Slow, somber notes rang out, fitting the topic of their conversation rather appropriately it seemed.
"Hm..." As she spoke of her talents and how they were utilized, he offered no immediate disagreement.
"That is the unfortunate truth." For a moment, his mind turned to his past studies, then to himself.
"Most of the time..." Trailed musings as he considered his own actions.
"...I wonder if we are even capable of anything else." In the wake of the Warring Clans Period, the world suffered three Shinobi Wars over the span of less than half a century. Far to the west, in his homeland, their many wars were constant.
"Long after they found peace, the troubles continued." He thought.
"They still do, even now."The wanderer would contemplate the kunoichi's words silently, his eyes focused on the shamisen's neck as he thought of a reply.
"Often, those who suffer most are the exact people you speak of." Peasantry, civilians, and anyone else just trying to live peaceful lives. In war, they were always the ones who saw the most loss. He adjusted his fingers to play a sad, minor F note.
"My homeland is much the same way." The string twanged. Dour as it sounded, it was how he saw things.
"I suppose... all we can hope for, is to put our skills to good use..." An attempt at assuaging her seeming guilt over the matter... though, he was no idealist. In his heart, he felt the same way about his own talents.
"...whatever they may be." Skulking around quietly in the dark, battlefield tactics,
killing...
If there existed a way to apply these skills justly... then he did not know it. Umber eyes strayed from the shamisen, to watch the girl touch the grass beside her. Then, he caught her smile— a half one, muted on her lips.
"Pretty..." He thought, and not unlike his own, when he could manage one.
"Perhaps." He said to her words about art, and the ability to bring about change. In theory, it was admirable, but in practice...
"Do you believe such a thing is possible?" A genuine question as his thoughts turned once more to his own path. In the grand scheme of the world's goings-on, his goal, along with his very focus, were exceedingly narrow. Truthfully, he had little interest in shinobi affairs.
"The world's issues are many." He thought.
"Individuals hold little sway... and I have my own to solve, first."Rather, his path led west.
"To the mountains on the easternmost border, past them, to the snows beyond." He thought, picturing the journey in his mind. Retracing the steps of his family's exile, only this time, not in retreat.
"To Kīroshi's great walls, still painted in Yamato yellow. To Kiku-jō and its chrysanthemum gardens..." The bachi in his hand continued to pluck, the shamisen's notes now quieter still.
"...to the shōgun's bedside, kunai in hand, if need be." Breaking the greater mold of cyclical violence... it seemed so grand an ideal. But then, so was his own end goal, and so he understood ambition well. She spoke again, about his knowledge despite his non-shinobi background.
"My—" As he thought of his mentor, he struggled to describe him.
"...tutor in the shinobi arts was from a Hidden Village." He finished.
Had she looked, she would note a slight wrinkling of his face as the words left his mouth. A minute flattening of his expression like he was remembering something annoying.
"My 'tutor', the old drunk..." A laughable concept. Yet, the wanderer's expression corrected itself as she introduced herself as a kunoichi of Konohagakure.
"Uchiha Kazui?" A name from a Noble Clan, though her given name was also recognizable to him somehow. Some older memory... but where— no,
how did he know of her?
"Kazui-san." He repeated, meeting her gaze.
"A good name, and... familiar to me, though I can't quite place it." Of course there were shinobi who were known far and wide in their world... so perhaps she was one of them?
"Are you renowned in your village?" Or further, even, as was often the case with famous shinobi. There was some insight he was missing here... unless he was simply mistaken.
Either way, he returned the gesture in kind.
"I am Muramasa Uemon, formerly of Tetsu no Kuni." A nod of his own in turn, one corner of his mouth perking ever so slightly. A weak attempt at a smile, but sincere despite his troubles with emoting.
"It's nice to meet you..." Thunder cracked in the distance, and he shifted his gaze upwards past the canopy. Raindrops increasing in volume as they sat there, beneath the tree.
"...even in weather like this."Uemon continued his careful playing, but not at anywhere near the quickened pace of the song's second half. It was a sullen tune, and he preferred it slow.
"Sometimes..." He began.
"We have an aptitude for talents that we don't yet know of." As his eyes drifted to the instrument's neck, he recalled how his sensei used to play. An artist and a warrior both, though she rarely showed the former side.
"Have you ever tried writing, or sketching?"The wanderer himself dabbled in both, though he was only an amateur. A thought occurred, and as his bachi struck a note, he continued on.
"Singing, perhaps?" Briefly, he glanced at her.
"Your voice... would suit it, I think."
