Daily History Lessons (Day 1, Late Morning)

[Moto Khulun]

"But he's dead right, or do you need the Moto to go kill him?" she says putting her hand on her hilt.

[Usagi Tomoe]

Tomoe gave a curious look to the Moto's gesture of putting her hand on her sword. Really? Really?!

"He is defeated, Moto-san." She took a guess at the woman's family name now, since she had said Moto. "He was not an enemy that could be defeated by conventional means. While I don't doubt your prowess with your sword, there are things that can't be killed with weapons. I hope the Unicorn were lucky enough in their travels to not encounter such terrible things?"

[Bayushi Hotaru]

Hotaru meandered into the on-going discussion after her close encounter with the local livestock. After such a harrowing experience, she was glad to be among people and civilization, even if they had to make the most of the fact that they were living in a very rural part of the village. She brushed some hair behind her ear and could only smile warmly at the group, after a few polite bows, assuming that they were in complete awe at the sacrifice of the Scorpion from the telling of history she heard from a distance.

[Moto Khulun]

Tomoe gave a curious look to the Moto's gesture of putting her hand on her sword. Really? Really?!

"He is defeated, Moto-san." She took a guess at the woman's family name now, since she had said Moto. "He was not an enemy that could be defeated by conventional means. While I don't doubt your prowess with your sword, there are things that can't be killed with weapons. I hope the Unicorn were lucky enough in their travels to not encounter such terrible things?"

“We saw things that would causes your eyes to bleed,” she says with a chuckle.

“Well there is nothing yet that can’t be killed… somehow. Are there more like him?”

[Soshi Bantu]

"Fortunately this sorceror was unique in the history of the Empire so far. But if one such as he can arise, then it is always possible that another may follow in his footsteps, but I am sure that with the return of the Ki-Rin, any other such enemy of the Empire would be put down in an even swifter fashion."

[Usagi Tomoe]

"Fortunes, I hope not," she chuckled with some humor. The Moto's haughty comment that her eyes would bleed was dismissed... she had studied the more icky lores nescessary for a Hare to know, after all.

"Probably some who aspire to be like him, but I hope there will be no more like that. Victory both times came at great costs... the Scorpion Clan especially suffered the heaviest losses as they stalled his advancing undead army for five days straight with no rest."

Tomoe gave a nod of acknowledgement to the littlest Bayushi.

[Moto Khulun]

“Well the Unicorn are here now, any new threats will be crushed under our hooves,” she says with a wild glee.

[Suki]

As the topic seemed to be exhausting itself, Suki turned to Bantu.

"As to your earlier comments on the nature of villainy Soshi-sama, I believe the Brotherhood would choose to take in the dissident's children rather than slay them. His heirs having to join a monastery would serve as punishment and ultimately end the family line. His children could be taught the error of their father's ways and thus become very loyal citizens of the Empire. After all, only a fool goes swimming in the waters that drowned his father. Perhaps these children could even grow up to perform great deeds... though they would bring no glory to their lost family, of course."

"And thus, theoretically, couldn't both instances of murder you described be called evil?" She posed the question with a tone that suggested not disagreement or criticism necessarily. It was more like she was promoting a thought exercise

[Bayushi Hotaru]

Hotaru smiled and nodded back to the Usagi, having made her acquaintance earlier.

"I don't doubt that when the Clans are united and pushed against a hard place, we are able to find victory through our actions," she said as she stepped closer to the group. "It's not that anyone doubts the Unicorn's might or their capabilities. Perhaps a point of Usagi-san's tale is that the Empire is capable, even more capable with the Unicorn among us now, really! However, all victories always come at the cost of sacrifice and nothing will ever be effortless."

[Moto Khulun]

The Moto nods and says, "I guess, seems too cheery to me."

[Soshi Bantu]

"And thus, theoretically, couldn't both instances of murder you described be called evil?" She posed the question with a tone that suggested not disagreement or criticism necessarily. It was more like she was promoting a thought exercise

"One would then suppose that if we are to debate what constitutes an evil act, we should at least try and define our subject. Which would beg the question," Bantu looks around the group.

"What is evil? We know it when we see it, but how does one define it?"

[Usagi Tomoe]

Tomoe gave a slight shrug, not sure how the conversation drifted into this, but perhaps this could be educational too for the Moto... she might have other thoughts than Moto Smash!

"I don't know, I think killing children is a rather evil act, to be honest. Like the kids in your example, had done nothing wrong, apart from having a foolish father. Killing them wouldn't be an example to teach others to do right, but more likely that their deaths would only strengthen the rebels belief that their 'tyrants' truly are evil... because they're killing children, and they would feel more justified in their actions."

"I mean... killing kids is pretty low."

[Moto Khulun]

“Why does it matter, you kill those that have brought threat to you and yours, me against my cousin… but my cousin and I against all others,” she says simply.

“Evil is just a word.”

[Moto Butaj]

"Butaj has a question! Or more than one!" The big man finally finishes processing the story. "Who was this sorcerer really, how he turned out so powerfully evil without no-one noticing for so long? He had evil companions who covered up for him? Butaj is sure he was no Iuchi, this Ban, just some nasty impostor, and that was not his true name at all!"

Something is deeply unsettling Butaj about the story.

[Soshi Bantu]

With Khulun's simplistic (in Bantu's eyes) view on the subject, the Soshi looked over to Tomoe and raised an eyebrow subtly.

"Butaj has a question! Or more than one!" The big man finally finishes processing the story. "Who was this Iuchiban really, how he turned out so powerfully evil without no-one noticing for so long? He had evil companions who covered up for him? Butaj is sure he was no Iuchi, this Ban, just some nasty impostor, and that was not his true name at all!"

Something is deeply unsettling Butaj about the story.

"I think this fiend's similarity of name to the follower of Lady Shinjo is an unfortunate coincidence and definitely casts no shame upon any who bear the noble name of Iuchi." Bantu replies with a deep bow to the new contributor.