RP: YSS Miharu Kyoto: Samurai House

Kotori wordlessly turned her golden eyes to Kôsuka, silently bidding her to speak.

Kôsuka was smiling. Bemusedly.

"Kei," she said in Nepleslian, looking at the trainee. "What did you learn from the discussion between the Princess and her escort?"

Kei's eyes went wide and her mouth opened in terror. She was recoiling while standing still, her body language betraying her attempt at seriousness.

"Ah," the trainee began. "The, the Princess is very gracious with her wisdom — "

"No, Kei." Kôsuka shook her head. "What did you learn? Speak without restraint, Kei. You are not being judged."

"Ah. Um." Kei looked down.

"Speak to me, Kei. Be confident with your analysis!"

"Yes," Kei said, bringing her eyes up. They were sterling silver in color. "The Princess spoke about 'grace under pressure ... ' and that is what you teach us, Kôsuka-dono. Claymere-dono could have withheld his attack, if he had analyzed the situation. He did not consider the other possibilities of attack, and focused on what was in front of him. He ... 'tunneled?'"

The older samurai nodded. "That's the word, Kei."

Kei's mouth broke into a barely restrained grin. "But ... in Claymere-dono's defense, he is protecting a high-level member of the Royalty. No chances can be taken. 'The wolf responds with zeal unmatched because anything could be a threat to her cubs.' He could not identify the target, and it could have been a distraction. He attempted to end the threat of that target, and in doing so, primed himself for another target. He also responded with restraint, after he analyzed the situation more thoroughly."

"And what was the proper course of action, Kei?"

"Ah ... um. I do not know."

"Hmmmm. A wise answer. You know your limits. Estimate."

Kei's grin flipped upside-down. "I. I. Um. I believe, Claymere-dono reacted as a yojimbo should act."

"Despite his response?"

"Yes," Kei replied, confident. "He protected the Princess without ending innocent life."

"Hm. I see." Kei looked hopeful that Kôsuka had accepted her answer. The elder Samurai looked to Kotori and Nyton. "She is a most promising student, isn't she? She must learn to think faster than her fists, though."

Kotori considered both samurai as they exchanged questions and answers. When the elder of the two addressed her, she sighed. "Hopefully, I can learn as fast as she does too."

"I concede the argument." She turned to look back to Nyton. "Given my condition and my status, you certainly have little room for error and plenty of unknowns to deal with. For someone whom could not take any chances, you did come up with an answer that insured my safety which would have done no lasting harm had you been mistaken. I thank you for sharing your reasoning with me; if anything, it gives me a better understanding of my station."

Nyton bowed slightly to Kotori. "You are welcome, your highness. Perhaps I am being a little too Nepleslian though. This is Yamatai and we are on Samurai training grounds. You should be reasonably safe here." he said before turning to face Kosuka. "I apologize for not greeting you sooner. You look well, Kosuka-san. It has been a long time since the Sakura and it is good to see you again."

"Claymere-san," Kôsuka said, bowing slightly. She was obviously happy; her smile, though small, was far more expression than was usual for her. "It is good to see you as well. And so handsome in your kimono! Where did you get it?"

"Thank you, Kosuka-san." Nyton said while he looked down briefly at his clothes, suddenly self-concious at the compliment. "I just got this at a store in Kyoto called Rosenthal's." he replied, noting Kosuka's rather joyful mood. He figured that she must really be happy to see Kotori. Hopefully it would be a good sign which would help reassure the princess with her troubled thoughts.

"Rosenthal's," Kôsuka repeated. "I have not heard of it before. I will have to look for it." She turned to Kotori. "As for you ... " She switched to Yamataian. "You are stunning, dear daughter. You give me so much to be proud of." The Samurai's smile was indeed chock full of motherly pride.

Gusts of wind rushed along the treetops and whistled low through the moat. The rain was fast approaching. "Ah. We should get inside, where we can speak comfortably," she said, back in Nepleslian. "Claymere-san, would you kindly take point?" The question nearly made her laugh; it sounded silly, but it was still the right question to ask!

Kei was glad no one was looking at her; the idea that Kôsuka-dono was a mother had sent her jaw to the ground. The old teacher was suddenly much older! And that she was so happy, too ... Kei was happy for her teacher on that mark, but it still threw her off. Kôsuka, the serious one, the well-regarded stealth sentinel, who had gone for 20 days without any maintenance just to be sure to protect the Taisho-sama? Kôsuka, the teacher, who ... ohhh.

A light flickered on in Kei's head. That's why she's not as mean as the other teachers, Kei thought. She's a mother! And mothers don't beat their kids. Wow ... wait until I tell Yuri this! She followed behind the trio, returning to an alert status.

Nyton could not help but smile a little at Kosuka's request to take point. "Of course, Kosuka-san." he replied, amused that she changed languages for his sake. Perhaps she was not aware he knew Yamataian?

As Nyton took a position in the front of their 'formation' he found himself thinking back to his own family. His own mother had suggested he take point when he was a child during a family outing. He was so wrapped up in his grandfather's military stories it was only natural he would be playing such games.

The games had ended long ago. While still in an uplifted mood Nyton continued to take his duty seriously as they began to move on.

The four walked down the path further as it curved to the left before ending in front of a smooth, but weather-worn, brass flat bridge. The bridge itself had nothing fancy about it — it had supported railings on the sides that were perhaps 20 centimeters high, of the same worn brass, but that was all.

The structure before them could only be described as a small, flat pagoda. It was constructed of wood, and was the same white as the corner building near the moat. This one, however, carried red trim. The lowest level of three had a large porch that was off the ground. There were still no Samurai to be seen, but a trio of trainees crossed them down a path toward some other part of the campus. They had red umbrellas and wore geta.

Kei acted as tour guide as Nyton and the two Neko approached the pagoda. "This is Hanako House," the trainee said. "This three-level pagoda, which used to be called Yui House, is used exclusively for receiving members of the Royal family. It is 1,000 square meters at its base, narrowing to just 200 square meters at the top floor. It was constructed using timber solely from the forests around Ketsurui no Iori in Melanchol Prefecture. It is maintained each day, though it is rarely utilized by members of the Royal family."

The wood below Nyton's special tabi creaked just a bit, but that appeared to be because of the tight fit of the smoothed wood used for the stairs leading up to the first floor of Hanako House. Two trainees pulled apart the wood-and-rice-paper doors to lead inside a wide hallway with several doors leading to secluded rooms. Kei took over on point and led them a short way down the hall. The wood below creaked still, but this was on purpose — the floors were all uguisubari. Kei stopped at one of the rice-paper doors after passing several others, and the small halls that separated one room from another. She pulled it open and bowed, gesturing people inside.

The room, about 12 square meters in size, had a plain tatami mat on the floor, bordered in red, and a small rectangular table in the center. Cushions were there to sit on, and a pot of tea with cups was already waiting for them.

"Please," Kôsuka gestured to the pair. "Sit. Kei will reheat our tea." Before the words were out of the Samurai's mouth, Kei had already plucked up the pot to reheat the contents.

Nyton nodded to Kosuka and walked over to the cusions. Not wishing to insult their host he scanned over them with his eyes as discreetly as possible before motioning for Kotori to take a seat. "After you, your highness." he said.

Kotori settled down over one of the cushions, sinking to her knees so that she was sitting over her feet.

"I bid greeting to you, hahaue," Kotori gave Kôsuka's a respectful bow of her head said, bowing her head in Kôsuka's direction for her hair to curain around her face. "I beg your forgiveness for not having come sooner."

Kôsuka took her seat at a cushion as well, and shook her head at her daughter. "Nonsense, Kotori," she said. "You are a Taisa of an important starship. You have arrived as soon as you were meant to." She looked up in the somewhat dim room, and as if on cue, a candle-like light seemed to glow inside the room without a visible source.

"But why are you here? While I am happy to see you, I do not imagine you are here to visit. Have you news to share?" The Neko seemed particularly hopeful about whatever Kotori was to respond with.

"Well, it was for making a rather selfish request. I wanted-" Kotori paused for a brief moment, the hands resting on her lap balling into fists so tight her knuckles whitened. "I wanted to ask for advice on being a youngling's mother. I'm at about the age when you had me. I was thinking that perhaps, seeing the war is over, that it would be time for me to have an offspring of my own."

Nyton sat down on a cusion next to Kotori in the seiza form Kotori was using. He settled his GP-12 down beside him on his left and listened while the two neko spoke, continuing to scan around them in defense.

When Kotori began to ask about raising a youngling Nyton felt a bit uncertain as to the nature of this request but continued maintain a neutral expression. I thought she wanted to bear children naturally? Why is she thinking about having a youngling now? What about waiting until she was ready? Is she ready now? he thought to himself. He also kept an eye on the tea that Kei was preparing to see what kind it was.

Kôsuka's face was blank. The Neko seemed to be processing the news. Was it not what she expected to hear?

After a moment, she spoke, slowly, in Yamataian. "Kotori ... I had you so young. We will live for many decades, you and I. Are you sure you do not wish to wait?"

Kotori looked down. "Originally, I intended to wait eight years - the time I had to serve in the Star Army of Yamatai. But the enlistment contracts were changed, so, I don't really have to wait that long anymore. The PNUgen complex," her voice became a little strained, "...taught me that waiting for the perfect opportunity could also mean not having the opportunity at all."

"Do you plan to leave the Star Army for a small amount of your lifespan, to foster a child?" The question was posed neutrally. Kei was still working with the tea, which appeared to be normal green tea.

"I do not know. I figured I could explore that idea," Kotori swallowed hard and her amber eyes came back up to stare in Kôsuka's. "You know more about it than I do, so... I asked."

"Unless you have saved money, or plan to settle with someone who has money, you will inevitably have to return to the Star Army." Kôsuka sat so rigidly; almost too rigidly. "The Prestige System will only care for you for a time equal to how long you served."

Kei brought the tea back. It was just the right temperature, so it could be consumed immediately. She did not pour any for Kôsuka. The Samurai trainee bowed to everyone, then exited the room. Nyton could see her standing guard outside the room.

"Daughter," Kôsuka said. "The advice I can give to you is limited. I so rarely was able to care for you, Kotori. Now you are an adult in so many ways ... the things I missed. Times I couldn't be there. Since I served under the Taisho — " she nearly spit the word out — "We have seen each other so little. It has always hurt, Kotori. But you have made me so proud with what you have done for yourself and our home. It leaves me torn."

The Samurai's eyes dipped toward Kotori's belly, her eyelids hooded. The dim light glinted in the dull gold that remained. "If you wish for a daughter, dear Kotori, please ... be patient. Wait. The moment might not be now." Her voice had dipped to little above a whisper.

Kotori had accepted the tea bowl silently, wrapping her hands around it so that she could have her fingers bask in the warmth of the tea-heated porcelain. When Kôsuka broke eye contact with her to stare down at her belly, Kotori's own eyes wandered to look upon the reflections playing on the surface of the tea.

In the silence after Kôsuka's words, Kotori's grip on the tea bowl hardened.

The brittle porcelain senchawan wasn't meant for such. It snapped and broke under the pressure, staining Kotori's hands, the lower part of her mandarin dress, the sides of her exposed legs and the cushion she rested over with green as jagged pieces of pottery tumbled down.

A second was spent with Kotori looking at her tea-wet hands with startled surprise. The next had her chuckle, her hands falling limply to her sides - heedless of the mess - and smirked at the older nekovalkyrja. "You are generous, Kôsuka, to call me your daughter when you know your real daughter is still sleeping inside the hold of my ship," she bitterly said. "How similar do you think the NH-18 Copy and I are?"