[D2 EA] Gotcha!

[Shiba Kaizen]

Kaizen ventured to give the goat a light scratch on its muzzle just behind it's nose, "The Phoenix practice a variety of divination techniques. The priests with stronger connections to The Void are the most capable from my understanding. Some among them also use the coins among other aids in reading what may be. I myself am a yojimbo and my studies focused in other areas. My connections are more with people in the present, their immediate future, and potential dangers to them." He looked up at the priestess wondering if she understood.

[Iuchi Saksaha]

"I understand. You are a warrior." Saksaha nods. Nothing too complicated about that. "But a protector of priests?"

[Shiba Kaizen]

"I understand. You are a warrior." Saksaha nods. Nothing too complicated about that. "But a protector of priests?"

"Priests, courtiers, and kuge. Members of my Family have also served Imperial functionaries of note. Our training makes us quite capable in this purpose. My own training is a little less traditional, though in some ways better suited as I can for brief moments achieve a greater sense of being with my charge. It is difficult to explain, but should someone I protect come under attack the void will move us to their defense." The Shiba was trying hard to explain a difficult concept that took years of training for him to master. "It is almost like divination, but only foretelling minutes and the prediction very... in the moment." A demonstration in a dojo would be possible and safe if enough Unicorn were interested.

[Iuchi Saksaha]

"The void?" The word and the concept are both part of Iuchi's theories about the nature of the elements, but Saksaha hasn't heard another Rokugani talk about it before, and she has the sneaking sense that Kaizen may be using the word in a way she's not quite familiar with. "So you have spent your time in the courts of this land, not the battlefield?" she guesses.

Bored with the human conversation, Fiyanggu turns to browsing the nearby weeds again.

[Shiba Kaizen]

"Certainly more in the Courts, but not as much as you would think I imagine. My gempukku was last year's Topaz Championship so my time away from my dojo is measured in months not years Iuchi-san." He did not now if the Topaz Championship was widely known among the Unicorn as yet. He would cross that bridge if the priestess's curiosity took the conversation there.

[Iuchi Saksaha]

Saksaha nods. "I see. And already you are turning to thoughts of marriage," even though you were a child this time last year, she manages not to add, fortunately for everyone. "But the courts are where you will return, I suppose, when all this is concluded?"

[Shiba Kaizen]

"My Family considers me ready and they are wiser about such matters than I," Not my idea, but not all ideas that are good for me come from me. It was a non-answer to a non-question, though to the voiced question, "It is most likely to Court, but it does not have to be. I will serve where required, at this point in the miai I would not speculate too much. Though I would probably be most effective either in Court or with a traveling shugenja." It was an easy enough self-evaluation, battlefield commanders rarely needed yojimbo as the whole army was a massive yojimbo in a way.

[Iuchi Saksaha]

"I see." Saksaha shoots a glance at the goat to make sure it's not chewing anything it shouldn't be before returning her attention to the three men. "Do priests of the Phoenix often travel alone?"

[Shiba Kaizen]

"Alone? I imagine it is quite rare that a shugenja would not be accompanied by a yojimbo outside our lands or to a potentially dangerous situation." Of which the Court of another Clan applies... "There are of course exceptions like this miai for example, though of course I am here if needed for such a duty." Kami forbid the need for iaijutsu here of all places, so far no one seems to have gotten into those kind of entanglements. That is as far as Kaizen knew, if only he can continue to avoid the Crane this may be a pleasant time among the Unicorn.

[Iuchi Saksaha]

"I meant, alone with only one or two companions," Saksaha rubs her cheek, sensing she may have been misunderstood. "Our priests do not often leave the tribe to wander alone for long."

[Shiba Kaizen]

Kaizen understood where she was going he hoped, "The Isawa are in a way under the leadership of the Elemental Council the head Family of the Phoenix. Isawa's descendants engage in a lot of study of the elements and often like to do so in various places. Also as the head Family they have Court responsibilities outside the Clan's lands and are expected to take the lead in diplomacy even though the Asako handle the majority of diplomacy the Elemental Council will often send a priest to oversee matters on their behalf." I hope she understands because it sometimes even confuses me...politics...

[Iuchi Saksaha]

She nods. "And the Shiba, I have heard, guard them... but that is your work. What are you in your own time? Soshi-san," she glances at Bantu, "likes his games and these divining coins, Togashi-san..." understands goats? "anyway, um, what about you, Shiba-san?"

[Shiba Kaizen]

Kaizen realizes in his haste he had left it in the yurt, "I play the samisen, enjoy good conversation, and meditation." There was more there, but not precisely. "I like learning new things, such as here at this miai there is much to learn." Perhaps dull to a traveler outside the Empire, but I am as much Shiba as one can be I suppose...

[Iuchi Saksaha]

"Shamisen, that's a sort of lute, yes? Or is it more like a fiddle, played with the bow?" Saksaha has a vague notion she's seen one before, but she hasn't really got all the varieties of local musical instruments straight yet.

[Shiba Kaizen]

Fiddle...or lute? Definitely not played with a bow. Kaizen cocked his head slightly to the side as he pondered how to explain. Realization dawned on him from his own words earlier and their surroundings, "It would probably be best to show Iuchi-san if you would wait a moment?"