The New Winds

The only way to know a place is to wonder about it. A place so famous as Tsuma deserved such respect: to be fully known. Kokyou takes some time to walk by the perfectly clean streets of the town with great interest. Students a plenty, and several courtiers of many colors walked around as he took bites of an apple.

The Inn had a bit of comfort when she was alone, but truth told, Mirai felt a lot more at home on the streets. She could get lost in the crowds after all, and it was a lot less formalized or structured. There were samurai around certainly, as befit the tournament, but there were a actual peasant's that weren't servants as well.

There was even a Mantis.

What an awe inspiring example of a Mantis she sees, indeed.

Kokyou chews another bite of the apple and takes a good nod to the ronin as they eventually get closer. He even stops for a moment in respect...

... and also to satisfy his own curiosities.

Perhaps the ronin was indeed deeply impressed. Her On was as good as any Akodo's though as she gave a bow. She didn't say anything yet, but she stopped at least. Even a minor clan samurai always spoke first if the indeed wished to speak, and if they were looking at you, they likely wished to.

Kokyou wasn't the only one with the same idea in mind. There was a certain quality to a community that could only be experienced in surrounding oneself in the middle of the throng. It was a thing he had never really done much of in his youth, and that he rarely had the time for in the midst of intense studies. But for one moment, just one lone moment of his life, he was absolutely free before the frenetic events of the morrow.

And so, the grumpy stern face of a young man clad in phoenix colors graced the streets of Tsuma, quietly looking around. His eyes happened upon Kokyou and caught sight of the young woman near him and he refrained from making a face. Were I a betting man, he's probably up to his old tricks again... Maybe he's grown a bit in the last year? Maybe swine will learn to fly. Oh well, it is not as if I did not expect to see him, is it? He drew closer and bowed to the two of them, his voice gravelly. He definitely looked more ... tanned than the last time Kokyou had seen him.

"Mantis-san. You're looking well. I thought I might see you here." And he turned to offer the ronin a proper bow, keeping it strictly to station. "Ronin-san. Have you had rice this day?" Per forma as questions went, and at this time of day, he would be hearing the rumbling of stomachs if the answer was no, but he did like to stick to the traditional.

He was about to say something when Saburo appears Kokyou-blocking his approach once more.

"Yer doom be at hand, ye vile, nasty feeble wretch! ... Avast!" The Mantis cowers back after looking at Saburo and takes a hand in front of him trying to hide Asako's skull like visage.

Then, with a wince, he mentions to Mirai, trying to protect her eyes from that view as well. "Pardon me matey. He's a good scallywag. It takes time t' get used t' his ugliness. But, in time, ye learn t' like 'im."

Mirai looked a little puzzled, looking between the two boys. They seemed to know each other, but what a strange relationship. She finally gave a slow nod before bowing deeply. "I have indeed Asako-sama." She didn't feel like adding a for once to it.

She seemed to remain quite calm in her On at the show by the Mantis, but said nothing more, just being a touch awkward.

Siiiiiigh. No, he hadn't changed a bit had he? Saburo gave Kokyou a long-suffering look, mentally chiding himself. He wasn't going to let him rile him like he used to. He was just a very odd young man, with way too much energy. "I see you are unchanged," he noted, shaking his head and grunting out. "My apologies, Ronin-san. I am Asako Saburo. Kokyou of the Mantis and I met a year ago. "He is as prone to exaggeration as ever, I see. You needn't worry about my health, Mantis-san. I've been feeling much better of late. The woods have a good air for the lungs, and the warm climate is never a bad thing."

"Always the jolly fella', ye arrrr." Kokyou cackles another hearty laugh holding his kami-damned packed abdomen. Then, he takes a flourished bow to the Asako, "Thank ye fer presentin' me, scallywag. Even though I find it hard t' look at ye, ye know I enjoy ye in me crew. Strangely as it seems."

Then, another to the ronin, "Forgive me rudeness, me beauty. A heartie like Asako-san must always be welcomed sincerely."

Mirai let out a soft sigh that was lost to the crowd, giving a slight smile to both. "There's no reason for apologies you two. It's good to know others already know each other in such a busy place. Are you both here for the tournament?"

He returned that little bit of flourish far more formally, keeping the sigh out of his own throat. Really, Kyokou. "I see you have not given up on soliciting me to man your vessel. I would thin you would yearn for a master of the water or air, to calm the storms and tame the winds," he said, managing a small smirk before turning back to Mirai. "Yes. And I would not speak for him, but I suspect that he is as well. We were both in preparation for it a year ago hence. What of yourself? I know that wave men and women sometimes come to the tourney." Rarely, but they did. And some ended up rather famous as a result, though he couldn't recall a story of any winning.

not impossible, yet... unlikely.

"I am here as a participant," she said with a bit of caution.

"The crow's nest. I told ye. Yer face thar' would make enemies tremble." He laughs a bit more with his own jokes and smiles to Mirai, "Aye. I be here fer th' tournament in th' same fashion as Asako-san, and ye..."

"I believe it is other things that unsettle people around me, Mantis-san. I have been told that Ishiken are considered a strange omen to be around at times," he said mildly. He was not that terrifying. Ok... maybe a little. "And then, we will have the chance to see what skills you have developed in your travel, ronin-san. Any wave-person who has secured an invitation to this contest should not be underestimated." It was arguably a pleasant smile he wore on his face, but Kokyou wasn't wrong. There was always something a little off about him.

For her own part, Mirai seemed a lot harder to read than the two clan samurai. Her face showed light emotion, but most of it was thoughtful puzzlement, her On remaining tight otherwise. "I will do my best, of course, though I do not believe I will be able to keep up with either of you. The training of a sensei is something I have never had."

She looked a bit more to Kokyou as she spoke, though still placidly.

Kokyou was easygoing to read and hang about. Although one should be careful with the tides and the Mantis: they change often.

Growing taller still, the ridiculously strong young man grins as he’s being admired by Mirai. “So ye taught yerself. Tha’ be mighty interestin’”

He takes advantage of the situation to give her a good check out stare. Not even Saburo would find fault in that due the context. He asks, “Besides looking good, wha’ be yer best skills?”

Mirai had cleaned up a bit for the tournament, but a Ronin was still a Ronin. Her hands looked rough, her hair was quite simply cut, and her outfit had clearly seen plenty of wear and use. All the same, she seemed to take the Mantis' compliments... stoicly. I am uncertain of my own specialty, I try to study broadly... though I was given my invitation here by a Kakita I believe."

"A broad study is ... necessary in this tournament, moreso than in a lot of the areas of the empire's armies. There is an expectation that those who attend here must be everything to everyone." He refrained from mentioning that, when he'd shown up at the Ruby Champion, people had been convinced he wouldn't do well at all, right up until the second day, at which point they refused to shut up about him. He was convinced that underdogs were a dangerous thing. He swallowed a comment at Kokyou about decorum, like he did every time he said something like he did.

"You know, I've only ever seen a few of your techniques in person, Mantis-san. It will be interesting to see just how many you have up your sleeves." Literally. He remembered what people said about the throwing knives.

Kokyou is nothing short of honest in his compliments. He would never see a fault of decorum at that. Instead, he truly believes others take prejudice too quickly for no sound reason.

As Saburo mentions his name, Kokyou does lift an eyebrow to add, "Thar's no needs t' hide me shugenja skills, now that scallywags reckon th' Fortunes 'n th' Kami 'ave blessed me manyfold. Yet, I try t' be humble 'n nah plunder thunder from those that are givin' thar best effort."