[D1LA] Traditions and Talks

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

Another half-smile, or maybe quarter-smile. It only lasted a moment though. "A samurai should always be ready to die, of course." Touki intoned dutifully. Whether to give their life, or... a brief flash of emotion crossed his features*.

He reached out to place a piece, then hesitated, frowning. "I just find it difficult..." He shook his head, changing lines of attack. "It is the duty of a samurai to die for his lord, but is it not also to live? As in the story of Mirumoto and Shinsei." For a moment it looked as though he was about to say more, but he shook his head, placing his piece.

*VP spent

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

Akodo Touki wrote:

Another half-smile, or maybe quarter-smile. It only lasted a moment though. "A samurai should always be ready to die, of course." Touki intoned dutifully. Whether to give their life, or... a brief flash of emotion crossed his features*.

He reached out to place a piece, then hesitated, frowning. "I just find it difficult..." He shook his head, changing lines of attack. "It is the duty of a samurai to die for his lord, but is it not also to live? As in the story of Mirumoto and Shinsei." For a moment it looked as though he was about to say more, but he shook his head, placing his piece.

*VP spent

Sugimoto half looks as though he wants to press forward, but he looks away rather than shame his companion by noticing any emotion. The younger samurai would heal, in time.
"Contradictions upon contradictions, as far as I can tell they continue on forever...."
He lets the conversation slide into companionable silence for a few minutes, interrupted only by the soft 'click' of Go pieces backwards and forward.
"The worst part of getting old is you don't get any smarter, but if you lose to a younger samurai you've suddenly become an idiot."

To the shock of all present and perhaps event his ancestors, Sugimoto performs a graceful flanking maneuver, the black pieces seeming to twist around the white
Day 1 LA Go roll 2: 3d10o10k2+5 32

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

Touki sighed. "So it seems, sir."

Going to place another piece, Touki frowned, noticing the state of the board. It seemed he'd unwittingly allowed Sugimoto to surround him. "I find myself in a dilemma." He murmured dryly.

Somewhat resignedly, Touki placed his piece. "It is clear that your time has not come yet, sir. If you worry about your age, I hope you can take comfort from your ability to thrash me at Go on a weekly basis." Dry humor was Touki's favorite sort.

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

Akodo Touki wrote:

Touki sighed. "So it seems, sir."

Going to place another piece, Touki frowned, noticing the state of the board. It seemed he'd unwittingly allowed Sugimoto to surround him. "I find myself in a dilemma." He murmured dryly.

Somewhat resignedly, Touki placed his piece. "It is clear that your time has not come yet, sir. If you worry about your age, I hope you can take comfort from your ability to thrash me at Go on a weekly basis." Dry humor was Touki's favorite sort.

"Doubtless when I retire, it will be my fondest memory." The dryness of the two was driving desertification in Rokugan.

"You are improving, one day you will beat me after learning all you can, it is the way of things."

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

"I am honored." Touki murmured.

"If you say so." Touki sighed as he placed another piece. "I know that every game of Go is supposed to be unique. And yet, sometimes I wonder if I am just repeating the same mistakes over and over again. The board is wiped clean, I start anew... and yet the ending is the same." He tapped a stone with a finger, considering. "Perhaps if I made more of a study of it."

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

Akodo Touki wrote:

"I am honored." Touki murmured.

"If you say so." Touki sighed as he placed another piece. "I know that every game of Go is supposed to be unique. And yet, sometimes I wonder if I am just repeating the same mistakes over and over again. The board is wiped clean, I start anew... and yet the ending is the same." He tapped a stone with a finger, considering. "Perhaps if I made more of a study of it."

"The path only seems the same while you walk it. When you stop and look at your steps, that's when you understand."
....It would be a good project for him
"Some of the most able samurai I know have mastered the game, but each would tell you they did it in a different way. It would be a worthy project...."

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

Touki hesitated a long moment before placing his next piece. "Perhaps I shall, then." It wasn't entirely clear which part he was responding to.

After a few more moments, he seemed to relent, relaxing a little. "May I ask how your family is doing, sir?" Touki asked politely.

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

Akodo Touki wrote:

Touki hesitated a long moment before placing his next piece. "Perhaps I shall, then." It wasn't entirely clear which part he was responding to.

After a few more moments, he seemed to relent, relaxing a little. "May I ask how your family is doing, sir?" Touki asked politely.

The older samurai seems delighted by the question, his eyes brightening as he quickly plays a piece.
"Toshiko is back into her writing again, I think she's finally going to finish her histories, all this business with our ancestors has given her a second wind. She'll want me out of the rooms come evening, says I breathe too loud."
He breathes loudly at the insinuation before turning to his children, a popular topic with the magistrate.
"Kei's still a real berserker, she told me she wants to be betrothed to a Matsu so her children can have the same upbringing. Maybe if she'd stop breaking things we wouldn't still be working on a marriage. Tanaka's...."
A slight tightening of the face, maybe best not to discuss that with Touki
"....He's still....recovering. Just needs some time to heal." Better move on to happier topics "Masiko has her mother's brains now, just the other day she sent back one of my letters with 'improved' grammar. As though ominpotentable wasn't a real world." The nerve
"And Yachi's just angry at the world, but he's 16, most samurai that age are."

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

Touki listened, his expression as polite as ever. Still, he was as observant as any trained by the Akodo, and Toshiko would in turn no doubt notice the slight tightening of the eyes around the awkward part.

It was the end that won another half-smile from Touki. "Sixteen. I remember that age. Sometimes it seems not so very long ago." He gently shook his head. "I suppose it isn't, really."

A finger tapped a Go piece idly. "I don't remember being angry at the world, although perhaps I was. I do remember being full of energy. Drive. Ready to take on the whole Empire, if someone gave me the chance." The half-smile turned wry as Touki finally placed the piece he held.

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

Akodo Touki wrote:

Touki listened, his expression as polite as ever. Still, he was as observant as any trained by the Akodo, and Toshiko would in turn no doubt notice the slight tightening of the eyes around the awkward part.

It was the end that won another half-smile from Touki. "Sixteen. I remember that age. Sometimes it seems not so very long ago." He gently shook his head. "I suppose it isn't, really."

A finger tapped a Go piece idly. "I don't remember being angry at the world, although perhaps I was. I do remember being full of energy. Drive. Ready to take on the whole Empire, if someone gave me the chance." The half-smile turned wry as Touki finally placed the piece he held.

"There's always something of a lull after that, we found out how complicated everything is. How difficult, many of us fall in combat. Then you hit middle-aged and you get a second wind."
He puffs his broad chest out to demonstrate
"It will come, just give it time Akodo-san."

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

"The world does seem to be a far different place since then." Pausing a moment, Touki gazed of to the side. "I wonder how much of that is me, and how much of that is changing circumstances?"

He looked back. "Not that I doubt your words, sir. Far from it." He played a piece with a clack, then half-smiled. "And how long would you say until I am middle-aged?"

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

Akodo Touki wrote:

"The world does seem to be a far different place since then." Pausing a moment, Touki gazed of to the side. "I wonder how much of that is me, and how much of that is changing circumstances?"

He looked back. "Not that I doubt your words, sir. Far from it." He played a piece with a clack, then half-smiled. "And how long would you say until I am middle-aged?"

"Mentally you have been middle-aged for some time, physically...."
An answering 'click' of a go piece

"When it hurts to bend over, or twist, or get out of bed in the morning....really, if your back hurts all the time. Then you have become old and wise like myself."

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

"Hah." Touki said, darkly amused. "Mentally middle-aged, but without the ability to win at Go. I feel I've gotten a rather raw deal." A careful ear would hear the real spite behind Touki's measured monotone.

But it was only for a moment. He glanced up, half-smiling. "I assure you, you're not that old, sir. My sensei has a good two decades on you. Although you and he do sound somewhat alike."

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

Akodo Touki wrote:

"Hah." Touki said, darkly amused. "Mentally middle-aged, but without the ability to win at Go. I feel I've gotten a rather raw deal." A careful ear would hear the real spite behind Touki's measured monotone.

But it was only for a moment. He glanced up, half-smiling. "I assure you, you're not that old, sir. My sensei has a good two decades on you. Although you and he do sound somewhat alike."

Sugimoto gives no sign in having noticed the spite, then again had his moustache twitched?
"Hmmph, perhaps he was just young at heart. I feel old, the cold bothers me, many things bother me."

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

"Perhaps so." Touki droned, agreeably enough.

He gave his superior a slightly concerned look. "You must let me know if there is anything I can do to ease your burdens, sir. Really, if anything needs doing. I prefer to stay active." Touki's left hand, not currently occupied in playing Go, briefly flexed. If one could apply oneself manically even to guard duty, Touki would fit the description.

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

Akodo Touki wrote:

"Perhaps so." Touki droned, agreeably enough.

He gave his superior a slightly concerned look. "You must let me know if there is anything I can do to ease your burdens, sir. Really, if anything needs doing. I prefer to stay active." Touki's left hand, not currently occupied in playing Go, briefly flexed. If one could apply oneself manically even to guard duty, Touki would fit the description.

The magistrate nods
"Your time will come Touki-san. Unless the pretender and his murderers plan to sit silently in their castle until the world forgets about them. I will look for you on the field then, when you bring honour to the clan."
He places another piece, nonchalantly
"Until then you will have to see to yourself...your position is compromised and requires effort to right itself."

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

Touki inclined his head, low enough to almost be a seated bow. "I shall, Ikoma-sama." He intoned.

He frowned down at the board. "Indeed. I will admit, I don't see a way out of my present dilemma." There did seem to be rather a lot of black on the board. "I'm not sure of the moment when it came to this. A series of small mistakes, perhaps?"

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

Akodo Touki wrote:

Touki inclined his head, low enough to almost be a seated bow. "I shall, Ikoma-sama." He intoned.

He frowned down at the board. "Indeed. I will admit, I don't see a way out of my present dilemma." There did seem to be rather a lot of black on the board. "I'm not sure of the moment when it came to this. A series of small mistakes, perhaps?"

"Mistakes implies fault, do you believe this" a broad hand gestures to the board "Is a result of fault?"
It seems an honest question.

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

Touki looked at Sugimoto. His lips briefly parted, and then shut again, uncertainly.

He looked down at the board. "I would say so, sir. You are the better player. There are doubtless moves that I could have made that would have led to a different outcome than..." he waved a hand and the board. "-this. Surely failing to make those moves was a mistake?" His deep voice was uncertain, in very much the mode of pupil to master.

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

Akodo Touki wrote:

Touki looked at Sugimoto. His lips briefly parted, and then shut again, uncertainly.

He looked down at the board. "I would say so, sir. You are the better player. There are doubtless moves that I could have made that would have led to a different outcome than..." he waved a hand and the board. "-this. Surely failing to make those moves was a mistake?" His deep voice was uncertain, in very much the mode of pupil to master.

"It is a predicament is it not? If this is your fault then you rob me of my glory, for I did not outplay you. Conversely, were this to be purely the result of my play then you have committed no fault, which smacks of hubris."
There's a deep rumbling, like a washboard being furiously used underground. Presumably this is what Sugimoto's chuckles sound like.

"Perhaps there are some things that are our fault, and some that are not? A novel concept, I know."
more of the rumbling

[D1LA] Traditions and Talks

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