[Day One - Late Afternoon] The Lion of Tomorrow, Today

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

Mirumoto Wasako had thought the koan of the Togashi were confusing but clearly she had never had to contend with something such as court. However, court mercifully didn't take up her whole day and she was more than happy to trade her surrounding for something more familiar, the dojo. Despite the Lion having a reputation for being stark and functional, Wasako found their dojo to be rather lavish in comparison to the one she typically found herself in. The shrine alone that was dedicated to their ancestors was elaborate with offerings. She could imagine that they'd never go hungry for weeks with what was on display as an offering. However, she still honoured the shrine as one properly would.

She made her way to one of the bokken and picked one, weighing it in her hands before making her way to another. Her search for the right bokken was distracted when she saw the youth go about their drills with their sensei and she was content to watch for a moment.

Kakita Rin · **Joined:** Sun Apr 05, 2020 12:58 pm **Posts:** 55

Someone else was already there. Leaning casually against a wall, watching the Lion youths go about their lessons.

One could imagine he'd done all the proper honouring of the Dojo long before Wasako entered. You'd expect he had anyway.

As yet, though, he was yet to notice the Dragon in their midst.

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

The Lion youths were rather fascinating to watch, especially with how they go about their lessons. There was the sort of rigid military disciple even in the youth already and it made her wonder what else they had to iron out from that point. To her, it seemed like they trained as if their lives depended on it.

However, she couldn't ignore the other adult in the room and one with a full head of white hair. She hesitated with replacing the bokken back before bowing politely in greeting and gestured to herself as she spoke. "Konnichiwa, Kakita-san. This one is Mirumoto Wasako."

Kakita Rin · **Joined:** Sun Apr 05, 2020 12:58 pm **Posts:** 55

He parted ways with the wall he'd been propping up on behalf of the Lion and flowed into a gracious bow.

"Mirumoto-sama, I did not see you enter. A pleasure indeed, I am Kakita Rin."

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

Wasako watched the Crane curiously, more at how he transitioned from where he was standing and into a bow. She told herself that she should probably take notes regarding this, especially if she found herself leaning on wall herself one day.

"Pleased to meet you, Kakita-san. And I don't fault you," she gestured to the youth in their drill. "The youth here are pretty interesting. I thought there would be only a garrison here for soldiers but I didn't know they were also training here."

She narrowed her eyes on them, "Then again, they could be already adults."

Kakita Rin · **Joined:** Sun Apr 05, 2020 12:58 pm **Posts:** 55

"Where samurai gather there will be fields for training . . . or in this case a dojo. I think my sensei was talking about generalities. He could have literally meant fields I suppose, but I find that wherever you find a dojo then you will find students learning there."

He turned to watch the Lion youths again.

"Considering how many times my clan has met the never ending forces of Akodo-no-kami's descendants I half expect every field to have students never mind their settlements."

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

Wasako gave a few sound nods at that with a hand on her chin. "That seems obvious when I think twice about it. Having a dojo with students isn't an impressive feat, especially when there is a field as you've mentioned. If the world could truly be represented by places of learning, there should be a dojo at every waystation, if not every peak and cranny of a mountain, ne?"

Kakita Rin · **Joined:** Sun Apr 05, 2020 12:58 pm **Posts:** 55

"But where would we find all the aged Sensei?"

He mused.

"We'd need an awful lot of them."

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

Wasako narrowed her eyes for a moment and shook her head. "We wouldn't need sensei everywhere, especially when it comes to learning. Often the learning process is far more internal. We sense, experience, think and make opinions based on all of our surroundings. With so much around us, I'd think that process is constant in how we inform ourselves. I suppose in a sense, the dojo is really the path that we walk on and hardly requires walls and a roof to make it so."

She did a gesture with a flick of her wrist then it comes to her next point. "However, it does help to have a sensei to temper all of those thoughts in the right direction. It's often easy to make the wrong choice without a sensei or others who have walked the same path to guide you."

Kakita Rin · **Joined:** Sun Apr 05, 2020 12:58 pm **Posts:** 55

"How is learning without a sensei different to how a Ronin learns?"

The word ronin was said with typical Crane disdain.

Kayou · **Joined:** Wed Apr 01, 2020 2:51 pm **Posts:** 419

The tall nun slips in bowing politely to those already there after hanging up her jingasa.

She moves to the rack of practice naginada, tests several for weight before choosing one. She then finds an open space and begins to move through her kata.

Matsu Tani · **Joined:** Wed Apr 01, 2020 8:49 pm **Posts:** 493

Tani, as it happened, found her way into the Dojo as well. Her routine had been disrupted by the Returned Spirits, and some form of normalcy was needed. Beyond that, she wanted something to reset herself. After performing proper bows and respects to the Dojo, she noted Kayou and the others, nodding respectfully to them from a distance. While she had plans to spar with the Monk, that was not for today.

Tani grabbed a Naginata styled bokken and took a place on the floor a bit distant from the others. She began to move, but to any martially inclined Samurai it would be clear that this was not quite a kata. Instead, she seemed to be using the naginata as a prop for some form of dance. The form was still somewhat... simple, she was clearly only a beginner. But in it's own way, Tani showed impressive grace.

//expecting company!

Isawa Somgai · **Joined:** Mon Apr 06, 2020 6:26 am **Posts:** 88

Matsu Tani wrote:

Tani, as it happened, found her way into the Dojo as well. Her routine had been disrupted by the Returned Spirits, and some form of normalcy was needed. Beyond that, she wanted something to reset herself. After performing proper bows and respects to the Dojo, she noted Kayou and the others, nodding respectfully to them from a distance. While she had plans to spar with the Monk, that was not for today.

Tani grabbed a Naginata styled bokken and took a place on the floor a bit distant from the others. She began to move, but to any martially inclined Samurai it would be clear that this was not quite a kata. Instead, she seemed to be using the naginata as a prop for some form of dance. The form was still somewhat... simple, she was clearly only a beginner. But in it's own way, Tani showed impressive grace.

Isawa Somgai entered the dojo and looked around, finding it quite crowded. He smiled to himself as he looked around the room and took in the different samurai, some training and some engaged in conversation, pausing as his eyes fell on the Matsu. That... wasn't combat. Intrigued, he made his way over.

"Good afternoon! Are you... what is that?" He gestures at you broadly.

Matsu Tani · **Joined:** Wed Apr 01, 2020 8:49 pm **Posts:** 493

The concentration on the dance was defeated by the sudden appearance of Some Guy. Tani paused, took a breath, then turned to bow to this new, mysterious Phoenix. "Isawa-sama. Apologies if my own rituals distracted you from your work. I find that practicing dance before I begin my kata helps build my focus."

Kayou · **Joined:** Wed Apr 01, 2020 2:51 pm **Posts:** 419

Kayou pauses in her kata to acknowledge the new arrivals with a nod before returning to her forms.

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

"It's not..." she admitted at first quizzically at first. "Ronin do actually accumulate a vast amount of knowledge and experiences from their life in the waves, which is apt to call them wavemen. They can go countless directions without the direction of the wind, light from fire or earth to land. Technically, there are no wrong decisions for wavemen give their circumstances but I would be hard pressed to say if there are right ones."

"But it's not like we can't learn without a sensei. We just need them to contextualize lessons and knowledge to give them purpose. Even then, my sensei would not say following him is the right direction. He merely presents a the road forward, although it becomes our responsibility if we choose to stray off it."

Wasako did bow politely to both the nun and the Lion. It seemed naginata were popular weapons today.

Isawa Somgai · **Joined:** Mon Apr 06, 2020 6:26 am **Posts:** 88

Matsu Tani wrote:

The concentration on the dance was defeated by the sudden appearance of Some Guy. Tani paused, took a breath, then turned to bow to this new, mysterious Phoenix. "Isawa-sama. Apologies if my own rituals distracted you from your work. I find that practicing dance before I begin my kata helps build my focus."

He smiles broadly. "I was definitely not working, but thank you, you did not distract me." He is clearly oblivious that he is the one that did the distracting.

"Ah, a dance! He pulls the biwa off his back. Did you need accompaniment? I find that today is desperately in need of a song."

Matsu Tani · **Joined:** Wed Apr 01, 2020 8:49 pm **Posts:** 493

Isawa Somgai wrote:

He smiles broadly. "I was definitely not working, but thank you, you did not distract me." He is clearly oblivious that he is the one that did the distracting.

"Ah, a dance! He pulls the biwa off his back. Did you need accompaniment? I find that today is desperately in need of a song."

She blinked at his sudden eagerness. "uh, well. I usually use it as preparation for dojo work. But I suppose some might be entertained at a proper accompaniment do such a thing?" She was trying to be accommodating to a guest, but was clearly more than a bit confused by this Isawa.

Isawa Somgai · **Joined:** Mon Apr 06, 2020 6:26 am **Posts:** 88

Matsu Tani wrote:

She blinked at his sudden eagerness. "uh, well. I usually use it as preparation for dojo work. But I suppose some might be entertained at a proper accompaniment do such a thing?" She was trying to be accommodating to a guest, but was clearly more than a bit confused by this Isawa.

He sees her confusion and pauses, thoughtful. Slowly, his face takes on a practiced look of less expression and he nods.

"Some might, but this is probably not the place. Forgive me, it was a silly joke." He nods to agree with himself.

"I am Isawa Somgai. Earlier today I had a practice fight with a Unicorn that was enjoyable, and your beginning ritual reminded me of it. I hope you don't mind the interruption."

His demeanor has totally changed, as if he realized he was doing something wrong.

Matsu Tani · **Joined:** Wed Apr 01, 2020 8:49 pm **Posts:** 493

Isawa Somgai wrote:

He sees her confusion and pauses, thoughtful. Slowly, his face takes on a practiced look of less expression and he nods.

"Some might, but this is probably not the place. Forgive me, it was a silly joke." He nods to agree with himself.

"I am Isawa Somgai. Earlier today I had a practice fight with a Unicorn that was enjoyable, and your beginning ritual reminded me of it. I hope you don't mind the interruption."

His demeanor has totally changed, as if he realized he was doing something wrong.

This of course, was only more confusing. But at least she could deal with this. She bowed politely to him. "Matsu Tani, Nikutai of the First Legion of the First Matsu Army, and daughter of the Antecedent Matsu Daimyo. It is an honor to meet you, and I find no issue with interruption."

[Day One - Late Afternoon] The Lion of Tomorrow, Today

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