Blood Under My Skin (D8, LE, Expecting)

[Togashi Udo]

"It is interesting. I would not change it for anything; though now that I have gone through it it could be interesting to see how others live." Udo fiddles with his straw hat as he talks. "The Dragon overall are sort of like a paradox. We are poor, but we are also rich. Our poverty is material, and our wealth is in the mind. We prefer to be withdrawn, but once it is time to act we do not hesitate." Udo bites his lower lip as he thinks.

"The Togashi are more of this. Samurai and monks. Contemplative and physical." Udo shrugs. "I enjoy meditation. Very much. I believe it trains the mind the way practice does the body. I am more likely to make good decisions, even without thought, if I have trained my mind."

After a few moments, Udo adds: "The ise zumi are out in the world in more numbers than usual, and I am no different. I have found more drive in my life at this miai. I watched Chi-Pu die at the claws of an orochi, and I was left with the unshakeable sense that if I had been better it might have ended differently. I am going to make myself better. I do not want to feel that I came up short again." He smiles softly. "I hope I have a wife that encourages me, and that has a drive of her own."

[Otaku Kitakuhime]

'I am..." The mention of her senpai's name drags her down a bit. "Grateful you were there during her honorable departure, Togashi-san."

After a couple of moments, she continues, "I could definitely benefit of a trained mind to make good decisions. Sometimes I act impulsively, when patience would have been better. I recognize, sometimes, too late."

[Togashi Udo]

Udo is silent for a time.

"It is important to recognize our own shortcomings. Strength is overcoming a shortcoming; weakness is giving in to it. You are strong, Otaku-sama. You face yourself honestly. Anyone here would be lucky to be your husband."

He looks off toward the village. "If you would like to meditate, I would be happily to do so with you. I, too, have many things to consider."

[Otaku Kitakuhime]

"Thank you, Togashi-san, but I am quite troublesome to have around. A husband wouldn't be so lucky to share these unfortunate events along with me."

She giggles a bit at his offer. "I can try to. Not so sure how, though."

[Togashi Udo]

"That depends on the husband. There are those who enjoy a bit of complication to their lives," he says with a smile.

"As to meditation..." Udo sits and motions for her to do the same. "Think of yourself. You have a body and a mind, but you are neither of these things. You are somewhere in-between. When you fight, you use your body. When you think, you use your mind." Udo places his hat upside down in his lap.

"Your mind is like this hat when it is raining." He wiggles his fingers like rain falling into the hat. "The thoughts descend upon your mind from above, and your mind collects them until it is full. Then, words and deeds spill forth when they must."

"Now, I want you to imagine trying to pick a single drop of water from this pool," he gestures to the hat. "You cannot do so. But your mind is wise, Otaku-sama. When we meditate," he flips the hat over, "we get our minds to not collect the thoughts, but rather let them wash over us. Our minds can push the thoughts aside, only absorbing those we need to know."

(Assuming you go along with this, the below is the continuation)

Udo closes his eyes. "We do not need our bodies for this, Otaku-sama, so close your eyes to let the world fall away. The easiest way to begin a meditation is to focus on your breathing. Let it rise and fall. Rise and fall. Rise and fall. When we breath in, we take in the world. When we exhale, we leave part of ourselves in it.

"As you focus on your breathing, the hat will begin to spin. Your mind will know only your breath. It has no space to collect other thoughts. Even my words fall away, absorbed but not considered. Just feel yourself breathing. In and out. In and out. In and out..."

Udo sits quietly for a bit, letting them both breathe.

"Imagine that you are astride Gekko. You are galloping through an endless field. Gekko is your mind, and your mind knows the way. Do not try to control where you ride. You are not your mind's owner; you do not need to be in control."

Udo sits in the silence of the evening, listening to both of them breathe.

"As Gekko runs, you begin to lose yourself to it. As if you are becoming one. Breathe in and out... Tell me, where do you ride?"

[Otaku Kitakuhime]

Kitakuhime does as instructed, trying to copy Udo's form and follow through with his explanations. She listens to much of what he says, but her mind doesn't quite absorve all the thoughts like he said.

Nani?! Gekko? How does he knows the name of my horse?

When he turns the hat down, she imagines the Togashi's strong body soaked wet, and that doesn't help much her meditation attempt.

Stop thinking about which tattoos he might have and where. Focus on the lesson, girl!

She breaths in, and then out. It helps her not to blush and that's a blessing. She imagines the wind, the water, the heat. Finally, when he asks her, she immediately replies:

"A... A... A volcanic hot spring?"

--
Meditation/Void TN 20 - Unskilled: 2d10 8

[Togashi Udo]

Udo's eyes spring open. Realizing that was her legitimate response, he shakes his head to clear it.

"Good. Fire is the element of change, and so is water. You know things are changing. Meditation is the act of controlling the mind. Seeing the spring is where your mind goes, but you must master your mind."

Udo takes a deep breath, loudly so she can hear him do so.

"Turn the springs into a bathhouse. Stone by stone. Focus on nothing but taking the wild of change and making it your own."

He takes another deep breath and opens his eyes. He watches her for signs that she is struggling or losing focus, and when he sees it, he quickly says: "Open your eyes." He smiles when she does. "Meditation is not easy. It is about mastering your mind at the same time as submitting to it. It takes practice. The key is focusing on one thing, and letting that guide you as you guide it."

[Otaku Kitakuhime]

Ok. Stone over stone to build a... bath... house. Why can't it simply be a bath area, instead? It would cover the night sky.

She tries follows through, but soon Kitakuhime opens her eyes, as he had instructed. "I... think I rather allow Gekko without reins than my own mind."

The Otaku princess bows to Udo with a deep respect. "Gomeansai, Togashi-san. I am not a fast learner."

[Togashi Udo]

"Then perhaps we need to spend more time together?" It is getting dark, but it's quite possible he blushed. "For practice, that is."

[Otaku Kitakuhime]

"I would be honored. She comments and bows. "It would be a miracle, if I learn how to meditate with only two days."

[Togashi Udo]

"Two days..." Udo nods to himself. "Is that it, then?"

The way he asks the question, it clearly has some weight. He isn't asking when the miai is ending.

[Otaku Kitakuhime]

She blinks a bit at his question, clearly showing sincere innocence. "Nani? How long it would take... for a normal person?"

[Togashi Udo]

"I just meant... there is the possibility we'd have more than two days."

[Otaku Kitakuhime]

She smiles, thinking further. "That would be... delightful, in many ways." Kitakuhime taps her chin. "Definitely something we can discuss more about."

[Togashi Udo]

Udo genuinely smiles a big smile at her words.

"That would be good. I have given a few people advice over this miai, but I can't help but feel like I need it most of all."

He looks down, not quite able to look at her as he says the next. "We haven't spent much time together, but you are an easy person to become enamored with, even from afar."