Asako Saburo vs Kaiu Aiichiro

[Vutall]

Please conduct your match here

[Kaiu Aiichiro]

Look who it was again! He again bows before mounting his horse. "Such a coincidence. I wish you a good ride, Asako-san." He says looking at the boy, then looking forward.

Ring: Fire
(Day 3, EA) Mandatory Event: Horseback Riding - Animal Handling/Intelligence TN 15: 5d10 22

[Asako Saburo]

"Indeed. It seems fortunes have proclaimed that we are the rivals of our day. I suspect you will fare far better than me today." The Kaiu still seemed a little ... off, and he was finally starting to notice, but there wasn't much he could really do for him under the circumstances. He'd never been especially gifted with Earth spells, and no matter how many times he tried to pray to Jurojin, the fortune wasn't really listening and sent it to the Tengoku equivalent of voice mail.

He looked at the horse sternly, growling low. "I don't like you, horse, and you don't like me. So let's just both agree to play nicely and this little travesty will be over soon," he whispered. The horse nodded its head, wondering what the human was going on about. It liked him just fine. he smelled of carrots. Had he eaten some today? Did he bring treats?

Surprisingly? He managed to mount just fine.

===
Ring: Fire (I swear he isn't picking fire every time, haha. He just didn't want to fall into the mud very very badly)
Mounting a Mangy, Filthy, Flea-bitten Nag: 41 (Apparently this horse likes him.)

[Kaiu Aiichiro]

"Don't worry about it. I'm no Unicorn."
He says, then immediately proceeds to disparate in the horizon towards the flag. The wind flying around his face surely gave him that adventure feeling, and he felt one with his mount.

(Day 3, EA) Mandatory Event: Horseback Riding - Horsemanship/Agility TN 15+5+10 - Two Raises: 6d10o10k5 51 (+5, -5 penalty was removed)

[Asako Saburo]

"I have heard the Crab have cavalry specialists." Ok, so they had one legion, and it never saw the other side of the wall, and it was just because the brother of the current champion was willing to not outshine the great bear. But still, apparently someone knew how to ride. Saburo, meanwhile, gripped the reigns like they were a noose and scowled.

You will not buck me off you wretched creature, and hey... the horse didn't!

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Horsemanship/Agility TN 15: 29, Exceptional Success! +1

Current Totals:
Aiichiro: 7 I think?
Saburo: 2

[Kaiu Aiichiro]

He smiled open. The idea was quite stupid. "Don't count on that!" He replied and attempted to grab the flag with the horse still on full speed. An amazing feat it would be, but he missed by just a few centimeters. Damn it!

Day 3, EA) Mandatory Event: Horseback Riding - Athletics/Agility TN 20 + 3 raises (TN 35): 7d10o10k5 34

[Asako Saburo]

Saburo, meanwhile, was doggedly clenching his knees against the ribs of what may have been the most kind-hearted, tolerant and obedient rokugani pony in the history of rokugani ponies. He wasn't making any speed records here, but his fingers wrapped around the flag with clear enough ease as he tried to get back to the next part of the course.

"This... thing... is trying... to kill me," he hissed through his teeth. No it wasn't. It liked him. he smelled like carrots!

====

Athletics/Agility - TN 20, Void: 51, Exceptional Success +3

Current Totals:
Aiichiro - 7
Saburo - 5

[Kaiu Aiichiro]

"Don't be silly, it's a pony." He replies. "But maybe it is a spirit who is really trying to do so, with the history of this place I wouldn't be surprised either."
Thanks, Aiichiro.
He attempted to make his pony to go faster than Saburo's, but it just tired the poor animal quickly and delayed their return to the starting point.
(Day 3, EA) Mandatory Event: Horseback Riding - Hosemanship/Agility TN 20 + 2 raises: 6d10o10k5 28

[Asako Saburo]

"Given... our history... do not joke about such things. It invites... trouble," he said through clenched teeth. His groin was killing him. Ball slapping nag! It was trying to destroy him from the inside out, and he wanted nothing more than to lance that ring and be done with this infernal test once and for all. The sooner the better.

The pony was thoroughly enjoying itself. Its rider wasn't actually demanding anything more than point a to b and doing much of the work that didn't involve running!

====

Horemanship/Agility (TN 20) - Void: 34, Exceptional Success +1

Current Totals:
Aiichiro: 7
Saburo: 7

[Kaiu Aiichiro]

He makes the pony not slow down around the ring, throwing it with precision over Saburo's. He had fallen behind for a while, but was gaining velocity at the side of the sickly shugenja again. The poor thing should already be tired, and it was a good think that the race was ending quickly for them both — horses do smell.

(Day 3, EA) Mandatory Event: Horseback Riding - Animal Handling / Agility TN 25: 5d10 33

[Asako Saburo]

They smelled, they made unholy noises. His back ached whenever he rode them and he was secretly convinced that they were hellspawn meant to torture mankind for their hubris in commanding such a large empire. He had no idea why the Unicorn tolerated them so much, or how they got them to do everything they wanted.

...or why in Bishamon's name you would breed them to be that large!

Regardless, his rather congenial 'nag' was all too happy to get him to the ring, where he lanced it at least tolerably with the flag.

=====

Animal Handing/Agility TN 25, Void for Skill: 30, Success

Current Totals:
Aiichiro - 8
Saburo - 8

[Kaiu Aiichiro]

He rode back to the start in a somewhat high velocity. The poor horse under him should be getting tired of getting kicked already. But this place had stablemasters to do the animal medicine kind of work. To be honest with himself, he even enjoyed the ride and racing thing. Saburo didn't seem to be taking it dead seriously, which made it even fun.

(Day 3, EA) Mandatory Event: Horseback Riding - Horsemanship / Agility TN 25 - One raise: 6d10o10k5 40

[Asako Saburo]

Finally, at point, the docile creature was just ... well, a little tired and though it probably had more stamina in it, Saburo could not quite convince it to coax full force. Rather than galloping through the finish as expected, it trotted and came to its end with a frustrated but grateful Phoenix ready to be done with the test.

The proctors weren't precisely impressed with either of their performances. Saburo's could best be referred to as 'adequate' while Aiichiro's was more 'unpredictable,' and yet nevertheless it resulted in acceptable results for them both. Neither was exactly expected to be a cavalryman anyway. Aiichiro was named the victor as Saburo got down from the horse and bowed to him, a touch stiffly because... flea. bitten. nags. His horse nosed him once for a treat and finally he sighed and gave it a carrot.

"Well done, Kaiu-san. One to you, one to me. Forgive me, but I should probably take a few steps to prepare before the afternoon's trial. We wouldn't want to attend a court hearing smelling of horses, would we?" At least not outside of Shinjo lands. Once the test was complete and he was permitted recovery, he would seek out a scroll he'd used earlier in the day to call upon and commune with the Void once more, his hand seeming to pluck from ... well, the thin air. And when it was done, he looked relaxed and refreshed again.

====

Horsemanship/Agility TN 25, Void for 1k1: 23, Failure (But is not thrown)

Final Results:

Saburo (Fire) - 9
Aiichiro (Fire) - 12 (+10 for 22 Points awarded as Victor)

Ring Bonuses TBD
Point tallying
Saburo - 4/5 Successes (4) + 4 Exceptional Successes (5)
Aiichiro - 3/5 Successes (3) + 3 Called Raises (6) +3 Exceptional Successes (3)

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Post Event Recovery:
Drawing the Void, 1 FR, 2 CR (TN 20): 59 (+3 Void Points.)