=== Jade & Kagetsu ===
--- C ---


[Kagetsu]
Jade! Face me! Show me your skill in battle!
[Jade]
No, thanks. I'll pass.
[Kagetsu]
So quick to turn me aside! Why?
[Kagetsu]
I have heard your strength has won you
tournament victories in Brodia.
[Kagetsu]
Such strength is meant to be shown and used.
Do not keep it to yourself!
[Jade]
I didn't receive orders to engage you. I have no
personal grudge against you. Why fight?
[Kagetsu]
Jade, Jade, Jade. You disappoint me!
[Kagetsu]
What I hear of your skill is so exciting! Please,
I must see it for myself!
[Kagetsu]
How can I earn the favor of this bout? I will do
anything you ask.
[Jade]
Anything?
[Jade]
In that case...
[Jade]
Would you be willing to answer a few personal
questions before we battle?
[Kagetsu]
Heh, easily. May I ask why?
[Jade]
I need to round out a character for a new book
I'm outlining. You can help me fill in the gaps.
[Kagetsu]
I need only talk about myself?
[Jade]
That's right. And it sounds like we have a deal.
--- B ---


[Kagetsu]
I come from Pale Sands, which is located on
Solm's northeastern frontier.
[Kagetsu]
My home is not commonly visited by outsiders.
Its culture is precious and unique.
[Jade]
What was different about it? Any examples
come to mind?
[Kagetsu]
My clothing, for a start. It must seem different
to your eye.
[Kagetsu]
Our architecture as well. You will not see finer
woodworking anywhere.
[Kagetsu]
We also worship differently. We do not revere
Divine or Fell Dragons.
[Kagetsu]
We have other dragons. They are long and lithe.
I have not seen them in other countries.
[Jade]
Hm! Interesting. I'd like to see that myself.
[Kagetsu]
I can show you pictures in scrolls. But you must
agree to another duel with me.
[Jade]
We haven't had our first duel yet! Now, let me
get through all of my questions.
[Jade]
What can you tell me about your family?
[Kagetsu]
Apart from my parents, I have one younger
brother and one younger sister.
[Jade]
Ah. You're the firstborn, then?
[Kagetsu]
Yes. It was my parents' intention for me
to carry on our family's legacy.
[Kagetsu]
I was...unable to do this, however.
[Kagetsu]
I could not bear to live all of my days without
ever knowing the world at large.
[Jade]
Oh?
[Kagetsu]
Yes. It was for that reason I decided to leave.
[Kagetsu]
I left written words behind to explain my
intentions, and to ask them not to look for me.
[Kagetsu]
And so I left, and here I am.
[Jade]
That's an amazing backstory, Kagetsu. Your life
is like an adventure novel that writes itself.
[Kagetsu]
We each have our stories.
[Kagetsu]
Now, will you indulge me in that duel?
[Jade]
Sure. I'm out of questions, and a deal is a deal,
so...I'm ready when you are.
--- A ---


[Kagetsu]
Your strength is incredible! I have never been
so cornered by my opponent!
[Jade]
You put up quite a fight yourself. I can't believe
we ended with a draw.
[Kagetsu]
It is rare I take pleasure in stalemates.
[Jade]
It was satisfying, wasn't it?
[Kagetsu]
Tell me, Jade, how did you develop such
strength? Does it come from your family?
[Jade]
Not at all. My upbringing was rather peaceful
and quiet, actually.
[Jade]
My father is a gemologist, and my mother is an
artisan. She makes the most beautiful jewelry...
[Kagetsu]
So they are untrained in battle.
[Jade]
That's right. When I was younger, I helped my
mother with her work.
[Jade]
Unfortunately, I turned out to be all thumbs...so
I eventually took a job guarding our local mine.
[Kagetsu]
This change is quite sudden.
[Jade]
Is it? It didn't feel that sudden. I've always
enjoyed physical tasks.
[Jade]
Bandits would keep trying to steal from that
mine...so I got plenty of exercise. Fun times.
[Kagetsu]
Ah. Now I understand.
[Jade]
I guarded that mine for years and years... Folks
in town started calling me the "Iron Wall."
[Jade]
Eventually a royal soldier heard about me and
suggested I enter Brodia's fighting tournament.
[Kagetsu]
And you won it straightaway, I'd imagine.
[Jade]
I fought my way to the top spot, met Prince
Diamant, and officially became his retainer.
[Jade]
Whoops. I meant to ask you more questions, but
I ended up going on and on about my own past.
[Jade]
I guess it's just like you said, Kagetsu. We each
have our stories...
[Kagetsu]
Indeed. And now that our tapestries interweave,
they point us toward our shared future.
[Jade]
Like turning the pages of a novel.
[Kagetsu]
Precisely! So when will we have our rematch?
[Jade]
Just name a place and time, and I'll be there.
[Jade]
I can already tell that, in the novel of my life,
our duels are sure to be pages worth rereading.
--- S ---