A friendly game of Go [D2, LE, Open, Expecting]

[Shinjo Monkhbaatar]

"That's really an individual question, so I'd have to give you what I'm seeking," he says as he places his own first piece. "And it's much the same as yourself. To not be caged. I would seek a life and duty that would allow for travel. But even better would be a wife that felt the same and would wish to join me in that duty, with a sense of wanderlust of her own, wanting to see the Empire as well. I'd like a wife that would share in that duty and life style equally and happily. So that I can look to my side and see her smiling back at me when visiting a new landscape."

[Matsu Kogo]

"That's really an individual question, so I'd have to give you what I'm seeking," he says as he places his own first piece. "And it's much the same as yourself. To not be caged. I would seek a life and duty that would allow for travel. But even better would be a wife that felt the same and would wish to join me in that duty, with a sense of wanderlust of her own, wanting to see the Empire as well. I'd like a wife that would share in that duty and life style equally and happily. So that I can look to my side and see her smiling back at me when visiting a new landscape."

That was unexpected. She smiled at him. "That is a lovely sounding picture Shinjo-san. Discovery and marriage, blended together. I still say there is something of the poet in your soul." She places the next piece, seeking to create a pattern. "For all that I have lived all my years within in, I have seen precious little of the Empire. What would you wish to see first, if you could choose?"

[Shinjo Monkhbaatar]

"I would not even know where to begin, to be honest. From speaking with people here at the miai, I get the sense I should be writing down all the different suggestions," he says with a chuckle. He places a piece of his own, trying to consider what he had done wrong previously and going in a different direction.

"Though I have never seen an ocean. That would be high on the list."

[Matsu Kogo]

"I would not even know where to begin, to be honest. From speaking with people here at the miai, I get the sense I should be writing down all the different suggestions," he says with a chuckle. He places a piece of his own, trying to consider what he had done wrong previously and going in a different direction.

"Though I have never seen an ocean. That would be high on the list."

"That would both be wise and time consuming." She smiles at him. "I have never seen the ocean either. I have heard it is like a giant plain of water, with great gusts of wind. It sounds impossible and magnificent."

[Shinjo Monkhbaatar]

"Perhaps we'll get to see one together some day. You me Meushi and Noboru," he replies with a chuckle. "Then I could look beside me and think 'Breathtaking. The ocean too I guess.'"

[Matsu Kogo]

"Perhaps we'll get to see one together some day. You me Meushi and Noboru," he replies with a chuckle. "Then I could look beside me and think 'Breathtaking. The ocean too I guess.'"

Kogo takes a small Go piece and flings it lightly at Shinjo-san, laughing. "You are an incorrigible flirt Shinjo-san. I have caught you out!"

[Shinjo Monkhbaatar]

The piece bounces off of him as he had looked down at the board to see where she'd place it. He looks up with a warm smile. "And why shouldn't I be? There are only a few things I can promise to whoever I end up with. That I will always remind them of how happy they make me and that I'll always support them in their endeavors. May as well give a taste of all the flattery that you'd be getting if we ended up together."

[Matsu Kogo]

The piece bounces off of him as he had looked down at the board to see where she'd place it. He looks up with a warm smile. "And why shouldn't I be? There are only a few things I can promise to whoever I end up with. That I will always remind them of how happy they make me and that I'll always support them in their endeavors. May as well give a taste of all the flattery that you'd be getting if we ended up together."

She looks at him, surprised a bit. "Well, no one can claim you are not honest, Shinjo-san. But surely, as the years would go by, you would find yourself less inclined to such....extravagance? Many marriages start out with fire and flowery words, but end in earth and dust."

[Shinjo Monkhbaatar]

"And why is that? Stagnation and never doing anything new? Routine and regularity? That's not the life I would be seeking and hopefully not the life my wife would be seeking. When a person sees new cities and landscapes every few months and has the chance to explore them with someone they care about I can't imagine it's to hard to keep such a flame alive," he offers, placing another piece.

[Matsu Kogo]

"And why is that? Stagnation and never doing anything new? Routine and regularity? That's not the life I would be seeking and hopefully not the life my wife would be seeking. When a person sees new cities and landscapes every few months and has the chance to explore them with someone they care about I can't imagine it's to hard to keep such a flame alive," he offers, placing another piece.

She places a piece in return, trying to see his new strategy. "It is true that novelty has much to offer a traveler. And to have a Matsu traveling for their duty is not unknown. Some Matsu serve with the Imperial Legions and travel frequently to serve their lord." Her forehead wrinkes for a moment. "How do the Unicorn handle the raising of children when constantly on the move? How is schooling and training conducted?"

[Shinjo Monkhbaatar]

"On the great ride, those that could not walk were either carried in special swaddles by parents that would be slung over the shoulders that kept them close by or in carts with caretakers. When old enough to sit up, on horseback with their parents. Then eventually on one of the horses that was retired from use by warriors due to their good manners and conditioning being kept close to their parents," he explains, placing his next piece trying his best to actually have some sort of strategy.

[Matsu Kogo]

"On the great ride, those that could not walk were either carried in special swaddles by parents that would be slung over the shoulders that kept them close by or in carts with caretakers. When old enough to sit up, on horseback with their parents. Then eventually on one of the horses that was retired from use by warriors due to their good manners and conditioning being kept close to their parents," he explains, placing his next piece trying his best to actually have some sort of strategy.

She nods. "That is different than how we are raised but seems practical. Stopping for long periods would be difficult. " She watched his evolving strategy and moved to try to counter it. "Does the whole clan look out for the children or do specific families watch over their own?"

[Shinjo Monkhbaatar]

"It depended on the specific groups. When we were out there we were split up for a long time, somewhat along family lines, but there were groups from each family present in all of the larger divisions. It allowed us to explore more area before our eventual return and the clan was large enough that even split up like that we were a force to be reckoned with, dissuading any that thought we might make for a good target. The children spent much time with their own parents, but would be taken care of communally by others while parents were off performing their duties." It wasn't hard to find ways to counter his nascent strategy. He would require a great deal of practice to become any good at this game.

[Matsu Kogo]

"It depended on the specific groups. When we were out there we were split up for a long time, somewhat along family lines, but there were groups from each family present in all of the larger divisions. It allowed us to explore more area before our eventual return and the clan was large enough that even split up like that we were a force to be reckoned with, dissuading any that thought we might make for a good target. The children spent much time with their own parents, but would be taken care of communally by others while parents were off performing their duties." It wasn't hard to find ways to counter his nascent strategy. He would require a great deal of practice to become any good at this game.

Kogo continued mapping her strategy, seeking to find new avenues of attack. "The Matsu have some of the same structure. I had several honorary "aunties" who would care for me when my mother was occupied. As a result, I became close with their children, as they were more of an age with me than my own siblings."

[Shinjo Monkhbaatar]

"Yeah. I made a lot of friends while my parents were away. Though I didn't have any brothers or sisters of my own. My older brother died before I was born from illness so that's something I don't have experience with. Something I'd like to not be the case with any kids I have."