[LM4] Test of the Wilds Observation

[Yukikaze no Kasumi]

She sat straighter up, eyes facing the field as another competitor mounted up. "Yes. well..." she breathed in and out, a posture and expression mixing where pride and humility clearly conflicted.

"..Thank you. We are all doing what we can."

"Some better'n others, though."

The Mantis favored the Lion with a sidelong smile.

Oh, stop poking at her.

"Anyhow, been a bit. How ya been?"

[Akodo Michi]

"Anyhow, been a bit. How ya been?"

"I rise before Lady Amaterasu every day, train at the dojo, take a short break in the afternoon to read or walk the town and enjoy it's air, then steady myself for the next day if I have made no social commitments, bathing as usual before an early slumber", she explained. This, of course, does nothing truly to explain how she has been.

[Asahina Sakura]

"Urusai, son of Tokaji," he replies as he seats himself.

"So," he continues, "how have you found events thus far?"

As he asks, his body relaxes. He remains upright, of course, but much of the tension that had been in him, the fidgety energy, eases out of him.

A small and tempered smile crosses her lips at the relaxation of the Seppun. "Oh! I uh, they haven't exactly been my forte? but that's alright... I've very much enjoyed the showcase of witnessing the other competitors skills. And yourself? How have you found Tsuma?"

[Seppun Urusai]

A small and tempered smile crosses her lips at the relaxation of the Seppun. "Oh! I uh, they haven't exactly been my forte? but that's alright... I've very much enjoyed the showcase of witnessing the other competitors skills. And yourself? How have you found Tsuma?"

"Pleasant," Urusai replies. "And it has been good to put in hours at the temple, even aside from that."

He smiles in return to her smile. "I hope I've been a good show for you?"

[Yukikaze no Kasumi]

"I rise before Lady Amaterasu every day, train at the dojo, take a short break in the afternoon to read or walk the town and enjoy it's air, then steady myself for the next day if I have made no social commitments, bathing as usual before an early slumber", she explained. This, of course, does nothing truly to explain how she has been.

Ah, well, seems more needles are required.

"So how ya been?"

Same words. Same tone. With perhaps the ghost of a smile.

[Asahina Sakura]

"Pleasant," Urusai replies. "And it has been good to put in hours at the temple, even aside from that."

He smiles in return to her smile. "I hope I've been a good show for you?"

"Hai... I was happy to be of assistance there, and am very pleased with the efforts of all involved. The spirits were energized as well, which is the best case scenario, I think?"

The small smile burst into something wider, and Sakura dipped her head shyly. "I uh, well, you see," she flustered, "Isn't everyone watching you?" she chirped awkwardly.

[Seppun Urusai]

"Hai... I was happy to be of assistance there, and am very pleased with the efforts of all involved. The spirits were energized as well, which is the best case scenario, I think?"

The small smile burst into something wider, and Sakura dipped her head shyly. "I uh, well, you see," she flustered, "Isn't everyone watching you?" she chirped awkwardly.

Urusai chuckles, and his own smile stays in place, since hers is there.

"I hope not!" he says. "I've not been doing nearly so well as I'd hoped, especially not after the first day."

[Asahina Sakura]

Urusai chuckles, and his own smile stays in place, since hers is there.

"I hope not!" he says. "I've not been doing nearly so well as I'd hoped, especially not after the first day."

"I don't see how they could be looking anywhere else," she said quickly, not knowing what to do with her hands so they moved a bit as she talked.
"Not everyone is going to be perfect at everything; that'd be kind of boring if every event was met with excellence from all the competitors."

[Seppun Urusai]

"I don't see how they could be looking anywhere else," she said quickly, not knowing what to do with her hands so they moved a bit as she talked.
"Not everyone is going to be perfect at everything; that'd be kind of boring if every event was met with excellence from all the competitors."

"Well, I mean, there're so many others doing well here," Urusai says. "Flashier types, among others."

His eyes follow her hands.

"Did I ask if you trained in your Family's School?"

[Akodo Michi]

"So how ya been?"

Same words. Same tone. With perhaps the ghost of a smile.

"Quite well, thank you", she said. Of course, a long discussion with a Scorpion, and then another with a Phoenix, and then drinking with a Crane. If the young Lion did not have a will of iron, her answer would be an obvious lie. Instead she managed it with polite courtesy, which may be true or may be not.

"I hope you have felt well these past days, Yukikaze no Kasumi-san." She dipped her head to the Mantis ever so slightly, but kept steady eyes on the competitor's movements on the horse and their firing of the bow.

[Asahina Sakura]

"Oh! I, uh, I mean, yes... There's always... um. It's difficult not to, notice, who's um, making a name for themselves already?"
She stuttered a bit before gulping and daring to look back at him and the smile reappeared. "You didn't? No, that's right, uh, we hadn't gotten that far yet. Were you going to?"

[Seppun Urusai]

"Oh! I, uh, I mean, yes... There's always... um. It's difficult not to, notice, who's um, making a name for themselves already?"
She stuttered a bit before gulping and daring to look back at him and the smile reappeared. "You didn't? No, that's right, uh, we hadn't gotten that far yet. Were you going to?"

Is she alright? Urusai wonders.

"Yes," he says aloud. "I was. I am. Yeah, so, 'Do you study at your Family's School?'"

He leans towards her just a bit.

[Yukikaze no Kasumi]

"Quite well, thank you", she said. Of course, a long discussion with a Scorpion, and then another with a Phoenix, and then drinking with a Crane. If the young Lion did not have a will of iron, her answer would be an obvious lie. Instead she managed it with polite courtesy, which may be true or may be not.

"I hope you have felt well these past days, Yukikaze no Kasumi-san." She dipped her head to the Mantis ever so slightly, but kept steady eyes on the competitor's movements on the horse and their firing of the bow.

"Well, it's been... interestin'."

In the sense that she had one toe in a smuggling investigation, a more than sizeable crush on someone she would never marry and whose own fiancee was in attendance, no real angle on doing anything the right way, and a sneaking suspicion that her days of doing anything too impressive in the competition itself were well behind her.

"Never a dull moment in Tsuma, hm?"

[Akodo Michi]

"Never a dull moment in Tsuma, hm?"

"I do not have much time for excitement", the Lion admitted, watching now as the next competitor finished. "Are there matters of import I have missed in pursuing my routine?"

[Yukikaze no Kasumi]

"I do not have much time for excitement", the Lion admitted, watching now as the next competitor finished. "Are there matters of import I have missed in pursuing my routine?"

"Well. There's a smugglin' problem. Opium."

[Akodo Michi]

"Well. There's a smugglin' problem. Opium."

"Detestable", the Lion growled. "How have you learned of this?"

[Asahina Sakura]

Is she alright? Urusai wonders.

"Yes," he says aloud. "I was. I am. Yeah, so, 'Do you study at your Family's School?'"

He leans towards her just a bit.

"....Right," an embarrassed blush coloured Sakura's cheeks, and her smile faltered just a little bit, "I did?" Was it a question? "Art and religion are um, they're both... they're both meant to be together, don't you think?"

[Seppun Urusai]

"....Right," an embarrassed blush coloured Sakura's cheeks, and her smile faltered just a little bit, "I did?" Was it a question? "Art and religion are um, they're both... they're both meant to be together, don't you think?"

Why's she blushing? Urusai thinks, and his own smile starts to lapse as hers does. Did I offend her?

"I've heard it said," he says, "that in making art, we emulate the creative powers of the Heavens. That'd seem to mean 'yes,' I think."

[Asahina Sakura]

Oh no. Ohno ohno ohno. "And uh, Seppun-sama? What are you most looking forward to maybe showcasing to the judges?"

[Seppun Urusai]

Oh no. Ohno ohno ohno. "And uh, Seppun-sama? What are you most looking forward to maybe showcasing to the judges?"

"In art?" Urusai blinks in surprise, but then his smile returns, showing remarkably even teeth.

"Storytelling." He nods. "I'm fortunate to have had Uncle--that'd be Seppun Fuman--in my life, to have heard his stories."

He pauses a moment, cocking his head as if listening to something, nodding slightly. "He had a way with a tale, to be sure, and if I do half so well as he, then I'll be a success here."