The New Winds

Please conduct your match here

Yasuki Ginkarasu negotiates with the horse he's given for the contest. Apples. Juicy, juicy apples, if Ginkarasu doesn't end up falling off.

He manages to get to the starting line at least, bowing a bit in order to greet Kenji. "Kenji-sama! Don't go easy on me! Let's both do our best, okay?"

It seems like the promise of apples keeps the horse focused enough for the young Yasuki to keep the horse mostly content, if only barely.

And then some fruit vendor wanders by the horsemanship competition with some apples on sticks. His horse veers off course suddenly and Ginkarasu tosses the vendor 2 zeni and grabs a couple sticks in order to tempt the horse back on course. Thankfully that does the trick as it speeds up significantly around the course!

****************
Ring: Fire
D3 Horsemanship: Animal Handling / Intelligence, TN 15: Void, Honor Roll: 6d10o10k3 17
D3 Horsemanship: Horsemanship (Rokugani Pony) / Agility 2 Raises TN 25: 5d10o10k4 30
Unlucky: D3 Horsemanship: Horsemanship (Rokugani Pony) / Agility 2 Raises TN 25: 5d10o10k4 36 = 6 Topaz Points
D3 Horsemanship: Flag - Athletics / Agility 2 Raises TN 30: 7d10o10k4 32 = 5 Topaz Points
D3 Horsemanship: Start - Horsemanship (Rokugani Pony) / Agility TN 20: 5d10o10k4 37 = 2 Topaz Points
D3 Horsemanship: Lance Ring: Animal Handling / Agility, Void for Skill, Nobuko Bond: TN 25: 6d10o10k4 30 = 1 Topaz Point
D3 Horsemanship: Horsemanship (Rokugani Pony) / Agility, Aiichiro Bond TN 25: 6d10o10k4 41 = 2 Topaz Points

Total Topaz Points before Victor known: 16 Topaz Points

Kenji thought about whether he should ignore the instruction of Utaku Sensei, but he just couldn't bring himself to resist a sensei.

He could feel the horse's reluctance towards him when he saw it for the first time. This will be great, he thought.

"I will do my best," he replied to Ginkarasu before he prepared himself for the coming catastrophe.

At first it looked good, the horse just let himself be ridden to the flag and back, but when it came to launching the ring it became difficult. The beast just didn't want to follow him and on top of it all, he didn't want to be ridden at all anymore!

Slowly the emotional pressure Kenji felt became unbearable. His parents were right, he was nothing but a disappointment. He bowed shortly before Ginkarasu and disappeared as fast as possible, he didn't want to be seen and certainly didn't want to talk to anyone.

----

D3 EA Not listening to the Sensei Idealistic TN 25: 3d10o10k3 18 <- Fail

Ring: Fire

D3 EA Animal Handling/Intelligence TN 15 VP for Phantom Rank: 3d10o10k2 10

Riding to the Flag: D3 EA Horsemanship/AgilityTN 25: 5d10o10k4 25
Grabbing the Flag: D3 EA Athletic/Agility TN 30: 7d10o10k4 32
Ride the course to the start: D3 EA Horsemanship/AgilityTN 30 +VP: 6d10o10k5 34
Ride the course to the ring and lance it:

1. D3 EA Animal Handling/AgilityTN 35: 4d10 28
2. D3 EA Animal Handling/AgilityTN 35: 4d10 18
3. D3 EA Animal Handling/AgilityTN 35: 4d10 18
4. D3 EA Animal Handling/AgilityTN 35: 4d10 23
5. D3 EA Animal Handling/AgilityTN 35: 4d10 16

Return to the start:

1. D3 EA Horsemanship/AgilityTN 35: 5d10o10k4 18
2. D3 EA Horsemanship/AgilityTN 35: 5d10o10k4 25
3. D3 EA Horsemanship/AgilityTN 35: 5d10o10k4 29
4. D3 EA Horsemanship/AgilityTN 35: 5d10o10k4 19
5. D3 EA Horsemanship/AgilityTN 35: 5d10o10k4 31

Ginkarasu took a few steps after the retreating Kenji, but ultimately stopped.

His friend needed time. And a way to use failures to build towards success.

It was a decision about whether or not you had to be perfect in all things.

******
Ginkarasu is the sad for his friend victor. 26 Topaz?