[D5, EA] Observing the Recording (Open, Event)

[Jiyo Sora]

"I'm glad the expertise of the Crab is known here in the capital," Chizu said with a smile. "I'll see what I can do to gather some texts along these lines, so we can share our knowledge. My mother has some connections among the craftsmen and builders... I'm sure that something could be done."

"I imagine as a librarian you must run across a lot of 'exotic' knowledge, gathered from all across the Empire," she said conversationally. "Is there anything especially unusual or remarkable that you've learned this way?"

"Well... where to begin?"

He laughed.

"I've learned about as much on the trail as I have reading the collections. I've been to the lands of every Clan, and they all have something unique about them. And I've worked with Nezumi transcribing their account of what some of their memory sticks hold."

He paused. Something had clicked into place in his mind.

"But I think the most remarkable thing I learned came during our trip south. The cyclical nature of a war with the Realm of Evil. The Five Ancient Races fought it once- they were... complicated. A very clever Nezumi explained what they knew of the Five to me, but it was pretty vague. After them, the Ogres. Our turn will come, Yoshitsune-san."

[Jiyo Ayumu]

Hikaru considered a moment, then shook his head. "It is nothing. I imagine he must see a great many things. I wondered how many of them come to pass... but he already explained it to me himself."

He took a breath. "He is a good man? In your judgement?"

"Sora?"

Ayumu contemplated the concept of Sora as a bad man for an instant and had a hard time preventing himself from giggling:

"He would give his life without a second though to save the Empire, Shiba, Shiba's family, or anyone he respects or loves really. He has helped raising more kids than your average wet nurse. He has spent most of his adult life fighting to make Rokugan a better place. He has atoned a thousand times for his past sins as a young member of the then Hikaru tribe, and yet still feels guilty about them.

You'll have a hard finding more pure, unalterable good. I would doubt my own goodness of heart before his."

Ayumu took a sip of water to calm down, then added:

"Any bad reputation he may have nowadays come from two things only. First, he doesn't bother much with etiquette in general. Second, as a direct consequence of the extreme polarization of his soul, he can be quite brusque with people who are more morally gray."