Shinjo Kurosawa  at 11:59 PM
=================================================
The end of the day at last. Kurosawa had completed his duties, his horse was fed and watered (albeit unhappy in it's pen for another day with only a token walk of a stretch), and how he was here in the dojo, as he was in his free time after work. Today, he had decided he would work on his kyujutsu. And he had invited one of the best archers that he knew, to join him today. Standing in his usual, plain purple kimono, he was maintaining his plain Yumi, oiling the wood with some of the oil that he had won as a prize with a small cloth as he waited, definitely working that wood.
________________________________________
Tsuruchi Yashiro  at 12:08 AM
Yashiro received a note from Kurosawa and he never missed an opportunity for practice. He arrived shortly after the unicorn. His bow was ready to go because it was well used and he always had to be prepared for any circumstance. He bowed to the unicorn, "Thank you for the invitation Shinjo-san."
________________________________________
Shinjo Kurosawa  at 12:16 AM
He would bow as well, the yumi gleaming in his grasp. "It is an honor to practice with one of Kyuden's Ashinabagachi's own famed archers, Tsuruchi-san." He began to string up his bow, pulling it nice and taut on it's frame to his own satisfaction. From his kimono a block of something yellow, that the Wasp would know to be all too familiar with, was now being rubbed into the string very gently. "It is a nice evening; peaceful. No missions, or fighting. Just practice." A small smile at the Wasp. "I have not been able to find much peace as of late. Perhaps I should seriously begin to meditate, or even become a monk."
________________________________________
Tsuruchi Yashiro  at 12:20 AM
"You are looking for peace? Make time for your self. I go to the bees at least an hour a day and just listen to them. If I am trying to calm down I come here. And shoot. It can be relaxing at times. And it is always tiring. It is a peaceful evening though." he nods and strings his bow. Preparing to let fly.
________________________________________
Shinjo Kurosawa  at 12:30 AM
He straightened up, testing the string and finding it satisfactory and prepared. A quiver rested on his back as he drew a pair of arrows, holding one pointed downward to the ground between his ring and pinky finger, and the other pinched between thumb and forefinger. But it did not go into position yet, although he moved into a spot and looked downrange. "It does not feel as there is time anymore. I have been leaning heavily into my work in the stables. Every moment I spend not doing... something, feels to me as if I am wasting it. I could be doing more, something else, something more productive." With that, he nocked the arrow into position, letting out a long, slow exhale. Kyujutsu was about finding your inner center. Which he had totally failed to do in the kenjutsu tournament. As he exhaled the longest breath ever, he drew the arrow back and released it downrange. It sank into the ground right in front of the target and he sighed.
________________________________________
Tsuruchi Yashiro  at 12:34 AM
Yashiro brought the bow up in a swift motion and released the arrow without stopping to aim. The arrow knew the way. He was just a tool to deliver the arrow. Three shots down range. Three hits. "Perhaps you have too much going on. You should not see time spent doing nothing as wasted. You are finding your center. It is important. Like sleep. Technically you lay around for 6 hours a night doing nothing, but you should do it to help yourself.
________________________________________
Shinjo Kurosawa  at 12:41 AM
The white haired Unicorn observed as the Wasp sank three beautiful shots FROM DOWNTOOOOWN into his target. It felt at times no matter what he did, he was not in control. Firing fast led to missing. Taking his time led to missing. Frustrating for someone who had been considered a prodigy. "But if I am doing nothing, that is opportunity for the enemy to be doing something. I must stay ahead of them, whether through study, or practice, or work." He casually swung the second arrow in his hand into a readied position. "I have not been sleeping as well either," would come some admittance after hesitation. "I thought the nightmares I had in the past were over, but now new ones appear." Deep breath, pull, exhale, release! The arrow whizzed through the air as it sank nice and neatly into the target. He scowled at the inanimate object despite his success.
________________________________________
Tsuruchi Yashiro  at 12:45 AM
Yashiro set his bow aside a moment and turned to the unicorn. "What is bothering you, Shinjo-san?" He holds up a hand. "Think before you answer. I want Honesty. It is a tenant of the Wasp Code." and to emphasize the fact that he wanted the unicorn to wait he took another three deliberately drawn out shots down the range.
________________________________________
Shinjo Kurosawa  at 12:54 AM
Kurosawa paused; a lot of things bothered him. He was a very insecure man, and he could not just reveal himself like this. "That sounds similar to Gi. Or Makoto." But he was an honest person, so he would not deny the man's request. "I have been bothered since I lost in the kenjutsu tournament." That was one thing at lease, but Yashiro was a friend, not a geisha therapist who he could unleash all his worries upon. "I was so confident, prepared I thought. But something inside of me refuses to let my mind be at ease." He tapped his head. "It never fails to show up at my worst hour when I have a sword in my hand."
________________________________________
Tsuruchi Yashiro  at 5:07 AM
"Honesty: samurai mask the truth with a pretty face, but a Wasp knows the price that is always paid for such things." Yashiro intones. "Do you doubt yourself? Or your ability with a blade? Does... Something... From your past trouble you." the unicorn had been very drunk when he told Yashiro of his backstory. He was not sure by the man remembered.
________________________________________
Shinjo Kurosawa  at 9:20 AM
The man lowered his yumi and looked at the Wasp, brows raising slightly in surprise. The cat was out of the bag? "Yes." His knuckles whitened around the wooden weapon. How was he going to explain this one? "I cut down my best friend by mistake." He said after a short pause. Not a lie, after all. "She had dreams and ambition of coming here and joining the resistance. Since she no longer could not, I am here in her place. But I am not nearly as useful as she would have been."
________________________________________
Tsuruchi Yashiro  at 9:30 AM
Yashiro's eyes narrowed slightly. Usually he couldn't tell when people were telling half truths. Leave that to courtiers, if people wanted to not tell him things so be it, but here he knew the full of it, even though Kurosawa didn't know. But, clearly the man didn't want to tell him everything, at least not yet, so he held his tongue in regard to honesty. "You would be more useful if you got over your past, Shinjo-san. I don't mean to forget it, mind. That would be impossible, but a samurai cannot spend all of his time thinking about what could have been or what might be. While yo udo that, you cannot reach your truest potential."
Three more arrows penetrated the target, driving his point home.
________________________________________
Shinjo Kurosawa  at 10:06 AM
"It is difficult; every day when I rise and see the wooden walls instead of open sky or a tent, I am reminded why I'm here. She is... was, my purpose." He spoke too much, for a quiet person. Another arrow drawn from the quiver. "That is part of why I'm always so busy, looking to do more where I can. Assisting the followers of Shinjitsu no Hoshi, working in the stables, assisting Kairi-san, anything so I do not think." The yumi was raised, the arrow launched forth and it hit the ground right next to the first.
________________________________________
Tsuruchi Yashiro  at 10:21 AM
Yashiro turns to Kurosawa, "The arrow knows the way. The only reason you miss is that you get in its way. " he sets down his bow. "She may still be your purpose. You were right the first time. Your soul wants to move on, it is ready, but you get in the way, just like with the arrow. Come, sit." He motions Kurosawa over to another area of the dojo just behind where people stand to shoot. There are some cushions and incense. It is where the older bow masters would site when training the youths. They typically took a hands off approach, so sitting around smoking and burning incense gave them an air of respectability. He takes a seat and waits for the unicorn to join him.
________________________________________
Shinjo Kurosawa  at 10:45 AM
He would come over and gracefully plop down onto a cushion next to the Wasp, mulling his words over in his head. How was he getting in the way of his soul? If anything maybe his soul was getting in the way. Thinking that, maybe he should start meditation once again. "Then, how does one move on?" He would ask more quietly. "How can I do so, when my own soul," he lightly touched his katana for emphasis, "is stained with her memory?"
________________________________________
Tsuruchi Yashiro  at 10:54 AM
"First sit here. Think about her. Think about what happened. You cannot change what happened so you must face it." He looks around the Dojo, it was empty, which was not unusual for the time of day."It is just the two of us here. Feel your damn feelings. Feel them as hard as you want. Once you are done with that we will move on. But until then we sit here, together."
________________________________________
Shinjo Kurosawa  at 11:57 AM
He shifted uncomfortably on the pillow, certainly not because it was not soft enough. To display one's emotions in public? He was so used to hiding them, burying them deep, aside when his On broke, which was more often than he liked, despite his best efforts. Was this a trick- no. Yashiro was not that kind of man. He could trust him, and so he nodded once before he set to do as told. And so he would eventually still himself on the pillow, his breathing low and even. And he took himself back all of five or so years ago. To the exact moment when his worst fears were confirmed, her mask sliding off and revealing her pained face, unable to speak as her hands feebly grasped at the katana emergent from her stomach. Was this what Yashiro had wanted him to feel? The raw emotion spilled across his face, contorting and twisting into a grimace with his jaw clenched. His breathing had stalled as a lump rose in his throat, threatening to choke him. And his eyes, squeezing so tight, still could not contain a single tear escaping before it ran down his cheek.
________________________________________
Tsuruchi Yashiro  at 12:06 PM
Yashiro nodded to himself. "Good. Continue." His tutor had explained that sometimes things demanded to be felt and he would know, being the son of a famous shiba bushi, who had been crippled before he could complete his gempukku, trapped, as he had seen it as a young man, in the life of a scholar. Perhaps he would tell him that story when they were done here.
________________________________________
Shinjo Kurosawa  at 3:39 PM
His mind was on a roll. For her funeral, her family could not be found in time. Her father had left with her when she went to her schooling, and he had never seen him since. And with the lack of Bushi in his village, he took it upon himself to be her honor guard and mourner for the traditional several days prior to her pyre. The burakumin had taken care of her body, and in white she looked so serene and peaceful. Somehow to him, it was the most beautiful and terrible thing. Pale and cold, instead of bright and vibrant. Four days he stood over her, only breaking for short sleep when his grandfather would switch with him. He had withheld all his emotions, not breaking his On once throughout the whole ordeal. Like a good Samurai should, he had believed then. On the outside he raised a sleeve up to cover his face as more tears escaped. Absolutely horrific; what a sad excuse of a samurai he was, he couldn't help but think. At least he had a lookout. His shoulders shook as he mourned, stifling any sounds he made as best he could. Fucking Yashiro this wasn't helping his archery at all.
________________________________________
Tsuruchi Yashiro  at 8:08 PM
Yashiro waited until the shaking slowed. Until he had tired himself out a bit. However long that took. He watched the door. No one had entered it was getting late.
________________________________________
Shinjo Kurosawa  at 10:31 PM
It felt like the two were in there for ages, but really it must've been only like the most uncomfortable twenty minutes in all of Kyuden Ashinagabachi. However long it was, it was finally over and with a shuddery sigh, Kurosawa wiped down his face with his very damp sleeve one more time. His eyes were reddened from the strain of doing all that, but he nodded deeply at the Wasp. "I wish you didn't have to see that." A small, sobby, awkward laugh while he tried to bring himself back. "But it felt good." He took a deep breath through his nose and exhaled deep. "I don't know if I will ever be unable to forget Li; she will likely haunt my blade even in the future. But maybe I can begin to accept what happened." This and his mirror training obviously. "But thank you, Yashiro-sama, for forcing me to face it. It was not the way, trying to run from it." Technically weeping about it wasn't the samurai way either but yeah. "I pray that she has found peace in the afterlife, with her ancestors." His On slowly reformed as he spoke, but his reddened eyes would still give him away unfortunately. No eyedrops in Rokugan.
________________________________________
Tsuruchi Yashiro  at 10:39 PM
Yashiro dismissed his concerns with a wave of his hand. "It had to be done. This will lead to healing. You may never forget, but perhaps you can move forward. And to tell you truly someone had to force you to do it. Otherwise you would keep running when you didn't have to, and drinking when you couldn't run. Not a good life for a samurai." He offered a warm smile, "Now go clean up and eat something. You will feel better. We will work on your kyujutsu technique more tomorrow, or perhaps the day after. But do not eat alone. Find someone to share rice with." He stood up stretching slowly.
________________________________________
Shinjo Kurosawa  at 10:59 PM
Kurosawa too, stood up, a bit of stiffness in his body. "Someday I will tell you the full story of what happened. It has haunted me for a... five years now. Ever since I returned from my gempukku. But I have taken up your practice time today. I apologize." He pulled his arm over his head and stretched it, trying to take the soreness out of it. "Yes, I will. I am as hungry as if I'd ran with Shiro all morning." The thought of rice sounded good, especially with someone. "Perhaps Kairi-san will enjoy rice and my company..." he mused aloud.
________________________________________
Tsuruchi Yashiro  at 11:03 PM
"Perhaps she will. You should ask. And..." he paused making a roll.
"Give her this." He holds out a bottle of honey. "She enjoyed it the other night. And would probably enjoy some again. It is about a quarter of what I harvested. I didn't want to take too much."
________________________________________
Shinjo Kurosawa  at 11:18 PM
He would graciously take the honey, doing the customary refusals if needed because that would be the courteous and right course of action. "Very thoughtful of you, Yashiro-san." A deep bow in thanks. "The bees have been doing well, it seems. No more unnecessary swarming? I have not been able to see them for myself in a while." He would tuck the honey away carefully. "She certainly has a sweet tooth; she will love it."
________________________________________
Tsuruchi Yashiro  at 11:19 PM
"They do as well as any of us. I believe they like the garden a lot more than where they previously had been kept."
________________________________________
Shinjo Kurosawa  at 11:20 PM
"Where were they kept previously?" Where did you get the bees Yashiro?!
________________________________________
Tsuruchi Yashiro  at 11:23 PM
"I think under the eaves near the last beekeepers office. I believe that why he became a beekeeper. It was sort of, a living arrangement."
________________________________________
Shinjo Kurosawa  at 11:25 PM
A stare. "That does not sound like a pleasant way to live at all."
________________________________________
Tsuruchi Yashiro  at 11:25 PM
"No, no it doesn't."
________________________________________
Shinjo Kurosawa  at 11:25 PM
"...you don't live with the bees either, yes?"
________________________________________
Tsuruchi Yashiro  at 11:27 PM
"I do not. Nor do I intend to start. They are happy in the garden, I am happy in my room"
________________________________________
Shinjo Kurosawa  at 11:30 PM
Relief. Couldn't be friends with a bee-living weirdo, thought the man who would go to extreme lengths to survive. "It is a shame there is not enough room in the garden to create more hives without causing great risk to anyone who visits." He tapped his chin thoughtfully. "...Or is there?"
________________________________________
Tsuruchi Yashiro  at 11:32 PM
"I have done the math. There isn't. But that is the reason for the gardens outside the city. Aside from food production we could increase morale by increasing honey output.
________________________________________
Shinjo Kurosawa  at 11:36 PM
"It would not be hard, I do not think. But bees are more volatile than normal animals." He mulled this over seriously. "I'm sure everyone would like more honey. But then we would have to start harvesting queens and allowing swarming to happen, and then transfer them farther than across the garden." A dream out of reach, it seemed.
________________________________________
Tsuruchi Yashiro  at 11:37 PM
"Tsuruchi Hachi may have wisdom in his book for propagating hives. I'll read over some more of it."
________________________________________
Shinjo Kurosawa  at 11:39 PM
Looked like this idea could possibly bear fruit. "That reminds me that I need to do some reading as well. I am intending on learning the ways of court, someday."
________________________________________
Tsuruchi Yashiro  at 11:41 PM
"Oh? You know what they say, Jin of all trades, master of none. Don't spread yourself too thinly."
________________________________________
Shinjo Kurosawa  at 11:45 PM
That was true, but... “Whether in court or on the battlefield, the enemy rarely attack in an expected manner." A nod. "I intend to be prepared in both battlefields, someday."
________________________________________
Tsuruchi Yashiro  at 9:08 AM
Yashiro shrugged. He could just avoid court battles.... he hoped... "Well, if I ever need a friend in court perhaps I can count on you. If your duty allows it."
(day three of this scene  )
________________________________________
Shinjo Kurosawa  at 9:16 AM
"That's from Akodo's Leadership." He nodded. "A wise person told me to read it, and in hopes of becoming a better warrior I have been. Along with a few other texts. I think it shall come in handy someday, I can lend my voice with the strength of my experiences behind them, instead of an... inexperienced speaker, trying to make decisions for soldiers." Become the awkward Warrior/Courtier hybrid wooo.
________________________________________
Tsuruchi Yashiro  at 9:20 AM
"You have read some of leadership then? Might I also recommend Judgement by Tsuruchi Hakobe. It goes over the tenants of the Wasp Code, explaining each one. I have a copy I could lend you. My father, and my tutor, had me copy it by hand when I was younger. I think they thought it would mellow me out. I know you won't give up your sword and join the Tsuruchi, but it may give you some insight into yourself, and certainly to those whose castle you now stay in."
________________________________________
Shinjo Kurosawa  at 9:29 AM
He had an amused glint in his eyes. "Did it mellow you out, Tsuruchi-san?" Kuro's author realizes he's been switching it up between formal and informal this whole time. "But I will add that to my list; no need for a copy. You have already given me far more than one such as myself deserves." Like a solid opportunity to cry, honey, getting fucked up on sake. "I'll be making my trip to the library today, and being where we are I am sure they will have a copy. I may take a day of it, even, so I may study unfettered. Be less busy, now that I do not need to be constantly running from my past."
________________________________________
Tsuruchi Yashiro  at 9:40 AM
Yashiro shrugged, "Only a little" a twinkle in his eye. "I should let you go. Remember to give that honey to Asahina-san, and don't eat it all yourself. She will probably share some with you. If you are nice"
________________________________________
Shinjo Kurosawa  at 9:43 AM
A smile spread across his face as he bowed. "Walk with the wind at your back, Tsuruchi-san. I shall, she will surely love it. Perhaps one day we can introduce her to the bees personally, so she may thank them in person."
________________________________________
Tsuruchi Yashiro  at 9:45 AM
Yashiro nodded, "Aye, that we should do. Be well, shinjo-san"
________________________________________
Shinjo Kurosawa  at 9:51 AM
With that, the Unicorn takes his leave of the dojo with +1 honey and +1 wisdom and -1 angst.
((A good place to end the scene I think. Thank you for posting and putting up with me Yash.))
________________________________________
Tsuruchi Yashiro  at 9:52 AM
(had fun! good scene, thanks!)