The New Winds

The evening meal found Bayushi Jiro with an open scroll to his right and a full tea set arranged in front of him. His brow was furrowed and lips pursed as he studied the scroll, then reached out to turn his cup three times, staring at it as though it contained the secrets of the universe.

The soft sound of footsteps intentionally made to alert someone to the presence of another approaching arrived just before the imperial did. She bowed to the Bayushi, towels and robe folded over one arm. She was clearly on her way to the baths for the evening, but the Bayushi's singular focus on his scroll and tea cup had drawn her attention from the path before her, however momentarily.

She did not say anything, etiquette demanding she not interrupt, but she did hover just close enough that it was clear she wished to speak to him about something. Curiosity had gotten the better of her.

The Scorpion lad frowned at the cop, looked at the scroll, took up the teapot and poured.

Unskilled Tea Ceremony=10

A moment later, he spoke. "I do not suppose that I could pour for you as well," he turned his head to look over his shoulder, "Otomo-san?"

She waited until he turned to look at her and offered a small, kind smile, "That would be most kind of you, Bayushi-san. But I would not want to interrupt your studies during your meal."

A polite refusal for propriety and little more as she stepped forward, but did not yet sit.

Jiro's eyes tracked the movement, but his expression changed not a whit. "The ceremony lends itself to more than one participant, Otomo-san. It would be an enhancement, not an interruption."

As this was not a gift, she did not feel the need to refuse more than once. Instead, she inclined her head at his insistence and moved around so she could sit opposite him. She folded her legs under her and set the towel and robe to one side on the table. She still intended to head for the baths after, but it could wait a few moments to satisfy her curiosity.

"Thank you Kohai-san," she said, setting her hands in her lap, one on top of the other, and giving a more proper bow from her seated position. "I have not had the opportunity to participate in a tea ceremony in several months. Is that what you are studying so intently?"

"It is." He gestured to the scroll with his right hand. "I have never...officiated a tea ceremony, so Kakita Uso's writings on the subject have been informative." He hesitated as he reset the ceremony. "I cannot promise his fluid style just yet, I am afraid..."

"I would not have expected you to," she reassured him, smile remaining small and soft, attempting to display the right amount of understanding and assurance for the situation. No more, no less.

"I have never officiated one, either. But have participated in several. I would enjoy participating in one with you before I take my leave to bathe, if only to allow both of us the opportunity to practice."

"Together, then." Jiro smiled as he began to whisk the matcha in the bowl. "Otomo-san has found her time at the dojo to her liking, I hope?"

She inclined her head, "Well enough, yes. It is only the first day and already we have been presented with challenges I had not expected when told what to expect when I received the honor of an invitation to this select group. I am not, however, disappointed with the schedule presented to us or the classes to come. It is simply... different... than I am used to. I expect that is the same for many among us."

Nobuko kept her hands folded in her lap as she spoke, eyes downward, on the actions of Jiro's hands. Attempting to remember when she should act and when to allow the lead to act.

"I expect that Kohai-san is finding his time at the dojo to his liking?" she asked, turning the question back on the asker.

"He is withholding judgment for a time, in order to learn." The Scorpion completed his brew and passed the bowl for her to sample. "Although Otomo-san's position has much to recommend it. An open mind is one more able to absorb ideas, after all."

Nobuko accepted the cup and held it before her, inspecting the tea's consistancy before turning the cup in her hands and taking a sip.

"It is very good, Kohai-san," she complimented him - as was appropriate - despite the tea being a bit on the thin side. Adequate for practice. She took another sip and then carefully wiped the rim clean before offering back to him.

"I am certain you only need to practice a little every day and you will excel in providing others the comfort a tea ceremony brings."

He accepted the bowl with a smile, sampled it himself with no alteration in expression, and began to clean it thoroughly.

"Thank you for your kind words, Otomo-san. I shall endeavor to persevere." He laid the whisk and bowl to one side. "Traditionally, I understand that the process is repeated with a thinner tea, but given the state of my matcha, I don't suppose we need to see if I can dilute tea any farther than I already have. No need to tempt fate, as it were."

"Traditionally, we would wait until after the first offering of tea to everyone before engaging in conversation," she replied, hands returning to their position in her lap. "Fate is not tempted, I think, by the thinning of the macha. However, if the focus is on making sure the steps are done in the correct order, then working on the tea can wait until the rest is learned."

She paused her words until he was done cleaning the whisk and bowl, "I believe I am to inspect them before taking my leave. Is it just the utensils used to make the tea or all that had the tea touch it? I do no remember. Usually I am not the one that does the inspecting."

Jiro inclined his head, letting thoughts race behind vacant eyes.

"Oh, the latter, Otomo-san. Each and every one." He smiled warmly.

She wasn't certain that was correct. However, it didn't really matter right then and there, did it? Their impromptu session was less about her learning and more about his.

"Well, then, I shall do so and then be off to the baths," she agreed, reaching out and taking the whisk and mixing bowl to look them over and ensure the utensils were in good order, giving Jiro time to clean the other cup that had been used. "We should meet again tomorrow, Kohai-san, should both of us have the time, and practice again. Though, I would most appreciate if I could read the text from Kakita Uso ahead of time to refresh myself on the topic. We could even take turns each day, hosting or being hosted, in preparation for the tea ceremony at the close of our special studies here."

"I think that is an excellent idea, Otomo-san." He tilted his head to the right. "Of course, if you should find mastery before me, I would not wish you to feel obligated to shepherd this poor novice into the light."

"If there is any obligation, Bayushi-san," she answered in a pleasant, easy tone, clearly pleased with her suggestion for practice, "then it is one of my own creation, entered into of my own choice. And please..."

Nobuko set the whisk and bowl down, hands sliding into her lap after while she raised her head and looked directly at Jiro, "call me 'Kohai'. It is far more appropriate, being as we are now students of the same dojo."

"It seemed inappropriate, in that I should show deference to your greater age and experience," Jiro said quietly. "But if kohai-san insists, I shan't complain at a degree of familiarity."

Nobuko offered another bow and picked up her towel and robe, "Kohai-san does insist," she said, smiling brightly before schooling her expression to something less obviously 'over-emotional' and more proper to show an equal who was not a close friend, "Good evening, Kohai-san. I shall look for you tomorrow once our schedules have both cleared."