Kyuden Shika

He sat atop the walls in a lotus position, and, as he did every time, admitted that this was one thing he and his sensei agreed on.

Breathe in.

This place is still nuts, but I've met some all right sorts.

Breathe out.

And I have to look after Oubaihime.

Breathe in.

And not get hung up on any pretty faces, marriage is marriage.

Breathe out.

But all the same, do I like anyone?

Breathe in.

A bit. Nothing... definite yet.

Breathe out.

A hopefully all right-looking sort went by, some dirt stuck on the hem of a simple, brown and drab-coloured hakama. The man walked quietly and slowly, his feet as if sweeping the stone floor as they moved. As he went by, he saw the man sitting in a lotus position and stopped for a moment. A slight smile crossed his lips as he remembered his sensei's classes on meditation.

His brow furrowed slightly. He suddenly remembered how hard it was. To focus on nothing.

His feet scrambled through the ground a bit. It ended up making some noise, and he let out an "Uhh..."

He looked down, looked at the man again. Hopefully that hadn't distracted him?

Breathe in.

Breathe out.

"Not in your way, am I?"

Breathe in.

Breathe out.

"Because I've always been better at moving than meditation."

Shiba Raizo wrote: ↑

Tue Aug 03, 2021 8:16 pm

Breathe in.

Breathe out.

"Not in your way, am I?"

Breathe in.

Breathe out.

"Because I've always been better at moving than meditation."

A quiet, calm shake of his head. "Oh... not at all, Phoenix-sama. Don't let me disturb you", he says... and quickly notices he's probably disturbing just by speaking.

"In fact, maybe..."

He moves a bit to get out of the middle of the path along the walls and sits down as well, more or less close to the other man, looking towards the outside of the castle. He breathes in as well, then out, his eyes set on the trees around as a smile widens on his lips.

Then he notices he probably should say something. Maybe. Right? Or should he be quiet?

"...beautiful land, isn't it?", he says simply, eyes open and still on the horizon, before he draws another deep breath.

Suzume Senseki wrote: ↑

Tue Aug 03, 2021 8:45 pm

Wrath of the Sparrow!

"Most lands are, if you know how to look at them. And please, no 'sama' here, I'm just another samurai on the marriage market."

A pause.

"Shiba Raizo."

Shiba Raizo wrote: ↑

Tue Aug 03, 2021 8:51 pm

"Most lands are, if you know how to look at them. And please, no 'sama' here, I'm just another samurai on the marriage market."

A pause.

"Shiba Raizo."

A quiet, calm look towards the Shiba, and a nod. "Suzume Senseki. Pleased to meet you, Shiba-san.", he says, then keeps looking at the horizon again. A long time passes, five or ten breath cycles. "I suppose you're right", he says with a slight smile, then seems to pay attention to his breath for a minute or so more.

"The leaves rustling... it's almost as the land breathing, ne?", he then says before shaking his head slightly again. "Um..."

"

Suzume Senseki wrote: ↑

Tue Aug 03, 2021 9:09 pm

A quiet, calm look towards the Shiba, and a nod. "Suzume Senseki. Pleased to meet you, Shiba-san.", he says, then keeps looking at the horizon again. A long time passes, five or ten breath cycles. "I suppose you're right", he says with a slight smile, then seems to pay attention to his breath for a minute or so more.

"The leaves rustling... it's almost as the land breathing, ne?", he then says before shaking his head slightly again. "Um..."

"A bit. I also like that wind through the leaves sounds a bit like sea waves- and vice-versa."

Shiba Raizo wrote: ↑

Tue Aug 03, 2021 9:26 pm

"A bit. I also like that wind through the leaves sounds a bit like sea waves- and vice-versa."

"Oh. I'm not used to the sound of the waves, but I'll remember that when I next hear them", he says, his eyes still looking ahead.

Breath in.

Breath out.

He tries to hear the sea in the leaves... and hears a river instead. He tries to pour himself downstream... but finds himself stuck in the banks.

"Shiba-san mentioned you're... better at moving than meditating? Is it like... a different sort of meditation, then? One common in Phoenix lands, maybe?"

He falls silent for a while again, then looks at the Shiba. "Do you think the trees meditate, Shiba-san? As they move, maybe? And as they sing? Maybe we could do that as well..."

EDIT: Editing to add a possible way toward an agenda roll if it works for ya

Suzume Senseki wrote: ↑

Tue Aug 03, 2021 11:03 pm

He tries to hear the sea in the leaves... and hears a river instead. He tries to pour himself downstream... but finds himself stuck in the banks.

"Shiba-san mentioned you're... better at moving than meditating? Is it like... a different sort of meditation, then? One common in Phoenix lands, maybe?"

"No, no, I'm just a very poor student."

He chuckled.

He falls silent for a while again, then looks at the Shiba. "Do you think the trees meditate, Shiba-san? As they move, maybe? And as they sing? Maybe we could do that as well..."

EDIT: Editing to add a possible way toward an agenda roll if it works for ya

"Haven't really thought about it."

[Go for it, but Raizo has no agenda of his own to pursue ]

Shiba Raizo wrote: ↑

Wed Aug 04, 2021 4:04 am

"No, no, I'm just a very poor student."
He chuckled.

The Sparrow looks at the Phoenix as if thoughtful for a moment, then smiled. "Oh... well, you've seen more focused than this Sparrow so far, Shiba-san."

"Haven't really thought about it."

He then looks ahead again, a relaxed smile on his face. "Well... perhaps they do?"

Silence.

"They certainly seem as if they do, don't they?"

He then first seems as if he's trying to imitate the sound of the rustling leaves with a whistle... then he changes to emulating something similar with his voice... only now not exactly the sound of the leaves, but something that reminds it. Something calm and soothing, grounded but seeming to move slightly.

After a while, some words are added to the voice.

azuki uru
koie no ume no
tsubomi gachi

-----

"Azuki beans sold/
at a cottage, the plum tree/
ready to blossom"

The words fall slowly, one after another; the cuts between each verse are clear, but only when one stops to remember all that's been already said. The poem is repeated thrice, the melody changing slightly each time, and ending in a slightly questioning note.

The song finished, he looks at the other man with another slight smile.

"Do you like songs, Shiba-san? Or stories?"

OOC:
D1 MA - Earth/ Performance. Story or song to Shiba Raizo assuming we get there. Sparrow PR! | TN: 2 | Success: 3 / Opportunity: 0 / Strife: 2
- 3 successes, 0 opportunities, 2 strife

3 successes grant 2 Agenda points; 2 strife accrued.