[D3EE, Main hall, Open] Spectating the (other) presentations (Occasion)

[The sweeping monk]

RP thread for the presentations. You can be in both threads at once despite them happening in the same timeslot.



Art: https://l5r.fandom.com/wiki/Ed_Cox

The room is a bit crowded, especially with the stage taking so much place. There is always a bit of noise and movement, as people leave their spot to go prepare backstage for their appearance, or return to sit among the spectators once their own show is over. The rollercoaster of stress can make it hard for guests to follow what their fellows are saying. There are whispers and unintentional downtimes.

In other words, exactly what could be expected of a session of student presentation.

Every monk was present in the room at the start of the evening, burning with curiosity. After a few hours of talks about bōjutsu, most will have sneaked away, leaving only the usual suspects: The two heads of the monastery, Sensei Wu, and his students.

[Kitsuki Ketsudan]

Having made his demonstration, the resplendently clothed Ketsudan adjusts his headband and finds a seat.

(Quote me to talk, please!)

[Doji Riri]

Riri was clearly restless while waiting for a proper time to enter. Those who had seen her before had probably noticed her hands and feet moving around at times.

This time, they were moving a lot.

As was the Doji attached to them. She was cheerful enough, but couldn't seem to keep sitting quietly for more than 5 minutes...

(Please PM or quote if approaching! )

[Soshi Naoko]

(joining the PM to chat crowd XD)

Still rubbing her ribs, Naoko doesn't notice until she's well back among those who've completed their presentation that she's still holding her illusionary staff. Without anything to actually hold, her hand had closed with the pain of the strike, so it actually looks more like the staff is enclosing her hand...fading rapidly into wisps of laughing air spirits as more and more people realize it's definitely not real.

[Kaito Maya]

(joining the PM to chat crowd XD)

Still rubbing her ribs, Naoko doesn't notice until she's well back among those who've completed their presentation that she's still holding her illusionary staff. Without anything to actually hold, her hand had closed with the pain of the strike, so it actually looks more like the staff is enclosing her hand...fading rapidly into wisps of laughing air spirits as more and more people realize it's definitely not real.

Pressing a cloth dampened with cool water and containing some snow to keep down the swelling where her impromptu bo impacted her head, Maya picked out a familiar face in the crowd to commiserate with.

"Ah, Scorpion-san. I saw your performance today, looked great!" There was no sarcasm in the Phoenix's tone, though an assessment from a woman who probably just concussed herself may be of questionable value.

[Soshi Naoko]

Pressing a cloth dampened with cool water and containing some snow to keep down the swelling where her impromptu bo impacted her head, Maya picked out a familiar face in the crowd to commiserate with.

"Ah, Scorpion-san. I saw your performance today, looked great!" There was no sarcasm in the Phoenix's tone, though an assessment from a woman who probably just concussed herself may be of questionable value.

Naoko turned with a short self-deprecating laugh, eyes widening at the sight of the impromptu cold pack. "All trickery and tales," she waved it off. At least you earned that lump working with a real weapon."

She glances out at one of the more martial participants. "I don't think either of us need to worry much about whether or not we want the honor of training with the sensei." She shrugs a bit. "Rather freeing, honestly."

"Heard anything interesting since we met in the woods?"

[Kaito Maya]

Setting the cold pack down, Maya looked up at the direction of where she hit herself. "Well, I don't know if it qualifies as a 'real' weapon but it certainly felt real enough." A wan attempt at humor before the cold pack gets placed back on.

"Are you so sure about that?" Maya asked, looking aside to Naoko. "He may well say to himself, 'Ah, these bushi don't need my training - they're already quite adept. But those two managed to beat themselves up!'..." Trailing off, Maya let the fantastical scenario play itself out, trusting that Naoko could fill in the details herself.

"As for having heard anything interesting, well, I heard from a few of the monks that the produce shipment they received contained far more greens than they expected so that accounts for the prominence in the meals. Also, something about an interestingly shaped daikon." The Kaito's deadpan retelling of entirely banal kitchen minutia was a long-winded way of answering 'no'. "Have you and Hanakuso come across anything?"

[Soshi Naoko]

Setting the cold pack down, Maya looked up at the direction of where she hit herself. "Well, I don't know if it qualifies as a 'real' weapon but it certainly felt real enough." A wan attempt at humor before the cold pack gets placed back on.

"Are you so sure about that?" Maya asked, looking aside to Naoko. "He may well say to himself, 'Ah, these bushi don't need my training - they're already quite adept. But those two managed to beat themselves up!'..." Trailing off, Maya let the fantastical scenario play itself out, trusting that Naoko could fill in the details herself.

"As for having heard anything interesting, well, I heard from a few of the monks that the produce shipment they received contained far more greens than they expected so that accounts for the prominence in the meals. Also, something about an interestingly shaped daikon." The Kaito's deadpan retelling of entirely banal kitchen minutia was a long-winded way of answering 'no'. "Have you and Hanakuso come across anything?"

"More real'n mine. The other guy got to beat me up, since mine wasn't even solid." She laughs. "Still...you're right that we look more in need of training than a lot of these folks."

Nodding at the kind of interesting kitchen talk, she asks, "was it one of those daikon that looks like a weird root person? Or one that looks like, she gestured vaguely about her thighs, "a rude phallus? Seen folks digging up both types before. Depending on how superstitious they are, they tend to treat those different."

"But yeah..there's just all sorts of stories about shapeshifters and a protective mountain spirit," She gestures back into the mountain where the shrine rests. "Also a lot of Wu stories, most of them are kind of ridiculous, and he doesn't come our so well, honestly."

[Kaito Maya]

"More real'n mine. The other guy got to beat me up, since mine wasn't even solid." She laughs. "Still...you're right that we look more in need of training than a lot of these folks."

Nodding at the kind of interesting kitchen talk, she asks, "was it one of those daikon that looks like a weird root person? Or one that looks like, she gestured vaguely about her thighs, "a rude phallus? Seen folks digging up both types before. Depending on how superstitious they are, they tend to treat those different."

"But yeah..there's just all sorts of stories about shapeshifters and a protective mountain spirit," She gestures back into the mountain where the shrine rests. "Also a lot of Wu stories, most of them are kind of ridiculous, and he doesn't come our so well, honestly."

Nodding in silent agreement about the pair of them looking like they needed the most training, Maya considered the daikon issue.

"Now that you mention it, I regret not investigating that radish further. It really is mostly just those two types as far as interesting daikon, isn't it? It's all," Maya shifted her voice to a mockingly playful tone when voicing a character, "'Oh this radish looks like a man' says a person and another sees that and says 'Well my radish looks like a man'."

The Kaito raised her eyebrows to emphasize the word for the sake of levity. "Spirits and ancestors forefend that they come across a radish that looks like a man and is possessed of the qualities of one, too. That'd be something to see."

Radish talk aside, Maya followed Naoko's gesture over to the direction of the mountain. "Have you examined the shrine, then?"

[Moto Taka]

Riri was clearly restless while waiting for a proper time to enter. Those who had seen her before had probably noticed her hands and feet moving around at times.

This time, they were moving a lot.

As was the Doji attached to them. She was cheerful enough, but couldn't seem to keep sitting quietly for more than 5 minutes...

(Please PM or quote if approaching! )

Taka saunters over to Riri after his presentation.

"Greetings Crane-san. I don't suppose that you've seen your cousin anywhere, have you?" I think things are winding down and I have not seen Sumire-san anywhere."

[Soshi Naoko]

Nodding in silent agreement about the pair of them looking like they needed the most training, Maya considered the daikon issue.

"Now that you mention it, I regret not investigating that radish further. It really is mostly just those two types as far as interesting daikon, isn't it? It's all," Maya shifted her voice to a mockingly playful tone when voicing a character, "'Oh this radish looks like a man' says a person and another sees that and says 'Well my radish looks like a man'."

The Kaito raised her eyebrows to emphasize the word for the sake of levity. "Spirits and ancestors forefend that they come across a radish that looks like a man and is possessed of the qualities of one, too. That'd be something to see."

Radish talk aside, Maya followed Naoko's gesture over to the direction of the mountain. "Have you examined the shrine, then?"

Naoko nods. "Well...visited it. Nothing special about it, to look at. I'd like to try communing with the spirits there, but...hmm, never tried that where the answer might come from something so powerful, you know? Kind of interesting and terrifying all at once."

She looks back out to the students presenting forms. "And, yeah, maybe we've got more of a chance than I'm sure I want. I keep hearing stories of Sensei Wu...or at least someone named Wu...who mostly gets beat up a lot."

[Doji Riri]

Taka saunters over to Riri after his presentation.

"Greetings Crane-san. I don't suppose that you've seen your cousin anywhere, have you?" I think things are winding down and I have not seen Sumire-san anywhere."

"Unicorn-san!", she said, perhaps a bit too cheerfully, as she gave the man a well-practiced, conditioned bow bowed. She then looked over her shoulder, then around the room, raising her brow slightly as her balance shifted from one foot to another.

"Hm! That's odd, I don't think I've seen her around since earlier in the day!" She tilts her head, looks at him curiously with a naive half-smile. "I suppose she's... probably still practicing? Unless..."

She shakes her head slightly, then bows again, the same naive smile on her lips.

"Oh, how careless of me! This one is Doji Riri, Unicorn-san. Pleased to meet you! You have been spending time with Doji Sumire-san, then?"

[Moto Taka]

"Unicorn-san!", she said, perhaps a bit too cheerfully, as she gave the man a well-practiced, conditioned bow bowed. She then looked over her shoulder, then around the room, raising her brow slightly as her balance shifted from one foot to another.

"Hm! That's odd, I don't think I've seen her around since earlier in the day!" She tilts her head, looks at him curiously with a naive half-smile. "I suppose she's... probably still practicing? Unless..."

She shakes her head slightly, then bows again, the same naive smile on her lips.

"Oh, how careless of me! This one is Doji Riri, Unicorn-san. Pleased to meet you! You have been spending time with Doji Sumire-san, then?"

If the reply was too cheerful then it only seemed to increase Taka's own enthusiasm. "Taka. Moto Taka. Your cousin is quite the musician, I would very much enjoy learning your own talents Doji-san."

Taka looks around. "I would hate it if she missed it. She did quite a lot of work to get so far."

[Doji Riri]

If the reply was too cheerful then it only seemed to increase Taka's own enthusiasm. "Taka. Moto Taka. Your cousin is quite the musician, I would very much enjoy learning your own talents Doji-san."

Taka looks around. "I would hate it if she missed it. She did quite a lot of work to get so far."

"Nice to meet you, Moto-san!", she bowed again, properly as before, if a bit too bouncy.

"Hm! I do hope nothing is wrong with Sumire-san", she says creasing her brow. "She seemed fine this morning, and whe is quite capable outdoors in my experience, so..."

She suddenly seems to realise something. "Oh! The Unicorn are quite famous for your outdoorsmanship, ne?"

She then shakes her head again, her eyes shifting down slightly. "Oh, but you mentioned Sumire-san's talents. She is quite gifted indeed - I'm afraid my own talents pale in comparison."

Her gaze then shifts back to Taka, her voice composed but her eyes lively. "What about Moto-san's talents and interests? Are you a musician as well, then?"

[Moto Taka]

"I like to think that I am a man of many talents: warrior, lover, leader, musician." Taka flashes a smile. "Sumire-san certainly is talented, I don't want to take away from that, but I wish to hear of your talents as well. Clearly, you made your way here for some reason."

[Kaito Maya]

Naoko nods. "Well...visited it. Nothing special about it, to look at. I'd like to try communing with the spirits there, but...hmm, never tried that where the answer might come from something so powerful, you know? Kind of interesting and terrifying all at once."

She looks back out to the students presenting forms. "And, yeah, maybe we've got more of a chance than I'm sure I want. I keep hearing stories of Sensei Wu...or at least someone named Wu...who mostly gets beat up a lot."

"Is that so? Maybe getting beat up is part of his process." Maya contends. She doesn't know a whit about martial training, outside of the methods of the Kaito school, and getting beat up to learn things wasn't a major pedagogic feature there. "He does seem fond of the...well...whatever it is that accompanies him. He leaves offerings and speaks to it."

"Let me know if you want to try communing. You know, I'm something of a person who communes with spirits at shrines myself."

[Soshi Naoko]

"Is that so? Maybe getting beat up is part of his process." Maya contends. She doesn't know a whit about martial training, outside of the methods of the Kaito school, and getting beat up to learn things wasn't a major pedagogic feature there. "He does seem fond of the...well...whatever it is that accompanies him. He leaves offerings and speaks to it."

"Let me know if you want to try communing. You know, I'm something of a person who communes with spirits at shrines myself."

"hmm? Thing that accompanies him? For all the chasing him around we've done, I haven't seen him leaving offerings yet. What's he leave?" The Soshi's interest has her paying no attention to the presentations."

"As for the shrine...tomorrow sometime? Before he makes his decision and the monks politely tell us to leave so they can stop having to feed us...or he comes up with another test to keep us all busy."

[Kaito Maya]

"hmm? Thing that accompanies him? For all the chasing him around we've done, I haven't seen him leaving offerings yet. What's he leave?" The Soshi's interest has her paying no attention to the presentations."

"As for the shrine...tomorrow sometime? Before he makes his decision and the monks politely tell us to leave so they can stop having to feed us...or he comes up with another test to keep us all busy."

"Foods. Sweets, seems like. An offering I'd approve of, for sure." Maya mused.

"And yes, tomorrow sounds like the perfect time to do it - if only because we won't have time otherwise."

[Doji Riri]

"I like to think that I am a man of many talents: warrior, lover, leader, musician." Taka flashes a smile. "Sumire-san certainly is talented, I don't want to take away from that, but I wish to hear of your talents as well. Clearly, you made your way here for some reason."

"Many talents indeed, it seems, hm?", she says with an upfront smile of her own. "I wonder which one Sumire-san's songs touched most deeply!", she adds almost only as an afterthought.

"Myself, though..." she lets out a sheepish grin, her eyes down for a moment before she shifts her weight cheerfully again. "I'm really not sure about talents, Moto-san! My guess is Doji Saki-sensei thought of all the time I spent among monks back home. That and I had received some instruction on how to use a staff from monks, so there is that!"

[Moto Taka]

"Many talents indeed, it seems, hm?", she says with an upfront smile of her own. "I wonder which one Sumire-san's songs touched most deeply!", she adds almost only as an afterthought.

"Myself, though..." she lets out a sheepish grin, her eyes down for a moment before she shifts her weight cheerfully again. "I'm really not sure about talents, Moto-san! My guess is Doji Saki-sensei thought of all the time I spent among monks back home. That and I had received some instruction on how to use a staff from monks, so there is that!"

"Well, I'd be happy to see how you work up close and personal." Taka replies with a small smirk, unable to help himself. "Well, who knows, we might get the chance if we are both selected"