Inns and Outs

Sitting at a square table, Michio has a number of papers spread before him. His organization schema seems to be 'haphazard disaray' and he keeps shuffling papers from one side of the table to the other, looking at the backs of pages, grunting, and moving things around.

In the center of the table is a ceramic teapot, steaming softly, and a single half-empty ceramic cup beside it.

Setting her shield to lean against a chair, Ayame steps into Michio's view, glancing over the spread papers with a look of interest "Congratulations on the duelling league" She offers brightly, carrying a single steaming cup of her own, taking it in both hands now "What are you looking at? Don't tell me there are taxes" With a mock little horror

Blinking up in a slight startlement as he's joined, Michio looks down at the mess of papers and frowns. "Plans. Ideas. Ruminations."

The Ki Master gets to his feet and quickly begins stacking the papers, while gesturing to the seat across from him. "Ah, would you care to join me? Miss Ayame, yes?"

As he sits back down, the parchment on the top of the stack reads, "How can we help them?", "What do they need?", "Has anyone asked THEM?", And finally the single word, "Ambassador!" with lots of circles around it and underlines beneath it.

"Please, don't stand" Ayame says with a pained smile. She holds up a hand at that, palm out, before sitting carefully at the invitation, looking over the paperwork with a practiced eye "Thank you. It is. You're considering the landers?" She asks, cradling her cup and sipping gently from it, closing her eyes as she does, before resting her elbows on the table

Seating himself, only after Ayame has sat, Michio grunts an affirmative, tapping the top piece of parchment. "I'm not sure how much attention you pay over the chimlink, but I hear a lot of people talking about things we can do to the landers, to help them. Sometimes people refer to things we can do for them, too, and there is a significant difference."

Michio pauses a moment, letting his eyes meet Ayame's, "But how often do people just ask the Landers what we can do for them, instead of making assumptions about what's in their best interest?" He raises violet eyes to look around, gesturing with a scaled hand, "This is their home. Their towns. Their world. We are uninvited guests..." He stops and hms, "Okay, maybe not. Some Landers say that we are literally the answer to their prayers, and were brought here by the Godesses to help them, but, I'm not sure."

"You know, I keep seeing people ... enforce their will on this place" Ayame smiles a touch, thoughtfully looking at Michio and then away "In everyone's best interests, I'm sure. The alchemical lights is a fine example. A wonderful idea, transplanted from our world. But - I wonder if any of us have gone the other way. Adopted lander traditions, looked into them to see what they have to teach us? I doubt it. We are, as a rule, fairly arrogant" With a nonplussed smile

"Exactly." Michio says with enthusiasm, his hand coming down on the table. He blushes at the outburst and the loud noise, and hangs his head, "Apologies. But the point you make is just so. Have you heard of Giganpor? Sometimes people call him Gigankun. He actually armed goblins in the tower in an effort to stop the Scale."

Michio shakes his head, "There's no point belabouring it, and he has been punished extensively as I understand, but... what sort of foolish thing is that, to do? But the real word is arrogance, and selfishness. These seem to be the primary motivations for people's actions, even within our own Alliance, and it is shameful."

"I've not" Ayame sighs "But that doesn't surprise me. People work at cross purposes. I don't know if we can even escape - or if everyone will, even given the chance. But we should at least try to get along. We ... we've said things like 'they're not real'. How real are we, anymore?" She asks with a sigh "I don't know. But I do think we should consider it. And at least look at what's important to them - after all, it might give us clues and hints we need to survive here" A little sip

"I've considered asking the shrines to allow me to be tested as an initiate."

His own ceramic mug halfway to his lips, mostly in reaction to Ayame taking a sip of hers, Michio pauses, inclining his head. "I think that is a wonderful idea." He smiles softly, sheepishly, eyes turned down, "Obviously it would be the shrine of the Beautiful One, of course."

He looks thoughtful, "I do not know if any Adventurer has tried to join their religion. I..." He blushes softly, leaning forward, "I have long term plans for trying to discover if mating between Landers and Adventurers could produce an offspring. Do you..." Then he turns scarlet, "Ah, nevermind." He turns his head to the side and coughs, covering his mouth with his fist for a moment before regaining his composure.

"But yes, anyway, I think that would be a wonderful idea. I've been trying to think of ways to bridge the gap between Lander and Adventurer, and showing an interest in their faith might be an excellent start."

In fact, he reaches for the piece of parchment with 'Ambassador!' written on it and begins scrawling in charcoal, 'Priestesses?' with lots of little rays as though to emphasise the point.

Michio then looks back into Ayame's eyes, excitement in his tone, "Are you going to be at the Alliance meeting coming up?"

Ayame looks steadily at Michio for a moment. Then a look away, a sip, her cheeks pinking as she considers "Well, she's the most important to many of the Landers, it's true." She says with a careful tone, tapping her fingers against the cup and then looking back

"That sounds like something you'd be far better suited to than myself" She says with a forced laugh "I'm not sure that it would help my case with the shrines, depending on what they ask"

Then, she shakes her head "If I can, but I suspect I'll be unable to. My duties with the Sword keep me rather busy. I'll attend if I can, of course, but don't hold your breath."

"Is this something you have interest in doing?" Michio inquires, his own cheeks still slightly pink, "Being an initiate I mean. Not.. the other." Aaaand then he's blushing all over again. "I mean, I'm sure if you wanted to... just... look at you... but..."

Awww. Awkward nerdy youths.

Michio clears his throat again, then says, "May I bring your thoughts about an initiate joining the Landers' temples before the Alliance leadership?" his head bowed humbly. "On your behalf, that is. It is posted that if we cannot make it, our ideas may come through a proxy."

"Being an initiate, yes" Ayame says, with her cheeks still pink and her fingers tightening on the cup, keeping a level look at Michio and her eyebrows raised "I wonder how deeply their faith moves them, and could move us" She explains with a quick, aside smile. Safer topics all around

"Of course you may. I'd be glad to wait for their thoughts on it, though I'd be pleased to take up the opportunity myself. Perhaps even this could be a step to setting up a shrine ourself - especially if this lets others respawn with us"

"That could be an interesting prospect." Michio suggests. "Creating a shrine in Shibuya." He taps his chin thoughtfully, "I wonder if it would make it into a Root Town, like the others?" But the man shrugs and shakes his head.

"Were you... religious... before?" Michio asks of Ayame in a subdued tone, clearly seeking to not offend.

"Maybe a little more than most" Ayame admits "I loved the architecture of shrines. I loved the feeling of peace there, of continuinity and serenity. I didn't get the chance much to enjoy that" She sighs, resting back. Far safer ground "Were you? How about now? How do you feel about all this?"

"Me? Ah, no. No I used to think if there was a God, like Christians say, he was a jerk." Michio says shaking his head ruefully. "Too many bad things happen in our world. I like some of the Shinto stuff, but I never thought of it as 'real' you know?" He laughs softly, again waving a hand about. "Then again, my consideration of what's real and what's not has changed a pretty significant amount by now."

"I don't know for sure if this place is real or not, but it certainly feels real /enough/. I feel like until we know for certain, that we have an honorable responsibility to act as though it is real, and to do as little harm to this world as we can manage."

"There's also the long term considerations" Ayame points out "Take magic. It's not a thing in the real world, but it's impossible to deny here. We assume things like guns will be stronger - will they? Really? I'm not sure. So I want to explore what this world can offer us and work with what it gives us, not just against it" She sighs, and drains her cup "I tend to get heated about some things. I'm sorry" She bows her head, offering a demure smile

Michio offers a wan smile, "I'm glad you haven't heard be on the Alliance Chimlink. Suffice to say there are many who dislike me because of my own, uh... impassioned viewpoints."

The Salamander tilts his head to one side, "It's... refreshing... to find someone who feels as strongly about these subjects as I do, if I'm being honest. Cheers." And here he raises his teacup, keeping those violet eyes on Ayame's face, and takes a sip.

"I tend to tune it out. Too many people shouting" Ayame chuckles, her ears lifting as she relaxes, setting her empty cup down and then shrugging "I think it would be foolish of us to write off any paths to strength, don't you?" She asks with a tilt of her head "And cheers" She agrees, sighing and finally leaning back in her chair

Michio shakes his head, looking stern and disapproving. "No. I do not. I think if the path to strength destroys this world, and who knows how many other worlds, that it is not worth it. There is strength in restraint, respect, and honor, too."

Ayame nods, looking at Michio and then the stairs, considering "Well, I have to agree. Oh, I said about the duelling league - what sort of things did you get from the duelling league? I've been thinking of signing up."

"Ah! Yes, thanks for the congratulations, even if they are undeserved. I only fought three matches. It must have been a slow month." Michio smiles wanly, blushing. He follows Ayame's glance towards the stairs a moment, then looks back to her, "I got a small purse of coins and a token for some food. Minor trinkets." He pauses a moment, "Is.. everything alright? Have I offended you?"

"No, not at all" Ayame shakes her head, though her cheeks are still somewhat pink "The conversation took unexpected turns, that's all. Still, in future, if you want a duel, I'll be happy to oblige. I can't promise a good fight, though - hunkering behind a shield is needed for our work out there, but less useful against one another."

"Oh!" Then Michio blinks, "Oh? Ah... erm..." and he's blushing right up to the tip of his ears now. He fails horribly to cover it up by taking a sip of tea, then gulping huge. "I would be happy to indulge you, at some point, certainly, if that is what you want."

Ayame looks steadily at him, lacing her gloved fingers together "Certainly. I'd be delighted. It might make a change from your other plans for me" She notes with a faintly barbed amusement, standing and retreiving her shield "But for now, I really should rest"

"Other plans?" Michio blushes, coughing and looking around, "No, no, I told you, I didn't mean.."

*HEADDESK*

Speaking muffled into the tabletop, "Sweetdreams."

Ayame bobs gently in a barbed curtsy, grinning to herself, before she makes her way upstairs.

Her laughter is only just heard, once she's out of eyeshot