Bring out the animals [Day 2, early evening]

[Shinjo Akil]

"Shinjo-san spoke about me, did he?" He laughed a bit at that, "I am unsurprised, admittedly. The Ide have been talking about the incident in courts since we have returned. It is..." he considered, "useful politically, I suppose, to have a hero to talk about."

[Matsu Kogo]

"Shinjo-san spoke about me, did he?" He laughed a bit at that, "I am unsurprised, admittedly. The Ide have been talking about the incident in courts since we have returned. It is..." he considered, "useful politically, I suppose, to have a hero to talk about."

She smiled, enjoying his laughter. The Unicorn seem less...restrained than those who have stayed in the Empire. It is...surprisingly enjoyable.

"He did, it was his first story of the night. Well received as well." She looked towards him. "Undoubtedly it is. But one wonders how the hero might feel, being spoken of so much?"

[Shinjo Akil]

He considered his response carefully. "I... have lost the ability to fight alongside my Clanmates in battle. The story helps the clan, if only by giving credence to the courage and duty of the Children of Shinjo. If the rest of my life is to be spent as living reminder of those tenets, that is a good thing in my estimation. To be unable to help the Clan would be a terrible fate indeed."

[Matsu Kogo]

He considered his response carefully. "I... have lost the ability to fight alongside my Clanmates in battle. The story helps the clan, if only by giving credence to the courage and duty of the Children of Shinjo. If the rest of my life is to be spent as living reminder of those tenets, that is a good thing in my estimation. To be unable to help the Clan would be a terrible fate indeed."

She pauses, utterly serious for a moment. "I understand, I think. It is your way of continuing your duty to your clan. To be held up as a model, there is immense honor in that. " And likely immense strain.

She smiles a moment. "Having met one of your Otaku cousins, I suspect they were immensely grateful for your act." She pauses again. "But I have wondered sometimes, if the struggle of being considered a hero, is that one is never considered merely a man again. One must be larger than a regular man, to be one of stories. And perhaps when one is such, one is...not allowed to say what one is thinking or to have the same desires as a man not in this position."

She looks at him, somewhat directly now. "It is said that the founder of our family, Matsu-sama, most regretted not taking a moment to say goodbye to her family and to Akodo-no-Kami before she left for the Day of Thunder. Though she knew it was not to be, for she would have likely been ordered not to do what she felt was right, it is said that she regretted it til the end."

[Shinjo Akil]

"I am... unsure, admittedly. I have not felt the strain of such things too hard. This miai is my first time meeting samurai from other clans, after all." He put a hand on Setem's head, scritching him lightly. "I do not have some secret lover to pine for. My parents died on the journey here. I do not know if there is anyone I have left to have words to regret leaving unspoken."

[Matsu Kogo]

"I am... unsure, admittedly. I have not felt the strain of such things too hard. This miai is my first time meeting samurai from other clans, after all." He put a hand on Setem's head, scritching him lightly. "I do not have some secret lover to pine for. My parents died on the journey here. I do not know if there is anyone I have left to have words to regret leaving unspoken."

Kogo raises a hand to her mouth and laughs out loud at his words on a secret lover. "Well, that is decidely a relief for many of the maidens here, Shinjo-sama. A secret lover would make things quite complicated for all involved."

[Shinjo Akil]

"Well yes," he smirked, "though I am not sure I will have young maidens fighting over me in droves, so I am certain that it will not inevitably be too much concern."

[Matsu Kogo]

"Well yes," he smirked, "though I am not sure I will have young maidens fighting over me in droves, so I am certain that it will not inevitably be too much concern."

She smiled at him. "You might be surprised Shinjo-sama. What one sees as a difficulty, another might see as an asset. As Lady Sun and Lord Moon have their differences, they are also a balance for each other."

[Shinjo Akil]

"You think so?" He canted his head, "I suppose even if not a battlefield asset, a wounded warrior does have his merits."

[Matsu Kogo]

"You think so?" He canted his head, "I suppose even if not a battlefield asset, a wounded warrior does have his merits."

She nods. " I do. Akodo wrote in Leadership that '“diversity is a great strength that allows a commander to use his forces in any way that circumstance demands.' Though you may not be able to do what you once did, it does mean you do not have strengths or capacities that could be utilized in many differing ways. You have already shown yourself to have the ability to see what others do not in the battlefield. That is a rare skill."

[Shinjo Akil]

He nodded, "Thank you, Matsu-sama. Your words do me great kindness." There was a light smile on his face. "Have you ever ridden a horse before?"

[Matsu Kogo]

He nodded, "Thank you, Matsu-sama. Your words do me great kindness." There was a light smile on his face. "Have you ever ridden a horse before?"

She becomes a tad bit flustered, both at being thanked and being called sama. "Only the honor your deeds and humility deserve, Shinjo-sama." She looked at him and smiled. "Only occasionally. Yesterday, I rode one of your clan's horses for the first time. It was an education."

[Shinjo Akil]

"Oh good," he nodded, "I thought I might offer to let you a chance to ride Setem. He is a bit... stubborn, but for a small ride he should be fine. Besides, he would appreciate some real exercise today."

[Matsu Kogo]

"Oh good," he nodded, "I thought I might offer to let you a chance to ride Setem. He is a bit... stubborn, but for a small ride he should be fine. Besides, he would appreciate some real exercise today."

She bows to Shinjo-sama. "I am honored, Shinjo-sama." She clicks and gestures at Noburu, who grumbles but retires to a farther distance and flops in the grass. "What would be best? I defer to your judgement."

[Shinjo Akil]

Akil held the reins towards Kogo, shrugging. "I wouldn't try going to fast with him, but a light jog around the circuit should do him well."