[D3, EE] Oh Hail No (Open, expecting)

[Shiba Haru]

Glancing at Haru
"Don't sound like you're matched with anyone yet?"

"No, thus my concern over it. While I know I need to focus on the now this is just the first step in a whole slew of changes. Will I attend a miai or arrive home to find something has been arranged already. My family has little to offer, we are not wealthy nor control important lands, we have a deep connection to the element of Void and Jiro carries that on with his marriage to Natsuko-san. That leaves me with a lot of questions. I feel like if I could win the Topaz Championship it might help my family and it would certainly honor my ancestors, many of which have been duelists but it is arrogant to even consider being named champion. My future is a blank page to me right now, I could end up anywhere doing anything."

[Suzume Rin]

"No, thus my concern over it. While I know I need to focus on the now this is just the first step in a whole slew of changes. Will I attend a miai or arrive home to find something has been arranged already. My family has little to offer, we are not wealthy nor control important lands, we have a deep connection to the element of Void and Jiro carries that on with his marriage to Natsuko-san. That leaves me with a lot of questions. I feel like if I could win the Topaz Championship it might help my family and it would certainly honor my ancestors, many of which have been duelists but it is arrogant to even consider being named champion. My future is a blank page to me right now, I could end up anywhere doing anything."

"Well, that's a lot to consider. But I'd say, and maybe this is just me, but that blank page is an opportunity, right? You're gonna be the one writing what's on it. Lotta folks they just get given the story written already. Sometimes it's a good one, sometimes it ain't. Winning everything would be a good story, but it's a blank page, you can turn it into anything."

Rin spreads skinny arms to demonstrate
"So you know, maybe think about it like that? When you get home you can go to your parents and say "I want to marry so & so" and it might be hard, but you'd have a chance to make it happen. And I mean, worse comes to worse you're still a promising Phoenix, right? Your prologue has already been good to get here."

[Shiba Haru]

"Well, that's a lot to consider. But I'd say, and maybe this is just me, but that blank page is an opportunity, right? You're gonna be the one writing what's on it. Lotta folks they just get given the story written already. Sometimes it's a good one, sometimes it ain't. Winning everything would be a good story, but it's a blank page, you can turn it into anything."

Rin spreads skinny arms to demonstrate
"So you know, maybe think about it like that? When you get home you can go to your parents and say "I want to marry so & so" and it might be hard, but you'd have a chance to make it happen. And I mean, worse comes to worse you're still a promising Phoenix, right? Your prologue has already been good to get here."

"Hmm, being able to influence something like that would be interesting but I'm not sure it would be fare to my brother. While I think his marriage will prove fruitful he never had a voice in it, it seems selfish to try and influence my betrothal.

But that is the distant future when compared to this week. What does the title of Topaz Champion mean to you; do you seek the position or is it just seem like a burden to you? It would certainly mean more time away from your family."

[Suzume Rin]

"Hmm, being able to influence something like that would be interesting but I'm not sure it would be fare to my brother. While I think his marriage will prove fruitful he never had a voice in it, it seems selfish to try and influence my betrothal.

But that is the distant future when compared to this week. What does the title of Topaz Champion mean to you; do you seek the position or is it just seem like a burden to you? It would certainly mean more time away from your family."

"That's not be selfish, I'm sure your brother would want you to be in the happiest possible-"
Pause
"Huh? Champion?"
Blink blink
"I ain't gonna be champion, some of the samurai here, they make me feel like it's my first day in the dojo. There's this really intense lion who hits like a mule. Or there's Hirame-sama, he's so confident, like he just knows he's gonna be champion. Me I'm just here to make sure the Sparrow are represented as well as can be. Don't even know what I'd do as champion, guess whatever I was told?"

[Shiba Haru]

"That's not be selfish, I'm sure your brother would want you to be in the happiest possible-"
Pause
"Huh? Champion?"
Blink blink
"I ain't gonna be champion, some of the samurai here, they make me feel like it's my first day in the dojo. There's this really intense lion who hits like a mule. Or there's Hirame-sama, he's so confident, like he just knows he's gonna be champion. Me I'm just here to make sure the Sparrow are represented as well as can be. Don't even know what I'd do as champion, guess whatever I was told?"

Haru seemed to file away her words for later contemplation.

"Well the Topaz Champion actually gets to choose their first station and duty, within reason of course. There are also a lot of dinner and ceremonies they have to attend, meeting important people and the like. It gives the title holder a fancy set of armor that has been passed down from champion to champion and it opens a lot of doors politically for the future. I imagine it's a good way to bring benefits one's clan and family be that wealth, resources or fame.

And while you may not consider yourself a challenger I certainly do, you are probably the youngest competitor here and that must mean you have excelled in your training."

[Suzume Rin]

Haru seemed to file away her words for later contemplation.

"Well the Topaz Champion actually gets to choose their first station and duty, within reason of course. There are also a lot of dinner and ceremonies they have to attend, meeting important people and the like. It gives the title holder a fancy set of armor that has been passed down from champion to champion and it opens a lot of doors politically for the future. I imagine it's a good way to bring benefits one's clan and family be that wealth, resources or fame.

And while you may not consider yourself a challenger I certainly do, you are probably the youngest competitor here and that must mean you have excelled in your training."

"Oh yeah, the armour...it would probably be too big for me though."
Looking out into the night
"The station you choose? Dunno what that would be for me. Hmmm, I mean, magistrates are important? But I'm not sure I'd be a good one, they have to be pretty strict from time to time. And I'd be terrible at any court. Maybe something that could make things easier for my folks back home? Not sure what it would be, but I think that'd be a good way to do it."

[Shiba Haru]

"Oh yeah, the armour...it would probably be too big for me though."
Looking out into the night
"The station you choose? Dunno what that would be for me. Hmmm, I mean, magistrates are important? But I'm not sure I'd be a good one, they have to be pretty strict from time to time. And I'd be terrible at any court. Maybe something that could make things easier for my folks back home? Not sure what it would be, but I think that'd be a good way to do it."

"I think so as well, you could choose to serve in a great clans court and help strengthen your clans ties to them which could bring aid and let you see a corner of the empire you might not have otherwise. Is there a clan or their lands that interest you most?"

[Suzume Rin]

"I think so as well, you could choose to serve in a great clans court and help strengthen your clans ties to them which could bring aid and let you see a corner of the empire you might not have otherwise. Is there a clan or their lands that interest you most?"

"Oh, that's a good question!"
Rin chews her lip
"Well, the Crane have always been friendly I guess and lots of us in the Sparrow can trace our roots all the way back there. But that might be a little...and this is gonna sound mean, and it isn't meant to be, but it might be a little boring. I think I'd really like to see the Crab or Phoenix lands. Things such so interesting there. And I think there's a lot of good in both clans."

[Shiba Haru]

"Oh, that's a good question!"
Rin chews her lip
"Well, the Crane have always been friendly I guess and lots of us in the Sparrow can trace our roots all the way back there. But that might be a little...and this is gonna sound mean, and it isn't meant to be, but it might be a little boring. I think I'd really like to see the Crab or Phoenix lands. Things such so interesting there. And I think there's a lot of good in both clans."

"I think visiting Crab lands would be enlightening, and if as Topaz Champion would probably mean it was possible to pop in and surprise visit Mitsuko-san which would be amusing to me. Before yesterday's test I might have said Mantis lands, I imagine it as a warm paradise but I did not handle the voyage well. As I said a visit to Sparrow lands would be a welcome one as would a trip down the River of Gold."

[Suzume Rin]

"I think visiting Crab lands would be enlightening, and if as Topaz Champion would probably mean it was possible to pop in and surprise visit Mitsuko-san which would be amusing to me. Before yesterday's test I might have said Mantis lands, I imagine it as a warm paradise but I did not handle the voyage well. As I said a visit to Sparrow lands would be a welcome one as would a trip down the River of Gold."

"Oh absolutely, the Mantis lands got steaming jungles and silver plates...or I think just lots of silver. But if you don't like boats, well they seem to be pretty boat based, so maybe not a good pick then."
Nodding enthusiastically
"You could go down the river then get off near the golden plains, that'd be a nice trip. I hear some of the cities up there are...well...Zakyo Toshi has a pretty rough reputation. But that could make it even more exciting."

[Shiba Haru]

"Oh absolutely, the Mantis lands got steaming jungles and silver plates...or I think just lots of silver. But if you don't like boats, well they seem to be pretty boat based, so maybe not a good pick then."
Nodding enthusiastically
"You could go down the river then get off near the golden plains, that'd be a nice trip. I hear some of the cities up there are...well...Zakyo Toshi has a pretty rough reputation. But that could make it even more exciting."

"Same goes for Ryoko Owari but I think I would like to see it with my own eyes, nothing wrong with a little adventure after all."

[Suzume Rin]

"Same goes for Ryoko Owari but I think I would like to see it with my own eyes, nothing wrong with a little adventure after all."

"Oh no, the adventure just makes it even better!...You just gotta watch out for the opium dealers, and the firemen, and the opium dealing firemen. Ma really didn't have much nice to say about those parts, but I'm sure it's changed a lot."

[Shiba Haru]

"Oh no, the adventure just makes it even better!...You just gotta watch out for the opium dealers, and the firemen, and the opium dealing firemen. Ma really didn't have much nice to say about those parts, but I'm sure it's changed a lot."

"That all sounds exciting, well except for the opium part; I've barely tried sake so I have no interest in losing my mind."

[Suzume Rin]

"That all sounds exciting, well except for the opium part; I've barely tried sake so I have no interest in losing my mind."

"Oh? What was it like? My folks got pretty strict rules about alcohol so there was never any in the house. But I know Uncle Keitaro always seems to have a bottle when he gets sad..and he gets sad a lot."

[Shiba Haru]

"Oh? What was it like? My folks got pretty strict rules about alcohol so there was never any in the house. But I know Uncle Keitaro always seems to have a bottle when he gets sad..and he gets sad a lot."

"It was interesting, kind of numbing in a pleasant way though it was only one bottle and I split it with Yuji-san so I probably didn't actually get "drunk". You should take the opportunity here to try it, there are several places and no one is going to stop you. I would love to join you as I'm would others."

[Suzume Rin]

"It was interesting, kind of numbing in a pleasant way though it was only one bottle and I split it with Yuji-san so I probably didn't actually get "drunk". You should take the opportunity here to try it, there are several places and no one is going to stop you. I would love to join you as I'm would others."

"Numbing? Sounds like a good way to go to sleep, or if you got aches from working all today."
Rin considers it
"I mean, a couple cups...at the right time, maybe after an event. You're sure people wouldn't mind? I wouldn't want to be staggering around Tsuma yelling out stories. Well, no more than I usually do."

[Shiba Haru]

"Numbing? Sounds like a good way to go to sleep, or if you got aches from working all today."
Rin considers it
"I mean, a couple cups...at the right time, maybe after an event. You're sure people wouldn't mind? I wouldn't want to be staggering around Tsuma yelling out stories. Well, no more than I usually do."

Haru laughed, a bit too loudly.

"Maybe when this is all over and we don't have to worry about these tests a bunch of us can get together and really let loose."

[Suzume Rin]

Haru laughed, a bit too loudly.

"Maybe when this is all over and we don't have to worry about these tests a bunch of us can get together and really let loose."

"Now that's a good idea! Bet your idea of forging bonds between everyone would work well if folks got together for a party at the end and were able to enjoy themselves."

[Shiba Haru]

"Now that's a good idea! Bet your idea of forging bonds between everyone would work well if folks got together for a party at the end and were able to enjoy themselves."

Well...most people. I have been reminded recently that not everyone see's our current way of life as a problem. Some people think war is a good thing."

[Suzume Rin]

Well...most people. I have been reminded recently that not everyone see's our current way of life as a problem. Some people think war is a good thing."

"Oh..."
Rin looks slightly disappointed.
"Well, if it were easy it'd already be done, right? You aren't doing this because it's easy, but because it's hard. 'Course some folks are going to prefer war, for some samurai that's just who they are, why they are. Don't let it discourage yah."