The New Winds

Calmly waiting and a Go board before him Kenji sat in one of the assigned rooms and waited for an opponent.

Sasaiko bows to the Kakita.

"May I have the honor of a game, Kakita-san?"

He looked at Sasaiko, "Oh, what a surprise, Toritaka-san! Of course, sit down, sit down. Tell me, how have you been? There's been so much bustle these past few days, I hardly got around to paying equal attention to everyone."

"I've been well, thank you, and I hope the same is true for you," she replies as she seats herself. "Events have been going decently enough for me, although I hear some strange things about one of our fellow contestants. They give pause, truly."

She touches the map she has from Miya Wyn. "It is good to see familiar faces in so distant a place from home, though--but I imagine this is not far from home for you."

She begins to place her stones...

(Selected Ring: Fire
Three Contested Rolls, https://orokos.com/roll/838046
35
28
24
Will roll more if needed.
Topaz Points pending.)

"I won't lie, Toritaka-san, at first the fire went out with me. However, in the meantime,... .. accept that the title will not be mine. My home is actually not too far away, one or two day trips on horseback from here. It's nice to see so many friends again, though." he began to place his stones.

"What strange things have you heard, if i may ask?"

Kenji played fast and skilfully and tried to defeat his opponent with intuition, unfortunately, so it seemed he had failed due to Sasaiko's intelligence, even though it was a close game.
---
Ring: Air
D5 EA Games:Go: 3#6d10o10k4 30 27 30
30 Vs 35 Win for Sasaiko
27 vs 28 Win for Sasaiko
30 vs 24 Win for Kenji

"Well, there is still hope, you know. The individual contests might weed some people out who might not be thought. Such as a certain Mantis who seems to bear a special onus--surprisingly, given another such person here."

Impressed by Kenji's building play, she places more stones, digging deeper within herself to find a winning strategy.

(Selected Ring: Still Fire
+2 Topaz from first contested roll
+2 Topaz from second contested roll
+0 Topaz from third contested roll
Two more contested rolls, https://orokos.com/roll/838054
48
21
Tentative 4 Topaz Points; further results pending)

"I am not worried about the Bushi, I have confidence in my Iaijutsu, but even if I should defeat all others, it will be difficult to outweigh my points against the Shugenja or Courtiers. However, if this particular mantis should fail, we will probably be in for a bad surprise. I can assume that you also had an apparition?" he said, rather casually.


He played a little more serious this time. His moves were often complex counters to Sasaiko's moves, while he used smaller tricks to win parts of the board.
---
D5 EA Games:Go TN 48 +VP: 7d10o10k5 53
D5 EA Games:Go TN 21: 6d10o10k4 28

(1/4) VP

Sasaiko bows as Kenji takes the board.

"A good game; thank you for it.

"But I did see one thing. Only one, and only at the beginning. I've not been in contact with the person in question at all, however. I'm not at all sure what I can do--or should."

(4 Topaz earned, pending Ring reveal)

"My pleasure, it was a really good Game."

He bows to her too.

"From the looks of it, I think we all had the same appearance. But I agree with you, Toritaka-san. I'm a little clueless myself. We duelists are made for dueling, and less for solving mysteries and intrigues. Theoretically we would be done here, Toritaka-san, but if you want we can stay here and talk some more. If you like, we can certainly enjoy some tea." he offered.

"I would be happy to serve tea," she replies--and, assuming that the GM permits, she will do so as soon as the appropriate accoutrements are delivered.

The service is surpassingly elegant and graceful, restoring their connection to the cosmos (Tea Ceremony 49; regain 2 Void Points).

(Per GM, contest is best of 3.
Earned 14 Topaz Points, plus possible Ring benefit.)

After the ceremony was over, he sat still for a moment.

"That's the best Tea ceremony i ever witnessed, Toritaka-san. Thank you" he said resolut.
"I figure you learned a lot from Doji-sensei?"

"I had that privilege, yes. And I have practiced it diligently.

"I am pleased you appreciate it."

"So, I guess Doji-shiryo told you the same thing he told us? That we must make sure Hitoshi-san passes his gempukku?"

Sasaiko nods.

After another sip of tea, she adds "And it is best to work towards the spirits' desires in such cases. It helps them pass on. Though why Doji-shiryo would take such an interest eludes."

"I don't think he need to pass, Yotsuo-san has assured me that his Soul is in Yomi. Nevertheless it is a delicate matter, and if things are really as dire as i witnessed them, all former attends of Hirosaka are targeted. I don't know if you heard the rumors, but we were attacked in the Poisend Water Sake Hous last evening."

"I had not. Are you well, then?"

He stared somewhat into the distance. " They had no chance against the guide of a blade in my hand" He recovered his composure. "Others were less fortunate. Kazuko,... -san,... was badly hurt. Prashant-san and Utaku Nesrin-san were also wounded. Mai-san could heal, Prashant-san too, but still, it was... a serious situation."

"It sounds so."

She inclines her head.

"Is there anything you can say to me about the attack or its purposes?"

"Kaito-san said they were probably not ronin, and when they escaped they mentioned Bayushi Sugai-san, that he would be pissed, they said."

He took a deep Breath

"Other than that, i don't know. Like i said, my strength lies in the sword,... though Hitoshi-san was there too, fortunatly he wasn't hurt."

Sasaiko nods.

"That will be a thing to recall, then."