Green skies, leaf blades (D11, EE)

[Suzume Senseki]

rain and light filtering
through pattering, rustling leaves
two heavens, one soul

Another poem is found at the door to Mirumoto Haruhi's room. A short distance from the main entrance of Kyuden Shika, a man with simple clothing in the browns and blacks of the Sparrow waits with his back to the castle, head raised as he seems to observe the now light sprinkle of rain and the leaves dancing in the wind as he waits.

[Mirumoto Haruhi]

Haruhi smiles as she approaches the Sparrow.

"I see you're a poet of your word." she offers with a polite bow.

[Suzume Senseki]

Haruhi smiles as she approaches the Sparrow.

"I see you're a poet of your word." she offers with a polite bow.

Senseki turns towards her with a warm smile that somehow seems slightly different from his usual one, but soon bends to a polite, respectful bow.

"As I said, I need practice if it is to become a custom, ne?", he says happily. "Thank you for humouring me again, Mirumoto-sama", he continues, his voice warm and gentle. "I greatly value your lessons - and company"

Finally straightening himself, he shows her two bokken hanging from his obi this time. "I made sure this time I wouldn't depend on nature to assist our lesson", he says with a grin. "Although I'm sure the forest would not leave us wanting!"

[Mirumoto Haruhi]

Haruhi nods.

"It's been a bit wet...but I don't mind that as much with you here," she says with a blush.

[Suzume Senseki]

Haruhi nods.

"It's been a bit wet...but I don't mind that as much with you here," she says with a blush.

The words bring an instant flush to the Suzume's cheeks, which he readily tries to deal with as he takes a deep - although somewhat ragged - breath and lowers his eyes to the ground.

"Oh... it has been a rainy summer so far, ne?", he says, somewhat coyly. "Perhaps even unnaturally so.", he adds as his eyes shift to the trees around, unwittingly. Shaking his head slightly and raising his eyes to Haruhi's feet, he adds in a somewhat calmer, kind voice as an easier smile returns to his face. "Thankfully it's showered us with more pleasant things than only rain, ne?"

A pat on the bokken on his obi and he raises his eyes to hers for another moment, expectantly, before shifting them to her feet again.

[Saibankan]

The words bring an instant flush to the Suzume's cheeks, which he readily tries to deal with as he takes a deep - although somewhat ragged - breath and lowers his eyes to the ground.

"Oh... it has been a rainy summer so far, ne?", he says, somewhat coyly. "Perhaps even unnaturally so.", he adds as his eyes shift to the trees around, unwittingly. Shaking his head slightly and raising his eyes to Haruhi's feet, he adds in a somewhat calmer, kind voice as an easier smile returns to his face. "Thankfully it's showered us with more pleasant things than only rain, ne?"

A pat on the bokken on his obi and he raises his eyes to hers for another moment, expectantly, before shifting them to her feet again.

Haruhi nodded.

"Shall we try a practice bout then?" she said, hoping to test herself against the Suzume.

[Suzume Senseki]

Haruhi nodded.

"Shall we try a practice bout then?" she said, hoping to test herself against the Suzume.

He nods to her, his hands dancing over the hilts of both bokken for a while. "Hai! Let's see how bad of a student I've been, ne?", he says with a light tone - his eyes do seem slightly anxious, though...

Perhaps he was just hoping he wouldn't let her down.

(OOC: How do we go about this? Narration or dice flinging XD)

[Saibankan]

Haruhi nodded.

"Shall we try a practice bout then?" she said, hoping to test herself against the Suzume.

He nods to her, his hands dancing over the hilts of both bokken for a while. "Hai! Let's see how bad of a student I've been, ne?", he says with a light tone - his eyes do seem slightly anxious, though...

Perhaps he was just hoping he wouldn't let her down.

(OOC: How do we go about this? Narration or dice flinging XD)

(Which do you prefer?)

[Suzume Senseki]

(Which do you prefer?)

(I'm ok with both I guess! Single roll, duel rules... maybe try out duel rules? I'm just not 100% sure what my Strife would be since there are some things still going on earlier in the day. Could go from 5/10 to keep it safe... although that will hurt a bit XD)

[Suzume Senseki]

(Which do you prefer?)

His right hand hovering close to the hilt of one of the two bokken, the Sparrow slowly drags one foot back, positioning himself in a strong, steady pose. A moment later, his left hand slowly moves towards the hilt of the other bokken as well... tentatively, but it does.

"I... remember my great uncle said a friend of his in his youth had learnt from a traveller. Now I think of it, it was one who was known to use both swords, now and then." He smiles. "My great uncle described his friend as having 'learnt from one who was a former ronin' from the northern lands, but now I think of it... it was most likely the story of a Dragon, turned Sparrow, ne?"

He smiled as he tells her the story... and the telling of the story seems to help him focus - just as he had told her before.

(OOC: Do we roll for duel init, then?

Assuming Composure = 2/10 at the start for bookkeeping. Might be less, but I'll make sure it doesn't get higher than that in earlier slots)