Nozomi knelt before the three venerable statues, head downcast in supplication. She had sat there for some time after the initial preparations had been completed. Her own prayers done, she turned around and headed to a nearby table draped in Lion colors.

She glanced at the urn and thought of the face within. She shook her head and took a breath. Once again, she was in her most traditional of robes. Her fashion glasses were off and her hair let down, reminiscent of more ancient styles. "Forgive me, please, for my failure to be a Sodan-Senzo. I will send word to have that arranged in more capable hands."

In a certain light, it was fortunate that the temple had so much ready for a funeral service. All of the preparations were ready and so all there was was to wait. As she did, she ran through a list, one that was certainly important for later.

When the time came, she announced, "Greetings. You know why we are here." She gave a curt nod to her Lion brethren and a soft smile to the outsiders. Then her eyes went back to the urn. "It is my privilege to send off the most glorious of us all on this morning." She smiled, only faintly. "From what I knew, she was not a glory hound in the least. But I say: we know that what she had accomplished was not said by a braggart. No, she was a heroine indeed, one that achieved death too soon for me.

"Yes. We are here to honor the passing of Matsu Chiyoko, daughter of," Nozomi began. She listed off a chain of ancestors. Perhaps the non-Lion would find it dreary but certainly none of her fellow Lion. By the end of it, she hid a soft sigh in her sleeve. "Matsu Chiyoko, renowned by the title of Maximum Range, who earned both of these names in the annals first for her deeds on UNE-433. Despite the odds, she destroyed an enemy gunship with but a single shot.

"May we speak her name whenever we need our aim to be true, whenever we need a nudge towards charging into the breach, whenever we need to remain humble despite our accomplishments."

She glanced at her audience. "If anyone would like to add any words," she said, stepping away from the front.

Dress military uniform. Yep, it was that kind of day, and Hide could only hold on the anger and bile at the hosts of this miai for letting this happen. But now was not the time for anger, no, now was time for a solemn moment to send off the better of the two Matsu to meet her ancestors.

The lesser of the two remained. Honestly, she heard those idiot Phoenix talking earlier, confusing the two Matsu up, it probably would have been better that way. Still, she put on a stoic front and decided to take that offer to speak, she was Chiyoko’s only kin at this miai.

Hide took that spot up front and started off these last words. “Good morning, to all those that my kin, Matsu Chiyoko-san, had an impact on in some way. I am Matsu Hide, a cousin to the departed. I admit, I didn’t get to know her very well, but I did look up to her and her reputation amongst the Lion. Both literally and figuratively. She was everything that a Matsu should be: strong, honorable, and loyal beyond measure. A true Matsu and a true hero. Our ancestors are surely proud of her and her last moments on the mortal coil, just as I am to be her kin.”

She then gave a bow before going back to her spot, keeping an eye on the crowd all the while.

It felt absolutely awful to be in another funeral this miai.

Even worse that it was for one she considered a good friend, and whom she had considered to marry - and had things gone differently, she would for certain have wanted to pick Chiyoko to be her partner.

The Battle Maiden looked extremely worn down and exhausted, even with a face full of makeup, as she stood there in her uniform with a band of Lion colors on her arm. Through sheer force of will, she was keeping herself together and maintaining her best stoic facade, but speaking was not something she was able to do right now.

Joo stood behind Nozomi, ready to act in any manner to assist. He didn't knew the samurai-ko well, but all passings were a sad one. He was wearing traditional robes he brought, purple and white as befitting his clan, a gift from his father.

Ruhe didn't know Chiyoko too well, which was a pity, for he didn't know how she'd like to be remembered and how her funeral should be celebrated. But there was a Kitsu who knew such things, so all was well. It was that Kitsu, so probably no alcohol.

Early death was a distinct category in Ruhe's perception of the world and so his mechanisms of coping with it were likely different than most. If it were up to him, he'd just whip out his fiddle and celebrate a valiant death in an epic metal ballad so that Chiyoko's name wouldn't be forgotten and only associated with the good things. This is how he had coped with his father's death, focusing on the good things and giving them an expansive quality that kept ambivalences under wraps. The temptation to live a painful life in the grip of the past was like an abyss glaring just behind, so he wouldn't turn back too often.

Being there, he was untypically solemn and silent, somewhere near Hyeon-ju, who he guessed may have been way more affected by the sudden death. She had his back, and likely the back of the whole remaining Horde of the Miai. And well, he had his fiddle behind his back, just in case the presiding shugenja saw it fit to call for epic musical send-off for a valiant warrior.

Akodo Akihiko had been in the temple from the earliest time the Kitsu would tolerate him, though he stayed observantly out of the way. The pilot looked impeccable in his military dress uniform, down to his carefully polished Crossroads Campaign Ace medallion. But his face was drawn, like he might have been awake all night. And the usually smiling Akodo was unpleasantly quiet, even for the circumstances, suffering in his own thoughts.

When the appropriate time came, Akihiko stepped before the assembled samurai to speak. He takes great care to say all the expected things, conscientious that Chiyoko's sense of duty would demand equal care if the roles were reversed. At one point, he praises her as "famous among our people, but never glory-seeking. In the best tradition of Lion heroes." Akihiko is hardly an Ikoma bard, but his experience speaking to pilots before battle is clear. His skill and voice make what might seem standard Lion funeral remarks ring truer, as is fitting for a special and unique daughter of Matsu.

Toward the end, Akihiko remarks on the presence of the Unicorn on this day. "It is not often that the funeral of a Lion is shared with members of another clan," he notes soberly. "But much like Matsu Chiyoko was an exceptional Lion, this circumstance is exceptional." He pauses. "Like Matsu Chiyoko, we came here to do our duty, seek the strongest match possible for the betterment of our clans. In our last conversation, Matsu Chiyoko-san shared that she hoped her match..." Akihiko has to pause again, the words and the moment seeming too much for him, but he battles through it. "Our friend," he said, voice almost trembling. "Wished. That her match. Would be a union of Lion and Unicorn." He is regaining command of the moment. "And no matter what may come next in our time here, let all samurai know, that in her final duty and her final wish, Matsu Chiyoko was again a hero. Bringing these two clans together by the strength of her honor." The last sentence is noticeably rushed, but still the right note to conclude with. As he steps aside, Akihiko's on remains shaky but unbroken.

The Utaku's On falters somewhat through Akihiko's words, a look of guilt and pain shaping on her features before she lowers her head.

Hyeon-ju knew her duty and what she would do. Chiyoko had been a fine samurai... she would've been honored to have been chosen by her, or to have had the opportunity to choose her, but it seemed it was not meant to be now. And somehow she felt it was her choice.

Now all that was left was to not fail Chiyoko in the coming days of the miai. She wanted to see her friend's wish fulfilled.

Managing to speak, the Battle Maiden's eyes were watery though she managed to keep herself from crying through she force of will. "Matsu Chiyoko-san was a good person. She... she was fierce. Loyal." Her throat clenched a little at the words. "A true friend. An honorable samurai, whom I greatly admire. To... to regret is a Sin, and I will not tarnish her memory and her final moments with those feelings myself, no matter how much I may be tempted to. Instead, I will face forward, as she would have - to bring honor to my clan, to bring honor to her name and her memory."

"If... if our situations had been reversed, it would have been my greatest honor that my final breaths had been by her side - a noble samurai who did not flinch in the face of danger." Hyeon-ju could only hope that Chiyoko did not feel ashamed of her Unicorn friend for having retreated from the battle, even if it had been to assure that Chiyoko would not fall into the hands of the crazed man.

Having no more words, Hyeon-ju bowed to those gathered, and gave a nod to her fellow Unicorn - grateful for their presence.

Nozomi gazed upon Hyeon-ju for a long moment after she had finished speaking. The priestess looked back to the funeral table and then shut her eyes tight. "We have gathered here today so that both of our clans could honor her," she announced. "Indeed, Lion funerals are usually kept more... insular. But we were unanimously certain that she would want more invitees as a gesture of her marriage intentions."

She then turned back to Hyeon-ju and dipped her head. "Thank you for confirming her feelings, all of our feelings, about the worthiness of your clan."