Trembling of the Gong [Shishiyuki, Kasha]

"I suppose she did."

Shishiyuki thought briefly about what Kasha said to her, and she smiled rather visibly as he mentioned that he did not care about the Koizumi as a noble family. She did, that much was true, but her true opinion on them was not especially different from his. She glanced at her own hand, briefly dispelling the cosmetic kido which hid her scars, before looking back to Kasha with a bit more fire to both her expression and her voice.

"And if, Kasha, I were to personally train you, how long do you believe it would take for you to become sufficiently skilled to succeed the current master of the Phoenix Crown Fist? Do not be overly generous or overly modest. Give me your most genuine assessment."

"Forgive me but I'm afraid that is far away."

He said softly, shrugging it away despite the fact he knew it would disappoint her. After he said it there was obviously a need to explain himself.

"It's just that I'm not as violent as her. My usage of the Phoenix Crown Fist is completely different and unorthodox. So until she dies and rolls over from old age or accepts my usage of it - I'll never succeed her."

Kasha said with a faint grin.

"I'm a healer, not a fighter. We don't get along because of that."

"Yes, you do seem to have been raised into a school opposed to your demeanor. But, Kasha, if I may posit something."

Sitting back just a touch, Shishiyuki offered him a small, knowing smile. It wasn't really intended to be a "gotcha" moment, per se, but she did want to point something out.

"Do you not think it would be best to enact the changes you are capable of? While it is true that your school is known for its brutality, I think it is unreasonable to assume that you will simply be unable to succeed her on account of it. If you wish to apply the style differently, then do so. Or do you simply not wish to challenge her position?"

"Traditionally you only succeed after a trial by combat. Though, neither of us particularly care about tradition. It's not because of that tradition that cares, she's just violent and the tradition suits her just fine so her mind remains unchanged."

He said, there was a bit of underlying contentness at not challenging her too but it was mostly that he had no intention of really fighting her and the two stubborn Kashas came to a standstill in their headbutting. She would only accept a fight, he refused to give it to her.

"That's just how it is at the moment."

"I see. That is reasonable, yes. Then I will not push you toward that if it is not what you wish to pursue. But what, then, do you intend to do? Will you change the path of your school when she does finally pass?"

Shishiyuki was already thinking about each of the 108 schools of the Koizumi martial arts, and how they would develop with these presumed impending changes to the family. Even her own school would likely see significant shifts, but then again, she had not even begun to think of a successor. She supposed that would come in time.

"I would be interested to see more of your application of the school, when you are willing. It is both my duty and my genuine interest to follow each of our schools."

"Hmm. Not particularly, every successor is expected to add something to the school but I do not feel particularly inclined to force my ideals onto my successors unlike her."

He said while thinking about it, there was also the matter about how he'd demonstrate it to her. The scars on her hand did come to mind but if she was anything like his teacher then maybe she took pride in them compared to his own stance of aeshetics that thought scars were ugly things and also signs of failure. If you got scarred then that said said that you were able to get hit. Well, for him anyway. His style involved avoiding getting hit.

"I suppose I can make time to demonstrate, it's a bit difficult though. There's not really anyone wounded just laying around in need of medical attention."

"Don't you? But you expect me to force mine onto all of my successors, I see."

Shishiyuki's smile fell a bit, rather visibly let down at such blatant hypocrisy. It would have been one matter if he simply admitted that he had been incorrect on his own matters, but to simply continue on as if he had not made a wholly contradictory point earlier thoroughly irritated her.

"The next time I find myself injured, I will come to you then for treatment. Does this sound fair?"

He did see her point. It was pretty hypocritical but ultimately it was because he viewed being a teacher of a martial art and a leader of a noble family as two very different things. Ultimately, he did not care what his successor would do with the style.

"Isn't a martial art meant to be a method of expression? For what purpose does an assertive position and narrowing the ability to further something. I personally think that it's no different to what I told you to do. If your pathway is to focus on the individuals of the family over abiding by those traditions then it's no different from me taking a hands off approach to letting the student develop as they do rather than caring about my predecessors' feelings. Ultimately, once you die it doesn't matter what you did. The direction will be decided by the next individual - regardless of what you teach them if they choose to reject your teachings and ideals."

There was a small handwave which showed his jaded and cynical nature towards people. In the future, his student would make their own way. Regardless of whether or not he tried to force them into another direction, that's exactly what happened with him. His own demeanour was completely opposed to his teacher's despite her own attempts to force him to comply with her will.

"You have no certainty that your successor will follow your desires. Once your dead or succeeded, if you disagree with them then you'd need to retake your position or you know, remain a corpse if the former one."

"Anyway, you're welcome to come to me with any injury you sustain I will do my best to heal it to the best of my ability."

"I am admittedly quite impressed at your ability to remain as removed as you are. I do not think that I could do the same. It is true that these matters will mean little to the future generations if they choose to simply deny them. I think you and I have both been done quite wrong by those who came before us."

Shishiyuki felt that this matter was likely coming to an end, and that there was little else to be said beyond mere minutiae. She collected herself, standing as she continued to study Kasha.

"I think it is wholly fair that you would carry on in such a way, given the circumstances. It is a question of whether, when the future comes, you wish to be seen in the same light by your own successors, or whether you intend to act as you might wish your own master had."

He looked at the board and its lost game. Normally he would want to show off but in its own little gesture and showing his point, this game was a victory and a showing off so he was satisfied with that.

"I don't particularly mind. I will either go down as a genius for my unorthodox usage or I will be condemned as a disgrace upon the style's legacy. Either way, I will continue with the path I have chosen and let them make up their mind. If they don't like what I do, then they can change the ways when I go."

How people saw him did not bother him, only that he continued to resolve down the pathway that he was going to do.