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 Posted: Tue Sep 03, 2013 8:45 am
 The cultural center in Phonyland was not a place Hard Truths had yet explored. It wasn't that he'd been avoiding it so much as he hadn't yet come across it along his slow but thorough reconnaissance of the theme park. Now, however, he was particularly curious about it and its inner workings due to its connection to the Japanese-speaking filly he'd met not long ago. Perhaps she would be there.
Upon entering, the vermilion unicorn was somewhat disappointed to discover that this was not the case. However, there did seem to be another phony there of an oriental nature. He was a pale palomino color with his mane and tail even fairer than his coat. The draft was pretty big, especially to a foal, but he was so elegant that were it not for his feathered fetlocks, Hard Truths might have mistaken the stallion for a rather large mare.
Approaching the adult with slight hesitation, Truths cleared his throat. "Does a filly by the name of Jasmine Tea come by here at all?"Atmadja ((Let me know if you'd like me to change anything. wink ))
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Posted: Tue Sep 03, 2013 12:27 pm
Ikebana stood at one of the circular windows of the cultural center, his eyes slightly unfocused as he looked out at the day's weather. Inside, the hardwood of the center reflected the natural light and made the building seem spacious, and the tasteful, simple Asian decorations gave a museum-feel to the space. Ikebana, standing as still as he was, almost seemed part of the decor.
Inwardly, the champagne phony was weighing his options: to go out and gather some driftwood today, or no? Was the weather too humid to bother trying to get some new flowers, or would they all be in a puckered half-faint?
Decisions, decisions.
The center itself was quiet, with the next tour scheduled for two hours hence. Ikebana was surprised to see someone -- a young foal, no less! -- come in, but his calm face belied the feeling. He looked down at the unicorn as he entered.
"Good afternoon," he said, in his low voice. The next question surprised him further, but this time, it showed up on Ikebana's expression. He smiled just faintly, wondering if this was a friend (or suitor?) of his sister's. "Yes. She does on occasion. May I ask who is calling for her?
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Posted: Tue Sep 03, 2013 6:49 pm
The calm and refined manner with which Jasmine had first spoken to Hard Truths was even more evident in this stallion. He had almost no doubt now that he had come to the right place. Tranquility didn't seem a common trait among most phonies of Phonyland from what the foal had determined so far.
Such politeness as the draft's greeting wasn't as rare, but it certainly wasn't easy to find, either. All the more bothersome was the fact that the older phony hadn't even scolded him for his lack of respect. It made the curt foal feel somewhat ashamed that he hadn't been polite in turn, but he knew he wasn't much good with etiquette. It just seemed to get in the way of honesty.
Well, wouldn't hurt to try, right? He doubted he could feel any less civilized than he already did in the shadow of this beauty. "I see. Then I'll assume that means she isn't here at the moment," he murmured, mostly to himself. Looking up to the blue-eyed adult, the vermillion foal answered, "My name is Hard Truths. I met Jasmine Tea a short while ago, so we're only just acquaintances, but I thought it might be nice to meet her again."
Tilting his head, he asked, "And to whom do I have the pleasure of speaking? Would you be a relative of hers, perhaps...?"
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Posted: Tue Sep 03, 2013 9:39 pm
If Ikebana was conscious of any rudeness, he certainly didn't show it. The draft watched the foal with some interest, taking him in -- the bright, frank eyes, the expression of mild, unhidden discontentment. He did not seem to be a bad sort, from what Ikebana could tell. At the very least, he had the good taste to have found his sister's presence pleasant enough to try to seek her out again.
The thought tugged a faint smile to the stallion's face.
"Mm. Jasmine is probably at home today. She takes a few days to test new tea blends before she debuts them," explained Ikebana courteously, nodding. "But it is nice to hear she's meeting more foals. She can be shy. I am her brother, Ikebana. A pleasure, Hard Truths -- and sorry to disappoint you."
What an interesting name, Ikebana thought. Perhaps suited for an Old Enough lawyer, or a judge?
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Posted: Wed Sep 04, 2013 5:15 am
After being used to so many phonies who blatantly wore their emotions on their faces and spoke aloud any thought that crossed their mind, the champagne-colored stallion was a silent mystery. It almost unnerved Hard Truths not to know what he was thinking, especially when something made him smile slightly. He bit back the terrible urge to ask what it was.
"Is that so?" A panicked thought hit him. What if she ended up hating the picnic idea he had planned so carefully? If she took days to test new tea blends, perhaps an afternoon mixing random concoctions for fun wouldn't be her idea of a good time, fresh ingredients or not. He almost didn't hear the rest of what the stallion said as his horned brow furrowed in minor distress. "Does she...always take days to test teas? Nothing impulsive, hmm?" He should have known. It was a trait admirable in itself, but it thwarted his plans nonetheless.
"Not at all," he answered in response to Ikebana's apology. "It's an honor to have met such a cultivated phony such as yourself and a bonus that you're Jasmine's brother. Personally, I'd fear meeting more foals might negatively influence her charmingly demure nature. Especially the ones I've met." A distasteful look briefly passed across his features. "But I do suppose interaction with others is beneficial and necessary."
Taking a look around, the foal scrutinized the cultural center which seemed to be empty for the most part at the moment. "So...if this isn't 'home', may I ask what you do here, exactly?" He had an inkling, but that was all; the full meaning of the term 'Ikebana' eluded him.
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Posted: Thu Sep 05, 2013 2:45 pm
Ikebana watched the colt, his calm blue eyes taking in the look of upset that crossed his features as he spoke his first speech. Part of him -- the protective big brother part -- wanted to let Hard Truths know that Jasmine Tea was not to be whisked off impulsively to do anything, but the other part of him -- perhaps the kinder big brother part -- thought it might be nice to take little Jazz out of her element a bit. So demure and self-effacing she could be! A little jolt could be good for her.
"She is not impulsive as a general rule..." Ikebana said slowly, musingly. "But I do not think she is so cautious to be averse to a touch of impulsiveness now and again." He smiled down at the colt, encouraging. There was a touch of fraternal pride in his expression, but good-humored rather than lofty. "In any case, even meeting rambunctious foals is good for Jasmine. She keeps her calm perhaps better than you might expect, and her nature is refreshingly serene in the face of hyperactivity."
He dipped his head into a shallow bow at Hard Truths' compliment. "As for me, this is not 'home', but it is 'work'. I teach some traditional arts here, ink calligraphy and ikebana, my namesake -- the meditative practice of arranging natural elements and flowers. There are, of course, other practices I and my siblings enjoy, should you ever decide to drop by: judo, meditation, traditional tea ceremony, drums, and the like. I expect Jasmine spoke with you in Japanese?"
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Posted: Mon Sep 16, 2013 7:51 pm
"An admirable trait, to be sure," Truths commented thoughtfully regarding a lack of impulsiveness. "Hm...but I do hope you're right. I'm...well, I'd like to think I'm not a generally impulsive phony myself, but something about your sister made me want to put together a surprise picnic for her. I hope that's alright." Moreover, he hoped she actually liked it.
The smile the young unicorn received had him at odds again, unsure of how to respond. Having never had any family of his own, Truths wasn't really sure what to make of the gesture. What was appropriate and inappropriate with a phony you just met? Under normal circumstances the foal realized he wouldn't usually have been stressing himself over such things, but the rare respect the colt recognized from the older stallion made him feel obligated to at least return the courtesy. Since he didn't practice politeness on a daily basis, however, he wasn't sure if he was doing it right.
"Mm...I see. She sounds like quite a patient filly. Tolerant." Did that mean she liked more rambunctious foals, then? Would she have found him to be boring? No, no, no, he couldn't think like that now. His plan was almost complete; this was no time to panic.
"Work?" The change in topic was welcome and gave his mind something else to focus on, setting him at ease for the time being. "Ah...Ike...Ike-banner...bann-na..." It was no use. Though he knew a few Japanese words, he couldn't pronounce them accurately enough for anyone to make out what he was saying. Truths supposed just knowing the few words he knew would have to be enough. "In any case, it all sounds very...exotic." And tiring. How did they keep the knowledge of so many arts and talents in one family? And it was one thing to practice the arts, but to teach them, too? No wonder Jasmine and her brother seemed to have such infinite patience.
"Yes, she did a little," he admitted. "I can understand some, but I can't speak it at all. I butcher all the words." He looked around. "May I ask how you manage all those things? Even with your whole family, it sounds like quite a burden to be teaching so many arts to anyone interested who comes by."
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