[The Thousandth Year of Peace] The Topaz Tournament

Liyan smiles at Suzuha's display and bows her head in apology.


After lunch, she approaches the young Crane and says, "Suzuha-san, please allow me to offer my deepest apologies for the slight I have given your Family. As a small way of making reparations, will you agree to take tea with me?"


As they take their tea, Liyan makes sure to study the other. Suzuha has performed admirably in each of the two contests so far, and is, Liyan suspects, her superior in the Iaijutsu duel that will determine the outcome of this tournament. Anything she can learn about her before they meet there is a boon to her, her Family and her Clan.


***** ***** ***** ***** *****


Overlooking the field before them, Liyan sighs inwardly. A running course, really? Would that she could bring Matsukaze, and she would leave the rest of them so far behind that she would win even if she had to carry him over the 12 foot fence. The image makes her smile as she steps up to the starting line and bows to Laichao. "I fear I will not be able to offer you as strong competition as you no doubt deserve, Laichao-san. As you can likely imagine, a strong focus on our horses come at the cost of an emphasis on running."


When the sign is given, she runs as best she can, making sure to time her arrival on the log such that she and Laichao will not get in each other's way, even if that means letting the Mantis overtake her more easily than he would otherwise be able. She really does not want to end up in the mud.

Spending a void point on the Log part


Tea Ceremony: 9+5+4 = 18 - success!


Run 1: 13+9 = 22


Log: 9+5+3+2 = 21


Run 2: 6+2 = 8 :(


Climb: 9+7+5 = 21


Run 3: 9+7 = 16


Current Void points: 1/3


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Okakura eats lunch with the rest of the Lion contingent, enduring their praise with discomfort as he knows that there will be no miracle next challenge, as there was in the jujitsu. He deflects as much of the others' attention onto Touma as he can, and praises Touma himself for the great performance in the heraldry contest. He leaves the table in a foul mood, hoping only that he doesn't fall flat on his face during the run.


----------


Upon seeing the course the bottom of Okakura's stomach falls. The bridge looks extremely thin and somewhat unstable, while the wall might as well be the Carpenter's Wall, he would find one as hard to climb as the other. As he stands at the starting line he smiles at Mikuru. "As you can see I won't provide much of a contest to you, Mikuru-san," he says, gesturing at his leg. "Your help at the wall and bridge would be most appreciated. Though it shames me to ask this, it may save me a greater shame on the field. Trust me when I say that you will have no trouble whatsoever beating me during this course." With a final smile and a slight bow Okakura faces the coures ahead of him, hoping that Mikuru will find it within herself to help him at the hurdles ahead. At the signal he sets out at a walking pace, using his stick as best he can on the soft ground.

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Kimita disappointed herself when she missed the last mon. She probably should have known it, despite the difficulty, but she wanted to make her answer and guessed just a bit too quickly. A few moments more she might have gotten it right. Instead, she hung her head, and hung it again when another answered all five correctly.


When it was time to approach the starting line for the race, she stiffened her courage. She was matched against a samurai that had won both a wrestling match and a knowledge test. This woman was going to be more challenging than both of the challenges that had come before. She couldn't afford to use magic again for this one.


"Kisuki-san, I wish you well in our contest. Should you win, I am certain you will be invited to participate until the end." Of course, Kimita couldn't just let Kiyomi win. She would push herself as hard as she could, and she would have to hope that the results would be better than against monkey-man.


Kimita took to the line, tied her sash even closer, and prepared to run.

Run 1 = 13


Bridge = 16


Run 2 = 10


Wall = 17


Run 3 = 16


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"I would be glad to," Suzuha smiles.


The two of them complete the ceremony without incident, and Liyan can divine a couple of things. For one, she is left-handed, which might be useful in an iaijutsu duel. For another, her tea ceremony technique is... well, she actually knows it, which is more than can be said for most bushi. She is also quite beautiful; in fact, it's a mystery why she chose to study at the Kakita Duelist academy instead of the Doji Courtier school. Her hands are heavily calloused; she's put in some serious hours with her sword work.


Hiruma Fumiko vs Mirumoto Takezo


Takezo gives it all he's got, and for a moment, it almost seems as though he's going to make it. However, his focus on the way of the sword is total - and exclusive. Fumiko dashes through the mud, across the obstacles and up the fence like an arrow fired from a bow. It's clear that the Dragon is hopelessly outclassed by Fumiko, who finishes ahead of him with a comfortable lead, earning the point.

15, 19, 23, 16, 30


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Akodo Okakura vs Asahina Mikuru


Mikuru's face scrunches up in panic as she surveys the obstacle course. It's all muddy and humid and dirty and she's worn her best kimono...


Then she glances to Okakura and her eyes go liquid. He's got a bad foot and he's also going to run the race, beside her! It would be a shame if she were to falter where a crippled man would carry on.


"I'll do my best, Akodo-san," she nods.


The results are unsurprising; Mikuru may be delicate and weak and clumsy; but she's still whole of body, in comparison to Okakura. She does, however, help him across the obstacles, though she stays comfortably ahead of him until she goes splat into the mud halfway during the run when she trips over her feet. To her credit, she immediately gets back up and continues up the fence, then pulls Okakura over the top. When she finishes at the end, she immediately turns around to make sure he makes it to the finish line safely.


Suzuha nods to her, while Matsu Daikami shrugs and smiles, conceding the point to her.






5, 15, 2, 13, 10


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Isawa Ameiko vs Morita


Morita is the contemplative sort, and is no match for Ameiko. He does make a pretty good showing of himself, but Ameiko is simply faster than him while matching his stamina. The fact that he's neglected his physical conditioning doesn't help either. She finishes far in advance of him with a strong sprint at the end.


"The kami of the earth evidently enjoy my company; they do seem to be sticking heavily to me," he pants to her with a smile.






13, 18, 18, 9, 19


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Shiba Kimita vs Kitsuki Kiyomi


Kiyomi bows to Kimita in turn.


"I am certain you will be a worthy opponent," she says, before the two of them set off.


Kimita begins with a strong start, but whether it's by luck or observation, Kiyomi manages to find the right places to put her feet on the treacherous obstacles to get herself over them with maximum efficiency and speed. Even so, it's a very close race; especially near the end where Kimita almost manages to catch up with her...


...almost.


Kiyomi's chest is heaving as she bows to Kimita. "The Fortunes favored me, but your effort was valiant."






15, 10, 12, 18, 16


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Shinjo Liyan vs Laichao


Fumiko's performance was impressive, but Laichao's is nothing short of breathtaking. He's reached the bridge before Liyan's even halfway across, though in his arrogance he falls off and into the mud below, squandering his considerable lead. He makes up for it with speedy romp across the muddy ground that seems to swallow up Liyan's feet, and he goes up the fence like a monkey, even managing a handstand and somersault at the top before showboating his way down the final stretch. His arrogance nearly costs him the win, though he recovers in time to squeak his way across the finish line ahead of Liyan.


"Don't feel bad," he says. "I'll probably lose horribly when the horses come out."






59, 18, 32, 45, 22


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Hida Teppeki and Moto Batukhan


The two powerhouses of the tournament churn up the mud behind them as they tramp across the obstacle course, and their match, unlike most of the others, is a very close-run thing. Batukhan finishes a hair ahead of Teppeki, but if they had done it in full armor, it's very likely that the gigantic Crab would have been the winner. He looks vaguely disappointed when Batukhan gets the point, though the Moto doesn't rub his victory in Teppeki's face.


Akodo Touma and Yogo Saemi


Touma turns in a decent performance for an agile and fit bushi of his age, but Saemi begins strong. Fumiko notices that the courtier's movements are too fluid and fast for a mere courtier.


They're surprisingly similar to hers, in fact.


Takeru seems to disapprove as Saemi comes in for the finish, giving her a stern look. Saemi pouts, and it seems that at that moment Takeru suddenly seems to get faster, finishing handily ahead of her.


Doji Suzuha vs Bayushi Takeru


Takeru gives Suzuha an oily smile and a nod, and the Crane girl suddenly finds herself wondering if she'll find caltrops in her sandals. The smile falls off his face when Suzuha navigates all the obstacles easily, and it's only by the narrowest of margins that he crosses the finish line ahead of her.


Somehow, Okakura, Liyan, Kimita, Fumiko and Ameiko can hear him whisper to her, "Tonight, then?"


******


The final standings are as follows:


Hiruma Fumiko - 2


Hida Teppeki - 1


Doji Suzuha - 2


Asahina Mikuru - 2


Kitsuki Kiyomi - 3


Mirumoto Takezo - 1


Akodo Okakura - 2


Akodo Touma - 1


Isawa Ameiko - 3


Shiba Kimita - 1


Yogo Saemi - 1


Bayushi Takeru - 2


Shinjo Liyan - 2


Moto Batukhan - 1


Laichao - 2


Morita - 1


Miya Shikan announces the next contest as the results are being tallied up. It takes place after lunch (a simple, but generous affair, consisting of fragrant rice cakes, vegetables and fish, with an assortment of fruit for dessert, washed down with sparkling well water.


It will be a contest of horsemanship.


It mirrors the footrace event superficially; the contenders must ride a horse down a clearly defined lane and strike a standing target from the saddle with a katana. They will then guide their mount through a series of hurdles, and while still mounted, they must loose an arrow at a fixed target. Then, they will ride swiftly back to the finishing line, leaping a shallow pit of water as they go.


The contestants will be paired again, and they are:


Hiruma Fumiko vs Akodo Touma


Hida Teppeki vs Yogo Saemi


Asahina Mikuru vs Shiba Kimita


Kitsuki Kiyomi vs Isawa Ameiko


Mirumoto Takezo vs Morita


Akodo Okakura vs Bayushi Takeru


Shinjo Liyan vs Laichao


Moto Batukhan vs Doji Suzuha


"Well, looks like you're going to stomp me good," Laichao says helplessly to Liyan.


Suzuha mutters darkly to herself, stealing glances at the supremely smug-looking Takeru. The Scorpion in turn, smiles to Okakura. "May the best man win."


Touma says nothing, only glaring at Fumiko from the sidelines.


Kiyomi looks a little pale, and Ameiko notes that the Dragon's hands are trembling.


Mikuru is absent - perhaps she's gone to clean herself up? Kimita notices Takezo speaking with his brother, his hands balled into fists.






Make 5 rolls in total, as follows:


A Agility / Horsemanship


B Agility / Kenjutsu


C Agility / Horsemanship


D Reflexes / Kyujutsu


E Agility / Horsemanship


If you do not possess the Horsemanship skill, then your Kenjutsu and Kyujutsu rolls cannot explode.
 
Fumiko looks over her pony with a strange look, she has always preferred her own two feet. As a scout in the Shadowlands, a pony is more of a meal to that things that live there than anything else, as well as a dead give away. It would take everything she had not to fall off the cursed thing let alone earn a point. And against a Lion no less, with their army they probably had the best cavalry in Rokugan after the Unicorn, not that anyone could rival the Unicorn in such things. Indeed Liyan-san would probably be done and having tea..before Fumiko even figured out how to climb up on this thing.

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Kimita stood with hands on hips, trying to hold onto her breakfast. She was spent. Every it of extra effort she had drawn on and it didn't pay off. "Valiant is still a loss, but my words still stand. I am certain you will receive an invitation for the final day."


But her pride had been whittled away once again. Another loss, despite her best efforts, another stab to her own valor. Her grandmother's spirit must be very angry with her for failing so often. Even the Kami seemed to be less impressed.


But the next event was announced and the pairings placed. Kimita had never liked horses. They were huge, easily four times her weight and twice her size, and for all their supposed intelligence, you never knew what they were thinking. And now she would have to ride one in the contest. There was a reason she had chosen to walk to the tournament.


At least she hadn't been paired up against a horseman. If it had been Liyan-San! she wouldn't have even bothered to mount her beast. But with someone presumably as unskilled as she was, there was always a chance. "I hope your horse likes you better than mine likes me," she said to her opponent. "I will be lucky if I get to the finish line."

All rolls are 3k3 except the fourth which is 2k2. I have no skills for any of this.


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The riding was the easy part, but she never let her pony get above a light trot, and always made sure she came to a complete stop before striking at her targets. It would be best if she didn't fall from her horse.
 
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"Your skill does you honor, Laichao-san," Liyan says when she recovers her breath. Running does not agree with her. Though her loss is not unexpected, it is disappointing and she is hard pressed not to let that disappointment shine through in her behavior.


After lunch, she takes tea alone. It is improper, and it is wasting an opportunity to learn more about another of her co-contestants, but she needs to get herself under control. She loses herself in the motions of the ceremony, still filling the other cup, despite the lack of a guest to drink it. The ceremony is meditative, its clearly defined motions serving both to let her rest, and remind her of her and her Clan's connection to the rest of the Empire.


Once she has composed herself to her satisfaction, she smiles slightly. Horsemanship, the contest where she will be able to give all that she is, because it is the contest where she can bring Matsukaze. In many ways, the bond she shares with her steed is as much a part of her right arm, and competing without him has felt a bit like competing with one arm tied behind her back.


***** ***** ***** ***** *****


Being paired with Laichao-san again gives her a smug satisfaction that she quickly stomps out. It is not an honorable thought, but getting restitution so quickly means more to her than she had expected. "I am sure you will perform admirably, Laichao-san," she says, trying desperately to keep the smugness out of her smile. "It is no shame to be defeated by a superior opponent, and I have trained with Matsukaze since he was old enough to carry me. It is hardly an even contest."


When the signal is given, they fly into motion, moving together seamlessly as if they were truly one flesh rather than merely one spirit. Liyan feels every movement of the stallion beneath her, guiding his well-honed instincts with her intellect.

A: 15+9+8(+7) = 39


B: 15+14+13(+7) = 49


C: 9+9+9(+7) = 34


D: 7+7+5+5(+7) = 31


E: 24+9+8(+7) = 48


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Okakura approaches Mikuru after the race is over. "I thank you Mikuru-sama for your assistance earlier, I fear that I would have been unable to complete the challenge if not for you. I will tell a tale in your honour this evening at the Poisoned Water." He bows and limps away, sick to the stomach at the prospect of the next test.


*****


Horsemanship. Okakura knew this test was coming, but he had pushed it to the edge of his mind, ignoring the terrifying problem in his future. Now, standing in front of this huge lump of accident waiting to happen his nerve is tested to the limit. He turns to Miya Shikan, to concede the point, when he sees Tekaru's oily smile in the corner of his eye. Steeling himself against the fear and gritting his teeth from the pain he gracelessly scrambles atop the pony. With his right leg stuck out and away from the horse's side Okakura coaxes the docile beast into a slow walk, wanting nothing more than to complete the task without being unhorsed.

All rolls are 3k3, all have a penalty of 10 applied to their TN


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Ameiko laughs softly, as she raises a hand over her mouth to hide that she is politely- then smiles and holds out a hand to help him up. "It truly seems so- as always, the Spirits of fire ignited in my breast, it seems- and lent me the strength I needed. You where an honorable opponent, and I am truly glad to have competed against one so tough. I am sure you will one day serve your clan and family well." As she turns and leaves to meditate between the Competitions, eating only a small meal before going in to the Gardens to meditate, and ponder the nature of life, honor, and the competition before her.


---------


And soon, she is out at the field, and staring at the horse. While she is confident in her skill with a blade, she has never touched a bow before- and riding a horse is a foreign notion to her. She closes her eyes, and takes in a deep breath. She has been told when to do what, and that will be enough, she prays. She looks to her opponent, and frowns- before approaching.


"Kitsuki-San, are you alright? Don't worry- I've never ridden a horse either!" She smiles, faintly. "I'm sure you will do fine- so don't worry! Look- you are shaking! Alright- listen. I invite you to take tea with me, after we finish our race- regardless of who wins, yes?"


So saying, she smiles, and places a hand to her heart before bowing- and then goes to try and mount her horse.

Rollls! Opening with the In-between Meditation... Then a Courtier, to soothe Kitsuki a bit, maybe?


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THe Double Roll was Accidental- as was using the wrong dice. xD


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Hiruma Fumiko vs Akodo Touma


The only ponies Fumiko has ever encountered are likely to be the lame tributes from the Yasuki that are tied to stakes as oni bait, and unfortunately, it seems that Fumiko drew a particularly high-spirited one. It takes all her effort to guide it around the course, leaving little time for her to actually swing and shoot at the targets. In contrast, Touma seems to have gotten a docile, experienced mare that compensates for his lack of experience in mounted combat. The rest is an adequate performance by him, and wins him the point.


As he passes Fumiko, he nods curtly before riding off. Is that his way of showing respect? Or is he mocking her?

19, 20, 22, 27, 15


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Asahina Mikuru vs Shiba Kimita


Mikuru is disheveled and looks panicked as she arrives, almost late, to the racecourse. Suzuha is with her; they both look worried. The Asahina maiden doesn't seem to know what to do with herself or with the katana or bow she's been given for this. But that was only to be expected; she's a shugenja from the most pacifistic family in Rokugan. Kimita acquits herself admirably in her run, guiding her mare in a slow, easy canter up and down the course which gives her plenty of time to strike the targets and nearly miss with the bowshot. In the end, she is awarded the point.


She looks really out of it; Mikuru vanishes as soon as the event concludes.






10 12 19 13 4


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Kitsuki Kiyomi vs Isawa Ameiko


"I... I'm grateful for your offer, Ameiko-s-san," Kiyomi stammers. Judging by the way her body is trembling and the way she's eying her horse, which is harrumphing loudly and pacing the ground, she must be afraid of them. She nearly screams as it trots over to nuzzle her hair. Kiyomi is lucky in that her mount seems to like her a lot; Ameiko's is much less cooperative, but even with it turning away from the target at the worst of times, she still manages to impress the judges enough to get the point.


The Dragon maiden is shaking and pale-faced after she dismounts, trying her best not to show the wobbling in her legs as she smiles weakly to Ameiko.


"Well... well ridden, Ameiko-san. I think I will appreciate that tea ceremony after all..."


Saying so, she hobbles away, clinging to a wall as she goes.






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Akodo Okakura vs Bayushi Takeru


"Having difficulty mounting up, Okakura-san?" Takeru says airily. "Would you like some help?"


Bayushi watches with a benign smile on his face as Okakura struggles to urge his mount on with his reins and his unresponsive lower legs. He has the most utterly condescending expression as Okakura nearly falls off after the near miss with the sword, and he applauds softly as the Lion comes in for the final stretch.


"An admirable performance, all things considered. Your efforts must surely reflect well upon your house..."


With that, he effortlessly saddles up on his pony, and walks her through a technically flawless (though hardly outstanding) run of the course. It isn't particularly impressive, but compared to Okakura, nearly everything would be.


Thankfully, Takeru simply nods to the crippled Lion in silence before riding off.






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Shinjo Liyan vs Laichao


Laichao looks warily at his horse, hunkering down, trying to speak to it, even letting Shinjo climb on to try and establish some kind of rapport. It doesn't seem to work, and when he comes out of the starting docks, he's mounted backward with his monkey steering it around. He doesn't seem comfortable at all in the saddle and eventually he resorts to just standing on horseback to swing his katana and fire his bow. It works for the former, but he hits poorly on the second. As he comes back in, bent double over the saddle, much sniggering and raising of eyebrows comes from the audience, while Miya Shikan quietly shakes his head in the corner.


Liyan, on the other hand... her handling of Matsukaze is nothing short of perfect. She sweeps through the course like the wind, sinking an arrow into the second target before the first even hits the ground after being cloven by a devastating strike from the sword. She wins a mighty accolade indeed - the Emperor, watching from his spectator box above the course, rises to applaud her skill. There is no question whatsoever that she has won this round.


On the way back, Moto Batukhan nods to her, and smiles. "All we can do is fight for second place," he says. Laichao, on the other hand, is dodging kicks from his horse, which has finally thrown him off. A sour-faced Touma looks at Liyan with jealousy and then to Laichao.


"Judging by your performance out there, even a monkey could ride better than you," he scowls.


"Yeah, why do you think I brought Shicchan along- whoa!"


He narrowly ducks under a hoof before the stablehands finally manage to bring the horse in.






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The rest of the pairings proceed without incident. Teppeki is far too big for his horse, though his massive size means he just has to lean by to utterly demolish the target in one swing. Saemi, on the other hand, rides with skill and grace, though she is not fit to even touch Liyan's shadow, winning the point.


Takezo's immaculate sword form is somewhat ruined by his unsteady riding gait, but Morita's imexperience with weapons shows. Still, the latter is a surprisingly capable rider, and takes the point from Takezo just from the technical skill of his horsemanship.


Suzuha seems to be omnicompetent, if not omnipotent; she rides adequately, but is no match at all for Moto Batukhan and his Ujik-hai horseback combat techniques. He scythes the sword target down with his massive scimitar and sinks an arrow into the target while riding away from it. He doesn't quite have the flair that Liyan does, but he shows why the Unicorn cavalry is the best in Rokugan.


Following that, the proceedings adjourn for a short break. The next event is one of scholarly learning, due to take place in the Dojo of Reflections, located outside the Kakita Duelling Academy's library and meditation pond. The results of the horsemanship event are tallied up, and these are the final results.


Hiruma Fumiko - 2


Hida Teppeki - 1


Doji Suzuha - 2


Asahina Mikuru - 2


Kitsuki Kiyomi - 3


Mirumoto Takezo - 1


Akodo Okakura - 2


Akodo Touma - 2


Isawa Ameiko - 4


Shiba Kimita - 2


Yogo Saemi - 2


Bayushi Takeru - 3


Shinjo Liyan - 3


Moto Batukhan - 2


Laichao - 2


Morita - 2


The contestants have an hour or so of free time before they are reconvened...





At this point, you can go bug NPCs and stuff, unless you'd like me to move on.
 
Kimita crossed the finish line. If it had been anyone else in the tournament, she doubted she would have earned her point. It did little to raise her pride, but looking at Mikuru she realized that something was wrong. Not just that she was uncertain on the horse, a samurai should not show fear in this way. Mikuru should know better, something else had to be wrong.


Mikuru tried to disappear from the contest the second she finished the contest. Kimita had waited to let her finish with some pride and went to approach her as she ducked away from sight. Kimita went in pursuit, trying to keep an eye on the girl and her kimono as she ducked her way through the crowd. If something was wrong, Kimita wanted to try to help.
 
Fumiko is unsure of the Akodo's intent but if it makes him underestimate her in other area's that was all the better. In any case she moved off to prepare for the next event without a word.
 
As she rides through the course, Liyan is smiling rather more blatantly than is appropriate for a samurai, but she doesn't care. She feels the bond between her and Matsukaze whenever the stallion is close, whenever they are riding, but running through the course before the Emperor makes it positively scream through every fiber of her being.


She flings out her katana and returns it to its sheath in one fluid motion with an alacrity that would have made a Kitsuki proud if done on foot. Everything just comes easier to her when she is not alone, not limited to her own two feet. The archery target is even less of an effort, her every movement coming as naturally to her as breathing or laughing, and it is all she can do to not do the latter.


As she thunders towards the finish line, she allows herself a quick look around, Laichao has yet to get a hold of his bow, the man is talented but it is clearly the first time he's trying this from horseback, she smiles mildly as her gaze continues and reaches the Emperor. He is standing up. He is standing up and applauding. The Son of Heaven is standing up and applauding her! Had she been walking, she would have been stopped dead in her tracks, but fortunately, Matsukaze is more composed than she and her grin simply splits her head in two as she gives the final ride every last ounce of effort she has to offer.


OOOOO


Once she has her glee under control and the others complete their courses, she is pleased to see that the Emperor does not rise for anyone else. It is petty of her, she admits, but by blessed Shinjo herself, it feels good to be the best, and recognized as the best. Spotting her clansman and his defeated competitor, she approaches them.


"You have some talent, Suzuha-san," she says pleasantly, "with hosemanship as with everything else you seem to put your hand to." She hesitates, looking first to Batukhan, and then to where Mikuru disappeared before returning her gaze to the Crane before her, "I cannot help noticing that Mikuru-san is distraught, is there any way in which I could be of assistance?"
 
Bleh, thought more people would want to reply. Oh well!


Shinjo Liyan


Suzuha seems upset when Liyan comes to her; it's amazing how fast she can brighten her face up and present a perfect smile to the Unicorn even when taken by surprise.


"I can only thank my instructors for that; they were insistent that I master the basics for a great deal of the curriculum. For your part, I believe you caught the Emperor's attention? One would have to be blind to not be impressed by your horsemanship."


When the topic goes to Mikuru, Suzuha sighs.


"I believe you remember the events of last night, when Mikuru claimed to have been accosted by a giant rat? Well, it seems that she was so badly startled that she lost a very valuable personal item and only realised it upon waking this morning. When she woke, she immediately rushed over to search for it, even dragging me into it, but so far, neither of us have turned up anything. If you wanted to help, perhaps three pairs of eyes and hands would work better than two..."


Shiba Kimita


Mikuru squeaks as Kimita tracks her down. "Ah, awawawa... ah... Kimita-san, you... you did well on your ride, I... well, I've never been on a horse before, and..."


The Crane girl seems to be coming to pieces as she goes on.


"I... I was wondering, can you speak to the kami of the earth? They don't seem to like me, and I can't get them to talk..."
 
I'm sorry! I meant to, I really did!


Ameiko smiles softly, as she calmly takes the other woman by the hand. "It's alright, okay..? Don't worry." As she replaces the wall with herself, in terms of objects being leaned on- and smiles comfortingly to the other woman.


She leads the other woman to a small, tranquil area in the Gardens- having already signaled servants to begin preparing to bring her and her new friend Tea. She smiles, at the other woman. "So- Kitsuki-San, you are from the Dragon Clan..? I know little of your clan- perhaps we could tell each other stories of our homelands, to ease each other's nerves and relax the Tension from the race atop those ... awful, beasts..?" Even as Tea is brought- and she begins to serve for both of them.


[dice]5985[/dice]
 
"Mine insisted on the same," Liyan says, trying not to burst with self-satisfied smugness. The Emperor noticed me! "Though they naturally put more emphasis on horsemanship. I am sure you will eclipse us all when the time comes for the Iaijutsu tournament."


On the subject of Mikuru, she frowns slightly, "that does sound distressing. I would be happy to help, though I should let Matsukaze get back to his stall first," she says, caressing the stallion's neck with a smile that contains gratitude as well as smugness.
 
Fumiko looks about after her recent loss and decides it is a good time to go for a walk an clear her head to prepare for the next event. If nothing else perhaps she can learn more about her Crane foes--especially Doji Suzuha, who interests Fumiko in ways she cannot describe.
 
Sorry, been a bit busy recently. I'll keep my posting rate up with the rest of you from now on.
Okakura pays little attention to the rest of the pairings after his match, Takeru's taunts gnawing on his mind. He leaves quickly after the contest ends, choosing not to talk with his peers after his back to back failures. He knows that some of his competitors have been meditating and taking tea between contests, but he never could find the calm in meditation that others seemed to, and his leg prevented him from serving tea optimally, considering the amount of kneeling required. He continues walking aimlessly, selfishly allowing himself to let himself be consumed by his self pity and grief, instead of preparing for the next competition.


With a huge effort he pulls himself out of his well of misery and takes a look around. His restless feet appear to have carried him to the site of Mikuru's drama last night. It looks much nicer in the day, with the tense atmosphere banished by the sun. He decides to have a look at the hedge, looking for any signs that there was indeed a bipedal-rat-thing as Mikuru claimed last night.


[dice]6019[/dice]
 
"You did well for your first time, Mikuru-San. You almost bested me." Kimita bows with respect to her fellow Shugenja. "But you seem more affected than just riding on a horse."


When Mikuru explains the Earth Kami not speaking to her, she nods in understanding. "Does this have anything to do with the prior night. I had heard that something approached you. Did the Kami abandon you before that event?" If she were going to speak with the Kami, she needed as much information as the young woman would offer her. Not enough information and the Kami might decline to speak with her further.


Pulling a scroll from her pouch, she calls to the Void again. The words were familiar to her, but until this week, she had rarely had the need for the prayer.

4k2, TN10, Result 12, +3 Void


[dice]6055[/dice]
 
Isawa Ameiko


Slowly, as she goes through the ritual forms with Ameiko, Kiyomi begins to calm down and returns to a somewhat more dignified state.


"I apologize that you had to see such a shameful display," Ameiko-san, she says in between sips of the tea. "Just... when I was young, I was thrown by a horse, and... well. We don't all wear our scars on the outside, after all. But let us not speak of such unpleasant things. I was born near Kiyo-Mikagami-Ko* and my father named after the lake, and in the hope that I would see things truly. Since I was a girl, it was decided that I would enter the Kitsuki-ryu and learn the technique of deduction. But until then..."


She smiles wistfully, remembering the past fondly.


"Mirror Lake, as they called it, sat in the middle of a forest. I listened to the soughing of the wind between the branches and played in its cool, clear waters. The ground was gravelly and uneven, so few horses ever went there, and you couldn't sneak up on people without being heard. My mother said that it was the best place in the world to be. Perhaps she was tired of the legacy of her Scorpion heritage. But I fear I have monopolized this conversation for too long; how about your home, Ameiko-san?"


* Clear Water Mirror Lake


** Kiyomi can be read as "Clear Sight"


Shinjo Liyan


"That's likely," she grins. "But... to be honest, Fumiko and yourself are good warriors too. To say nothing of Takezo and Touma... Takezo's practically an idiot savant when it comes to the sword, and Touma... well, you've seen his aggression. It's kind of scary. I wonder why he isn't part of the Matsu... oh, right. The Matsu only want girls. And... I'd appreciate any help you could give with Mikuru. She's a dear friend and it seems a silly thing to cry about, but the Asahina place great value on the produce of their school..."


She smiles to the Unicorn.


"I'll meet you at the place afterward; I should get to searching myself."


Hiruma Fumiko


Fumiko's head-clearing session leads her through a peaceful stand of trees with twittering birds, rustling leaves, and the an over-sized bipedal murine staying very still in a bush, betrayed only by the twitch of a tail...


Wait a minute.


The giant rat seems to notice that she's noticed, and scampers off into the undergrowth. What will she do?


Akodo Okakura


In the daylight, it's much easier to make out details. For one, the prints of a gigantic ratlike being are clearly visible on the earth, as is the burrow in the nearby bush where it might have escaped. Just as he considers entering, he notices a flash of movement coming from the distance. It's Suzuha, with sleeves rolled up and hair tied back.


"Hello, Okakura-san," she smiles. "What brings you here?"


Shiba Kimita


"Ahhh... well... the Earth kami have never really liked me much, or, for that matter, the graduates of the Asahina-ryu. We're attuned to the spirits of the Air, and... well, the Kami are strange creatures, and they probably feel snubbed by us. I tried asking the Air kami, but they were playful and evasive, and I couldn't get anything out of them."


The Void proves to be as silent as the Earth is to Mikuru; only in this case it is expected, for there are no Void kami. Instead, what Kimita sees is a stream of images, possibly unrelated:


- Morita, gesturing to the earth and thrusting a hardened pillar of earth up from the ground -


- Mikuru admiring herself in a shiny mirror of black glass, which preserves the images of those captured within it -


- Laichao, hanging onto a chain of monkeys as they reach down for a distant black amulet -


- An inhuman shadow looming behind her, and Mikuru's soundless scream as she sees it -


- Takezo, staring into the mirror, only the mirror's reflection is scowling and hateful -


- Ameiko, being watched from a distant place, as she conjures up a magnificent flame sculpture -

I'm assuming this is a generic Commune spell since there is no Calling the Void spell.
 
Liyan gives a faint smile, "perhaps, but knowledge of the sword is not knowledge of Iaijutsu, and I do not think aggression will avail Touma any more than it did Matsu when the Empire was young." Then she nods and says, "I will see you there."


Part of her wants to rush back and just leave Matsukaze for the stableboys, but she quickly dispels such notions. More haste, less speed, is one of the lessons drilled into young Unicorns; if you race your horse and cause him to break a leg, you will be late. Thus it is at a brisk walk she leads her steed into the stables before taking off the saddle and caring for him.


Despite takeing the time to do things properly, Liyan is soon on her way to site of last night's commotion.
 
Sorry, the spell was 'Drawing the Void' not calling the Void. It gives me 3 Void, 2 to refill what I used and an extra that I was going to use immediately on Commune: Earth. I can ignore the rest of the post about calling on the void, since I was imprecise on the words I used.
"Quickly, what is the questions you would ask of the Kami of he Earth?" Hopefully the woman was as certain as she was afraid. The question would need to be precise to get any true information from the Earth Kami. They were notorious for answering what they wanted as a question, focusing on obscure facts or overly mundane concepts. She began her spell to commune with the Earth Kami, right where they were standing. A pinch of peat as an offering, a small ball of moss was all she needed with her prayer.


"Keep them simple but precise. I will see what I can do to coax an answer from them. But the Earth does not dwell on emotions and sympathies, like Air." As she finishes her spell, she hopes that she was able to speak with the Kami, that they would understand the need for answers, and would accept the small offering she made as a sign of good will. "What is it you wish to ask?"

Commune:Earth, Raise:Clarity, TN 15, roll 4k2, using Void to add +1k1 (5k3)


Result 19


[dice]6100[/dice]
 
Fumiko moves over near the bushed and speaks in voice in the few words she knows in Nezumi, as she does she keeps her eyes focused elsewhere so that is she is seen she can simply pretend she was praying," Konichiwa, my friend I hope you recognize me as a friend, your business here so far from where you would be safe must be urgent. I hope you will accept my aid and trust?"


[dice]6101[/dice] 15---rolling in case it is needed.
 
Okakura smiles back at the Crane. "Nothing but my wandering feet and absent mind," he replies. "When I found myself here I decided to take a look around might banish some of the mystery of last night, especially with a clear head and the light of day to assist me." He gestures at the hole, followed by the tracks. "Whatever it was that startled Mikuru-san last night was indeed large and bipedal. The tracks appear to be rodent-like as well." As he turns back to Suzuha he smiles, "I would ask what strange coincidence brought you here, Suzuha-san." His eyes light up devilishly as he continues, "but that could probably be misconstrued."
 
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