[D1 LA] Short Lesson Before Dinner

[Asako Yuki]

"If it is," she said, sitting herself up more on Gokiburi, "You may want to get yourself some time with a horse so you can impress a future husband here Asako-san."

Yuki played with her hair as she thought. "Hai, I probably should. Probably not a good idea just before a dinner though." She smiled. "If I fall off my clothes would be ruined before the dinner."

[Shinjo Monkhbaatar]

...

"About a handful on the ride, but not since coming back. I've got a great track record for not getting too badly injured," he says with a chuckle. "Twisted my ankle the first time because I wasn't paying close enough attention and got bumped to the ground by a foal. But I was only about 11 years at the time so I got back up and hobbled along on it for a bit."

[Matsu Kogo]

...

"About a handful on the ride, but not since coming back. I've got a great track record for not getting too badly injured," he says with a chuckle. "Twisted my ankle the first time because I wasn't paying close enough attention and got bumped to the ground by a foal. But I was only about 11 years at the time so I got back up and hobbled along on it for a bit."

"Is this running a right of passage or does it have some practical application Or both?"

[Shinjo Monkhbaatar]

"Just something done for sport every once in a while. I'm not sure how often it will happen now that we're home and not on the great ride anymore. When most days were spent by the bulk of the clan on horseback it wasn't exactly rare to see a group of Unicorn doing it, riding past them and cheering them on. But it's really just something that people took the initiative to do every once in a while. Sometimes competing with each other, sometimes just for the thrill."

[Matsu Kogo]

"Just something done for sport every once in a while. I'm not sure how often it will happen now that we're home and not on the great ride anymore. When most days were spent by the bulk of the clan on horseback it wasn't exactly rare to see a group of Unicorn doing it, riding past them and cheering them on. But it's really just something that people took the initiative to do every once in a while. Sometimes competing with each other, sometimes just for the thrill."

"I think perhaps because our lions are meat eaters, we do not do similar things with them. Oh, there are training games that we play to sharpen our skills, but there is always knowledge of the deadly earnestness of them. But I suppose with that many horses in a herd, there is danger as well."

[Shinjo Monkhbaatar]

"Definitely danger, but the horses also try to avoid running over people. A human can trip them up and get them trampled by the herd too. Most of the time injuries are just from getting clipped. But I could definitely see it being far more of an issue for a large number of lions."

[Matsu Kogo]

"Definitely danger, but the horses also try to avoid running over people. A human can trip them up and get them trampled by the herd too. Most of the time injuries are just from getting clipped. But I could definitely see it being far more of an issue for a large number of lions."

"I hadn't considered that. Your horses seem so large, it is hard to imagine them being injured. But I suppose for any creature it is true. " Kogo appears momentary lost in thought. Her face loses some of its customary animation for a moment.

"So how long have you and Meushi been together?"

[Shinjo Monkhbaatar]

"Around five years. And I've probably got another five to ten with her depending on how well she ages. I'll get a bit heavier as she gets a bit older, but once she passes her prime it would be more harmful to her for a fully grown adult to ride her too hard for very long. At that point I'll pass her on to a younger Shinjo so that they'll be able to learn on an experienced steed and I'll likely get a stronger stallion," he explains. "It's all pretty well thought out tradition for pairing riders with appropriately sized mounts. I won't ever grow heavy enough to get one of our larger horses. And then there's the Otaku mounts that are only ridden by the Otaku into battle by the Shiotome. They're actually a bit smaller but they have mystical ancestry so they're superior in power, speed and intelligence."

[Matsu Kogo]

"Around five years. And I've probably got another five to ten with her depending on how well she ages. I'll get a bit heavier as she gets a bit older, but once she passes her prime it would be more harmful to her for a fully grown adult to ride her too hard for very long. At that point I'll pass her on to a younger Shinjo so that they'll be able to learn on an experienced steed and I'll likely get a stronger stallion," he explains. "It's all pretty well thought out tradition for pairing riders with appropriately sized mounts. I won't ever grow heavy enough to get one of our larger horses. And then there's the Otaku mounts that are only ridden by the Otaku into battle by the Shiotome. They're actually a bit smaller but they have mystical ancestry so they're superior in power, speed and intelligence."

"That does make a lot of sense." Kogo perks at the information on the Otaku mounts. "That's incredible. I wonder how it changed them specifically. The bloodlines must be tracked very closely I imagine."

[Shinjo Monkhbaatar]

"Tracked as closely as the samurai," he says with a nod. If it happens, only the strongest and most capable of the other horses are bred into their lines. The Otaku men handle all of that though. They're the best trainers and breeders in the Unicorn and we've not seen their equal outside of the clan in our travels. They're the only men allowed to ride Otaku mounts and even then, only for training and never into battle. To do so would be disaster. If a Shitome were to fall in battle before her steed, it would either fight on after her seeking vengeance for it's rider. If it survived then it would be retired and not ridden into battle again."

[Matsu Kogo]

"Tracked as closely as the samurai," he says with a nod. If it happens, only the strongest and most capable of the other horses are bred into their lines. The Otaku men handle all of that though. They're the best trainers and breeders in the Unicorn and we've not seen their equal outside of the clan in our travels. They're the only men allowed to ride Otaku mounts and even then, only for training and never into battle. To do so would be disaster. If a Shitome were to fall in battle before her steed, it would either fight on after her seeking vengeance for it's rider. If it survived then it would be retired and not ridden into battle again."

Kogo shakes her head in amazement. "Truly the Otaku seem to have an incredible bond with their steeds. Have any of the Otaku men come to the Miai? I would be eager to speak with them on their training techniques."

[Shinjo Monkhbaatar]

"I'm certain there are plenty around," he says with a nod. "And you'd likely be able to find a few in the stables at any given time of day."

OOC: probably NPCs that could end up being NPC spouses at end game *shrug*

[Matsu Kogo]

"I'm certain there are plenty around," he says with a nod. "And you'd likely be able to find a few in the stables at any given time of day."

OOC: probably NPCs that could end up being NPC spouses at end game *shrug*

" I will keep that in mind. Now perhaps you could clarify one thing for me. I have the clan of female riders called both the Otaku and the Otaku. Which is the correct one?"

/ooc Thanks. I figured I hadn't seen any Otaku men yet.

[Shinjo Monkhbaatar]

"Ah... just a pronunciation error. Otaku would probably be more correct," he replies with a shrug.

OOC: It's been said as both in game but it should still be Otaku.

[Matsu Kogo]

"Ah... just a pronunciation error. Otaku would probably be more correct," he replies with a shrug.

OOC: It's been said as both in game but it should still be Otaku.

"Ahh that makes sense. I have heard there are many difficulties and changes between languages over time. That is for those more learned than me, but it is interesting. I will make sure to get it right."

/ooc Yeah, OOC I know, but IC i figured Kogo would not.


"It is getting late unfortunately. I suspect I will need to return to prepare myself for the dinner. Would you care to walk again another day? Or continue teaching me the ways of your Meushi?"