[D5 EA open]Flute of time

[Toritaka Hanatsuko]

Again she sits on the sands of the beach. She has fond memories of the previous day and not so fond ones. She looked at waves and tried to meditate again. The headache of repeating day and recognition of the same thing over again, Kuma nagging and Sari's barking was too much for her to even center herself.

The woman was frustrated. There was nothing she could do to help these people out. Even the thought of sabotaging the wedding came to mind. She lost her on... as tears fell from her eyes.

Hana chan... I am so sorry...

"It is hopeless, I'll drown in these waters and join you. Perhaps Toryu will have better luck."

//D5 EA Meditation Void to recover 1 VP TN 24: 4d10o10k3 10

[Kakita Masao]

Drifting down the beach, and getting louder as the flute player drew closer, were the notes of a long, slow song that was well known in the Crane lands, but probably not here. It had been written by a rare person -- a talented Daidoji artist -- and was a personal favorite of Kakita Masao. Well, it had been a favorite of his grandmother, and in recent times he appreciated its positive effect on her perhaps most of all.

The song journeyed from mid winter -- cold and slow -- through the slow, beautiful build of spring, to a midsummer crescendo. Masao and his song were only about the first day of spring when he caught sight of a familiar person, in a familiar place -- behaving in an unfamiliar way.

The Kakita rushed toward Hanatsuko, though when he got close he slowed himself to not further upset her, or her friends. He knelt near her, but not as close as yesterday. Fortunes, this is worse than before.

Grandson, you should go back to the song, his near-constant companion advised. With a toss of his head he ignored her and said quietly, "Toritaka-san, what has happened?"

[Toritaka Hanatsuko]

She recognized that voice. She couldn't look at him with a broken on. The woman cleared her tears, avoiding looking at him. "Ka...ka...Kakita... san."

Hana come on... This guy is practically family.

Kuma perched on the Kakita's shoulder.

She took a deep breath. "Again... I wake in pain... again the town looks the same... again the spirits are playing tricks on me... again Kuma nags..." She let's out a sigh. "I am so sorry! I feel my hands are tied and being tortured."

Kuma looked at the Kakita and did a chattering click like he would understand.

[Kakita Masao]

"Oh, Toritaka-san," he says, moving to sit right beside her. Formality sounds wrong, given yesterday, but he can't push propriety there when he's already getting so close physically. Keep it that way, grandson. Remember what i said.

For now, the Kakita sits close, just touching her left shoulder with his right, while Kuma remains on the other side. Is this what Kuma-san wanted? Masao feels like he's as far from things that he knows as he can be. Well, not quite.

"Toritaka-san," he says kindly, but with strength. "This is very hard. But, not everything is the same. Others know about the repeating, and we'll break the spell or curse or whatever it is. This won't go on forever." The Crane doesn't just sound optimistic, but confident.

"And I'm sure we can make things easier in the meantime, too. Like, Kuma-san," he looks up at the bird intently. "I need you to be extra nice to Han--Toritaka-san, here, at least until days stop repeating, ok?" Masao has no idea what reaction he's looking for, but assumes he's getting it. "There. That's good." He smiles at the bird, then looks back at Hanatsuko.

"And we... Um. We know things... are changing, even though the day repeats. Yesterday was... different, for us, out here." Now Masao's voice shows his nerves. "Um, I thought... I thought it went... well..." He trails off and looks toward the water.

[Toritaka Hanatsuko]

Kuma thrilled in approval. The bird lowered himself to the and started to dance on the sand.

Hanatsuko looked up at the Kakita slowly.

That's it... come on... you can do this... think that you are beating me in a game of courtship.

They eyes met. "Yes, yesterday was nice... and you are right... we just need to break the curse." She move closer to the Kakita and mustered the courage to kiss him in the cheek. "Thank you... Masao kun." The woman whispered

[Kakita Masao]

Masao can hardly believe what seems like a sudden change. At the kiss, and the whisper so close to his ear, he forgets to breathe. It takes him a while to find words, although there's a fair amount of words being yelled inside his head. Eventually: "Ah, Toritaka-san... I... I'm not sure it's proper to say, but..." He swallows, the movement sounding loud with her so close.

"You are welcome." It's technically the right response to 'thank you,' but it also sounds like an invitation to something more.

Kakita Masao-nikutai! The Crane closes his eyes to help push the internal voice aside.

[Toritaka Hanatsuko]

The woman shied away giggling like a child. "I should center myself. Perhaps continue practicing the flute or some iai." She nodded. "Seems proper place to practice iai. The beach where the famous duel happened."

[Kakita Masao]

Masao can't help but smile at her giggling, though he recognizes it may not be a flattering reaction to him.

"Of course," he replies, for what else is there to say? He chuckles. "Ah, you remind me that I've been remiss these last few days. Insufficient attention to training." He shakes his head. I'm surprised no one had been reminding me of training time. Well, I see what you have been thinking about, and that's been rather more concerning hasn't it?

[Toritaka Hanatsuko]

"I may not be as graceful as your cousins but may you honor me." She stood up and dusted herself. "I need the practice and perhaps study a new style."

Really a duel... that is not romantic... Come on... Benten has blessed you and you just duel him

"Dueling is the best way to study your partner. Some think that it is quite the art."

Kuma was crestfallen. Sari on the other hand was a barking happily to she Hana perk up.

[Kakita Masao]

That recurring feeling -- that he is following a melody that only Hanatsuko hears -- returns. Inside his head, a disgusted voice mocks, Well you may as well do it, idiot child. You wouldn't hesitate with a ronin, and this girl's a damn sight more proper than that... Fortunes! What am I saying?

The Crane rises and dusts himself too, but then crosses his arms across his chest.

"Toritaka-san is correct. Iaijutsu is a great art. But I believe it's bad form to spar, in Iaijutsu or any other weapon skill, with steel."

To highlight his point, he sizes up a tall tuft of saw grass over to his right. Halfway through an inhalation, he lashes out with a lightning fast strike of modest results. With about a third of the tuft still standing, the Crane glares at it wrathfully and doesn't turn toward Hanatsuko for a while.

[Toritaka Hanatsuko]

Hanatsuko chuckled. "Impressive, Kakita san... I don't think we need steel to practice our iai." She remembered how she used to play bushi guard with sticks when she was a little girl. "Let's see what I can find."

She looked around and found two pieces of drift wood that were good enough to pass as swords.

"I think these would do."

[Kakita Masao]

A little relieved that Hanatsuko didn't critique his attempt, but still sulking that he hadn't delivered the impressive stroke he wanted, Masao gracefully accepted the naturally occurring bokken.

"Would Toritaka-san care to assess, or simply focus and strike?"

Despite the mediocrity of his 'warm up,' the Crane sounds confident as he settles into his [center] stance.


------
OOC:
Iai initiative roll 20.

[Kakita Masao]

(OOC: just putting this roll in here until Masao can put it in the narrative.
Meditation to recover 1 void: whiff. Actually missed bigger, forgot to note haunted "help".)

[Toritaka Hanatsuko]

She looked at the Kakita from head to toe. "Let's go through all the steps. I may be a bit rusty"

Really... you are doing this... why do I even bother?... You are stubborn like Grandpa

"I am not that old." She shook her head. "Show me your stance." He would note her change in demeanor. She became serious and observant.

//
D5 EA initiative: 5d10o10k3 25

D5 EA Assesment TN19: 5d10o10k3 34 Skill and reflex

[Kakita Masao]

The Cranes eyes narrow, he adjusts his stance--Grandson this is really most disappointing. What outcome here can possibly make anything better, even in your relationship with her? Grandmother, please, I'm just trying to help her--Yes, yes, most admirable. And what is she doing to help you?

Kakita Masao sees nothing of Hanatsuko in those brief moments, while she senses his above average skill (Iai 3) and reflexes (Reflexes 3). Her clear advantage is established (+1k1 on your Focus Roll), but the Crane dutifully stands in.

His focus, with clarity of thought coming more suddenly than he expects, readies him well for the next stage

(OOC:
I think your assessment TN would have been 29 (10 + my IR2*5 + 1 CR for 2nd piece of info + 4 from curse foolishness) but you totally made it anyway.
Masao's focus: using center stance bonus. You can use your stance bonus (+1k1+void rank) on this contested roll against my 40, or save for strike roll. You're already +1k1 on this for winning assessment.

Rolls:
[https://orokos.com/roll/857136]Focus. Got 40[/url] for you to try to beat.

[Toritaka Hanatsuko]

Seemed that Hanatsuko had shifted her stance just slightly to ready her stick to strike on a point where his form seemed to be lacking a defense. Her eyes narrow and centered to set point.

You are going to regret this!

She frowned but still her sight has found it. But the strike was kharmic. She moved to strike but Kuma distracted her.

I told you you were going to regret this. I am still better than you.

She missed.

//D5 EA Focus TN44 +1k1 from Assessment +1k1 Center: 7d10o10k5 48

D5 EA Strike iai ref +1k1 Center Stance 1 CR to touch center stance TN 29?: 6d10o10k4 26
AtN=20 (unarmored)

[Kakita Masao]

As they 'draw their blades,' the Kakita realizes he's a moment behind the Falcon, and the realization jars what should have been a smooth strike. As Hanatsuko misses narrowly, Masao's stick crashes into hers awkwardly, far from landing even a light blow.

After it happens, Masao draws back quickly. His face reveals his disappointment. It takes him a moment to say anything, but finally, "Toritaka-san is not so rusty as she may have feared. The finesse of her attack was clear." With a small huff, he adds, "I apologize for not offering a more suitable challenge." The Crane bows, stiffer and deeper than she has previously seen.

[Toritaka Hanatsuko]

Hanatsuko shook her head. "You have showed me your prowess with the blade. I have showed prowess with a stick." She chuckled. "I used to play yojimbo with my brothers when I was younger." She smiled. "Kakita san may have been distracted by the happenings around. I am lacking focus to meditate... Today was far worse."

She looked at the Kakita stiffen and placed a hand on his shoulder. "Again, Thank you for helping me... What can I do to help you?"

[Kakita Masao]

The unprompted touch on his shoulder immediately shifts his frame of mind. He looks at the ground, but smiles, feeling a little foolish. "I think I am still trying to impress you," he says softly, not looking up. "And with everything that is going on, I know it's selfish to... think of you... romantically," the word comes out awkwardly, like he's never said it aloud before. "But it gives me hope, for one day, when we're away from this place, what things might be like."

[Toritaka Hanatsuko]

She glared at Kuma.
What? I see the twinkle in your eyes when you look at him.

"The feathers of a Crane need not to impress the other birds. They shine on their own special light." She quoted.

[Kakita Masao]

Masao nods, smiling. "Quite so. Until I met a special bird here, I don't think I had ever worried about impressing anyone."

Not even your family, grandson? I'm disappointed. Grandmother, you're always disappointed, so when would it have helped me to try to impress?

[Toritaka Hanatsuko]

Hanatsuko chuckled lightly. "Kuma was impressed." She looked at the Kakita and shied away her eyes. "I really... don't need much to be impressed... Kakita san has shown my friends respect and tolerance something not many do." She looked at the Kakita and again shied away. "Your compassion to them is admirable, so... I am quite impressed by that."

[Kakita Masao]

Masao's heart swells and he feels lightheaded, as the words and body language tell him what he wanted to know, at least for now.

"I've been impressed by your friends," he says, and then adds somewhat shyly, "And by you. It's why I want to... think about the future." He pauses and takes a deep breath. "But maybe we've said enough for now." He's clearly not sure that's true, but here's trying to reduce her discomfort, remembering how they'd started this meeting on the beach.

"Shall we try the sticks again? Or a bit of music?" He smiles warmly, though not contentedly.

[Toritaka Hanatsuko]

"Music sounds better than sticks, Kakita san." She looked at Kuma. "Happy now?" Kuma thrilled.

[Kakita Masao]

As Hanatsuko speaks to Kuma, Masao recalls a song that Kuma and Sari have enjoyed before. He starts to play it, and while it can't possibly come together as perfectly as it did on that first night they had met, Masao's skilled play happily evokes that first time.