Legend of the Infinite Realities

[seppun-tashime.livejournal.com]

[ A man of perhaps 35 or 40 years of age comes to on the bank of the duck pond. The morning is awake with the dulcet tones of the cranes, the sweet flutterings of the hummingbirds - ambience the man can only hear because of his sensibility of nature's blessings. He gets to his feet, appeased by the beauty around him, but unsure of where in the vast Empire of Rokugan he comes from the winds of fate have seen fit to deposit him.

He bears vaguely Asian features, and sports a samurai haircut, with his daisho - the two swords emblematic of the samurai class - at his waist. The most notable thing about him, however, is his state of dress. He is adorned with a lavish kimono woven of the finest fabrics to be found anywhere. His kataginu, the jacket worn over his robes, is of a handsome silk dyed in a deep emerald green. On his sleeves and back is a circular symbol: a blooming chrysanthemum flower. Anyone familiar with Rokugani customs will recognize this as the symbol of the Imperial Families, marking the stranger as a samurai of the highest prestige; not some wandering ronin seeking cheap coin. ]

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[seppun-tashime.livejournal.com]

[ Tashime is ready to lie and say that he has heard of the Yamanaka for fear of losing face, but is taken aback when the samuraiko* expresses ignorance of the crysanthemum's significance. How can she...? Of course, how foolish am I.]

I apologize. I rushed to assume that you were a Rokugani, like me. It seems I am homesick - has no one here ever found their way back whence they came?

[*OOC note: In Rokugan, shinobi do not officially exist. There are absolutely ninjas lurking in the shadows, but as far as the unimpeachably honorable Tashime is concerned, they are a myth meant to scare criminals and unruly children.]

[ino]

Sorry, I've never heard of Rokugani before. But you've probably never heard of my village before, either -- it's called Konoha.

And they have, but not by their own choice. Most don't stay for longer than a month or two, though.

[She pauses, a playful smile crossing her lips.] It's a little rude to not introduce yourself to a lady, though.

[ooc: Hehe, it's cool -- shinobi in Naruto seem to be canonly descended from samurai anyways. ;)]

[seppun-tashime.livejournal.com]

I apologize again, my lady! I am Tashime, of the Seppun. Sorry, I... I was just a little flustered. But I understand now; you and I may hail from similar worlds, but they are clearly different culturally from one another.

[ino]

[She'll let out a small laugh, covering her mouth as she does so. She may not be particularly wealthy or prominent at home, but hey, at least she has a ladylike demeanor. ... Usually.]

It's fine, I was only teasing. But it's nice to meet you, Seppun-san -- I'm Ino, of the Yamanaka. That seems to be a pretty common thing around here -- similar worlds with some major differences.