A tune for the dolphins (D0, LA)

[Kakita Masao]

Since boarding the ship at Samui Kaze Toshi, Kakita Masao had mostly kept to himself, though with limited success on the crowded kobune. Never a shortage of business for the Mantis.

As the destination neared, Masao found he was more drawn to the deck and more interested in company, though he had a hard time asking for it now. In something of a compromise, he brought his cherished flute to the deck, intending to politely ignore the sailors at their work and simply play.

Spotting a dolphin, and then another, as he approached the port side of the ship somewhat changed his mind. He landed against the rail, careful to keep his flute inside the rail, and just watched the animals play a few moments.

After a bit, he raised the flute to his lips and began to play. It wasn't the haunting melody he was becoming used to playing, but a warm, slow building tune that felt right for the early spring. As the sea air carried his tune to the dolphins and the ship, he continued to play.

[Asahina Sanaharu]

There were too many people there. Under normal circumstances, this is something he would like. But whatever is that a Crane defines as "normal circumstances", being isolated on a kobune with plenty of Mantis is not one of them. Although he may have tried saying "hello" to them when he encountered one. Or train biwa on the deck on a night he was feeling particularly bold and there were not many drunk. Overall, though, he avoided contact on purpose.

Today had a different opportunity, though. The other Crane was not truly alone with all other sailors around there, but was isolated enough.

He did notice a different melody from what he heard faintly as usual, though. This one felt more like the sea than it felt like dread. He approached the boy at a respectful distance from behind. "Have you eaten your portion of rice today, Masao-dono?" He asked, waiting for him to turn to commence a bow.

[Kakita Masao]

Masao knows the voice, and even as he plays several more bars of his song, he closes his eyes and shakes his head slightly. Such an odd combination, the formal and the familiar. Yes, it sounds strange, even to me, but he means well. This is not an easy time for any of us.

With a small, high flourish Masao finishes the song. He turns to his clanmate and smiles lightly, although even this is a major step for the Kakita bushi of late. "Hai, Asahina-san. Thank you. And as I've said, I'm no one's lord." Yet. Hush. He bows quickly but appropriately to the other Crane's bow.

"Have you had rice today? How do you find this stretch of ocean?" Masao turns back to the side of the ship, eyes reaching pout toward the horizon.

[Asahina Sanaharu]

"Such is a statement that, amongst the samurai, only ronin may make." He replies. "But I shall cater to your wish, Masao-ue. As you prefer."

He looks too towards the horizon. "We are close enough to shore that we can see land. This is nice. I am one to guess that we are past the southern Daidoji holdings, then. But I am not a Miya, nor a sailor. We could be anywhere between Shinkyou and the Tidal Landbridge, if we were not to stop by Wall Above the Ocean. Asahina holdings, nevertheless."

He shakes his head slightly. "I wonder if we will be able to see the Temple of the Morning Sun."

[Kakita Masao]

Masao chuckles a little. "I was about to compliment Asahina-san's attention to geography, but I must remember that this is closer to your home than Samui Kaze Toshi. You likely know these lands like I know the city, or the halls of my dojo. Tell me," he says, looking thoughtful, "more about the lands of your family."

[Asahina Sanaharu]

"The provinces of the Asahina are small, and nowhere in the region is truly cosmopolitan. Mostly there is to learn are natural landmarks, and those were taught to me below age seven."
He looks back to Masao.
"I can claim equal amount of knowledge about the cities of the Kakita. It is simply that you, Masao-ue, would have met people who learned about the Kakita holdings than the Asahina ones. It's an important thing for your lord and father to know, as an example. I couldn't say he would have the same interest on Asahina landscape."
Removing his hand from the rail and taking his fan, he continues. "I did notice you changed your melody today. If you do desire music, I brought together my biwa."

[Kakita Masao]

Masao nods as the other Crane speaks, smiling even though he's not entirely listening. Asahina-san's presence is a comfort: a reminder of home and normality. Normality? That's what you're ascribing to him? More so than anyone else since Sango-kun died.

Masao looks at his flute. "Yes, I think some music is in order. We're not much help with the work of the ship, but perhaps we can lighten the load at least with pleasant accompaniment."

[Asahina Sanaharu]

"We are not working on the ship. There never needs to be any excuse for music, if I may add." He replies, moving the fan slightly. "It is on my cabin. You may make me company, or simply wait here. I will not take long, in both cases." Sanaharu bows and starts walking the way to his bedroom there, not sure if Masao would follow.

[Kakita Masao]

Masao bowed and turned back to the ship's railing, his empty hand coming up to his forehead as he leaned forward a bit. You know, music isn't the answer to everything. You're the one who said practicing an artistic pursuit everyday is a hallmark of honorable samurai. Hai, and an honorable samurai doesn't leave his blade sheathed for a week at a time. It's cleaned everyday, as you know, not left in its saya for any length of time.

Masao shakes his head several times to clear it. Finally he opens his eyes, cautiously, as though expecting to see a ghost right beside him. Still safely alone, he sighs and relaxes. He glances to the water, but finds the dolphins have moved on. He clutches his flute close, ever anxious about it going over the side, and whistles a slow, gloomy tune. He gets one verse in, then stops himself. With a heavy sigh, and then a little chuckle at his own behavior, he looks up toward the horizon beyond the bow, contemplating the event they're traveling toward.

[Asahina Sanaharu]

He returns shortly after with his normal white biwa on his arms, bowing again as he could as he re-approached. "I was thinking... We are looking at the shore for quite a time and have not seen any habitation on the coast, which makes me believe that we are looking at the Blessed Plains. So we are near the entrance of the lands of the Crab. Our journey is coming to an end."

He looks down. Not at the floor or the ocean, but at his biwa. He knew that the lord of that place had enough rank to be immune for calls to duel by even Masao. He could be downright insulted, and by what he knew of the Crab, they were prone to such behavior. His fingers grasp with more force than usual at the wood painted white, closing his eyes for a moment. And the Asahina knew that, if he complained this to his lord, she would brush it off for the sake of peace, for sure.
(OOC: I like your writing!)

[Kakita Masao]

Masao notices as Sanaharu pauses in thought, but he makes no comment. Instead: "Hm. Journey's end. The brief transition from one journey to another." He chuckles. "It is about time for this journey to end, isn't it?"

He sighs. "I expect we will have much work in our next journey. But for now, let us elevate this journey with music." Masao raises his flute. "Start when you're ready, Asahina-san. I will follow."

[Asahina Sanaharu]

He blinks twice and nods. "Spring tune. Slow and warm all around." Taking the biwa on his arms, holding it in the proper position, his fingers seize from the chores the first note, then a second, until a slow melody takes from.

"Those season tunes are formulaic, and for this reason, you can play them to the rhythm of any good poem. The transition from snow and the first flowers calls well for a more lyric version of My Mother, the World." He explained, unsure how familiar with his craft the Kakita was.

His voice didn't disrupt the music, and it did feel somewhat like singing the melody — he knew the tempo.

[Kakita Masao]

Masao nods, following Sanaharu's words and the melody he crafted. He slowly, carefully weaves in the notes of his flute. Masao embellishes the tune with the airy flute music, but he doesn't stretch it or force it with anything shrill. The flute music is like a bird ducking and dancing through the music from the biwa and Sanaharu's pleasant voice, never bumping into them and never flitting off on its own either.

Their music takes over a portion of the ship, though it's gentle and not too distracting. It's probably a rare scene for the kobune, but at least for a time the Crane are in their element, as comfortable as -- maybe more so than -- back in the court of Cold Wind City.

[Asahina Sanaharu]

He found himself quite surprised on how well the bushi used the times he had given him, filling them with suitable melody. Masao, then, did knew how to play music. After a small time of quiet music, when he was confident he remembered the poem, Sanaharu began to really sing along — not the title he had spoken of before, however.

Not losing to the rain,
not losing to the wind.
Not losing to the snow nor to summer's heat.
With a strong body,
not fettered by desire.
By no means offending anyone,
always quietly smiling.

[Kakita Masao]

The corners of the bushi's mouth curl up in a small smile, but his lips stay focused with the flute. He's no poet, but he's heard enough poetry to know what he likes. You certainly aren't, but Kitora is a decent poet. Back at home you can learn from him. I don't think that's the highest priority for either of us right now. Well it should be considered, don't you think? Fine.

With a couple of hard blinks, Masao manages to keep his music in time with Sanaharu, but it seems to have lost a bit of the quality he was achieving. He dutifully sticks with Sanaharu as long as the other Crane needs him, but as soon as the Asahina winds down, Masao concludes in relief and sighs. Be breathes a bit more heavily than even his spirited play would explain, though he smiles happily.

[Asahina Sanaharu]

He looks at Masao with a slight smile of contentment. His master art was not the biwa nor singing, but it was, after all, his specialty to evoke emotions on iron-clad samurai through art. "How many of us do you think that will attend to the wedding? I know more Crane can arrive by land... The Kakita Academy sent me a letter that my senpai and a duelist would too attend."

He holds the biwa in a more carrying position than playing position for his own comfort. "I do hope it will not only be us and the bride. But, alas, I also doubt that will we be the only non-Crabs attending. They would not send three artists otherwise. By one of them being a duelist, I assume a courtier would also arrive? They would not specify sending the duelist if they were my senpai's yojimbo."

[Kakita Masao]

Masao looks thoughtful. "The more who are sent, the higher the importance of this alliance. Which, right now, must be pretty important." He glances around, satisfying himself that boo Mantis are listening too closely. Still, he steps closer to Sanaharu and lowers his voice. "For my father, it's a matter of family honor that my cousin be well in beginning her marriage. Important to the clan and the alliance as well, but the family first. Mother is a second cousin to... Daidoji Yushoko's ... father? Something like that."

Your mother's brother is married to Yushoko-chan's aunt. How many times have we been over this? What kind of samurai--

Masao reels, shaking his head as though it's filled with a heavy fog.

Enough! How am I going to win a mother for your future great-grandchildren with you screaming at me in the middle of a conversation?

The bushi seems to calm finally, taking several heavy breaths to regain himself. "Ahem."

"Ah, my apologies, Asahina-san. I was, overcome, for a moment, at the gravity of the mission we are on. We should be on our guard, no matter how many of our kin arrive. But I think and hope that pouts clan will show strongly. The better to make the right impression on our soon-to-be cousins." With one more toss of his head, he manages to put a respectable smile on his face, though it is far from Masao at his best.

[Asahina Sanaharu]

This one lost his breath over what he deemed important, but what he said before did not pass unnoticed by his ear. Of course the city governor's family was well-connected, and not in the Asahina bloodline sense of well-connected. He takes the fan quite awkwardly with the biwa already on both arms — but it was the pretty court fan style, so it deserved to be on his hand during the gossip. "Once we arrive, then, I will talk to Kakita-senpai on how we will coordinate our presentations. If it is truly important to your father, then it is as well important for me."

But he looks to Masao again, and he kept close. On this, he looked away again whilst slightly fanning himself and talking at a lower tone as well. "My older brother fell over himself over the perspective of an overwhelming future as well. Sometimes he sought company during those sessions, other times he left courts to take his time until they passed. You could try meditation, as it was the thing that helped him the most." He nods slightly.

[Kakita Masao]

Masao smiles, though obviously uncomfortable. "Hai, Asahina-san, more meditation is in order. As you can imagine, my first brother's death, and then Kitora-san... It has perhaps distracted me more than I was realizing."

With a heavy breath, Masao straightens his body and begins to look more like himself again. "I'm sorry, you were telling me what you know of other Crane coming to the wedding. I have been remiss in not asking you sooner. I have been too distant in recent weeks." He sighs. "I shall do better." He looks at Sanaharu apologetically, knowing the Asahina will have already judged him, but he hopes not too harshly.

[Asahina Sanaharu]

"For the hero there is no death, but your brother is still well alive." He stares into nothing to avoid looking at Masao as a gesture of courtesy, so there would be no one of relevance to look at the emotional signs his composure gave away. "As well, there is no reason to mourn in advance for Kitora-dono, whose life you had saved. Remember this."

Looking back at Masao to see if his posture was better, and noticing he was, he proceeded. "I asked if you knew about anyone else arriving, as well. It's a question of some importance."

[Kakita Masao]

You should listen more to this one. Proper samurai. Poised and controlled, like I've always encouraged you to be.

Masao's head drops, and he sighs. I must have missed that among all of the other qualities you've recommended over the years.

"Of course, Asahina-san. Your counsel is wise, and it is well taken." He nods without looking up. After another sigh, he straightens again. "I am not sure how many of the guests I may know, but I can share a bit about my cousin, Daidoji Yushoko, and her family. She is close to the ruling line of Daidoji -- little Daidoji Kio, her niece, will be the heir in a few years -- but a poet, not a warrior. She is pretty, and... 'acceptable,' I think was mother's word." What kind of Daidoji has no skill with a blade? After 1,000 years we will defend the Doji with only poetry? Masao blinks, then continues: "I imagine the Crab lands will be hard for her, so it's good that her husband will join the Daidoji."

[Asahina Sanaharu]

"Oh, so you have contact with kuge. This is an information that bypasses my expectations. I now wonder if one of your family guests back home was kuge as well. But it was probably better for me not to know. You play differently when you are more busy with trying to not lose face rather than playing." The Asahina answers. "Perhaps you have then heard of Chiri no miko, on the subject of Daidoji marriages?"

[Kakita Masao]

"Kuge." It's not a question but a realization. "Yes, I suppose we are connected," says Masao, who hadn't ever thought about it that way. "But I don't recall this 'chiri no' person?" If eye-rolling has a sound, it echoes through Masao's great loudly.

[Asahina Sanaharu]

"It was just some Daidoji gossip some years ago. Nothing relevant in the spectrum of actuality." He nods, cutting the subject short. "Have you met anyone interesting aboard? I encountered an Otomo earlier today."