A Minor Meeting (D8 MA, Common Room, Expecting)

[Shika Nesshin]

"I'd still love to hear what you have to say on the matter," Nesshin prompts. "I mean, any of us might be in such a position in the future, helping to guide marriages; knowing more about how we'd do it would be a benefit, right?"

[Usogawa Narumi]

"Well, since you asked so nicely, I'll share my suspicions." She began ticking off the events on her fingers, one at a time.
"Pedigree and ancestry: knowing where one came from can speak of where they might go.
Kemari: as much as I personally hated the event, Shika Zang-sama spelt it out for us, so I don't have to guess; it's all about finding balance.
Poetry: grading our creativity, or our ability to build on traditions of the past.
Go: sussing out our methods of strategy, whether in battle or in marriage.
Archery: it threw me at first, but my father was an Hiruma scout, before he married into the Otter, he once mentioned archery is about patience and foresight.
The duets: one on hand, they want to assess who we personally find harmonious, and on the other, our ability to work together and assist one another.
Sumai: not only a highly entertaining physical display, it also is an exercise of restraint."

[Shika Nesshin]

Nesshin nods.

"I don't know if you're right on it, as such," he says, "but it all makes sense. And it makes sense that Zang-sensei would be direct about it; he is ever such, even if a student can't always see the direction he's going."

He smiles, leans back, remembering.

[Suzume Senseki]

The Suzume nods at Nesshin's encouragement to hear Narumi's thoughts on the trials, and hears her thoughts with interest - silent as he slowly eats his food, small pieces of fish mixed in with the rice and yams every few bites.

He seems to ponder her words for a rather long time - even for some time after Nesshin's comment on the Shika Sensei.

After a small sip of water, he finally nods.

"That is quite an analysis, Usogawa-san", he says with a smile. "I must say... your words make me reconsider some of what we went through. I wonder, though... in Kemari, for instance - is it the same sort of balance one would expect from a monk that they're looking for? And... are they looking for the most balanced, so to say, or... trying to pair us according to our traits, instead?"

Some more silence. He seems... perhaps slightly troubled with some of her words, but precisely that seems to indicate he took them seriously.

After a while, though, he looks at Nesshin, a smile on his lips again. "Oh, but... since you mentioned Shika-sensei, Shika-san - I kept wondering how he was as a sensei. And... well, as you said, observing other Bushi's techniques is always interesting, ne? How would you describe the Shika's style?"

Then, looking at Narumi "And, well... how would you describe the Otter's style in matchmaking? And how it differs from what your thoughts on what we're going through here?"

[Usogawa Narumi]

The Sparrow weaves the conversation back to dreaded kemari and Narumi wrinkles her nose. "I... That's... Hm. Kemari and I are not harmonious," she stressed the word, as that was an understatement for her nearly over-exerting herself, certainly embarrassing herself, and very nearly fainting afterwards. "I couldn't give you any further insight into why the Deer chose that."

She looks back to Nesshin as he's posed questions as well, and listens patiently.

"Hm? Oh, well! Compatible level of education, income, occupation, physical attractiveness, religion, social standing, and hobbies. All important qualities to look for in a match. All what I was in training to research for my aunt in her matchmaking, before I came here." She thought for a long moment. "A miai is a mystery to me. Shika and Usogawa come at matchmaking from different perspectives."

[Shika Nesshin]

"We get the perspectives comment a lot," Nesshin says in response to Narumi. And to Senseki, he says "We bushi are called Speardancers for cause; we focus on that weapon and its variations--I favor a tsunoyari, for example--and their ability to allow a single defender to control a larger area. We smaller Clans cannot overwhelm with numbers, as I know you know, so we must make each of our fighters count for more than ourselves; the longer reach of the spear and the mobility the Deer seek to inculcate in their warriors help with that.

"And Zang-sensei is, well, Zang-sensei," Nesshin adds. "He is himself, as much as anyone I've ever known and more--unless it were the Lord Shika. An ideal towards which to strive, certainly: skilled and stalwart, generous, open, and with a joy in life that...inspires, really."

Nesshin nods. "To be a quarter the man he is is no small thing."

[Suzume Senseki]

The Sparrow weaves the conversation back to dreaded kemari and Narumi wrinkles her nose. "I... That's... Hm. Kemari and I are not harmonious," she stressed the word, as that was an understatement for her nearly over-exerting herself, certainly embarrassing herself, and very nearly fainting afterwards. "I couldn't give you any further insight into why the Deer chose that."

She looks back to Nesshin as he's posed questions as well, and listens patiently.

"Hm? Oh, well! Compatible level of education, income, occupation, physical attractiveness, religion, social standing, and hobbies. All important qualities to look for in a match. All what I was in training to research for my aunt in her matchmaking, before I came here." She thought for a long moment. "A miai is a mystery to me. Shika and Usogawa come at matchmaking from different perspectives."

Apparently noticing Narumi's discomfort with Kemari, he doesn't press the subject - even though his face seems to indicate he was still wondering about it. The pondering continues after her other answer, and he takes a while to answer.

"Un, I see! Compatibilities first and foremost, then? But then... Miai are not the Otter's usual way of doing things?" He gives a silent chuckle. "I say that as if it were surprising, but then Miai are not common at all in Sparrow lands either." A deep breath, some more pondering, then he looks at her and asks "Hm... so if this were, not a Miai, but a group of people you and other Otter matchmakers were helping. Would you have come to any conclusions, or guesses you'd be inclined to follow, already?", he asks with a smile - a serene one, despite the question.

"We get the perspectives comment a lot," Nesshin says in response to Narumi. And to Senseki, he says "We bushi are called Speardancers for cause; we focus on that weapon and its variations--I favor a tsunoyari, for example--and their ability to allow a single defender to control a larger area. We smaller Clans cannot overwhelm with numbers, as I know you know, so we must make each of our fighters count for more than ourselves; the longer reach of the spear and the mobility the Deer seek to inculcate in their warriors help with that.

"And Zang-sensei is, well, Zang-sensei," Nesshin adds. "He is himself, as much as anyone I've ever known and more--unless it were the Lord Shika. An ideal towards which to strive, certainly: skilled and stalwart, generous, open, and with a joy in life that...inspires, really."

Nesshin nods. "To be a quarter the man he is is no small thing."

In answer to Nesshin, he listens with great interest and nods here and there. "Oh, a tsunoyari? I don't think I'm very acquainted with them - I'd like to see your use of it one of the next days, if we have the chance!"

Then, as he mentions the sensei, he nods respectfully. "Un. Shika-sensei seems like a very respectable man indeed, and greatly admired by his students. I wonder if we'll have the chance to learn some more from him before the Miai is over."

[Usogawa Narumi]

Apparently noticing Narumi's discomfort with Kemari, he doesn't press the subject - even though his face seems to indicate he was still wondering about it. The pondering continues after her other answer, and he takes a while to answer.

"Un, I see! Compatibilities first and foremost, then? But then... Miai are not the Otter's usual way of doing things?" He gives a silent chuckle. "I say that as if it were surprising, but then Miai are not common at all in Sparrow lands either." A deep breath, some more pondering, then he looks at her and asks "Hm... so if this were, not a Miai, but a group of people you and other Otter matchmakers were helping. Would you have come to any conclusions, or guesses you'd be inclined to follow, already?", he asks with a smile - a serene one, despite the question.

Narumi sat back and laughed. Honestly laughed, loud and true. "I'm not going to sit here and draw you a chart, Suzume-san!" there was genuine and carefree humour in her inebriated expression.

[Suzume Senseki]

Narumi sat back and laughed. Honestly laughed, loud and true. "I'm not going to sit here and draw you a chart, Suzume-san!" there was genuine and carefree humour in her inebriated expression.

The Suzume was slightly surprised by her laugh, but he smiled back at her, calmly and apparently happy that he had made her laugh at least. "Oh, I certainly wasn't expecting one, Usogawa-san! More just a general question on whether you believe you'd have reached conclusions by now, not a question on specifics. I know these are harder... in more ways than one, ne?", he adds with a slight, calm grin, looking down at the ground.

[Shika Nesshin]

To Senseki, Nesshin says "I will be in the dojo again, of course, and if you are there then, why, of course I would be happy to demonstrate!"

And to Narumi, Nesshin says "Of course you have to maintain some mystery to your methods. All part of the allure--but I can see that you know that well!"