Peaceful

[Kuni Yotsuo]

The thunder and lightning outside continued to impede Yotsuo's ability to find focus in himself. After some time in contemplative meditation, he finally rose and began his cleaning duties. Though rather than cleaning the yard directly, he decided to clean the entryways to the yard, removing leaves and mud from the portals.

----

D4 Horse, Meditation / Void: 5d10o10k2 12

[Asako Saburo]

His own meditations were no better. No matter how he attempted to control his seething emotions, the young shugenja never could get them under control. The centering lesson could not come soon enough. He noticed that one of the others meditating and attempting to relax had taken up cleaning and sighed to himself, rumbling as he got up and walked over to grab one of the other rakes.

"We have not had much time to speak without a crowd about, have we Kuni-san," he said, giving a quick bow before moving to help out.

[Kuni Yotsuo]

"We haven't," the Kuni replied with a nod. "But I haven't spoken at length with many of my fellow students. I've been far more focused on the lessons. My master explained to me that friendships are important to give us more drive in our struggles against evil, but they also draw focus from our duty. A balance must be found according to him. So I suspect I've been a bit distant."

[Asako Saburo]

He snorted and laughed a thick sounding, almost bitter laugh, working with his own rake and nodding. "I like your master already. It is a battle I know all too well. I spend all my days studying and speaking with the kami, not with humans. I find it hard to associate with most of them here... several far more than others." Kokyou and Sakura came to mind as excellent examples of people he didn't know how to handle.

[Kuni Yotsuo]

"I just try to be polite and move conversations forward as best I can. Hopefully the court training that we get eventually will help with that," he replies with a nod. "I need to be able to converse, but it's going to have to be in ways and matters that most people wouldn't be comfortable with for my future duty. The spirits are usually very different than us, in their interests and manners."

[Asako Saburo]

"Finding a way to get business concluded without unnecessary hassle is something of the difficulty, I've found. Small talk is simply not something I've ever engaged in. One of our fellows described a thing called the 'game of letters' to me, and it makes so little sense that I understand from a logical standpoint but cannot conceive why an entire group of people would engage in it for months at a time." Roundabouts were things he 'got' in the sense that he understood that people did them, and that he might be expected to, but he barely conceived of the 'why.'

"So much of courtly speech seems... wordy."

[Kuni Yotsuo]

"Well, more words can mean more precision in description. But it also means more chances to make mistakes or potentially mislead or deceive for those that wish to do so. I get it, but there are some creatures out there that I'll need to interact with that just don't care. I'm not familiar with this game of letters."

[Asako Saburo]

"It involves using a letter that is delivered around court and allowed to be read by any before it reaches its intended destination to serve as a public declaration of some sort. Usually circumspect. It could be clever. The sort of game that courtiers apparently play." He was tempted to put a letter around the dojo saying 'this is stupid.'

"But it is a careful line, as you note. Information must be conveyed clearly. Just enough words to avoid confusion, not so many to add."

[Kuni Yotsuo]

"That..." he wanted to say it was stupid, but he also didn't wish do disparage the hobbies of others, because he needed to keep an open mind. Who knew what kind of ridiculous games he'd be playing in Sakkaku in the future after all. "It seems very strange to me. Not really certain what the point would be. Maybe there will be a lesson that explains that in the future."

[Asako Saburo]

"There are lessons on games, and lessons on court. Perhaps i you can get personal time with one of the tutors they could go into it more," he said with the wooden and level tone of someone who flatly agreed with how stupid the game of letters sounded. It sounded ridiculous. "I believe it is about putting on the desired appearance, showing people what you wish them to see, and react to, but it feels too obvious."

[Kuni Yotsuo]

He nods at that. "It seems obvious to me as well. But then, it's possible that the practice has less obvious applications too. A separate purpose not obvious to those that are uninitiated to the game. Many samurai understand the benefits and uses of meditation, but I use it to focus and attune myself to different spirit realms when I travel. Not that I expect Letters to allow communication with spirits, but there could be some unforeseen means of using it to greater effect than the sharing of obvious information which I can't fathom at the moment."

[Asako Saburo]

"Given its apparent common practice, I must assume that it is nothing particularly deceptive in nature, and so would be simply the sort of merit that was difficult to ascertain at first glance for one who has not participated." He grunted and shook his head, the obvious confusion written all over his face. "Perhaps one of the only ways to understand it is to participate in it somehow. Maybe I should write a letter and tell one of the servants to pass it around. Just to see what happens."

[Kuni Yotsuo]

"Perhaps. I wouldn't be opposed to participating to try and learn alongside you. Perhaps we could have it go through the sensei's hands as well and then ask them about it afterwards?" The Kuni honestly didn't know, but anything that was so popular among samurai was likely worth trying at least once.

[Asako Saburo]

He considered that for a moment and tapped his lips. "We will almost certainly have proper courtly training. I could ask the Doji who was training Mai in tea ceremony if she would look at letters passed between the two of us... That might actually tell us something." It certainly seemed like an option at the very least. A professional courtier would know more than another student.

[Kuni Yotsuo]

"Shall we give it a try then? I'm less familiar with the idea than you so you could send to me first and then I'll return one and hope that I get it correct," he offers. "Since it seems to be something that should take some time as the letter gets passed around, we could do so tomorrow morning."

[Asako Saburo]

"I do not expect to have time with any of the counselors tomorrow, unless you can arrange it. Perhaps the next day when they are all gathered in one place for the daily lessons? I intend to attend the courtier lectures a second time if they will permit me, and may be able to secure one of their agreement." He had no idea there'd be an impromptu gardening session the next day after all.

[Kuni Yotsuo]

"Alright, that sounds good," Yotsuo replies with a nod. "We'll give this game a try and see how it works out."

[Asako Saburo]

"It will be an informative exercise, yes." He nodded and folded his arms, satisfied by the logic of what could only be described as an impending disaster in two days time. Whatever raw talents they had, he had absolutely no clue what he was doing, and it was going to show.

...pause...

"Do you know how to write haiku?"

[Kuni Yotsuo]

"Not at all. My training in courtly or artistic skills does not extend very far. Mostly in how to not make a fool of myself by disrespecting others outright," the Kuni replies with a chuckle. "Though I suppose I may learn a thing or two of calligraphy in our upcoming lesson."

[Asako Saburo]

"Yes. I remember. The Bayushi was very clear that presentation was important. The intention was to make sure it was memorable, and so perfect calligraphy would be prized." He was totally unaware that crude, blocky calligraphy could be fine too. Sometimes, there were different statements to be made. "It seems to be a very ... multilayered game."