D1 LM Niten Style (Open)

[Shinjo Liu Fei]

"I have not seen how a man could die by his word in a court, I admit, when we were away we used a test of strength to help settle disagreements among ourselves to avoid the need for bloodshed among our Clan. Maybe, one day, I will see the merit of how you go to battle. I just do not see it, have not seen it, yet."

[Shinjo Hanashi]

Hanashi calls to Liu Fei, now that she seemed finished. "Shinjo-san! Is the ring clear for a dusty, one-eyed story teller to honor Lady Amaterasu?"

[Shinjo Liu Fei]

Hearing Hanashi's call she gave the Bayushi a glance, asking for the momentary pause, before waving Hanashi over. "Allow me to get out of your way so you may do so," she called back. Looking back toward the Bayushi and stepping off of the mat, just to the side with him.

[Bayushi Suteichi]

"I have not seen how a man could die by his word in a court, I admit, when we were away we used a test of strength to help settle disagreements among ourselves to avoid the need for bloodshed among our Clan. Maybe, one day, I will see the merit of how you go to battle. I just do not see it, have not seen it, yet."

Suteichi instantly assumed that a test of strength must have meant a duel of some variety. To him, it seemed that the returning Ki-Rin were not so foreign after all. The Shinjo's directness was something that invoked a heightened interest in her. His faint smile had an added slight raise of the eyebrow denoting the interest. He was not insulted by her words, she just needed clarification and understanding.

"You are not the first to say that Shinjo-sama. There are some who feel that the court is just a place of idle banter. Those who do learn the hard way that words can cause many problems if they are not careful. Words can lead to action. The right ones can inspire alliances, rally troops, bend policy to their favor. The right words can create friendships or even woo a potential suitor..." He let that linger for just a second or two longer then proceeded.

"The wrong words can cause a duel, a war. It can cause an uprising. In short words and actions are in this little dance. If dance is a series of rhythm and beats, then I like to consider myself part of the rhythm that can inspire the beat."


He heard her fellow clansmen and stepped back with her. A bit rude but somewhat expected. Who tells stories in a practice dojo?! Suteichi awaited to see what would happen next.

[Soshi Yuuru]

"I had a sensei as I presume you did, Yuuru-dono," she replied with a smile. "My Family and Clan still retained structure even without permanent residency." She patted the butt of her tetsubo. "We do not each have our own technique. It is trained as with any Rokugani."

"I see." Yuuru nodded. "Perhaps you wouldn't mind performing a bit of a kata or some such you've learned?"

[Shinjo Hanashi]

A smile and a rarely practiced bow. "Thank you."

He proceeds with some warm up practice, mainly a striking posture. They'd been told the Rokugani preferred it when people practiced such things in buildings dedicated to ot, so why not try it out?

He had to correct his strike while on foot. There were too many differences when on horseback.

[Shinjo Liu Fei]

"Your words suit you well Bayushi-sama," she remarked. Keeping her thoughts, her interest, hidden from her expression. Stepping off to the side her left arm rested at her hip while the other kept her Naginata steady at her side.

Hanashi, for her, moved to the background as he began his routine exactly as she was expecting when he requested the space.

"You still need action to support those words when making friendships," a light pause, "other arrangements," she suppressed the smirk that tried to form from playing his rather subtly blunt game.

"Words can't defend you when it truly counts, something you understand," she said drawing attention to his sleeve with a glance.

[Bayushi Suteichi]

"Your words suit you well Bayushi-sama," she remarked. Keeping her thoughts, her interest, hidden from her expression. Stepping off to the side her left arm rested at her hip while the other kept her Naginata steady at her side.

Hanashi, for her, moved to the background as he began his routine exactly as she was expecting when he requested the space.

"You still need action to support those words when making friendships," a light pause, "other arrangements," she suppressed the smirk that tried to form from playing his rather subtly blunt game.

"Words can't defend you when it truly counts, something you understand," she said drawing attention to his sleeve with a glance.

Suteichi kept his eyes on the routine and let he Shinjo warrior know that he shared the sentiment.

"You are correct Shinjo-sama. Words alone cannot defend neither do they have sufficient power without corresponding action." he whispered. He then slightly tilted his towards her, his whisper a bit softer.

"While I am a man of words, I am a man of action. How else can friendships flourish and arrangements be made lest they be properly acted upon?"

[Shinjo Liu Yue]

"I see." Yuuru nodded. "Perhaps you wouldn't mind performing a bit of a kata or some such you've learned?"

The Moto-trained woman nodded and secured a nice, open space for her to demonstrate her technique. Once she was satisfied, Yue gave the Soshi a deep bow as the start of her performance. She then readied her tetsubo much like another person would ready a club; the control she had over it with one arm may have astonished anyone outside of the Unicorn Clan. Each one of her demonstration swings was refined like any trained in such use. It was clear, despite her best efforts, that she still had much to learn. Plus the weapon itself was not known for its quickness.

What she did well was demonstrate her power. It was clear that anyone on the receiving end of such a blow would be left reeling.

[Shinjo Liu Fei]

...

Brow raising as the Scorpion tilted his head slightly, speaking softer, she however barely lowered her voice if only matching the quieter nature with her tone alone, "I would not know another way Bayushi-sama. Leaving me only with the ability to expect you to spar me properly some time in order to keep your word."

Liu Fei corrected her tone, "Perhaps through Bariqu? Then we might be able to get a better sense of one another."

[Bayushi Suteichi]

...

Brow raising as the Scorpion tilted his head slightly, speaking softer, she however barely lowered her voice if only matching the quieter nature with her tone alone, "I would not know another way Bayushi-sama. Leaving me only with the ability to expect you to spar me properly some time in order to keep your word."

Liu Fei corrected her tone, "Perhaps through Bariqu? Then we might be able to get a better sense of one another."

"Bariqu?! Pardon my ignorance."

[Shinjo Liu Fei]

"A martial art, Bayushi-sama. A test of strength and endurance against one another," she answered simply, not hiding how she was watching his reactions to gauge his thoughts of it all. "There are many among the Unicorn who know the art, some are rather specifically skilled in it, and anyone of us would know enough to have a small personal competition."

[Bayushi Suteichi]

Suteichi gave a slight nod.

"Very well. We will share in this contest, if I may also share in a chaperoned tea with you as well. Some exchange of words to compliment the exchange of action. Is this proper with you, Shinjo-sama?"

[Shinjo Liu Fei]

"It is," she answered finding it a rather agreeable exchange of comfort zones but then raised her left brow and asked, "Chaperoned? Why would we need to be chaperoned for tea, Bayushi-sama? We aren't children anymore," she said the last and only barely suppressed a laugh being some years separated from her own gempukku.

[Bayushi Suteichi]

"It is," she answered finding it a rather agreeable exchange of comfort zones but then raised her left brow and asked, "Chaperoned? Why would we need to be chaperoned for tea, Bayushi-sama? We aren't children anymore," she said the last and only barely suppressed a laugh being some years separated from her own gempukku.

"Ah. It is a matter of etiquette and decorum if our tea were to be in the privacy of our respective yurts. We can have tea outside of the yurt that way there is no chaperone needed but we then are seen and thus eliminates any potential rumormongering. While I would like to know you better and for you to know me better, the matter of maintaining social etiquette becomes paramount."

His reply was kind, gentle to a fault. It was as if he gave an understanding tone as to why she took the position she did but also explaining why things had to be this way.