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Twice-Blossomed Sakura	It can be hard, sometimes, to find a quiet place in a city like Nexus. But still, an unused stone stage of sorts in the midst of a park does... alright. Which is perhaps why a young woman with old eyes sits on the edge of said stage, lounging back with a small white circle of fabric stretched taut in her hand. She threads a length of twine through the fabric back and forth, slowly building a pattern of some sort as she puts it all together.
Orchid Blossom	A young woman enters the park, clad in somewhat scandelous silks, a lute-case slung over her back, she is not interested in a quiet place, or at least, she looks to be seeking a place to make it less quiet. Pointed ears and a slightly fae appearance proclaim her more htan just a mortal as she climbs up onto the stage. "Do you mind if I play?" Her voice has the musical accents of Great Forks.
Twice-Blossomed Sakura	Sakura pauses a moment, looking up and tilting her head a little. Perhaps not the most perceptive, as she didn't notice until addressed, but there's a keenly analytical look in her eyes all the same. She nods a little. "Please, do feel welcome. I believe the purpose of the place is more inclined to your pursuits than mine anyways." On that note, she stands up, shifting herself to a seat in the grass not too far off. "And best of fortune drumming up a crowd."
Orchid Blossom	The young fae-blood woman unpacks her lute, sits herself down on the top step, and spends a minute tuning, adjusting pegs and quietly plucking each string until the tone satisfies her, she then strikes up a slow melody in a minor key, aiming for relaxing music rather than a brisk tune. "Madam, do you have any requests?" The young woman glances about, seeing who might be watching.
Orchid Blossom	It's a quiet park (the quiet is relative, it is Nexus after all). A small stone stage is in the middle of a park in Nexus. A young woman, likely with Fae blood sits on the top step leading up to the stage, clad in almost scandelous silks. A lute is in her hand as she idly plays music with a slow cadence. Nearby is another young woman, working on a circle of fabric.
Twice-Blossomed Sakura	Sakura pauses, looking back up as she considers the question and resumes her embroidery. "Oh? Well, truth be told, I haven't been in Nexus in some thirty years, so I would earnestly simply be pleased to hear what people like to play around here these days," she admits with a faint smile. Mind, she doesn't look a day past twenty. But she still seems earnest, and straightforward as can be.
Min Li	There's a new arrival on the scene, or at least one that seems to have taken enough particular interest to approach the women by/on the stage. This one is clearly Dragon-Blooded, and one of them with a strong enough breeding to be startlingly obvious, though she doesn't wear anything that suggests affiliation with any particular Dynastic house, or any other organization made up of too many Terrestrials. No, this woman just looks well bred, well dressed, and quite likely more than a little intoxicated, given the gentle sway of her steps as she comes near. She's carrying an opium pipe, so that's also a pretty decent sign. "Gooood daay," she says drawls pleasantly, offering a relaxed, lazy smile to the strangers. "Do either of you happen to know when the next show time is." She indicates what she means with an encompassing circular motion of her pipe's tip, taking in the stage.
Orchid Blossom	The Fae-blood woman purses her lips. "Well now, I know a few such songs. I could play 'The City of Ten Thousand Whores', or maybe 'Jewel in the Smoke' if you want a song about Nexus. I know hundreds of drinking songs, and many other songs suited for a tavern." The young woman turns to see the newcomer. "Good day to you, the show starts as soon as I start playing, I'm taking requests."
Twice-Blossomed Sakura	"You or the newcomer's choice, by my warrant," says Sakura with a simple shrug. She turns her eyes to the newcomer, considering for a moment. Her eyes are piercing, analytical, and too old for the frame and the face. She gestures with an arm, shrugging a little. "Please, take a seat anywhere. I believe you are the more intentional of the audience."
Min Li	"Oh, how wonderful! Do you know 'Stairway to Yu Shan'?" Min Li asks, her curiosity seeming to be piqued. Her accent is a local one, but far more Firewander slums than Bastion estate. Odd, given her breeding and attire, except if someone pays enough attention to the criminal underworld to recognize her for who she is. She brings her pipe to her lips, inhales, and then blows a bit of sweet, perfumey smoke out of her nose before she look at the other woman. She takes the stranger in, pausing longer on the woman's eyes than anything else, but if she notices something peculiar she doesn't seem concerned about it, and lazily seats herself on the edge of the stage. Despite the languor of her movements, they're self assured and deft. "I'm Min Li," she says.
Orchid Blossom	Orchid Blossom raises an eyebrow. "What musician does not know Stairway to Yu Shan?" She plucks out the opening chords before crossing her legs and settling herself in properly. Her own accent is plainy that of Great Forks. Fingers begin to work at the strings of her lute as the familiar melody of that ancient tune is plucked out, her musical voice soon taking up the words, it seems the young woman is multi-talented at performing.
Twice-Blossomed Sakura	"Sakura," returns the pink haired embroidering woman. "Twice-blossomed, if you must. An architect from... well, all over really, but primarily Thorns." And so much for that hometown. She does have the voice for it though. She falls quiet for the moment then, still half-absently threading her embroidery work as the music begins to play.
Min Li	"You would be surprised how many people who call themselves musicians do not," Min Li responds with an impish smirk. "Though I suppose that a lot of those who call themselves musicians are anything but." She lounges back, one arm propping herself up and the other holding her pipe to her lips as she watches Orchid Blossom through half-lidded eyes, a good deal like a cat ready to take a nap, but also busy watching something nearby to see if it might be worth chasing. That look had been turned toward Orchid Blossom, but it slides over to Sakura at her mention of where she's from. "My condolences," she says after a few moments of impassive consideration.
Orchid Blossom	The musician inclines her head, fingers continuing to play. "Orchid Blossom, humbly at your service ladies." She frowns slightly. "That was a bad business there, I am deeply sorry." Her eyes flicker over to Min Li, feeling the woman watching her, but then return to her instrument. "
Orchid Blossom	The musician inclines her head, fingers continuing to play. "Orchid Blossom, humbly at your service ladies." She frowns slightly. "That was a bad business there, I am deeply sorry." Her eyes flicker over to Min Li, feeling the woman watching her, but then return to her instrument. "I know a few songs from Thorns if you would perhaps care to hear some."
Twice-Blossomed Sakura	"With this new lease on life? I remember all the songs well known there, verbatim. I an always looking for new experiences moreso. That was the real treasure there. Always something to learn." A faint smile and bowing of the head. "I appreciate the thought, all the same.
Min Li	"A lovely service it is, too," Min Li answers with her lazy smile, turning away from Sakura and back to Orchid. "You play quite well. I don't suppose that you're looking for work, are you? I own a couple of establishments that can always use entertainers." So there was a reason for her to come over and strike up conversation! She turns her head slowly back to Sakura and tilts her head to one side. After a short pause she asks, "new lease on life?"
Orchid Blossom	Orchid shrugs. "I could use the work, and I could certainly use the exposure." She increases her tempo, adding embelishment to the familiar tune. "May I know what is the name of the establishments you're seeking entertainers for?"
Twice-Blossomed Sakura	An amused smirk appears on Sakura's lips, and a faint twinkle in her eyes. "Well, a name like mine isn't just for the sake of drama," is her only answer to Min Li.
Min Li	"Why not? Drama is a great reason to do things," Min Li responds with a laugh, one that rolls like gently lapping waves. Water aspects! "But fair enough. The only problem with that answer is that it makes me more curious." She puts her opium pipe between her lips and inhales again, slowly, and then opens her mouth to let the smoke curl slowly from it as her dark eyes return to Orchid. "I own the Immoral Dragon Inn in the Firewander district, and the House of Cherished Coral in Bastion," she explains. "You can probably tell a lot about them based on that alone, no?" Which might clue people who pay attention to the criminal underworld in on who she is. The Immoral Dragon is a fairly well known sobriquet for a certain water-aspected crimelord in those circles.
Orchid Blossom	Orchid doesn't seem to know the criminal reputation of that establishment, but the name does have other connotations. In any case, whatever Sakura is saying is going completely over her head. "Forgive my bluntness, but do you seek musicians, or courtesans for those establishments?" The tune progresses, not a wrong note struck so far, about midway done.
Twice-Blossomed Sakura	Having not been in Nexus in thirty or so years, let alone the seedier parts of town, even a memory like Sakura's can fail to provide the relevant information. Ah well. "Is curiousity not just as fine a thing as the dramatic?" "Contextually I am going to assume musicians," she notes mildly in the other exchange, perhaps less... effortlessly continuous in her embroidery, but at least a competent hand. She's sewn and knit a few things in her time at least.
Min Li	Min Li doesn't even give a moment's consideration to the questiona bout what she's looking to hire before answering, "absolutely!" As if it was less about whether she wanted one or the other, and instead about whether or not it was both. "Do you know a courtesan looking for work?" She sits forward a bit and lets her eyes wander. "Are you a courtesan looking for work? Because I can offer it, but if you only play lovely music there's a place for that too." The attention of the woman ebbs away from Orchid and flows to Sakura, to whom she offers a lazy grin. "The best part of curiosity is the search for its satisfaction, I much admit. The answers themselves are so often a let down."
Orchid Blossom	"I can happily do both, if maiden tea is provided, and I can choose the clients." Orchid doesn't seems to have a problem working as a courtesan. She leans in toward Min Li a little. The philisophical discussion between the other two women is completely going over her head. Her foot begins to tap the ground in time with the music, the cadence increasing as the song draws to a close.
Twice-Blossomed Sakura	A faint nod from Sakura, and she shrugs a little. "Well, we can vary our takes, perhaps. I spent a lifetime trying to find, prove, and provide answers to a variety of questions- and make something out of the answers, subsequently. Funny thing being, every answer simply offered more questions, continuously. Quite the worthwhile pursuit, in my mind."
Min Li	"I think we agree more than we disagree," Min Li says to Sakura, shrugging her own shoulders. She seems to be far too relaxed for a spirited debate, though. Despite the opium, or perhaps partly because of it, she seems rather serene. Then again, the Water aspected can be mercurial sometimes, so that could always change. "I can provide maiden tea," she says, turning back to Orchid Blossom. "Otherwise most of my best girls wouldn't stay that way very long, would they? Come by and see me one night soon and we can talk more." It sounds like a dismissal, or at least a conclusion, but she stays where she is and continues to listen to the music as it begins to find its own ending point.
Orchid Blossom	"Certainly, I look forward to it." Orchid finishes the crashing chord, then the last notes of the melody trail off into tinkling silence. The Fae-blood rises and then dips a deep curtsy, letting the women continue their disucssion while she places her lute back in its case.
Twice-Blossomed Sakura	"Perhaps another time then," says Sakura, in perhaps the most Thorns-ian way possible- they were always a people known to enjoy a head-in-clouds discussion for hours on end. She shrugs it off however, and looks to Orchid a moment. "Oh? Calling it here, then, in favour of pursuing this opportunity?"
Min Li	When the music concludes, Min Li rests her pipe across her legs and gives a gentle applause. Then she picks the pipe up again, slides down from the edge of the stage, and offers a lazy wave. "It was nice meeting you both, but I should be going. Thank you for the song, it was quite lovely." She doesn't wait for anything more than that before she turns and starts swaying off.
Orchid Blossom	Orchid shakes her head. "Oh no, but I've heard far too much philosophy. I thought I'd go have a drink so that I can fool myself into thinking that I'm not a complete idiot."
Twice-Blossomed Sakura	A shake of the head. "Nonsense. I would suggest there is no such thing, just things one is not familiar with yet. By contrast, I am sure I would sooner break a string than play anywhere near what you have. But, if you must take your leave, I do wish you a fine evening," offers Sakura mildly, with a faint, almost... matronly sort of smile, now.
Orchid Blossom	Orchid once more dips a deep curtsy. "It was a pleasure to meet you, I hope my music was entertaining." The young woman makes her way down the steps and out into the city.