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Post by Kakita Uetani on Jan 30, 2018 14:54:09 GMT -5
A breath.
"I would never dream of replacing testimony or justice with iaijutsu. The right to defend ourselves with steel is one that is given to us as samurai, it is one that can be abused, by those in the wrong. The reason I wish to be skilled, the reason I need to be skilled, is so that when that man who has studied the sword, but abandoned his honour stands before me, justice will not falter"
She tries to explain herself, but can't help feeling a little attacked
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Post by Horiuchi Nadeshiko on Jan 30, 2018 18:46:44 GMT -5
"Admission of guilt is not always an indication of guilt Kakita-san. There are many factors to take into account, I could spend an hour talking about it but I'd rather speak about Mirumoto's assessment of the whole dueling for innocence system."
She pauses to rummage in her bag for a few moments then before pulling out a book labelled "Pattern Killers of the World."
"I do a lot of reading. A lot of it by Gaijin authors and about Gaijin matters. They have a lot of insane people on their side of the world. They have people who have killed over a hundred people. Can you imagine that? One person killing over 100 in cold blood. I simply imagine what would happen if they were over here... and simply dueled their way to freedom. It makes me nauseous, the mere thought of the system working like that is digusting....... no offence Kakita-san, I have absolutely nothing against your profession, simply the laws you are forced to enforce."
Then she turns to Noboru "Unfortunately, with the way the law is so patchwork in this country... even the Divine Mother's will struggles to reach the outskirts and the remote lands. There are simply too many barriers and intermediaries... Also I fear this conversation has taken a very sharp turn from where I had expected, I apologize for that."
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Post by Kakita Uetani on Jan 30, 2018 19:04:32 GMT -5
"Yes, imagine if they dueled their way to freedom, simply because the magistrate just gave up, and stopped practicing their art. You say that it should be different, maybe it should, but just wishing for it to be is going to do nothing." she is upset, holding on to her on, but upset.
"I shall leave, however, to another practice room, as I have had my family, my nation, and the law that I have devoted my life to insulted enough. Good day Mirumoto-san. It was a pleasure to meet you"
She walks out of the room, quickly and sharply
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Post by Mirumoto Noboru on Jan 31, 2018 7:52:36 GMT -5
Noboru watched and listened to this entire thing dumbfounded. When Uetani left there was a piece of him that wanted to follow her out as he heard all of this. Certainly the "Otaku" had some valid points, but the hyperbole...
"Flower detective, the only person who can change the system is the Emperor himself. If you can convince him, then by all means do so but until that time comes, for your own sake you need to be more careful who you say such things to unless you want to end up in a duel with someone far more brash than Kakita-san and myself."
Hopefully Uetani hadn't gotten out of earshot just yet when he called over to her. "Kakita-san..." The Dragon swallowed a bit of his pride as he tried to hold something else back looking upon the Crane woman. And yet maybe they both could use it to illustrate the strength of their way of life to this strange woman who used a family name that hadn't been in place for centuries.
"Spar with me." It sounded more like an order than a request, and she could hear some smoldering anger in the undertones. They both could, but in the situation it sounded more like the anger was directed at Nadeshiko. "Maybe we can show our 'friend' here that our way of life is better than she thinks, even if we all acknowledge it isn't perfect."
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Post by Kakita Uetani on Jan 31, 2018 8:40:16 GMT -5
She pauses, turns and bows, placing her own peace knotted swords back on the rack.
"Hai, Mirumoto-san. Whilst I would not spar for pride, I would to show that their is still honour in some that wish to uphold the old ways, and that even those who have had tensions can comport themselves with dignity."
She places her Iaito in her obi and bows to him "Thank you for giving me the opportunity to learn from you, and see your soul"
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Post by Mirumoto Noboru on Jan 31, 2018 14:27:29 GMT -5
Noboru nodded as he put away his shinai and went to get an Iaito of his own. Once he was ready he offered the group of flags representing the entirety of the Empire a bow as if he were bowing to a judge overseeing their match, then turned and offered a respectful if awkward bow to Uetani. Etiquette didn't seem his forte, though one had to wonder if the Mirumoto favored any social actions. As he settled in on his stance the Kakita would notice the Dragon student had not grabbed a second iaito to simulate a wakizashi. While this was certainly one of the oldest rivals in the Empire, Kakita versus Mirumoto, it was quickly clear this wasn't going to be a display of their two most traditional styles.
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Post by Kakita Uetani on Jan 31, 2018 14:58:13 GMT -5
Her stance is very traditional kakita. Very in the moment, that connection to the everything that supports the strike. She studies him, tries to take in what he shows her before they bow, and let the moment connect them. She breathes, just holding it in, letting it go, waiting for his mistake, that it seems might never come. Each moment is a new life, a new state of being, a new chance to hold onto this perfection.
Who knows how long they stand there, watching each other, waiting, breathing in and out and in again, each breath is the last, the next, all breathes, each moment reborn.
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Post by Horiuchi Nadeshiko on Jan 31, 2018 15:40:56 GMT -5
Nadeshiko simply wanders back over to the doorway, leaning against the wall as the pair decided to spar to prove their point to her. It was the outcome she desired but it had not come in the way she had expected or wanted... she would need to fix things later.
For now, she simply pulled out her notebook, scribbling down some things as the pair took their stances and waited.
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Post by Mirumoto Noboru on Jan 31, 2018 15:54:35 GMT -5
The moment seemed to last an eternity as Noboru peered into Uetani, trying to find any flaws in her stance as well as where her strengths truly lied. More, he was peering into her very soul, trying to find out what made up the woman across from him was made up of. What drove her to succeed and kept her up with doubts.
For her part, Uetani could see a raging inferno building inside the Mirumoto. Anger and pain that was being focused into a weapon directed at... her? No! It was something larger than that, much larger.
Noboru shifted a bit, his hand going to the hilt of his iaito as he sought the perfect moment...
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Post by Kakita Uetani on Jan 31, 2018 16:19:32 GMT -5
She strikes, her iaito unsheathed, almost as if in answer to the pain, and anger, almost as if she hungered for it.
For a second, she thinks that she has beaten him, but then she realises, though her blade is at his throat, his is at her chest. A kharmic strike, like their ancestors before them. She breathes, her sword still held there as she looks, and sees not a rival, not an angry child, but a fellow samurai, fighting against their issues, and trying to turn them into something honourable and good. For a moment, she thinks that she wants him. She remembers though, that he has his Doji, and that she wants everyone
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