[Day 8 - EA] IFHY (Governor's Office/Chamber Closed)

Asako Kashiwagi · **Joined:** Tue Mar 31, 2020 12:56 am **Posts:** 865

"Well maybe if you have good company then your time in confinement won’t be so grim. I have often thought of what I would leave behind, so many know me, or think they know me. I swear my reputation has a deep-seated wanderlust and visits many places long before I have heard of them,” he said.

“And apparently someone must be describing me as a giant, because everyone expects me to be taller. If it pleases you, Kashiwagi is fine.”

Yogo Sukima · **Joined:** Mon Apr 13, 2020 6:18 am **Posts:** 471

A gentle scratch came to the door. "Please excuse me," came the voice of a servant. "Yogo Sukima-sama has arrived for you. Shall I show her in?"

Ikoma Torii · **Joined:** Wed Apr 15, 2020 12:33 am **Posts:** 58

Asako Kashiwagi wrote:

"Well maybe if you have good company then your time in confinement won’t be so grim. I have often thought of what I would leave behind, so many know me, or think they know me. I swear my reputation has a deep-seated wanderlust and visits many places long before I have heard of them,” he said.

“And apparently someone must be describing me as a giant, because everyone expects me to be taller. If it pleases you, Kashiwagi is fine.”

"Well, you are one of the most famous samurai in the Empire, particularly given that you're not a daimyo. At a certain point, the story outgrows the man."

She thinks for a moment. "I would bet inside of a week I could have stories of you whispered around tea houses that you've never heard before." She smiles mischievously. "A fun distraction, perhaps, Kashiwagi."

Yogo Sukima wrote:

A gentle scratch came to the door. "Please excuse me," came the voice of a servant. "Yogo Sukima-sama has arrived for you. Shall I show her in?"

She looks at Kashiwagi. "The fate of the immensely popular." Turning toward the door: "Yes, go ahead."

Yogo Sukima · **Joined:** Mon Apr 13, 2020 6:18 am **Posts:** 471

The red-haired woman from earlier entered, bowing to both, a little deeper to Torii. "My apologies for interrupting, Ikoma-sama. I am Yogo Sukima. An honor to meet you."

She nodded to Kashiwagi. "I apologize for the lack for proper introductions earlier. I hope you will forgive me, given the circumstances."

Asako Kashiwagi · **Joined:** Tue Mar 31, 2020 12:56 am **Posts:** 865

Ikoma Torii wrote:

She looks at Kashiwagi. "The fate of the immensely popular." Turning toward the door: "Yes, go ahead."

Kashiwagi just nodded with a knowing smile.

Yogo Sukima wrote:

She nodded to Kashiwagi. "I apologize for the lack for proper introductions earlier. I hope you will forgive me, given the circumstances."

"It is forgotten, Yogo-san, I am pleased to make your acquaintance," he replied calmly.

Ikoma Torii · **Joined:** Wed Apr 15, 2020 12:33 am **Posts:** 58

She bows back.

"Thank you for seeking me out. It's been busy! And, frankly, a bit crazy! I was just sharing a drink and a tale or two with the Phoenix here in the hopes of clearing my head before approaching the challenges ahead."

Yogo Sukima · **Joined:** Mon Apr 13, 2020 6:18 am **Posts:** 471

She paused a beat before replying, "I agree with that assessment entirely. It seems like it's been a whirlwind lately. I imagine governing the city has been especially so."

"Unfortunately, the challenges ahead and those currently do bring me here. We wanted to gain a better understanding of your perspective of the last couple of days and what will come ahead."

Ikoma Torii · **Joined:** Wed Apr 15, 2020 12:33 am **Posts:** 58

"We?" She shrugs a bit. "Go on."

Yogo Sukima · **Joined:** Mon Apr 13, 2020 6:18 am **Posts:** 471

"I'm representing the Scorpion delegation here," she clarified. "I'm not just speaking for myself. The Scorpion wanted to offer what said we could to our allies, but we'd be better able to do so knowing what happened and what you could use a little better."

"Matsu Kogyoku-san explained some of it last night, but I would like your perspective."

Ikoma Torii · **Joined:** Wed Apr 15, 2020 12:33 am **Posts:** 58

"Ah yes. Well, I thank you." She looks at Kashiwagi, then back at Sukima.

"Ultimately, the blame is mine as I made the order after some... internal discussion. I thought the order a political stunt, so I ensured there was a way for the Crane to still do what needed doing, as our current situation is far beyond a small clan spat. Unfortunately, the Crane ambassador decided to escalate the situation in the most extreme possible way: open defiance to a subordinate that had no choice but to take action... and take action he did. And then he took repeated stands and made the situation worse.

"In short, I never should have engaged in politics at this time, though that comes as no surprise to me." She pauses for effect here, and then continues. "I did, in reaction to a long-standing Crane tradition that shouldn't have existed to begin with. In return, they reacted to further escalate... and back and forth until we're in this moment right here."

She sighs.

"That's about the full of it. Asako-san saw basically the entirety of it." She looks at him. "You can correct me if I'm wrong about any point or... displaying a heightened bias toward the Lion in my description." She smirks a bit, and turns back to Sukima.

"I think there is nothing left to be done today. Tomorrow, I will likely make a speech about the incident. I believe the external threat will soon occupy all of our thoughts far more than this, but I doubt this will go away.

"All I really want is for the situation to de-escalate. Mistakes were made; our best course of action, in my view, is to wait it out and try to deal with them in more length after our current crisis... but the Crane might not see it that way."

Asako Kashiwagi · **Joined:** Tue Mar 31, 2020 12:56 am **Posts:** 865

Kashiwagi saw no need to interject and just nodded his agreement.

Yogo Sukima · **Joined:** Mon Apr 13, 2020 6:18 am **Posts:** 471

"With everyone under unusually high tension, I suspect the Crane took what was intended as a political maneuver as... something more akin to strong-arming instead. With that in mind, while they could have chosen a less extreme form of protest... under said high tension, it might have felt to them like anything else would be bending in the face of intimidation, and would cost them face. When Matsu-san spoke to me of this, I let her know something along these lines might happen."

"I think your plan to address the issue is a wise one. We need to face the problem at hand with unity, even if things escalate afterward again. We also can't afford for people to question the Empress by proxy because of what happened here."

She rested the fingers of her left hand over her lips... all 3.667 of them... tapping gently and thoughtfully. "I can speak with them in the early morning, and try to ease tensions further. If you have in mind what you want to say, I can complement your points."

Asako Kashiwagi · **Joined:** Tue Mar 31, 2020 12:56 am **Posts:** 865

The Asako hero sipped his sake as the wheels of diplomacy squealed around him, peeling out towards the uncertain future.

[Day 8 - EA] IFHY (Governor's Office/Chamber Closed)

Who is online