The Way of Sensei Wu

Art: https://l5r-game.fandom.com/wiki/Sergio_Camarena

There is usually no evening meal in the monastery, the sacred diet of the monks forsaking any food consumption from midday to midnight. However, with so many guests not following that rule in attendance this week, extra meals at dusk have been added to the planning just for them.

Sensei Wu and the abbess are thus watching their visitors eat their fill from the place of honor without touching a single grain of rice themselves, exchanging whispers here and then. The sensei seems quite amused by what he's seeing, the abbess has that calm smile that shows nothing of what she's actually thinking.

Food is bland but nourishing and in appreciable quantities. The monastery practices simplicity, not asceticism.

Wu is expected to make a speech, but seems in no hurry to do so. Finally, near the end of the dinner, when most plates are empty, he takes the floor.



"Lots of people interested in the noble and ancestral art of hitting people with a stick. That's nice, that's very nice. But that won't do, that won't do. There's just too many of you. I can barely keep up with my current students, and there's only two of them. How am I supposed to deal with one, two, three... the lots of you.

Guess I have to find a way to kick most of you out of here without giving offense to anyone. Not easy, not easy. But as my own teacher used to say, bōjutsu is the art of solving impossible problems.

You may have noticed a lot of people have swords. And swords, they're good. They're good. Quite easy to die when all you have is a stick and the other person has a sword.

To beat a sword with a stick, one needs resourcefulness. Improvisation. Thinking out of the box. Or in the box, but a different box than your opponent.

Once, I beat someone who could have killed me ten times if they had been able to read me because I used my bō as a thrower to high kick them in the face. Another time I get to live by noticing a light limping and hitting a not fully healed ankle just right. And those are only some of my stories. Which are only but a few of the many stories of people defeating far greater opponents than themselves with mindful use of a simple stick since people have starting using sticks thousands of years ago.

You know what? I'm going to steal an old exercise of my own teacher.

They use to give me impossible problems. Like, how to parry an ono with a bō? And then, a few days later, they would rush at me with an ax, and I better have found a solution in the meantime!

There are too many of you to pursue one by one with an ax of my own sadly. But otherwise, seems to me like a good idea to check if you have the right mindset for bōjutsu. I'll come with a few problems for you to solve by tomorrow's morning, and I'll listen to your solutions in... You're young, two days will be enough.

Pick something from a book, take good advice from the right people, invent something of your own, as long as it works, I don't care. One goal, many ways."

Sumire had been happily eating the food that others seemed to call bland. It's food! She wasn't going to complain. Then it was story time! Kind of! With a challenge on the end? Sumire liked challenges. Except this one didn't seem hard to her, nor did she understand the morale of the story. It might have gone over her head.

She looked around to see how others were reacting, chopsticks still holding the rice. Forgotten about in terms of eating but muscle memory keeping her from dropping it.

(ooc - free to approach, quote me please)

Kakita Sumire wrote: ↑

Mon Jun 27, 2022 9:43 am

Sumire had been happily eating the food that others seemed to call bland. It's food! She wasn't going to complain. Then it was story time! Kind of! With a challenge on the end? Sumire liked challenges. Except this one didn't seem hard to her, nor did she understand the morale of the story. It might have gone over her head.

She looked around to see how others were reacting, chopsticks still holding the rice. Forgotten about in terms of eating but muscle memory keeping her from dropping it.

(ooc - free to approach, quote me please)

Well the meal wasn't anything to write home about, but after some very long patrols on travel rations, Taka had no reason to complain. And for the ambiance? We was sitting in the hall with a martial arts master, who had just given him one hell of the puzzle! This was going to be great.

And then there was the company...

Taka sits down by a pretty girl who was currently all alone. "Hey, you're the one from before, right? It seemed a shame to leave you all alone."

Moto Taka wrote: ↑

Mon Jun 27, 2022 10:47 am

Taka sits down by a pretty girl who was currently all alone. "Hey, you're the one from before, right? It seemed a shame to leave you all alone."

"Hmm?"

Sumire gazed at the man next to her, a thoughtful expression on her face.

"Perhaps. Ah....haI, I remember it now. Eleven lifetimes ago, perched upon the cliffs near Samui Kaze Toshi. In the pouring rain you called to me, begging me not to jump..." a grin grew on her face "the rain was so cold yet it was so warm, do you remember Yoji-kun?"

Kakita Sumire wrote: ↑

Mon Jun 27, 2022 11:29 am

"Hmm?"

Sumire gazed at the man next to her, a thoughtful expression on her face.

"Perhaps. Ah....haI, I remember it now. Eleven lifetimes ago, perched upon the cliffs near Samui Kaze Toshi. In the pouring rain you called to me, begging me not to jump..." a grin grew on her face "the rain was so cold yet it was so warm, do you remember Yoji-kun?"

"Nope. My, you had bad taste in lovers." Taka replies bluntly, as a grin of his own curls at the edges of his lips. "Let's fix that."

He holds for a beat before a chuckle spills out. "You're a weird one. I like that." He offers a beaming grin to the woman.

Moto Taka wrote: ↑

Mon Jun 27, 2022 11:32 am

"Nope. My, you had bad taste in lovers." Taka replies bluntly, as a grin of his own curls at the edges of his lips. "Let's fix that."

He holds for a beat before a chuckle spills out. "You're a weird one. I like that." He offers a beaming grin to the woman.

Sumire raised a hand to cover a small laugh, her brown eyes glistening in the candlelight of the room.

"Perhaps perhaps. I'm considered distinctly indistinct I hear. Perhaps it's just an artists soul, not seeing the world the same as the rest? Either way thank you for the lovely compliment. I must be memorable enough at least for to be known as the one from before, although you have a family name to add to the name from before ne? Kakita Sumire, teller of crazy stories at your service" there was a dramatic bow with almost her whole body moving. All except for the arm and the hand holding the chopsticks that were still perfectly holding the rice.

Kakita Sumire wrote: ↑

Mon Jun 27, 2022 11:43 am

He holds for a beat before a chuckle spills out. "You're a weird one. I like that." He offers a beaming grin to the woman.

Sumire raised a hand to cover a small laugh, her brown eyes glistening in the candlelight of the room.

"Perhaps perhaps. I'm considered distinctly indistinct I hear. Perhaps it's just an artists soul, not seeing the world the same as the rest? Either way thank you for the lovely compliment. I must be memorable enough at least for to be known as the one from before, although you have a family name to add to the name from before ne? Kakita Sumire, teller of crazy stories at your service" there was a dramatic bow with almost her whole body moving. All except for the arm and the hand holding the chopsticks that were still perfectly holding the rice.
[/quote]

"Very memorable" Taka replies, not at all minding the view as the woman bows to him. "Moto Taka of the Unicorn, at your service.
Take bows himself, though he remains seated. "And are you asking to have my family name added in front of yours? I am told there is a courtship process for that, but I am very flattered."

Taka's eyes sparkle with amusement. "But believe me, "seeing the world differently than everyone else" is what the sensei was speaking of before. And it's why I'm here as well."

Moto Taka wrote: ↑

Mon Jun 27, 2022 12:09 pm

"Very memorable" Taka replies, not at all minding the view as the woman bows to him. "Moto Taka of the Unicorn, at your service.
Take bows himself, though he remains seated. "And are you asking to have my family name added in front of yours? I am told there is a courtship process for that, but I am very flattered."

Taka's eyes sparkle with amusement. "But believe me, "seeing the world differently than everyone else" is what the sensei was speaking of before. And it's why I'm here as well."

"Maybe it was just to inspire you to great-great heights, Moto-san" Sumire offered with a wink "I hear the greatest prize is a Cranes hand, and in my own modest opinion mine is even more special. Why else would Fate bring you to this place, in this moment, with this food and these people? It's almost a story playing out! Opening a mans eyes to a world where blue is purple and black is white. Where classes bleed together into one and unity is formed. Or maybe..."

The chopsticks that had been held in place for a long time were finally moved, and Sumire swallowed the rice before finishing.

"...we're all mad here."

Well I definitely wasn't lying about her being a weirdo, but I can't say that she isn't fun.

Taka cranes his neck and looks over at the hands that were still shoveling rice. "Well, they are rather lovely...but could anyone be content with just a hand? I agree that the rest of your is special, so why stop there?" Taka offers a wink of his own.

"But who knows about Fate. I certainly am not passing up whatever chances I see. No one ever exceeds their limitations by doing what they've always done." Taka leans in to whisper. "This might be hard to believe, but some people do believe I'm mad. I mean, they mostly mean that they think I'm impolite, but they do use that word."

Moto Taka wrote: ↑

Mon Jun 27, 2022 12:58 pm

Well I definitely wasn't lying about her being a weirdo, but I can't say that she isn't fun.

Taka cranes his neck and looks over at the hands that were still shoveling rice. "Well, they are rather lovely...but could anyone be content with just a hand? I agree that the rest of your is special, so why stop there?" Taka offers a wink of his own.

"But who knows about Fate. I certainly am not passing up whatever chances I see. No one ever exceeds their limitations by doing what they've always done." Taka leans in to whisper. "This might be hard to believe, but some people do believe I'm mad. I mean, they mostly mean that they think I'm impolite, but they do use that word."

There was a small laugh, again covered by here non-chopstick holding hand.

"Good choice of wording, I approve. Hmm, mad though?"

She looked at the man and studied him.

"I don't see mad. Who uses mad? It it beings that cannot contemplate different and thus use mad? Not that I would truly say you were different either. You have the correct number of fingers. I cannot tell on your feet but the shape of your footwear implies correct number of toes. Two arms, two legs, also normal I believe. Your mannerisms are not leaning towards the implication of mad either, although not consuming enough food that the fasting hosts have prepared. Perhaps I just don't see it?"

The visiting Togashi was eating lightly from the meal, preferring to keep it similar to the resident monks in not overindulging. As a fellow monk, it was perhaps a tiny bit easier to accomodate for him than the other guests, as he was already accustomed to a humble lifestyle. There was no mistaking Genkai as anything else than a Togashi, with half of his upper body exposed to reveal the beautiful tattoos on his toned skin.

His deep green eyes playfully observed the chatter between the guests, while he himself remained silent.

Kakita Sumire wrote: ↑

Mon Jun 27, 2022 1:25 pm

There was a small laugh, again covered by here non-chopstick holding hand.

"Good choice of wording, I approve. Hmm, mad though?"

She looked at the man and studied him.

"I don't see mad. Who uses mad? It it beings that cannot contemplate different and thus use mad? Not that I would truly say you were different either. You have the correct number of fingers. I cannot tell on your feet but the shape of your footwear implies correct number of toes. Two arms, two legs, also normal I believe. Your mannerisms are not leaning towards the implication of mad either, although not consuming enough food that the fasting hosts have prepared. Perhaps I just don't see it?"

"Oh, I didn't say I agreed with them, but I've heard it said. "Barbarian" is more common, but still..." Taka shrugs. "When you are called strange by others enough, the words tend to lose any hurt. To me, you're definitely a bit strange, but is that a bad thing?"

Taka motions to the food. "I'll eat my fill. But there is considerably more flavor in our discussion, and I'll enjoy savoring that for a while" Taka studies Sumire back, though for probably different reasons.

Moto Taka wrote: ↑

Mon Jun 27, 2022 2:32 pm

"Oh, I didn't say I agreed with them, but I've heard it said. "Barbarian" is more common, but still..." Taka shrugs. "When you are called strange by others enough, the words tend to lose any hurt. To me, you're definitely a bit strange, but is that a bad thing?"

Taka motions to the food. "I'll eat my fill. But there is considerably more flavor in our discussion, and I'll enjoy savoring that for a while" Taka studies Sumire back, though for probably different reasons.

"Words have meaning if you let them have meaning. It is how one acts when facing such things that defines them."

There was a pause, then Sumire pulled a small face.

"Now I sound like my old grandpa! Ew. Nonono, it is not old lecture time. No flavour in that! Now now, you can tell me why they call you strange or barbarian, and I can eye up another portion of rice before Inari gets mad at me again."

Kakita Sumire wrote: ↑

Mon Jun 27, 2022 3:02 pm

"Words have meaning if you let them have meaning. It is how one acts when facing such things that defines them."

There was a pause, then Sumire pulled a small face.

"Now I sound like my old grandpa! Ew. Nonono, it is not old lecture time. No flavour in that! Now now, you can tell me why they call you strange or barbarian, and I can eye up another portion of rice before Inari gets mad at me again."

"Well...have you ever had goat roasted over a spit?" Taka's eyes glaze over the thought and then his smile darts to one cheek before he stuffs some rice into his mouth. "But more than that, as a samurai to fear death is a sin. To me, the logical extension of that is to live in such a way that you'll have no regrets: I dress how I like, even if others think its too flashy. I tell the truth, even if it's painful or doesn't help me, because lies get uncovered and do more harm then good when they do. I dig into anything I find intriguing, because why torture yourself over never knowing? And I don't mind telling anyone I find beautiful that I think so, because why waste those moments?"

Taka grins. "And I'm certainly satisfying those last two." With a triumphant look he tucks into the food on the table.

Moto Taka wrote: ↑

Mon Jun 27, 2022 3:47 pm

"Well...have you ever had goat roasted over a spit?" Taka's eyes glaze over the thought and then his smile darts to one cheek before he stuffs some rice into his mouth. "But more than that, as a samurai to fear death is a sin. To me, the logical extension of that is to live in such a way that you'll have no regrets: I dress how I like, even if others think its too flashy. I tell the truth, even if it's painful or doesn't help me, because lies get uncovered and do more harm then good when they do. I dig into anything I find intriguing, because why torture yourself over never knowing? And I don't mind telling anyone I find beautiful that I think so, because why waste those moments?"

Taka grins. "And I'm certainly satisfying those last two." With a triumphant look he tucks into the food on the table.

Sumire managed to resist answering about the goat. It would have been awkward.

"Ah hmm I understand. You are strange because you're free and open in a world that is closed and hidden" Sumire smiled at that "I like it. Perhaps it's not something my kind would approve of, but the world is worse if you hide yourself from it, ne?"

She turned back to the food, picking some more up before speaking again.

"I'm not an open scroll, but I don't allow myself to be restricted by norms either. There's more to a mortal life than being constrained and restricted. Many of my kin would huddle under an umbrella while I dance in the rain."

Kakita Sumire wrote: ↑

Mon Jun 27, 2022 3:53 pm

Sumire managed to resist answering about the goat. It would have been awkward.

"Ah hmm I understand. You are strange because you're free and open in a world that is closed and hidden" Sumire smiled at that "I like it. Perhaps it's not something my kind would approve of, but the world is worse if you hide yourself from it, ne?"

She turned back to the food, picking some more up before speaking again.

"I'm not an open scroll, but I don't allow myself to be restricted by norms either. There's more to a mortal life than being constrained and restricted. Many of my kin would huddle under an umbrella while I dance in the rain."
[/quote]

Huh, no comment on that last one then. Usually that got some kind of reaction.

Taka offers a light smile. "Is Sumire-san sure that you're not just a very, very pretty Unicorn that I somehow haven't met before? Because that sounds quite similar: someone who must ride on the winds, because to tether oneself too tightly would make the bonds snap."

Take swallows some more food. "And are you a good dancer? Because your example sounds fun to try in real life."

Moto Taka wrote: ↑

Mon Jun 27, 2022 5:34 pm

Huh, no comment on that last one then. Usually that got some kind of reaction.

Taka offers a light smile. "Is Sumire-san sure that you're not just a very, very pretty Unicorn that I somehow haven't met before? Because that sounds quite similar: someone who must ride on the winds, because to tether oneself too tightly would make the bonds snap."

Take swallows some more food. "And are you a good dancer? Because your example sounds fun to try in real life."

"Sorry to disappoint, I'm just a very, very pretty Kakita that likes freedom of being" Sumire shook her head with a grin "not even a Ki-rin, they're far too elegant and nosy. Nope, just a regular irregular Kakita girl."

She brought some rice up to eat, nodding at the second question.

"I love dancing actually, and have indeed danced in the rain. In this lifetime, not just in the one eleven lifetimes ago" she laughed softly "it's a unique experience. Robes soaked through but you don't feel the chill, only the warmth of the dance. Puddles create great additions too, splashing or creating mini waves."

Akimitsu was there of course but he was not eating like the others when he noticed none of the monks were. His goal was to train here, he would have to live like them if he wished to train with them. But it wouldn't do to miss a gathering, he could ignore the hunger pangs he felt while he waited.

He listened to the speech and nodded, what the sensei said had made sense. One has to be fully ready to do anything and be inventive with their technique if they want to overcome a foe with superior arms.

As the speech concluded he nodded and looked around at the others to Guage their reactions. A challenge given and an interesting one at that.

Seppun Akimitsu wrote: ↑

Mon Jun 27, 2022 6:06 pm

Akimitsu was there of course but he was not eating like the others when he noticed none of the monks were. His goal was to train here, he would have to live like them if he wished to train with them. But it wouldn't do to miss a gathering, he could ignore the hunger pangs he felt while he waited.

He listened to the speech and nodded, what the sensei said had made sense. One has to be fully ready to do anything and be inventive with their technique if they want to overcome a foe with superior arms.

As the speech concluded he nodded and looked around at the others to Guage their reactions. A challenge given and an interesting one at that.

Genkai was also looking around, and with two men assessing those in the room, their gaze met. Perhaps like two ships passing in the night.

Noting that the Seppun seemed to have a similar idea to himself, the tattooed monk smiled and bowed his head. Then silently picked up his bowl of rice, gently gesturing with it to Akimitsu. An invitation to join him? Or a reminder to eat his fill perhaps? There were no words accompanying the gesture.

Togashi Genkai wrote: ↑

Mon Jun 27, 2022 7:56 pm

Genkai was also looking around, and with two men assessing those in the room, their gaze met. Perhaps like two ships passing in the night.

Noting that the Seppun seemed to have a similar idea to himself, the tattooed monk smiled and bowed his head. Then silently picked up his bowl of rice, gently gesturing with it to Akimitsu. An invitation to join him? Or a reminder to eat his fill perhaps? There were no words accompanying the gesture.

Akimitsu noted the Togashi and his expression stayed neutral he returned the gesture of greeting but he had no bowl in front of him to eat from.

He shook his head at the motion with the bowl "Good evening Togashi-san, I am not eating but your concern is noted and appreciated."

Akimitsu's expression never changed and his tone matched it. He was dressed in a formal and clearly quality kimono of emerald green silk accented in gold with Seppun mons both large on the back and small of his heart. Long black hair neatly tied up in a perfect bun not a stray hair to be found.