Magnolia
*The macen visibly pauses at Ehakli's sarcasm, then silently places the gourd back on the bar table. The look she gives the Tholian looks absolutely done with her. She understood the sarcasm fairly well; it was something she tended to wield against many others as well, though not of this particular usage.*

"Don't tell anyone, but I really despise tea. It's just boiled leaf water. And cheap tea tastes like nothing. Cheap sake is at least strong."

"It's... Not. Most people in this area know basic language to be able to read prices, labels, signs and the stuff. I never got the chance to learn."

*The swordswoman seems to brighten up a bit when asked about her profession, distracting her away from the fact that she was utterly illiterate.*

"Two of them."

*Ling pulls out what seems to be two metal bars connected by a joint, but the two fold out to reveal a blade inside. A quick spin reveals that the weapon is none other than a butterfly sword, the much larger version of the butterfly knife. The blade is high quality steel, with a straight, double edged blade. A small guard reminiscent of a jian can be found made from the folding mechanisms. What was interesting was that the handle seemed to be similar to that of a wakizashi, with the metal handle scales having the familiar wraps of the weapon carved into them.*

"I'm Ling Kazami, swordswoman and mercenary. From Runra, but I travel the world. Only recently did I come back here. For, reasons."

*A rapid flash and the weapon is back in Ling's sash, sheathed.*
Keisha
*Through the tholian's little joke of confusing sake for tea, she did let out a little gentle laugh at the macen's reaction, as if plying for a pulling back to easy company. After all, neither of them seemed to be here for actual duty, at least so Ehakli thought. She listened on, and was physically moved at the flashing of this curious butterfly sword, even if the move was more of a leaning back at the surprise of it. She could only just blink in the flash of the strange weapon's return.*

*Then, it was back to easy smiles.* "Well, it is a pleasure to meet you, especially to do so outside the necessity of duty to our peoples, Ling Kazami of Runra. I am Ehakli of the Lymian House Aibaer, courtier for my Republic, and, at least a time ago, a soldier." 

*She raised her small cup in silent toast for the meeting before downing its contents.* "So, Miss Kazuma," *Ehakli trailed in her lead to another subject, thinking of the right words in this tongue. After taking another pull from her kiseru, she blew a thin stream of the smoke to the side away from them, and made eye contact, the dark elf focusing on trying to read Ling as deftly as she could as she asked this next question.* "Who is this 'her', that would require a poem from you so much as to move you to approach a strange foreigner on the docks like myself?"
Magnolia
"Ai-what?"

*The word soldier causes Ling's eyes to quickly flash, scanning the Tholian's body for weapons or martial physique. Maybe she had a dagger hidden inside that fancy clothing of hers. It wasn't unlikely.*

"Peoples, hm, I prefer if you refer to me as separate from them, thanks. I'm not exactly close to Runra. Guess I shouldn't have added that last part."

*While Ling wasn't familiar with many Lymian customs, the toast was one thing nearly all cultures had. She raises her drink as well, quickly downing the sake.*

*Internally, the quick thought of 'what the heck is that smoke thing?' arose in her mind, before quickly disappearing.*

"Oh, she? I'm talking about my girlfriend, Machi Oyama Hayashi. She's an okamimi, and she's so cute. Her ears and tails are fluffy, her chest is big, she's strong, and so pretty. We fight, eat, laugh, and sleep together. I could think about her all day, easily."

*The macen's gaze becomes dreamy as she describes her lover, almost looking up as if she were an angel from heaven.*
Keisha
"Okamimi?" *Ehakli said slowly, pondering on her recollection of these terms. Her mind drew her back to a moment in 936PS, deep within the more hidden depths below the Academia Lymia in Pepor. A secret lesson of the more life-science orientations of Necromantic studies that she was privy to observe from the circling stone observation theater. The splayed bodies of slaves obtained from Runra. The tails, the findings of anatomical differences between the subgroups of what the Runran collectively referred to as 'Kenomomimi'. Somewhat like the Beastfolk in nature. She remembered how macenlike they were compared to the beastfolk of Ramul Ta, and how still yet the master of the procedure then, Iniebhreis, showed the differences between the subgroups in dissection; how so varied they were while still appearing so macenlike. More importantly, in Iniebhreis's lesson that time ago, how mana-conductive the more-canine types were. The Kitsune, and the Okamini.*

*The memories of long-past moments broke away from her more conscious thoughts with a break of gentle laughter.* "Your description, it is, well, it is refreshing in its honesty. This is a lover, this Machi Oya... Machi Oyahashi? No-" *Ehakli shook her head in playful defeat.* "Forgive me, personal names are still something I am learning familiarity to beyond the structure of the language." 

*She found an almost-flat empty dish on the bar, and tapped the side of her kiseru to let the collected ash fall into, rethinking her words.* "So, you cannot write, but you wish to create a poem for, I presume your lover, Miss Machi? This is a unique challenge, Miss Kazami, but so long as a servant for one known as Toyoshige does not find me here, I would have the day if you profess to so easily can speak of Miss Machi all day. Endeavors of love are of a great importance to me and where I'm from. I cannot promise much, but I do know of poetry, so let's drink some more of your 'strong tea', and address the basics."

*An empty vessel gently turned between her midnight blue fingers.* "The very heart of poetry, especially of poetry directly to a single recipient, starts from the most basic thought of writing of all; *Intent*. Before you tell me more of your dear Machi, tell me why you decided to wished to write a poem at *All* To her. Love fills us with the want to express, but is there something you wish in your heart to express to her when you think of what you would speak to her through paper and ink with?"
Magnolia
"Her name's a bit difficult to pronounce. Machi Oyama Hayashi."

*Ling laughs with the Tholian as she struggles to pronounce Machi's name. Seems that she wasn't the only one with linguistics trouble.*

"Toyoshige? Who's that? If they interrupt my goal, I will cut them down."

*Smiling confidently, Ling draws a finger on her neck as if she were slitting a throat.*

*Downing another cup of sake, Ling's cheeks began to turn slightly pink.*

"Machi's a good painter, and she plans to create a full-body painting of me eventually. I want to give something in return to show that I'm going to give just as much work into loving her as she is for me. She's doing that because she loves me. The cherry blossoms are blooming soon, and I want that to be a perfect moment. An exchange of gifts in the sakura, and a profuse expression of love through a scroll and canvas that we can always look back on together. Of course, one doesn't need physical gifts to love, but it shows the work we're putting into each other."