(D9, EE) Naming Names Ceremony and discussion)

[Kitsune Shizenko]

Snip

"Of course, it would be a great opportunity to practice calligraphy and I could send you some of Raakun's work. He wants to be appreciated for his art." Shizenko smiled.

[Horiuchi Sriyani]

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Sriyani's player realizes she'd been mistaken about an announcement today of where this competition would be next held, and stops worrying about it. "Discount? Hardly. There'd be no insult being named second to you." She does try for a dignified expression, but the silly grin keeps slipping through as the whole thing, and its implications, settle in. "Only Unicorn Sapphire ambassador...and first Champion. That opens negotiations for sure."

"And travel for you...where do you think you'll go first?"

[Doji Yoshino]

Snip

"Then let's."

She looked pleased as she turned her focus back to proceedings. The new Champion looked rather delighted. It was certainly her moment.

[Doji Nadeshiko]

"And travel for you...where do you think you'll go first?"

"Yes... I imagine things will be very different when you return home." That man will have to find some other poor woman, and hopefully he'll be weeping at his own stupidity. "Well, would you have a traveling companion, Sriyani-dono? If I may be so bold."

[Horiuchi Sriyani]

"And travel for you...where do you think you'll go first?"

"Yes... I imagine things will be very different when you return home." That man will have to find some other poor woman, and hopefully he'll be weeping at his own stupidity. "Well, would you have a traveling companion, Sriyani-dono? If I may be so bold."

She presses her lips together, suppressing a giggle--that'd be rather undignified, and she was trying to hold it together. "Hmm...How do you feel about monks as traveling companions for a bit of the way? Togashi-san and his fellows are heading the same direction, at least until nearly the border of our clans' lands. And then just a bit to my village...if you're sure you want to see such a small village." She pauses. "Well, it's a big village, but awfully small compared to a real town..." And now she's just babbling a bit and ducks her head a moment, chagrined.

Then she blinks and mouths 'dono?'... "oh no. Nadeshiko-san!"

[Togashi Yoshiaki]

Yoshiaki was there of course he accepted his own reward with grace and any looking to him when Sriyani was named would note the growing warmth and size of the smile he wore.

For now he observed others his eyes flitting to a certain champion now and again but wandering the total of those gathered. This was a happy day.

[Doji Nadeshiko]

"oh no. Nadeshiko-san!"

"Why, I imagine we could learn much, were a monk to travel with us, and feel all the safer for the company. Besides... I'd love to travel with you, wherever you go, especially there. The welcome you'll receive will be quite exciting and I'd hate to miss it!"

At Sriyani's reaction Nadeshiko just covers her mouth and giggles. She'll enjoy teasing Sriyani with it for a long, long time. Eventually her eyes open to regard the woman -- her Champion. There's so much pride in that gaze. Love, too. "Are you happy, my dear?"

[Horiuchi Sriyani]

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She nods. "Happy, and a little overwhelmed. Just starting to wonder what all I've gotten myself into while getting myself out of other things! But the welcome home will be exciting, and I'd love to have you there."

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When his eyes are somewhere in her direction, she tries to gesture him over. She ought to ask before adding travelers to the party after all.

While waiting, her eyes widen in realization, "oh...imagine how much more attention your pillowbooks will get now! Maybe one about a traveling group of slightly odd monks doing some good deeds as they go." She doesn't mention the more salacious pillowbook fodder likely to be found along that journey.

[Doji Nadeshiko]

"oh...imagine how much more attention your pillowbooks will get now! Maybe one about a traveling group of slightly odd monks doing some good deeds as they go."

"Then I will gladly follow you, my friend." Nadeshiko gives a happy hum. There's another soft giggle as Sriyani's distracted by a certain handsome man. "Oh... I imagine we could find many wondrous things to write about. And we could collaborate on many romance stories, ne?"

[Togashi Yoshiaki]

When his eyes are somewhere in her direction, she tries to gesture him over. She ought to ask before adding travelers to the party after all.

He sees the gesture and joins the pair bowing deeply to Sriyani "a well deserved recognition of your talent Sriyani-sama."

He then also bows to Nadeshiko "and congratulations to you as well Nadeshiko-san, you'll make an excellent ambassador."

[Doji Nadeshiko]

He then also bows to Nadeshiko "and congratulations to you as well Nadeshiko-san, you'll make an excellent ambassador."

"And you as well, Yoshiaki-san." She bows back. Yay! Now he can spoil Sriyani with praise and congratulations too! And maybe later... Nadeshiko covers her mouth with her sleeve as she giggles. If they have a wedding, she hopes she's invited.

[Horiuchi Sriyani]

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She returns Yoshiaki's bow, carefully. "You're both going to be amazing. Already are amazing really." She tries not to squirm at the honorific she's really only ever heard from children before. "I keep thinking that I have almost no idea what we're actually going to be doing with these positions. There's no map yet."

"Ah, but speaking of maps and travel. Nadeshiko-san is thinking of traveling back with me, and my route shares part of the journey with you and your clan mates. I don't think this should...change much of what was planned for the journey." That was about as clear as she thought that could be in public, both to check that he was fine adding to the party journeying together and that Nadeshiko was peripherally aware of the dalliance that was going to be part of the trip.

"And...I'm realizing that it would be a good chance to talk about," she lifts her hands to indicate the assemblage there, "all of this and how it could start strong enough to continue in later years"

[Togashi Yoshiaki]

Yoshiaki bows his head looking between the two of them "Oh I'd be thrilled for Nadeshiko-san to join us. More friends on the road always make it better." His smile seems warm and genuine as he looked to Nadeshiko.

He then nods to Sriyani "Indeed it could be, a champion and two ambassadors seems like a good core to begin talks about how to keep all this going."

[Doji Nadeshiko]

Yoshiaki bows his head looking between the two of them "Oh I'd be thrilled for Nadeshiko-san to join us. More friends on the road always make it better." His smile seems warm and genuine as he looked to Nadeshiko.

He then nods to Sriyani "Indeed it could be, a champion and two ambassadors seems like a good core to begin talks about how to keep all this going."

"Yes," Nadeshiko replies warmly. Oh, they're going to have a lovely, lovely trip, she thinks with a smile. "And I know Yoshino-san has some ideas for the ongoing traditions of the Sapphire Ambassadors. There is still much to be established."

[Horiuchi Sriyani]

Yoshiaki bows his head looking between the two of them "Oh I'd be thrilled for Nadeshiko-san to join us. More friends on the road always make it better." His smile seems warm and genuine as he looked to Nadeshiko.

He then nods to Sriyani "Indeed it could be, a champion and two ambassadors seems like a good core to begin talks about how to keep all this going."

"Yes," Nadeshiko replies warmly. Oh, they're going to have a lovely, lovely trip, she thinks with a smile. "And I know Yoshino-san has some ideas for the ongoing traditions of the Sapphire Ambassadors. There is still much to be established."

She glances around at all the Ambassadors. "Indeed. I need to get a stock of paper, lots of letters to keep up with, I'm thinking. Ought to plan some kind of coordinated thing for the winter court season, yeah?" Suddenly the serendipity of traveling home with a pair of fellow ambassadors feels like the best decision ever, with the vaguely defined office starting to feel a touch overwhelming. "It's going to be a lot of work, and I'm glad I have some friends in it with me."

"That border's got some nice scenery, at least." She grins at them. "I'm looking forward to traveling with you both. "

[Bayushi Choudai]

I await her correspondence with bated breath.

Truly.