Dark Edge Village

Perhaps it was a character flaw, but Taira didn't handle huge crowds very well... he felt like he might drown in the sea of humanity.

And so he instead set out searching the nearby fields, heading out past the farmland to see if he could find medical herbs which would suit for treating bruises, sunburns, and whatever else might befall the young, the brash, and the beautiful.

Kemuri didn't have an aversion to crowds, but he did very much enjoy being out on the open plains. It was just he and Sarangerel, racing across the fields. Then, he spotted the Scorpion. Adjusting their course, they slowed down and approached.

"Hello," he squinted. "Soshi-sama."

Taira glanced up at the man who had arrived, the sound of hooves not much rattling him, strange though it was to hear it so often as it was around the village.

"Eto..."

He wracking his memory of the Unicorn families, the unusual experience of mounted strangers making it harder to seek mons.

"Shinjo-san. Good afternoon. I hope I haven't disrupted your ride."

"Not at all." he shook his head, as he dismounted. "We are simply enjoying the beauty of the plains. It is nice to find someone doing the same."

"Shinjo Kemuri." He extended his hand, then awkwardly withdrew it and offered a bow.

"Ah, thank you. I do find them most agree...."

The extended hand got a puzzled look, but no comment.

When the man bowed, Taira did the same, offering a bland smile which managed to convey a positive sentiment, yet didn't quite reach the realm of actual, meaningful emotion. Taira wanted to kick himself, but instead he just looked away back toward the village, to hide the stupid expression.

"Soshi Taira, of the Scorpion. I cannot imagine a territory better suited to a clan of horsemen. You'll not encounter the constant obstacles common in my home."

"Obstacles?" He was clearly curious. "What are Scorpion lands like?"

"They are far from homogeneous, but I lived for a time near a rather vast forest known as the Shinomen."

A shrug, and he cast a glance over the grassy terrain. He was beginning to doubt he'd find anything.

"There are mountainous foothills as you approach the crab, and mountains between us and the Lion, forests, though none so vast as the shinomen, and there are..."

He took a slow breath.

"Rivers. Deep... fast... rivers."

Clenching hist fist beneath his kimono sleeve, he tapped it against his leg, to focus. "I haven't seen the rest of Unicorn lands. Are they all so open and rolling?"

"From what I've seen." he nodded. "There are mountains to the east. The Dragon's I believe. And, to the north, of course. I haven't explored much of the plains myself. Not yet."

A small nod.

"That's reasonable. You've been busy, I'm sure."

With a small sigh, Taira shook his head, and then added, "Still, you'll have time to settle in. I know things will be... new... for a while, but it is good to see your clan returned. The Empire is more... whole... now."

"It is good to be home." he smiled. "To have a home. And, it will be nice to learn more about where we came from and how it has evolved. Is there anything significant you feel we should be aware of? Any advice you would give?"

Taira looked thoughtful at that.

"There are... many different perspectives I could offer. As many as the clans, and all those who live within them."

With a soft sigh, he answered, as bluntly as possible. "The simplest advice I can give you is to listen to many, and trust very few, at least at first. There are centuries of politics, of grudges, wars, alliances and debts. Even as you try to learn our culture, doubtless we will try to teach you our prejudices, our views of one another."

Spreading his hands to encompass the vista around them.

"This used to belong to the Lion. At least, temporarily. Yet to them it was theirs forever. Until... of course... it wasn't. Some will say it is good you have returned. Some may resent that. We are a complicated people you have returned to, and the best thing you can do is listen carefully and not take sides. Not yet. Don't let us tell you who to admire and who to scorn. Decide for yourselves."

He nodded. "We've grown accustomed to that way of thinking. Our travels brought us into contact with many different cultures, not all of which received us on friendly terms. I think we had hoped coming home would be different, but it isn't surprising. So much has changed."

"Hai, but many will tell you we are all one way or another... and that is not so."

Taira knelt and plucked a pair of grass blades, holding them up.

"These seem similar, but upon examination, one has many scars from pests, and the other has grown too rapidly and cannot stand tall."

Setting the stems aside, he concluded. "So too do the clans, the samurai who populate them... vary. We all are similar, we all serve the same throne, but our individual ways, our own understanding of honor will shape us into very different things. I suppose my advice to you, Shinjo-san, is to look to the individual stems at first, and then survey the whole. After all, we are quite plentiful, and trying to know us all at once may be a little too much for anyone."

"Understood. I hope that the children of Shinjo will not be judged as a whole, based on these initial encounters with only a few individuals." he added. "We here represent the clan well, as a group. But, I think you'll find each of us to be fairly unique."

Taira nodded.

"Aye, we will doubtless form our views... but they will take time to fully grow. In time we shall both know each other properly. Until then... we do our best to make a good impression."