[D3, LE, Training Grounds] Priorities

[Kuni Mitsuko]

Given the difficulty that the hailstorm had presented for competitors' usual training routines, flickering illumination for the training grounds as the sunlight was lost seemed a reasonable accommodation of the Cranes' guests.

In the dark and weird lighting, the skinny Crab girl in the plain gray training clothes didn't look like much, even with a firm grip on her bokken and her usual fierce face paint. As she worked through simple kata, there was a certain clunkiness to her movements, like her earth was too heavy and wouldn't get out of the way. Or something. I should reread mother's treatise on elemental alignment. A small sigh as she stops, then walks over to take a small drink of water from a cup she'd carefully placed at the appropriate distance from her kata practice.

[Shiba Haru]

Finally

Haru entered the training area and a wave of frustration heralded his arrival. He stopped at the entrance and offered a bow before immediately heading over to the bokken rack and retrieving one. Once the training sword was in his hand relief washed over him and he took a deep cleansing breath. Finally able to take stalk of his surroundings he noticed the Kuni and realized he must look very silly.

"Ah...good evening Kuni Mitsuko-san, I hope this evening finds you well and blessed by Inari." he said bowing.

[Kuni Mitsuko]

After finishing an incredibly slow slicing motion with her bokken, Mitsuko looks over at the Phoenix and straightens before bowing properly in greeting.

"Blessed as much as I hope you are, Shiba Haru-san," she says kindly. "I am more well now that I have this opportunity for practice. With or without Lady Sun's eyes upon us, this is an important place to be."

[Shiba Haru]

"Yes the weather was less than cooperative today, it certainly made work on the shrine a challenge this afternoon. I've been sorely in need of this routine."

He said as he commenced a half speed kata of his own, stretching his muscles and focusing his breathing.

"Have you been enjoying your trip to Tsuma?"

[Kuni Mitsuko]

Mitsuko watches Haru's kata, then thoughtfully considers her answer.

"Yes, I think I am enjoying it. Much more so than I expected, honestly." She looks down, adjusting her grip on the bokken. "Um... So how are you enjoying this time," she asks politely but also with enough feeling that Haru can tell she cares about the answer.

[Shiba Haru]

He stopped and considered her question for a moment.

"I would say I am conflicted. There are so many uncertainties on the path in front of me and i am not performing well in these tests. But o nthe other hand my brother had a good first meeting with his future wife, the turnout to help repair the shrine of lesser fortunes was heartwarming and I am enjoying this moment quite a bit."

He restarted his kata but this time at full speed.

[Kuni Mitsuko]

The Kuni lets her bokken tip drop gently to the ground, eyebrows raising though they're effectively invisible under makeup and the cover of low lighting.

"Betrothed? Oh... I guess, um. I hadn't realized that... Well, so good for him," she finishes, sounding mostly positive. It's clear that several thoughts are now spinning in Mitsuko's head.

[Shiba Haru]

He stopped his movements and looked dissatisfied with himself, beginning again.

"Yes, he is to wed Isawa Natsuko-san, honoring our families legacy of deep connection to the Void."

His movements were wide and sweeping but lacking the grace that should accompany them, instead they were spoiled by a cold intensity that made them more viscous then was proper.

"I got to meet with my future sister just this morning and I am thrilled for Jiro, I think with time they connect deeply with each other and both will be very happy. It makes me all the more eager for the day I meet my match whoever that may be."

What was that in her voice? Brother what have you been up to?

[Kuni Mitsuko]

"Matches. Right. That's... That's sort of what comes next, I suppose..."

The Kuni's voice seems to trail off into the distance. She glances nervously at Haru for a moment before turning and going for a drink of water. Even for a Crab who may not be especially courteous, it's a strange way to behave.

[Shiba Haru]

Jiro I'm going to kill you.

"You don't sound very enthused by the idea Mitsuko-san, is everything alright?"

[Kuni Mitsuko]

Taking rather longer with the water than is necessary, but not so long she could be seem as ignoring the Phoenix, she exhales to calm herself and turns to face Haru.

"All is well, Shiba Haru-san. I am... Not used to talk about betrothals. I suppose some other families are, um, farther along in planning certain things than my parents. Which is... as it should be, I'm sure." Despite initially sounding confident, her voice drifts toward discomfort. In the low light and with her makeup in place, Mitsuko at least knows that Haru can't see how pale she looks.

[Shiba Haru]

"Ahh, well, all things in time. My apologies for bringing it up, I just had a conversation with Suzume Rin-san about it before I came here. Which reminds me, do you drink sake?"

[Kuni Mitsuko]

Mitsuko starts to choke and fights to recover herself, kneeling by the water cup and letting go of the bokken so she can raise the cup to her lips when the coughing has partially subsided.

Her vain attempt to respond to Haru's question as though she isn't still coughing would be adorable, if she didn't look so pained through her makeup.

[Shiba Haru]

Haru starts toward the Kuni but stops when he sees her drinking. "Are you sure you're alright Mitsuko-san, are you feeling well?"

[Kuni Mitsuko]

Her eyes squeezed shut as she forces her body to calm, she nods with a forced smile on her face.

"I'm fine, Haru-san," she says in a scratchy near-whisper, forgetting her formality. "Ahem," she says quietly, not actually clearing her throat for fear of breaking into a coughing fit.

"I simply, um, swallowed a breath wrong, Shiba-san. No cause for alarm." She opts to sit down on the ground, crossing her legs. After another breath she looks up at Haru and quietly asks, "Har--er, Shiba-san... Um. What... What might Suzume-san have said on... This topic..."

[Shiba Haru]

"On drinking sake? Oh well she has never done it before. I had my first drink on our first day here. She asked me how it was and we talked a bit and we were thinking that a bunch of us should get together on the final day and do some drinking. We won't be true adults until we get home and go through our personal family ceremonies so we still have some leeway with our actions if we happen to get a bit out of control. Think you would join us?"

[Kuni Mitsuko]

"Bleeh... eh... Uh, I might do that. I mean, if the right people are going, I guess." She nods her head, a little absently.

"Did, um... Did Suzume-san have anything to say about... People getting betrothed?" Nonchalance isn't really a Kuni skill, although the skinny Kuni girl makes it mostly seem like her question is innocent.

[Shiba Haru]

Haru couldn't be sure but he had a suspicion. It wasn't the first time the Kuni had acted odd at the mention of the Sparrow and he noted that she wasn't asking him about what he said or thought, just what Rin said.

"I'm not sure it's appropriate for me to repeat what was said between us. I would not want to stain her honor by repeating the things we promised to one another."

[Kuni Mitsuko]

Even in the low light, Mitsuko's eyes are clearly as wide as saucers and her mouth is slightly open.

"Wha... Wai... You, um. You..." She closes her eyes and shakes her head, trying to clear it.

"Ahem," she says, eyes still closed. "What exactly did you promise to Suzume Rin-san?" There's an edge of danger in Mitsuko's voice that the Shiba hasn't heard before.

[Shiba Haru]

Eyes wide Haru says. "Oh wow it's worse then I thought."

He held his hands up in a gesture of peace.

"My words were a falsehood Mistuko-san, no promises were made and no secrets were shared. I have merely seen through to you because we walk the same path. When we spoke about marriage it was in the abstract.

I mentioned that I would rather go to a miai than get a letter telling me my match like my brother did. We spoke about some of the wild stories you hear about miai's. She asked if was betrothed like Jiro to which I said no. I asked if she was or had someone special back home and she said no. Then she left, we had been chatting a long while and she wanted to get some training in before bed.

I'm surprised she isn't here actually; it's maybe part of the reason I came here. Instead, the other deeply interesting person I have meet is here and it turns out she is even more interested in the little bird than I am. Which is amusing and a little bit disappointing for me."