Wedding at Fire Shrimp Village an L5R PbP

Kitsuki Naida walks the roads of the farmlands, thinking about everything she learned this afternoon and thinking about what to do next. She has her daisho with but not her armor, trusting that these lands are well patrolled. Mostly, she just wanted to stretch her legs and get some fresh air after a sparse dinner.

Upon a crossing path walks Kakita Masao, looking for a place to practice kata. And clear your head, since you're clearly off today. Hai, he responds, sounding tired even in his own head. He is bearing a dai tsuchi, though otherwise looks like most any other Crane bushi in a blue kimono.

Seeing a vaguely familiar figure, the Crane follows his path toward the crossroads. At an appropriate distance, he calls out respectfully, "Good evening, Dragon-san. Ah, Kitsuki-san, was it? I apologize -- for a repeating day, there has been rather much to keep track of lately." He smiles apologetically.

"Quite."

A bow of her own as she realizes someone is talking to her. Since they're a good distance away, all she can make out if the powder blue of the Crane. She didn't really recognize the voice off hand.

"I actually came out here to better settle such things in my head. Unfortunately, I can't say it's necessarily been working. It's hard to relax and just enjoy the sunset when there's so much going on."

Masao approaches closer so they can speak in more polite volumes, and perhaps close enough that his uncommon top knot and loose hair combination may increase the familiarity. Regardless, he doesn't assume she remembers: "It is good to see you again, Kitsuki-san. Kakita Masao, of the Iron Warriors," he says with a gesture to his chest.

He chuckles, a little sadly. "Amid all of this, I might have forgotten that we are missing opportunities for what should be joyful times, like watching a sunset." He tries to put forth a polite Crane smile, but it ends up looking rather sad.

Ah, now Naida recognized him. Kakita Masao, the quiet one from the meeting yesterday.

"Yes, we have met before, once. I got the impression you were Asahina-sama's bodyguard or such, unless my impression was mistaken. And yes, many people take such things for granted, myself included. The circumstances have made it so I'm less inclined to do so though."

Masao snorts at the suggestion that he's Sanaharu's yojimbo, although a part of him agrees the Asahina probably needs one. Still, the snort is terribly impolite, and after a grew moments getting his chuckles under control, he apologizes.

"Kitsuki-san, I apologize. I took too much mirth from your perception of me as Asahina-san's protector. While true in the thinnest sense, perhaps, the reality is Asahina-san is an artisan in my father's court at Samui Kaze Toshi. I'm no more his yojimbo than anyone else in the Crane delegation -- not even my honored cousin, the bride." He is smiling by the end, feeling a bit important again.

You're right, grandson. You are important. You need to start acting like it.

"Ah. There was just something about the man that seemed like they needed watching over... Forgive me for the assumption. Still, I have heard so much about how excellent the Daidoji techniques are for such things."


She gave a small smile.

"Color me curious about seeing you in action."

Masao smiles at everything she says. "Asahina Sanaharu-san is quite talented in a number of fields, but the way of the sword is not one." He nods with pride in the Daidoji techniques, and her comment about seeing him in action strikes a nerve.

"What sort of action does Kitsuki-san envision?" asks Masao. "I was just seeking a place to practice kata, and I would be happy to have Kitsuki-san's company -- if it does not conflict with any important sunset activities?" he asks innocently.

"Not in the slightest; After all, I came out to clear my head, no? And what better way is there to clear the head of distractions than becoming one with one's training? I am almost surprised I didn't think of it sooner, but Kakita-san has come up with it on excellent timing."

The Crane smiles, happy to be helpful. He looks around and thinks for a moment.

"Perhaps we should move over there," he points, "just down that gentle slope. So as to be slightly out of sight and not disquiet these humble farmers."

Masao hefts the dai tsuchi and starts to walk the short distance, stopping part way to look back at the Dragon and make sure she's following.

She does follow casually, looking back at the farms.

"Disturb the farmers, hm? You mean deprive them of a show? I know one's teachings aren't meant for such things, in theory, but I don't blame the peasants for being curious about such things. After all, is it not curiosity that is driving us to this exercise in the first place?"

Masao raises one eyebrow at the Dragon as she joins him, curious himself. "If their curiosity brings them over the rise there then so be it, I have nothing to hide. But if they have other tasks to attend, let them do so without interruption or distraction from me."

"Training and perfecting our skills is also a matter of duty -- very much so for a soldier. But forgive me: Kitsuki-san's duty is her own, and far be it from me to thwart you. Would you prefer to... put on a show?" He looks back at her thoughtfully as he sets his dai tsuchi down just outside of what might be considered a medium-sized sparring circle. Not that the "circle" looks any different than the grass around it, but at least in the Kakita's mind he can see the measure of the space.

"Not in particular, no. I'm no soldier, but I still consider bugei training as a duty and an art. Things only distract from those aspects if you let them, but that doesn't mean you need to put on a show. Let things happen as they will and do your best with that, that's my motto."

Naida can't picture the circle herself, but it didn't matter to her. A circle would just be another thing to distract or not.

"If Kitsuki-san would care to warm up, I will find some thing suitable to act as bokken. Unless you'd prefer to simply do kata rather than spar?"

The Crane pokes around some relatively small trees just off the roadside for suitable "weapons," recalling his experience earlier in the day and looking not to repeat it with the Dragon. Well, parts of it were nice. Kakita Masao! Would you stop thinking that way about every samurai-ko you meet?

That got a smile, a mischevious one at that.

"I like that idea; Find something to use. It'll mean not spoiling our weapons, while still getting to see what we can do. Hm..."

Still smiling, she started looking around, walking along the lip of the road slope.

The Crane finds a couple of sticks -- one a bit too curved, the other a bit short -- and walks them over toward Naida. "Kitsuki-san, these temporary bokken are not an impressive substitute for the real thing, but it seems like they're both similarly disadvantageous. Shall we try them? You can have your choice if you wish."

She held up a finger towards him; The young woman seemed to have spotted something that interested her.

"Ooo, treasure."

Squatting down, she pulled something out of the mud.



"Some sort of wooden paddle or oar or stirrer. And it's broken in half. Perfect."

She flecked mud off the pieces, "Two halves, once again whole in my hands."

The Crane looks at the Dragon and her 'treasure' for a long time, incredulous. He examines his sticks, tossing the smaller one aside and then snapping a portion off the end of the curvy one. He hefts it, thinking critically about its reach relative to a paddle, then shrugs.

"Alright, to business then," he says, sounding skeptical. "Did Kitsuki-san want to start with an iaijutsu exercise, or begin with an open spar? Either way, I'm curious to see how you handle a paddle," he jokes lightly.

"Oh, you are, are you? I didn't know you were into that sort of thing. As to your offer of choices... I would be most interested to see what a Daidoji trained Kakita does with the Art."

Naida took up a stance, one foot forward along with one arm, other arm to her side with the paddleless end of the oar.

"It will be a new experience for me."

"To be fair, Kitsuki-san, besides my being a soldier, you know little of me." He closes his eyes, settling into a stance that seems not-quite-Kakita in origin, with his 'bokken' drawn close to where his daisho sits.

The Crane opens his eyes. "I might be quite a surprise."

"I am counting on that fact. That just makes it all the more interesting, neh?"

Naida may not have had the best eyesight, but when it came to reading people, that wasn't so much an issue.

-----

D5, EE, Assessment: 6d10o10k3+5 50

There's a slow raise and then lower of an eyebrow from the Crane, but that's all.

He can feel the Dragon's intense gaze but doesn't shrink from it. He's ready for the moment.

-------
Assessment: 25.

Focus, after losing assessment: 52.

Naida can see her opponent is skilled, a definite focus in his stance and demeanor. Still, she does not back down either, even if a not exactly using the best weapons.

----

focus - 43

In the space between heartbeats, Masao strikes just ahead of the Dragon. It's the speed of the Kakita with the steadiness of the Iron Warriors, with just a hint of extra lift from maybe the air kami themselves.

He hits her lead shoulder and smiles, not because in a different circumstance, using his true blade, it might have been a collarbone, or higher, but because the last thing he wanted here was a severe or dishonorable injury inflicted accidentally, in the name of speed. Crane delicacy.

---------
OOC:
Strike from winning Focus by 5: 24.
Damage, with fearsome stick: 1.

A tap, a breath, and Naida lowered her guard.

"Very impressive indeed."

She turned and gave a deep bow to Masao, tossing the broken oar into the mud after straightening up, "You have taken Crane techniques and made them your own. I find that very admirable."