Despair and Wisdom: Imperial March

It had been a hectic, noisy day with plenty of activity. Around the camp those soldiers not on evening watch began their various rituals of relaxation. But an army is not only its soldiers but its steeds as well. While those horses trained for war or that had been on campaigns before were unlikely to be bothered by such a flurry of activity there were always fresh, unseasoned horses among the compliment.

It wasn't an assigned duty but Mukai still took it upon herself to spend some time soothing those who had been disturbed by the day. If not acclimating them to such matters at least minimizing the stress they suffered.

As was often the case Hachiko trotted alongside her, without any obvious command or lead, ready to nudge or cajole any of the horses bearing too much strife to be easily approached, in the moment, by human hand. As the skittish steeds calmed she would coax them further with some foraged fruit making sure to give Haciko her due as well - she had earned it.


(D1, Dog - Metagame: Survival/Earth, Animal Bond triggers, -1TN if mount applies | TN: 2 | Success: 3 / Opportunity: 2 / Strife: 0



+2 Strength (+1 if school ability does not apply), -3 Strife, Tidbit 31 (D1, Dog: Tidbit Roll | 2d20 ⇒ 31) )

(I'll allow the School Ability to apply here.)

There was, in fact, another figure in the area with someone trotting after him. Another leader and follower. Though in their case it was less, a Unicorn and her dog, but a General and his bodyguard.

Mirumoto Tekkan, the famed Dragon of Gamanzure no Oka, Rikugunshokan of the entire legion was walking with slow deliberate steps. Walking towards Utaku Mukai.

Mukai quickly tosses the rest of her handful of berries to Hachiko before wiping her hands clean on the side of her travel clothes and, for once in the day, remembers to bow deeply and politely without hesitation. The weight of the importance of not fucking up this position if she ever wanted to show up her family driving her towards the ground swiftly.

"Mirumoto Rikugunshokan-sama!"

Utaku Mukai wrote: ↑

Wed Jun 12, 2024 5:00 am

Mukai quickly tosses the rest of her handful of berries to Hachiko before wiping her hands clean on the side of her travel clothes and, for once in the day, remembers to bow deeply and politely without hesitation. The weight of the importance of not fucking up this position if she ever wanted to show up her family driving her towards the ground swiftly.

"Mirumoto Rikugunshokan-sama!"

While the scary Seppun bodyguard quickly assessed the Utaku's threat level: from assassin to distration for other assassins, the Mirumoto gave a polite nod to the respectful Unicorn.

"Utaku-san."

He paused a moment.

"Join me."

Then he continued the trajectory of his walk, the Seppun positioning himself both to watch for threats, and to tackle the Unicorn to the ground should his initial assessment be off.

While the Utaku definitely moves with the fluidity of a skilled hunter her superior is certainly not her target. If anything she moves like one who is not yet certain if they are prey but she still does not hesitate to fall into step a pace behind the Mirumoto. If he wanted her dead he'd have much easier ways of making it happen. Unless he prefers to get his own hands bloody... But those were paranoid thoughts and easily shed though her concern as to how and why she suddenly had his attention persisted.

It was a quiet walk, neither the general nor his bodyguard seemed to feel the need to fill the time with idle chatter. They walked past the outer patrol line, the patrolling soldiers bowing deeply, to which the general returned as was appropriate. It was not a lengthy walk, but it did take them away from the camp, in the opposite direction of town.

Finally, at some point known only to the general, he stopped walking. He took a deep breath and cast his eyes to the Heavens.

Thankfully silence was a common friend to Mukai. Much more so than the idle chatter, if it had arisen, would have been. As such, despite the odd intrusive thought about being led away from witnesses, Mukai was more comfortable than she might otherwise have expected. She understood that it was considered proper not to speak before one's superior so she could even pretend that was why as opposed to just having nothing of import to say.

Following his example she looked upward... though not so far upward that those who had led her out here were completely out of her sight. She still did not actually expect a sudden attack from either of them but she had spent perhaps more time around beasts than men and some habits were deeply ingrained.

"What do you see, Utaku-san?" came the question from the general. It was a voice that clearly was used to issuing commands and being obeyed, but there was a hint of genuine curiousity in the question as well. Though the general's own gaze upon the sky did not waver....nor did his bodyguard's alertness falter.

So far the stereotypes she had learned had been batting about fifty-fifty she wasn't certain if Dragon were truly as mystical and mysterious as she had heard but, even if not, she suspected he wanted a better answer than 'the sky' or 'stars'. Not being especially inclined towards mystical nor deep thinking she instead went with what she had spent her life observing.

"The stars shift with the seasons but, despite that, overall stay the same even when they seem to fall from the sky. I guess some think they show our future. I can't speak to that other than what they tell us about the next day or two." She then proceeds to note the types of clouds moving across the sky, any haze in front of the moon, how sharp the stars seemed and delivers a fairly accurate assessment of the weather for the next day or two.

(D1, ME: Probably fluff, Survival/Water to survey the skies for weather | TN: ? | Success: 3 / Opportunity: 2 / Strife: 3


If this counts as a downtime roll use the two opportunities towards building friendship. If not I guess they just eat strife)

(Who am I to say you can't build towards a friendship?)

"Countless generations march from cradle to grave underneath Heaven's unwavering gaze." the general muses.

He takes another deep breath, as if drawing in eternity, before returning his gaze down...and towards the Unicorn.

"How fares the second kaisha?" he asks.

She pauses to consider, though it might be mistaken for dwelling on his words, "All seems in order so far. If there are any failings of note I have yet to see them." Another consideration, "Here's hoping that's not then a failing on my part. I might not hold great wisdom but I've still got enough to know there's plenty I don't know. "

That gets a slightly raised eyebrow from the general.

"Humility and self-doubt are both walls. One protects us from the enemy within, one protects the enemy without. We are but raindrops in a storm, falling to the dry earth of history below. And yet, whether the rain is nourishing the crops, or flooding the village, each raindrop matters." the general offers.

He looked at the Utaku, guaging her comprehension.

She did seem to comprehend. She also suspected that he was a bit heavy handed with the metaphor so that she would understand. But if anything she appreciated that as long as it didn't feel like she was being talked down to which she suspects was not the intent. The conversation wasn't the easiest for her to follow, sure, but much less of a headache, so far, than she had feared.

"Then I hope the winds that drive the storm are in our favor... and the favor of where we finally land."

Utaku Mukai wrote: ↑

Wed Jun 12, 2024 6:29 pm

She did seem to comprehend. She also suspected that he was a bit heavy handed with the metaphor so that she would understand. But if anything she appreciated that as long as it didn't feel like she was being talked down to which she suspects was not the intent. The conversation wasn't the easiest for her to follow, sure, but much less of a headache, so far, than she had feared.

"Then I hope the winds that drive the storm are in our favor... and the favor of where we finally land."

If only Mukai's sensei were here to see their pupil conversing so well and understanding so much with such a person.

"The winds." he said simply.

The general closed his eyes for a moment..in thought, or in prayer it was hard to say...there certainly wasn't much wind tonight.

The general opened his eyes once more.

"Which do you favor, Utaku-san?"

He had a rather serious look to his face as he asked his question, though what he was going to divine from such an answer was perhaps unclear.

She pauses to consider her words carefully as politics was even further from her forte than metaphor. Not that she tried to hide, or even couch, her position but just to make sure she didn't actively mess it up.

"I guess I can say I've seen that tradition can hurt as much as it helps. It's a fine north star when there's nothing else but shouldn't trump divine judgment."

Well hopefully that doesn't end my career....

Utaku Mukai wrote: ↑

Wed Jun 12, 2024 7:41 pm

She pauses to consider her words carefully as politics was even further from her forte than metaphor. Not that she tried to hide, or even couch, her position but just to make sure she didn't actively mess it up.

"I guess I can say I've seen that tradition can hurt as much as it helps. It's a fine north star when there's nothing else but shouldn't trump divine judgment."

Well hopefully that doesn't end my career....

The Unicorn's words were much like the wind whistling past a mountain....neither the wind nor the mountain seemed to change very much.

"A fine night for a walk, Utaku-san. Be sure to give your chui my respects." he offered with a nod, before resuming the trek back to camp.

"Of course, Mirumoto Rikugunshokan-sama." She returns with a bow.

She then waits until the commander and his guard are well out of sight before she sighs and rubs her aching temples.

Around that time, a Scorpion could be seen scuttling towards the stable. He had routine to take care of, which meant spending some time with Yudaina. He tossed an apple up and down with one hand, another hidden in his kimono as he approached.

Spying the legion commander leaving, he stopped and stood straight. He bowed as the general and his guards passed, then when it was clear (after several moments as the man walked maddeningly slow and had a whole procession) he walked into the stall area to seek his friend.