Here Comes the Rain Again (D4 EE, Matsu Kogo's yurt)

[Yasuki Tomonaga]

Slowly, Tomonaga nodded, mulling over the possible interpretations of what he saw.

"Maybe." He said. "It is hard to leave one's Clan, I'd imagine. I've never not been a Crab; it's hard to imagine what it's like. On the other hand, the Unicorn do really impress me. It seems like a lot of them would be similarly impressed by someone who's... themselves, I guess."

"Funny, though, a Togashi gave me the same advice. Was it Shinjo Akil-san by any chance? I've met him; he impressed me."

[Matsu Kogo]

Slowly, Tomonaga nodded, mulling over the possible interpretations of what he saw.

"Maybe." He said. "It is hard to leave one's Clan, I'd imagine. I've never not been a Crab; it's hard to imagine what it's like. On the other hand, the Unicorn do really impress me. It seems like a lot of them would be similarly impressed by someone who's... themselves, I guess."

"Funny, though, a Togashi gave me the same advice. Was it Shinjo Akil-san by any chance? I've met him; he impressed me."

She shook her head. " It was not, but I agree, Shinjo Akil is one who is impressive in his own right, with no fanfare or false humility. A man worthy of respect indeed." She took a brief breath. "No it was Shinjo Monkhbaatar. He has been teaching me some horseback riding the past few days. I find it interesting."

[Yasuki Tomonaga]

"Oh?" Tomonaga allowed his eyebrows to rise, gently inquisitive. "Shinjo Monkhbaatar. I don't believe I've met him. He performed well in the archery contest didn't he? I don't know anything else about him, though." He left that a moment before continuing.

"I have done a bit of riding, though. It is interesting. And probably a good idea to learn, if one is marrying a Unicorn. Especially if one is marrying in to the Unicorn, I guess."

[Matsu Kogo]

"Oh?" Tomonaga allowed his eyebrows to rise, gently inquisitive. "Shinjo Monkhbaatar. I don't believe I've met him. He performed well in the archery contest didn't he? I don't know anything else about him, though." He left that a moment before continuing.

"I have done a bit of riding, though. It is interesting. And probably a good idea to learn, if one is marrying a Unicorn. Especially if one is marrying in to the Unicorn, I guess."

She nods. "I believe so. " She sipped her sake. "It is definitely interesting. I suspect it would be useful to have a horse that could cover long distances while working with WarCats. Their speed is great and being able to utilize it to the fullest extent would require a swift horse that could tolerate their proximity."

[Yasuki Tomonaga]

"Ah, I see." Tomonaga said. "That does seem like it would make for interesting possibilities."

He glanced over at the resting WarCat. "How long have you been with Noburu?" He asked. "I met another Lion last night, Shimizu Ryori-san, who also was, uh..." He gestured towards Noburu, a little unsure on how to describe the relationship. "He was nice. I shared a drink with him."

[Matsu Kogo]

"Ah, I see." Tomonaga said. "That does seem like it would make for interesting possibilities."

He glanced over at the resting WarCat. "How long have you been with Noburu?" He asked. "I met another Lion last night, Shimizu Ryori-san, who also was, uh..." He gestured towards Noburu, a little unsure on how to describe the relationship. "He was nice. I shared a drink with him."

She laughed at his political maneuvers. "Ahh you have met Shimizu-san? No wonder you are so comfortable with Noburu in here. " She sips her sake. "He is....more connected to his warcat than any Matsu I have seen prior. It was a source of much discussion. He went through gempukku shortly after me, so we got to know each other."

[Yasuki Tomonaga]

"Yeah, I guess I've just always liked animals." He gave the big cat a slightly uneasy smile. "It hasn't always gone the other way, though. Especially this morning." He shuddered. "Weasels, ugh!"

"Oh?" Tomonaga pursed his lips, trying to unravel the meaning of that. "More connected? He certainly did seem very fond of her." Tomonaga shrugged. It wasn't really his business. "It's good to be here with a friend though, eh? I traveled here with Kaiu Hiroji-san. He's a bit on the quiet side, but a few weeks of traveling together is enough that I'd call him a friend."

[Matsu Kogo]

"Yeah, I guess I've just always liked animals." He gave the big cat a slightly uneasy smile. "It hasn't always gone the other way, though. Especially this morning." He shuddered. "Weasels, ugh!"

"Oh?" Tomonaga pursed his lips, trying to unravel the meaning of that. "More connected? He certainly did seem very fond of her." Tomonaga shrugged. It wasn't really his business. "It's good to be here with a friend though, eh? I traveled here with Kaiu Hiroji-san. He's a bit on the quiet side, but a few weeks of traveling together is enough that I'd call him a friend."

She laughed. "The weasels were horrendous. I suspect Noburu and I will go for a hunt tomorrow and wreak out vengance on them. Nasty creatures." She watched him dance around his thoughts on Shimizu. It was not for her to spill Shimizu's secrets. "It is good to be here with a friend, though he has been so popular, I have barely seen him. I expect I will awaken one morning to find he has been carried off by Moto Khulun in the night."

[Yasuki Tomonaga]

"Yeah they were." He shuddered again.

"Really?" His eyebrows went up. "Well, good for him, I suppose. Hopefully that means the miai is going well for him. He seemed pretty nice to me." His lips twist. "But, ah, when I saw Moto Khulun, it looked like she was rather involved with a different Lion. But there are other Moto, of course. Someone told me that he received a rather enthusiastic offer from one. They certainly are bold." Of course, that had also been Khulun, but Tomonaga didn't know that.

[Matsu Kogo]

"Yeah they were." He shuddered again.

"Really?" His eyebrows went up. "Well, good for him, I suppose. Hopefully that means the miai is going well for him. He seemed pretty nice to me." His lips twist. "But, ah, when I saw Moto Khulun, it looked like she was rather involved with a different Lion. But there are other Moto, of course. Someone told me that he received a rather enthusiastic offer from one. They certainly are bold." Of course, that had also been Khulun, but Tomonaga didn't know that.

Kogo's eyes widen. "She is...bold that one. I haven't seen her since the dinner on the first day. Even then, she was quite...forthright." She smiles. "I hope it is going well for him. Hopefully he will find someone here who appreciates him." She sips her sake. "What about you Yasuki-san? How goes the miai for you?"

[Yasuki Tomonaga]

"Mmmm." Tomonaga's lips twitched. "I would say it goes well." His lips twitched again, hinting at a smile. He took a sip of his sake to cover it. "I've met a number of Unicorn women who have impressed me a great deal. I'm getting the chance to get to know some of them better." He grimaced gently. "I might prefer getting to know one much better, but the format of the miai makes that difficult. She could get snatched away, and then I'd be marrying blindly, so it seems like it's better to do a bit of looking around, I guess."

He sipped sake again. "Ah... what about you, Matsu-san?"

[Matsu Kogo]

"Mmmm." Tomonaga's lips twitched. "I would say it goes well." His lips twitched again, hinting at a smile. He took a sip of his sake to cover it. "I've met a number of Unicorn women who have impressed me a great deal. I'm getting the chance to get to know some of them better." He grimaced gently. "I might prefer getting to know one much better, but the format of the miai makes that difficult. She could get snatched away, and then I'd be marrying blindly, so it seems like it's better to do a bit of looking around, I guess."

He sipped sake again. "Ah... what about you, Matsu-san?"

Kogo nods. "It is an odd format. It seems counter intuitive to me, but I am sure wiser heads have planned it as such." She pauses. "I suspect it is going well. I have not spent a great deal of time outside of Lion lands, but it is pleasing to see so many new faces and see their interactions. I have enjoyed my time here. But it is hard to make choices knowing the possible outcomes are not in one's control."

[Yasuki Tomonaga]

Tomonaga nodded. "Yeah. I think I understand why they're doing it. Marriage negotiations usually take months, sometimes longer. A miai helps to introduce people, but that doesn't mean that everyone's gonna find someone. This is fast, and makes sure everybody gets paired off."

He sighed. "But it is hard. I hope any connections I do make can remain friends, at least-" He swallowed, "-but like you said, it's a bit out of our control." With another sigh, he swirled his sake in his cup, peering down into it with an experienced eye. "Hopefully everything will work out."

[Matsu Kogo]

Tomonaga nodded. "Yeah. I think I understand why they're doing it. Marriage negotiations usually take months, sometimes longer. A miai helps to introduce people, but that doesn't mean that everyone's gonna find someone. This is fast, and makes sure everybody gets paired off."

He sighed. "But it is hard. I hope any connections I do make can remain friends, at least-" He swallowed, "-but like you said, it's a bit out of our control." With another sigh, he swirled his sake in his cup, peering down into it with an experienced eye. "Hopefully everything will work out."

She sighs as well. "It would be better if that occurred. But having grown up in a family known for its....temper, I have found that sometimes, things do not work out how you hoped, despite your intentions." She sips her sake. "I wonder what it will be like at the end of these next few days."

[Yasuki Tomonaga]

"Yeah." Tomonaga said, nodding. "You've gotta make things happen."

He shrugged. "Well, the miai's not yet half over. Lots of things could change. I imagine there'll be a fair amount of last-minute scrambling, a lot of private meetings." He smiled crookedly. "Probably at least a few tears. And then..." He let out his breath in a puff. "Well, actually, I'm not sure what happens after the end. I guess arrangements begin, and everyone goes home, for the moment."