Re: Mission 3: The sound of machina
ON:
Kôsuka did not respond immediately. She still had not her opened her eyes. "That is for him to decide. There are alternatives to death, customarily. But death will absolve his dishonor immediately."
Nyton sighed a bit as he looked down. "Most unfortunate if he chooses the latter." he said while assuming his thinking pose. "I thought Kotori-sama knew this. Wasn't she training to be a Samurai once?"
"She was," the Samurai responded. "She's familiar with much of a Samurai's training. But as you witnessed when you were introduced to Kei and Yuri, she does not always think as a Samurai does."
"Then it must have been some time since. I should have realized much time had occurred since. Or perhaps too many events." Nyton then mused.
"It was when she was first born," the Samurai said. "It has been some time. But Kotori has a brilliant mind. She has not forgotten."
"She is very clever." Nyton said with a grin. "Perhaps her only limitation there is her self-doubt."
"Perhaps." Kôsuka let a few beats pass in silence. "The right of Samurai protection is only that. It's not a requirement. But for one clan member to take another's Samurai guard away without full justification and compensation is unheard of."
Nyton thought for a second before replying as he chose his words carefully. "Kotori-sama would only choose to do something extreme if it were something she felt strongly about. There must be a strong feeling or reason as to why she would take such action."
"Yes. There must be." Kôsuka's breathing held steady. "What do you suppose it is?"
"That I do not know yet. I was hoping to receive a little insight." he said. "At this point I can only speculate."
"Speculate. I am interested."
Nyton took a moment then to think. "It would have to be some deeply held belief. Something that would make her rely on her rank and position here, especially if it goes against clan tradition," he began while attempting to piece together the scant bits of information he held. "Male Nekovalkyrja are almost unheard of so she would assume, as I did, that he was originally a Yamataian."
He looked upward to the ceiling. "Of all her deeply held beliefs, the only one I can associate to Sumaru is her desire to be human. By willingly becoming a Nekovalkyrja, Sumaru has cast aside the more human form which I suppose would be an affront to her. So I could speculate that this disgusts Kotori-sama to the point of trying to force him back into a Yamataian body."
"With his Samurai status removed he would have no reason to remain in his NH body and would have to resume being a regular Yamataian," Nyton then concluded. "At least, that is one way of seeing it. I do not take Kotori-sama for being prejudicial but maybe this was just too bizarre for even her."
Kôsuka seemed to be briefly stunned. "I did not suspect that. That ... would be unexpected, Claymere-dono." She smiled. "Perhaps you would become a Samurai someday."
Nyton chuckled slightly. "I doubt I would be able to keep up with the training regimen. Flight and invisibility are a little outside of my league," he said before shaking his head. "I seriously doubt she has a prejudice against male Nekovalkyrja. After all, I am just speculating, Kosuka-san."
"Your humility suits you. And the training is not so hard. I am sure you would survive." Kôsuka opened her dull gold eyes. "I do not wish to keep you further, Claymere-dono. I am sure the Taisa expects you."
Nyton bowed his head slightly. "You flatter me Kosuka-san. However there is something I would like to know about your daughter, if I may ask in regards to her past," he said, with a subtle context to the words 'your daughter.'
"Ask. Perhaps I will answer."
I see where she gets her evasive demeanor from, Nyton mentally grumbled to himself. "I was wondering if ah, Kotori-sama has... if she has ever been in love." he asked. While his face bore a neutral countenance, a faint flush appeared on his cheeks.
Kôsuka returned Nyton's neutrality. "I do not know."
"That is too bad. That could have given me an angle if we discussed Sumaru's condition." he said with a touch of disappointment.
"Knowing if she was in love or not? How so?" The Samurai's interest was piqued.
"Having been in love or knowing love at some point may help her to understand him a little." Nyton said as he crossed his arms. "I would have had a better idea of how to approach the matter."
"That does not explain how love factors into her decision on him."
"I shall elaborate then. After talking to Sumaru I find his strength of will and detemination to be admirable. This strength is borne of an attachment I believe he has towards Sora-hime. Perhaps it was just my imagination but I theorize he is in love with her. I wondered if perhaps knowing this Kotori-sama would understand why he would willingly choose to become a Nekovalkyrja."
"Maybe if she understood the feeling she could sympathize with his decision and understand his motivation." Nyton finished.
"That is a perceptive hypothesis ... you shall have to test it on her." The Samurai smiled.
"As a strategist I prefer to have more to go on than just my own insight." Nyton said. "Very well then, I suppose I shall have to go forth with what I have."
"You will do well," Kôsuka said. "She likes you. It is easy to see."
"I believe in her. I also trust her to be reasonable." he said as he began to stand up. Once up on his feet Nyton then looked back into Kosuka's eyes. "As for being a Samurai maybe you could teach me a few pointers. I could always stand to learn a new application."
"I do not know, Claymere-dono." She closed her eyes as if to return to meditating. "I believe your talents would go to waste."
Nyton's features softened for a moment. "You flatter me but I appreciate your confidence. Thank you for your time, Kosuka-san." he said in preparation to depart.
"You are welcome any time," she replied.
END
ON:
Kôsuka did not respond immediately. She still had not her opened her eyes. "That is for him to decide. There are alternatives to death, customarily. But death will absolve his dishonor immediately."
Nyton sighed a bit as he looked down. "Most unfortunate if he chooses the latter." he said while assuming his thinking pose. "I thought Kotori-sama knew this. Wasn't she training to be a Samurai once?"
"She was," the Samurai responded. "She's familiar with much of a Samurai's training. But as you witnessed when you were introduced to Kei and Yuri, she does not always think as a Samurai does."
"Then it must have been some time since. I should have realized much time had occurred since. Or perhaps too many events." Nyton then mused.
"It was when she was first born," the Samurai said. "It has been some time. But Kotori has a brilliant mind. She has not forgotten."
"She is very clever." Nyton said with a grin. "Perhaps her only limitation there is her self-doubt."
"Perhaps." Kôsuka let a few beats pass in silence. "The right of Samurai protection is only that. It's not a requirement. But for one clan member to take another's Samurai guard away without full justification and compensation is unheard of."
Nyton thought for a second before replying as he chose his words carefully. "Kotori-sama would only choose to do something extreme if it were something she felt strongly about. There must be a strong feeling or reason as to why she would take such action."
"Yes. There must be." Kôsuka's breathing held steady. "What do you suppose it is?"
"That I do not know yet. I was hoping to receive a little insight." he said. "At this point I can only speculate."
"Speculate. I am interested."
Nyton took a moment then to think. "It would have to be some deeply held belief. Something that would make her rely on her rank and position here, especially if it goes against clan tradition," he began while attempting to piece together the scant bits of information he held. "Male Nekovalkyrja are almost unheard of so she would assume, as I did, that he was originally a Yamataian."
He looked upward to the ceiling. "Of all her deeply held beliefs, the only one I can associate to Sumaru is her desire to be human. By willingly becoming a Nekovalkyrja, Sumaru has cast aside the more human form which I suppose would be an affront to her. So I could speculate that this disgusts Kotori-sama to the point of trying to force him back into a Yamataian body."
"With his Samurai status removed he would have no reason to remain in his NH body and would have to resume being a regular Yamataian," Nyton then concluded. "At least, that is one way of seeing it. I do not take Kotori-sama for being prejudicial but maybe this was just too bizarre for even her."
Kôsuka seemed to be briefly stunned. "I did not suspect that. That ... would be unexpected, Claymere-dono." She smiled. "Perhaps you would become a Samurai someday."
Nyton chuckled slightly. "I doubt I would be able to keep up with the training regimen. Flight and invisibility are a little outside of my league," he said before shaking his head. "I seriously doubt she has a prejudice against male Nekovalkyrja. After all, I am just speculating, Kosuka-san."
"Your humility suits you. And the training is not so hard. I am sure you would survive." Kôsuka opened her dull gold eyes. "I do not wish to keep you further, Claymere-dono. I am sure the Taisa expects you."
Nyton bowed his head slightly. "You flatter me Kosuka-san. However there is something I would like to know about your daughter, if I may ask in regards to her past," he said, with a subtle context to the words 'your daughter.'
"Ask. Perhaps I will answer."
I see where she gets her evasive demeanor from, Nyton mentally grumbled to himself. "I was wondering if ah, Kotori-sama has... if she has ever been in love." he asked. While his face bore a neutral countenance, a faint flush appeared on his cheeks.
Kôsuka returned Nyton's neutrality. "I do not know."
"That is too bad. That could have given me an angle if we discussed Sumaru's condition." he said with a touch of disappointment.
"Knowing if she was in love or not? How so?" The Samurai's interest was piqued.
"Having been in love or knowing love at some point may help her to understand him a little." Nyton said as he crossed his arms. "I would have had a better idea of how to approach the matter."
"That does not explain how love factors into her decision on him."
"I shall elaborate then. After talking to Sumaru I find his strength of will and detemination to be admirable. This strength is borne of an attachment I believe he has towards Sora-hime. Perhaps it was just my imagination but I theorize he is in love with her. I wondered if perhaps knowing this Kotori-sama would understand why he would willingly choose to become a Nekovalkyrja."
"Maybe if she understood the feeling she could sympathize with his decision and understand his motivation." Nyton finished.
"That is a perceptive hypothesis ... you shall have to test it on her." The Samurai smiled.
"As a strategist I prefer to have more to go on than just my own insight." Nyton said. "Very well then, I suppose I shall have to go forth with what I have."
"You will do well," Kôsuka said. "She likes you. It is easy to see."
"I believe in her. I also trust her to be reasonable." he said as he began to stand up. Once up on his feet Nyton then looked back into Kosuka's eyes. "As for being a Samurai maybe you could teach me a few pointers. I could always stand to learn a new application."
"I do not know, Claymere-dono." She closed her eyes as if to return to meditating. "I believe your talents would go to waste."
Nyton's features softened for a moment. "You flatter me but I appreciate your confidence. Thank you for your time, Kosuka-san." he said in preparation to depart.
"You are welcome any time," she replied.
END
