[Day Seven - Late Evening] Finding Balance

Mirumoto Wasako · **Joined:** Sun Apr 05, 2020 4:56 pm **Posts:** 945

"I personally found the days longer on the road when you don't have much of a routine to fall into, especially in something that you've been doing for years," she nodded regarding her impression of time, turning thoughtful. "Perhaps something I could consider in the future. I imagine the landscape of the Empire will change either way after this is all done. I don't think they will require much from the samurai and monks of the North Wall Mountains but maybe the implications will reach even the mountain peaks."

Mari · **Joined:** Sun Apr 12, 2020 4:43 am **Posts:** 702

"Mmmm, a routine never hurts. I live by one myself, at least in most things." Get up in the morning. Pray to Inari, hope that he grant her the food for the day, always make sure to spend time at a shrine late in the evening, and sleep in. A ronin's life for her.

"What is it that the northern wall is set to guard against? I never did ask about that story. I spent most of my life far enough south that I barely knew that there was a wall to the north." It was kind of odd to know, but she had to assume it was something, but not as awful as the horde to the south and its implacable appetite.

Mirumoto Wasako · **Joined:** Sun Apr 05, 2020 4:56 pm **Posts:** 945

She shook her head at the question. "It's not an actual man-made wall, like the ones the Crab have made to the South, but just a range of mountains that divide Rokugan from the north. There is the occasional exile or foreigner who may attempt to pass through the Northern Wall Mountains from time to time, who are often easily chased off or find the climate too difficult to traverse."

Mari · **Joined:** Sun Apr 12, 2020 4:43 am **Posts:** 702

"Ah, I see. A place where the forgotten and the exile roams, beyond the grasp of the emperor, but in general not a direct threat. Yet still there is a duty to keep the peace." It wasn't unlike Unicorn lands. Rare were the raids that had come down those mountains in the days after the Lions stole them by force of arms from their caretakers under the name of protection. "It must get lonely up there. Very lonely. How quiet is it in the evenings?"

She almost envied the solitude.

Mirumoto Wasako · **Joined:** Sun Apr 05, 2020 4:56 pm **Posts:** 945

"Not a direct enough threat to concern the Dragon Clan as a whole, no," Wasako was sure there were likely more forward postings than the dojo, there could have always been the possibility that there were greater threats than the ones she saw. "It can...I probably found it very lonely when I moved there in my youth. There are people up there, if very few of them. In time, you have to acquaint yourself with every samurai, monk, heimen and even eta. We don't have much to do in our free time but know each other. You find a way to get along but I guess there is enough space if you don't. The evening are very quiet and often the nights make you feel you're the only one there if you look up into the stars."

Mari · **Joined:** Sun Apr 12, 2020 4:43 am **Posts:** 702

The comment 'even the eta' got her eyebrows to climb a little. That was more than a little bit rare. She could understand it if the community was as remote as she said, but was still strange to hear it admitted. Then again, she as kind of a little bit of a monk. "You miss them, I'm guessing? After all, you all had as much time together as you did." Even the eta? Yeah probably even then, though maybe not the smell. They got the smelly jobs.

Mirumoto Wasako · **Joined:** Sun Apr 05, 2020 4:56 pm **Posts:** 945

Wasako smiled sheepishly and nodded a few times as she slowly admitted it. "...I do...I guess those few days on the road were perhaps the hardest when I found myself outside of my element with nobody familiar around me. But I had to build some independence on those few days afterwards and continue to do so. I would very much like to return home eventually, it's hard to find a normal abroad. However, I do find myself pulling familiarities from places. There was an onsen at Toshi no Omoidoso that wasn't too different from one back home. The Lion children kind of remind of the children at home...just far less smiles and more like miniature adults."

Mari · **Joined:** Sun Apr 12, 2020 4:43 am **Posts:** 702

She smirked. "Do not let the lion fool you too much. When their parents are not looking, the children are as much children as anywhere else. It takes years to get that grim countenance down." She certainly found that aspect of them funny. And hey, the Ikoma smiled now and again. "Normalcy on the road is a thing you only ever achieve through practice. Experiencing it over and over again, it starts to feel more familiar because you know to expect it."

Mirumoto Wasako · **Joined:** Sun Apr 05, 2020 4:56 pm **Posts:** 945

"Admittedly, I did catch the children when they were at their best, so you might be right about that," she nodded and did wonder if that was also true about the Lion themselves but that was very unlikely.

"Is that even the case when you find yourself somewhere new and the roads aren't too familiar? Or does the unfamiliarity of it all becomes the familiar normalcy of it all?" she pondered out loud.

Mari · **Joined:** Sun Apr 12, 2020 4:43 am **Posts:** 702

It was likely true of a lot more Lion than they would like to admit. The sterling examples of the greatness of their clan were, after all, called paragons for a reason. Not everyone got to shine that brightly. As she said what she did, Mari's grin widened and she gestured towards the Mirumoto.

"You're a clever one. Yes. You become used to the lack of familiarity, to being the familiar part in the unfamiliar, to learning to cope with the unexpected. In time, it becomes second nature to know the road may change before you."

Mirumoto Wasako · **Joined:** Sun Apr 05, 2020 4:56 pm **Posts:** 945

"There is something admirable about that, especially when you're likely more able to adapt to surprises and what's turn of fortunes." They called them wave-people for a reason but she imagined that there was also an upside to the term as well if you're as flexible as the water you drifted in. Of course, anything made of water might find it difficult to become a mountain when need be. "But that point, familiar must be considered unfamiliar? If things were too consistent, would you consider that too strange?"

Mari · **Joined:** Sun Apr 12, 2020 4:43 am **Posts:** 702

"I think... I've traveled the road enough that if I ever felt like I was in a state that I could rest, could find myself caught in place for a long time, it would indeed feel more strange now. I have resigned myself to the waves. I wish to feel them undulate, for the stability of the shore would feel too immobile by far." A shake of her head. "I think that may be the difference between we who choose to remain ronin for any length of time if we believed an option existed."

Mirumoto Wasako · **Joined:** Sun Apr 05, 2020 4:56 pm **Posts:** 945

She looked over the woman once more, trying to get a sense of her age. While like in the waves might have aged someone, she wouldn't suspect her to be far older than her. Then again, perhaps this is truly where she sees herself. Maybe there is something in the water she cannot see or taste at the moment. She nodded soundly at that, "You do present a very fascinating perspective, Mari-san. I think I'll be dwelling on this for the next few days at the very lest."

Mari · **Joined:** Sun Apr 12, 2020 4:43 am **Posts:** 702

She nodded, thinking to herself. "We each walk our own path, and some of it is dictated to us. How we embrace that path... that is for us to take hold of." She would have said 'for us to decide' but to a samurai under a lord it wasn't quite so simple, was it? She was a little hard to pin down, age-wise, but she looked probably a bit younger than Wasako. There was, however, a sort of faint tiredness that lurked in her eyes. Not bags exactly, just a weariness to them.

"I am interested to hear more of yours in days to come. Do try to survive the fighting that is approaching us."

Mirumoto Wasako · **Joined:** Sun Apr 05, 2020 4:56 pm **Posts:** 945

"I intend do," she said with an exasperated blink before looking forward with wider eyes. It was perhaps a realization that death was going to be in abundance in the next few days and it might very well be a daunting task to stay alive.

She nodded firmly. "I am committed to contributing to the efforts here in any way I can. Given my meagre variety of skills, my participation will likely be in combat. Unless...meditation could possibly put a pause to the conflict or buy us some time."

Even as a Dragon, she wasn't entirely serious about the meditation part.

Mari · **Joined:** Sun Apr 12, 2020 4:43 am **Posts:** 702

She smirked. "It can help to stave off fatigue and ensure that your resources are not expended at a critical moment, but alas... I do not think zen focus will truly be the method by which we defeat the spirits of Toshigoku," she said, shaking her head. "But it's a nice thought. Win the war in the lotus position? Heh.... But yes, I expect you will be needed in the fighting, as I will be in the reserves."

Mirumoto Wasako · **Joined:** Sun Apr 05, 2020 4:56 pm **Posts:** 945

"I suspect that Togashi-Kami would have solved all of the world's problems in lotus position a long time ago, if he could..." she said regarding meditation. It wasn't something to dwell deeply on as they clearly had problems to deal with at the present.

However, they do full circle on their conversation and returned to meditation.

"It is getting late and I should probably return to my quarter for tonight. However, you have given me much to meditate on at least," she said as she rose from her seat and get to her feet.

Mari · **Joined:** Sun Apr 12, 2020 4:43 am **Posts:** 702

"I confess that I am used to the first shift of watch in the night, so I am not quite so tired yet. Lady Sun's rays will not be what wakes me, but I think you are right. It is about time for most of the samurai to be asleep," she said, rising as well and bowing in turn. "It has been a pleasure, Mirumoto-sama. Fortunes favor your rest. I will find mine in a short while."

Mirumoto Wasako · **Joined:** Sun Apr 05, 2020 4:56 pm **Posts:** 945

"Carry the Fortunes, Mari-san, even on the waves," she said as she bowed to her in parting.

With much on her mind, she made her return to the Dragon embassy.

/exit

[Day Seven - Late Evening] Finding Balance

Who is online