Xi Feng - Mentor Getz!

[00:12] <Deedles> Bourbon had left her gourd by the sakura tree as she had moved out onto the grass and began going through different stances of her martial arts, slow and steady.
[00:18] <AndChat|> Xi approaches and sits by the gourd watching Bourbon as she practices.
[00:28] <Deedles> "Hey again." Mother Earth greeted the courtier as she continued moving through her forms.
[00:49] <AndChat|> "Hello," Xi smiles at the Earth Master. "The Empress told me to come see you."
[00:50] <Deedles> "Did she now?" Bourbon stopped mid-motion, before falling out of her stance and turning to look at Xi.
[01:04] <AndChat|> "For two reasons, I'm looking for a place to stay while in the village and she felt I could learn more about the Courtier arts from you."
[01:05] <Deedles> "Yeah, you can stay here." Bourbon said with a smile, placing her hands on her hips "As for learning from me, for me to teach you I need to know what you can do already."
[01:28] <AndChat|> "How do wish me to show you?" Xi asks.
[01:31] <Deedles> "You could demonstrate." Bourbon said as she cracked her knuckles "I'm a very hands-on person." she grinned
[01:45] <AndChat|> "I think I've recovered enough for that," Xi says as she stands, one hand naturally moving to rest behind her back.
[01:48] <Deedles> Bourbon folded her arms behind her back "Then let the demonstration begin."
[02:07] <AndChat|> "Is there a reason why the other mentors seem to have students but you're here practicing by yourself?" Xi asks walking across the soft grass.
[02:07] <AndChat|> "I simply ask to better understand"
[02:09] <Deedles> "This happens to be my day off, and unlike Leewan, Ziulong and Satzu I don't have students that require special training, because I make sure that those I train can look after themselves." Bourbon replied with a relaxed smile, tilting her head to the side.
[02:14] <AndChat|> Xi nods, conceding the point. "Admirable."
[02:21] <Deedles> Mother Heaven's smile faded as she shrugged "I will warn you, if you're weak-hearted you don't want me for a teacher." she told Xi honestly "I work my students hard in the physical excercises, even harder if I train them in the courtier's arts. It takes more than a sharp tongue to succeed, and by the time we're done you will see that." she stated.
[02:27] <AndChat|> Xi laughs off that obvious ploy to make her knees shake. "Why should I fear hard work when it will provide fine results? Did not Confucius, wherever you will go, go with all your heart?"
[02:39] <Deedles> "It's easy to quote a philosopher, but actually following their words of advice?" Bourbon tutted as she shook her head "I've seen many fall on their face trying. Action speaks louder than words, my dear."
[02:46] <AndChat|> "Only if those actions are thought through," Xi retorts. "An ignorant man would reveal himself more keenly through words."
[03:06] <Deedles> "Does that really need saying?" Bourbon asked in return "I assume a courtier of your level would already have such things be second nature. If that's the level you're on then your training has been naught." her tone wasn't snappy, just calm and harsh.
[03:10] <AndChat|> "The fundamentals are fundamental no matter where you are in your training," Xi responds. "If such a thing is second nature, then it is one of your most honed tools. Able to be called upon at a moment's notice.
[03:10] <AndChat|> "
[03:27] <Deedles> "Aye, but repeating fundamentals and quoting the words of others are also good ways for a novice to try to hide their own lack of knowledge." Bourbon retorted with a faint, casual, smile.
[03:37] <AndChat|> "Obscuring a flaw in your rhetoric is a fundamental as well, is it not? It is best to learn such things early as there is always something one hasn't learned."
[03:46] <AndChat|> "Aside from that, is not the depth of a man's learning measured by his knowledge of others?"
[03:46] <AndChat|> Is it not*
[03:47] <Deedles> "Good reply, but I'm not impressed yet." Bourbon answered as she paced a couple of steps to the side. "If a man's learning is measured by his knowledge of others then what can you tell me about myself?" she asked in return.
[03:58] <AndChat|> "I..." Xi falters. "What does sitting under a tree drinking alone tell me about you when one of the first things you ever said to me is that you miss a husband gone less than a day?"
[04:00] <AndChat|> Xi begins to walk again. "It tells me you might feel insecure about your marriage or... the opposite that you still feel as young lovers do toward each other."
[04:00] <AndChat|> "Unable to spend time apart comfortably."
[04:01] <Deedles> "What can I say? The man is great in the sack, nothing to not love there." Bourbon replied brashly as her lips curled into a faint grin.
[04:02] <AndChat|> Xi frowns. Had that been the wrong trail to take?
[04:21] <AndChat|> "Not usually an accepted reason to have married a man but I assume he has his other strengths." Xi stops by a bush of roses. "But a would great men push a woman to drink?"
[04:22] <AndChat|> "Perhaps drinking at such a time and place speaks of uncontrolled vice instead?"
[04:25] <Deedles> "He has plenty of other strengths. He is dutious, caring, organized, romantic and easy to tease." Bourbon answered honestly with an amused smile. "As for my gourd... I believe in the freedom of doing what you like as long as it doesn't harm anyone, but even so I'm not drinking alcohol at this hour." she raised her gourd "This happens to be tea." she corrected the young courtier as she gestured to it.
[04:28] <AndChat|> "The Empress' tea?"
[04:30] <Deedles> "Yeah, it's quite good, been teaching her a bit about cooking while she's been here, in return she made me tea... Even though I told her that wasn't necessary." Bourbon chuckled and shook her head "That girl just doesn't take no for an answer when she wants to do something for someone else."
[04:43] <AndChat|> "I wonder if she got that from her father?"
[04:45] <Deedles> "The doctor?" Bourbon rubbed her chin" Very possible. She did mentioned that he was of the opinion that if you had the ability to heal people you healed them, whether they had money to pay you for it or not."
[04:46] <AndChat|> "If only such honorable behavior was more common," Xi shakes her head.
[04:47] <Deedles> "Now that is something we're in completely agreement one." Bourbon said as she nodded her head with a faintly somber look.
[04:50] <AndChat|> Xi looks at Bourbon for a long moment. "...how did I do, in your estimation?"
[04:51] <Deedles> "Honestly?" Mother Earth tilted her head to the side "Quite well." she stated with a relaxed smile.
[04:55] <AndChat|> Xi grins back. "I thi
[04:55] <AndChat|> Think I did better than just well."
[05:05] <Deedles> "Now don't go fishing for praise, missy." Bourbon waggled a finger at her as she grinned.
[05:12] <AndChat|> "I'll keep that in mind," Xi replies.
[05:16] <Deedles> "Good." The Earth Mentor folded her arms "I think you'll fit in just fine here."
[05:22] <AndChat|> "I'm glad you think so." Xi says with a smile. "If you're going to be my mentor here."
[05:22] <Deedles> Bourbon nodded "I will." she said with a soft smile.