Hedging Bets [D3 LM OPEN]

[Togashi Udo]

"No, actually. My mind tends to drift if I don't stay active. It is a weakness."

The walking is helping him stay focused. "This is a nice land," Udo says. "Being out of the mountains is a good change." He looks out over the fields. "It's very easy to see the appeal of horses here."

[Yasuki Tomonaga]

"Huh." Tomonaga clearly took a moment to think about that one.

"It is." Tomonaga said, looking around. "I've walked around quite a bit, here. If I had a horse, I could cover a lot more ground, I bet. Especially a Unicorn horse." This last is said with some awe. "Do you ride, Togashi-san?"

[Togashi Udo]

"I do not. I imagine some contest soon will make that clear. It is my intention to go to the stables later and learn more about horses... I may end up living in Unicorn lands, after all."

"I tried to have a conversation with a Mantis the other day about riding in a boat versus riding a horse... It was not as informative as I'd hoped."

[Yasuki Tomonaga]

"Have you ridden in a boat before, then?" Tomonaga looked confused. "But no, I'd be really surprised to hear that was a useful point of comparison."

"As for the riding..." Tomonaga smiled. "Allow me to, maybe, change your future with my words. A Unicorn woman told me that every Unicorn woman would expect her husband to ride. She may have been joking." He shrugged. "But... it might be a good idea to learn how, even if you expect to bring your bride back to the Dragon with you. Just in case."

[Togashi Udo]

"So you ride, then?"

[Yasuki Tomonaga]

Tomonaga shrugged. "Well, a little. I mean, my family didn't have warhorses. There were a few horses in one of our villages, though. I don't know if that even counts, by Unicorn standards. But, you know, I can mostly keep from falling off. Hopefully that'll be enough." He trailed off doubtfully.

[Togashi Udo]

Udo looks to him and then back ahead. "Didn't the Little Teacher say that one doesn't need to train the horse, one only needs to outlast his competition?"

"Or maybe it was someone else," Udo shrugs.

[Yasuki Tomonaga]

Tomonaga grinned at that. "I'll have to take your word on the source. But I get what you mean, anyway."

His expression turned a bit more thoughtful. "I guess it might be... smarter of me, then, not to be recommending that other male Clan samurai learn to ride. But..." He shrugged. "I mean, we're competitors, but it doesn't really feel like that. It feels more like we're all in this together." His lips twisted into a wry smile. "On the other hand, I suppose if me and another were both pursuing the same Unicorn, I might see things a little different then."

[Togashi Udo]

"It is true; I don't think we are in competition. But, for myself, I can't say I have a goal so much as I enjoy the moment I'm in."

He stops walking for a moment. "If I may say so, you seem like a thoughtful man. Have you met Iuchi Yukarin? I think you two might hit it off...

"...or maybe not. I must say, for all the things I've been taught, I still do not understand the chemistry between two people." He starts walking again. "For example, this conversation I am enjoying, but why? How little we have in common except for a mutual respect."

[Yasuki Tomonaga]

Tomonaga nodded understanding, if not total agreement. "That's certainly not a bad start, Togashi-san."

Thoughtful? "Do I?" Tomonaga asked. For just a moment, his expression becomes rather blankly affable. It cleared up a moment later. "Well, thank you, Togashi-san. I'm sure I don't need to tell you the same, as your thoughtful nature is as plain as day. And yes, I have met Iuchi Yukarin-san." He smiled. "And I'd rather like to do so again, in fact." Of course, he'd thought that about several Unicorn women recently... it is only in his imagination that a sweat drop appears on his forehead.

Tomonaga shrugged. "Who does? I'm not sure who, if I were a nakodo, I would try to match you with, Togashi-san. I think that's why, foresight or no, your fortune seems like good advice. Meet people, have a good time, enjoy the moment, eh? Seems like that's the best way to find a match."

[Togashi Udo]

"You are most likely correct. I am not thinking much of the future, but I think often of the present. In this case, the more I understand, the wiser my choices..."

"Anyway," Udo shrugs, "if you'd like to talk with her more, why not do so?"

[Yasuki Tomonaga]

"That's how the Crab do it. The future, one present step at a time!" That made sense, didn't it? Tomonaga frowned; this sort of thing wasn't exactly his strongest area.

"Huh." The simple, direct question caused Tomonaga to slow a little. "Well, uh, hmmm. I guess I just figured I'd see her around, or something. There's lots of time left..." He trailed off, frowning again, this time more concerned as he did the math. "I guess I've just been sorta figuring things would work out. They often do." Said Tomonaga, handsome heir to a small part of a sake fortune. "But... that's not really the Crab way. And I don't usually think of it as my way either..." He trailed off again, his expression thoughtful.

[Togashi Udo]

"What's not the Crab way? Letting things work themselves out? If thunder boomed overhead and you felt raindrops, would you seek our shelter or hope that shelters comes to you?"

"Not that it matters, you should be true to yourself so your future wife can get to know you." Udo gave him a sidelong glance, and added "assuming you give her enough time to get to know her first."

Udo smiles after that and opens his hands, palm up and out as if to say 'no offense intended.'

[Yasuki Tomonaga]

"Oof, ouch!" Tomonaga said, grinning only a touch ruefully. "Just when I think you're done, bam! You hit me again." Laughing, he shook his head. "Okay, okay, I'll send her a note, arrange a meeting if it'll make you happy." In fact, Tomonaga looked mildly cheered by the idea.

He looked over at Udo, amused. "You give good advice, Togashi-san. It sounded a bit monk-like, though. Weren't you trying not to do that?" He teased, although his smile was kind, not cruel.

He sighed. "I wish I could return the favor, but I'm not sure I'm equipped. Unless you like sake." He glanced at Udo.

[Togashi Udo]

"I have been caught! You can take a Togashi away from the monastary, but you can't take the monastary away from a Togashi."

"Are there... those who don't enjoy sake?" Udo looks mock horrified.