(Day 2, EA) Mandatory Event: Sumai

[Vutall]

The healer who had been called over looks toward Aiichiro and Qiang, keen to hear their conversation.

[Asako Saburo]

Sasaiko finishes her match and finds a pair of Phoenix. Bowing, she waits to be included, as is proper.

Seeing Sasaiko, Saburo smiled and motioned for her to approach, bowing. "Well done, Toritaka-san. You did certainly prove yourself against the Lion today." He was going to put as positive a spin as he could imagine on that. The Ikoma had definitely taken quite the pounding had he not? He was pointedly trying to ignore the discussion between the Lion and Crab at the moment.

[Matsu Qiang]

He ignores this and continues. "Seriously, just why? Do you think superiority is proved with strength? Even if the Crane and the Lion are not exactly friends, do you think you are doing your lord service this way?"

"Well, Crab, you've said your piece, and I've heard your words," Matsu Qiang said coldly as Aiichiro ignored the obvious hint. "Now let me say mine."

"You do Kakita-san a disservice by approaching me and complaining I was too rough on him," Qiang said, his eyes fierce. "I have little love for the Crane, it's true, but Kakita-san is a man, or nearly so. If he has a problem with my actions, he can come see me himself. He didn't win our fight, but he showed fighting spirit, and I very much doubt that he would thank you for implying he is too weak to play our wrestling games."

"So if you'll take my advice on courtesy, Crab, you might consider staying out of other people's business."

[Toritaka Sasaiko]

Seeing Sasaiko, Saburo smiled and motioned for her to approach, bowing. "Well done, Toritaka-san. You did certainly prove yourself against the Lion today." He was going to put as positive a spin as he could imagine on that. The Ikoma had definitely taken quite the pounding had he not? He was pointedly trying to ignore the discussion between the Lion and Crab at the moment.

She nods. "And I see you were also victorious. That's good. Uninjured, I take it?"

She also ostentatiously avoids watching the ongoing argument. She is still a Minor Clanner, as it happens, and getting involved in Great Clan arguments is a good way to a bad end for such.

[Asako Saburo]

She nods. "And I see you were also victorious. That's good. Uninjured, I take it?"

She also ostentatiously avoids watching the ongoing argument. She is still a Minor Clanner, as it happens, and getting involved in Great Clan arguments is a good way to a bad end for such.

"Nothing more than minor bruises. It should right itself with a night's rest." He leaned in a little to murmur very carefully. "Kakita-san is extremely strong, fair warning. It took everything I had to reposition her, and I had to forsake Hida-sama's suggestions to keep up with her. I would not take her lightly should you be posted against her in a future competition. She will prove a gifted combatant."

[Kaiu Aiichiro]

He ignores this and continues. "Seriously, just why? Do you think superiority is proved with strength? Even if the Crane and the Lion are not exactly friends, do you think you are doing your lord service this way?"

"Well, Crab, you've said your piece, and I've heard your words," Matsu Qiang said coldly as Aiichiro ignored the obvious hint. "Now let me say mine."

"You do Kakita-san a disservice by approaching me and complaining I was too rough on him," Qiang said, his eyes fierce. "I have little love for the Crane, it's true, but Kakita-san is a man, or nearly so. If he has a problem with my actions, he can come see me himself. He didn't win our fight, but he showed fighting spirit, and I very much doubt that he would thank you for implying he is too weak to play our wrestling games."

"So if you'll take my advice on courtesy, Crab, you might consider staying out of other people's business."

Perceving his tone was getting abrasive as he let his anger take some form of control, he remembered what happened with Kokyou. He didn't want that again. Kokyou was right that day, but even if he had not been, how he reacted back there was pathetic. So Aiichiro took a deep breath before continuing in a somewhat tender tone. "And you didn't answer any of my questions, so I'm simplifying them in just one. Why did you start off violently?"
He looks at Kenji in a sideglance, notices someone near on this gesture, and faces the healer he didn't notice being so near before. Maybe he was approaching to break the argument. Maybe he was just observing if this one would not turn violent as well.

[Matsu Qiang]

"You haven't heard my words, Crab," Qiang said, frowning again. "There seems little point in saying any more."

[Kaiu Aiichiro]

"If this is your answer, so we let it be." He bows shallowly and takes his bottle of water, looking to the healer and turning away. Not even in Kenji's direction, just in a random place outside the sight of everyone who saw the scene to take a breather. He takes a sip out of the bottle.

[Kokyou]

As Kokyou returns from his chat with Mai and then match versus the Moto, he notices the Lion and Crab making a scene with a sneer.

Deciding to ignore it, he sits nearby and looks to the matches still ongoing.

[Iuchi Prashant]

Kenji, now bandaged and having felt the power of the kami several times, was in a presentable state again. He went down on his knees before his benefactors: "Thank you very much, for your help, Kitsu-san, Prashant-san, Healer-san".

Prashant's face is relieved and he says a calm and happy "No big deal, Kakita-san, just doing what I was trained to do" as he nods to the Crane. "I'm glad to see you well"

He then steps back to give him and Kazuko space and goes back to observing the other matches.

[Matsu Qiang]

The Matsu continued frowning after the Crab finally took his leave, then tried to compose himself as he gathered his things to go. Better have a clear mind for the heraldry test, Qiang reminded himself.

But the whole experience had been rather unsettling, and there was a certain tension in the way the young Lion held his shoulders as he headed for the exit.

(exit scene)

[Kakita Kazuko]

"My, you really do care about him. It doesn't matter what Kotomi says." Zashi nods, giving Kazuko a smile. "It's good to see him up and about."

Zashi doesn't seem that excited, though winning his match. He has a bit of a far away look in his eye

Kazuko maintains a soft smile by Kenji's side but can't quite keep the distaste out of her voice when it comes to Kotomi.

"Of course I care, why would you believe Kotomi-san? All she does is find ways to escalate situations."

---

(ooc: would escalate even be a word in rokugan? it wasn't used until around 1950 irl cause like, escalators but this is just me nitpicking my own posts lol)

[Zashi]

Kazuko maintains a soft smile by Kenji's side but can't quite keep the distaste out of her voice when it comes to Kotomi.

"Of course I care, why would you believe Kotomi-san? All she does is find ways to escalate situations."

---

Zashi shrugs. "There was a rumor that she really missed Kenji. I wanted to see what she thought about it." Zashi seems to think. "What's a Sparrow Housewife? Is that Crane slang for something?" Zashi does his best to seem completely confused

[Moto Ichiro]

Ichiro wandered into the viewing area after his match he still felt upset despite his centering exercises earlier he wasn't used to failure in areas which he excelled. But he did his best to move on from it and watch the still ongoing matches.

[Otomo Nobuko]

Ichiro wandered into the viewing area after his match he still felt upset despite his centering exercises earlier he wasn't used to failure in areas which he excelled. But he did his best to move on from it and watch the still ongoing matches.

Nobuko found him after his match, grinning a little like a fool as she preened, "You did so well, Ichiro-kun! None can doubt your prowess as a warrior of great skill, to be in awe and fear of!"

[Toritaka Sasaiko]

"Nothing more than minor bruises. It should right itself with a night's rest." He leaned in a little to murmur very carefully. "Kakita-san is extremely strong, fair warning. It took everything I had to reposition her, and I had to forsake Hida-sama's suggestions to keep up with her. I would not take her lightly should you be posted against her in a future competition. She will prove a gifted combatant."

Sasaiko nods. "I will keep it in mind. Thank you."

She adds, again, in a murmur "The Lion delegation seems, er, enthusiastic. And my opponent was surprisingly deceptive. Something to watch."

[Ikoma Eichiro]

Eichiro has given this long enough. He sheds his shirt again and hands it to Kichiro. "If the Falcon says anything, ignore her," he warns the bushi.

"Grab Nijiro's shirt." He commands, and heads to the ring to recover his nearly crippled brother. Eichiro carefully hoists his identical twin onto his back, ignoring the warm feeling of blood on the back of his neck and makes his way to the stands and the adult healer.

They stand amongst the crowd that has formed around Kenji, but Eichiro knows no boundaries when it comes to his brother. "Sama," he begins, speaking over the din easily, "I would request assistance for my younger brother."

[Bayushi Kaidan]

"If this is your answer, so we let it be." He bows shallowly and takes his bottle of water, looking to the healer and turning away. Not even in Kenji's direction, just in a random place outside the sight of everyone who saw the scene to take a breather. He takes a sip out of the bottle.

"Blood and Ancestry... the answer to your question that Matsu san did not answer. Nature... also Kharma... for events of last night." A whisper in Aiichiro's ear. "He failed compassion."

[Kaiu Aiichiro]

"If this is your answer, so we let it be." He bows shallowly and takes his bottle of water, looking to the healer and turning away. Not even in Kenji's direction, just in a random place outside the sight of everyone who saw the scene to take a breather. He takes a sip out of the bottle.

"Blood and Ancestry... the answer to your question that Matsu san did not answer. Nature... also Kharma... for events of last night." A whisper in Aiichiro's ear. "He failed compassion."

He looks to the Scorpion boy he had not met before. Instead of getting irked or suspicious, he felt oddly relieved by how he spoke. Reminded him of his nakodo somehow. He nods, turning his head down some. "What happened last night?"

[Vutall]

"Sama," he begins, speaking over the din easily, "I would request assistance for my younger brother."

“Certainly, Ikoma-San. Let me have a look at him.”

Seeing the state of the boy, the healer whispers a prayer again and the water kami flow into Nijiro, restoring him.

Path to inner peace, water 4, IR3, spellcrafting 5, affinity: 9d10o10k4 29

-heals 19