[LM4] Test of the Wilds Observation

[Akodo Michi]

"A pipe was found. An' ya never forget the look of a dead addict once you've had the experience."

The young Lion tried to imagine such circumstances, truly a pathetic way to die. Yet even worse for it to happen to one people will ignore.

"We must trust the Crane's honor, in the end", she said eventually, disappointed by her words. "It is a sad matter, but not one for us, even more that we are still children."

Though it was very clear she was angry about it.

[Kakita Ahiru]

"Ah, it will get better. It's a bit sore. I figured, since I had never ridden a horse before, I should try to make sure I was less likely to fall off. So I kind of intentionally tangled my foot up since I figured that might give me better leverage and control. Helped, but certainly not something to do for a long time. Proper riding lessons would be much more useful," he said with a smile. How many other artisans and courtiers in the past may have intentionally hurt themselves just for the chance to perform decently okay in a tournament focused on bushi skills? Probably too many.

"But it's definitely not the worst bruise I've ever gotten. Thankfully they are rare though."

In more savage times of the past, young children might've died by the numbers in horse-related accidents at such tournaments. Thankfully they lived in a more civilized age.

"Goodness, I can see why it must trouble you now. If it continues to be a concern, I hope you will see one of the healers the Crane have here in Tsuma, for the chance that someone might injure themselves during the tournament." It was not a question, but a more direct request. It wouldn't do to have their honored guests and competitors wounded!

"... You say it's not the worst you've suffered? Truly, I hope it's not something else that has happened while here?"

[Shiba Jiro]

In more savage times of the past, young children might've died by the numbers in horse-related accidents at such tournaments. Thankfully they lived in a more civilized age.

"Goodness, I can see why it must trouble you now. If it continues to be a concern, I hope you will see one of the healers the Crane have here in Tsuma, for the chance that someone might injure themselves during the tournament." It was not a question, but a more direct request. It wouldn't do to have their honored guests and competitors wounded!

"... You say it's not the worst you've suffered? Truly, I hope it's not something else that has happened while here?"

"Oh, not at all. But... I can tend towards pushing myself at times. It's a bad habit honestly. And lumberjacking is more dangerous than you might think," he says with a chuckle.

"Thank you for your concern though. At this point it is more a minor annoyance than anything limiting. I've eaten spicy food that made me more uncomfortable. But if it still hurts after I've slept then I'll see a healer. I suspect it will be fine, given past experience with similar levels of discomfort though."

[Yukikaze no Kasumi]

The young Lion tried to imagine such circumstances, truly a pathetic way to die. Yet even worse for it to happen to one people will ignore.

"We must trust the Crane's honor, in the end", she said eventually, disappointed by her words. "It is a sad matter, but not one for us, even more that we are still children."

Though it was very clear she was angry about it.

"Asahina-sama seemed inclined t'think otherwise, bein' as he asked us t'see what we could scare up..."

[Kakita Ahiru]

"Oh, not at all. But... I can tend towards pushing myself at times. It's a bad habit honestly. And lumberjacking is more dangerous than you might think," he says with a chuckle.

"Thank you for your concern though. At this point it is more a minor annoyance than anything limiting. I've eaten spicy food that made me more uncomfortable. But if it still hurts after I've slept then I'll see a healer. I suspect it will be fine, given past experience with similar levels of discomfort though."

Ahiru refrained from pushing the matter more, believing it would be rude to insist further when he insisted he was fine.

"Lumberjacking? What... exactly is that?"

[Akodo Michi]

"Asahina-sama seemed inclined t'think otherwise, bein' as he asked us t'see what we could scare up..."

"Then have you?" She wasn't about to address the idea of using topaz competitors as yoriki, perhaps it was simply another test of sorts. A gruesome one, but perhaps so.

[Shiba Jiro]

Ahiru refrained from pushing the matter more, believing it would be rude to insist further when he insisted he was fine.

"Lumberjacking? What... exactly is that?"

"Cutting down trees, basically. But also some basic preparation before the wood is milled and prepared for its intended purpose. I like to be able to look at the tree I want to turn into art and understand it from living to display. Art has a life, just like we do."

[Yukikaze no Kasumi]

"Then have you?" She wasn't about to address the idea of using topaz competitors as yoriki, perhaps it was simply another test of sorts. A gruesome one, but perhaps so.

"A bit. Got a name t'dig on. But nothin' t'make anything stick."

[Akodo Michi]

"A bit. Got a name t'dig on. But nothin' t'make anything stick."

"I am not an investigator, but I enjoy righteous justice, even a ronin deserves a better fate", she said earnestly. "If you require any aid, you need only ask."

[Yukikaze no Kasumi]

"I am not an investigator, but I enjoy righteous justice, even a ronin deserves a better fate", she said earnestly. "If you require any aid, you need only ask."

"Might take y'up on that. I gotta put a few pieces together before I do anything stupid, but could always use someone trustworthy t'watch my back."

[Seppun Urusai]

"Well, seeing- or rather, sensing- what usually goes unseen- or unsensed?- by most? The activity and general state of the spirits that surround us, surround everything. Um. Like at the Temple of Fortunes?"

Urusai nods. It is possible he understands, but not certain.

"Are others here...similar to us in receiving ancestral attention?" he asks.

[Asahina Sakura]

"I haven't specifically noticed yet but I am paying attention," she offered with a friendly smile. "You'll do the same?"

[Seppun Urusai]

"I haven't specifically noticed yet but I am paying attention," she offered with a friendly smile. "You'll do the same?"

"I'm...less able to see others'...companions," Urusai replies. "The Heavens reveal much, but only what they will, and to whom."

But he cannot help but smile at her smile, and it may be that a bit of color touches his cheeks as he thinks about it.

[Asahina Sakura]

Sakura's smile returned at that, "Then I suppose Seppun-sama will have to keep this one close?"

[Seppun Urusai]

Sakura's smile returned at that, "Then I suppose Seppun-sama will have to keep this one close?"

"Um, well, um..."

Urusai trails off, color definitely touching his cheeks as the implications finally break upon him. Such things had been in stories, of course, but Urusai does not live in such a thing, does he? So he'd not thought it could be for him.

He fidgets a bit as he stammers out a reply. "I mean, um, yes? That'd be...nice? Um. Yeah. Yeah. That'd be nice. If, if you like, I mean. I don't want to impose, of course."

[Asahina Sakura]

Wait, what?
Sakura blinked, her expression surprised at realizing just how close she'd leaned in toward the Imperial and she sat back quickly!
"What I mean is, uh, if that pleases you, I mean, not pleases you, but if that's alright with you? You don't have to, I'm certainly not insisting! I'm sure you have better things to do, um, with your time?"

[Seppun Urusai]

Wait, what?
Sakura blinked, her expression surprised at realizing just how close she'd leaned in toward the Imperial and she sat back quickly!
"What I mean is, uh, if that pleases you, I mean, not pleases you, but if that's alright with you? You don't have to, I'm certainly not insisting! I'm sure you have better things to do, um, with your time?"

Urusai blinks as she shits back abruptly.

Did I say something wrong? he wonders, eyes darting from side to side.

"I mean, yeah, I'd, um, like to, um, well. I think we could talk together usefully, yeah. Um."

Smooth. Real smooth.

And a voice whispers to him that it was not so, foolish boy, suggesting that they might talk together over dinner that evening.

[Asahina Sakura]

Sakura blushed furiously, colour exploding on her cheeks and she stared a hole into the ground, doing her best to hold back a smile.
"I look forward to getting to know Seppun-sama better?"

[Seppun Urusai]

Sakura blushed furiously, colour exploding on her cheeks and she stared a hole into the ground, doing her best to hold back a smile.
"I look forward to getting to know Seppun-sama better?"

The voice tells Urusai to invite her to dinner, baka.

"I'd, I'd like that, too," he says. "Maybe we could start at dinner tonight?"

There you go, kid.

"Is there a place you'd like to go? To eat, I mean."

[Asahina Sakura]

Dinner? "I'd like that, too! Wait ...you said that already," she flustered further. "Um, I don't, uh, it's up to you? Wherever you might want to take me?"
...
Wait, what?