{D3, EM: In the Dojo] Again! (Open)

[Bayushi Ameiko]

Ameiko decided to change the subject, it held little else as the point was made.

"And so has Mirumoto-san enjoyed art for a long time?"

[Mirumoto Jakuchou]

"Certainly, though I am no great artist or critic myself. I am simply a happy observer of others' creations," she says with a nod.

[Bayushi Ameiko]

"Meaning no offense with this question then, but why have you come?" she seemed honestly curious, but then decided also to listen while she continued her training, taking stance 22, the low cat.

[Mirumoto Jakuchou]

"To find a way to server my clan in a more productive way than taking long walks through abandoned mine tunnels seemed like reasonable enough a reason to me," she says, with a light shrug and a pleasant smile. "I am beyond my bushi days, but who knows what potential I might still have in less physically demanding pursuits."

[Bayushi Ameiko]

The stance shifted with a strike to stance 35, the soaring crane and Ameiko hopped forward unleashing a snapping quick attack. Landing on one foot, an arm above her head with the blade held down, other arm in a guard below her waist she held it for a moment then spun low and three strikes followed as she advanced from the low position.

She halted after Jakuchou explained, holding her stance again. "Do Dragon continue to serve their lords at an advanced age often?"

[Mirumoto Jakuchou]

"I believe it's likely more common than among other clans, but often our bushi will retire to monasteries like others. But such a large portion of us are raised, trained and learn in monasteries that it isn't particularly transformative for us, so a few choose to forego the change in name, and simply shift our roles and service. It's likely that there are Kuni among the Crab and Asako among the Phoenix that do the same. And other smaller monk traditions in their own clans. And while the taoists swordsmen are not specifically monks, they live a monk lifestyle for so long that choosing to retire into monkhood would be choosing to turn over our katana and name for no real change in lifestyle. Especially Ise Zumi. I don't think I have ever known a single one of their number to retire to a Brotherhood monastery. Though I have known them to move to one without changing their name or affiliation."

While the scorpion goes through her movements, the dragon observes, then nods in understanding. She then makes a very similar series of moves, but pauses halfway through. "I'm not familiar with this particular footwork," she explains as she attempts to step through it slowly. She then goes back and redoes it with entirely different footwork through that section, slowly again. "Is there a particular weakness that stepping through it this way introduces to the stance and flow?"

[Bayushi Ameiko]

"The method is part of a very scorpion idea of unpredictability", Ameiko explained. "High to low, in quick movements, the footwork supports the low angle of attack."

She took stance 2, much more traditional with her guard held forward. "It is very simple to strike anywhere you wish from any stance when you have mastered them all, but knowing what will give you the greatest advantage in any situation is a primary method of the 100 Stances." She side stepped and dropped into the same low stance, unleashing an attack to the gut, stepping back into higher guard and completed a blow to the head.

"What interests me now, is why you choose to continue your service."

[Mirumoto Jakuchou]

"Hmm... an interesting question. Even when someone chooses to retire, they still serve the Empire do they not? And since the majority of my service was directly to our Emperor, I suppose I see no difference between serving through the Dragon or serving through the Brotherhood. So I suppose I have chosen not to change who I serve, but rather how. If that makes sense."

[Bayushi Ameiko]

"That does perhaps fulfill an idea behind my question, but I do not believe it answers it", Ameiko observed., now performing more basic drills, stepping forward to strike and recovering after each attack.

[Mirumoto Jakuchou]

"It doesn't? I guess my point is that retiring to monkhood would not change my lifestyle. So I have decided to remain Mirumoto Jakuchou rather than retire from service to the dragon. I will stop serving when I have rejoined the great wheel. Joining the Brotherhood from now until then doesn't actually effectively change anything. I would still likely even live in the same cell at my monastery... but with a shaved head. So, I continue service because the alternative is as different as a left handed katana is from a right handed one."

[Bayushi Ameiko]

"So not because you would miss it, or because you prefer it, but because it does not matter?" she seemed amused as to how the Dragon would field that. Then she remembered it was a Dragon and prepared to be disappointed, remembering the Taoist sword student from the 100 Stances she studied with.

[Mirumoto Jakuchou]

"It's a matter of form versus function. I will always miss my time as a bushi, mostly because of the people that I fought beside. But I would not miss wearing one set of clothing over another. I might miss my hair though, if I had to shave my head," she says with a little smile. "Shaved it once long ago because of a head wound, and I don't miss that bald feeling."