The Day of Thunder

[Otaku]

Otaku has never met Doji. In fact, the Crane leader is one of only a few great Kami she's never even seen from a distance. But she understands her own feelings about Lady Shinjo, and so she can guess how the people of the Crane Clan must feel knowing their lady is in mortal peril.

Quietly, intently--as she does most things--she leaves four cranes folded neatly out of coarse paper atop the growing heap.

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D4 LM--Paper Cranes, Origami/Awa unskilled, VP | 4k4 ⇒ 24

[Doji Hikaru]

"Oh, you're a painter too? And most certainly, I do like to think that art does have a serenity about it, especially when you've found your inspiration or you're chasing an idea or some sort of perfection. That said, art can also be a source of frustration when you find yourself stuck and unable to complete your piece because the ideas aren't coming to you or have anxiety about where you can even start the first stroke, or choose the right colours. Or find yourself second-guessing on your mistakes or flaws..."

She held out a hand to stop herself from rambling further. "Uhm, anyway. But I digress, I suppose my earlier point was more about viewing this as a good exercise at the very least for anyone. Maybe this might even encourage some new artists to take up the art of origami!"

"I am." Hikaru confirmed. "I have at least attempted many arts, but painting is the one that I have chosen to dedicate myself to." A smile just touched his lips. "Even so, I am still a long ways from perfection, as much as that can even be achieved."

A brief pause as he got a fold of paper lined up just so. "Inspiration comes and goes. I remember a time when I had a great deal of trouble painting. It was at the First Winter Court, actually." A sidelong glance at Satsuki. "I do think my initial failure compounded upon additional attempts. Building anxiety..." He sighed. "The trick seems to be finding a way to break the cycle."

[Saru Shang]

"I am." Hikaru confirmed. "I have at least attempted many arts, but painting is the one that I have chosen to dedicate myself to." A smile just touched his lips. "Even so, I am still a long ways from perfection, as much as that can even be achieved."

A brief pause as he got a fold of paper lined up just so. "Inspiration comes and goes. I remember a time when I had a great deal of trouble painting. It was at the First Winter Court, actually." A sidelong glance at Satsuki. "I do think my initial failure compounded upon additional attempts. Building anxiety..." He sighed. "The trick seems to be finding a way to break the cycle."

"I confess that I'm a bit unsure of this idea of being perfect in any art form, speaking as an artisan. Perhaps I can fathom it myself. There are most certainly a lot of aspects I could strive to improve myself on as I'm a long way away from even being considered a master! I'm more certain that this climb to progress is more limitless like the sky. Maybe a state of perfection would be actually painting out reality with your work leaping out of the parchment. Okay, that's a silly thought," she tittered.

"That sort of anxiety I can sympathize with. We can be creatures of habits, unfortunately, so cycles are naturally occurring in many of us. It often takes much to avoid bad habits and harder still to undo ones that we already practice. My earnest wish is that this drought I'm currently seeing is only temporary. Not that I'm saying there's a lack of inspiration I'm seeing around here, in fact, perhaps I'm wondering how I can do it proper justice."

[Doji Hikaru]

"I confess that I'm a bit unsure of this idea of being perfect in any art form, speaking as an artisan. Perhaps I can fathom it myself. There are most certainly a lot of aspects I could strive to improve myself on as I'm a long way away from even being considered a master! I'm more certain that this climb to progress is more limitless like the sky. Maybe a state of perfection would be actually painting out reality with your work leaping out of the parchment. Okay, that's a silly thought," she tittered.

"That sort of anxiety I can sympathize with. We can be creatures of habits, unfortunately, so cycles are naturally occurring in many of us. It often takes much to avoid bad habits and harder still to undo ones that we already practice. My earnest wish is that this drought I'm currently seeing is only temporary. Not that I'm saying there's a lack of inspiration I'm seeing around here, in fact, perhaps I'm wondering how I can do it proper justice."

Hikaru gave one of his barely there smiles. "Perhaps." It was, of course, an impossibility. "Although really, part of the challenge is expressing what you wish to express through an imperfect medium. A painting is not the original scene, or feeling, but a recreation, or a retelling of it." He inclined his head. "Or so I believe."

When next he looked up from his folding, he gave Shang a sympathetic look. "May I ask what options you have considered? The forest, perhaps?"

[Saru Shang]

Hikaru gave one of his barely there smiles. "Perhaps." It was, of course, an impossibility. "Although really, part of the challenge is expressing what you wish to express through an imperfect medium. A painting is not the original scene, or feeling, but a recreation, or a retelling of it." He inclined his head. "Or so I believe."

When next he looked up from his folding, he gave Shang a sympathetic look. "May I ask what options you have considered? The forest, perhaps?"

"Oh, you are right in that regard. Painting was never meant to fully replicate a scene in the slightest, I was just trying to conjure what perfection would look like on a painting ultimately. To confuse someone into thinking your work is the same as the scene itself perhaps is more subterfuge than the art itself, so that can't be it!" She shook her head at that thought.

Shang frowned before she gave a quick look around her surroundings, not that she could see the forest itself from where they were but they were naturally some ways away. "No...I would never use the forest around here, especially having been there. I would be concerned if I were to truly use that as a subject, I would also be obligated to capture the haunting whispers and the obscene voices..."

[Doji Hikaru]

Shang frowned before she gave a quick look around her surroundings, not that she could see the forest itself from where they were but they were naturally some ways away. "No...I would never use the forest around here, especially having been there. I would be concerned if I were to truly use that as a subject, I would also be obligated to capture the haunting whispers and the obscene voices..."

Hikaru glanced quickly around, frowning. "There is a rather uncanny feel to many of the features here. I know I've gotten a strange feeling in the fog many times. And the dreams..."

His brow drew down. "But have you heard unsettling things during waking hours? Or do you speak metaphorically?"

[Saru Shang]

Hikaru glanced quickly around, frowning. "There is a rather uncanny feel to many of the features here. I know I've gotten a strange feeling in the fog many times. And the dreams..."

His brow drew down. "But have you heard unsettling things during waking hours? Or do you speak metaphorically?"

Her gaze did a quick scan of the area, looking a bit reluctant to continue on with the topic, especially when they had all gotten together to work on a project of hope and good well. After a moment, she mustered a smile at Hikaru after she finished folding up her last Crane. "Let's just say, I wouldn't advise venturing into the forests unless you really have to, Doji-sama. The haunting ambiance is more than just that. I could have blamed the lack of sleep or the stress but that was on my first day here."