A Morning Run (Open)

[Isawa Tanshin]

"All opinions are different, at least in some small way. They are a reflection of the person's experience."

Tanshin peered into Otoko's mask curiously.

"Do Yogo-sensei not allow their students to have differences?"

[Asako Saburo]

Saburo stared at the Isawa in abject horror for a second. His eyes widened from their usual lidded slit and his face went a little paler than usual. He cleared his throat as he considered, and thankfully they were considered children so mistakes were easily forgivable, but to not address this reflected on him. So, he coughed once into his sleeve. "Ah, Isawa-san I believe it is the Iuchi whose sensei have conducted most of Yogo-san's training. But... I will let her speak to that. If you will forgive me, Yogo-san. there is a small matter of our family I forgot to report to Isawa-san."

He leaned forward and brought his sleeve up. He whispered very softly to Tanshin. "Isawa-san, it is exceptionally rude to stare that closely into a Scorpion's mask like that. The mask is her face. It is tradition."

[Yogo Otoko]

Otoko's blinks were pointedly languid. "...It is as Asako-san says. The Iuchi are quite accepting of differences, which is why I am uncertain what is supposed to be different with our priestly training here."

Looking at the two with a tilted head, the tall girl reached up to slowly peel her demon mask off to show her impassive face. "...Is this better?"

[Isawa Tanshin]

Tanshin looked Saburo directly in the eye as he nodded. He whispered: "Their traditions mock you."

Turning back to Otoko:
"A pity."

Tanshin shook his head. "Removing the shade doesn't make the flame any brighter."

"The dojo is in need of cleaning. I'm afraid my time is better spent there.

Tanshin leaves.

[Yogo Otoko]

Otoko watched Tanshin go with a tilted head before she slowly slipped her mask back on delicately. "...I am not good with people. I wonder if I said or did something wrong Asako-san."

[Asako Saburo]

Saburo bowed to Tanshin low. "Of course, Isawa-san," he said, not offering any disagreement to the man's departure and turning towards the Asako when he had left ear-shot. "I do not know. I think there may be some confusion there. I doubt it was intentional, Yogo-san. I believe that the Isawa sometimes... I will admit, I share some of their traits. We spend so long with the kami that we do not always understand what happens in the rest of the world. If he has spent most of his life in the Isawa Mori, there may be things he does not understand. I will speak to him."

He was honestly... a little confused. And he hadn't been this confused in a while.

[Yogo Otoko]

Otoko nodded softly. She was silent a moment before speaking up again. "...It's a pity. I was enjoying watching him run."

[Asako Saburo]

"He is a capable shugenja, and perhaps you will have the chance to see him run again. Ample opportunity for that. I apologize if my interruption interfered with that." A shrug and he glanced over at her for a moment, looking uncomfortable. "I am sorry, Yogo-san. I am... not especially gifted in understanding people as I do the kami. It is why I have been joining the courtier training sessions in part. It is a ... lacking I have." Which was to say that he did not understand what had just transpired.

I... you know, considering the way she speaks, I'm not surprised at how she looks. It's... expressionless.

[Yogo Otoko]

"...Perhaps it is, but I would not be the one to say so. Asako-san seems better at speaking than I am, There is nothing to apologize for. In the end, it is perhaps better that Isawa-san is scared away." She seemed to truly believe it had been something she'd done, even if her tone remained that emotionless drone.

[Asako Saburo]

There it was again. That sense that she would prefer it if others kept their distance. He was growing accustomed to it, but it was still... odd. And nothing like Jiro. But, as she'd said. She was not like the Bayushi, was she? A sigh. "People seem to think that, yes. It seems that a great many of our fellow students seem to think I am something to pay attention to. I feel a curiosity in a zoo at times." A mutter and a shrug. "Please do not join their ranks, Yogo-san. It is ... exhausting at times, heh."

[Yogo Otoko]

"I will congratulate you if you wish for such words, but otherwise, I do not believe that you have done well for the praise of anyone besides perhaps your family. Still, I think it would be easier if you just ignored the voices that stress you. It is easier to remain calm and focused when you take others lightly."

She paused, staring off. "Besides, it seems I do not know how to properly motivate, even if you did need it... which you do not."

[Asako Saburo]

He breathed a little sigh of relief. "Yes, yes... exactly so. I suspect my mother would praise me for continuing this far, and my father would be pleased if he were to learn that I successfully completed my time here. These are words that I would wish to hear, and for myself, the rest will come when we participate in the tournament to come." A grunt and he shook his head. "I do not ask for motivation, Yogo-san. It is simply... pleasant to speak to people of sense and politeness. There are surprisingly few in the empire."

He didn't actually say 'there are few among our fellow students,' but oh... he was thinking it very hard.

[Yogo Otoko]

Otoko merely gave a grunted, "Un," at that. She preferred not talking after all, but wanted to show she still agreed.

[Asako Saburo]

He chuckled once and glanced over at her before taking up his rake again. "Yogo-san. Please take this as a compliment, but you are the very picture of the statement 'Sometimes less is more.' I could learn a thing or two from that, I think." And, saying that, he bobbed his head. "I am going to resume my sweeping. If you wish to assist you may, though I will not begrudge you your own duties."

[Yogo Otoko]

Her head tilted a bit as Saburo spoke, but finally she bobbed her head in a nod. She grabbed a broom and started to sweep.