Shoan carefully takes Nozomi's hand and squeezes it gently before looking into the Kitsu's eyes.
The sound of her heart pounding seems to drown out all the other sound in the room as she slowly leans forward.

It was time for a killer one liner. Something romantic, sweet and a little daring. So Shoan went with her gut, what her body was telling her right there and then.
"You...uh...have a nice hand."
And then she leaned forward and planted her lips firmly onto Nozomi's.

Nozomi took the hand and closed her eyes, a smile on her lips. "Thanks?" she said, opening her eyes and tilting her head. The kiss, though. That caught her off-guard even more. When it had happened, she had not even done much in response with her lips.

The priestess pulled back her hand gently and leaned back. "I, well, this is not the best place. I really want to," she trailed off, touching her lips. "You taste very nice... is that weird to say? Goodness..."

"I...I don't know, I'm sure it's normal, of course you taste things when you do...things."
Shoan was only slowly recovering from hyperventilating
"I hope it wasn't...you're right, I mean...I want to too...it's just."
Looking down at her own hands
"I feel that way, about you, really and truly...you taste nice to me too."

Nozomi shook her head furiously. "Enough about the tasting. We can talk about the food, though?" She sighed. "I didn't not like it. I, well, just think it's improper. We're not like the other candidates here. We're not so boorish."

Shoan looks amused but she only nods as the attendants clap politely outside before bringing in the first course, silken tofu in a dashi broth topped with bonito flakes.

"Of course, other Clans might act inappropriately in front of others, but that has never been the Lion way. I am lucky to have a proper Kitsu maiden in my life who will ensure I bring honour to her and the Clan."
Eyes sparkling Shoan gestures for Nozomi to dig in and see if the food lived up to the hype.

"I'm glad you think of me that way," she muttered. She then lit up and smiled at Shoan. "I don't mean to be bitter towards you. I just have my own doubts and so do others."

Nozomi glanced down at the food and took the chance to take a small nibble out of the tofu. "Hm. This is... a lot more scrumptious than I'm used to!" she commented.

Shoan was savouring hers, well that and the shugenja's smile. The tofu was rapidly disappearing.

"Mmmmhm...mmmmh. Yes, yes quite nice indeed."
This beats barracks cooking every time

"I have my doubts too....but not about the important things, not after I've made up my mind."

"You are quite stubborn," Nozomi commented with a giggle. She swallowed her last bite and set aside her utensils for the time being. "Maybe I'm too harsh on the others. If I was better with words, perhaps I could show them what I really mean... that we must conduct ourselves with honor and expect the same from our matches."

"You are not a courtier, I wouldn't expect you to be able to sway whole scores of samurai with words alone. Sometime...we can just lead by doing. The example we set can become a standard. For example:"
Sounding amused "I am very stubborn, but if I remain so for long enough and do well enough others might come to see it as charmingly determined. But there is nothing wrong with wanting other samurai to live up to the ideals of bushido."

With a regretful sigh Shoan lowers her now empty bowl...goodbye wonderful entree.

"Example?" Nozomi looked down at the empty plates and then shook her head. "I just wish that the other clans sent their best representatives. They made a poor example of themselves... unless that's how they truly are."

Attendants enter, quickly clearing the table and then sweeping away any crumbs before placing a pair of small scented candles.

The second course is Takoyaki, but instead of octopus the chef appears to have chosen a local giant squid like creature.

"It...it is possible that might be how they are, at least, when they think they can get away with it. Sometimes.... samurai don't live up to expectations. You hear about something or read about someone and they turn out to just be a person with flaws and foibles."

"Oh, this looks rather interesting." Nozomi peeked at the meat and glanced up to Shoan. "Is this related to those things you were blasting before?"

The priestess smiled faintly. "I don't know about that. I've been surrounded by other Kitsu for my entire life. All of them are so perfect. That's not even mentioning the ones that get more than a short paragraph about their life." After all, the Lion were historians who were particular to a fault.

She sipped her tea. "I just hope I'm not blinded by my own... affections. Is what we have arranged truly the best for the clan? Is there someone worthy and willing that we've left out of the equation? The Unicorn seem to be all accounted for, there's Hide and Eriko, no matter what I say..." She did not mention any of the other Crab quite purposely. "Have I overlooked the Minor Clans?"

"Hmmmm"
Shoan inspects the food
"I imagine you're right, this could be the ocean dwelling cousin of the ones I was 'blasting'. "

Meeting Nozomi's gaze and raising an eyebrow
"Your whole family, all of them completely perfect? And you worry that at age 18 you are not perfect yet?"
Shoan shakes her head with some amusement
"You should give it more time, at least a couple more years before you feel surpassed by your own family. I have seen you in action and I hope my own opinion counts for some small amount."

The last question startles Shoan slightly and her bowl rattles for a moment
"Oh? Well, there is the Firefly and...I don't know many other Minor Clanners here."

"I suppose 'blasting' is a bit of an informal term," Nozomi said before giggling.

"Well even my peers and my siblings. But... yes, your opinion means a lot to me." Her eyes went downcast though she still smiled. "There are some dissenting opinions out there but hearing you say that over and over still brings me joy." She looked back up. "Would it be better if you didn't have to say it or would I start to miss it? Who really knows."

The priestess reached out, placing her hand on the Shoan's end of the table. Terribly awkward but that was the Nozomi way. "I didn't mean anything by that. I just want to be sure that I'm no hypocrite judging Hide for not looking more into Eriko's beliefs." She smiled faintly. "But you. I am certain that you are more honorable than I am in every sense of the word. There's nobody I consider more worthy of a candidate... for anyone."

With her usual Shoan calmness
"I have no plans to stop saying it, sometimes I'll even be thinking it while saying other things."

Shoan extends her own hand it's tips just brushing Nozomi's
"You are just....be sensible, being dutiful. There is no shame in ensuring your choices are the best for the Clan. And you even managed to flatter me at the same time. All I want is for you to be at peace with whatever your choice is."

"Another reason why I appreciate your company," Nozomi said, finishing her cup of tea before looking down at their two hands. She went for a small poke before resuming proper, upright etiquette. "Truth be told, I don't think there'd be a single match across the entire Empire that would make my family happy. There'd always be something lacking or perhaps that I wouldn't be worthy."

She shook her head and turned her attention to the food. She took a tentative bite and then smirked. "It's good! But almost... ha. I'm used to eating less meat in general."

"I will work until I can make your family satisfied, no matter what that takes. But I will not brook them treating my wife poorly, if they do so they disrespect me and the Clan."
She nods, as if that was that and all life's problems could just be solved by hard work before turning back to the food.

"Mmmmhm, I think everything here is either mushrooms or the giant creatures that walk around the giant mushrooms. Considering that the cuisine is quite good."

"Hm. You are more stubborn than I am," Nozomi said before sticking out her tongue. "But can you match my parents in stubbornness?"

She pursed her lips. "Giant mushrooms. Why is it giant mushrooms?" She dipped her head in a bit of sadness. "Aw I didn't read about that during the whole time I was here."

"Your parents better be ready to be tested."
Shoan's eyes twinkle
"Although I think that when Kitsu Nozomi-san makes up her mind and knows she is right....well, then it is not changed easily."

She's about to continue but then the third course arrives, lightly grilled mushrooms on rich with a selection of vegetables
"Ah, well here we are. You can document them and then continue your reading once we leave Asakaze. I would not want you to miss out on mushrooms after so long here."

The priestess looked to the ceiling. "Maybe so. But I think it takes a lot longer for me to make up my mind in most scenarios. You're much more of a woman of action, aren't you?"

Nozomi smirked and pulled out her densai. "Okay, let's see what we have here. I'll log in the taste too. How often do you see that in flora databases?"