Tactics and Tea

Place: Sheol
Time of Day: Afternoon

”Thank you.”

The sound of green tea pouring into a fine and intricate white tea cup filled his ears as the brown haired waitress filled the cup to mid-way, and left the tea kettle on the table for his personal consumption before walking off to serve the other customers. The mishura stared into his reflection within the small cup before grabbing hold of it and raising it to sip at the liquid. The taste was refreshing, he had made coming to this tea shop a daily habit, a place where he could relax from his duties as a blade. On his lap lay the twin swords kiba and to his left on the table was a scroll, which he had been working on previous to making his way here. It entailed numerous training methods, formations, and strategical guides that he had either came up with himself or encountered on the battlefield and made note of for study purposes. He seldom failed to see through the plots of the enemy forces but when he did, it costed him dearly making him apply himself even more to prevent the recurrence of the like.

Keeping the cup of tea in his right hand Haru moved his left and gained hold of one of the many dried persimmons on the white plate before him. Ordered as a sweet snack to compliment the green tea, he neglected persimmons when he was younger because back then he always held on to a bag of chips. After taking a bite or two out of the snack he left his crimson eyes to scan over the rest of the shop. There were a bit more people here now than there was yesterday, but he recognized a few who also were regulars to the shop and some who were shogunate shinobi that he had seen around. Before long his eyes would close as he let out a sigh whilst simultaneously placing the half eaten persimmon down and taking another sip of his tea. ”What to do, what to do…” After getting used to the day to day routine, he found himself with little to do. Maybe he could actually talk to the other blades instead of just when they had mandatory meetings and other business to attend to. They as a group were somewhat loners, at least it seemed that way. Well, he could talk to anyone of them later, because sometime today he was going to train the units and get them familiar with the new formations he made. Which often took a long time to do as the unit would have to be able to move fluidly from one formation to another so as not to waste time, that being a crucial point in whether you live or die.

Taking hold of the tea kettle by it’s handle, Haru refilled his cup before waving for the waitress to bring him something. Not long after a chess board was brought to his table. Haru often played the game to make himself less bored by giving him something to focus on. However, many that played him weren’t exactly good but he enjoyed it all the same. Sipping from his cup once more he just gazed at the pieces for a bit.

Two weeks since she had met up with her clan members, six days since she had the operation which implanted her genetic material within her to give rise to a clone, 3 days since she told Rebecca about it and learned that her best friend these past three and half years was in love with her. Jazz, yeah that was the clon- no fetus, that was her name and she could already feel her moving about inside of her occasionally and it brought tears to her eyes based on the thought that she would only know her for just 3 months before having to hand her over to the clan. It, honestly broke her heart a bit but she realized it was for the best and thus the only way she would get out of her current situation with her freedom. These were the thoughts that plagued her mind as she ordered food in her most frequented shop, it sold multiple pastries and sweet drinks for the early riser most of them being native to the west continent. Until she walked in one day she had never heard of coffee, sure she knew tea anyone from the Land of Origin knew tea but coffee seemed like a far superior product and she had taken to drinking it religiously until she found herself pregnant.

It wouldn't do for Jazz to be addicted to coffee before she even knew what it was, either way she would finish ordering her strawberry cream cheese bagel before scanning the shop for a place to sit only to notice an open chair near one of the shinobi. She would pause mainly because she hadn't met him before and didn't want to be rude as she knew some shinobi valued their downtime between missions and liked to spend it alone. However all of that changed as she saw his weapons, the Twin-Sword Kiba the Rikigaku in her blood, her skill as a blacksmith her own intellect breaking it down on a structural level. This was the fifth one she had actually laid eyes on, the first being Rika's Nuibari which she had intimate knowledge of, the second being Kyoshiro's Kubikiribocho which he used to save her from his experiement. The third was Rainer's Hiramekarei when he came to ask about armor and once again after they had sex, the fourth was Kimiko's Shibuki after their delightful meeting her youthful enthusiasm bringing a slight smile to Jasmine's face when she thought about it. But unlike the elegance of Nuibari, strategy of Shibuki, versality of Hiramekarei or sheer lethality and intimidation factor of Kubikiribocho, Kiba like the perfect balance of grace and lethality not to mention was split between two blades rather than one. She was instantly captivated and made her way over to get a better look and perhaps chat with this Blade after all she did indeed to seek them all out.

Seeing the chess board was her in, and she would walk over seeing that the black side was on his side and thus when she walked up to him she would pause upon getting close before speaking up. Pawn to a4. Oh forgive me, terribly rude would you mind if I sat here my feet are killing me. Jasmine said with a friendly smile holding her foot in one hand while she waited for his answer.

Pondering on how his first move should be made and how it would lead into one of his strategies, the Blade ignored the sound of steps getting closer. It was a shop after all, it was obvious that others would walk past your table every now and then. So naturally, he was taken back when a feminine voice had brought about his attention and curiosity. His gaze shifting to the woman as she held her foot. ”Hm? Oh, I’m sorry, I don’t mind at all.” Gesturing with his hand for her to have the seat across from him, before moving the pawn to her desired position. ”So you play the game as well.” Haru would say after she took her seat, all the while moving his own piece on the board. ”Knight to Nc6. Before continuing it would be nice to know each other's names, right?” Giving an honest smile as he adjusted his glasses a tad. The glasses were only for reading purposes, yet he had become so accustomed to wearing them that he’d continue to do so whilst partaking in other activities. ”I am Haru, its nice to meet you.”

This development had him thinking on the game and what he might learn from her. What strategy did she employ? If all relayed the game to that of combat, a player will move their pieces in a way that they would in war, if they held such a position. Some move carelessly, some move eloquently, others cautiously. In these games Haru could not help but try to probe through his opponent’s way of thinking, never judging but merely observing and attempting an understanding. That was how he learned, as all methods have their purpose for the right time and place.

Jasmine would sit down and look at the board before deciding her own move, she didn't play that often but she was always up for a game besides it was a nice way to pass the time and potentially get to know this Blade. Knight to Nf3, your right, I'm Jasmine Kukinorite pleasure to meet you as well. Jasmine said flashing a smile as she wondered what her opponents next move was, she wasn't one of course to interupt while he was thinking of his next move and thus would attempt to talk to him while making her own moves unless of course he chose to talk to her as well. She would however sigh in content now that her weight was on her rump rather than standing up on her swollen feet. Being pregnant absolutely sucked, she didn't know how anyone could ever possibly do this for 9 months, she felt that normal women were absolutely crazy for even bothering to try this at all.

So based on the fact that we introduced our names, perhaps small talk would be in order heh, otherwise we'll end up going back and forth saying absolutely nothing. It gets addictive well at least the few times I've played it has. she said before opening her food back and sipping from her straw having an iced coffee, wonderful caffinated goodness before moving around and then pushing her bagel up so she could take a bite chewing slowly mainly to savor it while she waited for a reply to her question. Over all she was content, she got her food and now she had someone to both talk to and play a game with, though she wasn't the type to play chest thinking for too long, she attributed it to her intellect.

”Hmm.” The sound eased it’s way from his lips as Jasmine had made her move. It was too early in the gain to try and relate her moves to herself, so he would agree to keep the flow of conversation between them, as what she spoke of was true. A chess match was almost always silent save for the click and clacks of the pieces themselves upon the board. The players being so locked in the acts of perception and precognitive thought, that speaking to the other would never mentally arise. Or rather it was uncalled for when one or both parties only cared for victory over the other. A moment or two would pass before Haru motioned to move his piece. ”Pawn to h5. Haha, you have a point there.” He said with a chuckle as his piece had been placed accordingly to the spot called. ”So Jasmine, is there anything you’d like to talk about? A question, perhaps?” Though his mind was indeed on the game, in the corners of his mind he wanted to know if the chessboard really brought her to sit here. Being a blade it wouldn’t take much for one to notice he was one, as he kept Kiba exposed for every eye to see. That too could be her reason but he hated assuming, so he’d wait for his new acquaintance to tell him herself.

Bringing the tea cup to his mouth he took a few sips to empty the small, delicate china before refilling it for the third time with the kettle. The tea in the kettle was still warm and steamy. Soon the scent of Jasmine’s coffee made it’s way over to him. It was a nice and enticing scent, he would order one himself but he wasn’t a coffee person. Having tasted it once and disliked the taste ever since, though it was only one flavor of the drink, Haru had decided to stick with tea from then on.