open Cultures Unite (1x1 with GeneralDirection)

[Samurai Equine 51,129]

@GeneralDirection

Samurai lifts an eye brow with a silly smile. "Have you all ready forgotten, my friend? That's why I brought you before the Shogun earlier, so that I could ask for free citizenship on behalf of you and kirin kind. He said he'd get started on that for you. It may have been finalized by now."

Edited August 2, 2022 by Samurai Equine

[GeneralDirection 1,047]

@Samurai Equine

Silver blinks a couple times and rubs his head. “Umm… I guess I have.” He shakes his head. “Ok, I guess I just didn’t fully understand what was going on at the time. There’s been a lot to take in since I got here, to be fair. But sure, let’s go see if that’s ready!”

[Samurai Equine 51,129]

@GeneralDirection

Samurai nods. "I imagine after we finish there, it will be getting late. Will you want to go home or stay here in Japone for the night? I can offer you many choices, if you want to stay here."

[GeneralDirection 1,047]

@Samurai Equine

“Well… home’s a long way away for me. Probably won’t be home tonight. Now your home on the other hoof, maybe. As much as I’ve enjoyed being in the big city, the quietness of the countryside is what I’m more used to. So I think we should head back to your place after, how does that sound?” He asks.

[Samurai Equine 51,129]

@GeneralDirection

"Sounds good to me. I can accommodate a visitor." Samurai says.

Moments later, they arrive at a very official-looking business building. Many of the workers are wearing suits. The citizens visiting are working on all kinds of forms. "Japone is a place that loves protocol and bureaucracy. It can get overwhelming sometimes, but being connected to the Shogun or the Empress can really speed things along." Samurai says. As he goes to the proper window, Samurai begins talking to the desk worker, asking if certain order forms have been processed. Eventually, the desk worker comes back with a special forum for Silver to sign.

Samurai takes a moment to read it first. "Hmm... It's a provisional free citizenship form. The provisional part will instantly disappear if you start a family here in Japone or if you join our military. Otherwise, the provisional part of the citizenship will disappear over time, provided kirins don't insight violence or war against Japone. That's basically what it says. If you find this agreeable, feel free to sign, and you may enter and leave Japone whenever you may. You and other kirins, of course."

[GeneralDirection 1,047]

@Samurai Equine

Silver looks at the form and then back to his friend. “Can’t I come and go as I please now, anyway?” He asks with a bit of a confused look. “What does ‘citizenship’ grant me access to, exactly? This isn’t really a concept we have back home.”

[Samurai Equine 51,129]

@GeneralDirection

"Not exactly. It's a complicated situation. Ponies have been lobbying to change that in the future. We might get there, but it will be a while before it changes. Lots or bureaucracy and red tape. Basically, there's a difference between being a tourist and living here whenever you want. By agreeing to this citizenship, if you or any kirin kind ever decide they want to live here permanently, they will now have the freedom to do so." Samurai does his best to explain in brief.

[GeneralDirection 1,047]

@Samurai Equine

Silver still didn’t fully understand the situation, but at the end of the day, he didn’t exactly have much to lose by signing this document. In fact, he didn’t have anything to lose, period. He knew that the rest of his village wasn’t much for travelling, so he doubted that anypony aside from himself, Vesperr, and Charlotte would ever make it out here. The rest were simply too complacent for their own good.

“Alright.” He says after thinking things over for a bit. “Let’s do this.” He picks up the pen with his magic and just like that, Silver is now a citizen of Japone.

[Samurai Equine 51,129]

@GeneralDirection

After he signs it, the office worker says "Banzai" and sets off a mini confetti popper. It's a very small, anticlimactic display; probably because the workers can't do much in the office anyways.
The office worker takes the paperwork and thanks them, which means Samurai and Silver are free to leave. Samurai leads the way once more. "Things will get interesting in the coming days, I have no doubt. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if more of my samurai comrades want to meet you."

[GeneralDirection 1,047]

@Samurai Equine

Silver smiles and thanks the office worker before walking away. It may not have been much, but at least they were trying.

“Interested?” He asks. “I hope it’s the good sort of interesting. Hopefully your comrades will be a bit more accepting of me than Denki was.” He says half-joking, half- worried about the possibility. “Speaking of meeting more samurai, do you think we could go visit Asahi tomorrow? She did invite me, after all. Or we can go somewhere else if you want, I don’t really have plans here.”  

[Samurai Equine 51,129]

@GeneralDirection

"She always says stuff like that, but we'll see how the day goes tomorrow." Samurai says.

As they walk out, the sun is all ready starting to set. Samurai takes a moment to look around and listen, nodding. "This is good. Shall I teleport us back home? Would be much faster."

[GeneralDirection 1,047]

@Samurai Equine

“Oh, ok. Well, I don’t know, I’ve never teleported before. Does it hurt or feel weird or anything like that?” He asked cautiously. “Also, it’s been a long day for the both of us, so make sure you’re not gonna tire yourself out too much from doing this, you know?”

[Samurai Equine 51,129]

@GeneralDirection

"Teleporting is very noninvasive for those without magic. At most, you might experience a split second of disorientation, but after you look look around and collect you're bearings..." Samurai puts a hoof on Silver's shoulder as he talks.
Poof! They are both instantly teleported just outside Samurai's house. "...you should be just fine." Samurai finishes what he was saying. It really did take them a split second to teleport from one spot to the next. It was so fast, there wasn't even a noticeable break in Samurai's explanation. It was like taking one step forward, yet somehow ending up in a wildly different location than you expected.

[GeneralDirection 1,047]

@Samurai Equine

“But I do have magic…” Silver starts before Samurai instantly teleports them both back to his house. He blinks a few times, feeling somewhat disorientated from the sudden shift in environment. “Ok, well that just happened.” He turns to face his friend. “So uh, now what?”

[Samurai Equine 51,129]

@GeneralDirection

Samurai takes a moment to rub his head. "Now? Dinner, then time for bed. Is there anything specific you have a craving for?" Samurai says as he leads the way into his house.
The sun casts a deep orange glow over all as it sets in the horizon.

[GeneralDirection 1,047]

@Samurai Equine

Silver thinks for a moment. “Well, to be honest, not really. But how about you make something like you like?” He suggests. “I am here to experience your culture, so do whatever you would do normally. I don’t mind, really.”

[Samurai Equine 51,129]

@GeneralDirection

"Then a humble days end, it shall be. Ikken Rakkuchaku. That means Case Closed, or in this case, All's Well That Ends Well." Samurai says before leading the way into his house.
Soon, they have dinner in Samurai's dining room. The dining table sits low to the ground, no chairs. They have udon noodle soup, potato and miso croquettes, edamame, and marinated vegetables. For desert, mini strawberry trifles. All the food prepared by Samurai's servants, the kuroko. Some light conversations happen during their meal, of course.

That evening, as the sun has finally gone all the way down, they are just relaxing together, doing whatever they want. Samurai has gotten out a stringed instrument and is casually strumming it. Silver is free to do whatever he wants.

[GeneralDirection 1,047]

@Samurai Equine

Silver smiles and nods silently as they head to the dining room where they wait until dinner is served. As his friends’ servants place the meal before him, Silver can’t help but think about what life must be like having a small army of ponies at your disposal all the time. Dinner was amazing, of course. The two engaged in idle conversation while eating until Samurai finishes, sits down, and starts playing a stringed instrument of his. Silver comes over and sits down beside him.

“What’s that instrument you’re playing called?” He asked, staring at it as his friend casually played it.

[Samurai Equine 51,129]

@GeneralDirection

Samurai stops playing for a second to show it off. "It's called a shamisen. Many have compared it to the banjo, but I find the tones to be softer and more pleasing." Samurai explains. "Do you play an instrument?"

[GeneralDirection 1,047]

@Samurai Equine

“Ah ok, cool.” Came Silver’s reply. “And um, no, I don’t play any instruments. I can do a lot of things, but that isn’t one of ‘em. You seem to be a pony of many talents, Samurai, how’d you end up deciding that protecting your homeland was what you wanted to do?” He asked.

[Samurai Equine 51,129]

@GeneralDirection

Samurai stops idly playing to thing of the best way to answer that question. "I can't say one thing in particular drove me to be a soldier. I decided to learn elemental magic at a young age, inspired by Mistmane. Eventually, my studies began to reveal I might be able to make fire magic. When the Shogun took me under his wing to help me improve my studies, I learned I also have a pretty good knack for combat techniques. My cutie mark is a reflection of my talent for combat. Shogun thought it was uncanny how things lined up, the fact that I could be a fire magic prodigy AND had the natural makings of a soldier. I would have been foolish not to pursue that career. But what ultimately made me decide to be a soldier was her." Samurai points.

He is pointing to a set of pictures on the wall; more specifically, he is pointing a big picture of Princess Celestia. "Here in Japone, we believe the princess is a gift from the heavens, the closest to divinity we might ever find. We don't dare think of Celestia as just another pony, even if she is. Celestia is a very selfless, caring leader who adores her subjects. To serve her is the highest honor, and as a samurai, that is what I get to do. There is a chain of command of course. There is the shogunate, and the Empress of Japone above that. However, Celestia is the highest authority. If she gives an order, it overrules the orders of anyone else. I hope that one day, I can be her right-hoof royal guard. Might be the first samurai in history to get that far." Talking about Celestia fills Samurai with pride and perhaps more? He seems to really adore her. "We also think of Luna just as highly. It was a shock at first. Before, it was just Celestia. Then one day, her sister returned. Pony kind wasn't sure what to think at first, but Celesta wanted us to treat Princess Luna as equally as we treat her. So now we consider Luna to also be a gift from the heavens."

[GeneralDirection 1,047]

@Samurai Equine

“Wow. That’s quite the journey you’ve been on. You truly are talented, then. I think that’s a really cool goal you have, to be her royal guard. I’m sure you’ll get there if you put your mind to it.” He says, smiling. But his smile soon fades. “It’s interesting to me that you think so highly of Celestia. Us kirin do as well, to some extent. But, there’s never been a documented case of any royal ever making a trip to greet or acknowledge us as part of Equestria. In the past our race was looked down upon, but nowadays we’re just ignored, nopony really knows that we’re there. In my travels, there have been plenty of times I’ve been run out of towns just because I’m a kirin. So I’ve learned how to avoid getting into trouble, and how to fight back if I need to.” He explains solemnly, staring at the picture of Celestia on the wall.

[Samurai Equine 51,129]

@GeneralDirection

Samurai thinks about that. "I can't say why the princess has never visited your land. I dare not pry. I'd rather wait until either of the princesses have decided to open up to me first. It's one of the major differences of Western ponies. They have respect for her and acknowledge her authority, but in accordance with her wishes, they don't see her as a goddess or any kind of divinity. Because of it, they feel more comfortable asking and prying into her life. Maybe I'm just more a gentlecolt or lover-at-heart; a real stallion doesn't need to pry or go behind a pony's back to learn about them." Samurai strums a few more chords. "But your stories sound fascinating. I would love to hear more sometime, maybe see your own fighting skills for myself." Samurai explains.

He notices what time it is. "I think we should be getting to bed. You may stay up if you want, but I'm an early-riser. I can show you to your bedroom, if you like."

[GeneralDirection 1,047]

@Samurai Equine

“I don’t know what to say. It’d just be nice to roam around Equestria without being treated like a monster. Nothing personal against Celestia or Luna, I’m sure they’re great ponies.” Silver chuckles a bit when he hears Samurai mention his fighting skills. “I’m no solider like you, I was raised by a bunch of peaceful, quite folk who know nothing of the outside world. I just do what I must do to survive and have had a few others like yourself who bothered to show me stuff. But you’re right, it is getting late, let’s go get some sleep.”  

[Samurai Equine 51,129]

@GeneralDirection

"Well, you're no monster here." Samurai reassures him.

Escorted by a kuroko, a partition door is pulled back and Silver is shown the room he is allowed to stay in. It's a very simple room. Desk and storage spaces, and a bed that sits low to the ground, but still has a rather thick and comfy mattress. Pillows, blankets, it's all there.