(D4, LE) It's Filling Me Up!

[Kitsu Murato]

"It is extremely common, especially in the dojo at my home. But then, with a literal army of students, trying to feed them any other way would be an exercise in futility. Have to mass produce the meals," he says with a nod. "But the idea and opportunity of doing so with a different family and clan just for the experience is all the more enticing. For me, I can just walk into the mess hall during mealtime... every day. It's not occasion, it's a way of life."

[Kitsuki Hajime]

A curious look came over Hajime's face. "So you are lonely at meal times alone?"

[Kitsu Murato]

"No, not particularly. I have some more peculiar interests separate from many Lion. Sometimes I'll spend a meal in quiet contemplation after a very small serving of the meal of the day. Most times I'll talk and interact but I never truly feel lonely, as I fined peace in it. Plus, Taiko's always around."

[Kitsuki Hajime]

"Hmm...a way of life, but with some allowance for variation. I appreciate that. It is not what one imagines when travelers talk of Lion customs. They dwell ever so much on uniformity; it is encouraging to think that there are still ways of being an individual."

[Kitsu Murato]

"Well, I had my individuality instilled when I was pulled out of the shugenja dojo and put into the bard dojo," he said. "Made me a bit of an outsider. So I simply accepted and rolled with it. Though I'm still certainly not as individualistic as the Dragon tend to be said to be in stories."

[Kitsuki Hajime]

"We are as individualistic as our lords permit us to be." Hajime smirked. "Which is often quite a bit, I suppose. My lord sees profit in my individual nature and thus encourages it to precisely the degree he is not annoyed by it." Hajime's smirk grew. "He is a lord who knows exactly how to control his subordinates. A strong leader in anyone's estimation, is Kitsuki Shunsuke. And I am by no means miserable in my own skin, with my precisely delineated individuality. And if occasionally I find a particular command uncongenial to my nature, well, I am comforted by the fact that it could always be much worse."

[Kitsu Murato]

Murato nods at the explanation. "That makes a fair amount of sense. Not something that would ever be commonplace in the Lion. My individuality comes from the fact that the clan simply doesn't have place for someone of my particular training or abilities. So I have a somewhat flexible expectation in how my duty is fulfilled. Most would not be in my situation."

[Kitsuki Hajime]

"I should think not, but I am pleased for your sake that your talents and nature are embraced, rather than ignored or curtailed. I expect that it makes you a far more attractive prospect for many of the samurai here."

[Kitsu Murato]

"When looking at it from a perspective of what I can bring to another clan, certainly. But 'speaks with ghosts and has numerous scars from them attacking' does not likely do much for individual attraction. Battle scars tell stories of glory and honor. My scars have creepy or frightening stories attached to them that many are not interested in. Some yes, but not many."

[Kitsuki Hajime]

Scars? I dig scars. Who doesn't dig scars? Oh...creepy scars? Do tell!

Hajime's mind cycled rapidly through his internal monologue before producing the following utterance:

"Scars. Hmmmm."

Then he collected himself. "Excuse me. What I meant to say was that Kitsu-sama's scars are not a deal-breaker for me. I might be more interested than some in your stories, though I confess my experience with spirits is next to nothing."