Words Cut Like Steel

[Seppun_Aoki]

She clears her throat quietly and the amusement is still noticeable in her voice when she speaks.

"Hai, Yoritomo-sama, but only if you pass the rice and sake back to me."
_________________
Imperial * Samurai * Dangerous Beauty * Benten's Blessing * Voice * Allergic to Seafood

Status: 3.0
Honor: 2.5
Glory: 2.2

[Yoritomo_Kanousei]

"Ah, my apologies, of course."

Kanousei sends the rice and what little is left of the sake back after pouring himself another cup.
_________________
Yoritomo Kanousei * Mantis Clan * Bushi * Blood of Osano-Wo

Status 1.0
Honor 0.9
Glory 1.2 (2.2 to Mantis and Crab)

[Seppun_Aoki]

There was a long pause and a few whispered words. The near-silent footfalls of one of the servants could be heard retreating from the pool, then coming back. A few moments after, the bamboo tray floated back over, a couple of the rice balls missing, but a fresh sake bottle standing in the center.

"Is there anything in particular you'd like to know, Yoritomo-sama? Or should I just pick something interesting from my otherwise boring life and tell you that?" The amusement had not faded from her voice, and added to it seemed to be a faint slurring of a few of the words.
_________________
Imperial * Samurai * Dangerous Beauty * Benten's Blessing * Voice * Allergic to Seafood

Status: 3.0
Honor: 2.5
Glory: 2.2

[Yoritomo_Kanousei]

"I shall leave the topic to you, i'm sure your life has been anything but boring."

Kanousei seems rather amused and still sober.
_________________
Yoritomo Kanousei * Mantis Clan * Bushi * Blood of Osano-Wo

Status 1.0
Honor 0.9
Glory 1.2 (2.2 to Mantis and Crab)

[Seppun_Aoki]

"Hmm ..." There was a slightl pause. "I was trained as a Miharu, though you already guessed that when we first met. I've spent most of the last four years as yojimbo for various diplomats and shugenja." Another pause, and when she speaks again, her voice was hesitant, with a touch of sadness. "I was recalled to Toshi Ranbo last year, to serve alongside my brothers and sisters ..."
_________________
Imperial * Samurai * Dangerous Beauty * Benten's Blessing * Voice * Allergic to Seafood

Status: 3.0
Honor: 2.5
Glory: 2.2

[Yoritomo_Kanousei]

"Ah.."

Kanousei begins to speak but loses his words and stops for a moment.

"You have my condolences Seppun-sama, I only heard of what happened recently. It was quite a shock to return from the Ivory Kingdoms and hear that it had happened months before our return."

Kanousei is clearly hesitant to speak on this subject and very uncomfortable.
_________________
Yoritomo Kanousei * Mantis Clan * Bushi * Blood of Osano-Wo

Status 1.0
Honor 0.9
Glory 1.2 (2.2 to Mantis and Crab)

[Seppun_Aoki]

"Ahh." Another pause, and when she speaks again, it is obvious that the cheerfulness is a bit forced. "So there you have it - one boring life."
_________________
Imperial * Samurai * Dangerous Beauty * Benten's Blessing * Voice * Allergic to Seafood

Status: 3.0
Honor: 2.5
Glory: 2.2

[Yoritomo_Kanousei]

"Surely it hasn't been that boring, you must have some stories to tell about your time as a yojimbo."

Kanousei seems very anxious to change the subject.
_________________
Yoritomo Kanousei * Mantis Clan * Bushi * Blood of Osano-Wo

Status 1.0
Honor 0.9
Glory 1.2 (2.2 to Mantis and Crab)

[Seppun_Aoki]

"Well, no ... not really. My duty as yojimbo usually kept me pretty busy, and what little time I had for myself was spent in training." Her voice had a slightly embarressed tone to it. "I doubt I'll have much free time while I"m here, either."
_________________
Imperial * Samurai * Dangerous Beauty * Benten's Blessing * Voice * Allergic to Seafood

Status: 3.0
Honor: 2.5
Glory: 2.2

[Yoritomo_Kanousei]

"Then we shall have to rectify that, everyone needs some stories to tell. If your duties allow it I am sure we can find something to do that you can tell stories of it to all your friends later."

Kanosei pauses for a moment, he seems a little upset.

"Ah, well that's no good, you were supposed to lighten the mood. I guess it falls to me then, I shall tell you the story of when I battled a school of sharks with my barehands."

Ridiculous as it may sound, Kanousei really does sound like he's telling the truth.

"My senseis tell me that it is a tried and true training method, however I can assure you, tieing a long length of rope to a young boy and throwing him behind a kobune at full sail is hardle training. It is physically impossible to swim faster than the kobune, and the speed at which you are being pulled makes doing anything other than flounder around very difficult. At first I tried to pull myself back to the ship using the rope, but I was told that that was cheating so they let out another 20 feet of rope. After a few minutes of struggling helplessly to catch the kobune it seems that my flailing combined with the blood from cutting my hands on teh rope attracted some observers. I wasn't sure at first why my senseis were panicking and trying to pull me in since I couldn't see all the fins that had broke the surface behind me. Nor did I get a chance to look back as one of the sharks burst out of the water and tried to take me in its jaws. I managed to avoid it by pulling myself a few feet up on the rope but was quickly set upon by another. For near five minutes I fought off the beasts with my barehands narrowly avoiding being caught in their jaws over and over while my senseis tried to pull me back into the kobune."

Kanousei pauses and chuckles a bit.

"They all acted like it was a regular part of teh training afterwards and congratulated me on a job well done and rewarded me with sake and sweets."
_________________
Yoritomo Kanousei * Mantis Clan * Bushi * Blood of Osano-Wo

Status 1.0
Honor 0.9
Glory 1.2 (2.2 to Mantis and Crab)

[Seppun_Aoki]

ooc. training method? they use keelhauling as a training method!? ...

sweeet.


A small "Oh!" had escaped from Aoki's lips as Kanosukei told his tale.

"You were not harmed, were you?"
_________________
Imperial * Samurai * Dangerous Beauty * Benten's Blessing * Voice * Allergic to Seafood

Status: 3.0
Honor: 2.5
Glory: 2.2

[Yoritomo_Kanousei]

"Ah, no more so than during most of their 'unique' training methods."

Kanousei has regained his good mood, and the sake seems to be affecting him now.

"Hmm, now what tale of my training should I tell now, the time I rode on the back of an orochi, the night I stole Kumiko-dono's undergarments or the day I challenged a temple of Osano-Wo to a fistfight."
_________________
Yoritomo Kanousei * Mantis Clan * Bushi * Blood of Osano-Wo

Status 1.0
Honor 0.9
Glory 1.2 (2.2 to Mantis and Crab)

[Seppun_Aoki]

There was a faint gasp.

"You stole Lady Kumiko's ... !?" Her tone was incredulous.
_________________
Imperial * Samurai * Dangerous Beauty * Benten's Blessing * Voice * Allergic to Seafood

Status: 3.0
Honor: 2.5
Glory: 2.2

[Yoritomo_Kanousei]

"Huh, ah right, that's one of the ones i'm not supposed to tell people."

Kanousei lets out a sigh.

"Ah well, I don't think it really counts as stealing if they are given willingly. I was never sure what the purpose of this particular test was, but my senseis ordered me to sneak into Kumiko-dono's room and steal her undergarments or I would be forced to wash all of theirs, I think I was 11 at the time. Needless to say my attempts at breaking into her room were unsuccesful, the guards caught me moments after I started and brought me before her."

Kanousei laughs quietly.

"When she asked me what I was doing I told her the truth and she burst into laughter. 'So you're The Dances boy, they're always talking about you, ridiculous stories about fighting sharks and outswimming kobunes, and the embarasing things they make their little student do.' I nearly died in embarasment there, then she spoke more seriously, 'the crew tell stories like that, but your uncle never laughs, his stories are always filled with pride in his Little Mantis, he tells me you will be one of my greatest warriors one day and bring me countless victories' she gave me a piece of cloth then and sent me on my way 'consider it a favor to be repaid later Little Mantis'."

He pauses again.

"My senseis were speechless when I returned successful, I got almost a weeks reprieve from their ridiculous training."
_________________
Yoritomo Kanousei * Mantis Clan * Bushi * Blood of Osano-Wo

Status 1.0
Honor 0.9
Glory 1.2 (2.2 to Mantis and Crab)

[Seppun_Aoki]

Aoki was silent for a long time.

"That ... is something else, Yoritomo-sama ..."
_________________
Imperial * Samurai * Dangerous Beauty * Benten's Blessing * Voice * Allergic to Seafood

Status: 3.0
Honor: 2.5
Glory: 2.2