Maybe Not the Best in Show (D1 LA, open)

[Matsu Nintoku]

"I would say the cultural differences between the Unicorn and the rest of the Empire might be of a different magnitude." he retorted as his eyes once more wandered to her amulets. "But it is understandable and easily surmounted with time."

He had managed to gather his composure little by little but the woman still left him a bit uneasy but the again, which priest did not leave him uneasy? "If Iuchi-san needs help..." he spoke carefully "I wouldn't mind teaching her."

[Iuchi Saksaha]

Internally Saksaha bristles somewhat at the implication she might need help with... whatever he was implying she needs help with. She isn't the one who opened this interaction by staring and flinching and practically insulting the other party's clothes!

But she's here to make nice, not pick fights. Nice. Friendly. Understanding. The fact that his palpable unease is subconsciously rubbing off on her just makes this a bit more challenging.

"My people already have much experience learning new things in new lands. More than other Rokugani, it seems," she says, managing a small polite smile. "Our ancestors for hundreds of years learned how to adapt to the ways of many new lands, but never forget they were children of a Kami."

"So," she regards him rather enigmatically with her dark eyes, "what would you choose to teach?"

[Matsu Nintoku]

The Matsu perceived her budding discomfort born from his own unease. He inspired deeply, calmly himself and set to not make the eerie priest feel inadequate.

"I understand Iuchi-san." he spoke in a calm measured tone "Nobody would deny the merits of the Unicorn nor their ability to thrive in new settings." he took a passing glance to see if she seemed more at ease now that he had managed to rein his own discomfort "I am a warrior and as a warrior I too need to adapt to unexpected situations and everchanging circumstances. A warrior can not be a rock against the stream for while he might resist at start, he will invariably erode and fade away."

He pondered on what could he teach her "My knowledge pool is sadly not very broad. Yet." he admitted "Yet I could easily teach you the customs of my own Clan as well as its traditions."

[Iuchi Saksaha]

"Hmm. That might be interesting." She tilts her head a little sideways in thought. "And may be useful, since our clans are to be neighbors again." Indeed, as expected, there seem to be lots of Lion names listed among the participants.

"I have heard the old stories of Akodo and Matsu, but of how things have changed for your clan since then I know very little."

[Matsu Nintoku]

"Well..." he pondered, there wasn't much that changed in the Empire now that he thought about it "The base is still pretty much the same. Our change is not active but rather reactive, we change to circumstances and according to those circumstances we adapt and thrive."

[Iuchi Saksaha]

Saksaha doesn't find this terribly informative, though she has to admit she's not too sure what she was expecting. "Well... have your people defended the Empire against any great enemies since Shinjo-kami left? That was Akodo's charge, the stories say."

[Matsu Nintoku]

His mood darkened at her question "There was a big enemy in recent history."

"A threat that almost consumed the Empire and only with the sacrifice of many Lion, in particular the Matsu, did we manage to beat this threat." his tone was heavy "The fallout still exists since then and its repercussions are still suffered today."

He eyed the woman carefully "I take you know about the Eternal Enemy?"

[Iuchi Saksaha]

Saksaha raises an eyebrow at him and glances about her, to make sure there are no heimin standing right behind her ready to be frightened by this shift in topic. "Of course. Our children know the stories of Shinjo's sister-sorrow, and of the last battle of Lady Otaku."

[Matsu Nintoku]

He nodded slowly and took a deep breath.

"Years ago the Empire faced its worst threat since the Day of Thunder when a Dark Sorceror rose in its heart and raised an army of evil." his tone was low and grave "It was with great effort that we managed to defeat the enemy and at a very grave cost; my own father died in the final battle and my mother lost her left arm."

"Never had the enemy been so close to the heart of the Empire and even though his army was defeated, his follower still remained hoping to once more unleash his evil." his mood darkened "One of them even managed to unleash a terrible evil on Shiro Akodo forcing my clan to raze the castle and purify all the lands around."

"I was part of the soldiers sent to clean the province." he closed his eyes "I saw on first hand the evil of the Dark One."

He took another deep breath, shaking his heads "I'm losing track Iuchi-san." he turned his eyes back to the woman "What I want to say is that you should be careful. The Unicorn have been far for a long time and despite knowing the tales might have forgotten their content."

[Iuchi Saksaha]

“The Children of Shinjo do not forget so lightly," Saksaha says, a bit coldly. Still, to a Unicorn, Nintoku's imperfectly suppressed emotions actually buy him some sympathy rather than a polite pretend-it-didn't-happen, and she softens somewhat. "It must have been difficult for you. I too lost family on our ride through dangerous lands. None so close--but only by luck."

[Matsu Nintoku]

"Death in the battlefield is the greatest and most noble outcome a Lion can aspire to. It washes any sin or crime as there is nothing that this redemption can't clear." he said nonchalantly "My father died with a smile, protecting his Lord and his Empire."

"I can only imagine." he continued moving past 'what means to be a Lion' "I would actually be very interested in what manner of enemies lay beyond our borders."

[Iuchi Saksaha]

"Not only enemies, fortunately," Saksaha says, wondering if this is a typical Lion way of thinking--hear about one dangerous region and imagine a whole world filled with enemies--or only an accident of phrasing. "But sometimes there were, yes. You should go some time to listen to one of our storytellers, Matsu-san--they have many fine tales of battle which will interest you. Even in this miai-camp there is often such a one by the campfires of an evening."