[D1LM] The Perfect Cut (OPEN)

[Doji Hikaru]

Draw and Strike. Draw and Strike. Hikaru paused a moment. He could see his breath fogging in the cold air, but he wasn't cold. Not with his thick cloak, and not with how he'd been exerting himself. It was a simple move, at least once it had been practiced, but he'd repeated it many times this day. A thousand? Ten-thousand? It didn't matter. He wasn't counting.

Draw and Strike. Draw and Strike. Hikaru stood on the riverbank, just above a steep slope. Did it matter that he faced the direction the river flowed? Did it matter that, as the blade arced out, he imagined it as a ripple of water? Perhaps. There were many ways to think about each strike. Be like air. Be like water. Be like fire...

Hikaru's lips pressed together as his skill failed, draw and strike becoming draw then strike. A pause, sword out, as he recentered himself, brushed his white lock back into place. Sheathed his sword. A deep breath. Be like nothing...

Draw and Strike.

[Hantei Genji]

Though it was sunny, he still saw his breath in the air. Genji found that amusing for some reason. His soft footsteps seemed to echo through the rustling leaves as he came by the river, his daisho by his side.

He noticed that he wasn't the only one there. A soft smile appeared. Diligence was not merely a Stag virtue it seemed.

Bowing deeply, he greeted in a soft voice. "Greetings Crane-san. May I join you in your morning practice?"

[Doji Hikaru]

While Hikaru's gaze flickered briefly to the side, tracking the newcomer, Hikaru finished one last strike before turning; leaving a strike incomplete would be like stopping before the end of a song. With practiced grace, he bowed.

"Good morning, Hantei-sama. And yes, please, join me." He gestured to a spot of nearby open ground. "I am Doji Hikaru. You are Hantei Genji, are you not?"

[Hantei Genji]

While Hikaru's gaze flickered briefly to the side, tracking the newcomer, Hikaru finished one last strike before turning; leaving a strike incomplete would be like stopping before the end of a song. With practiced grace, he bowed.

"Good morning, Hantei-sama. And yes, please, join me." He gestured to a spot of nearby open ground. "I am Doji Hikaru. You are Hantei Genji, are you not?"

Genji smiled. "Hai. Well met Doji-san." He moved next to him, his hand on the pommel of his sword. "This atmosphere is quite nice for practice. Is this how you do it at home as well?"

[Doji Hikaru]

Hikaru waited while Genji took his place, and was silent a moment past that, considering. "I find it helps to practice in nature." He finally said.

He gave another bow. "Would you do me the honor of showing me your strike, Hantei-sama?" He asked politely. He would see it while the other man practiced, of course, but there was a formality to seeing the man cut the air for the first time.

[Hantei Genji]

Hikaru waited while Genji took his place, and was silent a moment past that, considering. "I find it helps to practice in nature." He finally said.

He gave another bow. "Would you do me the honor of showing me your strike, Hantei-sama?" He asked politely. He would see it while the other man practiced, of course, but there was a formality to seeing the man cut the air for the first time.

Genji nodded in understanding. "It certainly gives one perspective." He gave a small bow and settled into his stance. He furrowed his brow and...drew. It was certainly quick, though it wasn't exactly clean.

"Behold my amateurish efforts Doji-san."

[Doji Hikaru]

"Perspective." Hikaru echoed. "Or perhaps inspiration." He did not elaborate, watching Genji's cut.

Slowly, he nodded. "That is why we practice. Ten-thousand strokes of the sword, or the brush. Few are born naturals at the skills we must master. Those that are may still practice to gain competence beyond our understanding." A brief pause. "How long have you been practicing the sword?"

[Hantei Genji]

"Perspective." Hikaru echoed. "Or perhaps inspiration." He did not elaborate, watching Genji's cut.

Slowly, he nodded. "That is why we practice. Ten-thousand strokes of the sword, or the brush. Few are born naturals at the skills we must master. Those that are may still practice to gain competence beyond our understanding." A brief pause. "How long have you been practicing the sword?"

Genji smiled and nodded. "Hai. Practice makes perfect, as my sensei used to say." He shrugged. "A decade, I would say? You, Doji-san?"

[Doji Hikaru]

"A dozen years this spring." Hikaru said. "Practice..." He trailed off, leaving anything else on the subject left unsaid.

"Who was your sensei?" He asked.

[Hantei Genji]

"Kenshiro, of the Stag." He displayed a fond smile recalling him. "He was a good teacher."

He returned his swords to its scabbard. "Yours?"

[Doji Hikaru]

Hikaru's chin tilted upwards. "I was trained by Nanzi Jongwun, a disciple of Nanzi himself."

Then he inclined his head. "Kenshiro is an honored friend of the Crane, as are all the Stag. It is said that he and Nanzi shared drinks, and that Lady Doji and Lord Hantei share a close bond, even for siblings." He looked at Genji. "You are his son." It was hard to tell if it was a question or a statement.

[Hantei Genji]

Hikaru's chin tilted upwards. "I was trained by Nanzi Jongwun, a disciple of Nanzi himself."

Then he inclined his head. "Kenshiro is an honored friend of the Crane, as are all the Stag. It is said that he and Nanzi shared drinks, and that Lady Doji and Lord Hantei share a close bond, even for siblings." He looked at Genji. "You are his son." It was hard to tell if it was a question or a statement.

Genji nodded in understanding. "...yes. Hantei is my father, and Kinsen is my mother." A smile passed through his lips at the mention of his parents. "Father has certainly spoken with fondness of Doji." He tilted his head. "You are her...follower?"

[Doji Hikaru]

"It is my honor to serve Lady Doji as a member of her retinue." Indeed, there was no mistaking the pride in Hikaru's voice, nor on his handsome features.

After a moment, the look faded. "She regrets being unable to attend, but..." A grimace, and he shook his head, the white lock of hair shifting about his face. After a moment, he refocused on Genji. "And how fares your father? I am sure Lady Doji would wish me to convey her best wishes to him as well."

[Hantei Genji]

"It is my honor to serve Lady Doji as a member of her retinue." Indeed, there was no mistaking the pride in Hikaru's voice, nor on his handsome features.

After a moment, the look faded. "She regrets being unable to attend, but..." A grimace, and he shook his head, the white lock of hair shifting about his face. After a moment, he refocused on Genji. "And how fares your father? I am sure Lady Doji would wish me to convey her best wishes to him as well."

Genji's eyes raised in recognition. "What an honor, for sure." He smiled. "Please give my love to my aunt, when you meet her." He frowned a bit. "How is she doing, if I may ask? I do not write to her as much as I should, to my shame. As for my father, he is like the sun herself. Ever bright, ever shining, untiring."

[Doji Hikaru]

Hikaru smiled, just a little. "Lady Doji does not speak of him often, but when she does, she speaks well of him. I have had the honor of seeing him, but not of speaking with him."

The slight smile became a noticeable frown. "Lady Doji's health was not well enough for her to travel here." He looked at Genji, still frowning. "Has your father ever been sick?"

[Hantei Genji]

Hikaru smiled, just a little. "Lady Doji does not speak of him often, but when she does, she speaks well of him. I have had the honor of seeing him, but not of speaking with him."

The slight smile became a noticeable frown. "Lady Doji's health was not well enough for her to travel here." He looked at Genji, still frowning. "Has your father ever been sick?"

Genji frowned. "I am sorry to hear of her health. Please, give her my best when you meet her." He frowned, deep in thought. "Not that I recall, though there were long swaths of time when we did not meet though. He speaks fondly of Lady Doji as well. They were quite close, from what I gather."

He sheathed his sword for another strike. "Getting accepted into the Honor Guard is a great achievement Doji-san. May I ask the history of how it happened?"

[Doji Hikaru]

"Hmmm..." Hikaru frowned darkly, but did not elaborate further.

He glanced at Genji, then smoothly sheathed his own sword. "Doji and her retinue found me, when I was a child, the lone survivor of a fire. She had me taken in by one of her handmaidens. I was not trained quite from birth, but you might say from that moment on I was groomed to take a spot in her retinue. It was my honor to do so when I reached adulthood, according to the customs of the Crane."

He drew his sword for another smooth cut; there were faster and better, to be sure, but Hikaru was definitely good.

[Hantei Genji]

"Hmmm..." Hikaru frowned darkly, but did not elaborate further.

He glanced at Genji, then smoothly sheathed his own sword. "Doji and her retinue found me, when I was a child, the lone survivor of a fire. She had me taken in by one of her handmaidens. I was not trained quite from birth, but you might say from that moment on I was groomed to take a spot in her retinue. It was my honor to do so when I reached adulthood, according to the customs of the Crane."

He drew his sword for another smooth cut; there were faster and better, to be sure, but Hikaru was definitely good.

Genji nodded in understanding. "She must have seen something in you then Doji-san, to have raised you for this." He observed the blade. "And you have the skills to back it up." He sheathed and redrew his blade, not as crisp as the Crane's. "How are you finding Imperial lands?"

[Doji Hikaru]

"Yes." Hikaru straightened, sheathing his sword. "Lady Doji expects much from her followers. But that is because she sees the potential in all things. To her, every person is like a bulb, ready to blossom into a flower with the proper care." His chin tilted up. "Or so I believe. We have talked, but not so directly as that."

He inclined his head. "I am finding them quite well, and much as I remembered. I have visited them several times before. And I am told I was found in the northern parts of them." Hikaru bowed. "And we in the Crane thank you for your hospitality."

[Hantei Genji]

"Yes." Hikaru straightened, sheathing his sword. "Lady Doji expects much from her followers. But that is because she sees the potential in all things. To her, every person is like a bulb, ready to blossom into a flower with the proper care." His chin tilted up. "Or so I believe. We have talked, but not so directly as that."

He inclined his head. "I am finding them quite well, and much as I remembered. I have visited them several times before. And I am told I was found in the northern parts of them." Hikaru bowed. "And we in the Crane thank you for your hospitality."

Genji nodded and listened. "You seem to understand her quite well, which is understandable. It is your duty to know your Lady, after all."

He sheathed his sword, pausing his drills for the moment. "Well, you can thank my uncle, as I myself am not overly familiar with this area. But you are from here, in a way after all."