Darrell
Shinjo Sumire had made her way once again back to the Mantis Embassy, still feeling slightly guilty at the timing. She had been working on her schematics as part of a big project for her clan, very important stuff, but her pre-scheduled appointment with the Mantis Ambassador was this afternoon. It was the time the ambassador had chosen for the appointment, leaving her cut off from the work she'd been doing. That did make for a bit of a distraction, her thoughts still generally back in her work rather than stepping away from it much as the rest of her had.

She had to keep in mind, this too was something of a duty as well, it too was important. She certainly had handy something to present herself a keen reminder of how serious her present situation was. Once within the embassy proper, she pulled out a small wooden case and withdrew its contents. She'd been expected to wear her glasses while she was here, and so that was exactly what she was doing. Quite significantly, nothing could be a more intense reminder the severity of circumstances then wearing them here now.

With that accomplished, she advanced as she had once before, following the directions she'd been given for her visitation. She just hoped that the ambassador was not displeased at this distraction from any other outstanding responsibilities.
Edward
A few of the guards outside of the Mantis embassy were exchanging stories and smoking when they clocked Shinjo Sumire. They were quick to get back at attention and receive her, learning she was there to speak to Moshi Mai. A servant was beckoned, and in turn dashed off to make sure that the ambassador was receiving guests. 

And that particular day, Mai really shouldn't. 

She was swamped, with multiple ledgers in front of her, copying down and doublechecking each log, inventory, and expense report. She wasn't going to allow any sort of discrepancy, and when there was so much money tied up in so many merchants. She had a couple problems to deal with, one being the red lamp. If what Chiyoko told her from Akio-san, it decided to go the opium den route. She'd demand her loan back, breach of contract being the reasoning. And there'd need to be a _lesson_ taught for trying to embarrass her. 

"Moshi-sama? Shinjo Sumire, to see you. Shall I tell her you're busy-"
"Is she wearing her glasses?" Mai didn't look up from her work, and awaited an answer. 

"Yes, she is, if you mean those metal things with the glass." 

Mai smiled, and shut her ledgers. "Good girl." She stood, and adjusted her kimono. "Bring her in," She said, "Bring her out to the garden, since it's a lovely day out." 

===

And so, the servant would fetch Sumire, and escort her to the garden pavillion, where cushions and a table were set up on the porch. Moshi Mai was already sitty, a cheerful look on her face. "Well, well, if it isn't Shinjo Sumire-san! And with her glasses, too." She looked very much approving as she ushered the woman to sit. "Please, sit, and tell me what you'd like to drink. We have just about anything you'd like."
Darrell
When she got word that she wouldn't be going further inside, she was confused and concerned that there were other unexpected problems. Of course, if there were, they weren't actually her business either, so her concern did not invest into curiousity. Being directed to the gardens instead did nothing to assuade the inner turmoil either, it only progressed it. She had a strong interest in being helpful, and was being left with the impression she might be having the inverse of circumstances going on.

The Ambassador however was at least looking cheerful, a sight that might serve to calm her down so long as it wasn't simply a respectful approach to a guest. She knew, if things were going bad and she herself was to entertain a guest, she would have need of looking cheerful and relaxed too. Even now, troubled and worried, she was still greeting the Ambassador with a smile and a formal bow regardless of the worries she'd been developing on her arrival.

As requested, she took to the provided seat to relax upon. "Traditional teas work the best for me, but.. I'm not adverse to considering the traditions of my host. It can be very informative to learn about the teas another likes to have." She still recalled the milk tea incident with her brother, which had become an insightful lesson on considering another's perspective. "I know we'd worked out this time in advance, but I hope nothing had came up since to make this an inconvenience for you." Her escort at least had not given most confidence assurance in their disposition that the present lady did not already have a lot going on. Her keen sense of social investigation left some mixed messages from the guards as a result, a sense of stirring confusion. Of course, that too was but another's perspective, which is why it was best to not lead with any assumptions. Instead, she simply brought the subject up.
Edward
"Well, if you don't have a preference," Mai said, "We'll have a blend I like from my hometown." Moshi Mai beckoned one of the servants to bring a pot of Centipedes Sting, a rather imposing name for a rather fruity and delicious tea. "Don't let the name fool you, my dear," She said to reassure, "It's just got some tartness to it. Hence the sting. I think you'll enjoy it."

"Now," Mai said, arching her back a little, "Before you get the wrong idea, I didn't forget about our standing tea time. Things have been very busy for yours truly, and between meeting with the other clans and reviewing the merchant's profit ledgers, I've gotten nothing by numbers jumbled up in my head. If anything, forgetting and getting reminded just now actually was a relief; I had been looking forward to this, and a much-needed distraction from all this work was necessary. All work and no play, as they say." 

Mai noticed that Sumire was wearing her glasses, as well, which made her smile. "And if you can accept a compliment from an old woman, let me say those glasses frame your face quite nicely," She added. "I appreciate that you took my request to heart."
Darrell
She wasn't certain about the tea, and not distinctly by its name. The name was curiously questionable, but she'd always been one for exceedinly mild flavours, a tart flavour won't be something she would be used to. At the very least, she would know of this in advance, it was at least more rational than being surprised by milk tea.. Or even spiced chicken. It did sound like a respected tradition, so she would have to likewise respect it as a guest. In such a consideration, she displayed her formal respect for such a generous opportunity with a pleasant demeaner, though not an actual smile. She was being a bit too formal for that.

Instead, hearing the situation from the ambassador was itself worrying, something much harder to keep from being caught in her eyes. The start left her quite concerned about being a burden, but the conclusion left her torn for other reasons. The workaholic simply did not understand the relief of not working. She paused in speculation, then considered that maybe this was something of a joke. After all, they would be considering other things in meetings.. Between two different clans. This was still a form of work, it was just a different form of work. Maybe it was then a joke so that she might relax, a relief of tension and all of that. Maybe so that they might both relax. Considering this, she decided it would be most sensible to go along with it.

She then found her smile, the business-variety version. "I'm glad to hear that my presence here has then helped in some way. I would not want to cause you problems in your own home. That is too why I came here with these on.. Following your request. I did discover that walking around an unfamiliar hall with these on can be a bit disorienting. I apologize in advance if I misstep as a result, things feel a bit closer than they might actually be, things move a bit faster than I might expect."
Edward
Mai picked up on a bit of concern coming from Sumire, when Mai mentioned being glad to have a distraction. That was curious; she figured that a younger person would understand better than one her age that it was great to have a moment to what one wants. The ignorance of youth, perhaps, to not take what one could get, when the could. All the same, Mai didn't call out the girl; it was clear she wasn't one for confrontation. Reminiscent with her dear Fujiko, in a way. 

"Oh, no need to apologize for something that hasn't even happened yet," The ambassador insisted, brushing away the statement with her hand, "You are here on good, friendly terms. You're not going to be judged so harshly in such trivial things. See, unlike the Crane or the Scorpion, while I do demand a certain amount of respect and decorum, I'm not one to make a big stink about such things." 

One of the servants arrived with a tray, containing the tea, cups, and also two small plates of dango as an extra treat. "Goriki-san," She said to the servant, "Tell Shinjo-san here what you and the crew call me." Goriki gave a look to the ambassador, as if to make certain, and the simple nod made it clear it was fine. 

"Well, Shinjo-sama, we that were part of her crew on the _Shibamaru_ call Moshi-sama 'Mama Mai.' It's a term of endearment, you see." 

"Mhm, a term of endearment. Not fit for court, not at all, and my crew still messes up from time to time. But, I'm not going to throttle them for it. Nitpicking is a coward's game, as far as I'm concerned. So, be at ease. Sumire-san, and try the tea." Goriki poured the cups of golden-colored tea, and also made note that the dango's sweetness paired well with the tea (as a means of overcoming the tartness, no doubt), before bowing and leaving the two women in peace.
Darrell
She just nodded at the ambassador's refusal to accept her pre-emptive apology. She might have been worried about it on her approach, and stumbling might simply be something she just did on frequent occasions, but maybe being pre-emptive about an apology might be seen as trying to escape the responsibility for its occurrence. She should have saved such a thing for after it happened. Even so, she wanted to raise awareness of the issue in some way, the cursed things on her face were still taxing what little coordination she had in order to attempt to restore her vision. Well, that too she had to apologize for, so maybe the smart approach was simply to be ready to apologize both before and after something went wrong. Surely this was the wisdom the ambassador was trying to present to her. After all, that would be exactly why the ambassador presented wisdom of the use of words in past and present, and how changes of circumstances could impact the words being used.

She sipped some of the tea to try it, not quite sure what to think about the tart taste, but figured this too was a matter of perspective. "Your circumstances did leave you a lot of changes to go over, significantly changing the perspective between then and now. Traditions are hard to leave behind, but that does not stop perspectives. It can then be a lot to adapt to, sometimes." Her statement was only further reinforced in trying to appreciate the snack, even the dango was a bit sweet for her compared to the style of rounded rice she usually had. She wasn't used to stuff like this, her own traditions were considerably more plain in flavour. Even so, that did not mean she had an escape from adapting, she was to appreciate the traditions of her host instead. Accepting that responsibility, she wasn't about to give up on the tea.
Edward
"You are correct on that notion," Mai replied, sipping her tea, "I've had to change a lot about myself. But, it was for the better, I would say. As much as the high seas and combat upon it excites me, it has been clear that I was playing a young man's game. At my age, I should be leading fleets, not a long ship. Hence the ambassadorship." A bite of chewy dango was nicely contrasting the tart tea, making for a delightful snack. She couldn't tell if Sumire cared for it or not, at least not yet. 

"As for traditions, however, I _never_ abandoned them." Mai raised a finger as she corrected her young guest. "You see, Sumire-san, there are parts of one's culture that are tradition, and those that are part of circumstance. I would not say a Mantis that moved to the Lion's plains would be abandoning their fishing tradition. There's no fish to fish, after all. Likewise, while I may not sail ships out to battle, that doesn't mean the traditions are no longer in place. It's all about balancing what is expect and what will honor your ancestors and the kami. 

"Much like your glasses." She pointed them out with a knowing grin.
Darrell
She could admit to the youth she herself had to grow out of, that there was also things she left behind. "It sounds a grander scale of what I was told originally when sent to this city. That I had my time tinkering on small projects a few might enjoy, that now it might be better to find a more telling use for my talents where they might benefit more than just a few. Your own experience investing your talents into the benefit of so many has just seemed the path of a samurai, to become more capable so as to invest it towards even more people than we might have been limited to before."

She partook upon a further sample of tea before continuing, the drinking of tea becoming something of a fitting routine in conversation. "I did not say you abandoned them, only that you might have needed to have left parts behind. There is an important distinction there. I suspect that even a fisher without fish still has their tales to share, even if there is no fish to catch. You even spared your own tale and map about your own voyages. Sharing tales like that speaks of traditions that certainly were never abandoned, but it is still something left behind. I expect, much like drawing, a fisher who does not fish for many years may feel pressure were they to look upon their trusty tools again. There was still something left behind, which can then be a lot to adapt to." This too was something she was familiar with, especially when she can compare the past she'd left behind with the past she'd abandoned.

Especially when also considering matters of her glasses, the past which would not let her abandon it.
Edward
"Now, it's important to keep in mind that even the smallest of projects can yield great bounties," Mai replied."Seeds are but tiny specks, but they can make a field of wheat under the right conditions." As always, Sumire had much to say. It was hard to tell at times if they were conversations or the girl's inner musings, but in both ways, Mai was interested. 

As Sumire rebutted on the traditions topic, Mai could see what she meant, but it wasn't the way _she_ saw it. But, as she listened, she slowly picked up on what Sumire was saying. Mai sipped her cup as the younger samurai talked, and indulged in dango as well before replying in turn. 

"Now, I see what you mean," She said, "And yes, there are days I wished I could be out on the high sea, fighting gaijin and pirates and such. A much simpler life, that was. But, a simple life makes for a weak life, and a dishonorable one. Take, for example, me, Moshi Mai. Born of Moshi Minata and a Mereidien. I am brown of skin, tall of height, and I surely don't share the features of a good normal Rokugani woman. 'Wild woman,' my mother would call me. Loud, rambunctious, and unafraid to make sure I was recognized. 

"Now, if I were smart _and_ cowardly, I could have done all I could to be as acceptable as possible. I could've bleached my skin with creams, cut my hair, caked myself in makeup to look as Rokugani as possible. Be agreeable, timid, _silent._ That was always an option, and it would've led me to a much easier, quiet life. A simple, easy one. But, in doing that, eschewing what makes me a blessed being that Amaterasu spoke to, I dishonor my mother, all Moshi, and myself as well. If you must make yourself into a harmless, formless shell to appease everyone around you, then those people are not worth appeasing." 

Mai put up a finger, expecting an argument and deciding to cut it off swiftly. "I am _not_ saying to act a fool, mind you, nor would I dare to defy our Rokugani customs like Bushido and the Order. No, I am saying in a roundabout way,, if you need glasses to see, and you are now at such a detriment that wearing them is disorienting, then you _need_ to wear them. You can easily sit in a corner as a normal, boring Unicorn girl, or you can make a statement. They say nails that stand out get hammered. Well, nails that fall under the table don't get used at all."
Darrell
When the ambassador conveyed their own perspective of traditions, she had the opposite reaction. She found it easy to follow along at first, a tale of history she did not understand but could at least appreciate. After all, she herself grew up with many differences she had to adjust to, so it did make sense. However, she lost pace soon enough. After all, in her case, it was her distinctions that were proven inabilities that served to deny her a place at her mothers side. It was the reason she was cast aside, despite trying to keep up. Even now, she could still feel the judgement of others due to her inability with a horse, her only salvation was that she could find value in other ways. To be called a coward.. That too was simply more judgement in her inabilities. She wasn't about to simply do nothing because she was unable to do something, she instead found something else that might give her meaning. So, she at least did not see that as cowardice.

Though the teacher which raised her after her failings had became known might have disagreed even more intently, as that teacher certainly had believed that becoming as Rokugani as possible was an inflexible requirement, regardless of how artificial the results might have been. Such had been the basis that had tried to remedy her failings, to judge her more than any others with a strict upbringing. But as a child under such a teacher, she'd not resisted very much.

As such, it did not mean she was willing to call out the ambassador upon this either, to stand up against the wisdom of her elders. "I will make sure to wear them for each of my visits here." It was a statement that was not convinced, only saying what needed to be said to hopefully make another happy. She still did not understand how come matters of her glasses had become so serious in discussion, but that too might be the fault of her circumstances. She certainly was not about to argue with the mantis ambassador of all people.
Edward
"Oh, so now you're placating me?" Mai didn't look pleased at Sumire's answer, and it definitely showed with the frown and furrowed brow. "Shinjo Sumire-san. I didn't ask you to wear those because I wanted to look at you with them on. Granted, you look very pleasant, they frame your face wonderfully. But I'm asking you to do this for your own good."

Moshi Mai sighed, and fell silent for a moment. It would seem the girl wasn't getting it, or she was afraid to get it, perhaps. The ambassador could tell the placation must have meant she hit a nerve. A truth, or a question the younger woman wasn't ready to look into? 

"I am not calling _you_ a coward," She said simply. "One can act cowardly without being a coward. I just know a thing or two about being from a land, a people, and an origin that is not accepted by all. I know my enemies will bring my gaijin blood into question when they can. My odd customs, my past.

"I suppose I just see something in you that I'd rather see flourish than fail." Mai crossed her arms, a sigh leaving her. "Call it an old woman trying to bestow knowledge on a youth. Honestly, it's none of my business what you do. But tell me, what do you think of all I rambled? Do you see any wisdom in the words?"
Darrell
Nothing confused her more than someone who genuinely was interested in her own happiness for the sake of her own happiness. Even her own efforts there came exclusively in other motivations, mostly duty. The only happiness she might strive towards was for others. Thus, she couldn't think of a reasonable purpose in actions other than to either uphold proper responsibilities or at the very least so that another could be happy. To be told it was for her own good.. She couldn't even fathom what the ambassador was getting at with that remark. Even still, she was still partaking in the snack offered as a sense of obligation, with absolutely no concern about her own feelings about it. She wasn't giving herself the chance to develop an opinion on it.

But one thing sitting soundly in this situation was a subtle nostalgia that surfaced in memory, talking with the older mantis. Something about this reminded her of her own mother, especially since her mother might have been about the same age as the ambassador when last they'd been together, though she had no way to know for certain. The same woman who had shown her some strange things and strange stuff as if it was completely normal, and she'd not known any better at the time. Not understood any better at least. Back then, she'd accepted wearing such glasses without question. It was only once she was denied her mother that such an illusion had been shattered. They had been forced to go different ways because compatibility was lost, there were too many differences.

She was still very uncertain, the sting of memory passing sadness over her expression. "I don't know. Time can be very unforgiving, the past can be very distant. There would be wisdom in your words, but.. Different people have different perspectives. Sometimes.. Things are much more complicated I guess. I am already working to do my best in upholding my duties, and I won't give up on them in cowardice. I will continue to work hard every day."
Edward
"Well, my dear," Mai said with a sigh, "If answering questions were easy, we would _all_ be philosophers and diviners." Mai uncrossed her arms, realizing she was just pressing a bit too hard. If Sumire wanted to change, she would, but one couldn't make a horse drink, no matter how much you push or pull. "That said, at the very least I pray you take my advice to heart. It'll be good for you, both soul and honor, too." 

With that said, there was a small lull in the conversation, made for eating and drinking. Dango was delicious and chewy, tea was bitter and full of citrus. Quite pleasant for Mai, maybe not so much for Sumire. Thus, she motioned to one of the servants to bring more tea, but jasmine this time, a much more safe and acceptable flavor. As she had said, it was important to tow the line between traditions and culture, and keeping up appearances. 

"So, now that I'm done scolding you," She teased, "Why don't you talk my ear off for a moment? Whatever you wish, too. Serious, business, casual, a limerick, even."
Darrell
As the conversation shifted, she noticed the tea did as well. As her appetite was generally lower than most, and as she'd been having a proper portion of the previous tea, she was unsure how much of the new tea she would be capable of. She was originally wondering what the new tea might be, until it showed up in its classic form. She had no questions about it, it was simply a decision with a reason.

She was instead more pondering the implications of the question asked. She may have been overthinking the question in the process, like it was lined up for her to have something specific to come up with, the purpose was so that it might look like she was the one to speak of it first. The problem then was that there was a touch of things that had just occurred that left her repeatedly second-guessing herself as to what she was expected to speak of next. This pondering left a period of silence over tea as she sorted out a suitable plan.

She eventually settled that the intend of this reversal was to have her speak upon the map she'd been left with prior, and how its presence in her life had served to enrich herself. "I had found a place for the sea map from before, making sure it was stowed properly while making sure to look it over some nights. I'm not used to sea maps, so it isn't like it completely matches the work that I do, but then again the ways of water can alone be complicated for me. I've done drawings in a similar form, which can make representing water extremely challenging. It is something else I've had to.. Reflect upon. Manipulating the ways of water has been something that has also seemed quite complicated, when it comes to more of an.. Urban planning. It is something more to appreciate in such a map. Seeing the whims of water like the map shows has certainly been an interesting perspective as a result."
Edward
Sumire's perspective on the sea chart was an interesting one. How often did the Mantis take their sea charting for granted as an easy thing, only to be reminded that it was actually quite difficult for others. It was nice to know that it gave the young woman some insight, and it was even nicer to hear she was treating the map with care. While Mai wasn't lying in saying she had so many maps, it was nice to know it was being honored properly. 
It was also just nice to hear Sumire speak with some passion. She really liked her cartography, which Mai could appreciate (even if she herself had no patience or skill for it herself). "You would've gotten on well with my late husband," Mai chuckled. "You two could've discussed mapping for days, no doubt." She drank more tea as Sumire continued, speaking of the whims of water and more. 

"The interesting and daunting thing about sea charts is that, the more we explore and the further we go, the more useless the old charts become. One must remember there was a time in our history that we never knew that Thrane or the other Gaijin from across the sea even existed. So, these maps change constantly, and sometime the winds can lead into uncharted territory. 

"At that point, it's wiser to turn to divination than maps! Something I did upon my ship, though divination was never my strong suit." She looked at Sumire, with some curiosity. "How about the Unicorn? When your lot traveled the burning sands and more, was divination ever a tool at your disposal? I'm rather curious to see if it differs all that much, to be honest."
Darrell
She recalled the inquiry of a Crab prior who had presented the inquiry of seeking exactly such a perspective. "With the maps he's made, maybe.. Though that might depend on how much of a taste he might have for my own work. The work I do puts water more into the background, if there at all. I've even tried making diagrams.. More of an artistic piece.. But have found water to be a significant challenge to draw in the same lines as a map." She basically has been doing line art, and expresses that manner of drawing both in words and with motions in the air.

However, her line art has found water to be an ongoing challenge. "Clear water is so impossible to draw unless it is just the edge of the picture. To draw water over something else, for example, there is very little that serves to put the invisible there at all. Water can be represented by motions, but that is more challenging in a picture without it just looking like strange marks upon something else. Did your husband ever have an trick for representing water that might work for such a thing? The best thing I've found, recent advice too, was to consider the distortions in water's reflection and how that might put waves in what is behind it. I'm still not sure about applying that, though. I don't really understand the ways of water's reflection."

She wasn't so certain about matters of divination either, though this too reminded her of her mother somehow.. In some uncertain way. "Divination? I've had work recently presented to me that tries to accommodate the kami more than just people... That's been a lot of stuff I just don't know about. I remember it coming up though when I was little, but..." Such was a while ago, and a lot had changed since then. As this brought up her mother again, she just went quiet, instead finding an opportunity to just look up at the sky. In fact, curious enough, the clouds of the sky were so intriguing today.. Possibly when she could see them with much better clarity.
Edward
When Sumire spoke of water and the issues of drawing it, Mai was amused. She also had a problem with it, the few times she tried to make maps. She had no talent for it liker her late husband, so it never worked out well. But, she had still learned a thing or two from the man. And now, she could pass that information on to someone else. 

"When it comes to water," Mai began, "It is truly where art and practicality come together in mapmaking. Now, most mapmakers add some waves here and there, or white foam by the coastal lines. It's serviceable. But, if one is clever, you can do a lot more." Mai didn't have a map handy, but she could do something rather particular. She made a quick prayer to the air kami, Flight of Doves, and now her words would have accompanying illustration. 

"Picture a map of the coast of Rokugan," She said, and behind her, the map would appear, large enough to view with ease, "And we need to chart the sea. We paint it blue, of course, but as we go further off, we make it deeper in tone, to establish the depths of the waters. Around the coasts, we draw some ships, with simple sails of the Clans that patrol the waters there. Out further to the east waters, we add sea serpents and gaijin ships, to depict the danger there. To the south, angry waves with skull faces within them, to depict the tainted waters of the shadowlands." The illusionary map depicted it all well enough, though some of the waves moved, as did the serpents. "As for clear water," She said,pausing to think, "Perhaps apply a sheen to it. A glossy coat to depict shine and clarity. Like so." She held out her hand, to her painted nails and the finish upon them. "As the term says, crystal clear." 

Mai would dismiss the illusion when Sumire was done looking upon it, and focused back onto what Sumire said about divination. It seemed the girl had some experience, or at least had some nostalgia. "Curious," Mai mused, "You must know something, then... Oh." Her eyes tracked Sumire's and the way they looked up at the clouds. 

"Cloud divination, eh? I was always taken the astrology route, the few times I fiddled with it. But, do you know something of Cloud diving? You _must_ show me, if you are. I _insist!"_
Darrell
She realized that, once again, others depended upon the use of color to represent water, something her line art drawings did not make use of. It really was a rather expert approach, presenting water appropriately by lines alone, without color or shading. It made her wish she could also draw into the air itself, showing the distinctions of what could be captured by lines alone. She didn't have her tools on hand, so it was not an option.

At best, she would have to serve her reply in words instead of actions. "That is what I've heard before, but it depends on a drawing serviced by colors and shades. What then best presents a thin layer of water falling before something standing behind it, when there are no blues and whites, when there are no shadows in tones? Without shadows, all that is left is how the distortion of water best catches the reflections of..."

With no motions required of her, she found herself still mildly distracted by the backdrop of a sky she was seeing in full clarity. The clouds were just puffs in motion, abstract shapes, but somehow certain designs were imparting a meaning to her she didn't quite realize. On a day with its own winds going, the clouds too had a lot to speak about.

Some of it was tangentially related, too. "Light? What? Eye.. I... Sorry. The clouds are being distracting. Something about light through an eye.. Artificially? Hold on, is this about.. A.. Night-gaze? No, what was it called again. Oh, a spyglass! Water.. Shaped through a.. Spyglass.. To change how something looks? Wait, that's not it. Not distorted.. But.. Closer? Closer.. Like a spyglass... On a sea.. Not of water.. But sand? A spyglass of burning sands? A flow of sands, as transparent as water... As firm as ice? A spyglass.. In a wave.. That curves light? At sandy waters.. Burned to ice.. As a crescent moon, light is.. Moved?"

She was starting to physically get as dizzy as she had gotten mentally. "Sorry, I guess that was strange."
Edward
"Well, if there's to be no shades nor colors, you could always... Erm..." Mai wasn't sure how to put it, so, compelling her spell once again, she tried to conjure up a map in monochrome. "Just... Put little lines that are like ripples a little?" It looked crude in the air, but the outcome was sure enough: simple little undulating lines, depicting ripples. "Sometimes, my dear, you have to adjust to... Hm?" 

Mai cocked an eyebrow as Sumire got into her divination. Looking up at the sky, she didn't' make out anything that Sumire was saying. So, instead she just focused on the girl and her words, and what words she said and _didn't_ say. 

Light through an eye... Or a spyglass, which would change how things appeared. But on the sand, but transparent? It truly sounded like glass, but closer to the eye, perhaps? Moshi Mai closed her eyes, then, and tried to meditate on what the sentences were, and what they meant. 

"It's quite alright," Mai said, "Divination is tricky, and the Kami don't always like to be upfront with what they want. I will say, the mentioning of glass comes up a lot. Though, we talked about your glasses quite a bit. Admittedly, it's most _me_ poking around about it. I could actually use something like that, the older I get-"

Mai stopped for a moment, as something sort of clicked in her mind. "Hmmm." She smirked, an idea in her head. "You know," Mai said, "Glass is still rather new for Rokugan, but I've had some rather good experience with people being impressed by it. And if I know it correctly, it's created by sand, ash, limestone, things like that. Well, what if the Unicorn and the Mantis were to come together and work on a venture of making glass, here in the city?" 

She was clearly excited with her own thought, the way she smiled and got more animated. "Yes, that _has_ to be it! Think about it, Shinjo-san: A new product, forged with the sands and materials of our Clans, as a great sign of unity that would be _crystal clear_ to all! Ha! And the way these noblemen are always looking for the next big thing, we could make some major profits for our Clans. Granted, we'll need to bring this to Utaku Kazuko-sama, but I doubt she'd balk at business!" Mai definitely had her mind up about this, which she slowly realized. 

"Ah, apologies, but when treasure shows itself, I'm prone to attack it. Call it my pirate nature."
Darrell
The initial ripples statement was something she'd considered in the past, applied to practice, and not resolved anything but making it look messy. It had never satisfied her before, but her potentials in drawing were still greater than her present ability, she still had room to grow. She may have considered anything to do with this, but the shift in subject directed her towards the new tangent instead.

The most meaningful statement resounding to her was still that closing bit. Sandy waters, burned to ice, as crescent moon, light is moved. It almost sounded poetic, but it was too complicated to be appreciated like that. Like the ambassador had said, sometimes figuring out these translations just.. Left things unclear. She was still worried it might be her fault, despite her keen analysis of very distinct details that others less versed in her own ways might have missed, potentially distorting the message even further. Being a bit out of practice though wasn't helping much.

She did however find herself getting swept away quickly as the ambassador took quick judgement upon the details and quickly derrived a relation to the statement and the glasses she was wearing, that topic coming up once again. "Glass is made with sand? Like the burning sand? Is that how.. Burned to ice? I'm really not sure, some of this doesn't seem to add up properly. Like, how would that relate to a crescent moon moving light? Also..." She was about to ask why in the world the skies above would care to share secrets about her burdened curse, but that probably was not a worthwhile idea to invoke again.

What got to her the most though was the blossoming of excitement that just surged from the ambassador, like she'd brought something that provided so much happiness, which by her nature just made her resistance too challenged. "A clan project at least might be promising for the prospects of our alliance, that is true. If you wish to spearhead it, maybe you might just make it work."
Edward
Moshi Mai snorted at Sumire's confusion. "My dear Sumire-san, if the spirits and the fortunes were straight to the point, shugenja like me and monks like the Dragon would be out of a job a _long_ time ago. No, that divining needs to be studied and worked upon for the answers." Mai was already abuzz with the idea, how it may work, and what it means for this possible alliance. 

"But yes, glass comes from sand, and other things. I don't know all the details; the last person I asked about it was a Maraenean pirate that was dispatched soon after. Anyway, sand, heated to an extreme level, and some other minerals make molten glass, which is formed... Somehow. Like a blacksmith, no doubt. If I recall, there were rumors that there was a member of your clan that was interested in that..." 

When Sumire encouraged Mai to spur up the concept, she shook her head. "No no. This was your divination, so I won't be stealing your idea, even if it was _I_ that made it visible. What I _will_ do, is write your ambassador with a grand endorsement of you and this particular idea. I'll make sure to note we were just chatting and it came up naturally, and that you made certain that nothing was decided until Utaku-sama gave an endorsement. This will you _very_ good for you, my dear."
Darrell
Mentions of shugenja divining reminded her of her other outstanding work, matters of understanding the whims of much the same context out in the bazaar. It was already something she was lacking information about, even though she did have an appointment later with a shuganja of her own clan to discuss even further matters of the same nature. It was obscure for her, but maybe this sort of thing was more clear to those who were already invested into it. After all, she'd heard others not see the clarity in architecture, it was probably the same thing. This portrayed that something like this matter of glass interpretation would require work, but she might not be the most qualified to do that work. She was better at making plans with the information others could share with her.

In a consideration of that, she just listened to the account of observations that seemed to make sense to the ambassador. "Blacksmithing sand? Strange. I guess that's how you burn sand.. To ice? I don't know. I guess the crescent moon moving light is even more complicated. Someone else among the Unicorn is already working on this stuff? That's.. Surprising." She wasn't aware of someone else doing glass-smithing, but even the shugenja she would be meeting later was someone she'd not really known that well either. Knowing everyone could be challenging like that, much like her lack of understanding that a crescent moon was like a concave lens.. Quite similar to the design of her glasses. That though might be a challenge for most to figure out.

It was as if the ambassador's excitement had concluded with a shake of their head, to her disappointment. "If this is to be chosen as my duty, I'm prepared to work upon it as I would for any other duties. I will await the judgement of my own clan's ambassador in this matter."
Edward
"Surprising? The Unicorn, up to something exotic and interesting and against the norm? Honestly, sometimes I think you might be _Doji_ Sumire, young lady." Mai chuckled at her bullying in jest ||Jokester Strength||, but she quickly got back into the swing of things. "I would recommend you speak with your clansmen, see what they know about it. It would be a nice joint venture, and a good show of initiative on your part. I'll draft a letter to Utaku Kazuko-sama as well, to make sure the proper channels were followed." 

When Sumire gave her noncommittal answer, Mai frowned. "You know, you're allowed to be enthusiastic about things. And it's also fine to take initiative or request to start a project. Those that wait to be told what to do end up sitting on their hands." Mai sipped her tea, and set the cup down. 

"All the same, I _do_ hope you find some enjoyment in this. I'll enjoy working with you, as much as I do talking to you. Even if it's like talking to the Carpenter Wall, sometimes. All joking aside, I like you, Sumire-san. You've made a good impression by me, and having an ambassador as a friend is a good thing."
Darrell
She expected the jest made was a pointed disappointment in her not keeping up with the activity of others in her own clan, that it was a disappointment to her clan. It was a rather harsh regard, though it also felt as a pointed and sharp drive to ensure proper research was not disregarded. This would only come up later however as additional confusion, when she looked for someone fitting such a description on her own, and nothing turned up as a result. She would have to expect that something got missed in that statement, somehow.

That would however be later on, at present she would worry at what she was missing in her own statement. "I have been doing work that furthers my duties already, even before it is made a request, not depending solely upon the wisdom of others for ways to properly contribute to my duties. For example, I've been making maps of the city, mostly for the practice, but also because architectural maps like that have held their own purpose. It has helped already to provide guidance to new samurai who arrive in the city, to adjust to an unfamiliar layout." She was someone with a drive to help others, though she was notably less talented in doing something for her own sake alone. There were reasons for this, but it did seem that the ambassador was picking up upon something like this.

In pondering her outstanding responsibilities, she did realize that she might have stayed the full term of her visit, and she had other duties that would be expecting her presence soon. "Speaking of duties, I apologize but I might have need of departing so as to stay on schedule. The conversation has been so immersive that the trail of the sun seems to have passed more than would be expected. I still have some diagrams to prepare regarding my work, especially for a meeting soon to occur. I thank you for your hospitality, though." She made sure to bow at that, the room spinning faster than expected as a result of her still wearing her glasses while doing so.