[D1LA] Traditions and Talks

Akodo Touki · **Joined:** Fri Apr 03, 2020 8:17 pm **Posts:** 628

The sudden influx of refugees, along with, of course, the death of the Emperor, had thrown things into a certain amount of disarray. But Touki knew all too well that perhaps the best way to deal with such things was in routine. And Lion were always stubborn, of course. A habit formed was quite nearly a tradition, after all.

And so, despite the turmoil, Touki found himself at the same door that he regularly found himself at. He raised his hand to scratch politely at the door, before standing straight at attention, chin tilted sharply up.

Ikoma Sugimoto · **Joined:** Sat Apr 04, 2020 1:05 am **Posts:** 132

Akodo Touki wrote:

The sudden influx of refugees, along with, of course, the death of the Emperor, had thrown things into a certain amount of disarray. But Touki knew all too well that perhaps the best way to deal with such things was in routine. And Lion were always stubborn, of course. A habit formed was quite nearly a tradition, after all.

And so, despite the turmoil, Touki found himself at the same door that he regularly found himself at. He raised his hand to scratch politely at the door, before standing straight at attention, chin tilted sharply up.

The usual booming voice calls, only slightly muffled by the door.
"Enter."
Sugimoto seemed to take some pride in all being able to tell who waited outside his door...although that was easier when he only ever had the same five guests over and over again.

The interior rooms and warm and cozy and the decorations an eclectic mash of Lion and Phoenix styles over several decades. The resident magistrate is standing, staring at a Go board while absently turning a stone in one of his weathered hands. By Lion standards, this was chaos.

Akodo Touki · **Joined:** Fri Apr 03, 2020 8:17 pm **Posts:** 628

Sliding the door open, Touki stepped inside, pausing a moment to slide it shut once more.

"Akodo-sama." He said, bowing respectfully. "I trust you are well today." It was the same greeting he gave each week, in the same monotone, expressing little.

Touki straightened, his dark eyes glancing about. He'd seen the room perhaps a dozen times now, spent hours in there, but the combination of styles was still strange to him. He looked at the Go board, and then curiously up at Sugimoto. "Is something on your mind, sir?"

Ikoma Sugimoto · **Joined:** Sat Apr 04, 2020 1:05 am **Posts:** 132

Akodo Touki wrote:

Sliding the door open, Touki stepped inside, pausing a moment to slide it shut once more.

"Akodo-sama." He said, bowing respectfully. "I trust you are well today." It was the same greeting he gave each week, in the same monotone, expressing little.

Touki straightened, his dark eyes glancing about. He'd seen the room perhaps a dozen times now, spent hours in there, but the combination of styles was still strange to him. He looked at the Go board, and then curiously up at Sugimoto. "Is something on your mind, sir?"

A deep grunt, possibly magnified by the beard.
"Akodo-san."
He looks back at the piece and then carefully returns it to the board before turning to bow politely.
"Today's news was unpleasant, it seems fortune is not as tired of twists and turns as I am."

He turns to begin preparing tea, his back to Touki as he talks.
"You're young, what do you make of it?"

Akodo Touki · **Joined:** Fri Apr 03, 2020 8:17 pm **Posts:** 628

Bowing, Touki considered the answer.

"The Empire is in turmoil." He said bluntly. "It was before. Perhaps that was the cause. Or perhaps this is just another step on the path."

He paused a few moments, considering further before speaking again. "I expect many will despair. Shock keeps them from it now. But in a day, or a week?" Touki grimaced. "I think things will become worse."

Ikoma Sugimoto · **Joined:** Sat Apr 04, 2020 1:05 am **Posts:** 132

Akodo Touki wrote:

Bowing, Touki considered the answer.

"The Empire is in turmoil." He said bluntly. "It was before. Perhaps that was the cause. Or perhaps this is just another step on the path."

He paused a few moments, considering further before speaking again. "I expect many will despair. Shock keeps them from it now. But in a day, or a week?" Touki grimaced. "I think things will become worse."

"And yourself? Does your honour not stir at such a heinous crime?"
He turns now with the tea so as to inspect Touki's face when he answers.

Akodo Touki · **Joined:** Fri Apr 03, 2020 8:17 pm **Posts:** 628

Touki's face was its usual mask. "Of course. Murdering the Emperor. I can think of no greater crime." He intoned. "I hope to be part of the army that we bring against his forces."

A deep breath, not quite a sigh. "It will be strange to raise a sword against our ancestors, though. We give our devotions daily. In return, they kill us." Lips remained parted a moment, and then shut. As always, Touki was leaving something unsaid. At least one thing.

Ikoma Sugimoto · **Joined:** Sat Apr 04, 2020 1:05 am **Posts:** 132

Akodo Touki wrote:

Touki's face was its usual mask. "Of course. Murdering the Emperor. I can think of no greater crime." He intoned. "I hope to be part of the army that we bring against his forces."

A deep breath, not quite a sigh. "It will be strange to raise a sword against our ancestors, though. We give our devotions daily. In return, they kill us." Lips remained parted a moment, and then shut. As always, Touki was leaving something unsaid. At least one thing.

"I see."
Sugimoto places the tea town on a small table next to the Go board and gestures to a cushion on the other side for Touki as the Ikoma settles down comfortably.

"It is the sort of happening that can make a samurai question themselves."

Akodo Touki · **Joined:** Fri Apr 03, 2020 8:17 pm **Posts:** 628

Touki settled down as directed, somewhat less comfortably, still a little rigid. But that too was normal.

"I expect many will." Touki said blandly, studying the tea. "As one might expect, when circumstances ask so many to face that question." Am I... Touki's mind shied away before it could even complete the thought. He did his duty.

Ikoma Sugimoto · **Joined:** Sat Apr 04, 2020 1:05 am **Posts:** 132

Akodo Touki wrote:

Touki settled down as directed, somewhat less comfortably, still a little rigid. But that too was normal.

"I expect many will." Touki said blandly, studying the tea. "As one might expect, when circumstances ask so many to face that question." Am I... Touki's mind shied away before it could even complete the thought. He did his duty.

Sugimoto is silent for a moment before he takes a go stone of each colour in his fists
"It can be difficult to think and process without doubt, true doubt. But it is simple enough. One can choose duty, or one can choose doubt."
He holds out his hands
"Choose."

Akodo Touki · **Joined:** Fri Apr 03, 2020 8:17 pm **Posts:** 628

Touki raised a hand, and then hesitated. "Yes." He said. "There are those who think themselves honorable, until their honor is tested. Only then do they find what was true all along." He frowned. "Is that a choice though, sir? Or are there those who are dutiful, and those who will doubt?"

Enough hesitation. "Left." He said firmly, pointing with open palm at Sugimoto's left hand.

Ikoma Sugimoto · **Joined:** Sat Apr 04, 2020 1:05 am **Posts:** 132

Akodo Touki wrote:

Touki raised a hand, and then hesitated. "Yes." He said. "There are those who think themselves honorable, until their honor is tested. Only then do they find what was true all along." He frowned. "Is that a choice though, sir? Or are there those who are dutiful, and those who will doubt?"

Enough hesitation. "Left." He said firmly, pointing with open palm at Sugimoto's left hand.

His hand opens, displaying a white go stone.
"When you make the right choice, you realize there was never any other choice at all."
He opens his right hand....also displaying a white stone

"Your white game is lacking, we shall work on it today."
With what might barely...barely be described as a half smile he prepares the board.

Akodo Touki · **Joined:** Fri Apr 03, 2020 8:17 pm **Posts:** 628

Touki nodded. "Yes." He agreed. A moment of silence. "So perhaps it is fate that makes the choices."

He waited, silently, until the board was set up. "May I ask, sir, do you see anything that I do not?" He held his first piece ready in his fingers, waiting for Sugimoto to make the first move.

Ikoma Sugimoto · **Joined:** Sat Apr 04, 2020 1:05 am **Posts:** 132

Akodo Touki wrote:

Touki nodded. "Yes." He agreed. A moment of silence. "So perhaps it is fate that makes the choices."

He waited, silently, until the board was set up. "May I ask, sir, do you see anything that I do not?" He held his first piece ready in his fingers, waiting for Sugimoto to make the first move.

"Yes, that is my duty as magistrate, to see what others do not."
The board is set and Sugimoto leads off with his usual unimaginative strategy of basic surrounds.

"Did you have something particular in mind?"

Day 1 LA Go roll 1: 3d10o10k2+5 17

Akodo Touki · **Joined:** Fri Apr 03, 2020 8:17 pm **Posts:** 628

This time, it was Touki's turn to just barely almost half smile. "About today's news, sir."

Touki played decisively, placing each piece with a firm click.

--------------------------------------------------------

D1LM, Go, lol: 2d10 16

Ikoma Sugimoto · **Joined:** Sat Apr 04, 2020 1:05 am **Posts:** 132

Akodo Touki wrote:

This time, it was Touki's turn to just barely almost half smile. "About today's news, sir."

Touki played decisively, placing each piece with a firm click.

--------------------------------------------------------

D1LM, Go, lol: 2d10 16

"I am still making up my mind Akodo-san...."
With most other he would have stopped there, but Touki was Lion
His deep voice mild "But personally, I am outraged. Not just at the regicide, but at the underhandedness of it, then the cowardice of other clan's samurai."

Akodo Touki · **Joined:** Fri Apr 03, 2020 8:17 pm **Posts:** 628

To the first, Touki nodded acknowledgement.

Then his eyebrows went up. "Underhandedness, yes. And other clans do not match our courage, of course. But..." He frowned, his forehead creasing. "I'm sorry sir, but what specific cowardice do you mean?"

Ikoma Sugimoto · **Joined:** Sat Apr 04, 2020 1:05 am **Posts:** 132

Akodo Touki wrote:

To the first, Touki nodded acknowledgement.

Then his eyebrows went up. "Underhandedness, yes. And other clans do not match our courage, of course. But..." He frowned, his forehead creasing. "I'm sorry sir, but what specific cowardice do you mean?"

"Fleeing from those who murdered the emperor. It is every samurai's duty to avenge that crime yet instead...refugees and politics."
He gives the go board a firm glance, as if it were the game's fault.

Akodo Touki · **Joined:** Fri Apr 03, 2020 8:17 pm **Posts:** 628

Touki's faint grunt was acknowledgement, if not complete agreement.

He placed another piece, more carefully this time, setting it down. "You think they should have died trying? I do not think they would have succeeded." It was an honest question.

Ikoma Sugimoto · **Joined:** Sat Apr 04, 2020 1:05 am **Posts:** 132

Akodo Touki wrote:

Touki's faint grunt was acknowledgement, if not complete agreement.

He placed another piece, more carefully this time, setting it down. "You think they should have died trying? I do not think they would have succeeded." It was an honest question.

"I'm old, so I'm allowed to answer your question with another one. Should a samurai only fight if they will succeed?"

[D1LA] Traditions and Talks

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