Dark Edge Village

Out by some of the posts that mark the dueling circle, a sight that might be thought of as odd could be found.

The woman was very well dressed, in clothes and jewelry that were both highly fashionable, and highly expensive. Of course, a Unicorn might not be able to tell the former; though the latter would be apparent enough. The mon of the Mantis, perhaps unfamiliar, were prominently displayed on the back of her black haori. At her side was a daisho, but also a pair of Kama.

She appeared to be inspecting the meishodo charms that hung off the posts.

I don't like these things!

We should take them down. It's evil gaijin magic!

But what if...

If what? Oooh... I hear ya.

Right? Right!

Hey, someone's coming!

She looked up...

And there was Shinjo Akil, dressed not near as fancily. In fact, by comparison he was even pretty plain, save maybe for his naturally somewhat pretty face. He was not dressed in armor or anything, so it was unlikely he was on guard, but he studied the mantis with interest.

I have literally no idea what that mon is supposed to be.

Akil offered a polite bow regardless, offering a polite smile. "Samurai-sama. I hope the afternoon finds you well."

She gave him a bow in return.

Pretty...

The one?

Not the one!

He might be?

The future is always clouded.

Check to see if he's really a man!

The furrow of her brow was ever so slight and difficult to notice, as she kept her head bowed for longer than strictly necessary before rising again.

"Yuzuki, of the Mantis. This is a duelling circle, yes? Do you know what these... things are?" She indicated one of the meishodo charms.

Khulun had shed her armor for light furs and cloth, but was still battle ready. She sees her cousin and another samurai with a bug mon? She approaches looking curiously at the image. She speaks when she is close, “You part of the ant family? Or is that some weird bird?”

They didn't tell us there'd be a mantis clan.


Akil's eyebrow momentarily raised. "It is an honor, Yuzuki of the Mantis. I am Shinjo Akil, a bushi of the Clan. Those are," he motioned, trying to speak of them properly, "meishodo trinkets. They are the focuses by which the Iuchi are able to cast their magics."

Khulun's appearance illicited a bow from Akil. He hadn't decided yet whether to be relieved or worried.

She was about to comment on the mention of magics when Khulun approached...

Female... hisss

Not the one!

Nooo... not the one.

Maybe the one?

...and then she became part of the Ant Clan. Or Weird Bird family.

"Uhh, no, Unicorn-sama. It's the mon of the Mantis Clan. I am Yuzuki."

“You have clan but only one name? Your family not so great that you are the no name family?” she says with suspicion.

“Moto Khulun… well met cousin,” she adds to Akil.

She blinked.

"Uhm... well, there's reasons for that but... it's kind of a sore point."

More like, make us look bad.

"The Mantis are a clan, but we don't have a family name at the moment."

"Well met," he nodded, "Shinjo Akil."

He listened to the explanation, for now content to let Khulun push the questions. She seemed to like it at least.

Yuzuki wrote:She blinked.

"Uhm... well, there's reasons for that but... it's kind of a sore point."

More like, make us look bad.

"The Mantis are a clan, but we don't have a family name at the moment."

“Sore for who? Who took your family name? Go get it back! Unicorn seek strong mates, if family too weak to have name, how strong can Mantis be?” she retorts.

Put her in her place!
Fight!
FIGHT!
Make fun of her!
Make fun of her hair!
Tell her she's fat!

She frowned.

"We got a family name for being bold. We lost it again for being *too* bold. The Son of Heaven will give us another one when the time is right. But being strong has nothing to do with having a family name. Some of the strongest people in the empire don't even have a clan."

“You can call a fish a bird but it will not fly. You talk big words for no-name,” she replies.

“If Emperor take your name, then even Emperor see weakness. It is known.”

Akil frowned, but more or less seemed to understand. "So the Emperor is the one who took it away? What a... fascinating scenario. I didn't know an Emperor would do that."

Yuzuki was getting annoyed. Which was quite unusual for her.

"Gusai gained a family name, but one of his descendents betrayed the emperor. The rest of the Mantis stopped him. For that the Gusai no longer exist, but the Mantis remain. The weakness was not with the Mantis, but with a man."

She paused briefly, then continued.

"The Emperor's word is law, so for now we don't have a family name. That has nothing to do with strength. A ronin with a tetsubo is stronger than a courtier with a fan. Strength is not in name or title, but in deed."

“What say you, cousin?” she turns to Akil as she speaks.