[D10 EN] No regrets

[Usagi Tomoe]

With a smile, the Hare's warm hand accepted his hand and his help as she got up on Poppy's back behind him. The hanfu made it easier for her to sit properly on the horse, compared to last time when she had both her legs on the same side.

Her arms wrapped around his waist tightly as she leaned against him for support. "I think I'm getting the hang of this now."

[Iuchi Dong-Ha]

Dong-Ha pulled Tomoe up, letting her settle herself on the saddle before turning to her. "Hold on.." he grinned. "Though, we can't fly tonight. It's too dark." Luckily for them, Lord Moon bathed the ground in his pale light.

Feeling her arms around his waist, the young Unicorn seized the reins and with a swift snap guided Poppy down the road and into the vast plains opening beyond the village.

[Usagi Tomoe]

"A shame, but I understand," she said softly. It had been a great experience the first time, but she didn't want to press Poppy to do this when it was dark.

As Poppy began to move, she was quiet for a few moments before speaking again. "It's really been a hectic week... I hope I can stay in touch with many of the people I've met here. At least the friendly ones. What about you? You've made new friends too, right?"

[Iuchi Dong-Ha]

"Hmm... yeah. We did some magical experiments with Moshi Asakiko-san and Isawa Nonin-san. We agreed to keep in touch, if we'd figure something. We were testing how our magic... meishodo.. interacts with spirits here." Dong-Ha explained, keeping his voice low as they rode along the road. "Well, Iuchi Saksaha-san was there too." Tugging from the reins, he lead Poppy off road, taking heading towards the mountains. "Maybe I'd like to meet Bayushi-san again as well. I'd be curious to learn from her."

He tugged the reins to slow Poppy down, just in case. "How about you?" Dong-Ha turned to glance at her, the evening winds rustling his hair against her face.

[Usagi Tomoe]

"Well, I'd like to keep in touch with Matsu Nintoku-sama at least... he's been a great help for me. And Asako Yuki-san, Doji Ameka-san, and Saksaha-san too if possible." She didn't see anything wrong with him keeping in touch with Hotaru. Both had said they were friends and she wasn't one prone to jealousy or suspicions for such.

As the winds brushed his hair against her, she closed her eyes as she let her other senses take in the scent and feel of him.

"... And Moto Khulun-san, believe it or not."

[Iuchi Dong-Ha]

"I haven't met any of them!" he chuckled at the network of people she had managed to build over the past ten days. "Khulun-san.. uh.." Dong-Ha grimaced. "She's... a cursed soul. You would do well to avoid her. Evil eye rests on her." he wasn't willing to let Tomoe endanger herself just because she didn't know better.

[Usagi Tomoe]

"... I know," she said quietly, her grip tightening a little. "But she'll need a cool head around... and if she trusts me more now, there is something I need to speak with her about, now that she might not try to kill me for saying it." Tomoe took a deep breath. "That sword of hers, I understand it's an heirloom, but... it's cursed."

[Iuchi Dong-Ha]

"... You know?" Dong-Ha huffed, his tone almost angry. "I know. She knows! I did reading on it. It's a foul weapon, forged with unholy magics. Yet she clings to it like a baby to her mother's bosom." he growled. "The Isawa knows. I told him, not knowing what blood magic meant here... to you."

"No, you should not talk to her. She's damned herself beyond redemption with her actions. Her head shall cool when her heart stops beating." for a young man, Dong-Ha sounded awfully certain of himself.

[Usagi Tomoe]

"Y-you knew?" she was surprised at first, "right, of course... you're a priest," she quickly reasoned.

"Wait... does this mean the Unicorn know that it is a foul weapon? And she is still allowed to keep it?" Her head was spinning a little. She hadn't said anything, as she had nothing to back it up with but her word, and the Moto had always been rather hot-headed from what she saw, but if they knew.

[Iuchi Dong-Ha]

"Aye, I was asked to." he murmured grimly. "I didn't know, but when she gloated that it cut the hell-spawn true, I asked to see the sword. Innocent have been slain to craft it. Foul spells have be read to keep it keen." He added dourly. "Saksaha thinks the blade may have cursed her too, but we cannot know for sure. Certainly she's reckless as dervish."

"We did not know, and now that we do, she is not willing to part from it as long as she draws breath. Stubborn fool." Dong-Ha leaned to spat on the ground as they rode to show his contempt. "Saksaha-san wrote to our elders to warn them. What they do, is beyond my means."

[Usagi Tomoe]

"... Then you've done the right thing, at least, by appealling to higher powers to take it from her," she hugged him tightly, relieved that neither he or Saksaha had tried to or planned to confront Khulun about it. "I won't speak of it to anyone then, unless your Family were to ask me."

"Sorry... seems I've cast a shadow on our time together by bringing it up."

[Iuchi Dong-Ha]

"That might be the wisest thing. I would not want Khulun's madness to be associated with us. Let the Iuchi and Moto elders take care of her... unless she takes care of herself before they get to her." Someone living like her wasn't bound to live long.

Dong-Ha sighed. "It's fine. I mean, it's good that we talked about it. I mean... I appreciate that you'd tell me that, fully mowing what it'd mean."

"If you feel bad you can hug me tighter." he added with a chuckle.

[Usagi Tomoe]

She managed to chuckle and squeeze him a little tighter.

"Honesty is a good thing, neh? But it's important to be quiet about some things too... in that case, I didn't see anything good coming out of me talking about it. At least she's learning." As are the Unicorn. "I'm certain your elders will do the right thing."

[Iuchi Dong-Ha]

"Eh, I know you know, you know I know. It's not all bad, is it." he pressed his back softly against her chest as they waded further and further in the plains, leaving the village far behind. "I'm sure they will."

"So, I hear you did really well yesterday... how did you manage?" he glanced over his shoulder at her, both curious of her response and simply because he wanted to see her.

[Usagi Tomoe]

She buried her face partially in the clothing on his back, looking up at him as he turned to glance at her. "Mixing the herbs wasn't that difficult, really... I mean, I've learned how to create medicine, ointments, balms, and all sorts of other things, so I think they were mostly impressed with how easily I could do that."

"Spirit-walking though, that was something else. Never tried that before. I was never the best student at meditation during my schooling, but I know the basics of it. Seems like I managed to do it all right, since... I saw my grandfather. Not quite how I remembered him, but I knew it was him." Younger. Fox ears and tail. Tomoe wasn't sure if Dong-Ha had remained there long enough to see what happened to her after she came out of the trance, as she had very little recollection of that, other than quickly telling the judges what she had seen.

"I didn't do the best, but they thought I did well enough, at least."