D3MA, Feather on Scale Action (Expecting)

[Kakita Yuuwaku]

Yuuwaku makes her way to the training grounds again. After some of the things that have been said, she feels the need to exercise, not only to chase some thoughts from her head, but to address one of the concerns Kakita-bugyo had breached.

I will never be fully ready. But I can be better.

[Otomo Saisei]

The Otomo warms up with a few run arounds the training ground since there was no weapons to train around. After a couple of laps, he notices the small Crane, and unaware of the worries the Kakita was struggling with, greets her with simle, "Good morning, Kakita-sama! Hope Inari-kami has been kind."

And he continues his jogging around the square.

[Kakita Yuuwaku]

Yuuwaku joins in, but, though her form is accustomed to exertion, not all exercises are the same. She struggles a bit to keep up with the Imperial--but letting an Imperial lead is not the worst optic, to be sure.

"The day," she pants out, "has been good...and better now...for meeting you...again...Otomo-san."

[Otomo Saisei]

After a moment, compassion does hit his sense and he slows down to her level so both can catch a breath.

He mentions, "I'm glad you feel better. The feeling is shared. Some good exercise also helps to keep the flowing up good. Sadly there are no training weapons that I can see, just those of the Crab. I would really enjoy a spar."

[Kakita Yuuwaku]

"Unfortunately...Otomo-san," Yuuwaku is a bit longer in catching her breath, "I would...not prove...a fit opponent. I am...minimally skilled...with my blade...following my training."

She swallows, breathes deeply, breathes again.

"And I don't tend to jog for my exercises...as I think clear."

She manages a grin.

"Perhaps Otomo-san might honor me by showing me...better how to handle a sword?"

[Otomo Saisei]

He chuckles and then shakes his head to mention, "I have not trained as a bushi. I am merely an enthusiast, too. Perhaps we can improve both our techniques, or... do ourselves some damage?"

With a laugh, he stops and then points to his wakizashi. "Alright, I'll show you what I learned when I was a little boy for self defense as a courtier. It's not much. Then, Kakita-sama shows some of her skills, which I honestly believe should be much more honed than mine."

The Otomo begins a simple wakizashi kata for closed quarters defense. Not much, just basic kenjutsu.

[Kakita Yuuwaku]

"Ah, I'm familiar with that one," Yuuwaku replies as she mimics the motions. For her, the actions take on an almost trancelike quality, her body moving liquidly from position to position.

"But I thought you had said you trained with the Ikeda?"

[Otomo Saisei]

He admires her movement, and takes an extra moment to reply, "I did some basic training. Watching the Ikeda. But I've never went to learn their techniques of old."

[Kakita Yuuwaku]

Yuuwaku notices the attention to her movement.

Ah, there it is.

"My apologies for the misunderstanding, then. Though you do still look to handle a sword well."

[Otomo Saisei]

He bows with a hint of a redness on his cheeks, "Thank you, Kakita-sama. There's no need to apologize. In any fashion, I do intend to improve. I really wouldn't like to have an yojimbo risking their necks for what I say."

He looks to both his hands and chuckles, "After all, I have both hands here and would be a shame not to put them to the best of uses."

[Kakita Yuuwaku]

"You must be careful, Otomo-san. Some might think you are implying things," Yuuwaku says, and winks at him.

"I, of course, would not. But others...well. Best not to speak of such things as they might think, eh?"

She smiles and adopts a strange pose for a fighter. "But perhaps you'd like to try something with me?"

[Otomo Saisei]

He blinks, naively not following her lines at first. "Nani?"

When she winks, thougs, his brain sort of explodes in the many possibilities of what such innuendo could mean. The image of Yusuke comes to mind, telling him to enjoy while here. The young man imagines some other things best let untold for now, and reddens even more.

Thankfully, Yuuwaku assumes a weird fighting stance that slicks a grin out his face. He nods and assumes his own stance –– basically the only one he knew for Kenjutsu. "It would be an honor, Kakita-sama."

--
D3, MA, Initiative: 3d10o10k2 7

[Kakita Yuuwaku]

"To the touch, then," Yuuwaku says shifting her stance slightly. Well, there goes that idea, she thinks, but the Crab will enjoy the show.

Her small, lithe body is suddenly, amazingly, in motion, moving with what seems prodigious speed. Her wakizashi, already having been out from the kata, flashes as it seeks the Otomo's body. It will be a telling touch, though not an overly powerful one, if it connects.

OOC:
Initiative 40, https://orokos.com/roll/856053
Roll to hit 19, https://orokos.com/roll/856054
Damage (assuming a hit) 7, https://orokos.com/roll/856055

[Otomo Saisei]

And boy, does that hit connect. The Otomo widens his eyes at her speed as the katana flashes through and actually does cut his sleeve, and arm. Impressed –- and not willing to cut her after such a good strike –– he merely unsheathes his wakizashi as a sign of respect to end the spar.

"Wow, Kakita-sama is a true descendant of the masters of the blade. I am doubly impressed."

[Kakita Yuuwaku]

Yuuwaku flicks the blood from the blade, mimicking the gesture she has seen a thousand times from students of the other curriculum, wipes the wakizashi with paper--sacrificing a poem or painting that could have been--and sheathes her own blade before bowing, deeply, to the Otomo.

"My apologies for the lack of control. I am still a poor student of that art, Otomo-san."

[Otomo Saisei]

He copies her own movements, even if no blood coated his blade, and stores it back to the saya. Of course, he doesn't forget to bow to her. Only after that is when he actually looks to the wound area. After a moment, he says with a shrug, "It was a master cut. Just a single tear in a scratch. It will heal back in my next nap."

He raises a finger, comforting her, "DOn't worry though. If your plan was to leave a mark on me. You have already done it the moment I saw you yesterday."

[Kakita Yuuwaku]

"To have scarred such a handsome man before baring my blade seems an odd happening, Otomo-san," Yuuwaku replies. "But if I have injured you, I would see it addressed. Tell me," and she looks at him with wide eyes, "how can I make it up to you?"

The wakizashi, sheathed and stowed, is replaced in her hand by her accustomed fan. For the moment, she holds it closed, demurely in front of her belly.

[Otomo Saisei]

He shakes his head, "By all means, Kakita-sama. It was my idea, there's no need to make up to me. It should heal soon, I expect."

The young Otomo checks the cut again, and lifts his kimono sleeve –– which is also cut –– to show. "See, don't worry."

[Kakita Yuuwaku]

"If you say not to, Otomo-san," Yuuwaku replies, "then I shall not worry. Besides," and she grins, "many appreciate their daring companions' dashing scars. It speaks to a certain..." she trails off, letting herself pause for a moment as her grin sharpens before adding, "experience.

"And it makes for the kind of person whose family should continue."

[Otomo Saisei]

The Otomo keeps his eyes focused at the cut for some additional moments to allow the redness on his cheeks to wane out.

"Eto," he clears his throat coyly and finally looks back at her to add, "If the mark remains, it will be a good story to tell over and over again. It is, after all, a classic tale: of how those of Imperial blood are marked by the Crane in honor of their beauty and art."

[Kakita Yuuwaku]

Yuuwaku nods. "There is much the classics can teach. That is, after all, why they are classics, is it not?"

The fan unfolds a bit, fanning her chin and neck slowly. "What mark does Otomo-san seek to make in turn? For I would rather be known for other arts than swordplay, and he, himself, might feel similarly. Would he follow the venerated Madoka in writing a political treatise, or the well-known Taro in painting and patronizing painters?

"Or might he, perhaps, be more interested in the art of dance than those?"

[Otomo Saisei]

"What mark?" His eyes get somewhat serious and, again, he takes a moment to reply –– as if measuring words. Still with eyes locked, he says, "I seek to make my legacy strong, proud and honorable, as the shining examples of our late Ancestors."

He then wiggles eyebrows a bit, to add, "As for the arts, I am merely an eager overenthusiastic admirer."

With a laugh, he concludes, "I should have been trained bushi, but that's not the Otomo way."

[Kakita Yuuwaku]

"There is nothing 'mere' about admiring the arts, Otomo-san," Yuuwaku replies. "It is how we distinguish ourselves above...others.

"But Otomo-san moves well. Perhaps he would like to attempt a dance with me?"

[Otomo Saisei]

The young man winces a bit while scratching his head, "Eto... I am actually a terrible dancer. Thanks for the compliment, anyhow, Kakita-sama."

After a moment, noticing she mentioned dance a couple of times, he narrows his eyes and then nods with a re-establish confidence, "Yet, if it pleases Kakita-sama, I put myself to the challenge. I warn Kakita-sama, though: Perhaps we can improve both our techniques, or... do ourselves some damage?"

He cracks a laugh moments after.

[Kakita Yuuwaku]

"For you, Otomo-san," Yuuwaku replies with a chuckle of her own, "I am willing to take the risk. And it may be that we move well together!

"Partner me as best you can; step where I have left behind."

So saying, she opens her fan fully, and her lithe, small body begins to trace out a series of motions that might well evoke a warrior defending themself with a tessen, or a receding paramour deftly avoiding an angry lover, but with grace and aplomb (34).

And once he is moving along, then, then...