[D2LE] Endless Waiting (OPEN)

Bayushi Kiku · **Joined:** Thu Apr 09, 2020 4:39 pm **Posts:** 46

Kiku is following along, ostensibly taking in the sights.

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

It would take them a few minutes to get out of the garden, anyway.

Touki glanced back over his shoulder as he lead them. "Has everyone heard the legend of this garden, and the Kenku?" He asked.

Bayushi Kiku · **Joined:** Thu Apr 09, 2020 4:39 pm **Posts:** 46

The Scorpion merely shook her head in the dim light.

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

The Mirumoto was sure to follow along but she found herself looking at the horizon of the gardens for anything that lept out. There were in the gardens of a city, rather than the wilderness of the woods. Anything like that was bound to be her imagination that anything else. However, they were living in such a time where an Emperor had returned to slay another Emperor? Was it so strange to keep cautious?

"...I don't know if direct relation to the gardens themselves but recall someone mentioning seeing a kenku?" she mentioned questioningly and looked to Poemu for conversation, recalling this was mentioned in an earlier meeting. Of course, she might have heard wrong.

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

Touki glanced back again. "As the legend goes, nearly a century ago, a Kenku came to this place, and challenged any samurai to defeat it in combat, promising to train any who could. But there were none who could defeat the Kenku, and so it left, disappointed."

They came to the edge of the garden. "One of the Kenku's opponents, Shiba Yuumo, built this garden in the Kenku's honor, and in hopes that it might someday return to face him again. But it never did."

He stopped, turning fully to face Wasako. "Is that what you heard about someone seeing a Kenku, miss?" He asked her, polite but curious. Surely someone didn't actually see...?

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

"Oh, there might have been a possibility I misheard. It was likely they were hoping to court the Kenku's favour and have it appear?" The Dragon lands were remote and the same could be said about their people, strange things had happened but it made it hard to discount what was the truth from fiction. She wouldn't have found the tale so outlandish if it were actually true.

Agasha Poemu · **Joined:** Fri Apr 03, 2020 5:47 pm **Posts:** 896

"I had heard the tale already from Ikoma Homura-san, but you each told in a little different way." Poemu smiled at the memory, and the irony. "Perhaps Mirumoto-san is thinking of Togashi Iko-san, from our delegation present. She was trained by a kenku, or so it is said."

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

"Thank you, Agasha-sama. Hai, that would be Togashi-sama," she nodded soundly in affirmation, proud that she wasn't making things up or mishearing things.

Bayushi Kiku · **Joined:** Thu Apr 09, 2020 4:39 pm **Posts:** 46

The Scorpion appears to be listening, but content to lets the Dragons talk.

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

Touki's eyes lit with recognition, first at the mention of Homura's storytelling, ah, so this is the Dragon she spoke to, and then at the mention of Iko. He bowed to Poemu. "In fact, Ikoma-san mentioned Togashi-sama to me earlier this afternoon. And that she had been trained by a Kenku. Do you know how that came to happen?"

Steadily, the little group trudged onward. Touki cast a curious, slightly wistful glance back as they left the garden.

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

That was a good question and not one what she bothered asking, only assuming that was something that just happened. Admittedly, that was also the same meeting that they had a Champion just randomly drop in with a Jade arm. It was easy to have someone's training by a fabled Kenku overshadowed in that regard.

She gave a slow shake of her head. "Gomenasai...I can't say I've asked for the specifics regarding such an honour. I could only imagine the kenku would have to seek you out to be worth than the other way around. It would be interesting to see her technique firsthand now that I think about it. I wonder what sort of alterations she had to do without having wings or a beak."

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

Touki paused, frowning. "I cannot imagine what sort of alterations one would need to make for having wings or a beak."

He came to a halt, experimentally reaching for the hilt of his katana. "I suppose the wings would change the balance. Would that slow their draw?" He smiled, just a little. "I can't imagine that the beak has any effect, any more than a duelist with a large nose instead of a dainty one."

Agasha Poemu · **Joined:** Fri Apr 03, 2020 5:47 pm **Posts:** 896

Poemu silently laughed into a sleeve, glancing to Kiku in amusement. She remained quiet though. It was sort of cute listening to the bushi getting excited over bushi talk.

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

"I cannot begin to imagine what sort of lessons a kenku could teach one of us, which likely just going beyond acting how to fight without a beak or wings," she said with a hand on her chin in contemplation. "I cannot imagine that it can't be impossible to make some changes. This would likely require the student to train harder for what they lack but I would imagine that there are advantages as well that come with the advantages, however small. If a beak is used to peck at their would-be opponent, a sword thrust would act the same unless an initial parry is required to facilitate it? Regardless, despite the physical differences, the knowledge must outweigh that alone."

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

Touki considered.

"Perhaps there is a lesson that despite some differences, the principles of kenjutsu are the same." He turned again, bowing respectfully to Wasako. "Even though the Mirumoto are renowned for fighting with a second blade, I suspect that there is more that is similar than different between our sword techniques."

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

"I'm sure all speculation about a Kenku's true lesson is perhaps best reserved for Togashi-sama, if she ever finds herself free from her obligations," she said. Now that she thought twice on it, suppose she has an obligation to the kenku for their imparted lessons?

She nodded in agreement. "It is true that the Mirumoto are famed in their technique of Niten, following after founder's footsteps. There are admittedly many ways to hold a sword, as you might know, despite having the same principles. That said, I can't say I can comment much on Niten and its intricacies without being a student of that path of swordsmanship."

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

"Oh." Touki gave a quick bow; the number of times he was doing that certainly made the trip longer. "My apologies, Mirumoto-sama. I should not have made the assumption." He frowned at her daisho; he had some knowledge that there were other ways of fighting among the Dragon, but he knew little of them.

"I suppose none of us can comment much on Kenku then either. That is a question that will have wait for Togashi Iko-sama." He smiled, just a little, lips barely moving. "Unless one of us is fortunate enough to impress the Kenku of the garden enough to reappear."

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

"No need to apologize," she said with a shake of her head. It was a mistake that many people were likely to make, just as she was sure that she was going to do the same with others here.

"It was still a good exercise for thought. I can't say I've speculated much about a kenku's lesson until now, that realms seems so beyond me to even fathom even as someone who spends a lot of time in a dojo. Which I'm sure the same could be said when it comes to some of the arts as well. It seems to me that the kenku here is reserved for someone very specific?"

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

"You think perhaps the Kenku will only appear for a specific person?" Touki frowned, although as he was once again walking forward, none of the party could see it. "Well, the gardens are open to all visitors. We can hope that the one with the Kenku's interest will train here. If it is fated, perhaps it will be so." Could fate be as easily avoided as the right person deciding not to visit the right garden? Touki wondered.

He frowned again, thinking of his earlier conversation with Homura. "The fantastical does not seem quite so unlikely to me as it once did." Touki said. "These last few years have been..." he frowned, considering his words, "... momentous."

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

She crossed one arm over her body and kept her hand on her chin. "There is a lot to contemplate about fate. Were the gardens not built for only one specific kenku in question? It would only be poetic if this kenku were to appear before Shiba Yuumo to challenge him finally. That or their next incarnation, fulfil that eventual destiny. Then again, it would be also equally poetic if this kenku never showed themselves or showed themselves to everyone but Shiba Yuumo? Perhaps it could be a lesson that fate cannot be pushed. Or maybe before the Shiba had built the gardens, the kenku could scarcely remember the grounds now that they have been altered, which might be Shiba Yuumo's own undoing..."

"Perhaps it wouldn't be so strange for a kenku to appear before us after all," she nodded.

[D2LE] Endless Waiting (OPEN)

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