Various dignitaries, delegates, and the fellow competitors gather around the training grounds to watch the event!

Haru retreated to the observation area after completing his turn looking none to pleased with himself. He was impressed by the display of the Sparrow and examined her movements keenly.

Suzume Rin wrote: ↑

Mon Nov 08, 2021 2:22 am

A little redfaced Rin goes to wipe her hands on her clothes before stopping herself and instead using the handkerchief mom gifted her just for this. Seeing the looks from Haru she flushes self consciously but nods her head respectfully to the Great Clanner.

Haru approached the Sparrow and bowed.

"That was quite the display you put on Suzume-san, it will be difficult to top. I am Shiba Haru, it is an honor to meet you."

Shiba Haru wrote: ↑

Mon Nov 08, 2021 2:24 am

Haru approached the Sparrow and bowed.

"That was quite the display you put on Suzume-san, it will be difficult to top. I am Shiba Haru, it is an honor to meet you."

Rin quickly bows back deeply.
"Oh, you think so? Figure I was just fortunate is all. Plenty of bigger samurai than me still to go, and I had to really abridge the badger story, missed the part about him finding a wife and everything."
Pause
"Oh, uh, I'm Suzume Rin and the honour is certainly mine Shiba-sama. I think you did real well too, can't imagine doing a backflip myself, all thumbs here."

Finishing her round, Ahiru wiped the sweat from her forehead with a clean piece of cloth. She had surprised herself a bit by doing much better than expected, especially seeing how strong and fit some of the other contestants were.

Kasumi- still not sure what the point of all this horseshit with a leather ball could possibly be- ambled over to find a comfortable place to rest.

She didn't appear to be paying any of the competitors any attention whatsoever.

Suzume Rin wrote: ↑

Mon Nov 08, 2021 2:30 am

"Oh, you think so? Figure I was just fortunate is all. Plenty of bigger samurai than me still to go, and I had to really abridge the badger story, missed the part about him finding a wife and everything."
Pause
"Oh, uh, I'm Suzume Rin and the honour is certainly mine Shiba-sama. I think you did real well too, can't imagine doing a backflip myself, all thumbs here."

"Unfortunately I imagined the flip better than I executed it but thank you for your kindness."

He tried to smile and rubbed the back of his head but was clearly disappointed with his effort. As he spoke he watched the Seppun perform the same maneuver he had to perfection.

"Did you see that? Seppun-sama had no difficulty with it" His disappointment grew even more apparent.

Shiba Haru wrote: ↑

Mon Nov 08, 2021 3:55 am

"Unfortunately I imagined the flip better than I executed it but thank you for your kindness."

He tried to smile and rubbed the back of his head but was clearly disappointed with his effort. As he spoke he watched the Seppun perform the same maneuver he had to perfection.

"Did you see that? Seppun-sama had no difficulty with it" His disappointment grew even more apparent.

"Oh wow, so that's what it looks like."
Rin is clearly impressed even as she turns back to Haru
"But he's a Seppun, they probably have trained their whole lives to do stuff like that. I'd be real down on myself if I kept comparing myself to the Seppun. I bet you'll get it just perfect next time. You seem like the sort of samurai who doesn't give up till he has things right."

Aya took some time running after the ball she had kicked to try and bring it back, but when she finally did, she came back and observed the others' performances...

OOC:
Please PM/quote if approaching!

Ikoma Aya wrote: ↑

Mon Nov 08, 2021 4:29 am

Aya took some time running after the ball she had kicked to try and bring it back, but when she finally did, she came back and observed the others' performances...

OOC:
Please PM/quote if approaching!

Jiro nodded in his brother's direction, with a slight smile. He was pleased enough with his performance, given he was not skilled at any of what they asked him to do. Noticing the Lion he hadn't spoken with at the table yesterday, he goes to greet her, bowing when he is an appropriate distance. "Ikoma-san. It is an honor. You took quite an amazing shot. Do you mind if I join you?"

Suzume Rin wrote: ↑

Mon Nov 08, 2021 4:04 am

"Oh wow, so that's what it looks like."
Rin is clearly impressed even as she turns back to Haru
"But he's a Seppun, they probably have trained their whole lives to do stuff like that. I'd be real down on myself if I kept comparing myself to the Seppun. I bet you'll get it just perfect next time. You seem like the sort of samurai who doesn't give up till he has things right."

"I suppose you are right there, I feel as a future yojimbo I should excel at physical disciplines but I suppose those tasked with protecting the Emperor, long may he reign, must excel even more so. Never the less I think I will stay here a bit after the tests are over and try it again."

As his brother stepped up to the ball Haru watched with keen interest. As the ball fell short of the goal he drew in a sharp breath through his teeth and snapped his fingers.

"Damn, that looked good too."

Shiba Haru wrote: ↑

Mon Nov 08, 2021 4:45 am

"I suppose you are right there, I feel as a future yojimbo I should excel at physical disciplines but I suppose those tasked with protecting the Emperor, long may he reign, must excel even more so. Never the less I think I will stay here a bit after the tests are over and try it again."

As his brother stepped up to the ball Haru watched with keen interest. As the ball fell short of the goal he drew in a sharp breath through his teeth and snapped his fingers.

"Damn, that looked good too."

"See, I'm sure you'll-"
She looks over at Jiro then back to Haru
"-...Huh. Well that was just plumb unlucky, any other day it would have gone in."
She blinks a few times to stop herself seeing double
"Is that esteemed Shiba-sama your uh, brother?"

Suzume Rin wrote: ↑

Mon Nov 08, 2021 4:48 am

"See, I'm sure you'll-"
She looks over at Jiro then back to Haru
"-...Huh. Well that was just plumb unlucky, any other day it would have gone in."
She blinks a few times to stop herself seeing double
"Is that esteemed Shiba-sama your uh, brother?"

Haru smiled seeing the look on the Sparrow's face.

"Who that mangy looking child over there?" He flashed a smile at Jiro incase he heard him. "Yes that is my brother Jiro, the other half of my soul, we were fortunate enough to both be invited to Tsuma."

Shiba Haru wrote: ↑

Mon Nov 08, 2021 4:53 am

Haru smiled seeing the look on the Sparrow's face.

"Who that mangy looking child over there?" He flashed a smile at Jiro incase he heard him. "Yes that is my brother Jiro, the other half of my soul, we were fortunate enough to both be invited to Tsuma."

"Oh wow, both of you? Must be quite the soul indeed. I barely got invited with just the one to myself."
She nods respectfully at the other Shiba
"So are you both gonna be yojimbo when you graduate? We have stories about Shiba bushi, they all say your family is the best in the whole empire at protecting folk. I think it's a real noble tradition to have."

Suzume Rin wrote: ↑

Mon Nov 08, 2021 5:07 am

"Oh wow, both of you? Must be quite the soul indeed. I barely got invited with just the one to myself."
She nods respectfully at the other Shiba
"So are you both gonna be yojimbo when you graduate? We have stories about Shiba bushi, they all say your family is the best in the whole empire at protecting folk. I think it's a real noble tradition to have."

Haru bowed at the Sparrows kind words.

"Your performance just now shows your worthy of being here so I doubt you barely got invited. Jiro is an artisan and an excellent one at that. I like to say that he is the brush and I am the blade. Do you have any siblings Suzume-san?"

Shiba Haru wrote: ↑

Mon Nov 08, 2021 5:11 am

Haru bowed at the Sparrows kind words.

"Your performance just now shows your worthy of being here so I doubt you barely got invited. Jiro is an artisan and an excellent one at that. I like to say that he is the brush and I am the blade. Do you have any siblings Suzume-san?"

"Oh handy having your own fields like that."
Covering her mouth for a second at Haru's question, clearly finding it amusing for some reason.
"Too many! Well, I love 'em all and they're good deep down. Even when they're 13 summers and think they know everything."
grumble
"But yeah, I have eleven. Keeps me on my toes I tell yah shepherding them around."

Suzume Rin wrote: ↑

Mon Nov 08, 2021 5:14 am

"Oh handy having your own fields like that."
Covering her mouth for a second at Haru's question, clearly finding it amusing for some reason.
"Too many! Well, I love 'em all and they're good deep down. Even when they're 13 summers and think they know everything."
grumble
"But yeah, I have eleven. Keeps me on my toes I tell yah shepherding them around."

"Eleven?!"

His eyes grew wide and he was a touch louder than he had intended before composing himself.

"That sounds exhausting for you and your parents. I'm not sure I could have found the time to practice if I had needed to help care for that many siblings. They really do invite the empire's best to this event it would seem."

Shiba Haru wrote: ↑

Mon Nov 08, 2021 5:22 am

"Eleven?!"

His eyes grew wide and he was a touch louder than he had intended before composing himself.

"That sounds exhausting for you and your parents. I'm not sure I could have found the time to practice if I had needed to help care for that many siblings. They really do invite the empire's best to this event it would seem."

Rin very nearly hits him with an 'aww shucks' as she bats the praise away with a hand
"Nawww. It's just family caring for family. Besides, you can practice while doing it. I convinced them all to use sticks and mimic me when I was first learning kata...had to promise them we'd fight at the end of the day, but still. I reckon it helped having everyone around me. And this has been nice leaving home and not having to worry about who needs bathing and feeding."

Suzume Rin wrote: ↑

Mon Nov 08, 2021 5:27 am

Rin very nearly hits him with an 'aww shucks' as she bats the praise away with a hand
"Nawww. It's just family caring for family. Besides, you can practice while doing it. I convinced them all to use sticks and mimic me when I was first learning kata...had to promise them we'd fight at the end of the day, but still. I reckon it helped having everyone around me. And this has been nice leaving home and not having to worry about who needs bathing and feeding."

"Perhaps you have a future as a sensei then, it sounds like you've already begun training the next generation." He laughed. "Is this your first time outside of Sparrow lands then?"