The New Winds

Ginkarasu finally took the time to explore the Academy. He'd won a duel. Against a skilled duelist!

He was a Crab who beat a Unicorn!

He should really find a shrine and pay his respects to the one who'd started the whole dueling thing.

After doing so...he really doesn't get any focus back. WAAAAY too excited!

While Ginkarasu explored, he would eventually come to the school's small shrine for students and faculty to use when they couldn't find the time to go to the larger temples and shrines around town.

Sitting before it, praying for the safety of those who had yet to return from rushing after the criminal, was Nobuko.

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OOC
D7; EA; Meditation/Void: 7d10o10k4 73 Void Recovered

He understood how to be quiet when others were meditating.

Nobuko finished her prayers and went to stand. As she turned, she spotted her friend.

She grinned, the smile a bit subdued, but otherwise warm, "Gin-kun. Congratulations on your win!"

"And you on yours!" He grinned back. "I remembered how confident you stood, talking to Kakita Toshimoko-sama yesterday and thought, I should stand like that."

She stared a moment and then let out a soft laugh, "I'm so glad I could help you in some way. I know we haven't had as much time together to speak while we've been relatively - physically - close... but you are still one of my closest friends. And I have been so proud of you!"

They were in relative privacy, so she felt safe being more casual in her speech to him, "You are certainly far and away more skilled than you were when we met. And clearly, whatever training you have had in the meantime has done you well."

She glanced at the shrine, "Would you like me to leave you to your own prayers and then allow me the chance to catch up with you properly after?"

At about this time, Bayushi Jiro rounded the corner of the hallway. Seeing the others in private conversation, and social rules being what they are, he bowed respectfully but kept his distance, turning his body to politely examine a piece of art.

He sighs, "That's okay. I've not been able to concentrate enough to make good prayers."

He grins again though, "And when were you going to tell us you're a duelist!?"

She shook her head and demurred, "I am not. I have simply spent the years of my schooling learning the arts at the same Academy the Crane teach their duelists. All the basics of motion and stances were taught to us upon entry and then as our talents were learned, we were taken away from the general classes into the ones that would benefit us most for the lives we were expected to lead. The exercises are simple enough I think it is just a matter of having done them so much that it comes rather easy now what I'm thinking about it."

Nobuko's eyes drifted past Ginkarasu and spotted Jiro, causing another smile, before she looked at the (certainly now!) famed Silver Raven before her, "We should step aside and allow Bayushi-san to come pray."

"Oh, Hai, yes of course. Apologies Bayushi-sama." Ginkarasu bows, moving out of the way.

"Thank you, Nobuko-chan, Yasuki-san." Jiro smiled a little ironically as he bowed. "My apologies. If our schedules were not so tightly bound, I might have found my way back to the shrine of Benten and saved you both the trouble of accommodating me, but I suspect Kakita-shiryo will be kind enough to ferry my prayers where they ought to go. As I recall, his courtship was also somewhat--rocky."

Nobuko's brows rose at the statement by Jiro and though she certainly allowed him to pass, she also tossed him a concerned and questioning look. Then openly mouthed 'we'll talk after' and pointed off to where she intended to lean Ginkarasu so Jiro could have some privacy in his prayers.

That done, she led Ginkarasu off to a small alcove meant to give privacy to those who needed to gather their thoughts in peace. She gestured for Ginkarasu to sit and did so herself, "What has been keeping you from concentrating on your prayers? Is this merely a problem of today or has it been onogoing?"

"Just today! I won my duel!" He says, his feet bouncing as he sits. "Like, I did everything right for once!"

She had to take a moment to control herself and not laugh outright. Because she didn't want him to think she was laughing at him, when she was most certainly wanting to laugh at the situation. He won his duel and now he was too excited to calm himself.

Instead, she stared at him, lips pressed tightly together in that obvious way a person did when they were holding back on laughing, while she got her breathing under control and could finally speak without the overwhelming need to just roll over on the floor while the mirth bubbled out.

"Well... then... I am happy your problems with concentration are not long-term. And that you have a good reason for being so unfocused in that way. You did very well. You looked just like the yojimbo you've always spoken of being. I've no doubt that you will be able to secure a position as one in a desirable post."

A nod...then in his distracted state he moves on, "I'm real concerned about Kenji-sama. I mean, he's been training for this for so long, and then here I manage to win and even Aiichiro-wins..." A sigh. "But I feel good for doing thing right. How do you balance that? Doing well while your friend doesn't?"

Kenji's loss was disappointing. And from how he walked out, had hurt him deeply.

"You should feel good for your performance. Just as I do for mine. Everyone who has made it this far can be considered some of the finest Samurai the Empire has to offer, no matter how far they get in the tournament. More so because most of us were also chosen to be the first students of Hirosaka Dojo," she said, to serve as a reminder for their accomplishments and to help frame the context for her words. "We can also feel the pain of our friend's loss. He is one of three competitors this year that were also given the privilege of training in the Academy for part of their schooling, if not all of it. But he lost to Utaku Ichiro. Another of Hirosaka, whose abilities we know from experience to be the equal of our own... or greater. To have lost to someone such as him is not dishonorable. But it will sting Kenji-san's pride for some time to come, I am certain."

Possibly do more. She could not say she knew Kenji's feelings as well as Kazuko would in that regard.

"What we can do, is continue to support our friend and show confidence in his abilities."

Nobuko started to reach out, as if to touch Ginkarasu's forearm, before remembering herself. The hand moved to settle on the cushions next to them and she shifted her position to become more comfortable.

"Tonight is our last night as children. Tomorrow, Lady Sun's light will welcome us to the world as adults. If we are of a mind, we may be given leave to take a year of wandering. I have not decided if I shall do the same. I do not expect any postings to be offered me... or did not... but my performance here at Topaz..." she said, changing the topic to something easier to discuss, "Father has given me permission to spend the time between now and my wedding in the spring of next year traveling to visit the shrines of the Empire that I may pray to them for good fortune, prosperity, happiness, and harmony in my marriage."

Jiro wrapped up his prayer and drifted over to the others, settling on a cushion with just a bit of flair.

"Quite a journey, Nobu-chan. I expect that will be quite edifying," he said quietly.

"There will be a lot of travel for you then. Moto Ichiro going to do the same?" He's not sure why her hand needs to rest, but then, she was dueling and a musician, no doubt her hands were tired.

"There's so much to learn by traveling. Are you planning on going with a group or alone?"

She blushed at Ginkarau's insightful question.

"Ah, yes," she said, ducking her head. "As Moto Ichiro-san and I are to be married, I have invited him to accompany me should his family be willing to allow it and no assignments interfere. We would, of course, be escorted with additional chaperones should he do so. I expect if he is able to join me it will be quite the small convoy."

Nobuko glanced over at the two of them before adding softly, as if it were a secret, "I hope to end our journey of prayer at the Shrine to the Ki-Rin, so that, as the first spring thaw floods the streams of the mountains, we may walk away from it as husband and wife. I am uncertain if the monks there will allow us to be wed at the shrine itself, but having our ceremony at the complex should not be much trouble, I would think. I intend to write their sect to ask permission. If we cannot be wed there, then we will be wed after we descend the steps, likely on the border of Unicorn lands."

Jiro smiled a little wistfully. "That sounds lovely, Nobu-chan. Moto-san's people ought to be very much moved by the symbolism."