[EA, D8] Court Part 5

[Otomo Gusai]

Although unarmed and unarmored, Yoshitsune Chizu could not do less than the others: the Crab moved forward to help keep the monstrous creature from hurting anyone.

Glancing about, Gusai sees the tall Crab woman, and, bowing to excuse himself from Genji and Kinsen, approaches her quietly.

He bows. "Yoshitsune-san," he says, "might we have a word?"

[Togashi Satsuki]

Ko near-smiles through the focus at feeling the hand, hearing the voice. Nodding when Satsuki speaks she furrows her brow, "I.." she hesitates a moment, a frown. Broken by a rising smile however, for all that has happened those she cares for were safe. There was something to that which was powerful enough. With her hands on the sides of Satsuki's shoulders she gives each of them a gentle brush as she looks up to her.

Looking over her shoulder to Hiroya she smiles, nods, "We are okay," she says, a renewal to that smile. Looking back to Satsuki as she inhales, and exhales, trying to find her own normalcy again as the rest of the room has moved on. With the gentle brush Ko did not remove her hands from Satsuki, but the moment she felt Sarsuki did not want or need them there they would fall.

"I left only for one night," she says, meeting Satsuki's eye.

"It's not like I'm responsible for this," she retorted, and broke into a brief smile. That little moment of levity was what she needed to find her focus again. But after court, she would want to be away from everyone else.

Hearing her cousin's words, she tensed visibly. It would be wrong for Dojihime to die for some she couldn't have known or prevented. Those responsible needed to die... not her.

She didn't stomp up to the dais but she did look ready to protest if her uncle against all reason (in her opinion) wanted her cousin dead.

[Jiyo Sora]

Sora stood behind Dojihime, his face...plainly troubled.

Accepting her death for her father's hubris and then an infiltration none of them had seen coming sat wrong with him, and he plainly wasn't wild about the idea.

[Yoshitsune Chizu]

He bows. "Yoshitsune-san," he says, "might we have a word?"

"Certainly, Ship Captain Otomo," Chizu said, bowing politely. "How can I help you?"

[Otomo Gusai]

"Certainly, Ship Captain Otomo," Chizu said, bowing politely. "How can I help you?"

"Immensely," Gusai replies, gesturing off to the side so that they can stand away from main actions. Thus moved, assuming Chizu's willing, Gusai begins, quietly.

"You'll forgive the forwardness in the moment, I hope, but the present situation has highlighted a need for unity across the Empire. I know the Crab have been hindered by the Displacement; the Stag have also endured somewhat for it, though not so much, and there's some resentment on both sides. You and your Clan-mates with whom I've spoken seem to want to move past that, as do the Stag, so I would propose that we take this opportunity to put our combined influence to making that happen, publicly and formally.

"I'll be happy to talk specific terms later today or tomorrow, but I think the show of unity would do all of us some good, and faster will be better for it."

He looks to where a seppuku might be about to happen. "And it might forestall some more precipitous actions that will, as a patient man suggested, have rippling effects for years to come."

[Yoshitsune Chizu]

"You'll forgive the forwardness in the moment, I hope, but the present situation has highlighted a need for unity across the Empire. I know the Crab have been hindered by the Displacement; the Stag have also endured somewhat for it, though not so much, and there's some resentment on both sides.

The Crab furrowed her brow at this statement. "What possible hardship could you have suffered, in taking over our former lands?" she said, somewhat incredulously.

You and your Clan-mates with whom I've spoken seem to want to move past that, as do the Stag, so I would propose that we take this opportunity to put our combined influence to making that happen, publicly and formally.

"I'll be happy to talk specific terms later today or tomorrow, but I think the show of unity would do all of us some good, and faster will be better for it."

"I am interested in seeing a rapprochement between our Clans," Chizu agreed. "But, I'm afraid I'm not a daimyo or a minister who could change clan policy on my own initiative. It would be, well, difficult, to publicly declare the Crab to be friends with the Stag without the approval of my superiors, or some grand gesture from the Stag."

[Otomo Gusai]

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"The Crab are not alone in no longer being in the lands in which their ancestors lived", Gusai replies, still quietly. "And I take your point about relative rank. But perhaps we can attend to the grand gesture."

He looks toward Genji and Kinsen, standing still nearby, and nods to them. See it, and wave us over, please! he thinks.

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[Hantei Genji]

Genji nodded towards Gusai and Chizu, waving an arm, noticing Gusai's gaze.

[Hantei Kinsen]

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"The Crab are not alone in no longer being in the lands in which their ancestors lived", Gusai replies, still quietly. "And I take your point about relative rank. But perhaps we can attend to the grand gesture."

He looks toward Genji and Kinsen, standing still nearby, and nods to them. See it, and wave us over, please! he thinks.

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Kinsen was paying attention, and encourages Genji to follow her with her fan gently guiding the direction.

"Ara. Yoshitsune-san!" Kinsen beams up, "Today's happenings makes us remind the importance of union, and to know each other better." She takes a moment to look at Genji, and says, "I confess I am proud of my son and his initiative."

[Hisomu Matsu]

“Thank you,” she said thankful for the Imperial support.

“There is one final matter, the failure of the Crane in this matter. We have failed, but we will learn from this but if punishment must come then I will bear it. As heir to the clan and acting leader of this delegation it falls to me. I announce that if you wish it so and if Jiyo Sora is willing to act as second, then my life is yours for this failure.”

“Doji Hikaru would act as regent to my sister, until such time my mother has recovered fully or my sister comes of age,” she offered.

Dojihime finished with, “Say the word, honored Uncle and it shall be done.”

Hearing that announcement, Matsu's lips curled to a harsh frown. "Why throw away your life when there is work to be done!" She yelled from the peanut gallery. "I hate you, but dammit, I respect you. To offer your life in recomepense is Courage. But to live to deal with this, even moreso!" The woman bit out, standing before the Spider delegation.

[Yoshitsune Chizu]

He looks toward Genji and Kinsen, standing still nearby, and nods to them.

Kinsen was paying attention, and encourages Genji to follow her with her fan gently guiding the direction.

Chizu noticed the byplay among the Stag, but they had been friendly to her so far. So she seemed willing enough to go along.

"Ara. Yoshitsune-san!" Kinsen beams up, "Today's happenings makes us remind the importance of union, and to know each other better." She takes a moment to look at Genji, and says, "I confess I am proud of my son and his initiative."

The Crab bowed deeply to Kinsen as the Lady of the Stag joined them. "Your son is indeed impressive, and deserving of your praise," Chizu said truthfully.

[Otomo Gusai]

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Gusai bows again, and he quietly continues:

"Lady Hantei, young lord, please excuse my directness in the current situation.

"If I remember right, there'd been discussion of how to bring our Clans, Crab and Stag, closer together, correct? And the idea of doing so via marriage had been noted, as well, hadn't it?"

[Hantei Kinsen]

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Gusai bows again, and he quietly continues:

"Lady Hantei, young lord, please excuse my directness in the current situation.

"If I remember right, there'd been discussion of how to bring our Clans, Crab and Stag, closer together, correct? And the idea of doing so via marriage had been noted, as well, hadn't it?"

Kinsen nods and pops her fan open. Yet, she doesn't cover her lips or speak low, since there was no direct criticism. "Indeed it has. Yoshitune-sama has been a very good friend of mine, and someone that made possible my marriage with dear husband. I would be honored if the Stag could return this fortune in similar measure to the Crab Clan."

[Wu Ko]

"It's not like I'm responsible for this," she retorted, and broke into a brief smile. That little moment of levity was what she needed to find her focus again. But after court, she would want to be away from everyone else.

Hearing her cousin's words, she tensed visibly. It would be wrong for Dojihime to die for some she couldn't have known or prevented. Those responsible needed to die... not her.

She didn't stomp up to the dais but she did look ready to protest if her uncle against all reason (in her opinion) wanted her cousin dead.

"No, you are not," she says, brief smile. Patting her shoulders once more she lets her hands down from them. Looking back to Hiroya, reaching for his hand to pull him to her side, and stepping to Satsuki's side to return the young Dragon to her position of prominence, to the front. Ko behind and not merely physically, giving the support of presence should she need to protest. Such a thing, after all, seemed utterly wasteful.

[Otomo Gusai]

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"Just so," Gusai replies, remaining hushed. "And it would affirm our reconnections and commitment to them to have such a marriage, of course. All the more so," he ventures, "were the participants known to one another and agreeable to one another's company."

[Yuzuru]

"Lord Yuzuru sama, Sasori of the Bayushi with a concern." She announced herself giving proper reverence.

Yuzuru looks in the direction of the sound. Hsieh-Hsieh snarls and sets himself in the way . . . not trusting anyone again.

The Scorpion girl is acknowledged . . . but Yuzuru's attention is on Dojihime for now so he bids Sasori to wait until the Crane's fate has played out.

[Hisomu Kuni]

Kuni had qued up to offer what help he may offer (and possibly the Spider as a whole if Susumu does not step forward and allows the man more knowledgeable about the enemy to speak).

[Kuu]

The Doji offering her life seemed silly. Perhaps this was just one of the differences between monks and samurai. "Someone willing to die for their people is worth more living to help those people. It is the soul of a hero that lives between those lines."

Kuu states, moving near the dais, but staying a bit farther from Dojihime.

"I would not live in a world where a person's life was weighed to be worth less than mistakes or failures of others."

The implication being that he would choose death if her life was demanded.

[Bayushi Sasori]

Yuzuru looks in the direction of the sound. Hsieh-Hsieh snarls and sets himself in the way . . . not trusting anyone again.

The Scorpion girl is acknowledged . . . but Yuzuru's attention is on Dojihime for now so he bids Sasori to wait until the Crane's fate has played out.

The Bayushi waited as commanded. She looked at the fox and smiled. She whispers to the fox "I come in peace"

[Yoshitsune Chizu]

Kinsen nods and pops her fan open. Yet, she doesn't cover her lips or speak low, since there was no direct criticism. "Indeed it has. Yoshitune-sama has been a very good friend of mine, and someone that made possible my marriage with dear husband. I would be honored if the Stag could return this fortune in similar measure to the Crab Clan."

"Just so," Gusai replies, remaining hushed. "And it would affirm our reconnections and commitment to them to have such a marriage, of course. All the more so," he ventures, "were the participants known to one another and agreeable to one another's company."

Chizu nodded at Kinsen and Gusai's sentiments, but she was careful to keep a neutral expression as she looked from them to Genji.