Tageru sits some more under the tree, thinking 'Who is this Koto? I don't remember meeting anyone by that name, and yet, he calls me to "talk some more". I guess it could be some foul work, but I guess I should also see what he wants. Maybe I'll find out something important...'

He waits for about half an hour, and then gets up and leaves. Very soon, he's at the entrance to the temple 'what in Malfeas possessed me to come here, I don't know. Might as well go inside now that I'm here'.

---

OOC: Moved post here, since it's a change of scene. :)
This message was last edited by the GM at 21:45, Sat 13 Dec 2008.

Since the Scarlet Empress' disappearance, the Mouth of Peace has been sending more and more missionaries and funding to the Immaculate temples and shrines of Wavecrest. The Shrine of the Ocean's Song is no exception, a structure of dark blue and black marble perched on a cliff that faces the ocean.

In keeping with the humility monks strive to convey, decor and embellishment are at a minimum. Rather, the aesthetic of the sprawling one-story manse is in the management of space. Minimalist fixtures of marble and tasteful mosaics of mother-of-pearl subtly draw the eye, while streams of water meander peacefully through the grounds, forming islands between which smooth stepping stones or graceful half-moon bridges allow the means to cross. The pure water streams ultimately pour toward the rear of the manse, joining a waterfall that cascades down the cliff into the sparkling ocean.

Outside, the front doors are open to the public, through which monks, natives and visitors alike flow in and out at irregular intervals. A handful of acolytes wander the outer grounds, greeting newcomers, answering questions when asked or directing them to their immediate superior. This appears to be an older Water Aspect in the robes of an Immaculate of the Third Coil, his arms crossed stoically as he stands watch.

Of this 'Master Koto' Tageru sees no indication of who it might be, at least not from here. The name does tug at his memory, though, as if he ought to be remembering something very important.

"May I help you?" the senior Immaculate asks of Tageru when he comes close enough to be addressed.

Tageru bows deeply to the elder Immaculate as he approaches and speaks "I am here by Master Koto's summons. I was told that he wants to see me immediately, so I came." Tageru stares the man in the eyes and looks behind him, into the temple interior. Hopefully, there would be a face that he remembered and trusted there.

The Water Immaculate nods after a moment, regarding Tageru with calm dark blue eyes. "Yes. He did say he would have a visitor."

"Master Koto's patronage of our shrine is an honor and a privilege. He has traveled far and wide, willingly accepting exile in order to spread his knowledge to distant Threshold outposts. You are fortunate to have been personally called to meet with him." Disciplined as he may be, the stoic man's expression shows a tinge of doubtfulness as to how much a stranger just recently arrived might deserve such special treatment. But he makes no further comment on it.

"Eventide," he calls to one of the young monks, a slender boy no more than a teenager. He looks to be of islander stock -- one of the rare Outcastes that have accepted the cloth, perhaps. "Please escort this man to Master Koto."

"Yes, Reverend," comes the swift reply, and with that Tageru is sent off with the boy toward the interior of the manse. The main hall of worship is a spacious, well lit chamber, with smaller chapels and private rooms branching from it, given a calm and meditative ambiance by the ever-present susurration of flowing water. A discreet corridor leads to a door opening into the monks' training grounds and lodging at the rear of the manse.

The furthest limits of the training grounds end abruptly with a sheer drop-off into the ocean. Standing upon the cliff's edge, at perfect balance with the air, the earth and the sea, is an old -- one might say ancient -- man of stooped posture facing away from Tageru and Eventide. The acolyte retreats silently, leaving the two alone together.
This message was last edited by the GM at 10:03, Sun 14 Dec 2008.

"Master Koto. You've called me?" Tageru speaks, and a feeling of unease fills him. 'This man might be dangerous. I must be careful. If only I wasn't so blessed that I cannot hide my Charms, I'd come better prepared. Oh, well, no use crying over something that cannot be changed. Especially when it's a BLESSING of the Dragons...', he thinks as he waits for the man to turn to face him. 'I just hope this goes well, and that my family hears nothing about this.'

The man does turn, then, his reflexes still as quick and vital as a young man's -- if not more so, honed from decades upon decades of training. Tageru recognizes the wizened face immediately. It is the visage of his sifu, the ancient master he had met during his travels in the Threshold, who had since offered to tutor him whenever they both had the time.

"I had not thought we would meet so soon. Tell me, what name are you going by these days? Or may I still call you Tageru?" Master Koto raises a pure white eyebrow as he steps closer to look over the young Wood Aspect. "You are in good health and condition. Just a little bit excited, eh? Have I made you uneasy, or did you run into trouble on the way?"

The old man seems almost amused at the thought. "If the latter, I certainly hope you remembered what you've learned!"

Koto's form blurs, shrouded in transparent air, or some trick of the light. He appears again almost directly in front of Tageru, startling him into blocking instinctively. But the old master shifts his frontal assault at the last moment, feinting fluidly to one side. A split-second later, Tageru finds his arm twisted behind him, and is pushed face down in the dirt.

Then he releases the pressure on Tageru's arm, and offers a hand to let him up. "We'll try again. Or would you prefer some tea?"

[Private to Cynis Tageru: Sorry to do that, but if your sifu couldn't beat you handily when he takes you by surprise that'd be pretty lame.

BTW, was there some reason you were supposed to not recognize him? I took the info for Koto from what you wrote me for your RTJ. If there's something wrong in my interpretation, let me know.]

"H... Hello sifu." Tageru groans and gets up. "I was taken by surprise, so we'll have to repeat that in a more fair way" he says and takes his sifu's hand and starts to get up. "Tea would be nice" Suddenly, his hand is wrapped around Koto's thumb firmly and he twists it. He uses the momentum to get back on his feet and suddenly appears behind the man's back, with his thumb still in his grip.

[Private to Storyteller: No problem, payback time! :D

In any way, I explained in the private message about his amnesia... :)

Also, even if I fail at the thumb-wrestling, at least I tried! :D]

Koto grunts at the pressure on his thumb, looking as if he's ready to give in. "Enough, enough young man," he says with a wheezing laugh, ducking down -- then tips himself forward, actually throwing Tageru right over his head. The Wood aspect flips midair, moving with the throw, though this time he is able to land on his feet.

Sifu and student do not simply stop there. Almost immediately Koto strikes a series of pressure points on his own body that Tageru recognizes as the Pattern of Flourishing Wood--the beginnings of the Wood Dragon Form. Through sparring and example both, Koto seeks to test Tageru's knowledge of the Wood Style as well as expose him to attack from other Immaculate styles, flowing to and from each form with an enviable ease.

"All right then," Koto finally says, putting a halt to their first impromptu training session in years. The crow's-feet around his eyes crinkle as he takes on a deceptively casual stance that Tageru knows by now not to underestimate. "I've tea aplenty, and time. I'm sure you've many stories to tell me of your travels, and I intend to be indulged."

---

OOC: I figure you'd actually take a few days of training to learn the charm(s) you want, but we'll fast forward through that at some point.

Tageru sits down with his sifu and tells him all about his journeys since the last time they met, about the battle with the pirates, about Tethia, about his new allies of Cobalt, about everything... It's been a long time since he felt so relaxed and so much at home as he did now in this Immaculate temple.

He sends a message to his ship that he will be busy for a while, and that if they need him, they could find him at the temple. He stays and trains with his sifu, and it reminds him of his days home, back when he was still a Dynast. 'Good times, those were' he thinks, but quenches the thought almost immediately. 'Those times are over. I have better and more important things to worry about now...'

At one point, he asks his sifu to give him a tutoring of one of the Charms from the Wood Dragon Style in a dreamstone, so he could learn it later.
"I am not sure when I'll see you again, and I'd like to be able to continue training. Also, I'd like to know where I can seek you out in the future, in case I need your advice, sifu. If you could tell me anything about your future plans, I'd be most grateful."

Training with Koto is, as always, wearying but rewarding. He manages to condense an intensive training regimen into the space of a few days with his eclectic and unpredictable style of tutoring. While Tageru is staying at the temple with him, pretty much any moment and any activity they could be doing could potentially become an impromptu training session.

As Koto often tells him, "There is never a moment where you are not a martial artist. Be prepared at all times."

Much of a Wood Dragon Stylist's training is less about actual exerting oneself as it is understanding, and attuning oneself to, the flows of life and essence that incorporate all existence. The moment before action is, at least in Koto's interpretation of the style, more important than the action itself. This is where an enemy's weaknesses come sharply into focus, when the Wood Stylist can take control of the battlefield and oneself through keen observation and application of pressure points.

There are, of course, more practical aspects of the training, particularly when Koto instructs Tageru with the bow, or when he drills the younger Dragon-blood through the Katas of Wood he has yet to master.

Finally, after nearly a week, Koto presents his student with the requested dreamstone, and considers the question posted to him. "I will remain here a week or so longer. Then my path will bring me northward, toward the island of Kerkeis in the Neck. After that... perhaps to Azure by the spring, then back southward. I do hope to reach An-Teng by the months of Fire."

"But circumstance can be unpredictable at times. Suffice it to say that if you do not find me, I will find you." A knowing smile crinkles his wizened face. "Trust in fate now and then, young Tageru."

"I do, and thank you, sifu. It is truly an honor to study under a master like you. If I ever had the chance to become a great master of the Arts myself, it is now that I've found you as my guide."

Tageru bows deeply and looks at his sifu with gratitude. "I hope you have good travels, sifu, and that we'll meet again soon. Maybe next time, I'll surprise you, who knows...", he says and laughs before bowing once more and leaving.

'Well, so much for my rest. Let's see what my Cobalt friends are up to, where we're heading off to next...'

"I'm looking forward to it," Koto says, chuckling as Tageru departs.

While he remained at the temple, deeply immersed in the training regimen, the members of Cobalt Alliance have been preoccupied with everything from recruitment to trading goods to exploring the city and just taking time to rest. Some have also used the time to train, not nearly so intensely, but dutifully nonetheless.

On the 19th of Ascending Water Tageru reconvenes with the rest of the group, finding it somewhat larger than before...

---

OOC: thread end!

As mentioned in game OOC, it'll probably be several days (RL time) before I can fast forward for everyone to the point in time Tageru is at here... he will get xp for this thread and the market one though :)
This message was last edited by the GM at 19:12, Mon 22 Dec 2008.