Game On (D3 LE - VERY OPEN)

[Matsu Nintoku]

“If you pounced on me after that offer AI would have been fairly disappointed. A Matsu so easily defeated, this is the first battle Lion,” she says with a smirk.

“Our forces have clashed but only briefly. The waters have been tested,” Khulun teases.

“I have yet to scatter your forces and go for the throat.”

He narrowed his eyes unsure what to think about the Moto. He took the skin once more, a movement he had done plenty today, and took a slow sip without taking his eyes off the Moto.

"Beware Moto-san." he licked his kumis-stache away "Matsu know no fear."

He leaned forward "What hope does a horned horse have of defeating a Lion."

[Moto Khulun]

“Lion do have sharp claws, blood hungry fangs, but a Unicorn is a powerful creature that can trample even the mightiest under her hooves. She can run faster than the wind,” the Moto replies snatching the skin back and taking a draught of her own.

“Moto never Yield.”

[Usagi Tomoe]

"Hmm?" Dong-Ha tilted his head to the side, trying to make sense out of the small woman. What was wrong with the Rokugani anyway, did they wean their children too early? Everyone knew that milk was good for growing children. "I wouldn't think it to be common." It was a Moto game after all. "Impure? It is bit messy, and most of the players end bruised and bleeding from all the whipping. But it's just blood and grime." he shrugged, giving her an inquisitive look.

"Sad? I mean... uhm..." he was flabbergasted. What was wrong with the locals? "I mean, we literally travel with animals.. and sometimes kids cry when their favorite goat is slaughtered, but... adults understand how things must be." Seventeen years of old, Dong-Ha had been adult for over a year. "Not that we'd kill a milking goat, that would be pointless. Milk is more valuable."

"Has Usagi-san ever ridden a horse?" She had said she liked animals after all and Dong-Ha was starting to figure that the topic was not perhaps the best for the occasion.

As she had just gone into depth on some unpleasant topics before coming here, Tomoe didn't feel like retreading ground on why it was impure to use a carcass as objective in a game.

And luckily the Iuchi provided a better point in the conversation.

"Ah, no... I've not had the chance. Having steeds easily available isn't that common, at least not in my clan. And the horses of the Unicorn are much larger than any horses I've seen before. I guess the Unicorn have more games that take place on horseback, since they seem to be such an integral part of your clan?"

[Iuchi Dong-Ha]

As she had just gone into depth on some unpleasant topics before coming here, Tomoe didn't feel like retreading ground on why it was impure to use a carcass as objective in a game.

And luckily the Iuchi provided a better point in the conversation.

"Ah, no... I've not had the chance. Having steeds easily available isn't that common, at least not in my clan. And the horses of the Unicorn are much larger than any horses I've seen before. I guess the Unicorn have more games that take place on horseback, since they seem to be such an integral part of your clan?"

"Perhaps... we also do a fair bit of wrestling, if that can be considered a game." It was an activity where you didn't try to kill your opponent so it certainly counted as a game. "Sometimes people riddle each other. It's pretty common past time on long journeys." he explained.

"Hee, would Usagi-san want to try it then? My horse is very gentle, even though she is quite a bit larger than the ponies have I seen..." Poppy had been a baggage horse after all." He asked bit shyly.

[Usagi Tomoe]

"I got to see one of your Moto kin give quite the display of Moto wrestling yesterday. It was very impressive!" she smiled and put the unpleasant topic of earlier before her.

"Really? I mean, if it's no trouble, I would be happy to try. Your horse is accepting of new riders?"

Second time someone has offered that to me, but I guess it is a nice pick-up line for these Unicorn boys, hehe...

[Iuchi Dong-Ha]

"Very accepting." Dong-Ha offered with a kind smile, noting that the Hare likely weighted less than his usual saddle bags. "She belonged to my younger siblings during the Dark Ride, but ever since they went missing... I've looked after her." There was a hint of sadness in his tone as the fate of his family was brought up.

[Usagi Tomoe]

"I'm... sorry to hear of your loss," she offered in a kind tone. "... Your return, from what little I can gather, sounds like it was quite dramatic. It's a relief that so many of you made it here safely."

[Matsu Nintoku]

“Lion do have sharp claws, blood hungry fangs, but a Unicorn is a powerful creature that can trample even the mightiest under her hooves. She can run faster than the wind,” the Moto replies snatching the skin back and taking a draught of her own.

“Moto never Yield.”

"I don't need to be as fast as you." he retorted "I just need to catch you when you come near me. Then you'll be in my jaws and then you will slowly be crushed in my embrace."

"You may never yield. We never lose."

[Moto Khulun]

“What if I want you to get in close, lull you into a false sense of victory?” she says with a smirk.

[Iuchi Dong-Ha]

"Many and many..." there was certain bitterness in his tone as he dropped his gaze. "My apologies, Usagi-san." Dong-Ha added, trying to sound more confident. "It was... everyone lost someone. A spouse, mother, father, siblings... no family was left untouched by the shadows." he shivered ever so slightly. "Those were truly dark times."

"Does Usagi-san have siblings?" And were they all just as small as she was.

[Usagi Tomoe]

She smiled a little sadly.

"I had an older sister... Tamaki," she said, "... but her, and mother, we lost them when our home was attacked 8 years ago. It's... not a very pleasant topic, Iuchi-sama. My apologies."

[Matsu Nintoku]

“What if I want you to get in close, lull you into a false sense of victory?” she says with a smirk.

"Then you just played yourself." he locked his eyes with her "Why would you walk into the literal jaws of the Lion."

[Iuchi Dong-Ha]

She smiled a little sadly.

"I had an older sister... Tamaki," she said, "... but her, and mother, we lost them when our home was attacked 8 years ago. It's... not a very pleasant topic, Iuchi-sama. My apologies."

"Oh.. my condolences." Dong-Ha bobbed his head, his right hand drawing a small sign to ward of evil spirits. "The times leading to our return seem to have been all but peaceful." he murmured softly. That particular revelation sobered the mood considerably. "We can but hope that together we can build a stronger Empire." At least there were no wars going on, as far as he could tell. "So, how Usagi-san serves her clan, if I may ask?" She didn't look much like a bushi, so perhaps she was a diplomat in training?

[Moto Khulun]

"Then you just played yourself." he locked his eyes with her "Why would you walk into the literal jaws of the Lion."

“Because when the jaw closes around the Unicorn’s head her horn shall pierce his brain,” she laughs.

“A Moto can die, but we never yield.”

[Usagi Tomoe]

She was glad to change the subject. "I'm a historian for my clan... a little different from the Marta of your Shinjo Family, as I've come to understand, as they remember the stories and pass them down through told tales, while I keep written accounts and study history. I'm trained as a diplomat, but... well, I'm still young and untested and this is my first time representing my clan officially."

"My family was part of the Fox Clan before joining the Hare, having strong ties to shugenja traditions in our line, but I was not so blessed to have that talent, and I was sent to train with the Asako family of the Phoenix, since my mother was a Phoenix before her marriage."

Tomoe looked curiously at Dong-Ha. He seemed to have some similar trinkets to Saksaha, who was a priestess from what she understood. "Iuchi-san is a shugenja? Or do you serve a different role?"