Returning to the inn from the drive, Hyeon-ju washed herself and changed into the yukata once more. Yesterday's tea ceremony had given her a sense of peace, something she sought today, and ever a good student she intended to keep practicing until she could get the hang of it.

Heading over to the tea-area of the inn, the Utaku began to set up preparations for a tea ceremony.

Yul was returning to the inn as well, if a little bit later. His stride slowed, coming to a complete halt, as he saw the familiar figure. For a few moments, he studied her, eyes and expression equally difficult to read.

Then he smiled. "Hey, Wasp." He said, waving. His lips worked for a moment. "How are you doing?" His eyebrows went up. "What are you doing?" Expression now curious, he moved closer, stepping around the awkward couches in the room.

She gave him an isn't it obvious look. Which could've easily been an answer for both, given she was seemingly back to her more cooler self than she had been the past days of the miai.

"Practicing tea ceremony. Doji Ichika-san has been showing me how."

Yul half-smiled, half-sighed. Well, at least she seemed to be feeling better.

"Ah, Ichika-san. That makes sense." Yul chuckled softly. "It seems the sort of thing she'd know how to do. And she's very kind. I like her."

He tilted his head, looking at Hyeon-ju with a hint of a smirk. "You know, she likes you, too. Said you were nice." Somehow.

In the end, Hyeon-ju was samurai, and she would find a way to carry on. It was unseemly to mope and weep in front of others.

"She is very... pleasant," was the word the Utaku settled on to describe Ichika. "I'm honored she thinks well of me."

For a moment she had been concerned that she might have put Ichika off before.

"Want to join me? Tea ceremony done alone is just drinking tea, really..."

"Yeah, sure." Yul shrugged. "Tea sounds great. And I can certainly handle drinking it."

He sat down at the table. "Ummm..." He chewed his lip a few moments. "I hope you were able to give my respects this morning. Unfortunately, I had an appointment at the castle that I couldn't miss." He grimaced. "Punishment for my part in a little adventure a few days ago."

He looked at her. "It's where I encountered one of the things that you and Matsu-san faced last night."

"Tea ceremony is more than just drinking it, Yul. Didn't your parents show it to you when you were younger?" she asked, her hands busy wiping the utensils ro be used.

Still, she forgot the question for now and focused on what he was saying. "I did... Ruhe and Joo-Woo were there too. It was... a solemn and private affair, but you were there in spirit. We don't fault you for that, and that you needed to... be somewhere else."

Her face was a bit more firm. "... Tea first, and then you can tell me more, ok? It seems like it's past the time of not knowing about this now."

"No." Yul said. "We just drank the tea. Farming colony, remember?" He took a deep breath, stopping himself before he got heated. Some things never changed.

He inclined his head. "Thank you for making a good showing for us, anyway. We've made good friends among the Lion. I wish I could have been there..." He spread his hands, shrugging at the futility.

Some things never changed, though she backed away from the topic quickly as well.

"I know, Yul. It's alright." She understood that there were choices that needed to be made, and what business Yul had she assumed was more important.

"Ok, I'm no expert on this yet, but I'll show you. It might be good for you to learn too, as it's often common for married couples to perform a tea ceremony together in some more traditional clans." And if nothing else, it would be a little relaxing break from the very rough time they had both been having.

And Hyeon-ju didn't lie when she said she was no expert, but thanks to Ichika's demonstration the other day, she had a decent grasp of the essence of the tea ceremony. It was a quiet moment for the two Unicorn to be shared in silence, for once without barbs, arguing, or snide remarks.


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D9 Untrained Tea Ceremony. TN 15: 2d10 19 +1VP for Yul and Hyeon-ju

At her suggestion, Yul watched carefully, his eyes following the motion of her hands. Her attitude. Her calm. Solemnly, he accepted his cup with both hands, giving her a bow.

"Thank you." Yul said softly. "That was really neat." He took a slow sip of his tea, then smiled. "I bet some of our squadron would get a kick out of this. Cicada for sure. Maybe Ladybug." A breath. "Butterfly would have liked it, too, I think."

"Maybe. I think Cicada certainly would like it." Speaking of the squad always helped the mood a bit. Even Butterfly, despite that she had passed on. "She would have... she liked nice things." That's why she was Butterfly.

Tidying up the few cups and utensils, she gave a nod. "... So... go somewhere else to speak? About... everything that's going on."

Yul chuckled. "Yeah, she did. She knew how to make an entrance, huh?"

Frowning slightly, he nodded. "Uh... yeah. Maybe just over in the corner is good enough?" He frowned. "Or did you want to try my room? Just a Spider and a Scorpion there..." Yul grimaced. "Maybe your room?"

"Spider and Crane..." not that she minded her own roommates, but this wasn't something she wanted them to overhear if she could save them the trouble of more worries.

The corner seemed fine enough for now, and after tidying up, the two of them moved over to a more private part of the common room.

"So... what does what happened to me, and Matsu-san, have to do with what you were doing?"

"Yeah, so..." Yul leaned forward, his voice dropping lower. "Remember that thing that I told you I did the other morning? I helped Kuni Eriko recover her ancestor's daisho from that explorer's ship." Yul grimaced. "And I took fifteen lashes for the privilege this morning, so I'd rather not add a scolding to that, if you don't mind."

He took a deep breath. "So... when we were there, we fought a group of those mushroom people. And we heard some guy give one of them an order." He gave her a significant look, his lips pressing together for a moment. "We reported it, but I guess he got out of there first."

Hyeon-ju understood and even if she wanted to give Yul a scolding for helping someone committ a crime, but she agreed that he had been given his punishment more than enough. Though this just made her dislike the Crab even more. "So the Crab got you to trespass and committ illegal acts, and then getting you punished for it. Sheesh... some allies they're supposed to be." She shook her head, thoroughly continuing to be disappointed.

"I see..." through the frustration that this could've possibly been prevented, Hyeon-ju was able to maintain her tactician's cool. "That does seem like a strange coincidence if there were more people controlling these, or at worst a catastrophe... how long did it take before this incident was reported to the Phoenix?"

Yul shook his head. "I don't know. The Crab handled that part of it."

He took a deep breath. "So, there's more. This part I'm a lot fuzzier on, though. There's also some kind of cult that's trying to open a portal to push the planet... uh... into another realm." He scratched his head. "Mumei could explain it better. Anyway, that may or may not be involved. I sorta think that they are."

Well, that wasn't exactly what she wanted to hear during a miai. By the way the planet you're on has mushroom-zombies, tsukai, and cultists.

"Shit." Was her first response. As pilots, this was pretty far out of their area.

"... Did you drag her into that?"

"I'll drink to that." Yul said dryly, raising his teacup and taking a sip.

He set it down a little hard, giving Hyeon-ju a look. "I didn't drag her into it. I heard about it from her. She's perfectly capable of getting in, and out, of trouble on her own." Yul grinned. "In other words, we're a terrific match."

She almost flinched a little at that. "She's a real keeper, that's for sure, Yul." Hyeon-ju gave her wingmate a pat on the shoulder. "Treat her well."

But there was still the looming troubles hanging over them. "So... what's the plan? How's the magistrates responding to all this?"

Yul nodded. "I will. Believe me." His eyes seemed noticeably more alive, talking about the prospect.

The question made Yul grimace. "Not well. I mean, when I gave testimony, she didn't ask any questions about what we saw. Just if we went there, who else was there, have a flogging."

He chewed his lip a moment. "There's some suggestion that she's in the cult." He whispered.