[D1 LA] Feast Preparation

[Shosuro Hatsuki]

Hatsuki appeared at the door of her cousin's room, scratching gently at the frame. "Nadeshiko-san? It's Hatsuki."

[Doji Nadeshiko]

"Please, do come in!"

Nadeshiko's in the adjacent sitting room, sat before a low table; she's currently returning the lid to her writing box, the book beside it closed. She then turns to face her cousin and give a bow. "Thank you for joining me, Hatsuki-san. I hope you had no trouble finding my room?"

Her room... yes, she's made it rather cosy already. A little statue of Benten and her own tea set have been added to the build-in shelves by the alcove. Two intricately-carved wooden chests are stacked in one corner and both her daisho and a third weapon (a decorated nagamaki..?) have been put on display stands.

[Shosuro Hatsuki]

Hatsuki entered with a smile, a carefully tied multi-tier box in her hands that she sets down before bowing. "No, none at all. How have you been, Nadeshiko-san?"

Her eyes pass over the room, taking it with a small smile. At least until her eyes land on the statue of Benten. They pause there briefly, her expression frozen, before she looks back at Nadeshiko and it relaxes. She picked up the box and approached the table after closing the door behind her. "It's quite an interesting village they chose for this event."

[Doji Nadeshiko]

"I'm well! Life here's slow and peaceful -- it's honestly been quite comforting."

She scoots back so there's plenty of room for Hatsuki on her side, bouncing a little where she sits without even realizing it; how exciting!

"Isn't it? Four teahouses! I suppose that's to be expected for a popular holiday village. I do wish there were hot springs, but I've still found the baths quite relaxing, and the garden, oh, the garden, have you seen it? There are little places scattered all throughout that just take your breath away."

As her cousin gets settled in Nadeshiko leans in, asking ever-so-softly, "Are you excited? I'm a bit nervous with anticipation, myself, but hopefully we're all well-received by the judges." Oh -- she looks brimming with questions, and after all that talking the Doji's doing everything in her power to restrain herself.

[Shosuro Hatsuki]

"Dour rather seasonal tea houses. I wonder if they're each more popular in their respective seasons," she mused. "I haven't managed to visit many of them yet. But I have hope that I will before the tournament ends."

"I have seen both gardens. They're very beautiful. I was thinking of experimenting with some of the flowers to see what I can make from them. They're allowed for ikebana, so why not other arts?"

She sighed at the idea of the judges. "Well, they'll probably verbally flay us all. Try not to take it too seriously. Those who cannot do become critics."

[Doji Nadeshiko]

"If they don't let you use their gardens," Nadeshiko says a little more pointedly than she'd like, "I'll see what I can do." There is that small fear festering in her heart -- that Hatsuki won't be given a fair shake. It makes her body tense, like meeting eyes on the battlefield or the moment before a strike. As her emotions crash around like waves inside her they play out physically -- brow furrowing, lips tightening, teeth grinding.

"Hm," The Crane sounds, choosing her next words carefully. "A critic's greatest value is in how they uplift the artists they criticize. If one does not truly learn from criticism, it seems to me to be wasted air. I won't." Oh; that would probably get her in trouble, were not spoken in private to Hatsuki. Nadeshiko's expression becomes sheepish as the tide retreats, and, quietly, she asks: "Is there anything I can do to make this easier for you, Hatsuki?" The application of makeup, or anything else, for that matter; it's an open-ended question.

[Shosuro Hatsuki]

She smiled softly. "Don't worry too much about me, Nadeshiko-san. If they refuse, it will simply make my eventual victory sweeter," she replied with great confidence.

"Here, turn toward me." She said as she unwrapped the box and started setting out the layers, a vast collection of small boxes and vials in ever imaginable color of the rainbow.

[Doji Nadeshiko]

She does as she's told, cheeks already flushed as she opens her eyes to look at Hatsuki while she works. "I should. I'll try. I'm still learning not to be so meddlesome."

The colors... and Hatsuki surely mixed all these herself... a flutter of anticipation courses through Nadeshiko. It's so much like painting but more ephemeral. "When do you choose which to use? How?"

[Shosuro Hatsuki]

"Well, I like to get to know the person I'm working with first, and study their face, as well," she said as she selected the powders and makeup she wanted to use, apparently knowing Nadeshiko and her supply well enough to already have a plan in mind. "Makeup needs to bring out some part of the subject, make some kind of statement... at least at this level."

She considered for a moment, then pulled out another small box. "You need a bit of sparkle, I think. You're so cute."

[Doji Nadeshiko]

"You need a bit of sparkle, I think. You're so cute."

If she COULD sparkle Nadeshiko would! The Crane grins. "You know me too well!" It's not often she's called cute, and the woman happily takes it, humming a little in her anticipation; she looks a bit like a child in this moment. "How would you make such a thing? Do you grind down gemstones?"

[Shosuro Hatsuki]

She nodded. "A rough grind of quartz or zircon creates a wonderful sparkle," she said with a smile as she revealed colors in soft pinks and muted sky blue, looking over her. "You remind me of sakura blossoms... Though with more permanence. I think I want to create an image of a hanami festival." She pulled out a little bit of green, as well.

[Doji Nadeshiko]

Just the thought takes her breath away. Though now Nadeshiko's curious; she has her own thoughts, but -- "If I'm sakura blossoms, what would you be?" She wants to hear from Hatsuki first. The Scorpion knows herself best, and, more importantly, she just wants to hear her cousin's answer.

[Shosuro Hatsuki]

As Hatsuki considers, she takes out a variety of brushes, from the finest of paintbrushes to wide, fluffy ones. "... Red spider lily, maybe. What do you think, Nadeshiko-san?"

[Doji Nadeshiko]

"... Red spider lily, maybe. What do you think, Nadeshiko-san?"

The Doji claps with a bright grin; she'd had it right! "I had thought that as well, or maple leaves in autumn! You're a beautiful and elegant red, Hatsuki." Her voice gets a little lower as she adds, "Especially recently. You've got such a glow about you." Nadeshiko hums as she thinks of the little one possibly causing that glow. "Are you faring well, all things considered?"

[Shosuro Hatsuki]

The Doji claps with a bright grin; she'd had it right! "I had thought that as well, or maple leaves in autumn! You're a beautiful and elegant red, Hatsuki." Her voice gets a little lower as she adds, "Especially recently. You've got such a glow about you." Nadeshiko hums as she thinks of the little one possibly causing that glow. "Are you faring well, all things considered?"

"I suppose I've taken well to my new Clan," she replied with a chuckle as she took out a silk cloth, dabbed something on it, and began rubbing it gently over Nadeshiko's face. It smelled a little bit minty.

"I'm doing much better now that the morning sickness is over." She looked down and smiled. "Considering my brother and I, I can only hope weight get twins. It would be very good fortune for us and the Clan."

[Doji Nadeshiko]

"I'm doing much better now that the morning sickness is over." She looked down and smiled. "Considering my brother and I, I can only hope weight get twins. It would be very good fortune for us and the Clan."

The smell's nice, and it feels silky as it's applied, which adds to the pleasantness. Nadeshiko keeps still ... well... besides her mouth. "It would! Funny how our family has so many of them, being we aren't Scorpions. Well... I mean, you're one now... you know what I mean." With a little laugh she thinks about her own twin brothers. "Do you want a girl or a boy or both? Have you thought of any names?"

[Shosuro Hatsuki]

The smell's nice, and it feels silky as it's applied, which adds to the pleasantness. Nadeshiko keeps still ... well... besides her mouth. "It would! Funny how our family has so many of them, being we aren't Scorpions. Well... I mean, you're one now... you know what I mean." With a little laugh she thinks about her own twin brothers. "Do you want a girl or a boy or both? Have you thought of any names?"

She rubs it in gently. "That needs to absorb for a moment."

"I haven't decided... I'm not really particular, honestly. I am curious what their father wants, though. Perhaps I should come up with two boy and two girl names, just in case. Would you help?"

[Doji Nadeshiko]

"I haven't decided... I'm not really particular, honestly. I am curious what their father wants, though. Perhaps I should come up with two boy and two girl names, just in case. Would you help?"

"Of course, Hatsuki. You know I'd love to!"

Nadeshiko thinks a moment, then adds, "You just have to think of what you want the names to convey first. Are they to show your children your love for them, or to wish them a happy future, or wanting something cute to call them until they're adults? What would you like, and what do you think he'd like?"

[Shosuro Hatsuki]

"Of course, Hatsuki. You know I'd love to!"

Nadeshiko thinks a moment, then adds, "You just have to think of what you want the names to convey first. Are they to show your children your love for them, or to wish them a happy future, or wanting something cute to call them until they're adults? What would you like, and what do you think he'd like?"

"Hmm... I want... the first two, and to show their father my care for him, as well," she mused as she pulled out another creamy substance, this one with a slightly more oily feel, but not too much. She catches the scent of green tea, which marries into the mint well.

"That might be too much at once, though."

[Doji Nadeshiko]

"Hmm... I want... the first two, and to show their father my care for him, as well," she mused as she pulled out another creamy substance, this one with a slightly more oily feel, but not too much. She catches the scent of green tea, which marries into the mint well.

"That might be too much at once, though."

"Maybe, maybe not," The woman answers with a warm smile as she feels an ache for it. Oh, to be so blessed. "If there's something he loves, or something you share, you could start there. Then you'd just have to find them something auspicious related to that topic, and write it in such a way that, when they themselves someday write it, they'll notice the kanji you picked and gather their meaning... hopefully."