018 // action - union divine theater/ninetales vale/around union

[actsmagnificent]

[ a - union divine theater ]

Ah.....Left.

[ The Machomp and Nidoking holding up the decorative carving nod and move accordingly. Haruka surveys the result from several paces away, arms crossed. ] That's good.

[ A hired carpenter and her Mankey move in to affix the refurbished peace. No longer needed, Haruka glances around the rest of the damage. The dorm is mostly repaired by now, but the Theater is a long, slow process. They won't be putting on any more plays for a while...

...wait. ] Gene!

Woop! [ A Wooper flees the scene, the small rain cloud that'd been forming above some paint cans dissipating. Isn't he even allowed to dance his support anymore?!

He isn't really looking where he's running, and may very well end up lost. ]

[ b - ninetales vale ]

[ Ninetales Vale, while a haven for the physically spiritual, is also a place one can come for less directly spirit-related needs as well. For example, this unassuming building that has just reopened for business, every perfectly-shaped roof tile in place, is widely-known as one of the best places to go for a form of meditative hospitality centered around the drinking of tea.

Haruka is headed there now, dressed appropriately in a robe that crosses across her front. She takes a deep breath in front of the place, smiling to herself. Things are only going to get worse from here. She might need this. ]

[ c - HEADED RIGHT AT YOU, OH SAVIOR, GET OUT OF THE WAY ]

Move!

[ If the shout doesn't get you moving, Union pedestrian, perhaps the sound of a professional racing Rhyhorn thundering towards you on the open street might. It looks terrified, and is being pursued by a tall young "gentleman" on foot, who hurdles over a table of street wares like it wasn't even there in her quest to catch up to the stray beast.

The street is too crowded. So the young man looks for a handhold and begins vaulting himself up...onto the rooftops. Hope you weren't about to open a window! ]

Comments

[actsmagnificent]

[ She's honored. ] What's that supposed to mean?

[ You implying she doesn't have culture? She lives in a theater. She's made a career out of dressing up in silly costumes and making bedroom eyes with the audience. She is deeply steeped in culture. ]

[faithfulflame]

[Rei waves her hand a little at their surroundings.  This establishment wasn’t exactly a shining beacon of popularity.]

It’s a small place, not many people come here.  That’s all.

[actsmagnificent]

[ Haruka grins. ] Sorry for trespassing.

[ Except not really, since Rei isn't upset.

But if they're both scheduled to attend the next ceremony, they'd better get a move on. ]

[faithfulflame]

It's good to know more about you.

[Rei snorts a laugh at that and starts into the ceremony room after Haruka, taking a seat at her appointed spot.]

please correct/catch me if i get anything about this wrong, i'll do my best but no guarantees

[actsmagnificent]

[ This mysterious smile implies no one will ever know everything about her.

...well, no one but Michiru, but they don't talk about that.

Haruka follows Rei, taking her seat. Her posture is especially impeccable, as if daring Rei to find fault with her knowledge of this particular form of hospitality.

The sliding door begins to open. ]

Don't sweat it. I haven't done a tea ceremony in years

[faithfulflame]

[This mysterious smile counters your mysterious smile. She knows this sort of hospitality much better than you, and you putting on a show proves it.

Rei keeps her head bowed though, waiting for the hostesses.]

kay~

[actsmagnificent]

[ The precision with which this door is opened is to be envied - the proper arm angle, position of the bowl of sweets in front of the hostess's knees, everything. It's all the more impressive when said hostess is revealed in all her glory. ] Mienshao.

[ Haruka suppresses a smile. She'd picked this particular place because she'd heard that the master's Pokémon were assisting while the human staff recovered after injuries in the Kyurem attack. ]

[faithfulflame]

[Rei inclines her head and smiles openly at the Pokemon. It's one of the locals too, a regular visitor to the shrine, and she's always been fond of how it moved. That sinuous liquidity of motion it began the ceremony with almost too graceful. It was, to a traditionalist, a fascination.]

[actsmagnificent]

[ Mienshao's expression doesn't change at that smile, but the air in the room seems to grow lighter: Haruka can almost see the Pokémon realizing that she can, in fact, do this, that her guests are cheering her on and she truly wishes to perform her very best ceremony for them.

Here, then, are your traditional sweets, guests. Please enjoy them at your leisure.

Mienshao smiles back a little when she serves Rei in particular. ]

[faithfulflame]

[Rei's head dips again, in a proper and gentle bow. Her fingers gingerly take up a bit of candied ginger and she nibbles, taking measured and correct bites while watching the ceremony continue.]

<---haruka put that knee down, we're Proper

[actsmagnificent]

[ Haruka admires her sweets as well. She's enjoying them as their host departs to begin fetching the utensils for tea, one by one, so they can better appreciate each piece as it arrives.

It's also...kind of hard to announce which tea is being prepared, but Mienshao does her best. ] Shao shao. Mien.

[ It's really hard not to grin too hard right now. Haruka is managing, because shiny humans can do anything, but she's loving this. She really likes seeing Pokémon who have passions and hobbies too.

She's lived too long with Natto. ]

Her? Never

[faithfulflame]

[She may have lived a little too long with Natto, but Rei's quite the same, completely charmed by the sight. She appreciates it when Pokemon take on aspects of their trainers, and this Mienshao is a great example of that. It's clearly devoted, and she can absolutely respect the way it's going about the ceremony to to the best of it's abilities.]

Thank you.

[She, at least, can speak Pokemon.]

she can do Proper! she is very very well trained!!

[actsmagnificent]

[ Mienshao notes this! So as she lays out her tea instruments, she gives a bit of their history. The tea bowl she'll be using today (behold) is actually from Caldera - a master potter visited Union to expand his craft to include them. She hopes the unique multicultural aspect this gives the ceremony offsets the irregularity of using such a new bowl from an unorthodox source. Note the glazing - it's different than how Union would have prepared it. ] Mien mien. Shao shao mien. Mienshao.

[ Haruka misses the history lesson but gets that the fact that this bowl is shiny makes it special. She gives Rei a questioning look. ]

Trainer's Trainer works hard.

[faithfulflame]

[Rei listens to that and turns to Haruka at that look. It's not proper to talk too loudly, but she'll accept this.]

The bowl is from Caldera. A cultural exchange, it sounds like. A craftsman gave it to the shop, and left it as a thank you I believe. It's fine work, even if it isn't Union make.

[actsmagnificent]

[ Haruka nods - got it. Mienshao looks quite happy everyone is impressed with her bowl. She finishes fetching all of the necessary items for their ceremony, careful not to drop anything or put her paws out of place, and then bows to her guests.

This is their cue, so Haruka bows back. ]

[faithfulflame]

[The display of precision is impressive, for sure, and Rei does as expected and bows too.  Now they’re getting into the meat of the ceremony and she needs to pay attention, for the Mienshao’s benefit, if nothing else.]

[actsmagnificent]

[ Mienshao does not let the fact that she is totally psyched to prepare this tea interrupt her poise as she begins. Her motions remain fluid - even though all she's doing is following the etiquette to prepare this tea, it's almost like watching someone dance, or execute a choreographed martial arts bout. The trailing flaps of her fur don't even get in the way. ]

[faithfulflame]

[Which is really pretty astounding, in Rei's estimation. How wonderful! This really is a rare treat!]

[actsmagnificent]

[ Haruka is watching closely too - according to Sky the Beartic, Michiru's Nidoqueen, Stradivarius, is interested in tea ceremonies. So, although Haruka'd never admit to it, she watches Mienshao's motions carefully, looking for little ways she's managed to adapt the ceremony's requirements to paws instead of hands. Stradivarius will need...a lot...of that sort of trick.

Mienshao cleans her whisk. It makes a pleasant swishing sound. When she holds it up for inspection, she turns it slowly, so both she and her guests can see it's free of residue or dust. ]

[faithfulflame]

[Inwardly, Rei’s clapping for the little fighting type, but the only reaction she offers up is a polite bow, hair swaying.  It’s excellent work, and she’ll say as much with her body motions if the Mienshao cares to read that far into it.  Silence is, of course, a big part of the ceremony, just enjoying the sounds and smells of the tea being prepared.

It’s nice, and in a way it makes her want to bring Ami next time, and she has a feeling her fiancée will enjoy it a great deal.]

[actsmagnificent]

[ A repeat customer would thrill Mienshao, as that's a sign she's provided excellent hospitality. She draws a の in the water to finish cleaning her brush - she thinks she's seen a symbol like that in some old books of her Trainer's, it's intriguing - and places her whisk down to warm her tea bowl.

This is the tricky part. Her paws are tinier than human hands, and there's some very precise motions she has to execute....

Haruka sits forward a bit more, watching. ]

[faithfulflame]

[Rei does too, seriously hoping the little thing can pull it off. She's doing such a great job so far and the priestess wants to see her succeed. But...not interfering!]

[actsmagnificent]

[ The water has warmed the bowl. Mienshao empties it using her left paw only, but the bowl begins to wobble. As a result, she discards the water perhaps a bit more quickly than the rest of her ceremony's tempo, but she gets it out and her bowl level again. Now to wipe it.

This way...then that way....then curve like this...

When she finally sets the bowl down in front of herself, it's like a weight has lifted from the whole room. ]

[faithfulflame]

[Well, poor thing.  That is a pretty difficult task for something with such small, delicate paws, though it’s endearingly cute to see it at work.  Rei smiles at the Mienshao as it finishes, bowing once more in a deep, respectful nod.]

Well done, little one.

[actsmagnificent]

[ Oh! Oh, goodness her. Mienshao's latest obstacle to keeping her composure is happiness, not nerves. She can't help but feel like she's showing off a little as she holds her tea scoop in only one "finger" to free the rest up for removing the lid from her tea chest. It took quite a bit of study in dexterity to manage this, and it's not how a human would do it, but...she works with what she has. Like the potter from Caldera who used a different glaze. Her tea ceremony has its own flavor.

That's how Haruka is seeing it, anyway. ]