Kyuden Shika

On display in Kyuden Shika's Great Hall are a number of works of origami, animals both real and fantastical folded out of the most slender pieces of paper. Aimi had spotted them during previous days, but all her plans to make time to properly study them had come to naught... until today!

So it was that the young ronin tucked herself away in a small corner of the Hall, a stack of small pieces of paper in her hand, and tried her own skill at the craft. Not that she was nearly as good as some of the pieces on display, to be sure, and without being able to touch them it was hard to figure out how they'd been made, but just by looking one could deduce a lot.

Lost to the world, she works, frowning every time a trial attempt comes out shoddy or insufficient in some fashion.

"I used to be so much better at this..."

Aimi wrote: ↑

Sun Aug 22, 2021 5:07 pm

"I used to be so much better at this..."

"They look quite well done to me, shugenja-sama." Bayushi Mitsu approached, head cocked slightly. "It is the small imperfections that create the greatest beauty in art, don't you think? Though often unappreciated."

Bayushi Mitsu wrote: ↑

Sun Aug 22, 2021 5:29 pm

"They look quite well done to me, shugenja-sama." Bayushi Mitsu approached, head cocked slightly. "It is the small imperfections that create the greatest beauty in art, don't you think? Though often unappreciated."

Aimi hesitates for a moment, almost freezing, but... no, no, she was sitting out in public, she could hardly suggest that it was improper for another samurai to approach her like this. And he is at least speaking politely. If only the mask wasn't so creepy and offputting...

"Ah, Bayushi-sama," she says politely, inclining her head, "I have heard the idea before, certainly, and to an extent I would say it is true - uniqueness and divergence can, in their own right, be beautiful."

She holds up her last, failed creation with a rueful smile. "Alas, one would need to be far more optimistic than I to find beauty in a paper deer with one leg shorter than the others."

Aimi wrote: ↑

Sun Aug 22, 2021 5:48 pm

She holds up her last, failed creation with a rueful smile. "Alas, one would need to be far more optimistic than I to find beauty in a paper deer with one leg shorter than the others."

The Scorpion considered the offering for a moment. "We could wonder how the deer survived to such a size with such an adversity. Perhaps the beauty lies in that story." He tilted his head the other direction. "Or perhaps it just reflects something particular about its creator, in this place, in this time, and we can find beauty in that humanity."

He shrugged. "Either way, it seems better than I could do."

Bayushi Mitsu wrote: ↑

Sun Aug 22, 2021 7:35 pm

The Scorpion considered the offering for a moment. "We could wonder how the deer survived to such a size with such an adversity. Perhaps the beauty lies in that story." He tilted his head the other direction. "Or perhaps it just reflects something particular about its creator, in this place, in this time, and we can find beauty in that humanity."

He shrugged. "Either way, it seems better than I could do."

"You might be surprised, Bayushi-sama," Aimi says with a cautious smile, "You already have the mindset, it seems, to come up with such an interpretation. I find that those willing to think of such things have an easier time practicing an art than those who merely do so from obligation or..."

Her voice trails off, uncertain. Damn that mask! It is always uncomfortable to be reminded of how much one relies on the tiniest of details to get a sense for a man.

Aimi wrote: ↑

Sun Aug 22, 2021 8:12 pm

Her voice trails off, uncertain. Damn that mask! It is always uncomfortable to be reminded of how much one relies on the tiniest of details to get a sense for a man.

"Or to satisfy their honor?" Bayushi mused. "I agree, it tends to prevent one from reaching the best of their ability when there's no passion behind it."

He put a hand over the mouth of his mask and looked about with concern, before leaning in for a conspiratorial whisper. "Do warn me if there's any of those stiff traditionalists about who might take insult from me asserting that there is any emotion at all behind human behavior."

"Anyway," the Scorpion went on, straightening. "How is the miai progressing for you? Initially, it seemed like something might be troubling you, though we haven't been able to catch up for quite a while. But you seem in good spirits now, perhaps?"

Bayushi Mitsu wrote: ↑

Sun Aug 22, 2021 8:44 pm

"Or to satisfy their honor?" Bayushi mused. "I agree, it tends to prevent one from reaching the best of their ability when there's no passion behind it."

He put a hand over the mouth of his mask and looked about with concern, before leaning in for a conspiratorial whisper. "Do warn me if there's any of those stiff traditionalists about who might take insult from me asserting that there is any emotion at all behind human behavior."

"Anyway," the Scorpion went on, straightening. "How is the miai progressing for you? Initially, it seemed like something might be troubling you, though we haven't been able to catch up for quite a while. But you seem in good spirits now, perhaps?"

Aimi's lips quirk into a brief smile, almost despite herself. Yes the Scorpion is probably being deliberately sinister and then using a touch of humour to lighten the situation, to convince her not to listen to her own instincts, but that doesn't mean it's not working.

"Ma, well, I still could not tell you why the Deer invited me," she says with a sigh, "And my performance in the events has been passable at best, in most cases. Even so, I do believe I have found a match that might be pleasant enough, which is more than I ever expected when coming here."

She raises an eyebrow. "And what of you, Bayushi-sama? Have you charmed your way into anyone's tender affections?"

Aimi wrote: ↑

Mon Aug 23, 2021 8:42 am

"Ma, well, I still could not tell you why the Deer invited me," she says with a sigh, "And my performance in the events has been passable at best, in most cases. Even so, I do believe I have found a match that might be pleasant enough, which is more than I ever expected when coming here."

She raises an eyebrow. "And what of you, Bayushi-sama? Have you charmed your way into anyone's tender affections?"

"I thought I noticed something at the event today," Bayushi affirmed with a nod and a pleased exclamation. "And involving a samurai that I quite admire. A good man." The Scorpion nodded again. "If the hosts don't see fit to tie that knot, then I will have to doubt the wisdom of the entire process."

He took a more relaxed stance. "And me? I can't say I'm much of a charmer - I mean, a better drinking companion you won't find, shugenja-sama, but I am not so rampant as the antlered folk. Perhaps I simply talk about myself too much, my investigative exploits... I'm trying to work on that, but old habits resist extinguishment, so-to-speak." Bayushi shrugged, and spoke with genial chagrin. "Truth be told, I'm not sure marriage is on my agenda, either."

[agenda push! ... for a whole lotta nuthin'!]
(D8, MA) Agenda push! - Sentiment (Void) TN 2 | TN: 2 | Success: 0 / Opportunity: 3 / Strife: 0

"And yet, if you leave here unwed, one can only imagine your family will disapprove," Aimi offers, looking at Mitsu with a speculative eye, "Though I have heard the Scorpion are more pragmatic than most, so if your other ambitions bear fruit, perhaps they will take that as a worthy result all the same."

She shakes her head with a wry smile. "Personally, I have spent my time here half-expecting one of the Deer to approach me with some form of coercion or blackmail, a reason to play along with their games and bind myself to their decisions. And yet instead it seems they might well accomplish their goals with nothing more than a smile and an artfully arranged opportunity or three. It's impressive, if a little frustrating to be caught in the middle of."

Aimi wrote: ↑

Tue Aug 24, 2021 12:45 pm

She shakes her head with a wry smile. "Personally, I have spent my time here half-expecting one of the Deer to approach me with some form of coercion or blackmail, a reason to play along with their games and bind myself to their decisions. And yet instead it seems they might well accomplish their goals with nothing more than a smile and an artfully arranged opportunity or three. It's impressive, if a little frustrating to be caught in the middle of."

"They are a curious bunch. Perhaps matchmakers - good matchmakers - are observers of human nature. That bears some thought," Bayushi mused.

"And pragmatism, well, I don't disagree with you. I think of it like this: one can't always do what is right by doing what is correct." Bayushi laughed. "I was going to joke that perhaps I should go pursue the Topaz Champion, but maybe I should instead look for a samurai that understands this maxim."