[D8,LM, Expecting] Not Painting

[Togashi Udo]

Udo bows. "Thank you. Monks train for years to master their bodies and their minds. I spend hours a day meditating to better know myself. This may be a cause for my acceptance, and my knowledge that Chi-Pu will return in a new life."

Udo smiles ruefully and continues. "It has made it easier to accept that I have faults and that Chi-pu died, but that my faults are not the cause of her death. Had I not had those faults, perhaps she would be alive, but my having them is not why she died.

"That rests on the orochi that attacked us."

Udo looks over the field. "You know, many Togashi are not born into the family; we are adopted as children because our parents could not afford to feed us. I am one such child. If I had been born a man, I could have brought home koku or food and stayed with my parents, but I was not born a man. This does not mean that it is my fault that I was given to the Togashi. I had weakness, but it was the weakness of a child."

He takes a few steps. "Chi-Pu showed no weakness. She had the strength of one who has seen battle. Who has lived a hard life. In that battle, I learned that I am still but a child. Her death is not my fault, but it did show me that I need to grow up. That I need to do more. That I need to do better.

"If I was a man, perhaps I could have saved her. So I have vowed to myself to become a man and stop being a child."

[Kaiu Hiroji]

Hiroji nods, but doesn't manage to hide a small snicker. "I am sorry Udo San. You almost sounded like my father there for a minute. .. But you speak wisely, and I will take your council to heart."

[Togashi Udo]

Udo smiles. "Given the nature of what I was saying, and the fine samurai you are, I take that as a high compliment, Hiroji-san."

[Kaiu Hiroji]

Hiroji nods. "Good."

[Togashi Udo]

"Well, I was in the fight, and I understand what you're feeling. You are not alone in it. And you have friends here."

[Kaiu Hiroji]

Hiroji nods, smiling. "Yed. And I am thankful for that. This miai has been a hectic mix of good and bad. But I am happy that at least I have found good friends here who I can trust."

[Togashi Udo]

Udo nods in agreement. "So, what are you training your pup to do? I'm thinking about just giving mine a lot of exercise."

[Kaiu Hiroji]

Hiroji glances at Cat with disgust. "The lazy dog won't do anything I tell it to. Most I've gotten out of it has been running a few laps."

[Togashi Udo]

"Perhaps that is enough?" Udo shrugs. "I wrestled with mine awhile earlier. I think it only made me tired."

[Kaiu Hiroji]

Hiroji looks at Udo curiously. "You wrestled with a puppy?"

[Togashi Udo]

"Yes. I did much better than when I wrestled against you." Udo chuckles.

[Kaiu Hiroji]

"Well I suppose any training is good training." Hiroji nodded.

[Togashi Udo]

Udo chuckles. "It was only in fun. Puppies are like children, they are more enjoyable when they are tired."

[Kaiu Hiroji]

Hiroji glances at Cat lying some length away from him. "That could be... Debated."

[Togashi Udo]

Udo shrugs. "I suppose it matters what you look for in a dog. The only 'pet' we really had in the mountains were the goats, and they weren't really pets. I appreciated that. They don't ask much of me."