Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head (D4, EE, Monkh's)

[Usagi Tomoe]

"You could say that," she grinned a little, "though you still had eachother to rely on, no? And you met the Moto too who joined you in your travels? So you were not completely alone, right?"

[Shinjo Monkhbaatar]

"Sounds like the warrior pilgrimage is simply more difficult rather than different. Either I take enough money with me to eat during the pilgrimage, which means I'm relying on my clan's wealth, or I'm relying on people to provide food for me when I have no money. Either way you're relying on someone. Why choose to trust people that you don't know when you can keep faith in your clan?"

[Usagi Tomoe]

"It's a good question," she nodded. "One I don't really have the answer to, I'm afraid. And... I don't think we have anyone here who have been on such a pilgrimage. But I'm certain you'll be able to meet some in time, once more and more people come to meet the Unicorn. Who knows, there might even be some who come on a warrior's pilgrimage to meet you?"

[Shinjo Monkhbaatar]

"Perhaps. Something I'll learn about in time I imagine," he says before sipping his kumis. "So what do you do for enjoyment when not focused on your duties? How do you relax?"

[Usagi Tomoe]

"Me?" she sipped her kumis too to buy a little time. "I like to read or listen to stories, sometimes play the shamisen... or rather, I try to play the shamisen. I have a pet tortoise I look after too," Tomoe blushed a little at that.

"I probably sound a bit boring now... what about you?"

[Shinjo Monkhbaatar]

"Why would I think that you doing relaxing things to relax would be boring? Not at all. If you enjoy them then they're good. Music, stories and animals... that sounds like a Unicorn way of life to me." He smiles pleasantly at her.

At her follow up question, he answers it wrong intentionally and playfully. "What about me? Oh, I always sound boring."

[Usagi Tomoe]

"Now that's not fair," she wrinkled her nose like her clan's namesake. "I told you, so it's only fair that you tell me what your hobbies are."

[Shinjo Monkhbaatar]

"I'm just playing with you," he says with a wink. "Well, I enjoy riding for sure, drinking a bit and enjoying a party, and helping people out, and I've recently taken to enjoying prayers and offerings and the like."

[Usagi Tomoe]

"You sound like a very gallant man," she said with a playful smile. "But prayers and offerings are a new thing for you...?"

[Shinjo Monkhbaatar]

"Well, when not part of a larger festival or celebration or a formal event of some sort. During travels I didn't spend a great deal of time in prayer or anything. I did what I was supposed to and showed appreciation to the heavens. But more recently I've been giving that aspect of my understanding a bit more focus. It somehow feels... liberating. To be able to understand how everything works with the heavens, and honor them with proper and more specific rites," he explains.

[Usagi Tomoe]

"Hm," she nodded thoughtfully as she listened to him. "It seems rather different than what many others are used to; for us, it is expected to give regular prayers and offerings to our ancestors, and the Fortunes, either at home or in nearby shrines and temples. I can see how that would be difficult for those constantly travelling though..."

"Benten-kami is probably very popular these days here."

[Shinjo Monkhbaatar]

"I can imagine so too," he says with a smile, leaning over towards her and whispering conspiratorially. "She might be watching us right now. What do you think?"

[Usagi Tomoe]

The Hare blushed a little, raising her sleeved hand to partially conceal her lips. It was unusual to catch Monkhbaatar's scent from the fabric of the sleeve, rather than her own, but it wasn't unwelcome.

"Jaa... who knows. It must be interesting for a Fortune of Love to look at a place like this, where love might be blossoming in many places. I know I have at least offered her my prayers for this miai."

[Shinjo Monkhbaatar]

"If Benten-kami is so popular, perhaps she's getting enough prayers for the miai. Maybe you should be offering prayers for yourself. Besides, the strongest loves that I've seen and heard about in stories among the Unicorn have been born from friendship. That's where trust begins, no?"

[Usagi Tomoe]

"I agree that friendship is the strongest foundation for love. But... what love is this one you speak of then? I'm afraid I don't know of any great love stories from the Unicorn." She knew of several in the Empire, the most popular ones being Doji and Kakita, or Hantei Genji and Oborizukiyo...