Daichi knew the importance of night patrols, midnight watches and sometimes greeting the dawn after a forced march through a moonlit night. That didn't mean he had to like it though, by nature he was an early riser, being up with or just shortly after the sun. Last evenings shindig had lasted late into the evening and that meant a late morning for the Crab.

It did mean he made his way to the dojo a little later than usual, which saw the students mostly in classes instead of rushing on their way to them, which suited the gunso just fine. Paying his proper respects, he asked one of the locals for an out of the way place to practice and was shown to a mostly unused side room. Stepping inside he paced the room a few times before moving towards the center and starting his way through a simple set of stretches to loosen himself up before moving onto anything more strenuous.

Doji Arai is not a woman to stick to a daily routine. Lots of unexpected events can change a samurai's schedule so flexibility is wise. Still a bushi must train. Daily.

The young Doji, dressed in a blue training hakama and a grey gi, enters the dojo and offers the proper bows to the banners and any shrine that may be inside before walking around searching for a suitable spot.

At some point she notices the Hiruma and offers a bow. "Greetings." She only says and starts her own stretches not far from him.

Ryusei, as no doubt many had done, had slept in, and was consequently a bit out of sorts.

With a day of Court ahead of him, some time in the dojo made sense- he'd keep himself honest and focus on his training.

So her arrived in his training gi and hakama, both in a sort of orange-brown, a hue he found personally rather drab, and arrived to find... a Crab and Crane already in residence.

Having met neither one the day before, he bowed, murmured, "good morning," and then set about his own stretches.

"Morning's greetings to the both of you." Daichi offered in reply, giving a bow first to the Crane then the Phoenix as they arrived. He wasn't concentrating so deeply on anything he couldn't pause to offer greetings before he finished after all.

Finishing his stretches, he took a moment to smooth his training gear, a slate grey kimono over maroon hakama before his eyes turned to take in the pair before moving towards the racks of practice weapons. "Does the day find the two of you well?"

Arai has just started striking a training dummy with her shinai after only a few stretches.

She stops to take a breath and respond.

"It has been quite well so far. How about your day, Hiruma san?" She offers a short bow. "Doji Arai of the Ishimoto."

Hikaru arrives at the dojo and looks around, seemingly a bit dissapointed when he doesn't see anyone. Still, he bows his greetings and goes for the the rack of bokken.

"Good morning everyone. Have you had your rice today?"

"Hiruma Daichi of the Tetsumura." The Crab replied as he returned the Cranes bow. "Other than being late starting, it's been fine thus far. Breakfast was warm and plentiful, and the weather is pleasant at least for this time of year."

He continued browsing the practice weapons, occasionally picking one up to test its weight. Finally settling on a well-used bokken that looked to be a little longer than most.

Another bow was then given to the newest arrival. "The rice was both good and plentiful this morning Doji-san." He offered in greeting.

"Shiba Ryusei of House Shigi. As for the day, so far, so good- Inari-no-Kami has been generous, and I appear not to be the only one to oversleep, so that's a small mercy. My sensei would have multiple scowls to administer, not just the one..."

It was an oddity to Daichi that Ryusei's sensei even let him sleep in, but then not everyone had the same worries as his clan. "A pleasure to meet you Shiba-san." He offered in return as he stepped into an open spot of the floor.

"And I'm sure your Sensei would be most forgiving, given the circumstances." The Crab continued as he began moving in slow measured steps through a kata. "It's not every night one attends a reception at an imperial winter court."

Hikaru chuckles. "That is certainly true. But if I need any motivation, it's seeing a group of bushi honing their craft right here. I can't afford to fall behind."

That was another odd sentiment for the Crab, practice wasn't about not falling behind. It was something different, at least to him. Survival wasn't a competition after all, it was a team sport, and there was no need to keep up when you worked together. A chain was only as strong as its weakest link.

Pushing it to the edge of his mind as another northern oddity he instead nodded. "Wouldn't want to return home with a round belly and limp muscles. It would be hard to live that down."

Blissfully unaware of how his little joke had been misinterpreted, Ryusei simply got to work on his forms.

He was hardly Kakita or Mirumoto, but he did like to keep his hand in.

"As Hiruma-sama says... part of our duty at Court is representing our Clans. And as bushi, there are standards we have to keep up. It'd hardly do to let those fall off, hm?"

"Whether in court or in the battlefield, a bushi's blade must be ready." Arai comments while striking the training dummy again. "We cannot possibly demand for a unit to train if its commander doesn't set the example personally."

"Oh! Doji-san, are you a commander of troops? You're quite right- officers have to be the example."

"I have been training my family's units for a few years and now as the Ishimoto daimyo, I have full command over them. Nothing big, though." She keeps striking the dummy. "Leadership fascinates me, I dare say. I have read extensively on the matter and have incorporated my reading into the actual training and commanding."

Daichi blinked and turned towards the samurai his expression turning firm. "Shiba-san, Doji-san. Do either of you hold a position of authority among your clan that allows you the command of Samurai outside of those of your house?" He asked

"Only in exercises thus far, Hiruma-sama- but this one's training was... focused in that direction."

And in point of fact, House Shigi had so few troops to call its own that he basically had to command somebody else.

The Crab's way of asking his question and the blinking just before that are quite telling on what he is thinking and what is the intention behind his question, but Arai isn't here to make enemies.

"Same." She only replies.

He nodded, his features visibly calming. "Perhaps I should take this time to better introduce myself then. I am Hiruma-ke no Kashin Daichi, Senior Gunso of the Hiruma in command of a mixed unit of Infantry and scouts on the southern border of our illustrious Empire."

"I thought to let your words pass, but as they border on insulting to some of the great samurai of our Empire, one of which is the Champion of my own clan I felt like I had to stop you where I did. I know now though it was only inexperience and enthusiasm that had you speaking so, and no ill intention existed.

"Point of fact we can in fact demand a unit train if it's commander doesn't set the example by training themselves. It is after all a bushi's duty to fight and serve for the Empire and his Clan. At the level of a hohei that often means serving with sword and bow, as that is what he knows best. It is imperative they keep in peak physical condition in order to do that. For a commander though, a Gunso or those stationed above that becomes less necessary."

"While many will continue to hone their skills with blade and bow, others will not for various reasons. Perhaps they were maimed in battle and still wish to serve, perhaps they were gifted with a mind for strategy but no great skill with weapons. The reasons are many, too many for me to get into in one sitting."

"To put it simply, a commander's duty isn't simply to fight, it is to command. Can you train among your troops and do that? Yes, it can be inspiring especially if you are a warrior of some renown. Is it necessary? No, you can earn just as much respect and admiration from your troops by getting them home alive." He paused and shook his head.

"And now you have my apologies for the interruption. If you have no more need of me, I'll return to my training."

Arai keeps striking the dummy while listening carefully.

"You have your views and I have my own, Hiruma sama. It's not a contest on who believes in them more firmly. If you feel insulted, you know what you have to do. The same goes if you feel that I have insulted your lord or any other samurai. Your _feelings_ and your view on this are not reasons to change the way I have chosen to approach this matter so far."