Puppy Bowl [D8 LM, expecting]

[Yasuki Tomonaga]

"True enough." Tomonaga said cheerfully. "Still, I'm sure picking up a few more tips will be good for both of us."

Tomonaga turned fully to face Amaya, his expression turning more serious. Slowly, he bowed. "You're very kind, Ide-san. And I don't just mean that you do kind things, but it seems like you have an exception kindness about you. I remember you said that you were a different person before this miai... whatever changed about you, I'm glad it wasn't that."

[Ide Amaya]

She blushes at the unexpected praise, "when I arrived here, I was terrified. I could barely speak and, when I did, my words were small and uninteresting. I lunched with a man who was prettier than any man had right to be, and I found myself dazed just to look on him. But I was unable to hold my half of the conversation, and his stiff half-replies were like blows." She stops herself, realising that he had not asked her to carry on about such things.

[Yasuki Tomonaga]

A number of emotions flickered across Tomonaga's face, finally settling on mildly disgusted. "Well, that's terrible." Tomonaga said. "If we were all in the Crab, I'd offer to pound him for you. I'm sure Hiroji would have my back there if I needed. I'm half tempted anyway..." He gave her a crooked smile, "-but it would probably cause even more problems. Unfortunately..."

"And, if I may say so, Ide-san, you certainly seem confident and interesting now. Well, confident except for the occasional blush, but actually, that just makes you more charming, really." Again, his brown eyes seemed to sparkle at her a bit.

[Ide Amaya]

That causes her blush to deepen, but she is shaking her head, "what are blows to a Scorpion? The only way under their carapace is with venom like they employ themselves." She sighs softly and lets her smile come out from behind the clouds, "I thank you for the words, however. It is reassuring to know that there are men still who are honourable and speak their minds. Besides, I was foolish. A pretty face behind a mask and a little skill on the samisen does not a relationship make," she shakes her head.

"I hope I was always interesting, Tomonaga-sama. I know fear is a sin, but I am not like my bushi cousins. It took some time to unglue my tongue."

[Yasuki Tomonaga]

"Hmmm. Well, it might be fun anyway. But okay, fair enough, no beating." He gave an exaggerated sigh. "But if my words help, well, that's good enough for me."

"And of course you were always interesting, my mistake there." He said, giving a tiny bow of apology. "And there's different sorts of fear, anyway, and courage. Seems to me that it was pretty brave of you to stand up in front of everyone and sign for Seppun-san, wasn't it?"

Tomonaga blinked suddenly, frowning. Pieces were falling into place in his mind. "Ummm... this Scorpion you were talking about. Was that Bayushi Suteichi-san?"

[Ide Amaya]

Truthfully, "after the words I heard and the looks I received?" she references the rumours carefully, "no, there was no need of courage to sing for Hideo-sama."

At Suteichi's name, she stiffens slightly, remembering meeting him the day before and the distrust she felt when he was near, "yes," she confesses. It would do my heart good to see him knocked down a peg, but what could I expect from a Scorpion?

[Yasuki Tomonaga]

"Oh, hrm." Tomonaga smiled apologetically at her. "Well, I don't know. It still seems like there's something, defying those looks and words." Still, he subsides, not wanting to argue the point. In Crab lands, it wouldn't have been a problem, anyway.

Having his suspicions confirmed, Tomonaga grimaced. "Huh. I'd consider Shinjo Liu Fei-san a friend of mine, and you probably heard that she sang for her. And... people have been talking about them as a couple, too." His grimace deepened. "I'm sure that if he's cruel to her, she could pound him herself, but it's a disturbing bit of information all the same." Indeed, a frown continued to mar his handsome features.

[Ide Amaya]

"Oh, yes, I saw them together," she says guilelessly, no indication of emotion apart from a flash in her eyes that was gone as quickly as it came. "I doubt not that he treats her well, he simply had no use for a pretty flower too shy to speak, and too foolish to know the answers to his questions. He thinks I am weak."


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Be convincing vs TN15 >> 15Success

[Yasuki Tomonaga]

While Tomonaga was perceptive in many ways, he tended to take people's words at face value. "Well... that's something, I guess." He said, still frowning darkly.

Finally, he came out of it, giving Amaya a smile. "In any case, I think you should put him out of your mind. Myself, I think that you're fascinating, talented, and lovely. And that Seppun-san is a lucky man." He added.

He cleared his throat. "This may seem like an unexpected change... but would you tell me about your parents, Ide-san?"

[Ide Amaya]

"If it would please you, Tomonaga-sama, I shall be happy to. My father was an Ide Emissary of some importance. He attended many diplomatic meetings, and I was honoured to shadow him to several of them. He feared that he would be too lenient or too harsh if he taught his own child, so he referred me to a close friend for schooling. He is not here at the village, but I am sure that he will have an important role in travelling amongst the other Clans, speaking of the Unicorn and our new place here."

[Yasuki Tomonaga]

"Hmmm." Tomonaga said. "He sounds like quite the man. And he included you in his work, huh, even if he didn't train you himself? Huh." His gaze went distant for a few moments.

"And your mother?" He said, glancing back. "I believe you mentioned some of her wisdom before."

[Ide Amaya]

"There were few opportunities for the practical application of Emissary skills by the time I started my schooling. I am truly lucky to be able to observe him at work."

She thinks for a moment, "mother was born Moto, skilled on horseback and with blade. She had the sort of honest, earthy wisdom that you only find amongst the Moto. I think you would like her. She speaks very plainly, but she is more tempered than my young cousins here to be married."

"For his gempukku, father requested special dispensation from his sensei to broker a marriage. It was his own," she smiled.

[Yasuki Tomonaga]

The story made Tomonaga smile, the touching story clearly affecting him. "It sounds as though I would like your mother, Ide-san. In fact, it seems like you've gotten many of your parent's best traits."

"And your father brokered his own marriage!" Tomonaga laughed. "Is... that the sort of thing that happens often? I've heard that Unicorn marriages, unless they're between very important people, are often a bit more..." He hesitated for a few moments, searching for the right words. "Well, there aren't quite as many obstacles to choosing for yourselves as there are here."

[Ide Amaya]

"My mother's parents were not so eager for their warrior daughter to marry a soft, skinny Ide. But they loved each other deeply, and he set himself upon convincing them that it was a fitting match." The she-pup in her care raced over at top speed before flopping down in the grass and falling almost immediately asleep, "but it is quite true that the Unicorn had less use for political matches beyond the borders of the Empire."

[Yasuki Tomonaga]

Subconsciously, Tomonaga flexed just a tiny bit at the words 'soft and skinny'. Mostly, though, he was listening to Amaya's story. "Well. I'm pleased that it worked out." Tomonaga bowed. "Thank you for telling me, Ide-san."

His gaze went out to the field. Dash was not quite out of energy yet, it seemed. He circled his temporary playmate, snuffling about her for a few moments, before running off again, diving energetically into an especially thick clump of grass.