(D1, EA) You have to rest after playing with balls

[Kakita Yuji]

"Hmm, orders." The sound is rather neutral. Orders she understands. "A school full of artists. If there are no orders against it, can offer time, and attention. Something to sustain the place when most of us leave." She moves the staff to touch the end to the water, ripples spreading.

"You live here, yes? At the Academy? Where is the tea best?" She asks suddenly.

The ripples spreading across the water break Yuji's contemplation of it, refocusing his attention upon the Phoenix.

"I do live at the Academy, yes. Best tea? An interesting question, Isawa-san. I suppose it depends on what you mean by 'best'. If you're looking for a fancy oolong tea, the House of the Red Lotus carries a wide selection of them focusing on the latest popular blends. If you're looking for something more traditional, the house of the laughing carp has served the same varieties of black, green and white tea for generations. If your tastes run more to the exotic, the merchant house of the exotic from time to time has rare blends not found elsewhere There was this one tea there one time....'Rooibos' I believe they called it. It's a red tea. The merchant claimed it offered a wide variety of health benefits, curing many common ailments such as headaches and insomnia, though I couldn't say how much truth was in his claims." he lists off.

[Isawa Natsuko]

Superficial interest focuses ever more sharply as he continues the long catalog of tea in town. Natsuko is silent afterward for several long breaths before offering a nod. "I will try them all then."

"I have not heard of this rooibos. But testing the medicinal claims could be valuable. Have you tried all of them?"

[Kakita Yuji]

Superficial interest focuses ever more sharply as he continues the long catalog of tea in town. Natsuko is silent afterward for several long breaths before offering a nod. "I will try them all then."

"I have not heard of this rooibos. But testing the medicinal claims could be valuable. Have you tried all of them?"

"Well, I'm more acquainted with having tea at the Academy or with my family, Isawa-san." he admits. "But those tend to be the same blends served at the Laughing Carp. The House of the Red Lotus is a relative newcomer to Tsuma only been around for about the last three years. I've sampled it, but not with great frequency. Tea from the Merchant House of the Exotic is even more rare, but I've tried it once or twice among friends."

[Isawa Natsuko]

"I plan to have tea at the House of the Red Lotus later tonight. I did not know they were so new. A sign of prosperity." Natsuko nods in emphasis, then frowns slightly. Prosperity not shared with the temple, it seems.

"The traditional teas have remained so because they are good and predictable. I will surely ask at the inn to try more of their stock."

Then, as if the conversation were on a ribbon folded back on itself, she asks, with no transition or prelude. "Why do want these poems if you do not know what you will do with them?

[Kakita Yuji]

"I plan to have tea at the House of the Red Lotus later tonight. I did not know they were so new. A sign of prosperity." Natsuko nods in emphasis, then frowns slightly. Prosperity not shared with the temple, it seems.

"The traditional teas have remained so because they are good and predictable. I will surely ask at the inn to try more of their stock."

Then, as if the conversation were on a ribbon folded back on itself, she asks, with no transition or prelude. "Why do want these poems if you do not know what you will do with them?

This elicited a small shrug from the Crane.

"Is not art for the sake of art reason enough? It came from a spark of inspiration that I hope will light the fire in others." he said.

He paused a moment.

"Though I am surprised at some of the initial resistance to the idea. I've always been taught that poetry is a core part of being a warrior-poet, but some I have talked to seem strangely disinclined to participate. Different upbringings I suppose." he muses.

He looks back to the Isawa.

"What about your family, Isawa-san? I know the Isawa are famous scholars, but I'd be interested of knowing of any of your family with a particular artistic bent."

[Isawa Natsuko]

"I am neither warrior nor poet, though my training includes the barest bit of the first part." She says, steadying the staff on the path to lean against. "As to my family, I would not know. I was born to the Cat, traded to the Isawa, and taken in by my school."

After a moment she nods once to add, "though fellow students do practice some arts. Are all your family poets?" Did it work that way?

[Kakita Yuji]

"I am neither warrior nor poet, though my training includes the barest bit of the first part." She says, steadying the staff on the path to lean against. "As to my family, I would not know. I was born to the Cat, traded to the Isawa, and taken in by my school."

After a moment she nods once to add, "though fellow students do practice some arts. Are all your family poets?" Did it work that way?

Yuji blinked a bit at the Isawa's background. Traded? He briefly considered the implication of that. The Cat were samurai, so they certainly couldn't literally trade people, and they were a minor clan so the Phoenix couldn't have taken her as a hostage. Perhaps an unhappy arranged marriage? That made sense. She had talent even from a very young age, the Cat needed support from the Phoenix and so before he could form memories of her family, she was taken away. It was a very sad story and while possibly not hers, it explained a great deal to Yuji.

"Well, no, they're primarily known as teachers. My mom teaches dueling and my father tactics. But poetry is integral to both of them, though they take very different approach to it. For her, it is a matter of finding her focus. She wraps all the emotion and distractions of her life into a poem, and then it is no longer within her. For him, it is a matter of distracting him from a particularly difficult problem. While he's thinking on the poetry up front, the back of his mind can turn over the more difficult problem undisturbed. It certainly creates very different poetry, her is much more..intense and his is a bit more whimsical." he explains.,

[Isawa Natsuko]

It's Natsuko's turn to blink at the detailed description of poetic minds. "It would be fascinating to watch their minds at work on a poem."

"And you? How do you approach them?

[Kakita Yuji]

It's Natsuko's turn to blink at the detailed description of poetic minds. "It would be fascinating to watch their minds at work on a poem."

"And you? How do you approach them?

Yuji hadn't really thought about that.

"Well....I'm still young, I don't know if I can characterize my approach other than as one of a student. But I guess I would say that the most important concept I try to apply is that it's a poet's unique experiences that we are trying to express. The Crane have a strong dedication to the arts, and the Kakita to perfection. There are literal centuries worth of poem's that have preceded us from both student and master. But only I have, for example met Isawa Natsuhiko by this koi pond this afternoon, and so only I could translate that experience into poetry, no matter how masterful otherwise may have or will be." he attempted to explain.

[Isawa Natsuko]

She nods slowly. "Unique experiences. I see. That should leave you with an interesting set of poems in the end."

"Are you training as a poet for the Crane?" Her head tilts slightly, her expression faintly dubious, as if that does not match some other information or impression.

[Kakita Yuji]

She nods slowly. "Unique experiences. I see. That should leave you with an interesting set of poems in the end."

"Are you training as a poet for the Crane?" Her head tilts slightly, her expression faintly dubious, as if that does not match some other information or impression.

Yuji shakes his head.

"Ah no, not specifically. I am training as a duelist. But a samurai should be a master of both summer and winter. Even generals of the Crane write poetry before and after battle. And poetry is a hobby that's easier to display in these relatively peaceful times during the tournament." he admits.

He looks back to the Phoenix.

"What about you, Isawa-san? What sort of artistic talents or hobbies do you pursue when given leave to do so?"

[Isawa Natsuko]

"I have heard this. That for those trained to the blade, it is not sufficient by itself, as it is training only for death." She offers one nod. "It makes sense to have occupations for peaceful times as well."

"Training in the spiritual realm is less reliant on such seasons. But...I study, make medicines and teas, and meditate mostly." None of these sound particularly artistic.

[Kakita Yuji]

"I have heard this. That for those trained to the blade, it is not sufficient by itself, as it is training only for death." She offers one nod. "It makes sense to have occupations for peaceful times as well."

"Training in the spiritual realm is less reliant on such seasons. But...I study, make medicines and teas, and meditate mostly." None of these sound particularly artistic.

They didnt, but Yuji could still hone in on the best of the choices offered.

"Ah, interesting Isawa-sann. What is your favorite blend of tea?" he asked.

After all, he could see the artistic value of blending tea...and was at least a bit better than asking her about meditating.

[Isawa Natsuko]

She thinks for only a moment. "Another student once shared a blend he had been given that I would like to find again. It combined a roasted oolong and a deeply floral one. The ratio was just right. He said it was the teahouse blend of a place in Otosan Uchi, but he did not recall the name." To be fair, he may also have heard the echoes of alternate names the place might have had when It was spoken. But inattention couldn't be ruled out. "There was no hint of smoke to it, but the leaves of the roasted oolong were thick and heavy, from old trees someplace, so they took the roasting well."

At leat about tea she could get a bit wordy.

But the question implies..."I expect you have a favorite as well then?"

[Kakita Yuji]

She thinks for only a moment. "Another student once shared a blend he had been given that I would like to find again. It combined a roasted oolong and a deeply floral one. The ratio was just right. He said it was the teahouse blend of a place in Otosan Uchi, but he did not recall the name." To be fair, he may also have heard the echoes of alternate names the place might have had when It was spoken. But inattention couldn't be ruled out. "There was no hint of smoke to it, but the leaves of the roasted oolong were thick and heavy, from old trees someplace, so they took the roasting well."

At leat about tea she could get a bit wordy.

But the question implies..."I expect you have a favorite as well then?"

Yuji had to ponder that for a moment.

"Hmm, a favorite is difficult, Isawa-san. After all, a good strong black tea is appreciated at quite a different moment than a balance restoring white tea." he muses. "But there is one tea I wouldn't mind trying again."

He looks up at the afternoon sky briefly recalling the blend.

"It was a black tea bearing the flavors of nutmeg, cinnamon, and ginger. A very spicy, and challenging blend to work with."

He shrugged a bit.

"But alas, the student who shared it with me refused to reveal where he obtained such a blend, not even it's name. My theory is that it was a blend from one of his distant relatives in the Scorpion clan, but that is merely a guess. We simply called it Nameless Tea. But alas, the student graduated last year and took the secret with them." he explained.

[Isawa Natsuko]

"There are many personal blends, yes. Someday I may try my own." If she ever had the money to just buy a wide variety of tea and flavorings and just experiment at least. It could happen.

"That one does sound unusual. Ginger is common, the other spices are not. Very exotic." She glances down to their shadows, grown long. "I should go though...to have tea, actually. It was an honor to meet you Kakita-san. I hope the fortunes keep you well," she says with a bow.

[Kakita Yuji]

"There are many personal blends, yes. Someday I may try my own." If she ever had the money to just buy a wide variety of tea and flavorings and just experiment at least. It could happen.

"That one does sound unusual. Ginger is common, the other spices are not. Very exotic." She glances down to their shadows, grown long. "I should go though...to have tea, actually. It was an honor to meet you Kakita-san. I hope the fortunes keep you well," she says with a bow.

Yuhi bowed.

"It was a true pleasure to meet you Isawa-san, may our paths cross again soon." he says, brining the thread to a close.