He smiled: "I've know about your passion for fauna, but the engineering part is new. You really seem to do alot of things around here, don't you?"

"I've yet to meet one of them,... then again my duties aren't the most sought after for the dragon either. " he shrugged a little.

Nishida emptied his cup and looked to Chiruah. "If you're ready we can explore the Shiro now."

"I do my best to be as knowledgeable and handy around here," she smiled proudly at that. "Engineering is kind of a second language around here, so I can't take all of the credit in my choice of field. A lot of our lack of manpower is supplement by various gadgets and drones. If we had enough teams to send out in the wild to observe fauna or survey geological findings, we would. It also helps to be your own repair person too in a pinch!"

"Of course, Yasuki-sama," she said as she rose from her seat, making her way back to the hallway. "You've probably seen a majority of what the Shiro is like already but I think I can take you to the courtroom and my father's gallery."

Nishida made a mental note of it. "You seem to lead a very exciting life here, Asako-san. Researching, catagoling, engineering, repairing. You're like a Kaiu pocketknife in person."

He also stood up and began to follow her.
"The courtroom and your fathers gallery? That would be lovely." he said.

Chiruha gave a bashful shrug of her shoulder with a sheepish smile. "Aw...well, I guess you'd be right in that regard, Yasuki-sama. An issue with being so handy is that I'm almost involved everywhere but I think everyone is tolerating me for now."

She would lead them down the hallways, leaving the area where the meetings rooms where situated. The halls were refurbished in the same fashion, looking like the interior of a traditional feudal Rokugani Shiro, although there were lights instead of lanterns. There was a washi facade over the windows, overlooking the front courtyard of the Shiro. Eventually, they would be taken to a large foyer that led toward three sets of double-doors. The doors slid open easily to reveal a large courtroom with pale orange concrete walls, although the seated was arranged with traditional kneeling pillows and had a throne upon a dais.

"Here is the courtroom, perhaps the heart of the Shiro. I imagine that this would be redone in time like the hallways. I'm sure my father would be pleased to not see concrete anymore...but I think it's quaint in a way, a good combination of the two. In the early days of the colony, this was more of an assembly hall with benches and folding chairs."

"In the future, I would like to see your talents in action. You don't often see samurai with such a wide range of knowledge and skills. You have definitely aroused my interest." he said kindly.

Nishida followed Chiruah and looked around. The restoration work could not be denied and the governor had to invest a lot of resources in redesigning the Shiro. Comparing this with the rest of the city, the governor had to ask himself what was more important to him, his reputation or his subjects?

After they arrived in the court hall, he walked a few steps along the wall and touched the cold concrete.
"Under the boards and facades you can usually find the old stone. Or in this case the old concrete. I understand what you want to say. This was the beginning, to cover it up might displace the memory of it. But as a researcher you know that you can't close your mind to the new. It is a delicate act to balance tradition with progress, but if any clan can do this, it is the Phoenix."

Chiruha seemed to wrestle with that thought for a moment before speaking, "You may be right, Yauski-sama...I admit that I'm probably more attached to this place due to nostalgia than anything else. Most of my childhood was spent running in circles around this room and chasing my brother after court was done. I'm sure the new look will be great and a draw for both locals and visitors alike. My father will be pleased with all the compliments he'll get from his renovations."

"You don't need to justify yourself Asako-san, for me, as someone who is a stranger in these halls, it is easy to say that the old must give way to the new. For me it doesn't matter if the walls are made of laminate or concrete, the basic structure has to be right." he said looking at her, offering her a smile.

"Of course," she nodded at first. "Changes won't make it less of a court...I suppose I sometimes worry if my father will fancy too many of rapid renovation that the walls could potentially collapse from the weight of the addition than consider the structure as a whole. Obviously, that won't happen...but I guess his ambitious have been great as of late that I wouldn't be surprised if that was the case."

"You mentioned your fathers ambitions a few times now, Asako-san. What kind of man is, or was he? If i may inquire of course."

"It would probably be best to speak to him to get the full impression," she said with a faint smile. "I feel I might have rambled too much and put an impression of him already. He is a rather difficult man to meet, although it seems that the Cranes have been successful in earning his attention. I'm sure someone as accomplished as Yasuki-sama will find a way."

She smiled more. "However, that is a good segway to the next part of our tour. Please, let me show you to my father's gallery. His museum, so to speak. I think that will give you a very good impression of him without meeting him," with a gesture, she began to lead him out of the courtroom.

"Of course, of course, i wanted to meet him at some point anyway." he said coming back from the small stroll he took through the court hall.

"I am already curious about it, lead the way" he said friendly.

The museum Chiruha spoke of was rather to the courtroom, just adjacent down one hall. One could imagine that the governor wanted some of his attendants to pass by and admire everything he had on display. The room was rather stark in structure, just like the courtroom, made up of mostly coloured concrete walls and pillars. However, there were display cases and hung portraits that made it look far from plain. There were many things on display were many things, to say the least. Someone could spend quite a bit time admiring something before discovering something else equally fascinating.

One half of the museum was dedicated to the past, mostly the governor's personal past. There was his flight suit on display, as well as his old sidearm with several medals of service on a glass display case. There were holograms and photographs of him with celebrities, included a signed shamisen from Kakita Kotone, famed classical musician. Finally, there were gifts from the Unicorn, included an old scimitar and included a strange-looking firearm that looked more ornamental than functional. There was a furcoat from the Moto worn by a mannequin on display standing beside the firearm.

The other half of the room kept his idea for the future. It hosted a miniature model of the city, except this one had the Shiro fully remodelled to look like a Shiro of old with a few advanced touches like a greater number of communication dishes, an extended garden and a dedicated barracks. The city is grown and stretched as well, growing far past the confines of its perimeter with a production and manufacturing district. There are also several conceptual arts if future building projects, as well a proposed race track dedicated to the otori. There was even some art done of Asakaze from space, imagining a steady highway of shuttles and freigthers making their way toward the planet. The city could be seen from space, even.

Chiruha knew that objects would speak for themselves and stood to the side as the Yasuki came to his own conclusion.

Nishida walked along the museum. He studied the uniform and medals carefully. There was something fascinating about examining someone else's past. Every little detail revealed something about the man. Combatant type, Big dreams. Fierce, famous, as it looked like there were connections to the Unicorn Clan. Maybe Chiruah's mother was a Bushi of the Unicorn Clan? That would explain the gifts.

After the past, he turned to the future. This was almost even more important for him. One man's dreams were another man's profit. And what expensive dreams the man had. Enormous facilities, trading places and entertainment districts. A man of great ambition, then.

Nishida summarized Mental. A belligerent, famous pilot of the Phoenix fleet who probably achieved marriage to the unicorn because of his deeds, fame, or gregariousness. The only question was why he had been sent to the end of the universe on a red rock abandoned by the kami. Was he missing a piece in the puzzle, or was it because he had married a unicorn? Questions upon questions. One thing Nishida was sure of, the man would not let himself be defeated and would make a jewel out of this Red Rock.

"You can be very proud of your father, Asako-san, he is a very dedicated man" Nishida said after walking up and down the displays.

---
OOC: not sure if i'm right with my imperssion ^^

(OOC: That's an interesting interpretation, at least!)

Chiruha quietly gave him a moment to take in all of the treasures and sentimental items he had on display. Having lived here most of her life, the items seemed obvious and almost to the point of boisterous. Of course, having some fresh eyes her could paint the items in a different light and she was often interested in hearing what others made of the items.

Once the Yasuki spoke again, she gave a small chuckle with a nod. "Oh, I am proud of my father, Yasuki-sama. My father made sure we are well aware of his achievements. There have been times where we loiter this room while we wait for court to end to see our parents once more. I suppose it's probably a bit curious I didn't become a pilot myself. However, as you can see, he does have high aspirations. His ceiling doesn't exactly stop with being governor of Shiro Yaoke. I'm sure his vision is grandiose...because it is, just can't help if we're leaving much behind in the process."

"In any case, I must pay him a visit and exchange a few words with him. He is fascinating, but I don't want to bombard you with unnecessary questions about your father, when our little meeting is not really about that." he said going back to her.

"I have now showered you with questions long enough, it is time for your turn. Ask me something! I will try to answer it to the best of my knowledge and conscience."

She nodded twice. "I feel that you might have touched on this briefly when we first met, but you mentioned something about your own studies and even your dog. Maybe you can share more with me now it's just the two of us?"

"Ahh of course." he said.

"I would say that I have a large general educational horizon. I have read countless densai on my travels through space and have seen almost every documentary on the Mya Networks. I find the connections between the teachings interesting. Insights into Bushido can give you insight into religion and history, knowledge about the clans gives you conclusions about art and wars. I find the connection between xenobiology and our own teaching in biology extremely fascinating. So many strange and unknown beings and plants that are so different from us in their cellular and chemical properties can have effects and effects that are completely unknown to us, but still can seem so familiar. I have heard the term space chicken for the Otori a dozen times from our competitors and they are not entirely wrong. The Otori resembles a common chicken in stature. But its behavior and specifications are quite different, not least the enormous size and the proud, intelligent behavior of the animals. Then there is the fact that I have heard that the Fungi forests produce a kind of poisonous spore mist, probably to deter predators? There is always so much to learn and experience."

Nishida started talking as if someone had removed a mental plug.

"Ohh you saked a second question too. Right. My dog, a shiba inu, is called Mochi. I got him as a gift on my gempukku from my sensei. I took care for him since. I guess Akechi is taking him on a walk right now? Normally i try to walk him two to three times a day, but my duties keep me from it sometimes." he said with a smile.

Chiruha smiled broadly at Nishida, "That's rather impressive, Yasuki-sama. I get a feeling that you must learn the same way I do, maybe. There are days where I would spend just reading on things and there are always more curious questions that form in each topic I pick up. Eventually, I've come to the same lesson as many career scholars that all things in history and life are connected in something of an ecosystem of ideas. Something cannot be or exist without the stepping stone of another. You can't fully comprehend something without knowing its origins and then all the things that are made possible from its existence."

She mused for a moment. "I suppose in a way like how Fortunism and kami reverence in the early days of the Empire combined with the arrival of the great Kami make both make the Empire what is today when it comes to modern religion. And of course, Emperor who have followed the founding of the Empire create laws and customs that echos throughout the centries to create certain mindsets and precedence that could be tied to event long after the Emperor's passing...as a small example. Anyway, I digress..."

"It would have been nice for you to bring Mochi along. I suppose my father might have been wary about it but I'm sure he'll understand. You've mentioned you come from the Green Carp, how is it like there?"

"Oh how wonderful, someone who understands that knowledge cannot exist in a vacuum. I prefer to take notes when I read a book or look at a documentation and later organize other books based on these notes. Something that has already filled the memory of one densai or another. And yet I still haven't read or seen everything." he said and returned her smile.

"I didn't bring him today, but you are welcome to join one of my walks, Asako-san. Of course, only if you want to." he offered to her.

"I don't think many of us have or ever will. I'm sure even art my mother retired, she will be spending many years reading and learning things...while contemplating enlightenment, of course," she bobbed her head after that added note.

"I'm sure I'll be able to find some time in my busy schedule. There are more than a few places around here. There some dog owners too."