The True Price of Ownership (D9, LE)

[Usagi Tomoe]

"I have, indeed, but just because one meets all the eligible bachelors here, it does not mean all of them are compatible with myself, or have a wish to marry someone from a rather young Minor Clan," the Hare smiled politely.

"There is one I would prefer, but... I will have to improve my standing in the coming tests to have a decent chance." She wasn't really sure what she'd do if her first choice didn't become a reality.

[Doji Fukawa]

Fukawa nods.

"Are you going to be staying up for the Iuchi's first competition this night then?" Fukawa asked.

For her part, Fukawa planned on being fast asleep while everyone sat around brewing and drinking poison.

[Usagi Tomoe]

"I will at least have to show up and see what it is all about. But most likely I will give my best try at their challenge," she said with a confident nod.

"And you?"

[Doji Fukawa]

Fukawa shakes her head.

"No, I don't think so. From what I've heard, it does not favor my strengths at all. If I went, perhaps I could get lucky, but given my current standings at the center, I'd rather leave the field clear for those who have both talent and need." she says.

[Usagi Tomoe]

"That is... very considerate of you," she inclined her head a little, acknowledging the Doji's kindness. Yes!

"It sounded like something rather odd they had planned for today's test, to take place so late at night too. I can only hope that tomorrow's challenge won't be a the break of dawn then. But as the Iuchi are the priests and spiritual guides of the Unicorn, I wouldn't be surprised if both of their trials will be rather... unique."

"Though I doubt anyone expected the Moto to test us with music and puppies."

[Doji Fukawa]

Fukawa nods.

"Ah yes, the Moto family, family of music and puppies, a natural companion of the Crane clan." she offers as a joke. "But to be fair, Moto Butaj has quite a bit of musical talent, and as far as the puppies, I'm pretty sure the Unicorn would not entrust the training of their horses to people who had never trained anything taller than a pony."

[Usagi Tomoe]

The Hare chuckled.

"Of course, there is logic in that. Though, I imagine your clan no doubt had a hand in shaping some of these events, no? After all, from what I've learned of the Moto, they would probably have preferred a test of this wrestling of theirs."

Then we could watch nearly naked men wrestle eachother for sports... yesss...

[Doji Fukawa]

"There is that," she admits. "Although whomever was explaining courtship to the Moto seemed to not quite get across the point of such confessions being anonymous. Or perhaps they did, and the Moto simply discarded that part to better fit their own traditions."

Fukawa considered her fan.

"Although I was surprised with how many struggled with the lancing event. Those lances are surely something only seen by the Unicorn, but they seemed to find them just as unwieldy as everyone else."

[Usagi Tomoe]

"Is that so? I admit, I didn't watch, and participation... well, considering I've been learning to ride a horse in my time here, I thought it a bit too daring to make the attempt there. I'd feel absolutely dreadful if I ended up hurting the horse because of my inexperience." It would probably be some great insult to the hosts too.

"Maybe it's not really a very common weapon? I haven't heard much about the use of lances before..."

[Doji Fukawa]

Fukawa nodded.

"Iuchi Dong-Ha said it was a hunting weapon for use against bears." she offered.

[Usagi Tomoe]

"Huh... sounds impractical, when a regular spear would do, no?" Tomoe tilted her head to the side as she considered it, and made a mental note of looking into it at some point.

"Not that I've ever hunted big game like boars before, so I wouldn't know too much about what goes into hunting down such ferocious animals."

[Doji Fukawa]

Fukawa nods.

"Hai, I've little enough interest in hunting. I'd rather leave the cute bunnies and graceful deer free to live their lives in the wild, provided the occasional burst of happiness when seen." she says.

[Usagi Tomoe]

That's the luxury of being a Doji for you...

"The animals of nature truly are beautiful in their natural environs," she nodded with a brief sigh. "I just didn't think there would be many of them in the lands of the Doji?"

[Doji Fukawa]

"Just flocks of cranes flying over perfectly tended gardens?" Fukawa asks, asmued.

She waves the idea away with her fan.

"The lands of the Crane are more diverse than most realize. Of course gardens and farms are very prevalent. But there is also hillsides leading off into mountains, coastline....even a little bit of marshland if you want to see the Empire's most aesthetically pleasing marsh."

She shrugs a bit.

"I'll admit the wildlife is heavily maintained to safeguard the farms and gardens, but we would never seek to remove them entirely from our lands."

[Usagi Tomoe]

"I see. I suppose there aren't many forests either for such creatures to roam freely either? I admit I have never visited the lands of your clan, so I know very little of the lay of the land... but I've heard that there is a forest outside of Kyuden Doji that has is full of wildlife?"