Dojihime arrived wearing the jade necklace her father had in the Shadowlands, this day was going super great.

Super great, thanks for asking.

Real great.

Still she was fashionable.

It's in a different hallway - Ananzihime couldn't stand to stay in the same room after everything was revealed. Dojihime is able to get there easily enough, though.

Anazihime answers the door, expression stoic, but her eyes are tired. She steps aside to let Dojihime in, gesturing to the table where a wonderful-smelling tea is already set out along with some sweet snacks. Once the door was closed and they were both seated, she finally says, "... So. Today happened."

“It did,” Dojihime said with an ease and calm of training and expectation.

“First we have to… see to family,” she offered touching her jade necklace of their father. “There will be questions, lots of questions, and accusations… I will have to clean; no this will be a purge of any that are suspect. On top of caring for Mother.”

“But right now, I just need to know you are… fine.”

"... I don't know the answer to that. Knowing what we did in hindsight..." She pressed her fingers to her mouth briefly and shivered. "It is possible he left Jigoku's mark on my soul. Then there's the dishonor on my family for harboring him... I don't know if Father had any idea."

Nanzi Ananzihime wrote: ↑

Tue Jun 29, 2021 7:19 pm

"... I don't know the answer to that. Knowing what we did in hindsight..." She pressed her fingers to her mouth briefly and shivered. "It is possible he left Jigoku's mark on my soul. Then there's the dishonor on my family for harboring him... I don't know if Father had any idea."

She placed the necklace on the table between them and then said, "Father told me once that Hadananzi was special but I don't think father cold have known that this thing was... that."

"The stain is on the clan, the Nanzi will endure, it falls to me and Mother."

"Perhaps..."

She frowned. "What are you planning to do?"

“Assess our leadership with a critical eye and jade. Once I have purged any adherents of Jigoku then we continue the purge all the way down, and a thorough education on the dangers of Jigoku. Assuming we can shield Mother with the aid of priests and the Nezumi name magic, we can hopefully rely on her wisdom and deft touch to smooth over our public blemishes,” she offered.

“Meanwhile formally organize what few shugenja we have and create a school adept at watching for evil, especially in Court. Assuming the Lion hold to their word, we have a new ally though admittedly a nervous one given what has happened. We will have to be generous and pure in all dealings,” she said ticking off another stance.

“Hisomu Kuni has offered his services to us, we will call that in and utilize his capabilities extensively and then bend it to our methods and philosophy. I will have to send gifts of thanks to each clan that has aided us, generous gifts. Kill them with kindness, as it were. Also we will need to build up our stores of Jade… I know I can convince the Stag to aid us in that.”

“Lastly Uncle Shiba has agreed to my plan to create a group to combat Jigoku, and will back that with everything we have,” she finished, but her mind was still turning.

She nodded. "You know you have my full support. Anything I can provide is yours."

Nanzi Ananzihime wrote: ↑

Tue Jun 29, 2021 8:04 pm

She nodded. "You know you have my full support. Anything I can provide is yours."

“Just having you at my side is more than anyone else can do,” she said honestly reaching for her sister’s hand and then pausing un sure of well... she frowned and said, “I… this is awful.”

Ananzhihime took her hand in both of hers and squeezed gently. She gave a weak half-smiling, her eyes welling up a little bit. "Yes. Yes, it is."

Naturally she tried to wipe the growing tears of her sister as they did when little and said, “The rain will end, and grandmother will return.”

“What will you do, sister. What can I do for you?”

A clap is heard outside the door to the rooms.

Dojihime returned to her more reserved public face.

She sniffed a little and nodded, trying to get herself back under control. "She will. I don't know yet... I suppose it depends on my conditio- oh. Someone is here. We should continue this conversation, but I should answer it."

She took a deep break and got up to answer the door. "Ah- I'm sorry, Isawa-san, I don't believe we've met. I am Nanzi Ananzihime. What can I do for you?"

The returned bow is not as low as to the Emperor, but still low. "My lady. I have been commanded to speak with the spirits about all that happened, and one of the places most likely to find such would be here, in the quarters where... the... where he slept. May I enter, to fulfil the Emperor's command?"

"Ah... I moved rooms. I can direct you to the one we were in before, if you'd like."

"It would be appreciated." Another bow.

"I can remain here, dear sister, unless you prefer otherwise," she offered.

Ananzihime nodded at her sister. "I will be right back." Closing the door behind her, she began leading Kyosei down the hall, back toward her old room.

Kyosei followed. "Will there be any issues with speaking to the spirits here? May I intrude in his effects, to see if one of them might have some answers?"