Dark Edge Village

After her satisfactory if not flawless performance in the lancing event, Imane decided to take some time out for quiet reflection at the Shrine. It was still strange to see the toraii arch after only hearing about them in stories. She left Almatar to graze in the field at the bottom of the slope, and walked up to where she had met the Doji and the Shiba several days before.

She bowed out of respect for the meaning this place still held, and thought back to Fukawa's story. There was no obvious sign of anyone else being present so she knelt and said a few prayers...

Taira had climbed, once again, to lie on top of the arch.

It was a comfy spot, and after a while, he began to whistle, quietly.

The Shiotome was on her feet, sword in hand, before she realised. "Whoever is hiding around here please be so kind as to show yourself."

Almatar's ears had perked up and she awaited the call to battle.

Two feet swung off the top of the arch, and a Scorpion followed, landing a few feet away, rolling with the impact and coming to his feet.

"Ah, good afternoon, Otaku-san. I didn't expect anyone else to be out here... I hope I haven't intruded on your prayers."

Seeming to remember himself, he bowed, and added, "Soshi Taira, doctor of the Soshi magistrates."

There is a ululation and the sound of hooves that slow to a forceful trot as Khulun celebrates her near flawless showing by allowing her steed to unleash his speed. She senses she could have done better but it would have been risky.

“Sayyeda,” she says to the Otaku and then adds, “Scorpion, warm greetings.”

He had a name.

Taira offered a bow.

"Moto-san."

“You look hearty and whole, I figured Liu Yue would have put a few bruises on you,” Khulun says with a chuckle.

“I see the way you look at her, I hope we can all find so devoted a bride.”

Taira tucked his hands in his sleeves. His expression darkened.

"We have done nothing untoward, if that is what you are implying, Moto-san, and I would not ask of her anything she did not wish."

“If I want to know if you fucked my cousin I will simply ask, I only wished to congratulate you for your actions, nothing un-toward as you say. Everyone has their small clothes in a twist,” she says with a sigh.

“All the same, I wish you both good fortune, Scorpion.”

Taira considered that statement dispassionately.

"One does not entirely follow the original question, then. Still, your well wishes are appreciated. If we were to marry, we would both do our duties."

Glancing at Imane, he offered a small shrug.

"Is that not what we all would do?"

“This Yuuru better be livelier than this, cousin. Thus far all of the Scorpion men have the passions of a rock,” she says with a frown.

She wants to say more but decides to just glare and wait for her battle sister to chime in.

Taira clenched his fists, inside his sleeves, but simply said, "I do not equate courtesy with a lack of passion, Moto-san."

Soshi Taira wrote:Taira clenched his fists, inside his sleeves, but simply said, "I do not equate courtesy with a lack of passion, Moto-san."

“The Scorpion has claws after all, you will need that fire if you wish to be a Unicorn,” she says with a grin.

“Though you rode better today, your skull was not cracked this time. Get some skill with the lance and you just might be dangerous in a charge.”

Imane was about to respond when Khulun arrived. She returned the greetings and her sword to its saya.

"Otaku Imane of the Shiotome. You are the one who fought the spirit wyrm along with my sister, is this correct?". A bow was offered to each. "Sayedda Khulun, good afternoon."

She quickly became very frustrated with the conversation that was happening. Her tongue made a clicking sound against the roof of her mouth.

When he had the opportunity, he answered Imane's question about the wyrm with a nod, but then they were khuluned.

The signs of her displeasure also meant he didn't offer any rebuttals to the latest comment from Khulun, instead ceding the floor in silence.