(IRR) Turn 1: The Emerald Contest

[Knight Otu]

The last duel. Against Utaku Xieng-Chi, a battle-maiden. She defeated Kakita Kaiten of the Crane clan. Again, Tsukune would face an Unicorn.

The deciding duel. Was she fit for the Emerald Championship? Much could depend on it. She had given away the title of the Clan Daimyo to Isawa Akahita, who saw himself as a renewer. Her armor was a reflection of this. Red, almost like blood. It would be unthinkable to wear it under normal circumstances, but these were not normal circumstances.

She trusted Akahita, even though she was unhappy to leave the position. The Elemental Council had no interest in her arguments, however. Maybe if she could win the Emerald Armor...

The duel. Nothing else is important at the moment. The honor of the duel, the outcome.

"Xieng-Chi-San, it is an honor to meet you on these fields. Your skill and grace are great, and your honor is even greater. The empire would be well with you as the Emerald Champion, I have no doubt about it. The follwing duel will determine if it will come so. Should this happen, I would like to talk to you in private about a matter that involves one of the participants of the Test."

 

[Lichtenhart]

"Utaku-san," he looks at her for a second longer, his speed of reduced to a maimed crawl, "I will accept, but how will it help us?"

"Should I win the test, you'll have the fealty of the Emerald Champion, your lord will be pleased and your honor will be spotless. Should I not win, I'll repay the offence you've taken with the rest of my life, or with my life, as you'd like to decide. Let's meet again in my tent. We should not speak here anymore."

Xieng-Chi bows in front of the judges and leaves the field, looking back at Kaiten's face only for a moment, a tear in her eyes as her hair wave in the wind.

OOC: Knight Otu, I'll post about the duel as soon as I solve this matter with Festy.

 

[Knight Otu]

OOC: Sure, I'll wait.

 

[Festy_Dog]

Kaiten bows to the judges as well, before following Xieng-Chi back to her tent.

"Utaku-san," he says, "You certainly know what you are doing here, the problem solving skills you display are excellant, but should we become married I would like to think of it as something to bind and strengthen the ties of our clans, not as some kind of punishment upon you for a mistake made by the judges. This is a blessing for you, take advantage of that, you have been spared from defeat. Please allow me to help you prepare for the next duel, your victory in that would be a victory for both of us. But Utaku-san, there is one pre-requisite I ask for if we are to be married: should you win we share the role of Emerald Champion, that is good, but should you lose as your husband I will share your burden of defeat, that makes it better. In the end it would be dishonorable to let you suffer alone for a mistake you didn't make."

If Xieng-Chi allows Kaiten will generally try to improve her chances of winning with methods and tips taught to Crane duelists.

Now the Unicorn and Crane are truly in this together...... he thinks to himself.

 

[Knight Otu]

Shiba Tsukune prepared for the last duel. Utaku Xieng-Chi, an Unicorn battle maiden. She managed to defeat Kakita Kaiten, a Crane. A skilled duelist. And still, she had been faster.

Speed would do no good against her. Concentration. Feel when she draws her blade.

Nothing else is important now in this moment, except the duel, the honor, the blade.

Drawing the katana just a split second after her opponent. Striking the blade aside. Not let it touch the mon, and of course not her body. Then strike for the mon. It should happen in a single move.

 

[Knight Otu]

bump.

 

[Serpenteye]

ooc:
Perhaps a deadline would help speed things up. And if that deadline is not met the DM could judge in favour of the active poster, or if neither poster is active simply roll a die to determine the outcome.

 

[Creamsteak]

ooc:
Perhaps a deadline would help speed things up. And if that deadline is not met the DM could judge in favour of the active poster, or if neither poster is active simply roll a die to determine the outcome.

I was thinking of something more vengeful, but it looks like I'll just end the turn mid-battle if nobody posts by monday. It's time to clean the IR up, and try getting things on the right track.

 

[Serpenteye]

I approve wholeheartedly.

 

[Lichtenhart]

The last duel. The last fight. And now she has the burden to defend the honor of two clans, rather than one.
Kaiten is a good man. He will be a good husband. It could have been worse.
Nonetheless, even while she says this to herself, she thinks with horror at the day she'll have to leave the leather of her armor for the silk of a noble kimono, the steel of her sword for for the painted wood of a precious fan, the freedom with her horse for a prison in a castle...
Xieng-chi, you're stronger than this. Kamoko accepted the horrors of the shadowlands to save our honor. You can accept this. You will accept this. No need for words, in the way of the Utaku.
She steps on the battlefield, savouring the wind that makes the banners of the Clan and the Empire wave proudly in the wind.
Tsukune is already there, ready as always. She bows deeply to her opponent, then answer her salute.

"Xieng-Chi-San, it is an honor to meet you on these fields. Your skill and grace are great, and your honor is even greater. The empire would be well with you as the Emerald Champion, I have no doubt about it. The following duel will determine if it will come so. Should this happen, I would like to talk to you in private about a matter that involves one of the participants of the Test."

"Tsukune-sama, I'm sure your salute will warm my heart in the years to come. To hear such words from a bushi whose wisdom is revered even in Tengoku honors me greatly. I hope to prove myself worth of such a salute, cause you surely will. I also hope that , no matter the result of this duel, we'll have the chance to fight together for the Empire's glory. May the blessings of the Kami always accompany you."

Xieng Chi tries now to recollect all that Kaiten taught her last night. The style of the Kakita duelists can only be mastered with years of practice, but Kaiten gave her many precious little pieces of advice.
Look carefully at how your enemy carries his sword, and you'll know his prefered direction to attack.
Look also at the shadows on the battlefield, if your strike comes from the direction of the sun, he won't be able to see it.
Don't look too much at the target of your strike, or he'll be able to read it in your eyes.
Remember who you're fighting: everything you know about your enemy works at your advantage.
She carefully considers these things and many others, without letting her thoughts reach her face. Tsukune won the other duels thank to her concentration, thank to a single perfect strike. Will she be able to recollect her concentration for a second one? Xieng Chi wanted to discover it.
She prepares to use every features of the field, every technique she knows to deflect Tsukune's first strike. Then the real duel will begin. She prepares to dance with her blade, dance with the Fortunes, dance through fate itself.

Will the grace of the wind prevail against the calm of the void? Xieng Chi doesn't know. But she fights for her honor, and this never needed any more words.