>"Yeah, it's only fair that we come up with other names. So, does she look competent, Momiji?"
>Whatever she answers, watch to see what happens. In particular, watch for cheating, mundane or otherwise.
>Your Momiji offers up a sigh as she smiles. "It seems that... 'Momicchi' might come in handy." she suggests dryly.
>The captain gives the Long-nose an appraising look as her doppelganger and her opponent reach the wide circle in the grass. "Kohebi. Call the time." the other Momiji calls out. The snake youkai moves to join her as the tengu called 'Rat' draws her two short blades and brandishes them in front of her.
>"Yes." Momiji answers your question as she studies the Long-noses' stance. "She's confidant, but her stance is relaxed. Honoka, she's fought Momiji before, hasn't she?"
>The cloaked youkai nods. "She is frequently called upon to demonstrate what a non-White Wolf is capable of in the martial arts."
>"How do they usually- Never mind." Momiji's question is interrupted when her counterpart draws her armaments. While the shield she carries is the same as the one from your world, this Momiji wields a different sword. This one has a black handle, and its curved blade is tinted a mixture of white and a cold blue. "Is that a frostbranded weapon?"
>Honoka nods. "As I understand, it was a gift to her from a sightless blacksmith."
>"Karen." Momiji says with a smile. "In any timeline, she looks after me. I assume that the time is five minutes?"
>"Ten."
>"Ten minutes." Momiji studies the two tengu again, now circling each other warily. "It won't last that long." she says to you. "Not ten minutes. The Long-nose looks good, but I can already tell that this Momiji is much better than I am. She'll have this 'Rat' in the dirt before ten minutes."
>If Momiji's doppelganger's victory is assured, it doesn't show in the opening blows of the duel. Three times the Long-nose darts in, her blades flashing, and although three times they fail to touch Momiji's skin, so too does Momiji fail to make contact with her opponent. The wirey tengu is far more acrobatic than you've ever seen a Long-nose demonstrate, springing around the circle, cartwheeling and handspringing at points, making Momiji's sword strike naught but air. She even goes on the offensive with these circus-like moves, driving her joined feet forward or sometimes her twin daggers, forcing Momiji either to block with her shield or give ground.
>"Gods." you Momiji breathes. "She's making me work for it."
>"You mean her." Honoka corrects solemnly.
>"Right, sorry."
>And it seems to be a fair fight, too. Your eyes are very keen, and they show you no sign of any improper conduct on the part of the Long-nose fighter. She seems to be the more dexterous of the two, which negates the edge Momiji has in raw strength. She's not fast enough to keep someone as skilled as Momiji from scoring hits completely, but she is skilled enough to blunt Momiji's offense, and her deft bladework is just good enough to keep the White Wolf's sword at bay. Twice, Momiji manages to strike the Rat with her shield, but the first strike is nothing more than a glancing blow, and the other is blocked by by of the Long-nose's blades, softening the impact considerably. Only once does the Long-nose seem to make a mistake, putting a bit too much force behind a backhanded swipe with her off-hand blade. As the dagger bounces off Momiji's sword, your eyes detect a faltering of her step when she puts her foot down. She's thrown herself off balance, not by much, but surely enough for a warrior like Momiji to take advantage of. The White Wolf, however, holds back her weapons, allowing Rat to get her footing back before thrusting her sword forward, which is met by a parrying slash from her foe.
>Your Momiji, of course, noticed this as well. "She doesn't want to win." she explains. "It's the duel that matters, not the result. She's showing everyone that it doesn't take a White Wolf to beat a White Wolf."