[Day 5, Early Evening] A Corrupting Influence (Expecting)

[Yukikaze no Kasumi]

"Purely self-inflicted ones, I think. Well. An' th'matter I'd hoped we were gonna get after, that one's not m'fault. But th'others are."

She fixed the Lion with a gimlet eye.

"An' with all due respect, I know what Bushido'd say, so repeatin' it's... less'n ideal."

[Akodo Michi]

"Samurai are creatures of duty, but humans are creatures of emotion", the Lion said lightly and held up her cup. "If you believe it should not be spoken of, you would not have begun the discussion."

[Yukikaze no Kasumi]

"Oh, already brought it up earlier. So. Tryin' t'drown one Sin without kicking in another."

[Akodo Michi]

"I admit I don't understand", she replied. "If there is something you wish to talk about, you may proceed. We are yet children." A shrug. "The last mistakes we can be forgiven easily are made in this place, recorded for all time by the Crane."

Sip.

[Yukikaze no Kasumi]

"So. Hung up on someone who I not merely can't have, but who's sworn t'another who's also here in Tsuma. My performance in th'tests beyond th'one pretty much designed for m t'excel at hasn't been all that great. Today bein' th'worst by far, 'cause I just... I don' mind a challenge, Akodo-san. But a total impossibility is..."

She grimaced.

"... bad for my state'a mind."

[Akodo Michi]

"When you arrived, did you have any notion that you would win this tournament?" she asked after a sip.

[Yukikaze no Kasumi]

"Akodo-san, y'saw my first real iajutsu practice ever. Whaddya think?"

She sighed, staring at her cup.

"I'm still wondering why th'hell they tapped me for it."

[Akodo Michi]

"Quite so, but that is not my point, did you believe in yourself at all, or have you resigned to feeling as if pride in yourself would be misplaced?" she asked, more serious now, and looking her in the eye.

[Yukikaze no Kasumi]

"I'd say any confidence has been smacked down pretty hard. 'Specially today."

[Akodo Michi]

"From my point of view, my pride is unhurt, today I shared my courtesy, yesterday I hit a target, the day before I made a model and did research, before that I sailed and demanded fools buy my goods, on the first day I played a game of kick ball", she sipped her sake and gave it an appreciative nod. "And so, there has been one challenge relevant to me and my duty, I did what I could with the training I have been given, and though it produced results, there were many others in the running. It was possible at any moment an arrow would fly straighter than mine, or a horse be more cooperative."

[Yukikaze no Kasumi]

"Horses... hell. Think it was more m'balance than m'trainin' that kept me on th'thing."

[Akodo Michi]

"Yes, but you do understand my meaning, don't you?" she asked and sipped again. "These tests are but meaningless tasks in most part. Though they do not lack in challenge of a sort, I ask how they measure who is most worthy to wear the Topaz armor."

[Yukikaze no Kasumi]

"Well. It's th'Crane's party. Reckon they'd know, but it beats th'hell outta me."

[Akodo Michi]

"My point is I do not believe they do much at all", she said with a shrug. Quite unbecoming, maybe it was the sake. "The tests of the General and Warrior will most likely decide who will be appearing in the dueling ring, and the matches in the ring will determine the champion."

[Yukikaze no Kasumi]

"Y'think th'Crane would weight 'em more heavily than all th'others?"

[Akodo Michi]

"In the end, duels are fought between bushi", she said. "There are a great many here who are no trained in the method, if they are not of greater import considering how everything will be ultimately decided, I will be surprised."

[Yukikaze no Kasumi]

"Guess we'll see what th'Crane decide."

[Akodo Michi]

"Indeed", she agreed. "So what was the other matter, again?"

Sip.

[Yukikaze no Kasumi]

"Oh, just a matter'a th'heart."

[Akodo Michi]

"A difficult battle", the Lion nodded. "Perhaps one you should resolve before taking your daisho."