Kyuden Shika

The Lion looked... haggard. His last conversation had given him a lot to think about. Without thinking he took a room, ordered the special, and left the key because he genuinely forgot.

In the privacy of the room he was in, he sipped his tea and let his strife boil out of him.

Nesshin finds his way to the geisha house once again, his bantering ways quickly bringing him ease.

He notes the open door, though, and asks after it. One of the geisha shrugs and suggests that, since the key had been left, the occupant seemed to be inviting company, although none had been specified.

And so Nesshin goes that way, standing for a moment at the open door.

~~~~~
Pursuing Passion to reduce Strife, net drop of 5
No Agenda this thread

Shika Nesshin wrote: ↑

Fri Aug 20, 2021 7:54 pm

Nesshin finds his way to the geisha house once again, his bantering ways quickly bringing him ease.

He notes the open door, though, and asks after it. One of the geisha shrugs and suggests that, since the key had been left, the occupant seemed to be inviting company, although none had been specified.

And so Nesshin goes that way, standing for a moment at the open door.

Like a... why did this Lion know how to move like a trained geisha, Moshumaru stood and bowed to the incoming Deer.

"Ah, Shika-san! It's been a while - has Inari-no-kami treated you well?"

Did I... leave the key by mistake?

Kitsu Moshumaru wrote: ↑

Fri Aug 20, 2021 8:00 pm

Like a... why did this Lion know how to move like a trained geisha, Moshumaru stood and bowed to the incoming Deer.

"Ah, Shika-san! It's been a while - has Inari-no-kami treated you well?"

Did I... leave the key by mistake?

Nesshin nods, smiling. "As have others," he replies, "and I hope as much is true for you."

If he notes the motion, he does not comment thereupon. If it makes him feel good and harms none, why, that's his business.

"You'd left the key up front, so I figured you might use some company."

"It appears I have found good company by doing so, then -" The Mourner responded, " - Although I find those who respond to such a key are also in need of company."

So I did. Oops.

"I have been well enough - come, come, let's catchup over some tea. I already have the house special ordered in - it should be with us shortly."

He formally invites the Shika into the room, dropping the whole 'geisha' performance as he does so.

"We're social people," Nesshin notes, "and thank you." He steps in, accepting the invitation--and the tea, when it arrives not far behind him.

"I suppose it'd be odd," he says after the geisha has served them, "for me to say 'tell me your troubles,' when it's you who generally has to hear people talk."

Shika Nesshin wrote: ↑

Fri Aug 20, 2021 8:13 pm

"We're social people," Nesshin notes, "and thank you." He steps in, accepting the invitation--and the tea, when it arrives not far behind him.

"I suppose it'd be odd," he says after the geisha has served them, "for me to say 'tell me your troubles,' when it's you who generally has to hear people talk."

The Kitsu nodded. "That is part of why I'm here - to listen to other's troubles. Often when work became too intense I'd go somewhere like this and either lose myself entirely or help someone with much less severe problems so I can feel accomplished - I picked up the trick from a Phoenix shugenja who was looking for company. I do have problems, true, but if you do as well I can also listen for you. 'You scratch my back, I scratch yours', as the Ashigaru say."

Kitsu Moshumaru wrote: ↑

Fri Aug 20, 2021 8:23 pm

The Kitsu nodded. "That is part of why I'm here - to listen to other's troubles. Often when work became too intense I'd go somewhere like this and either lose myself entirely or help someone with much less severe problems so I can feel accomplished - I picked up the trick from a Phoenix shugenja who was looking for company. I do have problems, true, but if you do as well I can also listen for you. 'You scratch my back, I scratch yours', as the Ashigaru say."

"I don't have that kind of itch at the moment," Nesshin says, "but I'm happy to see to yours, if you need." He smiles. "I can always get scratched later, if need be.

"So," and he pulls at his tea, "what all's on your mind, my friend?"

He settles in comfortably.

Shika Nesshin wrote: ↑

Fri Aug 20, 2021 8:34 pm

"So," and he pulls at his tea, "what all's on your mind, my friend?"

"Well most recently, there was a..." he chose his words carefully. "Rival of a friend of mine. I went to speak to him to see if we can reconcile. We were incredibly respectful to each other, despite our differences, and we even agreed on a couple of things." He thought back.

"However...there was a major problem where we simply couldn't find it in each other to agree. It was saddening because both of us had serious stakes in this one item - if we could resolve it, we could have easily been friends and done the Empire some good. But as it stands, I just..."

He sighed.

"I feel powerless. Angry. A deep hatred of the people around the rival, but not the rival itself. It angers me because the enemy is right behind him, but he's trying to defend it. And should I bypass him, and strike down this foe... I fear what he will do to himself."

His sigh was deeper.

"I didn't expect hardcore politics at a miai."

Kitsu Moshumaru wrote: ↑

Fri Aug 20, 2021 8:48 pm

"Well most recently, there was a..." he chose his words carefully. "Rival of a friend of mine. I went to speak to him to see if we can reconcile. We were incredibly respectful to each other, despite our differences, and we even agreed on a couple of things." He thought back.

"However...there was a major problem where we simply couldn't find it in each other to agree. It was saddening because both of us had serious stakes in this one item - if we could resolve it, we could have easily been friends and done the Empire some good. But as it stands, I just..."

He sighed.

"I feel powerless. Angry. A deep hatred of the people around the rival, but not the rival itself. It angers me because the enemy is right behind him, but he's trying to defend it. And should I bypass him, and strike down this foe... I fear what he will do to himself."

His sigh was deeper.

"I didn't expect hardcore politics at a miai."

Nesshin nods, sips at his tea as the Kitsu rehearses his tale.

"It's a good thing to try to ease a friend's way," he says. "And matters of the heart--and friendship is such a thing, to be sure--always leave a person open to hurt. We cannot love without making ourselves open, just as we cannot attack without inviting an attack, or move to defend without doing the same."

He shrugs. "I've no easy answers. But easy...you bear the tales of heroes. You can do this thing that you must do, and well. I believe it."