A Defensible Position (D4 EA)

[Yasuki Tomonaga]

(expecting again, but there's plenty of field again, too)

Tomonaga sat on the small hill, wincing as he eased himself down. This hill was good for a number of reasons. It was nice enough to look at, with a bit of shade, and a spot to sit. Besides, the Unicorn he was meeting had already been there with him, so she'd be able to find it.

Most importantly, it didn't have any weasels. He knew. He'd checked.

Tomonaga patted a fold in his kimono longingly, feeling the sake bottle there. The alcohol would help dull the pain of his weasel bites... but it would be rude to get started before his guest. Sighing, Tomonaga looked back towards the village, waiting.

[Shinjo Liu Fei]

It wouldn't be too long, not one to be too late, before Tomonaga had seen Liu Fei's horse and eventually his rider coming out from the town toward him. If she hadn't remembered well enough where they had met before she certainly could easily pick the Crab's kimono out from the backdrop of the more earthy colors, greens mostly.

Soon, Gokiburi past a bit off to the right of him. Settling down before Fei dismounted and set Gokiburi to a patch, he was free to move and restrained to nothing. Knowing well he would come back if he decided to wander.

Seeing her companion for the afternoon in the state he was she almost laughed, more at the first thought she had than anything. Something she was intent on sharing, "Have a hard time getting here Yasuki-sama?" she managed to say without a hint of teasing or amusement, already having contained her laugh.

[Yasuki Tomonaga]

Tomonaga watched the approach of horse and rider with some interest. As seemed to be his custom, he gave a casual wave as they drew closer. Tomonaga was pleased that the motion didn't seem to strain any of his weasel-wounds.

"Hey, Shinjo-san." He returned, his tone a little sheepish. "Yeah, uh... well, let's just say I'm not moving quite as fast as I did the other day. Weasels..." He shook his head, disgusted.

With his left arm, he waved at the ground next to him, even as his right hand retrieved a sake bottle from his kimono. The bottle was clearly a more fine ceramic than the one he'd used before, and the calligraphy on it more impressive. "Saved you a spot." He shot her a wry grin. "I hope you like this spot, because I don't want to stand up and sit down too many times just now."

[Shinjo Liu Fei]

"Weasels? Yasuki-sama?" she asked, holding back the laugh that inspired as she walked over to join him. Looking to him with enough of an interest that she seemed to sincerely wonder where he was attacked by weasels.

"As for the spot, this is as good of a spot as any and once we're a couple cups into that I imagine you won't have to worry about your discomfort much anymore."

[Yasuki Tomonaga]

"Yes." Tomonaga sighed. "Weasels. I think they were after the eggs I was carrying for today's trial." He noted her inquisitive look. "They were climbing up my legs, biting..." He cleared his throat. "Perhaps the less said of that, the better." His cheeks reddened just a little.

Her next comment drew a chuckle from him. "That is my very earnest hope, Shinjo-san." He said, smiling up at her. "Here, let me-" He pulled forth two cups, setting them on the flat ground next to him. Opening the sake bottle, he poured a generous amount into one cup, and then handed it to her. "So yeah, this is the good stuff. Better ingredients, more care... given the sort of sake it is, more pure isn't quite the right way to describe it but..." He shrugged as he poured a cup for himself, and picked it up, turning to her with a smile. "Shall we?"

[Shinjo Liu Fei]

When she saw the reddened cheeks, coupled with his statement and their general relaxed demeanor she couldn't help but allow a laugh to pass by uninhibited. Looking to him when she did, ready to correct and apologize if he took offense.

"When you are ready, Yasuki-sama," she said with a smirk over her cup. Teasing him by treating him gingerly with his injuries. "I am looking forward to tasting this proposed best you've got," she said, it was paraphrasing of course. Though that didn't leave her without making a slight correction, "with you, at least."

[Yasuki Tomonaga]

While Tomonaga did redden a bit more, he didn't seem offended. Instead, he chuckled as well, shaking his head ruefully.

"Hah, I'm ready." He said, returning her smirk. "It takes more than weasels to keep a Crab from good sake. The smirk faded, to be replaced by a more genuine smile at her next words. "Well, thank you, Shinjo-san. I've been looking forward to sharing it with you, too."

Lifting his cup, he looked thoughtful. "Last time, we toasted to the future. This time maybe... to good company?" After waiting for either agreement or a different toast, he lifted the cup to his lips. As before, even while drinking, he kept one eye on Liu Fei, gauging her reaction.

[Shinjo Liu Fei]

There was an awkward pause, she went to correct herself further but then she just let it slide. No harm in leaving it as it was, it wasn't entirely wrong. Raising her cup to match his, she joined in the toast, "To good company."

Then, tasting the sake she almost seemed to wear a smile as she closed her eyes for a brief moment to sorta focus on the taste of it for a bit. Sake was so much.. well.. it was really different than what she was used to but this too she found herself starting to enjoy despite the differences.

Letting the cup relax in her hand she looked to Tomonaga with a satisfied expression, "Alright, Yasuki-sama, I can recommend your sake to anyone I come across. It is good stuff."

[Yasuki Tomonaga]

Tomonaga smiled, either missing or glossing over any awkward pause. "Hey, that's great, Shinjo-san. I'm glad you like it. And my family will certainly appreciate positive word of mouth." He took another careful drink himself, for a few moments simply enjoying the taste and the company in silence.

Lowering his cup, he looked back to Liu Fei. "Well, last time we drank sake together, we jumped right to secret ambitions, huh? This time, maybe we'll keep it a little simpler. You could tell me about yourself a little? Until I've had enough sake to forget about the weasel bites." With that, he took another sip. He was already seeming fairly comfortable, relaxed.

[Shinjo Liu Fei]

"Simpler works for me Yasuki-sama, but I am afraid there is not much of an interesting story to tell," she said in response, taking one more drink from her cup before lowering her arm to speak a bit more. "I am a Bushi of my clan, a warrior trained with the Naginata and like most Unicorn I find comfort in being with my partner, Gokiburi. I have a sister, Shinjo Liu Yue, she has.. life has not treated her kindly."

Fei paused there. Taking another drink after that one, but longer this time. "My father is more of a scholar than anything. Though he is not present enough to make an appearance at this miai. Now... I am here," she said, shrugging. It felt like all there was to say in the moment. Not one that was used to talking about herself she supposed.

[Yasuki Tomonaga]

Tomonaga shrugged. "Eh. Don't worry about interesting. It's the whole rather than the pieces that make people interesting, I think."

And indeed, he found something interesting almost right away. Tomonaga sat up straighter, apparently already forgetting his weasel wounds. "Oh, Liu Yue's your sister? I met her yesterday! She seemed nice, rather formal, clearly very clever." He chucked. "She offered to spread word that I already could ride a bit; seemed to think it would help my chances here." He waved a hand vaguely around at that.

[Shinjo Liu Fei]

Fei laughed, mostly into her cup but it didn't seem to disturb the liquid inside much. "That sounds like my little sister. You might be surprised how few of the other suitors here have any capability at all when it comes to riding a horse Yasuki-sama. So I would not be surprised if she really did manage to find you a few more suitors by spreading just that," she said with a light smile over the edge of her cup. What? It was good!

[Yasuki Tomonaga]

Tomonaga grinned. "Oh, would it? Maybe I should have taken her up on her offer, then."

He shrugged. "But I didn't. I think, if I have the choice, I'd rather show potential suitors what I can do, rather than have them be told about it." He paused a moment, frowning. "I think that makes sense, doesn't it? But it also means that potential suitors won't have an image of me as this great rider, that I can't live up to." Making a face, he took another sip of his sake. He'd joked about that with Liu Yue, but now, again, he seemed to be giving Liu Fei his secret thoughts. I'd be in big trouble if she was some sort of spy.

[Shinjo Liu Fei]

Fei laughed at that, waving her hand which both signaled she thought it might offend but also trying to convince him she didn't mean to. "Truthfully, Yasuki-sama, I do not believe they would expect too much. With what we have seen few can even manage to mount a proper horse," she said rather openly. Fei's now empty cup likely had something to do with that. Holding it low to the ground she let him see that.

"But you are right, I think. I would prefer that others opinions of me come from what they witness of me, rather than what someone else has told them. Not that my life is such that I have had to worry about such things before," she shared as well.

[Yasuki Tomonaga]

Again, Tomonaga didn't seem the least offended. In fact, he also laughed as she gave her assessment. "That's a good point. I talked to a Togashi yesterday, and he more or less said that I don't need to be a great rider, I just need to be better than the others. Sounds like I might be able to manage that."

Tomonaga was used to playing sake host. As soon as he saw her empty cup, the bottle came up, and her cup was generously refilled. He added a little more to his own cup, and then set the bottle back down.

He seemed satisfied with her answer, nodding along, some of the worry clearing from his handsome features. After a moment, though, he looked at her again, his brown eyes glinting in the afternoon light. "I'm glad you agree. But if you'll allow me to ask you a personal question..." His eyes narrowed ever so slightly, studying her. "What sort of opinions do you think people form from what they witness of you?"

...

Yasuki technique! Commerce/perception, +1 FR: 5d10o10k3+5 26. Resisted with Etiquette/Awareness. If I win, PM me "some material object or service you desire".