Looking Sharp (D1, EE Rooster)

[Agasha Daikumo]

Daikumo is sitting next to the smithing area with a polishing kit from the supply depot. He is currently in the process of polishing a blade and treating it to protect it on the road for one of the lower ranking officers, simultaneously blessing it and offering prayers for the blade and asking it to protect the man to which it serves.

D1 EE, cleaning, polishing, and blessing swords (regular maintenance), Metagame Improve Strength, 1 VP | TN: 1 | Success: 2 / Opportunity: 1 / Strife: 1


I put in the wrong TN, but 2 meets the threshold for the Metagame roll for Improving strength
+1 Strength, opps/strife cancel, Armament Passion removes 3 strife dropping it to 2 for the day

[Kakita Hana]

The big Agasha is not alone in the work; an athletic woman with a flinty gaze has it turned upon another blade as she works upon it. While her ministrations appear to be successful, the blade emerging from them well-oiled and clean, she does not have the aplomb of the hulking Dragon as she does the work, nor does she seem to take the satisfaction from it he does.

Her own work done for the moment, she looks over at his.

"Looks good," she says. Then she sketches a seated bow, offering "Kakita Hana" by way of introduction.

~~~~~
https://sakkaku.org/r/13905, 2/1/2, +1 DISCIPLINE; opp used to cancel 1 Strife, net 2/1/1
***ROLL MADE IN INCORRECT TIMESLOT, APPLIED AS APPROPRIATE***

[Agasha Daikumo]

"Your own work is quite good as well," Daikumo replies, turning to bow in her direction before facing the blade he's currently working on. He puts a few drops of blade oil on it before spreading it evenly with a small strip of soft cloth that smells exactly like the oil because it's been used so much it's soaked into it.

"I am Agasha Daikumo. It is good to meet you Kakita-sama," he replies. more pleasant than usual, which would make sense with how much he seems to be enjoying the task before him. "I am with the 4th Kaisa, just arrived the other day."

[Kakita Hana]

"I'm with the Sixth, myself," Hana replies. "Under Mirumoto Shippai.

Hana pauses for a moment, bites the corner of her lip. "Fourth Kaisha's commanded by Daidoji Kumiko, right? There's been a lot of people moving positions recently, but I recall hearing that she'd just gotten promoted up from gunso. Have you met her?"

She reaches for a new weapon to address while she waits for his answer. There're enough to go around.

[Agasha Daikumo]

"I cannot say I have had more than the opportunity to see her in passing and to be greeted by her as part of a group on arrival here, but I haven't spoken with her myself. But it is my duty to support her and her mission, in order to support the mission of the legion and the empire. As of now, I know very little of her though. But I will trust in the wisdom of those that make decisions about who is assigned where until given reason not to. I can't imagine that Daidoji Kumiko is not a capable commander if she was found worthy of such a promotion. Have you become familiar with your commander? I'm always curious about how my fellow Dragon go about their duties in the more... hierarchical environment of the imperial bureaucracy and military structures of the empire. We tend to have a fair bit of leeway internally among the Dragon," Daikumo replies, showing a bit of curiosity for the Mirumoto.

[Kakita Hana]

"So much makes sense with what I've seen of Mirumoto-chui," Hana replies, finding a stone for the weapon's edge. She draws it along in long, smooth strokes, the occasional burr on the metal changing the sibilance of the whetstone's whispering.

"He and Mirumoto-rikugunshokan make a fair contrast," she adds. "Although from what you say, that is perhaps to be expected. Both are different than the Dragons I met at Pale Oak Castle, where I was last posted."

She shrugs. "Again, though, from what you say, that is, perhaps, to be expected. I've yet to have the pleasure of testing my technique against theirs, but I look forward to it.

"But from what the histories say, that is certainly to be expected."

Her hands pause and she turns her flinty gaze on Daikumo again. "You wouldn't happen to be a student of Niten-ryu, would you?"

[Agasha Daikumo]

"I am not. I've learned a fair amount of yarijutsu, but I've had a mostly traditional upbringing in the Agasha as a smith and shugenja. If I were to try and wield two blades right now, I'd probably come out of it with one fewer limb. I have, however, seen it in action and it is quite marvelous to watch. The first set of blades I made for another samurai went to the third child of a Mirumoto governor since there were no blades to pass down to him. And even as fresh and green as he was, watching my steel dance in his hands was mesmerizing. I have no doubt that they'd be interested in taking an opportunity to spar with you. Many of the Mirumoto are practically minded and enjoy sparring as a form of training as I understand. You need only ask I imagine." Daikumo re-sheaths the blade he was working on then grabs a new one in need of polishing and cleaning. As he draws it from the saya and inspects it it's clear that it catches his eye. It's not even a particularly fancy or impressive blade, but Daikumo seems to respect the simple design and solid craftsmanship.

[Kakita Hana]

"Is 'green' really a bad thing among Dragons?" Hana asks, raising an eyebrow.

"Would it be such a normal thing to call out the command staff to spar, then?" she continues. "Is it thus among your Clan?"

The whetstone continues to move, singing its quiet song and stuttering in staccato as it finds the flaws in the edge.

[Agasha Daikumo]

"Green is a good thing among the dragon. Everybody is always a student," Daikumo says as he begins applying a light amount of powder. " And I imagine asking members of the command staff to spar would probably be best done in private conversation or a letter. If you make that request in front of others, I think anyone might consider it some sort of challenge."

[Kakita Hana]

"Have you written any of that kind of letter, Agasha-san?" Hana asks. "Or are you more fond of other kinds of correspondence?"

She looks at the edge. "Rust. That's a bad sign."

[Agasha Daikumo]

"Rust is unfortunate. It is the beginning of the end," Daikumo replies. "It will eventually need reforged. We should make a note of it for more intensive repairs later. And probably give it's caretaker a lesson in proper maintenance."

"As for such letters, I have not sent any requesting sparring matches specifically, but I have invited colleagues and superiors to take part in debates and exchanged letters with fellow smiths to discuss and share discourse about our craft. I can't imagine that it would be much different from that in the sense that it's all about working together for mutual improvement? But maybe bushi don't like doing things that way?"

[Kakita Hana]

"It's more that we seek to rise to the perfection of the techniques that our forebears laid down for us," Hana replies. "None of us will ever be as Kakita. That does not mean we do not strive to attain that end."

[Agasha Daikumo]

"I feel like it's admirable and commendable when a person approaches such high aims on their own. But are you only seeking to perfect the technique that came before? I'm not a bushi so I really don't know what goes into that. For my school, we are taught to experiment, that the technique is supposed to be personalized and flexible in a certain sense," Daikumo replies.

[Kakita Hana]

"You can look at it this way," Hana says. "Clearly, Kakita was inspired. He had to have been so, to have been honored by the First Emperor and accepted as husband by the Lady Doji. And it is he who established the methods of the School that bears his name. Any...adaptations any of us imposes upon the art are...accommodations to circumstance, mostly that we are not as our ancestors were. We are neither as good nor as mighty.

"They embodied the ideals to which we aspire."

[Agasha Daikumo]

"I don't argue that point. I certainly believe that they were inspirational and consummately capable, the founders of their families and their art. My intent is to point out that what works best for one person doesn't necessarily work best for another. A bushi can train and learn the art as Kakita taught it to the best of their ability. But consider if that individual only has one arm, or is missing an eye. They will necessarily have to adapt in order to use the techniques of the school in a way that they are able. But it need not be something so drastic as a missing limb or eye. Simply being of a different stature, larger or smaller. Having a different weight distribution because of a stronger upper or lower body. There are as many potential alternative bodies and minds as there are people in the empire. I simply mean to point out that nobody can be as good as Kakita-no-shiryo with his technique for more than one reason, so each bushi has to necessarily make it their own with small and subtle changes to suit their bodies and minds. This results in the teachings shifting from instructor to instructor. We can look back at Kakita-no-shiryo's writings, certainly, but nobody alive will ever be able to learn from him personally either because he has moved on to the heavens to watch over us from there."

[Kakita Hana]

Hana considers the Agasha's words.

"I am glad you are in agreement with me, Agasha-san," she says. "It is refreshing to know it."

[Agasha Daikumo]

"I may be a disagreeable fellow much of the time, but I wouldn't disparage the ancestors. We are who we are because of them. Our traditions are valuable and guide us on a path of improvement," Daikumo says with a nod.

[Kakita Hana]

Hana looks at the mountain of an Agasha.

She nods.

"The evening draws on, Agasha-san," she says. "I imagine lights-out will be coming soon, unless it is that you have night-watch?"

[Agasha Daikumo]

"No night watch for me. I don't have the eyes for it," he replies. "I will release you from the pain caused by my ramblings Kakita-sama. Please rest well." He bows respectfully to her.

[Kakita Hana]

There is a slight smile on Hana's lips as she returns the bow.

"Carry the Fortunes, Agasha-san," she says as she makes her /exit from the /scene, with thanks.