(D2, LA) Crane on the Hoof

[Kakita Yuji]

A samurai's duties were without end. Yujij couldn't spend all his time sparring or drinking tea, or writing poetry. After the long boat ride, Yuji needed to attend to Yutaka for awhile. And so out the gate and along a forest trail the pair went. It was interesting comparing the sensation of riding on a boat to a horse, but the horse was clearly the superior. After all, you might love a boat, but the boat would never love you back. Also the boat didn't really care for apples.

Cloppity, cloppity, cloppity. No real destination in mind, just giving Yutaka a chance to stretch his four legs.

[Shiba Jiro]

Jiro was walking just inside the treeline with his brother, looking around on the ground for useful deadfall he can use for crafting. "I'm looking for maple brother."

The sound of clip clopping gets a head turn, but Jiro doesn't immediately react other than a look and a nod for the moment.

[Shiba Haru]

Haru turned his head towards the source of the sound and whispered to his brother.

"Just about the only good Crane here, have you met him yet?"

He struggled to put on a neutral face as something was clearly bothering him.

[Shiba Jiro]

He nods. "I have. Already shared a poem with him for his project. But I think you would like Asahina Sakura-san. She's an artist like me, that doesn't really focus on one particular art as of yet. Talk to her if you get a chance."

He bends over to pick up a relatively think branch, then bends it in his hand. Too much give

"Tell me Haru," he insists with a supportive and only slightly worried expression.

[Shiba Haru]

"I'm failing. Failing at everything I wanted to do here and I'm highly confused as to why the Crane would have us pretend to be Mantis for a day given the tension between them. I will likely never set foot on a ship again, how could that possibly reflect on my worthiness to be Topaz Champion or pass my gempukku?"

[Shiba Jiro]

"First, you're not failing. Your facing tasks that are meant to challenge the brightest in our generation. And there is bound to be wide swings in who does well or not in any given test. And second, I think part of the point of the test was to illustrate that we don't always know how we'll end up serving. And with the rise in tensions between the Mantis and Crane, it may have been a way to see if any potential Topaz participants showed promise in that area of expertise that they might be fast tracked to some sort of Emerald naval position? Who knows, but the Crane, but they probably have a reason brother."

[Shiba Haru]

"The brightest in our generation is supposed to include us and I am not performing like it. I am disgusted with myself. But it goes beyond the tests, let me ask what did you do yesterday afternoon?" He asked leadingly.

[Shiba Jiro]

Jiro knew Haru's leading tendencies.

"You are among the brightest in our generation brother. You are just being too hard on yourself after the fact. It's one thing to feel the pressure of the moment and push yourself. But dwelling in the past means you aren't moving forward. Learn from it and grow, become better for the next test," he says, pausing in his walk and facing him.

He steps in close and hugs his twin. "Let go of the negativity and grab the future Haru."

When he lets him go he smiles. "Yesterday afternoon I spent the entire time in the teahouse. Meeting with new people. And I am guessing that you spent a lot of time worrying about your performance."

[Shiba Haru]

The hug helped.

"I did nothing, absolutely nothing. I talked to no one, didn't practice, I wandered around for a while but eventually just went to my room. I wanted to find Natusko-san so I could properly introduce myself but didn't. Have the two of you had a chance to talk yet? It's proving hard to find privacy here."

[Shiba Jiro]

"Don't get down on yourself. Talk to the participants that did well. Approach them, learn about them, and see what aspects of their training or personalities helped them to succeed. Be proactive Haru. You don't get anywhere by thinking about what you did wrong, you grow by figuring out what you can do right."

He nods at the question of Natsuko.

"We spoke in the tea house," he said with a nod. "And... well, she I'd say it would have been impossible to have guessed anything about her. She is pleasant enough and quite... hmm... cerebral? I definitely do not dislike her, but I think we will need to spend time to better understand each other. Not like..." he cuts himself off at that, though he strongly suspects he's going to end up getting pressed for details now. And so he sighs.

[Shiba Haru]

He was right, his brother wasn't one to let something hang like that and looked at him expectantly.

"Go on."

A thousand thoughts swirled in Haru's mind concerning what his brother would say next and few of them were good.

Fortunes please don't tell me he found another.

[Shiba Jiro]

"Well, I was just going to say. Kasumi-san is much the opposite of Natsuko-san. Much more energy, more open, not reserved. I've been spending time with her, getting to know her," he says with a shrug. "But don't worry yourself. She knows that I am betrothed and nothing inappropriate will happen. Just pointing out that the two of them are night and day."

[Shiba Haru]

"I uh..."

It was Haru's turn to be awkward about interest in people and tried to play it off.

"I mean it is good you are making new friends, the Mantis seems like an interesting one and you two were certainly getting along well at the dinner."

[Shiba Jiro]

"She is... well you know how I am about being in touch with life from the ground up. I've spent time working lumber yards and farms just to know what an honest days labor looks like. And to be able to make from start to finish. She has nuch the same path in a different discipline. She's learned all the roles on a ship in order to command one someday. From scrubbing to shouting orders," he says.

"Have you met any of the Scorpion here?"

[Shiba Haru]

"Other than the one at out table during the dinner who didn't say much no. The only people I have had anything close to a real conversation with are the Suzume, the Seppun and Kakita Yuji-san over there. Bless the fortunes this isn't a Miai, I would be in trouble."

This thought just reminded him that he was in his mind in trouble with the current situation.

"I uh...tell me about the Ikoma, you talked with her during the test yesterday right?"

[Shiba Jiro]

"I did, but not a whole lot. I think you two would get along. She is from the Akodo school, but focused more on fighting than commanding," he says with a nod. "And this is not a miai... despite the fact that I have mostly spoken to ladies and already have a betrothal." He chuckles at that.

"You were having a much more animated conversation with the Suzume. Seemed to be getting along quite well. They must feel somewhat kindred, honestly."

[Shiba Haru]

"She does but she also worries me. She must be four years our junior and was not only sent here but made the first test look easy. She seems like one to watch. The Ikoma concerns me as well, she moves like Akane-san."

Haru mused.

"There certainly are a lot of girls here which means a lot of potential for distraction which is something i really don't need right now."

It was clear that there was something he wasn't saying.

[Shiba Jiro]

"You're feeling distracted? By who?" he asks.

[Shiba Haru]

"I..."

He bowed his head slightly in defeat.

"Is there nothing I can hide from you brother? Yes, I am distracted, by the Ikoma, the Mantis, all the Crane walking about, the little Suzume which is awkward but most of all by the Kuni. I wish I could be in your position, I wish there was something about my future that was certain."

[Shiba Jiro]

"Do you think I don't feel distraction? Being betrothed, and getting to know one's future spouse is not a good defense against distracting thoughts. It honestly only creates more issues and distractions. Feelings are so confusing brother. There's honestly not much advice I can offer on that front other than remember what we're here for. And you may think it's to try and win, but the truth is that its to meet the potential leaders and heroes of our generation. Those with promise that can and will make things happen. Don't think about whether you can become the Topaz champion. Think about how you might be in a position to divert a war if you are friends with an important diplomat from another clan. Even if I were Topaz champion, I would trade that honor to provide peace between warring clans for just one day. The armor only stays with you for a year even if you win. The relationships may last your whole life."

"The people are not the distraction Haru. They are the point."