The New Winds

Mop in hand, and a bucket at his side, and a lot of people snoring in the other room: Kokyou almost feels like he's at his father ship once more –– if not by the part that things weren't really moving left to right.

Taking the opportunity to have few people walking around the dojo deck, he splatters the wet cloth in the floor, and spins it around the mop to begin pushing it forward.

Kenji got up in the morning to prepare the dojo for the next day. Usually this was not a very exciting task. A little sweeping here, a little mopping there. Nothing remarkable then. But today it seemed that he had a remarkable encounter ahead of him.

While mopping, he accidentally bumped into another boy: "Hey!, oh excuse me Kohai-San, it seems like sleep is still in my bones"

He hadn't seen the other boy yet, so Kenji remembered to introduce himself: "Greetings, I am Kakita Kenji, it's an honor to meet you," he said quietly and with a bow.

"Ye slab sided snuff snortin' greasey dingo buttwipe! Ye board yer side o' th' deck, mate." Kokyou exclaims out loud as he gets bumped by another student.

Noticing the other boy apologized soon after, he shakes his head and bows in return. "Rough night. Ye're excused. Glad t' meet yer acquaintance."

What did he say?

"Yes, uhh, to whom do I have the honor?" Kenji asked, slightly confused

Well. He asked.

Kokyou inhales deeply, and suddenly, he kicks the mop up to swirl it around like a weapon –– splashing water onto the roof and everywhere else into that circular reach.

With a fierce stomp into the water bucket, he takes the mop down in another mighty splash. One of his hands on the mop, the other pointing up. His left foot on top of the bucket. His eyes aiming to the horizon. Definitely a magnificent vision, if one was imaginative enough to picture a galleon's deck Kokyou had in his mind.

He bloats out loud for all to hear, "I be the breathin' ambition o' discovery, wealth, glory an' conquest. The seed o' the storm, soon the become the mightiest gentleman o' fortune this world an' that 'as e'er known! Kokyou is the name I be given."

A Manits, that is. Kenji had heard the rumors. That explained the strong accent.

"Impressive, though... a little too wet." Kenji wiped his face dry with the sleeve of his kimono. "I have already heard rumors about you, Kokyou-san, you are the infamous bushi who wants to become Shugenja?"

He snort-laughs, and says, "Jus' 'cause some folks reckon I can shoot fireballs from me eyes 'n lightnin' from areas I rather nah natter now, scallywags say I wants t' become a shugenja. How amusin'."

Kokyou nods to Kenji, and readjusts the firmness of his mop, producing another water splash. "Aye, I be th' infam... wait a moment." The boy narrows his eyes and repeats, correcting the phrase,

"Aye, I be th' famous bushi they be natterin' about." Or bushi-to-be.

"At least you're pretty confident," Kenji said while wiping up the small puddles Kokyou had left behind with his mop.

"If you keep this up, you're probably going to be... the most famous student among us," Kenji said politely with an emphasis on famous.

"Going t' be?" He asks, rhetorically, and resumes mopping again, snorting a, "Nonsense."

After a few swipes, he asks. ""Wha' about ye: Wha' are ye famed fer, Kakita-kohai?"

"Me?" Kenji asked in surprise, thinking it over. "I'm pretty good with the sword, but famous?"

Kenji wiped back and forth. ".... I actually never really asked myself what I could be famous for. The graduates of my school will usually accompany the courtiers as Yojimbo. Probably the best chance for me to become famous would be to become Topaz Champion...."

"Wha' if ye defeat the Topaz Champion? That would make ye even more famous."

"That's pretty,.... ambitous,.... to say the least, but if I would beat the Topaz Champion in a Duel i would get famous for sure." said Kenji Daydreaming. "But that would be silly for a Samurai of my Station, i mean, after all i must be an Asset to my Daymo, right?" he said somewhat defeated

"Ye can always become famous t' be the best servant t' yer Daimyo, no?" He says, twisting the cloth to pour the dirty water into the bucket.

"This could cause problems, Daymo sometimes fear famous samurai for stealing their light. But it always depends on the Damyo... how does it work with you Mantis? I must confess that I don't know much about the other clans ..." Kenji continued the conversation.

To his amazement, he watched a cricket jumping around the room, a sign of luck?

"The Daimyo o' the Mantis be a mighty famous salty seadog. That ole fart. He would mighty be proud fer any clanmate t' be even more famous than he be. Although, I believe that it would bring up t' some sort o' dispute at a point. Healthy competition, perhaps?" He says.

"How's yer Daimyo?" Kokyou returns the question.

"Unfortunately, I do not know very much about him, but he is said to have contact to all Rokugan families and to have countless favours so it could be that he could see me as a danger, or rather as an asset? Politics is difficult..." Kenji said as he swung the mop.

Trying to change the subject, Kenji asked, "What is the sea like? I haven't had a chance to see it yet"

"Haaaaaar!" He express with much joy, and takes a moment to reply while looking to the window for a moment –– in the direction of the sea.

"The briny deep be beautiful 'n dreadful at the same time. Jus' like a good beauty... or ol' mate... best be. 'tis the gateway t' other far away worlds 'n it riches, wisdom 'n perils. It provides sustenance 'n connects all our scallywags together. Even if ye're far from it."

"I didn't know the Mantis appreciated philosophy," Kenji said amusedly "But it certainly sounds beautiful... hopefully one day I'll see them with my own eyes"

“Ye’re a friendly Crane. When we be done wit' classes 'n gempukku, I’ll take ye all fer a good time off in a paradisíac island t' bathe in warm waters, eat cononut, fresh fish, 'n drink grog 'til we can’t say which day 'tis anymore.” He says, getting back to work.

"I'll take you up on that, Kokyou-san, gentleman of fortune," he said and went back to work.
/scene?