Rules: No rules. This is a fluff event.

Several colorful tents have been erected in the xenobotanical gardens for the guests with Phoenix guards standing in attendance, only allowing people with an invitation pass. While this has disgruntled some of the locals, the guards are quick to assure everyone that the garden will be open to everyone soon enough and that this event was announced on the info.phx weeks ago. Ever helpful, the guards have the relevant announcement open on their communicators.

The tents the Phoenix have prepared for the occasion are large, easily fifteen meters wide and more than five meters tall at the center. Large mesh-covered windows woven on the ceiling let in the evening light. As soon as the sun falls beneath the treeline the spirit-lanterns are lit, bathing everything in soft yellow light. The guests are free to mingle among each other and while there Phoenix media is present the few journalists seem to focus on interviewing the locals and leave the off-worlders to their devices for the time being. Several security drones hover above the tents, their low buzz drowned by murmur of the gathered samurai.

In the yellow tent, the quests are served fried mushrooms and white meat on skewers laced with sweet and sour sauce. Servants carry large pitchers of amazake and cold barley tea, eager to fill any cup they find empty. Two rather skilled commoners sit at the center of the tent, playing biwa and shamisen, the tender notes of an ancient tune echoing in the otherwise rather quiet tent.

It was the music that had drawn him in. His dress uniform was perfectly pressed, the boots and jade cufflinks shining brightly from fresh polish. At his side, the peace bound wakizashu, his katana handed over as customary for 'polishing'.

He stood, silently watching the performers, his gaze disturbingly intense, as he maintained that strict posture, back straight and tall.

Ishiyo arrived at the tent in her finest, as the event had been scheduled for the evening. Instead of her normal dress uniform the Crane had opted for the more ostentatious 'mess dress' uniform.

As she entered the gardens most of her outfit was concealed under a navy blue dress cape edged with a silvery ivy design, under which one could see her twin swords. Resting on her head was a cylindrical peaked cap, the band of which was covered in an embroidered silver ivy that formed around the Crane mon as it came together at the front. Pausing at the gardens entrance she removed the hat, a pair of white gloves, the cape, and her one or both of the swords in her daisho as required. She dipped her head to the guard who took them and proceeded to the yellow tent.

With the cape gone, one could now see the powder blue uniform underneath. Normally a relatively simple tunic with a single row of silver buttons, the mess dress had considerably more flair. at its base was a white untucked dress shirt with the same silver ivy pattern as the cape running up the edge where it buttoned together and down and around. The buttons were silver and each was a small picture of a Crane in various stages of rest and flight. Over this dress shirt was worn the powder blue jacket and like the dress shirt it was relatively short, extending just past the waist. Also like the dress shirt it was edged with silver ivy that rose to a high collar. The collar and cuffs were white, the collar also contained fancy embroidered Crane and Daidoji mons. The coat itself was open, save a clasp at the collar, to give a view of the shirt underneath. Her pants were of the same white color as the dress shirt and like wise repeated the ivy pattern along the outside of each leg. The pants had been cut to rest over her footwear, shined blackened shoes of some synthetic material. Her shoulder length white hair had been tamed in a relatively plain bun held together with a clearly non-regulation blue ribbon. Finishing off the ensemble were a series of decorations and most prominently on her right breast a silver pin depicting a Crane in flight, the mark of her status as a combat pilot.

Smiling slightly at the servants, she accepted a glass of water and moved off to the side to see who would catch her eye.

His head tilted as he caught sight of the Lion. When she nodded, he turned more fully to face her, and nodded in return. A servant came by, and Ryuu took a cold cup of barley tea, though he didn't immediately drink.



The Daidoji from the shuttle in, he could immediately recognize her. And the nudging of oobaasan at this very moment, prodded him to step towards her. As he drew closer, he offered a bow, then reached into the jacket pocket of his uniform.

A note was handed to her, his blue eyes unblinking, before he bowed again, and retreated to the music, as if trying to limit anyone's exposure to his aura of dread.

Ishiyo gave a small nod to the Lion, considering if she should commit the attack or remain above the fray for the situation to develop.

She smiled as the Daigotsu approached and opened her mouth to offer a greeting when he suddenly had her a note and walked off. The Crane stood their holding the note in confusion for a few minutes. Then moving back a little to get some privacy and she proceeded to read the slip of paper.

Tsugiharu had been nearly frozen between the four tents for no few minutes. They each held such wonders! The red tent were cooking whole animals to serve before the guests! Which was....a distinctly Unicorn tradition. He was not supposed to be hunting Unicorn. But meat on the bone! For someone raised on under-city space station fare, it was almost too much to resist.

He noted one of his clanmates going to a yellow tent with music which wasn't terribly interesting. A Lion going in after him was even less so. If the man choked her to death it might be interesting to watch during dinner, but not terribly likely. But then a striking figure of a Crane entered the tent, and finally Duty won out over Stomach...barely.

There seemed to be some intrigue going on between the pair, but for now he was content to take the food that was still a step up from what he'd been raised on.

Finding herself likewise drawn by the sound of music, as certainly others were. Ichika walked into the tent with wide eyes, better to take in all the sights. From the entrance she stopped for a moment to view before she certainly would be reminded to please move inside of the tent, which she did. Stepping in toward the outer perimeter she walked around to view the food for a moment and take in the scents. With a bright smile she then came around the other side of the table and walked toward the center where the performers were. Standing just by them as she watched them place.

"Beautiful," she commented to herself, watching the performers. At the center of the tent she stood, quite enamored with the performance and wearing her pretty blue kimono with floral print. A most common piece of attire for the girl.

Spotting Ichika from behind Shoan rolls her shoulders. The Doji might be good for conversation, at the very least they probably wouldn't push for anything dishonorable and they appeared vaguely happy.

Shoan clears her throat and steps a few paces towards Ichika, trying to appear nonchalant
"It's quite a sight for sore ey-"
As she rounds a table her gaze finally reaches Ichika's face and a thousand thousand nuerons flash in alarm, the Lion's entire nervous system roaring in danger as signals desperately rush to her vocal cords screaming 'ABORT ABORT'
"-yewitnesses....who would be sore for not being present....for today."

As Shoan started talking Ichika slowly started looking her way when they seemed to have 'a moment.' Raising a brow Ichika tilted her head ever so slightly to the right, "A-are you alright Lion-sama?" she asked, concern colored her tone as she turned to face Sloan instead of the performers.

Swallow. Still uncertain if she'd saved it.
"I am in excellent health Doji-san, thank you for asking. How are-"
Wait, she'd almost done it again.
Shoan frowns. This was nothing like the simulations

"How are you....so kind? In asking after my wellbeing."

Ichika blinked, "I.."she glanced to the left and right of Shoan, then a bit further to her left but found nothing out of the ordinary far as she was certain. Bringing a hand up to her face she checked the corner of her bottom lip, but no she didn't actually grab anything to eat yet.

"A-are you certain everything is alright Lion-sama?" she asked, a light chuckle. Furrowing her brow as she looked to Shoan and tried to get a read on what it could be. "You seem to be.." she curled her lips and furrowed her brow as she tried to think of the right word.

Time to retake the initiative, just like her sensei always had told her.
".....Tall?"
.....Hey, it was true.

From a distance, Shion saw the yellow tent gathering a bit of a crowd already, and she almost turned around to go to one of the other ones... but when she noticed the musical performance was coming from that one, she sighed and decided to go for it. She would rather start slow, meeting a few people at a time... but these players were actually good! And this traditional tune... She thought she might actually even know it. It sounded eerily familiar.

Grabbing a cup of barley tea and a skewer with mushrooms, she started thinking how she might mix the tune with some beats. It was very interesting as it were, of course, and it was appropriate for this setting. But... how could it appeal more to a younger audience, like...

She looked around. Two Spider. She hadn't been around their clan much. One of them seemed to be enjoying the music... but he seemed busy with a very well-clad Crane. Another Crane, and a Lion.

She wondered if she should approach anyone, but in the end decided to just bow to those she went by, with a respectful "-sama", and keep somewhat aside, sampling her mushrooms and the tea as she watched the players with interest.

Having finished reading the note, Ishiyo folded it and slipped it into an interior pocket of her jacket. She motioned for a servant to join her and spoke quietly, "Would you kindly inform the Spideh Gentleman over there," Her head dips in the direction of Ryuu, "That I would be pleased to join him afteh this dinneh." The servant bowed in return and relayed the message.

With that settled, Ishiyo took stock of the new arrivals. Catching the eyes of her clan mate speaking to the Lion, she dipped her head in acknowledgment. If her kin had need of the Daidoji, then Ishiyo was nearby. Her attentions shift to the second Spider that had entered, and a friendly incline of the head was given to him. It reminded her to seek out the rest of his clan. Strengthening the alliance seemed a prudent choice after all. And as such caught a second servant and directed him to deliver a message to Tsugiharu, asking if they might set up a meeting the following day. The act brought a brief grin on her face, all those notes being passed around it was like she was in some little conspiracy in the old court dramas.

But her attentions ultimately landed on the Sparrow. Technically a long distant cousin, many many generations removed. With a deft step she made her way to Shion, stopping only to take up a plate.

"Good evening, Suzume-sama." She said on the approach, adding a proper bow, "I am Daidoji Ishiyo, Nikutai and Fighteh pilot in the Crane Fleet Ai-eh Arm, last posted to the 312th Naval Fighteh Squadron aboard the light carrieh The Golden Heron." With that out of the way the Daidoji gave a little smile, "Do you mind if I join you?"

He was sipping from the cold barley tea. Ryuu seemed to be focusing more on the other miai candidates as they walked in. The servant approached him, and delivered the message. A nod of politeness to them, then a most unexpected thing.

The corners of his lips turned slightly upwards, then the barest hint of teeth in a genuine smile.

Tsugiharu looked up as the servant approached him with the request from the Crane. How odd. He'd known people distrustful of communicator networks, and she seemed to be talking to a Sparrow. Perhaps she was some sort of traditionalist Crane who eschewed modern technology? What exactly did such people like to do for fun? It's not like she'd want to go shopping at the mall, or hang out at the starcade. He thought about it, but recalled the city's locations.

He informed the servant of his decision and sent them scurrying back to the Daidoji to relay it. It would be so much easier to just send a comunictor number to coordinate, but as a traditionalist, she might not even have one.

"Tall? Y-yea.. I suppose so?" she tilted her head even more to the side, raising on a foot awkwardly. Then, slipping back firmly onto her foot, "You sound like you're avoiding something, Lion-sama," she smiled, and brought her hands up to her sides, "It's alright though! You can tell me!" she said leaning in a little.

With its gentle yellow glow emanating across the garden this was a natural choice for the Firefly. For this occasion he had taken great care over his appearance. Everything was pressed, clean, and/or polished according to its type. He was dressed in his Clan colours of brown and gold, having chosen his Explorer Corps dress uniform.

Entering the tent he bowed respectfully to all those gathered within. "Good evening minna-sama." His sidearm and katana were handed over to the waiting guardians and he casually adjusted the wakizashi for comfort.

It was quite the assortment of guests. One of them, a Lion, looked vaguely familiar. Perhaps he had seen her leave the arrival shuttle the night before? It had been along trip and he had slept the majority of it. He moved over to collect a skewer and a glass of water from the hospitality table and pondered who to approach first.

The Crane's eyes flicked to the other new arrival, he seemed vaguely familiar. Should he glance her way, Ishiyo will give him a nod and adjust her stance to give the impression of openess. Most of her attention remained on the Sparrow she was standing with.