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 orange tent, the guests are served temple-food, pickled mushrooms and vegetables with plain rice. Even if the food offered is ‘pure’, the servants are carrying large pitchers of amazake and cold barley tea, eager to fill any cup they find empty. Several scrolls depicting religious adages hung on the walls, reminding every visitor of their moral responsibilities and the importance of righteous conduct.

Having considered the menu options on offer, Maiko made her way, slowly, over to the orange tent.

A slight smile formed at the corner of her lips as she surveyed the sparse attendance.

Settling down at a table with only minor difficulty, Maiko set upon her bowl of rice with its pickled relish, savoring both the flavors of the dish and the solitude.

Moriko made her choice purely based on colour, perhaps unwisely. She didn't even realise what she'd done until there was a cup of amazake in her hand and she was surveying the disappointing choice of food. The young Phoenix could smell roasting meat and mushrooms in the other tents, but it didn't matter now, and she shrugged it off, picking up a bowl of rice and adding an assortment of vegetables and fungi.

Her dog, Ten, had been left at home for the event, much to the creature's distress. She missed having him at her side, especially on a night like this, what kind of party didn't have a dog to talk to when you got tired of the people?

The young woman approached Maiko, and smiled, "good evening, Shosuro-san, may I?" Moriko indicated to a vacant seat opposite the Scorpion.

Having been caught halfway through a sizable mushroom cap that had featured an eye-catching flower pattern upon it, at least before Maiko took a bite out of it, the Shosuro nodded in response to Moriko's question and finished the bite of mushroom upon which she was chowing down.

Chasing the solid food with some miso soup, Maiko nodded in greeting. "Good evening, Shiba-san. Hadn't figured on much company at this tent, but it's never a bad thing to have, eh? Please." She indicated the seat that Moriko had gestured to.

Moriko plopped into the seat and placed her food and drink in front of her. "It is a tad quiet here, isn't it?" she agreed with good humour. "Is this your first time on Asakaze?"

The quietness of this side appealed to the brightly coloured woman with very little in the was of mons, as she walked around carrying a plate with a bit of everything on it. She hadn't tried any yet, nor picked a seat, just looking around curiously.

"It certainly is. I picked it because I thought it would be quiet. Plenty of time later for things to get loud, then this quiet would be something to miss." Maiko agreed with the assessment of venue quietness, chomping down on some pickled root vegetables and a bit of rice.

Maiko snorted quietly, the nostrils of her somewhat crooked nose flaring. She coughed and reached for some amazake. "Sorry about that. Allergies. Yes, first time on this planet. You?"

"Allergies? Oh, that sounds terrible," the Shiba happily shovelled a big scoop of rice into her mouth and chewed thoroughly. "I live here, I was born here," she clarified, "so where do you come from? what's that like?"

Michiya entered the tent and got himself set up with some of the local food. Just a small bowl of rice with some pickled mushrooms and vegetables over it seemed nice enough to him. For now he just ate and finished it off with a cup of the local tea. It was an entirely new experience for him, as it was his first time eating food on a planet that was not Rokugan. It surprised him how much it was just like eating back home. He was kind of hoping that it would be more... unique.

Maybe the had been serving different things in other tents? He had only chosen the organge tent because... well, he had just chosen a tent. Maybe he should have investigated a bit first.

Atena didn't really know which tent to assist so decided to enter this orange one. Instead of taking a seat she looked at the several scrolls on the walls. Interesting...

Wanting to meet the fellow participants, as this banquet was intended to facilitate, Michiya set aside his bowl and approached the Moshi.

"Good evening. I am Seppun Michiya no Hanako. I hope your day has been well so far," he says with a polite bow.

"Good evening, Seppun sama... It has been good. I am Moshi Atena... a Komori trained Mantis." She continued to look at the wall. "Do you think they put this for discussion or really remind us of how we are suppose to behave?"

"Possibly a bit of both," he replies, looking to the wall. "But I suspect more the latter with the hope that we'll be able to figure out how to start conversations ourselves. I am not overly familiar with Komori specialties outside of Komori Iida's broadcasts. I watched a lot of them back home on Rokugan."

Hey that's the person thingy they were talking about before! The Imperial thingyperson!

Nara looked in the direction of Michiya for a few moment, seeing him talking to a Mantis, before moving towards that direction.

"The LNN is also Komori based. We have an intricate system to help with the news... But really not that important... Seppun Sama." Atena noted the Spider approaching and gave her a small nod. "These walls may be a reminder that we are still samurai and need to be proper to our hosts."

The arrival of the Spider gets another polite bow. "I have every intention of honoring our hosts as well as I can. It would not do to make a fool of myself my first time off Rokugan," he says with a chuckle.

"But I am mostly looking forward to what happens after the miai. It is a complete mystery to me, but my dream has always been to see more of the empire and experience what is out there," he says with a smile.

Two bows! Operation get in the conversation was a success.

Why was she trying to join again? Oh right, one of them was important.

"Ah, hellooo~" she bowed to them both "sorry sorry to interrupt! Just wanted to meet with lovely people and it's a party right?" she beamed a smile "I'm Susumu Nara!"

She looked at the writing. It wasn't really her thing but she at least peered at it for a bit before looking at the man who said he wanted to see more.

"There's so much to see, to do. So many worlds opened up. Beyond anyones imagination."

Hoshiko smiled as she entered the tent. Ren was safe in her flat and she was ready for some good food and conversation. She greeted the others and sat down.

Nodding at that. "That's why I mentioned to Moshi-san earlier that I watched 'Strange Worlds' regularly back home. I am a fan of Komori Iida's."

Now that he got a closer look at Nara, he thinks he recognizes her from somewhere. But as he hadn't met too many Spider in his life and she wasn't one of them that he could recall, he didn't know why he felt that way. But there it was, nagging the back of his mind.

"I am Seppun Michiya no Hanako. I hope you have had a pleasant day so far."

Atsumori had picked the tent with the shortest-looking line for dinner, which in retrospect might have been a tactical miscalculation. It had been nearly a full planetary cycle since he'd stumbled off the shuttle, and he was beginning to think his stomach might actually be ready for some real animal protein. Still, food was food; he loaded up with tofu, pickles, and a large helping of rice and cast about for somewhere to sit.



There was an empty spot! Right next to that other Phoenix who'd just come in. Atsumori set himself down, fortunately not overbalancing the small table with his ample servings of, well, everything. "Howdy." He grinned at Hoshiko, ducking his head in a quick bow.