[D0, LE] Evening Exercises

[Kitsuki Hajime]

Hajime opened his fan. "You will. I will not be the only writer here, if Shika Pei-pei is equal to her reputation. Not one for literature, Shiba-san?"

[Shiba Raizo]

"Not really. We swap stories around the camp most nights, but they tend to be personal experience, not... artistic endeavors. Most of my reading is... technical, or professional."

He shrugged.

"Stuff like marching orders, tactical studies, requisition lists..."

Lists of things to "skillfully acquire" to keep everyone fed when our requisition permissions run short...

[Kitsuki Hajime]

"Absolutely necessary texts for your duty." A nod. "A solid, dependable man is enough to cheer any future mother-in-law," he said encouragingly. Then his head tilted with a hint of a smile. "Is there nothing impractical about you, Shiba-san?"

[Shiba Raizo]

"Dunno. For me it's about practicality than... what there's room for. Been living on the road in a tent pretty much since my gempukku. Bandits travel light, so we do the same. An ox can't catch a mouse and all of that..."

A pause.

"And the company likewise doesn't leave much room for... trivialities. You can learn a lot from ronin mercenaries, but culture isn't likely to head the list."

[Kitsuki Hajime]

Hajime smiled softly. "I suppose not. Perhaps now that you find yourself in a place where the trivial has become vital, you will find some of it to your liking, however strange it may all seem at first." There was a hint of hopefulness in the poet's voice. "And those of us birds kept cooped up in our cages will perhaps find ourselves learning to see the value in a good swim."

[Shiba Raizo]

"I suppose we'll see."

He paused. Frowned.

"Visited the market here earlier today. Now, I know people- in a general sense- buy art supplies, but the sheer predominance here struck me as... odd."

[Kitsuki Hajime]

"I am given to understand that Shiro Shiba is not without its artists. Perhaps the number here is the difference. I do not think many Shika are without some artistic training." He shifted his weight slightly into another unconscious pose, his left hip jutting out casually. "Of course, you would not see this concentration in my lord's domain, either. He likes his artists few in number and within arm's reach."

[Shiba Raizo]

"Oh, we've got a whole academy, but..."

But Raizo had never set foot in it.

"... well, our markets tend to have more variety on offer."

The phoenix had kept the same posture the entire time, a sort of wary slouch.

[Kitsuki Hajime]

Hajime could almost hear his mother tutting in dismay at the Shiba's posture. "That stands to reason, with the Shiba professing so many interests and executing many of them so well. Still, we cannot begrudge the Minor Clans a little specialization. The Shika do execute such beautiful things."

[Shiba Raizo]

"What's their deal, anyway? I'd never heard of them before seeing the clan name on my travel papers."