The New Winds

While the students were expected to use the hour to clean the dojo, Nobuko set about straightening some of the tatami mat piles and then called it a day. It was just enough work done that she would not feel she had shirked her duties, but not so much that she didn't have time to head to the baths early and get washed up before the evening meal. She had roughly formed plans to meet with Bayushi Jiro once again to practice the tea ceremony, but as they had set nothing in stone, as the saying went, she didn't know if such plans would play out.

But just in case, an early bath meant she had time to work with once the hour changed over.

So it was that she made her way into the baths when, presumably, most of the other students were hard at work (or pretending to be).

Ichiro was having trouble moving still so cleaning was out if the question for him. He figured a warm bath would help relax his muscles from a hard days training and possibly alleviate some of the soreness in his stomach.

He entered the bath area and was somewhat surprised to find he wasn't the only one there "didn't think there would be anyone else here." Was all he said it was a statement and not apologetic but he didn't enter the bathing area at the moment just stood at the entrance, perhaps she was bathing now because she sought privacy.

She did not notice his arrival at first, as she was just finishing wrapping her hair in a towel, but when she did, she pulled her arms back to her chest to ensure the towel covering her was still firmly in place. Neither of them were really supposed to be there that early in the day, by technicality, so she couldn't exactly admonish him for walking in without announcing himself. Instead, she attempted a cordial and polite greeting.

"Ah... Moto-san, was it? How are you this evening?"

Taking her not telling him to go away as acceptance of his presence he entered and prepared himself for a bath shrugging off hides revealing a rather muscular physique especially for one of his age. Also revealing an ugly dark bruise on his stomach, roughly the size of a Hida's fist.

"Yes. Moto Ichiro." He answer before getting into the bath and letting out a small sigh "I've been better." He said gruff and paused "you?"

She politely averted her eyes once he began stripping down and waited until she heard him settle before risking a glance back towards his face, "Much the same. I had a rather... interesting... morning session with Utaku-sensei that has left me drained. You were with Hida-sensei, weren't you?"

Ichiro nodded "yup and had to visit Asako-sensei because of it, I think he cracked one of my ribs." He replied his eyes closed in the bath just enjoying the water.

"What was so interesting about Utaku-sensei?"

"I had requested her help in learning some more... practical exercises for someone like myself who is not the most... physical of persons," she admitted, a small whine quickly contained escaping her for all of a moment as she rubbed her shoulder to try and remove the dull ache that still discomforted her. "Her routine was very different than most training routines I have witnessed others partake in."

The Moto boy cracked an eye and glanced over at her "I know something that can help with sore muscles but it requires a lot of physical contact and you Rokugani tend to be weird about that."

She tilted her head at that and looked at him out of the corner of her eye, "You are Rokugani as well, Moto-san."

Ichiro actually smiled, a thing not many other students had seen except the other unicorns "Technically. But our cultures are very different."

"While there are indeed cultural practices that unite our people, the Unicorn are not unique in having a culture that the other clans do not understand," she replied thoughtfully, carefully picking her words so she did not come across as insulting or talking down to him. "Every Clan has their own ways that are different from the other clans. Some families within the clans, even, can confuse their own fellows."

Nobuko lifted her head and briefly met Ichiro's gaze before her eyes fell away as propriety dictated her to do, "You should not be burdened with the feeling that you are not of the people just because your Clan adopted traditions that allowed them to survive outside our borders for so long. You are not any less samurai, not any less Rokugani, for the experience. You would not be here were that true."

"Its that those traditions run counter to the ones mainly practiced not merely outside. I wear hides and fur, I eat red meat, I'd rather greet a friend with a hand shake and a hug than a polite bow. And for all your nice words there are many that are quick to call us barbarians, gaijin lovers, and once i heard horse f...lover." he said correcting his use of coarse language before it left his lips.

"Yes there are variations but the Unicorn are the most different and when you are reminded of that of that everytime you leave your lands it tends to shape things. You are kind but you don't really understand."

Nobuko allowed her eyes to fall to her hands, where she rubbed the fingers of her left with her right for several long moments after he had finished speaking, remaining silent for a time. His refute was made up of many examples she had nothing with which to counter, and more than a few that she had heard uttered both at home and at school. Even from those that showed admiration for the clan.

When she spoke again, it was quieter than before, softer, "I suppose you must be right. I apologize for the offense my words brought you."

Ichiro lightly snorted air from his nose in amusement "Always so polite you courtiers." He removed a hand from the bath and waved it dismissively at her "Dont worry about it, you didn't offend me." He said as he laid his head back and closed his eyes again.

There was a pause of his own this time "but thank you, for what you said earlier." His own voice was quieter and his tone was soft as he said it.

Though he did not see it, she tilted her head in acknowledgement of his thanks. Quiet acceptance was what she was used to and a hard habit to break. She did it without thought. When she looked over at him again, expecting something more to be said, she saw his eyes were shut. Biting her lip and raising a hand to cover the action, she considered what to do or say, uncertainty feeling like a heavy blanket on her shoulders.

"Shall..." she hesitated a fraction of a second before squaring her shoulders and attempting to maintain the polite air he had laughed at, "Shall I leave you to relax, Moto-san? Or would you prefer company?"

Otomo Nobuko wrote: ↑

Sun Jun 28, 2020 10:29 am

Though he did not see it, she tilted her head in acknowledgement of his thanks. Quiet acceptance was what she was used to and a hard habit to break. She did it without thought. When she looked over at him again, expecting something more to be said, she saw his eyes were shut. Biting her lip and raising a hand to cover the action, she considered what to do or say, uncertainty feeling like a heavy blanket on her shoulders.

"Shall..." she hesitated a fraction of a second before squaring her shoulders and attempting to maintain the polite air he had laughed at, "Shall I leave you to relax, Moto-san? Or would you prefer company?"

The moto was a man of few words, the explanation he had given her just moments earlier was long winded by his standards when she asked her question he looked over to her and paused a moment "I.....would not mind company. Though I fear I am not always considered polite company." he said in that same soft tone from earlier.

then he cleared his throat and his voice was rougher again more casual "besides this was your bath first if anything I should be the offering to leave." though he made no move to do so.

"I was already close to finishing when you arrived," she answered easily, both polite and honest. "I has planned only to relax in the water for a time before taking my leave so that my hands did not become too coarse."

She disliked when her fingers wrinkled up like dried fruit.

he chuckled as he relaxed into the water once more "Yeah never liked the prune fingers being in water to long caused. But don't feel the need to stay on my account either. Do what you want to do." he said giving the girl a slight smile.

She flashed a shy smile and ducked her head, one hand lifting up to keep the towel around her hair in place.

"Have you enjoyed your time here so far?" She asked as she settled back against the wall of the bath, not relaxing in the way he was, but not leaving just yet.

"No." he answered honestly "I am away from home and training with someone who thinks they know what I need to know better than my sensei who have trained unicorn for generations." he paused a little, maybe a small glance toward her? hard to tell "Its not all bad though." he said after the pause and then a little hurriedly added "because at least I have other unicorn here to talk to."