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 Posted: Sun Jan 02, 2011 1:34 pm
 
This is a private roleplay between Ran [Logue] and Huang-Fu [Nyxtsuki Moon].
Setting :
A quiet corner of a lake.
Ran is practicing his "fishing" when he is run into by Huang-Fu, whom he has never met. Humiliation ensues when Ran discovers that this
newcomer is much better at fishing than he is...
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Posted: Sun Jan 02, 2011 1:46 pm
A chill clung in his chest and made breathing unpleasant. To counter it, Ran brought his fur up close to his chin and turned his face into it briefly, allowing himself a few deep breaths in the comfort of his warm accessory. It smelled kind of like his house and the woods mixed together, and he liked it. The sting of the air was unforgiving, however, and as soon as he moved he was again plagued by it. Such were the ways of nature.
His knuckles were white with cold as he gripped the spear, eyes trained on the water beneath and around him. He could see the shadows of fish darting here and there, and he followed them easily with his eyes. Seeing them was a simple task; all you had to do was focus. The hard part was hitting them. He noted this with regret as he raised the spear, careful not to shift his lower body so he wouldn't stir the mud and startle the fish.
Fishing. His ultimate weakness. The thing he was absolutely terrible at yet insisted on trying over and over again, because as a man he couldn't accept defeat. He was kind of stupid that way.
Biting his lip, Ran thrust the spear into the water, a gentle 'plip' resulting as he cut the surface. Fish darted everywhere in a frenzy, and when he raised his spear to check it, his shoulders sagged. Nothing. He always missed - Ran couldn't really remember a time when he had actually speared a fish by himself. His brothers or father had always had to help him. His mother was better at fishing than he was.
At least he was alone. Fishing with his family was unbearable; he couldn't stand the looks his brothers gave him, or the disappointment in his father's eyes. Somehow, that look was worse than the jeering he had to endure from his foolish brothers.
Raising the spear again, Ran sighed down at his reflection as the water cleared. Yes, at least he was alone.
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Posted: Fri Jan 14, 2011 6:47 pm
Huang shifted his gear, from one shoulder to the other as he steadily climbed the trail that would lead him to a smaller exclusive river. Not deep enough that you would be plunged into the cold harsh water, and not wide enough that you couldn't swim across without tiring yourself. Fish were abundant in this location as it was often for the spawning locations. And with spawning came schools of fish from the ocean. It was times like these that he was thankful for his best friends training on watching for the cycles of fish, and which season's were the best for each location.
The deeper he went into the woods and along the bank of the river, the more comforted with the solitude and quietness of the dank crisp air. Here there was no bustle of people, fighting for a location to set up their poles. There was no children splashing around, causing the fish to scurry away.
At least that what he had though when a curious sound broke the quiet solitude that Huang was accustomed too. It was just a gentle plip in the water, easily a fish bobbling his head for food but it had caught Huang's attention and had him breaking from the trail and coming closer to the bank.
As he cleared the brush of the forestry, his eyes fell upon that of a smaller figure holding a spear over the water, Concentration focused intently on the water as he saw his eyes search. Spear hunting, Huang thought and cocked his head watching intently. While it was another style of fishing, Huang thought it was unnecessary and roguish. A point proven when the man thrust the spear into the water but upturned nothing but disappointment. Shoulders placed again for another turn at thrusting.
Huang came forward before speaking, "Hello Sir." He bowed to the man, "I apologize for interrupting but...Why aren't you just fishing with a pole?" Huang said as he pointed to his own pole, "Wouldn't be easier to catch your dinner with a pole rather then standing in the water and thrusting at them?"
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Posted: Sat Mar 12, 2011 10:02 pm
He nearly slipped and fell into the water when he heard the voice behind him; not at all expecting anyone else to venture into his fishing area, Ran turned his head and greeted Huang Fu with wide, startled eyes. The spear now felt awkward in his hand as he regarded the man's calm demeanor, and he felt his face grow hot in embarrassment. It was bad enough that his family saw him fail at fishing on a regular basis - now this stranger had, too!
Sullenly, he cast his gaze back toward the water and considered what he'd said. True. Fishing poles were much easier to work with, he'd heard, and he believed it. But he had too much pride to give up on something he'd been trying to master for years. The instinctive kindness in him gave way to his annoyance, and Ran gave the man a slight nod of his head in a more appropriate greeting. Whoever this man was, he hadn't laughed at him, and he hadn't been rude in the slightest. He actually felt a little humbled by the whole thing.
"I... I understand this, yes," Ran conceded, posture relaxing. Feeling the fool for still standing in the water when he wasn't fishing at that moment, he stepped carefully out of it and onto the bank. He could better hold a conversation, this way. "It is a tradition on my family to fish this way. I am still learning the basics, unfortunately." He rubbed his neck. "Something I seem to be taking an exceptionally long time on. I will probably never master it," he added dismally.
Raising his brows, he straightened quickly. "Ah, excuse me. I am Saito Ran." He gave a quick bow, glancing up expectantly.
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Posted: Wed Apr 06, 2011 10:35 am
Huang had to hold back a small smile at the easily startled boy, though it wasn't fair to the other party to laugh. Covering his laugh with a little sneeze, he continued to stare as the other boy intently. He took no pleasure in the wide eyes and then the red face of embarrassment but cocked his head curiously at the other boy, why would he be embarrassed so? Well besides the failing attempts at fishing with the spear, but everyone had their own way of doing things.
When he came closer, Huang stepped from the bank and let the other forward so they could continue to converse. "Ah, so you train to master a family technique." Huang looked again to the spear and then to the water before scowling, a new facial feature he learned from Jianyu. "I do not understand this method very well ah-" Huang-Fu eyes narrowed as he listened to the boys name before giving a small smile. "I am Huang-Fu Lee, A fighter in our emporer's army, I am pleased to meet you Saito Ran." He to bowed in proper greetings before waving his hand back over the spear and then the waters, "I have fished for many years Young Ran and have never seen such a..." Huang tried to look for the right word without being offensive and settled on the truth, "barbaric with no offense Sir Ran. Do you not get tired of constantly faltering your attempts to stab which we can barely see and our hidden in the river?" He was curious what the method was, as a fisherman himself, he would love to learn all methods, especially to see which ones were more rewarding in the end. If Ran's family caught more fish spearing, then maybe Huang would have to try it? Possibly learn from Ran himself.
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Posted: Sat May 21, 2011 11:56 am
Ran listened carefully to Huang-Fu's words; however, he wasn't so much listening as he was dissecting. Key words stuck out to him: young, barbaric. Part of him knew that this man was polite, if not horribly blunt and entirely honest. But the stupid part of him wanted nothing more than to be offended by his words, regardless of his intentions. He struggled to keep the rising urge to retort with something awful under control. He had promised himself he would work on that.
Deep breaths. This man was only being truthful; yes, even Ran thought his family's method was ridiculous to a degree. But he felt this way because he could not master it, whereas his family seemed to have no trouble. Using a fishing pole would just earn him more ridicule from his family, however, so he was stuck. He sighed out a long breath and regained his composure, some.
"My family is... old-fashioned," Ran conceded a little bitterly, not wanting to argue with this Huang-Fu. Another day, perhaps. But he could only be a hot-headed child for so long. It was actions like that that made people look at him as a child, and not just his age.
He gestured out toward the river. "As for me, I... am also old-fashioned, because I was raised that way. I do not enjoy fishing, but I must learn it to sustain my family. It is just our way." A weak argument, but how else could he explain it? They just... did things differently. Even if the way they went about things seemed like a waste of time and much more work. Even if Ran hated it.
"My father and brothers are much better at it than I -- at 'stabbing at which they can barely see'. What is hidden to my eyes is clear to theirs; I cannot reach their level." He looked down at his spear, which seemed to pathetic in his hands. "If you must use someone's example judge this way of fishing, please, do not look at me. I only bring shame to my family name."
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Posted: Tue May 24, 2011 1:47 pm
Huang continued to look at the spear with a fascination and study, absorbing the shape of it before looking to the other boy's face as he explained the reasoning to why he chose the method he did.
Huang cocked his head at the truthfulness and smiled softly at the boy, he could tell the signs of a hot blooded youth in the boys eyes and appreciated that the boy had more reserve to hold back sharp words, especially since Huang knew he had offended the boy regardless.
"I apologize again for offending you Master Ran." Huang added an older title, he didn't want the boy to think he thought less of him because of his age or his experiences. "Ah, so this is not only a family tradition but a way to contribute to your household, Tell me Ran, are you the oldest or youngest in your family?" Huang looked over and noticed a large rock perfect for sitting on and bent over to it, resting his bottom on it.
"So they have trained to see what which others cannot, it must be a great family training skill." Huang thought of it again before sighing, "If it was just to contribute though, I do not see why you couldn't break you old fashioned methods for the newer modern ones." Huang, as he sat pulled out his fishing rod pieces and pulled them together, preparing his rod for his own fishing experience. "If you do not mind, I would like to fish down river from you, so I do not interfere with your methods and that way I can achieve my goal and learn something new. Again if you do not mind."
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Posted: Fri Jul 22, 2011 2:30 pm
"Ah," Ran said quietly, eyebrows lifting somewhat. "Not at all. I can only be thankful for your... straightforward approach. It... it helps me learn." He watched Huang take residence upon a large rock; clucking his tongue softly, he considered Huang's questions.
"I am neither oldest nor youngest. I am in the middle of my siblings, as far as age goes. As for... as for our preferred methods... hm." He pressed his mouth into a firm line and thought and thought. That was a very good question. Ran had grown up understanding that there was a reason for everything his parents did; he had always just assumed that whatever mundane task he was assigned would one day help him in the grander scheme of things. But what if it wouldn't? He didn't know for certain, so how could he answer Huang's question with confidence? Rather than give an answer, his face screwed up in a look of confusion and he shrugged.
He nodded his consent to the man when he proposed that he fish downstream. It did not bother him to know that Huang would be fishing downstream, only because there would be a safe distance between them. Embarrassment aside, he... well, there really wasn't much more Huang could see that would embarrass Ran, at this point.
With that out of the way, Ran grabbed his spear and plopped his rump on the riverbank to examine it. The binding was coming loose, so he set to work fixing it and glanced at Huang out of the corner of his eye.
"I am sorry if I do not answer your questions adequately. You seem polite, Huang Fu, and I... well, I do appreciate your honesty." He sighed and gave the rope a good yank, tying it off. "I am simply not good at talking about myself."
He laughed, although it was not entirely pleasant. "But I would enjoy learning from you, if I could... I will not bother you with this, though. Thank you for your time, and good luck with your fishing."
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