[Match Observation] I Choose You! (D11, LM)

[Yogo Mizuki]

Mizuki bows to the pair. "Hello and congratulations to you both."

[Seppun Hitako]

"I'm still living, and now pledged to marriage...and to be a Seppun, if I understand the way of these things? If none have blessed me, then I understand little about how they work. Seppun Hitako-san, I am honored to have been in your esteem such as to be a choice for you."

After the last choice is made, she turns again. "Apologies. Some interesting choices were made. I am pleased with my selection, yes. You were recommended to me by multiple people, and I am hoping we will be a harmonious pairing. I must warn - I may not be as present as some wives. My various connections and duties mean I may be traveling a fair bit." She smiles. "Somehow, I don't think that will be as much of a problem for you, true?"

[Shimizu Ryori]

Ryori hears the name assigned to him, a Shinjo, of all the families, he shakes his head slowly and sighs. Realizing that it is not even a Shinjo present he reserves judgement for now. "Yes Kitsu-sama let us find our clan mates and offer our condolences" at least he is not becoming a Shinjo, small victories....

[Shinjo Taichi]

Mizuki returns the bow. "I am sure it will. I am just thankful no one picked you up before me." She wouldn't have gone all Yuki or Amaya. She'd have just pick Bataar or that one guy. But still. It's nice to have her first choice. "I think my parents will be pleased with you." He is handsome and according to Silvia, quite brave. I may have gotten the best deal here. Mizuki was optimistic about her future. It was kinda weird.

He smiled for her. "I had faith that things would work out. The future is not something to be feared, no matter how much you may think so at times. I will be there with you, whenever you need me. And I'm sure your parents will be pleased." How could they not be?

As the other couple approached, he bowed to them and echoed Mizuki's congratulations. They seemed to know each other, so he was willing to let them talk. There was always time for him and his new fiance to talk later, after all.

[Kitsune Takeo]

"Carry the Fortunes," Yawarakai intoned reflexively and bowed before he suddenly spoke up again.

"Kitsune-san? I would like us to be friends, even if circumstances seemingly conspire to impede such a thing."

"I don't believe much in circumstance, Shosuro-san. I believe in actions. Our actions make anything possible. Let our actions speak for our friendship then," Takeo replied, neutrally.

He turned his head and took a last look at Kitakuhime before bowing to them again and then turning to leave.

/exit (due to imminent game end )

[Asako Hirase]

Hirase smiled and bowed to Mizuki. "I wanted to meet you, at least once, before we left." Genuine warmth entered his voice as he added, "I know how highly Liu Yue-san thinks of you...it would please me if you visited, once your own affairs are settled, so that I could learn more about the one she esteems so highly."

He looked at his betrothed, voice gentling. "If, of course, she agrees?"

[Shinjo Hanashi]

After the last choice is made, she turns again. "Apologies. Some interesting choices were made. I am pleased with my selection, yes. You were recommended to me by multiple people, and I am hoping we will be a harmonious pairing. I must warn - I may not be as present as some wives. My various connections and duties mean I may be traveling a fair bit." She smiles. "Somehow, I don't think that will be as much of a problem for you, true?"

"It would depend on whether or not I am needed to travel to to those who need a tale; or if they travel to me. But I was born while traveling; it has never been a problem. I will bring to our marriage my own yurt; horse, and centuries of histories and tales of the Unicorn."

[Matsu Kogo]

Kogo bows to the Usagi, wishing she had appropriate words to say prior to her departure. "If you wish, I would hear more of your adventures as well, if you would wish to correspond." It is a small thing, but she would not lose one who understands her situation.

She attempted to regain her On, and gave the Matsu a wider smile, nodding.
"Nothing would please me more, Matsu-san. We were well met."

She smiles back in return. "Then I look forward to hearing more. Until we meet again, Usagi-san."

She hears the announcement of her future husband. She is slightly surprised, having hoped that her own family's leanings and the recommendation promised by Otaku-sama would lead to her being chosen into the Otaku. She had already imagined the possibilities. Duty is duty....I will just need to find some common ground with this new husband. Her mind begins puzzling, as she sits next to Kemuri. But then she listens to the rest of the announcement and a smile rises to her lips.

I will be the first female Matsu ever to marry out. Her smile becomes a little sharp, but still pleasant.

I will find my adventure, even if the Fortunes deny me.

"Well Kemuri-san. Though I will be traveling home to Lion lands til spring, I hope I will see you sometime before your wedding. We are now neighbors now, for a time."

Though my clan will have a great deal of questions as to how I befriended several members of the Crane and one Dragon. But in my defense, three of them were Unicorn at the time.

She looks over to Ameka and Monkhbaatar. She will not be able to go on wild rides with him, that one. But perhaps her sweetness and his will complement each other.

[Shinjo Kemuri]

"Once we've settled into out new duties, we may find more opportunities to visit with one another." he suggested. "The Dragon and the Unicorn are already close. I imagine those of us marrying into the Dragon will be strengthening those ties and will need to return to the plains from time to time."

[Matsu Kogo]

Kogo nods, her face a little stiff. "Yes...there is possibility, now that I will be leaving my family. Though I suspect it may be more difficult until I come to Unicorn lands." She pauses. "The Dragon...and the Lion, have had their difficulties of late. It is a difficulty of some years standing." She says, as quietly and diplomatically as she can. Again...understatement.

[Shinjo Kemuri]

"Hai, I am aware." he nodded. "But, I will still be a Unicorn for several months. And, as I understand it, it wasn't that long ago when the Lion were defending the Dragon borders. Things can always change."

[Matsu Nintoku]

Tomoe shook her head a little to clear her thoughts. "... I had an older sister. Two years older, training to be a shugenja too," her smile was bittersweet. "She and mother died in the attacks on our homeland during the Battle of Bloody Retreat and Battle of Sleeping River. So it's just me and father now."

She stole a glance in Dong-Ha's direction, still blushing. "Maybe father will be hapy to have a bigger family again."

"My father also died during the Battle of Bloody Retreat," he admitted. He didn't remember much of his father.

"There is probably no one in the Empire that did not lose someone during that gruesome affair," he continued. "Though today is a joyous day, we shouldn't mar it with such tales."

The tone with which he ended his sentence was filled with scorn and resentment wrapped in the icy cold politeness that had characterized him in the beginning.

[Usagi Tomoe]

"Hai. You're right," she nodded, then added in with a playful grin, "Nintoku-nii-san*."

"Is it common to have many siblings in the Lion?" Tomoe asked, trying to keep the focus away from the talk of dead family-members, and lost love.


(*=big brother)

[Matsu Nintoku]

The affix she gave him made his attitude slightly warmer.

"Indeed we do," he nodded. "In general the Lion favor big families and the Matsu doubly so. As the heart of the Lion armies we are also the ones that take the most casualties as such a big family is imperative for the strength of the Lion not to wane."

[Usagi Tomoe]

"Ah, I see. That does make sense," she nodded. "It has become a standard too among the Hare... our daimyo is very strongly encouraging our samurai to have large families too."

Which she didn't mind at all, as she wanted a big family herself. "So you'll have to come visit some time. I'm sure many of the children at home would love to meet a big strong Matsu hero and hear of your tales. We're only happy to have guests over. Probably many of our young bushi too would like the chance to test themselves against you."