The New Winds

Kazuko finds a lone table to sit at and absentmindedly places her food and a folded piece of paper down. Interestingly, she has frog legs with her food which was not on the meal plan for the day. She seems to be waiting for Kenji and the others to smooth out the details of a game tournament they plan on hosting, although others can join if they grow curious. As she waits for them, she thinks about planning the tournament and more importantly, how she's going to win it.

Kenji walked around the dojo until he met Kazuko.

"Greetings, Kazuko-san" he bowed briefly. "how was your day? I've convinced Sakura-san to make something for us, but we still have to ask a sensei for material for you."
Kenji sat down opposite her

Kazuko gives a seated bow back, smiling.

"Good to see you, Kenji-san. My day is going great so far! ....Well, except for lore. I went out and caught some frogs today, it was fun, even though the frogs were super slimy. I have some frog legs right here, if you want to try one."

She holds up the folded piece of paper.

"I've written a letter for Agasha-sama with Otomo-san's help, shall I give it to Doji-sama tomorrow? Where is the tournament going to be hosted, by the way?"

"Lore wasn't my finest hour either... You share the fruits of your glorious hunt with me?" he said with a smile as he looked at one of the frog's legs.

"That sounds good, well we should probably hold it in the dojo, preferably in a room that can accommodate about twenty people. I hope everyone will come, but I don't think everybody wants to come..., the question remains when we will hold it, Doji-San said she can make the prize within a few hours, but we should allow enough time for everyone to know that there will be a tournament.

Kazuko is glad that they both did poorly on Lore together. As odd as it may sound, failing together gives her a bigger sense of comfort and kinship with Kenji, like friends who mess around together.

"Ahaha, I only managed to find frogs too small to eat, but yes, feel free to have some frog legs. I haven't touched them yet."

"I think we can spread word about the tournament relatively easily since rumors travel fast here. I've already told Miya-san and Otomo-san about it as well. What time do you plan on hosting it?"

"Are you afraid they are poisonous?" Kenji asked with a smile.

"Our best chance to get a permit is to hold it at the dog's hour. Here the students have all the chores done anyway and are free to do as they please."

If the rumor mill already knows about this, this event must definitely take place, Kenji thought. Otherwise, he would not only disgrace himself but also Aiichiro, Kazuko and Ginkarsu.

"Harkui-san and Aiichiro-san taught me that the poisonous ones are supposed to be brightly colored. They confirmed that the ones we caught weren't poisonous like the rumors said."

Kazuko looks a bit proud to have learned more about nature even though her nature lore quiz during the hour of the Goat was so atrocious.

"I agree on the hour, but I do not think that the tournament can take place before the fifth day. I still need to deliver the letter to Doji-sensei."

Having been invited by Kazuko earlier in the day, and having finished her origami, Nobuko approached the table with the two Crane and bowed before sitting down, "Kakita-sans, how goes the planning?"

As she sat, she set down a small bamboo cage with one of the very tiny tree frogs in it.

Kazuko bows back, delighted that you have shown interest in the tournament.

"Nobuko-san! Glad you could join us. We are currently thinking of having the tournament take place during the hour of the Dog although I still need to find a sensei who can deliver the letter to Agasha-sama. We are thinking Doji-sensei would be the best choice and need to decide which day this tournament should be hosted on."

She takes a look at the frog in the cage, staring back into its large, bulbous eyes. Frogs are so weird! How are their eyes as large as their heads. They're so slimy and wet too, although this one seems to be a lot drier since it isn't out in the rain.

"Oh, did you go out to catch frogs too? It's cute that you have one as a pet."

Kenji bowed deeply "Greetings, Otomo-San, we haven't had the pleasure, my name is Kakita Kenji" Kenji said very formally.

Wyn had been very sociable, wondering what Noboku would be like.

"Kazuko-san has already said everything, we just have to agree on one day and maybe the games. I think Go and Shogi would be enough, but we're still in the planning stages.

He eyed the frog, then Kazuko's frog legs.

"It seems that everyone in the Hirosaka dojo has solved the frog problem in their own way"

"The hour of the Dog is the best hour to suggest for this," she replied as she accepted the greetings. Her eyes strayed to the frog legs, eyebrows raising. She hadn't seen any frogs that big when she had helped look for poisonous ones. But someone had. Clearly.

Nobuko chose not to say anything further on the matter, but did surreptitiously scoot her frogs' cage a little closer to her and the edge of the table near her. She did her best to make it look as though she were simply clearing space for her to set her hands down and lean forward.

"Go sounds fun. Why Sadane? I do not mind the game, but it will require someone directing the game and the topics to be spoken about, as well as someone knowledgeable enough to judge who is the best at critiquing without being outright rude. Have you a gamesmaster to do so?"

"Would you like to try a frog leg? They sorta taste like fish."

Kazuko, wrongly assuming that Nobuko would like a frog leg, pushes the plate toward her a little, offering her one.

"No, we would have to ask a sensei to do that which is why we think sticking with Go or Shogi would be best. How does a tournament on the 7th day sound?"

Kenji looked in panic at what Kazuko was doing.

"The seventh day sounds good, giving everyone enough time to prepare if necessary," he said, slightly tense, hoping to change the subject

Nobuko didn't so much as glance at the frog legs being pushed her way and declined with the politest "I've eaten" she could muster before turning her gaze to Kenji and away from the cooked frog on a plate, "The seventh day gives us three to prepare, gain permission, and acquire the necessary boards needed. I think Go, if we can find at least three boards so that several games can happen at once, would be the easiest to do without involving the Sensei in directing us. It would also be the easiest to judge, since we can simply allow a quarter of an hour for playing each game and whoever has the most captures when the time concludes is the winner of the game in question. It's not quite as proper as allowing everyone to play out the games in full, but if we are keeping it to the Hour of the Dog, we will not have the time to."

"This are good ideas, Otomo-san. Have you happen to plan a tournament before?" Kenji asked honestly

She shook her head, "No. But I organization of events and ceremonies is something that I..."

Nobuko paused. How to put it?

"When I am eventually married and made an honored wife of whomever my future spouse is to be, it will fall to me to help organize and oversee gatherings and events for the household. I have no personal experience with it, but it is something that I have observed others do so that I may learn to do so properly."

"You honor your ancestors for your foresight, Otomo-san. You will definitely be an enrichment for your clan" gave Kenji as a compliment.

Otomo-san was definitely on a different level than Wyn.

"Should we make a small gift to Asako-sama? To honor her for her generosity in hosting the tournament?"

"Assuming she agrees, yes," she said, nodding. "That would be most appropriate. And while this is an event for the students, an invitation to participate or watch should be extended to her out of courtesy. An invitation of this sort, there is no dishonor for refusing. But there would be dishonor in not having offered it. The other Sensei can be excluded without issue. Though if even one of them outside of Asako-sama is given an invitation, then all should be. Do be careful about how this is addressed to our teachers when spoken of. We do not want to give insult out of ignorance."

"I do not know how our fellow kohai will react when the sensei watch this tournament. It could spoil the fun for many and be seen as just another test. On the other hand, I don't know if the Sensei would be interested in watching a student tournament... what would you suggest as a gift for Agasha-sama Otomo-san? I think you've probably heard of Yasuki Ginkarasu-san. Do you think his mochi might appeal to the Ruby champion?

"I have spent some time in our free time with Yasuki-san!" she replied, excited, her smiled widening before she could school it to be more proper. She was well practiced, but it did take some work. She'd likely be adapt at controlling her On by the time she passed her gempukku.

"He is a most exemplary example of a dutiful samurai," Nobuko continued, praising the young man without care for the fact that she was speaking highly of a Crab to two Cranes. "A offer of some of the mochi he has, should he be willing to part with it, would be a perfectly acceptable gift... Ah!"

She cleared her throat,

"Asako-sama,
We extend this gift in thanks for your generosity in allowing us to host the game tournament. Just as our time here is fleeting, but memorable, so too will be the flavor and taste of this exceptional mochi, which is some of the finest to grace the halls of Otasan Uchi. We continue to be honored by your guidance and hope that this offering will convey a measure of our gratitude that words may fail to."