replied. “I work alongside the otori herds from Futago ranch. My main purpose is to protect them. Generally that means patrolling along the herding routes and around the paddocks, chasing off unwanted creatures.”

"A conservationist." He nodded, smiling, then took a big drink from the bubble tea. "What kinds of creatures threaten the Otori? I have heard of these reavers, but are they the only threat the otori face?"

“Not all threats are large, or obvious,” she pressed her lips together and gave Ryuu a sceptical look as if to say, you of all people should know this. “There are centipedes with venomous bites that will kill a grown otori, and land-cephalopods with sacs full of poisonous gas. Our duty is to eliminate or remove such creatures before they can threaten the herds.”