[D11, EM] Flying the Nest

Kakita Masahiko · **Joined:** Sun Apr 19, 2020 5:04 am **Posts:** 272

The Kakita quirked the side of his mouth. "Not without effort."

But then their noodles arrived, and Kakita Masahiko was forced to pause to express his thanks for the meal to the lady of the house. Her bemused expression from earlier was still planted firmly on her face as she glances sidelong at Touki before meeting Masahiko's eyes. Masahiko blushed, but the lady said nothing. She merely bowed and left the two samurai to their chat.

"You must excuse Hanako. She has no manners at all. What were we discussing?"

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

Touki inclined his head, but not so much that he couldn't see the strange interplay between the two of them. His expression remained neutral, but he did glance back and forth between the two of them.

"Duty." Touki said, his low monotone even more bland than usual. "Fate. War and peace. The nature of our current existence. That sort of thing." He picked up his chopsticks. "I normally discuss those matters after breakfast."

Smiling just a little, he seized a helping of noodles with his chopsticks. "Perhaps we should try lighter matters. Would you tell me of your interests, Kakita-sama? Every samurai has some."

Kakita Masahiko · **Joined:** Sun Apr 19, 2020 5:04 am **Posts:** 272

Masahiko grinned at Touki's quip about breakfast. "Hai, well, I like a game of kemari or of go, but I suppose what I really do is learn."

He flashed an embarrassed smile. "And Nikesake has been an excellent place to do that in."

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

Touki tilted his head, his neutral expression growing interested. "Go? I play a little Go. Well..." He looked a little sheepish. "A very little Go. One of my superiors, Ikoma Sugimoto-sama and I would play weekly. I've played perhaps a dozen games, and won none of them." Touki sighed. "Unfortunately, he was lost on a desperate mission, just a few days ago."

There was a brief pause as Touki sampled noodles, his eyebrows going up, pleased.

"Learn?" Touki echoed, his eyebrows going up. "What is it that you learn, Kakita-sama? I understand Nikesake has many books, scrolls... I've acquired an art print or two here, myself."

Kakita Masahiko · **Joined:** Sun Apr 19, 2020 5:04 am **Posts:** 272

"Perhaps we could arrange a game?" Masahiko raised an eyebrow, then took a slurp of noodles.

"I never won at first either, but Kuro-san, that's Akodo Kuro, he's a guard here, trained me up pretty well. I would call myself a novice still, but he's been very complimentary."

There was a pause as Masahiko tilted his head as though listening to something that was very faint.

"But you asked about learning. Let's see, well, at first it was the usual things. Bushido, History. Then when I knew that I was to be assigned here I read everything I could on the Lion clan. Now it's the Spirit Realms, of course, although lately I've been hearing interesting things about the Naga, and about armor, I suppose."

Need to get those greaves checked out.

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

"Perhaps we should." Touki's monotone showed some amount of interest. "And I've met Akodo Kuro. He's a fine samurai. I didn't know he was a Go player."

Touki listened as Masahiko spoke, his expression politely interested. He did smile at the mention of history. "Reading about Bushido and history is almost all you need for duty in the Lion clan. As long as you know our specific histories, I suppose. But history especially is a subject many Lion are fond of discussing." Touki's lips quirked. "I am an indifferent student myself, I'm afraid."

"Armor?" Touki frowned. "Is that from the two Kaiu, by any chance?"

Kakita Masahiko · **Joined:** Sun Apr 19, 2020 5:04 am **Posts:** 272

Masahiko couldn't help but smile to hear Kuro praised, but schooled his features swiftly enough for Touki's discussion of history, only for it to darken at the question at the end.

"Indirectly. Yogo Aya mentioned something about the quality of my greaves in relation to theirs after our skirmish yesterday. I'm sure it was just her off-hand snark, but it has had the most unsettling effect on my imagination."

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

Touki considered as he had another bite of noodles. He ate slowly, almost methodically, slurping noodles with the utmost care.

He shrugged. "The Kaiu are well known for their smithwork. It's why I thought of them. But the Scorpion..." Touki frowned. "I do not know Yogo Aya, but the Scorpion are the last clan I would ask for advice on my armor." He tiled his head. "Well, perhaps the Dragon. I'm not sure."

Kakita Masahiko · **Joined:** Sun Apr 19, 2020 5:04 am **Posts:** 272

Masahiko quirked an eyebrow. "Do the Dragon have poor armor? I haven't seen any..."

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

"Exactly." Touki said, smirking just a little.

His expression grew more serious. "But I do not denigrate their skill. Something in the way they train, or in the magic some of them have, seems to be incompatible with a good set of armor. But yesterday, I was fighting alongside Togashi Tsukimi-sama. A tattoo on her leg began to glow, and then she spat a great volume of fire." Touki shook his head. "It was something to see."

Kakita Masahiko · **Joined:** Sun Apr 19, 2020 5:04 am **Posts:** 272

Masahiko's eyes widened. "A volume of fire? How on earth..." He paused. "But of course, you said. The tattoos. How interesting. There are stories among my family of the greatest artisans creating pieces that have mystical qualities. Usually more subtle than a gout of fire, though. Maybe that's just a difference in aesthetic."

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

Touki shrugged. "Perhaps. Or perhaps the tattoo connects with something in their training. I'm not sure. It's not something I know anything about."

Another slow bite. "The Dragon I've met here have all impressed me, though. The Scorpion..." His forehead creased, just a little. "Well, they're interesting at least. Oh, although if you have an interest in the theater, Shosuro Sara-san's play this afternoon. You should attend."

Kakita Masahiko · **Joined:** Sun Apr 19, 2020 5:04 am **Posts:** 272

"I have a secret...I am a terrible Kakita." He laughed. "Mother used to call me her little Asako. Give me a book any day."

A sigh at the memory. "I think it might be the attention required. I haven't the mental stamina for a long engagement like that. What is it, four acts? That's about three too many for me."

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

Touki smiled at that. "Well. Clans are not all the same, after all."

He gave a shrug, glancing briefly away. "Still, Shosuro Sara is the Scorpion I've most enjoyed speaking with." He looked back. "The others are a bit odd. One keeps challenging me. Another... every time I've seen him, he throws something at someone." Touki's forehead creased in his mild puzzlement.

Kakita Masahiko · **Joined:** Sun Apr 19, 2020 5:04 am **Posts:** 272

"The Magistrate they have is a little morose, I found. He crashed our celebration looking for Yogo Aya, wanting his report. Then it was all 'organizing evacuations' and 'I saw dead people.' I'm not sure what else he expected in a war zone."

Masahiko shrugged. "I don't think there's much interest in evacuation over at the Crane Embassy."

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

Touki half-smiled, half-grimaced, shared bushi amusement at a non-warrior samurai in a war zone.

He frowned, sitting back a little. "No? I hope that it is not necessary, but it may become so. If the Imperial Legions arrive soon, all should be well. If they don't..." Touki grimaced. "We shall do what we can, of course."

Kakita Masahiko · **Joined:** Sun Apr 19, 2020 5:04 am **Posts:** 272

"There were plans before the transfer of authority to turn the Embassy into a redoubt. Of course, if the walls don't hold, I'm not sure how much good a redoubt is going to do the city, but perhaps we can buy time for others to escape."

The big Kakita smiled. "I'm not sure how well it fits into your guys' plans, but discussions between the upper echelons never did seem to go terribly smoothly. Do you think I ought to see if I can get them moving again? Or maybe there's another way we can help? Quietly, of course. As I say, Doji-sama is pretty...cool on working together at this point."

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

"Perhaps so." Touki said, inclining his head respectfully.

"Hmmm..." Touki frowned, his forehead creasing as he considered. "Are you thinking of a more informal exchange of information? If the upper echelons aren't talking to each other, perhaps the lower could, and then pass it up? Is that what you mean?" He regarded Masahiko curiously, eyes narrowed thoughtfully.

Kakita Masahiko · **Joined:** Sun Apr 19, 2020 5:04 am **Posts:** 272

"That's exactly what I mean, or one form of it, anyway." Masahiko tilted his head. "Someone's got to keep the city going, after all. Might as well be the people who are going to live or die defending it."

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

Smiling gently, Touki nodded. "That sounds like a fine idea, Kakita-sama." He pursed his lips a moment. "Perhaps we should see about playing a game of Go then, regularly." He paused a moment, giving the Kakita a bland look. More bland than usual, that is.

He sighed, not-unpleasantly. "The demands of honor are sometimes strange. But if it would harm the honor of our superiors to communicate directly with each other, well, then so be it. We can find ways to continue to communicate, within those bounds."

[D11, EM] Flying the Nest

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