Sapphire Ambassadors

Always a creature of habit Yoshiaki arrived at the dojo. He observed the proper respects and began his work out warming up with stretches and slow movements getting his muscles ready for a more vigorous workout. As was usual he wore only his loose fitting pants to do these workouts in.

After the way his day had begun, Choudai needed to hit something.

Unfortunately for him, most things would hit back somewhat harder than he did, so it was back to the dojo for more practice.

He arrived ready to swing a bokken around, only to see that a monk had beaten him to it.

Shit.

Worse yet, he knew this monk.
Worst of all, the guy had made sense when they had conversed.

"Togashi-san, good morning... has Inari blessed you today?"

The monk in question had been doing forms as Choudai came in he executed a series of strikes quick and precise fists flying through the air, followed by a combo of kicks where back leg struck out planted and became the base for a reverse kick from the other leg.

As he came to a rest his breath was only slightly quickened from exertion he bowed to Choudai "Good morning Bayushi-san, indeed they have I assume the same of you? It would be ambitious to train without the blessing." He commented with a small smile as those silver eyes regarded the Scorpion.

"The Fortune has been most forthcoming."

He cocked his head at the monk's forms.

He fights like someone who didn't spend months pretending to be a courtier.

"And ambition is a trait I leave to my siblings."

Ozaki could probably take him on a broken leg and no food for a week, but then, baby brother has always been a bit intense.

He weighed the bokken in his hand, frowned, then started working through his forms- and again, any student of kenjutsu would note that his fundamentals were surprisingly shaky for someone whose training had evidently advanced so far.

Fortunately for Choudai, Yoshiaki was no student of kenjutsu. He barely knew much beside you point the sharp end toward the opponent.

Yoshiaki moved into more flowing forms, slower movements that emphasized form over ferocity and worked to stretch muscles rather than work them.

"Is cooking something that is part of your duties Bayushi-san? Or is it simply a passion you excel at?" He asked, his breathing much more controlled now that he had moved to this exercise.

"More the latter than the former."

A child could have seen through that feint! Again.

"My grandmother was an excellent chef, and I learned at her knee. In general, the closest my duty took me to cooking was when I served as a quartermaster during the war in Naishou."

How much more easily your tongue lies than your blade. Work on that.

"So for me, it has always been a sort of... side-passion."

"Hmm a noble, side passion, as you call it." He replied leg slowly sweeping over the floor as he crouched down.

"Terrible business that war." He said as he rose again knee coming up to his chest smoothly "did you see much fighting as the quartermaster?"

My only physical wounds were love-bites.

"Not much. Had a brief run-in with some scouts, but I had plenty of company because the poor bastards didn't see all of us."

He feinted high at his imaginary opponent, then swept low.

"Generally speaking it's not a position with much scope for glory. When a quartermaster does his job right, nobody notices. He does it wrong.,.. everybody notices."

And a spy living a cushy life well away from the frontlines, if anybody notices, he's done a bad job.

"Sometimes the most important of jobs recieve the least recognition." He replied as he did a series of flowing strikes, slow and methodical his hands glided through the air.

"And I am sure the troops got to enjoy some excellent meals if you were the one preparing them. Seeing what you can do with peasant ingredients."

"Oh, no, I wasn't preparing them. No time."

Thrust, sidestep, rising cut... SHIT. Again!

"I was just tasked with getting enough of it together. If you want good food, Togashi-san, stay out of the army..."

"I'm afraid monasteries are likely little better. As I mentioned at our first meeting our food is mostly for sustenance. Not poor necesarrily but nothing with any sense of art to it." Step, strike, sweep.

"So when not quarter mastering or indulging in side Passions what does Bayushi-san's duty typically demand of him?"

Mostly that I stand by to be an utter scumbag on demand.

"Generally, I find that quartermastering keeps me quite occupied, but sometimes they have me put on my armor to look intimidating next to a door or person of importance."

A fresh feint, and then he made a thrust he seemed happy with.

"Sometimes I do a bit of actual guard duty."

"So quartermaster and yojimbo. Do you enjoy these duties?" He asked Cooling down going through some stretching motions to keep himself loose.

"Enjoyment doesn't enter into it. Duty is duty."

No. Not even a little.

"Although to call me a yojimbo is to somewhat overstate the case. I've guarded more locations than I have people."

He nodded "Enjoyment can, though you are right doesn't have to. Your clan's dedication to their duty is somewhat famous." He says as he settles down into a lotus position.

"Are you hoping to win the competition and aquire a bit of a shift in your duties then? Are you interested in other forms of art or simply enjoy your chance to display your own?"

"Win? With an unorthodox art form at a competition judged by the Crane?"

He snorted as he made a cut that would have left his potential foe winded if it landed.

"Hardly. But I hope to make them admit that it's art. Beyond that? Again, I leave ambition to my siblings."

He paused to consider the other questions.

"I appreciate art that isn't simply a passionless exercise of technique. I thrive on producing my own, to be sure, but I also appreciate seeing surprises from other quarters. And I especially appreciate seeing new arenas recognized as art."

The next strike wasn't to his taste and he began again.

From the beginning.

"And you, Togashi-san? Do you dream that a pair as married to convention as they are to each other will crown your art with victory?:

This drew a chuckle from the monk, a rumbling and smooth sound "No Bayushi-san. I like you simply wish to have my skills recognized. Tattooing may be closer to orthodoxy of art but I doubt you'll find a Crane that will call a tattooist a great artist."

"No, winning here would interfere with my goals and passions. To be a tattooist of the Togashi is a sacred thing to the order, I would not have additional duties take away my time for that."

"But I am glad for this tournament leading me to somewhat of a kindred spirit. One who also appreciates the passion of art and relishes in the ability for it to found anywhere, not just where we have been told to look."

"Only one?"

Choudai grinned as he worked back into his routine.

"I must say, I've found many of my fellow competitors a breath of fresh air."

And then there's Mikan, who seems interested in air of an entirely different sort.

"Including not only those who are currently of the Crane Clan- Doji Nadeshiko springs to mind- but also those who were born into it. Did you know Shosuro Hatsuki-san was born a Crane? I ask because I can promise you, she finds tattooing a most worthy art."

"Not only one no, a few come to mind." A softer smile touches his lips for a second as his gaze unfocused a bit. There's a warmth there but he comes back to the present quickly "Doji-san and I actually had a wonderful conversation just yesterday over tea. She is indeed not what one expects from a Crane." His more amused look said he meant this in a good way.

"Shosuro-san met a few days ago in the Hedge maze. Did she mention Tattooing as an art? We didn't get too much of a chance to speak on it. Her skill with cosmetics is rather impressive."

Oho, it seems Benten strikes again...

Busy Fortune, that Benten.

"Oh, no, we haven't spoken of it as such- I just know that Shosuro-san has a high regard for those who find the artistry in what others might take for granted- and as her own art indicates, she finds the human body a worthy canvas."