Shosuro Kaoru wrote: ↑Mon Nov 08, 2021 7:57 pmKaoru witnessed the other competitors attentively, but there wasn't much out of the ordinary to be seen really. Most samurai were doing as expected for their clans and schools.
The only things that could be labeled as oddities were the followings:
The ronin showing was adequate... But for the Miya to sponsor her, her skills had to be a lot more than merely adequate. Maybe this wasn't the particular competences that have caught the Imperial intentions? Unless her presence is due to something else entirely? Note to check if she wasn't yet another imperial bastard.
The Ikoma girl seemed to have severe overthinking issues... But Kaoru wasn't exactly one who could talk on the matter. And the Lion's skills were otherwise on par with what could be expected of her clan.
The suspicion the Mantis guy was there mostly because of his parentage and a complex political game between the Crane and the minor clan was certainly growing.
Thank you!Asahina Sakura wrote: ↑Tue Nov 09, 2021 5:31 pmhttp://kiku.fallenash.com/viewtopic.php?f=12&t=239
Passions & Anxieties is just a lovely piece of writing!
Togashi Shinko wrote: ↑Sun Nov 14, 2021 11:34 pmShinko reaches across from the bar, sipping at a cup. It's not full strength sake, watered down to nurse the occasion. It is perhaps a strange sight to customers, someone considered a child on the verge of adulthood seeming so...comfortable. Shinko lazily swirls a bottle and pours herself a new cup, none of which she's paid for, people eager to treat a competitor. (Possibly to help their bets)
The mood brings a song to her heart, and she begins to croon.
"Oh we come a shufflin' in
As we hit the hour of the Dog
There's an old man sittin' next to me
Who wants another sip of his grog
He says, "Girl can you sing me a memory?
I'm not really sure how it goes
But it's sad and it's sweet and I knew it complete
When I wore a younger man's clothes
La, la-la, di-di-da
La-la di-di-da da-dum
Sing us a song for us also rans
Sing us a song tonight
Well, we're all in the mood for a melody
And you've got us feelin' alright"
Shinko notices a few smiles at her song and feels a bit relieved.
"Oh don't you worry, it's not over yet. I'll be by later to work on it"
We're not stopping yet!
Come back on Day 3!Funegao no Hirame wrote: ↑Thu Nov 18, 2021 2:19 pmThis was perhaps the second or third time that Hirame had seen a horse, and the first time he'd been this close to one. It was so big! Hirame hesitated as his horse tossed her mane, making a horsey sort of rumble. Was she upset? Angry? Hungry? He couldn't tell! It was curious, having a living creature under you like this as you tried to do something, tried to anticipate her needs, and Hirame found himself riding somewhat awkwardly. "You okay, girl?" He asked. The horse tossed her mane again, with another noise of horsey discontent. He just couldn't get a read on her. Maybe he'd name her Ahiru.
Nekoma Seto wrote: ↑Mon Nov 22, 2021 5:17 pmWhen the Cat's turn came he stalked across the room to take his seat with all the easy confidence of a predator in it's prime. His bow was perfect, he took his seat, opened with a carefully judged comment on the weather and then with all the grace he could muster reached for the teapot . . . which was two further inches to the right than he expected and as he had chosen to maintain eye contact rather than watch what he was doing, was perfectly swiped off the table to land with a crack on the floor. He froze and looked down at it with a 'Did I do that?' look on his face . . .
Ignoring the failure he carried on. Being charming and loquacious was actually what he was really good at and he managed this part without tying his tongue in two or insulting the Crane's heritage back to the Fall. Things were getting better at least.
Then came the aesthetic art. Not Seto's thing really. He was all about ephemeral art and composition. Maybe a little existential design. Certainly not crafting things with his slender pretty hands. He decided to give a bonsai a go and while he seemed to talk the talk, once again he was not watching what he was doing and with am audible 'SNIP' decapitated his plant leaving a very sorry looking stump.
And he was supposed to be a courtier . . . ?
Haru right now
Kitsuki Jun wrote: ↑Tue Nov 23, 2021 1:37 am"Test of the Soul"--just the title, without further clues--has been afflicting Jun with a certain apprehension since his arrival in Tsuma. Any time people around him start going on and on and on about souls and spirits and karma (which is a lot of the time, back home), Jun tends to lose focus. Numinous is just another word for vague, and he prefers to devote his energy to things that are concrete and solvable.
And then the fifth morning arrives, and the Test of the Soul turns out to be... just tea and conversation? Jun is almost too relieved. His family has produced many capable diplomats and courtiers. He's totally ready for this.
"Doji-sama, this tea is truly remarkable. Could it be the Apricot Blossom Fragrance cultivar, from the Wall Above the Ocean province? I once read of it, but it's quite impossible to find it up north, no matter how I searched." Encouraged by Doji Shingo's approving confirmation of his guess, Jun continues to wax enthusiastic. "I thought it had to be! I'm sure you would already know this, sir, but the distinctive aroma of this tea was the critical clue in the celebrated serial murder case at the Winter Court of 1098. What other tea could satisfy the great epicures of that age and perfectly hide the smell of bitter almond extract?" Jun smiles happily as he savors another sip. "It really is as good as they say. What an honor!"
Belatedly sensing something amiss in the whitening of his conversation partner's lips and the slight adjustment of his posture, Jun realizes he's gone wrong somewhere. Damn! How could he have been so foolish as to court-splain the 1098 Poison Flower Scandal to a Crane of Shingo's generation? Obviously, the Crane courtier must be insulted that Jun would assume he, Doji Shingo, didn't already know every deliciously gruesome detail. Yes, surely that must be it. No other possible explanation.
Jun tamps down his curiosity (even though he's now burning to ask Were you there, sir?!? Did you see the murderer's famous earthenware teapot?) and lets Shingo lead the remainder of the conversation, following the older man's cues into much more boring but evidently safer topics, like the autumn leaf season in Kyuden Kitsuki.
And then there is the last challenge... a piece of art to 'represent yourself'? Well, that's right back to the vague and mystical again. Jun tries to recall what he's read about artists and their creative processes. Right, wasn't it Hantei IX who had really loved painting? So much he'd relocated the Emerald Magistrates' compound to make room for the Imperial Painting Academy? Which was insane, but anyway, in fairness to the old Emperor, he had trained a lot of great painters. Jun can still remember catching a glimpse of one of those paintings, on a rare visit to the private residence inside Kyuden Kitsuki. "The Scent of Wildflowers," it was titled, but the artist hadn't painted any flowers--only a pair of butterflies fluttering around the hooves of a strolling horse. And yet you somehow knew the horse had just been galloping through a field of wildflowers, and its hooves were covered in flower perfume--the dance of the painted butterflies told the whole story. Now that was good art.
Unfortunately, however poetic the source of Jun's inspiration might be, his childish painting of two dancing bluebottles showing the way to a patch of grass where the body of a murder victim was hidden... did not win the judges' approval. Too bad. Brilliant idea but poor execution, I suppose.
---
You're a mess at courtier-ing, son, and may the gods have mercy on your Soul because this test had none.
Funegao no Hirame wrote: ↑Thu Nov 25, 2021 2:19 pmLater...
Dressed casually, Hirame stepped out into the common room, brushing a hand across his face, wiping the sleep from his eyes. "Mblergh." He mumbled. Yes, it was definitely time to get a start on the morning. A bit of breakfast, maybe some strong tea, that's what he needed...
Glancing around, Hirame frowned. Something was wrong. He could feel a strange tingle running up his spine. Hirame's lips pressed together as the uncanny feeling grew stronger. Something was out of place. Something missing...
That damn doll. Where was it?
"Oh shit." Hirame said through clenched teeth. Damnit, why hadn't he thrown that thing in the fire the night before? He'd said it looked like something that might murder people. And Natsuko had told him about how spirits could enter objects, and make them come alive! Were murder dolls real after all? "Shit shit shit." He muttered under his breath.
He dove back into his room.
A moment later, and Hirame emerged once more, a solid wooden oar gripped in both hands. He creeped cautiously around the common room, nudging furniture with one foot. The oar was raised, ready to smash anything he found.
Kakita Ahiru wrote: ↑Thu Nov 25, 2021 3:35 pmOh, those little miniature soldiers were cute. But... oh my Kami, why were some of them unpainted!?
Just the sight of the unpainted miniatures made Ahiru ready to go into a tirade, but then her turn came up so that would have to wait. Righ, she should be mysterious, inscrutible... wasn't there a song going something about mysterious as the dark side of the moon? As she observed the battlefield to make her plans, Ahiru kept her fan up to be as subtle as possible about the fact that she had no idea on how to be formless and dark. Or whatever it was the Mirumoto judge had said.
"What is your plan, Kakita-san?" she was asked
"We will move like the moon." Yes. Perfect. That sounded suitably cryptic and mysterious enough.
When it came to actually playing out the tactics, Ahiru was more occupied with moving her troops in beautiful formations, rather than... winning? And when not doing that, she was giving death glares to the horrible abominations that were *unpainted* miniatures.
Sure she was losing terribly, but at least *her* side of the board looked the prettiest. With *painted* miniatures.
Now how did the rest of the song go again...? I am pretty sure there was something about standing firm like mountains or something? Or was it raging like volcanoes...?
As she pondered this, Ahiru was asked for her orders.
"We will fight courageously even against the greatest odds! We will be swift as the coursing river, strike with the force of a great typhoon! And we will... uh... be mysterious. Yes! Mysterious! ... Why are you looking at me like that? Get to it!"
