Dark Edge Village

The Matsu walked towards the shrine, feeling a certain conflict in her feelings as she approached. For a Matsu to stand where a Kakita is enshrined, it is...discomfiting to say the least. But she did not choose the meeting place and hoped it would not be as inauspicious for her as it had for her ancestor. She waited a short distance from the shrine, on the path leading to it.

"I don't know what to do, Tianma"

Chi-Pu talks with her steed as they walk slowly in the cool night air. The ancient shrine to Kakita getting larget with every step.

"I am torn between doing what those above me think is right, and what I know as a military leader to be as right. Honor guides my hand"

She places a hand on her heart and frowns.

"But I feel so bad. This does not seem right."

The massive steed chuffs and Chi-Pu sighs. When she reaches the path to the shrine, she dismounts and de-bridals her horse and begins to walk it. Seeing a figure ahead, she calls out

"Good evening!

As she gets a few steps closer and sees who it is, she gives a short bow.

"Matsu-san, how are you tonight?"

Otaku Chi-Pu wrote:"I don't know what to do, Tianma"

Chi-Pu talks with her steed as they walk slowly in the cool night air. The ancient shrine to Kakita getting larget with every step.

"I am torn between doing what those above me think is right, and what I know as a military leader to be as right. Honor guides my hand"

She places a hand on her heart and frowns.

"But I feel so bad. This does not seem right."

The massive steed chuffs and Chi-Pu sighs. When she reaches the path to the shrine, she dismounts and de-bridals her horse and begins to walk it. Seeing a figure ahead, she calls out

"Good evening!

As she gets a few steps closer and sees who it is, she gives a short bow.

"Matsu-san, how are you tonight?"

She turned to see Chi-Pu and her steed. "Good evening Otaku-san. I am well, thank you. I attended the Mantis's party prior to this. It was very interesting."

"There was a party? What was it like?"

Otaku Chi-Pu wrote:"There was a party? What was it like?"

She paused. "I think I shall stick with interesting. There were many differing people, and it was interesting to see the interactions. Some of these clans and families I have spent relatively little time with."

She looked at Otaku-san's horse. "Would you introduce me to your steed?"

"Certainly. Come, walk to her shoulder and place your hand upon it. Her name is Tianma."

"What would you say was the most memorable of the night?"

Otaku Chi-Pu wrote:"Certainly. Come, walk to her shoulder and place your hand upon it. Her name is Tianma."

"What would you say was the most memorable of the night?"

Kogo comes up, waiting for the horse to briefly get her scent and instructing Noburu to stay back. In a moment, she places her hand gently on Tianma. "Hello noble one. This one is Matsu Kogo. I am honored to meet you." She ponders for a moment. "Apparently before I arrived, Yuzuki-san's cat ran all over the table and ended up smeared in food. I am sorry to have missed it."

Tianma looks at the Lion as she walks to her. When she places her hand on the warhorse's shoulder, the massive muscle twitches. Tianma then turns her head and uses her muzzle to rub at Kogo's shoulder.

"Well done, Moto-san. You may stroke her face now if you like."

"Her cat got loose? I wonder if any of my kin captured the story. I am certain it will be amusing to recount in years ahead."

Otaku Chi-Pu wrote:Tianma looks at the Lion as she walks to her. When she places her hand on the warhorse's shoulder, the massive muscle twitches. Tianma then turns her head and uses her muzzle to rub at Kogo's shoulder.

"Well done, Moto-san. You may stroke her face now if you like."

"Her cat got loose? I wonder if any if ny kin captured the atory. I am certain it will be amusing to recount in years ahead."

Kogo touches her muzzle, with a sense of awe. She runs her hands up and down it, taking care to be gentle. "You honor me too much noble one. But I will not refuse your welcome or kindness." She says quietly.

Kogo takes a moment to savor this and then turns to Otaku-san. "I certainly hope so. I would love to know more than just the pieces I gathered while there."

Tianma slowly lowers her head away and down, to nibble on some grass near the path.

"What I would really be curious about is how she would react to your lion. I knew from the moment I talked with you she wouldn't have any issue with you."

Chi-Pu pats Tianma's other shoulder.

"The Otaku steeds are excellent judges of character."

Looking to the shrine, Chi-Pu turns to Kogo.

"What can you tell me of this place, Matsu-san? It looks to be a place of worship, yet none are here."

A short distance away a young Scorpion samurai sat at a spot overlooking the fields below the shrine. He hadn't quite noticed the two women a short distance away, but instead worked on drawing something on a bit of parchment. He whistled to himself as he worked on whatever it was he had in his hands.

Otaku Chi-Pu wrote:Tianma slowly lowers her head away and down, to nibble on some grass near the path.

"What I would really be curious about is how she would react to your lion. I knew from the moment I talked with you she wouldn't have any issue with you."

Chi-Pu pats Tianma's other shoulder.

"The Otaku steeds are excellent judges of character."

Looking to the shrine, Chi-Pu turns to Kogo.

"What can you tell me of this place, Matsu-san? It looks to be a place of worship, yet none are here."

Kogo hides a blush well, flustered by Otaku-san's praise. "I could ask Noburu to come closer. The other steeds we have met have seemed to react well to her." She pauses. "It is a shrine dedicated to the Emerald Champion tournaments that used to occur in Dark Edge Village. From Kakita on down." She hides a brief twitch at the name of Kakita.

"Oh? Emerald Champion? Tournaments? Can you explain more, like what sort of tournaments and what the Champion did?"

Chi-Pu looks around at the shrine some and spots the Scorpion. She waves to the man.

Otaku Chi-Pu wrote:"Oh? Emerald Champion? Tournaments? Can you explain more, like what sort of tournaments and what the Champion did?"

Chi-Pu looks around at the shrine some and spots the Scorpion. She waves to the man.

She pauses for a moment, trying to find the best way to explain this without touching sensitive subjects. "The Emerald Champion is the bodyguard of the Emperor himself and the leader of the Emerald Legions. The Emerald Champion's position, when it is vacant, is determined by a tournament with participants from all clans."

"Emperor's bodyguard? That is a great duty. From what I have learned about the Lion, I am surprised that the position is not filled by a Matsu! Are there other Champions?"