The Way of Sensei Wu

Following the exertions of the run with Haruhi, Ketsudan finds himself wanting a bath despite the temperatures. Cold is, after all, a familiar friend.

And the bath is cold, certainly, with all the bracing and refocusing effects thereof!

Whether others will brave the chill to bathe...well, lowlanders are softer sorts, aren't they?

Sumire was the nosy curious exploring type that often followed her nose. Her nose seemed to be drawing her towards water...underground rivers? Streams? Maybe waterfalls and crystals and....

It didn't take a lot but Sumire was also an excitable type.

So now that she'd discovered this area, totally the first of her kind to do so, she had to explore it for future generations! But why was there another there, that would ruin it!

I'll just say I found it first!

She grinned, very quietly approaching and with a bow she spoke.

"Hellooo!" Sumire said loudly, echoing around the cave.

"Hello to you!" comes Ketsudan's reply. "Water's cold, but it cleans well enough, and it's great for clearing a head."

He looks over his shoulder. "I don't believe we've been introduced. Kitsuki Ketsudan, Niten-ryu," he says, offering said introduction with a bit of a bow.

"The stone benches are not so chilly, though."

"No heating for the water? Could just make a giant fire under the baths and warm it that way, ne? Or is jumping in the river the norm here."

Sumire moved over, not overly staring. More peeking briefly before looking back at the river.

"Were you really trained by a Ryu, or is it just what the style suggests? They're usually really picky. I'm Kakita Sumire, artist."

"Since the baths are carved into the stone itself, Kakita-san," Ketsudan replies, also carefully minding where his eyes linger, "it'd be something of a challenge for the monks to provide heating. And there's a clarity that comes from brisk immersions.

"But I was certainly trained by a Dragon and in a Dragon style."

"Oooh! So they've already..."

Sumire sighed.

"Well, when one boat sails away another docks. Such is the turning of life! I guess I may as well use what has been supplied."

She began to undress, then paused mid-removing of her first layer.

"Wait. Waitwaitwait. Clarification, Dragon as in" she motions to the mons on her clothes "or dragon as in..." she makes a face and clawing motion "spiritual or celestial? Bigbig difference!"

Akimitsu likewise looked to cleanse himself after both morning training and then the monks exercise. He had approached the baths and noted the presence of two familiar faces from the day before.

He bowed in greeting "Good afternoon, I hope time has treated you well since our last meetings."

"It appears others were of a similar mind in cleansing after the days exertions." He made the simple observation looking between the two "I hope I am not a disruption."

Kakita Sumire wrote: ↑

Thu Jun 30, 2022 4:51 pm

Noted

Seppun Akimitsu wrote: ↑

Thu Jun 30, 2022 5:56 pm

Noted

Ketsudan is about to answer Sumire when Akimitsu speaks. And there are proprieties to observe, certainly.

"Seppun-sama is not a disruption," he says, "although he should know that the water is quite cool.

"And, to answer you, Kakita-san," he adds, grinning, "yes."

Another approaches the pool of water designated as the bath, and behind the most fabulous Miya one might hope to see was his taciturn yojimbo Yakumo. Approaching the waters edge Yamashita doesn't bid anyone's attention toward him at first but instead focuses on the water itself. Yet fully clothed and plenty unready to take a bath as of yet he kneels toward the waters edge. Glancing at his own reflection, disturbing it with a hand cast into the chilly water. With a speed he retracts his hand quickly to his chest with a gasp.

"Absolutely not," he exclaims, and then rises. Quickly turning toward Yakumo the mumbled complaints about the waters chill could certainly only be heard by those with a most keen ear as the young Miya herald did seem intent on leaving already.

Seppun Akimitsu wrote: ↑

Thu Jun 30, 2022 5:56 pm

"It appears others were of a similar mind in cleansing after the days exertions." He made the simple observation looking between the two "I hope I am not a disruption."

"Oh" Sumire bowed to the man "hello! Not an interruption, Kitsuki-san was just..."

Kitsuki Ketsudan wrote: ↑

Thu Jun 30, 2022 6:51 pm

"And, to answer you, Kakita-san," he adds, grinning, "yes."

"..."

Sumire stared at the man, an expression somewhere between annoyed and resigned, before settling on resigned.

"...Nevermind!"

Then another person turned up, being followed by someone else, and complaining about the water. She looked at that group, then back at the Dragon and the Imperial she knew and shrugged.

"I guess the water isn't for everyone ne?"

It seemed the baths were rather popular today. Akimitsu bowed again, a little deeper to the other Imperial.

"Cold baths are indeed a preference and not generally enjoyed. I find they are perfect after a hard workout." He said replying to the Dragon and Crane

"They do help with that," Ketsudan agrees. "Some of the elders in the art comment, though, that a heated bath followed by a cold is helpful after particular strain. Something about exciting and rebalancing the elements in the body."

A glance towards Sumire. "Not for nothing do the two swords fall from heaven."

Yamashita and Yakumo continue to walk away, off back the way whence they came. Only leaving the passing reminder of their presence by the tones of the Miya's voice speaking out the words, "You will simply have to heat me a bucket later when we-"

Yamashita, and his unfortunate companion, leave from audible and visual range.

/exit Yamashita

Ketsudan coughs lightly.

"Anyway."

Seppun Akimitsu wrote: ↑

Thu Jun 30, 2022 9:03 pm

It seemed the baths were rather popular today. Akimitsu bowed again, a little deeper to the other Imperial.

"Cold baths are indeed a preference and not generally enjoyed. I find they are perfect after a hard workout." He said replying to the Dragon and Crane

"I'm usually trying to be wrapped up more, so cold water sounds utterly painful to me. However, as I'm here..." Sumire shrugged, starting to undo her many layers again.

Kitsuki Ketsudan wrote: ↑

Thu Jun 30, 2022 11:30 pm

"They do help with that," Ketsudan agrees. "Some of the elders in the art comment, though, that a heated bath followed by a cold is helpful after particular strain. Something about exciting and rebalancing the elements in the body."

A glance towards Sumire. "Not for nothing do the two swords fall from heaven."

"That didn't make sense, I was simply asking in terms of sensei. Ryus don't usually train mortals personally, so if you were picked by a Ryu that would make you an extremely remarkable being" Sumire said with a shake of the head "that's all. I'm certain Kitsuki-san is pretty special still, but Dragons don't descend to train just anyone ne?"

As her final layer was removed, it was much easier to see that Sumire was quite athletic but not too muscular. Certainly not the body expected for your typical diplomat. She crouched down by the river, dipping her hands in to feel the water as the Kitsuki had gone over to the baths.

"Wow, that is freezing! I might just die jumping in there" she laughed, scooping some water up to splash her face.

Kakita Sumire wrote: ↑

Fri Jul 01, 2022 2:37 pm

"I'm usually trying to be wrapped up more, so cold water sounds utterly painful to me. However, as I'm here..." Sumire shrugged, starting to undo her many layers again.

As her final layer was removed, it was much easier to see that Sumire was quite athletic but not too muscular. Certainly not the body expected for your typical diplomat. She crouched down by the river, dipping her hands in to feel the water as the Kitsuki had gone over to the baths.

"Wow, that is freezing! I might just die jumping in there" she laughed, scooping some water up to splash her face.

His eyes saw and lingered a touch but moved away as he undid his own layers revealing the hard body sculpted through a life of diligence and discipline

"I am sure you it would not kill you but if it did it would be a rather large amount of paperwork." He commented in his same dry tone that made it difficult to tell joke from statement. He knew nothing of the thing they were talking about before so kept his peace on that subject.

Kitsuki Ketsudan wrote: ↑

Thu Jun 30, 2022 11:30 pm

"They do help with that," Ketsudan agrees. "Some of the elders in the art comment, though, that a heated bath followed by a cold is helpful after particular strain. Something about exciting and rebalancing the elements in the body."

Akimitsu though about it for a moment "I can see the wisdom in this, though I know little of medicine and how best to heal but I do find cold dulls pain from exertion and heat relaxes it away. So this makes sense to me." He remarked as he slipped into the cold waters.

"These will indeed do for dulling." Was the only remark or reaction he gave to the temperature.

"Has Seppun-sama had the, er, privilege of handling such paperwork?" Ketsudan asks. "Because he is correct; it is remarkably voluminous."