Tell Me Where I Shugyo (D1 EA, Open)

[Akodo Moshi]

"Well, I don't want to distract you from whatever you came out here to do and I am not going to let you stay unsupervised. So I guess I'll ask what it is that you guys want to do until your dad comes."

[Jiyo Sora]

"Well, I don't want to distract you from whatever you came out here to do and I am not going to let you stay unsupervised. So I guess I'll ask what it is that you guys want to do until your dad comes."

"Tell a story!"

"Soryu..."

"Well Phi, she did ask..."

"Be that as it may, it's somewhat rude to ask for a story without offering one."

"I can tell her about the time Satsuki-hime looked after us and Dad nearly tore his hair out?"

"I don't think he would have been so peeved if we hadn't called them tattoos."

[Kakita]

"Well, my kids are all a bit young, but joking about that aside... I could look around. Do you know if she has her eye on anyone in particular?"

“No one in particular as of yet.” He replied with a shake of his head.

[Jiyo Sora]

“No one in particular as of yet.” He replied with a shake of his head.

"Hm. Does she even seem interested at all? In the idea, I mean. 'Cause if she isn't, she could always adopt..."

[Kakita]

“She carries the blood of the kami. It would be... unfortunate to let that disappear.” Kakita replied.

[Jiyo Sora]

Sora sighed. He understood, he really did, but...

"It would also be unfortunate to force her into an arrangement she didn't want just to preserve a bloodline like she's some sort of prized hunting dog. Besides. Ryoshun didn't let a little thing like death end his line. I'd be hesitant to throw anyone at her if she found the whole prospect disgusting."

[Kakita]

“One should not live only on which that they are comfortable with. We must be pressed to grow to who we are meant to be.” He replied in a tone like a gentle breeze.

“I have great respect for the founder of your family and her commitment to the preservation of the Emperor’s line. Another was chosen over her for love, but she remained committed to her duty. To shirk one's duties in favor of personal preference is not what we should do as samurai. Jiyo-sama is an exemplar for us all.”

[Jiyo Sora]

"But Jiyo chose her duty. All of us who were there at the tournament did. She wasn't born into it with any expectations placed upon her."

He ran a hand through his hair.

"Again, if the lady is open to the idea, I have no difficulty with it."

[Kakita]

“She was asked as each of us are asked to do things we normally would not have done. Expectations are always placed on us. That has always been and will always be the case. What is left up to us is how we respond to that which fate presents us with... Do we run? Or do we embrace that which we are required to do?” He replied.

“Rei-sama will do what is right. I have every confidence in that. Whatever her choice may be.”

[Jiyo Sora]

"You're starting to sound a bit like the rest of your tribe who ponced off to join the Crane, you realize. Not a lot, but a bit."

Sora gestured to himself.

"Have I embraced many of the changes the Kami have brought? Of course I have. But my every duty has been my choice. Caring for the Emperor's daughters? It was not a command. It was a choice I was presented with. Going south to help rescue Hisomu? No one asked me to do that. I volunteered. At no point did I give a damn what expectations might be placed upon me. And at this far remove, I think that may be why the Emperor has trusted me to the extent he has."

[Kakita]

“What greater expectation can there be than the internal realization of what is right?” Kakita replied.

“There is no running from one’s self.”

Kakita then simply replied, “None of us are as fortunate enough to choose all the opportunities that we ever be asked to face. I’m sure if you reflect upon your own choices you would see that there were many times you would have preferred to stay home and enjoy your life... but you didn’t. I doubt you woke up one morning and said, ‘I really want to travel into hell to save a man I have never met or seen.’ You were presented with the right course of action which came from some place beyond your control... and you responded with honor. That is why you are trusted...”

[Akodo Moshi]

"Well, I don't want to distract you from whatever you came out here to do and I am not going to let you stay unsupervised. So I guess I'll ask what it is that you guys want to do until your dad comes."

"Tell a story!"

"Soryu..."

"Well Phi, she did ask..."

"Be that as it may, it's somewhat rude to ask for a story without offering one."

"I can tell her about the time Satsuki-hime looked after us and Dad nearly tore his hair out?"

"I don't think he would have been so peeved if we hadn't called them tattoos."

"This sounds interesting, I presume this is Togashi-sama's child we are talking about?"

[Jiyo Sora]

“What greater expectation can there be than the internal realization of what is right?” Kakita replied.

“There is no running from one’s self.”

Kakita then simply replied, “None of us are as fortunate enough to choose all the opportunities that we ever be asked to face. I’m sure if you reflect upon your own choices you would see that there were many times you would have preferred to stay home and enjoy your life... but you didn’t. I doubt you woke up one morning and said, ‘I really want to travel into hell to save a man I have never met or seen.’ You were presented with the right course of action which came from some place beyond your control... and you responded with honor. That is why you are trusted...”

"As far it goes, I didn't travel to hell to save a man I had never met or seen. I traveled to hell because my friend Reiko was going, and would need all the help she could get. And the choice was mine. If Ryoshun's Heir makes a choice, that is also hers. I'm not inclined to force one upon her simply because it's what is exepcted of her. That would rob her decision of its actual value. Service freely given is vastly stronger than the compelled variety. The same goes for assumption of duties."

He chuckled.

"None of which means I won't try to be a friend if she'll have me as one, and if she takes a shine to someone, I'll encourage it as best I'm able."

"This sounds interesting, I presume this is Togashi-sama's child we are talking about?"

"Oh yeah! Auntie Saruko and Dad were catching up, talking about the old days, and we were getting bored, so Satsuki-hime offered to look after us. Dad always takes a long time when he visits the Dragon- Auntie Saruko's one of his oldest friends, and he has a lot of respect for Togashi-sama, and the mountains remind him of his childhood, and... anyway. Bored."

"So she looked after us for a bit. It was fun. Shirayuki started talking about the tattoos the Dragon do..."

"... and Phi asked how they were done. So Satsuki-hime got out some ink and brushes..."

[Kakita]

Kakita tilts his head, “Doing what is right always has value... no matter the reason why. Expectations do not detract from the value of a good deed.”

He paused before continuing, “I think we are speaking past each other at this point... You seem to care deeply about the things you purport. I doubt quibbling over the nature of human choice will bring about any change in that.”

He straightened himself, “I know that Destiny does not believe in secrets. When something is meant to be, it is obvious to all but the foolish... and it is up to us to embrace that which we are destined to become.”

[Jiyo Sora]

"It's been my experience that Destiny is more like destiny. And it has its limits."

[Kakita]

Kakita simply nodded his head at a polite tilt and allowed Sora the comment without answer.

A Jiyo who cares little for Duty, Honor, or the teachings of the Tao... Interesting.

“I expect I have taken you from your children for too long. Please excuse the distraction from your pleasant afternoon.” He offered a bow of apology in a calm and regal manner.

[Jiyo Sora]

"Oh, they're probably setting fire to the palace or torturing Hsieh-Hsieh again, so I probably had better run them down... Carry the Fortunes, Kakita-san."

[Kakita]

He bowed again, “May Lady Sun light your path Jiyo-sama.”

[Akodo Moshi]

“What greater expectation can there be than the internal realization of what is right?” Kakita replied.

“There is no running from one’s self.”

Kakita then simply replied, “None of us are as fortunate enough to choose all the opportunities that we ever be asked to face. I’m sure if you reflect upon your own choices you would see that there were many times you would have preferred to stay home and enjoy your life... but you didn’t. I doubt you woke up one morning and said, ‘I really want to travel into hell to save a man I have never met or seen.’ You were presented with the right course of action which came from some place beyond your control... and you responded with honor. That is why you are trusted...”

"As far it goes, I didn't travel to hell to save a man I had never met or seen. I traveled to hell because my friend Reiko was going, and would need all the help she could get. And the choice was mine. If Ryoshun's Heir makes a choice, that is also hers. I'm not inclined to force one upon her simply because it's what is exepcted of her. That would rob her decision of its actual value. Service freely given is vastly stronger than the compelled variety. The same goes for assumption of duties."

He chuckled.

"None of which means I won't try to be a friend if she'll have me as one, and if she takes a shine to someone, I'll encourage it as best I'm able."

"This sounds interesting, I presume this is Togashi-sama's child we are talking about?"

"Oh yeah! Auntie Saruko and Dad were catching up, talking about the old days, and we were getting bored, so Satsuki-hime offered to look after us. Dad always takes a long time when he visits the Dragon- Auntie Saruko's one of his oldest friends, and he has a lot of respect for Togashi-sama, and the mountains remind him of his childhood, and... anyway. Bored."

"So she looked after us for a bit. It was fun. Shirayuki started talking about the tattoos the Dragon do..."

"... and Phi asked how they were done. So Satsuki-hime got out some ink and brushes..."

"And then your dad caught you with ink across your body?"

[Jiyo Sora]

"And then your dad caught you with ink across your body?"

"Our bodies. Yes. We, ah... well, I think they were pretty."

"They were pretty good for the efforts of a couple of eight year olds. Shirayuki had a really nice flower she inked onto my forehead..."

Soryu watched his sisters with growing interest. Maybe he should try this? It sounded fun!

"But yes, Dad was... not angry, exactly? Like, he was upset and said a lot of bad words and seemed to be jumping up and down in place, but he didn't do that thing where he gets really quiet and then slips away and then some bandits turn up dead..."