D2LM, Smooth Operator (Open)

[Isawa Hana]

"I'm sure she'll do so again," Hana says. She is, to be sure, picking up what Mukai's laying down.

"So," she says, pivoting, "what does Bayushi-taisa have you looking for?"

[Utaku Mukai]

"My presence elsewhere I suspect." She laughs slightly at herself the anger having finally faded, "I was trying to brush up on my tactical understanding but I think I ended up more distracting nuisance than assistance." Hopefully it was at least a mistake she could learn from.

[Isawa Hana]

"Ah."

Hana purses her lips, thinking.

"Leadership in the Legion usually involves tactical acumen," she says. "So it would definitely be an area for brushing up. But there should be enough copies of Leadership floating around that you could borrow one to read; it's the primary text for such studies. I'd be surprised if there weren't copies of The Book of Sun Tao around, too; it's the second most important of them."

[Utaku Mukai]

Although she had never much been one for books she did not actively hold them in ill-esteem. If things did become rote among the Legion perhaps time to read them would arise.

"I take it, with her love of such things, that Isawa-san has already consumed those?"

[Isawa Hana]

"Oh, Leadership is fairly standard reading," Hana replies. "Authored by a Kami and all that.

"Sun Tao, I've read glosses of," she continues. "Summaries with some specific exegesis. One generational commentary on its applicability in defensive fighting--which, as you may know, is a focus of Phoenix armies.

"I do note a dearth of incorporation of the effects of magics on the battlefield, however, which seems strange to me, given the pivotal role Isawa-kaminari played at the end of the First War."

She shrugs.

"But then, not many Isawa make a particular study of such things. Perhaps they might do so."

She pauses.

"Are there any standard texts on horsecraft among your Clan, Utaku-san?"

[Utaku Mukai]

"Not standard, no." She shakes her head, "I'm sure there have been some written but oral tradition is still the stronger force. You know how it is 'If it was good enough for the ancestors it's good enough for us' and such." She shrugs a little, "Then again I do prefer the non-sedentary lifestyle myself and having many books does make that difficult I suppose. Travel light, travel easy."

[Usagi Kaigen]

"I must have misheard, Bayushi-sama."

[Isawa Hana]

"Not standard, no." She shakes her head, "I'm sure there have been some written but oral tradition is still the stronger force. You know how it is 'If it was good enough for the ancestors it's good enough for us' and such." She shrugs a little, "Then again I do prefer the non-sedentary lifestyle myself and having many books does make that difficult I suppose. Travel light, travel easy."

"Oral tradition, eh?" Hana asks. "Is there some rhythm that is preferred? Some other mnemonic?"

Her eyes are alight--not literally, although with a Phoenix, that's possible--but shining eagerly with the thirst for more knowledge.

[Utaku Mukai]

"Oral tradition, eh?" Hana asks. "Is there some rhythm that is preferred? Some other mnemonic?"

Her eyes are alight--not literally, although with a Phoenix, that's possible--but shining eagerly with the thirst for more knowledge.

Mukai ponders for a moment, literally running lessons and stories over in her head, "Not so much a rhythm but, like travel poetry, there's a lot of repetition of certain sounds. I think that helps for ease of memorization and recall." The word 'alliteration' was not exactly a common one to her vocabulary.

[Isawa Hana]

Mukai ponders for a moment, literally running lessons and stories over in her head, "Not so much a rhythm but, like travel poetry, there's a lot of repetition of certain sounds. I think that helps for ease of memorization and recall." The word 'alliteration' was not exactly a common one to her vocabulary.

"Repetition? So, like anaphora, or do you mean rhyme, or alliteration?"

Hana pauses.

"Probably wouldn't be chiasmus, no."

[Utaku Mukai]

"Repetition? So, like anaphora, or do you mean rhyme, or alliteration?"

Hana pauses.

"Probably wouldn't be chiasmus, no."

Mukai likely fails to suppress the grimace that tries to force its way onto her face, "I'll admit I don't know most of those terms, Isawa-san. Ummmm...." She considers, "Something like 'Trouble tends to travel trodden trails'. You know a warning that, as often as people are surprised by danger, the signs usually exist if you know to look for them. It's rarely truly out of nowhere."

[Isawa Hana]

Mukai likely fails to suppress the grimace that tries to force its way onto her face, "I'll admit I don't know most of those terms, Isawa-san. Ummmm...." She considers, "Something like 'Trouble tends to travel trodden trails'. You know a warning that, as often as people are surprised by danger, the signs usually exist if you know to look for them. It's rarely truly out of nowhere."

Hana studies Mukai's face closely. She likely succeeds in seeing what is unsuccessfully suppressed.

She sighs.

"I'll be interested in hearing more of your, what did you call it, 'travel poetry' along the way, Utaku-san," she says. "I've no doubt there is much contained within it."

[Utaku Mukai]

Hana studies Mukai's face closely. She likely succeeds in seeing what is unsuccessfully suppressed.

She sighs.

"I'll be interested in hearing more of your, what did you call it, 'travel poetry' along the way, Utaku-san," she says. "I've no doubt there is much contained within it."

"While I have no issue sharing what I know I'll be the first to admit that you might find some of the other Unicorn more fertile ground for such matters."

[Isawa Hana]

"While I have no issue sharing what I know I'll be the first to admit that you might find some of the other Unicorn more fertile ground for such matters."

"I'm told you can only plow the field in front of you," Hana says. "And any crop is better than none."

[Utaku Mukai]

"I'm told you can only plow the field in front of you," Hana says. "And any crop is better than none."

Why does everyone in this army apparently run on metaphors?

Ignoring the voice in her head Mukai simply nods, "Wise words again Isawa-san."

[Isawa Hana]

Why does everyone in this army apparently run on metaphors?

Ignoring the voice in her head Mukai simply nods, "Wise words again Isawa-san."

"Well," Hana says, and in another world, she might slap her hands to her knees and stand up, "I'd imagine we've all got more to attend to at the moment."

[Utaku Mukai]

"Well," Hana says, and in another world, she might slap her hands to her knees and stand up, "I'd imagine we've all got more to attend to at the moment."

"I suppose one can't get a new assignment if this one doesn't finish first. Thank you for the advice, Isawa-san."

[Isawa Hana]

"I suppose one can't get a new assignment if this one doesn't finish first. Thank you for the advice, Isawa-san."

"Any time," Hana says as she makes her /exit, with thanks.